White Rabbits - 2010/04/08 10:32

setlist: Foxhunting/ While We Go Dancing/ Dinner Party/ Rudie Fails/ They Done Wrong / We Done Wrong/ Company I Keep/ The Plot/ Right Where They Left/ Midnight and I/ Lionesse/ Percussion Gun// The Lady Vanishes/ The Salesman (Tramp Life)

somehow my favorite album of 2009 turned into my favorite show of 2010.

DIM THE LIGHTS: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - 2002/12/18 12:05

During the summer months of '02, I spent a lot of time planning an amazing trip... for myself. I was traveling to Washington, DC and staying there for a week, doing whatever I friggin' wanted to do. Lots of hours were logged in walking all over town, bouncing from museum to museum, trying awesome food, and doing stuff that really interested me. This included going to a Caps game (pre-Ovechkin era, mind you) and a couple of shows @ the Black Cat. I thought I never had a problem with going solo to shows or sporting events... and this trip would certainly test that. It turns out that the entire trip went swimmingly well and it really was one of my favorite trips ever. I partially owe that to Mr. Ted Leo and his band of Pharmacists.

I'm perpetually interested in the unknown when it comes to live music. There were times during college when my friends and I would pick out some random bands and just go to the show and see what happens. The same philosophy was applied when I traveled to DC. Knowing that I was going to attend some shows while I was in the District, I did some searching of local venues and see if any bands I knew of were available during the week of my stay. It turns out that I could've seen some great bands either the week before or after my vacation (seems like that always happens!), but I wasn't particularly aware of who was playing during my stay there. One band my college roommates joked about well before this trip was a band called Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Being a chemistry major and pharmacology student (the latter in high school), the name certainly piqued my interest, but we spent a little time poking fun @ that band because of the goofiness of the name... talking about how they were probably wearing lab coats during their set and such. Lame stuff.

When researching these venues, the only notable band that popped up was Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. I decided to take the gamble, not listen to any of the music beforehand, and get a ticket. My rationale behind this was also fueled by the fact that at the time Dave Grohl was a possible owner of the Black Cat and that added more curiosity. So I was sold on this show and it was one of the things I was immensely excited about before I went on the trip.

I didn't know any of the material, I didn't know anyone else @ the gig, and I had zero expectations. With all of that said, I couldn't believe how much the show paid off. It was probably one of my favorite concerts ever, from top to bottom.

The opening band was French Toast and blew my mind away right from the get-go. I had no idea that two people could generate so much cohesive noise and make it so strong. They played a short set that featured most (if not all) of their debut EP, Bugman, which I still proudly play from time to time.

Up next was the almighty Ted Leo and by the time he and his bandmates took to the stage, the Black Cat was packed. This was probably because he is somewhat of a local boy and really soaks up his time whenever @ the Black Cat, so there's always a vibrant energy when he's in town. He even went as far stating it in an interview with P*fork, as mentioned here (from '07):

I would probably have to say that the Black Cat in D.C. remains my favorite place, whether it's just because it's such a comfort zone for me, I'm not sure, but it really is just always a great stage to play on, and it's always a really welcoming place to play. And I also think it's a great place to see shows. To get specific, the sight lines around the room are amazing, and the sound system is good. (link)

I'm sure that some of the buzz factor was also related to the fact that this was a type of warm-up show for the band. A new record from the band was due in Feb '03 and this was a perfect showcase for most of that material. It's a shame that there aren't any setlists from either '02 or '03 floating around because I would love to have an idea of what I heard that nite, but I'm fairly certain that the set was heavy on tunes from the upcoming Hearts of Oak and a few faves from Tyranny of Distance.

What was clearly a memorable event during the show was during one of the new tracks. Apparently the band was used to being a four-piece (a evidenced on the cover of Hearts of Oak), but decided to beef up its sound a bit more by adding a second guitar player. With this new addition, it caused a few shake-ups during some songs, which added to the novelty factor of the show. However, during one new track, a string broke on one of the new guy's guitars. After a quick guitar change, it seemed as if all was back on track... then another string breaks on the new guitar. Lots of jokes were made and the crowd certainly didn't frown on the band because of the terrible mishaps. It was clear that the guitarist was fairly new to the band and to say that he was embarrassed would be an understatement. I'm not exactly sure what happened to that plan of sonic attack, but apparently the band wasn't feeling the five-piece setup and went back to a four-piece in '03 and is now currently a trio. I'd love to find it somewhere, but there's an interview that I think P*fork did around the time that Hearts of Oak (almost typed OKRA there instead... scary) was released and that gig was directly mentioned and Leo even acknowledged that the plans with the new guitar player didn't work out as well as he hoped and was rather humorous about it.

It just goes to show you that getting to shows early or taking a chance on something new and unfamiliar pays off in dividends. It's because of that show (and the killer tunes on it, as well) that Hearts of Oak is one of my favorite albums ever.

DIM THE LIGHTS: Muse - 2004/04/09 11:04

setlist: Hysteria/ New Born/ Butterflies & Hurricanes/ Thoughts of a Dying Atheist/ Citizen Erased (abandoned)

there are some things that you'll never let go... and this show is certainly one of them.

the stars were aligned on the evening of April 9th. UK rock sensations Muse were finally getting their chance in the American market after reaching massive successes overseas for years. Absolution was getting serious play on alternative radio and where-ever you went that spring, you could not escape the anthemic "Time Is Running Out". small shows (compared to the arenas they typically played in Europe) were booked, some in areas the band never explored previously.

you see, Muse had it all overseas. they had chart-topping albums, sold-out arena tours, fame, etc. in the early '00s, they started developing a cult following in the United States because of their inability to cross the ocean. most (including myself) thought they were a harder Radiohead, with Matthew Bellamy playing the role/voice of Thom Yorke almost naturally. some (including myself) knocked them for that and never gave them they chance they rightfully deserved. albums Showbiz and Origin of Symmetry have some ridiculously powerful tracks on them that I sadly cast aside due to my own stubborness.

so when a friend of mine (who introduced me to Muse when Showbiz was released) persisted with this new album of their's, I think my wall finally broke down. strong instrumentation, elaborate songwriting, power and fury along with some delicate simplicity - all of these contributed to why I finally started embracing Muse after all of these years. as a result, I dug into the records that I was missing and was getting it. take that musical epiphany, combined with a national tour of small venues for this high-octane band with a rabid following that finally got their moment to witness greatness - it was all set. a new obsession was about to take place and I was oh-so-willing to let it happen.

and then this happens:



all you really need in that video is the first 75 seconds or so to get the point. Muse were absolutely on fire that evening. they had it all in their court and they were running like mad. it was really unbelievable what we were taking in. those first four songs were probably the best four songs I ever saw live... perhaps. but to think that this show started off SO STRONG and SO INTENSE and ended so abruptly was disappointing beyond belief.

and there went my high point with Muse. after Matthew Bellamy busted his face to "Citizen Erased", I saw them later that month @ my first Coachella Festival trip and got into it as much as one could while dealing with 100+ degree California desert heat. and it was a festival set, so there was a sizable distance between myself and the band, something that was non-existent earlier in the month. my girlfriend and I attempted to see Muse months later when they returned to ATL and played the "bigger venue", the Tabernacle (the Cotton Club is more like the Tabernacle's basement). we decided to take in the show up in one of the balconies there and fandom just evaporated before our very eyes. we didn't understand the matching uniforms the band members had, thought some of the lights were cheesy, and we basically wrote off the entire experience.

it sure seems that that April evening didn't deter the band in North America as they are going stronger than ever and possibly headlining the next version of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival and releasing a couple of new albums in the years past to much fever and fervor. while I don't hold what happened that evening against Muse, it just happened @ a terrible time that could've changed a lot of feelings I had about the band.

DIM THE LIGHTS: Hot Hot Heat - 2005/03/13 13:06

possible setlist: No, Not Now/ Island of the Honest Man/ Change Change Change/ Get In or Get Out/ Dirty Mouth/ Talk to Me, Dance With Me/ Middle of Nowhere/ Le Le Low/ You Owe Me and IOU/ Jingle Jangle/ Oh, Goddamnit/ Naked In the City Again/ Elevator/ This Town/ Goodnight Goodnight/ Save Us S.O.S./ Bandages

my second time seeing Hot Hot Heat probably put the nail in the coffin w/ them. I saw them tour for their first record, Make Up the Breakdown, and was left a little unsatisfied. I was hoping to get a little more w/ a new live set and a new record. things didn't pan out that way, exactly. this show was more-or-less memorable b/c I spent the majority of it watching the crowd from the side of the venue @ the bar due to my girlfriend @ the time (now wife!). she recently had foot surgery and was accompanied w/ crutches and couldn't get into the crowd as much as we both would've preferred.

regardless of where we were for the show, I don't feel it would've mattered. we realized that maybe we were past the Robert Smith-esque whinings of Steven Bays and the teens there were in strong representation @ this all ages show. maybe we were a bit out of place in our liking of this band as it seemed we were missing something. HHH's first record was fun and possibly a novelty in a career that could've moved more towards darker, more full music. instead it appears that they chose to ride the wave of that first record and retread the same water that got them big enough to play venues like The Loft. I haven't followed the band since and I'm not even sure what they are up to these days... if they are still around, satiating the teens of the world.

DIM THE LIGHTS: Coldplay - 2001/05/30 11:39

setlist: Shiver/ Animals/ Don't Panic/ Spies/ Murder/ Everything's Not Lost/ We Never Change/ God Put a Smile Upon Your Face/ Yellow/ A Rush of Blood to the Head/ See You Soon// Trouble/// In My Place//// Georgia On My Mind [Carmichael/Gorrell]

before Coldplay played arenas, did iTunes commercials (YouTube it!), and wore schticky matching uniforms on stage for shows, a simpler band existed - a British four-piece that didn't need to spice up the stage show w/ cheesiness or other things that made their live sets excessive. the Coldplay that I know (and still appreciate) was back when Capitol Records heavily promoted them as "THE NEXT RADIOHEAD". before Chris Martin started dating (and subsequently marrying) Gwyneth Paltrow (and naming children after fruit), he was rather bashful. you see, Coldplay was actually a modest band once!

so, back in 2001, the band was attempting to rise to the fore-front of the entertainment industry. hits like "Yellow" and "Trouble" where EVERYWHERE. in order to really get their faces and tunes out to the masses, Capitol (or whoever was responsible for their mgmt) booked some of their first North American shows as festival appearances. in December 2000, their first two shows were in California for holiday-themed festivals for KROQ and KCRW. when they returned to the states nearly six months later in the spring of 2001, Coldplay played a headlining show in Chicago that was immediately followed by two festival shows in Boston and Washington, DC. oh, I also forgot to mention that Coldplay was a part of the traveling festival Big Day Out in Australia and New Zealand throughout January 2001, prior to coming stateside.

Coldplay were exhausted. they weren't sure they were prepared for this kind of lifestyle. for two years, they slowly built up a following in the UK and most of Europe. I think, at the time, they got much more than they bargained for when they were getting promotions in the United States. their world was blowing up too fast and they were @ the breaking point. also, w/ these festival bookings, Coldplay weren't always playing to their target audience. they were often thrown in the mix w/ harder and more aggressive bands, which often led to much heckling or audience straying.

all of a sudden, we arrive to May 30, 2001. before the jokes of, "You know how I know you're gay...," Coldplay already had a reputation of being too soft, too quiet, etc. I was even told by a friend @ the time that, "I can't believe you'd pay $25 to see a one-hit band." they had a lot going against them. no one was sure where Coldplay would end up after 2001. and I think that was taking a toll on the band, as well.

while I cannot remember the show vividly, I can remember that it seemed like it started off like any other recent headlining show they did. something that I alluded to earlier was mentioned and that was the recent festival appearances and how they were thrown on stage w/ bands like Metallica and how they weren't sure where their place was in the grand scheme of things. what shocked me the most was how energetic Will Champion was when he just killed his drum set to tracks like "Yellow" and "Shiver". Chris Martin was working out the kinks of his now-trademarked flailing about on stage, so this wasn't so noteworthy as of yet. what I also noticed was how absent Johnny Buckland and especially Guy Berryman were during the set. Johnny appeared to be mailing in solos and atmospheric guitar noodlings while Guy was just not present. you could tell that some in this band had more to offer while others weren't certain of their place.

obv they liked what us Georgians were giving back to the band b/c Chris was certainly feeding off it that. many new songs were peppered into the set, so there may have been a few times during the show that the crowd was a bit lost, but any off-course diversions were quickly corrected when "Yellow" was played... or "Trouble".

this show, @ the time, was freq cited by the band as "the one that got Coldplay back together". that statement would be strange, if it weren't for Chris Martin's impromptu solo cover of "Georgia on My Mind" as the last of three encores. I do recall this as being very special, w/ Chris on piano, the Parachutes globe perched atop the keys, and some members of the band standing backstage just watching. w/ such a big statement as, "Atlanta saved us as a band," it would normally be a stretch to believe, but that comment always resurfaced, whether it be in interviews in between their first and second records or their subsequent returns to Atlanta (that involved guest appearances from Sir Elton John and Michael Stipe, for example). you really got the feel that late spring gig changed things for the band, like it or not.

DIM THE LIGHTS: An Introduction 11:18

you see, I'm an avid lover of live music... and a pack-rat (I blame my parents!). with each show I attended over the past 10 years or so, I've saved something tangible from it, be it setlists, CDs, photos... or tickets. I have this sizable plastic jar that holds tickets and random small pamphlets from past events and it's a priceless collection of memories.



so here's something I've thought abt doing for some time now. whenever the mood strikes, I'll randomly pick out a ticket or whatever from this massive batch and go to town w/ it and write abt my experiences w/ that event. this project has the potential to be incredibly self-serving... but that's alright b/c this is my blog!

but seriously, if you have add'l things to add abt seeing a particular band live, a similar experience w/ another band, or something interesting from the same event (!), please feel free and contribute.

Sunny Day Real Estate in Atlanta... tomm nite! 21:50

tomm nite, it's gonna be you and I, SDRE - you and I. all I really ask is for a four song set:

8/ Every Shining Time You Arrive/ In Circles// Flatland Spider

if I don't get any of those, I'm sure that all four members on stage in ATL would suffice!

heavy rotations 20:32

it's no secret that I love this record. Fort Nightly had some tremendous high points, but it wasn't that complete. It's Frightening lacks in the high points, but is a very thorough album. opener "Percussion Gun" blows you out from the beginning and is met w/ great tracks like "The Lady Vanishes" and "The Salesman (Tramp Life)" before coming to a close w/ "Leave It at the Door". what's even better abt this band is that I just realized that they are finally trekking down south, stopping @ the Variety Playhouse August 20. so stoked!

I stumbled upon this one a couple of months back when I heard "Coast of Carolina" on XMU. thinking it was a semi-decent indie-pop-rocker, I basked in the glory of what the internets has to offer and did a downloading sample of the self-titled album (i.e. downloaded that mother like it was nothin'). what I found out was that it was a nice, poppy record w/ awesome tracks like "Foreign Room" and "Tokyo". there's nothing ridiculously dynamic about Telekinesis!, but it sure is a fun-as-hell record in the summer time.

after my initial exposure w/ Old World Underground... and appreciation for Live It Out, I was finally thoroughly waiting for a new Metric album, hoping that they would deliver the goods. I didn't know whether I should expect some masterpiece due to tension (Emily Haines drifted away for a while w/ her good solo stuff and apparently the band had trouble during the song-writing for this album) or some dancey good-times. seems that I got a nice mix of both w/ Fantasies. I love love love "Satellite Mind" and shake my tuches to "Gold Guns Girls". there are certainly some great parts of the album, and I really enjoy hearing what I imagine to be Metric playing these songs, back-to-back-to-back in a room, just having the time of their lives.

it's hard to say what I prefer more - the beginning tracks of Lost Souls or Kingdom of Rust. I always thought the first few tracks of their debut swept me off my feet and pulled me out into the ocean to just drift away. but I really am taking a liking to the four or five tracks of their latest effort, w/ the jaw-dropping "10:03" taking the cake. there's something abt this band that is so perfect and you know that they will always get just the right mix of soft and structured songs to complement the pounders. and, seriously now, does "Jetstream" NOT sound like a Depeche Mode Exciter-era b-side or something?!

I'll never claim to be a fan of the hype machine. as a matter of fact, as a pseudo-hipster, I think it's mandatory to flick off the hype machine. and while I'm finding more and more to appreciate about Veckatimest, it doesn't mean that I'm succumbing to the almighty hype machine. I cannot find any flaws w/ "Two Weeks"... and I really think it could be song of the year quality. believe me, it's hard to come to terms w/ something that I've detested so much and now I'm close to head-over-heels w/ this record. it's hard to get enough of this album, and it's very relieving to say that... esp w/ something that's been so... neglected... by me previously.

Metric - 2009/06/17 14:04

setlist: Twilight Galaxy/ Help I'm Alive/ Satellite Mind/ Gold Guns Girls/ Handshakes/ Gimme Sympathy/ Sick Muse/ Empty/ Front Row/ Dead Disco/ Stadium Love// Monster Hospital// Live It Out

after seeing Metric about four times or so, I'm very familiar w/ their live set and it's something I really appreciate about the band. one thing that bothered me w/ their last record, Live It Out, was that it seemed to fall a little flat, but in the live setting it was a completely different story; their live show, in the right setting, is exhilarating and flat-out AWESOME. w/ that said, I was greatly anticipating seeing Metric once again and in a completely different setting - their kinda-sorta hometown of New York.

granted, we went to All Points West last year and saw them on the big stage there, but it was an abbreviated set, it was hot, we were waiting for Radiohead, etc. but it was there that we were first exposed to the overwhelmingly EEEGHHHH version of Live It Out. it was slowed down, cheesy, and it really ruined the track for what it is - a loud ending that is desperate, a little furious, and definitely in your face. at APW (and once again @ T5), it seemed like a career-ending song, not in the idea the track is single-handedly killing this band's legacy, but that it now comes across as, "we realize that our time together is limited, so let's enjoy the time we have left and hold on to it as long as possible". that's not what I appreciate about the song (see above). apparently that's not how Emily Haines and Co. feel about it and I guess that's fine. I mean, it IS their song and all, and they can reinterpret it as much as they want to b/c I'm sure it gets old playing the same songs in the same structure for YEARS.

and that's how the show @ T5 went. the new songs from Fantasies sounded nice w/ some interesting arrangements - theremin on opener Twilight Galaxy, Emily Haines w/ her own guitar/bass (I was too far away to make the difference, really) on Gold Guns Girls, etc. but the older songs, even from Live It Out, were given new treatments. as a rabid Smashing Pumpkins fan, I've come to accept and even appreciate remakes of songs in a band's back catalog. w/ Metric's, uh, "reduxing" of tracks like Empty (WHICH, YET AGAIN, KILLS ON RECORD) and Dead Disco and even the instant-winner that is Monster Hospital, I felt the material growing a little older as time passed. I mean, I don't really need to hear random-ass rants during a jam session in the middle of Empty - I just want to shake my hips and move my feet... not think a little about side commentary. once again, I've fallen into this trap in the past w/ Smashing Pumpkins and their ridiculous incarnations of Bullet w/ Butterfly Wings. it's just weird to get the same thing from another band that you feel doesn't quite fall into the schtickyness that, say, Billy Corgan does.

it was very nice to have some personal touches during the show, however. it was clear that the band was excited to play NYC once again and this was stated a few times throughout the gig by Emily and her mates. it's always a special treat to be in a band's hometown (even if Metric split their time between NYC and Montreal) for a gig. there's just a certain vibe about the show that makes it unique and I was fortunate to be a part of that.

it's also amazing to be a part of a crowd that is, plain and simple, INTO THE BAND. so many times I find myself unintentionally STUCK @ a show w/ so-called "fans" that don't want to have a passionate reaction b/c they fear losing SCENE CRED, as if showing support and HAVING FUN damages yr scene points. a highlight of the show was during Dead Disco when the floor just broke loose w/ fans and it seemed as if everyone around me had their hands in the air and was shaking about. it was ridiculously fun to simultaneously be a part of and witness.

The New York 7 - Metric 21:36

Metric, originally uploaded by Toni François.

we first stumbled upon Metric years ago, maybe 2004? at any rate, we were at the show b/c of the main band, South, and Metric was opening. in hindsight, it was an odd pairing. however, Lindsey and I walked out of the Cotton Club that evening and were instantly won over by Metric. we loved the funness of the music, the odd stage presence of frontwoman Emily Haines, and the novelty of something new.

fast-forward some years later and we find ourselves absolutely loving their new record, Fantasies, and excited to see them once again, only this time it will be in New York @ Terminal 5. it's seemed like forever since we've been to a big show, and this one is huge for us. I think the last big show we went to might've been Radiohead... LAST YEAR. aside from that, the only shows we go to are for local bands or some nat'l bands that play in bars-turned-venues.

w/ a show like this, there's just a certain "feel" to them that makes them special. you can sense it even before you walk in. from the moment you walk out the door and make your way to the venue, you know that this show is going to put you over the edge and be amazing.

well, I'm not necessarily saying that will be the case w/ Metric, but I do know that we are excited about seeing one of our favorite bands in another town that's not Atlanta. and there's the fact that we've seen 'em live before and we know that they can rip the venue to shreds w/ their in-your-face jams.

the jury is forever out 13:37

chalk up another reason why i will never understand this band or the pull that they have...

FYI for the music lovers- Kings of Leon will be performing at Philips Arena in Oct. Tickets go on sale June 6.

i've seen KOL roughly twice in my day, Coachella 2007 (while waiting for Arcade Fire, mind you) and last year's All Points West festival. i've heard a few songs by them, enough that i feel i have a general grasp of their representative sound and aesthetic. yet, i just. don't. get. it. i'm sure that people can say the same thing about a band that i like. but the whole thing with KOL having some sort of popularity at all baffles my mind. do i really need to go into this any more than i should? (the answer to that is probably "yes!" from those who will somehow buy tickets and inevitably sell out that show and probably necessitate a week-long residency @ Philips, but whatevs.)

Fixation Focus: White Rabbits 22:02

among the albums that I'm slowly getting more and more into, i'm continually returning to White Rabbits' second LP, It's Frightening. like most people, i thought their last LP, Fort Nightly, had its high moments (I'm thinking of "The Plot"), but it wasn't that thorough of a record. with their most recent effort, the high moments aren't there, but it's a record that doesn't fall flat at any moment. it certainly helps to have Spoon's Britt Daniel manning the boards and producing the record. definitely one of my top records of the year, for sure.

and this video makes me yearn for some live White Rabbits. come to ATL, pls!

best viewed w/ Netscape Navigator 2.0! 20:35

you know you're an absolute geek if you get slightly misty-eyed (only to be immediately followed with a smile) when there's an interview posted of a crucial figure of the online Smashing Pumpkins community.

and maybe that's brought to a whole other level when you actually take time to blog about it. :)

howevs, i'm finding a rush of emotions as i'm going through the quick reading of an interview with the great Eric Agnew on smashingpumpkins.com.  Agnew (or 34, to the l33t) more-or-less started the Smashing Pumpkins' fan presence on the web back in the mid-90s.  i remember spending hours on Luna back in the day, learning as much as i could about the band that consumed my life during that period of time.  i guess that maybe this would be the equivalent of THE DENT for Tori Amos fans.

reading something like this is like going through an old shoebox, filled with clippings and pictures of your past.  if you even care at all, these links are for your enjoyment.  try to relate (if you dare)!

interview: http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/pages/articles/spfc-machina-ii/?page=2
Luna: http://web.archive.org/web/19961226001115/www.cae.wisc.edu/~agnew/sp/luna.html
Smashing Pumpkins: http://www.smashingpumpkins.com/home

promote ATL music! 22:41

i have yet to see it (but i plan on doing such eventually), but here's a full-length documentary on the "scuzzy" ATL music scene, including acts like deerhunter, black lips, the selmanaires, mastodon, the coathangers, etc.

here's your link to p*fork, b/c embedding yielded too much noticeable code: http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/episode/1971-we-fun/1