If, for some reason, a group of scientists got together for the purpose of creating the perfect band for me, it would be a wasted effort. Savages already exist.
I saw them in 2013 and they absolutely blew me away, but they've somehow gotten even better.
They closed with that one, as is their tradition. Also brought out both guitarists from opener Head Wound City, one of whom is Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, to add some more intensity.
In case any of you don't believe Doofy and I, from today's review of Savages' Primavera set yesterday (which was right before Radiohead):
"Go see Savages in concert and not only will you be convinced they are
the greatest live band in the world, you might also forget other bands
even exist."
Sorry Craig, but the best live band in the whole World is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Amazing, I'm still on a high. Not long under four hours playing, tracks spread though his career, just brilliant. Worth every penny!
Sorry Craig, but the best live band in the whole World is Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Amazing, I'm still on a high. Not long under four hours playing, tracks spread though his career, just brilliant. Worth every penny!
- The live band that ends all live bands (among many others)
Not to disparage either, but the E Street Band and Savages are two completely different rock and roll machines. Like comparing a locomotive with a bullet - Both of them go like hell once you set them off
David Bazan last night. An hour and half of just him, his electric guitar, and some great tunes. I'd also heard he's fantastic at crowd interaction and he absolutely is. Takes questions while he's tuning, played a few requests, and is genuinely a funny dude.
Holy cow, Car Seat Headrest is fantastic live (no Savages, but still). They're loose, fun, and they rock. Last night they covered Bowie's "Blackstar", which gets real dark without the jazzyness, AND a snippet of Patti Smith's "Gloria". Takes balls to cover both those artists and they killed it.
Paul McCartney last night at the Verizon Center in DC. The most expensive concert tickets I've ever bought. I hate arena shows but made an exception for McCartney, who I'd never seen. He was amazing. Played for almost three hours without a break, and seemed as fresh at the end as he was at the start. Good mix of Beatles, Wings and solo stuff, a few new songs I didn't know but only one that really sucked. Paul played his trusty Hofner bass, acoustic and electric guitars, piano, and even ukelele on a revamped version of Something. Nice tributes to John and George, and the video/light show was great.
The sound wasn't very good, which is why I don't do arena shows, but it was passable, and the band is killer. Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums is a monster player, and does the best drum faces I've ever seen. If they had a camera on him all night I'd have watched it. The sold-out crowd skewed old but enthusiastic, except for the douchebag couple behind me who basically talked through the whole show. They closed with the medley from Side 2 of Abbey Road and got out quick - we actually saw his tour bus leaving the arena as we were walking back to our car, and Paul was in front of the bus, waving to the fans. Just an unbelievably talented and energetic 74-year old guy who has written or co-written some of the most memorable songs in pop music history. I'm very glad I went.
And I'm going to see X on Friday, the return of Billy Zoom. Can't wait.
I also hate arena shows as a general rule, but made an exception for him a couple years ago (actually in a baseball stadium). Totally worth it, although he wasn't as fresh at the end of the 3 hours then as it sounds like he was for you. Definitely hitting the wall. We were on the field and turning around to look at the stands as he sang songs like "Let it Be" and "Hey Jude" and see every deck of people with their phone lights on and swaying was just awesome.
Jealous of X. Especially since I'm sure it's at someplace awesome like the 9:30 (a place I really want to see some day). I'll just have to deal with seeing Grant Hart on Monday for the 35th Anniversary of Land Speed Record in the club Husker Du first played it (7th Street Entry). There will also be a panel of early Twin Cities punk pioneers including Greg Norton, Lori Barbero, and others. Can't wait.
First it's Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld Duo tomorrow night.
X is playing at the State Theatre in Falls Church, VA, which is actually a good bit smaller than the 9:30 Club. I've seen them at the 9:30 a couple of times, as well as at the Birchmere in Alexandria and the Black Cat. But you should definitely make a pilgrimage at some point, 9:30 and the Black Cat are my favorite venues in DC. I feel a similar need to make it to Minneapolis and visit First Avenue.
In September I will be seeing Lush at the 9:30 and then Teenage Fanclub in October. The one show I'll miss that's killing me is the Claypool Lennon Delirium at the 9:30 on September 1. I love the album but I'm out of town until the next day. Crap.
ZZ Top is doing a special show at the 9:30 Club on 8/24, just announced yesterday. They did the same thing a few years ago and I went and it was awesome, but I'm gonna be out of town this time. Seeing a band that plays arenas in a (relatively) small venue is a rare pleasure. Dammit.
Colin stetson is an alien. It's the only explanation for how he makes those sounds. I thought I understood after listening to his albums, but seeing him live...I don't understand.
Sarah Neufeld is a perfect compliment to him as well. What gorgeous music.
X is a force of nature. Exene gets MS, they keep going. Billy gets cancer, they keep going. And they continue to wipe the floor with most bands half their age. Exene and John still sound great together, John and DJ are an all-time great rhythm section, and the songs are classic.
This was Billy's first show back after his latest round of cancer treatment. He sat on a stool for the entire show, instead of his usual splay-legged guitar god stance, but once he got warmed up, his guitar lines were as fluid and effortless as ever. He also played sax on a few songs, which I've never seen him do before. The venue was packed, the crowd was fired up, and the show kicked ass.
Last night was the Land Speed Record/early Twin Cities punks panel. It was a meandering conversation, but awesome all the same. L
to R: STrib reporter Chris Riemenschneider who was roped into
moderating about 2 minutes before it started, Lori Barbero of Babes in
Toyland, Grant Hart Husker Du drummer/singer, Greg Norton Husker Du
bassist, Terry Katzman recorded the show, and Steve McClellan looooooong
time First Ave GM.
Last night I got to see Brian Wilson play Pet Sounds; it was pretty awesome! This was at the free stage at the New York State Fair, so the show was free with the $10 admission to the Fair. I can't tell you how many times I checked that to make sure it was right before going because it seemed like a mistake - the next closest show to me on this tour had cheapest tickets at like $120, but it turned out to be real. (I still think it was some sort of mistake - I bought a t-shirt (my first ever concert t!) and that show/city (Syracuse) isn't even on there).
I took my 9-year-old with me because I always liked the fair when I was his age and I brought earplugs in case it was too loud but it was outside and we were far enough back that it was fine. He had a great time.
Al Jardine was there too, and Matt Jardine, who does a really good early Beach Boy voice. And the show opened and closed with Blondie Chaplin leading some classics. But the main thing was Pet Sounds. Look Brian's really old, and muddled and looks propped up at the piano and hardly moves and his voice is cracked, but there's still something there when he sings those songs. A lot of the crowd really wanted more of the classic Beach Boys sound, but I would have been fine with just Brian I think. I mean those other guys voices may have held up better, but those other guys didn't create Pet Sounds.
But the band was really good too; the instrumental tracks were really great.
And sometimes if you paid attention Brian just hit. His voice may have cracked and faded away but sometimes it cracked and faded away in just the right way. There were big screens so you could see, and he started to tear up a little and then a couple lines later he sang "sometimes I feel very sad" and it just hit me.
I don't make it to many concerts at all, especially for someone who loves music so much, and for the most part I don't really care to go, but this was one of things I knew I'd always regret if I didn't go and as it was it was a great time and a great memory.
Comments
Courtney Barnett with Bully (who I saw headline a show earlier this year). So much rocking fun.
Craig
If, for some reason, a group of scientists got together for the purpose of creating the perfect band for me, it would be a wasted effort. Savages already exist.
I saw them in 2013 and they absolutely blew me away, but they've somehow gotten even better.
Hot damn, what a show.
Craig
Savages - "Fuckers"
Craig
"Go see Savages in concert and not only will you be convinced they are the greatest live band in the world, you might also forget other bands even exist."
Link.
Craig
Tindersticks - " A Night In" live 1998
Tindersticks - Jism
Craig
Not technically a show, but last night I was at First Avenue watching Prince sing "Purple Rain" in First Avenue in "Purple Rain".
It was like Inception.
Craig
Highly recommended.
Craig
Craig
Craig
Highly, highly recommended.
Craig
The sound wasn't very good, which is why I don't do arena shows, but it was passable, and the band is killer. Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums is a monster player, and does the best drum faces I've ever seen. If they had a camera on him all night I'd have watched it. The sold-out crowd skewed old but enthusiastic, except for the douchebag couple behind me who basically talked through the whole show. They closed with the medley from Side 2 of Abbey Road and got out quick - we actually saw his tour bus leaving the arena as we were walking back to our car, and Paul was in front of the bus, waving to the fans. Just an unbelievably talented and energetic 74-year old guy who has written or co-written some of the most memorable songs in pop music history. I'm very glad I went.
And I'm going to see X on Friday, the return of Billy Zoom. Can't wait.
Jealous of X. Especially since I'm sure it's at someplace awesome like the 9:30 (a place I really want to see some day). I'll just have to deal with seeing Grant Hart on Monday for the 35th Anniversary of Land Speed Record in the club Husker Du first played it (7th Street Entry). There will also be a panel of early Twin Cities punk pioneers including Greg Norton, Lori Barbero, and others. Can't wait.
First it's Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld Duo tomorrow night.
In September I will be seeing Lush at the 9:30 and then Teenage Fanclub in October. The one show I'll miss that's killing me is the Claypool Lennon Delirium at the 9:30 on September 1. I love the album but I'm out of town until the next day. Crap.
Grant Hart sounds awesome.
We aren't on the Lush itinerary.
Colin stetson is an alien. It's the only explanation for how he makes those sounds. I thought I understood after listening to his albums, but seeing him live...I don't understand.
Sarah Neufeld is a perfect compliment to him as well. What gorgeous music.
Craig
This was Billy's first show back after his latest round of cancer treatment. He sat on a stool for the entire show, instead of his usual splay-legged guitar god stance, but once he got warmed up, his guitar lines were as fluid and effortless as ever. He also played sax on a few songs, which I've never seen him do before. The venue was packed, the crowd was fired up, and the show kicked ass.
Last night was the Land Speed Record/early Twin Cities punks panel. It was a meandering conversation, but awesome all the same. L to R: STrib reporter Chris Riemenschneider who was roped into moderating about 2 minutes before it started, Lori Barbero of Babes in Toyland, Grant Hart Husker Du drummer/singer, Greg Norton Husker Du bassist, Terry Katzman recorded the show, and Steve McClellan looooooong time First Ave GM.
I took my 9-year-old with me because I always liked the fair when I was his age and I brought earplugs in case it was too loud but it was outside and we were far enough back that it was fine. He had a great time.
Al Jardine was there too, and Matt Jardine, who does a really good early Beach Boy voice. And the show opened and closed with Blondie Chaplin leading some classics. But the main thing was Pet Sounds. Look Brian's really old, and muddled and looks propped up at the piano and hardly moves and his voice is cracked, but there's still something there when he sings those songs. A lot of the crowd really wanted more of the classic Beach Boys sound, but I would have been fine with just Brian I think. I mean those other guys voices may have held up better, but those other guys didn't create Pet Sounds.
But the band was really good too; the instrumental tracks were really great.
And sometimes if you paid attention Brian just hit. His voice may have cracked and faded away but sometimes it cracked and faded away in just the right way. There were big screens so you could see, and he started to tear up a little and then a couple lines later he sang "sometimes I feel very sad" and it just hit me.
I don't make it to many concerts at all, especially for someone who loves music so much, and for the most part I don't really care to go, but this was one of things I knew I'd always regret if I didn't go and as it was it was a great time and a great memory.
Well worth my $10!
Sure sounds like it will be.
Craig