The Dismemberment Plan Benefit For Cal Robbins | Black Cat, Washington DC | 4.28.2007

posted by Matt on April 29th, 2007 in Live, Music, Reviews, The Dismemberment Plan

The D-Plan, Doing it for Cal A few months ago it was announced that THE DISMEMBERMENT PLAN would be performing a reunion show to benefit the mounting bills of Cal Robbins. Cal is the infant son of musician / producer J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels) who was recently diagnosed with a Spinal Muscular Atrophy, an incurable and often fatal spinal disease. The show sold out so fast the band added another the night before on Friday.

Always down for a good road trip, we took the 3 1/2 hour drive to the band’s hometown of Washinton, DC to see the show. As we were waiting around the Black Cat getting the lay of the land we noticed many familiar faces. Ben Gibbard was on hand as well as a guy I think may or may not have been on the reality show Beauty And The Geek.

Another familiar face was that of Kim Coletta (Jawbox, DeSoto Records) whom my co-worker/friend Brian briefly talked to. She mentioned to him that there was a “more than better” chance of a Jawbox reunion show to help benefit Cal’s cause. So let’s please keep our fingers crossed for that to happen.

There were two opening acts but the stars of the night were The Dismemberment Plan and no one else seemed to matter to the crowd. About 11:30, J took the stage to address the sold-out crowd. While trying really hard not to get emotional, he expressed his deep level of gratitude for those who pulled the event together (the local city paper came to an agreement with the club to cover the costs for putting on the show so all ticket sales went right to the benefit). J then introduced the band, who since their breakup in 2003, had not taken the stage as a complete 4-piece.

And take the stage they did! Kicking right into “Doin’ The Standin’ Still”, a song they wrote about those that go to their shows and are too cool to dance and stand still with their arms crossed. This set the tone for the night as the band continued to play the fan favorites from their catalog. Frontman Travis Morrison talking to the crowd, dancing his ass off as he and the rest of the band spazmed throughout.

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the band in their heyday and they were amazingly tight from the constant touring back then. Last night it was pretty evident there were just a few cobwebs that were to be shaken off from being dormant the last 4 years. However, it was more evident they nor the crowd cared much about missing a few cues. Everyone was there to have a good time to help a friend out. They succeded in spades.

If there was any bad blood from these guys surrounding their break-up it wasn’t evident at all. In fact they seemed closer than ever. This wasn’t made any clearer when it came time for the band to play “Girl O’Clock”, Travis explained to the crowd that at the previous night’s show (which apparantly included porn cake), they had broken some of their equipment due to a mass group of fans jumping on stage during their performance of “The Ice Of Boston” and trampling some of their equipment. The key piece of gear broken meant they couldn’t play two keyboards at the same time. So in order to perform the song Travis, sat on bassist Eric Axelson’s lap and sang the song as the duo hammered out their keyboard parts at the same time on the same keyboard.

Cal Robbins After 16 songs, the band said goodbye to the crowd and walked off stage. But even after an hour and a half long set, the crowd insisted on an encore. Never ones to disappoint, The Plan re-took the stage and launched into “The Ice Of Boston” where as much of the crowd that could joined them on stage for one last dance party. In fact, the dancing got so out of control most of the band was unable to play their parts because of the tight situations. The song broke down to just drummer Joe Easley banging out the beat with Travis and the audience singing as loud as they could until its end.

The evening was chock full of special moments like this. It was a snapshot of a band with nothing left to prove reuniting for a good cause under sad circumstances yet at the same time bringing friends together to experience a night of great music and great friends. People traveled from all over the country (and the UK) to experience this band’s music performed live for possibly the last time.

The night ended with the crowd demanding a second encore. As the band came out to perform the few songs they re-learned left. Travis said with a smirk, “We only learned 23 songs, we’ve really run out of things to play”. It seemed the crowd wanted the band to play forever and in some way we got the impression the band wanted the same. Almost to suspend the realities that lie in store for us outside of the Black Cat for as long as possible.

As I exited the venue I started wishing the band wasn’t just reunited for two shows. Part of me wished once the night ended, the guys would load their gear into the van and head off to the next show, in the next town, full of eager fans ready to dance their asses off. Or perhaps they were headed off into some parallel universe in need of their live shows more than ours. Any thought of leaving the band together over them not would sit as a better option with me. Oh well, one can only dream.

Until the next time the powers that be need The Dismemberment Plan to come to the indie-rock rescue. They will be donning their civilian clothes and go back to their now day jobs waiting for the stars to align again properly for them to play another set. As Travis stated at the end of the night “We’ll be off waiting until someone fires the bat signal.”

Here’s to hoping that signal comes quicker than not.

Setlist For The Dismemberment Plan Reunion show.
Doin’ The Standin’ Still
What Do You Want Me To Say?
Following Through
Face Of The Earth
The Dismemberment Plan Gets Rich
Spider Spider In The Snow
Timebomb
The City
A life Of Possibilities
Pay For The Piano
Girl O’Clock - travis sat on eric’s lap
Gyroscope
You Are Invited
I Love A Magician
Back N Forth
Onward Fat Girl
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The Ice Of Boston
Bra
Ellen And Ben
Happy Birthday to Eric (it was bassist Eric Axelson’s birthday)
Ok Joke’s Over
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The Other Side
Rusty