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Here’s photo post #2 of the day for you. It’s Shayfer James’ EP release on Stage 2 of Rockwood Music Hall, September 19th. He had a great turnout where everyone sang along to songs that had literally just been released. It was pretty amazing to witness. He’ll be playing Rockwood again Oct 13th if you want to witness the magic for yourself.
First of all, I’m sorry this took so long to post. The show actually happened Sept 12th, but it’s been a crazy month and I haven’t had a chance to really think straight let alone make updates on this thing here. Fear not, however, for you are getting two photo posts today from shows I had the pleasure of attending over the course of the month. The first is Nerd Night Out, a music/comedy tour with Molly Lewis, Joseph Scrimshaw, and The Doubleclicks! It was a great night full of laughs and shenanigans. I hung out after the show to chat with Molly Lewis (which I posted a picture on Twitter with her), bought some merch, and even got a CD signed by The Doubleclicks. It was a great night and if you ever get a chance to see even one of these performers, I say do it!
First of all, this post should have gone up either Sunday night or yesterday but I am in the process of moving into my new apartment, so life is pretty chaotic right now. I couldn’t stay quiet about my experience going to see Jukebox the Ghost perform a free pre-release show at Rough Trade for their new self-titled album (which drops Oct 21) though. I jotted a bunch of thoughts down at the show, which I wanted to share with you now…
Sunday afternoon I was thrilled to attend the Rough Trade Jukebox the Ghost in store for two reasons: 1) It’s been ages since I’ve seen the band and was anxious to see them again, and 2) It was my first time at the venue and I was curious what it would be like. Consequently this review is just as much about Rough Trade as it is the show I saw there.
First let’s look at the venue. When you first walk in there’s a decently sized store with mostly records but also books and a small selection of cassette tapes. I loved the layout of the store and the general vibe. I even talked to one of the staff about any possible job opportunities and got a very helpful response.
Moving on to the actual venue (which can be found through a door in the back of the shop), the size of the place felt perfect to hold a good crowd without anyone having to feel removed from the stage too much. The sound was particularly impressive, not too loud to blow your eardrums but still being able to hear everything clearly. The only slight negative to the experience was it got a bit toasty at one point, but I believe that was because that particular day wasn’t sure what the temperature should be, which probably made it hard for the staff to affectively know how to heat or cool the space. (Side note: we’ve been having the same problem at the venue I work at, so I totally understand and don’t hold it against them at all. Fall needs to figure out what it wants to be already and stick with it).
Now onto the show itself… The band played quite a few selections from their new album, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Of course there was the usual stage banter in between songs, which is one thing I have always loved about this band: their stage presence. The guys have the ability to charm and joke their way through any set. Take an example from this show: the drum broke during one song, so the crowd was treated to fun stories to keep us occupied, including a bit of self-deprecation about Ben messing up a song he’s played “once or twice” while performing live on the radio. Instead of being annoyed the set had been interrupted by technical difficulties, we all got to have a good laugh before continuing on with the show. This kind of thing has happened before at their shows, and I love that they just make a joke about it or something else and roll with the punches. It’s almost like they enjoy the little bumps in the road, which is really the ideal for a musician’s life or just in general when you think about it. Being able to go with the tides is what makes life enjoyable (or at least bearable). Personally the music that Jukebox the Ghost has given us over the years has been very helpful with that in my journey through life, and I look forward to adding another batch of songs to the collection.
Tonight I had the privilege of seeing The Bangles live and was inspired to bring back what used to be a regular occurrence of me reviewing bands I see in concert. For a band that’s been around for over 30 years, they still have a lot of energy to bring to their live show. Hearing them bust out one golden oldie after another was a blast from the past that never felt the least bit stale at all. On the contrary, it was a refreshing night of music that left me both satisfied and extremely impressed. The band sounded and looked amazing as they smashed through one song after another. It was the perfect way to spend a Tuesday night after using my “weekend” (which was Sunday & Monday) to start moving into a new apartment. If you ever get the opportunity I definitely recommend you check this band out. And on that note, I leave you with this:
I consider myself lucky enough to call myself both a fan and a friend of Brook Pridemore. This musician from Brooklyn has had an interesting journey in his musical career, and now you can own a piece of that history with the live tape of one of his last solo shows he is releasing. The tape is very aptly called, “My Name is Brook Pridemore, and I live in Brooklyn New York.”
Of the record, Pridemore explains, “I made sure to include songs from all five albums, as well as a few B-sides. I don’t like greatest hits packages. Greatest hits packages are for people who’ve died. If one, however, were looking for an introduction to my songs, this would be a good starting point. The record was made at Sidewalk Cafe, in the East Village, because that’s where I learned everything I know about being a song and dance man.”
From what I’ve heard of his work so far, everything he knows is a lot. Pridemore has an honesty and passion in his music that is refreshing in a world full of fake, insincere people who may or may not be in this business for the wrong reasons. I’ve seen his live show before, and it takes the energy and cranks it up to 11. The release of the album, which will be available on cassette and as a digital download, is tomorrow, Wednesday, January 29th at Mercury Lounge. Don’t miss this chance to be blown away by some honestly good music.
Jukebox the Ghost snuck into Rockwood Music Hall last night for an intimate secret show in anticipation of their upcoming new album, Safe Travels. They opened with an old favorite, Schizophrenia, before proceeding to play the entire new album (about 46 minutes in length) out of order, and finishing with their latest cover, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” originally done by Whitney Houston. Some of the songs from the new album were extremely poppy and upbeat, while others were dark and complex. 
I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy to do a proper review. I couldn’t get as many recordings as the last time they did something like this, but I did manage to get one video on my iPhone. The song is called “Adulthood,” and I have a feeling it’s going to grow to become one of my favorites. It’s about how you can survive childhood and adolescence, but once you get to adulthood that’s it. “From adulthood, no one survives.” It’s a very powerful song that should hold strong for adults of all ages, but especially the 20 somethings who are just starting to slowly figure this out. Consider it a sample to hold you over until the album release on June 12th.
Wednesday night could have been described as “bass and electronics” night at Santos Party House, as that was the focus (with the exception of one band). No complaints here, because it gave me and the rest of the audience a chance to dance the night away. The first two bands were also just as much about visual presentation as they were about the music, the difference being that Mother Feather seemed to use flashy costumes to get the viewer’s attention, where as Dolchnakov Brigade seemed to have an image they were trying to project. I’m more familiar with Dolchnakov, however, so that might influence how I viewed them. Regardless of the purpose, both bands did an excellent job of catching my attention and leaving me in wonderment of what I just witnessed. This is neither good or bad, just different (which I guess in itself is a good thing in a sense).
The main event for the night was Hank & Cupcakes, a two piece with the power of ten. The two members did a splendid job of turning a bass and drum kit into a symphony of beats that called the audience to movement. From the first note to the final echo, Hank & Cupcakes will make you want to get up and dance. Seriously, anyone who wasn’t dancing during their set was probably a robot. The night was a perfect antidote for the mid-week doldrums of life. If you missed the show on Wednesday, then I am sorry for your loss. The next opportunity to see them probably won’t be for awhile. Definitely keep your ears open though, because you are not going to want to miss them again.
When trying to decide what to say after seeing Parry Adams open for Lucy Woodward at the Studio at Webster Hall, it was hard to form complete sentences. Words definitely came to mind, even full phrases, but I couldn’t string them together into sentences that flowed together into anything that would give you an idea of what this show was like and make you immediately plan to attend her next event. Maybe a little mystery is good, though. Maybe it will make you even more intrigued, make you want to go even more.
So where to begin? 
Maybe with the crowd. It was silent and attentive. It only spoke when appropriate. It clearly loved her. True, some of them were likely friends, but others were friends and fans for the other two performers. They still respected her, still gave her the attention she deserved, and some even went to speak to her after the show and share just how much they enjoyed her set.
And how about that set?
I’ve seen Parry both solo and with a band. Both are different experiences. One thing that always stands out is her voice. It’s strong and amazing. She might have been charmingly nervous in between sets, but her singing was always strong and confident. (And if she rambled any on stage, like I said, it came off as charming).
I’ll have to admit, I haven’t listened to the album yet, but I plan to after tonight’s performance. Might even write a review for that too. Who knows? And I will definitely be going to another show, if the opportunity presents itself. I recommend that you plan to as well.
(Parry Adams does ocassional uStream concerts, where you can get the live experience from the comfort of your own home. Her next one is March 22nd.)
Tonight I got a last-minute invite to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra play a short but exclusive show at iHeartRadio Theater. TSO is one of those bands that I have never been able to see live – despite many attempts – so naturally I jumped at the chance to see them now. Many people I have talked to in the past said they had a very good live show. They perform every year around Christmas, but I’ve never been able to attend. After seeing this short set tonight I can honestly back every positive review you’ve ever heard. They have a full show coming up on December 22nd at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. I highly recommend going if you have the means and opportunity.
Matt Lowell is someone who makes an impression. My first review of him was also the first I had heard of him. Even with the limited knowledge I had though, his music stayed with me and memories resurfaced as I stood front and center for his EP release last night at Mercury Lounge. That first show I saw him perform solo, but this one had him with a full band. While the band does change the sound to some extent, there was still something there that was uniquely his own. I knew Lowell was special when I first saw him and was glad to see a room full of supportive people dancing with as much energy as the performers themselves offered. I think it is safe to say we will be hearing more from this artist in the future. Stay tuned.
