The Max Levine Ensemble

The Max Levine Ensemble, G-Factor, the Konami Code
Lynnbrook Rec Center, Bethesda
05.26.01

This was one of those shows where I had no clue what to expect, so I didn't have really high expectations, but in the end the show just rocked! I didn't know much about the show except for the Konami Code and TMLE was playing. Rude in DC was asked to run sound, which was part of the reason why I was there, but I was gonna go regardless because I wanted to see the Konami Code and TMLE.

We got there and there was a handful of kids there, but that was it. We set up all the sound and lights and by the time Konami Code started playing, there was a good number of kids there. This is the first time I saw the Konami Code and they were awesome! This high-energy punk-ska band is something to look out for. You can tell they dig what they're doing. Pat their sax player has got the coolest rig for the mic for his saxophone...hand made from a coat hanger, it's DIY. Tom (their mascot?) tried to get some of the kids to dance and it worked, kinda. After awhile a few of us requested for them to play the Clash, which they were cool enough to do when it wasn't on their set list. They did "Whiteman in Hammersmith Palais", the popular Clash song to cover in this area. In true Clash style, their singer Chris forgot some of the lyrics so they called Dan from the Ratchet Boys to the front to sing along. That was pretty rad. They ended their rockin' set with "the Konami Code theme" song which is my fave. By the end of their set the room was packed and it got really sticky, sweaty and oh so humid.

G-Factor were up next and they were introduced as "Israel's answer to A Tribe Called Quest" It seemed like a ton of kids came out to see just them. The room was unbearably hot and there was no air circulation, so in my claustrophobia I went outside to breathe fresh air and listened to them from the outside. They sounded pretty good, and the did some cool covers like the theme to the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Closing the show was what could possibly be the greatest pop-punk band to ever hit the scene...the Max Levine Ensemble. I dunno what it is about these fellas but there fans become very addicted to them. Maybe they're really cool guys? Maybe they're damn good at what they do? Maybe it's cuz they're funnier than all hell? Or maybe it's cuz Max Levine has boyish good looks? Hmm.... Well these kids started off their action-packed, full-of-surprises set with everyone's favorite "Spoonboy's Revenge" to one packed community center. Immediately everyone began to rock out to them, rocking so hard that the place was so hot there was condensation on the tile floor. INCONCEIVABLE! Midway thru their set they did "Henry the 8th" and what I thought was "Blitzkrieg Bop", but it was cooler than that it was "A Lot of People Here Look Like Yossi May". They also did "The Evan Rosenberg Song", you know... one of the guys who drank milk and yakked on my car at the Corner Kick that one time.

TMLE played a long ass set but no one grew tired. The Max Levine was there, back from his global travels to say the line "That's Me" during the set. After a while, TMLE ran out of songs and started playing requests at the audiences demand. It was awesome cuz they even did covers to songs they didn't know how to play in the first place. Can we say truly talented or what? They did covers like the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Theme", and stuff by Propaghandi, Fugazi, and the Queers. After that, the set had ended, or so we thought because the next thing you know Spoonboy put down his guitar and began playing drums. I kept laughing because it was hilarious and no one had no clue what was going on but no one minded. People started to come back cuz they wanted more but the guy overseeing the show (who I went to college w/...um..very small world) turned on the lights, we booed and the show ended.

Some people were distraught, feeling TMLE had fallen apart, but not at all, that set was a moment of greatness rarely achieved by many bands.

--Michelle (dcskagirl@dcska.com)