Another Wilco Review

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.

Setlist: Wilco at Carnegie Music Hall - April 11, 2010

As they've been doing during this "An Evening With Wilco" series of shows (the last of which was last night's), Wilco played sort of three sets in one set. No breaks except for a very brief one before the encore. I think they played from roughly 8:10 to 11:10. 37 songs in three hours. Not bad.

Three of us from the blog were there, so a review or recap may follow, depending on motivational levels.

Mostly Electric:
Wilco (the Song)
Bull Black Nova
You are My Face
I am Trying to Break Your Heart
One Wing
Shot in the Arm
On and On
Company in My Back
Deeper Down
Handshake Drugs
California Stars
Impossible Germany
I’ll Fight
Poor Places (feedback into stage change)

Mostly Acoustic:
Spiders
More Like the Moon
Someday Some Morning Sometime
Not for the Season
When You Wake Up Feeling Old
Don’t Forget the Flowers
War on War
Passenger Side
Airline to Heaven (during stage change)

Mostly Electric:
Via Chicago
Box Full of Letters
You Never Know
Jesus, Etc.
Theologians
Heavy Metal Drummer
Candyfloss
Hate it Here
Walken
I’m the Man Who Loves You
Monday
Thank You Friends

Encore:
Casino Queen
Outtasite (Outta Mind)

Rockler Radar [A forced title for a blog post about this wintry weekend's concerts in Pittsburgh, PA]

It's really not that bad out. Seriously. Snowy, wet, yes... standard Pittsburgh winter stuff. Turn off the local news and pull on a hat and coat.

I thought I might spend some time today and do a nice profile of some of the Pittsburghers playing around town this weekend to kick this blawg back into gear. Then it occurred to me they've already been profiled by people who've done a more thorough job than I would have. So:

Tonight, Ernie Hawkins returns to Calliope Center Stage in Shadyside with a seriously stellar backing band of Marc Reisman on harmonicas, Roger Day on tuba, Rich Strong on the kit, and Paul Cosentino on clarinet. I wish I had some video to post of the October show with the same group of musicians because it was fantastic. If you like jazzy blues and ragtimey ditties, this will be the best gig you see all winter. Hold me to that.

Tomorrow, you have to make a choice: get happy or get pissed.

Donora will be at the Rex in the South Side. So if you understood "pissed" in the British sense, then maybe this one is actually your show. Chances are if you've been following the blog for a while you already know Donora. If not, this three-piece puts out the best pop rock (I think the full two-word label is quite appropriate here) Pittsburgh has to offer. Take your dancing shoes. And if Bruce Kraus gives you any guff on your way out, tell that old curmudgeon to get his ass back to Bomont.

Or, maybe you took "pissed" in the Americanized sense. That's cool, too. And maybe it's a generalization, but I think you get the idea. Again, a lot of you are probably already familiar with our city's finest punk-pop export, but, if not, you can get up to speed over at Old Mon Music: Anti Flag. They'll be in Millvale, fighting the forces of the grain for all us sinners out there. Maybe you'll spot a local G-20 protester or two.

But lo! There is another option. Maybe the Joe DeNardo wannabes out there have got you feeling lowdown and shut in. Well fear not and rock on: check out the jukebox over at Lawrenceville's own FAWM.org. February Album Writing Month is just getting started, but there are already some fine songs rolling in. I have to admit to surprise at finding more good than bad so far (notwithstanding demo-quality sound, to be excused given the nature of the project). Or at least 50/50. Better odds than you'll find over at the slots.

EDIT: Okay, it's getting a bit worse. Just drive slow. Or maybe take a bus.

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.

Won't you be my neighbor?

It may not be his theme song exactly, but it's totally awesome anyhow:

Download/Stream:
Seven Saturdays - "A Beautiful Day"

Free Summer Shows

Photo - Cat Power among the crowd at Hartwood Acres in 2006: HughShows

With Jennifer O'Connor and Donora set to play a free show tomorrow night in Oakland, it seemed like as good a time as any to draw yer attention to the handful of solid freebies the coming months hold. While I think the Arts Fest speaks for itself, several other shows well worth the price of admission are peppered throughout the summer:

June:
20 - Delbert McClinton, Kittanning Riverfront Amphitheatre

26 - YEP Summer Music Festival, Schenley Plaza

28- The Old 97's, Hartwood Acres

July:
4 - Three Dog Night, Point State Park
17 - Steve Earle, South Park
26 - Los Lobos, Hartwood Acres

August:
7 - Foghat, South Park (Slow Ride, anyone?)
9 - Son Volt, Hartwood Acres

EDIT: Add one more to that list...

September:

6 - Rusted Root @ Hartwood Acres

Concert Review: Andrew Bird at Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland

Having been disappointed by Andrew Bird in concert once before and feeling lukewarm about the new record, I wasn’t elated for Tuesday’s show, unlike many of the well-dressed hipsters in attendance. But I wasn’t ready to write him off either. As I mentioned yesterday, the concert was fantastic and, since then, I’ve been listening to Noble Beast with new ears and enjoying songs that I’d found rather bland before the show. In short, I’m glad I went.

Starting the night off solo, Bird kicked on his loop pedal and started picking his violin—no surprises there. He seemed to be just a bit off his game during “Dark Matter” and “Self Torture,” and that didn’t immediately change when he was joined by his band, although “Masterswarm” was still excellent. Finally, after fumbling over some lyrics during “Nervous Tic…” Bird confessed that perhaps his head wasn’t totally in it, as he’d had a rough day, beginning with an early flight out of Chicago after attending a reception for the International Olympic Committee (also in attendance: Oprah).

Luckily, his heart was in it. Bird and band tore through “Natural Disaster” and were perfectly understated on fan favorites like “Tenuousness” and “Effigy”—which offered a nice respite from the loop pedal, on which Bird can rely a little too heavily at times.

One thing to be said for his use of the loops: it shows what a great drummer Bird has at his side. Letting your rhythm be dictated by the cyclic phrasings of some dude on a violin would cut against the nature of most drummers, but Martin Dosh handles it with ease and rolls wherever Bird takes him. Also, you had to love the little percussion interlude on “Anonanimal.”

Perhaps surprisingly, the songs off Noble Beast were for the most part the tightest throughout the night, quite in contrast with Bird’s Armchair tour, when songs new and old were equally crisp. That also says something for the Carnegie Music Hall, though, which brings out the good and the bad, letting you hear every note of every instrument—a premier venue for a concert like this, if you don’t mind remaining seated while the band is in motion.

As Bird warmed up to the audience, he told them, “I feel comfortable with you. I can talk about my feelings.” The crowd warmed up too, and a pretty good pack took to their feet on “Fake Palindromes,” only to be swiftly and sadly foiled by a pony-tailed security guard toward the end of “Skin….”

Finally, the encore was awesome. Bird—once again solo—got playful on “Why” with an audience member who responded to "Why'd you do that?" with, “I didn’t do anything.” Bird’s retort? “That’s just it.” He was rejoined then by his band, who provided vocals for some stellar harmonies on the century-old “Some of These Days” before taking up their instruments and bringing down the house on “Tables and Chairs,” which had everyone in the place singing along. Even two days later I find myself strolling through town this morning, looping it over it my head: “There will be snacks.”

New masthead / Submit your photos!

As you may have noticed, gone is the rearview mirror that has graced this page since we started it up. Instead, we'll begin occasionally switching things up with photographs and drawings of Pittsburgh (or places and things in and around the ‘burgh) submitted by you, dear reader. Doesn’t have to be a skyline, doesn’t have to be music-related; just has to be cool. You’ll keep the rights, you’ll get the credit, and everyone gets to enjoy your art for a few weeks: win-win-win.

This first shot is from Nick Roefaro of Baldwin, and it’s a beauty, wouldn’t you agree?

Please send any submissions to sitkot@gmail.com in jpeg format with your name and 'hood, and we’ll announce a new photog every… well, every time we get around to it, I suppose.

Set list: Andrew Bird at Carnegie Music Hall

The show was fantastic, and we'll get a full review up later. For now, here’s a crappy cell phone pic and a mostly complete set list...

Set list:
1. Dark Matter (solo)
2. Self Torture (solo)
3. Masterswarm
4. Fitz and the Dizzyspells
5. A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
6. Natural Disaster
7. Effigy
8. Oh No
9. Tenuousness
10. Nomenclature
11. Armchairs
12. Anonanimal
13. Fake Palindromes
14. Skin is, My
15. The Happy Birthday Song
16. (I know I’m missing one here… anyone?)

Encore:
17. Why (solo)
18. Some of these Days
19. Tables and Chairs

Download:
Andrew Bird – “Some of These Days” (live at Millennium Park, Sept. 3 2008) (Mediafire link)


EDIT: Thanks to Sophia and Kristin for pointing out in the comments thread that "Imitosis" and "Yawny at the Apocalypse" should be in there somewhere between 11 and 16. Also, against others' recollections I'd still swear that he finished off the main set with something more uptempo than "Birthday..." but I've no idea what.

New tracks and upcoming shows

Granted, some of these shows are more than a month out, but they're worth keeping on your calendars. Here are a few songs that have fallen instantly into regular rotation on my media player this week:

Crocodiles – “Summer of Hate” (Mediafire link)
Action Painters – “456” * (Mediafire link)
Eulogies – “This Fine Progression” (Mediafire link)
White Rabbits – “Percussion Gun” (Mediafire link)

Crocodiles will be at the 31st Street Pub this Sunday. Then, Action Painters on April 30 at Lava Lounge, Eulogies May 8 at Diesel, and White Rabbits way off in the distance on the 6th of June at Brillobox.

As always, all of our recommendations for upcoming shows are on the sidebar at right.

* Not technically a new song, but new to me, and on the new Lay That Cable EP.

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)

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.

Sunday's quandary

Josh Ritter will be in the Southside, while the Heartless Bastards will be in Millvale. Both are known to put on a great show. It's a tough one, but I gotta think you can't go wrong either way.

Here's Erika Wennerstrom and her band last week down in Austin:


And here's Ritter and his a few days ago in Charlotte:


Godspeed.

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.

Morrissey cancels first leg of US tour; Pittsburgh safe

Florida got screwed though, apparently for the second time now: http://www.morrissey-solo.com/article.pl?sid=09/02/26/1825251.

That's just how it has to happen when you get that much sunshine. Everything must balance out in the end.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Photo: Darrell Sapp, P-G

Say what you will about that smug little groundhog up there in Jefferson County, but one thing's for sure: he doesn’t know shit about meteorology. Then again, he’s apparently not all that bad considering the competition. My friend Google tells me that Phil’s accuracy rating is between 30% and 50%, which actually is not far behind the average TV weather forecaster.

Anyway, it is gorgeous out there today. Go walk across a bridge or something, just in case 2009 is one of Phil’s good years. You can check out the progress on the Fred Rogers statue over on the Northside (pictured above).

Downloads:
M. Ward – “Here Comes the Sun Again” (Mediafire link)
Belle & Sebastian – “Another Sunny Day” (Mediafire link)
Wavves – “Gun in the Sun” (Mediafire link)

TV on the Radio announce Pittsburgh date

A return to Pittsburgh is significant for TV on the Radio because it's right here in our lovely town where TVOTR leader Tunde Adebimpe (a graduate of Shadyside Academy) and Kyp Malone (of Moon) first connected years before they would meet again in a chance encounter that ultimately brought Malone into the Brooklyn-based band.

If you missed them last time they passed through Mr. Small's before all the hype around Dear Science picked up, they'll be back around for you on May 11.

Random music news

In other words, I got nothin’.

P-G: River City Brass Band fighting to play on

Trib: Promoter eyes mid-size venue for Station Square

Trib: Bloomfield Bridge Tavern plans grand reopening

AP: Agreement reached on Internet music royalty rates

NY Mag: Leaked: New U2 Album

Wash Post: Why Digital Music Companies And The Labels Have So Much Trouble Getting Along

Download:
Modest Mouse - "Nothing New" (Mediafire link)

NIN announce tour with Jane’s Addiction

Fifteen years ago, Nine Inch Nails and Jane’s Addiction were easily among my top five bands. According to Trent Reznor, they’ll be joining forces for a tour this summer, with what sounds like all four original members of Jane’s. Trent writes on nin.com:

"I reached out to Jane's to see if they'd want to join us across the US and we all felt it could be a great thing. Will it work? Will it resonate in the marketplace? Who knows. Are there big record label marketing dollars to convince you to attend? Nope. Does it feel right to us and does it seem like it will be fun for us and you? Yes it does."

One more question: Will they come to the Burgh?

I think NIN at the Civic Arena was actually one of my first concerts sans parental chaperone. The Manson fans who there for the opening act totally freaked me out, and after the show we made a wrong turn and got lost in the Hill District while my then-16-year-old friend was driving with only his learner's permit. Good times.

Download one of my all-time favorite covers:
Jane’s Addiction – "Sympathy" (Mediafire link)

UPDATE: As of 2/24/09, it appears they will not be coming to Pittsburgh, or even Pennsylvania for that matter.