Maybe I've been living under a rock and you've known it all along, but
is electronic music having a new renaissance? What I'm talking about
extends beyond just the realm of the recording to the live concert
experience. Not only has it been a ridiculously good year for releases,
but it's been an unparalleled year (in my memory, at least) for the
sheer number of electronic tours to come across our doorsteps.
Take these videos and photos of the best live shows I saw this year as cases in point.
1: Daft Punk
Keyspan Park, Coney Island, NY
One of the Top 3 shows I've ever seen. Photos | Video
6: Simian Mobile Disco
KEXP Live Broadcast from CMJ, Gibson Showroom, NY Photos | Videos
7: LCD Soundsystem
Randall's Island, NY Photos | Videos
8: UNKLE
Webster Hall CMJ Showcase, NY Photos | Videos
9: Teddybears
Hiro Ballroom, Maritime Hotel, NY Photos | Videos
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Runners-Up:
I'd
like to call out Brazilian Girls, CSS and Klaxons as among the top
Dance shows, as well. All of them at Coachella, btw. But alas, I think
it's appropriate to set the limit of requiring some portion of the
music to be performed by DJs in order to be considered true "electronic
music." So there you have it.
Brazilian Girls | CSS | Klaxons Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2007, Indio, CA
The Good, The Bad & The Queen | Peter Bjorn & John | The Arcade Fire | Rufus Wainwright | The Decemberists Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival 2007, Indio, CA
2007 Year In Review: Best Live Music | Best Coachella Catch | Best CMJ Ticket | Best Crowd Best CMJ Ticket: KEXP Seattle In-Studio Live Broadcasts from CMJ Music Marathon Featuring
live performances broadcast from the Gibson Showroom, NY
Why didn't
everybody do this? It made KEXP the only terrestrial radio station on
my radar right now. (Sorry, FNX, it's been a while.) It was the ability
to sit right in the room with the artists that made these shows THE
guest list to be on. The interviews and between-tune banter made the
Band of Horses broadcast one of the most memorable of my CMJ
experience. But as for incredible performances, watching cross-legged
on the studio floor while Simian Mobile Disco did their animated
knob-twiddling was one of my
most favorite live "show" memories of the
year altogether.
2007 Year In Review: Best Live Music | Best Coachella Catch | Best CMJ Ticket | Best Crowd Best Crowd: Keyspan Park, Coney Island for Daft Punk Daft
Punk wins, hands down. But the fever that spread through Terminal 5
when the Daft Punk discoveries, Justice, nearly tore the roof off the
m*otherf*cker led to an unbelievable display of wild abandon. Bacchus
would have been proud.
The crowd for Daft Punk @ Coney Island, NY
1: Daft Punk, Keyspan Park at Coney Island, NY Photos | Video 2: Justice, Terminal 5, NY Photos 3: Gogol Bordello, Irving Plaza, NY Photos | Video 4: Rufus Wainwright, Central Park Summerstage, NY Photos | Video 5: Paul Van Dyke, Central Park Summerstage, NY Photos | Video 6: Les Savy Fav, Randall's Island, NY Photos | Video 7: Cypress Hill, Rock the Bells at Randall's Island, NY Photos | Video 8: Balkan Beat Box, Bowery Ballroom, NY Photos | Video 9: Justin Timberlake, Madison Square Garden, NY Photos | Video
Finally! (*gush*) After nearly a decade of near misses attempting to
see my beloved band and cursing Murphy's Law run amok, I have at last
witnessed the Unlimited Sunshine that is a Cake concert. Yay!
Forgive my giggling girlitude about the matter, but there's just
something so uplifting and happy-making about Cake.
How do they
invariably manage to make me feel so good? Maybe it's their quirky,
winking lyrics. (I offer up "Satan is my motor, feel my motor purr," as
evidence.) Maybe it's their Mexicali funk-tinged alt-pop, that sounded so
different from anything else the 90s pumped out. Possibly it's that
unmistakable rockabilly guitar with its ballsy, low end fullness that
anchors the lightheartedness. Very likely it's that signature trumpet
that makes every Cake tune immediately identifiable. Most definitely
it's the "aw yeah, aw no, alright" that punctuates nearly every tune.
I can't get enough of those. I find myself 'aw yeah, aw no,
alright'ing for days after listening to Cake, and it never ceases to
make me smile.
The
one thing missing from my adoration was the ability to say, "Aw yeah,
I've seen 'em live." And now I can gladly say that Cake live up to all
my expectations live. No wonder they've dubbed their annual trek the
Unlimited Sunshine Tour. They spin sunlight. Sample some of these live
moments, and let the sun shine in on your long winter's nap.
This
year's trek celebrates the release of their new album, "B-Sides and
Rarities." Anyone who had one of those, "Is that... could it be..."
moments hearing the opening notes to Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" would
be well advised to pick up a copy of the new disc. (See what I said about it at Spinner.com.)
Also
along for the ride were one of my most favorite live bands: The
Brazilian Girls. Sabina and Co. were their New York arty, gorgeous
selves. But alas, it wasn't exactly the right pairing of sounds for a
tour. Brazilian Girls are the epitome of nighttime New York. They are
not happy-go-lucky, sunshiney, nor goofy. What they are is sexy,
sophisticated, and sultry with a sly, European lunacy. It's like adding
a single trip-hop band to an all alt-folk lineup. And I think it
backfired.
The
Brazilians tried their darnedest, but they never won over the Terminal
5 crowd. And their energy flagged as a result, which simply served to
perpetuate the problem.
Looking for something extraordinary to set this New Year's Eve apart from all that came before? Say it with me: "Gogol Bordello"
Yessiree, the band that brought Gypsy Punk to the masses is celebrating the birth of another year at my new favorite NY venue, Terminal 5. Why is this so extraordinary? Well, first of all, it's Gogol Bordello.
And that means it's one of the most wild, unabashedly rowdy live acts
you'll ever see. That energy whips their fans into a frenzy the likes
of which I've rarely seen at an indie rock show.
Just
look at what they did to the crowd at Irving Plaza last July (above).
Then imagine that magnified by the size of Terminal 5 (below).
Can
you picture the party? Not quite convinced? Check out how Eugene Hutz
& Co. bring down the house on a date of no particular annual
importance, and imagine how that would translate to New Years eve...
Yeah, now you see what I mean. But will I see you there? We shall see...
Bumbershoot is one of the best reasons I can think of for loving US music fests. Not that I have actually been to Bumbershoot myself, mind you. I know, I know, you're thinking "how can she make some grandiose statement like that without firsthand experience?!" You're right. So maybe I should take advantage of this uh-mazing offer and 'go west, young [wo]man!'
Here's the deets, straight from the Bumbershoot peeps:
Bumbershoot 2008 (August 30 –
September 1)
It's an
Insider's Deal just for BumberFans. The best part is BumberFans can
get
these limited offer tickets at last year's Insider's Deal
prices—just $60 for a
Via Audio are my new favorite cause. I want to help the whole world learn their name, learn their tunes,
and learn to love them the way I do. Alas, I doubt my modest blog has quite that kind of reach... But CMJ sure does. In fact, that's exactly
what CMJ is all about: Taking the unknown, unsigned, or otherwise
undiscovered and elevating them to the forefront of crowd consiousness.
A showcase at CMJ gets 'em where it counts -- a packed audience full of
future fans in the making, and music industry influencers.
After months of near misses, I finally had my shot at seeing the one local Brooklyn band I wanted to catch above any other at CMJ. With a slot just before the Meat Puppets, the Lion's Den sported a packed house for Via Audio
that 10/17 evening. They're a little unpolished, a bit sloppy, and even
over-excited at times. But with some time to grow, their live
performance will catch up with their songwriting.
That
songwriting is downright formidable at its highest points, as you can
plainly hear on their debut album, Say Anything. These kids think in
pop confections whose melodic simplicity is beautiful... and catchy as
hell. Each one of them has a point of view. Each one a marked style,
presence and personality onstage. Give them a listen and you'll pick up on hints of both of Montreal's whimsical pop tunesmithing, and delivery akin to Mates of State (who also played that evening across town at Avalon).
Take in some of this footage,
and you'll hear the roots of something special in the making. With an
ever-broadening fan base, much of which is thanks to their CMJ face
time, they're sure to clock more time onstage. I'm looking forward to
watching their live show mature in front of my very eyes. Join me, and
when they explode, we can all say we knew them when.
Seeing the as-yet undiscovered hit the radar for the first time. Isn't that exactly the point of CMJ?
Got plans for this Halloween weekend? Despite being in semi-hibernation since CMJ & Justice / Midnight Juggernauts,
this DUMBO loft party with Whitey is just what the doctor ordered to
get me up and out the door in my dancing shoes... matching my costume,
of course.
Cheeky B*stard Loft Party!!!! Featuring Whitey & Rory Phillips (Trash,UK) Saturday Oct 27 - in DUMBO. Open Bar All Night!
When we heard that one of the best electro artists ever to come out of the UK, Whitey (a.k.a. Nathan J Whitey) was going to be in town this weekend and
looking to perform, we just simply had to throw a party... and seeing
as we haven't thrown a loft party for a while... well... you know how
it goes.
Whitey (currently on Dimmak Records in the US) has caught the ear of
many in the music industry. You have probably heard his single 'Non
Stop' on the Mitusubishi commercial - but if that's all you have heard
then you are missing out. Whitey has remixed (among others) Soulwax,
Chromeo, Kylie, Bloc Party... and his tracks have appeared on
compilations by from Kitsune Records, The Glimmers and too many more to
mention. His latest album 'The Light at the End of the Tunnel is a
Train' is nothing short of breathtaking, and he has a new album due out
shortly.More...
>>Get all the details<< with the restof this handy flyer from those Cheeky Bastards. Note: It says absolutely nothing about costumes being required for entry, so you have no excuse to stay home!
Nu-rave, nu-shmave. Genre labels be damned, Klaxons are a party band. And I don't mean the kind you suffered through while waiting in line for the keg. I mean they're the kind of band that brings the party. It's nigh impossible to avoid having fun at a Klaxons show, no matter
how gray your day was, nor how dead set against grinning like a fool
you may be. I mean seriously, there I was at Webster Hall on 10/12
having lost my schmancy new cell phone and my driver's license, and I
still couldn't help but forget my troubles and shake my @$$.
With their infectious beats, multi-part harmonies and synth-laden sonics, it's no wonder the Mercury Prize winners are catnip to the club kid set. And the club kids were certainly out in force at Webster Hall, requisite glow sticks in hand. But with a heavier, more aggro tone to several of their tunes, they've drawn a much more diverse crowd than I would have expected. And that made me happy.
Why? It shows promise. Not only does it mean the US market can see beyond the pigeon-holing labels, but it also means that Klaxons have a good shot at having legs. They may well achieve the brass ring of longevity and ever-broadening appeal that signals a solid future in the biz. I can't wait to see what they do next.
Unfortunately, I may have to. The Webster show was their last US performance at the tail end of a grueling touring season that saw them in Cali as early as April at Coachella. After such a lengthy road, who can blame them for heading back across the pond to savor their Mercury Prize win and relax. ...And then hopefully start the party up again.
The must-see show of the fall season? I think most in NY would agree that Randall's Island can boast having hosted that show: Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem, Blonde Redhead, Les Savy Fav and openers, Wild Light, 10/6/07.
>>Arcade Fire
Yeah, read that lineup again. What indie music fan could live with themselves having passed up that opportunity? Not I, certainly. Thankfully, not only did I get to catch the show, but I also got to shoot it. Watch and believe:
Why am I only now finding out about DJ Krush? He's been making history, forging new ground, pioneering in the turntablist arts for well over 10 years. "History of DJ Krush" is a fitting tribute to a man equally respected among the hip-hop community as he is by the electronic cognoscenti. The "History of DJ Krush" is both the DVD release around which the buzz machine kicked in, and the unexpected gift that introduced me to something I find extraordinarily memorable. (Thank you, Justin!)
Let's get this straight: DJ Krush is from Tokyo. Despite the language barrier, he has collaborated with some of the brighter lights in the landscape of DJs and vocalists. You'll find Black Thought of The Roots, the heavenly Esthero, and even Zap Mama's Marie Daulne. But rather than being an unseen force behind the scenes, DJ Krush is really the scene-stealer here. His beats are what I can only lamely under-describe as "fat." Words just don't do it justice. And nowhere is this more evident then in seeing DJ Krush live.
DJ Krush is the perpetrator of some of the lowest low ends I've ever encountered live. My ears sang with joy. (Disclaimer: I have a particular weakness for bass.) His taste in hooks -- both vocal and instrumental -- areinfectious in the way that only the most gifted trip-hop auteurs can boast. I'm thinking Portishead. I'm thinking Massive Attack. An elder-statesman after more than 10 years on the international scene, it's a rarefied universe that DJ Krush finds himself inhabiting.
All of the aforementioned owes a debt of honor to Krush's most noteworthy ability. He is a world-class, stunning turntablist. This man spins. Seeing him spin, one is mesmerized by the speed and agility of his fingers. He plays it all live. His fingers move like smoke and mirrors. They are magic, and lightning fast.
The best thing about the "History of DJ Krush" release is that it comes with three individual DVDs, two of which are heavily saturated with live footage. You can watch the man's fingers move up close, in ways that my humble video couldn't capture. I only hope you can get a smidgen of a sense of the kind of atmospheric webs DJ Krush weaves within the confines of four walls.
