Heres the link:
www.rollingstone.com.ar/1394119-blind-melon-en-nicetoAnd here's my translation!:
This friday, Niceto Club is overcrowded. Ephemeral friendships are born while the fans wait in line to enter the venue. The crowd is united and chatting:
- Did you listen to their new singer?
- Yeah, I've listened to their last CD and he's cool
- I wonder if he will sing the old songs like Shannon did or if he will have his own style
Today Blind Melon plays in Argentina for the first time. It feels like if they had come 16 years later than they should've. In 1995, their original singer Shannon Hoon ODed. And here we will all miss what we have never seen live. And of course, someone must have lighted a candle in his name, to remember him.
With the mourning done, the crowd wants the show to begin... they want to see Travis' performance... but still nothing happens yet. Meanwhile, the DJ plays some argentinian reggae while the attendants strongly manifest their dislike for it. So they organize and create a couple of chorus lines: "Stop the reggae! (x3) / Play Pearl Jam (x2). But no one seems to listen them. Song by song, the tension rises and more people join the chant. And they finally achieve it! but no one understands what's playing now. For everyone's sake, it's not reggae this time.
It's just a way to have some fun while we all wait, and the people gathered here have a good vibe and the intention to have a good time. So they claim for the band: Blind MEeeeeelon, Blind Meeeeelon! and when everyone's about to surrender, the backdrop opens and one of the best bands from the 90's comes out to play "2x4" and blow our minds out. They link it with "Toes Across the Floor" and then we will realize that the band explodes, it's sharp as ever and if they played great 20 years ago, now they do it even better. And even if Travis Warren won't sing, dance or dress like Hoon, he is a hell of a great singer.
The song ends and Travis speaks to the audience: "They told us that playing South America was gonna be great and that you were an amazing audience, but we didn't expect this: You are the best fans in the world". Between the clapping hands, someone answers him: "We know that asshole", and he speeks seriously and in a good positive way, because as the show progresses, the band seems to take in more and more of the heat from the crowd downstage. Thankfull, the band didn't stop giving gifts to their fans: picks, stickers, drumsticks and handshakes.
And they play "Soup", "Paper Scratcher" and "Drive". Warren pauses after that one and picks someone from the crowd to get him onstage. First a backpack, then the fan, absolutely thrilled. He doesn't understand what's happening... meanwhile, the band plays the opening chords from "Skinned" and Travis asks him if he can sing it. Who know what he replied... nevertheless, he takes off his sweatshirt and pridely shows his Argentina soccer tshirt. He´s flying. He greets every bandmember cheerfully and the song begins. While Warren sings, this fan can't keep to himself: he dances, rocks, grabs Brad's shaker so to play something along with them, steals a sticker and shows it to Travis. The last chord rings and the claim is unanimous: "Give him your tshirt! (X10)". If these guys knew spanish, they would have asked for it. So our friend leaves the stage with a dream accomplished and retaining his full clothing.
After this, there will come several old and new songs. Because, Blind Melon edited a new album in 2008, titled "For my Friends". And it's beautiful to see them play. Their style has evolved much and you cannot stop founding bits and pieces of genres: they got grunge, they got psychodelia, they got desert, they got surf, blues and nevertheless, they sound UNIQUE.
And finally now, what we have all been expecting. Even though we say we are tired of listening to it. A memorable moment comparable with that Velez show in which Luis Alberto Spinetta reunited "Almendra" and played "Muchacha ojos de Papel", finally. The melodious guitar intro starts. Here comes "No Rain" and everyone in the Club gets goosebumps. This is like seeing the Eiffel Tower or the Partenon for the first time. It's getting to the direct source of something that has been reproduced a thousand times.
The contact with upstage and downstage is more genuine than ever before. We are all having a great time. Travis pulls out a vidcam and registers that wave of fans that doesn't stop moving. For the crowd downstage, the show is Blind Melon. For Blind Melon, the show is the crowd. Everything here happens between a comming and going of gifts.
Rogers Stevens has sweat dropping from under his hat. He is strongly connected and keeps touching people and giving them gifts. A fan seems to take pity on him and holds his hand up, offering him a joint. Rogers looks at him and when he realizes what the offer is about, makes this face with an "Of Course, man" and gives it a drag. He quickly returns it to it's owner and starts playing "Time".
Encore time. "The Pusher", "Mouthful of Cavities" and "Galaxie". And once again, the sensation of listening to one of the best songs from the 90's. The crowd, ecstatic, asks for one more song. Blind Melon starts "Walk" and the show is about to be over. After that, nothing will care that much: random recorded music will sound again and Niceto Club will be the Niceto we all know. Everyone exits the place in happiness, both fans and BM members. After a while they will come out to greet their fans, waiting for them. Pictures will be taken and thanks given. Chris will ride his bike for a while and who knows where will the night led them
by Juan Manuel daza
(translated by Ezequiel Guerrero -aka Crimsong-)
