Two weeks into the New Year and I have received enough emails asking ‘where the heck is your year-end best-concerts list?’ that I feel compelled to respond.
Last year was so damn busy that I only got to attend a fraction of my usual ridiculous concert quota. Added to that I saw more bands outside of the area than ever before (as my love affairs with the Chicago music scene and the Coachella festival continues). That said I did see some damn fine shows in DC last year. Plus it is nice to know at least a few people missed my list.
So back by popular demand here is an abbreviated list of the best live sets that I had the pleasure of enjoying in and around DC in 2007.
5. Stiff Little Fingers @ The Black Cat : Celebrating the band’s 30th anniversary the Irish punk godfathers treated DC to a reunion of the surviving original members and a blistering beginning-to-end run through of their classic debut, Inflammable Material. For the rest of the set they ripped through most of their second album, played a tribute to Joe Strummer, and introduced us to a politically-charged new song ‘The Liars Club’. The performance proved the timelessness of SLF’s music, energy, and heart (a fact reflected by the huge age range in the passionate, sing-along crowd).
4. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ The 930 Club : These guys have made my year-end lists twice before (once at the top). While I think their 2004 Recher Theater set is the gold standard – they never cease to amaze me each time they come to town. Every one of their shows gives us seemingly vital rearrangements of their material and the Spring ‘07 show was the most endurance-testing, rock-n-roll display I’ve seen them put on yet. Riding in high off their latest album, Baby 81, the band tore through an amazingly powerful set, and then returned for an encore that was as long as the concert-proper. It was a die-hard BRMC fan’s dream come true as the two-and-a-half hour set included what seemed like their entire catalog. Playing way past the 930 Club’s usual close down, BRMC treated DC to a late-night marathon that reminded us all of rock-n-roll’s rule-breaking, ass-kicking origins.
3. The Stooges @ 930 Club : Speaking of ass-kicking origins. Iggy and the Stooges graced DC with their troglodyte presence last year with a performance that not only showed what an A-list front-man Iggy Pop is and always will be, but also erased the footnote unimportance of their new album by focusing on brain-melting renditions of their classic catalog. Running through most of Funhouse in its entirety with more passion, energy, and insanity than most younger bands ever bother to muster, the Stooges cut through decades of punk cynicism like an adrenalin shot directly into the genre’s beating heart. The show got the crowd going crazy like I haven’t seen in DC since the Super-Bowl of Hardcore days. It was a madhouse crowd responding to the madman on stage performing an anything-goes set of music. Demonstrated best by the final song of the night, an amped-up repeat performance of ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ that made the night’s earlier rendition seem ancient by comparison. The Stooges live show builds like a storm-surge, performing 35-year old music that never sounds the same twice and always – always – feels so impressive in the moment that you can’t imagine there ever being anything that can top it.
2. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen @ The 930 Club : This performance by Damon Albarn’s unlikely super-group was the epitome of cool, grace, and wonderful musicianship. They decorated the 930 Club in such a way as to teleport the crowd to an alternate-universe London; the setting for Albarn’s sometimes gloomy, sometimes glib homeland narrative. Seeing former-Clash bassist Paul Simonon alone would probably have made my top 10 list for the sheer fan-boy aspect. But it is the combination of all of GBQ’s disparate elements working together so beautifully that places the show so highly. This show left me in jaw-dropped awe that what I had just witnessed really had taken place live right before my eyes. The Good, The Bad, and The Queen concert was a very rare treat that I am very happy to have attended. (Read my original review here).
1. Isis @ The 930 Club : Here I am almost nine months after this concert and I am still at a loss for words to describe how amazing it was. To put its greatness in context I could maybe approach it like this. I saw more post-rock/post-metal acts in 2007 than in any other year. I caught all the genre heavies as they came through, many of whom have made my list in year’s past. And every one of them put on an incredible show (Jesu, Mono, Red Sparrowes, EITS, etc) but none of them come close to touching this level of perfection and enjoyment. Isis have always been a great live band but the combination of their new material and the forensic precision of the 930 Club sound-system made for a fantastic musical journey that had to be experienced to come close to understanding. It was the stuff of legends and I’ll be babbling about it like some mad acolyte for years to come.
Here are the 2006, 2005, and 2004 lists.
Originally published on January 14th, 2008.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The 10 best concerts in and around DC for 2006
A thousand pardons as the third installment of my year-end best-of concerts list comes a tad late this time ’round due to illness. As I sit here typing, the Center for Disease Control is sealing off my house while Clara Barton is mopping my brow with a damp cloth to stave off fever. I’m not kidding, it’s like 1918 over here.
Anyhow, time for the list. For the uninitiated this is a list of the best performances by musical acts that I saw in 2006 in the DC area. The list is based on individual sets rather than total concert line-ups. 2006 was kind of a spare year for live shows in DC for me (I saw about 30 bands as opposed to my average 50-60). I did a lot of traveling to concerts in other towns (notably Chicago and Philly) since DC got skipped by a lot of bands last year. That said the concerts I did catch in the area were all top-notch and here are the ten best.
10. Whitehouse @ DC9 : In a booking coup DC9 scored these first generation British noise-mongers early last year and as a result drew the biggest crowd I’ve seen there. Their set was blistering with hate and noise, the sonic equivalent of peeling flesh with an acetylene torch. Pretty great stuff if (like me) being stuck inside the head of a Dalek from Dr. Who is your idea of a good time.
9. Bauhaus @ Nissan Pavilion : In an opening slot for industrial-glam gods Nine Inch Nails, Bauhaus stole the show by putting on a bare-bones raw power set that showed off their goth-father muscles better than any elaborate stage show could. Of all the shows I’ve seen out at Nissan, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a band sound better.
8. The Ex @ Ottobar : This was the last show I saw in 2006 and it was a doozy. I’ve been a fan of The Ex for a loooong time but never saw them live until this year. Their set at the Touch & Go Anniversary Festival in Chicago blew my mind with its passion and guitar fury. But that show was outside with a crowd 10 thousand strong. It was this set at the Ottobar (up close and personal) that really showed off to me just how amazing every member of this band is. Their style of post-punk guitar playing borders on speed metal, absolutely nuts.
7. Soundpool @ the Wall of Sound Festival : This year’s Wall of Sound Festival was something of a disappointment (particularly the spectacularly anti-climactic non-finale). That said the one gem I took away from the trip to Fredericksburg was having seen Soundpool for the first time. They are a relatively young band from New York but their stage presence, slide-show, and sound made me feel like I had teleported back to early 90’s London. Soundpool’s set captured the shoegazer aesthetic unlike any new breed shoegazers I’ve seen. A pretty but shy singer, out-of-focus film strips, guitar and synth sound-wash combined for one of the best sets I saw by a band all year.
6. Mono @ the Black Cat : Despite the plethora of chatty-kathy’s in the crowd during their set, Mono knocked my socks off when they opened for Pelican last year. Mono return to my top 10 list after taking 2005’s crown for best concert. Their place on the 2006 list is well deserved as they beat out Mogwai (the post-rock kingpins who I also saw in ‘06) with this incredible set of music.
NOTE: Mono will be playing in DC again in Spring ‘07.
5. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ 930 Club : Another repeat offender BRMC took top honors on my 2004 list. I was hesitant to put a second repeater on the list but when looking back over the year in music I can’t deny top-quality jams. BRMC played in DC late in 2005 and left me feeling luke-warm but they returned a few months later in the new year with a new set that I can’t get out of my head. BRMC take the award for best-use of a club’s sound system in 2006. Don’t believe me? Listen for yourself.
4. Pelican @ the Black Cat : Some nights nothing beats the live fury of Heavy Metal (or in this case that new breed Post-Metal). Pelican definitely cornered the market in dark, thundering territory in 2006 with their incredible set at the Black Cat. Their epic length instrumental pieces took the dedicated crowd on a harrowing journey of sound and imagination as they hammered and hacked and plucked and strummed their guitars into splinters.
3. The Charlatans UK @ 930 Club : I make no effort to hide my worship of this band, however their 2006 set at the 930 Club was so spot-on it would top any music critics list as one of the year’s best. The band showed off their evolution from Madchester teens to elder statesmen of Brit-Pop with a command performance of a career spanning set-list played to a club filled with loyal fans who partied their asses off. This show reminded me of back when DC was a really fun town filled with fanatical fans of every genre. A time when almost every concert I went to had a crowd/band synergy going like this one did. This was by far the most energetic and fun show I went to in 2006.
2. Serena Maneesh @ the State Theater : Being an agnostic, I expect this show to be about as close to a religious experience as I will ever have. Serena Maneesh from Norway came to spread their gospel of noise guitar to an audience of about 40 people last year. I expect every one of those people have been spreading the word ever since. Before this set I thought I knew what I meant by invoking the term “music nirvana” in past reviews. But really those other shows were lower tiers of enlightenment. If there is a band out there that can top what Serena Maneesh did at the State Theater I am a little afraid, because seeing that band would probably kill me.
1. Editors @ 930 Club : I saw the Editors twice in 2006 and both sets were easily top 10 worthy. However it was the first time I saw them, when they opened for Stellastarr*, that I’m giving the year’s top honor to. If you read my original review of that set it is obvious I was very taken with these new dark horses of brit-pop. But what I didn’t realize writing then that I do now upon looking back is that the Editors’ first DC show was the full package. In otherwords, it was everything that I want a concert to be.
The Editors’ first set was so great and unexpected to the Stellstarr* crowd that any musical cynicism in the room was cracked. What ensued was an amazingly good time as the Editors won over the crowd with one of the all-time great pop performances I’ve seen. This was a truly special music moment. Re-read my comments for the previous two entries on this list and try to imagine the effects of those two shows combining into one wonderful set of music. An excited and fun crowd watching one of the best emerging music acts in the world tearing the 930 Club a new one and me standing in the middle of it all with a smile from ear to ear.
I couldn’t make-up a better concert moment to round-out this year’s list.
For the curious here are the 2004 and 2005 lists.
Originally published on January 4th, 2007.
Anyhow, time for the list. For the uninitiated this is a list of the best performances by musical acts that I saw in 2006 in the DC area. The list is based on individual sets rather than total concert line-ups. 2006 was kind of a spare year for live shows in DC for me (I saw about 30 bands as opposed to my average 50-60). I did a lot of traveling to concerts in other towns (notably Chicago and Philly) since DC got skipped by a lot of bands last year. That said the concerts I did catch in the area were all top-notch and here are the ten best.
10. Whitehouse @ DC9 : In a booking coup DC9 scored these first generation British noise-mongers early last year and as a result drew the biggest crowd I’ve seen there. Their set was blistering with hate and noise, the sonic equivalent of peeling flesh with an acetylene torch. Pretty great stuff if (like me) being stuck inside the head of a Dalek from Dr. Who is your idea of a good time.
9. Bauhaus @ Nissan Pavilion : In an opening slot for industrial-glam gods Nine Inch Nails, Bauhaus stole the show by putting on a bare-bones raw power set that showed off their goth-father muscles better than any elaborate stage show could. Of all the shows I’ve seen out at Nissan, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a band sound better.
8. The Ex @ Ottobar : This was the last show I saw in 2006 and it was a doozy. I’ve been a fan of The Ex for a loooong time but never saw them live until this year. Their set at the Touch & Go Anniversary Festival in Chicago blew my mind with its passion and guitar fury. But that show was outside with a crowd 10 thousand strong. It was this set at the Ottobar (up close and personal) that really showed off to me just how amazing every member of this band is. Their style of post-punk guitar playing borders on speed metal, absolutely nuts.
7. Soundpool @ the Wall of Sound Festival : This year’s Wall of Sound Festival was something of a disappointment (particularly the spectacularly anti-climactic non-finale). That said the one gem I took away from the trip to Fredericksburg was having seen Soundpool for the first time. They are a relatively young band from New York but their stage presence, slide-show, and sound made me feel like I had teleported back to early 90’s London. Soundpool’s set captured the shoegazer aesthetic unlike any new breed shoegazers I’ve seen. A pretty but shy singer, out-of-focus film strips, guitar and synth sound-wash combined for one of the best sets I saw by a band all year.
6. Mono @ the Black Cat : Despite the plethora of chatty-kathy’s in the crowd during their set, Mono knocked my socks off when they opened for Pelican last year. Mono return to my top 10 list after taking 2005’s crown for best concert. Their place on the 2006 list is well deserved as they beat out Mogwai (the post-rock kingpins who I also saw in ‘06) with this incredible set of music.
NOTE: Mono will be playing in DC again in Spring ‘07.
5. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ 930 Club : Another repeat offender BRMC took top honors on my 2004 list. I was hesitant to put a second repeater on the list but when looking back over the year in music I can’t deny top-quality jams. BRMC played in DC late in 2005 and left me feeling luke-warm but they returned a few months later in the new year with a new set that I can’t get out of my head. BRMC take the award for best-use of a club’s sound system in 2006. Don’t believe me? Listen for yourself.
4. Pelican @ the Black Cat : Some nights nothing beats the live fury of Heavy Metal (or in this case that new breed Post-Metal). Pelican definitely cornered the market in dark, thundering territory in 2006 with their incredible set at the Black Cat. Their epic length instrumental pieces took the dedicated crowd on a harrowing journey of sound and imagination as they hammered and hacked and plucked and strummed their guitars into splinters.
3. The Charlatans UK @ 930 Club : I make no effort to hide my worship of this band, however their 2006 set at the 930 Club was so spot-on it would top any music critics list as one of the year’s best. The band showed off their evolution from Madchester teens to elder statesmen of Brit-Pop with a command performance of a career spanning set-list played to a club filled with loyal fans who partied their asses off. This show reminded me of back when DC was a really fun town filled with fanatical fans of every genre. A time when almost every concert I went to had a crowd/band synergy going like this one did. This was by far the most energetic and fun show I went to in 2006.
2. Serena Maneesh @ the State Theater : Being an agnostic, I expect this show to be about as close to a religious experience as I will ever have. Serena Maneesh from Norway came to spread their gospel of noise guitar to an audience of about 40 people last year. I expect every one of those people have been spreading the word ever since. Before this set I thought I knew what I meant by invoking the term “music nirvana” in past reviews. But really those other shows were lower tiers of enlightenment. If there is a band out there that can top what Serena Maneesh did at the State Theater I am a little afraid, because seeing that band would probably kill me.
1. Editors @ 930 Club : I saw the Editors twice in 2006 and both sets were easily top 10 worthy. However it was the first time I saw them, when they opened for Stellastarr*, that I’m giving the year’s top honor to. If you read my original review of that set it is obvious I was very taken with these new dark horses of brit-pop. But what I didn’t realize writing then that I do now upon looking back is that the Editors’ first DC show was the full package. In otherwords, it was everything that I want a concert to be.
The Editors’ first set was so great and unexpected to the Stellstarr* crowd that any musical cynicism in the room was cracked. What ensued was an amazingly good time as the Editors won over the crowd with one of the all-time great pop performances I’ve seen. This was a truly special music moment. Re-read my comments for the previous two entries on this list and try to imagine the effects of those two shows combining into one wonderful set of music. An excited and fun crowd watching one of the best emerging music acts in the world tearing the 930 Club a new one and me standing in the middle of it all with a smile from ear to ear.
I couldn’t make-up a better concert moment to round-out this year’s list.
For the curious here are the 2004 and 2005 lists.
Originally published on January 4th, 2007.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Finally…Mushy Peas!
Some time in the night just past walked Michael, that would be me, and me wife, that would be Greta, up King Street to sample rumoured scrumptous vittles at ye olde-style Dublin Chippery, that would be Eamon’s, which happens to be Old Town’s newest restaurant.
Eamon’s Dublin Chippery is the real deal. Opened by the Irish husband and wife team who opened the gourmet Irish restaurant Eve down on Pitt st., Eamon’s is a small take-out fish-n-chips joint with style. The menu is pretty simple: fish and chips (large or small) with a few intriguing extras including the battered and fried “bunless” hamburger, Irish soda in cans, and authentic mushy peas – which I have been dying to have again ever since my trip to London/Dublin 2 years ago.
The mushy peas were excellent, the chips were spot-on, and the battered cod was a pleasure.
Dinner for two costs about $20 at Eamon’s – which is set-up as a take-out but has three very cool looking wooden tables if you choose to eat in – which we did. If you’re going to eat in at Eamon’s don’t be shy about eating with your hands, or sharing your table with the throngs of folk flocking there to try Old Town’s latest buzz.
Eamon’s is on King Street in Old Town across from the Old Town Theater.
Originally published on September 6, 2006.
Eamon’s Dublin Chippery is the real deal. Opened by the Irish husband and wife team who opened the gourmet Irish restaurant Eve down on Pitt st., Eamon’s is a small take-out fish-n-chips joint with style. The menu is pretty simple: fish and chips (large or small) with a few intriguing extras including the battered and fried “bunless” hamburger, Irish soda in cans, and authentic mushy peas – which I have been dying to have again ever since my trip to London/Dublin 2 years ago.
The mushy peas were excellent, the chips were spot-on, and the battered cod was a pleasure.
Dinner for two costs about $20 at Eamon’s – which is set-up as a take-out but has three very cool looking wooden tables if you choose to eat in – which we did. If you’re going to eat in at Eamon’s don’t be shy about eating with your hands, or sharing your table with the throngs of folk flocking there to try Old Town’s latest buzz.
Eamon’s is on King Street in Old Town across from the Old Town Theater.
Originally published on September 6, 2006.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
God Save The Good, The Bad, and The Queen
Oh my goodness. I think on the boat ride over here from England, Paul Simonon dunked his head into the Atlantic, ripped up the trans-Atlantic cable with his teeth, and then used it to string his bass guitar. The man was slinging some deep bass at the 930 Club earlier tonight. Simonon’s monster bass chords were one of the many thrills delivered by The Good, The Bad, and The Queen.
What could have easily been written off as a vanity project of Blur’s Damon Albarn, GBQ have been proving naysayer’s wrong since their debut album hit U.S. shores a few months back. Tonight’s performance was one of a limited U.S. tour that displayed such musical excellence and natural joy for music that if there are any doubters left in DC they must be of the most gnarled and cynical sort.
Tonight’s concert was incredible.
The 930 Club stage was dressed up with two long streamers featuring mini-flags of all nations, a giant back-drop of a London Bridge scene, and a Union Jack draped poetically over Albarn’s stand-up piano. A top-hatted string quartet warmed up on stage as a trilby doffed Paul Simonon took up his long-necked bass. Albarn soon followed donning a top-hat of his own. Followed by Tony Allen looking cool and tough behind the drum-kit and a sober looking guitar guru Simon Tong.
When the band launched into their set, I thought they sounded a little loose and Albarn seemed a tad subdued. Which got me wondering if maybe there was something to the vanity project label that had been tossed about. By song two those thoughts were wonderfully dismissed, the band tightened up considerably and launched into one of the coolest sets I’ve seen in a long time.
I say cool because, well, there is no other word to describe it. Everyone in that band is so fucking cool. Individually they are masters at their instruments; Allen – Drums, Tong – Guitar, Simonon – Bass, Albarn – Voice. Collectively they present a musical confidence that lends to their dripping with cool.
Case in point – Albarn is hammering away on the piano playing wonderfully off of Allen’s cymbals while Paul Simonon casually leans on Albarn’s piano watching with a calm expression on his face that says, ‘I could do better than that’ whilst his cigarette burns away tucked into the fret-neck of his bass that hangs untouched at his waist as if placed there by a photographer’s assistant. A picture perfect spontaneous moment of utter coolness.
Albarn is one of the great front men of our time. Every time I see him he reminds me of that. Over the course of the set, the guy came to life, leading the crowd along with him on his musical journey by dancing and posing and singing his gloomy London narrative to perfection.
Tong and Allen were like statues. Monuments to their respective instruments playing them effortlessly while displaying a dizzying range of technical proficiency. I haven’t seen Tong play guitar since the early 90’s and I forgot how damn good he is. What really surprised me about these two guys was the level of drama they wrenched out of their gear. I had read a review from the GBQ show in New York that said Allen was a boring drummer! That is insane. Allen is the definition of restraint and dramatic effect. The mofo is complex. His well-placed shot to a snare reports like a rifle. Both Tong and Allen’s intricacies were well-served by the 930 Club’s system.
And then there was Paul Simonon on bass. His lines were right up front in the mix and heavy. It was friggin’ beautiful. Simonon live is like watching Fred Astaire. He dances around the stage sometimes holding his bass like a dance partner other times a gun, but always an extension of his long-limbed, lanky body. Donned in a tilted, trilby hat and smart black suit, he looked like he walked right out of a Clash PR photo that I have framed in my staircase. The guy is cool personified. The audience played off of Paul as much as they did Albarn. It was like having two-front men for the price of one.
Even with the best intentions, musically all of these strong personalities on one stage could have worked against each other. Minus the benefit of the studio and mutli-takes, GBQ could have been a disaster live. But it most certainly wasn’t. These guys played together like old buddies jamming on a lark after drinking a case of Red Stripes at a reunion. The beginning was a little rusty, but by the third song they were on fire, and they kept the fire going long into the night. And hopefully for a couple more albums!
Go to NPR’s Concert Series for an archived listen to tonight’s concert.
Originally published on May 14, 2007.
What could have easily been written off as a vanity project of Blur’s Damon Albarn, GBQ have been proving naysayer’s wrong since their debut album hit U.S. shores a few months back. Tonight’s performance was one of a limited U.S. tour that displayed such musical excellence and natural joy for music that if there are any doubters left in DC they must be of the most gnarled and cynical sort.
Tonight’s concert was incredible.
The 930 Club stage was dressed up with two long streamers featuring mini-flags of all nations, a giant back-drop of a London Bridge scene, and a Union Jack draped poetically over Albarn’s stand-up piano. A top-hatted string quartet warmed up on stage as a trilby doffed Paul Simonon took up his long-necked bass. Albarn soon followed donning a top-hat of his own. Followed by Tony Allen looking cool and tough behind the drum-kit and a sober looking guitar guru Simon Tong.
When the band launched into their set, I thought they sounded a little loose and Albarn seemed a tad subdued. Which got me wondering if maybe there was something to the vanity project label that had been tossed about. By song two those thoughts were wonderfully dismissed, the band tightened up considerably and launched into one of the coolest sets I’ve seen in a long time.
I say cool because, well, there is no other word to describe it. Everyone in that band is so fucking cool. Individually they are masters at their instruments; Allen – Drums, Tong – Guitar, Simonon – Bass, Albarn – Voice. Collectively they present a musical confidence that lends to their dripping with cool.
Case in point – Albarn is hammering away on the piano playing wonderfully off of Allen’s cymbals while Paul Simonon casually leans on Albarn’s piano watching with a calm expression on his face that says, ‘I could do better than that’ whilst his cigarette burns away tucked into the fret-neck of his bass that hangs untouched at his waist as if placed there by a photographer’s assistant. A picture perfect spontaneous moment of utter coolness.
Albarn is one of the great front men of our time. Every time I see him he reminds me of that. Over the course of the set, the guy came to life, leading the crowd along with him on his musical journey by dancing and posing and singing his gloomy London narrative to perfection.
Tong and Allen were like statues. Monuments to their respective instruments playing them effortlessly while displaying a dizzying range of technical proficiency. I haven’t seen Tong play guitar since the early 90’s and I forgot how damn good he is. What really surprised me about these two guys was the level of drama they wrenched out of their gear. I had read a review from the GBQ show in New York that said Allen was a boring drummer! That is insane. Allen is the definition of restraint and dramatic effect. The mofo is complex. His well-placed shot to a snare reports like a rifle. Both Tong and Allen’s intricacies were well-served by the 930 Club’s system.
And then there was Paul Simonon on bass. His lines were right up front in the mix and heavy. It was friggin’ beautiful. Simonon live is like watching Fred Astaire. He dances around the stage sometimes holding his bass like a dance partner other times a gun, but always an extension of his long-limbed, lanky body. Donned in a tilted, trilby hat and smart black suit, he looked like he walked right out of a Clash PR photo that I have framed in my staircase. The guy is cool personified. The audience played off of Paul as much as they did Albarn. It was like having two-front men for the price of one.
Even with the best intentions, musically all of these strong personalities on one stage could have worked against each other. Minus the benefit of the studio and mutli-takes, GBQ could have been a disaster live. But it most certainly wasn’t. These guys played together like old buddies jamming on a lark after drinking a case of Red Stripes at a reunion. The beginning was a little rusty, but by the third song they were on fire, and they kept the fire going long into the night. And hopefully for a couple more albums!
Go to NPR’s Concert Series for an archived listen to tonight’s concert.
Originally published on May 14, 2007.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
“One To Another”
As I’m sitting here preparing to write my review of Wednesday night’s Charlatans UK show at the 930 Club, the awesome rendition they played of “One to Another” keeps cycling through my head. I am sitting here wrestling with the urge to hop in my car and zip up 95N to see them play again tonight in Philadelphia. In essence going from one show to another.
The Charlatans are one of my favorite bands of all time. They are my favorite Brit-pop band, partially because they’ve stuck it out so long and evolved in style to transcend the whole genre. When their first album Some Friendly dropped I was in High School and it changed my life, widening my musical universe far beyond my strict Punk roots. Ultimately it was seeing the Charlatans play live some many years ago that sealed the deal. The Charlatans live are amazing, one of the most fun, danceable, party-spirited performances you’ll ever see. And somehow they’ve managed to keep the energy going now for 17 years.
Wednesday night’s show was spectacular. Probably the best show I’ll see this year. I can’t imagine it being topped by anyone. And I say that out of honest reviewing – not just because of my affinity for the band. Their performance was spot on – playing, energy, attitude, fun. Tim Burgess has gone from awkward Madchester teen, bouncing around with bangs a-swaying, to the epitome of cool, a Pop statesman in his prime. Burgess’ presence on stage with black derby hat and hands in his pockets was magnetic. The crowd followed his every tic as he belted out songs in a range of voice that is captivating and mind-boggling. Burgess had a smile on his face the whole time, occasionally waving to crowd members and jokingly busting out in slow-mo renditions of his old dance steps. It was great to see the guy performing in such a good mood.
The rest of the band always play with a kind of background presence, but their instrumentation is front and center. Year’s ago I called these guys the ultimate jam band – not in the hippy-trippy sense, but just in the down-home, kick-ass, dance-your-butt-off style that gets you moving every time. I often complain about DC crowds talking too much and not dancing enough at shows. Well the 930 Club wasn’t nearly sold-out for this show, but the couple of hundred folks who were there were all fans, and I haven’t seen a DC crowd that enthused and dancing that much in years.
For Charlatans fans the set-list was incredible. It was like a dream-come-true set-list. The Charlatans played the high-notes from most of their albums, including their rarely played-live original single. Hearing the opening cymbal’s to “The Only One I Know” was a wonderful live music moment. It is so rare to hear live that every fan in the crowd started cheering and literally jumping for joy. It was a moment that matches hearing Radiohead bust out the rarely played “Creep” at Merriweather Pavilion a few years back. Moments like these are what get me going back for more every time. I love live music and there couldn’t be a better reminder of that than this Charlatans’ show.
Now to drive to Philly or not – decisions, decisions.
Originally published on May 19, 2006
I did not go to Philly. I really wish I had though. This was the last time The Charlatans played in DC. I have had tickets to two different tours o theirs that have canceled since this show.
The Charlatans are one of my favorite bands of all time. They are my favorite Brit-pop band, partially because they’ve stuck it out so long and evolved in style to transcend the whole genre. When their first album Some Friendly dropped I was in High School and it changed my life, widening my musical universe far beyond my strict Punk roots. Ultimately it was seeing the Charlatans play live some many years ago that sealed the deal. The Charlatans live are amazing, one of the most fun, danceable, party-spirited performances you’ll ever see. And somehow they’ve managed to keep the energy going now for 17 years.
Wednesday night’s show was spectacular. Probably the best show I’ll see this year. I can’t imagine it being topped by anyone. And I say that out of honest reviewing – not just because of my affinity for the band. Their performance was spot on – playing, energy, attitude, fun. Tim Burgess has gone from awkward Madchester teen, bouncing around with bangs a-swaying, to the epitome of cool, a Pop statesman in his prime. Burgess’ presence on stage with black derby hat and hands in his pockets was magnetic. The crowd followed his every tic as he belted out songs in a range of voice that is captivating and mind-boggling. Burgess had a smile on his face the whole time, occasionally waving to crowd members and jokingly busting out in slow-mo renditions of his old dance steps. It was great to see the guy performing in such a good mood.
The rest of the band always play with a kind of background presence, but their instrumentation is front and center. Year’s ago I called these guys the ultimate jam band – not in the hippy-trippy sense, but just in the down-home, kick-ass, dance-your-butt-off style that gets you moving every time. I often complain about DC crowds talking too much and not dancing enough at shows. Well the 930 Club wasn’t nearly sold-out for this show, but the couple of hundred folks who were there were all fans, and I haven’t seen a DC crowd that enthused and dancing that much in years.
For Charlatans fans the set-list was incredible. It was like a dream-come-true set-list. The Charlatans played the high-notes from most of their albums, including their rarely played-live original single. Hearing the opening cymbal’s to “The Only One I Know” was a wonderful live music moment. It is so rare to hear live that every fan in the crowd started cheering and literally jumping for joy. It was a moment that matches hearing Radiohead bust out the rarely played “Creep” at Merriweather Pavilion a few years back. Moments like these are what get me going back for more every time. I love live music and there couldn’t be a better reminder of that than this Charlatans’ show.
Now to drive to Philly or not – decisions, decisions.
Originally published on May 19, 2006
I did not go to Philly. I really wish I had though. This was the last time The Charlatans played in DC. I have had tickets to two different tours o theirs that have canceled since this show.
Optimism Prime
As you may or may not know, I am looking forward to the Transformers movie with much optimism. I don't want to get to psyched and be let down, but so far all news has been good. From Michael Bay directing, to the advanced cgi test reel, to Bernie Mac getting cast as a voice (hopefully as Jazz).
Anyway I just got another interesting tidbit. Michael Bay the director just bought himself ownership of a Special Effects company. This is interesting because it used to belong to James Cameron. It is also interesting because usually after an FX firm makes a mind-blowing movie they get a lot of work for the next few years which translates into record profit. Well, I think Michael Bay bought this company because of Transformers. I think or hope rather that Michael Bay bought into the company to share in the profits that Transformers will bring them.
This sign of confidence from Bay gets me really excited about the quality of the FX in the new Transformers. Here's to hoping!
Originally posted on May 16, 2006 on Myspace.
The effects in Transformers 1 & 2 are incredible. I think the first flick is enjoyable and the second is unwatchable drek.
Anyway I just got another interesting tidbit. Michael Bay the director just bought himself ownership of a Special Effects company. This is interesting because it used to belong to James Cameron. It is also interesting because usually after an FX firm makes a mind-blowing movie they get a lot of work for the next few years which translates into record profit. Well, I think Michael Bay bought this company because of Transformers. I think or hope rather that Michael Bay bought into the company to share in the profits that Transformers will bring them.
This sign of confidence from Bay gets me really excited about the quality of the FX in the new Transformers. Here's to hoping!
Originally posted on May 16, 2006 on Myspace.
The effects in Transformers 1 & 2 are incredible. I think the first flick is enjoyable and the second is unwatchable drek.
NSA Record Hundreds of Concert Goers “Chatter”!
Well not really, but in their obsession with “chatter” the dubious organization would have recorded a ton at last night’s Mono/Pelican show at the Black Cat. In what can only be the rudest crowd since the Mum show back in ‘04, it seemed a huge majority of the crowd were more interested in themselves than in Mono, this wonderful band from Japan.
Everyone was talking through Mono’s beautiful instrumental pieces which made their quiet guitar and drum orchestrations sound more like Mogwai’s “Young Team”, complete with ‘chatter’ samples, than Mono’s “Are You There?” (which is the album the Mono fans were paying to hear played). Fortunately, unlike Mum who rarely go into decibel levels louder than a delicate whisper, Mono songs often swell into long extended noisy climaxes which were so impressive and loud that the world of disrespectful, talkative, jerk-wads dropped away sporadically.
Mono’s set was a shorter version of their 2005 show in Baltimore (which made #1 on my year end list). This group keep getting better and better, as demonstrated by their new album “Are You There?” and last night’s show. At one point I was thinking that Mono have surpassed Mogwai in perfecting the post-rock tsunami-swell effect, which if is truly the case then the grasshopper has now become the master.
Oddly enough, after Mono’s set, half of the noisy jerks left! I guess they had achieved their cool-points by paying $12 to be seen not listening to Mono and decided to hit the pike.
That exodus stream-lined the crowd for Pelican nicely, who put on a stunner of a set to a crowd who were mightily into it.
Pelican’s set was book-ended by two perfect songs. The first being a barn-burner power piece that had to be heard to believe. It was clear right out of the gate that Pelican were here to blow us away. Pelican are an endurance band, their songs are punishing in a long-trek sans shoes through snowy Rockies kind-of-way. Their last song was equally powerful, but not as in-your-face as they relied on sophisticated guitar sonics, stretching their sound from power to soul-tingling beauty. It’s always nice to see a guitarist going at his strings with a cello bow, the sign of a real guitar-geek and sonic-explorer.
It would be funny if the NSA had been recording last night’s show. I can imagine two dudes in a van listening in with head-phones.
Mono begins: Agent A says to Agent B “Listen to that crowd chatter, we’re getting a gold mine of intelligence here!”.
Mono finishes in a blaze of glory: Agent B yanks off his head-phones and shouts “Jesus that’s Loud!”
Pelican begins: Agent A spits out his coffee in shock!
Pelican ends: Agent B is whimpering on the floor in a helpless pool, Agent A is deaf.
Originally published on May 12, 2006.
Rude, talking crowds are the bane of my existence.
Everyone was talking through Mono’s beautiful instrumental pieces which made their quiet guitar and drum orchestrations sound more like Mogwai’s “Young Team”, complete with ‘chatter’ samples, than Mono’s “Are You There?” (which is the album the Mono fans were paying to hear played). Fortunately, unlike Mum who rarely go into decibel levels louder than a delicate whisper, Mono songs often swell into long extended noisy climaxes which were so impressive and loud that the world of disrespectful, talkative, jerk-wads dropped away sporadically.
Mono’s set was a shorter version of their 2005 show in Baltimore (which made #1 on my year end list). This group keep getting better and better, as demonstrated by their new album “Are You There?” and last night’s show. At one point I was thinking that Mono have surpassed Mogwai in perfecting the post-rock tsunami-swell effect, which if is truly the case then the grasshopper has now become the master.
Oddly enough, after Mono’s set, half of the noisy jerks left! I guess they had achieved their cool-points by paying $12 to be seen not listening to Mono and decided to hit the pike.
That exodus stream-lined the crowd for Pelican nicely, who put on a stunner of a set to a crowd who were mightily into it.
Pelican’s set was book-ended by two perfect songs. The first being a barn-burner power piece that had to be heard to believe. It was clear right out of the gate that Pelican were here to blow us away. Pelican are an endurance band, their songs are punishing in a long-trek sans shoes through snowy Rockies kind-of-way. Their last song was equally powerful, but not as in-your-face as they relied on sophisticated guitar sonics, stretching their sound from power to soul-tingling beauty. It’s always nice to see a guitarist going at his strings with a cello bow, the sign of a real guitar-geek and sonic-explorer.
It would be funny if the NSA had been recording last night’s show. I can imagine two dudes in a van listening in with head-phones.
Mono begins: Agent A says to Agent B “Listen to that crowd chatter, we’re getting a gold mine of intelligence here!”.
Mono finishes in a blaze of glory: Agent B yanks off his head-phones and shouts “Jesus that’s Loud!”
Pelican begins: Agent A spits out his coffee in shock!
Pelican ends: Agent B is whimpering on the floor in a helpless pool, Agent A is deaf.
Originally published on May 12, 2006.
Rude, talking crowds are the bane of my existence.
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