Posts Tagged ‘tv on the radio’
Sunday, August 30th, 2009
I entered the Outside Lands Festival grounds a bit peeved. See when you try to find a spot at the Lands End stage (Main Stage), people have already claimed seven or more spots with a God damn blanket and their huge lawn chairs (which I thought were banned). So here I am walking on people’s blankets and they’re giving me these dirty looks like I just pooed in their soup. Hey man, you decided to call property on six square feet of lawn and you expect me to tip-toe around your shit? I don’t fuckin’ think so.
Anyway, after pissing off people I could care less about, I caught Zion I perform a moderately fun set. After all it was noon, how much rockin’ can one do? A lot actually, the crowd was pretty into them despite the fact it was majorly filled with camped out Dave Matthews Band fans at the average age of 40 years old. Zion I played mostly new tracks off their new album, The Takeover but I got what I wanted when they performed songs off 2005’s True & Livin‘. Things got crazier when the Oakland’s original ghost rider Mistah F.A.B. showed up to help out with a few songs. A good way to start the day.
Zion I – 
Doin’ My Thang from True & Livin’ (2005)
I wondered around for an hour and camped in front of the Panhandle Stage to catch Portugal. The Man. While I waited I got to see afro-rock group Extra Golden pump out a few more songs. They seemed very happy to be there and the small crowd they generated were into it I guess. A nice change of sound.
Now I have been trying to see PTM for years now. Ever since 2006’s Waiter: “You Vultures!” I have been trying to see what my friends called “one of the most unexpectedly amazing live bands I have ever seen.” Fair enough. After about three songs into their set, I was convinced.
The band is tight and extremely talented. They create perfect pop songs that blended pretty well with the bright and sunny 80 degree San Francisco weather we were having today. Their early 70’s throwback rock, R&B, and vintage soul with the latest innovations in melodious experimentation proved worthy for this sunny afternoon.
Portugal. The Man – Dawn from Church Mouth (2007)
I had to book it to the Twin Peaks Stage in order to just catch the mighty Mastodon rock the fuck out. Another band I had missed several times, Mastodon brought it today. Opening with songs from this year’s Crack The Skye and gradually breaking into older material showed how the band had evolved as more than just a run-of-the-mill metal act.
The best part of this stage wasn’t just the band though, it was the random moshpits that were sprouting out of nowhere. This was both fun and aggravating for the crowd. I however, was loving it. Watching everyone’s reaction was great and seeing these metalheads clash with these uptight hipster punks was a sight to see. Anyway, Mastodon has a monster presence when they perform and seemed quite happy with the crowd’s enthusiasm. A nice addition being that none of the bands on this year’s line-up sound remotely like them.
Mastodon – Crystal Skull from Blood Mountain (2006)
45 minutes later TV on the Radio performed their last set in a long time (according to them). With Kyp Malone’s much anticipated solo project Rain Machine going on tour soon and the band extensively touring for last year’s Dear Science, they are taking a long much deserved break.
So what we got today was a highly energetic and moving hour long set filled with many songs off the brilliant Dear Science and many lovely familiar tracks like Staring At The Sun and Wolf Like Me. They play fast and slow with an equal amount of passion, and it’s a treat to see both.
TV on the Radio – Staring at the Sun (Woven Remix) from TVOTR Remixes (2004)
I have been a fan of The Mars Volta ever since their formation and had passed up seeing them live until tonight. Here I was, about to see one of my favorite bands of all time rip up the stage like I had dreamed a millions times before. Opening with Goliath off last year’s amazing The Bedlam in Goliath, lead vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala immediately jumped and flopped around on stage all the while still able to hit the high notes.
That’s not all. All within the first song he grabbed the sign displaying their band name on the side of the stage and began to beat the everliving crap out of it. Also, he laid chestdown on the stage and started grabbing the presses’ cameras and singing into them. All the while I was thinking, “If this is what will be going on for the next hour and half….AWESOME!” Well he didn’t exactly go apeshit the whole set but Cedric and the rest of the band were most definitely full of energy for the remainder of the show.
Playing a perfect balance from all five of their albums, including this year’s impressive Octahedron. My “Oh-shit-o-meter” went off the charts when they played my favorite songs off their 2003 masterpiece De-Loused in the Comatorium.
Singing along and freaking out, I came to the quick conclusion that this may be one of the best shows I had ever seen. Now four hours after the show, I’m still pretty certain that what I had just witnessed was not only the best of the festival (sorry Q-Tip), but one of my favorite shows of the year. We’ll see what tomorrow brings, but I’m pretty much sold.
The Mars Volta – Cotopaxi from Octahedron (2009)
.
.
So today worked out pretty well. Tomorrow is John Vanderslice, Modest Mouse, M.I.A., and Tenacious D! Maybe some other acts in the middle and earlier in the day. We’ll see.
Tags: EXTRA GOLDEN, Lands End stage, Mastodon, Portugal. The Man, San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival, The Mars Volta, tv on the radio, Zion I
Posted in Concerts, Music | 2 Comments »
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009
BIG week in the Bay. With several Outside Lands After-parties and the festival itself, there is no shortage of things to do here. Also a visit from Ted Leo, a record release party, and a country music legend stops by an unlikely venue.
Tonight we have The Matches playing the final date off their tour with Judgement Day and Dizzy Balloon at the Fillmore, Six Organs of Admittance and Master Musicians of Bukkake rock The Independent, Fleet Foxes drummer and creator of one of the best albums of 2009, J. Tillman stops by Café du Nord, Jay Reatard does a set at Berkeley’s Amoeba Records at 6pm.
Monday, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists hit up the Bottom of the Hill instead of Treasure Island which they originally intended.
Tuesday features Fruit Bats riding on their new record with Death Vessel at The Independent. The Ruminant Band is a beautiful record full of sweet harmonies and lovely song-writing. Pick it up when you get a chance. Also the amazing Ramona Falls play Café du Nord.
Wednesday will find me at The Fillmore watching dredg, Rx Bandits and As Tall as Lions. All of which have released some pretty impressive albums this year. Also going on is The Dodos and Spencey Dude & the Doodles playing the Rickshaw Stop to kick off Outside Lands fever. Oh yeah and it’s sold out. Bummer.
More Outside Landish shows on Thursday; Akron/Family and Howlin’ Rain crash the Rickshaw Stop and Holy Fuck plays The Independent. In addition, we have The Famous‘ Record Release Party at Café du Nord with 20 Minute Loop and Billy & Dolly.
If you’re not going to Outside Lands this weekend, we have the Outside Lands Afterparty with San Francisco local acts Goodbye Nautilus, The Working Title and Wave Array at Café du Nord.
On Saturday we have hip-hoppers Blue Sky Black Death, Boy in Static and Boy Eats Drum Machine at the Bottom of the Hill, Calexico at The Independent, The Pretenders and Cat Power at Mountain Winery in Saratoga, and country legend David Allan Coe at Petaluma’s Phoenix Theater.
Being joked as this year’s ‘Bro-chella’, Outside Lands Festival has many unimpressive acts but a lot of overlooked impressive acts. This year’s line-up includes; Incubus, Modest Mouse, Pearl Jam, Black Eyed Peas, Thievery Corporation, Tenacious D, Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews Band, TV on the Radio, The Mars Volta, M.I.A., Band of Horses, The National, Built to Spill, Bat for Lashes, Calexico, Tom Jones, Mastodon, Silversun Pickups, Los Campesinos!, Ween, Atmosphere, Brett Dennen, Deerhunter, Lucinda Williams, Os Mutantes, Q-Tip, John Vanderslice, Conor Oberst, Akron/Family, Portugal. The Man, Cage the Elephant, Alpha Blondy, Raphael Saadiq, Groundation, Kinky, Lenka, The Duke Spirit, Matt & Kim, Lila Downs, Autolux, The Avett Brothers, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Dengue Fever, The Dirtbombs, The Dead Weather, Heartless Bastards, Midnite, Blind Pilot, Bettye LaVette, Tea Leaf Green, The Morning Benders, West Indian Girl, Darondo, Ryan Bingham, Zee Avi, Street Sweeper Social Club, Rosin Coven, Extra Golden, JJ Grey & Mofro, Nino Moschella, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, Sambada, Reggie Watts, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Big Light, Eric McFadden Trio, Loop!Station, Yard Dogs Road Show, Infantree, Vau De Vire and madd vibe orchestra. A lot to digest. Well I’ll be doing my best to report on everything I see every night when I return from the festival. Photos, mp3s, and everything else I did last year (if you caught that, if not, whatever).
This week is Outside Lands Week here at Kata Rokkar. So we’ll have Kuestionnaires with OLF bands and reports on local acts making their festival debuts. Hope to see you out there!
The Working Title – The Crash from About-Face (2006)
Boy in Static – Young San Francisco from Young San Francisco (2009)
Fruit Bats – The Ruminant Band from The Ruminant Band (2009)
As Tall As Lions – Sleepyhead (Acoustic Version) from You Can’t Take It With You (Bonus Track) (2009)
J. Tillman – Steel on Steel from Vacilando Territory Blues (2009)
Ramona Falls – I Say Fever from Intuit (2009)
Tags: Akron/Family, Alpha Blondy, As Tall As Lions, ATMOSPHERE, Autolux, BAND OF HORSES, Bat For Lashes, BETTYE LAVETTE, Big Light, BLACK EYED PEAS, BLIND PILOT, Boy in Static, BRETT DENNEN, BUILT TO SPILL, Cage The Elephant, CALEXICO, Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, Darondo, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, Deerhunter, DENGUE FEVER, Eric McFadden Trio, EXTRA GOLDEN, Fruit Bats, Groundation, HEARTLESS BASTARDS, INCUBUS, Infantree, J. Tillman, JASON MRAZ, JJ GREY & MOFRO, john vanderslice, KINKY, LENKA, LILA DOWNS, Loop!Station, Los Campesinos!, Lucinda Williams, M.I.A., Mastodon, Matt & Kim, MIDNITE, Modest Mouse, Nino Moschella, OS MUTANTES, PEARL JAM, Portugal. The Man, Q-Tip, Raphael Saadiq, Reggie Watts, ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND, Rosin Coven, Ryan Bingham, Sambada, SILVERSUN PICKUPS, Street Sweeper Social Club, Tea Leaf Green, Tenacious D, The Avett Brothers, The Dead Weather, THE DIRTBOMBS, THE DUKE SPIRIT, The Mars Volta, The Matches, The Morning Benders, The National, The Working Title, THIEVERY CORPORATION, TOM JONES, TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE, tv on the radio, Vau De Vire and madd vibe orchestra., WEEN, WEST INDIAN GIRL, Yard Dogs Road Show, ZEE AVI
Posted in Music, This Week In Bay Area Live Shows | No Comments »
Monday, April 13th, 2009
PEARL JAM • DAVE MATTHEWS BAND • BEASTIE BOYS
INCUBUS • BLACK EYED PEAS • M.I.A. • JASON MRAZ • WEEN
THE MARS VOLTA • THIEVERY CORPORATION • MODEST MOUSE
BAND OF HORSES • TV ON THE RADIO • THE DEAD WEATHER • ATMOSPHERE
TOM JONES • SILVERSUN PICKUPS • ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND
THE NATIONAL • Q-TIP • BRETT DENNEN • BUILT TO SPILL • MASTODON
RAPHAEL SAADIQ • CALEXICO • OS MUTANTES • MIDNITE • JJ GREY & MOFRO
KINKY • DEERHUNTER • LILA DOWNS • TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE
THE DODOS • BETTYE LAVETTE • DENGUE FEVER • HEARTLESS BASTARDS
THE DIRTBOMBS • LENKA • AKRON/FAMILY • JOHN VANDERSLICE
MATT & KIM • PORTUGAL. THE MAN • THE MORNING BENDERS
THE DUKE SPIRIT • ZEE AVI • BLIND PILOT • SAMBADA
RYAN BINGHAM • WEST INDIAN GIRL • EXTRA GOLDEN
There you have it folks; one of the (many) reasons I love living near San Francisco. This is a quite an amazing line-up if you ask me. I’m actually very glad I decided not to go to Coachella this year.
I have never seen any of the headliners live, so I am most definitely excited about Pearl Jam and The Beastie Boys. Dave Matthews Band seems to be the “Jack Johnson” of the line-up to cater to the backwards ballcap bro-crowd.
I was always a fan of Incubus (a shock, I know) until they abandoned their trademark sound with A Crow Left of the Murder. Since then it’s been downhill for the band. So am I excited to see them?…kind of. But I doubt I’ll hear anything from S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
As for Black Eyed Peas and Jason Mraz, that will most likely land on “Dave Matthews Day” which will be my cue to wander around Golden Gate Park and Twitter the weird shit I see.
This will be my 2nd time seeing M.I.A. and TV on the Radio, both of which put on amazing live shows.
Indie-rock heroes Modest Mouse and Ween should be entertaining I guess. I got into both of them kind of late so I’ll be happy with whatever they decide to play.
I’ll finally get to see The National and Mastodon perform live. Both bands always seem to come to town on days I already have plans or have to work. Hopefully we won’t have any scheduling conflicts.
The hip-hop side of the festival is kind of weak. I’m no fan of Atmosphere but I am really looking forward to Q-Tip’s set. He’s only made my favorite hip-hop record of last year.
There’s some odd choices…like…uhh…Tom Jones? Jack White’s Dead Weather seems to be a band that will be forgotten about this time next year. The random toss of Thievery Corporation in the line-up seems kind of bizarre. I don’t see any other trip-hop acts in the line-up so I don’t know why they agreed to perform this year (why not Treasure Island Festival?).
The bottom of the list looks very promising with Portugal The Man, Akron/Family, The Dodos, John Vanderslice, and Heartless Bastards. Plus I’m sure I’ll discover some new acts that I’ve never heard of along the way.
All in all, it seems promising for a festival that is a 20 minute drive from my place. It gets kind of “Bro-chella” around the top, but I like what I see so far.
Anyone have any thoughts?
John Vanderslice – Trance Manual
Portugal. The Man – Out and In and In and Out
Band of Horses – Is There A Ghost
Tags: Akron/Family, ATMOSPHERE, BAND OF HORSES, BEASTIE BOYS, BETTYE LAVETTE, BLACK EYED PEAS, BLIND PILOT, BRETT DENNEN, BUILT TO SPILL, CALEXICO, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, Deerhunter, DENGUE FEVER, EXTRA GOLDEN, HEARTLESS BASTARDS, INCUBUS, JASON MRAZ, JJ GREY & MOFRO, john vanderslice, KINKY, LENKA, LILA DOWNS, M.I.A., Mastodon, Matt & Kim, MIDNITE, Modest Mouse, OS MUTANTES, PEARL JAM, Portugal. The Man, Q-Tip, Raphael Saadiq, ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND, SAMBADA RYAN BINGHAM, SILVERSUN PICKUPS, The Dead Weather, THE DIRTBOMBS, The Dodos, THE DUKE SPIRIT, The Mars Volta, The Morning Benders, The National, THIEVERY CORPORATION, TOM JONES, TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE, tv on the radio, WEEN, WEST INDIAN GIRL, ZEE AVI
Posted in Concerts, Music, News | 1 Comment »
Sunday, December 14th, 2008
Here it is. Click on the album covers to purchase the album and keep reading, I have a few more surprises up my sleeve before this year ends.
20. Woven – Designer Codes: Listening to this album was like watching Alien for the first time. Terrifying, moving and pieced together with Goth -like architecture and supernatural sounds.
Woven – Fragments
19. Nada Surf – Lucky: What makes me love Nada Surf is that poetry + pop mix that they mash so well. Lucky is not as abstruse as Let Go, but it’s certainly a straight up fun rock record.
Nada Surf – These Bones
18. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes: Indie rock’s version of the Byrds arrived this year with this gently harmonic record debut that warms the heart and sooths the soul. It’s the kind of record that rewards with every listen.
Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal
17. Facing New York – Get Hot: Balls out entertaining rock music is hard to come by these days. But lucky for our benefit Facing New York decided to overcome some changes in line-up and enhanced their style to this clap-demanding super catchy rock & roll with Get Hot.
Facing New York – Me N My Friendz
16. Girl Talk – Feed the Animals: Whether you consider this an album for A.D.D. indie brats or a genius mish-mash that is a view in the future of party music, you can not deny that Feed the Animals is a shining star in today’s sky of pop culture.
15. Beck – Modern Guilt: Beck paired with DJ Danger Mouse seemed like a good idea on paper, but no one really knew what to expect. What we got was Beach Boys-like surf music with that special Beck tweak. This record was made for convertible cars.
14. The Walkmen – You & Me: This disarming and dramatic record was slow to grow on me. However, after a few more listens, I was marveled by its well structured songs and throwback to classic rock ‘n’ roll.
The Walkmen – The Blue Route
13. The Mae Shi – Hllyh: There aren’t that many bands out there like The Mae Shi and there wasn’t any album like Hllyh this year. This spastic yet charming record screamed in my face yet for some strange reason…I enjoyed it.
12. Man Man – Rabbit Habits: Man Man can’t exactly bring their famous frenzied live show to your living room, but listening to Rabbit Habits is the closest you’ll come to it. The gypsy psycho freak band has probably made their finest record to date.
11. Foals - Antodotes: Sounding like Bloc Party’s evil twin, Foals entered the scene with their swarming guitars and sketchy vocals and left me in awe. Songs like Two Steps Twice and Hummer are electrifying in execution and make this record a perfect driving soundtrack.
Foals – Balloons
10. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago: This is not your average folk record. Bon Iver’s emotional record paints pictures of snowy pine trees and the pain of a guilty man. This record must be handled with care and loved for its delicacy.
Bon Iver – Skinny Love
9. Quiet Village – Silent Movie: Like some kind of 70s soundtrack mixed with RJD2-like sampling, Silent Movie is what I miss from proper easy listening music. Be careful though, your mom might like this too.
Quiet Village – Circus of Horror
8. Santogold/Diplo – Top Ranking: There is so much going on in this masterfully manufactured mix tape. Mashing dub-step, reggae, dancehall, and the extremely talented Santogold is an ideal equation for the perfect party music.
Santogold – Creator (Mumdance Mix)
7. Q-Tip – The Renaissance: No hip-hop artist came close to even evening out to this masterfully constructed album. Q-Tip has more than proven that he can hold his own as a solo artist with a little help from the late, great J Dilla.
Q-Tip – Life Is Better (ft. Norah Jones)
6. Max Richter – 24 Postcards in Full Colour: The concept is almost laughable but this Berlin based 21st century composer brings on the emotion by showing that love and loss can happen in small increments of time.
Max Richter – H in New England
5. Black Mountain – In The Future: Rough, wicked, and wailing with desert rock brutality; In The Future is a Frankenstein-monster built from the best aspects of classic rock and prog-metal.
Black Mountain – Tyrants
4. The Notwist – The Devil, You + Me: Gracefully trekking musical ground that has been graced a million times over; The Notwist somehow make electronic rock music interesting and touching again.
The Notwist – Good Lies
3. TV on the Radio – Dear Science: If you list out all the elements that make up Dear Science, you’ll wonder how an album stock pilled with so much could be so amazingly catchy. This album is a grand picture of what to expect in coming future of rock music.
TV on the Radio – Red Dress
2. Portishead – Third: I can’t tell you how much a loved this record the day it came out. I don’t normally listen to a record on repeat in fear that I may ring it dry of all its magic, but that is not the case with Third. It’s yet another masterpiece from this deeply mysterious band.
1. Sigur Rós – Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust: Along with one of my favorite live shows of the year, Sigur Rós also made my favorite album of the year. I guess you could say that they were my favorite band of the year? Maybe. But I can without a doubt say that this album is a flawless piece of work. How could a band so epic in execution take on a more upbeat direction? This album is the answer to that question. It struck me in a time of my life that involved a lot of changes and therefore will always have a special place in my heart.
Sigur Rós – Gobbledigook
Tags: beck, best album of 2008, best albums of 2008, black mountain, Bon Iver, facing new york, Fleet Foxes, foals, girl talk, Man Man, max richter, nada surf, Portishead, Q-Tip, Quiet Village, Santogold/Diplo, sigur rós, The Mae Shi, The Notwist, The Walkmen, tv on the radio, woven
Posted in Favorites of 2008, Music | 5 Comments »
Friday, September 19th, 2008
Ahoy! It be speak like a pirate day! Well this buccaneer originally wasn’t goin’ to loot and plunder this island but due to a weird swashbucklin’ schedule, but it looks as though I be attendin’ Day One of da second annual Treasure Island Music Festival tomorrow! ARG! Aye, I have never laid eyes on any of these scallywags live. So I be quite excited to see TV on the Radio, Hot Chip, Foals, Aesop Rock, and da all mighty Justice slash up da stage! Yo-ho-ho! Da festival’s previous line-up included such sprogs like M.I.A., Cut Chemist & DJ Shadow, Spoon, and Modest Mouse. So I shall go on the account and commondeer a privateer to sail da high seas to Treasure Island! Raise da jolly roger! Shiver me timbers!
(If yee is to comment, yee must do so in ‘pirate speech’)
Justice – Planisphère (Part 2)
TV on the Radio – Golden Age
Goldfrapp – Hairy Trees
Hot Chip – Sexual Healing (Marvin Gaye Cover)
Amon Tobin – Bloodstone
Foals – Electric Bloom (Disk Cord Remix)
Aesop Rock – Daylight
Loquat – Swingset Chain
Chester French – She Loves Everybody
The Frail – The Lights (Toxic Avenger Remix)
Mike Relm – Everytime (feat. Del The Funky Homosapien & Adrian Hartley)
Tags: aesop rock, amon tobin, chester french, css, disk cord, foals, goldfrapp, hot chip, Justice, loquat, mike relm, pirate speak, remix, speak like a pirate day, the frail, toxic avenger, Treasure Island Music Festival, tv on the radio
Posted in Concerts, Music | No Comments »
