The Maneater - Against Me! holds punk sing-along

Punk rock sing-alongs never sounded as good as they did when Against Me! led its sing-along on Tuesday night at The Blue Note.

The Floridian band ran through a career-spanning set of 15 songs in just more than an hour. The set wasn’t quite long enough considering the band’s extensive back catalogue but it was enough for the audience to realize how damn good Against Me! is live.

Although not touring in support of any particular album, Against Me! performed songs from each of its releases. From opener “Walking Is Still Honest” off of Against Me!

Is Reinventing Axl Rose to the more poppy “Don’t Lose Touch” from 2005’s Searching for a Former Clarity, the variety of Against Me!’s set resonated with everyone in attendance.
Now, regardless of your past strange concert experiences, imagine just how bizarre it is to hear an entire pulsing crowd bellow out the name Condoleezza (as in Secretary of State Rice) during “From Her Lips to God’s Ears (The Energizer).

” As ironic as it was to hear this song’s standout chorus when Searching for a Former Clarity first came out, the interaction between the crowd and Against Me! made “From Her Lips” a great example of political angst and guitar-driven punk.
It’s surprising to see bands such as Against Me!

mature, but that’s exactly what this band is doing.
The sampling of new songs played during the set from its upcoming album New Wave included “Americans Abroad” and “New Wave.” The songs were definitely not as aggressive as Against Me!

’s earlier material, nor as moody as songs from Searching for a Former Clarity. These songs sounded much more to the point — lyrically and musically. Although this might alienate some older fans, it seems like the right step for the band.

This isn’t necessarily a band I would like to see singing about the same teenage punk-rock problems until age 40, but there’s too much potential for growth to pass up, and New Wave is sure to prove it.
While awaiting middle age, the members of Against Me! got lost in the music just as much as the audience.

Bassist Andrew Seward and guitarist James Bowan led those aforementioned sing-alongs, while singer and guitarist Tom Gabel grinned broadly between songs but left all on-stage banter at the door in favor of the tightly packed set.
Although not nearly as touching as the stripped-down version heard on As The Eternal Cowboy, “Sink, Florida, Sink” gained a new momentum with jiggly-armed drummer Warren Oakes’ touch.
Despite their best efforts, openers Fake Problems and Riverboat Gamblers couldn’t excite a crowd so anxious to see Against Me!

.
Fake Problems, also from Florida and clearly taking a cue from Against Me!’s earlier folk-based days, was bogged down with the erratic nature of its songs.

Vocalist and guitarist Chris Farren did a great Springsteen impression, but then again, maybe he was just sick. On the other hand, guitarist Casey Lee’s creative riffs unified the often chaotic songs.
Also competing in the rock legend act-a-like contest, Riverboat Gamblers vocalist Mike Wiebe channeled a tamer Iggy Pop as he paced around the stage howling into the mic.

The Riverboat Gamblers’ music didn’t stand out much, but the real problem was Wiebe’s mic swinging.