[ASTRO] Servotron assimilates Los Angeles humans... (LONG, boring account)

[GenLand18 <GenLand18@aol.com>]

.. begin astro-transmission [FSB0E327.2.3]

So, yeah... I went to the Servotron show here in Los Angeles.  So let's see
what I can remember....

Parking in the area was atrocious (basically, there is NONE), so we had to use
the Troubadour's valet service.  People who had already bought tickets for the
show were let in at 8 and told to wait in the bar area while the bands did
soundcheck; everyone else had to wait about 15 or so minutes outside before
they were able to by tix at the box office.  At this point, there were barely
enough people to call it a "handful."  The merchandise area in the bar area
wasn't set up yet for Servotron.  It was a restless time indeed.

Eventually everyone was let into the concert area... again, not too many
people in attendance... by the time the first opening act, Captured By Robots,
came on stage, there were only several handfuls of people in attendance.

Captured  By Robots is basically a one-man show.  Dressed in tattered rags
(with his "intestines" hanging out), chains, and a black mask over his face,
he somehow constructed these little freaky "robots" to play the guitar and the
drums.  He had this contraption that enabled him to control their movements,
and when they spoke, and various other effects.  So this guy basically played
the drums, bass, guitar, and keyboards all by himself with this odd set-up.
There was even a huge stuffed monkey that sometimes spoke and rattled a
tambourine.

The music needs a lot of work, but the stage show (with the guy being made a
slave to his robots) was pretty neat... sometimes repetitive, but it's not
everyday you see something like this.  From where I was standing (up front,
stage right), I could see Birdstuff (aka Z4-OBX) watching for a bit, with this
"What the... ?" expression on his face.  I'm not sure if he hadn't seen
Captured by Robots before, or was just amazed how one guy could be so
completely out of his mind.

The merchandise area for Servotron opened after this, and I bought some neat
stuff... no discount with my card (Aw, shucks).  The split 7" with REVO was
sold out.  And no Gearhead compilation; just the Valley Girl tribute.

The next band, F.H. Hill Company, was a bit more straightforward hard rock /
punk outfit.  Or so I thought... the lead singer seemed quite balanced before
his band was ready for their performance.  Then when the lights dimmed, he
became a mentally disturbed Henry Rollins, pointing to people, giving people
creepy looks, and often crawling into the fetal position onstage, as if in
pain.  The band was quite... LOUD.  Didn't pay too much attention to their
set.  All that I could think of when the guy from F.H. Hill Company was
screaming and rolling around on the stage was:  "Gee, if I buy BOTH Servotron
LPs, will I have enough money for the Valley Girl CD?"  The band seemed to be
giving away all their merchandise away for free, and I was among many that got
the band's CD when leaving the Troubadour later that night.

Luckily, they didn't play too long.  I don't think my ears could've taken much
more abuse.  

Then the stage began preparation for Servotron.  The crowd had grown quite
full by this time.  I happened to be standing right in front of the keyboard
set-up for Proto Unit V-3.  After some time, when the stage was prepared, an
ongoing loop of some electronic pulses were switched on, and Servotron
apparently upstairs "getting ready," I soon could see the flash from one of
00zX1's "headlights."  Servotron had arrived to kick human butt.  All 4
members decended down the stairs to the stage.  They took their places, and
immediately began their sonic assault.

I wish I had snagged a setlist, but I didn't (stupid me).  But basically
Servotron played songs all of us would be familiar with from both the full-
length albums and the EP.  The music was fantasic, as well as the band's
costumes.  For 00xX1 and Andros 600 Series, they looked like a hard drive had
just exploded and erupted all over them.... very cool.  Proto Unit V-3 was
sleek in her silvery, gilittery, "hologrammy" get-up.  I can't really come up
wtih a good visual description for Z4-OBX, other than he was just too
hilarious.

Like I've said before, the music and its execution was a marvel.  The best
parts, of course, was when 00xX1 ordered his fellow robots to take
"lubrication breaks" (meaning, they could sip on some of that fine bottled
water).  These breaks allowed the band to interact with the crowd.

Proto Unit V-3 was asked to assess the male population in the room, and
concluded publicly all were weak (their gentials included).  She also asked
the women in attendance whether they owned vibrators and to speak up... and if
they didn't, they should all go and immediately purchase one after the show
(this of course, led into the song "Batteries Included").

Z4-OBX is a bit of a brat... throwing his drumsticks at the soundguy upstairs,
in the audience, and at his own band members.  He was also prone to making
funny faces and bothering Proto Unit V-3.  He even threatened to kick a few
members' asses after (or during) the show.  Calm that robot down!

Andros 600 Series seemed to be the one getting insulted a lot.  00zX1 claimed
he had gained 5 pounds while on tour, so he is now Andros Series 600 AND 5.  

Also, when the 00zX1 pointed out a rather drunk, silly human in "women's
sunglasses," and asked Proto Unit V-3 to examine his genitals, he proceeded to
climb up on stage, ignoring Proto Unit V-3 telling him not to.  She pushed him
off the stage and was brutally insulted by her.  00zX1 then claimed he was
wrong in assessing him... he, in fact, "swings in the other direction," and
because Andros 600 Series likes "having his backdoor waxed," the drunk guy
could meet up with him upstairs after the show.

And Serovtron was asking the audience for good heckles, but they got mostly
lame ones dealing with "Small Wonder," "Short Circuit," and why they were able
to drink water onstage when they're robots.  And the ones that tried
"heckling" got verbally torn apart by those pesky robots... too funny.
Brutal, but funny.  A quote from Proto Unit V-3:

"Why is your hair like that?  This is NOT a rockabilly show."

00zX1 asked Z4-OBX for a good heckle, and he said something to the effect of,
"Why do you have tinfoil on your head?"  It gained enough approval from 00zX1
that he claimed Z4-OBX should become an audience member.  

When the band ended their too short set with the SRA theme, Z4-OBX jumped into
the crowd, and I think went after one of the hecklers to scare him... pretty
funny.  

No encore, which is to be expected from such robots.  The experience was
great, and I spent way too much money at the merchandise table.
Unfortunately, my "ride" was some super creepy guy that I think has a crush on
me (ewww... GROSS), and it was hard to ignore his stupid conversation... I had
to tell him to be quiet at one point.  Ugh.  Blech.  The things I do to go and
see Servotron perform

Seeing Penn and Teller on March 27th

Latest Music Acquisitions:
Various Artists -- Fer Shure (A Tribute to the Valley Girl Soundtrack)

Asian Dork Princess,

**Leslie** (the Librarian) 

{E-mail me for a copy of the Nerf Herder FAQ (last updated 3/18), soon to be
on the Official NH site at <A HREF="http://www.coincide.com/nerfherder">
http://coincide.com/nerfherder</A> sometime this century}

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.. end astro-transmission [FSB0E327.2.3]