Band of Horses

 

 

I’ve been wanting to see Band of Horses for years and last night I finally got to see them play an intimate show at The Paradise in Boston. This was a great setting for the band who has been playing arena shows over the past year opening for My Morning Jacket, Pearl Jam and Kings of Leon.  Lead singer Ben Birdwell commented on how they were quite happy to sell out The Paradise.

The band played a 17 song/ 80 minute set that slowed down only briefly during a couple of songs from their most recent album “Infinite Arms”.  The band was in good spirits and you could tell they were happy to be playing for their own fans.  They started with “NW Apt.” which sounded a little rough due to the vocals being lost in the mix but besides that it was smooth sailing for the rest of the set.

The band had a huge wall of sound due to the three guitar assault. They also fleshed out their songs, which is similar to what My Morning Jacket do live. Their songs have many textures that were also enhanced by keys/piano and pedal steel.  Some of the standout songs were “Ode To LRC”, “The Great Salt Lake” and set-closer “The Funeral”.  The quieter songs displayed the intricacy of their songs as well as Ben Birdwell’s Impressive vocals. I had never heard live recordings or videos so I didn’t know what to expect but these guys know how to put on a show.

Paradise Rock Club, December 12, 2011

1. NW Apt.

2. Cigarettes, Wedding Bands

3. Is There A Ghost

4. The Great Salt Lake

5. Weed Party

6. Compliments

7. Marry Song

8. The General Specific

9. Laredo

10. Older

11. Islands on the Coast

12. Infinite Arms

13. No One’s Gonna Love You

14. Ode To LRC

15. Am I A Good Man ( Them Two cover) 

Encore

16. Part One

17. The Funeral

Deer Tick @ The Met, Pawtucket RI October 12th and 13th.

 I spent the last two nights seeing Deer Tick perform at The Met. These were the first tourdates promoting their upcoming album “Divine Providence”,  which is out October 25th. Both shows featured two-hour sets that spanned all of their albums as well as many covers and teases.

The day of the first show Deer Tick were in NYC for the taping of their second appearance on David Letterman. The boys made it back to Pawtucket in time to start their first show of the “Divine Providence” tour. Even though they were clearly tired they managed to put on a great show. Some of my favorite songs were performed including “Baltimore Blues No. 1″, “Easy”  and “Old Shoes”. The  set also included  Nirvana’s “On A Plain” and Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene”. During the show they put the Letterman appearance on as the band and audience watched. The band concluded the night with “Let’s All Go To The Bar” .

Deer Tick’s second performance at The Met was even better than the first night. I spoke with John before the start of the show and he told me that he sprained his ankle and was on pain meds and that he pretty much felt like a zombie. He also explained this to the crowd during the show. From the start of the show til the end they barely stopped, playing most songs at a frantic pace.

The band started with “Shotgun” , a bluesy tune that set the tone for the night. I’m not sure if this is a cover or an unreleased song but either way it was good. The first half of the set featured many new songs including “The Bump”,”Funny Word” and the Neil Young-esque, “Make Believe”. The band then played fan favorites “20 Miles” and “Choir of Angels” both from 2010′s “The Black Dirt Sessions”.

The band also played many covers and teases including one of my Favorite Nirvana songs “Serve The Servants”. The also played two covers that i have never heard them play, Bob Dylan’s “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” and The Beatles’ “One After 909″.  Some of the teasers included “Sweet Child O Mine”, “Sunshine Of Your Love” and “Don’t Fear The Reaper”. Some other highlights were “Art Isn’t Real” which concluded with a punk rock version of the song  which reminded me of  Nirvana’s “Polly” and “New Wave Polly”. The night concluded with a raucous version of “Mange”. Some beer was thrown around and then they were gone.

Deer Tick are touring extensively across the U.S. this fall. Check out their website, www.deertickmusic.com for information. I will be seeing them next at Royale in Boston on November 18th with The Felice Brothers.

Four Shows In Ten Days

Show #1  Bright Eyes, July 28, 2011- Gilford NH

It’s been a few years since I’ve seen Bright Eyes but it was well worth the wait. The band played songs from all of their full length albums over the  two-hour set. Frontman Connor Oberst was in great spirits and the band played old and new songs with the same amount of passion and intensity. Guitarist and produced Mike Mogis added quiet flourishes of pedal steel to many songs and also unleashed some great slide guitar leads on many songs including “If The Brakeman Turns My Way” and “Cartoon Blues”.

While the band did showcase a decent amount of songs from 2011′s “The People’s Key” it was not overbearing. The new songs sounded great in a live setting and really showcased how tight the band is. For me the older Bright Eyes sounded just as fresh as songs from the new record. “Lover I Don’t Have To Love” and “The Calendar Hung Itself” flawless in their execution and abandon.

The Best and most consistent songs were from 2005′s “I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning”. I’m guessing the band agrees since they played 7 of the 10 songs from the album. I would have to say the best song of the night was “Lua” with just Connor playing acoustic guitar and accompanied by Nate Walcot’s trumpet. My only problem with the entire show was the last song, “One For You, One For me”.  Though it  is a decent song i was hoping the show would end with a solo song or a more intense song from the whole band. All in all a great show and well worth the 5 hour roundtrip drive.

• Four Winds
   
• Bowl of Oranges
   
• Old Soul Song
   
• Haile Selassie
   
• Jejune Stars
   
• Take it Easy
   
• Lover I Don’t Have to Love
   
• Shell Games
   
• Approximate Sunlight
   
• Arc of Time
   
• Triple Spiral
   
• Cartoon Blues
   
• If The Brakeman Turns My Way
   
• Landlocked Blues
   
• Hot Knives
   
• Poison Oak
   
• Another Travelin’ Song
   
• The Calendar Hung Itself
   
• Ladder Song
   
• Encore:
• Lua
   
• First Day of My Life
   
• Road to Joy
   
• One For You, One For Me

Show #2 Deer Tick and Friends July 31, 2011  Newport, RI

This show took place on the night of the last day of the Newport Folk Festival. Luckily for me the “Friends” were Dawes and Middle Brother.  Deer Tick’s shows on friday and saturday were sold out and this was added at some point on saturday. As always I always try to go to Deer Tick shows and this one was a no brainer.

Dawes opened the show around 10:30. I don’t really like their studio albums but they were impressive live. Guitarist Taylor Goldsmith, who is also in Middle Brother is a great guitarist and bandleader. Though I wasn’t familiar with too many songs they put on a great show.

Deer Tick was next and as always they never disappoint. There set consisted of many new songs as well as some old favorites.  About half way through their set they were joined by Matt from Delta Spirit and Taylor from Dawes. They played one of my favorites, “Blue Eyes” as well as The Replacement’s “Portland” and Nirvana’s “Scentless Apprentice”. The night ended with Deer Tick playing “La Bamba” with M. Ward on lead guitar. Every Deer Tick show is a unique experience and this was no exception.

Show #3 Death Cab For Cutie August 1, 2011 Boston, MA

Like Bright Eyes, Death Cab For Cutie have been around a while and have a lot of songs to choose from and they are both touring in support of new albums.  While I’m not a huge fan of Death Cab’s new album the new songs sounded great. Like Bright Eyes they also played a career spanning set that lasted 2 hours.

The set opened with the bass rumpling of “I Will Possess Your Heart”. The bass at times was so intense you could actually feel it inside you.  The band played many new songs, some were executed better than others and many featured frontman Ben Gibbard on keys instead of guitar. Though the piano was much more present than past tours the group did break out some great guitar songs like “Crooked Teeth”, “Cath” and  ”We Looked Like Giants”.  The set also had its somber moments with Ben playing solo guitar on “I’ll Follow You Into The Dark” and the  full band Joining him on ” Grapevine Fires”.

The band ended the show with “Transatlanticism”, which is one of my favorite songs. I have seem them a few times and this was probably the best show so far. They are great musicians who are clearly passionate about their music.

1. I Will Possess Your Heart
2. Crooked Teeth
3. Why You’d Want To Live Here
4. Movie Script Ending
5. Door Unlocked and Opened
6. Long Division
7. Grapevine Fires
8. Codes+Keys
9. What Sarah Said
10. I Will Follow You Into The Dark
11. You Are A Tourist
12. The New Year
13. Underneath the Sycamore
14. Title and Registration
15. Soul Meets Body
16. Stay Young, Go Dancing
17. Cath…
18. We Looked Like Giants
19. The Sound of Settling

Encore:
20. Home Is A Fire
21. Expo ’86
22. Marching Bands of Manhattan
23. Transatlanticism

Show #4 Bon Iver August 6, 2011 Holyoke, MA

I didn’t really know what to expect from a Bon Iver show. Their music is moody, dark, beautiful yet uplifting in a strange way. The band’s new self titled album was released in June of this year.  I had mixed feelings about the album but hearing it live made me appreciate it much more and the nine piece band was amazing( two drummers, violon, 3 horns, bass, keys and guitar).

The band started off with “Perth”, one of the many songs played from the new album (they played 9 of the 10 new songs) and one of the many songs displaying the need for a nine piece band.  The band marched on through “Minnesota, WI” into “Towers”, which is probably the most straightforward song from the new album.  On the fifth song frontman/songwriter Justin Vernon finally brought out  an acoustic guitar to play the haunting “Holocene”.

Following “Holocene” was the achingly beautiful “Beach Baby” from the “Blood Bank” EP. This has always been one of my favorite songs and they did it more than justice. The electric guitars from the studio version were replaced with violin and horns that created a great backdrop to the lone acoustic guitar and mesmerizing vocals. After a couple of new songs they returned to the “Blood Bank” EP to play a rocking and much more electric version of “Blood Bank” that included guitar solos from Justin.

The end of the show featured many songs from their debut album “For Emma, Forever Ago”. Before the encore we were treated to a solo performance of my  favorite Bon Iver song “Re:Stacks” and “For Emma” which featured horns and slide guitar. The encore started with “Skinny Love”, which is probably their most well-known song.  Unfortunately this was followed by the worst song on “Bon Iver”, “Beth Rest”.  For the last song, “The Wolves (Act I and II) Justin asked the crowd to help sing “What might have been lost”. What resulted was thousand’s of fans singing along until the song ended. This is a band that I would highly recommend to check out.

• Perth
   
• Minnesota, WI
   
• Towers
   
• Brackett, WI
   
• Holocene
   
• Beach Baby
   
• Hinnom, TX
   
• Wash.
   
• Blood Bank
   
• Flume
   
• Michicant
   
• Re: Stacks
   
• Calgary
   
• For Emma
   
• Encore:
• Skinny Love
   
• Beth/Rest
   
• The Wolves (Act I and II)

Fleet Foxes- Orpheum Theatre May 17 2011

 I have been waiting patiently for the last few years for the Fleet Foxes to come back to Boston. My wish was granted on a foggy and chilly Boston night. This was the first time that I saw them and they were pretty much flawless.

 My view from the right hand side of the stage was limited but I was in the 8th row so I could see lead-singer/Guitarist Robin Peckhold, bassist/Vocalist Christian Wargo and Casey Wescott who plays keyboards, mandolin and sings.  Watching Robin play and sing was an amazing experience. Whether he was playing a 12 string or a 6 string he played flawlessly. The instrumentation included 6 and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, bass, drums, mandolin, keyboards and flute.

The band is a great group of musicians but what really catches your ears are the breathtaking vocals. Four out of the six Foxes sing. While most of the vocals are sung by Robin the other members added beautiful harmonies, especially from bassist Casey Wescott. The best examples of this was “White Winter Hymnal” and one of the best songs of the night “Mykonos, which included a vocal jam at the end. My favorite song of the night was “Your Protector” from Their self titled debut album.

The band included songs from both full length albums as well as the “Sun Giant” EP.  The new songs sounded great especially “The Shrine/ An Argument” and “Battery Kinzie”, both of which Robin sounds like Simon and Garfunkel simultaneously.  Other stand out songs included “Sim Sala Bim” and the set closing “Helplessness Blues”.

These guys are the real deal. I can honestly say that out of the hundreds of shows I’ve seen that this is easily in the top 5. I have to thank Boston’s WERS for introducing me to the Fleet Foxes’ majestic music. if you ever have a chance to see them I would strongly encourage it. Ii would also encourage you to pick up their latest album “Helplessness Blues”.

Deer Tick @ The Met April 28, 2011

Last night was the tenth time I have been fortunate enough to see Deer Tick. As always they did not disappoint. The show started with sets from Michael Hurley and Jonny Corndawg.

Deer tick’s set started off with a bang with an intense version of “Easy” from 209′s “Born On Flag Day” which was followed by the reflective “Choir of Angels” from their most recent album ” The Black Dirt Sessions”. The band is currently in the studio and road-tested a few new songs including the rowdy rocker, “Let’s All Go To The Bar” which had a Replacements feel to it.

Of course Deer Tick included a couple of covers which is customary for them. The first was John Mellencamp’s ”Authority Song” featuring Joe Fletcher helping on vocals and an awesome guitar solo by John. The second cover was sung by Ian and was a cover of Michael Hurley’s “Be Kind To Me”. 

While the crowd definitely enjoyed the new tunes, it was the songs of their debut  album that really got the crowd fired up. From the crowd singing along to the chorus of “Ashamed” to the raw energy of “Baltimore Blues No. 1″, which found Singer John McCauley in great voice to the tender solo version of “Golden Rings 2007″  you knew that you were witnessing something special.

The band ended the night with a great version of “Mange”  which ended with beer cans being kicked around the club and beer flying through the air. As with most Deer Tick shows you never know what you’re gonna get but it will always be a great show and a good time.

Setlist

Easy
Choir of Angels
New Song
Ashamed
Funny Word
Baltimore Blues No. 1
New Song
Miss K
Authority Song (Mellencamp) W/ Joe Fletcher
Diamond Rings 2007
Let’s All Go To The Bar
Be Kind To Me (Hurley)
Mange

Atoms For Peace-Citi Center 4.8.10

Atoms For Peace  are Thom Yorke, Flea, Nigel Godrich, Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco.  They originally formed in the fall of 2009 to play a show in Los Angeles to showcase Thom Yorke’s solo record “The Eraser” as well as a few Radio B-sides and some new songs.

Outside the venue and in the bars of boston many people were searching for tickets to what was sure to be an unforgetable performance and it was. The first set consisted of “The Eraser” in full. The album, which is somewhat claustrophobic on disc was anything but in a live setting. From Flea’s funky bass to Thom’s tortured vocals, Joey’s funky backbeat accentuated by percussionist Mauro Refosco’s  quick flourishes while  Nigel added a nice background whether playing guitar or keyboards or his  subtle backing vocals, the band sounded as if they had been playing together for years.

After a short break Thom returned to the stage with just a guitar to play a new song titled “The Present Tense”. After that Thom sat at the piano to play a hypnotizing version of Radiohead’s ”Like Spinning Plates”.  The band returned on stage to finish off the show, which included a Radiohead B-side as well as a few more Thom Yorke songs. The night ended with a sublime performance of “Feeling Pulled Apart From Horses” which reminded me of early Pink Floyd. Hopefully the band will record an album or tour again. This was one of the most intense shows i have witnessed.

01 The Eraser
02 Analyse
03 The Clock
04 Black Swan
05 Skip Divided
06 Atoms For Peace
07 And It Rained All Night
08 Harrowdown Hill
09 Cymbal Rush

Encore

10 The Present Tense
11 Like Spinning Plates
12 The Daily Mail

13 Paperbag Writer
14 Judge, Jury & Executioner
15 Hollow Earth
16 Feeling Pulled Apart By Horses

Ani Difranco- 1.30.10 Showcase Live, Foxboro, MA

Ani Difranco stopped by Showcase Live in Foxboro on saturday night to a near sold out crowd. The venue, which is located in Patriot Place provided an intimate setting for Ms. Difranco and her band. This tour her band consists of Bassist Todd Sickafoose and drummer Andy(didn’t catch his last name).

As usual the setlist varied from songs as far back as the early 90′s as well as brand new songs. Ani changes her setlist on a nightly basis and this was no exception. The show started off with a rocking version of “Anticipate” from 1991′s “Not So Soft”. It started off with just Ani but when the band kicked in the song had a whole new feel to it.

  “Alla This” from 2008′s “Red Letter Year” was dedicated to the late Howard Zinn and featured lyrics such as ” and i can’t support the troops cuz everyone last one of them’s being duped and i will not rest a wink until the women have regrouped”. The live version of this song was much more intense than the studio version.  Ani also told a story about how she wrote to  Howard Zinn to ask him to write linear notes for her and Utah Phillip’s album ”Fellow Workers” and that he did!!

Throughout the show Ani talked about politics and of course local Senator Scott Brown. “Alla This” was followed by “You’re Next Bold Move”, which is one of her most political songs. “Swan Dive” broke the mold but was one of the best songs of the night. I was quite pleased that she played on of my favorite songs, “Garden Of Simple from 2001′s Revelling/Reckoning double album.

Towards the end of the set Ani played a cover of “Which Side Are You On” which she recently played at Pete Seeger’s 90th Bday celebration in New York City. Ani explained that the song was written in the 1930′s and that she kept the chorus intact but made up new words for the verses. It was a great song and hopefully it will get a proper release at some point.

Anyone who is familiar with Ani knows that if you come to see her live that you will her many songs that are new. Some of the new songs worked well but she in general she played too many new songs. One of the better new songs she did was called ”If You’re Not” which  featured the lyrics “If you’re not getting happier as you get older than you’re fucking up”.  Ani and the boys ended the show on a high note with  great versions of “Shameless” and “Untouchable face”, both from 1996′s “Dilate”. All in all is was a good show that couldv’e been better if it was paced differently.

Ani generally has good opening acts and this show was no exception. I only caught a few songs from Gaby Moreno and her band but they sounded great. I would encourage people to check her out.

Setlist

1. Anticipate
2. Modulation
3. Providence
4. Promiscuity
5. Splinter
6. Coming Up
7. Alla This
8. Your Next Bold Move
9. Swandive
10. She Says
11. Unworry
12. Garden Of Simple
13. Life Boat
14. Which Side Are You On
15. Mariachi
16. Hearse
17. If You’re Not
18. Shameless
19. Untouchable Face

Delta Spirit at The Middle East, Cambridge MA 2.1.10

The upstairs at the Middle East is a great place to see a show. With a capacity of 137 people you feel like you’re at a frat party and not a music venue.  Delta Spirit played there last night and will be back on Monday February 8th for a second show with opening act The Willowz.

The Willowz, a garage/punk/blues band from California had the tough task of opening for the Delta Spirit but they did a great job. At times they sounded like a bluesy version of Mudhoney  with a little Sonic Youth mixed in.  The unique vocal delivery of guitarist/singer Richie James Follin gave the band a laid back feel even though the music was anything but laid back.

After The Willowz set ended i headed towards the bathroom where i had the pleasure of meeting Delta Spirit’s singer and guitarist, Matt Vasquez while i waited in line. After listening to him tell some pretty funny stories the conversation headed towards the Lakers and Celtics game from the previous day. Vasquez, a Laker’s fan said that the Celtics should have won and that he loves the Lakers-Celtics matchup.

Delta Spirit came on stage around 10:45 and Matt dedicated the set to the Boston Celtics(pretty good coming from a california native). The hour long set started off like an explosion and the band went full throttle for its entirety. The band seemed to be in great spirits and the packed audience definitely fed of their energy.

The band said that their new record should be out in May and that it’s called “History From Below”. The new songs showcased a more heavy and experimental side than was heard on 2008′s “Ode To Sunshine”.  Of course the band also played a handful of songs from “Ode To Sunshine” including the catchy “Trashcan” and “Strange Vine”.  The band also played the intense  “People C’mon” and the solemn “People, Turn Around”. 

Maybe it was the small venue or the enthusiastic fans but this was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Delta Spirit are an extremely tight band, especially the amazing rhythm section(which had extra help from various members throughout the night on percussion). I know that singer/guitarist Matt Vasquez garners most of the  attention but i was most impressed with bassist Jon Jameson. I’ve said it before and i will say it again, these guys are gonna be huge. Check them out if you can.

Ray LaMontagne Solo at The Wang 11.4.09

Despite a somewhat loud and  rude audience, Wednesday night’s show was great. Ray performed with just guitar and harmonica and it worked well for him. Stripped down shows can be either hit or miss but this was a hit. Ray played a 90 minute set that drew from all of his albums as well as some great covers.

Ray’s face was hidden for most of the show by a large hat. The solo setting allowed for him to explain about songs and their origins as well as his respect for Lucinda Williams and Bob Dylan. He mentioned how you can’t make a Dylan song better which isn’t 100% true but  he did play three great covers. The covers were Nina Simone’s “To Love Somebody”, Townes Van Zandt’s “Loretta” and one of his favorite songs “Fruits Of My Labor” by Lucinda Williams.

It was a great show from an amazing singer. I would like to see him perform with a whole band but i was impressed with his guitar and harmonica playing. He also mentioned that a new album should be out in early 2010.

Mason Jennings-Somerville Theatre 10.15.09

Mason Jennings stopped by the Somerville Theatre last night in support of his newest album “Blood Of Man”. The nearly sold-out crowd was enthusiastic throughout the 90 minute performance. The relied heavy on the new album as he played 9 of the 10 songs. Mason was backed by a drummer, bassist and lead guitarist. He also played a handful of songs solo with just him, guitar and harmonica. Mason’s skillful harmonica playing was showcased throughout the night but reached a high point during “Jackson Square”

While most of the new songs translated well in a live setting it was the older songs that drew the loudest response. He opened with the rocking “Soldier Boy” from 2008′s “In The Ever” and he never looked back. Highlights of the night included “Be Here Now”, “Ulysses” and a dead on cover of The Bands “The Weight”, which featured each member of the band singing a verse.

The night was almost over when Mason played “Hospital and Jails” which was somewhat expected with it’s reference to Massachusetts. The Set closed with two older songs, “Nothing” and Godless”. It was a great show that was paced relatively well considering it featured nine new songs.