Celebrities in general have special lists of items to accompany them while out of the spotlight, but some simply go overboard. Here are 15 of the most ridiculous celebrity backstage requests.
Posts Tagged ‘Me.’
Sweethearts Get Modern Day Makeover
January 20th, 2010 |
No Comments
Sweethearts, those tiny heart-shaped candies with expressions of love printed in pastel, are boasting new phrases for a new decade that respresent the ever-changing times we live in.
The treats have been a Valentine’s Day tradition since the days of Lincoln, but for the first time in the candy’s 145-year history, this year Sweethearts will feature [...]
Passion Pit | 12.10.09 | S.F.
January 15th, 2010 |
No Comments
Words by: Lindsay Colip | Images by: Steven Walter
Passion Pit :: 12.10.09 :: Mezzanine :: San Francisco, CA
 Passion Pit :: 12.10 :: San Francisco |
What a difference a year makes. Once Passion Pit took the stage at Mezzanine, it was obvious that the last year of touring and music making had paid off. Michael Angelakos (lead vocals, keys), Ian Hultquist (guitar, keys), Ayad Al Adhamy (samples, synth), Jeff Apruzzese (bass, synth bass) and Nate Donmoyer (drums) make up the energetic, enterprising electronic collective from Cambridge, Massachusetts. However, it wasn’t always a five-piece ensemble. Passion Pit started out with Angelakos making his sweetheart a Valentine’s Day CD (Chunk of Change EP) back in 2007. From there he decided to disperse the EP amongst students and friends at Emerson College. It didn’t take very long for people to catch onto his infectious sound, energetic voice, and memorable lyrics. Angelakos then teamed up with some fellow musicians and started touring and amassing a huge following. In early 2009, they put out their first full album, Manners, as a follow up to Angelakos’ 2008 EP.
When I first heard the EP, I was hooked. Every single song is upbeat, fun, danceable, and approachable – perfect for a pre-party or a late night dance session and always a guaranteed good time. When I found out the guys were playing at Sasquatch! (JamBase review) last spring I was beyond excited and ready to get loose. Unfortunately, they ended up playing in the middle of a sweltering hot day on a huge outdoor stage. Needless to say, a LOT was lost from this performance. Angelakos’ voice was completely strained (almost gone actually), and because I consider his high pitched, spirited voice the most important instrument of all, the songs suffered.
This summer I was able to catch them again at Melt! Festival in Germany (JamBase review) and thankfully, they had been slated at the perfect time slot and stage. They were the last performance on the last night in a dance tent. This was a great performance but it was clear they were still learning how to be a unit, how to be seamless onstage.
 Passion Pit :: 12.10 :: San Francisco |
Finally, at Mezzanine, a whole new band emerged. They looked completely put together, cohesive, fashion forward even. The earlier performances seemed like a group of highly talented technology/music geeks thrown together in a bit of a disheveled mess. Now, they are 100-percent Passion Pit. Angelakos sounded fantastic. His voice was pitch perfect – not strained, never wavering, very solid. Each of the gajillion instruments was on point, as well – shakers, bells, various percussion toys, clap tracks and more. Speaking of their clap track, it honestly has to be one of the best in the business. They have that DIALED IN. They looked like they were having a riot up there, too. Dancing around to their own songs, silently miming the words while Angelakos belted them out. Really fantastic.
The venue was stunning for these guys as well – intimate, danceable, dark. They opened up with “Make Like” and immediately hooked the crowd. They continued on with “Little Secrets,” “Moth’s Wings,” “The Reeling,” “Let Your Love Grow Strong,” “To Kingdom Come,” and mega-hit “Sleepyhead.” “Smile Upon Me” was a huge treat. They’ve made the live version so much better than the original. Each time I’ve heard it they’ve added more complexity to it and at Mezzanine they absolutely blew it out of the water. I’d go see them every time they come to town JUST to hear the live version of “Smile Upon Me.” They closed with “Better Things” to a seriously amped-up crew of ultra-trendy 20-something San Franciscans.
Overall, this was one fun dance party. They truly looked confident and happy onstage. Manners is a good glimpse of where they’re headed as a band, and I hope they continue to produce fun, smile provoking, foot tapping music. In a time where things are a little uncertain and tough, Passion Pit gives us a much-needed release. More music, please!
Passion Pit tour dates available here.
Continue reading for more pics of Passion Pit in San Francisco…
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
JamBase | Freed Up
Go See Live Music!
Adam Lambert “Whataya Want From Me†VIDEO Sneak Preview
January 13th, 2010 |
No Comments
Take a look at this supershort sneak preview of Adam Lambert’s forthcoming video release, “Whataya Want From Me.”
2010 Grammy Awards Nominations [Complete List Of Nominees]
December 3rd, 2009 |
No Comments
The nominees for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards are in, and Beyonce is leading the pack. The “Sasha Fierce” hitmaker earned a total of 10 Grammy nominations during “The Grammy Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night” event hosted by LL Cool J on Wednesday night.
Beyonce is up for Album of the Year [...]
Adam Lambert On “Ellen†[12/01/09]
December 1st, 2009 |
No Comments
On The Ellen DeGeneres Show Tuesday, daytime’s resident funny gal grilled Adam Lambert about his headline-grabbing performance at last week’s 2009 American Music Awards, in which the ex-Idol kissed his male keyboardist, flipped off the audience, and led some very suggestive choreography.
Any regrets? Well, maybe a few…..
“I think in hindsight I look back on it [...]
Dec 7-13
November 30th, 2009 |
No Comments
MONDAY, DEC 7
MAKE a date with Sheila De Niro in her intimate concert, Best of Natalie Cole and Patti Austin. The homegrown singer shares some of the greatest hits from the two American Grammy-award winners like Cole’s Unforgettable, Miss You Like Crazy and Austin’s Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Say You Love Me.
Date: Dec 7
Time: 10.30am and 3pm
Venue: Esplanade Recital Studio
Tickets: $12 from Sistic
Â
Shakira Performs “Give It Up To Me†During American Music Awards [VIDEO]
November 23rd, 2009 |
No Comments
Lifelong hip-shaker Shakira livened up this year’s AMA with an amazing show of choreography during a performance of “Give It Up To Me.”
Janet Jackson “Make Me†[VIDEO Premiere]
November 21st, 2009 |
No Comments
Here’s the official video for Janet Jackson’s new single, “Make Me.” Janet Jackson: Number Ones is in stores now.
Put Up Your Hand If You Ever Lie
November 9th, 2009 |
No Comments
Put up Your Hand if You Ever Lie.
If your hand went up, then we now know you’re a liar. If it didn’t go up then we know you’re an even bigger liar.
When asked the question “are you a liar?†nearly 97% of people answer “noâ€. When the remaining 3% (self-confessed liars) are subjected to questions calibrating their real, rather than perceived, honesty, they turn out to be, on average, 28 times more honest than the people who claimed they never lie. One of the most prolific liars in history was US president Richard Nixon, who researchers found to have lied on record 837 times on a single day.
Geeze, that’s a lot of fibbing.
Why the interest in lying?
As you know, I’m a student of human behaviour: what we do, when we do it, how we do it, and why we do it. In the field of behavioural psychology there aren’t too many things that interest me more than the subject of dishonesty. Or is it honesty? Anyway, I’m referring to the propensity we humans have to lie. All humans. In my job I listen to (and look at) a lot of people. Since 1987 I have personally completed over 40,000 one-on-one, face-to-face sessions. Close proximity. I get to see the pupils dilate and constrict. The nervous rash appearing on the neck. The facial ticks arise. The postural change. The awkward fidgeting. I notice the change in the pitch of the voice. And the increase in respiration. The lack of eye contact. The shift in emotional state. The defensive body language. The contradictions in their story. The anger. The denial. And often, the tears. Hence, my very absorbent clothing.
Listen to what they’re not saying.
How can we listen to someone who isn’t speaking? Easy. Use our other senses; they will tell us what our ears can’t. We know that communication is about seven percent verbal so it’s only logical to conclude that we will learn more about people (what they think, feel, believe, expect, fear, know, have done) by watching them, than we would by listening to them. Not to say we shouldn’t listen, of course. I’m always more fascinated with what people don’t say because by saying nothing (about a certain matter) they are saying something. People are “speaking†all the time; we just need to learn their language. Pet owners will understand this concept. Once we understand that the verbal stuff is only a minor part of communication and human interaction, our relationships and reality change and our awareness shifts dramatically. If you can’t be bothered researching (and who can?) just watch an episode or three of Lie To Me. Even though it’s ‘only’ a TV show, there’s some pretty cool science and research behind it all. In other words; the truth about liars.
How often we fib
The average person lies 114 times every day of their life. So if you live to be eighty, you’re gonna tell somewhere around 3.3 million fibs over the course of your lifetime. Wowzer!! Can you believe that?
Don’t. I made it up. See how easy that was?
The truth about lies
Of course, it’s virtually impossible to acquire accurate and broadly representative statistics regarding how many times the average person lies each day – being as we’re so predisposed to… well, lying. And anyway, who’s gonna keep count? Nobody wants to be seen as a pathological liar – or any kind of liar – so even when it comes to research, we’ll continue to lie about our lying. After all, who’s gonna be honest about their dishonesty? And there-in lies (pun intended) the challenge; in order to gain reliable data we need to rely on people’s honesty. There’s some irony for you. Take a peek at the following report from the University of Massachusetts:
AMHERST, Mass. – Most people lie in everyday conversation when they are trying to appear likable and competent, according to a study conducted by University of Massachusetts psychologist Robert S. Feldman and published in the most recent Journal of Basic and Applied Social Psychology. The study, published in the journal’s June issue, found that 60 percent of people lied at least once during a 10-minute conversation and told an average of two to three lies. “People tell a considerable number of lies in everyday conversation. It was a very surprising result. We didn’t expect lying to be such a common part of daily life,†Feldman said. The study also found that lies told by men and women differ in content, though not in quantity. Feldman said the results showed that men do not lie more than women or vice versa, but that men and women lie in different ways. “Women were more likely to lie to make the person they were talking to feel good, while men lied most often to make themselves look better,†Feldman said.
What? Men lie to impress people! I find that hard to believe. BTW, have I told you how much I’m bench pressing lately?
Some Common Fibs
Lie: Yep, I’m on my way now.
Truth: I’ll leave in ten minutes. Or twenty.
Lie: No, your arse is tiny.
Truth: You look like a f**king yak from back here.
Lie: If you don’t go to sleep, Santa won’t come next week.
Truth: He’ll come (won’t he?).
Lie: The dog ate my homework.
Truth: There ain’t no homework. Or dog.
Lie: Yep, this assignment is all my work.
Truth: I am the cut and paste king.
Lie: I was working late.
Truth: I’m a Dirtbag.
Lie: No, I’m busy tonight.
Truth: I don’t like you.
Lie: I’ll get back to you.
Truth: I’ll never contact you.
Lie: Yep, I’ve nearly finished.
Truth: I haven’t started.
Lie: I’m really careful with my food.
Truth: Careful not to let others see how much I eat.
Lie: No, I’ll be fine (sob).
Truth: Can I have some attention and sympathy?
Lying Etiquette
So now we’ve established that you’re part of the Pants-on-Fire Fraternity…
1. What are your lying rules?
2. When is it okay to lie? (an example?)
3. Is it okay to lie if we have noble intentions?
4. Should we ever lie to our kids? (an example?)
5. They say “the truth will set you free†but perhaps sometimes a strategic lie will save someone a lot of pain – what do you think?
6. What about you more spiritual and/or religious (not always the same thing) folk, what are your thoughts?
7. Is deception (not sharing certain information perhaps) the same as a lie?
8. Have someone else’s lies impacted your reality in a big way?
9. Are you aware of your lying?
10. Surely, it’s okay to lie to your girlfriend about her upcoming ’surprise’ birthday party?
I don’t expect you to answer all of the above questions (or any for that matter) but I thought they might be good conversation-starters. Off you go Pinocchio.
And in answer to your question…
Q. Do you ever lie Craig?
A. Only when I’m awake.
Other than that, never.
Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is a qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, television host, motivational speaker and university lecturer. For the past 25 years he has been a leading presenter, educator, motivator and commentator in the areas of personal and professional development. You can visit Craig’s blog at Motivational Speaker.FREE eBook – So… You’ve Decided to Get in Shape (Again) Craig’s FREE eBook takes 20 – 30 minutes to read, and addresses the REAL getting-in-shape issues based on his 25 years of experience. To get Craig’s FREE eBook click here, weight loss books.
Brand New/Manchester Orch | 10.16 | San Jose
October 22nd, 2009 |
No Comments
By: Dennis Cook
Brand New/Manchester Orchestra/The Builders and the Butchers
10.16.09 :: San Jose Events Center Arena :: San Jose, CA
 Brand New by JoelFaurote.com |
The tightly massed fan-entity in front of the broad Event Center stage, squirming and expanding as the start time for Brand New approached, was like some youth amoeba as viewed from the seats above. The tensed energy of so many people with the need to be every centimeter closer that they could be was felt throughout the hall, their physical closeness echoing a kinship with this band, their music, and one another. And when the group eased atmospherically into “You Won’t Know” the whole place seemed to breathe with one pair of lungs as main man Jesse Lacey simmered, “Hey hey hey, Mr. Hangman/ Go get your rope/ Your daughters weren’t careful/ I fear that I am a slippery slope.” And then with an explosion of emotion, light, and carefully tempered rock fury, we were off.
It’s not as if the evening had been light on emotion prior to the headliner’s arrival. Brand New had a smartly picked lineup with them on the fall tour surrounding their new album, Daisy (released September 22 on Interscope), which managed to resonate on a similar frequency without stepping on each other’s toes sonically. First up were The Builders and the Butchers, who delivered energetic, thick music with a rattling folk foundation. If the Violent Femmes ever took their tongue out of their cheeks they might sound like this. The shifting instrumentation encompassed trumpet, mandolin, banjo, and more traditional electric rock bits, all delivered atop an oversized percussion kit shared by two drummers sitting close to one another, and their handclapping energy and eager audience outreach were vaguely reminiscent of Akron/Family. There’s a pleasantly ragged roots churn to The Builders, and when they’re belting out boatman chants or banging the strings like a badly abused hammered dulcimer it’s pretty hard to resist. Nice first impression to be sure.
 Manchester Orchestra by Janet K |
The middle slot was held by Atlanta’s Manchester Orchestra, who, like Brand New, is very much the descendents of a post-Nirvana world. Rough and prettily melodic, tender and a little mean, contradictions abound but in a very winning, very modern way. Only two albums in, Manchester has the markings of a real thoroughbred and the live experience only built on this impression. They came on like a slow rising wave, a tide coming in with all the tsunami fury hidden beneath gently floating kelp. Again and again, they danced up with a roar and then slipped back with unforced dexterity. The dynamics are bloody exciting and they hold nothing back in their delivery. It doesn’t hurt that they can really write memorable tunes full of mood shifts and lyrics that sink hooks in deep. Less skilled musicians might flub these bounces from loud to soft and back again but Manchester Orchestra is so fully engaged and clever that it just works.
Manchester’s second studio release, Mean Everything To Nothing, has proven one of 2009′s sneaky growers, a little better every time you slip it on. As good as the studio work is, there’s a nervy, thumping transformation to the songs live, some chemical reaction that releases the howl inside them. There’s the whomp of metal married to melodic rock and a lyrical bent that’s intellectual and sometimes funny. Most, even those unfamiliar with the band, got caught up in their energy and sang along to swell refrains like, “I have friends in all the right places!” Closer “The River,” which also wraps the new album, was truly cathartic, a statement of purpose (“I sing about most everything”) surrounded by a moving, beautiful racket punctuated by punchy drums, where the whole of it reminded me of The Who in their vintage glory.
 Brand New by Alexandra Johnson |
At nearly 42 years of age, I was approximately twice the age (or more) than most of the Brand New fans at this gig. With my semi-unkempt silver mane, I was mistaken for Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis twice, and when my age came up in random conversations it really took people aback. Brand New isn’t really a band for dudes like me, guys brought up on classic ’70s FM rock, ’80s punk, and indie rock’s first wave of popularity with R.E.M., Camper Van Beethoven, etc. But, I was so floored by Brand New’s performance at last year’s Download Festival (see review here) that I needed to dig in further. They reminded me very distinctly of the first time I’d seen Kurt Cobain and company, and I wondered if that sensation was a fluke. In the year between these performances I explored their studio work, particularly the stunning depths of 2006′s The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. In broad terms, Brand New is sharp, overwrought, smarter than your average bear, and a good deal more musically serious than most of their peers. Nothing about them is light or fluffy, and while sometimes a bit too clever for their own good, there’s no doubting the veracity of their emotions or intentions. So, once more into their fray I descended in San Jose, and while not quite as viscerally devastating as my first encounter, they did give me a great deal of food for thought.
Opening with two standouts from The Devil and God was a good move, along with easing into the new material mid-set. Daisy is both harder and softer than its predecessor, though their songwriting, production, and overall playing continues to mature apace. There’s a touch more beauty inside all the angst and cogitation now, which further points to a promising future. They don’t seem locked into any one thing, despite labels like emo, indie, etc. that have been attached since they started. However, there’s a good deal of scream-singing and the general uber-intensity can get to be a bit much after a while. In concert, it creates a general state of agitation tempered by well placed soothing intros and spacey breaks. It’s not much of a stretch to see both a young Rush fan and a young Green Day fan finding much to love in Brand New.
 Brand New by JasonSalesPhotography.com |
Seeing their very together live show on a college campus cemented the sense that they’ve REALLY connected with the young adult set (and the remainder of the audience was largely teenage and equally fervent). Having lived through and thrown myself wholeheartedly into the music and culture of The Clash and Nirvana, I had no problem picking up on a similar fevered relationship in this crowd. It’s a powerful thing when one discovers music that seems to be speaking about things that we ourselves lack the words to convey. Combine that with music full of exposed feeling, fearless extravagance, and complex shifts and you’ve got a mix that makes Brand New one of the band’s of their generation. They seem fully aware of the love and expectation surrounding them, and while grateful seem somewhat outside of the mania, where they continue to grow and create music that will likely reflect the personal evolution of their fan base.
Their stage set is simple, a few rear projected films late in the show, but mainly it was an all black stage with boys in black making music bolstered by non-flashy, intelligently crafted lighting. Where one number had sharp lances of white light creating geometric lines around the shadowy figures pummeling their instruments, another was warmed by the amber glow of fake candelabra flames. Each choice was appropriate and helped stir the drama inherent to Brand New’s sound.
As mentioned, Jesse Lacey’s lead vocals are an acquired taste. Like metal’s strep throat rumble, Lacey’s screechy spikes and flailing cries can grate if you’re not up for them. However, he’s really just a gifted singer who is all over the place. He can carry a tune fine and his scream is mighty, but kid also yodels, croons, and even gets a little soulful at times. He’s unique but everything about the music and words he’s engaging with work with interlocking logic. A love song for Brand New declares, “Take me back to your bed/ I love you so much it hurts my head.” Everything about them is a conversation between intimacy and disconnection, claustrophobic closeness and breathy wide-open spaces, and how those aren’t necessarily opposites.
Hunched over their instruments, trying to pry loose something more, something that makes the whole goddamn mess make sense, Brand New is a true powerhouse sitting at the center of the generation just matriculating into adulthood. It’s likely that we will be talking about them for years to come, and their influence will be one cited by many bands forming in their wake. As modern American society continues to shake with profound changes of nearly every sort, Brand New is a worthy soundtrack to this upheaval that understands something about how human beings survive in such times. And they put on a mighty fine show, too.
Brand New :: 10.16.09 :: San Jose Events Center Arena :: San Jose, CA
You Won’t Know, Degausser, Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don’t, Sic Transit Gloria… Glory Fades, Jaws Theme Swimming, The No Seatbelt Song, Vices,
Gasoline, Sowing Season, You Stole, In A Jar, Luca, Archers, Bought A Bride, Jesus Christ, At The Bottom, Play Crack The Sky
Brand New is on tour now; dates available here.
JamBase | California
Go See Live Music!
David Letterman Sex Tape
October 21st, 2009 |
No Comments
Here’s something we could go our entire lives without seeing — The David Letterman Sex Tape. We’re still recovering from the one with Mini-Me.
Better break out the Brain Bleach, ‘Crunchers, because we hear the scandal-plagued talk-show host has been rocked by yet another tawdry bombshell – reports of a sex tape showing him doing the [...]
Pearl Jam | 09.20 & 09.21 | Seattle
October 1st, 2009 |
No Comments
Words by: Court Scott
Pearl Jam :: 09.21.09 & 09.22.09 :: Key Arena :: Seattle, WA
 Pearl Jam :: 09.20.02Drop In The Park :: Seattle |
It is exactly 17 years and one day from the first time I saw Pearl Jam and here I am again. On September 20, 1992, I was a wide-eyed 16-year-old, one of 30,000 fans bearing witness to a show by the nascent band at the now famous ‘Drop in the Park’ concert in Seattle’s Magnuson Park. I’d listened to Ten backwards and forwards and was immediately and overwhelmingly drawn to the band’s feral energy, their unprocessed, uncompromising sound, and both the hopelessness and redemption in their lyrics. The band’s raw resonance and Eddie Vedder‘s keening growl were the perfect soundtrack to my mild teen angst. It is now September 21 and 22, 2009 and I’m in Seattle’s Key Arena to see one of the world’s most popular and widely appreciated rock ‘n’ roll acts as they unleash their previous catalog and new tunes off Backspacer, their brand new album at two sold-out hometown shows.
What qualities can sustain a band’s appeal across the years from a teenage girl to a 33-year-old? In the almost two decades since their inception, my bond with Pearl Jam has grown from my ears – a pure love of the music – to my heart – an admiration based on their commitment to stand up and speak out for people, causes and policies they support. They consistently create unpretentious, relevant music. Although they’ve struggled to eschew the trappings of stardom, 2009 finds Pearl Jam at greater ease than ever before with a degree of enjoyment that only comes with hard won perspective.
A strong moral compass has led them to their greatest successes and a few failures along the way, but more than many of the bands I’ve followed, Pearl Jam is a fan’s band. They are mine and they are yours, and they will not let you forget it. There’s a timeless quality to some rock ‘n’ roll and Pearl Jam has, in large part, cracked that songwriting code. Their albums may be where their political and social convictions take shape, but it is their live shows where those messages are vividly interpreted and powerfully delivered. During the two shows at the Key they played material from each of their nine major releases except the somewhat inaccessible Binaural (2000), and affirmed to those in attendance why Pearl Jam endures.
After gaining notoriety in the early 1990s for their debut, Ten, as well as their live shows, it was their anti-commercial, egalitarian bearings, allegiance to music lovers, and naivete in 1994 that led them to take on Ticketmaster, seeking lower ticket prices and fees for their fans. Following a long struggle and the sacrifice of millions of dollars in tour revenues, Ticketmaster was effective in curtailing the band’s romanticism. In retrospect, however, Pearl Jam was far more successful than they were given credit for. Ticketmaster’s public relations nightmare never really went away and their monopolistic commitment to commerce and convenience rather than art continues to be widely questioned.
 Stone Gossard – Pearl Jam :: 09.21.09 :: SeattleBy Karen Loria |
Pearl Jam’s promise to their fans persists, and with lean lighting and a minimalist backdrop, both nights’ shows delivered, beginning with Boom Gaspar‘s inviting keys and summoning the rest of the band to the stage for “Long Road” and “Sometimes.” Standouts from Monday were “Corduroy” with Mike McCready imitating Pete Townshend‘s windmill guitar moves; Backspacer tunes “Got Some,” featuring Vedder’s frenzied yarl; and “Amongst the Waves,” a first-rate fist-pumper that found drummer Matt Cameron deep in the pocket paired with McCready’s too-short solo. After conceding nervousness, Vedder announced, “It’s nice to be playing these songs for the first time.” “Rearview Mirror” had a sparse, deconstructed jam where McCready let loose with a stratospheric solo and the final encore of “Alive” was huge and full of stage-strutting pomp. “Inside Job” saw McCready, bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard gathered around Cameron’s drum kit, heads down for a sonic regrouping. “Hail Hail,” “Daughter,” “Off He Goes” and “Down” were each solidly delivered, but the lesser known (read: non-Ten or Vs. tunes) seemed to fall on deaf ears – Monday night’s audience was downright apathetic compared to Tuesday’s. “Given to Fly” was dedicated to opening act Ben Harper and Relentless7.
Vedder prefaced a hard-charging “The Fixer,” the first single off Backspacer, by saying he took himself to Target and bought a copy of the album on vinyl the day before. In addition to national independent retailers and iTunes, the band arranged a distribution deal with Target for Backspacer to the exclusion of other big-box stores. “Now, if we could only get them to sell record players!” he laughed. Tuesday night Vedder dedicated “Spin the Black Circle” to Seattle’s Easy Street Records‘ owners, reiterating his support for, and the necessity of, indie record stores.
A truly special addition on both nights was a string quartet for “Just Breathe,” a gorgeous, yet slightly syrupy Vedder number and “The End,” two of the 11 new tunes on Backspacer. “Thanks for classin’ up the joint,” Vedder joked to the quartet, which included Matt Cameron’s wife, April. Both tunes are acoustic and highly reminiscent of Vedder’s work on the Into the Wild soundtrack. Frankly, I’m not sure they belong on a Pearl Jam album, but live with strings they were an undeniable treat. Underutilized keys player Boom Gaspar’s warm Hammond B3 contrasted with Vedder’s plaintive, exposed vocals on “The End.” Quipped Vedder of the Seattle-only offering, “Ya know, we know some people,” and subsequently welcomed to the stage the Syncopated Taint Septet horn section – Skerik, Craig Flory, Hans Teuber and Dave Carter – for a screamin’ cover of The Who‘s “The Real Me.” They did this again the second night, and Vedder dedicated it to Bruce Springsteen for his birthday, and they crushed it just as effectively.
 Syncopated Taint Horns with Pearl Jam :: 09.21.09 :: SeattleBy Karen Loria |
Overall, the second night of the tour was the stronger performance. The anxiety was gone, the energy up and the band was more at ease with the older material, and the crowd responded in kind. Noting that Tuesday was the 50th time Pearl Jam had played Seattle – a number that seems surprisingly low – Vedder gushed, “I hope we can get it right!” before barreling full speed ahead into “Dissident” off Vs.
Each night the setlist had 27 songs, but the Tuesday night show featured more crowd favorites as well as rarities including a huge “Why Go” and “Lukin,” which was 60 seconds of punk bliss that slowed into a Cameron drum breakdown and then merged into “Not For You.” It’s funny. Cameron has been in Pearl Jam since 1998, following a Spinal Tap-esque lineage of drummers, but I still have trouble thinking of him as anything but the monster rhythms behind Soundgarden.
No Code‘s “Present Tense” saw Ament prowling in circles and McCready shredding on his Flying V guitar as the crowd pumped their fists. During a barely-contained “Go” that closed the set, McCready, like Stevie Ray Vaughan or Jimi Hendrix, effortlessly delivered a solo playing behind his head. Backspacer‘s “Supersonic” was played with alternate lyrics in homage to the Seattle Supersonics, whose home is the Key. As McCready’s filthy guitar riff slashed through the punkabilly number, the crowd enthusiastically concurred, “Yeah, yeah, ye-ah!”
The band’s inclusion of fans, affectionately called the “Jamily,” is evident not only through their live shows, authorized bootlegs and recorded collateral, but their Ten Club, an international union for fans. Ten Club members enjoy access to material unreleased to the general public, priority ticketing, newsletters and other perks. So strong is the band’s interaction with their fans that Vedder took time on Monday night to give a pick to a six-year-old kid, because little fans grow up to be big fans.
 Eddie Vedder – Pearl Jam :: 09.21.09 :: SeattleBy Karen Loria |
While the loyalty to fans remains evident, Vedder’s usual political commentary was in shorter supply. He showed restraint Monday night, speaking only about local political races, motivated by a phone call with Nirvana‘s Krist Novoselic, and the challenges President Obama continues to face, subsequently launching into “World Wide Suicide.” He couldn’t help himself, however, in demonstrating a finger on the pulse of pop culture and the recent VMA flap, saying, “We, too, think Kanye’s a jackass.”
Though they’ve gone up against big business and have been more outspoken and altruistic than most bands, Pearl Jam doesn’t take the kind of musical risks that jam bands do. Go to a couple shows in a row and you will be blown away with the band’s tight jams, McCready’s inspired, smart solos, Gossard, Ament, and Cameron’s intuitive interaction and lengthy setlists. But, chances are you’re going to hear songs under four minutes, some standards and maybe a repeat or two. Cases in point were the completely uninspired “Evenflow” from Monday night’s show that found Vedder stepping off stage for a smoke break, the new tune repeat “Unthought Known,” and “Do the Evolution” as an encore both nights. But what the “Evenflow” lacked, the audience made up for during “Betterman.” Vedder elicited the first two verses without coaxing or accompaniment, and similarly, Tuesday night’s “Black” had one of the biggest, most enthusiastic crowd sing-alongs I’ve witnessed.
Overall, I felt that with several of the new tunes simplicity has been exchanged for economy and some of the soul of Monday night’s live show was lost in the brevity. While straight ahead versions work with some of the shorter, punk tunes I would still rather they weren’t played exactly as they are on Backspacer. I suppose that until fans become familiar with them this is to be the case, but there’s certainly room for exploration without becoming indulgent. Gaspar’s keys add a mellow undercurrent that balances out Gossard, McCready and Vedder’s heavy, churning guitars. He should be given a wider berth, especially given the clean, softer, less confrontational material found on Backspacer compared to their previous efforts.
As Tuesday’s show ended with a brisk “Porch,” started by a Vedder solo, and a strong yet predictable “Yellow Ledbetter,” the arena lights came up. Slowly everyone but McCready, too busy channeling Hendrix during a searing “Star Spangled Banner,” stepped to the side of the stage, gazed around the arena, waved to long-time supporters and savored the presence of their fans. This is the pact that Pearl Jam aficionados have formed with the band. They will rock us and we will continue to be a part of their show.
Pearl Jam :: 09.21.09 :: Key Arena :: Seattle, WA
Long Road, Corduroy, Gonna See My Friend, Got Some, Hail, Hail, Amongst The Waves, Daughter, Even Flow, Johnny Guitar, Unthought Known, World Wide Suicide, Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Off He Goes, Down, Save You, The Fixer, Life Wasted
Encore 1:
Just Breathe, The End, Inside Job, Rearviewmirror
Encore 2:
Given To Fly, Do The Evolution, Better Man, The Real Me, Indifference, Alive
“Just Breath” and “The End” featured the Octava String Quartet
“The Real Me” featured the Syncopated Taint Horn Quartet
Pearl Jam :: 09.22.09 :: Key Arena :: Seattle, WA
Sometimes, Why Go, All Night, The Fixer, Dissident, Johnny Guitar, Faithfull, Lukin, Not For You(Modern Girl), No Way, Unthought Known, Unemployable, Comatose, Insignificance, Present Tense, Got Some, Go
Encore 1:
Just Breathe, The End, Black, In My Tree, Spin The Black Circle
Encore 2:
Supersonic, Do The Evolution, The Real Me, Porch, Yellow Ledbetter (The Star-Spangled Banner)
“Supersonic” sung as “Supersonics” with new lyrics about Super Sonics basket ball team
“Just Breathe” and “The End” with the Octava String Quartet
“The Real Me” with the Syncopated Taint Horn Quartet
Pearl Jam is on tour now; dates available here.
JamBase | Alive
Go See Live Music!
2009 MTV Video Music Awards Winners
September 14th, 2009 |
No Comments
Who won big at Sunday night’s 26th Annual MTV Video Music Awards? Check out a complete list of winners from this year’s show after the jump!
VIDEO OF THE YEAR: Beyonce, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).â€
BEST FEMALE VIDEO: Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me.â€
BEST ROCK VIDEO: Green Day, “21 Guns.â€
BEST POP VIDEO: Britney Spears, [...]
Allman Brothers/WSP | 09.01 & 02 | Chicago
September 10th, 2009 |
No Comments
Words & Videos by: Herschel Concepcion | Images by: Norman Sands
Allman Brothers Band/Widespread Panic :: 09.01.09 & 09.02.09 :: Charter One Pavilion :: Chicago, IL
 Widespread Panic :: 09.02 :: Chicago, IL |
I remember the rush of excitement I felt when the Allman Brothers/Widespread Panic co-bill tour was first announced. It was last spring, and I was giddy like a schoolgirl with the latest gossip, calling all of my friends and sharing the news with anyone who would listen, and why not? Here were two of my favorite bands that between them boast three of the top five guitarists out there today, and they would be playing right here in Chicago – two nights – and I would be damned if anything could stop me from witnessing this historic tour.
Needless to say, it would be a long summer for me as I counted down the days until what I believed would be the best shows the city would see all year. Of course, there was plenty of good music to tide me over in the meantime – String Cheese at Rothbury was one of the most intense musical experiences I’ve ever had, and Phish at Alpine wasn’t too shabby either – but when it comes down to it, it’s true blue rock & roll that really stirs my blood. And when it comes to that, the Allmans and Panic are two of the best.
Tuesday, 09.01
Charter One Pavilion is my favorite venue in the city. It’s a temporary structure, taken down every fall and reassembled in the spring. One of the few outdoor venues in the city, it sits on a little peninsula, bordered to the west by Burnham Harbor and beyond that by Soldier Field. The Field Museum sits to the northwest, the Shedd Aquarium to the north, and to the east, the great stretch of water that is Lake Michigan, a vast expanse of rippling waves that glittered under the evening sun that day.
 Haynes & Trucks – Allman Brothers :: 09.01 :: Chicago, IL |
Chicago would be the final stop of the first leg of the tour, with Panic set to close the first night and the Allman Brothers the second. Each act was scheduled to play a full two-hour set with no set breaks (except for between bands), for a total of eight straight hours of music over the two-day period.
The Allmans hit the ground running, blasting out “Done Somebody Wrong” and “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” before getting real bluesy with a “Woman Across the River” that saw lead guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks playing off each other tastefully. After a deep solo by Gregg Allman on the keys, Trucks launched into one of his trademark screaming slide runs. Never one to sit back long, Haynes got mean and heavy with his response, and by the end of the song he and Trucks were firing off licks back and forth. It was downright filthy, real dirty, gritty stuff – and exactly what we’d come here for.
The Brothers were hot now, and it would only get better from there. After the pounding instrumental “Hot’Lanta,” featuring the percussive talents of Marc Quinones, and some more of Trucks’ aching slide on “Stand Back,” the band turned out a great rendition of the always uplifting “Revival” to lighten the mood a bit, and there were more than a few smiles in the crowd as the song took effect.
 Ortiz & Schools :: 09.01 :: Chicago, IL |
Traffic’s Dave Mason then took the stage, adding guitar and vocals to “Only You Know and I Know” and an extra funky “Feelin’ Alright.” After a jazzy, extended “Dreams” it was time for the second surprise guest of the night as Chicago’s very own Buddy Guy joined the Allmans for “The Sky Is Crying” and “You Don’t Love Me.” It was a bit surreal to watch this combination of jam and blues legends all on one stage, like witnessing a piece of history that one might’ve seen 40 years ago. And these guys clearly still have it, rocking out harder than most men half their age. This was definitely no nostalgia act.
After fan favorite “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,” the Allmans closed out their set with a double encore featuring “Melissa” and “Trouble No More.” The “Melissa” was particularly sweet, and began with some poignant soloing by Haynes as the band filtered back onstage with Gregg on rhythm guitar, his gentle but rough, blues-hardened voice as soulful and true as ever.
Not to be outdone, Widespread Panic took full advantage of their first closing spot of the tour, taking the stage 15 minutes earlier than their scheduled set time and jumping right into “Disco” and “Henry Parsons Died.” After a heavy “Bears Gone Fishin’,” the band brought up Derek Trucks for a 15-plus minute, jammed out “Ride Me High.” “Angels On High” was followed by the band’s first-ever rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Just Like A Woman” that found Gregg Allman on his Hammond B3, trading lyrics with Panic’s John Bell.
Allman stayed onstage as Haynes came on to add some six-string work to a highly charged version of the Grateful Dead’s “Turn On Your Lovelight,” a great and welcome surprise to the lucky audience who had already been enjoying a night of great music and guest appearances. But the sit-ins were far from over as Trucks came back out to the stage, where he would remain for the rest of the set.
 Widespread Panic :: 09.01 :: Chicago, IL |
One of the highlights of the night was a “Papa’s Home” sandwich that featured some terrific interplay between Trucks and Panic’s very own guitar wizard Jimmy Herring. After a nice drums session by skins man Todd Nance and percussionist “Sunny” Ortiz came an extra elevated “Climb to Safety,” followed by a “North” that brought out Haynes, who stayed for the encore – a down home and dirty “Bowlegged Woman” that saw the band play for 15 minutes past their allotted set time. Combined with their early start, that’s a total of 30 minutes of extra music.
With the first night officially a success, there was actually some apprehension expressed by a few fans. “How can you top that?” they asked. “That shit was incredible.” Silly hippies, I thought. This ain’t their first rodeo and these super-pros always know how to up the ante.
The Allman Brothers Band:
Jam > Done Somebody Wrong, Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’, Woman Across The River, Hot ‘Lanta, Stand Back, Revival, Only You Know and I Know*, Feelin’ Alright**, Dreams, The Sky Is Crying***, You Don’t Love Me***, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
E: Melissa, Trouble No More
* w/ Dave Mason
** w/ Dave Mason & JoJo Herman
*** w/ Buddy Guy
Widespread Panic:
Disco > Henry Parsons Died, Bear’s Gone Fishin’ > Ride Me High* > Diner > Angels on High, Just Like A Woman** > Turn On Your Love Light***, Papa’s Home* > Drums > Climb To Safety* > Papa’s Home* > North****
E: Bowlegged Woman****
* w/ Derek Trucks on guitar
** w/ Gregg Allman on organ
*** w/ Gregg Allman on organ, Warren Haynes on guitar
**** w/ Derek Trucks on guitar, Warren Haynes on guitar
[Only "Just Like A Woman." Last "Turn On Your Love Light" - 09/24/97, 971 shows]
Continue reading for Wednesday’s coverage of The Allman Brothers Band and Widespread Panic…
Wednesday, 09.02
 Herring, Hermann, Bell – WSP :: 09.02 :: Chicago, IL |
Wednesday’s weather was just as beautiful as Tuesday, albeit with an added electricity in the air. Both bands’ performances had been stellar the night before, and now it was time for round two.
Panic opened their set with a trifecta off their 1991 self-titled album, “Send Your Mind,” “Walkin’ (For Your Love)” and “Makes Sense to Me.” Then came the classic “Pigeons,” which showcased more of Herring’s always plentiful, incendiary guitar work. Honestly, the guy’s a god on his instrument. One of the most technically proficient guitarists out there, Herring can shred an entire song and not play the same lick twice. And he does it with feeling, too, one of the few musicians who can make my head feel like it might explode when he plays.
Panic brought Derek Trucks back out once again, unleashing him on “Mercy” and “Rock.” “Love Tractor” brought the dance party back and featured some more intense soloing by Herring. A fat, funky bass line by Dave Schools – who’s got one of the best tones of any bassist I’ve ever heard – laid down the groundwork for a lead-in to “Barstools and Dreamers,” with Schools plucking away as Herring tore it up and “JoJo” Hermann worked the keys.
Haynes stepped onstage to join Panic for the last two songs of their set, “Me and the Devil Blues” and a downright nasty cover of Neil Young’s “Last Dance” that consisted mostly of Herring and Haynes showing a wide-eyed Charter One crowd exactly what the electric guitar was made for. By the end of their set, Panic played every song off 1991′s self-titled sophomore effort, most of them in order. With the additions of “Last Dance” and “Me and the Devil,” this was truly a remarkable show.
 Gregg Allman – Allman Brothers :: 09.02 :: Chicago, IL |
With what I’d seen up to this point, it raised the question: how do you top two straight nights of A-grade performances? Easy, just deliver an A+ performance. The Allman Brothers were up for the challenge, and with their final set of the two-night Chicago run they showed the Windy City why they are still one of the greatest rock bands on the planet.
They exploded as soon they hit the stage with the hard-driving “Statesboro Blues,” an opener often reserved for special nights full of heated jams and powerful song selection. “One Way Out” pushed the crowd into a dancing fit, and “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” slowed the tempo a bit before the band brought it down even more with some low, loose jamming that eventually melted into a full-blown “Rocking Horse.” This is where the show really took off. Haynes started out with some smooth soloing and built it up to where his guitar was just screaming, a visceral collage of meaty tones and piercing notes blasting from the stage. “Midnight Rider” is always good to hear, and “Leave My Blues At Home” featured some nice guitar work from Trucks and Haynes, but it was the cover of Van Morrison’s “And It Stoned Me,” featuring Panic’s John Bell, that really hit home. Bell stayed onstage as fellow bandmate JoJo Hermann came up for a sit-in on Bob Dylan’s “It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes A Train to Cry,” one of the best versions I’d ever heard.
What happened next I can’t really put into words. That was when – after it appeared we couldn’t get any higher – the Allmans took it to the proverbial next level. After achieving liftoff with an outrageously rockin’ “Black Hearted Woman,” the band brought JoJo, Schools and Herring out for an absolutely ridiculous “Southbound” that completely blew away the version I’d seen them play last year with the North Mississippi Allstars’ Luther Dickinson. The guitar work on this one was fierce and charged with an energy that only the most talented of musicians can dream of channeling.
 The Allman Brothers Band :: 09.02 :: Chicago, IL |
Herring stuck around and played the blues on “Stormy Monday” before the Allmans, who have never shied away from pushing their own limits, began with the rolling drum work of Jaimoe Johanson and Butch Trucks that would soon evolve into “Mountain Jam.” This is the song I’d come hoping to hear. An epic instrumental tour de force, I recognized it immediately. I felt that giddy schoolgirl anticipation building up again, a burst of exhilaration that shot through me as soon as I heard the signature riff. Once again, hearing this song was an experience that I can’t quite put into words, and I’m not sure how the Allmans do it, but “Mountain Jam” is one of those rare melodies that puts many people, including this writer, in a state of pure euphoria every time they play it.
How do you top that? How can you possibly go any higher? Well after the melodic, spiritually uplifting performance I’d just witnessed, there was only one direction to go. We needed something heavy, something solid to ground us. We needed “Whipping Post,” and though I was still floored by the “Mountain Jam,” I think deep down I knew this was the only option for a closer, the only thing that would tie it all together and bring proper closure to the night. And the version we got was vicious; it tore at my heart and soul. Interspersed in the song were a few minutes of beauty that resonated in the very depths of my being, then the return to wickedness, a fierce explosion of screaming guitar that shook me and pierced me and rattled my bones.
I am still confounded by the memory of what I experienced that night, and when I think back and try to make sense of it all, I can’t. I shake my head and say nothing; a slight chill runs through my body. That is not an exaggeration – it was that good. No show can touch a night with both the Allman Brothers and Widespread Panic. And if you don’t believe me, go see for yourself. Me, on the other hand, I just might head down to Charlotte next month for another taste of the most powerful double bill I have ever experienced.
Widespread Panic:
Send Your Mind, Walkin’ (For Your Love) > Makes Sense To Me, Pigeons, Mercy* > Rock*, C. Brown > Love Tractor, Weight Of The World, I’m Not Alone > Barstools and Dreamers, Proving Ground > The Last Straw, Me And The Devil Blues**, Last Dance**
* w/ Derek Trucks on guitar
** w/ Warren Haynes on guitar
The Allman Brothers Band:
Statesboro > One Way Out, Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More, Rockin’ Horse > Midnight Rider, Leave My Blues At Home, And It Stoned Me*, It Takes A Lot To Laugh It Takes A Train To Cry** > Other One Jam > Black Hearted Woman, Southbound***, Stormy Monday****, Mountain Jam > Drums & Bass > 3rd Stone From The Sun Jam > Mountain Jam
E: Whipping Post
* w/ John Bell
** w/ John Bell and JoJo Herman
*** w/ Dave Schools, JoJo Herman, Jimmy Herring
**** w/ Jimmy Herring
Continue reading for videos and more photos of The Allman Brothers and Widespread Panic in Chicago…
Tuesday, 09.01
The Allman Brothers Band
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Widespread Panic
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 Widespread Panic with Derek Trucks
| |
| |
|
Continue reading for even more photos of The Allman Brothers and Widespread Panic in Chicago…
Wednesday, 09.02
Widespread Panic
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 Widespread Panic with Warren Haynes
|
The Allman Brothers Band
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Continue reading for videos of The Allman Brothers and Widespread Panic in Chicago…
The Allman Brothers Band at Charter One – 09.01.09 – “Feelin’ Alright” (ft. Dave Mason)
The Allman Brothers Band at Charter One – 09.01.09 – “The Sky Is Crying” (ft. Buddy Guy)
Widespread Panic at Charter One – 09.01.09 – “Ride Me High” (ft. Derek Trucks)
Widespread Panic at Charter One – 09.01.09 – “Bowlegged Woman” (ft. Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks)
Widespread Panic at Charter One – 09.02.09 – “Pigeons”
Widespread Panic at Charter One – 09.02.09 – “Last Dance” (ft. Warren Haynes)
Allman Brothers Band at Charter One – 09.02.09 – “Southbound” (ft. Dave Schools, Jimmy Herring, and JoJo Hermann)
Allman Brothers Band at Charter One – 09.02.09 – “Whipping Post”
The Allman Brothers Band and Widespread Panic return to the road on October 3 in Charlotte, NC. Complete dates available here.
JamBase | Promised Land
Go See Live Music!
Surprise Me Mr. Davis/Low Anthem | 08.27
September 4th, 2009 |
No Comments
Words by: Bear Connelly | Images by: Jim Brueckner
Surprise Me Mr. Davis/The Low Anthem :: 08.27.09 :: The Narrows Center for the Arts :: Fall River, MA
 Surprise Me Mr. Davis :: 08.27 :: MA |
Have you ever been somewhere and thought to yourself, “There is no place in the world I would rather be than right here?” I live for those moments and was fortunate enough to have one in Fall River, a mid-sized city in southeastern Massachusetts that is home to Lizzie Borden, aging relics from America’s textile manufacturing heyday and one of the best venues around, the Narrows Center For The Arts, where Surprise Me Mr. Davis and The Low Anthem concocted a night of community, storytelling, virtuosic musical prowess and good old fashioned rock & roll for an attentive crowd of around 200.
The Low Anthem started the night with a very mellow mix of songs from their latest album, Oh My God Charlie Darwin, including “To the Ghost Who Write History Books” and “Ticket Taker” with Ben Knox Miller confessing into the microphone while sitting on a stool with his hat brim slung low. The Low Anthem has had a whirlwind year, after being signed by Nonesuch (U.S.) and Bella Union (Europe) they have toured both continents extensively. However, this night was special to them and even with Miller’s road weary voice and the rest of the band’s fatigue they weren’t going to let anything stop them from giving the crowd their all. Why so special, you ask? Number one, because the Narrows was the first club that ever booked them outside of their home base of Providence, RI and secondly because Surprise Me Mr. Davis was the first band that ever took them on the road; so they got to pay their respects to some huge catalysts in their career.
 The Low Anthem :: 08.27 :: MA |
With only three people onstage and about a dozen instruments (including wind instruments, crotales and a pump organ) at their disposal it’s interesting to hear how the band picks the arrangements for each song. I can just imagine them learning a new tune and trying to decide what to play on it. Despite the heavy tour schedule negatively affecting Miller’s voice, it has drastically improved their musicianship. The horns aren’t flat anymore, clarinetist Jocie Adams can play bass and guitar and most importantly, Miller and (usual) bassist Jeff Prystowsky have learned to keep a steady beat on the drum kit. Upbeat songs are no longer their weak link, which is exemplified by the bluesy growl of Blind Willie McTell’s “Don’t Let Anybody Turn You Around” or their arrangement of “Home I’ll Never Be” (a Tom Waits cover adapted from a poem by Jack Kerouac).
After some rockers, The Low Anthem’s set distilled down to what they do best – honest, simple, organic folk music. After starting out the night with newer songs, The Low Anthem finished their set with some oldies like “This God Damn House,” which saw Miller bust out his cell phone trick where he whistles into two cell phones that have called each other in order to create a brilliant, ghostly feedback effect, and “Senorita,” a sweet ballad about a beauty with dust brown skin and her admirer that follows her around Spain with offerings of “cheap liquor if I can’t afford a feast.” With only two albums under their belt and 100-plus shows a year it’s no secret that the Anthem plays these songs all the time. During “Ballad of the Broken Bones” I was wondering if Miller thinks about the lyric, “I have been all over the whole goddamn world and over the world am I,” any differently now that he’s not only been around but also probably played that song while he was there.
 Brad Barr – Surprise Me Mr. Davis :: 08.27 :: MA |
Following The Low Anthem’s stellar set there was a short break before Surprise Me Mr. Davis hit the stage. Now a five-piece, SMMD continued the mellow vibe of the night with an organ accompanying a mostly a cappella version of Nathan Moore‘s new tune “Tombstone” (off his recent solo Folk Singer EP) before launching into danceable stomper “If You Knew.” After the song Moore mentioned how “he forgot it was a sit down show” and perhaps they should change the setlist to reflect that (i.e. less rockers), but the crowd demanded a continuance of danceable numbers and slowly people started to rise from their church pews, which is the offered seating in the Narrows. The band obliged with a hot one-two punch of the scarcely played “Emily Green” and “Sissyfuss.” The former is about a man who has a newfound, uncontrollable excitement in his life because he’s “seen Emily Green and that changes everything.” The latter is a song for the workin’ man about standing up for laborer and civil rights with classic lines like, “I ain’t pushin’ no stone up no hill, just to watch it roll back down,” and, “I ain’t picking those peaches, no, not for a dollar a day/ But I’ll have one of those peaches though and I’ll be on my way/ I will always be free.” “Sissyfuss” has a storied tradition in both spelling (normally “Sisyphus”) and arrangements in The Slip and Nathan Moore repertoires. The current incarnation is a rousing funk number with a Meters-esque bass and guitar lick that features blistering solos by all members of the band, including frequent guest, keyboardist extraordinaire Marco Benevento, who showed off his melodica and piano skills. Benevento joined the band after sitting in with them on their California mini-tour last July and is a very welcomed addition by both the band and fans. Relegated to more of an atmospheric position, Marco shows off his chops during solos but otherwise uses his keyboard arsenal to unleash amazing soundscapes to fill out the band’s songs. This allows electric guitarist Brad Barr to concentrate on his poignant, colorful licks and not rhythm in his guitar playing, and acoustic guitarist Nathan Moore is able to focus more on singing and crowd banter.
 Ben Knox Miller w/ Surprise Me Mr. Davis :: 08.27 :: MA |
Highlights of the set included “Nowhere From Here To Go” and “Rubber Ball” – both were staples of Moore’s recently dormant band ThaMuseMeant and have been given makeovers by Surprise Me. “Nowhere” is a slow acoustic tune about a man contemplating his next move after a long life’s journey to what may be nowhere. Lyrics like, “I sat by while the burning man burned/ I rode by the houses and it was never my turn,” and “I just laid down beside one too many women who’ll never know me at all/ Now I leave as lonely as autumn leaves fall,” provide a glimpse into a man who completely pours himself into his music. Moore is not afraid to write about confessing, celebrating, mourning or pondering life in his lyrics, a wellspring of deep emotions that strike a chord with all of us. A sea of feedback, chromatic shifts and chaotic looping started the onomatopoeiatic “Rubber Ball,” which evolved into the only real jam of the night, with Nathan walking off stage and letting the others deconstruct and devour the two chord middle section, including a drum/bass breakdown by Marc Friedman and Andrew Barr before a mounting jam supported by Benevento’s broad chord voicings.
After a great version of “As Long As There’s One of Us Standing,” in which the members of The Low Anthem trickled onstage, the bands played a three-song mini set together. The mini-set kicked off with The Low Anthem’s new tune “Sally Where’d You Get Your Liquor From” before segueing into the classic anti-amorous SMMD sing-along “I Hate Love.” The show closer was an inspiring take on a classic comedic number from the 1940′s. Written by Tim Spencer and popularized by Red Ingle (and even played on The Muppet Show by Peter Sellers), “Cigareets, Whuskey and Wild Wild Women” is a foreboding warning to the pitfalls of vices. The song has a familiar chord progression but with eight musicians adding little parts, including Jocie Adams’ belted harmonies and Benevento’s mysterious melodica, proved to be a sum greater than its parts. As the chorus – “Cigareets, Whuskey and Wild Wild Women/ they’ll drive you crazy/ they’ll drive you insane” – slowly faded out the crowd kept hooting and hollering and floor stomping for more, so much so it recalled the sound of a pep rally echoing off wooden gymnasium walls. There was no way we weren’t getting an encore.
 Surprise Me Mr. Davis & The Low Anthem :: 08.27 |
At first, only Surprise Me appeared onstage and after a jazzy little jam between Benevento and Brad Barr while Moore tuned, the band launched into “Everything Must Go,” which featured thunderous hits from drummer Andrew Barr and a scorching Brad Barr solo that quoted his solo on their studio album while expanding on it further, something he is a pro at. Next came the new Slip song “England,” a slow building, ostinato adorned, two chord tune that encourages the protagonist to “keep the faith for what’s been done and said” that slowly builds and then cuts out to just vocals. Meanwhile, the crowd started to embellish the beat provided by Benevento (he switched to drums for the song) and continued to clap and stomp in time until the band decided they had to play one more. Unbeknownst to the crowd, their beat happened to be the perfect tempo for the band to seamlessly segue into “Home Away From Home,” a fairly new Davis tune about finding familiarity in the ever changing people you meet and places you go with a life on the road.
All in all, it was really a wonderful night with two bands doing what they love for people that love what they do. The amount of camaraderie and respect between the musicians and concertgoers is unrivaled within the Surprise Me Mr. Davis family tree. While The Low Anthem are still wet behind the ears, so to speak, they are maturing fast, and with a taste of new songs and reworked older songs infiltrating their repertoire it seems these guys have a lot more up their sleeve.
The Low Anthem Setlist:
To The Ghosts Who Write History Books, Ticket Taker, Charlie Darwin, new song (Vines?), To Ohio, Don’t Let Nobody Ever Turn You Around, new song (Highwire man?), Home I’ll Never Be, This God Damn House, The Ballad of Broken Bones, Senorita, Cage the Songbird, new song (Blind Walk the Blind?)
Surprise Me Mr. Davis Setlist:
Introduction > Tombstone, If You Knew, Emily Green, Sissyfuss, Sill Like a Goose, Nowhere From here To Go, Roses & Bottles, Rubber Ball, As Long As There’s One Of Us Standing^, Sally Where’d You Get Your Liquor from^, I Hate Love^, Cigareets & Whuskey and Wild Wild Women^
E: Jam > Everything Must Go, England^ > crowd clap jam^ > Home Away From Home^
^ = with all members of The Low Anthem
JamBase | Massachusetts
Go See Live Music!
Terabyte Time Capsule Makes Data Easy to Share
August 25th, 2009 |
No Comments
Product: Time Capsule 1TB Manufacturer: AppleWired Rating: 8
#package_banner { display: none; }
College roommates can be dicey. They steal your food, soil the bathroom and think nothing of using your beer bong without asking. But what are you g…
Madonna Honors Set Collapse Victims With Musical Tribute
July 17th, 2009 |
No Comments
REUTERS/Luke MacGregor
Madonna has paid a tearful tribute to the two people who lost their lives while constructing her concert stage in France on Thursday.
According to The Associated Press, a 53-year-old French man and a 32-year-old Brit died when a crane used in building Madonna’s “Sticky and Sweet” concert stage collapsed in Marseilles. Two [...]
Jenni Schaefer: Fuzz Balls: Gratitude in Everyday Life
July 15th, 2009 |
No Comments
At what age, do we stop noticing fuzz balls? In other words, when do we stop seeing the wonder in the little things?