Dry Aaron... Mercury Lounge, Aug. 22, 2010
Their set list (which of course I snagged at the end of the show, as usual...) was loaded with crowd favorites including "Done", "Prime Motivator" and the never-boring and always ironically relevant in NYC, "Medicaid Benefit Applique."
The Giraffes performing "Medicaid Benefit Applique" at Mercury Lounge on Aug. 22, 2010 **WARNING: I am NOT a film maker OR sound engineer (phone camera), but I had to get this song live. Apologies for the poor quality in advance!
My friends and I have been seeing Aaron, Paris, Jens and Andrew for years now and have come to adore them. One of the many reasons is of course their us-against-the-world energy, but primarily because they encourage their audience to pelt them with beers. Axl Rose they are not: you are guaranteed to be just as drenched as the band once the booze starts flying. They WILL throw drinks right back at you. They WILL flip you off (see Aaron in the video) and maybe, if you piss them off enough, they will even SPIT at you.
Wet Aaron, mid-show... Mercury Lounge on Aug. 22, 2010
Andrew drummin' away as the beer cups accumulate... Mercury Lounge, Aug. 22, 2010
It is horrible to think that on the verge of exploding, this awesome band may no longer play as the group we know today. Let's hope that these rumors are just rumors. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoy these images (and video, though horrific in sound) of what many consider to be the Best Band in Brooklyn for the last decade.
Post-show debauchery... Mercury Lounge, Aug. 22, 2010
I too attended the memorable Mercury show, having seen this unique and underrated band at least 15 times previously. Aaron Lazar's departure is regrettable but understandable: For one thing, he suffered a heart attack in 2005 and had a defibrillator permanently implanted in his chest. (This near-death experience was the subject of a NEW YORK magazine story in June 2009.)
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