Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
KOJI - 2.26 @ The Macbeth
Nothing is more awkward an uncomfortable than a diva musician who gets pissed and stops the set during a show when his equipment malfunctions or when the crowd is talking over one of his songs. That’s why this was the perfect show for Koji to play: he’s so positive that if any mishaps were to happen, he’s the only one who could handle them with grace and actually pull something incredible (miraculous, even) out of a shitty show like that.
This place reminded me a lot of Great Scott (Allston, MA), when I saw Owen there a little over a year ago. The people come to the show for the musician, and the people come to the bar for the drinks. So you have this mix of people there for the music and there who don’t give a shit, and the latter are those who
hang around the back and drunkenly talk way louder than is necessary to talk over a guy with a guitar. The problem was that the What Ever Happened to P-Rock show was more about the TBS/Brand New/Fireworks crowd (Koji opened for Such Gold and Starters who consequently started a moshpit in the middle of a tiny bar where any crowd surfer could have lept to his fate in a case of beer), so most were ready to thrash out, not mellow out.
In the middle of his second song Koji’s feedback was getting a little out of control so he had to fix that. No worries. But after getting a little frustrated with everyone talking in the back, he said "fuck it" and got off his mic to sing an unplugged set. None of that MTV Unplugged shit, but literally no mic, no feedback, no electricity, just him and a guitar and his voice. This felt more like a street performance, one where a crowd had gathered to watch a guy who actually sounds pretty damn good while the passersby who -- are oblivious to what’s right in front of them -- continue about their day in the background. Besides talent, Koji is just a genuinely nice person. Someone back in the bar yelled “shut up” to everyone talking, an Koji quickly shut him down, because, as he put it, he’s just happy and excited that people have come to the bar with friends
and have something to say to them and something to talk about. We all pulled in close to hear, but about 4 songs in he decided to go up to the roof to finish his set.
We all go up in the cold to hear him play, a few covers (including his best, Dylan's "Wagon Wheel") and a song off the Into It/Over It split that he’s only played twice (now thrice) for an audience. He brought the crowd together to sing a few choruses, encouraging even the worst singers who didn’t know the words and had no sense of pitch. “We’re gonna shout it from the rooftops ‘cause holy shit that’s a cool thing to do.” Yes, Koji, yes it was.
This place reminded me a lot of Great Scott (Allston, MA), when I saw Owen there a little over a year ago. The people come to the show for the musician, and the people come to the bar for the drinks. So you have this mix of people there for the music and there who don’t give a shit, and the latter are those who
hang around the back and drunkenly talk way louder than is necessary to talk over a guy with a guitar. The problem was that the What Ever Happened to P-Rock show was more about the TBS/Brand New/Fireworks crowd (Koji opened for Such Gold and Starters who consequently started a moshpit in the middle of a tiny bar where any crowd surfer could have lept to his fate in a case of beer), so most were ready to thrash out, not mellow out.In the middle of his second song Koji’s feedback was getting a little out of control so he had to fix that. No worries. But after getting a little frustrated with everyone talking in the back, he said "fuck it" and got off his mic to sing an unplugged set. None of that MTV Unplugged shit, but literally no mic, no feedback, no electricity, just him and a guitar and his voice. This felt more like a street performance, one where a crowd had gathered to watch a guy who actually sounds pretty damn good while the passersby who -- are oblivious to what’s right in front of them -- continue about their day in the background. Besides talent, Koji is just a genuinely nice person. Someone back in the bar yelled “shut up” to everyone talking, an Koji quickly shut him down, because, as he put it, he’s just happy and excited that people have come to the bar with friends
and have something to say to them and something to talk about. We all pulled in close to hear, but about 4 songs in he decided to go up to the roof to finish his set.We all go up in the cold to hear him play, a few covers (including his best, Dylan's "Wagon Wheel") and a song off the Into It/Over It split that he’s only played twice (now thrice) for an audience. He brought the crowd together to sing a few choruses, encouraging even the worst singers who didn’t know the words and had no sense of pitch. “We’re gonna shout it from the rooftops ‘cause holy shit that’s a cool thing to do.” Yes, Koji, yes it was.
DANGEROUS SUMMER with TELL IT TO THE MARINES and FRANCESQUA - 2.24 @ Borderline
Nothing is better than seeing a show and actually enjoying the opening acts. Usually you’re there and youre just thinking, "OK, these guys are alright but I’m here to see so-and-so so hurry up with your set." I came to this show to see Dangerous Summer, who were opening for Francesqua anyway, so I knew I’d like the opener better than the main act. But what I wasn’t expecting was to like the opener for the opener.
Tell It To The Marines were surprisingly way more raw and genuine than these Francesqua guys. If you wanna be a successful indie punk rock band, layer a few guitar riffs and power chords over each other
and you’ll probably end up with something listen-able. But Marines have put feeling into the forumla. The boys' accents are on full display, part of what makes this band so genuine. Their EP is available free on Bandcamp (here, if you'd like) and even in the shitty acoustics of Borderline you could tell it was gonna be good. They’re a band worth hearing. Layered, melodic guitars with intense vocals that are sometimes off-key only because the singer is singing with force that pushes your neck veins to the edge. Good stuff.
Don’t get me wrong, Francesqua are good, but you can just TELL that their producers and label have polished their music to the point of it being a catering to the crowd, not exactly what the band has written. The problem with bands like Francesqua is that they sing about love to a crowd of
15-year-old girls who are too young and naïve to realize or experience heartbreak, something that is very real, very inevitable, and so mind-numbingly painful. Love is real, but not always. These girls still think they can be swept away by the lead singer of a band who appears to love the way he sings about love.
That’s why Dangerous Summer are so amazing. Tears would roll at "Northern Lights" when AJ sings “I’m a wreck when I’m alone / I’m the boy who lost his home.” We won’t mention his traumatic and tragic past here, but you can tell that the anguish in his voice isn’t just about loving someone too much, its about trying to get out of your mouth all the things you feel in your brain that are tearing you apart. And that’s why the crowd wasn’t feeling them as much – those girls have no fucking clue what the hell he’s talking about it. Oh, but they will.
Tell It To The Marines were surprisingly way more raw and genuine than these Francesqua guys. If you wanna be a successful indie punk rock band, layer a few guitar riffs and power chords over each other
and you’ll probably end up with something listen-able. But Marines have put feeling into the forumla. The boys' accents are on full display, part of what makes this band so genuine. Their EP is available free on Bandcamp (here, if you'd like) and even in the shitty acoustics of Borderline you could tell it was gonna be good. They’re a band worth hearing. Layered, melodic guitars with intense vocals that are sometimes off-key only because the singer is singing with force that pushes your neck veins to the edge. Good stuff.Don’t get me wrong, Francesqua are good, but you can just TELL that their producers and label have polished their music to the point of it being a catering to the crowd, not exactly what the band has written. The problem with bands like Francesqua is that they sing about love to a crowd of
15-year-old girls who are too young and naïve to realize or experience heartbreak, something that is very real, very inevitable, and so mind-numbingly painful. Love is real, but not always. These girls still think they can be swept away by the lead singer of a band who appears to love the way he sings about love.
That’s why Dangerous Summer are so amazing. Tears would roll at "Northern Lights" when AJ sings “I’m a wreck when I’m alone / I’m the boy who lost his home.” We won’t mention his traumatic and tragic past here, but you can tell that the anguish in his voice isn’t just about loving someone too much, its about trying to get out of your mouth all the things you feel in your brain that are tearing you apart. And that’s why the crowd wasn’t feeling them as much – those girls have no fucking clue what the hell he’s talking about it. Oh, but they will.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
FENECH-SOLER - 2.8 @ Rough Trade Records
Five pounds for a vinyl single and a wrist band to a free show? Yes, thanks. I went into this show only hearing their latest single "Demons." Thought it was decent, a more simple Passion Pit. Honestly, I was a littel apprehensive because I figured a show at a record store would be an un-plugged, acoustic set -- not exactly the best situation for a techno-snych rock band.
I felt like I was walking into Harpers Ferry when I walked into their show tonight, though. Nothing was stripped about this show. It should have been played at House of Blues, the sound was that profound.
Three songs into their set i realized: holy shit no ones playing an instrument. OK, that's a lie,
there was a guy on drums. But their set was composed of synths. How could this be possible without anyone realizing? Of course, as soon as I realized this the two synth-ers jumped on bass and guitar for another poppy dance electronica rock feel-good rock song.
Six songs in: at this point, you could somehow say the band all contributed to percussion in some way. The singer every once in a while turns around to band on a few drums he presumably stole from his drummer's set, and the synth's were so tight they were pretty much percussion for a good portioin of each song. After they killed "Demons," "Lies" made you cry, and that was it. Fenech-Soler are more human than Passion Pit, and that's worth the world.
I felt like I was walking into Harpers Ferry when I walked into their show tonight, though. Nothing was stripped about this show. It should have been played at House of Blues, the sound was that profound.
Three songs into their set i realized: holy shit no ones playing an instrument. OK, that's a lie,
there was a guy on drums. But their set was composed of synths. How could this be possible without anyone realizing? Of course, as soon as I realized this the two synth-ers jumped on bass and guitar for another poppy dance electronica rock feel-good rock song.Six songs in: at this point, you could somehow say the band all contributed to percussion in some way. The singer every once in a while turns around to band on a few drums he presumably stole from his drummer's set, and the synth's were so tight they were pretty much percussion for a good portioin of each song. After they killed "Demons," "Lies" made you cry, and that was it. Fenech-Soler are more human than Passion Pit, and that's worth the world.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
KITES - 1.5 @ Notting Hill Arts Club
My first introduction to British indie could not have been more cliché. Kites was headed by a Brandon Flowers lookalike with Flock of Seagulls 
hair and piercing eyes, body movements rigid and spastic, skinny white jeans and European pointy-toed Shoes. They were a Killers-meets-Bloc-Party band, an indie style so mass-produced in the states but possibly even moreso here in London. But Notting Hill Arts Club's Death to Disco Wednesdays had kids lit up by cheap beer and technicolor light shows, so Kites was perfect for the night. Clubbers danced like they were on E infront of the band -- they ate it up. When their set was finished, Kites posed for a few photos, and went about their night never to be seen again as the DJ blasted M.I.A. and Lady Gaga. Most often despised, a generic British underground indie band was the perfect welcome to London gift.
hair and piercing eyes, body movements rigid and spastic, skinny white jeans and European pointy-toed Shoes. They were a Killers-meets-Bloc-Party band, an indie style so mass-produced in the states but possibly even moreso here in London. But Notting Hill Arts Club's Death to Disco Wednesdays had kids lit up by cheap beer and technicolor light shows, so Kites was perfect for the night. Clubbers danced like they were on E infront of the band -- they ate it up. When their set was finished, Kites posed for a few photos, and went about their night never to be seen again as the DJ blasted M.I.A. and Lady Gaga. Most often despised, a generic British underground indie band was the perfect welcome to London gift.
FUN. with STEEL TRAIN and POSTELLES - 12.3 @ Royale
The Fun. show was exactly what you'd expect -- fun. But let's start with Postelles. Typical Hives/Vines/Strokes kind of a band, but great to get the vibe going. The hipster population increased tenfold from what the Theatre District usually sees (apparently I missed the memo on plaid). Moving on. Steel Train's Jack Antonoff (also in Fun.)
brought the fun to Royale in a way that was sickenly sweet. At moments it was like eating an entire container of frosting -- seems like a good idea at first, but half way through it's just way too much of a good thing. The band wrote a song for a children's performance entitled "It's Fun to Dance," whose lyrics were literally, "It's fun/to dance/it's really fun to dance." Yes, it was endearing, but until "Road Song," you could not take the band seriously.
And then the band gathered in a semi-circle center stage to sing their ballad about living their lives as traveling musicians, an ode to anyone who's ever fumbled with a steel guitar to himself, traveling alone down a dirt road without a clear destination, just enjoying where he is at that moment.
When Fun. came on, I'm pretty sure half the crowd expected the show to turn into a Format concert, with Nate Ruess staring blankly into space and focusing on singing a song, stuck in his own head rather than connecting with the audience.
But this was the first time I had seen Nate actually smile. This was the first time I had seem him
appearing to actually have fun while performing. Hopefully that was the point of making this band. They opened with "Be Calm" and the rest of the night was a good time from then on. And in the ambiance of Royale, with gold plated, royally painted ceilings and red-lit bars, we could have easily been watching the hippest circus performance Boston has ever seen.
brought the fun to Royale in a way that was sickenly sweet. At moments it was like eating an entire container of frosting -- seems like a good idea at first, but half way through it's just way too much of a good thing. The band wrote a song for a children's performance entitled "It's Fun to Dance," whose lyrics were literally, "It's fun/to dance/it's really fun to dance." Yes, it was endearing, but until "Road Song," you could not take the band seriously.And then the band gathered in a semi-circle center stage to sing their ballad about living their lives as traveling musicians, an ode to anyone who's ever fumbled with a steel guitar to himself, traveling alone down a dirt road without a clear destination, just enjoying where he is at that moment.
When Fun. came on, I'm pretty sure half the crowd expected the show to turn into a Format concert, with Nate Ruess staring blankly into space and focusing on singing a song, stuck in his own head rather than connecting with the audience.
But this was the first time I had seen Nate actually smile. This was the first time I had seem him
appearing to actually have fun while performing. Hopefully that was the point of making this band. They opened with "Be Calm" and the rest of the night was a good time from then on. And in the ambiance of Royale, with gold plated, royally painted ceilings and red-lit bars, we could have easily been watching the hippest circus performance Boston has ever seen.
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