Kirstiecat

4/26/08
Schubas Tavern in Chicago

Of course, everyone knows of the world famous Peter Morén of Sweden’s Peter, Bjorn, and John but what they don’t know is that he may just be the main man behind all those glorious pop songs and, if isolated from his other two bandmates, he has the capability to put on a swell show full of not only his own songs but songs from PB&J and fun covers to boot. He’s clearly not going to disappoint anyone who sees him on this tour.

The night began with Tobias Fröberg, a fellow musician friend of Peter’s who is also from Sweden. Tobias is a songwriter and, like Jens Lekman, can be a little melancholy at times but the songs are a little less meandering than some of my favorites of Lekman’s and they have a certain sensibility to them that may be why he (as he explained) ended up “selling out in Sweden” by allowing one of them to be played in a Panasonic commercial. Tobias had a rich sense of humor and was rather engaging but the songs really come off better when played on his record Turn Heads than when he’s singing them solo. This was a stripped down more personal affair that would have been great except I longed for the layers he creates when he records. That said, the best part of his set was when Peter and Doug Marvin from Dirty on Purpose filled in some of the missing sounds. (Peter played guitar while Marvin played drums)

After Tobias’s set, the three took a short break and ,when they returned, switched to Peter on lead vocals playing his solo stuff and PB&J songs. The best by far of his set was “The Object of My Affection” and I can’t help but choke right up when I hear the lyrics, “I laugh more often now. I cry more often now. I am more me.” Peter played for at least an hour but he often complained about having a curfew for the show and how he liked to play three hour sets whereas bandmate Björn Yttling liked to play for only thirty minutes. Though the time passed quickly, I’d say it was a happy medium between the two extremes and he finished it off well with a few very amusing covers, including A-Ha’s “Take on Me” (remember them) and Richard Hell’s “Time.”

I could talk more about every song in the setlist (none written down that I saw unfortunately) but I think I’ll wrap up talking about the music component by saying that I had seen the double Empty Bottle show of Peter, Bjorn, and John about a year ago and wasn’t all that impressed (though the later show was greatly superior to the earlier.) This time around, Peter proved he has his act together and wasn’t as sloppy. The songs themselves just seem to come alive more and come across as the engaging gems they truly are so this was really a treat.

But actually, what I really wanted to talk about was Peter’s stage banter so indulge me if you will and keep reading. I think when you really love someone’s music, it’s natural to want to know more about that person as an actual human being. Schubas is, of course, the perfect intimate setting for this naturally. However, I have seen some singers at Schubas that just didn’t really open up and divulge any more than the bare minimum. It could have been that Peter was in an especially chatty mood but he talked more than I can remember him doing at the Empty Bottle shows, which is what really made the whole thing special for me. I wanted to take a minute for those who love the music to relay some of that.

First, perhaps you’ll be relieved as I am to know that Peter Morén is a pacifist. That isn’t completely shocking of course but he told us the story of having to fake a hearing test for the Swedish army and also having a psychologist. In a very Arlo Guthrie fashion (though he didn’t start singing or insist he wanted to kill), he acted depressed, looked at the floor, said he’d had difficulty with a girl and (now this is where it gets interesting) talked about his reoccurring nightmares about Hitler. This, of course, made him exempt from serving in the Swedish army.

He also spoke about being a music teacher and the awkwardness that comes with teaching young students how to all play the same notes at the same time. In addition, he expressed the difficulty of growing up and going through being a teenager as a boy and having to deal with all the grossness that comes with it…which ended up just coming off as really sweet and honest to me. Overall, what I really learned from it is that Peter Morén is a rather charming fellow but that he doesn’t seem to be setting out to be this way. I came prepared for a little arrogance, to be honest, considering the success of PB&J and what I found most of all was sincerity. That’s a nice thing to know for the next time you pop in Writer’s Block.

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4/25/08
The Note in Chicago

Although it’s technically true to say that Earth is a drone band, this genre doesn’t fully describe their sound. There are many drone bands that tend to come off as just downright noise based or trying to be more experimental than anything else. Though this instrumental four piece from Seattle definitely offers an alternative to your standard American pop band, they’ve created music that is effective in eliciting an emotion as well.

It’s somewhat redundant to describe this band as earthy after all but there is a sort of grounded and organic feel to their dark sound. They come off halfway between John Fahey on morphine and a Rothko painting. The feminine presence of drummer Adrienne Davies also gives the overall sound a slightly gentler feel, especially with their most recent album. In fact, their recently released sixth studio album on Southern Lord Records The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skullis their most accessible to date. Though it still maintains a heavy density, it is filled with many warm tones and gradual progressions that ease into their melodies. “Rise to Glory” “Omens and Portents II: Carrion Crow,” and “Engine of Ruin” were definite highlights of their set Friday night. Though the listening experience is somewhat akin to living life in slow motion, it ends up feeling at times monumental. It’s easy to find yourself wondering if all life should be slowed down for a few moments to increase its ability to make an impact.

Local musician Helen Money, which is the moniker for Alison Chesley, opened up for Earth with a set that felt as if it slipped away much too fast. Playing an intense cello that was looped and fed through various pedal effects, she was at times sincere and sentimental in her playing and at other times playing as if she was in a heavier sort of metal band. In this way, she proved that the cello can be as much as an instrument as a weapon and it was truly amazing to witness this. In fact, she was the best cellist I’ve ever seen/heard live and definitely not only due to her talent but her ability to be creative and, perhaps above all things, truly memorable in a world that has 6.5 billion people and growing.

View the complete photoset on flickr

Empty Bottle in Chicago
4/11/08

I already wrote an essay on Caribou back when I blogged about them in November of 2007 here so I will keep this short. Back at that show, I had Pertussis and did not even realize it (my Dr. was also clueless) and spent the majority of their set throwing up in the bathroom after taking photos for the first three sets. (I apologize if that’s a little vivid but the fact that I was incredibly ill and still went should atleast give you a pretty good idea of how much I adore Caribou and, to be honest, it sounded absolutely amazing even from the bathroom floor I was lying on.) The main differences between the set they played then and the two sets they played at the Empty Bottle were regarding the length and the use of replacement drummer Ahmed Gallab of Sinkane after the previous drummer Brad Weber hurt his wrist. Though I think both are adept at drumming, Gallab was definitely more forceful and intense in his drumming and gave the songs a bit of a push and a heaviness. They played a much longer set as headliners and again included many of my favorite songs: “Hello Hammerheads” and “Melody Day” being perhaps my top two. I could tell Dan Snaith’s voice may have been hurting a bit after such touring but they were still very energetic with beautiful psychedelic patterns strewn across their faces.

You can view the complete photoset on flickr

Remaining tour dates:

1. 14th: Amigo’s, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
2. 15th: Starlite Room, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
3. 16th: Grand Theatre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
4. 18th: Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC, Canada
5. 18th: Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, BC, Canada
6. 19th: Sugar, Victoria, BC, Canada
7. 20th: Chop Suey, Seattle, WA, USA
8. 21st: Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR, USA
9. 23rd: Independent, San Francisco, CA, USA
10. 24th: El Ray, Los Angeles, CA, USA
11. 25th: Plush, Tucson, AZ, USA
12. 26th: Club 101, El Paso, TX, USA
13. 27th: Emo’s, Austin, TX, USA
14. 28th: Palladium Loft, Dallas, TX, USA
15. 29th: The Continental, Tulsa, OK, USA
16. 30th: The Record Bar, Kansas City, MO, USA

#
May

1. 1st: The Billiken Club, St. Louis, MO, USA
2. 2nd: Waldron Auditorium, Bloomington, IN, USA
3. 3rd: Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, USA
4. 4th: Big Orbit’s Soundlab, Buffalo, NY, USA

4/1/08
Congress Theater in Chicago

The genre of post rock has always been a curious one… It’s almost as if it implies that rock music has disappeared off of the face of the Earth. I always feel like I’ve missed some catastrophic event, as if I was in a coma the day the aliens came and informed every man and woman playing a guitar “Rock is over. Now, begin the next stage of your life!” Explosions in the Sky have often been labeled with the post rock moniker and it feels ill fitting to me. For example, though they are not by any means a standard rock band, their guitar playing builds and intensifies throughout many of their songs as the very name of the band suggests. It’s not exactly rock music but it has its roots based in the genre. Perhaps, it just uses some of this and can take it farther. It would be fair to call the band experimental and instrumental. They are also incredibly creative in their use of musical frameworks that develop over the course of each song. Though it’s not a specific genre, I’d also call them experiential because it’s the sort of music that fills you up and, at its best, takes away the emptiness inside.

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of a universal language. I’m not talking about something specific like English, French, or Italian, here, either. I’m talking about what I think instrumental bands like Explosions in the Sky have the ability to do, which is to bridge a gap between two people who can have a shared experience through music that doesn’t relate to specific lyrics. In some ways, though I’m particularly fond of so many bands that use lyrics well, it’s more of a challenge to find those commonalities between people and place then in a musical equation that can be experienced by both.

To backtrack, Explosions in the Sky is a four piece band based in Austin, Texas who use primarily guitars to achieve their message (with some drum and bass as well). They have four studio albums and an EP to their credit and they put on a really accomplished live set. Playing a little over and hour, it somehow felt right when they didn’t play an encore even when the audience begged for more. Even more importantly than what seems like mere logistics is how much more effective the band is at reaching the audience and a diverse crowd than other instrumental bands, like Ratatat for instance. Instead of aiming to impress the crowd, Explosions in the Sky show the crowd their insides and allow the people present to come along for that ride. It’s such a different thing altogether. It’s like being a child at the beach, picking up a shell, and what you hear inside is all your lost memories instead of emptiness and air.

Lichens AKA Rob Lowe proved to be a perfect opener for Explosions in the Sky. I’ve seen Lichens before a couple of times and each time I’ve found the experience to be incredibly ethereal. It’s almost like the music is the Earth. Sometimes, it cries out and sometimes it groans while spinning on its precarious axis. At other times, the Earth is singing and praying to us from within. If you’re really listening to Lowe perform, you may find it impossible not to tremble.

Click to view the complete photoset on flickr

3/28/08
Schubas Tavern

It’s always something to be ecstatic about when you run into a lineup as exceptional as this one last Friday night at Schubas Tavern. The Ruby Suns dimmed the lights but brought out some fantastic psychedelic melodies. Le Loup played a joyfully energetic set as well, definitely not disappointing the crowd in the least while headliners Bodies of Water sang as if their lives might depend on it!

The Ruby Suns, a four piece hailing from New Zealand have an immediately striking sound. It’s based in psychedelic on both their album Sea Lion and in a live setting but it seems based more in psych pop than psych rock, at least on their recorded material. They rocked out a bit more on stage with a definite presence. They may have lost some momentum moving to and fro during their set but they gained it back quickly when the song started playing. In some ways, they remind me of Animal Collective’s side project Panda Bear and in some ways Caribou. They are definitely not the kiwi twee New Zealand is known for, though, Ryan McPhun has connections to The Brunettes. Regardless, there are beautiful female and male vocals between Ryan, Amee Robinson and Imogen Taylor with a sound best described as if Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys were to have gotten lost in 1960s New Zealand on a psychedelic beach and found some lovely women to sing along with him. Look forward to seeing this band play this summer at the Pitchfork Music Festival.

Le Loup (“The Wolf”) was a fantastic follow up to Ruby Suns. The large eight piece based in Washington, D.C. crowded the stage with all kinds of real and toy instruments. I was pretty impressed with their record, The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millenium General Assembly upon hearing it the beginning of this year and was excited to see they were playing Schubas. Their 45 minute set felt like it was a in a steady state of motion with so many different sounds emerging from the stage. The band created multiple layers of vocals and instrumentation in a way that really re-created the songs off their album and, indeed, made some of them even richer. Though both live and on their album they have some really sweet and slower tracks such as “To the Stars! To the Night!” their live performance especially shined with the more upbeat indiepop of songs like “We are Gods! We are Wolves!”

I wasn’t familiar with Los Angeles four piece Bodies of Water before seeing them and I wasn’t sure what to expect but it soon became clear that they were, indeed, headlining material, and were incredibly talented as well as engaging musically. What sets Bodies of Water apart from most bands is the focus on vocals more than anything else. It’s as if you are hearing a constant forceful chorus. It’s a chorus that seems passionate and rarely dwindles. At times, their songs even recall the passion of Arcade Fire as in “These are The Eyes” Though they are only four in number, their spirit of vocals alone puts them almost equal to the daunting cast of Sweden’s “I’m From Barcelona” The vocals are reassuring, climactic, and climbing to impossibly high octaves on songs like “It Moves.” Though Bodies of Water had a pretty standard setup instrument wise (drums, guitar, bass, and keyboard) the songs were interesting mainly because of the unusual vocal delivery. It was unfortunate that not as many people were present for them as there were for Le Loup but those who stayed were definitely rewarded. Their album, Ears Will Pop~Eyes Will Blink which I purchased the night of the show and have listened to several times since Friday night comes highly recommended. You can also check out their songs on myspace

View the complete photoset on flickr

3/26/o8
Schubas Tavern in Chicago

Headlining a sold out show at Schubas, Beach House fans surely echoed the Devotion. Though I’d seen them two previous times, once opening for The Clientele at the Subterranean and another time playing Pitchfork music festival last summer, this third time at Schubas felt more right than either of the previous. With it’s warmth and hard wood floors, the languid and enveloping tones of the music was brought out perfectly. It shouldn’t also be understated that Beach House’s live performance has shown some improvement as well in the last year. Both with the release of their second album and with touring, their sound has really come to fruition. The super melodic songs of this Baltimore two piece seem altogether more self assured and capable of filling the void of emptiness within any human space.

Heavily based in both Victoria Legrand’s main vocals with Alex Scally providing occasional harmonizing, Beach House creates a dream pop landscape that is both heavy and light at the same time. It is rich and textured and seems well beyond what could possible be produced by two people. At this show, they were also joined by Jason Robert Queve from The Papercuts for the drums, which can be described as minimalist. There is something altogether comforting with both their albums and their live performance. Even as Victoria’s vocals climb to new heights on “Turtle Island,” they refrain from being too shrill. Her lush organ sounding keyboard notes surrounded the crowd and mingled with Alex’s lackadaisical guitar playing perfectly.

Very appropriate for their name, Beach House decorated the stage with shimmery palm trees. However, fitting with a sense of a music focused show, Beach House turned off the lights of the club to sing with only the revolving lights of two disco balls. This created a greater emphasis on the music component and allowed audience members to concentrate fully on what they were hearing. It might be easy for some to be lulled asleep in the darkness of the Hawaiian-esque lullaby if it wasn’t so enchanting to listen to. Though they only played for about an hour, it felt complete and utterly fulfilling.

Click to view the complete photoset with Papercuts and Night Owl Choir on flickr

3/24/08
Empty Bottle in Chicago

Once in awhile, you get to experience a band that you know without a doubt is going to become bigger than a small club will ever allow. I felt that way when I saw The Shins at Schubas and around this time last year when I saw Peter, Bjorn and John at the bottle in a similar two shows in one night setup. Monday night at the bottle was no different as British Sea Power set varied from cascading guitars to modern anthems. When the feeling comes, you have to savor it like a slowly melting candy because it doesn’t come often. Yes, British Sea Power are on their way up and when they ask the question Do You Like Rock Music?there are many in line to give them a resounding “Yes!”

I should back track and say that I’ve recently become a BSP fan, mainly because I am struck by how consistently good their recent album is. It’s not just that it has great songs on it…it’s as if the band has discovered their direction and come into their own. Reminiscent somewhat of fellow Brits, The Doves, British Sea Power command a presence like no other from the word go with the song “All In It.” At a pause, you think the song is finished and then waves of healing guitar noise hits you while the repetitive chorus reassures you. You can’t help but feel British Sea Power had some amazing revelation about how to really make music work this time around as the album continues into the realm of dark pop with “No Lucifer” and channels a musical camaraderie with “Waving Flags,” a clear winning single.

Getting back to their live performance, if you miss seeing them on this tour, it will be a mistake. That’s not only because, as mentioned earlier, they will undoubtedly be playing much larger venues soon. It’s also because their live performance assumes a level of assuredness that will put anyone who is fans of their songs in awe. They played their best material from their three releases though centered on their latest and greatest. Even after playing an earlier set, they didn’t look the least bit tired as they plowed through 90 minutes of material. Though focused for most of the duration on bringing out the energy contained within the songs, they really hammed it up at the end. It’s probably one of the first times I’ve seen a band crowd surf at the Bottle or climb up the rafters. They even invited audience members to join them on stage playing guitar! Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Let’s hope British Sea Power continue to awe audiences for many years to come.

View the complete photoset on flickr

March 17th, 2008
Schubas Tavern in Chicago

This happens year after year: winter wears on me. I feel so sick of the snow, the howling wind, the feeling of cold in my bones that I can’t keep out with a million radiators. I ask myself, “Why do I live in this cold city?” And then, someone as fantastic as Hanne Hukkelberg comes along and pulls me out of it with a radiance of her own. I come to realize…it’s not just the fact that there are people as creative as her in existence that make life worthwhile but the fact that we live in a city committed to supporting international bands and musicians like her. It makes you start to realize that, when this is possible, there is much less isolation. Instead, ideas are shared and you’re filled with a sense of awe and luck. At the end of the day, seeing someone as creative as Hanne from Oslo, Norway changes you in a positive way.

Opening for Hanne was Haley Bonar, a stunningly beautiful singer/songwriter from St. Paul, Minnesota. She appears very innocent looking and unassuming as if just a small town girl with a tattered guitar. It’s obvious she has some passion and clearly defined musical tastes of her own, with her cover of Dolly Parton’s Jolene and Tom Petty’s Yer so Bad (which happens to be my personal favorite Tom Petty track) but her own songs seem to be in early incarnations of what they could eventually become. Her lyrics are a bit clichéd and sophomoric though they are undoubtedly something many women of her age and younger can relate to. In that way, she may be more accessible to a mainstream audience than an indie one if she polishes up her songs. I would have also liked to have heard her being backed by other band members to make the songs fuller.

Hanne Hukkelberg, on the other hand, was anything but ordinary. As a five piece, the songs came off as full and rich as those in her most recent album Rykestrasse 68. In some ways, the songs recall the British band PSAPP though a little less cutesy. The albums and live set are full of life and complete with accordion and tuba in addition to the keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums. Hanne herself appeared arty and expressive as well as appreciative for the applause given to her. Her vocals alone come off as a Scandinavian Fiona Apple and have a certain distinctive quality that makes them memorable.

Hanne played for under an hour but each song felt complete. The setlist was composed mainly of songs from her newest release which are mainly originals aside from her cover The Pixies Break My Body She slows down this song to an almost unrecognizable lull in which it becomes more tragic than the original eccentric rock song. . As a special treat, she also covered the classic Kinks song All Day and All of the Night as an encore for an audience whose adoration could not be mistaken.

View the complete photoset

setlist:

Many thinks to the lovely women at Venus Magazine who worked very hard to get me a photopass for The Magnetic Fields show at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music. The lighting was rather dim and my camera shutter felt louder than it had ever been (I’m actually looking into a camera silencer…) It was a great experience to see a band I love for the second and third time. (I also went last night) The unfortunate thing was that they kept their setlist exactly the same (though the banter was different.) I hadn’t expected that from a band with such a massive catalog with great creativity so that was a little disappointing. Highlights of both sets were definitely “Smoke and Mirrors” and “Papa was a Rodeo” I wish they had played “I Think I Need a New Heart” or “The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side,” my personal favorite Magnetic Fields song. I’ve been a fan of this bad since my university days and I have a real fondness for them. I wrote a much more thorough and professional review (vs. slight ramble) that Venus published here

Complete photoset on flickr with color and black and white versions for each shot can be found here

I know I have been rather lax lately in my posting but summer festivals are right around the corner and what better way to say hello to spring and hope eternal than reminisce about the old times and look forward to the new. Here’s the 14 picture photoset of Canada’s Tokyo Police Club photographed at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, Chicago that I just put up…more photoset links to follow. Hello spring and summer…goodbye dirty snow!

Tokyo Police Club on flickr