Sound Team and Sparta @ Irving Plaza, 10/25

I'm ashamed to admit that this is the first time seeing both bands live given the number of times Sound Team has been through NYC and my documented affection for Sparta. I wanted to see As Tall as Lions too but the thought of letting 30 Rock sit in my DVR was just unacceptable - the show if freaking hilarious. Sound Team played a 45 minute set and while I thought they were great, seeing them as an opener vs. a headliner (as InMyTree noted here) is vaslty different. For some reason during the set these things were popping into my head: Do all 6 members of Sound Team get paid evenly? I mean, there are two keyboard players and if anything, the other 4 should be getting the bulk of the share. I would also like to see a Sound Team episode on MTV Cribs. I've wondered how well some of these smaller major label bands do financially. Do these guys make money? Major record labels should post this information just like professional sports teams.

Anyway, on to Sparta. Anyone who's listened to the new album can plainly hear the band's transformation from post-hardcore to more traditional rock as they continue to move further away from their ATDI roots. My only response to skeptical fans everywhere is to see their live show because they fucking rock. I've said for a long time that Pat Carney of the Black Keys is the best drummer I've ever seen live but I'm fairly certain that changed last night (someone should alert Pat of this contest since I'll be seeing the Keys next Friday). I suppose ATDI fans already know this but Tony Hajjar absolutely blew me away. He also has a pretty amazing story too which is told in a short film "Eme Nakia" currently being promoted with the release of the new album. Understandably, I think it's safe to say that these were ATDI fans looking for more Wiretrap Scars (and damn, those songs sounded incredible) and less Threes but regardless of where the band goes from here - and based on Jim Ward's comments last night, he considered giving up music altogether a year and a half ago - I think most of us left last night reassured that these guys can still shred the stage.