Before finals were held for the spring semester, RPI’s Houston Field House played host to the 2008 Honda Civic Tour on May 3. This year’s headlining band was Panic at the Disco in a lineup that included Phantom Planet, The Hush Sound, and Motion City Soundtrack, which could only mean one thing for the campus—an unusually high number of girls. In fact, when I went to the box office around noon to pick up a press pass, there were already girls in line waiting to get in the door … for a show that started at 7 pm.
The opening band for the evening was Phantom Planet, and I was pleasantly surprised to have recognized the majority of the set despite being relatively unfamiliar with their music. The group—comprised of Alex Greenwald (lead vocals, guitar), Sam Farrar (bass, background vocals), Darren Robinson (guitar, background vocals), and Jeff Conrad (drums)—hails from Los Angeles and is no stranger to the touring scene. The guys performed songs from their four albums, and even closed their portion of the show with an instantly recognized tune. Perhaps you have heard of “The O.C.”? Yeah, Phantom Planet is the genius behind that catchy theme song. I definitely think they are better than the crowd was giving them credit for, though it is always tough to open a show and try to get the audience energized.
Next up on the list was The Hush Sound, the only band in the show featuring a female member, and oh boy can that girl sing. With Bob Morris on guitar, Darren Wilson on the drums, Chris Faller on the bass, Greta Salpeter on the piano, and everyone contributing to vocals, this indie pop band from Illinois is usually a crowd pleaser. However, I was a bit disappointed with the performance on this tour, though it had nothing to do with the band’s ability. Somewhere during the sound check, some wires must have gotten crossed and the sound was horribly unbalanced—something that is especially noticeable when the lead singer has a powerful voice. Upbeat songs such as “Medicine Man” and “Honey,” which normally showcase Greta’s vocals, were on the verge of blowing out eardrums. The soundtrack between sets even featured “Honey,” and the recorded version played then sounded better.
The third band, and the one I was personally most excited to see, was Motion City Soundtrack, promoting its latest album Even If It Kills Me. This pop/rock band from Minnesota has cycled through various musicians and currently features lead vocalist Justin Pierre, lead guitarist Joshua Cain, bassist Matthew Taylor, keyboardist Jesse Johnson, and percussionist Tony Thaxton. All of the group’s albums are unbelievably catchy with songs that get stuck in your head for days, and I was excited to hear tracks from the new CD, which did not disappoint. Both “This Is For Real” and “Last Night” raised excitement from the crowd and people were dancing around both on the floor and in their seats. I was hoping to hear some of the older tunes, as well, and literally squealed with joy when I heard the introduction to “The Future Freaks Me Out”—I have an inexplicable obsession with that little number and was doing a bit of singing and dancing myself.
To close out the night, headlining band Panic at the Disco took the stage to the sound of millions (okay, thousands) of screaming teenage girls. After the success of the band’s first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, fans across the country could not wait any longer for Pretty. Odd. to be released. The gentlemen of Panic—Brendon Urie on vocals, Ryan Ross on lead guitar, Spencer Smith on the drums, and Jon Walker on the bass—took the second album in a slightly different direction, citing influences like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. The result is a melding of the pop heartthrob scene with the timeless classics from our parents’ generation, though it is debatable how successful the mix is. Some of the better songs from this sophomore attempt are “Nine In The Afternoon” and “That Green Gentleman (Things Have Changed),” which highlight the band’s stylist transition while remaining catchy.
The Las Vegas band played the majority of its songs from across the two CDs, and although I was more familiar with the first than with the second, there was a clear distinction between song styles. Fever helped launch Panic into the spotlight with a variety of clever songs that actually managed to have cohesion. “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” is one of the more popular singles, as well as complex titles like “Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” and “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage,” which all spread like wildfire across the radio and internet. Despite some of the lyrics about lap dances, one of my favorites from the first CD is “But It’s Better If You Do,” with lyrics that roll off the tongue and repeat in my head every time I hear the song.
Although the Honda Civic Tour lineup may not have interested the main demographic of RPI students, there was a surprising number of campus community members in attendance. However, the majority of the crowd featured emo-clad teenage girls, and I think that may have deterred some college students. Overall, though, there was a decent crowd that seemed to enjoy itself throughout the show. The bands worked well together in succession and even the doubters were at least bobbing their heads by the end. An incredible amount of work went into having such a huge event on our campus, so a thank you is in order for all those involved. Please make concerts a regular event at RPI—it is the perfect way to clear your mind before finals.
