popwreckoning

Can a band be raw and polished? I had never really thought about it until I saw White Rabbits at their Kansas City stop. Their sound had such strong, uninhibited emotions that it came off with raw garage-rock-band sound. But at the same time everything from vocals to percussion, were precise and perfectly timed, giving the show an overall sheen of quality and talent.

The night jumped between selections from It’s Frightening and a new album (to hopefully be released soon). The older songs got the crowd on its feet, while the newbies kept the curiosity alive.

“The Salesman (Tramp Life)” with its light and airy notes, started a gentle groove in the audience. One wouldn’t think this song would translate well to the stage, due to the fact that in general it’s a rather simplistic song. But between the melodic repetitions and hints of harmonies, this ended up being a great energy build for the evening.

Stepping back a few decades to an 80s folk/rock flavor was “They Done Wrong / We Done Wrong”. Guitars managed to squeeze an acoustic sentiment out of an electric model and when combined with a slap-beat from the drums, made this one intriguing to watch and soothing to hear.

Mixed in between a few new songs, [which unfortunately came to us without titles] was “Lionesse”. If the Rabbits can combine raw and polish, then it’s a not a stretch for them to combine dance-y with eerie. The beginning of this song is set so low on the bass notes that when met with whispering lyrics, goosebumps start to form. However eventually, we were able to see one of the main elements that makes the White Rabbits who they are – percussion. The entire night there wer two drummers on stage, but there were those select songs where each drummer played a significant role. This was one of those songs.

While main rhythm was kept on the kit, a handful of marching drums were given quite a beating. So much was going on stage that you didn’t know whether to dance or just stand there in amazement.

“Percussion Gun” was the entire reason I started listening to the Rabbits and it was apparent that this was the same for most of the audience. When the opening drum beats came bursting off the stage, cheers erupted. Soft and polished lyrics were set on top of distorted guitar strums and beats so quick Matthew Clark seriously had to be crazy in order to keep up. Again we were back to a base of minimal frill music, but there’s something about this band that never lets their sound come off as anything but amazing.

A short encore indulged the crowd with a couple more songs. Ending everything off with “Rudie Fails” a sound similar to that of how they started the evening. There was just enough of an up-tempo to keep the heads nodding and sashaying hips moving. The white keys really stood out as a main player with their cleverly placed chords.

A smaller venue was the perfect setting for a White Rabbits set. The amount of things happening on one stage at one time requires a setting for complete concentration. Not to mention the fact that the intimate approach just made the evening that much more entertaining.  And to top it off, the introduction of new music was a fantastic Christmas present.

Let’s just start by saying all three bands that played Sunday night, November 27, were terrific and finish with; why do bands request monotonous lighting? As much as I love a band, I get tainted when I’m robbed of capturing them at their best. I’m wrong, I am sure, but isn’t the whole idea to see said band in the throws of passion? Blah, blah, blah I’ll stop whining now.

During my sophomore year at college I was exposed to Bauhaus and Sisters of Mercy. That would have been 1987. Two years earlier I got hooked on Love and Rockets, albeit, through Ian Anderson’s flute solo on “No New Tale to Tell”. I was, um… am, a huge fan of Jethro Tull. I felt cheated to have come around so late. Why didn’t I grab hold of where L&R came from not just where they were going? It is pretty cool to be photographing and writing about music that has helped steer my path for 24 years though. I am grateful.

Peter Murphy and his band, Mark Gemini Thwaite (GT)/ guitars, Jeff Shartoff/ bass and violin and Nick Lucero/drums, took the stage and opened up with “All Night Long” from ’88′s Love Hysteria. Sweet start, a pretty song with all the ranges of Peter’s vocals and bright 12 string guitar from Mark GT.

Then a swing to the rocking glammy “Velocity Bird” from Ninth. Two more Ninth songs followed with the rest of the set swelling in and out of Deep, more Cascade and Ninth and four Bauhaus songs. The songs seemed to flow seamlessly, peaking in rocking numbers and leveling off to crooning selections that gave a little breather.

“Subway” from Cascade was played in the Dust style. Shartoff added beautifully effect laden violin. The trance continued on “Gaslit” from the EP of B-sides The Secret Bees of Ninth and was gently broken by “Deep Ocean Vast Sea.” The set closed out with the Mark’s severely compressed and gated guitars on “Uneven and Brittle” and the awesome Bauhaus song “In A Flat Field.”

Mark GT has been with Peter since at least 2008 when he played the Retrospective tour. His brand of guitar has shaped a lot of the feel of Ninth. It is a welcome marriage with Peter’s voice that brings a hardness back to the songs that is invigorating. After a brief dismount from the stage the band returned to a chanting audience. Picking up with the gentle “Marlene Dietrich’s Favorite Poem” and favorite “Cuts You Up” from “Deep.” I’m pretty sure that David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” ended the show. By this time I was a little delirious. There were three encores on the set list but I think the show was shortened. I do remember that “Ziggy Stardust” rocked properly though! During the whole song Peter walked back and forth across the stage clasping hands of his devoted fans. Of note, there was no barrier. One had been set up and taken down on the band’s request. Pretty outstanding of Mr. Murphy to stay so close to everyone, especially since the last time he came through Kansas City a burly Mohawked fan jumped on stage, danced around and gave him a hug before being nicely removed!

She Wants Revenge started dead on time. I always appreciate the consideration this shows to everyone waiting patiently. It was a little weird though, ten minutes before the band arrived from the green room the background music was either too low to hear or just nonexistent. Awkward. Justin Warfield/ vocals & guitar, Adam Bravin (12)/ bass & keyboards, Thomas Froggatt/ guitar and, dang, I don’t think Scott Ellis (no trademark cigarette and a different drum setup)/ drums. Not “dang” bad, just “dang” I couldn’t find out who was playing drums on this tour anywhere!

So, the band came out strong with “Written In Blood” from This Is Forever and then dug into Valleyheart for three songs, “Up In Flames”, “Reasons” and “Little Stars.” All of which seemed to have more dimension and breathing room than SWR’s first two full lengths. A few of the things I like about their self-titled and This Is Forever are the drone, the ebbs in dynamics, the morose passion. I think Valleyheart keeps these elements while dropping some of the dancy bits; it sounds fresh and inspired.

With “What I Want” SWR reverts back to earlier music and then one last Valleyheart song, “Take The World” before staying with earlier numbers for the rest of the set. I would have liked to see some change in red the lighting during the performance. Occasionally a blue or green light would hit Justin but the rest of the band was in a dim red light all evening. Both Adam 12 and Justin entertained with gentle banter engaging their fans and pumping opener Hussle Club.

On that note, Hussle Club, on tour from New York City, started off the night. Prince Terrance, drummer from Santigold, Spank Rock, Hearts Revolution and Major Lazer, led the band on vocals in a mash up of new wave, post punk and goth. Though they don’t have much recorded music out there, they should, a limited 7″ was available at the show.

“High Expectations” led the set moving on to “Children Of The Underground” with a nod to Sisters of Mercy. They exuded a young high energy that was catchy. The guitar work was noisy and a blast. Even though I couldn’t get a good photo of the guitarist it sure was fun watching him! They were plagued with feedback but took it in stride without stumbling. Hussle Club had the best light of the night, well, at least until Terrance got shy and ask to have them turned down. After their set I talk with Terrance as the band was getting ready to load up the van. I mentioned I love seeing out of town bands lugging C&C drums around. Turns out it was Terrance’s kit.

The sound for both She Wants Revenge and Peter Murphy was overly brittle. Usually I am very tolerant of club acoustics but I’ve heard both bands have better mixes at the Beaumont. Especially disappointing was how far back Peter’s vocals were and the lack of definition between his vocals and the bass guitar. Even so I would come back and see them both in an instant!

The crowd was gracious as I weaseled in to photograph the first three songs of each band. I even had a reserved spot in front saved for me. In payment for this kind of treatment I always offer a HiRes image to the few people I impose upon, just a little “thank you” for being cool. It wasn’t a huge crowd, disappointing for such iconic music, it was a devoted group at least. Peter even mentioned that he appreciated the manners of the Kansas City fans compared to the rush of LA. The last time SWR played the Beaumont Justin gushed “you may be few, but you are MIGHTY” which brought a roar loader than five times what the numbers added up to. Nicely done Kansas City. This is a splendid place to live.

Photos and Review by Todd Zimmer

Setlist:
PETER MURPHY -
All Night Long
Velocity Bird
Peace To Earth
Memory Go
Strange Kind of Love
I’ll Fall On Your Knife
Silent Hedges
Too Much 21st Century
I Spit Roses
Subway
Gaslit
Deep Ocean Vast Sea
The Prince And Old Lady Shade
Uneven And Brittle
In The Flat Field
//
Marlene Dietrich’s Favorite Poem
Cuts You Up
Ziggy Stardust

SHE WANTS REVENGE -
Written In Blood
Up In Flames
Reasons
Little Stars
What I Want
Take The World
Sleep
This Is The End
Pretend the World Has Ended
Disconnect
These Things
Rachel
Out of Control

HUSSLE CLUB -
High Expectations
Children of The Underground
Loose Tights
Quaranteenagers
FCK SHT UP
Uptown Downtown

Anders Trentemøller ran his North American live tour through Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kan. on October 19. He’s a Danish electronic composer with a fantastic ability to play with the power of a show between his forefinger and thumb.

The general tone is dark and ominous, with pleasant variations and light notes in between pieces with heavy bass beats and synthetic technic glitches. He does fantastic work on the tables, skewing samples varied by the cluster of knobs, wheels, and sliders under his bangs which cover his intense eyes the majority of the show.

 Xylos, a band from NYC, opened for Trentemøller for roughly thirty people spread about the main floor of the venue who found it nice to be able to sit on the step a set of paces away from the stage. By the end of their show, the number probably tripled.

Together for a little over a year, they play a dance-y sort of indie-rock through an array of instruments including two MIDI devices, a keyboard, drum set (both synth and standard), bass, guitar, bells, tambourines, hand claps, and anything they may have found in their tour bus. They control all these over the setlist with five members.

Being an opener, they had a spatially compact set which caused some issues along with minor audio problems, but they handled them fine and had fun. Their merch table had an oldschool Lite-Brite with ‘Xylos’ lit up, each letter to its own color. We bought two of their albums. Definitely worth checking out if you’re into the genre.

By the time Trentemøller had set up and gone through last-minute sound adjustments, the lower level of the venue had been filled to a point where you couldn’t see open floor, but it certainly wasn’t packed. The hall was not without black colors, piercings, and makeup. The size of the crowd kept it relatively tame throughout, but those who enjoy his style got to see a solid performance.

Alongside Anders, a four-piece band accompanied his electronics with two guitars, a bass, and drum set. His domain on stage included two keyboards with MIDI controllers on top of them, a splash symbol with two woodblocks clamped to its stand, and a Little Legends toy piano with a glockenspiel on top. He was wearing black leather boots, dark grey pants, and a black shirt with a black vest over it. Al Davis would’ve loved the scheme.

He smashed the symbol often to create a very offsetting tone, which supplemented the glitchy effects. By the end of the show, a sector of the symbol had cracked nearly to the center. I didn’t believe it was going to make it through the show, and in fact, it didn’t. The bassist smashed it with the neck of his instrument, sending the symbol, stand, and woodblocks to the ground near the end of the set. It never made it upright again.

The stage had screens capable of raising and lowering to center focal points of the arrangement and provide backdrops for video effects and reflected light. LED strobes, flashbulbs, dark red lowlights, bright bursts. All stimulating a sense other than our hearing from start to finish.

Trentemøller himself had quite an animated stage presence. He moved around his domain, eyed the crowd over his tables, jumped with timely precision, cheered along with the audience, and seemed to be having a great time doing it. There was a sort of quirkiness and uniqueness to his style of entertainment. He smiled so often while playing. The live band did as well.

Errors couldn’t be spotted easily because the genre brings glitches and dissonance with it. The glitches and dissonance are not a negative thing with the sound. It’s all very controlled and well-thought. They played as if they were having a total blast, and it resonated into the crowd, creating a general sense or feeling that what they were doing was correct. Additionally, the band did well with crowd interaction. They got everyone amped up for the drop-ins, the big hits. It’s the sort of music you enjoy moving to.

For his popular hit track “Miss You,” he started alone on stage with the movable screens raised, blocking out the sides and back, to focus attention on himself in the center of the stage. He controlled samples on the tables while playing the glockenspiel on top of the toy piano. It looked very neat and controlled, professional, like watching a hibachi chef. They never screw up, and they’re usually smiling.

The piece’s composition is very calm and beautiful. As the song neared its peak, the screens started to lower and the live band added instruments slowly to mesh with his samples. The distortion and effects kicked in, and the sound jumped to an awesome level.

Around half of the setlist included songs from the album The Last Resort. They finished the show with “Silver Surfer,” all smiling and seeming to really enjoy the atmosphere. After the end fade, Anders and the band came together with bright lights on them to close off the evening with applause, claps and waves.

I’m very glad I got to see them live. I’d like to see him in a full house with more crowd energy someday. The mixture of electronic work and live instruments, while incongruent to his albums, meshed well for a fantastic sound.

Review and photos by Mitch Favrow

So, there’s this band whose CD has been playing in my car constantly since seeing them at Crosstown Station a while back. They’re called The Bright Light Social Hour and they’re from Austin, Texas.

It was one of those impulsive “I’m going to see this show, it could be really awesome or really terrifying” kind of nights. Well, it was definitely the former.

TBLSH has been on tour since September throughout the entire U.S. and Canada. They even made a PSA video about their tour.

If they played the whole tour like they did in KC, I’m sure they are making an impact in every single venue. They are just one of those bands. The kind you dance to the entire night, get their songs stuck in your head for weeks, and that you can’t seem to get enough of.

Sitting down with them before the show I could tell it would be an eventful night. Between the laid back personalities and the kindness of every member, they treated me like I had known them for months.

TBLSH is fronted by bassist and lead vocals, Jack O’Brien who’s stage presence pulls the audience in. Although, it could be his long hair and epic moustache that makes him so memorable.

These guys know how to rock, plain and simple. Their sound is a fusion of blues, funk and southern rock all mashed together making a beautiful blend that appeals to any loving rock n’ roll fan.

There’s this moment in their live show that sticks out the most. During a dynamic guitar solo from Curtis Roush, all four band members dancing around the stage stop to snap their fingers in the microphone.

After giving their self-titled a listen, the snapping has easily become my favorite part of their album. About halfway through the 10 minute track “Garden of the Gods,” I find myself snapping along with ease and usually rocking out the solo in my car.

Oh, and they have a keytar. Any band with a keytar is a win in my book.

These guys took home six awards at SXSW 2011, including Band of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Bassist, Best Keyboardist, and Best Producer. They have played Austin City Limits, appeared on the cover of The Austin Chronicle twice, were featured in Paste Magazine’s Best of What’s Next and have sold out multiple venues in Austin and across the U.S.

The Bright Light Social Hour is a band we all need to keep our eyes on. They’re going places.

Explosions in the Sky played the Uptown Theater in Kansas City October 12. If you tell someone you saw or are going to see them, the initial reaction falls two ways: “What’s that?” or “I’m so jealous!” Whether you enjoy them while studying for an exam, working on a project, or baking a Mexican casserole, many would agree they are the perfect music to put on at track one and let it roll through the album and on to the next. Some would say EITS made the soundtrack to their life.

Their style and album structure is the emotional swing of an early twenties college student vacillating between stress and euphoria, darkness and excellentness. Attending their concert is not unlike going to a symphony. The music is fully instrumental with movement and smart development.

Their arrival to the stage was welcomed by applauding hipsters, yuppies, stoners, older professionals, and those who are all of the above. Plenty of plaid in the front. People relaxing in theatre seating in the back. They elected to start off slowly, which shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with their discography. This was a production. A totally mind-altering experience for someone who hasn’t seen them live before.

After a clean intro, the hammer dropped with a bass hit and bright lights for just a beat, like a tease to the tension developing in the eager crowd. Then another and another. Finally they let loose. Some kid behind the rail started playing vicious air drums to the beat of the chemicals firing around in his head. Photographing nearby, I feared the worst for my equipment. This kid was somewhere else mentally, finally getting to release himself with his favorite band just feet away, loving every moment like the rest of the audience.

I still have a hard time believing I saw these people perform in real life. Most of the concert was spent building slowly with these brief moments of hard sound, covering selected tracks blended together with no dialogue. They played excellent tracks from their album The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place as well as new pieces with various songs from their catalogue brushed in seamlessly.

Explosions in the Sky do not rely on powerful visual effects, light boards, smoke machines, or other accessories for their performances. They have minor colored backlights to maintain a certain mood, which swings throughout, complimented with timely dissonance, and discourse.

They are fantastic with their audible effects, all done with electric instruments. Screeching, ear piercing, make-you-go-crazy effects create the perfect setting similar to Pink Floyd’s psychedelic works, none-without peace and extremely clean, smart sound in between. Maybe this is a draw for those who enjoy their music to the fullest, the purists. EITS are a set of musicians and not some kid with a mac, cranking out glitchy effects developed from some binary code freak (Not to knock the style. It simply wouldn’t fit in this genre of instrumental music).

One interesting thing, maybe disappointing, was the difference in crowd’s ideas of when songs and movements started and ended. Since their concert is more of a performance, there are no starting and stopping points. They played straight through for around an hour and a half. People would shout to hear their own voice in the quiet sets, leaving people who know what’s coming to cringe. I would have liked a more polite crowd. Let the sound do its job. Enjoy what they’re doing and know when it’s right to yell and clap your hands red.

The crowd didn’t destroy anything ultimately for me or the people I sat in the back with. MC Ebony ‘Left E. Grove’ Simon attended, and, for him, the peak of the show hit on the drop-in of Greet Death, the opening track from their dark album Those Who Tell the Truth… He knows music well and is a fellow EITS fanatic. Greet Death is a moving, pressing piece with extremely dark tones. It certainly may have been the turning point in the concert, leaving the serenity of slower tracks behind.

I do disagree with him on the peaking moment. The concert built on itself. The way they started quiet and teased with bass hits, hard guitar sounds, and loud dissonance, the set compilation built and teased until the end. They built up a finale with beautiful repetition, getting louder and louder and louder and then, pow! Fade. “Thank you very much. That’s our show.” No encore.

I cracked a great smile. Some people watching around me said it was very strange to not have an encore. I think encores are turning into really predictable, planned events. I admit I hadn’t seen a show without the headliner playing one and was surprised as well, but I was so elated they didn’t. An encore wouldn’t make sense.

The tension constructed over the entire performance until the beautiful peak. Just like a fireworks display. Just like any of their albums. You don’t want to see a bottle rocket go off after a hundred grand worth of gunpowder and various elements explode above you. They compiled tracks from different albums, but played them together as one great, seamless piece. No reason to regress. They did what they came to do. Their work was done. The venue lit up. Everyone was smiling.

Review and photos by Mitch Favrow

Neon Indian visited Kansas City’s Recordbar on Tuesday. Although it was originally booked for Wednesday, the last minute change didn’t seem to deter any fans from coming out to the show.

It was a hot, sticky, cheap drink kind of night. Though a good majority of the, sold out, 18 and over crowd didn’t partake in that last part.

Purity Ring took the stage at 9:30. An hour late, rumored to be due to a very lengthy soundcheck by the headlining band. The bar was dark and quiet as the layers of deep, rich synth created a long swelling intro. Soon this was interrupted by a dry electric drum beat and the night had begun.

The Canadian band fronted by Megan James was a very a pleasant marriage of avant-garde, artsy, electronic music and a more mainstream, pop oriented sound. Their set was made even more impressive by the neon colored banner hung behind them and a creative DIY light show. The audience responded enthusiastically after almost every number. Sometimes playful, sometimes dramatic, this opening act toed the line very well.

Up next was Com Truise, DJ Seth Haley from New Jersey who used a live drummer in his set.

“What’s up Kansas City?” Haley quietly murmured, and then received a deafening response of hoots and hollers. The crowd was obviously getting excited at this point. I spied a few glow sticks light up around the room. Haley asked for the stage lights to be turned off and Com Truise’s set began.

The music was much more static and had less structure than that of the opening act’s. The set went from song to song smoothly creating a kind of trance-like moosh of beats and synth. But the dance-happy crowd didn’t seem to mind the repetition. Just before people were danced out Com Truise thanked Kansas City and ended his set with a hard-hitting, fuzzed out closer.

Finally, it was time to see what Neon Indian had to contribute to the evening. Some more delays during stage set up and a rather lengthy line check from the band only heightened the intense anticipation. When the music finally hit it was crisp, clean, and refreshing. Neon Indian are a very bold kind of electronic band. Instead of hiding the music in dark, muddy synth (much like the first two acts did) they let the melodies cut through with a bright clean tone. This sound is backed up by a very precise drummer and an energetic, bubbly frontman.

The leader of the band is Alan Palomo. He seems reserved and maybe even a bit shy at first, but on stage in the middle of a set he is in his element. Palomo is a confident and capable musician and frontman. And as a team the band is unstoppable.

The music is undeniably catchy, with keyboard melodies that continue until you simply can’t live without them. Though Neon Indian doesn’t quite offer everything to your standard radio listener they were by far the most mainstream and instantly likable act of the night. This is due to the simple structure of their songs and the repetition of the finely honed, catchy melodies. This is what 90% of the sold out crowd wanted and expected. An audience that Palomo called “the most insane crowd on tour.”

Near the end of the set Palomo admitted that, in the middle of their tour, he had lost track of which day of the week it was. So, he simply dubbed it “full moon day” and with that the band continued to work the crowd into a frenzy. When it was time for an encore the frontman graciously skipped over any more build up saying, “Usually this is where we leave the stage and try to act inconspicuous….But we just want to play another fucking song for you guys!” That song was “Heart: Decay”, from their newest album, and it was a solid song to close the set.

If you are a follower of the Kanas City music scene then you have probably been to Recordbar more times than you can count. Recordbar has established itself as one of the best venues for local and regional acts in the city. On this night, however, the venue was put in the position to show it’s true potential. It wasn’t a local bar crowd. This band brought these fans out. This big event shows that Record Bar is an elite music venue that has so much to offer the Kansas City music scene and music fans around the midwest.

Talking to Alan Palomo after his set I was able to ask him what he thought of the Kansas City fans and the venue. He responded with a big smile and said that the turn out was more than they had hoped for and called the night “awesome.” For Kansas City and Recordbar it was an awesome night that will hopefully land even bigger acts and bring more concert goers out in the future.

Review written by Mat Shoare

From the very beginning of Death Cab for Cutie‘s set at City Market on Monday night it was obvious that Death Cab has only sweetened with age. The mix of tweens (with their parent accompaniment), the typical Kansas City concertgoers, and those just looking to  be ‘Followed into the Dark’ made for a crowd that seemed unsure as to what to do when the music started. The opening song “I Will Possess Your Heart” made this all the more obvious. The elongated intro (as compared to the radio edit) left the casual Death Cab fan slightly confused, but for the avid music listener it built the perfect tension that would soon be released in a two hour set of Death Cab’s finest.

It would seem to be the norm in this day in age that when you are touring right after an album release, especially one as notable as Codes and Keys, you would tend to play mainly songs from that album, this was not the case with Death Cab for Cutie. It wasn’t until their fifth song they decided to introduce a track from their new album “Doors Unlocked and Open,” and did so to an enthusiastic crowd. In all, Death Cab only played five songs, out of twenty-three, from their most recent release. Those five were matched by five from Transatlanticism and another five from Plans and even included one track from their first release You Can play These Songs With Chords.

The most impressive part of the show for me was the reserve that Death Cab has. Their sound was flawless, never overplaying, and not like most Rock n’ Roll shows where you have a ringing in your ears for weeks. The one word that stayed in my mind from the entire experience was tasteful, Death Cab is always tasteful. Not even a two-drummer drum solo got out of hand, their lights only added to the atmosphere of City Market and never took away, they sounded exactly like you would hope they would, almost as if you were listening to their records at home with your 5,000 closest friends. Don’t get me wrong, they played their hearts out, but it seems as though they have perfected their craft to the point that they know what needs to be done, they know how to keep a crowd enthralled, they know how to appease old fans and new, and most importantly they know when to stop.

Setlist:

I Will Possess Your Heart
Crooked Teeth
We Laugh Indoors
A Movie Script Ending
Doors Unlocked and Open
Long Division
Grapevine Fires
Codes and Keys
What Sarah Said
I Will Follow You into the Dark
Title and Registration
You Are a Tourist
The New Year
President of What?
Company Calls
Some Boys
Soul Meets Body
Cath…
We Looked Like Giants
The Sound of Settling

Encore:
Brothers on a Hotel Bed
Stay Young, Go Dancing
Transatlanticism

Wayne Zimmerman contributed to this review
photos by Casey Osburn

Monday was by far the longest of the three days gallivanting around the Seattle Center, as it started at 12 Noon sharp. I met up with some people over at the Fountain Lawn stage for Motopony, one of Seattle’s newer phenomenons. I saw them play live for the first time last summer and recently heard their song “King of Diamonds” on 103.7 The Mountain, which is pretty big actually.

Frontman Daniel Blue can really put on a show, I’ll tell ya. Their early (and I mean early) afternoon show made me wish they played more around the city.

My camera and I moved over to the Free Yr Radio stage for Lake’s acoustic set, since I knew I couldn’t make it to their main set later in the day because of such a full schedule. While I found several times that weekend the people doing the short impromptu interviews at the stage were quite awkward, Lake was so chill that it made the set that much more enjoyable. I’m sure it was easier for the girl doing the interview as well.

Curtains for You was next, and they were one of the main bands I was looking forward to on that Monday. They opened for the Head and the Heart back in January at Neumo’s, and the atmosphere at the EMP Level 3 stage on Monday was just as warm and inviting as the Neumo’s show. It felt so intimate and fun – almost like a living room show.

After that was a trifecta of local talent – starting with Grand Hallway, whose brand of indie pop can only be described as majestic, with the strong instrumental melodies and orchestral quality.

I then headed over to the Free Yr Radio stage again for Ravenna Woods, since I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it to their set later. I’ve seen them several times, so I didn’t feel that bad. But their acoustic set was fantastic. Again, dealing with the awkward interview, frontman Chris Cunningham laughed it all off with a giant smile, after rocking out to my favourite of their songs “We Want It All.” Which reminds me, I need to see if I can get into that Nirvana Nevermind exhibition, because Ravenna Woods is playing at it.

Back to the EMP Level 3 stage I went, and this time for Lemolo, who had quite a long line waiting to get in to see them by the time I got there, and it was already at capacity. It warmed my heart to see so them – like so many local bands that weekend – get such a strong audience. The two girls put on a lovely show, like always. The best part was when it sounded like everyone in the room started singing along to their song “Open Air.” It was a bit surreal, even for me.

After my heart was thoroughly warmed, I ventured into the Exhibition Hall for the first time that weekend for Eisley’s set. To tell you the truth, I used to listen to Eisley about 4 years ago, but have since moved on with my musical tastes. Because I hadn’t listened to them in forever, I was expecting something completely different at their show. I was not expecting them to rock so much. Thankfully I did see their show, or else I would have gone on thinking that they still did breathy lite indie pop. These girls have come a long way since Room Noises in 2005.

Vendetta Red was also in the Exhibition Hall that afternoon, and even though it wasn’t much of my style of music – this classic Seattle alternative punk band rocked the house. It definitely was nice for those fans to get to see Vendetta Red play live after their four-year hiatus.

The final act I got to see in daylight was Sharon Van Etten, who I had never seen before and didn’t know what to expect. While for the first couple of songs, it was only Sharon and her guitar on stage, her charm commanded the audience for a fantastic, rather stripped-down set.

Then the next hour of my evening went like this – ran over to Phantogram, stayed for a few songs and they were amazing. I was surprised because last year when they played Musicfest Northwest it was a bit underwhelming. After that, a couple of my fellow photographers and I ran across the Seattle Center to see Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside at the EMP Level 3 stage, and she was adorable, even if she admitted to being a little hungover. Then literally as soon as we were done shooting, we skidaddled over to the Key Arena to find some seats for Hall & Oates. Yes, Hall & Oates.

The main reason I saw Hall & Oates was not because I had been dying to see “Maneater” live, but merely the fact that I could say that I’d seen Hall & Oates play. The audience inside the Key Arena was hilarious – the exact opposite of the teenagers the day before. It was a bunch of middle-aged women singing their middle-aged little hearts out, which was endearing to say the least.

So it was the end of Bumbershoot 2011. It was a wild ride, but my week was far from over, as I’d be driving to Portland two days later for Musicfest Northwest the rest of the week. Stay tuned for that coverage coming soon!

For more photos from Monday, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbigshmail/sets/72157627482031965/

I anticipated for Bumbershoot to be crowded on Sunday, since for some reason the days where hip-hop artists headline the place fills up like the community pool in 100-degree weather. Thankfully we didn’t have 100-degree weather on this particular Sunday, but oh lord was it crowded.

My first stop of the day – after getting an iced coffee to both cool and down and warm me up – was the Fisher Green stage for Mad Rad, whom I saw part of their set at Sasquatch, but didn’t get the full effect. This Seattle band is absolutely everywhere – Sasquatch, Capital Hill Block Party, Bumbershoot, Musicfest Northwest, City Arts Fest – it’s crazy. But it’s well-deserved, because even if their albums and EPs and singles are hard to come by, you don’t even need to know the songs for them to get you pumped. “Party Mountain” and “I Want Your Blood” were definitely the two most well-received songs of the set. The band was full of an exorbitant amount of energy and it was still early in the day!

After that I went to my new favourite stage the Fountain Lawn stage for San Francisco’s Thee Oh Sees. This was one of two bands that day that I had no prior knowledge of, and I was thoroughly impressed. Frontman John Dwyer jumped around the stage, licking his guitar and shouting out lyrics all while keeping the crowd engaged for this early afternoon punk show. An odd juxtaposition, I know.

Next was Portland’s AgesandAges at the EMP Level 3 stage, which was a perfect small venue for them since the crowd that day was overwhelmingly hip-hop fans. I couldn’t stay for too long for the Portland indie pop band, but what I saw I liked.

The rest of my evening was a bit of a blur, as I was running from stage to stage at a lightning pace (not really, but roll with me here). Tennis was at the Fountain Lawn stage, who were good, but I would have sadly forgotten had I not taken photos of them.

Then I ran over to Fisher Green, really looking forward to Das Racist’s set because they were so good at Sasquatch, but I was sorely disappointed. After what seemed like a ten-minute DJ intro, the trio took the stage, lackadaisical and possibly drunk, and they didn’t even seem like they wanted to be there. It saddened me because I knew a friend that came to Bumbershoot for the first time partly just to see Das Racist, and they let her down. I don’t know if it was because it was early in the day, if they hadn’t had much sleep, or just because the new songs suck, but I wish I hadn’t made time in my schedule to see them.

Thankfully my mood was uplifted when I caught the Lonely Forest’s acoustic set at the Free Yr Radio stage. I was too late that day to see their performance at the main stage, but I’ve seen them oh….at least 6 times so I figured it was okay. That band is seriously the warmest and most likeable band around. I can never say anything bad about the Lonely Forest, because they rock. Even in an acoustic setting when a borrowed guitar craps out.

As the afternoon sun started to take its toll and the line for the main stage grew and grew – wait, I’ll backtrack for a second. By the mid/late afternoon, the line for the Key Arena wrapped all the way around it and down the main walkway in the middle of the Seattle Center. I hadn’t realized that many people were there to see Macklemore (or Wiz Khalifa). I mean, Macklemore deserves all the attention that he gets, but wow.

Okay, back to the present. Warpaint was next on my list, and they blew my expectations out of the water. When you hear them on record it’s not music that you would think played out well in a live venue, but these girls – for the lack of a better term – shredded. I wish I’d seen them when they opened for The xx last year, and I’m hoping they’ll come back at some point this year. It’s always nice to see an all-girl group rocking harder than their male counterparts.

I made a quick pit stop to see my favourite new white soul singer in Seattle – Allen Stone at the EMP Level 3 stage. Seriously, this guy is amazing. He doesn’t even have a full-length album out and was already featured in USA Today. Completely unassuming in his appearance, Stone is like Ray Lamontagne on spicy steroids. This guy, I can tell you, is going places.

I wasn’t planning on venturing into the black hole of teenagers that was the main stage at this point, but I figured I’d try to see Macklemore, because his set at Sasquatch was so grand and he’s such a nice guy. Thankfullyy I did, because I have never seen the Key Arena this crowded, and this full of life. It was magical, seeing all these (mostly) teenagers so excited about this local artist who isn’t even on a label yet. I’m sure after this month though, Macklemore will have labels lining up at his door. I could tell that it was mostly teenagers when Macklemore started out his song “Crew Cuts,” which is all about the 80s. He shouted out to the crowd asking who was born in the 70s (like 10), who was born in the 80s (maybe about a third of the room), and who was born in the 90s (the entire place exploded with sound). It made me feel old, and I was born in 1989. My favourite moment of the night came when he did “My Oh My,” the love song to the Seattle and Dave Niehaus, and the whole room lit up with lighters. Like at Sasquatch but even more so, it made me tear up just a little. Later on Macklemore’s Twitter page, he proclaimed that the evening’s performance at the Key Arena was a “dream come true.” I can see why.

Apologies for the slow updates, but I will have Monday’s post up tomorrow. I’ve been running around Portland for two days for Musicfest Northwest – and you can look forward to those posts coming next week.

To see the full set of photos from Sunday, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/abbigshmail/sets/72157627594039780/

As I mentioned yesterday in my Bumbershoot preview for Saturday, Seattle’s own Pickwick is amazing, fantastic, the next big thing. I haven’t changed my mind from yesterday, so I’ll elaborate.

Last weekend I saw Pickwick for the first time at KEXP’s Concerts at the Mural at the Seattle Center (it was free!) and I was flabbergasted. If you take one look at these guys, you wouldn’t expect the beautiful soulful jams that came from this group of white guys with great hair.

They’ve been all over local blogs like Seattlest, Sound on the Sound, Another Rainy Saturday, among many others.

The band started in 2008 when lead singer Galen Disston left Los Angeles and came to Seattle, and he established Pickwick as an alt-country band. Then spending the next couple years bringing themselves into the Seattle folk scene – finding dozens of like-minded artists. Needless to say, in Seattle, folk is the new grunge.

And it was when Disston began playing with his voice after hearing Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” that Pickwick made a name for themselves.

In the past year, they’ve been on the heels of the Head and the Heart, in terms of local buzz, and hopefully they can make their way to at least getting signed. It’s blasphemous to me that someone hasn’t picked Pickwick up yet, but I guess in Seattle that doesn’t really matter – seeing that they’re playing Bumbershoot with plenty of other unsigned artists.

Back to last weekend’s show. I cannot tell you how much my feet hurt at the end of their performance. I did not stop dancing. At one point they brought up several other local artists FROM THE CROWD and had a dance party on stage. There was even a little girl with a shaker dancing along to the effervescent soul beats.

I, for one, am glad that Pickwick found their current sound. It’s refreshing. I love the Head and the Heart and all, but we don’t need a dozen clones of them running around Seattle. We’re known for our innovation in this town, and sometimes the most innovative thing to do is to go back to our roots. And that is what Pickwick has done with their music.

One last thing, it’s come to my attention that Pickwick has posted something about “big news” today on my MySpace page. Once I find that out, you’ll hear it first from me.

Catch them at Bumbershoot on Saturday on the EMP Level 3 Stage tomorrow at 6p.m. You won’t be disappointed. And if you are, what’s wrong with you?

*EDIT* Here’s a video of one of my favourite songs from the KEXP Concert at the Mural last weekend.

Visit Pickwick on Bandcamp at http://pickwick.bandcamp.com/