[Warning: the following contains gushing praise & fangirl adoration, so if you’re allergic to that sort of thing, you might want to bail now…]

Knott’s Berry Farm may have at first seemed like an unlikely venue for The Airborne Toxic Event, but having Santa Claus ride by in a train just before the soundcheck, and hearing the faint sounds of carnival rides between songs made perfect sense, in a strange sort of cosmic way. During the soundcheck, the band discussed if Mikel should perhaps do the opening of “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?” from the back of one of those trains. I spoke to a woman who had brought her young daughter along for her first TATE concert, and she was clearly as excited to see them as mom was.

It’s one thing to be a great bar band (which they are) and to connect with people on that level. Or in a larger club like Roseland, or a theatre like the Orpheum or the El Rey, to draw people in, even those sitting at the back, to the point where everyone is singing along. But for a show to work as well in an amusement park is something quite cool indeed.

We dutifully forfeited our toys at the front gate in exchange for free admission – an awesome deal, and a great cause. When we arrived at about 3:30 at the Calico Stage in the Wild West (conveniently located next to the Calico Saloon) there were already people beginning to gather in front of the stage. The band is obviously not yet accustomed to fans staking out spots for a show hours before it’s scheduled to begin, or delighting in watching them set up and soundcheck (“it’s like having someone watching me while I’m shaving” – Mikel).

An impromptu band meeting, with the five of them gathered in a huddle to discuss some aspect of that night’s performance, brought to mind the wonderful chemistry they have onstage. There’s no doubt they’re all on the same wavelength, as they seem to have so much fun performing together, roaming around during the show, climbing up on stuff, playing off each other – and that joy is contagious.

They were announced by someone from 98.7 (the radio station that sponsored the show and Toys for Tots toy drive), and came onstage (again) to wild cheering.

From Mikel, a heartfelt “it’s good to be home.” He went on to mention that his mom, dad, and brother were in the audience,

You could feel how happy the band was to be back in L.A. and playing for their hometown fans. Their joy just radiated from them in waves, and the audience of about 1,000 drank it in like parched desert survivors, singing along to every song and cheering as loud as a crowd of several thousand.

Honestly, I don’t know how they had so much energy and enthusiasm after that 30-day straight touring, followed by several radio station Christmas shows on which they were often the 2nd or 3rd band on a 5 or 6-band lineup. But they sounded amazing, put on a fantastic, very intimate and special sort of show, and it was such a great honor for me to see them here, amongst many who had probably seen those early club dates when they first got together. It was a beautiful, warm loving feeling, despite the rather chilly temperatures for Southern Californians, and I could feel the stress of a particularly gruesome few weeks of work back in Boston melt away.

It was the standard set they’ve been playing, but this time the full album, plus a gorgeous version of one of my favorites, “This Losing.” That, and a lot of friendly chatter from Mikel in between.

Airborne continues to impress me with how dedicated and generous they are to their fans. After what’s surely the longest time they’ve been away from friends and family (it had been almost 2 months since the Anaheim in-store, and over 3 months since the Wiltern show), they took the time to come out after their set to say hello and happily grant what seemed to be an endless stream of requests for autographs and photos. Truly a lovely evening.

Set List

Wishing Well
Papillon
Gasoline
Does This Mean You’re Moving On?
Happiness Is Overrated
Something New
This Losing
This Is Nowhere
Sometime Around Midnight
Innocence

(encore)
Missy

A note on the weather: while back in Boston before my flight, I checked the forecast, saw solid rain scheduled for all day Sunday, and wondered how they were going to pull that off with an outdoor venue. But when Mikel first walked out on stage, spread his arms out to the heavens, and inquired “Rain?,” questioning the predicting prowess of the weather forecasters, I knew that even mother nature had not dared to spoil this magical evening. [A few hours later, back in Silverlake, the skies opened up in a major way.]

P.S. Many more photos – and video – when I’m back in cold, dreary Boston and can assemble stuff.

You might want to strap yourself down for my review of The Airborne Toxic Event at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre. The band was absolutely on fire last night. Daren, Noah, Steven, Mikel and Anna — you guys f*cking rock! Driven into a frenzy by Mikel, who… well, I don’t know what happened over there in the UK (maybe it’s something in the water?), but there was something just slightly unhinged about him that seemed to take things to an even higher level of emotional passion. Ok, I’ll admit maybe it was me who was unhinged by the opportunity of seeing my favorite band live once again, but those are my personal observations.

Mikel trying his best to rouse a sedate Boston audience

Whatever was the case, three songs into the set, the people in the front were still unbelievably in their seats, despite TATE’s auditory outpouring (not me, I was dancing like a banshee). Well, Mikel decided he had had enough, and — with Anna already poised up on an amp behind him — he stepped out into the audience, perching himself on a few empty chairs at the front to deliver a blistering and defiant version of “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?” Somehow, the image of him towering above the still rather docile front center rows brought to mind visions of Iggy out in those sometimes-unsuspecting audiences in the late 60’s, albeit without the shards of glass and peanut butter. But the attitude felt somewhat similar, as did the audience’s clueless reaction. Sufficiently embarrassed into action and spurned on by this great, great song (I don’t know how it’s even possible to stay seated during it), everyone got to their feet, finally entering into the center of the musical maelstrom, where they stayed and danced until the end of the all-too-short but explosive set. [Oh yeah, and thankfully, very thankfully, Fletcher of 'FNX did not attempt his "live band karaoke" this time.]

“Happiness is Overrated” followed (”about this Catholic girl who turned out to be not so catholic”), and then the absolutely beautiful “This Losing,” which I love to hear live. Then, with the alternate (acoustic version) lyrics, “This is Nowhere,” that great ode to the Silver Lake scene, and on to the one that obviously this ‘FNX audience were waiting to hear, “Sometime Around Midnight.” [A woman behind me after the song ended — "well, I just got my money's worth!"]. I think WFNX may start playing “Gasoline” now, since it’s the next single (in the UK anyway, backed by the brilliant “The Winning Side,” which is available via eBay, if you’re in the U.S. and bought the hard-copy CD and not the digital version from iTunes). “Midnight” got some alternate lyrics from Mikel, who may be starting to feel, after 30 days straight of singing this, that a little “mixing it up” may be in order. “That white dress she’s wearing” turned into a black dress (it was a red dress during the ‘FNX acoustic set), and “holding her tonic like a cross” (one of my all-time favorite lines of theirs) was more correctly expanded into “vodka & tonic.”

This is what happens when you try to take pictures and dance at the same time. Sorry it is blurry, but trust me, they were awesome!

They ended with a gorgeous rendition of “Innocence,” as always starting with lovely viola and bass from Anna & Noah, and building into a swirling frenzy, the evening’s festivities finished off in grand style by Mikel and Noah leaping off in perfect harmony from the drum riser. [Didn't quite catch who made the higher jump; my guess is that it was probably Noah. His legendary leaps have now been immortalized on the Gasoline CD single.]

Thank you so much guys, for a truly beautiful evening!

Brief mention of their support acts, haha. No no, I’m joking, no disrespect meant at all to Franz Ferdinand. They were wonderful. It was my first time seeing them, and I thought they were really great. Standout songs for me which were a bouncy joy to witness live: “Michael,” “The Dark of the Matinee,” “Take Me Out,” and “This Fire” — all from their fantastic debut album back in 2004. Songs from their upcoming album, “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand” (due out January) seem quite promising as well, especially the track WFNX was playing for a while, “Lucid Dreams.”

Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand drum solo

The band that opened, Dearly Beloved, was less successful, I felt. Opening bands are always plagued by low audience attendance, but one complaint that I often have: they were too damned loud! Their music might have been interesting and enjoyable (I liked what I previewed before the show on MySpace), but after a certain decibel level, it just becomes annoying, as I’m afraid was the case here. Franz was a bit too loud as well, but somehow I didn’t mind that as much. Oddly, TATE was at a perfect volume, and no, I’m not just saying that because of my obvious partiality.

(TATE set list)
Wishing Well
Papillon
Gasoline
Does This Mean You’re Moving On?
Happiness is Overrated
This Losing
This is Nowhere
Sometime Around Midnight
Innocence

P.S. I doubt she’ll see this, and I don’t know her name, but I’d like to say a big thank you to the usher at the right front aisle of the Orpheum last night. Due to my “senior moment” during the presale, my friend Victor had a seat way off on the opposite side, but she let him take an empty seat near the front, after I explained what big TATE fans we were. Even better, after their set, she said to me, “Now I know why you like them so much — they were great!” Woo hoo! A new fan!

P.S.S. Upon hearing about the inclement weather in the UK, I said that I would do my best to arrange for a nice snowstorm for their Boston visit. I wasn’t quite able to deliver on that promise, but as I write this Sunday morning, there is a lovely shower of flurries coming down…

Ok, no time to even write this. Just heard on WFNX that The Airborne Toxic Event are *here* for tomorrow night’s sure-to-be-amazing show with Franz Ferdinand, and are right now as I frantically type (8:52 am Friday morning) setting up in their studios in Lynn (heck, that’s about 5 minutes from me) and will be playing live on air. Listen to ‘em! (and hopefully they’ll archive the show).

Woo Hoo!!!! (hey guys, you’re welcome to come over to Nahant and hang out when you’re done. Guess I’d better straighten up a little…)

Having just finished their “30 shows in 30 days” tour of the U.K., The Airborne Toxic Event will next be performing at what is sure to be an amazing show with Franz Ferdinand at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre this Saturday, December 6. This is for night #1 of WFNX’s “Miracle on Tremont Street”. Yes!! It will be absolutely wonderful to see them again.

After Boston, they’ll be on to eight more Christmas shows across the U.S.:

• Sunday, December 7 – Radio 104.5 Holiday Bizarre, Theatre of the Living Arts, Philadelphia PA (SOLD OUT)
• Tuesday, December 9 – Matt Pinfield’s Holiday WRXP Extravaganza, Blender Theatre at Gramercy, New York, NY (SOLD OUT)
• Wednesday, December 10 – The Night The Buzz Stole Christmas (965 The Buzz), The Midland by AMC, Kansas City, MO
• Thursday, December 11 – 101x Independent Workforce Xmas Show, Emo’s, Austin, TX
• Saturday, December 13 – KRMA Unsilent Night, TCC Exhibition Hall, Tucson, AZ
• Sunday, December 14 – Star 98.7 Holiday Show/Toys for Tots, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park, CA
• Wednesday, December 17 – Channel 104.9 Holiday Low Dough Show, The Blank Club, San Jose, CA
• Thursday, December 18 – KNRK Xmas Show, Crystal Ballroom, Portland, OR

TATE’s future plans, according to Mikel in a recent (marvelous) interview on contactmusic.com:

“The album comes out in the UK on February 3rd and there’ll be three extra songs on this version that aren’t on the original record that came out in the States in August. We’re back touring the UK to coincide with the album’s release and then we’re playing North America in the spring. After that it’s mainland Europe and then we’re pencilled in for a few festivals; Coachella is one, and then, who knows…?”

WOO HOO!!! Thanks, guys!!!