The Local Is the Only Universal

First off, that Cypress Hill allusion three posts down was probably my best headline yet. I can't believe you people didn't acknowledge that with effusive praise in the comments.

Second off, I wish I'd saved it for this post, in which I intend to state something to the effect of:

"One of my resolutions for this blog this year is to cast a broader spotlight on the local scene. There are several great bands coming out of Pittsburgh and vicinity these days, and they all deserve their due."

So, it's no secret that I'm a big Good Night, States fan. They're my favorite of the locals, with no disrespect to any others. I'm not sure if they officially up and came in '09, or if they're still up and coming. Probably the latter is more likely. I think maybe my appreciation for their music skews my perception of their status as a band in the rock scene at large. Anyway, keep an ear open for them this year. That's my advice. I hope people in and outside of our little rustbelt metropolis take it.

Beyond GN,S there are about 7 to 10 other local bands I intend to highlight in the next few weeks/months (saying that with the understanding that I often fail on the following through aspect of intentions). To start, let's look over the concert calendar on the sidebar.

As January nears its icy end, Meeting of Important People play Brillobox. If I were you, and you were a Pittsburgher with an interest in infectious indie-pop, then I'd take that opportunity to catch one of the most promising local bands at what is probably the hippest local venue. And pick up their self-titled CD while you're there, or maybe download beforehand. It's fantastic.

About a week after that, another stalwart of the Pittsburgh indie-pop scene (do you guys hate that genre title? I might.) will be at the somewhat-recently refurbished Rex Theater: Donora. They put out one of Jimmy's favorite records of 2009 on the locally owned Rostrum label (also home to emcee Wiz Khalifa), and they put on a hell of a show.

If rebellion is more your thing, that same night over in Millvale you can find Anti-Flag. If any local band has successfully broken through on the national level in recent years, this is it, so I don't think they really need the publicity from a little site like mine. But regardless, they're sweet, so as long as Small's can get its soundboard in order for this one, the show should be great.

Another couple weeks go by and Beware Fashionable Women will play Southminster Coffee House out in the South Hills. These guys have been a bit under the radar, so this could be a breakout year for them. They have a solid album out which is not afraid to meander among genres. On early listens a few tracks sounded a bit Phishy to me (not a bad thing), but on further review it really opened up, and now I'm not even sure where I got that first impression. It has several great tracks, but one great track which is not on that album--"He's a Boy"--is currently available for free download at their MySpace page. Give it a listen. And keep your eye on them this year. I will, too.

Then, come March, we get a "double-whammy" of sorts: Lohio and Emily Rodgers team up for a double-bill at Calliope Center Stage. On the one hand, this is an event to benefit the Carnegie Libraries. That's cool, yes? On the other hand, this is an intimate venue which was very nicely renovated and is a great place to hear/see live music. Also cool. And if you had a third hand (and maybe you do for all I know), then on it you would see one of the city's most solidly respected young bands and one of our most promising songwriters. What I'm trying to say is, you really can't go wrong. So don't. (Don't go wrong, that is.) (But do go to the show.)

So where am I going with this, besides one glass deeper into a nice, chilled, inexpensive white wine blend? I guess we'll see in the coming weeks as I perhaps continue this potentially quasi-regular series on local music and ideally focus on that Pittsburgh facet of this weblog.

Meanwhile, there are a ton of other good shows creeping up on the calendar this winter and spring. So support a local venue if not local musicians, and resolve to go see some live music early on in 2010. It's good for the soul, I think.

Weekend Forecast

Looking ahead, we see a good weekend for locally grown music(ians) on the horizon, with Gibsonia's Bearskin storming the Rex on Friday, then Good Night States* at Brillobox coming up against Greensburg native SAADI, who will be blowing in from NYC to Garfield Artworks on Saturday (playing with a "Lights," not to be confused with Lights).

Why the halfhearted weather metaphor? No idea.

Surprise: I'm partial to GNS on Saturday. But I have to say that I dig SAADI's sound. Given the proximity of Saturday's venues, it may be advisable to try and squeeze in both shows if you're feeling adventurous.

Download/Stream:
SAADI - "Pollen Seeks Bees"

*A special thanks to GNS for having an actual web site. If I haven't mentioned it before, I really hate MySpace Music. The layout, the player, the slowness to load... everything about it.

Video: Good Night States at CMJ

Enjoy this clip of local favorites Good Night States' showcase at the CMJ Music Marathon in NYC, followed by a brief interview with the band.



p.s. So sorry, guys, but I'm over the comma.

Album Review: Good Night, States' In the Impossible Tension

If it weren't for an omnipresent drum machine and that pesky comma in their name, this EP would be damn near perfect. With that in mind, it's still not far off.

Here's the tracklist:

1. Arsonist's Blues
2. Good Times, So Wearily Desired!
3. River In The Dry
4. Moonlight
5. All On Your Own
6. Neighborhood Roofs

Every song comes equipped with a great melody, and at least five of the six have found themselves stuck in my head over the few weeks I've been listening to it (sorry, "All On Your Own"). Oddly, the album was recorded by only two of the band's five members--Steve Gretz and Joe Tanner--but such is life when your band is split among three cities, as theirs is.

This record is a departure, to be sure. Don't expect to rock out. The album title seems fitting, as even after having listened to the record several times through I still expect tracks 1 and 6 to open up to a flood of distorted guitars. They don't. Yet they're no worse for not giving into my petty desires.

From the top, "Arsonist's Blues" is a great song to start it off and set the tone for the rest of record. Leaning on the vintage keyboards expected of GN,S, Gretz and Tanner manage to maintain their trademark sound without overdoing it on the synth tones. The second track has to be the catchiest, and already has me nostalgic for the summer that's still here. Then the synths fade to welcome some crisp acoustic guitar work that brings a woodsy air of reminiscence to my favorite of the bunch, "River In The Dry."

While the songs are stripped down, they don't feel spare. There's a warmth here that gives the sense of fullness, and a restraint that leaves room for these songs to grow live. Perhaps the fullest on the record is the closer, "Neighborhood Roofs," and it's also one of the strongest.

Obviously the backstory of the writing and recording of this album begs curiosities about how these tunes will translate to the stage, but Hugh assures us they'll do just fine. Here's where you can hear them:

Tonight: Thunderbird Cafe

Tomorrow: Carnegie Arts and Heritage Festival

Next Tuesday: Brillobox

Monday, Sept. 21: William Pitt Student Union

Courtesy of the Trib, here's a video of the full band doing "Arsonist's Blues" which bodes very well for the upcoming shows and the growth of this great band. The vocals are sweet, and that small touch of natural percussion is enough to make me forget about the drum machine in the background.

SITKOT rating: 46 out of 57

Other things: David Bazan / Good Night, States

Now, to direct your attention elsewhere:

I missed this, but Pgh. Music Report is here to tell you about David Bazan (formerly Pedro the Lion) playing a few house concerts in town next month.

And HughShowsRedux has some cool photos of GNS rehearsing as they get ready for the release of In The Impossible Tension. I'll echo Hugh on loving the record. And I'll get around to reviewing it before the release show. Promise.

Big City Nights

I had a lunch meeting with a New Yorker the other day and I mentioned that I like living in Pittsburgh because of it's big-city-amenities on a relatively small scale. I added that I really don't feel like I live in a "city" at all. Not sure he got it but many of you probably do.

Take, for instance, the voyage I took Wednesday night:

I knew I wanted to check out the Good Night, States at the New Hazlett Theater - a venue I've been wanting to test-drive a rock show at for some months. But I also knew that Wednesday night was one of the few opportunities I'd have in the coming weeks to get down to PNC Park to personally kick off another season of Buccos baseball. Then there was the Pomegranates' show at Brillobox at 11pm - I'd been rocking out to them at my desk all day.

It came time to make a decision on the night's activities. Then it dawned on me - why not try and make it to all of them!? Better yet, why not bike to all of them!? In retrospect there were many reasons why not to embark on this cockamamie solo journey, but each of them only seemed to make the adventure more appealing.

To Recap:
Phase 1:

Phase 1:
The Good Night, States show at the Hazlett was as enjoyable as I'd hoped it'd be. The place can seat up to 600 or so people and I'd guess there were about 100 people there. So it felt a little empty. That sensation was augmented by the mgmt's curious decision to leave the houselights aglow throughout the show. But, per usual, GNS put on a tight performance complete with an atypical foray into 'tween song banter. It should be said that the acoustics in the Hazlett are impeccable for a space its size. I'm looking forward to seeing more shows there. The above shot of GNS was taken at the Hazlett by Isaac Gierard, a local photographer I met at the show whose work we hope to feature on SITKOT again.

Despite Isaac's declaration that Chicago's Anathallo, the headliner at the Hazlett (show picture below) is his favorite live act - I needed to journey onward and catch the Bucs on the Allegheny. From the looks of this photo, I really missed out, though.


Phase 2:
I arrived during the Pierogie race in the middle of the 5th inning (Hannah won). For a scalped $5 I was sitting 20 rows behind the visitors dugout. The Bucs were behind by 4 runs after our starter had tanked early on. They mounted a few efforts at coming back, getting late hits and leaving men on base, but ultimately didn't get it done. That didn't seem to matter to the announced crowd of 20k who must've consumed 80k $1 hot dogs if the concession lines and exhausted vendors were any indication. It's a sad thing when cheap soggy meat means more than the game. A few times it seemed like there were more people waiting for dogs than watching the game!

Adam LaRoche did jack a meaningless homer in the bottom of the 8th. It's nice to see him hitting before June. And it was nice to be back at the best MLB ballpark to see a game, even if it was an early season stinker featuring two of baseball's worst clubs.

Phase 3:
I was admittedly a little weary at the game's end, and although Roberto had indicated he might join me for the last leg of my tour - Brillobox - he bailed. I persevered. Up to Larryville's Brillo I pedaled.

The Pomegranates were just sound checking when I rolled in. Each of the four band members were clad in brown jumpsuits with puff-painted slogans on the back. They announced that this was the first stop of a 30 stop, nationwide tour. I hope they intend to wear those jumpers at every show along the way. They'd make for great mannequin dressing at a Hard Rock Cafe in about 15 years.

The sound mix on openers "Sleepover" and "Corriander" was a little muddled and they seemed very uncertain as to what note and song they'd play next. But, things really started to pick up around the middle of their hour-long set. The show was primarily a tour of their new album, Everybody, Come Outside! (Lujo) which had just been released Tuesday.

Swapping instruments and roles throughout, they got increasingly comfortable and by the final three songs - "Beachcomber", "Everybody Come Outside" and "Southern Ocean" - they'd become a new favorite of mine. The enthusiastic, experimental nature of their live act was infectious. I couldn't help but roar with laughter when they punctuated "ECO" with unisoned crow-sounds. They make great use of a toy megaphone and smooth 'tween song transitions with an ambient noise machine. Be sure to catch them when they roll into a town near you. I'm looking at you Boise - they're amped to play your stop!

Conclusion:
My three stop solo-adventure was exactly what I'd hoped it'd be. A 6-hour feat of endurance and enjoyment to tune me up for a summer of shows, ballgames, biking and fun. But more than that, it was a reminder of why this is a great town for people who like to do stuff and see things.

Pomegranates live session

Several good shows in town tonight. You'll have to decide for yourselves which one best lets The Man know how you feel about the relationship between your hard-earned coin and his so-called 1040EZ. Me? I got a pretty decent refund this year, so I'm planning to blow it on something totally stupid, like bodywork on my car because some a-hole in the Southside keyed it last Halloween. On with the music:

First, in the unlikely case that you missed the big banner up top, Good Night States are playing with Anathallo over on the Northside at the New Hazlett Theatre. They haven't hosted many concerts there in the recent past, but it's a very cool venue and they're working to bring more music in. Also, I shouldn't have to tell you that we firmly support the tunes of GNS around here.

On up the Allegheny in old Millvale, North Mississippi Allstars will be rocking out some dirtified southern blues at Mr. Small's.

And not least, inland a bit in that Bloomfied/Upper Lawrenceville region, art-pop maestros Pomegranates promise a solid performance at Brillobox. Earlier this week they stopped by the WOXY studios near their Cininnati home to play a live radio show, which you can hear below. The five-song set includes "Everybody Come Outside," "Sleepover," and (obviously) three others.

Download:
Pomegranates - Live On WOXY

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.

Weekend at Birdie's

When I was a young boy in the Indian Guides, my father and I wore rawhide vests and sewed patches on them and raced little wooden cars, which I assume did not exist back on the frontier, and we were called Lightning Bolt and Thunderbird, though I can’t remember who was which. But that has nothing to do with anything really.

So anyway, this week I’m not complaining about weekday concerts or Pittsburgh getting passed over, because just down the hill from Brillobox is another of the city’s best small venues, the Thunderbird Café, and as luck would have it, they’re also gearing up for a great weekend.

Friday has a bright indie rock lineup which includes the inaptly-named Eulogies, who have been seeing a lot of exposure over these past few weeks of SXSW buzz. Eulogies’ new LP will be out April 7, so if the Antlers are already yesterday's news to you, this may be your opportunity to get ahead of the next curve. But the highlight of the night will be Pittsburgh’s own Good Night, States. YEP christened them the best local act of 2008, and SPIN Magazine has described them thusly:

Like Ryan Adams singing for the Boy Least Likely To, Good Night, States marry singer-songwriter vocal stylings and confessional lyrics to near-twee tunes anchored by electronic blips, xylophone and the occasional drum machine. The
Pittsburgh-based quintet sprinkle carefree handclaps and sunny male/female harmonies on a Wilco-indebted Americana foundation.

That’s good company to be in, and the praise is well-deserved. Also playing Friday: Middle Distance Runner, who have enjoyed their fair share of hype over the last month as well. All tolled, this triple -bill (I’m not clear on the night’s order) warrants a ticket far pricier than the paltry $7 they’re charging.

Saturday, leave your American Apparrel gear at home. Calliope is bringing in Philly’s Hoots & Hellmouth—fresh off their own SXSW run—for a rollicking night of gospel-infused acoustic roots-rock. Hoots & Hellmouth have been touted by the likes of NPR and Paste, and they’re reputed to put on a hell of a good show. You can check out their Daytrotter session here.

Opening on Saturday will be local bluegrass maestros Mon River Ramblers. Known to burn through a mean jam before slowing it down for some blue crooners, the Ramblers never disappoint live, and should do well to warm up the crowd.

And, for the jammier fans out there who haven’t had enough come Sunday, Thunderbird will be holding their mostly-weekly Grateful Dead Hour to wind down the weekend. That is, unless you plan to cross the Mon for Josh Ritter, or maybe the Allegheny for Heartless Bastards. Either way, Monday may be a good day to call in sick.

Downloads:
Eulogies – “Two Can Play” (Mediafire link)
Good Night, States – “The Family Dark” (Mediafire link)
Hoots & Hellmouth – “Want on Nothing” (Mediafire link)

UPDATE: Good Night, States will be the headliner Friday.