When such luck occurs, one cannot help but compare. I think it's safe to say that the two groups are on a level playing-field...both significantly famous (if Dead Weather doesn't reach MGMT's popularity, Jack White certainly does)...both tempting bait for preying hipsters...both two bands that I love.
So why does MGMT constantly disappoint? Maybe it had something to do with the crazed high schoolers standing near us, whose interest in the show was seriously questionable. They must have been yearning for a change of scene from their parents' living room and The Hills. It could also have been MGMT's very own reflection of their fan base...did they really plug the i-pod in for Kids? Is this even ABOUT the music?
Okay, so it was still a good show if you ask me. They mixed it up well between their new and old albums, and hey, it sounded pretty damn good. And of course seeing anyone at the Fox is a cool experience...a classy stateliness mixed with funky eccentricity makes for a venue reminiscent of a Tibetan monastery married to an opera house (if only such a thing existed). Nonetheless, originality, improvisation...general "rockmanship" on the musicians' part was lacking.
And the Dead Weather totally blew MGMT out of the water. A power group of skilled, sexy musicians with style--impressive to say the least. There really is no use in even describing the intensity of the show, because my words will provide no justice. Check it out here...Jack White is a god.
solid post - agreed on almost all fronts. "kids" can't be played live as its heavily layered and produced, so can't hate on 'em for playing the song in the manner they did. the only alternative would have been to simply drop the song from the set list. the relative crowd experience was otherworldly (mind you, not quite mccartney otherworldy, as there were more fake hips, walkers and white haired folks in the crowd than i'd ever seen at a show - i was literally waiting for someone to zip by on a rascal). MGMT was overrun with drunken 20 year olds with crappy fake IDs spilling beer, screaming over the music and stepping on feet - at DW i was standing next to a 55 year old guy with a white beard who was rocking out and nary a person in my vicinity wasn't totally galvanized by the music coming from the stage. very, very different bands, but objectively speaking DW burned the warfield down thursday night.
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