Fool’s Gold and Tinariwen @ Highline Ballroom
Fool’s Gold opened up for Tinariwen last night at the Highline Ballroom in New York. Though their set was shorter than one would have liked, Fool’s Gold was no less than impressive. The band started their set with “Nadine,” a perfect opener that energized the crowd. Luke Top’s vocals are one to take note of; his vibrato and tone fit perfectly in all aspects. Each performance that followed was an intriguing improvisation of their own songs; all four of the six-minute songs they played, yes I said only four, turned into ten-minute epics. Lewis Pesacove’s guitar brought each song to a new level, especially with tracks “Surprise Hotel” and “Poseidon.” Unfortunately, the shortened set came to an abrupt end with a very enthused version of “Ha Dvash.” This left the audience, and myself, wanting more.
After Fool’s Gold thanked everyone and exited the stage for Tinariwen, the crowd seemed to thin out, but not for long. Once Tinariwen took the stage, the crowd grew and found themselves re-energized. Though the only words spoken in English were “Thank You,” Tinariwen’s entire set was completely satisfying. Lead guitarist and vocalist, Ibrahim, stepped out on stage and the crowd approved as he picked up his guitar and walked towards the microphone; his vocals really go right through you. The entire band was energized by the crowd and vice versa. Percussionist, Said, was a highlight for me. The best part of each of Tinariwen’s songs was Said’s djembe. The drum really carried a powerful tone, and I felt every beat in my chest. Tinariwen finished their set, which was immediately followed by chants for an encore. Hassan came back out with his acoustic guitar and started their last set of songs. It was a perfect ending to a great show. Fool’s Gold and Tinariwen are a great combination, and I anticipate seeing each of them again soon.
Owen Pallett @ Bowery Ballroom
Most of what has been written in the past about a Final Fantasy show was straightforward and void of expectation. However, after the now famous video of Pallett playing “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt” at the Canadian Hillside Festival during a torrential thunderstorm as the stage crew desperately tries to pull him from the stage mid-song, raised the bar through the roof. His defiance and passion to continue the emotional performance as the rain pours down, is powerful enough to lift up the hair on your arms.
With last week’s release of his new concept record Heartland, Owen Pallett left his former moniker behind and now brings this new level of musical complexity and narrative storytelling to the stage. His performance is usually a one man show with Pallett playing violin and keyboards through a loop petal while singing to construct a live symphony. This time around he is joined by Thomas Gill, rounding out the sound with percussion, guitar and backing vocal harmonies. His Bowery Ballroom performance this past Monday left no room for doubt that Owen Pallet is a brilliant performer and only affirms the excellence put forth in his records. They feature compositions mixing classical music with tastefully constructed pop hooks and vocal melodies.
If you closed your eyes for a moment you could imagine a symphony of performers before you at any point of the show, while after each song Pallett softly thanked the crowd. The sheer simplicity mixed with the complex nature of recreating his arrangements stunned the Bowery crowd. Pallet’s vocals stood out in the live setting. Combining these elements, Pallet put on a 60-minute set with songs pleasing to new and old fans alike. His performance of “This is a The Dream of Emma & Cam” from 2006’s Young Canadian Mothers 7″ and the aforementioned “Lewis Takes Action” from his latest record were standouts.
Owen Pallet effortlessly recreated his complex arrangements from his impressive discography. Whether it’s the pizzicato plucking or the deep bellow of low string bass lines, down to the classical drawing of the bow over the violin strings tuned to their perfect fifths — the sound is resonant and unabridged and is complemented by the perfect key of his vocals. The charm and allure of his performance is inescapable. This was one of only three U.S. stops as part of a seven-show ”Heartland CD release tour” before a full tour of his native Canada. With so much buzz surrounding his new record, Pallett is sure to be back in the States later this year. Below are a few videos posted from the show:
Yo Gabba Gabba! Live @ Beacon Theater
The idiosyncrasies of the Yo Gabba Gabba! universe are widely known by now. The characters are strange and likable. The show gets kids to eat their vegetables and show bravery in the dark with the use of catchy sing-along songs. However, the show is unique in that it attracts an adult audience by way of well known indie music acts and celebrities that make guest appearances on the show, including Of Montreal, MGMT, Devandra Banhardt and The Roots.
The live interpretation of Yo Gabba Gabba! was unsurprisingly entertaining for a diverse audience. DJ Lance Rock and his boom box led Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee and Plex through some of the show’s greatest hits. For each show planned on this limited tour, which only finds its way to Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Dallas, a special musical guest is planned. For the 11am Beacon Theater, New York City show Devandra Banhardt surprised and pleased any indie music fans in attendance with an acoustic offering. Unfortunately, a theater full of bored and screaming pre-schoolers didn’t approve, creating an awkward break in the action. A more suitable musical selection may have been the upbeat Brooklyn-natives MGMT with their Yo Gabba Gabba! contribution, “Art Is Everywhere.”
The show did soon recover with the release of thousands of balloons from the rafters midway through the performance, but the highlight (based on audience reaction) was a surprise appearance by Biz Markie and “Biz’s Beat of the Day.” Markie proceeded to ask kids from the audience to mimic his beatboxing styles, and the results proved to be a hit with fans. The show ended with Yo Gabba Gabba! favorites “Party in My Tummy” and “Goodbye Song.” My two-year old son gave his full approval with two thumbs way up and wouldn’t stop talking about it for the rest of the day.
Monsters Of Folk @ The United Palace
“Everyone grows old on the gold coast; it takes a lot of hope to grieve…” came soaring through the United Palace as the curtains rose to reveal the Monsters of Folk opening with their second song off their self-titled album. This super-group, consisting of Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), and M. Ward, was accompanied on this tour by drummer Will Johnson from Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel.
After playing two M.O.F. songs, they played the Bright Eyes’ “Hit the Switch.” Next, Oberst’s quivering voice accompanied Ward’s raspy tone with Monster’s of Folk track “Slow Down Jo.” Mogis’ instrumentals fit perfectly, as he played slide guitar throughout most of the set and often switched instruments mid-song. Though the album versions of these songs do not do Monsters of Folk the justice they deserve, the chilling atmosphere of “Temazcal” was a highlight of the night. M. Ward’s “To Save Me” (off his new album Hold Time) also fit nicely. Jim James’ haunting falsettos sent chills down the spine of most in the room when he played My Morning Jacket’s “Smokin’ from Shootin.”
The encore was highlighted by Bright Eyes’ “At the Bottom of Everything,” and the lyrics “We must sing, we must sing, we must sing” were taken literally by the crowd. However, the band saved the best for last with a dramatic and intense version of “His Master’s Voice” as James’ lingering voice filled the venue accompanied by a beautiful vocal harmony and echoing drums. The song ended with a distorted Moog synthesizer cracking in and out as the curtains dropped. Everyone in attendance wanted more, and I left the show with only one word in mind, “Wow!”
Grizzly Bear @ Electric Factory
Grizzy Bear is the best band in the world at the moment for a few reasons. First, the release of 2009’s Veckatimest is not only a collection of infectious, complex, moody, wide-ranging, crescendo building, symphonic and sheer brilliant tracks, it found its way band on Billboard’s Top 10, with the likes of Hannah Montana and Lady Gaga. WTF! Second, the band overcame a venue that has been widely noted for its poor sound to pull off one of the best performances of this or any year.
Chris Taylor’s musical antics impress me to no end. The multi-instrumentalist plays the gamut of woodwinds along with his bass guitar throughout the show. At several points in the performance, he created a mock orchestra featuring samples recorded live. The effect is overwhelming and makes the band sound like it should be playing Carnegie Hall. Chris Bear’s drumming is still front and center, but he was turned down a bit in the mix compared to June’s show at the Trocadero. Ed Droste’s voice was angelic as usual, and his use of delay effects on his mic added dimension and ambiance. Daniel Rossen’s psychedelic chord progressions and technical mastery were beyond stellar.
Fever Ray may have put on a better “show” last week, but Grizzly Bear is all about the music. There are no pre-recorded tracks here. No ceremonial headdresses. No makeup. No laser light show. No gimmicks. It’s just four virtuoso musicians playing their instruments and songs from this year’s best album.
Fever Ray @ Webster Hall
This was Karin Dreijer Andersson’s first US show as Fever Ray and what a show it was. Andersson has not stepped on a stage in the States since her last visit to Webster Hall in 2006 with her brother Olof as The Knife. The stage was set with smoke machines, synchronized lamp shades of yellow incandescent light that contrasted the green laser beams bouncing off mirrors on the stage and ceiling. All of this was designed by none other than artist and director Andreas Nilsson, who has directed her spooky-short film videos as well as previous work on the Knife projects. With a much larger live band than expected, the stage was filled with three sampling stations in addition to an large percussion arrangement of tribal drums and Karin’s microphone and guitar setup.
The show opened with “If I Had A Heart” as the droning sample rung with Karin hidden beneath a large Indian headdress that engulfed her entire body. This went along with the primal imagery of Nilsson’s design that also included warpaint and American Indian hand crosses brilliantly juxtaposed by the beams of light, making the smoke look like a moving ocean above our heads.
The perfect sound mix added to what was a flawless show. The deep bass of songs like “Coconut” were heart-pounding. Lights even shined on Karin’s face as her impeccable voice crooned the lyrics to “When I Grow Up” and “Seven.” In addition to songs off of the self-titled record, Fever Ray played two cover songs recorded with Van Rivers and The Subliminal Kid. The tracks are available on a limited vinyl release. “Stranger than Kindness,” originally by Nick Cave and Anita Lane, and “Here Before” by Vashti Bunyan added to s seamless set.
The only awkward moment of the show ironically came when it ended. As Karin and company left the stage the house lights stayed off and the sold out crowd of 1400 clamored for an expected encore. After four minutes of darkness, its almost guaranteed that a band will return to the stage. But Karin Dreijer Andersson is the pinnacle of non-conformity and did not return. The house music slowly began to get louder until the house lights came on, leaving everyone confused but not unfulfilled.
This show was on our calendar for months and was easily the most anticipated of the year. Somehow our expectations were exceeded. To put it in plain English, it is was one of the best fucking performances I have ever seen in my life.
Setlist:
If I Had A Heart
Triangle Walks
Concrete Walls
Seven
Now’s the Only Time
Dry and Dusty
I’m Not Done
Keep the Streets Empty
Stranger than Kindness
When I Grow Up
Here Before
Coconut
Here’s a sample from the MELT Festival in Germany:
Autolux @ Johnny Brenda’s
Autolux’s Future Perfect may be my favorite album of the decade, so I’ve been looking forward to seeing them live for quite some time. The band opened for Nine Inch Nails a few years back, but we caught Queens of the Stone Age as the opener for the NIN shows we attended during that tour. This time around Autolux was headlining their own small clubs tour, so we hit up 2008’s favorite venue, Johnny Brenda’s. Brenda’s is unique in that bands usually hang out by the bar before shows. This was no exception as we enjoyed a few of Philly’s best microbrews next to Greg Edwards. Although Edwards is the creative genius behind Autolux, he is better known for his tenure in the criminally underrated 90s band Failure. If you don’t know Failure, check out their 1996 magnum opus Fantastic Planet. Edwards was also in Lusk, an even more obscure and underrated project with Guns N’ Roses keyboardist Chris Pitman and ex-Tool bassist Paul D’Amour. Check out 1997’s Free Mars here. Edwards is no longer a contributing player as he was with Failure and Lusk. His mountain of guitar pedals is front and center in Autolux.
Autolux took the stage after two opening acts, Mini Mansions and Sleepy Sun. They played a setlist that included an even balance between songs from their critically acclaimed first album, which was released on the filmmaking Coen Brother’s DMZ label, and the yet-to-be-released Transit, Transit. Although the band tore through the sonic soundscapes of their set, the sound at Brenda’s couldn’t seem to handle the complexity of Edward’s distorted guitar feedback. A drowned out mix made the vocals of bassist Eugene Goreshter nearly inaudible. Although Edward’s guitars are what make Autolux go, Goreshter’s vocals juxtapose perfectly against the reverbed chaos. Drummer Carla Azar was actually the highlight of the night, as she pounded her skins perfectly on percussion-heavy tracks “Turnstile Blues” and “Robots in the Garden.” Highlights of the night included Future Perfect centerpieces “Blanket” and “Capital Kind of Strain.” “Great Days For The Passenger Element” was suspiciously absent from the setlist. While the four new songs the band played didn’t instantly impress the crowd of 200, they played an unknown Transit, Transit track as a encore. It was an epic and highly distorted composition that fit well within the band’s catalog.
Autolux supposedly finished their follow-up effort two years ago and have been dealing with relationship nightmares on the business side. Once advertised to be released in Fall of 2008, Transit, Transit is now set for a January 2010 date. I’m not sure if we can count on that, especially since the band remains unsigned with a future that doesn’t seem so perfect.
Setlist:
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park Bandshell
Animal Collective has lost my interest as a live band. Merriweather Post Pavilion is, of course, one of my favorite albums of 2009, but a third straight snoozer from the live incarnation requires me to reconsider their abilities as an engaging stage presence. The problem mainly lies with the live presentation of electronic music in general. Watching three guys bob their heads up and down while triggering samples does not stir excitement.
Comparing AC’s live show to other bands who have engaged audiences while playing electronic elements in their songs is inevitable. Battles, for example, spend much of their show playing real instruments and sampling rhythms live on stage and going back to these sounds and manipulating them while building upon an organic composition. That’s exciting! Grizzly Bear, although not an electronic band, has bassist/producer Chris Taylor sampling all sorts of wind instruments live and building upon them as though accompanied by a full orchestra. That’s exciting!
During parts of Animal Collective’s set, Panda Bear did pound live drums and Avey Tare did hold his guitar. However, both instruments seemed more like props than important components of the live versions of their songs. I could easily sense from the crowd that a collective interest was lost about mid-way through the set, as side conversations tended drown out a lot of the sound. Maybe that’s just the product of a large outdoor venue filled with indie hipsters who do not really like the music they claim to. It could also be a result of unyielding 10-minute jam sessions of “Fireworks” or “Daily Routine” that embrace segues and ignore all elements of song structure.
This was my favorite live performance by the band, and Avery Tare seemed especially excited to be playing in Brooklyn. Highlights included Strawberry Jam standout “Chores,” and “Lion in a Coma” from MPP. Unfortunately, the experience did not support the notion “third time’s a charm.” Setlist follows:
Setlist:
What Would I Want Sky
My Girls
You Could Win a Rabbit
Summertime Clothes
Slippi
Daily Routine
Chores
Fireworks (medley)
Brothersport
encore:
Lion in a Coma
Guys Eyes
Leaf House
Dan Deacon/Deerhunter/No Age @ Flying W Airport and Pool
As the crowds at All Points West waited in endless lines for a subpar bill, a few hundred lucky fans were treated to the down home amenities of the Flying W Airport and Pool Resort in the ultra-suburban town of Medford, NJ. The weather was perfect, the pool was blue and the tiki bar served ‘em up cold. The stars were aligned, and everything was in place for this to be the show of 2009 . . . then the music started. As a concept, the idea of a round robin concert where bands take turns playing their own songs seemed exciting. Rumors were swirling, and many were under the impression that the bands would collaborate on each other’s songs. R5 Productions, the promoters of the show, even advertised it as such.
We called Deerhunter’s performance last year at the Music Hall in Williamsburg, as well as the astonishing Microcastle LP, as our favorites in 2008. As huge fans of Deerhunter, it was a no-brainer that Fishpork would attend the festivities in Medford, especially after last year’s debacle at All Points West. In all fairness, APW did feature a breathtaking performance by Radiohead. This year’s lineup featured the geriatric-fied Beastie Boys (later replaced by Jay-Z), Tool and Cold Play, and we weren’t ready to spend $100 on a 20-minute Crystal Castles set.
At the Flying W, the problems arose with the incompatibility of the bands’ setlists and discographies, as well as the inaudible and raucous noise by the overrated and overweighted Dan Deacon, who seemed lost without his backing band. Unfortunately, this will most likely go down as the worst show of 2009. A good show exhibits a sense of flow and chemistry. Developing an effective set list is a skill. Songs need to fit together and feed off one another. Three distinctively different bands taking turns playing tracks from three distinctively different music vaults felt forced and unnatural. Upon experiencing the mellow sound of Deerhunter’s title track from Microcastle, the head-pounding, cocaine-induced “Snookered” by Dan Deacon broke down that previous exaltation and had me feeling confused and uncomfortable.
The bands also lacked chemistry with their verbal communication throughout the show. In between a double shot of Deerhunter tracks, Bradford Cox began telling a background story but was interupted by both bands. “This is the part of the show that only the artists enjoy,” joked Dan Deacon. “This is where you play a song, Bradford” was shouted from the No Age stage. At that point, I felt lucky to have only paid $12 for my ticket. It wasn’t until Dan Deacon decided to command his drug-induced followers to march to the parking lot in a single file line that we decided the gimmick was overpowering the music. At that point, I wondered if APW was still serving Longhammer or if Tool would be playing anything new. We left early.
RX Bandits/Dredg @ TLA
The crowd at the Theater of Living Arts in Philly waited anxiously for RX Bandits while the opening band, Zechs Marquise, played their psych-rock collection of songs. The siblings of famed Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (The Mars Volta), Marcel and Marfred, played intensely while slowly winning over the crowd. As they played “Chase Scene” off their latest LP, Our Delicate Stranded Nightmare, the crowd became enamored. New fans started pushing their way towards the stage, intrigued by these trance-rock melodies. Zechs Marquise soon ended their set and introduced Dredg.
Lead singer Gavin Hayes entered and Dredg fans cheered with approval to start the next set. Gavin approached his slide guitar and played the overwhelming introduction to “Bug Eyes.” As Hayes moved his hands up and down the slide guitar, the crowd began pushing forward and soon started yelling the words to the song, “Bring back those good ol’ days | Nothing feels right; nothing ever goes my way | I threw my future away; now I walk alone.” Later in the set, Dredg decided to chill things out by playing an impressive rendition of “Zebra Skin.” Before letting the crowd get too mellow, Dredg highlighted their set with “Ode to the Sun.” The song had everyone in the crowd moving. As Dredg ended their set, the crowd began buzzing for what was next to come, RX Bandits.
“RXB! RXB! RXB!” the crowd chanted as they waited impatiently for the band to take the stage. Christopher Tsagakis entered and approached his drum set as the crowd went insane. Fans pushed to get closer to the stage. RX Bandits didn’t disappoint, as they opened with a four-person drum intro. It was an amazing start to the show. The rest of the band joined, and they went right into “In Her Drawer.” The mellower “Apparition” provided a much needed break for whoever was being pummeled during the first few songs. The crowd caught its collective breath and prepared for the next wave of songs.
The band’s setlist was mostly taken from their latest record Mandala. The crowd showed their appreciation by sustaining their energy throughout the entire performance. When RX Bandits left the stage, the entire crowd started singing the lyrics to the band’s most popular song “Overcome,” “We’ve had enough of these politician’s wars; what we need right now is love | We’ve had enough of these military scoreboards; all we need right now is love.” The crowd continued for a solid three minutes until the band appeased their request for an encore. As expected, they began with “Overcome,” and the loudness of the crowd peaked. RX Bandits played a few more songs before ending with the four-man drum solo. The show was an overpowering experience for anyone lucky enough to be in attendance.