We already mentioned Grand Lake's gig tonight with Jake Mann, but just in case you needed a reminder: The combined awesomeness of the two will be descending on San Francisco at the Bottom Of The Hill tonight to celebrate the release of Mann's new CD. Put lightly: you'd be very foolish not to attend, and we don't suffer fools lightly, mmmkay?
But wait: that's not all - not by a long shot. Grand Lake's been hiding out for a couple of months, but that doesn't mean things aren't brewing. Never mind the fact that they've been diligently writing new rock and roll brilliance, or that tonight's show got a nice nod from Bay Area Beats. We'll do you one better: new video.
Taken right before the band headed on tour last fall, these two vids from Echo Locale (along with a nice little write up) capture acoustic versions of "Spark" (click through) and Pavement's "In The Mouth Of A Desert". Taking place in the Berkeley sun, they're not only sounding great, but looking great as well. It's time to whet your appetite for tonight's show and get your day started!
Digging into Mann's latest, Parallel South, which drops today on Crossbill, we were met with a record that hops genres, locks into good old fashioned rock sensibilities, and adds a touch of sonic exploration for good measure. Mann's forte is clearly straight-ahead rock and roll, and each of the tracks on the new record leverages that talent for all it's worth. The real win, however, comes when Mann's rock and roll chops are interspersed with Spector-ish beats, lilting country strings, or classic rock organs. Combined, these pieces serve to give the record the sonic weight to be set apart from its peers.
Given that take on the new record, we were psyched to hear that HAD Records' own Grand Lake had been asked to join Mann at his show at Bottom Of The Hill this coming Wednesday (the 23rd) in support of the record's release. Mann has been traversing the state since the beginning of the month, and this show is the final delivery on the tour. Combine that with the fact that it's Grand Lake's first SF stop since last fall, and well, you have yourself a pretty damn fine event. Get your ass out there.
Last Friday night, we made our way over to Bottom Of The Hill, where The Hundred Days and Music For Animals were set to deliver a 1-2 punch of rock and roll awesomeness. Both bands delivered sets led by incredibly (albeit distinctively) charismatic frontmen, and both delivered sets that were solidly upbeat enough to keep the crowd dancing all night long.
The Hundred Days were the first on stage, and the band delivered a set that unquestionably recalled the dark pop of The Cure (and, by extension, their many imitators). That being said, the band managed to deliver a dose of poppy darkness with enough of their own swagger and danceability.
On top of their unquestionable love of all things Robert Smith, the band also managed a guitar sound that unquestionably recalled early U2. Still, for all the sonic earmarks on their set, the band made it their own. They left us feeling less like they had used their influences as a crutch, and far more like they were paying tribute in the best way possible.
Music For Animals followed soon thereafter, with a set that was just as poppy and earnest in its delivery, but carved out a bit more of its own sound. It's difficult to characterize music as accessible as this as anything but "pop", yet the band had a rhythmic sense that made the jagged interplay of their guitars and drums uniquely distinct.
Frontman Jayson Martinovich unquestionably owned the stage, bolstered by a floor tom that he beat relentlessly, the singer brought a swagger to the stage that did a great deal to bolster the band's performance on stage. On top of that, the band had a mutual admiration that made their performance as fun for us as it clearly was for them.
At the end of the night, we left the venue with the distinctive sense of having just walked away from something far more anthemic, poppy, and earnest than we're used to, and that's certainly not a bad thing. By wearing their hearts on their sleeves, this pair of Bay area bands managed not only to deliver sets that were musically engaging, but induce a level of enthusiasm in the crowd that we haven't seen in quite a while.
For a taste of the show, check out the videos below!
To be frank, it would be easy to write off Crocodiles as a band that was on a warpath to ape The Jesus And Mary Chain. Yet even if you were so dismissive as to assume such (which would be a mistake), you'd at least have to admit that they're doing a damn good job. The reverb drenched vocals, fuzzy guitars, and drums-machine-but-maybe-not beats all combine to create a stunning homage to the Mary Chain's oeuvre.
But leaving it at that would be like saying Bowie was simply ripping off Bolan, or that Elvis Costello was nothing but a Buddy Holly imitator. Much like Bowie and Costello, Crocodiles wear their influences unabashedly on their sleeve, but then manage to do quite a bit more. By using the foundations of 60's rock, overlaying it with the fuzz of the late 70's, and then laying their own craft on top of it, the band manages to deliver a record that is at once catchy, arty, and original.
The record starts with perhaps the most blatantly accessible track, "I Wanna Kill". With a sing along chorus, a late 50's chord progression, and a Jesus and Mary Chain paint job, it effortlessly ropes the listener in to the band's world. It's immediately followed by the slightly more challenging "Soft Skull (In My Room)", which delivers fabulously syncopated beats and off kilter guitar that toes the line between noise and melody to perfection.
From there the record opens up beyond the simplicity of guitar rock and starts drifting into more adventurous soundscapes. "Here Comes The Sky" offers up a piano ballad dripping with reverb around a classic melody, "Refuse Angels" filters the band's sound through fuzzy beats and a straight-ahead motion, and "Flash Of Light" offers up an Iggy Pop worthy dirge.
The record closes with three tracks that probably push the band's boundries the furthest. "Sleeping With The Lord", "Summer Of Hate", and "Young Drugs" all offer up droney takes on songwriting in their own way. The fact that three songs in a row can have such a similar vibe and yet be completely different stylistically is a tribute the band's ingenuity, and the uniqueness of this record.
It's not every day here at HAD that we stumble upon a record that begs repeat listens, but Summer Of Hate is most certainly one such record. It's a fine line between accessibility and artistry, and to manage both in one fell swoop is more challenging still. Crocodiles have managed to do exactly that, not to mention create a record that feels as effortless as it is enjoyable. Quite frankly, we're so stoked that we can't wait to hear what they do next. And the meantime, well, we're happy to give this one another spin.
We're still reeling from their ferocious Noise Pop show, so we were psyched to see that Cut Off Your Hands have yet to return to New Zealand. Apparently they've extended their US tour, and will be stopping by Bottom Of The Hill on June 18th.
Since we last saw them, we've been listening to the band's record You & I quite a bit, and really digging into it. It manages a fantastic blend of Spector sonics, Cure-ish vocals, and unrepentant energy. It really is a record that manages to capture a whole bunch of pop sensibilities into one neat package, and come up with something new in the process. Give a listen below.
Cut Off Your Hands Summer 2009 North American Dates May 25 Neurolux w/Viva Voce Boise, Idaho May 26 The Badlander w/Viva Voce Missoula, Montana May 28 Turf Club w/Viva Voce St Paul, Minnesota May 29 Empty Bottle w/Viva Voce Chicago, Illinois May 30 The Burlington - Dr Snikkers + Mr Puppy DJ SET Chicago, Illinois May 31 The Summit w/Viva Voce Columbus, Ohio Jun 1 Bug Jar w/Viva Voce Rochester, New York Jun 2 Great Scott w/Viva Voce Allston, Massachusetts Jun 3 Johnny Brenda’s w/Viva Voce Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Jun 4 Music Hall of Williamsburg w/Viva Voce Brooklyn, New York Jun 5 IOTA Club and Cafe w/Viva Voce Arlington, Virginia Jun 6 Musica w/Viva Voce Akron, Ohio Jun 7 Southgate House w/Viva Voce Newport, Kentucky Jun 9 Firebird w/Viva Voce St Louis, Missouri Jun 10 Record Bar w/Viva Voce Kansas City, Ohio Jun 11 The Opolis w/Viva Voce Norman, Oklahoma Jun 12 Haileys w/Viva Voce Denton, Texas Jun 13 The Mohawk Austin, Texas Jun 15 Plush w/Viva Voce Tucson, Arizona Jun 16 Rhythm Room w/Viva Voce Phoenix, Arizona Jun 17 the Echo w/Viva Voce LA, California Jun 18 Bottom of the Hill w/Viva Voce San Fran, California Jun 20 Wonder Ballroom w/Viva Voce Portland, Oregon Jun 21 The Vera Project Seattle, Washington Jun 22 Media Club Vancouver, British Columbia Jun 24 Pawn Shop Edmonton, Alberta Jun 25 Verns Calgary, Alberta Jun 26 The Exchange Regina, Saskatchewan Jun 27 Royal Albert Arms Hotel Winnipeg, Manitoba
Let us start by saying this: Every time we see Plants and Animals we are even more impressed. Every time we tell someone to see Plants and Animals, they're impressed. Any time we give someone the band's record they're blown away. In short, this band is amazing. Both on the record and in a live environment, Plants and Animals are completely on the verge of breaking through even bigger than they already have. Last Saturday at Bottom Of The Hill was no exception.
The band has something of a musical trifecta in the live environment: their songs are ridiculously catchy, their technique and tightness as a band is completely expert, and their performance is balls-to-the-wall, heart-on-sleeve goodness. In short, the band are such a tight knit unit that the already impressive performance on record is enhanced significantly further in the live environment, which is saying a lot.
The band manages to demonstrate their technical aptitude with intricate instrumentation and song deliveries that border just on the right side of "jammy". Don't get us wrong, there's nothing that feels even remotely self indulgent about the extended tunage - on each and every song it feels just right, and gives each one enhanced depth and relevance. The fact of the matter is that the band knows just how to stretch their material (and the audience) to the outer limits, and then expertly pull things back in.
Saturday also saw three new songs make their way into the set, and all were totally fantastic. From the sound of things, the band is pushing a bit more into a straight ahead rock feel for the next record. That being said, it was still rock run through the Plants and Animals filter, and it yielded a sound that was simultaneously upbeat, exciting, and pushing creative boundries. In short, it left us psyched for the things to come.
It's a bit difficult to describe a band that you enjoy this much without starting to sound like some teenage fan who wants to have their babies. That being said, we're willing to take that risk because, frankly, we want to make sure that you don't miss this band the next time you have the opportunity. Their live show is simply so transcendent, ass kicking, and amazing, that it's really unparalleled.
What's more, we'll put a prediction on the table. The band has played San Francisco three times in the last year, at Rickshaw Stop, and Bottom of the Hill twice (once as opener, once headlining). We'd wager that the next year will be your last chance to catch these guys in small clubs. Once that second record drops and all hell breaks loose, it's gonna go bigger and bigger. We could be wrong, but don't say we didn't warn you.
Setlist -- New Song Good Friend New Song Feedback In The Field À L'orée Des Bois New Kind Of Love New Song Mercy Faerie Dance Bye Bye Bye -- Guru
To sell out the Bottom Of The Hill is one thing, to sell out Bottom Of The Hill at one o'clock on a Sunday afternoon is another thing entirely. Today at Noise Pop's afternoon show, that's exactly what No Age managed to do. Not only was it a completely rewarding foray into No Age's distinctive hard core/punk/sonic experimentation, but it was a fantastic rock show (with a surprise guest!) to boot.
The show was straight ahead from the first song, and the band actively encouraged the crowd to get rowdy. In return, the band did their part to present an unrelenting, steady stream of breakneck rock songs. The crowd responded in turn by moshing, crowd surfing, and generally letting loose.
While a No Age show evokes a certain vibe reminiscent of the hard core scene, there's no question that the band also offers a fair bit more. It's a combination of a number of factors: more complex melodies, a wide arrangement of atmospherics and pedals, and more diverse rhythms. This results in a show that, while still rocking, also manages to offer a bit more depth and enjoyment of the compositional talent in the band.
To top off the show, the band welcomed Bob Mould onto stage and the crowd (and the band for that matter) proceeded to go apeshit. It was so clear that all the musicians were psyched to be playing together, and what's more the crowd was loving every minute of it. Despite the fact that the band seemed to see fit to have the tracks with Bob wrap up the gig, the crowd was having none of it and the band finally gave in for one more tune. Randy Randall surfed the crowd, and the rest was history.
Sunday night at Bottom Of The Hill Michael Zapruder delivered on the promise of his latest recordDragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope. Accompanied by bass, keyboards, violin, and a woodwind multi-instrumentalist, Zapruder quite successfully managed to recreate the intricate feel and sound that permeates the record. Zapruder effortlessly led the quintet through the set, while at the same time delivering an incredibly solid performance himself on vocals and guitar duties.
One of the most striking aspects of the performance was that Zapruder seems completely at home on stage. From the second he stepped on, not only was he relaxed and jovial, but he had a clear sense of confidence about the songs and where the arrangements were headed. This was no small feat considering that there were five parts going strong at any given time, and a fair number of less-than-standard song structures. Even the chaotic and fluttering instrumental breaks of "Ads For Feelings" managed to come across as completely composed and solid.
The only part of the show we would have changed was the absence of any sort of percussion. While the record doesn't have a huge preponderance of percussive elements, the beats do drive a number of the songs, and it wouldn't have hurt to pick things up just a tad in the live environment. Even perhaps just a drum machine or some canned beats where necessary might have been just the ticket to keep some of the songs true to their upbeat origins.
That being said, our favorite moment of the show was one of the most serene. At the end of the set Zapruder played a solo rendition of the fantastic song "Harbor Saints" that absolutely hit home. The song's sweet simple melody served to close out the rainy night with a gentle coda that served to perfectly illustrate not only Zapruder's fantastic voice, but his gift for composition as well. We're looking forward to hearing what comes next.
First, can we just get something off of our chest? Every time we hear the name Zapruder, the first thing that comes to mind is the Zapruder film. Which, to be honest, is a bit of a shame, because Bay Area local Michael Zapruder is really far more deserving of the honor. With Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope, Zapruder has crafted one of the most intricate, lovely albums we've heard in quite some time. Not only is it loaded with fantastic melodies and compositions, but it also manages to craftily defy categorization, existing in the ether somewhere between folk, rock, and indie pop.
At their core, Zapruder's compositions are relatively standard (albeit top notch) fare: they are folk driven singer-songwriter compositions, with solid melodic and lyrical components. However, the bit that really sets Zapruder's record apart are the intricate arrangements that span the album.
There's a certain sensibility that Zapruder lends to the application of electronics and drum beats to folk music that is consistent throughout. Pianos, guitars, and drums form the foundation of many of the songs, but lurking in the background are creatively layered electronic textures and rhythms. These elements work themselves into the songs so effortlessly that they take on an organic texture that removes any premise of "electronica" from the record's persona.
On top of the electronics, Zapruder also manages to pull in his fair share from the analog world as well. Flurries of flutes ("Ads For Feelings"), Ray Charles-esque backing choirs ("Black Wine"), and silky smooth string sections (Can't We Bring You Home") all serve to fill the album's tracks with a feeling that is simultaneously meticulous and classic.
One could have easily released the demos for this record as an album, and they would have been assuredly strong enough to stand up on their own. As a singer songwriter, the Zapruder is unquestionablty gifted. However, in taking the time to explore all the nooks and crannies of his compositions, he has delivered a record that is a far more unified in its vision, and unquestionably much more of a sonic journey for the listener.
Michael Zapruder is headed out on the road this month in support of the record. After a night in LA, he'll be making a stop next Sunday at Bottom Of The Hill. From there he moves on to the east coast for a quick three city stopover. If we may, we heartily recommend that you stop in and see what Michael has to offer.
Michael Zapruder Spring 2009 Dates Feb 20 2009 House of Blues Foundation Room West Hollywood, California Feb 22 2009 Bottom Of The Hill San Francisco, California Feb 27 2009 Union Pool Brooklyn, New York Feb 28 2009 Milkboy Coffee Ardmore, Pennsylvania Mar 1 2009 The Red and The Black Washington, Washington DC
To be frank, High Places have sort of fallen off our radar since we gave some listening time to their compilation 03/07 - 09/07 last summer. For those not familiar, the band presents an eerie blend of organic beats supported by simple melodic vocals, and minimalist instrumentation. It's something of a genre mashup, but it also reminds us more than a little bit of some of the Mo Tucker Velvet Underground tracks.
So, fast forward six months, and the Brooklyn-based duo is on the road touring in support of their self titled album that dropped last fall. What does this mean for you? Well, the band will be playing an all ages show at Bottom Of The Hill tomorrow night, and we have two tickets to give away! What better way to start a weekend?
As always, winning is easy. Just send the answer to this question to contests@hippiesaredead.com and you could be in possession of two tickets!
Where did High Places play their first show? Contest closes at 1 PM Friday, one entry per person please. Good luck!
The last we heard from Plants And Animals (aside from our 2008 best-of list) was in an opening slot at Bottom Of The Hill last October. We said it then, and we'll say it now: this is not a band that should be in an opening slot. They simply deliver so solidly, and bring so much to every live show, that putting them anywhere but as headliners is a waste.
Well, clearly others agree with us: after rounding out the winter with a few more opening slots, the band has planned a new headlining tour that crosses the US over the course of March. For San Francisco, that means a headlining slot at Bottom Of The Hill on March 14th. For the rest of you, well, see below.
We're secretly hoping this new tour will be accompanied by some new material, but even if it's more of Parc Avenue, well, we'll still be extremely pleased. So psyched.
mp3: Plants And Animals - Guru (YouSendIt, click through) Plants and Animals Winter/Spring 2009 Dates: Jan 21 2009 UPEI - The Wave w/ Wintersleep Charlottetown, Prince Edward Jan 22 2009 UNB - SUB Cafeteria w/ Wintersleep Fredericton, New Brunswick Jan 23 2009 University of Moncton - (C.E.P.S.) w/ Wintersleep Moncton, New Brunswick Jan 24 2009 Club One w/ Wintersleep St. John’s, Newfoundland Jan 28 2009 Axe Lounge w/ Wintersleep Wolfville, Nova Scotia Jan 29 2009 The Marquee Club w/ Wintersleep Halifax, Nova Scotia Jan 30 2009 The Marquee Club w/ Wintersleep Halifax, Nova Scotia Feb 27 2009 Bowery Ballroom w/ Blitzen Trapper New York, New York Feb 28 2009 Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Blitzen Trapper Brooklyn, New York Mar 1 2009 DC9 Washington, Washington DC Mar 2 2009 Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mar 3 2009 Is Venue Charlottesville, Virginia Mar 4 2009 The Earl Altanta, Georgia Mar 6 2009 The Mohawk Austin, Texas Mar 7 2009 Hailey’s Denton, Texas Mar 9 2009 Modified Phoenix, Arizona Mar 10 2009 Casbah San Diego, California Mar 12 2009 The Echo Los Angeles, California Mar 14 2009 Bottom of the Hill San Francisco, California Mar 16 2009 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, Oregon Mar 17 2009 Nectar Seattle, Washington Mar 18 2009 Biltmore Cabaret Vancouver, British Columbia Mar 19 2009 Habitat Kelowna, British Columbia Mar 20 2009 Starlite Room Edmonton, Alberta Mar 21 2009 Marquee Room Calgary, Alberta Mar 23 2009 Louis Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Mar 24 2009 Park Theatre Winnipeg, Manitoba Mar 26 2009 The Frequency Madison, Wisconsin Mar 27 2009 Schubas Chicago, Illinois Mar 28 2009 Pike Room at the Crofoot Pontiac, Michigan
It appears that, tragically, Land Of Talk have cancelled their much anticipated West Coast dates. We got the info from a commenter here at HAD, and the band's myspace page seems to validate that the dates have disappeared into the ether. Apparently lead singer Liz Powell needed to have some voice rest time. We respect the need for wellness guys, but please make it out soon! We need some LoT lovin'!
On Friday night we had the pleasure of heading over to The Bottom Of The Hill for the release party of A Foggy Holiday 2008, the latest in Talking House Records' series of holiday comps for charity. The joint was packed, and most (or parts) of the bands on the record were in attendance. The night was predominantly shorter sets that included the holiday tracks that the bands had recorded for the benefit, but The Heavenly States were headlining the evening's festivities. We managed to catch the holiday goodness on film (Or, well, microchip. You know how it is).
To be frank, this is probably the most we've heard The States rock out in a live show - maybe it was the packed room, maybe it was the headliner status, or maybe it was just the right kind of night. Regardless, it worked - the whole band was blazing through the set, and despite our better judgement, we kept our earplugs out so we could absorb the full awesomeness of the set.
The band played a ton of the material from their latest, Delayer, and even managed to squeeze in their cover of "Little Drummer Boy" from the album of the evening. To be frank, we here at HAD tend to hate "Little Drummer Boy" (yes, even the Bowie version), and we weren't very optimistic about hearing it yet again. That being said, we were pleasantly surprised. The band managed to take the tune's typically bore-inducing repetition and inject it with a solid dose of droney rock sensibility. Add some percussion provided by members of The May Fire, and hey - we're liking what we heard.
At the end of the day, we here at HAD are suckers for charity and Christmas, and Foggy Holiday manages to have both. Not only that, but they managed to rope in some of the best bands SF has to offer at the moment. The event at Bottom Of The Hill echoed the vibe, with happy people, good music, and holiday cheer. Trust us kids, you don't have an excuse not to check this one out.
Our continual, enraptured use of eMusic often leads us to discover many bands through the music site's recommendations engine. It does a pretty solid job at looking at what you're downloading, and finding some other bits you might enjoy. Both Frightened Rabbit and Army Navy fell into our laps this way, and we couldn't be more pleased.
So this morning, as we logged on to eMusic to download our monthly fix, we browsed our way over to the "New And Noteworthy" section, and stumbled upon the new record from French Miami. We listened for a bit, and the more we listened, the more we liked it. The band's sound combines sweet analog synth tones with crinkly guitars and driving beats to create a vibe that is at the same time messy and highly precise. Put differently, controlled chaos. It's good, and it makes us happy.
Even more exciting than discovering a new record, is dicovering that these guys are locals! That's right: San Franciscans, hometown heroes. Their record is even on local artists' collective Dinner Party Records. What this means for you is that they'll be wrapping up their current tour on December 19th at The Bottom Of The Hill. We're not saying you have to be there, but we are saying it'll be our last show in town before we head to see our fams for the holidaze. We don't take that sort of thing lightly.
Word just game down last week that Talking House Records is releasing their second A Foggy Holiday compilation featuring holiday music from San Francisco bands. We're total suckers for holiday tunes, so we were psyched to see some of our fave bands on there.
We were even more psyched to see that the album's going to be getting a release party at Bottom Of The Hill on December 5th, and that The Heavenly States will be performing! We don't know who the other two bands on the bill are yet, but suffice it to say: a San Francisco holiday party with this kind of lineup can't be anything but good. Check it...
A Foggy Holiday 2 tracklist: 1. Cast Of Thousands - Blue Christmas 2. The Lovemakers - Melekalikimaka 3. Eoin Harrington - Oh Holy Night 4. Apside - Do They Know It's Christmas? 5. Loquat - 2000 Miles 6. The Federalists -Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 7. The Matches - Happy New Year 8. The May Fire - It's A Marshmalow World 9. Silver Griffin - What Child Is This 10. The Trophy Fire - Last Christmas 11. Overview - I Believe In Father Christmas 12. The Heavenly States - Little Drummer Boy 13. Scissors For Lefty - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 14. I The Mighty - The Christmas Song
At 9:20 we got off of a plane from New York, and at 10:30 we were at The Bottom Of The Hill. That's how much we wanted to see Frightened Rabbit. It's not just that they're from Scotland, and so West coast trips might tend to be infrequent. No, it's much more than that: Their latest record The Midnight Organ fight has caught us off guard, and is on the fast track to becoming our favorite record of the year.
Apparently much of San Francisco agrees with us. Word is that the band's Saturday night show was utterly and completely sold out. What's more the band actually ran out of copies of their record to sell. We'd have to guess that in the world of being on the road, there are worse things than kicking so much ass you simply can't hold on to copies of the record you're there to promote.
Last night's show got rolling around eleven, and it was everything we could have asked for and more. The album's harmonies and rhythmic counterpoints were totally recreated live, and Scott Hutchison's vocals were even more passionate in a live setting. What's more, the band are a versatile bunch of instrumentalists who had no problem switching gear throughout the set.
It's difficult to describe the elation we had in seeing these songs played live, but we'll do our best. Most of the material was from The Midnight Organ Fight, and its presence in a live setting simply took the best bits of the record (of which there are many), and amplified them in unison. The record has quite a few highs and lows, and the dynamics live were just as (if not more) versatile. Hutchison sang "The Twist" at the keyboard, and it was gentle and emotive. But when the band closed the (encore-less) show, it was in wave of noisy guitar frenzy. It was, quite frankly, fantastic.
What else can we say? Frightened Rabbit has a rock solid record, and they're backing it up with a killer live show. In all likelihood, if you miss this band right now, then you'll simply be seeing them later, in a much much larger room. And yes, we'll see you there.
Nurses opened the night with an extremely respectable set of psych-pop that centered around layered vocals, guitars and synth lines. There was definitely a hint of Animal Collective influence in the mix, but largely the band defined their sound and made it their own
Plants and Animals were up next, and for our money, this was the set of the night. The trio played a shorter set than when they were at The Rickshaw Stop, but it was equally full of energy and dynamics.
As a trio, this band does a masterful job at recreating the many layers of sound on their records. Much of this is due to the face that all three band members are technically masterful on their instruments: Nicolas Basque easily holds down 2-3 instruments over the course of a song, Matthew Woodley provides all sorts of percussive accents, and Warren Spicer's vocals and guitar simply slam home the band's energy.
The really amazing thing about Plants and Animals is that they leverage all of this well-honed technicality to create a show that seems completely reckless. The band's ability to keep a handle on things is so solid that the bursts at the seams, and yet never loses its place. In particular, the version of "Faerie Dance" last night was off the charts.
Born Ruffians certainly had the crowd rearing to go before their set, and once things got going the devout just got more excited. While the band was spot-on technically, and certainly roped in the crowd with an enthusiastic performance, it just wasn't our cup of tea.
The melodies were a bit simplistic, and the off-kilter beats seemed like they had been recycled from elsewhere. We're also pretty vocal-centric around here, and Luke Lalonde's vocals were a tad on the reedy side for our taste. Case in point: he covered a Dylan song ("The Man In Me") and actually managed to sound more reedy than Dylan. That's reedy, folks. Don't get us wrong: the band delivered a solid live set, and if you are digging their tunes, don't hesitate to see them live. They certainly deliver.
As we mentioned above, Plants and Animals were far and away the highlight for us last night. The other bands made good on their performances, but Plants and Animals are so evidently a band that is on the cusp of blowing up, that it was difficult to watch them leave the stage. We're psyched to have them back in San Francisco so soon after their last show, but we're hoping next time it will be as a headliner.
Urm, yes. We don't know exactly how this slipped under our radar, but there you have it. You may remember that we were psyched for Plants and Animals' show at The Rickshaw Stop back in June. Well, here we are four months later, and the band is back for more!
They'll be at the Bottom Of The Hill tonight opening for fellow Canadians Born Ruffians. To be frank, we'd never listened to the Born Ruffians until today, but from the sound of things, they've got some good tunes going for them. What's more, Plants and Animals put on a killer live show, so you really can't lose.
There can be little doubt that Conor Oberst has a thing for Bob Dylan. Whether it be his emphasis on lyrically driven song writing, a backing band that apes aggressively on The Band, or a cover of "Corina, Corina", there's always a strong Dylan vibe in the air. The real question is: is this a bad thing? If the show last Friday at The Bottom Of The Hill is any indication, the answer is a ubiquitous "No", not in the least.
Oberst and his "Mystic Valley Band" played a show that was primarily a showcase of their forthcoming "Conor Oberst" record. The show was far less "emo" than one might expect from Oberst's street cred, both in musicianshp and lyrical content. It seems that Oberst is continuing the trend of lightening things up that began with the last few Bright Eyes albums. For the band's part, they delivered a fair dose of good old fashioned rock and roll, completely with searing guitar solos, and massive organ sounds.
So, is Oberst aping a bit of Dylan? Sure, but he's doing it well. Moreover, it seems more than probable that he's wrestling with some of the same demons that vexed Dylan as his career expanded in the 60's: escaping his serious, folky, former self; testing new musical waters while still keeping the bar for quality high; putting on a show that rewards the artist as well as the fans. It's nice to see that Oberst is willing to head to new places, and we're anxious to hear this band again in October after they've had a few months on the road.
