The show was a tremendous success! I think it was the best set we've ever played, and while I wasn't onstage with them for all the years Idiot Stare has been around (I had my *own* stuff to do... :p), this gig has set a new standard for us, raising the bar high. The remodeling of the front room at The Knitting Factory is nice, the stage is huge, and the vibe is comfortable. I hadn't seen it since the redo. It kinda reminded me of the Fez Ballroom in Portland, which was my favorite gig on our west coast tour this past June.
We had a great time hanging out with Jared and the guys, reminiscing all the old times (we're such a bunch of old farts now) and discussing the current state of our dated but still fun "coldwave" part of the industrial scene. And after all these years, I am now *finally* the proud owner of a "FUCK ART LET'S KILL!" Chemlab t-shirt!
All the other bands were great, it was an amazing lineup, with every act close enough to each other to be believable on the same bill, but with clearly distinctive sounds. USSA was everything I expected, though Paul was maybe a bit shy or perhaps road weary as he wasn't out hanging around with everyone. Chemlab's set was spot on perfect. The highlight of the night was when we went on a scavenger hunt for the lyrics to "Suicide Jag", as Jared invited Blayne (our singer) to join him and Chemlab on stage later in their set, but Blayne didn't know the words! Much fun. Blayne pulled it together and they did a great job of trading off parts and the crowd loved the surprise. By now Blayne is used to it. This happens to him every time we ourselves aren't headlining. Whoever is top billed always wants Blayne to do a song with them.
