Purely Recreational

True Widow w/ Bad Dreams @ Union Pool, Saturday August 13th, 2011

2011-08-16T14:18:00.001-07:00

I invited quite a few fools to this True Widow show, but alas, I think maybe the darkish heavy tones of this ultra-slow rock band from Texas scared away my aging girlfriend-tied friends. Or perhaps, the minor threat of some kind of goth-doom inspired mosh-pit in a crowd of questionably-showered hipster metal-heads was too good of an offer to accept. But sincerely it was their loss, since instead of some kind of slow depressed nightmare sadness, True Widow's live show came across as more of a heavy, warm, peaceful blanket of sound to curl up next to the fire with, and slow down your life.

Something about playing songs that down-tempo and overdriven, comes as only a relief and reprieve from our distracted fast-paced modern city life. I get a similar feeling at a Ducktails or Kurt Vile concert, a chill-out factor that puts me in a nice low-key mood, of course True Widow does it in a louder, heavier way, but the effect is the same. For all of you tone heads, how does he get those sick guitar sounds? Well, I can't say for sure, since he hid half of his pedal board in a box of cables (is this a new trend?) but he was playing gibson humbuckers in stereo through a twin reverb for clean and a tweed deluxe for tube amp distortion, with a boss blues driver for boost/overdrive grit. Can't beat that setup. Beautiful.

I missed opener's Herzog Rising, who have the most insane band blog I've ever seen (check out the obama video!!). But Brooklyn's Bad Dream was pretty solid, similar to True Widow in a heavy bluesy way, but maybe not as slow and with more angst. Their singer/bassist has a fantastic scream, more like a roar, so you don't care if you can't make out the lyrics, since the melodies, tone and emotion are all there. Overall quite a satisfying show, and I have no regrets blowing off all other saturday-night invitations, in fact it was my friends' loss, for not taking a chance on an under-rated band from out of town.

Joan of Arc @ Shea Stadium, January 20, 2010

2011-01-24T08:23:00.000-08:00

If you were ALT in the late 90's, or a fan of Cap'n Jazz, there's a decent chance you had a brief love affair with Joan of Arc, especially for their energetic live shows. While most bands from this era have broken up and grown up, JOA apparently didn't get the memo. They've only gotten better, with less emo and angst, more fun and groove. There's nothing like a tight veteran band with years of experience still rocking out, doing what they love. And you can still catch them in a small venue. Know what I mean?

Beck - "Cancelled Check" - Live at KCRW 1995

2011-01-07T15:13:00.002-08:00

I was trying to remember this one quote from a Beck radio show but couldn't: "The past is a cancelled check, your maximum point of power is NOW!" It was relevant at the time. Anyway, I thought I would share, so i uploaded this video mp3. Oh, and I did some "internet research" and the televangelist he's talking about is Tony Robbins. Of course.

Big Troubles w/ Babies @ Death By Audio, December 18th, 2010

2010-12-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

Even with a sunny and cool Babies headlining set, featuring the hot girl from Vivian Girls, and a dude from Woods, openers Big Troubles won the night, with excellent Pains of Being Pure of Heart-esque shoegaze pop, meets early 90's british alt-indie. They were so convincing, I even bought their last LP "Worry" which I'm happy to report will require many excellent repeat listens. Reading Rainbow also played a set, and while they have a pretty fantastic band name, there's just something about their music that really annoys me...

Hunnie Bunnies w/ Skimask @ Party Expo, December 9th, 2010

2010-12-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hunnie Bunnies are cave-men bunny rabbits drenched in bunny blood dropping blitzkreig hip hop beatz over heavy vocal feedback. By destroying everything cute in their band name and the world, they reveal the charade that anything is truly innocent (even bunnies), and leave the audience wanting to rage. That's a good thing. There are too many pretty little bands out there trying to "make it big" for the glory of their own inflated ego. HB inspires you to run around the room like a wild dog, raise your fist to the moon, and rip your hair out in frustration at our inability to live in a modern society without being exploited for greed. This is "release" music for the post-reagan 99% global corporate slave generation, where the only brave yet desperate gesture we have against conformity is to recreate the sounds of a bunny being skinned alive, and amplify it as loud as we can.

PS. Skimask is the perfect opener, like a disillusioned 90s rural noiserock band attempting a big city bank robbery as revenge for the 2008 financial crisis.

Hauschka @ Manhattan Inn, October 25th, 2010

2010-10-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

Hauschka is a neo-classical german composer who somehow managed to break into the indie-rock scene in Brooklyn. Here's a nice recording I've made of the last song in his set. Beautiful.

Cloud Nothings @ Don Pedro's, October 23rd, 2010

2010-10-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

You might not notice it from the recordings, but Cloud Nothings has pretty much the sickest punk drummer out there right now. He was doing like 16th notes on the Kick without a double bass pedal! Yeah, you know a band has BIG potential (like Vampire Weekend big) when the hipsters form a mosh pit and start crowd surfing in a venue smaller than my apartment.

Candy Claws, Tape Deck Mountain, Wise Blood @ The Delancey CMJ Showcase, October 20th, 2010

2010-10-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

I guess Candy Claws were the reason why I trekked out to The Delancey for this CMJ show. Their new album Hidden Lands is dreamy, like the soundtrack to some psychedelic stop-motion christmas movie with paper mache elves and talking snowmen. And they're from San Diego, what's not to like? Okay, so they lose points for the zorro masks, but gain points for wearing headphones on stage. See, it all works out! I really liked what the guitar player was doing, fabulous stuff. Their songs don't follow a straight traditional rock structure (verse, chorus, verse). It's more classical, with key modulations and variation on a theme, less repetition. Different! Good!

Tape Deck Mountain is an awesome band name. Guess what? It's also a damn fine band. Kinda post-shoegaze? This was Carl's favorite band of night. I really liked their lyrics, which surprisingly, you could make out loud and clear. The drummer was simultaneously playing a keyboard throughout, the guitarist had an elaborate looping effects setup, and the bassist plays through a Rat pedal. Cool!

I like bands that get wasted before their CMJ showcase, scream their guts out, rip off their shirt, sample The Beatles, and only play for 15 minutes, like Wise Blood.

Women w/ DDMMYYYY @ Knitting Factory, October 9th, 2010

2010-10-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

Phew! Women were amazing. One of the best shows I've seen in a while. You know who they remind me of? The Joggers! But a little more 60's pop psych. I just love those jangly guitars! Their new album Public Strain is really solid, def in my top ten this year... I only saw the last few songs from DD/MM/YYYY, but they're also fun! Spazzy artsy uptempo indie math rock at it's best =) Good dudes too.

Deerhunter @ Apple Store Soho, September 28th, 2010

2010-10-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Oh boy! There was some serious B.O. at this show. Honestly, Deerhunter fans need to take a shower. We couldn't see much (the Apple Store doesn't have a 'raised' stage) and it was pretty packed, but the sound was excellent (Bradford has the same Marshall stack as me!). Overall I think I still like Mikrocastle better, but there are some excellent new songs on Halcyon Digest that were cool to see live (my favorites so far are Helicopter and He Would Have Laughed). Too bad I wasn't close enough to see their effects pedals, I bet they have some good ones...

Pavement @ Central Park Summerstage, September 25th, 2010

2010-09-23T10:55:00.001-07:00

Here it is. The long-awaited Pavement re-union tour. The one so anticipated that it went on sale a year in advance. I guess people were a little too confident about their schedules back then, and were outside the venue selling extra tickets like crazy. The original ticket price was $38.50, and you were lucky if you got $10 bucks for one. I got in for free! (thanks dude at the door) Times New Viking opened up and I liked 'em, even though I can't listen to their ultra lo-fi albums. Also, the drummer was showing some Cincinnati love, go Reds! =) So, how was it? Was it worth getting soaked in the lightning storm? I think so! A little fear of death makes any show better. They sounded great, huge guitars, big drums, Malkmus was on point. But there was a little bit of that feeling you get whenever you watch bands from the 90's play their old hits, that this-was-relevant-15-years-ago-why-am-i-still-spending-my-time-to-see-this thing. Still, great songs from an influential band!

Panda Bear @ Governor's Island, September 11th, 2010

2010-09-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to see Panda Bear for a long time, since his last show was such a revelation. This one comes on the cusp of his new album, Tom Boy, which has yet to be released. It was pretty cool to be one of the first few thousand people to hear the new sounds, and almost makes it worth the $25 cover charge (but still, that's no excuse to charge $12 for a Jack on the Rocks -- sorry dude, no tip on that bs). What's the verdict? There are definitely some jams. He seems like he's going for a slower, artsier approach to this album, which is nice, and kind of fits my mood (I don't always enjoy watching people spazz out on stage - ahem, I'm talking about you, opening-band-i-don't-care-what-your-name-is). You can definitely hear a couple of the merriweather post pavilion samples in there, and some of the drum beats are fantastic (that is his specialty). And of course, his voice is in top form. I don't know of anyone else who can do male falsetto in such a sweet, un-obnoxious way. The projector video was decent too, kinda glitchy computer graphics spliced with 80s vhs clips. He did go a little heavy on the dual fog machines. That, combined with the view of the towering 9-11 memorial lights across the water, really reminded you of that terrible, world-changing day. But it's good to remember things like this, how we don't really live in a completely safe and harmless world.

Why? @ Williamsburg Waterfront, July 11th, 2010

2010-09-13T08:49:00.000-07:00

Why? was pretty good... I'm not a huge fan (like Alex, who knows the dudes), but it was enjoyable. You'd think that Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu playing Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" album would be rad. But it was not.

Shiv Hurrah @ Arlene's Grocery, May 25th, 2010

2010-05-26T11:30:00.000-07:00

My friends have a new band, Shiv Hurrah, led by David Bechle. I think everyone was duly impressed by this, their first show! I hope they stick together, and get real tight and awesome. Check out the video I shot!

Shai Erlichman w/ Murderfist, Johnny McNulty @ Petri Dish, May 22nd, 2010

2010-05-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

I like Shai Erlichman. He only played a few songs in between some pretty hilarious comedy improv acts (including Murderfist (see video below), and Johnny McNulty). But Shai's new band seems like a good fit, and I'm looking forward to new music from him. What a fun night!

Apollo Sunshine @ Mercury Lounge, May 19th, 2005

2010-05-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ooooooooooooooooooof. Apollo Sunshine slays. Seriously, if you can see them, do it. Well, first buy all of their albums, so you know the songs, then go. Sam SHREDS on lead guitar, one of the best out there. I'm so glad they're still playing! Why isn't this band huge dammit?

This Frontier Needs Heroes @ Bruar Falls, May 18th, 2010

2010-05-26T10:48:00.001-07:00

This was kinduva weird night. An intimate This Frontier Needs Heroes show means Brad and Jessica Lauretti are gonna be a little rambunctious. The new merch is awesome. Do I want a custom made one-of-a-kind This Frontier Needs Heroes pillowcase featuring the gulf-oil spill drawn by glitter gun? Yes, I do. Brad was just in Texas for the last few months writing new songs, and he debut'd a few of them here. His favorite, "Space Baby," which he declares as the best song anyone has written anywhere in the last year, is, i'll admit, fantastic. I hope their new album (recently kickstarter funded) lives up to this fact.

Broken Social Scene @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg, May 8th, 2010

2010-05-26T10:06:00.001-07:00

"Are you ready for The Forgiveness?" Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene asked the sold-out crowd at Music Hall of Williamsburg on a Saturday night in Brooklyn. After opening their set with a few staple BSS hits, the band launched into songs off of their new album aptly titled Forgiveness Rock Record. The new album is good, not my favorite BSS, but I'll gladly keep supporting this band if they continue making poignant, inventive music. I'll probably never see BSS again in such a small venue. And it felt a little weird too, like we were watching a band that had clearly out-grown the mid-sized club. The audience was a little dazed for most of the show, not knowing what to make of this new incarnation of the band. And the band noticed it too, commenting halfway through the set, "I feel like we all just woke up." Of course, this was a big event and all of the branches of the extended BSS family tree were there, including special guest appearances by Emily Haines, and the Philly Horn section. My favorite of the night was their version of "It's All Gonna Break" which they didn't play at Webster Hall the night before. Ahh, another BSS show for the memory books.

Gross Relations @ Bruar Falls, April 23rd, 2010

2010-05-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Bruar Falls was packed for the debut of Gross Relations. They were pretty good, sort of like an even more lo-fi version of Guided By Voices, if that's possible, except with a vibrato-y keyboard and distorted vocals. And I'm not just saying all this cuz they recorded their EP at my studio, I would never do that!

Doomstar! @ Party Expo, April 1, 2010

2010-05-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

Holy shit. Doomstar! fucking destroyed! They just keep getting better, with such a huge sound for 3-piece. Sorry, no pictures. I was too busy jumping around!

SHITSTORM w/ The Walk-It-Offs, Martha Dumptruck Massacre @ Matchless, March 31st, 2010

2010-05-26T08:34:00.001-07:00

Due to scheduling conflicts (Drum had to skip practice to break up with his girlfriend) SHITSTORM had to play this shit-show as a two piece. I think it went well? At least all the blips and beeps were in their proper order, and everyone had their mind blown. Noise collage at it's best. Thank you for your support! No pics from the show, but we bought some nerd glasses and took a couple portraits during practice. I think Carl looks fantastic.

Martha Dumptruck Massacre always brings a big smile to my ears. For some reason, I can't really describe them, but at least one song really put everything in perspective, and made my night. They're also cool dudes.

Yellow Tears @ Whitney Museum, Friday March 26th, 2009

2010-04-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Couch For a Long Time, 2009.
Photograph by Dan Kvitka.

Okay, so I arrived a little late and missed most of Thurston Moore's noise set for this Whitney Biennial event (but I saw him at Glasslands a while back and it was fantastic, so I don't feel too bad). Anyway, Thurston was gonna headline, but didn't want to follow Yellow Tears, and with good reason, they have a monstrous sound and deserved the top spot.

Yellow Tears are what I would describe as "weirdo noise." Their sound-scape collage is consistently unexpected and indescribable, thus perfect for an Art Museum show. They used one sample of a woman screaming in pain, as if she were being stabbed or murdered, that really blew everyone's mind (or at least mine). I couldn't see very well, but I did see the band doing these contorted facial expressions and rapid tongue movements to the music, that in any other context would seem really off-putting, but somehow worked with the strange music. Check out their album The Piss Mop to see what I mean...

Choir Of Young Believers @ Pianos, March 11, 2010

2010-03-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

Beautiful, just beautiful! If the stupid bouncer hadn't detained me at the door for 15 minutes for no reason, I would've seen the whole Choir Of Young Believers set (I guess I was in a line full of scheezy dudes -- but I was going to the show! not to hit on girls at the bar!). As it was, I walked in right during a lush version of "Next Summer" and I knew I was in the right place. They came all the way from Denmark for what I assume is their first US visit. Wow. They were amazing. Jannis Makrigiannis has one of the most beautiful voices out there, just as shimmery as Band of Horses or Fleet Foxes, but COYB tunes are slower and more exposed (instead of hiding under a wall of sound, you can hear every note). Their drummer was real good. Shit, they all were. I was worried their live show would be too EMO or too slow or depressing. Not even close, they're were pros and even rocked out a bit at times. They played a few new songs that were also choice. This band will be huge in like a year or two. They probably already are in Europe. See 'em in a small venue, if ya can...

The Morning Benders @ Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, February 25th, 2009

2010-03-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

It's hard to resist The Morning Benders for a regular show, but an all-acoustic bookstore gig? With proceeds going to fight hiv/aids? Near impossible! ("You say the money for this beer goes to fight aids? Yes, I'll have another, and I'm buying one for Carl!"). There was also a cool CD swap thing at this show. I traded my Veckatimest record for a Miles Davis CD, which I didn't end up liking. Oh well, still a cool concept...

So, TMB have a new album out, Big Echo, but it wasn't out yet for this show, so most of us didn't know all the new songs they played. No matter, we all sang along with the new single, "Excuses" for the closer, which was pretty cool. It was lead-singer Christopher Chu's birthday, so I'm sure it was a special night for the band too. And it looks like TMB are moving to nyc too, so now we can go hang out at The Levee together and be friends. Sweet! BTW, the whole line up for this show was good Check out Shark? and Cuddle Magic. Both solid.

Here We Go Magic @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, January 29th, 2009

2010-02-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

What's nice about having a blog in which you don't really care about whether it 'blows up' is that you can take your sweet ol' time in posting. I saw Here We Go Magic a couple of weeks ago. They've got one of the best albums out this year and I've been waiting a while for them to get their act together and play a show (they play surpisingly infrequently for a 'local' band).

I thought it would be hard to translate the album to the live stage since i read somewhere that Luke Temple wrote and recorded the album all by his lonesome in his Greenpoint apartment (no small feat). But, lo and behold, everyone knew their parts and they were bad-ass! Probably the most relaxed band I've ever seen on stage. It felt like we were just hanging out in their practice space! Either they're amazing actors or just really chill dudes! Or maybe headlining one of the biggest venues in Brooklyn isn't such a big deal? It isn't! What i liked, is that they really explored their songs instead of just going thru the motions. As if they actually enjoyed playing their music! As if! They've got a girl bassist, and she's pretty much smokin' in more ways than one. Why are hot girls so good at bass? (insert punchline) but yeah, Here We Go was flippin' rad (notice the napolean dynamite reference to the word 'flippin' - yeah, sweet). Even worth the $12+ cover charge. That says a lot! I mean you've got to be good to back up an incredible video like this one... Fangela!

The Yummy Fur @ Market Hotel, January 15th, 2010

2010-01-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

The highly-anticipated triumphant state-side debut of 90's glaglow indie-rock band The Yummy Fur exceeded all expectations and brought the real, sweaty, old-school diy ethos to a packed crowd of Brooklyn hipster know-it-alls. I was trying to think of the best way to describe this band... maybe combine the melodic drone of My Bloody Valentine with the post-punk singing styles of The Modern Lovers, aka. AWESOME!

For a band that has been pretty much DOA for the last decade, they really sounded zipper-tight! This current line-up includes the sick drummer from Franz Ferdinand, the blazing guitar lines of Brian McDougall, and an ebullient lead-singer in John (Jackie) McKeown. They even impressed my younger brother, who was in town on vacation, and he usually only gets down with the latest in mid-west underground hip-hop! I bought a tape of Yummy singles after the show from What's Your Rupture? Kevin, who was ecstatic at having The Fur finally play in The Apple. Definitely try to see these guys before they skip back across the pond, you don't want to wait another ten years to see what a truly professional indie-rock band from the 90's sounds like!!!

The Dutchess & The Duke @ Mercury Lounge, January 8th 2009

2010-01-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

I'm not exactly sure what compelled me to go to this show. I mean, $10 is a bit much to see just The Dutchess & The Duke. Although I really like their new album, "Sunrise/Sunset," which has some earnestly-sad folk-pop ballads, so that's the majority of my reasoning, but I've seen 'em live before, and they're not exactly mind-blowing (ie. there's not much to look at/ no one doing anything that super-inventively new). Still, something about this band is resonating with New Yorkers, given the sold-out crowd, and even the band members themselves don't quite understand it, asking "How did we trick you into liking us?" I think it has to do with their lyrics. Their songs deal with real emotions, in a bare, stripped-down way, that is refreshing in an often over-produced, overly-effected modern musical landscape. Despite the fact that somebody bought them a few shots of whiskey, and handed them a joint on stage, so their show and professionalism kind of fell apart into a stand-up comedy routine by the end, most of their set was quite lovely and pristine sounding (it's always a pleasure to hear a band perform at The Mercury Lounge, such a gorgeous room). And I truly enjoyed being able to hear all of the lyrics, which can be difficult sometimes on a mixed album. There. I think I just convinced myself!

Farmer Dave Scher @ CMJ - Music Hall Of Williamsburg, October 24th, 2009

2009-10-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

I really like former Beachwood Spark Farmer Dave Scher's new solo album (although how can you call it solo album with all those other musicians on it?). His mix of rock, psych, reggae and soul is unique I think, and in general this album is a very positive, optimistic recording. I wanted to see all the studio tricks in person, and Farmer Dave did have an ambitious set-up, with two drummers, a guitarist, a bassist, a hammond-organist, and his own multi-instrumental/effects setup. Was it worth all the hassle to lug all that equipment around the country? You bet! They sounded great, and definitely turned some heads opening up with "Bab'lone Nights" and also playing "You Pick Me Up," one of my favs! My only complaint is that since this was a CMJ showcase, MHOW limited his set to 20 minutes, just when they were getting into it! C'mon Man! Laaaaaame. Let 'em play!

Holiday Shores, Small Black, Blondes, Best Coast, Surf City @ Cakeshop CMJ Showcase, October 20th, 2009

2009-10-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

CMJ 2009! This line-up was too good to pass up... and the price was right... FREE!

I had to leave work early to catch Holiday Shores, but I'm glad I did! They were my favorite of the night! They looked really young (or maybe I'm just getting old!) but that only means they have lots of potential, right? Did I mention their drummer was scary good? Yeah, he is. Not that the rest were bad, they were all good. But the drummer played some really rhythmically complicated beats almost effortlessly. How does he do it? Probably years of practice and instruction. So it's second nature. I'm jealous. =)

Small Black have a nice new record out, and this was a good chance to check 'em out. I really liked their bass player. He's not afraid to play up high on the neck, and he was jumping around, getting into it. They also did it all without a guitarist, only keyboards and samplers, which isn't common. Nice job guys. Keep at it.

Blondes do the whole 2-man-drum-machines-and-synths-into-effects thing very well. Almost to a point where you have no idea how they are doing it. They were LOUD too, which is good for this type of electronica-psych, and to keep the audience at a safe distance. Oh wait, that's not what you want...

Best Coast probably drew the biggest crowd with the pop-iest sound. Bethany Consentino has a nice voice, but I just couldn't get into the band itself. Where's the energy and excitement? Must be all that west coast sun...

Surf City were definitely the most ALT of night. Kinda like if Dinosaur Jr. formed a band today and weren't all depressed and angsty and shit, but still had those big guitars, drone-y vocals, and diy mentality. I think I caught them smokin' weed in the green room before their set. Can you blame them? They're from New Zealand!

Dawes @ Mercury Lounge, October 15th, 2009

2009-10-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

I had been wanting to check out Dawes for a long time, since their debut album North Hills is one of my favorites of the year. They opened with "That Western Skyline," one of my favs, and played most of the album, excluding some of the quieter songs, which didn't really fit the party vibe of the night. Their drummer was especially impressive with his sensitive fills and dynamic range. But I was truly sold when they played a cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy." What a great song to cover! (who am i kidding, i was sold like 5 months ago when I first heard the album =) Why isn't this band bigger?

The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker @ Pianos, September 18th, 2009

2009-09-21T13:51:00.000-07:00

I had originally come out to support Ezra's band Diehard, who have a new bassist, and sound better than ever. But I'd rather talk about the headlining act, The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker, who, not knowing a thing about them, really stole the night. Alright, seriously, calling yourself "The Dynamites" is kind of an ego-trip. But then I saw them, and now I get it. They're just a really tight funk/soul band headed by the incredibly charismatic lead vocalist, Charles Walker. He's like a mix of James Brown and Marvin Gaye, so, umm, amazing. His stage presence just pulls you in and doesn't let you go. Totally made the show worth while. And the band was like uber-tight. My video doesn't even do it justice.

Mini Mansions @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, September 15th, 2009

2009-09-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

Mini Mansions are an energetic L.A. pop rock band that sound like 70s era Bowie, with Beach Boys harmonies. A really tight 3-piece is always a pleasure to see live, and Mini Mansions really "brought it" at this show. Michael Shuman, the drummer, who also happens to be the lead singer, had a really simple drum set up of just a floor tom, snare, crash-ride, and tamborine, but still sounded like he was playing a full kit. Pretty impressive. He also added guitars on some cuts. Tyler Parkford supported with piano and background harmonies, and bassist Zach Dawes really rocked out, especially during the distorted parts of "Majik Marker." Pretty cool!

Jana Hunter @ Market Hotel, September 2nd, 2009

2009-09-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

I didn't have anything to do, and Shani suggested seeing the show at Market Hotel, so I said why not. The opening bands were pretty awful, except for Twisty Cat, which was a 3-piece experimental-group consisting of a baritone sax and a bass clarinet through some fuzzy effects pedals, and a percussionist who attached a touch-sensor to his ride, so that every time he hit the cymbal, a stage light would flash at various intensities. Cool! But kind of gimmicky... Jana Hunter is definitely more my speed. She has a lovely relaxed psych sound that instantly put me in a warm fuzzy mood. Her band plays well together, with a common vision for the music. I think I liked the live show, which comes off as more abstract and alt, better than their latest album There's No Home, which comes off as softer and sweeter. Would see them again!

Grizzly Bear, Beach House @ Williamsburg Waterfront, August 30th, 2009

2009-08-31T08:49:00.001-07:00

The line to get into this free sunday waterfront show was two blocks long. Really? I guess Grizzly Bear is the most popular indie band on the planet. I mean Jay-Z and Beyonce were there, as well as Senator Charles Schumer, who was walking around with some aide who had a giant sign saying, "Meet Senator Charles Schumer!" That's what I need, some guy to follow me around with a giant sign saying, "Meet Adam Ghory!" And people would be like, "Who does that guy think he is, a senator?" Luckily, I cut near the front of the line, and arrived just in time to hear Beach House, who were lovely as always. I really like the use of a live drummer over a drum machine, the beats are much more interesting. I forget what it was specifically, but Victoria Legrand's stage banter was a little weird. Does she realize she's speaking to several thousand people? I would keep the chatty monologue to a minimum... No matter, they've got a really lush sound that always puts me in a hazy mood. And Grizzly Bear is always pretty and musical as well. I admit, I like Yellow House better than Veckatimest, their latest record. It just has a more home-y vibe. But the music video for "Two Weeks" is pretty rad...

This Frontier Needs Heroes, Blood Warrior @ Dam Stuhltrager Gallery, August 29th 2009

2009-08-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

Blood Warrior is the dark-americana side project of the lead singer from O'Death. So if you like Greg Jamie's croony singing style and story-telling lyrics, but wanted a quieter, more intimate experience, BW is for you (and me for that matter). I really like this direction of moving backwards in music-making, to a simpler time but with modern inflections.

In a similar vein, Brad and Jessica Lauretti comprise This Frontier Needs Heroes, a home-spun musical revolution for the dissolutioned corporate-music-hater. Brad's a bit of a character, and got a little too rowdy waiting to perform their set, and thus only played a song or two before having to break it down. Still, I highly recommend their new self-titled album for a slow night's drive or long walk on the beach. Check out "I can't do this all by myself" or "Bend the Bow" for a treat.

Insound's 10th Anniversary Party @ Brooklyn Bowl, August 27th, 2009

2009-08-31T08:42:00.002-07:00

The bands were pretty solid. Here's my synopsis: I liked Real Estate, just good basic indie-rock, would see them again. Some people really love The Drums, but for me they were trying so hard that it seemed contrived. Plus, their songs about heartbreak seem a bit shallow. Suckers still have a killer live show. Although I didn't really like their new song. Hope that's not a sign of things to come... I can't remember even seeing These Are Powers. Did they play? No matter, cuz I'm not really into them live, but their new record is alright. Cymbals Eat Guitars were pretty good, (and with a name like that, you better have a big guitar sound!) but maybe a little over hyped... Man, I really have to write these posts more contemporaneously.

The Monte Vista @ Loving Cup, August 22nd, 2009

2009-08-31T08:42:00.001-07:00

This was my former drummer Joe Spinella's 30th birthday party. To celebrate he booked a show with his new band, The Monte Vista, a three piece playing British invasion style pop (the second invasion - ie. Blur, and Oasis). I liked a couple of songs ("daydream" and the new one), because I used to be into this sort of sound (back in my early musical explorations), but now the sound seems a bit dated, and it's not my thing. Still, it was good to see Joe!

Ducktails @ Bellhouse, August 14th 2009

2009-08-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

This show was sold out, and I couldn't get in. Or else I would've gotten to see headliners Dungen and Woods. But at least I got to see a little bit of Ducktails by watching from outside the door.

I like the mellow sounds of his new album Landscapes, but live it was just Matthew Mondanile and his guitar, and was a little sparse (the album has overdubbed instruments and drums). Still, I wanted to check it out and now I have. No regrets.

Black Moth Super Rainbow @ South Street Seaport, July 24th, 2009

2009-08-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan. Nice bag of tortilla chips, dude.

We have a joke at the office where whenever someone wants to hear Black Moth Super Rainbow on the speakers (which happens more often than you'd think) they have to scramble the words of the band name, calling them something like The Black Super Rainbow People, or The Super Black Rainbow Butterflies, which fits the psychedelic nature of this band (but does the joke translate to the web? -probably not). This was the first time I'd seen them live, and it was great fun (they opened with a youtube video of some guy saying that their band is like the worst band in existence - a funny way to start a show -- and check out the lead singer's outfit - crazy!). Oh, and the music was solid too, their drummer was pretty much on point the whole time, and there was no lack of vintage synthesizers to keep the ears happy. Dude, I'm spacing out!

Dirty Projectors @ Williamsburg Waterfront, July 19th 2009

2009-08-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Dirty Projectors have come a long way from when I last saw them. Before they came off as nerdy, artsy, and eclectic. Now, with an excellent new album garnering critical success, they're pratically indie-elite! This show was crazy packed (as with most FREE waterfront shows). I was skeptical they could pull off all of the intricacies of their new album in a live setting, but they sounded great, with a tight rhythm section, some nice female acapella vocals, and a really lovely bass sound. Given their experimental nature, it'll be interesting to hear what they sound like in a couple of years...

Built To Spill @ Siren Festival, July 18th 2009

2009-08-20T15:15:00.000-07:00

I spent most of the day lying in the sun on the beach and missed quite a few of the bands, including The Oh Sees, whom I heard were good. I did catch Built To Spill, and they played a couple of my favs including "You Were Right" which for some reason had been in my head all day. By far the best part of the day was riding the aging Cyclone roller coaster for the first time. Let me tell ya, they knew how to make roller coasters back in the day. Few safety regulations, just a loose bar across the shoulders, and some wicked fast turns, sudden drops. A great ride.

Dr. Dog w/ Phosphorescent @ Prospect Park, June 27th, 2009

2009-06-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day for a free concert in Prospect Park! Any show that begins with an auspicious double rainbow has to be good... We arrived just in time for Phosphorescent, whose sad, beautiful, indie-folk crooning always puts me in a good mood. Dr. Dog followed with a fun and inspired pop-rock set combining the funkiness of The Band with the harmonies of The Beatles. They played my favorite song "The Old Days" from their last album Fate, so I left smiling. I think I just half-convinced myself to move back to Prospect Park!

No Eye Contact @ The Cameo Gallery, June 20th, 2009

2009-06-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

No Eye Contact is the long time project of friend and fellow Lexingtonian, Raky Sastri. This was his triumphant record release show, three years in the making. Having not heard Raky play in a while, I was pleasantly surprised at how much his vocal stylings remind me of Neutral Milk Hotel. The band consists of a banjo, bass, occasional auto-harp, acoustic guitar, violin, and backing male and female vocals, so it is appropriately old fashioned and lush. For this show, they played the new album straight thru, and the hi-lite for me was definitely the pseudo-title track, "You and Me," which along with "Rainbow" has some lovely lyrics. They were giving the new album, "You and Me and Other Fables," away for free (although I paid for mine) and I can't wait to hear it. Great job Raky!

The Dodos @ Studio B, Sunday June 14th, 2009

2009-06-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Dodos put out one of my favorite albums of 2008, "Visiter," and I've never seen them live before, so I was eager to finally check them out in action. I was not disappointed. They played an inspired and exhausting hour-long set. What struck me most though, is how each musician plays his instrument in a wholly unique way. The drummer, with his precise rhythm patterns, duct tapes a tambourine to the bottom of his left shoe, and plays without a kick drum, which is replaced by an extra tom or three. The vibraphonist, while often playing with a set of mallets, sometimes uses a violin bow for some lovely musical swells. One couldn't help but be impressed by the lead singer Meric Long. Clearly a lot of concentration, confidence and precision is required to simultaneously sing and play those intricate fingerpicking guitar lines in front of a crowd of hundreds. As opposed to the shoddy sound job done at the Sunset Rubdown show, the sound for The Dodos was excellent, and a joy to hear.

Sunset Rubdown @ Studio B, June 12th 2009

2009-06-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

It's nice to watch the evolution of a band, especially one as good as Sunset Rubdown. This latest incantation, fresh off their new album Dragon Slayer (which I haven't heard yet) is perhaps darker and more epic in scope than their previous efforts. This show was certainly not their best. Technical difficulties mired the vocals, which didn't really bother the audience, but were not up Spencer's exacting standards (which is a good thing -- to demand sonic perfection). While I wasn't familiar with most of the set, some of the new tracks truly sparkled, specifically "Dragon's Lair," which just when you thought was ending, came back for a roaring reprise.

I wish I could've gotten there earlier to hear Witchies. I like what I hear from them...

Sean Bones w/ Suckers @ Glasslands, June 1st, 2009

2009-06-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

This was the after-party for the New York premier of Wah Do Dem, a charming hipster-does-jamaica indie film starring Sean Bones, and directed by Ben Chace and Sam Fleischner. I really enjoyed the movie, and not just because I know the star and one of the directors, but the story itself is told in an honest, entertaining, anything-can-happen way. Besides being a fledgling movie star, Sean Bones also headlines an indie-rock reggae band signed to Frenchkiss and they played a nice set for this afterparty at Glasslands for the movie premier.

Surprisingly, Mr. Bones didn't headline the night, that honor was given to Suckers, which seemed odd at first, but my doubts were quickly laid to rest once they started playing... they were amazing! One of best live bands I've seen in a while. They only played 4 songs, but what a set! Everything was working for them, vocal harmonies, dynamics, delay pedals, style, enthusiasm, huge anthems, and a great drummer. I quickly downloaded the CD when I got home which, alas, has a creepy cover, and didn't quite capture the excitement of their live show. Nevertheless, definitely keep your eye on this band, and catch 'em while they're still bangin' hits in a small venue.

Johnny Beach's B-day Party @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, May 27th, 2009

2009-06-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

As talent buyer for the Mercury Lounge and the Bowery Ballroom, Johnny Beach has been an positive influential force in the New York music scene for the last 10 years. Probably most of the bands in your iPod got their big break from Johnny, and this was a bash in his honor. He's also my friend, and we've seen some great shows together, including Number 7 on my top ten list, the epic My Morning Jacket roadtrip show.

I missed the first three bands, Dawes (who have a wonderful new album out), Deer Tick, and The Antlers, but I made it to see the last two. I'm not a huge fan of their album, but Pela is a fun live band, and this was by far their best show. And Tokyo Police Club can't fail to put on a good set with all of those energetic songs. What a fun night, complete with an ice luge, indoor fireworks, and old friends.

Ford & Fitzroy @ Pianos, May 20th, 2009

2009-06-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

Ford & Fitzroy were really tight, way tighter than most bands I see, and clearly taking this whole "music thing" seriously. I also enjoyed the tone of the guitars. Spot on. Whenever Mina hit that distortion pedal... it sounded huge! My one critique would be that the lead singer was a little reserved at times, not always matching the intensity of the rest of the band, but that's like just some shitty music snob's opinion. Keep up the RAAWK boys!

No Fun Fest 2009 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg - May 15, 2009

2009-05-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

It's hard to open up a music festival, especially one packed to the brim with discriminating hipsters and demanding electronic noise elitists. Playing a double neck guitar with a violin bow through a couple of ebows and effects pedals, Noveller builds layers of atmospheric and melodic waves of sound that develops into a pleasant and peaceful wash of noise. She even seems like she'd be fun to hang out with, we could talk about all her quirky electronics experiments. Either that, or it would be really awkward. Ha.

Chris Corsano contributed his own considerable 2 cents to this festival dedicated to experimental sound. For this show, he built a custom sensory mic which he ran through a distorted amp and placed in various positions around his hi-hat. All that noise from just one hi-hat! Then for a finale, he jumped on a real kit and showed off some chops for literally a minute. He should've played it longer! My buddy Alex (who went to school with Chris) told me that he recently went on a world tour with Bjork as her drummer, so you know he's got skillz...

Thrones was pretty bad ass. Kind of like if a heavy metal bass god from the 70's retired to a cave with a bunch of electronics, only to emerge 20 years later with a sound no one has heard before. He had a massive setup, playing through at least two amps and three cabinets, including an 8x10 (those always sound amazing). Some moments were pure magic, where I had no idea how he was creating the music I was hearing. How in the heck did he make his voice sound like that? It's not an auto-tune, and clearly there is some kind of upper-octave pitch-shifting, but I really don't know what is going on. No matter, I'm glad I got to see Thrones once in my life, even though I had never heard of him before! He's straight out of the dungeons of rock.

So Cow w/ Diehard @ Bruar Falls, May 7th, 2009

2009-05-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

So Cow is a lovely three-piece indie-pop band from Ireland on their first American tour. Actually this was their first show in the states, and I must say it was a success. There's something so endearing about a tight 3-piece band with no weak links, playing 2-minute up-tempo pop-gems. Check out "Casablanca" for taste.

Diehard played a more relaxed and confident 2nd show. I just blogged about them, so I won't go into detail. But I seemed to like the second half of their set better than the first, better tunes maybe? One note of critique, their drummer doesn't have to hit the snare drum quite so hard, we can all hear it...

Comet Gain w/ Crystal Stilts and Cold Cave @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, April 12th, 2009

2009-04-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

If you don't like Comet Gain, I don't think we can be friends anymore. Yep, friendship over. But why wouldn't you like them? I see no reason. I have been looking forward to this show for quite some time. I haven't seen them since they played with Girlfrendo (currently members of Love Is All) and The Aisler's Set at NYU back in 2000! Phew, that takes me back! Needless to say, they were great! Finally a band having fun on stage AND playing good songs. What's not to like? And they give good advice, "It's never too late to live your life."

Crystal Stilts also had a good night, probably inspired by having a solid headliner after them. Also, did I smell weed drifting in from back stage right before they played? Might have something to do with it...

My buddy Kevin really likes Cold Cave, so I wanted to give them a shot, but I just couldn't get into it. I even bought a cassette, to see if their recorded stuff was better, but alas, not so. Their lead singer kinda tries to project Noel Gallagher on stage. Eh.

Kurt Vile @ Silent Barn, Friday April 3rd, 2009

2009-04-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Kurt Vile was exactly what I needed after a long week of 9-5. I actually enjoyed his live show better than his most recent record, Constant Hitmaker, mainly because this was a mostly a solo acoustic set, which is a little more intimate than an effects-heavy full band set. Check out the video... Lush! Dreamy! Psych!

Diehard w/ DD/MM/YYYY @ Union Hall, Tuesday March 31st, 2009

2009-04-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Diehard is my buddy Ezra's brand-spanking new band with all original music. Ezra doubles as the lead singer in The Blue Album Group, a Weezer album tribute band, and as expected, some of the sweetness and power-pop charm of the Weez is present in his original music (think green-album weezer, still bubblegum but not as super-pop or emotional as the first two albums -- and not as shitty as the rest of them). With Liz's female vocal harmonies, you get a touch of the Rentals for added flavor. This was their first show ever, so understandably they were a little nervous and you can't expect perfection in a first outing. But I liked what I heard (what can I say, smartly-crafted indie-pop is my jam), and I'd love to see them again as a tighter, more well-oiled machine. Great job Ezra! You make me want to start a indie-pop band myself!

DD/MM/YYYY (pronounced "date format" ? --not sure) has been popping up on some pretty impressive line-ups lately so I'm glad I got a chance to check 'em out. They were uber-tight and energetic (and sweaty!), with lots of UFO sound effects, instrument switching, and band camaraderie. Good stuff, but I couldn't really make out any of the lyrics and the hooks never really grabbed me, so I'm not anxious to see them again, but it was nice to see a band this devoted to the craft and perfection of their music.

Ray Concepcion y Cafe Con Leche @ some bar on 1st avenue, March 22nd, 2009

2009-03-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

I don't usually go for Latin bands, but I was walking home up 1st avenue and heard some amazing Puerto Rican music drifting from a random bar, and decided to stop in for Ray Concepcion y Cafe Con Leche's set. To be honest their bass player, Louie Arona, is who really drew me in. He had this way of not playing the root notes, and yet still weaving together some really beautiful and musical lines, all while keeping the form and rhythm. Nice job.

Woods w/ Let's Wrestle, Ca-USE Co-MOTION @ Monster Island, March 12th, 2009

2009-03-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

I love Woods. They're one of my favorite bands out there right now. Last time I saw them, about a year ago, they were kind of sloppy, but they've really focused and refined their sound, and now it's like this perfect mix of sweet and melancholy indie psych. I like how they sing through those lo-fi vintage microphones, which slightly distort their voices in a pleasant way. I didn't recognize many of the songs (but they did play 'don't pass on me,' one of my favs =). They were selling a new LP, which hasn't dropped yet, so I'm def looking forward to hearing that!

Let's Wrestle plays some really catchy up-tempo indie-garage (i really like how their myspace address is 'letsfuckingwrestle' =). They came all the way from England to play this show. They were ridiculously tight, which is always a pleasure. The Cribs comparisons are justified in terms of their sound, but Let's Wrestle aren't pricks (jk cribs, you know i <3 u). Just try to not dance along to "I Won't Lie To You." That song rules. See them while you can...

Ca-USE Co-MOTION closed this show, and they really "brought it," probably inspired by the solid performances before them. Ferocious. There was a big dance party up front, but I stopped taking photos at this point to go socialize.

Shai w/ Brittain Ashford, Dave Bechle @ Lisa's Loft, March 7th, 2009

2009-03-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

Dave Bechle opened the evening with some lovely singer-songwriter report in the vain of Johnny Cash and Townes Van Zandt. Dave has a nice voice, and sounded great singing a couple of feet away from the microphone, which was amped with reverb. I also like his 50s-style slicked back haircut. Now here's a man who pays attention to the details in things.

"Nothing says 'party' like a mountain dulcimer," says Brittain Ashford, who also plays a mean electric auto-harp, which is pretty much my favorite instrument of all time. Her songs followed the trend of sweet-n-sad folk, and those americana instruments really kept the vibe nice and rural. I liked her cover of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." Never heard it like that before!

Shai, was the only "band" of the night, but it was still pretty minimalist, just keyboard, guitar, and some light yet precise drumming. It took a minute to get used to his reverb drenched vocals and modest singing style. But after a couple of songs, the room was hooked. I really liked the one that went, "I've been dreaming, dreaming, dreaming, of the ocean, ocean, ocean..." Where can I get it? He's also quite a salesmen and sold all of his CD's of "Home Recordings 2007", including one to me. Some songs on it are really nice, especially the ones with a full band. What a lovely evening! =)

Handsome Furs @ Mercury Lounge, March 6th 2009

2009-03-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

Handsome Furs are kinda awesome. They've got that emo-electro-rock-i'm-from-canada-and-my-other-band-is-wolf-parade mojo. But I still like hearing a real drummer better than a beat machine when I'm at a live show. Just saying. Also, I kinda felt like a tool holding up that video camera for like 5 minutes straight, but it was well worth it. Looking good!

The Weakends w/ The Beets @ Monster Island Basement, March 4th 2009

2009-03-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

The Weakends are a psych-punk band from France. Their sound is right at home with the likes of The Black Lips and The Duchess and The Duke, but with foreign charm and european angst! They're currently on tour in the states, and put on a great show. Go see them! You won't regret it...

The Beets were good too, a little sloppy, but maybe purposely so? They definitely have some nice noisy sing-along jams. Their drummer doesn't use any cymbals and plays standing up, which is fun, but on some songs I miss the crash and ride. I wonder if they got their band name from the animated TV show Doug?

Yaps Farewell Party @ Pianos, February 26th, 2009

2009-02-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

My old college buddy, Tom Yaps, is moving to LA, and this was a party in his honor.

Noah Chernin of Sam Champion started the party with a barebones set of covers and originals, which included Kinks and Tom Petty songs.

Next up was Brenda, a 3-piece indie-rock band from Portland, ME. They were great! Sometimes that's all you need, guitar, bass, drums, good musicians and strong songwriting. They kinda reminded me of Built To Spill but happier, more straight-forward and less epic. Their drummer was truly on point. Where can I get an album?

After Brenda, Peelander-Z brought the party. These guys love flashy spandex, rocking out, monster costumes, "mad tigers," and audience participation. The bassist was playing on top of the bar. The guitarist used himself as a bowling ball, and smashed into some pins set up on the floor. They even dragged me on stage, threw a mask on me, and gave me a cowbell to bang on for one song. Yeah, fun stuff.

Telepathe w/ Teengirl Fantasy, Soft Circle @ Market Hotel, February 20th, 2009

2009-02-24T13:59:00.000-08:00

Telepathe are two cute girls with drum machines and effects pedals. Sounds like a recipe for success. And their new album, "Dance Mother," ain't too shabby neither. Everyone I went with to this show bolted before they played, because they heard that they weren't that good 'live.' But I don't know... I kinda liked it, and stayed for the whole set. And I usually don't go for all-girl bands that don't have guitars or live drums.

Teengirl Fantasy was a little too dance-y and techno-y for me. But their visuals were amazing. I don't know how they were doing it, but I couldn't look away... It was like a kaleidescope of 3-D gradient rectangles traveling at hi-speed and exploding to the music. Killer.

Soft Circle was probably the best performance of the show. A one-man band, Hisham Bharoocha (the drummer from Lightning Bolt), loops beats and sounds through a sampler, then plays live drums on top of it. It actually kinda reminds me of Shitstorm, the way he layers the sounds (he even has the same problems of lining up the samples to the beat - except his sampler has an 'undo' button - and ours just creates a mess :) His live drumming is still the hi-lite of the show, he's scary good. But he could use just a touch more instrumentation, to keep things moving. Overall, pretty cool!

Titus Andronicus w/ Los Campesinos @ Bowery Ballroom, February 14th, 2009

2009-02-20T15:16:00.000-08:00

So what do you do when you're single on Valentine's day? You go to a rock show by yourself, that's what! I actually liked openers, Titus Andronicus, a little better than Los Campesinos. Titus was more straight forward rock, with three guitars, bass, drums, and a lead singer who really screams his head off (can you see the bass player standing on his amp? Pretty dope.) Also, Titus did a Modern Lover's cover, "Roadrunner" declaring it the best rock song ever written. You know, they're kinda right...

Los Campesinos wrote not one, but two critically acclaimed albums last year. Also, my friend Dave said they put on a killer live show, so I decided to check 'em out. I guess my expectations were a little too high. No doubt they're pretty good, with some interesting instrumentation, but I found myself getting a little annoyed by the lead singer's accent. He sounded a little too bloc party-ish for me. I'd had enough of standing around by myself next to couples making-out, and left half way thru the set to meet a friend at a bar nearby. Another V-day down the tubes.

Nodzzz @ The Underground, February 8th, 2009

2009-02-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

This was a free show with WAVVES and Woods. A pretty solid line-up, but it was too packed inside and I couldn't see a thing. Nodzzz sounded great though, way better live than on record. They're the only band I stayed for. Can you blame me? It's a sunday afternoon!

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart w/ Ca-USE Co-MOTION, The Depreciation Guild @ Mercury Lounge, February 7th, 2009

2009-02-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

The triumphant record release show for The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Fresh off of an 8.4 from Pitchfork. If you haven't heard of these guys, you're probably living on another planet, because they are all over the inter-web. I didn't take any pictures of them, because the place was packed to the brim with greasy hipsters and who wants to see that?

Ca-USE Co-MOTION played 2nd. Some of their songs are undeniably great. Fast, fun and nerdy indie-punk. The bass player jumps around a lot! =)

The Depreciation Guild opened. Nintendo shoe-gaze with 8-bit graphics. I wasn't really feeling it tonight, but that's just cuz I saw them a month or two ago, and it was too soon for a repeat. They'll be touring with the Pains, so catch 'em on the road.

Doomstar! @ The Annex, February 7th, 2009

2009-02-20T13:57:00.000-08:00

I caught Doomstar! at the Annex before the Pains show. I still think they were the best band of the night. Maybe that's just because I like indie-psych better than indie-pop. And I feel that Doomstar has a more unique sound than any of the other bands... plus, they friggin' rock!

The Anti-superbowl, w/ Thurston Moore & Mats Gustafsson, John Olson with Okkyung Lee & C.Spencer Yeh @ Glasslands, Feb 1, 2009

2009-02-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like a noise show to cure the Superbowl blues. Something about the big game always gets me down. I guess after 4 hours of meaninglessness violence and commercialism, I'm understandably distraught. I was pretty tired after all that tube, but something drew me to this show (specifically, his name was Alex) and I'm glad I went. This was the anti-superbowl. After that horrifying halftime show by the Boss, Thurston Moore's blanket of pedal-induced guitar rebellion was a reassuring breathe of fresh air. Yes, there's more to music than selling out to Bridgestone Tires. Yes, some people are still artists and trying to make something new and real. I think this video explains it all. Now, just imagine if Thurston did the half time show...

Savoir Adore w/ The Sour Notes @ Union Hall, January 10th, 2009

2009-01-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

My old drummer is up to new tricks in Savoir Adore, playing indie-rock in a 5 piece that also includes another buddy from High School, Sasha Brown on Bass. Their sound definitely hints at other uber-popular indie groups of the day (ie. arcade fire gang vocals) with some interesting sounds, but perhaps arrived on the scene a couple of years too late, and a tad to sweet to grab much attention. Closers, The Sour Notes sounded more of the moment, with their fuzzy-dance-pop, and in their first appearance in New York left the audience begging for more. Looking forward to hearing more from both bands.

Mercat @ Union Pool, January 25th, 2009

2009-01-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

Last night I arrived late, so I missed Obituaries, a band that writes sentimental songs dedicated to the recently deceased. But I made it in time to see the CD release show for Mercat, an all-girl band with viola, violin, organ, bass and drums. This is not your typical rock band, and it takes a song or two to get accustomed to their emotive-catty-waltz-like music. But by the end of their set, I was sold, and they are my new favorite band of the moment.

The lead singer of Mercat kinda reminds me of Calvin, from "Calvin & Hobbes." That is, if Calvin was a girl, and grew up to start a band to reminisce those innocent, carefree days of childhood. Their lyrics clearly have strong emotional content, and since I know almost nothing about female emotions, this kept me enraptured throughout. And if only I could pay close enough attention to decipher their meaning, then I would finally understand women! Oh wait, that'll never happen. =) Check out: "Fight Song," "Ice Hotel" and "Not As Good As The First Time."

Wild Yaks @ Mercury Lounge, January 21st, 2009

2009-01-26T09:45:00.000-08:00

Wild Yaks are pretty awesome. Kind of like if the lead singer of Les Savy Fav started a punk band with the members of Akron/Family. The only thing that bothered me was that sometimes the lead guitar player would 'jerk off' a little bit on the solos, and try to steal the show. But that's just a minor complaint. Their lead singer really belts it out with a lot of bravado, and their drummer is pretty sick with those fast punk beats (I got the feeling that he used to be a guitar player, based on how he plays the drums, which isn't a bad thing, but I could wrong..) The whole band plays with a ton of enthusiasm and confidence, which makes for a fun show. Just try not to rock out to this shit. Just try.

Graham Smith @ Pianos, January 7th, 2009

2009-01-26T08:52:00.000-08:00

This was a rare solo acoustic performance by Kleenex Girl Wonder frontman and my former roommate Graham Smith, who put on a great performance playing a bunch of old and new songs by request and never dropping a lyric. My favorite of the night was his closer, a new song, "The Fire". Check out "Graham Smith is the Coolest Person Alive" from the KGW catalog and prepare to be blown away...

Top 10 Shows I've Seen So Far...

2009-01-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

For lack of anything better to do, and because Carl challenged me to do it, here's a rough list of the Top-10-Shows-I've-Seen-So-Far-In-My-Life. It's not in exact order, just an approximation, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a couple of good ones, but all of these shows were top notch and worth mentioning. Here we go...

1. Broken Social Scene at Middle East Downstairs during the You Forgot It In People Tour. That album is awesome. This show was awesome. I went alone and was in the absolute front row and the crowd wasn't nearly going crazy enough, so I started jumping up and down singing along, and Emily Haines herself hands me the mic for the chorus of "Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl." Amazing. Drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me...

2. Arcade Fire at the sold-out TT The Bears show during the Funeral tour. Their first show in Boston. I scalped my way in. I've never been to a more packed show (TT's has a 120 capacity - tiny!). They opened with "Wake Up" and the whole room erupted. I was 5 feet from the stage. Amazing.

3. Panda Bear at Bowery Ballroom, sold out. Even though I was slightly drunk and scalped my way in, I'll stand by the fact that this show was a revelation. I feel lucky too, because he rarely tours...

4. Pavement at Axis. Alex dragged me to this show. I was in High School and had never heard of them at the time (I was pretty slow on the indie-rock uptake back then). What I remember most was that there were more hot girls at this show than at any other thing I'd been to at that point in my life (and I know that's a shitty reason to like a show). Plus, the music was good in that "we're-the-kings-of-indie-rock" kinda way. And, it's just cool to go to a bar/club when you're 16!

5. Dinosaur Jr in Central Park. Phew! They were loud and amazing. Mascis plays through stereo vintage marshall full stacks. Absolutely sick.

6. The Strokes at Lupos in Providence. This was a roadtrip from New York to see the super-hyped Strokes during the Is This It? tour. We blasted the album in the car twice on the way there and twice on the way back, while seeing the real thing in the middle, with everybody dancing and singing along. Classic. I still have the limited edition silkscreen poster from this show.

7. My Morning Jacket in Scranton, PA. This was another roadtrip/show. We stayed at the same hotel as the band and played billiards with them in the lobby after the show. Then we filled our hotel bathtub with ice and booze and partied like rock stars. Steve-o might remember swimming with our beers during an illegal three-am dip in the hotel pool, and running away giggling when we threw all of the plastic furniture into the deep end... Ha!

8. Incapacitants at the No Fun Fest. This whole festival was great, but they were clearly the kings of the show. Japanese noise at it's best.

9. Wolf Parade at North Six - sold out. During the "Apologies" tour. Spencer had a cold, but they still sounded great. Wooo!

10. The Cribs at Mercury Lounge. I love jumping up and down and screaming along at Cribs shows. It's my one weakness. Well, one of them...

Honorable mentions:

11. Grizzly Bear at Bowery Ballroom. Love the Bear. Everyone needs to see this band at least once. So lush!

12. Sunset Rubdown w/Johnny and the Moon at the Bowery. Probably the best Sunset show. Hard to beat...

13. Apollo Sunshine at TT The Bears, before their gear got stolen, when they were just a buzzy Boston band with Katonah under their belt, wearing strobe lights, and Sam ripping through a Vox AC30. That show was sick. So was the afterparty at 24-7.

14. Enon at Middle East Downstairs during the Hocus Pocus tour. They killed it and I was the only one who bought a t-shirt. It's still one of my favs.

15. Beachwood Sparks at NYU. They became one of my favorite bands, but not till years after this show.

Love Is All w/ Crystal Stilts @ Bowery Ballroom, December 7th 2008

2008-12-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

I don't completely understand all the buzz about Crystal Stilts. Yes, they have "Crystal" in their name, which apparently makes any band name awesome. And there's that reverb-drenched throwback 60's psych sound with a touch of New York modern-rock jadedness, that's so popular with the hipsters these days. But there's something missing from their sound that just doesn't inspire me. I mean, you're playing the Bowery Ballroom to an almost sold out crowd with a bunch of your friends, at least pretend to have a good time! C'mon people! On the flip side, Love Is All remains a consistently fun and entertaining live band. I used to party with these guys back at NYU, so maybe I'm a little biased... but I think their music stands up for itself. They played mostly songs off of their well-regarded debut LP "Nine Times That Same Song," with a few songs thrown in there off of their latest release "A Hundred Things Keep Me Up At Night" for good measure. Hi-lites for me included "Busy Doing Nothing" and "Make Out Fall Out Make Up" which was their last song before the encore, and played just when I wanted to hear it.

Blip Festival 2008 @ The Bellhouse, Saturday December 6th, 2008

2008-12-08T14:54:00.000-08:00

Did I just see that girl crowd surfing to Nintendo music...? Yes I did! But that's to be expected at the sold out Blip Festival 2008, the third annual nerd cultural event celebrating all things 8-bit and modded. Granted, most of the musical acts tonight sounded like Nintendo-based techno, which doesn't really do it for me (although the guy with glow-sticks seemed to be enjoying it!). The visuals were much more impressive, VBlank uses real hacked Nintendos to create some glitched-out, seizurey graphics which he manipulates in real time to the music (see example below). My favorite band of the night, Sulumi, came all the way from China to bring it's own unique brand of synchronized 8-bit fury. Blip beep bloop.

Hospitality @ Mercury Lounge, Friday November 21st, 2008

2008-12-08T14:21:00.000-08:00

Hospitality is yet another lovely young indie band from Brooklyn. And I don't like them just because their bass player (Brian) is a former member of Shitstorm (although all former members of "the Storm" hold a special place on my iPod ;). They sound kinda like if Destroyer were fronted by a twenties-something young lady, a mix of folk and indie-rock aptly balancing that fine line between positivity and melancholy, with songs that quietly build in intensity and emotion, and yet stay firmly in the realm of melodic singer-songwriting. Lots of potential here... again lovely.

Neil Halstead @ Mercury Lounge, November 11, 2008

2008-11-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

While I'd probably give my left foot to see Slowdive, the seminal British shoe-gaze pioneers, since that's not an option, it's nice to know that I can still see founding member Neil Halstead do his bare-bones acoustic singer-songwriter thing to a packed, mesmerized new york city audience on a chilly Tuesday night. To say this was an intimate show is an understatement. You could hear every lyric (which is in direct opposition to how his former band used to sound). Neil opened the show with a few solo acoustic songs, and then was joined by "his mates," a bass player and a lead acoustic guitar player who also sang background vocals. Some of songs were truly captivating, with the same emotive melancholy that made Slowdive so charming. Hi-lites included a sardonic version of "Sometimes The Wheel," which bashes door-to-door Bible salesmen and the Mojave 3 song, "Trying to Reach You," which was played spontaneously by request. While I admit that at times I lost interest during the almost hour-and-a-half long set, I could listen to Neil's cool, relaxed, British-accented stage banter all day. Like once, during a lull in the music due to technical difficulties, someone in the audience yelled, "I don't think I can make it Neil!" And he responded, "just keep paddling dude." Now, that's good advice for us all.

Myles Turney @ The Trash Bar, CMJ 2008, October 25th

2008-10-27T07:43:00.002-07:00

I usually don't fall for singer-songwriter types (they usually can't hold my interest for an entire set), but there was something honest and immediate about Myles Turney that won me over. He plays a southern style of bluesy acoustic folk with a mixture of finger-picking and slide guitar over sharp, witty, dynamic vocals. He had a way of completely getting lost in the moment of each song, that reminds us of the power that a single musician can have in conveying an idea or emotion with just a guitar and voice. Hilites included a ballad that he apparently wrote "3 weeks ago," and also a mccain-palin-bashing political rant that was both entertaining and timely. Keep up the good work Myles.

Dungen @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg, CMJ 2008, October 24th

2008-10-27T07:43:00.001-07:00

I'm always tempted by a Dungen show. I love how nobody in the audience knows any of the lyrics or what they mean (because it's all in Swedish), but it doesn't matter because the music is sooooo good. Their lead guitarist, Reine Fiske, is one of the best out there today, with an all-vintage set-up, and some outstanding chops (and i'm usually perched right next to him front row, to catch every lick). Their drummer is also pro, probably jazz-trained with a good ear for fills, pattern and groove. This one may not have been their best set, since it was just the start of their tour and they were still working out the kinks. But they still had one or two jams that were just awe-inspiring. Go. See. Them.

The Muslims @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg, CMJ 2008, October 24

2008-10-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

The Muslims are one of this year's CMJ "buzz bands." And while I get what people like about them, with their retro-modern-post-punk attitude, they just didn't quite win me over in the originality department. Still, they closed their short, 25 minute set with a "Spacemen 3" cover of "Walkin' with Jesus", which was pretty awesome.

Marissa Nadler @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, CMJ October 242008,

2008-10-27T07:38:00.000-07:00

I guess this was kind of an off night for Marissa Nadler. I think she has a lovely voice and style, but technical difficulties with her guitar and restarting a song half way thru sort of ruined the vibe for me.

Misson of Burma @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, CMJ 2008, October 24

2008-10-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's just me, but it's kinda weird to see Mission of Burma rock out. I mean there's no doubt they still have the chops. And they play LOUD. But I'd say the average age of the audience was twenty years younger than the average age of the musicians. And this is kind of a weird dynamic. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who felt this way, and watching them, I couldn't help but imagine how amazing it would've been to see them during their artistic prime. I mean, they still have their edge and drive (no doubt), and it's a testament to the longevity of their music that they're still innovative and can command a sold-out crowd at a fairly large New York venue 20 years after their critically acclaimed peak. But I'm still left asking, what are they looking to accomplish now? And where do they go from here, in this, their middle-aged renaissance?

Photo courtesy of Carl Robinson.

King Kahn & BBQ Show @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, CMJ 2008, October 23

2008-10-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Alright, so King Kahn & BBQ Show is definitely a weird band. I mean one of them is wearing a thong and the other guy has a turban. Whatever floats your boat. If you can look past that, some of their music is actually pretty good and has this sweet style of 50's pop-soul that you don't see much of anymore. But then again I only liked maybe 1/3 of the songs, and the rest was just too weird and out of tune, so it's a hard sell and I probably won't be seeing them again.

The Dutchess and The Duke @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg, CMJ 2008, October 23

2008-10-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

The Dutchess and The Duke were a breath of fresh air last night. Finally a band at CMJ that was not trying to rock my face off. With minimalist percussion (just one tom and tamborine), George Harrison-esque lead guitar lines, male/female vocal harmonies, and great lyrics, the Dutchess and Duke would feel right at home in the 1960's San Francisco folk-psych scene.

Ringo Deathstarr @ Knitting Factory, CMJ 2008, October 22

2008-10-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

Ringo Deathstarr. Best band name ever. Pretty good band too.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Knitting Factory, CMJ 2008, October 22

2008-10-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart. This is Kip's band. He's a nice guy. He used to work with some of the blue album group dudes back at Insound. So they love this band. Also, the drummer in this band is the lead singer in The Depreciation Guild. See, it's a big happy family. Also, they sound kinda like if The Promise Ring played happy music, or at least that's what came to mind last night. Their record sounds like a more shoe-gazey Belle and Sebastian. Either way, pretty good.

The Depreciation Guild @ Knitting Factory, CMJ 2008, October 22

2008-10-23T09:26:00.001-07:00

The Depreciation Guild plays sexy Nintendo shoe-gaze. I love that this genre exists.

Crystal Antlers @ Knitting Factory, CMJ 2008, October 22

2008-10-23T08:39:00.000-07:00

Fuck you. Why isn't this band more popular? Alright, their myspace page doesn't do them justice. You have to hear the whole album. Also, the screaming-stoner-psych thing isn't very popular right now. But shit, this was the only band I wanted to see at CMJ. And they SMOKED. A Sunny Day In Glasgow was playing downstairs at the same time, and I peeked my head in, but it was no contest. Crystal Antlers by a landslide. Now if only Obama could do that...

The Morning Benders @ Bowery Ballroom, October 16th 2008

2008-10-17T05:34:00.000-07:00

The Morning Benders put out one of my favorite albums this past year, and I've been looking forward to checking out their live show for some time. They did not disappoint, opening their set with a cool, slower, more "psychy" version of "Patient Patient". Lead singer and guitarist Chris Chu carries the band with his sweet and charming voice, but really I think their drummer is the secret weapon, effortlessly guiding the band through a slick set of throwback 60's pop (think of the lead singer of The Shins jamming with The A-Sides and you're almost there). My one criticism for the Benders would be the stage banter... Frankly, less is more when it comes to band members chit-chatting with the audience. But that can be fixed in time, and I'd recommend checking them out now, while they're still young and playing in a small venue (to be honest the Bowery was a little too big for them at this point, but it won't be long until they have to play this size venue). They closed their set with "Waiting for the War", another of my favorites. Man, can this band write a bad song?

Atlas Sound @ South Street Seaport, July 25th, 2008

2008-09-26T11:39:00.001-07:00

The stripped down atmospheric psych of Atlas Sound is the perfect companion on a warm summer evening. Mr. Sound put on a luscious free solo set at the seaport, and made up for his lack of bandmates with an even greater reliance of heavily effected vocals, hypnotic drum machines, and layers of acoustic guitar. I even shot a nifty video of this one, but the sound came out crappy cuz I was right up front (and it was pretty loud!) Gorgeous stuff tho...

Times New Viking, A Place To Bury Strangers, The Warlocks @ The Whitney Museum, South Street Seaport, Mercury Lounge, June 27th, 2008

2008-06-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yikes. Three shows in three different venues in one night! I guess I needed to rock out pretty bad last night, after a week of staying in. Can you blame me? I haven't seen any of these bands before, and their set times were perfectly aligned, and two of the shows were free, so why not!? Try to keep up...

My buddy Dave convinced me to join him to see Times New Viking play a free early show at The Whitney Museum of American Art mostly because he'd heard they put on a great live show, and it's an interesting venue to see a band. They were good, in that "we-sound-exactly-like-our-album" way, but because there was no stage and tons of people in front of us, we couldn't see a thing! Lame. You lose interest pretty quick when all you can see is the back of some brah's head, and half of a guitarist (who wasn't even singing). I don't think I even saw two or three people in the band. But at least I got to check out the latest exhibits at the Whitney, including some cool 70's Polaroids by Mapplethorpe (see sample above).

A Place To Bury Strangers were great, continuing the tradition of amazing free summer outdoor shows down at the Seaport. They build and design their own guitar pedals, so they have truly crafted their own sound. They remind me of other stoner pop bands like The Ponys and The Black Lips, but maybe with more of a psych background. They killed. Plus, the seaport was a great place to watch the waterfall off of the brooklyn bridge.

Well, this was the only show I payed money to see, which probably says something, although $15 bucks is a bit much to see a band like The Warlocks. I am a fan, but sometimes their music can be a bit of a downer. You gotta be in the right mood for it, which I was last night. I just love the sound of this band, very drony, yet also intense, with a good vocalist and a great fuzz guitar. I wanted them to play "Surgery," which they didn't, but they did play a sing-along version of "Come Save Us" which felt good. Check 'em out, if you're in the mood...

These New Puritans @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Sunday June 8th, 2008

2008-06-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

My new English mate Jim insisted that I come check out this band from near his hometown, These New Puritans. They were pretty good, with the right mix of psychedelic/electronic samples, overlapping vocals, and just pure rocking out. I can definitely see the Bloc Party/Wire references, although TNP are younger, more-artsy/less-poppy, and want it all a little more. You can't really tell what lyrics they're saying, except for snippets during the chorus, but this isn't a problem in their recordings. I like how the lead singer wears an old-school chain-mail vest at their shows. Is this a new English fad? It's like watching Joan of Arc front a post-rock band. Nice ax work, Joan.

Woods + New Bloods + Power Douglas @ 234 Wythe, Brooklyn. May 27th, 2008

2008-05-27T22:02:00.000-07:00

There's something so nice about going to an underground show. You know, where the venue doesn't technically have a name, and asks you to be quiet when you smoke outside, so that the cops don't come, and the bar consists of just a couple of haphazardly thrown together cheap bottles of booze, and you've never heard of any of the bands, but you don't care because they all have the right spirit, and you end up blogging about it when you're slightly inebriated at 2 in the morning. =)
I originally came to this show to see Woods, but since they were playing last, I killed some time at Monkeytown with some cheap wine and pleasant company before heading over to the nondescript club known only as 234 Wythe. The first band I caught, Power Douglas, played an energetic and heavily distorted punk set with only drums, bass and delayed vocals. They had a memorable finish, when the singer repeated the mantra, 'love is indestructible' over and over again. True that. The second band, New Bloods, could only be conceived in 2008, a three-piece all-girl punk band with bass, drums, and violin. They held it together surprisingly well, given the sparse instrumentation, and I left impressed, although I bet they make a better impression live than on record... Finally, Woods came on and delivered a psychedlic folk set that is distinctly louder live than on record. But what they lack in dynamics, they more than make up for in originality, which is what really draws you into the band from the get-go (notice the band member using his headphones as a microphone for background vocals, wow!). Regardless, they played 'Night Creature' exactly when I wanted them to, which pretty much sold them for me. Like I said, sometimes you can't beat a night in the underground...

Doomstar w/ Shitstorm + Whistlejacket @ PA's Lounge, April 18th, 2008

2008-04-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

I promised I wouldn't blog about myself, because that's kinda like tootin' your own horn (if you know what i mean), but Doomstar was just so damn good I had to give them some internet props. Holy Coooooooooow. They destroyed. I was expecting a pretty sick set, but this was disgusting. There was no slowing down. They jumped right in and started rocking large and didn't let the energy drop until the very end. They've got a very simple three man set up with guitar, bass and drums, but they manage to have a huge tight sound that stays interesting for the entire set. Phew. I wish more bands were this good (plus they're super-nice guys, and friends of mine, so double bonus). Oh yeah, and my band Shitstorm also played an ambient psych freakout set in the grand new tradition. The shit clocked in their longest set yet at 25 swirly, samply, mind-blowing minutes! For some reason we just can't seem to break a half-an-hour live, and yet in practice we can play endlessly - go figure. I think it has something to do with intense level of concentration needed to make this type of music. But still I think people left satisfied, and whatever, leave them wanting more right? Whistlejacket opened up the show and has this great singer-songwriter voice that sounds like a cross between Neil Young and Doug Martsch, very nice indeed. I'll have to check him out a bit more...

Parts & Labor @ Studio B, April 16th 2008

2008-04-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

I arrived in the middle of Parts & Labor's raucous set at Studio B and was definitely impressed with their indie-rock energy and sound (not to mention the lead singer's shoulder-length beard), but was surprised at how flabbergasted the audience looked. They just stood there not rocking out, like they'd never seen a rock show before. All they needed was one dude in the front row to raise his fist and jump around a bit to get the crowd going (usually that would be me, but I had not yet had any cocktail inspirations ;) Maybe they were all fans of the headliner Yacht, who was so awful I literally had to go in the other room and cry a bit by myself just for the fact that some people consider this a kick-ass live show. Not that they weren't nice people, I just don't like going to a show and watching people sing over a pre-made beat on a laptop. What is this, Karaoke night? Btw, they mentioned that they just finished touring with Vampire Weekend and the crowd all booed. I guess the cycle of the buzz band is now shorter than ever.

Nina Nastasia w/ Jim White / Phosphorescent @ Bowery Ballroom, April 7th, 2008

2008-04-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last night, Nina Nastasia gave one of the best female artistic performances I've ever seen. Her songs have an earthy, timeless charm that recall heartbroken, sleepless nights and their long, often painful recovery. Stylistically she reminds me of Marissa Nadler, but more confident and weathered, with her emotions riding closer to the surface. Her voice is gorgeous, consistently in tune, with a wide dynamic range, whether playing a sweet and soft ballad, or a strong and bitter reproof. I don't know how she did it, but her acoustic guitar sounded wonderful, with the perfect amount of bite, and a rich, round, all-natural chime. The talented Jim White supported her, filling out her sound during the more intense moments, and instinctively laying out during the quieter, personal moments. She closed her set with a lovely version of "That's All There Is." Here are some of the lyrics:

"But that's all there is/
So stop all your dreaming/
It makes me so sad/
Let's keep what we had"

Btw, Phosphorescent opened the show, but I won't mention too much about them (see post below for more info), except that I enjoyed their smaller, intimate set at the Mercury Lounge more than this one at the Bowery Ballroom.

World's Greatest Dad @ Knitting Factory, March 15th, 2008

2008-03-18T13:47:00.000-07:00

My friend Dani came down from North Hampton last weekend with her band World's Greatest Dad. They play what I like to call "Renaissance Psych," a mixture of the psychedelic sounds of the 60's with Renaissance music of the 16th century. This was their first show. It featured two acoustic guitars, a violin, a flute, a clarinet, a sweet sounding omnichord, and a bold front-man. So fun! I tell ya, all the best new musical trends originate in Canada, make a pit-stop in North Hampton for a year, and eventually reach the Big Apple. We're at least two years behind. But hopefully by 2010 there should be a huge Renaissance revival in the city, with everyone painting frescoes, wearing pointy shoes, and playing the mandolin. Works for me!

Frog Eyes @ Mercury Lounge, March 12, 2008

2008-03-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

I wasn't even planning on going to this show. But I happened to be walking by the Merc 20 minutes before the Frog Eyes set and I couldn't resist... I'm glad I went! Frog Eyes is another talented Canadian Indie-Rock band with the ability to capture the anxieties of modern life in a unique and aurally pleasing way. You can definitely hear the Spencer Krug/Sunset Rubdown influence in the sound (or is it the other way around with Spence ripping his sound from Frog Eyes?). Either way both bands have a similar sound with Sunset being a little more controlled and emotional, and Frog Eyes being a little more wild and stream of consciousness. Front man Carey Mercer can really rip on the guitar and has a pleasing, whimsical voice and a relaxed stage persona, telling a bunch of jokes in between songs. They weren't hilarious jokes, but worthy of a sarcastic "Ha Ha." (right Keith?) Of course that's not why people came to the show. It's the music stupid!

Phosphorescent w/ The Acorn, Bowerbirds @ Mercury Lounge, February 29th, 2008

2008-03-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

Phosphorescent has a lot of heart. They're also dead sexy, in that lonesome-cowboy-just-hold-me-before-i-have-to-hit-the-trail nobody-can-understand-my-pain sort of way. Lead singer, Matthew Houck, besides being the principle source of the sexiness, also has one of the smoothest voices out there, kind of like a softer, sadder Band of Horses. Their piano player, also quite good, plays some strenuous double octave lines with both hands, wow! I couldn't really hear the lead-guitarist with the sweet mustache, cuz he was on the other side of the stage, but I think he was good? my only complaint would be the drummer, who wasn't always playing the fills exactly how i wanted to hear them, but overall it didn't subtract too much from the performance. I thought that "Wolves" would be my favorite song live (cuz it's my fav on record), but surprisingly "My Dove, My Lamb" and "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" came out really nice last night. If you can, go check 'em out...

Sometimes it's nice to see a really forlorn and heart-broken lead vocalist. It reminds you that not all music is being made just for some sort of vacuous goal of fame and fortune. Openers, The Acorn play sad acoustic indie-folk, with nice vocal harmonies and multi-layered classical and acoustic guitar parts. The lead vocalist was a little too hot in the monitors for me, so at times I would be turned off by his vocal part, but the harmonies provided by the bass player, who sang almost every word, were quite nice and kept me from being turned off prematurely. Speaking of maturity, they seemed a bit young, and could use a little more time to marinate in ye ole rock-and-roll oven, but they are definitely heading in the right direction. A little more experimentation, and maybe even an overdrive or delay pedal somewhere in the mix, might give what they lack...

Closers, Bowerbirds, were pretty good, doing that girl/boy everything is lovey-dovey harmony stuff. Sometimes it felt a little sparse though, and their songs could use another instrument. Just my opinion dudes.

Atlas Sound @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, February 24th, 2008

2008-02-27T14:38:00.000-08:00

After a long weekend of debauchery in western mass, I wasn't too keen on seeing a show sunday night, but since I had already bought the ticket, and have been quite impressed by the free music on their their blog, I knew I had to go. Atlas Sound is the spin-off band of Bradford Cox, who needed another avenue to quench his insatiable creative musical energy. Now, I've seen Deerhunter, and was never really blown away by them live, mostly because their heavy-stoned-psych sound has been done a thousand times before, but Atlas is a different animal. Much like Spencer Krug with his spin-off band Sunset Rubdown, Mr. Cox seems much more comfortable and enthusiastic about playing in the Sound than with his original group. As for the music, when they play classic Atlas tracks, it sounds gorgeous, with all the shoegazey dreaminess we know and love (they tried to improvise a couple of covers, specifically a Blue Oyster Cult song, that didn't come out too well -- you have to practice that shit first dudes!!). Anyway, one advantage to seeing Atlas live is that you can hear all the lyrics, which are excellent, and can get buried in effects on record. Mr. Cox must've been in a good mood because he was practically doing stand-up between songs, bouncing around the stage. His stage banter is unique to say the least. I didn't quite understand what he meant when he asked bandmate Adam Forkner to "take us to the field of gated reverb and shoot us in the back of the head," but it accomplished the desired artistic effect. For their encore, the entire band came out on stage topless (even the lady bassist with all boobs-a-flyin') just to make sure everyone blogged about the show the next day. I was going to anyway dudes, you guys rule! I even bought a shirt. =)

Drug Rug W/ Sam Champion, DJ Awesome GoodTimes @ Bowery Ballroom, February 15th 2008

2008-02-26T10:34:00.000-08:00

I always love seeing a friend's band for first time, especially when they blow away your expectations... Drug Rug has a catchy hard-driving indie-rock blues sound, kind of like a modern interpretation of The Beatles "Yer Blues," but with some dual screaming vocals on top. I didn't realize it before the show, but I've hung out with Tommy and George from Drug Rug a few times back when I lived in Boston, but never got the chance to check out their band. Well, I'm sure glad I did... they were great!

Sam Champion notched another milestone in their rise to the top by declaring victory over the Bowery with a solid headlining performance. They consistently throw a good show, and satisfy my occasional desire for loud down-home-and-dirty folk-blues that I can raise my fist to. The Champs have a new album coming out on North Street Records sometime soon, so that should be a good pick up...

This show also brought the debut of the self-proclaimed dj supergroup, DJ Awesome Goodtimes, spinning hits from the likes of The Darkness, Baby Shambles and did I hear an early Strokes tune in there? Either way, they brought the party, and we all got down. Good job dudes.

The Teenagers @ Studio B, February 2nd, 2008

2008-02-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

I was psyched to see The Teenagers, the latest dance-punk buzz-band from across the pond on their first tour of the US, because their catchy, well-produced debut album seemed like it would be fun in a live setting. Unfortunately the bells and whistles (or should I say synths and background vocals) on the album weren't as prominent in the live show, and they came across more like a generic, nervous punk-new-age band, than the sexy enlightened europeans I had hoped for. Still, the night was a success, with Hot Chip spinning some hot dance beats late into the night. And if you've never been, Studio B pretty much turns into the most ridiculous dance party in Brooklyn on a Saturday night. Imagine a 1000 drunk hipsters getting all hot and sweaty on an acre-sized dance floor till 4 am. Yeah, wow. Or should i say gross?

Six Organs of Admittance w/ Mouthus and Mick Turner @ Mercury Lounge, Tues. Jan. 29th, 2008

2008-02-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

Openers Mouthus are an artsy stoner-noise duo, with thick, fuzzed-out guitars over combined live drums and an 80's analog electronic drum pad. Incoherent delayed vocals float above the mix to complete the trance-like groove, that I was just a bit too sober at 8pm to fully appreciate.

Tren Brothers, an instrumental collaboration of Mick Turner and Jim White of The Dirty Three, combined the soft ambiance of Yo La Tengo with the melodic variation of Do Make Say Think, over a free jazz rhythm. Jim White, who set up center stage and provided the majority of the rhythmic details, was phenomenal. He's the guy other rock drummers take lessons from, who can play any style, with any musician, and make it look effortless. It's not often you get to hear someone like that play a full set live, and the way he would bend and stretch the tempo kept the music interesting and dynamic. Mick Turner, on guitar, had to carry the entire melody himself, and was quite exposed to any mistakes, but he kept it together, and without the use of any effects, for probably the best show of the night.

Six Organs of Admittance, opened their show with Ben Chasny solo, playing a mix of traditional and flamenco style guitar over 60s-ish psychedelic folk vocals. After three or four songs he was joined by the effervescent Elisa Ambrogio on lead guitar, who adds that missing dynamic that makes Six Organs records so mysterious. With such a sparse arrangement, at times I would grow bored, but overall the show was pleasant and intimate. They closed their set with my favorite song "Home," so I went home happy. =)