Sterephonics/People in Planes, September 16 at the Fonda

When a band that usually plays arenas plays a club, you ought to consider checking them out, for the spectacle of a big band on a small stage, if nothing else. Not that I would see Stereophonics for the spectacle; I've been a fan of theirs for years. I saw them at Coachella a few years ago, one of the worst performances I've ever seen, as a sound made for a European stadium was packed into a hot, overcrowded tent and since they were touring for their loud album (Language, Sex, Violence, Other?) the sound was horrible and my ears are probably still ringing. The last time through town they played the Hollywood and Anaheim House of Blues and they're continuing to downgrade, now to the Fonda. Not that it stopped them from rocking out or showcasing some great material. At this point they have enough hits (well, in Europe) that they could coast on a greatest-hits show and in this case they're touring for a new album, which makes the fact that they played half of their first album (Words Gets Around) -- the album they made before they went really big with Performance & Cocktails, five albums ago -- completely baffling. The only reason I can come up with is that the new album, Pull the Pin, hasn't been released in the States and they thought people might not know it as well yet. (Though they were selling the new album for $10 in the lobby so maybe that's their idea of promotion.) Hopefully they will play a full tour when the album gets more traction in the U.S., which is doubtful, since they haven't been able to break State-side with any of their previous, far-more-accessible singles, there's no reason to think anything new will do the trick. It's also odd that they don't play more domestic festivals, especially this year (and especially being in L.A. the week between two big festivals in San Francisco and San Diego). Stereophonics have never seemed to make more than a half-assed attempt to break into the States, that they could follow up a good single with a tour but they have never seemed to make any kind of considerable splash here. You could blame the fact that they are consistently panned by critics but that has never stopped them from being big in Europe and it's certainly never stopped scads of other bands. But hey, if they can be the secret of just a few people, what's the harm? The band will keep making records because they make money overseas and if that keeps them going, and tour the States with the hopes of breaking eventually, and we still get to see them in small venues -- well, a few of us will anyway -- then everyone wins. I noticed a number of people around me with accents; it must be an amazing thing to see a band in a (relatively) tiny place who usually play much bigger places in your homeland. Is there any small venue that Radiohead could play nowadays? The Fonda that night was really hot, too, making it baffling that all the members of the band, save for the drummer, all had leather jackets on (and kept them on). Oh, and Kelly, you have to be a bigger name in the States before you can wear sunglasses on-stage.

I have a few friends who go crazy over People in Planes and I got there early enough to see them opening the show. If I had never seen them before I probably would have bought their album, though I probably would have gotten rid of it after a short while. I already have their first album and it's only recently that I've started getting into the second half of it but it might not be long for my collection anyway. They were fine as openers but I probably won't concern myself with their new album. I watched their set from the balcony, and it's nice to sit but that's no way to see a show; I recall that I have sat during some of the most boring shows I've seen (when I could have been on the floor, standing).

Stereophonics' set:*
"The Bartender And The Thief"
"Bank Holiday Monday"
"A Thousand Trees"
"My Friends"
"Superman"
"Doorman"
"Have a Nice Day"
"Vegas Two Times"
"Same Size Shoes"
"Bright Red Star"
"Devil"
"Daisy Lane"
"Too Many Sandwiches"
"More Life in a Tramp's Vest"
"Mr. Writer"
"Just Looking"
"Local Boy in the Photograph"

"Maybe Tomorrow" (Kelly solo)
"Traffic"
"Dakota"

Alternate review:
http://www.stereophonics.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=15641