Category: Concert Review

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Concert Review

Starfucker with Beat Connection and Alexico, 9/11

Alexico
This guy seems to be a one-man band, but he has amazing sound which is enhanced by his spectacular accent (when he does sing). His highlight may have also been when he proceeded to coordinate his multiple crowd surfs to the beat of Starfucker’s encore. It was a beat drop/leap off stage and repeat coordination like I have never seen.

Beat Connection
This band had such a good vibe. They’re a good compliment to Starfucker and I’m glad that they’re touring together. I see them going places. One thing I disliked (you can agree or disagree with this if you choose), was the fact that none of them actually sang. Let me clarify: there were lyrics; there was someone singing, but it was prerecorded. It wasn’t them. I’d love to see them really get into what they’re conveying in their lyrics, but I didn’t see it because they were only looking down at their instruments silently. But hey, maybe that was what was necessary for them to achieve the spectacular musical clarity they did, because their instrumental talent is legit.

Starfucker
Well, I probably should have said in the beginning that this was my first trip to Cat’s Cradle. What a treat for my first experience there to be a Starfucker show. With their pop genius and passionate musical concentration they could easily fill a larger concert hall, but Cat’s Cradle’s close quarters definitely amplified the light show and crowd intensity, making it pretty hard not to jump along to Bury Us Alive with the rest of the hardcore fans. There was jovial competition between keyboardist/founder Joshua Hodges and guitarist Shawn Glassford which is always great to see in a show.

I unfortunately did not notice the feminine clothing they’re rumored to wear, but really, who can notice what they’re wearing when your eyes are squeezed shut as you pump your arm out of its socket… oh, sorry, that may have just been me. Either way this show met my highest expectations.

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Concert Review

Miniature Tigers at Local 506, 9/11

This past weekend was packed with shows, due to Hopscotch Music Festival taking over downtown Raleigh.  Sunday, a day of rest for many who attended the festival, still had its fair share of great acts.  Cat’s Cradle was hosting two shows, at its own venue and at Local 506.  After a long day at work, I got on I-40 and headed out toward the other side of the Triangle.

Walking into the club from Franklin Street, I realized I made it just in time for Miniature Tigers’ first song.  The show started out strong, with great vocal lines atop a poppy, guitar-driven melody.  As the first couple of songs passed, the crowd seemed enthused.  About three or four songs in, the melodic pop started to become more synth-driven, and the crowd responded with some ridiculously nerdy and fun dance moves.  Toward the end of the 45-ish minute set, the band played their most popular song, Bullfighter Jacket, to which the crowd responded in a quite unexpected way: a small mosh pit started a few feet away from me.  Bizarre, right?  With a few more songs (including my personal favorite, Gold Skull, which was produced by Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo), the band finished up their set, played an extremely well received, two-song encore, and invited everyone in the audience to say hi at the merge booth.

Throughout the show, Charlie Brand, the singer and guitarist, was positive and happy.  He talked between songs about how Chapel Hill had become a sort of home away from home (which our station adviser can attest to…she’s seen the band seven or eight times!).  He also stated that the band was going to take a break to record and spend time with their families, and that this would be their last show for a while.  I think we have good things to look forward to from Miniature Tigers in a couple months; if they focus on keeping their sound interesting, I’m sure the new album will be well-received!

A few side-notes:  Local 506, as always, was great.  The ticket salesperson was friendly, and the sound was not muddled in the slightest.  Every instrument could be distinctly heard, even when standing right next to the  stage!  Though I didn’t get off work in time to see the opening bands, I heard promising things about both The Grapes’ indie rock and Lilac Shadows’ shoegaze pop.  From what my friends said, I think both bands have potential that hasn’t been realized yet.

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Concert Review

Into the Grave with Gigan, Blood Red Throne, and Pathology

Greetings! I know, the title is a little lame, but the Gigan, Pathology, Blood Red Throne and Grave show was the complete opposite. The show was Wednesday, Aug. 31 at Volume 11.

I’ll start at the beginning with Gigan. Yeah, Gigan, the monster the fought Godzilla, well he just devoured all the other bands so the show ended early….

Bad joke. For real, though, Gigan was awesome. Since appearing last in Raleigh the band has changed its line up but is still equally kick-ass. Gigan’s innovative style and talent was a strange match to Grave’s death metal feel, but they were excellent openers for the following bands.

 ** Sorry for any Pathology fans, I didn’t see them. I needed my eardrums for Blood Red Throne and Grave.**

Blood Red Throne DESTROYED. That is the most head banging I’ve done in a while. Norway is known for its black metal but this death metal band stands as a reminder that more comes from those snowy lands than Hades and Emperor (Ironically, past members from Emperor have graced the stage with BRT).

Finally, GRAVE. Swedish death metal. A brutal set which sealed the reputation that Northern Europe rules at playing metal. Though their albums only include three members they play live as a four piece. Two guitars, a bass and drums.

And I conclude with Magnus Mertinsson, he is the add-on member for live shows and he looks the most like Cousin It! Which is where we started, It going to a show! Well, that’s it, until next time!

-It

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Concert Review

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Bring Melancholy Folk to NCMA

Wow. Take all your expectations of Gillian Welch’s mournful voice and David Rawlings’s flawless guitar riffs from your favorite albums, whether it be the most recent The Harrow and the Harvest or the now 14 year-old Revival, and sum them all into one balmy evening. If you add a bit more guitar and bit more emotion, as well as interjections from Gillian and David, you just might have what we had the pleasure of experiencing August 3 at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

Fans from all walks of life were pleased– old fans who had been with Gil since the beginning, or new hip 20-somethings who heard them on NPR. There were children with mothers, falling asleep to the lullaby sounds of slower numbers, and curly-topped youngsters bouncing to the banjo lines, and of course, the Rawlings tune “Sweet Tooth”. The brief rain couldn’t put a damper on anyone, not even Gillian and David. They were pleased with the temperature drop and claimed it wasn’t raining, just “really humid”. The rain brought more people to the front, some to dance, others to take cover in the overhang, and more still just to get closer to their folk idols. As a huge Gillian Welch fan, this was probably one of the best shows I’ve been to so far this year. Local artists came out, surely paying homage to one of their influences– I think I saw some members from Kickin’ Grass Band, Mandolin Orange, and Midtown Dickens.

Gillian and David get the award for mixing the new and the old impeccably. The crowd was especially pleased with “Red Clay Halo”, “Caleb Meyer”, and of course, “Orphan Girl” was requested at least a dozen times (though, notably, not performed). As an Ohio native, one of my favorites was “Look at Miss Ohio,” closely followed by one of the encores “Six White Horses”. Their minimalist sound and traditional instrumentation was perfect for this North Carolinian show, providing a sense of belonging when playing “Tear my Stillhouse Down”.

I will admit that I probably cried at least twice during the show, enjoying Welch’s melancholy melodies and bittersweet harmonies of Rawlings. I wanted to quit looking like such a wuss  so I started focusing on the precision of David’s guitar. Then I got caught in a predicament– whether to focus on the guitar or the vocals. I was soon comforted by a fellow DJ’s insight; Gillian’s voice and David’s guitar complete each other. Awww.

This was the third of four shows I plan on attending at the North Carolina Museum of Art this summer; the line up has been so amazing. Check out blogs about Bela Fleck, Lucinda Williams, and soon to come, The Carolina Chocolate Drops.  As always, if you’re looking for the best in Americana, tune in to Americana, Blues, and Company every Saturday from 10-noon.

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Concert Review

A Sultry Evening with Lucinda Williams at NCMA

It was a hot Wednesday evening at the outdoor amphitheater at the North Carolina Museum of Art. Muggy, humid, and as Lucinda Williams described, “sultry”.  I thought to myself, of course we’re enjoying the sultry weather,  as I usually describe her voice as such. For those unfamiliar with Lu’s sound,  I like to say that if Janis Joplin and Dolly Parton had a baby, it would be Lucinda Williams.

It was a late start for the show.  Someone spoke of Lucinda’s potential stage fright, but I think it was more that she was waiting for the hot sun to go completely down before starting to rock. Blake Mills, an unannounced opener, played mellow guitar before Lu came out. Blake Mills is the former  guitarist for indie rock band Band of Horses, and has been playing backup guitar for various artists. We were to discover one of the artists he has been playing guitar with was none other than Lucinda herself. Some members of the audience were pleased with his work, while some other die-hard Lu fans thought he wasn’t doing the songs justice. What do you think?

Speaking of die-hard Lu fans, there definitely is a type. They are strong, middle aged women with husbands (or partners) who usually wear button-up Hawaiian shirts to concerts.  They enjoy picnics from Whole Foods and probably drive Subaru Outbacks. I love these fans. They get up and dance during their favorite songs, shamelessly and happily.  Lucinda provided their favorite songs – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Greenville, Blue, and many others. What’s your favorite Lucinda tune?

Her lifelong fans, the aforementioned dancing middle aged women, enjoyed the show. Me, a less-than-middle aged woman, found that I prefer the recorded versions. They sound fuller, deeper, and of course, can be heard out of the 100 degree heat.  Despite the heat and the sounds hanging in the muggy air, it was a good show. Most current popular female country/rock  stars lack the depth Lucinda carries. It was a musical treat most young women my age will not get to experience.

If you’ve never been to a show at NCMA, its a great venue. You just feel sophisticated sitting there. Bring a chair or a blanket and some snacks, and you’ll thoroughly enjoy yourself. Their line up this summer has been amazing and is consistently great from year to year. Next week, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will take the stage. Definitely a show you do not want to miss. If you like the music of Lucinda Williams and Gillian Welch, check out WKNC’s Americana, Blues, and Company every Saturday from 10-noon.

 

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Concert Review

The Facts of the Matter

Primitive Ways Records presented Snake Baptist (N.C.), RBT (N.C.) and F*uck the Facts (Canada)

July 23, 2011 at Kings Barcade

Snake Baptist: These guys were a riot. Slapping people and punching holes in the wall all while playing some solid, what has be described as turboviolence. Excellent to watch, excellent to listen to; hope these dude play again soon. (I’ll snap some shots when I see them play again.)

RBT: Renegade Bong Tyrants or they could be the renegade beard tyrants (all members have impressive beards). These dudes have laid it out every time I have seen them. Awesome vocals with killer guitar, bass and drums deliver complete hardcore havoc.

The Bong Tyrants

F*ck the Facts: I have to say in the past two months I’ve never liked Canada so much. Three bands have ventured from their motherland down south to play in Raleigh this summer and F*ck the Facts was the best by far. Overflowing with the energy needed for great grindcore they blew my mind. Awesome drumming, ripping guitar and mesmerizing vocals left my ears wanting more. Basically, these guys were a lot of fun to watch and even more fun to listen to. Also, their art was done by their lead singer Mel and ruled.

F*ck

the

Facts

That is it.

-it.

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Concert Review

Mandolin Orange and The Devil Makes Three Play Cat’s Cradle 7/24

I signed up to go to this show about a month in advance. Mandolin Orange is probably one of my favorite local bands, and I had recently started listening to The Devil Makes Three. Despite my planning,  Sunday night concerts are usually a little rough to attend. While I may be dedicated to the 8-hour of sleep per night, the impending Monday morning did not stop Cat’s Cradle from filling up at 9 p.m. to hear the melancholy folk of Mandolin Orange’s Emily Frantz and Andrew Marlin, followed by Devil Makes Three. The talented duo  played the usual favorites – the ones where the crowd hushes and sings along– “Poor Boy Poor Me” and “These Old Wheels”. I always love the abrupt, ironic change in sound when the buzzing crowd starts singing “silence is golden, some may say, some may say…”

Emily and Andrew announced that they will be releasing a new album in September and played a few numbers from that. It seems their album will have much the same great sound found in Quiet Little Room and the self-titled EP.  However, Emily did pick up an electric guitar a bit more than usual, primarily used for soothing harmonies and gently strummed intros. The duo finally announced that Mandolin Orange will return to Cat’s Cradle September 24 for their album release party. If you can’t wait that long, look for Mandolin Orange at Hopscotch Music Festival. Mark your calendars! Fellow WKNC DJ, Rob Lampe, said “Mandolin Orange gets better every time I see them… and I’ve seen them at least 6 times” .  And he’s right – their chemistry only gets more tangible, their harmonies even more entwined, and their orchestration becomes flawless.

Due to the workweek ahead of us, my friends and I had to leave before The Devil Makes Three came on. What did you think of the show? Tell us how it was – make us jealous.

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Concert Review

Beauty with Bill Callahan

I speed.  I park just before 9 p.m., and I arrive at Local 506 just after.  Plenty of driving.  I’m tired.  I just want to see Bill Callahan.  I adore this man, his music, and basically all that he is.  Easily, I find him about as cool as I have yet been able to deem anyone.  I present my membership card and I.D., and I explain that I am there to represent WKNC.  "I’m on the list" – only they don’t have my name.  They don’t have any of the names that WKNC sent in.  Phone-in winners?  DJ pass?  Nope.  I’m starting to feel this experience slipping away from me, but I contact our promotions director, have emails forwarded, admire the convenience of the technology in my hand, and all is settled.  So that’s sort of my spiel on life before my first Bill Callahan show.  I include it only because I think it contributed to my experience – to the choice of words that I’m about to let flow.  Now, my spiel on music.

I’m in. I’m super appreciative to be there, but a little later than I prefer to be.  Maybe a little bummed that my position isn’t the one I usually try to earn with early attendance.  As I walk in past the bar, though, and hear Ed Askew… and see him… I become instantly invested.  He gently sings, almost speaks, his lyrics.  Otherwise, all he plays is the harmonica.  After the first song, he discusses some experimentation he’d done with “seventh chords” (and I scoot to the front into quite a spacious spot three feet from the stage).  Ed asks the keyboardist (his only accompaniment on stage) to play a C major and then play it again adding the “seventh chord."  The man on keys has no idea.

That holds as symbolic of my experience with Ed Askew.  He is an artist;  He went to Yale in the ‘60s;  He is a distinguished liver.  Both the words of his songs and the words in between them came from experience, as he made clear ("So yeah, this song is a true story.”).  One song would almost sound like “Claire de Lune,” but it would spin off with a playful riff.  One song, my favorite from him, was inspired by Gertrude Stein’s poem “Sacred Emily” (“A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose”).  The latter was the only song that featured anything but a keyboard or harmonica – Ed’s voice was accompanied by the softness of a ukulele.

The keyboard sounded a little too electronic for me, though it may have been attempting to convey Ed’s original editions which featured a harpsichord.  When he finishes: applause, real applause/appreciation, and he responds to that applause/appreciation with an encore – one song.  It’s a real encore – not planned or schemed into the performance like encores tend to be nowadays.  Overall, Ed Askew had character.  He had the sort of quarks that make people characters, but he also had the qualities that are included in the common concept of “good” character.  He was a character with character: equal to my expectation of someone worthy to be associated with Bill Callahan.  He left a light and happy mood in the room.  Children could co-exist, and they were actually children – not the immature-in-all-ages I’ve been seeing at good shows lately.  Beards were being complimented.  It was nice.

The playlist in between performances was good.  Bravo to you, Local 506.

Now.  Bill Callahan.  I will not explain him as much because, to me, there wasn’t a new understanding that was formed.  My experience amidst Bill Callahan was more of an appreciation/realization of an already possessed understanding.  Bill is cool.  I cannot help but admire him, his music, and basically all that he is.  His music is orchestrated.  What the impatient and noise-needy ignore is that his music is orchestrated.  To some it seems simple, but that “simplicity” is, to me, a calm complexity.  He, with only a classical guitar and a few harmonicas, produces beauty.  His fingers are active and so intentional.  His voice… steady; and so much more, but you decide those adjectives for yourself.  Live, his music is clean and expressive.  His performance brings to life what may seem flat or even silly in an album (“America!” – that song was brilliant live).

Matt Kinsey sat in with his SG and supplied the bright guitar riffs that could swim with the whammy, stretched strings, and maybe a pedaled effect; or, he could just pick along with Bill.  He was splendid.  Sometimes his role was simple, but sometimes… sometimes he operated – exacting between strings and levels.

Neal Morgan on the drums was perfectly additive.  He was not only rhythm, and he didn’t consistently call attention, but if you watched him, if you appreciated the little things he was doing,  it was truly a delight.  He blew up at one point.  It wasn’t exactly a solo, but he went for it and made it.  Masterfully, simply, he rocked.

They opened with “Riding for the Feeling” (top song of the year?), played much of the new album (Apocalypse), and some old ‘n goodies (…Smog..!).  It was all welcome.  Some songs called exact attention to the lyrics.  Some songs guided my thoughts to important things.  They played like ten songs in almost two hours.  A solid minute or more of genuine applause brought them out for a one song encore.  They played “The Well.”  I loved it all.

Afterthought: it was a little warm.

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Concert Review

Triangle locals take the stage at Kings

By C Creature

Saturday night at Kings Barcade brought a packed house and good tunes from the killer line-up of headliner Annuals, Luego and Jenna & the Jintlemen. I was super excited about Luego as I saw them a few months ago and knew they put on a good show. I had heard good things about Jenna & the Jintlemen and after meeting the lead, Jenna Smith, a few weekends ago while out with friends, I was excited to see her and her “Jintlemen” do their thing. Headliner, Annuals, had their national debut on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, so having never seen them perform, my expectations were high.

When I got there Jenna & the Jintlemen were just finishing up with two songs left in their set; however, I only needed to hear about 30 seconds to know that I loved her voice and band. She’s got a sweet, dreamy and delicate voice, which makes listening to her easy and ever-so-pleasant. Since I was late, I’m not sure if she played “Marcello, Marcello,” but that is one of my favorites by her and it showcases her voice beautifully.

After Jenna & the Jintlemen exited stage left, Luego took the spotlight to bring us some indie/alternative country rock, a few of the songs laced with a soft Spanish influence (especially those from the Ocho album). Lead, Patrick Phelan, has a unique voice and is unmistakable for anyone else’s in the Triangle and definitely makes you think of voices like Paul McCartney’s and Bob Dylan’s…maybe a little Rod Stewart. Dressed in a simple white v-neck decorated only by an ambiguous rectangle rolled into his sleeve (he claimed they weren’t “real” cigarettes), grey Levi’s and cowboy boots, he convinced me we were in years bygone. His  songs have lyrics that  are simple and melodic with out being kitschy. Supported by Peter Holsapple, William Moose, Mark Connor, Cameron Lee, Charles Cleaver, Jeff Crawford and Will Goodyear, Luego is a collective band of friendly, endearing outlaws just singing about what they know. I’m honestly struck by how classic the themes of their songs are and how good they pull it off. Some bands try and seem like they can sing songs like “You Better Run,” or “Atta Boy,” or “Jesse James,” or “How ‘Bout Them Rules,” but can’t with out sounding painfully cliche. Luego has a great talent for using their inspirations to make fresh songs that only later make you think, “Wow, that sounded kind of like ’_______’.”

Standing in the crowd officially feeling like if I walked out side I’d see cacti, tumbleweeds and maybe a sheriff, Luego finished and was rewarded with gracious applause from the crowd. Luego smiled, said thanks and introduced headliners, Annuals.

Now, as I previously stated, I’ve never seen Annuals perform before; however, I’ve heard nothing but great things from people whose music taste I respect AND they’ve played on Conan twice. While they were setting up, people continued to pour into the venue, showing me just how serious of a fan base they have and just why they headlined: people love them.

However.

I do not, I found out. I was actually really disappointed because I just knew that after Jenna & and the Jintlemin and Luego, two groups I love, Annuals would only further my “I’m at such a great show” high, but as it turned out, they did quite the opposite and sobered me up. Led by Adam Baker and supported by Kenny Florence, Mike Robinson, Zach Oden, Anna Spence and Nick Radford, they sang a bunch of songs I couldn’t understand the words to and really didn’t care to find out. I was reminded of too many songs I listened to when I was 16 and add that to Adam’s “yell-singing” as I call it, I just had to shake my head. I expressed my concern and confusion to a compadre of mine at the bar and he looked at me like I was crazy and went on to tell me how much he just “loved, loved, loved” Annuals and why they were so great. For the rest of the night he and many of my other friends witnessed to me and tried to convert me into a fan because apparently if you don’t like Annuals, you’re going to musical hell where Rebecca Black reins supreme.

In any case, none of them convinced me and since then I’ve tried to find a song I at least kind of like, but I just can’t. My ears do not like them and here is why: there is no real melody just a lot of yelling, loud guitars and drums.

That being said, are they talented? Yes. Do they know how to put on a show? Yes, very much so. Did they pack the house? Yes. Do I understand their appeal? Yes. So there it is, I can 100% endorse the fact that they did a great job at Kings, tickling the fancy of all their fans and never made a mistake that I could tell.

So IN CONCLUSION, anyone who went to Kings Saturday night had no excuse to not have a freakin’ awesome time. Every band rocked it out with their respective fans loving it. It was definitely one of my favorite shows of June and flawlessly executed by all groups involved.

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Concert Review

Matt & Kim Perform at Cat’s Cradle, Bring Most Annoying Fans Ever.

I never expected to start a concert review with a Ghandi quote, but alas–  “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.” When I heard that Matt & Kim were coming to Cat’s Cradle several months ago, I was stoked. Though I was less than impressed by their most recent release of Sidewalks, who wouldn’t want to hear “Daylight” performed live? Better yet, The Hood Internet were opening. I spent far too many high school nights (and if I’m honest, college nights too) driving around blasting mashups like “Billie ‘Wildcat’ Jean” and “In The Air Ce Soir” to miss a live show by the two men behind it! I snatched a ticket to the concert like the greedy mofo I am and suggested the infamous DJ Shorty Shorts and another friend join me.

Before I begin being really dramatic (as usual), I should clarify that we were truly excited to go. We planned our evening around the concert, driving to Chapel Hill early to make time for sushi and a personal favorite past time, jay-walking. We got to the venue several minutes before the show started with our grooves on…

The Hood Internet had a strong open, and their stage presence was enormous. They spun great tunes and had a flawless performance, though I did feel alienated by the second half of their set. They mashed up indie hits like The XX, Bibio, and of course Matt & Kim, but apparently, I’m not hip enough to get their pop culture references anymore. I’m pretty sure I heard some Justin Bieber mixed in near the end, and the worst thing was that the samples I felt most alienated by absolutely fueled the crowd of middle schoolers around me. They loved that stuff! Radiohead’s “Reckoner,” though, and they turned their head sideways in confusion. I should mention that I did hear a beautifully off-key, oddly syncopated, whiny rendition of “Creep” by the group of high schoolers to my left, though. All 40 of them. Come on, kids. Come on. You don’t live in High School Musical. We’re not all in this together… in fact, I’d like you to shut up and leave the singing to the professionals.

The Hood Internet packed up their things after about forty-five minutes of adrenaline-filled dancing and… for some odd reason, the house lights weren’t turned back up. I don’t think most of the crowd realized that The Hood Internet was finished, because they kept dancing to the remixes being played over the speakers. What was already a tight, tight crowd only condensed because surprise! Nobody was old enough to drink so nobody moved to the bar, nobody budged, people kept dancing to set-change music, and the late-comers showed up and pushed in on the crowd.

Amidst the chaos and confusion, it’s time for your introduction to big-head kid. By the time Matt & Kim came to the stage, my view was as follows, thanks to big-head kid:

I don’t even know how big his actual head was, but his hair was HUGE and he spread his arms as though he were trying to scare a bear off in the woods by becoming the largest person possible. I tried to take pictures during the show, but every single picture had big-head kid as the focal point. I don’t know how, but he managed to be everywhere I moved without fail.

Matt & Kim were fun and kind of bad ass, but in that middle school way. They talked to the audience a lot between songs, but every other word out of their mouth was “fuck.” Who were they trying to impress? I promise that I’m not a prude, but the words flowed out of their mouths so unnaturally that I began to cringe after a while. These are the musicians that the hipstahs are idolizing? I really wanted to like Matt & Kim, and I see why people do; they both have a great chemistry and play off of each other’s personalities on stage, but I couldn’t help but feel like it was all an act. They were desperately feeding off of their audience’s expectations of a bad-ass, and I just wasn’t it. It felt like watching MTV mixed with 21st century Nickelodeon after they killed Double Dare 2000, Rocket Power, and Hey Arnold!, and… that’s just so not cool.

In retrospect, I think we missed the obvious warning signs. The parking lot was filled with SUVs fit for the typical soccer mom. I saw an abandoned balloon floating away into the sky as we approached the venue. Storm clouds were rolling towards us, and as a burst of lightning flashed across the night sky, I saw the dark mark looming overhead. In the venue, I had to wait in a line to sign in to the underage list… and walking in, I was one of the tallest people there. This concert won the award for most awkward of 2011, and we’re only in June. I don’t see what could trump it. It beat the seizure at Baths’ concert in Durham amidst Will Wisenfeld’s freezing Macbook Pro. It slaughtered Diamond Rings’ Napoleon Dynamite dance moves and Superchunk bashing. The Matt & Kim show was a circus filled with kids. The audience was rude, they shoved people around, and ultimately, I left about 20 minutes early. I’ve never done that at a show before. I couldn’t do stay. I was suffocating. I had a crappy view, the kids in front of me began making out loudly, and the guy behind me yelled “I LOST MY VIRGINITY TO THIS SONG” as “Daylight” was playing (sad times, man… sad times). It was just not my cup of tea.

I really like Sidewalks and Grand, and I wanted to like Matt & Kim in concert… but the fans completely ruined it for me. I’ve never been to such an obnoxious show, and I doubt I’ll subject myself to one ever again.