Thursday, July 10, 2008

Shows This Past Week (or month)

Lou Reed.
Highline Ballroom
http://www.myspace.com/loureedfanpage

This show was a lifetime memory. I had never seen Lou Reed before and have been a big fan since I was a kid. My dad taught me about Lou Reed and Velvet Underground at a very young age. He told me about them, I believe when I was in middle school when people started throwing around the term “alternative music.” This didn’t just end here. I went to Syracuse University (Lou’s Alma Mater). The last time I was supposed to see him, there was a tiny snow storm that cancelled the show. New Yorkers bug out from little nothing snow storms. Any way, this show was at Highline Ballroom in the Meat Packing District. The crowd wasn’t so cool… one stupid bitch pushed my dad for having a good time and dancing a little.

Random Non-Music Related High Point.
No question… I got to see Lou Reed with my dad.

Tegan & Sara.
Terminal 5
http://www.myspace.com/teganandsara

I was shocked how good this show was. Between the quality of the performance and the sound of room at Terminal 5, this was a fantastic show. Not only great songs written by two very talented women, but their chemistry between and during songs can’t be beat. Of course it helps that they are sisters, but they were cracking me up. Usually, I don’t like talking between songs and just want them to play but this was an exception. I liked the jokes. I liked the whole Vh1 Storytellers vibe to the show. It was really cool seeing Tegan’s prankster like personality and Sara’s more cute and appreciative side. Very fun, a show I will definitely go see again.

Random Non-Music Related High Point.
Before the show, I went to an Irish pub for some food and a couple pints. It wasn’t a sports bar, but it was a place full of regulars watching the Mets on the tvs. It was hilarious watching them looking around thinking, “whats with all the girls with Mohawks and muscle shirts?”

Mike Ness.
Irving Plaza
http://www.myspace.com/mikeness

I am a music nerd. I like all of my favorite bands side projects. This one is one of my favorites. He doesn’t get so far away from the Social Distortion formula… at all. He adds a little country flavor to it and I love it. While there were plenty of Sick Boys walking around (I dressed in my finest Sick Boy attire myself), a lot of the people there traded in their work shirts and chains for cowboy hats and plaid shirts. It was a really cool half punk half hootenanny vibe. Mike played his album of originals, some Hank Williams covers, some Johnny Cash covers and Ball and Chain. While it wasn’t exactly a Social Distortion show, I will take it as an appetizer until the come back.

Random Non-Music Related High Point.
I went to this show alone, but ran into one of my favorite bartenders from my favorite bar… she and I have the exact same taste in music. The country punk vibe was cool too and the girls dressed as punk rock pinup girls is always ok by me.

The Wombats.
Gramercy Theater
http://www.myspace.com/thewombatsuk

As you know I have a special place in my heart for this band. I consider myself one of their American finders. I have known them for about 18 months now. They put on another great show and its amazing watching them get bigger and bigger every time I go see them. They also seem to be just as quirky and just as fun loving as ever. For more see April 4th report.

Random Non-Music Related High Point.
Their manager took really great care of me and my friend at this show… thanks Simon.

Mission of Burma.
Bowery Ballroom
http://www.myspace.com/missionofburma

Loud… it was loud. Almost too loud. This was a very significant show. In this show, they warmed up with a random potpourri of songs and then played Signals, Calls and Marches from start to finish. I was impressed with how well the vocals sounded the instruments were a little bit hard to really hear since it was as loud as it was. This is another band that I have been wanting to see for a long time. They didn’t disappoint at all. The crowd was very into it and that of course just made everything better. I am not sure I am a big enough fan to watch a regular show, but since I love every song on the album they played they made it a great show. In other words this was a show made specifically for me. Thanks guys.

Random Non-Music Related High Point.
The mix of people. Punks. Metal heads. Indie kids. All drinking Brooklyn Lager and enjoying a great show together.

Coldplay.
Madison Square Garden
http://www.myspace.com/coldplay

I know what you are thinking. Really? Yes, really. My girlfriend is a big fan, and I won tickets to the free show so we went. I am not afraid to admit I was impressed. It was much better than I thought it would be. I also am shocked how many songs I knew. Not necessarily to the point that I was jumping and singing and going nuts but it did make it fun. I am not quite sure why, but for some reason I didn’t think Chris Martin’s voice was going to be able to fill The Garden. It wasn’t a problem at all his voice is much bigger live than it is on the records.

Random Non-Music Related High Point.
The show was free! They made a few mistakes tuning, starting at different times, lyrics mistakes. The dress rehearsal vibe was kind of cool. It made one of the world’s biggest bands seem human. On the bands mistakes, at one point Chris Martin sang, “I can’t believe we are embarrassing ourselves at MSG atleast all of the fans are here for free!” He also came out and apologized to everyone for the high ticket price which got a large cheer.

Pearl Jam.
Madison Square Garden
http://www.myspace.com/tenclub

I have seen Pearl Jam three times, this being the most recent, obviously. This was probably the best show I have seen of theirs allow to me to explain by telling you about all three.

Show one was at Izod Center at the Meadowlands. It was far. It was raining. There was a line for the bus. There bus was stuck in traffic. We get to the show. They run out of beer early. Pearl Jam plays maybe 4 songs I knew in the entire set. The next night apparently they played a huge playlist. Lame.

Show two was at Lollapalooza 2007. It was amazing. Clear night. They played everything that a festival wanted to hear. Everyone knew every song. They did a version of Another Brick In The Wall about British Petroleum dumping in Lake Michigan. “Hey BP, leave out Lake alone.” Of course a political singer from Chicago is going to have to bring that up.

That brings us to show three. An amazing mix of the two. I know Pearl Jam shows aren’t supposed to be greatest hits playlists. This was far from a greatest hits playlist… I would say as a medium Pearl Jam fan I knew a lot of songs certainly not all. However, the crowd knew every song. It was by far the loudest crowd I have ever been to a show with. They every song incredibly loud and the Knicks and Rangers have never gotten a cheer at the Garden the way they did after each song. It was incredible to be a part of.

Random Non-Music Related High Point.
Two songs in, Eddie Vedder announced, “we spoke to the people here at tonight and they told us we don’t have to worry about curfew, so we may play for a while is that ok with you guys?”

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