Wig and Peplum Blazer Sold Separately

I don’t do many concert reviews anymore; mostly because they become very repetitive. I’ve attended very few concerts where I don’t have at least one positive thing to say so my message is rather monotonous . . .”they were great . . . I loved this part.”  Live music in itself is a blessing; you have to be pretty bad artists to really cock it up.

This past week, I saw, what I consider to be, one of the most influential and important bands. A Perfect Circle performed in Boston on November 8th and I paid for an overpriced hotel to see them (I had a work event on the night they performed in Brooklyn). APC stands apart from most bands for me because I actually listen to each album, all the way through. I love each and every song,

I loved APC’s first two albums and listened to them relentlessly.  I was so excited when Maynard put out a DVD with the Bikini Bandits for a special music video for “The Outsider.” I very rarely got eyes of judgment from adults at the time, so when the woman at Best Buy scanned the DVD’s barcode, and the cover looked like cheap porn, she gave me a very stern grimace—I could not have been more thrilled.

After APC’s first two albums, they released their protest album which most did not like.  The album, Emotive, consisted mostly of covers of protest songs such as “When the Levee Breaks” and “Imagine,” along with two original tracks.  I saw the film, Constantine only because APC’s song, “Passive” was in one of the scenes.  

Look, I have APC t-shirts, tank tops, stickers, and underwear. My screen name on instant messenger as a difficult teen was raremagdalena.  No matter how much of a dick Maynard appears to be in real life, APC overcomes his doucheness and enters a realm of authentic creativity and extestential questioning.

I have described seeing APC in concert as a spiritual experience in the past. What I mean is that I feel a certain sense of elevation when I hear their music live. Maynard remains mystical, hidden in the shadows, only his silhouette visible most of the time. Most would suspect that it takes away from his performance. Not so. You still see the outline of his pigtail wig, peplum blazer, and even the shake weights he used as props during “Thinking of You.”  Seeing too much of him would detract from the seriousness of the music.

He spoke to the audience just enough to deliver typical anti-conformity messages of loving everyone for being different and wanting kids these days to write more songs about anal sex.

I mean, we were all thinking it.

APC opened with the song “The Package” which they have opened with each of the 4 times I have seen them. It’s great because the song is nearly 8 minutes long, and for 4 of these minutes, the song is super mellow. Then it just gets hard and the music gets so rock and harsh you just want to punch someone (in a loving rock and roll way).

Seeing APC again, 6 years after their last tour and hearing all their best stuff and also getting a sneak peak at new material being released in 2018 made me want to do some sort of crazy rain dance—not dissimilar from the weird swaying and bending and vibrating Maynard is known for in concert.  Their use of such obscure phrases such as “umbilical residue,” paired with their raw and truthful messages and imagery make them like a horny U2 after an ethereal yoga retreat . . .with wigs!

What I am saying here may not make you want to listen to APC and it may actually make you want to stay far away from them but I beg you, give them a chance.  And if you think some of their political messages and pessimistic outlook on humanity seems way out there, I recommend that you “stay away from the window, go back to sleep.  Safe from pain and truth and choice and other poison devils.”