Category Archives: Reviews

Arctic Monkeys/TV on the Radio @ SDSU

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While perhaps both Arctic Monkeys and TV on the Radio have moved past their honeymoon phases, the two bands have done nothing but improve since they both formed in the early 2000s.

And while TV on the Radio have recently been in San Diego for a gig at 4th & B, I didn’t want to miss the chance to see both of these exceptional live bands on the same evening. SDSU’s Open Air Theatre, despite a gaping construction chasm surrounding it, provided a perfect venue for the two groups on Saturday’s cool September evening.

Unfortunately, only a fraction of the venue was filled when the buzz-band/show opener Smith Westerns took the stage promptly at 7 p.m. The barely-out-of-high-school Chicago indie rockers made the most of their short set, playing spirited versions of tracks from both their 2009 self-titled debut and their January Fat Possum release, Dye It Blonde. Everything I had previously heard from the hot-s— blog darlings had led me to believe that they were just another overhyped, derivative bunch of snot-nosed neophytes whose parents had a kick-ass ’70s-rock record collection. But in the live setting, it was much easier to tell what, at least some, of the hype was all about. The brothers-fronted rockers wear their T.Rex/Marc Bolan worship on their sleeves, but do it so unabashedly that it’s impossible to deny the infectiousness of it all.

When the lights came up and the stage was getting prepped for Arctic Monkeys, it was apparent that the show was not sold out. A surprise, at least in my mind, for sure — and it wasn’t for a lack of last-minute, trying, as whoever was choosing the house music had the golden touch. I had to believe that the eclectic sounds of UFO’s “Evil,” Captain Beefheart’s “Where There’s a Woman,” Elvis Costello’s “Lipstick Vogue” and Harry Nilson’s “Me and My Arrow” had to have attracted a few passers-by as they wafted over the bustling college campus.

The venue did swell to the most filled it would be all night as the Sheffield quartet Arctic Monkeys took to the stage. Lead singer and songwriter Alex Turner, looking equal parts S.E. Hinton protagonist and Brando’s Johnny Strabler from The Wild One, was all business from the get-go. He led the band through tracks from all four of the band’s full-lengths, including a few from the recently released Suck It and See, all with little or no banter. When he did speak, it was general niceties served up with brevity, such as, “Thank you very much,” or, “It really is great to be here San Diego.” It kept the focus on the music, and Arctic Monkeys are an accomplished live act. Never falling prey to things like cool-kid counterparts the Strokes’ pre-show partying, the U.K. wunderkinds never show a sloppy disrespect for the audience and are spot-on each and every performance.

Drummer Matt Helders hits with Bonham-esque force, and the rest of the lads fall in line. The highlight was set-closer and perennial favorite “When the Sun Goes Down,” with Turner pausing long enough between the song’s one-strum intro and its hard-hitting jump for the already frenzied crowd to give the biggest ovation of the evening. And even though they didn’t get it, the crowd chanted “ONE. MORE. SONG!” for awhile once the band had left the stage.

The unknown music selector again kept things lively as the expansive set design for TV on the Radio went up, but I was amazed to see a good chunk of fans leave after the Monkeys were gone. I know the majority of the young crowd was college-age, but there is simply no excuse for leaving before such an engaging act. Regardless, there was still a healthy throng of folks ready to welcome the Brooklyn sextet when they came onstage. Playing in front of what seemed like a giant backdrop of stars, the band ripped through a career-spanning set of tunes from all four of their records and a few EP cuts. I couldn’t help but think of their late bassist Gerard Smith, who died in April, as the band pounded out a workmanlike set, spending less time chatting than even the concise Turner. They were all seemingly lost in the music.

As always, frontman Tunde Adebimpe was drenched in sweat within the first 10 minutes, and the interplay/harmonies between him and guitarist Kyp Malone was one of the strongest points of their hour-plus set. While critics have heralded their latest releases, 2008’s Dear Science, and this year’s Nine Types of Light, my favorites of the night were taken from earlier albums. Their version of “Staring at the Sun,” from the band’s debut, was particularly feisty and engaging, while “Young Liars,” from the band’s EP of the same name, was the night’s definitive moment — the song’s wall of guitar and Adebimpe’s wild howls at the moon crashed together with relentless perfection.

Despite the lack of a capacity crowd, the chatter as everyone filed out was overwhelmingly positive. I think the whole evening could be summed up by a young woman walking out hand-in-hand with whom I can only assume was her boyfriend: “Oh, my God, honey, that was totally fucking awesome.”

First published by NBC San Diego on September 29, 2011

ALSO CHECK OUT MY PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE SHOW.

Fishbone Doc About More Than The Music

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“Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone” opens with a 1992 performance from the eclectic band at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco.

The venue is packed and the crowd chants, “Fishbone is red hot!” Clap, clap. “Fishbone is red hot!” Clap, clap. And while this is something that Fishbone crowds have chanted, and been prompted to chant, at their shows over their 30-plus years, it’s doubtful the audiences knew just how appropriate it was.

Fishbone is a band that has burned brighter than many, but also one that hasn’t been able to touch people in the way that they should have.

This point is driven home by filmmakers Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler in the very next scene, when it flashes forward to 2007, and the Los Angeles funk outfit is playing for a sparse crowd of curious onlookers in Hungary. That continual juxtaposition permeates the film and gives it a compelling, tangible humanity.

“We wanted to capture their life, the beauty, the pain, the dysfunction, everything,” said Anderson recently from his Orange County home. “The life of aging rockers scraping to get by is not glamorous. And we, as an audience, can probably relate more to that than to other aspects of the rock ‘n’ roll world. We wanted to move beyond the stage and treat them as unique individuals working to overcome the various obstacles in their lives. And to see them struggle, but staying on their own creative course, is heartening and even heroic.”

The film showcases the uncompromising band’s ascent to stardom alongside fellow L.A. rockers Jane’s Addiction and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the ’80s, and documents the myriad factors —- race, label problems, marketing, in-fighting and desertion —- that prevented them from following their peers to widespread popularity. The film deftly mixes historical context with the band’s personal story in a way that operates successfully on multiple levels.

“Race was a part of Fishbone’s story,” Anderson said. “There just weren’t many black rock bands at the time, and that may explain how such a talented band may have struggled to find a wider audience. But there were other parts of the story to be told, because these are compelling figures in their own right, irrespective of race.

“Also, this is a band that has never broken up. They’ve lost members, but have never taken even 6 months off for almost 30 years. They are working artists, still making music, and we did not want to treat them as if their story was over. A lot of credit goes to our editor, Jeff Springer, who managed to create a coherent flow that has its own kind of rhythm.”

Using narration from Laurence Fishburne, and interviews with admirers Gwen Stefani, Ice-T, Branford Marsalis, Tim Robbins, Les Claypool, and a slew of others, it becomes undeniably apparent, aside from the band’s success or lack thereof, that Fishbone has had a major impact on popular music.

“It was pretty easy to get everyone to agree to do interviews,” Anderson said. “Most of them were either friends of the band or were fans of their music. The challenge was more in the scheduling. Mr. Fishburne was great as a narrator and was happy to do it, because he has been a friend with the band since the early ’80s.”

Another thing that helps to separate the film from stereotypical docs is its creative use of art to tell the story. The fascinating way the band originated, and much of its auspicious beginnings, are told through cartoon montages., and oil paintings are used later to help tell a more serious period in the band’s history.

“We wanted to add a little extra texture,” Anderson said, “an extra layer of visuals that would help enhance the story beyond the use of photographs or other typical devices used in documentaries. The cartoons depicting the band forming in junior high seemed like a fun way to illustrate their storytelling and to introduce the characters. And making them in that ‘Fat Albert style’ helps place the audience in the time period of the late ’70s and early ’80s.”

The film has been playing on the festival circuit since last year and will make an appearance in Temecula this weekend. In the first week of October, it will premiere in New York and Los Angeles.

The film’s crowning achievement is that it is compelling and eminently watchable, regardless of one’s familiarity with the subject. And for Fishbone, a band that deserves to have its story told, every day may not have been sunshine, but they’re refusing to give up.

“We did not know where the story was going,” Anderson said. “Would there be a happy ending or some big moment where they are thrust back onto the big stage? Or would they crash and burn, like so many rock bands? After a while, we realized that their story would go on, and that seemed to be an appropriately optimistic feeling to end the film with.

“The band will be releasing a new album in October and they continue to tour all over the world. They will keep rocking regardless, if the film helps folks discover or rediscover the band. Part of the fun is we’ll get to watch what happens along with everyone else.”

 

It’s Getting Hot in Here!

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But it was all just a mere warmup for the electric Ms. Tijoux. The ghost town transformed into a crowded floor when the tiny MC took the stage, and the audience showed quite a bit of love for the show opener. Dressed casually — T-shirt, flannel, jean shorts and high-tops — she patrolled the stage, spitting her mainly autobiographical, and mostly high-energy, rhymes with flair. Her keyboard player held things down with tight grooves, and I was sad to see her set end.

Next up were the Venezuelan funksters Los Amigos Invisibles. I’ve never seen them disappoint, and Tuesday night was no exception. As per usual, singer Julio Briceño was drenched in sweat by the second song, and it was literally flying off of him as the band cranked through an unbelievably spot-on version of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” Their relentless stage energy makes it hard for me to believe the band has been around for 20 years (!?!). But according to guitarist Jose Luis Pardo, whom I spoke with a few days before the show, they can’t quite believe it either.

“We really started the band when we were teenagers,” Pardo said, “so we really consider it a miracle that we’ve been together this long. We never thought we’d make it this far, and we never thought we’d be able to make a living at it. We just really like playing live music with each other. But it really is a miracle, and we’ve seen it all in this band. Really, for us, it’s about that experience, of seeing people having fun and dancing each night. We love it and we serve that.”

After their fiery set, it was amazing that anyone had the energy left to stick around for local faves Bostich & Fussible. The Norteño-electronic mash-up specialists kept the party going until well after midnight. It still seems so awesome to me that their special niche of music appeals so far across the board. But, ironically, when I spoke with Fussible (aka, Pepe Mogt) shortly before the show, he said there was a time when it didn’t even appeal to them.

“Me and Ramon have been doing electronic music for a long time,” he said. “It’s crazy to say, but we’ve been doing it since ’88. And at that stage, we didn’t even like Norteño. We hated it. In our minds, there was only electronic music. We were collecting drum machines and synthesizers, and doing projects based on technology. And then I started my career in engineering and computer science at university. But now with Ramon, we combine all the Norteños with all of that new technology. And when we make that mixture, it doesn’t sound like a Norteño house remix. We put all the sounds together and make it the right balance between both worlds.”

Balance was the theme of the entire night, and all three acts got it right. And for all of the cities on down the line — whether you know these acts or not — there’s just no reason to show up if you don’t want to dance.

 

Black Lips (Photo by Zach Wolfe)

10 Best San Diego Live Shows of 2010

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Because plenty of factors other than the music inform an opinion on live performance – the mood of the people that accompany you to the show, the guy with the ginormous head that stands directly in front of you, etc. – it’s musical Rashomon compiling one of these lists. That said, here are ten of the best things to hit San Diego stages in the last twelve months.

Black Lips (Photo by Zach Wolfe)

Black Lips – Casbah – January 24

I’m not quite sure whether this Atlanta-based “flower punk” quartet takes their music seriously, but it certainly doesn’t stop them from delivering high-energy, audience-friendly, wildly entertaining performances, and this night was no exception.

St. Vincent and Wildbirds & Peacedrums – Belly Up – Feb. 10

Not only did Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, make good on the promise of her two critically-acclaimed albums, singer Mariam Wallentin of Swedish opener Wildbirds & Peacedrums nearly stole the show with her amazing vocals and frenetic stage presence.

Bonobo – Casbah – April 20

It was unknown if Ninja Tune sound guru Simon Green, aka Bonobo, would be able to make his electronically-based down-tempo tunes translate on stage, but with an exceptional live band and vocalist Andreya Triana in tow, he did – and then some.

The Tallest Man On Earth – The Loft – May 5

He’s actually not that tall and hasn’t yet been able to shake incessant comparisons to Bob Dylan, but armed only with a guitar, Swedish troubadour Kristian Matsson had the entire audience smitten that night.

Billy Joe Shaver – AMSD concerts – June 20

Perhaps it was the juxtaposition of his songs of addiction, love, and loss played from the chancel of an old church, but this one-time songwriter for Waylon Jennings, Elvis Presley, and Kris Kristofferson delivered his outlaw honky-tonk as well as his engaging anecdotes.

Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson – Harrah’s – July 17

Yeah, yeah, I’m sure this might have been better 20, 30, or even 40 years ago, but these two legends didn’t miss a beat as they ran through some of the greatest classics in R&B/Soul history.

Joanna Newsom – SD Women’s Club – July 29

The pixie-voiced chanteuse ripped through her classical compositions with verve, switching back and forth from harp to piano, and charming the audience with her charismatic demeanor. Fleet Foxes front man Robin Pecknold opened the show with an engaging set of new tunes.

Seu Jorge and Almaz – Belly Up – August 11

The Brazilian singer/actor proved that he had far more up his sleeve than The Life Aquatic Bowie covers he’s best known for. Backed by members of the late Chico Science’s band, the mix of samba, rock, and Portuguese rhythms was electrifying.

The Black Keys – SOMA – September 25

I was sure that this Akron, OH, duo had lost some of its charm and power after expanding their sound beyond the lo-fi, garage-blues that launched them and adding additional touring members. I was wrong.

Mavis Staples – Belly Up – November 4

Working with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy on her latest album, “You Are Not Alone,” infused this legendary gospel singer with new energy and those who caught this latest tour were the benefactors. She still belts it out with the best of ‘em and showcased why she’s been a respected figure in music for over five decades.

*Honorable mention goes to the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at Belly Up on October 3. The New York City punk-blues trio showcased their true professionalism and mastery of genre in their seamlessly orchestrated set.

Originally posted on NBC San Diego SoundDiego Blog on December 31, 2010.