P4k Fest '07

For rock-loving Europeans, the summer means one thing: festival season. The best bands in the world (plus the Goo Goo Dolls) descend upon the Old World in droves, bringing good times and good tunes to all the boys and girls. Meanwhile, the US is stuck with things like Bonnaroo, Ozzfest, and Lollapalooza. I mean, I love 3 Inches of Blood as much as the next guy, and Muse's "Supermassive Black Hole" is, like, the best song ever, but sometimes I just want something a little more substantial and state-subsidized. Well, I don't think the government is going to be tossing money to The Killers anytime soon (like they need it), so the Pitchfork Music Festival will have to do instead. Today, the final lineup was announced. In addition to all the great acts already linked to the festival, Pitchfork is now bringing Mastodon, Junior Boys, Voxtrot, Cadence Weapon, Brightblack Morning Light, the Field, Cool Kids, and William Parker Quartet. Earlier this week, I purchased my ticket. Now that I know Mastodon and Voxtrot will be there, it appears that my money was well-spent.

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!!! at the Metro

March 23, Carolina and I headed to the Metro to see !!! live without any real expectations of what their live set would look like. Seemingly nothing more than a dance and funk outfit, the possibility of an all-out 2-hour dance marathon appeared most likely. But at the end of the night, the crowd was a stew of b.o., junkies, and stripping. Oh, and Jeff Albert was there. Hey, Jeff!

Toronto's Holy F*** took the stage in punctual fashion at 9:00 PM. And while I expected the band to just repeatedly seek attention by announcing their ridiculous name, their performance was an exciting and interesting electro-dance, mostly instrumental set of short tunes. Kevin O'Sullivan had described the band as "drum and bass with some f***ed up electronic s***." I didn't know whether to expect fun and energetic (IQU) or flat out disorganized noise (World's End Girlfriend).

Pet peeves about live electronic acts? Songs that drag. Nothing to see on stage. But H.F. avoided both of those trends.

Beats were smooth and catchy and songs ended just before it felt like they were dragging. The drummer was in clear view next to a bassist who didn't seem to add much to the performance except some type of conventional stage performance aesthetic. Two mix and electronic artists were the focus on opposite sides of the stage with all sorts of film reels, melodica, vocoder, turntable, and effects. A lanky feller in a t-shirt that had some joke about interpretive dance was really into it, and Carolina shot me looks to his head-bobbing, shoulder-twitching dance moves.







After H.F., !!! took the stage around 10:15, and here's a rough setlist for ya'll (any help with this is appreciated):

1. Myth Takes
2. All My Heroes Are Weirdoes.
3. KooKooka...
4. Must Be the Moon
5. Pardon My Freedom
6. Yadnus
7. A New Name
8. ???
9. Heart of Hearts
10. Break in Case of Anything
11. ???

Halfway into the first song, interpretive dance dude gets shoved repeatedly by some junkie with long blonde hair. Apparently fragile and not realizing that tends to happen when people get excited at crowded club shows, Kevin Bacon decides to summon the Metro's security. Three times.

But the mosh was inevitable, and it lasted from the front to the end of the set. Carolina and I set a goal of discovering who was the most worthless member of !!! The award might go to one of the players that 'helps out' on percussion and plays saxophone on one song. Nic Offer danced to every measure, like a cleaned-up Mickey Avalon. Shaking hips, jumping around, and free to do whatever he pleased with the mic, he never looked bored--even during the !!! tunes that are mostly instrumental.

Mario Andreoni's guitar sounded as crystal clear live as it did on Myth Takes (which might be their best 'album' to date). But the intricate bass lines and percussion are what drive the live music, and they did not disappoint.

Some unknown black female vocalist was just as entertaining on stage, dressed like Linnell from the Borat movie, she fired up the crowd and danced crazier than a Springer guest, adding more of a club dimension to the scene.

But the funk band had more of a punk crowd, and the pushing and jumping continued for 80 minutes. Tremendous energy on the whole floor, and !!! delivered big time. The night ended on somewhat of a disappointment though. The set was shorter than it could have been (especially for a $16 ticket), and I had never heard a crowd cheer louder for an encore and not receive it. Clapping and screaming continued for 15-20 minutes until almost all instruments were carried off stage and the finality of the show was obvious. No performance of "Me and Giuliani Down by the Schoolyard."

Definitely check out !!! if they're in the area, but expect a little violence and intensity along the way.
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5 May 2007 -- The Kooks live at Metro Chicago

I bought my ticket for Saturday's Kooks show on Feb. 8th... so it goes without saying that I had been looking forward to it for a long time. What I had expected from the Kooks was a very acoustic, very laid back performance. But what we got instead was a high-energy rock'n'roll romp with the cutest things Brighton has ever produced. The band began the set with the same two songs that begin the album but with one major difference being simply their energy in performing and enthusiasm for the material. On the studio album, Inside In/Inside Out, the sound is clean but feels a bit restrained -- this is luckily not the case for their live shows during which nothing is held back! Seaside is rather subdued and acoustic but, after breaking into See the World, the Kooks rocked out hard without looking back.

The band performed quite a bit of new material since it has been a while since their debut album came out last spring (in the UK). It was so interesting to compare the new Kooks songs to those on the album. In a live setting, the new ones are a bit more rock'n'roll. The difference is this: while I often describe Inside In/Inside Out as having an early-Beatles sound, the new Kooks material is very Rolling Stones. It rocks, hard. It has guitar solos, it has ambition, and most of all, attitude.

The new material is really, genuinely good; the Kooks delivered their latest with a vast amount of energy... the maturation and progress from the first album is highly evident. Mostly, these guys just know how to put on a show. One of the only bands I've seen who can pull off having a frontman who acts like a front man but plays guitar the majority of the time. This was my favourite show of the year (including last night's Arctic Monkeys). Can't wait for the second one now!

Songs:
Seaside
See the World
Eddie's Gun
Matchbox
Ooh La
Come On Down*
Time Awaits
She Moves in Her Own Way
*Oil
*Sway
*Sabateur
Naive
*Always Where
You Don't Love Me

Encore:
Jackie Big Tits
*Make Love
Sofa Song


Singer Luke Pritchard really provided a lot of the energy that made the live show so special. He just has that vibe, that charisma, that stage presence, which makes your time with him so much fun. Not to be restrained by conventional guardrails and security, Pritchard ventured into the audience once or twice. The last song, Sofa Song, got the best reaction from the crowd, everyone went nuts as 1) it is a really great song and 2) we all realized the night was almost over.

Other memorable things included: The knowing smirk whilst singing the chorus to Jackie Big Tits, an acoustic song which was not included on the band's setlist but was a more than welcome addition to the performance. Solid gold guitar action (above right). Time Awaits, the first verse. Black and white brogues (below). One very large, very pastel guitar. Luke Pritchard and his massive hair in my face (second from top).
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16 April 2007 -- Klaxons take Schuba's

We walk to the venue, an old man outside is hawking glow-sticks. I smile broadly and knowingly, looking down at the sidewalk as we walk inside. It's empty, save a few early-birdies and the merch girl who is perched in front of a modest display of shirts, the most interesting upon which "Klaxons are K*nts" is scrawled. A guy hands us flyers and asks if we've designed tees for the band? We haven't, though mine would have been a stolen magazine headline ("Klaxons are MDMAzing"). He takes our photo anyway.

The small room gradually fills up and we find out the opening band is called The Prairie Cartel. The name says 'emo' to me, and even up till the band takes the stage, I am skeptical of th appropriateness of their opening for Klaxons. But as soon as they begin to play, I'm sold. Strong dance beats relying on synthesizers, plastic neon cowbells, and electronic drums are kept in balance by super-fat rock guitar work. The band are a bit repetitive at times (fact: this is an understatement), but their catchiness more than makes up for this. As a person normally indifferent to opening bands, call me impressed. Change your name, Prairie Cartel, cos you guys are winners!

The first band clean themselves up and the roadies take over, taping down setlists, check th equipment, hitting the synth key that begins "Atlantis to Interzone" (it yells DJ!!) and we laugh a little bit. It's kind of absurd, out of context. I look around the room and notice a few gig-goers dressed in the stereotypical klaxon-fashion -- oversized neon hoodies (with hoods up) and straight brimmed hats, rather baggy jeans. What's funny is that Klaxons have tried to get past this image, and have done everything fron changing they way they dress to outlawing glowsticks at their shows. But after I've had enough time to look over the setlist from the crowd, the band stomp on stage and something inside of me lights up when a reflection off Steffan's shoe catches my eye. The light plays on the drummer's shiny gold and black Adidas trainers; Simon wears pointy black ankle boots (right); James in black and leopard print high-top Nikes (left).

Klaxons launch into "The Bouncer" which, while immensely energetically performed, would have been received with much more enthusiasm had it come later in the set, me thinks. But the band do a great job promoting their new(ish) album, Myths of the Near Future, even promising a meet'n'greet to anyone who buys the album at the show. I am tempted.

Klaxons are well-practiced by this time in the tour and have got the crowd going (for the most part), though it takes a little while -- especially in Chicago. Atlantis to Interzone loosens things up while Golden Skans really gets us going. Too bad, but it wasn't till 12 Horsemen that everyone was dancing. Live, they perform a tight set and now gel very well together. Both James and Jamie play synth and bass, switching positions on stage a few times throughout the night. The energy seems to come completely from the music, however, as the band are not quite as eccentric onstage as I have witnessed in the past (maybe they are tired of touring?) At any rate, this is an intimate gig by Klaxons standards as they are used to performing at places like London's Shepherd's Bush Empire (Riviera size, at the least). Overall, they are a fun band with vibrant music, and though the live set does not differ too greatly from the recordings, the recordings are, well, very good. When the audio fuses with the presence of pioneering nu ravers (a term they will reject), unless you have feet of lead and a heart of stone, Klaxons should move you to dancing. With only enough material for a 40-45 minute set, we can only wish they had more songs to play...

What they played:
The Bouncer (cover)
Atlantis to Interzone
Hall of Records
Totem Timeline
Golden Skans
As Above So Below
Two Recievers
Magick
Gravity's Rainbow
Not Over Yet
Isle of Her
12 Horsemen of 2012

Enjoy the photos I managed to take!
xx kd

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P-fork Update

I knew there was a reason I randomly woke up 10 minutes ago. Some more of the P-fork fest lineup has been unveiled. There's no NMH still, but the New Pornographers, Stephen Malkmus, De La Soul, Battles, and Ponys are now slated to play the three-day festival.

The festival is taking place at Chicago's Union Park from July 13-15. Three-day passes are at $50. Can you say road trip? I can't. My friends and I plan to fly.
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Finals Week Shows

the above is the image referenced at last night's meeting.
hopefully it exceeded your expectations.

in other news: ALL THE GOOD CHICAGO SHOWS ARE HAPPENING DURING FINALS WEEK!!!
how unfair is that?

well here's a run-down:

Thurs 3 May
Junior Boys @ Empty Bottle
Amy Winehouse @ Schubas (SOLD OUT)
Fri 4 May
Jet @ House of Blues
Sat 5 May
The Kooks @ Metro
Sun 6 May
LCD Soundsystem @ Metro
The View @ Schubas
Tues 8 May
Peter Bjorn and John @ Empty Bottle
Arctic Monkeys and Be Your Own Pet @ Riviera Theatre
Wed 9 May
Mando Diao and Pop Levi @ Double Door

and for those of us around for Senior Week:

Sat 12 May
Tapes 'n Tapes @ Abbey Pub (two shows)
Pretty Girls Make Graves @ Empty Bottle
Sun 13 May
Regina Spektor @ Riviera Theatre
Thurs 17 May
Animal Collective @ Metro
Fri-Sun 18-20 May
Arcade Fire @ Chicago Theatre
(and I think the Kings of Leon have a 20 May date as well...)

as always, post if you are interested in carpooling or ride-sharing or things of that nature.

xxxxxx
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P-fork Fest: Day One

To quote Eliot Spitzer's gubernatorial campaign, on day one, everything changes.

The above quote has nothing to do with this post. I just like Eliot Spitzer, because he cracks down on record labels for monopolizing the radio.

Two weeks ago, I posted some info on this summer's Pitchfork Music Festival. Since that time, Pitchfork has announced one of Friday's mystery acts: Sonic Youth. Along with ATP (All Tomorrow's Parties), P-fork will be presenting the seminal NYC group as they perform their 1988 album Daydream Nation in its entirety. In the coming weeks/months, Pitchfork will be naming two additional bands who will also be performing full albums on the festival's first day.

As long as the other two aren't The Mars Volta or The Fiery Furnaces w/Grandma Sarantos, we should be fine, right?
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P4k Fest '07

Pitchfork, the most loved/hated website in all of hipsterdom, has finally unveiled -- sort of, since I actually found this info on brooklynvegan -- some details about its summer festival. Taking place July 13, 14, and 15 in Chicago's Union Park, the second-annual event will feature Cat Power, Clipse, Iron & Wine, Grizzly Bear, and Professional Murder (Saturday) and Of Montreal, Girl Talk, Jamie Lidell, and Ken Vandermakr's Powerhouse Sound (Sunday). More acts will be added, as the final number will be somewhere around 40. Last year's festival included staple indie bands like Spoon, Yo La Tengo, Tapes n Tapes, Art Brut, Destroyer, Ted Leo + the Pharmacists, Silver Jews, The Futureheads, Band of Horses, and Devendra Banhart.

Tickets go on sale Monday. Three-day passes start at $45; two-day passes are $35.

As I'll hopefully have a summer internship that only requires three-day work weeks, this is something I'll be looking into, if only to see Cat Power not self-destruct on stage and catch another glimpse of the Of Montreal guy in a bridal gown. If you live in the area or will be doing the summer session at ND, you should really consider hitting this up.
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Lily Allen @ Metro (Chicago) 8 Feb 07

On a seven-city tour of the US, Lily Allen graced the Chicago's beloved Metro with her presence on Thursday night (February 8, 2007).

Ms. Allen was in fine form as usual wearing a navy blue dress and white trainers, her hair in a messy up-do, and the whole look accessorized perfectly with oversized sparkly earrings and a giant gold necklace shaped like a machine gun.


As Lily has begun to appear everywhere (SNL, MTV, various music rags...), it's no surprise that the much-anticipated show sold out in advance, especially being the only stop between coasts.
Lily Allen turned up to start the show on time, complete with a backing-band entourage. Comprised of seven studly, pieces of British man-musician (meat), the band included a bassist, guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, and a horn section (!!!) of trumpet, trombone, and sax players. Outfitted in (how cute) matching Lacoste uniforms, the boys provided a well proper sound to support Ms. Allen's beautiful vocal stylings.

Prim as can be, her voice exudes "star singing-lesson pupil" vibes whilst her lyrics tell it exactly like it is (" A fella looking dapper, but he's sitting with a slapper / Then I see it's a pimp and his crack whore"). Lily has mastered that naughty, you'd-better-watch-yourself-around-me-but-I'm-still-a-lady charm.

Self-described as "Pop / Hyphy / Ska," this gal's sparky sound has got audiences of all kinds hooked. (Especially funny when you see a 30-something fervently singing along with lyrics like "I wanna get a flat I know I can't afford it / It's just the bureaucrats who won't give me a mortgage / Well it's very funny cos I got your f***in money / And I'm never gonna get it just because of my bad credit!")

Setlist:

LDN
Nan, You're a Window Shopper
Knock 'Em Out
Shame for You
Littlest Things
Take What You Take (i think?)
Everybody's Changing (Keane)
Naive (Kooks)
Not Big
Absolutely Nothing
Everything's Just Wonderful
Friend of Mine
Friday Night
Smile

Encore:
Blank Expression
Alfie

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