re: Helmet - 08/09 @ The Station in Lafayette

Great news gentlemen. When I got the venue last night, I found out that for some reason Filter was no longer on the bill. Pretty strange for a headliner but boy was I ecstatic!!! Obviously it meant Helmet was now the headliner.

***Super crazy side note: I wouldn't be ridiculous enough to call it a premonition because I don't really believe in such things and silly random thoughts pop into my head quite often but usually don't actually happen. But the day before the show I did find myself thinking how cool it would be if I rolled up to find that Filter was off and Helmet was now headlining. Crazy but true***

So anyway, it was super easy to get my favorite spot, which is right up front, since I opted not to drink last night, which meant no constant trips to the bar. Went on up front before Local H took the stage.

Now when the setlists for Helmet were taped to the floor after Local H, I did get a little worried. Still only fourteen songs, which were as follows:

1) Role Model
2) So Long
3) Renovation
4) Welcome to Algiers
5) Blacktop
6) Exactly What You Wanted
7) Unsung
8) Birth Defect
9) Broadcast Emotion
10) Ironhead
11) Turned Out
12) Better
13) Driving Nowhere
14) Milquetoast

So I was wrong when thinking it might be a pretty Betty heavy set. More Meantime and Aftertaste, not that there's a thing wrong with that!!!

Wasn't sure what to think as they got closer to the end, and obviously, for Helmet, this would be a pretty quick set since their songs don't run very long. I felt pretty good that Page didn't say anything before Milquetoast indicating that it would be their last song. When it ended he said "Okay, well that was our last song.........But we'll play more". So they pulled out a few classics. Here's the rest.

15) Sinatra
16) Just Another Victim
17) Tic
18) Wilma's Rainbow
19) In The Meantime

Awesome flurry of songs there to round it out. The crowd took a little bit to get really into but from Unsung on, it was rowdy as hell.

Even with three bands before them, Helmet went on just before 10:00 and played til about 11:20. So not too bad for those of you travelling back to Baton Rouge after the show in three nights. I am assuming the tour will go on. Never found out exactly what happened with Filter and I am also kind of assuming they're done with the tour. But who knows, maybe it was a one night deal due to sickness or something. Page didn't say that though, he just apologized for inconveniences. If someone was sick or something, I'm sure he would've said so.

Have a great time Broseph and anybody else going.