Archive
REVIEW: David Bazan [Pedro the Lion] @ House Show (Eugene, OR – 7/25/09)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
I last saw David Bazan [former Pedro the Lion frontman] in Eugene almost two years ago (with J. Tillman @ the Indigo District). I have had a few chances for Portland gigs since then, but they never meshed with my schedule. The chance to see him at an intimate house show couldn’t be passed up.
I’d heard about house shows / house concerts for a while. I went to one many years back, but it was friends / local Cincinnatians; so I didn’t really count it as a “real” house show. Well, this was my first experience with a “national artist” doing a house show. How it works for David’s booking is 1) the host provides a place for 30-100 people, 2) tickets are sold only online via David’s website, 3) doors at 7:30 / show starts at 8 / people out by 10pm, 4) no sound system needed (just a chair or stool to sit on), and 5) no outside advertising is done.
I was one of 30 or 35 people who got in on the Eugene house show deal. It was fun to hang out with people before the show. There was a great spread of food, and I got to talk with the hosts a bit and some wonderful gents who drove down from Vancouver, BC. The show was BYOB, but they also had some Ninkasi Quantum on tap (or should I say Quant-yum).
David came up a little before 8pm and announced a friend, Blake Wescott, who came up and played 4-5 songs (about 15-20 minutes). Blake Wescott has worked in the studio with David Bazan / Pedro the Lion, Damien Jurado, Aaron Sprinkle, Denison Witmer, and others. He’s also toured as a backing musician for R.E.M and Crystal Skulls. His sound was great, a gentle singer-songwriter. He mentioned that he played the four songs from his MySpace page: Dreams in Twos, Live Here with You, My Way Home, and Carry On… plus I think he threw in another one. Great set, I’d see him again if he comes through town!
David went on about 8:10 or so and played and chatted until right about 9:30pm. He played mostly newer stuff, but threw in a few Pedro the Lion tunes as well. I mean, he was the driving force of the band. Afterwards, there was more discussion on the back patio. It was good to hear him further expanding on some of the “Q&A” discussions from the show. Anyway, here’s what he played…
Setlist:
- Hard to Be
- Please, Baby, Please
- Priests and Paramedics
- Q&A #1
- Harmless Sparks / Fewer Moving Parts
- June 18, 1976
- Q&A #2
- Cold Beer and Cigarettes
- When We Fell
- Q&A #3
- Transcontinental
- Curse Your Branches
- Options
- Q&A #4
- Bearing Witness
- Of Up and Coming Monarchs
- Bless This Mess (aka Weeds in the Wheat)
- Q&A #5
- In Stitches
Great experience… I need to try to convince my wife to let me host one sometime at our house. I think we could handle it for someone like David Bazan, Derek Webb, or Bill Mallonee. Oh, maybe Michael Kelsey (though it would cost more, as he doesn’t get out here… ever). Hmm… oh, a Secret Chiefs acoustic Xaphan show in our living room would allow me to die a happy man. Yeah, I think I’m dreaming.
David announced that the 5-piece band would be coming through Oregon (and elsewhere) again in the Fall, but it will all be officially announced on August 5th. Yay!
As reported last week, David’s got his solo debut coming out on September 1st. It’s called Curse Your Branches. It is now available for pre-order on Amazon now, but will be available through David’s site on August 5th (maybe hold out for that, as he may have some special goodies).
The Appropriate Linkage:
- David Bazan’s webpage
- David Bazan on MySpace
- Pedro the Lion on MySpace
- Headphones on MySpace (another of DB’s bands)
- Blake Wescott on MySpace (opener)
- Barsuk Records
- Suicide Squeeze Records
~Dan – np: Dave Douglas – Keystone
BLAKE WESCOTT &
DAVID BAZAN PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
REVIEW: Tori Amos @ Arlene Schnitzer Hall (Portland, OR – 7/11/09)
Tori Amos has been a big part of my musical fanaticism for a long time. I first heard of her my freshman year of college, got Little Earthquakes & Under the Pink from BMG, got Boys for Pele right when it came out, and I’ve been a fan ever since. There was a period of time where, if I could, I’d drive all over the Midwest to go see her. This show was going on the 6 year mark since I’d seen her, and let’s just say that I was itching for some classic Tori live… but first up, the opener:
One Eskimo hit the stage right about 8pm, and played 4-5 songs (about a half hour’s worth of material). I liked their sound… sort of a singer-songwriter blown up into a pop group (sort of if Maroon 5 had more interesting musicians). Their drummer had a nice style, sitting on a box-type drum and using that as the kick drum. Their guitarist and bassist/trumpet player were also fun to watch. They played “Kandi,” “UFO,” and “Astronauts” for sure, as those songs are on the EP that I picked up for only $5. They’re working on wrapping up their full-length debut now…
I was too far away to take any good concert photos;
so the marquee is all you get this time.
Tori hit the stage with her band (Matt Chamberlain on drums & John Evans on bass) at around 8:50pm and played for a solid two hours without much stopping. I forget how much I love her live shows. Great lights, great mix of tunes from her whole career, fun stage presence, pretty energetic crowd… she played a lot more older songs than I would have thought, and only four songs from her latest record.
Setlist:
- Give (a fave of the night)
- Caught a Lite Sneeze (a fave of the night)
- Welcome to England – John’s bass intro was very Tool-y… as if Justin Chancellor was in a pop band
- Graveyard
- Cornflake Girl (a fave of the night)
- Icicle (a fave of the night)
- Little Amsterdam
- Siren
- Starling
- Black Dove (January)
- 1,000 Oceans
- Joni Mitchell’s River (solo – Lizard Lounge)
- Winter (solo – Lizard Lounge)
- Playboy Mommy
- Little Earthquakes (a fave of the night)
- Fast Horse (a fave of the night)
- Take to the Sky (a mega fave of the night)
- Carbon
- Honey
- Precious Things (a fave of the night)
- Strong Black Vine – crowd floods front part of theatre, much to the “oh crap, what do I do?” of the security guys
- Encore: Big Wheel (a fave of the night)
- Tombigbee
Fantastic show… prior to this show, I was kind of in a “cooling” phase with Tori. I hadn’t seen her since the Scarlet’s Walk tour (2003), and I’d only been slightly fond of The Beekeeper and American Doll Posse albums. Forcing myself recently to dig into her newest one, Abnormally Attracted to Sin, and then seeing it live was great. It was a much warranted end to the break from being a big time Tori fan. Sure, Abnormally isn’t going back to the Little Earthquake through Boys of Pele days, but it’s still good music and she still puts on a great show, full of songs from her vast catalogue.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Official Tori Amos Webpage
- Tori Amos on MySpace
- Undented – a Tori fansite
- Official One Eskimo Webpage
- One Eskimo on MySpace
- Arlene Schnitzer Hall in Portland, OR
~Dan – np: Riceboys Sleeps – All Animals -EP-
no torrent or free download available
The rest of the Abnormally Attracted to Sin tour dates (as of now)
- Mon 07/13/09 Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre
- Tue 07/14/09 Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre
- Thu 07/16/09 San Diego, CA – Humphrey’s Concerts By The Bay
- Fri 07/17/09 Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
- Sat 07/18/09 Phoenix, AZ – Dodge Theatre
- Mon 07/20/09 Salt Lake City, UT – Abravanel Hall
- Tue 07/21/09 Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
- Thu 07/23/09 Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre
- Fri 07/24/09 Grand Prairie, TX – Nokia Theatre At Grand Prairie
- Sat 07/25/09 Austin, TX – The Long Center For The Performing Arts
- Mon 07/27/09 Atlanta, GA – Chastain Park Amphitheatre
- Tue 07/28/09 Orlando, FL – Bob Carr Perf. Arts Centre
- Wed 07/29/09 Miami Beach, FL – Fillmore Miami Beach At Jackie Gleason Theater
- Fri 07/31/09 Durham, NC – Durham Performing Arts Center
- Sat 08/01/09 Washington, DC DAR – Constitution Hall
- Mon 08/03/09 Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
- Tue 08/04/09 Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theatre
- Wed 08/05/09 Minneapolis, MN – The State Theatre
- Fri 08/07/09 Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre
- Sat 08/08/09 Detroit, MI – Detroit Opera House
- Mon 08/10/09 Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
- Tue 08/11/09 Montreal, QC – St. Denis Theatre
- Thu 08/13/09 New York, NY – Radio City Music Hall
- Fri 08/14/09 Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Theatre
- Sat 08/15/09 Upper Darby, PA – Tower Theatre
- Mon 08/17/09 Boston, MA – Bank Of America Pavilion
- Sun 09/06/09 Manchester, United Kingdom – Apollo Manchester
- Mon 09/07/09 Birmingham, United Kingdom – Symphony Hall
- Tue 09/08/09 Glasgow, United Kingdom – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
- Thu 09/10/09 London, United Kingdom – Apollo Hammersmith
- Fri 09/11/09 London, United Kingdom – Apollo Hammersmith
- Sun 09/13/09 Basel, Switzerland – Festsaal Messe Basel
- Mon 09/14/09 Munich, Germany – Circus Krone Bau
- Tue 09/15/09 Zurich, Switzerland – Kongresshaus Zurich
- Thu 09/17/09 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Heineken Music Hall
- Sun 09/20/09 Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Theatre
- Mon 09/21/09 Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
- Thu 09/24/09 Prague, Czech Republic – Prague Congress Centre
- Fri 09/25/09 Vienna, Austria – Wiener Stadthalle
- Sun 09/27/09 Hamburg, Germany – Laeiszhalle
REVIEW: Hiromi’s Sonicbloom @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley (Seattle, WA – 6/16/09)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
Well, I’d never been to Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley. It’s an amazing little room (maybe 200 seats) with dinner served if you show up early. Plus, in downtown Seattle, it offers free parking. Yeah, you read that correctly – free parking. :) Anyway, I showed up shortly after 6pm after fighting with traffic heading through Tacoma and into Seattle. I got seated right up front, which was also the benefit of showing up early for the dinner & show deal. Fantastic food, and wonderful staff! The venue earns an A+!! I hope they bring in some more choice acts… it was worth the trip.
Hiromi Uehara and Sonicbloom took the stage around 7:40. The band was Hiromi on piano (a Steinway & Sons, if I recall correctly) & keyboards (3 different keyboards/syths), Tony Grey on 6-string electric bass, Dave Fiuczynski on double-neck guitar (12 string on top, 7 string on bottom), and Mauricio Zottarelli on drums. Both Tony & Dave played on Hiromi’s two Sonicbloom records. Actually, Tony played with Hiromi on her last four records (not just the recent Sonicbloom moniker).
As a band, they were pretty tight. I liked Tony a lot on bass. He had a nice groove, and his “mouthing” of the solos was fun, too. Maurice was also great, but he was shielded from me for most of the night from an older “bigger hair” couple; so I didn’t catch many glimpses of him. Dave was good, too… but sometime he got too “noodley” versus what the band was doing. His solos weren’t great in my opinion, but when he was playing lead, his playing worked well. Maybe guitar in a jazz quartet wasn’t my thing this time around.
As far as setlist, no luck. Hiromi only announced one song from the stage: “Time Travel” from Time Control (the 2007 Sonicbloom record). I’m pretty sure that they didn’t play “XYZ” (or the variation “XYG”). That was a bummer, but not too much of a bummer – as the show was amazing all around.
They played a few standards, one that the name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t for the life of me remember it. I can hear it still in my head (doo doo doo, doop doop doodle doop). Damn, there are too many songs in my head and barely any names. Hiromi also played a solo classical piece that was very familiar, but again, I’m drawing a blank. Regardless of song names, Hiromi’s handwork is amazing. I swear, I don’t know how she can pull off playing two different melodies at the same time with different hands. Anyway, the whole group was an amazing bunch of musicians. Most of the show was pretty jammy, but had elements of straight ahead jazz, and again some classical.
They’re playing again at the Jazz Alley as I type this… if anyone went tonight (June 17th), let me know how it went.
For the uninitiated to Hiromi, check out the video electronic press kit for Beyond Standard featuring “XYG“:
Or check out the video for “Time Difference“…
The Appropriate Linkage:
~Dan – np: Anakronic Electro-Orchestra – The Yiddish Part -EP-
HIROMI’s SONICBLOOM PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
REVIEW: King’s X @ Berbati’s Pan (Portland, OR – 6/8/09)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
So… King’s X? Where do I start. They’ve been a band for 26 or 27 years. I’ve been a fan of theirs since 1994. I see them every time they come through my town (16th time in 15 years). I’ve seen them in 6 or 7 states (mostly Ohio), but this is first time to see them in Oregon for me. It was only last August that I saw them open up for Extreme in Cincinnati, and they haven’t put out anything new since that show. Honestly, though, it really doesn’t matter. It’s King’s X… Doug, Ty & Jerry. They are a must see show, any time, any place!!
I showed up late for the show; so I can’t speak to the rockin’ (or not rockin’) of the openers Orange Sky & Quandry. If history tells me anything, the openers were good but not phenomenal*. I had other work-related plans, and I couldn’t make it to the venue in time.
*– A good/great opener in days of yore is a band like Podunk. Also, re: “openers,” I wouldn’t put Galactic Cowboys in that category. They’re more like “peers”… and were always a great lead in to King’s X. For the most part, other openers for KX were OK, but usually just delayed KX starting time by more than I normally cared for… I mean that in no disrespect to the openers tonight. Had it not been a rough day of work, I’d have done my best to make it for your sets. Seriously.
I showed up right at 11pm, and King’s X were deep into their third song (per the door guy). So, for those keeping track at home, file that under “whoops… messed that one up.” My guess is that they started with “Groove Machine.” Regardless of my missing the intro, King’s X put on a great show, and I thoroughly enjoyed it… a little bit of feedback and a low ceiling’ed venue, but I got to move around a bit and snap some shots from several angles. No videos… I imagine it’d be too much feedback for the camera.
Setlist: thanks for the setlist additions
- Groove Machine {thanks, bishopjso}
- Pleiades {thanks, bn}
- Visions
- Move (*a fave of night*)
- What Is This?
- Black Flag
- Lost in Germany
- Pray (no offense, but a non-fave)
- Dogman (*a fave of night*)
- Go Tell Somebody (no offense, but a non-fave)
- Summerland
- Looking for Love (*a fave of night*)
- Over My Head
- Encore: It’s Love
- We Were Born to Be Loved (*a fave of night*)
Fantastic show… once again. Doug, Ty & Jerry are a joy to see. I hope they’re making music for many more years to come. Doug’s preachin’ during “Over My Head” had a new slant… “It’s a terrible thing to do what you don’t want to do for the rest of your life.” I’m glad that Doug didn’t get stuck being a choirboy for the rest of his life. Oh, and Ty’s “Over My Head” solo was smoking!!!! It was one of the few instances where I wish I had been taping…
Wishes for the evening… maybe switch out “GTS” and “P4M” with “Cigarettes” and “A Box.” But all in all, I’m glad that they’re still making music and still touring. I figure, beggars can’t be choosers. I saw a great show by some great musicians… yet again.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- King’s X Online
- King’s X on MySpace
- Doug Pinnick on MySpace
- Ty Tabor on MySpace
- Jerry Gaskill on MySpace
- King’s X & Extreme @ Union Center Blvd Bash – 8/10/08 Review (with pictures)
- Berbati’s Pan
How the screaming changes when the meaning hits your ears…
~Dan – np: dredg – The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion no torrent or free download here
KING’S X PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
The Rest of the King’s X Tour Dates (as of now)
6/09/2009 Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
6/10/2009 Coeur d’Alene, ID @ The Grail
6/12/2009 Salt Lake City, UT @ Club Vegas
6/13/2009 Denver, CO @ Owsley’s Golden Road
6/15/2009 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
6/16/2009 Kansas City, MO @ The Riot Room
6/17/2009 Lincoln, NE @ Knickerbockers
6/19/2009 Sioux Falls, SD @ Nutty’s
6/20/2009 Fargo, ND @ Venue At The Hub
6/23/2009 St Paul, MN @ Station 4
6/24/2009 Des Moines, IA @ People’s Court
6/26/2009 Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall
6/27/2009 Chicago, IL @ Double Door
6/28/2009 Mt Clemmens, MI @ Freedom Festival
6/30/2009 Memphis, TN @ Newby’s
7/01/2009 Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s
8/07/2009 Raleigh, NC @ Volume 11
8/08/2009 Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
8/09/2009 Pittsburgh, PA @ Pepsi Roadhouse
8/11/2009 Hartford, CT @ The Webster Theater
8/12/2009 Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
8/13/2009 Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony
8/15/2009 Southbridge, MA @ ADC Performance Ctr.
8/16/2009 Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
8/17/2009 Virginia Beach, VA @ Peppermint Beach Club
8/19/2009 Charlotte, NC @ Amos’s
8/21/2009 Marietta, GA @ The Local
8/22/2009 Fayetteville, NC @ Jester’s
then they hit the road with Porcupine Tree in September 2009
REVIEW: Flight of the Conchords @ the Schnitzer (Portland, OR – 5/14/09)
Well, let’s just say… this show was mutha’uckin’ AWESOME!!!
Before the show, there was a spot-on Murray look-a-like in the crowd. A little bit younger looking, but definitely pretty damn close. At around 7:45pm, the lights dimmed and what sounded like Jemaine (from FOTC) announced the opener. 
Arj Barker, who plays Dave on HBO’s Flight of the Conchords show, came out and did a hilarious 30-minute stand-up routine. Very witty humor. He’s got a Comedy Central special coming soon, plus he’ll be doing his own solo tour later in the year. Should be fun… I’d definitely recommend Arj, and if he comes near me again (Eugene, please?), I’ll be there.
Arj introduced Flight of the Conchords Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie immediately after his set, and they came out swinging right away in their robot costumes. To which they immediately broke into a song from their 2nd season, “Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor.” They never got back into their robot costumes again, which was… well… unfortunate. Great show though. They also had a cellist, Nigel, who was “New Zealand’s symphony orchestra.” Due to budget cuts, Nigel is the entire NZ symphony orchestra. :) Here’s what they played…
Setlist: (YT: YouTube video from the HBO show)
- Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor (YT)
- Hurt Feelings (YT) (*a fave of the night*)
- The Ballad of Stana
- The Most Beautiful Girl (in the Room) (YT) (*a fave of the night*)
- Carol Brown (Stick Around)
- Jenny
- Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros (YT) (*a fave of the night*)
- I’m Not Crying (YT)
- Freebird (upon request, but we think it was a planted request… Bret moved over to drums)
- Mutha’uckas (YT) (Bret continuing on drums – *a fave of the night*)
- Business Time (YT) (*a fave of the night*)
- Think About It (Think, Think About It) (YT)
- Lazy Eye
- Sugalumps (YT)
- Encore: Albi the Racist Dragon (YT)
- Bus Driver’s Song
- Bowie (YT)
The only real disappointment was the obvious lack of “Robot Song (The Humans Are Dead)” (YT). “Foux Da Fa Fa” (YT), “If You’re Into It” (YT), and “Ladies of the World” (YT) would have been fun, too. They show was really great, though. They played and talked and talked and played for an hour and 45 minutes. Really funny, and I liked most of the new songs… I’m looking forward to the 2nd season when it comes out on DVD (as I don’t have HBO). I wasn’t able to take any photos due to the venue’s rules. Here is one from SPIN‘s Miami review (more further down in the links):
The Appropriate Linkage:
- Flight of the Conchords webpage
- Flight of the Conchords on MySpace
- Arj Barker webpage
- Arj Barker on MySpace
- SPIN Review from Miami
- SPIN Photos from Miami
- Arlene Schnitzer Hall in Portland, OR
~Dan – np: Wynton Marsalis – He and She
REVIEW: Yann Tiersen @ the Wonder Ballroom (Portland, OR – – 4/29/09)
(that’s unnatural)
So, I was soooo stoked about seeing French musician Yann Tiersen for the first time. His albums are quite delightful. I, like many people in the States, first heard of him via the soundtrack/score to Amelie. But then based on the Brooklyn Vegan (photo credit above) and photobear 2009 tour reviews, I got a little sad. No accordion, very little violin, and Yann on guitar for most of the night!? Pardon my French, but… viens m’enculer!? Viens m’enculer!?
Well, I didn’t know how it would turn out; so I figured it’s still a rare occasion to see Yann in the U.S. I already had the tickets, it was only 2 hours away… so… I gotta go. No photos allowed at the venue. Boo.
The opener, Skinni Dip yogurt (on Burnside – downtown), was awesome. The opener (at the venue), Asobi Seksu, played far too long. I’m having a bad streak of uninteresting / painful openers. Sorry. Just didn’t like them at all.
Yann Tiersen and his band came on around 9:45pm, and the first two solid songs were rock numbers that had very little resemblance of a Yann Tiersen song. The 3rd song was finally one I recognized, but only vaguely as it was turned into some sort of messy, too fast rock blast.
No try on the set list… it’s too difficult to remember song names originating in a foreign language to mine. Also, the set that we caught didn’t even seem to be a Yann Tiersen show. I mean, I have 95% of his catalog (all but the latest Tabarly soundtrack)… and the songs were completely foreign to the crowd. Had I wanted to go to a decent/mediocre rock band play a poorly mixed show, I would have gone to my local rock venue and paid $3 to see what was going on that night. I went to see Yann Tiersen’s songs in a live setting. Unfortunately, we really didn’t get that. I mean, I’m all for artistic expression, and the artist doing what they feel is their artistic direction versus what the fans “want” – – but to some extent on a live tour, you’d expect to give the fans what they expect… again, at least to some extent.
Maybe this was his French way of pulling a prank on us stupid Americans. It just makes you wonder. Oh well… if he comes back, I’m not buying tickets until I read some reviews with more mention of accordion solos. :)
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.yanntiersen.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/yanntiersencomposer
- http://www.asobiseksu.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/asobiseksu
- http://www.wonderballroom.com/
~Dan – np: Celldweller – Symbiont -EP- & then… O.S.I. – Blood
To cleanse the palate… here’s what I was hoping for in a Yann Tiersen show…
(or)
(or, from Amelie)
Sigh. Maybe next time.
REVIEW: Spinal Tap / The Folksmen @ Paramount Theatre (Seattle, WA – – 4/20/09)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
(only a couple this time)
- Spinal Tap Unwigged/Unplugged (photo: Shannon Cottrell, LA Weekly)
As mentioned above, I only took a few pictures. I was in the upper mezzanine, aka nosebleeds. I tried out my new 60x zoom digital camera; alas, it wasn’t 600x. :)
The show was great. Christopher Guest (aka Nigel Tufnel / Alan Barrows), Michael McKean (aka David St. Hubbins / Jerry Palter), and Harry Shearer (aka Derek Smalls / Mark Shubb) played for an hour and 45 minutes – – a great mix of Spinal Tap tunes, The Folksmen / A Mighty Wind tunes, a Waiting for Guffman tune, a Harry Sheaerer comedy album tune, and some never released ditties.
Great in between song banter… I guess this was as much of a comedy show as a music show. Oh, and no drummer… for obvious insurance purposes.
Setlist:
- opening song with lyrics of “hair as brown as the finest stew”
- Hell Hole
- Never Did No Wanderin’ (CG on mandolin)
- Clam Caravan (CG on didgeridoo at end)
- Bitch School
- Loco Man
- Waiting for Guffman‘s This Bulging River
- Reading of the “Spinal Tap NBC Memo”
- All the Way Home
- Blood on the Coal
- (Listen to Me) the Flower People
- Cornwine
- The Majesty of Rock
- Harry Shearer’s Elvis parody All Backed Up
- Stonehenge
- “Aussie YouTube” snippet
- Q&A session
- Start Me Up (Rolling Stones cover as in A Mighty Wind)
- Cups and Cakes
- “Lego Video” snippet
- Old Joe’s Place
- Big Bottom
- The Good Book Song
- Rainy Day Sun
- Sex Farm
- Encore: Gimme Some Money
- A Mighty Wind
- The Colors of My Life
This past Monday was this audiences’ lucky bun-day… really big, full set. A+ show all around. I’m glad I got a chance to catch the show while randomly being in town on vacation.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.unwigged.com/
- http://youtube.com/tapunwigged
- http://myspace.com/unwiggedandunplugged
- http://spinaltap.com/
- http://www.theparamount.com/
The rest of the dates:
April 22: Oakland, Calif. (Paramount Theatre)
April 23: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara County Bowl)
April 26: Los Angeles (The Wiltern)
April 27: Phoenix, Ariz. (Dodge Theatre)
April 29: Denver (Paramount Theatre)
May 1: Houston, Texas (Jesse H, Jones Hall)
May 2: Dallas (Nokia Theatre)
May 4: Jacksonville, Fla. Florida Theatre)
May 5: Miami (The Fillmore)
May 6: Orlando, Fla, (Hard Rock Live)
May 8: St. Petersburg, Fla. (Mahaffey Theatre)
May 9: Atlanta (Fox Theatre)
May 10: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium)
May 12: Baltimore (Lyric Opera House)
May 13: Washington, D.C. (Warner Theatre)
May 14: Philadelphia (Keswick Theatre)
May 17: Columbus, Ohio (Palace Theatre)
May 19: Cleveland, Ohio (State Theatre)
May 21: Toronto (Massey Hall)
May 22: Mashantucket, Conn. (MGM Grand Theatre at Foxwoods)
May 23: Boston (The Wilbur Theatre)
May 24: Atlantic City, N.J. (Music Box at The Borgata)
May 26: New York (Beacon Theatre)
May 27: New York (Beacon Theatre) *review / pictures / videos from this show *
May 29: Detroit (Fox Theatre)
May 30: Chicago (Chicago Theatre)
May 31: Milwaukee, Wis. (Riverside Theatre)
June 30: London, UK (Wembley Arena)
~Dan – np: Celldweller – Celldweller
SPINAL TAP / THE FOLKSMEN PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2009 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click for larger)
REVIEW: dredg @ the Hawthorne Theater (Portland, OR – – 4/3/09)
No photos this time around. Rock shows aren’t conducive to them unless you have a really good camera, plus last time I was here, the venue wasn’t allowing it. Anyway, on to the show…
The openers… well, I’m bummed because I only caught the very last song of From Monuments to Masses. I kinda dug them… they are a three-piece instrumental band and seemed to have a good groove. The guitars were a little low in the mix, but I could at least hear what was going on. Torche, on the other hand, was 40 minutes of painful uninterest. It wasn’t a wall of sound, it was a wall of mud. And not the good kind of mud that Earth or Sunn 0))) might throw down, but just muddy, sloppy metal. Bad sound that night, maybe they’re good on record. They seemed to be having fun, and there were some obvious fans in the crowd.
Dredg came on around 10:45, after what seemed to be a very long sound check. They seemed to be having some feedback or other issues going on, and it actually caused some minor technical difficulties early in dredg’s set. Anyway, this Portland show was the very first show of this tour. They played a handful of tunes from their upcoming record (see album cover below), and they played a great set with song from their other albums as well.
This was officially my first time seeing them live “as a fan. ” The last time I saw them was when they were opening for the Blood Brothers and Coheed & Cambria. I was blown away enough to get into their music after that show, but for this show I actually knew the words. :)
I had some major respect for Gavin (singer/ lap steel) and Dino (drums/ keyboard), but now I have much more respect for all four members. Drew (bass) and Mark (guitars) contribute so much to the dredg sound… excellent grooves and guitar that hearkens some of (Radiohead) Jonny Greenwood’s antics.
Setlist:
- Stamp of Origin: Pessimistic (new song)
- I Don’t Know (new song)
- Ireland (new song)
- Same Ol’ Road
- Of the Room
- Ode to the Sun (a fave of the night)
- Catch Without Arms (a fave of the night)
- R U O K? (new song)
- Saviour (new song)
- Information (new song)
- Bug Eyes
- Sang Real (a fave of the night)
- Jamais Vu
- The Canyon Behind Her
- Down to the Cellar (new song)
- Stamp of Origin: Horizon (new song)
- No Encore
Great show, about 75 minutes… lots of stuff from their upcoming album The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion (due out June 9th). I bet they would have played longer had it not been for the earlier technical difficulties, but maybe the venue had a midnight curfew. I got a peek at someone who snagged the setlist; so I think I got most of the correct new songs and placement. The stuff after “Jamais Vu” was more of a blur, big jam thing. Overall, the new songs definitely fit with Catch Without Arms and El Cielo. I’m looking forward to the new record, big time…
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.dredg.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/dredg
- http://www.myspace.com/frommonumentstomasses
- http://www.myspace.com/torche
- http://www.hawthornetheater.com/
~Dan – np: Zu – Carboniferous
REVIEW: Oregon Percussion Ensemble’s FRANK ZAPPA Tribute @ UO’s Beall Hall (Eugene, OR – – 3/7/09)
I went to the University of Oregon’s Beall Concert Hall yesterday afternoon for a wonderful tribute to Frank Zappa put on by the UO College of Music’s Oregon Percussion Ensemble, conducted by W. Sean Wagoner. It was a show that I found out about in the Eugene Weekly… yay for the local entertainment rag for giving us last minute cool info!
The show was great… about 90 minutes including breaks. All percussion, except for a bass player and a violinist for “The Black Page Part 1 & 2.” OK, there was a pianist and a tap dancer, too… but those are technically percussion instruments. :P
Setlist:
- Concerto No. 1, Op. 12.3(1986) – composed by Ney Rosauro, soloist: Paul Owen (marimba)
- I. Saudacao (Greetings)
- II. Lamento (Lament)
- III. Danca (Dance)
- IV. Despedida (Farewell)
- Ionisation for thirteen percussionists (1929-1931) – composed by Edgard Varese
- Waltz (1958) – composed by Frank Zappa, soloist: Merlin Showalter (vibraphone)
- Magnesium Zapp II (2009) – composed by Charles Dowd
- The Black Page Drum Solo (1976) – composed by Frank Zappa, soloist: Paul Owen (drumset)
- The Black Page, Part I (1976) – composed by Frank Zappa
- The Black Page, Part II (1976) – composed by Frank Zappa
The first part of the first piece (Saudacao) was very Zappaesque… heavy on the marimba and xylophonic percussion… fast melodies, and the crazy percussive triplets or whatever you drummers call them. :) The rest of Concerto No. 1 wasn’t as Zappaesque, but it definitely was a great warm-up to the rest of the show. Paul Owen’s marimba work was great and the rest of the band really broke loose on this 20-something-minute piece.
Next up was Ionisation by Edgard Varese, from whom Zappa had only one degree of separation… the conductor for the first performance of Ionisation in the 30s was Nicolas Slonimsky, who later became a friend of Frank’s and also went out on tour with Zappa’s early 80s band. The piece was an avant-garde percussive piece, if set-up as designed (which I assume they did) was 3 bass drums, 2 Side drums, 2 Snare drums, tarole, 2 bongos, tambourine, tambour militaire, crash cymbal, suspended cymbals, 3 tam-tams, gong, 2 anvils, 2 triangles, sleigh bells, chimes, celesta, piano, Chinese blocks, claves, maracas, castanets, whip (instrument), guiro, high & low sirens, and a lion’s roar. I don’t remember a whip or lion’s roar… but regardless, it was fun and adventurous.
Waltz was the first official Zappa piece of the afternoon. It was about a 2 minute, 12-tone vibraphone solo by Merlin Showalter. It seemed like it was over before it started, but it was a nice piece.
Magnesium Zapp II continued in the Zappa theme… though not written by him. It was written by UO Director of Music Charles Dowd, who drew inspiration from Frank Zappa’s “Girl in the Magnesium Dress” from The Yellow Shark. It was somewhat avant-garde, improvisational with some structure. It also had small melodies written in to represent F-R-A-N-K and Z-A-P-P-A, which they went over beforehand… and it was fun to pick it out when they were playing it. Basically a 26-note run equating to the English alphabet… blah blah blah, you do the math.
Next up was The Black Page… I’d seen Terry Bozzio play this at the 2006 Zappa Plays Zappa tour in Louisville, and for the uninitiated, Zappa wrote it as a technical challenge. The musicians dreaded seeing all of the black notes on the page… hence its name.
(click for larger)
Percussion/Battery drum transcript (PDF):
The Ensemble started this as simply a drum solo by Paul Owen. He did a great job on this 3-4 minute very technical solo. Then the solo was played again by Paul… and 9 more drummers (and a tap dancer) at the same time, nearly perfectly in sync. It was quite mind blowing seeing all 10 drum sets around the front of the stage when we got back from the short intermission, but I had no idea they all be playing the solo together. Crazy good stuff. The only downside, we could barely see the tap dancer (Alli Bach) as she was behind the drum sets, but she was going nuts and hitting all of the notes as well… per W. Sean Wagoner (the conductor), this was the world premiere of a tap dance transcription for The Black Page. :)
After the solo(s), they played the Black Page in both Zappa’s variations… the “Hard Version” and the “Easy Teenage NY Version.” Much more melodic (not all on drums, as some of the drummers moved to play other instruments). They were also joined by piano, electric violin and bass. Great stuff… about 5 minutes for each version.
Good stuff… well worth the $5… like criminally worth it.
~Dan – np: Ben Folds Five – Whatever and Ever Amen 
REVIEW: Zappa Plays Zappa @ the Hawthorne Theater (Portland, OR – – 1/2/09)
Boo… no concert photos this time around… they wouldn’t allow cameras into the venue at all. :(
(Dweezil = rock)
This was my 3rd time seeing the Zappa Plays Zappa tour (aka Tour de Frank)… each one being different (set lists, lineup, promotions). This time was at Portland’s Hawthorne Theater as the “You Can’t Fit On Stage Anymore” variation of the tour. The venue had a small capacity (~300), you get a download code at the venue to get the entire recorded show after they mix it down (about a month?), you have a chance to win a free Hagstrom guitar (at each show), and you get to help choose the set list for the night. Of the 68 available tunes in the ZPZ band’s repertoire, here were my selections: Broken Hearts Are For Assholes, Inca Roads, Montana, Peaches En Regalia, and Sofa. They played two of my choices. I was really hoping for “Montana,” though. Eh, choosers shouldn’t be beggars.
Dweezil came out first and talked about the download code and how it wouldn’t quite be ready within 8 days, but that it’d be worth the wait. I’m sure it will, as it’s gonna be 3 CDs of professionally recorded audio for “free.” Free in that it’s part of the pricey ticket. But, it’s not like I have to pay for it again, eh? :)
The band was very similar (if not the same) as when I saw the 2007 tour at Moonlite Gardens in Cincinnati, OH. Different set list, of course. They had a few technical difficulties during the show, but veryveryvery minor, and they rolled with the punches very well. Outside of Ray White, they were all pretty much playing for the entire show, and even Ray only had a few breaks when he wasn’t needed to sing.
The ZPZ Band this time around is:
- Dweezil Zappa: Guitar
- Aaron Arntz: Keyboards
- Scheila Gonzalez: Saxophone, Flute, Keyboards & Vocals
- Pete Griffin: Bass
- Billy Hulting: Marimba, Mallets & Percussion
- Jamie Kime: Guitar
- Joe Travers: Drums & Vocals
- SPECIAL GUEST… Ray White: Guitar & Vocals
(Ray White is the pimp)
Setlist: (any help in filling in the blanks is appreciated)
- Peaches En Regalia (a fave of the set)
- City of Tiny Lights
- Inca Roads (a fave of the set)
- I’m Not Satisfied
- Pygmy Twylyte
- Idiot Bastard Son
- Cheepnis (partial) then back to Inca Roads (??)
- Hagstrom Guitar Giveaway Jam (I didn’t win… boo…)
- Chunga’s Revenge with solos
- Billy the Mountain (28 minutes) (a fave of the set)
- Andy
- Dirty Love (a fave of the set)
- Uncle Remus
- Willie the Pimp (a fave of the set)
- Wind Up Workin’ in a Gas Station
- San Ber’dino
- Yo Mama
- Black Napkins
- Encore: ____________ (missing name, more guitar solos)
- Muffin Man (a fave of the set)
All in all… fantastic show… 2 hours and 40+ minutes of amazing musicianship… the only things to make it better? My own pictures perhaps… oh, and winning the guitar would have been nice. :)
I hope they come around again in the fall… I’ve seen all three of the ZPZ tours. And this was technically the “2008” tour, even though it was in 2009 (obviously). Seeing as I wasn’t into Frank’s music before he died, this is the next best damn thing. Thanks, Dweezil and Co.!
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.zappa.com/zpz/index.html
- http://www.myspace.com/dweezilzappa
- http://www.myspace.com/zappaplayszappa
- http://www.hawthornetheater.com/
~Dan – np: Ryan Adcock – Finished -LP-
REVIEW: My Brightest Diamond @ W.O.W. Hall (Eugene, OR – – 11/21/08)
FYI… my PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM
Yay… I’ve been waiting for this show for a few months. I last saw Shara Worden (aka My Brightest Diamond) in April 2007 at the MusicNOW Fest in Cincinnati. It was at that show where she debuted many songs that ended up on A Thousand Shark’s Teeth. I was going to drive up to Portland on Thursday for the show, then they announced a Eugene show (yay!). It was sparsely attended, though not as sparse as a Glen Phillips’ WOW Hall show earlier this year. I don’t know… WOW Hall shows seem so hit or miss. Maybe the Blues Traveler show at McDonald Theatre on Friday hurt MBD’s crowd? Anyway, the artists were in good spirits and put on a great show nonetheless.
Openers, Clare and the Reasons, went on around 9pm and played 40 minutes of very cinematic-tinged, indie-pop fare. The band was made up of singer/guitarist Clare Muldaur Manchon, multi-instrumentalist Olivier Manchon, and string-players Hiroko Taguchi & Maria Jeffers – – all four dressed in all red costumes. (The MBD & Clare touring collaboration was also an efficient one, as Olivier, Hiroko & Maria were MBD’s backing band as well.) After their set, buying their studio CD The Movie for $10 seemed like a steal. I look forward to hearing it, as it’s littered with guest artists / studio collaborators such as Van Dyke Parks (!!!!!) and Sufjan Stevens.
(click for larger)
Clare & the Reasons’ Setlist:
- Pluto – a fave of the set, nice pizzicatto strings
- Better Without You
- Pluton / Rodi – a fave of the set, nice saw work, 1st song done in the dark with flashing lights
- Nowhere
- Can Your Car Do That? (I Don’t Think So)
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears cover)
- Cook for You
Next up was My Brightest Diamond, who has gotten a lot of dedication here on this blog – – for which I do not apologize. In fact, she’s been the most prolific (or at least most little web goodies) of the Asthmatic Kitty artists lately. I mean, come on, Sufjan! You’re overdue. :) Anyway, back to MBD…
(click for larger)
MBD’s performance was excellent, as usual. As mentioned above, Olivier Manchon, Hiroko Taguchi, and Maria Jeffers were her backing band as well – – this time dressed in black & white costumes. They played around an hour, which included a magic show, a shadow & puppet show, twirling & whistling hoses, and much storytelling.
MBD’s Setlist:
- Golden Star – a fave of mine
- If I Were Queen
- Apples – a fave of mine
- To Pluto’s Moon
- Olivier’s Magic Show
- Disappear – a fave of mine
- Dragonfly – a fave of mine
- From the Top of the World – started Shara’s At the Back of the North Wind storytime
- Black & Costaud – a fave, started with Olivier’s storytime
- The Ice & The Storm
- Inside a Boy – a fave of mine
- Je n’en connais pas la fin / Hymne à l’amour – with an excellent shadow and puppet show
- Encore: The Gentlest Gentleman – with Shara on mandolin
Check MBD‘s music out on iTunes, Amazon, or your local record shop…
My Brightest Diamond’s CDs:
(plus she’s got a ton of remixes and b-side whatnot on iTunes)
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.myspace.com/mybrightestdiamond
- http://www.mybrightestdiamond.com/
- http://www.asthmatickitty.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/claremuldaur
- http://www.wowhall.org/
- Seattle’s Triple Door show (11/19/08) is Archived at Synclive.com
- MBD on Uncensored Interviews
The Next Tour Stops:
Nov 22 2008 – Swedish American Hall, San Francisco, CA
Nov 24 2008 – Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz, CA
Nov 25 2008 – Casbah, San Diego, CA
Nov 26 2008 – Hotel Café, Los Angeles, CA
Nov 29 2008 – Solar Culture, Tucson, AZ
Nov 30 2008 – The Cooperage, Albuquerque, NM
Dec 3 2008 – Granada Theater, Dallas, TX
Dec 4 2008 – Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack, Little Rock, AR
Dec 5 2008 – The Bottletree, Birmingham, AL
Dec 6 2008 – Square Room, Knoxville, TN
Dec 7 2008 – The Earl, Altanta, GA
Dec 9 2008 – Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
Dec 10 2008 – Gravity Lounge, Charlottesville, VA
Dec 11 2008 – Rock n Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
Dec 12 2008 – First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA
Dec 13 2008 – (Le) Poisson Rouge, New York, NY
OK, that’s all for now from me…
~Dan – np: Mostly Other People Do the Killing – This is Our Moosic
CLARE & the REASONS -and- MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
REVIEW: Jason Schimmel’s Orange Tulip Conspiracy @ Samurai Duck (Eugene, OR – – 11/17/08)
FYI… my PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM
Samurai Duck on a Monday night… ugh… but it was for a good cause. It was to see Jason Schimmel’s Orange Tulip Conspiracy (hereafter “OTC”). I’d seen Jason thrice prior (with Estradasphere once and with Secret Chiefs 3 twice). I fought the late night start to the week, the sleepiness, the sticky bar, and deep fried pizza (shudder). Egads, why did I let myself be sucked in by $3 fried pizza? I mean, sweet muscular Jesus… why!? It was wrong on too many levels…
Anyway, OTC went on around 10pm, or at least I thought. They were just foolin’, as I think Jason was setting up his Mac to tape the show and needed some levels. They went on for real around 10:20 and played until just about 11:30. I’m bad with the song names on instrumental bands, but they played most of the music from their eponymous debut CD. They also played a Django Reinhardt tune like no Django I’d previously heard (it was pretty fun, fast & furious). Hot Club de France was usually fun & furious, but not so fast… it was fun to OTC stretch it out at the end, too…
(click for larger)
The band was made up of bandleader Jason Schimmel (on guitars & swanky hat), John Whooley (on saxes & keys, an original Estradasphere member), Dan Robbins (on basses), Zach Cline (on guitar) and Lee Smith (on drums). John Whooley really ripped it up, and the live show was very much more sax-oriented than I remembered the CD being. It makes me wish I’d seen the earlier incarnation of Estradasphere (even though the current incarnation is excellent). Lee Smith also seemed more comfortable because he didn’t have to start his set in a ninja costume…
The 70 minute set was full of rockin’ jazz-infused tunes. Very swingy in spots, but Jason also pulled out a 7-string for a chunky low-end on a song. If John Petrucci (from Dream Theater) has taught me anything, it’s that I love me some 7-string. The night was full of what my wife might call a band in an “identity crisis,” but that’s exactly what I love about bands in which I’ve seen Jason play – – they’re full of energy & musical chops. OTC aren’t afraid to just push the envelope. They enjoy ripping it open like a birthday card from a rich Aunt. :)
The live show was pretty awesome, and the album is fantastic. It’s quite frankly in the running for faves of the year. It can (and should) be bought via Web of Mimicry/Lobefood (click the picture below):
The Appropriate Linkage:
Where they’re heading next on this 2008 West Coast Tour?
Nov 18 2008 – On the Y, Sacramento, California
Nov 19 2008 – Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, California
Nov 20 2008 – The Ruby Room, San Diego, California
Nov 21 2008 – The Knitting Factory, Hollywood, California
Nov 22 2008 – Hotel Utah, San Francisco, California
~Dan – np: Zakarya – The True Story Concerning Martin Behaim
-and- Ellery – You Did Everything Right -EP-
ORANGE TULIP CONSPIRACY CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
REVIEW: Sigur Rós @ Arlene Schnitzer Hall (Portland, OR – – 10/6/08)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM
This was my third time to the Arlene Schnitzer Hall. It’s a great venue, and while I thought I would have gotten a better ticket via ordering from Klink (the Sigur merch site)… well, I was further to the back and left than I would have liked. It was still a good spot for pics and hearing some wonderful music.
The opener, Parachutes, is a band I got into sometime in 2007 due to a linkage to Sigur Rós via the MySpaces. I was excited to see them on the bill. They were obviously influenced by Sigur Rós. I mean… obviously. But in my world, that’s not a bad thing. They had 8 or 9 players, and at one point I know 10 people were playing with them. Again, very Sigur Rós-y, slow build, xylophone, strings, bombastic drums, keys, soft vocals. They played about 40 minutes, and I enjoyed them very much. I picked up their EP for $5 (usð)… i.e.- a steal. Unfortunately, my pics of theirs didn’t come out, as they didn’t have as much light on stage as Sigur Rós.
Now on to Sigur Rós…
Sigur Rós was… Sigur Rós. This was my 5th time seeing them, and while some may consider there to be the law of diminishing returns, with Sigur Rós the diminishments are such minutae that it’s not even diminishing anymore. Their shows are like taking a nap on a cloud during a rainstorm… or something. It’s completely surreal, mesmerizing, powerful, gentle, sublime, and… shiny.
(not my pic… obviously)
It’s funny to me, that with their non-English song names and their non-English singing… I still knew about half of the song titles within the first few chords. I think it’s osmosis or something, as I’ll admit that I don’t listen to them all that often (or often enough to know all of their song names). Anyway, thanks to the SR forum, I was able to fill in the remainder of the setlist (see below)…
10/6/08 Portland Setlist: (as noted on the SR forum)
- Svefn-g-englar *fav of show*
- Glósóli
- Ný batterí *fav of show*
- Fljótavík *
- Við spilum endalaust *
- Hoppípolla *fav of show*
- Með blóðnasir
- Inní mér syngur vitleysingur *
- Svo Hljótt
- Heysátan
- E-bow – on setlist, not played
- Viðrar vel til loftárása – on setlist, not played
- Sæglópur
- Festival *
- Gobbledigook * *fav of show – confetti kaboom*
- encore: All Alright *
- Popplagið *fav of show*
* For pronunciations of the songs and album name from their most recent album, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, go HERE (blog link with audio).
Overall, this was an amazing time. Every time I see Sigur Rós, I am blown away. This was their 2nd to last date on the North American tour (and their last date in the United States for this tour); so they’ve been getting a lot of practice lately. They were on top of their game, and put together an amazingly mesmerizing show
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/
- http://www.myspace.com/sigurros
- http://www.myspace.com/parachutesmakesongs (the opener)
- Sigur Rós @ NYC MoMA (46 minute pro-shot concert video)
- Official Video for “Gobbledigook” (1st single – video contains nudity)
- Official Video for “Inní mér syngur vitleysingur” (2nd single – from concert footage)
~Dan – recently played: Yoshie Fruchter – Pitom
SIGUR ROS CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
REVIEW: God of Shamisen @ Samurai Duck (Eugene, OR – – 9/11/08)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM
Well, before the show, I was kind of bummed, as Todd Sickafoose (Ani DiFranco’s upright bassinator) was playing a show at Sam Bond’s in Eugene last night as well. GOS totally won, but Todd would have put on a great show as well. Anyway, I swung by Sam Bond’s before heading over to the Samurai Duck… to pick up Todd’s new CD, Tiny Resistors. I figured I might as well support indie jazz artists. Alas, the doorman told me that Todd had to cancel. Bummer… well, maybe he’ll reschedule, though I think he’s from New York; so maybe it’s just not meant to be this time around.
a great cartoon GOS by Rulo Barrera
On to the venue… hmmm… what to say about the Samurai Duck. Well, you can get fried pizza. Um… ick… I opted for a Blue Moon & a bag of pretzels. The rest of the menu was faintly “asian,” but nothing I’d really consider to be all that interesting. This place is definitely a dive metal bar, but they’ve got a decent stage, and the bands got set-up / switched over between sets really quick – which is a major plus, especially for a late night show.
The 1st opener, Deosyl, was really good. I had never heard of them, but they’re from Eugene. They were an instrumental rock/metal trio. They were all very good musicians. The guitarist seemed to have some great chops, in the vein of Dream Theater’s John Petrucci or Dimebag Darryl or a breed of the two. Great stuff…
I saw GOS’s Kevin Kmetz warming up with his shamisen in between the openers’ sets…
Shat came on next, around 11pm. I was a fan of their prior to this show. I mean, we go way back… we’re the bestest of MySpace friends. Or something. Well, I first heard of Shat via the (now defunct) Coma Lilies. They are connected to Righteous Gabe Records…
Which is absotively-posilutely supposed to confuse you with Righteous Babe Records. They make music very much unlike Ani DiFranco, though. :) Very much… crazy, spastic, turrets syndrome-induced rock. Oh, I think they’re also linked to the international smash hit “Tonight Tonight Tonight Tonight.” Or maybe just linked via Righteous Gabe… Anyway, they put on a lively show. They’re from Portland; so I’ll likely get to see them again.
God of Shamisen went on right around midnight. I was tired, but doing OK. I work right across the street; so I had popped over there to get a Coke. :) God of Shamisen is Kevin Kmetz on tsugaru-shamisen, Karl Schnaitter on guitars, Mark Thornton on bass, and Lee “ninja” Smith on drums. They played a great set, and it was well worth staying through a late night and two openers to see them play. I also got to pick up their new CD, Dragon String Attack. I’ve been listening to it today at work, and it’s great. My favorite track so far is “The Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury Attack!”
The CD (click the picture for more info):
The Set List: (with adjustments by Mark from GOS*)
- Traditional (Kevin solo)
- Bad Dog Attack
- The Prisoner (called “The Village Attack” on the CD*)
- Tar Bomb Attack (not recorded yet*)
- Ripe Fruit Attack
- Stacie’s Song (for Kevin’s s/o)
- Dragon String Attack
- Mary Jane (with Danyl Johnson)
- The Science Fiction of Ray Bradbury Attack
- Metallica’s For Whom the Bell Tolls* (with Christian from Shat)
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.myspace.com/gos
- http://www.godofshamisen.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/shaturdaynight
- http://www.myspace.com/righteousgabereocords
- http://www.myspace.com/deosyl
The Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is on for tonight. I’m excited. I’ve been a fan of theirs for a few years, but missed them when they came to Eugene in the spring, because I was at the Ani DiFranco/Judy Grahn/Animal Prufrock show down the street at the same night. Well, JFJO coming back to town 5 months later is a-OK with me.
~Dan – np: Jeff Ament – Tone
GOD OF SHAMISEN CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
REVIEW: Mogwai @ Music Fest NW (Portland, OR – – 9/3/08)
Opener the Fuck Buttons were pretty good. I’m bummed that I didn’t make it to the venue until 9:30pm and didn’t make it inside until about 9:40… as I only caught one of the FB’s set. They were loud, but sort of an electronic post-rock duo. Groove-oriented and somewhat repetitive, but the song I heard was enjoyable.
Mogwai hit the stage right around 10:30pm. And they are quite possibly the loudest band on the planet (outside of perhaps Testament on the Demonic Tour). Oy… I just don’t know why their live shows need to be so bloody loud. It’s quite unbearable. Their music suits a “normal” setting (unlike perhaps Testament). I mean, what are Mogwai trying to prove by being so loud? It wasn’t a one-time thing either… they were quite unbearably loud when I saw them in 2006 at the Wexner in Columbus, OH.
(from the Portland show)
I stayed for right about an hour. I’m not going to bother with posting a set list, as… well… they’re a post-rock band, and it’s hard to remember their song titles. Sorry, it was good, but I’ve got no song titles for y’all (UPDATE: setlist from fan photo).
Setlist:
- Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home
- The Precipice
- Ithaca 27ø9
- Thank You Space Expert
- Friend of the Night
- Scotland’s Shame
- Hunted By A Freak
- Ex-Cowboy
- Kids Will Be Skeletons
- I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead
- I Love You, But I’m Going To Blow Up your School
- 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong
- Like Herod
- Batcat
I’m looking forward to their upcoming album, The Hawk Is Howling, out in 3 weeks. That way I can adjust the volume myself.
Luckily my hotel is literally 3 minutes away. And my ringing ears shall be in bed soon.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.myspace.com/mogwai
- http://www.mogwai.co.uk/
- Mogwai’s Tour Diary about Portland: USA_Tour_Diary_pt1
- http://www.myspace.com/fuckbuttons
- http://www.fuckbuttons.co.uk/
- http://www.musicfestnw.com/
No posts for a while (meaning a few days)… perhaps (I’ve been known to be a liar). Moving stuff this weekend to our new house. But look out… next week is God of Shamisen (9/11) and Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey (9/12) in Eugene. Plus Ani DiFranco’s upright bassist, Todd Sickafoose, is in Eugene (unfortunately the same night as GOS – Thursday 9/11), but I may swing by Sam Bond’s to at least pick up his new CD, Tiny Resistors, before the GOS show.
~Dan – recently played: Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel the Illinoise!
REVIEW: Radiohead @ White River Amphitheatre (Auburn, WA – – 8/20/08)
Well, first off, I wasn’t going to attempt to take my own pictures of the show… I’m an amateur, I was far away, outdoor venue, yadda yadda. For a great review (of the Boston show 8/13) with pictures & video, check out this review.
The venue was White River Amphitheatre (outside of Auburn, WA)… bleh. Not far enough away from Seattle to avoid traffic. Two lane road going in and out of the venue. Crappy gravel parking. No food within 6 miles. Crappy sound. I don’t think I’ll ever go back there… unless there is a Pink Floyd reunion, a Faith No More / Mr Bungle reunion tour… or Chroma Key plays there. All of those events are highly unlikely.
The opener (Liars?) got completely missed. I heard them playing their last song as I was walking from my car. Oh well…
Radiohead came on just after 9pm… and played for a long time. They played a good mix of songs, but the sound at this venue (as alluded to above) was pretty much crap for any of the louder songs. The quieter songs sounded really good, but the big rock songs were mush (not the good kind of mush). Now, the lighting… holy crap. Fun / cool / awesome lighting.
(from the Boston show – Courtesy of Cole Kinsler)
Jonny Greenwood has ever so gently been eeking up in my favorites list, and I think he’s officially taken over as my favorite Radiohead (and body). He’s the anti-guitar hero. He plays with artistic conviction and an “I don’t care if you like it or if it looks cool, this is what I’m doing now” demeaner. I can dig it.
I was also lazy in the “write down the setlist” department, as I know Radiohead has their many minions. Here’s what I got over at the atease blog (thanks to Flaaneuse who submitted it & the descriptions in italics):
Radiohead’s Setlist:
- 15 Step
- Reckoner
- Optimistic
- There There
- All I Need (a fav from the night)
- Pyramid Song
- Talk Show Host (holy crap!! 90s era b-side… one of my favs from the night)
- The National Anthem
- The Gloaming
- Videotape
- Lucky (another fav from the night)
- Faust Arp [Thom messes up lyrics several times, starts singing Neil Young’s “Tell Me Why”; Jonny tries to follow along but can’t quite get the chords. Phil comes out and drops an American dollar bill out in front of Thom and Jonny and runs away laughing. Thom and Jonny crack up completely to loud cheers. Thom tries again, says “Fuck it!”, but then continues and finishes the song.]
- Jigsaw Falling Into Place
- Climbing Up The Walls (another fav from the night… I love this melody)
- Dollars and Cents
- Nude
- Bodysnatchers
- Encore 1: How to Disappear Completely
- Arpeggi/Weird Fishes
- Idioteque
- In Limbo [Tambourine accompaniment by Nigel Godrich. Thom, ‘This is Nigel’, Ed, ‘He makes our records.’]
- Street Spirit (another fav from the night… I love this melody)
- Encore 2: You And Whose Army? [Thom dedicates to the people who demonstrated against the WTO in Seattle in 1999]
- No Surprises (would have likely been a fav from the night; alas, I was on the road – starting my 4 hour trip home)
- Everything In Its Right Place
The Appropriate Linkage:
Good show… it’s a pleasure to see Radiohead just about any time. This time was in the “OK/Good” category, but not their fault. I just think I’m getting too picky to go to the big outdoor venues…
~Dan – np: John Zorn‘s The Dreamers
REVIEW: Nellie McKay @ Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR – – 8/15/08)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM
Early shows are problematic, especially if you have to drive 2 hours to get to them. Oh, and also if the artist thought they started later. Blame for this goes squarely to the Doug Fir Lounge, in my opinion. Double-booking a night is horrible. Horrible. Nellie McKay* would have likely played much longer, had she been allowed to… argh.
*– for the newbies, her last name rhymes with “McPie”
Anyway, the opener Amorèe Lovell started right at 7pm, and played a stellar 40 minutes. She is from Portland, and plays a mean piano with quirky lyrics and fun banter. I’d say she fits in with the likes of Regina Spektor & Nellie McKay with a touch of Tori Amos. She also brings her own charm & style. She was very entertaining. She played mainly originals, but also threw in some Tom Waits, Johnny Cash & David Bowie. On to Nellie…
Nellie‘s start time was supposed to be 8pm. She didn’t hit the stage until nearly 8:30, due to a mix-up with her start time. Most of the crowd was getting antsy (myself included), as the late show had a “doors open” time of 9:30. Yikes. With that being said, Nellie came on and put on a great just shy of an hour show. She seemed more comfortable and confident, and she was as funny / spunky as usual.
Nellie’s Setlist:
- Toto Dies
- Old Enough
- Mother of Pearl [on uke]
- story about prince chunky, the 44 pound cat
- The Dog Song (a fav of the set)
- Real Life
- Tipperary
- Don’t Fence Me In [on uke]
- Vote for Mr. Rhythm [with Obama tag at the end]
- Sari (a fav of the set… with Dylan impression at the end)
- Feed the Birds
- Politan
- Don’t Fence Me In [false start… she remembered she already did it] :)
- Me Gusta Mañana [on uke.. a silly spanish song]
- explanation about her NPR song “Cavendish”… she didn’t have time to brush up on it, but sometime soon
- Zombie (a fav of the set)
- Encore 1: Really
- Encore 2: Ding Dong
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.myspace.com/prettylittlehead
- http://www.nelliemckay.com/ (official)
- http://www.nelliemckay.org/ (fan site)
- http://www.myspace.com/amoreelovell
- http://www.amoreelovell.com/
- http://www.dougfirlounge.com/
- My blog reviewing Nellie in Eugene, OR 10/5/07
- My blog about Nellie @ TEDtalks
- My blog about Nellie’s Project Song on NPR (where she wrote “Cavendish” in 48 hours)
Next show for me? Radiohead next Wednesday at White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, WA (up near Seattle). Woot!!
I was a pageant gone bad…
~Dan – np: Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins – Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins
NELLIE MCKAY CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
REVIEW: King’s X & Extreme @ Union Center Blvd Bash (Cincinnati, OH – – 8/10/08)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW are at the BOTTOM
My wife thinks I’m crazy. I think I agree. I used SkyMiles to fly from Eugene, OR, to Cincinnati, OH, to see two rock bands. I don’t do this often (fly somewhere for a show). Anyway, this time it was for two bands I’ve liked for 15-20 years: King’s X and Extreme. While I love King’s X, I’ve seen them a bunch and they tour a bunch; so the main reason to fly was to see Extreme* – – who broke up 12 years ago.
*– Extreme is much more than that “More Than Words” band (or that “Beethoven jamming in the mall on Bill & Ted’s” band). They wrote great rock songs, great guitars & insightful lyrics, and bordered on art rock in many cases, i.e.- the IIIrd Side (unofficially) starting with “God Isn’t Dead?” and moving into the 23-minute, three-part with orchestration, epic “Everything Under The Sun” on III Sides to Every Story. “Everything Under the Sun” is most likely my 2nd favorite song ever written (Kevin Moore’s “Space-Dye Vest” being #1).
The closest this double-bill tour was coming to me (in Eugene, OR) was Las Vegas… which would mean expensive ticket, expensive hotel, expensive meals, and a city that I find kinda boring (unless you add an expensive Cirque du Soleil show). With that being said, a FREE show with a brother within 2 miles of the festival with a FREE bed to sleep in made this one too good to pass up. [Thanks, David & Alicia!]
The day started with a yummy vegan biscuits & gravy brunch at MELT in lovely Northside and ended with Nuno Bettencourt wailing on guitar in West Chester (home of the Union Center Boulevard Bash). Well, on to the show…
This was my 15th time seeing King’s X. Did I mention I like them? The only thing that’s kept me away from one of their shows within a 200 mile radius would be a wedding. My own wedding. :) Anyway, they put on a great show tonight. Doug Pinnick, Ty Tabor, and Jerry Gaskill are the epitome of a power trio. They put out a wall of sound, heavy, chunky, yet melodic. They were scheduled to play 45 minutes (the ills of a free festival opening slot), but they got a good hour and change to play. Great crowd response, and kudos from Nuno & Co later in the evening. They put on a great set, as usual. And a friend from Nashville texted me unexpectedly while at the show. [It was great to see you, WalruSteve!]
(Doug, Ty, Jerry – not my pic, obviously)
King’s X Setlist:
- Groove Machine
- Alright
- Rocket Ship
- Black Flag
- Move
- Dogman (one of my favs of the set)
- Pray (with Doug on 12-string bass)
- We Were Born to Be Loved
- Go Tell Somebody
- Looking for Love (one of my favs of the set)
- Over My Head
- Encore: King
The spiritually searching lyrics to “Looking for Love” has been a mantra of some sort for me since way back in ’96; so it’s always good when that’s in the set. Doug seemed to be in pretty good spirits. Ty’s hair kept blowing in his face, but that didn’t stop him shreddin’ up the frets. Jerry was killin’ the skins, as usual. The sun was beatin’ down on the band, but they muscled through. Here’s hopin’ this Extreme tour helps them bring some new fans on board.
As for Extreme… This was my 2nd time seeing them. I saw them on their Waiting for the Punchline Tour in 1995 (@ Bogart’s in Cincinnati). They broke up shortly afterwards, as Nuno Bettencourt went on to do some solo stuff and Gary Cherone went on to join Van Halen (which turned out to be a poor choice… as, you know, Van Halen sucks ass). Anyway, when Extreme broke up, it was truly amicable. The band had run its course, the landscape of music wasn’t all that into hardrock with solos (but rather flannel and apathy rockin’ the suburbs), and the guys in Extreme all had different opportunities. A reunion was always a possibility, it was just a function of time…
They had their new CD (Saudades de Rock) at the show… even though it doesn’t come out until Tuesday. Only $10, too. Rock on!!
(Pat, Gary, Nuno, KFigg – not my pic, obviously)
Extreme ripped up the stage for almost two hours, playing a good mix of old songs, new songs, hits, fan favs… KFigg did a great job filling in Paul Geary’s drum “shoes.” Pat Badger’s bass playing was superb. Gary’s voice was on. Nuno was Nuno (i.e.- God) — meedley-meedley-meeeeeeeeeeee (Strongbad Email link)…
Extreme X Setlist:
- IIIrd Side Intro Music (strings)
- Decadence Dance
- Comfortably Dumb (new one)
- Rest In Peace (one of my favs of the set)
- Star (new one, with Star-Spangled Banner outro)
- Tell Me Something I Don’t Know
- 1989 medley: Kid Ego /
Little Girls /
Teacher’s Pet /
Play With Me (Nuno’s solo ripped — one of my favs of the set) - Midnight Express (instrumental — one of my favs of the set)
- More Than Words
- Ghost (new one, Nuno on piano)
- Cupid’s Dead
- Take Us Alive
- Am I Ever Gonna Change? (one of my favs of the set)
- Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee (Nuno’s guitar-only take on Tchaikovsky — one of my favs of the set)
- Get the Funk Out (one of my favs of the set)
- Encore: Hole Hearted (one of my favs of the set)
- Communication Breakdown [Led Zeppelin]
Overall… fuppin’ awesome! I am crazy for music, but I love being crazy. :) Being crazy is what keeps me sane.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.kingsxrocks.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/kingsx
- http://www.myspace.com/dugpinnickpoundhound (bass/vocals)
- http://www.myspace.com/tytabor (guitar/vocals)
- http://www.myspace.com/jerrygaskill (drums/backing vocals)
- http://www.extreme-band.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/extreme
- http://www.myspace.com/garycherone (vocals)
- http://www.myspace.com/nunobettencourt (guitar/backing vocals)
- http://www.myspace.com/pbadger (bass/backing vocals)
- http://www.myspace.com/kfigg (drums)
- http://www.unioncentreblvdbash.com/
Yeah, that’s a lotta links… I took a bunch of pictures of both bands. I hope to have them up soon, once I get back home to Oregon and have a chance to edit and upload ’em…
~Dan – np: Extreme – Saudades de Rock
KING’S X (24 pics) & EXTREME (70 pics) CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
(click to enlarge)
King’s X Band (6):
More band shots: #3, #4, #5, #6
Doug Pinnick (8):
More Doug shots: #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8
Ty Tabor (8):
More Ty shots: #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8
Jerry Gaskill (2):
Sorry, no more Jerry shots.
Extreme Band (19) + Gear (2):
More band shots: Mourning Widows racks, Drums, Band #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, Bow #18, Bow #19
Gary Cherone (7):
More Gary shots: #3, #4, #5, #6, #7
Nuno Bettencourt (21):
More Nuno shots: #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21
Yeah, I’m a bit obsessed with Nuno. :)
Pat Badger (2):
Sorry, no more Pat shots.
Kevin Figueiredo (4):
Gary & Nuno (10):
More Gary & Nuno shots: #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10
Nuno & Pat (5):
REVIEW: Secret Chiefs 3 @ Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR – – 8/3/08)
FYI… PHOTOS of the SHOW at the BOTTOM
The Doug Fir Lounge is an excellent venue in Portland. Pretty good sound, big enough stage, and a weird/comforting log cabin motif… a tout les monde aime l’arbre…
Primer: Secret Chiefs 3 was an offshoot from Mr. Bungle (but have now outlived MB). They play middle-eastern-influenced world/progressive metal musics. Secret Chefs 3 (no “i”) is a band that one might say is an homage to the Chiefs, and they play world music/avant-garde songs with instruments made from ordinary household items (see Ken Jacobson‘s creations in the Chefs’ MySpace photos).
1st opener… The Secret Chefs 3 (again, no “i”) is made up of Steve Parris (bass paddle), Julie Baldridge (crutch fiddle), Scott Adams (kettlevina / percussion), Rick Isotalo (drums), and Ken Jacobson (paddle / percussion). They were pretty damn good, but played far too short of a set (20-25 minutes). The drums were trash cans and water jugs. The bass and guitars were oars. There was a violin made from a crutch. Per Ken Jacobson, a string broke on it; so Julie had to switch to a regular violin for the rest of the set. The Chefs were more avant-garde than I was expecting… which was thoroughly entertaining. Trey and many of the other Chiefs came out to watch the Chefs’ set as well.
Secret Chefs 3 Setlist: (per their pre-show MySpace blog)
- Ritual of the Bowls
- Advieh (the Spice)
- Kettlevina Sadaqa
- Book of Tea: Lapsang Souchong
- Discotheque at the Gates of Jahannam
- Fruit of the Zaqqum
2nd opener… Diminished Men were quite good as well. They started out as a trio (guitar, bass, drums) and were joined by a saxophonist for about half of their set. I guess I’d describe their sound as rock instrumental with a heavy touch of exotica/surf guitars. Nice sound, but I couldn’t hear the sax too much in the mix. It may have been due to where I was standing, but I wandered out for a few minutes and didn’t notice much change. They played for about 45 minutes of smoke-machine filled fury… I was right by the guitarist, and got a face full of smoke/steam most of their set. At least it smelled pretty much like water. Great sound, despite the smoke. :)
The Closer… The Secret Chiefs 3 (led by a very bearded and cloaked Trey Spruance of Mr. Bungle “fame”) were fantastic. This was my second time seeing them, and my first time seeing them play a full “headliner” set. WOW… they played without much stopping for around 75-80 minutes. They started out with Jason (bass), Trey (sas) and Peijman (drums) playing “Medieval.” And they didn’t let up much until the ender “Renunciation”… the lineup for the SC3 this time around was Trey Spruance (sas, guitars), Timb Harris (violin, guitar, keys, trumpet), Jason Schimmel (bass, keys), Rich Doucette (sarangi, bass, guitar), Jai Young Kim (keys), and Peijman Kouretchian (drums). Timb and Jason are in a Web of Mimicry/SC3 brother band, Estradasphere. I picked up Jason’s new side-project (as well as the Chefs -EP-), Orange Tulip Conspiracy. Wow… it’s rad.
Secret Chiefs 3 Setlist:*
- Medieval
- The 15
- Vajra
- Personnae: Halloween
- Zulfikar
- The 4 (Great Ishraqi Sun)
- Bereshith
- Castle of Sand
- Fast
- Assassin’s Blade
- Dolorous Stroke
- Brazen Serpent
- The 3 (Afghan Song)
- Encore: Renunciation
*– Outside of a few songs, I’m shit for remembering their song titles. Luckily, I was close enough to Timb’s setlist to take a picture and scrawl the info down.
The Appropriate Linkage:
- http://www.myspace.com/secretchiefs3
- http://www.webofmimicry.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/secretchefs3
- http://www.myspace.com/diminishedmen
- http://www.dougfirlounge.com/
- My blog about SC3’s Xaphan
- My blog review of SC3 in NYC (Mar 2007)
Great show, all around… if you want to hear some Secret Chiefs 3, check them out on iTunes. I recommend all of their stuff, but I guess for newbies, I could limit it to: Ship of Fools (Stone of Exile), Renunciation, The 4 (Great Ishraqi Sun), Book T: Exodus, Assassin’s Blade, Zulkifar / Zulfikar / Zulfiqar III, Jabalqa / Jabarsa… or check out their Xaphan album on other music shops that may have samples (it’s not on iTunes, yet). Xaphan is my fav CD of 2008, so far.
~Dan – np: Greydon Square – The CPT Theorem
SECRET CHEFS 3 (6 pics), DIMINISHED MEN (6 pics)
& SECRET CHIEFS 3 (34 pics)
CONCERT PHOTOS
all pictures (cc) 2008 Daniel Temmesfeld,
you may use freely under a creative commons attribution
REVIEW: EARTH & Jesse Sykes @ W.O.W. Hall (Eugene, OR – – 6/23/08)
Prior to the show, I stopped by Cozmic Pizza for a chai muffin… two wonderful singer-songwriters were playing, Breanna Paletta and Justin Bennett. I caught a few of their songs (3-4). Great stuff. They’re from Portland. Maybe when I have more time, I’ll check out one of their full sets. OK, now on to the main event…
After some much stupid hesitance, I went to go see Earth at W.O.W. Hall last night. Much stupid hesitance in that… I won’t hesitate to go see Earth again. Holy rusted metal, Batman… they’re a great live band!
I hadn’t heard of Earth, the band, until last month when I went to see Stebmo (Earth’s keyboardist) open for Skerik’s Maelstrom Trio (review of that show here). Anyway, a possibly inaccurate Wikistory on Earth, the band… signed a million years ago to Sub Pop Records, and Dylan Carson (founder and linchpin to Earth) was a friend of Kurt Cobain. Kurt Cobain wrote Burger King jingles (or maybe he sold bicycles), I think. Anyway, Kurt hated Burger King (or bicycles), shot himself, and later Dylan bought the shotgun.
Side step to 2008… Earth are now spawn to several tribute bands (in style, not content) – – Sunn 0))) and Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine (per Wiki). Their style is ambient, doom, drone, post-rock, or something of a mix of all of that. I’ve heard of Sunn 0))), dig ’em. Listened to some Earth, and didn’t like it with vocals, but loved it without vocals (clip below):
Then I decided to go to the show…
For a local club, I like W.O.W. Hall. I’ve seen a couple shows there this year. I hope to see more in the future. If anything, I like the fact that it’s a not-for-profit venture (they don’t seem to act like cacks like the clubs with bouncers and whatnot). The opener was Parade of Storms. I showed up a little late, but if they went on on-time, they played about 45 minutes. Fuzzy metal with keyboards. Pretty powerful wall-of-sound, and a very good group. The next to play was Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter. She also played around 45 minutes and was very good. Only a few songs were catchy/hooky, primarily she would fit into a dark americana rock meets singer-songwriter realm. The W.O.W. write-up called it country-noir. I suppose that fits.
Earth came on about 11:15. I stayed for the first hour (I don’t know how much beyond that they may have played. Here’s at least a partial set list:
- Omens and Portents II: Carrion Crow
- Hung from the Moon
- Engine of Ruin
- The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull (Stebmo played trombone at the beginning)
- Junkyard Priest
- …
After the first song, some wise-ass yelled out “slow it down.” I think most people got a good chuckle out of that. I did at least. :) Great hour of music… definitely drone rock / metal. Captivating, especially if you’re into ambient / drone instrumental music. As for the sound, I thought Earth had the best sound of the night. The drums (specifically) sounded pretty darn great. The band for last night’s show was Dylan Carlson on guitar, Steve Moore (Stebmo) on keyboards, Don McGreevy on bass, and Adrienne Davies on drums. Jazz guitarist Bill Frisell guests on three tracks of their 2008 release, The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull.
(photo from the band’s webpage)
GREAT SHOW!! Go see Earth, the band, if they come by your woods’ neck:
Jun 26 2008 Eagles Hall – Olympia, Washington
Jun 27 2008 Doug Fir – Portland, Oregon
Jun 28 2008 Tractor Tavern – Seattle, Washington
Jul 13 2008 Supersonic – Birmingham
Jul 14 2008 Whelans – Dublin
Jul 15 2008 Black Box – Belfast
Jul 16 2008 Stereo – Glasgow
Jul 17 2008 Scala – London
Jul 18 2008 Patronaat – Haarlem
Jul 19 2008 Cafe Glocksee – Hanover
Jul 20 2008 Dour Fest – Dour
The appropriate linkage:
- http://www.myspace.com/earthofficial
- http://www.thronesanddominions.com/ (Earth’s non-Rupert Murdoch webpage)
- http://www.myspace.com/stebmo
- http://www.stebmo.com/
- http://www.myspace.com/jessesykes
- http://www.myspace.com/yersiniapestismusic (Parade of Storms MySpace)
- http://www.myspace.com/wowhalleugene
- http://www.wowhall.org/
-Eyvind Kang
-Frank Zappa
Amazon.com mp3 downloads
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This blog and concert photos therein are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Available with Attribution for Non-Commercial, Non-Derivative Use.
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