Category: New York City

We Are Scientists 1/12/17

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

(a) setlist

    1. Make It Easy
    2. Cash Cow
    3. Chick Lit
    4. Buckle
    5. Dumb Luck
    6. Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
    7. Rules Don’t Stop
    8. It’s A Hit
    9. I Don’t Bite
    10. What You Do Best
    11. Textbook
    12. We Need A Word
    13. Impatience
    14. After Hours
    15. The Great Escape

Encore:

  1. Nice Guys
  2. Too Late

(b) highlights

  • as the kids say these days, We Are Scientists is bae
  • always down for Keith + Chris (and sometimes + Drummer Keith) = comedy hour
  • the crowd was shockingly great – saw the usual faces but a ton of newbies too; it’s cool to think how far this band has come in a lot of ways
  • they played my fav song off the new album, “We Need To Have a Word”!!
  • that encore felt very fresh and new – a nice change from the usual show closer of “After Hours”
  • all-around solid setlist – packed with the usual hits, obviously, but arranged in a new way that kept momentum high and gave new songs room to breathe
  • Christopher Cain: bassist, comedian, curly hair extraordinaire, period.

(c) lowlights

  • this was probably the first time in 10+ years of seeing this band that I thought they looked tired while performing.

(d) overall thoughts

We Are Scientists will always be my band. I’ll always love them, I’ll always see them, no matter what, until the end of time. This isn’t really news. What is interesting abut seeing a band like this one – local heroes of NYC who are and have been supremely underrated for over a decade – is watching all the ways they’ve changed over the years and all the ways they haven’t.

Anyone who’s seen We Are Scientists live will tell you that their show is – for lack of better phrase – a real romp. It’s usually two parts musical act, one part comedy schtick, and one and half parts IDGAF attitude that creates the perfection combination of charm. Keith Murray and Chris Cain have always given off the air that WAS is something fun, a side project that alludes to something everyone slapped together in a garage to blow off some steam and chill with some dudes. The guys are funny, joke around, and are otherwise aloof to what’s happening musically or practically outside the walls of the venue during showtime. This attitude has attracted a disproportionately high male fanbase compared to other indie rock tribes, and a comfort level of performance that has them fit like a glove in any Brooklyn venue on a weekday night.

But anyone who’s actually a real fan of WAS know that all of that is just an act. It’s nothing but a farce. Even a surface-level lyrical listen to any of the band’s five studio album shows that this band has genuine heart, touchy-feely emotions, and enough harmonies to make a Beach Boy perk up his ears. Having this understanding of the band’s true selves in light of their performance selves gives every live show a wink-wink, nudge-nudge layer of meta-commentary. And in a strange way, that’s what makes their shows so fun. Yeah, they’re goofy and cracking jokes, and sometimes spend more time on the in-between song banter than playing their actual songs, but the band can’t help but expose themselves on songs like “Textbook,” “Make It Easy,” and “We Need A Word.” They’re the sensitive bros who aren’t too afraid to be sensitive, but they’re gonna crack two jokes for every heartfelt lyric just in case someone actually realizes that these guys genuinely care about their music and their performance. Somewhere along the way, WAS tricked us into thinking they were just two dudes who liked to jam on Saturday nights when they’re really a pair of hard-working musicians who’ve never quite received the comeuppance they deserved.

 

Bottom line: We Are Scientists are solid musicians who’ve been playing tricks on us for decades, and I can’t wait for the inevitable moment that everyone comes around and awakens to their subtle genius.

The Struts 12/17/16

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

(a) setlist

    1. Put Your Hands Up
    2. These Times Are Changing
    3. Could Have Been Me
    4. Matter Of Time
    5. Kiss This
    6. Mary Go Round
    7. I Just Know
    8. Dirty Sexy Money
    9. Let’s Make This Happen Tonight
    10. Put Your Money On Me
    11. Only Just a Call Away
    12. Rebel Rebel (David Bowie cover)
    13. Where Did She Go

(b) highlights

  • The Struts are one of the best live bands in recent memory. Period.
  • any band that has FOUR costume changes casually included in their set gets an A+ in my book.
  • you haven’t seen audience participation until you’ve been to a Struts show; Luke Spiller is one of the most charismatic and energetic frontman imaginable – you know you’re doing something right when most people compare you to Freddie Mercury and Steven Tyler in terms of performance, voice, and attitude.
  • 2016 was the year of David Bowie covers for obvious reasons, and this cover of “Rebel Rebel” nailed it on all accounts.
  • I really cannot underscore how much fun Struts shows are – everyone was into every song whether they knew the lyrics or not.
  • Luke came into the crowd after costume change number 3 and took control of the crowd instantly.
  • I love the Warsaw – awesome venue, awesome sound, such a solid night.

(c) lowlights

  • I really can’t say there was anything bad to say about this show; I would tell everyone and their mother to see the Struts live if I could.

(d) overall thoughts

The first time I saw The Struts, they opened for The Killers in Arizona in April earlier this year. Needless to say, I was completely blown away by their show despite having never heard any of their songs let alone knew they were a band. They only have one full-length album out, Everyone Wants, but man, is that album packed with clear hits. Track after track feels like a full-bodied hit; every song could be a single and every song is a triumphant fist-pump to boot. The English band gives off a classic rock vibe – 80’s hair metal minus the metal and more arena-type singalongs.

“Put Your Hands Up,” “Could Have Been Me,” and “Kiss This” are notable standouts, but honestly, every single track was high-energy and fun. Luke Spiller brings audience engagement and participation to the next level, and every band member plays their instrument well. If I only had one word to describe what makes The Struts so magical live is presence. The band just has it. And you know that everyone in the room can feel it. Whether we’re all clapping together, jumping in formation, or singing in one voice “oh oh oh ohhhh!” – we’re all in it. By the time the confetti rained down on the audience, every person in the room was grinning ear-to-ear.

Bottom line: The Struts are one hell of a band of performers and they put everything into their live shows. From presentation and sound to attitude and theatrics, this Struts gig was the perfect way to put an end to 2016.

Kaiser Chiefs 2/19/14

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

(a) setlist

    1. The Factory Gates
    2. Never Miss A Beat
    3. Everything Is Average Nowadays
    4. Everyday I Love You Less And Less
    5. Bows & Arrows
    6. Little Shocks
    7. Coming Home
    8. You Can Have It All
    9. Modern Way
    10. Ruffians On Parade
    11. I Predict A Riot
    12. Ruby
    13. Misery Company
    14. The Angry Mob

Encore:

  1. Cannons
  2. Oh My God

(b) highlights

  • yooooo, this setlist is ace – I loved everything from the new tracks of Education, Education, Education & War like “The Factory Gates” to the verified classics like “Modern Way”
  • I’m pretty sure “Bows & Arrows” is in my top 3 or 5 Kaiser Chiefs songs. Ever. God, I just want to run down the street and scream-sing, “We the people, created equal! We the people, created equal!” and that feeling is the best.
  • this was my first time seeing Kaiser Chiefs is nearly 7 years and it was awesome. To see how they’ve grown (and slimmed down, in the case of Mr. Wilson) musically and as performers was pretty staggering.
  • the on-stage banter was top-notch and Ricky engaged with the audience a ton, including bringing a dude on-stage to slow dance during “You Can Have It All.” Total highlight.
  • if “Oh My God” wasn’t one of your favorite songs during the early to mid-2000’s, you’re lying.
  • I uncharacteristically stayed after the show and met Ricky and Simon, which was a bit of an out-of-body experience, to say the least. I remember being 14 and singing “I Predict A Riot” in my bedroom the summer of 2005 and now Ricky Wilson is telling me I look like a young Carrie Bradshaw. What is this world.

(c) lowlights

  • does wearing the exact same Kaiser Chiefs shirt as the dude next to you count?
  • The Music Hall of Williamsburg could have better sound, man. If you’re not standing dead-center, you’re a bit off.

(d) overall thoughts

As I mentioned, this show was the first time seeing Kaiser Chiefs since their release of Yours Truly, Angry Mob back in 2007. I’ve been a fan since Day 1 of hearing “I Predict A Riot” back during the NME Tour of 2005 when Kaiser Chiefs first started kicking things around with The Killers, Bloc Party, and The Futureheads during that summer. Unlike many stupidly-popular alt-indie rock bands today, Kaiser Chiefs started out not only with solid songs but an undeniable stage presence. They wore silly suits, skinny ties, and eyeliner like the rest of them, but Ricky Wilson was also climbing up rafters, hanging off balconies, and climbing into crowds. Even in 2014, that excitement was still there. During new songs and old, Ricky was throwing micstands around, swinging the mic by its chord, and engaging with the small theatre as if it were a festival with – dare I say it – even a bit more energy than I remember.

Sure, some things were different about this show than ones in previous years. Nick Hodgson, the drummer and notable songwriter of the band had gone and been replaced by a pretty cool dude named Vijay Mistry. Many indie snobs predicted the end of the band once Nick stepped away from the band just before the recording and release of Education, but – in all honesty – I don’t think the band suffered much. Ricky, most notably, had starred as one of the judges on the British version of The Voice, which was and is still bit weird to think about as a fan. Again, many naysayers decried this as the end of Kaiser Chiefs and the ultimate selling-out point, and in any other context I would be inclined to agree. But after seeing this show and hearing Education – naw, we’re fine. This is Kaiser Chiefs, man. They made a concept album about war, invoking the British WWII experience of rationing, keeping calm and carrying on, and have freaking Bill Nighy recite a long-form poem during “Cannons.” Does anyone really consider that selling out to pop crowds of The Voice?

There’s a lot you can say about Kaiser Chiefs – hell, even I’m not the biggest fan of every single album they’ve done (The Future Is Medieval is a real low-point for me in their discography) – but you can’t say that they don’t bring energy and commitment to every performance. Ricky was up, down, and all-around that stage, up on speakers, down on his knees, a bit more spry than I remember him. It’s difficult to not love them and want to entirely lose your shit during “Everyday I Love You Less And Less” and “The Angry Mob,” and even more significantly, when you can’t help but want to throw your arms around new tracks like “Bows & Arrows,” “Coming Home,” and “Misery Company.” Kaiser Chiefs very much came back with this show even though they never really left.

Bottom line: Education, Education, Education & War wasn’t even fully released by the time we saw this show but we all already knew that it was going to be a great album. And it was. It’s easy to make claims that bands are over when members leave – even key songwriters – but easy claims aren’t always real claims.

Brian Wilson 9/24/16

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

(a) setlist

Set 1:

    1. Our Prayer
    2. Heroes and Villains
    3. California Girls
    4. Dance, Dance, Dance
    5. I Get Around
    6. Shut Down
    7. Little Deuce Coupe
    8. In My Room
    9. Surfer Girl
    10. Don’t Worry Baby
    11. Salt Lake City
    12. Wake The World
    13. Add Some Music to Your Day
    14. California Saga: California
    15. Darlin’
    16. Sail Away
    17. Wild Honey
    18. Sail On, Sailor

Pet Sounds set:

    1. Wouldn’t It Be Nice
    2. You Still Believe In Me
    3. That’s Not Me
    4. Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
    5. I’m Waiting for the Day
    6. Let’s Go Away for Awhile
    7. Sloop John B
    8. God Only Knows
    9. I Know There’s An Answer
    10. Here Today
    11. I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times
    12. Pet Sounds
    13. Caroline, No

Encore:

    1. Good Vibrations
    2. Help Me, Rhonda
    3. Barbara Ann
    4. Surfin’ USA
    5. Fun, Fun, Fun
    6. Love and Mercy

(b) highlights

  • BRIAN. GODDAMN. WILSON.
  • I can’t even emotionally talk about the setlist, I mean look at the setlist, LOOK AT IT, ARE YOU LOOKING??? Pet Sounds. Those “opening” tracks.” The classics…I can’t even believe I witnessed what I actually witnessed.
  • I don’t think people understand how much I love the Beach Boys and how incredible it was to see Brian Goddamn Wilson and Al Jardine live performing Pet Sounds in its entirety.
  • The following quotes are some of my most favorite things I’ve ever heard at a show:
    • “Did anyone come to the show tonight to hear bad vibrations? What about weird vibrations? No! It’s about Good Vibrations! Hit it, boys!”
    • “Hi, I’m Brian Wilson and this is the first song I ever wrote.” *starts “Surfer Girl”*
    • “This next one is the greatest song I ever wrote.” *starts “God Only Knows”*
    • “Can everyone sing ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’? This is my favorite part of the show.”
  • Every single minute of this show is something I’ll remember until the day I die and I feel privileged as hell to say I was even there at all.

(c) lowlights

  • this is barely a lowlight and more speaks to reality, but it was a bit rough to see how much Brian Wilson has aged over the years. I suppose any of us should be lucky that this true GENIUS of a man is still with us, but he has officially reached full Grandpa Status and you know what? That’s actually okay. Not a lowlight. Just a fact.
  • the lighting, ughhhh. Al Jardine wearing all white + harsh lighting + sitting in tier 3 = not the best photos of all time.

(d) overall thoughts

One of my earliest memories in existence involves The Beach Boys. Music is such a powerful thing – that’s obvious – but it really speaks to me as a person that I honest-to-God remember being two years old, sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car and hearing “Fun, Fun, Fun” playing on the radio.I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and lived there the first 18 years of my life before leaving California for college…so I suppose it’s not that surprising to hear that I’m a fan of the Beach Boys. I’m one of those fans that – yeah, of course I love The Beatles, I am human, after all – however, if I had to choose between The Beach Boys and The Beatles…I’m going to go with the former. I know. I’m a huge Anglophile and could never doubt the lasting effect that Paul, John, George, and Ringo have had on not only music but culture. But also, if I’m being honest, I understand and attach myself to the clear genius that is Brian, Carl, Dennis, Al, and Mike and I will defend them until the day I die. (Fun fact: After hearing “Good Vibrations,” John Lennon and Paul McCartney went back to the studio, scrapped nearly the entire album they had recorded at the time, and knew they had to start over because of how incredible that one song was. Then they wrote Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band…you’re welcome, world.)

But I’m getting away from Brian Wilson. This is all about him. Tickets for this show went on sale just a few short weeks after the stupidly and emotionally devastating death of David Bowie. And I feel awful saying this, but I knew I couldn’t miss this. I was lucky enough to see “The Beach Boys” (aka just Mike Love and a bunch of dudes including John Stamos as a badass drummer) a few summers ago, but I’ve never had the opportunity to see Brian Wilson perform – let alone see him perform the entirety of Pet Sounds with Al Jardine. I didn’t know what to expect other than pure, unadultered genius, and holy crap did I get that and then some.

You know you’re a musical genius and a one-in-a-million human being when you can open your 50th Anniversary show for an album that you wrote when you were 23 (!!!!) with an hour and a half of hits, b-sides, and deep cuts and the entire audience pretty much knows every word without even hinting at that 50th anniversary album. What. Like. Brian Goddamn Wilson. The emotional night started off heavy and never let up for the next three hours. We had the pain of “Heroes and Villains” and “In My Room,” among others, while absorbing all the classic fun of “Dance, Dance, Dance,” “I Get Around,” and Little Deuce Coupe.” Unbelievable. Sure, I went to this show alone and was definitely in the 2% minority of young people below the age of 35 in the crowd, but I’m sure I looked even weirder pretty much crying during every song. The New York crowd absolutely enjoyed themselves in every way, but I’m not sure non-California-born people could appreciate the perfection that was “California Girl.” And with God as my witness, “Don’t Worry Baby” is probably my most favorite song of all-time. Ever. Like EVER. And to see Brian Wilson perform it?? With Al Jardine? Truly ungoddamnbelievable.

By the time we got to Pet Sounds, the music had literally taken over the room. It’s as if all those hits had a mind of their own. Each track felt bigger than the one before it, and filled every inch of the Beacon Theatre. The show almost should’ve taken place outside just so each note could float above and beyond the people before it. You almost forgot that Brian Wilson was the mind behind those songs because they even felt bigger than him, bigger than all of us. What an incredible musician must you be for your work to transcend time, space, people, and emotion to just exist as an ideal?? The harmonics of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Don’t Talk,” and “Sloop John B” alone is enough for The Beach Boys to stand the test of time, but then you have “God Only Knows” – a song that John Lennon once called “the greatest song ever written” – and it’s unbelievable that something like that exists.

I could go on for days and nights and all of time talking about those songs, but I won’t. Aside from the music itself, some things must be noted. Yeah, Brian Wilson didn’t quite sound like his best self because he’s an old grandpa and um, has also been through some things in his life (re: every bio on Wilson and the Beach Boys ever written), but it’s okay. Al Jardine still sounded pretty damn good and is still a solid guitar player, but shiiiiiittttt, his son Matt Jardine was NEXT LEVEL. Brian and Al had a pretty extensive backing band of about a dozen dudes including Al’s son Matt, who has essentially taken on the super high harmonies that Brian used to handle. He sounded unbelievably and truly just like Wilson used to; he brought so many subtle vocal moments and harmonies to life, and I loved it so much. Musically, every note felt and sounded exactly like putting Pet Sounds on vinyl in gigantic room, closing your eyes, and swimming. And what else could I possibly ask for? You don’t need anything once you have those songs because, just as they did 50 years ago, or about 20 years ago just for me, those songs mean everything.

 

Bottom line: Brian Wilson is a musical treasure, genius, and historically significant man in our culture whether music fans know it or not. Getting to hear so many of those classic and perfect songs – let alone Pet Sounds alone – isn’t something I’ll ever forget. The closest emotional live experience I’ve had to this show is seeing Paul McCartney live – and I don’t think that’s a coincidence. Acts like The Beach Boys and The Beatles are legends because someone who’s half the age of their music can so easily connect it decades down the line. I am living proof that this music has and will continue to stand the test of time, so I can’t freaking wait to see who else will fall in love with it in the years to come.

St. Lucia 9/21/16

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

(a) setlist

    1. Paper Heart
    2. Before The Dive
    3. Do You Remember?
    4. Dancing On Glass
    5. Closer Than This
    6. Winds Of Change
    7. We Got It Wrong
    8. Home
    9. All Eyes On You
    10. September
    11. When The Night
    12. Love Somebody
    13. Africa (Toto cover)
    14. Elevate

(b) highlights

  • this was my first time seeing St. Lucia! I hadn’t even planned on attending this show, but a friend had free tickets and knew I was having a rough week. I have awesome friends, I know.
  • the osmosis of living in the world and hanging around people who love and play music constantly made me realize that I knew way more about St. Lucia than I initially realized. I feel like this band has fallen out of the sky in the last year and I’ve never gone out of my way to listen to them, but I knew at least a third of the songs they played that night at Terminal 5. Isn’t that sort of amazing?
  • St. Lucia’s lighting designer needs a SIGNIFICANT raise, like holy crap. I’m struggling to remember the last time I went to a show and constantly found myself thinking, “Damn, these lights are great. They just look so cool. God, these lights.”
  • there are no words to talk about the role that Africa’s “Toto” has played in the lives of my friends and I, but God, we were laughing so hard at that cover. In the best way possible. Amazing cover choice and such a fun track.
  • the crowd shockingly and overwhelming consisted of people in their mid-to-late twenties – it was awesome to be at a show with an age-appropriate crowd for once. No nonsense, no bullshit, everyone was into it throughout and no one was annoying. What a gift.

(c) lowlights

  • I have a personal vendetta against modern rock songs that include saxophones and excessive brass. St. Lucia had maybe two of those. That’s two too many, St. Lucia.

(d) overall thoughts

I don’t always like going to shows for bands I’ve only casually listened to in the past, but for this St. Lucia show, I was looking for something new. I had heard from friends and read in multiple places that these guys and gal were fun and dance-y, and who doesn’t want a fan and dance-y weeknight? I, of course, had heard their catchy as hell track “Dancing On Glass” throughout 2016, as well as the memorable “Love Somebody” and “Closer Than This,” but remained pretty ignorant to the rest of their discography. Which I quickly realized was sort of crazy. By the end of the night, it occurred to me around 10 of the tracks they played could’ve been singles. What the hell other band right now can say that??

I think the best thing about St. Lucia – aside from the obvious weight of having actual songs that are genuinely great – is that they come across as fully formed and actualized. Their stage set-up alone is so automatically representative of their aesthetic that it’s damn-near refreshing. Although it seems obvious, I find that most bands these days don’t have a connective thread between their sound, stage design, lighting design, clothes, etc. and…that’s what bands should be. I mean…right? This is exactly why few things make me more suicidal than another denim-and-leather-clad Brooklyn band with a dumb name trying so hard to be The Strokes. Because, what the hell are those bands even trying to say? What is their purpose? Even after watching an entire set from 90% of those bands, I never know who they are. We were barely three songs into St. Lucia’s set and I felt like I completely understood Jean-Philip Grobler and everyone else onstage.

Tribal patterns, tropical infusion, neon and pastel colors, bubble-gum indie pop with memorable as hell hooks. That’s what St. Lucia said to me all night. Phenomenal lighting, dynamic vocals, and catchy tracks – definitely a band that must play well in any festival setting. I look forward to seeing and hearing more of these guys, and only hope other people recognize why St. Lucia is special.

 

Bottom line: St. Lucia was fun as hell – with catchy songs, incredible stage and lighting design, and one of the most fully actualized musical identities I’ve seen in awhile – they’re definitely a band you don’t want to miss.

Bear Ceuse 9/10/16

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

(a) setlist

I don’t know! And it doesn’t even matter. Local bands who come out and jam the night away don’t need setlists. The band played for about an hour and they rocked.

(b) highlights

  • seeing my awesome coworker Cameron – who happens to be the frontman of Bear Ceuse – be a badass singer, excellent guitarist, and general fun frontman; and I say this pretty objectively speaking…he was awesome.
  • I freaking love Mercury Lounge – one of the best venues in New York City without a doubt. It always reminds me of all the bands I’ve seen there before, especially The Cribs, and I can’t help but think about how The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs got their start there in the early 2000’s. Love it.
  • despite having never heard any of the songs before, I was so into Bear Ceuse’s rock ‘n’ roll vibe in the vein of Big Talk, slight alt-country hint a la Snakearm, and Everclear-esque vocals. The music was both familiar and fresh all at once.
  • a super sweet and heart-warming cover of Gene Wilder’s “Pure Imagination” in light of his then-recent death was unexpected and charming.

(c) lowlights

  • the venue was hot af; broken air-conditioners in an Indian summer are not that great.

(d) overall thoughts

I don’t see a ton of local bands in NYC, which I’m sure comes across as a gigantic and embarrassing loss of opportunity, but oh well. I was happy that the chance to see Bear Ceuse popped up. I was in need of a show – I was getting that twitch of having not seen a live show in awhile (over a month!!! what!), so I jumped at this. The lead singer and songwriter of Bear Ceuse, Cameron Matthews, is actually my coworker and a freaking cool ass dude. He super downplays his talent and Bear Ceuse is cool as hell.

As I mentioned, Bear Ceuse is unique because they sound a bit like a bunch of different bands, but also sound like no one else. With a traditional set-up of four dudes on drums, bass, and two guitars, they felt like a slice of rock ‘n’ roll without being too punk. Cameron mentioned that the second song was “a country one,” which gave away a bit more about how the band views themselves than the type of band they actually are. I’ve seen a couple of acts the last two years or so that really utilized that gritty and fun crossover of alt-country and funky rock ‘n’ roll (including Halloween Town and Romance Fantasy), and I’ve decided that I really dig it. A couple of songs in the set absolutely gave way to a late-90’s post-grunge feel close to Everclear or even Soundgarden sometimes, but the refreshing playfulness to the performance made the experience fun, to say the least.

 

Bottom line: Bear Ceuse is cool as shit and seems to be bursting with musical ideas; I look forward to listening to more of their work to find more connective threads in the their songs that appear to be brush with fun and unique influences.

The Last Shadow Puppets 8/2/16

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

(a) setlist

    1. Ghost Rider (Suicide cover)
    2. The Age of the Understatement
    3. Only the Truth
    4. Aviation
    5. Used to be My Girl
    6. The Element of Surprise
    7. Dracula Teeth
    8. My Mistakes Were Made For You
    9. Bad Habits
    10. Totally Wired (The Fall cover)
    11. Miracle Aligner
    12. Pattern
    13. Standing Next to Me
    14. Sweet Dreams, TN
    15. In My Room

Encore:

  1. The Dream Synopsis
  2. Meeting Place
  3. Moonage Daydream (David Bowie cover)

(b) highlights

  • this was probably the first time I’ve seen Alex Turner perform live in some capacity in which he was only 10% insufferable, good job Alex!
  • the performance overall felt adequately paced and enjoyable – much better than the band’s last performance at Webster Hall in NYC a few months ago
  • there was less hair gel, less stupid outfits, less general nonsense from Alex and Miles Kane than normal; their antics were turned down and a lot of it felt real
  • “The Age of the Understatement” and “My Mistakes are Made For You” are freaking classic tracks that can’t be touched
  • shockingly, the sound in the venue was pretty good (a unique case for Terminal 5) and the lighting and production really set the tone and scene for TLSP’s aesthetic
  • for the beginning of the encore, Alex sang like a lounge act singer from the second floor balcony and it was kinda so stupidly ridiculous that it ended up being great
  • I’ve seen mannnnny David Bowie covers this year and they’re not always good – this one by the Last Shadow Puppets was great

(c) lowlights

  • I freaking hate Terminal 5 – this show wasn’t even supposed to be at that event but we rescheduled and we all had to suffer, ugh
  • I don’t really like the Arctic Monkeys fanbase and they come out in droves when Alex Turner is around

(d) overall thoughts

As I’ve mentioned in the past, my history with Alex Turner and his bands goes back quite a bit. I’ve been finding him particularly insufferable and annoying these last few years and his showmanship and antics with Miles Kane only amplify that. When I saw The Last Shadow Puppets a few months ago at Webster Hall, I enjoyed the music, yes, but found myself distracted by their laughable stage personas and embodiment of performance in every sense of the word.

But this show felt a bit different. Sure, Alex and Miles were still Alex and Miles. Alex crooned like a lounge act singer from the second floor balcony and smooth-talked between songs like Richard Dawson on Family Feud, and Miles strutted around in what I believe was a $3,000 silk bathrobe that I guess was supposed to be sexy (?), but it was all very toned-down in comparison. The songs were a solid mix of emotional string ballads and gritty guitar ditties, and tracks from Everything You’ve Come To Expect flawlessly intermingled with those from The Age of the Understatement; although, I must admit that – in the moment – I found myself more excited to hear the latter.

The arrangement of songs was a bit strange, though. I remember thinking after “Bad Habits” was performed: wait, what else do they have left? What even are they going to play? Despite the hits-heavy first-half, you can’t not love a great David Bowie cover. “Moonage Daydream” is a personal favorite of mine for sentimental reasons and I didn’t even mind that they ended with it nor that it felt a bit over-indulgent at one point. Their Beatles cover at Webster Hall was exceptionally self-indulgent, so this – much like the rest of the show – felt notably understated. Which isn’t what I expected at all. Oh, the double, sweet irony.

 

Bottom line: The Last Shadow Puppets are capable of real musical artistry and performance once they remove their heads from their asses; they have two solid albums’ worth of pristine material and I hate when that’s shattered by a silk robe.

Radiohead 7/27/16

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

(a) setlist

    1. Burn The Witch
    2. Daydreaming
    3. Decks Dark
    4. Desert Island Disk
    5. Ful Stop
    6. My Iron Lung
    7. Climbing Up The Walls
    8. Morning Mr. Magpie
    9. Pyramid Song
    10. Bloom
    11. Identikit
    12. The Numbers
    13. The Gloaming
    14. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
    15. Everything In Its Right Place
    16. Idioteque
    17. There There

Encore 1:

  1. Give Up The Ghost
  2. Let Down
  3. Present Tense
  4. Planet Telex
  5. Karma Police

Encore 2:

  1. Reckoner
  2. Creep

(b) highlights

  • Two nights in a row of Radiohead, I don’t deserve this life
  • I’VE BEEN WAITING LIKE 10 YEARS TO FINALLY HEAR “KARMA POLICE” AND THEY FINALLY PLAYED IT LIVE, WAHHHH
  • Looooooooooooool, Christ Almighty they played “Creep” live. Nope. First time they played it in the U.S. in 12 years. I was laugh-crying throughout the whole thing
  • The same way “No Surprises” made me feel really emotional the night before, “Climbing Up The Walls” totally wrecked me at this show
  • Dayummm, “There There” sounds so good live; Ed O’Brien on those drums alongside Phil Selway was top notch
  • the energy of the entire set felt just a few notches above the previous night; both the setlist and crowd felt more adventurous and alive
  • Thom chatted a bit more to the audience, mostly saying mundane things that ended up feeling moving and profound just because Thom Yorke was saying them (e.g. “Everything will be better when we wake up. But we need to wake up.”)
  • have I mentioned Thom Yorke’s dancing?? Because his dancing needs to be mentioned.

(c) lowlights

  • I’m just going to quietly say that we might not have needed so many songs from King of Limbs and maybe could’ve gotten “Talk Show Host” or “True Love Waits” but REALLY this show was amazing and I will not be complaining when half of New York couldn’t even get tickets

(d) overall thoughts

Is seeing the same band two nights in a row at the same venue ever necessary? What a dumb ass question that is, first of all, and second of all, the setlist for Radiohead’s second night at Madison Square Garden might as well be a work of art. I initially wasn’t planning on going to this show, but fate brought me back to that arena and I know it’s because it was finally time for me to hear my favorite Radiohead song of all time: “Karma Police.” Yeah, it might be basic, but oh well. I don’t care.

Just like the night before, Radiohead didn’t hold back any emotional punches when it came to crafting their performance. The lighting was just as eerie, the songs just as touching, and the sound was just as perfectly played. Thom appeared a bit looser, a bit more relaxed, and nearly undetectable string of energy felt like it was vibrating through the crowd all night. Each song felt like a set piece or episodic chapter in a larger story; the narrative played out quite well. “Climbing Up The Walls” was freaking phenomenal, “My Iron Lung” was such a treat, “Weird Fishes” felt like it floated around the whole arena without ever touching down while “There There” pounded its way right through the core of everyone, and I can’t even begin with the encore.

The pairing of “Let Down” with “Present Tense” and then “Planet Telex” with “Karma Police” felt like it was designed to destroy me in the best way possible. I know I’ll never forget that feeling of being all the way up in the rafters and overlooking the band and crowd and just singing with every fiber of me, “For a minute there, I lost myself, I lost myseeeellllff.” God. What magic. It felt like the whole crowd had become a single tingling being by the time “Reckoner” ended that I feel like I don’t even remember being present when “Creep” started. Thom said into the mic, “Well, this is show business” just before the opening notes began and it was suddenly so hard for me to not laugh. Not in a funny way, but in a “Wow, I cannot believe this is actually happening right now and not some strange dream.” You know a show is good when you go from feeling pure excitement to profound sadness followed by total elation and unbelievable shock in a 10-minute span. What a show, what a night, what a band, what a life.

Bottom line: There’s no other band in the world like Radiohead and I hope there never is one like them again. Because we don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve it. But man, I can’t help but enjoy it.

 

*Bonus Material: I took several videos of the night and they’re mostly of Thom’s dancing and me scream-singing-crying, but this bit of “Creep” was salvageable:

 

Radiohead 7/26/16

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

(a) setlist

    1. Burn The Witch
    2. Daydreaming
    3. Decks Dark
    4. Desert Island Disk
    5. Ful Stop
    6. Lotus Flower
    7. The National Anthem
    8. 15 Step
    9. No Surprises
    10. Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief
    11. Separator
    12. Planet Telex
    13. The Numbers
    14. 2 + 2 = 5
    15. Everything In Its Right Place
    16. Myxomatosis
    17. Idioteque

Encore 1:

  1. Let Down
  2. Present Tense
  3. Paranoid Android
  4. Nude
  5. Bodysnatchers

Encore 2:

  1. Bloom
  2. Street Spirit (Fade Out)

(b) highlights

  • RADIOHEAD!!! WHAAAAAAAT.
  • “Let Down”!! It was the first time Radiohead played it live since 2006. That’s 10 years. What.
  • I never could’ve predicted it, but wow, “No Surprises” made me so emotional; I have always worshiped OK Computer and I think hearing such a beautiful song from me reminded me of the first time I really got into that album
  • “2 + 2 = 5”!!!! One of my favorite Radiohead tracks ever, holy crap this was amazing and I never thought they’d play it
  • the new material from A Moon Shaped Pool was freaking amazing; I love the album a ton and hearing so much of it live elevated it beyond what I thought possible; “Present Tense” is my favorite from the album and it was p e r f e c t live. perfect.
  • really this entire setlist, like, this band is incredible
  • just being at this show in general; there was and still is so much controversy over the ticket sales and how it all sold out in about half a second (I don’t even want to talk about how much I paid these tickets via StubHub…)

(c) lowlights

  • pretty much nothing; might’ve been cool to hear “Karma Police,” “Talk Show Host,” and “True Love Waits,” but man I can’t really complain at all
  • oh, and why on God’s green Earth are Radiohead selling a sweatshirt that is more expensive than the damn ticket to the show at their merch table; why was every t-shirt at least $50 when they’re just simple cotton shirts, come on lads

(d) overall thoughts

Most people might not know this, but Radiohead is my second favorite band of all time. I’ve loved them ever since I got really into their first couple of albums in high school and they’ve stuck with me ever since. This show was the first time I’d seen them in over 8 years and it felt like the first time all over again. OK Computer, In Rainbows, Hail to the Thief, The Bends – they’re really all incredible. True pieces of art that have withstood decades already and will withstand many more.

Radiohead’s live shows are those sort of experiences where it feels like time stops and everyone is choosing to stop along with it. Every single body in Madison Square Garden was standing, awake, erect, and alive that night. Not everyone was moving to the music, which was at first strange to me, but it really started making sense in context as the show continued. Radiohead has this overwhelming ability to command all attention without doing anything. I feel like any popular band can get people screaming and losing their minds, but it takes true artists to completely silence a room. Thom Yorke has that ability. How? I don’t know. Everything about him just feels profound and thoughtful. He hadn’t even opened his mouth near the microphone yet and the entire arena was frozen, gaping, and ready to be taken for a ride. What a ride it was.

The Moon Shaped Pool material felt just as perfectly heavy and floaty and deep and surface and sad and triumphant as it does on the album, but significantly better. All the songs sounded exactly like the album, but widely elevated. It’s the strange conundrum that is Radiohead. They’re abstract and intimidating and can feel pretentious, but they’re also extremely simple and understated and intimately understanding. Madison Square Garden felt so massive when everyone was singing “Everything In Its Right Place,” but then immediately shrunk to this small, intimate space once “Present Tense” began. Hearing “Daydreaming” instantly put me into the music video and I swear I could feel the temperature in the room drop as if we were all walking through that Paul Thomas Anderson landscape. “15 Step,” “Nude,” and “Paranoid Android” plummeted me into memories of high school and before – how crazy is it that In Rainbows is nearly a decade old now? These songs are so indicative of the time in which they were released, sure, but even more than that – they’re timeless. Just like Radiohead shows. You feel every hair on your body stand when the opening notes to “Idioteque” start, but your body also isn’t even present. The outside world stopped once the show began, but the performance also rapidly soared by; I couldn’t believe that over an hour had passed once we got to the encore. I guess what I’m saying is, Radiohead is contradictory and unique and that’s magic. Simple as that.

 

Bottom line: Radiohead is one of the greatest bands of all time and I’m pretty sure there isn’t an argument there; their live performance feels like an existentially spiritual experience. I think the fact their music feels philosophically contradictory is the beauty of them.

She Wants Revenge 7/16/16

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

(a) setlist

    1. Red Flags and Long Nights
    2. These Things
    3. I Don’t Want to Fall in Love
    4. Out of Control
    5. Monologue
    6. Broken Promises for Broken Hearts
    7. Sister
    8. Disconnect
    9. Us
    10. Someone Must Get Hurt
    11. Tear You Apart
    12. She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

Encore:*

  1. Sleep
  2. True Romance
  3. Black Liner Run
  4. Take the World
  5. Replacement
  6. Written in Blood
  7. Rachael

*I’m not sure about the order of the encore because my memory is hazy and records online are incomplete.

(b) highlights

  • man, She Wants Revenge are freaking cool
  • it says a lot when your debut album has so many strong tracks – and 10 years later people want to come back and see it
  • the crowd was awesome – literally every person in Irving Plaza was dancing and totally into it
  • Justin and Adam seemed like the most genuine dudes I’ve seen on-stage in awhile; they were so humble and proud that the crowd came out and spoke so fondly of their time in New York over the years
  • “These Things,” “I Don’t Want to Fall in Love,” “Out of Control,” and “Tear You Apart” were total highlights – talk about moody, broody, and beautifully setting-the-scene lyrical treasures

(c) lowlights

  • can’t think of a single bad thing to say about it

(d) overall thoughts

I discovered She Wants Revenge right around the time their self-titled debut came out in 2006. They come from the same hometown as me, which is a cool coincidence even if their music doesn’t really depict that at all. She Wants Revenge has always sounded a bit like Interpol if they were dirtier, or Joy Division if they were sexier, so God knows I’m down for that. This show really highlighted their strengths in setting the scene with super sexy lyrical turns of phrase, overwhelming bass line and rhythms, and lighting displays that really dictate the mood.

As the band played their whole first album, I couldn’t help but remember when I first got into it during high school, the friends of mine at the time who also liked and appreciated my weird musical taste, and all the times She Wants Revenge were a pleasant relief on the modern rock radio between all the garbage that was streamed on there. The music took me back, but it also really resonated even more now as an adult living in New York City. Even though both She Wants Revenge and I are from Los Angeles, something about that music feels very much wrapped in the city. And Adam 12 and Justin Warfield, the band co-founders even took the time to mention this during the show. They talked about the significance New York city had on their career – not only musically, but audience-wise. It’s cool to hear and remember how, as a fan, you really affect the livelihood of these guys.

Bottom line: I danced all night, I heard some memorably sexy and dark tracks that I loved when I was young and love even a bit more now, and got to be a part of a crowd that genuinely showed up for excellent music – what more could I ask for when it comes to seeing a great band like She Wants Revenge? Absolutely nothing.