Less Than Jake Concert

Confetti, Less Than Jake's music good mix
Alicia Ritchey
Issue date: 2/14/06 Section: Arts

If the success of an event could be measured by the amount of havoc wreaked, then the Less Than Jake's show Thursday night was a smashing success. Among the usual rubble of ticket stubs, plastic cups and cigarette butts, the floor of the Newport Music Hall was festooned with bright confetti, shreds of toilet paper and smatterings of shaving cream - souvenirs of the night's surprises. 

The evening began with supporting acts A Wilhelm Scream, Rock and Roll Soldiers and Damone who did an excellent job warming up the crowd.

When it was time for LTJ to come on, the stage was set with a large banner depicting Godzilla fighting a superhero and two smaller banners of skyscrapers.

Out with the new and in with the old was the theme of the night, as the audience demanded old favorites in lieu of anything from the upcoming album "In With the Out Crowd."

Crowd pleasers included "History of a Boring Town," "All My Best Friends Are Metalheads," "The Science of Selling Yourself Short" and "Al's War."

With the audience being less than enthused at the notion of hearing new songs, the band promised to only play one. As they launched into "Overrated" from the upcoming album, the audience managed to muster some incredible energy. 

The first surprise of the night occurred during a rollicking rendition of "Jen Doesn't Like Me Anymore." Sax player JR Wasilewski and trombone player Buddy Schaub grabbed specially rigged leaf blowers and launched streams of toilet paper into the pit.

Adding a clause to the aforementioned agreement, the band then promised to play only old songs for the rest of the night if the bar would bring them five shots of Jagermeister. When the bar made no move to serve them, the band heckled the bartenders until they finally got their Jager. 

A highlight of the show was when LTJ played a medley by fusing various songs like "Just Like Frank," "Dopeman" and "Throw the Brick," creating a successful musical profusion that had the crowd wanting more. 

"Gainesville Rock City" was the final song of the set and the spectacle was reminiscent of a campy game show or New Year's Eve in Times Square. As the revelers in the pit moshed their hearts out, they nearly drowned in a shower of blue and pink confetti.

Newly amped, the audience refused to let the show end and commenced in the staple of every rock show: chanting the name of the band in unison.

Charging back onto the stage, the encore kicked off with "Plastic Cup Politics" from the latest album "Anthem." The final display of high jinks took place during "Look What Happened," when strategically placed contraptions filled with shaving cream came to life and doused the excited crowd.

Fans looked satisfied as they filed out of the Newport covered in bits of paper. Good music and madcap escapades tend not to disappoint.