We All Grow Old, Use Your Life

I've got two shows to write up and another one coming tomorrow. God I love living in this city.

MANATEE. THE SOFT WHITE SIXTIES. THE TROPHY FIRE. RYAN of AUDRYE SESSIONS (sort of with the full band).
Blake's on Telegraph, Berkeley.
4/16/10.



This was Manatee's CD release party and quite a nice line up of Bay Area talent, if I may say so myself. I was excited to see The Trophy Fire, as I've heard a few of their songs (their cover of "White Christmas" on the Foggy Holiday album is one of my favorite Christmas songs ever, insomuch as it makes Christmas music tolerable) and I wanted to hear more of them. It's always nice to hear Audrye Sessions, obviously, and I'd seen Manatee once before and thought they were pretty solid. Danielle and Britt and I were most stoked for The Soft White Sixties, though. They're just so much fun, and their music WILL make you dance.
Ryan from Audrye Sessions was first, and it had been billed as a solo acoustic show, but he actually played with all of the band except Mike, who he said was in London. Alicia didn't play for every song but mostly she was there. And they had a dude playing trumpet and keyboard (at the same time!) who I later found out is named Graham Patzner (he looked a lot like Anton so I'm assuming they're related). The mood was really light and it was a pretty short set, but they played some new stuff that I had heard at Bottom of the Hill and one song that was pretty unfamiliar, but lovely. Very In Rainbows-y. Solid set as always. I talked to Ryan for a minute after the show and he said he thinks he's in this phase of writing prettier songs. I told him I thought the band's sound was maturing, and he said he felt like that was true. I like the prettiness of these new songs, and he said he does too. So I hope the pretty songs keep coming.


Audrye Sessions

The Trophy Fire was up next. There were only three dudes in the band, and they all looked like they could be related. The music was good, not really something I would listen to for a whole album, but definitely good for a song or two at a time. We were enjoying ourselves in the crowd for sure.



The Trophy Fire

The Soft White Sixties started setting up and you could sense that the crowd was getting excited for them. We tried to get towards the front but it was pretty crowded. They played a lot of songs that they haven't yet released, and they were awesome. There's something so retro and soul-ish about their music, something that I don't hear a lot in most bands' influences. I love it. They finished their set and you could tell they wanted to play more, and the crowd didn't want them to go, so they sort of had a mini-conference and then they came back and did a cover of "Instant Karma." I got really excited because a) I love that song a lot and b) White Rabbits did a cover of the same song at the show we saw on my birthday, so it felt kind of like a personal gift. I sang along and everyone was into it and it was an awesome way for them to end their set.



The Soft White Sixties

While Manatee was setting up I found the Soft White Sixties' bassist and told him that they really needed to release an album, and he assured me that they were working on it. Deja vu, because we sort of had the same conversation in November, but oh well. Then he told me I could steal a poster of theirs from the wall and I did. Then I went on to pull one off of the bar and one off of the door to the ladies' room for Britt and Danielle. They were being all shy about it so I just ran up and ripped them down. Reminded me of taking the Live 105 sign at Not So Silent Night last year.
Manatee was up next and I'm bummed to say that I wasn't paying a lot of attention to their set. Britt made the comment that each of their songs is completely different from the one before it, which I guess I could agree with. I did enjoy the set, I just didn't really soak it in the way I normally would.



Manatee

When they finished we hung around for a little while as the DJ started going all dance music-y and the black lights got more intense. People ran down from the bar upstairs. It was a weird kind of party.
Blake's is kind of a strange venue, and all ages shows always have a different vibe than 21+ shows do, but I enjoyed it a lot. I also enjoyed the fact that Berkeley is SO much closer now. It's a little crazy.


JÓNSI.
Amoeba on Haight.
4/17/10.

I walked to this show from my flat (I WALKED TO THIS SHOW FROM MY FLAT). I just strolled right through Golden Gate Park and there it was, in all its Record Store Day glory: Amoeba Records.
I got there around 2 and the show started at 2:30. There were already a pretty good amount of people milling in front of the stage, so I found a spot in the fourth aisle down and tried to save Kirsten and Zack some space (they didn't end up getting there until just after the show ended, so that was unnecessary).
Everyone in the crowd was so friendly. I think it's a comment on the kind of people who are drawn to Jónsi's music, maybe, or maybe its a comment on the kind of people who would go to Record Store Day, or maybe it's a comment on the kind of people who live in San Francisco and frequent Amoeba. Maybe it's a combination of all of those factors. Anyway, people were really chatty and it was quite lovely. The group to my left said they had seen Jónsi the two previous nights, at both the Berkeley and the San Francisco performances. Whoa.
I definitely feel like it was a score to get to see him perform for free, especially when his shows were like $30 at least, but I HAVE heard that they're really amazing, like they have these really intricate sets that do a good bit to enhance the whole experience. If Sigur Rós comes to town someday, I'll probably shell out to see them. But it wasn't in the stars for this week.
The set felt really short, and the fact that I was standing in the CH-DE rock section of Amoeba, with an Amoeba employee standing right next to the stage trying to spot people who were breaking the rules by using the flash on their cameras or taking videos, sending intel into his walkee talkee like some hotshot cop, made it a little hard to immerse myself in the music. Add to that a severe lack of sleep, and the fact that I was REALLY hungry. I just wasn't in the best space to really appreciate the experience.
But even under those circumstances, the music was beautiful. He played with three other members, all of them on acoustic instruments. Jónsi himself was super cute and bubbly, jumping all around and talking in his little Icelandic accent. He thanked us a bunch and seemed really overwhelmed by the size and positive reaction of the crowd. When they finished their set and left the crowd demanded an encore, and when they came back on stage he goes, "Thank you. I was not... expecting... this... so we have not prepared anything, but we can play... one more song." It was so endearing.



Jónsi

I should have bought the record because it was only $13.95 and I could've gotten it signed, but the line was SO LONG. Also, I didn't realize it was so affordable; I just assumed the vinyl would be at least $20. Ah, well. I'll get it eventually.
"Boy Lilikoi" was probably my favorite song of the set, but they were all very simply beautiful and expansive and emotional. With Sigur Rós there are songs that I hear and think, 'I could die to this song' (I've been told that's really morbid and not at all a good recommendation for a song, but I think it's a compliment). Jónsi's solo stuff is a little more light and playful, but with that same sort of soft build that really grabs you in the pit of your stomach.
I feel super lucky to have gotten to see him for free, and I'll try to check him out the next time he comes into the city. He's probably playing right about now at Coachella. As is Thom Yorke. Oh god I can't think about this.
Ha ha, I'm listening to Soundcheck right now and Aaron Axelson just dedicated this [Gorillaz] song to his "fellow Coachella orphans" who were left behind. "It's like me and the janitor here in the studio," he said. I feel your pain, Aaron!
Seriously though, good stuff, San Francisco. Tomorrow is Manchester's own Band of Skulls. I wanna see them in the light of the morning!

Where Your Shadow Goes When You're Asleep and Each Heart Beats In Symmetry

AUDRYE SESSIONS. DAVE SMALLEN. POOR BAILEY.
Bottom of the Hill. 3/13/10.

also

AUDRYE SESSIONS. WORKER BEE. ACID TAPESTRIES.
The Crepe Place. 3/12/10


Yeah, I saw Audrye Sessions two nights in a row. Which pretty much equals bliss for me. Seriously, watching my favorite live band two nights in a row, without even needing to make a long drive out of it (obviously the Crepe Place is close, and I was going to San Francisco on Saturday anyway) equates to a great weekend, no matter what. I bought the ticket to Bottom of the Hill way before they announced the Crepe Place show - and what a bill, with Dave Smallen and Poor Bailey too. I mean, that is some solid Bay Area talent right there. So yeah, I was looking forward to that one for a while.

I'm gonna say this: sonically, the Bottom of the Hill show kicked the Crepe Place's ass. Experientially, the Crepe Place beat SF.

We got to the Crepe Place in the middle of the first band's set. I guess that was Acid Tapestries. The lead singer's voice was kind of annoying so Danielle and I basically ignored the music and observed the weird black and white Godzilla rip off movie that was playing above the bar. The members of Audrye Sessions were already there, chilling on the other end of the bar, so I went over to say hi and tell them how happy I was that they were playing in Santa Cruz. Ryan, the lead singer, was so friendly and sincere. I think the thing about most of their shows in the Bay is that they're sort of surrounded by their friends and it's hard to get a chance to say more than, "awesome show!" This show gave me the opportunity to really talk to them.
The second band, Worker Bee, was better than the first, but I honestly don't remember much about them. I think they're local, so that's cool.
When they finished their set, we sidled up to the front and stood right in front of the microphone. The Crepe Place is so weird because there's no stage, so if you're in the front row you're really right up in the musicians' grills. But I was actually pretty stoked about that this time.
They started with a bunch of new stuff, Ryan on the keyboard. The other thing is that they're back to their old drummer Alex, who was their drummer back when I first saw them years ago. Oh the mystery - what happened to James?
Ryan took up the guitar and they played some more new ones, including "Hands Full," which just hits me so hard. I love it.
They were sort of disorganized and arguing over what to play. I really liked that atmosphere. It was so relaxed. At one point you could see them discussing which songs to play and Alicia was looking unhappy. Ryan's like, "Alicia's pissed at me. She's always pissed at me." Finally they decided on "Where You'll Find Me," and Ryan's all, "does anyone know what this song's about?" and I was like, "Well, there are a bunch of Beatles references." He asked if I knew what references, so I said, "'The Fool on the Hill' and the Walrus," and he goes, "and 'the girl's eyes will blow your mind,' and I was like, "yeah. 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.'" He said he was impressed, and Mike goes, "Sounds like someone's been reading Wikipedia". They played it but his mic got turned down or something so it was sort of hard to hear. Then they did "Turn Me Off," which they said they hadn't rehearsed, but it sounded good. And we badgered them to play more, so they did this slow one with Mike on piano and Ryan singing, no drums or bass at all. Alicia was like, "don't play that! It's boring!" Ryan said, "Alicia doesn't want us to play this one, but her boyfriend wrote the lyrics, so you'd think she'd be like, 'Yeah! This song's awesome!'" The boyfriend to whom he was referring was Scott of Poor Bailey, who is a pretty amazing lyricist. It's funny to know that he wrote the lyrics, because I can't imagine him singing the song the same way.
Anyway they finished their set (it went so fast!) and I ran to the restroom. Mike was standing in line for the men's room when I came out so I just told him what a great show it was and he was very gracious. Kristain told him I hadn't found the lyrics on wikipedia, and he was like, "Yeah, I know. That stuff's not even on Wikipedia." Ryan came over and was really sweet and inclusive. I told them how long I've loved their music. I was probably gushing. Eh, well. What are you gonna do?
Kristain decided she wanted another beer so we sat at the bar for a little while. Ryan came over to us and was hanging out with us while the rest of the band loaded up in the van to leave, I guess, because they started honking. Ryan's like, "What do you think that means?" and I said, "I bet it means, 'Ryan get your ass in the van before we leave without you,'" and he seemed to think I was right because he dashed off.
I looooved getting the chance to talk to the band, and hear so much new stuff, and it just felt like everything aligned perfectly. Seriously, the Crepe Place is quickly becoming my new favorite venue.




Audrye Sessions
The Crepe Place


BOTTOM OF THE HILL.

I got to the venue right at the end of Poor Bailey's set. I was disappointed to miss them, but oh well. Ryan and Mike were both playing as a part of his band, it seemed.
Then Dave started setting up. He played a pretty familiar set, and it was really enjoyable because the crowd was so into it and a bunch of people were singing along and everyone "sha la la" -ed to "I Think It's Getting Better." Dave was in top form, saying how he was sharing the stage with a bunch of his best friends, and that he felt like he knew everyone in the audience. The backup band was the same as the one from his album release back in November, I think. They called themselves "The Serious Commitments." Cute.
Audrye Sessions followed with a set that was almost exact to the one from the Crepe Place, with the added quality of a real venue's sound equipment, a cellist, trombone player, trumpet player, and Scott from Poor Bailey noodling on various instruments. They sounded amazing and I just can't get over the fact that they are always developing into something better than they were. They were really good three years ago. They're maturing into a more interesting sound, though. It seems like there's more collaboration going on.
I basically can't wait until they release something new.
The crowd was totally electric and it was clear that I'm not the only one who gets how wonderful they are. We all clapped along to "Turn Me Off" and demanded an encore (the same slow song that Mike and Ryan played last at the Crepe Place). Before the encore they finished with a song called "Bad Day" ("about a bad day," Ryan said), and the crazy thing about that song is that it starts out really quiet and slow and sad and then swells into this expansive, melodic force. It's something to witness, trust me.
After the show I went over to say hi to Dave, and after awhile I found Ryan and got to chat with him for a minute. I so admire them for doing what they love, and for doing it well, and for knowing who they are. It shows in their music and in their live shows. I hope it never diminishes. I don't see how it could.



Dave Smallen and the Serious Commitments
Bottom of the Hill





Audrye Sessions
Bottom of the Hill

Everytime I Leave (I Leave for Good), New Year's Day, I Know What I Am.... Picking Up The Slack

Okay so I've really been slacking. I'm gonna go over all the shows I've been to from November to the end of the year, because I guess I just got distracted and haven't gotten to any of them yet. So without further ado...

WHITE RABBITS.

This show was on my birthday. A bunch of my friends and I went up to the city, stayed in a hotel that bordered the Tenderloin and Union Square, drank lots of vodka cranberries, and sometimes added a little champagne to them for good measure. It was TASTY, and by the time we left for the show Lindsley was trying on my shoes. If you knew Lindsley you'd know that this was a sign that it was going to be a good night.
Anyway we walked to the show, which was at Slim's and therefore not very close to the hotel. BUT it was in a familiar area, thanks to a couple of trips to the Rickshaw Stop earlier in the year. And I love walking in the city, and there were six of us, and it wasn't really dark yet, so all was well.
White Rabbits was already playing when we got there and they were killing it. We sort of pushed our way to the front (Brittany and I have a habit of letting people know that we will be in the front, and her cousin was already there right in front of the guitarist, so it was easy to act like we deserved to be there. Anyway it was my birthday and I'm pretty sure it's okay to force your way to the front when it's your birthday). So we were all right up there, dancing all over the place and taking lots of awesome close-up pictures of the guitarist and the (lefty!) bassist. I'm sorry if you're the guy whose feet I kept stepping on. It was worth it.
I really only knew their song "Percussion Gun," but the whole set was awesome. I mean, people kept buying me drinks because of the whole birthday thing (it's really nice to not be a Jehovah's Witness sometimes), so of course the show was fun. But the songs were very skillfully performed and they had SO many people on stage it was pretty amazing that they were as coordinated as they were. And then they left and came back for an encore, and after playing one of their songs, they did a cover of "Instant Karma" that just made me oh so happy. Everyone was singing and jumping and John Lennon is never a mistake in my opinion.
The show ended really quickly but they played a nice long set, really. Then the bouncer came around and told us they were closing (so early!) and we had to hike it back to the hotel (this time with some help from MUNI). I left feeling pretty impressed by those silly rabbits. It's not like they're necessarily my favorite type of music, but they were perfect for the evening and great when you're in the right kind of mood.
And tops when you're looking for a band that'll kick off your birthday evening with enough energy.




White Rabbits

DAVE SMALLEN. THE SOFT WHITE SIXTIES.

I was looking forward to this show for a long time. It was the day after Thanksgiving and a very welcome treat/celebration (it also happened to fall on the evening of my last day of work at a certain coffee shop, and I was ready to bring in that change with a little help from Mr. Smallen). The show was at Bottom of the Hill, which is always a good sign. I was there with Danielle, Britt, and Kristain, who had all come with me to another Dave show in like June or July (they are so trusting of me - I tell them it'll be fun and they're in, and I can't even express how much I love them for that).
We got there super early and ended up killing some time at Peet's before heading in. The first band, Lite Brite, started and it wasn't so great. I mean, they were really young, for one thing. I think the lead singer was trying to be Jack White a little bit, with his crazy curly hair and so pale it looked like he had face powder on. Usually I notice at Bottom of the Hill I end up loving the final two or three bands and never really appreciate the openers the same way. It wasn't so much that they weren't good, it was just that they were a different genre and didn't really seem to fit.
So then The Soft White Sixties came on and things got interesting. They had played at the Dave show over the summer, and I didn't really remember their songs specifically, more just that I had really enjoyed the tempos and influences of their songs. I remembered sensing a strong sixties influence - a definite plus for me. But during the summer show I had been - er - a little tipsy, and I really hadn't been paying attention to them. This time it was different. I was one drink in and the second they started playing I just felt super enthusiastic about their music. We were all really digging it, standing right up front next to a pod of girls who turned out to be related to someone in the band and knew every song. Kristain loved the drummer, who was full on grinning through the whole set. I was pretty partial to the lead singer, who would grab the mic and a tambourine and wander around the stage, dancing and singing and basically grooving. These guys were awesome. I mean awesome. I really can't wait for them to release an album of some kind.
Finally Dave started setting up. We were still in the front and got to watch all the little interactions on stage, which I kind of live to observe. Mike from Audrye Sessions was Dave's guitarist for the evening, and a couple of guys from Brilliant Red Lights were the bassist and drummer. All these guys from these Bay Area bands are friends, right, and you can usually spot at least three or four members from random East Bay bands in the crowd at these shows. The Dizzy Balloon boys are always at Dave's and Scissors for Lefty's shows. I've seen Alicia from Audrye Sessions and Scott formerly of Poor Bailey at Dave's a few times. Anyway, you become a fan of one of these bands and pretty soon you're going to know a dozen of them. And they're all super talented.
So finally Dave started playing his songs, starting with "Every Time I Leave (I Leave for Good)" - I think, but it's really been awhile. He played with the full band for about five songs, then he did some acoustic numbers by himself, then the band came back. One thing I love about Dave is that he's such a love - he smiles during a lot of his songs, and it's the kind of smile that reaches his eyes, and you can just see how good natured he is. Danielle and Kristain complain that some of his songs are pretty dark, and I get what they're saying. Sometimes it's a little bit of a downer - a few of his lyrics are just so dark. But I also am grateful to him for going there, even if sometimes he goes a little too far for my taste. A lot of his stuff attains some poetry. A lot of his songs have been released when I really needed to hear them. I think a lot of people probably need his brand of drama, even if it can sometimes tend to the self-indulgent. Still, my favorites of his songs are definitely the lighter ones, like "All My Life" and "I Think It's Getting Better."
Towards the end of the set, he stopped and just said that with the current economy it seemed like a lot of people were sort of losing hope and kind of giving up on their dreams, and that he thought they shouldn't do that. Which was pretty good timing personally, since I had just finished working at a place for which I really had no love in order to pursue a more enriching life. So thanks for the encouragement, Dave!
Anyway the set was really fun and then afterward I went and bought The Soft White Sixties' seven inch (which came with a digital download of five of their songs, mega score)and chatted with a couple of them. The bassist assured me that they'll be getting an album out, so that's definitely good news. Then I bought Dave's official CD, even though I've been buying his one-song-a-month songs and only had one left to buy to complete the collection. The actual CD is worth having, though. It has all of his block prints - one for each song - printed on the insert. And I like having a real CD, and I like supporting musicians who really work for what they love and are original and talented. Alicia from Audrye Sessions was selling the merch, so I mentioned that I was looking forward to their New Year's show. She seemed relieved to hear that someone was planning on coming to it, and was very sweet. "You better come say hi," she said, and I promised I would.
There was a huge line of (mostly girls) waiting to talk to Dave or get him to sign their CD's when I passed him on my way to the restroom (also saw Petros of Dizzy Balloon), which really isn't surprising. I would've been one of them but I figured I'd probably see him at another show soon enough.
So then we all piled back into Britt's car and didn't get home until like 2:30 in the morning, knowing that the lack of sleep was definitely worth a night of such great music and company.



The Soft White Sixties



Dave Smallen

THE LOVEMAKERS. BAND OF SKULLS. WHITE RABBITS.
(LIVE 105's SOUNDCHECK HOLIDAY BALL)

The main draw of this show was Band of Skulls, whose album I had bought after getting easily addicted to "I Know What I Am" and acquiring a substantial gift certificate to Streetlight Records for my birthday. And then discovering that the rest of the album was at least as good as that one addictive song.
It was the same group - Britt, Danielle, and Kristain - and the venue was a new one for us - Bimbo's in North Beach. We got there a little on the late side, completely missing the openers The Downer Party, which was fine with me because I wasn't too in love with them from what I'd heard on Soundcheck. We walked in during The Lovemakers' last song, Lisa in lingerie and dousing herself with a water bottle. It was pretty comical because we'd been talking on the ride over about how showy The Lovemakers were, and how none of us were really a big fan of Lisa and her overexposed underwear. It just feels like such an obvious ploy. So we sort of laughed about that and then Britt and I led the way to the front for Band of Skulls.
Ugh, they were so good! The girl seemed slightly nervous, maybe, but they sounded so much like the album. There are only three of them, and they've only been a group for a little over a year I think, but they really know what they're doing. It was sort of disappointing to see the guitarist/vocalist, Russell, in person though, because from his voice Britt and I were convinced that he had to be hot. Um. Not so much. But still yes because of the music. The only bad thing about their set was that it was really short and they didn't play either of my two favorite songs, "Cold Fame" and "Fires." They sort of stuck to the really upbeat songs and did an awesome job with them. It was just a bit unsatisfying and I've definitely resolved to see them when they come to town for a tour that's focused on them specifically. The holiday shows are just a different experience.
White Rabbits came on and it was like a deja vu of my birthday except it was more memorable without all the vodka cranberries. So many members in the band! It's kind of nuts. But they can handle it.
That was the last show I went to before Christmas and it was lovely. Bimbo's, by the way, is really beautiful and you sort of feel like you should be hanging out with Frank Sinatra and drinking martinis when you're there. I mean, there's an attendant in the restroom. Classy.



The Marquee



Band of Skulls



White Rabbits

MANATEE. THE SOFT WHITE SIXTIES. HOTTUB. AUDRYE SESSIONS.
NEW YEAR'S EVE SHOW.

Oh, Oakland. You are not always sketch, but it always feels like you will be. At least on New Year's there were cops everywhere. I've never felt so good about seeing police cars on every other block.
This show was at The Uptown, and it was 21 and over, so little Britt and Kristain couldn't come, which was sad. I went with Danielle and probably would've gone alone if I'd had no other options. That's how excited I was about this one. I would've taken on an extremely drunken Oakland by myself for it.
Since it was New Year's everybody put their best suit or dress on... no, not really. You pretty much couldn't tell from looking at people that it was an occasion. I mean maybe there were a few more dresses than usual, but no stilettos. I had new boots that I bought with some Christmas money and was very excited about that. Is there any clothing item more wonderful than a pair of new boots?
So Manatee was the first band and we went in and sat at one of the tables for them. It was pretty empty at that point and freezing - the smoking patio is behind the dance floor and the door is always open, so yeah. Teeth were chattering.
Manatee was fine, definitely kind of a newer band. Kind of the perfect openers, because they were just good enough to get the evening going and not so exciting that you'd cry if you missed them. I expected The Soft White Sixties to come on third, but the lead singer for Manatee said they were up next, so once Manatee left Danielle and I headed to the stage and got pumped.
The Soft White Sixties were awesome again. Their family fan club was there again, singing all the songs with them, and this time I was completely sober and still enjoyed every song. So I can officially say, from personal experience, that The Soft White Sixties kick ass whether you're sober, tipsy, or flat out drunk. Which is true of a lot of good bands, but not all of them. I noticed that one of their songs has a really similar opening riff to Rilo Kiley's "Silver Lining" and another of their songs sounds so much like a Kinks song I can't quite identify, but the familiarities are definitely not imitations. It's more like influence, and I just appreciate that they choose some awesome people as their influences.
Okay, so that brings me to Hottub. Um. There are no words.
Danielle and I went to the bar after TSWS, which is in the other room. You can see what's going on in the main room on a big projector screen they have set up in the bar. I watched the initial set up for Hottub, which looked like two DJ's. I had read a description of them somewhere that I thought had said "electronica," so that's what I was prepared for. They took forever setting up and then... these three chicks come on stage... in leotards... and crazy hair... holding microphones... and start, um... rapping? Oh god, it was the weirdest thing ever. One girl had crazy medusa hair and was wearing one of those full body leotards from American Apparel, but it was made of lace and had spaghetti straps and you could tell right away that if a strap fell it was all gonna be over. And with the way they were bouncing around the stage, I was sure a strap would fall. And oh boy it did. Twice. And they were shouting "M-A-N B-I-T-C-H, man bitch man bitch," and one of them was like, "is there a man out there who can handle 180 pounds of woman? I wanna sit on someone's FACE!" and then they brought a bunch of the audience on stage and they were almost all girls and all dancing and Danielle and I were cracking up but scared for our lives. Danielle kept being like, "Really, Audrye Sessions??? Why??? How does this fit with the other bands?" But then of course we were in Oakland. So the people were digging the hip hop.
Hottub was on stage for so long. It was kind of painful. But finally they left, and a bunch of people filtered out, and once we were sure they weren't coming back for an encore and they weren't gonna start scooping people onto the stage again, we made our way to the front for Audrye Sessions.
Oh Audrye Sessions. How I love you.
They started setting up just before midnight, and they were all on stage for the countdown. Mike was with his girlfriend (who looked a lot like Alicia) and the Judgement Day brothers, Anton and Lewis, were there, and Ryan started looking forlorn, searching for someone to kiss and finally landing on James (seriously! I thought it was hilarious. They're such a little family). And we all sang along with "Auld Lange Syne" and you could tell Lewis didn't know the set list because he was taking pictures of it with his camera phone. When everyone was finally set up, and tuned, and on stage, there were the four official members: Alicia (Bass), James (Drums), Mike (Guitar), and Ryan (Guitar, Lead Vocals, Occasional Keyboard), plus Anton (Violin), Lewis (Cello), Scott (Washboard, Acoustic Guitar, random things), and the lead singer from Manatee for a couple songs (he looked a lot like he and Mike could be brothers) playing the bongos or something.
It was awesome to be in the front row, and awesome to see my favorite live band as the first thing of the new year, and awesome that they were sort of disorganized and chatty and goofing off. They played at least four new songs, probably more. I'm a little obsessed with the song "Hands Full" so please release that one as soon as possible, Audrye Sessions, okay? And of course they played "New Year's Day," which may not be the most upbeat song but it's so pretty and I remember when I first heard it when they played it live on Soundcheck, and I remember listening to it on New Year's Day in '08 and '09, always along with "The New Year" by Death Cab. Anyway they played a really long set and when the crowd demanded an encore Ryan came back on stage and said "I don't think they're going to let us, but I guess we could try..." and we cheered enough that they decided to try. Screw the noise ordinances. And he played "a little tiny baby song" that Alicia and Lewis had only rehearsed once before: "Our new year's resolution is to practice this song more," Mike said. It was this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSBF0WEdURM and it sounded really good with all of them playing it. So the set finished at around 1:30 and then everyone dispersed.
We passed Dave Smallen on the way to the Ladies Room, ran into Alicia at the door to said room, where I told her they played a great set and she told me she had to pee (well, not quite, but basically). Then we decided to leave because we wouldn't get home until like 3:00 in the morning and some people (not me) had to work at 6:30 that same morning. Not fun. Believe me, I've done it. We passed Ryan talking to James on the way out so I told him it was a great show and wished him a happy new year, and then it was a quick walk back to my car and a loooong drive home.
And worth it, oh so worth it.
It's always, always worth it with them.



The Soft White Sixties




Hottub


Audrye Sessions


Happy New Year everyone! If it's as great as its start was, things are looking up...

Monster of a Night

MONSTERS OF FOLK.

So this morning has been insanely stressful, but in spite of all the weird worrying I've been doing, I'm still determined to record what my experiences at each concert I attend have been. So...

Treasure Island was a pass this year, mostly because yesterday I had the Monsters of Folk concert and it just wouldn't work logistically - at least, not if I wanted to see MGMT and Passion Pit, who I was most excited about - because the festival doesn't end until like 11pm and Monsters started at 8. And then I have work this afternoon so it was a no go on the Flaming Lips day. Also I'm trying to save money (ha!).

So Brittany and I got to the Fox Theater at around 7:30. The hipsters were swarming and the creepers of Oakland were ogling. Walking down the alley towards the theater we passed their two tour buses, which were protected by an iron fence and a big bouncer dude who probably works as an amateur wrestler on the side. I sort of gasped when we passed the buses and would have suggested staking them out for a minute, but Big Mike or whatever the bouncer's name was just kind of glared at us, clearly used to this reaction and somewhat amused, but also annoyed. So left leg, right leg, one leg at a time we kept on walking... until we got to the theater.

That place, first of all, is this really wonderful mix of art deco and Indian kind of style, with ornately patterned ceilings lit with purple lights, these golden ikons on each side of the stage, and (in a feat of engineering genius) these little floor vents that sent just enough chilly air up to those of us in the sweaty crowd. We spent the time before the set just admiring everything and trying to ignore the couple behind us, since the man was totally evoking an Annie Hall "excuse me, you know nothing of my work" kind of moment. WHY does that always happen to me at all the best shows??? Ugh this guy was at least better than the dude in front of me at The Dead Weather... but let's focus here, right people?

So finally they started playing behind the curtain and everyone started cheering but it was really frustrating because they clearly weren't playing any real song but they just let the build up go on for so long... and then the plush red curtains drew back and there they were, the four gentlemen of Omaha, Portland, and Kentucky, plus a drummer who was just so a part of it all. They were all wearing suits, and M. Ward looked kind of like either Mr. Toad or a Victorian doctor. Mike Mogis is so adorable! People kept cheering for him, which I love - when people acknowledge the silent genius behind it all - and he just sort of held his hand up in a wave with a smile. They started with "Say Please" and then I think it was "Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)" and I was put into a trance right there. I mean I almost cried when Jim and Conor sang their Dear God verses. And then M. Ward did some of his songs - I really appreciate the depth of his voice, but personally his music doesn't really reach me in a very striking way - and then they did a couple more of their Monster stuff, and then Jim did a few My Morning Jacket songs, including "Look At You" which was really beautiful. Also, M. Ward sang backup on "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)," and it was just so simple and warm, like your mom's grilled cheese. Well, see for yourself. Vocally, there is just no question that Jim is The Man. His range is ridiculous.

So then they flipped back to some more Monsters songs, and after that Jim, Matt, and the drummer disappeared and I was so excited to see Mike Mogis and Conor together, alone, on stage. They started with "Lime Tree," even though the guitar intro definitely sounded like "When the President Talks to God" (Brittany thought so too when I asked her later). He did a couple of earlier songs and then it was back to the whole band.

A few things here. I loved how each man got to shine some light on his own work, and to focus on whatever he wanted, old or new. I loved how they worked with each other, so one Jim song was sung with the drummer on backup vocals and the next was with Matt. I loved how I kept thinking they were gonna focus on one of them too much and then they didn't. I loved how the crowd was excited for every song. I loved how every time they did a Monsters song it was with all of them on stage. I loved how Conor and Matt both played keyboard when they were needed, and how Conor played bass even though you could tell he wasn't the most comfortable with it. I loved how Mike Mogis played the triangle. I loved how Jim sang when the spotlight was on him, and when it was off how he sang just as amazingly. I loved it when Conor took of his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves like things were getting serious. They were.

A definite musical highlight for me would be the three songs from I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning that Conor and Mike played. They did "At the Bottom of Everything" (without the intro) and "We Are Nowhere and It's Now" first. Towards the end of the encore Conor went over and playfully straightened Mike's tie - it was so cute, and from their interactions you could see how long and how well they know each other. And then as one of the last songs the whole band kicked out a fantastic rendition of "Another Traveling Song." Conor was jumping up on the drum kit and they were all trading guitar riffs and it was just euphoric. The last song of the encore was "His Master's Voice," and even though that song doesn't do that much for me on its own, they just really made it shine.

Also, "Temazcal" makes me shiver, and did even more so live.

After a solid three hours of this unrelenting rock-out session, they finished their encore and the curtain drew closed. And then it opened and they took a bow and waved and were so gracious. Photos weren't allowed, but everyone seemed to be sneaking a few, so I risked it, but only during the last few songs when I felt less in jeopardy of being thrown out. I always feel really torn about taking pictures; I want to have documentation of this fabulous experience I'm having, but I also want to keep the focus on the experience instead of on documenting it. The nice thing about the picture ban was that I wasn't constantly having to duck below people's cameras just to see the stage. But there were a few moments that I wish I could have captured. Oh well, hopefully there will be something official online or something.

We filtered out with everyone else, I took a picture of the marquis, and as we turned the corner we once again headed past the tour buses and Big Mike. There was this couple lurking over there, seemingly waiting for the Monsters to leave their cave, and in a sudden rush I realized it was Alicia of Audrye Sessions and her boyfriend Scott, who basically is the band Poor Bailey. It was trippy to see them but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to seem like a stalker (which is kind of ironic, if you think about it, because they were definitely acting like mega-stalkers themselves). Then this homeless dude followed us to our car and spit on the passenger window because we wouldn't acknowledge him (gross). I had a random mix playing in my CD player, and as we drove down the alley back towards the theater, the song changed. And right when we got to the tour buses a Poor Bailey song started playing really loud in my car. Ha ha I wonder if Scott heard it and was like, "hey, that's me!" It was just funny because it was so unintentional.

Anyway, it was an amazing three hours of music and I am just so grateful that these guys decided to hang out and jam together all those years ago. And I'm pretty much resolved to see each of them live whenever I can, from now on.

Especially Jim, who I am pretty sure silently stole the night away with his honeyed howls.

All in all, I don't think I could find a better way to spend 45 dollars in one place.