It's not that I didn't want to see Local H, but the thought of the two hour drive each way was so off-putting that I almost didn't go. But in the last 2 years, I was going to see them while we were on holiday near Myrtle Beach, but Covid made me wary of being indoors, I had tickets to the 2 shows they were going to do at the Evening Muse that were cancelled, and then I injured myself at the kids' soccer practice the night they rescheduled. I had to go.
The drive down was pretty easy, once I got past Gastonia, even with all the work happening on I85. I arrived at the easily found Radio Room just before 8 pm. Great venue! Medium sized room, walled off down the middle, with the bar on one side and the stage on the other.
Scott Lucas walked through the crowd, onto the stage, alone to start the night with All The Kids Are Right, solo and acoustic. Took a request, The One With Kid, which he prefaced would be shit, but I thought was great. After his 4th solo, Eddie Vedder, the rest of the band joined him for 3 more acoustic songs, including Buffalo Tom's Smothered In Hugs. After that the band plugged in and started rocking. The next 4 songs built up to a frenzy finishing with All Right (Oh Yeah) and Fritz's Corner. And just when the crowd were on edge, ready to explode, they left the stage.
A short while later, dressed as Local H mechanics, the band walked through the now large crowd and came back to play Here Comes The Zoo from start to finish. I'm not familiar with this album, but Hands On The Bible was a great starter. 5th Ave. Crazy definitely got the crowd moving. Rock n Roll Professionals (my aha! moment on the outfits) is a great song, as is the follow up Keep Your Girlfriend Away From Me. Bryn-Mawr Stomp is a rocker, but the closer, What Would You Have Me Do?, settled the crowd back down. Without leaving the stage Local H then played a killer 5-song "encore". California Songs started it off. And it was a pearler of a version. The band kept holding back the parts where the song breaks out. It was fun to watch the crowd get ready to go, and the impending confusion. But when it finally happened the crowd were into it. Straight into Bound For The Floor, with a much-loved-by-the-crowd snippet of Chicago's 25 or 6 and 4 in the middle. Two great covers - The Georgia Satellites' Keep Your Hands To Yourself and Misfits' Static Age - preceded the closer. My favorite Local H song, High Fivin' MF, was played with all the power and energy that I remember from the first time I heard that song at the Equinox Festival in 1997. And throw in a snippet of Fleetwood Mac's Tusk - MWAH! Perfection!
Having seen some bands from my youth lately, I've noticed they have slowed down their sound. Sometimes their songs don't have the same energy anymore. Local H are the opposite. They may be playing faster and with more energy than ever. It was an awesome show and I'm glad I forced myself to drive down to Greenville for the show. Till next time....
The guy who filmed this was standing 2 people in front of me. I normally don't like people filming shows, but he was against the wall, very unassuming, and most importantly, not blocking anyone. Video and audio on this is great.
The Crap Facts:
This is my 481st concert.
The Radio Room is the 132nd venue I've seen a concert in.
This is my 2nd show in Greenville.
This is my 5th show in South Carolina.
This is my 284th concert in the US.
This is my 6th Local H show.
The Radio Room is the 132nd venue I've seen a concert in.
This is my 2nd show in Greenville.
This is my 5th show in South Carolina.
This is my 284th concert in the US.
This is my 6th Local H show.
