Stretch Out Your Legs and Dance With Me

Since concert reviews so often lack discipline and methodological rigor:

Who: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Where: The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor MI

Transportation: C+
The Econ Lady and I set out from my Kerrytown shithole under cover of darkness; it was chilly and drizzly, but we both decided to ditch our coats in order to foster maximum rocking once we got to the club. Capillary action in my jeans meant that things got a little damp, even after making it to the venue. While it wasn't much better on the walk back, it was a bit warmer and the hearing loss took the edge of the moisture issue.

Venue: A-
Moe: Oh, everybody is going to family restaurants these days, tsk.
Seems nobody wants to hang out in a dank pit no more.
Carl: You ain't thinking of getting rid of the dank, are you, Moe?
Moe: Ehh, maybe I am.
Carl: Oh, but Moe: the dank. The dank!

Crowd: C-
Although some area rockers tried to make a go of it--some girl presented Ted with a tray of cupcakes halfway through the set--most of the people in attendance were rich, frat-looking and painfully trendy. Not a whole lot of energy, and way too many goddamn M-for-minors marker-ed on the outstretched hands of the attending.

Banter: A
It turns out that even rock stars are into "Project Runway," and there was a lively debate over who would emerge victorious from the season finale (which was airing opposite the concert itself).

Opening Act(s): B-
We missed the first of the two openers, who were allegedly Catalan ("our friends from Barth-a-lona" got a couple of plugs). The second had a couple of moments, but their frontlady was trapped in tough-rock-chick mode. She had the skank stripe going in her hair, but I didn't think the tambourine was that intimidating.

The Alcohol: Incomplete
While they eventually did recognize my speeding ticket at the door and gave me a bracelet, between the two of us we had a grand total of three dollars. I figured that it wasn't worth the bother to try muscling to the bar, given the probability I'd be short. A bummer all told, but what are you gonna do?

The Actual Goddamn Music: A+
I have to admit that I'm a sucker for fast, catchy pop rock with a lot of guitar and hooks. Ted Leo's the man. The drummer's good, though the bassist is a little sloppy (but earns points back for looking like my Australian housemate, complete with huge hair). And any time the act opens with a traditional rendition of "Whiskey in the Jar," you know you're in good hands.

The Final Verdict: A, although if the ringing in my ears doesn't stop at some point this may have to be revisited. Then again, at least it'll have been for a good cause.