The awesome Suzanne, sent in her photos from the Danger Danger along with a great review from the gig as well. Make sure to read it and scope out her photos in the gallery! Thanks Suzanne!
Danger Danger
By: DizziBlnde
I have to say this first and foremost – if you missed Danger Danger, you missed one of the best shows on the 100 Monkeys East Coast swing!
Danger Danger is a DIY venue is West Philly – no sign, no frills, and from the look of the front stairs – no cleaning crew! There is no end to the lengths a diehard Monkey fan will go to see these guys – and Danger Danger was PROOF!
When you enter Danger Danger you go up the stairs – which haven’t seen a vacuum cleaner EVER I’m sure – and then down a narrow little hallway and past “The Juicy Dungeon”. (We didn’t ask – we didn’t want to know!) At the end of the hallway you go down the stairs – and you find yourself in a small room where they set up the merchandise table and there is some seating. Mind you this seating looked like van seats (seatbelts still attached for your safety), but it WAS seating. After you moved past the room decorated in early A-Team van styling you passed through a small alcove where the public unisex restroom was located. This is where I have to say there is love and trust among the monkey fans – public restroom, with no lock. (Keep Ben G. out of there – we know his history with bathrooms!) It was one monkey junkie in, and one standing guard at all times!!!
Okay, past the restroom (sorry, that’s just funny to me!) you enter a small room – since Danger Danger is in a converted row house, this is more of a front parlor style room. If it was any bigger than 20X20 I would be shocked. At first you think – this can’t be it! The musicians setting up the gear – the opening band Previously on Lost – tells you differently. Yes, you have arrived.
For those of you not familiar with Previously on Lost, they became famous (infamous?) on the internet for recapping each episode of Lost to music within 24 hours of it’s original air date, and were eventually hired by ABC to produce music for the show and the website. Their show is a high energy mix of humorous recapping, skit, schtick, and interacting with the audience. Props are abundant when they’re on stage – including a wonderfully crafted tape and cardboard airplane that is flown through the audience, only to meet its untimely demise against the wall. The band has grown from the original two members to a full compliment of six members. In talking with one of the bands founding members, Jeff Curtin, after their set I found out that I had actually been at their very first live performance in New York in June of 2008. Previously on Lost had performed as the musical entertainment at an event held at the National Radio and Television Museum called Click Critics, which I had been invited to attend as well. They are awesome, and just a blast to watch perform. Check out their Myspace and You Tube vids – you’ll love them, even if you’ve never seen Lost. (If you watch enough – then you’ll never have to actually watch the show because they’ll tell you everything you need to know!)
During Previously on Lost I was happy to see the 100 Monkeys casually standing at the back of the room watching the show. Nice to see that for the most part people actually let them along for awhile! At this point the Previously on Lost diehards were there along with the 100 Monkey diehards – and all total I think there were maybe 50-60 of us in the small room. (Personal space? Who needs personal space!)
After Previously on Lost the crowd thinned a little – to about maybe 35-40 people in the room. The 100 Monkeys started setting up – lugging gear through the crowd. I swear this is one of the reasons I love these guys so much. I think Jared might be part pack mule! I know there are people out there who see “Jackson Rathbone” and immediately think he’s probably a prima donna movie star – but in reality, he’s just one of the guys when it comes to the 100 Monkeys. When gear gets loaded in – Jackson is right there with Jared, Ben J, Ben G, and Marty hauling cases and equipment.
Once the stage (for what it was) was set up they began their set. Danger Danger was so small that it made for a very casual night with the 100 Monkeys. In fact it was so small, that when Ben G got into his groove on bass you occasionally had to duck!! They played some new material – one of them was Reaper, but they never gave us the names of the others and I didn’t intend to write this up so I never bothered to ask. All I can say is there were some awesome new vocals from Ben G. – his range will never cease to amaze me. From the gritty blues sound of Wasteland Too to the beautiful mellow tones of a new ballad – he is truly talented. Another thing that I noticed is the guy’s harmony has really changed on this East Coast swing. I’ve always found it easy to pick out each individual voice in a song, but their harmony has become so seamless that you can’t pick out the back up vocals from the lead singer. The sound is awesome. I can’t wait for them to get in the studio and start giving us some new tracks.
We were treated to Jared on the drums, and might I add all by himself without Ben J’s supervision! The boys broke out their new toy – the trumpet! Both Jackson and Ben G. belted out some notes for us. Yet another awesome addition to their overall sound. Is there anything these guys can’t do?
There was of course some primate mumbling – for those of you not familiar with primate mumbling – it’s the secret language of monkeys that only they can understand. Ben G was the keeper of the list and master of keeping the set in order, but alas we have found out that Ben G. can’t read his own handwriting!
There were also a few Khyber jokes tossed around – mainly when Jackson mentioned that it was hot in Danger Danger, and half the room chimed in with “but not as hot as Khyber!”. Khyber will live in Monkey infamy as being just one degree cooler than the deepest depths of hades!
When the time came for every monkey diehard’s favorite time of the night – The Monkey Song – Ben G. found himself without a shaker. He quickly turned to the audience and asked if anyone had one with them. One was quickly produced thanks to Debbie. Ben G proclaimed “sweet, this one’s my favorite!” If you’ve never been to a 100 Monkeys show, let me clue you in just a bit….they don’t have roadies, but what they do have is a well prepared group of fans. Knowing their propensity for forgetting or losing things (or breaking them) the diehard fans are usually a rolling Monkey supply convoy of shakers and guitar picks. Not to mention food – best fed monkeys around.
The night was highlighted by not one, not even two, but three improvs! Score! It started with Paper Towels, moved on a little later to “Philly Girl” (Jackson was being politically correct – the suggestion was Jersey Girl, but as they were playing in Philly he felt it had to be Philly Girl), and then he had a moment of inspiration from an inflatable palm tree prop left on stage by Previously on Lost – and we got “Palm Trees and Coconuts”. I always love the improvs because it seems to bring out the very best in Jackson. He seems to have more fun making it up as he goes along rather than playing the same things over and over again. Always awesome, and always loved.
Of course, our night drew to a close to Orson Brawl – but not with what the East Coasters was used to seeing. In all the past Philly shows Jackson has taken lead on Orson Brawl, but at Danger Danger Ben G. did the honors.
Small crowd, but a determined crowd. They didn’t want to walk away without Ugly Girl. Now here is where a minor bit of confusion happened. Upon the suggestion that they play Ugly Girl, and they hesitated a bit, it was tongue-in-cheek suggested that they play one more because when we went outside we were likely to get mugged. (Did I mention this was in a bit of a ‘sketchy’ neighborhood?) Now Jackson thought we meant we would mug the band – C’mon on now Jackson, do you not know us better than that by now? Mug the Monkeys? Not even close – we adore you boys. I was more thinking of the two block walk that I had to my truck! (Your car was three steps from the front door!)
Mug the Monkeys – pfftt – I’m offended!
Confusion aside, we did get a rousing rendition of Ugly Girl – which was awesome.
Of course, at the end of the night the guys loaded out their own gear into the hybrid caravan. I’m still amazed all that stuff fits into those two tiny cars!!
After the goodbyes – and a couple of Monkey hugs – the wonderful night at Danger Danger was over.
Of all the shows I’ve seen while the 100 Monkeys have been here on the East Coast, Danger Danger was hands down my favorite. The venue was so small and cozy – it was almost like having the 100 Monkeys play in your living room for you. The one disconcerting note about the show at Danger Danger was Annabelle’s mysterious absence. One has to wonder where she was.
And in case Jared ever reads this – Yes, I had fun.
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Wow, thank you Susie, this is an awesome review! (: