Category: Show Reviews
SHOW REVIEW: EOTO at Georgia Theatre
On the eve of a month that many of us consider to be the start of the season of spring, a flower was in full bloom. Instead of promises of warmer weather, the blooming spectacle of EOTO’s iconic lotus flower stage promised concertgoers a night of seemingly endless body-moving jams. The duo, comprised of Jason Hann and Michael Travis, both members of the acclaimed jam band The String Cheese Incident, played the Georgia Theatre in Athens on February 28. The electro-jam show was a complete improvised, free-formed, and live mixed party.
With anticipation for the main act growing, opener Crizzly and his MC took the stage with high energy that translated through the receptiveness of the crowd. Between the bass drops and familiar hip hop samples, Crizzly’s set of “crunkstep” enthralled the audience and the party started — the night could only go up from there.
As Hann and Travis took to the lotus stage, a welcoming roar of the crowd filled the theatre. The set began with down tempo jams and complementing visuals as the lotus flower morphed with colors of pinks, purples, and blues. It wasn’t long until EOTO was building the crowd up through a fusion of jam and dubstep. In addition to the inevitable bass drop that was to come next, EOTO pleasantly surprised the crowd with laser visuals. This use of lasers and the manifestation of psychedelic images on the lotus set the tone for the rest of this livetronica set.
Travis’ use of his MacBooks, software, keyboards, guitar, and bongos, and Hann’s drumming and vocals kept the audience on a unstoppable trip of funky heavy house music. With a steady energy of builds and drops, Hann’s spitting freestyle was added into the equation. Throughout the night, the music of EOTO was constantly evolving and maintaining a pace that left the crowd constantly wanting more.
The set progressed into a blend of something I can only define as Arabian reggae–sounds of the Middle East fused with slow motion grooves and island vibes. This journey of worldly sounds eventually blasted off into a raw spacey trance with an accompaniment of mesmerizing visuals. Heavy bass and a fast tempo throughout the rest of the show kept the crowd continually raging until the very end.
With the end of the encore and the house lights of the Georgia Theatre turned on, a disappointment swept over many in the crowd that night. A disappointment because the intoxicating transcendental escape from reality was over.
SHOW REVIEW: Tame Impala at the Georgia Theater
Some concertgoers can’t get enough of upbeat, high-energy shows that keep them dancing all night. Others prefer a more laid-back musical environment, one in which they can simply bob their heads and let the music soak into their skin. We give you the best of both worlds: Australian fivesome, Tame Impala. Their show at the Georgia Theater in Athens on February 23 was a constant mix-up of both types of tune – one song heavy and bouncing with the energy of a thousand guitars, the next transcendently mellow.
As the band walked onstage and began to play, we couldn’t refrain from thinking that their outfits – tee shirts, jeans, sneakers, and shoulder-length mops – were a bit reminiscent of a high school band. But once the steady drumbeat ushered in “Apocalypse Dreams”, all thoughts of amateurism vanished immediately. The crowd was swept into a psychedelic, undeniably Jefferson Airplane-esque paradise, and instinctively swayed happily in unison. The band and audience gained speed through the next few songs, along with the screen behind the stage, which warped from simple, colored lines pulsing to the beat to undeniably 60s-inspired, exotic rainbow patterns. This energy peaked with “Elephant”, arguably Lonerism’s catchiest track. As lead singer Kevin Parker crooned in that oh-so-John Lennon-ish voice, “Well, he feels like an elephant, shaking his big, grey trunk for the hell of it…”, we were all pushed over the edge into an earful of blues-y perfection that we couldn’t help but move to.
Soon, Tame treated us to a trio of our favorite tracks. With “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards”, the insatiable toe-tappers in the crowd became smooth sailors on a wave of chill psychedelia. When repeated whisperings of, “Gotta be above it, gotta be above it…” introduced Lonerism’s first track, though, the audience began undulating excitedly all over again, feeling Parker’s inspirational lyrics washing over us. Finally, the band transferred us to Haight-Ashbury circa 1967 during “Mind Mischief”, a tune with a very – well, there’s no other way to properly sum the vibe up – cool guitar sound.
Tame finished up with the upbeat, drum-focused “Half Glass Full of Wine”, and after an incredible, lengthy jam session – and this comes from someone who typically can’t stand when live bands jam – those at the Georgia Theater were begging for an encore. Thankfully, the crew came back for “Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control”, a very optimistic song with some unabashedly dark lyrics. I have to say, though, that our moods as we were leaving were much more similar to the song’s mood: as we exited the theater, we felt like we were floating atop a mind-bending whirlpool of rainbow-bright colors and dynamic sound.
SHOW REVIEW: The xx at Tabernacle
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If you’ve listened to even a tiny fragment of a song by The xx – any song at all – you can not only acknowledge that the band is perfect in a very technical, musical sense, but also that the purity of their music provides an incredibly ethereal experience for the listener. Now, imagine it live: the drums reverberating through your very core, voices ever more ghostly, each silence ironically amplified a thousand times over. When The xx played the Tabernacle in Atlanta on February 2, the beautiful simplicity of their music reminded us of why we should be thrilled to be alive.
As we had so desperately hoped, Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Jamie xx played a substantial amount from both of their albums, xx and Coexist. Opening with “Angels”, the first track on Coexist, the trio set the mood immediately: dark, emotional, and – appropriately – angelic. We instantly noted that Crofts’ and Sim’s voices sounded nearly identical to the way they sound on the albums – just much, much more intense. Though we were a bit disappointed that the band moved around the stage very little, we soon realized that the gripping, otherworldly nature of the music entirely made up for the lack of movement.
By next playing “Heart Skipped a Beat”, The xx effectively relieved fans of their concerns that very few tracks from xx would be played. Soon after, “Crystalised” was swept through as well, male and female vocals layering beautifully. We were thrilled when we heard Jamie xx’s steel drums opening up “Reunion”, a song that brings in what we believe to be the better half of Coexist. The track was chilling, filled to the brim with emotional tension – that is, until a steady drumbeat was ushered in as Croft nearly whispered, “Did I… see you… see me… in a new light?”
Finally, the trio played our favorite track on the entirety of Coexist, “Sunset”, a song that manages to be extremely dance-worthy while exploring pure heartache. Toward the end of the band’s set, they began to once again bring back older tracks, including “Shelter”, “VCR”, and “Islands”, three of their all-time best, and three that ideally exhibit the unheard-of vocal chemistry between Croft and Sim. By the time the three tiptoed shyly off the stage, the crowd was all but drooling for an encore. And, boy, did they get one. The xx came back with the powerful “Intro”, and promptly ended the night on a much softer note with “Tides” and “Stars”.
Though the music in itself was nothing short of heavenly, the charm and humble nature of the three indie pioneers made the experience entirely refreshing. While Sim constantly thanked the crowd, Croft was often seen looking around the venue in a state of total awe and disbelief. When it comes down to it, though the insanely talented threesome seems to retain a very modest lack of perception of their massive effect on their listeners, one thing is for certain: The xx is crafting a sound that no other band can replicate.
SHOW REVIEW: Deerhoof, Liam Finn, Tunabunny, Formica Man
An unusually large lineup and an (almost) appropriately large crowd convened at Athens, Ga.’s 40 Watt on Saturday, Nov. 10. Formica Man and Athens natives Tunabunny delivered energetic sets, but it wasn’t really until über-bearded New Zealander Liam Finn took the stage that things started to fill in on the floor. An impressive showman, Finn managed to keep the audience engaged through every second of the floor-bound fiddling and fussing that comes with being a one-man band.
Maybe it was because the music itself actually delivered. Finn’s tunes were chord-y and emotive, at times harkening back to the mid-90s golden age of guitar alternarock. But even if each song appeared to fit a template at first, there was almost always a twist. In addition to his trusty looper, Finn deployed an armada of octave machines, flangers, dirt boxes and every other pedal you can think of, always to good effect. Instead of merely overdriving guitars to make them louder, he would find compatible timbres and blend them to create new flavors of resonance. You get the sense that some of this stuff could be achieved more easily by pressing a space bar. But Finn’s the kind of guy who’d rather work for it, even relying entirely on live percussion played by you-know-who. He displayed impressive chops on the kit, even managing to rearrange loops with a spare foot during the infinitesimal moments between kick drum hits. By the time he delivered a personalized tune about being an “Athens virgin,” Finn had won over just about everyone in the room.
Then, with gracious speed, Deerhoof filed onstage. There were cheers.
Listening to their records, it’s not hard to glean that this group rarely wants for ideas. But in a live setting, you also realize what a staggeringly talented collection of musicians they are. While there weren’t any warp-speed, Steve-Vai-sanctioned guitar solos going on, the members’ understanding of rhythm – and the many ways in which to turn it on its head – was borderline virtuosic, improbably calling to mind the technical prowess of nerdier bands like Battles and the Mars Volta. On innumerable occasions throughout the set, Deerhoof veered off into time signatures so odd and unexpected, it was like watching a troupe of trapeze artists pull off stunt after stunt. And all night they did it without a net: shaggy drummer Greg Saunier roughs it on a spare three-piece kit, confidently tossing off the chance to bury mistakes beneath a mound of blurry tom fills.
But don’t worry: Deerhoof aren’t going to write any hour-long prog operas anytime soon (I don’t think). Despite the pronounced “jankiness” of their rhythmic engine, the true unifying force behind their live show is a strong dedication to the ethos of straight-up rock. There is ample noise and energy, and all the combinations of loud-soft/fast-slow shakeups that render each full-band crash absolutely huge. They’ve nailed these devices, skillfully conjuring and combining them at will. And above all, the performance was expressive, a quality that seems to slip the minds of many equally nimble musicians. Throw in the robotic pixie dance moves of frontwoman/bassist Satomi Matsuzaki, and you have a show that’s just weird enough to fascinate while precluding any accusations of gimmickry. Deerhoof may be an against-the-grain act, but they’re too focused a unit to fall back on faux-showmanship.
Matt Valentine of MV & EE interview at Farm 255
One of these days, the owners of Max and Farm 255 will meet for drinks and hash out a truce to end the noise war that plays out every Friday and Saturday night in downtown Athens. As of Fri., Oct. 26, that day had still not yet come. Nevertheless, psychedelic ambassadors MV & EE battled the wall of dance music from Max next door and delivered a particularly intense set of far out folk, at one point going so far as to cease fighting and actually capitalize upon the sonic interference from next door.
Despite the looping caterwaul the band had created on stage, there came a moment midway through the set when a strong dose of four-on-the-floor bass drifted over from the Max patio and settled over Farm’s own outdoor area, easily equaling in volume, if not quite drowning, MV & EE’s wailing improvisation. But instead of halting the show or even shooting their neighbors a dirty look, the duo simply locked into the newly introduced tempo and continued to jam, deftly reorienting the song to accommodate the ineluctable. Looks of confusion gave way to a ripple of knowing smiles as, one by one, the crowd caught on to the musical hipshot it had just witnessed.
The openness of MV & EE’s performance style makes this kind of spontaneity an ever-present possibility. All night, clean, fingerpicked guitars and hushed vocal harmonies established breathing room, humming along gently before crashes of distorted chords and screaming lap steel tore jagged holes in the meticulously woven fabric. While Matt Valentine jerked his instruments all over the place, physically wringing every last overtone from his slew of guitars and banjos, Erika Elder remained almost eerily stoic. Both performers exhibited great degrees of control, handling the musical violence like vengeful, feedback-hungry deities stomping out the cities named in their respective honors. Yet the term “indulgence” was absent from the post-show discussion; instead, the abrupt turns and extended crescendos scanned as pure, veneer-stripped exploration. Valentine often spent long periods crouched in front of his amp, head bent to receive his own punishment in the pursuit of perfect screaming sustain or the right brand of squall from his juiced-up, phaser drenched machines. Meanwhile, Elder lent voice to the madness, squeezing tender melodies out of her armory of lap steels and various oddities, the highlight of which had to be the “Mandobird,” a miniature Gibson Thunderbird strung like a mandolin.
It was an appropriately radical device for a radical night. Between the late start time, the two-party decibel pissing contest and sudden cold snap outside, nothing went exactly as expected – all of which only gave a couple of seasoned performers an excuse to jettison expectation altogether.
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Below, check out VINYL’s exclusive interview with Valentine:
Vinyl Mag: You guys have a reputation for being especially prolific, coming out with new records several times a year and touring hard behind them. How does recording compare to playing live?
Matt Valentine: They’re all the same in theory, but the records take, in some cases, a really long time to make, whereas the live experience is so nice because it’s immediate and, as you play, you’re reacting to so many things in the environment, things that aren’t necessarily great for a record, but are very appropriate for that moment in time. Sometimes things that sound really cool live have a space, but they don’t necessarily need to find their way onto something that is going to be a little more of an expensive release for someone to buy and listen to.
That’s where we came up with Heroine Celestial Agriculture, which is a subsidiary of our long-running cottage label called Child of Microtones. We’ve been doing that since 1999. For the Heroine thing, we basically harvest these live shows – they’re unadulterated but nicely cleaned up – I comb over them with mastering, and we spend a lot of love making sure they sound good and have a nice vibe to them. They’re basically like the lowest forms of art [laughs], and the LPs are like the highest form of art. And knowing that we have something going with that, as well as having these great labels that want to do albums that we’re interested in, the lines aren’t as blurred as they could be, but the ultimate thing is just trying to get cool-sounding stuff down and out to other people to hear.
VM: Does most of that creativity spring from working things out on tour, or exploring more plentiful and expansive options in a studio environment?
MV: It mainly stems from having a good work ethic. We’re into playing music as much as possible and dig being around music and creative people as much as possible. That inspires us. The studio environs are cool for a different kind of color; it’s expansive but not as ephemeral, and that aspect of it is terrifying. We try to find a balance. I get into this thing called “spectrasound” which has the sound dancing all around the stereo field- the aim is that people should want to keep coming back to take a spin.
VM: Your sound has changed fairly significantly over the years, encompassing everything from classic folk arrangements to some pretty spaced-out adventures in improvisation. Is there a conscious arc to your development, or does each batch of songs reflect the specific things going on in your lives at the time?
MV: I think the “space” and the jams were always in there, as were the songs/compositions. We’ve also always mixed amplification with the folk forms. I reckon the conscious arc is, “Don’t look back, set the controls to future wave.” Sure, the songs are snapshots of the sounds of the environment…it all gets in there. I dig topical songs, but I don’t think we’d ever get a six-figure deal on topic.
VM: A lot of notable songwriters — especially those incorporating roots elements into their music — seem like they’re pushing toward their own perfect vision of the cleanly composed, A-B-A-B ideal. You guys frequently seem more focused on faithful, moment-by-moment transmissions of vivid impressions, pulling the listener onto the banks of a river or into the passenger seat on a long drive. Can you talk a little bit about your approach to capturing experience in your chosen medium?
MV: Yeah, A-B-A-B can be a drag; we try to bring some chaos theory and extended love-ins into that form. It’s a groovy formula, but we love to break traditions.
VM: Did you engineer Space Homestead yourself, or were you working with a producer?
MV: I guess I was the chief engineer, but there are other engineers on it. We worked with Jarvis Taveniere, who’s got the Rearhouse studio, the original Woods studio. We also worked a little bit at Buttermilk Falls, which is Jeremy Earl’s home studio, and I engineered sessions with that, but he helped me, since were just doing the D.I.Y. thing in his studio. Erika and I engineered some stuff at our house, and Justin Pizzoferrato engineered some of the cuts at his studio in Greenfield, Mass.
It helps to have someone else twiddling the knobs, so you can just use one side of your brain [laughs], not burning synapses worrying about levels so much as playing notes. But usually we like to do them ourselves. Woodsist pressed the album on their label and did the distribution.
VM: What did each participant bring to the sound of the album?
MV: We definitely get along with everyone who plays on the records on more than just a musical level. Otherwise, I don’t think we could work with them. They’re like extended family, and we have a kind of deep bond where sometimes you don’t need to speak much or even really give much direction. They’re people who are just really groovy players, so they bring a spirited and inspired vibe when they play. I think that’s most important.
VM: What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t going at it full-time with the band?
MV: Oh, man. At this point, I don’t think I know anything else [laughs]. I think I’m kind of grandfather claused in and out…stuck. We used to sell records – we worked in record stores together for a long time, probably a good 15 years. I started working in record stores as a teenager. Record stores still exist, but on a different level than when I cut my teeth in them.
I do a lot of mastering for bands. I do our own label. Erika does a lot of graphic art. She does pretty much all the layout for all the records. She works for a few pretty wild organizations freelancing up in Vermont. There’s this thing called Strolling of the Heifers, which is a big annual parade for farmers and local businesses.
You know, I’d probably be doing something in agriculture. It’s like I’m already doing sonic agriculture; I’d probably dig my hands a little deeper into the dirt, grow some vinyl on vines [laughs].
Oh Cursive, you’re so cool
In a twinkle of starry lights, a pumpkin sat, glowing, declaring the band’s name: Cursive. The crowd went wild, screaming and fist-pumping, washing the stage with the kind of excitement usually saved for the headliner – that night, Minus the Bear – as singer and guitarist Tim Kasher took the stage with the rest of the band.
The calm-inducing lights suddenly made perfect sense at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta that night, October 24, as the band swept into the slow and thought-provoking “This House Alive”, the first song on Cursive’s new album, I Am Gemini. But the band, an inarguable group of musical geniuses, knew not to dwell in the serene for too long. Suddenly, in a burst of nearly tangible energy, drummer Cully Symington ushered in “A Gentleman Caller”, one of the band’s older, more acclaimed tracks. Kasher’s ferocious screams – declaring the horrors of love – forced the crowd into an almost hypnotic sort of head-bobbing.
Cursive proved through the next few songs that they are a band that is obviously impressive on recordings, but cannot be fully appreciated until seen live. Their songs explore universal human experiences like love and loneliness, and the band’s deep personal connection with its dynamic lyrics became clear as Kasher strolled back and forth across the stage, simultaneously appearing to contemplate the complexity and emotions behind the words he sang and interacting with the entire audience.
With a slightly country/folk edge that kept the audience enthralled and impressed, Cursive reached the middle of their set with “Caveman”. This unique track was the ideal predecessor to “The Sun and Moon”, another new song, easily recognizable by its undeniable catchiness. Intelligently referencing the likes of Dionysus and Gommorah, Kasher’s voice – rising steadily, magnetically – kept everyone, on stage and off, dancing until the very last note.
Cursive put together their set list incredibly well; immediately following “The Sun and Moon”, a crowd favorite, came one of the band’s most well-known, praised tunes: “The Recluse”. The instrumentals during this song were superb, a hubbub of odd instruments like sleigh bells. These sounds meshed impeccably with Kasher’s voice, which could only be described during this song as a collage, alternating constantly from a nearly inaudible whisper to one of his signature strings of throaty screams. Just a few songs later, another old favorite, “Art is Hard”, kept the crowd drawn to the band as a series of string instruments were played and the tempo was lifted ever further in a chorus of almost jazz-like melancholy.
The band finished with a rendition of “Dorothy at Forty” – an interesting choice, as it is definitely a lesser-known track. However, Cursive’s use of this song to finish off a perfect set simply proves their ability to judge what an audience wants – the song was a final, explosive burst of loud energy that kept everyone moving until the very last second, especially as Kasher opened his jaws in an enormous yell that reverberated around the room.
Before Kasher and crew walked off stage, he made one last, unnecessary declaration: “WE ARE CURSIVE!” If anyone in the crowd hadn’t heard of Cursive before, they certainly knew who they were now – and would never forget.
Drowning in Knoxville with Belle Histoire
Belle Histoire interview with www.vinylmag.org by vinylmag
It’s pouring down rain outsid
e, and I’m sitting in the back of a dingy Knoxville bar[1] with J-14 Magazine’s featured “hot band” Belle Histoire. But I’m the only one in the bar who knows this about them. “I didn’t even know about,” Wes Comer, the band’s drummer, insists. The rest of the band, save frontwoman Jane Smith, who gave the interview to the magazine, seems pretty mystified by it as well. Bassist Mitch Winsett remarked, “I saw someone tweet about, and I was like, ‘Wait, we’re with Justin Bieber now?’” The crowd in the bar, like the majority of Knoxville bar crowds, is a grizzled mix of regulars peppered in with grungy dive-bar clichés, none of whom seem to even know what the hell J-14, let alone indie-pop-rock, is.
But that’s okay with Belle Histoire[2]: they’re not looking to please or cater to any particular demographic. As Jane Smith said, “We just write what we write.”[3] They say that they play “indie-pop-rock,” but Jane sees it as something broader: “I…best describe our music as relatable…We collectively write […] about other people’s feelings, like how everyone feels going through [these human experiences].”
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The band began as kind of a solo-act, with Jane’s brother urging her to record some songs that had gone unused in her previous band Formulas. From there it grew, with future members Aaron Hunt and Wes Comer adding more musical muscle to the songs that later became the band’s first EP Spirits, a comparatively stripped-down, piano driven collection.[4] After that, Belle Histoire quickly materialized, with Austin and Mitch quitting their previous bands to join the project. “Literally, within a week, we were all just like, ‘Screw the other stuff! We love this!” Jane says.
Their latest EP, I Can Tell, is a fuller, more collective effort, reflecting a more intentional musical aesthetic: the band trades the folk-rock gloom of Spirits for driving guitars, sugarsnap chords and catchier choruses. Aaron Hunt sees the second EP as the band really staking out its sound: “On the first EP, Jane had these songs written, and what happened just happened. And on the second EP, we wanted to take a more intentional route…these were songs that we put together as the band.” The band describes it as a combination of influences ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Coldplay.
The sound of the second EP is also indicative of changes in Jane’s life as well: “every song is about something I go through. You can tell throughout the EPs when I was happy and when I was sad. Like, on the Spirits EP, it’s like ‘I hate my life, everyone sucks’…and then, like, the I Can Tell EP was ‘I hate my life, but that’s okay!’”
The band is currently in the studio recording their first full-length record, which the band said will be a continuing evolution of the sound the band formed with I Can Tell, “pushing the guitars [on some songs] in a more straight up rock direction…combining it with some [more] interesting percussive elements that tie in with our sound.”
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But tonight, it’s all about Spirits and I Can Tell, with the band deciding to wait to debut the new songs, the setlist even lacking a cover. The band runs through every one of their songs in about 35 minutes. While on record (or audio file or whatever), the songs sound particularly unsuited to a grungy Southern bar, sounding more like they should be played in the background at some hip coffee shop, the band transforms them live. The fullness of the band’s new sound, courtesy of Ausitn and Mitch, infects the cuts from Spirits, elevating their folkish leanings to a more aggressive, spiky, and appropriately, given the weather outside, stormy sound. At the same time, it also brings back the charming bite of Spirits to the newer tracks, the live environment allowing them to be played without the bubblegum production, making them sound a little darker.
While the regulars stick to their barstools for the majority of the show, what started as an empty floor slowly begins to fill as Jane’s voice bounces and shakes off the walls, any strain of the timidity heard in the early recordings gone as she pounds her keyboard and belts her lyrics. While they may paint themselves as a pop-group, Belle Histoire’s live sound, aggressive, charmingly sloppy[5], is just plain rock and roll. The songs are still pretty, the piano still hypnotizing, Jane’s voice still soaring, but in a way that feels more natural and way more interesting. It’s no wonder that they could be signed to a hardcore label[6], be picked as J-14’s “hot band” and still convincingly be billed at a cramped Knoxville bar.
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It’s nearing the end of the show, and I need a picture of the band from a different angle, so I try to climb on a bench that’s leaning against the wall. As I try to climb up, it creaks; I freak and move away, glancing furtively to make sure no one caught me in such an idiotic pose. Jane Smith sees though, almost laughs, but simply shakes her head. I shrug my shoulders. She likely thinks I’m ridiculous now. It’s a weird moment, one that can only occur at these small dive-y shows with no audience. There have been others at other shows, but this one feels like one I’ll hold onto because it seems like others will likely follow J-14’s lead in the coming months.
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Belle Histoire’s full-length is expected to be released this summer on InVogue Records. If you want to catch them live, they’ll be touring leading up to the release of the record and in promotion of it thereafter. Check them out in a smaller, rawer setting.
To hear the band talk about their day jobs, what it’s like to be on a hardcore label, and the evolution of “Cougar Rock” listen to the full interview with Belle Histoire here.
Also, a special thanks to actress Angela Morris for the use of her camera to cover this show.
[1] Preservation Pub is a kind of hipster-honky-tonk hybrid, with crazy hallucinatory lighting and a narrow floor plan that shoves patrons toward the stage. The bar caters to acts ranging from minimalist art rock to folk to trashy eighties cover bands, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen a straight indie-pop act take the stage.
[2] The name translates to Beautiful History, for those of you who were curious.
[3] Although the band’s guitarist Austin Livingwood feels that he writes music geared toward the, let’s say, more mature female listeners, a genre he likes to call “cougar rock.”
[4] Jane described the first EP as kind of being “singer-songwriter Jane Smith and her backing band.” Think a more fun-loving Florence and the Machine without the indie pretentions.
[5] I mean this as a compliment: rock and roll is not Beethoven or Chopin, it’s not about precision or sounding exactly like the record. It’s about attitude and sound and feeling, which is something Belle Histoire’s live show adds more of to their songs.
[6] Belle Histoire are currently signed to InVogue records, whose lineup includes such bands as City Lights, Famous Last Words, and Before Their Eyes. In other words, bands with a lot more screaming and breakdowns than pretty piano and the word “pop” in their genre label.
Dropkick Murphys at the Tabernacle in Atlanta
Go see Dropkick Murphys. Right now. Stop reading this article, and go buy a ticket.
For those of you who need a little more convincing, I’m happy to oblige. Read on.
I just went to see DM at the The Tabernacle in Atlanta. This is one of the greatest shows I have ever been to. Let’s get a little crazy and start with the encore. Everyone was completely satisfied and ready to rock out to a few final songs, hang out at the merch table for a bit, and then pack it in. The night was complete, and I was happy just having witnessed such a fantastic, energetic performance. However, a traditional encore was not what DM had in mind. Instead, they decided to invite the women (and then some of the men) from the mosh pit up on stage for “Kiss Me, I’m Sh*tfaced.” Now, I’ve seen bands pull people from the crowd, but it’s usually one or two people, and it’s been very rare. I have never seen anything like this, and it was shocking in the best way possible. Everyone was so excited to be a part of it. It brought the crowd together in a shared experience even more than being pressed up against each other all night moshing had. Perfect end to a perfect show.
Now that that is out of the way, I can tell you about the rest of the show. Brilliant. From start to finish, this show was energy, noise, and excitement (and the show went on for over an hour). There was no down time, and each song had everyone moshing, headbanging, and- pretty regularly- dancing Irish jigs (or at least faking it). Their setlist was perfectly put together with a mix of some older favorites and some newer…new favorites.
Being in the photo pit for the first three songs was incredible. There is an lower extension off of the main stage, and Al Barr stepped down several times to reach out to the crowd as I was standing there. It got to the point where I had to step back to get a shot that would fit his whole face. Never been that close to someone while they were performing.
That’s the thing about DM- they are all about interaction with and amongst the crowd. They are not just standing up on stage and playing at us. The whole night was about bringing everyone together in a great big celebration. I’m still a little baffled as to how they managed to pack so many unforgettable experiences into one show, but I suppose if anyone could do it, it would be DM.
I could go on for another two pages about how amazing this show was, but I think you get the idea.
Before I wrap it up, I really need to take a minute to rave about the openers. The Mahones started the show, and I was blown away. I hadn’t taken much time to check them out before the show (shame on me), so I was completely blindsided by their super-awesomeness. Definitely a band to check out if you haven’t already.
Frank Turner I had listened to (and loved) before, and his performance with The Sleeping Souls was especially impressive. Both of these bands were stand-alone great and a perfect start to the show.
So, there you have it. If you don’t like fun and Irish pride, don’t go to this show. Otherwise, this is a concert to break the bank for.
Junius show review
The Basement played host to a quartet of post-rock and hardcore influenced groups on Wednesday, February 22nd in Columbus. Junius was co-headlining the show with O’Brother. Sainthood Reps and local group The End of the Ocean rounded out the bill.
The End of the Ocean got things rolling, doing their best to engage the sparse crowd with their brand of post-rock, interspered with pre-recorded monologues that served as interludes between songs. I had the opportunity to talk a bit with bassist Bryan Yost after their set, and he mentioned that they are in the midst of self-booking a tour that will travel all the way to the West Coast of the US! Bottom-line: look out for these guys! As hard-working and talented as they are, there is no doubt that some level of success is headed their way.
Sainthood Reps followed with their mixture of alternative indie rock and post-hardcore. This new Tooth and Nail Records band from Long Island wowed the audience with their distorted guitars, sung/shouted vocals, and periodic percussive jamming from the frontman in tandem with the drummer. They opened their set with “Monoculture” and also played what have since become my favorite songs of theirs – “Dingus” and “Animal Glue.” Long story short, this band went from being “meh, I’ll check them out sometime” to “Wow! I need to get their record” over the course of 30 minutes.
Quintet O’Brother next took the stage, and it was clear that they had the crowd ready to rock. The post-hardcore-esque “Machines I and II” started the set and got audience members excitedly shouting all of the lyrics back at the stage. It was interesting to see how much their drummer could accomplish with such a simple kit, and it was entertaining to see the long locks of the Dang brothers (on guitar and bass) flying everywhere as they head-banged in unison. “Ascension” found bassist Anton Dang with a bow in his hand to get just the right effects, and “Lo” found the entire band getting what might be their most catchy set choice across in an impeccable manner. The finale of the set was the back to back “Poison!” and “Lay Down”, which sounded just like they did on the record, if not better.
Massachusetts’ Junius roared to life onstage amidst a backdrop of 4 light towers with “Betray the Grave.” Junius is not meant to be simply amusing – they put their all into shows. Rather than indulging flamboyant onstage actions, the three guys I had interviewed hours earlier in a restaurant chose to simply lose themselves in the music. I could see what they meant by having to experience their music in a live setting to get the full effect. Their sound belongs in a larger venue. As I told Joel, their bass player, I’ll be watching for the day they play arenas and use crazy lazer light shows. Am I embellishing? Maybe, but the potential is definitely there.
Be sure to check out my interview with Junius.
Lionize exclusive interview and show review
I just sat down with Mel Randolph, the drummer for reggae/rock band LIONIZE. Check it out!
Ryan: How would you explain what it means to Lionize something?
Mel: To celebritize…I mean that’s pretty much it (laughs).
If you were to explain your music to someone who has never heard you before, what would you say?
I’d say we are classic rock, bluesy, with a tiny bit of spread of reggae.
Would you mind telling what some of your influences are?
Sure, Coltrane, Led Zeppelin, Steel Pulse (international reggae band)
I read that you guys did some recording in Jamaica. What surprised you or stood out about that experience?
The whole thing was very laid back; very relaxing environment. We were really surprised and shocked at the fact that we recorded in Kingston, which isn’t the area where the tourists are…it’s the real heart of Jamaica. So with that said, we were surprised to see that when we got there, there was this beautiful hotel. That’s where we stayed…we had a guy down there that was cooking food for us, so altogether it was a wonderful experience.
Any reason you went to Jamaica other than the obvious reggae vibe?
We got invited down. Do you know Steel Pulse? They’re an international touring reggae band, from Birmingham (UK). Their keyboardist, who has developed a relationship with us, he’s from down there.
Your most recent record is titled The Superczar and the Vulture. Any particular meaning behind it? Or not?
Yeah! Its just the whole, you know, comic book superhero thing.
Any standout experiences from this tour thus far? Any highs or lows?
It has its ups and downs, its perks. You either get enough rest, or you don’t. You eat right, or you don’t. It’s been really good so far.
How far back do you guys go (friendship with Maylene)?
This is our first time touring with them. It’s where we met them.
The music industry is very much in a paradigm shifting stage at this point. From your point of view, what’s one positive thing thats going on right now and what’s one frustrating thing that’s going on right now?
I’ll start with the positive; the thing about the music business is that, of course, you are dedicated. It’s fun getting your name out, especially at a pace where it’s gradually happening. There’s just so many other bands trying to do the same thing. For example, the Warped Tour for us was a huge, awesome experience. The downfall is being broke – you really have to have it set in your mind that this is your passion.
Show Review:
Metal influenced southern rockers Maylene and the Sons of Disaster took their powerhouse live show into Columbus, Ohio with support from Lionize recently.
Local group The Ordnance opened the show with their brand of impassioned hard rock, which at times seemed a bit forced and perhaps not mixed well. However, it is likely that any band with this level of passion and musicianship will only age well, and I’ll be keeping my eye on these guys in the future.
Lionize of Silver Springs, Maryland followed with their unique brand of jam-rock. The quartet played as a unit, no question about it. They kicked things off appropriately with the first track off their latest record, Superczar and the Vulture. They showed off their musical ability gradually, building up things to a point that was impressive but not overindulgent. Lionize was appropriate direct support for Maylene – they kept the overall mood of the evening consistent, allowing fans to simultaneously enjoy some solid jams and save energy for the headliners.
With a name as over the top as Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, one would expect a band’s performance to reflect that. Vocalist Dallas Taylor opted not to say much, instead putting his all into the rock. Southern tinged metal vibes came from the stage, venturing out into, or rather on the welcoming pit. “Caution: Dangerous Curves Ahead” first assaulted the tiny pit and surrounding bystanders, segueing into “In Dead We Dream” off of their newest effort, IV. Highlights of the set included fan favorites “Dry the River” and “Tough As John Jacobs” and their encore, “Step Up (I’m On It).” Taylor dryly acknowledged the mixed reception to their newest record, cracking “post some negative comments on the wall” at one point. All in all, the bands played a show that made the 12+ hours of ear ringing I experienced worth it.