The Sounds
with Semi Precious Weapons and Foxy Shazam
Hawthorne Theatre, Portland, OR
28 Oct 2009
Photos by Rachel Coppenhaver


“Rock and roll is supposed to be about dancing, public sex, and fun.”
-- Justin Trantor, Semi Precious Weapons

It was a cold rainy night in Portland, but that didn't seem to bother the long line of fans outside of Hawthorne Theatre last night. The all-ages show was packed by the time that headliners, The Sounds took the stage. Opening the show was Foxy Shazam, a rock group from Cincinnati, OH. While lead singer, Eric Sean Nally's voice sounds a bit muppet-like, they put on a great show full of on-stage antics. The band opened the show with “Introducing” off their most recent album of the same name and instantly got the crowd pumped up. During the show, guitarist Loren balanced his guitar on his head, Eric jumped onto various bandmates backs to dance and sing from, and they had a generally good time all around. They ended the show with “Axe” which Eric said is his favourite song to perform live... so they played it twice.


“Sometimes I wish I had a mirror on stage so I could watch myself when I sing.” – Eric, Foxy Shazam




Next on stage was New York glam-rockers Semi Precious Weapons, in Portland for their second time this month. The set-list was pretty much identical to the previous show, with lead singer Justin Tantor making his entrance in stage to “Semi Precious Weapons”, a fan favourite whose lyrics have made it onto tote bags and t-shirts, “I can't pay my rent but I'm f*cking gorgeous”. Although the band has been evicted from their lodgings before (see the many videos on YouTube), they shouldn't have too much of a problem anymore, as they announced that Lady Gaga has invited them to join her for her upcoming world tour. Like the last show, there was another on-stage costume change for Justin and plenty of dancing. Justin had plenty to say to the crowd, asking for glimpses of girl's breasts for “inspiration for his operation” and telling the straight guys in the crow not to be afraid of his four inch heels. The band appeased fans by once again playing yet to be recorded songs “Sticky with Champagne” and “Put a Diamond in It” along with songs from their album We Love You.

The crowd was teeming with anticipation for Swedish rockers The Sounds and went crazy when they made their way on stage. The band opened with “Queen of Apology” from 2006's Dying to Say This to You followed by “No One Sleeps When I'm Awake”, the first single off the new album Crossing the Rubicon. The set was a playlist of hits and fan favourites with “Rock n' Roll” the only song that made the cut from the debut album until the encore. Crowd-surfers were abundant throughout the show, ensuring the stage crew stayed busy keeping the younger fans from the crowd off the stage, although one girl did sneak in a pat of lead singers Maja Ivarsson's rear before being forced off the stage. The crowd-surfing was not exclusive to the fans though, with guitarists Felix Rodriguez and Jesper Anderberg flinging themselves on top of the crowd near the end of the show. Maja also kept the venue on it's toes, by lighting up a cigarette on stage (a definite no-no in Oregon) an refusing to let a staff member take it from her saying she would put it out herself in a minute. After the song, she asked the audience what would happen if everyone in the crowd lit one up too. The Sounds closed the show with “Hope Your Happy Now”, from their debut album Living in America.



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