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earlycuntsets · 26 days ago

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image descriptions: "The giant Gerard Way clones vowed to enslave the earth" (gerard way) "trapped wind can be a nightmare" (amy lee) "fall out boy were proud to introduce a stereotypical frenchman to their lineup (fob) "by this point in the evening. the photographer was seeing double" (incubus) "jack white shows off his man boobs (jack white) "amy lee. but wheres her sporran?" (amy lee) "if I close my eyes real tight. I can pretend i'm still in blink 182" (+44) "this one goes out to good people at persil" (AFI)

"Anarchy in the USA. The world's biggest bands lay waste to Los Angeles

KROQ-FM RADIO in Los Angeles is the premier radio station in North America. If a band can get played on KROQ, then it's pretty certain they'll have a big hit on their hands. The station has helped launch the careers of Blink 182, Linkin Park and The Offspring among many others. And every Christmas time, bands return the favour by playing a (fairly) intimate concert for 6,000 fans, with all the proceeds going to charity. Sixteen years ago, when the first 'Acoustic Christmas' took place, the bands actually performed their sets in a stripped down acoustic setting, but slowly, that tradition has given way to full on electric sets that rock the pants off the crowd. And, as usual, Kerrang! was given access all areas to the hottest gig in town…

SATURDAY 5PM Rising emo pin-ups SAOSIN take the stage to a sparse crowd. Hardly anyone Is Inside the venue yet, but they shouldn't be too down-hearted. Linkin Park once played this slot. The following year, they were headlining.

5:30PM It seems unlikely a band with such a full-on rock 'n' roll reputation like WOLFMOTHER would even be awake at 5:30pm, let alone taking the stage. Yet the Aussie lads turn their infectious energy on to churn out new classic rock hits like 'The Joker And The Thief' and 'Woman'. Backstage, singer Andrew Stockdale chats with Hollywood socialite (and daughter of Rod) Kimberly Stewart in the hallway. The big-haired Wolfmother man is also seen drooling over his hero Billy Corgan. Corgan is not performing today - he's just hanging out, taking a much needed break from the new Smashing Pumpkins recording sessions.

6PM After the disappointment that was +44's album 'When Your Heart Stops Beating', the trio's performance tonight is a revelation. Astonishingly, drummer Travis Barker-whose right arm still hasn't fully healed from an injury sustained during the band's September video shoot-plays the entire set with one arm, without missing a beat. It's a jaw-dropping spectacle. Evidently, the band we witnessed playing their debut London gig back in October were only just finding their feet. Two months on, +44 are a sharper, more confident live act, with sparky anthems such as '155' sounding like the greatest songs Blink 182 never wrote. Don't write them off just yet…

7PM 30 SECONDS TO MARS 'Whoa, I can play guitar without even looking!never fail to make an eye-opening entrance. Tonight, the prog-influenced foursome race down the Then singer Jared Leto spends much of signature tune 'The Kill' in the crowd, running up and down the aisles, climbing onto the seats to share his microphone with the fans, and generally betraying the movie star charisma that has won over Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz and Lindsay Lohan, among others. The lucky devil. At the end of the band's set, a flurry of cannons detonate a vast snow storm of white confetti. Magnificent. words and photos: Lisa Johnson

7:40PM FALL OUT BOY "We feel like losers," moans Pete Wentz as FALL OUT BOY take the stage. He's concerned that his band didn't really 'fit' on either night. Sandwiched between 30 Seconds To Mars and My Chemical Romance can be unnerving, but at least the dude got the chance to meet Jared Leto's ex-girlfriend Lindsay Lohan backstage. That's got to count for something. Whatever Wentz' reservations, Fall Out Boy triumph tonight. It's one of the first times they've had the opportunity to air songs from new album 'Infinity On High', and on this evidence, 'This Ain't A Scene It's An Arms Race' is set to replace 'Sugar We're Goin' Down' as FOB's key song. Fun, addictive, and outrageously catchy, the track prompts a massive crowd response, despite most people having never heard it before. The new album will be huge. Later, rumours fly over whether or not Wentz and Lindsay Lohan are an item. From Kerrang!'s vantage point, things certainly seem to be going well for Wentz. Lohan might well be his tonight-providing he can get her out of Foo Fighters' dressing room… [photographed - The venue and grunge legends: Dave Grohl and Billy Corgan]

8:15PM MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE explode onstage with typical flair and venom. the stage is still littered with the confetti from 30 Seconds To Mars' set. Gerard Way encourages the crowd to throw confetti snowballs at him, and a beautiful reverse snow flurry erupts towards the stage. Suddenly one aisles dressed in Santa Claus outfits. giant confetti snowball hits him right in the face. Gerard just laughs, and gives the thrower a congratulatory nod. This encourages a full-on snowball assault, until security intervenes and puts a stop to it. After the band's set, Billy Corgan is ushered into MCR's dressing room. This isn't Gerard's first Corgan encounter-he's never made any secret of his adoration of the Smashing Pumpkins man - but it is the first for the rest of the band. Mikey Way contains his excitement on the outside, but inside, he's overwhelmed. The bands exchange tales from the road, and discuss the perils of onstage missiles (a subject close to MCR's hearts ever since Reading 2006). "The worst is piss," Corgan says.

"Oh, yes, we know!" Gerard, Mikey and Frank chime in unison.

Then they swap piss-throwing stories for 20 minutes. It's a beautiful moment.

9PM Outside the venue, a massive rainstorm is raging. Inside, INCUBUS are performing an amazing set full of hits like 'Nice To Know You.' 'Wish You Were Here' and some songs from their newest release 'Light Grenades'. Singer Brandon Boyd literally falls into the crowd at the end of the set, arms outstretched, like a man giving the performance of his life.

Afterwards, Brandon is sipping wine with his buddies backstage, although bassist Ben Kenney can't join in the Christmas cheer: he's flat out on the couch, laid low by a vicious cold. In the crowded backstage hallways, David Grohl is delighted to run into Billy Corgan. "I had a baby! Want to see some photos?" Grohl asks him, and quickly whips out some pics of baby Violet to show off. Aww.

"We feel like losers." - pete wentz, fall out boy

9:50PM It's been an incredible year for AFI, and they're clearly in celebratory mood as they slay the masses with tracks like 'Miss Murder' and 'Love Like Winter.' Friends Joe Escalante and Dave Quackenbush from The Vandals, along with Jim Lindberg from Pennywise, have come to check out their best buddies' band. It serves as a reminder of just how far AFI have transcended their old school punk roots. Their new material shines through tonight, ditching the skuzzy riffs of old for gleaming hooks, fist-pumping singalongs, and, of course, the ever-more flamboyant overtures of frontman Davey Havok. Always enigmatic, AFI disappear from the site shortly after their set - although later that night we spy drummer Adam Carlson at a Hollywood dive bar, partying under the radar with some friends and who can blame him.

10:40PM The backstage party turns into a ghost town the once FOO FIGHTERS takes the stage. The band, including Foo veteran Pat Smear remain in sit-down acoustic form for the first portion of the nine song set which includes "My Hero" and ends with "Everlong". As Dave Grohl stands to perform "Everlong" the stage silently turns and there the rest of the band reappears with full electric setup. and pounds seamlessly into "All My Life" Tender moments include 'Times Like These,' 'Monkey Wrench', and what Grohl claims is their first ever live performance of 'Darling Nikki', a cover of a startlingly filthy Prince song about a masturbating female nymphomaniac. Ahem. There's no santa suits, no confetti, no dancers. But damn, the Foos own tonight. The 'buzz' acts right now might be the twin emo juggernauts of MCR and Fall Out Boy. But, on this form, Foo Fighters make those newbies look like mere pretenders to the throne. Awesome.

SUNDAY 6:35PM Just prior to ANGELS AND AIRWAVES taking the stage, Kerrang! arranges to introduce Panic! At The Disco to their all-time hero, Tom DeLonge. Since Panic! often cite Blink 182 as inspiring them to start a band in the first place, this promises to be a momentous occasion. The meeting takes place in the crowded hallway backstage, while the Panic! dancers hurriedly prepare for their performance. Tom speaks excitedly to the band, even inviting them to produce a line of shoes and clothing for his Macbeth clothing company. The encounter goes swimmingly, and -as if you couldn't tell from the saucers that replace the eyes of Ryan and Brendon as they chat to their idol - the Panic boys declare themselves 'stoked'. Pleased to be of service, chaps.

7:10PM Once PANIC! AT THE DISCO take the stage, they blow everyone away with their elaborate staging and dancers. The foursome are obliged to strip down their production for the intimate setting, but still, with just a fraction of the mayhem, the performance is topnotch, with the crowd going predictably apeshit for 'I Write Sins Not Tragedies'. Where on earth will they go next?

7:45PM EVANESCENCE's Amy Lee was nearly trampled by the Gnarls Barkley dancers in full elf costumes earlier in the evening (the men behind über- Crazy' were also on the bill today, weirdly enough). hit ' And she seemed unfazed by the numerous dressing room bust-ins that Tom DeLonge made to say hello. In fact, she appeared to be rather amused by his antics. "We don't really fit on this bill," Amy told the captive audience, and thanked the fans graciously for watching, before tearing into a full-blooded version of 'Call Me When You're Sober'. "Most of you probably don't know who we are." Which is being rather modest, since Evanescence have probably sold more records than most of the bands here combined.

8:25PM THE RACONTEURS are enjoying the stateside success of their track 'Steady As She Goes'. And tonight, Jack White is in high spirits. "It's Meg's birthday tonight-it's her 16th!" We think that might be a lie. Backstage, Meg White and Dave Grohl sit down for a lengthy chat about drums. We're sure it was fascinating.

9:45PM THE KILLERS' set is notable for finally laying to rest the supposed 'feud' between them and fellow Vegas natives Panic! At The Disco. Indeed, the Panic! boys make a point of planting themselves in some empty seats, watching The Killers' set with giant smiles on their faces. Well, it is Christmas, after all…

10:40PM FOO FIGHTERS return to play the same set as last night. But it's no less powerful the second time around. "Did you all enjoy The Raconteurs?" Dave Grohl asks the crowd, "Cause I pretty much think they're the best rock band around right now." And with that he launches into 'Skin And Bones' and the crowd explodes into anarchy.

01/2007 kerrang! #1141

#basically my bedroom wall back in the day #its the piss “oh yeah” mcr said in unison #they're doing a show with evanescence next year! i just love her thats all.#amy lee #evanescence #fall out boy #panic at the disco #foo fighters #the killers #my chemical romance #mcr #gerard way #black parade era #mcr scans #kerrang 1131 #01/2007 #scans from mcrhollywood flickr #mcrhollywood #almost acoustic christmas

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choppedcowboydinosaur · 5 months ago

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Here is my view/retrospective on the legacy of emo rock/pop punk bands I listened to growing up. Also, some bands that aren't emo/pop punk but I still like.

All American Rejects: I always thought they were the rivals to Green Day, but their legacy isn't as big as the other bands in pop culture at the time. Their legacy on Bionicle for Toa Inika commercials is good. Shame they aren't as big in retrospect since I like their songs a s a kid and as an adult.

Green Day: They had a massive Pop culture impact. They peaked with the American Idiot album. A lot of their early stuff is good. Their early albums in the 90's capture this sense of malaise, angst and edginess while occasionally having funny songs. American Idiot is probably their strongest album and the most political one since it's against the Bush Administration, the Iraq War and all the shit the neocons were doing at the time. It was very energetic, intense and introspective. While 21st Century Breakdown feels like the leftovers of American Idiot. It still has the same style as American Idiot but is not as intense. 21st Century Breakdown felt more resigned than American Idiot. Like the fight was fading from them. I still like 21st Century Breakdown nonetheless. The most recent song I heard was that one where they are making fun of mass shooters called Mommy's Little Psycho. It's a decent song in its own right and the subject matter is a good satire. But in terms of the energy, it felt lacking compared to their older stuff. It feels kind of worn out. If that's how that song was, I'm guessing the rest of the album it came from must be the same unfortunately.

Politically, they are the definition of being fake rebels especially Billy Joe Armstrong. He acts like an edgy anarchist but is more of a basic bitch liberal. Kind of a shame tbh since their live shows seem fun. He never criticized Obama's foreign policy and surveillance state despite building off what Bush did. That always bugged me since he was one of the most vocal anti-Bush rockers during that time period. I've noticed this since middle school when comparing them to other pop punk bands at the time like Rise Against which was more radical. Mind you my middle school years was during George W. Bush's 2nd term where everyone was bitching about him. Sorry to bitch about politics folks it ends here. Overall, they do have good music with their older songs, but they aren't as edgy as they make themselves out to be.

My Chemical Romance: These guys also had a big impact on pop culture and Gerard Way leveraged it for his comic book writing career. When I was growing up, I thought of them as THE EMO ROCK BAND growing up. Their early stuff is surprisingly raw and kind of hardcore. Their later stuff is still good but doesn't have the same edge as their first album. The first album is more politically driven because of Gerard Way's trauma to 9/11 and it's aftermath. But it's integrated as more of this darker feeling rather than being explicit like Green Day was. I still like them.

Blink 182: They surprisingly had a big effect on other pop punk bands. Looking back, it feels like a lot of smaller bands at the time were imitating them like MxPx, Sum 41 and Anarbor. A lot of those bands felt like they were copying that fun feel Blink 182 has. They were always more light fun rather than being edgy or political. But that's fine since they were good at it. They basically were the band that were reflective of young boys in the 2000's. Fun, crass but not that edgy but still entertaining, nonetheless.

Jimmy Eats world: I don't know if they left a massive legacy but i like some of their songs. They can go surprisingly hard with songs like Disintegration.

Fall Out Boy: I don't know if they influenced other bands but I do like a lot of their earlier stuff. Mainly the stuff from the early 2000's. Their early 2010's albums like Save Rock and Roll and American Beauty are ok. I have a particular soft spot for the song What a Catch Donnie. It just speaks to me.

Panic at the Disco: I always felt they were meant to be rivals to MCR. I do enjoy the earlier stuff. Though the later stuff is just Brendan Urie doing his own thing which is still decent, and you can see how he evolves. I always thought Panic at the Disco was the whole band not just a Brendan Urie vehicle. I always thought bands just focused on staying together rather than splitting apart to do their own thing. Turns out that's actually pretty common in bands. I guess a lot of those rock band movies I watched as a kid were misleading. Really love that Green Gentleman song. It's probably my favorite song of theirs.

Red hot chili peppers: They're not pop punk but I still like their music. They're fun and interesting to listen to even to this day. I'm not sure what sub-genre they fall under buy I guess they fit into the alt-rock umbrella, I guess. Many of their songs still hold up and have a good variety to them. Some are intense, some are more introspective, and some have this sort of laid-back feel to them. I think that variety is why I like them.

Foo Fighters: I've grown to appreciate them over the years. Since I did not listen to them as a kid but rather as a teenager. Which is funny since they are probably older than most of the bands listed here so I guess I got into them kind of late. Once again, they're not pop punk but still good. I've listened to them from the mid 2000's to my high school years. I've gradually listened to more of their songs, and they hold up really well.

The Offspring: I've grown to appreciate them over the years. Since I only listened to a few of their songs growing up (mainly the Crazy Taxi theme song) but as an adult have listened to more of them. Basically, they are what Green Day wishes it was politically. They're left wing but they feel more legit somehow. Like they're more sincere and have more of an edge to them. They're not anarchist but more legit. I guess they incorporate it more naturally rather than having to put up a front. Also, they have lots of funny songs too. So, it's a good balance.

Atari's: I discovered them some years ago. Shame I never listened to them beforehand. They are fairly good. Not the greatest but worth listening to some of their songs. The acoustic version of Looking Back on Today is really good. Better than the electric guitar version. The acoustic one feels more soulful.

Anarbor: I learned of them through Cartoon Network as a kid. I enjoyed them when I was younger. They didn't stand out too much and were kind of reflective of the bands of that time period. They were still enjoyable, nonetheless.

Reel Big Fish: They are ska not pop punk, but I love their music. They are very funny as hell. I put them here as an honorable mention. They are not just funny but very entertaining in their own right.

Sum 41: I heard a few of their songs like Fat lip growing up. They are another one of those bands that in retrospect are reflective of the time they were made in. They're entertaining but don't stand out too much or change the genre.

The main thing I remember them from is We're all to blame from Godzilla Final Wars. 10-year-old me loved that and it goes harder than a Sum 41 song has any right to. it also spawned tons of Godzilla AMV's in the late 2000's on YouTube. I still love it to this day.

Those are my views on 2000's emo rock bands, pop punk bands and other bands of that time. There is a tinge of nostalgia to this, but I also tried to be more analytical. It's kind of hard not to be nostalgic about this since I pretty much grew up with these bands as a kid. But I hope I did a good job, nonetheless. Hope you enjoyed reading this!

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