Two powerhouse alt/rock bands -- from different generations and coasts -- land on the San Diego State University campus on Thursday.
MGMT, the Brooklyn-based act formed in 2005 by Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, will be performing at the Open Air Theater in support of their lukewarm-received sophomore release, Congratulations. Kicking off their summer jaunt in San Diego, MGMT recently performed at Coachella to an enormous crowd on the Outdoor Theater stage. Needless to say, "old" songs off 2008's Oracular Spectacular received the most enthusiastic response, but new tracks "Flash Delirium," "Song for Dan Treacy", and "It's Working" translated brilliantly live.
Meanwhile, over at the Viejas Arena (formally Cox Arena), Los Angeles prog-rock veterans Tool return to San Diego for the first time since the release of 2006's 10,000 Days. Taking a break from recording the follow-up to said record, Tool is playing a limited run of North America and Canada before returning to the studio. At a recent show in Seattle, the Grammy-award winning quartet performed such gloom & doom classics as "Undertow," "Stinkfest," "Vicarious" and "AEnema." With a generation-expanding, fervent fan base in San Diego, Tool will undoubtedly slay the Viejas Arena this Thursday night.
So, assuming we weren't in a tight economy/concert climate and all had access to tickets, which show would you pick: Tool or MGMT
Personally, as a fan of newer, eclectic music, I would go with the psychedlic hipsters from the East Coast.
