New Order, March 19, 2016 at the Shrine

Once again Corey had an extra ticket for a show, so it's good that our music tastes match up when it's important. I had been burned enough by New Order playing live (once was enough, even for a band I've been obsessed with for years) that I was hesitant, especially when the last time seeing them was good enough to not pave over that poisonous Coachella performance but at least leave a positive taste in my mouth for as long as I would go until they would put out new material good enough to compel me to see them live again. Music Response wasn't quite that material, but it wasn't Waiting for the Siren's Call, so something in the middle wouldn't make me opposed to seeing them. Though to hang out with a friend for an evening, I'd probably see anyone short of Dave Matthews Band (and it's a good thing none of my friends are into them (or we might not be friends.)). After missing the stop on the subway, we got there just in time, missing Run Run Run and a DJ or whoever played before, and got in our seats -- balcony, far right -- just as the lights went down. Of course they don't have much of a stage-show -- somehow Bernard pulls off making everyone look more interesting than him -- but they have always left the fireworks for the music, even with new stuff mixed in, and the half-dozen new songs got enough of a cordial reception to show that they still have fans hardcore enough to know the stuff in advance or polite enough to not show their boredom with stuff that wasn't what they've known by heart since well before their kids were born. "Bizarre Love Triangle," in particular, got a great response, making anyone wonder why they didn't switch it with "Blue Monday" and close strong with it. They still seem bored with playing, even with new stuff to energize them (off the newest album Music Complete), but it's hard to fault them when they've always been that way as well as being British. Then the sound was muddy, which might be why there aren't more rock shows at the Shrine, or Bernard didn't care he was speaking with a mush-mouth. Then the Joy Division songs dragged out from obligation (once they started they can't just stop (or leave it to Hook to play in his band)), including "Love Will Tear Us Apart," played yet again but at least as listlessly as everything else. No, no one ever got a chance to see Joy Division but a lot of us also didn't get to hear the best New Order songs, anything besides the hits, including "Regret," which they skipped yet again, but cheers for "Ceremony."

New Order's set-list:
"Singularity"
"Ceremony"
"Academic"
"Crystal"
"5 8 6"
"Restless"
"Your Silent Face"
"Tutti Frutti"
"People on the High Line"
"Bizarre Love Triangle"
"Waiting for the Sirens' Call"
"Plastic"
"The Perfect Kiss"
"True Faith"
"Temptation"

"Atmosphere" (Joy Division song)
"Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Joy Division song)
"Blue Monday"

Electric Six, March 18, 2016 at the Troubadour

Dylan deserved a make-up show for the disaster that was taking him to the Observatory to see the Electric Six, though you know I probably would have gone with the opportunity anyway. I got three tickets but Carla decided at the last minute to not go, so it was just me and my brother, getting there (after burgers in Studio City on the way) about 10 minutes before they went on, which was just fine, and we missed Parlour Tricks, the opener. Also since I was with a pre-21 Dylan there was no drinking but it was about the show. They played much of the same set they’d been doing for a while, with all the (should-have-been) hits, and some of the newest album Bitch Don’t Let Me Die! mixed in. I might have seen them enough to be able to call this a typical show, and part of their ongoing tour of the smaller and smaller clubs in the L.A. area, but being in the middle of the road also means there aren’t particularly bad ones. We saw the show then left.

Electric Six’s set-list:
“Synthesizer“
“After Hours“
“Down at McDonnelzzz“
“Dance Pattern“
“Roulette!“
“The New Shampoo“
“Gay Bar“
“Gay Bar Part Two“
“She's White“
“Night Vision“
“Dime, Dime, Penny Dime“
“Future Is in the Future“
“Improper Dancing“ (with "(Who The Hell Just) Call My Phone?" played in-between "stop!" and "continue!")
“Danger! High Voltage“
“Adam Levine“
“Formula 409“
“Dance Epidemic“
“I Buy the Drugs“

“Jimmy Carter“ (Dick (acoustic) & Tate)
“Dance Commander“