The curious thing about The Vogue is that it oscillates between epitomizing everything I love and everything I hate. As much as I appreciate Deer Creek’s ambiance (see: the parking lot pre-gaming scene), there is no place around Indy where I would rather see a concert than The Vogue. I’ve gotten to stand within arm’s length of so many great bands because of the nightclub’s intimate setup. And I actually enjoy the crowds there. At the concerts I’ve been to, once you get close enough to the stage, you’re surrounded by people who feel passionately about the music being played. Occasionally, there are some asshats who try to push their way to the front. But most of the time, everyone manages to bring a high level of energy to the show without being disruptive. More often then not, I end up clinking bottles and singing in unison with strangers. Although it’s not for everyone, it’s definitely my kind of scene.
When they’re aren’t any musical acts at The Vogue, it turns into Broad Ripple’s most detestable nightclub. Sure, I’ve been to a few Wednesday night Retro Rewinds in my day (all white people like 80s nights – the blog told me so). But it can be a real depressing place. Before the dance floor opens, all the girls get dolled up in their tight jeans and tennis shoes, and the guys refill their prescription cocktail mixers and put on their pastel-colored polos. It’s one of the cornerstones of the city’s hip-hop scene, and generally somewhere that I prefer to avoid at all costs. And don’t think it’s because I’m one of those guys who won’t be caught dead dancing. I’ll get down – I just prefer to do it around people who don’t embrace ignorance and superficiality.
Even though I loathe what The Vogue stands for on most nights, I don’t really have a problem with it. The people who run the club typically do a stellar job of keeping the two conflicting worlds separate. But this was not the case for the Spoon concert on Saturday night.
The marquee ended up proving my point. It read SATURDAY / SPOON / DANCE CLUB AT 10. As my posse waited an inordinate amount of time for the doors to open, I joked that people are probably going to walk by and wonder what SPOON DANCE CLUB is. I was just going for a laugh, but in reality, the lack of separation was essentially an analogy for what followed.
We finally got in, and Spoon played a great set. Plenty of new classics (“Black Like Me”, “Finer Feelings”, “Don’t Make Me a Target”) spliced with some old faves that I wasn’t sure I’d be fortunate enough to hear (“Utilitarian”, “Everything Hits at Once”, “Small Stakes”). The band even peppered the show with oddities. They played “Don’t You Evah” twice: the original album version to open the show and the Ted Leo reggae remix after the encore break. And they closed with a cover of The Smiths song “Panic”, deciding to take a jab at Vogue organizers for forcing them off the stage at 10 p.m.
In case you’re not familiar with The Smiths (I wasn’t – I know, shame on me), the song climaxes with chants of “Hang the DJ.” If there had been ropes readily available, I bet several people in the crowd would have followed through. I’m more of a pacifist, but come on – why did Spoon and dance clubbing have to share the same bill? If I was Britt Daniel, I’d be offended. His critically acclaimed band was essentially an opening act for DJ Shitforbrains and a bunch of floozies from the latest “Girls With Low Self-Esteem” video.
Maybe I’m being too harsh. I guess The Vogue’s faux-paux made me cherish my first Spoon concert even more, because it now seems unlikely that I’ll ever get the chance to see the band play in Indy again.
SETLIST (not definitive = order approximate, some songs missing)
Don’t You Evah
My Mathematical Mind
All the Pretty Girls Go to the City
The Ghost of You Lingers
Utilitarian
I Summon You
Jonathan Fisk
Everything Hits at Once
Eddie’s Ragga
Black Like Me
Stay, Don’t Go
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
Anything You Want
Don’t Make Me a Target
They Never Got You
Finer Feelings
The Underdog
—
Don’t You Evah (Ted Leo Remix)
I Turn My Camera On
Rhthm and Soul
Small Stakes
Panic (Smiths cover)
Rock Out With Your Blog Out! 