Nerf Herder
8 out of 10 - Great. Good show.
Friday, March 07, 2003
Velvet Jones, Santa Barbara, CA
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Know this: there is nothing like a live Nerf Herder show. Sure, lead singer/guitarist Parry might be too drunk to play guitar, or might forget some lyrics here and there, but never fear, as he is likely to come up with some that are even better right there on the spot.
I admit I really am in awe of this ability. It’s just so foreign to me, because I am so anal and non-spontaneous. It’s definitely part of their appeal and what makes them so much fun live. And you don’t need to be super familiar with their songs to have a great time. Because to tell the truth, I don’t have the last two records… and don’t know the second one that well, either. But that doesn’t stop me from getting caught up in that swelling Nerf sea of bodies below the stage, wondering, “Is Parry going to put me in a song? Is the girl next to me going to become the ad hoc subject of ‘Nose Ring Girl’?”
Despite my lameness of being unfamiliar with the newer material, Nerf Herder holds a special place in my heart and has since their inception. They have come so far since that cassette, foil-wrapped like a Ding Dong. Now they are promoting their third full-length release American Cheese (extra points for dressing like Star Trek for the CD artwork!), and kicking off a European tour. The band also shot a hilarious video for the new song “Mr. Spock.” You can see it at: http://www.honestdons.com/bands/nerfherder/mrspock.ram.
The show was a perfect excursion for trying out my new camera, and and it was great to see Nerf Herder back in the 805. Lots from the first record was played, as well as “Courtney Love,” the Buffy theme, and the touching “Love Sandwich.”
This was the first show I saw with bassist Ben Pringle, which I’m not sure if I’m even spelling right, because HE’S NOT ON THE DAMN WEB SITE, so I’m just going to go with the potato chip spelling. He totally rules. He fits the band in both look and actions very well: equal parts cute & nerdy, he jumps around a lot so he’s fun to watch. Now, I can say someone is nerdy if I’m talking about Nerf Herder and don’t have to explain that this is a good thing, right?
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