wow, I just got back from my weekend in DC, which climaxed early with the Lo Fidelity Allstars at the Black Cat.


We got there early, about 8pm, right before the doors to the adjoining bar (The Red Room) opened, so we were kinda in the way of the
opening band (Thunderball) and the LoFis' roadies moving their equipment inside. Someone finally opened the doors and we went inside the
Red Room, where the Albino Priest was being very informally interviewed. We decided to check out the famous jukebox (famous for a
reason! who else has Belle and Sebastian and Pulp on a jukebox!), and as The Albino Priest was finishing his interview, my friend stopped
him and asked for his autograph on his cd booklet. We talked with him for a bit, told him we were djs and played Battle Flag and Vision
Incision very regularly, and he offered to take the cd case back on the bus to have the other guys sign it. About this time I was feeling really
crappy that I left my cd and camera in the car, and then he brought back the cd, signed by all the guys, and we then took a seat in the Red
Room until Thunderball came on in the adjoining room.

The Black Cat is a tiny club -- capacity of 500, and there were about 150-200 people at the show, so it was really nice to have dancing
room and never touch anyone else, even at the front row. The other great thing about the club is that there were absolutely NO
BOUNCERS. none. The ticket-takers kinda stood by the backstage door afterwards, but there were none at the front of the stage, and
only a chain across the backstage door during the show.

Thunderball were good, kinda experimental electronic, no vocals, and a good beat, but limited samples (they used the same one over and
over). I enjoyed it, but it was more study music than dance-yer-heart-out music. They played about 30-45? minutes or so, about 5
discernible songs, then we sat on the edge of the stage while the LoFis set up their eqipment and tested the fog machine. The fog machine
went the ENTIRE concert, and since it was about a foot away from me pointed in my direction, I had moments where I couldn't even see
the person next to me, let alone the stage.

I ended up with a setlist (yay!), so here's the order as it appears on there:
1. Warming Up The Brain Farm
2. Battleflag (yes, written as one word)
3. Kool Rok Bass (yes, Rok with a 'k'.)
4. Kasparov's (Revenge)
5. Pony Pressure (circled on the setlist, maybe since it's a b-side?)
6. Vision Incision
7. Lazer Sheep Dip Funk
8. Disco Machine Gun Parts 1 & 2 (with the notes beside it saying "Loadsa Odlon(?) S20 Horns at End". this song is called Blisters on My
Brain on the cd, but DMG was the original name before the Breeders' sample fiasco)

I was curious to see how the guys would fare without The Wrekked Train and the Sherrif, but they were incredibly tight, and the missing
vocals didn't detract at all. The Albino Priest took over about half the vocals, heavily distorted so you really couldn't understand him at all,
but for the rest of the night, One Man Crowd Called Gentile (bassist) took front and center and was playing the crowd so perfectly. He was
really great, and I wished I'd been able to talk to him afterward, but there was just no time. He seemed the really appreciate we the front
row really getting down and screaming back the vocals at him when he motioned to. It's always fun when a band acknowledges your
existence, and Gentile was speaking (eye contact and all that) to the front row for most of the concert.

All in all, the show was incredible (even four days after!), and they had more energy than I've seen any band have live in a long time. I
encourage everyone to go out and see them, you won't be disappointed. =)