Saturday, May 23, 2009

St. Vincent @ Webster Hall - Wed May 20th, 2009

She is a good guitar player (a bit of a poser sometiems), she is cute, but ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Animal Collective @ Terminal 5 - Wed May 13th, 2009


This was my eight time seeing Animal Collective, my favorite band of the 00's. It was nice to see them with some new tricks on stage, like the big ball where they reflected psychedelic videos on, and their own desks lightning up randomly all night. It looked simple, and I liked it that way, since their new music is far from that. It was very Animal Collective.

Their set list needs an urgent shake up, because they are becoming kind of predictable. The classic songs they have been playing has been the same for the past four times I've seen them. Time to change and play some from Feels and or Strawberry Jam (except Fireworks, which I love, but I've heard enough). Or they just need to play the entire Merriweather Post Pavillion... I am sure no one is gonna complain... best album of the decade? You know it is, you just don't want to agree because for cool people it would be lame to do so. I don't care.

Animal Collective Links: Stream - Merriweather Post Pavillion Stream Strawberry Jam, Stream Feels, MySpace, Domino Records, YouTube, Pitchfork interviews the Collective.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Of Montreal @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - Fri Apr 17, 2009

The Walkmen (w/ Beach House) @ Webster Hall - Thu Apr 16, 2009

Camera Obscura @ Mercury Lounge - Wed Mar 25, 2009


I am not a huge Camera Obscura fan, but every time they put out a new record and swing by New York to promote it, I can't help but wanting to be there and see them. They are perfect for having a very cute kind of night. Songs off their new album, My Maudlin Career, sounded great, as all their best songs from their two great previous albums did too.

I am typing this almost a month after I saw them, so I don't remember details that made this night special, but somehow it was because otherwise I wouldn't be saying much here. Maybe it was seeing them at such a small venue. Good band, good vibe, and good new album. Go to see them and love them back.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Glass Candy @ Le Poisson Rouge - Sat Mar 07, 2009

Grizzly Bear @ BAM - Sat Feb 28, 2009


Speechless. It's been weeks and still can't write about this show. Grizzly Bear set the bar really high for Best show of 2009, and it's only March. Too bad that their new album, Veckatimest, is not hitting me as hard as Yellow House did. Live, selecting its best songs, the story is different cause those songs are quite the killers. It was a pleasure to hear live songs they hadn't been able to play because of how rich they are, but in this case with the help of the Brooklyn Philarmonic Orchestra they did. A full room tells I am not gonna be able to see them live in an intimate setting ever again :-/

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Antony & the Johnsons @ Town Hall - Fri Feb 20, 2009


(Note: I wasn't gonna write anything about this show, given that I saw Antony recently, but it was so moving I couldn't keep it to myself)

Wow. This was even better than Antony's previous show with orchestra at the Apollo Theater. Antony's voice was exceptional, as always, and The Johnsons sounded phenomenal as well. Excellent set list, nice pacing, just perfection all over. Kiss My Name was my favorite one last night... it sounded so alive. I got the shivers, as always, when Antony sang his classics For Today I Am A Boy (which had quite an smart introduction about going back home to San Jose and seeing so many changes in subculture) and You Are My Sister, and I was really happy they played Shake the Devil, one of my favorite songs from last year. After seeing the set list I was also a bit bummed because apparently they were going to come back for a second encore, to play my fave song (Daylight & the Sun) from their fantastic new album The Crying Light, but people didn't clap enough :-/ Next time!