Tuesday, March 10, 1998
Energy makes the difference
MUSIC One-hit wonders offer are anything but at crowd-pleasing
concert
By Michelle Zubiate
Daily Bruin Contributor
One-hit wonders? Maybe. Immature rhythms? Check. Punk kids?
Definitely. Boring beats? Going over the list, that would be the
one thing missing from Sunset’s Palladium last Saturday night.
On the bill were stellar performances by Sugar Ray, Save Ferris
and Goldfinger (funk-rock act Incubus also opened) but no shortage
of pulsating energy. Call them here-today-and-gone-tomorrow, but
you can’t call them dull. If anything, their performances would
place them in the top most-underestimated-bands category.
Ending a recent tour, these three bands brought it home to Los
Angeles for a final show of entertaining vigor.
Goldfinger’s punk attitude remained true to the spirit of the
evening line-up, but did not grasp the crowd until after a few
warm-up numbers. Songs such as "Skiers Must Perish" and "This
Lonely Place" created mini-mosh pits and stirred the preteen
crowd’s jumping instincts a little more with every song. By the end
of the set, the audience cheered for Goldfinger’s evident talent,
if not for their mediocre on-stage ability.
One interesting thing about Goldfinger’s performance was the
fanbase swirling below them. On one side of the stage were sweaty
skinny guys with no shirts while the other side had full-suited
snazzy hipsters jamming with less of a bad-boy flare.
It was evident, however, that the crowd saved their cool moves
and true enthusiasm for a certain long-awaited Orange County
ska-band.
Obligingly, Save Ferris gave the crowd their usual dose of
swinging ska fun and vitality as lead singer Monique Powell charmed
the crowd with her down-to-earth spunk and independent tough-girl
persona.
Every song had the room swinging and dancing to the groovin’
tunes. Even songs that don’t go so well on the album, such as
"Spam," had sudden new life on stage as Powell used it to connect
to the crowd through sing-along. The band’s incredible horn section
was just one of the high points of Save Ferris’ set.
The newest radio hit, "Goodbye," contains ultra-smooth rhythms
that enchanted the crowd with every hip-swaying note. Between
guitarist Brian Mashburn’s song composing and Powell’s energetic
dancing on stage, Save Ferris complemented the night’s
entertainment.
But the best was yet to come. Since their last performance in
Los Angeles at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Xmas, many Angeleno alt-rock
fans have been looking forward to the next Sugar Ray live
performance, seeing how they put on such dazzling sets. Begging for
more, all expectations were met on Saturday by a show
above-and-beyond the usual rehashed motions most bands fall into
like clockwork.
From the minute lead singer Mark McGrath came on stage, the
whole house rushed with excitement, girls squealing with delight
when he took off his shirt early in the show. He had the audience
captivated by every pose and every lyric. He jumped from speaker to
stage and back up to the speaker at times, delving out the right
moves for all the women.
Album tracks "RPM" and "Sweet Home California" relinquished
every enthusing punk-metal chord of the album, "Floored," which was
given a new life by Sugar Ray’s thrilling live performance. McGrath
himself proved that he was more than just vocals as he rocked the
audience with a smashing guitar solo, blowing away everyone in the
room.
The set was not only a compilation of straightforward tunes. It
had its moments of fun as well. A portion of the show involved
Sugar Ray creating a mock candlelight dinner on stage while McGrath
crooned a Barry Manilow-esque ballad to the amusement of the
audience. Playing it up, the band yelled to each other, "What the
hell are we doing? Bad Religion would never do this!" Another
highlight included a great danceable mix given by Craig "DJ
Homicide" Bullock and his turntables.
Of course, how would the set be complete without the KROQ and
now KIIS-FM staple "Fly"? Unlike most of their punk songs, the ska
beat of "Fly" satisfied and delighted all the kids.
Unfortunately, the long set gave way to those lovable late night
freaks. With only minutes left in the show, two crowd-surfing
females flashed the crowd to the amusement of all the boys in the
audience. The girls got equal enjoyment out of streaking boys
running around the perimeter of the floor.
Every song kept up the same stamina, from the hyper-spirit of
"Cash" to the crunchin’ chords of "Anyone." Sugar Ray proved that
they are a band of talent, capable of pulling off a great
performance.
MICHAEL ROSS WACHT
Mark McGrath, lead singer of Sugar Ray.
MICHAEL ROSS WACHT
Monique Powell of Save Ferris certainly charmed the crowd.
MICHAEL ROSS WACHT
The crowd reacts enthusiastically to Sugar Ray.