Photos ant Review by Matt Johnson
Show Photos HERE
I’m a sucker for a good storyteller. I remember the first time I heard “Sometime Around Midnight” in my car. When the song ended it haunted me, I had to find out who that band was and listen to that song again. It was beautiful, personal, and real. I felt the song was soundscape built around a story and I enjoy that, it was refreshing. Two albums later and fourth on the way, The Airborne Toxic Event are still pushing on and Mike Jollet is still writing the lyrics like a writer. I feel that many songwriters never attempted to be just writers first, and the simplicity of their lyrics is boring. Mike put hard work in as a writer first and it shows.
The House of Blues is a solid venue. The staff is pleasant, there is a huge open floor and stage is beautifully lit. A properly and inventively lit stage makes photographing and watching a show a joy. If your favorite band is playing here buy tickets as soon as they go on sale and show up early to get right up in the action at the front of the stage. After the photographers left the pit, Mike jumped down and greeted every fan in the front row like an old friend. Other artists may jump on your head but, Mike is a gentler soul.
Mike opened the show stating that he had Laryngitis and his doctor told him he should cancel the show. Then he exclaimed, “I got a shot in the ass and I’m going to play the show anyway!” The audience cheered and rallied around his enthusiasm. It was undoubtedly a special moment for the fans. The enthusiasm spread rampantly and was apparent in the stellar performances of Steven Chen on guitar and Daren Taylor on drums. Adrián Rodríguez on bass was reserved on stage but laid a rock-solid foundation for their powerful sound. I personally love the violin and Anna Bulbrook especially killed it.
The band as a whole made everyone there feel special; it didn’t feel mechanical as if they were going through the motions until they got to get back on the bus. These folks really love what they do, they have heart.
I would definitely go see The Airborne Toxic Event in concert again. It will be difficult for any artist to top the selflessness of Mike possibly damaging his voice permanently by singing a show with laryngitis. I have to stress how unshakable a vocalist has to be risk something like that. It isn’t something his fans will forget any time soon.
The Airborne Toxic Event at The House of Blues – Boston
