August 31, 2005
Last night I had an audience with the King of France. It was grand, we had cheese and wine and I flirted shamelessly with his daughter. Ok, ok, ok. All right, I admit it. In fact I’ve never been to France and I believe that the citizens of that wine region currently enjoy a republic. In truth, I was joined by a roomful of fellow music lovers at the Mercury Lounge in the Lower East Side who came to enjoy the catchy pop tunes that trio Steve Salad, Michael Azerrad and Matt, their keyboardist churn out. Salad, wearing jeans and a snazzy shirt, maneuvered around the stage in his white tennis shoes in such a nonchalant manner that we seemed to be in a dream of his. The songs he strums eqaully reflect his attitude, telling tales of road trips south with an equally laid back woman in, “Mexico” and with witty opening lines like “I saw you the other day watch me in my sleep.” Behind his melodic pop, Salad's lyrics that often reflect bittersweet experiences. The band, creating energetic gems in unison like a mythic hydra, often traded words of encouragement between themselves, the keyboardist whispering that he liked certain songs and Salad replying sincerely, “I like you.” Azzerad besides being an acclaimed historian of rock history, writing Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991, is a rock solid drummer with moves that make Max Weinberg jealous (I know, Max told me). The band was experimenting as well with a bass keyboard, to add a little bit of soul to the sound, and Matt’s feet could not stop dancing to the beats they were creating. I'm a huge fan of chair dancing. The most important part of playing live is that the musicians are having fun, spreading that feeling to the crowd. As their set ended, Salad announced, “We are the King of France.” They may be grammatically incorrect, but they are definitely fun. Check out their new self-titled album coming out soon and two of their songs, “Just a Body,” and “The Beast” will be gracing the soundtracks of movies this fall.
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king of france, mercury lounge
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Posted on 8/31/2005
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August 24, 2005
I am wondering what people’s opinions of the subway drummers are? You know the guys, they get on your car with drums, set up and rhythmically slap their bare hands against the skins wrapped around those metal frames, then one of them stands up and walks around the train asking for money. I usually enjoy the addition the screeching Ellington like orchestra that the sounds of the subway create. Yesterday was beautiful and after leaving the netherworld of Manhattan, I spent part of the day lounging in the perfect air temperature on West Broadway, listening to Stevie Wonder on my portable record player. I was enjoying a novel as a man in his forties, smoking a large cigar, puffs of white smoke trailing out his moth, sat down next to me. “What are you listening to, Ray Charles?” he asked. I answered, “You’re close, it’s Stevie Wonder.” I continued, “You forgot to get me a cigar again?” and he quickly replied, “You want one here’s a few bucks.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver money clip and began to thumb through some one dollar bills. “Look,” I interjected, “I don’t often smoke cigars and if I’m going to, I wouldn’t want a cheap one.” He then pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and told me he’d watch my stuff as I purchased a cigar down the block. Like a kid being given money to go buy some candy, I gingerly walked to the cigar store and after recommendation from the salesman, purchased one that ran me eighteen dollars. So we smoked our cigars, I put on some Miles Davis, and we talked about old jazz. Steve, a lover of Odetta, Taj Mahal, Etta James, among other classics, lamented about the need for aesthetic beauty for the commercialism of music nowadays. He told me when he was listening Norah Jones in the late 90’s he had hoped that she was ugly, just so it would assure him that it was possible to make it musically in this world purely on one’s voice. We talked of listening to 90.7, WFUV, and how his brother, who had passed two years ago had worked with them in the 1970’s and had left over three hundred records to his brother. He ended off saying, “Some people have artwork hanging on their walls, a Monet or whatever, and I have my brother’s albums on my wall.” After relaxing in the glory of the late afternoon, Lisa reminded Steve that they had to go. She snapped a picture of us with her disposable camera, they went off on their way and I finished listening to Miles play while taking a puff of my cigar, white smoke trailing out my mouth. This article goes out in memory of Steve’s brother.
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west broadway
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Posted on 8/24/2005
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August 21, 2005
My old friend Joe Finkel came visiting from Davis, California where he hosts a radio show on KDVS, and boy did we have ourselves a good time. I hired him on as the photographer for the night and we met at the Mercury Lounge to see the band Hopewell play their spacey rock music. The band was all set up, vines and flowers crawling up their microphones stands, a neat orange light illuminating their bass drum and they started to play. The crowd was semi into it, a few girls in the front were shaking it hard, I think they probably knew the band, and I thought they were pretty good, maybe needing more strength in their lyric and catchiness department. Joe mentioned how this band reminded him how The Verve influences a lot of bands these days. He then told me that the legendary Ween were playing a show at the Knitting Factory for a Thrasher Magazine Party and we should try to talk our way inside. So we hopped in his car, took a little ride down to Tribeca and tried our luck at gaining entrance.
I walked up to the ticket counter and told her that I was doing a story for NYC.com, being the music editor and all and I’d like to check out the show. She referred me to the manager standing there and I repeated myself. He asked me why I was so late getting in touch and I explained how busy I was and how I was unaware until Joe, my trusty photographer, told me. He then asked me, “Are you drinking?” A little confused by the question, I replied, “I’ve had a few beers, why?” He told me that he’d be glad to let us in as long as we had a few more beers. “No problem,” I assured him and he stamped both our wrists. I often forget how all the venues and nightlife establishments really care about are liquor sales. Ween was great, the crowd was moshing and all these skaters knew all the words to songs like, “Dr. Rock,” and “You F-ed Up.” Joe made an interesting point on how a band like Hopewell was trying to establish themselves and has a much different approach to playing and interacting with the crowd, as Ween were just up there not caring and having a great time playing. I added that since music is appreciated the more one listens to it and can follow the tempo and lyrics, a band like Ween that has all their fans singing along, can feed off that energy and have more fun with the crowd. We ended our night on the east side catching a drink with this girl I know and her friends, but that’s another story for another time.
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hopewell, knitting factory, mercury lounge, ween
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Posted on 8/21/2005
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August 19, 2005
I asked the cabbie if he could change the radio station to 96.3, classical music is my favorite for travel, and we elegantly drove over the Manhattan Bridge. My first stop was a birthday party at the East Side Company, a tubular bar specializing in fruity mix drinks. The bartender whipped me up a Mint Julep, a drink very popular in the earlier 20th century, but I was a bit disappointed with the sugar to whiskey ratio, there was too much sugar of course. Luckily, a friend was able to fix the ratio with some of his own whiskey he had smuggled in to the bar. Now I’m not condoning that practice, neither am I condemning it. After the ice cream birthday cake was devoured, I headed over to The Delancey to check out the band Madison, named after the lead singer. I was surprised to see a line out the door, which I managed to circumvent with a few words to the bouncer. The room was packed and Madison, dressed in a black dress with giant bracelets covering her left arm and a steely look in her eyes, was on stage standing above a crowd of devoted worshipers. I had seen them play a show at Snitch months ago and they had definitely gained more of an edge. She was like an elfin dark queen of metal, instructing her minions to rock out, blonde hair swinging through the air. Backed by a guitarist, a bassist with true metal hair, a drummer and a violinist who could have smiled a bit less, Madison performed with boundless energy, one song about of the feeling of living in a big city and another say it isn’t just her but everyone around her that makes the party. Hands raised hailing their new queen, the crowd called for an encore only to be denied, a show that would have made the likes of Alice Cooper and Ozzy proud.
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madison, the delancey
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Posted on 8/19/2005
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August 17, 2005
I walked up to Norfolk Street to meet a friend at Lansky’s Lounge for a drink before a show and found out that the lounge had closed a half year ago. Luckily, another bar had popped up in its place. The rest of Norfolk St. is currently undergoing an extreme makeover, left scarred and bandaged with construction materials. Amps for Christ made an east coast appearance last night, bringing me to Tonic. Led by bearded guitarist, think ZZ Top, Henry Barnes, Amps for Christ is a folkcore band hailing from Claremont, California. Barnes credits his family to his musical abilities. His mom is a folklorist and traditional ballad singer, his dad a songwriter and washboardist for a jazz band and his grandmother played the organ for the local church. The show started off with the lead singer telling knock-knock jokes all ending in punch lines about how America shouldn’t have invaded Iraq or how George Bush is stupid. She then apologized for the jokes not being funny. Amps for Christ play an experimental folk music with elements of hardcore, tradition Scottish folk, and other eclectic sounds. My friend and I both had a crush on the really cute girl, sporting knee high socks and a short skirt, rocking' out her guitar, back to the crowd. My friend insisted it was a girl crush and she just wanted to play with the guitarist’s golden hair, swaying in two giant braids as she strummed her axe. Their songs were touching on the aspects of corporate capitalism and war and would also speak on the nature of love and God. A fairly religious project, at first glance the name seemed sarcastic to me, Amps for Christ are really pro Christ, but anti the right wing elitist fake church bent on Armageddon. I can't join them in their fervor for their lord but I agree with a lot of their political thoughts and was able to groove and enjoy their sound. The band was a welcome breeze of west coast air into the construction-riddled streets of New York and I look forward to their return.
Tags:
amps for christ, tonic
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Posted on 8/17/2005
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August 14, 2005
I went to Southpaw the evening last to experience the music of Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-la-la Band; a self-described orchestra assembles from Canada. The group started in 1999 as a side project from the band Godspeed You Black Emperor! (GYBE!), which officially has nine members, by a founding member, Efrim and two other GYBE! members, Thierry on bass and Sophie on Violin. A project mean to explore the sound they could produce with a smaller group with lyrics. Since, they have expanded to seven members, Beckie on violin, Ian on drums, Jessica playing the cello, and Scott on guitar.
Right before the show started Efrim announced that the band was terrified and that it was their fifty-second show ever, but only first show in the United States and that with the help of the audience they would try to raise the roof off the club. He then dedicated the first song to the memory of the dead marines and some who are learning how to use catheters at the present moment, later announcing the proceeds of the show were donated to a charity for homeless veterans. The political nature of the show was not a shock to me as the last time I saw GYBE! at The Warsaw, America was invading Iraq and the band was calling for everyone to go to Washington D.C. and take apart the White House brick by brick. The music they play is very intense, an orchestra taking the audience on a crescendo of music that brings one up and crashes one down numerous times. Thee Silver Mt. Zion differs from GYBE! mostly with it being less pure instrumentals and more a vehicle for Efrim’s voice and songs, continuing to be political with songs like, “More Action! Less Tears!” and “American Motor Over Smoldered Fields.” On a lighter note, in the middle of the show Efrim hosted a question and answer segment, repeatedly asking, “Who has a question?” I found out myself that he had an omelet with cheese for breakfast that didn’t quite agree with him, and nothing for lunch. Some one else asked what his dinner was and he said nothing as well. Someone asked, “What happened to Godspeed?” officially they’re on extended hiatus, and Efrim responded, “They’re called Arcade Fire now,” and something about how if you play their albums backward it says stuff, seemingly a jab. He also touched on some minor pollution problems of America polluting a river leading into Canada as it was brought up.
The show reached amazing heights when the group started to layer their harmonies. Before the song, “There’s a river in the valley made of melting snow,” Efrim announced that they been in negotiations with Beyonce for thirteen months to sing this song, but after issues of writing credits were not settled, negotiations broke off. The show was one of the more amazing that I have been witness, complete with introspective, thoughtful lyrics and heartfelt singing that would have surely made Mahler proud. The only issue I had is more with the crowd. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-la-la Band did they’re part in raising the roof off the place, but most people stood silent and still to the music. New York City already has this attitude of being too cool and people not being moved or impressed by musicians coming to town. The sold-out crowd here had more of feeling of reverence for the band and as I sang along to songs, some I’ve never heard before, and rocked to the vibrations of the music, I felt my fellow audience members were too reserved to blast the roof off Southpaw. The members of the band would have been more moved if everyone sang in the chorus of songs and interacted to the music, instead of saving their energy for loud claps of applause after each song. So here is to seeing Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-la-la Band rock their second show in the United States soon and having the audience rock as much as this band does.
Tags:
southpaw, thee silver mt zion memorial orchestra and tra la la band
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Posted on 8/14/2005
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August 13, 2005
Just walk past the cake and pastry display and make a left before you hit the vinyl section, head down the stairs and in a small basement you will find what you are looking for. The Cake Shop has a little something for everyone, similar to a superhero, during the day a nice and quiet pastry shop/music store, at night transforming into a live rock and roll venue with the mission of saving music. I went to check out Oakley Hall, scheduled to hit the performance area, no stage, at midnight. I found myself a spot at the bar and asked what type of vodka they serve. To my dismay, I found they only served beer and wine, but I lightened up when she mentioned they had sake. So I ordered a bottle and took a few shots back waiting for the band to come on. I was talking to a couple of fellow concertgoers who were griping about how the band was taking a long time to set up and we decided part of the equation is how big the band is. Oakley Hall boasted six instruments, two guitar, bass, drums, lap steel and fiddle. I noted that when a band is great they can take their time setting up and make the audience forget about the wait as soon as they rock their first song, and that is exactly what Oakley Hall did. Playing a sweet country rock, Oakley Hall wowed the crowd with their sultry tunes and energetic performance. Lead vocals were shared by Patrick Sullivan, occasionally switching to an organ, and Rachel Cox, her name being chanted by friends in the crowd. The drummer, Greg Anderson, and bassist, Jesse Barnes, provided the solid backbone to the band and Barnes and the fiddler, Claudia Mogel, provided sweet harmonies for many a song. At times, Fred Wallace would put down his lap steel and pick up the guitar, giving the band three guitarists to push their sound to the max, their songs switching from soft and sweet to hard rocking’ jams. I’d love to see Oakley Hall in a larger space more befitting their band size and sound. Currently they’re off on a tour of Canada and I highly suggest checking them out when they return to the NYC. Walking out onto Ludlow, I stopped and bought a kimchi veggie hot dog from Sammie the Vendor and continued the discussion we had on the backwards nature of Ohio’s political system that we had started the week before. I hopped in a cab with a full stomach and took my show back home.
Tags:
cake shop, oakley hall
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Posted on 8/13/2005
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August 08, 2005
Sunday was a beautiful day to enjoy music in the park. For some reason, when one goes to a grassy green area with trees standing tall, the sound of music is often in the air. Perhaps it is because parks are synonymous with relaxation and those who hang out in these designated areas in the city know the relaxing benefits of music as well. Some parks, such as Central Park, have concerts throughout the summer to the enjoyment of the city’s inhabitants. On the past Sunday, I chose to hang out in Tompkins Square Park, where there were various musicians in attendance. There was a punk show going on, drawing the tattooed, pierced, grungy, inhabitants of the East Village. Tompkins Square has a long history of a place to congregate for the squatters and punk aficionados alike, getting all worked up in fervor. I preferred to hang on the benches with the Samba drummers as a flutist played along, much to Pan’s delight. There were a few classical guitarists strumming their nylon strings as well to add to the musical scenery. So when you’re sitting around looking for something to do, go to a park, any park, and there you will find musicians laying down a symphony along with the birds chirping, he dogs barking and the wind blowing. Trust me, you will find what you are looking for.
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samba, tompkins sqaure park
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Posted on 8/8/2005
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August 03, 2005
Last night, Bar 169 played host to the musical talents of Valerie Gefner. A singer with her own style of intense rhymes and songs, Gefner entertained the crowd with her band, with songs ranging from admittances of being flawed to the nature of love, even throwing in a cover of “Dust in the Wind." A keyboard, bass and a mixture of hand drums and snares backed her up. There were intricate parts when she was singing while looping her voice, previously recorded, over the song. Her best moments delivered danceable pop songs with an intensity one won’t forget. I caught the opener, some poor kid from somewhere, didn’t catch the name, and was left almost in disbelief about how bad some aspiring musicians are. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for promoting of expression, but at some point kids like this need a real friend to tell them they suck and stop singing unoriginal depressing songs. Earlier in the night, I caught the band Louis playing their soulful tunes at Pianos. I especially like their new country song, “Landmine.” I also heard a little bit of Nicole Atkins and the Sea, a five piece with a keyboard and cello. At one point, Atkins called for a moment of silence for the death of a character on the popular HBO show, “Six Feet Under.” This was the third fourth time in days in which I heard a girl get upset about this, so I yelled out, “He’s not real!” She told me to shut up. I don't understand why people would get so attached to a character to let it affect them in their reality. Out on the town with beer in my stomach and these thoughts in my head, I returned to my home sweet home.
Tags:
bar 169, louis, nicole atkins, pianos, valerie gefner
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Posted on 8/3/2005
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August 02, 2005
It was about eight o’clock when I received a call asking if I wanted to see Crosby, Stills, and Nash perform at the Beacon Theatre. I mulled it over in my mind, weighed the pros and cons, flipped a coin, and off I went to the upper west side. It had been a while since I had ventured beyond the 20’s and as I walked into the show, I noticed the age difference between the uptown and downtown crowd. A former boss of mine walked me past the security and then I was on my own to find a vacant seat in the theatre. I sat for a few songs, noticing the mixture of yuppies, yippies, and old and young hippies. During the show, David Crosby was the most outspoken with his political comments, “there’s a monkey in the Whitehouse,” “a dodo in Washington,” and other references to incompetence in Washington D.C. At times some bush supporters in the crowd were yelling out their own beliefs and Crosby responded, “I’ve got the microphone, I win! If you don’t like it, leave!” Crosby continued to speak out against nuclear weapons and waste throughout the show. When the usher arrived with the true ticket holder to my seat, I went to the back and sat down in another vacant spot, where I was immediately accosted by a girls asking, “Do you have any pot?” I told her that I didn’t and I was soon ushered from my seat again to stand in the back for the rest of the show. The aging crowd was into the aging rockers and they drew many a standing ovation, especially for their last two songs, “For What It’s Worth,” and “Teach Your Children.” It was good to see a show with some political potency, although at points I wished for my time machine.
Tags:
beacon theatre, crosby stills and nash
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Posted on 8/2/2005
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August 01, 2005
Searching for a good scene to listen to some local music, I headed to Tonic on the lower east side to check out the band Louis. Headed by Louis Schefano, his trio is filled out by two lovely ladies, Laura Baran and Casey Cook, on the bass and drums respectively. Their songs were sweet and melodic, tales of emotions from the decision-making moments in the song, “Run or Fight”, to the longing of seeing a loved one in, “After All.” At times, the drummer and the bassist took a rest while Louis played solo. The crowd was into it, calling out their favorites while being entertained by a film projected behind the band. If you enjoy solid songwriting, I suggest checking out Louis in the future. I caught the openers, The Great Lakes and found that the band, seven of them, outnumber the actual lakes, (the lakes definitely win in the mass department). They boasted a piano, a cello, and a saxophone, to accompany the two guitars and bass section. The saxophonist brought me back to my partying days in the late eighties and the band reminded me of Luna, with a country twist. After experiencing bands easy on the ears and eyes, I took my musically fulfilled body back to Brooklyn where it belongs.
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louis, the great lakes, tonic
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Posted on 8/1/2005
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