For two sold-out nights, Londoners The xx proved that a minimalist approach can work, when it’s done well.
Having just arrived on the scene in 2009, The xx have earned a great deal of buzz and, judging by the crowd response, a sizable faction of ardent fans. Appearing shy, unassuming and a bit goth in their solid black attire, Oliver Sim on vocals and bass, Romy Madley Croft on vocals and guitar and Jamie Smith on percussion played to a packed house at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall.
To start the show, I was excited to see Phantogram, a New York duo that I have been hearing so much about lately. I had heard about comparisons to Portishead, influences from Serge Gainsbourg and descriptions of their energetic live show. Based upon the crowd response, I don’t think I am alone in my assertion that the performance was a disappointment. The band’s point of reference seems good but there was simply no cohesion and each track seemed sloppier than the one before. There was no trace of an energetic live show and their lighting, which consisted of little more than the incessant, annoying flash of strobes, certainly didn’t help things.
The xx, on the other hand, conveyed exactly the opposite effect. Stacking detached, hazy vocals and thumping bass parts along with “live” drum machine beats, each sound seemed as it were specifically selected to enhance the vibe. Sounding like something thatRobert Smith,Ian Curtis and Peter Hook might have cooked up in long-forgotten shed during the wee hours of night, The xx delivered an hour-long set consisting of most of the songs from their eponymous 2009 album. From the syncopated, overlapping lyrics of “Crystalised” to the half-awake “Islands” and “Shelter” the band gave the crowd a peek into their natural, more-mature-than-it-should-be style. The set continued with “VCR,” the R&B influenced “Basic Space” before closing with an energetic version of “Infinity.”
The show felt very intimate, as if the crowd was voyeuristically peeking into their dilapidated practice space while the band played simply for their own late-night enjoyment. That’s really what is so striking about The xx and their music: it’s seductive and tense there’s nothing pretentious about it. You’re left feeling fortunate that you’ve experienced it unfolding before you, as if it could vanish in an instant. Showing the band’s great mastery of restraint, all of the parts have an organic space between them, letting the tracks breathe and evolve in a very satisfying way.
It’s certainly impressive to see such a young band have such a brilliantly realized sound. Making unique noise from pedestrian instruments, these newcomers just might be on to something.
One my fondest musical memories of the past decade was the Snake River Conspiracy “Bush And Gore 2000” tour. SRC was the short-lived band with Jason Slater of Third Eye Blind and the incredible vocals of Tobey Torres in a sexy, industrial rock wrapper. This was the last show I saw at The Masquerade in Atlanta before moving across the country to San Francisco, the place SRC and I would both call home. While the show was memorable on its own merits, the diminutive venue was really the star as it was a regular destination for countless live music shows during college. It’s the kind of place that will punish you with its awful acoustics and will leave you wondering if the three perforated floors (Heaven, Hell and Purgatory) would hold up to the nightly torture from enthusiastic fans. And, there was always the chance that you would arrive for a show to find that the city had decided to demolish the building altogether.
Over the years, The Masquerade was the place for me to witness incredible performances before the bands graduated to larger stages. In 1989, there was the 100-degree Nine Inch Nails “Sweat-Fest” where the entire 1000-person capacity crowd gathered shirtless under a lone ceiling fan lazily spinning at about twenty revolutions per minute. Then there was the vicious Niter Ebb show that left everyone with a temporary case of full-body tinnitus. And, at the other end of the spectrum was Björk in a pre-swan dress show where she shushed the music emanating from the other floors of the club during her performance of “It’s Oh So Quiet.”
The Masquerade is the kind of place that will treat you like garbage, completely pummel your senses and otherwise abuse everyone who climbs her rickety stairs. But, like a relationship in need of some serious therapy, she always knows you’ll be back because of all the glorious memories you have together.
Once known for their exceptional and quirky debut chill-out album Melody A.M., Norway’s Röyksopp was kind enough to include San Francisco as one of the stops on their brief three-city North American tour. In the four years since their 2005 SF show at The Independent, the band’s membership has remained unchanged yet their product has become quite different. The sometimes dark, atmospheric melodies and introverted live presence has been replaced by a tougher, more electro-pop sound, interesting visuals and stage theatrics.
Playing to a sold-out crowd at the Regency Ballroom, Torbjörn Brundtland and Svein Berge were joined by Anneli Drecker whose mysterious vocals were a spot-on fit for the blippy, joyous, Norwegian club-pop. Drecker was the focal point as she posed in an ever-changing array of costumes that would make Daft Punkproud. The set list was a mix of tracks from all three studio albums, though the more placid tracks from Melody A.M. and The Understanding were given a club-friendly conversion. Although this is to be expected given the percussion-driven and pop-influenced style of 2009’s Junior, the live show still captured the festive atmosphere and triumphant and danceable sensibilities of their 2005 EP Röyksopp’s Night Out.
The 15-track set included an extended version of “Eple,” a vocoder-thickened version of “Remind Me,” “Happy Up Here,” “Poor Leno,” a disco-tinged “So Easy,” “You Don’t Have a Clue,” a raucous and frenetic “This Must Be It” and a groovy, head-bobbing, down-tempo version of “What Else Is There.” The pace never slowed to allow songs like the red-velvet lounge of “Sparks” to fit in although there were occasional momentum-disrupting pauses between songs. In every instance, the sophisticated melodies and lush instrumentation were given a very dance-worthy treatment that never felt forced or awkward. Along with Flunk, Röyksopp continues to be one of Norway’s hippest musical exports.
Combining bits from The Chemical Brothers,ABBA and Orbital, Röyksopp constructs some seriously addictive beats, innovative melodies and swirling, brooding electro-pop. This time out, it’s more suited for the club than the coffee shop.
Set List: Royksopp Forever
This Must Be It
Remind Me
Happy Up Here
Tricky Tricky
Alpha Male
You Don’t Have a Clue
I Wanna Know
The Girl And the Robot
Eple
What Else Is There?
Only This Moment
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So Easy
Poor Leno
—–
Fat Burner
Whether he’s performing a DJ set or appearing with a full band, Moby has always been able to deliver his music with a very sincere and natural approach. His show at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco on October 15th was a great example of those two qualities coming together in a very easy and earnest way. This was one of three California shows which Moby has decided to donate the revenue to the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence. After handling a few technical hiccups which came across as more endearing than disruptive, Moby led the crowd on an impressive tour of his nine studio albums and 20-year career.
Performing with a full band for the first time in recent memory, Moby has managed to put together an impressive set of groovy chicks and bald dudes on stage. Moby was joined by Hagar Ben Ari on bass guitar, Joe Goretti on drums and Claudia Chopek on violin. Most impressive were singers Inyang Bassey and Kelli Scarr who also saw action on keyboards. Performing live versions and sometimes doubling up Moby’s trademark soulful samples, Bassey and Scarr were powerful and organic forces behind the mic. Knowing the strengths of his bandmates, Moby was perfectly content to take the back seat and let one of his singers belt out some seriously searing lead vocals while he rocked the Gibson SG or assaulted the conga drums.
The show drifted through tranquil and emotional orchestrations from Moby’s current release Wait For Me including, “Pale Horses,” “Shot In the Back of The Head,” “Wait For Me,” “A Seated Night,” “Walk With Me” and the mournful and slightly off-key lament “Mistake.” The vocals of Scarr were both potent and tender, especially on ”JTLF,” with it’s images of hopelessness and vulnerability: “We heard the rain on the window like a simple waste of time. We heard the sirens wailing like the world had lost its smile.” The album, seemingly recorded on the fly and with no trace of studio over-engineering or effects-rack wizardry, came through in the live show as fluid, poetic and refreshing.
While Wait For Me is filled with beautiful and cathartic tracks, some of the most appreciated moments from the show included the more raucous anthems and gospel-inspired hooks from the 1999 album Play and the 2002 release, 18. The crowd, singing along to music which is not really built for that type of crowd participation, jammed to Bassey’s incredibly soulful vocals on “Honey,” “Extreme Ways,” “Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?” and “Natural Blues” and bounced happily along to “a stupid little song” called “Bodyrock.” Although I was a bit disappointed not to hear Bassey’s smooth take on “Sunday (The Day Before My Birthday),” high-points included Moby’s “unlikely Top 40” hit about a “dystopian, amoral, post-apocalyptic” world, “South Side” as well as a hazily captivating version of “When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die.”
Though I’m not sure what all of the ingredients are or how exactly he does it so well, Moby continues to deliver lives shows which are spontaneous, spiritual and liberating. Somehow, I don’t think he would have it any other way.
With the summer fog and windy chill separating the locals from the ill-prepared tourists, day 3 of the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park had both moments of brilliance and powerful performances across the festival’s seven stages. If you missed day 1 or day 2, check them out now!
Matt & Kim
Almost too happy for their own good, the duo of Matt and Kim bounced through their Casio-infused set including “Daylight” and “I Wanna.”
The Dead Weather
All of the elements were in place for The Dead Weather’s mid-tempo performance on Sunday afternoon. The weather was indeed dead and gloomy and The Kills’ Alison Mosshart’s vocals were bluesy, primal and raw. While Jack White, pulling double-duty on drums and vocals, fits the personality of the band perfectly, he was overshadowed by Alison’s powerful onstage presence.
Modest Mouse
Proving that plaid may just be the new black, Modest Mouse played their set, curiously skipping their most radio-friendly tune “Float On.” While the show was enjoyable, I found that I would rather have a Modest Mouse experience which includes a comfy chair, good headphones and a copy of The Moon & Antarctica.
Loop!Station
Performing their third brilliant set in three days, Loop!Station shared part of their show with performers from the Vau de Vire Society.
Ween
Ween’s hard-core fans were out in large numbers to see the free-spirited absurdist-rockers on Sunday. Filling the spot occupied by Primus at last year’s fest, Dean Ween and Gene Ween(Mickey Melchiondo and Aaron Freeman) showed their cred as gifted guitarists.
M.I.A.
After her bratty reaction to the announcement of Tenacious D as replacement headliners for the Beastie Boys on the final day of festivities, M.I.A.’s performance did little to improve her image. M.I.A. (Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam) failed to generate much enthusiasm from the crowd, even after passing out hundreds of annoying toy horns which, coincidentally, sounded just like “boo” when played en masse. It was quite fitting that Street Sweeper Social Club’s version of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” was more inspired than her own.
Band of Horses
Shimmering with reverb, the Southern-tinged rock of Band of Horses was filled with warm and moving moments. Song such as “The Funeral” and “Ode to LRC” were part of a well-crafted and rousing set.
Tenacious D
Bringing skits, stunt doubles and shtick-heavy rock, Jack Black and Kyle Gass closed out the final night of the festival. After being named as replacements for Beastie Boys who dropped out due to the throat cancer diagnosis of Beastie’s Adam “MCA” Yauch, The D unleashed their “earthquake of rock” on the Bay Area.
Mastodon
Performing with a formidable presence, fans at this live show know why this is one of the best heavy metal bands in the country. Mastodon’s progressive style is intricate and monstrously powerful, drawing from metal, metalcore and jazz influences. Their immense sound is even more potent when it is radiating from an outdoor stage.
Bat for Lashes
Though it was too early in the day and their stage was too small to contain them, UK’s Bat For Lashes dished up wistful songs for the crowd who shoe-horned themselves into the side stage area. Less cutesy and more dynamic than I expected, vocalist Natasha Kahn’s velvety voice was haunting, even in the light of the afternoon.
Black Eyed Peas
Supporting their latest release, The E.N.D., the Black Eyed Peas are determined to keep their fans happy. Creating a massive dance party in the middle of Golden Gate Park is certainly one way to do just that.
Deerhunter
Also coming off a supporting role with Nine Inch Nails on their Lights in the Sky tour, Deerhunter’s performance was a surprisingly subdued version of their usually moody punk-art-rock shows. Maybe it was the tiny stage or the complete lack of atmosphere but only a hint of Bradford Cox’s lo-fi brilliance was evident.
Dave Matthews
No stranger to massive shows in Golden Gate Park, Dave Matthews brought his quirky personality and prodigious catalog of music back to the live stage. After the recent band turmoil, including the death of founding member and saxophonist LeRoi Moore in 2008, fans were happy to be dancing with the GrooGrux King once again.
The first day of the second annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park was filled with all of the ingredients you would expect at such a mammoth, eco-conscious festival. Expressions of art in many forms, lots foodie-centric vendors and throngs of music-adoring fans packed the event for three days of music, activism and celebration in a picture-perfect setting.
West Indian Girl
One of the early highlights was the set by West Indian Girl with guest vocalist Miranda Lee Richards. WIG delivered a psychedelic set of dreamy pop to an appreciative SF crowd.
Built To Spill
Often mentioned and praised by other bands throughout the day was the swirling, guitar-driven performance by Built to Spill.
Loop!Station
A San Francisco favorite, Loop!Station played three days in “The Barbary,” a magnificent “venue” brought in from Belgium. The effect of Robin Coomer’s soaring vocals, set atop layered samples and powerful cello from Sam Bass is absolutely mesmerizing.
The Dodos
Displaying their unconventional techniques for the hometown crowd, San Francsico’s The Dodos gained some much-deserved exposure with their opening-day performance.
Silversun Pickups
Often compared to Smashing Pumpkins, Silversun Pickups have built out their own sonic wall of sound. Delivering the most powerful set of the festival, Silversun Pickups brought their familiar “Lazy Eye” and “Swoon” in all of their fuzz-out, screamed-out glory.
The National
The performance by Brooklyn-based The National was filled with well-crafted gems of surprisingly interesting indie pop. A band familiar to San Franciscans from their song “Fake Empire” which was used in the Obama campaign, The National had the crowd won over before they hit the stage.
Incubus
Struggling with some vocal issues, Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd did his best to power through the hit-laden set. The fans were more than happy to fill in the gaps while Boyd nursed his pipes with a Cotes du Rhone.
Tom Jones
In an odd Vegas-meets-the-Bay moment, Tom Jones brought his endearing sing-along show to Golden Gate Park. I wasn’t sure if “It’s Not Unusual” or “She’s a Lady” would resonate with the hipster, boomer and ubiquitous ironic t-shirt-clad festival crowd. Sure enough, Sir Tom had everyone, young and old, dancing and singing right along.
Thievery Corporation
Even exceeding my expectations as a long-time devotee of Thievery Corporation, Rob Garza andEric Hilton led fans through an amazing spectacle during their performance on Friday night. The opening minutes of the show featured no less than three lead vocalists, a cross-leggedRob Myers on sitar and were followed by one of the most stunning performances of the entire festival. Pearl who?
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