Apologies to non-Wilco fans for today's barrage. Anyway...
For some perspective on where I'm coming from, this was my 7th (maybe 8th?) time seeing these guys. The latest album and A.M. are my least favorite Wilco records. I would say I was pretty diehard for a good while between Summerteeth and Sky Blue Sky. And I'm still still a big fan.
As concerts go, this one was great. As Wilco concerts go, it was slightly above average. My #1 Wilco show would have been at Massey Hall in Toronto. Part of it was the setting, part of it was the setlist, and part of it was certainly seeing Nels Cline live for the first time. Jimmy's review below rings true with me. Cline's energy, musical proficiency, and bizarrely captivating body movements add so much to Wilco's live presence that he can really save a show, as I think he did at the Palumbo the last time they came though town. So imagine my disappointment when I found my seat last night and couldn't even see him at stage-right without standing and leaning way forward. (For those, like me, who may have thought there is not a bad seat in Carnegie Music Hall: there are about 40 of them, actually, in the back corners of the second balcony). I thought I would just suck it up and sink into the music.
My seat assignment surely took a bit away from my enjoyment of the first set. But, even accounting for that, I felt like the band took a little while to warm up. "Shot in the Arm" was where I really started feeling things, and I think by "California Stars" they were in full swing. When "Impossible Germany" rolled around and those sweet-ass guitar lines began to weave themselves together, it was time to move. Luckily, there were a surprising number of empty seats in the first balcony, and the staff didn’t seem to care at all when we snagged some prime seats not too far off-center.
I would have expected the acoustic set to be a highlight. As "Poor Places" built into an awesome symphony of noise, some roadies carried out a smaller drum kit, some keyboards and a selection of acoustic guitars. The noise subsided and the band assumed their new positions on the stage within the stage. "Spiders" was an interesting choice for the first song of this set. Probably a better idea in theory than in practice, unfortunately. While I don’t fault them for trying to switch things up on what usually turns into an epic electronic jam, it left me wanting more. Luckily they followed with a highlight of the show for me, "More Like the Moon." A very mellow, very underrated Wilco tune in my opinion. This was the first time I'd heard it live, and it did not disappoint. The rest of the acoustic set was fine, but nothing game-changing. It was definitely a nice touch and a cool opportunity to see Wilco tone things down a bit, but I was glad when, during "Airline to Heaven," the roadies began to break down the acoustic stage.
The third set just killed. "Via Chicago" was on par with the best versions I've heard, and from "Jesus" through "Monday" the whole band was on fire. One thing I always appreciate about Wilco is their ability to blend the old and new songs into a set and make them all fit harmoniously. I thought this was really on display in the third set, especially with a great "Candyfloss" in the middle. I can’t say I've ever found myself pulling Summerteeth out just to hear that tune, but it was right on time last night. And I love that it led into "Hate it Here" and "Walken," both of which completely rocked, and both of which were standouts of the night for me.
Overall, I wouldn't rank this as one of the best Wilco shows I've seen, although certainly better than the 2007 Palumbo show. Maybe somewhere in the middle for me. That said, it's Wilco. This is hands-down one of the best live bands playing today, and I have yet to walk out of a show disappointed.
Showing posts with label Concert Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Concert Review. Show all posts
Monday, April 12, 2010
An Evening With Wilco - A Rookie's Review
So as it happens, most of the SITKOT crew made it to the Wilco show last night at Carnegie Music Hall, and what a show it was. I must confess that although I have listened to Wilco for years - I started getting into them when Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was released - this was the first time that I've seen them perform live. I can honestly say that it was one of the best shows that I've ever seen. Because my other SITKOT comrades are going to be better with the details, having been to a show or seven, I'm going to keep my review brief and just give a few highlights.
1) Nels Cline - Guitar God. Yes, I just did. Perhaps I am biased because I am still fresh off the show last night, but I never expected Nels Cline to have some of the most insane chops that I've ever witnessed. On many of the songs from Wilco (The Album) and Sky Blue Sky he absolutely shredded the guitar, but in an always appropriate, never cheesy way. Even on the more country-tinged songs, his country soloing stayed within the genre and was smokin'. Unbelievable.
2) The Length of the Set - It was also amazing how long the set ran. I had heard that Wilco puts on some long shows, but this was incredible. Three plus hours of solid music. Their albums can't do their live show justice. During the show, I couldn't help but think that Wilco is like a modern day version of the band Television. Great soloing with purpose and catchy riffs flourishing throughout almost every single song. My highlights were "A Shot in the Arm", "Walken" (which was not even one of my favorites on Sky Blue Sky), "Impossible Germany", "Company in My Back" and "Theologians". In particular, the soloing by Nels in "A Shot in the Arm" was nothing short of magnificent.
Overall, the best show of the year so far and one that will be hard to top by any other band coming to the 'Burgh. When I think about the expansiveness of Wilco's catalogue and the fluidity of their performance last night, I can safely say that they are one of the great bands still creating relevant music that should have generational staying power.
Ok - two small gripes about the venue. First, anyone who has been to a performance at Carnegie Music Hall knows that it tends to get stuffy, and that is usually during a 1.5 hour show. When we were approaching hour three I felt like I was standing in a pressure cooker. I was thinking to myself, "Thank God this is a Wilco show and not a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert because more than one person might have passed out from the stench." And I'm not talking about the song "That Smell".
Second, I was sitting on the first level and the doors leading into the atrium were open during the acoustic set and there were people talking very loudly, to the point where Jeff Tweedy even commented that he could hear the talking and that he was dedicating the next song to the working people in the audience who paid $50 to see a Wilco performance and not talk in the lobby - or something like that. I know that it was hot and stuffy, but jeez, show a little more respect for a world-class band closing out their tour in our fine city.
1) Nels Cline - Guitar God. Yes, I just did. Perhaps I am biased because I am still fresh off the show last night, but I never expected Nels Cline to have some of the most insane chops that I've ever witnessed. On many of the songs from Wilco (The Album) and Sky Blue Sky he absolutely shredded the guitar, but in an always appropriate, never cheesy way. Even on the more country-tinged songs, his country soloing stayed within the genre and was smokin'. Unbelievable.
2) The Length of the Set - It was also amazing how long the set ran. I had heard that Wilco puts on some long shows, but this was incredible. Three plus hours of solid music. Their albums can't do their live show justice. During the show, I couldn't help but think that Wilco is like a modern day version of the band Television. Great soloing with purpose and catchy riffs flourishing throughout almost every single song. My highlights were "A Shot in the Arm", "Walken" (which was not even one of my favorites on Sky Blue Sky), "Impossible Germany", "Company in My Back" and "Theologians". In particular, the soloing by Nels in "A Shot in the Arm" was nothing short of magnificent.
Overall, the best show of the year so far and one that will be hard to top by any other band coming to the 'Burgh. When I think about the expansiveness of Wilco's catalogue and the fluidity of their performance last night, I can safely say that they are one of the great bands still creating relevant music that should have generational staying power.
Ok - two small gripes about the venue. First, anyone who has been to a performance at Carnegie Music Hall knows that it tends to get stuffy, and that is usually during a 1.5 hour show. When we were approaching hour three I felt like I was standing in a pressure cooker. I was thinking to myself, "Thank God this is a Wilco show and not a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert because more than one person might have passed out from the stench." And I'm not talking about the song "That Smell".
Second, I was sitting on the first level and the doors leading into the atrium were open during the acoustic set and there were people talking very loudly, to the point where Jeff Tweedy even commented that he could hear the talking and that he was dedicating the next song to the working people in the audience who paid $50 to see a Wilco performance and not talk in the lobby - or something like that. I know that it was hot and stuffy, but jeez, show a little more respect for a world-class band closing out their tour in our fine city.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Concert Review: Girls and Dum Dum Girls at Mr. Small's
JR: The show was decent. First, Dum Dum Girls: their set was tight from start to finish. They opened with their cover of The Rolling Stones' "Play With Fire", which they do very well. The closer was "Jail La La", as I would have expected given that is their first single off the new album. Musically speaking, the songs are mostly three-chord mashers with some bells and whistles thrown in for good measure, but vocally, I thought they were pretty awesome. The lead singer has a great voice and the harmonies worked very well, in my opinion.
Roberto: Definitely. I hadn’t been impressed with what I’d heard of Dum Dum Girls before the show, but they were very good live. The vocals in particular were really tight and sounded great, reminiscent of some early-70s gospel-rock harmonies. They have like no stage presence, but I didn't find myself thinking, "These chics have, like, no stage presence." In fact, it didn't detract from the music at all in my opinion. It actually worked with their aesthetic. Really enjoyable opener.
JR: The lead signer was also wearing some pretty awesome tights.
Roberto: Sweet tights FTW.
Girls started off great. I can't remember what they opened the set with for the life of me, but I do remember thinking it was a great starter. For the better part of the set the sound was excellent and the song selection was great. I think "Laura" was the third or fourth song in, and that seemed to be the big crowd-pleaser of the night. Not a lot of stage presence with these guys either, but that didn't seem to to hold them back. They're not the kind of band you would ever describe as a great live band, though generally the songs equaled the album versions when played live.
JR: Amazingly, the mix was quite good for most of the night, especially during the Dum Dum Girls' set. You could actually make out the vocals most of the time - not like the Deerhunter/No Age/ Dan Deacon show that we attended last summer at Mr. Small's, which was a sound engineering nightmare. As for Girls, I agree the first two-thirds of the set was great. Until around “Hellhole Ratrace”
Roberto: That really was where the show went wrong. First off, I thought it was a horrendous rendition. The drumming wasn't off beat; just off. It was almost as if the drummer had some Phil Collins pumping into a personal set of headphones right on rhythm. I found it distracting. I also thought some guitar change-ups in the song didn't work. I'm all for reinventing your own tunes, but this particular version didn't wow.
JR: I actually thought "Hellhole Ratrace" started off great, but then it turned into a wall of distortion, which would have been fine had it lasted 30 seconds - it probably lasted about a solid three minutes.
Roberto: Yeah, the feedback. Girls is not Sonic Youth, and the lesson should be learned early by any indie band that noise for the sake of noise will fail almost every time. When they finally let the feedback lead into "Morning Light" I was ready to let it slide and rock out a bit. But it didn’t let up, and there was just no control of the distortion. Some high frequency drone persisted that had a solid third of the crowd cringing and/or plugging their ears. Some were eyeballing the soundboard; I blame this one squarely on the band.
JR: That is where any other band probably would have called it a night and closed it out with the big grandiose distorted finish. But no. Then they played one more song and did a three song encore that was poor.
Roberto: True, I might have let the noise thing slide if they'd closed the set on that loud note. I can appreciate a climax. But the last song of the main set was totally forgettable (literally, as it turns out). The encore was respectable in length but pretty weak otherwise.
JR: They didn't save any of the their best tracks for the encore, so it was very anticlimactic. They also lost whatever magic they had with the sound board, because the encore sounded horrible from an acoustics perspective. And throughout the encore the drummer especially seemed like he was playing with a different band -- it just wasn't working, period.
Roberto: My favorite Girls tune actually popped up in the encore: "Lauren Marie." Unfortunately it was totally lackluster and the vocals were really drowned out. "Big Bad Mean Motherf*cker" was only slightly better. All in all, I left a bit disappointed, which is too bad because it really was a good show for the most part.
JR: I would give the show as a whole a 6 out of 10, and that figure is aided significantly by the Dum Dum Girls' performance, which was very good. Ultimately, no one really wants a 6. Your friends probably won't make fun of you for being with a 6, but you will never be totally satisfied, always wondering if things could have been better. That's how I felt about this show. It was good enough not to be embarrassing, but the lows outweighed the highs, and I left feeling a bit underwhelmed.
Roberto: Agree, the lows just outweighed the highs in the end. I’m on board with that 6 out of 10. Or, 35 out of 57 varieties on the SITKOT scale.
Roberto: Definitely. I hadn’t been impressed with what I’d heard of Dum Dum Girls before the show, but they were very good live. The vocals in particular were really tight and sounded great, reminiscent of some early-70s gospel-rock harmonies. They have like no stage presence, but I didn't find myself thinking, "These chics have, like, no stage presence." In fact, it didn't detract from the music at all in my opinion. It actually worked with their aesthetic. Really enjoyable opener.
JR: The lead signer was also wearing some pretty awesome tights.
Roberto: Sweet tights FTW.
Girls started off great. I can't remember what they opened the set with for the life of me, but I do remember thinking it was a great starter. For the better part of the set the sound was excellent and the song selection was great. I think "Laura" was the third or fourth song in, and that seemed to be the big crowd-pleaser of the night. Not a lot of stage presence with these guys either, but that didn't seem to to hold them back. They're not the kind of band you would ever describe as a great live band, though generally the songs equaled the album versions when played live.
JR: Amazingly, the mix was quite good for most of the night, especially during the Dum Dum Girls' set. You could actually make out the vocals most of the time - not like the Deerhunter/No Age/ Dan Deacon show that we attended last summer at Mr. Small's, which was a sound engineering nightmare. As for Girls, I agree the first two-thirds of the set was great. Until around “Hellhole Ratrace”
Roberto: That really was where the show went wrong. First off, I thought it was a horrendous rendition. The drumming wasn't off beat; just off. It was almost as if the drummer had some Phil Collins pumping into a personal set of headphones right on rhythm. I found it distracting. I also thought some guitar change-ups in the song didn't work. I'm all for reinventing your own tunes, but this particular version didn't wow.
JR: I actually thought "Hellhole Ratrace" started off great, but then it turned into a wall of distortion, which would have been fine had it lasted 30 seconds - it probably lasted about a solid three minutes.
Roberto: Yeah, the feedback. Girls is not Sonic Youth, and the lesson should be learned early by any indie band that noise for the sake of noise will fail almost every time. When they finally let the feedback lead into "Morning Light" I was ready to let it slide and rock out a bit. But it didn’t let up, and there was just no control of the distortion. Some high frequency drone persisted that had a solid third of the crowd cringing and/or plugging their ears. Some were eyeballing the soundboard; I blame this one squarely on the band.
JR: That is where any other band probably would have called it a night and closed it out with the big grandiose distorted finish. But no. Then they played one more song and did a three song encore that was poor.
Roberto: True, I might have let the noise thing slide if they'd closed the set on that loud note. I can appreciate a climax. But the last song of the main set was totally forgettable (literally, as it turns out). The encore was respectable in length but pretty weak otherwise.
JR: They didn't save any of the their best tracks for the encore, so it was very anticlimactic. They also lost whatever magic they had with the sound board, because the encore sounded horrible from an acoustics perspective. And throughout the encore the drummer especially seemed like he was playing with a different band -- it just wasn't working, period.
Roberto: My favorite Girls tune actually popped up in the encore: "Lauren Marie." Unfortunately it was totally lackluster and the vocals were really drowned out. "Big Bad Mean Motherf*cker" was only slightly better. All in all, I left a bit disappointed, which is too bad because it really was a good show for the most part.
JR: I would give the show as a whole a 6 out of 10, and that figure is aided significantly by the Dum Dum Girls' performance, which was very good. Ultimately, no one really wants a 6. Your friends probably won't make fun of you for being with a 6, but you will never be totally satisfied, always wondering if things could have been better. That's how I felt about this show. It was good enough not to be embarrassing, but the lows outweighed the highs, and I left feeling a bit underwhelmed.
Roberto: Agree, the lows just outweighed the highs in the end. I’m on board with that 6 out of 10. Or, 35 out of 57 varieties on the SITKOT scale.
Monday, February 22, 2010
St. Vincent - Not the College in Latrobe where the Stillers practice
So last night Annie Clark and her band St. Vincent landed at Diesel in the Southside. I attended the show with my new side-project bandmate (see our acoustic chamber pop act "The Snow Drifts" coming soon to a chill venue near you) and we both agreed that Annie and her band put on quite a show. As many of you probably know, Annie has played with Sufjan Stevens and it was clear from the start that her band was going to utilize a vast array of instruments as well. In addition to the standard line-up of guitar, bass and drums, many of the songs featured synth, violin, flute, clarinet or saxophone.
Right from the start, Annie hits you with her amazing vocals. She has great pipes and really uses her range well to contrast what can be some intense instrumentation from her band - it's very striking to hear live. This is a good example of when a studio album can't do an artist or a band justice - some things are just better in a live setting no matter what kind of pro-turntable and tube amplifier your use in your geek-den.
Annie played many songs off of Actor; some high points for me were "The Strangers" and "Actor Out of Work". For the encore, she also played an awesome, solo rendition of "Paris is Burning", which highlighted her guitar work and finger picking proficiency. By the way, she can absolutely shred as well. On several songs, her insane shredding brought her to her knees Hendrix-flaming-guitar-style. Unfortunately, because Diesel was so packed I missed a lot of what she was doing at that point, so I'll have to leave it to my imagination and yours.
Overall, a tight set with a bare bones psychedelic feel due to the strobe lights and smoke machine. There are only two negatives that I will point out: (1) Annie's guitar was mixed very low at the beginning of the set and was completely drowned out by the drums and synth on several early songs; and (2) because the crowd was so large, we were stuck near the men's bathroom on the first floor and the dude who hands you towels and sells single cigarettes had the door wide-open. That wouldn't be noteworthy enough to make this review, but he was also watching some movie on a mini-DVD player with the volume turned up loud enough to hear during the show. Now I'm all in favor of free enterprise and I'm sure it sucks sitting in a men's bathroom next to a couple commodes and some urinals all night, but either put on some headphones or shut the damn door. Thankfully, somebody finally had him lower the volume, and eventually he shut the door, but still! That might be perfectly fine on a "normal" Saturday night when Diesel turns into a sweat factory, but not during a St. Vincent show.
So anyway, kudos to the Pittsburgh music contingency for coming out en masse on a Sunday night at Diesel for a killer show, and kudos to Annie and her band for making it completely worth it.
Right from the start, Annie hits you with her amazing vocals. She has great pipes and really uses her range well to contrast what can be some intense instrumentation from her band - it's very striking to hear live. This is a good example of when a studio album can't do an artist or a band justice - some things are just better in a live setting no matter what kind of pro-turntable and tube amplifier your use in your geek-den.
Annie played many songs off of Actor; some high points for me were "The Strangers" and "Actor Out of Work". For the encore, she also played an awesome, solo rendition of "Paris is Burning", which highlighted her guitar work and finger picking proficiency. By the way, she can absolutely shred as well. On several songs, her insane shredding brought her to her knees Hendrix-flaming-guitar-style. Unfortunately, because Diesel was so packed I missed a lot of what she was doing at that point, so I'll have to leave it to my imagination and yours.
Overall, a tight set with a bare bones psychedelic feel due to the strobe lights and smoke machine. There are only two negatives that I will point out: (1) Annie's guitar was mixed very low at the beginning of the set and was completely drowned out by the drums and synth on several early songs; and (2) because the crowd was so large, we were stuck near the men's bathroom on the first floor and the dude who hands you towels and sells single cigarettes had the door wide-open. That wouldn't be noteworthy enough to make this review, but he was also watching some movie on a mini-DVD player with the volume turned up loud enough to hear during the show. Now I'm all in favor of free enterprise and I'm sure it sucks sitting in a men's bathroom next to a couple commodes and some urinals all night, but either put on some headphones or shut the damn door. Thankfully, somebody finally had him lower the volume, and eventually he shut the door, but still! That might be perfectly fine on a "normal" Saturday night when Diesel turns into a sweat factory, but not during a St. Vincent show.
So anyway, kudos to the Pittsburgh music contingency for coming out en masse on a Sunday night at Diesel for a killer show, and kudos to Annie and her band for making it completely worth it.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Jay Reatard's Blood Vision Arrives in the 'Burgh
So when I heard that Jay Reatard was making a stop in Pittsburgh on November 23rd, I bought tickets the moment they went on sale. I had only seen video footage of his shows and I knew that this was the type of act that does not come to Pittsburgh very often. He is basically a punk rock throwback in terms of his aggression on stage and general surly behavior towards anyone who gets near him. Needless to say, knowing that the show was at Brillobox, and that crowd control would be at a minimum, I imagined that some black eyes and broken noses were a possibility.
Don't let the schtick fool you though, his songs are masterfully constructed and precise, both in the studio and in concert. Anyone who doesn't believe me should check out the song "My Shadow", which packs in so many catchy riffs and transitions into three minutes and 20 seconds it's sick.
Enough build up - I am pleased to report that Jay Reatard was just as good live as I imagined, which is to say, incredible. I stood about fifteen feet in front of him and was at the edge of the mosh-pit. There was no crowd control. At one point a dude got thrown into Jay's pedals and he stopped mid-song to ream the guy out.
He played a blistering set with almost no talking between songs, except to call out the name of the next song (which is what he typically does). He played a good mix of songs from Blood Visions and from his Matador Singles. His performances of "My Shadow", "Blood Visions", "It's So Easy" and "Hammer I Miss You" really cooked. I would guess that he played about 20 songs in 50 - 60 minutes and then finished without an encore.
After the set, Jay came back to the stage about five minutes later and my friend Dave and I started talking to him. He was a really nice guy and very gracious when we complimented him. He said this was his first time in Pittsburgh in 12 years of touring. We asked him if we could take him out and buy him a drink but he said he had to rest up for their show tonight in New York where he is opening for the Pixies. All in all, a great show and a cool dude.
Now I would be remiss if I did not mention the opening act - Kim Phuc. Probably the loudest band that I've ever heard. When the music started, the lead singer went into a zombie-like trance and started getting right into the faces of the people in the crowd - including myself. Towards the end of the first song, the lead singer started whipping the mic stand around and since I was directly in front of him he nailed me in the balls. It was at that point that I decided it was not in my best interest to stand at the very front any longer. There was also a terrible stench throughout the set, which added to the horror-show theme for the night.
Needless to say, I will not forget this show any time soon. I would rank it up there among the best shows that I've ever seen at Brillo, probably tied with the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah/Donora show from last year for best ever.
Don't let the schtick fool you though, his songs are masterfully constructed and precise, both in the studio and in concert. Anyone who doesn't believe me should check out the song "My Shadow", which packs in so many catchy riffs and transitions into three minutes and 20 seconds it's sick.
Enough build up - I am pleased to report that Jay Reatard was just as good live as I imagined, which is to say, incredible. I stood about fifteen feet in front of him and was at the edge of the mosh-pit. There was no crowd control. At one point a dude got thrown into Jay's pedals and he stopped mid-song to ream the guy out.
He played a blistering set with almost no talking between songs, except to call out the name of the next song (which is what he typically does). He played a good mix of songs from Blood Visions and from his Matador Singles. His performances of "My Shadow", "Blood Visions", "It's So Easy" and "Hammer I Miss You" really cooked. I would guess that he played about 20 songs in 50 - 60 minutes and then finished without an encore.
After the set, Jay came back to the stage about five minutes later and my friend Dave and I started talking to him. He was a really nice guy and very gracious when we complimented him. He said this was his first time in Pittsburgh in 12 years of touring. We asked him if we could take him out and buy him a drink but he said he had to rest up for their show tonight in New York where he is opening for the Pixies. All in all, a great show and a cool dude.
Now I would be remiss if I did not mention the opening act - Kim Phuc. Probably the loudest band that I've ever heard. When the music started, the lead singer went into a zombie-like trance and started getting right into the faces of the people in the crowd - including myself. Towards the end of the first song, the lead singer started whipping the mic stand around and since I was directly in front of him he nailed me in the balls. It was at that point that I decided it was not in my best interest to stand at the very front any longer. There was also a terrible stench throughout the set, which added to the horror-show theme for the night.
Needless to say, I will not forget this show any time soon. I would rank it up there among the best shows that I've ever seen at Brillo, probably tied with the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah/Donora show from last year for best ever.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Concert Review: The Low Anthem at Club Cafe
I'd first heard The Low Anthem after reader JP saw them open for Ray Lamontagne back in April and offered us a review. At that time, he wrote:Perhaps if I'd gone back and read that review (or done any research at all) before Tuesday night's show, I wouldn't have been so surprised to see that there are only three people in the band. After listening to the CD over the past week, I was sure this would be a band of five or so to create the sonic soundscape these guys manage to conjure up. After seeing them and going back for a listen, it's easier to pick out the sparse but fulfilling instrumentations that allow them to sound so rich.Each member of this trio played no less than three different instruments, and it was the first time in a while that I didn't want the openers to leave. Mournful and deep turned to knee-slapping, good vibrations on a dime -- imagine a dark Sigur Ros that morphs into something happy and bluegrassy.
On the softer tunes, Jeff Prystowsky and Jocie Adams' voices blend like air behind Ben Knox Miller's lead vocals to create that thick but natural sound. This was on proud display as they started off with the choirlike "Charlie Darwin," trailing that with "To Ohio."
Then, surprisingly early, came the highlight of the night. Prystowsky jammed on the upright bass for a minute or so to lead into a houseburning rendition of an old blues, "Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around." They lit it up, and just blew me away. In fact, if pushed, my only criticism of the show would be that they didn't save this one for last.
The Low Anthem manage to really exploit their shared talents as multi-instrumentalists without showing off or trying too hard. Each member moves effortlessly between his/her respective tools and they craft songs like old ships. What does that mean? I don't even know.
With a range of songstyles, they also do a great job of juxtaposing loud and soft throughout the set, such as taking "To the Ghosts..." into "Where'd You Get That Liquor From" or following up "This Goddamned House" with the biblical "Ticket Taker."
With one part Art Garfunkel and one part Tom Waits, The Low Anthem create a modern folk that inspires on record and really comes to life in concert. Prystowsky and Miller have a genuine on-stage chemistry, and looked to be having fun despite suggestions that all the touring in support of the re-released Oh My God Charlie Darwin has become exhausting.
Finally, I don't want to forget about Joe Pug, who provided a great set of heartfelt, Springsteen-style folk before The Low Anthem went on. With just his guitar and harmonica, he managed to be way more on stage than another guy with a guitar and a harmonica. He's got an all-American voice, and his ability to turn a clever phrase echoes the likes of John Prine. One complaint: What kind of fan goes to a folk show and proceeds to sing every word of every song louder than the performer himself? Come on.
Download The Low Anthem:
Low Anthem have a handful of live shows available for download on their web site, right here.
Stream Joe Pug:
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Concert Review: Deerhunter / No Age / Dan Deacon at Mr. Small's
I got lazy and didn't make it out last night, so we turn to our loyal readers for their thoughts on the matter:
Lupe: Deerhunter pretty good, No Age so-so, Dan Deacon oddly out of place stole the show. imo. Jimmy?
Jimmy: I generally agree with Lupe. The acoustics were terrible. After the first "round" of songs (after all of them playing an opening number together, each group took turns playing one or two songs, then passed the stage to the next group), Dan Deacon went into the sound room at the back of Smalls and must have helped with the mix because you could barely hear any vocals at all.
I had very high hopes for this show, so I'm pretty disappointed today.
Deerhunter definitely has the best book of songs out of the three groups, but played a scattershot of material, omitting most of their best tracks. No Age sounded ok, but again, you basically could not hear the vocals at all. I agree that Dan Deacon was out of place, but it was almost necessary to have something to break up the show that wasn't just heavy noise. His last song, "Wham City," was the highlight of the night for me.
Now for the worst part. After Deacon finished up with "Wham City," everyone came back on stage and started playing together, but there didn't seem to be any plan. After playing something that started out sounding like a song, all three of the guitarists started pounding the same chord for what seemed like at least 8 solid minutes. The singer for No Age started hitting his mike against his palm to see if any sound was coming out and nothing registered, so he tossed his mike on the ground. At that point, I turned to my friends and said that I'd had enough. They agreed, and we left. I don't know if there was any encore because we didn't stay, and no, I did not hear my favorite song, "Agoraphobia."
Disappointment. I have a feeling that this show needed to be at an outside venue because Smalls just couldn't deal with the sound issues. Dan Deacon was also the only act that even attempted to interact with the crowd in any meaningful way.
Lupe: Deerhunter pretty good, No Age so-so, Dan Deacon oddly out of place stole the show. imo. Jimmy?
Jimmy: I generally agree with Lupe. The acoustics were terrible. After the first "round" of songs (after all of them playing an opening number together, each group took turns playing one or two songs, then passed the stage to the next group), Dan Deacon went into the sound room at the back of Smalls and must have helped with the mix because you could barely hear any vocals at all.
I had very high hopes for this show, so I'm pretty disappointed today.
Deerhunter definitely has the best book of songs out of the three groups, but played a scattershot of material, omitting most of their best tracks. No Age sounded ok, but again, you basically could not hear the vocals at all. I agree that Dan Deacon was out of place, but it was almost necessary to have something to break up the show that wasn't just heavy noise. His last song, "Wham City," was the highlight of the night for me.
Now for the worst part. After Deacon finished up with "Wham City," everyone came back on stage and started playing together, but there didn't seem to be any plan. After playing something that started out sounding like a song, all three of the guitarists started pounding the same chord for what seemed like at least 8 solid minutes. The singer for No Age started hitting his mike against his palm to see if any sound was coming out and nothing registered, so he tossed his mike on the ground. At that point, I turned to my friends and said that I'd had enough. They agreed, and we left. I don't know if there was any encore because we didn't stay, and no, I did not hear my favorite song, "Agoraphobia."
Disappointment. I have a feeling that this show needed to be at an outside venue because Smalls just couldn't deal with the sound issues. Dan Deacon was also the only act that even attempted to interact with the crowd in any meaningful way.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Concert review: Action Painters at Lava Lounge
For at least two weeks now, the Action Painters’ debut album, Chubby Dancer, has been in heavy rotation for me. If I had it on vinyl, it would show serious wear along the grooves of “456” and “Sooner or Later.” So my hopes were high last night when they opened for Triggers in the Southside. Thankfully, they killed.
Despite some terrible preshow decision-making (they actually ate the food at Jack’s), the band brought to Lava Lounge a live energy I haven’t seen anywhere in a long while. Leader Tom Haslow began the set unassumingly with soft vocals and clean Les Paul tones on “How Could It Be So Wrong?” and as the song built up power, voices in the crowd began to hush and people took notice: these guys meant business.
After sitting with their album a few weeks, I expected seasoned art-rock veterans who had learned precision and restraint from long years and past projects, but the band on the whole is relatively young. Haslow’s voice in particular carries more age than his face lets on. Thurston Moore, J. Mascis, and Tom Verlaine all come to mind, but his passion comes through when he sings, making the vocals distinctly his own. His lyrics are genuine and his delivery is heartfelt, even when the songs seem apathetic on the surface.
Early in the set they unleashed “456” and “Sooner or Later” back to back, and a few more heads from the front room began to filter back to the stage area. They hit their stride, and even an overzealous fan who had followed the band down from the prior night’s show in Cleveland (are they all animals up there?) couldn’t break it. While some bands might have been bothered, Allison Zatarain glowed in the face of his uneven 22nd century dance moves that threatened to tip her double-stacked keys, and Haslow actually seemed to feed off the excitement and raise the stakes.
Which is another point worth making: Action Painters’ stage presence also belies their youth. Haslow commands the mic, and between verses turns to Joe Hankin (also on guitar) and Ray Heekin (bass) for short, explosive jams. Through it all, Amit Wehle keeps the beats simple and solid, giving even the Painters’ rawer tunes something the masses can grab onto. Though I didn’t expect their layered songs to lend themselves all that well to live performance, the Painters really do give them life in concert.
After rocking through “Absolutely Clear,” the band closed out with the synth-heavy poppers “Supermarket” and “Money Changes Everything.” It’s on those tunes that you might hear a bit of Talking Heads’ influence on the Painters’ approach. They have the essential ability to take what could be standard powerpop hooks and melodies and twist them into something far more interesting, at once danceable and thoughtful.
This is absolutely a band on its way up. With plans of a full-length release and a second tour later this year, the Action Painters can expect serious success if they continue to build on what they’ve already constructed in a relatively short period of time. After Thursday's show I would expect that they shine even brighter in a venue with a little more space to spread out, so it would be great to see them book somewhere like Brillobox or Thunderbird next time through town. I'll be keeping a close eye on their progress, continuing to hope for the best.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Concert Review: Ray LaMontagne at the Palace Theatre
As promised, JP writes in with a review of the Ray LaMontagne show:
Ray LaMontagne played to a sold-out crowd at the historic Palace Theatre in Greensburg this past Friday. As for the venue, picture Ford's Theatre without John Wilkes Booth. The acoustics were great, the lighting did the trick, and they sold beer out of coolers in the lobby, which was a nice touch.
We were pleasantly surprised by the opening act, The Low Anthem. Each member of this trio played no less than three different instruments, and it was the first time in a while that I didn't want the openers to leave. Mournful and deep turned to knee-slapping, good vibrations on a dime -- imagine a dark Sigur Ros that morphs into something happy and bluegrassy. All tolled, awesome opening act, and I suspect you'll be hearing more of them.
As for Ray, this is the third time that I have seen him, and the first time in three years. When I first caught him in the Rex many moons ago, his painfully shy affect, heart wrenching lyrics and soulful singing convinced me that this young fella had already experienced more lost love than any seasoned blues singer. His amazing voice was only backed by his guitar, with the occasional bass line for backbone. Not that he needed much else.
Well, time heals all wounds, and it seems like it has patched Ray and turned him into a rock star - as much of a rock star as a singer/songwriter could be. He commanded the audience and his band (consisting of an electric/pedal steel guitar, drum and bass) throughout the night. The band was tight and their style perfectly complimented the vocals.
Ray and company cranked up the foot-stomping with "Henry Nearly Killed Me," to be shortly followed by pure Ray LaMontagne - alone on stage with nothing but his guitar, his longing and "Burn." The same contrast was evident in the honky-tonk "Hey Me, Hey Mama" and the somber and delicate "Jolene." Ray's repertoire has expanded, and for the better: you get the broken-hearted poet with just a dose of rockabilly that brings down the house. A perfect blend, and the audience loved it.
Ray LaMontagne has a great career ahead of him, and it was true pleasure to spend time with him again. It will be a treat watching him evolve artistically, but I won't soon forget what kept "Trouble" in my playlist for three years -- poetic lyrics and a hell of a set of vocal chords.
Set list:
1. You are the Best Thing
2. Hold You in My Arms
3. Let it be Me
4. I Still Care for You (I believe)
5. Empty
6. Henry Nearly Killed Me
7. You Can Bring Me Flowers
8. Burn
9. Jolene
10. (can't read my writing and can't remember)
11. Meg White
12. Hey Me, Hey Mama
13. Shelter
Encore :
14. Trouble
15. Gossip in the Grain
Download:
The Low Anthem – “Charlie Darwin”
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Concert Review: Josh Ritter at Diesel
Diesel is a strange place to see a concert. They have a good soundsystem, but the place has odd acoustic qualities depending on where you stand (this was especially apparent on Sunday night when both the opener and the headliner seemed to want the vocals turned up when the vocals were already too loud). On top of that, it’s hard to ignore the greasy nightclub vibe and the awkward layout, which, unless you arrive early, almost guarantees you an obstructed view. That said, the venue still works well for a rock show, as they do a nice job with lights and it has an industrial feel to it.For all these reasons, Diesel should not lend itself well to a folky concert, but Josh Ritter—with plenty of help from a stellar backing band—has managed twice now to prove otherwise. It says a lot for this modern troubadour that his traditional yet understated live presence moves astonishingly well between small coffeehouses, large theatres and, apparently, even nightclubs.
Usually outfitted in a slim suit and tie, as he was Sunday, Ritter is always appreciative of his audience and rarely stops smiling when in the presence of fans, on stage or off. After a solid opening set by Mark Erelli (imagine the spawn of Paul Simon, Ray Lamontagne and Clay Aiken), Ritter kicked things off with “Rumors,” a rocker off his last full-length that woke the crowd up and set the tone for the rest of the show. While the night held plenty of Ritter’s old standards, he wasted no time in testing out some of his new material, playing three new tunes in all. The real standout of these was “The Curse,” a stirring waltz about a love affair with a mummy, full of wordplay and surrealism.
Fortunately, Ritter was only met with boos once during the set—after dedicating “You Don’t Make it Easy Babe” to Villanova. Too soon? Yes. Not surprisingly, the night’s loudest applause came from the many ladies in the audience when the band broke into a crowd favorite, “Kathleen,” during which Ritter interjected some lighthearted romantic musings as he often does and even took to his knees for the final verse.
After a great rendition of “Monster Ballads” (a personal favorite from his catalogue) and another exceptional new tune, Ritter was a bit uneven on a few of his classics, “Bad Actress” and “Harrisburg,” but quickly turned things around closing out the main set with a thoroughly energetic “To the Dogs or Whoever.”
Without delay, Ritter returned to the stage solo for a Springsteen cover which saw Ritter stepping to the fore of the stage for a few unmiked verses, a trick which usually works well but was sullied this time by a noisy barstaff. Finally, Ritter finished out the show by inviting the audience to join him afterward at Dee’s Café and launching into his much-loved sing-along, “Snow is Gone.”
But that wasn’t it for him. The consummate entertainer, Ritter immediately moved to the floor to filter through his fans, still smiling. It’s clear watching this guy that he finds a lot to love in life, and perhaps chief among those things are music and his fellow man. Surely everyone leaving the show on Sunday took a little of that love along with them.
Setlist:
1. Rumors
2. Right Moves
3. Love Me (?) (new song)
4. Lilian, Egypt
5. You Don’t Make it Easy, Babe
6. The Curse (new song)
7. Roll On
8. Mind’s Eye
9. Kathleen
10. Monster Ballads
11. Another New World (new song)
12. Bad Actress
13. Harrisburg
14. To the Dogs or Whoever
Encore:
15. The River (Springsteen)
16. Empty Hearts
17. Snow is Gone
Download:
Josh Ritter - "The Curse" (Mediafire link)
Monday, March 30, 2009
Concert Review: Good Night, States at Thunderbird Cafe
"Guitars erupt over vintage synths as Good Night, States fuses familial indie quirks with steady rock and roll sensibility. Four part harmony, homemade guitar pedal white noise, and warbly vintage synths augment stand-alone songwriting to craft a memorable, melodic live show."We'd seen this unattributed quote in a few places on the old internet and, though we’ve given them a few recent shout-outs on the blog and we both dig their studio releases, neither of us had seen Good Night, States live. Turns out the description above is pretty apt, as we learned for ourselves this past Friday when we both skipped the Antlers in favor of the local indie darling. Here's our take on our maiden voyage with GNS at the Thunderbird Café:
Roberto: It was clear from their stage setup on Friday that this is a band who takes their sound seriously. And though that doesn't mean their studio sound is translated directly to the live show, it does mean that the band's many nuances don't get lost in the mix.
With a healthy array of keyboards and a plethora of pedals at the ready, the five-piece started out with a couple of more traditional rockers--including the excellent "Family Dark"--before really spreading out and showing off their experimental side.
Henry: Yeah, it was hard not to notice the meticulous weave electric of cabling and homemade pedals they deftly plugged together. In an era of big, booming, black amps their array of mini-boxes strategically miked in the few spaces allowed by the intimate T-Bird stage gave the show a friend’s living room kind of feel.
R: And while less energetic on stage than the well-received Middle Distance Runner, who played just before them, GNS bring a sort of studious professionalism to their live show that works well for their sound. The obvious comparison for their studio material is a slightly poppier Wilco, and that holds pretty true for their stage presence as well (perhaps thinking of a Wilco before the addition of the explosive Nels Cline).
H: At first, I was underwhelmed when they turned the soundcheck into a steady rocker. But the show picked up steam and you had to recognize the tightness of the group. That said, Middle Distance had just finished rocking the room into a swirling frenzy of cigarettey, wailing rock and GNS’ articulate harmonies felt sweet but punchless for the first 4 or 5 minutes as a result.
R: What struck me about GNS, particularly on the epic "Long Coats, No Energy," was their ability to keep it controlled during a few electro-instrumental interludes that recalled middle-era Sonic Youth, which could have strayed into the risky realm of noise-for-the-sake-of-noise in a small venue like the Thunderbird. Thankfully, the band fell back in line well short of that mark. To me, this showed a level of restraint unexpected for a band at only two years of age.
H: It was clear that all three bands on the bill (Eulogies, MDR and GNS, in order of appearance) are worthy of their music-blog-hype.
Shifting gears, I’d be remiss if I didn’t commend GNS’ clever and oh-so-indie marketing stunt: the band’s merch-girl (who’s name I unfortunately didn’t catch) wandered the crowd throughout the night and had audience members write messages to their friends on GNS postcards, which the band would then mail for you. She had five different cards featuring each of the band’s indie-glamour mugshots on them.
I guess what I'm getting at is this: they are everything you want your local indie-rock-act-with-big-time-potential to be. They’re clever, smallish, tight-jeaned--but above all else, immensely talented. A solid and pleasing show.
R: Totally agree. Their focus was clearly on the music, and I think the audience could feel that and appreciated it. Though all the night's performers showed up to impress, most folks in the crowd actually seemed to be there for GNS, and it's no secret why.
Final note: GNS will be playing next on April 15 at the New Hazeltt Theatre on the Northside, and Eulogies will be back in town on May 8, this time at Diesel opening for the Dears.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Concert Review: M. Ward at Sixth and I
I’ll start by saying that I’ve never been disappointed walking out of an M. Ward show before, and this past Saturday’s disappointments were quite minor, so let's get them out of the way: Washington's historic Sixth and I synagogue can’t handle the reverberations put out by a rock band; and, Ward stopped well short of the venue’s 11:00 curfew. That said, Ward sounded great during the solo acoustic set that kicked off his performance, and he managed to pack 19 songs into barely 75 minutes (those who thought Leo Kottke talked too much might have appreciated Ward’s taciturn stage presence as much as his guitar chops).Onward with the positive: Ward came to play, and his band rocked as cleanly as the venue’s echoing walls would let them. Ward began things with only his acoustic guitar and a harmonica, which he riffed on for a quick minute before leaning into the mic with a great lyric to open the show: “My heart is always on the line.” Not too long thereafter, he demonstrated his talent for rearranging classics by juxtaposing covers of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” against Robert Wilkins’ “The Prodigal Son” without a hint of dissonance. That timeless spirit in Ward’s music was present throughout the night in tunes like Buddy Holly’s “Rave On,” She & Him’s “Change is Hard,” and Ward’s own gospel rocker, “To Save Me.” One after another, the songs stirred and blended like tea and honey.
Throughout the night, Ward’s understated guitar heroics were on full display, but were decidedly less understated on the set’s two instrumentals “Duet for Guitars #3” and “Bean Vine Blues #2,” the latter a blazing cover of Ward’s own guitar hero, the late John Fahey.
While not one to distract from his musicianship with banter, Ward still got a few laughs out of a jovial (if stoic) audience. Early on, perhaps sensing the absence of Rachel Blumberg behind the kit, Ward introduced his new drummer, saying, “I know what you're all wondering... you want to know who’s that on the drums.” (Turns out it was Scott McPherson, who ably stood in for the double drummers Ward toured with last time around.) Later, upon returning for an encore, Ward dedicated Daniel Johnston’s “Story of an Artist” to everyone who planned to stay home and watch the Oscars, an ostensible wisecrack whose ironic punchline was revealed only in the bittersweet tale of the song it introduced.
Finally, closing the concise show with the lively “Magic Trick,” Ward managed to end the night with another good bookending lyric, “…and that’s it!” Unfortunately, that was it. Here’s the well-chosen setlist:
Solo on guitar/harmonica:
1 Fuel for Fire
2 One Hundred Million Years
3 The Prodigal Son
4 Let's Dance
5 Duet for Guitars #3
6 Lullaby + Exile (w/ Mike Coykendall whistling)
Full band:
7 Epistemology
8 Chinese Translation
9 Fisher of men
10 Bean Vine Blues #2
11 Post-War
12 Poison Cup
13 Undertaker
14 Rave On
15 Change is Hard
16 Never Had Nobody Like You
17 To Save Me
Encore:
18 Story of an Artist (solo on piano)
19 Magic Trick (w/ full band)
Aslo, I should mention the ceiling there is really cool:
Friday, February 6, 2009
Concert Review: Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt
For a tall Texan with a worn face and a crooked smile, Lyle Lovett is not the man of few words that one might expect him to be. Taking the stage at the Carnegie Music Hall last night with his good friend, John Hiatt, Lovett was the first to speak, starting off slow with a simple “Howdy.” Hiatt jumped at the opportunity to play to the crowd early, and one-upped Lovett with a salutation more familiar around these parts: “How yinz do'n?” Of course, the audience approved.
With that, Hiatt kicked the night off with “Perfectly Good Guitar,” his fatherly reprimand of Nirvana and their penchant for destroying their instruments. Lovett followed that up with a lengthy ramble about Hiatt's personalized guitar picks, a friendly TSA agent in Denver, and the duty of rock guitarists to keep alive the myth that they lead the sort of lives the rest of us wish for. Finally, Lovett took to his own guitar on “Skinny Legs,” a great upbeat western tune to open his catalog.
This pattern—Hiatt song, banter, Lovett song—set the mold for the night and was rarely broken thereafter, giving the audience a special opportunity to observe two of America's best songwriters discuss and digress their way through a loose set of alternating performances. Sometimes two consecutive songs would share a common theme, sometimes not. Nearly always the banter was led by Lovett’s questions, which wavered between thoughtful and comic, sometimes both.
Several times during the 2:25 set, the discussion turned to food. Hiatt—whose daughter is a college student in Pittsburgh—is no stranger to local traditions, and explained to Lovett that around here folks eat their sandwiches topped with fries and coleslaw, an “economy of motion” as he called it. Hiatt compared it to the way southerners put peanuts in their RC Cola, while Lovett observed, "Of all the things you hold most dear in the world, why keep them from one another?" Later, they joined forces on “Keep it in your Pantry,” Lovett’s lighthearted lament about what Hiatt calls “infoodelity.” As Lovett explained, “At no time ever in a healthy, committed relationship should one person be having more fun than the other.”
Hiatt/Lovett
With that, Hiatt kicked the night off with “Perfectly Good Guitar,” his fatherly reprimand of Nirvana and their penchant for destroying their instruments. Lovett followed that up with a lengthy ramble about Hiatt's personalized guitar picks, a friendly TSA agent in Denver, and the duty of rock guitarists to keep alive the myth that they lead the sort of lives the rest of us wish for. Finally, Lovett took to his own guitar on “Skinny Legs,” a great upbeat western tune to open his catalog.
This pattern—Hiatt song, banter, Lovett song—set the mold for the night and was rarely broken thereafter, giving the audience a special opportunity to observe two of America's best songwriters discuss and digress their way through a loose set of alternating performances. Sometimes two consecutive songs would share a common theme, sometimes not. Nearly always the banter was led by Lovett’s questions, which wavered between thoughtful and comic, sometimes both.
Several times during the 2:25 set, the discussion turned to food. Hiatt—whose daughter is a college student in Pittsburgh—is no stranger to local traditions, and explained to Lovett that around here folks eat their sandwiches topped with fries and coleslaw, an “economy of motion” as he called it. Hiatt compared it to the way southerners put peanuts in their RC Cola, while Lovett observed, "Of all the things you hold most dear in the world, why keep them from one another?" Later, they joined forces on “Keep it in your Pantry,” Lovett’s lighthearted lament about what Hiatt calls “infoodelity.” As Lovett explained, “At no time ever in a healthy, committed relationship should one person be having more fun than the other.”
Unlike Lovett, Hiatt took the opportunity to debut two new songs: “Go Down Swingin'” and “Kick the Tin Can Home.” The former was as heavy as its central character, and was decidedly more successful than the latter, a playful dismissal of modern technology. When asked by Lovett what he looks for when “trying out” a new song, Hiatt answered him straight: “Support.”
Between banter, the songs themselves offered a wonderful study in contrast, as it was apparent what very different songwriters these two masters are. While Lovett pens heavily literate verses and slyly clever choruses, Hiatt's lyrics are far more conversational and generally more decipherable. Hiatt, who borders on prolific, fills his songs with narratives and memorable refrains that come off as raw and unfiltered. Lovett, for his part, has released comparatively few original numbers over the years, but seems to have labored more seriously over each word, its motivations and meanings. Despite the differences, it was amazing how well their songs—and even voices—complimented each other's when juxtaposed and performed only with acoustic guitars. Hiatt's rockier tunes, when stripped down, fit perfectly against the southwest landscape of his companion's country blues, and his forceful playing added lively interludes to several of Lovett’s songs, including “Cute as a Bug,” “I will Rise Up,” and “My Baby Don’t Tolerate,” which featured an extended, meandering blues solo by Hiatt which was huge on feeling, even if somewhat less so on proficiency.
They closed out the main set with an impassioned duet of the Texas prison hymn “No More Cane” before returning for an encore of each man’s best known songs, “Have a Little Faith in Me” and “If I had a Boat.”
Setlist:
1 Perfectly Good Guitar
2 Skinny Legs
3 Seven Little Indians
4 South Texas Girl
5 Crossing Muddy Waters
6 Family Reserve
7 Tennessee Plates
8 Cute as a Bug (w/ Hiatt on guitar)
9 Go Down Swingin' (new song)
10 I Will Rise Up (w/ Hiatt on guitar and backup vocal)
11 Icy Blue Heart
12 North Dakota
13 Kick the Tin Can Home (new song)
14 Home Is Where My Horse Is
15 Drive South
16 Keep it in Your Pantry (w/ Hiatt on guitar and sharing vocals)
17 Tiki Bar Open
18 Nobody Knows Me
19 Thing Called Love
20 My Baby Don't Tolerate (w/ extended Hiatt guitar solo)
21 No More Cane (duet)
Encore:
1 Have a Little Faith in Me
2 If I had a Pony
Hiatt/Lovett
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Concert Review: Leo Kottke
Taking his seat on the small, floor-level stage of the Carnegie Lecture Hall on Saturday evening, Leo Kottke seemed momentarily unsure of his purpose in being there. Setting a 12-string guitar on the floor beside him and taking his 6-string in hand, he proceeded not to play a song, but instead to tell a story. After a moment of talking and looking down at the floor, he questioned why he was staring at the 12-string: “It was there a minute ago. It’s still there now.” So began an evening that would hold many more stories--some with purpose, some without, but all of them charming.
It took Kottke a few songs to warm up and to get the venue’s modest soundsystem to where he wanted it, which was presumably lower and louder. Just when the audience thought it was there, Kottke unfolded a story about playing a festival in the 70s at which the crowd insisted on climbing the speaker stacks despite a soundman’s warnings. The end of the story had a stack falling on top of a girl, wicked-witch-of-the-west-style, and the point of the story was that Kottke wanted it louder. Apparently satisfied, he proceeded to hit his stride, and from then on the night was a lesson in humility for any guitar player in the room.
Highlights included Kottke’s take on the traditional “Corrine, Corrina,” which he transformed from a simple folk tune into a postmodern jazz-blues, possibly a result of his first having heard it played by Mississippi John Hurt rather than Dylan, who introduced most of us to that sweet love song. Kottke similarly transformed “Little Martha,” riffing on Duane Allman’s timeless instrumental to make it something all his own. It was true to much of Kottke’s work, which can’t be fit neatly into one genre or another; it’s an inimitable sound, uniquely Leo Kottke.
For many in the crowd, that notion was driven home when Kottke launched into an unreleased tune which he called “Ants” and described as “a bear on the 12-string.” He warned in advance that one section was “particularly beary,” but it was impossible to tell as he blazed through it without a slip. And when he finished, it was clear to all in the audience that they had witnessed a master of both his instrument and his craft.
It took Kottke a few songs to warm up and to get the venue’s modest soundsystem to where he wanted it, which was presumably lower and louder. Just when the audience thought it was there, Kottke unfolded a story about playing a festival in the 70s at which the crowd insisted on climbing the speaker stacks despite a soundman’s warnings. The end of the story had a stack falling on top of a girl, wicked-witch-of-the-west-style, and the point of the story was that Kottke wanted it louder. Apparently satisfied, he proceeded to hit his stride, and from then on the night was a lesson in humility for any guitar player in the room.
Highlights included Kottke’s take on the traditional “Corrine, Corrina,” which he transformed from a simple folk tune into a postmodern jazz-blues, possibly a result of his first having heard it played by Mississippi John Hurt rather than Dylan, who introduced most of us to that sweet love song. Kottke similarly transformed “Little Martha,” riffing on Duane Allman’s timeless instrumental to make it something all his own. It was true to much of Kottke’s work, which can’t be fit neatly into one genre or another; it’s an inimitable sound, uniquely Leo Kottke.
For many in the crowd, that notion was driven home when Kottke launched into an unreleased tune which he called “Ants” and described as “a bear on the 12-string.” He warned in advance that one section was “particularly beary,” but it was impossible to tell as he blazed through it without a slip. And when he finished, it was clear to all in the audience that they had witnessed a master of both his instrument and his craft.
