Outkast and Ludacris

The Pageant 3/19/01

The moment Outkast arrived on stage at the Pageant and charged through a stunning version of “Gasoline Dreams,” everybody knew that the sold-out crowd was in for something legendary.

To be quite honest, hip-hop usually doesn’t translate well in a live setting, and opener Ludacris’ set was evidence of that. Anytime we get a decent DJ or a passable MC, we are usually satisfied. Every once in a while we get to see a great rap show like Mos Def, Common or Black Eyed Peas, but witnessing a show, like Outkast’s Stank Love extravaganza on Monday, happens once in a lifetime.

Andre 3000, clad in a teal space-suit, and Big Boi, in a Pirate’s jersey, were dead set on reminding their audience that they had three albums before their multi-platinum offering, Stankonia.

They ran through “Skew It on the Bar-B” early on and introduced their first-ever single “Player’s Ball” midway through the 90-minute set. We got “Wheelz of Steel” and the title track from 1996’s Atliens as well as “Gangsta S***” and their latest single, “So Fresh, So Clean,” from Stankonia.

But Outkast, backed by three singers, three dancers, two guitarists and a DJ, clearly saved their weapons for the finale. The Atlanta-based outfit followed a scorching “Rosa Parks” with “Ms. Jackson” and the 150-BPM “B.O.B,” sending the audience into a frenzy I haven’t seen in a long time. Outkast’s groundbreaking, funky, southern-fried hip-hop is the best music of the new millennium, along with Primal Scream’s XTRMNTR. Show of the year, so far.

A Perfect Circle and Snake River Conspiracy

The Pageant 3/20/01

The first thing I recommend doing if you see A Perfect Circle gig in support of their debut, Mer De Norms, is to put your wallet in your front pocket, so it isn’t stolen by one of the dirt-bags that listen to their music.

Actually, if you really love Maynard James Keenan, the lead singer of APC, I suggest you skip the show, save 30 bucks, and put on the records he has done with Tool in the comfort of your own home.

Let’s be honest, Tool isn’t the greatest band in the world. They’ve got some good songs and play a tight live show. They’ve made a couple of decent records worthy of inclusion in your record collection. But in terms of being a necessity in the music world, they are pushing it. A Perfect Circle’s music, which basically sounds like Tool songs done in an elevator-music style, pushes it way too far.

It’s not that A Perfect Circle, which is filled out by the likes of Vandals’ drummer Josh Freese and Tool guitar tech Billy Howerdel, is awful. There just isn’t any point to their music.

A Perfect Circle lacks the urgency and excitement of bands like Soft Cell, Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction and Gary Numan, who they undoubtedly model themselves after. They should stop playing PJ Harvey, Radiohead and Bauhaus before they go on stage. It’s making them look even worse.

Their live show is just as bland as their record. The most exciting thing that happened was watching Maynard creep around the stage in rainbow-striped bike pants during songs like “3 Libras.”

But when you think about it, that’s just disgusting, isn’t it? The band did generate one sufficiently sludgy, mope-rocking moment when they dropped “Judith.” Aside from that, the show was as depressing as the people that were there to see it. They played a disappointing song from Danny Lohner’s (of Nine Inch Nails fame) Tapeworm project, and butchered David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” before sending us on our way. Well, I suppose it was a perfect swindle.

Speaking of butchering songs, Snake River Conspiracy’s opening set saw the ex-Third Eye Blind guitarist’s new outfit ruin the Smith’s classic, “How Soon Is Now?” And that was the best part of the show. Oh, I’m so depressed…..

Chris Mills

The 313 Club 3/9/01

My grandparents lived in Collinsville, Ill. I am quite familiar with the town, since I used to visit them often. Trust me, it isn’t exactly the coolest place in the world, but there are three great things about the town.

First and foremost, they have a giant Brooks’ Tomato Catsup bottle on display. Second, R.E.M. lead singer, Michael Stipe, was born and raised in Collinsville.

Finally, they have a talented singer and songwriter named Chris Mills-sort of. He now lives in Chicago and records for Sugar Free records.

Chris is home at his parents’ house for a month, and the gig at the 313 was sort of a homecoming. Starting out with “Keep the Corpse Beautiful” from the Nobody’s Favorite EP, Mills played selections from all three of his releases for his friends and family who attended the show.

Mills seems to write songs about two subjects; working-class towns and girls. So, he’ll occasionally toss out a lemon, such as “Lips Are Like Poison” from Kiss It Goodbye, but normally proves as trusty as similar artists like Damien Jurado or Mark Mulcahy

Anyway, Chris Mills is a rare talent these days in that he is a tolerable singer-songwriter in the vein of Jay Farrar and Joseph Arthur. He attacks his acoustic guitar like Eric Bachman from Crooked Fingers and turns rasps into groans during his songs, which quite often-sounding like Flatt and Scruggs.

Mills commented that he needed some extra money while he was home and decided to start delivering some pizzas. Funny, because he had been playing mid-sized venues all across Europe, supported by Hawksley Workman, and enjoying monthly mentions in Uncut, virtually the only great music magazine left.