Post Reviews & Pictures/Videos Of Shows You've Recently Attended Here

[SoulDischarge]

Instead of cluttering up the Upcoming Shows thread too much.



Last night I saw Mission of Burma for free in Cleveland. A college radio station had a small one day festival of 8 local and regional bands headlined by Mission of Burma. I had shit to do yesterday, and honestly, I didn't want to sit through 8 hours of bands I'd never heard of by myself, so I showed up around 8 p.m., two hours before MoB was scheduled to go on. I was able to catch two local acts. The show was held in an outdoor courtyard at the university where the radio station is located, and it was a pleasant area to see a show. When I got there, there were lots of people sitting in grass picnicking with their families. A lot of kids were having fun dancing to between set music such as Television and the Dead Boys.

The first band I saw was called Kid Tested. It was pretty typical early 90s style indie/alternative rock (they had a song about Daniel Johnston and another one called "Husker Don't", I wonder if there's an umlaut over the 'o'). The playing was pretty good, but the vocals were completely unremarkable. After about half an hour of watching the familiar scene of dorky white dudes playing guitars, I wandered back to my car to snack on some food I had brought.

Next up was Megachurch. They dress up like bible salesmen and play instrumental groove heavy math metal with samples of preachers and Kiss stage-banter. For the most part, the songs themselves were excellent, but the samples got kind of old after awhile. Between songs they would let them go on for like two minutes while they just stood there and it was pretty unnecessary. Occasionally they integrated them into the songs and it worked, but more often it detracted from the music. A few of the songs were a little aimless, but some of them really slayed. Given time to refine, they could end up being a really good band.

Finally, it was time for Burma to go on, but amp drama caused a bit of a delay as they ended up having to use Megachurch's. Roger Miller seemed pretty annoyed about the situation, but as soon as they worked out the kinks and started playing, it was obvious they were really excited to be in front of an audience. The crowd was surprisingly sparse towards the beginning, but as the set went on, it filled up. They opened with "Academy Fight Song" and then played a bunch of songs from ONoffON and The Obliterati. At some point, some annoying wacky little chick made her way to the front of the crowd where I was standing with her dog, which pissed me the fuck off and ruined the show for a couple of songs (luckily a bunch of slower, mostly newer songs). At some point she said something to me and I told her she shouldn't have a dog so close at a show, to which she responded "Oh he doesn't mind." How the fuck do you know, cunt? That's the problem with free shows: just about anyone can and will show up. Eventually she cleared out and the band started digging up some classics from Vs. and Signals, Calls & Marches. As soon as they played "That's When I Reach For My Revolver", the crowd went nuts and stayed that way for the rest of the show as the band tore through classic after classic. Burma seemed really thrilled and grateful to be playing and everyone was having a great time. During their encore, they played a cover of Pere Ubu's "Heart Of Darkness" in dedication to Cleveland. The almost ended with my favorite song of theirs ("Max Ernst") but half way through the drummer forget his part so they played something I didn't recognize. I probably would have been disappointed if I wasn't have such a good time otherwise. Overall, it was a great way to close out the summer and reminded me why I like Cleveland so much despite all its deficiencies.

I'll edit in pictures in a little while.

[MarkO]

Good idea for a thread. I saw MoB in Spain last year and they were amazing. Lots of power.

[bmack86]

God I miss Mission of Burma. They are so awesome live, and I've not seen them in quite a while. One of the most fruitful reunions ever.

[rskapcat]

A friend invited me to see Paolo Nutini last night...her treat. I was semi-familiar with his material beforehand. His first record is bland but not unpleasant pop. On the second record he somehow turned into a 90 year old man. He sounded ancient, the production was crap, complete stylistic shift from the first record, etc.

So I went in with very low expectations. I have to say, he FAR exceeded them. I preferred the new material by far, and it's proof that bad production can ruin a record.

[MissingPerson]

Few from the Picnic. Last year I worked at the campsite. This year I got posted at the Artist's area, which was a cool little window into how real people live.

I have a bad camera and I use it badly, but hopefully this will give ye some idea of the vibe. Feel like it's something most you folks might relate to.

Coldchella, if you will.

Main Stage:







We finished work too late to set up camp the first night, so we slept here:



One of my roomies.



Artist's Compound:



Obviously not cool to take photos when there are actual artists in there, but still. We snuck back in to use the artist's toilets and showers too. Aaaah, hot water.

Arist's Tent:







Second day, they shoved a walkie talkie in my hand and gave me the task of getting bands to my assigned stage on time. Now, for the most part, I had no fucking idea what I was doing, but we just about managed. Through no fault of my own, the stage was already running an hour late, but we made the time up over the day. I clocked out just in time to avoid being the poor idiot who had to report back to the office that we'd "lost" Seasick Steve.

He turned up though, don't you worry. He'd just gone for a walk.

Third day, I was working the artist's gate. It's the worst job on earth and no amount of money would make it okay, never mind doing it for free. Highlight of that day was checking in Bat For Lashes, but all of ten minutes later, we got word over the radio that she'd cancelled. Damn.

My beloved and adorable fishy wellies, wellies with an awesome Koi all down the side, sadly did not survive my heroic long distance dash to get to Ohbijou and get them to the site office. You haven't lived until you've wedged yourself into a tourbus and bellowed directions at a very amiable indie band and their driver.

Returned to the office to hand in my walkie and sign out, and gradually realised that the affable American chap queuing patiently behind me was James Murphy. Finished work, stole his dressing room sign, and ran over to the tent to get a good spot for himself and Pat's DJ set. Would have preferred a full-on LCD Soundsystem experience, but all the same, it was a beast of a set and set a really good tone for the night's proceedings.



Oh God, I wished I'd hugged him when I'd had the chance.

Might have been a smidge unprofessional though.



Taking advantage of our passes, we went to see 2ManyDJ's from here:







Third day was the most hectic. The most big names, the most problems, the most dramatic weather. I wore four layers of clothing, and all of them got rainy.

As nice as Wayne was - and he was lovely, if a bit, uh, Wayney - I couldn't quite keep from reprazentin' my crew.



Had hoped to take a corresponding one with the Bell Orchestre sign, but at exactly that moment, Bell Orchestre themselves quietly made their way into the compound. Quite aside from being an outstanding band in their own right, Bell Orchestre, for the inattentive, share three members with Arcade Fire. Had to stow the sign and throw on a jacket so hurriedly that I never got to put the sign back up. So Bell Orchestre had no dressing room sign. Sorry about that. I still have it in my rucksack if you want it now.

It got hectic later on. Problems on problems. We were short dressing rooms, due to last minute scheduling changes. Bell Orchestre were already at the stage by then, but evidently their tour manager got wind of the situation and came to us to say that, rather than return back to their dressing room after their set, we could just dump all their stuff back into the bus if that was any help? They were tight for time, so they might just hit the road as soon as they finished anyway.

Yes, we said, that would help us a whole lot, and do you know you've just saved our asses in truly spectacular fashion, Bell Orchestre's Tour Manager? No problem, says Bell Orchestre's Tour Manager, and off he goes on his merry way. Incidentally, the only Tour Manager we dealt with all weekend who wasn't a bit of a twat.

Thing is, since I was missing them play and all, I was a little bit down-and-out that they weren't going to be coming back. I'd kinda wanted to say hi. By then, to be honest, I was a bit pissed off with the whole state of affairs generally. I was running around organising some other band's rider stuff afterwards, by then totally exhausted, sick of getting other people beer, and able to hear crowds going fucking bananas - and rightly so - for Royksopp off in the distance when holy motherfucking shit that's Richard Reed Parry bitches.

Just told him I was sorry to miss their set, that it was a shame they didn't have better weather. He laughed, and said it was pretty much what they expected in Ireland. He'd been here often enough to know better. I gave him passport covers for the band - Irish ones, with the national symbols and all - told him to be sure and come back sometime when I wasn't working. Maybe not for a while he said. Pause. Not with Bell Orchestre. Some other completely inane bullshit that I can't remember because all the cool parts of my brain apparently went into some sort of defensive coma, but God bless him, if I sounded like a lobotomy patient, he didn't let on.

The thing is, the guy is still really endearingly bad at being famous. He blushed every time he was asked if he needed anything, and he was just so sincerely lovely that after nattering with him about absolutely nothing for a bit, I then went on to accidentally work 40 minutes over the end of my shift purely because I didn't notice the time go by.

Whoever said you shouldn't meet your heroes just idolised an asshole. Richard Reed Parry, you are fucking hero.

To celebrate that, and the end of our shifts, myself and the other volunteers grabbed dinner in the Artist Catering tent, had a few cans and departed, to close out our festival in style.







Some general fest stuff:







Guys in the water:



Boat on the ground:







Ferris wheel:



Friend of mine got wrecked off his head and spend 90 minutes and 60 quid on it. Just going around and around and around. He says it was worth it.

Came away with lots of great, weird memories, and I ate a wild boar burger. Worked like hell - and it was hard work - which is always galling to do for no money. Don't know if I'll do it again, but it was great to do just the once, and I've a whole lot of respect for anybody who can do that stuff more than once a year without dying of exhaustion. How many people can honestly say they arranged Jeffrey Lewis' fruitbowl?

So that's that.

[boarderwoozel3]

Sounds like quite the experience. I got a good chuckle at 90 minutes and 60 quid on a festival Ferris wheel. Any word about the sound quality up there?

[MissingPerson]

On the ferris wheel?

Some of the bass gets lost, sadly.

[tessalasset]

SUCH a great review! god you did a whole lot. i've worked at coachella once (and dani can confirm or deny this) but they have different people to do each job you did that weekend. one person directing tour buses to the lots, one person setting up artist trailers, one person getting bands to the stages... you did a damn lot of work. mad props.

[PlayaDelWes]

Coldchella, if you will.

Main Stage:

No worries MP, the Main Stage at Coachella is not positioned in front of a GIANT TREE.

[Boourns]

Coldchella looks awesome

[boarderwoozel3]

So, G. Which band member, manager or collective group tempted your ire the most? It sounds like The Bell Orchestre--sorry you had to miss them--are class acts, who was their personalty polar opposite?

[MissingPerson]

Damn tree.

Pain in the ass, that tree. Stupid hippy festival won't let me chop it down.

SUCH a great review! god you did a whole lot. i've worked at coachella once (and dani can confirm or deny this) but they have different people to do each job you did that weekend. one person directing tour buses to the lots, one person setting up artist trailers, one person getting bands to the stages... you did a damn lot of work. mad props.

There was a team of us, but we chopped and changed as we came on and off shift, so we did bits of everything.

Was pretty frantic though, yeah.

[MissingPerson]

So, G. Which band member, manager or collective group tempted your ire the most? It sounds like The Bell Orchestre--sorry you had to miss them--are class acts, who was their personalty polar opposite?

One particular band specifically requested metal spoons... but that was the height of it. Everybody has a kind of siege buddy mentality, and they all work the same circuit so it's in their interest to get along. And if they don't get along, they just stay out of each other's way. They're old pros, most of 'em.

Bell O were a dream to deal with, yes. Their dressing room was tidier when they left than before they got there.

[boarderwoozel3]

Not at liberty to drop names, eh? Fair enough. That's certainly understandable, about everyone playing well with others. Especially considering how much they must see each other on the summer festival circuit.

[MissingPerson]

That's just it. Everybody knows everybody. Klaxons buddy around with James Murphy, who buddies around with Bell Orchestre, who buddy around with Fleet Foxes, who buddy around with Flaming Lips... and so on and so on. They don't have a whole lot of downtime between shows and buses, so they don't want to waste it being assholes.

The only bands that acted like divas were the smaller local bands who are kinda new to the whole deal and wanted to push their luck while it lasts. The big name bands know better than to piss off the people around them. Now, their tour managers can be a bit unpleasant - such is their duty - but the bands themselves were invariably courteous, professional and comfortably straightforward to deal with.

[SoulDischarge]

Very nice review. The Do Lab sure does get around.

[MissingPerson]

I went looking for it, I promise, but I never did find it.

[ivankay]

Great review MP. i hope to attend one year. i almost did last year, but family reunion stuff kept me from attending.

Anyway, i posted this in the NIN thread. i went to the Palladium show this past Wednesday. i have been to many show at that venue and that night is by far one of the most epic and historic for me. i was a bit mushy and thought more than a few times about my first NIN show that happened only a couple of streets over and 18 years ago. Mew blew me away and caused my tear ducts to work. NIN also was huge. i did have some incorrect introspections during "Head Like a Hole". 18 years ago i could scream "I'd rather die than give you control!" with the illusion of conviction. Wednesday i could listen and ponder the many ways i have no control over my life. Thanks Mr. Reznor. You have a nice impact on this life. Pictures (sorry if you've seen them already...want to add to Patrick's great new thread):





















































Slideshow version.

[MarkO]

Names to faces ? or are they not board folk ?

[ivankay]

Borrowed this from Chris's post in the NIN thread:

Back row, left to right

Jenny (jennygirl), Omar(museradio) Dylan(Mr Dylanja) TalguyCM is behind D$ obvi red shirt Jason (sin213) Paul (paulb) Mark (Faxman) Andrew (djandrews25) GGd shirt is Donaldj Sasha in the hat(thomthom)

Front row Sophia (Feather) greg (Emtgreg) I (Chris) am in front of Greg and then Miranda(whip)

i don't see a mention of blinken. That's him next to thomthom, right?

[tessalasset]

omg is that a power thirst shirt???

[suprefan]

Nope

[SoulDischarge]

I went looking for it, I promise, but I never did find it.

Nope, you found it.

[zenidogx]

No worries MP, the Main Stage at Coachella is not positioned in front of a GIANT TREE.

Damn tree.

Pain in the ass, that tree. Stupid hippy festival won't let me chop it down.

that would be great if they accidentally set up the stage behind the tree and played it off as if it were intentional. yeah, i have nothing interesting to add. awesome story.

ivankay, excellent pics, as always.

[MissingPerson]

Thats kind of a funny angle, but I promise the tree isnt as close to the stage as it looks, and it's actually well off to the right.

[MissingPerson]

POWERTHIRST!

Nope, you found it.

Aaaaaaaaah, okay.

[seandlr]

As nice as Wayne was - and he was lovely, if a bit, uh, Wayney - I couldn't quite keep from reprazentin' my crew.

Amazing.

[Alchemy]

Beach House


Grizzly Bear


Review: Fun! Free!

[faxman75]

MPeezy, can you please tell us more about the giant tree in front of the main stage? I mean WTF? There were no other places to put a stage other than directly behind a giant tree?

[MissingPerson]

Amazing.

4 lyfe, yo.

Still had it on while I was talking to Himself too, although that wasn't so much a statement as an attempt to stave off hypothermia. A couple of Flaming Lips fans commented on it at the show too. We got talking, shared beers, and all was lovely and well.

I feel like I did my part for the reconciliation effort, overall.