I know by this point (11/5) it was no longer Roctober, but decided to tag this on because it was the 5th straight week I had a show to see.
Ra Ra Riot @ 9:30 Club
I am beginning to think that I am cursed to never see these guys play a full set again for the rest of my life. I discovered Ra Ra Riot nearly 4 years ago when they opened for Jukebox the Ghost at Rock and Roll Hotel or vice versa, I can't remember. I instantly fell in love with their brand of Baroque Pop, as well as their female violinist and cellist (call me!). Their use of the strings to accent their bouncy pop. I am always surprised by the darker lyrical content in their catchy music, but it seems to work well for them.
At any rate, every subsequent time Ra Ra Riot has played the DC area, I have been out of town. When I was able to see them open for Cold War Kids and Death Cab for Cutie at DAR Constitution Hall, we came late only to catch 2-3 songs of the set. This time was no different. My concert going companion asked me if it was an early show out of the blue on the day of the show, so I looked it up only to discover that the show was indeed an early show. When we got to the venue they were mid set (although I believe we were able to catch at least 3/4 of the set). I did not have much time to give The Orchard much of a listen, but it seems to be a natural progression. I was actually rather impressed with vocals from cellist, Alexandra Lawn. I heard nearly every song I wanted except for my favorite, Can't You Tell. I will continue to try to see a full set from these upstarts from Upstate New York. If nothing else, but to continue my ever expanding collection of their concert tees (sooo comfortable, and stylish to boot).
Friday, December 31, 2010
Roctoberfest: Weeks 3 and 4
Matt and Kim @ 9:30 Club
I've had the privilege of seeing Matt and Kim a few times by this point. I have a good time every time they play. We (two friends and I) arrived early for a listening party for their new album, Sidewalks. This, it turns out, was not such a great idea. The venue was too loud and filled with underage shrieks and giggles to clearly hear anything and the listening party was more of background music. Frankly, I wish I had spent the time drinking over at Duffy's with my other friends.
Some rapper opened for the band. I don't remember his name, nor do I really remember his act except for 2 things: His DJ was really good (he spun a few songs on his own to get the crowd going and he did well) and he and his cohorts were whipping water into the crowd to get them rowdy. All it served to do was annoy me to get splashed in the face with water every seven minutes. I should have called them Ol' Faithful with that kind of regularity.
My poor friend, Helen, was crushed amongst a writhing throng of underage kids as soon as the Brooklyn Duo took the stage, and wasted almost no time retreating to a less smush-happy part of the floor. I managed to stick it out until they played Grand. The second song of the set was Good Old Fashioned Nightmare. Dozens of kid jumped to the front of the floor in a frenzy. Kim went crazy for it, and actually encouraged more to do so, which turned the floor into a frothy, sweaty mess. Shortly afterward, I nearly had my eye gouged out by a short guy with a birthday hat on pogoing in front of me. Kim came out, walking on the hands of the crowd and did a little booty shaking for us. I had to laugh as the underage kids who had pushed to the front were too weak to hold her up once she started shaking it in earnest.
I was rather surprised that during the entire set, they only played one song off the new album (nearly exhausting the first two), one that they play at every DC show. I didn't mind, as I still feel that though Cameras is really good, I still prefer the first two albums to Sidewalks.
I still get a kick out of these kids every time they roll through. You're never gonna find more enthusiastic people playing music for others. They're effervescent without being saccharine. Here's to you Matt & Kim.
Local Natives @ 9:30 Club
I have been waiting to see these guys since I missed them play at Rock and Roll Hotel earlier this year. I had a surreal experience during the opening act. My friends were checking out these girls that were dancing near us, and admittedly they were looking pretty good if it weren't for the wildly flailing hippy dancing. Even more odd, they approached me and knew my name. It became readily evident that they knew my little brother from college and that we had actually met at one point. There were a few awkward moments where they took pictures with me almost assuredly texting them to my brother, and me being unsure as whether to ask them to stay and hang out or to just let them go. We opted for the latter.
Initial impressions of the band were: Lead singer looks a little like Joaquin Phoenix from where I was standing. The band was bigger than I had initially imagined. The hype about the live show put on by these guys was not just hype but well-deserved word of mouth. Their booming afro-funk beats coupled with their choral choruses were a perfect mix. They also found ample opportunities to rip forth with little rock-out moments. They murdered the crowd with Sunhands and pretty much solidified my patronage for future shows.
I was initially torn on the decision to go to this show. Phantogram was playing Black Cat the same night, but in the end, I was very happy with my decision.
I've had the privilege of seeing Matt and Kim a few times by this point. I have a good time every time they play. We (two friends and I) arrived early for a listening party for their new album, Sidewalks. This, it turns out, was not such a great idea. The venue was too loud and filled with underage shrieks and giggles to clearly hear anything and the listening party was more of background music. Frankly, I wish I had spent the time drinking over at Duffy's with my other friends.
Some rapper opened for the band. I don't remember his name, nor do I really remember his act except for 2 things: His DJ was really good (he spun a few songs on his own to get the crowd going and he did well) and he and his cohorts were whipping water into the crowd to get them rowdy. All it served to do was annoy me to get splashed in the face with water every seven minutes. I should have called them Ol' Faithful with that kind of regularity.
My poor friend, Helen, was crushed amongst a writhing throng of underage kids as soon as the Brooklyn Duo took the stage, and wasted almost no time retreating to a less smush-happy part of the floor. I managed to stick it out until they played Grand. The second song of the set was Good Old Fashioned Nightmare. Dozens of kid jumped to the front of the floor in a frenzy. Kim went crazy for it, and actually encouraged more to do so, which turned the floor into a frothy, sweaty mess. Shortly afterward, I nearly had my eye gouged out by a short guy with a birthday hat on pogoing in front of me. Kim came out, walking on the hands of the crowd and did a little booty shaking for us. I had to laugh as the underage kids who had pushed to the front were too weak to hold her up once she started shaking it in earnest.
I was rather surprised that during the entire set, they only played one song off the new album (nearly exhausting the first two), one that they play at every DC show. I didn't mind, as I still feel that though Cameras is really good, I still prefer the first two albums to Sidewalks.
I still get a kick out of these kids every time they roll through. You're never gonna find more enthusiastic people playing music for others. They're effervescent without being saccharine. Here's to you Matt & Kim.
Local Natives @ 9:30 Club
I have been waiting to see these guys since I missed them play at Rock and Roll Hotel earlier this year. I had a surreal experience during the opening act. My friends were checking out these girls that were dancing near us, and admittedly they were looking pretty good if it weren't for the wildly flailing hippy dancing. Even more odd, they approached me and knew my name. It became readily evident that they knew my little brother from college and that we had actually met at one point. There were a few awkward moments where they took pictures with me almost assuredly texting them to my brother, and me being unsure as whether to ask them to stay and hang out or to just let them go. We opted for the latter.
Initial impressions of the band were: Lead singer looks a little like Joaquin Phoenix from where I was standing. The band was bigger than I had initially imagined. The hype about the live show put on by these guys was not just hype but well-deserved word of mouth. Their booming afro-funk beats coupled with their choral choruses were a perfect mix. They also found ample opportunities to rip forth with little rock-out moments. They murdered the crowd with Sunhands and pretty much solidified my patronage for future shows.
I was initially torn on the decision to go to this show. Phantogram was playing Black Cat the same night, but in the end, I was very happy with my decision.
Roctoberfest: Week 2
The Thermals @ Black Cat
I have seen the Thermals before, at Black Cat even. It even made my top 5 concerts of last year. So understand me when I say, that this concert through the last one in the pit, and stomped it to a bloody mess.
I was joined by my cohort from last year's concert to enjoy this one promoting their new album, Personal Life. Each of their albums deals with a theme ranging from religion, to death, to the current theme of intimacy and relationships. The Thermals continue to provide angsty post punk that brings you back to rocking out with your friends in black t-shirts damning "the man". While it maintains that feel, the new album serves up some pretty heavy lyrics with strong content.
Last year's concert was a slug to the mouth. It played loud fast with almost no pauses. Lead singer, Hutch Harris, was somewhat subdued only giving song names and brief "thank yous". This time he was more than actively engaged with the crowd, breaking several strings and gallivanting around the stage while providing some wicked guitars. The pit was bigger this year, although my friends were not as into the idea of going in this year. I must say that it was a good call because some poor bastard lost his shoe and stepped on a broken glass or something. We saw him hobbling out of the venue with a bloody near gangrenous foot. If The Thermals continue to produce a product this high energy and cathartic, I will continue to buy tickets well in advance.
Jukebox the Ghost @ Black Cat
I had tickets to this show, but as mentioned above, my friend from last year's Thermals' show was in town, so I decided to skip the show. I had just watched a streaming acoustic set of them online, and was just so exhausted by the schedule that I just decided to skip the show. Full disclosure: this would be another solo show for me, and while I am now inoculated to the experience, it's not something I enjoy more than hanging with good friends.
I have seen the Thermals before, at Black Cat even. It even made my top 5 concerts of last year. So understand me when I say, that this concert through the last one in the pit, and stomped it to a bloody mess.
I was joined by my cohort from last year's concert to enjoy this one promoting their new album, Personal Life. Each of their albums deals with a theme ranging from religion, to death, to the current theme of intimacy and relationships. The Thermals continue to provide angsty post punk that brings you back to rocking out with your friends in black t-shirts damning "the man". While it maintains that feel, the new album serves up some pretty heavy lyrics with strong content.
Last year's concert was a slug to the mouth. It played loud fast with almost no pauses. Lead singer, Hutch Harris, was somewhat subdued only giving song names and brief "thank yous". This time he was more than actively engaged with the crowd, breaking several strings and gallivanting around the stage while providing some wicked guitars. The pit was bigger this year, although my friends were not as into the idea of going in this year. I must say that it was a good call because some poor bastard lost his shoe and stepped on a broken glass or something. We saw him hobbling out of the venue with a bloody near gangrenous foot. If The Thermals continue to produce a product this high energy and cathartic, I will continue to buy tickets well in advance.
Jukebox the Ghost @ Black Cat
I had tickets to this show, but as mentioned above, my friend from last year's Thermals' show was in town, so I decided to skip the show. I had just watched a streaming acoustic set of them online, and was just so exhausted by the schedule that I just decided to skip the show. Full disclosure: this would be another solo show for me, and while I am now inoculated to the experience, it's not something I enjoy more than hanging with good friends.
Posting update
Apologies to everyone for my lack of posting for the last quarter. I've had a few blogs ready to go, simply waiting for pics. As I still don't have some of the pics I will be posting blogs without them, and hopefully add them in later.
Roctoberfest: Week 1 Continues
The xx @ 9:30 Club
I was able to get tickets to this sold out show relatively early and had been anticipating it for quite some time as I had already missed The xx play at the Sixth and I Synagogue, and open for Hot Chip at 9:30. I got into The xx at the beginning of the year having just missed the hype of 2009. I love their debut album. Subversive, dark, with not a single wasted note. It was surprising that such a young band had developed such a mature sound.
I was surprised at how loud the band could get. The band came on stage with just three members (missing second guitarist/keyboardist, Baria Qureshi) and played a heavily expanded version of the album's Intro. I was expecting them to sound virtually exactly the same as the album with a few embellishments here and there; and I was not surprised. The concert itself was played very well, and I had a great time. Is it an act I feel I need to see again? Not likely (especially if rumors of their breakup are true). Highlights included Intro, Islands, and Stars. The lighting played heavily on the interplay between Romy and Oliver with spots trading between the two as they sang. It was a neat trick, but slightly overplayed.
Ratatat and Dom @ 9:30 Club
It was slightly embarrassing to return to 9:30 two days later for another show and have the ticket taker recognize me. I had just had two slices of pizza off D.C. Slices' food truck at the BYT Curbside Cook Off. My companion was feeling somewhat sick, but knew he would have caught major shit from me had he bailed. He toughed it out and we went to the show anyway.
Full disclosure about my knowledge of Dom: I knew barely anything about them outside having listened to their EP a few times during the summer. I thought I had heard from someone that they were a band from New Zealand and frankly, the lead singer sounded like a girl to me on the album. That being said, I was confused when a bunch of what looked to be like male tweens stepped on stage and announced they were from Worcester, Massachusetts. Their sound was somewhat harder than off the album (which I liked) and made most of their songs unrecognizable to me. At this point, I just wrote it off to a case of mistaken identity, and perhaps there were just two bands touring with that name. If the band was really from New Zealand then I don't think it would be out of the realm of possibility to have two bands touring the with same name. I was of course wrong. When the band closed with Living in America it became clear the bands were one in the same, and I had just gotten some bad information.
I had never been to a Ratatat show before, or anything remotely resembling an electropop show before. I don't usually listen to a whole lot of instrumental music, but I had heard too many good things about their shows that I just had to check them out. I had only started listening to their most recent album, which I actually do find pretty good. We ran into two of our friends while at the concert only to have them swept away later by the crushing wave of bodies that started moving as soon as the music started. One of them looked completely miserable as she was being pressed between two large gentleman and a couple that had pushed their way to the front only to stop directly in front of her. We made an attempt to shove directly in front of them. Having just done the same thing, it was funny to see them struggle with the desire to call us out but realizing they could not do so without incriminating themselves. Alas, the crowds proved too crazy for our friend and she relegated herself to the bar area while Pete and I soldiered on.
The visuals during a Ratatat show are strange and absurd ranging from large jungle cats, to foppish dandies playing stringed instruments, to big bootie hoes shaking it all on transparent plastic walls that allowed for projections from behind. I found the most entertaining parts of the show to be when both members engaged in drum duets at the front of the stage. The show was exhausting, but super fun. Again, another show I feel like I don't need to revisit now that I've had the experience though.
I was able to get tickets to this sold out show relatively early and had been anticipating it for quite some time as I had already missed The xx play at the Sixth and I Synagogue, and open for Hot Chip at 9:30. I got into The xx at the beginning of the year having just missed the hype of 2009. I love their debut album. Subversive, dark, with not a single wasted note. It was surprising that such a young band had developed such a mature sound.
I was surprised at how loud the band could get. The band came on stage with just three members (missing second guitarist/keyboardist, Baria Qureshi) and played a heavily expanded version of the album's Intro. I was expecting them to sound virtually exactly the same as the album with a few embellishments here and there; and I was not surprised. The concert itself was played very well, and I had a great time. Is it an act I feel I need to see again? Not likely (especially if rumors of their breakup are true). Highlights included Intro, Islands, and Stars. The lighting played heavily on the interplay between Romy and Oliver with spots trading between the two as they sang. It was a neat trick, but slightly overplayed.
Ratatat and Dom @ 9:30 Club
It was slightly embarrassing to return to 9:30 two days later for another show and have the ticket taker recognize me. I had just had two slices of pizza off D.C. Slices' food truck at the BYT Curbside Cook Off. My companion was feeling somewhat sick, but knew he would have caught major shit from me had he bailed. He toughed it out and we went to the show anyway.
Full disclosure about my knowledge of Dom: I knew barely anything about them outside having listened to their EP a few times during the summer. I thought I had heard from someone that they were a band from New Zealand and frankly, the lead singer sounded like a girl to me on the album. That being said, I was confused when a bunch of what looked to be like male tweens stepped on stage and announced they were from Worcester, Massachusetts. Their sound was somewhat harder than off the album (which I liked) and made most of their songs unrecognizable to me. At this point, I just wrote it off to a case of mistaken identity, and perhaps there were just two bands touring with that name. If the band was really from New Zealand then I don't think it would be out of the realm of possibility to have two bands touring the with same name. I was of course wrong. When the band closed with Living in America it became clear the bands were one in the same, and I had just gotten some bad information.
I had never been to a Ratatat show before, or anything remotely resembling an electropop show before. I don't usually listen to a whole lot of instrumental music, but I had heard too many good things about their shows that I just had to check them out. I had only started listening to their most recent album, which I actually do find pretty good. We ran into two of our friends while at the concert only to have them swept away later by the crushing wave of bodies that started moving as soon as the music started. One of them looked completely miserable as she was being pressed between two large gentleman and a couple that had pushed their way to the front only to stop directly in front of her. We made an attempt to shove directly in front of them. Having just done the same thing, it was funny to see them struggle with the desire to call us out but realizing they could not do so without incriminating themselves. Alas, the crowds proved too crazy for our friend and she relegated herself to the bar area while Pete and I soldiered on.
The visuals during a Ratatat show are strange and absurd ranging from large jungle cats, to foppish dandies playing stringed instruments, to big bootie hoes shaking it all on transparent plastic walls that allowed for projections from behind. I found the most entertaining parts of the show to be when both members engaged in drum duets at the front of the stage. The show was exhausting, but super fun. Again, another show I feel like I don't need to revisit now that I've had the experience though.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Roctoberfest: Opening Weekend
Day 1: Margot and the Nuclear So and So's @ Black Cat
Roctober really started in earnest on October 1st with Margot & the Nuclear So and So's headlining at the Black Cat. They're openers included a side project by keyboardist, Cameron McGill (Cameron McGill & What Army) and The Lonely Forest.
I had the pleasure of being joined by two friends John and Gabby. John had just rediscovered his love for Margot & the Nuclear So and So's and had introduced them to his girlfriend who was the other friend in attendance. I had to say that I found Cameron McGill & What Army wanting. Even more to the point, all of us agreed that one of McGill's back up vocalists had a better voice. Gabby went over to the merch table after their set to express this to him. The fat bass-player merely blushed and shrugged and looked away from the pretty girl paying him a compliment and offered non-committal agreements. Easily one of the funnier things that happened that night. The Lonely Forest was far more catchy and entertaining to me. They have a good pop sensibility and good instincts about when to just plain old kick out the jams.
The last time I saw Margot was over a year ago, when they opened for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. Tonight was a bit of culture shock. I had only given the new album a cursory listening before being able to see them. From what I gathered they had gone for a heavier sound dropping aspects of the baroque pop they had adopted for their first album. What I saw was a band that had whittled itself down from the giant collective it had been from a year ago, to a band that was still relatively large but as I assumed, lacking the baroque pop pieces that they had used on their first tour.
I have to say that I was very pleased with the new sound. I felt that despite losing that softer sound, the band still sounds uniquely like Margot and the Nuclear So and So's. There were only a few songs that were played from the original album, which normally kinda torques me, but since the new material was so solid and accessible, I still had a great time. My friends' greatest complaint with the first album is that they never really rocked out at any point. This was not the case at this show or the second album for that matter. The show was fun, but I was shocked that the clear hits off the first album My Baby Shoots Her Mouth Off, German Motor Car, and As Tall as Cliffs, were missing from the show. I feel strongly that My Baby Shoots Her Mouth Off is a perfect closer for the group because it hits all the different volumes they go (especially with the way they were changing the songs from the first album to fit their new style); satisfies the crowd participation itch; and the haunting "ooohs" is a powerful way to end a concert. Again, still a good time, just not the concert I expected. I'm actually more likely to recommend people see them now. I believe the new sound is more accessible in a way that will appeal to a more mainstream market.
Day 2: LCD Soundsystem and Sleigh Bells @ Charlottesville Pavilion
This was a last minute decision for me. I was perusing the weekend picks on BYT's weekly e-mail and saw that LCD Soundsystem and Sleigh Bells were playing the Charlottesville Pavilion. Given my curtailed experience at Freefest, I was somewhat tempted to go, but by myself that trip sounded a little intimidating to me. I mentioned this to my friend, Val. She told me that I should go and bring her boyfriend, Eugene (she'd purchase the ticket as a gift). And that was all it took. I invited my friend Kyle who had to leave Freefest even earlier than Eugene or I did. He joined our little carpool to awesomeness and we were as good as on our way to C-ville.
I'd never been to the venue before (I've only been to two shows in C-ville before) so I didn't know what to expect. I was worried because the tickets were general admission; but was pleased to find that the only seats were folding chairs that were set farther back with a huge pit in front of the stage.
We arrived just in time for the lights to go down and Sleigh Bells to take the stage just as we slid into place just right of center 20 ft. or so back from the stage. Sleigh Bells performed with the same crazy energy I've seen them utilize in the last two shows. I don't know what it is about this group, but they have now consistently impressed me more in a large open venue than they have in a small venue like the Rock and Roll Hotel. They played exactly the same set list they have for the other two shows. I feel ambivalent about this. On one hand, how can you possibly have that much variety with just the one album to go off of. On the other hand, some variance would be good. I lean toward the former because despite the lack of variety in the set list, I rock out like a mofo every time I see them. Alexis Krauss' sugar pop voice delivering sweet bouncy rhymes and rhythmic uh's and ah's over the raucous guitars and beats of Derek Miller is a new kind of loud that anyone can appreciate.
I was super-excited for LCD Soundsystem because I was the most excited to see them because of how great the new album's been. My appetite was only whetted by the truncated set I was able to see at Freefest. Just as at Freefest, the light drum beats and pulsing keyboards signaled the slow build of the intro to Dance Yrself Clean. You could cut the tension in the pavilion with a knife as all those people palpably waited for the breakdown to hit. When it did, a flash of golden lights and a rain of glow sticks signaled the beginning of a nearly 2 hour dance party.
LCD ripped from Dance Yrself Clean into Drunk Girls and showed that they can rip fast paced post punk just as well as it does incredibly layered electronica. Other highlights in the game included Yr City's a Sucker providing maniacal ha ha ha's throughout the entire audience. The piano intro to All My Friends (the very first LCD song I've ever heard) is so much of a crowd pleaser I can't explain it adequately without repeating many of the sentiments I had for Dance Yrself Clean. Movement ended in what is one of the craziest ways I've seen a guitarist end a song. Guitarist, David Scott Stone, had removed the guitar strap from off his shoulder and was only holding onto the guitar by only its strings and shaking it violently to achieve ridiculous reverb. The encore finale of Home was fun and moving all at once, and reminded me why I was so eager to see them again after only one week.
Day 3: Foals @ Black Cat
I came across Foals around the same time I found LCD Soundsystem. At the time, I had only downloaded their first album, Antidotes which is an infectious avalanche of math rock. Songs like Cassius, Two Steps, Twice; and The French Open being good examples. This year's release, Total Life Forever was a big step away from Antidotes and to be honest I wasn't sure if I was going to buy into it at first. The band applied a very strong editing ear to the avalanche and have tamed it a great deal on some songs leading to a significantly different sound that yields something between Local Natives and Minus the Bear. I have strong feelings that by next year, they'll be where Local Natives are right now.
I have to admit, that due to the subdued sound of the new album I was afraid that the concert was going to have none of the energy of the first album. Full disclosure: I was running on something like 12 hours of sleep in the last 72, and spent the entire day at Buffalo Wing Factory in Fairfax for the football games. I've never been to a show by myself before, and this would be the first. I started going to shows with my first girlfriend, and so for the longest time, going to shows has been a shared experience. As time has past I've found that show going has become an increasingly singular experience starting last year. Physical exhaustion coupled with the idea of having to go it alone almost kept me from going, but I'm really glad I went.
The energy at a Foals show is incredible. Their following is inordinately loyal with people coming from other cities to see this show yelling lyrics for nearly every song. The show was a perfect balance of the two albums' styles and creates a sophisticated sound with incredible energy. Lead singer, Yannis Philippakis, had two bottles on stage. One was almost assuredly whiskey the other likely water. He drank from one more than the other, and as the show progressed, I expected it to get sloppier, but it only got harder. He only became more at ease with the crowd, coming out of his shell to interact with crowd members.
One of the many highlights of the show were the very strong drum duets played throughout the show. At one point Philippakis was whipping his water out into the audience and whipping them up into a frenzy. Later, he took his drumming on tour, climbing the speakers on the right side of the stage and playing off the pipes hanging from the ceiling while crouched between the top of the speakers and the ceiling itself. For the finale, an young audience member was pulled to perform half the drumming duties with drummer, Jack Bevan, when Yannis was nowhere to be found for almost half the song. It was only until someone pointed that I noticed that he was standing on the stage left bar shredding away.
That was another thing. I didn't expect them to be so loud. They were raucous and thrashing on certain solos whipping the floor into a giant pit of dancing bodies enraptured in musical catharsis. The concert left me spent and ready to come home and crash into a waiting bed.
Opening weekend of Roctober was hardcore and didn't let up. Roctober was only going to take its boot off my throat for one night before I headed to 9:30 for The xx.
Roctober really started in earnest on October 1st with Margot & the Nuclear So and So's headlining at the Black Cat. They're openers included a side project by keyboardist, Cameron McGill (Cameron McGill & What Army) and The Lonely Forest.
I had the pleasure of being joined by two friends John and Gabby. John had just rediscovered his love for Margot & the Nuclear So and So's and had introduced them to his girlfriend who was the other friend in attendance. I had to say that I found Cameron McGill & What Army wanting. Even more to the point, all of us agreed that one of McGill's back up vocalists had a better voice. Gabby went over to the merch table after their set to express this to him. The fat bass-player merely blushed and shrugged and looked away from the pretty girl paying him a compliment and offered non-committal agreements. Easily one of the funnier things that happened that night. The Lonely Forest was far more catchy and entertaining to me. They have a good pop sensibility and good instincts about when to just plain old kick out the jams.
The last time I saw Margot was over a year ago, when they opened for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. Tonight was a bit of culture shock. I had only given the new album a cursory listening before being able to see them. From what I gathered they had gone for a heavier sound dropping aspects of the baroque pop they had adopted for their first album. What I saw was a band that had whittled itself down from the giant collective it had been from a year ago, to a band that was still relatively large but as I assumed, lacking the baroque pop pieces that they had used on their first tour.
I have to say that I was very pleased with the new sound. I felt that despite losing that softer sound, the band still sounds uniquely like Margot and the Nuclear So and So's. There were only a few songs that were played from the original album, which normally kinda torques me, but since the new material was so solid and accessible, I still had a great time. My friends' greatest complaint with the first album is that they never really rocked out at any point. This was not the case at this show or the second album for that matter. The show was fun, but I was shocked that the clear hits off the first album My Baby Shoots Her Mouth Off, German Motor Car, and As Tall as Cliffs, were missing from the show. I feel strongly that My Baby Shoots Her Mouth Off is a perfect closer for the group because it hits all the different volumes they go (especially with the way they were changing the songs from the first album to fit their new style); satisfies the crowd participation itch; and the haunting "ooohs" is a powerful way to end a concert. Again, still a good time, just not the concert I expected. I'm actually more likely to recommend people see them now. I believe the new sound is more accessible in a way that will appeal to a more mainstream market.
Day 2: LCD Soundsystem and Sleigh Bells @ Charlottesville Pavilion
This was a last minute decision for me. I was perusing the weekend picks on BYT's weekly e-mail and saw that LCD Soundsystem and Sleigh Bells were playing the Charlottesville Pavilion. Given my curtailed experience at Freefest, I was somewhat tempted to go, but by myself that trip sounded a little intimidating to me. I mentioned this to my friend, Val. She told me that I should go and bring her boyfriend, Eugene (she'd purchase the ticket as a gift). And that was all it took. I invited my friend Kyle who had to leave Freefest even earlier than Eugene or I did. He joined our little carpool to awesomeness and we were as good as on our way to C-ville.
I'd never been to the venue before (I've only been to two shows in C-ville before) so I didn't know what to expect. I was worried because the tickets were general admission; but was pleased to find that the only seats were folding chairs that were set farther back with a huge pit in front of the stage.
We arrived just in time for the lights to go down and Sleigh Bells to take the stage just as we slid into place just right of center 20 ft. or so back from the stage. Sleigh Bells performed with the same crazy energy I've seen them utilize in the last two shows. I don't know what it is about this group, but they have now consistently impressed me more in a large open venue than they have in a small venue like the Rock and Roll Hotel. They played exactly the same set list they have for the other two shows. I feel ambivalent about this. On one hand, how can you possibly have that much variety with just the one album to go off of. On the other hand, some variance would be good. I lean toward the former because despite the lack of variety in the set list, I rock out like a mofo every time I see them. Alexis Krauss' sugar pop voice delivering sweet bouncy rhymes and rhythmic uh's and ah's over the raucous guitars and beats of Derek Miller is a new kind of loud that anyone can appreciate.
I was super-excited for LCD Soundsystem because I was the most excited to see them because of how great the new album's been. My appetite was only whetted by the truncated set I was able to see at Freefest. Just as at Freefest, the light drum beats and pulsing keyboards signaled the slow build of the intro to Dance Yrself Clean. You could cut the tension in the pavilion with a knife as all those people palpably waited for the breakdown to hit. When it did, a flash of golden lights and a rain of glow sticks signaled the beginning of a nearly 2 hour dance party.
LCD ripped from Dance Yrself Clean into Drunk Girls and showed that they can rip fast paced post punk just as well as it does incredibly layered electronica. Other highlights in the game included Yr City's a Sucker providing maniacal ha ha ha's throughout the entire audience. The piano intro to All My Friends (the very first LCD song I've ever heard) is so much of a crowd pleaser I can't explain it adequately without repeating many of the sentiments I had for Dance Yrself Clean. Movement ended in what is one of the craziest ways I've seen a guitarist end a song. Guitarist, David Scott Stone, had removed the guitar strap from off his shoulder and was only holding onto the guitar by only its strings and shaking it violently to achieve ridiculous reverb. The encore finale of Home was fun and moving all at once, and reminded me why I was so eager to see them again after only one week.
Day 3: Foals @ Black Cat
I came across Foals around the same time I found LCD Soundsystem. At the time, I had only downloaded their first album, Antidotes which is an infectious avalanche of math rock. Songs like Cassius, Two Steps, Twice; and The French Open being good examples. This year's release, Total Life Forever was a big step away from Antidotes and to be honest I wasn't sure if I was going to buy into it at first. The band applied a very strong editing ear to the avalanche and have tamed it a great deal on some songs leading to a significantly different sound that yields something between Local Natives and Minus the Bear. I have strong feelings that by next year, they'll be where Local Natives are right now.
I have to admit, that due to the subdued sound of the new album I was afraid that the concert was going to have none of the energy of the first album. Full disclosure: I was running on something like 12 hours of sleep in the last 72, and spent the entire day at Buffalo Wing Factory in Fairfax for the football games. I've never been to a show by myself before, and this would be the first. I started going to shows with my first girlfriend, and so for the longest time, going to shows has been a shared experience. As time has past I've found that show going has become an increasingly singular experience starting last year. Physical exhaustion coupled with the idea of having to go it alone almost kept me from going, but I'm really glad I went.
The energy at a Foals show is incredible. Their following is inordinately loyal with people coming from other cities to see this show yelling lyrics for nearly every song. The show was a perfect balance of the two albums' styles and creates a sophisticated sound with incredible energy. Lead singer, Yannis Philippakis, had two bottles on stage. One was almost assuredly whiskey the other likely water. He drank from one more than the other, and as the show progressed, I expected it to get sloppier, but it only got harder. He only became more at ease with the crowd, coming out of his shell to interact with crowd members.
One of the many highlights of the show were the very strong drum duets played throughout the show. At one point Philippakis was whipping his water out into the audience and whipping them up into a frenzy. Later, he took his drumming on tour, climbing the speakers on the right side of the stage and playing off the pipes hanging from the ceiling while crouched between the top of the speakers and the ceiling itself. For the finale, an young audience member was pulled to perform half the drumming duties with drummer, Jack Bevan, when Yannis was nowhere to be found for almost half the song. It was only until someone pointed that I noticed that he was standing on the stage left bar shredding away.
That was another thing. I didn't expect them to be so loud. They were raucous and thrashing on certain solos whipping the floor into a giant pit of dancing bodies enraptured in musical catharsis. The concert left me spent and ready to come home and crash into a waiting bed.
Opening weekend of Roctober was hardcore and didn't let up. Roctober was only going to take its boot off my throat for one night before I headed to 9:30 for The xx.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Free the Freefest!
The month of Roctober started a week early for me in Columbia Maryland as I participated in my first ever Virgin Mobile Freefest. I went to the original Virgin Fest in 2006 at Pimlico race track in Baltimore, MD back when they were charging an (at the time for me) unheard of amount: $90 for a single day of shows. But hey, it was a chance to see The Who and Gnarls Barkley amongst other exciting bands.
I must give huge thanks to Sir Richard Branson for his charitable work and ability to sign top grade bands to this show. I've been excited since I picked up my tickets during the "Freesale" several weeks ago. In spite of rapper, T.I.'s legal trouble, and Die Antwoord pulling out, the Freefest was chock full of acts to see from when I arrived.
I bought into a bus with some friends thinking it would afford for a better time. I mean Freefest with none of the responsibility? Yes, please. In hindsight, I could not have been more disappointed. I assumed that because the bus would be headed to Freefest I would be surrounded by like-minded individuals with incredible taste in music. My friend was quick to remind me that I could also be on a bus full of people who got free tickets to something and they just want to spend the whole day fucked up. Unfortunately, it seemed like it was the latter, as I watched trendy Asian after trendy Asian bring case after case onto the bus (and ugh, Jager). My agitation only grew when we were told to be there sharply at 11:30 AM, and we didn't leave until after 12:30 PM because the ORGANIZER of the event showed up late because he was hungover. Any initial snobbishness was only magnified when some idiot decided to give the bus driver a mix CD. I was then subjected to house music for the next 90 minutes of my life. While waiting in line for the bathroom, some guy says, "Oh they started the first CD over again?"
"FIRST?! There's more?! Of THIS?!"
"Well...I did make a second CD with hip-hop on it..."
"Oh! It's yours? Haha...well...let's...um...get that second CD up and going, huh?"
Luckily I was spared that horror until later because we shortly arrived at Merriweather Post Pavillion, and one of the best single day festival shows I've ever been to:
I started the day with finding my friends in the last throes of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. I had seen him before at Black Cat and didn't feel the need to repeat the experience so we moseyed on over to Yeasayer. I had been forewarned that Yeasayer's show was something to behold, but I had not expected the spectacle that was their live performance. My only experience with Yeasayer is limited to repeated viewings of Red Cave on La Blogotheque. So I was surprised to learn that the lead singer is not featured in that video. The lead singer, Anand Wilder and Chris Keating would trade vocal responsibility throughout the set (their voices sound near identical to me). I tend to zone out to their more choral arrangements from the first album, but the live versions of these songs were so full of sound and energy that I couldn't get enough of it. It gave me a whole new look on their music. People should be introduced to Yeasayer via the live show. They closed with Ambling Alps, simply stating, "This last song's been remixed a lot".
Having given Dave Sitek's solo effort, Maximum Balloon, a cursory listening on Rhapsody, my interest was piqued enough to check them out in the appropriately named "Dance Forest". I gotta tell you, the show was not much like the album. He was a HUGE fan of the air horn sound effect though. It was decent music, I could see myself dancing to it, if it were darker (something about dance music outdoors during the day that doesn't quite work for me) or in a tent somewhere. We left the set early giving up music for positioning for Matt and Kim.
Getting to the main pavilion stage early meant that we got to (or had to depending on your view) listen to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. She played some songs I'm sure bigger fans would have known; but I was surprised to hear a bunch of songs that I suppose on some level I knew were done by Jone Jett but never really attributed them to her. I was amused when a friend of mine complained to me:
"I think I don't like this band because they're so much older everyone here. Why are they here?"
"Because she's Joan Jett. She's an icon."
"She is? What does she do?"
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot? It's on fucking Guitar Hero, dude."
"OH YEAH!! Now I know who she is. She's really old now."
"Well, yeah. She's been around for a bit."
Matt and Kim took the stage a few minutes later with their catchy brand of indie pop. I've said it once and I'll say it again: You'll never find two people more happy to be playing music in front of people...EVER. They opened with I Wanna and then ripped into Good Old Fashioned Nightmare. I wasn't sure if it was the acoustics of the lawn seats, but the sound wasn't as energetic as it normally is. My greatest fear for Matt and Kim was that their sound wouldn't translate to a pavilion setting, and I felt my fears were warranted. My friends who had yet to see them play said that they had a great time during the set. I made the most of it and danced like a maniac. I had some other friends leaving early for Chromeo, but every time I thought I was going to leave they would pull me back in with hip hop throwbacks like Apache or I Like it Raw.
Eventually I did leave and made my way back to the Dance Forest to check out Chromeo's set. This was probably my biggest surprise of the day. I'm not that familiar with the bulk of Chromeo's work; but I have been bumping the album Fancy Footwork, for some time now. I was expecting some good flow over some synthed out beats but I walked into an orgiastic sea of writhing, bumping bodies. I didn't make it out for Sharam, but I can only assume that Chromeo truly turned that place into a Dance Forest. They're sound filled the area, and all you could think about was getting your proverbial "swerve on".
After the set, I dashed over to the west stage to catch a bit of Luda's set before coming back to the Dance Forest for Sleigh Bells. I'm not really familiar with Ludacris' music outside of radio hits, and I'm not really inclined to work on it now. I'm always skeptical of live rap shows because of the use of hype-men, and it translated into the little bit I heard from Ludacris. I'm not sure if I'm just not used to it, but a lot of people were pleased with his set, while everyone else I was with was somewhat underwhelmed with his performance. Perhaps these people are more familiar with live rap shows than I or my friends.
I was truly upset that I only caught brief glimpses/sound snippets of Pavement as I bounced between the Dance Forest and West stage. I was curious as to whether or not Sleigh Bells enormously loud shows would translate to a wide open forest. I was not disappointed as the group with whom I was traveling made it back to the forest and could hear the last bits of Infinity Guitars pouring through the main gates to the forest. I had a great time at the Rock and Roll Hotel show back in July; but this show was so much better. They seemed louder and more comfortable to improvise and interact with the crowd. Lead singer, Alexis Krauss encouraged the crowd to scream with her as she set forth a shriek that would make the Banshee's hair stand on end. I have a really good friend. He's one of those stoic, strong and silent, still-waters-run-deep types. Needless to say, he doesn't really dance at shows. In fact, at the evening with CAKE he told me that while he had not danced, it was the closest he came to dancing at a show. That being said, he danced to Sleigh Bells. His girlfriend and I couldn't believe it, and we went to join him in a thrashing little dance party.
Back out to the west stage for M.I.A.'s set. With LCD Soundsystem's set looming in my future (I was at Freefest primarily for LCD), I was disappointed and impatient to find that M.I.A. was not on stage 5 minutes past her posted start time. I was fairly certain that LCD would open with Dance Yrself Clean and I would not miss it for anything. When M.I.A. finally took the stage with The Message and proceeded with a very house music sounding beginning, I was already half-checked out. With 10 minutes until LCD, She was working her way through World Town, and I just bailed with my friend upon news that they were letting people into the pavilion for LCD's set and I should, "Get my ass down to the pit".
Unfortunately, the pit was at max capacity by the time we made it to the pavilion. We took to standing positions in some seats a few rows behind the pit and waited. When James Murphy took the stage with his collective of instrumentalists you just knew that there was something epic about to happen. The telltale drum beats started that kicked off the slow build to Dance Yrself Clean. I lost my mind and waited with the rest of the crowd with bated breath for the breakdown that comes in minute 3 of the song. When it hits, the pavilion and the surrounding lawn area explodes into a golden dance party, glow sticks flying, and everyone moving in unison. Continuing with This is Happening, the band played Drunk Girls, to a crowd that was now thrashing with the pop-punk power that was hammering from the stage. One of their first hits, Daft Punk is Playing at My House, came next and I could already feel my becoming complete. Perhaps my second favorite song off This is Happening, I Can Change, was played next. I had completely lost myself in the show. It was as if there were no one around me. This trance-like stage only became apparent when it took a direct yell into my ear from my friend that the rest of our little troupe had arrived on the other side of the pavilion wall and were trying to get our attention.
In order for you to understand what I felt in the next two minutes I would like you to imagine the following: Gentleman you are spending the night with the most beautiful woman you have ever met. Ladies, you are with the most handsome man you've ever met. You've had dinner, coy small talk all night and now things have moved to a more intimate setting. You've made your way through some intense foreplay and you are in the gasping throes of mind shattering love making. Now imagine your father comes in, grabs you by the hips, and rips you out of her (or him out of you) and throws you into a cold shower. This is what happened to me when my friends yell into my ear, "The bus is leaving soon, we have to meet up with the rest of the group".
After some failed attempts to contact some other friends at the show in a last ditch effort to go home with them instead of being relegated to a bus bumping shitty house music all the way back to Virginia, I resigned myself to the fact that I was not finishing this set. We very regretfully walked out of the pavilion to the sounds of You Wanted a Hit. The bus was just as disorganized leaving the show as it was getting there and as a result I sat on the bus waiting for an hour or so for some jackass I saw turn back to the venue on our way back to the bus. I could have stayed, finished the show, and still have likely beaten this guy back to the bus. What more? We were told that we had to get on the bus because we would be forced to pay an additional fee for going past the time of the booking. No one told us that this fee would amount roughly to $2-5 (which I would have gladly paid if it meant that I could watch the rest of the show). Lesson learned, never trust amateur douches with the totality of responsibility of me being able to enjoy my show.
I'm never riding a drunk bus anywhere unless I know the people who set it up, personally.
Overall the experience was great. I am however continually brought back to two particular instances in the festival. During Matt and Kim mentioned that they were charging for the pavilion seats and that maybe Virgin should consider freeing the Freefest. As I stated above, they eventually opened up the pavilion to
I must give huge thanks to Sir Richard Branson for his charitable work and ability to sign top grade bands to this show. I've been excited since I picked up my tickets during the "Freesale" several weeks ago. In spite of rapper, T.I.'s legal trouble, and Die Antwoord pulling out, the Freefest was chock full of acts to see from when I arrived.
I bought into a bus with some friends thinking it would afford for a better time. I mean Freefest with none of the responsibility? Yes, please. In hindsight, I could not have been more disappointed. I assumed that because the bus would be headed to Freefest I would be surrounded by like-minded individuals with incredible taste in music. My friend was quick to remind me that I could also be on a bus full of people who got free tickets to something and they just want to spend the whole day fucked up. Unfortunately, it seemed like it was the latter, as I watched trendy Asian after trendy Asian bring case after case onto the bus (and ugh, Jager). My agitation only grew when we were told to be there sharply at 11:30 AM, and we didn't leave until after 12:30 PM because the ORGANIZER of the event showed up late because he was hungover. Any initial snobbishness was only magnified when some idiot decided to give the bus driver a mix CD. I was then subjected to house music for the next 90 minutes of my life. While waiting in line for the bathroom, some guy says, "Oh they started the first CD over again?"
"FIRST?! There's more?! Of THIS?!"
"Well...I did make a second CD with hip-hop on it..."
"Oh! It's yours? Haha...well...let's...um...get that second CD up and going, huh?"
Luckily I was spared that horror until later because we shortly arrived at Merriweather Post Pavillion, and one of the best single day festival shows I've ever been to:
I started the day with finding my friends in the last throes of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. I had seen him before at Black Cat and didn't feel the need to repeat the experience so we moseyed on over to Yeasayer. I had been forewarned that Yeasayer's show was something to behold, but I had not expected the spectacle that was their live performance. My only experience with Yeasayer is limited to repeated viewings of Red Cave on La Blogotheque. So I was surprised to learn that the lead singer is not featured in that video. The lead singer, Anand Wilder and Chris Keating would trade vocal responsibility throughout the set (their voices sound near identical to me). I tend to zone out to their more choral arrangements from the first album, but the live versions of these songs were so full of sound and energy that I couldn't get enough of it. It gave me a whole new look on their music. People should be introduced to Yeasayer via the live show. They closed with Ambling Alps, simply stating, "This last song's been remixed a lot".
Having given Dave Sitek's solo effort, Maximum Balloon, a cursory listening on Rhapsody, my interest was piqued enough to check them out in the appropriately named "Dance Forest". I gotta tell you, the show was not much like the album. He was a HUGE fan of the air horn sound effect though. It was decent music, I could see myself dancing to it, if it were darker (something about dance music outdoors during the day that doesn't quite work for me) or in a tent somewhere. We left the set early giving up music for positioning for Matt and Kim.
Getting to the main pavilion stage early meant that we got to (or had to depending on your view) listen to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. She played some songs I'm sure bigger fans would have known; but I was surprised to hear a bunch of songs that I suppose on some level I knew were done by Jone Jett but never really attributed them to her. I was amused when a friend of mine complained to me:
"I think I don't like this band because they're so much older everyone here. Why are they here?"
"Because she's Joan Jett. She's an icon."
"She is? What does she do?"
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot? It's on fucking Guitar Hero, dude."
"OH YEAH!! Now I know who she is. She's really old now."
"Well, yeah. She's been around for a bit."
Matt and Kim took the stage a few minutes later with their catchy brand of indie pop. I've said it once and I'll say it again: You'll never find two people more happy to be playing music in front of people...EVER. They opened with I Wanna and then ripped into Good Old Fashioned Nightmare. I wasn't sure if it was the acoustics of the lawn seats, but the sound wasn't as energetic as it normally is. My greatest fear for Matt and Kim was that their sound wouldn't translate to a pavilion setting, and I felt my fears were warranted. My friends who had yet to see them play said that they had a great time during the set. I made the most of it and danced like a maniac. I had some other friends leaving early for Chromeo, but every time I thought I was going to leave they would pull me back in with hip hop throwbacks like Apache or I Like it Raw.
Eventually I did leave and made my way back to the Dance Forest to check out Chromeo's set. This was probably my biggest surprise of the day. I'm not that familiar with the bulk of Chromeo's work; but I have been bumping the album Fancy Footwork, for some time now. I was expecting some good flow over some synthed out beats but I walked into an orgiastic sea of writhing, bumping bodies. I didn't make it out for Sharam, but I can only assume that Chromeo truly turned that place into a Dance Forest. They're sound filled the area, and all you could think about was getting your proverbial "swerve on".
After the set, I dashed over to the west stage to catch a bit of Luda's set before coming back to the Dance Forest for Sleigh Bells. I'm not really familiar with Ludacris' music outside of radio hits, and I'm not really inclined to work on it now. I'm always skeptical of live rap shows because of the use of hype-men, and it translated into the little bit I heard from Ludacris. I'm not sure if I'm just not used to it, but a lot of people were pleased with his set, while everyone else I was with was somewhat underwhelmed with his performance. Perhaps these people are more familiar with live rap shows than I or my friends.
I was truly upset that I only caught brief glimpses/sound snippets of Pavement as I bounced between the Dance Forest and West stage. I was curious as to whether or not Sleigh Bells enormously loud shows would translate to a wide open forest. I was not disappointed as the group with whom I was traveling made it back to the forest and could hear the last bits of Infinity Guitars pouring through the main gates to the forest. I had a great time at the Rock and Roll Hotel show back in July; but this show was so much better. They seemed louder and more comfortable to improvise and interact with the crowd. Lead singer, Alexis Krauss encouraged the crowd to scream with her as she set forth a shriek that would make the Banshee's hair stand on end. I have a really good friend. He's one of those stoic, strong and silent, still-waters-run-deep types. Needless to say, he doesn't really dance at shows. In fact, at the evening with CAKE he told me that while he had not danced, it was the closest he came to dancing at a show. That being said, he danced to Sleigh Bells. His girlfriend and I couldn't believe it, and we went to join him in a thrashing little dance party.
Back out to the west stage for M.I.A.'s set. With LCD Soundsystem's set looming in my future (I was at Freefest primarily for LCD), I was disappointed and impatient to find that M.I.A. was not on stage 5 minutes past her posted start time. I was fairly certain that LCD would open with Dance Yrself Clean and I would not miss it for anything. When M.I.A. finally took the stage with The Message and proceeded with a very house music sounding beginning, I was already half-checked out. With 10 minutes until LCD, She was working her way through World Town, and I just bailed with my friend upon news that they were letting people into the pavilion for LCD's set and I should, "Get my ass down to the pit".
Unfortunately, the pit was at max capacity by the time we made it to the pavilion. We took to standing positions in some seats a few rows behind the pit and waited. When James Murphy took the stage with his collective of instrumentalists you just knew that there was something epic about to happen. The telltale drum beats started that kicked off the slow build to Dance Yrself Clean. I lost my mind and waited with the rest of the crowd with bated breath for the breakdown that comes in minute 3 of the song. When it hits, the pavilion and the surrounding lawn area explodes into a golden dance party, glow sticks flying, and everyone moving in unison. Continuing with This is Happening, the band played Drunk Girls, to a crowd that was now thrashing with the pop-punk power that was hammering from the stage. One of their first hits, Daft Punk is Playing at My House, came next and I could already feel my becoming complete. Perhaps my second favorite song off This is Happening, I Can Change, was played next. I had completely lost myself in the show. It was as if there were no one around me. This trance-like stage only became apparent when it took a direct yell into my ear from my friend that the rest of our little troupe had arrived on the other side of the pavilion wall and were trying to get our attention.
In order for you to understand what I felt in the next two minutes I would like you to imagine the following: Gentleman you are spending the night with the most beautiful woman you have ever met. Ladies, you are with the most handsome man you've ever met. You've had dinner, coy small talk all night and now things have moved to a more intimate setting. You've made your way through some intense foreplay and you are in the gasping throes of mind shattering love making. Now imagine your father comes in, grabs you by the hips, and rips you out of her (or him out of you) and throws you into a cold shower. This is what happened to me when my friends yell into my ear, "The bus is leaving soon, we have to meet up with the rest of the group".
After some failed attempts to contact some other friends at the show in a last ditch effort to go home with them instead of being relegated to a bus bumping shitty house music all the way back to Virginia, I resigned myself to the fact that I was not finishing this set. We very regretfully walked out of the pavilion to the sounds of You Wanted a Hit. The bus was just as disorganized leaving the show as it was getting there and as a result I sat on the bus waiting for an hour or so for some jackass I saw turn back to the venue on our way back to the bus. I could have stayed, finished the show, and still have likely beaten this guy back to the bus. What more? We were told that we had to get on the bus because we would be forced to pay an additional fee for going past the time of the booking. No one told us that this fee would amount roughly to $2-5 (which I would have gladly paid if it meant that I could watch the rest of the show). Lesson learned, never trust amateur douches with the totality of responsibility of me being able to enjoy my show.
I'm never riding a drunk bus anywhere unless I know the people who set it up, personally.
Overall the experience was great. I am however continually brought back to two particular instances in the festival. During Matt and Kim mentioned that they were charging for the pavilion seats and that maybe Virgin should consider freeing the Freefest. As I stated above, they eventually opened up the pavilion to
Monday, September 20, 2010
I Like My Cake Moist, but This is Ridiculous
When I saw that Cake was on tour again, I was disappointed to discover that they did not have a single date in DC. Then in thinking about a plausible trip, I began considering a trip that was based around a concert in either Boston or NYC. Given strong arguments for the latter, I ended up taking an extra day off work and came to New York Thursday night for a show at Rumsey Playfield.
I have some experience with the venue, having seen Passion Pit, and Phoenix there last year. It's an open air venue in Central Park right by 69th St. The acoustics are decent and there's ample space to move around. Drinks will run you from $6-$8 depending on the beer you choose (first time I've ever seen cans of Blue Moon or Corona).
First off, I should note that while it was not a torrential downpour, it was raining for nearly the entire show. Much like the 9:30 Club Double Set "Evening with Cake", Thursday night's show was a double set. Lead singer, John McCrea came on stage with white conductor's gloves. And the show began almost immediately with Comfort Eagle. McCrea began immediately with the crowd participation leading claps and throwing his gloves into the audience. McCrea's dry, sarcastic wit was in tip top form all night, pointing out that the rain which had been nearly torrential only an hour before was a mere drizzle asking the audience if they were merely lucky, or perhaps chosen people with their own personal god. He immediately denied it after the customary cheer from those who believed the latter. Cake played a song that has some of my favorite Cake Lyrics in it, Wheels, the third verse about the karaoke bar on the banks of the Bosphorous River. The imagery in that verse is so clear and bizarre. Crowd participation and sardonic criticisms of American culture continued in a new song. The "escapists" were on stage left, singing "I want to fly away" while the "angry people" on stage right sang "I'm so sick of you so sick of me, I don't want to be with you". He mused that escapism and random crazy anger were too of the most prevalent approaches to problems in American culture today.
It was in the fourth song in the set, Guitar, my friend and I noticed some timing problems. These issues seemed to persist through the show, and to be honest, it didn't seem like the band was terribly into the show. I don't want to say that they phoned it in, but it certainly lacked the polish of their show at 9:30. This may have also been a function of time constraints due to being outdoors.
They gave away another tree true to form. The person who won it, answered a question about the percentage of the world that has running, drinkable water.
All in all the show was still pretty good, they played three new songs none of which I know the precise name. They did promise an album due out in January, so I'm already very excited for it because if the three songs played during the show are any indicator, it will be pretty strong. I laughed. I sang. I clapped. I had a fun time; just not as much as 9:30.
B
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Black Keys: Deserve a Standing Ovation
Most of you readers know my view on DAR Constitution Hall: I think it's great, acoustically speaking. There's really not a bad seat in the house; but that's the key word: "seat". It's a seated venue, and unless you're with a really, really good crowd, chances are you're going to have to spend some portion of that concert in your seat or feeling like an asshole for standing up in front of people who are clearly sitting down. Aside from your ability to really "get into it", tickets to shows there usually cost you an arm and a leg.
It is for this reason that I generally will not see a show at Constitution Hall. I will make exceptions for the following reasons:
1) I have never seen the band before; and I really want to see them right then and there.
2) I feel that being seated will not take away from my experience.
3) I can get a ticket for less than face value.
Now, as I've indicated in both my review of Sea of Cowards and Brothers, I have really come to appreciate the garage rebirth movement, especially in bands that put an emphasis on blues components. It is for that reason that I've fallen in love with the Akron duo, The Black Keys. Their bare bones, stripped-down approach to rock infused with working class blues is something that moves me to the core. It's not the most complicated music. But it's loud, it gets me moving, and with the release of Brothers, it's soulful. When I found out that they were playing Constitution Hall I begrudgingly bought a ticket to the show.
We were located at the back of the auditorium in the stadium seating about 6-7 rows back. I took note already that the people in front of me looked like "sitters" and that I would likely be relegated to my seat for the duration of the show. The venue was surprisingly full for the opening band, The Morning Benders.
I mentioned the Morning Benders ironically, in my blog of my most significant music bender I went on a few months ago. They have a strong pop sensibility that gives you an idea of the Shins with a dash of Beatles. This is actually a band, that having listened to their album, that I feel I could watch seated. I was expecting a decent set, but was really blown away by their live performance. They seem a much more subtle band on their album, with usually soft sentimental songs. But live, they really bring the noise. They were loud, with lead guitarist/vocalist, Chris Chu, dropping to kneeling power stance for heavily distorted solos. I was impressed and slightly tempted to check them out headlining at the Black Cat later this year.
After the Morning Benders and some real quick set up, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney sauntered onto the stage. I have to say, that the cost of the ticket was money well spent. Right off the bat, they ripped into Thickfreakness. It was incredible. Auerbach's guitar playing is something to be seen. He's able to shred as he kicks out acorss the stage. In the documentary, It Might Get Loud, Jack White says that he likes guitars with imperfections because he likes the struggle and the idea of bending a guitar to your will. Auerbach's style seems to be more like he bends with the guitar in what is truly an amazing dance. Carney's drums are loud and go perfectly with the music. I never really paid attention to the drums on any of the albums; but was really impressed with his live performance. The band played a good mix of old stuff and had the touring band come on in the middle of their performance to start with Everlasting Light, off of the new album. The band stayed with them until the last two songs, Your Touch and I Got Mine.
They had a three song encore with the full band. After an entire concert of hard loud songs, I needed them to come back with something soft. They did not disappoint and came back with a soulful rendition of Too Afraid to Love You. They also played Sinister Kid (one of my favorites off of Brothers) in a manner that was way different from the album version, but it was still incredible. I had a great time, despite having to sit through over half the concert. The people in front of me were standing for the first three songs or so before what I assume was the girlfriend sat down. Not wanting to leave his girl alone, the boyfriend followed suit making me the asshole who would be standing in front of seated people. So I sat, casting dark, soul-shattering stares at the girl who had damned me to seated hell. Regardless, the Black Keys in concert is something you need to experience. If they ever come back to a smaller venue, I'm in, or I'll try to get floor tickets next time because it looked like they stood for the entire show.
Late Morning Scramble
*written Thursday morning, 9/16
I've barely been awake for two hours today and already it's starting to get on my nerves.
I have been making a half-assed effort to see Cake at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park tonight for the last three weeks or so. I only just bought my bus ticket last night, and made arrangement for a couch on which to crash even later last night. I packed my clothes and even a towel as the last time I was there I was forced to use a pullover to dry off after a shower. I had designs on waking up early today and purchasing a blanket in case I'd need one, and some toiletries for my overnight stay.
Instead, I decided to stay up late last night hanging out with friends as I'm wont to do when I have no (important) responsibilities the following day. This resulted in me forgetting to set an alarm and subsequently waking up at 11:10 AM with a bus leaving Metro Center at 12:30 PM. I woke up to my ride slapping my shoulder asking me why I didn't wake him up this morning. He informed me that he had class and could not take me. Luckily another trusty friend was there and was able to give me the lift to the metro I required.
Now, if a train left as soon as I hit the platform I would have had plenty of time to get to the train, however the train would not leave for another 7 minutes which made my arrival at Metro Center in time for the bus a little dicey. The train stopping between Dunn-Loring and West Falls increased the unlikelihood of my timely departure. I sat nervously bouncing my knee (as I am also wont to do), obsessively watching the minutes slip past from stop to stop. Four stops from Metro Center it was 12:24. Even with a generous 2 minutes between each stop, I would not make it in time for the bus so I resigned myself to a fate of waiting for the 1:30 PM bus hoping to get on standby status and put my phone into my pocket.
I emerged at F and 12th even though the signs I followed said G and 11th; but whatever, it's not like I was anywhere near the departure time. I walked briskly to the giant parking lot where the buses are only to find a some kind of low-rent carnival there. Where will the buses be? I thought, Will i possibly miss the next bus, simply because I don't know where the alternate stop is? As I walked through this carnival of garbage (although decent smelling street food), I noticed that the buses were still on the ohter side. Much less, a Bolt bus that looked as if it were still loading luggage. I ran over to the young lady checking tickets and noticed another Bolt Bus leaving the parking lot. Those that know me, know that I hate to interrupt two people in conversation but my desperation got the better of me, "Is that the 12:30 bus to New York?"
"Yessir."
"DAH!", I made to run for the bus.
"Sir, do NOT run after that bus. It was late, and unfortunately you were even later, and you running out there will only make it later. Now you're, just gonna have to wait here with me until 1:00".
"Fair enough."
She let me know that I would get on the bus, no problem assured me that I'd probably even have room for a seat by myself, if not all the other passengers. And surely, she was correct. For here I am now, dear readers, plugged in and typing out this harrowing (for me at least) narrative, my hoodie on the seat next to me; me sprawled out like some kind of typing bus chair afghan (well as much as one can sprawl in these miniscule seats).
The disappointment did not end there, however, True Believers. As turned on my laptop to start typing the promised yet heavily delayed Black Keys review, I tried to find the WiFi for the bus. I couldn't find one named Bolt Bus or whatever it's called. I found hpsetup, which almost never is what you need, but hey try it anyway, right? Wrong. Wireless fail. Shortly, the bus driver informed us that the WiFi is not functioning, so I am typing this out on Word Pad and will copy and paste it as soon as I get to a place where I can connect. Let us hope (or at least I hope), that this is the worst thing that happens to me this weekend. *knocks on wood and all that*
NOTE: Since I wrote this: It rained during the concert, slept through ticket sales of D-Plan reunion tour (sold out now), lost my wallet. Maybe NYC hates me, or wants me to hate it more than I already do.
I've barely been awake for two hours today and already it's starting to get on my nerves.
I have been making a half-assed effort to see Cake at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park tonight for the last three weeks or so. I only just bought my bus ticket last night, and made arrangement for a couch on which to crash even later last night. I packed my clothes and even a towel as the last time I was there I was forced to use a pullover to dry off after a shower. I had designs on waking up early today and purchasing a blanket in case I'd need one, and some toiletries for my overnight stay.
Instead, I decided to stay up late last night hanging out with friends as I'm wont to do when I have no (important) responsibilities the following day. This resulted in me forgetting to set an alarm and subsequently waking up at 11:10 AM with a bus leaving Metro Center at 12:30 PM. I woke up to my ride slapping my shoulder asking me why I didn't wake him up this morning. He informed me that he had class and could not take me. Luckily another trusty friend was there and was able to give me the lift to the metro I required.
Now, if a train left as soon as I hit the platform I would have had plenty of time to get to the train, however the train would not leave for another 7 minutes which made my arrival at Metro Center in time for the bus a little dicey. The train stopping between Dunn-Loring and West Falls increased the unlikelihood of my timely departure. I sat nervously bouncing my knee (as I am also wont to do), obsessively watching the minutes slip past from stop to stop. Four stops from Metro Center it was 12:24. Even with a generous 2 minutes between each stop, I would not make it in time for the bus so I resigned myself to a fate of waiting for the 1:30 PM bus hoping to get on standby status and put my phone into my pocket.
I emerged at F and 12th even though the signs I followed said G and 11th; but whatever, it's not like I was anywhere near the departure time. I walked briskly to the giant parking lot where the buses are only to find a some kind of low-rent carnival there. Where will the buses be? I thought, Will i possibly miss the next bus, simply because I don't know where the alternate stop is? As I walked through this carnival of garbage (although decent smelling street food), I noticed that the buses were still on the ohter side. Much less, a Bolt bus that looked as if it were still loading luggage. I ran over to the young lady checking tickets and noticed another Bolt Bus leaving the parking lot. Those that know me, know that I hate to interrupt two people in conversation but my desperation got the better of me, "Is that the 12:30 bus to New York?"
"Yessir."
"DAH!", I made to run for the bus.
"Sir, do NOT run after that bus. It was late, and unfortunately you were even later, and you running out there will only make it later. Now you're, just gonna have to wait here with me until 1:00".
"Fair enough."
She let me know that I would get on the bus, no problem assured me that I'd probably even have room for a seat by myself, if not all the other passengers. And surely, she was correct. For here I am now, dear readers, plugged in and typing out this harrowing (for me at least) narrative, my hoodie on the seat next to me; me sprawled out like some kind of typing bus chair afghan (well as much as one can sprawl in these miniscule seats).
The disappointment did not end there, however, True Believers. As turned on my laptop to start typing the promised yet heavily delayed Black Keys review, I tried to find the WiFi for the bus. I couldn't find one named Bolt Bus or whatever it's called. I found hpsetup, which almost never is what you need, but hey try it anyway, right? Wrong. Wireless fail. Shortly, the bus driver informed us that the WiFi is not functioning, so I am typing this out on Word Pad and will copy and paste it as soon as I get to a place where I can connect. Let us hope (or at least I hope), that this is the worst thing that happens to me this weekend. *knocks on wood and all that*
NOTE: Since I wrote this: It rained during the concert, slept through ticket sales of D-Plan reunion tour (sold out now), lost my wallet. Maybe NYC hates me, or wants me to hate it more than I already do.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Shows, Shows, and More Shows
It seems more and more that I am writing only about shows I've gone to see. Or music. What started out as a generalized blog has quickly turned into a music blog. I want to correct this in the future; but it's a function of me constantly seeing shows and having little extra time to do more than write about them. I will say that I've had a few ideas for further douche blogs and even a fiction piece or two rolling around in the old noggin for some time. As far as autobiographical things, I wish I had more to write about, but unfortunately my life is relatively uneventful save for the multitude of shows I see.
Deer Tick:
I've already mentioned my thoughts on Deer Tick. Without rehashing it too much: I really like their style of Alt Country mixed with some folk and indie as well. At a live show, they sound precisely the way they do on CD, except louder with better solos. I was pleased at the mix of War Elephant and Born on Flag Day ACL:MF, but I felt that the Rock and Roll Hotel show was a little heavy on War Elephant. I'm not certain because I had yet to listen to The Black Dirt Sessions, but I feel that it didn't make much of a showing. Born on Flag Day was nearly absent from the show in general. I feel like this normally wouldn't make much of a difference to me if Born on Flag Day wasn't my favorite album; but it is, so it was upsetting.
That isn't to say that I didn't like the show. I did. Just as at ACL:MF, John McCauley, lead singer, walked out on stage the epitome of the hard rocker living the life. In the sweat box that is the Rock and Roll Hotel in the midst of summer (or any season really) a shirtless McCauley sauntered on stage sporting the same white aviators he wore in Austin. Right to business they cut into their first song with all the grit and pain that McCauley's voice suggests. Later they impressed with a cover of Tom Petty's Breakdown. I wouldn't expect much dancing at a show like this; but I was impressed to a few people cutting a rug. Alright, DC, maybe you're not as concerned at what people think of you after all.
Tokyo Police Club:
I'll be the first to admit that despite their near pop-punk sensibilities, Tokyo Police Club still has enough indie flair that I find their music catchy albeit similar sounding after a while. I had a friend already going to the show and since Freelance Whales were opening for them, I couldn't quite resist.
We had a few beers at the downstairs bar as there was an opening band, Arkells, even before Freelance Whales. Unfortunately I feel like we were down there for too long, because Freelance Whales had already taken the stage. They came to the stage with their ghostly indie folk and bright sounds looking a lot like a very early Arcade Fire. For a second I was wondering if there were more Freelance Whales fans there than TPC fans. They closed with Generator 2nd Floor, and I have to say, every time I hear that song it gets better and better; more so live.
Tokyo Police Club plays a great live show. The energy never drops even during slower numbers, and they sound exactly like the album but more so. Bassist and lead vocalist, Dave Monk provides clear vocals and driving bass lines. Keyboardist, Graham Wright delivers great energy providing good stuff on keys, synth and random percussion. Fun show, and easily have a greater command of their discography than Deer Tick apparently does.
Deer Tick:
I've already mentioned my thoughts on Deer Tick. Without rehashing it too much: I really like their style of Alt Country mixed with some folk and indie as well. At a live show, they sound precisely the way they do on CD, except louder with better solos. I was pleased at the mix of War Elephant and Born on Flag Day ACL:MF, but I felt that the Rock and Roll Hotel show was a little heavy on War Elephant. I'm not certain because I had yet to listen to The Black Dirt Sessions, but I feel that it didn't make much of a showing. Born on Flag Day was nearly absent from the show in general. I feel like this normally wouldn't make much of a difference to me if Born on Flag Day wasn't my favorite album; but it is, so it was upsetting.
That isn't to say that I didn't like the show. I did. Just as at ACL:MF, John McCauley, lead singer, walked out on stage the epitome of the hard rocker living the life. In the sweat box that is the Rock and Roll Hotel in the midst of summer (or any season really) a shirtless McCauley sauntered on stage sporting the same white aviators he wore in Austin. Right to business they cut into their first song with all the grit and pain that McCauley's voice suggests. Later they impressed with a cover of Tom Petty's Breakdown. I wouldn't expect much dancing at a show like this; but I was impressed to a few people cutting a rug. Alright, DC, maybe you're not as concerned at what people think of you after all.
Tokyo Police Club:
I'll be the first to admit that despite their near pop-punk sensibilities, Tokyo Police Club still has enough indie flair that I find their music catchy albeit similar sounding after a while. I had a friend already going to the show and since Freelance Whales were opening for them, I couldn't quite resist.
We had a few beers at the downstairs bar as there was an opening band, Arkells, even before Freelance Whales. Unfortunately I feel like we were down there for too long, because Freelance Whales had already taken the stage. They came to the stage with their ghostly indie folk and bright sounds looking a lot like a very early Arcade Fire. For a second I was wondering if there were more Freelance Whales fans there than TPC fans. They closed with Generator 2nd Floor, and I have to say, every time I hear that song it gets better and better; more so live.
Tokyo Police Club plays a great live show. The energy never drops even during slower numbers, and they sound exactly like the album but more so. Bassist and lead vocalist, Dave Monk provides clear vocals and driving bass lines. Keyboardist, Graham Wright delivers great energy providing good stuff on keys, synth and random percussion. Fun show, and easily have a greater command of their discography than Deer Tick apparently does.
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Dead Weather: A Double Shot of Live Shows
Okay, psych. It turns out I thought I'd have more time to write over my vacation than I actually did. Blame that on two buses without outlets, and one very intrepid host that kept me too busy to write while I was in Boston. So, I know I said I'd try to get a Deer Tick review up before this post, but I didn't. So, I'll review the shows as planned and follow up with a Deer Tick review either later this week or sometime next week (and if I'm really ambitious a review of the Tokyo Police Club show).
DC:
As you may have read, I have already had the pleasure of seeing The Dead Weather live at Austin City Limits Music Festival last year. Now, this was at an outdoor festival show over the length of a football field away, amidst thousands of fans, ankle deep in mud. It was one of the loudest shows to which I've had the pleasure of attending. So the idea of seeing them at one of my favorite venues was incredibly enticing to me.
The opening band was a small band out of Austin, TX called, Harlem. These kids were young. I mean YOUNG. If it weren't summer I'd wonder what they were doing out on a school night. It may have been their youthful looks, attire, and demeanor. It could also have been that they were shit-faced drunk and could barely form sentences. I understand you're excited. I understand you're opening up for Jack White (and for other fans Alison Mosshart). I even understand that this might be your first national tour where you aren't playing no-name bars. But you have to control yourselves. They shambled drunkenly from song to song with no apparent set list often talking over each other conveying general thanks that people had shown up to see them. As far as their actual music? The first song, Beautiful and Very Smart, was actually somewhat catchy. The only problem is that pretty much all their songs run together in some giant drunken splotch of beach-blanket-bingo surfer rock crap.
After what seemed like an eternity, Harlem finally left the stage and made way for the headliners. It was surprising just how well dressed the Dead Weather's roadies were. Some of them walking around the stage looked kinda like Elvis Costello. The stage is set with a goat head and several other horned animals at each of the corners of the stage. It goes black, and the black tarp is ripped down from backstage to reveal a large pyramid with the all-seeing eye and the band ambles on stage.
A general blue light is cast on the stage as the individual members take to their instruments and Alison Mosshart, a.k.a. Baby Ruthless, to her mic. The minimalistic beats of Jack's drums and the guitars of Dean Fertita cue the intro for the first track from Horehound, 60 Feet Tall. Mosshart stood behind the mic, her hair a torrent of black hanging in front of her face. At every drum beat she shakes the mic violently and throws her head back in a maniacal way. She stalks on top of the monitors from one end of the stage to the other eying the crowd like some wild lioness sizing up prey. The band continued with Horehound's track listing with Hang You from the Heavens, one of my favorite songs. The more aggressive stalking was put aside for a moment while she thrusted, gyrated and gave the occasional crotch-grab. Needless to say, Baby Ruthless just exudes sexuality all over.
Jack left the drums momentarily to play a Them cover, You Just Can't Win. This blues-y heart breaker had the crowd whooping and cheering at any pause. Seeing Jack White play guitar that close live will be something I will always remember and talk about for years to come. The band continued with tracks off of Horehound with the next two songs, So Far From Your Weapon and I Cut Like a Buffalo. For the rest of the concert they moved to the new album, Sea of Cowards. Difference Between Us into I'm Mad drove the crowd crazy. If I thought that she could be sexy during Hang you from the Heavens, nothing could have prepared me for the way she performed The Difference Between Us. The band moved seamlessly into I'm Mad with the crowd mimicking Mosshart's maniacal, "Ha Ha's". I hate to admit it, but the song off the Twilight soundtrack, Rolling in on a Burning Tire was incredible. The finale for the show came in the form of an incredibly intimate performance of Will There be Enough Water? Jack left his drums again to pick up a guitar and sing with Alison Mosshart. They got so close to each other they could have been kissing. I almost wanted them to do it. I wanted them to have sex on stage and create a baby that would bring about a new era of rock and roll...ahem. Fanboy-ish freak out aside, Jack White has to be one of the most talented guitarists of our generation. This was THE loudest show I have seen. I couldn't hear right for the next 18 hours or so. You know what Madonna was singing about in Like a Virgin? Well this was that but with music instead of sex. I was just as deaf after this show as I was after my first concert.
After only moments of cheering, the band returned to the stage with possibly my favorite song of theirs, Blue Blood Blues. Once again, the crowd exploded in people singing and banging heads. Only I Can't Hear You separated that from the closer, Treat Me Like Your Mother. The crowd thrashed to the out and out skill of Dean Fertita. The tempo change that comes in the middle of the song ripped the show open and exposed everyone's guts. Everyone joined in the chant of "You blink when you breathe; and you breathe when you lie. You breathe when you lie."
Trust me stalwart reader, I am not lying when I am saying that this will be in my top 5 shows for the year. Who knows? It may even grow to join my top 5 shows of all time. Many reviewers stated that Jack tended to hog the show. I've always seen the band as a joint venture with White and Mosshart sharing vocal responsibilities. They're loud, they're dangerous, and they're possibly the hardest rockers on tour right now. I was left as wilted and exhausted as Alison Mosshart's hair which had gone from wild torrent to wet mop at the end of the night.
Baltimore:
For brevity's sake, I will not be as expansive on this review as I was on the last. Primarily this will be a comparison to the DC show. I can tell you up front the Baltimore show was not as good as the DC show. There were two major things that factored into this were the actual venue itself and the crowd in general. I feel like even the latter may have been affected by the former.
To understand my experience, you need to understand Ram's Head Live as a venue. This place is a three story monstrosity with ample railing space for people too old or too frail for life in the pit. The ground floor seems to have way more space than the ground floor of 9:30 Club in front of the stage. The layout is terrible. All that extra space on the ground floor and yet the layout makes it feel like there's less space to see the actual band. They have two large "wings" off the actual venue floor for the bar and something else I didn't even bother to see. And the worst, WORST thing about it is that the sound booth is located smack dab in the middle of the floor. It's ridiculous.
The crowd was relatively weak. No movers, no bangers, just a bunch of scenesters talking about which festival they went to/are going to. They're rude as all hell too. There's no morals about just sneaking in and posting right up on you or worse, in front of you. Por ejemplo, what may have been the tallest person in the venue and his daughter/date (I hate that I have no idea which she was) stepped right in front of me. Albeit, they did try to maintain a clear line of sight by allowing me to shift into their shoulder gap. Still, it didn't help that the stairways from upper floors fed right into the middle of the floor allowing people venturing down from the rafters to just shove into people already there.
First off, Harlem. It was readily apparent that someone had a talk with them since their DC show. They were up front with the crowd stating that they only had 10 songs to play and then they would get off the stage. They quickly made their way through their set only stopping briefly to talk over each other. Only the bassist seemed singularly focused on getting through the set, cutting off the other band members in order to get through it quicker.
The Dead Weather came on just like they did in DC only they opened with The Difference Between Us and cut right into I'm Mad. It really made me believe that these two songs, just like they are on the album, are permanently linked. The set list was virtually the same although they dropped Rocking Horse and Rolling in on a Burning Tire; and traded I Can't Hear You for Jaw Breaker. The Baltimore set list also opted to mix the old and new albums a little more. Alison seemed to trade her bestial stalking for more dancing, twirling and climbing. She was climbing some of the scaffolding for the lighting. I found it somewhat humorous as she climbed stage right and found herself stuck up there momentarily.
As far as their actual performance? It was still a good show by normal standards. But for one reason or another I couldn't get as into it as I normally do. I also felt that the band was phoning it in. Solos were not as epic or as frequent. Even Will There be Enough Water? was not as good as it was in DC. Barring any kind of situation where a band I love but have never seen is playing there, I doubt I will ever return to Ram's Head Live (I will admit that it was ironic that they were putting up rams' heads up at Ram's Head).
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Schedule Change: The Dead Weather
Okay, I just realized that despite having seen the Dead Weather as my second show in the two shows I mentioned in the previous blog, I have another Dead Weather show on 8/2. I'm going to write a double review then. In the mean time I'll try to get a blog up about last Thursday's Deer Tick show.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sleigh Bells: Slays Crowd
Hey folks! So my empty weekend ended up filling up last minute and left me with zero time to take care of my chores/errands let alone a blog post or two.
I had the benefit of being able to go to two very fun shows in less than a week. The first of which was Sleigh Bells at Rock and Roll Hotel. If you're in the habit of reading the music blogs or really any kind of music periodical you've likely heard of this duo out of the mecca of new music that is Brooklyn. They've got a similar style to that of another rocker duo I love, The Kills. They're known for their almost storybook origins and VERY LOUD brand of electropop. Derek Miller from the hardcore band, Poison the Well met Alexis Krauss of the girl band, Rubyblue while Miller was a server for a table where Alexis was sharing dinner with her mother. Shortly after they started working together and the rest, as they say, is history.
I was using the restroom upstairs and caught a glimpse of Allison coming out of the backstage area to use the restroom herself (apparently she jumped the line, albeit apologetically, in front of my friend). She peeked her head out and the playful look on her face against all that black and the severe bangs matched up with the juxtaposition of the band's incredibly loud guitars and beats against the super clean and clear vocals ringing above.
The venue space was packed like crazy. It's normally tight in there, but even with merch table moved upstairs I found myself shoulder to shoulder with some very butchy lesbians (which were out en force that night) that were awaiting the show as eagerly as I. The always hot Rock and Roll Hotel was exceptionally sweltering due to the sheer volume of people.
The show opened with a truly raucous metal instrumental, followed keenly by the opening track off their debut album, Tell 'Em. The crowd erupted into a frenzy of dancing and writhing bodies (it was like a hipster version of that scene in Black Snake Moan). It pretty much stayed that way for the whole concert with Krauss bouncing around like a fanciful sprite while Miller thrashed back and forth with his guitar. The tempo only slowed for a moment for what I consider to be this summer's best song, Rill Rill (Ring Ring). The amount of jumping and gyrating with kids that were too cool for school bobbing their heads in the way only disinterested hipsters can.
The band took an ever so short break before returning with the an encore starting with super distortion heavy Straight A's before finally closing with (what I thought could be a great opener, but apparently an even better closer) Crown on the Ground. I found myself pogoing with the afore-mentioned lesbians and my friend. If a band gets me pogoing, then they've got a real fun sound. CHECK THEM OUT!!
My only criticisms of the band are two-fold. They suffer from Vampire Weekend syndrome in that they have an incredibly short discography and need to beef up their show. Unrecorded songs, covers, and banter! For the love of Pete, banter! Which actually plays into my other criticism of the show. A band this young, and playing to such a judgmental crowd needs charisma to sway the crowd when music isn't enough (lucky for them it is).
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
In 'n Out (A Comment on the Post Not So Much the Sweet Fast Food Chain)
Hey folks, still alive, just been megaton busy with some "work problems". Regardless, I've got a pretty empty long weekend ahead of me, and that means I'll get to post finally! I'll be putting up recaps of the Sleigh Bells and The Dead Weather shows. Take care, and I'll see you then.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Black Keys' Brothers: Brotherly Loving It!
The garage revival/blues duo, The Black Keys, have released their sixth album (second studio album) to the masses to a number 3 spot on the Billboard top 10. I've always enjoyed the Black Keys for their stripped down sound, featuring only guitar and drums on every album until 2008's Attack and Release, which debuted and topped out at 14. Admittedly, 2008 is when my former room mate, Jeremy, recommended the Black Keys to me. Blindly I gave Attack and Release a listen. To this day, I hold that album at the bottom of the releases from the band. It was several more months later before I gave them another chance (off my Ohio-raised cousin) and started listening to their earlier albums. This is when I realized their bluesier roots and came to appreciate them as a band.
All that being said, I've revisited Attack and Release, and have come to appreciate it as their first album utilizing someone new (DJ, Danger Mouse) as a producer. This may be my prejudices shining through, but I feel like music like the Black Keys' is best at their simplest, or at least when their roots are allowed to show the most. What I have really come to appreciate about Attack and Release is the additional instruments added (although I still feel as though some are extraneous).
With Brothers, I feel that the Black Keys have been allowed to add instruments to their regular milieu, while still staying true to their blues-y roots. This album sees a heavier R&B influence while also showing lead singer, Dan Auerbach's debut at singing in a falsetto (those of you who know me know that I love this).
The album's opener, Everlasting Light, is a revelation. I thoroughly enjoy Auerbach's falsetto here, and love the sweet melodies that ensue. Next Girl and Tighten Up seem much more like previous Black Keys' songs with a hint of that R&B influence that seems so completely infused in this album. Tighten Up, specifically has a wonderful tempo change about a minute from the end that almost makes it feel like a second movement for the song. I love that.
Howlin' for You starts off with a drum beat that hints at a sporting event anthem until it kicks into the vocals that bring us back to that lovelorn sense of longing which also carries into the next song, She's Long Gone. Black Mud provides us with a really strong blues instrumental rife with great organ and biting guitar.
Auerbach returns with his falsetto on The Only One with lyrics that are both sweet and haunting. Too Afraid to Love You sounds like a song off the last album to me. The harpsichord filters used in this song have a very Danger Mouse feel to it (you know he loves to sample atypical stuff). Ten Cent Pistol has a hook to it that sounds so old school, you can't help but tap your toe and bob your head.
Sinister Kid might be one of my favorites, if not my favorite track on the album. The agressive guitar and drums coupled with lyrics like: "That's me. That's me./ The boy with the broken halo./That's me. That's me./The Devil won't let me be". I don't care where you're from, that's good song writing. This killer beat is followed up shortly with a much more subdued track, The Go Getter. Which, while somewhat subdued compared to the rest of the album, still manages to bring no shortage of great lyrical imagery that seems to call to mind a band dealing with increasing fame.
I'm Not the One and Unknown Brother are not highlight tracks of the album; but continue the good use of other instruments and show that the Black Keys have readily accepted advice and help on their sound.
Dan Auerbach returns with his falsetto to cover Jerry Butler's Never Gonna Give You Up. The Keys manage to put their own spin on the song while still staying true to the original that keeps its heartbreaking nature.
The album closes with These Days. One of two songs that top over five minutes (the songs on the album average around 3:30 which is a lot considering that there are 15 tracks on this album). It's a perfect closer for the album that exemplifies the Keys' ability to stay true to their style while developing a fuller sound. The lyrics are a little sad and somewhat sentimental; but that's okay on an album like this.
Brothers seems to be the album I've been waiting to hear from the Black Keys since their inception (or when I became aware of them at least). It keeps their garage blues while adding a fuller sound that comes with a more professionally produced album. One can easily see that Auerbach and Carney have learned much from Attack and Release, Blakroc, and Keep it Hid. They have provided us with an album steeped in rhythm and blues with a tinge of the garage rock that made me come to love them. I would not be surprised if this bad boy makes my top 5 lists at the end of the year.
A+
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Dead Weather: Alive and Kicking (Ass)
Now this bad boy was released at the beginning of last month; and God bless NPR for allowing people to listen to it two weeks in advance. I've been rocking this sumbitch for over a month now and I love it. When I first heard about this project, I lost my mind. Jack White and Alison Mossheart? "No-brainer," I thought. I had misgivings when I found out that Jack was playing drums, but as stated in my blog about ACLMF, Day 3, it turns out I had nothing to worry about. The first album, Horehound, released not even a year ago was a smash hit and made Billboard's top 10 with face-melters like Hang You from the Heavens and Bone House. The Dead Weather delivered dark garage rock with teeth.
The Dead Weather return with their sophomore album, Sea of Cowards, that makes it to Billboard's Top 5, giving them 2 albums to make the Top 10 in less than a year. While keeping the dark tone Dead Weather stray the path from their blues-heavy garage rock in lieu of something slightly more experimental. Another slight departure from the first album is that Jack shares more vocal responsibility on this album. That isn't to say that Alison Mossheart isn't the star (vocally speaking); because she still belts them out.
The album opens with Blue Blood Blues which has Jack and Alison sharing lead vocals. The guitar's heavy here, and it's somewhat reminiscent of Bone House. The vocals themselves seem to pull from influences outside of the blues arena. I'm 80% sure they played this at ACLMF, because I distinctly remember Jack leaving the drums to share rhythmic vocals with Mossheart. The piano and backing vocals come in lightly over the top and serve almost as a palate cleanser.
Hustle and Cuss is the next song, which highlights Mossheart's vocals and utilizes an organ to provide some Doors-y sound. This like the previous song is pretty percussive in the vocal styling.
The band utilizes synth on the provocative track, The Difference Between Us. The somewhat ambiguous lyrics make the song sweet, violent, and sexy all at once. It doesn't hurt that Alison Mossheart exudes sexuality in a very primal way.
I'm Mad is a piece that seems stuck somewhere between the two albums. It's loud, angry (duh) and a decent song overall but definitely falls by the wayside when sandwiched between two such good songs.
Die by the Drop is the album's first single. Again, Mossheart and White share vocals in a marriage made in Rock Heaven. I find the use of piano in this piece a fine addition to the sound and fits in perfectly with the rest of the band. I also am really digging the lyrics: "Some people die just a little./Sometimes you die by the drop./Some people die in the middle./I live just fine on the top".
The next track, I Can't Hear You, is another one of the middling tracks on the album that seems to be a good transition piece between the two albums. The organ returns for Gasoline and takes me back to '60s rock in a way that makes me nostalgic. Mossheart's grating vocals go well with the almost aggressively percussive organ that provides a great sort of auditory "texture". No Horse is yet another well done transitional blues-y sounding piece that goes well in the middle. Looking at the Invisible Man is a great song if for nothing else than it uses a vocal distortion I have only heard used in P-Funk songs. Jawbreaker is another song suitable to bridge the distance between Horehound and this album.
The closer, Old Mary, is a sacrilicious, tongue-in-cheek piece that takes the Hail Mary as its basis. It's a little depressing and but goes so well with the haunting piano and harmonizing of Jack White and Alison Mossheart. Great Closer.
The album is strong all the way through with really great highlights. The Dead Weather continue to produce great garage rock while incorporating newer influences. They've kept their teeth, which is a must for me; but managed to not be as dark this time around, which I don't mind necessarily. I've got tickets to see their DC show and Baltimore show, and I'm looking forward to both even if I'm not looking forward to driving to Baltimore in the middle of the week.
A
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Music Binge: Shotgun Reviews, Second Barrel
...Aaaand I'm back to continue with the reviews. I decided to break it up otherwise I'd be writing for another day or two given my work schedule. Hope you guys have checked out a few of the bands by now, if not, what are you waiting for? Get out there and get it!
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings/100 Days 100 Nights:
Sharon Jones, backed by the Dap-Kings, has seemingly perfected soul music in a way that hasn't been heard or seen since the 1960's or 70's. They bring to mind smoky lounges with men in shark skin suits with skinny ties and high polished patent leather shoes with women clad in short silk dresses. The Black Cat hosts a New Year's Eve party every year with Sharon Jones headlining, and I think I've just been convinced to attend and make sure most of my friends attend with me. I forgot how integral a saxophone is to that sound, and this album reminded me. The album is strong throughout with all the soul and funk in all the right places. Put it on for a party or even some dancing in the living room with your lady (or fella).
A
The Antlers/Hospice:
I know I just wrote about how I don't really like that hazy noise pop coming out of Brooklyn (Ahem! Grizzly Bear, Ahem!) as of late, but I think I'll make an exception for Hospice. I know that while listening to the openers, Prologue and Kettering, I was somewhat apprehensive. As the album progresses however, some of that hazy crap is stripped away to reveal still very talented musicians in songs like Two and Shiva. I should mention hear that another reason why I tend to enjoy them more than Grizzly Bear is the fact that they have some up tempo songs. The sparing use of glockenspiel and horns add perfect accents to songs. Vocalist, Peter Silberman has a somber, haunting voice that pairs with the music in a heart-wrenching way. Excellent drive home music.
B
The Brunettes/Paper Dolls:
If I found Everybody was in the French Resistance...Now somewhat saccharine, The Brunettes' female vocalist, Heather Mansfield, is the embodiment of sugar shock. To that end, male vocalist, Jonathan Bree is almost a palate cleanser. The band has very strong pop sensibilities which cover for not a whole lot of diversity in their pop/twee sound. Much like EwitFR...N, they're decent in a mix but not all at once.
C-
The Jim Jones Revue/The Jim Jones Revue:
How a bunch of Brits are able to so completely replicate a rockabilly sound that's Jerry Lee Lewis with the pop savvy of Little Richard is unknown to me, but I really like it. I've been getting into older forms of music (Soul, rockabilly, metal, blues) as of late and this is another great example of one of those forms. The album is produced in a way that it sounds as if it's being played through an old tinny radio in a hot, sweaty honky tonk bar on a humid Alabama summer day. I think my only quarrel with the album, is much like the one I have with the genre in general, and that after a while it can all start to run together.
B-
The Morning Benders/Big Echo:
Big Echo, the follow-up to their critically successful Talking Through Tin Cans, is a bright, sun-shiney album of indie pop that is equal parts The Shins and The Beatles. This California quartet have traded their stripped down sound for a fuller, more mature sound. This is probably due in great part to Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear (funny how I keep mentioning Grizzly Bear when talking about bands I like more than them, perhaps I should give Veckatimest another shot) sharing production duties with front man Chris Chu. In this case, his perfectionist approach leads to a very complete sound that makes me feel that these new elements are not bells and whistles but accents to an already strong core. Perfect for the score of a coming of age movie taking place during the summer.
B-
Titus Andronicus/The Monitor:
This is a relatively high concept album for a post-punk band that will likely play bars and small venues for the rest of its tenure. Using the Civil War as an analogy for a young man coming of age as he moves from New Jersey to Boston, The Monitor delivers Keystone-Light-powered punch to your gutty works (in a good way). Full of gang lyrics to make you crave a live show, and witty, albeit cynical observations, this album is a fun sing-a-long album to take you back to crowd surfing in a basement bar somewhere in Boston (or make you feel like you have).
B+
VV Brown/Traveling Like the Light:
This eccentric little wailer has both the pipes and musical talent that should make her an instant classic; but unfortunately because of her voice sounding the way it does, it's likely she will just be lumped in with the Amy Winehouses and the Lilly Allens (not terrible company to be in, mind you; but no one wants to be pigeonholed). Aside from having a more unique sound backing her vocals, she's got witty thoughtful lyrics as well. Pop for the mature set, but still way fun to dance to.
B-
The Wave Pictures/If You Leave it Alone:
The Wave Pictures have given us something that is altogether warm, somewhat folk-y, and sentimental. Some of the lyrics are a little quirky but with that British accent it comes off charming and whimsical. They create great images in your head as you listen with great detail, and can elicit strong emotions. Lead singer, David Tattersall's voice is a little quavery but again, it comes off endearing as opposed to letting you down. I could see these guys popping up in your local pub and just making everything alright.
B
White Rabbits/It's Frightening:
The White Rabbits have a unique sound as the main instruments are the piano and drums. Both of these elements are played percussively in a way that gives a certain power to their music. They've previously toured with Spoon, and I feel that is a perfect fit. They've got a certain soulfulness to their singing, and it can't help but bring a smile to your face. I'm excited about it, and I'm probably going to be looking for them to be playing here soon if anyone would like to join me.
A
The White Stripes/Under Great White Northern Lights:
White Stripes. Live Album. Enough said.
A
The xx/The xx:
Little can be said about this band that hasn't already been stated on any music blog worth its salt, but that hasn't stopped me before, so why start? This super-young band (21 average age currently and 15-16 when they started) shows a lot of maturity both lyrically and musically at such a very early age. This is a very minimalistic album and not a single beat or note is wasted. Vocalists, Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, trade off throughout most songs giving them an almost conversational tone. I have to say, I'm addicted to this album right now. The only time I'm not listening to it is when I listened to the other bands to write these reviews or when I was working out. I'm pretty sore that I missed their show at the 6th and I Synagogue and when they opened for Hot Chip, so I'm looking out for them as well. A little insight as to my process: I've already listened to these albums once or twice but as I'm writing, I pop on the album just to make sure I'm immersed in the material. As short as these reviews are, I never get to finish an album. That being said, I almost want to just sit here and keep listening and finish it before I move on. As perfect a first album as one could ask for.
A+
The Civil Wars/Poison & Wine EP:
I was actually put on to these guys via my friend Val. I gotta say, I think my first impression was a little higher than my informed one. That isn't to say that the Civil Wars aren't talented. They are. They have a haunting sound reminiscent of Damien Rice and fans of such music will be excited for them to put out a full album. While I appreciate this music, I'm rarely in the mood for it. These are excellent, bittersweet songs about the duality of the nature of love which is always good fodder for songs. I get the feeling that either one or both vocalists have worked in the religious music field at one point. I don't know exactly what it is about the way they sing, but it just seems hymn-like, minus the content of course.
C
Los Campesinos!/Romance is Boring:
Los Campesinos! is a 7-piece band that between all its members plays pretty much every instrument you could want in a band these days. The album has great music all the way through. Lead singer, Gareth Campesinos! (move over Ramones, that's right everyone in the band has the last name Campesinos!) delivers charming vocals paired with cynical, jaded lyrics. It's really quite a juxtaposition to have such dark pessimistic lyrics alongside such fun music. It's almost as if the band is recognizing these problems with the world and are celebrating despite or in spite of it. I was lucky enough to catch these guys at 9:30 the other day, and I felt bad for not being as familiar with their discography as the rest of the people on the floor. Their live show might be one of the best I'll see this year, and might even make my Top 5 come New Year's.
B+
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings/100 Days 100 Nights:
Sharon Jones, backed by the Dap-Kings, has seemingly perfected soul music in a way that hasn't been heard or seen since the 1960's or 70's. They bring to mind smoky lounges with men in shark skin suits with skinny ties and high polished patent leather shoes with women clad in short silk dresses. The Black Cat hosts a New Year's Eve party every year with Sharon Jones headlining, and I think I've just been convinced to attend and make sure most of my friends attend with me. I forgot how integral a saxophone is to that sound, and this album reminded me. The album is strong throughout with all the soul and funk in all the right places. Put it on for a party or even some dancing in the living room with your lady (or fella).
A
The Antlers/Hospice:
I know I just wrote about how I don't really like that hazy noise pop coming out of Brooklyn (Ahem! Grizzly Bear, Ahem!) as of late, but I think I'll make an exception for Hospice. I know that while listening to the openers, Prologue and Kettering, I was somewhat apprehensive. As the album progresses however, some of that hazy crap is stripped away to reveal still very talented musicians in songs like Two and Shiva. I should mention hear that another reason why I tend to enjoy them more than Grizzly Bear is the fact that they have some up tempo songs. The sparing use of glockenspiel and horns add perfect accents to songs. Vocalist, Peter Silberman has a somber, haunting voice that pairs with the music in a heart-wrenching way. Excellent drive home music.
B
The Brunettes/Paper Dolls:
If I found Everybody was in the French Resistance...Now somewhat saccharine, The Brunettes' female vocalist, Heather Mansfield, is the embodiment of sugar shock. To that end, male vocalist, Jonathan Bree is almost a palate cleanser. The band has very strong pop sensibilities which cover for not a whole lot of diversity in their pop/twee sound. Much like EwitFR...N, they're decent in a mix but not all at once.
C-
The Jim Jones Revue/The Jim Jones Revue:How a bunch of Brits are able to so completely replicate a rockabilly sound that's Jerry Lee Lewis with the pop savvy of Little Richard is unknown to me, but I really like it. I've been getting into older forms of music (Soul, rockabilly, metal, blues) as of late and this is another great example of one of those forms. The album is produced in a way that it sounds as if it's being played through an old tinny radio in a hot, sweaty honky tonk bar on a humid Alabama summer day. I think my only quarrel with the album, is much like the one I have with the genre in general, and that after a while it can all start to run together.
B-
The Morning Benders/Big Echo:
Big Echo, the follow-up to their critically successful Talking Through Tin Cans, is a bright, sun-shiney album of indie pop that is equal parts The Shins and The Beatles. This California quartet have traded their stripped down sound for a fuller, more mature sound. This is probably due in great part to Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear (funny how I keep mentioning Grizzly Bear when talking about bands I like more than them, perhaps I should give Veckatimest another shot) sharing production duties with front man Chris Chu. In this case, his perfectionist approach leads to a very complete sound that makes me feel that these new elements are not bells and whistles but accents to an already strong core. Perfect for the score of a coming of age movie taking place during the summer.
B-
Titus Andronicus/The Monitor:
This is a relatively high concept album for a post-punk band that will likely play bars and small venues for the rest of its tenure. Using the Civil War as an analogy for a young man coming of age as he moves from New Jersey to Boston, The Monitor delivers Keystone-Light-powered punch to your gutty works (in a good way). Full of gang lyrics to make you crave a live show, and witty, albeit cynical observations, this album is a fun sing-a-long album to take you back to crowd surfing in a basement bar somewhere in Boston (or make you feel like you have).
B+
VV Brown/Traveling Like the Light:
This eccentric little wailer has both the pipes and musical talent that should make her an instant classic; but unfortunately because of her voice sounding the way it does, it's likely she will just be lumped in with the Amy Winehouses and the Lilly Allens (not terrible company to be in, mind you; but no one wants to be pigeonholed). Aside from having a more unique sound backing her vocals, she's got witty thoughtful lyrics as well. Pop for the mature set, but still way fun to dance to.
B-
The Wave Pictures/If You Leave it Alone:
The Wave Pictures have given us something that is altogether warm, somewhat folk-y, and sentimental. Some of the lyrics are a little quirky but with that British accent it comes off charming and whimsical. They create great images in your head as you listen with great detail, and can elicit strong emotions. Lead singer, David Tattersall's voice is a little quavery but again, it comes off endearing as opposed to letting you down. I could see these guys popping up in your local pub and just making everything alright.
B
White Rabbits/It's Frightening:
The White Rabbits have a unique sound as the main instruments are the piano and drums. Both of these elements are played percussively in a way that gives a certain power to their music. They've previously toured with Spoon, and I feel that is a perfect fit. They've got a certain soulfulness to their singing, and it can't help but bring a smile to your face. I'm excited about it, and I'm probably going to be looking for them to be playing here soon if anyone would like to join me.
A
The White Stripes/Under Great White Northern Lights:
White Stripes. Live Album. Enough said.
A
The xx/The xx:
Little can be said about this band that hasn't already been stated on any music blog worth its salt, but that hasn't stopped me before, so why start? This super-young band (21 average age currently and 15-16 when they started) shows a lot of maturity both lyrically and musically at such a very early age. This is a very minimalistic album and not a single beat or note is wasted. Vocalists, Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, trade off throughout most songs giving them an almost conversational tone. I have to say, I'm addicted to this album right now. The only time I'm not listening to it is when I listened to the other bands to write these reviews or when I was working out. I'm pretty sore that I missed their show at the 6th and I Synagogue and when they opened for Hot Chip, so I'm looking out for them as well. A little insight as to my process: I've already listened to these albums once or twice but as I'm writing, I pop on the album just to make sure I'm immersed in the material. As short as these reviews are, I never get to finish an album. That being said, I almost want to just sit here and keep listening and finish it before I move on. As perfect a first album as one could ask for.
A+
The Civil Wars/Poison & Wine EP:
I was actually put on to these guys via my friend Val. I gotta say, I think my first impression was a little higher than my informed one. That isn't to say that the Civil Wars aren't talented. They are. They have a haunting sound reminiscent of Damien Rice and fans of such music will be excited for them to put out a full album. While I appreciate this music, I'm rarely in the mood for it. These are excellent, bittersweet songs about the duality of the nature of love which is always good fodder for songs. I get the feeling that either one or both vocalists have worked in the religious music field at one point. I don't know exactly what it is about the way they sing, but it just seems hymn-like, minus the content of course.
C
Los Campesinos!/Romance is Boring:
Los Campesinos! is a 7-piece band that between all its members plays pretty much every instrument you could want in a band these days. The album has great music all the way through. Lead singer, Gareth Campesinos! (move over Ramones, that's right everyone in the band has the last name Campesinos!) delivers charming vocals paired with cynical, jaded lyrics. It's really quite a juxtaposition to have such dark pessimistic lyrics alongside such fun music. It's almost as if the band is recognizing these problems with the world and are celebrating despite or in spite of it. I was lucky enough to catch these guys at 9:30 the other day, and I felt bad for not being as familiar with their discography as the rest of the people on the floor. Their live show might be one of the best I'll see this year, and might even make my Top 5 come New Year's.
B+
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