club D

Viva La Coldplay

2008-08-08T16:39:00.003-04:00

Coldplay, Verizon Center, Washington DC
August 3

The sold-out Verizon Center crowd was hopping, cheering, and singing along to Coldplay’s 90-minute set on Sunday night. The show was quite a spectacle visually, as green lasers jutted out, large spheres dangled from the ceiling changing color and at times showing video of happenings from the stage, and colorful confetti would later sprinkle some in the floor seats. Getting all of this staging ready was why this show was postponed from its earlier scheduled date of July 2.

Singer Chris Martin was in great spirits, bouncing around with energy, and his voice was nearly (with one exception noted below) flawless. The show naturally focused heavily on the newest album, Viva La Vida, a valiant effort with a sound that lends itself well to live performance. In fact, Martin played nine of 10 songs from it. While I love and appreciate the new album, I am a Parachutes purist. I relish the piano-driven Coldplay and wanted more piano—dare I say more of the piano ballads that impelled Coldplay to change its sound to not get swallowed whole by critics.

My favorite song from the new album, “42” is a nice blend of older Coldplay, as it opens with a catchy piano ballad as Martin croons, “Those who are dead are not dead; they’re just living in my head,” along with the newer sound as the guitars erupt and the second half of the song rocks out.

The ballad “Fix You” was lovely and it was quite moving to hear much of the crowd singing the chorus. And, the little blunder toward the end of the song was humbling. Martin started on the wrong octave and simply stopped the band and apologized for the mistake. He said some days he doesn’t know if he’s trying to sound like Johnny Cash or Barry Gibb but that he hopes in 10 years he’ll sound like Johnny Cash and have Barry Gibb’s hair. He then led the crowd in singing the song’s finale.

It needs mention that the other three lads in this band&#151drummer Will Champion, guitarist Jonny Buckland, and bassist Guy Berryman&#151are truly talented and their camaraderie adds to the show's overall experience.

At a Coldplay show, one pretty much gets the songs as they’re written, no frills, no solos, but they did change up a couple of songs quite creatively. They performed “The Scientist” as a strings-driven acoustic piece (acoustic guitar and mandolin) from an impromptu stage set up toward the arena’s rear. Earlier, on a side stage that jutted from the main one, they rocked out with a pumped up version of “God Put A Smile Upon Your Face.”

During “Politik,” the first song of the encore, Martin snuck in the line, “where the Wizards play,” but most missed that local reference and only a few cheered. Of the “oldies,” Coldplay did play nearly half of the Rush of Blood to the Head album but played only one song from Parachutes. I left this show quite satisfied, yet somehow still wanting more.

Setlist:
Life in Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Viva La Vida
Yes
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
Chinese Sleep Chant (side stage)
God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (side stage/techno version)
Square One
Hardest Part (half of the song, Martin solo piano)
Yellow
Lost
The Scientist (acoustic in crowd with mandolin)
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic in the crowd, Martin playing harmonica)

Encore:
Politik (with Martin’s brother on stage adding more piano)
Lovers in Japan
Death and All His Friends

Skatalites Rock the Vineyard

2008-08-07T10:51:00.004-04:00

The Skatalites @ Outerland, Martha's Vineyard (West Tisbury)

July 28

Some 44 years ago, a band out of Kingston, Jamaica was tearing up the dance floor with a fresh sound called ska, a sound that blended jump blues, jazz, calypso, and African rhythms. It was a sound so infectious that the music made you dance; it was physically impossible not to.

This band, the Skatalites, has reconfigured itself over the decades but two original members remain: Doreen Shaffer and Lester "Ska" Sterling. Now nine pieces instead of 11, they still have a sound that makes you jump and clap and feel pure joy. A crowd diverse in age and race bounced around Outerland on the Vineyard this July night, particularly relishing the many talented solos performed throughout the set.

They took the stage around 10:40 and did not waver in their energy for even a moment. After a long day of beachin', cousin Jane and I were quite tired and left around 12:30. But the band still was going strong into the wee hours.

Yaz Reunites for a Tour

2008-07-22T14:51:00.002-04:00

Yaz, 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
July 20

Before Vince Clarke became half of Erasure, he was half of Yaz, the British synthpop duo fronted by Alison Moyet. The two reunited this year for the first time in 25 years and put on an electrifying show. When Yaz had split after just two albums, Clarke—who also was doing some behind-the-scenes songwriting for such groups as Depeche Mode—joined Andy Bell to form the hit synth group Erasure, while Moyet embarked on a solo career. But at this reunion, the duo sounded fresh and crisp, as though the year was still 1983.

Yaz (known as Yazoo in England) played most of the songs from their two albums, including hits such as "Situation,” “Don’t Go,” and “Only You” from their 1982 debut album, Upstairs at Eric’s. Most enjoyable from their second album, You and Me Both was the song "Mr. Blue."

The only instrument on stage was Moyet’s voice, that rich, passionate voice that sounds a bit like Annie Lennox but with more angst. Clarke was sans keyboard, relying on sampling via his laptop. They clearly traveled light.

Many in the crowd were dancing, although moving at all was tough in the oversold club. Some of the Black Cat "Right Round" goers were spotted in the audience; Yaz is often played there by the deejay though on this night they got to dance to the real thing.

Some have argued that synthesizer pop detracts from musicianship because of the lack of instrumentation. Perhaps on some level it does. But this is also its own sound, creative in its own right. One must appreciate how Yaz helped pioneer this sound and inspired, and continues to inspire, numerous later alt-indie acts.

Billy Joel and Guests Make a Memorable Last Play at Shea

2008-07-21T14:51:00.006-04:00

Shea Stadium, Queens, New York
Friday July 18

Billy Joel played two concerts at Shea Stadium last week to bid farewell to the Mets ballpark which, along with Yankee Stadium, will be torn down this year in favor of new, more modern, stadiums being built next to each. The Friday night show, which I attended, was spectacular. The setlist was fantastic; the sound was particularly impressive for a stadium show--enhanced by a whole string section, and the set lit up brightly, often with New York images. This concert was indeed a celebration--of New York, of baseball, and of Billy Joel's brilliant musical career.

The setlists of the two Shea shows varied slightly and very special guests took the stage for each; the only one in common for both shows was jazz legend Tony Bennett, who sang "New York State of Mind" with Joel. While it was rumored that a Beatle or two might appear, given that the Beatles were the first musical act to perform at Shea in 1965, nobody really believed it would happen. But then, during the encore, Paul McCartney took the stage!!! It was phenomenal. He and Joel's band performed "Saw Her Standing There." Then, after Joel closed his set with "Piano Man," McCartney reappeared to sing "Let it Be," solo at the piano, while Joel looked on, awestruck.

There were other guests throughout the night as well. The Who's Roger Daltrey popped on stage to sing "My Generation," appropriate for the nostalgia of the night. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler came on to belt out, "Walk this Way." The one sour note was Garth Brooks singing "Shameless," the Joel cover he made a hit a decade ago. Brooks smartly sported Mets gear and got nothing but love from the crowd, but he was off tempo, then off key, then, luckily, just off.

Even without the special guests, the three-hour show made every Billy fan ecstatic. He sang plenty of the hits and a few of the more obscure ones that obsessed fans such as myself swooned over. In the first hour-plus, all but one song came from his 70s collection. He included four songs from the coveted Turnstiles album, including the subject-appropriate "Miami 2017," the first song he performed after opening with the National Anthem. And, the surprise gem for me was "Summer, Highland Falls" also from that album, which he dedicated to all the manic depressives in the crowd, for the chorus chimes, "It's either sadness or euphoria." Toward the middle of the set, he showed off his piano prowess with "Root Beer Rag," a song off the very early Streetlife Serenade album and introduced it by saying, since it's instrumental, it'd be an opportune time to use the restroom. :-)

This show was intensely emotional for me, because Shea is closing, because it was in New York, where I was raised, because Billy Joel's music affects me so deeply, and because I sat at this show among good friends. One friend next to me said, "How can Billy top this? How can you ever go see him again after this?" Perhaps he won't top this, but I plan to catch his shows as long as he keeps performing.

80s Craze: English Beat, Fixx, Alarm Hit the 9:30 Club

2008-07-11T09:44:00.004-04:00

The English Beat, The Alarm, the Fixx, 9:30 Club, Washington D.C.

If these bands were beer:
The Alarm: Duvel (all-around mighty fine)
The Fixx: Amstel Light poured quickly (mediocre, with entirely too much head)
The English Beat: IPA (tasty and hoppin')

An "older," yet excited and rambunctious crowd descended upon the 9:30 Club for a night of retro music. The opening band (too good to even have that label), the Alarm, rocked the place. They played a couple songs from their brand new album, Guerilla Tactics, which fit right in with their earlier sound. And, they played a few old standards, including "68 Guns," "Give Me Strength," "Stand," and the power ballad "Spirit of 76." Ironically, given the season, they skipped over "Rain in the Summertime. Still, a great set. Singer Mike Peters was phenomenal at engaging the crowd throughout, jumping around with energy, all smiles.

Then came...the Fixx. With the exception of the radio smash, "One Thing Leads to Another," performed mid-set, this was a somewhat boring and lackluster set. Lead singer Cy Curnin still has a strong voice but he seemed so self-indulgent, as if he forgot an audience was out there, hopping around in his orange sunglasses. Toward the end, when he tried to get the crowd engaged, they weren't having it. They played for nearly an hour, and that was 50 minutes too long.

The English Beat: always a great time. Dave Wakeling with his cohort of horns sounded fantastic, belting out ska tunes and encouraging the crowd to skank, and many did. Their brand of reggae-rock is still refreshing as ever.

Sadly, ClubD and her cohorts got a burst of "eh, we're old, gotta go," and missed the last half of English Beat's set. It undoubtedly touched on some General Public songs but no matter what they played, the crowd probably remained hopping until the last note.

Howard Jones Goes Electronic!

2008-07-08T12:20:00.002-04:00

July 6, 2008 at the State Theatre, Falls Church, Virginia

Recommended beverage: an IPA, a nice, hoppy choice.

When I got hoppy on the dance floor, I switched to water.

Long-time fans of Howard Jones, such as myself, were ecstatic at Sunday’s show. It’s been nearly 20 years since Jones played an electronic set in America but thanks to the help of mix master Robbie Bronnimann, Jones pulled out some of his danceable oldies as part of an electronic duo. His 90-minute set was absolutely electrifying, if also a bit too short.

Since the early 90s, Jones toured in the States repeatedly, exclusively as an acoustic duo. He’d rework many of his songs with the help of percussionist (Carol Steele) or guitarist (Robin Boult). These shows were always wonderful as Jones rolled out all kinds of fun anecdotes between songs and a good mix of old and new material. At those shows, he’d play beautiful unreleased ballads and other recently released songs.

But at this electronic show, Jones went almost entirely old school, with the exception of two songs from his 2005 album Revolution of the Heart. He chose to open with “Conditioning,” a great synthpop song from his debut album, Human’s Lib. He played five other songs from that album as well: “New Song,” “Hide & Seek” (my favorite song of his), “Equality” (a rare one to hear live), “Pearl in the Shell,” and “What Is Love?”

He did sneak over to another keyboard midway through to perform two songs acoustic: “No One Is to Blame,” which much of the crowd sang along to, and “Everlasting Love,” a song that also received decent airplay, from his 1989 Cross that Line album. His acoustic versions best highlight his exceptional piano playing and are always a treat.

Jones had those assembled on the dance floor jumping around though at one point he noticed the folks in the balcony appeared awfully still in their seats, and directed a comment up there. “This is a live show people; this isn’t TV!” He did interact well with those who wanted to engage and had much of the crowd singing along on several songs, including “Like to Get to Know You Well,” and the well-loved “Things Can Only Can Better,” with which he closed the show.

While Howard Jones played many electronic shows in the 80s, the only other time I’ve ever seen him in his electronic glory was the 1989 Cross That Line tour. It was an outdoor gig at Jones Beach in New York, and sadly the rain gods interrupted that show. He left the stage that night singing “We Don’t Mind the Rain” to the tune of “No One is to Blame,” as lightning officially cut the show short.

So, 19 years later, I again get to experience Howard Jones electronic. This was a great one!

DVD Recommendation: The 20th Anniversary Concert: Live at Royal Albert Hall in London is a fantastic video that every Howard Jones fan should own. It’s a combination of acoustic, electronic duo, and full band and features his best loved songs and a few newer ones.

Where will ClubD be in July?

2008-07-07T11:00:00.003-04:00

July 10: English Beat/The Fixx/The Alarm at the 9:30 Club

July 18: Billy Joel at Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York (yeah, I'm going to Queens--nuff said)

July 20: Yaz @ the 9:30 Club (thanks On Tap!)

July 22: Mark Knopfler at Wolf Trap

Krauss and Plant in Perfect Harmony

2008-06-19T20:12:00.006-04:00

June 13
Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland

recommended beverage:
they have Hoegaarden. 'Nough said.

One has to marvel at how these two cats, from opposite ends of the musical universe, came together but it's a wondrous joy they did. Bluegrass queen Alison Krauss and Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant put on a stunning show at Merriweather.

They played some songs from their debut album as a duo, Raising Sand, and an array of covers in a repertoire that touched on a range of musical genres: bluegrass, folk, rock, and gospel. Of course, they threw in some Zep, rearranged quite a bit, likely the work of T-Bone Burnett who plays in their band. The three Zeppelin tunes were "Black Dog" (turned into a ballad!), "Black Country Woman," and "The Battle of Evermore."

The harmonies were gorgeous and Plant often yielded to Krauss to spotlight her violin playing or voice. Krauss sings like an angel, but seemed uncomfortable with all the attention. Her singing on "Trampled Rose" was nothing short of majestic.

Before their three-song encore, they ended the set with the Everly Brothers cover "Gone, Gone, Gone," currently tearing up the airwaves.

Photos by ClubD.

REM, Modest Mouse, The National Rock Merriweather

2008-06-12T10:25:00.004-04:00

Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland
June 11

recommended beverage

to go with this show:

Hoegaarden, a refreshing Belgian white beer.

Kudos to Merriweather for selling it.

Rock music's favorite Georgia peach played Merriweather last night, whipping out lots of oldies and rarities to make us older fans swoon. The new stuff sounded pretty fantastic too.

The show featured two rock legends: one, naturally, was REM singer Michael Stipe. The other was Modest Mouse guitarist, former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, who Stipe invited out to jam with them on REM's last two songs.

pictured here: Johnny Marr

More soon. Photos by ClubD.

ClubD: A Wee Bit Behind

2008-05-16T11:48:00.002-04:00

Been seeing & hearing some great stuff and have had zero time to write about it. Stories coming soon.

Rachel Yamagata and Landon Pigg @ the Birchmere
Willy Porter @ Jammin' Java
Radiohead @ Nissan Pavilion (a guest writer will tackle this one. Got drenched and chilled to the bone in that night's storm, but I got 3 songs from the Bends so my heart was warm).

This weekend, I'll be at the Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach for Tinsley Ellis. (Love me da blues).

Upcoming: Raconteurs @ 9:30 and Ben Folds at Wolf Trap.

More soon!

ClubD on Location: New Orleans Jazz Fest

2008-05-06T18:18:00.009-04:00

The Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans Fairgrounds

Weekend 2

When I think of homegrown New Orleans musicians, two quintessential acts are the Neville Brothers and Henry Butler, both of whom played the second weekend of Fest this year. As it has every year I've gone, and this is my sixth one, Jazz Fest filled my soul with blues, funk, zydeco, gospel, and every kind of jazz imaginable. The horns were out in full force and the music never stopped.

More soon...

Some sites from in and around Fest.

1. Parade.

2. Henry Butler (seated far right) & the Jazz Syncopators serve up some Dixieland at Donna's on Friday night.

3. A street

musician.

Teitur: Quite The Singer

2008-04-30T12:40:00.002-04:00

Teitur @ Jammin' Java
April 29th

Recommended beverage:
A cup of joe.

Absent caffeine, the relaxed trance this music puts you in

will make you pass out.

The sweet voice of Teitur Lassen was muffled in the States when his second album came out in 2006 for Teitur, who hails from the Faroe Islands near Denmark, had visa troubles and couldn’t tour here to promote it. But he’s here now, with a brand new third effort, titled The Singer, and it’s quite a departure from his previous works.

I was introduced to Teitur’s music when he first came to the States to promote his debut album, when he played Iota opening for Glen Phillips. He has played Jammin Java solo several times since and returned last night with a full band in tow. Being a CD release party, Teitur decided to perform the entire new album, including two seven-minute songs that he seemed a little worried about imposing on the crowd. One of those epic songs, “Legendary Afterparty,” had such massive tempo swings, it was almost unsettling. The other, “Guilt by Association,” told a true story that fascinated Teitur of a man who served time after shooting a gun through the fog and accidentally killing another man. A little dismal, indeed.

Much of this new album is fairly mellow but definitely leans toward the experimental, which is refreshing. It’s a whole new kind of alternative. His band makes heavy use of bass and various horns and woodwinds, including at times flute and clarinet. It’s very much a storyteller album and Teitur coined it best when he described it as “theatrical.” A few songs sounded as though, in preparation for writing them, he had dinner with Philip Glass, listened to a lot of later Beatles, then went to the circus. Perhaps the most mainstream, upbeat, and fun is the new song “Catherine the Waitress.” For that one, he asked the crowd to stand—many of whom were sitting on the floor as few chairs were set up, and a few even bopped around to the beat. They respectfully remained standing until the end.

After unloading this entire album, brand new to us all, he did reward us with the familiar and played three of his earlier songs. He played “Louis Louis,” not the Kingsmen song but one he wrote to pay homage to Louis Armstrong. It’s a lovely song from his aforementioned—largely unheard in the United States—second album. He ended the show playing two songs, solo acoustic, from his debut album, Poetry and Aerplanes, an album packed with gorgeous acoustic ballads. The two wisely chosen songs were “Josephine” and “I Was Just Thinking.”

Opening the show first was Teitur’s bandmate Helgi, alternating between trombone, guitar, and piano as well as singing. Helgi, who hails from Austria, played a brief and inventive one-man set. The second opener was an excellent New York-based band called Old Springs Pike. Fun, raucous with great vocal harmonies. Watch for them.

ClubD on Location: Brazil

2008-04-28T16:05:00.002-04:00

Walking toward baggage claim at the airport in Rio de Janeiro, a live band was playing “Girl from Ipanema.” While it made me smile, it occurred to me, during my weeklong stay in Brazil in April, that any live musician, upon seeing an American, felt compelled to break out into that song. True, this famous song introduced bossa nova to the world, but even the song’s late composer Antonio Carlos Jobim might find that to be overkill.

Some restaurants, especially touristy ones, have bossa nova artists performing during dinner, and include a per-person entertainment fee with the bill. Generally, that fee was less than the cost of a caipirinha (Brazil’s national drink made from sugarcane rum and limes), and well worth it. This was the case during our two-day stay in Paraty, along the Costa Verde, about four hours from Rio. My favorite spot was a club called Paraty 33 where an excellent bossa nova band was jamming into the wee hours.

Back in Rio, my friend and I spent a Friday night exploring the Lapa district. How vibrant and wonderful a scene it was. A bit like the New Orleans French Quarter, numerous music clubs dotted several blocks while drink vendors sold beer in the streets. Along these streets, young people from disparate social classes converged in the streets around a common love of music. Up by the aqueduct, the scene truly spilled onto the streets with food, drink, and music.

We chose the samba club Café Sacrilégio along Avenue Mem de Sá. It was excellent (and the caipirinhas were dizzyingly strong). Several different samba bands played sets that night, generally five to seven musicians in each, with a range of percussion and wonderful vocal harmonies.

While samba seems unmistakably Brazilian, the music incorporates choro (an earlier Brazilian style) with music from Africa, notably the captivating percussion, which the slaves who came to work the plantations brought over to Brazil in the 16^th century. It’s a unique and uplifting sound. From the Latin jazz sounds of bossa nova to the energetic sounds of samba, the music of Brazil gets in your soul and leaves you smiling inside and out.

“When she walks, she’s like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes – ooh”

ClubD: On the spring radar

2008-04-20T16:30:00.000-04:00

Spring is a buzzing with great music. I'll be reporting from the road a bit too:

Week of April 13: samba scene in Rio de Janeiro

April 29: Teitur @ Jammin Java

May 2-4: Jazz Fest in the great city of New Orleans!

May 9: Enter the Haggis @ Jammin' Java
May 10: Willy Porter @ Jammin Java (and then emmet swimming in Herndon!)
May 11: Radiohead @ Nissan Pavilion
May 16: Lucky Day cd release at Iota (the drummer is a friend and he will kick my arse if I'm not there)

and much more to fill in...

The Golden Voice of Israeli Singer Etti Ankri

2008-04-09T12:16:00.002-04:00

While most people in the room could not understand a word Etti Ankri said, once each song began, the music took on a meaning all its own. Famed Israeli singer/songwriter Etti Ankri performed last night inside the gorgeous sanctuary of the 6th and I Synagogue, where the acoustics were pristine, allowing her pure voice to soar through the air.

Performing spiritual and ethnic music from her Israeli homeland, Ankri sang in Hebrew and performed one song in Arabic, showing off her Tunisian heritage. She introduced most songs, sometimes with anecdotes, mostly in Hebrew and struggled some trying to provide English translation in parts. Some song were accompanied by English translations of the lyrics on a projection screen.

My friend seated next to me leaned over a couple of times to say Ankri was requesting the audience sing along but most didn't understand so few complied, except for one song in which she got the crowd to “la la la la” with her. The audience did often clap along during the chorus and she received a standing ovation after the show.

On this night, the gorgeous music superseded any language barriers as we were treated to one of the most glorious female voices I’ve ever heard.

As Israeli Independence Day approaches, I say with pride and love:
Happy 60th birthday, Israel.

Ambulance LTD Give Solid Show at RRH

2008-04-08T12:05:00.004-04:00

The New York-based indie rock quintet Ambulance LTD put on a great show last night at Rock and Roll Hotel. This band is a shoegazing, Britpop-style rock lover's dream. This new incarnation of the band works well (all but the lead singer are new) and remains true to their sound.

I still relish seeing this band as the second opener for Stellastarr* at the Black Cat about five years ago. [The first opener of the night, would you believe, were the Killers just before their debut album got released.]

Ambulance's 2004 song "Anecdote" shows off the stunning vocals of lead singer Marcus Congleton, whose sweet voice has perfect pitch throughout, even live. And, keyboardist and backup vocalist Xander McMahon is a wonderful complement.

Glen Phillips Plays Jammin' Java

2008-04-07T15:55:00.003-04:00

Jonathan Kingham (left) and Glen Phillips tune up for a fun, casual show at Jammin' Java.

On April 2, Glen Phillips played to a sold-out crowd. Best known for being the frontman of Toad the Wet Sprocket, which he started when he was just 16, the still-babyfaced Phillips, now 37, continues to tour in support of his solo material. With solid material to pull from several solo albums as well as rock collaborations with other notable musicians, his shows are always a good time. His songs range from beautiful ballads to silly fun, from the heartfelt "True" to the goofy "Solar Flare," from the just-released EP Secrets of the New Explorers.

Phillips and Kingham worked well off of each other; their stories and rantings were quite entertaining. Apparently, the two had a full tour of the Nasa-Goddard Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland and, as self-professed nerds, were enthralled by all the equipment and the scientists themselves. Phillips noted his pre-teen daughters were with them on the NASA tour and, recognizing their dad was having a blast, did their best to hide their boredom. He was beaming with pride about it.

Phillips also told a cheesy pirate joke that got a chuckle but then, when he started the next song, he stopped and apologized, “I still have some pirate in my throat.” He then recounted how he once did a show where he came out for the encore and, realizing he hadn’t played any Toad songs up to that point, sang only Toad songs in the encore but performed them in a Neil Diamond voice. That got quite a giggle. Luckily, he didn’t do the Diamond impression that night.

ClubD in San Francisco

2008-03-31T15:05:00.006-04:00

March 27, 2008

ClubD turned 35 in San Francisco, club hopping along Fillmore Street. The first stop was Yoshi's, a seated, theatre-style club, where Crescent City Boogaloo served up some funky jazz. While described as ‘groove-oriented music of New Orleans" and the Latin-soul hybrid known as boogaloo, this was a mostly mellow, sophisticated jazz.

The instrumentation was outstanding. Led by Dr. Lonnie Smith on B-3, who occasionally sang with his baritone, the band featured guitarist Peter Bernstein, saxophonist Donald Harrison, trumpeter Christian Scott, and two New Orleans drummers: Joe Dyson and Zigaboo Modeliste.

The next stop was the Boom Boom Room, a lounge just up the road, where some funk-infused blues just filled the place. Chicago-bred though Bay Area-based musician Wil Blades set the groove on the Hammond B-3 supported by the tight band OGD.

(Wil Blades and special guest singers from New Orleans tore it up at the Boom Boom Room).

San Francisco Jewish Music Fest: Golem is a Joy

2008-03-29T19:50:00.001-04:00

Golem at the Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco California
March 26

The week I spent in San Francisco coincided with the city's annual Jewish music festival. One night, I hit small venue called the Rickshaw Stop to check out the New York-based band, Golem. Bozhe moi! They were fantastic!

The six-piece band comprise East European immigrants and their music is a joyful blend of klezmer and some alt-rock. Many of their songs are sung in Russian or Yiddish. Alternating between male and female vocalists, the instrumentation is largely what one expects from a klezmer group, complete with violin, accordion, and a trombone. One song was complete silly punk, sung in English, that sounded as though the Violent Femmes had a hand in it. Overall, their show heavily highlights the klezmer and the whole place danced frenetically throughout their set.

Their 2006 cd Fresh Off Boat is as fun and joyful as one of their shows.

The Name of the Band is...Cowboy Mouth!

2008-03-16T08:57:00.004-04:00

Cowboy Mouth @ the 9:30 Club, March 14

One cannot be an idle spectator at a Cowboy Mouth show; it's an experience, one that requires full audience participation. You leave partly exhausted and partly feeling like you can conquer the world. It's a swirl of positive energy, which is all that's left after you jump and scream out your angst.

Anyone who regularly attends concerts in this town, such as myself, might wonder if such participation could even happen here. The audience clapping and dancing? Here? Ah but you must or lead singer/drummer Fred LeBlanc will seek you out and explain the drill, as he did with one motionless girl in the balcony. Or, he might stand at his drumset, arms folded, and wait for the crowd to respond. Seeing an entire club let loose at a rock concert in DC is a thing of unexpected beauty.

This two-hour show had all the elements one expects from this band. Only song missing was the title track from their album, Voodoo Shoppe, a soulful tune that showcases their New Orleans roots. But on that note, the quartet did play a bit of "Going to New Orleans," a classic, in honor of Mardi Gras gone by and Jazz Fest coming up. They also threw in a couple songs from a forthcoming album that were well received.

While Cowboy Mouth will play first weekend of Fest this year, I'll be in New Orleans for the second weekend, which is the first weekend in May. I promise to take copious notes. Stay tuned!

My review of their 2007 show in DC is here.

A Jazzy Night with Stanley Jordan at Blues Alley

2008-03-06T12:26:00.004-05:00

About 15 years ago, a friend played me a recording of "Eleanor Rigby" done on guitar and I really enjoyed it. Then, he said, "That's one guy." Not possible, I thought. So the next time Stanley Jordan was in town, at Blues Alley, I had to go and see it with my own eyes. The amazing thing is, when you're watching him, live and in person, you still can't believe what you're seeing. The guy plays melody and bassline, and sometimes even harmony, with just his two hands. It's the craftiest guitar work you'll ever see.

It'd been quite a while since I'd seen him last so I hit his Blues Alley show last night. I sat in the front row and still had trouble believing what I was seeing. His fingers just flew across the frets and sent me into a wonderful trance. He turned classical into jazzy, as he slipped "I Got You Babe" into a Mozart concerto. And, with wit and candor, he narrated an improvisational piece, saying how it sounded to him like roaches eating cheese.

Jordan has a new album coming out in April. His recently release 13 Suite Improvisations is wonderful Sunday morning music.

How does he do it?!!!!

Nathan Angelo Plays Jammin' Java

2008-03-06T00:14:00.006-05:00

The talented Nathan Angelo played a great set at Jammin' Java.

Having been the opening act at Jammin' Java and Iota, this Atlanta-based musician finally gets a well-deserved headlining spot. Similar in style to Gavin DeGraw, Nathan Angelo played songs from his fine debut album and a couple of covers, including a gorgeous one of Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely?" He promises a new album is due out soon.

Opener Rob Blackledge from Nashville was entertaining, his intimate stories refreshing in this intimate club. Am sure we'll be hearing more from him as well.

Two Degrees of Separation from Bret Michaels

2008-03-01T17:25:00.004-05:00

I sat down with local guitarist Pete Evick a few weeks ago to interview him for On Tap. I immediately admitted that I grew up on Depeche Mode and was not familiar with the whole hair metal scene. Truth be told, the one time I was ever in Jaxx in Springfield was to see Tower of Power. Anyway, apparently, metal dudes hate the term "hair metal" and prefer just metal. So noted.

He then said, to my amusement, "So you're Euro trash and I'm white trash." And we were off in what became an amusing, often interesting, 2+ hour conversation. Evick is on tour with the Bret Michaels Band for the next couple months. How he came to play for the Poison frontman who is his musical hero is in my story, which appears in the March issue of On Tap. You can read it here.

Wilco at the 9:30 Club

2008-02-29T15:39:00.002-05:00

February 27, 2008

On the second night of two sold-out dates, the Chicago-based alt-country/rock band Wilco played 28 songs in a nearly two and a half hour set. Playing material that spanned their seven-album catalogue, including a few that singer Jeff Tweedy said he'd never played at the 9:30 before based on reviewing old setlists, Wilco sounded in top form.

They started out mellow for the first few songs, playing ballads, and then erupted into a jangling fusion of alt-rock, often letting their earlier country roots shine through. During one of two encores, they performed "California Stars," from one of two albums they recorded with Brit folk-rocker Billy Bragg in which they set their own music to Woody Guthrie lyrics.

The crowd was packed with die-hard fans, singing along throughout the show. It was a concert that simply reiterated why Wilco remains one of the best American bands out there today.

The show was recorded, and archived, on NPR, where you'll also find the full setlist.

Memorable Night of Indie at Rock and Roll Hotel

2008-02-27T15:24:00.002-05:00

St. Vincent w/ Foreign Born
February 26

Recommended Beverage:
Before the show, Belgian beers down the street

at Granville Moore's. Mmmmm.

Let’s start with the opener. So often people ask what kind of indie music I like and sometimes I cannot put it into words, but I could last night: “That!” The opening act, a Los Angeles-based band called Foreign Born, was exceptional. This quartet of lads had a sound that would make the Brits swoon. The vocalist sounded like Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, the Verve’s Richard Ashcroft, and the Killers’s Brandon Flowers all rolled into one. The drummer, concentrating so hard he looked somewhere between jetlagged and pissed off, hammered out some impressive beats. Just tight, excellent alt-indie rock. They’re touring in support of their first full-length album, On the Wing Now. Check these guys out!

Onto the headliner. Imagine, say, a blending of the Dresden Dolls and Bjork. St. Vincent’s lead gal, Annie Clark, is both stunning and a talented musician and vocalist. Formerly a guitarist for The Polyphonic Spree and a member of Sufjan Stevens’ touring band, this new project lets her shine up front.

Alternating between a regular microphone and occasional crooning into a vintage-sounding distortion mic, Clark created a creative, often jazzy sound. But she never strayed too far from rock and played some mean guitar, especially during her solo song. At this sold out show, (they’ve also sold out the Bowery in New York later this week and will play Coachella in April) all of the instrumentation was solid.

On St. Vincent's first full-length album, Marry Me, released last July, Clark sings and is a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, organ, vibes, Moog synth, bass, piano, and bells. At this show, when she introduced their song, “Marry Me,” a few guys in back called out “yes!” which is apparently a common occurrence at their shows.

An excellent night of music.