9 posts tagged “review”
Initially, I was a bit dismayed when I found out that Antony and the Johnsons would be playing the Pantages Theater on Valentine’s Day. His music has an underlying melancholy and heartache to it that I wasn’t sure would fit well with America’s most saccharine of holidays. But the show turned out to be the perfect antidote to all that sugary artificial sentiment, for Antony’s performance was about as real as they come, and was one of the most stripped down, vulnerable performances I’ve seen in recent memory.
Taking his place on the bench of the grand piano where he would stay
the entire show, Antony and his backing band of six musicians came out
to a warm ovation from the near capacity crowd at the Pantages. The
musicians (or Johnsons, if you will) consisted of a drummer, bassist,
cellist, and three others that swapped instruments throughout the
entire show, switching from violin to acoustic and electric guitars,
oboe, and saxophone during the course of the set. The orchestra
provided stellar support to Antony, whose delicate and understated
piano playing often guided the song forward at the onset, but never
really became the focus of the arrangements. That focus was placed
squarely on Antony’s beguiling falsetto, which carried the night to its
exalted heights and kept me awestruck and captivated all evening long.
His voice does take some getting used to, being part cabaret/part
operatic, but it’s filled with a level of emotion and honesty that
isn’t found in most modern music, and imbues his music with a haunting,
impassioned lucidity that is rare in any art form these days.
The stage remained shrouded in darkness throughout the performance (explaining the lack of quality in my photos), with the lighting and backdrop done up in understated white tones. Antony eased into the evening with “Where Is My Power,” a b-side to the “Epilepsy Is Dancing” single, taken from Antony’s brilliant new record The Crying Light. Things got a bit more solemn with the touching, eloquent “Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground,” whose lyrics “In the garden with my mother I stole a flower” took on added significance by the fact that Antony’s mother, father and brother were all in attendance. He alluded to his time spent in Minneapolis by telling a story about walking by First Avenue earlier in the day, realizing the last time he’d been there was when his father took him to see Nina Hagen. He was too young at the time, so his dad had to get him in. Antony laughed when he said his father only stayed for a couple songs. “Epilepsy Is Dancing” was next, and it was a soaring tour de force. It’s truly an epic, heartbreaking track that escalated nicely to a dramatic, stunning finish. “One Dove” gave the band a chance to show off their chops a bit, with a stirring oboe solo that added a gorgeous layer to the song. The show really didn’t have any low points, other than very slight pacing problems, for the song selection was perfect throughout the set, and all the tracks were performed with an elegance and candor that isn’t often found in the music industry these days.
Other standouts from the superb set include “For Today I Am A Boy,” “Another World” and a version of “You Are My Sister” that brought forth audible gasps amongst the crowd around me. It was as moving and passionate as music can be, a touching ode to the dreams of loved ones getting realized, again made even more enthralling knowing that his family was in the crowd. “Twilight” followed, and was simply stunning, made even more so by the accompaniment of the orchestra, who guided the song to its tender finish along with Antony’s skillful piano work.
The night did have some lighter moments, like the bands playful cover of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love,” that started out simple and sounded quite improvised, but took on added weight as Antony breathed new life into the lyrics and the band provided a steady accompaniment while Antony lost himself in the song. And, when that song was quickly followed by a soulful rendering of “Fist Full Of Love,” the pairing of seeing Antony on Valentine’s Day started making perfect sense. His songs are indeed filled with love, after all, either searching for it or remembering love lost. Either way, it was more of a tender, joyous affair than I was expecting, even with Antony struggling to find words after someone in the crowd wished him a happy Valentine’s Day. He sat silent at the piano bench, explaining how he didn’t have anything special planned, trying to find words to signify the day, and just couldn’t. Later in the show, he encouraged all of us to YouTube the “Hamster at the Piano” video, that the video would be his Valentine’s Day gift to us. Which is silly, in the end, since sharing his music with us was always going to be the best gift of them all.
After a rousing, electrified version of “Aeon” closed out the main set, Antony and his band left the stage to a standing ovation from the adoring and respectful audience, who were stone silent during most of the set, except when Antony invited us to have a conversation with him after he came out for the encore (which never seems to work out well in any show, and didn’t on this evening). Antony rambled on a bit about spoonfuls of peanut butter, and joked about how he had a few lately and was hoping that one of them would be “the magic spoonful that would send him to his grave.” But he was honestly horrified to find out that three people had died in Minnesota from salmonella poisoning linked to peanut butter, and begged our forgiveness for his insensitivity. It was a minor diversion before the encore began with a wonderful version of “Cripple and the Starfish” that again showed the talent and dexterity of the orchestra, who gave the song a mournful edge with their delicate accompaniment. The show finished the only way it could, with a jaw-dropping version of “Hope There’s Someone” that enraptured all in attendance with its stark, plaintive lyrics and Antony’s vulnerable, unadorned plea for someone to be there when he needs them most. It was absolutely beautiful. And everyone that gave the band another standing ovation as they left the stage seemed to agree.
So, spending Valentine’s Day with Antony and the Johnsons wasn’t
such an odd pairing after all, with Antony’s honest, heartfelt lyrics
playing the perfect foil to all the insincere sentiment being sold to
us everywhere we turn. The performance was as sincere and genuine as
any I’ve seen recently, and was far and away my favorite show of the
young year.
Please see my original review and much more @ www.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!
There is an underlying sense of optimism at the heart of Bruce Springsteen's new record Working On A Dream, and while the album itself shies away from the overt political nature of his last two releases, that optimism perfectly reflects the new day dawning in American politics. And, just like what I anticipate happening during the Obama Presidency, there are glaring bumps in the road during the record, but the road itself is at least heading in the right direction and filled with triumphs.
The album starts with the grandiose "Outlaw Pete," which, at exactly eight minutes, is twice as long as every other song on the record. While it carries significant lyrical weight and emotional depth, I just can't get past the puerile opening stanza that includes the lines "at six months old, he'd done six months in jail. He robbed a bank in his diapers and his little baby feet." The song goes on for over seven more minutes, and becomes an interesting examination about whether or not someone can be born evil, and if so, can they be redeemed, but it loses me every time with that somewhat preposterous opening. The album really picks up on the second track, the rowdy and upbeat rocker "My Lucky Day," that is the album's first single and is classic Springsteen. The driving guitars and keyboards ring in harmony with the Boss' hopeful lyrics, and when Clarence Clemons' resounding sax solo kicks in the track becomes golden, and is the highlight of the first half of the record.
The title track is also classic Bruce, a brooding and heartfelt number that remains potent despite the overuse of the "Working On A Dream" phrase, almost to the point of distraction. "Queen Of The Supermarket" is another misstep, a sappy love-letter to a girl at a grocery store that is so obvious in its earnestness that it's downright embarrassing. The song isn't helped at all by Brendan O’Brien's heavy-handed production, either; he's obviously going for an anthem here, and you know it. And, by the time I heard the heartbeat like beeps of the checkout line at the end of the song, I was cringing and waiting for the next song to start. Unfortunately, the next track, "What Love Can Do," is a slight and innocuous number that is over before you can really develop any attachment to it. It's somewhat of a Springsteen by the numbers song that really didn't make any real impression on me, other than being the song after the horrible "Supermarket."
"This Life" is a marked improvement, with passion imbued in Bruce's vocals, and a chorus that elevates the song instead of dragging it down, and the track really gets the album swinging back in a positive direction. And that momentum carries into the next song, "Good Eye," a bluesy foot-stomper that features feisty, growling vocals from Bruce, as well as his Southern-style harmonica work. It's an unexpected shift in tone on the album, and is a welcome blast of energy to the second half of the record. "Tomorrow Never Knows" is a simple song, with simple little life-lessons packed within, but the cribbing of the title from the Beatles song of the same name bothers me, especially when the straightforwardness of the Boss' song is contrasted with the broad experimentation of the Beatles track.
"Life Itself" gets the record back on the right track, and represents O'Brien's best production work on the album, with the layered, backward guitars giving the song a dark edge that augments the searching, questioning lyrics dealing with what life holds for all of us when we're confronted with what we want versus what we need to survive. It's a stirring, stellar track. "Kingdom Of Days" continues this theme, but to a lesser effect, with O'Brien's production actually making the song sound rather generic and middle-of-the-road, and, when followed by "Surprise, Surprise," it represents the album's low point. Perhaps with more time or more editing (Working On A Dream is Bruce's second album in a scant 15 months), these songs would not have made the final cut.
But again, Bruce and the band rebound nicely and close the record with perhaps the two strongest tracks on Working On A Dream, the elegant and forlorn "The Last Carnival" and the sublime "The Wrestler," which closes out the Mickey Rourke movie of the same name (and was recently robbed of an Oscar nomination). These two tracks, while not nearly as optimistic as the rest of the record, represent Bruce at his best, telling a moving story with plain-spoken but profound lyrics that we can easily apply to our own experiences.
It has always been somewhat easy to find a piece of myself and my story in Bruce Springsteen's songs, and that remains part of his appeal, even after 16 studio albums and countless accolades. He paints characters and surroundings that we can all recognize, and colors those images with emotions that are authentic and sincere. And while most of this country is caught up in a wave of optimism, Bruce has released another record that taps into the collective consciousness of a people desperate for something good to happen. He cautions us, as does the President, that not only is it important to keep dreaming of a better day, but that there is hard work to be done as well. None of Bruce's characters ever get things done easily, and the journey is often as important as the destination, and this record is full of those cautionary tales. There are certainly missteps to be found on the album, but taken as a whole, Working On A Dream is yet another successful chapter in the great American songbook of the Boss, and it is sure to have people singing along as they work on making their own dreams become reality.
Please see my original review of this record at culturebully.com.
Seeing a band twice while they are still touring the same record can be a dicey affair. Either the show can be so similar in sound and scope to the first concert that it can be frustrating to pay for essentially the same show twice, or, it can be so radically different from the original show that whatever made it special the first time was completely lost and replaced by something less stellar. Saturday nights sold-out M83 show at the Triple Rock actually suffered from a slight combination of the two scenarios, and while that in no way made the show unsatisfying, it wasn't altogether the compelling and captivating show that I saw from M83 at the same venue back in May.
The show was still a truly sonic experience (all M83 shows will be), with the sound at the Triple Rock crystal clear as always, but this time the music seemed to be a mere soundtrack to everyone's Saturday night, as opposed to the performance being the focal point of everyone in the club. The show featured a slightly different set list from the show in May, especially at the beginning, with three instrumental tracks (including an excellent 'Moon Child') kicking off the show. Anthony Gonzalez didn't even sing until the fourth song of the evening, 'Kim & Jessie,' that found the band (the same four piece ensemble that played back in May) extending the song quite a bit during the outro, with keyboardist Morgan Kibby adding background vocals that took the song in a spacier direction.
All the 'hits' from their excellent Saturdays=Youth record were represented, with 'We Own The Sky' being an early set highlight, 'Graveyard Girl,' and my favorite song of the night 'Skin Of The Night,' closed out the main set in a truly resounding manner, while 'Don't Save Us From The Flames,' was a highlight of the older material played during the night. And while all these tracks sounded amazing, it just seemed too similar a set to their last performance to be truly remarkable. The show was paced much better this time around (a sure sign that they've spent a lot of time on the road with this material), with fewer extended breaks between songs, and Anthony spent more time on keyboards, lessening the need for as much backing music as they had last time. And drummer Loic Maurin, who really drives the bands sound and keeps them locked in, was incredibly on point all evening. However, similarities between the two performances seemed to override the uniqueness of the event for me.
The crowd was dancing a bit (gasp?!) and was generally much more festive than at their last show, perhaps owing to the Saturday night time slot, and that was certainly encouraging, because M83 makes music that should cause you to move something. But, while I was making my way around the incredibly packed Triple Rock, I realized that people perhaps weren't as captivated by the performance as they should have been, with their songs simply becoming background music to the many loud conversations taking place around the venue. But M83's songs are so atmospheric and spatial, and have so much room within the music, that one can certainly enjoy it without concentrating too hard.
The set closed with an extended and exuberant 'Couleurs,' the same way their set did in May, and while it was an exclamation point on a wonderful set, it was too indistinguishable to the end of their last show to make a lasting impression on me. I'm sure that people who didn't make the show in May must have thought this show was incredible, but for me, the similar set list took away from the distinctive nature of the evening and my overall enjoyment of the show. It was by no means the bands fault, they sounded fantastic and seemed very engaged by both their performance and their fans, I just need to give them some time to release new music before I see them again.
Openers School Of Seven Bells, featuring guitarist Ben Curtis (formerly of Secret Machines) and twin sisters Claudia and Alley Deheza (formerly of On!Air!Library!) on keyboards, guitar, and rhythm programming, played an entertaining, but all-too-brief set. They made it through about 6 or 7 songs from their excellent debut Alpinisms, in a set that unfortunately went just beyond the half hour mark. Their music was ambient and interesting, and was given a slightly sinister twist by Ben's excellent guitar work, and formed a good primer for when the band returns as headliners and has a longer set to work with. I talked to Ben after their set, and he thinks they will be back touring as headliners sometime in February. He was a genuinely nice guy, very affable, and quite proud of his new band (and why shouldn't he be-not only do they make great music, but they might just be the best looking band in history. The Deheza sisters are absolutely stunning.) But I digress. If you haven't managed to check out Alpinisms at this point, I highly recommend it, especially before School Of Seven Bells come back to Minneapolis in 2009.
Please check out the original review on CultureBully.com.
It is impossible to separate the where and when from the what, in regards to Bob Dylan's historic concert in Minneapolis last evening. The show (which sold out immediately) took place at Northrop Auditorium on the University of Minnesota campus, a school that Bob briefly attended from 1959-60, and was officially his first concert ever at the U. And, it happened to fall squarely on Election Night in America, during one of the most significant and momentous elections in recent history, with a candidate in Barack Obama that Dylan has openly supported in the media, which he hasn't done much of in his past. So the potential was there for a truly extraordinary night, which it was for many different reasons.
Everyone in the crowd was galvanized by the occurrences of the day by the time the familiar introduction came over the loudspeaker, "Columbia recording artist Bob Dylan," and the houselights dimmed. Dylan and his band strolled on stage to an absolutely deafening ovation (actually, it appeared that Bob skipped on stage, a move he would repeat for the encore.) And, with a lively version of 'Cat's In The Well,' we were off. The question of whether or not the night would have any overt political statements was answered with the second song of the set, a slowed down but no less potent 'The Times They Are A-Changin' that had the crowed roaring their approval after every verse. It was a perfect moment, and entirely as relevant today as it was when he wrote it.
Dylan was extremely lively during the two-hour set, as animated as I've seen him in over 10 years. He would punctuate his lyrics with subtle stomps of his feet, and poked at the air sharply to emphasize his words. He also played a lot more harmonica than he has in the last three or four shows I've seen of his, sauntering over to the harp stand, picking the right one to match the tune as the band played behind him, and often taking the mic with him to center stage to solo away with the band. He was confident and cool on stage, and had a swagger about him that perhaps was based on him being back on home turf, playing to an adoring and boisterous audience.
That confidence was evident especially on a radically reworked and bluesy 'This Wheel's On Fire,' which found Bob center stage at the mic for the entire song. No keyboard to steady himself or hide behind, just a microphone and his spunky lyrics leading the song. It was great to see Bob so self-assured. 'Tangled Up In Blue,' also received the patented Dylan rework treatment, with this version sounding a bit countrified and bouncy. I quite liked the new arrangement of one of my favorite Dylan tunes, and am constantly amazed at how Bob continually evolves his own material, never content to just let a song be finished and immutable. Frankly, the three song stretch of 'Tangled Up In Blue,' 'Masters Of War,' and 'Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again,' was simply flawless, and as good, musically, as it gets. The songs themselves are unparalleled, and each of them was delivered with passion and an intensity that fits the times impeccably. Bob and his band were on fire at this point.
And then the concert lost a bit of its momentum. 'John Brown,' is a great song about the life changing tragedy of war, but tonight it was missing it's spark a bit. The lull continued with a sleepy 'Beyond The Horizon,' that really slowed the show down, and had people around me (I was fortunate enough to be in the 8th row) sitting down for the first time in the show. The show needed a jolt of life, and we got one with a blazing 'Highway 61 Revisited,' that found the stage backdrop lit with cool black and white tribal-like designs reminiscent of Bob's crown & eye logo. It's always cool to hear songs written about local landmarks, (which is part of the appeal of The Hold Steady for me) and this song was no exception. It was Dylan's road out of here, one which he has never stopped traveling on, and this version was impassioned and volatile.
The backdrop changed to a star-filled sky theme for the appropriate and touching 'Shooting Star,' with Dylan gently singing the lyrics, and even playing electric guitar center stage during the second half of the number. Again, it's been over 4-5 shows since I've seen him pick up the guitar, and while his efforts were rusty at first, he picked up steam and confidence, and closed out the song leading the band home on guitar. He could've not played a note on the thing, but it still would have been a great sight to see Bob just slinging a guitar over his shoulder once again. 'It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) was up next, and, despite Dylan not enunciating the lyrics on every verse like he did when he was a younger man, the song still packed an emotional punch and an unrivaled lyrical potency, and was my favorite song of the night. It was reworked slightly into an exuberant blues number, and was a real treat to hear. The crowd roared for the 'But even the President of the United States sometimes must have to stand naked,' line, as they have every time he's performed this song since 1965. His lyrics are truly timeless, and are as appropriate today as they were the day he wrote them. I don't know if that should be consoling or truly frightening. Either way, Bob is a singular songwriter who has blessed the world with more gifts than we deserve.
'Under The Red Sky' (the second song of the night from Bob's 1990 record of the same name) slowed things down again, and was much too downtempo to keep my attention entirely, and my thoughts started to drift a bit towards what was happening with the election for the first time in the evening. But Dylan and his band again picked the momentum back up with a lively 'Thunder On The Mountain,' that found Bob leading the band through the song on keyboards, soloing a couple different times during the number. Again, he was lively all night, clearly energized and commanding on stage. The stage lights went black for a simmering and soulful version of 'Ain't Talkin,' that closed out the main set on a high. The darkened stage lent a potency and weight to Bob's ruminations on this journey from life towards death, and the difficult decisions we face daily. It was truly captivating, and a great way to end the set.
The break before the encore was a little longer than most, simply because I believe the band was trying to get updates on the state of the election, or perhaps they were just soaking in the resounding ovation from the 4,791 fans. But the band eventually came back out, complete with Dylan skipping back on stage, and I figured the encore would consist of the now ubiquitous 'Like A Rolling Stone,' 'All Along The Watchtower,' combination. Well, I was half right. 'Like A Rolling Stone,' was rowdy and a real crowd singalong, with Bob soloing beautifully on harmonica towards the end of the song. It was, and always will be, a great rock n' roll song, and even found Bob uttering his first words of the night as the applause rained down on him, exclaiming emphatically 'Thanks Friends.' No, thank you, Bob. Seriously.
As he began to introduce the band before the next number, I thought that the encore was going to finish just like the last few shows of his I've seen, with no mention of the significance of the night or the location (which wouldn't have been a surprise to me.) But the crowd hushed instantly as Bob kept speaking after the intro's were finished, saying "Me, I was born the year Pearl Harbor was attacked. I've been living in a world of darkness ever since. But it looks like things are gonna change now." Now, as any fan of his knows, that constitutes a long-winded speech from Dylan, and I was summarily moved by his words and sentiment, as brief as it was.
Dylan then closed the show with another nod to the night's historical events, changing things up with a version of 'Blowin' In The Wind,' that perhaps has never been as significant and appropriate as it was last evening. It was stunning and stirring, and moved everyone in attendance, no matter your party affiliation. Change was, and is, in the air, there is no denying it, and the song was a testament to that promise. It was the only way the show could've ended. As the band gathered for their group bow, Dylan was clearly moved by the rapturous ovation, balling his hands into fists and punching at the air, knowing this show was a clear knockout. The band knew it too, with a few of them muttering 'Wow,' as they walked off stage, knowing that they were part of something truly special this evening. Bob Dylan and his band continue to be not only relevant, but inspired and innovative, with their songs gaining significance every time they are performed. Every one of us lucky enough to be at this show will remember it always.
And, as we filtered out of the auditorium, news was just coming over the air on CNN, which was being broadcast on a screen in the lobby, that Barack Obama had just won the Presidency. Wave after wave of people coming into the lobby would get the news, and shouts of joy and jubilation echoed through the halls. The celebration continued outside, as an impromptu party broke out, with everyone dancing and shouting 'Obama, Obama,' in time with the drumming of a street musician that found himself in the right place at the right time. It was an incredibly jubilant end to legitimately one of the best nights of my life. But the real odyssey actually begins now, and I, for one, am ready to do my part in order to make sure this incredible journey is worthwhile. And last night, Bob Dylan and his wonderful band did their part to make sure I, and all who were there, never forget this night.
SETLIST:
1. Cat's In The Well
2. The Times They Are A-Changin'
3. Summer Days
4. This Wheel's On Fire
5. Tangled Up In Blue
6. Masters of War
7. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
8. John Brown
9. Beyond The Horizon
10. Highway 61 Revisited
11. Shooting Star
12. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
13. Under The Red Sky
14. Thunder On The Mountain
15. Ain't Talkin'
Encore:
16. Like A Rolling Stone
17.
Blowin' In The Wind
Thank you to Peter Honeyman for his photo, and to Special Rider for the mp3.
Conor Oberst has finally found a band he can get completely lost in. After years of trying, with all the various lineups and incarnations of Bright Eyes, and even having The Faint as his backing band for a tour, Conor has finally found a group where the spotlight isn't constantly focused on him. Gone are the days when a nervous kid recited his delicate poetry over the hushed strumming of his acoustic guitar to often awed and adoring audiences; the new Conor is raising hell and a mighty racket with his Mystic Valley Band, and not looking back. He's clearly having more fun this way, and it makes me seriously wonder if most, (the band has played 'Lua' and 'Bowl Of Oranges,' occasionally during recent sets) if not all the Bright Eyes material, (none were played at last nights show) has been retired for good or just for now.
Playing with essentially the same lineup that was featured at the 400 Bar shows in December, when the songs on the new record 'Conor Oberst' were being fleshed out by the band for the first time in public, (guitarist Nik Freitas, bassist Macey Taylor, Jason Boesel on drums, Nate Walcott on keys, with the only new addition being Taylor Hollingsworth on guitar) Conor has unquestionably reached a comfort level with the musicians and the new material, allowing for a loose (perhaps too loose at times) and entertaining show. The show also featured plenty of brand new songs that aren't on the new album (or the four song tour-only e.p. 'Gentleman's Pact') which leads me to believe this Mystic Valley Band isn't going anywhere for the time being.
The show actually began with one of those brand new songs, 'Nikorette,' that was loud, rocking, and soulful. Conor was immediately engaged and enthused, climbing onto speakers and spitting out billowy streams of spit as he emphatically delivered his lyrics. 'Sausalito' was up next, and with the additional guitar, it was turned into quite an emphatic, rowdy rocker, and was quickly followed by 'Get Well Cards,' which became a bit of a crowd (and band) sing along, continuing the boisterous, guitar heavy start to the show. Conor and the band were in great spirits, clearly enlivened by returning to the city that Conor referred to as "one of the three homes that the band has." (with Tepoztlán, Mexico, where the album was recorded, and Billings, Montana, where Taylor made his live debut with the band, being the other two.)
This particular Mystic Valley Band was a much tighter and confident bunch than the tentative band that was still learning the new songs at the 400 Bar, and it showed throughout the night. But it was Conor clearly leading the way on the exquisite 'Cape Canaveral,' with the band muting themselves so the lyrics could guide the song home. The chorus of 'victory is sweet even deep in the cheap seats,' clearly resonated with an audience that is as prepared as Conor and the band are for change to come on Tuesday. It was the high-water mark to the start of the set.
'Moab,' kept the momentum going, becoming a brazen ode to the journey of discovery and change, an underlying theme to Conor's music and this concert specifically, coming as close as it did to election day (and following a free afternoon performance at the Loring Pasta Bar for the Get Out The Vote campaign). Change was in the air and on Conor's mind, but instead of feeling like a political lecture by someone who shouldn't be given a microphone, it felt much more like a participatory call to arms and a better way, wiht Conor claiming that collectively we can indeed make a difference "if we show up."
New song 'Slowly,' was next up, and it was anything but slow. Another rambunctious rock song that again found Conor climbing the speakers and drum stand, invigorated by the freedom the MVB was providing for him musically. He could hand over the vocals and guitar leads to anybody in the band (everyone except Nate sang lead vocals at some point during the night), and just fade into the background, content to let the song be the focal point and not him. The show hit a bit of a lull somewhat after that spirited number, and it lasted until the band played a bluesy, downright funky version of the standard 'Corina, Corina,' made famous by heralded local son Bob Dylan (who will be playing his own potentially politically charged local show on Election Night at Northrup).
That cover revitalized the show, which carried over into emphatic versions of 'NYC-Gone, Gone,' that was a stomping, uproarious jolt that carried over seamlessly into 'Souled Out,' which found the band turning up the volume and the discord, and Conor starting to show slight signs of inebriation as he bounded about the stage. But he settled down enough to deliver a stunning version of 'Milk Thistle,' with just Macey on stage with him, that closed the main set as the rest of the band left the stage. It was the night's only glimpse into Conor's musical past with Bright Eyes, with the focus and the spotlight falling squarely on him and his lyrics, and it was a potent reminder of his strength as a songwriter.
But his new direction with the Mystic Valley Band was made entirely apparent by the encore, when he didn't even sing lead vocals on both of the first two numbers. Taylor sang lead on the countrified and tragic 'Snake Hill,' and Jason sang lead on 'Sundown,' with Conor content to just sing backup and cavort around the stage with his acoustic guitar, clearly pleased to let others sing for a change. He was just a guy in the band, completely at ease and simply part of the whole, not the hub. He dedicated a rousing cover of Paul Simon's 'Kodachrome' to the people that introduced him to the song way back when, and the band and the crowd clerly had a lot of fun with this one, with lots of dancing and smiling spreading throughout First Ave. And that shared vivacity continued with 'I Don't Want To Die (In A Hospital)' the song I remember most from the 400 Bar shows. And it's good to see that the added practice didn't rob the song of it's initial zest and unbridled verve, perhaps even added to it, and Conor's lubricated performance even carrying over to play one of the worst (but thankfully brief) keyboard solo's I've ever heard. It was just another clear example that Conor has been freed from the pressure of being the focal point of the band, and now he's just another guy making noise on stage.
When he stayed at the keyboards for the next song, however, I was a bit worried, considering how his last attempt went, but the show closed with Conor leading the band through an absolutely gorgeous rendition of 'Breezy,' from the 'Gentleman's Pact' e.p. It was an emotional highpoint of the show for me, and is such a tender, truly moving song, that the band felt the need to bring one last bit of dissonance into the tune before the final verse, making a rousing racket to perhaps mask the stark poignancy of the lyrics a bit.
It was an exhilarating, confident return to Minneapolis for Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band. One that found Conor being just a boy in the band, as opposed to these numerous labels the media has unfairly hung on him over the years. And freed from that pressure, Conor and the band played an untethered, spirited set, clearly enjoying sharing the stage and the spotlight with each other. And while I can't help but feel with this show the same way I do every time I see Stephen Malkmus --how can they go onstage and not play any of those brilliant songs they have in their back pockets?--I have confidence that Conor is committed to the cause and taking his music in a good, positive direction, and clearly having fun while doing it. And who can truly fault him for that.
SETLIST (Courtesy of Carl @ Cakein15.com):
Nikorette
Sausalito
Get Well Cards
Cape Canaveral
Moab
Slowly
I Got a Reason #1
Spoiled
Corina, Corina
I Got a Reason #2
NYC--Gone, Gone
Souled Out
Milk Thistle
Encore
Snake Hill
Sundown
Kodachrome (Paul Simon Cover)
I Don't Want To Die (In A Hospital)
Breezy
"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.)
It seemed, for the first part of The Magnetic Fields wonderful show at the State Theater on Friday, that the entire audience had been invited to watch them during their rehearsals, as opposed to the opening night of their U.S. tour. The band ambled on-stage in mid conversation about how high a story is in feet (surprisingly, there is no definite answer, but 10-12 feet is the usual standard, which pianist/vocalist/humorist Claudia Gonson couldn't believe), and how many stories the State Theater and it's ceiling was, taking audience guesstimates regarding who was closer, Claudia or Stephin Merritt (it turns out they both were way off, in their own way, and so was most of the crowd around me.) And, while stagehands scrambled to get Stephin's light working on his music stand, (don't you think they would've had that issue worked out before the band hit the stage?) Claudia tried entertaining the audience as best she could with her architectural inquiries. And, after a different light fixture was brought out and affixed to the music stand, it was almost like the band needed to be reminded that they were there to play music for us.
Once they figured that out, the beautiful songs came quickly, and so did the laughs, surprisingly. 'California Girls,' with it's biting, caustic lyrics about girls who eat non-food that keeps them mean, and breathe coke while they have affairs with rock stars, had everyone chuckling. Everyone that is, except Stephin Merritt, who, at times, looked so disinterested in his songs and his bouzouki playing that it was a tad uncomfortable to watch, especially when he would just glare at Claudia after a joke or story, while she was trying her best to emcee the evening. I understand that is their dynamic while they're on-stage, but that doesn't make the awkward silences any less jarring. While Claudia and vocalist Shirley Simms traded lyrical duties early on, Stephin appeared to be rather indifferent to the often heartbreaking and fragile songs he penned, almost as if he feels that creating the songs was his only responsibility, performing them live is rather tedious and unnecessary. I never expected Stephin to be a song and dance man gleefully entertaining the audience, that would seem incredibly out of place and unseemly. I just expected him to appear more present in his own music, more involved. However, he gradually warmed to the adoring audience (as best he could) and the show grew better as both the band and the crowd settled in to the night.
Even though 'Distortion,' The Magnetic Fields new record, is filled with electric guitars and feedback (inspired by The Jesus & Mary Chain), this was to be an all acoustic evening, with Stephin on bouzouki, Claudia on piano, Sam Davol on cello, John Woo on acoustic guitar, and vocalist Shirley Simms. The new songs actually sounded fantastic live, stripped of the guitars and production of the record, allowing the incredibly humorous lyrics to shine on such songs as 'Xavier Says,' 'Zombie Boy,' and 'Too Drunk To Dream,' which, in my mind, was all I needed to feel completely justified with the 7 or 8 drinks I consumed pre-show. And while the absurdity of some of Stephin's lyrics are always entertaining, the songs of his I love the most are the poignant love songs, and those ended up being the standouts of the set for me.
'No One Will Ever Love You,' sung beautifully by Shirley, was incredible, as was 'All My Little Words,' sung by Claudia, which proved to be an early highlight of the set. To be honest, Stephin didn't really sing too many numbers during the early part of the set, save for the 6th's song, 'When I'm Out Of Town,' The Gothic Archie's 'Walking My Gargoyle,' and assuming the lead vocals on the hilarious 'The Nun's Litany,' made even more comical by Stephin singing the female-centered lyrics that Shirley handled on the album version. 'I Wish I Had An Evil Twin,' was another early standout, with Stephin appearing to be overwhelmed at times with the emotion of the lyrics, tugging on his baseball cap and rubbing his eyes nervously. But the first set was defined by the last song they chose to play (and the song I was most looking forward to hearing) 'Papa Was A Rodeo.' Stephin even set down the bouzouki for this one, allowing him to focus all his attention to the plaintive and stirring lyrics, which had the rapt attention of the hushed audience. It was the definitive moment of the first set, and a show-stopper for sure. So much so, that we got a 10 minute set-break to absorb what we just witnessed.
After it seemed that the entire two-thirds full State Theater went out for a smoke break (come on people, how could this show not sell out? Who knows if we'll get the chance to see The Magnetic Fields again? For Shame.), the band eased the audience back into their seats with a surprisingly touching rendition of 'Take Ecstacy With Me,' that found Claudia on vocals. She also announced that the venue's curfew of 11 o'clock was rapidly approaching, so they would go from one song to the next as best they could, without the jokes and stories that permeated the first set. This actually added to the cohesiveness of the second set, as the band really found their stage legs (can you do that while sitting on stools and chairs? Yes, I say.) and the set gradually gathered momentum. 'The Book Of Love,' was sublime, with Stephin singing the heartfelt lyrics as if he wrote them that very morning, as opposed to nearly 10 years ago. Also incredible was the new song, 'Drive On, Driver,' that was introduced by Claudia exclaiming, 'I really, really like this song....Now how do I play it?' that again added to the rehearsal feel of the concert. It featured a wonderful cello solo by Sam, and beautiful vocals by Shirley. A marvelous rendition, especially stripped of the overwhelming guitars on the album version.
The show really encapsulated Stephin Merritt's entire career, with songs not only by The Magnetic Fields (both new and old), but by The 6ths, The Gothic Archies, his soundtrack work for 'Pieces Of April,' and his work on the music for the Opera 'The Orphan Of Zhao,' which gave us the rollicking 'What A Fucking Lovely Day!,' complete with Stephin describing the incredibly graphic moment in the opera when the song takes place (and Claudia reenacting it on-stage.) The band seemed to be loosening up ever so slightly, and that was no more evident than when Claudia brought her microphone to the front of the stage, where she sat and sang the opening stanza to 'Yeah! Oh Yeah!' that shouldn't be as funny a song as it is (being about killing your wife with a knife, after all.) And, like the first set, the second set was defined by the last song played, in this case the glorious 'It's Only Time,' that served as the perfect coda to the second set. Claudia, Sam, and John all traded off handling the melody, while Stephin gently guided the song to it's delicate finish, that surely moved all in attendance (especially my friend that I brought to the show, Matt, who shared his first dance with his wife to this song). It was a beautiful rendition of an incredibly touching song.
The encore, much more than the rest of the show, was affected by the time constraints of the 11 o'clock curfew. A hurried, somewhat sloppy version of 'Three Way,' led things off, with the band seemingly pushing each other to play the song faster and faster, smiling the entire time. And Claudia and Stephin had one more opportunity to argue, this time over the last song they would play for the evening, with Claudia claiming that they had time for the song they had initially selected to close out the night, and Stephin standing firm about playing the song he had chosen to fit the time constraints. Want to guess which one they played? It was always going to be Stephin's song, and it was the exalted 'Grand Canyon,' from '69 Love Songs.' It was a perfect ending to the show, it turns out. Just don't tell Stephin, though, he probably already thinks he's always right.
All in all, it was a great show from The Magnetic Fields, a little uneven and rough around the edges at times (to be expected, as it was the tour opener), but it was a real treat to hear the new songs performed in a slightly reworked acoustic manner, and a true pleasure to hear the older songs that I hold so near and dear to my heart sung so sweetly by the band. So, I thank The Magnetic Fields for a lovely, intimate show that really showcased the songwriting of the brilliant Stephin Merritt (also, thanks for the front row seats via your pre-sale), and hope that you come back to Minneapolis soon.
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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