The National, Wellmont Theatre - September 24, 2010

I don't know how many times I can say it: Matt Berninger is the greatest frontman in contemporary rock music.

After seeing The National six times this year I almost go to their shows hoping I won't like something so I'll have a shot at writing a different review. Of course, all I'm left with after the fact is a brilliant show that doesn't need my words slobbering all over it. There are only so many times I can start these reviews with "I can't express how much I love The National..." or "The National are the greatest band on earth..." Some people might get the impression I'm a little obsessed. I am.

Before I get into my usual gushing, I have to say that I've been to two concerts since I saw The National perform and although both were great in their own ways, I couldn't muster the excitement I thought was necessary to appreciate either fully. The National has ruined me for any other band. I go to a show knowing that the singer is not going to completely encompass the lyrics of the songs and I know they're not going to come into the audience and sing into people's faces half inebriated and half embarrassed. Maybe it's strange that I love Matt Berninger more than anyone in the world or maybe it's just that he is incapable of disappointing me - and everyone else in the audience.

And it's not just Berninger. Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Scott and Bryan Devendorf, and the occassional Padma Newsome make this band the greatest around. Their artistry and musicianship is unmatched by any I've seen.

Friday at the Wellmont was no exception. I've never been a fan of this venue but The National made it sound better than ever. Berninger came out drunker than usual with the requisite wine bottle and immediately went into "Runaway" which had been more of a closing number in their summer tour. While 50% of the show was dedicated to songs off High Violet, the other half managed to have a couple surprises, mostly in the form of "Daugthers of the Soho Riots" and "Available" which are songs I've seen this year but not recently.

It's always extraordinary to see a song start off calm and collected and end in a beautiful shambles. Songs like "Afraid of Everyone" and "England" begin in nearly a whisper with simple lyrics that set the scene and by song's end the anthemic lines begin in repetition with Berninger screaming at the top of his lungs and falling into microphone stands, Aaron and Bryce closing their eyes intently playing guitar all the while. There is no other band that could pull off a line like "Your voice is swallowing my soul" nearly ten times in one song and practically bring the crowd to tears. I clutch my heart every time I hear it.

After an exquisite performance of "Fake Empire" to close the set, the encore started with "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks", a song I had a difficult time appreciating since the new album came out. I think the title is corny and since it's near the end of the record, I just dismissed it more than I should have. Hearing it live gives it an entirely new life. The beginning lines "Leave your home, Change your name. Live alone, eat your cake" are basically just Berninger a cappela and it kills me every time. Hearing his deep voice trying to hit the high notes and faltering just enough to sound authentically painful is incredible. He makes himself so vulnerable on stage that I can't imagine the entire audience not falling in love with him by the end. He feels the lyrics with every fiber of his being - or at least makes it appear that way. His charisma is otherworldly.

In true National fashion, the show ended with Matt climbing on speakers and falling into the audience with his trademark, larger than life microphone cord trailing behind him. It's impossible to explain how it feels to watch him perform unless you're there to experience it. There are a lot of great musicians out there but it takes something a long the lines of magic to be the best.

The National Setlist - 9/24/10

Runaway

Anyone's Ghost

Mistaken For Strangers

Bloodbuzz Ohio

Slow Show

Squalor Victoria

Afraid of Everyone

Available

Conversation 16

Apartment Story

Sorrow

Abel

Daughters of the SoHo Riots

England

Fake Empire

Encore:

Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks
Secret Meeting
Mr. November
Terrible Love

All photographs courtesy of me and my bozo camera.

The National, Terminal 5 - July 29, 2010

Since I've written a lot of reviews of The National over the past few months and there's still one more to come for the year, I'll do this review in a list format. Here are ten facts from The National's concert at Terminal 5 that seem most important:

01. Suckers, one of two opening bands, was phenomenal. They managed to be both entertaining and talented. Kurt Vile (other opening act) was the opposite.

02. Matt Berninger has never looked better. His outfit, consisting of fitted black jeans cuffed at the bottom, worn in black boots, tucked in button down shirt, vest, and black blazer, was utterly perfect. He is my choice for best dressed person in music today.

03. The concert was way too short. At around an hour and a half, the time element was disappointing and very unlike The National who usually give their audience at least 30 minutes more.

04. I'm not the biggest fan of Terminal 5, particuarly their strange routine of lining everyone up against the wall of the roof like cattle until the doors officially open for the show. I had never experienced that before and it made me feel sticky and stupid - not a good combination.

05. Bryan Devendorf is my favorite drummer. His t-shirt that read "The Ultimate is Here" is not a joke. He IS the ultimate. He adds so much to the caliber of The National that I can't imagine another drummer doing what he can. There's so much personality and unique performance style mixed in to his playing. He came out on stage early to set up his drums and people in the front row immediately started snapping pictures. When I see him, I know great things are about to happen.

06. The sophistication and elegance of a National concert is never lost on anyone. The hush that comes over the audience when Matt steps on stage never fails to amaze me. It's a magical feeling.

07. I was disappointed by the lack of "Daughters of the Soho Riots" and "About Today" which have become frequent in recent set lists. There were no surprises whatsoever. 

08. Although the band joked that it's the hardest song to perform, "Lemonworld" has never sounded better and gorgeous lemon/lime lighting only added to the eerie feeling of the song.

09. "Conversation 16" was the other highlight of the set for me and has seemingly become an anthem among crowds at recent shows. "Squalor Victoria" and "Mr. November" were also standouts in a louder fashion. Unfortunately no stage diving or running across bars for the drunken Mr. Berninger though.

10. Every concert The National puts on is destined to be great. This one was no exception. It wasn't the all time greatest but I'd see Matt Berninger perform in a McDonald's wearing a Ronald McDonald costume if it meant I got to hear these songs live. They can do no wrong.

                        

All photographs courtesty of ME.

A Concert in Pictures: John Mayer, PNC Bank Arts Center - August 3, 2010

The great Train, a headliner, in their own right, opened for Mayer with an incredible 50 minute set that completely blew every other John Mayer opener in previous years away. Train is the kind of commercial rock band that I wish I didn't like but they're irresistable..

...particularly because of frontman and songwriter Pat Monahan who is one of the best live singers I have ever heard. His voice gives me chills when I least expect it and although it's slightly difficult to get past his showy stage demeanor and strange Ed Hardy-ish style, his music and specifically unusual lyrical phrasing, really makes it worth it.

This is my third and final time seeing part of John Mayer's summer tour and while I didn't think he could get better than his Jones Beach concert on July 21, this topped it by far. Consistently Mayer surprised the audience with his candid honesty and silly behavior (trading bracelets with a girl in the audience and telling the crowd how much he loves to sleep alone).

Wearing a black headband, fully buttoned plaid shirt, and rolled up khaki pants, Mayer didn't necessarily look the part of a rock star guitarist but during the always astounding cover of Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine", his skills were front and center.

It's no surprise to anyone who has seen Mayer live before that he makes absurd faces.

And he looked a little high...

But managed to bring a new spin to every song he performed. Standouts included a gorgeous rendition of "I Don't Trust Myself (With Loving You)", "Clarity", and "Heartbreak Warfare".

For the underappreciated final track on "Battle Studies" entitled "Do You Know Me?", Mayer brought out the harmonica and teased the audience with a small sampling of the hit "Say" near the end.

Another classic Mayer technique: ending the show with some guitar playing on the ground. People go completely nuts and as you can see, run up to the stage and block my view. It's one of the most incredible things I've seen at a concert though. Anyone who says John Mayer is talentless has clearly not seen him play live.

Mayer's playfulness on stage definitely helps to make the audience feel a connection to him as not just a musician but a friend in some way. After seeing him over 30 times in the past nine years, I can tell you that his banter only enhances the concert experience.

More incredible guitar playing (if you're still unfamiliar with his style, check out the unbelievable "Gravity" as evidence of his genius).

John Mayer will probably be on tour for the next three months at least so make sure you check him out. Lawn seats are cheap!

John Mayer Setlist  - August 3, 2010

Chest Fever -> Bigger Than My Body

                                                                       No Such Thing

Clarity

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

Perfectly Lonely

Ain’t No Sunshine

Who Says

Waiting on the World to Change

War Of My Life

Gravity

Heartbreak Warfare

Do You Know Me

The Boys of Summer (w/ Patrick Monahan)

Half of My Heart

-encore-

Edge of Desire

All photographs courtesy of ME.

Somebody to Love: Suckers

You know how typically opening bands are pretty bad? Particularly before your favorite band comes on and you're waiting hours and hours through one horrible band after the next because nothing compares to them? Yeah, me too - until Suckers opened for The National at Spin Magazine's anniversary concert at Terminal 5 last Thursday.

The second I heard their first song I knew it was something I'd have to write about. This band (particularly after the sound difficulties of Kurt Vile) sounded not only technically good in a weird psychedelic way but really fun. Standing alone in a sea of shorter people, feeling uncomfortable and uneasy, they actually got me dancing. Before the show I had read a review of the band that called them a "Brooklyn version of The Beach Boys" or something to that effect so I was expecting something a little different than a dirty-looking-Robert Downey Jr.-in-his-drug-phase young man to come out with makeup on and a turquoise hat singing about "getting your body moving".

Everything from the set up of the band on stage (drums front and center) to the versatile looks of the band members were strange. From left to right it looked like a clean-cut, pin-thin David Bowie on guitar, a drugged out college freshman on drums, an Indian spaceman on lead vocals, and the math nerd next door on trumpet and other various instruments. These descriptions actually make it all sound a little too normal if you can imagine. I don't want to say this band is what I imagine rock 'n roll to be in the '60's but certainly in comparison to the bands I normally see in concert, they gave me a taste of something new.

Quinn Walker, lead vocalist and seemingly leader of the craziness, is fascinating. Watching him on stage was weird and stupid and just fun. I saw two cute girls in front of me giving each other faces over his strange physical antics at one point and figured this sums up the general consensus of the audience. What are we watching? I guess it's awesome. Are they faking? They didn't seem to be. Their quirks seemed authentic, particularly Walker's desire to act out every lyric of the songs as he sang. I've never seen such a thing but I guess I'm going to the wrong concerts.

As for a little background, Suckers is in fact a Brooklyn-based psychedelic-pop indie quintet that had their first EP produced by Yeasayer’s Anand Wilder and Chris Moore of TV on the Radio and Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame, which says much about the style of this band. They're wonderfully strange and although I've read bits of articles where they're predicted to be a "flavor of the week" or just a quick flash in the pan, I think there's something really interesting about their music and have little doubt that they're phenomenal musicians judging by their live performance. Walker's voice is particularly exceptional. Take a moment to check out Suckers.

Chicago & The Doobie Brothers - July 9, 2010 PNC Bank Arts Center

I have been seriously in love with Chicago keyboardist Robert Lamm since I was 3 years old. I know he's 500 years old (66 this year to be exact) but the thrill of seeing him live has never waned. His voice and appearance are just as delectable as when he was 25 (not that I was alive but I've seen enough video to know these things). Seeing Chicago every summer has been a family tradition for over 20 years in my household and although there have been some changes that need to be mentioned, the concert still goes on and continues to sound pretty fantastic for a bunch of senior citizens.

The biggest surprise this year came in the form of musician Lou Pardini who as of last year replaced 30 year veteran of the band Bill Champlin, best known for bringing the band's biggest ever surge of soul and making the Peter Cetera/Jason Scheff executive change a little smoother. Since the band chose to open with Pardini singing "Make Me Smile" it was a little jarring to accept this new person. It seemed at first like he didn't belong. Standing behind the keyboard usually designated to Champlin, I just couldn't get used to him for at least the first 10 songs. By song 11, I loved him. Yeah, he's not the Bill Champlin who was far and away one of the most talented and loved members of the band but he brings that added jazz necessary to keep up the stamina of one of the longest running pop music bands in the world. After seeing a band 15 or so times and knowing all the tricks and medleys up their sleeves, it's kind of exciting to see someone new up there and have the wonder once again of what the song will sound like. Sadly, it's at the expense of someone who should not have left.

Beyond the Champlin controversy, a very unwelcome addition to the show was a Walter Parazaider imposter that not only jumbled the flute solo on "Colour My World" but just didn't seem to fit in. He looked confused on stage and while he appeared aesthetically like Parazaider, the founder of Chicago, it was offputting to see anyone else play the sax/flute. Luckily, the rest of the horn section was intact with James Pankow looking sharp as usual and Lee Loughnane taking the vocals on "Colour My World", a song occasionally sung by Lamm or Champlin since the death of original singer Terry Kath in the '70's.

Jason Scheff, a man who I used to consider the lead singer of Chicago (mostly because he was the Cetera replacement), was also pretty off last night. I love him wholeheartedy but I wouldn't be surprised if he was an alcoholic. His frantic movements and fragmented singing was driving me crazy throughout the entire concert. It almost sounded like a parody of Peter Cetera. This is all rather unfortunate too since in recent years I have grown particularly fond of his versions of the Chicago songs I used to only like with Cetera. While at 48, he is one of the younger members of the band, his voice seems to be falling flatter than the ones pushing 70. Of course Scheff has been singing these songs since he was 23 years old and without much variation in Chicago's repitoire, despite them having over 30 studio albums, I can see why he'd be bored.

Keith Howland and Tris Imboden, both impressive musicians and later members of the band, were flawless and their solos were some of the best parts of the evening. Not to be outdone was the true leader of the band, Mr. Lamm, who spoke to the crowd at one point as if he was a professor, directing them to websites and explaining the band's recent involvement with breast cancer research. While it may have been a little cheesy, I actually enjoyed the bits of conversation between songs. I think of the band members as imaginary family at this point so it's interesting to see glimpses into their personalities. When I was a kid I remember being a little miffed that we would see them live so many times all over the state and yet we'd never stay after the show to meet them. My aunt and cousin had Chicago pen pals and were fevered members of the official fan club yet never a handshake? I didn't understand.

The ultimate highlight for me was Robert Lamm strapping on his acoustic guitar and coming center stage as he's been doing for decades to sing my all time favorite song "Beginnings". In a fitted pink t-shirt, dark denim, and white shoes, Lamm with his tan and fluffy hair doesn't look a day over 50 and he can still pull off the sexy, mysterious vibe the song needs. He's old enough to be my grandfather but I'd gladly date him in a second (see: inside cover photo on "Hot Streets"). I was then left waiting until the encore for "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is" but naturally, well worth the wait. They brought The Doobie Brothers on stage for a back and forth song swap thing and with probably 25 of the best live musicians on stage, the songs sounded unbelievable. The Doobie Brothers' hit "Listen to the Music" probably stole the show more than any other but inevitably the concert ended with Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4", a Lamm penned, Scheff sung finale classic.

Flaws aside, I loved the show and secretly hated everyone who refused to stand up when Chicago came on stage. It is sacrilege to me to sit at a rock concert. You pay for the seat but you stand to show respect and dance. If you feel embarrassed, that's what the alcohol is for. Unfortunately, I even saw one woman scold a group of younger folks for standing up against the rail in front of her - on the lawn! Later, when two older ladies started dancing in front of me blocking my entire view of the stage, I couldn't help but fall in love with them. Dance! Dance your troubles away! That's what a concert is for, it's supposed to be the exact opposite of death - and most likely why the members of Chicago manage to look younger than me. I need their moisturizer.

Favorite Moments: "Beginnings", "Call on Me", Lamm busting out the keytar for "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is?"

This is some great footage I found online of recent Chicago concerts. None from this concert but it nevertheless gives the vibe I'm talking about:

All photographs located on Chicago's official fan club website

Adam Lambert - June 5, 2010, Starland Ballroom

This comes rather late but I just wanted to mention the wonderful concert I was lucky enough to attend at Starland Ballroom earlier in the month. As one of the fastest sellouts in Starland history, Adam Lambert managed to live up to most of the hype and deliver a vocally phenomenal performance.

While I'm not the biggest fan of his songs individually, his voice makes up for anything the music itself may lack - and the fans! For an artist that has only been around a little more than a year, these people are pretty obsessed. While most of the crowd was females of every race, creed, and age you can imagine, the standouts to me were the young men (and even some older) dressed in Adam's trademark black eyeliner and spikey hair. These people made the night for me. Many ladies dressed for Adam as well with feathers, chains, shiny black materials, and any other synthetic fabrics out there. I'll admit that I did a little Glambertification as well. Wearing torn black tights, a brightly colored skulll t-shirt (that happened to be THE NATIONAL band shirt I picked up at a concert the night before), and black ankle boots, I was definitely trying to get in on the action.

Of course no one beat the original. Lambert looked stunning in the Cher-Lady Gaga-Rihanna sort of way. His outfits were so magnificent and arena worthy that they actually looked absurd in such a small club. With a gigantic feather in his Tom Petty-sized hat and a gorgeous jacket that I was too far back to get a good look at, he emerged at the end of a pre-recorded version of "For Your Entertainment". I will say that the beginning of the show was really odd for me. The lights went down and a random bunch of photographs of him in various glam settings came on to the screen and people started screaming like he was Mick Jagger - or more appropriately Britney Spears. The whole thing was a little too worship-like for me but then again some of these people had been waiting for 12 hours for him to get on the stage so I can understand their over-excitement (seriously, Starland had to post a warning on their site that no one would be allowed to wait over night in their parking lot and they turned their first person away over 24 hours before the show began - this is a standing room only, general admission venue after all).

I'm not an expert on the album but I'm pretty sure he did every single track off it along with an Egyptian version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" (as some of you will remember from American Idol - Country Week was it? HAHA) and the wonderous Tears For Fears "Mad World". That obviously brought the house down. My absolute favorite of the night was an acoustic version of "Aftermath", a song I long forgot off the album that sounded ten times better live. Lambert's voice is a force to be reckoned with. Something that is not such a force is the strange dancing that goes on within the show. He has four dancers behind him and he also manages to get in quite a bit of choreographed dancing during the performance. It's not that it's bad, on the contrary the professional dancers are excellent at their craft, but after seeing him master Led Zeppelin on television, it's difficult to get into the zone of Pink-esque pop music that he is really a part of. I wish he would've gotten a little more rock but he was certainly trying to cater to every audience he has garnered since the American Idol days. He literally glamified every major genre, changed costumes at least four times, and sang in so many different styles that I couldn't keep track. He is trying in a big way. I can't wait to see where he is in five years.

Also, I must say, Adam Lambert is a great personality to be with for a little over an hour. His rapport with the audience was so easy, it was almost as if he was friends with everyone in the venue. He's articulate, funny, and rather witty - one of those people you can instantly tell is intelligent and has a sense of self. This was only his second stop on his first ever concert tour and he really did a fine job.

Adam Lambert - June 5, 2010 - Starland Ballroom Setlist

Voodoo

Down The Rabbit Hole

Ring of Fire

Fever

Sleep Walker

Whataya Want From Me

Soaked

Aftermath

Sure Fire Winners

Strut

Music Again

Broken Open

If I Had You

Encore:

Mad World

This is my favorite kind of video. Just found this on Youtube and although it's not the greatest sound quality, it gives you that 'concert feeling'. The wonderful excitement of the crowd cheering and singing along with every word. Watch and enjoy. "Aftermath" is a great song.

Photos courtesy of myself and my ridiculous camera.

The National, Electric Factory - June 4, 2010

Since I've already over indulged in the last post about The National, I will keep this to a minimum. Friday, June 4th was my second time seeing this band at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA. It's an okay place filled with an okay staff and an okay sound system. What made this evening special of course was The National themselves. After waiting two hours for doors to open, my comrades and I were lucky enough to secure front row center spots and wait another two hours (or maybe even longer) for The National to finally hit the stage. I do not want to be the one to say this but opening act The Antlers left much to be desired. I was extremely unfulfilled in a way that almost soured the first few minutes of The National's set. I can't understand why a song that has no emotional gravity must be over 10 minutes long. That is probably 7 1/2 minutes too many. Some of these songs might actually be really decent if it weren't for the fact that many sounded the same to me (possibly because of the sound quality of the venue) and the length drove me crazy. On a positive note, I know this band has a pretty good following and a lot of people with great taste have told me multiple times that this is a band to check out so I'm not writing them completely off just yet - and really - is it fair to judge anyone on the same night as The National?

The wait was well worth it once they hit the stage. With the trademark blazer on his back and wine glass in his hand, Matt Berninger made this another concert for the books. The packed crowd was treated to the classics "About Today", "Cherry Tree", and one of my personal favorites, "Baby, We'll Be Fine". To say that this was a phenomenal setlist is an understatement. Hearing some of these songs for the first time live was an absolute treat and well worth braving the weirdos in Philadelphia yelling at you to park your car in abandoned areas for $10 and your hat.

Since I was standing a little further off to the side, I had the pleasure of being directly in front of Bryce Dessner most of the night and it was the first time I was able to see firsthand how incredible this man is at his craft. The unbelievable intensity he has while playing is not only fascinating to see but technically perfect. And this can truly be said about any member of the band. Every individual is so talented and professional that it is genuinely astonishing. There is so much detail and texture in every note that I am continuously blown away by the cumulative power of it all. There is not a single portion of a National show that I walk away being disappointed by. No matter what night you catch them, it is obvious that they are putting their entire heart and soul into the actions.

Thankfully, we were able to capture some of the best shots of the band that I have ever had the fortune of getting which display their emotional intensity pretty well. Although this was a bit of a somber night in terms of catching any wonderfully crazy antics from Mr. Berninger, it was special in other ways. There was a spontaneous authenticity that brought electricity to the room.

And not just because it was the "Electric" Factory. (haha?)

The National Setlist - Electric Factory, June 4, 2010

Mistaken For Strangers

Anyone's Ghost

Bloodbuzz Ohio

Baby We'll Be Fine

Slow Show

Squalor Victoria

Afraid of Everyone

Little Faith

Racing Like A Pro

Conversation 16

Apartment Story

Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks

Abel

Cherry Tree

England

Fake Empire

Mr. November

Encore:

Runaway

Sorrow

Terrible Love

About Today

The National, Radio City Music Hall - June 16, 2010

I have no choice but to start this entry from my phone on the bus home from Radio City Music Hall. The concert I just experienced was probably the best of my life. I am slightly dumbstruck right now by what I just witnessed but there must be a way to sum it up.

The first time I saw The National was Hammerstein Ballroom for a New York Magazine party I had heard about a few weeks earlier. I was already beginning to fall in love with this band and was starting the still neverending saga of nonstop listening but as with any relationship, I didn't know how long it was going to last. I've seen hundreds of bands in my short span on earth and some have been great - others are okay. You never know. So much depends on the personality of the musicians themselves, not just the songs.

Matt Berninger changed my way of thinking about concerts. I work at a music venue, I see different kinds of artists make different kinds of splashes in their own way every other night. Never had I seen a vocalist so involved with what he was saying. His emotional experience on stage made the experience for the people off of it exuberant. I was taken back and it took me a while after the show was over to understand my feelings. This wasn't idol worship at a Tom Petty concert or oogling James Mercer and his cutesy humming at a Shins show. This was something so real that it was practically tangible. I was hooked after that one performance. Yeah, Matt Berninger is not the first frontman to throw an alcoholic beverage at the back of the stage or break a microphone stand but I've come to learn that every night those moments come from a place I can't even understand. My words, as usual, are probably a waste trying to explain something that you have to see to understand. Berninger's intensity on stage is so incredibly powerful that it takes over the focus of the room. And amazingly, it is not just in the crazy moments of wine glass flinging and crowd surfing, it is in the quiet moments when it is just his deep baritone voice and a single spotlight that the exceptional power comes out.

That was particularly the case tonight at Radio City. Performing the fan favorite and long missing song in so many sets of late, "Daughters of the Soho Riots" stood out like a bright green peacock in the middle of this stunning venue. The sound of Berninger's voice was simply the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. I am not afraid to tell you that I cried at Carnegie Hall last year when another stunning ballad "Runaway" was still being called "Karamozov" in its early stages. I was surprised by the instantaneous feeling it gave me. That kind of rush of emotions over a song didn't seem right. I don't typically cry over the emotional depth of a song but once again tonight I was struck with the same feeling. It is not even my favorite National song but there are few perfect matches as Matt Berninger and "Runaway". He was meant to sing those words. Radio City was given a planetarium-like makeover with spinning starryesque lights chasing one another throughout the audience and the moment was awe-inspiring.

"Conversation 16", my current favorite off the new album High Violet, finally got the justice it deserved as well. Maybe it was the backdrop of one of the most famous venues in the world or the lighting that served the song perfectly but, well, let me just set the stage for you: Berninger opens with saying the song is about cannibalism, someone (I think it was Aaron Dessner) says, "this song is just weird", then lights go down, they go through the verses and the light shines on Berninger as he sings, "I was afraid I'd eat your brains" - then lights go red and the explosion of "'cause I'm-m-m evil". This segueing directly into one of my favorite lines on the entire album:

"I'm a confident liar, had my head in the oven so you'd know where I'd be, I try to be more romantic, I want to believe in everything you believe."

Later on, the brilliant, sexy, and vaguely dark "Lemonworld" was an incredible addition to the encore (that no matter what could not be long enough). And of course, the masterpiece of the evening - like any good National evening - "Mr. November". Where to begin! I have probably seen this song live ten times and never was it as good as the Radio City version. It was the kind of performance that should go down in history. Imagine, a bearded man in a smart, sophisticated suit holding the longest microphone wire you have ever seen scaling the walls of a music hall - literally climbing the edges of the walls to reach the mezzanine and then walking through the entire front row of the mezzanine, falling along the way on audience members, then walking back to the stage in the opposite direction with the wire going over the entire length of the orchestra section. Barely missing a word, not breaking anything, and getting safely back on stage. I wish I had a photograph of the faces with jaws open and eyes wide staring and smiling in disbelief at the greatest frontman in rock music. There is no one that even comes close to Matt Berninger. I try to refrain from saying such grandiose statements that might seem embarrassing but I firmly believe this.

The show ended with the best version of "Terrible Love" I have heard and somewhere in between this lucky audience also got to hear "Available" off the older but equally magnificent album Sad Songs for Dirty Lovers, "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks", another new song I never appreciated enough until last night, and "Abel", jokingly referenced as a quiet song, among others.

Every time I write about The National I tell myself that I will contain the gushing to maybe one sentence. I will try to be objective and think from a "music journalist's" perspective. Luckily, I have no idea how to do that so I can only be honest. I can only suggest that you get on Youtube immediately and find some footage of this unbelievable concert. I will also say that it was not just The National that helped to make this one of the best sounding events I've witnessed - the quality and precision at Radio City Music Hall is haunting. The technical beauty of this place is indescribable. I've never been more excited at a concert and I wonder if I ever will.

The National - Radio City Music Hall Setlist - June 16, 2010

Mistaken for Strangers
Anyone's Ghost
Bloodbuzz Ohio
Brainy
Secret Meeting
Slow Show
Squalor Victoria
Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks (with St. Vincent)
Afraid of Everyone (with Sufjan Stevens)
Little Faith
Available
Conversation 16
Apartment Story
Abel
Daughters Of The Soho Riots
England
Fake Empire

Encore:
Runaway
Lemonworld
Mr. November
Terrible Love

 
Photograph from my collection - Electric Factory, June 4, 2010 (review and more photos still to come)

Fitz & the Tantrums - May 28, 2010

I had the privledge of seeing Fitz & the Tantrums last Friday night at the Mercury Lounge, a band I've written about before here. Fitz and his Tantrums has been one of the few musical acts in the past couple years that I became genuinely excited about within an instant of listening to them. I originally found them on iTunes while looking up similar acts to Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and upon listening to Fitz, their sound immediately hit me as the exact kind of soul revival sound that I'm always talking about here on Music Mavens.

On their studio EP, Songs For a Break-Up - Vol. 1, they have an authentic quality to their retro sound that makes me actually believe them as opposed to some other wannabe soul revitalists that have hit the airwaves as of late. Live, this band takes that a step further and brings a fun vibe to their music that is missing in a lot of modern concert atmospheres. It's not just a concert but an interactive event. Songs like "Winds of Change" and my personal favorite "Don't Gotta Work it Out" brought people of all ages down to the ground, up to the sky, and got them shaking their derrieres all over the place.

And while it may seem that Fitz is the lead vocalist of this band (he's got some moves!), co-singer Noelle Scaggs manages to steal the spotlight more than a few times within the concert with her high octane dancing and gorgeous vocal stylings that were not only impressive but surprising - I didn't recall her having such a large part on the record. Similarly, drummer John Wicks and bass player Ethan Phillips, stood out significantly to me throughout the show and that alone is a testament of a good band dynamic.

Although I didn't come in anticipating such a high energy, almost event-like spectacle, it was one of the most interesting concert experiences I've ever had. Seeing an entire floor of twentysomethings and beyond, probably most tipsy, obeying every word of a musician - no matter how silly (ex. "It's been a long week, go crazy!") - is usually unheard of yet Fitz & the Tantrums have already mastered the art of audience/musician interaction. They're hitting that line right between fun and cheesy but in a way that manages to stay classy. Fitz and the gang's excellent choice of smart suits don't hurt either.

A lot of credit has to go to a band that doesn't even have a full length album out yet they get a crowd going wild as if they know the words to every song - even though they've probably never heard most of them in their life.

Check out their website here. Very cool cats. Wish I had the setlist.


Photo courtesy of Fitz & the Tantrums Myspace

Julian Casablancas - March 30, 2010

On Tuesday I was finally able to attend a concert at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ, one of the best venues in the country.

My friend and I arrived with high hopes for the solo ventures of Mr. Casablancas, considering the brillance of The Strokes, his former/current band.

Unfortunately there was much left to be desired.

I'm a huge Strokes fan and immediately appreciated the singer's foray into unknown territory with his new music. Casablancas debut solo album, "Phrazes for the Young", clocks in at only eight official tracks, and while they're long enough for each to be cut in two and have double the songs, it's blantantly obvious that it's pretty short for a full length debut.

It's also obvious that this is not The Strokes Part II. Casablancas has his own synthetic sound that barely resembles anything on "Is This It" or even "First Impressions on Earth". Yet this is a difficult animal to tie down: although the recorded versions have more in common with Passion Pit, the live versions definitely bare more resemblance to the frontman's prior musical exploits - but not enough to satisfy an already meager audience.

I'd estimate there were about 500 or so in Tuesday's crowd that were dying for a little Strokes fix and receiving nothing in return (save for the one return of "Hard to Explain"). And it is 'hard to explain': people were yelling out "sing The Strokes" and a stranger standing next to me asked if I thought there would be any more in the set list. I responded "no" yet secretly hoped I was wrong. Why would we all be there supporting a solo artist's new material if all we were hoping for was more of the old?

Of course that's assuming the majority were like my stranger friend and me which hopefully was not the case. And this is not to say Mr. Casablancas was bad, in fact his voice sounded pretty great and he definitely puts on a good rock and roll show with his requisite black leather jacket and drink in his hand. The crowd and band were particularly on during the fantastic single "11th Dimension" which was the highlight of the night for me - and felt the most like he was fully succeeding alone.

Casablancas finished the night with the Saturday Night Live cult hit "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" and called it his "curse and blessing" to sing it every night, even out of season. That song seemed to get the crowd going more than any other but it wasn't enough to blow my mind. At only around 50 minutes, the concert was too short and I heard several people say that they wanted more - but what could be expected? Casablancas played almost the entirety of his album along with several "b-sides" (aka bonus tracks on iTunes) and a couple other random tunes to make his 12 song set as diverse as it could get considering the circumstances.

While The Strokes were a phenomenal band that I miss greatly, it's admirable to take a stand alone and make something different so I am respectful of that. It's just a little sad to see magic slip through the cracks.

SETLIST
Ludlow St.
River of Brakelights
Out of the Blue
new song
11th Dimension
Hard To Explain (The Strokes cover)
I'll Try Anything Once
Left & Right In the Dark
Glass
30 Minute Boyfriend

Encore:
4 Chords of the Apocalypse
I Wish It Was Christmas Today

John Mayer, February 25 - 26, 2010 & Mayer Hawthorne, March 4, 2010 (Also Why I Haven't Posted)

***I Will Be Adding Photographs VERY soon***

I know my posts have been sporadic in the past couple months and I'd be surprised if anyone was reading anymore but I do have reasons.

Lately, with one of my closest friends in the hospital and a lot of people relying on me it has become another job. I work, go to school full time, and now spend three hours a day, four to five days a week at a head trauma rehabilitation center. There is no place I would rather be than with my friend who means the world to me but that added responsibility means less time for other friends and certainly less time to write about seeing Mayer Hawthorne or John Mayer in concert.

I missed the great opportunity to explain to my few readers the immense excitement I had to contain seeing John Mayer two nights in a row at Madison Square Garden and on the second night sitting next to the one and only Ms. Stacy London of What Not to Wear fame. I almost flipped out and managed to contain myself in the opposite direction so well that I didn't even say a single word to her. I left the oogling to my eyes alone.

John Mayer was fabulous.

I did my usual JM routine and on the night of the second performance waited over five hours in the MSG box office lobby for a front row seat and while I wasn't able to snag orchestra, I actually got the second best thing and sat stage left, third row (where the Stacy Sighting occurred).

Although I was certainly happy beyond all reason to get a seat that second night at the small fee of $90 (note the sarcasm), the first night's concert was far superior in terms of song selection and overall excitement from both audience and musicians. There's just something about that opening night at Madison Square Garden that must grab a musician in a different way than the second night.

Of course the second nighters did get a wonderful, acoustic rendition of the rare gem "Comfortable" that has become a fan favorite over the past few years and is scarcely added to a live set list.

"Assassin", which I had never heard live, was well worth the wait. This song is like nothing else in the John Mayer Songbook and the live performance was an absolute stand out, a near spectacle, and one of the only times that Mayer removed his guitar for a small portion of time to get some emotion going with the lyrical content.

Naturally - and I mean that literally - John Mayer has always had emotion and soul, that is one of his most formidable traits.

Beyond that, I should mention a few words about seeing Mr. Mayer Hawthorne at Webster Hall, a music venue I have absolutely despised since seeing The Felice Brothers there when I had an ulcer in my right eye.

Webster Hall may have a decent reputation but I don't know where it came from. The place is a piece of junk, in the least endearing way possible, and I don't know a trashy elephant this side of the Hudson River who would call the place a favorite. As someone who works at a music venue, I at least have an inkling about what it takes to maintain an atmosphere like that and the management at Webster Hall know little about it. I'm consistently disappointed with the arrogant staff and the unprofessional way patrons are treated if they God Forbid! step outside the lines.

Despite my dismay for the venue, Mayer Hawthorne put on a lively enough show and although I was surprised by his unusually excessive display of rap stylings during what I thought would be a '60's throwback show ala Raphael Saadiq, I really did fall in love with him as a person by the end. I had heard rumblings through music blogs and reviews of his album, A Strange Arrangement, that his singing didn't live up to his songwriting but I beg to differ. His singing was so strong that I figured it had to a product of him being on the road for the past few months. On the contrary, New York City was his first stop on a nationwide tour that is in full gear as we speak.

Mayer Hawthorne and his gorgeous, catchy sound is definitely one of the many, many reasons I'm beginning to believe that R&B/soul music is my favorite genre. I'm not quick to make a distinction like that but I am consistently drawn to contemporary musicians like Hawthorne, Saadiq, John Legend, Amy Winehouse, and a slew of others that harken back to that '60's sound of Motown with horns, drumbeats, and hand clapping all thrown into the mix. I love the hand clapping.

Tomorrow I'm seeing Julian Casablancas at what I would like to consider the opposite of Webster Hall, Sayreville, N.J.'s own Starland Ballroom, a venue I hold dear to my heart and the place I enjoyed Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings a few months ago (once again, the same type of soul sound that I'm in love with). Either tomorrow or Wednesday, I'm also planning a post about a new-ish band I found with a similar retro take on soul that through the kindness of iTunes I now enjoy on my iPod almost everyday.

So I guess that brings everything up to speed on the concert front.

To anyone wanting to hear what perfection sounds like, I'd like to bring your attention to a little website called www.americanmary.com, the official site of The National where they are generously giving out a song - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" - from their latest album "High Violet" being released in May.

I am telling you - The National is the best band in the world.

My View of John Mayer

I don't know where to begin..

On November 17, 2009, I was lucky enough to be in the third row at John Mayer's record release show in New York City taped live for the Fuse network. I went alone, prepared to spend the entire evening with just a drink and John (him on stage, me in my seat). I love going to concerts with other people but John Mayer is a religious experience for me, regardless of how embarrassing that may sound. Going alone usually turns out to be the best route - not to mention of course that I'm the only person I know who would spend $100 a ticket on him.

This specific evening was particularly worth it though. Even if you don't care for John Mayer, imagine your favorite musician inches away from you singing your favorite songs and spicing it all up with silly anecdotes to amuse the crowd that you just happen to be a part of. The whole experience is insanely dizzying and immensely gratifying.

At the time I meant to write a review of how excellent the concert was and how unusual the feeling of watching cameramen circling around with huge cameras in your face is in the middle of a live performance but somehow it never came into fruition. As I was looking back on draft entries though, these photographs stood out to me and I wanted to put them out there regardless of the lack of a review. It's rare that I get the opportunity to take the photographs myself and I didn't want to miss out on showing them to you. These were taken with one of those flimsy Nikon "coolpix" cameras and then slightly edited with the basic built-in computer system (I'm obviously not a digital expert) but I keep imagining how incredible they would've been if I had a better camera. Luckily, Mr. Mayer has a way of making anything look good.

I'm incredibly thrilled to report that I'll be seeing him again in February so hopefully I'll manage a great review to make up for whatever this is.

I hope you like the pictures and feel free to steal them! It would make me feel important as I usually only steal the good ones. Also, check out the great video footage of the Beacon show below (courtesy of Fuse).