Cherry Ghost - Phantom Planet

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I thought I’d blown it. (But trust me, this story has a happy ending)

On Sunday night I noticed that Johnathan Rice was going to be playing the very next night at Spaceland. He is doing the April (free Monday nights) residency, but I suddenly found myself fixated on going THIS MONDAY. So, I started calling and writing friends… hoping that someone would feel the same as I and would jump at the chance to see a free show featuring Mr. Rice. My hope was in vain. One by one they all begged off with one excuse after another “oh I’m too sick” “oh I have to work” “oh I already have plans” (my friends start all sentences with “oh”).

Soon I realized that I would be venturing out on my own. Normally this isn’t a problem for me. But while I sat contemplating whether or not to “just do it” as they say, the season 2 box set of Lost started glaring at me from the shelf… it seemed to hypnotize me with it’s promise of immediate and commercial free entertainment. So I decided… there’s always next week. It’s STILL free next week. And so, I sat and watched the soap opera unfold in the hatch. People made out. People cried. They laughed. There was even still a little rock and roll as Driveshaft was the focal point of one of the episodes (my use of “a little” was purposefully used in relation to Driveshaft).

Then at 10:45 my cell phone started vibrating. “Hey! I’m in LA right now! At Spaceland!” The light from text message seemed to mock me. A friend and member of one of my very favorite bands of all time was not only in town but also, at that moment, doing the very thing I had so eagerly anticipated all day and then blown off for the unfulfilled promise of finding out who The Others actually are. ARG!

All was not lost (no pun intended). There was music and drinks and finger food to be had…

Phantom Planet on Jimmy Kimmel Live! 4/8/2008

First: Is a band still awesome if you’ve only heard them while intoxicated? I think so. And I’ll find out for sure when I buy their new album (Raising the Dead), which comes out next week (Can I say “drops next week”? Can I? Please? Please? Please?).

Somewhere, sometime I had decided that Phantom Planet must be a crazy techno electronica band. Something in that name, I guess. So I dismissed them in a flurry of ignorance and snobbery. Shows what I know. Which is nothing. I had all the wrong information, with no one to blame but myself. Not to worry, all was made right last night, as I discovered that they do not play massive synthesizers with contrived drum beats and a lot of backing tracks, but they play awesome rock and roll! And look happy doing it. *As a side note, I get REALLY sick of watching all the pouting and disinterested looks that have injected themselves into many of my favorite artists’ shows.

Listen, I would be pretty fucking happy to be rocking out on stage in front of screaming people who worship at my sweaty talented feet.* I would also like to say that if I wasn’t told that the “California” song from that OC show was by Phantom Planet, I still wouldn’t know. Their set really didn’t sound like anything like that song. Which isn’t exactly a bad thing. Or a good thing. Just an observation. (Another fit of snobbery: I met one Phantom, and he was nice. SO there. Wait. Maybe I should be directing that toward myself and my ignorant snobby dismissing ways.)

Second: Jimmy Kimmel throws one hell of a green room party. I’ve never been to a talk show taping. The truth is, I still haven’t. I spent the entire time in the green room, aside from show time out back in the parking lot… yes, that’s where the bands play. Yes, it was cold. Any other questions?

Here’s a good one: Did you ever watch DuckTales? Remember Scrooge McDuck’s room full of gold? The green room is kinda like that, only instead of diving into coins and bills, it’s finger food and wine and couches and video games and and and so much stuff! I discovered that I’m TERRIBLE at Ms. Pac-Man. How embarrassing. Oh well, wine spritzers make it all tolerable. Bartender, thank you for making me wine spritzers and not laughing at me as you did. And also for not laughing while I downed my vitamins. With that wine spritzer you just handed me. Yeah, I’m healthy like that.

Third: My one suggestion Mr. Kimmel: Please make more delicious vegetarian options. I got really jealous of the praise the tuna tartar was receiving … I can’t say I (or anyone) was feeling the same way about the gorgonzola fig tartlets.

The End.

Ps. I WILL make it to that Johnathan Rice show one Monday this month. I can, and I will! And so should you. You deserve it.