LCD Soundsystem have been on the summer festival touring circuit for a while now, making notable appearances as a headliner of London’s Wireless Festival on July 3 and Chicago’s Pitchfork Festival on July 17. Now they have announced they will be going out on the road back in the U.S. again this September and October. They will be touring with current darlings of the blogosphere Sleigh Bells and London’s Hot Chip.
And good news for those of you left biting your nails after James Murphy‘s pronouncement earlier this year to Rolling Stone that This is Happening released in May might be LCD’s last album. According to an article in online British rock and pop culture magazine the Quietus, Murphy suggests the band might still record singles but will likely no longer tour professionally. All the more reason to catch them on this tour. I myself saw them at Roskilde Festival in July; they put on a really fun show.
Tour Dates
Sept 23 – Wellmont Theatre / Montclair, NJ
Sept 24 – Philadelphia Naval Cruise Terminal / Philadelphia*
Sept 25 – Virgin Mobile Fest @ Merriweather Post Pavilion / Columbia, MD
Sept 27 – Memorial Auditorium / Burlington, VT*
Sept 28 – Orpheum / Boston*
Oct 01 – Hamilton College / Clinton, NY*
Oct 02 – Charlottesville Pavilion / Charlottesville, VA
Oct 04 – Tabernacle / Atlanta*
Oct 05 – Hard Rock Live / Orlando*
Oct 06 – Fillmore / Miami*
Oct 08 – Verizon Amphitheater / Houston*
Oct 09 – Austin City Limits Festival / Austin
Oct 13 – RIMAC Arena / San Diego^
Oct 15 – Hollywood Bowl / Los Angeles*^
Oct 16 – Complex / Salt Lake City^
Oct 19 – Fillmore Auditorium / Denver^
Oct 22 – Eagles Ballroom / Milwaukee^
Oct 23 – Roy Wilkins / St. Paul^
* with Sleigh Bells
^ with Hot Chip
The first day of Lollapalooza was basically goo goo for Gaga day. The line up was stacked with glam, synth-heavy, dance-loving bands leading up to the fashion icon’s performance and the crowd was packed of Lady Gaga wannabes. They could be found flooding performances by My Dear Disco and Semi Precious Weapons at the BMI Stage. Whipping it good to Devoand continuing the dance with Hot Chip before the queen’s own show.
However, though the blonde wigs and pleather jackets reigned supreme, there were still plenty of fans gathered rocking real leather jackets and tight black jeans, while they waited for their beloved the Strokes to reunite on the Budweiser stage. These were the fans that could be found singing along to “Dominoes” with the Big Pinkor chilling on the lawn withthe Black Keys. These were even the hipsters at Wavvesand the Dirty Projectors.
And of course, you did have a smaller crowd that was prepared to bounce between both headliners.
For me, my day started with Chicago’s own BBU. I had flown in to Chicago from Kansas City and immediately hopped on a CTA train to drop my bags off where I was staying before heading to the fest. The train was packed and I was wedged between baseball and music fans. At one stop a large posse of people hopped on the train shouting, “Lolla, lolla, lolla.” They tried to get the train to join in. One of the women in the group laughed and shook her head, pretending to be embarrassed by the boys’ antics, but still having a great time. The group asked who was heading to the fest then revealed that they were BBU and that they’d be performing on the Perry’s Stage. Some older woman on the train, who had probably never listened to hip-hop before, asked what they sounded like and if they could sing for us. Guess what? They did. A very brief little rap before more chants of “Lolla!” It was fun, rather than annoying, to have the ride disrupted by this group and I was glad I got to have this unique introduction to a group that I probably would have otherwise skipped.
Eventually, I made it to my stop and dropped my bags off at my friends. Then it was immediately back on the train to ride to Monroe and the fest. Train delays, and then a ridiculously long walk to the press check-in meant that I missed more morning acts (These United States, Wavves, Javelin, Foxy Shazam, etc) than I would have liked and my feet were already sore before even walking to a single stage. I booked it to catch the tale end of the pop rock piano tunes of Jukebox the Ghost. The DC-trio plays songs that I think puts Ben Folds to shame. I stuck around waiting on My Dear Disco to take over after them on the BMI Stage. I had just spoken to the group the day before, and was excited to see that their music lived up to my expectations: unique instrumentations to craft fun dance songs that got the crowd moving despite the heat.
I then went on a trek down to the Hard Rock Hotel to grab a tasty bite to eat and a few drinks, while enjoying an acoustic set from the Constellations. This was the perfectly blend of jazz, blues and rock to accompany my meal. All the vocals blended together perfectly and single “Felicia,” was so upbeat and catchy, that I completely forgot my veggie wrap because I was so absorbed. After their set, I explored the rest of the music lounge. People were getting tattoos, enjoying DJs, getting massages, and having their hair-styled. It was a pretty sweet set up, but there was still plenty of music to be heard back at Grant Park.
Perhaps the most talked about incident of the day happened about midway through Friday. Gaga tour mates Semi Precious Weapons were owning the BMI Stage when the headliner herself joined them on stage. She did some impromptu drumming and singing, a little provocative dancing and then ended with a stage dive into the crowd. Insane! It was a great treat for the smaller crowd gathered there while the indie kids were listening to Neko Case sing with the New Pornographers and a little bit of an older crowd broke out their dome hats with Devo.
For me, the highlight of my day was the BMI Stage, but it was the performance of Neon Trees that I thought was the best. These guys are poised for success with their easily accessible songs perfectly crafted for singing and clapping along. Tyler, the lead singer, knows how to hold the crowd in the palm of his hand – or even the claw of his hand. He really takes the single, “Animal,” to heart and rawrs and claws at the audience. The band has the added perk that it not only sounds a bit like The Killers, but it also was discovered by the Killers.
Since I’ve seen the Black Keys multiple times this summer I excitedly ran over to watch Hot Chip. Fully ready to dance, I was a bit disappointed with the performance. Sure, Hot Chip played the singles and songs you wanted and yeah, it was cool to hear them dedicate a song to Gaga, but they were boring. They never moved. How can a dance band expect people to dance if they don’t even want to move to their own music? For all I knew, they were just playing CD recordings because there really was no reason for the band to be on the stage. Continuing the disappoint wasChromeo. Lots of lights, and it wasn’t so bad when it was just the music, but the vocals, I could have done without. They were obnoxious, repetitive and just didn’t offer anything of substance. I was more than over their nonsense and ready for my headliners: Lady Gaga and The Strokes.
I’m still processing the spectacle that was Lady Gaga, so check back in a few hours once I have my thoughts sorted. For now, enjoy a few photos from the performance.
Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga. What to say? Gaga’s Lolla show is pretty much the spectacle that she’s been touting across the country for her tour. It’s a mix of an actual concert and a Broadway production. The plot of the show is that Gaga and posse have to get to the Monster Ball-an incredible place where you can be your true self-but the car is broken down. Gaga, of course, says she can save the day and goes to tinker and play around in the engine, which doubles as a piano. The staging is cool, but it is all just a bit over the top as well. Dramatic pauses that lasted uncomfortably long left you praying that she’d just start singing already; gross, bloody photos graced the megascreens; and then there were motivational speeches. Oh My Gaga the speeches. Look, I give the lady props. She actually has some talent and knows how to work a crowd. Heck, she really knows how to work a piano. But the near-crying routine? I didn’t realize this was some weird motivational speaker I was watching. I thought I was supposed to at a concert. Too much. When Gaga started going off on how inspirational we all were and she started tearing up, that’s when I bailed. I needed music and I needed it to rock. Fortunately, the Strokes had me covered. It was moreso a visit to the classics of their catalogue, so sorry that I can’t give anything away about what to expect from a new Spring album. All that matters is that they still sound amazing, they kill the guitar solos and damn, is it good to have their no-nonsense rock back.
Check back for more updates and recaps from Lollapalooza Saturday, Sunday and the after shows.
D.C. finally has a new, inviting dance club to call its own in the form of the U Street Music Hall. Just two blocks from the now world-famous Ben’s Chili Bowl, it has a façade so minimalist that you could completely miss it when you’re walking east on U Street unless you’re keeping your eyes peeled for it. This was the first show I’d ever seen there; the venue just opened on St. Patrick’s Day this year, with Belgian DJs/producers Aeroplane (known to me as the guys behind the popular remixes of Robbie Williams’ “Bodies” and Friendly Fires’ “Paris”) leading the welcome of the venue to our city. I was assured by the congenial doorman that the sound system was world-class (this makes sense, as five of the six owners of the place are DJs), the bartenders were nice (and that he was possibly the meanest person that worked there, which suggested the rest of the staff had to be super sweet), and the dance floor was reinforced with cork as to provide more support to dancegoers’ aching tootsies. All definite pluses.
Saturday night was the first Washington appearance of electronic dance duo Holy Ghost! Until last month, Holy Ghost! the live experience consisted of longtime friends Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser DJaying and spinning records. Holy Ghost! have just released an EP on DFA Records called Static on the Wire, and it’s their first official release despite having been together for a long while. Now after supporting their friends LCD Soundsystem on a North American tour, the two are on their first headlining tour of America with a three-member backing band. When the band was first booked for the Saturday night timeslot of 9 PM, I thought that had to be a misprint. But the venue’s website was clear on this, even encouraging everyone to show up early and not to miss the live set. Between the club and the band however, they made the smart decision to delay the set start until after 10 to allow for the club to fill up further.
Some guys up front at the show were definite diehards, yelling out “fuck yeah!” at the conclusion of each of the band’s numbers. “I Will Come Back,” the crown jewel of their recent EP, was a revelation live. It’s the audience participation, “raise your hands in the air like you just don’t care, and sway your arms from side to side” kind of song. Terribly difficult to write but somehow dance acts always know how to put these together perfectly, and Holy Ghost! is no exception. During the set, Frankel alternated between lead vocals, keyboards, and a percussion setup that looked especially impressive under U Hall’s lighting scheme, so when you watched him, it was like seeing a National Geographic time lapse film. Track “Static on the Wire” featured a drumming duel between Frankel and one of the backing band. Awesome.
And what is dance music without the mad beats? Nothing. Millhiser, wearing a t-shirt proclaiming “J DILLA CHANGED MY LIFE,” was inexhaustible on drums. I think it’s entirely possible that he could beat a drum machine in a face-off. At one point during new song “Slow Motion,” Frankel lost a drumstick and later another in the reckless revelry of hitting a tom. The devoted fans were also respectful, pushing the wayward drumsticks out of harm’s way (and out of the path of Frankel’s dancing feet), not shamelessly grabbing them as souvenirs as I’ve seen at other shows. When it came time for the band’s 2008 epic hit “Hold On,” bodies were bumping. Is the world ready for Holy Ghost! ? I think so.
Set List
Do It Again
It’s Not Over
Static on the Wire
Say My Name
Slow Motion
I Will Come Back
Hold On
New song (title unknown)
Tour Dates
Jun 24 – le poisson rouge / New York City
Jun 25 – Making Time / Philadelphia
Jun 26 – Club Vinyl / Denver (DJ set)
Jul 23 – Bushnell Park Pavilion / Hartford, CT
Jul 26 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC#
Jul 27 – Trocadero / Philadelphia, PA#
Jul 29 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City#
Aug 02 – Capital Music Hall / Ottawa#
Aug 03 – Phoenix/ Toronto#
Aug 04 – Central Park SummerStage / New York City^
Aug 05 – Majestic Theater / Detroit#
Aug 06 – Lollapalooza / Chicago
Aug 07 – First Avenue / Minneapolis#
Aug 10 – Flames Central / Calgary#
Aug 11 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver#
Aug 12 – Showbox Market / Seattle#
Aug 13 – Roseland Ballroom / Portland#
Aug 16 – House of Blues / San Diego#
Aug 19 – Twilight Concert Series / Salt Lake City
Aug 20 – Ogden Theater / Denver#
Aug 24 – Stubb’s / Austin#
Aug 25 – Palladium / Dallas, TX#
Aug 26 – Cannery Ballroom / Nashville#
Aug 27 – Masquerade / Atlanta#
* with Altered Egos
^ with Hot Chip
# supporting Chromeo
(Author’s note: Despite my securing prior approval from Holy Ghost!‘s people to take photos at the show, U Street Music Hall has a no photography during shows policy. For live photos from their first-ever live gig on May 15, 2010, at Under 100 in New York City, check out this post at Tastes Like Caramel.)
Lollapalooza is an intense experience, but a fun one. Should you manage to find energy after already having spent 12 hours listening to music in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park, then it’d be in your best interest to continue the festivities with official Lollapalooza afterparties.
Friday shows include MGMT, Cut Copy with Dragonette, The Walkmen with Warpaint, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros with Freelance Whales, Wild Beasts, and Rogue Wave with Gamble House.
Following their first-ever headlining gig at Under 100 in New York City, electronic duoHoly Ghost! have now announced a short tour of the Mid-Atlantic in June and a string of tour dates with Chromeo after a slew of European music festival appearances. There is also an appearance scheduled for Central Park’s Summerstage withHot Chip. The band are currently on tour supporting James Murphy‘s LCD Soundsystem.
Holy Ghost! just released their Static on the Wire EP on DFA Records on May 18.
Tour Dates
May 25 – Koolhaus / Toronto*
May 26 – Metro / Chicago*
May 29 – Roseland Ballroom / Portland*
May 31 – Malkin Bowl / Vancouver*
Jun 03 – Fillmore / San Francisco*
Jun 04 – Hollywood Palladium / Los Angeles*
Jun 05 – Fox Theater / Pomona, CA*
Jun 08 – Stubb’s / Austin*
Jun 09 – Palladium / Dallas*
Jun 18 – Sonar / Baltimore
Jun 19 – U Street Music Hall / Washington, DC
Jun 25 – Making Time / Philadelphia
Jul 26 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC#
Jul 27 – Trocadero / Philadelphia, PA#
Jul 29 – Bowery Ballroom / New York City#
Aug 02 – Capital Music Hall / Ottawa#
Aug 03 – Phoenix/ Toronto#
Aug 04 – Central Park SummerStage / New York City^
Aug 05 – Majestic Theater / Detroit#
Aug 06 – Lollapalooza / Chicago
Aug 07 – First Avenue / Minneapolis#
Aug 10 – Flames Central / Calgary#
Aug 11 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver#
Aug 12 – Showbox Market / Seattle#
Aug 13 – Roseland Ballroom / Portland#
Aug 16 – House of Blues / San Diego#
Aug 19 – Twilight Concert Series / Salt Lake City
Aug 20 – Ogden Theater / Denver#
Aug 24 – Stubb’s / Austin#
Aug 25 – Palladium / Dallas, TX#
Aug 26 – Cannery Ballroom / Nashville#
Aug 27 – Masquerade / Atlanta#
* supporting LCD Soundsystem
^ with Hot Chip
# with Chromeo
The drummer from UK electro-pop group, Hot Chip, likes to mix fresh new sounds of the synth with classic pop from thirty years ago.
When their drummer, Rob Smoughton, is not busy with Hot Chip, he’s busy as Grovesnor. As Grovesnor, he produces tunes even more of a throwback to the golden oldies sound he brings to the group, but he still keeps it fresh.
On May 25, Grovesnor will release his solo debut Soft Return. The first single is “Taxi from the Airport” and you can save a remix from Parisian remix master dÉbruit from the link below. It’s sure to make you clap and sing along. The remix and original track are like night and day, but still paint the perfect vibe of a taxi ride.
Expect tour dates from Grovesnor later this year. He plans on returning as a six-piece band after finishing touring with Hot Chip.
Judging by the line that had already formed a hour and a half before doors opened at the 9:30 for a sold-out gig Saturday night, this was going to be a unique night. In all the time I’ve gone to gigs in Washington, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such devoted fans. A group of kids and an older man (probably a dad or uncle acting as chaperone) were camped out outside the box office for who knows how long, looking comfy with collapsible chairs, blankets, and provisions. Four teens caught my eye with their faces, bodies and clothes covered in Xs (black Sharpie) – obviously diehard xx fans. Both Hot Chip and their supporting act for the night, the xx, played well-received sets at the hordes at Coachella the previous weekend; they were two of a handful of acts that happened to be on the right side of the pond before the Icelandic volcano madness that grounded other English bands.
This was to be the third Washington appearance in 5 months for the xx, and from the vocal fan greeting, xx-mania in America is all systems go. The band looked weary and said little in between songs: singer/bassist Oliver Sim told us, “we’ve been here in the States touring for about 6 weeks now, and we go home tomorrow. So I’d like to thank you, Washington, on behalf of America. Thank you so much for an amazing tour. And thank you to Hot Chip, they’re gonna blow your mind!” Even though I’ve seen this band more times than I can count on one hand, I’m still in awe of Romy Madley-Croft‘s guitar-playing and her and Sim’s vocals, just fantastic. Their short set was punctuated by an instrumental added to the end of “Infinity,” which saw Sim ditch his bass in favor of hitting a high-hat with unbridled energy, all the while programming / percussion guru Jamie Smith providing even heavier driving beats.
Despite exhaustion, the three clad in black seemed unfazed by playing to their biggest crowd in D.C. yet, soldiering through most of the songs from their debut album from last year, xx. I can’t really pick out any particular crowd favorites, because from where I was standing, I was surrounded by fans who flailed and waved their arms to the sultry rhythms of every single song from this trio from London. Usually stoic Madley-Croft gave us a grin when a girl near me shouted, “Romy, smile!” The xx have a lot to be happy about – a dedicated and growing fanbase and North American success.
The xx Set List:
Intro
Crystalised
Islands
Shelter
VCR
Basic Space
Nighttime
Infinity
Hot Chip‘s set began with mood music that is better associated with the circus than as an intro for a celebrated electropop / dance band from London. Dressed nattily in a white suit jacket and blue and white stripy shirt, primary singer Alexis Taylorthanked us all for coming before launching into “Hand Me Down My Love,” an r&b infused track from their latest album, One Life Stand. I was most looking forward to hearing the title track, and it didn’t disappoint: guitarist/singer Al Doyle played a steel drum, which added a tropical feel to the band’s famous collection of synthesizers.
I’m still not keen on “Brothers” or “Alley Cats,” but I’m guessing I’m in the minority. This was a hands in the air/bodies bumping kind of night. When the band came back for an encore, they began with the great “I Feel Better.” Every time I hear this song, I can’t help but think of (and laugh about) the promo video they did for the song. Directed by Peter Serafinowicz, it shows the band’s evident joy in poking fun at the hugely popular (and unfortunately BRIT-winning, depending on who you talk to) boyband JLS. Hot Chip – I Feel Better
I’d never seen Hot Chip prior to this, so it was cool to see these almost cartoony characters I’d only seen in pictures come to life, performing on the 9:30 Club stage. It was fabulous to see and hear the audience reaction to the newer songs that dominated Saturday’s set list, which appeared to be no different and not any less enthusiastic compared to the reception of the obvious favorites “Over and Over” and set-ender “Ready for the Floor.” Speaking of the latter, that song was only the third time ever in my life when I actually feared for my life at a concert. Word of warning: Hot Chip shows are not for the faint of heart. If you’re not prepared to be swept up by a pulsating mob of giddy, drunk dancegoers, then stand in the back (or if you’re at the 9:30, watch from the balcony). But if you’re in the mood to get sweaty, let your hair down, and shake a tail feather with excited, like-minded individuals, a Hot Chip gig is the place for you.
NPR broadcast the concert live last night but in case you missed it, they have audio that you can stream now on their site. Enjoy!
Hot Chip Set List:
Hand Me Down My Love
One Pure Thought
Thieves in the Night
Brothers
One Life Stand
Over and Over
Alley Cats
Boy from School
Take It In
We Have Love
Hold On
//
I Feel Better
No Fit State
Ready for the Floor
Even though I’m not terribly religious, I’m kind of a geek when it comes to houses of worship because I respect the traditions and what the buildings represent to its people. And for me, it’s even better when the house of worship in question hosts concerts because music means so much to me. Philly has its First Unitarian Church and D.C. has 6th and I Synagogue. The synagogue’s interior is a beautiful mauve, with blue and purple stained glass windows. I’d say without a doubt that it’s the prettiest place I’ve ever been to for the expressed purpose of a gig. For the xx‘s headlining gig Sunday night, I thought to myself that it was almost a shame that the altar was obscured by a huge black sheet with an X in the middle of it. I say “almost” because as you will read, we were in for a big surprise at the end.
Los Angeles electronic producer Nosaj Thing (real name Jason Chung) was the first of two opening acts for the evening. Media outlets have compared Chung’s sound to fellow Californian Flying Lotus because both incorporate hip hop into experimental, electronic sound and also utilize glitch-hop, a genre I’m not familiar with at all. I thought he was an interesting choice to open for the xx, since they brought London electronica artist Jon Hopkins with them last time they toured North America. Augmented by serious hip hop beats and what sounded like birds scuttling from a Macbook, Chung punched keys, twisted dials, and generally looked like a man possessed by the music. Overall, he was an enjoyable opening act.
Next, was the mysterious Swedish duo jj. Inbetween the sets, I talked to a friend of mine and he said jj was so mysterious, no one knew much about them because they don’t tour very much at all. I only knew one of jj’s songs, the ethereal “Let Go,” a song from their second album jj nº 3 released in early March. So seeing singer Elin Kastlander, with her curly blonde hair falling past her shoulders and dressed up like a hippie and standing on stage by herself, I had no idea what to expect. Then she opened her mouth and this gorgeous voice came out, fully complementing the Balearic beats emanating from a laptop next to her. Judging from audience’s enthusiastic clapping and catcalls, there were many jj fans in attendance that night.
As much as the audience was feeling the music, I felt bad for Kastlander though: she barely made eye contact with the audience and looked very uncomfortable standing there by herself as a light projector changed colors that reflected off her face and on the synagogue’s walls. What made things even weirder was her jj partner Joakim Benon, getting up several different times from his seated position on the stage and giving Kastlander hugs, as if for a job well done. I guess Benon does all the programming and such and maybe didn’t need to perform for performance’s sake, although at one point he did stand up and strap on an acoustic guitar to play a couple chords, to the crowd’s applause but yes, to say the least, the setup was strange.
The xx played two shows at Sixth and I on Sunday because the evening show had sold out so quickly, a matinee earlier in the day was quickly scheduled to meet ticket demand. It’s not often that any band will have a big enough demand to fill two shows in one day in Washington, so you know this band is something special. Their star just keeps on rising, with their songs appearing in an AT&T commercial during the Olympics and on “Gossip Girl” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” They haven’t really taken a break from touring, except in February when they canceled some European dates when guitarist Romy Madley-Croft‘s father passed away.
Having seen this London band several times already, I know why I keep coming back: vocals and guitar by Madley-Croft, vocals and bass from Oliver Sim and programming and percussion from Jamie Smith come together just right to make music that nearly brings tears to my eyes every time I hear their songs. “Heart Skipped a Beat,” with Madley-Croft singing, “It’s been a while / and you’ve found someone better / but I’ve been waiting too long to give this up / the more I see I understand / but sometimes I still need you,” should make your heartache. I know that’s the effect their music has on me. I noticed Madley-Croft has a new guitar, but her playing is still the same – spot-on and still incredible, sounding great against Sim’s bass lines and the percussion taps of Smith’s.
They’re a soft-spoken band to begin with, so it was nice to see bassist Sim loosen up after gauging the audience’s enthusiasm for their band and chat a bit with the audience between numbers. Before starting to play “VCR,” Sim smiled at us and said, “So nice to be back here on our first U.S. headlining tour!” (I guess the one they did here last November was a trial run?) He made everyone laugh when he continued with “[I'm] starting to feel that chili dog I had earlier…” Of course someone in the audience yelled out, “Ben’s?” Sim replied, “Yes, Ben’s Chili Bowl!” The place erupted in cheers. Before an absolutely gorgeous rendition of “Nighttime,” he commented with a grin, “This venue’s incredible! I feel like a religious figure!”
When the band returned for an encore, the backdrop with the X emblazoned on it became a sea of stars, perfectly suited to end the show with the wonderfully sensual “Stars.” While they might not be religious figures in the conventional sense, the xx always deliver a mind-blowing show, and this is one devotee who will keep coming back for more.
The xx Set List
Intro
Crystalised
Islands
Heart Skipped a Beat
Fantasy
Shelter
VCR
Do You Mind (Kyla cover)
Basic Space
Nighttime
Infinity
//
Stars
Tour Dates
Mar 31 – Webster Hall / New York City
Apr 02 – Paradise / Boston (2 shows)
Apr 03 – Metropolis / Montreal
Apr 04 – Phoenix / Toronto
Apr 05 – Wexner Center / Columbus
Apr 06 – Buskirk Chumley Theater / Bloomington, IN
Apr 08 – Lincoln Hall / Chicago (two shows)
Apr 09 – Varsity Theatre / Minneapolis
Apr 12 – Showbox SoDo / Seattle, WA
Apr 13 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver
Apr 14 – Crystal Ballroom / Portland
Apr 15 – Fox Theatre / Oakland%
Apr 17 – Coachella Music Festival / Indio, CA
Apr 19 – Riviera Theatre / Chicago%
Apr 20 – Koolhaus / Toronto%
Apr 22 – Terminal 5 / New York City%
Apr 23 – Sonar / Baltimore
Apr 24 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC%
% supporting Hot Chip
When I introduced my sister to Hot Chip right after Made in the Dark came out, she misunderstood the name of the band. “This band is called Hot Shit?” she asked while I blasted “Out at the Pictures” through car speakers.
Close enough.
With One Life Stand, the British electro-pop group continues to make hot music. This album is less frantic than its predecessor. It’s mid-tempo modern disco juxtaposed with moments of melancholy. And it’s this versatility that has always impressed me. Any band that can make me want to get up and shake it one minute and cry the next has something going for it. Hot Chip is electronic with heart.
“I Feel Better” is immediately infectious, pure dance music with deceptively slow and somber vocals. This combo repeats throughout the album: lyrics about romantic commitment (the title track “One Life Stand”) or fraternal love (“Brothers”) set to sky-high beats per minute. “Alley Cats” upsets this formula – in a good way. It’s soothing, gorgeous, thoughtful – the perfect interlude before Hot Chip’s synths come back full force for “We Have Love.”
One Life Stand just feels good. The music and lyrics are exuberant and optimistic. Every track, every phrase is perfectly developed and executed to make this the album you have on repeat for weeks. Take that time to introduce it to your siblings.
Track Listing:
1. Thieves in the Night
2. Hand Me Down Your Love
3. I Feel Better
4. One Life Stand
5. Brothers
6. Slush
7. Alley Cats
8. We Have Love
9. Keep Quiet
10. Take It In
Since I was already scheduled to be in Boston for the second-to-last date of the Nylon Magazine Winter Music Tour, finding out that the xx would be doing an in-store performance earlier on the same day was just icing on the cake. I had gone to pick up my wristband for the event early Friday morning. When I asked the clerk on duty how many wristbands were left, she gave me this “are you out of your mind?” look, saying, “we just started giving wristbands out half an hour ago. We have plenty.” This gave me what turned out to be a false sense of security (figuring that maybe, just maybe not too many people in Boston knew who the xx were), so my friend and I would have plenty of time to get to the in-store at 5 and wouldn’t have any trouble having a good vantage point to take photos from.
When we arrived to line up outside the Newbury Street store at 4:30, there were at least 50 people in front of me. As quickly as the sun set and disappeared, the line on the sidewalk outside the store grew and grew until it went all the way down the block. I started chatting with other people in line, finding out that I was in the minority (being the owner of a coveted ticket to the sold-out Friendly Fires / the xx gig later on) and that many of them had shown up for the free in-store simply for a chance to see the xx. They appreciated finding out from me that the xx would return to Boston to play the Paradise again on April 2.
Five o’clock came and went, and I started to lose feeling in my feet and arms despite it being unseasonably warm for a winter evening in Boston. Someone asked staff who was monitoring the front door why we weren’t allowed in, and we were told that the band’s equipment hadn’t arrived yet. At about 5:50, the main door finally opened and fans trooped into the store. People and their winter coats were crammed into the store between the CD racks and unusual merchandise. A bit stifling.
A short while later, the xx appeared and the crowd that assembled for them cheered. They launched into the instrumental “Intro.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t see much with many taller people in front of me, but I could occasionally make out bassistOliver Sim and electronic percussion / synth player Jamie Smith as heads bobbed up and down to the music in front of me. I was skeptical about how the band would sound in small record store, but as soon as the band started into “VCR,” I knew this was going to be one great performance.
The sparseness of the xx sound sounded gorgeous in the cramped, enclosed space. Several in the crowd shouted for “Islands,” which began beautifully with Romy Madley-Croft‘s tender voice that was later joined with Sim’s. “Crystalised,” the first song by this band that I’d ever heard, was spectacular. Interestingly, this song was left off their set list at the Paradise three hours later, so if any of my new “friends” I met at Newbury Comics that night are reading this: you got a special treat!
My impression of the crowd was that it was a mixture of fans and others who looked upon the xx as a curiosity. Either way, there was little doubt in my mind that each person left that night thinking, “Wow, I need to make sure I get a ticket when the band comes back here in April.” You can catch the band on a short headlining tour of America in March and April (touring with mysterious Swedish electronic group jj), followed by a turn as the opener for Hot Chip in late April.
Set List:
Intro
VCR
Basic Space
Islands
Crystalised
Nighttime
Infinity
Tour dates:
Mar 22 – Spanish Moon / Baton Rouge*
Mar 24 – Earl / Atlanta*
Mar 25 – Cat’s Cradle / Carrboro, NC*
Mar 28 – Sixth & I Synagogue / Washington, DC*
Mar 29 – First Unitarian Church / Philadelphia*
Apr 02 – Paradise / Boston*
Apr 05 – Wexner Center / Columbus*
Apr 06 – Buskirk Chumley Theater / Bloomington, IN*
Apr 19 – Riviera Theatre / Chicago%
Apr 20 – Koolhaus / Toronto%
Apr 22 – Terminal 5 / New York City%
Apr 24 – 9:30 Club / Washington, DC%
* with jj
% supporting Hot Chip
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Concert Calendar
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