Toxicity 89: 2015 – A Year in TATE

By Glen

For fans of The Airborne Toxic Event, 2015 was anything but dull. With two albums released, four videos and three tours, the TATE news machine rarely stopped churning – that is, until late in the year, when the band entered an extended break that has fans wondering what the future holds. Here are the highlights of The Airborne Toxic Event’s 2015.

Jan. 13: The Airborne Toxic Event announces the track listing to their fourth studio album, Dope Machines, with pre-orders to start the following Tuesday

Jan. 16: The band invites fans to uncover the album artwork for Dope Machines by Shazamming their current single, “Wrong”

Jan. 19: The closing track of Dope Machines, “Chains,” premieres on VH1.com

Jan. 20: Dope Machines pre-orders begin; digital pre-orders include immediate download of “Wrong” and “Chains”

Jan. 30: The Airborne Toxic Event performs a benefit show at the Troubadour in Los Angeles for the Songs for Kids Foundation; the show includes the live premieres of “Chains” and “One Time Thing”

Feb. 3: “One Time Thing” is made available for download with Dope Machines pre-orders

Feb. 18: The Airborne Toxic Event announces a 10-date European tour for April

Feb. 20: The Airborne Toxic Event’s fourth studio album, Dope Machines, is released in Mainland Europe

Feb. 22: The newly redesigned band website is launched

Feb. 23: The Airborne Toxic Event announces a surprise second album, Songs of God and Whiskey, to be released at midnight; the all-acoustic album is only available digitally, paired with Dope Machines, through the band’s website

Feb. 24: Dope Machines is released in North America

Feb. 24: The Airborne Toxic Event’s fifth studio album, Songs of God and Whiskey, is released through the band’s website

Feb. 25: The Airborne Toxic Event celebrates their double release with a free show and album signing at LA’s Amoeba Music

Feb. 25: The Airborne Toxic Event announces a 10-date North American tour for March, with Dope Machines to be played in full each night, accompanied by a special video presentation

Mar. 11: The Dope Machines Tour begins in Brooklyn, NY, featuring the live premieres of “Time to Be a Man,” “My Childish Bride,” “The Thing About Dreams” and “Something You Lost”

Mar. 13: The Airborne Toxic Event appears on VH1’s Big Morning Buzz, performing “One Time Thing”

Mar. 13: The Airborne Toxic Event appears on The David Letterman Show, performing “Wrong”

Mar. 14: The band’s show in Boston, MA features the live premiere of SOGAW track “Change and Change and Change and Change”

Mar. 19: The Airborne Toxic Event is the subject of a full-length feature on WHYY-TV’s On Tour

Mar. 23: The Airborne Toxic Event tapes a segment for Revolt TV, which airs Mar. 24

Mar. 24: The North American Dope Machines Tour ends in San Diego

Mar. 30-31: The Airborne Toxic Event shoots acoustic Bombastic videos for various Dope Machines and Songs of God and Whiskey tunes, in and around Los Angeles

Shot down here today pic.twitter.com/cvNbBIbUTE

— Airborne Toxic Event (@Airborne_Toxic) March 31, 2015

Apr. 6: Dope Machines is released in the U.K.

Apr. 7: The Airborne Toxic Event’s European tour begins at Muffathalle, Munchen, Germany

Apr. 19: The European tour ends at Academy, Dublin, Ireland

Apr. 24: Songs of God and Whiskey is released on iTunes and other digital outlets in Europe

Apr. 28: Songs of God and Whiskey is released on iTunes and other digital outlets in North America

Apr. 28: The Airborne Toxic Event releases the Bombastic video for “California”

May 4: The Airborne Toxic Event releases the Bombastic video for “The Fall of Rome”

May 11: The Airborne Toxic Event releases the official music video for “California”

May 31: The Airborne Toxic Event plays Songs of God and Whiskey in full for the first and only time, at a special show in Santa Ana, CA – a show that features the live premieres of “Cocaine and Abel,” “A Certain Type of Girl,” “Strangers” and “Why Why Why”

June 22: The Airborne Toxic Event releases the Bombastic video for “One Time Thing”

June 22: The Airborne Toxic Event announces the fall Whiskey Machine Tour of North America

July 20: Anna Bulbrook’s band, The Bulls, announces their Small Problems EP release for Aug. 28, and debuts the title track on Soundcloud

 

July 24: As part of a short acoustic set in Atlantic City, NJ, The Airborne Toxic Event debuts a cover of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness,” which would be a staple of their live performances through the rest of the year

July 24: The Bulls officially release the single “Small Problems”

July 25: The Whiskey Machine Tour begins at the Kerfuffle in Buffalo, NY

Aug. 28: The Bulls release their debut EP, Small Problems

Early Sept.: Mikel Jollett gets in a serious car crash, luckily avoiding major injury

Sept. 8: The Airborne Toxic Event announces a “One Time Thing” Shazam contest, with the winner earning the opportunity to choose the setlist for a private gig in Philadelphia

Sept. 26: The private Shazam show for 20 contest winners and their guests includes seldom played songs “The Secret” (long version), “Tokyo Radio,” “Strangers,” “A Letter to Georgia,” “The Thing About Dreams,” “The Fifth Day” and more

Oct. 7: The Bulls debut the music video for their latest single, “Rumors”

Oct. 22: The Whiskey Machine Tour comes to an end at the Wiltern in Los Angeles

Oct. 24: Mikel Jollett announces that the band will be taking a break of undetermined length: “Going dark for a bit now to hovel and rest and write”

Dec. 5: The Airborne Toxic Event ends their year with a short, controversial set at Denver’s Not So Silent Night

What was your personal TATE highlight of 2015? Was it one of the events listed here, or something else entirely? What do you think 2016 has in store? Comment below!

For a complete listing of 2015 tour dates, including setlists for every show, visit our TATE setlist archive.

Glen is the founder and editor of This Is Nowhere. He’s grateful for an understanding wife and kids who indulge his silly compulsion to chase a band all over the Pacific Northwest (and occasionally beyond) every time the opportunity arises.

Big Love and Lasting Friendships – The Airborne Toxic Event’s East Coast Whiskey Machine Tour Part III of III: The Keswick Theatre, Glenside, Pennsylvania – September 26, 2015

Anna Bulbrook and The Airborne Toxic Event tackled beloved rarities during the private pre-show at the Keswick Theatre. Photo by Julie.

By Julie

The funny thing about revisiting the past is that it’s never quite the same as you remember it. But that’s ok. There are vestiges of what you recall, enhanced by new memories and new realizations.

For one, was the Keswick Theatre always that difficult to find? The last time in 2010, in the midst of The Airborne Toxic Event’s All I Ever Wanted tour to promote the DVD documentary and live album, The Calder Quartet was in tow and I arrived with my frat-boy concert buddies, Matt and Drew, elegantly guided directly to the door by Matt’s smartphone GPS. Alone this time and sans smartphone, I stopped at a yard sale for directions and clumsily stumbled my way into the quaint little Keswick Village.

Classy and a bit trashy, the Keswick was and still is charmingly run down, having seen better days, but in its state of disrepair, it makes an ideal if unlikely rock venue. The couple of streets that make up Keswick Village feel like a magical kingdom that time left behind. Even the over-attentive ushers and usherettes seem like a curious throwback to the 1950s.

When I ambled up to the theater, there were already a few people and a “Line Starts Here for Shazam Pre-Show Party” paper sign. The day was already surreal, what with my 4 hours of sleep back in Boston, a dazed bagels and lox breakfast with my dad in Connecticut, vague memories of a very large and very crowded bridge, a blown-off Pennsylvania Turnpike toll payment, a cryptic journey through Philadelphia suburb back roads and oh right, that Shazam contest. Well-meaning, clumsily executed, and I was very glad I had made it into the Top 20. I’ll never understand how, as it seemed I got more emails bounced back to me than I actually sent, but who am I to question such extraordinary things?

There were more pleasant meetings with familiar faces and familiar Internet handles, as the most dedicated of Airborne’s East Coast fan contingent converged. It felt like some sort of rock ‘n’ roll Survivor episode, seeing who had made the final cut. Who among us had endured the treacherous jungles of Shazamland to emerge triumphant?

This very special private show felt like a well-kept secret, but then again, so did the evening show. About 6 miles south, millions of people were greeting Pope Francis, and here we were, 80 of us being ushered in to a holy gathering of an entirely different kind.

Others have described The Shazam Show in loving detail, so what I’ll say is this — beyond giving the fans a chance to see their band up close in a different light, performing less frequently heard songs in an informal setting, it gave the band a chance to see, up close, some of their biggest fans. It felt very intimate and very real, more living room party than stage show. Bill Barrish, the Shazam grand prize winner, chose to share his prize with the other contest winners. His amazing generosity made a big impression on everyone, including Mikel, who said “Oh, you all picked songs? That was awfully democratic of you. That makes me proud to be in a band that has fans that would share. You’re all such nice people listening to such sad music.” As fate would have it, within that 12-song set, every Airborne album was honored with at least one selection.

There was a real spirit of fan community. Whether it was the communal selection of the setlist, Lalena periscoping the entire set to the many fans around the world who wished they could have been there or the friendly chats before and after the two shows, these signs of friendship and shared experience were truly heartwarming. It’s this type of community that will sustain Airborne’s fan base through the band’s quieter times, and it will sustain the band as well. Their following might be significantly less than what it was in the heady days following their debut, but it’s staunchly devoted.

The evening performance, in many ways, was no less magical than the private show earlier. The energy and love was palpable and the band performed beautifully, despite it being the third night in a row. The audience was a good deal older than in either New York City or Boston, with children in tow. This too felt like a memory, a snapshot of Airborne’s fan base when I first started following them. Despite Mikel’s comment that their typical fan is “a 16-year-old honors English student, a couple in their 30s, or an idealistic college kid who wants to be a novelist,” the Keswick that night was a strong reminder of how this band’s appeal cuts across multiple generations.

Assigned seating meant a rare 6th row vantage point for Julie at The Airborne Toxic Event’s evening show. The experience was no less stunning.

From my sixth row vantage point, I witnessed an incredibly powerful performance with beautiful, rich sound in a venerable old theatre. As much as all fans love to be up at the front of the stage, there are things you miss up there. For one, the breadth of the entire show, audio and visuals, with a full experience of band/audience symbiosis. The intended mix of the instruments through a state-of-the-art (or even less than state-of-the-art) sound system, rather than from, at least partly, the band’s monitors. The full audience reaction, physical and verbal, to each song. Heady. Overwhelming. Awe-inspiring.

Those who weren’t at the private show still got to hear “A Letter to Georgia” and “The Thing About Dreams,” in addition to glorious Songs of God and Whiskey selections “Poor Isaac,” “Cocaine and Abel” and “Change and Change and Change and Change.” Dope Machines was well represented, with “One Time Thing,” “Wrong” and “California,” in addition to “Dreams” (plus “Hell and Back,” if you count that one as a DM song). “What’s in a Name?” and “Elizabeth” were welcome additions from too-often-overlooked Such Hot Blood. “Elizabeth” in particular is always deeply appreciated, as it has become an audience favorite.

Yet another blast from the past was The Philly Hiss, in its place of birth. “You guys are so silly,” said Mikel. But I remembered, as did many others. Five years later, we all remembered that silly little joke and we all remembered why we love this band, so very much.

Mikel Jollett leans into “Wishing Well.” Photo by Julie.

A few songs in, it became difficult to stay confined in the assigned seats. When ushers tried to keep people from moving into the aisles, Mikel stepped in to say it was ok, and after that, the front of the theater filled with enthusiastic fans and indeed, it was then a full-blown rock show. Albeit a very classy and sophisticated one.

In a slight variation from 2010, the after-show reception was held not in the lobby but in the thankfully mild evening air in the parking lot behind the theater. One by one, our hosts (and hostess) came out to meet and greet the 50 or so revelers. Many selfies and more formally posed photos ensued, autographs on various materials were signed, there were brief discussions about what songs were played and not played at The Shazam Show, there was an overheard conversation with Mikel and some fans discussing the meaning of “The Fall of Rome” and an admiring fan asking him to write out lyrics, quite a few of them, for a tattoo design.

I have no memory whatsoever of the hours between 1 and 3 am, or of checking in to an upstate New York hotel a few hours before dawn (though I think there’s a tweet to confirm this). All I recall is feeling lighter than air and amazed at the rejuvenating powers of truly wonderful music.

Random Observations
1) Airborne fans will go to the ends of the earth for their favorite band (or at least to the wilds of a strange little retro village).
2) Sitting six rows back from the stage can at times be even more extraordinary and overwhelming than leaning against the stage or barrier.
3) If you ever find yourself in a ‘50s-style diner, you should order the fries and not the side salad.
4) A particular fan’s dedication to a band can be measured by the length of the lyrics she is willing to have permanently tattooed on her body.

———————————————————-

There are changes in the autumn air,
I can feel it rustling among the leaves
Can we honor the past, respect its importance
and then let it go?

As dear as it all was, and remains, in our hearts
in time, familiarity becomes a kind of comfortable prison
that prevents us from growing and moving beyond our safe boundaries
and keeps us from realizing that there are no boundaries
but only the limitations we place on ourselves
It is the fear of change.

But the fear of stagnation is stronger
and the discomfort of standing still
becomes a great motivator
to move us past our familiar surroundings
into the unknowable but beckoning future.

Thanks so much, Glen, for this wonderful opportunity, and hello to everyone I’ve met on the road. I hope to see you out there again. Soon.

Photo Gallery – Shazam Show

Photo Gallery – Evening Show

Setlist – Shazam Show

Setlist – Evening Show

Along with writing regularly for This Is Nowhere, Julie publishes musingsfromboston.com, a music blog with the bipolar personality of wannabe philosopher and charlatan music critic, where she is just as likely to review the audience as she is the band. Her first Airborne show was at a lingerie party hosted by WFNX at an Irish-Mexican bar in Boston’s financial district. She does her best to live by the motto “only one who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible.”

Big Love and Lasting Friendships – The Airborne Toxic Event’s East Coast Whiskey Machine Tour Part II of III: The Orpheum Theater, Boston, Massachusetts – September 25, 2015

Steven Chen, Mikel Jollett and The Airborne Toxic Event brought their frenetic energy to Boston for the third time this year. Photo by Julie.

By Julie

I was thinking, while stuck in standstill traffic on the Tobin Bridge, just ahead of the standstill traffic on Storrow Drive, that if the Pope had included Boston in his U.S. visit, I would probably be having no trouble whatsoever getting to the show. Indeed, with all the hand-wringing over logistics for New York City and Philadelphia/Glenside, all the closed highways, roadblocks and massive crowds, the only traffic clusterfuck ended up being in my hometown, on a busy but not unusual Friday night in Boston. It was bizarre. Between Boston Calling at City Plaza, Frank Turner at the House of Blues and good lord, the Red Sox at Fenway, I never stood a chance.

Despite the odds stacked against me, I did finally make it to The Airborne Toxic Event’s third Orpheum Theatre appearance. There was WFNX’s Miracle on Tremont Street in 2008, when they opened for Franz Ferdinand and the audience was completely mystified, sitting totally still while Mikel jumped on one of the empty seats and tried to rouse them, Iggy-style. Then there was their own headlining show in 2011, the evening after The Drowning Men were hit by a drunk driver and spent the night as guests in Airborne’s tour bus. That evening, as tired as they all were, was filled with heartfelt poignancy. Airborne has been all over this town, performing in clubs and theaters, at radio stations, in an art gallery and a record store and a hotel suite, at Irish pubs and outside at City Hall, in what feels like a long, drawn-out residency. After two joyous and decidedly scrappy shows at the Paradise back in March, it made perfect sense that they should grace this uber-classy and legendary stage once more.

What you give up in terms of sweaty sticky floor dancing you more than gain back in sound quality and grandeur. It’s fun and intense to see them in an intimate club setting, but this world class band truly deserves to be on a proper stage, and their music seemed to expand majestically to fill the spacious, acoustically sweet Orpheum Theatre. Yes, we all classed it up. Due to a sudden major upgrade to my seating assignment (thanks concert buddies; you know who you are) and not having perused and contemplated the set list beforehand, “A Letter To Georgia” as a show opener caught me completely by surprise, in absolutely the best way imaginable. It may have been just 80 fans who got to experience The Private Shazam Show, but the two shows leading up to it (plus the one that followed) most certainly benefitted. “Georgia,” “The Thing About Dreams” and “This Losing” were delightful additions and gave Airborne the chance for a little extra rehearsal ahead of performing those special songs for discriminating palates. These are quieter and incredibly sweet moments in the band’s repertoire, except that this particular version of “This Losing” had what we’ll call the “angst ending,” which is neither quiet nor sweet. It’s in fact rather gut-wrenching, in a good way (though likely not for the narrator).

Adrian Rodriguez: Coming into his own with The Airborne Toxic Event. Photo by Julie.

If New York City is an important market and a magical place to see Airborne, then Boston is akin to a family gathering. For Anna, the Boston native, it literally is that, with her folks religiously in attendance. But for the entire band, there’s a relaxed and comfortable feeling of familiarity even in a formal setting like the Orpheum that makes for a unique warmth which permeates the entire evening.

Again, I was taken by the enlightened pairings of songs that wove together so beautifully. This evening, it was “Half of Something Else” and “The Thing About Dreams” that seemed amazingly made for each other. A few special mentions are in order. “Dreams” is a very special song for me, and it was simply gorgeous this night, with Steven playing these exquisite piano flourishes while Anna provided backing vocals and what I’ll call “cosmic drones” on a baby synth. Yes, that’s the technical term – baby synth. So pretty. “Wishing Well” was an especially lovely version, with Mikel’s piano, Anna’s viola and Steven’s EBow on top of Daren and Adrian’s driving rhythm. And speaking of Adrian, he did a jamming bass solo in there which was quite wonderful from my up close and personal vantage point. In addition to admiring his new haircut and funky chops, I was able to really hear him play (which hasn’t always been the case in every venue). This beautifully composed song, as did others like “Poor Isaac,” “All I Ever Wanted,” “Midnight” and “All At Once,” greatly benefited from the Orpheum’s pristine sound. “California” was another selection that sounded rich, warm and magnificent in that special setting.

“Pursuit of Happiness” continues to be the Airborne song that Kid Cudi happened to write, and there’s something about Boston and The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love.” Stephin Merritt and the crew are from Boston, which may be part of it, but I seem to recall at least two onstage marriage proposals that happened around this song. Suffice it to say it’s become something of a tradition for Airborne to perform it here. It’s a local audience favorite that’s always rewarded with a reverent singalong, and predictably, it sounded fantastic. This song always makes me smile, since Mikel, sans guitar and earnestly singing with his arms at his sides or his hands clasped in front of him, puts forth the vibe of a nervous schoolboy reciting a poem in class. To which all I can say is, “A+.” And I would be perfectly ok with “All At Once” replacing “Missy” as a standard show closer, as it’s such an epic experience at either side, beginning or end.

Airborne shows for me are always deeply satisfying on a cellular level, like a full body blood transfusion. Not that I’ve ever had one, but I imagine that’s what it must feel like, albeit with a really great soundtrack. On this electric early autumn night in downtown Boston, it was no exception.

Rumor has it that later in the evening, Mikel ventured down the alleyway to the street for the traditional Orpheum meet & greet, but I had a short night and a long day ahead of me that involved a birthday breakfast for my dad in Connecticut, a date with a very crowded Tappan Zee Bridge in upstate New York, an audience with the Pope in Philly and a pair of rock ‘n’ roll shows in a secretly hidden village in Glenside, Pennsylvania. Ok, I might be kidding about one of those.

Photo Gallery

Setlist

Along with writing regularly for This Is Nowhere, Julie publishes musingsfromboston.com, a music blog with the bipolar personality of wannabe philosopher and charlatan music critic, where she is just as likely to review the audience as she is the band. Her first Airborne show was at a lingerie party hosted by WFNX at an Irish-Mexican bar in Boston’s financial district. She does her best to live by the motto “only one who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible.”

Big Love and Lasting Friendships – The Airborne Toxic Event’s East Coast Whiskey Machine Tour Part I of III: Irving Plaza, New York City – September 24, 2015

Mikel Jollett’s head may have felt like moonshine and cheap-ass wine, but that didn’t stop he and The Airborne Toxic Event from killing it in NYC. Photo by Julie.

By Julie

It isn’t always easy, this passage of time. The biggest mistake you can make is to try to hold on to the past, sadly nostalgic for what once was, hoping to recapture the early days of your youthful innocence, simpler times, past relationships, the early days of your favorite band. In clinging to what has faded into distant memory, you’re likely to miss exciting new possibilities and the awe-inspiring mystery of a future not yet unfurled. Though having said all that, there is still great comfort to be had in the company of old friends and the renewing of emotional bonds.

The Airborne Toxic Event has a long history of brilliant East Coast shows, and particularly when it comes to New York City. From their early days playing the CMJ music marathon and tiny clubs like Pianos and the Mercury Lounge, up to big important gigs like Terminal 5 and Central Park’s SummerStage, New York has always been a big deal for this band. Their audience has grown up with them, so it was a nice surprise to see them play the more intimate Irving Plaza. It’s gotten to the point where we all recognize each other, whether it’s from Webster Hall shows, Terminal 5, the Origins tour, the Bowery Ballroom or wherever. Heartwarming greetings from those you haven’t seen for a while, since the last show. It’s like a homecoming. And it means everything.

I’ll be honest. I’ve felt some uncertainty this year at what the future holds for Airborne. Those two wonderful new albums didn’t get anywhere near the attention I felt they deserved. There were fewer shows than expected after their release, with no additional shows (except for a single holiday gig) on the horizon. I suspect now that the original plan was to release Dope Machines late last year, which would have perfectly coincided with last autumn’s big tour. Rather than continuing an exhausting string of never-ending tours, the band is understandably weary so they’re planning shows more strategically now.

However, this dearth of live appearances made this handful of East Coast performances even more special, like rare glittering jewels. Maybe that isn’t such a terrible thing after all.

Anna Bulbrook of The Airborne Toxic Event: World’s classiest bad-ass rock star. Photo by Julie.

It feels as though there are changes on the horizon, but Airborne’s fan community is as strong and vital as ever. Perhaps even more so. There have been times over the years when I’ve felt disconnected from what I saw developing around them. Those legions of “radio fans” who came to hear the hits and knew nothing more would be restless and chatting to their friends or playing with their phones during quieter songs. I’m not saying that doesn’t still happen, but there’s less of that now. We seem to be getting back to their loyal following, not huge but completely committed. And I can certainly live with that.

Random NYC thoughts – No Popepocalypse problems whatsoever, oddly enough (my travel woes would be in Boston). Irving Plaza, first time I’d been there; a nice smallish venue with good sound. A special show, with amazing band/audience symbiosis, and wow what a setlist! The band was so, so tight, and Adrian has really come into his own, infusing his mellow vibe into the band, balancing out the edginess. Ever more astonishing drum solos from Daren and ever more sophisticated guitar finesse and stage acrobatics from Steven. Anna has become the band’s rock star; incredible presence and self-confidence. Mikel is ever the enigma, full of smiles and angst in equal measure. When he’s really enjoying a show, his joy warms the heart; his beautiful smile fills the entire room and raises everyone in there up with him; everything feeds off his mood. He had incredible energy this evening, especially considering his recent car accident. I am always amazed by him, but never more so than this night.

You know what the problem with modern music is? There’s not enough drum solos. (Unless you’re at an Airborne Toxic Event gig, in which case Daren Taylor has got you covered.) Photo by Julie.

The show began with the one-two Songs of God and Whiskey punch of “Poor Isaac” and “Cocaine and Abel,” which was so powerful and exhilarating that it left me breathless as if I’d had the air knocked out of my lungs. In a good way, of course. You could feel from the immediate surge of energy from the crowd that everyone was anxiously awaiting those Songs of God and Whiskey. Fans tried to keep up with Mikel’s considerable lyrical prowess in order to sing along. I’m so glad they’ve now introduced at least a small taste of that brilliant and obviously well-loved album into their live set. Hopefully these songs will continue to pop up every now and then in future shows.

Following on the heels of those first two were two older high-octane hits, “Gasoline” and “Changing.” Upon reviewing the set list, I can see very clearly something that I’ve always loved about Airborne’s live shows that many bands don’t have a good handle on — pacing. They’ve always carefully crafted their performance to be an intoxicating journey over varied terrain. A few fast and furious, then drop it down for a couple of slower, more emotional ones. In the case of NYC that night, that would be “Change and Change and Change and Change” and “Half of Something Else.” It’s a sign of true pros, to take the audience on an emotional roller coaster ride, alternately rocking out and drawing inward for shared introspection and intimacy. This up and down movement continued throughout the show, ending the main set with the breathtaking and intense triple-play of “Pursuit of Happiness,” “All I Ever Wanted” and “Midnight.” Epic.

“What’s In A Name,” admittedly not one of my favorites on Such Hot Blood, has taken on a new life for me when performed live. This feels like a real West Coast song to me, something quite personal and introspective from Mikel, about his upbringing, and I found it especially poignant when back to back with “California.” That was definitely a nice pairing, and another example of these little vignettes that are created with 2-3 song groupings. “Wishing Well,” another deeply personal moment, was the perfect song to round it out.

“Pursuit of Happiness” is turning out to be one of my favorite Airborne songs, except that it’s not an Airborne song. This angst-driven/sad confessional rap is so perfectly within Mikel’s emotional wheelhouse, it’s easy to forget that he didn’t actually write it. Suffice it to say they’ve really made this amazing song their own, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a recorded version someday.

For the encore, if anyone was at all disappointed by the absence of “Fall of Rome,” that immediately disappeared as soon as the “Heaven Is A Map” introduction to “Innocence” began. This deeply loved song typically doesn’t make it into the set list anymore, so when it does appear, you know it’s a good night — as in a really good night. Indeed, it was a 5-song encore that included another big audience favorite (that I’m guessing Mikel never would have guessed when he wrote it), “Elizabeth.” “Folsom Prison Blues” found its way into Missy, a very happy “side effect” to the looming Shazam show and the need to rehearse some of their lesser played songs. This would also happen the next evening in Boston.

Though they played in Brooklyn earlier this year and at the cavernous Terminal 5 last year, somehow this intimate appearance at the 1025-capacity Irving Plaza felt emotionally like a close sibling to those two mind-blowing gigs at Webster Hall back in 2013. It was definitely one of those evenings. The audience knew it, and Mikel knew it as well. As he said to me later, after meeting and greeting every single person in the 50+ crowd who patiently waited after the show for a moment of his time as the crew packed up their equipment, “that was a special one, wasn’t it?” Ohhhh yes.

Photo Gallery

Setlist

Along with writing regularly for This Is Nowhere, Julie publishes musingsfromboston.com, a music blog with the bipolar personality of wannabe philosopher and charlatan music critic, where she is just as likely to review the audience as she is the band. Her first Airborne show was at a lingerie party hosted by WFNX at an Irish-Mexican bar in Boston’s financial district. She does her best to live by the motto “only one who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible.”

Review: The Airborne Toxic Event at Power Plant Live

The Airborne Toxic Event thrilled a sweaty crowd at Power Plant Live. Photo by Jamie.

By Jamie

If the mark of a good TATE show is sweat, this past Friday, just blocks from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor under a Blue Moon, this show was destined to be a good one. Sunny and humid, the sometimes unbearable heat chased the the hardcore fans that collected early under patio umbrellas and into shady corners. I showed up later than most at around 4:30, dripping with sweat from sitting in rush hour traffic without AC. Downing cold drinks immediately, we lamented about the heat, praying it would ease up as the sun set.

Our dedication (or maybe stupidity) was rewarded when we were able to sit in on The Airborne Toxic Event’s sound check, which took place under a covered outdoor plaza that is open to the public. Keeping a respectful distance, we formed a small, shy audience. People wandered in off the streets after hearing the music, asking who the band was. It was a 2-for-1; the band sound checking songs we ended up not hearing later in the evening. After they had finished up and cleared the stage, the crowd dispersed; some headed out for dinner or drinks while the more dedicated among us, myself included, made our way forward and staked our claim at the barrier.

Anna Bulbrook and her viola lit the night on fire. Photo by Jamie.

Already over heated, the setting sun not offering the relief we had hoped for, we passed the time by having a little party of our own. I knew almost everyone on the barrier from previous shows and we quickly welcomed those not already part of the group into the family. Taking turns getting drinks and food, sharing stories and discussing favorite songs, we spent the next 2-3 hours forming friendships and anticipating the evening before us. Bonds formed over a mutual passion can be strong, however short lived they may be, and those bonds created a crowd that was rowdy and primed for the type of show I only know TATE to deliver.

After finally taking the stage to the roars of the faithful, the band opened with “All At Once” (my personal favorite opener). Following up quickly with “Wedding Day,” it was clear that the band planned to take advantage of the mix of dedicated fans and drunken party goers that the audience consisted of. “Numb,” “Wishing Well,” “Changing,” “Moving On” and “Hell and Back” came next, one after another with just short banter in between. The band appeared to be just as hot as the audience; dripping with sweat, their energy somehow never waned. They seemed to be enjoying themselves and it was only Mikel’s teasing of the less enthused concert goers towards the back (“It’s rock and roll, sir!”) that reminded me that perhaps the whole audience wasn’t as excited as the front third, even though it seemed to me we more than made up for it.

Steven Chen and his Airborne Toxic Event bandmates took to the stage under a rare blue moon. Photo by Jamie.

What followed was probably my favorite live performance of “One Time Thing” so far, Mikel dancing during the chorus and the crowd loudly singing “moonshine and cheap ass wine.” “What’s In a Name” was next and then “Happiness,” with an impressive singalong at the end, especially considering that a good portion of the audience had probably never heard the song before. “California,” the new cover “Pursuit of Happiness,” “Wrong,” “Midnight” and “All I Ever Wanted” rounded out the main set as we were given our first rest of the night. Saying it was hot is an understatement. We fanned ourselves, mimed passing out and passed around cold drinks as my friend said, “Well, at least none of us smell, right?” That’s always a plus.

“Gasoline” and “Missy”/“I’m on Fire” made a great encore to what was, from start to finish, a party.

I can’t tell you what made this show for me. The atmosphere was similar to last year’s Fillmore shows, equal parts band performance and crowd enthusiasm, most of us attending our first show since the late winter Dope Machines Tour. If you haven’t already, next time you’re at an Airborne show, turn to the person next to you and say hello. In my experience, TATE fans are good people.

Click here for the setlist.

Jamie spends most of her days with her husband as they attempt to raise 4 future TATE fans and all around decent human beings. In her free time, when not obsessively listening to her favorite bands and going to concerts, she is also an aspiring seamstress. She writes about her handmade wardrobe on her blog Such a Strange Girl, and is a regular contributor to This Is Nowhere.

Everything That Shine Ain’t Always Gold — The Airborne Toxic Event in Atlantic City

Anna Bulbrook, Daren Taylor and Mikel Jollett of The Airborne Toxic Event at Atlantic City’s Golden Nugget, July 24, 2015. Photo by Julie.

By Julie

The Jersey Shore. Miles and miles of homogeneous towns, service areas and periodic tolls down the seemingly endless stretch of the Garden State Parkway from the Tappan Zee Bridge. Just as you think you’ve entered into a Twilight Zone timeless loop of nondescript suburbs, concrete overpasses and highway signs set to a Bruce Springsteen soundtrack on infinite repeat, the landscape suddenly opens up into flat expanses with small bodies of water. And then the biggest shock of all — the distant skyline of a space-age metropolis, rising up like a B-grade sci-fi movie set. The vision is of extravagant modern skyscrapers on a precarious strip of beach, plunked down in the midst of a derelict shanty town like polished gemstones in a junkyard. Atlantic City.

Though The Airborne Toxic Event has performed before in casinos and at theme parks, this seems an unlikely venue for a sophisticated rock ‘n’ roll band.

Bleary-eyed from the long drive, I spent some time having lunch on Golden Nugget’s pool deck, people watching. Overweight middle-aged women with tiny bikinis and crudely inked tattoos mingled with older men flaunting flimsy swim trunks and beer guts. Hotel guests sprawled on chaise lounges and actual full-sized beds, staggering back and forth from bar to bed to pool that overlooked an expansive marina filled with ostentatious yachts. Under no circumstance whatsoever could this scene ever be mistaken for the beautiful people paradise of Las Vegas or Lake Tahoe. Instead, it is a stunning portrait of opulence and decay, a tarnished Shangri-La.

For this intimate acoustic performance inside the 200-capacity Live Bar, just off the casino’s lobby, Philly’s indie rock station Radio 104.5 staged a cryptic series of contests. Though likely well-intentioned, it became a drawn-out exercise in frustration for desperate fans trying to win the coveted “Golden Tickets.” First there was a mind-numbing “pick a letter” fiasco that bordered on Chinese water torture. My suspicion is that 20 or 30 hardcore Airborne aficionados struggled to submit 100+ entries each. After that, there were various twitter contests with little advance notice and an incomprehensible Tuesday mid-day “ticket raid” at the casino itself, which I heard three people turned up for. It was a real head-scratcher, marketing a casino hotel where room prices start at $800 a night to Radio 104.5’s demographic of 20-something college students. However, when all this bizarre dust finally settled, a ridiculously stoked audience of about 150 that included many East Coast Airborne devotees sizzled with excitement in the cozy casino lounge and enjoyed a marvelously loose and informal Airborne show, not quite believing their good fortune.

An hour or two before the Radio 104.5 folks began checking people in and handing out the rest of the prize package, a $50 casino credit, fans who arrived early were treated to a soundcheck that was at least as long as the actual show. This tantalizing pre-show included “Poor Isaac,” which sadly wasn’t performed in the evening’s set, though it was done the next night in Buffalo.

The members of The Airborne Toxic Event show their appreciation for drummer Daren Taylor. Photo by Julie.

The show was incredibly laid back, fun and delightful. The sound was crisp and clear, and though Mikel and Steven were playing their acoustic guitars, with Anna on her electric violin, Adrian playing his electric bass and Daren on his full kit, it was one seriously rocking acoustic set. The crowd was “half and half”—75 or so of the enthralled faithful who chanted along to each song, set on fire by an energetic, playful and happy band, and the other 75 mildly curious and aloof, some sitting at tables at the side of the room. Mikel made a few jokes about this during their blistering 9-song set (two songs more than Saratoga Springs, presumably to compensate for the additional two hours it took me to get to this godforsaken outpost). Paraphrasing here, but “Lady—it’s a rock show, in case you were wondering” (Mikel, to one of the less engaged audience members at the back of the room).

And a rock show it most certainly was, jumping head-first into a pounding rendition of “Hell and Back.” This mini-concert drew from all five albums, portending very good things for the fall Whiskey Machine Tour. From the debut, there was “Midnight” of course, and “Missy.” From All At Once, we got “All I Ever Wanted” and “Changing.” An acoustic premiere of “What’s In A Name” from the oft-forgotten Such Hot Blood sounded amazing and was very well received. “One Time Thing” joined “Hell and Back” to represent Dope Machines, while the angst-filled “Change and Change and Change and Change” paid loving tribute to the magnificent Songs of God and Whiskey.

The songs were powerfully and joyously performed by the band, who were obviously having a good time, feeding off the excitement and energy of the crowd. Lots of little smiles and joking around warmed the heart in this easygoing atmosphere. There was even time for an unexpected surprise. Since I was not previously familiar with Kid Cudi nor his wonderful song “Pursuit of Happiness,” I was breathless with what I thought was a mind-blowing new Airborne song. Instead, it was a mind-blowing new Airborne cover. Judging from the audience reaction and how perfectly it fits Airborne’s sound and Mikel’s sensibilities, I predict this may well become a staple of future shows.

“Tell me what you know about dreams, dreams
tell me what you know about night terrors, nothin’
you don’t really care about the trials of tomorrow
rather lay awake in a bed full of sorrow.”

“I’m on the pursuit of happiness and I know
everything that shine ain’t always gonna be gold
Hey, I’ll be fine once I get it
Yeah, I’ll be good.”

– Pursuit of Happiness, Kid Cudi

Appearances are a funny thing. The reality, once you reach that glowing mirage? Quite different. There you go, forever running from the past and chasing that salvation that seems to lie just beyond the horizon, never quite realizing that what you seek is right in front of you. Whether it’s meaning, recognition or purpose, there remains the constant striving for something more.

Mikel Jollett of The Airborne Toxic Event comes face to face with a Dope Machines doppelganger. Photo by Julie.

A wacky meet and greet with the entire audience followed, the line snaking around the small lounge. Formally posed photos and polite hellos devolved into nutty antics and amusingly staged shoots with impromptu props like a floral ottoman and a modern art figurine that bore a remarkable resemblance to Paul Himmel’s “Nude on White” that graced the cover of Dope Machines. Mikel was so taken with the statue that at one point he tried to make off with it through the curtained entrance.

Once everyone had a chance to meet and greet, the band hung out at the bar for a while with a small group of stragglers, partaking in a round of gifted shots. It was just one of those perfect evenings.

I would like to gratefully thank The Golden Nugget, Radio 104.5 and, of course, Airborne!

Photo Gallery

Setlist

Along with writing regularly for This Is Nowhere, Julie publishes musingsfromboston.com, a music blog with the bipolar personality of wannabe philosopher and charlatan music critic, where she is just as likely to review the audience as she is the band. Her first Airborne show was at a lingerie party hosted by WFNX at an Irish-Mexican bar in Boston’s financial district. She does her best to live by the motto “only one who attempts the absurd can achieve the impossible.”

Toxicity 78: Whiskey Machine

By Glen

On the heels of last week’s “Unsolved Mysteries” Toxicity, in which we provided more questions than answers, this week some of the blanks were filled in. The Airborne Toxic Event gave us something to look forward to in the fall, and a little something else to satisfy our appetite in the meantime.

The Whiskey Machine Starts its Engines

Questions as to whether The Airborne Toxic Event would tour this fall did not remain unanswered for long, as the band released ten dates for the so-called “Whiskey Machine Tour” on Monday.

The schedule includes a number of east coast stops in late September, and a trio of mid-October west coast(ish) gigs. These headline gigs are mixed in amongst previously announced festival appearances along with one new one at Atlanta’s Midtown Music Festival.

While the announcement was greeted with predictable elation by fans in the lucky markets, it elicited disappointment from those whose cities are not on the list, or who are seemingly only slated for a shortened festival set rather than the full tour experience.

But fear not: the band promises that there are more dates to come. One would imagine that the gaping hole between the September and October dates will be filled, and the tour could well extend beyond its currently announced Oct. 22 finale in Los Angeles.

Keep in mind, the fact that the band is playing festivals in Denver, Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta and Toronto does not necessarily preclude them from adding club shows in those areas soon after. Some festivals prohibit artists from announcing headlining gigs in the same city until after the festival, to guard against fans forgoing the festival in favor of the dedicated gig. The same thing occurred last year when Airborne announced their Fall 2014 tour. Milwaukee and Minneapolis were absent from the initial itinerary, but when TATE played festivals in those cities in early July, they announced fall dates from the stage, with the official announcements and ticket on-sales following days later.

In this case, the festivals are scheduled for much later in the summer, so if indeed this is the reason for delayed announcements, we may be waiting awhile for confirmation. Or, I could be talking out of my ass, and there will be no headlining gigs in those cities. But it’s hard to imagine the band skipping some of their favorite markets on the tour proper.

And of course, there are plenty of frequently visited cities (*cough* Vancouver *cough*) that are not yet getting either a festival or a club gig; chances are most of us will be satisfied by the time the final plans are crystallized. Which is to say: patience, friends.

“One Time Thing” Bombastic

The other mystery to receive swift resolution in the past few days was the “One Time Thing” Bombastic video, which tantalizingly cropped up in Germany several days before finally receiving worldwide release through YouTube in the wee hours Monday morning. As you can see, it was well worth the wait; it has quickly taken its place among my very favorite TATE acoustics.

Anna Bulbrook and The Bulls shoot a video for new single “Small Problems.”

Big Shoot for Small Problems

While The Airborne Toxic Event takes a breather before returning to action in late July, Anna Bulbrook has been free to focus on her work with the Bulls – specifically, shooting what looks to be a gorgeous video for the band’s second single, “Small Problems.” No word yet when the video will drop, but in combination with first single “Come Unwound,” it is clear that the Bulls’ debut project will be grand.

Big Ass Review

The Big Ass Show seems forever ago, but it’s not too late for a review by Music of a Madwoman: “I have honestly never heard a song by them I haven’t liked, and that’s really difficult for me because even my favorite bands have songs I just can’t stand. Each song is so unique and they all have such amazing lyrics. This band is so great to watch simply because of the fact that each member is so talented and it’s very difficult to find a band where each member can come together to create something so beautiful.”

Toxic Gold

My 20th wedding anniversary is just a few weeks away, so I guess I’m feeling romantic or nostalgic or something. This week’s Toxic Gold takes us back to 2011’s Last.fm session for “All for a Woman” (preceded by a brief interview segment).

Glen is the founder and editor of This Is Nowhere. He’s grateful for an understanding wife and kids who indulge his silly compulsion to chase a band all over the Pacific Northwest (and occasionally beyond) every time the opportunity arises.

Toxicity 77: Unsolved Mysteries

By Glen

A dearth of news from The Airborne Toxic Event as the calendar turns to summer has us pondering a number of unsolved mysteries in this week’s installment of Toxicity.

Mystery #1: The Case of the Half-Released Bombastic

Excitement rippled throughout TATEland Wednesday morning when a brand new bombastic video for “One Time Thing” surfaced unannounced on a number of German websites.

The fact that the clip debuted in this fashion is odd, considering that all previous Airborne acoustic videos have been released worldwide through YouTube. Nevertheless, we assumed that the video would quickly become available for viewing by fans outside of Europe.

48 hours later, it still hasn’t happened. Having tricked my desktop into thinking that it is in Germany, I can confirm that the video is real and it is spectacular. Hopefully it will be available for all to enjoy in the very near future.

Mystery #2: The Case of the Disappearing Tour Date

Last week, show-starved fans on the East Coast received a pair of pieces of good news, in the form of a July 31 TATE date in Baltimore, and a Sept. 29 date in Harrisburg, PA. The latter appeared on the venue website and was up for a couple of days before disappearing into the ether.

Was it real? Was it wrong? Was it announced prematurely? We’re not sure, but we’ll keep a weather eye on the situation.

Mystery #3: The Case of the Unrequited Rumors

It is now six weeks since the band intimated that a major tour announcement was set to be made within a week or so. Thus far, said news has yet to arrive. The delay has some fans wondering if there will be a fall tour after all. But don’t despair. Remember, this is the same band that sprung a mini Dope Machines tour on us back in March with scarcely 10 days notice.

We do know that Anna Bulbrook will be keeping herself busy in August, playing a free weekly residency at The Satellite in Los Angeles with her band The Bulls. Fans outside of Southern California continue to cross their fingers that her new outfit will venture beyond the borders of their home state before too long.

Toxic Gold

One thing that’s no mystery whatsoever is that whenever The Airborne Toxic Event does hit the stage, it will be a sight to behold. Witness “The Lines of the Cars” from last month’s Songs of God and Whiskey gig in Orange County, courtesy of Johnny.

Glen is the founder and editor of This Is Nowhere. He’s grateful for an understanding wife and kids who indulge his silly compulsion to chase a band all over the Pacific Northwest (and occasionally beyond) every time the opportunity arises.

Review – The Airborne Toxic Event, Songs of God and Whiskey at The Observatory

Mikel Jollett and The Airborne Toxic Event put on a show to remember when they played their new album, Songs of God and Whiskey, straight through at The Observatory in Orange County. Photo by Stephanie Webb.

By Malia

Let me start by saying – I have a complete and total love affair with this band. Over the last four years I’ve gone to every Airborne show I could. I’ve been lucky enough to see them play all four studio albums in full, the first three during the Fillmore Residency and more recently Dope Machines performed at House of Blues in San Diego. I’ve watched them play at their dream venue – The Greek, and have seen them play small intimate venues like The Troubadour. In 2013 I saw what I have to admit was my favorite show of all time – Airborne performing with the Pacific Symphony in Costa Mesa. I’m not bragging, I’m just trying to establish a baseline. Okay… I’m bragging just a little.

When Songs of God and Whiskey was released I listened to it straight through 4 times before turning it off. Then I went to bed, got up the next morning, and listened to it all day. It is the one album I keep on my iPhone for plane trips, car rides, and everything in between. To me SOGAW is Airborne at their best. Raw, lyrical, real, and playful. When they announced they’d be playing the album in its entirety, I set an alarm for the moment tickets went on sale.

With that little bit of history, it should go without saying that I had high hopes for this show going in. To say they delivered would be the understatement of the century. It’s hard to describe the experience of hearing all of SOGAW played live. It was clear from the first notes of “Poor Isaac” that this album meant as much to the band as it did to the audience. The band’s signature raw emotion, compelling lyrics, and general badassness (is that a word?) took center stage – and made me fall in love with them all over again. “April is the Cruelest Month” and “Fall of Rome” gave me shivers, and the highly anticipated premieres of “Why Why Why,” “Cocaine and Abel,” and “Strangers” were amazing and will definitely be added to my brag list. I can only hope that at least one of these songs starts to make a regular appearance alongside “Change and Change and Change and Change,” which has quickly become a crowd favorite.

As for the remainder of the set, honestly I would have been content just to have heard SOGAW live and hadn’t thought much about it beforehand. OH WOW. When the band dove straight into “Bride and Groom” I literally jumped up and down, spun around and said to my husband “do you hear this?!?!”, and then proceeded to bounce around like a small child throughout the entire song. The remainder of the set was almost as exciting, and lighter on songs from Dope Machines than expected, finishing up with classic favorites “All I Ever Wanted” and “Midnight.” Just when I thought there was no way the evening could get better, the encore gave us “Graveyard” (based on the crowd’s reaction I’m not the only one who would give anything to hear them play this song at every show), closely followed by “Elizabeth,” “All at Once,” and “Missy.”

Having been a little disappointed with the crowd at the last two Airborne shows we attended, I was apprehensive going into this one. I certainly didn’t need to be. This was the crowd you want to see Airborne play with. Pre-set murmurings were filled with stories exchanged about previous shows, and at least one friendly argument was had with nearby neighbors as to which of us has a bigger crush on Anna (I still think I win.) Maybe we were just lucky, but unlike recent times we have seen Airborne perform, from our side of the stage it seemed everyone was there for the music. And while all 5’3” of me gets frustrated trying to see around people recording every song on their iPhone, at least I felt like these were the fans who might actually go home and watch their videos, possibly on mute, since all the audio likely recorded was me (and my fellow mega-fans) singing and hollering at the band. As my ever-patient husband reminded me halfway through the show, people enjoy things in their own way. The good thing about this show is there was no way to leave without having enjoyed it.

Most notably, it wasn’t just the crowd having fun. The band was completely engaged and seemed like they were genuinely having a great time – smiling, joking, and teasing each other in a way we hadn’t seen since the Fillmore. Mikel seemed happy, and even mentioned during the encore that this night had been the highlight of a “really shitty month.” He spent the entire show interacting with the audience, cracking jokes, and playing around with the rest of the band – calling Adrian out on a last minute wardrobe change and joyously introducing each member of the band, including the unusual (and fantastic!) addition of guest musical support on piano (John Morrical) and trumpet (Mark Bush). Due to a last minute change to the show’s start time we were a little further back than I would have liked, however the Observatory’s tiered viewing area compensated for a slightly less than ideal vantage point. The setup also gave Mikel plenty to climb on – something he took heavy advantage of, coming out into the crowd a number of times over the course of the night.

At the end of the night I walked out voiceless, happy, and completely satisfied. TATE delivered everything I could have hoped for during this show (with the exception of “Duet” being crossed out on the setlist… Why Mikel, why, why, why?!?). And while I really don’t know how they will continue to top previous experiences, I have no doubt that they will. Once again, I am now impatiently waiting for the next show, while reminiscing about the last. Hopefully they won’t make us wait long.

Setlist

Review: The Airborne Toxic Event Returns to KOKO, London

Mikel Jollett of The Airborne Toxic Event performs on stage at KOKO on April 14, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. Credit: Andrew Benge.

By Stephanie

I woke to my alarm, my phone said 14^th April 2015. The day I had been waiting for, for the past eight weeks since The Airborne Toxic Event’s European tour was announced. Hell, I had been waiting since October 2013. Being a British fan is hard sometimes; you have American friends who seem to see the band almost weekly and we have to wait years to see them again.

But the 14^th April was special to me. I committed myself to seeing the band, going to London on my own, something I have only done twice before in my 26 years. Never before have I been to a show without a gig buddy, however this time I knew I would know people when I got there. You see, I may have been a fan for almost a decade but I only knew a handful of other fans. Not this time. With the help of Facebook and This Is Nowhere, I have been able to connect to fans from all over the world – something that completely blows my mind. Blows my mind because sometimes I forget that this band now sells out venues, people know their lyrics and they get in the charts on iTunes. Back in 2006/7 (which feels like yesterday), they were just a band from sunny California that made me feel like only I knew about them.

Anyway, back to the 14^th. It was a gloriously hot day in London, I travelled up by train, found the hostel I was staying in and got ready for the show. It was about 2pm. I heard people start queueing early for them these days! I was unbelievably nervous. Thankfully, I have three close TATE friends who I trust with my life to help me make outfit choices and how to have my hair etc. Such a confidence boost! I sent them selfies and they gave their approval.

Stephanie was featured in one of The Airborne Toxic Event’s video blogs during the 2008 30 Shows in 30 Days UK tour.

Why was this such a big deal, I hear you ask? Well, as you may or may not know, me and the band have a bit of a history; not gonna go on about it but yes I am the girl with the ghastly yellow hair in the 30 Days vlogs… anyway, I have been a terrible fan in the past six years. I have been to shows but since the breakup between me and Sean I had never had the guts to go say ‘hi’ after the show. This time I was going to be brave!

I digress. So I get into Camden and see that thankfully there is no queue as such yet so I went to find something to eat and see if anyone is around. Found some fellow TATErs in a nearby pub and we had a drink and shared stories of shows past. I just love the TATE community, full of all sorts of people and everyone has their own story to tell! We walk over to the venue at 5pm and stand in the sun. We met a guy from Hungary who had been to a few shows before and adores Anna, he had been waiting outside for ages before us! Matt and I ran round the side of the venue to hear the band sound check and then a few more familiar faces arrived to form more of a queue.

About 30 minutes before doors were due to open, Steven and Adrian came out and signed a few things for people. I waited for them to come to the front of the queue, Steven was signing a ticket for someone and I just said, ‘Hi Steven.’ He looked up and a smile flashed over his face. He gave me a big hug and remarked just how long it had been since we last saw each other. That’s when I knew that the show will be amazing. I was so touched that even though it had been years, they still remembered me.

We got into the venue and got to the centre of the barrier – a position in my 8 and a half years of watching them, I had never been. I normally stood to the side but this time it felt right to be right in the middle of the action.

Kid Wave kicked off the show, they were a kind of Siouxie and the Banshees sounding act and although the vocals were hard to hear, I thought they were pretty good!

After the crew checked the equipment and sound for the band (that’s all new to me, the band used to do all that or Blake the roadie from the 30 Shows in 30 Days tour!) “Bohemian Rhapsody” played loud over the speakers and the audience sang at the top of their lungs. The lights dipped down and the band entered the stage.

The show started with “Wrong.” I was so excited. It was the first time I had heard it live, as in actually live and not dodgy recordings from YouTube. It hit me so hard. They were back and it was amazing.

Dope Machines had only officially dropped 8 days prior to the show but everyone knew the words to the new songs as “One Time Thing” came next. Mikel’s little dance and pretending to check his phone while he sings ‘I got your message on my phone’ – totally adorable. It’s great to see him have such confidence and the audience laps it up, especially when they blast straight into “Numb.” The crowd goes wild and the mosh pit gets a bit bigger!

Last time I saw the band, “Hell and Back” was their new record and I barely knew it; this time the audience participation of the ‘na, na, na, nahs’ were spot on and you could see Mikel was happy that we Brits had embraced the song he loves so much.

They jumped back to the debut album for “Happiness is Overrated,” which was super fun to hear as all my memories are based around the original album as that’s when they’ve played the most times in the UK. “Happiness” was followed by “Changing,” another jump around track that everyone can dance to!

“Gasoline” rolled round and the crowd goes wild (the security guards had to break up the mosh pit at one point!). The sound for Anna’s viola worked well for once; in the early days the techy’s couldn’t get the guitar and viola to work together and often Anna would get lost, but these guys are pros now!

They kept with the original record for “Papillion,” which I always love to hear, and then into “Wedding Day,” which I’m not sure if I have heard live before, but it was awesome as expected.

Up next was “Wishing Well.” For those that know me, know this song can make me cry! So as I said, I’m up front, and I didn’t think the band could see me through the lights. I was wrong. Mikel was on keys as usual and midway through the song he comes off stage and over to me, gives me a big kiss on the cheek and then gets back on stage. Made my night!

Just before they played “Sometime Around Midnight,” Mikel says something to the notion of, ‘Koko was the first big show we ever played in London, and there are people in this audience who have been with us since that show.’ Anna points her bow at me and I nearly die! Such a nice thing to be noticed! They play the song the audience has been waiting for the whole night, we all sing at the top of our voices. Will that song ever get old?

They finish the main part of the show with “All I Ever Wanted,” which is actually my favourite song ever by them and I have a line from it tattooed on my ribs as a reminder of just how good it is.

The lights fade down.

Encore.

They kick off the encore with “California,” again everyone sings all the words. Hopefully this will be a pointer that the UK is ready for the new material; we would love to get shows that the Americans get like the full Dope Machines record or even more of Songs of God and Whiskey. The fans completely adore the band and I think overall the records have been very well received on this side of the pond.

“Elizabeth” played next and then the tempo quickly raised for “Does This Mean Your Moving On?” Mikel ran off stage and grabbed a bottle of Lanson champagne and sprayed it over the audience and then jumped into the crowd with his long mic lead and sang in with the fans. A feature (minus the champers) of the show that never gets old and less worrying than when he climbs the stage lights.

The old classic “Missy” with “I Fought the Law” and then back to “Missy” continued with the theme of debut songs that everyone knows and loves. The show drew to a close with “All At Once,” which was meant to be the final song of the main part but as ever things swapped and changed as responding to the audience.

The whole show was just brilliant; it felt like coming home. It was the sort of show you wish people who had never seen them before could see and feel the energy and electricity felt between the band and the fans.

People often ask me if I think they’ve changed. I honestly don’t think they have. Personality-wise they are still grateful and almost surprised that people show up to the gigs they do, especially in the UK. I think they underestimate the loyalty of the fans here in Europe as it’s not just the UK fans that travel to the US but the German, Hungarian, Swiss, Belgian fans that come to the UK as to not miss out on the UK atmosphere. We don’t get as many shows as the American fans get but we sure make them feel welcome when they are here.