At the Drive-In at First Avenue, Minneapolis (11/07/2000)

Years before they were Mars Volta, they were called At the Drive-In.

I’ve previously seen the Texan band at the first Coachella Music Festival, and I was the benefit of receiving a special At the Drive-In EP, given to everyone who were standing in line to get into the gates. It’s funny that I don’t remember their stage, but I do remember my friend Melinda was sneaking in a camera in a box of surrounded by tampons.

 

I would see the band some years later in 2000 for their final tour, in support of Relationship of Command. Of course, like so many things back then, I didn’t know it would be the last At the Drive-In tour (that is until they reformed in 2012 just to play some festivals).

Anyway, I remember we wanted to check out the opening bands, so we did show up super early to this all-ages show, at First Avenue, to see Cursive and Murder City Devils. Again, absolutely no memory of the songs played (sorry I never took notes or wrote down anything back then), but what I can tell you is that I saw Cursive again in 2012 and the vocals were absolute incredible.

 

Murder City Devils actually broke up and then reformed. The band is actually still around, and they’re playing three dates. Like their previous shows, each show will feature a unique concert poster.

As for At the Drive-In, this was a pretty high energy show… possibly because the day before, they took a break in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Guitarist Omar Rodríguez (or Jim Ward? I can never tell the difference in afro) was all over the place, often climbing on speakers and jumping off. His hair was pretty outrageous too.

It was very well attended, I’m not sure if it sold out, but there were definitely body surfing and moshing in the front.

Strangely enough, I never got the chance to see Mars Volta; they broke up in 2012.