Back to Home Page: One More Time, From the Top!
Share on Facebook
Friday, January 30, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Jay Reatard Throws Girl into Crowd @ The Independent
"Last Night I had a dream that turned into a nightmare." ... though the words were merely an introduction to Jay Reatard's "Nightmares" midway into his set at the Independent on Sunday night, they summed up an evening of amazing garage-punk-rock-and-roll in a somewhat prophetic way.
Opening the night was Bare Wires, a trio from Oakland featuring Erin Emslie on drums, Paul Keelan (guitar) and Matthew Melton (bass). The band sped through a series of 6 songs with enough time to sing Emslie a warm Happy Birthday. They wasted no time between songs, and if it wasn't for the band name taped to the drum kit, we might not have even known what they were called. Despite the lack of banter, they were able to draw the attention of a nearly sold-out crowd at the Independent with their performance. Some might believe they sped through their set because they wanted to get through as many songs as possible... I believe that they just wanted to get back stage to make sure their shit wasn't getting thrashed by 2nd opener, Nobunny. 
until...
Well, most of Jay Reatard's set was pretty straightforward, that is to say, rocking. The crowd was extremely animated with a fairly sizable mosh pit developing at times. On the last song of the set, Jay pulls up a drunk girl out of the crowd and gives her his guitar to make some noise... Drunk girl, sitting on the edge of the stage proceeded to strum aimlessly. She then rolled onto her back and kicked her feet into the bassist and threw the guitar on the stage. 
I didn't think that was part of the act, but Jay Reatard did not notice she had done it. Rule #1 of Rock and Roll: DO NOT FUCK WITH ANOTHER MAN'S AXE. She proceeded to pick up the guitar again and throw it again this time with a little more force (as if to smash it). At this point Jay picked her up and hurled her into the crowd. Well, I can't even begin to tell you how incredible it was to see this little lass fly through the air. It kinda looked like a blow up doll being thrown at a concert festival. I wish I had video of it... and if you do, please post a link in the comments.
The band finished the song, Jay put down the guitar, flipped off the girl and started walking off stage as he was pelted with a water bottle presumably thrown by the girl (or one of her friends). I did not think that Jay would come out for an encore, so at that point I left. Incidentally, the drunk girl was not hurt. She was outside laughing about the incident and was plotting a quick getaway.
All told, the nightmares of the evening made this a dream rock show. Get out and see any of these three bands whenever you can.
Nobunny is playing:
2/4 @ The Knockout in San Francisco
2/7 @ The Stork Club in Oakland.
Bare Wires is playing
1/30 @ Ghost Town in Oakland
2/5 @ Hemlock in SF
2/21 @ Hemlock in SF
Nobunny photo credit to: Photo Credit: Scott Caris
More pictures and the SF Weekly recap here
Another recount here
Back to Home Page: Back to Home Page
Share on Facebook
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Gogol Bordello rumored to play Outside Lands
An organizer for San Francisco Oyster Fest shared with me his plans for this year's festival which is being shortened to one day this year. He revealed to me that he was hoping to get Gogol Bordello as the headliner, but was having difficulty signing the band because they claim to be holding out for the Outside Lands festival. Since the Oyster Fest happens in May, could Another Planet be moving the festival from August to May? In any case, it looks like Gogol Bordello is most likely returning to San Francisco this year.
Click here for the complete 2009 Music Festival Calendar
Back to Home Page: Back to Home Page
Share on Facebook
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
2009 Music Festival Calendar
The 2009 Music Festival Calendar will continue to be updated throughout the year. Bookmark this page and check back often.
Official Dates: Feb 24 - March 1, 2009
Ticket Info: Festival Badge - $150 - on sale now
Lineup:
Antony And The Johnsons, Deerhunter, Stephen Malkmus, Josh Ritter (solo with a string quartet), the Mountain Goats (solo), Bob Mould, A.C. Newman, Sleepy Sun, French Kicks, Matt Costa, Thao Nguyen, Martha Wainright, Goblin Cock, From Monument to Masses, Thee Oh Sees, Kool Keith, Mike Relm, St Vincent, The Morning Benders, The Submarines, Ra Ra Riot, Dear And The Headlights, Port O’Brien, The Matches, Themselves, Portugal. The Man, Clues, Sholi, Flosstradamus, N.A.S.A., No Age and Les Savy Fav.
Official Dates: March 6-8, 2009
Ticket Info: CANCELLED
Lineup: CANCELED
Death Cab For Cutie • Snoop Dogg • Thievery Corporation (Live) • Slightly Stoopid • Ryan Adams and the Cardinals • Dashboard Confessional • The Pogues • Matisyahu • Flogging Molly • Michael Franti & Spearhead • Broken Social Scene • Cafe Tacuba • Umphrey's McGee • The Disco Biscuits • Robert Randolph & The Family Band • Pepper • The Faint • Cold War Kids • Steel Pulse • Public Enemy • Gym Class Heroes • Tricky • Girl Talk • Chromeo • Mute Math • Bad Brains • Ozomatli • Against Me! • George Clinton & Parliament / Funkadelic • Tortoise • DeVotchKa • Black Kids • Grupo Fantasma • Holy F*ck • Budos Band • Tokyo Police Club • Lotus • The Virgins • The Gaslight Anthem • King Khan and the Shrines • Lucero • Murs • Ra Ra Riot • Tortured Soul • Rebelution • K'Naan • The Egg • Zac Brown Band • Tigercity • The Aggrolites • Cloud Cult • Spam Allstars • Rachel Goodrich • Blue King Brown • The Heavy Pets • Awesome New Republic • The Postmarks • Suenalo • Live Painting by LEBO
Official Dates: March 18-22, 2009
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup: Over 1000 Bands click here
Official Dates: March 27-28, 2009
Ticket Info: $129.95 - $350 - on sale now
Lineup:
PRODIGY • PENDULUM • PAUL VAN DYK • ARMIN VAN BUUREN • MOBY • TIËSTO • BLOC PARTY • THE TING TINGS • CARL COX • CUT COPY • CRYSTAL CASTLES • DEADMAU5 • SANTOGOLD • HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR • & - FOR THEIR FIRST U.S. APPEARANCE IN SEVEN YEARS – RONI SIZE REPRAZENT
Official Dates: April 17-19, 2009
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup (official poster) : Paul McCartney, The Killers, The Cure, Morrissey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Franz Ferdinand, My Bloody Valentine, Amy Winehouse, MIA, Thievery Corporation, Beirut, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings, Fleet Foxes, Girl Talk, The Hold Steady, Ghostland Observatory, X, Jenny Lewis, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Crystal Castles, No Age, Noah and the Whale, Los Campesinos!, TRAV$DJ-AM, MSTRKRFT. Peanut Butter Wolf, Sebastian Tellier, Themselves, Tinariwen
Official Dates: April 24-26, 2009 & April 30-May 3, 2009
Ticket Info: $5-$600
Lineup: April 24-26, 2009
Wynton Marsalis, Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, Earth, Wind and Fire, Wilco, Erykah Badu, Spoon, Third World, Irma Thomas, Etta James, Robert Cray, Pete Seeger, Kinky, Drive-By Truckers feat. Booker T. Jones, Better Than Ezra, plus many more.
Lineup: April 30-May 3, 2009
Artist TBA, Aretha Franklin, Sugarland, Ben Harper, Tony Bennett, Kings of Leon, The Neville Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Allen Toussaint, O’Jays, Dr. John, Common, Emmylou Harris, Los Lobos, Toots and the Maytals, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, The Whispers, Jakob Dylan, Chuck Brown, Meter Men: Zig, George, & Leo, plus many more.
Sasquatch Music Festival 2009 - George, WA
Dates: May 23 -25
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup: Rumored per Travis Hay of Seattle P-I:
Saturday, May 23th
Kings of Leon / Yeah Yeah Yeahs / The Decemberists / Animal Collective / Bon Iver / Devotchka / M. Ward / Doves / Sun Kil Moon / The Gaslight Anthem / King Khan & The Shrines / Ra Ra Riot / Shearwater / Passion Pit / Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band / Vince Mira / Blind Pilot / Owl City / Arthur & Yu / Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele / Death Vessel / Hockey
Sunday, May 24th
Jane's Addiction / Nine Inch Nails / TV On The Radio / Peter Bjorn and John / of Montreal / The Avett Brothers / Calexico / M83 / The Airborne Toxic Event / The Walkmen / The Wrens / St. Vincent / The Dodos / John Vanderslice / The Submarines / Viva Voce / The Builders And The Butchers / AA Bondy / Fences / Point Juncture, WA / Jon Benjamin
Monday, May 25th
Ben Harper and Relentless7 / Erykah Badu / Silversun Pickups / Fleet Foxes / Gogol Bordello / Santigold / Grizzly Bear / Explosions In The Sky / Girl Talk / Blitzen Trapper / The Knux / Monotonix / Bishop Allen / Black Moth Super Rainbow / Beach House / Mugison / The Dutchess And The Duke / School Of Seven Bells / Horse Feathers / The Pica Beats / Loch Lomond / BLK JKS
Official Dates: June 6, 2009
Ticket Info: $25-$49
Official Lineup: The Offspring | 311 | Yeah Yeah Yeahs | Dead Confederate | Taking Back Sunday | Alkaline Trio | Rebelution | Metric | Mute Math | Glasvegas | Anberlin | Airborne Toxic Event | Cage the Elephant | Audrye Sessions | Crystal Castles (live) | DJ AM | Does It Offend You, Yeah? (live) | Villains | Steve Aoki | Mike Relm | Paparazzi | The Limousines (live) | Designer Drugs | DJ Omar | DJ Miles | MC Lars | Music for Animals | Wallpaper | Odawas | Dizzy Balloon | The Catholic Comb | Ambience | Solid State Logic | Fighting the Villain
Official Dates: June 11-14, 2009
Ticket Info: $224-$249
Lineup: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Phish (2 shows), Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, David Byrne, Wilco, Al Green, Snoop Dogg, Elvis Costello Solo, Erykah Badu, Paul Oakenfold, Ben Harper and Relentless7, The Mars Volta, TV on the Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gov't Mule, Andrew Bird, Band of Horses, Merle Haggard, MGMT, moe., The Decemberists, Girl Talk, Bon Iver, Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Galactic, The Del McCoury band, of Montreal, Allen Toussaint, Coheed & Cambria, Booker T & the DBTs, David Grisman Quintet, Lucinda Williams, Animal Collective, Gomez, Neko Case, Down, Jenny Lewis, Santogold, Robert Earl Keen, Citizen Cope, Femi Kuti and the Positive Force, The Ting Tings, Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Kaki King, Okkervil River, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Crystal Castles, Tift Merritt, Brett Dennen, Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue, Toubab Krewe, People Under The Stairs, Alejandro Escovedo, Vieux Farka Touré Elvis Perkins in Dearland Cherryholmes Yeasayer Todd Snider Chairlift Portugal. The Man. The SteelDrivers Midnite The Knux The Low Anthem Delta Spirit A.A. Bondy The Lovell Sisters Alberta Cross More Artists to Be Announced
High Sierra Music Festival 2009 Quincy, CA
Official Dates: July 2-5, 2009
Ticket Info: $140 (4-day pass, discounted through 1/26)
Lineup: John Butler, Umphrey's McGee, Ani DiFranco, Disco Biscuits, Galactic, The Del McCoury Band, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine feat. Melvin Seals, The Wailers, Tea Leaf Green, Ollabelle, Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue, ALO, Vieux Farka, Touré, Dr. Dog, Devil Makes Three, The Travelin' McCourys, The Lee Boys, Cornmeal, Bonerama, Marco Benevento Trio, McTuff feat. Skerik, Joe Doria, Andy Coe & D'Vonne Lewis, Skerik will also appear as an artist-at-large, Joe Craven and Sam, Bevan Duo, Joe Craven will also appear as artist-at-large and emcee, Nathan Moore, Fareed Haque and The Flat Earth, Ensemble, Pretty Lights, Everest, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Pimps of Joytime, J-Boogie and Dubtronic Science, Poor Man's Whiskey, Living Folklore
Official Dates: July 10-25th
Ticket Info: $na
Lineup: Not Announced
Official Dates: July 22-25, 2009
Ticket Info: $120 (4-day pass), available now
Lineup: Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic (2 nights), Wilco, Umphrey's McGee, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Railroad Earth, Junior Brown, Tea Leaf Green, WookieFoot, Trampled By Turtles, Cloud Cult, Everyone Orchestra, Kathleen Edwards, Pretty Lights, BoomBox, William Elliott Whitmore, Kinetix, The Macpodz, My Dear Disco, The Ragbirds, Enchanted Ape and many more...
Pitchfork Music Festival 2009 - Chicago, IL
Dates: July 17-19, 2009
Ticket Info: Tickets on Sale March 13, 12pm CDT.
Lineup: rumored - The Black Lips
Lineup: official: The Flaming Lips, Built to Spil, TheNational, The Jesus Lizard, Yo La Tengo, Tortoise, Pharoahe Monch, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Grizzly Bear, The Walkmen, Vivian Girls
Dates: August 1, 2
Ticket Info: on sale now, $125 Canadien
Lineup: COLDPLAY - BEASTIE BOYS - THE ROOTS - JASON MRAZ - RUFUS WAINWRIGHT (SOLO) - ARCTIC MONKEYS - GIRL TALK - THE DECEMBERISTS - CRYSTAL CASTLES - LYKKE LI - EAGLES OF DEATH METAL - THE TING TINGS BEAST - ELBOW - JOSH RITTER - THE HONEY BROTHERS - LE VOLUME ÉTAIT - AU MAXIMUM - KITTY DAISY & LEWIS - WINTER GLOVES - PARLOVR - MOTHERS FATHERS
Lollapalooza 2009 - Chicago, IL
Official Dates: August 7-9, 2009
Ticket Info: $190 for 30-day pass
Lineup: Depeche Mode, Tool, The Killers, Jane's Addiction, Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon, Lou Reed, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Thievery Corporation, Snoop Dogg, Rise Against, Andrew Bird, TV on the Radio, Vampire Weekend, The Decemberists, Neko Case, STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9), Animal Collective, Band of Horses, Of Montreal, Arctic Monkeys, Coheed and Cambria, Ben Folds, Fleet Foxes, Silversun Pickups, Kaiser Chiefs, Crystal Castles, Bon Iver, Santigold, Atmosphere, Dan Auerbach, Cold War Kids, Deerhunter, Lykke Li, Robert Earl Keen, Peter Bjorn and John, Heartless Bastards, Gomez, Glasvegas, Federico, Aubele Dan Deacon, Passion Pit, Zap Mama, The Raveonettes, The Gaslight Anthem, The Airborne Toxic Event, White Lies, Ra Ra Riot, No Age, Asher Roth, Los Campesinos!, Bat For Lashes, Chairlift, Gang Gang Dance, The Virgins, Amazing Baby, Portugal. The Man, The Knux, Ida Maria Delta Spirit, Friendly Fires, Manchester Orchestra, Constantines, Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, Hockey, Miike Snow , Alberta Cross, Hey Champ, Sam Roberts Band, The Henry Clay People, Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam, Cage the Elephant, Living Things, The Low Anthem, Blind Pilot, Langhorne Slim, Other Lives, The Builders and The Butchers, Eric Church, Joe Pug, Kevin Devine, The Greencards Carney, Thenewno2
All Points West - Jersey City, NJ
August: July 31, August 1+2
Ticket Info: Tickets are $89 for one-day, $199 for 3-day passes.
Lineup: Friday, July 31: Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, The National, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Q-Tip, The Pharcyde, Organized Konfusion, The Knux, Ra Ra Riot, Seasick Steve, Telepathe, Shearwater, Heartless Bastards, Flying Lotus, College Humor Live, Arj Barker, Eugene Mirman and Bo Burnham.
Saturday, August 1: Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys, Neko Case, The Ting Tings, Yelle, Crystal Castles, St. Vincent, Tokyo Police Club, The Cool Kids, Kool Keith, Cage the Elephant, Chairlift, White Rabbits, Electric Touch, The Postelles, Black Gold, College Humor Live, Tim & Eric, Judah Friedlander and Jim Jeffries.
Sunday, August 2: Coldplay, Echo & The Bunnymen, MGMT, The Black Keys, Elbow, Silversun Pickups, Mogwai, We Are Scientists, Ghostland Observatory, The Gaslight Anthem, Etienne De Crecy, Lykke Li, Akron/Family, Steel Train, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, College Humor Live, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Showalter and Todd Barry.
Tickets are $89 for one-day, $199 for 3-day passes.
Official Dates: August 8-9, 2009
Ticket Info: 39,500 Yen
Lineup: Linkin Park - My Chemical Romance - Nine Inch Nails - The Specials - The Flaming Lips - Aphex Twin - CSS - The Enemy - Klaxons - Mogwai - Paramore - Placebo - Sonic Youth - Soulwax - Teenage Fanclub - Boys Like Girls - Cancer Bats - Datarock - Enter Shikari - Ghostland Observatory - Girl Talk - Hollywood Undead - Kid Sister - Kyte - Lady Gaga - Lenka - Little Boots - Mando Diao - Matisyahu - Metronomy - Mew - Mercury Rev - Mutemath - N.A.S.A. - Red Light Company - Saosin - 2 Many DJ's - The Vaselines - VV Brown - Yuksek
Official Dates: August 28-30, 2009
Ticket Info: on sale April 15
Lineup: Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys, Incubus, Black Eyed Peas, M.I.A, Jason Mraz, Ween, The Mars Volta, Thievery Corporation Modest Mouse, Band of Horses, TV on the Radio, Dead Weather, Atmosphere, Tom Jones, Silversun Pickups, The National, Q-Tip, Brett Dennen, Built To Spill, Mastodon, Raphael Saadiq, Calexico, Os Mutantes, Midnite, JJ Grey, Mofro, Kinky, Deerhunter, Lila Downs, Trombone Shorty, Orleans Avenue, The Dodos, Bettye LaVette, Dengue Fever, Heartless Bastards, The Dirtbombs, Lenka, Akron/Family, John Vanderslice, Matt and Kim, Portugal. The Man, The Morning Benders, The Duke Spirit, Zee Avi, Blind Pilot, SambaDa, Ryan Bingham, West Indian Girl, Extra Golden
Bumbershoot 2009 - Seattle, WA
Official Dates: Sept 5-7, 2009
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup: Sheryl Crow / Modest Mouse / Katy Perry / Michael Franti & Spearhead / De La Soul / Raphael Saadiq / Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan / The Long Winters / Sly & Robbie & the Taxi Gang / World Party / MSTRKRFT / Roy Ayers / Common Market / UH HUH HER and many, many others…
Monolith Music Festival 2009 - Red Rocks, CO
Official Dates: not announced (Sept)
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup: Not Announced
Austin City Limits Music Festival 2009 - Austin, TX
Official Dates: October 2-4, 2009
Ticket Info: $185 (3-day pass)
Lineup: Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Thievery Corporation, John Legend, The Dead Weather, The Levon Helm Band, Ghostland Observatory, Sonic Youth, Mos Def, Toadies, Flogging Molly, The B-52s, Lily Allen, Citizen Cope, Arctic Monkeys, The Decemberists, Coheed and Cambria, Andrew Bird, Girl Talk, STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9), Phoenix, Bassnectar, Bon Iver, !!!, Avett Brothers, The Airborne Toxic Event, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Clutch, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Grizzly Bear, Heartless Bastards, Passion Pit, White Lies, Dan Auerbach, The Walkmen, The Scabs, Reckless Kelly, DeVotchka, Blitzen Trapper, The Virgins, Here We Go Magic, Eek-A-Mouse, K'Naan, Asleep at the Wheel, Dr. Dog, The Raveonettes, The Knux, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, State Radio, Los Amigos Invisibles, The Felice Brothers, Federico Aubele, Raul Malo, Daniel Johnston, Poi Dog Pondering, Brett Dennen, School of Seven Bells, and many many more....
Official Dates: Sept 30-Oct 4
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup: Not Announced
Treasure Island Music Festival 2009 - San Francisco, CA
Official Dates: October 17-18, 2009
Ticket Info: n/a
Lineup: Rumored Lineup Beirut, The Decemberists, The Flaming Lips, Girl Talk, HEALTH, MSTRKRFT, Monotonix, Murs, No Age
CMJ Music Marathon 2009 - New York, NY
Official Dates: October 20-24, 2009
Ticket Info: on sale now
Lineup: Not Announced
Back to Home Page: More Stories
Share on Facebook
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
My Year in Lists - Top 10 shows of 2008
#10 - CSS + Tilly and The Wall @ Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles (Sept 2008)
#9 - Jamie Lidell + Janelle Monae @ Fillmore - San Francisco (Oct 2008)
#8 - Kate Nash @ Bowery Ballroom - New York City (Jan 2008)
#7 - Girl Talk @ The Music Box - Los Angeles (Oct 2008)
#6 - Ting Tings @ 330 Ritch (Popscene) - San Francisco (Dec 2008)
#5 - Ratatat + e*Rock @ The Echo - Los Angeles (July 2008)
#4 - Los Campesinos! + Parenthetical Girls + Abe Vigoda @ The Troubadour - Los Angeles (June 2008)
#3 - Jamie Lidell + James Pants @ El Rey - Los Angeles (May 2008)
#2 - Helio Sequence + The Builders and The Butchers @ The Independent - San Francisco (February 2008)
#1 - Portugal. The Man + Foxy Shazam @ Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco (March 2008)
Honorable Mention goes to San Diego Street Scene: While individual shows such were great, such as Hot Chip + Does It Offend You, Yeah + Devotchka + Tokyo Police Club.... the festival overall was.... meh.
Back to Home Page: Click Here
Share on Facebook
Monday, December 22, 2008
My Year in Lists - Top 10 Albums in 2008
#10 Tilly and The Wall - o
o is the most aggressive Tilly and The Wall album to date. The Omaha quintet uses feet to keep the beat... Tap Shoes, to be exact. o is the Tilly's third full length release, and was produced by Mike Mogis (Saddle Creek Records). I only bring this up because the production quality of o really accentuates this musical element more than their previous two albums, which is important, because the tapping is what defines Tilly and The Wall. This is an album that will put you in a great mood. You can listen to it from beginning to end and then want to replay it over and over again.
#9 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
This list would be thoroughly incomplete without Vampire Weekend's debut album. After I saw them in 2007, I knew they would have a quick come-up in 2008. And they did, which I think makes me brilliant. This is a thoroughly fun album that is extraordinarily accessible to all musical tastes. Well, mainly white people. According to a Salon.com interview with Christian Lander, founder of stuffwhitepeoplelike.com:
SC - What about the whitest band?
CL - Right now? I have to say Vampire Weekend all the way. They're pushing it to levels unseen.
#8 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
Steph Benson (writer for Rhapsody) posted on her facebook status that Girl Talk is truly music for those with A.D.D. Mashing almost every conceivable song with a beat from 1970 to 2008, Feed The Animals is an action packed dance marathon. I was sitting in a middle seat on a flight from Denver to LAX between two giant men. I put on Feed The Animals on my iPod and annoyed the shit out of them with my seat dancing and head bobbing. Sorry guys... you'd have been dancing too.
#7 Portugal. The Man - Censored Colors
Plug the headphones into the Hi-Fi, switch on the lava lamp and listen to this amazing musical journey. This album deserves more than a few blurbs, so I'm going to direct you to antiMusic.com to read a terrific description of the album. F-You. I'm not lazy. Take it back.
#6 Eagles of Death Metal - Heart On
Heart On was the most difficult album to place on my Top 10. I knew it belonged but I had a very difficult time placing it. I wasn't entirely impressed with them when I saw them live during San Diego's Street Scene, but since the album came out in November, it has been in constant rotation. It's a true blooded rock and roll album with very catch riffs and sounds like the offspring of a Mick Jagger and David Byrne project. 
#5 Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation
As I mentioned in my previous post, Radio Retaliation has a theme of political fury and is quite possibly their most lyrically robust and musically diverse album to date. They mix reggae, hip-hop, arab, indian, among musical styles from a variety of regions while singing in at least 3 different languages.
#4 Los Campesinos - Hold On Now, Youngster
Los Campesinos! may not have a sound that will appeal to everyone, but this album oozes energy. The riffs are catchy, the choruses are singable, and the songwriting brings with it a clever youthfulness. "I'll be CTRL-ALT-Deleting your face with no reservations". LC! however, not only has one spectacular album released this year, but two. Hold On Now, Youngster was released in February and We Are Beautiful, We are Doomed was released in October. Both albums are similar in nature; that is to say, great. However, We Are Beautiful, We are Doomed could very easily have been an extension of Hold On Now, Youngster which is why I left the latter off the top ten, but it definitely gets an honorable mention.
#3 Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
This Portland duo incorporates guitar, drums, synth and harmonica. Comparisons to Bob Dylan are often drawn with their songwriting and vocals. Though the poetry allows the listener to reflect upon self-awareness, heartache, hope, and independent thought about God, it is mostly upbeat with complex musical rhythms which may be why this album scored so high with me.
#2 Jamie Lidell - Jim
When you start to be compared to Stevie Wonder, Little Richard, Sly Stone, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye while creating a sound that none of the above would have ever dreamed of, it's fair to say you are in good company. This album is brimming with soul from beginning to end and is funky enough to guarantee a little bit of feel good to all its listeners.
#1 Portishead - Third
While Third is technically the third full-length release by Portishead, it is their first release in eleven years. There are many that are calling this album a 're-debut' or 'comeback' album... I think what really happened was that they died and became vampires with incredible musical abilities. The good part about that is that they will live forever and hopefully make music for as long as I live. Portishead makes it to the top spot because they not only push the limits of their own core-competency, but also because they break new ground (and set the bar high) with new experimental sound.
Honorable Mentions go to:
Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Marnie Stern - This Is it and I Am It and You are It and So Is That and He is It and She is It and It is It and That is That
The Mighty Underdogs Droppin' Science Fiction
Black Mountain In The Future
Ratatat - LP3
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
She & Him - Volume One
Back to Home Page: Click Here
Share on Facebook
Sunday, December 21, 2008
My Year in Lists 2008 - Top 20 Tracks on Handstamps' Headphones
Ah... Two Thousand Great... it really did live up to its name. And what's interesting is that you can kinda see the mood I was in this year by looking at the tracks to which I listened. Here's a playlist of the tunes that topped my last.fm charts for the last 12 months. Note: though the title of the post says there are 20 tracks, there was a tie for 20th, so there are 21 tracks.
2008 Top Tracks
Back to Home Page: One More Time, From the Top!
Share on Facebook
Saturday, December 20, 2008
My Year in Lists 2008 - Top 15 Artists in Handstamp's Headphones
Where the hell have I been, you ask? I'll tell you where I've been... I've been in LA where you get too self-consumed to allow yourself time for creative outlets... like writing. I know, I know, you're thinking that if that were really true, then how would i explain Hollywood showbiz? and my point to you is: exactly.
Well, anyway, i spent the last 9 months living here in sunny southern California. While I've kinda enjoyed my time here, I really miss San Francisco and I'll be returning in a few days. Since I've been a bit off the radar, I decided what better way to get back on the radar by telling all you faithful readers what I consider the bests of 2008. Over the next few days, four lists will follow culminating with the Best Live Shows of 2008. But now, we start with the top 15 that I have played on my iTunes or iPod in the last 12 months (according to Last.fm scrobble function)
My Top 15 Most Played Artists (according to Last.fm)
1: Stars - While Stars have been on my iPod for a few years now, it wasn't until late 2007 that something clicked with me and these Scags.
2: Los Campesinos! - LC! released two albums in 2008 and they were both AMAZING. Read reviews on Hold on Now, Youngster released April 8, 2008 and We Are Beautfiul, We Are Doomed released Dec 2, 2008. {Note: The title of this post is pays homage to one of their songs}
3: Helio Sequence - I first discovered this band when I saw them at the Independent during NoisePop 2008. It was an extraordinary show (Builders and Butchers opened) and the Helio Sequence quickly moved into heavy iPod rotation.
4: Ratatat - Ratatat makes great driving music... since Last.fm doesn't measure the songs i play on my car stereo, Ratatat could easily have been higher on this list.
5: Jamie Lidell - This Brit has more soul and funk than one man should have.
6: Tilly and the Wall - Keeping the beat with their feet... thanks to Tapping Tilly.
7: Eagles of Death Metal - My first exposure to EODM was 'Heart On', their 3rd full length album, which was released on October 28. The fact that it got to #7 on this list tells you its been in HEAVY rotation in recent weeks. They've been described as 80's punk dipped in 70's Rolling Stones.
8: The Ting Tings - This feelgood electrpop band came on HUGE in 2008 three hit singles. Made it to #2 on Last.fm's top new artists of the year.
9: Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation, released November 2008, has a theme of political fury and is quite possibly their most lyrically robust and musically diverse album to date.
10: Belle & Sebastian - Indie Sweethearts release BBC Sessions Deluxe Box Set.
11: Blonde Redhead - Blonde Redhead is like my Pink Floyd -- No matter what year it is, the will always make the charts.
12: Girl Talk - I dare you to sit still while listening to Girl Talk's most recent album Feed The Animals
13: Hot Chip - Nerds with man-boobs will make you swoon and rock.
14: of Montreal - Running out of
15: Maps - Clever things to say
other notable Artists curiously absent from this list (last.fm doesn't count stuff I listen to in my car): MGMT, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, 'Calvin Harris', 'Vampire Weekend', 'Portishead',
Back to Home Page: One More Time, From the Top!
Share on Facebook
Sunday, November 23, 2008
September - October Archive
07/08 - Port O'Brien + The Builders & The Butchers (Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa)
07/10 - Port O'Brien + The Builders & The Butchers (Spaceland)
07/10 - Tilly & The Wall (EchoPlex)
07/12 - RATATAT (EchoPlex)
07/18 - Wolf Parade (Henry Fonda)
07/19 - The Action Design (Knitting Factory)
07/20 - Download Festival (LA)
07/23 - Mickey Avalon (Grove, Anaheim)
07/24 - Foxy Shazam + Scary Kids Scaring Kids (Key Club)
07/29 - Bloc Party + Does It Offend You, Yeah? (Mayan Theatre)
07/30 - The Hold Steady (Avalon)
08/06 - The Ting Tings (El Rey)
08/07 - The Faint (Henry Fonda)
08/23, 24 - Sunset Junction Street Fair (Broken Social Scene, Cold War Kids, Menomena, The Happy Hollows, !!!, The Black Keys)
08/27 - Portugal. The Man (Troubadour)
08/28 - Portugal. The Man (Troubadour)
09/09 - Ratatat (Henry Fonda)
09/10 - Ratatat (Henry Fonda)
09/13 - Aesop Rock (Troubadour)
09/14 - Aesop Rock (Troubadour)
09/15 - Aesop Rock (Troubadour)
09/17 - Vampire Weekend (The Wiltern) 2 nights
09/18 - Tokyo Police Club (Henry Fonda)
09/18 - Vampire Weekend (Wiltern)
09/19-20 San Diego Street Scene (Hot Chip, TV on The Radio, New Pornographers, Tokyo Police Club, Tegan & Sara)
09/20-21 Hot Chip (Wiltern)
09/21 - My Morning Jacket (Greek Theatre)
09/25 - Tussle + Ra Ra Riot (Echo)
10/01 - Stars (The Avalon)
10/02 - Gogol Bordello (The Grove - Anaheim)
10/02 - Sigur Ros (Greek Theatre)
10/02 - Stars (HOB Anaheim)
10/16-19 - Tegan & Sara (4 nights @ Henry Fonda)
10/30 - Fujiya & Miyagi (Troubadour)
Back to Home Page: One More Time, From the Top!
Share on Facebook
Sunday, July 13, 2008
RATATAT & E*Rock @ the EchoPlex
E*Rock + RATATAT @ EchoPlex - July 12
E*Rock is the brother Evan e*vax Mast of Ratatat. His particular brand of laptop-rock/electronica included some Wii controllers that he masterfully controls on stage like Dr. Frankenstein in a lab creating monster beats and effects. Wish I had more time to write about this, because it was mind-blowing. 
Here's a video interview with e*Rock that gives a little background on his career and some samples of the music he creates (courtesy of coolhunting.com):
Ratatat took the stage and confirmed my loved for the tracks on their newest album, LP3. Anyone who thinks that the album tamer than their previous releases should see Ratatat perform the songs live and then listen to the album again. 
Back to Home Page: One More Time, From the Top!
Share on Facebook
Friday, July 11, 2008
One Two Three Four!
One, Two, Three, Four! I heard this cadence many times last night. And this is what it represents:
One - One Great night
Two - Two Venues. Two great friends.
Three - Three delicious beverages (at each venue)
Four - Four wonderful bands!
It was my first time going to the EchoPlex (below the Echo) and its a decent size venue (similar layout to the Independent in SF, possibly a bit bigger.) If you are ever going to a show here on a Thursday night, make note of the EARLY doors @ 7:30. Show started at 8pm with Castledor:
Tilly and The Wall followed shortly thereafter. The show was as energetic as I expected, but every song was played about 15% slower than you'd be used to hearing. Still extraordinary. I think I want to make babies with the tap-dancing Tilly.
We were out of The Echoplex by 10:15pm! So, we attempted to wait for another cab. This is an exercise in futility in LA. A bus came by, and we hopped it. $2.50 bus fare, took us about half-a-mile to Silver Lake Blvd. at which point I decided it would be a good idea to jog the rest of the way to Spaceland. I made it without dying, although I was excessively sweaty. As we walked in, we were greeted by a few members of The Builders and The Butchers who remembered me from their last performance. They hadn't yet performed, so it was perfect timing!
Finally, thanks to the diligent photo-taking of yours-truly, I was able to document that I saw Port O'Brien... and I'm pretty sure it was fun, though... things were a bit hazy at this stage. 
Back to Home Page: More Stories
Share on Facebook
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Upcoming Shows
07/10 - Tilly & The Wall (EchoPlex)
07/12 - RATATAT (EchoPlex)
07/18 - Wolf Parade (Henry Fonda)
07/19 - The Action Design (Knitting Factory)
07/20 - Download Festival - Datarock, M83, Tapes 'n Tapes, etc.
07/23 - Mickey Avalon (Grove, Anaheim)
07/24 - Foxy Shazam + Scary Kids Scaring Kids (Key Club)
07/29 - Bloc Party + Does It Offend You, Yeah? (Mayan Theatre)
07/30 - The Hold Steady (Avalon)
08/06 - The Ting Tings (El Rey)
08/07 - The Faint (Henry Fonda)
08/23, 24 - Sunset Junction Street Fair (Broken Social Scene, Cold War Kids, Menomena, The Happy Hollows, !!!, The Black Keys)
08/27 - Portugal. The Man (Troubadour)
08/28 - Portugal. The Man (Troubadour)
09/09 - Ratatat (Henry Fonda)
09/10 - Ratatat (Henry Fonda)
09/13 - Aesop Rock (Troubadour)
09/14 - Aesop Rock (Troubadour)
09/15 - Aesop Rock (Troubadour)
09/17 - Vampire Weekend (The Wiltern) 2 nights
09/18 - Tokyo Police Club (Henry Fonda)
09/18 - Vampire Weekend (Wiltern)
09/19-20 San Diego Street Scene (Hot Chip, TV on The Radio, New Pornographers, Tokyo Police Club, Tegan & Sara)
09/20-21 Hot Chip (Wiltern)
09/21 - My Morning Jacket (Greek Theatre)
09/25 - Tussle + Ra Ra Riot (Echo)
10/01 - Stars (The Avalon)
10/02 - Gogol Bordello (The Grove - Anaheim)
10/02 - Sigur Ros (Greek Theatre)
10/02 - Stars (HOB Anaheim)
10/16-19 - Tegan & Sara (4 nights @ Henry Fonda)
10/30 - Fujiya & Miyagi (Troubadour)
Back to Home Page: More Posts
Share on Facebook
Monday, July 7, 2008
My New Favorite Blog
Share on Facebook
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
June Archive
06/01 - Flight of the Conchords (Orpheum)
06/04 - The Long Blondes (Troubadour)
06/07 - Los Campesinos! (Troubadour)
06/08 - Los Campesinos! (Glass House)
06/11 - The Detroit Cobras (The Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa)
06/12 - The Builders and The Butchers (Spaceland)
06/12 - The Detroit Cobras (Troubadour)
06/12 - The Helio Sequence (echo)
06/14 - The Helio Sequence (Detroit Bar)
06/18 - Rilo Kiley (Greek Theater)
06/18 - The Secret Machines (The Viper Room)
Back to Home Page: One More Time, From the Top!
Share on Facebook
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
