NYC Irving Plaza

[Brady]

Jesus Christ   

[Radionesiac]

was okay.

ozma was pretty underwhelming. ryen's apathy is no longer endearing...it's just obnoxious, and star looks like a deer in headlights. i had to plow through the crowd in order to find a spot where i wasn't surrounded by folks having extremely loud conversations, and the sound was mixed unusually low.

the rentals, however, were incredible. matt looked sincere in thanking the crowd, and that was really nice.

[Ianny]

was okay.

ozma was pretty underwhelming. ryen's apathy is no longer endearing...it's just obnoxious, and star looks like a deer in headlights. i had to plow through the crowd in order to find a spot where i wasn't surrounded by folks having extremely loud conversations, and the sound was mixed unusually low.

the rentals, however, were incredible. matt looked sincere in thanking the crowd, and that was really nice.

Wow, your experience was the total opposite of mine.  Had a great spot for Ozma, then the drunkenness began for The Rentals and I actually moved back because of too many loud, terribly drunken dancing idiots.  As for the "deer in headlights," I think Star actually looked a bit overwhelmed by the crowd as it was their first time back in NYC in so long.  She still managed to do a bangup job on the keys though.

[tom]

so um... i got pwnd pretty badly last night. my friend left our tickets in the car which was all the way back at the train station where we live (about an hour and 20 min train trip). so we didnt get in. it sucked soooo much! she only realized she left them in my car once we were already in secaucus and there was no way we could go get them and come back in time, so we decided to continue to the city and just tell the will call window that they never sent our tickets. but yeah, that didnt work.

HOWEVER, while waiting for my friend who was inside trying to work something out with the ticket guy i saw rachel haden get off the rentals' bus. bad ass. then i saw jason walk in and i yelled "hey jason!" to him, haha. bad ass.

man, last night sucked royally. BUT my friend did buy me my first jamba juice which was delicious.

-Jordan

I wish I had seen you, I would've recognized you. And probably could've gotten you in.
My friend and I made friends with the chick running the "smoking door", and she got us VIP passes to upstairs. Well, my friend got one, and I probably could've too, if I gave a shat about being in the VIP section--it was just a section of the balcony with tables and lots of scenesters and family members/friends of the band hanging out.

[Radionesiac]

i wonder how many pints of haagen-dazs pat has plowed through since getting kicked out 

[Not Jason]

yes, i saw jordan, i said hi.

[geektheindierocker]

I liked the music a lot. Couldn't really stand all the B.O. and people having really loud and annoying conversations (especially the imitations of South Park characters...man, those people are unfunny).

[Brady]

At Milwaukee, I think Ryen was a little drunk when he came back out to play for the Rentals' set...during moog solos or quite break downs and shit he was balancing his guitar on his head...staring creepily into the crowd or at the floor.  Infact I noticed the staring during Ozma's set too, but he did a really good job of course...his guitar work was spot on and his singing was grand.  Wierd stage presence though.   I think the PBR hit him a little quick.

[Not Jason]

At Milwaukee, I think Ryen was a little drunk when he came back out to play for the Rentals' set...during moog solos or quite break downs and shit he was balancing his guitar on his head...staring creepily into the crowd or at the floor.Ã,  Infact I noticed the staring during Ozma's set too, but he did a really good job of course...his guitar work was spot on and his singing was grand.Ã,  Wierd stage presence though.Ã,  Ã, I think the PBR hit him a little quick.

ever seen ozma before?  that's just ryen.  my guess is he was just acting how he always acts.  if he wasn't sitting down for songs at a time, i'd call that a downright energetic performance from him.  I saw them for two dates on this tour and he was doing the guitar balancing thing both nights, and he didn't seem to be drunk at either show (not from my estimation at least.  the only thing I saw him drinking in DC was a can of coke.  besides, I've heard what Ozma sounds like when they're drunk, and I've got reason to believe their taking this tour pretty seriously in terms of performance.)



anyway.  as for the NYC show, I had the most hellish experience while heading into the city on the greyhound.  First, the air conditioning broke, leading to an increadibly sweltering ride and some slight delays.  It was a bit hot, but it seemed workable.  Then a bird hit the windshield.  Apparently it's illegal to drive a bus with a horrencously cracked windshield, so we had to wait for two busses to show up on the side of the highway and pick us up.  My bus was due into NYC at 6:30, and it was at least 9 by the time I was finally off the bus in NYC.  I met a kid on the bus that was also headed to the show and we took a cab from the station.  Random stranger:  if you read this, thank you for the moral support.  NYC scares the shit out of me.

By the way, fuck NYC, it's just a big, ugly, rude and obnoxious version of Boston.  Now Boston, there's a city I can get behind.

I only missed the first song of Ozma's set, fortunately.  They were in top form, possibly the tightest I've ever seen them perform.  I won't say it's the best Ozma show I've ever been to (I'm doubtful that anything ever could top Welsely (however it's spelled) in '02) but the performance quality was supperb.  The new song sounded great.  I can't wait to hear more.  Otherwise the setlist was pretty standard.  Good, but it was mostly just the regular staples.  Rachel sang on "Wake Up" and later on, Matt and Sarah from The Rentals came out and they played "California" along with Ozma.  It was really cool.  I was hoping they'd do this again in DC the next night, but they didn't.  (the only notable difference between the two shows, setwise, for either band).

The Rentals were great.  I had high hopes going into it, and I was not let down.

I wish I would have been able to talk to Jordan more.  I'm super bummed that he got turned away like that.  I wasn't clear on what he was saying when I passed him outside, and I was in a hurry cause I knew Ozma was already on stage.  I was hoping I would catch up with him after the show, but shit happens I guess.  At least I shook his hand.  Seemed like a real friendly guy, exactly like he does online.  Wish I could have chilled with him more.

[jvstin]

At Milwaukee, I think Ryen was a little drunk when he came back out to play for the Rentals' set...during moog solos or quite break downs and shit he was balancing his guitar on his head...staring creepily into the crowd or at the floor.Ã,  Infact I noticed the staring during Ozma's set too, but he did a really good job of course...his guitar work was spot on and his singing was grand.Ã,  Wierd stage presence though.Ã,  Ã, I think the PBR hit him a little quick.

ever seen ozma before?Ã,  that's just ryen.Ã,  my guess is he was just acting how he always acts.Ã,  if he wasn't sitting down for songs at a time, i'd call that a downright energetic performance from him.Ã,  I saw them for two dates on this tour and he was doing the guitar balancing thing both nights, and he didn't seem to be drunk at either show (not from my estimation at least.Ã,  the only thing I saw him drinking in DC was a can of coke.Ã,  besides, I've heard what Ozma sounds like when they're drunk, and I've got reason to believe their taking this tour pretty seriously in terms of performance.)



anyway.Ã,  as for the NYC show, I had the most hellish experience while heading into the city on the greyhound.Ã,  First, the air conditioning broke, leading to an increadibly sweltering ride and some slight delays.Ã,  It was a bit hot, but it seemed workable.Ã,  Then a bird hit the windshield.Ã,  Apparently it's illegal to drive a bus with a horrencously cracked windshield, so we had to wait for two busses to show up on the side of the highway and pick us up.Ã,  My bus was due into NYC at 6:30, and it was at least 9 by the time I was finally off the bus in NYC.Ã,  I met a kid on the bus that was also headed to the show and we took a cab from the station.Ã,  Random stranger:Ã,  if you read this, thank you for the moral support.Ã,  NYC scares the shit out of me.

By the way, fuck NYC, it's just a big, ugly, rude and obnoxious version of Boston.Ã,  Now Boston, there's a city I can get behind.

I only missed the first song of Ozma's set, fortunately.Ã,  They were in top form, possibly the tightest I've ever seen them perform.Ã,  I won't say it's the best Ozma show I've ever been to (I'm doubtful that anything ever could top Welsely (however it's spelled) in '02) but the performance quality was supperb.Ã,  The new song sounded great.Ã,  I can't wait to hear more.Ã,  Otherwise the setlist was pretty standard.Ã,  Good, but it was mostly just the regular staples.Ã,  Rachel sang on "Wake Up" and later on, Matt and Sarah from The Rentals came out and they played "California" along with Ozma.Ã,  It was really cool.Ã,  I was hoping they'd do this again in DC the next night, but they didn't.Ã,  (the only notable difference between the two shows, setwise, for either band).

The Rentals were great.Ã,  I had high hopes going into it, and I was not let down.

I wish I would have been able to talk to Jordan more.Ã,  I'm super bummed that he got turned away like that.Ã,  I wasn't clear on what he was saying when I passed him outside, and I was in a hurry cause I knew Ozma was already on stage.Ã,  I was hoping I would catch up with him after the show, but shit happens I guess.Ã,  At least I shook his hand.Ã,  Seemed like a real friendly guy, exactly like he does online.Ã,  Wish I could have chilled with him more.

was this the first time you saw them perform?

nothing beats the first time (in most cases)

[Not Jason]

second.  The first time I saw them play was with Weezer on the STD tour.

There are a variety of reasons why nothing will beat the show I mentioned though.

1. big empty hall with high ceilings, no stage and no barriers whatsoever.  just some bands playing in the middle of the floor.
2. rilo kiley as an opening band
3. "immigration song", "no one needs to know", "baseball", and a well picked set of era-favorites.
4. it prominantly featured the bass that I'd eventually come to buy from Dan.  The only pictures I have of him playing that bass are from this show.

[Ianny]

second.  The first time I saw them play was with Weezer on the STD tour.

There are a variety of reasons why nothing will beat the show I mentioned though.

1. big empty hall with high ceilings, no stage and no barriers whatsoever.  just some bands playing in the middle of the floor.
2. rilo kiley as an opening band
3. "immigration song", "no one needs to know", "baseball", and a well picked set of era-favorites.
4. it prominantly featured the bass that I'd eventually come to buy from Dan.  The only pictures I have of him playing that bass are from this show.

Funny you should mention it, as I still think to this day my favorite Ozma show was with Rilo Kiley as the opening act, as that was when I first discovered Rilo Kiley, and it was also my second time seeing Ozma, first time being on the Weezer tour.

[tom]

second.  The first time I saw them play was with Weezer on the STD tour.

There are a variety of reasons why nothing will beat the show I mentioned though.

1. big empty hall with high ceilings, no stage and no barriers whatsoever.  just some bands playing in the middle of the floor.
2. rilo kiley as an opening band
3. "immigration song", "no one needs to know", "baseball", and a well picked set of era-favorites.
4. it prominantly featured the bass that I'd eventually come to buy from Dan.  The only pictures I have of him playing that bass are from this show.

Funny you should mention it, as I still think to this day my favorite Ozma show was with Rilo Kiley as the opening act, as that was when I first discovered Rilo Kiley, and it was also my second time seeing Ozma, first time being on the Weezer tour.

I think that tour in general must have kicked ass, because this is the same tour when I officially fell in love. I saw them for the first time with GUK and Weezer on the outloud tour, then saw them playing these small venues, it was crazy that a band was so approachable and awesome (RK and ozma), and with Rilo Kiley before they were anywhere near success just made it that much more sweet. I saw them twice on this tour, Club Krome (R.I.P)--which was in Fords(?) new jersey, then in Philly @ The Fire,  a club literally the size of a big living room. Those were the days, work part time, go to school, go to whatever shows I wanted to.

I also saw Bright Eyes at The Fire in Philly that summer..lemme just say...conor oberst was a drunk piece of shit, lecturing the crowd...being an obnoxious ass, telling us we should clean up our cities. Fuck you Emo Kid.
OH and Jason, I agree 100% about the NYC comment, I get anxiety just approaching the city.

[SickNick89]

I was also at that RK/Ozma show at the Fire in Philly in '02. I even filmed it.

[tom]

I was also at that RK/Ozma show at the Fire in Philly in '02. I even filmed it.

Haha...this may sound weird and sick, but I think I know who you are, Nick.
I see you at a lot of shows if you are who I think you are.

[SickNick89]

I probably am who you think i am. skinny, blonde fellow.