Thursday October 26, 2006 Placebo- Showbox Seattle, WA.

The line into Seattle’s Showbox wrapped two city blocks by the time the doors opened for their very sold out show (going rate for a pair of tickets on ebay was $300) with She Wants Revenge. A good number of the people were dressed for Halloween, including one notable fellow dressed as a very large sanitary napkin, while many others only appeared to be in some form of costume, Placebo fans being Placebo fans. But the strange thing this night was that Placebo were effectively opening the show for relative newcomers She Wants Revenge, as they were swapping opening bills on this co-headlining tour.

With his shaved head and wiry physique, Molko looked edgy and intense on the Showbox’s small stage. And pity the band that would have to follow up this set. There was no fluff, no slower I'll Be Yours ballads, nothing to detract from the full-on guitar and hook attack that Placebo have branded themselves on. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of their debut album, Placebo easily have enough material to give their set any tone they please. Tonight it was high-octane only. And it was clear that this is what the vast majority in the audience were there for. For a band accustomed to playing in front of tens of thousands in Europe, it was simple for Placebo to engage the packed room at the Showbox. Indeed, the people in the back of the room were bouncing with raised fists as much as those in the front.

Molko said little as the band rampaged through their 80 minute set. Appearing now more like a five-piece, with their supporting bassist and keyboardist less tucked away, the band bounced from rousing fan favorites like Without You I’m Nothing, Nancy Boy and Special K to newer (but no less addictive) tracks like Meds, Infrared and Song To Say Goodbye. The new material integrated seamlessly with the old, giving the set a greatest hits feel. The one political moment in the set was during Sleeping With Ghosts when Molko angrily raged “Fuck the government, fuck their killing, fuck their lies,” giving the track's original lyrics a more immediate tone. Which seemed to fit well with the mostly very young Seattle crowd.

By the time 20 Years and Taste In Men finally reverberated to silence, it was clear that the crowd was satisfied by the long opening set. And by the time She Wants Revenge finally took the stage, the venue was half-empty.

View the photo gallery from Placebo @ Showbox Seattle 10.26.06