Category Archives: New York

Photo by S Slaybaugh

In the last five or so years i have gotten in the habit of never really going to see concerts that require me to purchase tickets.   I am not sure why this is,  There are tons of artists who i would love to see live, but never have because it would require me to buy a ticket. Honestly i am pretty lazy about going to shows,  certain factors in my life have spoiled me in regards to going to see bands…  anyway, a few months ago i saw that Air was playing a show in new york on their brief us tour, so i reluctantly bought tickets. i had no idea who the openers were, but figured they would be great since they are touring with air.  at one point i was even excited about the openers because i stupidly thought they had to be good because there was no way that air would bring a shitty band with them on tour…  NOPE. it was some asshole from LA who calls himself “AM” (not dj AM rip) they were fucking terrible. i won’t waste your time with anymore on them (though i am tempted to go into great detail as to who fucking terrible they were, the guy who is the band pretty much reminded me what sucks about LA and guys who want to start bands).

Once the jerk opening band was done with their self inflicted session of public humiliation there was one of the strangest set changes i have ever seen at a concert.  Most people did not notice this, but i was in a place that kinda forced me to watch, and i am a bit of a voyeur so i watched.   the first thing that was weird was some guy came out and lined up all the water bottles in a OCD style straight line on the amps, and picked up any stray debris off the stage and threw it away (its not like there was trash on the stage, it looked like he picked up a stray guitar pick, and maybe a gum wrapper). I would not have thought anything of him picking up trash and lineing up water bottles, but right when he finished a 60 plus white man in what looked to be a train conductors uniform came out in white gloves and tediously cleaned each key on each of the seven synthesizers. He looked like a character out of thomas the tank engine, and i could not help but wonder these things,  who is this old man. did they request that he dressed like this, or was it his idea?  why is he cleaning those keyboards, was there a food fight?  is he crazy?   (more on him in a bit).

after about half an hour of weird behavior by the road crew, a giant projection screen flashed on with the air logo, then Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel walked out onto the stage. Nicolas Godin came out dressed in tailored grey wool pants, a white dress shirt with the top three buttons open that was neatly tucked in, and a white silk scarf slung over his shoulders. Jean-Benoît Dunckel was wearing white pants, white shoes, a white shirt and a white tie, all perfectly tailored to fit his “i survive on wine, cigarettes and the occasional meal” frame. Continue reading →