09-04-2013, 06:49 PM
Oakland is bubbling under as becoming an underground music scene. Nevermind the Fox and Uptown, there are a number of small venues like The New Parish and The Oakland Metropolitan Opera House that are slowly bringing cutting edge music to downtown.
First off, don't be telling me that Gary Numan isn't cutting edge. He went through several metamorphoses in the 90's before becoming enamored of Nine Inch Nails and Industrial/Metal. His set was mostly dark, loud, philosophical music about alienation and atheism. One song featured background videos of Jesus on the cross interspersed with naked women on the cross. He does not do an MTV greatest hits tour.
He looks great for 55. Actually, it's creepy as fuck that he looks better now than when I saw him ten years ago on tour for "Sacrifice".
The venue is awesome. It's a warehouse converted to a theater near Jack London Square. Very reminiscent of the DNA Lounge or The Stone. Mostly old New-Wavers like myself, blistering hot and fantastic sound. I asked a security guard where I could by a Metro T-Shirt. He told me to ask the door guard. I asked the door guard, he asked for $20 then ran to his car and returned with a shirt for me. I felt 18 again.
All in all the Gary Numan show (almost 2 hours) was better than the 2010 Fillmore show and much closer to home.
Here's hoping Downtown Oakland becomes the killer music scene so us old folks have a 7 minute drive home.
Side note: The opening band was Cold Cave. The doors opened at 7PM and we arrived at 8:20. Cold Cave came on at 9PM. They were a duo that pretty much just played pre-recorded computer looped goth tunes where only the vocals were live. They were good but reminded us that 'Doors' time does not mean 'Show' time.
First off, don't be telling me that Gary Numan isn't cutting edge. He went through several metamorphoses in the 90's before becoming enamored of Nine Inch Nails and Industrial/Metal. His set was mostly dark, loud, philosophical music about alienation and atheism. One song featured background videos of Jesus on the cross interspersed with naked women on the cross. He does not do an MTV greatest hits tour.
He looks great for 55. Actually, it's creepy as fuck that he looks better now than when I saw him ten years ago on tour for "Sacrifice".
The venue is awesome. It's a warehouse converted to a theater near Jack London Square. Very reminiscent of the DNA Lounge or The Stone. Mostly old New-Wavers like myself, blistering hot and fantastic sound. I asked a security guard where I could by a Metro T-Shirt. He told me to ask the door guard. I asked the door guard, he asked for $20 then ran to his car and returned with a shirt for me. I felt 18 again.
All in all the Gary Numan show (almost 2 hours) was better than the 2010 Fillmore show and much closer to home.
Here's hoping Downtown Oakland becomes the killer music scene so us old folks have a 7 minute drive home.
Side note: The opening band was Cold Cave. The doors opened at 7PM and we arrived at 8:20. Cold Cave came on at 9PM. They were a duo that pretty much just played pre-recorded computer looped goth tunes where only the vocals were live. They were good but reminded us that 'Doors' time does not mean 'Show' time.
![[Image: magpie13.gif]](http://imagegen.last.fm/LastfmLiveJournal/recenttracks/magpie13.gif)
