HELP, IT’S BITING ME! GET IT OFF MY NECK!: The Low Budgets, Popped! Fest Night 3, Mill Creek Tavern [FLICKR]
EVA SAYS: I’ve only been to the Millcreek Tavern once before and I remember it struck me as too damn clean for a bar. Not the type of place I’d expect to hold a Popped! show, either, but in a way that was supposed to be part of the appeal I guess. However, what I was expecting was a better turnout. I mean as a city that prides itself on its DIY creative art scene you’d think people would suck a little less and support a local festival. Or something. C’mon, guys! This time around I made it a point to stay clear from the Monster guys. “This drink controls your mind!” was the sentiment shared by the Low Budgets bassist. I can attest to that. From there they forged on to provide a full hour of loud punk music in that enduringly amateurish way that God intended. They hit close to home (a little too close, maybe) with songs like “O.E. In The AM,” which struck me as a sort of personal anthem. They stumbled, they smoked and thrashed, they climbed atop amps and got down on one knee. And I’ll tell ya, I’ve never seen a synth player pump fists with as much gusto as this guy. So yeah, they pulled out all moves that helped them own the crowd right down to the very last minute. Crowd controllers is what my friend described them as. And I admit, at first I didn’t think their songs were original enough to hold their own weight outside of the live show. Without the in yo’ face live element I felt they’re songs reminded me too much of Blink 182 playing the Meat Puppets. But then it was like ‘oh yeah, I kind of like the Meat Puppets.’ Since then I’ve found myself clicking on Low Budgets tracks on the iPod all day.