By Amber Shaffer, SDAM Staff Writer
©Copyright 2024 SDAM.com/Amber Shaffer

I've known about Lords of Acid for a couple of years, but I'd never looked into them further than having a friend of mine who is on their street team send me some samples. Given their music style - sex-driven, electronic/industrial, I knew they'd be a fun show and jumped on the chance to go on behalf of SDAM.com. I had fully intended to go it alone, but the afternoon of the show I got a call from my friend John, who through some strange string of associations (through people in Michigan no less!) had found himself on the guest list with VIP passes to the show (unknown to him until about 8 hours prior to the show). He asked if I would join him since I was the only person he knows who would be even remotely interested. How flattering, but I knew what he meant. I told him I was already going, but we could now go together. I sent him on a shopping outing to The Crypt over in Hillcrest as he admitted to owning no appropriate clothing (apparently the three boys on duty at The Crypt had quite the time playing dress up with John), and we made plans to get to 4th and B sometime after the opening act. I always make John drive because one, I hate driving, and two, he's got the nicer version of my Jeep so it's a better ride. He showed up and I was amused to see we were in coordinating outfits. He in some cool silver jeans by LipService (hey, gotta plug my favorite brand) and a black shirt, and me in the shortest silver skirt known to man kind (also by LipService) and a black fishnet shirt with another black top over it. End fashion report. We timed our arrival perfectly - Lords of Acid took the stage just as we were handed our drinks. We made our way in to the crowd and ended up behind That Guy. You know the one - he's at every concert. The fella who's about 20 years older than the average fan in the audience and rocking out cluelessly? He was doing an updated version of the same dance he probably did at the Greatful Dead concerts he went to in his youth and periodically would turn to whoever happened to be near him to give them a brotherly high-five. It was great! I was completely surprised by how packed the venue was. Honestly, I didn't think the Lords would have such a draw in San Diego. There were also a ton of tickets being given away on the radio all week, so that probably contributed a bit too. But still, of the 3 shows I've been to at 4th and B, that was by far the largest and the most energetic. And had the most unique-looking crowd. I swear, finding people with individuality and style in this city is like looking for a place to park in PB on a Saturday night...you have to look far and wide and only have success if you go off the beaten path. But back to the show. The Lords make great use of their stage - they fill it up, they move around, plenty of costume changes, good lighting, and lots of props. (Mostly whips and blow up dolls, but also people to tie up, drag around, and even a posse of vinyl clad girls spanking their booties to a song, appropriately titled, "Spank Your Booty". They also made an appearance for the finale "Pussy". It felt like being at a S&M version of 2 Live Crew.). The show as a lot of fun. You can't help but dance because of all the beats, plus the guitarist was a boy in a skirt which is a personal fetish of mine, the keyboardist was the biggest ball of energy I've seen in a long time - you could tell he was really enjoying himself, and the bassist was a pretty girl dressed as a kitty sipping who knows what from a milk carton between songs. If you've read my other reviews, you know I have a soft spot for female bassists because that's my dream job. On my third trip to the bar (that's spelled L-U-S-H people), I was standing behind a couple who were one of the live props earlier in the show. The stage manager came and said something to the girl, then he started talking to me. I couldn't hear a word he said, but somehow ended up getting invited to go watch the band from the stage. So I followed him backstage (with a little trepidation). We were apparently just taking a short cut to get to the right side of the stage. He helped me climb up a stack of boxes and I got to hang out behind the soundboard with the sound guy. The stage manager brought me a drink, and the sound guy caught me completely off guard by saying, "You're Amber, right?" Turns out he was John's connection at the show and John had told him my name and that I was tall, so apparently he can put two and two together like an ace. Watching the show from the stage was great; I've never done that before. But it just made me want to be a musician even more. I probably spent as much time watching the audience as I did the band; it's got to be so gratifying to see people enjoying what you do and singing along to your music. After it was over, John and I hung out in the back hallway with some other VIP person while the stage crew broke down. There were a couple other kids with passes hanging around on the loading dock. A tall lanky stagehand flirted with me every time he walked by, which was quite amusing. Our VIP friend clued me in and said that he was DJ Redboy, the opening act we had missed. We probably hung around for an hour, talking to whoever, waiting for the band to come out. I went out on the loading dock to talk to security because I was surprised there wasn't a gaggle of people hanging around to meet the band outside. There always has been at all the other concerts I've been to. I asked if people just didn't stick around at 4th and B for the whole meet and greet experience, and he said yes, they do and he was surprised there wasn't a group tonight. Pleasantly surprised - it made his job easier. While I was talking to him, the Lords guitarist showed up and told me he had seen me on the stage and asked for a hug. So I gave him one. I had been unsure during the show when I heard them talk, but it became clear while he talked to me that they weren't American. I had thought they were an LA-based band just because of their look and sound, but they're actually from Belgium. We went back inside to the hallway where John and the other guest were, and Kitty, the bassist, showed up, and the sound guy came and hang out too and we talked about a bunch of nothing. I took a picture with Kitty, she gave me a beer and asked me to be on the guest list for the following night's show in LA. At some point John said I was a journalist and I think that kind of got me in trouble later when I had gone to the bus with Kitty so she could put my name on the guest list. While I was waiting, the keyboardist was sitting there so we made nice because he's so smiley and I asked his name. The lead singer happened to walk by and said "You're a journalist and you don't know his name?" I told her I'm not a real journalist and didn't have time to explain that I manage the calendar for SDAM.com and in return get tickets to shows, but I have to review the shows that I go to. Anyway, she said something to Kitty in her native language and all of a sudden we had to leave the bus. I could choose to be offended, but considering the circumstances - tall, scantily clad girl, hangs out on stage and backstage, now on the bus, says she's a journalist but doesn't know anybody's name...I'm sure she sees it all the time. I think the same thing about girls I see getting backstage too. Oh, the irony. But I had a good time socializing with everybody else until we left and maybe I'll make the trek up to LA to see the show at the Palace. LA's such a scene and there's supposed to be some big names there. It's fun to play rock star every once in a while. Find out more about Lords Of Acid on their Web site.