Last week Cold War Kids stopped in at The Fillmore and managed to completely deliver the goods. We here at HAD hadn't caught the band since last year's show at Outside Lands, and it was good to see them in action again.
While the band dug into a bunch of material from their latest record, the older stuff (including "Hospital Beds" and "Hang Me Out To Dry") was what really won over the crowd. Not exactly surprising, considering the band's California roots (and the lesser critical praise for the second album, to boot) - we're sure there were some long term fans in the audience.
Either way, the band delivered an unquestionably solid live show - they were full of energy, definitely poised to deliver for the audience. Suffice it to say, it was a night of heartily enjoyable rock and roll. Besides enjoying the show, we managed to snag a few shots for your enjoyment (Including the setlist here). After you've checked them out, head to Music Induced Euphoria, who took in the show as well.
More pictures at the HAD Archive
Friday, May 15, 2009
Cold War Kids Played The Fillmore - Pictures, Review
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Wanderlust Brings Spoon and Broken Social Scene To Tahoe
Okay, we admit, this is sorta on the boundry of what we consider to be "in good taste". An indie rock festival at a ski resort that includes a supplementary yoga retreat? Yeah, we know, questionable. But then, you see, here's the rub: some of the bands are really good, and Tahoe's so pretty in the summer, and well, it's just....nice.
The Wanderlust Festival is taking place July 24th-26th this year at Squaw Valley in Tahoe, and it's featuring some of our most favorite bands. Specifically Spoon, Broken Social Scene, and Rogue Wave will all be on hand for Saturday's lineup. Granted, that means you need to be able to tolerate Michael Franti headlining, yoga sessions between shows, and a general...dare we say...hippieish vibe?
Sunday's lineup is less noteworthy to our tastes, so it kinda leaves the whole thing up in the air. Does the Bay Area really need another music festival? Is it ridiculous to try and mix health and indie rock? We don't know the answer to any of these questions. What we do know is that we'd basically entertain any scenario that involves Spoon and BSS on the same bill, hippies be damned. Catch you in Tahoe.
Joe Strummer: "Generations"
It's no secret that Joe Strummer experienced a career renaissance before his untimely death in 2002. The trio of albums released in the late 90's and early 2000's represented some real growth for the former Clash frontman, both in instrumentation and songwriting. If they're not already in your collection, they certainly should be. But that's a story for another day.
Prior to those three, Strummer was in something of a "lost weekend" phase. After The Clash, Strummer released an overlookable solo record (Earthquake Weather) and a smattering of side projects and one-offs, none of which really failed to take hold. However, there was one piece of the puzzle that is obviously the clear lead in to Strummer's fantastic late-period records, and criminally overlooked: "Generations".
The song is the title cut from a 1997 charity album of the same name, and is brimming with the promise that would be fully realized in 1999 with Rock Art And The X-Ray Style. All the elements are in place: Strummer's new found laid back vocal style, eccentric percussion, and guitar lines that border on sounding like synthesizers. More importantly, it truly sounds as though Strummer is inspired and has something to sing for.
There's no question that Joe Strummer died far too early, but at least one can be thankful that he found his muse again before leaving life behind. He was an unquestionably unique talent in the world of rock music, and while his legacy with The Clash was fantastic, he truly built upon it with his later work. Stumbling across gems like this just serves to hammer that point home, and make us glad he left so much damn good music behind.
mp3: Joe Strummer - Generations
Wilco (The Album) Streaming On Wilco's Web Site
On Monday we mentioned that we were hankering to hear Wilco's latest, and apparently our prayers were quickly answered. The band has released a statement that the record has apparently leaked, and so in keeping with Wilco tradition, they've begun streaming the album via their web site.
The site itelf has been completely revamped as well, and there's a lot to check out. We're still in the midst of our first listen to the record, so those thoughts will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, what are you waiting for? Get over there and listen!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Digital Edition Drops Today
Granted, if you really wanted it, you probably already pilfered by some other means. Nonetheless, we figured we'd give you a reminder that Phoenix's latest record Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix made it's digital release today, and is available for consumption via iTunes. The physical release drops in two weeks, so if that's your preference, then you'll just have to wait.
Either way, we can't recommend it highly enough - it's stupendous. Go get 'em kids - time's a wastin'!
mp3: Phoenix - Lizstomania
Underworld Coming To Fox Theater In August, Presale Tomorrow At 10 AM
It's been a while since HAD last caught up with Underworld, but that doesn't change the fact that they deliver a killer live show that left us reeling a couple of years back. The duo are returning to San Francisco this August, with a show at the Fox Theater on Friday the 7th. We highly suggest you check out the gig, for which you can snag tickets in a presale Wednesday morning at 10. The password is "volpe".
New U2 Video: "Magnificent"
We'll readily admit it's no Achtung Baby or Joshua Tree, but that doesn't change the fact that U2's latest record No Line On The Horizon has managed to garner some decent continuous playtime from us over the past couple of months. In short: we like it, and we're psyched that the band's got a summer tour lined up, football stadiums be damned.
The band has just released the next single from the record, "Magnificent", and as expected there's a video to accompany it. Granted, we would rather have seen the album's title track selected as the next single, but you can't have everything. What we did get is a relatively entertaining video of the band performing a live take in there recording space in Morocco, where much of the album was recorded.
It's a classic U2 vibe, and if you're adamantly opposed, then obviously it's not gonna be your cup of tea. But if you're willing to keep an open mind, then click above to check 'er out.
Oasis Release Noel Solo Acoustic Gig Via iTunes
You may recall that a while back we mentioned the disc was being given away in UK papers. We were a tad jealous, to say the least. Well now the band has done the rest of the world a solid, and made the disc available via iTunes. Granted, you have to pay $11.99 to snag it, but the upside is a 16-track album that looks to kick some massive ass.
Specifically, it's a Noel-fronted solo acoustic show that's got something for everyone. B-sides, the hits, new songs, old songs. In short, it's killer. For even sometimes-fans, we gotta say this is gold. And, for those haters out there (you know who you are), it still might be worth checking out: Oasis songs take on a totally different quality with Noel singing, and in our opinion, a better one. You may find yourself digging it more than you think.
Oasis - Dreams We Have As Children Tracklist
1. (It's Good) To Be Free
2. Talk Tonight
3. Fade Away
4. Cast No Shadow
5. Half The World Away
6. The Importance of Being Idle
7. The Butterfly Collector
8. All You Need Is Love
9. Don't Go Away
10. Listen Up
11. Sad Song
12. Wonderwall
13. Slide Away
14. There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
15. Don't Look Back In Anger
16. Married With Children
Jarvis Cocker Plots Summer Tour
Jarvis Cocker's forthcoming second solo album is certainly high on our list of must-haves for the year. Given that, we were stoked to see that Cocker has planned a brief summer tour, with a few notable US stops. Sadly, if you're not on one of the coasts, you're out of luck: the tour's only US stops are in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Lucky us!
Cocker's SF stop will be at The Fillmore, and having seen his 2007 show at the same venue, we can assure you that this is one you won't want to miss. The combination of Cocker's epic showmanship with San Francisco's most notable venue is just way too sweet to pass up. Combine that with a whole album's worth of material, and well, you get the idea. Tickets are on sale now.
mp3: Jarvis Cocker - Angela
Jarvis Cocker Summer 2009 Dates
May 29 Primavera Festival Barcelona
May 31 Vega Copenhagen
Jun 2 Fabrik Hamburg
Jun 3 Rockhal Luxembourg
Jun 4 Bataclan Paris
Jun 6 Ancienne Belgique Brussels
Jun 10 Empress Ballroom Blackpool
Jun 12 ABC Glasgow
Jun 14 Rock City Nottingham
Jun 16 Brighton Dome Brighton
Jun 17 Troxy London
Jun 19 Ejekt Festival Athens
Jul 24 Secret Garden Party Huntingdon
Jul 27 Wiltern Theater Los Angeles
Jul 28 Fillmore Theater San Francisco
Jul 30 Terminal 5 New York
Aug 8 Berlin Festival Berlin
Aug 21 Frequency Festival St. Polten
Aug 22 Green Man Festival Brecon Beacons
Monday, May 11, 2009
Grand Lake: New Singles Releases - Video
We've been digging on Grand Lake ever since we got our hands on Nevermint, and as such we've been wondering when we'd see new material from the band. Well, our wait and wondering is now officially over. We caught up with the band at a recent gig at the Knockout, and managed to snag a couple of vids of some of the band's new material. Specifically, the tunes "Why Do You Lie To Me", "Sandusky Sunset", and "Carapoforo".
The first two tracks are destined for the first of a new series of singles the band is releasing over the coming months. This first one (the band tells us) will be dubbed a "Cassingle", and will be released physically as a cassette, with an accompanying digital download. The two tracks build well on the foundation laid by Nevermint, and while "Sandusky Sunset" would seem comfortable among Nevermint's track list, "Why Do You Lie To Me" takes on a significantly more experimental and original vision.
To our ears, that vision is fully realized in the third track here, "Carapoforo". Targetted for the second single release (tentatively on 7-inch), the track features killer vocals and edgy guitar over a gently loping bassline. We were totally entranced live, and we have to say that we were surprised to see that the video does the tune some real justice. If this is the direction the band is headed, we're definitely on board for the long haul. Click the vids above to listen for yourself.
