For Wussy Wednesday this week, I am posting “Me and Mia,”  by Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, off their 2004 album, Shake the Streets.  This is the best known song by this Bloomfield, NJ band, whose latest album, Living With the Living was released in 2007.  This band is about as wussy as they come, but the truth is….they have one brutal cred to their name.

The year was 2005.  A few college friends and I decided to attend the first ever Plug Independent Music Awards at Webster Hall.  The event is an annual award show/concert that celebrates today’s most notable independent artists.  The awards span from indie, to hip hop, to latina, to electronica, and to of course, metal.  There are also awards for music web sites, magazines, venues, labels, etc.

I’m a pretty well-rounded individual and was pretty stoked to see the diverse lineup of artists that were playing that evening.  First up was Saul Williams, a hip hop/spoken word artist who happens to be from my hometown in upstate New York.  I dig him.  Next was DJ act RJD2, who was later joined by rapper Aesop Rock.  Then, after standing through the absolute snoozefest that is Sufjan Stevens, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists took the stage.  It was obvious that most of the people came to see them.  They put on a rockin’ show.  I did a little dancing, I must admit.

When they were done, about half the crowd left, even though the headliner had yet to come on.  Who was the headliner, you ask?  The Dillinger Escape Plan! Dillinger are one of my favorite bands, yes, but even I know that asking them to play at an indiefuck awards show is a BAD IDEA.  If you have ever seen this band live, you know what I’m talking about.  They fuck shit up.  You could tell that the MC for the night didn’t really know what to do when it was over.  Nevertheless, I had fun.  Here is some video from the event, if you don’t believe me.  (Coincidentally, Dillinger’s Miss Machine won the award for Best Metal Album that night.)

So yes, you could say that Ted Leo has opened for Dillinger.  I’m not sure if either parties are proud of that, but it remains a very fond and brutal memory of mine to this day.  I’ve never gone to another Plug event, but I noticed in the years following this one that no metal bands have been on the lineup.  I can’t imagine why.  The awards were a no-go for 2009.  Recessionomics, I suppose.  Boo.

Were any of you there that night??

-Elise