Placebo at The Whisky, L.A.12-13-98

Story by Ralph Bennett
Photos by Karena Bernard

OK...missed the first song because those dickheads at The Whisky made Placebo go on at 9:30. Jokers. Brian seemed annoyed at something, but as the show progressed he lightened up...smoking cigs and doing his best Marlena Dietrich impression for the whole of "My Sweet Prince" as looming, tight red dress wearing bassist, Stefan, played one of the thousand Fender Jazzmasters Brian had brought along to the ultra trendy ..."Why am I here?/Is this band good?/Isn't that a GIRL?/I'm supposed to like this...right?" ...Sold-Out-Hell.

Just one of the crappy scenes in L.A., "babe".

They looked fantasic, as the arena sized P.A. shook to the strains of "Scared Of Girls" and "Nancyboy", when Brian turned around and tried keeping Steve's tempo at pace with the chorus before, next time around, giving up.

Slower numbers that fall short on the CD were given the full effect in the live setting. The best were "Without You...", "The Crawl" and a stripped, fucked and laid to bed version of "Teenage Angst"


The middle through the end of the show was the best, however. Slower numbers that fall short on the CD were given the full effect in the live setting. The best were "Without You...", "The Crawl" and a stripped, fucked and laid to bed version of "Teenage Angst" that drew cheers from myself and the other four people who knew the tune.

The most fun moment was when Miss Molko asked if we liked Stefan's dress, which prompted some retarded freak to yell, "Yeah! Take it off!". After the perfect pause Brian came back to the mic and sneered, "You take it off first, BUDDY", after which he turned to change guitars...again.

My only dissapointment occured during the final moments following the third encore, when Brian again switched his guitar for a bass and dove into a lovely feedback finale to "Evil Dildo". Due to high volume screams as well as fat-comped-sows in bad jeans asking, "So, are they from here?", I couldn't hear exactly what Brian said as a goodbye to L.A. I do think it was, "We love you", but whatever he said in the seconds before seemed much more sincere. I don't think Placebo liked Los Angeles very much. Ha. Who knew..? Who cares, because THIS part of L.A. fucking LOVES Placebo.

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