gabedouglas

It is cold out. Luckily I am from Minnesota so it doesn’t phase me too much, but I guess it is a huge problem for everyone else. I’m not causing a scene though because every time that summer thermometer goes above 87 degrees I am immediately uncomfortable unless I am well-hydrated or well on my way to a merry time.

Before I left for the show I saw the Lunar Eclipse taking form.
Oh, life on Earth, constantly making me think of things in a cosmic sense.

The New Frontiers were playing when I got there. Really great stuff. The lead singer has one of those vulnerable, mellow, not fragile voices. They hail from Dallas (not surprised) as their sound definitely has a twang to it. They kill four things I enjoy, decent audible lyrics (they had really good phrasing in some parts too, like GREAT phrasing that plays off each other), three part harmonies, just singer/guitar & singer/bass breakdowns, and crushing up-swings. Most songs ended with the Manchester Orchestra / ‘Transatlanticism’ by Death Cab, all out thrashing. But not in a ‘oh-my-god-that-guy-has-an-ax-and-is-swinging-it-maniacally-and-has-never-used-an-ax-before’ way, but in the ‘good-lord-that-man-is-going-to-cut-down-this-entire-forest-and-stare-us-in-the-eye-as-he-does-it’ way.

Next up was John Ralston. I’ve seen him on bills since his Legends of Rodeo days. My friend Sidekick was a huge fan. I’m still an emo kid at heart, so I like his songwriting a lot. I envy his emo-pitched voice, that can just soar and soar and soar and when you think it is going to fall, he will hold it longer and the bass player will come in with the best harmony flannel can buy (it can buy great harmonies.) I always want him to play one or two Legends of Rodeo songs but I’m not sure how that all ended, so I’m not going to be screaming songs at him any time soon. He played all of Limbeck’s gear due to his being stuck in his van in Iowa. I guess everyone on the tour has been razzled by the weather. Understandable if you’re trying to cross states and not Minneapolis (This line is directed at you, Toyota Corrolla owner who doesn’t know what the right lane is ever used for, how to brake properly, or how to clear off ANY window on your car.) He played a quick set with full band, then him solo for a few, then a full band finish. (He played a few off of ‘Needle Bed’, including ‘Gone, Gone, Gone’, which was a great set closer.)

Limbeck was in a merry mood, as they usually are. They played a more heavier set than I have seen them play. And it was raunchy and distorted and rocking. The re-workings of a few off of ‘Hi, Everything’s Fine’, have really grown into their own and I enjoyed them. I would have liked to stay after and put back a few beers with the band, but I have to work in the morning, so did my ride, and I am still broke from Europe. I’m not regretting anything and will most definitely be searching out these bands at SXSW and throw more than a few back.

These bands excite me about the SXSW scene, because if it’s just bands like them I will be perfectly content, although I suspect it will be much more diverse.
Bring on music.
Bring on, bring on.

All in all, I picked up the New Frontiers CD and am excited to give it a listen.

This was the second time I’ve seen Office at the 400 bar.
The first was at the beckoning of my old roommate Sara, who said she wasn’t going to go to the show because no one else could go.
Eff that.

Anyways, I thoroughly enjoy their stuff.
Their album is 40% of their live show (and that album is good to begin with.)

Tiger City played before them. They had a great sense for the dance-pop scene and the bass player grooved every song quite smoothly. I’d definitely see them again if they come through.

The lead singer was creepy as all hell. He had a Mike Tyson eye tattoo.
I don’t care if that is permanent or temporary. It is stupid and creepy.
He sang well though and the bass player made up for all creepiness in overall zest for dance-pop, bass-player-head-nod, and lust for playing music. (You can always tell when people enjoy what they are doing. I will always support people who do that.)

Office played great. Tambourine craziness, tight playing, and saving the two favorite songs for the end. (”Oh My” to end the set and “The Ritz” to end it.)

High Life was following and my feet were shaking.
Great people, great music.
Loving it.

First, to be frank, this was the show I was most excited about.
I have been on the Sam Roberts train since late 1999 when I first heard ‘Brother Down’ on radio stations being broadcasted out of Manitoba (Winnipeg). I didn’t know who the artist was, but I knew I liked what I heard. Finally heard who he was and started getting his stuff, which was the I. Human Condition EP only sold in Canada. When ‘We Were Born in a Flame’ came out, I immediately got a copy. Same with Chemical City.

The night started out with Jason Collett, who I guess is from the Broken Social Scene. I guess from now on, I will assume any artist who is from Canada and isn’t affiliated with Avril, Celine, or Sum41; is a member of the BSS. He put on a solid show, good band. Good ol’ fashioned singer/songwriter full-band tunes. Catchy licks and quirky lyrics always add to that genre.

Sam went on and completely brought the house down. He played his entire catalog and pushed and pulled the audience as he went. He did the call and responses, the extended guitar solos, everything I want from a rock and roll show. Some guys that were from Winnipeg bought me some beers to, so everything was golden.

It should be noted that Amber drove me there as well,as the night would not have gone on without that.
I bought a shirt because I like to support my favorite artists.
It has an owl.

The night started out with some captain morgan.
I wanted to dance without inhibitions at this show.
Brought an old friend who shares musical taste along, or actually she drove me to set the record straight. Met up with some duluthians there.

Brookville opened up, good stuff, good vibes, not as dancey as I expected but a solid sound regardless.

Tahiti 80 played all their stuff to a T. The catchiest pop with extended synth, guitar, and drum jams. Just great move-your-feet and not grind stuff.
A guy tried to fight me as I asked a girl to dance. At least that is how I remember it.

Solid show.
And another show that wasn’t overly crowded at the 400 bar.
Went to the Dinkytowner aftewards for some after show treats.

I’ve always been a fan of album leaf, dating back a few years now. Most of their stuff is instrumental downtempo with a few tracks on every album with some light vocals, usually very repetitive and chant-like.

The show started with Lymbyc System. A keyboardist/sampler and a live drummer. They played very well, as the keyboardist layered every sound very intricately, by the end of songs, the drummer usually had dropped his brushes and was splashing his cymbals, while the keyboardist had about 5 or 6 loops going over the top. If you like Album Leaf, I highly suggest these guys, very promising sound.

Next was Dirty on Purpose. They were alright. Their stage sound was WAY too loud for the 400 bar, especially a chill show. They also had an entirely live band, which was weird because the other two bands had heavy sampling. They played a little harder than the other two bands and that was to their detriment, not because they were metalheads, but because they bordered generic alt-rock instead of the chill downtempo drumbeat driven songs I was ready for that evening.

Album Leaf played a stellar set. They brought in their own film guy, so he had film that moved with the music behind the band, as well as over the drummer, who was in the field of view of the projector, so he wore sunglasses for the duration of the evening. They played all the stuff I wanted to hear and had a nice, long set. The sound guy pissed off the opener with bad stage mixes, and he still wasn’t getting it right by the time Album Leaf took the stage. During the second song, the fiddle player on center stage stood up with the violin in one hand and his bow in the other and gave a forceful shrug and up-in-arms motion towards the soundbooth citing that he couldn’t hear himself in his mix at all. That didn’t take away from the show though, luckily, as if they still had problems during their set, they played through them gracefully. Through the instrumentals and even during ‘Writing on the Walls’ and ‘On Your Way’ they layered everything even moreso than on the records, which is what you always want to hear from these bands live: more lavish sounds and great organic jams. Great show.

wednesday was harvey danger. my number seven all time band.
AMAZING. everything you could ask for.
- good company.
- cheap beer. ($3 Old Style pounders)
*sorta like old times at luce, with $2 PBR pounders before they became the scenester beer. but i remember being belligerent for the likes of the hold steady, olympic hopefuls, black eyed snakes, little black books, crew jones, atmosphere, heiruspecs, black labels, and the such.
- good opener. (so many dynamos)
- weird opener. (matt jennings, who after doing internet research, i am know 95% sure he is mason jennings brother, who is more of a poor man’s emilio estevez to his brother’s charlie sheen.)
and no, i don’t think charlie sheen is a good actor, AT ALL.
harvey danger played a long set, and played everything i wanted (including a stripped down, keys version of ‘jack the lion’), except ‘woolly muffler’ which they said they couldn’t play. so i can live with that. i was impressed with the general cohesiveness of this off/on/off/on band. sean reminds me of a great poet who decided it was in his best interest to go into music. and he was dead-on. his lyrics, his delivery.. very potent. just lethal doses of whatever he is giving away.
love every minute of that show.

my first show at the 400 bar. i came in with lower expectations than were needed, because it was actually a decent venue, especially for a medium-sized crowd. i could see it becoming a trainwreck if there were 200+ people in there. dimly light, well-painted, musical knick knacks, the tellings of a decent club. the PA wasn’t amazing, but it was better than other bars i’d compare to it too.. (ie - the uptown, hexagon, nomad)