Arab Strap + Bright Eyes = coup d'etat?

[specialguest]

Are they really touring together?

Pitchfork says: "yes".



http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/news/03-02/21.shtml

[Patrick]

Patrick says "yes"

[Paul]

That's just bad bad bad. I'll assume Arab Strap are opening, too, which is worse worse worse. After their set's over, the average age of those in attendance will drop 10 to 15 years as all those who are old enough to know better will flee the scene.

[specialguest]

agreed.

why are arab strap the openers?

it's like the flaming lips and mr. nsync.
i fail to understand. i fail to understand!

[johansen smith]

over on the Saddle Creek board, I had to explain who Arab Strap were. that just made me sad.

[bitterfruit]

I did find that combo a little strange. Maybe Connor will end up doing a number with the guys from Arab Strap.

[jef]

I actually enjoyed the last Bright Eyes album, and thought they were great live with the 15 piece band last year.

[johansen smith]

the Bright Eyes album was the best album of last year.

[bitterfruit]

Not that it wasn't good, just that it seems like an odd pairing of bands for a tour.

[tinobeat]

the Bright Eyes album was AWFUL. There's not so many bands that I actively hate... mostly I ignore bands I dislike, but Bright Eyes.. man. I got Letting Off The Happiness because I really liked the first song (still do), but then everything else I've heard has been basically impossible to listen to. His voice and delivery is atrocious (bleating does not equal emotion) and his lyrics are the most ridiculous faux-arty pap since Tim Kinsella. And recently, with all the critical laurels he's gotten, he seems to truly believe he's the next Bob Dylan or something. ugh. I can't say enough bad things about bright eyes...

Either way, it makes sense that Arab Strap's opening, as Bright Eyes are a ton more popular (see: Superchunk opening for The Get Up Kids. lamentable, but sadly, understandable), but at least if that tour hits boston, I'll be able to see Arab Strap and get the fuck out before boy wonder and his crew get on stage.

[johansen smith]

person #1: oh, I love this album.
person #2: oh, well than you are dumb, cause that band sucks.
person #1: really? I liked it.

[tinobeat]

I never called anyone dumb for liking anything.

I DID, however, say that I find Bright Eyes to be some of the worst music I've heard in a long time. Now, if you take that as an insult, I apologize. Really only Conor Oberst should take offense at that.

the "no, no, see..." title to my post was meant lightheartedly, not in a "you're wrong" way.

I guess my big problem is that in addition to my thinking that Bright Eyes is complete garbage, people who like them never just say "yeah, its alright," but instead throw these intense superlatives all over the place, calling Oberst "the greatest poet of our generation" (a friend of mine said that), likening him to Bob Dylan (the New York Times) or calling the album the best album of the year. I just don't understand that. I don't think anyone who says that is dumb, but I very vehemently disagree with their opinions, bearing in mind that it IS all opinion.

my biggest problem with Bright Eyes really is how super-seriously everyone takes him, how seriously he takes himself (as much as I can gather from interviews), and how there isn't an ounce of humor to be found anywhere near that band or commentary about the band. Not They Might Be Giants humor, but at least a sense of "I'm a rock musician, in the grand scheme of things this means nothing." Even Arab Strap, the most depressing band ever, has that humor in droves...

If people didn't gush all the time about what a "genius" Oberst is (I don't believe in geniuses in rock music. its an overused and dead term) and talk about how "important" his music is, then I'd probably not care as much...

[bitterfruit]

The only reason that I said "not that it wasn't good," while referring to Connor is because I have heard so little of his music. From what I have heard, it didn't seem remotely near the vein of Arab Strap.

I was shocked when I heard that Superchunk was to open for the Get Up Kids. I read horror stories about the TGUK's 16 yr. old fans treating the 'Chunk poorly. I don't know them personally, but they have got to be some really fucking smart people. They put out great music and run a successfull label on top of that. What a dream.

[threelobed]

three things to know-
1) i love arab strap. period.
2) bright eyes does *nothing* for me.
3) this tour scares me.

i'm worried that the crowd is going to be terribily unappreciate of the arab strap set, especially as it will be sandwiched between the bright eyes and similarly-from-omaha sorry about dresden for me locally. the music is just not the same and it does NOT work together. i hope this isn't a disaster since the strap doesn't grace NC all that often...

[jef]

I see absolutely no problem with these bands playing together. I enjoy going to shows to see eclectic bills. It makes it more interesting. If I had a band I would definately play with different types of bands.

[threelobed]

there's nothing wrong with different sorts of bands on a bill, but trite fluffy crap next to dark songs about regret, loss and sex simply don't work together. difference is good, not diametric opposites.

doesn't matter too much to me as i'll leave after the arab strap set. my only fear is that the bright eyes fans will be assholes during their (quiet, stripped down) set.

[johansen smith]

just because you don't like Bright Eyes, don't be so sure that Bright Eyes fans won't like Arab Strap. hell, Bright Eyes opened for the Jicks last time I saw 'em, and it's not like the audience was shitty to either band on that bill.

[tinobeat]

I can see Bright Eyes fans and Jicks fans being much more receptive to the music of the other band, if they're not already fans of both. Its a much closer connection than Bright Eyes/Arab Strap.

But if Arab Strap plays like how I saw them play in Cambridge a while back, it'll be no problem, because they were deafeningly loud in their tenderness. If they play quietly, though, I can imagine the audience might not be as patient while they sit and wait for their god and hero to come on and tend to their broken hearts and souls.

my sarcasm level is set a little high today, sorry...

who knows, it might be brilliant, and Arab Strap might win legions and legions of new fans. lets hope.

[jef]

I saw Bright eyes on their tour w/ Her Space Holiday, and HSH is 2 people w/ preprogrammed music and Keyboards. Not loud at all.

[threelobed]

well, debate it as you/we will, i don't see this being a particularly good situation for arab strap fans. while this is a good thing for the band (maybe - they're getting paid decently for a tour-long support slot most likely, maybe winning a few new fans along the way), it sucks for those of us who couldn't give a rat's about bright eyes or the "omaha" sound. we end up paying a lot more than we would have to just see arab strap ($13 in NC), and, to make it more insulting, it's to see them play a set that probably won't go much beyond 45 minutes. a shame, but the best we can do right now i suppose.

[jef]

I don't know, $13 isn't that bad.

[threelobed]

Originally posted by jef
I don't know, $13 isn't that bad.

last time arab strap were at the cradle it was $8 to see them play for 90 minutes. almost doubling that price to see them play half as long isn't good math in my book.

[bitterfruit]

Have you seen the Arab Strap video clip at the House Of Blues website? Pretty damn good.

[johansen smith]

Originally posted by bitterfruit
Have you seen the Arab Strap video clip at the House Of Blues website? Pretty damn good.

"No, I can't watch that because Bright Eyes played there once, and that just ruins it for me."

[threelobed]

that video's not bad. there is very little that arab strap do live that isn't stellar.

[tinobeat]

Originally posted by johansen smith
"No, I can't watch that because Bright Eyes played there once, and that just ruins it for me."

nobody said anything remotely like that, so quit being bitter that your favoritest band in the whole world is really shitty and sucks balls and ALL their fans are just morons...

besides, bands a whole lot worse than Bright Eyes have played at the House of Blues...

:)

[Paul]

Tino, don't talk about Journey that way. You'll get Rog mad.

[bitterfruit]

Sometimes the sentiment in Arab Strap songs move me to the degree that I just gasp. I remember the first time I heard them from a friend and was just thinking "holy shit, these guys are brutal."

[threelobed]

Originally posted by bitterfruit
Sometimes the sentiment in Arab Strap songs move me to the degree that I just gasp. I remember the first time I heard them from a friend and was just thinking "holy shit, these guys are brutal."

i hear you 100%. the first time i heard the wicked live version of "new birds" from mad for sadness i was completely hooked. it's so harsh and then the narrator throws you off by NOT going home with her. fantastic.

[BigPink]

Bright Eyes supported Arab Strap during a UK tour a few years back, they've been friendly ever since, Bright Eyes offered the tour to the Strap and they took it...too bad this relationship between two great bands doesn't fit into everyone's world view. I'm sure all parties involved will be crushed at the news...