Okay, here is a brief rundown of what I've seen so far this past month.
Anthony Green with Good Old War was good. I missed the first two openers, but I did buy their albums. Person L seems really good and emotive, of course that is sort of to be expected with the lead singer of The Starting Line being the fulcrum of that effort; I just wished I've arrived earlier to see them. Good Old War was good folksy rock band that set the mood for Anthony Green. I recommend getting their album as it is a good Sunday morning record, or road trip play list for the dusk time line. Anthony Green was really good live. Anthony Green always performs well and his stage presence may be a little reserved, but his vocals are soaring and provide a memorable show. "Baby Girl" was the opener and the best song of the evening because it set the mood for the entire rest of the show; slow and frothy with enough roughness to pass down comfortably.
The Kooks on the other hand were semi-disappointing. They performed well and the crowd was into it, but I think the elitism in me took over as it seemed like another "rock" show. Music and crowd were there, but stage presence seemed formulaic. Nothing stood out at me and I just sort of bopped my head the entire evening focusing more on the crowd and their reaction instead of the band.
Straylight Run provided some of the magic that Anthony Green sparked. It was an intimate show with good openers. Treaty of Paris and Band Marino were sort of generic, but they inhabited enough individuality to win me over. A little more time to absorb them and I should fall in love with them easily. But Straylight Run was really good. They are now a three piece band with John Nolan's sister now attempting a solo career, but nothing was missing from the environment. I really enjoyed "Existentialism On Prom Night." Plus the new songs from their self-released EP provided some growth in their sound and hold promising outlooks for this band. I cannot wait for their next full release.
The Silver Jews were the oddball out of the group. At the Black Cat, which is quickly becoming my favorite venue, they provided an evening of touching bluesy indie rock with heart and soul. I mean, the singer's grandmother introduced the band, and she was soooo cute. Plus, to retain my manilness, the dude's wife is the bass player and she is hot. But getting back to the music, I had only listened to their latest album, but I was intrugued and impressed with their entire setlist and proceeded to buy all the albums they had at the merch table. These songs were just golden nuggets of goodiness that actually made me feel I had a soul again.
To top it all off for that week, I decided to back to the fun sound of Reggie and the Full Effect. I will say one thing, the stage banter of these guys is classic. It reminded me of how geniuely good stage banter is slowly becoming a dying art form. James regaled the crowd with stories and one-liners to appease both the 13 year old, and 27 year old male in me. And finally hearing "Get Well Soon" live made my entire month.
Finally, the Black Kids were simply just a fun band to top off the entire month. I tried to get some others to go with me to this concert because I knew it would be fun, but alas, no one came along. Well, it was their loss and not mine. The Black Kids with their infectious songs, provided a much needed environment of escapism to relive my tension. It was loud, it was fun, it was totally 80s, and I loved it. You need to see them live to regain your youth and let go of all the responibilties, even if just for a brief moment of time.
Now, none of these bands touched My Morning Jacket in epiciness, but combined, they did provide me with my musical fill of the month.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
"Simple little bookworm...."
Whoa.
That is the word to describe last night at DAR Constitution Hall. No openers, no elaborate stage set; just a couple of bears on-stage and an epic three hour long set. That is all My Morning Jacket needed to provide a night of unforgettable live music in the most intimate of settings, sonically.
Opening directly with the lead track off their latest, "Evil Urges" set the tone by being loud and enveloping, yet gentle and cozy. The guitars, bass, keyboard, drums and Jim James extraordinary vocals provided the one-two punch for sonic bombardment. And it only got better from there, oh so much better.
Sticking closely with songs from their latest, they played a near flawless set. Tracks such as "I'm Amazed" showcased their fluidity and dexterity, coupled with confidence and swagger they have rightfully cultivated. Add the freakishness and near sexuality of "Highly Suspicious" was able to sway some hips in the crowd, they owned all facets of rock music.
They did have some sweetness and tenderness in their hearts with "Librarian" and somberness with "Nashville To Kentucky." A little off putting to some, but I enjoy the dichotomy of sound and emotion MMJ is able to invoke.
And on top of all that, they closed with "One Big Holiday." A stunner to leave the crowd salivating for more sugary sweetness that is My Morning Jacket. I did not do justice trying to describe their essence, you just need to see them live. Whatever lack of faith I had for live music, has been fully restored by the greatness of My Morning Jacket.
God, what a great night.
That is the word to describe last night at DAR Constitution Hall. No openers, no elaborate stage set; just a couple of bears on-stage and an epic three hour long set. That is all My Morning Jacket needed to provide a night of unforgettable live music in the most intimate of settings, sonically.
Opening directly with the lead track off their latest, "Evil Urges" set the tone by being loud and enveloping, yet gentle and cozy. The guitars, bass, keyboard, drums and Jim James extraordinary vocals provided the one-two punch for sonic bombardment. And it only got better from there, oh so much better.
Sticking closely with songs from their latest, they played a near flawless set. Tracks such as "I'm Amazed" showcased their fluidity and dexterity, coupled with confidence and swagger they have rightfully cultivated. Add the freakishness and near sexuality of "Highly Suspicious" was able to sway some hips in the crowd, they owned all facets of rock music.
They did have some sweetness and tenderness in their hearts with "Librarian" and somberness with "Nashville To Kentucky." A little off putting to some, but I enjoy the dichotomy of sound and emotion MMJ is able to invoke.
And on top of all that, they closed with "One Big Holiday." A stunner to leave the crowd salivating for more sugary sweetness that is My Morning Jacket. I did not do justice trying to describe their essence, you just need to see them live. Whatever lack of faith I had for live music, has been fully restored by the greatness of My Morning Jacket.
God, what a great night.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
The going ons of July and August
Again, sorry for the delay in concert reviews. I will consolidate all of July and August concerts in this one post and swear to provide an update for the My Morning Jacket concert on Wednesday.
First up, Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yelstin was good. Good mellow band with their song, "Think I Wanna Die" being the highlight; didn't hurt their music video for that included the Eisley girls. Very straightforward set with some good beats and cute chicks. Spiritualized the next week provided some panache and epic staging for their songs. Shine A Light had the spotlights, the main band, and backup singers providing an astounding soundscape of music to revel in. Would have no problem recommending any of these two bands for a live show.
The Old 97's and Bon Iver always provide a good show to attend. The Old 97's have great fodder and a large amount of backlog of songs to utilize for their shows. Highlights were Doreen and Victoria. I kept waiting for Timebomb, but it never came and I had to leave early. Bon Iver was a good acoustic show that provided a large amount of cute girls, good tunes, and plentiful drinks to bring down a crazy work week. And although the show was short, Skinny Love had more oomph and emotion than any other song that July.
Earlimart and the Duke Spirit were at a new venue that I kind of liked. The Ottobar is a semi-sleazy bar with a good sound system and great sight-lines in Baltimore. Earlimart set a stage for a relaxin' night with some cozy, yet depressing songs with crickets chirping in-between songs during the set. The Duke Spirit was an awesome show. No specticule or elaborate stage. Just very good songs with a great stage presence and awesome front woman to handle and direct it all. You need to see them live, a wonderful mix of Queen, Rolling Stones, Clash, and Dismemberment Plan. A weird mix, but they make it work, really, really good.
Lucero and The Faint are on two different ends of the spectrum. Lucero is good near-southren rock about life and heartbreak. They had decent openers, but nothing to write home about. I got lost in some moments, but felt the rest of the crowd was judging me for not being "rock 'n roll" enough. I like their music and don't fit into their mold, whatever. The Faint, dance rock/post-punk about life and heartbreak, but with a more upbeat beat. No lies, I danced a bit and got lost in the moment. These people, some judging, but once I got moving, they were scared even more, but whatever.
So that was July and August. Nothing too bad and something a litte great. Up next in September are My Morning Jacket, Anthony Green, The Kooks, Straylight Run, possibly the Silver Jews, Reggie and the Full Effect with last tour, Mogwai to cap it off, and Mousetrap, a brit-pop dancehall with semi-depressed, hot girls from U of Maryland, Georgetown, George Mason. I talk a big talk, but seriously, no one expects me to talk to girls, maybe.
First up, Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yelstin was good. Good mellow band with their song, "Think I Wanna Die" being the highlight; didn't hurt their music video for that included the Eisley girls. Very straightforward set with some good beats and cute chicks. Spiritualized the next week provided some panache and epic staging for their songs. Shine A Light had the spotlights, the main band, and backup singers providing an astounding soundscape of music to revel in. Would have no problem recommending any of these two bands for a live show.
The Old 97's and Bon Iver always provide a good show to attend. The Old 97's have great fodder and a large amount of backlog of songs to utilize for their shows. Highlights were Doreen and Victoria. I kept waiting for Timebomb, but it never came and I had to leave early. Bon Iver was a good acoustic show that provided a large amount of cute girls, good tunes, and plentiful drinks to bring down a crazy work week. And although the show was short, Skinny Love had more oomph and emotion than any other song that July.
Earlimart and the Duke Spirit were at a new venue that I kind of liked. The Ottobar is a semi-sleazy bar with a good sound system and great sight-lines in Baltimore. Earlimart set a stage for a relaxin' night with some cozy, yet depressing songs with crickets chirping in-between songs during the set. The Duke Spirit was an awesome show. No specticule or elaborate stage. Just very good songs with a great stage presence and awesome front woman to handle and direct it all. You need to see them live, a wonderful mix of Queen, Rolling Stones, Clash, and Dismemberment Plan. A weird mix, but they make it work, really, really good.
Lucero and The Faint are on two different ends of the spectrum. Lucero is good near-southren rock about life and heartbreak. They had decent openers, but nothing to write home about. I got lost in some moments, but felt the rest of the crowd was judging me for not being "rock 'n roll" enough. I like their music and don't fit into their mold, whatever. The Faint, dance rock/post-punk about life and heartbreak, but with a more upbeat beat. No lies, I danced a bit and got lost in the moment. These people, some judging, but once I got moving, they were scared even more, but whatever.
So that was July and August. Nothing too bad and something a litte great. Up next in September are My Morning Jacket, Anthony Green, The Kooks, Straylight Run, possibly the Silver Jews, Reggie and the Full Effect with last tour, Mogwai to cap it off, and Mousetrap, a brit-pop dancehall with semi-depressed, hot girls from U of Maryland, Georgetown, George Mason. I talk a big talk, but seriously, no one expects me to talk to girls, maybe.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
You fu*king Jerk!!
So, after many years and missed opportunities, I have finally seen DJ Shadow spin live. And as an added treat, Cut Chemist was there as well. Touring their final leg of the "Hard Sell," I think I chose a good time to finally be available to see them create textured soundscapes to retreat and revel in.
I came a little late to the show because I'm old and tired now after I come back from work. Adulthood really does slow you down a bit. But once I stepped up to the ticket window and picked up my will-calls, I felt young again, rad.
As I stepped through the double doors, there they were, Shadow on the left and Chemist on the right. And in front of them, eight turntables, effect boards galore, and foot pedals to ensure they just would not stand bored with their hands busy.
After a short intro video on the history of the 45, they jumped right in, slowly at first, building and removing, sort of like an architect with a pencil and pad, drawing out designs and modifying and deleting as necessary. It would be a little challenging for some, building and destroying, moving forward and turn back, to the side, up, down, all around. Then, they hit the groove on one record and off we went to music nirvana.
Now, if you haven't seen or listened to their collaborations in the past, you should know they have some sort of foundation. With Brainfreeze and Product Placement, they stuck to soul, or Funk 45s, limiting themselves so they can truly experiment with what they got and build from there.
With this tour, they stuck to 45s, but expanded their palette to include hip hop, r&b, rock, etc. And it was good. Everything from the Beastie Boys to Foo Fighters to Metallica to Aaliyah to De La Soul was included. I do not know how they found a path to go from one to the other, but it was there and they took it.
Chemist seemed a little more reserved than usual, and Shadow was being Shadow, but I guess they were mainly focused on the music. Overall, it was a good 2 hours of sounds, blips, beeps, and portable DJing that helped me escape the monotony of a Wednesday night.
I came a little late to the show because I'm old and tired now after I come back from work. Adulthood really does slow you down a bit. But once I stepped up to the ticket window and picked up my will-calls, I felt young again, rad.
As I stepped through the double doors, there they were, Shadow on the left and Chemist on the right. And in front of them, eight turntables, effect boards galore, and foot pedals to ensure they just would not stand bored with their hands busy.
After a short intro video on the history of the 45, they jumped right in, slowly at first, building and removing, sort of like an architect with a pencil and pad, drawing out designs and modifying and deleting as necessary. It would be a little challenging for some, building and destroying, moving forward and turn back, to the side, up, down, all around. Then, they hit the groove on one record and off we went to music nirvana.
Now, if you haven't seen or listened to their collaborations in the past, you should know they have some sort of foundation. With Brainfreeze and Product Placement, they stuck to soul, or Funk 45s, limiting themselves so they can truly experiment with what they got and build from there.
With this tour, they stuck to 45s, but expanded their palette to include hip hop, r&b, rock, etc. And it was good. Everything from the Beastie Boys to Foo Fighters to Metallica to Aaliyah to De La Soul was included. I do not know how they found a path to go from one to the other, but it was there and they took it.
Chemist seemed a little more reserved than usual, and Shadow was being Shadow, but I guess they were mainly focused on the music. Overall, it was a good 2 hours of sounds, blips, beeps, and portable DJing that helped me escape the monotony of a Wednesday night.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Kills and Cure
Finally, I'm sort of back on track for concert reviews since I've got some time.
The Kills, composed of a British guy and an expat from Florida that make garagy-type music if you want to file it under a title. Their latest, Midnight Boom, is a bit more polished than their earlier records, but that sheen has provoked some good rhythmic beats and sing-song that translate well live at the Black Cat.
They opened with "U.R.A Fever," not exactly being totally original by opening with the first song off their new record, but surprisingly appropriate to introduce themselves to an audience. With Jamie clad in a leather and Alison in her becoming signature leopard-print coat, they interacted with each other providing musicality from his guitar, her voice overs, and a drum machine. Very sparse, yet muscular in tone and presence.
Mainly sticking to their latest to provide musical foliage for the evening, some standouts included "Alphabet," "Cheap + Cheerful," "What NY Used to Be," and the highlight for me being "Last Days of Magic." That guitar that maintains through the song, and Alison's voice, man, one of the best songs of '08.
Opening for them was Telepathe, a four-piece from Brooklyn with some weird abstract, dance beats and three front women interacting with each other on vocal duties. There was a guitarist, but I rarely heard any sound from him, weird. But nice people to talk to after the show and discuss non-sensical tour routes with.
The week after, the Cure, what can you say about these guys except they are legends. Opening with "Plainsong," with the sparkly backdrop matching the sounds of the song in the beginning, awesome. And they've been around for so long that there was not a bad song in the set list. "Lullably," "Fascination Street," "Love Song", "Just Like Heaven," and even "Pornography;" which is my favorite Cure song. After nearly three hours of wall-to-wall music, I had to throw in the towel due to fatigue and leave, first time I have ever left a concert before the encore. I swear they had at least another hour or two in them, they don't make bands like that anymore. So, if you have not yet seen the Cure live, do it. And wear comfortable shoes because some amount of droning, or dancing, will occur. You can't fight the Cure.
The Kills, composed of a British guy and an expat from Florida that make garagy-type music if you want to file it under a title. Their latest, Midnight Boom, is a bit more polished than their earlier records, but that sheen has provoked some good rhythmic beats and sing-song that translate well live at the Black Cat.
They opened with "U.R.A Fever," not exactly being totally original by opening with the first song off their new record, but surprisingly appropriate to introduce themselves to an audience. With Jamie clad in a leather and Alison in her becoming signature leopard-print coat, they interacted with each other providing musicality from his guitar, her voice overs, and a drum machine. Very sparse, yet muscular in tone and presence.
Mainly sticking to their latest to provide musical foliage for the evening, some standouts included "Alphabet," "Cheap + Cheerful," "What NY Used to Be," and the highlight for me being "Last Days of Magic." That guitar that maintains through the song, and Alison's voice, man, one of the best songs of '08.
Opening for them was Telepathe, a four-piece from Brooklyn with some weird abstract, dance beats and three front women interacting with each other on vocal duties. There was a guitarist, but I rarely heard any sound from him, weird. But nice people to talk to after the show and discuss non-sensical tour routes with.
The week after, the Cure, what can you say about these guys except they are legends. Opening with "Plainsong," with the sparkly backdrop matching the sounds of the song in the beginning, awesome. And they've been around for so long that there was not a bad song in the set list. "Lullably," "Fascination Street," "Love Song", "Just Like Heaven," and even "Pornography;" which is my favorite Cure song. After nearly three hours of wall-to-wall music, I had to throw in the towel due to fatigue and leave, first time I have ever left a concert before the encore. I swear they had at least another hour or two in them, they don't make bands like that anymore. So, if you have not yet seen the Cure live, do it. And wear comfortable shoes because some amount of droning, or dancing, will occur. You can't fight the Cure.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)