Live Show Reviews Archives - Page 16 of 20

SHOW REVIEW! CAVEMAN w/ RACES @ the Echo, LA. December 8th, 2011

Contributed by Chris Gedos

Industry bees were buzzing Thursday Night, December 8th, for Caveman and Races at the Echo. Sponsored by Stereogum and the 2012 Chevy Sonic, there was a certain excitement for the free show w/RSVP, held on the eve of the Echo’s 10th anniversary.

Caveman capitalized on their CMJ momentum with the triumphant CoCo Beware, sure to make many a year end list, that increasingly rare LP which actually requires a wire-to-wire listen in order to uncover its nuance. By switching the set list dramatically from the album sequence, Caveman was able to create a live experience which was no less enjoyable and gave everyone in attendance a greater appreciation for the Brooklyn five piece.

With All Things Must Pass as the DJ preset, Races started their soundcheck. Their demurely rebellious style is KROQ ready with a San Fernando stamp of approval. “Can you pull the guitar out of the monitor? This vocal isn’t right.” Wade Ryff, the band’s vocalist, knows that there’s a lot of potential converts in attendance, and the LA industry contingency always lurks in the shadows. Eventually they get into their first song. It’s an instrumental with a great 60’s sensibility, not from their current EP, and possibly the opener on their upcoming LP, slated for March to coincide with the SXSW season. After about two minutes of guitar solos over bass, drums and red nord electric 3, everyone in the joint was fucking slayed by the majesty of the shredding. We applauded as the vocals commenced.

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding Races. They’re worth every droplet of it. I went in with high expectations and was still blown away by their set. They can go big and emotive like Arcade Fire (their most immediate influence), a quality that not even Arcade Fire continuously possesses. The mic for singer/percussionist Devon Lee was only at 50% capacity, but her back-up vox on “Big Broom” were magical. And I even love “All for You” and its moog filched from a still lost Pinkerton b-side. Like, love and follow Races before 2011 punches its time card, because these cats might be the ones to watch for 2012.

In between sets: I stared at the Chevy Sonic light projection on the wall and contemplated the infamous “Pink Moon” Cabrio ad, the first time a compact car married an “indie” sound and aesthetic. “Some of Them Are Old” by Brian Eno also played (no more Quiet Beatle) as a perfect prelude to Caveman’s set. However, during the second soundcheck, it was revealed by the sound guy that the backing mic would only continue to work at 50%. As a result there were mic problems later on during Caveman’s set, somewhat on “Thankful” and especially during “Great Life”, where the mic feed was especially unfortunate. Other snippets sounded grainy and distorted. So much of Caveman’s music is defined by its gentle undulations, which sounded perfect through the amps for about 87% of the set.

The fact that Caveman was able to rise above these minor sound snafus speaks miles about their innate professionalism. From the set’s first song, album opener “A Country’s King of Dreams”, one of the only songs played in order, with its “There There” hyper percussion techniques, it became apparent that Caveman‘s uniqueness is their most impressive quality. Even “My Time”, a single if there could be one, is a song driven by its uniqueness, a downbeat Feelies for the 21st C. I’d rather not rack my brain to come up with another apt comparison. CoCo Beware sounds so 2011, but it’s one of the least representative LPs of the year. They’re louder than most bands and they’re softer than most bands as well. They played the entire album and one new song with a slightly more populist vibe.

I left the venue equally impressed with both Caveman and Races. Walking out, The Kink’s “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” plays over the PA, originally the B-side to “Sunny Afternoon.”

Caveman – Thankful (Facebook)

Races – Big Broom (Facebook)

Rating 9.0

reviewed by b3

12-12-11

REVIEW: Re:Mix Labs in Los Angeles This Week!

Electronic Live Show Reviews Videos!

Re:Mix Labs kicked off a week’s worth of events at 401 S Main in Downtown LA on Tuesday night. This, the final stop for Re:Mix, which started at CMJ in NYC and made pit stops in Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas, of the Hyundai Veloster-sponsored multimedia event (from vintage arcade games and 3D movies streaming out from the trunks of cars to huge name artists in a small room spinning on the 1’s and 2’s).

Tuesday’s ANTENNA sponsored Grand Opening Reception featured an open bar and a variety of ensembled sets from Yeasayer, College, and Them Jeans to name a few. KCRW darlings Caught A Ghost’s new school mix of indie rock and soul found a pocket for the forthcoming event’s anticipatory atmosphere.

The Re:Generation event went down in a very special way on Wednesday night, with DJ Premier, Erykah Badu, The Crystal Method and more spinning brief DJ sets before Skrillex took the stage. With about 250 VIPS in attendance, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to glimpse the record collections of some of the most respected names in the industry. But the main draw was Mr. Skrillex, arguably the most popular (and divisive) DJ on these seven continents circa late-2011.

The legendary DJ Premier hosted sets between performers, hyping up the crowd of industry tastemakers busy making use of the open bar and interactive displays of elaborate art, fashion items and more intertwined through pimped-out Hyundai pocket rockets. The NY based producer brought the beats and set the tone for the evening as well as the forthcoming Richard Bishop directed and Grammy sponsored documentary (due February 2012) starring collaborations from the evening’s performers and many more other iconic artists from all eras. But Primo definitely got the party started, “how many people know about James Brown?!”

Erykah Badu opened with some Staple Singers, then played a little Stevie Wonder, followed by “Ain’t No Woman Like The One I Got,” a track worthy to rep, anytime, anyplace, despite unabated popularity. It was like Erykah had downloaded my hard drive into her laptop for the set, as heater followed heater followed heater. We were 5 feet away from Erykah Badu!

What would The Crystal Method have thought of Skrillex back in 1997? In the same way that an album like Vegas utilized an instrument like the Clavia Nord Lead 3 to create something avant garde, Skrillex uses the whole of electronic music technology to create a new genre unto itself. The Sonny Moore moniker proved a sight to be seen as well as an artist worthy of all the hype. As a dub-wake of mediocrity follows on his coattails it will be fascinating to see where he chooses to take electronic music next.

Skrillex Remixes Avicii “Levels” at RE:GENERATION Launch Party

Thursday night hosted the infamous artwalk on the streets LA. More great shows and events coming through Sunday this week. Be sure to stop by 401 S Main in Downtown LA for all the action.

Re:Mix Labs (Event Info) (HyundaiVeloster)

reviewed by b3

12-09-11

SHOW REVIEW! Nick Waterhouse & The Tarots, Allah-Lahs, Ana Egge @ The Bootleg Bar, Los Angeles 12/02/11

Live Show Reviews Rock

Contributed by Trevor Meyer

Last Friday night, I traveled to the bootleg theater in LA to catch three superb acts. It was a fantastic show because each act was so unlike the act before it, yet the audience gravitated to all three performances.

In a sea of black rimmed glasses, flannels, and irony, Ana Egge stepped to the stage with her acoustic guitar. The Saskatchewan native quickly captivated the audience with her soothing voice and sharp guitar playing. Ana was accompanied by drummer, Michael Jerome and the two had a notable musical chemistry. Egge played a number of her more upbeat acoustic tracks like “Blood and Fairest of Them All” while also managing to work in some of her quieter songs such as “Silver Heels” (my favorite piece) and “Hole in Your Halo”. Ana’s music draws parallels to a range of folk champions such as Josh Ritter, Rocky Votolato, Neil Young, and Joanie Mitchell. Egge has one of those voices that is immensely calming, but at the same time purposeful and influential. It’s not easy to deliver an acoustic set at a venue as packed as the Bootleg was last night, but Egge put on a truly admirable performance.

The Allah-Lahs took the stage as the middle act. The California rockers experienced some technical difficulties early in their set, but they quickly adjusted and gave the crowd a rousing performance. The Allah-Lahs combine elements of 60’s surf, fuzz-folk, and garage, in addition to pieces of psychedelic rock and rhythm and blues. The band finished strong, coming to life while performing two of my favorites “Catamaran” and “Long Journey”. I sense good things on the horizon for the Allah-Lahs and I would love to see these guys perform again in the future.

Nick Waterhouse & The Tarots took the stage as the final act of the evening. They came out with a marvelous energy that helped them gain the attention of the crowd immediately. The backup singers of The Tarots were phenomenal, displaying a vocal range that was most impressive. There was a baritone saxophonist and a tenor saxophonist, which provided awesome harmonies. The piano player and the drummer kept the crowd grooving on every track. Waterhouse brought it on every song, displaying shrieking vocals, high energy and charisma, and screaming guitar work. There is something about nine people tearing it up on stage together makes the show all the more magical. The guys made sure to play their hits “Some Place”, “That Place”, and “I Can Only Give You Everything”. Before they went into their final song, “Is That Clear”, Waterhouse talked about how he wrote the song when he was fifteen years old. During the song, Waterhouse & The Tarots effortlessly transitioned into Them’s “Gloria”, which was my favorite moment of the set. Nick Waterhouse and the Tarots are revitalizing old jazz and performing irresistible tunes that are catching on all over the States. In what was one of the best performances I have ever seen, I truly believe that the sky is the limit for Nick Waterhouse & The Tarots.

Nick Waterhouse – Some Place (Official) (Facebook)

Allah-Las – Long Journey: (Facebook)

reviewed by b3

12-08-11

SHOW REVIEW: Grieves and Budo @ The Middle East, Boston 12/05/11

Hip Hop Live Show Reviews

Grieves and Budo hit the subterranean confines of Cambridge’s Middle East downstairs on Monday. The duo performed their big energy, multi-genre influenced hip hop at a high level leaving the mostly full venue (not bad for a Monday night) no doubt satisfied. Opening the set were frat rap duo Boom Box, the guys seemed to have difficulty connecting with the kids as they, in ever-increasingly futile attempts to rouse the disinterested crowd, doused water out from the stage. “You guys like dubstep?” asked one of the MCs to a mostly negative response. The rappers still went on with the song which was OK, but came off sloppy in performance (incl an entirely (poorly) lip synced chorus hook). So that set sort of sucked.

Up next was SF MC K Flay, who definitely brought a confidence and quality of performance that was lacking in the opening set. Thank God. K Flay’s style is sort of feverish, kinetic, almost stream-of-consciousness, as one sharply tipped line gives way to the next and so forth. The crowd seemed to get more involved as the set went, as her Boston fanbase seemed to expand which each song. Girl used a live drummer, which added a nice underlying strength/lower-end to the performance. About two-thirds into the set K Flay dropped an on-the-spot-created beat (which you’d never be able to tell) that she proceeded to verbally slay which each freestyled set of rhymes. It was that sort of “the moment” in the set where she was over with the Middle East crowd, the house sort of it all nodding heads approvingly in unison.

Grieves and Budo blew through a set that covered all eras of their partnership. And it was apparent that no matter how old or new each song was at least 80% the house knew no less than 100% of the words to every single song. And Grieves (the MC half of the duo) did a great job of keeping the kids psyched up and involved (as if they needed it), telling stories, cracking jokes (Budo hadn’t changed his pants for a week), waxing about Boston, etc. Budo, too, did his part switching from horns, to keys, to guitar, back to horns, on to keys, etc, all the while acting as Grieves’ hype man and back up. We love Grieves and Budo and we loved the set. We definitely left happy.

Grieves and Budo – Lost in the Sun (Feat. K Flay)

Grieves and Budo (Official)

reviewed by b3

12-08-11

SHOW REVIEW: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds / The Hours @ Royce Hall, Los Angeles 11/18/11

Live Show Reviews Rock Songwriter

Last Friday night at Royce Hall in Los Angeles, The Hours took full advantage of an audience looking for something new in a familiar framework. Like Royce Hall (*see below) and headliner Noel Gallagher, history serves an indicator.

The UK collective fronted by Antony Glenn (former Pulp and Elastica fame to name a few) and Martin Slattery (who shares a connection through collaborations with Joe Strummer) kicked things off with recent single “I Want More.” The song caught the attention of fans stranded in the lobby trying to quickly finish their drinks. The Hour’s opt for Slattery’s multi-sectional musicianship in favor of a traditional bass player. Their blend of pop melodies and driving rhythms conjures an eclectic mix of everything from The Doves, Spoon, The Rolling Stones, and Spiritualized, with even moments Jeff Buckley and his protégés coming to mind. The band’s airtight set consisted heavily of material from their new I Want More EP as well as the band’s It’s Not How You Start, It’s How You Finish US debut. At one point The Hours invited two soulful women to stage to sing a few tracks with them. The audience’s playful approval of hoots and hollering felt most convincing during “Soul Music for Troubled Souls”. It’s the sort of song concerned with bigger messages and overall statements. And in such an economically wounded political environment, something like that might have been why the girl behind me tapped my shoulder to ask who the opening band was. The song drew a welcome response, as the did the band – as well as the bro-Noel banter between tracks. “What’s not to love about Noel” Antony asked? True, but there’s lots to like about watching The Hours. Get familiar and pick up a copy of I Want More.

The Hours – Soul Music for Troubled Souls

The Hours (Official)

A musical homage to Noel Gallagher’s mentors played through the house speakers during the sets interlude. It was the High Flying Birds second night in LA on a sold out six city American tour. Having recorded the album in LA, I wondered about Noel’s affinity for American culture? The album artwork on the streets of Los Angeles, the music video in a Pioneer Town like desert world? What role did the west coast play in High Flying Birds? There’s even an American in the band, as Noel himself takes the piss at later in the show. More importantly being a KROQ Presents show, and him being here now with HFB, will Americans find any new inspiration in him?

A variation of “If I Had A Gun” from Noel Gallagher’s forthcoming Amorphous Androgenous collaboration lay stealth in the speakers as the lights soon dimmed and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds took stage. A folky version of early b-side “It’s Good to Be Free” opened the show; offering a fresh take on something classic. Which would set the tone nicely for the rest of the set. In true house band fashion the High Flying Birds performed a majority of their self-titled debut LP near sequentially with several musical intermissions of fan favorites.

Noel looked alive and free of any preconceived notions about his stage presence in Oasis. Standing in the middle of the stage with the conviction of Noel Gallagher, and joining him were four of his High Flying Birds on bass, keys, drums and guitar. Given all of it’s various versions, lead album track “Everybody Is On The Run” sounds even complete with a five piece. Noel’s band sounded great. The back up singing, even finger picking on bass, all the versatility felt just right. But these weren’t hired guns, they each played with style. Noel wears great musicians like he does great songs. But to hear drumming from Jeremy Stacey of The Lemon Trees on songs like “If I Had A Gun” played with the same type of spunk as the early Tony McCarroll… it became clear that this band was a very well fit experience.

“The Good Rebel” first broke the album’s sequence sneaking in before it’s release’s flip-track “Death of You and Me” – a song that really brings out the Ennio Morricone in Noel Gallagher, with it’s ragtime piano and lyric “I’m watching the TV or is it watching me” maintaining there album highlights. New song “Freaky Teeth” followed as the audience got their second taste of what’s to come from Noel in 2012. Similar to the variation of “If I Had A Gun” mentioned earlier, “Freaky Teeth”explores classic rock and psychedelic roads travelled much less if ever by Oasis. To wrap intermission Noel played a pair of near solo acoustic classics. The audience tried to let him sing “Wonderwall” but couldn’t resist on “Supersonic”.

Switching gears back to High Flying Birds the audience adjusted their Gallagher frequency as the sampled sound of children playing filled the atmosphere leading the band into new album’s anthem “(I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine”. In-between songs fans shout for requests as if to indulge in the hilarity of Noel’s retorts. Following “Broken Arrow” Noel mentions that in his head he’d just heard “The Masterplan” the entire time’. Other highlights from the set included High Flying Birds ancestor track, “Half the World Away” and a few extended jam sessions prompting Gallagher to actually introduce each of the band members before ending the set.

The Chief returned to stage with a “thank you so fucking much” for a small encore set of fan favorites before he and his birds took a final bow.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – The Good Rebel

Noel Gallagher (Official) (Album Stream at Rolling Stone)

Rating 8.7

*Royce Hall kind of reminds me of the Soldier Field renovation in Chicago. Circumstances differ but Royce Hall was renovated and redesigned as contemporary within elements of it’s original framework. Add world-renowned acoustics and well I see why the venue fit the evening’s event.

reviewed by b3

11-22-11

LIVE SHOW REVIEWS: araabMUZIK @ The Mondrian, Los Angeles 11/11/11

Electronic Hip Hop Live Show Reviews

By: Chris Gedos

Rhode Island native Abraham Orellana performed under his moniker araabMUZIK on Friday night, 11/11/11, as part of The Mondrian Sessions at the hotel of the same name on the Sunset Strip. Although the LA scene has long since moved to Silverlake and Echo Park, The Mondrian Sessions are making The Strip relevant for lovers of independent MUZIK.

AraabMUZIK’s highly regarded Electronic Dream was released over the summer. It shocked and even upset some of his admirers, for on his LP the producer oftentimes sits back and allows the original song to play through for seconds at a time. However, araabMUZIK’s previous beats for Cam’ron and others are more heavily spliced, which I view as a simple issue of producing a single song vs. an entire LP, a transition which araab handled with ease. These are big boy beats but also stand alone songs, not an easy feat for a producer barely of drinking age.

The set was performed inside, to the left of the main entrance of the hotel. It would’ve been cool to see it outside by the pool (where I saw Dirty Beaches back in August), but ten foot ceilings and a tiny bar add to the house party vibe. The crowd (50% hip-hop, 50% hipster) wilds out- the same people that sway gently at concerts in Echo Park are losing themselves in a way they’d make fun of in a different environment. The music weaves its way through several genres in several seconds, too pop for hip-hop and vice versa, infectious music flaunting conventions. It’s so packed I can only catch glimpses of his fingers furiously tapping at the MPC which he’s wholly dependent on. My friend asked, “Where is the musicianship?” He wasn’t a fan. Oh well, beauty is in the ear of the beholder.

My main fault with the experience is more of a misgiving regarding the culture that has proved fertile ground for this current DJ/Dubstep/MPC/Protools (one big umbrella) revolution: it epitomizes self aggrandizement at its most unadulterated. To believe one is the purveyor of a musical revolution is dangerous naiveté. I ran home to put on the second side of Bringing It All Back Home, as I craved a slice of Dylan’s master social commentary:

Advertising signs they con
You into thinking you’re the one
That can do what’s never been done
That can win what’s never been won
Meantime life outside goes on
All around you

(From It’s Alright Ma, I’m Only Bleeding)

araabMUZIK – Let It Go

araabMUZIK $$$ (Twitter) (Facebook)

RATING: 8.4

reviewed by b3

11-13-11

LIVE SHOW REVIEWS: Chromeo / Mayer Hawthorne / Breakbot @ House of Blues, Boston 11/01/11

Electronic Live Show Reviews Pop

The long-running Chromeo-headed “When the Night Falls” tour rolled into House of Blues, Boston this past Tuesday. A near capacity crowd enjoyed a good three hours of ok to great music from electro party duo Chromeo, Detroit soul singer Mayer Hawthorne, and beats DJ Breakbot.

We’re big Mayer Hawthorne fans here a b3sci so we were stoked to catch some of his latest material (off his new How Do You Do LP) live. We certainly weren’t disappointed in that department. As MH’s set straddled the best tunes from his debut A Strange Arrangement LP (one of our favorite albums of 2009) and songs from the new album. Mayer delivered a high energy, fun, kinetic set that kept most of the HOB house (which probably skewed 75/25 Chromeo fans) engaged and interested. Highlights from the set included SA‘s “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin'” and “Shiny and New” as well as new tracks like single “The Walk” and the Detroit-inspired “A Long Time”. Having seen Mayer a few times before in smaller venues, the sheer size of HOB Boston seemed a bit much for his sound and style. Like, with Mayer’s music and persona, you want to feel like he’s singing to you or for you or something like that and inside the cavernous concert McDonalds that is HOB the set felt a bit disconnected in that way. That said, we still had a great time and really enjoyed Mayer’s performance.

Chants of “CHROME-OH-OH-OH” a la The Wizard of Oz filled HOB as the Canadian duo took their places on stage. From the first stab of P-Thugg’s keyboard rig onwards the place was electric. Chromeo had complete command of what quickly became a sprawling, frenetic, chaotic cascade of pot-smoke and whirling limbs. The place was absolutely nuts, maybe as live as I’ve seen the Boston House of Blues, just absolute mayhem. The duo rifled through an approx. hour-long set of “Chromeo classics” including the funkified “Tenderoni”, the funkier “Hot Mess”, and the supremely funky “Call Me Up”. Chromeo came hard and delivered. The kids danced, the kids moved, the kids got psyched, got hyped, and seemed to leave satisfied.

Chromeo (Official) (Facebook)
Mayer Hawthorne (Official) (Facebook)
Breakbot (Facebook) (Soundcloud)

reviewed by b3

11-05-11

LIVE SHOW REVIEWS: Star Slinger / Shlohmo / Shigeto @ The Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn 10/28/11

Live Show Reviews

Contributed by Erin Routson

* Writer’s note – excuse my terrible iphone photos, i busted my real camera

When I lived in Atlanta (2 cities ago), I always went to see DJs. I don’t know how this started, or why it was, but it became a kind of weird “lifestyle choice” that I was making in my early 20s. Even today when I think about the amount of time I spent “going clubbing”, and the other things that led to (seeing everyone at American Apparel mid-day buying things they’d wear later, et cetera), it seems like a part of my life that didn’t even happen. Aside from that, though, when I think back, those shows were the most fun because everyone was at their most free. No one cared about anything in that space, aside from having fun.

In the years that have followed that strange time in my life, I’ve still managed to go see DJs. Now dubstep exists, though, and that makes me feel old. When I went to Music Hall of Williamsburg for Star Slinger the other night, I asked my roommate if we’d be the oldest people there. She thought that no, we wouldn’t be, but I think we probably were.

We got there during Shigeto’s set, dude from Michigan (midwest pride!) in a room full of dudes bobbing their heads. His combination of live percussion and Djing reminded me of Mo’ Wax, and at one point I am almost positive I heard the beat from Ginuwine’s “My Pony.” I might be wrong, I had had a few drinks. Either way, his set was super-chill and all the backpack dudes in the crowd were way into it, including a super fan in the front who somehow found a way to mosh to relaxed drums and beats. – (Myspace)

Shlohmo took the stage next, and I think we expected the same kind of vacation style floataway energy that permeates his release, “Bad Vibes.” Dude was not taking us in his suitcase, though. Instead, his set was full of Lil B, radio rap, and Aaliyah shout-outs. Rather than soothe everyone with “Places” or “It Was Whatever”, he just amped himself up as well as the crowd. Overall, a pretty good representation of what a 20something year old dude wants to do on a Friday night, even if sometimes he’d play a real banger and follow it up with something kinda snoozy. – (Last.fm)

Last up, obvs, was Star Slinger. Even when I think about it now, I can’t believe he did his whole set in a flannel shirt. Oof. He played a bunch of his classics, and my roommates and I got to do our house dance several times. It’s like riding a bicycle backwards with your arms. His ability to up everyone’s vibe and keep it going the whole time was awesome, and even in the crush of the front everyone just got loose. For his encore, he invited everyone up on stage, and while it gave me serious Girl Talk flashbacks, it was just as fun as I remember every club night being in Atlanta. – (Official)

Seeing DJs in a club changes how I feel about the music when I’m listening to it on my headphones on the train, or in my room. Those individual experiences are about the technicality of the music – the beats, how its mixed, what is sampled – but live, in a venue, the only thing that seems to matter is the energy that the DJ is able to bring. When I’m there, in person, I want to dance and I want to have fun. Those needs sound so base, but in that context it’s what matters.

reviewed by b3

11-05-11

PREVIEW: Chromeo, Mayer Hawthorne, Breakbot @ House of Blues, Boston TONIGHT Nov. 1

Electronic Live Show Reviews Soul

The B3SCI team will be in the building for tonight’s Chromeo, Mayer Hawthorne, Breakbot show at House of Blues, Boston. Having seen him live several times, we know Mayer is sure to bring an A+ show. And we’re sure MH’s longtime tourmates Chromeo will be on their top game tonight too. If you see us in the crowd be sure to say “Hey.” and also be sure to buy us a drank (T-Pain). xxoo b3sci. (Tickets)

Mayer Hawthorne – When the Night Falls (Chromeo Cover)

reviewed by b3

11-01-11

SHOW REVIEW: The Peach Kings / Ryan Traster @ Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles 10/24/2011

Live Show Reviews Rock Songwriter

By: Chris Gedos

Upon arriving to the Bootleg Theater I stepped out immediately to make a phone call and missed the first several minutes of Ryan Traster’s set. According to my friends, he started playing as a four piece before his band retired due to technical difficulties. He continued solo. We preferred his material stripped down and acoustic, how he wasn’t out of step with the best of 90’s college rock. Ryan is a Minneapolis native currently stationed in Brooklyn and has a song which was featured on Keeping Up With The Kardashians (!) that was “hijacked by Starbucks without him knowing”. Seeing him live while never having heard of him before reminded me of that never-ending cycle of talented unknowns which take a ride on the LA carousel night after night. Fortunately for Mr. Traster, this isn’t his first rodeo – his songs are too well-developed for him to still be wet around the ears. He can croon like Elvis Costello and sing from the throat like Matt Sharp. I’m also reminded of some of Ian McCullough’s solo work (especially Candleland, sans dated synths producing wind noise). Like him on Facebook and you can stream several deep cuts. His new record, Good Hearts, was released yesterday and celebrated with an online concert which was streamed to all. #toogoodtogounnoticed

Ryan Traster – Gutter Truth (Facebook)

We next caught The Peach Kings. It’s surprising they haven’t received more buzz since their EP, Trip Wop, is fierce and available for free download via their website. I guess trip wop is a valid enough oxymoron. Per their website: “It’s a new breakthrough in The Peach Kings’ hypnotic science of sound that fuses the melodic and vocal elements of doo-wop with the droning thump and choked up percussion of a trip-hop beat.” Singer Paige Wood’s powerful voice hits a wide array of cadences, emotions and decibel levels. Because she doesn’t go big constantly, it’s even more effective when she does. Also interesting is that she doesn’t conform to typical gender roles i.e. she isn’t dressed like Kesha or even play the emotional leverage card like Feist. Her singing approaches this feeling of androgyny which is highly sexualized and genderless at the same time. The guitarist, Steven Trezevant, provides classic licks and a capable back-up / secondary vocal. The instrumentation is rambling and sloppy and that’s how they like it, but Wood’s vocal is so strong I think it could be maximized more. All they need is a little time, and maybe a bit more urgency. But they’ve already proven they can make a record.

The Peach Kings – Thieves and Kings (Official) (Facebook)

reviewed by b3

10-27-11

LIVE SHOW REVIEWS: Minus the Bear / The Velvet Teen @ Metro, Chicago 10/11/11

Live Show Reviews

Chicago: home of hot dogs, mediocre sports teams, and malort. Oh, and lots and lots of hipsters. Minus the Bear and the Velvet Teen managed to show up at the Metro and sufficiently killed it. Got to the venue a touch late and missed a few of the Velvet Teen’s songs, however they played a good variety from their discography. Old school jams like “Radiapathy” and :”Tokyoto” with newer jams like “No Star”. Judah Nagler sounded awesome and switched from guitar to keyboard a few times as well. VT’s new quartet line up really stepped their live show up since the last time I’ve seen them. It’s a shame their set wasn’t longer, easily one of the best live bands there is.

Minus the Bear started off with a few songs from “This is What I Know About Being Gigantic”. Pretty awesome and probably one of the last times they’ll play this many songs from that LP. They also mixed in a few songs from other albums but the crown jewel was “Highly Refined Pirates” in it’s entirety. Crowd was really into it, lots of bros and girls dancing and singing along. Ended with an encore of some songs from their new album “OMNI” as well as “Pachuca Sunrise”. The touches of nostalgia really made this show pretty special. VT and MTB always kill it when they tour together and hopefully this isn’t the last time it happens. Contributed by Wyatt Routson

Minus the Bear (Official) (Myspace)
The Velvet Teen (Official) (Myspace)

reviewed by b3

10-15-11

FESTIVAL REVIEW: Culture Collide, October 6-9, 2011, Los Angeles

Live Show Reviews

Last weekend (October 6-9), FILTER Magazine sponsored their second annual Culture Collide festival. Exposing international artists to the ears of Angelenos is the name of the game at Culture Collide, and this year’s Echo Park-based festival saw CSS (Brazil), Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (USA), Liam Finn (NZ), and Datarock (Norway) as well as artists from Australia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, etc. Here’s a re-cap of what you missed.

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Nirvana: Live at the Paramount: Screening @ Los Feliz Vista Theater Wednesday October 5, 2011

Culture Collide kicked off in a big way on Wednesday evening with a showing of the recently released Nirvana: Live at the Paramount, a Seattle homecoming from Halloween night, 1991, just five weeks after the release of Nevermind. The film screened at the famous Vista Theater, located at the intersection of Sunset and Hillhurst in the Los Feliz neighborhood of LA. Live at the Paramount is the only Nirvana show ever shot in its entirety on 16mm film (how is this even possible!?), which makes the concert all the more special. We’ve been conditioned to digest Nirvana’s performance via 30 second midi video clips which have aired on VH1 continuously since 1995, so to see Nirvana without commercial breaks is quite exhausting – I can only imagine the electricity inside the Paramount 20 years ago. Flanking the sides of the stage are two dancers, an androgynous boy wearing a shirt that says ‘girl’ and an androgynous girl with a shirt that says ‘boy’, a gentle reminder of how Cobain and co. playfully tested the public’s perception of society as a whole.

Grohl does most of the between song banter, with a little help from Novoselic, but Cobain remains nearly mute. It’s important to appreciate that even on the eve of worldwide fame Cobain was uncomfortable with his status as an (albeit budding) “rock star”. Also, Nirvana was anything but a DIY project by October, 1991, as they’d already been given a healthy advance for a major label release. Societal implications aside, Nirvana is merely a band with one fantastic album and two very good albums. But Live at the Paramount reminds us that Nirvana can never be separated from the culture which catapulted them to fame. – Chris Gedos

Nirvana – Rape Me (Home Acoustic Demo)
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Liam Finn @ Echo Thursday October, 6 2011

To start his set, Liam Finn joked that his band ‘had traveled the longest way’. The New Zealand-bred Finn (son of Crowded House leader Neil Finn), who had likely traveled further distance than anyone else at The Echo on Thursday night, brought his serious songwriter and musical chops. The sort of chops that, like some of the best — Buckley comes to mind (father/son coincidence aside), where the music just seems to pour out of them. Like it’s just an extension of who they are, like having arms or legs or cool hair or whatever, it is their person. In describing Finn’s music and performance, we heard influences like whisperers Travis and Elliot Smith up to the straight folk rock of the 70’s and it’s modern disciples like Wilco. During the set, the band joked they didn’t have enough room on stage, and they kind of didn’t – as we counted up to 9 musicians on stage at any one point. Percussion played a big role (think WIND CHIMES), Liam even occasionally guest-dueled on drums, hitting the skins like a pro. “Gather to the Chapel” was a favorite take from the dynamic set. The band played through each tune, song for song, like seasoned folk pop professionals (maybe Decemberists-esque) and left a half full venue crowd (those that were there really into it) cheering, screaming, clamoring for more.

Liam Finn – Gather to the Chapel

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Lindstrom @ Echoplex Thursday October 6, 2011

Norwegian producer Lindstrøm closed the evening at Echoplex with a set of late night nu-disco macparty music. A chilled but focused Hans-Peter vibed his way through a mind-bending set of contemporary retro electronic music. On-lookers couldn’t help but move.

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The Postelles @ Taix Friday October 7, 2011

The Postelles took the stage Friday night at Taix. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a band this tight. They’re unconcerned with fads and styles while relating to the present and having something relevant to say for the year 2011. After being dropped by Capitol/EMI last year, the group didn’t skip a beat and eventually released the Albert Hammond Jr. produced, eponymous debut with +1 records this past June. As I write this, “Bad to Me” by Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas plays at the café, which is fitting because the Postelles truly sound like the lost songs of Lennon/McCartney (in a very good way). Is there anything left to say about the songs band vs. ideas band debate? Songs have always and will always win out.

A band of lesser value may not have survived as unscathed by a similar corporate runaround. But the Postelles sound even better than their videos online from eighteen months ago. “123 Stop” has to be one of the top rock songs of 2011. By channeling Eric Carmen and the spirit of (dare I say) Lee Mavers, the Postelles have created one of the most perfectly retro albums since Is This It. Properly rooted in the CKLW sound of 1960’s Detroit, these guys have been listening to their complete Motown Singles! The last, best thing I can say about them is that their new songs sound even more complex and intricate, with increased vocal duties on the part of the lead guitarist. The Postelles are touring America with The Wombats and then The Kooks at the end of October and through November. Drive the necessary distance and see these guys live, if only to know that old time Rock n’ Roll is alive and well. – Chris Gedos

The Postelles – Hold On

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Tennis System @ Taix Friday October 7, 2011

Tennis System, recent LA Transplants via Washington D.C., plays a hard but endearing mix of Psych-Pop and Shoegaze. I can’t say I’m a big fan of the name, but many of my favorite albums in recent memory have come from bands with immeasurably more preposterous names (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to name one). They’re loud but not abrasively so, as they’re well aware that playing at a decibel level above 100 doesn’t make you automatically good. At the same time, they were shut down at SXSW for noise complaints. They’re like Weekend but more pop. “Hey, We Tried” (love the comma!) wouldn’t sound out of place on either Loveless or Carnival of Light. At the same time, Tennis System isn’t a genre band per se, succeeding with a sound which channels a wide spectrum of influences as far back as Pink Floyd and as recent as The Flaming Lips. Most importantly, they’re not just a live band, since their EP makes for a captivating and intimate listen. – Chris Gedos

Tennis System – Arcane

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Avi Buffalo @ Taix Friday October 7, 2011 and @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October, 9 2011

Long Beach collective Avi Buffalo made use of their Friday and Sunday sets to deliver a fresh take on 2011 indie rock. Avi Buffalo are a band able to walk the line of producing popular songs like “What’s In It For?” while maintaining an off-the-beaten-path musical identity relative to other bands in their space. For example, how many other bands can actually play blistering guitar solos for minutes in the vain of Dave Gilmour or even Stevie Ray Vaughan? Or rather, how many other indie bands actually have the balls to rock out a 5-string bass on stage? Avi Buffalo march by the beat of their own drum (or 5-string bass slap). AB’s mostly moderately paced set was chock full of the most of dynamic crescendos and Neil Young-like shrieking by lead singer Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg. The band even delivered a moving version of ole Shakey’s “Cortez the Killer”. While Avi Buffalo is certainly rooted firmly with the pantheon of great 70’s classic rock groups, they aren’t shy about embracing more contemporary elements. Take for example, their bringing on stage of an MC, who joined the band at various points to spit rhymes over some of the set’s more funkified music beds. Also the shoes! The band had great contemporary-lookin’ shoes!

Avi Buffalo – What’s In It For?

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Yacht @ Echoplex Friday October 7, 2011

Yacht drew a packed house for their headlining slot at Echoplex Friday night. Yacht brought funk. The house got down. Phased-out and clean guitar effects, tight on-the-beat syncopations, cow bell, Eurythmics, you get the picture. Lead singer Claire L. Evans was in control taking charge of the party atmosphere and not letting go throughout the entire high energy set. The band’s spot-on cover of The B-52s “Mesopotamia” fit the pocket, a solid example of the best sort of minor keyed pop song. With a full and accomplished sound, Yacht are still that crossover hit away from landing on the commercial landscape. Do they care? Probably not.

YACHT – It’s All The Same Price (Featuring Eats Tapes)

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Asteroids Galaxy Tour @ Echoplex Friday October 7, 2011 and @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011

Danish pop collective The Asteroids Galaxy Tour brought the full production for their Friday (Echoplex) and Sunday (Toyota Antics Block Party) sets. One of the more pop-orientated groups at Culture Collide this year, the band’s uptempo set fused high energy soul with an almost Brit-pop strut. The theatrics of lead singer Mette Lindberg were a highlight and the band definitely ramped up some well deserved anticipation for their forthcoming sophomore release Out of Frequency, due early 2012.

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – Inner City Blues

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Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011

Clap Your Hands played a very respectable 45 minute set in between Asteroid Galaxy and Datarock. They had been scheduled to play at F*** Yeah Fest on 3 September but were unable to travel west due to hurricane Irene. My main gripe is through no fault of their own: it seemed they wanted to play longer than they did, but were forced to stick to the strict time constraints mandated by the two stages’ proximity to one another. In fact, PA music came on before their encore! 45 minutes is ample time for a nice, thorough sound check, but for a band like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, who officially has a body of work now, the set seems way too short, especially since a majority of the set was from their now iconic, 2005 self-titled debut, a release which embodied the DIY movement at the time.

Regarding that debut, few albums come along with as cohesive or a singular of a purpose. I will forever compare Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to Ziggy Stardust if only because both albums run through 12 tracks in 38 minutes, and because Bowie championed Clap Your Hands when they first broke through. The Philadelphia five-piece opens with “Sunshine and Clouds and Everything Proud”, a little ditty which is track 4 on the aforementioned debut. This choice of opener suggested that the set wouldn’t be about Hysterical, the John Congleton-produced LP which was released on September 20th in The States, but rather their LP which was released 6 and a half years ago. I can’t say that the crowd minded the preponderance of older material. “In This Home on Ice”, my personal fav, was spot-on, and “The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth”, their undisputed most popular song, sent the crowd rocking back and forth in place. As for the new album, “Hysterical” begins unassuming but builds throughout to something with a level of urgency. The single, “Maniac”, would make a nice B-side from their first album. Unfortunately for Mr. Ounsworth and co., however, the band has lost much of their relevancy and have therefore come to be defined by their past as opposed to their future. Whether Hysterical will set their career on a new trajectory remains to be seen.– Chris Gedos

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! – Maniac

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Datarock @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011

What you see is what you get with Norwegian heavyweights Datarock, which is a lot. Tight, concise guitar licks, kraut-house melodies and vocals which serve as atmosphere during the verse and go big during the chorus. To say that Datarock brings a lot of energy to stage would be a vast understatement. They bubble over with energy, jumping up and down in their trademark red jumpsuits with a fair bit of running man thrown in for good measure. Frontman Fredrik Saroea is the group ambassador, drummer Tarjei Strøm donates several drum sticks to the audience and bassist Thomas Larssen never stops head banging. But Kjetil Møster, while not a founding member, is arguably their heart and soul. He mixes in layers of synths with a killer saxophone solo on several of their best known tracks. I saw Datarock at the Echoplex back in March and must say that their sound lends itself better to an indoor environment, as it seemed they weren’t quite as loud on Sunday night. Yet their performance was clear proof why they’ve been darlings of the electro rock scene for nearly a decade. – Chris Gedos

Datarock – The Pretender
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CSS @ Echoplex Saturday October 8, 2011 and @ Toyota Antics Block Party Sunday October 9, 2011

CSS brought some Brazilian soccer culture worthy-type “A” game to Culture Collide – headlining stages on both Saturday (Echoplex) and Sunday (Toyota Antics Block Party) nights. Perhaps the festival’s biggest draw, the band’s tight mix of multicultural nightlife soul won over the crowd of both new and longtime fans.

CSS – Red Alert (Feat. Ratatat)

reviewed by b3

10-13-11

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