09.24.2005 Architecture in Helsinki/Wolf Parade/Dr. Dog

this show was quite an experience. this show was held at an "art space." and what an experience it was. to get there, i had to make a trek down downtown hastings street through the vitory square area. not the worst part of town, but far from decent. real sketchy territory. the entrance way way was from the back alley. now i know sealed with a kiss runs a fairly smooth operation, but there's no way this place could have passed the fire code. i'm pretty sure them selling beer there wasn't legal either. now normally i wouldn't care so much, but that place was poorly ventilated and overcrowded. (overcrowded means no filming if you dont show up early) it had to be somewhere in the high 30s inside. to top it off people just had to get their nicotine fix there. jeez what's wrong with you people, the air in there isn't bad enough for you? with all the flickin of the butts, i'm suprised there wasn't a fire. and if there was fire an estimation of 100 deaths wouldn't be too high.

anyways... arrived partway into dr. dog's set. i still don't understand what the deal with them is. pitchfork seems to like them. but from my experience with them, they're very ordinary. like your resident local band at your local bar ordinary. i see that one of their guitarists is still sporting shades onstage. maybe he's blind.. i dunno. they weren't as boring this time as they were when i saw them opening for autolux/ambulance ltd. but they weren't any special either. very mediocre.

wolf parade was good. bumpin beats and dancable rythms. they complained about the heat as well.

architecture in helsinki took the stage at around around 11:15. i was under the impression there was a 12:00 curfew. on the other if there was, what's one more rule to break eh? they are every bit as good as they are on the album. they're actually better live than on album imo. they encored w/ do the whirlwind w/ the help of wolf parade and dr. dog on vocals and more percussion. there are some striking similarities between AIH and arcade fire. i really wouldn't be suprised if they made it as big as the later.

Architecture in Helsinki Setlist
(what was written on their actual setlist, on a paper towel no less, not one of those high quality ones, so not bounty)

Vanishing
Never
5
Owls
I.C.W.D
Feather
Frenchy
Soul Finger
Funmble
Randy
Tiny
Cemetery
Wishbone
What's in Store?
Maybe
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Whirlwind