I arrived at the Hampton Beach Casino a couple hours before the show. The parking lot was out back, and coincidentally, when I got out of my car, so was I. Rather than wander up to the “Hampton Strip,” my friend and I just hung out there. And what to my wandering eyes did appear, but miniature motorcycles and people far too large to be riding them. I laughed when I saw them, in spite of myself. I would have asked to ride one, but since I was born with legs, I was precluded from joining in the fun. I digress though. If ever I need a hobby; I’ll just start smoking.
For those readers that have yet to guess, I found those little motorcycles pretty entertaining. I was even more entertained knowing that the Santa’s Hell’s Angels patrolling the parking lot, were 30 Seconds to Mars. Like Christmas in July, it was ironic. Would be concert goers were all waiting inside to see the show, and one of the bands was outside for all to see, and no one knew.
The bikes went away, and as the sun set in the sky, the curtain rose in the Casino. 30 Seconds to Mars was first to hit the stage, and much like you’ve forgotten my first two paragraphs, I had forgotten the motorcycles made for Oompa Loompas. They opened with “End of the Beginning,” which was a good choice. The song was intense, and quickly reminded the audience why they paid for their tickets. Deafening sound filled the ballroom, and the crowd was quickly energized. I kept my cool though, because that’s what I do.
The band transitioned nicely into Buddha for Mary. I’d say that this was the most intense song of the six song set, though not the least significant. A slow starter, it slowly built in intensity, until it exploded into a long cycling crescendo. I was going deaf, but enjoying it. It was like drinking antifreeze: bad for you, but so good.
Other notable songs were “Attack” and “Capricorn.” Both were solid. The band was tight, and so were the vocals. It’s always a crapshoot when you see a musical act that uses a lot of technical atmospherics, perform live. 30 Seconds to Mars can bring the whole package to the stage. It’s a good thing. The performance was supplemented by Jared Leto’s near constant interaction with the audience. In looking on, I couldn’t help but think of Bono, as he jumped off the stage and into the audience. The crowd loved it, but I’m not sure about the security trying to pull him back to the relative safety of the stage.
The last song the band played was “The Fantasy.” Like “Attack,” it was a cut from their forthcoming album. With it came my one complaint about the performance delivered by “30 Seconds to Mars.” The set was too short. This is a band with two albums of pretty solid material. I would’ve liked to hear “Welcome to the Universe,” or “Fallen.” Of course, the short set may have had less to do with the band, than with those who organized the show. I can’t really say. I’m not a doctor. I just practice unlicensed medicine in a pinch. I’m just kidding. Who needs practice?
Remember the latest CD comes out August 30th!
