11 posts tagged “live”
There are some rock shows where you close your eyes to avoid seeing the train wreck happening in front of you, diverting your attention from an artist clearly not ready for the stage they are on. And then there are shows, like last evening’s Fujiya & Miyagi/School Of Seven Bells show at the extremely sold out 7th Street Entry, where you close your eyes and let the sound wash over you and take you somewhere else entirely. Especially with the stunning identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Dehez on stage, School Of Seven Bells were best experienced (at least in my opinion) with eyes closed, without their beauty distracting from the music in any way. And both bands didn’t really get up to much on stage, so I let the music do most of the work for me, transporting me somewhere besides the extremely crowded Entry.
School Of Seven Bells opened with “Iamundernodisguise,” the first track on their excellent debut full-length Alpinisms, and right from the get-go, it was clear that guitarist Benjamin Curtis was working way too hard on his various effects pedals and knobs without having the sound in the room reflect his efforts. His sounds were buried too deep in the mix, and the vocal harmonies of the Dehez sisters, while pleasant enough, overwhelmed their sound and made a lot of their songs sound similar as a result. Perhaps it’s a conscious effort by Ben to not dominate their ethereal sound with his guitar work, because their mix was the same when I saw them open for M83 at the Triple Rock a couple months ago. But, in my opinion, their music suffers a bit under that arrangement, for he’s way too talented to be relegated to merely a bit player in the group, and their album is filled with varied and interesting sounds that he creates which don’t come across nearly as clear when performed live.
That’s not to say that the show wasn’t without it’s highlights, for when the band hit their stride, the music is quite intoxicating. “Wired For Light,” “My Cabal” and “Connjur” were all enchanting sonic experiments that worked well in the live setting, and filled the club with the band’s airy sound. On record, the band’s sound is much more soaring and exalted, but those heights aren’t quite reached by their live set. Their songs are enjoyable, but ultimately don’t really go anywhere all that interesting in the end. I think with more of an impact from Ben, their live sound could match the elegant soundscapes found on their record, but for the time being, their live show suffers from a lack of his guitar and effects in the mix.
Surprisingly, the club cleared out ever so slightly for headliners
Fujiya & Miyagi, and those that left missed out on a group that has
clearly found their sound and polished it to electronic perfection. The
band was tight and balanced, and their sound was superb. During the
middle of the Brighton band’s second song, I was wondering why there
was even a drum kit set up for the evening, for SVIIB didn’t employ a
drummer and up until that point Fujiya & Miyagi weren’t either
(they’ve been a three-piece with a drum machine prior to this tour).
But new member Lee Adams came out from behind the curtain to sit behind
the kit, and helped bring “Ankle Injuries” to a propulsive close. He
brought a more natural, organic sound to their music, and in my mind is
a welcome addition to the group’s hypnotic live show. Frontman David
Best was affable and accomplished all evening, as his intricate guitar
work guided the songs, and the “rhythm section” of Steve Lewis and Matt
Hainsby gave the songs their depth and atmospheric dimensions.
Touring behind their splendid new record Lightbulbs, their set leaned heavily on their new material as well as songs from 2007’s Transparent Things.
Standouts included “Cassettesingle,” “Pussyfooting” and “In One Ear.”
Their songs are tightly wound constructions that have a catchy
underlying beat that always seems to get heads nodding. But there is
quite a bit of space to be found in their music as well, no matter how
dense it may sound. And plenty of people in the crowd were free to get
lost in that space throughout the show, even though there wasn’t much
room available to dance in. Best’s lyrics are rather goofy at times,
reminiscent of the often dead-pan delivery of Jermaine and Bret from
Flight Of The Concords (especially on a track like “Pickpocket”). The
real innovative aspect of the band is their funky, enthralling sound,
which was mixed pristinely last night, with all the nuances of their
music perfectly audible and crisp.
It was a show I spent a good majority of in my own head, with the music providing a spatial soundtrack to my thoughts as well as conveying me out of the crowded Entry into somewhere much more pleasant but rather hard to define. I think School Of Seven Bells have yet to reach the promise that is hinted at in their debut record, but touring with a taut and focused band like Fujiya & Miyagi will only help them to flesh out their live sound and add dimension to their music. Fujiya & Miyagi have really solidified their sound and nailed down their live show, and when it’s mixed right, as it was last night, their sound can take you to all corners of the globe with their varying influences and styles. Or, it can simply just make you dance, provided you have the room.
Please see my original review, and more of Jon's incredible photos at culturebully.com. Cheers!
I’m sure there were plenty of people in the near-capacity crowd at the Varsity Theater that were surprised with just how funky Lykke Li’s live show was Sunday night. While her album just offers hints of bass and beat driven sounds in favor of an overall more subdued, downcast tempo, her live show is a frenzy of percussion, pre-recorded backing tracks, and a three piece band that really filled out her sound nicely. And that support allowed Lykke Li to dance around the stage like a whirling dervish, constantly beating on symbols placed on either side of her whenever she wasn’t singing. It was an energy that the languid Sunday night crowd at the Varsity initially had a hard time matching, but eventually Li and her band got the crowd moving in what turned out to be quite a rousing set.
Taking the stage alone to the instrumental sounds of “Melodies & Desires,” the opening track from her excellent full-length debut Youth Novels, Li proceeded to ease slowly into the opening bars of “Dance, Dance, Dance” before the band hit the stage to join her for the chorus, and really turned the song into a propulsive, drum driven smash that got the show off to a great start. And even though it took a while for the young crowd’s enthusiasm to match the band’s (it was a 15+ show after all), that didn’t stop Li from whirling around the stage, beating her drum stick on whatever was nearby, urging the crowd to let go “because it’s Sunday.” Her verve, and her band’s steady accompaniment added an upbeat, danceable quality to early set standouts “Everybody But Me,” “I’m Good, I’m Gone” and “Complaint Department,” which owes quite a bit of it’s menacing sound to fellow Swedes the Knife.
Li’s boundless energy eventually enlivened the large crowd, who were enraptured by her cover of Kings Of Leon’s “Knocked Up” which she cheekily dedicated to anyone who’s pregnant in the crowd (too bad M.I.A. was at the Grammys). I liked her version much better than the original, and the cover was just a sign of things to come in a set that would feature a few surprises. Halfway through “I Don’t Mind” she busted into a credible, amped-up cover of Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” that finally got the response from the crowd that the shy, Swedish chanteuse had been looking for all night. That communion with the crowd really propelled the end of the set to great heights, with “Let It Fall,” “Little Bit” and “Hanging High” really benefiting from the energetic reworkings of her full-band live show. At one point she got part of the crowd to sing along in French to the chorus of “Window Blues,” which is no small feat, even around the campus of the U. And, by the time she got to the raucous set closer “Breaking It Up,” she had the room electrified and entranced by her sultry, smoky vocals and captivating stage presence. “Breaking It Up” was another example of how her songs turn into club anthems through her enlivened live show, and that adds a depth and moxie to her songs that aren’t quite as evident on record.
She came back out solo at the start of the encore to sing a tender
version of “Time Flies,” before the band joined her on an absolutely
stunning version of “Tonight” that was the highlight of the set for me.
The song is a real showstopper, and her achingly beautiful version last
night will stick with me for quite a while. It was just perfect in
every sense of the word. But the party wasn’t over by a long shot, as
the familiar bass-line to Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side” echoed off
the walls, along with Li’s melodic “Do-do-do, da-do, do-do-do” that
ushered in what I immediately recognized as her lively cover of A Tribe
Called Quest’s classic “Can I Kick It” that really set the place off.
It was a great way to end the nearly hour-long show, and drove the
point home even further that Lykke Li is indeed funky, and can bring
the noise when she wants to. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that
hip-hop element permeate her music more in the future, and look forward
to hearing how her style evolves over the course of her next couple of
records. No matter what direction Lykke Li chooses to take her sound,
she’s got enough variables and influences involved to keep all of us
interested for quite some time to come.
Please see my original review, along with more of Jon's fantastic photos and Brody's great vids on culturebully.com. Cheers!
So, 2008 has been a great year for live music-for me, at least. I hope it was the same for you. Here are my Top 5 Concerts of 2008, with a link to my review of each wonderful show. Here's to a great year for concerts in the AughtNine. Cheers.
1) Elbow @ Fine Line, Minneapolis (04.30.08)
2) Ryan Adams & The Cardinals @ Overture Hall, Madison (10.05.08)
3) The Kills @ Triple Rock, Minneapolis (05.11.08)
4) Spiritualized @ First Ave, Minneapolis (09.10.08)
5) R.E.M./Modest Mouse/The National @ Excel Energy Center, St. Paul (06.05.08)
Please check out the Four Takes on the Best Concerts of 2008 at Culture Bully, where my list appears with those of three of my cohorts. It's a great look back at a lot of fantastic concerts that took place in 2008.
"It's really, really good to be back here," proclaimed TVotR's guitarist/singer Kyp Malone, shortly after arriving on stage to a full First Avenue Mainroom. Monday's show was the first of a two-night residency at First Ave for the band (and the I.D. show. All ages is tonight), one of only two two-night stays the band has on their current US tour (the other was in their hometown of Brooklyn.) So, the band knows it has a pretty rabid fanbase in Minneapolis, and the packed and passionate audience greeted them warmly.
So warmly, in fact, that the band had to extend it's intro to 'Young Liars,' to allow for the applause to die down. And what a sensational way to start. 'Young Liars,' found the band putting the pedal down early, finding their grove right from the get go. Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe certainly found his comfort zone quickly, gyrating and shimmying around the stage in time to the beat, all the while delivering his impassioned vocals with aplomb. And they certainly kept the momentum going with a fervent version of 'Wrong Way,' which built to quite an intense crescendo, helped along with the addition of Martin Perna from Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra on saxophone. It was an interesting way to start off the concert, part of a tour for their excellent new record 'Dear Science,' with two of the oldest songs in their cannon, but the fuse was certainly lit, and the band built on that energy with a fiery version of 'Golden Age' that was the first new song of the evening, and got the crowd around me dancing, as most of the new tracks would throughout the night.
The new record is very steeped in horns, and the live tracks would have been missing something had Martin not been there, and his presence was a welcome addition to nearly every song. Another new member of the touring band was Katrina Ford, lead singer of the band Celebration, whose debut record not only was produced by TVotR's Dave Sitek, but features guest appearances from all of the band's members on vocals on various tracks. While I don't think her vocals were high enough in the mix to be heard completely, she has a lovely voice and an exuberant stage presence, and was a pleasant female addition to the rather testosterone heavy lineup.
I do believe the band hit a bit of a lull after 'Golden Age,' or perhaps there was just no way to keep up the intensity of the first three songs, because while I really enjoyed hearing the new songs 'Crying,' and 'Halfway Home,' the songs seemed to be a bit restrained when performed live, and I couldn't help but notice that the band lost the rapt attention of the audience around me during these numbers. That's not to say that the gradual buildup of 'Halfway Home,' and it's subsequent explosion of sound at the end didn't stir me, because it did, and it certainly got the attention of the crowd back as well. Which is a good thing, because the place really went off during 'Wolf Like Me,' with the main floor awash with dancing, fist pumps, and pogoing. I personally think this is one of the best rock songs written in the 'Aught's' (is that decade reference really catching on?), certainly one of the best to get any radio play, and apparently so did the audience, who collectively lost it during this number. It was great to see the energy of the band transferred to the audience, and back again, as the band was dancing and pogoing along with the audience.
And really, from this point on the concert was incendiary, with hardly a break to catch one's breath. It would be hard for an average band to play anything after 'Wolf Like Me,' which is why most band's would save a single like that for their last number, knowing they couldn't top it. But TV On The Radio aren't an average band, not by a long shot, and they kept rolling with 'Dirtywhirl,' that was a perfect near comedown from the heights of 'Wolf,' which blended perfectly into a stunningly beautiful version of 'Province,' again aided by the addition of Katrina and Martin. 'Province' was absolutely beautiful, and most assuredly would have been the highlight of the set on a typical night, but again, this was not a typical night. This was the most creatively consistent American band making music today, and they had a full arsenal of hits left.
Going into this show, the song I wanted to hear most (and the one I've listened to the most) from the new record was 'Shout Me Out,' and what do you know, it was next. This song really is an exultant call to arms, a sonic eruption that instead of being discordant, is instead unifying and brotherly. "Storm, cast me out. So I can feel it in another way I won't talk about...Lord, if you got lungs, c'mon and shout me out." It was the definite highlight of the show for me. The chaotic bits were given a different touch live, punctuated with Tunde shouting 'Hey,' in time with the beat that just elevated the cacophony. 'Dancing Choose,' was next, and it was relentless in it's urgency, utterly vital and loud. Tunde's lyrics were just another layer of noise, with the band really laying out for this one, especially Martin. It was a brief but potent moment in the show.
'Let The Devil In,' while not the percussive titan it was at their last First Ave show (when the entire band as well as opener Subtle grabbed something to drum on) was still a driving, booming beast of a song that still found most of the members of the band beating on something, and Katrina's vocals really shining through on the later half of the song. The set closed with Tunde and the band circling around to play 'Satellite,' from the Young Liars e.p. It was a really funky, jazzed up rendition, that again had the band expanding their sonic template and giving the song the freedom to evolve from the recorded version into something else entirely, closing out the main set on a complete high.
While the crowd roared it's approval, the band didn't really waste much time coming back out for the encore. And they eased back into the grove with a sublime version of 'Love Dog,' that was engaging and gorgeous. Tunde grabbed a cymbal to beat on for the next song, and Dave brought out another bass drum for a spirited, percussion driven 'A Method,' that was a treat to hear, and from the looks of it, was fun for the band to play as well.
With their music, and exuberant performance, the band seemed to be leading us towards a brighter day that hopefully is right around the corner. It was a jubilant performance by my favorite American band, and it solidified TV On The Radio's reputation for being an innovative, provocative live act. TVotR is making some of the most interesting and inspired music today, and it was a true pleasure to see them play these songs live. It was an incredible concert. Now, do I go and do it again tonight for the all ages show?
Setlist:
Young Liars
Wrong Way
Golden Age
Crying
Halfway Home
Wolf Like Me
Dirtywhirl
Province
Shout Me Out
Dancing Choose
Let The Devil In
Satellite
Encore:
Love Dog
A Method
Staring At The Sun
Thanks to Dave @ https://twitter.com/dtrip01 for the live video. I appreciate the use of your footage.
While I'm a touch indifferent to their most recent release, 'Consolers Of The Lonely,' The Raconteurs remain a very volatile, potent live act (any time Jack White steps on the stage, magic is bound to happen). And, since they have implausibly managed to skip the Minneapolis area on their last two US tours, listening to their performance from May at the Hammersmith Apollo in London online on NME Radio on Sunday night might be the next best option. So, tune in at 7 p.m. Minneapolis time on Sunday evening (according to the band's email message) (or, 3:00 p.m. BST if you prefer to go by the NME info, which would be 9 a.m. our time-not sure which information is going to be accurate. I'd go by the NME info, because it appears the Raconteurs email might have converted the time in America forward, instead of back.) Whatever the time, wherever in the world you are, tune in for some bombastic rock n' roll to help you forget about how fast the weekend flew by.
Here's the Autumn De Wilde directed vid for 'Salute Your Solution' from their aforementioned new record. This tune kicks big-time, there is absolutely no indifference to this one. Now, 'Many Shades Of Black' on the other hand, don't get me started.
"We're Broken Social Scene. We're going to play our hearts out for you tonight," exclaims BSS frontman Kevin Drew, three songs in to their set in front of a packed First Avenue audience, where they were already playing their hearts out for us. And, it turns out, he wasn't kidding. The band proceeded to play for 3 hours, as a Monday night raucously turned into a Tuesday morning, leaving my head hurting the following day, my ears ringing, but a smile firmly planted on my face, evidence of a night well spent and thoroughly enjoyed.
It's been almost exactly three years since the last time Broken Social Scene graced the First Avenue stage, for their memorable and epic, nearly-Halloween show in 2005. There was a lot to live up to if the band wanted to equal the euphoria and spirit of that show, and while in the end they might have come up just short of that legendary performance, it was through no lack of energy or effort on the band's behalf, and no lack of love and admiration from the rowdy crowd. This was truly a night when no one wanted the music to stop, where Kevin stood on stage after countless encores, exclaiming, "I don't want to leave. I'm just going to stand here on stage until the rest of the band comes back out. You think I don't want to keep playing at one of my favorite venues in America...who am I kidding, it's my favorite venue in America." It's hard no to get swept up in that kind of sentiment, and, for this evening at least, Broken Social Scene were my favorite band from Canada (sorry Arcade Fire & Wolf Parade-come back through town again and I'm sure that will change.)
The band dug deep into their back catalog for the entire show (how can you not during a three hour concert), opening with what I think was a new instrumental track, before easing into 'Shampoo Suicide' from 2002's incredible 'You Forgot It In People.' And, from 'Fire Eye'd Boy,' on, the set was a blur of Brendan Canning leg kicks, horns, and anthems. It's comical for me to try and replicate the setlist in my head, not only because I indulged in quite a few libations before, during, and after the show, but the show was so long, with so many songs played, that it's impossible to come up with an accurate setlist. So, I won't bother. I'll stick to what I remember.
'7/4 (Shoreline),' was incredible, with Land Of Talk's lead singer Lizzie Powell singing Feist's part commendably, despite being so sick that she had to leave just 45 minutes into the set, leaving it up to just the boys to sing, dance, and have fun. And that is the operative word for the evening. Fun. It was a wildly fun set, sloppy at times, sure, but who doesn't expect a Broken Social Scene to be a loose affair. The new material, from both Kevin's 'Spirit If,' and Brendan's 'Something For All Of Us...' certainly benefited from getting the full BSS treatment, with 'Farewell To The Pressure Kids,' 'Backed Out On The...,' and 'Churches Under The Stairs,' all excellent and stand out tracks from the night.
And while the lack of a female presence on stage certainly changed the band's dynamic in a way (and perhaps changed what songs were available for them to play), it certainly didn't keep the band from enjoying themselves, and churning out hit after hit. 'Cause=Time,' was epic and lively, 'KC Accidental,' was so good that someone in the crowd late in the show shouted "'Play KC Accidental' again," 'Ibi Dreams Of Pavement (A Better Day)' was boisterous and awesome, especially with the horn section that joined the band on select numbers, and 'Superconnected,' was vibrant and grand.
This was a show that was loose, wild, a tad uneven and sloppy at times (hard not to be given the length of the set), but overall extremely enjoyable and engaging, where the band and audience connected and couldn't (or wouldn't) let go until every last note was wrung out of the band. Broken Social Scene put on yet another memorable and fantastic show at First Avenue, and I'm starting to think, happily, that is the only kind of show they put on.
And, special mention needs to be made of opener's Land Of Talk, who absolutely shredded during their set. Lizzie is an incredible guitar player, and they certainly made a bigger sound than their modest three piece arrangement would suggest. It was a great set, drawing heavily from their excellent new record, 'Some Are Lakes.' Lizzie's singing and guitar work reminded me of a harder edged Juliana Hatfield. I had not had the pleasure of seeing them live before, and thoroughly enjoyed their set, and hope that they come back through Minneapolis as a headliner (and when Lizzie's feeling better.)
Here is my updated concert calendar for the rest of 2008. At this point, I have tickets to 23+ shows between now and the end of the year, and I'm sure that more good concerts will be added to the months of November and December (October doesn't have any more room for additions-I've never seen so many good shows in one month!) so the calendar could possibly get even more packed before the year is out. Stay tuned for reviews from most, if not all of these shows, as I'm pretty excited about the great live music in store for me in the coming months. If you haven't tired of my words by now, you might be soon. Cheers, and thanks for continuing to read my blog.
So, I decided that Elbow videos aren't enough to get me in the right frame of mind today, so I'm going to First Avenue tonight to see Nas blow the roof off the joint. This should be a hot show, even without Talib Kweli opening, like it was originally scheduled. His, ahem, 'Untitled,' record is one of my favorite Hip-hop albums of the year, and he has always had one of the best lyrical flows in the game, so I'm pretty excited to see him at the Ave tonight. There is a pretty good article about him and the show tonight in the Star Tribune, where he opens up about the controversy of his recent two albums, his past, and where he wants to take Hip-hop in the future. If you are on the fence about this one, you haven't been listening to the right kind of Hip-hop. Nas is going to blow shit up tonight, and he better do this track if he knows what's good for him.
Glósoli
Sé Lest
Við spilum endalaust
Sæglópur
Icelandic National Anthem
Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
Hoppípolla
Gobbledigook
Drawing from almost all of their self-titled full length record and 'Sun Giant' E.P., the band seemed to settle in more once they realized the crowd was completely captivated, joking about the Pitchfork Festival, which they played the day before. Drummer Nicholas Peterson asked the crowd how many people were at that show, and when only a few people cheered, lead singer Robin Pecknold had to remind him that Chicago was over 7 hours away, after all.
Going into the show, I was anticipating their hushed harmonies and the sparse instrumentation of their songs, but was rather surprised at the more rocking numbers, specifically the wonderful, cacophonous build-up in 'Drops In The River,' whose rousing chorus hearkens back to the good side of 70's stadium rock radio, a boisterous 'English House,' and a really amped up 'Ragged Wood,' which turned into a spirited sing-along that had everyone around me bouncing on their toes and smiling from ear to ear.
The comedy act continued as the set progressed, with Robin joking about how guitar player Skye Skjelset never gets recognized as being in the band. How he can be working the merch stand, and fans will ask him if the band is going to come out, and he just has to say, 'Hello! Here I am.' But they determined that he doesn't get recognized simply because he's the only guy in the band who looks like he's had a shower in the last couple days. Hilarious.
But we were all there for the music, not the comedy, and the band really delivered. The stunning 'Sun It Rises,' led the way early in the set, as did current single 'White Winter Hymnal,' as well as a phenomenal version of 'Mykonos,' that might have been my favorite song of the night, if it weren't for Robin's solo performances. The band left the stage after 5 or 6 songs, leaving Robin alone with just his acoustic guitar, and he treated us to a stirring rendition of 'Oliver James,' that was worth the price of admission alone. My memory is a little hazy on the other solo song he played-it was either a cover, or 'Innocent Son,' not sure which, but it was incredible.The band returned for a few more songs, most notably a vibrant version of 'Blue Ridge Mountains,' and a staggeringly beautiful 'Your Protector,' that closed out the main set on a total high note.
There are a lot of influences present in the music of Fleet Foxes, but their songs are so unique and timeless that there really isn't another band like them in music today. Sadly, opener, and fellow Seattle band, The Duchess And The Duke, tried to be, but their harmonies were flat by comparison, and their songs just too similar and unchanging to grasp my attention fully. They were pleasant enough, but nothing so special to justify the hype I've heard from a few of my friends.
Besides, I was there to be transfixed by Fleet Foxes, and indeed I was. Their hypnotic harmonies can silence a room, and their songs can transport you to a better place simply by listening. Their main set was so enthralling, I didn't need an encore (especially since they didn't get on until after 11, and I had to get up this morning at 6), but I was pleased to see Robin stroll back out, solo, and he closed things out with an acoustic rendering of 'Tiger Mountain Peasant Song,' that left all in attendance exalted.
Fleet Foxes are a rare and special band that have such a unique and galvanizing sound, truly unlike anything in modern music. The 200+ people that were packed into the Entry last evening were treated to a theatre of sound and harmony that was certainly a throwback to a simpler time, but also a sign of things to come. For with the success and buzz surrounding any trailblazing band, copycats will soon follow (and, as is the case with The Duchess & The Duke, already has), but there can only be one original, and Fleet Foxes are it. This was an incredible show that left me spent and stunned. Now I only have one day to rest up and get ready for the spectacle that is The Hold Steady at the Ave on Tuesday. I'm gladly up for the challenge.
Oh, on a side note, The Dark Knight amazingly lived up to all the hype, and is probably the best action/adventure film I've ever seen. Everything a Summer blockbuster should be and more. Well done, Chris Nolan. Well done.
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