Semisonic, June 14, 1998
Six Flags Astroworld
Opening Act - Athenaeum
Let me tell you how much I actually wanted to see this show. Coming up on a Sunday night, I had spent the weekend in Toronto at the NXNE festival. I took the first flight out on Sunday morning to get back to Houston in time to enjoy a couple of the rides at Astroworld and then go to this show at the Southern Star Ampitheater. Enduring record breaking heat and humidity, my friend and I were completely drenched in perspiration by the time opening act, Athenaeum, took the stage. I always say that "music isn't about my personal comfort, it's about the art", and this night put that to the test, but was well worth any inconvenience I may have encountered.
Athenaeum is a great
group from Greensboro, NC (love those NC bands). They currently have the hit
"What I Didn't Know" that is enjoying much radio play here in Houston. It
is a great pop/rock song with a catchy hook, about maturing in a relationship and
realizing what you lost. The lead singer, Mark Kano, has a clear, deep, sexy voice,
reminding me a bit of Crash Test Dummies, and a beautiful smile as he acknowledged the
screaming girls in the crowd. Their sound is often a hard rocking one with strong
guitars, much like that of Urge Overkill. Closing with the cute "Too Young For
a Boyfriend", this group was a strong beginning for what the rest of the evening
held.
Which, of course, was
Semisonic. One of my new (yet old) favorites, Semisonic includes members of the
defunct band, Trip Shakespeare. From Minneapolis, this threesome combines
accomplished guitars with keyboards for a uniquely pleasing sound. The vocals of
lead singer, Dan Wilson, are unique, at times deep and monotone, at times a shrill
falsetto. I was able to sneak up to the fourth row right in front of him to truly
enjoy his stage presence complete with swaying hips while he strummed. During
certain songs, each member played the keyboards and at times the drummer was doing both
drumming and keyboard playing at the same time. What coordination!!
A full Semisonic set this time (as opposed to the short festival set at Midtown a few weeks ago), I got to hear all my favorites including "Never You Mind", "Secret Smile", and the hit "Closing Time", from current CD, the appropriately titled, Feeling Strangely Fine.. However, I think my very favorite is "Completely Pleased", an erotically charged ode to satisfying your better half. "Across the Great Divide" from their first CD Great Divide was awesome as a closer. Like the Midtown show, they did a tribute to fellow Minneapolis native, The Artist, with a favorite of mine, "Take Me With You", and did a bang up cover of the Split Enz "I Don't Know Why Sometimes I Get Frightened", complete with audience participation banging on the aluminum benches in the pavilion.
Referring to Houstonians
throughout the night as simply "Stonians", Semisonic's show was packed with an
infectious energy. A smattering of banter included references to Star Trek and a
recurring theme of beckoning the audience to imitate their best scary ride scream.
The show was mainly about the music, great lyrics and catchy melodies. Semisonic is
definitely one of my favorite bands.
On That Note, I'm outta here......
