I Never Slice

2011 Concert Round Up

2011-12-30T23:22:00.009-05:00

After closing out 2010’s concert calendar by seeing Roger Waters perform The Wall at Madison Square Garden it made sense to take a concert hiatus. That show is a tough act to follow and in some ways it felt like a culmination of six years of heavy concert attendance from 2004 through 2010. My first real show was Pink Floyd, way back in 1994, so this seemed like a symmetrical breaking point, and as a result the 2011 concert calendar is the lightest it has been since 2003. Let the round up begin:

*5.6.11: The Walkmen @ Ithaca College

The reliable and consistent Walkmen showed up for a free show on the Ithaca College campus for the school’s annual IC Kicks Back spring concert (a counterpoint to Cornell’s Slope Day) to a disappointingly small crowd. On the other hill at Cornell, Nelly draws a packed, enthusiastic crowd while a band like The Walkmen, who have steadily churned out solid rock records since 2001, play to a middling crowd at a free, on campus event. Regardless, the band put on their standard impressive performance, full of moody intensity, including standouts such as The Rat, Victory, and Canadian Girl.

Here is a clip of The Walkmen performing The Rat at Bonnaroo 2011.

*5.21.11: Jason Isbell/Maria Taylor @ The Haunt

Former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell continues to release solid solo albums, like this year’s Here We Rest, and now fronts a talented live band. Isbell’s southern charm and guitar prowess certainly qualify him for front man status and his band, the 400 Unit, played a set full of highlights from his three solo albums, some of his DBT gems, and a surprisingly diverse selection of covers (The Meters, Tom Petty, Otis Redding, and Talking Heads). Opener Maria Taylor impressed with a set of melodic pop-rock tunes.

Here is a clip of Isbell & the 400 Unit performing Goddamn Lonely Love, one of his DBT era tracks, and Go It Alone, from his latest album.

*9.3.11: Great Lake Swimmers @ Delilah’s On Cayuga

After seeing the Great Lake Swimmers for the first time in 2010 at the Clayton Opera House, I have been anxiously awaiting their return to the area. Their show at Delilah’s provided an intimate setting for the band’s harmonies and hushed melodies. Front man Tony Dekker’s voice is impressive on the band’s recordings, but more powerful live, especially up close and personal in a small venue. The band played a range of song’s from their catalog (including Everything Is Moving So Fast, Your Rocky Spine, and Moving Pictures, Silent Films), new songs from a forthcoming album, and a few rare covers (Guy Clark and the Carter Family).

Here is the band playing Your Rocky Spine, and this clip is actually from the show (unlike all links so far in the round up).

*9.9.11: Okkervil River @ The State Theater

Okkervil River returned to the State, where they played with The New Pornographers in 2008, to showcase their 2011 release, I Am Very Far. Songs like The Valley, We Need A Myth, and Your Past Life As A Blast fit nicely alongside some of their standard highlights, For Real, Our Life Is A Movie Or Maybe Not, Lost Coastlines, and Westfall. Front man Will Scheff displayed a manic energy throughout the set that exemplifies that band’s impressive live reputation.

Here is a clip of For Real from SXSW and Lost Coastlines from a festival in 2008.

*11.16.11: Drive-By Truckers/The Felice Brothers @ The State Theater

A DBT show is essentially a barrage of riffs and storytelling conducted by two distinct voices, the impassioned, heart-on-his-sleeve Patterson Hood and the calm and cool, all-business Mike Cooley. The band played staples such as Where The Devil Don’t Stay, Lookout Mountain, and Zip City, while also focusing on this year’s release, Go-Go-Boots, with Used To Be A Cop, The Fireplace Poker, and Mercy Buckets. Unfortunately, I may be bad luck for DBT, as Jason Isbell left the group shortly after I saw them in Cleveland in 2006, and just a few weeks after this show Shonna Tucker (Isbell’s ex-wife) announced her departure. The band may not be able to handle me seeing them anymore. Maybe Shonna left to reunite with Isbell in the 400 Unit?

Here is the full set list from the show and here is, apparently, a full DBT Show on YouTube.

The Felice Brothers opened the show with a strange set. The band seemed distracted as they tried to transfer the electronic, sample influenced sound from this year’s ambitious album, Celebration, Florida, to the stage. They seemed frustrated by something throughout the set, whether it was technical difficulties or something else, but the band appeared more out of sorts than usual (and they normally seem a little out of sorts anyway). The new album is a departure from their previous traditional sound and hints at the promise of a unique hybrid sound.

That's all for 2011 shows - only one year to wait for the next concert round up.

2010/ The Year In Music [The Top 50]

2011-01-01T13:27:00.014-05:00

1. The TALLEST MAN ON EARTH - The Wild Hunt
2. The NATIONAL - High Violet
3. ARCADE FIRE - The Suburbs
4. FRIGHTENED RABBIT - The Winter Of Mixed Drinks
5. TITUS ANDRONICUS - The Monitor
6. The BESNARD LAKES - The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night
7. The GASLIGHT ANTHEM - American Slang
8. PHOSPHORESCENT - Here's To Taking It Easy
9. JONSI - Go
10. KANYE WEST - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

11. ROKY ERICKSON (w/OKKERVIL RIVER) - True Love Cast Out All Evil
12. RETRIBUTION GOSPEL CHOIR - 2
13. DR. DOG - Shame, Shame
14. BEACH HOUSE - Teen Dream
15. The RADIO DEPT. - Clinging To A Scheme
16. JOHN GRANT - Queen Of Denmark
17. WILD NOTHING - Gemini
18. jj - no3
19. BEN SOLLEE & DANIEL MARTIN MOORE - Dear Companion
20. DEER TICK - The Black Dirt Sessions

21. HOT CHIP - One Life Stand
22. JANELLE MONAE - The ArchAndroid
23. ROBYN - Body Talk
24. BIG BOI - Sir Lucious Left Foot (The Son Of Chico Dusty)
25. JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE - Harlem River Blues
26. DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS - The Big To-Do
27. The WALKMEN - Lisbon
28. WOLF PARADE - Expo 86
29. MIDLAKE - The Courage Of Others
30. GORILLAZ - Plastic Beach

31. SURFER BLOOD - Astro Coast
32. The BLACK KEYS - Brothers
33. SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS - Disconnect From Desire
34. DEERHUNTER - Halcyon Digest
35. HOW TO DRESS WELL - Love Remains
36. GORDON DOWNIE - The Grand Bounce
37. RYAN BINGHAM - Junky Star
38. BAND OF HORSES - Infinite Arms
39. The HOLD STEADY - Heaven Is Whenever
40. NEIL YOUNG - Le Noise

41. LOCAL NATIVES - Gorilla Manor
42. SHEARWATER - The Golden Archipelago
43. SUN KIL MOON - Admiral Fell Promises
44. VAMPIRE WEEKEND - Contra
45. HORSE FEATHERS - Thistled Spring
46. EMERALDS - Does It Look Like I'm Here?
47. The THERMALS - Personal Life
48. FREE ENERGY - Stuck On Nothing
49. BONNIE 'PRINCE' BILLY & The CAIRO GANG - The Wonder Show Of The World
50. DAMIEN JURADO - Saint Bartlett

2010/The Year In Music [Honorable Mention]

2011-01-01T13:25:00.009-05:00

...here are some solid albums (in no particular order) that just missed the cut for the TOP 50...

-GUSTER - Easy Wonderful
-The NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Together
-BLAIR - Die Young
-LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - This Is Happening
-PANTHA DU PRINCE - Black Noise
-SPOON - Transference
-BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE - Forgiveness Rock Record
-MUMFORD & SONS - Sigh No More
-FOXY SHAZAM - Foxy Shazam
-BELLE & SEBASTIAN - Write About Love

-CEO - White Magic
-BROKEN BELLS - Broken Bells
-TORO Y MOI - Causers Of This
-GIL SCOTT-HERON - I'm New Here
-DUM DUM GIRLS - I Will Be
-BEST COAST - Crazy For You
-SUFJAN STEVENS - The Age Of Adz
-KINGS OF LEON - Come Around Sundown
-GLOSSARY - Feral Fire
-SHE & HIM - Volume Two

-TED LEO & The PHARMACISTS - The Brutalist Bricks
-RA RA RIOT - The Orchard
-LAURA MARLING - I Speak Because I Can
-JAKOB DYLAN - Women + Country
-SHOUT OUT LOUDS - Work
-LOS CAMPESINOS! - Romance Is Boring
-TAME IMPALA - Inner Speaker
-AUTOLUX - Transit Transit
-AVI BUFFALO - Avi Buffalo
-FOUR TET - There Is Love In You

-FLYING LOTUS - Cosmogramma
-CARIBOU - Swim
-CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG - IRM
-YEASAYER - Odd Blood
-ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI - Before Today
-SLEIGH BELLS - Treats
-The MORNING BENDERS - Big Echo
-MGMT - Congratulations
-CARL BROEMEL - All Birds Say
-DRAKE - Thank Me Later

-JOSH RITTER - So Runs The World Away
-WILLIAM TYLER - Behold The Spirit
-INTERPOL - Interpol
-RYAN ADAMS & The CARDINALS - III/IV
-GIRL TALK - All Day

2010/The Year In TV

2011-01-01T13:12:00.004-05:00

...unlike the movie list, which proved difficult to identify a Top Ten, the list for the best TV of the year was highly competitive and tough to whittle down to the ten best shows of the year...in fact, the Top Five are all essentially tied for first place, as each had such remarkable seasons it is difficult to distinguish between them...the next eleven create a second tier of still impressive work, just a notch below the first five:

1. Terriers
2. Parks And Recreations
3. Fringe
4. Friday Night Lights
5. Breaking Bad

6. Louie
7. Justified
8. Rubicon
9. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia
10. Eastbound & Down

11. Treme
12. Men Of A Certain Age
13. Community
14. Cougar Town
15. Boardwalk Empire
16. Lost

2010/The Year In Movies

2011-01-01T12:23:00.003-05:00

...in a down year for movies, I struggled to put together a list of ten movies that stood above all the rest and ultimately decided to just go with a Top Five and a bunch of Honorable Mentions...the movies in the Honorable Mention category were enjoyable but did not seem worthy of a Top Ten ranking...

1. 127 Hours
2. The Fighter
3. The Ghost Writer
4. Exit Through The Gift Shop
5. True Grit

Honorable Mention:

-The Social Network
-Inception
-The American
-The Kids Are All Right
-The Town
-Cyrus
-Cemetery Junction
-The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
-Easy A
-Going The Distance
-Get Him To The Greek
-Hot Tub Time Machine

End Of The Year [2010] Concert Round Up

2010-12-31T14:14:00.013-05:00

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)

This Is A Reminder

2010-08-26T16:03:00.007-04:00

Just a few days until My Morning Jacket hits central New York so be sure to make your way to Canandaigua this Saturday to get your face alternately melted and then soothed. The band is currently taking the William Tecumseh Sherman scorched earth policy to the Northeast, both opening for Tom Petty and during headlining gigs like this one at CMAC.

As an added bonus, as clearly no further incentive is required to attend, Canadian power-pop super group The New Pornographers will be opening. Check them out below for a sample:

Use It

My Slow Descent Into Alcoholism

My Rights Versus Yours

...and here is their cover of an ELO's classic (not the best quality video, but...)

Don't Bring Me Down

[Tickets and Show Info can be found here: MMJ Ticket Info]

From Kentucky To Canandaigua/Fall Shows

2010-07-30T07:40:00.006-04:00

If you live in Central New York, or even if you can just get here for the day, be sure to get tickets for the MY MORNING JACKET show in Canandaigua on Saturday, August 28th. This is a rare area appearance for one of the best live bands currently on the road. Good seats are still available:

MMJ Shows/Tickets

MMJ: One Big Holiday from Conan, 2003

MMJ Live: OKONOKOS Trailer

Also, with the fall/winter concert season rapidly approaching, check out the calendar at Dan Smalls Presents and the State Theater for shows in Ithaca and the surrounding area...including Titus Andronicus at Castaways on August 25th to close out the summer ...just a few days before the MMJ show.

DSP

State

Mid-Year [2010] Concert Round Up

2010-07-28T18:35:00.040-04:00

After procrastinating for half a year on these reviews it seemed like if they did not happen now, before heading to Newport for the Folk Fest, they might never happen, so here are brief summaries of the 2010 Concert Calendar thus far:

*John Prine @ State Theater (Ithaca) 2.17.10
In the crowded field of singer songwriters, John Prine provides a truly unique voice. He may not be as widely acclaimed as the likes of Dylan, but he has experienced a surge in recognition in recent years and certainly would fit in the discussion with well-respected artists like Townes Van Zandt. Prine showcased his distinct voice and lyrics (not too mention his slick moves on stage), accompanied by just a guitarist, bass player and a sense of humor about his "feel good songs", in a career spanning set for a sold out crowd at the State Theater. Opener Sara Watkins, of Nickel Creek, joined the legend on stage for an encore of duets including: In Spite Of Ourselves, The Late John Garfield Blues and Paradise. The crowd did have a few shining moments, however, as some genius deciding the best time for his David Lee Roth impression was during the quiet and powerful Sam Stone and when the drunk talkers were annoyed that they were hushed by those listening to the show. When will attentive concert-goers learn their lesson? Anyway, those were just two hiccups in an otherwise respectful audience.

Prine’s debut album from 1971 would be a solid entry point to his work, or for a more expansive taste the two-disc anthology Great Days. His influence on today’s artists can be heard in the recently released tribute album: Broken Hearts And Dirty Windows, on which My Morning Jacket, Bon Iver, Deer Tick and Drive-By Truckers and more take a spin with Prine’s material:

Broken Hearts And Dirty Windows

Lake Marie (from a Sessions at West 54th taping)

*WILCO @ Wellmont Theater (Montclair, NJ) 4.3.10
After seeing WILCO a number of times in recent years, this show provided a few new experiences. First, the Evening With format ensured a long night of WILCO material and no opening act to share the bill. Second, the band transitioned seamlessly from full-rock mode to a stripped down acoustic set in the middle of the show without skipping a beat and taking no set breaks. The band played 37 songs over three hours, only briefly breaking before the encore. It was a marathon performance resembling E Street Band stamina (appropriately enough in Jersey). The set list covered the band’s entire catalog and included two Big Star covers (Thank You Friends and In The Street) as a tribute to Alex Chilton to close out the main set. For WILCO action this summer, check out the band’s Solid Sound Festival at MassMoca in August:

WILCO Solid Sound Festival

*The Flaming Lips @ Barton Hall (Ithaca) 4.18.10
The Flaming Lips live show is a spectacle few bands can match - visuals, lights, interactive lasers, confetti, balloons, stage dancers, giant human/hamster balls - all of which might overwhelm the music if the band were not prepared with loud, stomping groove epics and crowd participating singalongs. With Wayne Coyne, a quintessential front man, urging the crowd on to push this show to legendary status and become the second best Barton Hall show in history (behind the heavily bootlegged Grateful Dead show from 1977), the band’s musical glue Steve Drozd led the band through material from the band’s latest release, Embryonic, amid crowd favorites from Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, The Soft Bulletin and At War With The Mystics. The band also recently released their version of the classic Pink Floyd album The Dark Side Of The Moon and included Brain Damage and Eclipse in the encore before closing the show with Do You Realize. It is hard to capture the live Flaming Lips experience with words but these clips will do their best to approximate the experience:

Flaming Lips: Barton Hall Time Lapse

Barton Bubble

*Deer Tick @ Castaways (Ithaca) 5.9.10
Central New York must love raucous bar bands, as the band that has most often earned that label in recent years, The Hold Steady, has played Ithaca and Syracuse a number of times (at least five) in recent years. Deer Tick has visited Ithaca multiple times recently as well, including the Positive Jam last summer at Stewart Park in which they shared the bill with The Hold Steady. In comparison, however, Deer Tick make The Hold Steady sound polished. Deer Tick live is a raw, dirty, spontaneous and occasionally sloppy experience - and I mean that as a compliment. Fully in the moment of the performance the band will tear through their own material and diverse, surprising covers (Chuck Berry’s Maybellene, and a medley including Mellencamp's Authority Song, Petty's Free Fallin' and The Replacements' Can't Hardly Wait...no joke...) like barnstormers but can also pull the reins back for intimate performances, at times featuring front man John McCauley alone with a guitar. The band recently released their third album, The Black Dirt Sessions, but also be sure to check out their excellent 2009 release, Born On Flag Day and debut from 2007, War Elephant. The band often comes off more reserved and subtle on recordings, but live the songs explode with bursts of energy - exemplifying the diversity of the band as they are capable of both speeds. For a sample of the band’s live sound check out their recent set from Maxwell’s in Hoboken, NJ, which includes covers of ZZ Top’s Cheap Sunglasses and Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye. provided by NYC Taper:

NYC Taper: Deer Tick, July 2010

*Midlake @ Castaways (Ithaca) 5.18.10
In 2006, Midlake released The Trials Of Van Occupanther, which became one of the most acclaimed albums of the decade (even making the highly regarded I Never Slice list of the decade’s best music). The much anticipated follow up, 2010’s The Courage Of Others was met with less fanfare (most likely due to the OK Computer/Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Syndrome - the difficulty of following a career defining work), and is an album I found a greater appreciation for after seeing much of it performed live. The Courage Of Others may not have a breakout track like Van Occupanther's excellent Roscoe, but the album is solid throughout. The band’s impressive harmonies and tight musicianship develop the ebb and flow of their material. The epic songs, which inhabit a unique sound and evoke specific imagery, build to cresting choruses and release into melodic solos before starting the cycle over again. Filling out the solid bill were songwriter and Midlake collaborator John Grant and former Grandaddy front man Jason Lytle performing solo, making for an impressive night of music at Castaways. If you missed Midlake in May, there is another chance to catch them in September at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse (with Rogue Wave).

DSP: Rogue Wave and Midlake

*Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble w/Drive-By Truckers @ Levon Helm Studios (Woodstock, NY) 6.5.10
Last winter I was lucky enough to attend a Ramble at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, which proved to be on of most unique and rewarding concert experiences I could imagine. That initial trip to Levon’s barn showcased guest performers I had little experience with (Eric Church, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) who were solid openers for the impressive Levon Helm Band. To have the opportunity to return to the barn to see one of my favorite bands, Drive-By Truckers, in such a incomparable and intimate setting seemed too good to be true. Watching DBT play from a mere feet away, taking requests (Cooley asking the crowd what they wanted, getting an immediate shout of Zip City, then providing the goods) and reveling in the atmosphere as much as the crowd was remarkable. Patterson Hood had an ever-present grin on his face, whether playing two songs with his father, David Hood, who joined DBT on stage, watching Levon’s band with the crowd or ultimately singing The Weight with Levon’s band to close the show. While Levon is certainly the star, Larry Campbell leads the band through classics like The Shape I’m In and Big River and acts as musical director. Also sitting in was Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen who led the band through Shakedown Street and Black Friday. There are no pictures or video allowed in the barn, but pics and info about the Ramble, and the schedule of future dates and guests can be found here:

Midnight Ramble Info

Zip City, Alabama, 2009

*Great Lake Swimmers w/Ian Coristine @ Clayton Opera House (Clayton, NY) 6.26.10
Having listened to the Great Lake Swimmers for a number of years, my first chance to catch them live came this summer not far from home and with a non-traditional opening act for a concert. Having paired in recent years with 1000 Islands photographer Ian Coristine for a few projects (including recording portions of their recent album, Lost Channels, in Singer Castle on the St. Lawrence River) the band and photographer came together for an evening of images and music at the Clayton Opera House. The show began with Coristine discussing his career as a pilot/photographer and showing selections from his latest book, available here at Coristine's site:

Ian Coristine

He then introduced the band who played a career spanning best-of set of acoustic based pop filled with river and island imagery ideally paired with Coristine’s work. Front man Tony Dekker’s voice, powerful recorded and even more impressive in person, is key to band’s sound, but he was ably supported and accented by the guitar and banjo work of Erik Arnesen and the fiddle and vocal harmonies from Miranda Mulholland. Dekker had to deal with multiple broken strings on his acoustic, but pushed through and during a three song solo interlude mid set he performed a stately and respectful cover of Townes Van Zandt’s When He Offers His Hand. Other set highlights included Everything Is Moving So Fast, Palmistry, Various Stages, Your Rocky Spine and Song For The Angels. For a sample of Coristine's work paired with an instrumental Great Lake Swimmers' track follow this link:

1000 Islands Trailer

And here is the video for Palmistry, filmed on the Fair Jeanne in the 1000 Islands:

Palmistry

So, that wraps up the first half of the 2010 Concert Calendar - now on to Newport and a busier schedule of shows in August.

00-09/The Decade In Music

2010-02-28T21:09:00.008-05:00

In creating this list I followed one rule: limiting selections to one per artist, which led to some difficult choices. The two bands at the forefront of my personal musical development this decade, WILCO and MY MORNING JACKET, easily claim the top two spots...but with which album? For WILCO, the decision was clear, as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a career defining work. With MY MORNING JACKET, the decision was a little more difficult as choosing between At Dawn and It Still Moves is like a parent choosing favorites among children. At Dawn may be my personal favorite, but It Still Moves provides a better overall representation of the band’s capabilities and is the album that introduced me to the group.

Similar dilemmas came from choosing between Boxer and Alligator by The National, selecting one album from the impressive output this decade from bands like the Drive-By Truckers or Okkervil River or The Decemberists, and the Radiohead problem. Due to the consistent excellence of their work, Radiohead deserves a spot on this list, however, for me, their two definitive albums were released in the 90's, OK Computer and The Bends. Kid A earns significant praise, but is that the album I listen to when in the mood for Radiohead?

So, after lengthy deliberation, here is the Judge’s verdict on the best music of the decade.

1. WILCO - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2. MY MORNING JACKET - It Still Moves
3. The NATIONAL - Alligator
4. ARCADE FIRE - Funeral
5. The HOLD STEADY - Separation Sunday
6. SECRET MACHINES - Now Here Is Nowhere
7. The GASLIGHT ANTHEM - The ‘59 Sound
8. BON IVER - For Emma, Forever Ago
9. DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS - The Dirty South
10. SIGUR ROS - Agaetis Byrjun

11. A.A. BONDY - American Hearts
12. FRIGHTENED RABBIT - The Midnight Organ Fight
13. PHOENIX - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
14. EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
15. CAMERA OBSCURA - Let’s Get Out Of This Country
16. M83 - Saturdays = Youth
17. OKKERVIL RIVER - The Stage Names
18. SUFJAN STEVENS - Illinois
19. CENTRO-MATIC - Fort Recovery
20. The RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE - Hometowns

21. MIDLAKE - The Trials Of Van Occupanther
22. The DECEMBERISTS - The Crane Wife
23. The WALKMEN - You & Me
24. FLEET FOXES - Fleet Foxes
25. SUN KIL MOON - Ghosts Of The Great Highway
26. PANDA BEAR - Person Pitch
27. BECK - Sea Change
28. INTERPOL - Turn On The Bright Lights
29. MODEST MOUSE - The Moon & Antarctica
30. The NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Twin Cinema

31. RADIOHEAD - In Rainbows
32. NEKO CASE - Middle Cyclone
33. ANDREW BIRD - The Mysterious Production Of Eggs
34. RYAN ADAMS - Love Is Hell
35. The FLAMING LIPS - Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
36. IRON & WINE - Our Endless Numbered Days
37. BAND OF HORSES - Enerything All The Time
38. JENS LEKMAN - Oh You’re So Silent Jens
39. The WRENS - Meadowlands
40. DAVID GRAY - White Ladder

41. COLDPLAY - Viva La Vida (Or Death And All His Friends)
42. MATTHEW GOOD - Avalanche
43. TRESPASSERS WILLIAM - Different Stars
44. The HELIO SEQUENCE - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
45. The DAMNWELLS - Bastards Of The Beat
46. The GOOD, THE BAD & The QUEEN - The Good, The Bad & The Queen
47. EELS - Blinking Lights And Other Revelations
58. ...TRAIL OF DEAD - Source Tags & Codes
49. KINGS OF LEON - Aha Shake Heartbreak
50. GUSTER - Keep It Together

...and a few more that just missed the TOP 50:

*SPOON - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
*The BLACK KEYS - Rubber Factory
*NICOLE ATKINS - Neptune City
*DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - Transatlanticism
*BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - The Rising
*CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
*EMILY HAINES - Knives Don’t Have Your Back
*PETER BJORN & JOHN - Writer’s Block
*TV ON THE RADIO - Return To Cookie Mountain
*PETE YORN - Music For The Morning After
*MEW - Frengers

...feel free to let me know if there are any glaring omissions (like The STROKES, for example)...

00-09/The Decade In Movies

2010-02-28T20:53:00.005-05:00

1. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
2. LOST IN TRANSLATION
3. The ROYAL TENENBAUMS
4. MEMENTO
5. CHILDREN OF MEN
6. ALL THE REAL GIRLS
7. I HEART HUCKABEES
8. TRAFFIC
9. HIGH FIDELITY
10. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

...with Honorable Mention going to:

*ZODIAC
*The NEW WORLD
*CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND
*WONDER BOYS
*ABOUT A BOY
*ALMOST FAMOUS
*CAST AWAY
*INTO THE WILD
*ONCE
*I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART
*The SQUID AND THE WHALE
*25th HOUR
*ANCHORMAN
*The 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN
*TRISTRAM SHANDY: A COCK AND BULL STORY
*IN BRUGES
*LAYER CAKE
*The ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
*The LORD OF THE RINGS

00-09/The Decade In TV

2010-02-28T20:48:00.005-05:00

1. The WIRE
2. ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
3. The SOPRANOS
4. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
5. LOST
6. IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA
7. The OFFICE
8. CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
9. SIX FEET UNDER
10. RESCUE ME

...with Honorable Mention going to:

*ROME
*EXTRAS
*FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS
*BREAKING BAD (in progress: could rise in the rankings with future seasons)
*FREAKS AND GEEKS

2009/The Year In Music [The Top 50]

2010-01-18T09:49:00.005-05:00

1. The RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE - Hometowns
2. PHOENIX - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
3. GLASVEGAS - s/t
4. AA BONDY - When The Devil's Loose
5. DEER TICK - Born On Flag Day
6. AC NEWMAN - Get Guilty
7. NEKO CASE - Middle Cyclone
8. The PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART - s/t
9. BAT FOR LASHES - Two Suns
10. OLA PODRIDA - Belly Of The Lion

11. The DUTCHESS & The DUKE - Sunset/Sunrise
12. The LOW ANTHEM - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
13. MONSTERS OF FOLK - s/t
14. LUCERO - 1372 Overton Park
15. MATTHEW GOOD - Vancouver
16. CAMERA OBSCURA - My Maudlin Career
17. JAPANDROIDS - Post-Nothing
18. YO LA TENGO - Popular Songs
19. jj - n 0 2
20. FEVER RAY - s/t

21. GIRLS - Album
22. The XX - XX
23. The ANTLERS - Hospice
24. The THERMALS - Now We Can See
25. OTHER LIVES - s/t
26. DAWES - NORTH HILLS
27. GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS - Lost Channels
28. The RAVEONETTES - In And Out Of Control
29. WHITE RABBITS - It’s Frightening
30. DAN AUERBACH - Keep It Hid

31. WILCO - Wilco (The Album)
32. The TRAGICALLY HIP - We Are The Same
33. PEARL JAM - Backspacer
34. JASON ISBELL - s/t
35. ANDREW BIRD - Noble Beast/Useless Creatures
36. DOVES - Kingdom Of Rust
37. REAL ESTATE - s/t
38. The CLIENTELE - Bonfires On The Heath
39. DENT MAY - The Good Feeling Music Of...
40. SUNSET RUBDOWN - Dragonslayer

41. WILL OLDHAM - Beware
42. TITUS ANDRONICUS - The Airing Of Grievances
43. M. WARD - Hold Time
44. BOB DYLAN - Together Through Life
45. HEARTLESS BASTARDS - The Mountain
46. BUILT TO SPILL - There Is No Enemy
47. TWILIGHT SAD - Forget The Night Ahead
48. BILL CALLAHAN - Sometimes I Wish I Were An Eagle
49. SARAH JAROSZ - Song Up In Her Head
50. PETE YORN & SCARLETT JOHANSSON - Break Up

2009/The Year In Music [EP’s & Etc.]

2010-01-18T09:46:00.003-05:00

...noteworthy releases from the year that warrant mention...

EP’s:
1. WASHED OUT - Life Of Leisure
2. BON IVER - Blood Bank
3. YIM YAMES - Tribute To (George Harrison)
4. The PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART - Higher Than The Stars
5. BEIRUT - Holland
6. MODEST MOUSE - No One’s First And You’re Next

SOUNDTRACKS:
1. MOON - Clint Mansell
2. AWAY WE GO - Alexi Murdoch
3. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE - Karen O & The Kids

COMEDY:
1. The LONELY ISLAND - Incredibad
2. FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS - I Told You I Was Freaky

COMPILATION:
1. DARK WAS THE NIGHT

2009/The Year In Music [Honorable Mention]

2010-01-18T09:40:00.008-05:00

...here are some solid albums (in no particular order) that just missed the cut for the TOP 50...

1. ...The TRAIL OF DEAD - The Century Of Self
2. PETER BJORN & JOHN - Living Thing
3. The DECEMBERISTS - The Hazards Of Love
4. SILVERSUN PICKUPS - Swoon
5. BEAR IN HEAVEN - Beast Rest Forth Mouth
6. BLAKROC - s/t
7. LYLE LOVETT - Natural Forces
8. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Working On A Dream
9. U2 - No Line On The Horizon
10. THEM CROOKED VULTURES - s/t

11. RYAN BINGHAM - Roadhouse Sun
12. ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - The Fountain
13. A SUNNY DAY IN GLASGOW - Ashes Grammar
14. The SWELL SEASON - Strict Joy
15. MUSE - The Resistance
16. WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS - These Four Walls
17. PASSION PIT - Manners
18. The BIG PINK - A Brief History Of Love
19. RHETT MILLER - s/t
20. CALIFONE - All My Friends Are Funeral Singers

21. ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS - The Crying Light
22. The MARY ONETTES - Islands
23. The AVETT BROTHERS - I And Love And You
24. The FELICE BROTHERS - Yonder Is The Clock
25. AKRON/FAMILY - Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free
26. DAVID GRAY - Draw The Line
27. FUTURE OF THE LEFT - Travels With Myself And Another
28. BLACK JOE LEWIS - Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!
29. VIC CHESNUTT - At The Cut
30. ROYKSOPP - Junior

31. ST. VINCENT - Actor
32. METRIC - Fantasies
33. TEMPER TRAP - Conditions
34. FRANZ FERDINAND - Tonight
35. ASOBI SEKSU - Hush
36. MOLINA & JOHNSON - s/t
37. STEVE EARLE - Townes
38. The FLAMING LIPS - Embryonic
39. GRIZZLY BEAR - Veckatimest
40. ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - Merriweather Post Pavillion

2009/The Year In Movies

2010-01-11T19:22:00.007-05:00

...the Eisenberg/-land double dip at the top of the list may not be the most impressive films on the list but they are the most fun I had in the theater this year...instead of a straightforward Top Ten, the list is split into halves as I felt #1-8 were the cream of the crop and the next seven belong to the next tier...

1. Adventureland
2. Zombieland
3. An Education
4. Up In The Air
5. Fantastic Mr. Fox
6. In The Loop
7. (500) Days Of Summer
8. Moon

9. Crazy Heart
10. Funny People
11. Away We Go
12. I Love You, Man
13. District 9
14. Where The Wild Things Are
15. Star Trek

Honorable Mention: The Hurt Locker, The Hangover, Observe & Report, Watchmen, Invention Of Lying and Up

...also, music fans should also check out the excellent WILCO tour documentary: Ashes Of American Flags

2009/The Year In TV

2010-01-11T19:18:00.002-05:00

1. Friday Night Lights
2. LOST
3. Breaking Bad
4. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
5. Parks & Recreation
6. Fringe
7. Chuck
8. Curb Your Enthusiasm
9. Eastbound & Down
10. Better Off Ted

In A Barn In The Woods

2009-12-29T18:46:00.008-05:00

*Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble w/The Levon Helm Band and guests The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Eric Church @ Levon Helm Studios (Woodstock, NY)/11.21.09

To close out the 2009 concert calendar, I was presented with the opportunity to experience a concert unlike any I had previously encountered. This concert took place in a barn in the woods in Woodstock, NY.

Sometimes where a concert takes places is just as significant as what takes place. In this case, Levon Helm Studios provided the setting for another Midnight Ramble, a concert series that takes place at Levon Helm’s home studio and features guest artists and bands at each show opening for The Levon Helm Band.

Much has been written about the legend that is Levon Helm, chronicling his days in The Band to his health problems and his resurgence in the music scene in recent years with heavily praised solo efforts and the Midnight Ramble shows. For a brief summary of Helm’s recent influence, check out this piece from Muzzle of Bees.

Before discussing the show, take a look at the venue. Now, imagine witnessing a concert in such an intimate setting. A few hundred people enter the barn and fill in the seats and space around the band, with each perch providing a unique view of the spectacle. Performers mingle with the crowd, tune instruments surrounded by fans and when not performing, watch the show as intently as the ticket holders.

Show opener, Eric Church, played a solid set of new country/rock tunes that seem to contradict his primary goal. He repeatedly and respectfully praised the legends of country music, like Johnny Cash, and criticized the newer, slick pop country that currently presides over the radio. Unfortunately, his music sounds a lot more new country than Cash. I feel bad pointing this out as he seemed genuine and reverent throughout his portion of the show and the rest of the evening as he interacted with fans and watched the remainder of the show. Maybe I should reserve judgment as Church had a loyal and vocal following at the show, and his brief opening set was my first taste of his music. He certainly appears to have the best of intentions, and, really, being invited to play at the Ramble at all is a credit to him.

Next up was The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, a band I was familiar with more for their name than their work. The NGDG impressed during their set that combined elements of bluegrass, country, folk, rock and pop. Having toured since the 60’s, The NGDB certainly know how to perform and play off an audience, including crowd pleasing covers like their countrified version of The Beatles hit Get Back.

Ultimately, this was all prologue to The Levon Helm Band, an impressive lineup of seasoned performers that includes Levon’s daughter, Amy, and the Ramble’s musical director, Larry Campbell (also know for his work with Bob Dylan). Helm’s crew opened with The Band’s classic, The Shape I’m In, and instantly performance and setting became complete.

The Levon Helm Band’s set consisted of standards like Long Black Veil, covers (Dylan’s You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go) and the inevitable closer, The Weight. A personal highlight was seeing It Makes No Difference performed by Levon and his new Band. For the full set list, here is a picture of a guy holding the set list.

The Midnight Ramble is a concert like no other, an experience any fan of live music would appreciate regardless of the guests. Church was solid, The NGDB impressed and as incredible as Levon and company were, the real star of the show was the venue. This barn in the woods, and its growing reputation, may one day be considered one of the iconic American music venues (along with the likes the Fillmore, the Ryman, Red Rocks, MSG, Stubb’s and many others).

For more information on The Midnight Ramble, look here.

Also, DSP recently announced that the Ramble will make a stop in Ithaca as it hits the road in the new year. For information on that show look here. It may not be in a barn in the woods, but the band surely will not disappoint.

Lyle Style

2009-12-29T16:30:00.003-05:00

*Lyle Lovett & His Large Band @ State Theater (Ithaca)/11.11.09

Sometimes, when least expected, a show can wildly exceed expectations. That was the case when I first saw Lyle Lovett in concert.

I had some experience with Lovett, having heard his excellent covers compilation Step Inside This House (on which he covers his favorite Texan songwriters, including Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark) through a friend in the late 90’s and had heard the hits, such as If I Had A Boat, but in no way was I prepared for the live Lyle Lovett experience.

Lovett and John Hiatt hit the State Theater of Ithaca in February of 2008 for an acoustic show in which the two songwriters shared the stage. With songs and stories the two captivated the audience for hours and demonstrated just how effective and powerful the simple combination of an acoustic guitar and voice can be. Lovett certainly has a good voice on record, but in concert his voice reaches another level. Clean and full, it fills the room and commands attention.

Expecting to enjoy my first Lovett show and leaving awed made his return to the State this November a can’t miss concert of the fall season.

Lovett’s second appearance in Ithaca started in similar fashion as he opened the show with a pair of quieter, acoustic songs, Whooping Crane and Sun And Moon And Stars, two covers from his 2009 release Natural Forces. For this show, however, Lovett was armed with much more than an acoustic guitar as he brought along his Large Band. After the peaceful introductory numbers, the Large Band (of 13 members) kicked into their Blues Walk and put the show onto a new trajectory and displayed a different kind of showmanship.

Each member of the Large Band, from percussion to background vocals, was given room to stretch out and show off their chops throughout the set, hitting highlights from Lovett’s career, including: If I Had A Boat, Here I Am, Penguins, I Will Rise Up/Ain’t No More Cane, Up In Indiana, LA County and She’s No Lady. He also presented a further sampling of his latest album with the title track, Farmer Brown/Chicken Reel, Pantry, Loretta (another Townes Van Zandt cover) and It’s Rock And Roll.

Throughout the night the crowd experienced Lovett with simply an acoustic guitar, in a small ensemble and with his full Large Band, as on their now signature tune, That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas). Regardless of the incarnation of the band, Lovett’s style does not waver. The Lyle Style, a combination of consummate professionalism, humorous and affecting stories and a powerful voice, is ever present.

Here are some pictures and a write-up from DSP and a video of If I Had Boat from the Toronto show just a few days after the band hit Ithaca.

End Of The Line For '09

2009-12-13T15:48:00.007-05:00

To wrap up the year, reviews are due from the Lyle Lovett show and Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble.

Following those will be 'best of' lists from the year and decade.

Until then, enjoy these Phoenix videos that also serve as foreshadowing for the Best of 2009 Music List:

La Blogotheque/Take Away Shows: Phoenix

Subtle Sufjan

2009-09-27T15:43:00.008-04:00

*Sufjan Stevens @ Castaways (Ithaca)/9.23.09

In 2005, Sufjan Stevens dominated the musical landscape with his epic and ambitious album Come On Feel The Illinoise! Since then he has been working in the shadows while America became obsessed with vampires and watching semi-famous people dance, a guitarist from The Strokes has released two solo albums and Kanye West has followed the career trajectory of a roller coaster. Scarlett Johansson has even released two albums since Illinoise arrived. In 2009, Stevens is reemerging into the musical scene with his BQE project, a reworking of a previous album and a tour of intimate venues.

This tour is an opportunity for Stevens and his band to work on new material and “practice live,” as he told the fans who waited for a chance to meet him after his show at Castaways in Ithaca. Even after calling Stevens back for a second encore (John Wayne Gacy, Jr.) many of the fans refused to leave the small venue on Cayuga Lake that has of late become a regular stop for national acts (The Hold Steady, Ra Ra Riot, AC Newman, Rhett Miller, St. Vincent, Felice Brothers). Upon emerging from backstage to take down equipment, a patient group approached the singer for autographs, pictures and discussion. He calmly and graciously spoke with those remaining despite any apparent shyness and expressed an excitement for trying out the new material live.

The set opened with a significant portion of that new material which finds Stevens and his band, horns and all, exploring new sonic territory. There are certainly ambitious arrangements throughout Stevens’ back catalog, but new ground is being forged with the material that opened this show, at times reminiscent of The Flaming Lips. For evidence, check out this video taken from the front row of a new song from the first encore:

There's Too Much Love

After three new songs, Stevens played All Delighted People and Majesty Snowbird, unreleased songs that have been in his arsenal for years. Majesty Snowbird is a sweeping epic clocking in at around ten minutes and is a stately composition of grand melodies and ideas that could easily be the centerpiece of an album (think Death Cab’s Transatlanticism for a marginal reference point). The fact that Stevens has a song like Majesty Snowbird in his pocket, unreleased, speaks volumes about his songwriting confidence as I imagine most artists upon achieving a song of that caliber would rush it to release.

After the string of new material, Stevens signaled the transition from the unfamiliar to the familiar, stating “enough with that glam-rock bullshit, let’s play some real songs.” He rounded out the main set with a crowd pleasing sequence of material from Come On Feel The Illinoise! and 2004’s equally impressive Seven Swans that showcased his more subtle compositions, including: The Transfiguration, Casimir Pulaski Day, The Dress Looks Nice On You, To Be Alone With You, Chicago and In The Devil’s Territory.

The crowd at this show epitomized attentiveness and polite audience behavior. Due to the size of the venue and limited number of tickets, those is attendance really wanted to be there. Tickets sold out in minutes and strict measures were taken to prevent scalping to ensure true Sufjan fans were able to attend. While Live Nation and Ticketmaster are screwing fans all over the world, at least local venues and promoters are taking measures to protect music fans.

The crowd, more than quiet, allowed Stevens and his band to explore quieter moments in the music, at times to the point of whispers. While many shows require ear plugs, this night required attentiveness (and maybe a hearing aid - zing). A few in attendance near the back of the venue must have been hoping for a more raucous crowd as they mockingly shushed the crowd at one point. The crowd was so respectful that they even listened to their hecklers and became dutifully quieter.

That is not to say the crowd did not make noise when it was appropriate, with loud, enthusiastic applause between songs and enough noise to bring Stevens back for two encores. This could possibly be an example of a real, spontaneous encore as opposed to the standard planned encore.

Another tribute to this crowd was the lack of requests or ridiculous suggestions shouted at the stage that plague many shows of this intimate nature. During his solo acoustic shows, Jeff Tweedy, of Wilco, always seems to have to manage an audience the way a teacher would a disruptive classroom to deal with requests and comments from the crowd.

Stevens’ music can range from grandiose arrangements to experimental rock to subtle, hushed ballads and all of these aspects of his music were on display at Castaways. The following is a video of the final song of the night:

John Wayne Gacy, Jr.

Positive Bookends

2009-09-12T16:22:00.004-04:00

*The Positive Jam [The Hold Steady/The Felice Brothers/Deer Tick/The Rural Alberta Advantage] @ Stewart Park (Ithaca)/9.6.09

Two shows by The Hold Steady in Ithaca provided ideal bookends to this summer’s concert series. In June the band played to a sold-out crowd in the intimate setting of Castaways and in September they headlined the (hopefully) first annual Positive Jam on the banks of Cayuga Lake in Stewart Park. The Jam brought four emergent bands (The Hold Steady, The Felice Brothers, Deer Tick and The Rural Alberta Advantage) together for a day of music in an idyllic setting.

Following local band Caution Children (I arrived just after their set), The Rural Alberta Advantage opened the day with a set composed primarily of songs from their debut album Hometowns, a 2008 independent release that has been re-released by the Saddle Creek label this summer. The Canadian three piece played a strong set, including: The Ballad Of The RAA, Don’t Haunt This Place, Frank AB, Dethbridge In Lethbridge and Edmonton. The band dedicated a song to those famed Albertans the Edmonton Oilers, either a sign that hockey season is just around the corner or just evidence of the band’s Canadian roots (...if I remember correctly, none of the American bands mentioned anything about the current baseball season or the pending football season). The band also commented on the contrast of the often dark subject matter of their lyrics with the sunny summer weather at a festival named positive. The RAA’s propulsive rhythms and acoustic driven melodies provided a good start to the event and I certainly recommend Hometowns to the uninitiated.

Deer Tick followed with set of folk rock with a bit more snarl. Supporting their second album, Born On Flag Day, the band eased through a mid-afternoon set that allowed them to diversify with covers of the legend Townes Van Zandt and the Mexican folk song made famous by Ritchie Valens, La Bamba. The crowd had been supportive, yet restrained, to that point in the day but La Bamba struck a chord and initiated the traditional hippie dancing familiar to all who have attended shows in Ithaca (and, of course, any similar cities). The stage banter from singer John McCauley was largely inaudible mumbling, but the music, like Easy and Song About A Man, outweighed any unheard commentary. Like RAA’s Hometowns, Deer Tick’s Born On Flag Day will be contender on the Best of 2009 Music List.

Next up, The Felice Brothers returned to Ithaca for the third time in the last few years to build on their already impressive live reputation. The band hit the stage with a few members wearing face paint, I guess in lieu of a light show (I must have missed the arts & crafts tent) and never lacked for energy during their set. They played a number of song’s from their solid 2009 release, Yonder Is The Clock, stood on amps, engaged in an old-timey folk rap to introduce the band and to conclude the set, violinist/washboard player/part-time rapper Farley dove into the drum set head first. Set highlights included: Frankie’s Gun, Take This Bread, Penn Station, Whiskey In My Whiskey and multiple songs about chickens.

Finally, it was time for The Hold Steady to bring the event home. There are few certainties in life, but at this point I am convinced of the certainty of seeing The Hold Steady live - they never disappoint. The band, in a thoughtful move, played a set that repeated only a few songs from their show at Castaways in June. The band dutifully and appropriately opened with Positive Jam, from their debut album, and then wasted no time hitting high gear with Constructive Summer and Multitude Of Casualties. The band played some new material, Our Whole Lives, Heaven Is Whenever, Separate Vacations and Goin’ On A Hike, building anticipation for their next album but also played a sampling of their entire catalogue, such as highlights: Magazines, Yeah Sapphire, Slapped Actress, Stuck Between Stations, Chips Ahoy, Stevie Nix, You Can Make Him Like You, Southtown Girls, Lord I’m Discouraged and How A Resurrection Really Feels.

I remember just a few years ago hoping to see a handful of good shows throughout a year in the area, and now The Hold Steady has played Ithaca twice this year, sharing the stage with three impressive and rising acts in one afternoon. The concert lineup in Ithaca has improved vastly in the last couple years and thanks, of course, goes to Dan Smalls Presents. Check out the following link for the DSP review of The Positive Jam, which includes pictures and videos of the event:

http://www.dansmallspresents.com/smallsworld/?p=3423

Also, while there check out the calendar of shows coming up this fall, showcasing the likes of: Sufjan Stevens, The Mountain Goats, Built To Spill, Lyle Lovett, Califone, Dean & Britta, Dan Deacon, Mike Doughty, St. Vincent, The Meat Puppets and They Might Be Giants.

The New National Anthem

2009-09-06T10:12:00.003-04:00

*Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @ SPAC (Saratoga, NY)/8.25.09

The time has come for a new national anthem.

If one were to rank national anthems, where would The Star Spangled Banner sit? Does anyone listen to it other than the required times? Does anyone have it on their iPod? Sure it has historical significance, but what does it reflect about our country today? Only holding its place as the national anthem since 1931 shows that it has not even been around from the beginning. Also, is the Great Depression really the best time to choose the national anthem?

Plus, it is based on a British drinking song and that does not reflect well on our Independence. We only sing one of the four verses and how many more times do we need to hear celebrities/singers butcher it in public? A poll from 2005 showed that few adults in the US knew the words or historical significance of the anthem. Normally I would not recommend conceding to ignorance, but in this case I am willing to make an exception.

Why not pick a song that people get excited about? A song that people willingly and enthusiastically sing along with. A song they crank when it comes on the radio. A song that reflects the ideas and culture of our nation. A song like Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen.

With themes that encompass the American Dream, our love of vehicles and highways, escape, hard work, desire, passion, love, dreams and hope, this song defines America. Is there a better or more accurate description of modern America than these iconic lines?:

“The highway’s jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive,
everybody’s out on the run tonight but there’s nowhere left to hide.”

And how about the perfect concluding lines that embody America’s persistent (and at times blind) optimism:

“Someday girl, I don't know when, we're gonna get to that place
where we really want to go and we'll walk in the sun,
but till then, tramps like us, baby we were born to run.”

Imagine people singing this at the beginning of a sporting event and how much it would change the mood. Imagine this song blaring at the Olympics during the medal ceremonies.

In a country that bases so much of its life on work, why not have a national anthem from someone we collectively call The Boss?

Have I dropped enough logic for you to be convinced?

The impetus for this modest proposal was seeing Bruce & The E Street Band play this song at SPAC when I found myself suddenly in the middle of a chorus of thousands - all singing their hearts out and full of sincerity and joy. An E Street show is a true revival that embodies the ideas of inspiration (like moving people to dance and sing that otherwise wouldn’t/shouldn’t in public) and community (standing much closer to strangers than one would normally prefer). Hearing songs that have been staples of this countries musical landscape for decades apparently causes a drop in inhibitions on par with a night of drinking.

I certainly expected to hear some classic Springsteen, but my expectations were moderate as I assumed the show would be heavy on newer material. Other than a few tracks from 2007’s Magic (Radio Nowhere and Girls In Their Summer Clothes) and this year’s Working On A Dream (Outlaw Pete, the title track and Surprise, Surprise) the set played like a greatest hits show. The band came on stage promptly and kicked off the evening with No Surrender and Badlands. The E Street Band needs no opener, as they maximize their time on stage with draining three hour shows and minimal breaks.

Other highlights included Atlantic City, Johnny 99, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, The Promised Land, Because The Night and Racing In The Streets. On this tour the band has been taking fan requests from home-made signs, and the selections for this show included a cover of Summertime Blues and Two Hearts. The Rising, the 2002 album that signalled Springsteen’s reemergence into the music scene and brought back his trademark anthemic style after a seven year break from his previous album, the solemn, acoustic The Ghost Of Tom Joad, was well represented in the set. From The Rising the band played Waitin’ On A Sunny Day, Lonesome Day and the title track, which preceded Born To Run, the proposed new anthem.

Near the end of Born To Run I assumed the band would head offstage for a break, as following that would be near impossible, but they did ably with a rousing Rosalita, providing a back-to-back that was a highlight of the show. Even then the band did not take a true encore break, simply continuing with more classics: Thunder Road, Bobby Jean, Dancing In The Dark and Hungry Heart.

I recently spent significant time and space here discussing frontmen [Front And Center - 8.6.09], and that all serves as prologue to seeing The Boss work the crowd. Captivating a crowd in a club or bar setting is one thing, but doing so in an outdoor venue with thousands in attendance is no small feat. The years of touring and intense, marathon shows that Springsteen and The E Street Band have played since the early 70’s is evident in their stage presence. Whether pulling a young boy from the front rows on stage to sing a verse of a song or selecting women to dance with him onstage during Dancing In The Dark (obligatory Courteney Cox reference goes here) The Boss is always in command. No matter if the fan is in the front row or the cheap seats, Springsteen engages them.

Having seen Springsteen in two very different settings, an intimate solo acoustic show on the Devils & Dust Tour and in this large outdoor venue with The E Street Band, it is clear that no matter the venue or type of show he is always in complete control. The audience hangs on his every word, note and action and cannot wait to see what he does next. Springsteen, The Boss, is all the things that Michael Scott wishes he could be.

*Bobby Jean (from the SPAC show):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q91Mfbi9SpM&feature=related

*and the new national anthem, Born To Run (from the 2000 Live From NYC Shows):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9fd7d1Gpo8

Three Nights In July

2009-08-27T20:41:00.003-04:00

*Frightened Rabbit/The Antlers @ The Iron Horse (Northampton, MA)/7.25.09
*The Tragically Hip @ The Green (Shelburne, VT)/7.26.09
*Coldplay/Elbow @ SPAC (Saratoga, NY)/7.27.09

The summer concert series hit full swing in late July with three shows in three nights in three states. Each night provided a step in the progression from small club show to larger outdoor venue to full blown concert extravaganza.

The mini-tour began in Northampton, MA, which is always a welcome stop. Having been in the area previously for shows at the Calvin Theater and the nearby Pines Theater in Look Park, this was my first visit to The Iron Horse Music Hall. Travelling from a bit further away was the show’s headliner, from Scotland, Frightened Rabbit. Just as there was a British Invasion in the 60’s we seem to be in the midst of a Scottish Invasion consisting of, along with Frightened Rabbit: Camera Obscura, Glasvegas, Franz Ferdinand, Mogwai, Travis, and Belle & Sebastian, among others.

The majority of the band’s set came from their excellent 2008 release The Midnight Organ Fight. The album, solid from start to finish, garnered universally positive reviews and some of the tracks even found their way on to US TV shows (like Chuck). The band opened with The Modern Leper and filled out the main set with highlights from their latest album such as Good Arms Vs Bad Arms, The Twist, Old Old Fashioned, Head Rolls Off, My Backwards Walk and from their 2006 debut Sing The Greys, Go-Go-Girls and main set closers The Greys and Square 9. The encore opened with singer/guitarist Scott Hutchison playing Poke solo without the PA to a hushed crowd hanging on every word, or slur (as the band seems to like to drink a bit, based on references to whiskey and pissing in the street), and was followed by a raucous (especially from drummer Grant Hutchison) Keep Yourself Warm to close the show.

The show was opened by the Brooklyn based band The Antlers, in support of their latest release Hospice. This was my first taste of the band and I was won over by the emotional performance by Peter Silberman and company. Hospice, a dark album as the title suggests, has received glowing reviews since its release and the band’s sound combines elements of Explosions In The Sky with Jeff Buckley and Sonic Youth.

The Iron Horse is a great, intimate venue to see a show, with vantage points from the floor to balcony providing ample opportunities to take in the performance. Cities occasionally argue over who has the smartest sports fans, but to apply that idea to music, Northampton has a high concert fan IQ (other than the Billy Joel heckler, but that was followed by a comment about The National, so even the hecklers in Northampton are up to speed). The packed house enthusiastically (and appropriately, which is sometimes the problem with concert crowds) expressed their appreciation for the performances by these two rising bands, their powerful music and the opportunity to see them up close and personal.

Here are some clips of Frightened Rabbit from the Iron Horse:

*My Backwards Walk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EbUEP-SDNc&feature=related

*The Greys/Square 9 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK-ImnN87Vw&feature=related

*Poke (the volume is a little low here, but it still captures the performance and crowd participation) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCAklk3aC8c

The next night of the tour went outside to The Green at the Shelburne Museum, just outside of Burlington, Vermont. Having recently detailed my relationship with The Tragically Hip (Hip History - 8.21.09) I can get right to the show. Another of the Evening With performances (no opening act and two full sets plus an encore) meant a full slate of The Hip. The show started surprisingly early, around 6 pm, which the ticket said but that seemed too early for a concert to begin. The standard seems to be for the headliner to wait until at least sundown but maybe The Hip wanted to wrap up early to watch True Blood/Entourage/Larry King on the tour bus (please select the show you find most humorous in this sentence to maximize your enjoyment of this review). This unique venue, however, also had a unique audience as the picturesque Vermont hill was filled with many families amidst the usual Hip devotees. The band seemed to revel in this family friendly venue and age diverse crowd by rewarding them with a greatest hits setlist and Gord made frequent references to the children in the audience. Frontmen seem to really get a kick out of that as Jeff Tweedy made similar comments when WILCO played the Green two summers ago. The atmosphere seemed to put Gord in an especially good mood as he made frequent jokes (like his Neil Young pun about a song called Synonym Girl) and tagged the Elvis classic Suspicious Minds into one of his rants.

Hip concert staples New Orleans Is Sinking, Ahead By A Century, Poets, At The Hundredth Meridian, Bobcaygeon, Fully Completely and Courage anchored the set amid new tracks from 2009’s We Are The Same such as: the swirling The Depression Suite, the easy Morning Moon, the live-wire Love Is A First, an acoustic Coffee Girl, The Last Recluse and Frozen In My Tracks. Live favorites Escape Is At Hand For The Travellin’ Man, Grace Too, My Music At Work, Gift Shop and main set and encore closers Blow At High Dough and Locked In The Truck Of A Car elevated the show to higher ground (a little Burlington inside joke there, or a Stevie Wonder reference for everyone else - this review aims to please). Family Band, from 2006’s World Container, reinforced the themes of the show and rarities came in the form of The Dire Wolf (from 2002’s In Violet Light) and in probably the most appropriate venue it could be performed, Fiddler’s Green, an acoustic ballad from 1991’s Road Apples. Hearing Fiddler’s Green among the Vermont mountains will be a defining memory of my summer Hip experience.

*Here is a clip of Fiddler’s Green from a show in Calgary in 2006 (just picture it completely acoustic and on a hill in Vermont) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DzRDGeOgWw

Having seen a number of shows in recent years in smaller, intimate venues or with bands that favor performance over spectacle, I was feeling the urge to see a full-blown concert spectacle and Coldplay scratched that itch on night three of this mini-tour. In contrast to the intimate, no frills Frightened Rabbit show and the wide open, back to nature Hip show, Coldplay added an impressive amount of production value to the concert experience.

In electing to see Coldplay I am comfortable ignoring all the jokes about them and their lack of Pitchfork/hipster cred (which undoubtedly keeps them up at night) to recognize their impressive catalogue of pop rock. They simply write excessively catchy songs with great hooks. Crowd pleasing can be a negative term in the ironic hipster lexicon but when you are in the middle of thousands of people singing every word to Viva La Vida or Clocks or Yellow or In My Place or Fix You or The Scientist, the appeal of this band is clear and Chris Martin expresses as much joy in his performances as Craig Finn exudes at Hold Steady shows (see the entry for The Rock Show - 8.21.09).

The U2 comparison is often evoked when discussing Coldplay and holds up in the sense that both write soaring rock songs and their live shows are events. Coldplay’s affinity for U2 is evident with their choice of intro music. Many bands have preselected music to enter the stage, but Coldplay has a three song intro as part of the production: U2’s Magnificent, I Just Wanna Love U (Give It To Me) by Jay-Z and the Blue Danube Waltz. The intro gives way to the instrumental Life In Technicolor and then the parade of hits begins. The light show and video editing impressed throughout, while the band showered the audience with huge yellow balloons (during Yellow) and confetti (during Lovers In Japan).

Pulling a trick out of the U2 concert playbook, and appealing to the full mass of the audience, the band played an acoustic set at the base of the SPAC lawn just outside the amphitheater portion of the venue. This acoustic set included crowd favorite Green Eyes, Death Will Never Conquer (drummer Will Champion’s vocal showcase) and a timely cover of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean.

Going into the show I assumed that Yellow and Clocks would get the biggest reaction out of the crowd but Viva La Vida sent the crowd into a frenzy, and even Lost! and Lovers In Japan seemed to get more of a response. This illuminated the difference between a Coldplay crowd and, for the purposes of comparison and review consistency, a Tragically Hip crowd. At many Hip shows, the crowd often uses new songs for a beer/bathroom run or a chance to shout requests for old favorites, but the Coldplay crowd seemed most excited for material from the band’s latest album, 2008’s Viva La Vida, and older songs are just breaks from the new tracks. I was surprised to hear the excellent Politik, the opener of A Rush Of Blood To The Head from 2002 (and to me the band’s strongest overall album), but few around me seemed to share the same excitement.

Death And All His Friends, the rousing closing track from Viva La Vida, wrapped up the main set and features impressive guitar work from Jonny Buckland. He certainly is a student of The Edge’s guitar style but he also reminds me at times of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour in his economic playing. He never wastes a note and always enhances the melody with his work.

Having been impressed with the band’s live show in 2005, in support of X&Y, I had an idea of what was in store but the show far exceeded any of my expectations. The only misstep in the set was a weird techno medley of God Put A Smile On Your Face and Talk. Both are good songs, live and on album, but the alternate, abbreviated versions did more to detract than enhance them. Only a minor quibble, though, in a set so full of hits the band no longer feels the need to play Speed Of Sound, one of the biggest hits from X&Y.

The show was opened by Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, who did not convert me, and Elbow, who did. Playing material primarily from their solid 2008 album The Seldom Seem Kid, the British group provided an appropriate and musically consistent preface to Coldplay.

Here are some high quality clips of Coldplay from SPAC (normally I would not post so many but these are quite good - so thanks to the taper):

*Viva La Vida -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpXOJF2yp1Q&feature=related

*Yellow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haGgmLBIuxI&feature=related

*Billie Jean - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYHVMfY_bUU&feature=related

*Life In Technicolor II - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx0cu0TmxsA&feature=related

*Lost! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYylpI0ow4I&feature=related

*The Scientist - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp4JbWjm-gE&feature=related

*Lovers In Japan (professionally shot from Tokyo in February of 2009) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh9VCSEHygY&feature=related

Thus concluded the mini-tour of the Northeast with three nights of vastly different shows. The crowds, venues and production values increased each night but the common link between the shows was the quality of performance from the bands.

The Boys Of Summer

2009-08-23T22:35:00.008-04:00

*WILCO @ Frawley Stadium (Wilmington, DE)/7.10.09
*WILCO @ LeLacheur Park (Lowell, MA)/7.11.09

The summer of 2009 is a good time to be a WILCO fan. The band released a concert film in April, Ashes Of American Flags - an excellent document of the band’s run through the south in early 2008, released their seventh studio album in June, are referenced in the new Judd Apatow movie, Funny People, and are on the road for their traditional summer tour. Having caught them live each summer since 2004 in varying types of venues, this summer’s tour presented a new experience as the shows were held in minor league baseball stadiums.

Night one of WILCO weekend took place at Frawley Stadium in underwhelming Wilmington, Delaware (print the bumper stickers now). Maybe that’s not fair as I only saw a small portion of the city but I am going to stick with it as it is kind of catchy (speaking of catchy, I spent a night in Wilmington at the baseball park and...now you create a punchline to complete the set-up...this blog has gone interactive). Anyway, seeing a concert in a baseball stadium on a warm July evening seemed like the patriotic thing to do.

WILCO has been a touring machine through the years and that is evident in their consistent performances. The show was my first chance to hear the new material from WILCO (The Album) in a live setting and standouts were the tense Bull Black Nova, the definitive pop of You Never Know and the dramatic One Wing. The first encore was an inspired pairing of Misunderstood with Spiders (Kidsmoke). The second encore finished with an impressive guitar duel between Nels Cline and Pat Sansone on Hoodoo Voodoo.

Getting to the next show required a gruelling day of traffic, construction and tolls. I foolishly thought it would be just a quick drive north from Wilmington to Lowell but I was a bit off in my calculations. Also, there are few purchases more rewarding than paying $8 to drive over the GW Bridge. What a rush! We arrived in Lowell just in time to find that the parking lots were full, meaning we had to find parking on the street. This was good because it was cheaper but bad because it was in Lowell. I hear that it is a city on the rebound, so that is good, especially if rebounding from something like the 1995 HBO documentary High On Crack Street: Lost Lives In Lowell. Having seen Tweedy perform solo in Beacon, NY, last winter I think the name of the tour should be changed from WILCO (The Tour) to WILCO (The Tour of S*&t-Holes Across the Northeast).

Having recently watched The Wire I am feeling some guilt about mocking these cities enduring tough times, but having noted my guilt I am opting to leave the comments in the review. Hey, suffering cities - it is funny joke, yes? I am sure they are all wonderful places.

The crowd showed their appreciation of another solid WILCO set on night two by scaring Jeff Tweedy. Using their baseball fan smarts the crowd would stomp their feet on the bleachers to create an impressive rumble that Tweedy initially thought was thunder or a train (let’s call that reference to thunder foreshadowing). Having seen a number of outdoor summer concerts over the years, surprisingly few have been negatively affected by weather. During a Radiohead show in Montreal the rain was incessant but the band played on and a performance by The National at Cornell was cut short by an intense thunder storm; outside of those examples weather has not been a problem at outdoor shows...until tonight. The rain started to fall near the end of the main set and by the time set closer Hummingbird finished it was a downpour.

With the band and all the equipment exposed in the middle of the outfield I assumed there would be no encore but the soldiered out band anyway to play one more song (I’m The Man Who Loves You) before calling it a night. Between the drive to Lowell and shuffling slowly out of the park with thousands of soaked people, the concert was a nice break in a day that was otherwise frustrating. The things I will do for WILCO. I had not been this wet since my senior trip to Six Flags, when after starting the day on the water rides we were drenched by rain the rest of the day. The memory of riding a bus for hours with a group of wet, cranky teenagers is a cherished one (<-- internet sarcasm).

To continue the baseball theme of the tour (which even includes WILCO tour programs fashioned after baseball programs, with stats and everything), this show provided a few near misses. One of my favorite bands, Okkervil River, had opened some WILCO shows prior to these two but we got Conor Oberst instead (ouch). Oberst and his Mystic Valley Band were more tolerable than I had anticipated and even rocked a little. Even worse, A Magazine Called Sunset, a personal favorite from deep in the WILCO catalogue, was apparently on the setlist for the encore but was rained out. Maybe I will get to hear them play it on next summer’s tour.

The WILCO leg of the summer concert series consisted of nearly two full shows, a lot of driving, heavy rain and some near misses, but was worth it to see the band again and hear both the new material and old favorites live. Minor frustrations are a small price to pay to get to see a band of WILCO’s caliber live.

To experience some live WILCO from this summer, head to NYC Taper for two good quality bootlegs of a few recent shows. The sets from these shows are representative of the shows discussed here to approximate the experience (with 100% less traffic and rain):

Dutchess County Stadium/7.18.09 - http://www.nyctaper.com/?p=1372

Keyspan Park/7.13.09 - http://www.nyctaper.com/?p=1358

The Rock Show

2009-08-22T17:56:00.003-04:00

*The Gaslight Anthem @ The Stone Pony(Asbury Park, NJ)/5.9.09
*The Hold Steady @ Castaways(Ithaca)/6.14.09

In my previous review of The Tragically Hip’s NYC show in May I discussed the joy that the band exudes performing live which provides an ideal segue to this tale of two rock shows. Craig Finn, frontman for The Hold Steady (whose mannerisms and wordplay recall Gord Downie of The Hip at times) recites his band’s call to arms at nearly each show. During Killer Parties, which closes many Hold Steady shows (and on the band’s recent live release A Positive Rage), he states: “There is so much joy in what we do up here. I want to thank you for being here to share that joy with us.” This shared joy and bond between band and audience is what defines a true rock show.

Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers refers to his band’s concerts as The Rock Show. One of the defining shows in my concert history was a DBT show in Cleveland in 2006. One of the loudest and longest shows I have attended left me energized rather than tired when it was over. Watching DBT perform gives a clear definition of what Hood means by Rock Show - both band and audience are completely immersed in the moment with the music guiding the way (totally, man). Seeing The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady allowed me two more opportunities to experience The Rock Show.

I came to The Gaslight Anthem a little late; despite hearing glowing reviews I did not listen to their second album, The ‘59 Sound (released in August ‘08) until January ‘09. Since then I have certainly made up for lost time as that album, their debut Sink or Swim (2007), their EP’s and any live recordings I can find have dominated my listening time. I even had to amend my Best of ‘08 list to include The ‘59 Sound in the Top Ten.

The excitement upon realizing that I would coincidentally be in New Jersey the same weekend the band was playing two shows to close out the spring leg of their tour at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park was quickly deflated by fnding out the shows were sold out. A Jersey band on the rise and gaining momentum playing homecoming shows in a small, historic venue means tickets sell out quickly. Do not fret, reader, as some persistence on the information superhighway (internet), combined with a little overpayment, allowed me to obtain two tickets to the final night of the tour.

Crowded is not the right word to appropriately describe the Stone Pony that Saturday night in May. People were packed in like a lot of people packed in a tight place (how about that simile). It took a Herculean effort by my friend to make it to bathroom, all the way on the other side of the room, and back without serious damage (outside of some crushed toes in open-toed shoes along the way). Luckily, the night outside was cool, for a hot and humid night would have been dangerous as it felt like a balmy 150-200 degrees inside the bar. This, however, is a key element in the Rock Show.

All of the people were at The Stone Pony with a purpose, and when nearly every arm thrust into the air with the first chord of each song and when the crowd’s singing drowned out frontman Brian Fallon, the Rock Show equation was completed. The band played a majority of The ‘59 Sound, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite records of the decade. From Sink or Swim they played Wooderson (how great is it that they have a song named after McConaughey’s role from Dazed & Confused, including the line of ‘All Right, All Right’?), The Navesink Bank and Drive, and from the Senor And The Queen [EP], the set included the excellent Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts.

The band combines influences of rock, punk and R & B to create their sound and their influences appear throughout the set. They covered Tom Petty’s American Girl, I’da Called You Woody, Joe (a Joe Strummer tribute) opened with a Stand By Me tag, Say I Won’t (Recognize) begins with lines borrowed from Sam Cooke’s Havin’ A Party, and Angry Johnny And The Radio references Dylan.

The following link leads to a review from the New Jersey Star-Ledger with some videos (from the first of the two nights) that give a sense of what it was like in The Stone Pony that weekend:

http://www.nj.com/ledgerlive/index.ssf/2009/05/gaslight_anthem_at_asbury_park.html

On this night, the combination of band, venue and crowd provided an ideal Rock Show. About a month later, a different band, venue and crowd combined for a similar result when The Hold Steady played Castaways in Ithaca.

I have been on board with The Hold Steady since 2005’s Separation Sunday, and although I do appreciate and recommend all of the band’s releases I still feel that is their strongest album from start to finish - but maybe that is simply because that is the album that introduced me to the band. I had seen The Hold Steady play a small show at Syracuse University in 2007 (with the local, and at the time unknown to me, Ra Ra Riot opening) in support of Boys And Girls In America and since have been itching to see them again. I never imagined that my next Hold Steady show would be in Ithaca and at an intimate venue like Castaways, but thanks to Dan Smalls Presents (follow the link in the side bar for info on more shows in the Ithaca area) that became a reality. Another sold-out show in a small venue with a great live band.

The Hold Steady excel in writing album opening songs, and at Castaways they hit the crowd with the opening song from their previous three albums within the first four songs: opening with Hornets! Hornets! from Separation Sunday, followed by Stuck Between Stations from Boys And Girls In America and then following Sequestered In Memphis with Constructive Summer, which opens the band’s most recent release, 2008’s Stay Positive. Set highlights included: Stevie Nix, Yeah Sapphire, Banging Camp, Magazines, First Night, Chicago Seemed Tired last night and set closer, How A Resurrection Really Feels.

The encore consisted of Lord, I’m Discouraged, which showcases Tad Kubler’s classic guitar solo (and it is nice to hear a good guitar solo again after they have seemingly vanished from the majority of current rock music), into Your Little Hoodrat Friend, Most People Are DJ’s and show closer/band mission statement, Killer Parties.

Having spent the previous few nights opening for Dave Matthews at SPAC it was clear that the band reveled in playing a full set to an enthusiastic, packed house. The band enjoyed their time in Ithaca schedule a return visit in September for The Positive Jam, a festival at Stewart Park to close out summer (more info on the event here: http://thepositivejam.com/)

The following link leads to a half-hour video of The Hold Steady from the show Live from the Artist’s Den:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/87879/live-from-the-artists-den-the-hold-steady

While some shows may be hampered by distracted fans, both The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady shared the joy of live music with fully attentive sold-out crowds in intimate venues to keep the Rock Show alive.

Hip History

2009-08-21T15:27:00.002-04:00

*The Tragically Hip @ Nokia Theater (NYC)/5.8.09

In reviewing the Cowboy Junkies show last winter I mentioned that growing up near the Canadian border radio stations from our friendly neighbors to the north turned me on to a number of artists. Neil Young is one of my defining influences and Matthew Good has been a fixture in my rotation since the mid-90’s but the Canadian band that I have had the strongest bond with is The Tragically Hip. They are the band I have seen live the most; first in 1996 (in Raleigh, NC, of all places for a Northern New Yorker to see a Canadian band live) just after the release of their fifth album Trouble at the Henhouse and most recently in New York City in support of their eleventh album, the 2009 release We Are The Same.

Before seeing the band live, my first memory of The Hip is hearing the song Courage on the radio. The song is one of the band’s biggest hits (a relative term, I guess, as it certainly charted well in Canada but was mostly unknown in the US outside of the primarily border hugging Hip fans) from one of their most popular albums, Fully Completely (1992). In discussing career trajectories the OK Computer parallel is often brought up. As the landmark album in Radiohead’s career everything they have done before and after is now viewed in relation to OK Computer. For The Hip, Fully Completely may be that album. Just as Pablo Honey and The Bends established Radiohead, Up To Here and Road Apples established The Hip. OK Computer represents Radiohead at the apex of their abilities, firing on all cylinders, as Fully Completely does for The Hip. After OK Computer, Radiohead explored new sonic territory with Kid A and have followed a unique path since; after Fully Completely, The Hip explored moodier and darker sounds on Day For Night and have continued strive for growth since. Both bands followed career high points by favoring new ground over status quo and have challenged themselves and fans with each subsequent album.

This is not to say that Radiohead and The Hip sound much alike, just that both share an artistic vision. This desire to change and grow with each album, as I have previously discussed with Wilco and My Morning Jacket, is what sets these bands apart from those that stagnate. Fans that complain that a band sounds different than on previous album are looking for the wrong traits in a band. Bands should be consistent in the quality of their work but not necessarily the result.

Having grown up musically with The Hip, each album and tour represents stages in my memory. Some of the memorable Hip shows I have attended include:

*5.22.96/Raleigh, NC - the first show...after getting lost on the way we knew we had found the right place upon spotting the multitude of Canadian license plates in the parking lot...small venue, a bar with an enthusiastic few hundred in attendance

*8.29.98/Sugarbush, VT - the slope of a mountain in Vermont is a great place to see a show

*10.2-3.00/Rochester & Syracuse, NY - the first Evening with The Hip tour, two full sets and an encore, unless a fight in the pit cuts the encore short as it did at the Syracuse show (another disappointing Landmark crowd in the ‘Cuse)...outside of that, an ideal tour - many deep cuts along with the live staples

*7.26-28.02/Boston, MA - three consecutive nights in a theater just outside of Boston

*5.11.07/Chicago, Ill - furthest west to see The Hip, my first trip to Chicago

As hard as it is to say, I was somewhat disappointed with the last Hip show I attended. Three times I have seen the band play consecutive shows in Rochester and Syracuse and it has always been worthwhile to catch both shows as the band generally changes up the setlist from night to night. However, this last time, on two nights in November of 2007, they played nearly identical sets on both nights, switching only a few songs and leaving a bad taste in my mouth for the first time. They were not bad shows by any means but I had just come to expect more variety in their sets. Two years later the band would renew my faith.

For the 2009 tour the band returned to the Evening With Tour format from nearly a decade ago - the perfect format to erase any lingering feelings from the last show. The new songs shined in a live a setting, especially the over nine-minute first set opener The Depression Suite, Morning Moon, Now The Struggle Has A Name and the frenetic Love Is A First to close the first set. New Orleans Is Sinking, a crowd favorite, has been moved from the bottom to the top of the setlists to get the crowd riled up early, and that energy is maintained throughout by Courage, Fully Completely, Poets, Fireworks and show closer Blow At High Dough, from Up To Here, the band’s first album from 1989 (also home to New Orleans Is Sinking). Bobcaygeon and Ahead By A Century provided mellower moments while rarities such as Flamenco, Tiger The Lion and Long Time Running also made an appearance. Possibly my favorite Hip song, Escape Is At Hand For The Travellin Man (from 1998’s Phantom Power), came early in the set, while Family Band (a song that showcases the band’s joy playing live) and the epic Locked In The Truck Of Car (from Fully Completely) closed the second set.

I recently wrote about frontmen in my review of four shows last winter without mentioning Gord Downie as it would not have been fair to those discussed in the review. Certainly I am biased, but would still be hard pressed to name a better frontman in rock. With lyrics opaque and vivid, a voice unique and commanding and incomparable stage presence, Downie engages the crowd in a way that few are able. With shaved head and heavy perspiration he stalks the stage with manic energy. He seems possessed at times and is known for improvising rants during songs that evolve into future songs (listening to the Double Suicide rant in live versions of Highway Girl the seeds of Locked In The Trunk Of A Car and At The Hundredth Meridian are clear), having battles with microphone stands, chastising crowd surfers for being behind the times and giving swimming lessons during Poets. It seems as though he is channeling some force beyond his control when on stage, but when interviewed exudes an intelligent, thoughtful calm.

Here is a clip of Poets live:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH-RuF5xmow

Rounding out the lineup and providing the foundation for Downie’s showmanship is the duel guitar attack of Bobby Baker and Paul Langlois. Baker, of the long hair and beard, has been turning out melodic leads for over twenty years as he moves to his own rhythm on one side of Downie. On the other side is the solid rhythm work and backing vocals (which I confused for Stevie Nicks when I first heard Three Pistols) is Langois, calm and cool at all times. The Hip Pocket (the distinctive groove that the band often finds creates with their music) is anchored by the perpetually youthful Johnny Fay on drums and the solid bass lines and backing vocals of Gord Sinclair. The lineup has been consistent from the start, which is evident in the recordings but even more so in live performance.

Here are some clips of some live staples:

*At The Hundredth Meridian (from Syracuse in 2007, with marching band Gord in the breakdown) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSMpoGXG5fw&feature=related

*Blow At High Dough (from Fort York in 2006) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv1vdsH8tS8&feature=PlayList&p=79B746C75C5CE864&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=28

*Locked In The Trunk Of A Car (from San Francisco in 2009) -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew2vTQ_YGBg&feature=related

While many performers carefully cultivate an image to market themselves, The Tragically Hip seem to be regular guys who love to play live music. Evidence of this comes whenever they hit the stage, but also from one night after a show in Rochester, when we decided to hang out by the buses and try to meet the band (in our younger and more star struck days). Eventually each member came out to talk to all the fans individually, kinder and more generous than one could even hope for. They spoke to the fans as if they had traveled and bought tickets to see us that night.

The joy that the band feels sharing their music with the fans is evident in their performances and steady touring. Seeing this band from Kingston, Ontario (just over an hour from my hometown), perform in a newly built theater in Times Square thirteen years after seeing them for the first time in a small bar in North Carolina reminded me why I have followed this band so closely for almost two decades. Despite changes in time, place and situation, The Hip provide consistency and excellence in both their performances and their recordings. After seeing The Hip live, one of the first questions that arises is: When will I see them next (the answer in this case being Vermont in July).

Old School vs New School

2009-08-19T19:39:00.004-04:00

*Flight Of The Conchords/Kristen Schaal @ Tower Theater/4.18.09
*The Pains of Being Pure at Heart/Caution Children @ Risley Hall (Cornell)/ 4.25.09

Flight of the Conchords and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart presented two shows that illuminated the difference between old school comedy and new school comedy. For the purposes of this review, by old school comedy I mean traditional joke based humor and by new school comedy I am referring to now seemingly omnipresent humor based on awkward situations, led by genre godfathers Larry David and Ricky Gervais.

As those who have drowned in the wake of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic’s success might attest, finding and maintaining an audience with funny songs is no easy task. What the Flight of the Conchords have achieved, rising from cult following to mass cultural prominence (defined by an HBO series and an album in 2008 that debuted at #3 in the US and eventually reached Platinum status, not to mention the 7.2 from Pitchfork) is a testament to their balance of songwriting and wit. The lyrics, clever and funny, combine with memorable hooks in songs that mimic all genres to complete the Conchords definitive style.

Playing back-to-back sold-out shows in one night at the grand Tower Theater just north of Philly in Upper Darby, PA (ah, Pennsylvania, ancestral home of road construction), the duo, Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, displayed the chemistry and songwriting that are the foundation of their success. The between song banter often proved as funny as the songs with jokes about area legends Hall & Oates (or Holland Oates, for Charlie Kelly) and Instant Karma (Clement describing McKenzie’s flub at the beginning of Carol Brown after instructing the crowd on how to provide backing vocals for the song and demanding accuracy). Despite coming out in robot costumes, the Conchords did not open with Robots, but Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor. Later, the duo brought out assistance in the form of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, which consisted of one cello player.

Other set highlights included: Hurt Feelings, I’m Not Crying, Jenny, I Told You I Was Freaky and Sugalumps. The encore included the classic Business Time and show closer Pencils In The Wind.

Opening the show was Kristen Schaal, who broke character from playing Mel, the duo’s biggest fan on HBO series, to steal chairs, joke about killing a genie for his pants and perform a few one act plays.

Here is a clip of the opening number from the second show that night (the audio is not the best but it gives a sense of the show - and there are many clips of FOTC out there, as well as the albums and the series):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZnn9J8s3hQ

The example of new school, awkward comedy really has more to do with me than the band. When I learned that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart were coming to Cornell it seemed like a chance to catch another young band playing an intimate show on a college campus before graduating to larger venues and more difficult to obtain tickets (just as Arcade Fire, The National, The Walkmen and Secret Machines played Ithaca in recent years). They were generating a lot of attention, positive reviews (including an 8.4 on Pitchfork) and their debut album sounds like a poppier My Bloody Valentine.

The venue for this show: Risley Hall, a residence on the Cornell campus. The problem, and moral of the story: people of a certain age (me) should probably not attend concerts in dorms. I am not one to fret about age too often and only certain circumstances make me conscious of it but never have I felt older than awkwardly hovering outside the crowd at this show. It’s not that I am on my last legs, either, but much of the audience appeared too young to have their driver’s license. I felt like Larry King must feel anywhere. I was the old guy telling kids to get off his lawn and quiet down. I felt more like a chaperone than an audience member.

Already being there I decided to revel in the awkwardness and hang near the back and at least hear the band, as I am a fan of their album. Playing much of their debut the band sounded good and seeing an up-and-coming band in such an intimate and unique setting is always worthwhile. Despite the unfortunate band name, their album and live performances are solid. I just need to make that sure that I attend any future on-campus shows with a gang consisting of elder statesmen, or just get hired to chaperone the event.

Fans of Curb Your Enthusiasm often ask: What Would Larry David Do? Well, I’d like to think he would have also stayed for The Pains of Being at Heart show but felt more at ease at the Flight of the Conchords show. Who wins when old school is pitted against new school? We may never know...(and I realize that fake dramatic conclusion is cheesy but I am too old too care).

Front And Center

2009-08-06T15:42:00.007-04:00

*AC Newman/Dent May @ Castaways/3.10.09
*Jeff Tweedy (w/special guest Pete Seeger) @ Beacon, NY/3.28.09
*Rhett Miller/Jennifer O’Connor @ Castaways/4.11.09
*Neko Case/Crooked Fingers @ State Theater/4.20.09

What does it take to be a successful frontman? Consider Steven Tyler or Mick Jagger and prominent lips, or some other defining physical trait, seem to factor into the equation. Is it ego (Bono), style (Bowie) or shock value (Ozzy, Alice Cooper) that makes one stand out? We may ask if voice is more important than words and let Steve Perry and Bob Dylan decide. My intensive research, consisting of looking at the first google hit after searching for ‘frontmen’ leads to a link of the ‘100 Greatest Frontmen of Rock’ and includes a top five of: James Brown, Elvis, Mick Jagger, Little Richard and Freddie Mercury. I like Queen and all, but Mercury in the top five...ever...I am hesitant. The list also has John Lennon listed at #100, behind Robbie Williams (52), Scott Weiland (84) and Bobby Brown (89) - yes, that Bobby Brown - so at the very least the list strains at credibility and more likely was assembled by a manatee.

The second Google hit leads to the ‘23 Most Annoying Frontmen in Rock’ - a list that includes Adam Duritz, Conor Oberst, Sting, Vince Neil, Billy Corgan and, of course, the spokesmen of the douche-universe: Fred Durst and Scott Stapp. Some appear on both lists, like Eddie Vedder, Thom Yorke and Bono. That leaves us with a dilemma - which random Internet list do we trust? How can Bono be the 19th best frontman ever but also the 3rd most annoying? Looking for answers here? Too bad. This is just a gimmick to introduce this review of four shows caught late last winter with distinct frontmen that I have procrastinated writing about. The shows allowed me repeat viewings of a number of performers (AC Newman, Jeff Tweedy and Neko Case) but also introduced some new (to me, anyway) voices (Dent May and Crooked Fingers).

In early March, AC Newman brought his solo show to Castaways in Ithaca. Having seen the New Pornographers twice in 2008, Newman’s music has been a regular in my rotation for a while but this was my first chance to see him solo and in support of his strong 2009 release Get Guilty. He played much of the new album, opening with There Are Maybe Ten Or Twelve and hitting highlights such as The Heartbreak Rides, Like A Hitman Like a Dancer, Prophets and a few tracks from his 2004 solo album The Slow Wonder: On The Table, Come Crash and Secretarial.

Much to my disbelief, one of the singers joining Newman on stage was Nicole Atkins (whose album Neptune City and her covers EP, Digs Other People’s Songs are both recommended). In fact, I thought it was so unlikely that she would be in Ithaca, singing backup on Newman’s solo tour, that I convinced myself through the course of the show that it was not her only to find out later that it was her first night on the tour. If only I had trusted my initial instinct, not to mention Newman calling her Nicole (but making no other mention of her presence), I could have made contact with her and inevitably been invited to join her backing band The Sea for the follow up album and tour to Neptune City. Maybe next time she is in Ithaca singing backup for a Canadian pop-rocker in an intimate venue I will get the chance. Or maybe she will be back for her own show. Anyway, I have fallen significantly off topic. For a clip of Newman, Atkins and the entire Get Guilty crew performing on Letterman, check here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC9U1DcgUwU

As a side note, the bass player in Newman’s band, Miranda Brown, would be back in Ithaca in April (and at the end of this review) playing with Crooked Fingers opening the Neko Case show at the State Theater.

Opening the Newman show, was Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele. Upon entering Castaways I noticed a group of guys that seemed to be writing on paper towels smuggled from the bathroom and joked that it was probably the band. Soon after the same group took the stage and followed those paper towel setlists through their opening slot. I would like to take this opportunity to label May’s music as Trop-Pop, as in Tropical Pop. His sound evokes both the pop melodies of the 50’s or 60’s while also transporting the listener to a sunnier place than winter in Ithaca. Part Jens Lekman and part Jonathan Richman, May and his band have a distinct sound, thanks no doubt to the prominently featured ukulele, clever lyrics and surely their debut album will provide ideal summer listening.

Later in March, I made the trek to Beacon, NY, to see Jeff Tweedy play a benefit for the Hudson River Clearwater Sloop. The town was not exactly the sunnier place evoked by Dent May’s music, but the high school auditorium Tweedy played was quite nice (plus the school sits in the shadow of a large prison - certainly no cause for concern there). I have written at length about Tweedy and Wilco in previous reviews so I will not repeat myself, but Tweedy is near the top of my personal songwriter rankings and any chance to see him live in the (relative) area cannot be missed.

As a frontman, even without the six-piece machine that is Wilco’s current lineup, Tweedy comfortably holds the stage and audience. His relaxed demeanor and signature banter establish the mood while his voice and impressive guitar work showcase his songwriting. Tweedy is an artist always aware of his situation and with a clear sense of perspective, whether creating an album based on Woody Guthrie’s unheard lyrics, writing music that could come from any era (much of the Sky Blue Sky album) or telling more age appropriate stories because kids are in the audience. He opened the show with one of the songs from that Guthrie project, the epic Remember the Mountain Bed, played songs from the upcoming Wilco (The Album): Everlasting Everything, Wilco (The Song) and Solitaire and included highlights such as Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard, Airline To Heaven and New Madrid among staples such as Jesus, Etc., Hummingbird, Heavy Metal Drummer, Via Chicago and I’m The Man Who Loves You.

As the show was a benefit for an organization founded by Pete Seeger, the legendary singer/activist opened the show and then joined Tweedy for the first encore, with his grandson Tao Rodriguez-Seeger (of The Mammals), to collaborate on the standards Midnight Special and Jacob’s Ladder. Tweedy ended the show by playing Someone Else’s Song and Acuff-Rose completely acoustic, without the help of the PA, and with the audience hanging on every note.

Here is a clip of Tweedy performing Jesus, Etc. from the show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sjq8af2A9M

A few weeks later I was back to Castaways for Rhett Miller, of the Old 97’s, for a solo show. Miller’s onstage presence provides quite a contrast to that of Tweedy, as he bounds around with stage with impressive energy, quickly working up a sweat and beating on his acoustic guitar. Seeing Miller command the audience with such presence, using only his voice and a guitar, shows that he is a natural frontman. He played songs from his upcoming solo album and a mix of career highlights from his solo work and the Old 97’s, including: King Of All The World, Barrier Reef, Doreen, Our Love and This Is What I Do.

Two of the standouts of the night came from a cover of R.E.M.’s Driver 8 and the song Fireflies, from Miller’s solo album, The Believer. On the album, the song is a duet with Rachel Yamagata, but she does not tour with him so he can play that song (maybe he should have brought Nicole Atkins...), so Miller improvised by asking if anyone in attendance knew the words. A volunteer from the audience joined Miller on stage for a flawless performance of the song in a spontaneous moment that defines the excitement of live music. The volunteer turned out to be Jennifer Middaugh, a member of local favorites the Sim Redmond Band, but that does not take anything away from the moment.

Miller played over thirty songs in all to a room that would have stayed as long as he wanted to keep playing. Here is some video of Miller playing I Need To Know Where I Stand and King Of All The World sandwiched around some banter representative of his stage presence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM7F7LSthuw&feature=related

Just over a week later, Neko Case, quickly becoming an Ithaca favorite, returned to the State Theater for the third time in the last two years. She played to an enthusiastic audience at the State in January 2008 and returned that April with the New Pornographers. Her visit to the State this time, in support of her new album, Middle Cyclone, showed more production than her previous tour as films were projected throughout as a backdrop to the music.

No doubt from years of fending off suitors from the audience, Case and vocal companion Kelly Hogan have developed quick witted humor to engage the audience, but Neko’s voice is what keeps the audience rapt. Case’s voice, powerful and affecting, and the music - ably filled out by guitarists Paul Rigby and Jon Rauhouse - seamlessly float from hook to hook without following a traditional verse/chorus progression. The music could serve as the soundtrack to yet-to-be-released David Lynch movie.

The set included much of Middle Cyclone, including the title track, This Tornado Loves You, People Got A Lotta Nerve, I’m An Animal, Prison Girls, Pharaohs, and her stellar cover of the Harry Nilsson classic, Don’t Forget Me. From the back catalogue the set included highlights such as: Hold On, Hold On, Maybe Sparrow, Deep Red Bells, I Wish I Was The Moon, Favorite and The Tigers Have Spoken

Completing the show was impressive opening act Crooked Fingers. Fromtman Eric Bachmann had opened Neko’s show last January at the State with a solo performance but this time he was accompanied by Miranda Brown (remember, from the AC Newman show, it is all coming full circle, meaning this late and seemingly endless review must be almost complete) on bass/vocals and Tim Husmann on drums/keys/noises. I remember enjoying Bachmann’s solo set the previous year but this lineup/song selection really connected and inspired me to explore the full Crooked Fingers catalog. The opening set included, among others: Man O’War, Broken Man, Little Bird, Angelina and Your Control.

Here is a clip of Neko and her band on Letterman playing This Tornado Loves You, joined by Bachmann on acoustic guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhVbyeWFvo

And here is the video for Bachmann’s Man O’War:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm1gQAUanfE

In just over a month this group of frontmen provided a study in the different methods of effective crowd control. Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case, Rhett Miller, AC Newman, Eric Bachmann and Dent May all rely on talent and wit to hold the stage, but ultimately without the songwriting none of that would matter, right Mr. Durst and Mr. Stapp?

On Deck [Update]

2009-04-04T13:43:00.003-04:00

...Now that June is nearing a close, apparently what I meant by 'On Deck' when posted in April was 'I will not be writing the reviews of these shows until sometime in the summer'...yes, there are nine shows to catch up on, and a few more to add to that total in July and August, but the plan is to catch up...

Cowboy Blues

2009-02-21T10:33:00.002-05:00

Cowboy Junkies @ State Theater (Ithaca) 2.5.09

Growing up near the Canadian border, international radio introduced me to a number of artists in the mid-90’s. Without the ease of access into the music world now available, to expand my musical landscape it required influences timeless, fading and obsolete: recommendations and word of mouth still come from various sources, radio is less an influence than it was and MTV is now a punch line. Canadian radio introduced me to The Cowboy Junkies and inspired my purchase of the compilation Studio: Selected Studio Recordings 1986-1995, which has been a staple of my music collection for over a decade.

Studio pulls tracks from the bands first decade of material, including the much-acclaimed album The Trinity Session from 1998 (for what it’s worth, the 42nd best album of the 80’s, according to Pitchfork). The compilation provides an ideal introduction to this band’s unique sound, a combination of blues, country, rock and pop. Brothers Michael (guitar) and Peter (drums) Timmins, along with bassist Alan Anton, lay down a deliberate groove as a foundation for their sister, Margo, to sing over. She possesses one of the most distinct and affecting voices in music (certainly one of my favorite female vocalists, along with Neko Case, who will be back in Ithaca in April).

The band opened the Evening With show with a version of oft-covered Crossroads unlike any I had heard before. This band creates mood music reminiscent of the soundtrack to a dark film. They followed with two songs familiar to me from Studio, Shining Moon and A Common Disaster and through the night mixed new songs from an upcoming release with material from throughout their catalogue, including To Love Is To Bury and Working On A Building, from The Trinity Session. The show ended with the encore of Blue Moon Revisited (A Song For Elvis), another staple found on both Studio and Trinity (...it would have been nice to hear the band’s definitive cover of Sweet Jane, but...).

A highlight of the show was the presence of Jeff Bird, apparently the unofficial fifth member of the band (he has been playing with them for over twenty years). He added texture and depth to the songs through the evening, with a variety of stringed instruments and harmonica, but primarily with electric mandolin, which created a smooth, sustaining accent to compliment the vocals.

So, the slow burn of the Cowboy Junkies helped warm the State Theater on a frigid February night in Ithaca. This was my first event at the State in the new year, but coming soon are shows from Keller Williams, Gomez/Josh Ritter and Neko Case. Check out the State website for a full calendar and details:

http://www.stateofithaca.com/

Also, I encourage those in the area to check out Dan Smalls Presents for information about other upcoming shows in Ithaca, such as AC Newman, Rhett Miller and the Felice Brothers at Castaways:

http://www.dansmallspresents.com/smallsworld/

For those looking to get into the Cowboy Junkies, Studio is a great starting point, and the Ithaca show is available on the Live Music Archive:

http://www.archive.org/details/cowboyjunkies2009-02-05.flac16

The First Amendment & The First Month

2009-01-27T20:00:00.004-05:00

Nearly a month after posting my Best of 2008 list I must recognize an album that may have been in the Top 10 had I heard it last year. Unfortunately for the list, I did not hear The Gaslight Anthem’s album The ‘59 Sound until January 2009. It was an album that started to surface on my radar in the late fall with high praise in some of the places I frequent but did not hit my playlists until the new year. It is an album that pays tribute to what came before it without sounding plagiarized. It sounds familiar, almost like you know what is coming next from sense memory, but fresh at the same time. It rocks, is catchy and does not suffer from heavy rotation (at least not after the first month). So, the first amendment to the Best of ‘08 list is The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound.

Moving forward, 2009 is off to a strong start with solid contributions from Andrew Bird, Animal Collective, Glasvegas, Dan Auerbach, A.C. Newman, M. Ward, Bruce Springsteen, Antony & The Johnsons and Franz Ferdinand only weeks into the new year. The rest of the year promises to keep pace with new material from WILCO, Neko Case, U2, The Decemberists, Peter Bjorn & John, Jason Isbell, Great Lake Swimmers and more on deck in the next few months.

MMJ-MSG-NYE

2009-01-04T19:22:00.006-05:00

...2008 was a big year for My Morning Jacket: an excellent new album, Saturday Night Live, Radio City Music Hall, a second appearance on Austin City Limits, an epic Summer/Fall tour (including two shows I was lucky enough to attend - the hometown show in Louisville and the show at Red Rocks with The Black Keys) and to cap the year, playing Madison Square Garden on New Year's Eve. Though I was not in attendance, thanks to the magic of the Live Music Archive and generous tapers we can all listen to the impressive, cover-filled show as a proper send off to the year of MMJ:

http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2008-12-31

2008/Mix Tapes

2009-01-03T12:22:00.009-05:00

...here are three mixes that pull some favorite songs from my Top 50 albums of '08 list (the full list can be seen in the previous post) and provide a somewhat balanced representation of the music of 2008. I was not able to condense the mixes to fit one CD each but with iPods I guess that is not really an issue anymore (each mix runs just over two hours)...

*08/Mix One:
1. Closer - Kings Of Leon
2. Right Hand On My Heart - The Whigs
3. Constructive Summer - The Hold Steady
4. Strange Times - The Black Keys
5. Halfway Home - TV On The Radio
6. Kids - MGMT
7. Electric Feel - MGMT
8. Can't Say No - The Helio Sequence
9. Kim & Jessie - M83
10. After Hours - We Are Scientists
11. Manhattan - Kings Of Leon
12. Stork & Owl - TV On The Radio
13. Ghost Under Rocks - Ra Ra Riot
14. Each Year - Ra Ra Riot
15. Cobwebs - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
16. Singer Songwriter - Okkervil River
17. Blue Tulip - Okkervil River
18. The Snow Leopard - Shearwater
19. Good Arms vs Bad Arms - Frightened Rabbit
20. Ten Dead Dogs - Wild Sweet Orange
21. Blue Ridge Mountains - Fleet Foxes
22. Your Protector - Fleet Foxes
23. The Mightiest Of Guns - AA Bondy
24. Broken Afternoon - The Helio Sequence
25. I'm Sorry Houston - Drive-By Truckers
26. The Righteous Path - Drive-By Truckers
27. Smokin From Shootin - My Morning Jacket
28. Touch Me I'm Going To Scream (Part Two) - My Morning Jacket
29. Cold Desert - Kings Of Leon

*08/Mix Two:
1. I Will Possess Your Heart - Death Cab For Cutie
2. Time To Pretend - MGMT
3. Last Believer, Drop Dead - Secret Machines
4. Second Chance - Liam Finn
5. Donde Esta La Playa - The Walkmen
6. Call It A Ritual - Wolf Parade
7. Breaker - Retribution Gospel Choir
8. Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon
9. A Ghost To Most - Drive-By Truckers
10. Slapped Actress - The Hold Steady
11. Lord, I'm Discouraged - The Hold Steady
12. Emma Jane - South San Gabriel
13. So Everyone - Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
14. Lost Coastlines - Okkervil River
15. Pop Lie - Okkervil River
16. Something Good This Way Comes - Jakob Dylan
17. Moorestown - Sun Kil Moon
18. Mykonos - Fleet Foxes
19. Sec Walkin - My Morning Jacket
20. This Is Not A Test - She & Him
21. Aly, Walk With Me - The Raveonettes
22. Falling Down - Scarlett Johansson
23. Gila - Beach House
24. Borrowing Time - Aimee Mann
25. Witness Blues - AA Bondy
26. Lately - The Helio Sequence
27. Walcott - Vampire Weekend
28. Lost! - Coldplay
29. We Own The Sky - M83
30. Ara Batur - Sigur Ros

*08/Mix Three:
1. Life In Technicolor - Coldplay
2. Lovers In Japan/Reign Of Love - Coldplay
3. Underneath The Concrete - Secret Machines
4. Sex On Fire - Kings Of Leon
5. Aluminum Park - My Morning Jacket
6. Evil Urges - My Morning Jacket
7. The Modern Leper - Frightened Rabbit
8. The Twist - Frightened Rabbit
9. Tilt - Wild Sweet Orange
10. Seeing & Believing - Wild Sweet Orange
11. Fix It - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
12. The Purgatory Line - Drive-By Truckers
13. That Man I Shot - Drive-By Truckers
14. Yeah Sapphire - The Hold Steady
15. Magazines - The Hold Steady
16. Canadian Girl - The Walkmen
17. On Tour With Zykos - Okkervil River
18. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song - Fleet Foxes
19. Ragged Wood - Fleet Foxes
20. I Still Care For You - Ray Lamontagne
21. Sleeping Sickness - City And Colour
22. The Kids Don't Stand A Chance - Vampire Weekend
23. Dying Is Fine - Ra Ra Riot
24. Can You Tell - Ra Ra Riot
25. Carl Sagan - Loch Lomond
26. Raincoat Song - The Decemberists
27. Change Is Hard - She & Him
28. Metal Heart - Cat Power
29. Sweet Talk - Spiritualized
30. Family Tree - TV On The Radio
31. Street Lights - Kanye West
32. Skin Of The Night - M83
33. Lovers' Waltz - AA Bondy
34. Vice Rag - AA Bondy

...so there it is, the music of 2008 in 93 songs and 6.5 hours...

2008/The Year In Music

2008-12-30T16:40:00.005-05:00

Here are my Top 50 Albums of 2008:

*As for the BON IVER [For Emma, Forever Ago] ‘07 vs. ‘08 debate, the album appeared on my ‘07 list (at #3) and thus will not appear this year*

1. MY MORNING JACKET : Evil Urges
2. THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM : The '59 Sound
3. AA BONDY : American Hearts
4. M83 : Saturdays = Youth
5. FRIGHTENED RABBIT : The Midnight Organ Fight
6. OKKERVIL RIVER : The Stand Ins
7. THE HOLD STEADY : Stay Positive
8. THE WALKMEN : You & Me
9. FLEET FOXES : Fleet Foxes & Sun Giant [EP]
10. THE HELIO SEQUENCE : Keep Your Eyes Ahead
11. SECRET MACHINES : Secret Machines
12. DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS : Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
13. KINGS OF LEON : Only By The Night
14. SIGUR ROS : Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
15. VAMPIRE WEEKEND : Vampire Weekend
16. BONNIE ‘PRINCE’ BILLY : Lie Down In The Light
17. TV ON THE RADIO : Dear Science
18. SUN KIL MOON : April
19. RYAN ADAMS & THE CARDINALS : Cardinology
20. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
21. WOLF PARADE : At Mount Zoomer
22. THE BLACK KEYS : Attack & Release
23. CENTRO-MATIC/SOUTH SAN GABRIEL : Dual Hawks
24. RA RA RIOT : The Rhumb Line
25. SHEARWATER : Rook
26. WILD SWEET ORANGE : We Have Cause To Be Uneasy
27. WE ARE SCIENTISTS : Brain Thrust Mastery
28. COLDPLAY : Viva La Vida (Or Death And All His Friends)
29. KANYE WEST : 808s & Heartbreak
30. SHE & HIM : Volume One
31. DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE : Narrow Stairs
32. DR. DOG : Fate
33. AIMEE MANN : @#%&*! Smilers
34. BEACH HOUSE : Devotion
35. LIAM FINN : I’ll Be Lightning
36. THE RAVEONETTES : Lust Lust Lust
37. RAY LAMONTAGNE : Gossip In The Grain
38. Broken Social Scene PRESENTS/BRENDAN CANNING : Something For All Of Us
39. THE WHIGS : Mission Control
40. THE GUTTER TWINS : Saturnalia
41. JAKOB DYLAN : Seeing Things
42. ALBERT HAMMOND, JR. : Como Te Llama
43. THE KOOKS : Konk
44. SPIRITUALIZED : Songs In A&E
45. RETRIBUTION GOSPEL CHOIR : Retribution Gospel Choir
46. CITY AND COLOUR : Bring Me Your Love
47. GLOSSARY : The Better Angels Of Our Nature
48. JONATHAN RICHMAN : Because Her Beauty Is Raw And Wild
49. SEA WOLF : Leaves In The River
50. FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS : Flight Of The Conchords

2008/The Year In Film

2008-12-21T17:34:00.017-05:00

Bushwood Board Of Directors (The Cream Of The Crop)
-Forgetting Sarah Marshall : Dracula’s Lament is catchier than it should be and as the reliable Paul Rudd sings, “the weather outside is weather...”

-The Dark Knight : a seamless continuation of what Nolan started with Batman Begins

-The Promotion : John C. Reilly adds another great performance to his impressive resume...as they say in Canada "cracking the cheese"...plus Jenna Fischer, Fred Armisen, Jason Bateman, Sean William Scott, Lili Taylor and Bobby Cannavale..."blapples"

-In Bruges : dark and funny

-Choke : more dark and funny, with a focus on identity...another strong Palahniuk adaptation, plus the excellent Sam Rockwell

Bushwood Members (I Like Their Style)
-Snow Angels : just dark, but another solid David Gordon Green film (All The Real Girls, George Washington, Undertow), with Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale giving strong performances

-The Visitor : Richard Jenkins makes everything better

-Hell Boy II : better than the first?

-Step Brothers : more room for activities...boats 'n' hoes...who wants fancy sauce?...the Catalina Wine Mixer...Lumberjack

-Zack And Miri Make A Porno : a film for the whole family...maybe not

-Pineapple Express : another from David Gordon Green as he tackles action/comedy

-Wall-E : so good it convinced me to watch an animated movie

-Role Models : what is Beyonce doing with that sugar?...Rudd is almost always a good sign for a movie

-Vicky Cristina Barcelona : steamy Spanish Woody (I apologize)

-Slumdog Millionaire : visually impressive fable

-Gran Torino : classic Clint to add to the catalog

Bushwood Staff (Solid Contributors)
-Burn After Reading : solid satire with one of Pitt's funniest performances

-Ghost Town : a fresh look at a common plot device

-The Hammer : see comment for Ghost Town, this time a comedic take on the Rocky story

-Be Kind, Rewind : not what I expected from the trailer, but a pleasant and at times impressive movie

-Semi-Pro : for the roulette scene alone

-Iron Man : not as good as Dark Knight but certainly better than the last Spiderman

-The Foot Fist Way : the full Danny McBride experience

-Hamlet 2 : struggled to match the genius that is the title

-Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist : decent Cera vehicle (plus, music from The National is used in the film)

Not Bushwood Material (Honorable Mention)
-Tropic Thunder : good but no Role Models or Step Brothers

-Cloverfield : a fresh look at the monster movie

-You Don’t Mess With The Zohan : typical mid-period Sandler (sorry again)

-Hancock : ambitious but flawed

-Kung Fu Panda : decent but no Wall-E

-Religulous : solid, but having seen Maher's show and standup this was familiar territory

-Appaloosa : Viggo is great in this western, Zellweger looks strange and it is not as strong as last year's 3:10 To Yuma or in the same league as the excellent Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford

Caddyshack II (Yes, That Bad)
-The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button : more like the curious case of the snooze button

-W : how about an alternate title of Z (as in you will catch up on your z's...zing?)...maybe just suffered from bad timing as some of the performances were strong

-Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Tour : not as funny as I hoped it would be

-Strange Wilderness : certainly no Grandma’s Boy

-Smart People : clichés abound and Sarah Jessica Parker - it had no chance

Membership Pending (Stuff I Have Yet To See But Plan To)
-Synecdoche, New York
-Baghead

2008/The Year In TV

2008-12-21T17:18:00.009-05:00

Bushwood Board Of Directors (The Cream Of The Crop)
-LOST : as strong as ever in Season IV, revitalized by the flash-forwards

-It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia : for ‘day-bow-bow’ alone, but also for Wild Card Charlie, Mac's Duster, Dennis and his Steve Winwood CD, Frank describing his life in the ways of Rambo and that big bird herself, Sweet Dee

-Friday Night Lights : as a non-Direct TV viewer Season III cannot come soon enough - maybe the best show going

-The Office : when will Toby snap? Also, bring back Holly. With apologies to Jim & Pam, Michael & Holly were the more entertaining couple

-Flight Of The Conchords : Murray Hewitt MVP

-Chuck : even better in Season II

-Pushing Daisies : if you think too long about smart and visually impressive shows like this getting cancelled while ABC keeps dreck like Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practive and Dancing with the Leftovers on the air your head will explode

-The Life And Times Of Tim : picking up where Larry David leaves off, but with a calm and ease amid the chaos

-The Soup : essential weekly commentary

-The Daily Show/The Colbert Report : required viewing this year

-Austin City Limits : WILCO and My Morning Jacket appearing recently is reason enough

-Hockey Night In Canada : the best hockey coverage out there (not that they have much competition)...the Hot Stove is always a highlight...thanks to NHL Network for carrying it this year

Bushwood Members (I Like Their Style)
-Fringe : another effective Abrams product, good cliffhangers and surprsingly funny

-Breaking Bad : better than expected, Cranston gives a strong performance

-Big Bang Theory : rapidly becoming the best comedy on Monday night

-How I Met Your Mother : Barney, Marshall and Canada-centric Robin plots make up for the perpetual drag that is Ted Mosby

-Worst Week : solid rookie entry, but it is early - will the premise hold?

-30 Rock : I think I am in the minority in preferring Season I to the following two

-True Blood : not a masterpiece by any means but highly entertaining and great cliffhangers

-Reaper : funny, clever and employs the great Ray Wise

-Life On Mars : off to a good start, and even the at times cringe-worthy scenes (the Ice Ice Baby rap jumps to mind) leave you wanting more

-Summer Heights High : for Jonah mostly

-My Boys : Gaffigan action

-Long Way Down : Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman ride motorcycles from Scotland to South Africa in this fascinating travelogue

-Real Time with Bill Maher : weak monologues but interesting guests and New Rules

-Letterman/Kimmel/Ferguson/Conan : Letterman for his interviews and bits (Top 10/Fun Facts/Great Moments In Presidential Speeches and a special nod to Lyle the Intern); Kimmel for his interviews, strong support staff (Uncle Frank, Guillermo and Cousin Sal) and the always great Unnecessary Censorship; Ferguson for his monologues, email and interviews (often the best of the group); Conan for his bits more than his interviews.

Bushwood Staff (Solid Contributors)
-Two And A Half Men : the dirtiest show on network?

-Dirty Sexy Money : so bad it’s bad, but still fun

-Survivor : the man that is Probst holds together this consistent veteran

-The Amazing Race : best reality show?

-Saturday Night Live : by no means consistent, but some good skits and solid musical guests this year

Not Bushwood Material (Honorable Mention)
-South Park : erratic, but has its moments

-The Sarah Silverman Program : good work from Mr. Show alum Jay Johnstone and Sarah’s neighbors, Brian Posehn and Steve Agee

Caddyshack II (Yes, That Bad)
-Heroes : how many shows have fallen so far so fast - nearly a comedy at this point

-VH1's Reality Lineup : real live crazy people

The Wright Touch

2008-12-14T21:37:00.002-05:00

I would be remiss if I let the year pass without saying a few words about Richard Wright.

I remember clearly the moment Pink Floyd entered my musical landscape. Watching a televised broadcast of their performance at Knebworth in 1990 the band immediately emerged as one of the defining figures in my musical evolution. The songs, the light show, David Gilmour’s solo to Comfortably Numb in the rain - there was little I could do to resist.

I had no idea at the time that this was post-Roger Waters era Pink Floyd or any of the story behind what that meant and I certainly had no idea who Syd Barrett was. Over the next decade I became a Pink Floyd scholar and disciple - devouring anything related to Pink Floyd I could get my hands on, but to this day that performance from Knebworth, that initial connection to the band stays with me.

The fundamental Pink Floyd sound would not exist without Richard Wright. Sure, Barrett, Waters and Gilmour all served as the face and voice of the band but Wright’s contributions on keys, vocals and song writing set the group apart. The ease and flow of his playing and singing are vital elements of the Pink Floyd sound.

I watched the VHS of the Delicate Sound Of Thunder tour countless times and listened to the CD of the show on my uncle’s stereo for hours on end before I had my own CD player (yes, I was a caveman). I was lucky enough to catch Division Bell-era Pink Floyd live in Toronto in 1994 (easily one on my most memorable concerts). I appreciate all the incarnations of the band, but one constant element of the group’s unique sound and style was Richard Wright.

One of my favorite pieces of Wright’s work is The Violent Sequence, an instrumental from the Zabriskie Point Soundtrack Sessions in 1969, which can be heard in the clip below, and is said to be an early version of Us And Them from The Dark Side Of The Moon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XV3hFDGORM

As someone who knew Wright well, David Gilmour says it best:

“No one can replace Richard Wright. He was my musical partner and my friend. In the welter of arguments about who or what was Pink Floyd, Rick's enormous input was frequently forgotten. He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognized Pink Floyd sound. I have never played with anyone quite like him. The blend of his and my voices and our musical telepathy reached their first major flowering in 1971 on 'Echoes'. In my view all the greatest PF moments are the ones where he is in full flow. After all, without 'Us and Them' and 'The Great Gig In The Sky', both of which he wrote, what would 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' have been? Without his quiet touch the Album 'Wish You Were Here' would not quite have worked. In our middle years, for many reasons he lost his way for a while, but in the early Nineties, with 'The Division Bell', his vitality, spark and humour returned to him and then the audience reaction to his appearances on my tour in 2006 was hugely uplifting and it's a mark of his modesty that those standing ovations came as a huge surprise to him, (though not to the rest of us). Like Rick, I don't find it easy to express my feelings in words, but I loved him and will miss him enormously.”

First Impressions

2008-12-12T20:30:00.004-05:00

WILCO/Jennifer O’Connor @ Auditorium Theater (Rochester) - 12.6.08

Taking a break from their opening slot on this winter’s Neil Young tour to headline for a night, Wilco played for the first time in Rochester and were greeted with a sold out crowd. The band delivered a loose and energetic “greatest hits show,” as Tweedy described the set, and the capacity crowd’s enthusiastic response had him promising to “be back soon” at the end of the night.

Having detailed my history with Wilco in reviewing the Tanglewood show in August (title: [Almost] Ten Years Man) I can focus directly on the show this time around. Having sold out shortly after tickets went on sale the anticipation for this show began to build quickly. A rumor even made the rounds that The Flaming Lips would be the surprise opening act, which would have certainly been an impressive double bill but may have been sensory overload for a theater show. The opener was Jennifer O’Connor, who played a solid set with her three-piece band to start the show.

Wilco seems to have found a groove in their sets by easing into the show with a few mid-tempo, relaxed songs before ramping up and building to the frenzied encore. The introductory portion of this set began with Forget The Flowers (with flowers adorning Glenn Kotche’s kit to welcome him back after performing in Carnegie Hall the previous night with Kronos Quartet), the Sky Blue Sky standout You Are My Face and a pair from A Ghost Is Born, Hummingbird and Muzzle Of Bees.

Following those four the opening notes/effects from I Am Trying To Break Your Heart signal that the band is about to find another gear. Highlights of the main set included the triple guitar attack of Handshake Drugs and Impossible Germany, the calm and chaos of Via Chicago, and a rousing A Shot In The Arm. The first set ended with Hate It Here (“this song is not about here”), Walken and I’m The Man Who Loves You (with Jeff dedicating the song to Glenn, “the heart of Wilco”). Banter highlights came from Tweedy discussing the band’s trip through customs that morning as they had been in Toronto the night before. Noting multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone’s impressive beard, Tweedy said they were surprised he was allowed to smuggle that thing over the border. He also mentioned an afternoon trip to the famous Rochester landmark, The House Of Guitars.

The first encore, consisting of Poor Places and Spiders (Kidsmoke), left the crowd peaked and wanting more. These two have become a dynamic duo in Wilco shows over the fast few years, as the YHF defining folk/exploration of Poor Places dissolves and merges into the drone, guitar squawk and eventual release of Spiders.

The second encore elevated this show beyond the crowd’s expectations as the band had fully evolved from their mellow opening to full on rock mode. Starting with Passenger Side, all the way from A.M., moving on to The Late Greats and then hitting Heavy Metal Drummer (“the band’s only ‘hit’ in their greatest hits show” joked Tweedy), a portion of the crowd thought that would be it for the night.

The band, however, had more in store for the crowd, launching into Kingpin (with Tweedy leading the crowd through the crowd participation/screaming portion of the song as well as other rock clichés to give them the “full stupid rock experience”), and a barn burning final pair of Being There rockers to close the show, Monday and Outtasite (Outta Mind).

Of the three theater shows I attended this fall, this was certainly the best crowd. The half full Landmark in Syracuse did not give Ryan Adams & The Cardinals the enthusiasm they deserved while the near full State Theater in Ithaca provided Andrew Bird with an attentive yet reserved audience. This show, however, achieved the ideal relationship between audience and performer. The band seemed to be having as much fun on stage as the crowd was participating in the performance.

Here is a decent quality video of Kingpin from the show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHVq_U6dCt0&feature=PlayList&p=91450A13E577E8FE&index=2

To the right of this video is a playlist including a number of other songs from the show worth checking out.

Crowd Control

2008-12-07T19:14:00.003-05:00

The Decemberists/The Walkmen/Loch Lomond @ Barton Hall (Cornell) - 11.9.08

With the song I Was Meant For The Stage, from the 2003 album Her Majesty The Decemberists, Colin Meloy proves that he has an accurate self-perception. On this Sunday night in November he took a large, but scattered crowd in the spacious Barton Hall and brought them together with his showmanship and songs. By the end of the night I was convinced that Meloy may very well be the David Lee Roth of the nautical themed, progressive, indie rock scene.

The Decemberists opened with the rise and fall of the Shanty For The Arethusa before launching into the surging July! July!. As the band’s last album was released in 2006 and their new one not due until next spring, Meloy admitted that the setlist would provide a sampling from The Decemberists’ catalogue. Highlights included personal favorites, Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect, (with a tag of Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams as the outro), Leslie Anne Levine, We Both Go Down Together, The Bachelor And The Bride, O Valencia! and 16 Military Wives (with a tease of The Doobie Brothers’ Black Water in the intro). The Island, an epic worthy of Yes-era prog, provided an impressive showcase of the band’s talent and was followed by Dracula’s Daughter, “the worst song I ever wrote” as the singer introduces it on Colin Meloy Sings Live.

In a large and open hall the band commanded the crowd’s attention with their musicianship, the best-of set and Meloy’s showmanship. Clearly excited by the results of the recent election, he inspired crowd participation during a number of songs, including: O Valencia!, The Perfect Crime #2 and Valerie Plame, to mention a few. He also climbed the ladder to the lighting rig at one point to sing high above the crowd. The only thing missing was a Jack Daniels bass (please see the Van Halen video Panama for clarification).

The setlist did include some new material, however, as Valerie Plame (complete with Hey Jude outro), O New England, Record Year and Raincoat Song, all from this fall’s EP series Always The Bridesmaid, rounded out the setlist. The following link leads to video of Valerie Plame from the show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sPjsLD0ug8&feature=related

Certain songs are meant to be closers, and Sons And Daughters, the last track from The Crane Wife, is one of them. A hopeful song that builds from a melancholy foundation, it also allowed Meloy one last opportunity to include the crowd in a sing along with its closing lyrics (“Hear all the bombs, they fade away”).

The show opened with Loch Lomond, a band hailing from The Decemberists stomping ground of Portland, Oregon, that sounds like the offspring of Sufjan Stevens and The Decemberists. Their opening set inspired me to check out their latest album, Paper The Walls, with the strong opening track, Carl Sagan.

Sandwiched In the middle of these two bands from the Pacific Northwest with thematic, sonic and geographic connections was The Walkmen. Playing between those two bands may not have been the ideal setting to win over new fans, but The Walkmen, with their dark and atmospheric sound, gave a solid performance culling material mostly from this year’s strong effort, You & Me.

Having seen The Walkmen once before at Cornell, touring for Bows + Arrows and playing in a much smaller room, they seemed comfortable handling the larger venue and crowd. My only disappointment from The Walkmen’s set was the absence of The Rat. Normally I try not to nitpick a band’s song selection too much, they know what they are doing, but The Rat should be required at any Walkmen performance. I understand their reasons to not play it at every show, but it is easily one of the best rock songs of the decade and it would have been interesting to see the crowd’s reaction to it after seeming mildly enthused throughout the set. They did play We’ve Been Had, so I guess that filled the role of back catalogue crowd pleaser for the night.

Overall, the show was a solid triple bill that introduced me to a new band and allowed me to see a band that has matured in sound and perfomance since I saw them last. The night, however, belonged to The Decemberists due to their strong set and stage presence.

Solo Flight

2008-12-07T19:10:00.008-05:00

Andrew Bird @ State Theater - 10.4.08

Already familiar with his recorded work, 2008 provided my first opportunities to see Andrew Bird live. The first time was a set with his band opening for WILCO at Tanglewood in August. Then, in October, Bird performed a solo show at Ithaca’s State Theater. While the full band show was excellent, seeing him during a solo performance puts his talent in perspective.

The set included Why?, a song he claims is one his favorites to perform, A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left and Sovay from the album The Mysterious Production Of Eggs [2005], and Plasticities and Imitosis from last year’s Armchair Apocrypha. From the 2003 album Weather Systems, he played Lull and the album’s title track for the encore. Closing the first set was the standout track Tables And Chairs.

His performance style is remarkable, fluidly moving from violin to guitar while whistling, singing, clapping and looping tracks. Dressed in a vest and tie but removing his shoes at the beginning of the performance, his songs vary from album form to fit the mood and flow of his performance. His stage show combines a unique balance of precision, such as coordinating the looping, and the improvisational element of live performance. His relaxed stage presence and calm demeanor with banter provides comic relief and insight between songs as he plays in front of a backdrop of large, often swirling, horn speakers. Check the link below to see his performance of Lull from the show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hi-7RjV3eU

The near capacity crowed remained enthralled and enthusiastic throughout the show by this incredible performer and songwriter. The show also included two new songs, Natural Disaster and Fitz And The Dizzyspells, from his new album, Noble Beast, which is due in January of 2009 and can be pre-ordered here:

http://www.andrewbird.net/

Coming Soon [Reviews]...And Looking Back At 2007

2008-11-26T14:11:00.006-05:00

In the next few weeks look for the Best of 2008 Music entry as well as better late than never reviews of the Andrew Bird and Decemberists shows this fall.

To get into that end-of-the-year, listing state of mind, here is a look at my Best of 2007 List, ranked in four tiers:

*TOP 10 of 2007*

1. WILCO - Sky Blue Sky
2. The NATIONAL - Boxer
3. BON IVER - For Emma, Forever Ago
4. OKKERVIL RIVER - The Stage Names
5. KINGS Of LEON - Because Of The Times
6. PANDA BEAR - Person Pitch
7. SPOON - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
8. ARCADE FIRE - Neon Bible
9. BAND Of HORSES - Cease To Begin
10. ANDREW BIRD - Armchair Apocrypha

...followed closely by (and some of these albums, with another year of perspective, could be exchanged with some of the top ten):

*EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
*RADIOHEAD - In Rainbows
*THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN - S/T
*RYAN ADAMS- Easy Tiger
*PETER, BJORN AND JOHN - Writer’s Block
*MATTHEW GOOD - Hospital Music
*THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS - Challengers
*JASON ISBELL - Sirens Of The Ditch
*MODEST MOUSE - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
*THE TWILIGHT SAD - Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters
*GLEN HANSARD & MARKETA IRGLOVA - Once [Soundtrack]
*EDDIE VEDDER - Into The Wild [Soundtrack]
*BLOC PARTY - A Weekend In The City
*DR. DOG - We All Belong
*BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE - Presents: Kevin Drew [Spirit If...]
*NICOLE ATKINS - Neptune City

...with honorable mention to:

*WHITE RABBITS - Fort Nightly
*THE SHINS - Wincing The Night Away
*LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - Sound of Silver
*GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS - Ongiara
*SHOUT OUT LOUDS - Our Ill Wills
*BEIRUT - The Flying Club Cup
*INTERPOL - Our Love To Admire
*STARS OF THE LID - And Their Refinement Of The Decline
*FEIST - The Reminder
*DEAN & BRITTA - Back Numbers
*THE WEAKERTHANS - Reunion Tour
*LOW - Drums And Guns
*AlBERT HAMMOND, JR. - Yours To Keep
*IRON & WINE - The Shepherd’s Dog

...and also of note:

*JOSE GONZALEZ - In Our Nature
*JOSH RITTER - The Historical Conquests Of...
*JOHN VANDERSCLICE - Emerald City
*ART BRUT - It’s A Bit Complicated
*BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB - Baby 81
*JENS LEKMAN - Night Falls Over Kortedala
*M83 - Digital Shades [Vol. I]
*KANYE WEST - Graduation
*LILY ALLEN - Alright, Still
*BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - Magic
*ROGUE WAVE - Asleep At Heaven’s Gate
*COCONUT RECORDS - Nighttiming
*CHRIS BATHGATE - A Cork Tale Wake
*M.I.A. - Kala
*STARS - In Our Bedroom After The War
*ST. VINCENT - Marry Me
*THE AUTUMN DEFENSE - S/T
*THE GO! TEAM - Proof Of Youth
*CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH - Some Loud Thunder

MFC [Mother F@#%n Cardinals or Mother F@#%n Curse]

2008-11-19T21:11:00.003-05:00

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals @ Landmark Theater - 9.26.08

Much has been said about Ryan Adams over the last decade, especially online. Few artists spark the debate, support and vitriol that Adams does due to a combination of factors, some of which include his music. Steve Hyden, of the AV Club, provides a noteworthy examination of Ryan Adams and his persona in an article from last May:

http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/ryan_adams_and_the_problem_with

Regardless of his persona, Adams is a prolific, remarkably consistent and often under-appreciated songwriter. With The Cardinals, Adams seems to have settled into a musical comfort zone where the focus rests, appropriately, on the band and the music. Having read about the infamous Ryan Adams unpredictable touring history I was not sure what type of show to expect at the Landmark but any expectations I had were easily exceeded. The band played two solid sets filled with songs from throughout the Adams catalogue, tracks from the band's solid new album, Cardinology, and even a few of Cardinal guitarist/vocalist Neal Casal’s originals.

The setlist included a number of songs that I hoped to hear (in that ideal world where I get to write all the setlists) but never really expected to, including: the relaxed La Cienega Just Smiled, which the Cardinals built to a rousing crescendo; the dreamy Cardinals version of the originally stark Adams cover (improvement?) of the Oasis standard Wonderwall (from Love Is Hell); the rocking Cold Roses and This Is It; a soaring Come Pick Me Up; This House Is Not For Sale, another standout from Love Is Hell; and the intense, show closing I See Monsters. The new songs from Cardinology more than held their own with the rest of the catalogue, and standout new tracks included: show opener Cobwebs, Magick, Fix It and Go Easy. The band also played a number of tracks from Adams’ previous album, Easy Tiger, including Two, The Sun Also Sets, Everybody Knows, Oh My God Whatever Etc., and a guitar-workout version of Off Broadway.

Adams’ stage banter was good-natured and amusing throughout the show, a highlight being a bit about meeting Mark Slaughter. The set and performance were all that one could hope for in a show, and in a nice venue like the Landmark Theater it would have been an ideal show if not for the apparently unavoidable Landmark crowd. Like the Curse of the Bambino, the Curse of the Landmark Crowds reared its ugly head once more. Almost any show I have attended at the venue has included less than impressive crowd behavior, from the pit area fight that cut one show off mid-encore (the band left having seen enough) to the drunk and abusive couple that seemed to be practicing to film an upcoming episode of COPS in spite of the band and crowd around them.

In a depressing turnout, only half of the first floor of the Theater was full (tickets were not even sold for the balcony). Those of us in CNY often wonder why Syracuse does not attract more shows but maybe turnouts like this are the reason why. Those in attendance seemed to behave as if they had been split into two groups and directed how to act so that they may be observed by scientists. Half of the crowd stood as soon as the band came out and enthusiastically responded to the music throughout the show. The other half sat politely to watch and listen. Neither are necessarily bad options, but when the split is nearly down the center of the crowd the visual was a bit strange. Literally, those to the left of center sat while those to right stood (as opposed to the traditional, I guess, standing in the front and sitting in the back). Not so much bad behavior as weird.

As the end of the first set arrived Adams made a proposition to the crowd. If the crowd could remain silent for a minute the band would forego the set break and plow straight into the second set. Of course, a few seconds into the silence some genius yells and costs the collective 15-20 minutes of extra music. In retrospect, I am sure that the yell was worth it.

So as the crowd (most likely those standing to the right) delivered the MFC (Mother F@#%n Cardinals) chant to inspire the band and show their appreciation, the other MFC (Mother F@#%n Curse) was already conspiring against them. I realize that this talk of the Landmark Curse may diminish the show itself but that would be unfair - just a minor glitch during an excellent performance. The bigger issue, really, is why such an impressive band and a singer with the catalogue of Adams did not sell more tickets. From the crowd pleasing set to the strong performance this show would have been an ideal evening for any music fan.

To listen to the show, head over to the always reliable Live Music Archive:

http://www.archive.org/details/ryanadams2008-09-26.sbd.flac16

A Guy Walks Into A Bar...

2008-09-14T23:53:00.004-04:00

A.A. Bondy @ Castaways - 9.12.08

“The world is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel.”
-Horace Walpole

A.A. Bondy used his between song banter to provide a contrast to his music and create a balance between the two sentiments in the Walpole quote above. As he told intentionally bad jokes between songs on a warm and rainy Friday night in Ithaca I was reminded of Norm MacDonald’s recent set at the Bob Saget Roast. It took a while for the crowd to catch up to Norm but once they did his plan became clear. Some samples of Norm’s performance at the roast can be seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Gc3QZIMKqA

While on the subject of Norm, check out his genius performace on the Conan O’Brien show over a decade ago (thanks to the AV Club):

http://www.avclub.com/content/hater/how_to_have_a_memorable_talk_show

Bondy introduced the idea of non-jokes (jokes funny due to their lack of logic, punchline or expected conclusion) to the crowd and then gave a few examples to the audience. One such non-joke goes a little something like this: “What noise did the cat make when I put it in the microwave? I don’t know I was masturbating.” Bondy’s one hour set opening for The Felice Brothers at Castaways felt like half postmodern comedy routine and half traditional folk show. For those not confined to one side of Walpole’s equation Bondy’s distinct stage presence and sincere music provided a balance between the two camps.

Bondy wasted no time establishing his stage persona by announcing that he had “just eaten the last of his mescaline so things could get weird.” Further references to methamphetamine and adderall give further indication of his sense of humor. His appearance on stage, donning boots, jeans and a well worn button down shirt, reminded me of Ray Lamontagne. The resemblance also extends into the performance as both possess a soulful voice and play folk influenced tunes. In terms of demeanor, however, Bondy’s sarcasm and wit present a stark contrast to Lamontagne’s quiet and restrained stage presence. Bondy seems to have an ease about him onstage whether it is joking with the crowd, making self-deprecating comments about flubbing a chord or interacting with the headliners as they watched him perform from the wings of the stage. One member of The Felice Brothers shared his drink with Bondy between songs and another joined him on stage to provide drums to set closing Vice Rag, adding to the stomp created by Bondy’s boots and the engaged crowd.

The small size of the venue provided an ideal and intimate setting for the show. The crowd was attentive during songs and vocal in showing their appreciation during breaks. The set included a number of songs from Bondy’s excellent debut solo album American Hearts, including: How Will You Meet Your End, Rapture (Sweet Rapture), Witness Blues, Killed Myself When I Was Young and the title track. Bondy mentioned that he recorded the album in a barn last winter. He claimed that mentioning it to the “scenic little town” of Ithaca was no big deal as barns are so common but when he mentions it in places like Chicago they are quite impressed. He also played non-album tracks such as Among The Pines, Mightiest Of Guns and Oh The Vampire (which can be heard on the Daytrotter Session from last May linked below).

http://www.daytrotter.com/article/1287/aa-bondy

Though he fits into the overpopulated throng of singer-songwriter harmonica players in the tradition of Dylan, Bondy cuts his own path due to his voice, songwriting and persona. The former Verbena frontman has created a debut album full of stark, haunting and stirring songs. He has the unique ability to command an audience's attention with his voice and a guitar; no small feat and one of the purest forms of performance. No light show, no special effects, no backing band - just the songs. Look for him on tour this fall:

http://www.myspace.com/aabondy

For further insight into the mind of A.A. Bondy, check out his edition of Random Rules from last week (thanks again, AV Club, and good timing as well):

http://www.avclub.com/content/feature/random_rules_a_a_bondy

Jacket Required [Part Two]

2008-09-06T20:17:00.007-04:00

My Morning Jacket @ Red Rocks w/The Black Keys - 8.21.08

“This feeling it is wonderful! Don’t you ever turn it off!”
-Jim James ‘Touch Me I’m Going To Scream (Part Two)’ 2008

Five days and over a thousand miles from Louisville the second show on the My Morning Jacket road trip took place at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater just outside of Denver. The stunning venue has played host to legendary concerts from the Beatles in the 60’s to U2 in the 80’s but I feel is best described in the pre-DNC guide in the 8.21.08 edition of The Onion: “This natural structure was formed over the course of 250 million years by the slow collision of the great plains with the Rocky Mountains. Now you can see Carlos Mencia here.” Any continuity between this show and the Louisville show came from the setlist and the enthusiasm of both the band and the fans while the venue and the special guest opening band combined to forge the evening’s identity.

This show forced my hand. Shortly after planning to make the trek from central New York to Louisville for the hometown show came the announcement for the show at Red Rocks, one of those mythical venues (like the Ryman or MSG) that for years I have heard about but never experienced. Like bait, luring me west from Louisville to Denver, the bill added The Black Keys as the opening act and there was not much I could do. The opportunity to see My Morning Jacket again, at Red Rocks, with the Black Keys opening proved too great to ignore. I could continue this metaphor of the bait by describing Ticketmaster (enemy of all that is honorable and just) as the hook gouging my cheek but on to the show instead.

Often opening acts face the difficult task of playing to half full or nearly empty venues as people try to time finding their seats with the abrupt silencing of the PA and the dimming of the house lights. I remember a few summers ago feeling sympathy for the Drive-By Truckers, the band that I had primarily gone to see and one of the best live bands currently touring, as they played to small numbers in the late afternoon sun opening for Robert Randolph and the Black Crowes. By the time the Black Crowes hit the stage a few hours later DBT may have already made it to the next venue. The Black Keys did not have that problem. Much of the crowd already in place when they took the stage the band (both of them) received a spirited welcome and proceeded to slap us around with their trademark blues stomp for the duration of their set. They played ten songs, including the mammoth Thickfreakness, American Express commercial approved 10 A.M. Automatic, a grinding Girl Is On Mind, a charging Set You Free, the raw Stack Shot Billy and the propulsive Strange Times. One of the continually impressive aspects of the band is that just two people are making that much noise and to such an affecting degree. The combination of Patrick Carney’s drums and Dan Auerbach’s guitar somehow equal and surpass the rhythm sections and lead instruments of many bands. Their groove is infectious while Auerbach’s soulful vocals settle into the hooks to complete the equation. As opening acts can vary by extremes from great to excruciating, concert goers often rank them, High Fidelity style. The Black Keys set at Red Rocks certainly earned them a spot near the top of my list and most likely for many of those in attendance as well. [Certainly the band is capable and often does headline, but for the purposes of this entry and specific event, the judges have determined that the ranking will stand.]

With Red Rock’s design providing significantly better sight lines than the Waterfront Park each of the songs took on a new life. Jim James announced a few songs in that “it is every infant child’s thrill to be born again on the stage here at Red Rocks...the wind is blowin, the moon is a howlin and we are ready to be born again under the fire and brimstone of Red Rocks.” As the opening guitar and keys of The Way That He Sings soared from the stage and up through the amphitheater it was clear what he meant. The combination of the song’s melody with the evening breeze and the view of the Denver skyline in the distance felt like a definitive concert moment. A few songs later War Begun proved an equally iconic moment. A three minute, mid tempo acoustic groove on the band’s debut album, The Tennessee Fire, the song has evolved into an powerful and nearly seven minute guitar workout including some melodic Van Halen style tapping from James as he stood on near the edge of the stage. Lay Low continued the guitar assault with James and Carl Broemel leading the charge. Bermuda Highway and Librarian provided a respite before the set closing trio of Dondante, Smokin From Shootin and Touch Me I’m Going To Scream (Part Two).

The seven song encore from Louisville made another appearance with Wordless Chorus setting the table followed by another positive response to Highly Suspicious. Steam Engine, both lyrically and musically, was meant to be performed at Red Rocks on nights like this. Run Thru, impressive on record, becomes a destructive force on stage. By the time One Big Holiday concluded the show it almost felt as though the band left the stage in an act of mercy before inflicting permanent damage on the thousands in attendance. They can really only take so much.

Much like WILCO, the band has endured a number of lineup changes throughout the years while retaining only the original bass player and songwriter. Bo Koster’s work on keys provides depth and fills out the band’s sound. His style adds to the foundation of each song in a way that adds colors without canceling any out. Koster also commenced both shows with his intro riff on Anytime. Patrick Hallahan’s enthusiasm behind the drum kit reaches every seat in the house as he forms the solid rhythm section with bassist Two Tone Tommy. I mean it in the most complimentary way when I say that classically trained guitarist Carl Broemel does not sound classically trained when playing with My Morning Jacket. There are no signs of the cold, mechanical playing often associated with players of such backgrounds (thank you, 80’s hair bands). Broemel’s playing can be melodic or raw, patient or aggressive, depending on what the song calls for. On One Big Holiday and Lay Low his solos evoke the best elements of the blues-rock tradition; on Golden his pedal steel work adds accents to the melody that perfectly compliment the acoustic pattern at the root of the song. At the center of this juggernaut, of course, is seemingly tireless front man Jim James: guitarist, singer and caped mystic.

Not only is the band playing nearly thirty songs but many of them are well over five minutes long and some surpass the ten minute mark. These are epic shows performed by a potent group feeding off the adoration of their fans. These shows reward the fans that have been with the group for years, the newcomers to the world of MMJ and those that drove across the country to see them play a hometown show and another at a historic venue. They also reinforce the reasons for attending these shows in the first place.

A recent article in the Miami New Times (8.28.08) suggested that MMJ “may be the best live band ever.” Certainly even the band members themselves would call this hyperbole but their reputation as a live act is steadily expanding. The May 2008 cover of SPIN magazine featured the band as their faces for the “Summer of Live.” In the fall of 2007, Magnet Magazine featured Jim James on the cover beside the headline “King of the Road” and the article inside called MMJ “America’s best live rock ‘n’ roll band.” For a band of ten years, MMJ already has a notable resume of memorable performances under it’s belt (even before the Louisville and Red Rocks shows). Their Bonnaroo sets have become the stuff of legend: Steam Engine in a thunderstorm in 2004, covers from such diverse artists as Bob Dylan, Prince, The Who, The Band, The Rolling Stones, Sly & The Family Stone, Funkadelic, Erykah Badu, James Brown, Kool & The Gang, Bobby Womack, Motley Crue and Wham from year to year, and Metallica’s Kirk Hammett joining the band for One Big Holiday during a downpour last June. New Year’s Eve 2006 in San Francisco. A sold out Radio City Music Hall in 2008. Playing Freebird in Cameron Crowe’s film Elizabethtown and performing as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. The performance of One Big Holiday on Conan mentioned in Part One of this entry. MSG this coming New Year’s Eve. The list goes on and on but the message is apparent. Determining a best band is irrelevant but appreciating a band that is producing music and touring at this level is obvious. Instead of lamenting bands lost to the past or searching for someone to replace them, this band is here and now. As James sings at the end of Smokin From Shootin: “What are you waiting for?”

If you are interested in listening to either of these shows both are available at the wonderful resource, archive.org:

Louisville: http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2008-08-16.mk21.flac16

Red Rocks: http://www.archive.org/details/mmj2008-08-21.km140.702

Jacket Required [Part One]

2008-09-01T23:18:00.007-04:00

My Morning Jacket @ Louisville Waterfront Park - 8.16.08

“This feeling it is wonderful! Don’t you ever turn it off!”
-Jim James ‘Touch Me I’m Going To Scream (Part Two)’ 2008

TV gets a bad rap. John Prine sang in 1971 to “blow up your tv.” A common bumper sticker reads “Kill Your Television.” In 1992, Bruce Springsteen sang about having “fifty-seven channels and nothin’ on,” a complaint that in the age of satellite and digital cable offering hundreds of channels seems not only dated but also a little quaint (maybe he just meant that he was not wearing anything while watching his fifty-seven channels). Certainly the amount of programming hours to fill combined with the rapid pace of culture produces plenty of crap to clog the airwaves but amid the junk there exists real quality. Of course that applies to most forms of entertainment; how many of the albums released each week are truly excellent and how many of the movies playing at the local multiplex would you pay money to see? Anyway, Conan O’Brien mentioned a few years ago in an interview with Charlie Rose that this is “the golden age of TV” and appropriately enough it was Conan’s show that introduced me to My Morning Jacket.

Half asleep on the couch I was in no way ready for what was about to happen when Conan introduced the band from Louisville, on the show to promote their new album, 2003’s It Still Moves. The musical guest slot on the late night talk show circuit is a great way to discover new bands but unfortunately it is also often produces underwhelming performances due to time, format, sound and any number of variables. The band’s performance of One Big Holiday on Conan stands easily as one of the best musical performances I have ever witnessed on TV. A performance that at the very least woke me up but also inspired me to buy the album immediately. From that point my appreciation for the band has built steadily through both new material, the back catalog and the band’s reputation as live performers. Having seen them twice as an opening act, for WILCO in 2005 and Pearl Jam in 2006, this summer’s Evening With tour supporting the excellent new album, Evil Urges, provided an ideal opportunity to see the band as a not only as a headliner but also at unique venues. Both the hometown show in Louisville and the Red Rocks show were closed with that same song that introduced me to band on the Conan O’Brien show. Due to the magic of the internet you can check out that performance here (be sure to appreciate the hair and the head banging):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Q9iAcPjzc

First, a little about what the two shows have in common. Both were epic shows of nearly thirty songs spanning the band’s career. Each show’s set leaned heavier toward newer material, with nearly all of Evil Urges being played, much of 2005’s Z and a solid representation of It Still Moves. The debut album, The Tennessee Fire (1999) and follow up, At Dawn (2001), made brief appearances as did rarities from soundtracks and EP’s to round out the sets. The energy displayed by the band throughout each show makes me wonder if they will be able to complete the tour through the fall at their current pace. Shows in the three hour range at such intense levels of performance must be draining. Sparkplug frontman Jim James especially seems tireless as he careens around the stage in the midst of singing, playing guitar and occasionally wearing a cape.

The Louisville show was a homecoming and mutual celebration of both the band and its fans. About 10,000 filled the Waterfront Park on a perfect summer evening and for a non-Louisville native such as myself the affection the band and fans have for one another was evident throughout the show. People were lined up early in the day to get prime spots on the general admission lawn and at show time the line overwhelmed security and stretched a few blocks away from the lawn and delaying the beginning of the show for a few minutes. The band was introduced by the enthusiastic mayor and during the show Jim James called the event “a celebration of all things Louisville,” noting the local vendors outlining the crowd at the show sponsored by local radio station, WFPK, a long time supporter of the band. The show opened with three of Z’s strongest tracks, Anytime, Off The Record and Gideon establishing a pace for the evening and wasting no time involving the more than eager crowd. It was cool to hear Heartbreakin’ Man, the first song on the first album, in the band’s hometown and both The Way That He Sings and Phone Went West represented the excellent At Dawn. Where To Begin, one of my favorites from the band’s catalogue and a strong contribution to the Elizabethtown soundtrack, was a pleasant surprise. Epic on record, Dondante reaches another level live, building slowly to the crushing climax and then giving way to the outro duel between guitarist Carl Broemel, moonlighting on sax and playing lines reminiscent of Dick Parry's work on Dark Side Of The Moon, and James on guitar. The main set ended with the stellar pair that conclude Evil Urges, Smokin From Shootin and Touch Me I’m Going To Scream (Part Two) - more on these in the upcoming Evil Urges album review - but that only set the stage for the encore.

Opening the extra session was Wordless Chorus, which the band seems intent on proving its mission statement-esque lyric “we are the innovators, they are the imitators” with each performance. Highly Suspicious followed, a song that has been so divisive since the release of Evil Urges I was anxious to see how the crowd would respond. Based on the crowd’s reaction it seems that the debate on this song has ended. Receiving one of the loudest responses of the night the it catapulted a crowd that had been enthusiastic throughout the show to another level of frenzy. The rarity Cobra, from 2002’s Chocolate and Ice EP, a funky chameleon of a song, set the stage for a run of four tracks from It Still Moves to close the show. First was Steam Engine (do songs get any better than this one?), Run Thru (lock your doors and take cover), Dancefloors and One Big Holiday, accompanied by Louisville’s own Squallis Puppeteers - maybe better seen than described:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy83-S0NU8A&feature=related

Due to the size of the crowd and the relative lack of slope on the Waterfront Park Lawn it was at times difficult to see the stage clearly but the enthusiasm of the crowd and the force of the band’s performance more than compensated for any visibility concerns. A few nights later at the historic venue Red Rocks, sight lines were much clearer and the band brought the same level of energy, an equally epic setlist and added a powerhouse opening band in special guests The Black Keys...which will be detailed in the next installment of this ‘to be continued’ entry...

(Almost) Ten Years Man

2008-08-29T17:01:00.007-04:00

WILCO/Andrew Bird [Tanglewood/Lenox, MA] 8.12.08

“Sometimes the things that you liked the best and that have meant the most to you are the things that meant nothing at all to you when you first heard or saw them.”
-Bob Dylan [Chronicles, Vol. 1] 2004

I saw Wilco live for the first time in August of 1999, opening for R.E.M. in Toronto, but at the time I barely knew who they were. I was excited to see R.E.M. for the first time and to be in Toronto (Go Leafs Go) so I paid little attention to an opening band that I had only a vague recognition of. Nearly ten years later they are one of my favorite bands and the number of times I have seen them live is now in double digits. The setlist at Tanglewood contained four songs that were also played at the show in 1999 but the experience could not have been more different. The band has changed in terms of lineup, sound and status and their evolution parallels my own musical development.

When I finally came around to listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot it quickly became a definitive album in my musical history and forced itself into near constant rotation for a few years. It provides such a clear turning point that I can almost divide my listening into two distinct categories - before and after YHF. I immediately, of course, absorbed the band’s back catalogue (while also discovering Uncle Tupelo) and quickly found that each album represented a different phase in the group’s development, not to mention the seemingly constant lineup changes. From the rootsy A.M. to the sprawling Being There to the studio mastery of Summerteeth the band, and Tweedy’s songwriting, evolved to a new place with each album. YHF continued that evolution while also taking some of the bands trademark sounds to new sonic places. The story of the album is appropriately well-documented in Sam Jones film I Am Trying To Break Your Heart as this is the type of album that can define a career. For better or worse, every album the band releases with be consistently compared to this one, much like the situation Radiohead faces having released OK Computer (or is it Kid A now?). The follow up, A Ghost Is Born, like all the others, took elements of its predecessor but also mined new territory. Sky Blue Sky, released in 2007, features the latest version of the Wilco lineup, a six piece that has been together since 2004 and to me is the band’s strongest lineup.

At the 1999 show the band was touring in support of Summerteeth, and though a bulk of the Tanglewood set was comprised from the band’s three most recent albums, Sky Blue Sky, A Ghost Is Born and YHF, selections from both Summerteeth and Being There rounded out the setlist providing surprise additions. Opening with Either Way set the mood for the initial portion of the show as Tweedy told the crowd the band planned to “let the sun go down easy.” With ideal late summer weather at a picturesque venue the band eased into the set with the implied promise of picking up the volume and pace as the show continued. The venue, normally a home to the Boston Pops, may not have been ready for a rock show, as security had trouble keeping the GA lawn crowd out the reserved seating area; I will try to dwell more on the positive elements of the show and less on the annoying drunk girls from the lawn that called me an ‘asshole’ for trying to get them removed from my seat near the stage. Even Tweedy noted that for such a classy venue he still saw graffiti in the bathroom claiming that “Music Iz Gay.” The band came to the stage in the Nudie suits debuted at Lollapalooza the previous week and followed the opening song with Hummingbird (showing up early in the set but as always a showcase for the patented Tweedy Shuffle - even in the Nudie suit), the epic Remember the Mountain Bed and Muzzle Of Bees to ease into the evening.

The transition song from the mellow opening of the set to the rest of the night came in You Are My Face, a song that I feel expresses the full spectrum that this lineup is capable of and is one of the band’s finest moments. From the smooth harmonies at the beginning of the song to the guitar workout in the middle this song features contributions from all the band members to define the current Wilco sound (I plan to write more about this song and the album Sky Blue Sky as a whole at some point in the future). Next up was the three guitar showcase Impossible Germany, with Tweedy and Pat Sansone riffing in harmony and Nels Cline adding his trademark shredding, the mood continued to build until giving way to the now-definitive opening sound effects to I Am Trying To Break Your Heart. Just hearing the opening moments of this song spurs an immediate response from the crowd and takes a Wilco show to a new place. Following that with A Shot In The Arm put the crowd into a frenzy that was surpassed only by the pogoing John Stirratt and a frantic Cline throughout the song. The combination of the summer setting and it being a family friendly event, crowd pleasers such as What Light, California Stars, Jesus, Etc., I’m The Man Who Loves You (featuring gong-work from Glenn Kotche) and Heavy Metal Drummer rounded out a portion of the setlist, but there were also some surprises.

The band has a great new feature on their website where fans can request songs for upcoming shows. Not only does this allow fans to feel more a part of the show, especially if the song requested is played, but maybe, with time, it will eliminate the nuisance of people shouting requests from the crowd (that may be too optimistic a goal, as the request shouter seems to be the cockroach of concert goers). Anyway, I requested Pot Kettle Black, a long time personal favorite and the only song from YHF that I had not seen the band perform in person, so when the band played it I thought that would be the surprise of the night. An even bigger shock was hearing Summerteeth’s Pieholden Suite, another longtime favorite but one I had little hope of hearing live. I assumed the performance of the song in the bonus features of the I Am Trying To Break Your Heart DVD would have to suffice but with the Total Pros, a Chicago horn section, touring with the band and joining them for a number of songs throughout the night it made the setlist. The addition of the Total Pros also helped previous shelved Can’t Stand It make the cut as well. The band created an ideal balance of crowd favorites and surprises throughout the main set before closing with the perfect transition of Poor Places, a song that epitomizes the YHF era sound, into the rousing Spiders (Kidsmoke).

The band and the crowd seemed to feed of each other’s energy throughout the night and the encores turned into a frenetic and fitting end to the show. The second encore, at which point security gave up and the mob was finally allowed to rush the stage, hit hard with the final trio of songs, Monday and Outtasite (Outta Mind), both from Being There, and closer I’m A Wheel from A Ghost Is Born. The band had fully transitioned from the mellow opening of the show to a full on three guitar rock force to end the evening.

As if Wilco and the venue were not enough to make this show worth the trip, the opener was special guest Andrew Bird. My first live Andrew Bird experience proved to be an ideal appetizer for his show in Ithaca this October at the State Theater. Not only does he sing, play guitar and violin and loop all the while, his whistling seems beyond human. Highlights included A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left, Imitosis, Plasticities, Lull, Tables And Chairs and set closer, Some Of These Days, a Charlie Patton cover, done completely acoustic without the PA. I was hoping that Bird would join Wilco on stage for a few songs as he did throughout the Residency last winter in Chicago, but other than that (and the drunk dancing girls) the show was an ideal summer evening and provided the Wilco fix that now must be attended to at least annually. Between this show and the writing of this review, it has been announced the Wilco will be opening for Neil Young this winter so I may not have to wait until next summer for more.

Coming Soon...

2008-08-14T15:35:00.002-04:00

...reviews of the WILCO show at Tanglewood (8.12.08) and the MMJ shows in Louisville (8.16.08) and Denver (8.21.08)...

Pour Some Sugar On Me

2008-08-11T12:33:00.002-04:00

The New Pornographers [Calvin Theater/Northampton, MA] 8.7.08

Imagine eating a piece of strawberry shortcake. Now imagine eating eighteen pieces in a row. Going to a New Pornographers show is like having eighteen pieces of strawberry shortcake in a row. No lulls, no letdown - just dessert through a steady stream of hooks and harmonies from start to finish. An unofficial concert contract states that fans will sit through new, unfamiliar stuff at the beginning of the show if the band promises to later play the older stuff that convinced the fan to buy the ticket in the first place. This sitting through new stuff portion of the show is often marked by a mass exodus to the bathrooms or bar. This is not the case at a New Pornographers show as each song is a catchy crowd pleaser.

This was the second time I have caught the New Pornographers this year but I appreciated and enjoyed them infinitely more the second time, due to no fault of the band. When I first saw them at the State Theater in Ithaca in April (with an under the weather Neko Case on board) the opening band was Okkervil River, the band that initially drew me to the show. After Okkervil’s powerful set I do not think I gave the New Pornographers the attention they deserved. Their set was fine; the sound and song selection was solid and the crowd enjoyed them but I was still recovering from Okkervil. Plus, going from Okkervil’s intense closer, Westfall to the power pop of the Pornographers is no easy transition. Head Pornographer Carl Newman even mentioned that they have had tough acts to follow throughout the tour, beginning with Okkervil and now with Grizzly Bear in the opening slot.

With better focus from me and excellent sight lines from the Calvin balcony it was not so much that I gave the band my attention as they commanded it. From the opening trio of My Rights Versus Yours, Use It and The Laws Have Changed the band established a relentless pace that would continue through the set. Drummer Kurt Dahle stood out throughout the show not only with his beat keeping but also with his showmanship behind the kit. During highlight Adventures In Solitude he played both acoustic guitar and drums. Kathryn Calder also impressed with her vocals, harmonies and work on keyboards throughout the night. Newman leads a well-oiled machine on stage as the band was note-perfect throughout the set even when trading instruments. The band finished the main set with the back-to-back punch of Sing Me Spanish Techno and The Bleeding Heart Show and opened the encore with a cover that is becoming a set staple and audience favorite, ELO’s Don’t Bring Me Down.

The ELO cover provides a solid reference point for the New Pornographers in classic rock. From the Beach Boys harmonies to the Beatles melodies on top of the power pop tempos reminiscent of the Cars or Cheap Trick, the New Pornographers have perfected sugary sweet pop rock. Maybe Jim James of My Morning Jacket had seen the band live prior to writing about a ‘peanut butter pudding surprise’ in Highly Suspicious off their latest album Evil Urges. Whatever that surprise may be, it sounds good.

Also, a brief note on Grizzly Bear who opened this show as well as the Radiohead show in Montreal the night before. After hearing the hype about Yellow House I had trouble connecting with the album but after two impressive performances for vastly different crowds I am anxious to give them another listen. They impressed both in the Calvin Theater for a few thousand and outside in the rain for 30,000 wet and muddy Radiohead fans.

Bret's Mud Bowl XV

2008-08-10T10:56:00.006-04:00

RADIOHEAD [Parc Jean Drapeau/Montreal] 8.6.08

Walking through the crowded and muddy field of Parc Jean Drapeau in Montreal I felt as though as I could have been part of a mass casting call for one of the trademark events from American poet Bret Michael’s annual quest for true love on VH1, 'Bret's Mud Bowl'. Each year he has the ‘ladies’ play football in the mud to prove their devotion to the wordsmith who crafted ‘Unskinny Bop’. Anyway, I was happy to be finally playing mudball for Radiohead (in the Bret Michael’s role).

Like a Poison fan waiting for a chance to get on the tour bus, I have been waiting for my chance to see Radiohead for years. I remember watching the Creep video on MTV in 1993, which not only dates me but also MTV because they were playing videos at that point. Actually, to continue the uncomfortable and unnecessary comparison to Bret Micheals, his band was still making albums in 1993 but to dwindling attention. As Poison and their kind were fading away Radiohead was emerging as a new force in music. The Bends received heavy rotation in college and then 1997’s OK Computer cemented the band’s status as innovators. OK is one of those perfect albums that so rarely come along, a unique vision and seemless listen. To further show how much MTV (and the music scene overall, really) has changed, when OK came out the channel devoted an evening of primetime programming to a Radiohead concert from New York City on their Live From The 10 Spot showcase. What are the chances of something like that airing today? I followed the band as they continued to explore new sounds and styles at the turn of the century with Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001) and the band’s sound has further evolved with 2003’s Hail To The Theif and last year’s In Rainbows. Due to timing, ticket availability and geography I had been unsuccessful in catching a Radiohead live performance in person until this summer.

Due to the size of the crowd (over 30,000), the rain (Thom claimed that the rain has been following the band around) and our spot near the middle of the pack visibility was not great in terms of seeing the band on stage. The impressive light show, the screens at each side of the stage and the fireworks from the city provided plenty of visual accompaniment to the band’s sound. For such a large outdoor venue the sound really was excellent and listening to the bootleg (such a quick turnaround - thank you internets) reinforces the quality. Though a crowd that size certainly has its drawbacks, such as those hammered into oblivion, those there to be seen and not to see, the talkers and so on, when a mass of people that large mobilizes it is impressive. During Fake Plastic Trees the crowd became shockingly quiet and attentive. At the end of the first encore, as the band finished Karma Police and left the stage Thom continued strumming the closing chords as the crowd sang along. Idioteque, Paranoid Android, The National Anthem and show closing Everything In Its Right Place all brought the crowd to their most frenzied. Being in Montreal, between encores the crowd pulled out the ‘Ole’ chant used at Habs games and stolen from the world of soccer proving once again that even in August hockey still permeates everything Canadian.

The opening of 15 Step, There There and Morning Bell set the tone for the entire set, while other highlights included Lucky, All I Need, Nude, Videotape and House Of Cards. The acoustic Faust Arp with just Thom and Johnny on stage opened the first encore while Thom showed his sense of humor by mugging at point blank into a camera throughout You And Whose Army? in the second encore. Overall, the performance was an experienced and rousing band displaying their full force so minor distractions like rain, mud and crowded Metro stations were insignificant.

Many of the contestants on Bret Michaels Rock of Love spend very little time with the object of their affection, some only a night, but I am sure that most of them say that it was worth after their time is up. It has been a long wait to see Radiohead live and they certainly did not disappoint. Sometimes a long build up to an event leads to a let down, but waiting fifteen years to see this band has not diminished but enhanced the experience. Plus, I don’t have to worry about catching an STD from an 80’s glam rocker.

Check out www.ateaseweb.com for live reports and anything else Radiohead related and many good quality clips from the Montreal show are up on YouTube, such as this one of Fake Plastic Trees:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDH8pgWT2fU&feature=related

Don't Call It A Comeback

2008-07-28T12:06:00.010-04:00

RUSH [SPAC] 7.5.08 and Stone Temple Pilots w/Secret Machines [CMAC] 7.15.08

OK, call it a comeback. What was once old is new again. Check area listings to see reunited, revitalized and once again relevant acts selling tickets at impressive rates. Tom Petty, no doubt riding high on his Super Bowl performance last winter, recently sold out the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center (a good size outdoor venue). The New York State Fair this summer features ZZ Top, Def Leppard (yes, armageddon it), Heart, Cheap Trick, Journey (with their new youtube singer), Boston,
Joan Jett, Eddie Money (how many tickets to paradise have you recently purchased?), Ted Nugent (be wary CNY wildlife and women), Extreme (More Than Words will be played +/- seven times) and Styx. Looking for some new and emerging rock bands at the fair? How about the Goo Goo Dolls (not so much) or the Jonas Brothers (what?). No thanks. Anyway, this ties to the first two shows on my summer concert series: RUSH on 7.5.08 at SPAC and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS/SECRET MACHINES on 7.15.08 at CMAC. In 1991, I was in 8th or 9th and enjoying the new RUSH album (er, cassette tape...) Roll The Bones and a year later Core, the debut album from STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, emerged in the midst of the grunge movement. This summer, over fifteen years later, I saw them both live.

RUSH, currently making the rounds for the second time for their latest album, Snakes & Arrows, played a diverse set from throughout their career. They wasted no time engaging the audience by opening with Limelight. Other classics spread through the set include: Freewill, Red Barchetta, The Trees, Subdivisions, The Spirit Of The Radio, 2112, Tom Sawyer and A Passage To Bangkok. From 'Roll The Bones' they played the anthemic Dreamline and Ghost Of A Chance, a song that has stayed with me in the weeks following the show. The musicianship of the band is of course impressive; Geddy Lee's voice seems to be hitting the high notes again (still?) and his bass and keyboard work provide the foundation, what can be said about Neil Peart that has not already been said (he did his trademark drum solo - has a crowd ever been so excited for a drum solo?) and Alex Lifeson creates an effective hybrid of lead and rhythm guitar. Lifeson creates and fills a lot of space with his guitar work. His acoustic solo piece Hope from Snakes & Arrows provided a nice interlude before The Spirit Of The Radio. The biggest surprise of the night for me (being my first RUSH show but attending with someone at their 25th - no joke) was the comedic skits before each set, between songs and at the show's close. Weird skits about chicken and starring band members, as well as Jerry Stiller at one point, confused as much as the presence of chicken roasters in place of Geddy Lee's bass amps that roadies occasionally came out to baste. I am still not sure what it all means other than the band has a 'sense of humor'. Evidence of the resurgence of RUSH is found in their recent appearance on The Colbert Report, their first performance on American television in 30 years. Plus, how many bands can close a set with a five-minute progressive rock intsrumental workout (YYZ) and have the crowd love every second of it.

Prior to the show I had not listened to RUSH in a long time but it reminded of one half of my musical development. During the late 80's and early 90's I split my time musically between the technique heavy rock that RUSH embodies and its rougher opposition that at the time was called grunge or the Seattle sound. This was confusing to me because at the time one of my favorite technique oriented bands was Queensryche (sorry guys, I am not sure how to put the heavy metal umlaut in above the 'y'), a band from Seattle. One band that became part of this other half of my musical brain was STONE TEMPLE PILOTS. Often derided at the time for being a Pearl Jam rip-off they are now hailed as being underrated during their heyday. Apparently it took us all fifteen years to realize that they did not sound that much like Pearl Jam after all. So, STP was another band that I had not listened to in a while until this summer's reunion tour (and a recent article from the AV Club) placed them back in the rotation.

STP, the band, sounded great throughout the night, which essentially is a greatest hits tour (no new material released since 2003 and that was one song on a 'best of' compilation) but Weiland's voice seemed a little worse for the wear (that wear being cocaine and heroine). I am going to go out on a limb and say that the steady smoking throughout the show is not helping the vocal cords. His voice improved as the night went on but he seemed to be struggling. He certainly still has all of his slithery stage moves down but his banter was difficult to decipher from our spot on the lawn. The crowd was vocal and enthusiastic throughout and the setlist of hits maintained their level of excitement. Personal favorites of the night included: Silvergun Superman and Lounge Fly (I have always been partial to their second album, Purple), Crackerman, Interstate Love Song (a really great song), Sex Type Thing, Sin and Dead And Bloated. Hearing Plush, a definitive song of the 90's, certainly brings back memories of the previous decade. The crowd seemed unecessarily aggressive all night (reinforcing that old mathematical equation of: beer + outdoor venue = db) and that culminated in a nice brawl in the parking lot we witnessed while looking for the car (a process that took longer than one might guess). Oh, some drunk girl also gave me a flat tire in the parking lot (she was running through the crowd stepping on the back of everyone's shoes yelling 'flat tire').

I realize this is long for a first entry but I cannot sign off without mentioning STP's opening band, SECRET MACHINES. Certainly one of my favorite new bands I was anxious to see them again (and for the fourth time overall) due to the recent departure of one-third of their original lineup (guitarist Ben Curtis left to join another band, in his place for now is Phil Karnats). Original members, Brandon Curtis (Ben's brother) on vocals, bass and keyboards and Josh Garza on drums continue to make the band's trademark sound with their new addition, which seemed extremely loud even near the top of the lawn. The band played two new songs, The Fire Is Waiting and Dreaming Of Dreaming to open and close their set with staples Lighting Blue Eyes, Sad And Lonely and Alone, Jealous And Stoned in the middle. It appears their new album with be out the fall and will hopefully continue the trend of their first two excellent albums, Now Here Is Nowhere and Ten Silver Drops.

With the resurgence of nostalgia in all areas of culture, not only concerts, Uncle Rico must be smiling.

hello...

2008-06-14T19:11:00.002-04:00

...this is new...