Don't be surprised when I say this but when I went to Mercury Lounge for Oh No Ono, it was my first time to the venue. I know, right? I guess I had been avoiding it for some reason but no idea why. I like how the space was laid out, with seating on the sides of the venue space and the bar in a separate room; sound was pretty good as well. When I saw Oh No Ono was coming back to the States after their New York debut in January, I knew I had to catch them at a nearby venue and hear them at full-strength; I unfortunately did not get tickets to their first two shows at Mercury Lounge and Union Hall. As expected, they did not disappoint and performed brilliantly at the Manhattan venue. They performed mostly from their latest release, Eggs, along with some older tracks sprinkled into the mix; they also played a great cover of Radiohead's "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi". Set list was as such:
Eleanor Speaks
The Tea Party
Helplessly Young
Icicles
The Wave Ballet
Am I Right?
Swim
Internet Warrior
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Miss Miss Moss
Encore
Keeping Warm In Cold Country
I enjoyed their sound at Mercury Lounge more than the Sound Fix show, namely because they had actual drums and didn't rely solely on a drum machine; then again, space was an issue at Sound Fix. Overall, it was another great performance from the Danish quintet. Videos of the show are below:
Here's another example of me going to a show to get a glimpse of the opener; in this instance, I wanted to check out TV on the Radio's Kyp Malone's solo project, Rain Machine. Opening for the talented Jolie Holland at 92YTribeca, Malone was indeed solo this evening. Typically Malone would have a backing band alongside him but tonight seemed to be the exception to the rule, standing alone center-stage, guitar in hand. Don't be fooled, his music translates well even without his counterparts.
As a fan of TV on the Radio and Kyp's writing contribution to the band, I was enamored with his solo project and was excited to finally see him perform his own material. Opening with the aggressive "Give Blood", Kyp casually strummed through the song, providing his distinct and very strong vocals to this fantastic song. And speaking of TV on the Radio, Kyp actually "broke one of his own rules" by playing a song by TVoTR ("Stork and Owl") at a Rain Machine show; it was accepted graciously by the crowd. In my opinion, his best performance came with his rendition of "Winter Song"; his vocals really captured the crowd in this song. Equally as great, Kyp was joined onstage by Holland, Grey Gersten and Shahzad Ismaily for "Smiling Black Faces"; Kyp was again joined by Holland for the last song of his set. Altogether, I thought he sounded great and his material is just as good as his TVoTR stuff. Definitely recommended. Videos of the show are below:
In all honesty, Jolie Holland had a very great set as well and I will post a few videos when edited and uploaded; she performed alongside Gersten and Shahzad (and Kyp during her opening song). Mostly new material from her upcoming album, her set was beautiful and she is an extremely talented and versatile artist and is definitely worth catching.
I ventured out to Littlefield on Sunday to catch the early afternoon Scandinavian Day Party featuring the Megaphonic Thrift, Spleen United, the Good the Bad and Casiokids. My first impressions of Littlefield were very favorable; the space is setup really well, with a large stage and great sound reproduction. It was obvious the weather had played a factor on the turnout, as well as the time in which the show took place. But with all things, the show must go on.
I had heard a lot of good things about the Megaphonic Thrift and their live show, so I was excited to see them perform; I had originally planned on seeing them at Monday's show at Santos but couldn't attend due to schedule conflicts. I was very fortunate that they had multiple shows in New York because they were phenomenal. There are no big frills with the band, they just make fantastic rock music. Even with the minimal turnout for their set, the band was very intense and stormed through their seven-song set. I now regret not catching more of their set but am satisfied with the footage I did capture. I would highly recommend catching them during SXSW.
I did catch Spleen United's set but really wasn't into their style of music; it got kind of repetitive and it didn't seem too inventive. Maybe it was because I was looking forward to the Good the Bad's last-minute New York set. Their brand of surf and flamenco is loud and straightforward; their songs are delightfully simple but the ferocity of their live performance is what makes them special. I love the fact that band doesn't include a vocalist because they "couldn't find one who would stand behind the drummer". I was very disappointed in the crowd's response to their set and it was obvious the band felt the same way too; my only complaint is that some of their songs are a little short for my taste. But they'll have a lot of chances to wow the crowds in Austin this week at SXSW. Videos of the show are below:
This past Saturday was another installment of Radio Happy Hour, the variety show that's not necessarily on the radio. Unfortunately, I started a new job a couple weeks ago and I was unable to attend; on the bright side, my opportunistic girlfriend took charge and offered to shoot footage from the show. When we found out that Cursive would be the guest musicians, my girlfriend was very excited and told me how much she loved them and how much I needed to see them. So, I guess it was fate that she would be in charge of filming the show and producing content for this post.
The first thing that struck me from their performances was the fact that they brought their whole band!! I personally think that it was a great decision to have a full band performance, since limiting the number of band members performing will limit what songs they can play. Also, it will give Radio Happy Hour the flexibility of choosing full bands instead of certain members from bands or solo artists. Cursive performed two songs from their latest effort, Mama, I'm Swollen, including the title track and "From the Hips". I enjoyed what I saw from the videos and thought they performed each song very well. Videos from the show are below:
I am also including a video of Sam Osterhout's hilarious 'quick-fire' segment with Arthur Phillips and Tim Kasher (of Cursive):
After spending most of the day with congestion and the sorest of throats, I found myself in the midst of fortune's presence. It was only by chance that I would have the opportunity to see the National play at the Bell House, a far cry from the size of venues they perform on their regularly scheduled tour dates. Of course, I was not going to pass up this rare chance to see new material from an excellent band in the National; not to mention that I had not seen them perform live to this point.
With the buzz from their show of the night before still in the air, you knew their performance was going to be special. The anticipation grew feverishly until the band took the stage to thunderous applause. With the many postings of 'absolutely no photography of any kind', I was slightly reluctant to shooting any video but once they took the stage, I knew I had to capture what I could; it was obvious that the photography policy was being violated at will. And by the look of the band, they didn't seem to mind and I would have put my camera up immediately had they said something.
They opened their set with "Sorrow", apparently the happiest song on their latest effort, High Violet; not my words, but theirs. The first few songs were from High Violet, which all seemed to have a good vibe about them. From there, it was a mix bag of oldies but goodies and newer selections. One of the standout performances was of "Able", an older track but one that bleeds intensity onstage; was pretty fantastic. They ended their set with the ever popular "Fake Empire" before exiting the stage; after rousing cheers, they came back for an encore. They played two new songs around an older one during the encore ("Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks"/"Mr. November"/"Terrible Love") and ended the show on the highest of notes. Set list is as such:
Sorrow
Anyone's Ghost
Little Faith (Chrome Horse)
Mistaken For Strangers
Secret Meeting
Afraid of Everyone
Bloodbuzz Ohio
Lemonworld
Brainy
All the Wine
Apartment Story
Runaway
Conversation 16
Abel
Daughters of the Soho Riots
England
Fake Empire
Encore
Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
Mr. November
Terrible Love
The show was excellent from start to finish and ranks with some of the best shows I've seen. The quality of their music combined with their stage presence and performance make for one of the better bands out there today. If you haven't seen them yet, do your best to catch them when you can. Also look for High Violet when it releases on May 11th. Videos of the show are below:
What can I say? I cannot get enough of these guys. Their latest effort, Big Echo, is chalk full of goodness. Seriously, I can leave "Excuses" on repeat all day long and it would be a good day. After getting a taste of their live show at Market Hotel opening for Surfer Blood, I knew I had to see what they had to offer at Cameo Gallery for their album-release show. They definitely had a better-sounding, well-rounded set at Cameo; for those who were at Market Hotel, they did not disappoint this time, as they ended their seven-song set with "Excuses". Set list was as such:
Stitches
Promises
Cold War
Wet Cement
Hand Me Downs
Pleasure Sighs
All Day Day Light
Excuses
Overall, their set was pretty solid, providing a great insight to Big Echo and showcasing their indie pop sound that has gripped New York and beyond. Videos of the show are below:
What has gotten into me lately? I was late to a show again and found myself shimmying around crowds of people to find a decent spot to setup. Shame shame. To my advantage, Le Poisson Rouge chose to seat the majority of the floor, allowing for easier movement around the back and sides. I found a nice spot just in time to see Icelandic producer/composer Daníel Bjarnason and positioned myself nicely to catch Denmark's Efterklang; not a total European affair as New York's Sam Amidon opened the show.
For those who don't know, Daníel Bjarnason is a composer who released his debut album, Processions, last year and brought his contemporary classical sound to the classical-friendly Le Poisson Rouge. With minimal knowledge of his background but a building critical acclaim for his music, I knew I had to capture his set. Leading a group of more than twenty musicians, Bjarnason composed his award-winning piece "All Sounds to Silence Come" then "Spindrift" and "Bow to String" from Processions. It was a refreshing experience to listen to some great classical music, a music I love dearly, and see it performed eloquently. Well done.
After finding a spot on the floor, yes the floor, in front of the closest seated guests, I proceeded to enjoy the indie pop/rock sounds of Efterklang. Their music is so fun and easy to listen to, it was no surprise that their show was sold out. Their latest effort, Magic Chairs, is pure pop joy from start to finish; needless to say, their music translated to an excellent set full of great songs and an atmosphere that would be hard to match. Take your pick. All of their songs were good. I was very pleased with all the artists who performed, as I am sure most in attendance did as well. Videos from the show are below:
Market Hotel was the place to be on Saturday night. I am typically one of the first to arrive to shows but for some reason, I was grossly overdue for the Surfer Blood show in Brooklyn. But after some careful maneuvering and congenial demeanor, I was able to proclaim a spot up front. And talk about packed; it has been some time that I've seen a venue as packed and energized as this place was. And why not? The bill was stacked with talent and the walls seemed to bursting with anticipation for a very hyped show that didn't disappoint.
My last trip to Market Hotel was somewhat bittersweet; I thought Bishop Allen and the Yummy Fur performed to expectations but the experience didn't feel complete. I'm not the biggest fan of all-ages concerts, but in all honesty, the show on Saturday would not have been as great had it been at any other venue. Market Hotel provided the perfect place for fans, of every age, to express their love of each band's music. With that said, the night started off with the sounds of the Morning Benders from San Francisco. Their subdued, melodic tunes provided a great intro to the night to come. I, along with many others in attendance, were disappointed in the fact that the up and coming quartet didn't perform "Excuses", a standout track that has really made a name for the band. Nevertheless, they showed great poise and performed a pretty nice set, including a rare encore for an opening band.
Following the Benders were a couple Brooklyn bands who really got the crowd going. Grooms had a noisy, pop sound that had a splash of punk that sparked the crowd into commotion. Frantic at times, the band had a good set and complimented the show as a whole with their riff-driven sound. Afterwards, Brooklyn's Beach Fossils stepped on the accelerator and got the crowd into high-gear. Their surf-rock sound was very energetic and uptempo, only fueling to the crowd's fire. At this point, the crowd really starting to enjoy itself; I sensed it as well, it was hard to shoot video when you're feeling the music. I really like these guys, too bad it has taken me a while to appreciate their music.
Not to be outdone, Turbo Fruits from Nashville, Tennessee, not only turned it up a notch, they cranked it up to eleven and then some. Their brand of rock was very riff-heavy but was melodic enough to keep you moving. It was unmistakable they were influenced by southern rock, covering Creedance Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" and providing bluesy riffs to dance to. Other than some technical difficulties, they were spot on and made for a great last opener for the headlining Surfer Blood. Without question, Surfer Blood could have played to a capacity venue without their talented openers but I'm sure glad they didn't. Surfer Blood finally took the stage to rousing cheers as they jumped into "Floating Vibes", the opening track to their debut album Astrocoast. Their set was very formulated except for their impromptu cover of Weezer's "Sweater Song" chorus; amazing how loud the crowd sang. But all good things must come to an end and they ended their set in style with a furious rendition of their ever-popular single "Swim"; at one point, a fan even dove from the three-tiered PA system and the band ransacked their equipment before exiting the stage. An impressive show to say the least, thank you Todd P. Videos of the show are below:
Update: Here's another video from the Morning Benders. Any additional videos will be uploaded to the Music Taster's Choice YouTube Channel.
Music Taster's Choice (MTC) is a music website created to provide live concert reviews, video footage, and photography from shows in the Dallas/Fort Worth and St. Louis areas. All creation, production, and editing is done by us and is for promotional use only.
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* Low cost * Ready-fit * Replicates the ear's natural response * Sound quality is preserved * Speech is clear, not muffled * Reduces sound approximately 20 dB at all frequencies
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