The Heavy. Crescent Ballroom, Sept 11th

The Heavy played at the Crescent Ballroom in downtown Phoenix (just off of 2nd Ave & Van Buren) Tuesday night.  Dr Desert Flower and I were there, and wow, was it an incredible show.  The Silent Comedy opened for The Heavy, and they were fine, but we were not there to see the opening act, complete with their handle-bar mustached banjo player.  We were there to see The Heavy.

We'd never been to the Crescent Ballroom before.  It is reminiscent of The Handlebar in Greenville, or The Pour House in Charleston SC.  A more relaxed crowd.  No metal detectors at the door.  No frisking, no "take off your shoes" requirement like the unpleasant Marquee in Tempe has.  There's a eating area / restaurant in the front, and a band venue / bar in the back.  Friendly bouncers, security, door, and wait staff.  Not grungy and sticky / nasty / diver-like as many band venues can be.  We patiently listened to The Silent Comedy, while sitting near the merchandise booth.  The had The Heavy Pizza Boxes!!!  For just $45 - which is a bargain, when converted from the online price of $35 British Pounds + shipping!

So after my 1nd Jameson neat, and my 2 mini bottles of Hennesy that I stashed in my pockets, I shelled out two Jacksons and a Lincoln to the nice hispter couple running the merchandise booth, and gave them my last 2 Washingtons to "watch" the pizza box.during the concert, assuring them I would be back later to get it after the concert.  They humored the old gray haired man with more money than sense.

After buying the pizza box (complete with double vinyl album, CD, T-shirt (size medium, as I am no longer an XL, and tour poster), Swaby came out of the back room and mingled with the crowd.  Everyone wanted pictures with him, and autographs.  Dr Desert Flower was looking lovely, demur, and amazing as my trophy wife (with a PhD even!). while I looked old, gray, fat, and drunk (hence the small thumbnail size, to mask these non-flattering properties).   I hurriedly grabbed the pizza box and borrowed a marker, and got Swaby's signature!   Very cool.   Not a collector's item.. not yet anyways..  but it meant alot to me. 

I bought the band a round of PBRs, since 'the only thing we get from the House is Miller Lite" - ew!  I don't like PBR, but I KNOW the band does, from my previous Vegas experience at the Cosmopolitan.  6 PBRs for $18 - these aint Chicago, Atlanta, or NYC drink prices my friends!  =)  I had a chance to talk to Chris Ellul before The Heavy went on, and we discussed drumming, the US tours, the ninja skills video filmed i Austin TX, and how I still believe The Heavy is Way Better than The Black Keys.  He admitted that he hoped The Heavy would be as popular someday as The Black Keys are today.

When The Silent Comedy finished, Dr Desert Flower and I took the 4 feet between stage center and the crowd, to park ourselves.  It is the vantage point from where she took the picture of Ellul's 4 piece set above.  It was also the vantage point where we were close enough to have Swaby's sweat fall upon us during the concert - he really gets into the music, as much as the fans do.  The Heavy played a solid hour+. and then came back on for a 3 song encore.  I lost track of how many songs they played.. but they rocked the Crescent Ballroom.  It was one of the best, if not the best, shows I've ever seen in my life - and I have seen many shows.  It was even better than Vegas, and Vegas set a pretty high bar.

After the show I remembered to gather up my autographed pizza box, and we headed the three block walk back to the car.  We got home at 12:30, which is pretty late for a school night, so I went into work very late on Wednesday, and kept working until sunset (hence, not much blog posting yesterday!). 

Well.. it's time to go back and watch da Bears give up more yards (and points) the da Packers in Lambeau, with I am DVRing now...  oh well.