Nov 22, 2011

Fitz and the Tantrums and Walk the Moon at Metro on 11/22/11





SIDE STORY UNRELATED TO THE AMAZING AND FABULOUS FATT SHOW:

Funny thing is, I had reason to throw a FIT and a TANTRUM before seeing Fitz and the Tantrums. No lie. The story is as follows. A friend of mine, who has come to shows with me before (see post on Imogen Heap for the complete back story), was feeling that she was B listed for show invites (I repeat, see Imogen Heap for back story). I assured her that she was not on the B list and to prove it, invited her to see the fabulous FATT show securing 2 tickets for the 3rd sold out show at the Metro. I did email her a few rules if you will.

Cut directly from my email to her on October 25:

"Good luck on the date. If it works out, you cannot text him during Fitz/Tantrums and/or leave the show early ... I am letting you know up front, you are in for the duration! ; = ) ". I need to also state here that she was also informed that the duration meant approximately midnight.

She had a new Match.com date that she was excited about. Previous history (see Imogen Heap...) dictated the need for an upfront understanding about my expectations for A list invites and such.

So imagine my surprise, amazement, and bafflement when I received a voice mail the night of the show asking "can you also drive to the show because I need to leave by 11pm so that I can have booty call with new since October 25th man friend because it is hard to get together with him given the kids and yadda yadda yadda"? I mostly heard "Wah Wa Wah", in the voice of Charlie Brown's teacher, after the part about needing to leave early from the show. I literally pitched a TANTRUM in my house and called this friend inviting her to be uninvited to the show and my willingness to sell her ticket AND go alone to the show (not the usual way I roll). She did accompany me to the show (claiming that she did indeed want to go) and stayed for the duration (there was risk involved from deciding otherwise) BUT there was texting and texting and texting, throughout the show. On a basic level, is this the message you should send to your lover/man friend? OK, I am done with this but will add that I told this friend that she would be blogged about (in fairness) and the response was "I don't care". Enough said. I am now officially done reporting on my Fit and Tantrum.


NOW, BACK TO REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING - THE SHOW:


Having sold out three shows in a row at the Metro, Fitz and the Tantrums have demonstrated one of the most swift rises to fame in the history of Lollapalooza stardom where they were discovered by the masses last summer. The popularity of the neo-soul genre (Jamie Lidell, the late Amy Winehouse, and others) paved the way for FATT to hitch a ride on board the wave. The resemblance, in some of their songs, to Hall and Oates also deserved mention. It turns out that the band has previously played gigs and performed sets consisting of H and O songs. FATT have one release so far of their own tunes but do some great versions of covers at their shows.

Noelle singing Sara Smile with Darrell Hall;



Fitz and the Tantrums was created by lead singer and songwriter Michael Fitzpatrick. To create the Tantrums, Fitzpatrick added keyboard, drums, bass and horns, and the fabulous singer Noelle Scaggs. Fitzpatrick styles himself as the neo-soul David Bowie look-alike and his sidekick, Noelle, as his gorgeous and talented Motown muse and perhaps better half. That lady can kick some soul butt. She also is no nonsense on stage. Rousing the crowd on the one hand and on the other, telling them to behave and be "f'n be respectful of the performers working their asses off". I am not sure what happened to elicit this reprimand but it was likely well deserved. FATT was indeed working hard and sweating up there. We, in the audience, were also sweating because of the excessive and unavoidable desire to dance. That is what you do at a FATT show.

Here is some of my live video footage for your viewing pleasure - we were way up close on the floor.




and one more...



Here is one from the opening act Walk the Moon:

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