THE CONCERT WAS FRAKKING MINDBLOWING!!

There’s nothing like hearing Battlestar music live…

Was one of the earlier folks to line up outside the Roxy theater over in West Hollywood. Apparently the Keyclub (or whatever) was having a live concert also, though of the rock/metal sort, seeing as almost everyone in that line was wearing black rock band t-shirts and skinny jeans. Half a block over were the Battlestar geeks– drawing many confusing looks from drivers passing by: Bear McCreary and the The Music of Battle-what?

Saw a few people wearing some fan made BSG shirts. I had expected more but I guess BSG is lacking in the official merchandise department. One said “Frak off!” another was WTFrak, one was a mock up “Baltar is my Homeboy,” and a really great political one that said something like: “ROSLIN AIRLOCK ‘08: Simple Solutions for Desperate Times” (Roslin’s airlock fetish does make an inspiring idea for a cartoon) I wish I could have added to the group with a “Launch Vipers!” or a “WW6D?” but schoolwork’s been eating up all my time….I still wanna make one anyway.

So on with the show! Standing wouldn’t have been so bad if only tall people weren’t so….tall. But there were more short/average height people than tall ones so it’s all gooood. Some music videos of the songs were playing on a projection screen with some footage from the show and from the sound stage, which made a nice distraction while we waited and also let us listen to some of the songs on the big speakers that wouldn’t be played live. Finally James Callis comes on the stage to much applause, whoopings, and cat calls (cause he’s frakking hotter in real life than on tv.) He introduces Brendan, Bear’s younger brother, and the opening band who played a few of their own songs as well as a Battlestar inspired one– that didn’t make it to the show………awww. Great performance from them! Then came a 15 minute intersession (huh?) and the video came back on while we waited (“Storming New Caprica”– whoo!)

The musicians finally came back on stage along with James, who introduced Bear to the crowd. Bear took his place by the keyboards and began to perform/conduct. First song was “A Distant Sadness,” with Raya Yarbrough singing the lyrics. She wouldn’t come back on stage til towards the end of the concert with “Lords of Kobol.” Other songs they played (in no particular order) included: Precipice, Baltar’s Dream, Black Market, Roslin and Adama (beautiful!), Wander My Friends (with Brendan doing the vocals and another guest musician playing the Irish pipes–can’t remember his name,) Something Dark Is Coming (Bear said he had to work this one through on his birthday :( ), Gina Escapes, Promise To Return, Wayward Soldier, Fight Night, Dirty Hands, Heeding the Call, and All Along the Watchtower as their final song. James Callis performed as well (as I hoped he would) on the keyboard to his own song, “Spooky.”

There was also a documentary (of sorts) about the…

The Secrets of…

The Behind the Making of…

The Music of…

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

…Revealed.

…Which tracks Bear’s “obscurity” in the Battlestar production team– because there’s no music in Battlestar!– and also his party/popularity woes. Poor Bear kept being referred to as an actual bear, and his music as purely “sound effects.” Meanwhile James runs around trying to cheer up Bear by getting footage of his fellow co-stars to compliment his music…. mostly to reactions of “what music?” or “Bear who?” My favorite retort has to be from Katee Sackhoff: “What drums? I thought that was Eddie banging around behind the set!” Eddie’s “bear” grunts were hilarious and totally random. The ‘one season later’ parody was a great way to end Bear’s party story :)

Soon the finale ended and the players have said their goodbyes and emptied the stage. The applause continued long after they had gone, hoping for an encore. Someone on my side of the room suddenly yelled out “So say we all!” A few people yelled the same. Then about three people yelled at the same time. Before I knew it the entire room was clapping and chanting “So say we all!” A spinning ball light fixture
turned on to keep us going. After what seemed like forever, I heard whoopings from the other side of the room. They gave! and they played Black Market as the encore, which was a great, pumping song to officially end the concert with.

It was an awesome night. It wasn’t epic by any means, but it wouldn’t be as intimate if it were on a huge stage. I hear the last concert they had was smaller. Paul Cartwright was tearing up that electric violin like a starving dog with pork meat sausage… I think it might have caught on fire if his passionate sweat hadn’t been flung around like it did.

Pictures! I’ve blacked out some people’s heads….caus that’s what they looked like to me: