I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: November 14, 2018] Letters to Cleo

When Letters to Cleo first put out Aurora Gory Alice back in 1993  I was really excited about them.  They were punky and fast but they were poppy and intriguing.  The chorus of “Here & Now” is somehow really catchy and impossible to sing.  I lived in Boston, they were based in Boston.  They were getting much buzz in the Boston Phoenix and on WFNX (“Here & Now” was inescapable–it was even used on Melrose Place).  And their name was weird and mentioned my childhood dog (Cleo).  I also thought their album title was funny so I bought a copy on Cherry Disc records (one of dozens of CDs I bought on an indie label only to later find out the major label pressing aided like five more songs and a gold chain or something).

Their second album had an even weirder name Wholesale Meats and Fish but was equally as strong, if not stronger.  Their third album was the amazing Go!–it added so much depth to their songwriting and was really just fantastic.

Then they appeared in 1999’s movie 10 Things I Hate About You.  They had songs on the soundtrack and were filmed playing “I Want You To Want Me” over the closing credits.

Wikipedia says that “the band then recorded 13 new original songs for the Kids’ WB cartoon, Generation O!, which aired from 2000 to 2001″ and which I’ve never heard of.

Then they broke up.

Kay Hanley has been super-duper busy over the intervening years, making solo albums and writing music.  She was the singing voice for Rachael Leigh Cook’s in Josie and the Pussycats.  She sang the theme song for a Scooby Doo show and a Care Bears show and she has been writing the music for Doc McStuffins.   She even sang back up for Miley Cyrus.

But she never fully said goodbye to Cleo.  They reunited in 2007 and 2008 and released a live album.  Two years ago the band got back together to release an EP of new music called Back to Nebraska.

So here they were doing a five city mini-tour which included Philly! I got a ticket right away, not sure if it would be in high demand.  I don’t think it sold out, but it was well-attended and the fans were intense

I saw Letters to Cleo many many years ago at some kind of show which I barely remember.  My friends were there to see Firewater and I was there to see Firewater and Letters to Cleo.  I can’t find any other information about this show and the strange double billing.  I never actually knew where we were going when we went there.  It was dark and took about an hour from North Jersey is all I know.

Anyhow, LtC were great then and they were great in 2018 as well.

Kay’s voice sounds just as powerful and tuneful if not as high as it once was.  After the first song Kay said that she was in a bad mood but that we perked her up.  I had heard her on the radio earlier and she seemed really happy.  I wonder what Philly did to her in the remaining hours.

The band was full of energy.   Drummer Stacy Jones was just fantastic. After singing and playing guitar for the opening set with American Hi Fi, he totally blasted through the LtC songs. He’s a great drummer, playing interesting fills and really keeping the volume where it needs to be.

The dual guitars sounded perfect, with Michael Eisenstein’s rhythm perfectly complimenting Greg McKenna’s lead guitars and riffs.

On the radio earlier they had talked about this being an anniversary for Aurora Gory Alice, (25 years) so I thought maybe they’d be playing the whole thing.  But no.  They played four from that, four from Wholesale and five from Go.  The set was like a greatest hits with a couple new tracks and a couple of covers.

It seems like Demon Rock is the standard opener for LtC and it was great–powerful and rocking just as it should be.  There was some technical difficulty with bassist Joe’s Klompus’ gear so to fill in the time Kay had us sing happy birthday to him.

This is now I believe the fourth or fifth concert I’ve attended where it was someone’s birthday.

The new songs, “4 Leaf Clover” and “Hitch a Ride” fit in perfectly with the older stuff.

But I was really excited to hear that older stuff.  I wasn’t sure what I was more excited to hear, the Aurora Gory Alice tracks (how many times have I sung along to “Mellie’s Comin’ Over” and “Big Star” or the big chunk of songs from Go “Veda Very Shining!” the great guitar licks of “Because of You” or the twisted lyrics of “Find You Dead.”

It was fun that they did a couple of covers, mostly because they are covers that the band is basically known for (from 10 Things).  “Cruel to Be Kind” and “I Want You to Want Me” were both hits, so they felt like a natural part of their set.  Would I have rather heard an original?  Sure.  But it was sure fun to sing along with those two.  But honestly I can’t think of any songs that I was disappointed not to hear.  Ok, actually “I Got Time” would have been awesome.  And “Co-Pilot” … okay honestly they could have played all of Go!

Given that they could have played practically their whole catalog in 2 hours, I was a little surprised by the brevity of their set.  I mean, it wasn’t short.  They played for 90 minutes and played 17 songs, but I kind of imagined they’d play more, it’s been like ten years, after all. But that seems to be their standard set length, so it’s not like we got short-changed.

Plus the band was fun and sounded great.  Kay really communicated with the audience–she had a nice moment with the young woman standing in front of me, and they even hung around afterwards talking to people.

Plus, I love my tour poster (above)

While at their merch booth I bought their 2008 Live CD and I have to say that I think they sounded better in 2018 than in 2008.  The setlist was largely the same–three swaps, the two new songs and “Cruel to be Kind” for “Jennifer” (which I rather like) and “Laudanum,”  and “Little Rosa” which I didn’t miss at all.

It was great to have them back and great to see them live.

SETLIST

1. Demon Rock ∝
2. Fast Way ∝
3. 4 Leaf Clover ⇐
4. Big Star ∀
5. Awake ∝
6. Mellie’s Comin’ Over ∀
7. Cruel to Be Kind
8. Find You Dead ©
9. Veda Very Shining ©
10. Hitch A Ride ⇐
11. I’m a Fool ©
12. Because of You ©
13. Here & Now ∀
14. Pizza Cutter ∝
15. encore
16. Disappear ©
17. I Want You to Want Me
18. Rim Shak ∀

⇐= Back to Nebraska (2016)
©= Go! (1997)
∝ = Wholesale Meats and Fish (1995)
∀ = Aurora Gory Alice (1993)