AFI

Maybe Theatre of the Absurd is stretching it just a bit but it was a very interesting night at the Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco where AFI (A Fire Inside) headlined last night. Also on the bill were the oddly hillbilly/punk mix band Tiger Army and Saosin who certainly set the evening up in a lively way and helped get the crowd surfing going almost immediately.
AFI, the increasingly popular goth/punk band, took the stage all in white, their appearance bordering on Droogie. Frontman Davey Havok generally poured his vocal heart out during a fairly short set for a big show like this. (I was told they only play for an hour. And it was just an hour too with a bit more tacked on the end for the encore.)
Admittedly one of the most interesting parts of the night had nothing to do with the blaring music inside the auditorium... it was the people watching opportunity in the hall where we took a load off between between shooting bands. From the wobbling drunk teenage Baby Huey, hip hugger shorts barely covering her bottom, the trio of hopeful groupies offering K money for an escort backstage, the 12-year-old skidding by on sneakers with wheels and the adorably punked out to the hilt cuz-maybe-you'll-think-I'm-cool child strutting with big brother in near identical attire-- and in the photo pit the record number of clothes I could have added to my wardrobe-- jerseys, sweatshirts, t-shirts-- landing literally right on my head! Another photog in the pit actually examined up one of the sweatshirts but determined it too sweaty to actually take home. Yeah, no thanks!