I've waited about 3 years to see Menomena live. They finally booked another show here for September 23rd, and my favorite venue in town, The Varsity Theater. It was October or November 2007 when they last played in Minnesota, at the Varsity in fact. The same evening The Faceless were on the bill with Arsis and the headliner Enslaved at Station 4 in St.Paul. I decided for quantity, over perhaps quality, by skipping Menomena.
So the new Foals album came out earlier this year, and has become a regular-rotation record for me. It's really a breakthrough in a lot of ways. And I certainly would be interested in seeing them live now, more than ever.
They are from England (as opposed to Menomena being from the States), and who knows how often they'll find their way over here. But then again, the same could be said for Menomena. It may depend on how much more touring Menomena does for Mines this Fall or more likely in 2011. How big/much bigger they become and the demand for touring continues. Just on the surface, the odds seem better Menomena would be back sooner. But the same question should be raised about Foals, given they are a bit of a hipster band (one of the rare exceptions where the lemmings and usually low-substance-taste-media, actually promote a band whose music justifies it in some ways. In other ways, I'd argue it gets raped by them).
Perhaps Foals will find their way across the pond, to Minneapolis again in 2011 as well.
I just hate to have to pick.
The details right now for a possible concert jump.
Menomena has 1 opener, Suckers. The doors at The Varsity Theater are 7pm. The music starts at 8pm. If all goes well, Menomena will be starting by 9pm. They'll probably play over an hour. Maybe 90 minutes. The show ends by 10:30pm..maybe 11pm at the latest.
Meanwhile, Foals at The Entry: Entry shows, unless they are all-ages, NEVER start less than 1 hour after the doors. But also Entry shows pretty much every time have 2 or 3 openers. I've been to (sadly) probably 15 or 20 shows there over the last 10 years. I don't recall, save for The Appleseed Cast I think, any shows without not 1 but 2 or more opening bands. If the math works out, 2 bands get added to the bill, and even if the 1st band starts at 8pm, probably the earliest Foals could go on stage would be 10pm, but more likely closer to 11pm. Especially if more than 2 bands open, which would hardly be surprising. Maybe Foals has 1 or 2 national/international openers on their September/October tour, and then The Entry adds at least 1 local opener.
It's possible Foals won't even be starting until 11pm. If that happens, a concert-jump sounds very possible.
However, 1 or 2 other minor beefs that remain with this. The same night, of Montreal w/ Janella Monae are in The Mainroom. I actually would go for seeing of Montreal live sometime, as much as I've been underwhelmed by their studio music. But Monae has become hipster band 101 as well. So the mass of people there, like the Jimmy Gnecco 7th Street Entry/Gayngs-Ball thing back in May, has to happen at the pathetically joining venues the exact same evening.
But at least it's on a Thursday (and not Friday) and there is no Twins game at Target Field that evening thank gawd.
I just hate it when this stuff comes up. I'm a victim in some way of my own taste. But you got 2 of the better indie-prog bands in town the same evening. It reminds me a little of when Kaddisfly were in town the same night Mew headlined at The Fine Line, the Fall of 2006. I managed to see both, but it wasn't easy.
This wouldn't be such a big deal to me, perhaps, except for the fact Mines and Total Life Forever are both in my top 5 on my 2010 Album Index. And the fact Foals may not be back for many years given they are from England and the cost of touring overseas isn't always simple.
And I can't see myself eating the Menomena ticket. I already purchased it, and I've waited far too long too see them live. Even if I am able to pull off seeing both of these shows that night, part of me may be a bit down about lost time trying to chat with the guys in Menomena as well. Although I got to chat a bit with Brent Knopf last Fall when he was in town with Ramona Falls (ironically, at the Entry), I'd still love to say hello, and maybe have him sign my new disc. That may be possible beforehand. But also meeting Danny Seim and Justin Harris (of Menomena) would be a big deal to me. Danny was actually there with Ramona as well, as the drummer, but I had no idea until after the show, and I wasn't able to talk to him.
But that may be possible still, beforehand, or for a few minutes after wards, depending on how loaded up the bill at the Entry gets (and maybe I'll trying calling over to The Entry to find out the more specific times of the bands, the day/afternoon/early evening that day, since of course the bill's times and schedule are never known until the day/afternoon or evening of the show. But at least I would assume Foals is last since they are headlining).
but beyond all of these shenanigans, I still think if a promoter had any clue, these 2 bands should have ended up on the same bill. Now of course the finances of that wouldn't benefit each band as much I'd guess. And I may be 1 of the, if not the only person who will/would-want-to see both of these bands (some of their fans may be at the of Montreal show w/ Janelle Monae instead anyway), but I still say a bill together would make sense and benefit each band in terms of exposure no matter.
The indie-prog fan is in town, but like most fans in this town, they stay in the woods until the night of the show.
Why should I have to choose between these two?