Eels, April 16 at the El Rey

You never know what you’re going to get at an Eels show, as any fan of their knows. And as their fans know, the Eels is really just E and indeed, at the El Rey, it was just him. He had one other guy helping him on instruments, as well as reading sections from E’s book, and I wouldn’t complain that it was any less of a show even though it wasn’t a full band and the ticket was $40. Apparently, a bit before the show he had fired Butch, the only other constant member of the band since E decided to form a band. The show was mostly acoustic, with a few bits of really loud electric-guitar, including a raved-up version of “Novocain for the Soul”, and a neat drum solo where E took over playing the drums from the other guy, while still playing, not missing a beat, then back again. It’s a shame that the Eels’ music is often thought of as a novelty, as evidenced by the easy, expected laughs during “It’s a Motherfucker,” which begins with those words and is actually a very sad song. The music could be considered quirky but I would never say it’s meant as a joke. As a matter of fact, their second album, Electro-Shock Blues, is on my list of Most Depressing Albums and it’s also often considered their best one by other. It may seem funny on the surface but there’s pain underneath, like a lot of the best music. That night in concert E was a little closer to Beck than They Might Be Giants but whatever form he takes, he puts on a good show.

I don't remember Vanessa being an Eels or E fan but it was her idea to go to the show. We probably drank.