Wonder Ballroom, Portland OR
16 Oct 2009
Photos by Meghan Kearney
PORTLAND, OR - "We love Portland. No taxes - NO RULES! It's total anarchy." |
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With hands, feet, and bodies flying across a sea of people, Max Bemis, front man of Los Angeles' Say Anything, crouches down to serenade the crowd. Hands grab at his hair, arms and shirt as one gutsy boy with fluffy hair and skin tight pants jumps onto the stage and unwelcomely plants is lips smack onto Max's. With a look of humorous shock Max continues belting through "Woe" unruffled. One by one daring bodies fly disorderly onto the stage, quickly being pushed back onto the sea of hands by Max, or the less desired security guards. In the background, guitarist, Alex's newly short blonde hair flops up and down on his head to the time of flicking his bass. All the way to the right Jeff focuses on his strings with uninterrupted intent. In the back Coby pounds on his drums in a mini-metropolitan made of cardboard and lights. And at the left side of the stage Jake fights off swinging his guitar right into the skull of Parker as he stoops over his keyboard. All six musicians are sporting white collard shirts, black pants and black tennis sneakers. Their hair is neatly kempt to play the perfect "nerd" role seen currently in their myspace default photo (check it out).
The crowd had been subdued between sets until Say Anything took to the stage. They wasted no time and opened with their hit "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too." It was like someone pushed the forbidden red button in Portland Oregon's Wonder Ballroom. Right from here they broke into "Alive With The Glory Of Love." It took no more than two beats of Coby's super sonic drum role for the crowd to break out in ecstatic screams for another favorite off of 2004's …Is A Real Boy. In the ten minutes of opening songs, the crowd received more than a proper warm up. Max quieted the crowd, now full of musical nostalgia to ask "do you guys follow our band on the internet?" With a reassuring response the guys kicked off the rest of the set. "Well than you might recognize some of these new songs." The set that followed was balanced by old, really old, and brand spankin' new songs. One of these new songs being the plagued "Hate Everyone." Though the song has only made it as far as a Myspace play list, every last person in the crowd knew every last vowel in the lyrics. The biggest treat was new song "Elouise" which had been posted only days before onto the bands Myspace page. This very different performance represented the idea Max explained to the crowd. "Guys, I just can't keep writing the same stuff over, and over." The band played this new song with more heart than ever and it showcased a more serious side of the band. |
After sing-a-long assured performances of "Woe" and "The Futile," the band exited the stage. The crowd would have none of this. As they cheered for one more song Max emerged back onto stage. "You guys want one more song?" "One hundred more songs!!!" someone yelled from the right of the stage. Max chuckled explaining that the venue might never let them return. With his acoustic guitar strapped over his shoulder he adorably broke into the song "Crush'd" written about his new wife Sherri of the band Eisley. Sherri, who at that very moment was undoubtedly watching her husband from nearby, brought a genuine new glow to the previously jaded lead singer. As Max bellowed through the final verses, it seemed like a new generation of dreamy couple-hood was unfolding. Think - the "Brangelina" of the scene.
Assuring even one more song, Max introduced the only song that should ever end a Say Anything show (no matter how many times they play). "Admit It!!!" The remaining band members trotted back onto stage, their white shirts soaked with sweat. Max began the sing-speak lyrics and one last wild mosh pit broke out. Total chaos also took to the stage. Jeff, now at the opposite side of the stage was busy jumping from the drum kit and throwing kicks in the air. His twin brother Jake was turtle spinning on the ground while still playing his guitar in the center of the stage. It became so savage that it's a wonder if anyone in the audience could even see the band past the flying feet or sweat and spit swinging from Max's drenched body. It felt more like all six band members were right there in the pit alongside the fans. Ending the long six and a half minute finale, the band dropped their instruments to the ground and completely satisfied by Portland's crowd, exited the stage. As fans stood and begged roadies for any Say Anything paraphernalia they could scrounge up, it became clear that a band who five years ago could tear up a stage with their jocular operas from …Is A Real Boy haven't tired at all. With their third full length looming, Max, Alex, Coby, Jeff, Jake and Parker have only gotten better at blowing off the roof. Craziness doesn’t come more perfected than the craziness you get into at Say Anything show. |
MORE FROM THE SHOW:
PHOTOS | SAY ANYTHING MYSPACE