It was a dark & stormy night as the wind howled down First Ave. in Seattle.......but well over 500 hip kiddos turned out in force to see Kill Hannah and The Ataris at the Showbox.

DJ No Name from 107.7 THE END(!) got everyone in the party mood by throwing out some free t-shirts. Kill Hannah stormed on while adoring fans shrieked. Leadsinger Mat Devine was either prowling and stalking around the stage, Robert Smith-ing into the mic with one foot on the monitor, or jumping off the drum kit.

There were teenage-girl screams the likes of whih I haven't heard since....well.....the My Chemical Romance show. Actually, normal people can't hear these screams because its so high pitched, but I'm part dog - just look at my pictures.

Devine dedicated "I Love You To Death" to "any of you who waited out in the rain" before manhandling the mic and straddling the space between the stage and the crowd barrier.

Just before the cool mod synth rock of "I Wanna Be A Kennedy," Devine admitted, "You are a very cool and very polite audience....you're not making fun of my hair. I didn't expect this much humidity. We're gonna make it work though!"

After their set, fans flocked in droves to the Kill Hannah merch stand where the band members were hanging out to sign stuff. Let this be a lesson to all bands - stick around to sell & sign merch after the show......your bottom-line will thank you!

Next came The Ataris. Kris Roe announced "Secret Handshake" by saying, "This one's aobut the hypocracies of cerrtain religions" and the song devolved into fuzz and effects with Roe on his knees tinkering with pedals.

Roe was also gracious to the crowd for "braving the wind and rain and all those other great elements."

He changed guitars a couple of times during the set, perhaps from breaking a string, but this is common attrition from rocking up to ELEVEN. There were also many crisp flurries of 8th note bass lines, sometimes serving as counterpoint to the lead guitar riffs and always undergirding the electric guitar wall of sound.

At the end of their set, The Ataris left their instruments still rocking and feeding back on the stage - a digital syrup of noise spilling out over the crowd until the band came back for an encore. They seemed to return with double the energy, as Roe substituted his guitar for a mic and a red plastic cup.

Afterwards, both Kill Hannah and The Ataris hung out for about half an hour with their doting fans, signing autographs and snapping photos before the Showbox had to shut its doors.

Thanks to everyone who showed up for this last show in the Flash Concerts 06 series! Thanks to all the fans who came to the other shows! And a super double thanks for everyone who came together to put all these shows on! Seattle was really a great ending to an amazing musical adventure - one that I'm sure none of us will soon forget! I know I won't.

Peace out & look out for more of these shows comin atcha in 2007!

- HOWIE

After their soundcheck, I met up with Kill Hannah's Mat Devine to chat about their recent UK tour, their upcoming "New Heart for Christmas" show in Chicago, and Chicago's music scene in general.

LISTEN UP!

Kris Roe of The Ataris was kind enough to share his drink with me as we talked into microphones. Listen to the interview to hear him talk about their upcoming album "Welcome To The Night" and all the huge changes that have taken place over the past year!

CLICK HERE!

The Showbox - what a great venue to see these bands! And if you got yourself out to the show, chances are you can find your mug in my pictures somewhere - since I got so many great crowd shots. The ones of the bands aren't too shabby either....
SHOW PICS!

I've gotten several messages from people saying they're having trouble getting to the show pics and/or interview. If this has happened to you - my deepest apologies!

I've redone the links & they're working from my computer.

If you're still having trouble.....try accessing them from the Flash Concerts 06 BLOG at this address:

www.flashconcerts06.typepad.com

Words can't really describe what The Outline & My Chemical Romance did to over 2,000 screaming fans on Monday night at the House of Blues in Vegas.

But since that's my job - here goes....

MCR fans started showing up about 36 hours before the show! They waited oh-so-patiently (if a little obsessively) in the casino for the big moment. 15 minutes before doors opened, the excitement in the air was palpable as the crowd, packed in like cattle, prepared for the stampede.

Meanwhile, I won $6.75 playing the slots.

The Outline took the stage first, and totally wowed everyone with their brand of rough, aggressive rock 'n roll. Their set up is the classic 2 guitars, bass, keys, drums - sometimes they're primal; sometimes they're straight-ahead, but always they rokk.

Lead singer Graham Fink strutted around the stage, slinging his hair like hash, and the crowd ate it all up. He's an excellent frontman - good witty banter, he introduced songs & he plugged the band's name often. At the end of their set, drummer Ryan Rabin threw his sticks into the ocean of people, and they were snapped up like a Barry Bonds' homerun ball.

Then the HOB crew set up the Black Parade banner in front of the stage. As it rose higher & higher, so too did the ferocity of teenage screams - building into a "We want My Chem" - clap-clap-clapclapclap mantra. Normally I wear earplugs at shows for the band - this time I had to protect my fragile ears from the rabid fans!

Finally - THE moment arrived and MCR took the stage. GWay revealed, "I always wanted to be a Vegas showgirl - this will have to do!"

Of course, the packed house of 2k+ was singing along. And when I say singing along, I mean they sang every word of every verse and every chorus of every song. I'm completely serious.

The waltz-time "Mama" reminded me of jangling skeletons as Gerard pranced around like an underworld dandy, pale cheeks sucked in. Meanwhile, security was lifting smooshed fans to safety, including a mother and her young son.

Gerard is truly a gifted and astonishing front man. He's just got so much damn energy - like a band leader on PCP. This was especially true on "Black Parade" as he orchestrated 2,000 hand thrusts en masse. In fact, I think that guy has a hand gesture for every lyric. Before launching into the chorus, he yelled, "Vegas - I wanna hear you sing every @..$%ing word!" Mosh pockets and crowd surfing ensued, while Ray Toro shredded triumphantly ala Queen.

This was a perfect example of the amazingly seamless give-and-take of energy between MCR and their raving fans. Its a chicken & egg thing, so its impossible to say whose energy is feeding whom, but the crowd was able to respond immediately to whatever vocal or rhythmic demands Gerard placed on them. Its a good thing he didn't tell them to drink red koolaid.

I also noticed that he seems to have studied from the great front-men who came before him. There was Jagger's Rooster Strut, Hendrix's Finger Worshipping on Bended Knees, Axl Rose's Mic Slither, among others.

BTW - I think there should be a Black Parade Workout Video. You'd definitely get in shape, if you could keep up. Plus, since you'd be wearing black - you'd sweat A WHOLE LOT.

Oh yeah - I need to give a shout-out to the really stellar lighting job at this show. I don't know your name, but you do your job VERY WELL.

I'd also like to give my commendations to all the parents who came to the show with their younguns. Many of you seemed just as fanatic about MCR as your kids! If my parents had been that cool when I was a kid, my teen angst would've been severely mitigated.

MCR dedicated "I Don't Love You" to "our very special friend," Rob Cavallo. Hopefully that wasn't a secret message.

Frank, Ray & Mikey were using wireless instruments. This allowed for unprecedented stage thrashability.

Between the show and the encore, the fans sounded like the primate house at the zoo just before feeding time. When MCR took the stage again, Gerard was feeling gracious: "Thank you all so much for coming out and @..$%ing believing in this. We've been doing this for 5 years and it doesn't get harder - it gets a whole lot more fun!"

The lighters were broken out for "Cancer", the first encore. Its just so MEANINGFUL, man!

The show was definitely a black mass presided over by MCR, with the congregation reaching a feverish, ecstatic state. I almost expected people to start babbling in tongues.

Afterwards, the Meet & Greet was like a well-oiled machine. Maybe they've done this a few times?

OH - And the dude who gave me the CD for his band THE SCIENCE.....I handed it DIRECTLY to Gerard Way after the show. He says he listens to every album he gets. Good luck!

Here's the SET LIST:

1. The End
2. Dead!
3. Disappear
4. Not Okay
5. Cemetery
6. Mama
7. The Black Parade
8. I Don't Love You
9. Venom
10. Teenagers
11. Give Em Hell
12. House Of Wolves
13. Famous
14. Prison
--> ENCORE
1. Cancer
2. Helena

What'd y'all think of the show?!

Before the show, Gerard Way was kind enough to take a few minutes talking into a mic for me.

Listen to my interview to find out what the last album he bought was, what his first job was and loads of other juicy tidbits!

CLICK HERE!

The Outline whipped the crowd into a raging frenzy before MCR took the stage.

Listen to my interview to find out more about these guys from L.A.

CLICK HERE!

Okay - I spent a jillion hours uploading all my pics from the show. 130 in all. So get out the popcorn, get comfortable & (re)live this fantastic show!

CLICK HERE!

WHILE YOU'RE WAITING IN LINE - YOU SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO COME UP WITH THE MOST PERFECT QUESTION EVER! THINK IT UP & PUT IT UP HERE - & I JUST MAY ASK IT DURING MY INTERVIEW! ACT FAST Y'ALL AND DROP IT IN THE COMMENTS...

After the show, I was happy to be the first interviewer to congratulate Lupe on getting 3 GRAMMY NOMINATIONS! Listen & hear Lupe talk about what lessons he's trying to teach with his rhymes & what his real name - Wasulu - means....

Click HERE!

Lupe Fiasco celebrated getting nominated for 3 GRAMMY'S last night by playing to a sold out, packed house of over 1,100 screaming fans at Philly's Trocadero!

Before the man of the hour arrived, DJ Mike Nice commandeered the turntables and the hype reps from Power 99 threw out free t-shirts to get everyone in a party mood.

But the crowd wanted Lupe, and no amount of free swag distracted them from this simple fact.

Finally Lupe took the stage and warmed up with a few smoking tracks. The ladies went nuts when he took off his jacket to reveal a little skin and a lot of boxer shorts.

He took a few moments to look back over some of his acclaims - a rap album that debuted at number 1, selling 86,000 copies the first week, and "my most proudest achievement - the cover of GQ."

And of course, "3 Grammy nominations - that's the TRIFECTA! Including one for that little skateboard song that radio stations wouldn't play cuz it didn't fit they format...If you see a little kid ridin his skateboard around, he don't wanna shoot nobody - he's just gettin his Lupe on!"

"I just wanna thank y'all for this year. I wanna thank each and every one of y'all that went out and bought my album."

Here's the SET LIST that DJ Simon gave me:

* Intro (album)
* Encore - Instrumental (Jay-Z)
* Twilight Zone (mixtape)
* Conflict Diamonds (mixtape)
* Touch the Sky (Kanye West)
* Failure (mixtape)
* Switch (mixtape)
* Feel Good (mixtape)
* Instrumental (album)
* Tilted (UK release)
* Sunshine (album)
* American Terrorist (album)
* He Say She Say (album)
* Kick Push (album)
* The Cool (album)
* Hurt Me Soul (album)
* Daydreamin (album)
* Real (album)

This show was tight, right?

Here's a godzillion shots from Lupe's show in chilly Philly on Thursday night!

Check it NOW!

LISTEN UP! THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE CONFUSION ABOUT THE LUPE SHOW IN PHILLY.

HERE'S THE DEAL:

The Lupe show is NOT on Wednesday.

THE LUPE SHOW IS ON THURSDAY, DEC. 7TH @ THE TROCADERO.

DOORS ARE AT 8:30 PM. SHOW STARTS AT 10 PM. ALL AGES WELCOME.

Sorry for any confusion.

C U THERE!

People lined up down the block at The Paradise Rock Club near Boston University to check out Detroit's The Von Bondies on Monday night.

Bondies' fans got a special treat with openers Johnny Headband, also from Detroit. The two brothers, Chad (lead vox/keys) and Keith (bass/guitar), hit the stage dressed all in white, with their drummer presiding behind dressed in black. They played inspired danced rock numbers, and it was obvious they were having an illicit amount of fun.

Johnny Headband is so animated, they should have their own indie roxercise video. It was nearly impossible to get pictures of them, and I swear I think I saw them get even skinnier by the end of their set.

There were smoking bass lines, nice use of a Neverending Story keyboard sound, excellent synchronized prancing, and the "point & spray" technique of hosing down the crowd with invisible guitar juice.

After one particular bout of hysterical histrionics between Chad & Keith (I think Keith was writhing on the ground with his guitar while Chad petted Keith's long hair), Chad announced, "I don't know if we'd get away with this if we weren't brothers. Hell, I don't know if we're getting away with it now."

It seemed they were indeed getting away with it, as the crowd of 420 happily clapped along.

Their version of "West End Girls" (adopted specifically for this east coast tour) was definitely the best (if admittedly, the only) cover of that song this blogger's ever laid ears on. With pre-programmed beats, the drummer switched to bass, the bassist took the lead mic and the lead singer took the keys and backup vocal duties. Oh yeah - and there was a strip tease in there too! Bassist Keith took off his white shirt & used it to jump-rope across the stage. It was truly fascinating.

Next came The (much anticipated) Von Bondies. These kids cram so much rokk into 2.5 minute songs! But when its dirtier than Pigpen, you don't need to draw it out.

They were ferocious & brash, but somehow it was a finely honed recklessness. Jenny took an intense pose when she sang lead vocals on "Not That Social," while Marcie's guitar screamed. There were several "I love you, Jenny!"s from the crowd - a good sign that this newest member of the band has met with fan approval.

I was stunned at how much energy, sex, blues and nitrate they pour into song after song. It was like drinking Red Bull and truck stop coffee, taking ephedrine and then going drag racing.

And Marcie's guitar chops were tighter than her faded black jeans but much dirtier than her white high heels.

After the show, the lucky & doting winners of the Meet & Greet lined up to tell the members just how much they enjoyed the show. Members of the visceral Charms showed up as well to pay their respects.

Here's the Set List:

1. Pale Bride
2. No Regrets
3. Going Down
4. Nite Train
5. C'mon C'mon
6. Lack of Communication
7. Not That Social
8. Blame Game
9. Broken Man
10. Shut Your Mouth
11. Please Please Man
12. Earthquake
13. Tell Me What You See
14. It Came From Japan
15. Rock & Roll Nurse

What'd y'all think of the show?