GVSB played last night at the Hollywood Athletic Club.  It was originally scheduled for the El Rey but moved due to troubles that venue has had with the fire marshall re: legal capacity.  'Twas a good thing all around as this club is actually a bit smaller (at least in the performance area--there's also a pool hall and a wanna-be sophisto restaurant in the joint) and the stage is much closer to the audience.

Got there in time to see the last couple of songs of Buffalo Daughter and wish I'd seen more.  They won me over.  Drank a bunch and saw Eli yakking it up with well-wishers by the bar.  Since my sister has a big ol' crush on Mr. Janney, we finagled ourselves a spot right in front of the keyboards.

The band was on fire tonight.  They really seemed to enjoy themselves. And unlike last time their last show here (and other shows this tour according to this list), they hit their groove from the first note of the first song.

Set list included:
Park Avenue
Black Hole
Psycho Future
Disco Six Six Six
TheKindaMzkYouLike
Roxy
Exorcisto (INCREDIBLE live--a lot more beefed up)
Vera Cruz
Vogue Thing
Cowboy's Orbit
Kill the Sexplayer
Bulletproof Cupid
Superfire
Push the Fader
In Like Flynn

Sadly, no Satin Down or Life in Pink this time.  Still it was all in all a great performance.  As I said earlier, the band looked happy (and well-rested too). And I must tip my hat to Johnny.  Not only is he the overlooked fella but he lays down a mean bass line.

At the end, Johnny announced a House of GVSB for after the show but only a handful of folks stayed for it.  We went up to talk to Eli afterwards and in that moment of awkward "what do I have to say" I mentioned that I was on the Seven Seas mailing list.  He lit up with a big smile and said "Cool!  Tell everyone hi and thanks!"  I asked him what "Craxi" in the song "Roxy" meant and he explained that when they were on tour in Italy, elections were going on and everywhere they went, they saw huge posters and banners for this candidate that were just one word: "Craxi" which was the guy's name.  It became a kind of mantra for them and they decided to put it in a song.  Further proof that the guys have a great sense of humor lyrically.  I asked when they thought they might be swinging through LA again and he mentioned that they're probably going to be touring with Garbage in the fall.

San Fran, step up to the plate...it's your turn to have 'em.