Dressed in a bowling hat and suit with too-short pants, lead singer uber-PETA advocate John Feldmann energized the crowd from the opener to the very end. Feldmann leapt out into the crowd numerous times; the big intimidating security guards were the only barriers holding back the throngs of fans ready and willing to crowd-surf him to the back of the venue. It's hard to believe that this band and this man, who the fans love for being so individual, has actually worked with the MTV-made star Ashlee Simpson.

Although this tour is in promotion of their new album, Goldfinger decided to stick mostly to their old hits, only playing new songs "My Everything" and their new single, "I'm Wasted." The band closed their too-short set with a song from their 1997 album Hang-Ups, "Superman." The classic song is dedicated to their punk-ska and sometimes tour mates, Reel Big Fish. The audience loved every minute and sang along to every word with as much fervor as if each and every one of them could be the next John Feldmann. It's hard to believe, almost 10 years and 5 albums later, Goldfinger fans still look exactly the same, and the band doesn't seem to have aged at all either.

Time doesn't seem to have changed the band one bit, as they proved they are always ready to entertain with some on-stage hi jinks. At one point drummer Darrin came out from behind his kit to play guitar. He used his time in the spotlight to pull down his pants to reveal both his pasty derriere and a g-string. He playfully stuck his posterior toward a nearby security guard, taunting him to slap it as the crowd laughed and cheered. Darrin even stuck a CD between his cheeks and offered it up to anyone to grab as fans surged the barricade for the um…lovely offer.

One of the keys to Goldfinger's longevity has to be their accessibility. It is well known that the band hangs out in front of venues to sign autographs after their shows. They always have a sing-a-long where they invite the entire audience to get up on stage: on this night it was "Mabel." Even after 10 years, she, and the band, are still "the bomb."

Goldfinger
House of Blues
Chicago, Ill.
March 1, 2005
Entertainment: 4 stars
Art: 3 stars

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