Month: April 2016

The Killers 4/7/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Midnight Show
    2. Somebody Told Me
    3. Change Your Mind
    4. Bones
    5. Shadowplay (Joy Division cover)
    6. Human
    7. Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll
    8. Uncle Jonny
    9. Read My Mind
    10. Runaways
    11. All These Things That I’ve Done
    12. On Top
    13. When You Were Young
    14. Mr. Brightside

(b) highlights

  • literally just BEING THERE; I was outside of the venue, sitting on the fake lawn they set up in front of a screen and next to a bar; it was AMAZING
  • “Midnight Show” = first time they played it since 2007; me = DEAD
  • “On Top,” the end.
  • having just seen the band at the most memorable show ever at the T-Mobile Arena to two hours later watching them totally tear down this super tiny Vegas joint was pure magic

(c) lowlights

  • it would’ve been amazing to physically be in the bar, but I never would’ve dreamed of leaving the arena show early; I’m so glad I stayed and could even be on the Bunkhouse grounds at all, so…no actual lowlights

(d) overall thoughts

Fifteen minutes into The Killers’ performance at the T-Mobile Arena (see previous post), they tweeted that they’d be performing a midnight aftershow at the tiny Bunkhouse Saloon in Downtown Las Vegas. A couple of my friends had anticipated the band would be up to such antics, so we smiled, rolled our eyes, and had fun at the arena. Some fans left the show to get to the Bunkhouse and set up camp, but we stayed. The moment the arena show ended, we drove the 5 or so miles Downtown and found at least 500 people already in line. The space inside the physical Bunkhouse was full, but the garden area was still open with a screen to watch the inside, have drinks, eat food and all that.

Magically, somehow, by the grace of God, we got inside the garden and set up camp in front of the screen, exhausted but elated to even be there at all. I had envisioned sitting on the sidewalk and listening to the show from across the street, but this was better. How many bands in the world would go from selling out a 20,000-person venue to immediately playing a bar that barely holds 200 right after just for the fun of it? It was such a memorable night and iconic event that it almost felt damn-near magical as I lied on the fake grass, closed my eyes, and listened to songs I’ve heard a million times but never fail to excite me.

 

Bottom line: Everything about that night was unreal, but being a part of the band making history was the cherry on top.

The Killers 4/6/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Mr. Brightside
    2. Spaceman
    3. The Way It Was
    4. Smile Like You Mean It
    5. Bling (Confession of a King)
    6. Shadowplay (Joy Division cover)
    7. Human (w/ Blue Man Group drum battle)
    8. Somebody Told Me
    9. Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll
    10. Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry cover) (w/ Wayne Newton)
    11. For Reasons Unknown
    12. A Dustland Fairytale
    13. Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley cover)
    14. Read My Mind
    15. Runaways
    16. All These Things That I’ve Done

Encore:

  1. Shot at the Night
  2. Jenny Was a Friend of Mine (w/ Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons)
  3. This Is Your Life
  4. When You Were Young
  5. Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley cover)

(b) highlights

  • Blue Man Group drum battle with Ronnie Vannucci, I WAS DEAD
  • by far the best production of any Killers’ show I’ve ever seen; it was festival-level production…and then some
  • just being there at the T-Mobile Arena. in Las Vegas. for the opening night. wow.
  • Jimmy Kimmel introducing the band onstage via video
  • the “Shadowplay” laser light cage
  • the Back to the Future shoutout before “Johnny B. Goode”
  • “Can’t Help Falling in Love” cover was precious and fitting
  • Ronnie Vannucci Jr.
  • the entire goddamn encore from beginning to end
  • Vegas vomitting up everything it had during “Viva Las Vegas” (Showgirls? Cirque de Soleil dancers? Wayne Newton? Carrot Top? Gigantic balloons? Amazing.)

(c) lowlights

  • watching Wayne Newton was probably the most uncomfortable performance I’ve ever seen
  • the band should’ve played “Sam’s Town” but IT’S FINE
  • crowd could’ve been better, but I’m reaching – the show was INCREDIBLE

(d) overall thoughts

In case anyone on Earth doesn’t know, The Killers are from Las Vegas and, boy, are they proud about it. I’ve seen the band a couple of times in Vegas before, but never quite like this. It was a special night. Everyone knew it was gonna be special before it even began. The trip to Vegas was like going to Mecca for me and my friends – we stopped by all the usual local Killers-related spots to do stupid things on par with going to Abbey Road and crossing the street like the Beatles-type of nonsense. We waited in line for literally two days to be front row for the show because, well, The Killers are our favorite band and they were opening a brand new arena in the town that’s been the backdrop of their music and emotional upbringing. Of course we were gonna be there. And we weren’t the only ones.

I had heard all the songs they played before, and heard all the speeches, but every song was brought to a fuller life with the jaw-dropping stage production. The towering Battle Born emblem, laser light cage, flames, confetti, balloons – it all felt so very Vegas and very The Killers. It’s funny how we often remember so many strange details of shows after they’re done – this one particular line during a song, a moment when a band member did something funny, a time when the lights looked cool – but whenever I think about this Las Vegas show, I remember all of it. I remember Brandon Flowers’ sparkling blazer lapels glistening in the lights, Ronnie Vannucci’s damn-near incredible drum battle versus three members of the Blue Man Group, Dave Keuning walking through and around the green laser lines that shot up from the floor to the ceiling during “Shadowplay,” and how Mark Stoermer uncharacteristically smiled when Wayne Newton came out to play “Johnny B. Goode.” I remember my friends’ joy catching confetti as it fell from the rafters during “All These Things That I’ve Done” and feeling the heat of the towering flames during “When You Were Young.” I remember that elation of feeling the entire crowd lift their arms and wave them back and forth, back and forth, during “This Is Your Life.” I remember how we all gleefully hit the gigantic balloons toward the stage at the Jubilee show girls and Carrot Top, who was present because…Vegas. Most of all, I remember the feeling of being part of such a quintessential Vegas show on a momentous night for the band, having formed right there in that city roughly 14 years prior. And I hope I never forget it.

Bottom line: Some shows you never forget, and this was one of them.

To check out some incredible shots by a professional and crazy cool awesome guy, photog Erik Kabik took the best pictures of the night, most of which are featured here.

Bonus Material!

Video of Ronnie Vannucci Jr. vs. Blue Man Group ❤

 

The Killers 4/3/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Runaways
    2. Spaceman
    3. The Way It Was
    4. Smile Like You Mean It
    5. Bling (Confession of a King)
    6. Shadowplay (Joy Division cover)
    7. Somebody Told Me
    8. Human
    9. Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll
    10. Uncle Jonny
    11. Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry cover)
    12. For Reasons Unknown
    13. A Dustland Fairytale
    14. Read My Mind
    15. All These Things That I’ve Done
    16. Mr. Brightside

Encore:

  1. Shot at the Night
  2. Change Your Mind
  3. When You Were Young

(b) highlights

  • Glamorous Indie Rock ‘n’ Roll (!!!!!!!!)
  • one of the best opening bands The Killers have ever had: The Struts. LOOK. THEM. UP. [They were so good that half of the Killers, their crew, and a bunch of others literally came out on the stage wings to watch. Like, WOW.]
  • Uncle Jonny – the way the band has extended the outro before the final verse = HEAVEN
  • Johnny B. Goode was so rad, especially with The Struts’ lead singer
  • “desert people”
  • Ronnie Vannucci Jr.
  • the entire damn show, as always

(c) lowlights

  • the band played On Top the night before – that would’ve been a cool addition here
  • every day I pray for Believe Me Natalie, my god, do I pray for that song live
  • pretty much nothing, to be honest

(d) overall thoughts

I’ve seen The Killers a lot. Like, a lot. They’re my favorite band of all time and I’ve been consistently seeing them live since 2005. I’ll never not love them and will defend them until the ends of the Earth, so hearing people say things like, “Hot Fuss is their only good album” and “‘Mr. Brightside’ is their only good song” makes me want to projectile vomit. My friends and I flew to Tempe, Arizona from NYC for their warm-up show in preparation of opening the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, their hometown.

It’s difficult to thoroughly talk about this band without getting emotional and blabbering, but this scrapbook is about the memories. And my memories were this: they were amazing. As always. They sounded perfect. As always. They looked perfect. As always. This was one of their first real shows in about 8 months; Brandon Flowers spent most of 2015 preoccupied with his second solo album, The Desired Effect, and Ronnie Vannucci Jr. kicked around a second album Straight In No Kissin’ with his side project bros Big Talk. Despite the time away, it appeared that nothing had been lost in term’s of performance quality. As always.

Bottom line: I waited in line for about 21 hours to see my favorite four guys and I would/probably will do the whole thing again. They were perfect, as always.

 

Bloc Party 3/16/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Only He Can Heal Me
    2. Octopus
    3. Virtue
    4. Song For Clay (Disappear Here)
    5. Banquet
    6. One More Chance
    7. Different Drugs
    8. Exes
    9. So He Begins to Lie
    10. Hunting for Witches
    11. Positive Tension
    12. The Love Within

Encore:

  1. Heroes (David Bowie cover)
  2. Flux
  3. Helicopter
  4. Ratchet

(b) highlights

  • seeing one of my favorite bands of all time live for the first time (!!!!!)
  • “Song For Clay (Disappear Here),” “Banquet,” and “Helicopter” soothing my 16 year old soul
  • David Bowie cover (!!!!) and it was HEROES (!!!)
  • “The Love Within” and “Exes” – haters gonna hate
  • no, really, guys – I have loved Bloc Party since 2005, this was a DREAM show for me

(c) lowlights

  • probably the worst crowd I’ve ever seen in New York City
  • set was too short
  • I miss the original band lineup
  • everyone needed more energy

(d) overall thoughts

I’ve dreamed about this show for years. Somehow, Bloc Party was always the band that got away for me. I’ve adored them since the moment I heard “Banquet” in 2005 and, unlike most fans, have (mostly) enjoyed their newer work after the departure of founding members Gordon Moakes and the inimitable Matt Tong. Kele Okereke has always been a controversial frontman and some fans feel a strange betrayal on his part, but I still believe in this band. Though it’s unpopular to say, I enjoy the slow-burning quietness of their newest album Hymns, and – haters will hate – I totally dig singles, “The Love Within” and “Exes.”

I’m still partial to Bloc Party’s earlier work – particularly Intimacy and A Weekend in the City, an album that would undoubtedly make my Top 5 Desert Island List, and it’s clear the crowd at Irving Plaza preferred the early work too. Meaning no one remotely moved for anything other than songs written ten years ago. So irritating as a fan and must be for the band, as well. Regardless, Kele is a frontman and stood behind his work. Russell Lissack brought it on guitar in a way that endearingly made me feel like he’s still living in 2005, but there wasn’t much to say about the new members Justin Harris and Louise Bartle. The new rhythm section wasn’t bad in any way – they just feel like touring musicians in the shadow of their frontman.

I hope to see the band later this year at Gov Ball, and I hope both the band and crowd step it up for a great performance, not one that is merely good.

Bottom line: The expectations in my mind I’ve had for this show for years weren’t exactly met, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t bawl my eyes out for the back-to-back, heart-wrenching pair that was “Song For Clay (Disappear Here)” and “Banquet.” Step it up next time, Bloc Party, cause I love you a lot.

Bonus Stuff!

David Bowie’s “Heroes” cover:

 

Weezer 3/30/16

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(a) setlist

    1. California Kids
    2. My Name is Jonas
    3. Hash Pipe
    4. Back to the Shack
    5. L.A. Girlz
    6. El Scorcho
    7. The British Are Coming
    8. Pork & Beans
    9. Do You Wanna Get High?
    10. Cleopatra
    11. The Waste Land
    12. Thank God For Girls
    13. Say It Ain’t So
    14. The Good Life
    15. You Gave Your Love to Me Softly
    16. King of the World
    17. Island in the Sun
    18. Undone (The Sweater Song)

Encore:

  1. Beverly Hills
  2. Buddy Holly

(b) highlights

  • most. incredible. setlist. ever.
  • Weezer fans are the coolest, nicest, chillest people
  •  no, really, that setlist, wow
  • most fun, energetic crowd I’ve seen in a while

(c) lowlights

  • none; seriously – none

(d) overall thoughts

Weezer was probably the first real “band” I ever listened to. I think I was 6 or so the first time I heard “Buddy Holly” and “The Sweater Song,” and things were pretty much never the same. My older brother introduced me to the band, and even though his interest in the band waned over the years (in a similar trajectory to the general public [i.e. a lot of “original fans” falling off after Make Believe and even more after The Red Album and Raditude]), I’ve always loved Weezer for just being themselves – whatever form that may take.

Their 2014 album Everything Will Be Alright In The End felt like a comeback album in a lot of ways – and I thoroughly appreciated the work it featured – but everything about this year’s The White Album feels like a comeback in an even bigger way. Weezer is sounding more like their late 90’s and early 2000’s selves than ever before: catchy choruses, memorable melodies, and simply Rivers Cuomo-esque lyrics. Everything from “L.A. Girlz” and “California Kids” and my personal favorite, “King of World” felt solid enough to stand beside those early classics.

I’d only seen Weezer once before – at the Bowery Ballroom in October 2014 – so I was excited for this deeply intimate show at the tiny Warsaw in Brooklyn. From the moment the lights went down to the final notes of “Buddy Holly,” Weezer totally killed it. It’s almost startling these days to go to a show and hear hit after hit after hit after hit without the crowd or band losing energy once. It’s a testament to both Weezer’s discography and diehard fans when songs from completely different Weezer eras – “Hash Pipe,” “The Waste Land,” and “L.A. Girlz” receive nearly equal amounts of cheer upon first play.

Rivers Cuomo will always be Rivers Cuomo – in the best way possible. Brian Bell was in top form taking up the vocals on the classic fan favorite “You Gave Your Love to Me Softly” while Scott Shriner remained his usual classy bass-playing self, even picking up a double-neck bass on “The Waste Land.” Pat Wilson, a multi-instrumentalist, gave a classic performance on drums, sitting in the best seat in the house.

 

Bottom line: It was impossible to not have fun during the wild ride that was the phenomenal setlist, equally nostalgic and timeless performance, and exuberant crowd.

New Order 3/10/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Singularity
    2. Ceremony
    3. Academic (live debut!)
    4. Crystal
    5. 5 8 6
    6. Tutti Frutti
    7. Restless
    8. Your Silent Face
    9. People On The High Line
    10. Bizarre Love Triangle
    11. Waiting For The Sirens’ Call
    12. Plastic
    13. The Perfect Kiss
    14. True Faith
    15. Temptation

Encore:

  1. Atmosphere (Joy Division cover)
  2. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover)

(b) highlights

  • basically the entire setlist
  • new material sounding just as resonant and memorable as the classics
  • Bernard Sumner wearing his own band’s shirt
  • crying during “Crystal”
  • seeing one of my all-time favorite bands ever for the second time
  • Radio City Music Hall bathrooms = phenomenal

(c) lowlights

  • Bernard made the crowd choose between hearing “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and “Blue Monday” cause the set ran over; everyone chose LWTUA, I wanted BM 😦
  • they didn’t play my faaaaaavorite song off their newest incredible album Music Complete, “Superheated”
  • the crowd was lame

(d) overall thoughts

I saw New Order for the first time at Lollapolooza in 2013 and their 2015 album Music Complete was one of my favorites of the whole year. I was psyched for this show. Musically, I wasn’t let down for the most part. My heart will never not implode upon hearing the first few notes of “Crystal” – a song whose music video forever immortalized my favorite band’s origin story. “Bizarre Love Triangle” will never not make me dance, “Ceremony” will never not make my heart race, and “True Faith” will never not transport me back to the summer of 2005 when I first really got into New Order. All Joy Division tracks live feel beautifully bittersweet live (though I always die a bit inside when those songs in particular are over-saturated with laser beams and flashing lights – is that an ironic homage to Ian Curtis??). Nobody could deny that newer tracks “Tutti Frutti” and “Restless” could remain setlist staples for the rest of the band’s career.

I was disappointed by the crowd, who was understandably older but confusingly refused to dance. Quit paying $$$ to sit down/stand still at concerts, people. Please stop. Would’ve love to hear the newer gem “Superheated” featuring The Killers’ Brandon Flowers and the classic “Blue Monday,” but curfews ruin everyone’s fun. The production and video graphics were top-notch, as always. New Order are truly unparalleled musicians in their ability to integrate visual art into their live performance. Would’ve been great to photograph from up-close, but I was further back in the orchestra.

Bottom line: The new material unarguably stands alongside the classics, Bernard Sumner feels like a teddy bear you want to hug, New Order should give their visual art designer a raise, and people need to start dancing more at shows.

 

Miike Snow 3/3/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Heart is Full
    2. Billie Holiday
    3. Cult Logic
    4. Genghis Khan
    5. Paddling Heart
    6. The Heart of Me
    7. Burial
    8. My Trigger
    9. Silvia
    10. I Feel the Weight
    11. Song For No One
    12. Black & Blue

Encore:

  1. Longshot (7 Nights)
  2. Animal

(b) highlights

  • seeing them live for the first time!
  • the intimacy of Le Poisson Rouge
  • bomb ass production
  • “Genghis Khan,” “Silvia,” and “Animal”
  • “I get a little bit Genghis Khan / don’t want you to get it on / with nobody else but me / with nobody else but me” = amazing

(c) lowlights

  • started late, not much to complain about

(d) overall thoughts

This was my first time seeing Miike Snow! It was their first performance in four years, supporting their third album fittingly titled iii, but nothing about it felt stiff. I normally don’t go to shows where I’m unfamiliar with the majority of the discography, but my roommate is a huge fan. Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed. Andrew Wyatt’s stage presence along with the stage production and lighting let me buy into the Miike Snow Aesthetic. I’d only heard a few songs in passing, but found myself singing along to the infectious choruses and memorable melodies.

I’m writing about this show nearly two months after the fact and I still remember how much I loved “Genghis Khan,” “Silvia,” and “Animal” – the band’s stand-out tracks and coincidental fan favorites. Would love to see them again in a festival setting after relishing in the intimacy of Le Poisson Rouge.

Bottom line: Solid set, top-notch production, great crowd, would love to see these Swedish dudes again.

Muse 1/27/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Psycho
    2. Dead Inside
    3. Interlude
    4. Hysteria
    5. Map of the Problematique
    6. The 2nd Law: Isolated System
    7. The Handler
    8. Resistance
    9. Supermassive Black Hole
    10. Prelude
    11. Starlight
    12. Apocalypse Please
    13. Munich Jam
    14. Madness
    15. Undisclosed Desires
    16. (JFK Speech)
    17. Reapers
    18. Time Is Running Out
    19. Uprising
    20. The Globalist
    21. Drones

Encore:

  1. Mercy
  2. Knights of Cydonia

(b) highlights

  • that setlist – “Map of the Problematique” (!!) and “Apocalypse Please” (!!) in particular
  • the 360-degree stage set-up and other-worldly production, my god
  • being front row for the first time ever seeing Muse – unforgettable as all hell
  • the literal DRONES flying around inside the venue – ain’t no time for subtlety here
  • quote of the night from my friend, who was seeing Muse for the first time: “Matt Bellamy could win American Idol!”
  • Chris Wolstenholme’s general existence
  • getting Dom’s drumstick (!!!)

(c) lowlights

  • they didn’t play my all-time favorite Muse song “Stockholm Syndrome” or my favorite song from the new album “Revolt” 😦
  • drone warfare can be, uh, a touchy subject

(d) overall thoughts

Wow, do I love Muse. For some reason, the band has attracted a particular brand of haters over the last decade or so, which never cease to amaze me because I literally cannot fathom how anyone could hate a band that has seriously redefined the idea of spectacle and performance in rock ‘n’ roll. I’ve seen Muse a lot – a couple of times for every album since 2006’s Blackholes and Revelations – and every time has been a capital E “Experience.” This one at the Barclays Center proved they’re not holding back or slowing down on monumental stage design or stadium-size production levels, but aiming even higher to perform and impress. With a huge, rotating 360-degree stage, two side stage wings with an accompanying runway, a dozen or so real-life flying and glowing drones, and one inflatable fighter jet, Muse dismiss symbolic subtlety and quiet political commentary for the best damn circus in town you’ve ever seen.

Matt Bellamy and Chris Wolstenholme were all over the stage(s), playing glowing guitars with equal parts power and grace, and damn, it was so much fun to watch. Dom Howard, though stationary, never failed to amaze from his spinning drumming stool. Though somewhat of a minority, I enjoyed their latest album Drones and found myself wrapped up in the world that Muse created in their music – presumably the one we’re living in now, only with more paranoia, violence, and impending doom. But also – hope! It’s incredible to think that just hours before the show I lamented to one of my friends how much I would love to hear an older classic like “Map of the Problematique” only for them to actually play it! I always think, when it comes down to it all, Muse is comprised of just three dudes – a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer – but their sound can fill arenas on par with full orchestras. Each note, guitar wail, and lyric feels so fully-embodied and emotional in such a real way. So many moments during this show reminded me of that.

With very little to complain about, I have to admit that perhaps the only drawback to the literal inclusion of drones and military warfare via screens and the occasional soldier walking around the stage (seriously), was not the inherent heavy-handedness of the political message, but the insensitivity of the act; a couple of English dudes projecting “My father was killed by drones” and “my sister was hit by a drone” can feel slightly disingenuous even though that wasn’t the band’s intent. Muse have become a bit of a “message band” over the years, and I actually quite like that, but I never want my friends to feel uncomfortable at a show and a few of them were. Regardless – in my opinion – the performance itself was enough of a statement for the validity of modern day rock ‘n’ roll than any verbose political statement might’ve been.

 

Bottom line: Muse are some of the best damn musicians around – true masters of emotional performance art and experiential music – and I will always stop everything to see them perform, especially when they’ve got something to say.

Halloweentown / Romance Fantasy 4/8/16

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(a) setlist

The best part about seeing local Las Vegas bands led by local Las Vegas legends is that no one knows the setlist and no one cares.

(b) highlights

  • finally hearing songs I remember downloading off Myspace circa 2006
  • the Bunkhouse Saloon atmosphere: two parts broken-neon-cowboy, one part hip Downtown Vegas makes for a sweet spot
  • good ole fashion rock ‘n’ roll with a dusty country hint

(c) lowlights

  • taking photos in this venue feels impossible when the lighting is so fickle and makes every photo look exposed to UV rays; (ironic that lights were lowlights, yeah?)

(d) overall thoughts

I discovered both Halloweentown (fronted by the infamous Ryan Pardey aka the Captain aka Bad Santa [see: several different Killers’ Christmas music videos]) back in 2006 when Ryan spent his time touring with The Killers, and Romance Fantasy (fronted by Ryan’s brother Rod Pardey aka Michael Valentine [see: a wonderful b-side on an iconic Killers album]) through osmosis over the years. Romance Fantasy had a bit of a Southern California-beachy rock ‘n’ roll vibe with comforting vocals and catchy choruses – though I’m a Beach Boys fan, so I dig that. Halloweentown tapped into country soul; every song had heart and a story, if you know what I mean.

Bottom line: Loved the local cowboy vibe of the venue, the good ole fashioned rock ‘n’ roll tunes, and hope the Bunkhouse Saloon stays open for the foreseeable future.

 

The Last Shadow Puppets 4/11/16

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(a) setlist

    1. Aviation
    2. The Age of the Understatement
    3. Used to Be My Girl
    4. Calm Like You
    5. The Element of Surprise
    6. Dracula Teeth
    7. She Does the Woods
    8. Miracle Aligner
    9. My Mistakes Were Made For You
    10. Only the Truth
    11. Bad Habits
    12. Pattern
    13. Everything You’ve Come to Expect
    14. Meeting Place
    15. Sweet Dreams, TN
    16. In My Room

Encore:

  1. I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (The Beatles cover)
  2. The Dream Synopsis
  3. Standing Next to Me

(b) highlights

  • Hearing my favorite song from Age of the Understatement, “My Mistakes Were Made for You” (!!!)
  • Accepting the true romantic-comedy act that is Alex Turner and Miles Kane
  • the string section
  • that Beatles cover!!!
  • Turner’s semi-embarassing tambourine swing and hip sway

(c) lowlights

  • “Aviation” didn’t quite hit home live like it does on the album
  • Miles Kane has essentially become Alex Turner’s “hype man” instead of true musical partner
  • Kane’s gold chains, Turner’s pinkie ring and absurd art smock outfit

(d) overall thoughts

This was my first time seeing TLSP and I loved their first album Age of the Understatement, but never got to catch them for that. I’m a long-time Arctic Monkeys fan, despite being slowly turned off by the “persona” Alex Turner has taken on since roughly 2009 circa the release of Suck It and See. Their newest album Everything You’ve Come to Expect feels quintessential to Turner and Kane, but its deep cuts don’t feel as strong as their previous work, and they fail to recreate the cinematic aura so prevalent on their debut.

Bottom line: Enjoyable show, loved hearing some of those fantastic songs, but everyone could’ve used less hair gel and gold chains.