Wow. Great, great show. Empty Bottle is kind of my own personal version of Hell, the most smoke-filled, cram-packed, claustrophobic, basement-like concert venue on earth. (I want to burn the clothes I wore. I took a 40-minute shower when I got home, trying to scrub the smoke out of my skin.) For you New Yorker, it makes the Mercury Lounge feel like Madison Square Garden.

But the low ceiling and the packed crowd and the proximity of the stage can make it a very intimate show if the band has the skills to take advantage of it: Athlete certainly does.

Lead singer really connected with the audience. Band sounded great. Anthemic and emotional and heart pounding and connected. Solid rock. Not quirky and not pop-y and not sparse. But deep, thick, rich.

Who would I compare them to if you don’t know them? Hmm.. If you like Snow Patrol, you should be listening to Athlete. If you were an Oasis fan back, back in the day, you should be listening to Athlete. Love them, love their latest album, loved their previous albums, loved this show.

But damn, motherfuckers, when the headliner doesn’t start until around 11:30, we’re talking a seriously sleepy Carolyn on the way home. Destroyed by a concert. I’m so fucking old.

I have wanted to see these guys for a WHILE having missed their Lollapalooza appearance the one year because I was down at the other field.

The music sounded great, sonically it was a very awesome show. Visually it was a bit bizarre. One of those bands where everyone seems to have their own thing going on. Some dudes very engaging with the audience, others just playing their part and not interacting with anyone, on stage or off.

And the female of the two leads seemed a bit of a train wreck, falling all over and a little…shall we say, argumentative at times But maybe that’s just her on-stage persona. Did think her boob was about to make a great escape from her off-shoulder top during the first couple songs…suddenly later there was a strap showing – seems she went and put on a bra on during one of her random disappearances from the stage! 🙂

But as Bill commented, it’s rare you see a girl just shredding it up like that on guitar. Very impressive skillz. (His review here.)

Also thought it was a bit funny how the male lead kept saying “We’re Stars of Montreal.” Ok? Yeah, not the Stars of New York, or the other ones from…wherever…