Best live bands for small clubs?

[Facetious]

(I'm tired of making fun of Cops in Trash Talk and Dameon Angell's Nintendo-Controller hat in the Veloce forum, so I'm going to start a real thread...)

I saw the Walkmen last night and they were awesome. If you've heard any of their recorded stuff, it can be pretty mellow, but live, they have a tremendous amount of energy. What are the best live bands/groups/whatever that you've seen at a moderate-sized to small club? A lot of times bands have a great live show even if I don't particularly like their recorded stuff. (I hate paying 45 dollars for lawn tickets to see a concert from five miles away, so let's not name 311 here, za gopher)

Top five shows:

1) Les Savy Fav @ The Black Cat in DC
2) Prefuse 73 @ The Black Cat in DC
3) The Dismemberment Plan @ 9:30 Club, DC
4) The Unicorns @ some student activities building at UVA
5) The Walkmen @ 9:30 Club, DC


Honorable mention: Disco Biscuits @ House of Blues, New Orleans: The Disco Biscuits suck, but if you're into drugs, I highly suggest eating mushrooms at at least one jam-band show. The lights are awesome.

edit: switched computers to finish writing thread

[Benno]

I want to experience a State Radio show at a small venue but it probably won't happen for some time as i'm not an east coaster.

site

[iLDuce]

I saw the Roots live at this little club downtown (NY) a year or two ago--- If you can, I definitely suggest checking them out, they have one of the best sets in music IMO.

If you can, check them out at a 21+ venue; there's nothing better

[Cylor]

Millencolin, The Lawrence Arms, and This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb are all amazing live.

[Gedeon]

There's a local band which I enjoy going at their shows, but you probably don't know them. The name is Hey Jack you're late (hahaha). Anyway, they're awesome live, they often do covers but they also have their own compositions which are really good too.

[Subjugation]

The Smashing Pumpkins (during their Gish tour) in a very small dance club. This was when their music was still rockin good, and not whiney and annoying.

[Jason]

First of all, fuck you for seeing The Unicorns. Man... I want to see them so badly.

Moving right along, you already have Les Savy Fav and The Dismemberment Plan on your list so the only thing I can add is Q and not U. I saw them at the Showplace Theatre in Buffalo, NY. That show was utterly kickass. They're from DC, so I'd think you'd have a good chance of seeing them sometime.

[Sleepy Weasel]

I saw the Constantines at the Brewhouse in Pittsburgh. I'm not entirely sure that place still exists, I'd be willing to bet it doesn't. It was good though.

[TheosophyX]

Anything at the Toad's Place in New Haven, CT

[za gophar]

311

[Jeansi]

Paul Oakenfold
I don't think he has that many small gigs anymore

[ZeUs!!]

Although I've never been to a gig, the Libertines do a great intimate gig. The best commercial stadium rockers out there at the moment have to be the Foo Fighters