St Vincent Digs a Pony in Brooklyn
For the past couple weeks, bands St Vincent and Foreign Born have been caravanning across the USA driving pink Camaros, and stopping at gas stations to blast Huey Lewis & The News, while they tilt their sunglasses forward. At least that’s how the adorable Annie Clark described it, before she blew away her audience with a phenomenal solo cover of The Beatles’ classic “Dig a Pony.” Stamping her feet to create a beat, while she shredding her guitar into pieces, it was hard not to fall in love with her. Clark was once just one of the many, many members of Polyphonic Spree, always doing a great job of standing out, but now she’s proving that she has what it takes to be an indie rock star on her own, with St Vincent. She’s totally cute and has a genuinely unique charisma that is hard not to love, and when she plays she’s pretty angelic.
For all but her cover of “Dig A Pony,” Clark was joined by a backing band, mainly playing songs from her debut album “Marry Me.” There was also at least one new one. Many of the songs were given different treatments than on record, with the rocking version of “Your Lips Are Red” standing out as another major highlight to the performance at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. And when Annie so sweetly sang the words “Marry Me Jon,” it was hard to hold back from approaching the stage and answering to her proposition. Of course I then realized that I’m not the right Jon, and stayed back with the crowd allowing my heart to beat along with the music.
California’s Foreign Born has had the role of opening band for the extent of the tour, but after another tremendous performance last night, they’re surely on their way to being a headliner. The last time I saw them, they were on a tiny little stage of the basement of The Delancey. The songs were there, but the sound system wasn’t. This time, everything hit with an extra push. There’s no denying that this band sounds like underrated 80s bands like Echo & the Bunnymen and The Church, but at least those influences haven’t been sucked dry by every band under the sun. The early U2 influence is also there, so it’ll be no surprise when Foreign Born’s songs grow into something more epic. Introducing a slew of new songs, their sophomore album promises to expand upon where they left off with their debut “On The Wing Now.” Closing with the handclapping sing along “Union Hall,” they proved that even when the guitars weren’t blazing, they could make an epic song.
Interestingly, The Music Hall of Williamsburg continues to have amazing shows that don’t sell out. Bowery Presents has been booking bands for 2 nights, with 1 at Bowery Ballroom, and 1 at Music Hall. While the Bowery ones always seem to sell out, the Music Hall ones usually have a good turn out, but are far from packed. This is has only added to my love for the venue. The sound is always good, the sightlines are great, and there’s never that overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia that I feel so often at other venues.
St. Vincent and Foreign Born will be at Bowery Ballroom tonight for their second of 2 nights in New York. Tonight’s show is sold out, but if you can get your hands on a pair, it’ll be worth it.
Foreign Born
see more photos of St. Vincent at flickr.com/jonnyleather
see more photos of Foreign Born at flickr.com/jonnyleather
Atlas Sound Lets It All Hang Out
Deerhunter's Bradford Cox didn’t wear a dress and wasn’t covered in fake blood, but he and his new band, Atlas Sound, were more than amusing on Sunday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Cox, who was in a silly mood all night, thanked the small crowd for skipping the Oscars to come see them perform.
The set was looser than an 80 year old prostitute, seeming to go in any direction they wanted to take it, which sort of gave it the feel of an old high school basement performance. This is not a bad thing either. Some bands follow such a structured approach that they are unable to react and travel in the direction the crowd leads them in.
Midway through the set, Cox and guitarist Adam Forkner turned a joke about reverb sounding like “leather and wood” into an impromptu song about the same very topic. Cox joked that the song would be posted to his blog the following day. Just checked and it’s not there yet, but sooner or later he will post it.
Atlas Sound followed their new creation with 3 straight lovably-sloppy covers—Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear The Reaper,” Grateful Dead’s “Operator” and The Breeders’ “Cannonball.” Each only lasted a minute, but had a very positive affect on the set and definitely won the crowd over, if they hadn’t been won over already.
Later on, Cox rambled to us about the Oscar winners, “The chick from Juno won something.” Then Atlas Sound took us out to a field, and blindfolded us.
After our sonic musical execution, they left the stage and it seemed that they would not return. Adam Forkner then made his way back onto the stage, and acting as a military drill instructor, he cued the audience to cheer and demand for more. Forkner left the stage, and he and the rest of the band returned to the stage, topless, including bassist Honey Owens, who proclaimed, “When you’re pushing 40, you kinda have to let it all hang out sometimes.”
As entertaining as they were, it took nothing away from the beautiful transcendent sounds that they created on the stage Sunday night, giving us plenty of pleasure in missing Hollywood’s big circle-jerk.
The Kids Are Alright
Prior to Sunday night’s concert, my only real knowledge of Paul Green’s School of Rock came from Richard Linklater’s movie starring Jack Black. I’ve heard about them playing shows, and have always been interested in seeing the kids play, but not enough to get me out there.
On Friday afternoon I found out that they would be doing a show with Gibby Haynes as their guest instructor. Not only would they be performing songs with Haynes, but the set would be comprised of Butthole Surfers songs.
I never had the chance to catch the Butthole Surfers live, but the things I’ve heard and seen lead me to believe that they were something incredible to see live. A true rock ’n’ roll spectacle. Fire. Explosions. Strippers. Those are three things I would never associate with children—at least in a positive way—so the idea of kiddos and Gibby sharing a stage really sparked my interest. I couldn’t wait to see kids on stage with Gibby Haynes playing “I saw an X-ray of a Girl Passing Gas.” That would be priceless.
Tweens and their parents filled Highline Ballroom—a stark contrast to my usual room full of drunken twentysomething hipsters. Kids walked around with their guitars strapped to them, obviously passionate young musicians—the type who probably sleep with their instrument of choice some nights.
Children Of The Unicorn warmed up the crowd. Ironically, they were kind of like Jack Black’s Tenacious D: totally humorous, but self-aware and serious at the same time. The lead singer was familiar to me because he was also the lead singer for another hilarious local band, Hair Supply. Like any band that’s intentionally cheesy, their set became less humorous over time. Luckily for them, they had a tambourine/cow bell player who’s funny collection of T-shirts made their set more entertaining. (Between songs, he’d take one layer off, to reveal another hilarious shirt—the best being “DOLPHINS ARE GAY SHARKS.”)
After a short wait, Gibby Haynes walked onto the stage with a bunch of kids. I expected to be entertained and impressed by them, but I had no idea how great they’d actually be. But after the first songs, all of my expectations were quickly blown away. These kids were not just talented, they were passionate entertainers who could command the stage. And with Butthole Surfers songs, there was nothing they could do wrong.
With each song, a different set of kids would rotate to the stage to play different instruments. Yes, not only could a young teenager play mind-blowing licks on guitar, but they could also play drums (and in perfect unison with a second drummer). It didn’t matter which gender, they were all incredible. They didn’t just play the odd, experimental songs, they also performed while confidently moving around while Gibby acted as a ringleader, oftentimes standing in awe of his adolescent backing band. The facial expressions he made showed that not even Gibby was ready for some of the truly sensational moments.
As I had hoped, they did play “I saw an X-ray of a girl passing gas,” along with a collection of some of the weirdest songs from the Butthole Surfers’ catalog. As entertaining as the kids were, Haynes was also a riot, explaining at one point that what he has in common with the kids is that he never really emotionally matured past age 11. That made perfect sense.
Deep into the set, Haynes left the stage and Paul Green (founder of School of Rock) came to the stage to announce that Gibby was taking a break to let the kids play five songs that they wrote. Even without the presence of Haynes, the young rockers did nothing but wow the crowd. The songs they played were fully potent with technical skill and plenty of originality and playfulness.
Not long after their guest instructor returned to the stage, he directed them to go totally nuts. Everyone was on the stage breaking out into total mayhem. The kids had been given the cue to act like kids. Instruments were smashed, a pineapple was sent flying and a wall of noise came crashing our way. It was crazy and fun, and not far off from my expectations of an actual Butthole Surfers concert (minus the fire, explosions and strippers). There was even a moment toward the end of the set in which I turned around to see a crowd member with his face planted on the floor, an arm held behind his back. He apparently had gotten out of control and was obviously much too drunk. He also never got to hear “Johnny Smokes,” which he’d repeatedly requested during the show.
After the plug was finally pulled and the stage and venue cleared out, I had to ask myself if it was the best concert I had ever seen. It was certainly comparable to performances I had seen by other great live bands (Flaming Lips, Les Savy Fav, Peelander Z, Arcade Fire…). This is one night I’ll never forget, and will definitely tell my kids about. Not only will I tell my kids about it, but I hope that one day they’ll be able to be part of the School Of Rock, and maybe have someone like Warne Coyne as their guest instructor. And instead of watching someone else’s kid play Butthole Surfers songs, I can see my own kid play guitar on “Psychiatric Explorations of the Fetus with Needles.”
see more photos of Gibby Haynes/School of Rock at flickr.com/jonnyleather
see more photos of Children of the Unicorn at flickr.com/jonnyleather
That’s Entertainment
When I found out 2/3 of The Jam were on tour performing the legendary UK band’s classic songs, I was instantly excited. Although America never quite embraced them, there’s no denying that they wrote some really amazing songs. Over the time waiting up to last night’s show, my excitement settled and was replaced by the expectations that they’d be just another group of old musicians cashing in on their past without the same passion as their hey-day. I’ve seen enough old washed-up musicians to know that these reunion tours are usually a big disappointment, especially when a quintessential member is missing.
Upon arriving to the Blender Theater, I found out that Hugh Cornwell would be opening. Cornwell is another legendary British punk, known as the voice of The Stranglers. Like The Jam, The Stranglers were heavily successful in the UK, but never made it here. Playing mostly Stranglers songs, Cornwell’s set had a few nice moments, and pleased all the Brits in the room, but left me a little bored and pessimistic about what to expect out of the guys from The Jam.
The minute From The Jam (as they were calling themselves) took the stage and sped into “In The City,” all of that earlier excitement returned. They may just be cashing in off of their past, but these guys still played like a bunch of young musicians who haven’t been worn down by years of being on the road. It’s rare that a band can play without their original lead singer without being a disappointment, but original members Bruce Foxton and Rick Butler found the right guy in Russell Hastings. If I hadn’t known that Paul Weller wasn’t touring with them, I would’ve had no idea it wasn’t him. Hastings sounded so perfectly like Weller that it was like they had cloned him. From their classic covers of The Kinks’ “David Watts” and The Who’s “So Sad About Us” to their own hits like “Going Underground” and “Pretty Green,” there was no filler in their set. Every song totally possessed the crowded room of drunken middle-aged Brits. To close the night perfectly, the band saved their former #1 UK hit “Town Called Malice” for the very end, leaving their fans with nothing but ecstatic feelings leaving the venue to the familiar sight of rain.
see more photos of The Jam at flickr.com/jonnyleather
see more photos of Hugh Cornwell at flickr.com/jonnyleather
“Impervious” Played Union Hall
Ambulance LTD performed under the moniker Impervious at Union Hall in Park Slope last night. It was a short set, with the band mainly testing new material, which a lot of fans have been skeptical about after most of the band left to form Red Romance. Singer/songwriter Marcus Congleton is the only member than remains from the lineup that created 2004's critically acclaimed debut "LP." Though the new songs didn't seem fully realized yet, the foundation of these songs was as solid as anything on "LP," and stays true to their blend of dreamy Beatle-esque pop and shoegaze. Once the new lineup gets more gigs in, they'll be back to being one of NYC's best bands. Ambulance LTD will be back at Union Hall on Wednesday February 20, and this time it'll be be under their real name. If you're worried that they're only playing new material, don't b. They still managed to play a couple old ones last night, including the pop gem "Anecdote."
Barack The Vote
The Bowery Ballroom was full of Obama supporters last night, as a group of musicians and comedians urged fans to vote in today’s election. Of course, they had a specific candidate to push, but anyone who came to the show had advance notice. Organizer, Craig Wedran spoke with sincerity of his own past apathy and tendency to forget to vote in primaries, telling the audience exactly how important this election is. The political talk thankfully never reached that preachy “I’m famous so I know what’s best for you tone,” making it a pleasant, uplifting experience. Ironically, the young girls that made up a third of the audience didn’t even look old enough to vote, and seemed to be miserable until the night’s headliner OKGO took the stage (except when actor Paul Rudd made a guest appearance with the guys from “Stella”).
Aside from politics, the night had its fair share of quality performances, including an absolutely hilarious spoken word musical piece by Michael Showalter about bread. Craig Wedren performed brought back his old band Shudder To Think and introduced a new one, Birds (which featured beautiful female 3-part harmonies and included the Cardigan’s Nina Persson). Despite the slew of other fine performances, OKGO ruled supreme. The quartet didn’t dance on treadmill, but they still made their catchy power pop plenty fun. For the final number of the night, OKGO and Craig Wedren brought all of the performers from the night, and the large group put together an inspiring cover of Zombies classic “This Will Be Our Year.”
You can see videos from last night’s event at www.getupandvote.com.
Go out and vote today!
Comedian Michael Showalter thinks "sun-dried tomatoes are bullshit"
Shudder To Think
Nina Persson
Actor Paul Rudd was introduced to the crowd as Caroline Kennedy
see more photos of OKGO at flickr.com/jonnyleather
see more photos from Barack Rock at flickr.com/jonnyleather
Ready For The Floor
I came to Saturday night’s Hot Chip concert at Highline Ballroom expecting 2 things—a sea of hipsters wearing brightly-colored American Apparel unitards, and a good time, despite the hipsters. It was undoubtedly a good time. They may have looked like a bunch of geeks, but from the moment the UK electro-pop quintet opened with “Shake a Fist,” they kept the crowd moving with the steady flow of the best tracks off their 2 most recent albums. Songs from new album, Made in the Dark, fit alongside older fan favorites perfectly, and the crowd seemed to already know all the songs, even though the record won't be released in stores until tomorrow.Singer Alexis Taylor was sporting a championship wrestling belt and he and the band earned that title when they knocked out the crowd with a perfectly fun and danceable version of crowd-pleaser “Over and Over.” After ruling the stage again with new single “Ready For The Floor,” the guys left the stage, only to return to the stage with a phenomenal encore featuring noisy version of ballad “Made In The Dark” and “No Fit State.”
Ironically, the crowd was not exactly what I expected. There were no unitards and the young audience had its fair share of frat boy-looking guys, and girls with shiny clothing and high-heels. With $4 cans of hipster beer-water (Pabst) in their hands, they threw up their arms and shook their hips, which has become a rarity at NYC indie shows.
If you’re looking to have a good time, Hot Chip will be back in New York to play Terminal 5 on April 12.
see more photos of Hot Chip at flickr.com/jonnyleather
Joanna Newsom Plays BAM, Supports Obama
When I was a teenager, I went to a lot of punk and hardcore concerts. They were small, aggressive and if I wasn’t careful, I’d catch a boot to the teeth. Less than a decade later, I found myself sitting at BAM, while a little pixieish harp player was supported by an orchestra. This scene is one that I am not used to. Normally, I find myself in a crowded, dark little spaces at which my feet stick to the beer-drenched floor, while deafeningly loud music bludgeons my eardrums.
Front and center sat cute little Joanna Newsom, next to her harp. Only two albums into her career, and she’s already being handed opportunities to perform with a dignified orchestra, an honor that will surely gain her further respect outside of the indie world that first embraced her.
For the first half of the night, Newsom and her band performed the songs of her critically acclaimed 2006 album Ys (a collaboration with composer Van Dyke Parks), while backed by the Brooklyn Philharmonic. The delicate songs sounded even better and more profound than on record.
For the second half of her performance, Newsom returned the stage in a little red dress, looking absolutely enchanting. With only her regular 3-piece backing band supporting for this half, Joanna Newsom focused on her earlier material, beginning with the fantastic Bridges and Balloons. The tone was much lighter as Newsom and the band often joked around, and even took a moment to praise Barack Obama.
Every moment of the night was an absolute delight, with each half of the performance providing a different perspective of the remarkable talent that Newsom possesses. And she’s only just started.
For those who missed last night’s performance, you will have another chance to catch her at BAM tonight. Tickets are sold out, but if you have the opportunity to get your hands on a pair, I strongly suggest it. A music hall like BAM is the perfect place to see her.
see more photos of Joanna Newsom at flickr.com/jonnyleather
