Mark’s:
Pete’s:
As a collective, Fishpork attended 15 live shows this year (and there are still two more: Of Montreal tomorrow and Crystal Castles on New Year’s Eve, both at the Music Hall of Williamsburg). Unfortunately, a band does not have complete control over how well received their live performance can be. This was the case with all bands that played in our least favorite venue of 2008: The Electric Factory in Philadelphia. Although Animal Collective managed to overcome the venue’s sound limitations the best, others were not so lucky (The Mars Volta, TV on the Radio, Of Montreal). Unless Jeff Mangum announces a show here, Fishpork will avoid it at all costs in 2009. Highlights of the year included an intoxicating performance by Deerhunter, a sweaty dance party curated by Girl Talk, and a 3am secret show by Modest Mouse. These were our favorite shows of 2008:
Honorable Mention:
Holy Fuck @ Johnny Brendas
Crystal Castles @ Webster Hall
Health @ House of Blues
TV on the Radio @ Electric Factory
Of Montreal @ Electric Factory
Least Favorite Show of 2008
The Mars Volta @ Electric Factory
Favorite Live Venue of 2008
Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA
Least Favorite Venue of 2008
Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
Remember this era in music. It’s a special one. We’re going to look back and talk about it like we talk about the 60s or 70s. I used to miss all the great bands that came out of the 90s, but my longing for the hay days of grunge and industrial has since dissipated. Go ahead and disagree, but this is a renaissance period for music. This year was no exception. In fact, it served as an endless discovery period of great bands and classic albums. However, our favorite album of 2008 was not a difficult choice at all. Here is our list of favorite albums of 2008:
Honorable Mentions:
Most Disappointing Albums:
Most Overrated Albums:
Fishpork will post our favorite songs and live shows of the year next week. Check back soon!
Let me start off by saying that the show itself was amazing. I have never seen Trent Reznor happier and more into his performance. Trent was drenched in sweat only minutes after walking out to “Pinion,” and he did not let up for one second over the next two hours. The setlist was amazing, and the band played a good mix of new and old. In sharp contrast to their complex light show and set design of the current arena tour, this stripped down “instrument only” gig was just as impressive.
The first time I saw Trent and company was in support of The Downward Spiral, and I have yet to miss a tour since. NIN’s performance at the Wachovia Center earlier this year set the new standard for stadium shows. Trent has also set the standard for opening acts (his choices are close to being unreal). Over the past few years Trent has given the slot to so many great artists including, QOTSA, TV On The Radio, Dresden Dolls, Autolux, Crystal Castles, and Bauhaus. For this current leg of the tour alone, he chose HEALTH, Deerhunter, Boris and The Bug. HEALTH was the band for this night. After picking up their remix record “Disco,” which featured the superb Crystal Castles remix of “Crimewave,” I was led to their self-titled debut album (think The Dillenger Escape Plan meets Battles). The few YouTube vids showed an intense show that really got me fired up for their opening set.
If someone were to tell me that I would see NIN in an intimate club show (where they will play a 2 hour non-
stop set), and I would walk away with an ounce of disappointment, I would refuse to believe it. One of the most anticipated shows of the year was somewhat of a disappointment because of the obnoxious crowd. Opening band HEALTH provided an awe-inspiring set of noise-rock, highlighted by a crystal clear mix. This left me thinking: “how can Trent top this?” My mood was instantly turned to anger as several members of the audience began heckling and booing the band. I walked over to one heckler and exclaimed that if he thought he could do better than he should go up on stage. Unfortunately, silencing one could not quiet the others. I had much higher expectations for an intimate show of this kind. I had hoped for a hardcore audience of fans, but instead got a crowd filled with testosterone and bad taste. (Luckily, I had tickets for Deerhunter in Brooklyn for the following night which renewed my hope that there are still young people out there with an open mind and good taste).
After “Survivalism” Trent told the audience that “We have a special surprise for you.” What was to follow was indeed the highlight of the evening. Peter Murphy walked on stage to a rousing applause. After a short wave to the audience, the band went into “Reptile.” Trent played guitar while lingering in the shadows at the back of the stage, giving Murphy the spotlight. Murphy’s deep voice fit the song perfectly and energized the crowd. Trent returned to the front for the chorus of the song. With Trent’s playing guitar, Murphy even held the mic for Trent, as he added his “beautiful liar” and ”precious whore” mantras.
After a crowd pleasing rendition of “Closer,” Trent mentioned that the “super fans” had been giving him shit for “fucking up the words” for closer. He then confidently tossed the mic to a group of fans in the front row. who finished the speaking part of the song, “Through every forest, above the trees…” In true Reznor form, he then went into “Discipline,” where he sang the entire part as part of that song mixed in with the usual lyrics.
About an an hour and fifteen minutes through the show I was ready for Trent and co. to leave the stage for a much solicited encore. Instead, Trent told the audience that they had a “shitload of songs left to play” for us. By that point, I had already left the tough-guy pit and wandered to the back of the venue to watch the show. From there I caught great performances of “The Line Begins To Blur” and “Starfuckers, Inc.” They closed the 2+ hour set with the usual closer, “Head Like A Hole,” without any need for an encore. I started the evening with disappointment in the fans, but NIN’s performance erased most ill feelings and only underscored what is always the most important part: respect for music. This was one of the greatest shows of the year and the worst crowd I have ever witnessed.
Setlist: 
For the record the lyrics for the speaking part of Closer are:
“Through every forest, above the trees, within my stomach, scraped off my knees, I drink the honey inside your hive, You are the reason I stay alive”
A few months ago I wrote a review raving about electro-thrash duo, Crystal Castles’ self-titled debut album. Months later, the album still holds up as one of the year’s best. As a live band, CC is a three-piece, with Ethan Kath on manipulatables, Alice Glass on whispers and shouting, as well as Michael Bell (Lymbyc System) on percussion. After several years of relentless touring, CC performances have garnered a reputation as raw and chaotic. This was no exception at Webster Hall in New York’s East Village two Thursdays ago.
The show started after a long break between opening bands. Friends and I showed up in the middle of the break, so I cannot comment on the opening acts (mission accomplished). Without the crowd noticing, Crystal Castles mastermind, Ethan Kath, snuck onto stage and mounted his electronic gear without many noticing. At that point, the bass kicked in and a strobe light provided the light on a mostly dark stage. The hypnotic lighting worked well, as Alice made her way on stage. The feelings among many concerning Glass’ vocal style are mixed to say the least. In a New York Times review of the show, Nate Chinen obviously doesn’t comprehend the Crystal Castles mythos:
The grinding screech of the L train after the show was more engaging, and less mannered.
The set was sporadic and short. Highlights included bass-heavy Black Panther which brought the crowd to a frenzy, as the second floor of Webster Hall shook relentlessly from the simultaneous jumping of the entire crowd. Crowd favorites were obvious. The place went absolutely mental when Crystal Castles’ hit Crimewave, a reinvention of a track by noise rockers, HEALTH. Alice, with her bottle of wine, running mascara, and tattered skirt, sang the inaudible vocals as Kath manipulated her voice even more. The sound in general at Webster Hall was impressive, and Kath’s beats sounded Godlike. Alice’s mics, however, were completely drowned out, which is annoying since she is the centerpiece of the live set. Let’s be honest. She’s merely a guest vocalist on the band’s debut album, and Kath’s beats are what makes Crystal Castles go. But on electro-thrash tracks like Alice Practice and Love and Caring, Glass is more of a focus, and it would be nice if her vocals were somewhat audible. Instead, we are left with her stage antics, which are entertaining in their own right. Not caring about the intentions of hundreds of wandering hands, she continuously stage dived into the crowd. It has been documented in previous shows, that crowds at CC shows are not always as respectful of the diving Glass as one would hope for. Throughout the night, Glass poured wine onto the heads of fans in the first row and jumped into the crowd numerous times from one of several stage amps.
And all of a sudden, it was over. The crowd lingered, confused and yearning for more. It wouldn’t have hurt CC to come out and appease the crowd for more, especially if they want to keep their growing fanbase happy. In this age of filesharing and creative distribution structures in the music industry, bands need to keep fans at their live shows happy. You would have thought that some of Trent Reznor’s fanlove would have rubbed off on them during the Canadian shows they opened up for Nine Inch Nails. For that reason, the show was a minor disappointment. The greatest trick that Crystal Castles ever pulled was convincing the world they existed. And like that, poof. They’re gone.
Due to the sporadic nature of the set, a setlist is not available at this time.
