I am going to see Pinback this evening and the advantage is opening. Anyone know much about them? I downloaded a few songs and they seem to just do a bunch of covers of nintendo games. It's cool, but is that all they do?

yes. i have heard mixed reviews of their live shows. at least pinback is usually good.

Yo, I saw this show last monday.

The Advantage are pretty tight. However, all they play is nintendo covers and the joke only goes so far. That is unless you were a huge NES playa and you'll recognize the tunes from Mega Man. I've got a friend who is doing the same thing for shits and giggles. He just records tunes from Mega Man 1,2,3 and whatever. So obviously he got a lot more out of them than i did.

Pinback was really great though. All the new songs sound really great with a 5 piece band. They played some old some new, a great set list.

Is Neil Hamburger doing his schtick along with them? He was and wasn't funny at the same time. I suppose that's what he tries to do, though. Best joke i heard:
Why did god invent herpes? So Robin Williams had something to give his fans that they couldn't sell on ebay!!!

I've heard the album several times and it's really fun, but it's a novelty kinda fun. The tracks work better as individual instrumentals worked into mixes. I don't think I'd like a whole concert by them, but an opening slot should be cool.

album tracklist:
1. Megaman 2: Flashman
2. Double Dragon 2: Stage 2
3. Goonies 2
4. Bubble Booble
5. Bubble Bobble: Shark Skeleton
6. Wizards And Warriors: Intro
7. Bomberman 2
8. Bionic Commando: P.O.W. Camp
9. Super Mario Bros. 2: Underworld
10.Super Mario Bros. 2: Overworld
11.Contra: Snowfields
12.Zelda: Fortress
13.Batman 2
14.Megaman 3: Dr. Wiley Stage
15.Double Dragon 2: Story/Boss Music
16.Castlevania 3: Epitaph
17.Ninja Gaiden: Mine Shaft
18.Mario 3: Underworld
19.Blastermaster: Stage 2
20.Ghosts 'N' Goblins: Intro
21.Ghosts 'N' Goblins
22.Castlevania: Stage 3
23.Marble Madness
24.Metal Gear: Jungle
25.Contra: Boss Music
26.Castlevania 3: Evergreen

My friend saw them last week in Portland or Salem or something. She said the second show she went to she thought they broke up on stage. some sort of craziness broke out or something. i hope they are still playing tonight.

I LOVE The Advantage, even though there have been many groups doing this sort of thing around for a while. Missed them when they opened for John Vanderslice down here a couple months ago, and have been kicking myself ever since. I'll be seeing them at an overly-large, cavernous hall on Wed. with Pinback and the album leaf - I'm hoping it'll be good.

hopefully dude from Pinback won't be sick anymore. the music was great but the vocals were quite awful. I felt bad for the guy. He said, "anybody got a lozenge?" To which a ridiculous female fan resonded, "just my tongue".

I was at that Vanderslice show where The Advantage opened for him. Frankly, I thought they were a fuckin' joke -- c'mon, video game themes? It would've been funny and tongue in cheek if the bandmembers hadn't taken themselves so seriously onstage. Then again, maybe that was part of the joke too.