Month: April 2017

New Order 4/13/17

Posted on Posted in New York CityTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Singularity
    2. Regret
    3. Love Vigilantes
    4. Crystal
    5. Restless
    6. Superheated
    7. Your Silent Face
    8. Tutti Frutti
    9. Bizarre Love Triangle
    10. Waiting For the Sirens’ Call (Planet Funk remix)
    11. Plastic
    12. The Perfect Kiss
    13. True Faith
    14. Blue Monday
    15. Temptation

Encore:

  1. Decades (Joy Division cover)
  2. Love Will Tell Us Apart (Joy Division cover)

(b) highlights

  • Superheated!!!!! I one song I’ve been wanting to hear for over a YEAR
  • The crowd was older – as to be expected – but everyone stood for every song and was having a good time
  • the setlist was noticeably measured, well-paced, and wide-ranging; with the exception of maybe “Ceremony,” I wouldn’t have added or taken anything away
  • Bernard Sumner is like a fun grandpa, you just want to hug that guy
  • New Order’s visuals and art is always so spot-on; the way they integrate art, video, sound, and lights is supremely underrated and under-appreciated these days

(c) lowlights

  • although New Order played for about an hour and 45 minutes, they could’ve added another hour of hits and deep cuts and everyone would’ve stayed

(d) overall thoughts

Like the beginning of all great shows, I ended up at this one on accident. I had seen New Order last year play Radio City Music Hall and that show was good, but not great. The crowd was only passable and my seats weren’t the best. But this show ended up being better than I could’ve imagined.

I’ve been a real fan of New Order for over a decade now, and seen three times. Each time, I’m reminded not only how many hits these guys have made over the years, but how ageless and timeless they all still are. This band was created from the ashes of Joy Division in 1980 and completely transformed the idea of post-punk into new wave. It’s sort of staggering how many artists owe themselves and their work to New Order without even knowing it.

Perhaps even more staggering than the New Order legacy is the fact that this band is nearing their fourth decade together and still creating fresh music. 2015’s Music Complete was honest to god a true work of art to add to their discography, even with the loss of previous bassist Peter Hook. I was ecstatic that they played the album’s closer “Superheated,” which features vocals by Brandon Flowers and is all-around super catchy and classic New Order. “Restless” and “Singularity” were other highlights both on the album and in this performance.

While it’s more than evident that the band is a bit older, not as lively or spry as they used to be, no one would say they don’t still play with integrity and heart. Bernard is still so earnest and joyful in his guitar-work and never fails to not dance around a bit. The crowd rightfully roared at the sound of the first or second note of every hit, and deeper cuts were enjoyed with reverence. It still feels like everyone cheers the loudest for Joy Division tracks, but who could blame them? If you don’t feel that nostalgic pang during the show once those drums start at the beginning of “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” you’re lying.

Bottom line: New Order may have been rocking for nearly 40 years, but they show no real sign of stopping, nor should they. Whether performing Joy Division hits, their own classics, or newer tracks worthy of note, it’s undeniable that New Order are the type of band worth seeing every time they come around.

 

Swet Shop Boys 4/12/17

Posted on Posted in New York CityTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Zayn Malik
    2. Shottin’
    3. No Fly List
    4. Shoes Off
    5. Tiger Hologram
    6. Phone Tap
    7. Half Mohgul Half Mowgli
    8. Soup Boys
    9. Sufi La
    10. Need Moor
    11. Aaja
    12. Sour Times

Encore:

  1. Zombie
  2. Thas My Girl
  3. Benny Lava / Batalvi Medley
  4. Din-e-iLahi
  5. T5

(b) highlights

  • Riz Ahmed knows what is UP
  • Himanshu Suri aka Heems is my new style and confidence hero, what a dude
  • the crowd was wild and into every single song – nothing better than being in a crowd like that; it also ruled that so much of the crowd were punjabi, desi, and mostly people of color
  • “No Fly List,” “Shoes Off,” “Aaja,” and “T5” were stand-outs, which really are all thematically talking about the same things, but damn, those killed
  • “Sour Times” was shoot-you-through-the-heart devastating, moving, and incredible; can this song go viral? please? somehow?
  • the sound and lights were on-point, even from the back of the venue – it all looked and sounded solid

(c) lowlights

  • this performance absolutely did not need three openers, but I’m reaching because everything about the show was fantastic

(d) overall thoughts

Before this show, I’d only heard a couple of Swet Shop Boys songs through general osmosis. My roommate has been a fan of the group pretty much since the beginning and I’ve enjoyed Riz Ahmed’s work as an actor in movies like Nightcrawler and Rogue One, but that was all the background I had. So I went into this show knowing very little, and left a bonafide fan.

For those who don’t know, Swet Shop Boys are a rap trio consisting of Riz, a radical dude named Heems – formerly part of Das Racist – and producer Redinho. Riz is a practicing Muslim raised in Wembley in England and Heems is Hindi and from Queens, NYC, which greatly influences not only the subjects of their raps, but highlights vitally unique perspectives from voices that are otherwise silenced in 2017.

Even going in blind, it didn’t take me long to realize the crux of Swet Shop Boys; it’s all about being cool, being brown, and confronting the racist, xenophobic, and Islamophobic garbage that the world throws at brown people. Just taking a look at their tracklisting alone proves that no topic is out-of-bounds, and no hate is tolerated. More than once, Riz commented that Webster Hall was a safe space for the night where people could be themselves and enjoy the music.

Even though I’m not really well-versed (no pun intended) in a lot of rap music, I was taken with Swet Shop Boys not simply because of what they were saying, but how melodic their verses were. While the lyrics themselves might not be for “everyone,” the music and beats that back them are approachable even to a casual fan. Ultimately, it’s impossible to not be moved or taken aback by the heart, vulnerability, and truth these guys speak. On “Sour Times,” Riz raps specifically about the Islamophobia in Britain, and even the terrorists that sully the name of Islam when he says, “Don’t you think it’s kind of strange that / all this terror outrage / These last gasp castaways / These bastards that will blast away / Just turned up in the last decade / When Islam has been the way for millions / From back in the day.”

Bottom line: Swet Shop Boys are doing incredible things for South Asian representation by speaking their own truth; as a white girl who doesn’t know much about rap but is interested in listening, I can’t wait to hear more from these guys. May their voices and all the other silenced voices behind them reach larger platforms for both their message and undeniable talent.

 

Cold War Kids 4/10/17

Posted on Posted in New York CityTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(a) setlist

    1. Love Is Mystical
    2. Miracle Mile
    3. Can We Hang On?
    4. So Tied Up
    5. First
    6. Love On The Brain (Rihanna cover)
    7. Something Is Not Right With Me

(b) highlights

  • how great is this band, like really
  • the new songs from LA Divine are so solid, I cannot wait to hear the rest of the album, it’s unreal
  • I’m not really a fan of Rihanna, but dayummm, Nathan brought some real soul to that cover and performance of “Love On The Brain”
  • “Can We Hang On?” is honestly one of my favorite Cold War Kids tracks ever and it only just came out a month or do ago; how incredible that a band I’ve loved for over a decade can still create great work
  • the sound in the venue was fantastic; Rough Trade is solid and better than most other Brooklyn venues, in my opinion

(c) lowlights

  • wish the set could’ve been longer

(d) overall thoughts

I’ve talked about this extensively before, but Cold War Kids are probably one of the most underrated bands out there. This show was a free in-store performance at Rough Trade to promote their new album LA Divine, but it mostly worked as a sweet appetizer for a meal later on that you know is gonna be good.

I love going to one of the first shows of any band’s new album and tour, but I feel like it sets the tone for what that album and tour season will look like. The fact that so many of LA Divine‘s songs immediately pulled me in, and the crowd responded so positively to every track – I really feel like this album will be big for the band. And I feel so lucky to have witnessed that first hand, and get to watch it play-out in real time.

Although the show itself was short, the band played as if it was a full-bodied set. They were high-energy and engaged, as usual, playing into how the stage was small, the venue was small, and the crowd was packed tight. The smallness aided in the intimacy in the best way. Nathan Willett brought his soulful lyrics to life and Matt Maust killed it on his funky bass as usual. I was disappointed when the band announced sometime last year that guitarist Dann Gallucci would be leaving only to be replaced by David Quon, but I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. His guitar work on “So Tied Up” was a stand out for sure and I look forward to seeing him at future shows.

Ultimately, the best part about the show was remembering how much joy and happiness Cold War Kids’ music brings to me. The crowd was having a great time – responding positively to new and old songs alike – and everything felt so happy and joyful. I think it speaks volumes to reflect on how I used to hate “Something Is Not Right With Me” when it first came out in 2008 on Loyalty To Loyalty, and how elated and moved I was hearing just this past week. Cold War Kids are the type of band who understand the importance of storytelling and crafting a real sound that resonates with a crowd; seeing them live always reminds me of that.

 

Bottom line: Cold War Kids are true artists who craft not only meaningful hits with ease, but perform in such a way that you can’t help but feel connect to them. LA Divine is going to be huge for them and I cannot wait to see the success it brings.