concert review: My Chemical Romance @ The Warfield

Thursday night I went to see My Chemical Romance at The Warfield and was pretty taken aback.

First of all, the opening act, Billy Talent, blew my mind away. They are that band who inspire you so much after hearing a couple of songs, you immediately want their entire discography and accompanying lyrics. They reminded me of all of that angst and rebelliousness I had in high school. I've become a lot more passive lately and seeing them brought me back to a better time. The same can be said of MCR.

Let's begin with the quality of sound that they displayed. Perfection. Frankie's rhythm worked so well with all of Ray's solos. Mikey and Bob gave some damn good backbone with their respective bass and drums.

Their stage presence: Mikey finally helped me understand why everyone is in lust with him. He embodied that sexy musician in an alternate universe look, with his hair in his face and such concentration to his bass that you'd think he was a robot.
Frank and Ray made out for a few seconds. Priceless.

Gerard and Frank both lit cigs onstage and just started smoking. Their complete lack of concern for CA state laws or getting in trouble with the Warfield people was brilliant.

GERARD IS NO LONGER BLOND! thank goodness. also, he had this constant hip thrust thing while he was singing that drove me cah-razy.He also jumped up and down and urged people to do the same.

Also, they incorporated Bob quite nicely (the drummer is usually forgotten) and Gerard told the audience it was up to him whether or not they finished their set.
Gerard's voice was strained, he seemed completely drained, but he still gave a great performance. Regardless, his voice was overpowered by the music and the audience's singing, because nearly everyone knew all of the lyrics to all of the songs and were singing along. Myself included. Twas brilliant.

The people at the show were what you would classify as "emo" or "outcasts" and I realized how MCR, and music in general, really is all that those people have. I mean I used to be kind of emo in high school. I understand how hard it is not to be accepted by your peers and not to be good enough for your parents. MCR indeed serves as a refuge for these guys.

The set list was amazing. Of course, they played what they told the audience was hailed as MTV's summer anthem of 2004, "I'm not ok (I promise)". Much to my surprise and pleasure, they played my favourite, "House of Wolves". Most of the songs came from their latest record, The Black Parade, a couple from their debut and a handful from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, including a song which I think is one of the sexiest things of all time: "You Know what they do to guys like us in prison". Oh what that song does to me...

The most moving song was, hands down, "Cancer". Their performed it superbly and the audience's reaction was chilling. It was really obvious how much the song meant to everyone, and to all of us in different ways. Most amazingly, everyone was quiet and attentive, and nobody was singing aloud in a way that overpowered the band. Everyone was in complete unison and harmony, twas beautiful.
They gave an encore with their immensely popular "Helena" which Gerard pronounced "Helayna". Finally, I was confused about how to pronounce that for ages.

So I am going to do what plenty of music mags have done before me without me fully understanding it, and hail My Chem as one of the greatest live acts of today. It wasn't so much about a superb sound (don't get me wrong, they were fucking brilliant but that's not the jest of it) but the atmosphere. They weren't pretentious at all, Frankie took time after the show to take pictures with fans and sign autographs (he was quite patient with my stupid temperamental camera that went off at the wrong time). They were fully involved with the audience without losing their grip as musicians. But most importantly, I know that seeing them perform was probably the highlight of a lot of people's lives. And that's what music is all about. Changing lives and inspiring people. Letting some misunderstood teenager know that someone else has been there and that there is an end to all of the misery which seems like it'll never cease. Gerard told us just to go out there and do what we love. I'm really thankful that he follows his own advice.

Dead!:


"if life aint just a joke, then why are we laughing?" yep, their lyrics kind of kick ass.

My Chemical Romance - House of Wolves [mp3]

midterms time = music time

well, can you blame me? I need to retain what little sanity I have left.

The Strokes - Clampdown (Clash cover) [mp3]

The Strokes/Regina Spektor - Modern Girls and Old Fashioned Men [mp3]

The Strokes/Eddie Vedder/Josh Homme - Mercy, Mercy Me (Marvin Gaye Cover) [mp3]

New Kooks album

It's titled "Konk" and is set for a April 14th, 2008 release

The Kooks will soon tour to support their new record:

5 Apr 2008 Elysee Montmartre Paris
16 Apr 2008 Le Printemps de Bourges festival @ Le Phenix De Bourges
19 Apr 2008 Magazzini Generali Milan
22 Apr 2008 Apollo Manchester
23 Apr 2008 Oasis Swindon
24 Apr 2008 Newport Centre Newport
25 Apr 2008 Arena Hull
27 Apr 2008 Academy Birmingham
28 Apr 2008 Academy Sheffield
29 Apr 2008 Corn Exchange Edinburgh
1 May 2008 Brixton Academy London
2 May 2008 Brixton Academy London
3 May 2008 Pavillion Plymouth
5 May 2008 Dublin Castle Dublin
18 May 2008 House Of Blues san Diego
18 May 2008 House of Blues San Diego, CA
19 May 2008 The Wiltern Los Angeles
19 May 2008 The Wiltern Los Angeles, CA
25 May 2008 George Sasquatch Festival George, Washington
25 May 2008 Sasquatch Festival George, WA
26 May 2008 Wonder Ballroom Portland
26 May 2008 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
29 May 2008 Ogden Theatre 16+ Denver
29 May 2008 Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
29 May 2008 Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
31 May 2008 Fine Line Music Café 18+ Minneapolis
31 May 2008 Fine Line Music Café Minneapolis, MN
1 Jun 2008 Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee
2 Jun 2008 Vic Theatre Chicago
4 Jun 2008 Kool Haus Toronto
9 Jun 2008 Paradise Rock Club 18+ Boston
10 Jun 2008 Terminal 5 New York
11 Jun 2008 Terminal 5 New York
15 Jun 2008 Isle Of Wight Festival Isle Of Wight
18 Jun 2008 Columbiahalle Berlin
20 Jun 2008 Southside Festival Stuttgart
22 Jun 2008 Hurricane Festival Hamberg
24 Jun 2008 Hove Festival Arendal
5 Jul 2008 Main Square Festival Arras
6 Jul 2008 Rock Werchter Werchter
12 Jul 2008 T In The Park Kinross
16 Aug 2008 V Festivals Hylands Park Chelmsford

their new single is as catchy as ever and is out tomorrow:



The Kooks - Young folks (Peter Bjorn and John cover) [mp3-HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

outside lands festival

so yeah, this year on August 22-24, some of the time's coolest bands will be in Golden Gate Park, SF for the Outside Lands Festival. The headliners are *DRUM ROLL*:

TOM PETTY!
RADIOHEAD!
and
JACK JOHNSON!

other great artists to look out for: Andrew Bird and Black Mountain
see the entire lineup HERE

so yeah, if you have a few hundred bucks to spare, you should definitely go.

TICKETS go on sale Sunday at 10AM

Tom Petty- Room at the top [mp3]

Jack Johnson - Better together [mp3]

Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling into place [mp3]

Andrew Bird - Imitosis [mp3]

Black Mountain - Stay Free [mp3]

the last shadow puppets

in case you've had a deficiency of sexy awesomeness in your life, take heed of this new supergroup comprised of Alex Turner from the Arctic Moneys and Miles Kane from the Rascals. I remember when I first heard about these guys about a month ago, I went bonkers. I ADORE ALEX TURNER. and Miles is pretty cool too. they performed for the first time March 4th in Brooklyn. anyhow, their record is titled "The Age Of The Understatement" and is due out for a April 21st release in the UK and a May 6th US release. knowing these two talented bastards makes me confident that said album will rock your socks off. so let's engage in some positive materialism and support these talented blokes!

here's their single:



The Rascals on MYSPACE

Arctic Monkeys - From Ritz to Rubble [mp3]

Arctic Monkeys - The Bakery [mp3]

The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of Understatement -live [mp3]

Arcade Fire

so apparently I haven't been listening to Funeral thoroughly enough (I never actually just sat down and listened to it.) I just realized that Une Annee Sans Lumiere has French lyrics
oh lord.

I really like Arcade Fire. they produce good music with a great vibe. yay Canada! oh, and they did all those Obama-benefit shows. <3

Arcade Fire - Une Annee Sans Lumiere [mp3]

PS I love them with Bowie:

concert review: Vampire Weekend @ Rickshaw Stop

"Do you guys wanna do it?"
Yacht's bouncing frontman Jona Bechtolt inquired.
The audience gave a fairly reserved affirmative response.
"DO YOU GUYS WANNA DO IT?" he yelled again.
This time, he met a more enthusiastic collaborative "YEAH!"

He then joined his partner in crime Claire Evans in singing an infectiously catchy opening song that kept repeating "it's boring", followed by some cool bass sounds and finally ending in "you can live any way you want". Thanks Yacht, but I'm sure the people in the audience already knew that.

They continued singing to a purely synthesized sound that would make Daft Punk proud. Add an energy filled exhibitionist display of dancing and you have quite the recipe for good rave music.

The problem was, Yacht seemed a bit out of place, seeing as how this was an all ages show (with actual children in the audience), and of course, the headlining band being clad in Lacoste fresh from the Ivy Leagues.

Other than their obvious displacement in an otherwise accommodating venue (really, any other night and the Portland based band would have fit right in), Yacht gave a memorable performance which was short and sweet (a bit under 30 minutes) and ended in a reflective song which they dedicated to Easter: "Will we go to heaven or will we go to hell?"

Their performance made it is obvious that they don't seem very concerned with this question, because they are living in the moment and putting all of their efforts into creating palatable tunes that will soon become club favourites. Needless to say, they are doing a damn good job so far.

When Vampire Weekend finally came onto stage, it became clear just how accomplished they are at doing what they intended from the beginning: playing classical music with rock instruments. Beginning with "Mansard Roof", they played all of their songs except for "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance", as well as a couple of lesser known songs of their's.

Lead Singer Ezra Koening wished a Happy Easter to those in the audience who observe the holiday and continued by saying "to some, this is a religious celebration..." [cheers] "so let's make it a religious experience". Oh Ezra, how you read my mind I have no idea.

He asked the club to turn down the lights for one of my favourites, "I Stand Corrected", which is a slower, more soulful tune which is uncharacteristic of the energy filled twenty somethings from New York.

They played "Ladies of Cambridge" (previously named "Boston"), which drummer Chris Tomson told me was a b-side to their Mansard Roof single. They followed that with my personal favourite, M79.

They dedicated the next song, A Punk- perhaps their most widely known tune - to a couple of girls standing in the front with DIY sunglasses with "OH" written on each lens. These two lucky gals were invited by keyboardist Rostam Batmanglijon stage to dance to the ridiculously dancable song. Seriously, I dare you to listen to it and be still. It is impossible, your body involuntarily will start to move and shake.

Ezra then instructed the audience to help him sing "One (Blake's Got a New Face)", giving them the task of reiterating the parenthetical chorus in the higher pitch. According to Rostam, Blake is a friend of their's with a pretty face currently pursuing graduate studies at Stanford University.

The next song they played is yet to be titled but its quality matched (and actually surpassed) the debut. People who think that VW is going to suffer sophomore slump will be pleasantly surprised to the contrary. "Now it's a different game," Ezra sang. No, you're wrong there Ezra, it's the same game and these guys have mastered it.

The only bad thing I have to say about this performance would be that they did not oblige to the audience's imploring cries of "encore!" In all fairness, they played nearly all of their songs, and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance" would be quite a feat to perform live, considering they were modestly equipped with only a handful of instruments. It would have been nice to hear them cover something though.

Ezra's voice was perfect. They all gave spectacular performances, and most notably, Chris Baio reminded us how the bass is supposed to be played. The band had boundless energy during the performance and were completely in sync with one another. The show was fun and memorable, and VW promised to come back to SF soon. After they performed, Ezra kind of rushed out of the venue, Rostam followed suit a while later while Chris Tomson stayed behind, chatting with fans and putting away his drum set. Bassist Chris Baio peeked out about half an hour later, evidently shy but friendly. He told Tomson that he was headed out to a bar to meet a couple of friends. Vampire Weekend seem like they are still in their "whoa, I'm a rock star and have boundless opportunities" stage and they are obviously exploring these new grounds independently. Give them a couple of years and they will grow stronger as a band and develop those indestructible ties that compel bands to voluntarily spend all of their time together, not only time spent making music.

As I walked away from the stage, Tomson thanked me for coming to the show and wished me luck in an internship that I was discussing with another fan who works at KFOG. I was touched by his demeanor and thanked him before heading out into a happier world-one that has forever changed because I saw such a genuine and musically accomplished performance and had the chance to speak to one of the nicest people and definitely the most friendly musician I gave ever met-that drummer who always has an inviting grin on his kindly goofy face.


Vampire Weekend - A Punk [mp3]

Vampire Weekend - The Kids Don't Stand a Chance [mp3]

Yacht: See a Penny (pick it up):

Voxtrot!

I discovered Voxtrot when I went to see the Arctic Monkeys in concert, and was very angered by all the people in the audience who were booing this very talented band because they were eager for Alex Turner et al. I bought their record, and absolutely loved it (I still listen to it quite regularly). If I remember correctly, this band hails from Austin, TX. All of the people I've talked to like Voxtrot's older stuff (EPs, seeing as how the eponymous record that I have is their debut) more, and I found some mp3s floating around the internet. I realized what all of those people meant. Their old stuff is gold (I still love their debut record but wow I never realized I could like them more). Anyhow, I need to go down and get their EPs but here are a couple of mp3s for you all to enjoy. The second one is so very brit pop, I LOVE it.


Voxtrot - Trouble [mp3]

Voxtrot - The Start of Something [mp3-HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

and, here's one off of their debut album

Voxtrot - Firecracker [mp3]

catchy, isn't it?
=)

old stuff, new stuff

drip drip drip, I watch my Brita filter at work.
yes, it takes me a little while in the morning to get my brain functioning at full capacity. my daily dose of music blogs usually does the trick though.
a favourite of Snow Patrol is stuck in my head right now...

Snow Patrol - Open Your Eyes [mp3]

the new we are scientists album is out...Brain Thrust Mastery
pitchfork review
We Are Scientists - Impatience [mp3]
I have yet to listen to the album in its entirety, so I cannot give a fair review of it but I like what I've heard so far

oh, and I like Spin's artist of the day for yesterday:
PlayRadioPlay! - review + mp3 here
in my opinion, his voice is a good fusion of Ben Gibbard and Win Butler. he still has a lot of work to do but he's on the right track.

3 more days until Vampire Weekend! ah! I am so excited.

oh, and just for the hell of it, here is that trippy MGMT video we all love so much:

they will be at Slim's on April 24th
=)
visit MGMT on Myspace

I've had a pretty weird week. but spring break is nearly upon me so I should probably get some work done...

but just remember, in the words of Dwayne from Little Miss Sunshine, "do what you love and fuck the rest". college is NOT supposed to be a time when you earn a degree so that you can have some arbitrary career that you can't stand. DO WHAT YOU LOVE. it doesn't matter if that means being temporarily (or permanently) broke. work shouldn't have to feel like a burden.

Fall Out Boy...oh boy.

apparently, FOB wants to join the Guinness Book of World Records by playing in Antarctica...hahah they always made me laugh.

read more here

I stopped listening to them after I saw them live. They were like 1 step above terrible. Out of sync, weak vocals, no connection with audience, barely audible bass. The acoustic set was good though. I also deleted all of my FOB songs off of my computer (and trust me, I had their entire discography, plus b sides etc) which I'm kind of regretting because Infinity on High was a pretty good pop record. I just really can't forgive bands who suck live. At least I have the records in disc form at home.

anyhow, enjoy a good live cover of "love will tear us apart"



watching it just saddens me more...my high expectations for FOB were shot dead.

blast you midterms

I've been feeling pretty unmotivated lately.
I need a nap and some food.
Vampire Weekend, 5 days awayyyyyyyyyyyyy. oh that shall revitalize me to the max.
and Spring Break could not have come at a more necessitated time.

this is how I'm feeling towards school right now:
Kaiser Chiefs - Everyday I love you less and less [mp3]

and...the new Animal Collective...(quite good)

Animal Collective - Water Curses [mp3]

new Raconteurs album out next week!

wow, so apparently the Raconteurs' new album is coming out on the 25th, entitled "Consolers Of The Lonely". Way to spring that one up on us boys! I can't wait, Broken Boy Soldiers was one of my favourite albums of 2006 and I wanna see if they can beat sophomore slump. They probably can, seeing as how they're a super duper super group but hey you never know...

read Spin's two cents here

see what Rolling Stone has to say...

my favourite off of BBS:

Raconteurs - Hands

and, I am sorry but I cannot help myself. I was reading The Music Slut's blog and Delta Spirit was mentioned. DS is one of my new favourite bands, do yourself a favour and check them out. If they are playing a show within 50 miles of your area GO AND SEE THEM. It will change your life, I guaruntee it.

Delta Spirit - Trashcan

Delta Spirit's MYSPACE

ok, back to studying.

this is neccessary.

by far my favourite off of FIOE...and it is keeping me sane while I'm studying...

The Strokes - Ize of the World [mp3]

oh the wonderous quality of live shows.

SXSW is going on right now, and this is one of those rare occasions when I wish I were in Texas...
but California has more than enough cool shows coming up.

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Liam Finn is going to be at BOTH in SF on May 5th.
link

this man is a fucking melodic genius.



that shall be quite a spectacle. there is a certain refined quality found in 2nd generation musicians [he is Australian singer Neil Finn's son] that cannot be described in words. I love how he's all over the place in the Letterman performance, he is so talented on so many levels. ah, I love him.

Rolling Stone gave a pretty accurate equation to describe this man
Elliott Smith - Despair + A leprechaun = Liam Finn
=)

Rilo Kiley's tour will also stop by in SF buy tickets here

and, on the subject of the rare female vocalists who can escape my wrath, KT Tunstall is also on tour!
buy tickets here

as for some nice indie jams, The Dodos [myspace] are also touring, and, a personal favourite of mine with a ridiculously long name, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
May 14th show

and now for some mp3s...
Liam Finn - Fire in your belly
Rilo Kiley - Portions for foxes
KT Tunstall - Universe & U
The Dodos - Fools
SSLYBY - Oregon Girl

"without music, life would be a mistake"

I accidentally came across this when I was looking for something on my laptop, and it adequately describes how I became addicted to music.

I will post concert reviews shortly.

AC/DC- For Those About To Rock, We Salute You [mp3]

(somewhat) recent discoveries: Vampire Weekend, The Vines, Matt Costa, Liam Finn, Television, The Clash, The Velvet Underground, Sondre Lerche.
______________________________________________________________________________________

(4 January 2008)

My music, my life.

Last night, I pulled out my walkman for the first time in a long while and memories flooded me as I snuggled beneath my covers, enveloped by Oasis. I started thinking about how I’ve reached this point of my life, where music is truly my religion. At the end of sophomore year, I was pretty emotional and secluded myself from my friends a lot, ok, fine, I’ll say it: I was emo. I’d sit on my bed a lot, and once I put on the radio and started flipping through channels. I landed upon channel 104.9-twas fate from the beginning. I started making mix tapes from the radio of songs that I liked. I fell in love with Dashboard Confessional. I spent hours listening to them, it was as if Chris Carrabba and I were the only two people in the world who knew how I was feeling. This phase lasted a few months, and I soon moved onto a more eclectic taste of true alternative rock. During that summer, I was stranded in a foreign country, luckily, Emma had equipped me with some records that have changed my life. Coldplay, Keane, Snow Patrol, Jamie Cullum and Shinobu were my new loves. Even now, I adore Snow Patrol beyond comprehension. Junior year, I listened a lot to stuff like Jimmy Eat World, Yellowcard, My Chemical Romance and The Killers. My main source of music was the library, and I soon discovered what the hype about The Beatles was all about. I couldn’t get enough of I am the walrus. To this day, it remains my favourite of their’s. I discovered Panic! At The Disco before they got really big. I started hanging out a lot with Rania that year, which helped me expand both my scope of music and my horizons regarding life. She helped me realize so much about who I am and for that I am eternally grateful. The summer after junior year, Rania and I went to our first rock concert, BFD 2006. It was a life changing experience for me. I was surrounded by the reverberations of the deafening music, by great fashion, by marijuana smoke. It was heaven, I knew I was home. That summer, I discovered how much I could accomplish with wikipedia, limewire and blank cdrs. I’d find one band I liked, search similar artists, listen to them, and if I liked them, the cycle would start again. I made lists of bands I’d heard of, of bands that intrigued me. I spent hours hunting for music. It came to the point where I downloaded a lot of cds and they started piling up without me truly listening to them. After my downloading frenzy, I started to listen to each record thoroughly. I discovered how much I adore The Strokes. In my eyes, they were perfection, I couldn’t describe how or why I felt the way I did when I listened to them. Now I know it was because they were my first exposure to true rock n roll, the stripped down sound that was simultaneously rough and refined. I listened to Is This It over and over, never tiring of it. Someday became my anthem. I soon thereafter acquired Room on Fire and First Impressions (this was during the Fall of 2006, when FIOE had been released nine months prior). Albert Hammond Jr’s solo album was a pleasure to listen to as well, and I soon discovered The Strokes’ b sides and unreleased stuff. I was hooked, and still am. After I watched Little Miss Sunshine, I got the soundtrack and was hooked on Sufjan Stevens. The summer after senior year, I decided I needed more oldies so I listened a lot to The Smiths, Simon and Garfunkel, The Ramones, and of course, The Beatles. I also discovered how much I loved Oasis. I got XO out of the library one time, and upon hearing Waltz #2, I fell in love with Elliott Smith. When I got to Berkeley, my friends provided me with a lot more music, and I have a newfound love of Radiohead, Jack Johnson, Interpol, Andrew Bird, Klaxons, and The Shins. Bands I discovered on my own were Voxtrot, The Wallflowers, Arizona, Adam Green, Babyshambles/The Libertines, Beirut, Belle and Sebastian, Cold War Kids, The Hives, Feist, Regina Spektor and The Who. Good stuff.
As I’m writing this, I am listening to The Night Before by The Beatles (I have a playlist of their songs on shuffle right now). I had the entire Beatles discography from Rania but it got deleted off of my old PC, so I am indebted to Casey who gave me all of their albums.
Anyhow, music has always been taboo for me, my parents have never approved of any of it. I would have to sneak records into the house, and I’ve listened to so much music underneath my covers while everyone else was asleep.

Records that changed my life (in chronological order of doing so)
Herostrautus vs. Time-Shinobu
A Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar-Dashboard Confessional
Final Straw-Snow Patrol
Ocean Avenue-Yellowcard
Bleed American-Jimmy Eat World
Greatest Hits-Nirvana
Spiderman 2 Soundtrack
Hot Fuss-The Killers
Plans-Death Cab For Cutie
A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out-Panic! At The Disco
Magical Mystery Tour-The Beatles
Is This It-The Strokes
By The Way-Red Hot Chili Peppers
Meat is Murder-The Smiths
XO-Elliott Smith
Robbers and Cowards-Cold War Kids
The Gulag Orkestar-Beirut
Armchair Aprocrypha-Andrew Bird
In Rainbows-Radiohead

The first album I ever purchased: Songs About Jane-Maroon 5
The last album I purchased: I think it was Sawdust-The Killers

Thank goodness for music blogs! A source of ever new stuff (and old stuff I never knew about).

____________________________________________________________________________________

ahh frustration

gah I'm studying like crazy for my Shakespeare midterm...I really want Neon Bible and Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer but I must resist...I have far too many unopened CDs as it is and I don't have time to do them justice. plus I'm broke. *le sigh*

once my exam is over on Tuesday, I will party-hardy (it's my roommate's birthday that day hurrah!) and then get around to reviewing the Division Day and Music for Animals concerts...ah and I want to read The Struggle That Must Be...and I've gotta start my history paper sometime soon...it's due in a few weeks (and I must research for it...)

but, let's look at the bright side: I found a ticket for the Vampire Weekend show at Rickshaw Stop! and then there's MCR, Panic and The Hush Sound, The Honorary Title, The Dodos, SSLYBY and the Morning Benders to look forward to! sadly, DCFC tix sold out before I even woke up last week. but oh well live music is live music. I am pissed that The Kooks aren't coming to SF for their US tour though.

anyhow, this is a music blog after all, so I'm including a playlist of mp3s that I feel appropriately describe my mood.

The Clash-White Riot [mp3]
Weezer-Why Bother[mp3]
Arctic Monkeys-Brianstorm [mp3]
The Vines-Get Free [mp3]
Babyshambles-Fuck Forever [mp3]
Kings of Leon-Red Morning Light [mp3]
The Strokes-The End Has No End [mp3]

enjoyyy

concert review: Jay Farrar @ GAMH

We are living in a time when beautiful and well crafted music is a rare delicacy. Enter Anders Parker, a soulful folk singer from New York whose sweet melodies and comforting lyrics will pick you up and lift you through the clouds to a far away meadow where only happy thoughts exist. This Iron and Wine look alike opened for Jay Farrar last Wednesday night at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall, beginning his set with an electric guitar, but playing it as if it were acoustic. This was a bit offsetting but he soon pulled out an acoustic guitar for his song "Missing".

Another electric guitar, this one blue and tuned to a lower octave, accompanied him while he sang "Dear Sara", easily one of the best songs of the night. The chord progression of this tune full of yearning was amazing and he hit some higher notes with such precision that any doubts about his range control were soon vanquished. In addition to his accomplished vocals and guitar-playing (which included some nice staccatos), Parker played a harmonica throughout the show and even created makeshift percussion by tapping his guitar in between notes. It's hard to believe that the first record this man ever bought was Back in Black; but thankfully for us, he has become quite apt at a completely different genre of music.


Jay Farrar gave an excellent performance as well; his vocals and acoustic guitar were accompanied by Mark Spenser who alternated between electric 6 and 12 strings. There was something soothing about Jay's voice that brought back memories of the carefree days of childhood. The way he was singing, it could have been easy for him
to sound whiny, but thankfully, he didn't. Although his musical performance was just right, his connection with the audience was lacking; he kept his eyes closed most of the time and seemed very reserved throughout the show.

Farrar gave a memorable performance of "Would You Take Me Back North Carolina" that could make anyone question his Illinois roots and life in Missouri. This song was the most genuine of the night, inducing an intertwined mixture of melancholia and hopefulness, and included back up vocals for the first time. The electric and acoustic guitars worked together harmoniously, unlike a few of the songs where Spenser overpowered Farrar's sound, which was quite unfortunate.

Farrar was very composed throughout his set and seemed very confident in his work, letting the audience know through his well delivered songs that he has been writing and playing music for decades (he used to front the alternative country group Son Volt). The songs alternated between arena sized electric guitar riffs and softer melodies which embodied the difficult-to-decipher-lyrics that almost could be construed as mumblings. Farrar's guitar sound was consistently blues-y, and his voice echoed Eddie Vedder in many of the tracks.

In "On Medication", Mark's quick fingers controlled the electric guitar, while Jay delivered crisp vocals and created an East-meets-West rhythm that ended in a very pleasing controlled chaotic sound. He dedicated "Cocaine and Ashes" to Keith Richards, and delivered two encores-the first of which was a cover of "Ten Years on The Road" wherein Mark's string broke and gave Jay a chance to reaffirm his presence with a great solo while Mark quickly tuned another guitar.

Overall, the performance was excellent, save for Farrar's excruciating shyness and Mark's sometimes overbearing guitar.

bloodsucking ivy leaguers

I first heard about Vampire Weekend from Spin's issue with Foo on the cover (October
2007?)

I loved their name, and I had never heard "prep rock" (even though they don't like the label), so I looked them up. Needless to say, I was not disappointed.

Yes, I missed their SF show because I forgot my ID (g-ddamn bureaucracy.) but it's so nice to listen to them on a somewhat lazy Wednesday afternoon, after turning in a buttload of midterm papers. The weather is perfect for VW too, ideal Spring conditions, almost suspiciously so.

If you think you know what VW is about, and have labeled them as spoiled brats or over hyped or whatnot, you are truly missing out. Their record is eclectic, but not so much that you are shocked. There is a nice selection of different sounds here, from African sounds to classical violins and some damn good bass in M78.

I've attached I stand corrected, because it's not a song that people might expect from VW.

Enjoy.

concert review: The Hives @ The Fillmore

"Do we need to take disciplinary action?" Howlin' Pelle Almqvist yelled at the crowd.

"You don't talk when I talk. You clap". he retorted at a fan yelling something nonsensical. Thus began one of the greatest live acts of today-with a false narcissism that the audience readily embraced.

The Hives graced San Francisco's Fillmore stage Wednesday night, paling all other forms of entertainment in comparison. A few months ago, they were simply the opening act for a much more commercialized Maroon 5 but it seems that The Hives have finally begun to receive the credit that they deserve.

After a too long sub par opening set by local act The Donnas, the suspense-filled instrumental A Stroll Through Hives Mansion was played. The crowd eagerly cheered for the band to come on stage, and they soon obliged. They ran out and started off with a high energy deliverance of You Got It All Wrong. The opening lyric summed up the vibe throughout the show: "You wanna dance, you really wanna let it go";. A couple of minutes in, it was evident that even the reluctant, shy members of the audience were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

The Hives provided an excellent medium for expressing this exhilaration through body shaking and head banging, and they were fully aware of this fact. Lead singer Pelle instructed the audience to "clap when the band stops playing", and yelled "stick your arms in the air, this is a stick up!"; The Hives delivered a strong musical set accompanied by a spectacle of high kicks and stage dives, with matching black and white school boy uniforms and consistently witty remarks.

The band mostly played off of their recently released Black and White Album, with a good amount of songs from their acclaimed Veni Vidi Vicious and a couple of tracks off of Tyrannosaurs Hives. The set plus encore included seventeen tracks, going a bit over an hour and a half. Almqvist introduced Main Offender by stating that it was about him in a partly humourous but profound tone. The most memorable songs of the night were Die All Right and Tick Tick Boom by sheer virtue of how much interaction there was with the audience. Well All Right exemplified a signature Hives characteristic: the eclectic song-within-a-song phenomenon that keeps things fresh rather than repeating the same old lines over and over again.

The song that yielded the highest energy from the audience was definitely the rendering of their widely known Hate To Say I Told You So; almost everyone sang along and there was an unofficial consensus to jump excitedly and dance like there was no tomorrow. Diabolic Scheme's slower tempo allowed the audience to catch their breath and snap a few pictures before the band delivered Won't Be Long, which Almqvist described as the anthem of people desperate to leave their small town. The Hives themselves hail from Fagersta, Sweden, a lesser known city in the vicinity of Stockholm.

"Some people think that I talk too much. But that's about the time that I feel I've talked too little". Pelle kept the audience entertained with his feigned egotism between every couple of songs. His vocals hit home hard, never overshadowed by the amplified music or the screaming fans. Never one for vocal lessons, Almqvist has been singing for fifteen years, since the band was formed in 1993.

Lead guitarist Nicholas Arson was phenomenal throughout the show, with both strong solos and mind blowing riffs, particularly during You Dress Up For Armageddon. Bassist Dr. Matt Destruction and guitarist Vigilante delivered excellent performances as well, although their showmanship was quite limited in the back corner of the stage. Drummer Chris Dangerous gave a solid backbone to the music and persevered though he was evidently exhausted. The dedication of the band to their music was exemplified after the show when they obliged every autograph request and posed for countless photos. They conversed with their fans so casually that it seemed that they were oblivious to the fact that they are globally acclaimed rock stars.

I asked Nicholas Arson if he had ever done theatre, eager to understand the source of his dramatic and highly amusing facial expressions. He replied concisely "No, I'm not the kind of person who thinks that just because I am a musician that I'd make a great actor". Even after millions of record sales and fans all over the world, The Hives are still unpretentious and unaffected by fame. Fortunately for us, they remain first and foremost a garage rock band, and are grounded in the spirit of creating good vibes through music rather than dwelling on glamour. The Hives are high up on the list of must see live acts, and their performance will unquestionably transcend you to rock n roll bliss.

- 22 February 2008

The Hives - Won't Be Long

concert review: Mika @ The Warfield

What constitutes an excellent concert? Superb vocals, crisp music? A good connection with the audience? A captivating spectacle that simultaneously satiates our desires for music and eccentric theatre? The Mika concert at The Warfield Theatre in San Francisco last night encompassed each of these things and then some; to top it all off Mika continued his habit of meeting fans after the show, signing autographs and sharing his warm smile with adoring fans. During the actual concert, he carried each note perfectly, delivering his signature falsettos flawlessly while also establishing himself as proficient with softer, more intimate vocals in songs such as "Any other world". He fluctuated between heartfelt ballads and catchy pop tunes, invoking a vast scope of emotions in the audience (which was evident from their reactions: dancing to swaying to dancing again etc.) The show itself was extraordinary by its own merit, from skits to Mika's signature ditsy dance moves, it was quite a visual feast. Artists like Mika are rare enough as it is, but his live performance seals the deal. Don't do yourself a disservice by dismissing Mika as just another flamboyant pop singer, because he transcends any stereotype or label that people may attribute to him; he is truly a gem who history will one day recognize as one of the greatest artists in contemporary music.

As for the opening band, The Midway State, the vocals were not memorable (or enjoyable really), the bass uninspired and the tempo way too slow. The singer sounded like a less irritating Fray, trying way too hard to sound pretty. The guitarist delivered a strong performance and the drummer evidently has talent but is not using his full potential. Listening to their EP, "Met a man on top of the hill", my dwindling faith in the band was given a tiny boost, the record is a bit more than decent. I sincerely hope that the singer stops trying to force his voice to do something he is obviously not suited for and the band as a whole kicks it up a notch; they have a lot of potential but nonetheless require a lot of refining before they can establish themselves as a band to be reckoned with.

- 13 February 2008

Mika- My Interpretation