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 :-/
Showing posts with label ♫♫♫♫♫. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ♫♫♫♫♫. Show all posts
Sunday, March 15, 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!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Antony & the Johnsons @ Apollo Theater - Thu Oct 16, 2008
For Today I Am A Boy
It finally came the time for one of my most anticipated shows of this year. Antony & the Johnsons have been another of my favorite bands for the past few years, but during that time living here in the NYC area I hadn't been able to experience live the both fragile and powerful Antony Hegarty's voice. Of course it was amazing.
The lights went off and they pretty much stayed like that for the whole hour and fifteen minutes of the show. It was so good it felt shorter. Antony began singing a cover of Mysteries of Love, which you might remember if you watched David Lynch's Blue Velvet, and during which I had my first (of many) goose bumps of the night. Antony looked like an angel and he certainly sang like one, or probably even better.
Just in time for the release of his great new EP, Another World EP, which raises a lot my expectations for his upcoming new album, The Crying Light, Antony decided to preview his new material live. I was expecting renditions of these new beautiful songs, but they gave us only one of them, the moving EP title track. I wished he would have played more, particularly the spectacular Shake That Devil, but instead played four very new songs to appear on The Crying Light plus his now classics Cripple and the Starfish, River of Sorrow, I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy, my highlight of the night For Today I am A Boy, and a gracious cover of Beyonce's Crazy in Love.
For Today I Am A Boy was ridiculously good and hit me hard, as I am gay and came out only a year ago. One day I won't be a beautiful woman neither I want it to be, but I share the lament he had to go through, before fully empathizing with whom he wanted to be, to live peacefully with himself. I am sure Antony's voice filled the Apollo Theater like a Nina Simone must at least once have done it back in the days too, and made our eyes to water when reaching those high notes we love to hear from him. I had a cold, so I am half excused, but apparently I wasn't the only one with all the sniffing I heard around.
Although Antony's short tour only hit a couple of cities in USA and will be in London pretty soon, I hope he will be back later when his new album comes out for a for a more complete and longer set. See ya in 2009 then. [photos of the show]
It finally came the time for one of my most anticipated shows of this year. Antony & the Johnsons have been another of my favorite bands for the past few years, but during that time living here in the NYC area I hadn't been able to experience live the both fragile and powerful Antony Hegarty's voice. Of course it was amazing.
The lights went off and they pretty much stayed like that for the whole hour and fifteen minutes of the show. It was so good it felt shorter. Antony began singing a cover of Mysteries of Love, which you might remember if you watched David Lynch's Blue Velvet, and during which I had my first (of many) goose bumps of the night. Antony looked like an angel and he certainly sang like one, or probably even better.
Just in time for the release of his great new EP, Another World EP, which raises a lot my expectations for his upcoming new album, The Crying Light, Antony decided to preview his new material live. I was expecting renditions of these new beautiful songs, but they gave us only one of them, the moving EP title track. I wished he would have played more, particularly the spectacular Shake That Devil, but instead played four very new songs to appear on The Crying Light plus his now classics Cripple and the Starfish, River of Sorrow, I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy, my highlight of the night For Today I am A Boy, and a gracious cover of Beyonce's Crazy in Love.
For Today I Am A Boy was ridiculously good and hit me hard, as I am gay and came out only a year ago. One day I won't be a beautiful woman neither I want it to be, but I share the lament he had to go through, before fully empathizing with whom he wanted to be, to live peacefully with himself. I am sure Antony's voice filled the Apollo Theater like a Nina Simone must at least once have done it back in the days too, and made our eyes to water when reaching those high notes we love to hear from him. I had a cold, so I am half excused, but apparently I wasn't the only one with all the sniffing I heard around.
Although Antony's short tour only hit a couple of cities in USA and will be in London pretty soon, I hope he will be back later when his new album comes out for a for a more complete and longer set. See ya in 2009 then. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Antony & the Johnsons Links: Stream I Am A Bird Now, Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, at Secretely Canadian
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Of Montreal @ Roseland Ballroom - Oct 13, 2008
An Eluardian Instance
I went to see the best Broadway musical happening last night in the city. Of Montreal was in charge of the music, and Kevin Barnes, his brother David, his wife Nina, ninjas, and buddhas, were in charge of the theatricality. There's not much of 2008 left, so I might as well say it now: Of Montreal @ Roseland Ballroom might have been be the best spectacle I've seen this busy 2008 (and I just got home after seeing Madonna at MSG!).
So yeah, that's a real horse. And that's Kevin Barnes wearing super short shorts on a real horse. That was one of the many extravagances that happened last night and that everybody is talking about today, or at least all the teenagers (I am not one) who were in attendance, because I doubt people would forget a show like last night's just like that.
I have been excited all day listening on repeat their entire catalog (that's a lot!), particularly their new good album Skeletal Lamping, having flashes of half-human-half-animal creatures and a creamy Kevin asking for a hug. I am sure I am not the only one. Kevin Barnes and his gang played in its entirety his new baby, Skeletal Lamping, plus some great (now) oldies and an impressive cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. Very appropiate... it did really smell like it.
Of Montreal's new music is very adventurous, not conventional pop, twisted in its own and these days very melodic changing even within one same song. Only after way too many times listening to their new stuff I could start identifying where really the songs end and when they don't. With that in mind, I am very fucking proud of putting together the set list in the middle of all the dancing and fisting I did. Here it is:
He has several tricks to keep our eyes on the stage and don't, let's say, start doing some texting. He sometimes uses Sunlandic Twins' instrumentals, sometimes let his two drummers (yeah, now he has two!) get creative while he dresses up as a centaur, or wears some bath clothes just to be murdered, or sometimes he just gives us one of those classic Satanic Panic in the Attic tracks we all old school fans love.
Even though I loved Id Engager (and his scream) as a set opener, making clear from the beginning a party was about to start, the show really kicked off for me after hearing one of my favorite songs off Hissing Fauna, She's A Rejector, when I couldn't stand still with my (old) friends and had to go to join the youth. Stickiness and sweatiness came right after, with Skeletal's highlight Four Elegant Caste and its infectuous chorus about doing it softcore and going both ways that everybody loves singing to, and it pretty much lasted until what I think is the real closer track on Skeletal, Mingusings. I am glad I bought a t-shirt at the beginning of the show... I really needed it afterwards.
This time, I will never forget how much I enjoyed live my current favorite Of Montreal song, An Elurdian Instance, how touching Kevin sounded solo in a piano, and of course, Kevin on a horse in a venue in Manhattan. So thanks yet one more time... I couldn't feel luckier of being an Of Montreal fan. [photos of the show]
I went to see the best Broadway musical happening last night in the city. Of Montreal was in charge of the music, and Kevin Barnes, his brother David, his wife Nina, ninjas, and buddhas, were in charge of the theatricality. There's not much of 2008 left, so I might as well say it now: Of Montreal @ Roseland Ballroom might have been be the best spectacle I've seen this busy 2008 (and I just got home after seeing Madonna at MSG!).
So yeah, that's a real horse. And that's Kevin Barnes wearing super short shorts on a real horse. That was one of the many extravagances that happened last night and that everybody is talking about today, or at least all the teenagers (I am not one) who were in attendance, because I doubt people would forget a show like last night's just like that.
I have been excited all day listening on repeat their entire catalog (that's a lot!), particularly their new good album Skeletal Lamping, having flashes of half-human-half-animal creatures and a creamy Kevin asking for a hug. I am sure I am not the only one. Kevin Barnes and his gang played in its entirety his new baby, Skeletal Lamping, plus some great (now) oldies and an impressive cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit. Very appropiate... it did really smell like it.
Of Montreal's new music is very adventurous, not conventional pop, twisted in its own and these days very melodic changing even within one same song. Only after way too many times listening to their new stuff I could start identifying where really the songs end and when they don't. With that in mind, I am very fucking proud of putting together the set list in the middle of all the dancing and fisting I did. Here it is:
Id EngagerWow, that was long. Last time I saw Of Montreal they played most of Hissing Fauna, and this time they did the same but with Skeletal. When you hear the album, after several spins, you realized there is no other possible ordering for its tracks, and Kevin agrees. He is playing (like he did for the Hissing Fauna tour) most of the new songs in several groups keeping the same order as they come on the album without interrupting the flow.
So Begins Our Alabee
Triphallus, to Punctuate!
She's A Rejector
For Our Elegant Caste
Touched Something's Hollow
An Eluardian Instance
Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
Gallery Piece
Wraith Pinned To The Mist & Other Games
Women's Studies Victims
St.Exquisite's Confessions
Ero's Entropic Tundra
Nonpareil of Favor
October Is Eternal
Wicked Wisdom
Disconnect The DotsOur Spring Is Sweet Not FleetingKnight Rider (Thanks P4K!)
And I've Seen a Bloody Shadow
Plastis Wafers
Death Is Not a Parallel Move
Beware Our Nubile Miscreants
Mingusings
A Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger
--
Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit
Gronlandic Edit
He has several tricks to keep our eyes on the stage and don't, let's say, start doing some texting. He sometimes uses Sunlandic Twins' instrumentals, sometimes let his two drummers (yeah, now he has two!) get creative while he dresses up as a centaur, or wears some bath clothes just to be murdered, or sometimes he just gives us one of those classic Satanic Panic in the Attic tracks we all old school fans love.
Even though I loved Id Engager (and his scream) as a set opener, making clear from the beginning a party was about to start, the show really kicked off for me after hearing one of my favorite songs off Hissing Fauna, She's A Rejector, when I couldn't stand still with my (old) friends and had to go to join the youth. Stickiness and sweatiness came right after, with Skeletal's highlight Four Elegant Caste and its infectuous chorus about doing it softcore and going both ways that everybody loves singing to, and it pretty much lasted until what I think is the real closer track on Skeletal, Mingusings. I am glad I bought a t-shirt at the beginning of the show... I really needed it afterwards.
This time, I will never forget how much I enjoyed live my current favorite Of Montreal song, An Elurdian Instance, how touching Kevin sounded solo in a piano, and of course, Kevin on a horse in a venue in Manhattan. So thanks yet one more time... I couldn't feel luckier of being an Of Montreal fan. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Radiohead @ All Points West - Sat Aug 09, 2008
Idioteque
It was my first time seeing one of my very favorite bands ever. I have almost all of their albums, I've listened to them uncountably many times, got depressed and sometimes cried with some of their lyrics, and yes, been high with them too many times. Almost six months ago when it was announced that Radiohead was going to play the NYC area (finally), I didn't hesitate withdrawing more than a hundred bucks for them. The best hundred bucks I have spent this year (so far). Was it good? I can't really say. Was it the best show I have had this year? Yes it was. Of course.
I got to Liberty State Park sometime around 2pm. Radiohead was gonna play around 8:30 pm, but I needed to make sure I was close enough for my first experience with them. After more than six hours of watching one entertaingin band (Chromeo), a couple of awful bands (Metric and Kings of Leon), and another of my very favorite bands ever (Animal Collective), without eating or drinking much, everything was just perfect and gratifying when Thom Yorke and his band came on stage and hit the first notes of Reckoner, one of my friends' Radiohead favorite song.
Radiohead is special for way too many people. I was with a enthusiastic group of friends and I think every other song one of us was turning to the rest, smiling and making everybody know how much he/she loved that song, and turning back quickly to the band to miss no minute. We are concert goers tho, and we never do that all that worshiping!
I heard twenty five songs. Twenty five tunes from almost all of their albums (heavy on In Rainbows and I believe they did not play songs from Pablo Honey) with Thom Yorke alternating between standing only with his mic, with one of his many guitars, playing piano, or playing drums (!!!). Jonny Greenwood did the same but going from a box with dozens of buttons and knobs, to keyboards or guitars. This is what they played:
It was my first time seeing one of my very favorite bands ever. I have almost all of their albums, I've listened to them uncountably many times, got depressed and sometimes cried with some of their lyrics, and yes, been high with them too many times. Almost six months ago when it was announced that Radiohead was going to play the NYC area (finally), I didn't hesitate withdrawing more than a hundred bucks for them. The best hundred bucks I have spent this year (so far). Was it good? I can't really say. Was it the best show I have had this year? Yes it was. Of course.
I got to Liberty State Park sometime around 2pm. Radiohead was gonna play around 8:30 pm, but I needed to make sure I was close enough for my first experience with them. After more than six hours of watching one entertaingin band (Chromeo), a couple of awful bands (Metric and Kings of Leon), and another of my very favorite bands ever (Animal Collective), without eating or drinking much, everything was just perfect and gratifying when Thom Yorke and his band came on stage and hit the first notes of Reckoner, one of my friends' Radiohead favorite song.
Radiohead is special for way too many people. I was with a enthusiastic group of friends and I think every other song one of us was turning to the rest, smiling and making everybody know how much he/she loved that song, and turning back quickly to the band to miss no minute. We are concert goers tho, and we never do that all that worshiping!
I heard twenty five songs. Twenty five tunes from almost all of their albums (heavy on In Rainbows and I believe they did not play songs from Pablo Honey) with Thom Yorke alternating between standing only with his mic, with one of his many guitars, playing piano, or playing drums (!!!). Jonny Greenwood did the same but going from a box with dozens of buttons and knobs, to keyboards or guitars. This is what they played:
01. ReckonerI know. Too good to be true. Actually they played a couple of my favorite songs on Friday but not on Saturday: How to Dissapear Completely and Paranoid Android. To me, Paranoid Android is the most elaborate song they have ever accomplished and I was really looking forward to see them performing it live, but it didn't happen. Rather I fall in love live with the tremendous There There and its starting drums, and my now favorite Radiohead song in concert, Idioteque.
02. 15 Step
03. The National Anthem
04. Kid A
05. All I Need
06. Nude
07. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
08. Where I End And You Begin
09. The Gloaming
10. Faust Arp
11. No Surprises
12. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
13. The Bends
14. Bangers and Mash
15. Everything In Its Right Place
16. Exit Music (For A Film)
17. Bodysnatchers
Encore 1
18. Pyramid Song
19. Videotape
20. Airbag
21. Fake Plastic Trees
22. There There
Encore 2
23. House of Cards
24. Planet Telex
25. Idioteque
Man, that song. What a performance of that song. Radiohead really loves Idioteque. Thom really loves it. He loses himself dancing to the crazy beats that Jonny generates, while the lights synchronize, and there's nothing more to do than to surrender. Radiohead did indeed melt my brains on a Saturday night, and I gotta thank them for that. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Radiohead Links: Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, Green Plastic, In Rainbows
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hercules & Love Affair @ Irving Plaza - Fri Aug 08, 2008
Hot
A couple of days before seeing Hercules & Love Affair in their come back to their city, after an extensive (and needed) European tour, I met Antony Hegarty for less than a minute at a random park in NYC, close to NYU. I didn't have time to ask, but I wondered during those two days whether he was finally going to show up at a H&LA show or not. Nomi has a powerful voice too, and quite engaging moves, but we all missed Antony way too much the first time the band played in town. Those times passed really fast... merely three months after, I don't care if Antony shows up one day or not... H&LA with Nomi and Kim are more than enough.
The night didn't start right. First, we decided we were not going to have drinks just because we don't pay nine dollars for a beer and Holy Ghost Dj set was not being very special at all. And besides, to make us suffer, the band got on stage around midnight, way later than I expected. And yeah, not even a beer on us! But man, love was in the air. You could breath it and that was what got us all drunk. Nomi, Kim, Andy and their band came out and the excitement took us over. Since the first song it was an insane party. It reminded right away of the best LCD Soundsystem show I have ever had, and this felt close. Really close. I couldn't stop dancing, fisting, sweating, with my friends and with my enemies, song after song.
What a difference with the first time I saw them. Kim is dancing more, smiling more, and not trying to sing Antony's impossible parts on Raise Me Up. Nomi is looking even hotter than always, and changing her clothes not twice but thrice during the whole set! And Andy, well, he is finally realizing that his DJ experience could be exercised with the wonderful modern disco he made on his debut album. He was in charge of pretty much blending the songs together, live, one after the other one, and it couldn't have worked better. He is good.
I have no idea what they played, but probably the set list was pretty similar to what they played at the defunct Studio B. And I don't even care. It felt like just one song... like a very exciting and addicting long song, one that shouldn't have ended, like never. [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
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Evangelicals @ Cakeshop - Tue Jun 18, 2008
Straaaange things keeep haaapenning...
In fact I was blown away twice last night. After seeing Sigur Rós at MoMA, I went to Cakeshop to see Evangelicals headlining a show. The place was half empty, but Josh Jones and his band rocked it hard nonetheless. Man, what a show! what a sound! what a new album! Evangelicals became since last night my favorite new band (for me) this year.
Josh took his scarf off, put it around his microphone, and asked us if we ever have had thoughts about committing suicide. No one replied. He then smiled for a second, and ferociously started the show with Another Day (And Yoor Still Knocked Out). I bought the first Evangelicals album last night, So Gone, and that song is on it. I hadn't heard it before, but as I listen right now, I can tell you these guys were on another level last night. Another Day sounded gigantic, much more alive than on record where it sounds maybe under too many dreamy layers. Here it embraced us all with two men driving the song with their guitars and pedals, one guy on bass, and a fourth guy hidden in the back of the stage taking good care of the drums. I hadn't started listening to the stuff I know and love from The Evening Descends, their new sophomore album, but I was finding myself with my mouth half opened several timess during the first song already.
Seriously, I am loving The Evening Descends by a lot. Out of the seven songs they played in total, five were from the new record, which made me pretty happy. One after the other one, I couldn't keep my smile at how fucking fresh these guys were sounding. They were sounding differently from the album too, but keeping the essence of their phantasmagoric songs. Yeah, phantasmagoric... listen to Bellawood and tell me you don't feel like in Castlevania. Midnight Vignette sounds like coming out from the same video game. It is probably my favorite song on the new album right next to Skeleton Man. They both sounded particularly different yet amazing. It was like listening to new songs you feel from the first notes they were going to amaze you because they somehow already did. Here it is the set list just because I am running out of words to keep describing how ridiculously good each of the songs I heard last night were:
No encore, but no lack of samples, keyboards, good guitars, smokey green atmosphere, and yeah, I almost forgot, the presence of a perfect front man.
His name is Josh Jones and he will one day be a big star. I think I fall in love. Anyone would have tho. He plays the guitar exceptionally well (I mean listen to Paperback Suicide), he smiles and has charisma without being a comedian, and when I congratulated him for the show, because they rocked, he asked for my name. That makes him the coolest. But no, seriously, the man has an unhinged voice he knows how to use with enough reverb, that couldn't be more appropiate for the sound they are pulling off. If you were there you would have felt like in a scary storytelling movie, if that makes sense. Probably not.
You better go to see them this Thursday (June 19) at Music Hall of Williamsburg before they blow up, because I heard they are gonna open for Connor Oberst (I know, that's pretty weird) soon. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Evangelicals Links: MySpace, Wikipedia, at Dead Oceans, at Festival City Radio
In fact I was blown away twice last night. After seeing Sigur Rós at MoMA, I went to Cakeshop to see Evangelicals headlining a show. The place was half empty, but Josh Jones and his band rocked it hard nonetheless. Man, what a show! what a sound! what a new album! Evangelicals became since last night my favorite new band (for me) this year.
Josh took his scarf off, put it around his microphone, and asked us if we ever have had thoughts about committing suicide. No one replied. He then smiled for a second, and ferociously started the show with Another Day (And Yoor Still Knocked Out). I bought the first Evangelicals album last night, So Gone, and that song is on it. I hadn't heard it before, but as I listen right now, I can tell you these guys were on another level last night. Another Day sounded gigantic, much more alive than on record where it sounds maybe under too many dreamy layers. Here it embraced us all with two men driving the song with their guitars and pedals, one guy on bass, and a fourth guy hidden in the back of the stage taking good care of the drums. I hadn't started listening to the stuff I know and love from The Evening Descends, their new sophomore album, but I was finding myself with my mouth half opened several timess during the first song already.
Seriously, I am loving The Evening Descends by a lot. Out of the seven songs they played in total, five were from the new record, which made me pretty happy. One after the other one, I couldn't keep my smile at how fucking fresh these guys were sounding. They were sounding differently from the album too, but keeping the essence of their phantasmagoric songs. Yeah, phantasmagoric... listen to Bellawood and tell me you don't feel like in Castlevania. Midnight Vignette sounds like coming out from the same video game. It is probably my favorite song on the new album right next to Skeleton Man. They both sounded particularly different yet amazing. It was like listening to new songs you feel from the first notes they were going to amaze you because they somehow already did. Here it is the set list just because I am running out of words to keep describing how ridiculously good each of the songs I heard last night were:
Another Day (And Yoor Still Knocked Out)
Midnight Vignette
Party Crashin'
Paperback Suicide
Bellawood
Skeleton Man
What An Actress Does Best
No encore, but no lack of samples, keyboards, good guitars, smokey green atmosphere, and yeah, I almost forgot, the presence of a perfect front man.
His name is Josh Jones and he will one day be a big star. I think I fall in love. Anyone would have tho. He plays the guitar exceptionally well (I mean listen to Paperback Suicide), he smiles and has charisma without being a comedian, and when I congratulated him for the show, because they rocked, he asked for my name. That makes him the coolest. But no, seriously, the man has an unhinged voice he knows how to use with enough reverb, that couldn't be more appropiate for the sound they are pulling off. If you were there you would have felt like in a scary storytelling movie, if that makes sense. Probably not.
You better go to see them this Thursday (June 19) at Music Hall of Williamsburg before they blow up, because I heard they are gonna open for Connor Oberst (I know, that's pretty weird) soon. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Evangelicals Links: MySpace, Wikipedia, at Dead Oceans, at Festival City Radio
Sigur Rós @ MoMA - Tue Jun 17, 2008
I don't own any Sigur Rós album. I don't even have any of their music on my computer. I wasn't dying to go to this show either. But I ended up going and thank god I did. I was blown away. I have no idea how many songs they played, which ones were new or old (except the very new one that sounds like Animal Collective). I didn't pay attention to those details. I just grabbed some free vodka, a free bottle of water, found a spot, and closed my eyes. Sigur Rós provided the soundtrack to the almost two hour trip I made during the time they played. This is some of what I saw:
Time has come... it is finally time to buy some Sigur Rós albums to catch up, starting with the new Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust.
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Sigur Rós Links: Stream Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, Official website, Wikipedia, MySpace
Time has come... it is finally time to buy some Sigur Rós albums to catch up, starting with the new Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust.
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Sigur Rós Links: Stream Með Suð í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, Official website, Wikipedia, MySpace
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Jamie Lidell @ Bowery Ballroom - Sun/Mon Jun 08/09, 2008
I was afraid of you, because you know... I love you
Jamie Lidell wants to be Jim, but I want to be Jamie Lidell! Last time I saw Jamie, he came out solo wearing a sparkling jacket under a blazer, like hiding his true self, looking very very funky. Almost a week ago now, he came out this time with five people to join him on stage, wearing a similar looking jacket, but no blazer this time. No need of showing who he has become, the ultimate soul revitalizer.
Things have changed quite a bit on stage for Lidell. He doesn't have a sampler and a mic only anymore. He has guys taking care of keyboards, drums, bass guitar, saxophones and vocoders, and one guy processing live video as the show happens. He also has one small TV with a turntable where he fake-plays records as he goes from song to song, and one hilarious use you will see at the end of the show.
Not only the stage has changed, but also Jamie's approach to his music live. Multiply is one of my ten favorite albums of 2005 (yeah I already started thinking about my fave albums of the decade), I loved it instantly, and loved it even more after seeing the man doing his tricks live with that album for the first time. He totally re-interpreted his songs by using samples, pre-recorded tracks and manipulating his own truly awesome voice. That futuristic show of soul influenced music seems to be being left in the past. Lidell went back old school having a proper band sound and it fits him exceptionally well. I haven't seen Sharon Jones, Amy Winehouse or any other people working these music genres, but I doubt any of them would make me smile and feel like I was at a show sometime between the 70's and 80's, thinking that I was seeing the future of the soul in front of my eyes.
There was not much difference between Sunday's and Monday's set list, but only one song, The City. Lots from Jim, crazy improvisation with some Multiply songs, and one of my favorite encores of recent memory. Here it is the set list for both shows:
Lidell hasn't transformed all of his songs to this old school approach. All of his new songs, from Jim, are already much more straightforward than the ones on Multiply, and they all sound very alive in the new live setting, but almost all of his Multiply era songs remain intact to their other original electronic essence, being his song Multiply itself the only song I have seen he has transformed.
There are two shows to be part of at a Jamie Lidell concert these days: one featuring Jim, the Stevie Wonder like singer with a full live band, and one featuring Jamie Lidell, the crazy beat boxer and electronic music experimentalist. Like I did/do, you are gonna love them both. [photos of Sunday's show][photos of Monday's show]
Jamie Lidell wants to be Jim, but I want to be Jamie Lidell! Last time I saw Jamie, he came out solo wearing a sparkling jacket under a blazer, like hiding his true self, looking very very funky. Almost a week ago now, he came out this time with five people to join him on stage, wearing a similar looking jacket, but no blazer this time. No need of showing who he has become, the ultimate soul revitalizer.
Things have changed quite a bit on stage for Lidell. He doesn't have a sampler and a mic only anymore. He has guys taking care of keyboards, drums, bass guitar, saxophones and vocoders, and one guy processing live video as the show happens. He also has one small TV with a turntable where he fake-plays records as he goes from song to song, and one hilarious use you will see at the end of the show.
Not only the stage has changed, but also Jamie's approach to his music live. Multiply is one of my ten favorite albums of 2005 (yeah I already started thinking about my fave albums of the decade), I loved it instantly, and loved it even more after seeing the man doing his tricks live with that album for the first time. He totally re-interpreted his songs by using samples, pre-recorded tracks and manipulating his own truly awesome voice. That futuristic show of soul influenced music seems to be being left in the past. Lidell went back old school having a proper band sound and it fits him exceptionally well. I haven't seen Sharon Jones, Amy Winehouse or any other people working these music genres, but I doubt any of them would make me smile and feel like I was at a show sometime between the 70's and 80's, thinking that I was seeing the future of the soul in front of my eyes.
There was not much difference between Sunday's and Monday's set list, but only one song, The City. Lots from Jim, crazy improvisation with some Multiply songs, and one of my favorite encores of recent memory. Here it is the set list for both shows:
Another Day
Figured Me Out
Out of My System
When I Come Back Around
A Little Bit More
The City (on Monday only)
Little Bit of Feelgood
Green Light
Where D’You Go?
Wait For Me
--
Game For Fools
Multiply
Lidell hasn't transformed all of his songs to this old school approach. All of his new songs, from Jim, are already much more straightforward than the ones on Multiply, and they all sound very alive in the new live setting, but almost all of his Multiply era songs remain intact to their other original electronic essence, being his song Multiply itself the only song I have seen he has transformed.
There are two shows to be part of at a Jamie Lidell concert these days: one featuring Jim, the Stevie Wonder like singer with a full live band, and one featuring Jamie Lidell, the crazy beat boxer and electronic music experimentalist. Like I did/do, you are gonna love them both. [photos of Sunday's show][photos of Monday's show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Jamie Lidell links: Stream Multiply, Official Website, MySpace, Wikipedia, YouTube, at Warp Records, on Pitchfork Media, a video interview on P4k.tv
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Animal Collective @ Electric Factory (Philly) - Wed Apr 23, 2008
Grass
Animal Collective has seven studio albums and one live album. That comprises quite a lot of songs. However, out of thirteen (or fifteen, depending on how you count them) songs they played to a very young crowd in their only (indoors) east coast show of their 2008, only five of them have seen the light on a CD or vinyl. The other eight are some of the songs they are rightfully creating right now for some to be part of another future masterpiece.
This show had a "special show" sign all over the place. Seriously, it was ridiculous. First, as a Collective, these Animals surprised us all by playing an edited version of the beautiful Pandar Bear's Comfy in Nautica as their second song into the set. Second, they showed all the kids in the audience why Leaf House is remembered (and will be) by many older ones as one of the best songs ever. Third, these geniuses smoothly mixed a reinterpretation of Essplode in the middle of Fireworks, giving a lot of sense to both song titles, and Fourth, and my personal favorite during the night, they finally played Grass again!
I am not a single kind of guy but after downloading one day Leaf House and Grass some three years ago I had to go out to the store to buy a couple of, nowadays, my favorite records of this decade, Sung Tongs and Feels. I've got to hear Leaf House live several times now, but it was a quite a treat to finally hear Grass as the last song in their encore. Avey was turning 29 years old that same night and instead of getting a gift from us I think he gave us one. Thanks.
Strawberry Jam came out last year, topped my two favorite AC albums, but after the last three times I have had the pleasure of seeing this band live, it is clear that the Jam is now part of an old past. All those four moments I mentioned above happened in between eight new songs, eight excellent new songs from which some will make it to thenew album, which I hope comes out sooner than expected. I can confidently say that at least on my books, and I am usually not too wrong about predictions, that album is gonna be their best one yet.
I recognized six of those eight songs and they have found their way to the internet, as a video or an MP3. Man, they are so fresh and genuine to me that whoever is still reading this really needs to spend some more time listening to them, the future: Bearhug (or Walk Around), House (or Material Things), Song For Ariel (via Funeral Pudding), Daily Routine (Via Funeral Pudding), Brother Sport and Grace.
Animal Collective is not only writing the present but making scratches of the future too. Go out and see them, go out and see one of (my) the best bands of this decade. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Animal Collective Links: Stream Water Curses EP, Stream Strawberry Jam, Stream/Download this show (10/01/07), Stream Animal Collective in Concert (Washington D.C.), Stream Feels, MySpace, Domino Records, YouTube, Pitchfork interviews the Collective.
Animal Collective has seven studio albums and one live album. That comprises quite a lot of songs. However, out of thirteen (or fifteen, depending on how you count them) songs they played to a very young crowd in their only (indoors) east coast show of their 2008, only five of them have seen the light on a CD or vinyl. The other eight are some of the songs they are rightfully creating right now for some to be part of another future masterpiece.
This show had a "special show" sign all over the place. Seriously, it was ridiculous. First, as a Collective, these Animals surprised us all by playing an edited version of the beautiful Pandar Bear's Comfy in Nautica as their second song into the set. Second, they showed all the kids in the audience why Leaf House is remembered (and will be) by many older ones as one of the best songs ever. Third, these geniuses smoothly mixed a reinterpretation of Essplode in the middle of Fireworks, giving a lot of sense to both song titles, and Fourth, and my personal favorite during the night, they finally played Grass again!
I am not a single kind of guy but after downloading one day Leaf House and Grass some three years ago I had to go out to the store to buy a couple of, nowadays, my favorite records of this decade, Sung Tongs and Feels. I've got to hear Leaf House live several times now, but it was a quite a treat to finally hear Grass as the last song in their encore. Avey was turning 29 years old that same night and instead of getting a gift from us I think he gave us one. Thanks.
Strawberry Jam came out last year, topped my two favorite AC albums, but after the last three times I have had the pleasure of seeing this band live, it is clear that the Jam is now part of an old past. All those four moments I mentioned above happened in between eight new songs, eight excellent new songs from which some will make it to thenew album, which I hope comes out sooner than expected. I can confidently say that at least on my books, and I am usually not too wrong about predictions, that album is gonna be their best one yet.
I recognized six of those eight songs and they have found their way to the internet, as a video or an MP3. Man, they are so fresh and genuine to me that whoever is still reading this really needs to spend some more time listening to them, the future: Bearhug (or Walk Around), House (or Material Things), Song For Ariel (via Funeral Pudding), Daily Routine (Via Funeral Pudding), Brother Sport and Grace.
Animal Collective is not only writing the present but making scratches of the future too. Go out and see them, go out and see one of (my) the best bands of this decade. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Animal Collective Links: Stream Water Curses EP, Stream Strawberry Jam, Stream/Download this show (10/01/07), Stream Animal Collective in Concert (Washington D.C.), Stream Feels, MySpace, Domino Records, YouTube, Pitchfork interviews the Collective.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Destroyer @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - Tue Apr 22, 2008
Leopard Of Honor
I usually have a couple of beers when I attend a show, but last night, before Dan Bejar stepped onto the stage with his couple of usual beers, I decided I was having Johnny Walker Red Label on the rocks instead. I knew I was going to need it during Destroyer's show to celebrate Dan Bejar's grandiosity.
I missed out on Bejar for quite a long time. Bejar has from eight to ten albums now, depending on how you count them, and I only got to know the latest two only a couple of months ago. They have hit me hard. Trouble In Dreams and Destroyer's Rubies have given me some of the most exciting -musical related- moments this year, and a new favorite artist to follow.
The beginning of the show surprised me. With no talking whatsoever Dan hit the guitar notes of Blue Flower / Blue Fame, the song that made me feel I was in for quite a listening adventure when I heard Trouble for the first time. I love that song on record, but somehow it didn't feel like the best song to start the show, probably because live didn't rightfully sound as melancholic as it is meant to be. A more appropiate first song was next, Rubies. Rubies is perfect and was welcome by everybody singing its lyrics almost in unison. Originally, on record, this song lasts a bit more than 9 minutes long, but Destroyer played it all in like 6 or 7. No, they didn't skip not even one note... they just played it super fast, like there wasn't anytime to waste. It was good.
So far I was pretty much neutral with the new reinterpretations, but it was Leopard of Honor what got me into the game. If you don't love this song yet, I understand, but I would say you need to see Bejar and his band perform it... see Dan's faces doing an effortless delivery of his eccentric voice by yourself, follow the new drummer's beat, turn to the guy in the keyboards every time he comes in, and watch how Destroyer's other guitarist steals the show. It was an honor to be there.
Check out the set list:
All my favorite songs on Trouble were played last night except Shooting Rockets. Libby's First Sunrise, Dark Leaves Form A Thread, My Favourite Year and Foam Hands are simply the best rock/pop songs I have heard this year and thanks to Destroyer's band they sounded huge with all their drums, guitars and sudden twists that make them so good.
I would have loved to hear more stuff from Rubies tho. I guess he wanted to make a statement by playing only one. Dan definitely looks like someone who doesn't really give a shot for getting famous and probably likes to get on the contrary side of whatever related to him becomes too popular. Destroyer's Rubies was broadly accepted and approved, even considered his master piece (and still is? I am not so sure), and it seems now he wants to turn the page. I hope he gets back to love that album as much as everybody did and does it these days (include me right here), because we newbies deserve some second chances to live it live too. In any case, Destroyer, thanks for the night and see you next time, if there's any. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Destroyer Links: Stream Trouble In Dreams, Stream Destroyer's Rubies, Fluxblog was there too, at Merge Records, MySpace, Wikipedia, Destroyer's Wiki
I usually have a couple of beers when I attend a show, but last night, before Dan Bejar stepped onto the stage with his couple of usual beers, I decided I was having Johnny Walker Red Label on the rocks instead. I knew I was going to need it during Destroyer's show to celebrate Dan Bejar's grandiosity.
I missed out on Bejar for quite a long time. Bejar has from eight to ten albums now, depending on how you count them, and I only got to know the latest two only a couple of months ago. They have hit me hard. Trouble In Dreams and Destroyer's Rubies have given me some of the most exciting -musical related- moments this year, and a new favorite artist to follow.
The beginning of the show surprised me. With no talking whatsoever Dan hit the guitar notes of Blue Flower / Blue Fame, the song that made me feel I was in for quite a listening adventure when I heard Trouble for the first time. I love that song on record, but somehow it didn't feel like the best song to start the show, probably because live didn't rightfully sound as melancholic as it is meant to be. A more appropiate first song was next, Rubies. Rubies is perfect and was welcome by everybody singing its lyrics almost in unison. Originally, on record, this song lasts a bit more than 9 minutes long, but Destroyer played it all in like 6 or 7. No, they didn't skip not even one note... they just played it super fast, like there wasn't anytime to waste. It was good.
So far I was pretty much neutral with the new reinterpretations, but it was Leopard of Honor what got me into the game. If you don't love this song yet, I understand, but I would say you need to see Bejar and his band perform it... see Dan's faces doing an effortless delivery of his eccentric voice by yourself, follow the new drummer's beat, turn to the guy in the keyboards every time he comes in, and watch how Destroyer's other guitarist steals the show. It was an honor to be there.
Check out the set list:
Blue Flower/Blue FlameBesides the seven songs Destroyer played from Trouble and the only one they played from Rubies, the band played one song (New Ways of Living) from an album called Your Blues and five (Crystal Country, Hey, Snow White, Trembling Peacock, Modern Painters and Self-Portrait With Thing (Tonight Is Not Your Night)) from another one called This Night. Particularly, those five songs were really really good, so guess what Destroyer album I'm getting next.
Rubies
Leopard Of Honor
The State
Crystal Country
Libby's First Sunrise
Dark Leaves Form A Thread
New Ways Of Living
Trembling Peacock
My Favourite Year
Foam Hands
Hey, Snow White
--
Modern Painters
Self-Portrait With Thing (Tonight Is Not Your Night)
All my favorite songs on Trouble were played last night except Shooting Rockets. Libby's First Sunrise, Dark Leaves Form A Thread, My Favourite Year and Foam Hands are simply the best rock/pop songs I have heard this year and thanks to Destroyer's band they sounded huge with all their drums, guitars and sudden twists that make them so good.
I would have loved to hear more stuff from Rubies tho. I guess he wanted to make a statement by playing only one. Dan definitely looks like someone who doesn't really give a shot for getting famous and probably likes to get on the contrary side of whatever related to him becomes too popular. Destroyer's Rubies was broadly accepted and approved, even considered his master piece (and still is? I am not so sure), and it seems now he wants to turn the page. I hope he gets back to love that album as much as everybody did and does it these days (include me right here), because we newbies deserve some second chances to live it live too. In any case, Destroyer, thanks for the night and see you next time, if there's any. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Destroyer Links: Stream Trouble In Dreams, Stream Destroyer's Rubies, Fluxblog was there too, at Merge Records, MySpace, Wikipedia, Destroyer's Wiki
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Hot Chip @ Music Hall of Williamsburg / Terminal 5 - Tue Apr 08 / Sat Apr 12, 2008
A week with Hot Chip
There aren't that many bands I see live every time they come to NYC, me being busy or not. Hot Chip is one of those few bands, and with the way they are killing it these days, it seems they are gonna become much more than that... they might be my more consistently good live band ever.
I gotta say right away, that overall, the show at Terminal 5 was better than the one at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The latter was announced after the former one was sold out, and as you can imagine it sold out in minutes. After getting my T5 ticket, I bought my MHoW ticket too. MHoW was going to let me see Hot Chip up-close one more time before it is too late, even though the audience was going to be comprised of NYC area people who follow current music, bloggers or not, who are in general, pretty tough to be convinced by a band to shake it off. At T5, I imagined, I was going to be completely surrounded by truly Hot Chip fans, who were going to bring it down with the band no matter what. Of course I had to be at both shows.
In any case, Hot Chip killed it at both shows with, unfortunately, the exact same set list. Eleven songs before the encore, and four to close their spectacle, kept everybody ondulating their bodies, if not going crazy for the most danceable tracks.
Hot Chip's live shows keep having the same structure as always, but just different sets of songs. This time, the party and the dancing found their peak with Shake a Fist, Hold On, Bendable Poseable, Touch Too Much, Out at the Pictures, One Pure Thought, Ready for the Floor, Don't Dance, and a trio of old songs for which it is nearly impossible to stand still, Boy From School, Over & Over, and No Fit State. The humor, although a bit rare in their recent shows, it was present too with the fantastic Wrestlers, a song that live sounds huge with Alexis and Joe sort of rapping at each other back and forth. And last, love, lots of love... this time with the classic Crapt Kraft Dinner (I wish there were more time for some tracks like that off Coming On Strong and The Warning) and the new beautiful ballads Made in the Dark, that titles their newest and fabulous new album, and In the Privacy of Our Love.
Props to the new lights the band is using, to the new moves Owen and Alexis are making, to how confident Al is at the vocals now and at the guitar after touring with LCD Soundsystem dangerously way too much, to the new set up on stage with Felix playing the "drums" (drum machines actually) in the back, and to Joe's hilarious sort of rapping.
Damn, I think I am never going to get over this band. They make interesting music that I enjoy listening and singing along to in my house, in my car, in my parties, in the bars I go to, and live. Seriously, what else could I ask for? [photos of ths show at MHoW][photos of the show at T5][photos of the DJ Set at R Bar]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Hot Chip Links: Stream Made in the Dark, Stream DJ-Kicks, Stream The Warning, Stream Coming on Strong, Official Website, YouTube, MySpace, Wikipedia
There aren't that many bands I see live every time they come to NYC, me being busy or not. Hot Chip is one of those few bands, and with the way they are killing it these days, it seems they are gonna become much more than that... they might be my more consistently good live band ever.
I gotta say right away, that overall, the show at Terminal 5 was better than the one at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The latter was announced after the former one was sold out, and as you can imagine it sold out in minutes. After getting my T5 ticket, I bought my MHoW ticket too. MHoW was going to let me see Hot Chip up-close one more time before it is too late, even though the audience was going to be comprised of NYC area people who follow current music, bloggers or not, who are in general, pretty tough to be convinced by a band to shake it off. At T5, I imagined, I was going to be completely surrounded by truly Hot Chip fans, who were going to bring it down with the band no matter what. Of course I had to be at both shows.
In any case, Hot Chip killed it at both shows with, unfortunately, the exact same set list. Eleven songs before the encore, and four to close their spectacle, kept everybody ondulating their bodies, if not going crazy for the most danceable tracks.
Hot Chip's live shows keep having the same structure as always, but just different sets of songs. This time, the party and the dancing found their peak with Shake a Fist, Hold On, Bendable Poseable, Touch Too Much, Out at the Pictures, One Pure Thought, Ready for the Floor, Don't Dance, and a trio of old songs for which it is nearly impossible to stand still, Boy From School, Over & Over, and No Fit State. The humor, although a bit rare in their recent shows, it was present too with the fantastic Wrestlers, a song that live sounds huge with Alexis and Joe sort of rapping at each other back and forth. And last, love, lots of love... this time with the classic Crapt Kraft Dinner (I wish there were more time for some tracks like that off Coming On Strong and The Warning) and the new beautiful ballads Made in the Dark, that titles their newest and fabulous new album, and In the Privacy of Our Love.
Props to the new lights the band is using, to the new moves Owen and Alexis are making, to how confident Al is at the vocals now and at the guitar after touring with LCD Soundsystem dangerously way too much, to the new set up on stage with Felix playing the "drums" (drum machines actually) in the back, and to Joe's hilarious sort of rapping.
Damn, I think I am never going to get over this band. They make interesting music that I enjoy listening and singing along to in my house, in my car, in my parties, in the bars I go to, and live. Seriously, what else could I ask for? [photos of ths show at MHoW][photos of the show at T5][photos of the DJ Set at R Bar]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Hot Chip Links: Stream Made in the Dark, Stream DJ-Kicks, Stream The Warning, Stream Coming on Strong, Official Website, YouTube, MySpace, Wikipedia
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Jens Lekman @ Webster Hall - Sat Apr 05, 2008
Pocketful of Money
Last time I saw Jens, he played twice the city and got together with fans at a rooftop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to play some tunes with just his acoustic guitar in a very cold night of Fall 2007. He promised he was coming back for Spring, when the weather was warmer and he didn't need a pair of gloves to play. He kept his promise.
Jens Lekman got on stage with four girls and a DJ this time. One on violin, one on cello, a very cute drummer, the ever smiling bassist and the guy in charge of sampling live all those catchy songs I don't know and Jens uses in his own songs. The sampling at this show was particularly great because Jens was extending them every time the DJ used them, with his full band and his voice. I felt the man was making a tribute to them, and being cool at it.
Lekman asked the audience not to record the show and post it online for all the world. He wanted it to be special, he wanted to be special only for us, the ones who were there with him, and not for the rest of the world the next day. The band started saying no word and play two or three songs straight through. No time to waste. This was their last stop in this tour and even though they must have been exhausted, that feeling of closing out a great couple of months of playing all over the US for their fans, must have had some soon-to-be-missed king of feeling attached to it too. They looked like they really wanted to play... like if it was the last time. Temporarily, I guess, it was.
I lost the piece of paper where I wrote the names of the songs he played. As always he got stories for us to introduce some of them. An old one now, about his lesbian friend Nina, that nobody minds hearing it again and again, one about his old hair dresser, a new one about a fan wanting to hear the song that has a "tutu" in it (it turned out to be Black Cat) and a very new one for a very new song called New Directions... too many (new)s there! He said he wrote that song, as some others, after looking at a google map for hours trying to find his way out of the most boring place he has ever lived, Kortedala. So is that a real place? I though it was imaginary. Anyway, I hear You Can Call Me Al in it (Jens actually plays it sometimes, but without the chorus), it has a Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo vibe, one of my favorite songs by him, and yes, it rules.
Since I got Night Falls Over Kortedala, that very boring place now I would like to visit one day if the music reflects anything about it, I went back in Jens catalog and consider myself a big fan of all his stuff. He has definitely got way better after his When I Wanted to Be Your Dog, and really got it working for him since Oh You're So Silent Jens. He played only one song from his first album and many many others from his last two. Unfortunately, he didn't play Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig, a song I am currently digging way too much these days. Here is what I remember he played, in no particular order:
Lekman did two or three encores, or better said he tried to leave the stage two or three times but everybody kept asking him to come back and delight us even more. I doubt he does it for all his shows, but I already mentioned this one was the last one of this tour... it had to be celebrated (there was actually an after-show in Brooklyn where he sang a couple more songs), and we all joined him at it. Among some others, he played my favorite song by him, Pocketful of Money, and a beautiful cover of Arthur Russell's A Little Lost, and I got goose bumps. Jens, I am not a fan of me getting goose bumps, because surely you will make me have them again, but see you next time... for sure. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Jens Lekman Links: At NPR, Stream Night Falls Over Kortedala, Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, at Secretly Canadian
Last time I saw Jens, he played twice the city and got together with fans at a rooftop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to play some tunes with just his acoustic guitar in a very cold night of Fall 2007. He promised he was coming back for Spring, when the weather was warmer and he didn't need a pair of gloves to play. He kept his promise.
Jens Lekman got on stage with four girls and a DJ this time. One on violin, one on cello, a very cute drummer, the ever smiling bassist and the guy in charge of sampling live all those catchy songs I don't know and Jens uses in his own songs. The sampling at this show was particularly great because Jens was extending them every time the DJ used them, with his full band and his voice. I felt the man was making a tribute to them, and being cool at it.
Lekman asked the audience not to record the show and post it online for all the world. He wanted it to be special, he wanted to be special only for us, the ones who were there with him, and not for the rest of the world the next day. The band started saying no word and play two or three songs straight through. No time to waste. This was their last stop in this tour and even though they must have been exhausted, that feeling of closing out a great couple of months of playing all over the US for their fans, must have had some soon-to-be-missed king of feeling attached to it too. They looked like they really wanted to play... like if it was the last time. Temporarily, I guess, it was.
I lost the piece of paper where I wrote the names of the songs he played. As always he got stories for us to introduce some of them. An old one now, about his lesbian friend Nina, that nobody minds hearing it again and again, one about his old hair dresser, a new one about a fan wanting to hear the song that has a "tutu" in it (it turned out to be Black Cat) and a very new one for a very new song called New Directions... too many (new)s there! He said he wrote that song, as some others, after looking at a google map for hours trying to find his way out of the most boring place he has ever lived, Kortedala. So is that a real place? I though it was imaginary. Anyway, I hear You Can Call Me Al in it (Jens actually plays it sometimes, but without the chorus), it has a Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo vibe, one of my favorite songs by him, and yes, it rules.
Since I got Night Falls Over Kortedala, that very boring place now I would like to visit one day if the music reflects anything about it, I went back in Jens catalog and consider myself a big fan of all his stuff. He has definitely got way better after his When I Wanted to Be Your Dog, and really got it working for him since Oh You're So Silent Jens. He played only one song from his first album and many many others from his last two. Unfortunately, he didn't play Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig, a song I am currently digging way too much these days. Here is what I remember he played, in no particular order:
I am Leaving You Because I don't Love YouJens doesn't play with his band all the time. When he is not dancing with all of them on stage like butterflies, he plays stripped down versions of his mellow and not so mellow songs by himself. Standouts Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo and A Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill are good examples of that... they get very good treatments without the extra sounds but his guitar and voice (and some "pom popom popom popom popom popom popom" from the audience), showing you Lekman at his best.
A Postcard to Nina
You Are the Light
It Was A Strange Time In My Life
Sipping on the Sweet Nectar
The Opposite of Hallelujah
Black Cab
Shirin
Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo
New Directions (new!)
A Sweet Summer's Night On Hammer Hill
Maple Leaves
Pocketful of Money
A Little Lost (Original by Arthur Russell)
Your Arms Around Me
Into Eternity
Lekman did two or three encores, or better said he tried to leave the stage two or three times but everybody kept asking him to come back and delight us even more. I doubt he does it for all his shows, but I already mentioned this one was the last one of this tour... it had to be celebrated (there was actually an after-show in Brooklyn where he sang a couple more songs), and we all joined him at it. Among some others, he played my favorite song by him, Pocketful of Money, and a beautiful cover of Arthur Russell's A Little Lost, and I got goose bumps. Jens, I am not a fan of me getting goose bumps, because surely you will make me have them again, but see you next time... for sure. [photos of the show]
♫♫♫♫♫
Were you at the show? How did you like it?
Jens Lekman Links: At NPR, Stream Night Falls Over Kortedala, Official Website, Wikipedia, MySpace, at Secretly Canadian
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