Newageamazon gets “the Full Effect” @ Diesel 9/05/08

There is always something to be said for new experiences.

And me? I’m a girl who enjoys new experiences for the most part. Especially musically. I might not fall head over heels in love with a band, but I’m willing to give just about anything a shot. And now, this phenomenon has been branching out into shows as well.

Which is how I found myself at the Reggie and the Full Effect show at Diesel on September 5th. Now, writing this up, my legs are sore, my ears are still ringing a bit and I’m reflecting on an awesome night.

The best part about the show was that the groups were varied. Warship, who opened the show, is a new band featuring Francis Mark and Rob Lauritsen formerly of From Autumn to Ashes. They were definitely the perfect way to announce the opening of the show, with hard guitar chords and screaming vocals that rocked everyone. Especially those of us right beside the speakers.

Second up was Leathermouth, an angry post-hardcore group. Their frontman is strangely familiar…

Why, it’s FRANK IERO!

However, Leathermouth is a pretty far cry from Iero’s other band. Frank screams the vocals, writhes around on stage and enjoys throwing various liquids onto the audience.

…I mean water and Gatorade, you perverts.

The set was energetic and intense, to say the very least. And the fans in the audience were into it, singing along and banging their heads. But Frank? I’m going to say this in the nicest way possible: shave your mustache. It’s just not working.

After Leathermouth left the stage, it was conquered by the one, the only, the mighty MC CHRIS.

Some of you may have caught him on Warped Tour this past year, working his nerd-flavored rhymes. Others might not know him, but would recognize his voice and some of his music from shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force (as MC Peepants in his various incarnations) and Sealab 2021 (as Hesh).

Pictures cannot convey how awesome this guy is live. Between songs where he rapidly goes on about topics such as Batman, female genitalia and Boba Fett, he talks about things like Batman, female genetalia and Boba Fett.

On a much more serious note: MC Chris’s nephew, Murray, has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder which can lead to lifelong health issues and early death. You can help Murray, and others with CF, by going to MC Chris’s official site and following the donate links.

But finally, ladies and gentlemen, it was time for the main event. The coup de grace. It was time for Reggie and the Full Effect:

You KNOW you wanna keep reading after that!

Reggie and the Full Effect is actually James DeWees, a man who wears many hats, a few wigs, and in that picture above, no shirt. The multitalented musician sings, prances around on stage, plays the keyboard, and mocks the people in the audience standing around with their arms crossed trying to be cool.

It is something truly amazing to behold.

Sidenote: this is where my “experience” of the night comes in. This is the first time the Amazon has almost accidentally got caught in a circle pit. That, good readers, is a large reason why there are so few pictures from the set.

Reggie goes back and forth between sweet synth lines, hard guitar riffs and then sometimes combines them both in a way I was pretty sure wasn’t even possible until a few weeks ago. It was wild, it was loud, it got guys to take their shirts off and mosh. In short, I totally approve of the Full Effect.

And you can too, since they’re a Buzznet.com featured user! Check it out!

Head here for the rest of my pictures from the show.

And if you’re interested in catching all these folks while they’re still on tour, head to Buzznet’s Concert Page to see if they’re going to be near you!