NFG

I thought about going to the NFG/STD concert tonight at the House of Blues. I know, I know, I'm crazy right? I should just stay home and listen to some Animal Collective, maybe read some Tao Lin, and take it easy. Why would I want to delve back into my high school music library? The one reason why I might give it some thought is that NFG is playing their self-titled record in its entirety. That might be kind of cool right? Perhaps its just wishful thinking or in some weird way maybe I'm trying to make up for the fact that I missed the Pixies playing Doolittle in its entirety this past fall? No, that's ridiculous and I'd be running the risk of being severely fined/arrested for mentioning the Pixies and NFG in the same post. Heck the last time I listed to NFG was...last night. Yeah, I got my big old box of CDs out of the closet, went to the letter "N" (they're alphabetized of course) and got that self-titled disk that NFG penned way back in the year 2000. I remember loving this record, but as soon as I heard the opening chords of "Better Off Dead" I knew this was going to be a strange trip down memory lane. Unfortunately, I'm still on that trip since the song is still stuck in my head. I heard the oh so very catchy melodies that these wonderfully crafted pop/punk songs have to offer. I heard again why everyone thought Jordan Pundik's voice was so nasally. I heard lyrics that really resonated with me 10 years ago. I heard that bassline in "Sincerely Me" that was and is still pretty cool. Yet, somehow it wasn't the good nostalgia I had hoped for. The album is still catchy as hell, but it just didn't sound as cool as it use to. Ten years ago I hoped this day would never come.

So am I going to the concert? Well...if a few of my high school pals were still in town and they expressed some interest...maybe, but am I going to go it alone and for $30? I think not. Now the case can be made that I would also get to see Saves the Day, but the only record by them that I've ever really listened to is Stay What You Are, and is another record I haven't listen to in a long time, but might still be worth a listen. (I did get In Reverie from the library once, but I remember it not being so great.) On the other hand, New Creases's new 7" just got compared to early STD and I haven't been able to stop listening to their demo since I got it at Berea Fest. Apparently I really missed the boat on Can't Slow Down and Through Being Cool. I'll finally have to check those out after over a decade since their release.

Plus the show is at the House of Blues. I have absolutely nothing against Dan Aykroyd or Paul Shaffer - some of the original financiers of the concert venue, but I really hate giving my money to LiveNation who now owns it. All in all I think I'm just wishing I would have seen them play at the Agora Ballroom on October 26, 2002 when the line-up was New Found Glory, Finch, Further Seems Forever, and Something Corporate. I would have heard most of the songs I would hear tonight and be totally stoked on them, but I wasn't ever a fan of any of those other bands so maybe it wasn't such a loss.

So I think I'm just going to put the NFG record back in the giant box of CDs and not listen to it for another 10 years or so. Oh and while I was in that box I also pulled out Alkaline Trio's self-titled collection of 7", EP, and compilation tracks in preparation for their $30 concert this Thursday at the House of Bl....wait a second.