Videos from CSS & MEN > last night have been uploaded to the zBORED YouTube channel just for your eyeballs and earholes. Please view and enjoy. The one below is 'Move' which is my favorite CSS song off my favorite CSS album, Donkey and 'twas my fav song they played yesternight.
Aside from the above, Cansei de Ser Sexy played a lot of other tracks from Donkey like 'Beautiful Song' [another gem] and 'Jager Yoga' [don't mess my holiday!]. Last night's show being part of the front leg of their North American La Liberación tour, they made sure of getting to plenty from that album too with songs such as 'Fuck Everything' and the release's first single 'Hits Me Like A Rock'.
Opening for CSS was MEN lead by former frontman for Le Tigre, who I just found out is a girl and not a dude [whoops!]. She sounds like Ralph Tresvant of New Edition before he hit puberty. You know, from back in the 'Candy Girl' and 'Mr. Telephone Man' days. She killed it. MEN rules. They have a killer guitarist too. I'm a fan.
Yesterday I posted about my high anticipation for checking out a show at the new Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix. It's everything I hoped it would be. Actually, more. There's a cool little restaurant up front with good food and very moderately priced drinks. I had 3 Ketel-tonics and an Irish coffee [don't judge me, I quit Red Bull] and the lady had a Honey Badger [fruity specialty drink], a dirty martini and some sort of gourmet quesadilla thing. The tab was $39 and some change and once we got into the venue my Pacificos were $3 each at that bar.
Crescent Ballroom is an old warehouse built almost 100 years ago but renovated into a sort of posh venue with lounge-type feel. The pit is moderately sized, about the size of the 18+ area at the Clubhouse in Tempe. Behind that are high tables with high chairs and behind that are modern-style wood finish bleachers [genius]. Left of the stage are about 6 Tetris style blocks for additional seating. The bathrooms are super clean and big. For dudes the main room latrine features 3 pissers and 2 shitters so it really beats the hell out of 1 total toilet like at the Clubhouse [sorry, still love you!]. There are 2 dressing rooms with the talent's names artistically drawn onto the doors' fancy chalkboards and even the merch table is fancy!
So aside from legit aesthetics, food, libations and urination stations let's not forget about the most important quality that makes for a great venue: the sound. There's plenty of state of the art speakers and sound equipment but I feared echoes with all of that pretty stained concrete throughout the joint. You shan't worry. It sounds great in there. Really crisp in every area I stood and danced in with the perfect amount of boom blaring. Furthermore, the sound stage is located in a little nook in the back between the bleachers, not to take up any unnecessary space or jeopardize the performance when it gets super packed full of drunkards having trouble standing.
I think you can tell by now I really like Crescent Ballroom and it may already be my new favorite place to catch a show. Kudos to Charlie Levy of Stateside Presents for spearheading this. We've been waiting a long time for such a place. Amen.
