I love my job - Arden and Georgie James at UMBC

Sometimes I really love going to work. Saturday's in April when its 80 degrees and awesome bands will play live music all day are certainly included in that category. Last Saturday was "Quadmania" at UMBC; Our big spring festival. Its usually at least entertaining, but this year included a bunch of really amazing campus and local acts, including Arden and Georgie James.

I'd seen Arden once before, but for only about five minutes, so this was my first valid impression of them, and the impression is FUN. Arden will likely be compared to fellow B-more band Karmellas Game, what with the female singer who play some keys, but this is not a copycat band. Arden has the full package. Great drums, tight bass, exceptional guitars, and of course, intriguing vocals. They are energetic and captivating. Catch them at Fletcher's this Friday, April 25th or the Brass Monkey on May 3rd.

Mp3: Arden - Kiss & Make Up --> Website --> Buy


Closing the night was D.C.'s Georgie James. Our admiration for GJ has already been stated HERE, but this was my first chance to catch them live. And it was glorious. Playing an acoustic set actually showcased how talented GJ are. Often when you strip a band down to its core, it can be disappointing, but GJ were well within their element. They were loose and were clearly amused by all the weird noises coming from the surrounding carnival rides. Laura Burhenn's vocals really matched the feel of the night. It was warm and blustery, and her voice sounds like a warm spring breeze, refreshing and liberating. A great performance indeed.

For those lucky people at Western Kenturcky University, GJ are playing w/Army of Me and Martin Royle & Pash on April 29th. Enjoy Washington D.C.'s finest in your back yard.

Long Week


mp3: Georgie James - More Lights --> website --> buy
mp3: Georgie James - Hard Feelings

Lots more pix from both shows are HERE

Nada Surf @ 9:30 club - In Review

After making the commitment to road trip to New York for Nada Surf, of course it was a no brainer that I would make it to the 9:30 club Saturday night. It felt a little strange to be waiting in line while the sun was still up, as this was an early show, but there we were. Openers for the show were The Jealous Girlfriends and Kaki King.

TJG’s were up first. Although they seemed a little sheepish while taking the stage, possibly because of the early hour, lead singer and guitarist Holly Miranda soon surprised the crowd with her energy and gripping voice. She also proved to be a pretty kick ass guitar player. Their songs were frenzied yet still very tight. This was the last night of the tour for TJG’s with Nada Surf, but I’d expect to see them to be headlining shows very soon.

Next up was Kaki King, formerly a solo singer/guitar player, but now with a full band. Immediately clear was that King is an excellent guitar player, leading with a display of slapping and finger picking an acoustic guitar before her band joined in. Also obvious was that Matt Hankle is a fiercely talented drummer. He stole the spotlight several times through their set. Overall, the set seemed to vary a bit too much for my taste. I don’t really know how to describe their sound, because it changed every song. How do you go from acoustic jam band to covering German metal?

After a lightning quick set change, Nada Surf took the stage. Although a very similar setlist to the Terminal 5 show, this one had a unique feel. Of course, it was more intimate, but it also felt a little more loose. The crowd was more energetic and seemed better versed in their music. Everyone seemed to sing along to every song, whether prompted or not. The beginning of Fruit Flies was epic, with the crowd almost forcing Matthew off the mic because they were so loud. Speaking of Fruit Flies, Ira played these wicked cool glowing drumsticks. Watch the video below. The other amazing crowd moment was during Inside of Love, when Matthew asked that the crowd do a two step sway in time with the music, and we all happily obliged. It was very cool.

Anywho, Martin Wenk of Calexico joined Nada Surf again, adding wonderful depth to the sound. Keys, synth and awesome horns popped up all over the set. Seriously guys, you need to keep him. Or maybe clone him.

Ahhh, another amazing Nada Surf show. These guys just get better and better.

Blizzard of '77


Crazy Glowing Drum Sticks


Some pictures HERE

Setlist:

High Speed Soul
Happy Kid
Whose Authority
What is Your Secret
Weightless
Killians Red
I like What You Say
Inside of Love
Fruit Flies
80 Windows
Ice on the Wing
The Fox
Do It Again
Beautiful Beat
See These Bones

Blizzard of '77
Blonde on Blonde
Always Love
Blankest Year

Radioheadings with the ASO

Last night the Alabama Symphony Orchestra with Maestro Justin Brown performed Jonny Greenwoods 'Popcorn Superhet Receiver' at the Alys Stevens Center in Birmingham, Alabama. I know i don't qualify to write about classical music since i don't have much to compare it to but I'll do my best. The last time I was at the symphony was to see a production of The Who's 'Tommy'. That's about the extent of my experience but judging by the peoples reactions after the show it didn't matter. Something happened tonight that was so radically different from what usually happens at the symphony and i think it had an impact on everyone young and old. Jonny Greenwood clearly does things differently. As evidenced on the cacophony of violins at the end of 'Climbing Up The Walls' to the use of really heavy strings on 'Down Is The New Up', Jonny just really likes the way they sound.

The Piece performed tonight was "Popcorn Superhet Receiver' which he composed while in residence at the BBC in 2005. Sections of this work were also used in the soundtrack to ' There Will Be Blood' and anyone who saw that movie knows half of the reason that movie was good was Daniel Day Lewis' acting and the other half was the soundtrack. It starts out with what sounds like each played slowly tuning their instrument until the sound builds and roars past you like a locomotive, repeatedly. A constant sound of something ominous, something right over shoulder but when you turn to look its everywhere at once. Leave it to Jonny to have a segment where the violinists are strumming their violins like guitars and the upright bassists are using their bows to create a percussive sound. The effect is somewhat tribal similar to that of the multi drummed attack of 'There There'. Having heard this piece before I thought the ASO did a remarkable job recreating jonnys work.

The second piece they did was by composer Paul Lansky and while that may not ring any bells, there is a connection. Paul Lansky is responsible for a sample that was used on 'Idioteque', the electronic noise that ushers in the song before Thom starts singing. You know the one. Well anyway this piece was written specifically for this evening and he was even there to introduce it. Having been the first time this was played with the composer in house made things really special. I was sitting really close to him and he actually seemed thrilled throughout the performance at the job they were doing.

All in all it was a wonderful evening. If more places did stuff like this I'd imagine a lot more people would get into it and have a positive experience. I love music.

Live Review - Stars @ Sonar 3/19/08 (plus some Pash)

If you really want to show your significant other that you love them, what do you do? Of course, buy them flowers. Lots of flowers. Maybe shower them in flowers. And when that's over.......MORE FLOWERS. So that means that if you've been to see Stars on their current US tour, like I did last night at Sonar, you might just be in a relationship with the quirky band from Montreal, because they loveeeeee some flowers. The stage was covered in flowers.

Opening up for Stars was Martin Royle. I had no idea who Martin Royle was, but I found out once arriving that he would be backed by DC's own Pash. Bonus! I guess I missed the update on the Pash website that they were added to the tour at the beginning of March (way to go guys and gal!). Royle played a handful of his own tunes, which he and Pash had apparently had worked on for about a week. Mid-set, Royle left the stage and Pash got to play three of their own songs. Despite a badly crackling bass amp, Pash easily stole the opening show, and certainly earned some new fans. They are enthusiastic (especially Erik Bruner-Yang on lead guitar), polished, and have a talented (and adorable) lead singer in Merideth Munoz. Maybe someday soon I'll be able to see more than a few songs.

Stars took the stage to a thunderous ovation, but clearly they had a lightning fast sound check (see what I did there). The sound for the first 5 songs or so was atrocious, and in my opinion barely reached the level of acceptable by the end of the set. The set spanned the Stars library and included many of my fave's, but it was hard to get into the show. I am a self acknowledged audio snob, but anyone at that show had to be a little disappointed. Despite the poor sound, Stars are gripping live. Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan trade vocals beautifully and really suck you in with their passion for their songs. They really do seem to appreciate their fans (hence the flower shower), and will likely continue to endear themselves to a broader fan base. Go see them, and be enchanted. Maybe you'll even get a flower.

Setlist:

The Night Starts Here
Elevator Love Letter
Soft Revolution
indow Bird
One More Night
Ghost of Genova Heights
Bitches in Tokyo
Reunion
The Big Fight
Going Going Gone
Midnight Coward
Take Me to the Riot
Your Ex-Lover is dead
Ageless Beauty
In Our Bedroom After the War

Encore:

My Favourite Book
What I’m Trying to Say
Calendar Girl

Mp3: Stars - Calendar Girl --- Website --- Buy
Mp3: Stars - Reunion
Mp3: Pash - The Best Gun --- Website --- Buy
Mp3: Pash - Kill All the Rich Boys II

In (brief) Review - Among Wolves @ 8x10 - January 30

Our Pastappreciation (yeah, I made that up) for Among Wolves has been well documented HERE and HERE, so I'm just gonna give you some quick hits from their 8x10 show last night:

~ Billy Tiedeken is a trooper. He has been fighting laryngitis for two weeks, but still tried his best to make it through the set. Sadly, he lost the battle with his throat.

~ These guys clearly love playing together. They constantly joke and laugh. It's refreshing to see a band that really likes playing shows.

~ Among Wolves pulls off the mid-set band member switcheroo (that's a technical term) better then any band I've ever seen. Jason Butcher sings like his life depends on it.

~ I like doing quick hits. Take your "paragraph structure" and shove it! I didn't like you anyway!

Mp3: Among Wolves - Baltimore ---- Website ---- Buy

Middle Distance Runner @ Jammin Java 1/28/08

Monday was Pasta Primavera's first visit to Vienna, VA's Jammin Java. Located in a strip mall in between an Outback and a supermarket, Jammin Java doesn't look like your typical indie rock venue. I guess that's what makes this place so good. They had a superb sound system, a cafe, a bar, and most importantly Middle Distance Runner playing. Opening up for MDR was Ungdomskulen. I'm not sure what Norwegian punk rock sounds like, but if it sounds like Ungdomskulen, then I love Norwegian punk rock. Clearly stating they came to rock, Ungdomskulen blazed through an energy filled set complete with the soon to be Norwegian national anthem, Spartacus.
But the reason I was there was Middle Distance Runner. Having seen them late last year, I was in dire need for more more MORE! In my previous post found here you can hear me rant on about how Erik Dean is the greatest drummer in the world. Well that's a fact, still. I came away with something different from this show. Stephen Kilroy (Vonnegut fans eat your heart out!) sings with determination and emotion, but more evident from this performance was the injection of soul he has flowing through him. Channeling Otis Redding, Stephen belts out vocals that make you smile for no good reason one second, and then tear up the next. This is a band that must be seen and heard and then seen again. Speaking with the band members, many of them feared sounding rusty, but there was no rust. All I saw and heard was bright, shiny, and flat out rockin' indie music. They're off of touring for a while to start recording new material (yes!), but look out for them to play a couple of shows in the area.

mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Monochrome Boys --> website --> buy
mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Top Of The Stairs
mp3: Ungdomskulen - Ordinary Son --> website
mp3: Ungdomskulen - Modern Drummer

Middle Distance RunnerUngdomskulenMore photos here.

In Review - Jukebox the Ghost and Bellman Barker - Live at the Black Cat - Jan. 26

The Black Cat in Washington DC played host to the sold out CD release party for Jukebox the Ghost.......What's that? ....... You didn't expect this show to sell out? Well, apparently no one did, including the bands. The large crowd slowed entry to a crawl, causing many people, including myself, to miss most of opening act, Pash. But there would still be no shortage of awesomeness this evening.

Bellman Barker took the stage, in all their unique glory. They powered through an energetic set that included much of their EP, Anise & Anisette. BB's power pop style and range impressed the crowd almost as much as Aaron's wicked handlebar mustache. All kidding aside, Bellman Barker are primed to become a really big deal in the mid-Atlantic and beyond. Their final song, showed how far these guys can go. Two Bees started with Thomas playing the clarinet, and then looping it through an FX box that built and built along with the xylophone and guitar into an amazing finish. Seriously, who can use a sampled clarinet sound well? Shades of Johny Greenwood on that one, and that's pretty good company.

But of course, Jukebox the Ghost was the main event tonight. The three piece from D.C. came out to quite an ovation, and couldn't disguise the awe on their faces. The crowd that showed up to welcome their new CD was both plentiful and excited. It seemed a little overwhelming for them at first, but it didn't take long before Jukebox was having a great time, and generally kicking butt.

What struck me quickly was how quircky Ben Thornewill is whilst playing keys. His facial expressions ranged from mad scientist to comedian. At times, it looked like he didn't know what notes his hands were going to play, but they were always the right ones. Also impressive is how well Ben and Tommy Siegel trade the role of frontman from song to song. They're each talented enough that they could split into two bands and each would still be amazing. Luckily they are in one band, aided by the sharp and steady drumming of Jesse Kristin. The obvious comparisons to Ben Folds will be thrown at Jukebox wherever they go, but don't let it fool you. Jukebox the Ghost have carved out their own style, and created a future that is quite promising.

Mp3: Bellman Barker - Charles Kil
Mp3: Bellman Barker - Two Bees ---- website ---- Buy
Mp3: Jukebox the Ghost - Under My Skin
Mp3: Jukebox the Ghost - Hold It In ---- website ---- Buy

The full length is not available online anywhere yet, so check back soon.

Bellman Barker

Aaron of Bellman Barker

Ben of Jukebox the Ghost

More photos available HERE

In Review - Among Wolves & Others @ Lo-Fi 1/12/07

The Lo-Fi Social Club rests precariously between North Avenue and the Charles Theater. Being comprised of two row homes, the Lo-Fi brings a comfy and relaxed atmosphere with artwork and couches to peak your interest in between drinking and listening to music. It also hosted a wondrous show last night where indie pop rock blended seamlessly with blues, folk, and country music. The Red Vines led off the night with music that is comparable to indie legends Wilco. Featuring the drummer from Among Wolves, The Red Vines laid out a great set (with a trombone even) of prepossessing alt/country/folk/pop gems. After that, the audience was surprised to find an additional act that wasn't even on the bill. Justin Collins rolled in from Nashville with his guitar and a purpose - to astound listeners with his powerful 50s rock and roll voice. Seriously...he was marvelous. Abby Mott followed with a sound that I was unprepared for and, frankly, taken aback for a few moments. Mott has a tremendous voice that some might compare to others (Neko Case maybe), but shouldn't. Her songs were...how do I say it...the bee's knees...no no...treasures...yes that'll do. Pop treasures with a country song in there for good measure. Following Abby Mott, The Courtesy Line played. Short their lead guitarist due to a death in the family, TCL strung out a series of quality folk pop tunes. The real bonus came today when I popped their recently recorded demo into the old player. The tracks were superbly written and almost had the old Death Cab For Cutie sound going. Closing the night was Among Wolves. The crowd had thinned much by this time of the night (WHY?!!!) which is a shame, because AW put on the best performance of the night. Their music is fresh and unheard of in my mind. Who can blend experimental indie pop rock with synthesizers seamlessly with straight up country rock? Among Wolves. They threw it down, even throwing a Johnny Cash cover into the mix when they did the band member switch-a-roo (bass player played drums-piano player played bass- drummer played lead guitar and sang). If you get a chance, please go check them out...they put on a show that is worth every cent.

mp3: Among Wolves - Baltimore --> website --> buy
mp3: The Courtesy Line - The Lake --> website
mp3: Abby Mott - Wild Desire --> website --> buy
mp3: Justin Collins - Sweet Misery --> website --> buy
mp3: The Red Vines - Once --> website --> buy

Among WolvesThe Red Vines
Abby Mott
Justin Collins
The Courtesy Line

Society Of Mary Show - In Review

Space 2640 is old St. John's, a dilapidated church on the corner of 27th and St. Paul. Last night, though, it was a place where people poured their hearts out for the sake of life and the expression of it. It was wonderful. The artwork. The music. It all fit together. Way to go Orlando Johnson (the man that put it all together, though he is too modest to admit to anything). I was quite taken aback by all of the musical performances of the night. Everyone played honestly and soulfully...making it quite hard to describe. But I guess I have to...you know...for the blogs sake. Cakes of Light from New York had the rough duty of opening the show, but they pulled it off and then some. Jay Dunbar (singer/guitarist) has a voice that I've heard, but can't quite put my finger on. That doesn't matter...his voice captivates you and brings you in to discover a rich lyrical world filled with politics, mysticism, and, of course, Jay Dunbar. The Violet Hour followed and took it down to the floor, literally ditching the stage for an up close and personal affair that the other acts would continue. The duo of Andriana Pateris and Beth Varden produce a psychedelic sound much larger than the two of them. The music basically put me into a trance before Noble Lake took the floor. People and children gathered around to watch James Sarsgaard and his band grab hold of the audience with their self described 'pre-radio modern country sound'. I had sense that it was going to be good from the moment I saw the banjo, the saw, and the harmonium. I was right. This performance has me highly anticipating the debut release from Noble Lake (hopefully in February). Closing the show was Orion Rigel Dommisse. Everyone was relaxed. Some were even laying down. It was as if Orion (performing solo while beautifully plucking the strings of an electric cello) was singing us all a lullaby. Not a lullaby for sleep. A lullaby to inspire.

Truly a wonderful evening.

mp3: Cakes Of Light - Western Lands --> website --> buy
mp3: Orion Rigel Dommisse - Simon Sent For Me --> website --> buy

Cakes Of LightNoble LakeOrion Rigel Dommisse

Middle Distance Runner - R&R Hotel - Decmeber 14, 2007 - Review

Sometimes I'm-a-walkin' down the street and people stop me and say, "Hey Laurent! What separates good bands from 'friggin great' bands?" Then I turn to them and say, "Who the heck are you and how do you know my name?!! But to answer your question. The live show."
When I first heard Middle Distance Runner, I was impressed. They played catchy indie rock with varying styles intermingled within. They were good. I was a fan. Fast forward to last night at the Rock and Roll Hotel, where MDR not only rocked their set completely, but 'friggin killed it'! They blazed through their set with passion and emotion that energized the packed crowd. If I were to pick a highlight...hmmm...the whole thing. One thing I love to hear is a good drummer. Well my friends, crown Erik Dean the greatest drummer in the WORLD!!! Well maybe that's a bit much, but trust me...he's good. It doesn't stop with him. Steve Kilroy, the lead singer of MDR, sings like there's a burning in his soul that needs to be unleashed. All of this wouldn't matter, though, if they all didn't come together and perform as one. And they did. Middle Distance Runner was a good band. Now they're a great one.

mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Man Of The People --> website --> buy
mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Naturally

Divine Ravens & Chimes

The sun is setting over an orange tinted lake. Cold whispers through my hair and sends a chill up my spine. A powerful chord from a Guild guitar echoes through the valley. Wait one second. There's no lake or sunset or chills! I'm in the middle of an inspired crowd at the Rock and Roll Hotel watching Ravens and Chimes utterly amaze me.
It's beautiful when music takes you places as it did last night at the R&R Hotel. It's also rare. That's why I'm still savoring the moments of R&C's performance. As I watched Asher Lack and company perform, I started asking myself a question. What are the odds that 6 New Yorkers could come together, form a band, and write and perform complex and personal indie rock in the same thread as the Arcade Fire? Well Ravens and Chimes beat those odds. Ravens and Chimes play music with sincerity and honesty that usually only comes out of the more seasoned bands. If you want to give yourself an early present, go purchase a copy of their debut Reichenbach Falls, go up north somewhere and rent a cabin with a fireplace, and put the album on repeat as you watch the snow come down... Oh yeah! To make their phenomenal performance completely blossom into uncharted territories, they ended their set with an stunning rendition of Leonard Cohen's 'So Long, Marianne'. Wow.

mp3: Ravens & Chimes - Archways --> website --> buy
mp3: Ravens & Chimes - So Long, Marianne

Bellman Barker @ The Ottobar Happy Party

Aaron from Bellman Barker
Thomas from Bellman Barker

There's something telling about hearing stripped down acoustic/Wurlitzer versions of well written pop songs. You get to hear the soul of the song. That's what I heard last night at the Ottobar's weekly Happy Party. Aaron and Thomas of Bellman Barker commanded the floor(no stage) with their set. The tension was high, but they blazed through two mini sets of songs that impressed me mightily. The thought occured to me while I was listening,"If these guys are sounding this good with just two out of the five members in the band, the full BB must simply be dynamite." I'm going to find that out on December 8th at the Party Pit in DC. You should too.

mp3: Bellman Barker - I Do I Do --> website --> buy

Grogan of Grogan Social Scene

On the flip side of BB's sets, the one man, Grogan Social Scene delighted the audience with deep monotone vocals, honest lyrics, driving acoustic guitars, and occasional Wurlitzer play. I didn't quite expect the sounds I was hearing since the majority of his work on his myspace was experimental-electro-folk-ish. I must say I enjoyed it and GSS was a good compliment to Bellman Barker. So Chris(the bartender of the Ottobar) has this Happy Party thing happening every Friday at around 6pm. It's free local music and definitely worth checking out.

Superdrag - Live @ 9:30

Where to begin. This was the last date on Superdrag's reunion tour, and it happened to be at the 9:30 club. How lucky. I'll keep this show review somewhat brief, and say that this was a pretty amazing show. The crowd was mostly older (meaning 30ish plus) and consisted of some pretty pumped up people. Superdrag has always had a great following in the Baltimore/DC area, so this was a natural spot to end the tour.

Overall impression of the show was how different the members have become, but how much they have stayed the same. John Davis is clearly a changed person, quite humble and honestly thankful for the chance to play live shows again. John bowed to the crowd after nearly every song and repeatedly thanked the crowd that showed up (important note: This show was moved to a 10:00pm doors on a Thursday, and that certainly limited the crowd). Other band members retained what made them awesome; Tom Pappas showed amazing energy and skill. Don Coffey continues to be a bad ass drummer. I guess the most important part was how passionate John was as a singer and frontman. His vocals were powerful and mostly sung with his eyes closed. It was obvious that he was pouring his heart and soul into the show.

On to song selection. Heres where I gush a bit. WOW. WOW. WOW. Seriously, Senorita into 6/8 into N.A. Kicker into Liquor. This show was totally built for the old heads. I felt truly privileged to see this show. It lacked some of the surprise of other shows, as it was so chronological, but that's like complaining about finding too many diamonds in a row. They played damn near everything from Regretfully Yous and 8 Track Sounds. What more could you want (except Load which I would have freaked out over). And then went into Head Trip and Valley. And then broke out Sucked Out and Cynicality.

Oh yeah, then Bloody Hell in the encore. I call that "Ape shit crazy."

Other aspects that were crazy include that the band not only signed autograph's before the show, but announced they would be signing in the club after the show. And that they did. I got this amazing poster signed by all, and went home a happy camper.

So, I didn't keep the review that brief. Big whoop. Wanna fight about it?

Oh yeah, Mic Harrison came out and played with the band for the last two songs......and it was good.

Setlist:

Whitey's Theme
Slot Machine
Phaser
Carried
Garmonbozia
Senorita
6/8
N.A. Kicker
Liquor
Nothing Good is Real
Tell Me I'm Not Free
I'm Expanding My Mind
Hellbent
Sold You an Alibi
Do the Vampire
Amphetamine
Pine Away
Unprepared
Keep it Close to Me
True Believer
Sucked Out
Cynicality
-----------
Bloody Hell
Destination Ursa Major
Rocket


Superdrag ------- Keep It Close To Me.mp3

Nada Surf - Live at the 8x10

Its taken me three days to actually be able to process my thoughts enough to post about this amazing show. Laurent the Laurent has posted about Sea Wolf opening this show, and I second everything he wrote. They were a great opener, but the crowd was there for the main event. This was the second sellout crowd for Nada Surf at the 8x10 club in lovely Federal Hill in Baltimore.

Nada Surf took the stage to a serious ovation. They commented on how it was great to be back, and thanked the crowd for coming out. They opened the show with Happy Kid, but about a minute into the song, Matthew stopped playing, and said something along the lines of, "forget all that, I'm really in the bathroom right now," and ran off stage only to return with a different guitar. He quickly reiterated all the previous remarks, and started Happy Kid again. This set a playful and loose mood for the set that would ensure a good time for all. After rocking through a few favorites, the real nature of the show and the crowd was revealed when they played Fruit Flies. It would have been great no matter what, but when the song got to the whole "I'm sorry, you've got no where to go" part, the Matthew let the crowd sing along, and WOW, what a moment. I've seen a LOT of Nada Surf shows, but never have I witnessed a crowd so well versed in their music, or so into the show. All throughout the set, the crowd sung along loudly (myself included). It's great to see that people have finally discovered this incredible talent.

Anywho, Nada Surf rocked through an amazing set that included two new songs, Whose Authority and I Like What You Say which can be found here as part of a live acoustic show. The new material sounds great; Certainly they fit well with the Nada Surf library of music.

As far as the older material, Nada Surf really brought the fire to this show. Maybe it was because this was the last date of this tour, or maybe because of the great crowd, but they played at a whole new level. Every transition was sharp. Matthews voice sounded better then I've ever heard. They were clearly having a good time on stage.

The last two songs of the main set, Paper Boats and Hyperspace rocked to no end, with extra crazy jamming at the ends, that included Matthew playing his guitar on his mic stand during Hyperspace. After a very brief break which had the crowd chanting Nada Surf, they returned to the stage and brought with them Lisa Fendelander, the keyboardist from Sea Wolf to play the accordion for Blonde on Blonde. It was a nice addition to the song. After absolutely killing Do It Again, the crowd got another bonus. Alex Church, the front man of Sea Wolf joined the band for a song. I don't know what it was called, but it was pretty cool. After that, they closed the set with Always Love and a crazy singalong version of Blankest Year that had the crowd screaming "fuck it" back at the stage. The song concluded with two separate crazy breakdowns, only to return to the main of the song.

What else can I say. This was easily the best Nada Surf show I've ever seen. I can't wait for the new album in February, or the tour that is sure to bring them back to Baltimore. Wow. I sound like a total fan boy. I guess I am.

Do It Again
Blizzard of 77
See These Bones

Full Setlist:

Happy Kid
Hi Speed Soul
What is Your Secret
Fruit Flies
Killians Red
Whose Authority
Blizzard of 77
Concrete Bed
Inside of Love
80 Windows
I like What You Say
Imaginary Friends
Paper Boats
Hyperspace

Blonde on Blonde
Do It Again
The Killing Moon by Echo and the Bunnymen w/ Alex Church
Always Love
Blankest Year

Update:

A new Nada Surf song called "Weightless" will be featured on Heroes tonight. Even more reason to watch the best show on TV.

Sea Wolf @ the 8x10

I had been looking forward to this show for a long time, and I wasn't disappointed at all. Listening to their CD and EP I knew I was going to hear some fantastic music, but I didn't know it would ROCK THAT MUCH! Hell yeah it did! Coming onto the stage, Alex Brown Church(the lead singer/songwriter of Sea Wolf) looked the part of good natured traveler and musician. The first notes of Winter Windows got the crowd pretty pumped letting me know that they had a pretty sizable following in attendance at the small sized 8x10. The Cold, The Dark, & The Silence and Middle Distance Runner followed and were spectacular. The arrangement of the songs live was put together really well. Everybody seemed to have a tamborine near by for some timely percussion. Then came the time where, in my opinion, Sea Wolf went to 11(ala Spinal Tap). They flat out rocked Made A Resolution. There was no stopping it after that with Sea Monuments and Song For The Dead following. Mr. Church then made me a happy man by slowing it down a tad to play a mezmerizing rendition of The Garden That You Planted. This was basically the set up song for the final one two punch of You're A Wolf and Black Dirt. They played these songs with the highest amount of emotion and energy giving them more power and meaning than they had before. When they left the stage they had me wanting more. Where was the encore? Oh yeah they were the opening act for Nada Surf(who took the show to a higher level...more on that later). With this show Sea Wolf has put them in the 'must see live' category for me. If you have a chance do yourself a favor and see them. They still have a couple more dates on this leg and hopefully will launch another one sometime next year. If you can't make it, pick up a copy of their EP or full length. Stay tuned for more on the Nada Surf half of the show.

Sea Wolf - The Garden That You Planted.mp3 --> website --> buy
Sea Wolf - Black Dirt.mp3

Thanks to Ted Licinski(Sea Wolf bassist) for giving some great feedback about the tour, life, crappy jobs, good jobs, and poster design. Keep on rockin that Devo suit.

Jimmy Eat World - Live at the 9:30 club

Jimmy Eat World came to the lovely 9:30 club on Tuesday, and Evil Homer was on the scene. JEW at the 9:30 club has a special place in my heart, as I attended their two night DVD recording a few years back. My hopes were high, and they didn't disappoint.

Opening for JEW on this tour is Viva Voce, a duo from Portland comprised of married couple Kevin and Anita Robinson. I immediately deemed them the reverse White Stripes, as Kevin plays drums and Anita plays guitar. Both sing some lead and some backups. These two were a treat. They have a lot of style, a good stage presence, and can jam. Anita is the best female guitar player I think I've ever seen. They were a great warm up, and I'll be picking up an album.

So, jimmy took the stage around 7:30pm (being an early show). The crowd seemed pretty pumped, but turned out to not be (more on that later). A large banner unfurled, revealing the little bird symbol which has been all over their website recently. Wasting no time, they went right into "Big Casino," the opening track from Chase the Light. Big Casino is a solid track, right in line with what JEW does best, rock music. Showing that this would be a great show, they went into "A Praise Chorus" and then "Work." Jim Adkins played through these songs with so much energy and emotion that all could see he was really into it. At the same time, I could tell that this was not the best audience. Many seemed to not be at all versed in songs from Clarity and Futures, and even those who were did little beyond calmly mouthing the lyrics. By the time JEW had finished "Blister," I was pretty sweaty, as was Adkins.

This shows set list seemed to be aimed at the old heads who've been rocking to JEW since Clarity, but they seemed to get a crowd that mostly just listened to Bleed American. That's really a shame to, because the crowd didn't know what they were missing. JEW played an awesome set they even included the song "Robot Factory," which Adkins said before the song that they had not played it in ten years. On top of that, they played probably my all time favorite, "23," and an amazing version of "Kill" that was really powerful and emotional.

The end of the main set and the encore featured most of their radio hits, including "Pain", "Sweetness", and closing with "The Middle."

Overall, this was a great show. The production at the 9:30 club is always top notch, and the atmosphere is great. JEW continue to be one of my favorite bands to see live. Until next time.

Big Casino
A Praise Chorus
Work
Always Be
Blister
Lucky Denver Mint
Carry You
For Me This Is Heaven
Robot Factory
Get it Faster
Disintegration
Let it happen
23
Kill
Bleed American
Pain

Break

Your House alt version
Hear you me
Sweetness
The Middle

Viva Voce - The Tiger and How We Tamed It

JEW - 23

JEW - Carry You

Sunday at Voodoo - Gravy Day

Sunday at Voodoo was gravy day; Anything good today was just a bonus. Arriving around 5:00pm, the crowd was noticeably smaller then Saturday's. I assumed many locals just bought day passes for Saturday, and choose to forgo Sunday.

First up were the Black Crows. I had never had the pleasure of catching these guys, though the Birmingham crew speaks highly of them. And I can say that in this case, reports were accurate. The Black Crows rocked for 90 minutes, playing songs that made you feel like you were watching a festival act in the 70's. The Crows just have that classic rock feel that is extremely rare nowadays. I couldn't tell you the name of a single song they played, but it really didn't matter. Very entertaining.

Next up was Common. Now I'm not really a hip hop guy. I leave that up to JB and Laurent the Laurent, but enjoyed the set. Common performs with a a pair of keyboard players and a bad ass drummer, along with a DJ. It's refreshing to see an MC who doesn't just rap over recorded music. The first half of the set rolled by with what I assume were some of Common's hits. The crowd certainly went nuts for a few of them. The second half was what I really enjoyed. Common did a 10 minute hip hop medley that included everything from Biz Markie to NWA. He followed that up with a freestyle session that played to the home crowd, mentioning the Saints and Bourbon street. I dipped out after this to get a good spot for Wilco. Overall, Common was good stuff, and a nice change between the Black Crows and Wilco.

Poor Wilco. I've had a few chances to see them, including at Bonnaroo this year, but they were up against the Decemberists and a good spot for the White Stripes, so they kinda lost that fight. That said, I was happy to hear they would be at Voodoo this year. And I have to say that they were the perfect closer for the festival. Their folky jam style really fit. The crowd had dwindled even more by the time they took the stage, but that only made it more intimate. Jeff Tweedy leads Wilco with an awesome voice and a great stage presence. He talked to the crowd somewhat casually, at one point saying, "Man, this is awesome. Its fairly awesome." Fairly awesome, aside from being quite hilarious at the time, would be a great description for Wilco. Their lead guitar player broke into some amazing solos, but was just as noticeable for his antics. At times he shook like he was having a seizure. And once he was playing his guitar by rubbing it on the back of his head.

Another highlight occurred when Tweedy started a song by dedicating it to Yuri from Mike. Soon, on the big screen, an image appeared with the message, "Yuri, will you marry me?" After the song the crowd discover that she said yes, causing a huge ovation.

Wico rocked for another half hour or so, closing with a great jam that included a lovely segment of dueling guitars. And with that, Voodoo 2007 came to a close. It was a great weekend with a bunch of good performances, especially RATM, Spoon, and Wilco.

Smashing Pumpkins at Voodoo

Setlist
[Circus music]
Superchrist
Doomsday Clock
Bring the Light
Drown
Hummer
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
[Pomp and Circumstances?]
Stand Inside Your Love
Tonight Tonight
Tarantula
Glass and the Ghost Children
1979
To Sheila
Set the Ray to Jerry
Today
That’s the Way (My Love Is)
United States

Encore:
Heavy Metal Machine
Born on the Bayou [Credence Clearwater Revival]
I Love Rock ‘n Roll [Arrows]

Thanx to hipsters united

Evil Homer's take:

This will not be as extensive as my RATM review, because.....well, because I'm tired today.

The Pumpkins had a hard act to follow, considering the amazing show by Rage Friday night, and it showed. SP just didn't have enough energy for my tastes. Many times throughout the show, the stage would be going nuts, with lights flashing like wild, but the band seemed like they were at a poetry reading. Coming out to Superchrist and then doomsday clock was pretty cool. Bullet With Butterfly Wings really had the crowd pumped, but following with Pomp and Circumstances and Stand Inside Your Love just didn't do it for me. Admittedly, I'm not the biggest Pumpkins fan by any means, but I really thought I'd be familiar with most of what they'd play, considering I do have the new album.

Anywho, Tarantula is a great song, and they rocked it hard, but the best part of the show for me was Billy Corgan doing a solo acoustic version of 1979. That was really cool. Overall, good show, but certainly not nearly as good as Rage.

You haven't seen Spoon yet. WTF.

So, for all you slack-asses who haven't seen Spoon since my post three hours ago, here's a video of "I Summon You" at Berkley last year.




Many thanx to memmatthew for many awesome videos of Spoon (and others; check it out)

And here's a live version of "I turn My Camera On," courtesy of kerndmb

Quick Hits from Voodoo

Just a few observations from this years Voodoo Music Festival:

- This years festival grounds are wholly unimpressive compared to 2004. No sculptures, statues, artwork, etc. WTF. How's it supposed to feel "voodooy" if all I see is big inflatable Southern Comfort bottles.

- Funk bands always have to brag about how funky they are. I caught some of Big Sam's Funky Nation, and the first song was dominated by the lyric, "ain't it funky now." In defense of Big Sam though, they were pretty funky.

- Hosting a festival around Halloween is the best idea ever. Today I saw everything from pirates to devils to Aquaman. Seriously.......Aquaman. And that's not even talkin' about the ladies. Grrr.

- Not that this is some deep revelation, but Ben Harper is flat out nasty with a guitar. Even more so when he's sitting down.

- Sometimes I wish people wouldn't tell me that they think a band is good. Porcupine Tree....not good. Coheed and Cambria....not good.

- Spoon....really, really good. Best treat of the festival thus far. Go see them NOW.

- Why are you still reading this. Go see Spoon, dammit!!

- Oh yeah, the Smashing Pumpkins played tonight. More on that tomorrow.