Sound Team, M83, Mates of State, the Walkmen (09.22.05)

the Band: Sound Team, M83, Mates of State, the Walkmen
the Date: Thursday September 22, 2005
the Venue: Numbers Night Club (Houston, TX)

I was in Houston for work (again) and had picked up some tickets to what should have been an amazing show. Sound Team, M83, Mates of State, and the Walkmen were all supposed to play at a little club called Numbers. But, Hurricane Rita decided to scare the living bejeezuz out of everyone, making them run for the hills … er the highways at least. Word is that all the bands got stuck in traffic. Show was cancelled.

Damn you, Rita! Damn you!

Helio Sequence, Secret Machines & Kings of Leon (08.11.05)

the Band: Helio Sequence, Secret Machines, Kings of Leon
the Date: Thursday August 11, 2005
the Venue: 9:30 Club (DC)

(Photo credit to Joel Didriksen and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/kingpinphoto/)

Helio Sequence opened. Two guys, drums and guitar/harmonica playing to backing tracks. They were pretty good.

Then Secret Machines came on. Made up of brothers, Brandon and Benjamin Curtis, and Josh Garza, they never fail to put on a dazzling live set. They played almost 75-minutes, nailing their hits from last year’s release, Now Here Is Nowhere, as well as an absolutely breathtaking cover of Bob Dylan’s Girl from North Country. They were simply awesome!

(Photo credit to Brian Vetter and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/oldking/)

Kings of Leon were last to come on. This was my first time seeing this band. These Tennessee boys, consisting of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill (vocals/guitar), Ivan Nathan Followill (drums) and Michael Jared Followill (bass), with their cousin Cameron Matthew Followill (guitar), completely rawked! I think they played nearly every song they’ve got from their two albums, Youth and Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak released earlier this year. They put on an amazing show! I really liked all their tunes, but the standouts for me were Molly’s Chambers, Milk, California Waiting, Spiral Staircase, Holy Roller Novocaine and Slow Night, So Long (with which they closed the evening).

Full setlist for Secret Machines: Now Here is Nowhere / Sad and Lonely / Pharaoh’s Daughter / Daddy’s in the Doldrums / Lightning Blue Eyes / Harmonia / De Luxe (Immer Wieder) / I Hate Pretending / Girl From North Country (Bob Dylan cover) / Chains / The Road Leads to Where It’s Led / First Wave Intact

Full setlist for Kings of Leon: Molly’s Chambers / Taper Jean Girl / Pistol of Fire / Wasted Time / Razz / Bucket / Soft / Milk / Rememo / 4 Kicks / Velvet Snow / King of the Rodeo / Where Nobody Knows / California Waiting / Spiral Staircase / Happy Alone / Trani / Holy Roller Novocaine / Head to Toe / Slow Night, So Long

She saw my comb over her hourglass body ...

the Dead 60s, the Bravery (07.15.05)

the Band: the Dead 60s, the Bravery
the Date: Friday July 15, 2005
the Venue: 9:30 Club (DC)

(Photo credit to Joel Didriksen and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/kingpinphoto/)

The Dead 60s opened. I kind of liked them. Riot Radio was my favorite of their tunes.

The Bravery is one of the cutting edge, new wave bands out of NYC. It consists of Sam Endicott (vocals/guitar), Michael Zakarin (guitar), John Conway (keyboards), Mike Hindert (bass), and Anthony Burulcich (drums). Mike Zakarin and Mike Hindert apparently went to Georgetown University, so I had support my fellow Hoyas! Anyways, I heard they used to be a ska band and then abruptly decided to change their entire style, image, and sound to something more like the Killers. Regardless of the back story, I liked their show. They were playing tunes off of their self-titled album released earlier this year, but my favorites included Unconditional and An Honest Mistake.

Full setlist (not from this night, but from a night around this time … sorry, best I can do): Unconditional / No Brakes / Public Service Announcement / Hate Fuck / Tyrant / Believe / Jack-o-lantern Man / Red Hands and White Knuckles / Time Won't Let Me Go / Fearless / An Honest Mistake / ENCORE / Split Me Wide Open


I’ve spent my whole life surrounded and I’ve spent my whole life alone …

Magik Markers, Bardo Pond, Dinosaur Jr. (07.11.05)

the Band: Magik Markers, Bardo Pond, Dinosaur Jr.
the Date: Monday December 7, 2004
the Venue: 9:30 Club (DC)

(Photo credit to Danielle and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/jereye/)

Totally missed Magik Markers and Bardo Pond.

This was my first time seeing Dinosaur Jr. perform. I was a big fan back in college when the band released the EP Whatever’s Cool with Me and the album Where You Been. Now, they are back together with the original lineup … but I really didn’t listen to them when they had the original lineup so this is not the band of my college days. Anyways, today’s Dinosaur Jr. consists of J. Mascis (guitar/vocals), Lou Barlow (bass), and Murph (drums). J. Mascis is one freaking amazing guitar player. Without a doubt, this is the loudest show I’ve ever been to! Wish I wore earplugs!

Full setlist: Gargoyle / In a Jar / The Lung / Post / Forget the Swan / Little Fury Things / Repulsion / Raisans / Bulbs of Passion / Budge / Kracked / Sludgefeast / ENCORE 1 / Just Like Heaven / Freak Scene / ENCORE 2 / Tarpit / Chunks


Well I’ll be down, I’ll be around …
 

the Roots, Wilco (06.26.05)

the Band: the Roots, Wilco
the Date: Sunday June 26, 2005
the Venue: Merriweather Post Pavilion (Columbia, MD)

(Photo credit to Jeff Haskins and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/jeffhaskins/)

The Roots opened. Totally missed them. Damn.

Wilco was the main event. They had recently played an amazing show at the 9:30 club back in February. Now in this outdoor venue, the wonderful weather seemed to feed the band’s energy. Wilco consists of Jeff Tweedy (vocals, guitar), John Stirratt (bass), Nels Cline (guitar), Glenn Kotche (drums), Pat Sansone (multi-instrumentalist), and Mikael Jorgensen (keyboard).

They played an amazing set, focusing mainly on songs from the band’s last two albums, A Ghost is Born and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. This provided amazing tunes, but some of the evenings best offerings came from older material.

My favorites of the evening were I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Hummingbird, Sunken Treasure, Heavy Metal Drummer, I’m the Man Who Loves You (where Nels absolutely destroyed the guitar), Jesus, Etc., Kingpin, The Late Greats, and I’m a Wheel … whew! I have a lot of favorites.

One of the highlights of the night, above and beyond the tunes, was when a very kind, very pregnant couple gave us their pavilion seats saying that it was too loud being up close to the stage for their unborn baby. Thank you, baby. Those seats were AMAZING!

Full setlist: Handshake Drugs / Company In My Back / Airline to Heaven (Woodie Guthrie cover) / A Shot In the Arm / I Am Trying to Break Your Heart / War On War / Hell Is Chrome / Hummingbird / At Least That’s What You Said / Sunken Treasure / Muzzle of Bees / Kamera / Heavy Metal Drummer / I’m Always In Love / I’m the Man Who Loves You / Reservations / Spiders (Kidsmoke) / ENCORE 1 / Misunderstood / Jesus, Etc. / Kingpin / The Late Greats / ENCORE 2 / Monday / Outtasite (Outta Mind) / I’m a Wheel / Something in the Air (Thunderclap Newman cover) / I Shall Be Released


If I could you know I would just hold your hand and you’d understand
I’m the man who loves you …

the BellRays, Bloc Party, Pixies (06.13.05)

the Band: the BellRays, Bloc Party, Pixies
the Date: Monday June 13, 2005
the Venue: Merriweather Post Pavilion (Columbia, MD)

(Photo credit to Laura and her Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/nosmoking/)

I totally missed the BellRays, but found a great spot on the lawn just in time for Bloc Party. This British rock band is made up of Kele Okereke (vocals, guitar), Russell Lissack (guitar), Gordon Moakes (bass), and Matt Tong (drums). In support of the release of their debut album, Silent Alarm, they played nearly every track. These guys were fantastic! What a great opener for the main act, Pixies.

(Photo credit to Gregor Smith and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/flc/)

Pixies were the main attraction. Long story short, in the late 80s/early 90s, they were gods of the alternative music scene, they broke up abruptly in 1993, now their back together touring the heck out of the world and giving all us fans what we’ve been craving all these years.

The band consists of Frank Black (a.k.a. Black Francis, a.k.a. Charles Thompson; vocals/guitar), Kim Deal (a.k.a. Mrs. John Murphy; vocals/bass), Joey Santiago (guitar), and David Lovering (drums). They really put on an amazing show! The Pixies played tunes that spanned their entire catalog including my favorites: Wave of Mutilation, Where Is My Mind?, Nimrod’s Son, Vamos, Levitate Me, Isla De Encanta, Caribou, and Gigantic (with which they closed the evening).

One of the highlights of the show was when the band paused for a moment to announce that their first full-length album, Surfer Rosa, released way back in 1988, just went GOLD! Nice!

(Photo credit to Gregor Smith and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/flc/)

Full setlist: In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) / Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) / Where Is My Mind? / Nimrod’s Son / Mr. Grieves / Vamos / Bone Machine / Allison / Crackity Jones / Stormy Weather / Tame / Monkey Gone to Heaven / No. 13 Baby / Cactus / I Bleed / Broken Face / Levitate Me / Hey / Gouge Away / Dead / Debaser / U-Mass / Isla De Encanta / Caribou / Ed Is Dead / Planet of Sound / Gigantic


With your feet on the air and your head on the ground …

the Faint, Bright Eyes (05.26.05)

the Band: the Faint, Bright Eyes
the Date: Thursday May 26, 2005
the Venue: 9:30 Club (DC)

(Photo credit to Johanna B. and her Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/johannabocher/)

Dance-rock geniuses, the Faint, opened with a hugely energetic show. The Faint is raw, fantastic, and utterly sensational live. They were a great start to the evening.

Indie rock demi-god, Conor Oberst, took the stage with his large Bright Eyes band (i.e., the Faint plus a few others … side-note, once upon a time, Conor was a member of the Faint) in tow, eager to deliver his newest creations to his fans. Oberst had recently appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno where he played this amazing song, When the President Talks to God. He had also just released two new albums simultaneously, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn and I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning. This was his second tour this year. Apparently, the first focused on I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning while this tour focused on Digital Ash in a Digital Urn.

I’ll admit that I didn’t know too much about Bright Eyes before the show, but I definitely walked away a fan … and picked up a few CDs at the merch table (again!). The band performed strongly and cleanly playing nearly every track from Digital Ash in a Digital Urn. The night’s highlights included Down in a Rabbit Hole, Take it Easy (Love Nothing), Gold Mine Gutted, and Arc of Time (Time Code).

Full setlist (not from this show, but from around this time … sorry, best I can do): Time Code / Gold Mine Gutted / Arc of Time (Time Code) / Ship in a Bottle / Light Pollution / Down in a Rabbit Hole / Take it Easy (Love Nothing) / Neely O’Hara / Devil in the Details / I Believe in Symmetry /ENCORE / Lover I Don’t Have to Love / Easy/Lucky/Free

There is nothing as lucky, as easy, or free …

Detholz!, Wilco (02.23.05)

the Band: Detholz!, Wilco
the Date: Wednesday February 23, 2005
the Venue: 9:30 Club (DC)

(Photo credit to Kurt Groetsch and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/oldtasty/)

The evening started off with a set from Detholz!, a Chicago-based group (just like Wilco). I missed most of their set. Detholz! thanked Wilco profusely for the opportunity to open for them, thanked the audience for listening and, soon after a catchy cover of Ring of Fire, took off.

This was the first night of Wilco’s two night stay in DC. Wilco came on stage around 10 p.m. The band recently went through some changes, losing one member and adding a few. The roster now consisted of Jeff Tweedy (vocals, guitar), John Stirratt (bass), Nels Cline (guitar), Glenn Kotche (drums), Pat Sansone (multi-instrumentalist), and Mikael Jorgensen (keyboard). This was my first time seeing Wilco and I just loved ‘em. How could I not when they blazed through a 27-song set in about 2 and ½ hours?

From A.M. to Summer Teeth to Being There to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to last year’s A Ghost is Born, they played the fan standards and all the songs I have been waiting to hear live. It was awesome! My favorites of the evening included energy driven tunes like Candyfloss, Heavy Metal Drummer, War on War, and A Shot in the Arm, as well as slower tunes like Via Chicago, She’s a Jar, and I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (which just mesmerized the crowd with its intensity).

(Photo credit to Craig and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/7460073@N02/)

Full setlist: At Least That’s What You Said / Hell Is Chrome / I Am Trying to Break Your Heart / The Late Greats / Hummingbird / Muzzle of Bees / Jesus, Etc. / War On War / Ashes of American Flags / Theologians / Poor Places / Remember the Mountain Bed / Handshake Drugs / A Shot in the Arm / Via Chicago / Spiders (Kidsmoke) / ENCORE 1 / New Madrid / She’s a Jar / Political Science / I’m the Man Who Loves You / Candyfloss / Kingpin / ENCORE 2 / Another Man’s Done Gone / Passenger Side / Heavy Metal Drummer / I’m a Wheel / Something in the Air


Oh I sincerely miss those heavy metal bands …

the Bennies, the Datsuns, Pixies (12.07.04)

the Band: the Bennies, the Datsuns, Pixies
the Date: Tuesday December 7, 2004
the Venue: DAR Constitution Hall (DC)

(Photo credit to Cliff and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/invisibleman/)

This night, I went to heaven … and met the Pixies. The band consists of Frank Black (a.k.a. Black Francis, a.k.a. Charles Thompson; vocals/guitar), Kim Deal (a.k.a. Mrs. John Murphy; vocals/bass), Joey Santiago (guitar), and David Lovering (drums). They were fantastic!

The Pixies are my absolute, all-time favorite band … EVER! When I was in high school and college, these guys were hitting their prime. Though I never got the chance to see them perform, the Pixies defined my taste in music. I was a HUGE fan. Then in early 1993, the band abruptly broke up (I’ll skip the part about Kim and Charles not getting along and the infamous fax heard round the indie world). I was crushed, but my love for the Pixies remained true. As they say, “It is better to have loved and lost, than to have never heard the Pixies at all”

(Photo credit to Cliff and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/invisibleman/)

Anyways, fast forward nearly twelve years and I find myself seeing the Pixies in concert! This was the first of a two-night stint in DC’s DAR Constitution Hall. I was only able to score tickets to one of the two nights, but that’s okay because it was still a dream come true. The Bennies opened and they were followed by the Datsuns. They were both great, but I was really distracted anticipating the Pixies. Finally, they came on stage and the crowd went nutz! They started with a slowed down version of In Heaven, which was magical, and then proceeded to give the sellout crowd what they came to hear. The set was chock full of note perfect versions of all of my favorites including, Wave of Mutilation, Nimrod’s Son, Here Comes Your Man, Debaser, Caribou, Vamos, Gigantic, and my all-time favorite song, Where Is My Mind? (with which they closed the evening). It was simply amazing.

Even considering their long hiatus, the Pixies did not disappoint. Frank had definitely retained his ability to seamlessly turn from a sweet melody to an all out, guttural scream. Kim played the bass flawlessly with her sweet backing vocals occasionally popping in. Joey and Dave were absolutely on fire. There was one moment, during Vamos, when Dave tossed Joey a drumstick which then Joey incorporated into an incredible guitar solo. Wow!

I left the night knowing that I had just seen the greatest band of all time. I cannot wait until their next show.

(Photo credit to Cliff and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/invisibleman/)

Full setlist: In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) / Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) / Winterlong (Neil Young cover) / Nimrod’s Son / The Holiday Song / Here Comes Your Man / Broken Face / Subbacultcha / Cactus / No. 13 Baby / Monkey Gone to Heaven / Velouria / Is She Weird / Debaser / U-Mass / Gouge Away / Crackity Jones / Something Against You / Isla De Encanta / Hey / Caribou / Broken Face / Head On (Jesus and Mary Chain cover) / Tame / Vamos / Gigantic / Where Is My Mind?

In Heaven, everything is fine …

On!Air!Library!, Secret Machines, Interpol (11.09.04)

the Band: On!Air!Library!, Secret Machines, Interpol
the Date: Tuesday November 9, 2004
the Venue: 9:30 Club (DC)

(Photo credit to the On!Air!Library! website)

A trio of NYC bands rocked the 9:30 club. For a few short hours, I knew what it was like to be a real New Yorker … okay, not really, but I did witness some of the best new music coming out of the Big Apple. It was awesome!

On!Air!Library! was the first band to play. This NYC band consists of twin sisters, Claudia and Alley Deheza, and Phillip Wann. They put out some hazy, hallucinating, and haunting tunes anchored only by the edgy harmonies from the Deheza sisters. It was shoegazing at its finest. I really liked them and picked up their self-titled album at the merch table. It was a great start to the night.

(Photo credit to Aaron Smith and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/bruthavoodoo/)

Secret Machines were next. This NYC band (actually, I think they’re from Texas, but broke out in NYC), made up of brothers, Ben (guitar) and Brandon Curtis (vocals/bass/keyboard), and Josh Garza (drums), played a fantastic live set. Josh absolutely obliterated his drum kit with his Slash-like hair bobbing away and Brandon passionately handled keyboard and vocal duties. But, it was Ben who was really on fire this night -- he just tore it up.

The Secret Machines didn’t feel at all like an opening act for Interpol. They seemed more like contemporaries who happened to play on the same night .. in the same club (they even had near identical set lengths!). My favorites of the night were, First Wave Intact (awesome tune to start their set!), Sad and Lonely, It’s a Bad Wind that Don’t Blow Somebody Some Good (from their September 000 EP), Still See You, The Road Leads Where It’s Lead, and Now Here Is Nowhere.

(Photo credit to David Chou and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/58205890@N00/)

This was my first time seeing Interpol and I was pretty amped up. Interpol was phenomenal! This NYC band, consisting of Paul Banks (vocals/guitar), Daniel Kessler (guitar/vocals), Carlos Dengler (bass/keyboards), and Sam Fogarino (drums), put on a fantastic show … in uber-fashionable Italian suits too! The renditions of each song was perfect -- taut rhythms and an intense performance. I mean, these guys sound just as perfect live as they do on their studio-produced albums.

On a side note, Daniel Kessler spent some time growing up in the DC are and graduated from Bethesda Chevy Chase High School. Cool!

Their set was a great mix of tunes from their original album, Turn on the Bright Lights, and their recent release, Antics. My favorites included Hands Away, Evil, and Not Even Jail. But the highlight of the concert, however, was PDA, which the band executed with seemingly effortless gusto.  It was just an amazing night of tunes from the city that never sleeps ... Hey, New York, thanks for the little tast of insomnia!

Full setlist: Next Exit / Evil / Say Hello to the Angels / Public Pervert / Length of Love / Not Even Jail / Hands Away / NYC / Slow Hands / Narc / PDA / ENCORE / Leif Erikson / Obstacle 1


Rosemary, Heaven restores you in life …