Hinterland Music Festival much like this blog entry
ran into some problems near the end but was able to overcome and move on. The
festival was set to happen in Waterworks Park until it got flooded out and had
to be moved 4 days from the date, but the pulled it off and the festival went
off as planned. So lets talk about what I saw at the fest including TV on the
Radio, Future Islands, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Old Crow Medicine
Show, St Paul and the Broken Bones, and many others.
Friday July 31st
I got of work and made my way the 35 miles to the
festival with nearly everybody else. The Traffic was so bad that I was stuck
for 45 minutes and missed The Envy Corps but, I made it in time for TV on the
Radio, and all was ok with the world.
TV on the Radio 6:30-
TV on the Radio was the main reason I wanted to go
in the to hinterland and in my mind the real headliner of the day. The came out
15 minutes late but they used all the time they had and more playing their full
hour without stopping. They played 11 songs focussing on their new album seeds.
They opened with Lazerray and within seconds a dance party broke out. From
there they played the Golden age from Dear Science alternating from dear
science and seeds songs, until playing Return From Cookie Mountains Wolf Like
Me to huge applause. They ended the set with the crowd favorite Young Liars. It
was very hot, but that didn't stop both the band and the fans from dancing and
singing along to their hearts content, till they left the stage. After what
seemed like just a blink an hour had passed and they were gone.
Future Islands 8:00-
I had never seen Future Islands before and had only
heard their newest album, which I really liked. The performance was a whole
different level from the album. The front man Samuel Herring looks like a young
Morrissey and performs pop music while possessed with a metal sex god. He
randomly busts out dance moves that make girl dancers look inferior, and
unleashes random metal guttural low notes in the middle of a pop song. It was
like nothing I had ever seen, a true performer that didn't stick to one genre.
He played for an hour with songs from all four albums focussing on Singles
the newest and best album of theirs, so I hear. That man danced and broke it
down for an hour straight and gave the crowd exactly what it wanted with
Seasons Waiting on You. A full crowd singalong broke out. He played a couple
more songs after that dancing and singing metal vocals all the way. It was way
more entertaining than I expected, I would see them play again.
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes 9:30-
I had seen Edward Sharpe
before, but never like this. The first time I saw them they were sharp, quick
witted, and fun. This time they were just fun, for me at least. The show started
as normal opening the show with Up From Below while the singer held a bottle of
crown royal downing a bit. He broke down laughing before starting and stopping
the band during playing Jangling. During 40 Day Dream he had audience members
sings lines and they nailed. After that the singer absolutely lost it cracking
up at his own jokes, taking requests and stopping halfway through because,
"he didn't know how to play that shit", and telling the audience that
he had a dream where he played to us, but we were dolphins. I was loosing it
too, during this and laughing my ass off at how out of it he was, but if I
hadn't seen it I would have been mad. He finally played Man on Fire. He played
If I Were Free and I Don't Wanna Pray. On the latter he made the piano player
improvise and change the key five times. At one point he was thrown a slap
bracelet and freaked the hell out. He said that it was amazing most amazing
thing he had ever seen. For Home he ran down to the audience and sang into the
faces of the crowd. He ended the set with a quick version ofOm Mashi Me because he went over time. People
either left in stitches or pissed off. I loved his drugged up ass.
Saturday August 1st
Friday night I went to the TV
on the Radio after show, but in a surprise turn of events I didn't end up
staying because I ran into some friends I hadn't seen in years. I ended up
staying out very late because of it. So all that said, and with the drive, I didn't
make into the festival until around 3:30 just in time for the first important
band of the day St. Paul and the Broken Bones.
St Paul and the Broken Bones 4:00-
The first thing to see of the day was to me the
most important as I really didn't know the rest of the bands. Within seconds he
won the crowd over by screaming, "St. Charles how the hell are you, were
St. Paul and your St. Clair match up works well." He opened his mouth and
blasted out his amazing soulful voice for Chicken Pox and blew everyone away.
He spent the whole set showing off how he has one of the best soul voices I have
ever heard by nailing all of his songs and covering Sam Cooke's Shake, Ray
Knoble's Try a Little Tenderness, and Tom Waits' Make It Rain. He ended the set
with Try a Little Tenderness and it was so good it gave me chills. I don't know
one person that walked away from this unhappy. He blew that shit out of the
water with the most soulful performance I have ever seen.
Lucius 5:15-
I knew almost nothing about this band going into
this. I knew they were an Alt/Folk band with two girl singers and that was it.
Sometimes it's nice going in blind. This band was great at every aspect of the
show. They had three part layered harmonies that were spot on, they weaved the
vocal lines effortlessly all while playing. The played 10 songs in an hour and
that was it. At the end of their set they all switched to drums and pounded out
an amazingly complex mass drum beat. The whole show was great and they switched
genre multiple times throughout the set gradually before going back to another
one. They weaved there entire set.
Younger Mountain String Band 6:30-
As I said about Lucius I didn't know this band very
much, as with all of the bands on the second half of the day. I had at least
heard of this band. They play in Des Moines a lot and have quite the reputation
for being a great live jam band. They came out and said it was great to be back
in Des Moines, but they were going to half to play a much shorter show than the
fans were used to. They started out jamming on banjo songs and strings to old
classics and their own material. Later in the set they brought out an accordion
and played more covers and standards. They played a few covers I didn't know
but they also covered the Greatful Dead on Shakedown Street and Son of a
Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield. The Dusty Springfield cover was my favorite
of the set and it was beautiful. They hammered away on all sorts of instruments
switching constantly, all experts on multiple instruments. It was truly
something to watch them solo away on one instruments after the next. I will be
seeing them the next time they are in Des Moines.
Brandi Carlile 8:00-
Brandi Carlile was the one act of the night I
wasn't sure I was going to like. I didn't even know what style she played. She
tends to walk the line between county and folk. I liked her but she walks that
line very narrowly. Imagine my surprise expecting country and hearing a Led
Zeppelin cover of Going to California late in the set. At the very end of the
set they brought out members of Old Crow Medicine Show and played Turpentine
and Raise Hell. She told the crowd that after this she would be coming back
next year even if she doesn't play. I didn't know her music at all so I won't
pretend like I do, but I liked what I heard even if it got to close to country
to my taste, just kidding. I don't actually hate all county, just pop country,
and that leads us perfectly into the headliner.
Old Crow Medicine Show 9:30-
This band came out literally
bouncing right at 9:30 and told the crowd how happy they were that the festival
got moved out of the dirty city in to the great outdoors. They had more energy
on stage than almost anyone I had ever seen with the banjo player sprinting to
the edge to the stage doing a little jig and springing back to play a blasting
solo right after a the fiddle player had just finished a solo. I don't much
like county, but I liked this. They played closer to bluegrass with Charlie
Danniels style fiddle. The one song I knew was their most famous one, Wagon
wheel. A cover that they made famous and when they played it the entire crowd
stopped put their lighters up and sang along. It was a beautiful moment. They
left the stage after this and I made my early leave, seeing what I came to see.
On my walk out I heard their encore of a couple of classic county songs covered
much faster on fiddle. Unless you have a stick up your ass it's just impossible
not to have fun at a show like this. The fest pulled out a last minute move and
saved the weekend. I will be back next year.
May was the biggest month for concerts in 2015 hands down or maybe ever, but the summer was far from over. July packed it's own punch with shows from Weird Al Yankovic, Against Me!, Slayer, King Diamond, Rush, Melt Banana, Torche, Ben Folds, Between the Buried and Me, and Animals as Leaders. So lets get to some concert reviews.
Weird Al Yankovic 07/02/2015 Stir Cove Harras
Going to a Weird Al Show is the kind of thing in years past people wouldn't freely admit, but not me. I have always been a weird al fan and proud of it. Not even that but, the kind of fans I was expecting at this show were not even close to what I got. After his most recent number 1 album he has experiencing a whole new audience of rather normal pop music fans. He started the show right at 8 coming out in his normal Hawaiian shirt and crazy pants leading with Tacky and Lame Claim to Fame before bringing out the accordion for the newest polka medley of pop songs Now That's What I call Polka. Then he left the stage and played videos of his or others he has cameos in before coming back as an Ice Cream Cone for Perform This Way and Dare to Be Stupid. Another video came on as he came back in his trademark fat suit for Fat and brought the entire crowd to it's feet and danced.
Weird Al Yankovic performing The Saga Begins.
He came back out for First World Problems and dawned a metal hat for Foil. He dawned a blonde wig and did his best Kurt Cobaine impression for Smells like Nirvana, thrashing about and head banging. He led the crowd in a medley of his songs starting with Party in the CIA, It's all about the Pentiums, Handy, Bedrock Anthem, Another One Rides the Bus, Ode to a Superhero, Gump, Inactive, and Ebay. Next was another medley but a very different one. He brought out a string quartet and did lounge singer versions of Eat It, I Lost on Jeopardy, I Love Rocky Road, and Like a Surgeon. Up next he rode out on a segway for White and Nerdy, schooled us in english on Word Crimes, and came out as an amish man for Amish Paradise that ended the set. He taunted the audience and improvised a song about all having cellphones before come out in full star wars gear for the american Pie parody the Saga Begins and ending the Night on Yoda, but not before busting out some tribal chanting with his band. he is a true all around master entertainer. This a show designed more like a musical than a show and because of that it is perfect for people of all ages.
Against Me! 07/05/2015 Wooly's
I got to Woolys a little late because I had to finish watching the US women win the world cup, duh history in the making. I got there just before Laura and co came on stage. Throught the night they would play 9 songs off of the new landmark album Transgender Dysphoria Blues. It was a good thing a message worth hearing and the crowd was full of supporters. They opened with Unconditional Love into New Wave. Next came a few from the older albums As the Eternal Coybow and Reinventing Axel Rose, before playing Transgender Dysphoria Blues and watching the very LBGTQ crowd lose their collective minds. After that came 4 other new ones followed by the song that means so much more now that we know what it means. The Ocean has a line it about if he would be born a little girl and you realize that he can finally be happy to be that girl, the room erupted during that song. The nest three were my favorite new songs Dead Friend, True Trans Soul Rebel, and Black Me Out. Black Me Out especially, is a great live song that has the perfect chanting section. The ended the set with what has become the transgender anthem I was a Teenage Antichrist, before coming back to play a Replacements cover of Androgynous and end the show with Thrash Unreal and Sink, Florida, Sink. The crown screamed their lungs out feeling the whole time that they were taking part in something great, not just a show but part of a real movement, like when punk used to mean something. Being there at that show with all of them screaming your lungs out, you can't help but to think that there is something magical happening here.
Slayer and King Diamond 07/07/2015 Stir Cove Harras
A lot of people complained about this years Mayhem lineup, but I think they are nuts King Diamond and Slayer! Are you kidding me? How is that not cool enough? We only went to Mayhem fest for King Diamond and Slayer so I will only review them. King Diamond came out in his usual all black outfit and face makeup that has become Iconic. He puts on a very theatrical show that uses props, extras, and human birth rituals. He snarls and screams an holds his cross mic like he's ready to stake a vampire. The whole show was a one long metal musical. His set was an hour long and ten very long songs. Starting with The Candle into Sleepless Nights, Eye of the Witch, and Welcome Home. Next came a very ritualesce medley Tea/ Digging Graves/ A visit From the Dead. Next came two covers from his older band Merciful Fate, Evil and Come to the Sabbath. They were incredible and the crowd loved it. He ended the show with The Family Ghost, The 7th Day of July 1777, and Black Horseman. The show was awe inspiring, and proof of his legendary show status.
Next Slayer came out and within seconds and made their presence known with an explosion of sound the mosh pit opened up. It was one of the fiercest ones I have ever seen. Within minutes there was an serious injury and a guy had to be carried away on a stretcher. The opening song was the title track from the new album and one of three new songs played. Throughout the set fire would burst randomly from the stage while Slayer pounded away unnoticed. The show was mostly a greatest hits show with songs from every album including South of Heaven, War Ensemble, Hate Worldwide, Chemical Warfare, Reigning Blood, and Angel of Death which ended the set. During that epic and instantly recognizable Reigning Blood riff everyone lost it including me and I ran into the mosh and eventually did the robot through the middle, because I could. They ended the show with Angel of Death and did not play an encore, but none was needed. It was an hour and a half of brutal moshing to one of the heaviest bands around. I was just happy to leave the pit uninjured, unlike many others.
Rush 07/09/2015 Sprint Center
I have seen Rush once before and skipped the last tour because of expenses, but after they announced that this tour was going to be their final major tour I had to get out and see them. We got there a little late and after they played their opening video they walked out to Clockwork Angels, The Anarchist. The whole 40th anniversary show worked like a backwards trip through their discography starting with 2013's Clockwork Angels and playing The Anarchist, Wreckers, and Headlong Flight. About this time they started the running joke of slowly changing the picture above into a Laundromat, one washer at a time. The next two from Snakes and Arrows were Far Cry and The Main Monkey Buisness. The rest of the first half was one song each of of 2000s and 90's albums like How It Is, Animate, Between the Wheels, and Subdivisions. During Roll the bones they played a video of various celebrities lip-syncing the song. After subdivision they broke for an intermission and played a video of bloopers from their various tour videos before little Rush introduced Tom Sawyer and the band broke into the hit. The crowd all lost it and rose to their feet. After that they played The Camera Eye and moved on to Permanent Waves with the rarely played Jacobs Ladder and the explosive Spirit of the Radio.
Rush Performing Tom Sawyer Live.
They played Cygnus X-1 and book II before breaking into the huge and now famous Neil Pert drum solo that still blows minds. He proves again and again why he is called the best rock drummer ever. More Farewell to Kings with Closer to the Heart and Xandu came next. They ended the set with most of the prog epic 2112. They played for 20 minutes and left the stage after. Eugene Levy introduced them as Lakeside Park and Anthem from Fly By Night came next. They ended the set on their debut's What Your Doing and Working Man. The video after the show show them getting kicked out of their own dressing room by all or their album covers. This show was the kind of show you have young performers study like a film maker would study Pulp Fiction. They are the best of the best in every aspect of performance. The sheer ability is one thing but to do it for 40 years and still be as good as they were in the beginning, if not way better is noting short of awe inspiring. Getty may loose a note here and there but he improvs with the best of them to make the songs work and seem fresh. If you have seen Rush live than you know why this last tour was truly a farewell to kings.
Melt Banana and Torche 07/16/2015 Woolys
Everyone has that one thing they went to with no idea of what they were getting themselves into. It could be great or it could be horrible, this show was that for me. It was recommended by people who's opinions I respect, so I went. The first band I made it for was Torche a classic doom metal band that had literally noting in common with the headlining band. They blasted bass heavy music and the audience head banged along while drinking bear. It was great set. Melt Banana is an experimental noise rock band from Japan with two members a beast of a guitarist like the guitarist from Mad Max and a female vocalist with a drum machine. They played fast and loud in a style I had never heard before. This whole show was like nothing I had ever seen before. They were unbelievably loud even for me, but it was so intense that it matched their energy. During the show they even appeased the audience and played a couple of 80s covers for their american audience. This whole audience was very mixed and seemingly all there from word of mouth. I plan to continue that chain. What I saw was strange, intense, and awesome.
Ben Folds 07/18/2015 McGrath Amphitheatre
A last minute trip to see Ben Folds in Cedar Rapids isn't even surprising anymore, it's just standard, for me anyway. This show was after he got off the road with yMusic so it was set to be a solo show. I had never seen him solo. With his band or with Ben Folds Five, but never solo. Right around 8 he took the stage as the sun was setting and jumped right into Anne Waits. From there he broke right into Ben Folds Five's Kate and the bouncy Effington. After a few more he told the story of his new single Phone in a Pool where got so frustrated with getting calls during a show that he threw his phone into a pool only to have Kesha get it out. Next he broke out his nightly improve song Rock this Bitch and improved a song about being on the beautiful river surrounded by corporate shit. Next he broke out a couple of crowd favorites with Zak and Sara and Jesusland. He told us that the song Still Fighting it was actually written to his son on the day he was born exactly 16 years ago. He introduced the next couple songs with the most depressing story of the night. It was about how Steven from Steven's Last Night in Town died a week ago and the producer from way to normal died last night so he played Stevens Last Night in Town and You Don't Know Me in their honor.
Ben Folds Performing Song for the Dumped Live.
The next segment of the show was the break out the ballads section. As lighters came out for Ben Folds Five's Brick, Landed, Gracie, Not The Same, and The Luckiest. During The Luckiest he assigned the crowd different vocal lines to sing and conducted us in a crowd participation choir. He ended the main set with the one two punch of Song for the Dumped and Rockin the Suburbs. They were the most fun and liveliest songs of the night. The entire crowd got to do a whole new kinds of crowd participation as Ben led them screaming the F work in unison a the end or Rockin the Subburbs. Their is something so cathartic about cursing as a crowd. After that he walked off stage and did a fake exit before coming back to end the night on Ben Folds Five's Army. After the show me and a ton of others ran to the side of the stage to try and meet Ben Folds, but they planned for that and escorted him away in a van parked back stage. The night was proof of something Ben Folds fans have known for years. All you need to have a good concert is a talented piano player with fun songs.
Between the Buried and Me with Animals as Leaders 07/29/2015 Woolys
This whole night was a prog metal fans dream. After a short but great set from The Contortionist, next came the instrumental greats Animals as Leaders. In my opinion they are the best instrumentalists I have ever seen. Both of them play 8 stringed instruments while the drummer sits in the back and pounds out the most complex lines you will ever hear. For the most part they play prog metal but they also have a tendency to jump across genre lines adding in bits from reggae, classical, r and b, jazz, and blues. Most of the show was from the new album The Joy of Motion with the exception of the set closer CAPO from their debut. Watching them is like watching a one long dream sequence of beautiful instrumentals, or the hypno toad from futurama. During the last song the crowd went nuts and jumped into the mosh pit. Next was Between the Buried and Me.
Between the Buried and Me performing Ants of the Sky live.
The last time I saw these two bands play animals was closing, but since then the awesome album Coma Ecliptic came out. The show was an hour and a half at only 9 songs. They opened with Alaska's Selkies: The Endless Obsession and instantly the mosh pit was raging. Next came the title track from the new album The Coma Machine. The song may be new but don't tell the crowd because they knew every word, and screamed and moshed along with the prog masterpiece. The Next Astrial Body and Lay Your Ghosts to Rest two came from The Paralax II. The band was absolutely perfect and the singer could sing beautifully and scream with more intensity then most bands around, he did both perfectly. They played two new songs before breaking out the hits of Prequel to the Sequel and Ants of the Sky. If you thought the crowd was wild before, then this was a whole new level. The entire floor turned into one giant mosh pit and stayed that way for 20 minutes until they left the stage. They came back for the encore of the coolest cover of Queens Bohemian Rhapsody that I have ever seen. It started off normally, before turning into a prog metal epic and instigating one final mosh pit. This was one of the best nights of metal I have been to in a long time.
I may be a full festival behind, who cares this is happening. I have lived in Des Moines my whole life, but I have never been to 80/35 before, crazy as it seems. This being my first year going to the festival and with Weezer, Wilco, Cloud Nothings, Jenny Lewis, and Run The Jewels its was going to be a blast.
Friday July 10th
The festival itself didn't start till 5 which was good because I didn't get off work till 4:30. By the time I parked and made my way into the park it was 5:45. I was still adapting to not being at Lollapalooza at this point. First I made my away around the ground and got acquainted with the grounds. Then I made my way over to the free stage to catch my first band of the day.
Fly Golden Eagle 5:45
After work I ate diner, parked, and filled my water, I made my way to the first band of the day. Fly Golden Eagle played on one of the free stages at 5:45 and played a very eclectic mix of folk, alt rock, and groovy southern jams. They grooved with the audience for a hour and ended their set with a blasting groovy jam that exploded off the page. I went home and looked them up immediately they are a great band.
Jenny Lewis 7:00
I have been a fan of Jenny Lewis since her time in Rilo Kelly and her three solo albums and one Jenny and Jonny album are all very good. I have never had the chance to see her but everyone who had seen her said great things. Her set was a great mix of solo material and Rilo Kelly songs opening the set with Rilo Kelly's Silver Linnings. Followed her own Head Underwater from The Voyager, before launching into Rilo Kelly's MoneyMaker and turning it into giant dance number. From here the set followed a mix of Rilo Kelley and solo songs from Acid Toungue and the Voyager and couple of Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins covers. She commands the audience like the old fashioned frontmen from the David Lee Roth era, and every one in the band was perfectly on. Her fun and fancy brand of indie rock was the perfect afternoon set leading into the finale of Wilco.
Wilco 9:15
I have heard Wilco before a couple of times at their stops at Val Air Ballroom, but I wasn't as acquainted with their music in stops before. This time I had really gotten into Wilco and not just Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. They play a different set every night which I is great because it's more fun for people who have seen them before to not always know what's coming. They actually started the show a few minutes early diving right into Handshake drugs from A Ghost is Born and already the crowd was loosing it. They used that few minutes early to play through camera and I am Trying to Break Your Heart. Next was my favorite song from their last album The Art of Almost. An already rocking song that they jammed on for over 10 minutes. After Hummingbrids they played some more deep cuts for the diehard fans with Panther, Shouldn't Be Ashamed from AM, and Secret of the Sea a Wilco and Billy Bragg cover. Next came the hits part one with Heavy Metal Drummer, I'm The Man Who Loves You, and Via Chicago. A few songs later we got to Jesus Etc.
Wilco performing The Art of Almost.
They finished the show with a mix of songs from past albums ending the set with Shot in the Arm. and played an encore of The Late Greats and I'm a Wheel. Jeff Tweedy commands attention crafting a show that is great as your first Wilco show or your 20th with things for new fans and diehards. The band can do and play anything from folk, country, blues, and full on rock. They jammed out on The Art of Almost proving the rock segment. If you haven't gotten the chance to see Wilco you need to they are one this generations best live bands.
Saturday July 11th
The second day in the park started at 11 but I couldn't get up in time. I stayed out late at The Ataris after show. So by the time I made my way into the park I was there just in time to see John Wayne and the Pain.
John Wayne and the Pain 1:30
I have had multiple chances to see this band having know about them for years, but it was just one of those things I hadn't gotten around to doing. So I made my way to the main stage to check out the reggae rock band. They played a great mix of electronic music, jam music, reggie rock. They played some really cool instruments like the one pictured above that had never hear of, but loved. It was like an electronic clarinet, that was the highlight of the show.
Amasa Hines 2:45
We only had a little bit of time to catch this band before the Cloud Nothings, but I loved what I heard. For the little time before Cloud Nothings they serenaded us with some absolutely scorching soul rock. The lead singer absolutely killed it bringing screeching high notes and low slow soulful notes. After a few minutes it was time to go, but I really enjoyed what I heard.
Cloud Nothings 3:15
I admit my anticipation for this one was very high. Last year I saw them tear it up at Bonnaroo thursday night making it the night of Cloud Nothings. This time you could tell something was a little different, Dylan Baldi seemed a little bit reserved and held back from the raw in your face show at Bonnaroo. This may not have been the right festival for them, and especially not a 3:15 in the afternoon. They sounded good still just not as rocking and raw. I did love the songs and made time to help start up a mosh pit on the last song Wasted Days. The band even noticed and gave it more on the last one.
Parranderos Latin Combo 4:00
The next act was the most different act of the day, but one of the most fun as well. Some friends wanted to go see a latin combo so I went along to check it out, and it was awesome. Everyone was dancing and having a blast. All of the real music lovers were just doing their own thing and grooving the music. I was just watching all the dancers go and trying to pick up a step or two. That didn't especially work, but it was fascinating to watch.
Lettuce 5:00
The next band Lettuce was a band I had heard about from friends of mine who loved jam music. This band is also from Iowa. For the first view songs I was absolutely loving every second of it. They jammed slapped the bass like the best of them. After a while though I got a little tired of the same sound over an over again and had more fun figuring out which part of the porno the song they were currently playing was from. Till they got to the last song and brought out a singer who had the best vocals of the entire day killing it with screaming high notes over the funk backdrop. Why the hell didn't they bring him out sooner.
Run The Jewels 7:00
I am not a huge fan of Hip Hop or Rap but I know a lot people who's opinion I respected that love these guys. They had some of the best fan interactions that I have ever seen. "We just appreciate how kick ass you have have been today. We would have played the same show even if you sucked, but you didn't so thank you." The entire crowd was eating up every second of it including myself. They played most of their first two albums. The only thing I would have added was if Zac De La Rocka would have appeared like on the album, but I'm not that naive. The show was my second favorite artist of the day aside from what came next.
Weezer 9:15
Weezer is the perfect way to end a festival because in an audience of drunk people nothing beats a full sing along. They didn't even wait to get it started kicking off the show with My Name is Jonas, Hash Pipe, and El Scorcho. After that they played the lead single from the great new album Back to the Shack. They played a couple more new ones with Eulogy for a rock band and Go Away. Aside from Tired of Sex and Toublemaker the rest of the set was literally all hits and the whole crowd screamed along with every word. One of the best moments of the night came during Say It Ain't So and screaming "This Bottle of Steven awakens ancient demons" with over a thousand people. They played Island in the Sun, Beverly Hills, Dope Nose, Say It Ain't So, Pork and Beans, Undone- The Sweater Song, Memories, and Buddy Holly. If you have ever been a fan of Weezer or ever heard one of their hits in the 90's you should go see Weezer. They have a fun show, and they end it by repeatedly pounding on the drum set together and sending the show out in style. This may have been my first 80/35 but it will not be my last.
This is not your normal review. This week's review is more of a showdown than a review. Spoiler alert, both of these albums rock! This blog is going to discuss them and crown one of them the best of the year so far. Honestly it's a toss up at this point. This week I will be reviewing Between the Buried and Me's Coma Ecliptic and Refused's Freedom.
Between the Buried and Me- Coma Ecliptic
Here is my review of Between the Buried and Me's Coma Ecliptic.
5/5 Stars
Recommended Songs: The Come Machine, King Redeem/ Queen Serene, The Ectopic Stoll, and Memory Place.
Refused- Freedom
Here is my review of Refused's Freedom.
5/5 Stars
Recommended Songs: Elektra, Dawkins Christ, Francafrique, and Servants of Death
If I had to pick a winner and current best album of the year I'm giving it to Refused because they haven't been around for 16 years and are still making albums like this seriously props to them.
I'm back on trackish or on track for my behind schedule musings. This week I'm going to go back to last month and all of the concerts that I saw in the month of June. Some of the best touring musicians around including one indie Scottish band, and two festival and concert main stays. This week I will be reviewing Belle and Sebastian, My Morning Jacket, and Dave Matthews Band live in concert.
Belle and Sebastian 06/18/15 Uptown Theater
For the second time in my life I found myself at the Uptown Theater surrounded by more hipsters than I had ever seen. The first time was at Neutral Milk Hotel, this time was for the Scottish indie band Neutral Milk Hotel. We left right after I got off work so we missed the opener getting there just in time for Belle and Sebastian. Right at 8:30 the band take the stage and start with a song off of the new album Nobody's Empire and The Party Line which started a full on hipster dance party. Next up came two songs from their very first album Tigermilk, The State I'm In and Expectations. After that came the most long distance request I have ever seen. A couple came all the way from Texas to the Uptown Theater because they love it there and they were dying to hear Funny Little Frog so the band played it for them. After three new songs off of Girls in Peacetime Want to dance The brought fans on stage to play songs off of all the older albums.
Belle and Sebastian perform The Blues are Still Blue.
The fans remained on stage dancing until the last couple songs of the main set, ending with I Didn't See It Coming and Judy and the Dream of Horses. The band came back for a two song encore of Me and the Major from If Your Feeling Sinister and my favorite song The Blues are Still Blue from The Life Pursuit. The set played songs from all of their albums lasting 18 songs and almost 2 hours, it was a blast. The band looked like they were having a blast also, recanting stories from Bonnaroo where John Hamm had fed them gummy bears. The shows are always more fun when the band is into it. Belle and Sebastian loved every minute of it.
My Morning Jacket 06/27/15 Northrop Auditorium
We got there thinking we were running late, but we ended up getting there in time to see the opener Lizzo. She was a rapper handpicked by singer Jim James to start the show. She was one of the most high energy openers I had seen in a long time even if I wasn't the biggest fan of her music. The highlight was her throwing cookies into the audience during the song Bitches and Cookies. This tour was different because they were doing two nights in every city with two completely different setlists both nights. This was sort of unnerving because they have one that to me was far superior than the other. I didn't know which setlist we were going to get until we got there. They started up at 9 on the nose with Cicuital followed by a blasting Evil Urges, I'm Amazed, and Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 1. Jim James would walked around in a cape high fiving the audience throughout much of the night all while dancing and killing it on vocals. He continued to amaze the audience with songs from all of his albums. Finally getting to one of my favorites Gideon and beginning to blow the audience away. It would continue to build in intensity and volume from here to the end of the night. That's the thing about a My Morning Jacket show it starts loud then it mellows to show off beautiful ballads and folk songs, then it builds and builds till the end where it explodes into a thing of indescribably beauty that gives you chills.
My Morning Jacket performing One Big Holiday live.
The next few songs were Steam Engine, The Bear, and In It's Infancy. They blew the doors down with Dancfloors before choosing to end the set with the two best songs of the new album Only Memories Remain, and Tropics and jamming the hell out of them. I knew what was coming next but it didn't matter it was still going to be mind blowing. They came back and started the encore with Victory Dance and Lay Low before the one two punch of my two favorite songs Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2 and One Big Holiday. They way extended both songs jamming for 20 minutes and blasting One Big Holiday to an absolutely incredible volume worthy or an Iron Maiden show. They did it subtly so you didn't notice until after the show when the your ears were ringing and you were too busy being starstruck with the wonder of what you just witnessed to care.
Dave Matthews Band 06/30/15 Wells Fargo Arena
I know this was strange to think that I would ever have to drag myself away from something to attend a concert, especially Dave, but it was the semifinals of the world cup against Germany and I really had trouble. I waited till half time and then I bolted out the door went down town and took my seat. He was supposed to start at 7:30, but he didn't actually start till 8. He was playing two sets each night one acoustic and one electric. He started the show by himself with just a guitar on a cover song called Rye Wiskey before playing his own song Bartender and Stay or leave. As the set went on one by one he would bring out one member at a time to accompany him as he went. The biggest moments of the set came on What Would You Say and Two Step. They were fun singalongs, but he had skipped a lot of big songs so the second half was going to half to be huge, which it was.
Dave Matthews performing Ants Marching live.
After a 15 minute intermission he came back to a full electric stage show with Minarets. Lots of jamming huge songs with great big sing alongs. The next few songs were the songs for the die hard fans with songs like Gravedigger, #41, and Rooftop. Don't worry thought the hits were coming, but for now the epic jam sessions were worth it. After fun songs like Black and Blue Bird, Dancing Nancies, and an epic version of Crush came the hit parade. Virginia in the Rain, Shake Me Like a Monkey, Everyday, and Grey Street ended the set with booming applause. Finally Dave and company came back and played what everyone wanted to hear the beautiful Space Between, and the epic closer Ants Marching. The latter was jammed out for a solid 10 minutes and we loved every second of it. I was so happy with the setlist and judging my his other shows we got lucky, others weren't as great. This show is one you need to see as a diehard or just a casual fan. They jam out, play the hits, trade solos, and rock out like nobody's business.
This month was one of my most grand and adventurous concert months I have ever had. This was my birthday present from the universe, at least to me it was. Some of my favorite bands were coming to town and other just touring in general for the first time in a long time. This month I got to see concerts from the Kaiser Chiefs, Slipknot, Mastodon, Clutch, Willie Nelson, Beck, Anti-Flag, Ministry, The Decemberists, Buddy Guy, and Steve Miller Band. Yes I know I have a problem and I'm ridiculous! We could discuss that, or we could talk about the shows. Lets talk about the shows instead.
Kaiser Chiefs 05/04/15 Liberty Hall
Kaiser chiefs had been on my list of live bands to see for a long time up there with The Hives, The Vines, Kasabian, Refused, and a tons of others. We got there after the opener but just in time to for Kaiser Chiefs. Within minutes out came the band with new song Factory Gates. The crowd was tiny for huge band, but they didn't to mind at all. Lead singer Ricky Wilson came out with boundless energy and inspired the small crowd into a frenzy. He even joked that the next time they come back to Kansas they will play arenas if we each tell 1000 of our closest friends. They played all their hits Never Miss a Beat, Everyday I Love You Less and Less, Ruby, Angry Mob, and ended the set with OMG. During the break between the encore they played a video from their tour with the Foo Fighters where Dave Grohl yells at them, then they came back for the encore. They ended with Cannons and Omg. By the end of the show everyone was dancing, and the band were having a blast regardless of the crowd. Other bands should take note, you inspire the fun not the crowd inspiring you.
Slipknot 05/10/15 US Cellular Center
After a series mysterious car failures with a flat tire and a bad spare we finally made it to Cedar Rapids. We got there for the last song of Hatebreed and made our way to the floor. XIX played as the band took the stage and when the curtain dropped as band started into Sarcastrophe. Immediately the floor became a tornado of movement and moshing. There were flames, stage dives, drum sets on lifts, and of course the new masks. The new stuff sounded great and the one two punch of Before I Forget, into Dulatiy was powerful, with full on baseball bats hitting the steel drums on the floating drum sets. Even with that said, the best live material came from the first two albums. They did there famous hit the floor where they had everyone in the room crotch to the floor and all at once jump up and go insane. If you like metal and haven't been a part of it you need to try it.
Slipknot playing Duality live.
They played songs off of all their albums, but focused on their first two albums. They ended the set with the new live staple Cluster, before coming back to play (sic), People = S--t, and Surfacing. They put on one of the most energetic metal shows around and have been doing so since they started. The masks my change but the bands remains as great live as they always have been.
Mastodon/Clutch 05/12/15 7 Flags Event Center
I got there a little late and just as Clutch started their co-headlining show. They don't use any special effects, screens, or fanfare. They just get out there and play rock music and I think that approach suits them well. They opened the set with The House that Peterbilt off of Clutch. They have a lot of albums and filled the full 90 minutes with songs from all of them including two off of an upcoming album. Forth song in they played on of my personal favorites Earth Rocker and really got the crowd going. We remember how good that album was. The real star of a Clutch live show is the power and ferocity of lead singer Neil Fallon. He is just mesmerizing to watch as he effortlessly delivers every time. Later in the set he brought out Bill Keliher of Mastodon to play guitar with them on an old favorite The Texan Book of the Dead. The ended the set with Spacegrass, Electric Worry, and One Eye Dollar.
Mastodon were up next and after an amazing performance from them at Bonnaroo last year I was ready to ignore all the critics. Some that say this band is hit and miss on live shows, time to find out. They opened the set with two new ones Tread Lightly and Once More Round the Sun. The vocals here were a little hard to here at points especially from Brent Hindes who's mic seemed to be cutting in and out. Next came Blasteroid, Oblivions, and Chimes at Midnight. The crowd went nuts for Oblivion as I'm sure they always do. The energy from the band and crowd was great, as were the instrumentals. Especially from Brann Dailor who was perfect all night, but the vocals were pretty rocky sometimes making it hard to tell between songs.
Mastodon playing Oblivion live.
The setlist was mostly songs from Once More Round the Sun, with a few from every record but Remission thrown in. They ended the set with three older songs Megalodon, Crystal Skull, and closing the set with the prog epic The Czar. The band would surprisingly not come back for an encore. The show was very entertaining despite the problems, but I now see the hit and miss reputation as true. The first time they were untouchable, this time they were just good.
Beck/Willie Nelson 05/15/15 Starlight Teatre
When I saw that Beck was playing Kansas City I bought tickets without thinking twice. He hasn't toured much since 2009 and he was at the top of my concert Bucket list. Willie Nelson on the bill was just an added bonus. The only sad thing was that Willie ended up playing for 45 minutes, but he used the time wisely. He played 17 songs in 45 minuets including On the Road Again, Georgia on my Mind, Always on My Mind, and Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die. He ended the set with his final wish Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die. He sounded ageless as he always has. He truly is a living legend. Even more fitting that is back up band was members of his family.
Beck came out to a huge applause starting things off quietly with The Golden Age, and Blue Moon. Next he introduced Willie Nelson by showing a video where Willie appeared as Wizard for the song Jackass. He brought out Willie next for a duet, their first in 20 years. Willie eventually made it to the stage and was obviously very high, he rambled through it. It was magic all the same, Beck joked it won't happen again for another 20 years. Next came the hit parade starting with Loser, Devil's Haircut, and Black Tambourine. This brought the crowd into a frenzy, Beck is a hell of a performer. Beck's set list is like a good party DJ, all over the place and perfect for the mood. Sissyneck, Think I'm in Love, Que Onda Guero, The New Pollution, and the explosively loud and rocking Soul of a Man quickly followed.
Beck performs E-Pro live.
Following that he slowed things down for some new/sea change material with Lost Cause, Heart is a Drum, Blackbird Chain, and Walking Light. The slower songs were quiet and beautiful and proving his musical diversity, as if he needed to prove it. He ended the set with a blasting Girl, funky Sexx Laws, and drawn out and hilarious Debra. He finally came back with the two he had to play going full rock star for Where it's at and the medley that followed, and ending with E Pro. It was the loudest, funkiest, and best song of the night. He puts on a real headliner style show and the sold out crowd knew that. He even told stories of his fond childhood in Kansas City, safe to say he will be back.
Anti-Flag 05/18/15 Woolys
This was my first real punk show in a while and for a band I had waited a long time to see. Missed them at Riotfest last year, so happy they came to me. The started quickly thanking the small but loyal crowd, introducing themselves. They launching into The Press Corpse, a new Song The Fabled World, and This is the End. The band gave one of their many speeches about what punk rock meant to them here and really riled up the crowd before launching into Sky in Falling, Sodom, and a rousing Broken Bones. The moshing really started here. Another even better speech about love and freedom to love anyone came here before Turncoat, All The Poison, and Cities Burn. After that the hits came with Power to the Peaceful, Underground Network, and This is the New Sound.
Anti-Flag performing Die For Your Government.
The next was the ballad One Trillion Dollars and the best speech of the night about justice and racism before F--k Police Brutality. The band came back and played the encore in the crowd with a full drum set on the floor with the singers. They demanded a circle pit around them before ending on Brandenburg Gate, a Blistering Die For Your Government, and Drink Drank Punk. Here the pit was so intense a light came down, the cops were called, and they signed autographs outside. It was intense to say the least.
Ministry 05/26/15 Woolys
I wasn't sure I would get to go this one, but literally last minute it came together and I was seeing Ministry for the second time. I put in ear plugs remembering how unbelievably loud it was last time, and at 8:30 out came Al Jourgensen and company. The ghoulish lead singer took control of the night and immediately launched into five new ones Hail to his Majesty, Punch in the Face, Permawar, Perfect Storm, and Fairly Unbalanced. The moshing here was all big bullies trying to hurt someone especially one guy who I called the silver back of the pit. He was patrolling the pit and picking fights with everyone on the side. Next came three off of Rio Grand Blood the title, Senior Peligro, and Lies lies lies. At which point silver back picked up smaller guy from the side and hurled him at me like a lawn dark. I took an elbow to the face. I had to leave for a bit because my nose was gushing blood.
Ministry playing So What Live.
I came back to the end of Waiting and Worthless and waited to move up for a bit, thought not as far up. I stayed back for Life is Good and Watch Yourself. As the hits started the pit got worse and so did the silverback. Then two older hits with NWO and Just One Fix came out. This is where circle pits were in full form. The band knocked it out of the park all night at a dangerously loud volume. Al announced the olddys return and ended the main set with the most intense songs of the night, Thieves and So What. Finally silver back gets taken down and the entire crowd celebrates, until he came back to hit for the encore. They ended with Khyber Pass and Enjoy the Quiet. Just like that, the Ghouls were gone and my nose was bruised. Still it was ton of fun. I would have enjoyed more old school hits, but the new stuff was cool too.
The Decemberists 05/29/15 Sumtur Amphitheater
The last time I had seen The Decemberists they skipped Mariners Revenge Song for just my show and I was determined to go back until I heard my favorite song live. We made our way out to the middle of nowhere Omaha to see the Decemberists. I wore shorts and a T shirt because it was late May, well the cold didn't care. After debating going to go buy a sweatshirt, we went in and got seats, somehow. Finally they came out with The Singer addresses his audience and Cavalry Captain. This was the coldest show I had ever been to I was already freezing but I held in there. After Down by the Water he went into how he wrote Calamity Song by playing Hank Eat Your Oatmeal as its inspiration. A few songs off the last two albums were played then Colin explained that the drummer created the setlist so we should hate or praise him. Then they launched into an extended Los Angeles I'm Yours, a beautiful Carolina Low, a folky Bower Scene, and Won't Want for Love.
The Decemberists performing the Mariners Revenge Song
At this point Colin noticed how miserable the crowd was and led the crowd in jumping jacks before insulting them for looking stupid. Then it was off to the hits. Starting up The Wanting Comes in Waves and killing it. The Rake Song and The Crane Wife 3 came next and really got the crowd going and finally forgetting about the cold. They ended the set with A Beginnings Song. They came back quickly because it was too cold to wait. Playing a chilling version or 12/17/12 came next and he gave instructions on what to do for the closing song. They told us to make the sound of getting swallowed by a whale and started into my song Maraners Revenge Song. They had so much fun with this song, bringing out a whale cutout to eat them and doing a full line dance jig at the end of the song. We danced until we were warm and went home happy.
Steve Miller Band/Buddy Guy 05/30/15 Starlight Theatre
I went to this show for one reason and one reason only, to see Buddy Guy. Steve Miller was an added bonus. He came out right at 8 and blasted into Damn Right I got the Blues. He still kills on the guitar like nobody's business and his voice sounded raw and bluesy. Every time he got to a chorus he had the audience sing a long and then made fun of them for screwing it up, "your f--king up the songs again". He blasted into a solo and Someone Else Steppin' In. After that he played that song and he made his way into the crowd while still playing a guitar solo, like a true legend. 74 years young was the songshe started in the crowd and made his way to the stage to make fun of the crowd again for being worse that Japan at English lyrics. Hoochie Coochie Man was the next song jammed on with the band. He played a solo and a medley of songs that led to Skin Deep and Strange Brew by Cream. He honored B.B. King by playing the Thrill is Gone. Another jam/medley came next and then ended on Feels Like Rain and Meet Me in Chicago. He said he would play all night if he could, thanked the crowd, and left. A true legend to this day.
The headliner was Steve Miller Band a legendary band that I knew almost nothing about, but was ready to soak in. They came out to a huge lights show of their icon in the background. They opened with two songs I recognized ,Jungle Love and Take the Money and Run. I had a lot of fun with the band even though I didn't know most of the music. This show had so many drunk older white people I would have thought I went to a Jimmy Buffet Concert. They played music off of all of their albums for two straight hours and I enjoyed all of it. I finally recognized some of the music again at The Joker. After the jam out to the Joker they played Fly Like an Eagle, a song everyone knows. They left the stage after that and came back with Rock'n Me, Swingtown, and Jet Airliner. All songs I know and liked hearing. This was a really fun band even for a fan that didn't know very many songs. I went for Buddy Guy, but stayed and enjoyed Steve Miller Band.
