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Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2008 > May > 23 > Entry
Review: Foxboro Hot Tubs at Emo’s
In professional wrestling circles there’s a dramatic device called kayfabe — the suspension of disbelief needed for fans to invest emotionally in the feuds of heroes and villains.
It’s a quaint idea in the Internet age when the real scoop on everything is readily available all the time but somehow it survives, often with a wink and a nudge to the audience from the “sport’s” performers.
Which brings us to the Foxboro Hot Tubs, who, depending on your theatrical whims, are either the new, hot underground retro-garage rockers of the moment or punk rock vets Green Day having a little pseudonymous fun with fans who’ve waited almost four years for a new record.
The two realities stood uncomfortably side by side as the Hot Tubs/Green Day visited Emo’s Thursday night as part of a tour in support of the just released “Stop Drop and Roll!!!”
Starting off with the Hives-ish title track, the band — Green Day singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool, joined by three other musicians — got the cheering crowd of around 300 moving quickly.
A lot’s been made of the Hot Tubs’ ’60s revival sound on record, but in a live setting minus all echoes and production effects the hook-filled, upbeat songs like “Mother Mary” and “Ruby Room” sounded just like any of Green Day’s other material. The only exception to this was the haunting “Dark Side of Night,” complete with flute solos, that was a total departure in style.
In the midst of it all was a guitar-less Armstrong and company relishing the intimacy of a club their full-time band big farewell to more than a decade ago. The close environment let Armstrong crowd surf while singing and introduce his friend One-Eyed Jack — a taxidermied alligator head on a pole — before launching into the staccato rocker “Alligator.”
Back to kayfabe for a moment. As much fun as the crowd was having all night the unspoken question in the room was whether the Hot Tubs would shed their pretend skin and play at least a few Green Day hits, a thrilling prospect in a room that small. It wasn’t meant to be, however, as the 75-minute set stuck to pretty much all of the Hot Tubs record, a few covers including one by Green Day’s last guise Network, and a selection of beefy rockers that sound like they could be destined for the next Green Day album.
Spread throughout, of course, was Armstrong grinning and reminding “Hi, we’re the Foxboro Hot Tubs!” almost to the point of annoyance, going so far as to introduce Dirnt as “Senor Miguelito Gomez.”
Cute guys. I think from now on I’m going to go around town introducing myself to people as Hulk Hogan.
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By Whitney
May 23, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
This concert was incredible! One of the best I’ve ever seen.
The Statesmen reporter only kinda gets it right. It’s not really a suspension of disbelief, it’s more like an inside joke. It was all about the energy—the “in the know” fans got a chance to see one of their favorite bands (Green Day) in a venue of only 300 people for just $20, and Green Day got to remember what it was like to play to totally die hard fans who didn’t have to pay a scalper several hundred dollars for a front row ticket.
But, the Statesman also got a few details wrongs. First of all, they did actually play a few Green Day songs last night, though by no means the popular ones. They instead opted to bring out some of the fun old stuff from Kerplunk. Secondly, the Statesman reporter made it seem like they were joined by three rando musicians…not true, they were joined by the guys that have formed their touring band for years.
One of the best moments was the encore in which the crowd pushed forward so hard that the people in the front (myself included) had no choice but to leap on the stage with the band. When security started trying to violently shoo people off the stage, Billy Joe Armstrong (err..the Reverend Strychnine) pulled security off of everyone and just let us rock out. The band seemed to have a great time, and everyone in the crowd saw a GREAT show.
By ttrentham
May 23, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this
More importantly, what was the average campout time for people who got in? 8 hours? More? Less?
By Erica
May 23, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this
I’m curious about that too, Ttrentham. Anyone? I mean, this was announced in the newspaper on Tuesday as well as on the radio yesterday afternoon. There had to be way more people that showed up there than were actually allowed in. That kept me from even trying to get down there. I figured there was little hope. Sounds awesome though! Congrats to those who got in!
By Mikey
May 23, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
GREAT SHOW!!! I was in line for 1 hour and got tickets no problem and the folks at Emo’s couldn’t be nicer.
Only Green Day song was drugs, sex, and booze from Warning. No Kerplunk stuff on that set.
That’s OK though it was all Foxboro Hot Tubs all the time and the guys from Green Day hanging out and having fun with their fans. As a kid who used to see Green Day in places way smaller than Emo’s all the way up to the AT&T center this was a rare treat to see the guys back in their element rocking the socks off Austin!
I’ll remember this show for a long time!
By Renee
May 23, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this
There was no problem getting in. I drove in from Houston and was prepared for an all day sit in outside of Emo’s. I got there at 3:30 waited 20 minutes, got tickets, hung out on 6th, ate at the tea house on 7th, walked by the club just in time to run into Billie Joe entering the house, got his autograph on my arm, went across the street and had it tattooed, got back to the club about 8:30 (doors opened at 8, mind you!) walked right in and was never more than 5 people deep in the crowd. It was an event. For someone who never got to see them in the small clubs, it felt once in a lifetime & simply the best show I’ve ever seen & I’ve seen alot. The very best thing? At 20 bucks a head, Mike, Tres and Billie Joe are paying to do this out of their pocket because, I assume, they wanted to feel back to the start—like was above noted. What a gift for their fans. And for the guys to be able to hang out in peace (Tres was drinking beer at the bar), crowd surf, be goofy, and get up close and personal—holding hands from the stage with fans, etc. The bratty boys have always changed their sound from album to album—so what’s in a name? Be they Green Day or Foxboro Hot Tubs the fact is that they are Mike, Tres, Billie Joe and company doing what they were born to do. (By the by, the other guys names are Jason White, Jason Freeze, and a new guy on guitar….and they played the older Green Day song, a Network song which Mr Armstong said they stole from those bastards(another in-joke), and a lesser known Who gem.) No mention of Billie Joe’s white fur coat or patent leather loafers or longer blonder locks and brawny tan….the goat head star wall hanging or lotus flower lights….or the fact that Darker Side of Night was performed in the dark at Armstrong’s request and how then a sunglassed Armstrong moaned of not being able to see…..They never do anything half way. When they reinvent, they reinvent.
By adam
May 23, 2008 9:10 PM | Link to this
I waited in line for two hours, got my ticket, left, came back at 8, and was in the VERY front for the entire concert. It was the most incredible night of my life. Rocking out on the stage during the last song was just unbelievable.
Simply amazing.
By Whitney
May 25, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this
Yeah, the standing in line wasn’t terrible…I had heard the tickets were going to go on sale at noon, and had a friend go down to get a spot in line around 11. But they didn’t want to sell tickets until they felt they would completely sell them out, and the line didn’t grow to that point until around 3:30. By four, we had our tix.
Fantastic show.