Went to another 'XPN Free-at-Noon concert today, and it was another double-bill, where they squeeze two bands into a 35-minute concert.
Today it was the Lemonheads' (and highly unpredictable) Evan Dando and the Montreal band the Dears. Dando was scheduled to open for the Dears with a solo acoustic set. Right before the concert, when a couple of DJ's come out and demand more cowbell lots of clapping (we're going out LIVE on the ra-dee-ooo, folks!), they said (with a roll of their eyes) that Evan was still on the NJ Turnpike and the Dears would play first.
The Dears came out and played pretty unremarkable rock-and-roll - not bad, but not great either. Apparently they're big in Canada.
Dando came out after that, all scraggy-like, and started playing. Started with "The Outdoor Type" which was a nice surprise, and with only a "it's too early to sing" went right into "Being Around." Then it was the single from the new Lemonheads', "No Backbone" right into "My Idea."
Then he walked out. He played for exactly nine minutes (I timed it when I played the concert back on NPR's site). Nine minutes. It was a lot of fun for those nine minutes, but c'mon - I don't think anyone was there for the Dears, okay? Play a little more than nine minutes.
Nine. Minutes.
Rooked. Bad.
[Wasn't even allowed to take pictures.]
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