Live lives it up; Don’t judge the fanatic fan who rushed the Pier 6 stage and jumped for Live’s lead singer, the bald and surprisingly sexy Ed Kowalczyk, on Tuesday night. The rest of the delirious crowd, on their feet for the entire show, were two steps from tackling Kowalczyk out of admiration.
Live took them to the sacred place I like to call “band land,” where you’re thrashing about and scream-singing without realizing your body and lips are moving. In this musical ecstasy, you swear the group in front of you is a Rock and Rock Hall of Fame band and you’re going to pawn your belongings to follow it across the country on tour. In “band land trance,” you actually understand the urge to finger the strings on an invisible electric guitar. Gulping gigantic draft beers can also induce a trip to “band land,” but booze wasn’t needed for Live’s blow-away set.
Kowalczyk and crew’s unadulterated rock showcased thunderous guitar riffs, a perfectly planned set list and Kowalczyk’s distinct voice that slips into your head and stays there until you’re imitating it without trying. Their mainstream hits “I Alone,” “All Over You,” “Selling the Drama” and “Lightening Crashes” garnered screams and flailing arms from the majority of the middle-aged crowd. If any of Live’s members hate playing the decade-old songs, they didn’t show it. Each of the guys seemed amped from the opener to the legitimate encore.
Without seeming cheesy, spastic or rehearsed, Kowalczyk is the ultimate showman. His ‘McJagger’ swagger and pout, touch of soul and arousing stage presence would turn even the burliest, stoic dude into a gushing groupie. In a barely buttoned black shirt, Kowalczyk even made his exposed chest — an overplayed rocker look — appear effortless and natural.
Grinning to each other, Live’s members looked as if they were genuinely having fun on stage — a virtue audiences feel and then follow.
“This is an absolutely perfect night for music,” a sweaty and satisfied Kowalczyk said near the end of the show.
Bottom line: Next time Live comes around, buy a ticket. You’ll get your money’s worth.
Load the iPOD
If you don’t already have them, download “Sofia” and Live’s 2004 cover of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line.” Purists will cry blasphemy, but Live’s version brings out an edge to Cash’s simple, beloved lyrics.
Wearing dead ladies’ clothes
You should be able to slip into a funky, vintage dress without having to wonder what type of rash plagued the previous owner’s skin or whether she actually died in the duds hugging your curves. You don’t have to worry about catching an infection from the wide variety of lightly worn clothes inside Federal Hill’s new store, the very clean and enticing Clothing Warehouse. The Atlanta-based chain recently opened a store on Charles Street in Federal Hill.
One foot inside the store, two sales clerks will welcome you with sincere smiles and eager hellos. Their attire proves vintage can be classic, not clownlike. But any points they scored by not eyeing customers up and down to see whether they are cool enough for Warehouse’s clothes were nullified when one employee told me that I absolutely had to come out of the dressing room for a “fashion show.” Nothing’s worse than a sales clerk mandating you show everyone an ill-fitting, spaghetti-strap, poufy short dress that makes you look like a cracked-out Tinker Bell. Awkward, fake laughter was the only response I could muster.
Out on the floor, a folky, acoustic version of Usher’s “Love in This Club” played as I perused the rows of dresses, arranged by color. That choice makes sense — professional organizers suggest arranging closets by color — but the pick-by-color does make it difficult sometimes to find your size, especially because the tags in the ’70s and ’80s selections curled into tight fists years ago.
Prices were moderate. Dresses sell for about $40. Those who work later than 9 to 5 will appreciate that the Clothing Warehouse doesn’t close until 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday. For frequent shoppers, the spot reloads every week. For more information, visit theclothingwarehouse.com
If you’re in the market for a vest, hit up the Clothing Warehouse. It had an entire rack devoted to the flattering day-to-evening pieces. Cowboy boots and tees were also in abundance.
Is Kanye West camera shy?
Shocked that Virgin Mobile Fest actually accepted our press applications, we received our credentials Thursday. The most surprising info is Bob Dylan won’t allow media outlets to snap his picture. Maybe his people talked with Kanye West’s, who are also asking photographers to keep their lens covers on.
Virgin Fest fanatics who survive the two 12-hour days inside Pimlico will be rewarded with the same dilemma as last year. Which headliner to see — Dylan or Stone Temple Pilots? Nine Inch Nails or West? Although dreading the mass of perspiring fans, Emily still wants desperately to check out Foo Fighters, Citizen Cope, Wilco and Cat Power.
If you need a break from bumping into sweaty, swaying bodies, look for performances from the fire dancing troupe Flights of Fire, local favorites Charm City Roller Girls and the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus & High-Wire Act.
For a complete schedule of who plays when, check out virginmobilefestival.com
Just make sure the fingers you’re licking are your own
The 7th Annual Maryland Barbecue Bash offers the best in barbecue from grilling teams up and down the East Coast, all piled onto a paper plate dripping with sauce. Close to 50 barbecue teams from as far away as Texas and as close as Bel Air have signed up to compete for $10,000 as part of the Maryland State Barbecue Championship in the areas of chicken, ribs, pork and brisket.
In addition to the BBQ Championship, the event also offers the Tailgate Challenge, a pork rib cooking contest, as well as a beer and wine garden, kids area and live music.
The Maryland Barbecue Bash will be held at the Mary Risteau State Office Building parking lot, at 2 S. Bond St. in Bel Air. The event kicks off from 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and continues noon to 10 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit mdbbq.com
