Martin Silbiger – We Love DC http://www.welovedc.com Your Life Beyond The Capitol Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:41:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.9 We Love Music: Puscifer @ Lisner Auditorium, 11/26/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/11/29/we-love-music-puscifer-lisner-auditorium-112611/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/11/29/we-love-music-puscifer-lisner-auditorium-112611/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:00:14 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=78157 puscifer_desert
All images courtesy of Puscifer

Are you a Tool fa…

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All images courtesy of Puscifer

Are you a Tool fan? How about A Perfect Circle? Well, I hope you skipped your chance to see their front-man Maynard James Keenan on Saturday night. Maynard brought his solo project Puscifer to the Lisner Auditorium for what was supposedly a large production – part multimedia experience, part cabaret. The entire show fell far short of the high bar he set with his other bands. The whole performance wasn’t engaging; the humor seemed to be aimed at 15-year-olds.

Maynard describes Puscifer as a “sketchpad of ideas”, which is an apt description of this collection of half-baked thoughts. This is Maynard unfiltered! I actually enjoy some of their music, for those rare moments where I could just rock out and enjoy the songs; but the entire content of the show was a waste of potential. The whole performance struck me as more sarcastic than passionate. Maynard didn’t even seem to be having a good time; it’s like the whole band were just going through the motions of performing. I go to concerts all the time and watch bands desperate to have their voices heard, desperate to connect with the audience somehow. So I found it a bit insulting for Maynard to think that the detritus of his creativity was enough to sell to us at $45 a ticket.


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To start the show, we saw a video of Maynard-as-drill-sergeant telling us not to take any photos or videos of the show, and having us shout “vagina” in unison. To follow this, Maynard dragged a trailer on-stage, then explained to us what Puscifer was about – something about “being creative with each breath we take”. He proceeded to set up some Ikea furniture around the stage, as if we were all just hanging out around a campfire in the Arizona desert. I’ll admit that Maynard created a low-pressure environment for himself, where he could relax and let out whatever came to his mind. There’s no pressure around a campfire in the company of friends, or the company of your die-hard fans who will appreciate every track you release into this world.

I was expecting more of this sort of monologue throughout the night, but we didn’t get it. Instead, there were short videos in between a few of the songs, that were supposed to be from a documentary about Puscifer. I don’t know. I didn’t really understand. The videos were stupid; the kind that would get mostly ignored or thumbs-downed on Youtube. They made fun of rednecks in Arizona, for the most part. The absolute worst visual of the night was a video of a bunch of talking-heads (Glenn Beck, Sara Palin, Michael Moore, and more) falling into a pit of fire. It was like something you would throw together when you’re just starting an animation class, and trying to be “edgy”. What did it mean? Was it just supposed to inspire some gut reaction? It’s not even worth contemplating, honestly.

During the show, I kept thinking back to my days of rabid Tool fandom, when I would dig through Tool lyrics, searching for a clue about what Maynard was trying to tell us. I read through all of the Tool FAQ; I cracked open the jewel box to Undertow to find hidden artwork; I loved watching their videos, trying to come up with some meaningful way to interpret them.

But the entire Puscifer experience made me wonder if those messages were real, or accidental genius. There were a couple things I considered to be Tool references in the show, but only in the most shallow ways. For example, one of the videos on stage showed some neon signs of the Puscifer alien-figure, with a third eye in its forehead. Just like from the Tool song “Third Eye”, a track about part of our brains around our forehead that is sensitive to light – possibly an artifact of evolution, or possibly granting us extrasensory perception if we can unlock its powers. What did it mean in the context of Puscifer? Nothing. Nothing at all.

The same thing happened later in the show when two screens on the side of the stage depicted a billboard announcing “Welcome to Arizona Bay” against a flooded Grand Canyon. A reference to “Aenema”, of course, a track excoriating all of Los Angeles for its shallowness; Maynard desperately asking Mom to clean up this failure of human civilization. Do you know how much I’ve fixated on the lyric “don’t just call me pessimist / try and read between the lines”? That song was a wish for something better, recognizing that we as a species could reach a higher plane of existence. But what does it mean in the context of Puscifer? It’s a billboard. It’s like Maynard is saying, “nah, I just thought of a funny joke, that if L.A. fell into the ocean it would be called Arizona Bay. GET IT?” Like that was the only message he had to deliver. Now as I’m standing, watching Puscifer, trying to read between the lines, I realize it’s futile. There’s no message behind this at all.

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The track “Man Overboard” was one of the better songs of the night, mainly because it was heavy and anthemic. The band are clearly professionals, delivering a clean (if not passionate) performance. But the visuals for the song were nothing remarkable – all they did was play the music video for the track. It looked like they paid an animation studio rock-bottom prices to make a video showing the Puscifer alien and some ninjas running around a pirate ship. Totally meaningless – just a neon distraction. And during the lyric “turn it up to eleven”, a ninja literally turns a volume knob up to eleven. It’s little things like this that annoyed me, where the band could’ve been creative but seemed content to just throw something together and call it a day.

At the end of the show, Maynard announced with pride that his band was completely independent – no support from labels, no promotion. You know, I never thought I’d find myself arguing against the purity of artistic vision. But this ain’t “In Rainbows” or “Ghosts”. This reminded me more of the Lou Reed and Metallica duo, which could’ve benefited from a label steering the group in the right direction. Puscifer have some good songs, but many of their songs (and nearly all of their live show) should’ve been left on the cutting-room floor.

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Hot Ticket: Puscifer @ Lisner Auditorium, 11/26/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/11/23/hot-ticket-puscifer-lisner-auditorium-112611/ Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:00:58 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=78078 Puscifer - Conditions of My Parole

Puscifer never would’ve been on my radar …

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Puscifer - Conditions of My Parole

Puscifer never would’ve been on my radar if it weren’t for Maynard James Keenan, the mysterious frontman of Tool and A Perfect Circle. Like all Tool fans, I’ve learned to expect long waits between albums (it’s been 5 1/2 years since the last one, by the way). I imagine Maynard has an infinite supply of creative energy, as he’s always working on something – he just keeps focusing it on the wrong things, like his vineyard in Arizona. Or Puscifer’s 2007 album, “V is for Vagina”, which struck me as a collection of half-baked songs serving up unfunny innuendo.

Can we just ignore that one? Puscifer’s latest album “Conditions of My Parole” shows that they can actually write songs. The tracks sound more like an alt-country version of Maynard’s other bands – the same ominous tone, with the intenity turned down. But the live show is what makes the band. Puscifer shows are part comedy, part cabaret, and unlike anything else out there. Check them out on Saturday to get a taste of the ideas Maynard can’t quite fit into his usual projects.

Puscifer
Saturday, November 26, 2011 @ Lisner Auditorium
w/ Carina Round
Doors 7pm
$45

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We Love Music: M83 @ Black Cat, 10/28/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/10/31/we-love-music-m83-black-cat-102811/ Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:00:13 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=77317 M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

I remember when M83 released their breakthroug…

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M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

I remember when M83 released their breakthrough album Dead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts back when I was in college. M83 easily fit in my collection with groups like The Postal Service and The Notwist, yet the album had no vocalist to connect it with mankind. The occasional words were only samples; it was like a glimpse at a dystopian future, where maybe people weren’t even around anymore. I could imagine their core member Anthony Gonzalez in his French chateau, sitting at his laptops and keyboards, writing minimalist, electronic soundtracks for lonely bedrooms.

M83 has evolved tremendously since then; while their current music retains its electro roots, it’s all in all more varied, more approachable, more poppy, more epic. Their new material makes for a hell of a live show, too. They sold out two shows at Black Cat on Friday night; I stopped by the late show to see what they had to offer. The show had exactly what I want from live electronic music – infectious beats, atmospheric lighting, and an enthusiastic crowd.

The opener Active Child felt like a band who accepted a challenge: make dark pop music with falsetto vocals and harps. I never would’ve expected this to work, but something about their tunes caught my attention. Frontman Pat Grossi’s lyrics sometimes fell into sad-sap cliches, but musically, I liked the sparseness of the bass lines on one end and the high-pitched, gentle melodies on the other. The group seemed a good match for M83’s slower tracks – good for introspection and head-nodding, but not so good for dancing.

After a French-accented mic check, the four touring members of M83 took the stage to a background of smoke and bright LED lights. They opened with “Intro” and “Midnight City”, two of the catchier songs from their newest album Hurry Up We’re Dreaming. “Midnight City” immediately became one of my favorite tracks – it sounds like Neon Indian, very minimal and chill, until it erupts with a screaming saxophone line at the end. At a M83 show, you don’t dance 100% of the time. Not even 83% of the time. You might start standing still, but as a song grows, all of a sudden you find yourself dancing.

Anthony humbly announced that this was one of the first times they had played the new material live, but the tracks went off without a hitch. Their singer Morgan Kibby seemed overjoyed to be a part of M83; their bassist, on the other hand, just seemed amused by all the attention. He would make goofy faces at his fans, before jumping on risers in the back to strike an AC/DC-inspired pose.

The setlist mostly consisted of new material and songs from 2008’s Saturdays=Youth. I expected to be disappointed at the lack of older material, but honestly, the new songs are much more energetic, and worked better with a four-piece band. Still, there were a couple of vocal-less tracks that stood out that night for getting the most people dancing. The set closer “Couleurs”, for example, sounded more like a house track than the rest of the M83 catalog, with its bass line pumping from the first note of the song to the last. With tracks like these, M83 was able to ebb and flow between moments of high and low energy, so that the show felt balanced throughout. If you’ve neglected listening to M83’s newer albums (like me), don’t let that stop you from checking out their live show if you get a chance.

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We Love Music: A Perfect Circle @ DAR Constitution Hall, 7/17/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/07/20/we-love-music-a-perfect-circle-dar-constitution-hall-71711/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/07/20/we-love-music-a-perfect-circle-dar-constitution-hall-71711/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 15:00:43 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=73235 A Perfect Circle 1
All photos courtesy of A Perfect Circle

When I he…

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A Perfect Circle 1
All photos courtesy of A Perfect Circle

When I heard that A Perfect Circle was coming to DAR Constitution Hall, I had a ton of questions. The band has been on hiatus for seven years; Maynard’s been working with Tool, Billy Howerdel formed Ashes Divide, and the other members ran off with Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. Why reform the band? Do they still have ‘it’? Are they going to ruin my positive memories of the group? I’m pretty much required to go to this, having seen them and Tool every chance I’ve ever gotten, right?

When the songs were right, the show was fantastic. These guys are actually capable of writing beautiful songs, with rich harmonies and epic crescendos that moved the entire audience. But their setlist was tragic. Out of their three studio albums, the setlist was weighted heavily towards 2004’s Emotive, a political album about the Iraq war that they rushed to release in time for the 2004 election. This isn’t just my opinion; it is objectively true that Emotive is no fan’s favorite album. It’s an album of cover songs! That means almost half of the show wasn’t even original A Perfect Circle material! That might be okay for a bar band, but not for a major group that’s selling out DAR. I can’t think of a show I’ve seen that defied fan’s hopes and expectations more than this one.


A Perfect Circle 4

I mean, at this point in my fandom, I have to acknowledge that Maynard James Keenan likes to fuck with his fans. From all the leaks of fake tracklistings for new albums, to his joke band Puscifer, to his vineyard in Arizona, Maynard has to be the most enigmatic, least trustworthy frontmen out there. I understand what his music’s about, but I have no idea what he’s about. So to mess with us before A Perfect Circle’s set even started, Maynard chose a bizarre mix of showtunes as the vamp music – I guess he likes West Side Story? I also wonder how he chose the opening band, Red Bacteria Vacuum. They were a kickass, all-female noise group from Japan; they had a ton of energy and let out some great screams, so no complaints from me!

I thought the show had a lot of promise early on; after a slow opening (their cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, ugh), they ripped into “Weak and Powerless”, the first single from Thirteenth Step. I remembered when this track came out when I was in college; man, was I excited! I still knew every word to the song, and they delivered a great performance. The lighting was colorful, selectively illuminating their battlefield of a stage. (By ‘selectively illuminating’, I mean, they somehow managed never to shine light directly on Maynard. This wasn’t really surprising, as his modus operandi in his band Tool is to hide behind a curtain, revealing only his shadow.) Their next track “The Hollow” gave me chills; that track still sounds as fresh as when I played Mer de Noms for the first time, in my car driving home from Best Buy, and instantly knew I’d love this band.

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Oh, if only they’d kept up that energy level! The rest of their setlist alternated between their original songs that the fans love, and a bunch of covers that just drained the auditorium of any spark. Tracks from Emotive made up 10 songs – over half! – of their set. Now, I would argue that two of these would’ve been fine in the set: “Passive”, a track Maynard originally wrote for the abandoned Tapeworm project, was a strong anthem; “Counting Bodies” had one of the best audience reactions of the night, with some cool strobe effects and booming bass. And at least a few of the covers – “Annihilation” and “Gimme Gimme Gimme”, were re-worked enough that they sounded fresh. They used vocal melodies instead of the chanting monotone on the album. They still weren’t good songs, though. Even the people who stood up in their seats, headbanged, and lost control of their arms in a fit of fan-dom wound up taking time during the cover songs to hit the beer line, or just sit and rest their legs.

I’m fully aware that it’s cliche to complain about a band only playing their newer material, or forgetting your favorite songs. But this was just absurd; Emotive came out seven years ago and sucked then, and I expected the band would just admit by now that they were trying to close out their record contract and call it quits. I wanted to figure out why A Perfect Circle is back; whatever their reason, I can’t understand why they felt Emotive was important or entertaining enough to merit this much attention. You know, I did enjoy their new song, “By and Down” – it had their usual, dark alt-rock sound with minimalist riffs — and some post-rocky instrumental moments, which was definitely an interesting change that I hope they explore further. But it doesn’t sound like they’re working on a full-length album, so it was a teaser for nothing. It’s like they’re saying, ‘We can write songs you’ll love, even a decade after we formed, but instead we’re going to play a bunch of other band’s songs.’ What a bunch of jerks.

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We Love Music: Fucked Up @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 6/27/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/30/we-love-music-fucked-up-rock-and-roll-hotel-62711/ Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:00:04 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=72330 P1020147
All photos by Rachel Rasby

The smell of Cocoa Puf…

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P1020147
All photos by Rachel Rasby

The smell of Cocoa Puffs crushed underfoot. Silhouettes of back-hair illuminated by a spotlight. Clouds of sweat puffing around the stage. Most of my memories of Fucked Up’s performance on Monday night at the Rock and Roll Hotel aren’t particularly pleasant. But who likes their shows ‘pleasant’ anyway? Yeah, it was kind of a sweaty mess at the front of the stage – a crowd five fans deep, jumping relentlessly up and down throughout the set. But Fucked Up supplied an undeniably, infectiously energetic soundtrack for us to go wild to.

Leading by example, Fucked Up’s Damian Abraham rushed on stage and proceeded to rip open a huge bag of store-brand Cocoa Puffs all over the audience. Okay, consider my attention grabbed. Damian was one of those frontmen that’s always doing something to keep your attention, whether he’s spinning his mic around by its cord, leaning into the crowd to yell about the Crusades, or just stomping around on stage. I enjoyed the show from start to finish; I can see why their live shows have gotten them so much buzz. They made the mostly-full Rock and Roll Hotel feel like a summer festival.

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“This one goes out to anyone who’s overweight,” Damian said to introduce “I Hate Summer”, an anthem about how it sucks when you have to go to the beach and all these skinny, tan assholes make fun of you. Not that he seemed to mind taking his shirt off – he left his on for exactly one song. At its core, this song is about having a good time, and being comfortable enough with yourself to do so. This pretty much set the tone for the night.

I felt like Damian was our party-master for the evening. He wrapped the mic chord around his face and continued screaming. He broke open a pack of Oreos and fed them to audience members. Fans would rub his sweat-drenched belly, for good luck. He shot himself point-blank in the forehead with a water pistol, causing water to ricochet into the crowd. He apologized for creating a Warped-Tour-like atmosphere as he poured bottles of water all over the crowd. (And we needed it – it was hot and sweaty in the front half of the venue!) He made sure to be completely inclusive, to reach out to all of us and touch us. Literally. Twice he climbed into the crowd, wandering around even to the edges of the bar, to give out hugs and high-fives to everyone. After the show, he stuck around to make sure everyone who wanted a sweaty hug, or a goofy picture, got one.

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For me, the standout tracks were a couple of old tunes like “Two Snakes” and “Black Albino Bones”, which have darker riffs to go with their chanting choruses. They played a handful of solid tracks off the new album, like the instantly singable “The Other Shoe” and their album opener “Queen of Hearts”. In light of their performance, I find it kind of ridiculous that their latest album is a sprawling “concept album”, based around some tale of destruction and redemption. It seems to me they were at their best when keeping their song concepts uncomplicated – like in “I Hate Summer”, or “Crusades”, which, as Damian explained, is about the Crusades.

The band itself was a quirky collection of Vancouverites. During their warmup I thought their drummer was the preppiest roadie I’d ever seen! Their short-haired guitarists were similarly preppy. I was completely wrong in expecting their bassist/backup singer Sandy Miranda to be covered in tattoos. So this seemed like a strange group – how on Earth did they connect with Damian? Who knows. In a throwback to 70s punk, Damian encouraged us all to start our own bands, saying that the only problem was finding the time. “Clearly, I’m proof that you don’t need talent to make minimum-wage as a musician.” Fucked Up weren’t like any punk band I’ve seen before – their show was full of positive vibes and fun times – yet it was punk to the core. It was, we’re going to have a good time tonight, and fuck what you think if you’re not coming along for the journey.

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Hot Ticket: Fucked Up @ Rock & Roll Hotel, 6/27/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/24/hot-ticket-fucked-up-rock-roll-hotel-62711/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/24/hot-ticket-fucked-up-rock-roll-hotel-62711/#comments Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:00:44 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=72093 IMG_3660
photo by Michael Darpino

First, it’s wor…

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IMG_3660
photo by Michael Darpino

First, it’s worth noting that, given their band name, Fucked Up never would have made it 20 years ago. You know, back when you discovered music by listening to corporate radio. I can just imagine all the record execs sitting around, begging Fucked Up to change their name. “Wal-Mart will never carry it!”, they’d say. Nowadays, perhaps due to the internet’s outsized role in music distribution and promotion, it’s barely even remarkable to curse in your band name. Maybe Cee-lo Green cleared the way for profanity-laden band names everywhere? Hell, even artists like Britney Spears and Katy Perry can get away with using single entendres these days without pissing off the censorship crew.

Also without the internet, maybe you wouldn’t know about Fucked Up‘s show on Monday night at the Rock and Roll Hotel. (You’re welcome.) Fucked Up has gotten a lot of buzz, from winning Canadian music awards to scoring a glowing review in Pitchfork for their new album “David Comes to Life”. Said album is a sprawling rock opera, if you will. I’m not really prone to dig into ‘concept albums’, but I’ll tell you this: Fucked Up bring a fistful of punk attitude to what are essentially upbeat rock songs. The massive, noisy guitar melodies are so pleasant that they counterbalance the singer’s growly demeanor, producing something that sounds like the bastard child of The Hold Steady and Black Flag. Mix in a female vocalist, and there’s something for everyone to appreciate.

Garage rockers Jeff the Brotherhood (check this trippy video for a taste) and psychedelic punks Regents open the show. Will people get rowdy and mosh? Or will they sing along with huge grins? Find out Monday.

(Editor’s note: I caught Fucked Up at ATP 2010 and based on what I saw there, I vehemently endorse this show!)

Fucked Up

w/ Jeff the Brotherhood, Regents
Monday, June 27, 2011
Rock and Roll Hotel
$15

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We Love Music: Yeasayer @ 9:30 Club, 6/16/2011 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/20/we-love-music-yeasayer-930-club-6162011/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/20/we-love-music-yeasayer-930-club-6162011/#comments Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:00:09 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=71880 Yeasayer: 9:30 Club, 6/16/2011 [2]
All photos by author

It’s been a year since Yeasa

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Yeasayer: 9:30 Club, 6/16/2011 [2]
All photos by author

It’s been a year since Yeasayer last visited the 930 Club, in promotion of their latest album Odd Blood. Since then, word spread about their solid live show, and tickets for Thursday night’s show sold out months in advance. They came to DC as part of a short tour to road-test some new songs for their next album – another batch of funky, 80s-pop-influenced tracks with catchy melodies and weird instrumentation. Also new: their fantastic lighting setup, involving huge LCD displays that illuminated the entire club.

By the end of the show, I realized that only a couple Yeasayer tracks really do it for me – even “Ambling Alps” is wearing thin after hearing it a million times last summer. Yet their show was undeniably professional, and their visual appeal kept me interested even during the less exciting songs. Plus, as an experimental pop band, each song was different enough from the last, and short enough that I never got bored of watching them.


Yeasayer: 9:30 Club, 6/16/2011 [1]

The most striking thing about Yeasayer’s set was their lighting setup. They had two huge panels of LCDs behind them, as well as multicolored spotlights. Sometimes these were used to create some background atmosphere for the group; other times the lights obscured the band, creating an aura of mystery. During “Mondegreen” and “Sunlight”, the strobe effects dominated, turning what would’ve been duller songs for the evening into hypnotic, rhythmic club tracks. The band definitely knew how to use these visuals to enhance their sound – something not all bands can pull off successfully without distracting from the members themselves. Their leader Chris Keating came across as a shaggy, sincere rock star, glad to play in a venue as great as the 930 Club. I guess when you grow up in Baltimore, this is what you dream of!

Yeasayer’s set began with the “ooo ooo oooh”s of “Madder Red”, an instantly catchy and memorable track. Maybe this is a ridiculous song to sing along to, with its lack of words and all, but it was even stranger to see people dancing around to “O.N.E.”, jumping up and down while shouting “hold me like you used to!” How sweet of you to say, bros. It’s not my favorite, but “O.N.E.” was the surprise hit of the night, getting a bigger reaction than their single “Ambling Alps.”

The set mostly consisted of material from their latest album Odd Blood, but they also tried out some new songs, including the track they just performed on Conan. Devil and the Deed seemed solid – it was one of the better funky tracks of the night.

One of the reasons I was drawn to the band in the first place is because they seemed inclined to experiment with their sound, using strange instrumentation to bring interest to songs with a classic pop structure. I thought the show put together a cohesive setlist, highlighting their experimental tracks, as well as hipster summer dance tracks like “Ambling Alps”. Their albums seem a bit uneven, but the band chose their setlist well, and I’m sure tracks like Devil and the Deed will become staples of their future sets.

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We Love Music: This Will Destroy You @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 6/5/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/08/we-love-music-this-will-destroy-you-rock-and-roll-hotel-6511/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/08/we-love-music-this-will-destroy-you-rock-and-roll-hotel-6511/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:00:20 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=71133 This Will Destroy You - press photo
All photos courtesy of This Will Destroy You

Thi

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This Will Destroy You - press photo
All photos courtesy of This Will Destroy You

This Will Destroy You is one of my favorite groups in the post-rock scene right now. I feel like they’re creating music specifically for me. It has the pleasant, sometimes melancholy soft-loud dynamic of bands like Mogwai or Jakob. Yet they’ve taken a turn for the dark side lately. Their new material is ominous, ambient, less guitar-oriented yet still just as destructive. It’s the kind of music you can lose yourself in.

There were a couple great moments at their show at the Rock and Roll Hotel this Sunday, where I could feel the full power of their noise assault. But the show just wasn’t mixed right. For an instrumental rock band, nothing is more important than the sound; I was left underwhelmed. This was pretty disappointing, considering their show last year at DC9 was one of my favorites of the year, and I love the material they’ve written since then.

The openers were interesting, and a pretty good fit for this kind of show. John LaMonica cranked out dark electro on his laptop, sounding like DJ /rupture at times and HEALTH at others. The sawblade attack of his bass got some heads nodding, but few people danced. The Nighty Night were a freaky band, to say the least. Their sound was dark and countrified, with strings and guitars crafting a harmonic layer to back up their singer’s ranting vocals. The singer reminded me of Modest Mouse in style, if not in content. I mean, lines like “make cologne of your blood” drew me in. But the lyrics were inane, and they got a bit cheesy after awhile – when he told us about how blood was for spilling a few songs later, I had lost interest.

The show felt a bit on the quiet side at first, although it picked up steam about halfway through their organ-heavy opener, “Little Smoke”. I could feel my clothes vibrating with the bass, for awhile. I even enjoyed the way they incorporated a fiddle player, which served as a pleasant counterpoint to all the guitar noise. Their next track “Communal Blood” (god, these bands love blood) sounded much better than on album – more visceral, more punishing. The drummer was going crazy through the marching band beats of the track. This guy would hammer on toms with his bare hands; he would slam maracas against cymbals. Yet he could also play subtly, just enough to keep the slow, glacial tempo going during the less visceral sections.

At one point, two band members were on their knees, tweaking knobs on the floor, shifting waves of feedback around in a meditative fashion. I liked how they would transition from one song to the next just by creating more noise. The melodies of each successive song were a welcome reprieve from all the feedback.

This Will Destroy You - press photo

I was really enjoying the show at this point! But the sound just wasn’t mixed right, to the point that it was a big distraction. Most of the time, I couldn’t tell if the feedback was purposeful or not – and if it was, it was just too much. One of the best parts about noisy shows is that, once you grow accustomed to the volume, you can safely ignore the drones and focus on some piece of hidden beauty behind the noise. But this works a little better when the music is crystal-clear. That night, it was just messy.

The worst part came during their epic, debut-album-closing track, “There Are Some Remedies Worse Than The Disease”. It ends with this epic soft-loud buildup, with a gentle guitar melody plucking away while the drums get louder and more frantic, then the song cracks and the whole band plays at full volume. Only, this time, the epic crescendo was actually quieter than the buildup! The guitars immediately felt washed out, and oh man, it was so disappointing. I could distinctly remember hearing this song at DC9, and enjoying the catharsis that came afterward, as the track abruptly fades into ambient noise. This was nowhere near my first experience.

Their encore was weird – their guitarist tried to introduce the band and thank us through the mic, but I guess the sound engineer fell asleep and didn’t turn the mic on for him. Throughout the song, there was a small amount of smoke coming out of one of their amps, or maybe from the lighting? Who knows. Anyway, the gig was a disappointment, for reasons beyond the band’s control. I know these guys have it in them to put on a great show, so I hope things go more smoothly for them on the rest of their tour.

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Hot Ticket: This Will Destroy You @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 6/5/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/03/hot-ticket-this-will-destroy-you-rock-and-roll-hotel-6511/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/06/03/hot-ticket-this-will-destroy-you-rock-and-roll-hotel-6511/#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:00:12 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=70916 This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket
Just to get this out of the way – yes, they live up t…

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This Will Destroy You - Tunnel Blanket
Just to get this out of the way – yes, they live up to their name. THIS WILL DESTROY YOU is one of the loudest bands I’ve seen live – the kind of loudness where you might go deaf if you don’t wear earplugs. I caught them last year at DC9, expecting a pleasant set of their older, gentler post-rock material, with the typical soft-loud dynamic I love. Instead, what I remember best was their last track, a ten-minute blast of droning noise, where each sound caused so much tension that every changing note was a huge relief. I never really knew the feeling of stillness until the concert ended and my bones finally stopped vibrating.

The optimism of their first album “Young Mountain” has largely disappeared. Since that show last year, This Will Destroy You have moved into more experimental, darker, noisier soundscapes. Maybe they wanted to differentiate themselves as much as possible from their fellow Texan post-rockers Explosions in the Sky? If so, mission accomplished. They really hate being labeled post-rock, and prefer the term “doomgaze” now. Scared yet?

So yeah, they’re coming to destroy the Rock and Roll Hotel this Sunday . If you’re looking for a band that stretches instrumental rock into evil territory, or looking for something heavy without quite being metal, make sure you catch this show.

This Will Destroy You
w/ Nighty Nite, John LaMonica
Rock and Roll Hotel
$12 adv/$14 doors
Sunday, June 5th

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We Love Music: James Blake @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 5/8/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/05/10/we-love-music-james-blake-rock-and-roll-hotel-5811/ Tue, 10 May 2011 15:00:39 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69689 blake1
Courtesy of James Blake

If you want some idea of w…

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blake1
Courtesy of James Blake

If you want some idea of what James Blake’s show sounded like on Sunday night at the Rock and Roll Hotel, do yourself a favor and listen to this broadcast of his SXSW set while you read.

I was beyond excited to get a chance to see Blake on his first US tour, at a venue as tiny as the Rock and Roll Hotel, at a show that sold out within minutes. He’s one of the rare artists who pushes the boundaries of popular music, creating something familiar but unclassifiable. (I’ll refrain from using the phrase “post-dubstep” in this review.) Blake is preceded by groups like How To Dress Well and The XX, who create dark, atmospheric, slow pop songs that use sparse instrumentation. This emptiness gives the songs enough breathing room that you can fill in the space yourself. After making a name for himself by producing dubstep, a dark, bass-heavy style of dance music from England, Blake mixed in his soul-singer-like vocals to craft his debut album last year.

As a singer/songwriter/producer, James Blake’s set could’ve gone in several different directions. I was wondering if he would stick to solo piano pieces. Or maybe he would eschew his voice in favor of playing straight, rhythm-focused dubstep tracks from his early days. We ended up getting a good mix of songs off his debut and electronic explorations old and new. Oh, and it was one of the best-sounding shows I’ve witnessed at the Rock and Roll Hotel.


James Blake arrived on stage with two other band members – a drummer, and a guitarist/keyboardist. He sat down, surrounded by two keyboards and a mic. Blake started his set the same way he started his SXSW set, with “Unluck” – sad organs, haunted vocals, and drums that drag a bit, just a little slower than you expect. Blake shyly crooned into the mic, never letting a note last longer than it had to. When he plays it live, the song sounds even more soulful, less clinical. The drums have a more organic vibe to them, even though the drummer is mostly hitting pads to trigger electronic sounds.

Blake used various effects on his voice throughout the set, including mountains of reverb, vocoders, and autotune. I hesitate to even call it “autotune”, as it’s so far removed from the style made popular by T-Pain and abused by everyone else in pop music. Blake uses autotune to purposefully distort his voice, making it sound like a long-lost transmission – digital like a thumb drive, distorted like an old cassette tape. Yet Blake’s soulful voice, pitch-perfect and full of vibrato, still shine through the effects.

The track “I Never Learnt To Share” showcased his talent as a performer, starting with him recording the opening line “my brother and my sister don’t speak to me, but I don’t blame them” on a tape loop. He then proceeded to harmonize with himself, recording THAT to the loop as well, until he could sit back and play keys as three James Blakes sang for him. Any mistakes you make on the tape get repeated endlessly, so there’s no room for error. I’ve seen a couple artists like Imogen Heap and Victor Wooten do this before, and I love it each time.

These days, I consider it rare when a musician is recognized for their raw musical talent; in the world of indie rock and mainstream pop, groups are more likely to be recognized for their songwriting abilities, or for creating a new style or sound. Various interviewers bring up his jazz background, or how he was classically trained – why is this such a rare thing? Perhaps because of this, his show felt like a recital. And, in case it’s not clear by now – James Blake is a musical prodigy. At age 21, he’s already proven his talent as a songwriter, producer, and performer. It was a joy to watch him work, completely engrossed in his own performance. He’s clearly a perfectionist – you could feel his frustration when one of his keyboards malfunctioned during his encore. He came across as humble, and unsure of how to deal with his new-found fame.

Maybe as a result of Blake’s obsessiveness, this was one of the best-sounding shows at the Rock and Roll Hotel that I’ve been to. The drums sounded precise throughout; the extreme reverb on certain parts made it sound like the drums were played in a giant abandoned warehouse. The bass was loud enough to vibrate your clothes during tracks like “Limit To Your Love”. Also, I’ve been to plenty of shows with chatty audiences; this would’ve killed Blake’s music, which is quite dynamic and involves many quiet or silent sections. Luckily, the audience was respectful (or in awe, like me) throughout the night.

I’m sure next time he comes through, he’ll be playing bigger venues such as the 9:30 Club. I can’t wait to see where he takes his music next.

Blake Setlist

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We Love Music: Pinback @ Black Cat, 5/1/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/05/05/we-love-music-pinback-black-cat-5111/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/05/05/we-love-music-pinback-black-cat-5111/#comments Thu, 05 May 2011 13:00:03 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69506 Pinback @BlackCatDC-16
All images courtesy of Paivi Salonen

Bands usin…

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Pinback @BlackCatDC-16
All images courtesy of Paivi Salonen

Bands using video projectors at their live shows can be hit-or-miss. At their best, you can have a band like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who count their projectionist as a full-on band member. He moves back and forth between four(!) projectors, mixing up a series of dark images to add to the brooding feel of the music. At their worst, you might as well stare at the iTunes visualizer on your laptop.

As I arrived at Pinback’s show on Sunday night at the Black Cat, the first thing I noticed was the projector. I had mixed feelings about how openers Judgement Day used it; it seemed gimmicky to me at first, but I was convinced by one song, where their playing synced perfectly with their video track. It was sick, to say the least; it showcased their skills as virtuosic musicians with creativity beyond musical composition. Pinback, on the other hand, wasted an opportunity to do anything exciting with their visuals. They weren’t very dynamic as performers either, so their use of a projector felt like a crutch, just to try to make their show more visually appealing.

Judgement Day were a three-piece, consisting of drums, violin, and cello. Their music was far from classical, though – they played some intense math-rock, weaving in and out of strange time signatures. Their limbs flailed as they ripped through complex melodies and arpeggios. Honestly, they were so fun to watch that I felt like their projector was unnecessary for most of the set.

One song really stood out; when it happened, everyone in the crowd snapped to attention and focused on the band for the rest of the night. The track opened with an edit of this Youtube video, with a kid exclaiming “oh my god, it’s Violin Hero!!” as he opens a Christmas present. The video then turned into the familiar scrolling staves from Guitar Hero, ripping through an insanely fast track that would easily be a 5-star difficulty in the game. We in the audience stared at the video, thinking, “Is this really what they’re playing? How do they do that??” It was perfectly executed, making me realize how talented these guys must be to reconstruct their performance exactly in time with the video.

Pinback @BlackCatDC-2

Pinback only had one memorable moment of projector use. During my favorite song of theirs, “Good to Sea,” they showed their music video for the song, and performed in sync with the video. It’s a fun, silly video, but it reduced their performance to video karaoke. The rest of their videos were just random collections of cool-looking, creepy, or funny scenes; nothing I would categorize as “meaningful”. For a handful of their songs, the projector just showed this “no stick figures” image, as if they couldn’t be bothered to, you know, go out and film clouds passing overhead.

In a way, the projector amplified how dull the band itself was to watch. They mostly gazed downwards, never moving too much. Frontman Rob Crow was the most interesting, but most of the time he was hamstrung by playing guitar and singing at the same time. On the few occasions when he put his guitar down, he was much more dynamic, crooning into the mic, or dancing crazily. He bantered with us about DC’s Ethiopian food, and mentioned upon hearing about Osama bin Laden’s death that he didn’t know how to feel about “blood vengeance”. I’m curious as to whether he’s a more free performer in his side projects.

Pinback @BlackCatDC-12

“Circles & Squares” was one of my favorite tracks, as were “Tres” and “Penelope”. I can’t say the live performance was any better than hearing the songs on album, though – the songs I enjoyed that night were largely the songs I already knew. I do think they’re solid songwriters – they definitely have a knack for crafting pleasant, quirky indie-rock tracks. I really wanted their performance to take these songs to the next level, but it wasn’t happening for me.

The set had a lot of deeper cuts from their self-titled album and Blue Screen Life. Maybe too deep. The set actually went on for over two hours! Their encore lasted a half hour, but wasn’t memorable. For the last two tracks (“June” and “Grey Machine”), they brought out the string players from Judgement Day; this was a wasted opportunity, as their string parts had none of the dynamism or complexity of Judgment Day’s songs. It just sounded like Pinback songs, plus strings – nothing more. Only a third of the crowd stuck it out to the end. I sincerely enjoy Pinback on their albums, but I probably should have left after the main set to leave Rob Crow alone with his diehard fans.

Pinback @BlackCatDC-17

Pinback @BlackCatDC-20

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We Love Music: Appleseed Cast @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 4/30/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/05/03/we-love-music-appleseed-cast-rock-and-roll-hotel-43011/ Tue, 03 May 2011 15:00:08 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69357 appleseed_1
All photos courtesy of The Appleseed Cast

Over t…

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All photos courtesy of The Appleseed Cast

Over their 15-year career, The Appleseed Cast have slowly morphed from their emo roots into a dynamic and powerful post-rock group. I must say, I haven’t paid too much attention to the band since 2003’s Two Conversations. But Saturday night’s show at the Rock and Roll Hotel impressed me – I felt like I was discovering a new band. Their current sound has only sparse vocals, and rarely anything resembling a catchy chorus. It’s all about the swelling guitar lines – with three guitarists, they have plenty of flexibility to create intricate harmonies.

Post-rock shows like this are hands-down my favorite shows to see. I like my music LOUD. But post-rock brings a certain kind of intensity that goes beyond volume. I imagine the creative process for The Appleseed Cast goes like this: “that’s a nice melody you wrote there. Wouldn’t it sound better if we nearly drowned it out with slow, droning riffs?” And it does. It takes a little extra work to hear the melody, but the melody’s more powerful because you had to work to find it. It’s a diamond in the desert.


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The Appleseed Cast looked like blue-collar rockers, donned in plaid and flannel. It’s pretty much exactly like I’d expect a band from Lawrence, Kansas to look. Their performance was inwardly focused, with the band members mostly concentrating on their own sound rather than the audience. Their bassist acted as liaison – he would occasionally shout into the crowd (neglecting the mic) to announce songs and thank us for coming out.

Listening to this sort of music is a meditative experience for me. It doesn’t necessarily demand your attention at any given moment; you can get lost in your own thoughts as the guitars shift from one harmony to the next. You can feel the calm before the storm, right before the band breaks into a loud section, right before the drummer really lets loose. I guess these tunes are for people who got sick of the usual verse-chorus dynamic that we’ve heard a million times in every pop song ever. I’m sick of that pattern – I want to discover something new.

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The set spanned their career, playing “Fishing the Sky” from 2000’s Mare Vitalis, two songs off their brand-new EP Middle States, and everything in between. They only played “Hanging Marionette” off of Two Conversations – I would’ve loved to hear “Fight Song” too, but you can’t please everyone! “Here Are We” was one of my favorite tracks of the night – it starts off with quiet, bouncy guitar lines, and slowly builds to a climax. The track “South Col” was a great choice for the encore; its dark conclusion set it apart from the soft-loud dynamic of some of the other songs.

As I left, I briefly considered hanging out at the dance party upstairs, but the contrast was just too much. I just had this introspective experience, spending over an hour going through waves of tension and release…the Tiesto playing upstairs felt like an alternate universe.

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We Love Music: The Submarines @ Black Cat, 4/28/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/05/02/we-love-music-the-submarines-black-cat-42811/ Mon, 02 May 2011 15:00:25 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69277 Submarines @BlackCatDC-2
All photos courtesy of Paivi Salonen

I’m a prett…

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Submarines @BlackCatDC-2
All photos courtesy of Paivi Salonen

I’m a pretty cynical guy, to say the least. It would be really easy for me to write off The Submarines for writing corny love songs. But I can’t.

I’ve seen plenty of bands that are too cool to acknowledge the audience; I’ve seen rock stars that act like gods. So it’s refreshing to see a band as humble and genuine as The Submarines. You could tell how excited the band was to play for us that night. They were pumped that they sold out the venue – the tiny, intimate Backstage at the Black Cat. I felt like we were the biggest audience they’d ever played for!

I mean, I’m sure we weren’t, considering their profile. The Submarines rocketed to fame by getting their songs into iPhone commercials, and TV shows such as Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, and Weeds. Their synth-infused indie pop provides a background of optimism, although the cheery vocals mask the heartache hidden in the lyrics. It’s hard to ignore their similarities to The Postal Service – bright, well-crafted pop songs with male/female vocals.

Submarines @BlackCatDC-3

For the new album, instead of alternating vocals like they did on Honeysuckle Weeks, they split up their duties, with Blake taking the role of lead vocalist and John concentrating on the instrumentation. It plays to their strengths, for sure. John also writes for commercials outside of the band, and his strength in crafting catchy jingles definitely bleeds over into his Submarines work. The songs they covered off the new album, such as the bouncy track “Shoestrings” and drum-heavy “The Sun Shines at Night” were some of the most dynamic songs of the night.

They played all the hits from Honeysuckle Weeks too, like the single “You Me & The Bourgeoisie” and “Wake Up Song”. Blake’s vocals were loose, airy, and even more light-hearted than on the album. It’s always good to hear a band comfortable enough with their material to make subtle changes to the tunes without losing any cohesion.

Submarines @BlackCatDC-10

Blake seemed extremely friendly in her between-song banter. She expressed how happy she was to be there, and how excited she was about the new album. Occasionally she was too chatty – I am pretty sure I caught their bassist rolling his eyes while Blake told a (kind of boring) story about beautiful women on bicycles. (Not that I minded.) She mentioned that she was tired, but she brought plenty of energy to the show. I think there was good chemistry between the band and the audience, as her fans’ enthusiasm encouraged her to relax and actually enjoy performing. Sometimes you forget that, despite life on the road and the monetary pressures of being in a band, these folks actually love what they do.

So, I have a tendency to develop these temporary crushes on female musicians, whether it’s Alice Glass or Natasha Khan or the other usual suspects. Blake was no exception – I mean, how could you not fall in love with her? She seemed so sweet, so positive about everything, even heartbreak. I would let her break my heart, for sure. She seems like she loves life, no matter what comes her way. Like, if I said something mean to her, she wouldn’t even understand and would just smile it off.

Submarines @BlackCatDC-4

After closing their encore with “Xavia”, the band disappeared, only to reappear in front of the mob at the merch booth. They seemed overwhelmed by all the attention, by the fans begging for autographs – but they loved every second of it.

Submarines @BlackCatDC-13

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Hot Ticket: Pinback @ Black Cat, 5/1/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/29/hot-ticket-pinback-black-cat-5111/ Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:00:43 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69020 album-Pinback-Autumn-of-the-Seraphs

This Sunday night, indie rockers Pinback retur…

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This Sunday night, indie rockers Pinback return to the Black Cat to deliver a set of positive, upbeat guitar grooves.

Pinback’s front man Rob Crow has been all over the map musically, playing in groups as diverse as math rockers Three Mile Pilot, Chino Moreno’s spacey electro project Team Sleep, and sludge metal outfit Goblin Cock. He’s one of those guys that’s bursting at the seams with songwriting skills, like he can’t help but write catchy tunes in any style with any musical partners.

It’s been four years since we’ve heard any new Pinback material since their breakthrough “Autumn of the Seraphs”, but with Record Store Day two weeks ago, fans were treated to an EP with two new Pinback songs. I’m curious to see what the show will be like this time – how much new/unreleased material will they play? Will they try playing stripped-down versions of their songs, like last summer when they performed as just a two-piece? Let’s find out.

Pinback
w/ Judgement Day
Black Cat Mainstage
Sunday, May 1, 2011
$15

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Hot Ticket: The Appleseed Cast @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 4/30/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/28/hot-ticket-the-appleseed-cast-rock-and-roll-hotel-43011/ Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:00:30 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69010 The Appleseed Cast - Two Conversations

“As the tear flow out it’s the end, the end …

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The Appleseed Cast - Two Conversations

“As the tear flow out it’s the end, the end of you and me.” They probably don’t appreciate me saying this, but don’t miss one of the 21st century’s finest emo groups at the Rock and Roll Hotel this Saturday.

The Appleseed Cast have been cranking out albums for nearly 15 years. I’ll always remember them as a band taking the Midwestern emo style of bands like Mineral and Texas Is The Reason, and bringing it to the next level – toning down the melodrama, and adding increasingly complex music to back it up. “Fight Song” still gives me chills when I hear that opening melody. It’s been on so many mixtapes of mine – you don’t even know. The emo-ness has largely faded from their more recent tunes, leaving only professional, feel-good rock n roll.

Of course, they’re only one of the four bands playing that night. A Great Big Pile of Leaves from Brooklyn remind me of relaxed, beachy melodies of Minus the Bear, but with more vocal swagger. But they’re the only opener that even remotely reminds me of A-Cast. Dischord signees Edie Sedgwick, self-described as “the transgendered reincarnation of a vacuous Andy Warhol Superstar who died of a barbiturate overdose in 1971”, sound bizarre to say the least. The music itself is mainly mid-tempo bass lines and drums, with a story-telling, spoken-word-ish vocal style. Oh, and Pianos Become the Teeth happen to be one of my favorite emo/screamo bands of the moment. It’s tense, complex, passionate, and earnest, which seems appropriate for the bill, but they’re louder than the rest of the bands by a factor of 10.

The Appleseed Cast are touring to promote a new EP, “Middle States”, which is only available on tour until its official release in June.

The Appleseed Cast
w/ A Great Big Pile of Leaves, Edie Sedgwick, Pianos Become the Teeth
Rock and Roll Hotel
Saturday, April 30th, 2011
$15

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Hot Ticket: The Submarines @ Black Cat, 4/28/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/26/hot-ticket-the-submarines-black-cat-42511/ Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:00:35 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68854 submarines_love_notes_letter_bombs_album_art_cover1

This Thursday at the Black Cat, one of my biggest …

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This Thursday at the Black Cat, one of my biggest guilty-pleasure bands is playing the Backstage. The Submarines craft cheery indie-pop, with catchy lyrics, bright acoustic guitars, and airy synths. It’s a testament to their songwriting abilities that even a jaded dude like me can’t help but get into them.

The story behind The Submarines is adorable; the duo met while playing in other bands in Boston, then joined forces, but broke up after they each moved to LA in 2004. They continued writing songs though; songs that were obviously about how much they missed each other. Then they got back together and kept the band going! (I was pretty sure that sort of thing could never happen, but hey, maybe I’m just writing the wrong kind of breakup songs?)

Their debut album “Honeysuckle Weeks” was a product of this breakup. These cheery songs made it into episodes of “Gossip Girl”, “Grey’s Anatomy” and even an iPhone commercial. God, that album was good – It’s so infectious that I’ve had “You Me & the Bourgeoisie” stuck in my head all day, even though I haven’t heard it in months. Their new album is just as solid. I’m declaring it now – “Love Notes / Letter Bombs” is the soundtrack to my summer.

The Submarines
w/ Pepper Rabbit
Black Cat Backstage
Thursday, April 28
$10

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We Love Music: Acid Mothers Temple @ Red Palace, 4/14/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/18/we-love-music-acid-mothers-temple-red-palace-41411/ Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:00:17 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68444 acid1
All photos courtesy of Acid Mothers Temple

On Th…

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acid1
All photos courtesy of Acid Mothers Temple

On Thursday night, I cruised down to the Red Palace to catch an offbeat show. When I first heard about a self-described “guitar freak-out” psychedelic rock collective from Japan, named Acid Mothers Temple, I knew they’d be up my alley. I love noisy bands that can bring a ton of energy to a venue. I love going to shows that push the boundaries of music, that are truly an experience unlike any other.

A handful of people got that experience at the show, but I felt like I was missing something. It was weird and offbeat, but it wasn’t the transcendent event I hoped it would be. In my head, I imagined a bunch of guys nodding in rhythm, hanging on every note the guitarists would bless us with. The band gave us a few moments like this, but for the most part I just didn’t find them that intriguing.

I enjoyed openers Shilpa Ray a bit more – they were an unusual four-piece, with Shilpa playing harmonium jams while alternating between singing, yelling and growling. Their songs worked well, and I could feel the intensity when the band hit their groove.

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Acid Mother’s set started off well; there was a burst of guitar noise, with frantic strumming and notes all over the fretboard. The drummer played something dysrhythmic, such that I could barely tell where the beat was. It was actually challenging to get into – what was going on? How do you rock out to this? But that minute or so of chaos, the band fell into a nice psychedelic groove.

I was pretty pumped for the show at this point – the groove felt good, and I was expecting some more chaos. But the chaos never came – I mean, there was some crazy stuff going on, but nothing ever as jarring as that opening. And the psych groove I was enjoying got stale kind of quickly. After a minute or two of the same plodding riff, I wanted a change.* The lead guitarist played some pretty good ‘noise’ over said riff, but it was just another voice in the mix, rather than jumping out and grabbing your attention. The noise was almost pleasant, as it mixed with the rest of the band without being too abrasive. For a “guitar freak-out” band, I wanted said out-freaking to happen right in front of me, to assault my ears, rather than fade into the background.

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I am not sure I understand what Acid Mothers Temple are about, overall. I spent a lot of the show trying to figure out what they ‘meant’ to other people, so that I could try to understand for myself. I mean, there are some people who really get into this band. They have diehard fans who love every minute of the set, who can’t stop dancing. Believe me, I have been this guy at many, many shows. But this time, I didn’t get into the show. There are a ton of elements of music that I find interesting, like dynamic shifts, bursts of energy, and unpredictability in general, that just weren’t there. I was kind of bored with the repetitive riffs throughout most of the show. It didn’t help that the set wasn’t really broken into songs – it was more like one long jam session. I do enjoy shows where I can get lost in my own thoughts, where the repetition pulls me into this hypnotic state where I’m frozen in time. But the band’s combination of guitar noise and psych melodies didn’t get me to that state.

There were some cool moments, sure – especially when they would speed up, or the drummer would play something intense. I still loved the part where the lead guitarist started rubbing his guitar strings against the venue’s air duct. Or when the bassist made guitar melodies…with his mouth! I just wanted more moments like that, where the band really grabbed my attention.

* They revisited this same riff near the end of the set. I thought, whoa, I remember this! Recurring themes, cool! But then I remembered how quickly I got sick this riff, and it wasn’t any better the second time.

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Hot Ticket: Mogwai @ 9:30 Club, 4/19/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/18/hot-ticket-mogwai-930-club-41911/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/18/hot-ticket-mogwai-930-club-41911/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:00:11 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68433 Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die

UPDATE: According to their official website, M…

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Mogwai - Hardcore Will Never Die

UPDATE: According to their official website, Mogwai are postponing this date until October due to issues with their visa. All tickets for this show will be honored.

Mogwai. How do I even begin recommending that you check out my favorite band of all time? I’d rather you not even come, in case you don’t understand what they’re about. In fact, I’d prefer that we keep the crowd really small – like, just me and the band members, please.

I know, it ain’t gonna happen. This Tuesday, Mogwai are sure to pack the 9:30 Club again. Mogwai are legends of the post-rock scene, who “invented,” or at least popularized, the genre along with bands like Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You Black Emperor. They earned the motto “loudest band in the world” from their devastating live shows. And yeah, it’s going be loud – the last few times I’ve seen them, they’ve hit notes that I could feel rattling my bones.

The typical Mogwai song has a melancholy air to it, building up slowly to a burst of energy and noise and bliss. Mogwai have distilled this formula to perfection; while I prefer the older albums, each new album they release have a couple of songs designed to show their strength live. I’m looking forward to checking out Rano Pano and San Pedro from their February release, Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. Any fan of loud music or instrumental rock needs to check out this band right now. Anyone looking for an intense concert experience should be there on Tuesday.

Mogwai
with Errors
9:30 Club
Tuesday, February April 19, 2011
$20

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Hot Ticket: Acid Mothers Temple @ Red Palace, 4/14/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/12/hot-ticket-acid-mothers-temple-red-palace-41411/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/12/hot-ticket-acid-mothers-temple-red-palace-41411/#comments Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:00:10 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=67999 Pink Lady Lemonade

Do you like guitars? Do you like noise? Do you wan…

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Pink Lady Lemonade

Do you like guitars? Do you like noise? Do you want to have your mind blown?!

Acid Mothers Temple, a Japanese “guitar freak-out” band, make their Red Palace debut on Thursday night. This is a band that’s cranked out dozens of albums over their 15-year career. Their music lies somewhere around drone and psych rock. It’s going to be challenging; it will bend your definition of ‘music’. You can probably tell by now whether you’re intrigued, or whether you want to stay as far away as possible. I heard great things about their show last year at DC9 – here are some pictures if you’re curious. (Warning: contains guitar abuse.)

In case you couldn’t guess by the name, the band has attracted a cult-like following (being somewhat of a cult itself). I plan to be indoctrinated on Thursday. Bring earplugs.

Acid Mothers Temple Melting Paraiso U.F.O
with Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers
Thursday, April 12th
Red Palace
$12 adv/$14 day of

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We Love Music: Glassjaw @ Ram’s Head Live, 3/27/11 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/03/30/we-love-music-glassjaw-rams-head-live-32711/ Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:00:59 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=67051 +DSC_0309-1
All photos by Mike Kurman.

It’s been eight years …

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All photos by Mike Kurman.

It’s been eight years since post-hardcore rockers Glassjaw have officially released any new material. During those eight years, the band members have been keeping busy with side projects – Head Automatica, Men Women & Children, and United Nations, to name a few. They’ve been working together as a band, sure, but the most they’ve said was “a release is coming soon!” [in ’07] or “our old record label sucks”.

I was beyond excited to pick up tickets to their recent tour, which I caught at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore last Sunday. The concert felt like a band shaking off the dust, getting ready for something big. It was a statement: here’s what we’ve been doing, and we’ve been waiting a long time to share it with you. The show was heavily weighted towards their “new” material – some of which has been around since 2007, but hasn’t seen a studio release until recently.

And wow, the new material is good. It still has roots in the old Glassjaw sound – sudden and unexpected dynamic shifts, spastic singing/screaming, and a fluid style that defies categorization. But this time around, it’s pretty clear that the music is just a platform to showcase Daryl’s unique vocal style. The music is sparse, leaving plenty of room for the vocals to breathe. The guitar riffs are never as memorable as the vocal melodies. The show reflected this dynamic as well – Daryl was the only musician really garnering attention. The other three guys mostly stayed in the background as Daryl paced the vast, empty stage.


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Daryl is a blast to watch. Like his vocal style, he’s unpredictable – he paces the stage, jumps off amps, moves like Jello. He acted like a caged animal. He would look over at us with a monkey face, with his eyes and mouth wide open, but there was this disconnect, like he couldn’t understand why we were watching him. He would strut around the stage like…a flamingo? A raptor? I don’t know. But my favorite moments were during the intense screaming, where he would get introspective, turn his back to the audience, grip the mic with two hands, and unleash something buried deep inside his organs.

For fans, this show was a real treat. First of all, most of the songs were at least slightly different from their album versions. For example, they added some groovy guitar lines to the pre-chorus of “Gillette Cavalcade”. Daryl changed the vocal melodies on the chorus of “Pink Roses”, and would occasionally leave some screaming to the audience, like the intense chorus of “Two Tabs of Mescaline”. I knew I was surrounded by fans when Daryl took a break during “Convectuoso”, one of my favorite B-sides*, and a guy standing near me sang the whole “a notch on my belt is how you will exist” verse.

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They only played one track, “Siberian Kiss,” off their debut album, as their setlist was mainly geared towards their newer material. I got the feeling that they were mostly road-testing these new songs for future tours. They hit all five tracks from Our Color Green: The Singles, an EP that came out last year. Plus, for the encore, they ran though all the tracks off their Coloring Book EP except “Stations of the New Cross”. I must admit, “Daytona White”, a solid ballad with the sing-along line “I can’t breathe without you” was a great way to cap off the night.

As we left the venue, everyone in attendance was handed a copy of this EP. It’s a tour exclusive, so good luck finding a physical copy anywhere else! Was this a souvenir for the show, so I’d remember it forever? Was it a statement about artistic integrity? Or was it a middle-finger salute to the record labels that have screwed them in the past? I spent the entire show trying to understand what Daryl and the band are really about; maybe their next album and tour will reveal more.

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* To my surprise, they also played “El Mark”, another rare track that’s only available on the Cosmopolitan Bloodloss single.

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