ZapTown

Dear Legendary Vogue Nightclub,

I’m writing this letter with the greatest and deepest apologies. I recognize that you were built and architecturally designed over 7 decades ago, and your walls have seen a million fans and movie viewers when it was a theater, especially in the 70’s when the theater went xxx.  I highly apologize for my absence over the past 4 years that I’ve resided in Indiana.  I regret to have waited so long to see your beautiful interior and listen to those magnificent acoustics. I can hear you scoffing at me now, reminding me of all those great shows I’ve missed over the years. Like The Flaming Lips, White Stripes, and whom ever attended that Johnny Cash show must have some great shit kicking stories about their boot heels tapping on your vast dance floor.

Thank you for inviting me last Tuesday night to see my beloved hometown band from of Silverlake, California, the Silversun Pickups along with, Cage The Elephant.  I shamefully admit to being late and missing the first band. Being the class act that you are Vogue, you were not offended. As a matter of fact you embraced my arrival with those familiar punk rock riffs that used to make the hair stand up on my arms back in the days of after school improv punk rock jam sessions in Orange County.  Because of this, I must mention the absence of the mosh pit that usually is related to such music. Is there something I missed? A posted sign reprimanding all guests? Why oh why was there not a piece of dust rising from the orchestra section during Cage The Elephant’s performance?  Either way, thank you Vogue for introducing me to Bowling Green Kentucky’s world famous punk band. What a wonderful welcoming present they were. The band was well into the middle of their set when I arrived. As I was tipee toeing around the back of the club trying to get a glimpse of the band, certain I was hearing the lyrics…”Eat Your Heart Out On A Plastic Tray”pound, pound, pounding into my brain.  Without getting a look I was sure I had walked into a surprise Johnny Lydon performance.   Then came the wrapping, the funk, and the those drums. Wildly excited and ready to go join the pit but sadly there was not one. It wasn’t until I reached the balcony looking down onto the stage when I realized I was standing in an auditorium that was reminiscent to my Los Angeles Paladium.  Only the Vogue had managed to find one of Alice’s, from Alice In Wonderland, little bottle’s that said, “Drink me.”, making the venue small enough to hold just enough people to call it a semi intimate evening.

Cage The Elephant’s performance was drenched in punk, with a touch of southern rock, something I have never experienced.  Kings Of Leon they are not. Most of the tunes they played were off their self titled last release on RCA/Jive Records. Rumor has it that their next release will be available soon. According to the merchandise peeps they played a number of songs off of their next one, but shhhhh…they are not telling when it will be available, or how I can get my hands on it right now.

They ended their set with an Iggy Pop cover, which perfectly sums it all up and says a lot about the band.  Watch out for this band LA and NYC and all of USA!  I still couldn’t quite figure out why the crowd was just standing there, looking up at this band that were literally shredding every old school punk riff that was ever written. What is it about moshing in this town? Is it against the law or something? Maybe these kids just aren’t as pissed off as we were. Yeah that’s probably it!

Leave it to my hometown band to stir up some dust on your infamous floor. Silversun Pickups entered your full house opening up with “Growing Old Is Getting Old,” off their latest release Swoon. Second song “Well Thought Out Twinkles” off of their first release Canvass started a small recognizable stir. The non assertive but accepting crowd were overjoyed and finally a very small pit began, until the farce of a punk rocker presented himself and was quickly dropped to the ground by those whose eyes were all still entranced on the band.

Upon interviewing fans after the show a majority of them had never seen them live and were amazed at their performance, commenting on how much they sounded exactly like they did in their iPod earphones.

Next on the set list, “Substitution,” “The Royal We,” and “Catch and Release” all performed and perfectly administered just as it was recorded. How did they do that? With the absence of the 16 piece orchestra that was masterfully used during the production of Swoon, was missed by true fans.  Gone but not forgotten thanks to keyboardist Joe Lester whose sound manipulation artistry was ever so savvy in allowing us to actually believe there was a string section upon the stage. (Now If only that sound guy would have turned up those keys.)

Next, lead singer Brian Aubert requested to have your house lights turned on to offer applause to you my new found friend and kinder spirit Vogue. Once the lights were on, he shared his appreciation for the fans here in your hometown of Broadripple and expressed gratitude to your beloved patrons for being so polite and welcoming last year, as well as the year before at the Music Summit. He then dedicated “Little Lover So Polite” to you. After that, off the stage they went, only to shortly return to play the gratuitous “Lazy Eye” that finally forced those bouncers to abandon their perspective duties to watchfully protect your children who were finally creating a steady circling cyclone of the most polite mosh pit I’ve ever seen.

Chris Guanlao killed it on the skins during the last song and encore, “Common Reactor” which distorted conclusion left a standstill for first time attendees, and gave an excuse to an early exit for those who showed disdain for the familiar and beloved guitar distortion and feedback that your ceilings bounced playfully while they exited the building. No nose bleeds, no concussions, nor arrests, just pure innocent enjoyment through the power of music.

With all of this in mind, Vogue Nightclub, I thank you again for a fantastic evening surrounded by good people who enjoy great music.

Until we meet again.

Karen Shaver