Category: Concert Review

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Concert Review

My Whole Love of Wilco

First, Nick Lowe is cool.  As Jeff Tweedy said when Lowe came out to accompany Wilco for two songs (including one of his own), “It’s okay to like Nick Lowe.”  He was a perfect opener.  He played solo, just him and his pretty, old Hummingbird.  Sure, this is the guy that people mostly (if not only) know for “Cruel to Be Kind,” and that seemed to be the main criticism of him I was hearing.  But I scoffed at these doubters – these fools would doubt anyone that Wilco choose to play with them.  His guitaring was smooth, his lyrics were smart, and he was cool.  Supreme.

Now, Wilco.  "Who’s your favorite band" can be a pesky question if you don’t have a ready answer.  Wilco’s been mine since early high school.  This span of favoritism has included weeks without their music and days of listening only to them, but even when I’m not listening to Wilco I know that I’d like to be.  With 75 of their songs on my iTunes, adding up to more than five hours and 19 albums (and EPs, Singles, Compilations, etc.), they surely outnumber any other artist.  (This doesn’t even include Loose Fur or any other side projects.)  Plenty of their 4+ minute songs have over 30 plays, and the star ratings… plentiful.  I love them.

So, hooray for Raleigh.  We hosted Wilco’s new album (The Whole Love) release party, and we got a shout-out for housing their merchandiser, Kung Fu Nation. Many of my Wilco-friends thought The Whole Love has restored their faith in the band, and it’s their favorite album since (blablabla yadayadayada), etc.  Yes, the new album kicks ass, but for me, so do the old albums–all of them.  Songs from their Wilco album already feel like classics, and hell, so do half the songs from their newest album.  They proved their range of greatness with a killer set and a magnificent encore.  There’s nothing like knowing every song.  This is their set list as recorded by me (comment corrections if necessary):

1. Art of Almost

2. I Might

3. Rising Red Lung

4. Ashes of American Flags

5. Bull Black Nova

6. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

7. One Wing

8. Dawned On Me

9. Born Alone

10. Impossible Germany

11. Say You Miss Me

12. Whole Love

13. Pot Kettle Black

14. Handshake Drugs

15. War on War

16. Black Moon

17. One Sunday Morning

Encore

Shot In The Arm

Jesus, Etc.

36 Inches High (Song by Nick Lowe, with Nick Lowe)

I Love My Label (with Nick Lowe)

Red-Eyed and Blue

Walkin’

I’m The Man Who Loves You

One hell of a night.  Tweedy called it out himself.  Honestly, though… it could’ve been a little louder (and I had great, close seats).  I’ll be glad to see them as many times as I can.  They produce a poster for every single concert they put on.  If that’s not some indication for how much they care about their shows, I’m not sure what is.  You can always count on bits of Tweedy’s character in between songs. This evening was not filled with rants between each song, but there were a few gems to prove how personable he can be (plAAAtinum).

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Concert Review

Fleet Foxes at Raleigh Amphitheater, 9/21/11

What to say about the Fleet Foxes concert? I don’t think I have ever been that wet in my entire life. There was a torrential downpour the entire concert, or what there was of a concert.

I arrived at the Raleigh Amphitheater toward the end of The Walkmen, the opening act. At this point the rain was fairly mild and I had a rain jacket and a towel so I was prepared. By the time Fleet Foxes started, the downpour began. They began by playing songs from their new album, Helplessness Blues. The rain made for a unique atmosphere. People wearing trash bags, people without shirts or shoes. Everyone was soaked. But people made the most of it, and at one point there was a parade of fans dancing and singing through the venue in the rain.

I enjoy all of Fleet Foxes’ albums but I have a special connection to their self titled album, so when they started playing songs from that one I was in bliss. They played “Your Protector” and “Ragged Wood.”  Then suddenly, in the middle of “Ragged Wood” a speaker blew out. Fleet Foxes tried to continue playing but they had to stop. Then they said they had to take a break until the storm passed. So in the downpour we waited in limbo, not knowing whether the storm was going to pass at all. At that point, my rain jacket and dress were soaked through and I was dripping water. The storm started to get the best out of some people and fans began to gradually trickle out. My friends and I were stubborn and did not want to be defeated by Mother Nature, so us and other fans just stood in the rain hoping it would let up so we could hear some Fleet Foxes.

Fleet Foxes had to cover up all their equipment and were also just standing on the side of the stage hoping the storm would pass. After a while, the rain let up but they announced that they had to wait for the lightning to stop in order to play. Looking up at the sky I saw that there was lightning every five seconds or so, so it did not seem hopeful. A tech guy then came up to a microphone and stated that another storm was coming so Fleet Foxes would not be able to play again. The lead singer of Fleet Foxes then came onto the microphone and explained that they were sorry and if they could play, they would. He also complimented us Raleigh fans on being awesome for standing through the storm. He claimed they would try to make it back to Raleigh soon, and he sounded sincere.

Later on their Twitter they wrote “Raleigh: you were the most amazing audience we’ve ever had the honor to hang with, sticking it out in that crazy storm tonight.” And “Seeing you people in Raleigh tonight made me more proud to be a part of this than any other thing we’ve done. #thankyou #fucknature”

So in the end, the Fleet Foxes concert was definitely an experience, although the experience didn’t include as much music as I had hoped for.

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Concert Review

Girls, Nobunny, and Papa at Cat’s Cradle, 9/17/2011

Walking up to Cat’s Cradle, I went to the front door like always…but I was redirected around to the side of the building.  After waiting 40 minutes after the doors were supposed to open, the crowd was let in.  What I walked into was not the Cat’s Cradle I was expecting: everything was gone.  I was standing in a massive open space, with only the soundboard sitting between the stage and bar.  At first it felt like the building was remodeled after an outside festival stage.  To be honest, I was unsure what to think.

After the initial shock upon walking in, I found a spot and waited for the first band, Papa, to start.  As the band began their short set, I realized that the design of the venue was not the only thing that had been revamped; the sound that came through the monitors was clear. Really clear. After some bad concert experiences, I have trained myself not to expect too much from the sound system at Cat’s Cradle, so it is an understatement to say I was pleasantly surprised to hear each instrument loud and clear!

Papa has a characteristically 50’s sound they share, to some extent, with both Nobunny and Girls.  The reverb-y Jaguar, complimented by bouncy piano chords and rolling drum patterns, has become something of a staple in indie music recently.  Each member of the band played well and the singing was solid, but there was something missing from the equation.  The melodies often sounded a little forced and overly poppy; the crowd seemed to enjoy their set though, so it may just be me.  I see a lot of potential in Papa, especially if they work on writing songs that don’t confine so strictly to pop’s barriers.

After Papa had finished and packed up their equipment, Nobunny began to set up their instruments along the front of the stage.  I learned beforehand that their show was a little intense, but I was still surprised when the lead singer walked out wearing only a dilapidated bunny mask, half of a jacket, a metal-studded leather belt-vest, and briefs (something like this).  Yep, no pants.  He put on his guitar and proceeded to go absolutely insane.  I’m talking about yelping lyrics that may or may not have any meaning at all, while strumming hard enough to induce an aneurysm.  The band excited a large part of the crowd standing towards the front of the stage, but as I looked behind my spot somewhere in the middle, I saw a lot of faces that weren’t buying into the whole spectacle of it all.  I guess you were either really into the act or not.

As soon as Girls stepped onto the stage, the crowd gave them a serious amount of applause; I was pretty startled by how loud the cheering was.  They started off their set by playing a bunch of songs from Album, their 2009 release.  Chris Owens was friendly, talking about how he was trying to change up their setlist for each show on the tour.

Coming in with a few upbeat songs from the Broken Dreams Club EP, the sound started to really hit me…and once they came in with Vomit, the single from their new album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, I freaked out.  After the fourth-or-so verse, the band went into an intense, abstract noise jam, one of my favorite concert moments of the year so far.

After a few more cuts from the new album, the band left the stage to a stream of cheers for an encore.  There was an even a chant: “GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!” that went on for a while.

The band came out for another amazing five or six songs; Chris said they played every song they knew.  This included a loud rendition of my favorite Girls’ track, Morning Light.  Towards the end of the encore, there was even a disclaimer from Chris to local media: he did not want to see a review stating that the set fell apart at the end, as they were playing an unrehearsed version of another new album track, Just a Song.  I can honestly say that the hour and forty-five minute (!) set did not fall apart, nor did it drag on as some long sets do.  I could tell the band was having a lot of fun, which made it great for the audience as well.

By the end of the show, the newly deconstructed Cat’s Cradle didn’t feel weird anymore.  I can’t wait to go to another show there!

 

-John

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Concert Review

Okkervil River and Wye Oak at Lincoln Theatre, 9/13

Tuesday night was awesome!

As I walked into Lincoln Theatre, I told the door man I was on the list.  He couldn’t find my name.  Needless to say, I was worried I was not going to get to see the show.  He went to talk to someone and a few minutes later, everything was worked out and I pushed past the bar to a large crowd.

Wye Oak was a few songs into their set as I moved toward the front. I saw them already in July, outside Lincoln Theatre during DejaFest, so I had high hopes: I was not let down. Jenn Wasner, the lead singer and guitarist, pushed through some heavy riffs while maintaining her subdued, low-key vocals.  All the while, Andy Stack effectively played drums and keyboard, turning out an ambidextrously awe-inspiring performance.

As they concluded their set, a team of techs bustled around for 30 minutes, setting up instruments that spanned the entirety of the (well-sized) stage.

Okkervil River excited the huge crowd, as they were the reason a majority of the concert-goers paid for the show!  As the band started, I was taken aback.  I was not expecting the fullness of sound to hit me, and the crowd liked it too.  As the set waned on for over an hour, Will Sheff’s voice started to wear down both him and the crowd.  The middle of their performance was mediocre, as it included a mini acoustic set of pretty boring folk, but a second wind came as the entire band condensed on the stage.

Second or third to last, the band played their biggest hit: Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe.  Attempting crowd interaction, the band enticed the audience into an 8th-note clap; it was really fun at first (the stereo effect it created was astounding), but it wore on for the audience.  The last few songs were solid, with the band playing their instruments in lengthy outros that were pretty interesting.  I had to get home after they finished, so I can’t report on the presence of an encore, unfortunately.

Essentially, Lincoln Theatre probably has the most professional ambiance of any area club, which is fantastic.  Add to that great music presented by Cat’s Cradle and you have the perfect setup.

 

 

 

 

 

-John

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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.