A much-needed beautiful night in Cleveland for the Liars and their fans. The stage was set with what appeared to be five little chapels, quickie Vegas wedding-style. All you have heard about the LED lighting is true: fantastic. The opening trance sounds of Truth brings Todd to the center, dressed in a tapestry cloak over a heavy black floor-length dress ( Mongol?). Prairie sported a full-sized mitre to top off his vestement. Kas appeared to be dressed as a Wild West undertaker. Jesse was dressed as a mandarin bishop. John looked like he had just returned from a Middle East mullah convention. This was like the cover of Abbey Road on steroids and amphetamines.
Todd reaches for the guitar early,on Buffalo Grass, then again two songs later for Fascist Christ. The only malfunction of the show was wardrobe in nature, when Todd flashed his right boob before bursting into ISP. Unloved Children featured a unique break in the extended guitar solo, and Todd kept up the fine playing for While My Guitar Gently Weeps, taking both solos and earning a standing ovation for the effort.
Jesse and Kasim's chapels had fold-up synthesizer keyboards (think wall-mounted ironing board). Jesse tried his out during God Said, a tune which came over extremely well live. If you have heard Liar on the CD, you can imagine it live. How Todd belts this and the other 'big' songs out night after night is a flamin' mystery to me. Rest assured though, fans, Our Hero is in great voice.
The band retires. Todd plays a very nice Beloved Infidel on guitar, followed by Lunatic Fringe. Band returns in very fly suits, Jesse in fuschia, Kas in cotton candy while Todd changes. They play some Funky Stuff and Tighten Up and segue into Soul Brother when Todd returns, now decked in his sartorial best: a taupe/gold sharkskin suit over a bright yellow shirt. Kas, Jes, and John all play synth on Sweet.
Born to Synthesize: lounged-up, three-quarters twisted, with synthetic vibes and an out of chapel solo by Jesse that was off the hook. John had his keyboards dialed into straight piano sound and his solo had the pods on stage left shaking!! Todd reenters during Kas's solo, they bust into a futuristic groove for the band introductions [the groove is the theme from 'The Jetsons' and the band is introduced accordingly] Reaching back to Nearly Human, Todd ressurrects a soulful Feel It, also the number that opens the area in front of the stage to the waiting throng.
A nicely rousing version of Hello It's Me for an encore. A second bidding offers Just One Victory, scarily performed without guitar strapped on until absolutely necessary (whew!), then directly, instantaneously, without a moment's pause into WWE. Stellar.
East Coast, get ready all you pimps and funky divas. A great show is coming your way.
