MxPx

May 18, 2007

State Theater -- St Petersburg, FL

After my interview I stayed for the show, it was amazing, tons of energy…punk rock is making its return.  Mike and Tom were very playful and peppy, with their replacement drummer, Chris Wilson, of The Summer Obsession, while their drummer, Yuri is taking some time off to care for his wife, Kate, and their new addition, a baby girl named Aislinn Emmanuelle. 

During the set the fans were pumped and loud to her new hits and old favorites, one in particular, “Chick Magnet.”  During the second verse of the song Mike stopped the tune and pointed to a fan in the crowd holding a sign, and Mike said, “Hey, hey, hey, ok, what does the sign say?” the kid answered back, “bass on chick magnet!”  Then Mike said, “I’m guessing you want to play?”  The kid freaked as Mike reached out with his hand and helped him up on stage, Mike handed him his bass and said, “Ok, PLAY!”  The kid absolutely rocked the venue and you could tell Mike and Tom were impressed.

Although the show seemed a bit under promoted, as evidence of a less than stellar turn-out, the fans that did come out and show their support with highly enthused.  I know I was.  Having never had the opportunity to see the guys live, before last night; it seems absurd considering they have been basically touring from the late nineties to now.  I guess that when you are doing something you truly love, “working,” like they were last night seems like playing. 

I would venture to say after over ten years of touring these guys would need a break, but that hardly seems the case when I was watching them rock the State Theater.  Sure, they are all in their thirties now; with wives, kids, and mortgages, but it doesn’t seem to have cramped their style in the least.  I was surprised at how the guys looked; relaxed, rejuvenated, and at ease performing.   A punk rock band is all about, “the show,” how to show-off and keep the crowd loud.  The show was filled with singing, screaming, and a little bit of harmless moshing. 

The crowd energy reached its climax when MxPx played their signature tune, “Punk Rawk Show,” and the fans sang along screaming and reaching upstage for Mike and Tom.  You could see how keyed up the guys were as the fans were jumping up and down, full of energy giving them the traditional, “rock out,” hand sign and holding their cells up like lighters. 

As Mike was saying, their new album is supposedly mirroring their live shows and if last night was any indication, I imagine that Secret Weapon is going to rock!  The whole show was such an intense experience, one that I will not soon forget.

Photos by Adrian Alexander