A slightly warmer and, more importantly, drier day today. This made the day comfortable but it was still soggy underfoot. More people for day 2, so you had to keep an eye on where you stepped. Day 2 started at the big stages to see Tokyo Police Club. Nothing to memorable, but nothing bad in the same thought.
Next was the Dandy Warhols or Buzzcocks toss up. Saw the Dandy's a couple of years back and really loved them so thought I'd stick around again. Seem like this was a bit of a mistake. The set was lackluster and the sound awful and a ill timed phone call meant I missed a top 25 favorite song - Bohemian Like you. The Dandy's are best left for a small club.
We moved over to the smaller stages where I remained for the rest of the day. First up was the brutal Face To Face. Good hardcore punk - even though it was a bit early in the afternoon for this.
Next up was the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. It had been a while since the opportunity to see the Bosstones had come around. And I'm glad it came around today. A fun 45 minutes of ska with the set almost brick ended with the always great Rascal King & The Impression That I Get. Not sure if the don't tour much anymore, but I long time near anywhere I lived, Hope to see them again sometime
Speaking of fun, the stylings of Me First & The Gimme Gimmes were next and as usual their humor shone through. I always find it great to see people so into a particular type of music (in this case punk) get excited by a different type of music. From the beginning of I Will Survive M1&GG were on fire. In between song banter saw Fat Mike take up where he left off yesterday in NoFX's set and leader Spike Slawson loved to reminded everyone "This next song is a cover". Hard to pick a favorite from this set but I'm gonna go with Paula Abdul's Straight Up because I'd never heard them do it before. Pink Hawaiian shirts forever.
I stayed in the same area to see the Get Up Kids. I know nothing about this band, but I was way in the minority. This as another whole album set this time - Something To Write Home About and a good size crowd was into it. While nothing musically was a standout to me, it was a rockin' set and their fans were the ones who may have had the best time of the festival.
Back on the other stage was Cock Sparrer. Classic English Oi! Erik left me to go and see the Flaming Lips & The National but I stayed for another band I didn't know much about. These guys have been doing this for decades and look like the kinda blokes you find watching the football in East London on any given Saturday. Their set was tight, and as fast as I would imagine it back in the day. Teenage Heart, Argy Bargy, AU and England Belongs To Me were the best of the hour.
A seemingly much anticipated Descendents were up next to play a west coast cult-classic punk album. Loved the start as singer Milo Auckerman, backpack on, came on to the stage asking the crowd whether he was in the right class at San Diego State. On came the band and they tore through the 15 songs of Milo Goes To College in about 30 minutes. Could have done a whole other album, but instead went for a variety of songs that had the crowd in a frenzy. They played the only song of theirs I knew. I Like Food - 17 seconds of mayhemmed bliss.
I have seen Danzig 6 times before, most of those he had Doyle play some Misfits with him, so I thought the opportunity to see Samhain would be a good one. I may have been wrong, and gone to the National instead. Samhain played the 30 year old Initium in its entirety, but at times it felt like it had been just as long since these songs were played. Out of tune and timing I didn't enjoy this set as much as I wanted to.
Getting home tonight was so much easier. It was a relatively quick 3 blocks to the bus stop taking us back to the hotel in a timely manner. So much better than last night.
The Crap Facts:
This is my 380th concert.
This is my 2nd concert at Humboldt Park.
This is my 2nd concert in Chicago.
This is my 2nd concert in Illinois.
This is my 188th concert in the USA.
Tokyo Police Club are the 446th band I've seen.
This is my 2nd Dandy Warhols concert.
Face To Face are the 447th band I've seen.
This is my 3rd Mighty Mighty Bosstones concert.
This is my 2nd Me First & The Gimmie Gimmies concert.
The Get Up Kids are the 448th band I've seen.
Cock Sparrer are the 449th band I've seen.
Decendents are the 450th band I've seen.
Samhain are the 451st band I've seen.
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