3rd Man In/Goo-Goo Dolls/Bad Brains

[Patrick J. Waara <Waara.wbst@Xerox.COM>]

Made the trip to Buffalo to see what turned out to be one of the best
shows I've ever seen (only because of the Bad Brains).  

3rd Man In opened.  They're a fanatic straight-edge band, that makes Ian
look like a submissive, contented wimp.  Actually, I thought they were a
parody at first, but then I asked a mutual friend and he said, "No,
that's the scary thing--these guys are deadly serious."  Oh well, some
of their songs were OK.  

The Goo-Goo Dolls were pretty good (though I have to admit I missed part
of them when I went out for some refreshments).  They had some metal
influences, but were not a speed metal band.  Some good fast punk (ala
'77).  They also had lots of fun with trash bags filled with shredded
computer paper, which was thrown around for the rest of the night.
They'll be here in Rochester in a couple days.  I'll have to go give
them a closer listen.  

Then there's the Bad Brains.  These guys are incredible.  The show start
off a little shaky when halfway through the first song the power blew.
(The same thing happened to 7 Seconds, but they eventually cancelled.)
While people were running around trying to get the power back, HR and
company stood off stage, cross armed, and stone faced.  They finally got
things straighten out, and HR pulled out this school desk.  (You
remember--plastic chair, fold down desk top.)  He slammed it down on
stage, plopped into it and didn't move for the rest of the show; he sat
in the thing the whole while.  (Which was kind of funny--if not a little
disappointing--because here he was thrashing around with dreadlocks
flailing sitting at a bloody desk.)  They played just about all the
stuff off the new album, plus some of the old thrashers.  The real
standout for me was the drummer.  He blew me away.  He created some of
the most incredible rhythmns using the bass drum the way most drummers
use their floor toms.  I could go on and on, but concerts are just one
of those things where you have to be there.

~Pat