concert review: The Virgins @ GAMH 20 May 2009

Last Wednesday night, The Virgins played Great American Music Hall. I was surprised to find myself enjoying both of the female-fronted openers, called Anya Marina and Lissy Trullie. Anya was earnest, had a pleasant voice, and her happy-go-lucky attitude was exemplified in her irresistible offer: get a free dream analysis from her father when you purchase a CD at the merch table. She showed off her previous experience as a radio DJ to the audience and kept everyone laughing and smiling throughout the set. Lissy Trullie, quite different in demeanour, was more edgy and reserved, in that oh-so-punk manner that was undoubtedly genuine. She reminded me a bit of a more sober female version of Pete Doherty. Her lead guitarist had some great tricks up his sleeve, and although she did not sing her heart out, their set was thoroughly enjoyable.

Now, I’m going to preface this next bit with something which I’m sure all of my readers know: I love The Virgins. I can still remember the countless runs I had down College Ave, and how their rockin’ debut sustained my high heart rate in more ways than one. However, something (or, if I’m going to be completely honest, many things) about their set last week was off. Before the show even started, I managed to snag a few words with their bass player Nick; I asked him where in the world their drummer Erik was. He sort of shrugged and I understood immediately: this was not information that the band was ever going to disclose. “You know, things just didn’t work out,” he said. He assured me that their new guy was just as good, but I had my doubts. From their flat rendition of the opening song of the set (“Teen Lovers”), I knew the night was doomed.

The band managed to be off stage by 10:30, something which baffled me and pissed me off. The complete antithesis of the last great show I had attended at Great American (Black Lips helloooo, as the M&tNS&S’s show was considerably thwarted by the lead singer’s laryngitis), The Virgins had nothing going for them that night.

Their songs were barely recognizable, so much that I only figured out that they played a new song after I took a gander at their set list. Their lead singer Donald was clearly upset about something, their new drummer was NOT as good as Erik, their guitarist Wade didn’t play the right notes, and when he did, he did this weird thing where he sustained them painstakingly. Nick on bass looked sad and unenthused throughout the show (you couldn’t even hear him during his signature bass line in “Rich Girls”), and I think all of this was a result of the undeniable trouble that the band is experiencing. If they’ve had enough problems this early in their career, when they can’t even sell out a GAMH type show, enough to warrant a band member leaving or being kicked out, something is wrong.

It kills me to say it, but the Brooklyn rockers may be on the decline. It is quite possible that the boys were just having an off night, and I sincerely hope so, but my gut tells me that they will never be as good as they were when I saw them for the first time: with the excited frivolity that you can only truly maintain as an unknown opening band with killer hooks and sexy bass parts. Long live The Virgins of yesteryear, also clearly manifest on their beautifully unrefined EP.

2.5/5

set list:


Anya Marina:


Lissy Trullie:





The Virgins:

must watch video: Arctic Monkeys - Crying Lighting (new song)

the audio is really muffled so you might want to grab a pair of headphones but the quality is ACE:



who else is loving the whole LSP dark brooding sexy thing that the Monkeys are doing? it reminds me a bit of The Doors, too
I am quite excited for their third album to say the least. the first thing I did when I woke up this morning was spun Whatever People Say I am That's What I'm not. Alex Turner, I love thee.

concert review: Winston Audio, Audrye Sessions, Fun, Manchester Orchestra @ BOTH 19 May 2009

Last Tuesday night at Bottom of the Hill was one of the greatest nights of live music I had ever had the opportunity to experience. It’s quite rare that you have a wide array of bands, and a large quantity of them at that (four) who all deliver super solid performances. I was completely deaf the next day, as I was sitting on the speaker throughout Manchester Orchestra’s set, but that only served to remind me of the incredible listening experience that I had the previous night.

I went to the show to see the very first opening band, Winston Audio, whose debut The Red Rhythm I cannot get enough of. The band blew me away on stage, and I could see people in the audience quickly catching on to why I have been gushing about this Georgia based band for months now. They encapsulate everything that is pure and good about rock n roll: they are loud, abrasive and not afraid to express their frustration by yelling and banging things. However, they took a breather with the acoustic “Nothing to Hide”, only to reassume their unabashed swagger midway through the song. My only complaint was that their six song set (which you can watch on my YOUTUBE page) was far too short, but to be expected for the very first opening band of a long night of glorious rock n roll music.
5/5

photos:


Next on was Audrye Sessions, a local band from Oakland that I quite like. I had seen them before, headlining GAMH, and while I enjoyed their set, something about it was a bit off. Their lead singer Ryan seemed overly aware that they needed to keep things short and sweet, and he seemed to be not quite there for the performance. This, combined with the slightly too loud amps, caused their performance to be my least favourite of the night, but it was still a great set, including a new song called “Bone Dry”. I also posted videos of Audrye Sessions’ entire set on YOUTUBE.
3.8/5

photos:




Next on was a band called Fun, fronted by Arizona’s Nate Ruess, previously of The Format. Having heard a bit of this band’s music online, I was expecting to be disappointed, but was happily surprised otherwise. I could not think of a more appropriate band name than the one which they have chosen for themselves; their set was oozing with child-like wonder and melodies galore. The band played both their own new songs as well as a few of The Format’s, which people in the audience happily sang along to. The band’s debut album is set for a release on August 25th, keep your eye out for that and the accompanying tour dates.
4.3/5

photos:







Finally, the headlining band, Manchester Orchestra came on stage. Like their label mates Winston Audio, this band also hails from Atlanta. I had listened to both of their albums a few times through and didn’t quite understand what everybody was getting all excited about. I thought they were good but nothing out of the ordinary. Their live set more than converted me. Manchester Orchestra is one of those bands that you truly need to experience live, as their music is quite the religious experience (and no, that wasn’t intended as an allusion to their slightly Christian lyrics). My favourite part of their performance was watching their drummer go wild on his set for the entire night, he left me flabbergasted and super impressed. Actually, I mean one of their drummers, as the band cannot limit their percussion to one guy. This, of course, causes their live shows to be explosive and captivativg. Modern rock music doesn’t have as much soul as it did before, but bands like Manchester Orchestra hold down the fort and keep things worthwhile. Highly recommended.
4.5/5

set list:


photos:

The Strokes Post #95

"I'm not full of shit. If we don't get better, I don't want to do this any more. I don't want to just hit some kind of fame. I just want to do something good. That's the only way I'm going to be satisfied."
-Julian Casablancas

concert review: Ben Folds @ Fox Theatre 17 May 2009

Last Sunday night, Ben Folds played Oakland’s Fox Theatre armed with impeccable piano skills and a grin that would melt any icy disposition on earth. Playing an impressive 26 songs plus 2 in the encore, Ben drew mostly from his three solo records, with some Ben Folds Five songs interspersed throughout the set.

Ben Folds was by far, the happiest looking musician that I have ever beheld on stage, and keep in mind that I’ve seen Jason Mraz in concert. He consistently engaged with the audience, asking them to harmonize and sing along, and even changed up his set a bit to accommodate a request someone shouted out. He began his set with the high energy “Effington” from his latest album Way to Normal, and didn’t falter at all for his nearly two hour set.

By far the coolest part of the night was when he showed the audience a cool, synth-type effect which you can produce from a piano with a few altoids tins. The audience was more than compensated for the atrocious opening female solo act, whose name I can’t even remember. Great night, lots of energy, highly recommended!

4.3/5

set list:

photos:








for more photos head on over to Peter Rosenblum's flickr page

The Strokes Post #94

this one is dedicated to Jim



it's fucking wicked. rain and glorious, glorious Strokes.

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Noel Gallagher & Gem Archer - Strawberry Fields Forever (The Beatles cover) [mp3]

Spoon - Set Me Free (The Kinks cover) [mp3]

Fleet Foxes - It Aint Me Babe (Bob Dylan cover) [mp3]

Wilco - Fake Plastic Trees (Radiohead cover) [mp3]
this begins really badly, but be patient, and you shall be rewarded

Belle and Sebastian - I'm Waiting for the Man (Velvet Underground cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
so very out of character for these Scots, but the result is incredible!

Band of Horses - Your Love is Forever (George Harrison cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
this is breathtaking.

Michael Buble - What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong cover) [mp3]

Antony and the Johnsons - Crazy in Love (Beyonce cover) [mp3]
recorded by yours truly at their February SF show.

Adele - Black and Gold (Sam Sparro cover) [mp3]

Beck - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime (The Korgis cover) [mp3]
I absolutely adore this song. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is my favourite love story.

BONUS:
Beck - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime (live, Outside Lands 2008 SF) [mp3]

Arctic Monkeys photo shoot in NYC

NME has the goods.
the band, of course, is recording their much anticipated third album in the big apple.

Alex Turner is such a pretty boy. *le sigh*



Arctic Monkeys - Fake Tales of San Francisco (Black Session 2/20/06) [mp3]

The Strokes Post #93

I feel like I owe you guys an explanation for the lack of regularity in my postings. A couple of things have kept me from posting often. First off, I was absolutely swamped with school, work and trying to see everyone before I left Berkeley.

Secondly, about a month ago, my computer broke, and I didn't get it back until yesterday. Thankfully, my entire music collection was unscathed (I had most of it backed up, minus most of my bootlegs and covers though). I'd been posting covers, mp3s and other things from cds I had, and stuff off of my mp3 player. To post, I was using my work computer and ones at labs or libraries.

Anyhow, I am going to be lazing around for the next year, as I refuse to do anything productive (this will probably only last for a couple of weeks before my brain gets so bored that it demands that I teach myself another language). I'll be posting a lot, probably mostly album reviews. I just wanted to say thanks for sticking around and reading, I appreciate the continued support from you guys.

as for my Strokes post, I wanted to post a couple of songs from First Impressions of Earth, and I'll explain why first.

Thursday night I went to see Kings of Leon (review is forthcoming) and I met more Strokes fans than I had ever met before in my life. It's really frustrating for me, a HUGE Strokes fan, to never have anyone to talk to about The Strokes. Anyhow, I was talking to this one girl whose favourite band was also the greatest one on earth, about our favourite Strokes songs and I mentioned that if I had to pick one absolute favourite Strokes song it would have to be Ize of the World, and she went "no way, me too!" I find it interesting that everyone calls First Impressions The Strokes' weakest record, because it obviously isn't.

It's loud, it's aggressive, and it's perfect.

Anyhow, after the show, I went to a few parties and ended up smoking at my friend's friend's frat, in a room with Interpol playing. I remarked that I loved Interpol, and then the guy got up, went to his computer, and started playing First Impressions. No joke. Just out of nowhere, it was AWESOME.

so here are two of my favourite Strokes songs ever, Ize of the World and You Only Live Once, the opener that never ceases to give me chills, especially when completely unexpected from a stranger's itunes.

The Strokes - Ize of the World [mp3]

The Strokes - You Only Live Once [mp3]

concert review: Margot & the Nuclear So and So's @GAMH 16 May 2009

Last Saturday night, Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s played Great American Music Hall. The eight piece band hail from Indianapolis and really truly go above and beyond in the orchestral pop genre. Their layered sound only increased on stage, and the band’s haunting set left me completely speechless.

From the first song (“A Children’s Crusade on Acid", one of my absolute favourites), however, I noticed that their lead singer Richard wasn’t delivering like I thought he would. He was quieter, not projecting his usually powerful voice. He soon explained that he had lost his voice for the first time in years, and apologized profusely for the state of things. Regardless, the amount of passion which he and his seven band mates delivered was awe inspiring. Richard’s relentless efforts were evident on stage, as he kept massaging his throat and tried his best to hit the difficult notes. It pained me to see him so pained, and I almost hoped that he wouldn’t come out for an encore, for his sake (he did anyways).

To my delight, the band played many songs off of their first prelabel album, The Dust of Retreat, which I had only recently purchased, but fell immediately in love with. Their strongest songs, “Quiet as a Mouse” and “Skeleton Key” come from that album, and the band played both of them. Everything considered, the concert was amazing, and Great American was, once again, the perfect accompaniment to the sonic booming emanating from such a wide array of instruments.
3.9/5

set list (click to enlarge):


Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - Quiet as a Mouse [mp3]

The two opening bands were Everything Now and Telekinesis. Everything Now had great energy, but lacked substance. Their music wasn’t interesting and the lead singer wasn’t particularly talented. However, they reminded me a lot of Delta Spirit in their impassioned delivery, which turned a handful of mediocre songs into a pretty enjoyable performance.
2.5/5

Telekinesis, on the other hand, was incredible. The Seattle band reminded me a lot of a more aggressive Jack’s Mannequin meets Death Cab song writing. Their set was flawless, led resolutely by their lead singer, who also played drums. The only parts I didn't like were the acoustic-y intros to some of their songs, which I later found that I LOVED on record. When I picked up their album, everything fell into place as I read the sticker saying “produced by Chris Walla”. I will post a proper review of their album soon, it’s really great.
4.5/5

everything now:


telekinesis:




margot & the nuclear so and so's:

The Strokes Post #92

The Strokes Post #91

on my way to see Kings of fucking Leon!!

new Arctic Monkeys songs are sounding great

bits and pieces of their forthcoming album can be heard in this update video from the Monkeys' drummer Matt

must watch videos: The Libertines reunited on stage

fucking epic.

I love Pete Doherty and Carl Barat so so much. I'm so glad they're back in action

Dark Night of the Soul has been nixed

EMI shut down the entire thing, but Danger Mouse is still releasing the album art with a blank CD-R

according to BBC.co.uk, "Danger Mouse remains hugely proud of Dark Night of the Soul and hopes that people lucky enough to hear the music, by whatever means, are as excited by it as he is. All copies will be clearly labelled: 'For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.'"

many thanks to nateraabe and 2plus2isjoe for the updates

so, without further ado, here you all are:

click HERE to download the entire album

it's what Danger Mouse wants

listen to a new song from Interpol's frontman

head over to SPIN to stream a song called "Fun That We Had" by Interpol's Paul Banks (aka Julian Plenti)

it's not very good. ok, Paul, so you've jumped the electronica bandwagon, and gotten it out of your system. now get your butt back to studio and give us a new Interpol album!

Cage the Elephant on DAYTROTTER

sweet! just discovered this Kentucky-based band last week (thanks to Kiefer), they're GREAT. kind of like a Southern White Stripes

head over HERE to read the article and download the songs

here is a rockin' tune off of their eponymous debut album. it's wicked sweet, and even includes a guitar bit borrowed from Pink Floyd's "Breathe"

Cage the Elephant -Tiny Little Robots [mp3]

here is their lead single:



visit them on MYSPACE

Wednesday Morning Covers

missed SMC this week, so here they are

Gareth Pearson - Time to Pretend (instrumental MGMT cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

Cage the Elephant - Psycho Killer (Talking Heads cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
I love this. so much.

Honeyroot - Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover) [mp3]

Noah and the Whale - Girlfriend in a Coma (The Smiths cover) [mp3]

The Dandy Warhols - The Jean Genie (David Bowie cover) [mp3]

Glasvegas - Come As You Are (Nirvana cover) [mp3]

BONUS (x2)

Rogue Wave - On a Plain (Nirvana cover) [mp3]

Franz Ferdinand - Sound and Vision (David Bowie cover) [mp3]

The Strokes Posts #87-90

I'm back!

sorry for disappearing. I graduated (with an English degree from UC Berkeley), had my last final EVER (Proust), and have been in an intoxicated haze of concert-going mania for the last couple of days.

I will post about the Margot & the Nuclear So & So's, Ben Folds and Manchester Orchestra shows soon.

here is something you might find interesting. It's The Strokes performing at a venue called Brownies, three "unknown" songs, and the more familiar "Elephant Song" (also unreleased)

enjoy!

The Strokes - Unknown #1 [mp3]

The Strokes - Unknown #2 [mp3]

The Strokes - Unknown #3 [mp3]

The Strokes - Elephant Song [mp3]