Qbertplaya's Gigoblog

R.I.P. Clarence Clemons

2011-06-20T10:59:00.004-04:00

(Clemons on the "Diff'rent Strokes" episode titled "So You Want to Be a Rock Star")
Good night, Big Man. Loved seeing you a few years ago playing with Bruce and the E Street Band.

Ad-Rock @MoMA, May 5th

2011-05-05T22:39:00.003-04:00

Ad-Rock aka Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys DJed tonight at the Museum of Modern Art in conjunction with a current exhibit, Looking at Music 3.0. His wife, Kathleen Hanna, of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre fame, was on hand to sign copies of the poster she designed for said exhibit.

We came, we waited, we listened. We capped off the evening with a nice prix fixe meal in the 2nd floor cafeteria. No cinco de mayo-ing here. Adios.

Chris Cornell @Town Hall, Apr. 13th

2011-04-20T14:48:00.001-04:00

Holy Louie. Grunge-tastic.

On a whim, I tried my hand at getting tickets to see Chris Cornell at Town Hall on Ticketmaster when they went on sale to flex my ticket karma, and lo and behold, I managed to pull a pair in the front row of the orchestra, so it was a no-brainer that I go. I had seen Cornell play before four years ago at Irving Plaza backed by a band. In the middle of that show, he did break for a few songs solo on acoustic guitar, including his moody interpretation of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." This time at Town Hall, he was sitting in for an entire acoustic set, all by himself, and with seats in the front row, it really could not have felt any more intimate.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

As you can see from the pics I posted, he looked considerably grungier this evening than the last time I saw him, perhaps in preparation for the upcoming reunion tour this summer with Soundgarden. I had been digging his shorter haircut -- after all, the better to see those piercing eyes -- but at the end of the day, I came for his amazing voice and musical ability. And surely he did deliver.

He started off the evening with a Syd Barrett cover ("Dark Globe") and played a two hour set that nicely spanned his career with Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave, as well as his solo stuff. I was very happy to hear "Say Hello 2 Heaven" by Temple of the Dog. He rounded out the set with covers (no "Billie Jean" thankfully) of songs Led Zeppelin, Ghostland Observatory, and John Lennon ("Imagine"). His cover of The Beatles' "Day In The Life" floored me, as he managed to build up all the tension that song demands with nothing more than an acoustic guitar. (It was quite a treat to see him perform this song especially in comparison to when I saw Neil Young play the same song at MSG.)

Cornell was loose and seemed happy to play the storytelling troubadour in front of this attentive crowd. Even though we were seated for most of the night, the audience was focused on this great performance by Cornell. He joked quite a bit and had a great few moments, like when he sang along to a record playing the piano accompaniment to "When I'm Down" feeling no need to involve an actual piano. It was also very sweet when he brought his young son on for a few songs to "sing" and play air guitar alongside his pop.

Perhaps the cherry on the sundae for me occurred towards the end when Cornell urged us to rise from our seats and stand, so Wawa, Lily and I pressed up against the stage. Cornell then proceeded to come to the edge and shake our hands. Heaven, indeed!

*****

Wawa and I got there early enough to catch the opener, William Elliott Whitmore, an earnest singer-songwriter, with a bluegrass flare. I liked his growly voice and his simple use of an acoustic guitar or banjo with occasional bass drum to keep his beat. I thought he had great presence, though it could have been the fact he played right above us. Imma have to check him out some more.

The Mountain Goats @The Greene Space, Mar. 30th

2011-03-31T14:02:00.002-04:00

That blur in the middle is John Darnielle, the fast talking, frenetic front man of The Mountain Goats, a band my dear roomie Hannah introduced me to a few years ago. I am still getting to know them, occasionally hearing a song here and there when I have my iPod on shuffle, but Darnielle's slightly nasal, sometimes off-key delivery is quite recognizable and charming in its ways. While the songs are not very complex musically, often consisting of chiefly a strumming guitar and without traditional rhyming scheme, the lyrics are rich in imagery and story telling, and are a treat for anyone who invests the time to really pay attention to them.

Knowing how great a fan Hannah is of Darnielle, I jumped on getting us a pair of tickets to see The Mountain Goats perform on a live broadcast of WNYC's Soundcheck program, hosted by music geek John Schaefer, pictured speaking to Darnielle above. While I am not nearly as big of a fan of the band as she is, I looked forward to the opportunity to see them in this unique context, in the middle of the day, which accommodated my schedule nicely.

Rather than try to explain the whole segment, you can listen to it here:

Backed by drums, bass and a piano, Darnielle played a few songs off The Mountain Goats' newest album, All Eternals Deck. The standout track for me was "Damn These Vampires," but overall, Darnielle and the Goats brought all the songs to life. Seeing them live has helped pique my interest and I shall have to listen to them more closely.

The actual venue itself, The Greene Space, is a nice, small venue, with HD monitors all about so you can see views other than your own. Sound-wise, I had no complaints. The show attracted an interesting mix of people -- some older people who look like they listen to public radio 24-7, and then there were the uber-fans. Not knowing what we were up for, Hannah and I wandered by the venue an hour before showtime and there were a few diehards already there, so it being a sunny day, we decided to get in line too. At one point, Darnielle came out to grab a bite for lunch before the show, and he greeted the line. Darnielle seems totally goofy and earnest, with a bit of spazzy thrown in. One of the uber-fans whom I shall dub the Rainman of Rubik's Cubes leapt at the chance to speak to his hero and was totally digging the fact that Darnielle did a modified handshake arm grab with him.

*****

The first part of the program featured Suzanne Vega (yes, that Suzanne Vega) who has recently put together a bunch of songs with Duncan Sheik (yes, that Duncan Sheik) for a one-woman play she is doing about the life of author Carson McCullers. No, we didn't get to hear her sing "Luka," "Tom's Diner" or "Left of Center" but it was still great to see her perform. Her voice hasn't changed. The few songs from the play, "Carson McCullers Talks About Love," were interesting ditties that had quite a few lyrics culled from things McCullers actually said or wrote.

With either performance, it was a good taste of the music, but, probably, too short at about 15-20 minutes a piece. Or, rather, it might have been just right for what it was.

Update - you can watch the program in its entirety below:

LCD Soundsystem @Terminal 5, Mar. 28th

2011-03-30T21:05:00.001-04:00

Wow. Um, just wow.

I hadn't seen LCD Soundsystem in about 4 years to the date, figuring how on earth would they ever top my experience seeing them at the intimate Bowery Ballroom, but the lure of their farewell tour sucked me in and boy, am I glad I went (even if it was in the dreaded Terminal 5)! Wawa had to bail on me due to a business trip, so I ended up getting in line early-ish (4pm?) before the after work crowd, which allowed me to take it all in from front row center on the rail. Once the show kicked in, though, I wasn't so sure that I had made the right decision in being so close to the action 'cause lemme tell you, I have quite a few bruises on my arms from being an unwilling participant in the mosh pit. It's a good thing this is the last LCD Soundsystem show I'm seeing because I am getting way too old for this shit. I talked extensively to a freshman from Yale who was exactly half my age, and there was some girl in line who was sprinkling glitter on people around her, and had she gotten some on me, there would have been trouble!

(More words and plenty of pics after the jump.)

The constant jostling of the moshers and crowd surfers aside (which I suppose did add to the overall energy), I absolutely adored LCD Soundsystem and their 3 hour long show, even if it did cut into my bedtime big time. James Murphy, loveable slob that he is, proved quite the affable maestro, keeping us moving non-stop and really upping the ante for these much-heralded shows. There was a male chorus in the upper level. Guests including Reggie Watts and The Juan Maclean showed up (see below). The band even managed to play a good chunk of 45:33, which I did not expect.

I jumped in a cab back home and quickly got into bed, hoping to make the most of the 4 hours I had until I had to get up for work, but I had trouble falling immediately asleep, as I could feel my body still twitching to the beat.

Dancing Fool!

2011-03-10T06:35:00.001-05:00

BOOMBOX from Ely Kim on Vimeo.
This guy is so dorkilicious! Click here for the full track listing. Thanks to Alan for hooking me up with this gem.

Neil Young Tribute @Carnegie Hall, Feb. 10th

2011-02-13T10:59:00.004-05:00

To me, tribute shows are kind of a mixed bag. We go because we adore and want to celebrate the illustrious career of a prolific artist, yet we bring certain expectations, perhaps unfairly so, and I end up walking away feeling somewhat elated, a tad disappointed (unlike last year's superb and much cheaper Dylan Fest). Thursday night’s Neil Young tribute at Carnegie Hall felt par for the course to me. While producer Michael Dorf clearly has the vision and pull to do this on a yearly basis (starting with the Joni Mitchell tribute that I attended five years ago in the same venue) and I applaud that effort, especially since these shows benefit a number of worthwhile charities, I cannot turn off my critical eye and ignore the evening’s shortcomings.

(More words, a pic, a video and the setlist after the jump.)

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be front and center in the pit for Neil Young’s two nights at MSG. It was my first time seeing him live, and he really knocked my socks off. Each night he rocked out for 2-1/2 hours, keeping the energy going and making us forget how long we were on our feet. At Carnegie Hall, however, the majority of the performers played quiet tunes that felt at times somber and a little sleep-inducing. Perhaps it was the venue and being seated (who shushes in between songs at a concert?), or maybe it was the focus on keeping it simple and largely acoustic, but I felt a little distracted and often referred to the setlist printed in the program to see what was next. I found myself wishing a number of the performers had more than one song each. It's not uncommon that most performers actually need a few songs to warm up to the crowd, so having to switch up after every song really disrupted the flow of what could have been a really strong evening. Even the normally attention-grabbing Glen Hansard felt subdued to me.

Anyway, the complications of a tribute show aside, a few of the performers really stood out for me. Joe Purdy proved to be a great opener, alone on his guitar, playing the humble singer-songwriter role well. Bettye LaVette did a great rendition of “Heart Of Gold” that she apparently released in the early ‘70s, joking that she was probably the only sister into Neil Young back in the day. I was excited to hear J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. shred on “Cortez The Killer.” Granted, it’s probably easier to dazzle with Young’s electric guitar-focused rock than his quiet acoustic pieces, but by the level of applause, I think everyone agreed that Jakob Dylan on “Southern Man” and The Roots (with some of The Dirty Projectors as backup) on “Down By The River” tied for most energetic. And last, but definitely not least, my queen, Patti Smith, ended the main set with a quiet but stirring “It’s A Dream” though she did goof it up a little and stood there looking a little sheepish, waiting for her daughter on piano to catch her up on the missed verse. But really, Patti can do no wrong for me.

As expected, most of the lineup came out to join the fantastic “house band” fronted by Larry Campbell for a stirring encore of “Ohio” followed by “Hey Hey, My My.” The last two songs really captured what I was hoping to get all along for the 2 hours we were there – the restless energy that permeates Young’s work, be it a drifting song like “Harvest Moon” or the fuzzed out grunge of his rockingest pieces. I only wish that momentum could have been carried throughout the show.

Here's a video I snuck of Glen Hansard covering Neil Young's "Tell Me Why":

And the setlist:

Joe Purdy "Out on the Weekend"

Joan Osborne "Old Man"

Bettye LaVette "Heart Of Gold"

J Mascis "Cortez The Killer"

Ben Ottewell (of Gomez) "Unknown Legend"

The Wood Brothers "Sugar Mountain"

Shawn Colvin "Birds"

DeVotchKa "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"

Mason Jennings "Red Sun"

Nada Surf "Barstool Blues"

Bebel Gilberto "Harvest Moon"

Cowboy Junkies "Don't Let It Bring You Down"

Keller Williams "Comes A Time"

Glen Hansard "Tell Me Why"

Juliana Hatfield & Evan Dando "Cinnamon Girl"

Aaron Neville "Helpless"

Jakob Dylan "Southern Man"

Pete Yorn "Rockin' In The Free World"

The Roots "Down By The RIver"

Patti Smith with Jessie Smith "It's A Dream"

encore

"Ohio"

"Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)"

The Roulette Sisters @Retrofret, Jan. 15th

2011-02-12T17:46:00.001-05:00

Ahh, friendship has its privileges. Bestest Boy and I were invited by our friends, The Roulette Sisters, to attend the release party for their newest CD, Introducing..., even though they hardly need any introducin'. On a chilly January night we gathered in the amazing Retrofret Vintage Guitars where this quartet of lovely ladies warmed us with their fresh sounding take on familiar saucy tunes, with a few originals stuck in as well.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

This new album was the result of the ladies reuniting last year after a period of downtime for them. Bestest Boy and I caught them almost a year ago at Barbès, where they played together as a band for the first time after 2-1/2 years, and on this night, it sounded like they have moved forward beautifully in the past eleven months.

As they played amongst dozens of unique guitars, they each brought different elements of their personalities to the songs. Seeing The Roulette Sisters play live is not to merely sit at a concert and listen; they have a wonderful way of drawing you in and making you feel like you're at a family gathering. What a privilege it was to witness this collaboration.

And now let's introduce them:

Meg Reichardt, guitar

Megan Burleyson, washboard

Mamie Minch, resonator guitar

and Karen Waltuch, viola

You can buy their sweet new album in MP3 format on Amazon and iTunes.

Pavement @Central Park Summerstage, Sept. 21st

2011-02-12T15:04:00.003-05:00

(My apologies for throwing these up nearly five months later. It's a bummer when life gets in the way of blogging.)

I was never a rabid fan of Pavement, so when these reunion shows were announced like a year in advance, I poo-pooed them, especially since they were to take place in Central Park at Summerstage, which in my experience usually gives rise to bad sound and sightlines as well as extreme weather. But then before the week of Pavement came, I succumbed to the buzz, pulled out my CDs and gave their tunes a whirl again, and became determined to see them (but not at scalper prices). Lucky for me and Julie, I managed to grab a pair off of Craigslist way below face value at $20 a pop, and with my wacky work schedule, got in line early and after a few hours of doing crossword puzzles, found myself front on the rail, center, excited for what would be a good night of music.

(More words, pics and videos after the jump.)

Pavement's fans seemed to be a good bunch, too. While I was in line I found myself between two generations who were eager to get in. When a dude came around hoping to sniff out someone selling a ticket, this older fan behind me gave him an extra for free. It was this laid back attitude that characterizes the slacker charm of Stephen Malkmus and Pavement. We were packed in like sardines by the stage, but we all seemed content to be bopping our heads in unison along to the music. I had a broad grin across my face for the entire evening, and though I got to work six hours later, exhausted, that smile remained on my face as I trudged through my shift. So pleased to have been there.

Also, for a while, right in front of me in the pit, was Lee Ranaldo from Sonic Youth. I wanted to whisper in his ear sweet nothings but that would have been creepy, no?

Here are two videos I shot -- my favorite "Cut Your Hair" and the manic "Conduit For Sale":

Thee Oh Sees opened. The problem with posting five months later is that details escape my mind. I remember thinking that they had a lot of punch and were a solid opener, but not an act I'd seek out specifically. Oh well. Cheers.

"Clearly, you have both equally whored out your music."

2011-01-13T07:23:00.003-05:00

Tuesday night on The Colbert Report, the ever hilarious Stephen Colbert featured Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys versus Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend in a heated face-off over who had the better Grammy-nominated Best Alternative album of the past year.

I'm pretty sure that I gnash my teeth every time I hear Vampire Weekend's "Holiday" on my TV...

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings @Prospect Park Bandshell, Aug. 7th

2010-08-09T08:07:00.008-04:00

Wow...just wow. I don't know why it took me so long to experience the stunning Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, but lawdy, I'm sure glad I went to the concert that closed out a great summer of Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Prospect Park Bandshell and finally got to witness the phenomenon that she is. Sharon Jones blew my mind with her energy, singing, dancing -- you name it, she was a solid gold MVP, James Brown heir-apparent. For 2+ hours, she and her stellar bandmates (including members of the Bushwick Philharmonic) kept the 20,000+ crowd on their feet, grooving along to a wonderful retro-soul/funk sound that did not let up. She was also assisted on a few songs by the charming Lee Fields.

(More words, pics and a video after the jump.)
Though it is difficult to isolate particular highlights, I really dug their version of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land" and most of all, a longer segment during which Jones described her family tree which gave rise to the amazing performer before us. I loved how she took off her shoes and really danced hard for that one. I also enjoyed the moments she took a break from singing to address her hometown crowd (having grown up in nearby Bed-Stuy), calling out her niece in the audience.

It has been a long journey for this former corrections officer at Rikers, and I hope we gave her the reception she deserved. I felt like I could have danced all night!

"20,000 people!"

Here's Sharon Jones with a stripped down band performing the last cut from their latest album, "Mama Don't Like My Man":

*****

The evening kicked off with another local act and labelmate, The Budos Band (some of whom I actually saw a few nights prior backing up Spoon at the Arcade Fire concert at MSG). This all dude band played a good hour of jazz/funk that had the crowd bopping along in their seats, heavily promoting their third and latest release. I liked their loose style (especially that of the bassist, who seemed to be the instigator/clown of the bunch) but I thought their music could have perhaps used some vocals to mix up the set a bit.

Update: Brooklyn Vegan quoted me and used my video here.

Metric @Prospect Park Bandshell, Aug. 5th

2010-08-06T18:15:00.006-04:00

After the prior night's amazing Arcade Fire concert, I had already somewhat written off this interesting line-up of female fronted bands. I was pretty exhausted, but figured it's the last week of Celebrate Brooklyn!, so I dragged my butt over to Prospect Park, especially since it'd be a good opportunity to see Holly Miranda again, and to check out Joan As Policewoman and Metric for the first time.

I bought a Metric album (Live It Out) when it came out a handful of years ago and dutifully loaded it onto my iPod, but it never really got a hold of me. I was more interested in other Canadian exports at the time (The Dears and Stars, for example), but always appreciated lead singer Emily Haines' contribution to Broken Social Scene. Last night was my first opportunity to see her own proper work.

I can see why the kids love Metric's music. It's danceable and catchy. I would not call it pithy by any means. But Haines' performance makes it worth watching if you feel like moving. She's got an incredible energy level that's enviable, and a fierce stage persona that alternated between sexy hot and crazy scary. By the time the band hit the stage after 9pm, the sky was dark, which allowed the strobe lights and thumping bass line to put a flutter in your step.

Good to see, but aided by the fact that it was a free show. Plus, there was a truck giving out soft serve ice cream.

(More pics after the jump.)

*****

Holly Miranda opened the show. This was my third time in the last year catching the talented and beautiful singer, who more or less played an abbreviated version of the set I caught of hers last time. Out of the three acts, she was my favorite. I prefer seeing her at a smaller venue like the Bowery Ballroom with her headlining, when you knew everyone in the audience was there to see her specifically. I felt like the audience at the Bandshell was still trickling in, and the sun had not set yet, so the lack of intimacy and focus of the crowd affected the experience for me. Musically speaking, though, Holly and her crew sounded great and they were enhanced by guest Kaki King on guitar for a few songs.

*****

The second opener was Joan As Policewoman. She was not really arresting, to say the least. (Ba dum dumm.) She and her musicians are very capable, she has a good voice, she looks like Gina Gershon trying to recreate the '80s...I know, nothing very constructive to say here. Just not my cup of tea, I suppose. I couldn't get into her music.

PS - Spotted JG Thirlwell who we saw at Celebrate Brooklyn! in June come in for Joan As Policewoman.

Arcade Fire @MSG, Aug. 4th

2010-08-05T03:24:00.002-04:00

I've been up for 22 hours, so operating on fumes now, but even as I put together this entry, I'm IMing with an old concert buddy, Rad, recapping tonight's Arcade Fire at Madison Square Garden show. My expectations were not the highest, as their latest album, The Suburbs, has yet to grow on me, since I haven't had it for that long, and well, not much measures up to the amazing Funeral, which I still listen to on a semi-weekly basis. But once the openers and their instruments cleared the stage, and the roadies began setting up Arcade Fire's gear -- I think there were no less than seven monitors across the front of the stage, two sets of drums, a bunch of keyboards and a piano -- I began to get really excited. I was reminded of the other times I had seen this expansive band and loved the energy that I felt from them and the crowd, which has grown successively larger with each venue they play. And here they were, about to play the biggest gig in the city for two nights in a row.

(More words and pics, including a setlist, after the jump.)

Whereas in prior occasions I did not have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the band, this time I made sure to get in line a little bit earlier than the post work crowd, allowing me and my friends to be on the rail this time, and to our delight, the sound mix was perfect even up front.

Win Butler, the front man, did his best to engage the pit by stepping in front of the stage a number of times suspended between a tall box and the rail. He even engaged in a bit of daredeviltry at one point, walking on the rail while aided by outstretched arms. And he teased the MSG crowd by reminiscing about his beloved Houston Rockets' victory in the 1994 NBA finals over the Knicks.

The band was amazing to watch, as various members zipped around the stage, switching up instruments with each song. They played a setlist (picture below) that lasted about 90 minutes and featured songs from throughout their catalog. The crowd responded eagerly, especially for favorites, "Power Out," "Rebellion (Lies)" and the closer, "Wake Up," and there might have been a few lulls for the newer songs, but, overall, I would describe the show as simply triumphant.

*****

The openers were Owen Pallett and Spoon. I was not familiar with Pallett's solo work either as himself or under the former moniker, Final Fantasy. Previously, I had only seen him years ago play with Arcade Fire at Webster Hall. His music, comprised mainly of a violin, a synthesizer, his voice and some nifty looping pedals (and a second fellow on percussion for a few songs), at first listen seemed an unlikely choice to fill an arena, but he handled the task rather deftly, I thought, and made the people who bothered coming early happy. Like a delicious amuse-bouche.

Spoon, being the consummate professionals that they are, I thought did an admirable job as well, warming up the crowd despite the sound mix crapping out on them midway. If you check out the setlist below, it focused heavily on their two most recent releases, with a smattering of older singles. Lead singer Britt Daniel stood out, clad in all whites.

The Swell Season @Prospect Park Bandshell, July 30th

2010-08-02T17:24:00.005-04:00

By now, everyone and their mother has seen the movie "Once" starring musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, so it came as no surprise that the crowd for The Swell Season was packed to the gills. Luckily, because I am a Friend (member) of Celebrate Brooklyn!, I was able to avoid the tremendous line and secure my seat early -- front row center! There was also a special pre-concert reception for Friends, so you betcha I consumed my share of cheese, fruit, chicken skewers, beer and Vitamin Water. While I had already taken advantage of my Friends pass a number of times this summer (Allen Toussaint and JG Thirlwell just to name a few), this evening alone was worth the meager $50 contribution.

(More words, pics and vids after the jump.)

We were delighted by The Low Anthem earlier and could not wait for The Swell Season to start up. Initially, just Hansard and Irglova took to the stage, and then eventually they were joined by the rest of their band mates. The two leads sharply contrasted with each other both in style and appearance. Hansard is a passionate troubadour, wailing at times at the top of his lungs, full of energy. Irglova, on the other hand, is demure and her delicate presence is somewhat muted -- with her bobbed haircut and plain dress, I was reminded of Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music." Together they played a wonderful 90+ minute set composed of the gorgeous music I first heard in "Once" and then subsequently in their second album, Strict Joy, which dealt with their falling out of love. We also heard a few cuts from Hansard's primary band, The Frames.

As expected, they were nothing short of awesome. With Hansard at the core of the band, his voice is the heart of the music, as it surged with emotion, but the songs in which Irglova took the lead provided a good balance, as her voice has a more plaintive quality and showed more restraint. They really make beautiful music together, and it's nice to see that even though they no longer are a couple, they still manage to tour together as The Swell Season.

To close out the night, the band invited The Low Anthem and their friend Josh Ritter to the stage to join them on their cover of Bob Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" (as featured on the "I'm Not There" soundtrack). It was one of those magical, electrifyingly good, edge of your seat evenings you wished would go on and on.

Glen performed an abbreviated but powerful "Say It To Me Now" as part of the encore:

Here is the last song, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" with The Low Anthem and Josh Ritter. Unfortunately, the mic was not picking up the vocals well, but you can see from the video that they're having a blast.

The Low Anthem @Prospect Park Bandshell, July 30th

2010-08-02T09:50:00.003-04:00

The Low Anthem opened up at Celebrate Brooklyn! in Prospect Park on Friday night for The Swell Season, and they were fantastic! They were very different from Glen Hansard, et al., but the two bands' music really complemented each other well.

I didn't know anything about The Low Anthem prior to the show, but thoroughly enjoyed their eclectic, mostly gentle but at times rockin' sound that had its roots in folky and Appalachian music. I particularly loved how each member of the band played multiple instruments, perhaps the most unique being a pair of cell phones using whistling and feedback, almost mimicking a theremin, on "This God Damn House." Gorgeous harmonies, too. I can't wait to check out more of their music.

(More pics after the jump.)

Sting @The Metropolitan Opera, July 14th

2010-08-02T09:15:00.004-04:00

Sure, nowadays Sting might be a little corny and adult contemporary for my tastes, but back in the day (I'm talking Police and his early solo days), he scorching hot. In fact, I had a poster of his Nothing Like The Sun album on the ceiling of my undergrad freshman year dorm room above my top bunk.

I never got around to seeing him or the reunited Police in all these years. Oftentimes, my annoyance at the excessive prices of the tickets and size of the venues outweighed my desire to go see him. So when a few months ago, it was announced that Sting would be playing The Metropolitan Opera House with the Royal Philharmonic and that "cheap" tickets could be had for ~$35, I figured, why not.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

I took Bestest Boy and his sister, The Susannah, and her boyfriend, The Artist known as Kaleda. Little did I realize that my SRO Family Circle tickets meant that we were not only in the last row of the entire venue; we were standing! Yowzers - talk about nosebleeds! Sting was a little white blob waaaaayyy down below. But it ended up okay, as I had drank a considerable amount of red wine beforehand in celebration of Bastille Day, and therefore wanted to sing and dance. Plus, after the intermission, we were able to find vacated seats further down in the section and rest, so it was all good.

As for the music itself? I knew probably 2/3s of his nearly 3 hour setlist, as he hit mostly his solo catalog with a few Police standards thrown in ("Roxanne," "Every Breath You Take"). For most of the evening, he stood at the front and sang while the orchestra accompanied him, and it was not until the encores did he pick up a guitar and play himself. But what a delicious sounding "Fragile" it was.

Even with our faraway seats, sound-wise, it was pretty impressive hearing all the songs with a full orchestra of 40+ instruments supporting, especially on "Russians." And, I had a good time walking down memory lane, revisiting songs I hadn't heard in a while, even with that over-played "Fields Of Gold."

Good night, overall, and now I can cross Sting off my list. =)

(Videos coming soon.)

The Roots & OkayAfrica@Prospect Park Bandshell, July 11th

2010-07-12T12:31:00.002-04:00

My god, yesterday at the Prospect Park Bandshell for Celebrate Brooklyn! was perhaps the biggest crowd I've seen there, ever. By the time Bestest Boy and I got into the Friends line at 4pm, the regular line extended around beyond where we could see. I was so glad we had our passes.

We were lured into venturing out in the questionable weather (it was 90+ degrees out, muggy, and raining at times) mainly by headliners Talib Kweli and The Roots (both of whom I hadn't seen since a very sweaty show at Webster four years ago). The long afternoon showcased lots of other music, however, as this afternoon also served as the launch of Okay Africa, a new blog highlighting music that is African and/or African-influenced. We got a tease of The Roots to open the show, and then emcee Sahr Ngaujah, the star of Broadway's Fela!, led us through a lineup of bands from several African nations. We heard from diverse bands such as Dragons of Zynth, Zakee, Baja + The Dry Eye Crew, and Ngaujah himself, but my personal favorite was hearing the excellent hip hop artist Blitz the Ambassador from Ghana, who made the crowd forget the sticky humidity and got us on our feet, with his rapid lightning lyrics and big horn sound.

Unfortunately, Bestest Boy had an early call time the next morning, so we had to leave before Talib Kweli and The Roots' main set since the show was running up to an hour late. Even with our premature departure, we didn't feel that the time spent in the gross outdoors was a complete waste of time, for we did get a good 3+ hours of entertainment.

(More pics after the jump.)

Ozomatli @Prospect Park Bandshell, July 9th

2010-07-12T06:06:00.004-04:00

If I had to characterize LA band Ozomatli's sound, it would not be an easy task, for they play music with a sound that varies as much as its performers, ranging from rock to hip hop to Latin to R&B to soul...anyway, you get the idea. With every song came a different lead vocalist from the prior. A few of the band members also proved adept at playing multiple instruments. Also, with such different styles, the band was able to cover much ground in terms of sentiment, be it political or love or just plain fun. What resulted was a great energetic blend that had the crowd stomping, clapping and dancing along with the beat.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

The guys worked with the audience well, getting us to chant and wave our arms along often. They also constantly moved about the stage, sometimes in a funny coordinated fashion, but always with a non-stop energy that ended with them coming down to ground level from the stage and leading the front of the crowd in a small march. I didn't get to march along, but I left the park that evening, happy and buzzing.

I knew little about the band beyond their Aztec-sounding name, but became totally game to see them once I heard they were part of the Celebrate Brooklyn! line up. While they were not one of my primary reasons for signing up for a Friends membership since I had never heard their music, I figured they'd be one of the bands I'd check out as gravy to the shows I definitely wanted to see (Sharon Jones, The Swell Season, Sonic Youth). I sure am glad that I did come by this past Friday night.

We also got to check out opener Fidel Nadal, a reggae artist from Argentina formerly of Todos Tus Muertos who sounded great and seemed genuinely pleased to be performing in Brooklyn. He was a good complement to Ozomatli, priming the crowd for dancing.

Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree @Smithville Town Square (TN), July 3rd

2010-07-12T01:13:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, we traveled down to Smithville, TN, about an hour east of Nashville for some family-related fun. Our trip coincided with the 39th annual Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree, a two-day bluegrass country music festival in which musicians and dancers from across the region squared off against each other in judged competition in numerous categories, culminating in some eventual winners. We arrived at the Town Square in time for the last few hours of the jamboree, so we got to witness some of the finest banjo-pickin' and strummin' that side of the Mississippi, or something like that.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

It was a hoot hearing this kind of music, as it really put us in the mood for our trip. This was the real deal, folks, in a small southern town in the U.S. of A. When we first got there, we checked out some of the local crafts and ran into a number of people who knew our hosts. We also got to see a number of the musician groups practicing quietly behind the square under the trees in the dark. They were nervous with excitement, as their performances were being broadcast live on the local public television channel, and there were money prizes on the line and the glory of being champion till next year's Jamboree.

Our gracious hosts confessed that in all their years living in the area, they had not really spent any time sitting and watching the competition, but that our visit finally afforded them the excuse to do so. And when the heck else are ya ever gonna see a woman playing a upright washtub? So awesome.

*****

Earlier in the day, Bestest Boy and I decided to hit downtown Nashville for a spell and upon the recommendation of a few, visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, even though neither of us particularly cares about that genre of music a whole lot. To our surprise, we easily spent three hours there, as it is an excellently designed museum with a lot of well-presented material, covering both the audio and visual, with plenty to watch, read and see. Anyone who appreciates music and wants to know more about the roots of American music should visit this joint. Currently, there is an extensive exhibit on Hank Williams' short life and his son, Hank Jr. and his progeny. I especially liked the video footage documenting Loretta Lynn's song, "The Pill" and seeing many colorful costumes, some of which I photographed on my cell phone and placed below.

Porter Wagoner's "Nudie" Suit and guitar

Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner

Handwritten lyrics to "Jolene" by Dolly Parton

Gram Parsons' "Nudie" Suit

Dolly Parton's Hall of Fame Plaque

JG Thirlwell @Prospect Park Bandshell, June 18th

2010-07-11T23:06:00.009-04:00

We rallied up the troops for this Celebrate Brooklyn show at Prospect Park because our friend Karen (of The Roulette Sisters) was playing in a twenty piece orchestra led by composer JG Thirlwell. They performed his Steroid Maximus project as well as some music from The Venture Brothers (which pleased Bestest Boy a lot, he being a fan of the Cartoon Network show). What does this all mean, you might ask? Well, for orchestra music, this was perhaps the grooviest, funkiest stuff I've ever heard live in such a format, sounding like something straight off of a '70s James Bond soundtrack. I often expected some villains to storm across the stage. It was quite fantastic to see the audience bopping their heads and feet along to the retro beat.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

I don't know much about Thirlwell himself, but it seemed like he felt a little awkward up there on the raised platform, moving his arms ever so slightly and stiffly. He looked a little out of place and perhaps would have been content to let the orchestra members just do their thing. Nonetheless, it was still great seeing the man behind the music, as though he were the Wizard of Oz.

*****

Before JG Thirlwell hit the stage, the wonderfully enigmatic Dr. Lonnie Smith warmed up the crowd. Known as a master of the Hammond B-3 organ he played some more straightforward jazz, but it still pulled me in, reminding me of the time my mom and I went up to Newport, RI, for the Jazz Festival there some years ago. I found myself entranced by the whirring of the Hammond B-3 and would gladly get caught up in Dr. Smith's spell another time.

Dan Deacon @Red Hook Park, June 15th

2010-06-16T18:02:00.001-04:00

Bolstered by perfect weather and a chance to spend time with The Susannah, I ventured deeper into my borough to Red Hook Park, which last night hosted a concert by the oft-scorned or completely adored Dan Deacon and his ensemble. Oh, and did I mention it was free?

Based on the crowd assembled near the stage by me, I had many misgivings about whether I'd enjoy the show. I so desperately wanted to shove a few people, but that would have involved making actual contact with their sweaty bodies. Rather, I opted to chill and just have a good time, and that I did.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

Dan Deacon does not play traditional music in any sense, and his vocals are complete gibberish, but underlying it all is a nicely complex rhythm that sometimes employs four or more people on drums pounding out a layered beat. It reminded me a lot of the time I went to see Les Savy Fav.

Dan Deacon is a total slob, but I mean that in the best way. He truly is the Hipster Pied Piper, showing the kids how to have a non-stop good time.

Allen Toussaint @Prospect Park Bandshell, June 12th

2010-06-16T10:50:00.004-04:00

Despite having to work the next morning, I dragged Bestest Boy out to Prospect Park on Saturday to make use of our Friend passes we received for contributing to Celebrate Brooklyn!, the group responsible for the excellent line up at the Bandshell summer after summer. We caught a great pairing of New Orleans pianists, the legendary Allen Toussaint, and the entertaining Davell Crawford.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

Crawford came on the stage first alone, playing a short set of about half an hour of so. He impressed us with his flashy skills on the keys, and paid tribute to a number of influences. He seemed genuinely happy to be there to be warming up the crowd for who was to come next.

After Crawford's set, Allen Toussaint took to the enormous stage, also by himself, and led us through an hour long set of a wide selection of songs, ranging from the beautifully introspective to that big New Orleans funk thump-thump-thump. I was especially pleased by our seating in the pit, which allowed us to really watch both gentlemen as their fingers flew with great ease while tickling the ivories.

Toussaint was a nice contrast to the flash of Crawford. His quiet but focused energy made us feel like he was playing to an intimate group of people in some random jazz club, not a big park in the middle of New York City with thousands of people.

To close out the evening after Toussaint, Crawford returned to the stage, but this time with a full band. They played more rockin' selections, and also featured other players, including a great solo segment by the percussionist and singing by the flautist.

I am so pleased to have caught this show and look forward to seeing much, much more this summer at Prospect Park.

Tokyo Police Club @The Studio at Webster Hall, June 2nd

2010-06-16T01:05:00.002-04:00

Occasionally, writing this little crap blog affords me the opportunity to attend out gigs at the behest of a publicist, and as you might know, I'm all about the free. Such was the case with this mostly invite-only record release show for Tokyo Police Club, a buzz band that up until this point, I had little reason to check out. But with the lure of free booze and a chance to see the Studio at Webster Hall, and an early start that worked well with proceeding work day, I brought along Shana and Julie for what ended up being an enjoyable evening.

(More words and setlist after the jump.)
TPC, a quartet of young lads from Canada, may not make exceptionally remarkable music, but have a solid presence and a sound that held the crowd's attention and worked well in the small venue. They reminded me of the time I saw The Kooks, but without the (somewhat pretentious and unearned) swagger. Rather, they were well-rehearsed and pretty straightforward in their presentation, sticking to a short set of less than 45 minutes. I was not familiar with their music prior to this gig, but I enjoyed the energy these fellas had and look forward to listening to their second effort, Champ. Overall, a good introduction to this band.

Dylan Fest @Bowery Ballroom, May 27th

2010-06-16T01:01:00.001-04:00

Dylan Fest, the best $13 ever spent? An assembly of some very well-known musicians, and some not so well known ones, but all very enthusiastic and talented people (with the possible exception of Adam Green, who couldn't be bothered to learn lyrics or even read off his cheat sheet all that well) playing a 2.5 hour set of purely Bob Dylan songs -- could it get any better than that? Despite the late start, I really enjoyed seeing all the different players, including a few I probably would never ordinarily see. Even Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis of SNL showed up and pitched in on a song -- how's that for random? At the end, the entire gang returned and filled the entire stage, and you could really feel the warmth radiating outward. What a pleasure it was to witness this party.

(More pics after the jump.)

Yundi @Carnegie Hall, May 20th

2010-06-16T00:55:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while, I deviate from the usual indie rock show and go back to my roots -- 10 years of piano lessons when I was a kid. And I can blame/thank my mom for that. We were originally supposed to see the Chinese wunderkind Yundi back in November of last year, but it was rescheduled to this Spring, which nicely coincided with the Dalai Lama being in town at Radio City Music Hall, to which I won a pair of passes for earlier in the day.

As you can see from the above cell phone pic I snuck, I purposely picked seats in the Second Tier that would allow us to have a good view of the piano so we could see his handiwork. The program was almost entirely comprised of pieces by Chopin, including Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, aka the Funeral March. As the first part was all nocturnes, I thought his performance, though technically impressive, was a bit restrained (especially compared to a flamboyant nutjob like Lang Lang). But once he got into the Polonaises, Yundi really took off from the preciousness that so dominated his nocturnes. He closed out the evening with two encores, including a traditional Chinese song my mom picked up on, and Etude in C minor, Op. 10, No. 12 (Revolutionary), which left the not-quite full auditorium breathless.

Holly Miranda @Bowery Ballroom, May 26th

2010-05-27T14:12:00.004-04:00

Thanks to a drawing by Other Music, Shana and I were able to check out the lovely Holly Miranda for her headlining gig at The Bowery Ballroom. The only other time I had seen her perform was last Fall at the Brooklyn Vegan CMJ Day Show at Pianos, where she appeared with only a guitar and the guitarist from her band. This time, we were given the full band treatment, supplemented by a bass, drums, and for most songs, a saxophone and trumpet. With New York being her home turf, she invited a number of guests on the stage, including Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio to join her.

(More words and pics including a setlist, and a video after the jump.)

Unlike the last time I saw her, this time I had heard her excellent album, The Magician's Private Library, and had expectations. Her live performance manages to sound different from the haunting recorded versions yet is still quite amazing. It grabbed me much like the time Shana and I saw Bon Iver, even similarly ending with a group ensemble chorus for "Pelican Rapids." The setlist (see below) also included a Yoko Ono cover and a stirring Etta James cover which demonstrated her soulfulness, reminding me of a less pissy Fiona Apple.

I am looking forward to her gig this summer opening up for Metric at Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Prospect Park Bandshell on August 5th.

The National, sort of @High Violet Annex, May 13th

2010-05-14T00:25:00.003-04:00

In conjunction with the release of their latest album, The National has set up a 5 day long pop-up store called the High Violet Annex right next to Other Music. For the past few nights, some interesting friends of the band have shown up to DJ or perform, so this afternoon I decided to take a break from feeling bogged down with this head cold, and checked out the Annex since it was free and I don't have to work tomorrow.

After picking up the new album at Other Music (I fell for their marketing ploy!), I got into line relatively easily around 5:30 or so. Just after 6 we were allowed into the tiny space, and lo and behold, I got some prime real estate, front center, and was even able to rest on some equipment cases. For the next 3 hours we were treated to some brief but excellent sets by the psychedelic country-tinged Phosphorescent, the lovely Sharon Van Etten, and the dreamy Antlers, and as an added treat, some music by The National, sort of. Well, the crowd was a-buzz with excitement, as equipment labeled with the band's name appeared on stage, and then one Devendorf, then the other, and then one Dessner, and then the other, climbed on stage to set it up, but alas, no Matt Berninger tonight.

(More words and pics, and a video after the jump.)
Instead, the Devendorfs as well as another dude on trumpet and someone on guitar first played some music to accompany an abstract short film. Then, just the Dessner twins -- Aaron and Bryce -- appeared with their guitars along with would-be filmmaker Sufjan Stevens himself, who got on stage to introduce his short film made of swirly, screensaver-y stills of sci-fi movies he watched as a kid. I really dug this portion of the evening, as it highly reminded me of the time I had the good fortune to see Yo La Tengo at Prospect Park playing a live soundtrack to some documentary film, though perhaps even closer this time.

Here's a partial clip of the Sufjan short "Destroy Those Irritating Memories":

So, not a true National performance per se, but still a great evening for music. And, Sufjan did brush up against me both as he climbed onto and came down from the stage. I am now tempted to check out the remaining nights, even if I have to drag Bestest Boy along...

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live! @The Nokia Theatre, May 11th

2010-05-13T16:21:00.007-04:00

Caught "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Live!" the other night at The Nokia Theatre. Not my usual cup of tea -- I went because Bestest Boy and my brother are fans, and I managed to snag them and some buddies a block of front row tickets. I actually have enjoyed an episode here and there of the show on Cartoon Network, but usually at 2 in the morning when I'm half asleep and have the drunken attention span that the 15 minute show demands. I was curious how the live format would go, and though some moments were definitely funny, the uneven momentum never allowed the show to really take off.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

First things first, I wanna complain about the start time. Doors at 7, show at 8. Or so they said. By the time Dave Willis came onto the stage after 8:45, we were seriously annoyed. Who did they think they were? Axl Rose? Maybe they were hoping the venue would be more than 2/3s full.

Willis opened up competently on acoustic guitar with harmonica for a little ditty, but unfortunately, the mic for the guitar didn't work, so he had to resort to lowering his vocal mic and alternating between bending and standing so the crowd could hear him play. In all that time they had us wait, they couldn't have soundchecked the guitar? What was this, amateur hour? Now that I think about it, the mic problem kinda did serve as a harbinger of things to come...

But let me first get the praiseworthy out of the way. In the middle of the show came the only real reason for seeing this show -- this large, gloomy clown named Puddles who sang a mini-set of songs including a stirring rendition of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" into Metallica's "Enter Sandman." He was amazing and had a tremendous voice. Accompanied by a weird monkey girl (who fed a banana to Bestest Boy), Puddles was both simultaneously mesmerizing and hilarious, without resorting to obvious gags.

Other than Puddles, probably the best moments belonged to Carl (the puppet, voiced by Willis), as he did his regional rant, as well as some actual guy who dressed like Carl and for a long time, sat on the side of the stage eating three pies of pizza. The Meatwad voice competition was funny, but ran a little long. The Squidbillies? Nahhhh. And we really didn't need to see Dana Snyder's acting reel over and over again.

As it often feels with SNL bits that get made into full feature movies, it felt like they had some good material but unfortunately ran out of gas and had to stretch it out with skits that went on a touch too long. The evening was somewhat amusing, but perhaps the humor of Aqua Teen Hunger Force is best enjoyed at home on a couch with a bag of Cheetos.

R.I.P. Lena Horne (1917-2010)

2010-05-10T07:49:00.001-04:00

Young@Heart @St. Ann's Warehouse, Apr. 22nd

2010-04-23T09:00:00.008-04:00

The other day, Bestest Boy received a call from Karen Violista with some great news: thanks to the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull and its travel-impeding eruption, she was asked to sub in this week for the trapped-in-Europe violinist in the band that accompanies the Young at Heart Chorus at St. Ann's Warehouse in nearby Dumbo, and as a perk, she could hook us up with some comps. Although I see more concerts than the average person, I cannot express how excited I was to see this particular gig, and rightly so.

(More words and a pic after the jump.)

Bestest Boy and I happened to catch the 2008 documentary on this group a few months ago on PBS as counter-programming to "American Idol." We loved it but wondered if the live rendition would be as entertaining without the excellent back story lines that the documentary deftly wove in between scenes of difficult rehearsals and subsequent successes. Would such a live performance resonate with an audience beyond the initial gimmick of senior citizens, aged 73-90, singing contemporary songs? I am delighted to report yes, and go get your tickets NOW! (Click here for 15% off.)

Even if you haven't seen the documentary (which I recommend), you'd have to be a robot not to be uplifted by Young@Heart. They are a beautiful group of some natural and not-so-natural singers, some not so mobile, others able to boogie down, who let their collective joie de vivre shine through in the music selections, which I have to say, really, really amused me. They started off the show with traditional songs from the earlier half of the 20th century, but then seemed to take my iPod and run with it, including songs by The Buzzcocks, Blondie, The Magnetic Fields, Wilco, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, The Pixies and Nick Cave, just to name a few. I won't reveal the setlist because it should be something for you to enjoy, but for me personally, the highlight was the Bon Jovi into Morrissey segue. To see a stage full of elders passionately singing "It's My Life" gave the usually dismissible Garden State rockers' music new life -- I actually teared up hearing their rallying cry. And following it with a Moz classic, "Sing Your Life," made it all too stirring.

And that is probably what this very special group is all about: giving lyrics a deeper meaning and poignancy when sung from the perspectives of those who have indeed lived life, and rich and varied lives at that. Their shining and warbling voices really forced me to pay attention to songs that might come up unnoticed on shuffle on my iPod while riding the subway, working out, or just plain old working.

At times, I found myself mentally comparing the show with the saccharine television show, "Glee," which I'll admit is a guilty pleasure. Both definitely portray the sheer joy of song, but Young@Heart is the real deal, without the glossiness or cringe worthy moments that often accompany "Glee." Young@Heart is a triumphant celebration of life that had me singing along for most of the 75 minutes, and with a big silly grin stretched across my face from ear to ear. Truly inspired!

The Thermals @Brooklyn Bowl, Apr. 20th

2010-04-21T11:02:00.002-04:00

Last night, Julie and I checked out Williamburg's Brooklyn Bowl as a concert venue for the first time. Verdict? I highly doubt we'll be returning to see a show there any time soon.

We got there midway through the opening set, this all girrrl band called The Coathangers (great name, btw). We were able to venture easily to the front of the floor and immediately noticed an imbalance in the sound mix. The keyboard's notes pierced through our ears, so we moved back and over a bit and found it marginally better. I first dismissed The Coathangers with their screechy vocals, but after a while found them somewhat charming, full of strut and attitude, and the music itself was not bad with its raw vibe.

(More words and pics after the jump.)

Then, the next band, Past Lives came on. They were more polished, musically speaking, and their lead singer was full of emotion, but for the first part of their set, we could not hear a word he sang. The mix was so poor it seemed like he had laryngitis with his voice barely a whisper above the music. I found myself comparing them to Fugazi with a little Built To Spill thrown in.

Okay, so finally we got to the real reason why we were there, The Thermals, whom I hadn't seen since they opened for Ted Leo at McCarren Pool not too far from the Bowl, 2-1/2 years ago. They played a taught, lean set (see setlist below) that kept the crowd bouncing, even moshing during some favorites. While I don't mind a good mosh, I will say that dumb is the venue that serves drinks in actual glasses rather than the plastic cups you see at other places. Even though I was up front and loved the energy and was psyched to hear the band's new tunes, I found myself cringing and being distracted every time I heard the sound of glass breaking on the floor behind me. And don't get me started on the young weirdos standing around us. I felt like we were at some college campus's Spring Fling concert.

Towards the end of the set, we found the area up front kind of oppressive, so we retreated to the rear by the bar, and found the sound much better back there. I guess they have to mix it so that the sound is not swallowed up in the cavernous space, with the added din of bowling balls knocking into pins. *Shrug* As soon as the show ended, we decided to forgo listening to any possible encore and were simply happy to escape into the cool air with everything intact.

Atoms For Peace @Roseland Ballroom, Apr. 5th

2010-04-06T11:23:00.005-04:00

No, it wasn't a Radiohead concert per se, yet it was still monumental. In 2006, lead singer Thom Yorke released a solo album called The Eraser, and fans had been salivating for a gig ever since. He decided to assemble a band (including bassist Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich) late last year and dubbed it Atoms For Peace. Last night at Roseland Ballroom, they put on a muscled, tight set that had the crowd bouncing along with excitement for a solid 75 minutes. (And surprisingly, the sound did not suck.)

(More words and pics including a setlist, and a video after the jump.)
In case you haven't dipped into The Eraser, it has a different sound from the soaring, guitar-filled anthems of Radiohead. The music veers towards the electronic, punctuated by almost tribal rhythms, which were handled readily by Flea last night. I find that Yorke's solo music possesses more restraint in terms of emotion and musicality. It might not work itself into my core to the level that Radiohead does, but it is a great listen and an even greater performance.

As expected, the band focused on the album, adding a few songs written since its release. Mid-set, Yorke appeared on the stage by himself for a 3 song segment, including a new song "Chris Hodge/Let Me Take Control" and "The Daily Mail." He ended with Radiohead's "Everything In Its Right Place."

During the show, we got to see a looser Thom Yorke, as he bounced from the front center mic to the piano at stage right to basically all over the stage while doing a spazzy, funny dance that would rival Elaine Benes' on "Seinfeld." He has perhaps found a soulmate in Flea, who matched his energetic output along with a bass line that never ceased (except for when he used a melodica). This version of Thom Yorke seemed more carefree and happy, unburdened by the weightiness that Radiohead's grand music often demands. Like I said, this music may not have moved me in the same way Radiohead's music typically does, but certainly an exhilarating performance nonetheless.

Here is a video I shot of "Harrowdown Hill":

Wilco @The Wellmont Theatre, Apr. 3rd

2010-04-05T10:00:00.003-04:00

Saturday night started off with a bump when halfway to meeting Wawa, I realized I left our tickets sitting on my coffee table back at home. What a rookie mistake -- shows you how out of sorts I am with going to concerts with this crazy early work schedule that usually puts me in bed by 10pm most nights. Oy. But we still managed to walk into the doors and find Artie on the floor just before the lights dimmed. As annoying a shlep it might have been to get out to Montclair, and as much as this show furthered my sleep-deprivation, tonight's Wilco show was so worth it.

(More words and pics after the jump.)
We knew that there'd be no opener and that the band would be hitting the stage around 8:15. And for 3 glorious hours they played 37(!) songs. They had a nicely balanced setlist that spanned all their albums, including a whopping six songs off of Summerteeth (including "Candyfloss"), and four off of Being There (including "Dreamer in My Dreams," and "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" and "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)").

For me, the highlight of the concert occurred in the middle of the main set -- a stellar acoustic portion of eight songs, which gave new blood to concert standards like "Spiders (Kidsmoke)." I was particularly amused by lead guitarist Nels Cline, who still managed to coax out some of his manic playing despite being unplugged. They also threw in a seldom-heard Loose Fur nugget ("Laminated Cat"). It was also nice hearing them finish the main set with a tribute to Alex Chilton by covering "Thank You Friends" and "In the Street" by Big Star.

Despite the length of the show, the energy remained intact for the duration, with an enthusiastic crowd that ate up all of Tweedy's banter. We even gleefully sang the first half of "Jesus, Etc." before he jumped in to rescue us. This show completely erased my memory of the last time we came to Jersey to see Wilco, and I managed to leave without feeling the usual sense of self-loathing that comes with being a native. Plus, the Wellmont Theatre seems to be a very nice facility, acoustically speaking, provided you have the wheels to get you there.

Saturday night demonstrated how polished Wilco's game is now. For them to do this mini-tour and consistently play at least 35 songs each gig (with a good number of changes -- supposedly around 60 different songs over two nights in Montclair) is no small feat. As Wawa put it, they've evolved into a true rock band. I do wonder how long these boys can keep it going, especially after having recently watched the documentary "Ashes of American Flags" in which several members described how physically taxing each performance is. Wilco most definitely remains on my list of bands to revisit again and again.

R.I.P. Alex Chilton (1950-2010)

2010-03-17T22:10:00.003-04:00

Animal Collective & Danny Perez @Guggenheim, March 4th

2010-03-04T22:51:00.006-05:00

After a lonnnng day at work, I decided to check out the one-day show, Transverse Temporal Gyrus, at the Guggenheim. Not being wholly familiar with Animal Collective, I ran with it and bought a ticket to the highly anticipated show, figuring even if it sucked rocks, at least I'd be making a donation to one of my favorite places in this fine city of ours.

If I had to make a snap judgment based on the long line before getting in, I would have guessed the show was going to be annoying, with the dopey young smokers behind me, chatting about dropping acid, and this weird dude in front of me making didgeridoo-type noises with just his mouth. I ended up standing in line for about 35 minutes before entering, checked in my coat, and rode the elevator to the 6th floor for the gradual descent down the ramp.

(More words and pics, and a video after the jump.)
Once inside, I quickly shed my frustration with the line and was able to soak in the experience. It still being early, the top held only a handful of people, and from this vantage, we could see what lay ahead -- speakers lined the inner wall along the ramp in addition to a few projectors at various points. On two of the floors by the elevator were stations with very complicated equipment that I'm not even going to pretend to know what they were.

As I made my way down, I dug the music -- ambient in nature, lacking any words or true structure. Whoever engineered the sound distribution made great use of the spiral, as sounds whipped through the speakers one by one, giving the impression of movement. Basically, the best surround sound, ever. George Lucas and his THX ain't got nothing on this setup. The music was fairly unobtrusive but at certain points, the music reverberated throughout, causing my heart to skip a beat. While many may have been disappointed by the lack of a live performance, this was no simple DJ set. I think strategically this was a good move on the team's part, since it allowed for people to absorb it all and become completely immersed in the experience rather than being drawn to a solitary point, e.g., a stage.

Not to say there wasn't something to focus on other than the arbitrary music, dancing shadows and imagery on the white canvas walls of the museum. On the ground floor, where many people seemed to linger and lay, were three mysterious masked individuals (presumably the band) who moved nary more than a slight twist of the neck or arm. It made me recall the movie "Donnie Darko" with the large rabbit-like figure looming, except this time there were three of them.

But, yeah, the true star of the performance was the building itself, with its spiraled ramp enclosing a cylinder of open space. At the top, the opaqued skylights initially let the sun warm the room, and as it gradually darkened, eventually became reflectors of colored lights and projected images. Probably the coolest part was the fact that there was no art hanging on the walls like you'd see on a normal visit to the museum so that the focus was on all the action happening inside the inner space, as well as the people lining the ramp. Very surreal, in a way, reminding me of the one good scene in "Vanilla Sky" in which the main character drives his car into a deserted Times Square and gets out and looks around, bewildered. And to throw in another lame Tom Cruise movie comparison, I also felt a little "Eyes Wide Shut" with people standing about, watching other people, and hoping for action below.

I came alone to this, seizing upon the opportunity to enjoy this without the distraction of making conversation or worrying whether someone else was having a good time. It was a blissful two hour escape for me, as I was able to unwind and get lost in my thoughts. I felt very quiet even though it was far from quiet, with a constant buzz in the air. Perhaps people were trying to make sense of it. Pretentious? Yeah, maybe. The one person who did talk to me asked me, "Is this it? Are they doing something else?" And I told him I had no fuckin' idea.

Here's a video I shot toward the end around 7pm, not that time really mattered in this place. The video probably does the whole experience very little justice, however.

Shout Out Louds @Pianos, March 2nd

2010-03-02T22:48:00.000-05:00

I found out yesterday afternoon that the wonderful little Swedish band Shout Out Louds were playing a free gig at Pianos in the Lower East Side, so I rallied up my concert ladies Shana and Julie to accompany me for this mid-week treat. The last time I ventured to this venue was for the Brooklyn Vegan CMJ Day Show back in October, which was also free, and free is always good. Plus, it had an announced 7pm start time, which was ideal for yours truly, since I got a gig that gets me up before dawn most days.

The three of us have loved the Shout Out Louds for more than a few years now. I remember them opening for The Dears at Bowery in 2005 and being impressed by their tight performance. They continue to have the same no nonsense pop rock style, perhaps a bit mellower with the new music they were promoting tonight, yet still containing that bopability that kept me bouncing. I liken them to a sincere, less sweaty Phoenix for they are Swedish after all. Lead singer Adam Olenius admitted feeling quiet due to the early start, which was just fine by us. All we needed to hear was the music being played, and seeing them wicked close made up for any lack of banter.

They pretty much stuck to a setlist of new songs, throwing in "Very Loud" from Howl Howl Gaff Gaff, which made us happy. Picture of the setlist is below. I do believe they left out "Moon."

The Roulette Sisters @Barbès, Feb. 13th

2010-02-14T15:31:00.003-05:00

Saturday night, Bestest Boy and I headed to Barbès in Park Slope to see the reunion of The Roulette Sisters, a quartet of talented women who play country/blues influenced-music, drawing upon both music of the early 20th Century as well as original compositions. The first time I saw them also happened to be the last time they played back prior to their breakup in October of 2007. While we may not know exactly why these fine ladies called it quits 2-1/2 years ago, last night's two hour gig radiated love and charm, with a healthy dose of sass.

Led mostly by Mamie Minch on resonator guitar, the ladies played a lively set full of playfulness, flirtation, some heartbreak and overt double entendres (or even "single entendre" as Minch winked at one point). Minch's throaty, sultry voice reminded me at times of a sexy Kathleen Turner during her mid-'80s heyday, suggesting that she has indeed seen it all. In contrast, Meg Reichardt's sweet, girlier voice evoked an innocence that was more appropriate for the less racy selections, as she did some tight pickin' on her guitar. Meanwhile, Megan Burleyson served as a wonderfully sturdy backbone to the music on washboard, and really brought it home on lead vocals in a cover of Memphis Minnie's "Selling My Pork Chops." Last, but not least, Karen Waltuch's viola rounded out the songs with a fullness that made it feel like there was at times a fifth singer in the band. Here is a newer song about being lonely on New Year's Eve, written and sang by Waltuch:

The Roulette Sisters, who technically are not related by blood, exhibited many of the same dynamics you might observe in a familial situation, poking fun at each other with sly barbs yet united in all their togetherness. Their instrumentation sounded great musically, and their harmonies were gorgeous. They packed the shoebox-sized Barbès with both newcomers and steadfast fans, several of whom had their requests for songs like "Sugar In My Bowl" and "Keep On Churnin'" fulfilled. I especially liked the fire of "Hottest Gal in Town."

Shortly after midnight, The Roulette Sisters finished their gig and sent the warmed and delighted crowd home into the cold night air. What a cheerful early Valentine to love!

Les Savy Fav @BAM, Jan. 29th

2010-01-30T09:24:00.004-05:00

Thanks to a random tweet I caught Thursday afternoon, Shana and I each won a pair of tickets to the undersold Les Savy Fav and Vivian Girls show at BAM for Friday night. Despite some initial protestations, we dragged ourselves along with Bestest Boy and Julie into the arctic freeze and ended up having a rockin' time.

I saw Vivian Girls six months ago at the Whitney Museum and really enjoyed them then in the cramped quarters, as it felt like we were part of some loud basement party. However, tonight in the much grander Howard Gilman Opera House, the girls felt a little lost. The sound mix did them no favors at first, with lead vocals and harmonies swallowed by the acoustics. Also, being the opener is always tough, especially with the venue only a quarter filled and with people filtering in, and people seated for their performance. It was not until at least halfway through when their sound began to gel, and the songs began to take form. At that point, guitarist and lead singer Cassie Ramone made some comment about the Xanax finally starting to work, so maybe nerves had worn away at that point.

Next up were Les Savy Fav. I had had zero exposure to this band up until this point, dismissing them as some gag act based on pictures I've seen on various blogs. My basic assumption was that they were just a band with some fat bald dude acting outlandishly, and when Tim Harrington, the lead singer, came onto the stage wearing purple leggings and a loose fitting beige cloth over his shirtless body, and clothespins attached to his beard, and did a solo interpretative dance, he really did nothing to dispel that notion. But then his band joined him and it all changed from there.

To my surprise, the band played very tight rhythms that zagged all over the place but were not sloppy. I was reminded of times I had seen Modest Mouse, Built To Spill or The Flaming Lips, with the music being loose and jangly, yet deliberate and well-crafted at the same time. The band itself held my interest quite well, as they played the straight men to the antics of Harrington, who, instead of being a distraction, complemented the instruments rather well, reminding me at times of Jello Biafra with his voice and dialogue with the audience. Yes, he was a crazy looking fat dude running all over the stage and into the crowd, but his angry-goofy-gibberish song rants, energy, enthusiasm and sheer earnestness overcame my pre-judgment. At the start of LSF's set, Harrington dropped into the crowd beckoning people to stand, and it ended up being the right thing to do. Despite the opera house setting with assigned seating, it quickly became apparent that it would take a lot more than that to contain the force that is Les Savy Fav.

Here's a video I shot of an older song, "Who Rocks the Party":

The four of us walked away from that performance delighted and impressed with the spectacle we had witnessed. I am looking forward to digging into their catalog more.

(Brooklyn Vegan quoted my review here.)

Britt Daniel @Sound Fix, Jan. 23rd

2010-01-24T10:26:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I coaxed Bestest Boy to accompany me up to Williamsburg to meet Julie for an in-store appearance by Britt Daniel, lead singer of Spoon. This was my first visit to the recently relocated Sound Fix Records, where in its old iteration, I had gone to just one free "in-store" there (the band Man Man, which was just plain nuts). I use quotes there because the old setup had a nice bar attached to the rear of the record shop, which kind of made it more conducive to getting into the gig mood as it was not in a store.

We first arrived at the shop at 5pm and saw no line for the 7pm announced start time, so we walked around and settled in for a pint at The Gutter, which was closer to our vibe than the manic Brooklyn Bowl, which felt overdone to me. Around 5:45 we decided to head back to the store, only to find the line winding around the block. Wow, people do like their free.

Britt performed by himself on a guitar and sounded great. I love that raspy quality his voice possesses. He played a short setlist of four songs, with two from the new album, Transference, and two from 2005's Gimme Fiction: "The Mystery Zone," "Written In Reverse," "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" and "I Summon You." Sweet.

While, yeah, it would have been nice to hear more than that, it was probably a blessing in disguise that we didn't have to stand there too long for only partial glimpses of Britt (though the acoustics were great). The new Sound Fix location, while perhaps grander in terms of CD display, seemed awkward for this Britt Daniel appearance, as it was packed to the gills, he was not on a platform of any sort, and there was a big column in the middle of the store, and I don't mean the 6'8" man standing in front of us. Plus, with the performance being right there amongst all the compact discs as opposed to the former bar setting, it was only painfully more apparent that Britt was there to shill for his band's newly released album as he concluded with an okay, who wants to buy some records?

Even though we like Spoon, and Britt's performance was good, and we could have bought the new album signed by him, we decided to ditch the crowd and head over to Fette Sau for some porky goodness. Oh yesssss...

Hit it!

2010-01-06T17:12:00.000-05:00

How to get into a party mood.

2009-12-05T17:23:00.005-05:00

It's doing that rain/slush/snow thing outside right now, making it hard to motivate to venture back outdoors, but I must trudge forth for my friends' two birthday parties. Here's a fun mashup of New Order's "Blue Monday" with Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head," each in itself a bonafide way to get your body movin', so double your fun by combining the two?
Plus, I was told party #1 will have chocolate cupcakes with dried cherries soaked in bourbon & vanilla bourbon frosting, and party #2 will have brown butter cake with white chocolate & chocolate liqueur frosting. *Sigh* My baking friends are tryin' to kill me!

Taylor Swift doll hits stores just in time for the holiday season. Yayyy.

2009-12-01T08:23:00.001-05:00

Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Barbie is one of the best dolls of all time. One of the best dolls of all time!

Uhhh...NO. Does not want.

Holly Miranda - Black Cab Sessions

2009-11-29T16:07:00.001-05:00

Shana passed this video on to me, knowing that I really dug Holly Miranda's stuff at the Brooklyn Vegan CMJ Day Show at Pianos last month. This Black Cab Sessions blog/site seems pretty rad too, placing up-and-coming acts in a cab and doing a bare-bones recording. It reminds me a lot of the Take-Away Concerts. Perfect for when you just can't get enough of your favorite performer.

Watching "The Shining"

2009-11-28T22:59:00.002-05:00

Bestest Boy and I are watching one of his birthday gifts right now -- Stanley Kubrick's classic "The Shining" on Blu-ray. I haven't watched this movie in ages, probably in almost 20 years, and never before as an uncut version. Anybody remember the creepy twins the son Danny keeps on envisioning while wandering throughout the Overlook Hotel? I was immediately reminded of the cover of Jenny Lewis' solo debut, Rabbit Fur Coat, and the eerily similarly staged Watson Twins. (I'm sure I'm not the first one to notice.)

Had to have been deliberate, right? So does that make Jenny Lewis the Danny character? Or is she in her red dress the deluge of blood rushing through the hotel that we see in the movie? Quite the opposite from the tenderly precious sentiment conveyed by the songs on the album.

Anyway, here is a clip of Bestest Boy's favorite scene in the movie, in which Wendy Torrance, played by Shelley Duvall, realizes that all this time her husband has not been working on the Great American Novel, but rather, has descended into a repetitive madness of "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Quite a reveal, Bestest Boy termed it, and quite a delicious example of the terrifying score.

Akim Funk Buddha @BAMcafé, Nov. 27th

2009-11-28T22:27:00.003-05:00

Last night, after a fantastico meal at the mucho delicioso Umi Nom, Bestest Boy and I continued our all-Brooklyn evening by heading to the upstairs of the Brooklyn Academy of Music aka BAMcafé to check out Akim Funk Buddha perform his show, Hip Hop Holiday I: Back to the Essence, a creative presentation of his personal journey with the musical genre. I had attended numerous performances in the Howard Gilman Opera House portion of BAM before, including a concert by Patti Smith that inspired my very first Gigoblog entry, but this was our first time checking out the café as a venue itself. We didn't know what to expect, and the crowd was pretty random with a good number of children in attendance, and the majority of people were seated at tables, but it was free, so why not.

Akim was a charismatic leader, using his numerous talents of breakdancing, rhyming, Tuvan throat singing and general showmanship in putting together a thoughtful narrative of his musical experience, from his first exposure starting with the '80s in South Africa, to his days in New York, and ending with a voyage to Bali where he learned to appreciate the syncopated beat. The show ran a little unevenly in terms of energy, perhaps due to having to be tailored to an all-ages audience as well as constraints of space and lack of staging, but, for the most part, Akim kept the audience's attention with his interesting and varied range of musical stylings.

What perhaps was most impressive about the evening was the support he assembled -- a multi-instrumentalist on kalimba and percussive gourd, a DJ on turntables who spun some great old school samples and rhythmic scratchings, a violinist whose instrument at times lent a spaceship ride quality to the songs, and our favorite, a human beatbox genius (Adam Matta) who blew us away during a solo using nothing other than a looping pedal and his own mouth.

Despite having no expectations, Bestest Boy and I had a nice mellow Friday evening at BAMcafé, proving that one need not stray far to find good quality entertainment.

Matti Bye Ensemble @MoMA, Nov. 7th

2009-11-08T09:18:00.005-05:00

File this under completely random experiences.

Bestest Boy's good friend Karen Violista had been jonesing to get together, so I happened upon a listing for a Swedish film called "Körkarlen" aka "The Phantom Chariot" aka "The Phantom Carriage" at the Museum of Modern Art, which screened this 1921 silent film last night with live musical accompaniment by the Matti Bye Ensemble, a trio from Sweden. I thought it could be the perfect random activity for our group -- something for the cinéastes (which we all are), with a live music element (for Karen and me), and Swedish (for Bestest Boy and his mom). I got tickets for our group, armed with a newfound ability to pick up tickets for MoMA events for practically free (thank you, corporate membership). After a nice vegan dinner, we descended into the subterranean auditorium excited for what was to come (well, as excited as Swedes get, anyway).

The musicians were set up on the floor in front of the seats, stage right, reminding me much of the time I caught Yo La Tengo when they too played a live soundtrack to some film. After some introductory words by a Swedish dude explaining that this film has been long-beloved by his country, they got into it. Unfortunately, 10 minutes or so into the program, the band halted and called for a mulligan. Bestest Boy guessed the disruption had something to do with the projection of the film being too fast for silent films -- like the film was probably shot at 18 frames per second, whereas the projection was probably running at 24, so the musicians had to play faster than they were supposed to. Eek! It's nice dating a film guy -- you learn something new every day... =)

So they started over, and from there, things went on without a hitch (so to speak). The film itself was pretty interesting, especially keeping in mind that this came out 88(!) years ago. It employed some great imagery with decent special effects for the time as well as intriguing storytelling structure involving flashbacks. Basically, the central character, a man named David Holm, is an alcoholic who abandoned his family and was a dick towards this nice Salvation Army girl named Edit, and is doomed to be the next in line to drive this phantom carriage which picks up all the dead, à la the Grim Reaper. It is a Dickensian tale filled with much regret and some redemption -- kinda like A Christmas Carol except bleaker and with more drinking and tuberculosis. (I use "Dickensian" because I know it'll piss my brother off. He thinks it's overly pretentious of a word.) And way cooler than the Jim Carrey flick that's out now.

However, more crucial to me was the score provided by the Matti Bye Ensemble. Since this was a silent film, and the occasional words on the screen were in Swedish with subtitles that suffered from bad placement (a bit too far below the screen for viewing comfort), the music to me was of tantamount importance in bringing along the viewer. The trio used a variety of instruments, including a piano, an organ, xylophones, violin, saw, guitar, banjo and some percussion, which were central in creating the various moods. And even when my tired head decided to lean back and miss some of the visuals, I was still able to soak in the ambient music, which did not intrude into the experience at all. It was a perfect mix, Karen felt.

After the film, we lingered outside before going our separate ways, and we were able to chat with the musicians a little bit. We complimented their presentation and talked about how nice it was that they depended on minimal sound effects and relied more on instrumentation, and their leader, pianist Matti Bye himself, agreed that it was important to let the music itself come through without any distraction. Nice folks.

Anyway, if you're searching for something different to do this afternoon, the ensemble is at it again, with a different film called Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages.

*****

Based on my two recent visits, the film crowd at the MoMA seems to be different from the noisy bunch you'd usually find at a movie theatre. Gone are the Milk Duds and tubs of popcorn and rude cell phone users; instead, the audience seems to be comprised mostly of senior citizens, Europeans and hipsters, with a healthy dose of eccentrics. Being that my office is just a block away now, I think I'll be checking out the film schedule more often now, as well as becoming intimately familiar with the museum itself. And all for free. =)

Blondie @Brooklyn Museum, Oct. 29th

2009-10-29T23:29:00.004-04:00

(I'm watching the Yankees hold a tenuous lead in the top of the 8th, so I'm gonna keep this short.)

This evening, I had an invitation to preview the wonderful new photograph exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum -- Who Shot Rock & Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present. I got there a little later than I had meant to, arriving at 6pm when the after-work crowd was spilling in, so I headed straight up to the exhibit and saw what I could, knowing that I'll be returning a few more times to fully absorb this great collection of both iconic and rare photographs. In case you weren't able to tell, I love seeing live music and snapping the occasional good shot during these gigs with a simple point-and-shoot, so being able to see images of artists including Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Björk and Bruce Springsteen really resonated with me.

Unfortunately, the exhibit got pretty packed pretty quickly as expected, so I ditched it and filled up on some free food at the reception before Julie showed up. What could be more rock 'n roll than soft pretzels, hot dogs and Brooklyn lager? =)

Once Julie came, we took advantage of the open bar and then got on the floor for Blondie, one of the many bands featured in the exhibit and who was performing live for the reception. The crowd was an interesting mix of young and old (and boy, some of those older folks are awfully pushy!) -- Julie commented it felt like we were on a cruise ship seeing some washed up band. And maybe Blondie are past their prime, but they can still give a good time.

For their short 40 minute set, the band pulled out a good number of their own classics, as well as a great cover of Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Debbie Harry came out looking like an older Italian bombshell vampire sporting brunette tresses (not so blonde) and a mask for Halloween, and though she started a bit flat, she warmed up after a while, especially during "Rapture," strutting her stuff. For 64, she's still got it, and she's older than my Mom!

All in all, a great night, and I highly recommend people sign up for memberships, even though admission is usually pay-whatever-you-wish, since a membership allows you entrance to events like this. And I definitely can't wait to go back and check out the exhibit at my own pace.

Here are some more of my pics on my Flickr.

(Okay, not that short, but yay, the Yankees won! 3-1!)

Tres Belles @Camel Art Space, Oct. 25th

2009-10-26T18:32:00.005-04:00

(Okay, so not a gig, per se, but this relates to my oft-partner-in-concerting, Julie.)

I met my friend Julie Torres initially about 8 years ago in passing -- she was a roommate of a friend of mine who I sometimes visited, but I didn't really get to know Julie well at that time at all. A few years went by, and by then, she and my friend had already ceased to be roommates. I had a cheap ticket to a $5 Ben Kweller and Walkmen show at Irving Plaza that I had to get rid of, so I posted it for sale on Craigslist for face. Amongst the numerous replies I received, I recognized Julie's email address and decided that I just had to sell it to her, with the world being so small and all. She came to my office to pick up the ticket, and in that brief moment, we talked about our mutual love of live music. We both bemoaned not having many other friends who actually enjoyed going to concerts, so right then and there we agreed we would seek each other out for future shows, and the rest, as they say, is history. I can't even begin to tell you how many gigs Julie and I have seen together. And while our relationship might have begun over a drink or two with some hearing loss in a crowded, dark venue, today I am happy to consider Julie one of my closest friends.

So, not only does Julie have impeccable taste in music, but she is also a talented painter. In the time that I've known her, I had the opportunity to view her stuff from time to time, like in her apartment or if she happened to be carrying something she was working on, but until recently, never in a proper setting. But then, last month, she was selected as one of three artists to show their art at Camel Art Space in Williamsburg in an exhibition entitled "Tres Belles," so I could not wait to check it out.

Yesterday, before Shana and I headed to Manhattan to see Girl Talk, we stopped by to catch the closing day reception of the exhibition, and it made me very proud to see my friend's paintings in such a context. She had quite a few of her smaller sized pieces selected, as well as some larger ones which allowed for a different kind of complexity. While I am no art critic by any means, I find her current fixation on fingers very interesting, as they can be very tangible and identifiable, yet they are presented in a way that conjures strong emotion from the perspective of the viewer. To me, fingers can represent strength and control, but can simultaneously be quite vulnerable. You can learn a lot about a person from how their hands look, whether they are balled up in fists, or swollen, or milky white à la George Costanza the hand model. Her paintings are playful both visually and mentally, and challenge you to search for deep meaning within yourself.

I was psyched to see all of Julie's hard work come to fruition and can't wait to see what's next.

Check out more of her artwork on her website here.

Que bella!

Girl Talk @Pier 94, Oct. 25th

2009-10-26T00:54:00.007-04:00

Tonight, I checked out the free Girl Talk aka Gregg Gillis show thrown by Kia at Pier 94 just off the West Side Highway. I easily picked up a pair of bracelets while down in the LES for CMJ last week. I knew this would probably be an annoying show, but I have enjoyed his album, Feed the Animals, quite a bit and figured it could be fun, and at least it was FREE.

Shana and I got to the venue just before 6pm, thinking we'd walk right in since it was advertised that doors would be at 5pm and the opener would start at 6. From that point on, I knew this was gonna be pretty much a clusterfuck of a show, since they didn't open the doors till 6:15, and they had us stand behind a flimsy barrier of stanchions while we watched the crew set up the real barrier by the stage for about half an hour. Shana and I did manage to get up front on the rail once we were allowed to move up, which I dunno if it was a good thing, but at least we had an unobstructed view. Just based on the lack of preparation before the music even got started, I'd say a firm NO to ever owning a Kia Soul or whatever the frick they were hawking. Their complete lack of organization in timing and setup inspires very little confidence in their competence at providing a good vehicle. Sorry, Charlie.

The opener, OJ Da Juiceman, came on about 65 minutes after the originally scheduled time, which pissed me off since I was hoping not to miss too much of Game 6 of the ALCS (Go Yankees!). Da Juiceman, a two-bit aspiring hip-hop artist, had a short set, clocking in at about 14 minutes! (Now if only every snoozer opener could play that little!)

Happily, Girl Talk hit the stage pretty soon thereafter, and predictably, it was a totally loud, but somewhat fun mess. We witnessed Gillis bounce up and down in front of his laptop, getting sweatier and sweatier by the moment, eventually losing his headband and sweatshirt and undershirt. At certain points, he jumped into the crowd and surfed a little. I got to hoist his ass over the barrier at least twice, each time praying to God that his sweatiness would not come near me. Homeboy needs some Speed Stick!

The setting itself was made out to be a big party, except there was no booze (all ages show) and I really believe I was the oldest person there, at least up front. There were about 30 kids dancing on stage, making it feel like an MTV Spring Break video, except with American Apparel wannabe models and doofy-looking guys in stupid headbands. Also, there were two Girl Talk crew members who shot streamers, toilet paper rolls and confetti, as well as sprayed water and threw cookies and tortilla chips into the crowd. Yeah. Loved that.

Anyway, the kids ate it up, and I guess I vaguely had a good time witnessing Girl Talk's most excellent DJing for 75 minutes (do I dare call it art or music?), but yeah, I'm old. I don't need to ever do that again. So happy that I got home just in time for the Yankees to pull ahead of the Angels in the 4th inning and win their way to the World Series.

Hello, future lawyer of America!

"Hey, Mom & Dad! I'm on stage, flashing my crotch!"

The rest of my photos here.
(Added 10/28: Prefix Mag threw a pic up of the concert with me in it here.)

Brooklyn Vegan CMJ Day Show @Pianos, Oct. 22nd

2009-10-25T08:35:00.006-04:00

On Thursday, I got out of work around 11am, and decided to take advantage of the new schedule by spending the rest of the sunny afternoon in the Lower East Side doing something I had never done before -- I went to a CMJ Day showcase. I opted to attend the free Brooklyn Vegan lineup at Pianos, bolstered by the promise of free beer, and who can really say no to free beer in the middle of the day. I most looked forward to seeing the headliner, Alec Ounsworth of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah fame who was in town promoting his latest solo effort, but I also had been wanting to see some music in Pianos, in which, until then I had only been for a drink occasionally and had never seen any live music. Shocking, I know.

Anyway, it was also nice going by myself, rolling in whenever I wanted without coordinating with my friends. Much like checking out a museum alone, I was wholly in charge of what I wanted to see/hear and how long I lingered for one band over another. And because the day was free, I really was at liberty to do whatever the hell I wanted, even if it was just sitting at the bar and seeing how many bottles of Miller Lite would I really drink (apparently, 4).

I initially started downstairs in the more traditional stage setup, first catching the band A Classic Education, which reminded me a little of the time I saw The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, but with a theremin! After a handful of songs, I then decided that what my up-since-4am body really wanted was to go upstairs and sit in the lounge for some mellower music, and Freelance Whales were precisely the remedy I needed, with their twee stripped down arrangements employing a Sufjan-esque sound built with banjo, metal water can percussion, and a thing that looked like a piece of luggage but made sounds like an accordion. Right after was a singer-songwriter named Rebecca Shiffman, to whom you had to give props for playing solo to the chatty upstairs. I headed downstairs again for the adorable Surfer Blood, who I thought sounded like Weezer meets Beach Boys with a little Fugazi thrown in. After their set, I headed back upstairs to catch the end of Peggy Sue, who turned out to be two English girls and a male drummer, none of whom I believe is named after the Buddy Holly song, but played a great cover of Missy Elliot's "All N My Grill."

I went back downstairs, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lovvers, but the room was majorly packed, so I ventured outside to grab a snack to counter the effect of the beer, which was just running through me. Can you believe that the only chocolate and coconut combo that Economy Candy carries is with white "chocolate" -- BLECH! Mildly placated by some Sun Chips, I headed back into Pianos and once again couldn't make any headway into the downstairs room, so I said fuggit and sat for the last song by Chris Denny and his band. His voice had a slight falsetto(?) quality that my beer-fuzzied brain couldn't quite wrap itself around, but no matter, I was seated for the rest of the afternoon.

The upstairs got really crowded for the next singer, Holly Miranda, so I moved to get a better view and ended up sitting like right under her mic. Despite more or less enjoying everything I had seen until that point, her music was perhaps the first that really stuck in my head, her beautiful soaring voice and excellent use of a looping pedal reminding me of Grizzly Bear and Magnet. Gorgeous stuff, truly.

The last band to play upstairs was Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and his band, who despite the limited space, managed to project a great energy that the packed room really enjoyed. His songs didn't stick with me so much, but his performance reminded me of bands like Dr. Dog or Marah, who always seem to have a good time playing together.

For the final act of the day, we moved back downstairs, and to my surprise, it wasn't packed. Solo Alec Ounsworth played a nice short set that consisted of songs from his new solo album, Mo Beauty, as well as a few covers. Here's his cover of Chris Knox's "A Song to Welcome the Onset of Maturity":

His set was pretty different from the manic energy of a typical CYHSY show, but I knew what to expect, having seen him play by himself opening for The National four years ago at the Mercury Lounge. It proved to be a nice way to wind down and I headed back home to Brooklyn with a satisfied grin on my face.

Rosanne Cash @St. Ann's Warehouse, Oct. 9th

2009-10-10T05:43:00.002-04:00

After the previous day's marathon session with Bruce Springsteen out in Jersey, I gladly accepted a last minute pair of free tickets to check out the 30th Anniversary Kick Off event at St. Ann's Warehouse in DUMBO within walking distance of my apartment. Tonight's packed event featured Rosanne Cash, known in her own right as a country singer, but primarily (and perhaps somewhat dismissively) by me for being Johnny's daughter. Especially after seeing a taping of Elvis Costello's Spectacle show a few weeks ago during which country music was heavily discussed, I've felt rather deficient in my exposure to country music. I mean, I'm not a total wreck -- I do have some Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Townes van Zandt lurking on my iPod, but I have to admit that the closest I usually get is in the form of newer generation, alt-country-probably-more-rock-at-times types such as Ryan Adams, The Jayhawks, Neko Case, and, of course, my favorite, Wilco. Or when a band like The White Stripes cover a classic like "Jolene." Sheesh, I know -- I'm so lame!

So when I read up on Rosanne Cash and her latest album, The List, I became rather intrigued. As she has recounted, her very famous father "became alarmed that [she] appeared to lack a deep understanding of country music...[so he] gave her a list of the '100 Essential Country Songs' and told her that it was her education and she should learn them all." And from that list of 100 songs, she selected a dozen or so with which to cut an album, including some duets with some of the aforementioned (and my favorite) musicians, including Springsteen, Costello, Case and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Interesting.

Well, I knew not to expect any of those duets to be performed tonight with surprise guests since I think just about all are on tour, but I looked forward to furthering my country music education a little bit, and I believe I did. Rosanne Cash pulled together a nice collection of songs that drew upon some great songwriters. I really liked the duet "Sea Of Heartbreak," which on the album was sung with Springsteen, but tonight was very adeptly covered by her band mate and husband, John Leventhal. It reminded me quite a bit of the chemistry I witnessed between Gillian Welch and David Rawlings when I saw them perform at Town Hall a few years ago.

From the few songs with which I was familiar, I could tell Cash managed to find an engaging interpretation different from the original. However, I felt she was probably more in her element during the second half of the show while performing her own music, including gems like "Wheel" (wow, the guitar by Richard Hinman!) and "The World Unseen." At any rate, I am motivated to search for originals (particularly "Long Black Veil") and to compare them, as well as check out her stuff more.

All in all, a pleasantly mellow night that in many ways contrasted from seeing the Springsteen show the night before. Sometimes it's nice, as Shana remarked, not knowing a lot of a performer's repertoire before hearing it played so that you really pay attention to the lyrics and allow the stories to unfold. It was a tight roughly 1 hr. 40 min. set filled with just enough storytelling that kept the audience's attention, even my own despite the less than humane sweaty conditions up in the last row of the venue. Ceiling fans with no windows just don't cut it as a primary air circulation system, ya dig?

The setlist:

1. I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow)
2. Miss the Mississippi and You (William Heagney)
3. She's Got You (Hank Cochran)
4. 500 Miles (Hedy West)
5. Heartaches by the Number (Harlan Howard)
6. Sea of Heartbreak (Hal David & Paul Hampton)
7. Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow (A.P. Carter)
8. Girl from the North Country (Bob Dylan)
9. Long Black Veil (Danny Dill & Marijohn Wilkin)
10. Seven Year Ache (RC)
11. Radio Operator (RC)
12. Blue Moon with Heartache (RC)
13. Wheel (RC)
14. The World Unseen (RC)
15. Ode To Billy Joe (Bobby Gentry)
16. Take These Chains from My Heart (Hy Heath & Fred Rose)
17. Motherless Children (Traditional)
18. Satisfied Mind (J.H. "Red" Hayes & Jack Rhodes)
19. Tennessee Flat Top Box (RC)
20. Sweet Memories (Mickey Newbury)

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band @Giants Stadium, Oct. 8th

2009-10-09T04:37:00.006-04:00

Unlike a few weeks ago when Bestest Boy and I saw U2 and Muse, today I decided to fly solo for a chance to be in the GA Pit for Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. I got into line at about 11:10 am and subsequently was awarded bracelet #90 out of 1,000. For the next 3-1/2 hours I chilled in the parking lot and chatted with other fans, eager to pass the time until security drew the winning number which would signify the start of the line: #787, which meant that I was then actually ~303rd in line. Not bad. After strategizing with my neighbors, including some really nice Canadians named Eddie and Rebecca, we decided we would shoot for center towards Clarence Clemons' mic. Surprisingly, the Giants Stadium staff handled the line lottery rather well, and we were able to position ourselves pretty much where we envisioned, about 3 deep from the stage.

This night marked the 4th time I have seen the Boss in concert, and my 2nd time on the floor, but this was the closest to the stage I had ever been by far. While I came to the show fully aware that the album Born To Run would be performed in its entirety, I don't think I was prepared for the impact of hearing it live and seeing it so close. Our positioning in front of the Big Man Clemons proved key as Born To Run runs pretty heavy on sax, especially the closing song "Jungleland," during which I did get a little weepy. While it was amazing to see Clarence wail away on the sax, I could only imagine the physical stress with which his body must have been dealing as he moved slowly across the stage.

Bruce Springsteen, while younger than Clemons, is no spring chicken himself, recently turning 60(!), but you never would have known it. His energy was absolutely incredible, running through an amazing setlist that ran exactly three hours with nary a lull. I was particularly jazzed to hear "It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City" and "Because The Night," which were audience requests, as well as a moving "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," played in memory of longtime E Streeter Danny Federici, who passed away last year. Bruce ran all over the stage and up and down several ramps and catwalks which extended into the pit, and even bodysurfed the crowd for a while during "Hungry Heart." Killer!

It's gonna take me a long time to forget this experience. After all, Bruce was one of my first loves -- Born In The U.S.A. was the very first cassette I owned. I even had a Cabbage Patch Doll I dressed in blue jeans, white teeshirt, red bandana and ball cap in the back pocket. Gimme a break -- I was in the 5th grade! =)

Here's a kinda shaky recording of "Thunder Road":

More photos on my Flickr.

Stars Of Track And Field @Mercury Lounge, Oct. 6th

2009-10-07T03:43:00.004-04:00

I got hooked up tonight with a pair of tickets to see Stars Of Track And Field, a three-piece band from Portland, OR, which I had previously caught a bit of a few years ago opening for The Long Winters. I recall liking them immensely despite only hearing perhaps two or three songs back then, impressed by how just two guitars and a drum kit sounded like they were playing the biggest stadium. I ended up buying their first album, Centuries Before Love And War, that evening and particularly liked the song "Movies Of Antarctica." I was excited to hear them kick off this evening's set of ten songs with that very cut, followed by a mix of old and new from their latest, A Time For Lions.

Their music is simultaneously well-crafted yet raw. Apparently, they employ a backing digital bass track from a laptop, which at times might earn comparison to The Postal Service, but then they augment it with the contrasting guitars of Kevin Calaba and Jason Bell, giving it an anthemic quality which really comes through in their live performance. I was reminded of The Stills with a touch of early Snow Patrol thrown in. Their final song, "Racing Lights," proved an excellent closer, as it really demonstrated their ability to go completely full-energy, leaving me quite happy to have finally experienced them fully. Those guys really throw themselves into the music, yet remain grounded in their attitude.

Oddly enough, these guys were the opener for this act I had never heard of before -- this woman/band called Lights, a 22 year old Canadian who performs pop/dance/electronica on keyboards and the keytar while looking like she stepped out of an American Apparel ad. Weirdest billing pairing ever! As stated on her MySpace, "[she tries] to find sounds that seem like they could have been plucked from Saturn's rings or a meteor belt." Uh, okay. What bewildered Shana and me the most was that the crowd was decidedly there for her -- the number of seemingly hetero-boys singing along to every word was quite astounding. Who is this chick? It was as though a few unicorns jumping over rainbows farted, and we decided it was too incredibly cute to bear, at least beyond four songs, so we skipped town and grabbed an early dinner of poutine, also Canadian quite coincidentally. Sorry, but not our cup of cute.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @Music Hall of Williamsburg, Sept. 29th

2009-09-30T02:03:00.006-04:00

As I write this entry, I'm two hours into my birthday. What better way to ring in the new year than with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Totally outrageous and mega-high energy, the band had the floor shakin' tonight. Karen O. was fierce as always, yet gracious to the Brooklyn crowd, remembering the YYYs' roots. As overplayed as "Maps" may be, I never get tired of it, especially this beautiful acoustic iteration:

I love you, too, Yeah Yeah Yeahs!

Excellent Y-shaped confetti!
As for opening act, Services, let's just say for me they were the musical equivalent of monkeys throwing feces and leave it at that.

Yo La Tengo @Roseland Ballroom, Sept. 25th

2009-09-26T11:40:00.007-04:00

The concert gods smiled upon me again as I won a pair of VIP tickets to see Yo La Tengo at the (dreaded) Roseland Ballroom, thanks to The Music Slut. This was not the first time I had won tix to see YLT -- it has been almost exactly three years since I got my ass flown via helicopter to see them in Jersey City, and I took dear brother Ste (newly engaged, might I add!) once again to see our faves. Luckily, our VIP status enabled us to sit upstairs in the very spacious Mezzanine, which suited me just fine after two prior consecutive nights of seeing Elvis Costello and U2, respectively. Muchas gracias! Coincidentally, Shana also won a pair of tickets (but not VIP) so I managed to smuggle her and Julie up for a pretty relaxing evening.

I was looking forward to seeing this show after seeing them perform an abbreviated set when they opened for Wilco at Coney Island a few months ago. Also, it's always refreshing to see these guys play -- they seem rather unpretentious (especially after seeing someone like Bono the night before), and they manage to mix up their shows quite a bit that one would be hard pressed to call them repetitive.

Tonight, YLT augmented their show with a light show by Joshua White and Gary Panter projected on a large screen at the rear of the stage. It very much reminded me of the time they played The Sounds Of Science at the Prospect Park Bandshell, but this time without the angry octopus. From the Mezzanine, I had a good vantage point from which to spy the setup. The band played on the stage where you'd expect them to be:

while the light show crew of about ten people worked behind the screen:

Pretty nifty! It resulted in a great psychedelic backdrop which pulsated and evolved with the trippy music, kinda like seeing the old Pink Floyd laser light show at the Hayden Planetarium, except live and more organic. Here's a cut off their latest album, Popular Songs, entitled "Here To Fall," during which they brought on a small troupe of accompanying strings:

The evening featured a setlist of material that spanned their career, as well as their diverse range of styles, from guitar shredding riffs to perfect head bopping, finger snapping melodies. They switched off on instruments and vocals quite a bit, demonstrating their truly collaborative effort. My appreciation for Yo La Tengo only grows more and more.

I also recorded videos for my favorite song, "Autumn Sweater," and the last song, a requested oldie called "The Whole Of The Law," as well as the rest of my pics on my Flickr.

There was additional support by Susquehanna Tool & Die Co. (of whom we unfortunately caught only the slightest glimpse), comedian John Oliver (très drôle), and The Black Lips (très noisy and hard to understand).

Thanks to Brooklyn Vegan for the link.

U2 @Giants Stadium, Sept. 24th

2009-09-25T04:40:00.004-04:00

Is there anything more that really needs to be said about powerhouse U2??? Holy shit, they know how to put on a show! Armed with a pair of General Admission tickets thanks to a sacrifice by Wawa, Bestest Boy and I got to Giants Stadium just after 4pm and ended up in the very center of the pit inside the coveted area enclosed by the circular catwalk. Astounding views all around. Sure, it would have been interesting to see the weird spaceship beehive staging from a farther away vantage, but who am I kidding -- nothing beats being up close to these four amazing men who only seem to get better with age. They are requisite viewing for anyone who is a fan of live music. I'm telling ya -- you must see them at least once in your lifetime!

Setlist is here. My complete set of photos is here.

Muse @Giants Stadium, Sept. 24th

2009-09-25T03:08:00.004-04:00

Muse were an awesome way to start up the crowd waiting for U2. They are full of energy and play the kind of music that fills a stadium quite nicely, unlike the last time I saw U2 and the snoozerville Keane opened. Lead singer Matthew Bellamy is a talented singer and musician. I was quite impressed by his piano playing, as well as by his posturing with guitar in hand. Critics might complain they're too derivative of my favorites, Radiohead, with a little Queen tossed in, but for a full 45 minutes, I was fully entertained. I definitely was reminded of some of my favorite Guitar Hero moments.

Elvis Costello @The Apollo Theater, Sept. 23rd

2009-09-24T03:10:00.002-04:00

Lucky enough to land a pair of free tickets, Shana and I attended tonight's taping of "Spectacle: Elvis Costello With..." at the legendary Apollo Theater. (Is it possible to mention the venue without appending the word "legendary?") We showed up early at the front of the line and easily grabbed great seats in the 5th row of the center orchestra with a view right in front of the interview chairs. This episode featured three American folk singer-songwriters: elder statesman John Prine, Lone Star slinger Lyle Lovett, and the young old soul Ray LaMontagne.

The format of the evening went as follows: Costello played a short solo set, then he brought out each artist individually for two songs solo followed by an interview segment then by a third song (either with or without Costello), and to finish, all four men got on stage as a group for two last songs.

Musically speaking, the selections were pretty delicious with many highlights. To kick off the evening, Costello opened with two oldies from his debut album, My Aim Is True -- "Poison Moon" and "Wave A White Flag" solo on guitar. Prine, whose music I've heard covered by other artists, sang two songs that were lyrically complex, yet different in style -- "That's The Way The World Goes 'Round," which was amusing, and "Lake ~~Angela~~ Marie," which was quite poetic. Lovett sang wonderfully, including a new unreleased tune which he claimed he wrote while watching a football game that had a funny beer commercial next to a news segment. Third came LaMontagne, who opened with a rousing stripped-down solo acoustic version of the radio-friendly "You Are The Best Thing" with a different arrangement, and then his "Jolene." Finally, the men played "Loretta" by Townes Van Zandt and Prine's "Angel From Montgomery." In total, we heard 14 songs, with a few repeats.

Interview-wise, I thought the success varied with each guest. Overall, I'd say Costello is a compelling host, obviously full with his own stories and geek trivia. When Prine was in the chair, Costello showed great deference and allowed Prine to tell some amusing stories. I can see why Prine is viewed with tremendous respect by many musicians. However, when Lovett sat for a conversation, it really became the Elvis Costello story-telling hour with little input from Lovett, who seemed like a perfectly capable and nice guy. Shana suggested that it was the Texan gentleman in Lovett, who was too polite to interrupt Costello, who'd ask a question, and as Lovett got out a sentence, would then hijack the conversation with his own story over and over again. With LaMontagne's segment, Costello had a bit more success than with Lovett, as LaMontagne seemed reluctant to embrace any kind of attention, so Costello had to coax him out some. I quite enjoyed LaMontagne's deadpan retort, when asked if he hated people -- "No, I love people. I just (really) hate assholes."

The evening was interesting as it was being filmed for television over the course of probably over 3 hours, with a few retakes of some songs, but hey, we weren't complaining. Mostly, I liked the idea of attending a musical event in a great seated venue with excellent sound and musicianship, and no one talking or texting or taking pictures or smoking rudely next to you, and the crowd showing great enthusiasm (even if on cue). I understand that the program itself is an hour (with commercials?), so it will be interesting to see how they edit down the footage. I had a great evening listening to a bunch of talented musicians to whom I might not normally listen, and finally got to see a bit of Elvis Costello live. Costello is a great musician with excellent stories and knowledge to share, and I really have to see him perform properly at some point!

Rhett Miller @The Bell House, Sept. 16th

2009-09-17T03:43:00.005-04:00

Perhaps I do have too much time on my hands nowadays. This afternoon, I decided to pay a bit more attention to my Twitter feed and saw this contest for free tickets to the Rhett Miller show later in the evening. Almost an hour had gone by since the contest was tweeted, and I figured someone had to have beaten me to the punch, but I went ahead and emailed my googled answer of "Homeward Bound," and lo and behold, I won. I got in touch with Shana and we figured why not go tonight -- it'd be a nice, free opportunity to check out The Bell House again (our prior visit being the disappointing Pains show in March).

Before tonight, I have to admit my greatest exposure to Rhett Miller was when he appeared in the movie "The Break-Up," in which the two main characters, played by Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston, share a love of Rhett's main band, Old 97s. As much as I dig alt-country acts like Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Golden Smog, Ryan Adams, and the like, I never got around to checking out Rhett and his bandmates. Ah well.

I enjoyed Rhett's solo iteration, backed by a solid trio known as The Serial Lady Killers. The first part of the show, which focused mainly on stuff from his latest album (I think), had a high energy level, but felt a bit pushed, rushed and one might even say rambunctious because it did not let up -- like the music wanted to breathe but couldn't. Not until the acoustic guitar was brought out did I feel like Rhett really hit his stride, allowing for some nuance to filter in. But by then, he had really captured my attention. I realized I did know a few of the songs (including the overly? romantic "Question," which I decided right then and there I really liked), helping me get into the set more. The last third of the set list delved into older stuff and grew looser and more honky-tonk.

Seeing Rhett Miller reminded me of times I have seen other musicians like Jesse Malin or the Bielanko Brothers from Marah or Pete Yorn -- solid singer-songwriters on guitar who infuse great energy and stage presence into their live performances (and it doesn't hurt that they're pretty darn cute, too). While I might not rush out and buy every album in their catalogs, I have a pretty good time watching some good time rock 'n roll in intimate settings.

Shana and I got to The Bell House just in time to catch the first opener, Mia Riddle and Her Band, whom we really, really enjoyed. Her music was probably more akin to what Shana and I have been listening to lately, full of great harmonies between Mia and her keyboardist, Amy Merrill. I am superglad we didn't miss any of this band's music.

For the last song, Mia took off her shoes so she could jump around on stage, barefoot. Totally adorable.

The second opener was Jim Ward, of Sleepercar, Sparta and At The Drive-In fame, who bravely appeared by himself with acoustic guitar and nothing/no one else. While he was a very skilled guitarist and singer, I couldn't get really into his music too much. A little too scream-o for my tastes. If I had to make a comparison, I'd have to say Dashboard Confessional (not that I'm that familiar) with a little Rufus Wainwright and Mark Eitzel thrown in. Weird, I know.

Vivian Girls @Whitney Museum, July 31st

2009-08-01T07:47:00.004-04:00

It had been ages since the last time I paid a visit to the Whitney Museum. (I believe it was in 1995 when I saw an exhibit on the Beat Generation which included the 120 foot long scroll on which Jack Kerouac typed On The Road.) On this rainy Friday afternoon, I met Avra and her dad (who at first glance, reminded me a little of Gary Louris of Jayhawks and Golden Smog fame) for a quick jaunt through some great installations (do check out the Dan Graham and Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen ones).

We then headed down to the lower level for a brief respite before lining up with the rest of the museum-goers for the evening's entertainment. It is an odd space situated in the same area as the gift shop and cafe, with large columns awkwardly imposed right in front of where the bands set up. I did like the large window behind, which gave people the option to sit outside behind the band, or even for passersby on the street level to have a glimpse at the action.

The opener was this experimental music trio named These Are Powers. Even though we were in a contemporary art museum setting, I was not particularly in the mood for this sort of music, which lacked any sort of traditional melodic/harmonic structure. The lead singer, with her yelps and spoken singing, reminded me at times of Karen O from the YYYs, with a little Peaches and Marilyn Manson mixed in. There were certain elements of their songs I did like, but I probably would have enjoyed them more had there been a little more distance between me and one of the speakers. If they were in a proper venue with a raised platform, I think it would have felt a little less haphazard as though we were in someone's basement or rec room.

Next up was our primary reason for shlepping to the UES -- the recently much buzzed about all girl trio, Vivian Girls, of whom prior to yesterday I only knew of the origin of their name as being from a Henry Darger work. I really dug the raw freshness of these ladies, who moved through their songs swiftly and modestly. Their music has elements of '60s girl group harmonies, with a punk/surf rhythm and shoegaze fuzz to it. If I had to make quick comparisons, I'd say I was definitely reminded of the Raveonettes, Lush and The Breeders at times. I am quite pleased Avra suggested checking Vivian Girls out. I bought their self-titled first album after the show and look forward to their upcoming release.

Overall, a satisfying experience despite the dreary rain.

Thanks to the blog 50 Shows in 50 Days For Free for the linkage.

Wilco @Keyspan Park, July 13th

2009-07-14T02:56:00.003-04:00

I was originally thinking no to this show; times are tough, and I had just seen Wilco twice in December opening for two very expensive Neil Young shows. Plus, shlepping out to Coney Island is rarely ideal. But then, Yo La Tengo was announced as the opener, so your humble narrator found herself facing the prospect of not seeing two of her favorite bands together on one bill. That would obviously be most incorrect. So I hustled and bustled for a ticket, even to the point of shamelessly asking James McNew of YLT for a ticket sortof (he said no). My patience paid off as this afternoon I landed a ticket for well below face. I made my way to Coney Island, scarfed down a Nathan's hotdog with onions and sauerkraut, and scooted to the stadium. I got there early enough for a nice spot right on the front rail and prepared for an evening of wow.

And WOW I got. Not only were Yo La Tengo superb (I could have seriously gone home after them and been fine with it), but Wilco once again killed it. They played for nearly 2-1/2 hours, employing a mix of the familiar as well as cuts off their latest self-titled album.

I was pleasantly surprised by the appearance of Feist, who did her duet with Jeff Tweedy on "You And I," and subsequently also by Edward Droste of Grizzly Bear, who lent his voice on backup vocals. Yo La Tengo came back onto the stage to join the boys in "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" to close out the first encore. It. Was. Like. My. Mind. Exploded.

Perhaps most fittingly, Wilco finished the evening with Woody Guthrie's "Hoodoo Voodoo" off their Mermaid Avenue collaboration with Billy Bragg. The always amazing Nels Cline engaged in a guitar solo duel with utility player Pat Sansone -- at this time, it is still unclear who won.

Seriously beautiful and amazing day.

"You And I" with Feist:

Also, "California Stars" (with Feist and Ed Droste) and "Hummingbird."

Yo La Tengo @Keyspan Park, July 13th

2009-07-14T01:49:00.009-04:00

I had made peace with the decision to pass on the Wilco show at Keyspan Park till Yo La Tengo was announced as the opener. That gave me agita for quite some time. Glad I went tonight and finally heard my favorite YLT song "Autumn Sweater." Bitchin'!

One of my favorite opening bands, ever.

(Sorry for the lack of Georgia pics -- couldn't see her from my spot on the rail. D'oh!)

Handsome Furs @Music Hall of Williamsburg, July 8th

2009-07-14T00:21:00.006-04:00

The last time I caught Dan Boeckner, it was in his usual band of Wolf Parade at Warsaw almost two years ago, and I have to say, I was not hugely impressed. The band didn't wow me with their live performance.

This time, thanks to The Music Slut, I was able to attend a concert by Handsome Furs, Boeckner's side project with his wife, Alexei Perry. Going into it, I was skeptical due to my previous experience. Since I had a free ticket, I decided to show up just for the main act and give it a whirl.

What Wolf Parade lacked in gusto, Handsome Furs more than made up for it in charm and sexiness. This simple husband-wife duo, despite the lack of a full band, managed to keep me entertained for more than an hour, playing a stripped down set full of guitar, synthesizers and drum machine. It reminded me quite a bit of the time I saw The Presets open for The Rapture at Webster Hall. Their music was a fun danceable mix that had the crowd hopping. And my oh my were they sexy.

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band / Jenny Lewis @Battery Park, July 4th

2009-07-12T20:10:00.005-04:00

This past 4th of July, a bunch of us got da hook up from dear Whitney to go sit in the VIP section for the annual free concert in Battery Park. Even though our location was not optimal for hearing the musicians and seeing the stage, at least we didn't have to get in line hours earlier and worry about anyone stealing our spots since seats were aplenty in our section. Plus, we had the added bonus of free barbecue, drinks and ice cream, so it was all good.

The concert opened with indie darling Jenny Lewis, whom I had caught less than a month prior in Williamsburg. Her setlist was more or less the same, coming in a little shorter at 55 minutes, so I was not at all fussed to be up front again like I had been for the smaller venue show. She was her usual beautiful self, and her mood reflected the sunny gorgeous day. A nice twist -- for her cover of the Traveling Wilburys' "Handle Me With Care," she brought out Conor Oberst and his band for backup vocals duty as a preview of what was to come.

The headliner was Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, a band I was somewhat looking forward to, but not in any huge hurry to spend any money on. I've enjoyed Conor Oberst's usual iteration of Bright Eyes a number of times before, so I kinda knew what to expect, but didn't have any familiarity with his latest material.

With Conor Oberst, I find it important to be in the mood for his music. He can be really awesome if you're totally into it, but if not, it wears thin pretty quickly. He and his bandmates are certainly talented, but after a while, the songs can kinda sound all the same. And the combination of our being on the side, and not knowing the material made us a bit restless towards the end. The music, however energetic, proved a bit much to take at an hour and 45 minutes.

Nonetheless, the afternoon proved to be a perfect way to spend a 4th of July with friends and decent food and good entertainment, and in the end, isn't that what it really is all about?

Jenny Lewis @Music Hall of Williamsburg, June 9th

2009-06-10T08:35:00.002-04:00

The Hotness aka Jenny Lewis came back for a small venue gig at Music Hall of Williamsburg, and like always, I dug her something bad. In contrast to the first time I saw her without Rilo Kiley over three years ago at Angel Orensanz promoting her first solo effort, Rabbit Fur Coat, with the (kinda creepy but not-so-much any more) Watson Twins, Jenny was much looser this time, especially having toured her second solo album, Acid Tongue, a whole bunch by now. This gig was quite a treat -- she had more diverse material from which to pull, and even opened with a beautiful solo acoustic "Silver Lining" from Rilo Kiley's last album. Plus, we got to hear her fun cover of The Traveling Wilburys' "Handle Me With Care" (see below), which I believe was missing from that 2006 show.

I still think her boyfriend, Johnathan Rice, reminds me of the poor man's Michael Pitt, but, Jenny, man....le *sigh*.

"Trying My Best To Love You":

"Handle Me With Care":

"Acid Tongue":

Oh, and we did get to see the opener, Deer Tick, about whom I knew nothing other than da blogs love 'em. They were a fun mix of country, rock and jangly blues, which kept me entertained, including fun covers of Tom Petty's "Breakdown" and John Cougar Mellencamp's "Authority." Their lead singer had kind of a nasally, whiny voice that took me some getting used to, but once I settled in, it worked, I suppose.