The Burl is a nifty little venue, maybe holds 250 max. Shotgun style barn looking thing in the distillery district. It's a great looking venue and fun to walk to. Sound was pretty bad, unfortunately. Not sure if that's typical for The Burl. It was like the band was splashing around in a puddle of sound.
Tomorrow night is Jason Stein at a fancy downtown hotel bar.
I saw Transatlantic last Thursday in Chicago. I was with a friend who ended up writing a review for the Prog Report, here so all the photos in that review are from the seat next to mine in the third row. This was a real bucket list show for me - they have only toured a handful of times in 23 years, with a tour typically being a single-digit number of shows. And this could easily be their last. I have seen the Neal Morse Band twice, but never Transatlantic. And if forced to rank things I would say at least two of my top 10 albums of all time are by them. Maybe two of the top 5.
The sound mix was less than perfect where we were for the first set but much better for the second. The playing was stellar throughout. I continue to be amazed how they nail such a large quantity of complex music when they only get together very rarely. (I recently read the liner notes from their first live recording from years back, Live in America - the show in which it was recorded was the sixth time they had ever played together, since the preceding studio album was recorded remotely). They played for 3 hours and covered a lot of the best stuff, including a complete rendition of the two-disk version of The Absolute Universe. It was fun to watch how Morse and Portnoy play off each other, and Trewavas really impressed us on bass. Stolt seemed to come into his own in the second half. It was a fantastic evening, well worth the trip.
Next up: Steve Hackett next week, then The Pineapple Thief in a couple of weeks.
This past weekend I had a friend in town (DC area) to see a couple of shows. We had tickets for Roxy Music and St. Vincent at Capital One Arena, and Bauhaus at The Anthem. Then Bauhaus canceled because Peter Murphy went to rehab, so I was looking for other options. We ended up seeing five bands in four days, and it was amazing.
First up was Blue Oyster Cult at the Birchmere, on tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first album. The day before the show, I got a weekly email from the Birchmere and saw the show was not sold out. I thought I'd mention it to my buddy when he flew in the next day. About two hours later, he texted me and said "Did you know BOC is playing the Birchmere tomorrow?" So I grabbed two tickets. The band is down to two original members, Eric Bloom and Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, both in their 70s, with three "new guys" who've been with them at least a decade. Bloom is 77 and sounds it, but Buck is absolutely ageless, still shredding on guitar and singing like a much younger man. The t-shirts at the merch table said "On Tour Forever" and they sound like it. Total pros, fun show at a great local venue. I will note that I heard no cowbell on Don't Fear the Reaper, I think they're over the SNL skit.
The next night was Roxy Music/St. Vincent. I had seen St. Vincent a few years back when she toured on her Masseduction album, which was basically a solo tour with no other musicians onstage. Good show, but she is SO much better with a band, and her band on this tour is killer. Jason Falkner on guitar, Justin Meldal-Johnson on bass, and Mark Giuliana on drums. They did a super-tight, choreographed, theatrical 45 minute set with some serious musical freakouts, very reminiscent of Bowie and the band they were opening for. Roxy is also touring to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first album - how crazy is that, two 50th anniversary shows in two nights? Still four original members (Ferry, Manzanera, Mackay and Thompson). I had never seen Roxy back in the day, so this one was really fun for me. Lots of cool video and a strong supporting cast, including three backup singers to supplement Ferry on vocals and horns that doubled Mackay on a few tracks. Manzanera is still a guitar god and Thompson is a criminally underrated drummer. I typically avoid arena shows but this one was well worth it.
Finally, last night we went to the State Theatre in Falls Church, VA to see the Dead Daisies and Enuff Z'nuff. Dead Daisies are basically a hard rock supergroup with a rotating cast, currently including the ageless Glenn Hughes on bass and lead vocals. I knew nothing about them beyond that going in, but I have been a long time fan of the opening band, Enuff Z'nuff. Their latest album is a bunch of Beatles-related covers, and they played three during their set (Magical Mystery Tour, Eleanor Rigby, and Jet). This band had songs, chops and looks back in the day, but they were typecast as a hair metal band and never broke the way they should have. Down to one original member, but they carry themselves like the stars they have always deserved to be. And the decision to crank the amps and the distortion on Eleanor Rigby is genius. Dead Daisies played exactly one song I knew (Deep Purple's Burn, which Hughes also sang with DP), but it didn't matter. They are rock stars and they know it.
There's a reason rock star moves are such a cliche: because they're awesome. The Dead Daisies' monster drummer, Brian Tichy, turned the obligatory hard rock drum solo - usually my cue to hit the bar or the bathroom - into several minutes of jaw-dropping intensity. Roxy lulled me to sleep with the first half of In Every Dream Home a Heartache, then tore my head off. The single most impressive performance was probably St. Vincent, with a four way tie for second. And every band made a point of saying how happy they were to be back on the road, playing live in the same room as their audience. I have been on a major concert roll this year (18 shows to date, may get to 30 by year end) and after 2+ years without live music, that sentiment seems to be universally shared.
Summer was a bit sparse, but as fall approaches more shows are coming up. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152942580765171&type=3 holds my concert "record", switch to 'feed view' for recent ones. Vinny Golia, the DC Jazzfest, and Ken Vandermark/Joe Morris were the latest shows I've seen.
Thursday night my wife and I went to see Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez (Cuban jazz duo, piano and hand percussion). We didn't really know much about them and have listened to none of their recordings, but it sounded interesting so we took a chance. It was astonishingly good, really exceptional. It's hard to compare across genres, but I would say it was one of the best live performances I've been to. Virtuoso, rhyhmically stirring, lyrical, adventurous...the reaction of others around me in the audience at the end boiled down to "wow".
There's a video of them performing this year here:
(I have not watched it through so not sure how it compares to our night)
Friday night, I saw Southern Culture on the Skids at The Burl. Probably haven't listened to them since the 90s, but when I saw they were coming through town, I bought a ticket immediately. PRACTICALLY EVERYONE THERE WAS MY AGE!!! That never happens anymore. The band still has all the energy there is in the universe.
@jonahpwll I saw Savages at Metro several years ago (great show). Went to the back of the room to get a break from the throng. Another guy my age threw his hands in the air and yelled, "I thought I was the only old guy here!"
We're signed up for a ton of stuff this year...including CSO, jazz, and more. We saw Ambi Subramaniam a couple weeks ago, Joel Ross last week, Jane Bunnett w/ Maqueque next month. Live music is back, damn it
I saw Jeff Tweedy perform a solo show at The Kentucky Theatre on Wednesday night. I'm old(er) and, honestly, I don't want to see an opening act and by the time the main act gets around to their encore, I'm as ready as the band to call it a night. Not for this show. Tweedy played for awhile... maybe 90 minutes, maybe more, and he could've gone for another hour and it still wouldn't have been enough.
Weird crowd. Appreciative, but an oddly solemn tone for most of the show. I mean, they made some noise between songs, but it was a weird energy. I was hoping they'd be into the idea of singing along. That happens at a bunch of solo Tweedy shows apparently, where the audience either sings along or does the harmonies or mimics notable instrumental sections. Tweedy was great. Always has great banter with the crowd, and this night was no different. First time I've seen a concert in that theater and the sound was far better than I'd anticipated.
By the way, that marquee lists the new David Bowie documentary (Moonage Daydream). I caught it last Sunday. I'm a huge Bowie fan (or, at least, his music from start to Let's Dance) and especially the Ziggy Stardust period (though Aladdin Sane might be my favorite record). I definitely recommend seeing the doc. There are some questionable choices made by the director/producers, some inclusions that are downright cheesy (I haven't yet looked into whether there were Bowie-specific reasons certain effects and production values were included or if the director and/or producer prefers a tacky aesthetic). But those are tiny quibbles and didn't ruin the film... just made me groan inside from time to time. Well worth seeing the thing.
Has anybody seen the new King Crimson documentary - "In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50"?
If so, is it any good?
The release of the doco seems to be a great example of typical, King Crimson bizarre! On for a day here, on for a day there, available on stream for a day somewhere else. All with the minimum of notice.
It's available today Sunday until midnight UK time on nugs.net. Just deleted their email about it. It is supposed to be very good, there's even a comparison with Spinal Tap!
Last night, I saw Noah Garabedian's quartet with Carmen Staaf, Dayna Stephens, and Jimmy Macbride at Base249 (a national shared workspace company that, in Lexington at least, is very generous and active with the local artist community). Pretty standard post-bop action, some nice compositions and solid playing, but nothing that left me dizzy with euphoria. However, I was mostly there for the opportunity to hear Carmen Staaf in a live setting. I think she's a wonderful pianist and hearing her last night was a real treat. I would love to hear her in a small setting, either solo or perhaps a duo with drummer Allison Miller. No pictures to post as I didn't have a great seat and was feeling that odd ennui where the very concept of "taking a couple photos" seemed like a mountain too tall to scale. That sensation, experienced for the most mundane and simple of tasks, never fails to amuse me.
Saw Iron Maiden at Capital One Arena in DC Sunday night. I generally avoid arena shows, but I've never seen Iron Maiden and they're not doing a club tour any time soon. I was at Capital One to see Roxy Music about six weeks ago, and saw Maiden was coming, so I bought tickets right then. It was a big dumb rock show, and I mean that in the best possible way. Steve Harris is an incredible bass player, I knew that going in but it was eye-opening to see how relaxed he was playing those driving, intricate bass lines. I'm a hack bass player myself, so I generally focus on the low end, but his right hand technique is amazing.
I read something on the internet last weekend (I know, I know, but it seems plausible) that the best way to support a band is to buy merch, because one t-shirt is the equivalent of roughly 5,000 streams. If so, Iron Maiden has mastered the new music economy. I'd say at least half the crowd was wearing band t-shirts from this or earlier tours, and they had multiple merch tables set up on each level of the arena with no fewer than 16 (!) different t-shirt designs available. Huge lines at most of the tables before the show, but they moved quickly, and many people were buying multiple shirts at $50 apiece. I bought one, my buddy bought two. We both went home happy.
I read something on the internet last weekend (I know, I know, but it seems plausible) that the best way to support a band is to buy merch, because one t-shirt is the equivalent of roughly 5,000 streams. If so, Iron Maiden has mastered the new music economy. I'd say at least half the crowd was wearing band t-shirts from this or earlier tours, and they had multiple merch tables set up on each level of the arena with no fewer than 16 (!) different t-shirt designs available. Huge lines at most of the tables before the show, but they moved quickly, and many people were buying multiple shirts at $50 apiece. I bought one, my buddy bought two. We both went home happy.
Some bands have really mastered the merch table approach. I immediately think of Calexico, who, for decades, has made access to their merch table a motivating factor to purchasing that concert ticket. Not sure if they're still doing it, but there was a time when they offered tour-only CDs at the merch table and they were as good or better than the album they were touring in support of. I recall one show they were doing at (Chicago's) Metro and I couldn't go because it was a Saturday night and I couldn't afford to give up my bar shift to see them. But because I was industry, Metro staff allowed me into the venue so I could hit up the merch table for Calexico's latest tour-only album.
@jonahpwll I saw Savages at Metro several years ago (great show). Went to the back of the room to get a break from the throng. Another guy my age threw his hands in the air and yelled, "I thought I was the only old guy here!"
I was nearly delirious with happiness being part of a crowd that was my age. It was not a reaction I would've predicted.
This week I saw the Big Star show in DC celebrating the 50th anniversary of their first album. I don't know what you call it, is it a tribute band if the only surviving member (Jody Stephens) is there? Chris Stamey, Jon Auer, Mike Mills and Pat Sansone joined Jody onstage, and it was glorious. They did a mini tour, only six dates (Athens, Memphis, NYC, Philly, DC and Chapel Hill), and I'm so glad I had the chance to catch them. They played the entire first album, took a short break, then played a bunch of other Big Star and Chris Bell songs in the second set. All five guys sang and swapped instruments, it felt loose but the arrangements and musicianship were incredible. And Mike Mills is just ageless.
Well, it's been a busy few weeks for shows. Saw Jazz at the Lincoln Center on tour in St. Louis a few weeks ago - it was entertaining if not quite my sweet spot (though pretty much what I expected). Then back home Joe Bonamassa - more my wife's favorite than mine but a well played spectacle with some really good moments. Then the Emmet Cohen Trio which was the most fun of this sequence. And finally last night The Winery Dogs. I went because I like watching Mike Portnoy, but I experienced it as one of those shows where the volume was so high and (perhaps in part because of our seat location?) the sound mix became such a wall of noise that I could no longer distinguish the sounds well and it became a bit of an exercise in watching three people demonstrating how athletically they could make very fast, very loud noises simultaneously but struggling to correlate what I could see their fingers doing with what I could hear.
That's the second show in the past year where I've experienced that - does anyone know enough about acoustics to know if center stage right at the front is a bad place for the sound waves? We kept wondering if it would have sounded better fifteen rows back.
Anyway, it's been educational in a way to end up at a whole strong of shows none of which are among my favorite acts.
I always thought the sweet spot was centre stage about 1/3rd the way back, frequently were the mixing desk is. In Grateful Dead terms - look for the tapers section. Definately not right at the front though.
I went to the first London show of The Magic Band some years back and almost left due to bad sound about 20 feet away from the stage right speakers. I moped off to the bar, which happened to be in the middle of the floor anbout 1/3rd the way back (weird I know) knocked back a couple of whiskey and Guiness chasers and then the band launched into Floppy Boot Stomp and I was in heaven.
The Messthetics w/ James Brandon Lewis Trio last night. James comes back and plays a number of tunes with Messthetics during their set. They're in Detroit tonight and heading for the East Coast this weekend, strongly recommended. This has been a public service announcement
On Friday night, went to see Australian 70s Progressive Rock bands Madder Lake and Spectrum playing live at Bird’s Basement in Melbourne.
Bird’s, which is modelled on a New York Jazz Club, only seats approx 100 people and my table was bang next to the stage. It was great to have a chat with the band members who are now in their late 70s but play as if they were still in their 30s!
Saw Bob Mould and Jason Narducy last night in Amherst, MA. Bob celebrated #63 with and incredibly intense solo set. Jason plays bass in The Bob Mould Band and had a great opening set - check him out.
@stewrat I saw that same show a couple of weeks ago in DC, it was the first night of the tour. Jason and Bob were both on top of their games. Solo electric is not an easy gig (for my money, Richard Thompson is the master of the format) but Bob is right up there.
Last night was Cat Power sings Dylan in Portsmouth, NH. It was dimly lit, so here was my best photo of the night! I had not heard her recent album, but quite enjoyed the show.
Last weekend I saw two shows on back to back nights. Saturday was Michael Shannon, Jason Narducy and Friends tribute to early R.E.M. They played Murmur, the Chronic Town EP, most of Reckoning and a handful of other tracks off the first few records. The sold-out DC show at the Black Cat came three days after the Athens show where all four members of R.E.M. came out on stage at the end of the night. No special guests in DC, but it was a welcome reminder how incredibly great those songs are, played live and loud by a crack band. I
saw R.E.M. three times in North Carolina in the mid-80s, but they were already playing small arenas, not clubs. This was a killer show. Dave Hill opened and they managed to follow him, which isn’t easy. Dave Hill is awesome.
Then Sunday night - Super Bowl Sunday - I saw Stick Men (Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto and Markus Reuter) play a sold out show at Jammin' Java in Vienna, VA. This was the polar opposite of the R.E.M. show. Jaw-dropping virtuosity everywhere you looked, but I couldn't recall a single tune I heard the next day. The R.E.M. songs are still in my head, and will likely be there until something else knocks them out. Both very cool, though. Tony Levin... man.
Comments
If so, is it any good?
The release of the doco seems to be a great example of typical, King Crimson bizarre! On for a day here, on for a day there, available on stream for a day somewhere else. All with the minimum of notice.
Joe is an accomplished saxophone player and is one of the legends of Australian rock.
https://www.facebook.com/birdsbasement/videos/2651808644926279