The Smith Westerns / Yuck @ the Loft

Almost seeing a band then finally seeing them has become a reoccurring theme on this site as of late.  I have almost seen a bunch of bands, most notably in New York, and then finally catching them when they stop in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  This is no different for the Smith Westerns after I missed them at Mercury Lounge early last year; I saw openers Male Bonding before I left due to feeling ill.  As luck would have it, or lack thereof, I was sick again when the Smith Westerns came rolling into town.

First off, let me say how much I enjoyed Yuck's set.  I found myself lucky enough to catch them as they were getting some really good press; I actually read a great write up by Paste Magazine the day of the show.  So, my expectations were somewhat high when they took the stage.  And wow.  I was blown away.  Their sound was so good, even though it wasn't your typical indie rock (surfy, pop).  It was raw and powerful yet still maintained a level of melody that kept it enjoyable.  I was very impressed.

After watching Yuck perform such a great set, I will admit that I almost felt bad when the Smith Westerns took the stage.  They did their best to make sure the crowd was having a good time with their jovial banter and fun, indie pop rock.  As much as I tried, I just couldn't get into the live show; I think I'm more a fan of their studio albums, which is rare for me.  I think they did provide a great set for those who love their music, but I think the casual listener would have been a little let down.  I think they deserve all the credit they've been receiving as of late, but I just don't think their live show translates to everybody yet.

Videos of the show are below:

Yuck

The Smith Westerns

enjoy.

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The Flaming Lips @ Palladium Ballroom

Wayne Coyne must be an amateur weatherman or a psychic of such, for he foretold of an impending snowstorm before it came to pass.  Coincidence?  Probably not.  I also knew that the bill of the Flaming Lips, Neon Indian, and New Fumes was going to be a great time before anyone picked up a guitar or sang a note.  Coincidence?  Again, probably not.

Up until the week of the Super Bowl, I had no idea why this show was a 'kickoff party' but that soon made sense with the billion parties happening every night around the Metroplex.  There was no need for celebrity prowess at this particular show, as the Flaming Lips are known worldwide for their stage performance; and tonight was no exception.  Opened by the local talent of Daniel Huffman, aka New Fumes, the show started off with a bang as Huffman's sound was a delight to hear and his overall set was pretty fantastic.  I liked his music so much, I trotted down to Good Records, who also released his debut, and picked up his vinyl, Bump and Assassination; I would give it a spin, it's a great listen.

Playing before the Lips was also semi-local but nationally known Neon Indian.  I expected great things from their performance as the last time I caught them they put on a fantastic show at Granada Theater.  They did not disappoint.  Their show was lively and highly entertaining, even though the crowd as a whole wasn't totally into their sound.  It was obviously a Lips crowd.  I thought their set was great, as the sound at Palladium made it nearly impossible to get caught up in the beat and dance around.  I really like Neon Indian and I think if you ever get a chance to see them live, you should do yourself a favor and do so.

At long last, the Flaming Lips were up and you could tell the excitement had been building up to this moment.  If you have ever been to a Lips show, there are certain things you can expect:  Wayne strolling through the crowd in his life-sized gerbil ball, tons of confetti, sidelines of dancing fools, giant laser hands, more confetti, and a ton of great music.  This night was no different.  And the intimacy of Palladium Ballroom, yes intimacy, made the experience so much personal that you got engrossed in the music and it held you until the very end.  Much of their set featured newer material but they would play a classic every now and then.  I saw the Lips once before at one of the New Year's shows in Oklahoma City but I think this performance was far superior.  If you haven't seen the Lips before, make it a point to catch them.  They're unbelievably good.

Pictures of the show are below:

enjoy.

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