"The Pleasureman"
I really had no idea what to expecct. All I knew is that this concert was one that I couldn't miss.
$85 later ($35 concert and $50 bus), I was on my way to Portland early Sunday morning. I listened to the entirety of Gunther's first album, "Pleasureman," on the bus ride, complete with such mega-hits as The Ding Dong Song, and Tutti Fruitti Summer Love. It still hadn't sunk in that later that night I was going to meet this man. What was I going to say? Does this man take himself seriously or is this just some brilliant stage persona that he fools all of us dumbass Americans with all the way to the bank?
The show was at the Hawthorne Theater, a small club venue in east Portland. After waiting in line for more than an hour, we filled the small room along with about 200 other people. Everyone was just as excited as we were about this show, and it was very evident. The DJ spinning hip hop wasn't going to cut it: few were dancing, most were standing around talking about Gunther and when he was going to come out. "GUNTHER. GUNTHER. GUNTHER!" The crowd chanted with no avail. An hour plus later, at 10:45, he finally came out.
The entirety of the show would have been underwhelming if it was any other man besides Gunther. He had no set, a bare club stage with some cords and things running around, and a table at the back where his dj "spun" backing tracks for all of the songs. As he weaved through the hits from his album, his behavior on stage didn't change much. He would go from singing to dancing with his "sunshine girls" pretty sexually, to sticking his hands out on the crowd so people could touch him.
He hardly talked, aside from saying what song was next and such memorable lines as "I LOVE AMERICA!," and "Where are my pleasure men in the crowd?" "What about my party ladies?" which caused some intense audience screaming. His "Sunshine Girls" were obviously lipsynching, and one was a whole lot hotter than the other one.
The ugly one
The hotter one
Regardless of how underwhelming the entire stage performance was, the audience made up for it. Everyone was just as into the rediculousness as I was, and was dancing, jumping, and singing their hearts out for the man on stage. Everyone knew the words to every song (not a hard feat), and Gunther would regularly stick his mic out into the crowd and let us sing over the fake Sunshine Girls vocals. Everyone (including myself) was loving every second. I didn't understand how this was possible.
He seriously must have had us all under some kind of spell. I don't think anyone else could have gotten away with putting on such a show and charging $35. I mean, come on, Daft Punk was $40.
After his set was over, since we had backstage passes, we got to meet him. That basicially entailed about a minute on stage for a photo and a couple words.
A: "Great show man. When's the new album coming out?"
G: "Thank you. The new album should be out next summer. It's a summer album."
$85 well spent? Hell yes.