The Rural Alberta Advantage @ Middle East, 8/5/09

(Nils killed it the entire night)

I have to admit that I expected the Rural Alberta Advantage to put on a good live show. I had read a few concert reviews which were all glowing and I have learned in my musical experiences to generally trust live reviews. I knew I loved the material as well, I can remember listening to the few songs I had on repeat constantly during studying (I know, I actually studied!) for finals semester one. A lot of people have gone through the same transfixion with their debut album, Hometowns, over the past eight months. I know this because I can remember when their MySpace had 8,000 hits, and now it's approaching 200,000. But I especially know it because of how many people jammed themselves into the Middle East club to see these guys. It was the first time in my personal concert going experience that I can truly say that I was front row, as I was reaching out and touching Paul Banwatt's drum set between songs.

(This is actually what he looks like when he's drumming!)

And I would have to say that the enthusiastic turnout was warranted, and then some. Simply put, and I think my two fellow blogmates would agree (Boobhead Bishop was absent), it was the best live show I've ever seen. Every beat of every song was flawless, and the band flowed with energy of a band that is overflowing with talent. In awe of the performance, we kind of forgot to take a setlist, and subsequently can't remember the exact order, but setlists are overrated anyway, right?! (Please say yes...) Their hour long set really seemed to fly by, and before we knew it they were out for their encore (not tremendously special) and then their second encore (tremendouly special) in which they played their "closer" which has yet to be recorded, entitled "Good Night." If you don't already know, the band comes down off the stage and finishes playing in the crowd, completely acoustic. I must say, being one foot from the band as they finished their set was a pretty special way to end the show. All in all, just the most solid, energy filled hour of music I've yet experienced.

(Amy sets the atmosphere with backing vocals and keyboards)

However, despite all the hoopla over the RAA, I would be seriously remiss if I didn't mention the artists that opened, and there were three opening acts. The first was Jennifer Greer, who I thought was very good. I will admit that I have never heard of her before this performance, but that's what opening shows is all about! She had almost a Tori Amos vibe about her, with complex piano based song structures and sudden tempo shifts. I really liked her, but I will give an unfortunate thumbs down to the bassist, who was rocking out like he was possessed despite laying down less than awesome beats. Oh well. Baby Teeth was.... strange. Really, everything about the performance was strange. There's not really much for me to say about it, they rocked kind of an 80's vibe and the lead singer had some pretty stellar moves up on stage. I don't think it was a bad performance, but I don't know if I was ready for it. Then came easily my favorite of the opening acts, Joshua English, accompanied by fantastic viola player (violist??) Lisa Molinaro. They played an incredibly solid set and really seemed to have a lot of experience and chemistry onstage. Joshua spun beautiful guitar driven folk songs, and while the songs certainly can exist without viola, it was always a welcome addition whenever it entered. Joshua claims to have only recently shaved his head, but it seems odd for me to picture him with hair after seeing the show. I was surprised to see that he seems to be out of the public eye, so look for f/k to keep you up to date on him, because I think a lot of people will find him worthy of their attention. For more pics, check out the f/k flickr!

(Joshua English with a harmonica and a shaved head.)

The Rural Alberta Advantage MySpace
Joshua English MySpace
Baby Teeth MySpace
Jennifer Greer MySpace
f/k flickr

-Donovan

Floored by Four & M. Ward @ Central Park: 8/1/09

When I showed up to this show, I expected to see Nels Cline as it was billed. Surprised was I to find that Cline was actually part of a band that call themselves "Floored by Four" that consists of iconic bassist Mike Watt and two people who I didn't know, Yuka Honda and Dougie Bowne (apologies to Yuka Honda and Dougie Bowne!). Their opening performance was...interesting to say the least. It was potentially the most self-indulgent performance I've ever heard, but I say that in a non-judgmental way because it was enthralling to see a band that so obviously just wanted to jam. There were 10 minute long solos, moments when you couldn't hear the band playing, moments when you couldn't hear yourself think, and everything in between. By the end however, the performance was tending to get a little tedious, as evidenced by a large portion of the audience sitting down and more than a few people reading and conversing. I would say that they are extremely talented and I await hearing their album whenever it comes out, because it's a little scary to think what they might be capable of after getting a little more comfortable with each other. Overall, I think this a band that should be headlining shows rather than opening them, so they can perhaps attract an audience more suited to them.

Photo Credit: Hippies Are Dead

After about 30 minutes of intermission between acts, M. Ward came onstage right as it was getting dark outside and put on one of the most solid sets I've yet seen. The only slight complaint I may have had with the performance is just how comfortable M. Ward and his band looked up there. M. Ward has claimed that he's not a big fan of doing live shows in the past, and it kind of looks that way when he's performing. It's a small qualm, because the performance was technically exceptional, and the diehard M. Ward fans seemed very pleased with the set. But there definitely is an element of seeing an artist really engaged in his/her performance that was missing. Overall, an extremely solid performance, and I would recommend him to anyone if he's coming near you. Also, there are no original pictures that accompany this post, because M. Ward is a stickler for no cameras, and I respect that. (aka I snuck a couple of pictures that were too low quality to post)

Photo Credit: Hippies Are Dead

M. Ward Setlist

Sad Song
One Hundred Million Years
Post War
Chinese Translation
Rave On
Never Had Nobody Like You
Hold Time
Jailbird
To Save Me
Poor Boy, Minor Key
Poison Cup
Fool Says
Magic Trick
Big Boat
Bean Vine Blues (John Fahey Cover)
Fisher Of Men
Requiem
Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry Cover)

Encore #1
Helicopter

Encore #2
To Go Home

-Donovan

Dosh @ Macalester College: 3/1/09

This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of seeing Martin Dosh perform here at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dosh was playing in support of his brother Paul Dosh, who is a Poli Sci professor here. Paul is working on a humanitarian/human rights project in Peru, called "Building Dignity." You can read more about the project here.

Dosh's music was not the main focus of the evening, and for that reason he played only a few tunes. I still wanted to post about his show, though, because I think musically he's doing some awesome stuff. Dosh has been working with renowned musician Andrew Bird for years, and it's a little known fact that Dosh is responsible for a lot of what you hear on Bird's albums. The best example of this is Andrew Bird's song "Simple X," one of my favorite track from Armchair Apocrypha. Turns out, the song was originally done by Dosh; it sounds like they sat down, rehashed it, and added vocals for Bird's album. Dosh played a solid version of his orginal version, called "Simple Exercises" at the Macalester show. It was really interesting to see him loop all the different pieces of the song live, and to watch it develop and grow. More than anything, this post is meant to serve as an introduction to Dosh and a recommendation from me to you that you take a second to check out Dosh's work. Here's "Simple Excercises" for your listening pleasure, off his album called Pure Trash. Enjoy!

Dosh - Simple Exercises
Amazon / iTunes

-Chris

Delta Spirit/Other Lives/Dawes @ Castaways: 2/18/2009

After frantically running all over the streets of Ithaca and getting lost several times, I finally arrived at Castaways just in time to catch Dawes, the first opening act. I must admit that I thought Delta Spirit would be going on at 9, but I am so pleased that I also got to catch the opening acts.

Now, Imagine Phil Collins taking over the vocal duties fror The Beatles, and then having this band cover Band of Horses' sophomore album, Cease To Begin, and you have yourself, Dawes. It may sound deranged, but they put on a hell of a show! I, the person with no money, even purchased their album upon the other two bands telling me how great it was, and I must say that I am pleased I took their advice.

Next up was Other Lives, my favorite act of the night. First I must say that lead singer/guitarist Jesse Tabish's general demeanor (and beard, of course) make him a front-runner for my favorite indie frontman at the moment. With that being said, let us move on to the music they so generously let us enjoy with them. Rising from the ashes of Kunek, Other Lives have set out on a new musical journey like no other and I cannot wait to see where they take us. I could find new, quirky ways of describing this band's music, but they deserve so much more than I could deliver (maybe we'll leave it to Idolator). You'll just have to listen to it yourself...

The clock struck 11 when Delta Spirit finally arrived on stage, and the anxious crowd greeted them with a warm applause. Now I'm not sure if it was the caliber of the opening acts or what, but Delta Spirit didn't live up to my unusually high expectations. Now don't get me wrong, they were fantastic live, but since they went on so late lead singer Matthew Vasquez was able to put back a few drinks, which both added to and detracted from the performance. The band was loose and enjoyed every minute on stage while being playful and witty at the same time. The crowd at Castaways was also treated to a few new songs, and it seems the band is continuing to head in the right direction after their sensational debut album Ode To Sunshine. Every song of theirs grew into flourishes that often included multiple percussionists, including Dawes' drummer Griffin Goldsmith, and culminated with Vasquez letting out Avey Tare like screams. The energy was undeniable, the music was unmistakable, and the atmosphere was unforgiving.

So, be sure to check out a show on this Delta Spirit tour because you'll catch three rising bands that will I can guarantee will be huge in the coming years.

Dawes - When My Time Comes
Buy Album: iTunes
Wonder Years Troubadour (video)

Other Lives - End Of The Year
Buy EP: iTunes
Luxury Wafer Session (video & mp3s)

Delta Spirit - Trashcan
Buy Album: iTunes

Other Lives....




Delta Spirit...

Animal Collective @ Grand Ballroom: 1/20/09

So we're going to be honest here, these picture were taken from Brooklyn Vegan. We had our own pictures, and they were quite good because of our proximity to the stage, but we were using a disposable and apparently light got into it and destroyed them. So, that's basically what it looked like.

That being said, I thought this performance was amazing. They opened with "In the Flowers," a song none of us expected, and meandered into their fabulous new song that has been given the name "Blue Sky." "Guys Eyes" is when the concert really took off, as the bass was turned up enough to shake your rib cage. From there, they played an incredible extended version of "Fireworks," with Panda Bear delivering fantastic percussion through all 13 minutes.

"Brother Sport" closed the show, with the audience jumping to the beat so much we thought the ground would collapse beneath us. The encore was decent, featuring a slowed-down version of "Banshee Beat"from Feels and a crowd favorite "Slippi" off Here Comes the Indian. All in all, I was blown away by this show, and strongly encourage anyone who is liking MPP to go see it, especially because the setlist was basically the album tracklist. Enjoy the live version of "Daily Routine" from the show.

Setlist:
In The Flowers
Leaf House
"Blue Sky"
Guys Eyes
Summertime Clothes
Daily Routine
Lion in a Coma
Lablakely Dress/Fireworks
My Girls
Brother Sport
Banshee Beat
Slippi

Animal Collective- Daily Routine (live @ Grand Ballroom 1/20/09)
Buy album: iTunes

-Chandler


Coming into this show, I'd heard a lot about Animal Collective's live act, both positive and negative things. They have a reputation for being unpredictable, mixing songs together and morphing songs so that they are hardly recognizable. With this is mind, I had no idea what to expect. What I got was a face-full of awesome. I believe that Merriweather Post Pavillion is an album full of songs that explode live. "Guys Eyes" and "Daily Routine" sounded fantastically full with the addition of thumping bass. The show was so loud that my brain rattled around in my head and the hair stood up on my arms. As a huge fan of the material they played, I couldn't have asked for a better night. I look forward to seeing these guys again as soon as possible.

-Chris

I have to say, I was really taken aback by the cleanliness of the show. Animal Collective is an act not always known for their accessibility or their predictability, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that they sounded very crisp. Right from the start of the show, they showed about as much emotion as you could hope for and seemed to be very tuned in to the performance. One slight disappointment was the lack of audience interaction. Although I didn't expect any, I wish they would, because I feel it's an element of live performance that could definitely enhance the overall experience. But this is only a small complaint, they are a really great live show, and apparently they've come a long way from humble beginnings in that regard. And "Daily Routine" was insane. Seriously, listen to the song located in this post. It's mind blowing.

-Donovan

My Morning Jacket @ Madison Square Garden: 12/31/08 - 1/1/09

The anticipation grew as we sat in our seats, taking bets on what song My Morning Jacket was going to open with. As the jazz music that welcomed the crowd entering The Garden grew louder, the house lights dimmed and a faint spotlight relieved the band sitting at a table on an elevated part of the stage in the back corner of the stage simultaneously. This table would later house the multiple guests that the band would use throughout the show along with friends and family.

As the band took the stage the crowd erupted, but was quickly silenced by the unfamiliar chord progression that the band presented them. It was Curtis Mayfield's own 'Move On Up'. Although unorthodox to open a show with a cover, the band, along with the terrific four-piece horn section rocked it, and rocked it hard. As the night progressed towards the new year, the show just kept on getting better and better, including appearances by special guests Nicole Atkins and Will Johnson, and climaxing with their best live song (in my opinion), Run Thru, complete with choreography by Patrick Hallahan, during Bo Koster's big synth part. Jacket broke away for intermission about 20 minutes before the new year and put up the countdown clock up on the big screens. As the clock reached zero and the band broke into Kool & The Gang's 'Celebration' everybody realized that it was only 11:58. Our group of friends were confused, but overlooked it and had our own mini-celebration as the clock really struck 12:00.

The show took a turn for the worse in 2009 as the bands last nine songs included five covers and only four My Morning Jacket originals. Now I understand that it was a special show and all, but I think that the covers would have been justified if the band hadn't skipped over some great songs such as, 'It Beats 4 U', 'Steam Engine', and 'Touch Me I'm Going To Scream Part 1'. Another downside to the show, for me, was lead singer Jim James abusing his phenomenal voice, after hitting those golden notes, James may have damaged my eardrums by pushing them out to the point where it no longer sounded good. Before you hate me for this I want you to know that I think Jim James has one of the best male singing voices, along with Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes, but I feel that the combination of his adrenaline rush and a sub-par sound engineer made his voice come across a little more harsh than it really is.

All around this was stunning show with a few bumps in the road, but even with these bumps, Jim James will always be my favorite caped superhero.

-Bishop

I thought the performance was fantastic, my only complaint being the abundance of the aforementioned covers. However, it seemed like most of the crowd enjoyed them, so it was probably just the hardcore fans such as ourselves that were a little upset. Other than that, all their greats were executed to perfection, down to the sax at the end of "Dondante." I will say I'm glad to see the Evil Urges Tour has finally come to end, so next time we see them hopefully I won't have to sit through "Thank You Too" and "I'm Amazed."

Now that we all have more experience seeing them live, I think it's safe to say that they're one of the best live bands you can see. For the most part, they play exactly what regular concert folk and hardcore fans alike will enjoy. So next time they play near you, make an effort to try and see them. You won't be disappointed.

-Chandler

Having already seen MMJ live in Boston this October, during the same tour, I was curious to see how the show would be different. Right from the get-go, I realized this show was certainly going to be different. I think everyone has their own opinions on the covers, and while there are definitely a few originals I was sad to see go by the wayside, I think we all appreciate the band's effort to try and put on an entertaining New Year's show. My main problem with the covers they did is that they don't particularly play to the band's strengths, and didn't particularly sound great. They were dominated by guitar for the most part, and the horn parts and singing were occasionally drowned out.

On the other hand, this live show is still better than 99% of live shows you're going to see out there today. MMJ is a band that always goes the extra mile for its fans, and that strategy has paid off big time in terms of acquiring fans, as they have recently become very popular. And as for what Chandler said about "I'm Amazed," I fear we may see that song for many tours to come.
- Donovan

Setlist:
Move On Up (Curtis Mayfield)
Evil Urges
Off The Record
Gideon
The Way That He Sings
Thank You Too
I'm Amazed
Golden w/Will Johnson
Librarian
You're All I Need (Marvin Gaye) w/Nicole Atkins
Express Yourself (Charles Wright)*
Wonderful Man
Lay Low
Phone Went West
Look At You
Dondante
Smoking from Shootin'
Touch Me Part 2
Good Intentions
Run Thru
I'm A Wanderer (Dion)*
Dancefloors*
Mahgeetah

Intermission

Countdown
Celebration (Kool & The Gang)*
Get Down On It (Kool & The Gang)*
Wordless Chorus
Highly Suspicious
Cobra
Islands in the Stream w/Nicole Atkins (Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers)
Bring It on Home to Me (Sam Cooke) *
Cold Sweat (James Brown)*
Anytime
One Big Holiday

*w/ Horns