Bottom of the Hill April 4, 2004 Review by Jake Thomas After having seen the Starlight Mints on some giant stages opening for big name acts (the last Flaming Lips show is the one that most vividly comes to mind, and a grand show it was), I was excited to finally be seeing them on a small stage, in such an intimate setting. And boy howdy was it great °V watching them from what seems like miles away at the Warfield, it makes it much more difficult to get into the music. But at Bottom of the Hill, I was front and center and it was like they were playing just for me. Their quirky Pixies-meet-Of Montreal pop songs pleased me like steak to a starving mutt. Their video projections, which were the same as the last couple of times I've seen them (as were most of the songs save a couple of new ones, not that I'm complaining), drenched the band in the glow of an LCD projector, pretty much dismissing the need for any sort of light show. All of the members seemed genuinely happy and excited to be playing, despite the thin crowd; in fact the female keyboardist must enjoy it all so much that's she's up there rocking on stage while being very pregnant! Now that's punk rock, despite how poppy their tunes are. --- Read our previous Starlight Mint review: May 28, 2003 @ Warfield ©2004playinginfog.com |