So this past weekend I had the pleasure of seeing one of the best live performances in recent memory. Nassau Coliseum was lucky enough to be one of the stops on Brand New's tour in support of their new album, Daisy. All of you who are fans of Daisy should stop touching yourselves, Brand New was not the reason I was excited (more on that in a bit). What really got me hot and bothered about this show was the overall lineup.
Round 1: Kevin Divine and His God Damn Band- 30 minutes.
I totally missed his set except for the last song, and unfortunately I'm not super familiar with his material so I can't even tell you what the last song was. What I did see was a collection of enthusiastic musicians doing what they do best: having fun entertaining an audience. If there were any fuck ups in the song, they weren't noticeable. If the rest of their set had half as much energy as the closer, then it was awesome. Well done, sir.
Round 2: Manchester Orchestra- 30 minutes.
One thing I need to mention is how crazy-good the stage crew was. From roadies with the bands to the Coliseum staff, there was maybe a 10 minute wait tops in between performances, and that was awesome because the guy on my left kept trying to talk to me after each band and it was super awkwardtown. Anyway, Manchester Orchestra is another band on the bill I didn't really know too well. I had heard their latest single, and thought it was pretty cool. Remembering back to high school, my friend Armen spoke very highly of the band after each time he saw them play. "Armen, I'm trusting you on this one" I said out loud to the wind as I entered the stadium. Boy was he right! Killer performance, and tunes good enough to make them worth checking out (which I did). If you get a chance to see these guys, do it. Even if you're not into their music, you'll have a good time.
Round 3: Thrice- 45 minutes.
I was dying I was so excited for Thrice. Literally. Their latest album, Beggars, is one of my favorite new releases. I was really into them during my early years of high school while screamo was still the cool thing to do, but put them on the shelf when Vheissu was released (I have since then reconciled with the album and really dig it). But hearing Beggars got me back into them. I'm not the best at remembering set lists (gonna try to write them down from now on), so if you went to the show and I fuck up the song order, give me a break. They opened with All the World is Mad off of Beggars, and then played a song from Vheissu. After that song I turned to my friend Toni and told her that I doubted they would play Silhouette but in the event that they did, she would have to drive my car home because I would have passed out from shitting so many bricks. Sure enough, not five seconds after I finished my sentence I heard an explosive pound on the drums followed by those familiar chugging chords. Nice. They topped off with Artist in the Ambulance, another new song, one song from Alchemy Index, and then closed with the titular track off Beggars. Thrice was everything I hoped they would be and more. Five stars!
Round 4: Glassjaw- 45 minutes.
Glassjaw gave me an erection so hard it exploded. This band is almost as old as I am and way more badass than I can ever even dream to be. Daryl Palumbo has only gotten better as a front man over the years; the control he has over his voice is unreal. Every single member of of Glassjaw gave 100% to this performance. My highlight of the night was Pink Roses. Already an amazing song, seeing it played right in front of me was mind blowing. Whoever did sound at the concert hit his mark with Glassjaw. Every instrument was clear but not so much that it took away from the overall sound. Considering this legendary four-piece is one of the most influential bands still performing, it was nothing short of divine (ha) intervention that I got to see them live. If you ever, Ever, EVER get a chance to see them perform jump on it like a fat kid on cake.
Round 5: Brand New- 1 hour+
They opened with some intro thing and then played a song from Daisy. I wasn't too pleased. I was hesitant. I didn't want to get my hopes up lest they be smashed in front of my face. They played mostly songs from Daisy and Devil & God. Everything they played sounded great, I just wish they played better songs. The three songs from Deja Entendu they played (Okay I Believe You but My Tommy Gun Don't, Sic Transit Gloria, and Play Crack the Sky) were awesome, I have to say. It's always interesting to see how a band applies their growth and maturity to their older songs. The real highlight of their set was definitely their closer, Seventy Times Seven. Even though it's not my favorite off that album (Your Favorite Weapon), and it's one of Brand New's more overplayed songs, the whole band seemed into it and hearing one of their classic tunes really got the crowd going. The energy was high, they played the song flawlessly, and everybody was happy. Except for me. I was mostly pleased.
Overall I had a great time, all of the bands played well. Brand New was not as bad as I feared, but they weren't quite as good as I believe they could have been. Maybe they have legitimate reasons for making the album they did and coming up with the setlist they did. Or maybe Jesse Lacey just needs to put on some big boy pants and realize Deja Entendu was Brand New at their best. Eh, who knows.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Motherfish #24- Turkey HOBL HOBL HOBBL
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I was inundated with work this week so I didn't get to finish my review of The Great Misdirect (which will be next week). However, I got this for you:
It's a playlist. One that I've been digging lately, hopefully you'll enjoy.
***
1. My Body is a Cage- Arcade Fire
2. The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
3. Videotape- Radiohead
4. Slow Hands- Interpol
5. Fire It Up- Modest Mouse
6. 7/4 (Shoreline)- Broken Social Scene
7. 16 Military Wives- The Decemberists
8. Is This It- The Strokes
9. Off the Record- My Morning Jacket
10. Cape Canaveral- Conor Oberst
11. The Good That Won't Come Out- Rilo Kiley
12. Have You Forgotten- Red House Painters
13. Lately (I've Been On My Back)- BOAT
14. Blackout City- Anamanaguchi
15. Let Go- Edison Glass
***
Enjoy, and enjoy your day of stuffing turkeys, your faces, and your women. Bam.
It's a playlist. One that I've been digging lately, hopefully you'll enjoy.
***
1. My Body is a Cage- Arcade Fire
2. The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
3. Videotape- Radiohead
4. Slow Hands- Interpol
5. Fire It Up- Modest Mouse
6. 7/4 (Shoreline)- Broken Social Scene
7. 16 Military Wives- The Decemberists
8. Is This It- The Strokes
9. Off the Record- My Morning Jacket
10. Cape Canaveral- Conor Oberst
11. The Good That Won't Come Out- Rilo Kiley
12. Have You Forgotten- Red House Painters
13. Lately (I've Been On My Back)- BOAT
14. Blackout City- Anamanaguchi
15. Let Go- Edison Glass
***
Enjoy, and enjoy your day of stuffing turkeys, your faces, and your women. Bam.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Motherfish #23- Thanks Bryan
There are billions of people in the world who are cooler than me. Fortunately, I happen to be friends with many of them. One specific friend/person who is cooler than I will ever be and also longtime Motherfish support is my friend Bryan. You may remember him as the bloke who drove my spare keys down to me over the summer when I was too busy being a babbling idiot outside of Starland Ballroom to remember not to lock my actual keys in my car. Bryan's always been a great person to talk music with; I'll frequently bounce ideas off of him or chat him up about what I've been listening to lately, and he straight up tell me if a review is bad or if some band I've been obsessing over is actually trash. So, today I want to give Bryan the best shout-out I can by featuring some of his work. This isn't an album review but is a snippet from an interview Bryan had with none other than Keith Buckley from the band Every Time I Die (I told you Bryan is cooler than me, the most famous person I've ever interviewed was YOUR MOM). Enjoy the fuck out of this, I know I did.
***
Bryan: Alright, so you are Keith
Keith: Yes, I am Keith. I’ve got some ID to prove it.
Bryan: Hopefully that won’t be necessary. So you guys are on the Epitaph tour now. How’s that going and what’s it like touring with Bring Me the Horizon?
Keith: Awesome! These shows have been some of the best we’ve ever played, and we’re playing places that…I hadn’t thought about a headlining tour and I never would’ve imagined played them because they’re just incredible, like the House of Blues in Boston yesterday- we had almost two thousand people. It was fuckin’ nuts, so, I’m really excited. It just validates the record, really. I mean we put out the record a few weeks ago, and people are obviously liking it, ‘cause they’re coming out and watching us and singing along.
Bryan: You’re a big touring band, and at the shows you maintain the intense sort of screaming you put on the record. How do you manage to keep that up?
Keith: I think a lot of it’s mental actually. I don’t subscribe to the whole like, “after the show you don’t talk”, “you gotta drink eight gallons of water a day”. I just feel like being confidant is all it takes- and staying hydrated and making sure you get sleep. Today my voice is going a little bit so, I think my body knows, like I said with it being mental, I think my body knows that we have tomorrow off so it’s starting to shut down, cause tomorrow I won’t do anything. I definitely think just being confidant and…y’know…I advise drinking beer before playing. It’ll make you a little mucusy and that always makes for a better-sounding scream.
Bryan: It’s also probably also terrible Long Island weather. That can’t be helping…
Keith: That’s true. We are getting back to the cold weather, which is gearing us up properly for Buffalo.
Bryan: Recently you guys lost Mike (Novak) on drums. What happened? Was it a pleasant parting or is there animosity between you guys?
Keith: I dunno…I know that he didn’t leave on the best of terms. He was kinda forced into leaving, but I dunno man, it’s not like there’s any ill-will really. I mean, he’s gunna do something. I think he’s trying to get back into a band, so…good for him. We don’t really have anything in common so there’s no reason for me to pursue a friendship afterwards. Just kinda went our own ways.
Bryan: That’s good I suppose. I was actually watching a bunch of interviews of you guys…
Keith: to get geared-up?
Bryan: Yeah and, I can’t remember in which one, but you mentioned that a big inspiration on The Big Dirty was watching Federico Fellini’s 8 ½, which is a wonderful movie. I was wondering if there were any pieces of cinema that spurred on New Junk Aesthetic.
Keith: Y’know, I’m not too sure. I definitely think that Rosemary’s Baby was one of them. Just kind of the idea of it, and that kind of spawned ‘Roman Holiday’…
Bryan: Which really is a big departure, sonically…
Keith: Yeah, it is! I’m very excited about it. I think that the idea of stoner rock like that- just kind of like slow, drudgy stuff. We all listen to it but we’ve never really incorporated it, so I was really glad that we got to this time. I think that was due in part to the fact that our drummer, who usually puts the kibosh on any new idea we have, really stopped caring about the recording process, so we were able to experiment a little more. As Far as movies, I dunno…8 ½ was definitely a big one. Another Fellini movie, La Dolce Vida, was a big one for me too. I guess if there’s any movie that kind of sums up this record, it’s that. I mean, it translates to ‘the sweet life’ and there’s a song (on the record) called ‘the sweet life’. That was a big part of it. It’s like, refusing to grow up when everyone around you is, and the disastrous effects it has- just being the last dude at a party, just breaking someone else’s stuff…was kind of the theme that stuck with me when writing.
Bryan: Haha, that’s a great image. As far as recording the album, what’s it like working with Steve Evetts?
Keith: He’s a great dude. He knows where we’re coming from, and knows what we hope to achieve through the music. Very hands off. He’ll propose amazing ideas but if we don’t like them, he doesn’t push them, he just lets us feel out our own vibes. We appreciate that. He’s guiding us- he’s not making us go in any direction, he’s just making sure we get across the road safely.
Bryan: Now, on a lot of your albums you have a lot of big-name guest vocalists- Howard Jones from Killswitch Engage, Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, Daryl Palumbo from Glassjaw…
Keith: Howard wasn’t even in Killswitch back then! He was in Blood Has Been Shed. I made him!
Bryan: crafted him with your own two hands
Keith:*joking* If it wasn’t for that guest spot he wouldn’t be in Killswitch!
Bryan: Do you invite people that you’re already friends with to sing on albums, or do you make friends through it?
Keith: I have never made friends through doing it- it’s all people I know. I was actually attempting to make friends with one guest spot- I wanted William Elliott Whitmore to be on the record, I had never met him before- it didn’t pan out. But, I’ve known all the people that have been on them, and they’re just people I admire, one way or another- musically, artistically, sometimes just socially, where it’s just that I love the dude.
Bryan: I know you’re very close with Dallas Green- which category does he fall into?
Keith: Finding his music, City and Colour, was at a very optimal point in my life. We were in Europe, and I was super fuckin’ homesick, I was losing my mind. Shitty shows, shitty weather, shitty conditions I was on the fuckin’ brink of losing it and quitting the band. Found that CD in our tour manager’s collection, and it was just the perfect thing to calm me down…hate to say the fuckin’ cliché but it spoke to me. So, we got home, and then we did the Warped tour and they were on it, so I met him through that and we ended up becoming friends. I think he’s one of the most incredible voices out there, I mean he’s got more soul in a dude that size than ive ever seen in my life. Little Canadian dude, he’s got so much soul, it’s amazing…
Bryan: Any bands that you’re getting into now, listening to a lot while you’re on the road?
Keith: Right now I’m listening to M. Doughty, who used to sing for a band called Soul Coughing. So that’s what’s on right now.
Bryan: Man, I listened to the cassette of Ruby Vroom (Soul Coughing’s debut) until it broke!
Keith: Oh yeah? I love that stuff! Golden delicious- his solo stuff- is awesome. But the thing is, it’s a lot of Howard Stern, so…
Bryan: On the M. Doughty record?!
Keith: Oh, no no! In the van. Pretty much exclusively. Band of Horses, I can’t stop listening to that. Kings of Leon I fuckin’ love. Just recently I purchased a new Health record…a Stone Roses record…the new Mute Math record…and Def Jux Presents 4 compilation.
Bryan: Any final words for anybody trying to start up and band and get into the music scene?
Keith: If you want to start up a band, you’ve gotta have nothing. You really can’t get into this game with everything and expect longevity. Pretty much start from scratch, and build it up from there. I mean, you can buy your way in, and there’s plenty of bands that have, but nobody takes them seriously. Just be willing to fuckin’ be twenty-nine years old, sitting on a bed that people probably shit on *gesturing again to tour trailer*, in fuckin’ early October, when you could be home, comfy on your couch if you wanted to be. Give it all up.
***
Thanks Bryan for hooking me up with that interview, Keith seems like as much of a down to earth guy as you can get, not to mention a total fucking badass. Check out Every Time I Die's latest album New Junk Aesthetic in stores now. Hopefully the Large Hadron Collider won't obliterate the universe before next week when we turn the metal up even more as I put Between the Buried and Me's new album The Great Misdirect under the microscope.
***
Bryan: Alright, so you are Keith
Keith: Yes, I am Keith. I’ve got some ID to prove it.
Bryan: Hopefully that won’t be necessary. So you guys are on the Epitaph tour now. How’s that going and what’s it like touring with Bring Me the Horizon?
Keith: Awesome! These shows have been some of the best we’ve ever played, and we’re playing places that…I hadn’t thought about a headlining tour and I never would’ve imagined played them because they’re just incredible, like the House of Blues in Boston yesterday- we had almost two thousand people. It was fuckin’ nuts, so, I’m really excited. It just validates the record, really. I mean we put out the record a few weeks ago, and people are obviously liking it, ‘cause they’re coming out and watching us and singing along.
Bryan: You’re a big touring band, and at the shows you maintain the intense sort of screaming you put on the record. How do you manage to keep that up?
Keith: I think a lot of it’s mental actually. I don’t subscribe to the whole like, “after the show you don’t talk”, “you gotta drink eight gallons of water a day”. I just feel like being confidant is all it takes- and staying hydrated and making sure you get sleep. Today my voice is going a little bit so, I think my body knows, like I said with it being mental, I think my body knows that we have tomorrow off so it’s starting to shut down, cause tomorrow I won’t do anything. I definitely think just being confidant and…y’know…I advise drinking beer before playing. It’ll make you a little mucusy and that always makes for a better-sounding scream.
Bryan: It’s also probably also terrible Long Island weather. That can’t be helping…
Keith: That’s true. We are getting back to the cold weather, which is gearing us up properly for Buffalo.
Bryan: Recently you guys lost Mike (Novak) on drums. What happened? Was it a pleasant parting or is there animosity between you guys?
Keith: I dunno…I know that he didn’t leave on the best of terms. He was kinda forced into leaving, but I dunno man, it’s not like there’s any ill-will really. I mean, he’s gunna do something. I think he’s trying to get back into a band, so…good for him. We don’t really have anything in common so there’s no reason for me to pursue a friendship afterwards. Just kinda went our own ways.
Bryan: That’s good I suppose. I was actually watching a bunch of interviews of you guys…
Keith: to get geared-up?
Bryan: Yeah and, I can’t remember in which one, but you mentioned that a big inspiration on The Big Dirty was watching Federico Fellini’s 8 ½, which is a wonderful movie. I was wondering if there were any pieces of cinema that spurred on New Junk Aesthetic.
Keith: Y’know, I’m not too sure. I definitely think that Rosemary’s Baby was one of them. Just kind of the idea of it, and that kind of spawned ‘Roman Holiday’…
Bryan: Which really is a big departure, sonically…
Keith: Yeah, it is! I’m very excited about it. I think that the idea of stoner rock like that- just kind of like slow, drudgy stuff. We all listen to it but we’ve never really incorporated it, so I was really glad that we got to this time. I think that was due in part to the fact that our drummer, who usually puts the kibosh on any new idea we have, really stopped caring about the recording process, so we were able to experiment a little more. As Far as movies, I dunno…8 ½ was definitely a big one. Another Fellini movie, La Dolce Vida, was a big one for me too. I guess if there’s any movie that kind of sums up this record, it’s that. I mean, it translates to ‘the sweet life’ and there’s a song (on the record) called ‘the sweet life’. That was a big part of it. It’s like, refusing to grow up when everyone around you is, and the disastrous effects it has- just being the last dude at a party, just breaking someone else’s stuff…was kind of the theme that stuck with me when writing.
Bryan: Haha, that’s a great image. As far as recording the album, what’s it like working with Steve Evetts?
Keith: He’s a great dude. He knows where we’re coming from, and knows what we hope to achieve through the music. Very hands off. He’ll propose amazing ideas but if we don’t like them, he doesn’t push them, he just lets us feel out our own vibes. We appreciate that. He’s guiding us- he’s not making us go in any direction, he’s just making sure we get across the road safely.
Bryan: Now, on a lot of your albums you have a lot of big-name guest vocalists- Howard Jones from Killswitch Engage, Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, Daryl Palumbo from Glassjaw…
Keith: Howard wasn’t even in Killswitch back then! He was in Blood Has Been Shed. I made him!
Bryan: crafted him with your own two hands
Keith:*joking* If it wasn’t for that guest spot he wouldn’t be in Killswitch!
Bryan: Do you invite people that you’re already friends with to sing on albums, or do you make friends through it?
Keith: I have never made friends through doing it- it’s all people I know. I was actually attempting to make friends with one guest spot- I wanted William Elliott Whitmore to be on the record, I had never met him before- it didn’t pan out. But, I’ve known all the people that have been on them, and they’re just people I admire, one way or another- musically, artistically, sometimes just socially, where it’s just that I love the dude.
Bryan: I know you’re very close with Dallas Green- which category does he fall into?
Keith: Finding his music, City and Colour, was at a very optimal point in my life. We were in Europe, and I was super fuckin’ homesick, I was losing my mind. Shitty shows, shitty weather, shitty conditions I was on the fuckin’ brink of losing it and quitting the band. Found that CD in our tour manager’s collection, and it was just the perfect thing to calm me down…hate to say the fuckin’ cliché but it spoke to me. So, we got home, and then we did the Warped tour and they were on it, so I met him through that and we ended up becoming friends. I think he’s one of the most incredible voices out there, I mean he’s got more soul in a dude that size than ive ever seen in my life. Little Canadian dude, he’s got so much soul, it’s amazing…
Bryan: Any bands that you’re getting into now, listening to a lot while you’re on the road?
Keith: Right now I’m listening to M. Doughty, who used to sing for a band called Soul Coughing. So that’s what’s on right now.
Bryan: Man, I listened to the cassette of Ruby Vroom (Soul Coughing’s debut) until it broke!
Keith: Oh yeah? I love that stuff! Golden delicious- his solo stuff- is awesome. But the thing is, it’s a lot of Howard Stern, so…
Bryan: On the M. Doughty record?!
Keith: Oh, no no! In the van. Pretty much exclusively. Band of Horses, I can’t stop listening to that. Kings of Leon I fuckin’ love. Just recently I purchased a new Health record…a Stone Roses record…the new Mute Math record…and Def Jux Presents 4 compilation.
Bryan: Any final words for anybody trying to start up and band and get into the music scene?
Keith: If you want to start up a band, you’ve gotta have nothing. You really can’t get into this game with everything and expect longevity. Pretty much start from scratch, and build it up from there. I mean, you can buy your way in, and there’s plenty of bands that have, but nobody takes them seriously. Just be willing to fuckin’ be twenty-nine years old, sitting on a bed that people probably shit on *gesturing again to tour trailer*, in fuckin’ early October, when you could be home, comfy on your couch if you wanted to be. Give it all up.
***
Thanks Bryan for hooking me up with that interview, Keith seems like as much of a down to earth guy as you can get, not to mention a total fucking badass. Check out Every Time I Die's latest album New Junk Aesthetic in stores now. Hopefully the Large Hadron Collider won't obliterate the universe before next week when we turn the metal up even more as I put Between the Buried and Me's new album The Great Misdirect under the microscope.
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