Atom and His Package / Mae / Game Over

live in Orlando, FL (2003)

Steven

Welcome to the Social in Orlando Fla, where you might as well drink the expensive beer becuase all the beer is expensive. Tonight the line up is Atom and His Package, Mae and first on the plate is the local band Game Over. As I watch the crowd come in I realize pretty quickly that this is not going to be a packed show which is cool with me. This means its going to be more intement and there sure isn't anything wrong with that. I make my way over to Atom and talk to him a bit about a project that Amira Cole is puttin together. He seems interested and is definitely a friendly guy and easy to talk to. As I watch the people I realize there a lot of cute girls shuffling in but I get angry. You know why? How come girls get to wear clothes that find a way to show off any tatoo they might. If I wear a shirt built around my ink people would think I lost my fucking mind. Sorry just a personal bias.

Game Over takes the stage and right away launch into their set of pop punk. The first thing that crosses my mind is: these guys belong on Fat Wreck. You know before Fat Wreck added the larry arms and D4? When you could hear a song and say: Fat Wreck. Well, thats what these guys are. If you think that's an insult then that tells us a little bit about you now doesnt it? If you think that is a complement well, that tells us a little bit more huh? The lead singer is a big kid with a jerry curl and a good voice for their music. He works the crowd well and keeps trying to get people on the floor. Valient effort but the crowd was too sober and it was too early. Then I notice the drummer doing the mirror stand. If you've ever been to the social you know what I'm talking about. They have mirrors above the bar and the band can see themselves there. Well, the drummer was doing the mirror stare. I hate that shit. At some point in their set I think a thought that I've thought before: if these guys where cuter they might be famous. The music was crisp and clean and well played. They had a keyboarder but I wasn't sure if he was doing anything, which makes me think he was probably doing alot. Some of their lyrics where a little too… well… at one point I swear he said "Stars spelled backwards is start." Maybe I missheard that. I hope so. The singer encouraged a circle pit but instead a game of hacky sack broke out. Someone get me out of this town. They ended with a sing along song where the crowd sings along with them and you've all heard this song. Where the chorus is like: "This is a song about FILL IN THE BLANK" and then they repeat that alot. As much as this sound negative let me tell you, I think I have an EP of theirs around here and now I want to find it. It's the type of music you make fun of as you hit repeat. If you wanna know more visit www.gameoversucks.com Shit I plugged em.

Next up is Mae. Or is it Mea. Or does it matter? I want this to be a review but it might turn into a crituque so I'll be careful. They start setting up and they all look pretty and HOLY SHIT DID THE GUITARIST JUST CHANGE INTO AN EVEN TIGHTER SHIRT? All the sudden all the cute girls with the tatoo cute shirts are on the floor. I gotta try that tighter shirt stuff it seems to have a payoff effect. The keyboardist has a lot of keyboards, he must really be important. Plus his head is shaved. He's like a steriod Moby. This better not be jungle.

These guys kick it off and right away I can tell you they are talented musicains. They sound good and complicated and once again crisp and clean. Influences….hmmm… maybe a bit of Sparta maybe a little bit of Taking Back Sunday (which means a little bit of everyone) but something bugs me the whole set. I get a feeling there is alot of music like Mae out there and I just don't listen to it. Why does the band stand back so far from the singer? Is he that pretty? Stand back bass player dont get caught in the prettyness. The keyboardist is overdramtic but when I can hear him he sounds good. It's not jungle so I'm happy. Lyric wise they are hitting me with lines like "Sometimes I run but I'm not afraid." and "Stand Solemly in the snow." "It's you and me, we could get out of here." They don't work the crowd at all at first but as the show goes on they do more and more. He seems very at home on stage and I'm shocked when he says they don't have a record out yet. Then I'm not shocked when he says it comes out next week on Tooth and Nail (hmmm.. was expecting drive thru maybe). When he switches guitars he picks up a really shiny pretty guitar and man is everything about this band this shiny? This is not scream core but at any second I wait for him to bust out in a Finch like scream. There are these divorced people next to me on a date and by the end of this set they are dry humping to the music so hard that I almost bust a nut. No kidding. I want to talk more about the music but the mento's smiles and the dramatic pose striking was just a little too much for me. If you like good music with weak lyrics check out Mae. They have talent. If you like cute guys check out Mae they seem to have a lot of talent. If you want to feel like you're back at prom go check out Mae. They have shiny guitars and Moby plays keyboard for them.

Next up is Atom. Some of the pretty people leave the floor before he takes the stage. Some other fashion rockers have a limbo contest on the floor. I would hate them for this if the girl wasn't so fucking hot. Atom walks up lays the package on the floor and plugs in some wires and here we go.

By now you all know the Atom and Package schtick. Funny guy writes songs on sequencer and makes politcal points and funny observations. Good stuff. Wait sorry I was distracted, Bert from the Used just showed up. Ok. It's not Bert but this kid dyed his hair black and looks like Bert. This kids girl is hotter though. Good for bizzaro Bert. Atom's sound check is the song that never ends. Just got it out of my head after years and now its back. Thanks Atom.

Atom does some new stuff and a lot of his more popular tunes like: Hooray for halford and Shopping Spree, If you're the Owner of the Washington Redskins and of course closes with Punk Rock Academy. The best thing about Atom is the crowd interaction. There was this drunk cock rocker yelling at him that if he was rock he would say Mother Fucker more. Atom obligues and says mother fucker a lot more. These two go back and forth the whole show. They argue over members of philly bands and so on. It was great stuff. The girls wanted him to do his Madonna cover but thank god he spared us. Thank you Atom! The crowd kept cheering for shopping spree but you get the feeling he has heard this joke to much. To big observations poked out to me during the show. Atom sucks this is great! And man why does everyone say he sucks at guitar? I've definitely heard worse people on guitar. Most of the show I'm able to tune out the jungle beat radiating from next door, when you live in Orlando there is always techno next door, and focus on what fun his songs are. Atom seems to have a good time and then boom, no encore he's done.

Over all it was a show worth spending 7 bucks on and Atom was entertaining as hell. The other bands are talented and if you like NUFAN check out Game Over. If you just want to be turned on, or even question your sexuality then check out Mae.