Tag Archive | "the ting tings"

Viva Voce @ The Firebird, St. Louis

Viva Voce @ The Firebird, St. Louis

I wandered into The Firebird, formerly The Bluebird, to catch a band I saw open up for The Shins a few years back by the name of Viva Voce. It was my first time I had been back in the venue since the renaming and remodeling that occurred after my sweaty good time at The Ting Tings warm up show for Lollapalooza last year. After noticing the improved lighting, I was rather grateful.

Needless to say, this show was not at all what I was expecting from the get go. The bands doubling in members from two to four really complimented and completed their fuzz rock sound in addition to confusing me briefly until I recognized Kevin and Anita as they took the stage. This addition to the band gives the married couple, Kevin and Anita Robinson, a little more freedom by not having so much instrumental responsibility, paving the way for Anita to wail away on her guitar and Kevin to step out from behind the drum kit, add some bass to the equation, in addition to complimenting his wife’s soulful voice with deep, raspy back up vocals.

Their rather breezy 11-song headlining set mostly focused on tracks from their recent critically-praised release, Rose City, aptly named after their hometown of Portland, Oregon. Catch the band as their tour makes its way back home to Portland.

Set List:
Devotion
Die A Little
When Planets Collide
Alive With Pleasure
Octavio
Midnight Sun
The Slow Fade
Red Letter Day
Lesson #1
Free Nude Celebs
Wrecking Ball

:
June 18 – Bottom of The Hill / San Francisco, CA
June 20 – Wonder Ballroom / Portland, OR

Viva Voce: website | myspace

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Keane with the Helio Sequence and Mat Kearney @ DAR Constitution Hall, Washington D.C.

Keane with the Helio Sequence and Mat Kearney @ DAR Constitution Hall, Washington D.C.

There just seems something wrong with putting the word “piano” and “stadium” in the same sentence. But cast aside any preconceived notion that Keane are merely pretenders to the piano-driven rock throne while are the kings. (I guess I should note here that while have turned out some nice tunes, I’ve never been as wild about them as the rest of the world seems to be. And upon further research of both bands, it’s an incredible stroke of fate that Keane’s main composer and lyricist Tim Rice-Oxley declined an invitation from Chris Martin himself to join 12 years ago.) No, Keane have carved a place for themselves in popular music and can be regarded as a global phenomenon.Keane

Helping their worldwide image tremendously is a highly interactive and constantly updated website that includes news reports, band members’ diaries and photo- and videoblogs, and other special features for their fans (notably, they staged the first-ever, live 3D webcast from Abbey Road Studios in London on the 2nd of April that got this fan excited about seeing the band live for the first time).

Years ago, when “Somewhere Only We Know” became a hit on our Top 40 radio stations, I gave Keane a pass. Their music was too light and wasn’t punchy enough for the rocker in me. In the summer of 2008, “Spiralling”, the lead single off Keane’s third album, Perfect Symmetry, hit the British airwaves and I had an epiphany. Reinventing your band’s sound is not a new idea in popular music – in reality, most bands do have to evolve their sound and songs to keep up with the rest of the pack – but I was not expecting the synthpop sound of the new Keane.

Given the current buzz around synth-based, ’80s-sounding acts like London vocalist and computer dancepop artist Dan Black, it’s an extremely good time for bands to consider the humble synthesizer. And in Keane’s case, it’s not such of a stretch; main lyricist and composer Tim Rice-Oxley (who contributes backing vocals along with playing the piano, keyboards, and bass) has been distorting the sound of his keys to create novel sounds since Keane’s first album. Paired with ’s stirring vocals and Richard Hughes‘ drum beat, Perfect Symmetry was definitely one of my top albums of 2008.

But standing between me and Keane were two American acts from Oregon: Portland indie pop/rock duo the Helio Sequence and pop singer/songwriter . The Helio Sequence consists of songwriter (vocals, guitar) and drummer Benjamin Weikel (drums, keyboards). They played a short but definitely sweet set as the first act of the night. There is something about Summers’s voice that is soothing. Maybe it has to do with the relative tranquility of the Pacific Northwest? This is not to say that these two don’t rock.

Considering there were only two guys on stage, I was really impressed by the guitar and drums that combined together to make a cohesive rock sound. Their set was dominated by tunes from their 2008 album Keep Your Eyes Ahead; the title track, “Lately”, and “Hallelujah” were especially lovely and made me disappointed not to hear more from them. The surprise of the night? After Summers revealed that they had time for one more song, he ripped into a cacophonous version of the Beatles‘ psychedelic opus “Tomorrow Never Knows”.

If you know of , it’s probably through hearing his songs that were featured on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy”. I was not expecting the high-pitched female shrieking that emanated from the crowd as Kearney and his band took their places on stage. And it turns out the night we were sitting in the hallowed halls of DAR was also the same day as Kearney’s second album, City of Black and White, was released in the U.S.; he invited us to be “part of his CD release party” and offered to sign CDs after he was finished playing. All in all, his 11-song set did not disappoint the vocally appreciative audience, who enjoyed songs they knew from the aforementioned doctor drama. Kearney even stopped to poke fun at the TV show, saying that although the song “Breathe In Breathe Out” was written for friends, it went in a completely different direction in pop culture: “…and then someone wants to use it so a doctor can make love to it!” Another half an hour passed with some interesting song selections (David Bowie’s “Modern Love,” M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes,” and the Ting Tings‘ “That’s Not My Name”, just to name a few), and it was finally time to see Keane.

Singer/guitarist appeared in a bright yellow shirt, a silver tracksuit jacket, and jeans. Cutting an imposing figure onstage, he would act as Keane’s master of ceremonies for the night. Tim Rice-Oxley, ever the perfectionist behind his piano and synth, wore a white t-shirt with pink and yellow glow-in-the-dark paint so we could see him even if the lights were dimmed. Richard Hughes, in a blue “I Am Troy Davis” shirt, pounded his drums swiftly. During the show, the dizzying array of colored flashing lights somehow worked well to create a party-like atmosphere with the backdrop for Keane’s stage show: a blown-up version of the cover art for Perfect Symmetry, with its blue, orange, and yellow triangles.

Not content with staying in one place, Chaplin ran back and forth across the wide stage, gesturing animatedly in all directions to acknowledge his fans on the floor to the rafters, never sounding out of breath as he sang Keane’s beloved, like “Everybody’s Changing” and “This is the Last Time”. However, all this motion was tempered on occasion by the dreamy ballads Keane fans know and love like “Somewhere Only We Know” and “My Shadow”. About a third of the way through their set, a solo Chaplin strapped on an acoustic guitar and played a particularly gorgeous version of “Playing Along”. The near hymn “Perfect Symmetry” was absolutely stunning with its mixture of existentialism and everyday beauty.

As expected, Chaplin made knowing references to the Nation’s Capital throughout the night: after a spirited “Spiralling”, he commented that the question in the song of “did you ever want to be the President?” was most appropriate to be asked here, and he later complimented a girl’s Obama t-shirt. Chaplin occasionally paused to look in seeming wonderment at the people in front of him, reveling in the crowd’s energetic cheers for each of their songs. During the three-song encore, Chaplin implored us to get on our feet and sing along. At times, it felt like you were in a football stadium, the many voices joined together, filling the hall with reverberations of elation. Who would have ever thought people would react to piano rock like this?

Set List
The Lovers Are Losing
Everybody’s Changing
Bend and Break
A Bad Dream
Again and Again
This is the Last Time
Spiralling
Playing Along (acoustic solo by )
Try Again
We Might as Well Be Strangers
You Haven’t Told Me Anything
Leaving So Soon
You Don’t See Me
Perfect Symmetry
Somewhere Only We Know
Crystal Ball
//
My Shadow
Is It Any Wonder?
Bedshaped

Tour Dates:
May 21 – Bank of America Pavilion / Boston
May 23 – The Sound Academy / Toronto
May 24 – Tower City Amphitheater / Cleveland
May 26 – Wellmont Theatre / Montclair, NJ
May 27 – Radio City Music Hall / New York City

Keane: website | myspace
: website | myspace
the Helio Sequence: myspace

Posted in Concerts, Washington D.C.Comments (2)

Harassed and Coerced by the Ting Tings Tour Manager

Harassed and Coerced by the Ting Tings Tour Manager

**The views of this writer do not reflect the opinion of the rest of Popwreckoning nor its staff and should not be cited**

The Ting Tings put on an amazing and energetic show. I wish I could write about that, but instead I’ll dive into the tale of the asshole tour manager vs. the photographer who’s fully aware of his rights.

In celebration of the Ting Tings playing an all ages show at the tiny Record Bar, I took my 13 year old daughter Tori to witness such a popular band in such an intimate venue. In fact, the Ting Tings had 2 techs on stage the entire time, and a back of house soundboard that was as deep as the entire stage at the Record Bar. Their entourage was bigger than some of the audiences I’ve witnessed at the Record Bar. Hell, they were even guided to the stage by security with flashlights. At the Record Bar!

Tori and I grabbed a spot toward the front of the stage, stage right. I alternated between shooting and dancing my ass off. If their music doesn’t make you dance, perhaps you should check your hearing. But hearing wasn’t an issue at this show – the sound in the Record Bar, from the Ting Tings production equipment, was phenomenal. The sound from multi-instrumentalist Jules De Martino’s kick drum, with my head about 6 inches from it on the floor, was insanely intense. This was not the show to forget my earplugs.

After getting a whole show of great shots, I was asked to follow a Record Bar bouncer out the smoking area. I grabbed Tori and we headed out there. Knowing what was about to happen, I took my CF card out of my camera along the way. The Record Bar bouncer told me that the tour manager of the Ting Tings wanted to speak to me, and that this had nothing to do with the Record Bar (kudos to him).

The manager entered the patio, and rudely demanded to know why I was taking pictures. I gave him my business card, told him who I was, and mentioned to him that I followed all the rules posted regarding photography (no flash). He said the pictures were the property of the Ting Tings and Sony and that he was requiring me to erase the images in front of him. I told him that I would not be doing so. He cornered me (this was a pretty big guy) and I moved toward the door. He continued to threaten me the entire time. At no point in the encounter did he offer me anything remotely resembling professional courtesy (or even HUMAN courtesy, for that matter) – just threats, harassment, and physical intimidation.

He threatened to call the police, and I agreed that he should. I also mentioned my 13 year old daughter, standing by my side, whom I had brought to enjoy the show (we even bought a $25 shirt!). After standing there and assessing the situation, I decided they had no legal basis to hold me.

I informed him that I was leaving, and that if he tried to stop me I would have him arrested for false imprisonment. I reminded him that in the United States, “Ting Tings Tour Manager” does not actually give him any legal status. I grabbed Tori and headed for the front door. The entire time, the manager stayed within a foot of me, at one point bumping into me. He continued to follow me through the parking lot, at the same distance, until I got in my car.

I drove Tori home, uploaded my card, and returned to the Record Bar to close my tab before the late show began. In retrospect, I wish I’d have waited for the cops, as the manager had most likely committed harassment, coercion, and assault. The manager should be fired or severely reprimanded.

Now if I could just get these Ting Tings songs out of my head!

The Ting Tings: website | myspace

**The views of this writer do not reflect the opinion of the rest of Popwreckoning nor its staff and should not be cited**

Posted in Concerts, Kansas CityComments (23)

Ting Tings secret show video, tour dates

Ting Tings secret show video, tour dates

The Ting Tings played a secret show in Manchester on February 27th for the Adidas Campaign they are a part of. Check out the footage here!

:
Mar 15 – Williamsburg Music Hall / Brooklyn  (SOLD OUT)
Mar 16 – Terminal 5 / New York City
Mar 18 - Paradise Rock Club / Boston  (SOLD OUT)
Mar 19 – Starlight Ballroom /  Philadelphia  (SOLD OUT)
Mar 20 – 9:30 Club / Washington DC (SOLD OUT)
Mar 21 – Cat’s Cradle / Carrboro, NC  (SOLD OUT)
Mar 26 – Jack Rabbits / Jacksonville
Mar 28 – The Social / Orlando
Mar 29 – Orpheum /  Tampa  (SOLD OUT)
Mar 31 – Club Downunder / Tallahassee
Apr 02 – Workplay Theater / Birmingham
Apr 03 – The Pagaent / St. Louis  (SOLD OUT)
Apr 05 – Metro / Chicago (SOLD OUT)
Apr 06 – Varsity Theater / Minneapolis  (SOLD OUT)
Apr 07 – Record Bar / Kansas City (EARLY SHOW)
Apr 07 – Record Bar / Kansas City  (LATE SHOW – SOLD OUT)
Apr 08 – Blue Bird Theater / Denver
Apr 09 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City
Apr 11 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver (SOLD OUT)
Apr 12 – Crocodile Cafe /  Seattle  (SOLD OUT)
Apr 13 – Douglas Fir / Portland  (SOLD OUT)
Apr 15 – The Fillmore /  San Francisco  (SOLD OUT)
Apr 17 – Coachella / Indio, Ca.

The Ting Tings: website | myspace | @ johnny brenda’s

Posted in Music NewsComments (1)

Hotttub – Post Fabulosa Fest Wictory Portrait on a Brush Overgro

Hottub to join the Ting Tings on tour

Joining the Ting Tings on their entire upcoming US tour is Oakland-based Hottub.Hotttub - Post Fabulosa Fest Wictory Portrait on a Brush Overgro

Check out what Ting Tings’ guitarist/vocalist Katie White has to say about Hottub:

They’re three really outrageous girls, kind of like Beth Ditto characters with spandex and disco balls on their heads. They sound like the Beastie Boys but with pop songs. It’s really bizarre, but they’re great performers.

Check out the girls’ MySpace page for some kickass tunes. Be sure to make it out to a show — you can bet it will be a great time!

:
Mar 04 – Blakes / Berkeley
Mar 07 – TBA / San Francisco
Mar 11 – Lobot / Oakland, Ca.
Mar 15 – Williamsburg Music Hall / Brooklyn * (SOLD OUT)
Mar 16 – Terminal 5 / New York City *
Mar 18 - Paradise Rock Club / Boston * (SOLD OUT)
Mar 19 – Starlight Ballroom /  Philadelphia *
Mar 20 – 9:30 Club / Washington DC *
Mar 21 – Cat’s Cradle / Carrboro, NC *
Mar 23 – Norva /  Norfolk, Virginia *
Mar 24 - Canal Club / Richmond, Va. *
Mar 26 – Jack Rabbits / Jacksonville *
Mar 28 – The Social / Orlando *
Mar 29 – Orpheum /  Tampa *
Mar 31 – Club Downunder / Tallahassee *
Apr 02 – Workplay Theater / Birmingham *
Apr 03 – Blueberry Hill / St. Louis * (SOLD OUT)
Apr 05 – Metro / Chicago *
Apr 06 – Varsity Theater / Minneapolis * (SOLD OUT)
Apr 07 – Record Bar / Kansas City * (SOLD OUT)
Apr 08 – Blue Bird Theater / Denver *
Apr 09 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City *
Apr 11 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver
Apr 12 – Crocodile Cafe /  Seattle *
Apr 13 – Douglas Fir / Portland *
Apr 15 – The Fillmore /  San Francisco *

* w/ The Ting Tings

Hottub: myspace

Posted in Music NewsComments (0)

2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists

2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists

This year’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival will be held June 11th through 14th in Manchester, Tennessee. All general admission and VIP tickets go on sale this Saturday, February 7th at 12 ET.

LINE UP:
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Phish
Beastie Boys
Nine Inch Nails
David Byrne
Wilco
Al Green
Snoop Dogg
Elvis Costello
Erykah Badu
Paul Oakenfold
Ben Harper and Relentless7
The Mars Volta
TV on the Radio

Gov’t Mule
Andrew Bird
Band of Horses
Merle Haggard
MGMT
moe.
The Decemberists
Girl Talk
Bon Iver
Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Galactic
The Del McCoury Band
Of Montreal
Allen Toussaint
Coheed and Cambria
Booker T & the DBTs
David Grisman Quintet
Lucinda Williams
Animal Collective
Gomez
Neko Case
Down
Jenny Lewis
Santogold
Robert Earl Keen
Citizen Cope
Femi Kuti and the Positive Force
The Ting Tings
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Kaki King
Grizzly Bear
King Sunny Adé
Okkervil River
St. Vincent
Zac Brown Band
Raphael Saadiq
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

Tift Merritt
Brett Dennen
Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue
Toubab Krewe
People Under the Stairs
Alejandro Escovedo
Vieux Farka Touré
Elvis Perkins In Dearland
Cherryholmes
Yeasayer
Todd Snider
Chairlift
Portugal, The Man
The SteelDrivers
Midnite
The Knux
The Low Anthem
The Delta Spirit
A.A. Bondy
The Lovell Sisters
Alberta Cross

Bonnaroo: website | tickets

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The Ting Tings “That’s Not My Name”

Check out a new vid for The Ting Tings‘ hot single “That’s Not My Name” from We Started Nothing.

:
Mar 16 – Webster Hall / New York City
Mar 18 – Paradise Rock Club / Boston
Mar 19 – First Unitarian Church Sanctuary / Philadelphia
Mar 20 – 9:30 Club / Washington DC
Mar 21 – Cat’s Cradle / Carrboro, NC
Mar 23 – NorVa / Norfolk, Va.
Mar 24 – Canal Club / Richmond, Va.
Mar 26 – Jack Rabbits / Jacksonville
Mar 27 – Ultrafest / Miami
Mar 28 – The Social / Orlando
Mar 29 – Orpheum / Tampa
Mar 31 – Club Downunder / Tallahassee, FL
Apr 02 – WorkPlay Theatre / Birmingham, Al.
Apr 03 – Blueberry Hill / St. Louis
Apr 05 – Metro / Chicage
Apr 06 – Varsity Theater / Minneapolis
Apr 07 – Record Bar / Kansas City
Apr 08 – Bluebird Theater / Denver
Apr 09 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City
Apr 11 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver
Apr 12 – Crocodile Cafe / Seattle
Apr 13 – Douglas Fir Lounge / Portland
Apr 15 – The Fillmore / San Francisco

The Ting Tings: website | myspace | @ johnny brenda’s

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The Ting Tings US Spring Tour

The Ting Tings US Spring Tour

This spring, Brit imports The Ting Tings, who have already taken our fair nation by storm, are set to headline a national tour,  making their way from New York City to San Francisco. The duo of Katie White and is a tour de force of energy, sexiness and fun, especially during their live show.

The Ting Tings are slated to release their next US single, “That’s Not My Name”, this January with a video to follow for February premiere. Perhaps their catchiest song yet, “That’s Not My Name” is a high-energy song that the pair performed for NBC’s New Year’s Eve Special and it will appear on the CW’s “90210″ revival on Tuesday, January 20th. The Ting Tings have also have music appear on “Gossip Girl”, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and in American Teen.

Tour Dates:
Mar 16 – Webster Hall / New York City
Mar 18 – Paradise Rock Club / Boston
Mar 19 – First Unitarian Church Sanctuary / Philadelphia
Mar 20 – 9:30 Club / Washington DC
Mar 21 – Cat’s Cradle / Carrboro, NC
Mar 23 – NorVa / Norfolk, Va.
Mar 24 – Canal Club / Richmond, Va.
Mar 26 – Jack Rabbits / Jacksonville
Mar 27 – Ultrafest / Miami
Mar 28 – The Social / Orlando
Mar 29 – Orpheum / Tampa
Mar 31 – Club Downunder / Tallahassee, FL
Apr 02 – WorkPlay Theatre / Birmingham, Al.
Apr 03 – Blueberry Hill / St. Louis
Apr 05 – Metro / Chicage
Apr 06 – Varsity Theater / Minneapolis
Apr 07 – Record Bar / Kansas City
Apr 08 – Bluebird Theater / Denver
Apr 09 – Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City
Apr 11 – Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver
Apr 12 – Crocodile Cafe / Seattle
Apr 13 – Douglas Fir Lounge / Portland
Apr 15 – The Fillmore / San Francisco

The Ting Tings: website | myspace | @ johnny brenda’s

Posted in Music NewsComments (0)

Ting Tings Contest Winner

Congratulations to Mary Chang of Gaitherburg, Maryland for winning the Ting Tings‘ giveaway!

Mary has won:
We Started Nothing on vinyl
some signed snipes
a signed drumhead.

Check out the pair’s performance for NBC’s New Year’s Eve performance on NBC:

The Ting Tings: website | myspace | stream “Great DJ” | @ johnny brenda’s

Posted in Contests, PopWreckoning NewsComments (0)

Win The Ting Tings “We Started Nothing” on Vinyl, Signed Drumhead & Snipes

Win The Ting Tings “We Started Nothing” on Vinyl, Signed Drumhead & Snipes

To finish out 2008 with a bang, will be performing their hit “That’s Not My Name” on NBC’s “New Years Eve Special”, hosted by Carson Daly. Other performers that night will include the likes of T.I., Katy Perry, and Ludacris. A very eclectic way to ring in 2009. The special airs December 31st (duh) on NBC starting at 10PM EST.

To end the year with a bang and ring in the New Year in our own special way, Popwreckoning is happy to announce that one lucky winner will receive We Started Nothing on vinyl, some signed snipes and a signed drumhead.

**If you wanna win all this rad stuff, leave a comment with what you’ll be doing/what you did to celebrate New Year’s Eve.**
You’ve got until January 3, 2009 to let us know! The winner will be chosen at random and announced the following day. Get commenting! Multiple comments won’t hurt your chances.

**This contest has been won!**

: website | myspace | stream “Great DJ” | @ johnny brenda’s

Posted in ContestsComments (5)

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Concert Calendar

September 10, 2010
Girl Talk @ Crossroads, Kansas City MO

Sept 19, 2010
Built to Spill @ Beaumont Club, Kansas City MO

Sept 19, 2010
Rogue Wave @ Granada, Lawrence KS

Sept 23, 2010
School of Seven Bells @ RecordBar, Kansas City MO

Sept 23, 2010
Matt & Kim @ RecordBar, Kansas City MO

Sept 25, 2010
Buzz Beach Ball feat. Smashing Pumpkins, Cake, Anberlin & more @ Cap Fed Park @ Sandstone, Bonner Springs KS

Sept 29, 2010
The National @ the Uptown Theatre, Kansas City MO

Oct 2, 2010
Scion Fest @ Various venues, Lawrence KS

Oct 2, 2010
The Republic Tigers @ RecordBar, Kansas City MO

Oct 2, 2010
Vampire Weekend @ Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO

Oct 9, 2010
Ra Ra Riot @ Granada, Lawrence KS

Oct 12, 2010
Menomena @ Bottleneck, Lawrence KS

Oct 23, 2010
Of Montreal @ Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS

Oct 29, 2010
Two Door Cinema Club @ RecordBar, Kansas City MO

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