The Format, Phantom Planet, e Limbeck

I do have to say, I definitely miss the days when Nate Ruess still had long hair and was the cute, quiet front man of The Format. While we all love and adore Fun. and I still think Nate is a genius, there was a very lovable, intimate quality about the band back then that I always miss when I listen back on some of their earliest records. The Format hasn’t performed in years, but I still remember them as being the most painfully adorable bands I’d ever seen. Nate still had long, grungy hair and just about none of the confidence he has now. I remember watching him swaying from side to side as he sang, sitting in a chair set a few inches back from the guitarist rather than up front, even though he was the lead singer. Still, there was something special about him, and all of his lyrics were so striking and personal that I watched everyone in the audience fall in love with him and with each other all at once. The Format’s live performances were always small and intimate, without a large production, but they certainly knew how to own the stage and rev up the crowd during some of their more upbeat songs like “The First Single (Cause A Scene).” I especially loved being able to see Nate perform before he was a multi-million dollar recording artist, when he still possessed the vulnerability of a kid trying to make it in the industry.

Phantom Planet - a band whose name is indelibly etched into the minds of all T4-watching-teenagers of the past decade. Who doesn’t hear that name and immediately hear a voice at the back of their mind wailing ‘Califoooorrrnniiiaaaa’?? This California four piece, consisting of Alex Greenwald, Darren Robinson, Sam Farrar and Jeff Conrad, reached near-star status with their song ‘California’, made famous by the TV series ‘The O.C’ But are they more than a one hit wonder? Well their live shows tell you that they definitely are! Pedaling their own brand of surfer-rock pop, they have a talent for writing amazingly catchy pop records that translate very well to a live setting; so much so that they have chosen to release several live albums over the course of their career. It’s fair to say that ‘California’ will be the highlight of most Phantom Planet gigs, just because every audience member knows the words and loves to get involved with the show by belting out the chorus at the top of their lungs. However, more recent songs, such as ‘Do The Panic’ from their 2008 album, are just as fun to listen and bob along to. If you get the chance to see all four members of Phantom Planet play live together, just do it! Embrace the West Coast and just let loose!

Haven't seen them in 13 years or so! That being said I was disappointed with most of the bands, expect ticker tape parade they sounded great! Limbeck not so much, that twangy weird indie country pop stuff sucks! I miss the original limbeck ! The people at concert we're stuck up Llbean catalog wearing wanna be hipsters and hippies, with their loafer type shoes. The Rebel lounge was a nice place! I remember as a kid going to the Mason Jar to watch a real punk show! It was crazy you never knew if you were gonna get stabbed or shot there! I miss the old place, cause if my friends were there, we would have booted out those hipster sissies!