This is gonna' be cool, you should probably go... A special one night only screening of the highly talked about documentary film Heima by Icelandic post rock band Sigur Rós.
So yeah, it's been too long since I've updated. I've been pretty busy with work and other extra-curricular activities the past few months so we'll have to see what the future holds for this here blog. Don't worry, I still read your blog, listen to new music, and check out bands around town.
Anyway, here are some shows I checked out recently but never got around to posting on the site:
>> Stars of Track and Field live @ 7th Street Entry 10/19/07
Caught the last 45 minutes of their set in the Mainroom after crossing over from the Entry. I'm not really into Southern Rock, but I was thoroughly entertained by these Georgia rockers. Wow, they really jammed out in true "Skynyrd" style. I haven't seen a Jack Daniels bottle being passed around on stage in quite a while. Poplife has more on the gig.
The Raveonettes have blown me away every time I've seen them. This night was no exception. I still can't believe I got to see them in the Entry. Wow, the new stuff from the forthcoming album "Lust, Lust, Lust" (out 2/19/08) sounded brilliant. More on BRIAT. Rave on.
Nicole and her band opened for The Raveonettes. I was pleasantly surprised by her performance, as I really didn't know too much about her. What did she sound like? I think the description on her MySpace sums it up: "Roy Orbison as a chick fronting a band of elves."
Another very fine performance supporting label-mate Matthew Dear. The new album "Heaven" is great, and live the songs sounded even better. I still can't believe these guys aren't huge yet...
Hmmmm, I don't know, I wasn't that impressed. I liked the DJ-ing and electronica aspect, but really didn't dig the singing and band. I guess the show was ok. To be perfectly honest I missed 1/2 of it as I was talking with the guys in Mobius Band...
What a pleasant surprise this dual CD-release (Stook!, Dan Israel) gig turned out to be. I had a great time and really enjoyed all 3 artists (and all the guest musicians who appeared). HWTS has more. And yeah, being on stage with a bunch of friends and singing backing vocals to final tune of the evening "Rockin' in the Free World" was pretty sweet...
They opened for M.I.A. and their shit was dope. They sounded like a mix between The Beastie Boys and Run DMC... which got the crowd nicely warmed up for the main act.
Saved the best for last... M.I. mutherfuckin' A. simply destroyed sold-out First Avenue. One of my favorite shows of the year. Some highlights:
The audience was totally into it. Kids were dancing their asses off.
M.I.A. was all over the stage and really gave it her all. Singing, dancing, crowd-surfing, climbing into the balcony. That girl really has some energy.
For "Bird Flu" (see photo above and video below) some of the crowd got to join M.I.A. on stage.
The light, stage, and video screen show were really amazing. A complete multi-media experience.
The after-party at Foundation Nightclub was pretty cool as well. What a night...
Here are a couple of live videos from the show.
M.I.A. - "Bamboo Banga" live @ First Avenue 11/20/07: (Opening tune - 4:57)
M.I.A. - "Bucky Done Gun" | "Bird Flu" live @ First Avenue 11/20/07: (Features lots of people on stage during "Bird Flu" - 11:03)
OK, so that about sums it up for now. I think I'm finally caught up. I'll probably try to put up a few more posts before year-end. Maybe I'll do a list of sorts. Actually, probably not. I'm really sick of year-end lists already and it's not even December. Plus you know my top song of the year already (and my top album in a sec)...
I'll conclude with the latest video from my top album of the year (no surprise). Peace, take care.
J-Girl and I carved pumpkins. Guess which one's mine:
We dressed up our dogs Ringo and Savannah (for ~ 5 minutes). Yes, we're that cruel:
And in the music world... The Pierces just released a brand-new Halloween themed video for "Sticks and Stones". It's pretty cool (thanks to reader Doug for the tip):
So I just got back from First Avenue... Holy shit, a fucking car crashed into the side of the building last night! Here's what I heard happened: Car and limo collide. Car goes into side of First Ave and hits a couple of people standing outside.
I saw one woman walk away (in shock) ok. One other guy was more seriously injured. I think he had a broken leg... First Avenue had hardly any damage. I still can't believe ~ 14 police cars showed up. I thought another bridge went down ;)
And yeah, I did watch Stars of Track and Field tonight. I also managed to get some photos of Drive By Truckers. They were actually really entertaining... Crazy night. More to come.
> T.O.G.P.T.F.F.S.O.T.W.O.T.H.E.A.T.S.Y.O.A.: I know what you're thinking, WTF? OK, here's what the band name means: "Three Old Guys Play the First Five Songs Off the Wipers' Over the Edge Record and the Song "Youth of America"... They were NSFG, "not so fucking good."
> The Ponys: I loved these guys last time I saw them in the Entry. This time they were ok. They started out kinda' average, but once the set got going they really jammed out. Their last couple of tunes rocked.
> Spoon: Wow! Amazing, love these guys. The chronological setlist was brilliant.
I think that's all I need to say. Others have already covered it:
* Feature length documentary tour film 'Lord Don't Slow Me Down' in stereo and surround sound. · Bonus audio commentary - Noel, Liam, Andy and Gem guide you through the film with their recollections of the tour. · A Noel Gallagher Q&A session with fans runs alongside out-takes from the film.
Bonus Disc:
* Oasis live at City of Manchester Stadium on 2nd July 2005 - sixteen classic tracks shot in HD with stereo and surround sound. · Bonus Disc also features unique footage and pictures sent in by fans who attended the concert.
Sweet... Oasis is currently preparing a brand new album for release in 2008.
Show of the year!!! Ha ha, just kidding. It was pretty insane, though. YouTube SuperstarTay Zonday was pretty good... for a novelty act. I don't know... my Karaoke version of "Chocolate Rain" would be more entertaining, I think. One thing is for sure, the guy definitely can't dance.
Girl Talk (Greg Gillis) had the mostly intoxicated college crowd going absolutely nuts inside First Avenue. I danced my ass off. I had never seen crowd-surfing at a DJ club show before... All in all, Girl Talk really impressed me. "Smash Your Head" ruled. Boy knows how to mix up the tunes...
The sold out 7th Street Entry crowd went crazy for this one. Yeah, lots of Anglophile hooligans in the audience, including myself. Jamie T and his backing band "The Pacemakers" were shockingly great in a live setting. Even after the show, I'm still not exactly sure how to classify Jamie's music... it's a hybrid of various styles, ranging from hip hop to rock 'n' roll. At times it sounded like the bloody Arctic Monkeys or The Clash were on stage. Other times it was really "grimey", alaThe Streets. Anyway, blablabla, boy is really talented, and delivered one of the most fun shows I've seen in a while. And yeah, I did get one of his "mixtapes" at the end of the show. I'm still working on finding a tape-player to play it on ;)
Yeah, I agree, Rilo's latest record "Under The Blacklight" may not be my (or your) favorite. However, wow, "indie rock darling" Jenny Lewis and company really know how to put on a live show. Sold out First Avenue was crazy-packed for the gig. I haven't seen that many 18-20 year old girls in one place in a long time...
Hmmm, what else can I tell you? The band really impressed me, as I had never seen them live before. Jenny's voice and stage presence were fantastic. The rest of the band and back-up singers were equally impressive. Even the new stuff sounded great. And what do you know... now I really kinda' dig the new album. That's why I go to shows.
Opening bands Jonathan Rice and Grand Ole Party were ok. Not really 100% my thing. I was a bit bored to be perfectly honest. Both seem pretty talented, though, so definitely check them out.
Wow. Editors did not disappoint. They were absolutely brilliant at Fine Line Music Cafe last week. One of my favorite shows of the year. No comparisons to that "other" band necessary. They're the real deal folks. I think MFR agrees. So does Brody.
Nomad World Pub did a fabulous job putting on this event. A couple of thoughts on the musical acts I witnessed: Dance Band was a blast to watch. They really want you to, ummmm, dance! Hip-hop duo Big Quarters were quite good. Unfortunately, they struck out finding somebody from the audience to beat-box for them on-stage for one of their tunes. Yeah, not one of my talents... Iowa's Poison Control Center definitely performed the high energy ADD set of the evening (see photos). Insane. North was my favorite music act. Think Radiohead meets Coldplay. The 757s closed out the night. Very nice guys and a great way to finish the festival.
Poison Control Center's brand new album "A Collage of Impressions" drops 9/25/07 via Minneapolis' Afternoon Records. Here's the first single:
Due to the Federer vs Roddick US Open tennis match I wound up skipping the opening bands. I've seen locals Maps of Norway before (they're pretty good). Sorry Walter Meego, come back for a visit from Chicago soon...
Last time I saw VHS or Beta was in the First Avenue Main Room a couple of years ago when they opened up for Electric Six. They were quite good that night. So, even though I'm not a huge fan of their new album Bring on the Comets I was kind of excited to see the guys live again. VoB were ok in the 7th Street Entry. They still have lots of stage charisma and their set was solid. The older stuff rocked, the new stuff was so-so. I had a great time at the show and they're definitely still worth checking out live. Hopefully they'll return to form and wow us with the next record...
> So... it appears I took a much needed blogging vacation in August. Yeah, I had loads of fun. However, as of today, the blog is back in session. Regular updates to follow.
> Luciano Pavarotti RIP. My favorite tenor. I was lucky enough to witness the legend live a few years ago at Xcel Energy Center. Absolutely amazing show. This song still gives me goosebumps:
Luciano Pavarotti - Nessun Dorma:
> Cool event alert! Ruckus on the West Bank goes down tomorrow, Saturday 9/8/07, 1pm - 2am. Lots of great bands and it's FREE! I'll see you there...
Kings of Leon live. Wow, finally, I've never seen them before. Last time they were in town I skipped the show 'cause it was the first day I had quit smoking. Yeah, that was stupid, and an amazing show (from what I heard)... And yeah, since then I've started smoking again ;)
I saw a couple of tunes by Wild Sweet Orange. The Alabama boys were quite good and fit the bill well. I talked with them for a while and they're really nice guys; hopefully they'll be back soon...
(Kings of Leon live @ First Avenue 8/3/07)
As for Kings of Leon. Jesus, the brothers Followill are spectacular live. It's weird thinking I just watched The Cribs (3 brothers) and now KOL (4 brothers) right in a row... Unfortunately, they had a super-strict "no camera" policy that night at First Avenue. Yep, both of my cameras were confiscated that evening. Luckily I was still able to get the photos above and a couple more on Flickr. Sorry, obviously, no videos...
Luckily they played Lollapalooza on Sunday and it was streamed live online. Did you watch it? It was pretty sweet... EdVed even joined them for a tune.
Kings of Leon & Eddie Vedder - "Slow Night, So Long" 8/05/07:
Speaking of EdVed, Pearl Jam really rocked (and I'm not even a big fan).
Pearl Jam - "Rockin' In the Free World" 8/05/07:
This was one of my favorite tunes at the First Ave show.
P.S. A very special "Hi" goes out to the ultra-cool people who drove all the way down from Winnipeg, Canada, to watch the show! Great to meet and watch the show with you. You guys/gals rock!
> I need to get a new cell phone soon. iPhone or Blackberry? I need something that works as a phone, but also to text people and check my email. I'd love to surf the web while on the bus as well.... Whatcha' think?
On the day "the bridge fell", White Rabbits and The Cribs delivered a classic performance. Jesus, what a day; and what a show.
White Rabbits were absolutely brilliant. I wouldn't even call them an opening band. They were more of a co-headliner. They reminded me of a mixture of Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse. A lot of percussion, and very engaging to watch. These guys will be huge. They'll be back here with Tokyo Police Club 10/9/07 in the 7th Street Entry, so if you missed 'em, catch them then...
As for The Cribs... holy shit, they absolutely @#$% destroyed Turf Club. Wakefield's favorite brothers Gary, Ryan, and Ross Jarman really tore it up. They're everything I love about rock 'n' roll. Great tunes, raw, loud, fast, crazy. I still can't believe they're not one of the biggest bands on the planet. One of my favorite gigs of the year...
CityPages and Pop Life have reviews for you. I thought Dappled Cities (sorry, no pics, as I only saw a couple of tunes) were bloody awesome. These Aussie boys will be big. Switches were ok. The Fratellis' set was spectacular; really tight. Did I mention it was 100 degrees in the front rows of the Varsity?! Yeah, a pretty awesome show. Dancing to "Sweet Caroline" after the final tune was pretty "cool" as well...
So after the Erasure gig I went over to the 7th Street Entry for some punk rock. Absolutely insane. Birthday Suits and The Blind Shake really tore it up. Do check them out when you have a chance.
(Birthday Suits)
Birthday Suits live @ 7th Street Entry 7/27/07 (Video 1):
Birthday Suits live @ 7th Street Entry 7/27/07 (Video 2):
22 years after forming in 1985, Erasure still has it. Wow, what a great show. I haven't seen that much dancing at a live show in a while.
(Young Love not falling off the stage @ First Avenue 7/27/07)
NYC band Young Love opened. They were pretty good. Erasure had a really elaborate stage set-up so these guys had to play right at the edge of it. At times during their set it seemed the lead-singer was almost bound to fall off. He didn't; the band did a great job getting the crowd warmed up for the main act.
(Erasure live @ First Ave)
Erasure. Never seen them before. You know I'm a big Depeche Mode fan, right? Needless to say I was excited to see what Vince Clarke and Andy Bell sound and look like now-a-days. Turns out, they're still fantastic. The tunes sounded spectacular in a live setting. Andy still has a great voice and is definitely still a sex symbol to the "alternative lifestyle" crowd. Vince did a sweet job on the keys, computer, and guitar. The back-up singers looked and sounded awesome. The stage show/set-up and light show was amazing. The nearly sold-out First Avenue audience loved it; Erasure's whole set turned into a non-stop dance party. All in all, A+ gig.
Need more proof? Yeah, I have the video to prove it.
Erasure - "Chains of Love" live @ First Avenue 7/27/07:
Time-out from the music for a second. I just wanted to let everyone know I'm alive and kicking. So is everybody else I know. Thanks for all the concerned phone calls, texts, and emails.
By now I think you've heard that the I35W bridge collapsed over the Mississippi here in Minneapolis yesterday at 6:05pm. I think I'm still in shock. I was actually on the bus on the way over to J-Girl's house when it happened... Crazy to think that when I drive to work (I've been taking the bus lately) I often go home right around that time via I35W over the bridge. What a tragedy; definitely a day I will not forget for a long time.
My thoughts and best wishes go out to anyone affected.
> Yes, they entered from the back of the audience, walking through the whole crowd in boxer warm-up outfits with the theme from "Rocky." They then proceeded to the stage with James Brown's "Living in America." Their first (opening) tune was "Selfish Jean." Perhaps the greatest entrance of a band I've ever seen. Witness for yourself...
Travis - Rocky Theme / Living In America / Selfish Jean @ First Ave 7/22/07:
> "All I Want To Do Is Rock" really "rocked." ;) Guitarist Andy went into the crowd for this one...
Travis - "All I Want To Do Is Rock" live @ First Avenue, 7/22/07:
> Last song before the encores, "Turn." Magical. Watch Mr. Francis Healy jump off the drum set.
Travis - "Turn" live @ First Avenue, 7/22/07:
> First encore, b-side "20," I almost cried. Francis Healy solo, acoustic, without the PA system. Watch for yourself.
Travis - "20" live @ First Avenue 7/22/07 - w/o Mic:
> Second encore, "Flowers in the Window." Barbershop-quintet style...
> Third encore, "Sailing Away." According to Fran they had never played that one before... Check it out.
> They closed with the "pogo version" of "Why Does It Always Rain On Me". I don't have video of that one... Because I was jumping around pogo-style, sorry.
Luckily, Travis has a 2 minute summary (which includes the "pogo") of their whole DC show:
> After the show I got to hang with the boys for a bit.
> And look who I also hung out with.
Yeah, the Schwandt brothers from White Light Riot were in the house...
Setlist (A+):
This was the 7th time I've seen Travis. They put a smile on my face every time I see them. Fran is one the best and most entertaining lead-singers you'll ever see. Yes, he's Bono-like. Do check Travis out at a venue near you soon.
See you @ Fratellis Sunday. I hear they're playing The Fetus that afternoon as well...
P.P.S. For the record, I saw opening band/guy John Paul White as well. The guy was ok, not great. The ELO cover of "Cant' Get It Out Of My Head" was killer, though...
Mp3s and multimedia content are for sampling only. If you like it, support the artist. Buy the CD/DVD or download it from legal sources. Go to the show. If you are the owner of a sound file, and would like it removed, let me know. Make love, not war.
