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The Black Lips, 40 Watt, 3/28/2008

by Glenn Fullington
04/03/2008

What can you expect from a free show? A gaggle of scenesters, for sure. Someone is undoubtedly going to bring the ruckus. And beer will seem free and hence more throwable having not had to pay for a ticket. Check all three for the March 28 40 Watt show.

The Black Lips headlined the show, with Pride Parade and The Selmanaires starting out the night.

The Black Lips took the stage with much fanfare. Seriously, these guys can pack the house. Of course, one must take into account the nature of a free show. My very precise calculations suppose that 1/5 of the people in attendance would not have paid to come to the show. This statistic is based on their proximity to the stage only. Another fifth would have paid for the show but only is it was cheaper than five dollars. This group I like to call the "JWB Crowd" because they will do anything to waste a Lincoln. Another 2/5 of the crowd would have been at the 40 Watt on a Friday anyway because the are the previously mentioned gaggle of scenesters.

The remainder of the crowd I chalk up to being there in hopes of being peed on. I know a few personal friends who exalted The Black Lips onstage highjinks before the show and were looking forward to some kind of bodily function being displayed. Sadly, none were. Maybe some spitting. The quartet definitely brought the ruckus. A seething mob owned the floor in front of the stage through the entire set. Navigating through the sea of people was like swimming through sweaty, beer drenched bodies.

The Atlanta natives are certainly loved by their Athenian neighbors. Beer cans littered the stage. Some were given politely to be consumed by the band. Others were donated more violently. The meaning was one in the same.

Now The Black Lips can wreak havoc on Europe as they will be there until mid May. Keep an ear out for news of a rowdy American band pissing on Euro scenesters.