Murder by O’Death @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Some background before I begin this one: I work at a music venue and have a musician boyfriend. This means that my entire life is spent getting paid to go to shows (oh no, my life is so hard!). Seriously though, it’s a blessing and a curse because since the above fact is true it means I rarely go to shows that I’m not working or my boyfriend is playing. Which is why this past Sunday was such a treat for me.

This was the first big show I went to in forever where I got to go back to being just a person going to a show. I remember walking into the room with the feeling of excitement at seeing two big acts and having no responsibilities other than to have a good time. The band started playing almost immediately after I arrived. I slowly weaved through the crowd towards the front of the room, where I found a friend of mine who was also attending that evening’s performance. I stayed firmly planted in that same spot up front for the entire night, only moving when Murder by Death’s crowd started to get slightly rambunctious up front and to my right. I was so engrossed in the performance that I barely noticed it happen. All of a sudden I was getting pushed to the left. I didn’t care; it was all in fun. It was all part of the experience.

And what an experience it was! O’Death I have seen before several times and they have never disappointed me. The first time was opening for one of my favorite bands of all time, The World/Inferno Friendship Society. I remember not knowing what to expect that night, and being absolutely in awe of them by the time their set was over. This time I was there mostly to see them, and barely knew any of Murder by Death’s music. Obviously I’ve listened to them before, but I’ve never been to see them live and had no idea what to expect. Despite not knowing all the words to the songs like what seemed true for the rest of the kids in the front, I still had a fantastic time. The band held a captivating performance, to the point where I had forgotten how long I had been standing and had fun trying to get my legs to move again at the end of the night. It was a great show, and I highly encourage you to catch them either during this tour or in the future. Bonus points if you can get both bands to play on the same bill again. Individually they are both great, but the pairing makes it even better.

Both bands are at Union Transfer tonight, which is a fun coincidence since I will be in Philly seeing World/Inferno. (I love it when life comes full circle like that). The rest of the dates are as follows:

  • March 7 – Black Cat – Washington DC
  • March 8 – Kings Barcade – Raleigh, NC
  • March 10 – The Orpheum – Tampa, FL
  • March 11 – The Social – Orlando, FL
  • March 12 – Terminal West – Atlanta, GA
  • March 13 – Mercy Lounge – Nashville, TN
  • March 14 – The Bluebird – Bloomington, IN

All dates are with O’Death

Lights Resolve – Feel You’re Different

I’ve been following Lights Resolve since they first started in 2006. I’ve always loved their live show and what few recordings I could find on the internet, but longed for something more. Five years later and I finally get a full length album from this exceptional band. I know there are a lot of alt rock bands out there nowadays, so it might seem odd to give them such high praise. I challenge you to take a close listen, however, because there is definitely an energy in this band that separates them from the rest of the fold. I’ve heard it in their live show, and the album just solidifies it into a form that can be shared more easily. My only complaint is that some of my favorite songs did not make the final cut. If there’s any problem a band wants, however, it’s that the fans can’t get enough of their music. Feel You’re Different officially drops today, and their cd release will be tomorrow night at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. You can find more about the band on their website, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

Amanda Palmer Slays Music Hall of Williamsburg

Last night Amanda Palmer played to a sold out (and energized) Music Hall of Williamsburg. The crowd loved her from the moment she marched on stage. Nervous Cabaret (the opening act) played the beginning and end of the set with her, including marching with her from the back of the venue to the stage. Other guests for the evening included Sxip Shirey and Franz Nicolay, both of whom joined Amanda during the encore. The set consisted of the usual combination of Dresden Dolls songs, selections from the solo album, and a few covers. There was also the Ask Amanda segment, which is usually both amusing and informative. Something that was added for this tour, however, was an artist is selected for each show to complete a drawing which will be auctioned at the end of the night. This show there were actually two artists, so two pieces were auctioned towards the end of the set. The entire night played out almost like a theater production (solidified by the addition of Franz to the final songs). Amanda has always been a pleasure for me to see live, and this time was no exception. Words can’t fully describe the experience, so pictures will be added to this post by the end of the day.