Archive for the ‘Random Ramblings’ Category
Posted by xneverwherex on May 6, 2011
Plan B
Faith SFX (beatboxer)
DJs
@ Music Hall of Williamsburg
5/5/11
I went into this show knowing two things – a) Plan B is/was a rapper and b) end credits (w/Chase & Status). So I wasn’t sure much about his new concept album – The Defamation of Strickland Banks. I knew it was a departure from the rap side of things but didnt realize it was a whole story on some artist getting thrown into jail for a rape he didnt commit. The story is insane and as he gets thrown into jail and writes about hell and whats going on- the music really stands out.
The evening began with bass pouring out of the doors and it turns out a DJ was spinning to an empty crowd. Finally a crowd exists but 90 minutes later no one cared. We were all ready for the evening to _really_ begin. First came the beatboxer who was sick! Based on videos Id take a guess that it was Faith SFX who can pretty much imitate any sound and was great at getting the crowd revved up.
Finally Ben Drew (Plan B) comes out with a 7 piece band backing him. Everyone looks incredibly stylish with the men in 3 piece suits and shiny shoes. Women in all black standing on the side giving the music a gospel feel. The band is excited. Its one of their few solo shows, as theyre currently on tour opening for Adele. Plan B jumps right in with the album. They open up with ‘The Writings on the Wall’ and the crowd starts dancing. A couple behind me starts doing their own dance to the music. Plan B’s soulful voice takes you away as he sounds as great as any other 70s soul artist.
The band gets really into the music. A guitarist on stage right comes to the edge of the stage and is dancing as hes playing. The other guitarist on the other side of Plan B – with dark shades – starts dancing as much and they both bring out the great rhythms in the songs. ‘Welcome 2 Hell’ and ‘The Recluse’ are much more energetic and people all around are singing along to all the songs. He breaks out into raps during the songs and it works seamlessly.
About an hour later theyre saying how its the end of the show. Its hard to believe they flew through just one album. They come back out for an encore that is pure medleys. Full of dubstep beats and mixing up a bunch of oldies. The arrangements are awesome and theyve turned ‘My Girl’ into a brand new song. How ‘A Kiss From a Rose’ ever ended up that popular always boggles my mind. But that was another remix complete with a crowd sing-along. As Faith SFX comes back out to infuse beatbox into the songs it gets rowdy on stage. Somehow it turns into punk on stage and the band is creating their own circle pushing into each other which of course leads the crowd to follow suit. By the end of the show – the band is on the floor of the stage, instruments thrown everywhere and people on top of each other.
If youre seeing Adele – you owe it to yourself to check out Plan B. Im not sure any other artist could blend the rap into soul songs that seamlessly. The band is awesome and is thoroughly having a great time. Hopefully theyll be back here sometime soon as Ill definitely be seeing them again.
Setlist:
Writings on the Wall
Free
Welcome 2 Hell
The Recluse
Love Goes Down
Coming Up Easy
Hard Times/Runaway
Praying
What You Gonna Do
She Said
Encore:
Who’s Loving You. Tracks of My Tears/Lean on Me/ My Girl/Stand By Me (an awesome video from another show)
Dubstep Medly: Kiss From a Rose/Forgot about Dre (B)
Pieces
Stay Too Long
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 5/5/11, beatbox, Ben Drew, Brooklyn, concept album, concert, Faith SFX, live, music, Music Hall of Williamsburg, NYC, Plan B, rapper, soul, Williamsburg | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on April 7, 2011
Weekend
Little Girls
Mercury Lounge
4/6/11
Weekend apparently is one of the new buzz-worthy/blog-worthy bands. It was hard to figure out if everyone there was seeing them because they loved the band – or if it was just the new band to check out. It was packed by the time they hit the stage. A friend commented – they had a review on their new album in Sports Illustrated. With their album titled – Sports – it indeed got a review – and a good one at that.
I commented to my friends – I know they should be loud – but really its only 3 guys. Well those 3 guys from San Francisco proved that they could be beyond loud. The lead singer/bassist had really great vocals that worked well with the loudness of the bass. At times the vocals seemed almost muted but it was very apparent that the vocals had their own place. The guitarist never seemed to be able to stay still and was moving non-stop – getting more and more into each song. He’d be kneeling on the stage and playing his heart out – in between sips of water. The drummer is equally loud and keeps the band moving at a great pace.
Their post-punk influences are easy to be seen. At times feeling like they could be Joy Division – dark but not nearly as gloomy. And the heavy guitars are oh so reminiscent of Jesus & Mary Chain. While their album material is great – the crowd seemed very into their newer songs that they had just written. As they introduced their song ‘Little Girls’ they cheekily noted – no its not for the band its the name of the song. It was a great solid set and their 40 minutes seemed to fly by.
Openers Little Girls from Toronto were interesting. They mentioned casually about them having to use Weekend’s gear and something to do with visas. That they probably would rather not have mentioned. We’ll leave it at that. While some of their songs were really great and had a dance-edge/pop sound – musically it was like they hadnt yet figured out what direction they were heading. So you never knew quite what you were going to get. The guitarist seemed to be having consistent problems with the sound/feedback and just couldnt seem to get on with it. After nearly every song it seemed there was a new problem.
Perhaps theres a bit of potential in them, but at this point, Im not sure I can totally see it.
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Friends, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 4/7/11, concert, indie, Little Girls, Live Music, Mercury Lounge, NYC, post-punk, rock, San Francisco, Sports, Toronto, Weekend | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on April 4, 2011
LCD Soundsystem
Liquid Liquid
Madison Square Garden
4/2/11
The night had finally arrived and it was finally time to say goodbye to LCD Soundsystem. It was a bittersweet farewell and the band couldnt have gone out any better.
With hopes of Daft Punk coming out, we would be surprised with another band. LCD greeted us with some other Northerners instead for “North American Scum”. How fitting that it was The Arcade Fire. Win, Will, Regine and Jeremy came out and helped LCD sing the song. It was truely awesome watching the band excitedly sing along and jump with enthusiasm.
The band treated us to a 3.5 hour set that was reminiscent of the shows at Terminal 5. It was broken out into 3 sets with the first and second set being almost identical to the others. It was great to begin the show with ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ which brought the floor to a frenzy. Watching from above, as the first note came on the crowd went into overdrive. Everyone was there to have a great time and presumably dance themselves clean.
James is an awesome frontman and took the crowd through an awesome first set. There wasnt much banter as he went from ‘Dance Yrself Clean’ right into ‘Drunk Girls’. The set continued at a frenzied pace and included ‘Daft Punk Is Playing At My House’, ‘Time To Get Away’, ‘Too Much Love’ and of course, the natural show closer (which it is not) ‘All my Friends’. What was more surprising is that ‘All My Friends’ wasnt even the last song of the first set. It makes for a beautiful closing song.
All of a sudden an hour was gone, and it was that much closer to the end. 45:33 brought out Reggie Watts and a great brass section that sounded amazing. ‘Freak Out/Starry Eyes’ sounded really great and everyone was dancing up a storm during that song. It seemed that for parts of the other it was a little more subdued, but it was definitely needed before the third part came in.
The set would soon be closing – but LCD packed in as much as they could. They played one song (I believe it was Bye Bye Bayou) for the first time. My friend was beyond excited, but I could have sworn he said it was something else. Arcade Fire (as previously mentioned) showed up on ‘North American Scum’ and we got a very loud ‘Us vs Them’. Crowd favorite ‘Yeah’ had everyone singing and dancing.
It was great to see LCD bring out their first guitarist who played on a few a songs. The drummer looked oh so comfortable in his shorts and considering how hot and sweaty it was, he was very prepared. James Murphy started a countdown of the last few songs. Much like New Years Eve, it was never meant to be sad, it was just meant to be a huge dance party. And soon it was only fitting that they would play ‘New York, I Love You But Youre Bringing Me Down’ for one last time.
Who knows if we’ll get a reunion in 3-4 years, but this couldnt have ended better. My only gripe was the ticket fiasco – it was great people got tix at the door for face and on the floor. For those of us who managed to get any early, the angles were quite bad and it was hard to see at points with the rig for the lights. It seemed we were barely acknowledged till the end. Regardless, I had one hell of a time. It was great to see that most the crowd abided with James’ request for the black/white dress code. Boo to those of you in the front floor with a RED shirt on. It just screamed for attention.
SETLIST
Set 1:
“Dance Yrself Clean”
“Drunk Girls”
“I Can Change
“Time to Get Away”
“Get Innocuous!”
“Daft Punk Is Playing At My House”
“Too Much Love”
“All My Friends”
“Tired”
Set 2:
45:33 Part One
45:33 Part Two (ft. Reggie Watts)
“Sound of Silver”
45:33 Part Four
45:33 Part Five (ft. Shit Robot)
45:33 Part Six
“Freak Out/Starry Eyes”
Set 3:
“Us V. Them”
“North American Scum” (w/ Régine Chassagne, Win Butler, Will Butler & Jeremy Gara of Arcade Fire)
“Bye Bye Bayou” (Alan Vega cover)
“You Wanted A Hit”
“Tribulations”
“Movement”
“Yeah”
Encore 1:
“Someone Great”
“Losing My Edge”
“Home”
Encore 2:
“All I Want”
“Jump Into The Fire” (Harry Nilsson cover)
“New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down”
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Friends, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 4/2/11, Arcade Fire, Brooklyn, concert, electro-dance, electronic, indie, James Murphy, last show, LCD Soundsystem, LCDSS, Liquid Liquid, Live Music, Madison Square Garden, MSG | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on March 30, 2011
After that last post – it made me want to remember some of the greatest moments Ive had with LCD Soundsystem. Its hard to pick a greatest show (of any band), and the greatest memories can be harder. But without a doubt here are some of the best.
Chicago – Lollapalooza – August 2007
Indeed – Daft Punk was playing at my house. If my house is Grant Park and Im living in Chicago. For those couple of hours life was unreal. LCD Soundsystem played one hell of a set with staples like ‘All My Friends’ but at the moment that they played ‘Daft Punk…’ it was nearly surreal. My friend and I were jumping around like no tomorrow. Moments later Daft Punk was playing on the stage next to them and that was a dance party like I had never seen before. Will anything ever be that great in my concert-going history. As far as a duo – unless Daft Punk shows up on Saturday night – Im not sure anything will surpass that moment. Even still – a festival in Chicago – a gorgeous night – two awesome bands playing back-to-back. Unforgettable.
Baltimore – Virgin Freefest – Sept 2010
Going to a festival that is free is awesome regardless. LCD Soundsystem headlining that same festival is even more awesome. It was a packed house that night, but somehow friends and I made it to the front of the stage. It was a dance party up there and ‘Yeah’ was a highlight. Everyone was friends for an hour or so dancing along and singing along. It was great! The band had seemed so happy to be playing that night. It was hard to imagine not long after theyd announce that they were calling it quits.
Webster Hall w/Yacht – May 2007
If I recall dates correctly, this was my first time finally having the chance to see them. I remember showing up with a group of friends and being close enough to the stage. While I dont remember most of the set itself, I do remember it being a dance party. Everyone was dancing up a storm and it was prior to Webster Hall renovating. The floor moved and it felt like it would crash at any moment. It was so enjoyable and the band was so fun. It really didnt matter what they played.
It turns out it was also the guitarists last night playing with the band. Interestingly enough – I can say I saw that twice. One with the band before he left – and the last time the band ever will play together (until the reunion shows start out).
This setlist was quite good as well:
US v Them, Draft Punk, Time To Get Away, NA Scum, All My Friends, Get Innocuous, Tribulations, What The Tapes, Movement, Yeah…Someone Great, NY I Love You
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Friends, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 'Columbia, 2007, 2010, concert, electro-dance, indie, James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem, LCD SS, Live Music, live shows, Lollapalooza, Maryland, MD', Virgin Freefest, Webster Hall | 1 Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on March 30, 2011
LCD Soundsystem
w/Liquid Liquid
Terminal 5
3/29/11
If youre calling it a day its best to go out at a) the top of your game and b) on your own terms. LCD Soundsystem is doing just that.
At first I was skeptical when I learned that there were new shows added prior to the farewell show this coming Saturday night (April 2). But of course, like so many others, I had to see what LCD Soundsystem would do at Terminal 5. And I have to say, if I didnt have a ticket on Saturday night, I would be ok (better than ok – just great). Their show at Terminal 5 was AWESOME!
I didnt read much about the prior nights show as I wanted some surprises, but I did know they opened with ‘Dance Yrself Clean’. And what a way to open. The following night they kept to somewhat of a similar setlist, but the changes they made were to my benefit.
‘Dance Yrself Clean’ is a brilliant way to start a set. I could almost see Kermit sitting on a rooftop singing and envisioned the rest of the Muppets on stage. Unfortunately, James Murphy doesnt quite resemble a green frog – but his vocals – oh yes! At the start of the set we get a lone James Murphy dressed in white & black, a spotlight just on him, and him singing. Then the band comes on stage along with a choir and other instruments. It was awesome! And it should be noted that everyone on the stage was in white (maybe some black)?
From the balcony I had a great view of the entire stage and the crowd. The audience was starting to dance and jump around and really getting into it. By the time the song picks up, everyone was dancing and moving. From there it was straight into ‘Drunk Girls’ and the dancing continued.
The setlist was mostly a blur and just lots of fun all around. It seemed the first set of the night just flew. Clocking in at 3 hours with 24 songs, plus a 2 song encore was unreal. The light show was amazing with laser lights for parts of it and a wall of LEDs. The disco ball was good fun as well. The second half, which was heavy on 45:33 and included Reggie Watts for a song, was the biggest drag. It just felt like an extended remix that just kept going and going. But it was also a good time to get a bit of a breather and people watch.
Thankfully part 3 was even more awesome than the beginning. After reading the setlist Im not sure thats possible. I mean seriously – at that point we even had ‘Daft Punk is Playing At My House’. I wasnt sure much could top it, but by the end I was wishing I was in shorts and a tanktop. It was a sweaty, fun, dancing mess of a time. Us vs Them was a great way to start it out and North American Scum! Also included ‘Tribulations’, ‘Yeah’ and ‘Losing My Edge’.
My only regret was ‘All My Friends’ was the last song of the first set. The lyrics alone would have been perfect to end the night with. And with friends like the drummer from TV on the Radio and Aziz Ansari (of Parks & Recreation) dancing and having a great time, I think you cant ask for much more.
James Murphy is truly a great frontman. It was great to see band members coming and going during the different songs. He made a point to announce some of them – their original guitarist. He thanked everyone profusely (us and the performers). Sang Happy Birthday to his sis during the encore and was just genuinely happy. Its hard to ask for more than that. Plus, he gave us 3 hours and a setlist that left me incredibly happy. And anyone who acknowledges the world we live in – the one where everyone wants to record every minute of a set – he told us ‘maybe just be here’.
So really, what can Saturday bring?
Liquid Liquid played a pretty short 30 minute opening set. They were pretty good and seemed to be playing some classic songs (Im not even sure if I knew they were their songs). They were fun and dance-y and you could definitely see the influences that they had on LCD SS.
Setlist
Set 1
Dance Yrself Clean (with male choir)
Drunk Girls
I Can Change
Time to Get Away
Get Innocuous (with male choir)
Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
Too Much Love
All My Friends
Set 2
45:33 Part One
45:33 Part Two (with Reggie Watts)
Sound of Silver
45:33 Part Four
45:33 Part Five
45:33 Part Six
Set 3
Us Vs Them (with male choir)
Freak Out/Starry Eyes
North American Scum
You Wanted A Hit
Tribulations
Movement
Yeah
Someone Great
Losing My Edge
Home (with male choir)
Encore:
All I Want
New York I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Friends, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 3/29/11, Brooklyn, concert, DFA, electro-dance, Hells Kitchen, indie, James Murphy, last show, LCD Soundsystem, LCD SS, LCDSS, Liquid Liquid, NYC, T5, Terminal 5 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on March 27, 2011
Brother
The Dig
@ The Rock Shop
3/24/11
Where were you when Brother came to town? Its probably going to be the question that comes up next time they’re here. It wont be a surprise when the band (who is already getting lots of hype) becomes the next big thing.
Brother, hailing from Slough (outside of London), might be starting the new revival of britpop bands. At times sounding a bit like Blur, they might be more closely seen as the next Oasis. Lead singer, Len, has the same swagger as Liam of Oasis. He’s chatty with the audience – tells us to remember where we were when we first saw them – and is sure theyre going to be huge.
Len might come across as a bit arrogant and self-assured but the music speaks volumes. Theyre catchy and the crowd (who seems to be a lot of bloggers and photographers) is in awe of them. People dancing and singing along – the band does a hurriedly 30 minute set. Its fun and the band is great together. It comes across as a bit odd that there is a back up woman dancer/singer, but in some ways it works.
If you blended the Stone Roses, Oasis and Blur together, throw in some of the other catchy 90s bands and youd get Brother. It was seemingly awesome and yes, seeing them at a small stage at The Rock Shop is definitely something none of us will forget. And yes – they are destined to be that huge.
Openers The Dig have some great songs as well. I seemed to remember them a bit differently from when I first saw them open for The Editors. They seemed to pick up more of a bluesy sound. While some of it works quite well, a lot of the songs started sounding same-y and it became a bit much after awhile.
Both the bands seemed in much appreciation of the other. Each being so generous and throwing out compliments. It was definitely a nice thing to see as you dont always get that.
Either way – Brother is back in a month or so and Id highly recommend *not* missing them.
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 3/24/11, Blur, britpop, Brooklyn, Brother, concert, indie, Oasis, Slough, The Dig, The Rock Shop, UK | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on March 27, 2011
Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour
March 23, 2011
Le Poisson Rouge
What happens when a huge group of guys (and gal) come together for just a few nights?? Well you get something quite special and extraordinary.
The Elephant 6 Collective has spawned so many bands over time and more still seem to arise. From Olivia Tremor Control to Neutral Milk Hotel to The Apples in Stereo and more recently Of Montreal and Hawk and a Hacksaw it seems to be ever going.
The night seemed like it could have been one gigantic circus and we were the captive audience. Julian Koster was great fun listening to his stories about his Romanian Circus Family and disappearing cities.
The show got even more creative when it had audience members using a wind up snowman arm to aim balls at the ‘moon’. Whoever got the ball through the moon would get to choose the band’s next song. (Of any song in the entire world).
From what I saw of the 2+ hours, it was phenomenal. Everyone in the band sounded great. Different people singing on the songs were quite fun (depending on which song was being performed). The OTC songs were great and Elf Power songs were really catchy. It was great to see BP Helium singing so many songs (I cant ever recall if he sings with Of Montreal).
Overall it was a great night – even if I missed another hour. Even knowing so few of the songs (if any), it was still an awesome night and probably one that I wont see again. Its not too often that you can see so many different band members come together to play music from so many prior bands. It just doesnt happen (unless youre seeing Broken Social Scene – but then its still only BSS music for the most part).
The highlight by far was the snowman song. Was truly awesome seeing the band rock out to “Sweet Leaf” by Black Sabbath. Will I ever see that again… Id guess that’s a negative.
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 3/23/11, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Apples in Stereo, Bill Doss, BP Helium, Bryan Poole, Circulatory System, concert, Elephant 6, Elephant 6 Collective, Elf Power, indie, Jeff Mangum, Julian Koster, Le Poisson Rouge, live, M Coast, Neutral Milk Hotel, NYC, Of Montreal, Olivia Tremor Control, orchestra, OTC, The Gerbils, Village, Will Cullen Hart | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on March 23, 2011
The Lines
Polock
Ravens & Chimes
Pianos
3/22/11
SXSW always proves to be a great time of year, regardless if you actually make it to Austin and provided you live in NYC. Most the bands will make an appearance here at some point either on the way home or before. Not bad.
The Lines from Wolverhampton, Midlands, should be all over NME and the UK press. Its a bit crazy that they didnt explode in the likes of The Arctic Monkeys. Perhaps its better so that most of us will get to see them in a small club. The Lines are reminiscent of all things 90s. They have the power of the Stone Roses and at times have an Oasis vibe. Haircuts could have been seen on Tim Burgess. Alex Ohm’s soaring vocals at times are spot on for Bono. And some of the intros with the heavy guitars could have been heard on a Ride album. Its not a bad mish-mash of bands to be compared to. The Lines played for a crowd of maybe 30 people and you would have never guessed it. Alex was all over the stage working it as if it were a big club. He commented on the (small) stage and how there was nowhere for him to move with all the wires.
The band sounded incredibly tight. The band members have unbelievable chemistry. It was a great way to end the set with Alex in the audience and 2 drums waiting for him to play. He was able to move around like no tomorrow and really put an end to the show. When they come around next time, do not miss them! Their songs on album do not do them justice for what they do live!
Following The Lines, came the Strokes-esque Polock. Hailing from Valencia, Spain, the boys announced it was their first time in NYC. They seemed quite excited to be here, if not a wee bit tired. Their manager was as excited as they were and took a bunch of photos of her drinking as Polock played.
Polock has the same sorta vibe and at times sounds like The Strokes, but they’re probably closer sounding to Phoenix. The lead singer could easily be mistaken (vocals-wise) for Thomas Mars. Their pop sensibilities give them that same fun sound, that has everyone dancing and singing along. The guys have great harmonies and complement each other well.
They finished the set with their single ‘Fireworks’ which might be one of the catchiest new songs Ive heard in a long time. After a listen or two, you feel like you know the song and are singing along with them. They were definitely a great way to end the night.
The first band on the set was locals Ravens & Chimes. At this time there were maybe 20 of us (if we’re lucky) there to see the band. Considering that most everyone was in the other bands – it was basically a show for me and 3 friends. Its hard to complain about that.
The band seemed a bit lackluster and you could tell SXSW had hit them hard. They had just gotten back and will actually be headed out on tour straight-away. They were pretty subdued on stage with very little banter. It seemed the keyboardist didnt even want to be there, but they did their best to get through their set. At best their boy/girl harmonies could be likened to the playfulness of Stars. And those were great pop songs. Their real problem is their music is all over the place. It feels like they hadnt yet figured out which direction they will be going in, and their music reflects that.
Some really great songs, mixed in with some not-so-great songs made their show hit-or-miss. They wouldnt be a bad opener per se, but Id probably not go to a show *just* to see them. BUT, the lead singer was very cool and came up to me and started talking to me right away. Perhaps it was me taking photos of him, or maybe I looked like a nice face. He was friendly, told me about their upcoming tour and SXSW. Which means, I definitely wouldnt miss them if they were opening for another band I was seeing!
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Friends, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 3/22/11, 90s, Espana, indie, Midlands, NYC, Pianos, Polock, Ravens & Chimes, rock, Spain, SXSW, The Lines, UK, Valencia, Wolverhampton | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on February 14, 2011
2/13/11
Wild Nothing
Abe Vigoda
Minks
Bowery Ballroom
Bowery Ballroom was a crowded hot mess last night. Once Abe Vigoda finished (how did people decide not to check them out?), a huge crowd of model-types storm the front of the stage. They push and shove like they’ve been there all night, angling to get to the front middle of the stage. Its rough and the room gets hot instantaneously. About this time, I decide I have to get some water so I dont pass out. Being short in a room full of tall people, as they suck the air out is a nightmare.
As I angle my way back to my spot in the front, I get people yelling at me about its not fair that Im there. Yes, they just showed up and would have known I had been there for every band that night. But I digress, lets talk about Wild Nothing.
For one thing, I try and never miss Wild Nothing when they play. Its always a great time for shoe-gazey dance pop. Jack Tatum doesn’t have much to say but does comment on the crowd being so silent that its creepy for him. He works through his songs with his hazy vocals on most songs with the beautiful guitars accompanying him. The crowd seems to love the music and everyone dances along in unison. Favorites like “Chinatown” and “Live in Dreams” gets lots of cheers. The crowd truly adores them. The show is all going smoothly until the guy next to me starts to rock back and forth with his eyes closed. Two seconds later and he’s fallen backwards and is passed out. A huge crowd forms, security is nowhere to be found and the band is shocked. No one quite knows what to do – Jack tenatively continues the song only to comment after he finishes ‘I hope he’s ok’ and then adds a quip of how he hopes his music didnt make him pass out.
It was a great set. Their Primal Scream cover was pretty awesome even thought it was one of the shortest songs of the night. Its a shame Cloudbusting hasnt made an appearance in quite some time. Kate Bush would be proud. Then again, so would Primal Scream.
Abe Vigoda (not to be confused with the actor) played a great set before them. Hailing from LA, these boys have surfer/skater hair cuts and sound like California guys. “You people are soooooo nice”. They were humbled and geniunely happy to be playing with Wild Nothing. They mentioned it was one of their favorite bands and it was great to see bands who genuinely liked each other.
Abe Vigoda from what I learned totally changed their sound from their first album to the second. This show was focused on mostly songs from their new album Crush. With some synth beats and influences from the gothic/cold post-punk rock leanings of Joy Division, they make it work. Some songs are quite catchy and more dance-y but most are guitar heavy with some beats thrown in. It works and is really likeable and grows on you quickly. The guys seem to be so happy and friendly and enjoying themselves so much, its hard not to like them.
Brooklyn’s Minks started out the night. Unfortunately for the band, the 2 female members have no stage presence. One girl didnt look up once from her keyboards the whole set while the other seemed to not even realize there was a crowd in front of her. Thankfully for the band, they had added a guitarist and bassist who at least seemed to want to be there. With an 80’s sound, not far behind Wild Nothing and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, they could be a really awesome shoegaze band. And I did find when I was staring at my shoes, dancing along, not paying attention to the fact there was a live band, their music surprisingly worked.
All in all – 3 great bands that came together very well. It was a great fit musically with everyone complementing each other.
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 2/13/11, Abe Vigoda, Bowery Ballroom, Brooklyn, concert, indie, indiepop, LA, live, Minks, music, NYC, rock, shoegaze, Wild Nothing | Leave a Comment »
Posted by xneverwherex on February 8, 2011
Friendly Fires
The Hundred in the Hands
Bowery Ballroom
2/7/11
Friendly Fires has once again crossed the pond to bring the dance party to New York. Their shows are always a good time and its one of the new shows that can get nearly an entire place to move. A lot of the audience in the front tried out their new best dance moves. Im not sure it works in a sold-out venue, but its hard not to move.
Their setlist was still largely based on their first album with a spattering of new songs in between. One of the changes with their new material is it doesnt have that same catchiness upon first hearing as something like ‘Paris’ or ‘Jump In The Pool’. At times a song or two reminded me of ‘Odessa’ from Caribou with the same beats and other instruments brought into the music. It still has a dance-y feel, but it almost feels like youre transported into a jungle. Perhaps it happened when they played with a Brasilian samba school as you now get the samba and calypso vibe.
Needless to say, it seems the new tunes might take some getting used to and lots of play. Ed perfected his dance moves which is now even more undulations, gyrations and is starting to look more stripper-esque. There is no denying he can work those hips, and those slow moves had the girls in front swooning. But he still is amazing to watch – esp when he gets really into it and he just starts working the stage. Ending with an extended version of ‘Kiss of Life’ that just kept Ed going and going was a great way to end the set.
I do miss some of the songs that hopefully have not yet been retired. Sad to no longer hear ‘Strobe’ and ‘In The Hospital’, but hopefully the new songs catch on.
The Hundred in the Hands were a nice surprise. Their music is really great live. With a catchy retro 80’s feel (think Pat Benatar/Belinda Carlisle), this Brooklyn duo has made the 80’s seem relevant. Electro-dance-pop at its finest, by the time you add some guitars and keyboards it will be hard to not be tapping your foot, shaking your head. They were the perfect opener for Friendly Fires getting the crowd warmed up (too bad most the crowd didnt seem to appreciate them) 😦
Friendly Fires Set List:
Blue Cassette
True Love
On Board
Running Away
Chimes
Skeleton Boy
Hurting
Jump in the Pool
Pull Me Back To Earth
Show Me Lights
Paris
*********
Love Sick
Kiss of Life
Posted in Adventures in the Big City, Live Music, Random Ramblings | Tagged: 2/7/11, 80's, Bowery Ballroom, Brooklyn, concert, dance, Ed McFarlane, electro-dance, electronic, Friendly Fires, indie, Live Music, NYC, The Hundred in the Hands, UK | Leave a Comment »
Ramblings of a Redhead Music Snob 