Showing posts with label ♫♫♫♫. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ♫♫♫♫. Show all posts
Sunday, April 19, 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
Saturday, February 21, 2009
M. Ward @ Apollo Theater - Thu Feb 19, 2008
Rave On
I am finishing my dissertation this year. I am exhausted most of the time, because I gotta work hard to finish on time and don't like the idea of not going out and keep having fun, so that being said, I am really surprised I didn't fall sleep two nights ago when I saw M. Ward playing most of his new album Hold Time plus some of his oldies and covers.
I am a fan of the new album. It doesn't reach of the addictiveness his previous masterpiece Post-War reached with me, but still it has been on constant rotation on my iPod, car and stereo at home, especially when I am working on that dissertation to get done.
M. Ward came out solo with his acoustic guitar to a dark stage with a window view in the back announcing the night has just started. He started with the song that titles his new album, and of course it was beautiful. His band quickly joined him and they played Lullabye + Exile and the crowd favorite Chinese Translation. With that out of the way, he went back to hold some more time for us... firs on the guitar with Epistemology and then on the piano for the wonderful To Save Me. One of my very favorite songs from Post-War was played that night. It's the song that titles that album. Post-War doesn't expose M. Ward's virtuosity on the guitar, but his warm vocals, and with a supporting live band so-delicate-when-it-must-be like the one he has right now, the song made my eyes to water.
The night went on and M. Ward's guitar shined on Fisher of Men even more than the fireflies that started showing up through the window. His vocals sounded great again for his cover of Oh Lonesome Me (no Lucinda Williams) and so did the band for the Never Had Nobody Like You (no Zooey Deschanel).
For being tired I remember a lot, don't I? He played more songs from Post-War, including Poison Cup and my very favorite ones Magic Trick and his cover of Daniel Johnston's To Go Home, the new Rave On, which sounded ridiculously good live with a full band, Vincent O'Brien, another crowd favorite from Transfiguration of Vincent, and a couple of covers that I do not know apparently just because I didn't grow up here.
M. Ward might be the only artist playing countryish music that can keep me awake for seventeen or so songs. It was a good show but not everything was great. I have a couple of complains even though I was to tired to be too bothered about them. No Stars of Leo? Come on! That's the best song on Hold Time! And what's wrong with the speakers at the Apollo Theater? [photos of the show]
I am finishing my dissertation this year. I am exhausted most of the time, because I gotta work hard to finish on time and don't like the idea of not going out and keep having fun, so that being said, I am really surprised I didn't fall sleep two nights ago when I saw M. Ward playing most of his new album Hold Time plus some of his oldies and covers.
I am a fan of the new album. It doesn't reach of the addictiveness his previous masterpiece Post-War reached with me, but still it has been on constant rotation on my iPod, car and stereo at home, especially when I am working on that dissertation to get done.
M. Ward came out solo with his acoustic guitar to a dark stage with a window view in the back announcing the night has just started. He started with the song that titles his new album, and of course it was beautiful. His band quickly joined him and they played Lullabye + Exile and the crowd favorite Chinese Translation. With that out of the way, he went back to hold some more time for us... firs on the guitar with Epistemology and then on the piano for the wonderful To Save Me. One of my very favorite songs from Post-War was played that night. It's the song that titles that album. Post-War doesn't expose M. Ward's virtuosity on the guitar, but his warm vocals, and with a supporting live band so-delicate-when-it-must-be like the one he has right now, the song made my eyes to water.
The night went on and M. Ward's guitar shined on Fisher of Men even more than the fireflies that started showing up through the window. His vocals sounded great again for his cover of Oh Lonesome Me (no Lucinda Williams) and so did the band for the Never Had Nobody Like You (no Zooey Deschanel).
For being tired I remember a lot, don't I? He played more songs from Post-War, including Poison Cup and my very favorite ones Magic Trick and his cover of Daniel Johnston's To Go Home, the new Rave On, which sounded ridiculously good live with a full band, Vincent O'Brien, another crowd favorite from Transfiguration of Vincent, and a couple of covers that I do not know apparently just because I didn't grow up here.
M. Ward might be the only artist playing countryish music that can keep me awake for seventeen or so songs. It was a good show but not everything was great. I have a couple of complains even though I was to tired to be too bothered about them. No Stars of Leo? Come on! That's the best song on Hold Time! And what's wrong with the speakers at the Apollo Theater? [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
M. Ward Links: Stream Hold Time, Stream Post-War, Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, at Merge Records
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sunday, October 5, 2008
The Dodos @ Spiegeltent - Mon Sep 29, 2008
Spiegeltent
Early in July I saw saw some of the most intense live shows I've had this year. There were too many good ones in such a short time, that I wasn't able to blog them properly. The Dodos were the act that impressed me the most. I waited for my first chance to see them after that hot Saturday afternoon at P4K Music Festival, where they blew my mind and convinced me they were not an Animal Collective ripoff, but an authentic folk/rock band rocking out one of the best albums of this year, their sophomore album called Visiter, and that day finally came a week ago. Unfortunately it wasn't as hot as before.
Not only the weather was not hot as before, but the set itself was not. It had more of their older songs which I don't think are as great as their new ones. Somehow it was good for me anyway, because I got to pay attention to something else different than Meric Long hands and his long nails, and his excellent guitar playing. The drummer, Logan Kroeber, is quite good too. To keep it short, he can pat his head and rub his belly at the same time. And he is cute.
It's amazing how much sound they can achieve basically with just an acoustic guitar (amplified, of course) and a drum set (plus a garbage aluminium can). That Animal Collective comparison that surrounds them is not for free. We've heard stuff like this before and very well done by that collective, but was it done with such great lyrics and sweetness? I don't think so. Right there, with Visiter, The Dodos made space for themselves to be noticed and they are playing it quite well. See you in December, even though it will be colder... I hope you guys warm me up again. [photos of the show]
Early in July I saw saw some of the most intense live shows I've had this year. There were too many good ones in such a short time, that I wasn't able to blog them properly. The Dodos were the act that impressed me the most. I waited for my first chance to see them after that hot Saturday afternoon at P4K Music Festival, where they blew my mind and convinced me they were not an Animal Collective ripoff, but an authentic folk/rock band rocking out one of the best albums of this year, their sophomore album called Visiter, and that day finally came a week ago. Unfortunately it wasn't as hot as before.
Not only the weather was not hot as before, but the set itself was not. It had more of their older songs which I don't think are as great as their new ones. Somehow it was good for me anyway, because I got to pay attention to something else different than Meric Long hands and his long nails, and his excellent guitar playing. The drummer, Logan Kroeber, is quite good too. To keep it short, he can pat his head and rub his belly at the same time. And he is cute.
It's amazing how much sound they can achieve basically with just an acoustic guitar (amplified, of course) and a drum set (plus a garbage aluminium can). That Animal Collective comparison that surrounds them is not for free. We've heard stuff like this before and very well done by that collective, but was it done with such great lyrics and sweetness? I don't think so. Right there, with Visiter, The Dodos made space for themselves to be noticed and they are playing it quite well. See you in December, even though it will be colder... I hope you guys warm me up again. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
The Dodos links: Stream Visiter, Official Website, MySpace, Wikipedia
Monday, June 9, 2008
The Field @ Studio B - Fri Jun 06, 2008
Four Tet wasn't there and it was great
I have been listening to Four Tet's music for a while now and so I was very excited of finally seeing him live, but I got an email during the week telling me that the guy was sick, or one of his relatives, and that he decided to cancel the show. He cancelled his show but the night was not cancelled. The Field was opening and even though I had already been dissapointed with his live show I went to see him again. I went mainly because I read online that he actually was going to play with a band, and if you have heard the great From Here We Go Sublime, then that at least should make you curious.
The Field sounded very very good. What a difference with last time I saw him. Really, there was good energy floating in the air. On stage he had something that looked like a very complicated mixer and sequencer, a guy on real drums, bass guitar played by the same guy and sometimes by Axel himself, and a guy on what seemed to be a Rolland.
He played pretty much the same stuff as last time I saw him. Some songs off From Here, some songs of a new EP he recently put out, and the moving remix of Annie's Heartbeat. The best moment of the show was reached when he played The Little Heart Beats So Fast and Everday... I couldn't keep the excitement those two songs were giving me and join the few people dancing on the next to the floor. The Field's music is ambiguous to me... I don't know if I want to chill with it or dance it like in a rave. Last Friday I did both and it felt good. I hope he keeps touring with a band and develop his sound around it. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
The Field Links: Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, at Kompakt Records
I have been listening to Four Tet's music for a while now and so I was very excited of finally seeing him live, but I got an email during the week telling me that the guy was sick, or one of his relatives, and that he decided to cancel the show. He cancelled his show but the night was not cancelled. The Field was opening and even though I had already been dissapointed with his live show I went to see him again. I went mainly because I read online that he actually was going to play with a band, and if you have heard the great From Here We Go Sublime, then that at least should make you curious.
The Field sounded very very good. What a difference with last time I saw him. Really, there was good energy floating in the air. On stage he had something that looked like a very complicated mixer and sequencer, a guy on real drums, bass guitar played by the same guy and sometimes by Axel himself, and a guy on what seemed to be a Rolland.
He played pretty much the same stuff as last time I saw him. Some songs off From Here, some songs of a new EP he recently put out, and the moving remix of Annie's Heartbeat. The best moment of the show was reached when he played The Little Heart Beats So Fast and Everday... I couldn't keep the excitement those two songs were giving me and join the few people dancing on the next to the floor. The Field's music is ambiguous to me... I don't know if I want to chill with it or dance it like in a rave. Last Friday I did both and it felt good. I hope he keeps touring with a band and develop his sound around it. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
The Field Links: Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, at Kompakt Records
Sunday, June 8, 2008
M.I.A. @ McCarren Pool - Fri Jun 06, 2008
I fly like paper I get high like planes
M.I.A. is more than ready to take over the world. She can headline Madison Square Garden any day now and I am sure the show would sell out. Move over Madonna, there is a new queen in town.
Madonna is a suitable icon to compare M.I.A. to, merely because of her audience. Lots of gays were out in Brooklyn on Friday night having a great time. I was one of them even though I was not 100% into the show. At the moment I had a nice reason for not losing all my shit, like I did last time I saw her, but right now I kind of regret it. I should have got closer to the stage, dance as I always do without paying attention who was around me, and being more myself. M.I.A. gave almost everything of her it was just fair I had done the same, but I didn't. It seems I should not go out in a date to see one of my favorite artists. I wasn't paying enough attention to her to enjoy her fully and it seems things went wrong with the guy I went out with cause there's no sign of a second date. Bad luck, I wish I could change both because both are pretty nice.
In Madonna style, M.I.A. dresses up nicely, wears a white hair wig (thanks!), and now has a lot of people on stage, although not all of them are experienced dancers. She keeps having one backup singer, inviting people on stage to dance (which is getting kind of bad for the flow of the show), and a DJ to play her beats and samples. I do not really know how much M.I.A. actually does on stage besides singing, which she is doing perfectly fine anyway, but I was wondering. Is she still using the famous Rolland 505 she started with for Arular?
The stage looked like the stage of a play telling a story of a modern queen in Ghana. Tropical palms, everybody wearing multicolored clothes, and visuals on three big screens made me feel that way. The show once again started with the one and only Bamboo Banga, the track that made me fall in love instantly with Kala, the best song to start an album, and now a show. M.I.A. played all of her hits, that is almost all of her songs, but little details were missing for me. It's not that she has to play the same tricks for every show, but last time I saw her she played snippets of New Order's Blue Monday and Eurythmics's Sweet Dreams before and/or during a couple of her own songs and it was so much fun that I was expecting that kind of game on Friday too. Never happened, besides the known sample of Pixies' Where is My Mind she has in $20. Instead she blended her own songs like in a mixtape and sometimes it sounded disconnected.
For the encore Afrikan Boy showed up to sing Hussel with Maya and the show was over with Paper Planes. Something cool that happened for that song was that lots of people on stage were given actual paper planes and they started throwing them to the crowd. It was a fun way to end the show... why hadn't she done it before? [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
M.I.A. Links: Stream Kala, Official Website, MySpace, Wikipedia, YouTube, Pitchfork interviews M.I.A. (2007), Pitchfork interviews M.I.A. (2005)
M.I.A. is more than ready to take over the world. She can headline Madison Square Garden any day now and I am sure the show would sell out. Move over Madonna, there is a new queen in town.
Madonna is a suitable icon to compare M.I.A. to, merely because of her audience. Lots of gays were out in Brooklyn on Friday night having a great time. I was one of them even though I was not 100% into the show. At the moment I had a nice reason for not losing all my shit, like I did last time I saw her, but right now I kind of regret it. I should have got closer to the stage, dance as I always do without paying attention who was around me, and being more myself. M.I.A. gave almost everything of her it was just fair I had done the same, but I didn't. It seems I should not go out in a date to see one of my favorite artists. I wasn't paying enough attention to her to enjoy her fully and it seems things went wrong with the guy I went out with cause there's no sign of a second date. Bad luck, I wish I could change both because both are pretty nice.
In Madonna style, M.I.A. dresses up nicely, wears a white hair wig (thanks!), and now has a lot of people on stage, although not all of them are experienced dancers. She keeps having one backup singer, inviting people on stage to dance (which is getting kind of bad for the flow of the show), and a DJ to play her beats and samples. I do not really know how much M.I.A. actually does on stage besides singing, which she is doing perfectly fine anyway, but I was wondering. Is she still using the famous Rolland 505 she started with for Arular?
The stage looked like the stage of a play telling a story of a modern queen in Ghana. Tropical palms, everybody wearing multicolored clothes, and visuals on three big screens made me feel that way. The show once again started with the one and only Bamboo Banga, the track that made me fall in love instantly with Kala, the best song to start an album, and now a show. M.I.A. played all of her hits, that is almost all of her songs, but little details were missing for me. It's not that she has to play the same tricks for every show, but last time I saw her she played snippets of New Order's Blue Monday and Eurythmics's Sweet Dreams before and/or during a couple of her own songs and it was so much fun that I was expecting that kind of game on Friday too. Never happened, besides the known sample of Pixies' Where is My Mind she has in $20. Instead she blended her own songs like in a mixtape and sometimes it sounded disconnected.
For the encore Afrikan Boy showed up to sing Hussel with Maya and the show was over with Paper Planes. Something cool that happened for that song was that lots of people on stage were given actual paper planes and they started throwing them to the crowd. It was a fun way to end the show... why hadn't she done it before? [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
M.I.A. Links: Stream Kala, Official Website, MySpace, Wikipedia, YouTube, Pitchfork interviews M.I.A. (2007), Pitchfork interviews M.I.A. (2005)
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Apparat @ Knitting Factory - Sun May 25, 2008
We are from Germany, btw
Apparently this was the concert to be at for the "in the known" German community living in NYC. They did not go to listen to Apparat, they went to be seen (and scene) and to annoy me. From what I heard, when people shut the f*ck up, Apparat put on a good show bringing some of his contributions to Orchestra of Bubbles and his own Walls to life.
Apparat's live show this time comprised three people: Mr. Sascha Ring, most of the time on guitar and synths, and two German guys, one pretty good at the drums and the other one on keyboards and helping with vocals.
Everything Apparat played off Walls sounded on point, especially its stand out Arcadia, but their best moment that night was definitely when they played Orchestra of Bubbles' Rotary. I gotta say that I am loving those Bubbles way too much. I though The Knife was the best electronica release of 2006, but I have been having a lot of doubts lately about that. Seriously. Anyway, yeah, that song was the best.
Sometimes the show sounded like a rock show with plenty of guitar distortion, something I was not expecting for a dance act. Sascha seemed to enjoy those solo moments tho. Maybe Apparat live is not a dance act. His sound live is definitely much closer to the warm Walls, than to the boombastic Orchestra of Bubbles. I gotta admit I was expecting more of the latter, but once the show got shape I fully realized it was not going to be an Ellen Allien & Apparat show and took the best out of it, despite of the annoying German audience. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Apparat Links: Stream Walls, Stream Orchestra of Bubbles, Official Website, MySpace, Wikipedia
Apparently this was the concert to be at for the "in the known" German community living in NYC. They did not go to listen to Apparat, they went to be seen (and scene) and to annoy me. From what I heard, when people shut the f*ck up, Apparat put on a good show bringing some of his contributions to Orchestra of Bubbles and his own Walls to life.
Apparat's live show this time comprised three people: Mr. Sascha Ring, most of the time on guitar and synths, and two German guys, one pretty good at the drums and the other one on keyboards and helping with vocals.
Everything Apparat played off Walls sounded on point, especially its stand out Arcadia, but their best moment that night was definitely when they played Orchestra of Bubbles' Rotary. I gotta say that I am loving those Bubbles way too much. I though The Knife was the best electronica release of 2006, but I have been having a lot of doubts lately about that. Seriously. Anyway, yeah, that song was the best.
Sometimes the show sounded like a rock show with plenty of guitar distortion, something I was not expecting for a dance act. Sascha seemed to enjoy those solo moments tho. Maybe Apparat live is not a dance act. His sound live is definitely much closer to the warm Walls, than to the boombastic Orchestra of Bubbles. I gotta admit I was expecting more of the latter, but once the show got shape I fully realized it was not going to be an Ellen Allien & Apparat show and took the best out of it, despite of the annoying German audience. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Apparat Links: Stream Walls, Stream Orchestra of Bubbles, Official Website, MySpace, Wikipedia
Monday, May 19, 2008
Hercules & Love Affair @ Studio B - Sat May 17, 2008
You Belong
If you follow dance music in NYC, then we were sometime in the same place, Studio B, on Saturday night, or you got sick drunk at the GBH anniversary party at Webster Hall and didn't make it to Greenpoint. Hercules & Love Affair played their first official show in support of their self-titled (awesome) debut album and it wasn't bad for a beginning.
After a painful waiting until 1:10 am or so, the band took the stage wearing oversized hercules tees with the word "banjee" stamped across in the middle, with a couple of trumpets, couple of synthesizers, drums, bass, H&LA's mastermind Andrew Butler behind synthesizers, keyboards and who knows what else, and two of the three H&LA's cool singers: Kim Ann and Nomi (no, Antony was not there). It's pretty funny tho, H&LA features a mix of cool homosexuals, or at least they look like them: Andy has the looks of a gay bear type, Kim is a girl in need of some dancing classes, who probably likes girls, and Nomi, well, she is the hottest transsexual I've seen in a long time. Ah yeah, she sings pretty well, and amazingly, she can pull Antony's vocals off when he is not on board, which is both not an easy job at all and will happen a lot.
Show started slow with True False/Fake Real, which closes Hercules & Love Affair (have I mentioned already how good this album is?). It was clear that the band hadn't been playing live. Both Kim and Nomi sang here. Kim initially looked timid and dancing awkwardly, asking permission to one leg to move the other one, but I guess it all was understandable nervousism. Her moves won me over shortly after though. Next Kim gave so much of her in Shadows, Blind's B-side, that her moves then looked cute to me. Her singing was great. I hadn't heard that song before, like mostly everybody else in the room because no one was really dancing or singing yet, just staring at the good interpretation, but it was so good that I am so buying that single when it comes out here, if ever.
The very sensual Nomi was a different story... she knows how to dance in short sexy outfits. It wasn't until hints of Blind, the best dance track of this 2008, were played that excitement was all over the club. Definitely, the decidable moment of the show. It was meant to make the statement of whether Nomi was going to suck taking over Antony's vocals or not. She surely did not suck tho, she was fantastic and looked great at it. Look, she even changed her dress along the show... very old style. She's a diva:
Later, when she sang Belong I fully realized she was indeed the voice behind that track on H&LA. Like her looks, she definitely sounds like a man with a soft voice or a girl with a thicker one... a really good one for disco style.
I thought the show was too short, but now that I look at the set list it wasn't really that short for a band with just one album... maybe I feel that way because the album is so good that you want to hear live all of it. This is what they played:
There were two new songs to my ears, two songs that are not on H&LA: I'm Telling You and Precious Little Diamond. I don't remember how good Precious was, and in fact whether it was a cover or not (?), but I'm telling you, I'm Telling You was excellent. So, where can I find that song?
Overall it was a good show with some weak moments. Sound was not the best, there were several technical problems in between songs, Kim didn't do a great job singing Raise Me Up (understandable too because no one else has Antony's tubes!), Hercules Theme was too slow for my groove and sounded like if it were being dragged to be played (although the brass section was excellent and was more notable here), and well, Antony was not there.
I am sure next time they play their city again after their extensive European tour, they will sound much more tight and hopefully we will have all my three new favorite queers on stage. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Hercules & Love Affair Links: Stream Hercules & Love Affair, Official Website, MySpace, YouTube, Wikipedia
If you follow dance music in NYC, then we were sometime in the same place, Studio B, on Saturday night, or you got sick drunk at the GBH anniversary party at Webster Hall and didn't make it to Greenpoint. Hercules & Love Affair played their first official show in support of their self-titled (awesome) debut album and it wasn't bad for a beginning.
After a painful waiting until 1:10 am or so, the band took the stage wearing oversized hercules tees with the word "banjee" stamped across in the middle, with a couple of trumpets, couple of synthesizers, drums, bass, H&LA's mastermind Andrew Butler behind synthesizers, keyboards and who knows what else, and two of the three H&LA's cool singers: Kim Ann and Nomi (no, Antony was not there). It's pretty funny tho, H&LA features a mix of cool homosexuals, or at least they look like them: Andy has the looks of a gay bear type, Kim is a girl in need of some dancing classes, who probably likes girls, and Nomi, well, she is the hottest transsexual I've seen in a long time. Ah yeah, she sings pretty well, and amazingly, she can pull Antony's vocals off when he is not on board, which is both not an easy job at all and will happen a lot.
Show started slow with True False/Fake Real, which closes Hercules & Love Affair (have I mentioned already how good this album is?). It was clear that the band hadn't been playing live. Both Kim and Nomi sang here. Kim initially looked timid and dancing awkwardly, asking permission to one leg to move the other one, but I guess it all was understandable nervousism. Her moves won me over shortly after though. Next Kim gave so much of her in Shadows, Blind's B-side, that her moves then looked cute to me. Her singing was great. I hadn't heard that song before, like mostly everybody else in the room because no one was really dancing or singing yet, just staring at the good interpretation, but it was so good that I am so buying that single when it comes out here, if ever.
The very sensual Nomi was a different story... she knows how to dance in short sexy outfits. It wasn't until hints of Blind, the best dance track of this 2008, were played that excitement was all over the club. Definitely, the decidable moment of the show. It was meant to make the statement of whether Nomi was going to suck taking over Antony's vocals or not. She surely did not suck tho, she was fantastic and looked great at it. Look, she even changed her dress along the show... very old style. She's a diva:
Later, when she sang Belong I fully realized she was indeed the voice behind that track on H&LA. Like her looks, she definitely sounds like a man with a soft voice or a girl with a thicker one... a really good one for disco style.
I thought the show was too short, but now that I look at the set list it wasn't really that short for a band with just one album... maybe I feel that way because the album is so good that you want to hear live all of it. This is what they played:
True False/Fake Real
Shadows
Blind
I'm Telling You
Athene
Classique #2 (really good!)
Precious Little Diamond (a cover of Fox the Fox's?)
You Belong
Raise Me Up
--
Hercules Theme
There were two new songs to my ears, two songs that are not on H&LA: I'm Telling You and Precious Little Diamond. I don't remember how good Precious was, and in fact whether it was a cover or not (?), but I'm telling you, I'm Telling You was excellent. So, where can I find that song?
Overall it was a good show with some weak moments. Sound was not the best, there were several technical problems in between songs, Kim didn't do a great job singing Raise Me Up (understandable too because no one else has Antony's tubes!), Hercules Theme was too slow for my groove and sounded like if it were being dragged to be played (although the brass section was excellent and was more notable here), and well, Antony was not there.
I am sure next time they play their city again after their extensive European tour, they will sound much more tight and hopefully we will have all my three new favorite queers on stage. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Hercules & Love Affair Links: Stream Hercules & Love Affair, Official Website, MySpace, YouTube, Wikipedia
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Beach House @ Bowery Ballroom - Wed Apr 02, 2008
Devotion
If you know Beach House music, then you don't go to see them live expecting them to put on a mind blowing show. You should go expecting them to take your hand and make you travel with their dreamy sound, because that's what they really deliver and do not dissapoint at it.
After a painful waiting of almost an hour after the all right opening act Papercuts, once Beach House stepped into the stage, we understood why the delay. Victoria and Alex were wearing costumes for the occasion:
Ok, not quite costumes, but some elegant clothes for hanging out at the Beach House they set up on stage, with sea and swan included. They even have new lights that will help you to get into their contagious mood of lazyness and slow motion. I liked the whole thing, simple and effective.
Victoria and Alex are a productive couple of friends making beautiful music right now. Since they were left alone one day in a rehearsal with more of their friends, somewhere in Baltimore, they isolated and have been working out their characteristic sound to perfection. You can feel in the air how well they understand and complement each other now these days, even tho they barely talk. Victoria would shake her head with her hair on her face playing the piano and keyboards, while Alex would slowly and carefully extract sounds out of his guitar... no more interaction or spectacle was indeed needed. At least for me.
I have been spinning Devotion, Beach House's latest, for the last two months now and it still is one my top 5 albums of this young 2008. They seem to be having a good time with this record too because, as expected, the set list was heavy on the Devotion side, giving us only 4 out of 13 from their self titled debut album.
This time they played standing up and had a strange to their usual environment. Jason Robert Quever, singer and mastermind behind Papercuts, played drums for some of the Beach House songs during the night, and it obviously helped a lot to their performance. He must be a pretty good friend of the band, someone Beach House trusts on, because it seems Victoria and Alex don't really want to let just anyone to add that organic sound they are missing in their live shows, the organic sound the drum machines cannot achieve, but real drums can. I guess it comes along with the right person. Well, that difference was palpable when Jason played with the band, but unfortunately for them Jason won't be there for long. You know it is working... get a drummer. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Beach House Links: Stream Devotion, Official Website, MySpace, on Pitchfork.tv, YouTube, Wiki
If you know Beach House music, then you don't go to see them live expecting them to put on a mind blowing show. You should go expecting them to take your hand and make you travel with their dreamy sound, because that's what they really deliver and do not dissapoint at it.
After a painful waiting of almost an hour after the all right opening act Papercuts, once Beach House stepped into the stage, we understood why the delay. Victoria and Alex were wearing costumes for the occasion:
Ok, not quite costumes, but some elegant clothes for hanging out at the Beach House they set up on stage, with sea and swan included. They even have new lights that will help you to get into their contagious mood of lazyness and slow motion. I liked the whole thing, simple and effective.
Victoria and Alex are a productive couple of friends making beautiful music right now. Since they were left alone one day in a rehearsal with more of their friends, somewhere in Baltimore, they isolated and have been working out their characteristic sound to perfection. You can feel in the air how well they understand and complement each other now these days, even tho they barely talk. Victoria would shake her head with her hair on her face playing the piano and keyboards, while Alex would slowly and carefully extract sounds out of his guitar... no more interaction or spectacle was indeed needed. At least for me.
I have been spinning Devotion, Beach House's latest, for the last two months now and it still is one my top 5 albums of this young 2008. They seem to be having a good time with this record too because, as expected, the set list was heavy on the Devotion side, giving us only 4 out of 13 from their self titled debut album.
This time they played standing up and had a strange to their usual environment. Jason Robert Quever, singer and mastermind behind Papercuts, played drums for some of the Beach House songs during the night, and it obviously helped a lot to their performance. He must be a pretty good friend of the band, someone Beach House trusts on, because it seems Victoria and Alex don't really want to let just anyone to add that organic sound they are missing in their live shows, the organic sound the drum machines cannot achieve, but real drums can. I guess it comes along with the right person. Well, that difference was palpable when Jason played with the band, but unfortunately for them Jason won't be there for long. You know it is working... get a drummer. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Beach House Links: Stream Devotion, Official Website, MySpace, on Pitchfork.tv, YouTube, Wiki
Monday, March 10, 2008
Sam Amidon @ Mercury Lounge - Mar 09, 2008
All Is Well
Not too many times I decide to leave my home on a Sunday night, especially after having a cold the whole week, to go to see a show. Sam Amidon's All Is Well made such a good impression on me a couple of weeks ago that I got myself on my car to see him at the very intimate Mercury Lounge.
All Is Well sounds indeed like a very intimate album, perfect for the venue, and on it Sam sounds like if he was having monologues along all its 10 songs as a first-person narrator. Live it gets engaging. When he talks he sparks charisma all around, and when he hits the first notes on his guitar or tambourine, and take some distance from the mic, he suffers a transformation that transports everyone around to join him in his borrowed memories. As I read on Pitchfork, All Is Well is not all original by Sam, but he does embraces it like it was his own. It should be his own.
Sam has a lazy voice. He reminded me of ventriloquists. He has to give some good distance from his mic, still sounding loud enough, and by barely moving his mouth, he can make noises that might surprise you.
Most of the set was off All Is Well (I remember Little Johnny Brown, Saro, Oh Death), and the songs I didn't identify I guess they came from the other album I saw he was selling, But This Chicken Proves Falsehearted. For those of you who know him a bit better and have seen his cool, he didn't play any Tears for Fears cover, but he did play some imaginary drum set at the same time his invited drummer hit a real one. Ah, he also did some dumb-ass amateur breakdancing. Cute. [pics of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Samamidon Links: Stream All Is Well, Official Website, MySpace
Not too many times I decide to leave my home on a Sunday night, especially after having a cold the whole week, to go to see a show. Sam Amidon's All Is Well made such a good impression on me a couple of weeks ago that I got myself on my car to see him at the very intimate Mercury Lounge.
All Is Well sounds indeed like a very intimate album, perfect for the venue, and on it Sam sounds like if he was having monologues along all its 10 songs as a first-person narrator. Live it gets engaging. When he talks he sparks charisma all around, and when he hits the first notes on his guitar or tambourine, and take some distance from the mic, he suffers a transformation that transports everyone around to join him in his borrowed memories. As I read on Pitchfork, All Is Well is not all original by Sam, but he does embraces it like it was his own. It should be his own.
Sam has a lazy voice. He reminded me of ventriloquists. He has to give some good distance from his mic, still sounding loud enough, and by barely moving his mouth, he can make noises that might surprise you.
Most of the set was off All Is Well (I remember Little Johnny Brown, Saro, Oh Death), and the songs I didn't identify I guess they came from the other album I saw he was selling, But This Chicken Proves Falsehearted. For those of you who know him a bit better and have seen his cool, he didn't play any Tears for Fears cover, but he did play some imaginary drum set at the same time his invited drummer hit a real one. Ah, he also did some dumb-ass amateur breakdancing. Cute. [pics of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Samamidon Links: Stream All Is Well, Official Website, MySpace
Friday, October 5, 2007
Patrick Wolf @ Webster Hall - Oct 3, 2007
Do you guys have any request?
Let's highlight the obvious thing one must see at a Patrick Wolf show: Dude is certainly a multi instrumentalist...
He is also quite odd and adorable. As you can see he came out to the stage looking like a Mozart lost in time, with a loose blue shirt, gnome short boots and a crucifix hanging from his neck. Not a surprise if you have seen him before or seen news about him online, but he slowly then took the unnecessary stuff off him in an action of showing us who he really was, something I hadn't seen in him before. A slow song he wrote when he lived in Paris (called Paris), very young, was the one he used to get me closer in presence only of his piano and his voice, and when he got my attention even more playing Peter Pan, a firework sound blew me away as I expected... The Bluebells (although I missed the intro with The Bluebell), one of the best songs of his wonderful The Magic Position, kicked off. Unfortunately, the song lacked some of the energy and he lost me for a long while after that...
Patrick doesn't seem to be having as much fun as he says and he used to, and that totally turned me down. His band has changed and doesn't engage the public anymore with their presence. He had to change his drummer because of drug abuse and who knows why the violinist is not the same girl anymore. In any case, the major problem is that I caught Patrick this time at a moment that he was tired of playing the same songs over and over, and I guess those were the ones from the new album, because I didn't hear many. That was reflected in a very non tight set to me because I think those are his best yet. Of course, we heard kick-ass songs like Accident & Emergency and Magic Position, and even fans had the opportunity (twice) of shouting at thim what to play next, so at least I got to hear live some Patrick tunes I hadn't really paid attention before.
Anyway, let's keep talking about the highlights instead. Another one came when Wolf invited opening act Bashi, his musical sister, on stage to sing a song with him. I knew it was going to be beautiful right away, and I knew it not because I had heard Bashi before or not, but because the song had to be no other than the killer Magpie. He wished he could have a real piano on stage, although his Yamaha electric piano was ok. Electric or not that song sounded amazing. He then kept playing more songs I don't know, alternating piano, violin, and a small guitar, and closed the set with The Magic Position, an instantaneous hit (whether you've heard it before or not).
The encore was kind of funny. He started playing a song and then he stopped it like 10 seconds into it. He said he didn't like it anymore. He played one more song and disappeared. Before the encore, he invited us to come to an after party in Beauty Bar, but he never showed up... jeeezzzz I waited for like 2 hours. Patrick, in record you are wonderful, but live I hope you get even better. And next time please play Enchanted! See ya later... [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Patrick Wolf links: Stream The Magic Position, Official Website, Wikipedia, YouTube
Let's highlight the obvious thing one must see at a Patrick Wolf show: Dude is certainly a multi instrumentalist...
He is also quite odd and adorable. As you can see he came out to the stage looking like a Mozart lost in time, with a loose blue shirt, gnome short boots and a crucifix hanging from his neck. Not a surprise if you have seen him before or seen news about him online, but he slowly then took the unnecessary stuff off him in an action of showing us who he really was, something I hadn't seen in him before. A slow song he wrote when he lived in Paris (called Paris), very young, was the one he used to get me closer in presence only of his piano and his voice, and when he got my attention even more playing Peter Pan, a firework sound blew me away as I expected... The Bluebells (although I missed the intro with The Bluebell), one of the best songs of his wonderful The Magic Position, kicked off. Unfortunately, the song lacked some of the energy and he lost me for a long while after that...
Patrick doesn't seem to be having as much fun as he says and he used to, and that totally turned me down. His band has changed and doesn't engage the public anymore with their presence. He had to change his drummer because of drug abuse and who knows why the violinist is not the same girl anymore. In any case, the major problem is that I caught Patrick this time at a moment that he was tired of playing the same songs over and over, and I guess those were the ones from the new album, because I didn't hear many. That was reflected in a very non tight set to me because I think those are his best yet. Of course, we heard kick-ass songs like Accident & Emergency and Magic Position, and even fans had the opportunity (twice) of shouting at thim what to play next, so at least I got to hear live some Patrick tunes I hadn't really paid attention before.
Anyway, let's keep talking about the highlights instead. Another one came when Wolf invited opening act Bashi, his musical sister, on stage to sing a song with him. I knew it was going to be beautiful right away, and I knew it not because I had heard Bashi before or not, but because the song had to be no other than the killer Magpie. He wished he could have a real piano on stage, although his Yamaha electric piano was ok. Electric or not that song sounded amazing. He then kept playing more songs I don't know, alternating piano, violin, and a small guitar, and closed the set with The Magic Position, an instantaneous hit (whether you've heard it before or not).
The encore was kind of funny. He started playing a song and then he stopped it like 10 seconds into it. He said he didn't like it anymore. He played one more song and disappeared. Before the encore, he invited us to come to an after party in Beauty Bar, but he never showed up... jeeezzzz I waited for like 2 hours. Patrick, in record you are wonderful, but live I hope you get even better. And next time please play Enchanted! See ya later... [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Patrick Wolf links: Stream The Magic Position, Official Website, Wikipedia, YouTube
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Animal Collective @ Webster Hall - Sep 30, 2007
I want to walk around with you
I really like the new direction Animal Collective is taking for their music: more electronic and somehow passively aggressive. With an introduction to the show as a long set of techno music with some spectacular lights, playing #1 as their first song, and then playing a couple of new songs even newer than their Strawberry Jams, including the ridiculously good Bearhug (aka Walk Around), the statement made by the band was clear: we have a new sound. A new sound for a continuously evolving band.
Avey Tare is for me the protagonist of Strawberry Jam and the actual face of the Collective right now. Live, yesterday, in tracks like Peacebone and Unsolved Mysteries, both songs of their new album, the change in his voice from screaming and shouting to singing softly came off simply spectacular. He seriously needs to keep doing it, and with Panda Bear echoing under his deliver, like for all those new songs that probably will be on an album in a couple of years, we are set to keep getting amazing music to our ears in the coming time.
The old songs have been translated to the new language: not much guitar, not much drums and in general not many actual instruments, but lots of pedals and samplers exquisitely doing their thing (and whatever Geologist do). Who Could Win a Rabbit and Leaf House were the perfect examples of this translation.
But the show was at Webster Hall. Something bad had to happen. A venue that charges 8 dollars for a beer had to be cursed and if it wasn't, then from now on it will be, because it made this Animal Collective show, the one that was supposed to be memorable, into an incomplete and somehow frustrating set. My favorite song on the Jam is called Fireworks and I think it is a tune that celebrates, anything, but last night precisely it worked the opposite way.
My smile and excitement disappeared once Avey Tare decided to stop, while the new Essplode was being added in the middle of the Fireworks, because the bass was too strong and it was killing the rest of sounds. From the audience I didn't feel the bass was excessively strong more than three times, but Avey must have been feeling it way more than we were to decide to stop the song like that. I was totally with him in his disappointment of not being able to give us what their quality standards usually are, but it sucked... much. I hate you Webster Hall.
The Animals tried to continue and played the new live favorite Brother Sport, one that sometimes sounds like a Colombian cumbia, and Grace, both newer than the new stuff. Right after this, Panda and Avey whispered some words to each other and it looked like they made the decision of finishing the show earlier than planned. Fuck. They played Leaf House, went basckstage and never came back for an encore. [photos of the show]
P.S> Do you have an extra ticket for tonight's show (Monday)? I need to see them again.
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Animal Collective Links: Stream Strawberry Jam, Stream Animal Collective in Concert (Washington D.C.), Stream Feels, MySpace, Domino Records, YouTube, Pitchfork interviews the Collective.
I really like the new direction Animal Collective is taking for their music: more electronic and somehow passively aggressive. With an introduction to the show as a long set of techno music with some spectacular lights, playing #1 as their first song, and then playing a couple of new songs even newer than their Strawberry Jams, including the ridiculously good Bearhug (aka Walk Around), the statement made by the band was clear: we have a new sound. A new sound for a continuously evolving band.
Avey Tare is for me the protagonist of Strawberry Jam and the actual face of the Collective right now. Live, yesterday, in tracks like Peacebone and Unsolved Mysteries, both songs of their new album, the change in his voice from screaming and shouting to singing softly came off simply spectacular. He seriously needs to keep doing it, and with Panda Bear echoing under his deliver, like for all those new songs that probably will be on an album in a couple of years, we are set to keep getting amazing music to our ears in the coming time.
The old songs have been translated to the new language: not much guitar, not much drums and in general not many actual instruments, but lots of pedals and samplers exquisitely doing their thing (and whatever Geologist do). Who Could Win a Rabbit and Leaf House were the perfect examples of this translation.
But the show was at Webster Hall. Something bad had to happen. A venue that charges 8 dollars for a beer had to be cursed and if it wasn't, then from now on it will be, because it made this Animal Collective show, the one that was supposed to be memorable, into an incomplete and somehow frustrating set. My favorite song on the Jam is called Fireworks and I think it is a tune that celebrates, anything, but last night precisely it worked the opposite way.
My smile and excitement disappeared once Avey Tare decided to stop, while the new Essplode was being added in the middle of the Fireworks, because the bass was too strong and it was killing the rest of sounds. From the audience I didn't feel the bass was excessively strong more than three times, but Avey must have been feeling it way more than we were to decide to stop the song like that. I was totally with him in his disappointment of not being able to give us what their quality standards usually are, but it sucked... much. I hate you Webster Hall.
The Animals tried to continue and played the new live favorite Brother Sport, one that sometimes sounds like a Colombian cumbia, and Grace, both newer than the new stuff. Right after this, Panda and Avey whispered some words to each other and it looked like they made the decision of finishing the show earlier than planned. Fuck. They played Leaf House, went basckstage and never came back for an encore. [photos of the show]
P.S> Do you have an extra ticket for tonight's show (Monday)? I need to see them again.
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Animal Collective Links: Stream Strawberry Jam, Stream Animal Collective in Concert (Washington D.C.), Stream Feels, MySpace, Domino Records, YouTube, Pitchfork interviews the Collective.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Camera Obscura @ South Stree Seaport - Aug 25, 2007
This is lovely, but very odd
Those were some of the first words Tracyanne told us tonight before starting with their lovely Come Back Margaret off of their even more lovely and latest album Let's Get Out of This Country. She was in a really good mood tonight, being funny and pretty talky between songs... did she have a couple of those infamous frozen margaritas at the seaport? We did!
So, why the comment? The River to River shows at South Street Seaport are the best free shows in the city during the summer. That's what everybody seems to agree with, including the bands that let us know so during their sets. And it has to be very nice from their view. It's an outdoors venue in front of a couple of fancy buildings, which are part of the Financial District area, between a couple of big ships, and a road that goes straight to the Brooklyn Bridge. Lovely, right? With Camera Obscura's melodies it was even more...
Camera Obscura is one of the cutest bands out there playing some of the cutest pop right now. Their latest album, Let's Get Out of This Country, was one of my favorite albums last year, and together with highlights of their previous Underachievers Please Try Harder they were the perfect soundtrack to a calmed night out in the city. The show was excellent and even better than last time I saw them at Warsaw. They played almost the whole Let's Get Out of This Country leaving out only I Need All the Friends I Can Get, and they played some classics their fans cheerfully appreciated, including Teenager, Keep it Clean, Suspended from Class, and Books Written for Girls. We couldn't have asked for more.
Their interpretations in a live setting are a bit different from the recorded ones, in a good sense. For example, Tracyanne doesn't sing exactly as the CD you have in your house (you don't have it?). For the end of some of those catchy choruses you've memorized, she sometimes, after singing high, would cut the verses coolly bringing down her voice to your surprise. My description might be inaccurate, but it actually made the songs sound kind of cool. And they have fun and play with their songs. They for example finished their song Let's Get Out of This Country adding a couple of lines from Paul Simon's You Can Call me Al... a nice touch.
They finished their set, with Razzle Dazzle Rose, which is probably my favorite song of theirs. Razzle is the last song of their new album and it's such a good last song that it makes (me) want to play the whole album again. It left you the feeling that what you just heard was something you need to let be part of you (again). No wonder why they chose it to finish... it made us clap for more, it made us clap hard for an encore.
The encore was of course a gift to their old school fans. It was a couple of songs from Underachievers. One of them, probably my second favorite of their songs, Books Written for Girls. I love this song and you should listen to it if you haven't. It's just a very pretty song. I have no idea what the lyrics say but its music and Tracyanne's voice are so gorgeous that they have to be likewise. I hope.
Funny how one year ago Camera Obscura was this unknown band I was seeing too distant to get to know, but now I feel I've known it for ever. Thanks for the show! [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Camera Obscura's Links: Stream Let's Get Out of This Country, Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, YouTube
Those were some of the first words Tracyanne told us tonight before starting with their lovely Come Back Margaret off of their even more lovely and latest album Let's Get Out of This Country. She was in a really good mood tonight, being funny and pretty talky between songs... did she have a couple of those infamous frozen margaritas at the seaport? We did!
So, why the comment? The River to River shows at South Street Seaport are the best free shows in the city during the summer. That's what everybody seems to agree with, including the bands that let us know so during their sets. And it has to be very nice from their view. It's an outdoors venue in front of a couple of fancy buildings, which are part of the Financial District area, between a couple of big ships, and a road that goes straight to the Brooklyn Bridge. Lovely, right? With Camera Obscura's melodies it was even more...
Camera Obscura is one of the cutest bands out there playing some of the cutest pop right now. Their latest album, Let's Get Out of This Country, was one of my favorite albums last year, and together with highlights of their previous Underachievers Please Try Harder they were the perfect soundtrack to a calmed night out in the city. The show was excellent and even better than last time I saw them at Warsaw. They played almost the whole Let's Get Out of This Country leaving out only I Need All the Friends I Can Get, and they played some classics their fans cheerfully appreciated, including Teenager, Keep it Clean, Suspended from Class, and Books Written for Girls. We couldn't have asked for more.
Their interpretations in a live setting are a bit different from the recorded ones, in a good sense. For example, Tracyanne doesn't sing exactly as the CD you have in your house (you don't have it?). For the end of some of those catchy choruses you've memorized, she sometimes, after singing high, would cut the verses coolly bringing down her voice to your surprise. My description might be inaccurate, but it actually made the songs sound kind of cool. And they have fun and play with their songs. They for example finished their song Let's Get Out of This Country adding a couple of lines from Paul Simon's You Can Call me Al... a nice touch.
They finished their set, with Razzle Dazzle Rose, which is probably my favorite song of theirs. Razzle is the last song of their new album and it's such a good last song that it makes (me) want to play the whole album again. It left you the feeling that what you just heard was something you need to let be part of you (again). No wonder why they chose it to finish... it made us clap for more, it made us clap hard for an encore.
The encore was of course a gift to their old school fans. It was a couple of songs from Underachievers. One of them, probably my second favorite of their songs, Books Written for Girls. I love this song and you should listen to it if you haven't. It's just a very pretty song. I have no idea what the lyrics say but its music and Tracyanne's voice are so gorgeous that they have to be likewise. I hope.
Funny how one year ago Camera Obscura was this unknown band I was seeing too distant to get to know, but now I feel I've known it for ever. Thanks for the show! [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Camera Obscura's Links: Stream Let's Get Out of This Country, Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, YouTube
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
The Thermals @ Maxwell's - Aug 10, 2007
This machine kills fascists
Last year, without much emotion (except two great songs), I heard the new and third album of a Punk/Rock band called The Thermals, now I am a new fan. The music they make doesn't fall in my favorite genres of music, so it wasn't hard not to pay much attention to them, but a couple of months later I regreted it. I saw them play the Bowery Ballroom and as I left impressed that day I promised I was going to hear more their stuff, and I did.
The Thermals is a great band: a tireless drummer, an awesome bassist with a particular haircut and a singer/guitarist with the voice of a true rocker. Hutch Harris, the singer, sings with the intensity of a revolutionary politician when giving a speech to his followers. We followed. Kathy Foster is the bassist, and man, what a bassist! I have no idea about technicalities when playing the bass, but she looks like having fun more than his fans and I do appreciate that. Her haircut adds a bit more of entertainment to the show because she jumps/bounces all the time as her blond curly hair in front does it too from side to side like a tight spring. Lorin Coleman is the drummer and together with Peter Bjorn and John's drummer they are up for the award to the best drummer this year in my mind.
I was very lucky of seeing them again in such a small venue like Maxwell's. Although people here were not as excited as New Yorkers at Bowery, dancing and fisting were not missed. Thermals played almost all The Body, The Blood, The Machine, a cover of a Built to Spill song, as classics now I recognize, but when they played Here's Your Future and A Pillar of Salt everybody got so excited that I didn't hesitate to join the crowd in front to pog like teenagers. This time the fantastic I Might Need You to Kill and their old songs from their first two albums stayed in my head so long that I had to buy one more album the next day (Fucking A!). Pretty good so far, especially after the show.
Now when I listen to the latest album, and especially after hearing it live again not taken by surprise, I feel one more time all The Thermals wanted to transmit with it... I feel the protest and boycott that everybody was hearing song after song a while ago when I was dea for them. I realized that The Body, The Blood, The Machine didn't only give me two great new songs, but a whole great new band... I just didn't want to notice it.
P.S> Hutch's guitar had a phrase written on it that he kept showing to the audience... I think it was "This machine kills fascists".
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
The Thermals' Links: Official Website, MySpace, YouTube, Sub Pop
Last year, without much emotion (except two great songs), I heard the new and third album of a Punk/Rock band called The Thermals, now I am a new fan. The music they make doesn't fall in my favorite genres of music, so it wasn't hard not to pay much attention to them, but a couple of months later I regreted it. I saw them play the Bowery Ballroom and as I left impressed that day I promised I was going to hear more their stuff, and I did.
The Thermals is a great band: a tireless drummer, an awesome bassist with a particular haircut and a singer/guitarist with the voice of a true rocker. Hutch Harris, the singer, sings with the intensity of a revolutionary politician when giving a speech to his followers. We followed. Kathy Foster is the bassist, and man, what a bassist! I have no idea about technicalities when playing the bass, but she looks like having fun more than his fans and I do appreciate that. Her haircut adds a bit more of entertainment to the show because she jumps/bounces all the time as her blond curly hair in front does it too from side to side like a tight spring. Lorin Coleman is the drummer and together with Peter Bjorn and John's drummer they are up for the award to the best drummer this year in my mind.
I was very lucky of seeing them again in such a small venue like Maxwell's. Although people here were not as excited as New Yorkers at Bowery, dancing and fisting were not missed. Thermals played almost all The Body, The Blood, The Machine, a cover of a Built to Spill song, as classics now I recognize, but when they played Here's Your Future and A Pillar of Salt everybody got so excited that I didn't hesitate to join the crowd in front to pog like teenagers. This time the fantastic I Might Need You to Kill and their old songs from their first two albums stayed in my head so long that I had to buy one more album the next day (Fucking A!). Pretty good so far, especially after the show.
Now when I listen to the latest album, and especially after hearing it live again not taken by surprise, I feel one more time all The Thermals wanted to transmit with it... I feel the protest and boycott that everybody was hearing song after song a while ago when I was dea for them. I realized that The Body, The Blood, The Machine didn't only give me two great new songs, but a whole great new band... I just didn't want to notice it.
P.S> Hutch's guitar had a phrase written on it that he kept showing to the audience... I think it was "This machine kills fascists".
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
The Thermals' Links: Official Website, MySpace, YouTube, Sub Pop
Monday, July 30, 2007
The White Stripes @ MSG - Jul 24, 2007
Thank you for buying our records, thank you for coming to our show
Jack White turned out to be quite a simple and adorable man. I thought Mr. White, besides being a great guitarist and musician, was a pretentious guy thinking he was top of the pops in current music these days, but last week after seeing him to headline the Madison Square Garden only the great guitarist and musician part remained in my head.
Their show pretty much started right after Grinderman finished, which by the way was excellent and deserves to be talked about but I will wait until I see them headlining. Everything you could see was suddenly colored in red, white and black with their crew walking all over the stage dressed up in red and black with cute hats. On stage there was Meg's drum set, of course, a huge red piano, and mics all over the place suggesting Jack was going to move around quite a lot. All this had a pretty background... a simple red wall on which shadows of the couple of fake siblings were going to be minutes later.
Jack and Meg went into business almost nonstop playing lots of new songs as non very known songs sort of like introducing the whole audience into their music. I started wondering when they were going to play their big songs. Too many consecutive non-hit songs are kind of dangerous in a show... they let the attention go down and you have to be playing REALLY good songs to keep it up. Let's say the new White Stripes' album is good but not that much. During all this time I noted the obvious: Jack is an awesome guitarist. He was showing it off... sometimes too long tho.
This was the first Stripes show at the Garden. Jack even made the comment that they hadn't played that bar before... funny. He actually looked kind of nervous, but played like he was not. On the contrary, Meg looked very comfortable and I might not be an expert on the drums (indeed I know nothing technical!) but she didn't look too special at all. When she moves her hair and replies to Jack's vocals are the moments when I am happy with her, and thankfully there plenty of those at the show.
After a long set The Stripes finished with Fell in Love With a Girl/Ball & Biscuit and after a long break they played the encore everybody, including me, was waiting and paid for. Nine songs left the garden exhausted of singing. Everybody got to hear I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself, We're Going to Be Friends, Catch Hell Blues, My Doorbell and a slowed version of Seven Nation Army. That's the best encore I have heard in a show, and I gotta thank them for not letting me loose their faith in them.
Nice to meet you Mr. and Ms. White. Hope to see you soon again... [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
The White Stripes Links: Stream Icky Thump, Official Website, MySpace, YouTube, Wikipedia
Jack White turned out to be quite a simple and adorable man. I thought Mr. White, besides being a great guitarist and musician, was a pretentious guy thinking he was top of the pops in current music these days, but last week after seeing him to headline the Madison Square Garden only the great guitarist and musician part remained in my head.
Their show pretty much started right after Grinderman finished, which by the way was excellent and deserves to be talked about but I will wait until I see them headlining. Everything you could see was suddenly colored in red, white and black with their crew walking all over the stage dressed up in red and black with cute hats. On stage there was Meg's drum set, of course, a huge red piano, and mics all over the place suggesting Jack was going to move around quite a lot. All this had a pretty background... a simple red wall on which shadows of the couple of fake siblings were going to be minutes later.
Jack and Meg went into business almost nonstop playing lots of new songs as non very known songs sort of like introducing the whole audience into their music. I started wondering when they were going to play their big songs. Too many consecutive non-hit songs are kind of dangerous in a show... they let the attention go down and you have to be playing REALLY good songs to keep it up. Let's say the new White Stripes' album is good but not that much. During all this time I noted the obvious: Jack is an awesome guitarist. He was showing it off... sometimes too long tho.
This was the first Stripes show at the Garden. Jack even made the comment that they hadn't played that bar before... funny. He actually looked kind of nervous, but played like he was not. On the contrary, Meg looked very comfortable and I might not be an expert on the drums (indeed I know nothing technical!) but she didn't look too special at all. When she moves her hair and replies to Jack's vocals are the moments when I am happy with her, and thankfully there plenty of those at the show.
After a long set The Stripes finished with Fell in Love With a Girl/Ball & Biscuit and after a long break they played the encore everybody, including me, was waiting and paid for. Nine songs left the garden exhausted of singing. Everybody got to hear I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself, We're Going to Be Friends, Catch Hell Blues, My Doorbell and a slowed version of Seven Nation Army. That's the best encore I have heard in a show, and I gotta thank them for not letting me loose their faith in them.
Nice to meet you Mr. and Ms. White. Hope to see you soon again... [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
The White Stripes Links: Stream Icky Thump, Official Website, MySpace, YouTube, Wikipedia
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Band of Horses @ McCarren Pool - July 10, 2007
The World is such a Wonderful Place
That's what Band of Horses tell us in one of his new great songs. I want to believe in them and it's not being hard at all. After seeing them twice within the past month I am excited and looking forward very much to Cease to Begin, their new album coming out this October.
Ben was way happier than he was at the Hiro Ballroom show, with his ever growing new beard, and wearing a different hat. He was definitely in the right mood to playing for us extracts from his excellent Everything All the Time, three of his new songs, and a beautifully interpreted cover of a Rolling Stones song called Act Together, which they chose to close the show. No encore this time.
I don't know if you have read about it, but let me just say that he didn't seem to care that this lady was recording his Funeral...
It was famous the other day in the blogosphere that Ben shouted at a fan during a show because she was recording part of the show. Apologies went back and forth, but the episode hasn't been forgotten. Ben is a chill guy and to me it looked he was just having a bad day. He is a normal person you know? He also have twisted teeth you know? and speaks with an accent I suppose comes with all the people from South Carolina. He is not so regular tho... he can play this instrument like no one else:
Ben's voice wasn't particularly great today for all the songs, but I was happy enough, one more time, watching the band playing the banjo, drums, their three guitars, and their keyboards with excitement. I felt I was in a Wonderful Place. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Band of Horses Links: Stream Everything All the Time, Official Website, Sub Pop Records, MySpace, YouTube
That's what Band of Horses tell us in one of his new great songs. I want to believe in them and it's not being hard at all. After seeing them twice within the past month I am excited and looking forward very much to Cease to Begin, their new album coming out this October.
Ben was way happier than he was at the Hiro Ballroom show, with his ever growing new beard, and wearing a different hat. He was definitely in the right mood to playing for us extracts from his excellent Everything All the Time, three of his new songs, and a beautifully interpreted cover of a Rolling Stones song called Act Together, which they chose to close the show. No encore this time.
I don't know if you have read about it, but let me just say that he didn't seem to care that this lady was recording his Funeral...
It was famous the other day in the blogosphere that Ben shouted at a fan during a show because she was recording part of the show. Apologies went back and forth, but the episode hasn't been forgotten. Ben is a chill guy and to me it looked he was just having a bad day. He is a normal person you know? He also have twisted teeth you know? and speaks with an accent I suppose comes with all the people from South Carolina. He is not so regular tho... he can play this instrument like no one else:
Ben's voice wasn't particularly great today for all the songs, but I was happy enough, one more time, watching the band playing the banjo, drums, their three guitars, and their keyboards with excitement. I felt I was in a Wonderful Place. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Band of Horses Links: Stream Everything All the Time, Official Website, Sub Pop Records, MySpace, YouTube
Saturday, July 21, 2007
M.I.A. @ Siren Music Festival - Jul 21, 2007
Missing In Action
I didn't know what M.I.A. stood for. I found out today and it totally made sense. M.I.A. sings/raps over very original crazy beats that sometimes make you feel you are about to join the army or something.
It was only a couple of months ago that I heard Arular, her debut album, for the first time. I liked it but didn't convince me right away to play it one more time after finishing it. I wasn't really looking forward to her new album, which is coming out soon, but now I am very so. Today, in the Siren Music Festival, M.I.A. totally justified why those tickets for her next show on Wednesday at Studio B were all gone almost instantaneously. M.I.A. is hot and very, very good.
Since her music is very based on her beats, she performs with a DJ and a back up singer. You know, like a Jay-Z. She also dances nicely and synchronized with the other singer it kind of makes you move at least a leg. I moved both.
M.I.A. played several new songs including her new single Boyz, which sounded better to me than when I heard it the first time. The only thing I used to remember about it was that it had a rooster noise and that wasn't too pleasant... that changed today. Now I'll remember how she moved her hips while going down like if she was dancing reggaeton. She also covered a song called Jimmy, a song her mom used to sing her a lot when she was a child or that she used to sing a lot when she was eleven... whichever. Of course, she played almost all her hits too and closed the set with the let's-all-raise-our-arms-while-I-sing-the-chorus Galang. Do you have an extra ticket for her Studio B show? I want it. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
M.I.A. Links: Stream Kala, Offical Website, MySpace, Wikipedia (recommended reading), YouTube, XL Recordings
I didn't know what M.I.A. stood for. I found out today and it totally made sense. M.I.A. sings/raps over very original crazy beats that sometimes make you feel you are about to join the army or something.
It was only a couple of months ago that I heard Arular, her debut album, for the first time. I liked it but didn't convince me right away to play it one more time after finishing it. I wasn't really looking forward to her new album, which is coming out soon, but now I am very so. Today, in the Siren Music Festival, M.I.A. totally justified why those tickets for her next show on Wednesday at Studio B were all gone almost instantaneously. M.I.A. is hot and very, very good.
Since her music is very based on her beats, she performs with a DJ and a back up singer. You know, like a Jay-Z. She also dances nicely and synchronized with the other singer it kind of makes you move at least a leg. I moved both.
M.I.A. played several new songs including her new single Boyz, which sounded better to me than when I heard it the first time. The only thing I used to remember about it was that it had a rooster noise and that wasn't too pleasant... that changed today. Now I'll remember how she moved her hips while going down like if she was dancing reggaeton. She also covered a song called Jimmy, a song her mom used to sing her a lot when she was a child or that she used to sing a lot when she was eleven... whichever. Of course, she played almost all her hits too and closed the set with the let's-all-raise-our-arms-while-I-sing-the-chorus Galang. Do you have an extra ticket for her Studio B show? I want it. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
M.I.A. Links: Stream Kala, Offical Website, MySpace, Wikipedia (recommended reading), YouTube, XL Recordings
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)