billya Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Anyone else going to see this? He is playing an uber small venue in Philly, and I mean...it IS Blake Schwarzenbach, so I might have to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomfortunepa Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I might go. The description for the event was so bizarre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billya Posted May 2, 2013 Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 Yeah, but I am definitely intrigued. I have no idea what it'll be, but it's paying $10 to watch Blake perform...something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bathroommonkey Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 i have no idea what you're talking aboot, but i do know you have to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billya Posted May 2, 2013 Author Share Posted May 2, 2013 The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin, from δέκα (déka, meaning "ten") and ἄθλος (áthlos, or ἄθλον, áthlon, meaning "feat"). Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Blake Schwarzenbach (Jawbreaker, Jets to Brazil, Forgetters) and his emerging alter egos, Chris Lager (DJ/Producer:Forgetters,O.C.D.,Chris Lager) and O.C.D. (Rapper/Compulsive:Original Guitar Dracula, Ole Crazy Disorder, Often Cutz Deep, etc.) are coming to your town soon! The show will feature Blake, Chris, and O.C.D. on a single stage, playing records, singing songs, spittin', mixing, and plain old storytelling. Expect some catalog. The event is modeled on the Greek "Decathlon," renowned for its rigor and mixed martial artistry. Go mobile, Go Chris Go!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I would absolutely pay $10 to see this. It sounds like his version of Cokie The Clown. Plus, he might play a Jawbreaker song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnstiles Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I really don't get it. What's going on with him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 This is apparently a tour, as the Grog Shop in Cleveland just announced this show too on 6/26. Stoked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnstiles Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 This is apparently a tour, as the Grog Shop in Cleveland just announced this show too on 6/26. Stoked! I'll go, because he was really nice when I met him, but I don't understand this alter ego thing and the DJing and ...just fucking play Jets songs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smailtronic Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I hadn't heard about the Decathlon angle, but saw the Chicago date announced yesterday. Will definitely be going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kouka Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I really don't get it. What's going on with him? cuz he lives in Brooklyn and he's hip. is there a list of dates somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 cuz he lives in Brooklyn and he's hip. is there a list of dates somewhere? I've been compiling all the dates I can find here: http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/blake_schwarzenbach_jawbreaker_jets_to_brazil_announces_2013_mobile_disco_d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdwell Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 sounds weird dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kouka Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I've been compiling all the dates I can find here: http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/blake_schwarzenbach_jawbreaker_jets_to_brazil_announces_2013_mobile_disco_d [tips hat to you] thank you, good sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 [tips hat to you] thank you, good sir! No problem. There are obviously going to be more shows, as there are some pretty gaping holes in that routing, but I can't find anything else through various ticketing websites/Pollstar/etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stranaspank Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 So did anyone go to this last night? It's tonight in Richmond, and I'm going to go because it's Blake, but I still don't know exactly what's going to happen. I'm just hoping for some Jawbreaker and Jets To Brazil songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imaxcowboyx Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 wondering the same thing. He's down here in Chapel Hill tomorrow, and I'm going to miss it either way (damn moving day), but I wanna know exactly WHAT I'm going to miss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GradedOnACurve Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 ^ Every time you post I read it in Mr. Burns voice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sourmaker Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 So did anyone go to this last night? It's tonight in Richmond, and I'm going to go because it's Blake, but I still don't know exactly what's going to happen. I'm just hoping for some Jawbreaker and Jets To Brazil songs. I was there last night, and I strongly encourage you to save your time and money. I still don't really know what to make of it, because if anything, the press copy BillyA posted is more coherent than the events of the "show." Here's how it went down: The second opener finished their set around 10:45, and Blake started setting up. He set up his laptop, a keyboard, and his guitar (a Gretsch, not the LP), but he also had a stack of DVDs, a crate of records, and a music stand with books on it. Once he was done, or appeared to be done, he and the merch girl, who turned out to be his girlfriend, left the venue. I figured they were having a smoke before the set, so whatever, but during the set, he made it clear that they had gone to a club around the street for a little while to dance. He finally got back on stage sometime after 11:30 and started playing a sample of Sade's "Soldier of Love" and skronking on his guitar over it. Over the course of what was at least 5 minutes (but felt much longer), he commanded the crowd to dance, said something about the guitar noise getting him off, and then abruptly stopped. He then introduced himself as "Christopher Lager Alexander Blake Schwarzenbach," rambled mostly incoherently for a little while and mentions that he made the forgetters record in Baltimore, and said "I'm doing a storytellers thing. I'm going to play songs and tell stories. What do you want to hear?" Of course, at this point there's a lot of clamoring for Jawbreaker/Jets songs, and he says "whoa, whoa, whoa, let's start with some of the record I made here in Baltimore." He got a request for "Vampire Lessons," so after mocking Vampire Weekend for a while, he started in on that. Now, it was abundantly clear that he had not practiced this song at all. He read it off of a sheet of paper (fine), but he also had to stop several times and made it clear that he hadn't thought about how to play the song solo. After that (and more rambling and flirting with his roughly 25-year-old girlfriend who at this point was sitting on the side of the stage), he played a cover of "Foreign Policy" by Fear, "Turn Away," and "O Deadly Death." All of those were very start/stop, as he clearly had not considered how to play them live. At one point during the set, he said something like, "I could do this all night; I still have all of Jawbreaker to get through," so despite the obvious lack of preparation, I was still hopeful. So when he abruptly stood up after skronking on Sade a bit more, said "I'm going to do one more song, by that band I used to be in," I was elated. Then he said "the best part is, I didn't write it." And then he did a David Bowie song. After that he said, "I'm going to spin some tunes, hang out, and drink some beers," fired up his laptop and that was it. Now, I'm all for a loose show, but the whole time, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being shaken down by someone whose music meant a lot to me. I had told myself before the show that if he played even one Jawbreaker or Jets song, I would be kicking myself forever for not going. I knew it was a long shot, but that line "expect some catalog" gave me some sense of possibility. Now I really feel like Blake knowingly took advantage of the fact that there are still fans like me out there. He delivered on that press copy. There was some catalog, there was some DJing, and there was incoherence in abundance. But I still feel ripped off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sourmaker Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Oh yeah, the Gretsch vs LP comment is germane, because the volume pots are opposite the LP, so he kept turning the guitar off when he was trying to turn it up. The amp was new too, so he spent a lot of time messing around with that. If he had played more than 5 songs over 50 minutes, this would have been funny, but he didn't, so it wasn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billya Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 That sounds terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebiglebowski Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 LOL. I was thinking the same thing as you (I don't know if I want to hear this, but I HAVE to go, right?). I remember him selling a guitar on Ebay. Not sure if this is the LP you are talking about or not. Thanks for the review. Sorry it was a bad experience. Hoping for some positive reviews to come out and this was an off-night but at this point, will not be attending in Detroit. And I think that is a free show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turnstiles Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 I will not be attending after that review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottheisel Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Gah, even witih that review I still feel like I have to attend. I doubt any two nights will be the same, so maybe the Cleveland show in a few weeks will be better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smailtronic Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Yeah, I'll probably still go to the Chicago date, but not going to cross my fingers for anything I want to hear. Sounds like the start of the Charlie Sheen tour. turnstiles 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.