Hellbomb had the honor or interviewing Titus Andronicus (sans Amy Klein) prior to the show and, when asked what other artists or bands he recommends people check out, frontman Patrick Stickles said “The band that’s opening for us. Free Energy.” So taking his recommendation to heart, I decided I’d review Free Energy’s opening set, even though I hadn’t planned to. What follows is my initial, mostly impressionistic response to Free Energy. The only thing I knew about them prior to the first song was that they are from Philadelphia, PA – a definite plus since Philly is a city I’d move to in a heartbeat – and that Titus Andronicus 4.0 (reflecting the participation of former members and guitarists Andrew Cedermark and Ian O’Neil) had just cut a split seven inch single with.

Free Energy sounds retro even when setting up. Or maybe it’s just the way the mustachioed drummer strikes his cowbell that got me thinking that. The lead singer has a thinness that only young men can have: young men and Iggy Pop that is. Ersatz Erik says the singer reminds him of Evan Dando, The Lemonheads’ singer. Physically. Free Energy are definitely high energy. Still sound retro to me but I can’t trace the trail. The singer asks someone wearing a Van Halen shirt: “Is that authentic?” Third song in the crowd starts clapping spontaneously. Always a significant sign when the singer or another band member doesn’t have to encourage the crowd to do so. The lead guitarist is wearing a Michael Jordan shirt. Amy Klein of Titus Andronicus joins them on stage for a song. Pogoes side-by-side with number 23. I’m beginning to find myself in agreement with Stickles: Free Energy is a band worth recommending. Just as I’m thinking that Stickles jumps on the stage to assist an energetic version of Bruce Springsteen’s I’m Going Down. (The flip side of the split seven inch.) Amy Klein and Eric Harm (Titus’ drummer) do so too. Stickles handles the second verse vocal chores. Free Energy’s bassist hangs back in the drummer’s corner. Reminds me of Tracy Pew although the playing is not similar at all. Wow. This band could be going to places. They’ve even got an “alright” song already. Every band worth its rhythm has got one. I agree with what Ersatz Erik says at the end of their set: “Well, they picked the right name for their band.”

Titus Andronicus takes the stage at 11:15. Keyboardist/guitarist David Robbins says “Phillies suck.” as his way of apologizing for wearing a Phillies hat on a night that the Phillies had just beat the hometown Braves 3-1 in the opening game of a crucial series that would determine the division championship. “I don’t watch sports,” Stickles says, but adds “The New York Mets are really the best.” Titus Andronicus then stages a tight-ass, stripped down, rollicking version of ‘A More Perfect Union’, the opening track from The Monitor. The crowd’s shouting along: “Because tramps like us, baby, we were born to die!!!” The band’s ablaze already.

Eric Harm lays down the opening drumbeats to ‘Richard II’. Titus Andronicus is gonna be a great band. Know how I know? All great band’s have a great drummer and Titus Andronicus has got one on Eric Harm.

The band’s connecting. It’s good to see how full The Earl is. If it’s not sold out, it’s close to being so. The bodies in front of Stickles are really percolating. Definitely not the spot to stand if you just want to watch. I try to think of what that pocket of packed bodies in front of him reminds me of. What other frontman attracted a pack like that, like he was magnetic and had pull? Because where I stood, in front of the smiling and guitaring and violining Amy Klein it was crowded but polite: sweaty definitely but you had room to sweat. Patrick Stickles was pulling them to him like Gibby Haynes used to when he stood center stage like that time I saw The Butthole Surfers at The Cat Club in good old Manhattan.

“‘Camus!!!’” someone shouts out.

“There’s little doubt about what song you want to hear,” Stickles says, tuning his guitar. “We’ll get back to you a little later in the program.” He interacts and banters well with the audience. He’s wearing a faded Black Flag t-shirt and with his thick beard he looks like one of the Civil War figures quoted on The Monitor, Titus Andronicus’ second album that they are on the road promoting. This is the third leg of the The Monitour, which has taken them all over America and Europe and even onto Jimmy Fallon’s late night television show.

I mention The Monitor because the set included every song from it except ‘A Pot In Which To Piss’ and since Hellbomb doesn’t do Top Ten lists (Hellbomb Vic’s against them) let me state here that if I had the opportunity to, I’d pick The Monitor as the year’s beat. I’d even write a 33 1/3 book on The Monitor by Titus Andronicus. As Herman Melville says in Moby Dick (the book Eric Harm just finished reading): “To produce a mighty book you must have a mighty theme.” This applies to rock albums too apparently because on their album Titus Andronicus has taken a mighty theme (the Civil War) and produced a mighty album. Partially in homage to his Navy serving brother, Stickles – Titus Andronicus’ lyricist – has taken incidents from his life in Mahweh, New Jersey and college days in Massachusetts and made them universal. I look to my left. Stickles is on the edge of stage, poised on a monitor, steadying his balance on an overhead speaker (I think) and that pocket of people going crazy in front of him and shouting along: “The enemy is everywhere!!!!”

Just before what turns out to be final song Stickles says: “Definitely our best Atlanta show … since the show at the hippie commune. A lot of people. A lot of dogs. The guitarist had a seizure.” ‘Four Score and Seven’ ends the set at 12:43. No encore. They don’t need one. It’s the first time I’ve seen Titus Andronicus live and this was the best concert that I’ve seen in … well … six days – gotta be honest here - a band as honest as Titus Andronicus deserves no less. Public Enemy on September 14, 2010 at Center Stage was equally amazing. But with Public Enemy and their songbook and their cast of characters that’s sort of a given. (And I don’t think Patrick Stickles would mind anyway. The lyrics to ‘No Future’ references Public Enemy’s ‘Welcome To The Terrordome’) Titus Andronicus, however, is an up and coming band: revelatory and capable of restoring your faith in rock and roll: my faith in rock and roll. I’ve seen just about them all: Joey Ramone, Joe Strummer, Lux Interior, John Bonham, even Keith Moon, and it makes me feel good to see another young band grabbing the flag and carrying on the grand tradition.

My only complaint? Titus Andronicus should have had t-shirts for sale.