KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas
Night #2
The Shrine - December 13, 1998
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One of the most anticipated concert events of the year proved to be worthy of
all the hype...and then some. KROQ's annual event for charity always provides
an outstanding lineup of alternative artists, but this year's show proved to
be a true, if somewhat uneven at times, gem. Definite bright spots included the performances by the exciting and offbeat bands Soul Coughing and Cake. SOUL COUGHING, best known for their semi-hit Super Bon Bon, unfortunately went relatively unnoticed by the Shrine crowd. Fusing hip-hop with middle eastern influences, funk and nonsensical lyrics, Soul Coughing come across as street performers begging for loose change and thoroughly enjoying it. CAKE, dressed in rodeo wear for the evening, turned their outlandish antics into an all out cheer fest with a unique version of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive". If anything, they deserved to be included in the KROQ lineup just on their ability to get 5000 people to chant "Sheep go to heaven, Goats go to hell". The biggest surprise of the event had to be the BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA. Running full steam ahead with his combination of rock-a-billy and big band swing, Brian and friends left everyone out of breath. While not the most original act in town, Setzer had everyone on their feet from the start to the finish of his brief, energy packed set. The always impressive GARBAGE took the stage to a somewhat unimpressed response. Normally a fan favorite, even the outrageously sensual Shirley Manson couldn't get the crowd all that involved despite the bands focus on the KROQ hits that have made them a part of this event three out of the last four years. Finally the crowd embraced Garbage towards the end for their mega hit Stupid Girl. Undeterred though, Garbage put on a show to be remembered. BILLY CORGAN, sans the rest of the Smashing Pumpkins, performed the only acoustic set of the evening, backed up on his guitar with a lone pianist. Corgan brought extra emotion to a great deal of the normally hard rocking Smashing Pumpkins tunes, stripping them down to their bare essence. Billy has an incredible touch for song writing, but there is one thing that needs to be pointed out that no one seems to get. Forgive me for not being politically correct here, but Corgan has one of the worst voices in music, and without a full band to back him up, that voice is even more exposed and quite annoying. Last but certainly not least, headliners DEPECHE MODE took the stage to a screaming, overwhelmed Shrine audience. By far the highlight of the evening, Mode raised the roof with Barrel Of A Gun and eventually brought down the house with Personal Jesus. Dave Gahan was in perfect form, showing no effects of the much publicized drug addictions that plagued him for years. Clean and sober, Gahan showed a new love of life and the crowd embraced him as if the prodigal son had returned home. The addition of Christian Eigner on live drums brought a new and powerful presence to what was already an outstanding live band. Martin Gore, handling vocals on Sister Of Night and A Question Of Lust, left everyone in awe. For DM's encore, Never Let Me Down Again, they were joined by Billy Corgan (Corgan's band Smashing Pumpkins covered the song on the DM tribute album For The Masses) on guitar, much to the excitement of all in attendance. There could not have been a better icing on the cake. |
Review By:
-Robb Schiltz
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