One of the advantages of signing up for their newletter (and getting a free red nalgene water bottle in the process), Newbury Comics emailed that they were hosting an in-store appearance by the Silversun Pickups. I was truly ecstatic when I heard about this, because the night before (Wed, 3/28) I couldn't be in two places at once. While we were attending the Bloc Party festivities, another huge concert was being held just a few T stops away from our apt: Snow Patrol, with OK GO and Silversun Pickups at the Agganis Arena on Boston University's campus. Having heard that Snow Patrol was having another concert, I decided to opt out on this one having seen them at the Bank of America Pavillion just this past August, as well as OK GO just in December. But I didn't know that the Silversun Pickups would also be performing. But it all worked out in the end...
After an interesting start - getting on line, with less than ten people in front, and just before a ton of other folks lined up behind me; the chaos of the staff letting us in before the band was ready or did a soundcheck, meaning that the crowd that rushed in would somehow move to another part of the store in an orderly fashion and in the order that they came in?!; meeting some new friends with similar alt band tastes while waiting - I did make it to the front row, whipping out my big dslr. Brian Aubert, the lead singer, took one look at me and was like, whoa! you're going to be able to see my pores. And there was a moment when he rubbed/picked his nose, made a note of announcing what he just did, and thinking I snapped a photo, laughed and said that I will probably post the photo on youtube (a slight mispeak). I didn't take that photo btw - I'm not that kind of shooter.
Anyhoo, he encouraged everyone to ask questions and make song requests. He was a bit surprised when songs other than "Lazy Eye" were shouted out. After they did play "Lazy Eye" someone shouted "Lazy Eye!" and playing along, the band started the first few bars again before stopping.
After almost missing them completely and then getting front row view of an up close and personal show, I couldn't have asked for more. Also got a nice poster signed by all four members. I made some small chit chat with each of them as they signed. I told Brian that I had gone to the Bloc Party concert, having not getting tickets to their show. He asked how it was, and I told him it was pretty awesome. He said he knew some folks had gone to their concert and left right afterwards to go see Bloc Party, and I told him that both venues are a few T stops from each other. They all had really nice easy-going personalities.
guitarist-singer Brian Aubert
keyboardist Joe Lester, bassist Nikki Monninger & drummer Christopher Guanlao
short snippet of "Lazy Eye"
I almost forgot that there was a raffle among those at the store for the custom designed guitar shown above. With the relatively small number of people in the store, the odds were good. A young man, probably late teens, won and was truly flabbergasted.
