High As A Kite
Marty Willson-Piper's Acres of Space, with HuDost and Christine Lenee
Blood:Water, Nashville, TN
Friday, May 13, 2016
So it's been two weeks since this show happened, and I'm still buzzing from it like it was last night. I don't think I've been this affected by a show since I saw The Pogues ten years ago. It was simply a phenomenal night of music. And like a lot of great nights, this one has a back story.
Marty Willson-Piper is one of my all time favorite guitarists. He spent 33 years as one of the twin guitar pillars of The Church, along with releasing nine solo albums, three more albums as Noctorum, and countless side projects and collaborations along the way. I spent hours upon hours listening to his first three solo albums in my college dorms and apartments, and his second album Art Attack is pretty much the reason I bought a 12 string acoustic guitar. So I was crushed when I got a Facebook message on Thursday from a friend that Marty had played the previous night at Music City Roots in Franklin, TN, a mere half hour drive from my house. I'd seen him half a dozen times with The Church over the years, but I'd never gotten the chance to catch one of his solo shows. And it looked liked I'd missed a prime opportunity to do so in my backyard. My disappointment was blessedly short lived however. About a half an hour later I got another message from the same friend, with a link that Marty would be playing the following night at Blood:Water here in Nashville.
Blood:Water is not a venue, it's the offices of the organization founded by members Jars of Clay to fight HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa. It is however a beautiful space, and it made for an intimate venue for an amazing night of music. The musicians were set up in a semi-circle, and chairs and couches were arranged facing them, so that both the band and the audience were in a unbroken circle facing each other. The night served a a low key start up for their tour (Music City Roots had actually been the band's very first performance).
Christie Lenee started the night off with a solo set of folky pop songs highlighted by an impressive display of acoustic guitar tapping. After a brief break, HuDost took the stage. Over the years, I've discovered some of my favorite bands when they opened for someone else. HuDost has now joined that list. They describe themselves as "Neo Folk World Rock," and while that is certainly and accurate description, it would be more succinct to simply call them magical. They seamlessly blend world music, atmospheric guitar rock, and beautiful harmonies into a whole that is definitely more than the sum of its parts. And as if their own songs weren't amazing enough, they brought up the evening's host Dan Haseltine for a gorgeous duet on Jars Of Clay's "Inland."
After a brief break and a switch of bass players, HuDost became Acres of Space and backed up Willson-Piper for an incredible set that pulled from his solo albums, Noctorum songs, and even a trio of Church classics ("She'll Come Back For You Tomorrow," "Tristesse," and "Spark"). And as if it wasn't great enough hearing these songs live that were such a part of my musically formative years, the band really brought them to life. Harmonies that were only hinted at on the albums swam through the room and firmly embedded themselves in our ears. They managed to faithfully reproduce the arrangements and add new nuances at the same time. Marty told whimsical stories (ie bold faced lies) between songs. The fact that a band could sounds this amazing after only a couple of rehearsals and three shows was awe inspiring. It was simply an incredible evening, one that you didn't really want to come to an end.
The remaining tour dates for the Acres Of Space/HuDost shows are listed below. If they come anywhere near you, I'd highly recommend you make it out. Additional dates are currently in the works, so check out the tour's Facebook page for details.
June 8 - Tin Angel, Philadelphia, PA
June 10 - Whitney Center for the Arts, Pittsfield, MA
June 12 - CoSM, Wappingers Falls, NY
June 21 - The Cutting Room, New York, NY
June 25 - ONCE, Somerville, MA
HuDost will also be returning to Nashville on their own for a show at Liberation Yoga on Friday, June 3.
Labels: concerts
All Together Now
All For The Hall
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
There are some concerts you go to that simply couldn’t happen anywhere else. Keith Urban and Vince Gill’s annual “All For the Hall” benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame is definitely one of those “only in Nashville” kind of events. They’ve become a kind of annual tradition for my wife and I. She has been to all three of the events, and while last year was my first, it’s turned into a show that I wouldn’t miss. I wouldn’t exactly call myself a huge country fan, but I’m definitely well versed enough to appreciate the history and reverence that these concerts promote. But you don’t have to be a music nerd to enjoy it. With a dozen plus acts and a pre-Ticketmaster ripoff… err, fees price of $35, the entertainment value would be a bargain at twice the price.
The theme of this year’s concert was “All Together Now,” and the advertised lineup featured all duos and groups. The mix of old(er) and new groups meant that there was no need for last year’s hook, when each performer did one of their own songs and then followed up with a cover from a hall of famer that they admired. There was plenty of history just with each performer doing two of their own songs. As usual, Urban kicked off the show with a brief set from his band, and then Gill took the mic and paid tribute to the groups concept of the evening by playing “Amie” from his Pure Prairie League days, and then gave a plug.
The newer groups on the bill were represented by Thompson Square, Little Big Town, The Band Perry, and Rascall Flatts, and though all were well received, they were definitely outshined by Lady Antebellum and Pistol Annies. In general though, the “old timers” got the biggest applause of the night. Diamond Rio were the first out of the gate, and though their set was well received, they simply got blown out of the water when the Oak Ridge Boys took the stage. You wouldn’t have expected four guys who are pushing 70 (William Lee Golden actually past that birthday three years ago) to have brought so much energy to the stage. Simply put, they killed with “Elvira” and “Bobbie Sue.” Alabama went in the exact opposite direction energy wise, though their “unplugged” style takes on “Feels So Right” and “Lady Down on Love” were every bit as magical. Their harmonies sounded amazing.
The newer groups on the bill were represented by Thompson Square, Little Big Town, The Band Perry, and Rascall Flatts, and though all were well received, they were definitely outshined by Lady Antebellum and Pistol Annies. In general though, the “old timers” got the biggest applause of the night. Diamond Rio were the first out of the gate, and though their set was well received, they simply got blown out of the water when the Oak Ridge Boys took the stage. You wouldn’t have expected four guys who are pushing 70 (William Lee Golden actually past that birthday three years ago) to have brought so much energy to the stage. Simply put, they killed with “Elvira” and “Bobbie Sue.” Alabama went in the exact opposite direction energy wise, though their “unplugged” style takes on “Feels So Right” and “Lady Down on Love” were every bit as magical. Their harmonies sounded amazing.
Two of the advertised groups, Exile and Allison Kraus and Union Stations, were no shows, but in their place we got two special guests that more than made up for it. Midway through the show Don Williams came out to do “Imagine That” and “Tulsa Time.” But the hands down highlight of the evening was when Keith and crew brought out Merle Haggard. Being that he is The Hag, his set wasn't constrained to just two songs, and after tearing through "I'll Just Stay Here And Drink," "Today I Started Loving You Again," and "Working Man Blues," Urban staged a one man encore chant, and Haggard obliged with "Silver Wings."
The night ended on an odd note when all the performers returned to the stage for a ramshackle cover of The Beatle's "I Saw Her Standing There." Being that it was a benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame, closing with a Brittish Invasion rock and roll hit seemed peculiar, but it captured the spirit of fun that these concerts are all about.
photo by Tonya Peacock
Labels: concerts
Best In Show 2011
Surprisingly, I haven't done a concerts of the year post since the very first year I started blogging five years ago. So it's a big odd that I am doing one for the year that I have blogged the least. Despite the fact that I felt somewhat disconnected from music last year, I still saw some great shows. So here are the top five...
1. U2
Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN - 7/2/11
I hate stadium shows. They are big, they are impersonal, and during the summer they are a hot, sweaty, stinky mess. Despite all that, U2 takes the top spot as my favorite show this year. And that speaks to what an amazing live band they are. They overcome the distance between the performer and the poor schmuck who has seats in the top row of a football stadium, and make it feel as intimate as a club show. Sure their massive stage is a spectacle, but lots of bands play on big massive stages and can’t make you feel the way U2 does. Twenty four years after the first time I saw them live, they are still the best live band I’ve ever seen. Read our original review from July.
2. Taylor Swift
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN - 9/17/11
Yeah, seriously. Ever since she released Speak Now
last year, I’ve really grown to not just appreciate Taylor Swift, but actually like her. She is a great songwriter, and if some indie darling wrote a line like “you made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter,” it’d be hailed as genius. Her songs are full of clever wordplay, and I think if it weren’t for the fact she’s cute, young, and admittedly a mediocre vocalist, she’d get a lot more props for her songwriting than she does.That said I’d have never gone to this concert if my wife hadn’t wanted to go. But I’m glad she did. It definitely shattered expectations, pretty much from the moment we entered the building. The first thing we noticed is that the average age of the crowd was a lot older than we would have expected. It was definitely predominately female, and while there were a fair share of teeny boppers, there were also a whole lot of twenty and thirty somethings. As the lights went down to the sound of Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” the crowd went apeshit, and Taylor literally exploded on to the stage to the sounds of “Sparks Fly.” At the end of the song, I half expected her to start quoting Sally Field award speeches as she put on her trademark surprise face, like she didn’t expect to get such a thunderous response. It took a few minutes to get used to completely unspontaneous nature of the show. It seemed like every facial expression and hair toss was choreographed. But as the show went on, you realized this was almost more a broadway production than a concert. There were multiple set and costume changes, dancers and acrobats, and more pyro than you’d see anywhere outside of a Kiss show. Once you got used to the fact that this wasn’t going to be a typical concert in the way you’ve come to expect it, you could just sit back and enjoy what was one hell of a show. Swift is a born entertainer, and on stage she’s as much an actress as a singer. The way she can work a crowd almost gives Bruce Springsteen a run for his money. Combine all that with a parade of hits performed with more enthusiasm than most bands can muster and you have yourself one hell of a fun evening.
3. Guided By Voices
Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN - 1/14/11
Score one of nostalgia. While it wasn’t as magical as the one time I got to see the “classic” Guided By Voices line up at Exit/In back in 1995, it was definitely better than any of their shows I’ve seen since then (and that’s not a knock, GBV has always put on a great show). Even after a year of touring together, you could tell that Uncle Bob, Toby, Mitch, Greg and Kevin were having a blast playing together, and the fact that the setlist was damn near perfect meant two hours of pure pop bliss for indie geeks. Read our original review from January.
Guided By Voices - "Official Ironman Rally Song (Demo)" (mp3)
4. Rush
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN - 4/3/11
I’d pretty much given up on Rush over the last decade or so. Not only had I not bought one of their new albums since Counterparts
, but I’d also skipped out on seeing them live on their last few tours. But time heals all wounds, and the stellar documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage
not only rekindled my love of the band, but also introduced my wife to them. You pretty much know what you’re going to get when you go see them live… note perfect renditions of their songs played with musicianship that most jazz cats would envy. And though they’ve incorporated videos into their concerts for years, they seem to be doing it with more humor than ever before, which made the concert even more fun. Read our original review from April.5. Interpol & School of Seven Bells
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN - 5/2/11
If I was ordering this list by my favorite concert moments rather than the entire concert, Interpol performing “Lights” at the Mother Church would top the list. It was one of those absolutely transcendent concert moments that only happen a few times during the course of your life. This concert also marked the first time in years that’d I’d been so impressed by an opening act that it necessitated a trip to the merch stand to buy their CD. Read our original review from May.
School Of Seven Bells - "Windstorm" (mp3) from Disconnect From Desire
Talk Talk Talk
The Psychedelic Furs
Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
Thursday, July 7, 2011
On Thursday afternoon, the Mercy Lounge sent out a tweet warning the rock o' clock-ers not to show up for The Psychedelic Furs show at 10 pm, because the band would be going on promptly at 8 pm. They weren't kidding. The Butler brothers and company took the stage just a few minutes after the advertised start time and immediately tore into "Dumb Waiters," the opening track from the evening's advertised performance of their sophomore album Talk Talk Talk
. Although there was a decent sized crowd at the beginning of the show, the empty spaces steadily filled in throughout the first set, and anyone who showed up late missed out on their biggest hit, "Pretty In Pink," which occupies spot number two on the album's tracklisting. Like most acts on nostalgia themed tours these days, they performed the album front to back, so there weren't any surprises to start the show. Despite the fact that they had been playing the album in this manner for the past year or so, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. And if the crowd wasn't as familiar with the album tracks, they certainly didn't show it. The Furs got a enthusiastic response throughout the first set.After a 15 minute break, the band returned to the stage one by one to the opening strains of "Sister Europe." The rest of the set was basically culled from All of This & Nothing
, their 1988 "best of" album. After another 50 minutes and a two song encore it was over. And therein lies the rub. It's not that it wasn't a good show. The band was in top form, and apart from wearing glasses and looking a little looser in the neck area, Richard Butler looked and sounded as great as he did when I saw them at 328 Performance Hall in 1991. But I couldn't help feeling like the show would have been perfect if it was just ten minutes longer. I'm sure I wasn't the only person who left the venue lamenting that they didn't play "The Ghost In You," though I was probably the only one disappointed that they didn't do anything from Book of Days
or World Outside
, their final two studio albums. Maybe they know their audience better than I do. The room was full of forty- and fifty-somethings who obviously hadn't been to a club show in years (honestly, it felt nice to be in the lower end of the age demographic for a change). Most of the crowd seemed content to sing along to "Love My Way" and "Heartbreak Beat." Personally I would have killed to have heard "House," or "In My Head," or even their final big single "Until She Comes." Alas, it was not to be.In a Nashville Cream interview, bassist Tim Butler hinted that the band was working on a new album, which would be their first in twenty years. Richard Butler proved on his solo album (Richard Butler
) a few years back that he's can still write great songs, so here's to hoping that the next time the Furs tour, it's for something a little more vital than just a greatest hits tour.The Psychedelic Furs - "Make It Mine" (mp3) from the Until She Comes single
Labels: concerts
U2, Music City... Magnificient
U2, with Florence + The Machine
Vanderbilt Stadium, Nashville, TN
Saturday, July 2, 2011
When you have already seen a band four times, you have a pretty good idea what to expect when you see them again. And when that band is U2, you pretty much know that you're going to see a amazing show. I have seen hundreds and hundreds of concerts, and U2 occupies two spots the list on my top five favorite concerts ever (Murphy Center in Murfreesboro in 1987, and Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY in 2001). In fact, they only time I've seen them and it wasn't great was at the Liberty Bowl on the Pop Mart tour, and even that was a good show, it just wasn't spectacular. You can bash them for being self important, for excessive preachiness, or even for not making a truly great album in 20 years. While I may not agree with you, I can at least see your point on any of those issues. But the one thing no one can ever say about U2 is that they aren't a truly phenominal live act. The only other performer I've ever seen who has the ability to make an arena or a stadium feel as intimate as a club show is Bruce Springsteen.
Getting to the show was a nightmare. The lack of public parking on the Vanderbilt campus means you've got to hoof it to the stadium, and with the temperature in the mid-90s and the humidity in the same range, everyone was a hot, sweaty mess by the time they got to there. Vanderbilt Stadium has only four gates to allow entrance, which isn't a problem when you have the smallest stadium in the SEC and you still usually play to a half empty house on Saturdays in the fall. But when you have a sold out concert of 47,000 people, and one of those gates is effectively closed due to the backstage area, the bottleneck trying to get in is insufferable. It didn't get much better once you got inside, as the already narrow concourses were cluttered with beer stands (Vanderbilt usually doesn't allow alcohol sales on campus). So basically by the time I got to my seat, I was both utterly frustrated and practially soaking wet. Once I sat down, I found that the $110 ticket which the seating chart had led me to believe was on the side of the stage was actually a lot closer to the back. I kept thing how much better the setup would have been and LP Field,* and was beginning to think maybe I should have just stayed home and watched Live at Red Rocks
.My mood didn't get much better when Florence + The Machine took the stage. I hadn't heard a lot of them before Saturday night, and their set didn't make me want to hear much of them afterwords. It wasn't terrible or anything, but it definitely wasn't my bag. Despite the presence of a harp player, the music came off as pretty generic mainstream modern rock. Imagine a less bombastic version of Muse fronted by Stevie Nicks singing opera. I guess I am just not a fan of those kind of big voiced singers.
Considering the start the evening had gotten off to, I was legitimately concerned that the night might be beyond repair. But when U2 took to the stage, it was like suddenly being transported to another place... a cooler, dryer, happier place. It's not like it suddenly cooled off, but the heat definitely didn't seem so bad. They kicked things off with a four song blast from Achtung Baby
before going all the way back to their debut album for "I Will Follow." And with them really working the 360 degree stage, the seats really didn't seem so bad after all. Over the course of two and a half hours, they played probably the coolest setlist I've ever seen them do. Sure all the concert staples were there, but sprinkled in between their greatest hits were a lot of songs that I didn't expect to hear, "Zooropa" and "Miss Sarajevo" among them. Hell, I had forgotten that "Scarlet" from October
even existed! "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" reminded fans that there was once a time when Bono and The Edge could do songs for a superhero project without it being a unmitigated disaster. They even gave new life to songs I was never crazy about in the first place. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" and "Discoteque" are definitely not two of my favorite tunes, but I've got to admit that the remixed medly of the two sounded great.Given that this tour has been going on for two years (there were only nine shows left after Nashville), much has already been written of their massive stage, nicknamed "the claw." It was truly an impressive set up, even before giant circular video screen descended and expanded during "Zooropa." For a lot of bands, the gimmicks are needed because that's what makes the show. But with U2, the setting merely enhances what is already going to be great concert (as mentioned earlier, my favorite two shows of theirs were arena shows without all the bells and whistles).
I think the thing that really made this such a great show was the sense of spontaneity that you usually don't get from a production like this, and even that despite their reputation I had never seen like this at a U2 show before. At the end of "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," Bono whispered into The Edge's ear, and they segued into "The Wanderer" as an impromptu tribute to Johnny Cash. But the real magical moment of the show came at the very end. After playing "Moment Of Surrender" and taking their final bows, Bono started talking to a fan in the front row as the rest of the band made their way off stage. You heard him ask "What do you want to play?" and a minute later security was helping the guy onstage as Bono asked a roadie to bring him his guitar. The whole scene was was surreal... it was truly odd and you couldn't really believe it was happening. As everyone found out the next day, the guy was blind, hence all the help he needed getting on stage and getting the guitar strapped on. Once Bono and the crew got him all set up and he professed how nervous he was, he started strumming the chords to "All I Want Is You" with Bono singing along. After the second verse, the rest of the band started coming in one by one, with The Edge playing piano. It was one of those goosebump inducing moments that you very rarely get, especially in a spectacle filled stadium show. And it's exactly why for my money, U2 is without a doubt the best live band I have ever seen.
U2 - "The Fly (Lounge Fly Mix)" (mp3) from The Fly single
*Apparently LP Field was the band's first choice of venue to hold the concert, but the Tennessee Titans weren't interested. The CMA Festival (held the first weekend in June) has it in their contract that no other concerts can be held at LP Field in the thirty days before or after their event without their permission, but it turns out that the Titans never bothered to ask them. Perhaps the fact that U2 has had to pay to resod basically every field with natural grass that they've played had (Vanderbilt included) had something to do with that.
photo courtesy of Blue Shoe Nashville
Labels: concerts
No D In Threesome
Interpol, w/ School Of Seven Bells
Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Monday, May 2, 2011
I've always made it a point to get to concerts in time to see the opening act, even if I'm not familiar with them before hand. There are a lot of reasons for this. Part of it is I've played in bands off and on since high school, so I know how much it sucks to play to a half empty room. But I've also discovered some of my favorite bands by seeing them open for someone else. Of course it's not always that way. Sometimes you have to sit through 45 minutes of pure crap, as was the case last time I saw Interpol at the Ryman, and Liars opened.
This time more than made up for that though, as School Of Seven Bells were fantastic. They definitely have a bit of a shoegazer vibe, falling somewhere on the musical venn diagram between Curve and The Cocteau Twins. Guitarist Benjamin Curtis (ex-Secret Machines) looked like a dead ringer for Joe Jonas, but his guitar playing was a perfect combination of Kevin Shields and The Edge. With last falls departure of founding member Claudia Deheza, her twin sister Alejandra was left to cover vocals on her own, but the songs definitely didn't suffer from the lack of harmonies. And the addition of live drums gave the songs an extra kick from the loops that make up most of their recorded output. It certainly had a different feel than their albums, but it sounded equally great.
I was curious to see whether I'd enjoy Interpol as much as I did last time for two reasons. One was that bassist Carlos Dengler had departed just after releasing their latest self titled album. The other was that I found that album, Interpol
, to be a huge letdown. So I was kind of surprised that either the new songs sound a lot better live, or they just seem cooler when surrounded by selections from the rest of their catalog. Opening with "Success," the eighteen song set was equally divided between their four albums, with the early b-side "Specialist" thrown in for good measure. The highlight of the set came exactly at the halfway point with "Lights," the one standout track from their new album which sounded even more incredible live.Throughout the evening, guitarist Daniel Kessler's epileptic Fred Astaire moves had his roadie playing cord wrangler, and Paul Banks exuded the kind of slightly goofy charm that reminds you of that guy in high school who seemed to move effortlessly through all the various cliques and was friends with everyone. Casual fans might not have even noticed that Carlos D is no longer in the band, as touring bassist Brad Truax had the same wide legged, low slung stance that Dengler often had. But there were a few moments, like on the verses of "Evil," where the bass wasn't quite as locked in with the drums as you'd want it to be. Granted, its probably not something most people would notice, but when you've spent your whole life in the rhythm section like I have, these are the things you hear. But aside from being nit picky, it's also totally forgivable, as Truax has only been playing with the band for a few weeks. And when they send you home with a killer version of "Slow Hands," it's hard to complain about anything.
School Of Seven Bells - "Windstorm" (mp3) from Disconnect From Desire
photo courtesy of Nashville Metromix
Labels: concerts
Time Machine
Rush
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday night I managed to do something that my teenaged self could only dream about. I had a date for a Rush concert.
And I wasn't the only one. It seemed like there were a whole lot of wives and girlfriends getting their prog rock cherry broken by Canada's finest power trio. This was my sixth Rush concert, and I've never seen so many chicks at one of their shows (the band even made a joke about it in one of the video vignettes that bookended their set). Evidently between I Love You, Man
and last year's fantastic documentary of the band, interest in the band by the finer sex is apparently at an all time high. We met some friends for dinner before the show, and our friend Anna said the same thing that my wife thought... that she had little knowledge or interest in Rush before watching Beyond the Lighted Stage.Billed as the Time Machine tour, the concert came with the promise that you'd be treated to a steady steam of their greatest hits. So after opening with "The Spirit Of Radio," I was surprised by how much of their first set was filled with songs that seemed to be late period albums... till it dawned on me that "Time Stand Still" and "Marathon" both came from albums that were released when I was in high school. Still, of the eleven songs played in the first set, only three predated what many fans derogatorily refer to as "the synth years." After closing the first act of the evening with "Subdivisions," the band took the intermission that has been a standard part of their opening act-less shows for the past decade.
The second set started the same way the first did, with a video introduction that featured the band in costume (and Alex Lifeson nearly unrecognizable in a fat suit), telling "the real history of Rash." And with a video count off by their pint-sized doppelgangers, "Tom Sawyer" kicked off the evening's advertised performance of 1981's classic Moving Pictures
album in its entirety. Though it was cool to hear "The Camera Eye" performed live, picking this album to perform was basically a marketing gimmick. Any given Rush concert in the last 30 years already featured the entire first side of the album as concert staples, and both "Witch Hunt" and "Vital Signs" were performed regularly during the 80s. That shouldn't be considered a complaint, just an observation. I will never get sick of hearing the opening riff to "Limelight" barrelling through arena speakers, and the video of drummer Neil Peart pantomiming Lifeson's guitar solo during "Tom Sawyer" was hilarious.After previewing their forthcoming album Clockwork Angels with the brand new song "Caravan" (one of two new songs recorded in Nashville last spring that they performed) the second set headed down the home stretch with Peart's always impressive drum solo, "Closer To The Heart," and the opening suite from 2112
, before closing with the best Rush song of the last decade, Snakes & Arrows
' "Far Cry." The encore featured the epic instrumental "La Villa Strangiato" and a reggae-fied version of "Working Man," and the show came to a final end with a hilarious video that Paul Rudd and Jason Segal fans might want to check out.Rush - "Circumstances (Live)" (mp3) live in Tuscon, November 20, 1978
photo courtesy of American Songwriter
Labels: concerts
Knock Out Punches For The Freaks
Guided By Voices w/ New Times Viking
Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN
Friday, January 14, 2011
The very first time I was introduced to Guided By Voices, it was by a voice other than Robert Pollard's. One night after a show, a couple of friends and I ended up back at the apartment of Shazam frontman Hans Rotenberry. After spending a couple of hours drinking beer and listening to records, a guitar ended up getting passed around, and Hans played a couple of GBV tunes. It was my first exposure to the melodic genius of Robert Pollard, and a mental note was definitely made that this was a band I needed to check out.
A few weeks later (July 24, 1995 to be exact), The Shazam was opening for GBV and Chavez at the Exit/In. It was one of those concerts that alters your musical path forever. It was just song after song of brilliant pop gems in quick two minutes bursts, with little more than a song title announcement and a count off in between (and maybe a quick pause for a swig of beer). I was instantly a fan, and began the laborious process of digging through their back catalog immediately.
I've seen Uncle Bob and company several times since then, and though they always put on a great show, it never quite had the same magic. Sure the exuberance, the mic swinging, the kicks, and the cooler of beer were all still there. And they certainly released some great songs since the classic lineup went their separate ways. But towards the end, the three hour, fifty song sets started becoming an exercise in patience (though I have to admit, it was always worth it when they played "Game Of Pricks" during one of the encores). So I was looking forward to the reunion show, and though I knew it'd be good, I figured there was no way they could match the energy of their show when they were relatively young lads just pushing forty.
I'm happy to announce I was wrong. The show was amazing. Sure the hair was greyer (Pollard's) and thinner (Tobin Sprout's), but that was about the only difference between the shows. It was almost like you stepped through a time machine when you walked through the door. Mitch Mitchell was till pounding power chords with an ever present cigarette hanging from his lip. Bassist Greg Demos broke out the insane striped pants and arena rock poses. And Kevin Fennell was still largely hidden behind cymbals and oversized toms.
It was clear that the guys were enjoying the hell out of doing this again. The setlist only strayed once from the classic era catalog (Mag Earwhig!
Earlier in the night, I thought I had hit the timing jackpot when I walked in the door two minutes before Times New Viking started their set. After their third song I was starting to wish I hadn't been able to find my keys or something. Despite having read good things about them, their music came off as monotonous and, well, boring. Farfisa organs are OK when used in moderation, but they become especially annoying when all your melodies seem to follow along with one finger keyboard parts.
Guided By Voices - "Game Of Pricks (Live)" (mp3) from Jellyfish Reflector
photo courtesy of Nashville Metromix
Labels: concerts
I'd Call That A Bargain
This is the story of the best ten dollars I ever spent...
In October of 1999, I was living in Las Vegas, working as a supervisor at the Virgin Megastore. One afternoon I was upstairs in the office when one of my managers came in and announced that The Who were playing the next weekend at MGM Grand Garden Arena, and tickets were only ten bucks. Now I should admit that if the tickets had been regular price, I wouldn't have gone. The Who were not coming off the greatest period of their history. Their recent reunion tours had been overblown and underwhelming spectacles, featuring too many additional musicians, guest singers, and worst of all Pete Townsend playing acoustic guitar exclusively due to his issues with tininitus. So I wasn't expecting much, but you simply don't pass up an opportunity to see one of the greatest rock bands of all time for one measly Alexander Hamilton.
The concert was part of iBash'99, an extravagant and expensive launch party for a dot-com company called Pixelon. In addition to The Who, the day long event featured Tony Bennett, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, The Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, and a lip synching Kiss. The $10 million event was supposed to be a showcase for their revolutionary new streaming technology, although it turned out to be a huge bust. They claiming Microsoft technology as their own, their servers crashed, and a year later their founder (who turned out to be a fugitive using a fake identity) was in jail and the company was bankrupt.
Like I said, we went into the show with low expectations, and at first it seemed like they were going to be met. The arena was only half full, and the show started late. When the lights went down, emcees David Spade and Cindy Margolis took the stage to what seemed like a chorus of boos. As it turned out, the crowd was yelling "BOOB!" due to a wardrobe malfunction from the world's most downloaded woman. After hyping the internet technology that wasn't actually working, they introduced the band. Roger Daltry, Pete Townsend and John Entwhistle took to the bare bones stage, accompanied only by drummer Zak Starkey and longtime Who keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick. Townsend plugged in a red Stratocaster and immediately started furiously banging out the chords to "I Can't Explain." And our jaws dropped. Far from being the lackluster performance we were expecting, we were blown away. This was The Who that we all loved... a stripped down, powerful and passionate rock band. No frills, no fuss, no filler. The ninety minute set focused almost exclusively on their hits, with only Entwhistle's "My Wife" thrown in as a deep catalog treat for the hardcore fans. But with the raw energy they were projecting, I sure as hell wasn't going to complain. It was a little rough around the edges at times, but frankly thats the way a good rock show should be. No one cared that Daltrey came in early during "Anyhow, Anyway, Anywhere," or that Townsend had to switch guitars in the middle of "Pinball Wizard" due to broken strings. We were witnessing the rebirth of one of rock and roll's all time greats. And when Daltrey let loose his throat shredding yell during "Won't Get Fooled Again" (which is easily the greatest scream in the recorded history of rock and roll), I got goosebumps. It was that good.
There are a lot of people who say The Who should have broken up for good when Keith Moon died (although that would have denied us most excellent and underated "Eminence Front"). And those same people would say the band really stopped being The Who when Entwhistle died in 2002. And I'd have to admit that those people have a point. The Who were definitely one of those band where each member was a singular talent. But having seen three-quarters of the original Who play an absolutely amazing show ten years ago, I still think the Daltrey/Townsend show will be worth watching at halftime on Super Bowl Sunday. It'll sure as hell be better than Up With People.
The Who - "Behind Blue Eyes (Alternate Version)" (mp3) from Who's Next
Pearl Jam - "Baba O'Reilly" (mp3) from 10/22/00 - Las Vegas, Nevada
Sugar - "Armenia City In The Sky" (mp3) from Besides
The 1999 concert is avaible on DVD as The Who - The Vegas Job
. Labels: concerts
Witness Blues
Elvis Perkins In Dearland w/ A.A. Bondy
Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
If you were at the Mercy Lounge Tuesday night, you never would have guessed that Nashville had been experiencing sunshine and 75 degree temperatures just two days earlier. It seemed like everyone in attendance had spent the indian summer weekend digging their winter clothes out of the back of the closet. Every other person was wearing either a sweater, scarf, knit hat, or some combination of the three.
For a while it seemed like the openers would be experiencing the familiar curse of a Nashville weeknight crowd, but just as A.A. Bondy and his bandmates were taking the stage, people materialized seemingly out of nowhere, and the place ended up being about two-thirds full. They also were surprisingly attentive and respectfully quiet throughout the mostly subdued hour long set, so much so that Bondy thanked them several times for being such a great crowd. With just three people on stage, the songs from Bondy's most recent album, When The Devil's Loose, were much less atmospheric than on record, making the sound much closer to that of his debut album. The only hints of the former Verbena frontman's rock and roll past were during a distortion drenched ending to "Slow Parade," and the cacophony of noise that "Killed Myself When I Was Young" decsended into. Only two songs approached the lushness of their album versions: "Mightest of Guns," on which his drummer played pedal steel, and the closer "I Can See The Pines Are Dancing," when they were joined on stage by Elvis Perkins and two of his bandmates. Don't take that as a complaint though. It might have been a laid back, bluesy set, but it was also utterly fantastic.
Elvis Perkins In Dearland is one of those bands where every member seems to play at least three different instruments. So despite only being a four piece, it looked like the stage was setup for Arcade Fire or Belle And Sebastian. Perkins kicked off the set solo before being joined by his bandmates. And three songs in, Bondy returned the favor affored during his set by joining them on guitar for "Doomsday," the title track to Perkin's most recent release. While not a huge fan, I'd heard several Perkins songs before. But before Tuesday night it had never occured to me that he often sounds a bit like Paul Simon fronting the Decemberists. That's a cool combination, but it couldn't overcome the fact that I was tired and it was a school night, so I ended up heading home about halfway through their set.
Elvis Perkins - "While You Were Sleeping" (mp3) from Ash Wednesday
Elvis Perkins In Dearland - "Slow Doomsday" (mp3) from The Doomsday EP
A.A. Bondy - "When The Devil's Loose" (mp3) from When The Devil's Loose
A.A. Bondy - "There's A Reason" (mp3) from American Hearts
photo of A.A. Bondy by minervacat
Labels: concerts
Bluegrass Hitchcock
Robyn Hitchcock
Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN
Saturday, October 17, 2009
There was a real sense of curiosity as people were waiting in line to get into the Bluebird on a chilly Saturday night. The show had seemed to pop up out of nowhere, and most of the fans in line were saying they had just found out about it in the last couple of days. Additionally, the evening was billed as "Robyn Hitchcock Presents," so everyone was wondering exactly what that meant. But the fact that no one knew quite what to expect certainly didn't keep anyone away. The place was absolutely packed with a bizarre mix of hardcore fans and curious tourists who just wanted to see the legendary venue, and if you didn't have reservations you were out of luck.
I was almost one of those unfortunate souls that didn't get in. By the grace of God, I was in line in front of someone who had made reservation for two, and their friend didn't show up. So instead of heading home early, cold and disappointed, I found myself at a table right in front of the stage, for what ended up being the most unique Robyn Hitchcock show I've seen.
After starting the show with a five song solo set that included "The Museum of Sex," "I Often Dream Of Trains," and a cover of Gillian Welch's "Elvis Presley Blues," Robyn welcomed Abigail Washburn and Rayna Gellert to the stage. With accompaniment on banjo and fiddle respectively, they tore into a mind blowing bluegrass version of The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." At that point they could have said goodnight and left the stage, and I still would have felt like the night was worth twice the fifteen dollar cover. But they played for another hour, alternating between Robyn's vast catalog and traditional folk songs and murder ballads that featured Washburn and Gellert on vocals. The show had a somewhat loose feeling, like you were watching friends jamming in someone's basement, but it also had that sense of fun that you get from seeing something completely out of the ordinary. Though Hitchcock has had a few songs throughout his career with a somewhat country feel, hearing his quirky pop played with a bluegrass tinge was a treat. Washburn and Gellert seemed to be having a great time as well, especially during Hitchcock's hilariously surreal between song banter, this time featuring recurring themes of airline announcements and "sucky olives."
For the encore, Robyn returned to the stage alone for absolutely beautiful renditions of The Door's "The Crystal Ship" and Nick Drake's "River Man" before inviting the gals back onstage for a rousing stomp through "Ye Sleeping Knights Of Jesus," a song that was tailor made for the evening's down home, folksy feel. As his guests left the stage, he began a return trip to the Jim Morrison catalog, singing "The End" in its entirety, complete with the Oedipal monologue.
Hitchcock has played the Bluebird several times before, and after recording Spooked here with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, he's obviously developed a real affinity for Nashville. But it's a safe bet to say that Saturday night was an experience unlike any of the shows he's played here before, or anywhere else for that matter.
Robyn Hitchcock - "The Ghost In You (Live)" (mp3)
To see the complete setlist, check out Miles' review at Reading Pronounciation. Photo by John Brassil - note: the photo is from a show at the Bluebird five years ago, but oddly enough, Robyn was wearing the same shirt Saturday night.
Labels: concerts
Next Big Nashville 09 Saturday Recap
My final night of Next Big Nashville didn't get off to the start I had hoped for. After a pregame nap that lasted about an hour and half longer than planned, I headed out about 9:30 and figured I'd catch the tail end of Mikky Ekko's set at 12th and Porter. But when I got there, his set had evidently ended early, and the next band was already setting up their gear. So I made my way to the Exit/In with my sights on seeing the last half of Other Girls set. What I got to see was them tearing down. With my count now 0-2, I walked over to The End just in time to catch the last minute and a half of Denny & The Jets set. After an hour and three different venues, I'd managed to see absolutely no one. Last year set a precedent of NBN shows running pretty much on time, but never in my life would I have expected three different venues to be running ahead of schedule.
My luck changed eventually though. Matt Friction and the Cheap Shots thankfully waited until their scheduled time to go on, so I did catch the former Pink Spiders frontman's new band. They've got all the pop melodies and catchy hooks of his old outfit, but they lean more towards Ryan Adams territory than the Spiders punky brashness. Part two of the evening's "night of the former major label frontpersons" featured ex-Be Your Own Pet singer Jemina Pearl. Her solo material was pretty similar to the BYOP stuff... attitude heavy punk rock jams, played with the same amount of energy but with a little more finesse.
Other than dodging cars on Elliston, I also managed to hop the shuttle to catch some of The Protomen's set at Mercy Lounge. They were thrilling an absolutely packed house with their Blade Runner meets Bat Out Of Hell opera rock. It seemed like the spectacle took precedence over the music, but the crowd was absolutely eating it up. Jim Steinman would be proud.
Infinity Cat shows often feel more like an excuse to party than an actual concert, and the label's showcase at The End Saturday nite was no exception. Unfortunately Daniel Pujol fell into the same "end of the set" curse the plagued me earlier in the night, but I managed to catch substantial bits of the rest of the bill's ramshackle garage rock. Natural Child played ragged punk rock, while Heavy Cream were a bit like a bunch of kids who broke into a music store and were trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible before the cops showed up. Capping of the night was one of the worst kept secrets of the weekend, a "surprise" appearance by JEFF The Brotherhood. Love 'em or hate 'em, their minimalist stoner rock had the sweaty crowd jumping. Towards the end of their set there was a massive surge of stage divers, though some of them found unwilling helpers in the crowd and quickly made their way to the floor (check out The Opening Acts for pics). As the last notes of their set ran out, opener Sound Tribe Sector CY made a return appearance as the stage filled up with other band members and fans, all chanting along with his Casio powered keyboard jams. Lights were swinging, people were singing, and I'm sure mine weren't the only ears that were ringing. The wild ending made a fitting coda for a fantastic weekend.
JEFF The Brotherhood - "Screaming Banshee" (mp3) from The Boys R Back In Town
Jemina Pearl - "Looking For Trouble" (mp3) from Break It Up
photo of JEFF the Brotherhood courtesy of Next Big Nashville
Labels: concerts, next big nashville
Next Big Nashville 09 Friday Recap
Friday night confronted me with one of those scheduling dilemmas that Next Big Nashville seems to torture you with every year. Do I head down to The Rutledge to catch an increasingly rare appearance by Venus Hum, or head to Exit/In to see my absolute favorite local artist, Cortney Tidwell. Normally scarcity would win out over favoritism, but since I was meeting friends for The Black Angels headlining set, it meant spending the night on Elliston. That also meant I would miss Lylas at The Anchor later that night, but the lineup at Exit/In was so strong it was hard to complain.
Bear In Heaven kicked off the evening with a set of new wave inspired psychedelia, or maybe it was psychedelia inspired new wave. You could tell the moment you walked in the room they were a Brooklyn band, but you also knew right away that they were pretty damn good. They did suffer from what turned out to be a recurring problem for Exit/In bands over the weekend... vocals being absolutely buried in the mix. The sound at Nashville's grandaddy of rock clubs is usually spot on, so I don't know what caused the sporadic issues over the weekend. Next up was Cortney Tidwell, who luckily didn't suffer from the same problem. I've written about her a lot on here over the years, and her set Friday night did nothing to diminish her spot as my fave local. Pulling heavily from the recently released Boys, her set built in intensity until the thundering climax of "17 Horses," which literally gave me goosebumps. How the girl doesn't have a US record label is surely one of life's great mysteries.
Between sets we made a quick run across the street to catch the tail end of Twin Tigers set. The Scene described them last week as "...like The Fiery Furnaces playing from the bottom of a gloomy, reverbed-out U2 cave." The two songs we did hear were enough to make us wish we had gotten to see more of it. Luckily we'll get the chance, as the band will be returning to Nashville to play the Basement next month. We'll definitely be delving more into them before then. Back across the street, we caught Disappears, who were dripping with both reverb and sweat.
I got to see the Black Angels play at the Exit/In last year, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect. And even though they were missing the light show and video projector they had on their last trek through town, they still put on a hell of a show. Opening with "You On the Run," their 75 minute set made us feel like it was 1969 all over again. Their droning version of psychedelic rock is like Altamont's answer to the Summer of Love... dark and foreboding, with a hint of menace.
The fact that the Exit/In was running forty-five minutes behind schedule all night meant we didn't make it across the street to catch Eureka Gold before they were finished, but there was still another night of rock and roll to be had...
The Black Angels - "The First Vietnam War" (mp3) from Passover
Bear In Heaven - "Wholehearted Mess" (mp3) from Beast Rest Forth Mouth
Cortney Tidwell - "17 Horses" (mp3) from Boys
photo of Bear In Heaven by Tyge O'Donnell
Labels: concerts, next big nashville
Next Big Nashville 09 Thursday Recap
Three nights, five venues, eighteen bands, and too many beers to count. That was my Next Big Nashville 2009 in a nutshell. Not quite as crazy as NBN08, but still one hell of a good time. So now that the ringing in my ears has died down, let the recapping begin.
Thursday night we kicked things off by meeting Tyge from The Opening Acts at the Basement to catch The Carter Administration. Unfortunately they suffered the sparse crowd curse that often accompanies an early slot, but they still turned in a great set of classic power pop. Bassist Andy Wilhite was MIA due to work obligations, so new guitarist (and former Superdrag and Guided By Voices bassist) Sam Powers moved temporarily into the rhythm section. It's a testament to their tightness that the casual observer never would have guessed they were operating from a deficit position. We also managed to catch a few songs of Wheels On Fire's classic garage rock before pulling up stakes and moving the party to Elliston Place.
Once we hit the Rock Block, the plan was to alternate between The End and Exit/In for the evening, but what was supposed to be a quick pit stop at the Gold Rush turned into an extended gab session with friends. We had such a good time that it's hard to complain, but it did limit our exposure to the evening's lineup. I did manage to get across the street to catch Jessica Lea Mayfield, who was utterly fantastic. With a backing band that included Richie Ghostfinger, she sounded like Mazzy Star covering Fleetwood Mac. We finished off the evening with David Vandervelde's retro-fueled shimmery pop before calling it a night.
The Carter Administration - "Oxycontinental" (mp3) from Air Guitar Force One
David Vandervelde - "Someone Like You" (mp3) from Waiting For The Sunrise
photo of The Carter Administration by Chris Wage
Labels: concerts, next big nashville
A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed For All
Sgt. Pepper Live featuring Cheap Trick
Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas, NV
Thursday, September 17, 2009
There was pretty much no doubt I was going to enjoy this show. I love Cheap Trick. I'm a HUGE Beatles fan. So put the two together and it's beer and pizza... how can you go wrong?
The night started out on a bit of a dubious note. The lights dimmed and from behind the curtain the orchestra started playing a medly of early Beatles hits that sounded a bit too close to Muzak for my tastes. But once the curtain came up and the show proper started, it was just ever increasing doses of awesomeness. The evening began with a seven song set of Beatles classics played by the house band (led by Nashville's own Bill Lloyd) and a couple of guest singers. Joan Osborne kicked things off with "Can't Buy Me Love" and "The Long and Winding Road," followed by an instrumental version of "Eleanor Rigby." Next up was Rob Laufer for a utterly faithful and fantastic version of "Across The Universe" that was accompanied by a children's choir. An instrumental take on "Something" and a gang vocal rendition of "Drive My Car" preceded what almost could have been the highlight of the entire show... Gomez singer Ian Ball leading the band through an incredible version of "I Am The Walrus." Hearing the psychedelic classic played with an orchestra was just amazing.
With an undercard as impressive as the first few songs of the evening were, expectations were even higher for the main event, and Cheap Trick came out with guns blazing. From the first notes of the album's title track, they were nailing every note with both passion and precision. Each song was true to the original, but they definitely added a bit of power to the Fab Four's pop. You'd think a song as perfect as "With A Little Help From My Friends" simply couldn't be improved on, but the extra bit of oomph they provided made the performance simply a magical experience. If it weren't for getting engaged this summer, hearing Robin Zander belt out "Lovely Rita" would be the highlight of my year.
With sound production overseen by former Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, the sound of the album was faithfully recreated, right down to the barnyard noises on "Good Morning Good Morning" and the circus carousel sounds of "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!" Several members of the shows prelude made cameos during the main set as well. Laufer spelled Cheap Trick halfway through, performing "Within You Without You" along with a six piece Indian orchestra, Ball sang John Lennon's chorus vocals on "She's Leaving Home," and Lloyd stuck around to play rhythm guitar the entire time.
Once they put the finishing touches on "A Day In The Life," the show closed with a absolutely killer take on the closing medley from Abbey Road before bringing out all the evening performers for a rousing and joyous romp through "All You Need Is Love." The audience stood up and sang along, confetti cannons blew pink paper hearts throughout the theater, and anyone who left the showroom without a smile on their face was surely among the world's most hardened cynics.
Cheap Trick have long been among the world's finest purveyors of power pop, and their own catalog is a veritable treasure chest of classics. They've worn their love for the Beatles on their sleeves for most of their career, so it's no surprise that in this setting they can easily claim the title of world's greatest tribute band. As Rick Neilsen put it himself mid-show, "Cheap Trick have a lot of great songs, but it's a real treat to be able to be playing these." It was a treat to see them played as well.
Sgt. Pepper Live is playing at the Las Vegas Hilton through this Wednesday, September 23. If you're not able to make it to Sin City on short notice, you can relive last year's performance at the Hollywood Bowl on both CD and DVD. For another take on the show, check out Tyge's review at The Opening Acts.
Photo courtesty of Las Vegas Review-Journal. See the entire slideshow here, or read their opening night review.
Labels: concerts
Cover Me
It's funny how sometimes when you live somewhere, you can ignore the little treasures that are right under your nose. For example, I've lived in Nashville for over 20 years, and until last month, I had never experienced the wonderfulness that is the Pancake Pantry. How I managed to go two decades without tasting their delicious cinnamon pancakes and creamy syrup is beyond me.
Another local treasure that I'd somehow missed out on is The Long Players. Founded by pop wunderkind Bill Lloyd and E Street Band bassist Gary Tallent, the group of all star local sidemen have been getting together several times a year since 2004 and performing note perfect, front-to-back renditions of classic albums with a rotating cast of singers and musicians. Their guests over the past five years have included stars from the worlds of country (Suzy Bogguss, Allison Moorer, and members of New Grass Revival) and rock (members of Cheap Trick, Fleetwood Mac, Badfinger, and the Georgia Satellites), along with various members from the local rock scene.
Last month I finally found out what I had been missing. Their featured album was Prince's Purple Rain, and it was pretty amazing. A lineup of locals did a stellar job of fronting the band (Aaron Winters of Space Capone, A.J. Croce, Chris Mitchell, and Shelly Fairchild among them). But the real highlight of the show was when they brought out former Prince guitarist Dez Dickerson. He performed "Purple Rain" during the main set, and for the encore played his iconic solo from "Little Red Corvette" while Lari White sang, and then brought the house down when the band finished with "1999." It was the most fun I've had at a show this year.
Tonite at the Cannery Ballroom, The Long Players will be taking on The Beatle's White Album as part of the annual Fab Four Festival. Tickets are $20 at the door. A splendid time is guaranteed for all.
