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January 31, 2007
Peter Bjorn and John @ Bowery Ballroom
Yes, I went three nights in a row (I shouldn't have). I'm writing a full review, but in the meantime I thought I'd put up this placeholder in case the disappointed feel like commenting (they certainly commented to me in person on the way out). Full depressing post coming soon. (of course positive comments are welcome as well)
update: based on the postive comments so far (they're so rare!), I obviously overreacted (initially called it a "complete disaster"). I'm still writing up my honest thoughts, but in the meantime I made this intial post a lot less harsh because a lot of my "disaster" reaction was based on what I thought was universal....
....I was also standing all the way in the back for this one - back where people were talking non-stop - from the first song to the last, and back where I could see each person leave early until it got to a point during the encore where the 600-person-over-capcity room was literally only half full. And what seemed like hilarious, cute and endering stage antics by the band the previous nights, seemed only to bore and infuriate people in this larger, tougher venue. who knows...
----
morning update: I'm not bashing the band. I know they're great, but from where I was standing it seemed like an awkward situation that kept getting worse as the band fed off the people that weren't into it. Monday night's best quote from the band was about NYC crowds being more receptive than they were warned about. The best quote at this show was something like "C'mon, Bowery Ballroom can certainly do a better job than Mercury Lounge?!" (actual quote may vary)
More:
* NY Times loves Mercury Lounge show too
* Pitchfork interviews PB&J
* another Union Hall review @ Stereogum
* The Conan O'Brien video
Posted in music | pictures at 12:39 AM | Comments (143)
January 30, 2007
Peter Bjorn and John @ Mercury Lounge, NYC | pics
For a great review of Sunday's Union Hall show, and to understand a little more about how Peter Bjorn and John rock (and don't just whistle), check out Sound Bites (MP3s included).
Monday night (January 29, 2007) - I sold my ticket to Paul Weller for $200 (just kidding), and headed over to see Peter Bjorn and John play their "first show on the Lower East Side" at Mercury Lounge in NYC.
I couldn't resist going two nights in a row, even though I didn't really feel like it. I didn't want to ruin Sunday night's memory and didn't really feel like commuting in the cold, but I made it, and as soon as PB&J played their first note - all pain (mental and physical) went away. And it didn't return until at least the time I stepped on to the cold subway platform some time around 12:30 am to return home post-show. That's how you know you saw a good show - it takes the pain away. And once again PB&J proved they were both funny, and know how to play a show better than 99% of the bands I go to see (no offense other bands - I still love you).
And this time we got Victoria Bergsman:
And for one song (Young Folks), the place went wild - wilder than we were going already - which is saying a lot (especially for Mercury Lounge in NYC). The quote of the year came when Peter said (something like) "They told me NYC crowds were too cool to sing along. They were wrong." (actual quote may vary).
It was actually the second time the five of them (Peter, Bjorn, John, Victoria, and Lars the best bongo player in Sweden) played "Young Folks" together that day - the first was on Conan O'Brien that afternoon. (Did you see it?). They told us it was why they missed sound check.
Anyway, GREAT show again. nuff said. Bowery Ballroom tonight (then Cake Shop) - then off to LA. More pics below...
Previously
Peter Bjorn & John @ Union Hall, Brooklyn, NYC | pics
Posted in music | pictures at 5:14 AM | Comments (46)
January 29, 2007
Shout Out Out Out touring w/ 120 Days - NYC, SXSW -- and finally some CMJ pics
DOWNLOAD: Shout Out Out Out - Nobody Calls Unless They Want Something (MP3) (more @ MySpace)
Canada's Shout Out Out Out Out (not to be confused with the Shout Out Louds) were one of the buzz bands to come out of CMJ last year. Reminiscent of bands like !!! and their broken-up brother Outhud, Shout out (chk) out (chk) out (chk) out-hud play instruments with the goal of making people dance. Pitchfork doesn't like them, but Canada does.
I only caught the second half of their CMJ set downstairs in the basement of Lit on the final night of CMJ - it was right around the time my legs were completely giving out. The whole place was dancing and going nuts (which made it easy for me to dance over and take a few shots before collapsing for the night).
Shout Out Out Out and Norway's 120 Days (Vice) are touring together. They play Southpaw in Brooklyn on March 9th, Mercury Lounge on March 10th, and then SXSW after Philly and Houston. All tour dates, and more pics, below....
Shout Out Out Out & 120 Days | Tour Dates
Thu 03/01/07 Ottawa, ON Zaphod Beeblebrox
Fri 03/02/07 Montreal, QC Mile End Cultural Centre
Sat 03/03/07 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace
Sun 03/04/07 Hamilton, ON The Casbah
Tue 03/06/07 London, ON Call The Office
Wed 03/07/07 Waterloo, ON Starlight Social Club
Fri 03/09/07 Brooklyn, NY Southpaw
Sat 03/10/07 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Sun 03/11/07 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
Tue 03/13/07 Houston, TX The Mink
then SXSW
The above photos were taken at Lit in NYC on November 4, 2006. Before Shout Out Out Out, I was over at Midway checking out Van She.
Posted in CMJ | MP3 | SXSW | music | pictures | tour dates at 5:22 PM | Comments (5)
Peter Bjorn & John @ Union Hall, Brooklyn, NYC | pics
DOWNLOAD: Peter Bjorn and John - Young Folks (MP3)
Wow.....
Peter Bjorn and John played a last-minute "secret show" at Union Hall in Brooklyn Sunday night (January 28th). The show was set up so the band could practice a bit with their new American sound engineer and tour manager before playing their scheduled serious shows at Mercury Lounge and Bowery Ballroom on Monday and Tuesday. Press was not invited. Tickets were only sold to 50-or-so people who pre-ordered their CD at Other Music on Friday and Saturday. The other 50 tickets (capacity of about 100 there?) went to who-knows-who.
I wanted to go, but figured I'd never make it to Other Music in time on Friday (January 26) to get a ticket.
Instead I headed over to Sidewalk Cafe to catch the all-star anti-folk lineup of Paleface, Kimya Dawson and Jeffrey Lewis. How stupid I was to think that getting to Sidewalk Cafe ten minutes after Paleface's scheduled 8:00 pm start time would be early enough to get in - Sidewalk was PACKED, and at capacity. Nobody else was getting in. Bummed (and thinking I should have chosen Ted Leo or M Ward instead), I left and decided to take my chances at Other Music - they stay open until 9:00 on Fridays. Long story shorter, they still had tickets! I still would have loved to have seen that Kimya show, but scoring the PB&J ticket was just as sweet.
The Sunday night Brooklyn show, which also ended up being the Swedish trio's first-ever U.S. performance, kicked off around 10:30 pm and ended about 11:45. Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter's weekly comedy show happened in the same room from 7:30 - 9:30. I'm pretty sure Eugene stayed for PB&J too. Carl Newman of the New Pornographers was also present, but ex-Concretes vocalist Victoria Bergsman was not - actually it's possible she was there, but she didn't join them on vocals when they played their hit single "Young Folks" (mp3 above). She will be joining them on their remaining U.S dates though - and I'm sure she'll be a bonus even though Peter definitely did just fine without her at Union Hall (he was aided by a Swedish friend on the bongos instead & too).
In fact, Peter, Bjorn and John ALL did just fine all night - more than fine - AMAZINGLY FINE (legendary fine?? - it felt that way)...they ROCK even --> definitely the best show I remember seeing in a long time, and one I won't forget any time soon.
Two more NYC shows to go (+ Conan then LA + the Cake Shop thing).
Previously
the ACTUAL secret Peter Bjorn & John secret show
Peter Bjorn and John sign to "Almost Gold Recordings" for U.S. release
Peter Bjorn & John playing 2 nights in NYC!
My 40 favorite albums of 2006 & then some
Peter Bjorn and John - Best New Music
Posted in MP3 | music | pictures at 3:26 AM | Comments (28)