show reviews

[arbouler]

whatever show you went to last night, last week, or two minutes ago, and if you have pics, setlist, special moments you wanna share, mention it here. hopefully this will cut down the number of threads of specific show reviews that only 1% of the boardies care to read...

please mention bands/ date/ day/ venue/ location if you can

pic of battles last week 10/30 at the fonda, hollywood:



more on my flickr.

cheers

[tessalasset]

holy shit thats creepy.

[woogie846]

I'll be at Of Montreal tomorrow, so I'll post a review then.

[bmack86]

And I'll be there tonight. Joanna Newsom Tomorrow. Possibly the Ponys on Saturday. Cursive on Sunday. Spiritualized Monday and Tuesday. Possibly Calvin Johnson on Thursday. Aids WOLF on Friday

[arbouler]

so i just got back from of montreal at the avalon. i have nothing to review about the show cuz i left early (after 4-5 songs). my review tonight is about how shitty and ass sucking avalon is.
so i got in to the venue just fine (after a few minutes of mixup at will call), then i got to shoot grand buffet in the pit (missed MGMT earlier). things were cool till after we're done shooting. the avalon people literally kicked me out of the gate after the three songs and i couldnt get back in because supposedly i have to put my camera in the fuckin car if i wanna get back into the venue, and i was like, 'hell fuckin no im not walking five blocks to my car'.

then the lady was like, yea sorry we dont have a coat check or anything like that. we cant do anything about it and i was like, 'wow that sucks'. so i had to wait outside for 30 minutes not doing anything while waiting to be called back in to shoot of montreal.

how the hell is it logical for these fuckers to assume that my car is parked nearby, worse, to assume that everyone drive a fuckin car in LA. what if i were coming on a public transportation, should i leave my shit in the bus then? are these people a bunch of idiots? it's like, if you wanna make a three song rule, you have to have a coat check room or something like that. if you cant make the coat check accessible, you just cant kick people out of the venue.

i got a motherfuckin ticket, you fuckin cunt blowers. it wouldve been much easier to just sneak a camera in rather than deal with that kind of shit. fi had a shitty night because of that. thank god i dont even like of montreal. i just wanted to come back in to hang out with my friends. tonight was supposed to be a guy's night out. so yea, fuck you avalon. i'm never shooting at that venue again (until you guys have the means to let people check their shit in your office).

[mvanwinkle]

i just have one thing ive been meaing/wanting to mention. when i saw polyphonic spree. during their oncore when they all walked through the crowd(it was on halloween) this guy who dressed in a toga/gown who was just in the crowd followed the band and the security gaurds thought he was in the band and he was dancing on stage at the fillmore and tim the lead singer got really mad at him and pushed him off the stage and everyone moved out of the way and the guy ate it face first. and then tim laughed it off. i felt bad for they guy he was on something im not sure what but ya he was really dissoriented after that.

[bmack86]

First off, I agree with Akmal, fuck the Avalon. I love the soundsystem there, but everything else about the place blows. That having been said, Of Montreal were on tonight. They had a cool new stage setup with multi-tiered platforms that lit up and went crazy. They brought back the ninja and other crazy characters that I first saw at Pitchfork. I didn't recognize a few of the songs, which either means that they were older than Satanic Panic or that they're new. Either way, that's pretty awesome. Kevin had a truly ridiculous anecdote about how homosexuality started because early man thought that his penis was a tail and he had other men tug on it to get it bigger so that he wouldn't feel so tail inadequate, and then they realized it felt good. The set was kinda short at 1 hour and 15 minutes including encore, but the sound was so great that it made up for it. They are awesome performers, and I'd recommend catching them in a heartbeat.

After the show, my friends and I were outside and we ran into all of Architecture in Helsinki. They invited us to the afterparty, but my friends are both under 21, so we couldn't go. As we were walking away, we saw Bone Thugs n Harmony, so we got pictures with them. Good night, overall

[tessalasset]

i have to disagree. i was just at avalon on tuesday and loved how chill it was. i was up in the balcony with a few other people and we had that bleacher section all to ourselves. it was one of the most laid back concerts ive ever been to. and it was for hanson.

[suprefan]

Akmal, DEAL WITH IT, ITS LIVE NATION, YOU SHOULD KNOW THEY SUCK ASS. My friends who shoot there all the time gotta deal with it and its nothing new, be glad you got to shoot 3 songs, they usually pull you after one and half.




Brand New and Thrice tonight and yesterday were alright, some setlist changes but nothing major, Jesse stillthinks he is Jesus and Hannah Montana made lots of kids late cause she was playing next door at Ipayone Center and clogged up the streets with cars full of 10 year olds. SD kids are whack, the end. Vegas here I come, and vegan donuts too.

[bmack86]

What drives me nuts about the Avalon is the general atmosphere. Almost every time I've been there, it's seemed much more like an elite dance club than a rock show. There's lots of people who are posing for pictures, talking loudly, drinking too much and disrespecting the band. Tonight was a beautiful exception, and a great show as a result. Modest Mouse there was horrible, largely due to the fact that it was the worst crowd I've ever been in. So disrespectful. They were yelling for Float on from the first song, and after they played it, they were yelling for it again. And there were three or four fights around me.

Plus, it's way too hard to find free parking around there. I sometimes luck out with the Fonda, but those spots are a little too far for the avalon when I've got people with me. Sounds bitchy, but these things make a difference for me between liking and disliking a venue.

[tessalasset]

yeah i parked on the eastern side street of the fonda on tuesday and it was a perfect walk, but i realize now that was cause it was an off night.

[bmack86]

yeah i parked on the eastern side street of the fonda on tuesday and it was a perfect walk, but i realize now that was cause it was an off night.

If the Pantages isn't open that night, it's usually okay. I frequently luck out with a spot near Roscoes. But, damn if there wasn't a single spot open before Battles last week.

[arbouler]

i usually park on sunset. i did that last night. it's far from the avalon, but i really like walking around in hollywood at night.

[mistdevil]

i usually park on sunset. i did that last night. it's far from the avalon, but i really like walking around in hollywood at night.

word.. sunset is fun to walk at night. =)

[ThomThom]

word.. sunset is fun to walk at night. =)

Steve, whoring yourself out at every corner does not meet the criteria.

[mistdevil]

Steve, whoring yourself out at every corner does not meet the criteria.

sasha, what show are we going to see each other again?

[york707]

I was in Chicago last Thursday for work and caught Battles, Caribou, Born Ruffians and White Williams at The Metro. The show was unique in that the Battles/White Williams tour and the Caribou/Born Ruffians tours just happened to be coming through Chicago at the same time and they just doubled up the bill. It was sold out. Lots of hipsters.

Unfortunately, we missed White Williams since the friend who had tickets at will call was late getting there from work, so we sat at whatever bar that is next to The Metro for a few beers till he showed up. We walked into The Metro right as Born Ruffians started. A very young trio, I thought they were great. Sharp, punchy pop songs that rip off the weirder parts of Pixies. In fact the singer's yelp was a little TOO similar to Frank Black's sometimes, but I really liked them. The drummer was great, pounding aggressive rhythms over these pop songs, starting the theme of the night: incredible and conspicuous drumming.

Caribou was next. I guess I didn't realize how shoegazey they were until I saw them live. They were good, but really just didn't do it for me. They played way too long and I was boraed of them after about the 4th song. I think my biggest problem with them was the singing. If they never sang or opened their mouths, I would have liked the set a lot more... Instrumentally they were great, even if the most musically interesting moments were created by the laptop computer that overlayed their whole set with beats, noises and samples. I definitely preferred the more electronically-influenced songs. Overall, as I was watchign their set, I felt like it should have been compelling. But it wasn't, it was just boring. I should have taken more percoset before the show, I guess.

Battles were up next, and holy jesus, they were great live. So Radiohead opened up their new album with a song in five; la-di-freaking-da. The rhythms and counter-rhythms and odd times signatures all collided with each other in oddly perfect unison. Every review I've read of Battles refers to them as mathy or otherwise references their supposed mathiness. Kids, this is just jazz in a new outfit, and it looks and feels so good. I had listened to a grand total of about two Battles songs before this show, but that didn't make a damn bit of difference, as I was engaged, entertained and amazed by every second of their set.

Pitchfork has pictures of the show HERE, which is good, since I forgot to bring my camera.


(I reserve my right to post this review in another thread via cut and paste.)

[Amneeziac]

Anybody else see M.I.A. last night at the Wiltern? It was the best show I've ever been to, the energy once she started was through the roof, and her performance and stage presence was ridiculous. MTV caught the whole thing on film, I assume they'll be having a special. Anyway, that might've had something to do with how great this concert was, maybe not.

She came onstage dressed in a shiny metallic skintight suit with crazy patterns all over it, really short white jeanshorts that were sparkly, and the most insane, sparkly, metallic hoody I have ever seen. Plus a pair of dope shades, her stage presence and the way she danced was sort of half-assed and arrogant, and it was hot. She's a really great dancer.

Every song was insane, the DJ threw a bunch of extra beats into every song, and then for Bird Flu she invited everyone up onstage at the fucking Wiltern! I was in the pit and pushed my way to the front, M.I.A. grabbed my hand and personally helped pull me up onto the stage. Needless to say I was in shock, and dehydrated at this point but I didn't give a shit. I flipped the fuck out onstage and as Bird Flu was winding down hugged M.I.A. and kissed her on the cheek.

The last song before the encore, she got real close to the crowd and grabbed my hand AGAIN, before falling on the audience backfirst, and I was so infatuated and just out of my mind with happiness and having such a good time. She literally fell inches away from my face, the audience holding her up, and I just kissed up and down her arm, not sure why exactly, but I was going crazy.

I woke up this morning and it felt like last night was so good it had to have been a dream. I hadn't felt like that after a show since Coachella. Amazing night, sorry for those who missed it.







Great crowd, a rarity in Los Angeles.

[Ardentbiscuit]

Oh I knew I should have gone to the M.I.A. show!

I'm glad you had a great time!

[ThomThom]

sasha, what show are we going to see each other again?

I don't know, Chris keeps trying to get me to see Ghostland Observatory at The Fonda but I am skeptical. I am kind of done with shows this year, aside from Andrew Bird and Bjork in December. We should just go get drunk somewhere, fuck a show.

[luckyface]

She literally fell inches away from my face, the audience holding her up, and I just kissed up and down her arm, not sure why exactly, but I was going crazy.

Seriously, not to sound like an asshole, but do you know how friggin sketchy/creepy that sounds?

[tessalasset]

i keep forgetting about this thread. copied from upcoming shows:

Swell Season was amazing of course. The crowd was eating it up.

They played these songs in no particular order:

lies
all the way down
leave
say it to me now
falling slowly
when your mind's made up
once
if you want me
this low
sleeping?
im pretty sure they played drown out
lay me down
star star
a new swell season song where glen plays what i think is a mandolin
some irish song that glen was going on and on about
FOGTOWN!!!
some bob dylan song they covered for the movie's soundtrack

i think that's it. it was an awesome set list. tons of celebrities too. I walked by Jenna Fisher (aka Pam from the Office) in the bathroom. she was with some guy who was definitely not her ex-husband (i guess it doesnt matter anymore) but they just looked like friends. she met up with david denholm aka ROY from the office of all people, matthew perry (biggest glen fan ever), meg ryan, some character actor whose name i can't recall... and i think those are the only celebs i saw. they were all together, which was weird. and after the show they all stuck around in that little VIP area while the whole crowd filed out staring at them.

but yeah, fantastic show. i only caught one martha wainwright song and her voice is incredible. i might have to check that out more.

[kreutz2112]

tess, I dont who swell season is, are they worth checking out?

[airguitarvet]

m.i.a. rocked the shit out of the wiltern!

[tessalasset]

Absolutely. The Swell Season is the side project of Glen Hansard, the lead singer of the Frames. It's him and this chick Marketa Irglova and they sing songs on acoustic guitar and piano. They recently starred in a movie together called Once and it has won tons of awards and critical and commercial praise across the board. It was released in May and it's still playing in theaters. Most people know them from the movie (I didn't see Mr. Perry at their gigs opening for Damien Rice a year ago) but luckily their album and the movie soundtrack overlap a lot. Glen is a great actor and a great singer and a great songwriter. Fuckin triple threat. I love him so much.

[summerkid]

I hate MIA so fucking much everything about her.

her shitty music, the stupid clothes she wears, her attitude, the stupid ass comments she makes.

HATE HATE HATE!

[mistdevil]

I don't know, Chris keeps trying to get me to see Ghostland Observatory at The Fonda but I am skeptical. I am kind of done with shows this year, aside from Andrew Bird and Bjork in December. We should just go get drunk somewhere, fuck a show.

word, sounds fun.

[arbouler]

*bump*

[thestripe]

So I saw Bright Eyes at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington DE last night. Great show, surprisingly great venue. The Grand was built in 1871 and is actually a very beautiful place. The sound was fantastic, great acoustics. The Felice Brothers were the first act, but I didn't catch their set. Nik Freitas followed, he has kind of a Brendan Benson sound and switched from guitar to piano throughout the set. Bright Eyes took the stage around 10:00pm. Bright Eyes consisted of Connor, an organ player, bassist, drummer and Mike Morgis on pedal steel. The set list went something like this (no particular order)

We are nowhere and it's now
Old Soul Song
A Song to Pass the Time
Another Travelin' Song
Arc Of Time
Four Winds
If the Brakeman Turns My Way
Poison Oak
Method Acting
You Will. You Will?
Lua
Walls (Tom Petty Cover)

They also played a few that I didn't recognize, but that's the meat of it.

[wmgaretjax]

I hate MIA so fucking much[sic] everything about her.

It's ok to be wrong.