Why don't more shows start at 8pm? Grab a quick dinner then head downtown before dark and get home in time to get a decent night's rest. Why are venues like Mohawk and Emo's in denial of the fact that people have to get up and do things like work or go to class on week day mornings?

I don't go to big shows often, and I've only seen a show on the outdoor stage once, several years ago. It was strange to see a band like Liars, who played an amazing show indoors at Emo's last year, on a huge amphitheater stage. The stage only served to highlight Liars recent transition into mainstream pop-dom (see my review of the new album). Liars frontman Angus Andrews was wearing a sleek white suit and I'm still debating whether or not he was drunk or just being obnoxious with his constant commentary between tracks. What I love about Liars is their art-punk aesthetic, and a venue like Stubb's outdoors (barren of intimacy) was not the ideal place to see them. Andrews antics seemed silly from so far away, and maybe they would've in any venue. He was holding a guitar most of the show, but he was primarily dancing around with it or holding it over his head. He even changed guitars at least once, but he only played a couple notes when he played at all.

It seems like Liars are in a period of coping with their success, though it seems like something they were soliciting based on their new pop album. Angus Andrews kept making comments about how Interpol would be playing soon, or that they were going to play a sentimental song "like Interpol". I sensed a little bitterness.

I stayed for about four Interpol songs, and they sounded just like Interpol. They were definitely more suited to playing the amphitheater stage. Looking out on the crowd was a sea of digital camera screens and emphatic hand gesturing. Interpol sounded good, though they don't do much to excitement and the heat of the Texas night drove me away before they finished.

As we left, I saw the Liars drummer looking bummed at the merch stand, but he was easily cheered by a wave on the way out. Or maybe he was just happy to see someone walking out on Interpol.