Thrice 11/15/09 Diesel, Pittsburgh PA

While I can't say that I have a favorite band, if I was forced to choose, I would have to say it would be Thrice. Everything about them, from the deep lyrics with a plethora of literary references, to the head-rocking drums, Thrice is everything I want in a band.

That said, I was as giddy as a schoolgirl last night when I saw them live at Diesel nightclub in the Southside. I was supposed to see Thrice with Circa Survive, another one of my favorite bands, last year, but I had to skip it due to my grandfather's viewing, so needless to say I was pumped.

Since most, if not all, of my friends are rap-heads, I decided to take a Lady Friend along with me. When she showed to my house wearing heels, I knew I was in for a memorable night. Polar Bear Club, the first opener were alright. They were a young band and this tour was probably the biggest thing that has happened to them. Hopefully the guys from Thrice will offer some guidance, because I would like to see them do big things.

The second opener was a band called The Dear Hunter. It's almost impossible to describe their sound but I sum it up as 'electronic experimentation hard rock.' Check out their Myspace for a better example.

I really liked The Dear Hunter and I picked up a copy of their first album so watch out for that review coming later this week.

Then it was time for Thrice. The crowd was moving, but not active, for the first two bands so I thought that my position in the front center of the stage would be safe from a pit when one sprang up.

I was wrong.

With the first cords of "Of Dust and Nations" the once calm sea of people turned into a raging, rip tided filled, ocean of jumping, pushing sweating people. To be fair, I had not given the Lady Friend the proper warning about the pits at these concerts in fear that she would change her mind.

One glance at her during The Push, told me that we needed to get behind the pit sooner rather than later. And I was honestly glad to get out of the pit myself. After a sleepless weekend with the Pitt-Notre Dame game, my body was shot.

The concert itself was plagued with technical difficulties. After almost every song, the band that usually doesn't talk much during shows would stop and say a few words as the roadies worked on one thing or another. The band apologized and thanked the fans on their Twitter account after the show.

Yet I didn't care about the problems. The set list (see below) was filled with new songs off the summer released "Beggars" album. And it was fantastic. A great mix of power and calm, new and old.

As with every Thrice concert I've been too (all ten of them), I left the show with goosebumps and a big grin on my face. If I had any semblance of money, I would love to follow them on a few dates. But alas, I'm broke.

Kudos to Setlist.fm for a copy of this. If you never heard of Setlist.fm and your a music geek, really check it out it's worth it. The name in parenthesizes is the name of the album from which the song appears.

1. Of Dust and Nations (Vheissu)
2. Silhouette(Artist in the Ambulance)
3. All The World Is Mad (Beggars)
4. The Weight (Beggars)
5. Helter Skelter (Beggars)
6. In Exile (Beggars)
7. A Song for Milly Michaelson (Reworked Version) (Alchemy Index Volume IV: Air)
8. Hold Fast Hope (Vheissu)
9. Artist In the Ambulance (Artist in the Ambulance)
10. The Melting Point Of Wax (Artist in the Ambulance)
11. Deadulus (Alchemy Index Volume IV: Air)
12. Like Moths to Flame (Vheissu)
13. The Arsonist (Alchemy Index Volume I: Fire)
14. Beggars (Beggars)
    
15. The Earth Will Shake (Vheissu)

If you're not a Thrice fan but like good music, good writing, or a good time, you need to be. Right now.