Of Andrew Jackson Jihad & The Little Prince

When it comes to songs that reference The Little Prince, I’m a total softie. Believe it or not, this topic doesn’t come up in music as much as you’d think.

To date, Andrew Jackson Jihad is the only band I know to have referenced that lovely book.

Andrew Jackson Jihad also has the best opening line for a song that I’ve ever heard. It goes “Hey Everything, Fuck You.”

Coincidentally, those two songs are one in the same. “Little Prince (El Principito)“.

Andrew Jackson Jihad is yet another folk-punk band. Oh how I enjoy the folk punk. Unlike Ghost Mice, their are not overwhelming optimistic (see paragraph three). They are positive, though. They cover really morbid topics, but somehow manage to stay positive.

Perhaps there is the realistic view that everything sucks, but we may as well make the best of it.

I was lucky enough to be tipped off on an Andrew Jackson Jihad sighting in Pittsburgh this past weekend by a high-school friend’s boyfriend’s little brother. Aaron. By congress, I love Facebook sometimes.

So I packed up my things and headed east, since Cleveland was not to be blessed with a stop on this tour.

The show was being held at 222 Ormsby, a wonderful little venue. Not only did $5 gain me entrance into the concert, it also gained me a wristband and unlimited access to a keg in the back room.

I’m gonna go ahead and admit I was a bad concert-goer this time around. I had just driven about 3.5 hours to be there. There were dogs and beer in the back. A high-school friend showed up. I spent the opening bands time slots in the back with the beer, dogs, and friends.

The openers were Delay, The Code Orange Kids, and Shady Ave.

I did, of course, meander to the main room for Andrew Jackson Jihad’s set. And what a set it was. They kicked it off with “Little Prince (El Principito).” I kind of like these folk punk bands kicking off the show with my favorite songs. I’m not sure whether they know what they’re doing or if it’s coincindental, but i hope they keep it up.

Once again, the show contained a bunch of songs hitherto unknown by me. They played a bunch of songs I did know, though. They just played a lot of songs.

The lead singer kept forgetting his lyrics. It was rather amusing, but as i’ve said before this doesn’t bother me. He was laughing and tripping over the words. It just made me smile.

One unique fact of this show was that I could actually understand the singer without a previous knowledge of his songs. As folk punk shows aren’t normally a riot, they can tend to become a tidge dull if you’re unfamiliar with the music at hand. This wasnt the case at all, I just listened to the lyrics and giggled at their morbid optimism.

What to take away…

Probably a nasty hangover from all that horrible cheap beer.

What should you expect?

Folk punk kids who actually drink.

What drink to pair with it?

Cheap, horrible, all-you-can-drink beer from a keg that everyone agrees is terrible, but keeps drinking anyway.

Favorite Song?

“Little Prince (El Principito)”. I enjoy that he doesn’t leave anything out of his condemnation. Hey everything, fuck you.