Thus far, I've seen Rilo Kiley twice and although they put on solid performances during those times, the show didn't really astound me or make me say, "Wow! Now this is a good band!" The likelihood of that happening was minimal for last night's show at the Grand, especially since this venue is just way massive and uncomfortable to be in. Why? I have no clue, but it just is. Kind of like the Concourse - it's just awkward.
Thus, with that in mind, my expectations for Rilo Kiley were pretty modest to begin with. I love all their albums, especially The Execution of All Things, so my like for them isn't casual by any means.
Feist opened up for Rilo Kiley and the crowd seem to like her a lot more now compared to her opening slot for Kings of Convenience. It sure helps to have a Juno award under your belt and some publicity, but she put on a good set for the 3 songs that I saw her perform. It wasn't that impressive, but it was not as boring or as dissonant as most other opening bands. She stood alone on stage, using an electric guitar for the songs I saw her perform. I assume she used an acoustic guitar as well, since there was one present by her side.
Rilo Kiley came on shortly thereafter to a thunderous ovation. They opened up with my favourite track from More Adventurous, "It's a Hit." The horns opening up the set livened up the crowd, kind of like how a bugle would rowdy up the French Foreign Legion. A couple more songs from More Adventurous were played, including "Portions for Foxes" and "Does He Love You?" I love "Does He Love You?" live because of Jenny's prolonged "I" towards the middle of the song. Tonight's version is way more upbeat and loud compared to the previous versions I saw.
More songs from More Adventurous were played, but Rilo Kiley also played 2 or 3 new songs as well. The first one was a typical Rilo Kiley song (yeah, I know, really good description), but the clincher for this song is when Blake, Pierre and Jason all sang in unison while sharing one mic. It's one of those cutesy moments of their set, and there were a lot of them. The other new song had the same gimmick, and it was quite good.
The only parts I didn't like from the Rilo Kiley set is when Blake sang. I don't know about his voice. I hate it. It's not bad, but it's far from good either. It's just so weak, and when he tries to make it stronger, like in "Ripchord," it just doesn't sound good.
However, Blake redeemed himself ten fold during Rilo Kiley's encore where they covered a Pete Townshend's "Let Love Open the Door." This song was done by Rilo Kiley, The Brunettes and Feist all on stage - so this super group formed. I've never heard of this song before, and I thought they were saying "Let Milo Open the Door," which made sense to me at that time. Blake sang lead vocals for this song, accompanied with some light percussions and him playing a ukelele. His voice and that ukelele reminded me of Tiny Tim, but that was quickly erased once the accompanying vocals were emitted.
Overall, this is probably the best Rilo Kiley show I've seen thus far. Of course, I wish they'd play more songs from Take Offs and Landings or at least play "Paint's Peeling" or "Science vs. Romance." Well, they did play "The Execution of All Things" which more than made up for any missing gaps in their set.
Beer Rating: 2 Beers
19 June 2005
14 June 2005
Doves (Fillmore, 13 June 2005)
Doves played an excellent set at the Fillmore tonight. With a packed house and plenty of booze a flowing and Mary Jane a smokin', the crowd was ready to see this established band play their new songs from the somewhat sub par Lost Cities and their classics. As you know, Doves cancelled their original date at the Fillmore because of lead singer Jimi Goodwin losing his voice. Well, his voice was fine and strong tonight - although he couldn't keep up with the final song as I will describe below.
Doves opened up with an instrumental whose title escapes me at the moment. Accompanying this instrumental was a phenomenal light show that is similar to Kasabian's set-up back at Slim's a few months ago. The Fillmore is a fantastic and beautiful venue, and with the lights shining as they were, you can see the rows of chandeliers at the top. It was a nice start to this set, and there was plenty more where that came from.
They opened up with "New York" from their second album, The Last Broadcast. Accompanying this song was another light spectacular and a video of archive footage from the 1930's and 1940's it seems like, with zepplins and huge cruise ships ala The Titanic. The white backdrop used to project images projected four images in almost an overlapping pattern. It was a nice touch, compared to the traditional one dimensional footage. "New York" was an appropriate start with the strong guitars and the booming drums that accompany it.
The next song, or maybe the one after, was off the new album Some Cities. "Black and White Town," which is their first single off the new album and my personal favourite was played the same way as "New York" with black and white video footage and a great light show. The keyboards, which sounds a lot like "Heatwave," was the highlight of this song.
More songs from Some Cities were played, but those songs didn't get as much loud reception as Doves' older songs such as "There Goes the Fear," which was played as the last song, or "Sea Song" from Lost Souls. The only "old" song that didn't get a good reception was "Last Broadcast," which seemed really dull and repetitive compared to the other songs that they were playing.
Throughout the set, Jimi thanked the crowd for their support throughout the years and how they were so excited to play the Fillmore.
The last song was "Cedar Room," which my friend was longing for the entire night. So was I, but it was a rather disappointing performance of this excellent song. Jimi's vocals were really slow for the fast pace of this song. His vocals seemed as if they were three steps behind, while the music and the backing vocals were three steps ahead. It got annoying to me, but the rest of the crowd didn't mind. It was a good song to end with, but I wished it was done better.
Overall, a great performance by Doves. Although they are good as they are, the accompaniment of the lights and the videos (especially the video for "There Goes the Fear") added so much more to the show.
Beer Rating: 2 Beers
Doves opened up with an instrumental whose title escapes me at the moment. Accompanying this instrumental was a phenomenal light show that is similar to Kasabian's set-up back at Slim's a few months ago. The Fillmore is a fantastic and beautiful venue, and with the lights shining as they were, you can see the rows of chandeliers at the top. It was a nice start to this set, and there was plenty more where that came from.
They opened up with "New York" from their second album, The Last Broadcast. Accompanying this song was another light spectacular and a video of archive footage from the 1930's and 1940's it seems like, with zepplins and huge cruise ships ala The Titanic. The white backdrop used to project images projected four images in almost an overlapping pattern. It was a nice touch, compared to the traditional one dimensional footage. "New York" was an appropriate start with the strong guitars and the booming drums that accompany it.
The next song, or maybe the one after, was off the new album Some Cities. "Black and White Town," which is their first single off the new album and my personal favourite was played the same way as "New York" with black and white video footage and a great light show. The keyboards, which sounds a lot like "Heatwave," was the highlight of this song.
More songs from Some Cities were played, but those songs didn't get as much loud reception as Doves' older songs such as "There Goes the Fear," which was played as the last song, or "Sea Song" from Lost Souls. The only "old" song that didn't get a good reception was "Last Broadcast," which seemed really dull and repetitive compared to the other songs that they were playing.
Throughout the set, Jimi thanked the crowd for their support throughout the years and how they were so excited to play the Fillmore.
The last song was "Cedar Room," which my friend was longing for the entire night. So was I, but it was a rather disappointing performance of this excellent song. Jimi's vocals were really slow for the fast pace of this song. His vocals seemed as if they were three steps behind, while the music and the backing vocals were three steps ahead. It got annoying to me, but the rest of the crowd didn't mind. It was a good song to end with, but I wished it was done better.
Overall, a great performance by Doves. Although they are good as they are, the accompaniment of the lights and the videos (especially the video for "There Goes the Fear") added so much more to the show.
Beer Rating: 2 Beers
13 June 2005
Gravy Train!!! / Hey Will Power (Cafe Du Nord, 11 June 2005)
So, the kids were out tonight yet again at Cafe Du Nord. I thought only Popscene attracted the hordes of kids with the black X on their hands. Well, there was a whole sea of them at the Gravy Train!!! and Hey Will Power show tonight. Which made me feel like an old fart because I am almost a decade older than some of these shorties. And there were a lot of short people tonight. Why? I have no clue. I hope the next generation of kids aren't fulfilling their USDA daily requirement of vitamins because they're not growing!
I arrived late because I think I just sold my server to Al Qaeda and had to show them how to use the server. It was around 11pm when I arrived which was fortunately just in time to see Hey Will Power. I have no idea how this band sounds like. I thought that they would sound a lot like Gravy Train with a bunch of basic beats and a lot of shouting. Kind of like Bis in the old days. And with an established artist like Will Schwartz from Imperial Teen at vocals, I thought this was going to be a synth rock spectacular. Well, it was synth based, but nobody ever prepared me for what I was about to see.
Hey Will Power consists of Mr. Schwartz, two dancers (guy and girl) and another guy manning the iBook and the synths. Schwartz's vocals and lyrics are reminiscent of the boy bands of yesteryear. This guy was like Justin Timberlake and his voice was awesome! The choreography was pretty good too, but don't expect anything like Janet Jackson or even Backstreet Boys precision in these dances. The dancing was utterly simple, but brilliantly executed. The matching outfits added that extra "umph" to this indie R&B spectacle. I enjoyed their set a lot, but I wondered whether they are ridiculing the current state of boy band R&B or are they just having fun and liking what they do. I'm still confused, but I think it's the latter. The kids loved it too.
Gravy Train!!! was next and these guys are just downright infectious. The last time I saw them at Oakland's Mile High Club, they were very entertaining, although I opted to stay behind rather than get myself tangled up in all the dancing and raucous kids. Well, this time I didn't feel so inhibited and just went right in with the crowd. I barely know any of their songs, but I did know one and that was enough for me to dance like a mad man. The crowd was so crazy (it's the craziest crowd I've ever at seen Cafe Du Nord) that members of Gravy Train!!! urged the folks to just take a few steps back so as to not squash the people in front. Well, despite doing that, the members of Gravy Train!!! kept on crowd surfing, so that really didn't help to quell the excitement.
All this dancing got me and my friends to want more dancing. We went to Arrow Bar as a last ditch effort for some dancing during Frisco Disco, but that was disappointing. We then continued dancing at my house and didn't fall asleep until 5am or so.
Overall, a truly fun night of dancing. I highly recommend seeing both bands.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
I arrived late because I think I just sold my server to Al Qaeda and had to show them how to use the server. It was around 11pm when I arrived which was fortunately just in time to see Hey Will Power. I have no idea how this band sounds like. I thought that they would sound a lot like Gravy Train with a bunch of basic beats and a lot of shouting. Kind of like Bis in the old days. And with an established artist like Will Schwartz from Imperial Teen at vocals, I thought this was going to be a synth rock spectacular. Well, it was synth based, but nobody ever prepared me for what I was about to see.
Hey Will Power consists of Mr. Schwartz, two dancers (guy and girl) and another guy manning the iBook and the synths. Schwartz's vocals and lyrics are reminiscent of the boy bands of yesteryear. This guy was like Justin Timberlake and his voice was awesome! The choreography was pretty good too, but don't expect anything like Janet Jackson or even Backstreet Boys precision in these dances. The dancing was utterly simple, but brilliantly executed. The matching outfits added that extra "umph" to this indie R&B spectacle. I enjoyed their set a lot, but I wondered whether they are ridiculing the current state of boy band R&B or are they just having fun and liking what they do. I'm still confused, but I think it's the latter. The kids loved it too.
Gravy Train!!! was next and these guys are just downright infectious. The last time I saw them at Oakland's Mile High Club, they were very entertaining, although I opted to stay behind rather than get myself tangled up in all the dancing and raucous kids. Well, this time I didn't feel so inhibited and just went right in with the crowd. I barely know any of their songs, but I did know one and that was enough for me to dance like a mad man. The crowd was so crazy (it's the craziest crowd I've ever at seen Cafe Du Nord) that members of Gravy Train!!! urged the folks to just take a few steps back so as to not squash the people in front. Well, despite doing that, the members of Gravy Train!!! kept on crowd surfing, so that really didn't help to quell the excitement.
All this dancing got me and my friends to want more dancing. We went to Arrow Bar as a last ditch effort for some dancing during Frisco Disco, but that was disappointing. We then continued dancing at my house and didn't fall asleep until 5am or so.
Overall, a truly fun night of dancing. I highly recommend seeing both bands.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
The National / Menomena / Robbers on High Street (Cafe Du Nord, 10 June 2005)
The weekend is back and I was determined to have a good time. This Friday was chock full of events. With this show at Cafe Du Nord featuring at least two good bands and possible dancing and rock star gazing over at Mezzanine for the BFD After Party, the night looked promising. The grand plan was to stop by Mezzanine at around 9:30pm to get our hand stamped so we can enter the BFD Afterparty for free and without wait. Then, after that, go to Cafe Du Nord and catch Robbers on High Street on. Then go back to Mezzanine.
Well, we got our hand stamp so we were all set with that.
Off we go to Cafe Du Nord where we were just in time to catch Robbers on High Street. This band opened up for several shows here in San Francisco - all of which I probably attended and all of which I definitely skipped Robbers on High Street. Not that I hate the band, but they never really caught my interest until I heard one of their songs in a Filter free CD. The song, whose title I forget, was alright and it had that "happy" piano beat to it which was good enough to catch my attention.
Robbers on High Street were alright, but it was odd for me to figure out why they would put these guys on the same bill as The National. If the schtick was to put bands that start off as progressively happy and cheery and end the show with a band that is the complete antithesis of that previous genre, then by all means it worked. Robbers on High Street attracted more people than The National apparently. I don't know why, but I figure it's because the songs are more appealing to the folks at Cafe Du Nord that night compared to The National. Overall, Robbers on High Street were solid, with Ben Trokan providing solid vocals and the occassional "happy piano" for these New Yorkers. The songs were well received by the crowd and everyone seemed pleased by it.
Menomena followed Robbers on High Street much to my surprise. I thought these guys went on already, just because I wanted to go dancing immediately, but oh well. Menomena (not to be confused with Phenomenauts (a rap group) or Mesothelioma (the cancer from asbestos)), these Portland, Oregon based trio perform multiple instruments and create some experimental noise. I've never heard of them, so I was open to listening to a new band. Well, they didn't really do much for me. I guess I wasn't feeling "experimental indie" that night, but I can see why this band could be good. My friend thinks they're good, but I beg to slightly differ. Regardless, they bored me so I proceeded to stay back and down some Newcastles.
The National came on after 12am after taking a hell of a long time setting up and doing soundcheck. Their 2003 release, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, is apparently very good although I'm only familiar with their most recent release, Alligator. Matt Berringer's vocals are very good, and it even translated well live. The band seemed to be pretty solid with the brothers Devendorf to be in full sync with one another. However, I didn't enjoy their set and I was falling asleep at this point. It's a combination of being tired from a long work week, the number of beers imbibed and my craving to do some dancing (just to wake me up at least). This should be expected since The National isn't exactly "happy piano" music like Robbers or even experimental like Menomena. Their brand of music is super mellow, meshing in some properties of Brit rock and then some indie country jangles. This brand of mellowness was almost a lullaby to me.
We left mid-set, so we can at least get some dancing going on at Mezzanine. One friend of mine thought The National were utter shit live, but still liked their releases. Some bands just don't translate well live, and The National were one of them.
Well, the Mezzanine party was dead after 1:30am and all that was left there were the Foo Fighter crowd. Although the sight of members of Ash somewhat made up for the lack of beautiful people in the crowd, and not to mention decent music to dance to (stop with the mash-ups already!), the BFD night was disappointing. Thank goodness I didn't pay to get in there.
Beer Rating: 4 Beers
Well, we got our hand stamp so we were all set with that.
Off we go to Cafe Du Nord where we were just in time to catch Robbers on High Street. This band opened up for several shows here in San Francisco - all of which I probably attended and all of which I definitely skipped Robbers on High Street. Not that I hate the band, but they never really caught my interest until I heard one of their songs in a Filter free CD. The song, whose title I forget, was alright and it had that "happy" piano beat to it which was good enough to catch my attention.
Robbers on High Street were alright, but it was odd for me to figure out why they would put these guys on the same bill as The National. If the schtick was to put bands that start off as progressively happy and cheery and end the show with a band that is the complete antithesis of that previous genre, then by all means it worked. Robbers on High Street attracted more people than The National apparently. I don't know why, but I figure it's because the songs are more appealing to the folks at Cafe Du Nord that night compared to The National. Overall, Robbers on High Street were solid, with Ben Trokan providing solid vocals and the occassional "happy piano" for these New Yorkers. The songs were well received by the crowd and everyone seemed pleased by it.
Menomena followed Robbers on High Street much to my surprise. I thought these guys went on already, just because I wanted to go dancing immediately, but oh well. Menomena (not to be confused with Phenomenauts (a rap group) or Mesothelioma (the cancer from asbestos)), these Portland, Oregon based trio perform multiple instruments and create some experimental noise. I've never heard of them, so I was open to listening to a new band. Well, they didn't really do much for me. I guess I wasn't feeling "experimental indie" that night, but I can see why this band could be good. My friend thinks they're good, but I beg to slightly differ. Regardless, they bored me so I proceeded to stay back and down some Newcastles.
The National came on after 12am after taking a hell of a long time setting up and doing soundcheck. Their 2003 release, Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, is apparently very good although I'm only familiar with their most recent release, Alligator. Matt Berringer's vocals are very good, and it even translated well live. The band seemed to be pretty solid with the brothers Devendorf to be in full sync with one another. However, I didn't enjoy their set and I was falling asleep at this point. It's a combination of being tired from a long work week, the number of beers imbibed and my craving to do some dancing (just to wake me up at least). This should be expected since The National isn't exactly "happy piano" music like Robbers or even experimental like Menomena. Their brand of music is super mellow, meshing in some properties of Brit rock and then some indie country jangles. This brand of mellowness was almost a lullaby to me.
We left mid-set, so we can at least get some dancing going on at Mezzanine. One friend of mine thought The National were utter shit live, but still liked their releases. Some bands just don't translate well live, and The National were one of them.
Well, the Mezzanine party was dead after 1:30am and all that was left there were the Foo Fighter crowd. Although the sight of members of Ash somewhat made up for the lack of beautiful people in the crowd, and not to mention decent music to dance to (stop with the mash-ups already!), the BFD night was disappointing. Thank goodness I didn't pay to get in there.
Beer Rating: 4 Beers
04 June 2005
Out Hud (Bottom of the Hill, 3 June 2005)
I have to be honest, I wasn't really feeling like going to a show tonight. I just wanted to relax for a bit and then go all out on Saturday or Sunday. I also had a lot of things to take care of, so it would have been nice to get Friday evening off. Alas, I go to the show. I have no regrets in going to see Out Hud, but it would have been better if I was a bit more into it.
Out Hud has a great album out called Let Us Never Speak of it Again. In it, they have some of their most outstanding songs to date. I also here that they put on a good show, enticing the crowd to dance and just get krrrazy.
No falsity in the advertising here. They came on close to midnight and played an electrifying set to a sold out crowd. Although they were in dire need of towels in the beginning, they got into the groove by playing some of the better songs in their recent release and a couple from S.T.R.E.E.T.D.A.D. like "This Bum's Paid."
Songs like "It's For You" with its awesome drum beats and that weird noise intertwined in there kept the crowd alive and hopping. The subtle female vocals were perfect, although it could have been better than perfect if it weren't for the sound that Bottom of the Hill is notorious for. As much as I wanted to stay to enjoy this song, I had to go outside since the restrooms were blocked.
See, all of this would have been great if I were into it. I was just tired and my friends weren't into it either. I felt like I was going to be into it, but that quickly went away. I don't blame Out Hud for this, but it's just my own quirk. Out Hud put on a great show, and I would have enjoyed it more if I were into it.
Beer Rating: 3.5 Beers
Out Hud has a great album out called Let Us Never Speak of it Again. In it, they have some of their most outstanding songs to date. I also here that they put on a good show, enticing the crowd to dance and just get krrrazy.
No falsity in the advertising here. They came on close to midnight and played an electrifying set to a sold out crowd. Although they were in dire need of towels in the beginning, they got into the groove by playing some of the better songs in their recent release and a couple from S.T.R.E.E.T.D.A.D. like "This Bum's Paid."
Songs like "It's For You" with its awesome drum beats and that weird noise intertwined in there kept the crowd alive and hopping. The subtle female vocals were perfect, although it could have been better than perfect if it weren't for the sound that Bottom of the Hill is notorious for. As much as I wanted to stay to enjoy this song, I had to go outside since the restrooms were blocked.
See, all of this would have been great if I were into it. I was just tired and my friends weren't into it either. I felt like I was going to be into it, but that quickly went away. I don't blame Out Hud for this, but it's just my own quirk. Out Hud put on a great show, and I would have enjoyed it more if I were into it.
Beer Rating: 3.5 Beers
02 June 2005
Bloc Party (Fillmore, 1 June 2005)
The Bloc Party overkill continues as I again venture to see them at a larger venue this time. See, I wouldn't have gone to this show, but I figure I already paid for the ticket (this one I got before Slim's) and I'm meeting friends there. I was so tired that night, and was not in the mood to see a show. But, like the gung ho individual that I am, I went.
I caught the very end of the second act, Kiss Me Deadly, which is a group from Montreal. One of my favourite places in this hemisphere. They were alright, the girl's voice is kinda annoying and weird, but the musicians and the music itself was pretty good.
Bloc Party came on right at 10:30pm like last night. It was nice to see these guys in different clothes, especially since most bands have their "stage clothes" usually one (see Coldplay and Arcade Fire). They started off the same, they played Banquet as the third song, and the last song they played was also the same as last night's.
They played 2 or 3 additional songs. I think they were both new, but then again I don't own the entire discography.
As you can tell from this review, everything was pretty much the same as last night's show. With the exception of them stopping their second song, "Positive Tension," 3/4 of the way through because of a fight that happened in front of the band. Okereke just stopped the set and said, "What the fuck is going on?" So, yeah, that was the only difference.
This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the show. "Banquet" continues to be a great song to listen to and still keeps my feet shuffling. They are just a solid band all around and this long road trip they are having will make them even better musicians and, hopefully, more prolific songwriters.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
I caught the very end of the second act, Kiss Me Deadly, which is a group from Montreal. One of my favourite places in this hemisphere. They were alright, the girl's voice is kinda annoying and weird, but the musicians and the music itself was pretty good.
Bloc Party came on right at 10:30pm like last night. It was nice to see these guys in different clothes, especially since most bands have their "stage clothes" usually one (see Coldplay and Arcade Fire). They started off the same, they played Banquet as the third song, and the last song they played was also the same as last night's.
They played 2 or 3 additional songs. I think they were both new, but then again I don't own the entire discography.
As you can tell from this review, everything was pretty much the same as last night's show. With the exception of them stopping their second song, "Positive Tension," 3/4 of the way through because of a fight that happened in front of the band. Okereke just stopped the set and said, "What the fuck is going on?" So, yeah, that was the only difference.
This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the show. "Banquet" continues to be a great song to listen to and still keeps my feet shuffling. They are just a solid band all around and this long road trip they are having will make them even better musicians and, hopefully, more prolific songwriters.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
01 June 2005
Bloc Party (Slim's, 31 May 2005)
This is the third time I've seen Bloc Party. Once at Bottom of the Hill, the other time at Coachella, and now at Slim's. This is the make-up show for the Popscene performance that was cancelled because singer Kele Okereke lost his voice. Well, his voice was alive and well, and so were the rest of Bloc Party who provided a solid set and some entertaining banter.
I missed the first opening band but caught Oakland's very own Death of a Party. They sucked. The lead singer sounded like Steve Bays from Hot Hot Heat and some of their songs sounded like Moving Units. However, they were nothing like Hot Hot Heat or Moving Units. Although they have the look - with the drummer having the greatest hair imaginable - they just didn't do it for me.
A little after 10:30pm, Bloc Party came on and opened with "Like Eating Glass." This ignited the crowd and a mini-mosh/hop pit formed in the front middle. That small pit became one large hole when third song "Banquet" came on. Okereke improvised on the lyrics with this song, which I'm sure they are dead tired playing on stage. After the raucous that "Banquet" caused, the band played a "slow jam" and calmed the crowd down with "Blue Light."
At one point during the show, a woman threw her bra on stage to Okereke. Kele then brought it over to drummer Matt Tong. While the crowd and the rest of Bloc Party cheered on Matt to put on the bra, he didn't. Although he did place it on his, yet again, bare and semi-hairy chest, he immediately placed it back on the speaker adjacent to his drums. Another entertaining moment was when Kele and bass player Gordon Moakes were constantly walking on the stage, with Kele encircling Jonny Greenwood wannabe Russell. A stage diver was also present, which pissed off Gordon at the end of the set.
They played three encores. "Price of Gas" was the first one, with Kele pointing the mic to the crowd as they chanted the chorus. The second was a song requested by a member of the audience. I'm not sure what it was, but it started with an "S" apparently. The last song was "So Here We Are." At least I think that was the last song. It was beautifully done.
So, another show at the Fillmore tomorrow. Let's see what these guys can do a second time around. I know I'm going to get sick of these guys soon.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
I missed the first opening band but caught Oakland's very own Death of a Party. They sucked. The lead singer sounded like Steve Bays from Hot Hot Heat and some of their songs sounded like Moving Units. However, they were nothing like Hot Hot Heat or Moving Units. Although they have the look - with the drummer having the greatest hair imaginable - they just didn't do it for me.
A little after 10:30pm, Bloc Party came on and opened with "Like Eating Glass." This ignited the crowd and a mini-mosh/hop pit formed in the front middle. That small pit became one large hole when third song "Banquet" came on. Okereke improvised on the lyrics with this song, which I'm sure they are dead tired playing on stage. After the raucous that "Banquet" caused, the band played a "slow jam" and calmed the crowd down with "Blue Light."
At one point during the show, a woman threw her bra on stage to Okereke. Kele then brought it over to drummer Matt Tong. While the crowd and the rest of Bloc Party cheered on Matt to put on the bra, he didn't. Although he did place it on his, yet again, bare and semi-hairy chest, he immediately placed it back on the speaker adjacent to his drums. Another entertaining moment was when Kele and bass player Gordon Moakes were constantly walking on the stage, with Kele encircling Jonny Greenwood wannabe Russell. A stage diver was also present, which pissed off Gordon at the end of the set.
They played three encores. "Price of Gas" was the first one, with Kele pointing the mic to the crowd as they chanted the chorus. The second was a song requested by a member of the audience. I'm not sure what it was, but it started with an "S" apparently. The last song was "So Here We Are." At least I think that was the last song. It was beautifully done.
So, another show at the Fillmore tomorrow. Let's see what these guys can do a second time around. I know I'm going to get sick of these guys soon.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
27 May 2005
Stereo Total (Bimbo's, 26 May 2005)
There's something to be said about starting your show off on the right foot.
Stereo Total came tonight at Bimbo's with an audience full of beautiful people ready to dance. I mean, they were ready to dance! They were talking about it. prepping for it, and, most importantly, dressed for it. All their releases are very dancey. As Brezel Goring, the German half of Stereo Total, said to the crowd, "We are Stereo Total and we play dancey, disco, rock . . . rockabilly..." Well, he said something to that extent (he spoke too damn fast), but you get the drift.
Stereo Total started their set with three songs that were somewhat off. I just didn't get the vibe from these guys. I was perfectly still, although the drum machine was kicking and the synths and other gadgets in full effect. I can't pinpoint the reason why they started off that way, or why I felt that way, but they just did.
The show didn't get really lively until they were accompanied by their sidekick. I don't know who he is, but he sounded and acted like Kickin' Pele from The Hives. He was maniacal, he was crazy, he was just plain stupid and insane. But you know what? He was the jolt I needed. Stereo Total also played songs that I recognized at this point, including my personal favourite "L'Amour a Trois." For this song, not only was the extra member acting like a lunatic on speed, but they also had help from a lady in the audience doing some dancing. Granted, she didn't really add anything to the song or the atmosphere, but for some reason it hyped me up a bit.
From that point on, things got better. They played more songs from their new album, Do the Bambi, including the title track. More classic tracks were played, especially another favourite, "Supergirl." They also did off-beat covers such as Frank Sinatra's "My Way" and a Rolling Stones song that escapes me at the moment.
My friends were bored out of their mind for this show, even one declaring it the worst show of all time because Stereo Total had "no talent" whatsoever. Which is not really a stretch considering they barely played any instruments and everything was based on a recording. It was like karaoke with background props. But, it didn't dissuade me from enjoying the show. I even went back into the venue only to find them being accompanied by hordes of audience members dancing on stage. I think they did this for two songs, the last being a song about hating the disco.
By the way, there's this weird looking woman dancing on stage who constantly gave the audience members the finger. What a dimwit.
Anyways, slow start but it was a good finish.
Beer Rating: 3.5 Beers
Stereo Total came tonight at Bimbo's with an audience full of beautiful people ready to dance. I mean, they were ready to dance! They were talking about it. prepping for it, and, most importantly, dressed for it. All their releases are very dancey. As Brezel Goring, the German half of Stereo Total, said to the crowd, "We are Stereo Total and we play dancey, disco, rock . . . rockabilly..." Well, he said something to that extent (he spoke too damn fast), but you get the drift.
Stereo Total started their set with three songs that were somewhat off. I just didn't get the vibe from these guys. I was perfectly still, although the drum machine was kicking and the synths and other gadgets in full effect. I can't pinpoint the reason why they started off that way, or why I felt that way, but they just did.
The show didn't get really lively until they were accompanied by their sidekick. I don't know who he is, but he sounded and acted like Kickin' Pele from The Hives. He was maniacal, he was crazy, he was just plain stupid and insane. But you know what? He was the jolt I needed. Stereo Total also played songs that I recognized at this point, including my personal favourite "L'Amour a Trois." For this song, not only was the extra member acting like a lunatic on speed, but they also had help from a lady in the audience doing some dancing. Granted, she didn't really add anything to the song or the atmosphere, but for some reason it hyped me up a bit.
From that point on, things got better. They played more songs from their new album, Do the Bambi, including the title track. More classic tracks were played, especially another favourite, "Supergirl." They also did off-beat covers such as Frank Sinatra's "My Way" and a Rolling Stones song that escapes me at the moment.
My friends were bored out of their mind for this show, even one declaring it the worst show of all time because Stereo Total had "no talent" whatsoever. Which is not really a stretch considering they barely played any instruments and everything was based on a recording. It was like karaoke with background props. But, it didn't dissuade me from enjoying the show. I even went back into the venue only to find them being accompanied by hordes of audience members dancing on stage. I think they did this for two songs, the last being a song about hating the disco.
By the way, there's this weird looking woman dancing on stage who constantly gave the audience members the finger. What a dimwit.
Anyways, slow start but it was a good finish.
Beer Rating: 3.5 Beers
26 May 2005
Architecture in Helsinki (Cafe Du Nord, 25 May 2005)
As I type this, Architecture in Helsinki is still playing their set. Probably at their encore by now.
I thought they were coming on at 10:30 p.m., like what the Cafe Du Nord guy said. With that in mind, I arrived at 10pm only to be surprised to see Still Flyin', the opening band with 16 different members, still playing.
Eh, I don't know. After that I drank too much and then started to get sleepy and tired. Then I drove home.
Well, I can at least tell you how the show was.
Still Flyin' is this weird 16 member band who plays songs that sound kind of reggae-ish. For a lack of a better comparison. They were alright, but it is absolutely pointless to have 16 members in a band (N.B. I don't know whether there are 16 members, it just seemed like it was) when all they did was (1) dance like Bez or (2) act like supporting singers when their voices are shite to begin with. Nonetheless, they were mildly entertaining, but not entertaining enough to lure me and Randy away from the bar and order more Heinekens.
Architecture came on at around 11:15pm. By this time, I already drank way more than I should (I didn't eat dinner tonight) and I was getting pretty tipsy and tired. They were good though, for the 5-6 songs I saw them perform. However, the crowd was just too packed, the stage too low, and the "Land of the Tall" people came out in full force. Not that I'm short in stature, but I can't compete with guys 6'2" tall. They played some stuff from their new album, and some older stuff from Fingers Crossed. But they were quite dynamic and provided good harmonies.
But I was just tired and needed to go home. So, I went home at around midnight.
I really can't rate this show, since it'll be unfair to do so. But, what the hell? I'm kinda tipsy right now and I'll rate it anyways.
Beer Rating: 4 Beers
I thought they were coming on at 10:30 p.m., like what the Cafe Du Nord guy said. With that in mind, I arrived at 10pm only to be surprised to see Still Flyin', the opening band with 16 different members, still playing.
Eh, I don't know. After that I drank too much and then started to get sleepy and tired. Then I drove home.
Well, I can at least tell you how the show was.
Still Flyin' is this weird 16 member band who plays songs that sound kind of reggae-ish. For a lack of a better comparison. They were alright, but it is absolutely pointless to have 16 members in a band (N.B. I don't know whether there are 16 members, it just seemed like it was) when all they did was (1) dance like Bez or (2) act like supporting singers when their voices are shite to begin with. Nonetheless, they were mildly entertaining, but not entertaining enough to lure me and Randy away from the bar and order more Heinekens.
Architecture came on at around 11:15pm. By this time, I already drank way more than I should (I didn't eat dinner tonight) and I was getting pretty tipsy and tired. They were good though, for the 5-6 songs I saw them perform. However, the crowd was just too packed, the stage too low, and the "Land of the Tall" people came out in full force. Not that I'm short in stature, but I can't compete with guys 6'2" tall. They played some stuff from their new album, and some older stuff from Fingers Crossed. But they were quite dynamic and provided good harmonies.
But I was just tired and needed to go home. So, I went home at around midnight.
I really can't rate this show, since it'll be unfair to do so. But, what the hell? I'm kinda tipsy right now and I'll rate it anyways.
Beer Rating: 4 Beers
19 May 2005
Eats Tapes (The Element Lounge, 17 May 2005)
I've never heard of Eats Tapes. When my friend Jen told me to come see them, she promised me lots of dancing. How can I pass up a show with lots of dancing? So, I didn't and went.
The Element is this lounge in the 'Loin, on Geary between Van Ness and Polk. I've never been there myself, and had to consult Verizon 411 to figure out the street address. Little did I know that I was standing in front of the lounge when the operator told me the address. So, I go in there and it's pretty good lounge. Good space, with this sunken seating area in the rear, and huge bathrooms. The mix drinks were good too. My Grey Goose and Cran was smooth as silk, although they charged a whopping $8 for one. Ouch! I should have stuck with the $2 PBR special but that's just like drinking piss.
The crowd was a diverse mix of hip-hop breakers, local scenesters, hipsters and art students. There's even one misguided Asian tourist in there who probably just stopped by to see what was up with all the good sounds from the inside. The breakers in there were doing some crazy moves. They seemed like contortionists from the circus rather than "normal" individuals. There's one guy with only one leg and he was the best of the lot.
Eats Tapes came on at around 11pm. They are a boy and girl duo. Their gear (and there was a lot of it) were situated in this sunken table and they kneeled on foam cushions throughout the night whilst they were twiddling with their gizmos. They are all electronic, no vocals, and their sound is akin to Chemical Brothers (sans the "block rockin' beats"), Daft Punk (without the repetitiveness), and Boards of Canada (although less boring).
One thing though is that they were good and dancey. My friend Jen was all over the place dancing to these guys, as well as many others in the small but spacious confines. Not wanting to feel left out, I danced too and the beats were perfect. Not one moment was spent not nodding my head or moving my feet with the beat. They played for a good 30 or so minutes, and provided one encore that was just way too fast for me to dance to. If it isn't 3/4 or 4/8, I can't do it. I'm just not that coordinated enough.
A good night. Not bad for a Tuesday. Definitely check these guys out when you can.
Beer Rating: 2.5 Beers
The Element is this lounge in the 'Loin, on Geary between Van Ness and Polk. I've never been there myself, and had to consult Verizon 411 to figure out the street address. Little did I know that I was standing in front of the lounge when the operator told me the address. So, I go in there and it's pretty good lounge. Good space, with this sunken seating area in the rear, and huge bathrooms. The mix drinks were good too. My Grey Goose and Cran was smooth as silk, although they charged a whopping $8 for one. Ouch! I should have stuck with the $2 PBR special but that's just like drinking piss.
The crowd was a diverse mix of hip-hop breakers, local scenesters, hipsters and art students. There's even one misguided Asian tourist in there who probably just stopped by to see what was up with all the good sounds from the inside. The breakers in there were doing some crazy moves. They seemed like contortionists from the circus rather than "normal" individuals. There's one guy with only one leg and he was the best of the lot.
Eats Tapes came on at around 11pm. They are a boy and girl duo. Their gear (and there was a lot of it) were situated in this sunken table and they kneeled on foam cushions throughout the night whilst they were twiddling with their gizmos. They are all electronic, no vocals, and their sound is akin to Chemical Brothers (sans the "block rockin' beats"), Daft Punk (without the repetitiveness), and Boards of Canada (although less boring).
One thing though is that they were good and dancey. My friend Jen was all over the place dancing to these guys, as well as many others in the small but spacious confines. Not wanting to feel left out, I danced too and the beats were perfect. Not one moment was spent not nodding my head or moving my feet with the beat. They played for a good 30 or so minutes, and provided one encore that was just way too fast for me to dance to. If it isn't 3/4 or 4/8, I can't do it. I'm just not that coordinated enough.
A good night. Not bad for a Tuesday. Definitely check these guys out when you can.
Beer Rating: 2.5 Beers
15 May 2005
LCD Soundsystem / M.I.A. (The Fillmore, 14 May 2005)
I have to admit, I didn't think much of M.I.A. or LCD Soundsystem when their albums came out. Both groups received a lot of pre-album press and hype which I thought, at that time, was a bit overblown. M.I.A.'s sound is a bit odd when first listening because it's very . . . I don't know . . . British Pakistani? Kind of like The Streets where the spoken word bit throws me off since I'm just used to rap where there is a melody and the person is rapping with the melody rather than doing spoken word. Same thing with LCD Soundsystem. I got their album and wasn't too into it other than for "Daft Punk is Playing in My House."
But, with all things, I kept on listening to these artists and I began to like them. So much so that I had to see if their live performances were any good.
M.I.A. came on around 9:30 and started off with a hilarious mini film about our dumb ass President and Prime Minister Tony Blair in a press conference. I caught the tail end of it, but even that part was hilarious where the President was tongue tied and Tony Blair had to step in. This was real footage, albeit edited for comedy purposes.
M.I.A.'s set was terribly short - only 30 minutes. Granted, she doesn't have much stuff, but I expected something much longer. They started right off the bat with "Pull Up the People" which drove the crowd mad. Throughout the set, M.I.A. engaged the crowd great with her hand movements and this dance that is akin to slapping someone in the arse. It was pretty hilarious! Cherry, M.I.A.'s sidekick, was just tremendous! Very talented and she can sing. She can actually do her own thing if she really wanted to. Finally, Diplo was on the turntables mixing it up for the crowd and keeping it lively for M.I.A.
Diplo chose to make most of the sounds in the live show from the infamous Piracy Funds Terrorism CD. For example, in parts of "Bingo," that familiar whistle sound was in there. I forgot which rapper actually has that sound in their album. Another one is starting off "China Girl" with the Eurythmic's "Sweet Dreams." It was very good and the crowd ate it up.
Diplo mixed things up really well and M.I.A. and Cherry just engaged the crowd. At one point, M.I.A. and Diplo were giving shout outs to the different cities in the Bay Area, such as San Francisco and Oakland. When pressed for a third city, Diplo said, "I don't know. Berkeley?" which got a huge applause. Although the set was really short, they played a good chunk of M.I.A.'s Arular such as "Galang," "Sun Shower," and "Fire Fire." All of which were brilliantly played.
After a 45 minute wait, LCD Soundsystem came on. Mr. DFA himself was present and his band really surprised me. The beats that they belted out gave me the biggest mindfuck - I didn't realize that they were that good. I found myself dancing and bobbing my head throughout LCD Soundsystem's set. They played "Daft Punk..." pretty early in the set with the crowd surprised at how early this song was. They wanted to cheer, but the sound from the percussions drowned them all out.
James Murphy can really belt them out. His rough voice was the perfect accomniment for the booming noise emitted by the other members. "Tribulations" is my favourite song on the album and my favourite song that they played live. It got me dancing hard core, and others around me were doing the same. From "Tribulations" on, LCD Soundsystem simply blew me away with their booming sound and the constant banging of the cowbell. Sometimes, their songs sounded a lot like the Rapture - so much so that I thought every song was "House of Jealous Lovers."
I think the songs that followed "Tribultaions" included "Movement." I forgot what the other ones were.
They also did a cover of Souxsie Sioux's "Slowdive." I've never heard of this song, but their rendition of it didn't sound too great.
Otherwise, banging, banging and banging percussions, complete with cow bell and congo drums.
Overall, a great bill. It was if I picked this line up too!
M.I.A. = 1.5 Beers
LCD Soundsystem: 1.75 Beers
But, with all things, I kept on listening to these artists and I began to like them. So much so that I had to see if their live performances were any good.
M.I.A. came on around 9:30 and started off with a hilarious mini film about our dumb ass President and Prime Minister Tony Blair in a press conference. I caught the tail end of it, but even that part was hilarious where the President was tongue tied and Tony Blair had to step in. This was real footage, albeit edited for comedy purposes.
M.I.A.'s set was terribly short - only 30 minutes. Granted, she doesn't have much stuff, but I expected something much longer. They started right off the bat with "Pull Up the People" which drove the crowd mad. Throughout the set, M.I.A. engaged the crowd great with her hand movements and this dance that is akin to slapping someone in the arse. It was pretty hilarious! Cherry, M.I.A.'s sidekick, was just tremendous! Very talented and she can sing. She can actually do her own thing if she really wanted to. Finally, Diplo was on the turntables mixing it up for the crowd and keeping it lively for M.I.A.
Diplo chose to make most of the sounds in the live show from the infamous Piracy Funds Terrorism CD. For example, in parts of "Bingo," that familiar whistle sound was in there. I forgot which rapper actually has that sound in their album. Another one is starting off "China Girl" with the Eurythmic's "Sweet Dreams." It was very good and the crowd ate it up.
Diplo mixed things up really well and M.I.A. and Cherry just engaged the crowd. At one point, M.I.A. and Diplo were giving shout outs to the different cities in the Bay Area, such as San Francisco and Oakland. When pressed for a third city, Diplo said, "I don't know. Berkeley?" which got a huge applause. Although the set was really short, they played a good chunk of M.I.A.'s Arular such as "Galang," "Sun Shower," and "Fire Fire." All of which were brilliantly played.
After a 45 minute wait, LCD Soundsystem came on. Mr. DFA himself was present and his band really surprised me. The beats that they belted out gave me the biggest mindfuck - I didn't realize that they were that good. I found myself dancing and bobbing my head throughout LCD Soundsystem's set. They played "Daft Punk..." pretty early in the set with the crowd surprised at how early this song was. They wanted to cheer, but the sound from the percussions drowned them all out.
James Murphy can really belt them out. His rough voice was the perfect accomniment for the booming noise emitted by the other members. "Tribulations" is my favourite song on the album and my favourite song that they played live. It got me dancing hard core, and others around me were doing the same. From "Tribulations" on, LCD Soundsystem simply blew me away with their booming sound and the constant banging of the cowbell. Sometimes, their songs sounded a lot like the Rapture - so much so that I thought every song was "House of Jealous Lovers."
I think the songs that followed "Tribultaions" included "Movement." I forgot what the other ones were.
They also did a cover of Souxsie Sioux's "Slowdive." I've never heard of this song, but their rendition of it didn't sound too great.
Otherwise, banging, banging and banging percussions, complete with cow bell and congo drums.
Overall, a great bill. It was if I picked this line up too!
M.I.A. = 1.5 Beers
LCD Soundsystem: 1.75 Beers
The Dont's (Lipo Lounge, 13 May 2005)
Lipo Lounge is a weird place. It's clientele is pretty much a grab bag of scenesters, hipsters, *normal* people and old Chinese men. The bartenders are two Chinese men - one who can barely hear anything and the other one makes a mean vodka cran. Downstairs is this makeshift underground, cavernous place where local bands come and play. It's a small hole in the wall, about the size of one's garage, and it is creepy as fuck.
So, my friend Joe's band, The Dont's, are playing with three other local bands in this Chinese mafia hideout (as Jonny Don't said.) It's hard for me to describe how The Dont's sound like. They are an indie band with that college sound to them. The singer, Jonny Don'n't has great stage presence. He engages the crowd a lot and he plays with the megaphone a lot. Joe is the guitarist and a real good one at that. Unlike Jonny, he's the "shy" person of the group. JJ is the bass player and Ken bangs out the drums.
Like my other friend's band, The Otherside, I don't know much of The Dont's material. I do know this really catchy song called "Sissy Resist" which is my personal favourite. They played it tonight and I thought they re-made it. I asked Joe after the gig and he said it's the same "Sissy Resist" they always played. Funny, I thought it was different, less faster than when they played it at Edinburgh Castle ages ago.
Jonny Dont loves that megaphone. He was using that thing pretty much for all the songs played. The sound was pretty good despite the location of the gig and there were a good amount of people supporting the band. The last three songs played were the best. The first of the three involved a cow bell (which makes any song that much better) while the other two are just nice indie rock tracks. Again, I wish I knew the titles to these songs, or could describe them better.
Overall, very good performance. Definitely check them out if you get a chance.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
So, my friend Joe's band, The Dont's, are playing with three other local bands in this Chinese mafia hideout (as Jonny Don't said.) It's hard for me to describe how The Dont's sound like. They are an indie band with that college sound to them. The singer, Jonny Don'n't has great stage presence. He engages the crowd a lot and he plays with the megaphone a lot. Joe is the guitarist and a real good one at that. Unlike Jonny, he's the "shy" person of the group. JJ is the bass player and Ken bangs out the drums.
Like my other friend's band, The Otherside, I don't know much of The Dont's material. I do know this really catchy song called "Sissy Resist" which is my personal favourite. They played it tonight and I thought they re-made it. I asked Joe after the gig and he said it's the same "Sissy Resist" they always played. Funny, I thought it was different, less faster than when they played it at Edinburgh Castle ages ago.
Jonny Dont loves that megaphone. He was using that thing pretty much for all the songs played. The sound was pretty good despite the location of the gig and there were a good amount of people supporting the band. The last three songs played were the best. The first of the three involved a cow bell (which makes any song that much better) while the other two are just nice indie rock tracks. Again, I wish I knew the titles to these songs, or could describe them better.
Overall, very good performance. Definitely check them out if you get a chance.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
14 May 2005
Supersystem (Popscene, 12 May 2005)
After Ivy, I took a cab over to Popscene to meet up with friends. I forgot that Supersystem was playing and a DJ set by Mr. LCD Soundsystem himself was in order later that evening.
Well, my friend from DC didn't show up and my other friends showed up close to midnight. As I was nursing my Heineken, I sat down and took in the atmosphere. I was dead tired, and some moment alone was definitely needed. Supersystem came on at around 11pm and they got the crowd hopping from the get go. I'm not that familiar with anything they've released, but after listening to them (I didn't see them at all since I was very, very far away), I think I'll pick up their CD.
Their sound is a lot like !!! or LCD Soundsystem. Very dancey, with a bit of rock and some percussion for some spice. Once my friends arrived, their last song was being played. We went to the dance floor and danced and we were in perfect sync with the song. It was really good to dance to, despite us not knowing what the hell is being played. We were actually disappointed that they had to go, because the crowd was really getting into them. That's a rarity at Popscene since most of the audience wants the band to leave so they can dance to The Smiths.
Very surprising.
Beer Rating: 2.75 Beers
Well, my friend from DC didn't show up and my other friends showed up close to midnight. As I was nursing my Heineken, I sat down and took in the atmosphere. I was dead tired, and some moment alone was definitely needed. Supersystem came on at around 11pm and they got the crowd hopping from the get go. I'm not that familiar with anything they've released, but after listening to them (I didn't see them at all since I was very, very far away), I think I'll pick up their CD.
Their sound is a lot like !!! or LCD Soundsystem. Very dancey, with a bit of rock and some percussion for some spice. Once my friends arrived, their last song was being played. We went to the dance floor and danced and we were in perfect sync with the song. It was really good to dance to, despite us not knowing what the hell is being played. We were actually disappointed that they had to go, because the crowd was really getting into them. That's a rarity at Popscene since most of the audience wants the band to leave so they can dance to The Smiths.
Very surprising.
Beer Rating: 2.75 Beers
Ivy (Slim's, 12 May 2005)
Thursday was one hell of a day for me. I reported to work early and immediatley started doing work right when my computer booted up. Then, at 4:30, I was informed that I am attending a meeting with a bunch of lawyers in Oakland. I wasn't wearing anything remotely lawyerly (jeans and a shirt), thus I ran to the Gap and spent $130 for a damn shirt, slacks, a belt and an inside shirt. Then headed over to Payless to buy some bunk black shoes to match the outfit. I made the meeting on time. And then, to make matters worse, I went back to work after the meeting and left at around 9:30pm. And I had to take BART to the city.
Thus, I was late to see Ivy, which came on at around 9:30. My friends were tired, so they decided to leave midway through their set. I was just glad to get out of the office and relax myself with Dominique's beautiful voice and Andy Chase's excellent musicianship.
The place was not packed, but it was still full. The crowd was a bit weird, because they consisted of mostly 30+ year olds and a smidgeon of youngsters. Ivy's been around for a while, since at least 1993, so I wasn't that surprised with the age of the crowd.
They played pretty much all the songs I liked from their entire discography, including "L'Anamour" from Guestroom.
The new songs from their recent release In the Clear sounded amazing - much to my surprise. I thought In the Clear is an alright album that was heavily produced to make the sound so . . . well . . . clear. However, Ivy was able to replicate that clean sound live. "Tess Don't Tell," probably my favourite track from the album, sounded downright amazing live. Dominique's voice was top notch and the band was solid. "Keep Moving" and "I've Got You Memorized" were the other songs played from In the Clear and just like "Tess Don't Tell," sounded amazing.
Of course, Ivy played some songs from their back catalogue. Including "Ba Ba Ba, " which Adam mentioend was originally titled "Ba Ba." The funny thing about "Ba Ba Ba" was that they used to never play this song live. When Apartment Life was released, this was the only song from that album that was not played. Now, since Long Distance, this track is a mainstay in their setlist. I think the song is alright, but for some reason, I liked it played this time around.
Also much to my surpise, they played "I Guess I'm A Little Too Sensitive" and "Get Enough," which they ended with. "Get Enough" was the second song Adam wrote (the first was "Happy Birthday") and it was so good live. I think this is the first time I heard the song live, and I've seen Ivy many times.
It was a great night of music with Ivy. They were great musically and Dominique looked beautiful in her outfit. Their set list was a perfect balance of their great songs from their discography. I highly regret coming in late, because I missed a bunch of songs from Long Distance and Apartment Life. Oh, well. Next time.
Beer Rating: 2 Beers
Thus, I was late to see Ivy, which came on at around 9:30. My friends were tired, so they decided to leave midway through their set. I was just glad to get out of the office and relax myself with Dominique's beautiful voice and Andy Chase's excellent musicianship.
The place was not packed, but it was still full. The crowd was a bit weird, because they consisted of mostly 30+ year olds and a smidgeon of youngsters. Ivy's been around for a while, since at least 1993, so I wasn't that surprised with the age of the crowd.
They played pretty much all the songs I liked from their entire discography, including "L'Anamour" from Guestroom.
The new songs from their recent release In the Clear sounded amazing - much to my surprise. I thought In the Clear is an alright album that was heavily produced to make the sound so . . . well . . . clear. However, Ivy was able to replicate that clean sound live. "Tess Don't Tell," probably my favourite track from the album, sounded downright amazing live. Dominique's voice was top notch and the band was solid. "Keep Moving" and "I've Got You Memorized" were the other songs played from In the Clear and just like "Tess Don't Tell," sounded amazing.
Of course, Ivy played some songs from their back catalogue. Including "Ba Ba Ba, " which Adam mentioend was originally titled "Ba Ba." The funny thing about "Ba Ba Ba" was that they used to never play this song live. When Apartment Life was released, this was the only song from that album that was not played. Now, since Long Distance, this track is a mainstay in their setlist. I think the song is alright, but for some reason, I liked it played this time around.
Also much to my surpise, they played "I Guess I'm A Little Too Sensitive" and "Get Enough," which they ended with. "Get Enough" was the second song Adam wrote (the first was "Happy Birthday") and it was so good live. I think this is the first time I heard the song live, and I've seen Ivy many times.
It was a great night of music with Ivy. They were great musically and Dominique looked beautiful in her outfit. Their set list was a perfect balance of their great songs from their discography. I highly regret coming in late, because I missed a bunch of songs from Long Distance and Apartment Life. Oh, well. Next time.
Beer Rating: 2 Beers
The Otherside (The Rickshaw Stop, 11 May 2005)
The Otherside is a local band from San Francisco. As their bio says, they love darkness and fuzz, guitars with pedals and anthems with huge obvious endings. And in between all that are the words "red wine" somewhat inserted in every other sentence it seems like. Well, the description is pretty accurate. The guitars dominate much of their songs and that is a good thing.
The Otherside consists of Steve on vocals, another Steve on drums, Marc on bass and guitarist extraordinaire Daniel. Their sound takes a bit from the shoegaze era bands such as Ride and a little bit of rock n roll swagger from the likes of Oasis. Granted, that might not be the best description of them, but in my ears that's how they sound like. And I love both bands a lot! So, a band, a local one at that, that sounds like Ride and Oasis combined is a-ok in my book.
They come to Rickshaw Stop to open up for Single Frame, which I mistook for Simple Plan. Thus, when I came in, I thought that the place will be packed to the rafters. But it wasn't, which I prefer.
I don't know any of their songs. The last time I checked them out, they were called Smiler and they had a different lead singer. Now, the instruments remain the same, but the vocals are very, very different. Unlike Smiler's lead singer, Michael, who graced the stage as if he was Liam Gallagher's long lost sibling, Steve takes a much more low key approach. The vocals are minimal, but strong and the instruments predominate. Especially the guitars.
I picked up their EP to get a sense of the song titles before writing this review. As a preliminary matter, the sound at Rickshaw was absolutely amazing. Better than Bottom of the Hill for sure. Thus, this band sounded terrific.
They played, among others, "Hey You" which sounds very Ride and Steve's vocals sound a bit like Ian Curtis. Yes, again, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's my opinion. This was the stand out track for the evening. Very catchy guitar riffs, excellent vocals.
All the other songs, I have no clue what the titles were. Like "Hey You," the other songs follow the same formula: very catchy guitar riffs, excellent vocals.
You know you went to a good show when you are tapping your feet in a 3/4 rhythm despite not knowing the song. So, with that in mind, this was one of those shows. Definitely a must see if you are into this sort of genre of rock.
Beer Rating: 2.5 Beers
The Otherside consists of Steve on vocals, another Steve on drums, Marc on bass and guitarist extraordinaire Daniel. Their sound takes a bit from the shoegaze era bands such as Ride and a little bit of rock n roll swagger from the likes of Oasis. Granted, that might not be the best description of them, but in my ears that's how they sound like. And I love both bands a lot! So, a band, a local one at that, that sounds like Ride and Oasis combined is a-ok in my book.
They come to Rickshaw Stop to open up for Single Frame, which I mistook for Simple Plan. Thus, when I came in, I thought that the place will be packed to the rafters. But it wasn't, which I prefer.
I don't know any of their songs. The last time I checked them out, they were called Smiler and they had a different lead singer. Now, the instruments remain the same, but the vocals are very, very different. Unlike Smiler's lead singer, Michael, who graced the stage as if he was Liam Gallagher's long lost sibling, Steve takes a much more low key approach. The vocals are minimal, but strong and the instruments predominate. Especially the guitars.
I picked up their EP to get a sense of the song titles before writing this review. As a preliminary matter, the sound at Rickshaw was absolutely amazing. Better than Bottom of the Hill for sure. Thus, this band sounded terrific.
They played, among others, "Hey You" which sounds very Ride and Steve's vocals sound a bit like Ian Curtis. Yes, again, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but that's my opinion. This was the stand out track for the evening. Very catchy guitar riffs, excellent vocals.
All the other songs, I have no clue what the titles were. Like "Hey You," the other songs follow the same formula: very catchy guitar riffs, excellent vocals.
You know you went to a good show when you are tapping your feet in a 3/4 rhythm despite not knowing the song. So, with that in mind, this was one of those shows. Definitely a must see if you are into this sort of genre of rock.
Beer Rating: 2.5 Beers
05 May 2005
Bright Eyes / The Faint (Concourse Exhibition Center, 4 May 2005)
After seeing The Faint and Bright Eyes at Coachella, and how amazing each band was, I was really excited to see them again here in S.F. I've never been to the Concourse before, although I heard it was huge. Franz Ferdinand played there, but I didn't go.
So, I go in there and it looks like a huge barn. Wood everywhere. Huge floor. Just a straight shot. Two elevated ramp areas which doubled as beer gardens. To me, it looked like a huge docking warehouse.
I entered in there and The Faint were already playing their second song. I was just glad that I didn't pull a Bravery this night. The Faint were fantastic as usual with the visuals, synths, and the overall music just blaringly loud but pleasant. I was far back this time, unlike Coachella where I was very close. Despite my far distance, I still enjoyed the show and continued to do some mini bounces and head nodding.
The visuals were the same as the Coachella appearance. Regardless, they were still great. Their set was longer than the Coachella one, and they even played a cover song. Nobody covers Neutral Milk Hotel, but they did it by covering "Holland, 1945." It was a surprising cover, but not a very good one. It was like The Faint were re-living their Media days.
The crowd really enjoyed The Faint. So much so that a huge amount of people left after The Faint. Not to say that Bright Eyes was left with an empty room because there was still a whole bunch of kids around.
As for Bright Eyes, I was again excited to hear more songs from Digital Ash... After hearing it live in Coachella, I am actually liking Digital Ash more and more.
However, Bright Eyes weren't that good here. It wasn't that they weren't good musically, but the whole environment and my exhaustion and anxiety wore me down. It seems like they played all the same songs from their Coachella set and only added one song from Lifted ("Lover I Don't Have to Love") and another song that I've never heard before as their encore.
The highlight songs here were "Gold Mine Gutted" and "I Believe in Symmetry." I don't know why they were so good, but they just were.
Oh, and the eye candy for this show was just downright ridiculous. Like, really ridiculous. It was like I was in indie/scenester heaven. Gotta love this!
Faint Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
Bright Eyes Beer Rating: 3 Beers
Eye Candy Beer Rating: 0 Beer
So, I go in there and it looks like a huge barn. Wood everywhere. Huge floor. Just a straight shot. Two elevated ramp areas which doubled as beer gardens. To me, it looked like a huge docking warehouse.
I entered in there and The Faint were already playing their second song. I was just glad that I didn't pull a Bravery this night. The Faint were fantastic as usual with the visuals, synths, and the overall music just blaringly loud but pleasant. I was far back this time, unlike Coachella where I was very close. Despite my far distance, I still enjoyed the show and continued to do some mini bounces and head nodding.
The visuals were the same as the Coachella appearance. Regardless, they were still great. Their set was longer than the Coachella one, and they even played a cover song. Nobody covers Neutral Milk Hotel, but they did it by covering "Holland, 1945." It was a surprising cover, but not a very good one. It was like The Faint were re-living their Media days.
The crowd really enjoyed The Faint. So much so that a huge amount of people left after The Faint. Not to say that Bright Eyes was left with an empty room because there was still a whole bunch of kids around.
As for Bright Eyes, I was again excited to hear more songs from Digital Ash... After hearing it live in Coachella, I am actually liking Digital Ash more and more.
However, Bright Eyes weren't that good here. It wasn't that they weren't good musically, but the whole environment and my exhaustion and anxiety wore me down. It seems like they played all the same songs from their Coachella set and only added one song from Lifted ("Lover I Don't Have to Love") and another song that I've never heard before as their encore.
The highlight songs here were "Gold Mine Gutted" and "I Believe in Symmetry." I don't know why they were so good, but they just were.
Oh, and the eye candy for this show was just downright ridiculous. Like, really ridiculous. It was like I was in indie/scenester heaven. Gotta love this!
Faint Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
Bright Eyes Beer Rating: 3 Beers
Eye Candy Beer Rating: 0 Beer
The Bravery (Great American Music Hall, 2 May 2005)
Fuck was I tired that day.
It was a Monday and we just got back from Coachella. Then we went to my friend's dinner birthday celebration in the East Bay. And here I am thinking that Bravery will be on at 10:30 or so.
Boy was I stupid.
I arrived at GAMH at around 10:45pm only to find out that they were playing their last song. I caught one song from the encore and that was it. That was the Bravery. I was pissed but yet pleased to have an early evening.
So, because two songs won't give this gig any justice, I will just put the good old N/A on there.
Beer Rating: N/A
It was a Monday and we just got back from Coachella. Then we went to my friend's dinner birthday celebration in the East Bay. And here I am thinking that Bravery will be on at 10:30 or so.
Boy was I stupid.
I arrived at GAMH at around 10:45pm only to find out that they were playing their last song. I caught one song from the encore and that was it. That was the Bravery. I was pissed but yet pleased to have an early evening.
So, because two songs won't give this gig any justice, I will just put the good old N/A on there.
Beer Rating: N/A
Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Empire Polo Fields, Indio, CA 1 May 2005)
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03 May 2005
Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (Empire Polo Fields, Indio, CA, 30 April 2005)
I just came back from an amazing Coachella festival. This is my second festival, and this one is definitely the best of the two. The weather was completely bareable and the large crowd did not delay me too much. Granted, the main stage line-up this year wasn't as strong as last year's, in my opinion, the sheer brilliance of the performers made up for it. What follows below is a run down of each band I saw, with a rating for each band and then a rating for the entire day. The parenthetical info refers to where the band played and how long I stayed to watch.
Snow Patrol (Main Stage, 4:15 - 4:30 p.m.)
Boring. That's the best way I can sum up their main stage performance. I don't understand this band. They just don't translate that great live. I love their new album, Final Straw, but like Stars, it just doesn't work live. Also, the sound was pretty bad at this point. I don't know why, but I'm sure the sound guys were just getting used to fixing the bugs. Probably the only interesting thing Snow Patrol did was to crack a joke about how Irish men boil at this weather.
Beer Rating: 6 pack and Liquor
Razorlight (Outdoor Stage, 5:10-5:55 p.m.)
After ditching Snow Patrol, we headed over to see Razorlight. I've never seen of Razorlight, but from what I hear from their CD and from others, this is definitely a must not miss show.
Razorlight is one of those Gang of Four influenced bands. Short songs with a lot of punch. They did provide such a performance with Björn Ågnen just going all out crazy at times. In between songs, one can hear Keane play on the main stage. When Björn asked the crowd who was playing, and after they responded that it was Keane, he said, "Who cares?" He then encouraged the crowd to be more boisterous, but the semi-hot weather and the small fan base this band has really didn't help. Although the crowd did somehow cooperate at some points of their set. "Rock N Roll Lies" and "Give It Up" received the most applause while newer songs fell short.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
Rilo Kiley (Outdoor Stage, 6:20-7 p.m.)
We stuck it out on the Outdoor Stage and secured an okay spot for Rilo Kiley. At this point of Day 1, I was really anxious on seeing a superb show and Rilo Kiley should be the one to do it. Pedro of Napoleon Dynamite introduced the band, although nobody heard anything he said. The mic was off and he did say something about voting for him. Must be repeating the lines from the movie. And he was wearing the "Vote for Pedro" t-shirt that was ever so popular at Coachella that I wanted to make a punch buggy game out of it. Oh, and Pedro looked like a thug instead of his shy looking self in the movie.
Here comes Rilo Kiley after that shitty introduction by Pedro. They came out on time and Jenny Lewis looked as cute as ever in her short dress. Her bright red hair really shone in the blistering sunlight.
They opened up with "It's a Hit" which the crowd just ate up. More people proceeded to arrive during this song as well. I love this song! It was a great start and it was a sign of things to come. More songs from More Adventurous was played, including the wonderful "I Never," which the crowd sang, in unison, Jenny's line that goes, "And I-I-I-I never..." Well, okay, some did and I was one of them. "Potions for Foxes" and "Execution of All Things" were also played.
Blake then took the mic for a song, singing "Ripchord." It was good, but I am not a big fan of Blake singing since his voice isn't all that great. My friends and I decided to leave at this point to grab dinner and secure a good spot for Weezer. They only played one more song, "Does He Love You?" which I would like to have heard, but I figure that I'll see them again in June.
At this point, I was getting pretty amped on how great the rest of Coachella is going to be.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
Weezer (Main Stage, 8 - 8:50pm)
I have to admit, I never really liked Weezer that much. I bought their debut blue album back in 1994 but never really listened to it other than the obvious hits like "My Name is Jonas," "Undone (The Sweater Song," "Say It Ain't So," and "Buddy Holly." I figure that these guys should still be good live and decided to check them out.
It was a good decision to check them out. The Main Stage was packed, but we were able to secure a good spot on the very far right side of the stage. The band sans drummer were visible, but most of the time I looked at the big screen for the close up. I forgot what they opened up with, but the second song of their set was "Say It Ain't So." The crowd loved it and applauded for older material, which they did. They pretty much played all their hit singles such as the ones mentioned above and "Hash Pipe", among others.
Their new songs were pretty mellow for the most part. Their most "poppy" song of the bunch was this song called "Dddrugs..." Or something like that. It sounded like "Hashpipe" v.2 because of the topic and the silliness of the lyrics.
Overall, it was a surprisingly good show. They were much more mellow than I would have thought, especially since their songs are a bit loud at times. Also, they played S.F. the night before, so probably they were tired?
Beer Rating: 2 Beers
Bloc Party (Mojave Tent, 9:30 - 10:15pm)
After Weezer, we decided to walk really fast to Bloc Party. We know that this is going to be a crowded tent and we definitely wanted at least a semi-decent spot for this. We arrived earlier than expected because Secret Machines were still playing. They played 15 minutes over their scheduled end time, which didn't bother us too much since this gave us a time to recuperate and just relax. As you can probably see from the times, we were going back-to-back-to-back on schedule. We weren't the only ones doing some relaxing as a plethora of people were just laying around waiting for their chance to go inside the tent once the Secret Machines crowd dispersed.
We got in (finally!) and secured a spot in the far left side of the stage, about midway. We were surrounded by really tall people. I'm not that short, but these guys seemed to be at least 6'2" or taller. It was a weird crowd too. I can't explain why they were weird, but I just thought they were.
Bloc Party played pretty much all the songs off of Silent Alarm. Of course, "Banquet," the fourth song played, received the highest applause. People were dancing and hopping around, while others were bobbing their head in approval. I was so tired at this point, but I liked what I heard. Kele asked the crowd several times how we were doing. He even took an impromptu poll, based on the sound of the cheering, on who was there to see Coldplay (loud applause), Arcade Fire (even louder applause, with me screaming) and then Bon Jovi (sound of "huh?" all around).
Their sound was amazing in the tent. I saw them at Bottom of the Hill, which is a good venue with so-so sound, but seeing them at a higher stage with a more sophisticated sound system made Bloc Party a much better band to see live. Matt Tong, the band's drummer, is probably one of the most talented drummers I have ever seen. He was just so good, so in synch, so loud, and so into what he's doing that all aspiring drummers should watch this man play. Jonny Greenwood wannabe Russel Lisack was also great on guitar. His outfit, a shirt that is almost a baby tee with jeans, coupled with his hair and method of guitar playing just proves how much he wants to be Jonny Greenwood.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
Coldplay (Main Stage, 11 - 12am)
After Bloc Party's amazing set, I made a pit stop and then ran to the Main Stage to catch Coldplay. At this point, everyone and their mom were either at Coldplay or at Chemical Brothers. In the Coldplay side, thousands upon thousands of people were already situated, waiting for Chris Martin and co. to come out. I was in the right side of the stage, pretty close to the soundbooth.
Coldplay was a little late coming out, but everyone didn't seem to mind. Especially since their fans, like me, are anxiously awaiting the release of their new album, X & Y.
They opened up with "Square One," the opening song to their new album. People seemed to be into it, but this only received moderate applause after all the screaming and applauding as they entered the stage. I guess because "Square One," and all the other X & Y songs they played like "Speed of Sound," among others, are a little more complex musically than other Coldplay songs.
Coldplay played their classic singles such as "In My Place," "The Scientist," "Yellow," and "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face." These received the loudest applauses since this is the setlist that the crowd was looking for. Chris was wearing an all black outfit, with a tatoo of the Make Trade Fair equal sign painted on his hand. During "Yellow," instead of saying, "And it's called yellow,"Chris sang "And it's in Coachell-oh." This caught us by surprise, while others thought it was cheezy. Chris Martin also performed part of a Nine Inch Nails song towards the end of "Politik." Also, Chris changed the lyric on one song by saying out loud that he is not leaving the band for a solo career. Which makes sense because without his band, there is no Coldplay.
My final memory of Coldplay were listening to the new songs. Chris told the audience that this song "is the best one we ever wrote" and another time hailing his lyrical genius by declaring taht this next song was sheer sexual brilliance. I agreed.
Another fantastic set from Coldplay.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
Snow Patrol (Main Stage, 4:15 - 4:30 p.m.)
Boring. That's the best way I can sum up their main stage performance. I don't understand this band. They just don't translate that great live. I love their new album, Final Straw, but like Stars, it just doesn't work live. Also, the sound was pretty bad at this point. I don't know why, but I'm sure the sound guys were just getting used to fixing the bugs. Probably the only interesting thing Snow Patrol did was to crack a joke about how Irish men boil at this weather.
Beer Rating: 6 pack and Liquor
Razorlight (Outdoor Stage, 5:10-5:55 p.m.)
After ditching Snow Patrol, we headed over to see Razorlight. I've never seen of Razorlight, but from what I hear from their CD and from others, this is definitely a must not miss show.
Razorlight is one of those Gang of Four influenced bands. Short songs with a lot of punch. They did provide such a performance with Björn Ågnen just going all out crazy at times. In between songs, one can hear Keane play on the main stage. When Björn asked the crowd who was playing, and after they responded that it was Keane, he said, "Who cares?" He then encouraged the crowd to be more boisterous, but the semi-hot weather and the small fan base this band has really didn't help. Although the crowd did somehow cooperate at some points of their set. "Rock N Roll Lies" and "Give It Up" received the most applause while newer songs fell short.
Beer Rating: 3 Beers
Rilo Kiley (Outdoor Stage, 6:20-7 p.m.)
We stuck it out on the Outdoor Stage and secured an okay spot for Rilo Kiley. At this point of Day 1, I was really anxious on seeing a superb show and Rilo Kiley should be the one to do it. Pedro of Napoleon Dynamite introduced the band, although nobody heard anything he said. The mic was off and he did say something about voting for him. Must be repeating the lines from the movie. And he was wearing the "Vote for Pedro" t-shirt that was ever so popular at Coachella that I wanted to make a punch buggy game out of it. Oh, and Pedro looked like a thug instead of his shy looking self in the movie.
Here comes Rilo Kiley after that shitty introduction by Pedro. They came out on time and Jenny Lewis looked as cute as ever in her short dress. Her bright red hair really shone in the blistering sunlight.
They opened up with "It's a Hit" which the crowd just ate up. More people proceeded to arrive during this song as well. I love this song! It was a great start and it was a sign of things to come. More songs from More Adventurous was played, including the wonderful "I Never," which the crowd sang, in unison, Jenny's line that goes, "And I-I-I-I never..." Well, okay, some did and I was one of them. "Potions for Foxes" and "Execution of All Things" were also played.
Blake then took the mic for a song, singing "Ripchord." It was good, but I am not a big fan of Blake singing since his voice isn't all that great. My friends and I decided to leave at this point to grab dinner and secure a good spot for Weezer. They only played one more song, "Does He Love You?" which I would like to have heard, but I figure that I'll see them again in June.
At this point, I was getting pretty amped on how great the rest of Coachella is going to be.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
Weezer (Main Stage, 8 - 8:50pm)
I have to admit, I never really liked Weezer that much. I bought their debut blue album back in 1994 but never really listened to it other than the obvious hits like "My Name is Jonas," "Undone (The Sweater Song," "Say It Ain't So," and "Buddy Holly." I figure that these guys should still be good live and decided to check them out.
It was a good decision to check them out. The Main Stage was packed, but we were able to secure a good spot on the very far right side of the stage. The band sans drummer were visible, but most of the time I looked at the big screen for the close up. I forgot what they opened up with, but the second song of their set was "Say It Ain't So." The crowd loved it and applauded for older material, which they did. They pretty much played all their hit singles such as the ones mentioned above and "Hash Pipe", among others.
Their new songs were pretty mellow for the most part. Their most "poppy" song of the bunch was this song called "Dddrugs..." Or something like that. It sounded like "Hashpipe" v.2 because of the topic and the silliness of the lyrics.
Overall, it was a surprisingly good show. They were much more mellow than I would have thought, especially since their songs are a bit loud at times. Also, they played S.F. the night before, so probably they were tired?
Beer Rating: 2 Beers
Bloc Party (Mojave Tent, 9:30 - 10:15pm)
After Weezer, we decided to walk really fast to Bloc Party. We know that this is going to be a crowded tent and we definitely wanted at least a semi-decent spot for this. We arrived earlier than expected because Secret Machines were still playing. They played 15 minutes over their scheduled end time, which didn't bother us too much since this gave us a time to recuperate and just relax. As you can probably see from the times, we were going back-to-back-to-back on schedule. We weren't the only ones doing some relaxing as a plethora of people were just laying around waiting for their chance to go inside the tent once the Secret Machines crowd dispersed.
We got in (finally!) and secured a spot in the far left side of the stage, about midway. We were surrounded by really tall people. I'm not that short, but these guys seemed to be at least 6'2" or taller. It was a weird crowd too. I can't explain why they were weird, but I just thought they were.
Bloc Party played pretty much all the songs off of Silent Alarm. Of course, "Banquet," the fourth song played, received the highest applause. People were dancing and hopping around, while others were bobbing their head in approval. I was so tired at this point, but I liked what I heard. Kele asked the crowd several times how we were doing. He even took an impromptu poll, based on the sound of the cheering, on who was there to see Coldplay (loud applause), Arcade Fire (even louder applause, with me screaming) and then Bon Jovi (sound of "huh?" all around).
Their sound was amazing in the tent. I saw them at Bottom of the Hill, which is a good venue with so-so sound, but seeing them at a higher stage with a more sophisticated sound system made Bloc Party a much better band to see live. Matt Tong, the band's drummer, is probably one of the most talented drummers I have ever seen. He was just so good, so in synch, so loud, and so into what he's doing that all aspiring drummers should watch this man play. Jonny Greenwood wannabe Russel Lisack was also great on guitar. His outfit, a shirt that is almost a baby tee with jeans, coupled with his hair and method of guitar playing just proves how much he wants to be Jonny Greenwood.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
Coldplay (Main Stage, 11 - 12am)
After Bloc Party's amazing set, I made a pit stop and then ran to the Main Stage to catch Coldplay. At this point, everyone and their mom were either at Coldplay or at Chemical Brothers. In the Coldplay side, thousands upon thousands of people were already situated, waiting for Chris Martin and co. to come out. I was in the right side of the stage, pretty close to the soundbooth.
Coldplay was a little late coming out, but everyone didn't seem to mind. Especially since their fans, like me, are anxiously awaiting the release of their new album, X & Y.
They opened up with "Square One," the opening song to their new album. People seemed to be into it, but this only received moderate applause after all the screaming and applauding as they entered the stage. I guess because "Square One," and all the other X & Y songs they played like "Speed of Sound," among others, are a little more complex musically than other Coldplay songs.
Coldplay played their classic singles such as "In My Place," "The Scientist," "Yellow," and "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face." These received the loudest applauses since this is the setlist that the crowd was looking for. Chris was wearing an all black outfit, with a tatoo of the Make Trade Fair equal sign painted on his hand. During "Yellow," instead of saying, "And it's called yellow,"Chris sang "And it's in Coachell-oh." This caught us by surprise, while others thought it was cheezy. Chris Martin also performed part of a Nine Inch Nails song towards the end of "Politik." Also, Chris changed the lyric on one song by saying out loud that he is not leaving the band for a solo career. Which makes sense because without his band, there is no Coldplay.
My final memory of Coldplay were listening to the new songs. Chris told the audience that this song "is the best one we ever wrote" and another time hailing his lyrical genius by declaring taht this next song was sheer sexual brilliance. I agreed.
Another fantastic set from Coldplay.
Beer Rating: 1.5 Beers
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