Wow, here it is mid-July and I’m just now getting around to writing about my last concert of 2020. Obviously a lot has happened since then which has caused my severe delay on writing this. Lol who am I kidding, I don’t keep up with this that well anymore…
Anyways, at least I have a good reason this time. IN THIS CASE, the delay is due to a Pandemic which essentially shut down everything I love to do. Go to a bar with friends? FORGET ABOUT IT. Travel to see Pearl Jam in Arizona? FORGET ABOUT IT. Travel to see Rage Against the Machine in New Mexico? FORGET ABOUT IT. Social life ended.
For the first time since I was 16 (estimate) I was completely sober for 2 months straight. Yes you heard that right. When I say completely sober I mean no alcohol, no cigarettes, no weed. For two months. Straight. I don’t know what caused me to stop but it helped me realized I’m a completely social, extroverted person. When that “extrovertedness” was taken from me, I quit doing anything fun.
Some of my friends asked me how it was. I mean most everyone drank even more being isolated. But really I told them it wasn’t that great. I don’t understand the big hubbub about not having any vices. Life loses a sense of excitement and “realness”. But hey, do whatever makes you happy. Thats my motto.
Since mid-May I’ve settled into drinking a couple beers twice a week and having 2 or 3 cigars a week. Cigars are my new thing. Way better than cigarettes. Alyssa is upset that I’m smoking something again but hey its better than packs of cigs. I haven’t had a single cigarette since my birthday and I plan to keep it that way. Weirdly enough I have no want to ever smoke another one.
Anyways, enough about my developments, 2020 was essentially shaping up to be my best concert year ever by far. I had bought and paid for tickets to see Jim James with a whole orchestra, Pearl Jam and Rage who I mentioned earlier. Was even eyeballing going to a concert a Red Rocks for Laren’s Bachelor Party. But as everyone reading this is aware, all concerts are put to a stop until further notice. It likely won’t be until 2021 when I see another show.
I was excited after beginning the year with Dirty Honey for my birthday and then this gem of a concert, The Strokes. Had I known it was my last hoorah I would have made it so much more special, but my experience just sums up where I am at life.
I ubered down and met up with Kyle and Jake. to be honest its been too long for me to even remember what we were doing beforehand, but I’d almost guarantee we went to the Central to pregame a few beers.
I do know we weren’t concerned about seeing the openers. When we showed up we went straight to the beer garden and had a few beers. After a few beers someone showed up, I can’t remember who, and Jake and Kyle ran off with them real quick leaving me holding the drinks. I waited for a while and ended up drinking all of them. I had to go to the bathroom so I left and Never saw Jake and Kyle the rest of the show.
While this may sound like a bad thing it ended up being a good thing. When I got done in the bathroom the strokes had just started. I rushed in and made my way actually pretty close in the crowd. Had I stayed with Jake and Kyle I would have been in the beer garden the whole time which is much further back.
At this point in time covid19 was well known and it was probably pretty stupid all of us being there. I did have an inkling in my head to try not to “breathe” too much or get too close to other people. Sounds stupid but I just want to give you all a sense of where I was at mentally. I was buzzed and a little paranoid of the close contact of the crowd I was in.
Anyways I stayed the whole concert but left before the encore. The Strokes put on a good show. Wasn’t near the top or the bottom of all the shows I’ve been to. Was just OK really. Can’t say I regret spending the money on it, or regret going. Did I expect more? Not sure I did honestly. It was an OK show and felt like one I needed to go to. I’m not the biggest Strokes fan but they have their place in rock and roll history and I wanted to see them while I could.
There was no screw ups that I could tell, they we’re really tight, and the light show was great. Vocals were great. Crowd was awesome as the “kids” in front of me were swing dancing and singing all the words. I always like seeing that. I guess after seeing The Who and Primus, and Raconteurs, and Dawes, and Eagles of Death Metal, and other great shows I’ve seen, what separates the GREAT shows is enthusiasm, and the Strokes really don’t run around stage much or do much crowd interaction.
However this is likely again influenced by the weird place the world was at when they played this show. I think it was like a day or to after this show the state shut down pretty much all bars/restraunts/and retail. So this was truly a last hoorah and many people expected this show to be cancelled.
All in all if you want my opinion, you should go see the Strokes. I really like their new album, and their performance of the music live was spot on and great. Granted, they didn’t have the energy of dirty honey or many other bands I’ve seen live, but it was still a good time.
Favorite song the whole night was Juicebox. I had never heard that song before, and the lights and music were just perfect and VERY ROCKIN.