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Wednesday, November 14, 2007

reviewed: M.I.A. at the commodore ballroom...

Jesus Christ, I'm really gonna miss having my hearing intact.

If you're heading to the Commodore tonight to see the second M.I.A. show - by all means - go to see the live rendition of the album that I couldn't get behind but the rest of the world loved... and then stay for:

the Kala CD booklet visually coming to life on a widescreen, in all of its saturated cut & paste glory

the sickest/illest/loudest bass the commodore has ever heard

the all-girl, packed stage, dance-a-thon to random Baltimore club breaks

Jimmy performed over New Order & Abba samples

MIA's live show is so out of control right now... in a good way. You may want to take the next day off work to recoever... I didn't, and ~~I'm~~ my ears and eyes paying for it.

elsewhere

heroin hero | fight this generation | font of shitty comedies

Labels: commodore ballroom, M.I.A., reviewed

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Sunday, September 30, 2007

reviewed: the new pornographers at the commodore ballroom...

To state that the New Porno's Friday night performance was good would be selling things a bit short. The band delivered and destroyed... not sure if it was because it was the end of the tour, not sure if it was because of the fuller band roster (Neko Case! Dan Bejar!), but it worked. The entire set was a perfect balance of jangley rock and flawless harmonies (well, in that Stella's on the stage sorta way). A lot of write ups about the band make reference to their music as "power pop" - and I really don't like that term - but dammit, in the live environment that's what it felt like... bright, punchy, polished songs, all of which were completely compelling.

I recall the set list digging into their entire body of work. The stuff from Electric Version felt almost classic. The new stuff from Challengers sounds better live than on the album. With that said, I'm revisiting it and giving the new disk heavier rotation over the next while.

Other things:

Neko Case can sing the hell out of anything. I realize that's common knowledge, but the way her voice soared above the rest of the band was fantastic

Vancouverites love Dan Bejar. Dudes go nuts... like boy band crazy.

"Use It" sounds completely different to me now that I associate it with George Stroumboulopoulos & The Hour

elsewhere

i love sandwiches | house of the rising cosbys

Labels: commodore ballroom, new pornographers, reviewed

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Sunday, September 9, 2007

reviewed: spoon at the commodore ballroom

Writing a review for a Spoon gig is kinda tricky, because, well, they're Spoon... and are pseudo-legends in their own right. With that said, this was the first time I've seen them live... and regardless of the hype, I was more than impressed.

For me Britt Daniel stole the show. Dude is a guitar player's guitar player. The funny thing is that the guy doesn't mess around with noodle-y lead/solo stuff but rather sticks to the rhythm work. He's like a robot with the clutch & gear shift style changes... bouncing from quarter to eighth to sixteenth and thirty second note progressions. He holds the entire band together, and just when you think you've figured him out he keeps things interesting by going off on these fiery, distorted, 12 bar experimental type breaks, literally turning his back to the crowd and going for broke... just 'cause he can.

I realize that if you're not into the technical fabric of a band and just go to shows to push your way up front and cheer using your beer bottle as a rally baton (seriously, what was up with that guy?) this might not be relevant to you... but for me... this was a whole pile of geeky fantastic.

Also fantastic at the show:

- the married couple, who came straight from their wedding - in wedding dress and tuxedo, no less - to the gig.

- the horn section from Black Joe Louis sitting in with Spoon. You had me at baritone saxophone.

Not fantastic:

- they didn't play Finer Feelings... I realize that the song might be a bit tongue/cheek... but it's best of 2007 material.

Either way, I'm not complaining, and (yay!) my ears are still ringing.

elsewhere

wolf parade played down the street

Labels: commodore ballroom, reviewed, spoon

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