These will be just brief recaps to get something on the record before the close of the year. Hopefully, when time or inspiration allow, I may revisit the shows of 2010 in more detail, but for now:
The NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL [7.30 - 8.1.10]
I had always been reluctant to attend festivals, preferring the full-length sets of headlining shows, but the summer of 2010 provided me with two positive festival experiences, the first at the historic Newport Folk Festival.
The lineup and location of Newport overcame my festival hesitancy and delivered an ideal overall experience. The two main draws for me, in terms of lineup, were Yim Yames (of My Morning Jacket) and A.A. Bondy, and both delivered with excellent sets.
In the live setting, Bondy expands the folk from his albums into waves of distortion and atmosphere while maintaining the distinct melody and lyrical voice present in his songs. His two albums (American Hearts and When The Devil’s Loose) are excellent and seeing him live adds layers to the material.
When The Devil's Loose
Werewolf Juice Banter + New Song
Mightiest Of Guns
Yim Yames became the unofficial MVP of the festival by playing his own stellar solo set to a hushed crowd, hanging on every note, at the overflowing Harbor Stage and then showing up throughout the weekend to sing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (their set was another highlight of the weekend), duet with John Prine (Saturday's headliner) and play a set with Kentucky pals Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore in support of their solid 2010 album Dear Companion (an effort to raise awareness about Mountaintop Removal in Kentucky).
His Master's Voice
Blue Yodel #9 w/PHJB
The Dear Companion Crew w/PHJB & Sarah Jarosz
All The Best w/John Prine
Other Newport highlights included:
-Sarah Jarosz, who opened for Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers at the festival’s opening night at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in downtown Newport (before the festival moved to Fort Adams for the remainder of the weekend), played a solo set Saturday and then showed up to play with the Dear Companion crew from Kentucky on Sunday.
-An impressive set by folk legend Sam Bush
-A crowd pleasing set from California rockers Dawes
-The Levon Helm Band, always fun to watch (even outside Levon’s barn in Woodstock), especially when Richie Havens joined the band to sing The Weight, but did not know the words and was even having trouble reading them from the sheet in his hands. My only complaint from this set is that they did not bring Yim Yames out to sing It Makes No Difference, as he does on the band tribute album and did later that summer at a show in San Francisco. That would have been the perfect capper to the festival, at which Yames seemed ever present otherwise.
-The location, lineup and weather could not have been better. The lineup was maybe too good, as it was impossible to catch everyone due to overlapping set times. With scenic waterfront views, ferries to and from downtown and easy access to all stages at Fort Adams, the combination of setting, venue and lineup at Newport made me rethink my perspective on festivals.
For extensive coverage of the festival, including pictures, video and downloads, head to NPR
The GASLIGHT ANTHEM [Boston 8.2.10 & Asbury Park 8.5.10]
Having seen The Gaslight Anthem for the first time in the fire-code threatening capacity crowd of the Stone Pony last year, it was refreshing to see them with some room to move. At last year’s Stone Pony show each movement was a struggle but at the Boston House of Blues, way up in the third level balcony, there were seats and some room to breathe, however the heat (packed indoor venue in August) and overwhelming sound (easily one of the loudest I have attended) of the venue provided new challenges.
A few days later the band played near the Stone Pony, as opposed to in it, and the outdoor summer stage allowed for ample elbow room.
These shows saw a band confident and maturing into their ever growing status. The band offered two excellent covers to the Boston crowd (The War by Lucero and State Of Love And Trust by Pearl Jam) while the home state Jersey crowd got deeper cuts from the band’s catalog.
Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts
SOLID SOUND FESTIVAL [8.13-8.15.10]
To double my summer festival attendance, WILCO curated their inaugural Solid Sound Festival at the Mass. Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA) in North Adams, Mass. The museum provided a visually impressive setting for the festival and allowed for unique exhibits (like an interactive Nels Cline guitar pedal instillation) but the size of the venue was sometimes overwhelmed by the crowd.
Musically, WILCO was the main draw as the band played a headlining set Saturday night and front man Jeff Tweedy (with many guests) closed the festival on Sunday evening. Between and around those sets, the members of WILCO presented their side projects (The Nels Cline Singers, Pronto, On Fillmore). The highlight of these was a stirring set by The Autumn Defense, led by John Stirratt and Pat Sansone, whose infective melodies and harmonies showcased the band’s appeal. Other than WILCO and related acts, the diverse musical lineup consisted of: Mavis Staples, The Books, Vetiver, The Baseball Project, Sir Richard Bishop, The Numero Group, Outrageous Cherry, Brenda, Mountain Man, Avi Buffalo and the Deep Blue Organ Trio.
Outside of WILCO, the real highlight of the weekend was the afternoon of comedy on Saturday headlined by the excellent Todd Barry and featuring John Mulaney (check out the Salt and Pepper Diner story from his album The Top Part), Hannibal Buress (his strong debut album, My Name Is Hannibal, was released this year), Kristen Schaal (of The Daily Show and Flight of the Conchords fame, who was surprisingly dirty) and an unexpected cameo by Eugene Mirman. The afternoon of comedy provided indoor relief from the heat and sun and provided effective counter-programming to the weekend’s music and art, making the festival a truly well-rounded endeavor.
Solid Sound Promo
Dash 7
I'm The Man Who Loves You
The town of North Adams was easy to navigate and is home to the excellent chili dogs at Jack’s. The only drawback to the location of the festival is the lack of hotels in town, making lodging an adventure and for many a small commute to and from the festival. The music, venue (and friendly staff) and intimacy of the festival all made for a great weekend of what will now be an annual event:
[Info for 2011 Solid Sound Festival]
MY MORNING JACKET [Essex Junction, VT 8.20.10 & Canandaigua, NY 8.28.10]
The Newport Folk Festival allowed Yim Yames to explore his quieter, folkier side, while these shows fronting My Morning Jacket showcased his true rock star nature. Without a new album to promote, the band played career spanning sets that served as a solid introduction to new fans, rewarding set lists for long time fans and a warm-up lap for their New York City residency in October (in which they played their entire catalog of material over five nights). The Jacket are just about the best live band going so I will just provide evidence (the Vermont show was opened by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, while the power pop of The New Pornographers opened the Canandaigua show).
Mahgeetah
One Big Holiday
TITUS ANDRONICUS [Castaways 8.25.10]
Youthful exuberance was on full display at Castaways, as opener Free Energy (brought the classic pop-rock hooks and choruses before Titus engaged the crowd with their epic and aggressive anthems. Both bands have albums that will show up on my end of the year best-of lists, with The Monitor by Titus Androninus certain to place near the top. It is always great to see up and coming bands at intimate venues and both bands reveled in the crowd and atmosphere at Castaways. The raw energy and propulsion that Titus brings to their music and performance is impressive and inspiring.
A More Perfect Union (not from Castaways)
The NATIONAL [Wellmont Theater 9.24.10]
Another band with an album, High Violet, that will rank near the top of the 2010 lists is The National. This band exudes power and controlled chaos in their performance. The sold out Wellmont Theater fell under the band’s sway instantly with the subdued opener Runaway, a contrast with the powerful show closing tandem of Mr. November and Terrible Love.
Terrible Love (Pitchfork TV)
Terrible Love (Alternate Version/Tour Video)
PHOENIX [Barton Hall (Cornell) 10.17.10]
I went to Phoenix expecting catchy pop-rock, but not prepared for the impressive visuals that accompanied the music. The combination of showmanship, songwriting and spectacle captivated the sold out Barton Hall crowd from the opener, Lisztomania, to the extended version of 1901 that closed the show. They played all of 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (one of the decade’s best albums) throughout the set as well as tracks from throughout their consistent career.
Intro & Lisztomania
Love Like A Sunset
LOUIS CK [Bailey Hall (Cornell) 10.24.10]
A comedian truly at the top of his game. Between producing his critically acclaimed TV series (Louie, which wrapped up Season One on FX this year) and concert film (Hilarious, on DVD in early January 2011) he developed another entire set of material to tour behind in the fall. The sold out crowd was so in awe of the comedian they stumbled through the question-and-answer portion of the set, which he effectively used for more material.
Classic Louis CK (on Conan)
ROGER WATERS/THE WALL (LIVE) [Madison Square Garden 11.6.10]
This show has been a long time coming. My first real show (excluding a free show by Lynyrd Skynyrd, the 1993 version, near my hometown) was Pink Floyd in Toronto in 1994 (well, the 1994 version of Pink Floyd without Roger Waters). My favorite album, for about two decades now, has been Pink Floyd’s The Wall. To have the opportunity to see The Wall performed live by Roger Waters, something for years I thought would only be experienced second hand through bootlegs, benefit shows and re-releases) brought the past sixteen years of concert-going full circle.
The experience still feels a little surreal as I type this almost two months later - but the airplane crash at the end of In The Flesh, Waters accompanied by footage of himself from the 1980 shows during Mother and the Comfortably Numb guitar solo on top of The Wall really happened. I am sure this show will continue to sink in over the years, and that's okay.
In The Flesh (from Toronto, with excited guys at the end)
Comfortably Numb (from NJ)
The NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL [7.30 - 8.1.10]
I had always been reluctant to attend festivals, preferring the full-length sets of headlining shows, but the summer of 2010 provided me with two positive festival experiences, the first at the historic Newport Folk Festival.
The lineup and location of Newport overcame my festival hesitancy and delivered an ideal overall experience. The two main draws for me, in terms of lineup, were Yim Yames (of My Morning Jacket) and A.A. Bondy, and both delivered with excellent sets.
In the live setting, Bondy expands the folk from his albums into waves of distortion and atmosphere while maintaining the distinct melody and lyrical voice present in his songs. His two albums (American Hearts and When The Devil’s Loose) are excellent and seeing him live adds layers to the material.
When The Devil's Loose
Werewolf Juice Banter + New Song
Mightiest Of Guns
Yim Yames became the unofficial MVP of the festival by playing his own stellar solo set to a hushed crowd, hanging on every note, at the overflowing Harbor Stage and then showing up throughout the weekend to sing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (their set was another highlight of the weekend), duet with John Prine (Saturday's headliner) and play a set with Kentucky pals Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore in support of their solid 2010 album Dear Companion (an effort to raise awareness about Mountaintop Removal in Kentucky).
His Master's Voice
Blue Yodel #9 w/PHJB
The Dear Companion Crew w/PHJB & Sarah Jarosz
All The Best w/John Prine
Other Newport highlights included:
-Sarah Jarosz, who opened for Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers at the festival’s opening night at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in downtown Newport (before the festival moved to Fort Adams for the remainder of the weekend), played a solo set Saturday and then showed up to play with the Dear Companion crew from Kentucky on Sunday.
-An impressive set by folk legend Sam Bush
-A crowd pleasing set from California rockers Dawes
-The Levon Helm Band, always fun to watch (even outside Levon’s barn in Woodstock), especially when Richie Havens joined the band to sing The Weight, but did not know the words and was even having trouble reading them from the sheet in his hands. My only complaint from this set is that they did not bring Yim Yames out to sing It Makes No Difference, as he does on the band tribute album and did later that summer at a show in San Francisco. That would have been the perfect capper to the festival, at which Yames seemed ever present otherwise.
-The location, lineup and weather could not have been better. The lineup was maybe too good, as it was impossible to catch everyone due to overlapping set times. With scenic waterfront views, ferries to and from downtown and easy access to all stages at Fort Adams, the combination of setting, venue and lineup at Newport made me rethink my perspective on festivals.
For extensive coverage of the festival, including pictures, video and downloads, head to NPR
The GASLIGHT ANTHEM [Boston 8.2.10 & Asbury Park 8.5.10]
Having seen The Gaslight Anthem for the first time in the fire-code threatening capacity crowd of the Stone Pony last year, it was refreshing to see them with some room to move. At last year’s Stone Pony show each movement was a struggle but at the Boston House of Blues, way up in the third level balcony, there were seats and some room to breathe, however the heat (packed indoor venue in August) and overwhelming sound (easily one of the loudest I have attended) of the venue provided new challenges.
A few days later the band played near the Stone Pony, as opposed to in it, and the outdoor summer stage allowed for ample elbow room.
These shows saw a band confident and maturing into their ever growing status. The band offered two excellent covers to the Boston crowd (The War by Lucero and State Of Love And Trust by Pearl Jam) while the home state Jersey crowd got deeper cuts from the band’s catalog.
Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts
SOLID SOUND FESTIVAL [8.13-8.15.10]
To double my summer festival attendance, WILCO curated their inaugural Solid Sound Festival at the Mass. Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA) in North Adams, Mass. The museum provided a visually impressive setting for the festival and allowed for unique exhibits (like an interactive Nels Cline guitar pedal instillation) but the size of the venue was sometimes overwhelmed by the crowd.
Musically, WILCO was the main draw as the band played a headlining set Saturday night and front man Jeff Tweedy (with many guests) closed the festival on Sunday evening. Between and around those sets, the members of WILCO presented their side projects (The Nels Cline Singers, Pronto, On Fillmore). The highlight of these was a stirring set by The Autumn Defense, led by John Stirratt and Pat Sansone, whose infective melodies and harmonies showcased the band’s appeal. Other than WILCO and related acts, the diverse musical lineup consisted of: Mavis Staples, The Books, Vetiver, The Baseball Project, Sir Richard Bishop, The Numero Group, Outrageous Cherry, Brenda, Mountain Man, Avi Buffalo and the Deep Blue Organ Trio.
Outside of WILCO, the real highlight of the weekend was the afternoon of comedy on Saturday headlined by the excellent Todd Barry and featuring John Mulaney (check out the Salt and Pepper Diner story from his album The Top Part), Hannibal Buress (his strong debut album, My Name Is Hannibal, was released this year), Kristen Schaal (of The Daily Show and Flight of the Conchords fame, who was surprisingly dirty) and an unexpected cameo by Eugene Mirman. The afternoon of comedy provided indoor relief from the heat and sun and provided effective counter-programming to the weekend’s music and art, making the festival a truly well-rounded endeavor.
Solid Sound Promo
Dash 7
I'm The Man Who Loves You
The town of North Adams was easy to navigate and is home to the excellent chili dogs at Jack’s. The only drawback to the location of the festival is the lack of hotels in town, making lodging an adventure and for many a small commute to and from the festival. The music, venue (and friendly staff) and intimacy of the festival all made for a great weekend of what will now be an annual event:
[Info for 2011 Solid Sound Festival]
MY MORNING JACKET [Essex Junction, VT 8.20.10 & Canandaigua, NY 8.28.10]
The Newport Folk Festival allowed Yim Yames to explore his quieter, folkier side, while these shows fronting My Morning Jacket showcased his true rock star nature. Without a new album to promote, the band played career spanning sets that served as a solid introduction to new fans, rewarding set lists for long time fans and a warm-up lap for their New York City residency in October (in which they played their entire catalog of material over five nights). The Jacket are just about the best live band going so I will just provide evidence (the Vermont show was opened by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, while the power pop of The New Pornographers opened the Canandaigua show).
Mahgeetah
One Big Holiday
TITUS ANDRONICUS [Castaways 8.25.10]
Youthful exuberance was on full display at Castaways, as opener Free Energy (brought the classic pop-rock hooks and choruses before Titus engaged the crowd with their epic and aggressive anthems. Both bands have albums that will show up on my end of the year best-of lists, with The Monitor by Titus Androninus certain to place near the top. It is always great to see up and coming bands at intimate venues and both bands reveled in the crowd and atmosphere at Castaways. The raw energy and propulsion that Titus brings to their music and performance is impressive and inspiring.
A More Perfect Union (not from Castaways)
The NATIONAL [Wellmont Theater 9.24.10]
Another band with an album, High Violet, that will rank near the top of the 2010 lists is The National. This band exudes power and controlled chaos in their performance. The sold out Wellmont Theater fell under the band’s sway instantly with the subdued opener Runaway, a contrast with the powerful show closing tandem of Mr. November and Terrible Love.
Terrible Love (Pitchfork TV)
Terrible Love (Alternate Version/Tour Video)
PHOENIX [Barton Hall (Cornell) 10.17.10]
I went to Phoenix expecting catchy pop-rock, but not prepared for the impressive visuals that accompanied the music. The combination of showmanship, songwriting and spectacle captivated the sold out Barton Hall crowd from the opener, Lisztomania, to the extended version of 1901 that closed the show. They played all of 2009’s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (one of the decade’s best albums) throughout the set as well as tracks from throughout their consistent career.
Intro & Lisztomania
Love Like A Sunset
LOUIS CK [Bailey Hall (Cornell) 10.24.10]
A comedian truly at the top of his game. Between producing his critically acclaimed TV series (Louie, which wrapped up Season One on FX this year) and concert film (Hilarious, on DVD in early January 2011) he developed another entire set of material to tour behind in the fall. The sold out crowd was so in awe of the comedian they stumbled through the question-and-answer portion of the set, which he effectively used for more material.
Classic Louis CK (on Conan)
ROGER WATERS/THE WALL (LIVE) [Madison Square Garden 11.6.10]
This show has been a long time coming. My first real show (excluding a free show by Lynyrd Skynyrd, the 1993 version, near my hometown) was Pink Floyd in Toronto in 1994 (well, the 1994 version of Pink Floyd without Roger Waters). My favorite album, for about two decades now, has been Pink Floyd’s The Wall. To have the opportunity to see The Wall performed live by Roger Waters, something for years I thought would only be experienced second hand through bootlegs, benefit shows and re-releases) brought the past sixteen years of concert-going full circle.
The experience still feels a little surreal as I type this almost two months later - but the airplane crash at the end of In The Flesh, Waters accompanied by footage of himself from the 1980 shows during Mother and the Comfortably Numb guitar solo on top of The Wall really happened. I am sure this show will continue to sink in over the years, and that's okay.
In The Flesh (from Toronto, with excited guys at the end)
Comfortably Numb (from NJ)
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