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Review

The Ataris Rock Seattle

Band Name: The Ataris
Venue: Showbox Theater, Seattle, WA
Support Acts: Yellowcard, Further Seems Forever, The Juliana Theory
Date: April 7th 2003

Reviewed on Jan 26, 2005
by Mike Brede (Mike).

I arrive an hour before doors at the Showbox Theater in Seattle, only to find a line two blocks long. Seeing the big Sold Out sign, I'm glad I bought my tickets in advance.

Eight o' clock rolls around and I find myself in the center of the crowd, Yellowcard opens their set with Cigarette, and gets the crowd moving with other songs such as Big Apple Heartbreak and Star Struck. To further electrify the crowd they split the mob in two, and send us crashing together, like a huge tidal wave.

After Yellowcard finishes their set Further Seems Forever steps up, they have a bit of a harder sound, but the crowd still seems to enjoy it. Following Further Seems Forever, The Juliana Theory plays their set, but I'm personally now just waiting for 10:45 to come around, as seems a majority of those around me.

I'm second row, I couldn't ask for any more as that classic THX sound plays and they announce The Ataris.

The stage is dark, the dual strobe lights start, the crowd erupts.

The Ataris step onto the stage and open the night with "I O U 1 Galaxy", everyone in the crowd knows the words, including myself, shouting along with Kris Roe of The Ataris.

Following the opening song, they play some of our favorites from the album, 'Blue Skys, Broken Hearts, Next 12 Exits' as well as some from their new album, 'So Long Astoria.' They played "I Won't Spend Another Night Alone" followed by "Takeoffs and Landings", "1-15-96" and "Unopened Letter to the World" as well as "Your boyfriend sucks." The crowd was so into them, no one missed a single line, I was amazed myself. The atmosphere and crowd participation was unreal to anything I've ever experienced.

Now from here on out I can't remember the exact set list, I was too taken in by everything to make those mental notes, but ofcourse they played their new single from 'So Long Astoria', In this Diary, which Kris dedicated to us fans. I also got to hear my personal favorite from the album, which was only the 2nd time it has been played live, the song with the same title, So Long Astoria.

Kris took some requests from the crowd and played a favorite "Make it Last." I wasn't too familiar with this song, but all the other diehard fans seemed to know the words just fine, so I wen't along with it. The Showbox was bouncing, the stage was shaking from the crowd's movement. I'd had never seen so many people crowd surfing and having a great time as I did during The Ataris' set.

Some special guests also showed up during The Ataris' set, previously unannouced to us, MxPx! Now was this a treat, two of the legends of punk rock together. MxPx and The Ataris. As the show wrapped up, we wern't going to let them go without an encore. Everyone started shouting "One more song" and "San Dimas", until Kris, solely, made his way back onto the stage and played, "My Reply". He informed us we were getting more than just one more song and the crowd was lit on fire, in a sense. The rest of the band entered the stage again and played a fun song, Teenage Riot, with the strobes going once again, and.... BOOM! Confetti shot all over the crowd.. I was amazed, this topped it all off, or did it...? San Dimas Highschool Football was their final song, with Mike from MxPx, and that was the icing on the cake.

By far The Ataris' are the best band I have seen live, their crowd and fans are what make the show, well besides Kris Roe's talent for writing song lyrics (and singing them) as well as the rest of The Ataris' themselves. :)

If you get the chance to see The Ataris this spring on their tour for 'So Long Astoria,' take that chance, you won't regret it.

Photos courtesy of DTSC @ ataris.com. Select photos taken at Crystal Ballroom, Portland, Or.

Discuss This Review

awsome reviwew... Ataris Kick so much ass!! [more]
Posted Jun 10, 2005 by internal-distruction.

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