Ever since I first stumbled upon Tow’rs from a promotional sampler on Noisetrade, I DROPPED MY JAWS in disbelief. HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS BAND? Where are they hiding?! Well, turns out they are hiding in Flagstaff, a small town in Arizona that I (oddly enough) know quite well after spending a summer there in 2007 (internship with W.L. Gore & Associates). I felt an instant connection with them, and was incredulous over the fact that they came from a place I was so deeply fond of. I soon learned that the band was born out of husband and wife duo, Kyle and Gretta Miller, who had been playing music with their best friends — Emma Crislip, Kyle Keller, Kory Miller — for many years (six to be exact) before finally realizing that they needed to bring this music beyond their local Church scene and into the general public. Just like that, the foundation of Tow’rswas laid down- a foundation of folk roots, soothing strings, and happy harmonies that would build one of the BEST BREAKOUT indie/folk bands of 2015 (in my opinion). I guess it’s true when they say that BEST FRIENDS truly make the BEST MUSIC, and I was happy to find “a place at their table” last Saturday night. 🙂
“Through our music, we explore the questions that haunt us, the pain that marks us, and the hope that redefines everything for us. We invite you into the conversation, build with us, find your place at the table.” -Tow’rs
HUGE THANKS to Tow’rs for coming out west to captivate us with their live set, slaying us with songs like The Kitchenand Circles, both from their newest (and my most favorite) album,The Great Minimum. I really enjoyed meeting the beautiful people behind this beautiful music, and hope that they leave a bit of their heart in San Francisco and come back soon. When they do, I seriously hope they tour with one of my other new favorite folk artists, Zach Winters (who I think would be perfect compliment). For those fans of The Head and the Heart, Horse Feathers, Of Monsters and Men, Blind Pilot, The Oh Hellos, and Typhoon, you HAVE GOT to check them out.
Fresh off their win (‘Emerging Artist’) from the 2015 Viola Awards, Tow’rs released a new album (The Great Minimum) in June 2015. It follows up their well-received debut self-titled album from 2014.
(see below for videos and more detail from the show)
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Tow’rs had me FREAKING OUT when they kicked off their set with my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE, The Kitchen. The captivating cello intro hooks you HARD and soon has you swaying with every stoke of the bow. Once it does, you can’t help but fall into a reverie imagining how this next verse would play out:
“You made me dance in the kitchen with you If I was the night then you were the moon Expectation is the currency of fools (LOVE) I spent it on you, I spent it on you.”
This one is another favorite from their collection, and I especially enjoy the plead of electric guitar that perfectly compliments the “pleeeeeease come home” plead throughout.
The beginning of this next one initially reminded me of an old Bombay Bicycle Club song (acoustic) but then came into its own when the perky percussion picked up the pace at the first chorus (“It’s not black or white but in between”).
This next one was major crowd-pleaser and obvious favorite from their debut album
Loved the staggering call-and-response vocals from husband and wife, Kyle and Gretta.
This next one is a definite favorite from their recent album, and I can’t help but belt out the chorus of “Just because we’re breathing doesn’t mean we are alive.” TRUTH BE TOLD. Turns out that Helm is also a favorite of Kyle and Gretta, for it was inspired by the birth of their first son (now almost 1 year old) and about the nervous anticipation that often accompanies such big life changes.
Was really impressed to learn the this one was written by the cellist, Emma, who I was lucky enough to flag down after the show. Cello players hold a very special place in my heart, for cello had come to be my favorite string instrument. I can’t quite pin down what about this instrument makes me melt, but it DOES. Props to Emma for hammering on my heartstrings all night. Also mad props to Kyle for alternating between electric guitar, harmonica, and trumpet throughout the set- a modest multi-instrumentalist who was as pleasant to chat with as he was to watch!
Loved this STUNNING version of Circles as their encore. This here is perfect proof that BEST FRIENDS really do make the BEST MUSIC. I was grinning EAR-TO-EAR as I watched them exchange smiles and laughs while they serenaded the crowd with their dreamy harmonies and soul-stroking lyrics: “Circles are the perfect shape…to describe the hearts of man.” Hands down my favorite part of the night. ❤
New playlist inspired by past shows (City & Colour, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, Samantha Crain, Max Frost, Penguin Prison, Tow’rs) as well as new discoveries (Owl Paws, Meet Me in Orbit) from awesome opening performances. I especially tip my hat to Owl Paws (reminds me of Local Natives a bit), Meet me in Orbit (reminds me of Geographer and Radio Dept. a bit), and Midi Matilda, three local bands that are really making names for themselves in the SF/Oakland music scene.
Max Frost,Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, Penguin Prison, andTow’rs were definite STANDOUTS for me overall, and you can read more about them in my blog reviews (Tow’rs review coming soon!). Knowing that I loved Max Frost, one of my expert music buddies recommended I check out Caught a Ghost, a LA-based artist that surely DID peak my interest (hints of Max Frost and Prefuse 73) and who I hope makes his way up to NorCal for a tour. Other new discoveries were King Charles (a London-based artist affiliated with Mumford & Sons), The Royal Concept, Elle King, and Hurricane Dean. I thank my sister for introducing me to Elle King, and I’m stoked to see Elle at the Fox Theater in Oakland at the end of this month. Hurricane Dean was a lucky find through two German dudes that I met at the Penguin Prison show in SF. The guitar riff in their song, Flat Random Noise, reminds me of Foals (specifically the song, Balloons) and the vocals remind me of Vampire Weekend – two bands that I LOVE!
I’m not surprised that I met peeps with good music taste at Penguin Prison, for that show was a BLAST and had me dancing in a state of ecstasy ALL NIGHT. ‘Show Me the Way,’ was as STANDOUT track for me and will serve as my go-to theme song for the rest of this month.
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Here’s a Spotify playlist with most of the songs (some still missing):
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You can download all of the songs (out of order) from my link on Box.com
Penguin Prison, formerly recognized as a solo act by the Brooklyn-based DJ, producer and electronic artist, Chris Glover, had us all in shock when he graced stage the stage last Wednesday with a FULL ROCK BAND. In fact, I initially wasn’t even planning to go, as I typically don’t seek out electronic music (unless strictly instrumental), and I often shy away from the DJ/club scene. However, I had a strong feeling deep in my gut that I needed to go to this show, and THANK GOD I DID. I was lucky to have snagged a last minute ticket from Craigslist, as the show was completely SOLD OUT – and now I see why. Kicking off the set with the radio hit and obvious album standout, Calling Out, Chris had the ENTIRE CROWD moving with crazy cadence, losing complete control and bobbing up an down like bobble-heads. I recall sharing a huge grin with the woman standing next to me, as if we had a mutual understanding that the rest of the show was gonna be pure ecstasy (and it WAS). The funky guitar riffs and drum beats from the new album (Lost in New York) were suddenly BROUGHT TO LIFE and AMPLIFIED by the three musicians (drummer, bassist, and keyboardist) that accompanied Chris on stage that night, and the sound was HUGE (think MGMT and Passion Pit). It was almost as if this backing musicianship liberated Chris to shred more of his guitar and challenge more of his vocals. His impressive howls, yelps, and high-pitched pipes (we’re talking Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie level) were mad impressive, and I definitely dropped jaws as I got “lost in New York” and in the Funkytown of 80’s synth-pop. 🙂
(See below for more details and videos from the show)
Show Me the Way is my CURRENT THEME SONG. Hands down favorite.
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Try to Lose was nice gem to follow the crowd-pleasing opener, Calling Out, which I did not get on video because I was too busy bouncing up and down like a bobble-head.
Next up was Never Gets Old, one of my Penguin Prison favorites! “Gimme just a little more cause it (this song) never gets old!” (I also love that the music video for this one showcases Chris’ 80-year-old grandfather spinning some beats. A must see!)
“Caught in a daze…I can’t escape.”
Loved his howls in this one! Such an unexpected treat!
Siiiiiiiick mashup of Lionel Richie‘s sexy single. Surely kept us dancing ALL NIGHT LONG.
Show Me the Wayis definitely new THEME SONG and go-to energy boost. This Penguin Prison hit is bound to spur on endless DANCING ECSTASY and a “NEVER GONNA END” mentality. My screams and yelps in the background definitely indicate the mood. It’s gonna be the title track of my next playlist for sure!
LONG OVERDUE playlist inspired by recent shows (Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, Half Moon Run, Samantha Crain, Max Frost), as well as new discoveries (Owl Paws, Emilie & Ogden) from their awesome opening acts. I especially tip my hap to Owl Paws, a local band (reminds me of Local Natives) who plays many SF venues and who I hope to see at the Chapel at the end of this month. Speaking of the Chapel, I wrote two reviews for both Joshua Radin and Julia Holter when I caught them at the Chapel month.
Max Frostand Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweatswere definite STANDOUTS for me overall, and you can read more about them in my blog reviews. Knowing that I loved Max Frost, one of my expert music buddies recommended I check out Caught a Ghost, a LA-based artist that surely DID peak my interest (hints of Max Frost and Prefuse 73) and who I hope makes his way up to NorCal for a tour. Other new discoveries were Judah & the Lion, Saintseneca, and PENGUIN PRISON, who recently BLEW MY MIND and was a VERY PLEASANT SURPRISE when I checked them out last nigh on a WHIM. My next playlist (ready to launch tomorrow) will showcase Penguin Prison‘s standout hit, ‘Show Me the Way,’ as my title track and go-to theme song. I will most DEFINITELY be writing a review for them within the next few days. The last few tracks making it on this playlist were new hits from olders bands that I have followed for years and years: Pepper and Givers.
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Here’s a Spotify playlist with most of the songs (some still missing):
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You can download all of the songs (out of order) from my link on Box.com
Never Gets Old- Penguin Prison
Record High Record Low- Givers
Glow Long- Max Frost
Trust- Half Moon Run
Look It Here- Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats
Time Go- Caught A Ghost
Elk City- Samantha Crain
Be Who You Want To Be- Max Frost
Kickin’ Da Leaves- Judah & the Lion Sun Leads Me On- Half Moon Run
Bring Me Back- Owl Paws
When You Come Back- Samantha Crain
Such Things- Saintseneca
Suspended Animation- Max Frost
Howling At Nothing- Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats
Start You Up- Pepper
Coils Of Spring- Owl Paws
Ten Thousand- Emilie & Ogden
Let Me Down Easy- Max Frost
Julia Holtersurely had many waiting with anticipation that night at the Chapel (SOLD OUT show) as she walked out on stage a few minutes late. She addressed the audience with a tangible upbeat energy that closely matched the upbeat tone of her newest album, Have You in my Wilderness (Domino records). This album is her most successful chart release to date, most likely resulting from a distinct drift towards pop and less deep, dark undercurrents of her former albums: Tragedy, Ekstasis, and Loud City Song. The charming melodies of songs like ‘Silhouette’ and ‘Betsy on the Roof’ are likely to win any new listeners over, and the gorgeous encore of ‘Sea Calls Me Home’ will anchor most of us down as faithful future fans. ‘Feel You’ was as much a standout for me as it was for the rest, for the crowd cheered with extra vigor as soon as they heard the intro.
Holter announced early on, “I’m not going to talk anymore,” manning the keyboard with power and purpose and ensuring that her vocals also had a chance to take center stage. The request for “more vocals in my monitor” became a consistent trend, enticing one avid fan (male) to cheekily call out, “You can have more vocals in MY MONITOR…” Julia acted all coy and playfully responded, “you don’t have a monitor,” (wink wink) before laughing to herself and moving on to the next gem — the captivating cover of Dionne Warwick’s ‘Don’t Make Me Over.’ She also slayed us with ‘Marienbad,’ the notable standout from Ekstasis, and her arresting accompaniment of drums, upright bass and viola left most of us stunned. With this, she made sure to point out that her talented accompanying artists were Bay Area locals, having grown up in the San Francisco area and having played in local SF venues like Amnesia, right down the street.
Distilling influences from wide-ranging genres like French classical to jazz-infused post-rock to avant garde to experimental pop, this eclectic composer would have you believing she’s experienced many eras of music spanning many different countries. You’d then be incredulous to learn that Julia is just a 31-year old Los Angles Cali girl with simply a seasoned songwriting style. Her compositions are defined by shape-shifting complexities and idiosyncrasies (reminiscent of the legends like Bjork and Joanna Newsom), and we look forward seeing what next wave of new genre she’ll catch and bring on board.
Happy to have gotten Mark and Luke to sign my poster!
How lucky was I to have seen THIS Britney Spears IN THE FLESH last night at The Fillmore in SF?!! It’s a shame he didn’t shake those lovely locks loose, but at least we saw Nathaniel Rateliff SHAKE THOSE BOOTS quicker than Britney could (seriously). “HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME.” 😛
It’s been a RECORD YEAR for Nathaniel, and to have witnessed his evolution from a somber (but still SUPERB), seasoned singer/songwriter playing at tiny bars in London to a budding blues/rock/folk band playing at smallish chapels in San Francisco to a BREAKTHROUGH ACT (critically acclaimed record and hit song on the radio charts) SELLING OUT at the FAMOUS FILMORE, has been SUPER SATISFYING and DELIGHTFUL, to say the least. I always knew Nathaniel had a special somethingsomething that separated him from the rest (check him out in the music documentary, Austin to Boston), and I’m SO GLAD that he didn’t “throw the towel in” (his words) after some disappointment with his solo career and some frustration with record labels. He found his SWEET SPOT in the Night Sweats, and we have been craving that sweet goodness ever since!
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“I NEED NEVER GET OLD!” Eternal youth. Get it. I honestly believe that making the heart play and the soul sing is INDEED what keeps us from from getting old. that being said, a daily dose of Nights Sweats would DEFINITELY do the trick. 🙂
“Look it here baby I’m coming out, On my knees begging please yeah…” (Trust me, we are ON OUR KNEES begging more for you, Nate!)
When all else had been failing me, THIS SONG hadn’t. “I said don’t you weep and don’t you worry Don’t you weep and don’t you worry…” (instant strength)
I’ve surely shouted this chorus OUT LOUD down the freeway LIKE THE GOSPEL. Might as well be my Hail Mary.
This one starts out all sweet with a bit of a Motown beat, but then turns all NAAAAAASTY (in the best way imaginable) with Nate breaking it down HARD for us on guitar half-way through.
“Come on and just Shake baby I love it when you Shake baby
… NEVER GONNA STOP…FEEL WHEN IT’S HOT…No more…” (yaaaas)
Impossible to NOT SHAKE to this one, especially with Nate and Luke’s gnarly guitar jam sesh towards the end. I even got to shake a bit harder cause I had the front railing to hold on to… Always helps!
“I just want to thank you…Sweet baby for getting me through.” I just to THANK YOU, Nate and the Night Sweats, cause swaying to this sweet ditty has definitely helped with “getting me through.” ❤
“Think of all the hours I spent in constant reflection Well it gets you down but it don’t make it right
…..(love the perfectly timed “f*ck yeah! holler in the background) I made it my personal intervention What a waste of time time time time time.”
Aside from hauling my hips to this hooky beat, I couldn’t NOT join Nate in belting out my favorite verse: “You’re filling it up just to turn out on empty God damn I know just how it feels I’m gonna tear out all that’s inside me Look away from here Cause nobody cares And they’re trying so hard not to know…”
We ALL KNEW what was coming up next, and the eager anticipation pervading the crowd nearly gave my heart an arrhythmia! Words just can’t describe the ENDLESS EUPHORIA that transpired in each and ever person in the audience that night. I don’t think there was ONE PERSON that did not join Nate as he vehemently vented, “SON OF A BITCH!” after his this powerful preacher goodness:
“I’m gonna need someone to help me I’m gonna need somebodies hand I’m gonna need someone to hold me down I’m gonna need someone to care…”
The steady stream of hand-clapping, combined with the catchy cadency of the continual “Whoa-oa-ooo…Whoa-oa-ooo…Whoa-oa-ooo-ooo’s” had the WHOLE VENUE beating to the same powerful pulse. I instantly felt a connection with EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, including those echoes reverberating off the back wall. It was at that very moment that I remembered why I find music to be such an addiction, and why I make it an essential NECESSITY in my life. It’s my fuel when energy levels are low, and it’s my meditation when my mind is muddled. No matter what baggage people (myself included!) may have been carrying with them through the door that night, you better believe it was been dumped by the doorstep upon leaving. Music IS the ultimate medicine, especially when its side effects include NIGHT SWEATS like the ones you feel with Nate and his Seven, SUPER-talented Sweats. ❤
And OF COURSE they teased us (made us think they were finished) before they quickly resumed the song for Part 2.
Mark plays a meeeeeeeeean organ (don’t be fooled by that gitty grin) and I loved being right in front of him to embrace the madness. Glad the sax and trumpet player also got in on some of the solo action!
What a CUTE and CLEVER way to end this EPIC EVENING…
Within only a few minutes of the crowd unanimously uniting for “Whoa-oa-ooo…Whoa-oa-ooo…Whoa-oa-ooo-ooo’s” to get the band back on stage, Nate and the Sweats successively slip back on stage, one by one, each breathing life back into their instruments as they do. The procession started with Mark (the organ), then Patrick (the drums), then Wes (the trumpet), then Luke (lead guitar) and then eventually the NUCLEUS, Mr. Rateliff. I can’t think of a better way to make us feel loved and “a part of their family,” which was Nate’s ONE WISH from the beginning. 🙂
Yes, he is playing acoustic guitar and electric guitar SIMULTANEOUSLY. That’s right. You’ll often see Max with two guitars strapped on his back and a drumstick in hand. Somehow, he also manages to layer in vocals too — ANGELIC VOCALS.
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Max Frost is anything BUT Frosty. This MULTI-TALENTED, multi-instrumentalist from Austin will have you BURNING UP with a fever BEFORE YOU KNOW IT. Hints of Chet Faker vocals, Glass Animals grooves, Gnarls Barkley beats, The Neighborhood‘s nastiness (if ya know what I mean)… DISCO INFERNO (hot hot hot!) 😛
Moved by music since he was a wee tot, Max’s experience playing in various blues/grassroots bands and collaborating with various hip-hop artists enabled him to cultivate a unique, eclectic brand of his own: Heart-felt soul steeped with blues, R&B, trip-hop and electronic pop. Sounds like a mouthful, and it IS.. a mouthful that you surely want to GET YOUR FILL OF!! Max is BLOWING UP big time and you’ll definitely want to catch him early before he is playing huge venues. Atlantic Records has shrewdly snatched him up and is already sending him on tour to far away places like Australia before our neighbors across the pond. I can just now picture those Aussies jumping up and down like “kangas” once exposed to his INTOXICATION (EP, overall vibe!)
I can’t wait for Max to return to SF for his own headline show. His 45 min set at Bottom of the Hill was too short, ultimately leaving us in “suspended animation” until next time. 😉
(See below for more detail and videos from the show)
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Nice and Slow one is FOR THE LOVERS – it had us winking at strangers and swaying “nice and slow” with our neighbors. There’s no denying it’s subtle sexiness and amorous allure. ❤
It is IMPOSSIBLE to not be shaking EVERY LIMB OF YOUR BODY with a FRENZIED FEVER while listening to Withdrawal. Everyone’s bottoms were shaking at Bottom of the Hill that night. The song is just as it sounds!
White Lies for the EPIC ENCORE!! It’s safe to say that WE ALL left Bottom of the Hill with BOTTOMLESS BLISS after that one.
Favorite tracks: Glow Long, Nice and Slow, Be Who You Want to Be, White Lies, Withdrawal.
She may be a kid at face (check out her 2013 album, Kid Face) and kid at heart (loved her anecdotes and cute giggles), but surely is a goddess of soul-tinged folk. Samantha Crain‘s (Ramseur Record) performance last night at Amnesia was simply stunning and was definitely the BEST TUESDAY NIGHT I’ve had in a long time. It had been nearly two years since I last saw her perform in London at the Servant’s Jazz Quarters, and forgot how much I swoon for her songwriting. She gave us a healthy serving of new tracks (Elk City, Kathleen, Outside the Pale, When You Come Back, If I Had a Dollar) from her most recent album, Under Branch & Thorn & Tree, as well as some oldie but goodies (For the Miner, Churchill, Lions, The Dam song, Santa Fe, Kid Song), and even a fresh new gem (The Lonliest Handsome Man) that she hasn’t yet released. She also surprised us with a Woodie Guthrie tune and an EPIC ENCORE cover of Radiohead‘s ‘Creep.’ I’m so glad to hear that she is recording her next album in Oakland and that she’ll be back soon! We’ll certainly make sure to have more cover song requests lined up to to keep tradition with those epic encores. 👍🏻🤗
(See below for more details and videos from the show)
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She may have a “kid face,” but she’s got a seasoned soul. Love the lyrics in this one.
“Brave it all to you can’t find no way I found, I found the way saving all you feel through your kid face I found, I found the way.”
Samantha introduced this song as one she wrote while en route on a move out to Santa Fe. She has us all laughing out loud when proceeding to explain that she needed to get out of her small town in Oklahoma — Wichita — after she spotted a newspaper headline about a “man dying of an atomic wedgie.” That was the last draw. Haha.
“And I don’t live my time like I should But they’re killin’ off my childhood Taking all my heroes babe One by one Everyone famous is gone (slayed) .. So I’m headin’ back to Santa I look back then I look away.”
Samantha had us laughing once again when she mentioned that one of her songs “for some strange reason” did “really well on the charts in Manitoba, Canada (very small farm town) — the cows must have loved it,” and that she felt she needed to give a shout-out to Manitoba one of her songs. We all proceeded to rally behind her when she called out “Manitoba” in this one — I’m a huge fan and can definitely relate to the nomad-themed chorus of “everyone wants to go somewhere, everyone wants to go all the time.” We also all “moooooo”-ed (like a cow) in favor of this one. 😉
She then introduced this song as one inspired by a woman who proceeded to tell Samantha “her whole life story” at a bar, “complaining that she could not get out of Elk City because of a guy she fell in love with after he fixed her washing machine.” Haha. Even though the initial connection via the washing machine (“if you know what I mean”) was kind of funny, Samantha felt for this woman and wrote this beautiful song from her perspective.
Then came one of the awesome gems from her newest album.
Soon after, Samantha introduced this next song by first asking the audience if anyone ever had their heart broken, and then quickly followed with some witty banter when only one woman initially raised her hand. She then proceeded to tell us the story about the man who once broke her heart and then followed with this gorgeous, heart-wrenching gem. MY HEART was surely broken when hearing her belt out, “when you come back, could you bring my heart.” ❤
We were lucky to then hear a beautiful new song that she hasn’t yet played before. She def hammers on our heartstrings with this one.
Samantha said that this next song was inspired by a message that she once got in a fortune cookie : “teaspoon in the morning, tablespoon at night.” Haha. The way she cleverly weaves this into such a lyrically-lavish song is very impressive. I love the line, “so blame me for what I cannot finish..my whole life I thought I was an opportunist, but I’m noooooot.” SOOOOOOOOOO good.
Samantha introduced Kathleen as a song about “friends that don’t bail on you…non-shitty friends.” Her friend Kathleen is one of them.
One of my favorites from her earlier album, You.
Gem from her earlier album, Kid Face.
Someone then called out a request for this one and Samantha said she was unsure if she’d be able to remember it (very old song). Even though I gave her a lil’ “go got this” shout-out, she surely didn’t need it!
Another request that we are glad she played!
Before sending us home happy and fulfilled her her awesome, non-skimpy set, Samantha asks, “Can I just play this one song for you before ya’ll go home?” (as if we would have said no!) … “I was rocking out to this one as I was driving across the bridge from Oakland, and I thought we could all sing it together.” I love her lil’ grin as began playing the intro to the song and says, “oh yeah, we know THAT chord change right?” from the crowd’s initial ‘aaaaaah’ reaction. We certainly all DID know the song, and certainly did not hesitate to BELT ALONG with her to close out this epic encore. 🙂
It’s obvious from the previous review that I wrote back in 2014, Half Moon Run is one of my favorite indie rock bands and arguably my FAVORITE NEW BAND of 2013. After first being BLOW AWAY by their performance at The Village Underground in London (June 2013), I went on to see them 3 MORE TIMES in a span of a year. I even dedicated my birthday evening to rocking out to their November show that same year. That is why was MORE THEN READY (waaaaaay too long of a hiatus) to see them last Saturday at The Independent. What got me even MORE STOKED was that I’d get to see them in a ~350 capacity venue compared to a ~1,500 capacity back in London (yes, they SOLD OUT Shepherd’s Bush Empire two years ago). Just as I remember, their stage presence and energy were a force to be reckoned with, and everyone in the audience was howling for more. I enjoyed savoring a healthy sampling of new tracks (especially ‘Trust‘ and ‘Turn Your Lights Way up Inside‘) off their recently released album, Sun Leads Me On, as well as jumping up and down for their EPIC ENCORE (cover) of The Band‘s ‘I Shall Be Released‘ with their amazingly talented opener, Emilie & Ogden(see my recent review). I hope that they TOO leave their heart in SF and COME BACK SOON! ❤
Having recently come back from a UK tour with Half Moon Run, Emilie & Ogden was set open for them at The Independent last Saturday. The was the first trip to San Francisco for Emilie and her harp, Ogden, and she surely left her SF audience YEARNING FOR MORE that night. This Montreal-based harpist STUNNED the crowd after only ONE SONG, dropping jaws and bringing the room to a complete silence. With vocals reminiscent of Emiliana Torrini (one of my favorite Icelandic/Italian singers) and harp healing powers of Joanna Newsom (love love love), Emilie surpassed any and ALL initial expectations. You better believe I purchased her CD (signed of course!) after the show. Looking forward to her return!
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Emilie STOLE OUR HEARTS with this GORGEOUS COVER of Taylor Swift‘s popular hit, ‘Style.’ I don’t listen to the radio or to Taylor Swift, but I had heard this song before riding in the car with my friend Sarah who loves her. I definitely prefer THIS VERSION! ❤
Then she reeled us in with a beautiful gem called ‘What Happened‘ off her debut album, 10,000.
Although I was definitely tempted to capture all of her stunning songs on video, I pumped the brakes and instead just made sure to capture the title track (‘10,000‘)of her debut album. In a recent facebook post, Emilie had said that song was meant to evoke her inner hypochondriac and secret fear of one day waking up blind. Would never have guessed that but it’s super interesting!
Finally getting around to posting my pics from Geographer‘s EPIC SET at THE BIG ONE NYE event in San Francisco (Bill Graham Civic Center). I was surely grinning EAR-TO-EAR when they played my favorite three cover songs from their recent EP, Endless Motion: (1) Paul Simon‘s ‘I Know What I Know, (2) Arthur Russel‘s ‘This is How We Walk on the Moon‘, and (3) New Order‘s ‘Age of Consent.’ Can’t WAIT for their upcoming tour! 🙂
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Could not have imagined a BETTER WAY to kick off 2016 than to be ROCKING OUT in SF to one of my FAVORITE SF bands of all time — Geographer had my head-bopping hard and grinning wide with their AMAZING NYE SET, including the EPIC COVER of Paul Simon‘s ‘I Know What I Know.’ SO SURREAL to finally hear this LIVE after listening to it NON-STOP for WEEKS since it’s release (Endless Motion EP) in early December! My heart is full. ❤
Can’t even EXPLAIN my anticipation for FINALLY hearing this song LIVE after being first hearing it 2 years ago and being HYPNOTIZED. That catchiness cadency behind that cello’s siiiiiick undulating rhythm is simply ADDICTIVE, and it’s a sure fire way to keep “moving me up” throughout any circumstance. This one will DEFINITELY be on my playlist for the San Francisco marathon in July. “Every step is moving me up…EVERY STEP IS MOVING ME.”
Geographer ended their AMAZING SET at THE BIG ONE NYE event with this gleeful gem. It’s hard to not smile widely and grin as your shake your hips (as per Mike’s request midway through) and bop your head to beats of that wood block. EPIC ENCORE with a SIMPLE New Year’s resolution:
“And it’s the simplest things we want But we can never see enough And it’s the simplest things we want.”
Following up on my previous playlist — ‘Coming Home— I’ve launched a new playlist called ‘West Coast,’ as this title track by the Seattle-based band,Hey Marseilles, embodies the essence of WHY I moved back to California. This song reminded me of WHY it was ALL WORTH IT, and I can’t help but RAWR along with the catchy chorus, “Meet me on the west coast… We’ll make it our own.” I was lucky enough to see Hey Marseilles live for the first time in September, and I look forward to seeing them again at The Independent in March for their new album launch.
Aside from Hey Marseilles, other bands I’ve recently seen that inspired this playlist are Nathaniel Rateliffe and the Nightsweats, City and Colour, Boy & Bear, Doe Paoro, Little May (who’s song ‘Bow and Arrow‘ was another track I had on CONSTANT REPEAT), Aero Flynn (as an opener for Minus the Bear), Of Monsters and Men, Youth Lagoon, and Penny and Sparrow.
New discoveries that I have yet to see live and are very much on my radar, are Tow’rs, King Charles (recently on tour with Mumford & Sons), Julien Baker, El Vy (I LOVE Matt Berninger from The National), Max Frost, Seoul (opener for We Were Promised Jetpacks at The Great American Music Hall last month), and This is Koa (recently featured on Noisetrade).
Although the Staves are not a new discovery — as I have LOVED THEM ever since watching Communion’s Austin to Boston music documentary —I have YET to be SEDUCED by these SOOTHING SIREN SISTERS in the flesh, and I can’t wait till they come back for another US tour (hopefully for US summer festivals!). Having been produced by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Volcano Choir, their new album — If I was — is a MAGICAL MASTERPIECE and was one of the only things keeping my sane during recent rough times. ‘No me, no you, no more,’ was a standout track for me, and was one I frequently sang to in order to calm my nerves and soothe the soul. Finally, I’m excited to see one of my FAVORITE ICELANDIC BANDS — Kaleo — again this spring after first discovering them at Iceland Airwaves last year. It’s SUPER EXCITING to see them breaking new ground with their new songs and becoming quite a INTERNATIONAL HIT, just as I thought they would. Now, if you shall MEET ME ON THE WEST COAST… 🙂
Here’s a Spotify playlist with most of the songs (some still missing):
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You can download all of the songs (out of order) from my link on Box.com
No Me, No You, No More- The Staves
Wasted Love- City And Colour
Helm- Tow’rs
West Coast- Hey Marseilles
Where’d You Go- Boy & Bear
Bow & Arrow- Little May
Return To The Moon- El Vy
Hypotheticals- Doe Padro
I Need Never Get Old- Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats
Killing Time- City And Colour
Dk/Pi- Aero Flynn
No Good- Kaleo
Hollow Ground- Boy & Bear
Northern Blues- City And Colour
Love Lust- King Charles
Home- Little May
I’ve Been Failing – Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats
Walking Backwards- Doe Padro
Just Dumb- Boy & Bear
White Lies- Max Frost
Everybody Does- Julien Baker
Woman- City And Colour
LoveBlood- King Charles
Paul Is Alive- El Vy Trying So Hard Not To Know-Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats Twist- Aero Flynn
Breakdown Slow- Boy & Bear
The Brightest Lights- King Charles
Damn It All- The Staves
Highway Patrol Stun Gun- Youth Lagoon
What Now- This is Koa
Stay With Us- Seoul
Wolves Without Teeth- Of Monsters And Men
Duet (Feat. Stephanie Briggs)- Penny And Sparrow
Minus the Bear– The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
(Nov 22, 2015)
Written by Erica Andreozzi
After two impressive opening performances from Aero Flynn and Murder by Death, the SOLD OUT crowd at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall was all warmed up for a groove-a-thon to be brought on by the eternally youthful Seattle rockers, Minus the Bear (MTB). This show was part of a tour honoring the 10th anniversary of MTB’s breakthrough 2005 album, Menos el Oso, and we wanted in on the cheery celebration. It had been over two years since I saw MTB back in London (The Garage), and I could not WAIT to be transported back into that happy hypnotic trance that these progressive rockers once put me in.
Despite having formed nearly 15 years ago, this rock quintet — JakeSnider (vocals, guitar), Dave Knudson (guitar), Cory Murchy (bass), and Alex Rose (synths, vocals) — came DASHING OUT ON STAGE and picked up their instruments like college kids ready to play a debut show. Quick to not waste any time, MTB jumped RIGHT into the set, pounding endless energy and life back into each old song. Their endless energy and exuberant edge had us instantly convinced that albums like Menos el Oso have no expiration date, and we hope it won’t take them too long to revive their next collection of “old songs.”
Although I always typically post up on at front left of the stage, I didn’t realize that for tonight’s show, this decision would result in some INSANELY LUCKY consequences. My spot placed me directly opposite Dave Knudson, MTB’s lead guitarist who is always HILARIOUS and eternally entertaining to watch as he pulls off tricks on guitar that you never knew existed. With my eyes already fixated on his adroit guitar riffs, they nearly BUGGED OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS when Dave launched in my direction and played guitar right IN THE FACE of the guy standing to the right of me. Dave looked him in the eyes with a smirk, and later I learned that this guy was an avid fan (maybe even their #1) that had seen MTB 25 times in the past. DIE-HARD.
CRAZY ODDS that I would have ended up NEXT to this avid fan, reaping off the benefits of his die-hard dedication and MTB loyalty. Dave continued to treat us to some GUITAR IN THE FACE action throughout the entire set, and you could see him getting his kicks off of our gaping grins. He even summoned the girl carrying a Happy Birthday balloon to come up to the stage and then proceeded to take the balloon and tie it to the end of his guitar shaft. The aggressive guitar maneuvers accompanying Dave’s signature head nods and lingering leg kicks had the balloon detached and off to heaven after only two songs. At least it was a funny spectacle while it lasted!
Another funny spectacle was watching Dave playfully taunt everyone on stage while playing, especially the drummer and keyboardist (Alex). I often caught Dave and Alex ramming into each other during a few of the songs, tastefully teasing one another as if they needed an additional distraction (the music alone was too easy) and wanted to deliver some extra entertainment. All I know is that there was PLENTY OF ENTERTAINMENT this entire MTB groove-a-thon, so much so that my heels were throbbing by the end. My body was run through a blender (in a good way!) trying to keep up with all the intricate melodies, and I was BEAT and BEAMING by the end. I gave it ALL I HAD for the EPIC ENCORE of ‘Into the Mirror,’ and I’m certain I was not the only one.
Next time — hopefully in 2017 to revisit MTB’s ‘Planet of Ice‘ — I’ll have come equipped with Nike and Adidas sneaks, just like Dave and Jake. 🙂
Aero Flynn– The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
*opening for Minus the Bear* (November 22, 2015)
Written by Erica Andreozzi
Glad I made it to the Great American Music Hall (GAMH) last night early enough to catch both openers — Aero Flynn and Murder By Death — for Minus the Bear‘s 10th Anniversary Menos El Oso tour. Although Aero Flynn‘s set was short (only 30 min), it was certainly SWEET and SEXY (yes, I went there). Led but Josh Scott, former front-man of Amateur Love, this talented trio (base/vocals, guitar/keys/vocals, drums) dishes up a satisfying mix of spine-tingling tunes that remind me of a cross between Radiohead, Radio Dept., Low Roar, Prefuse 73, Vancouver Sleep Clinic, and Volcano Choir. It also reminded me of a recent artist (Doe Paoro) that I saw open for Little May at the Independent earlier this month. I later learned (although could have guessed it considering her album producers) that Doe Paoro and Aero Flynn are good pals. Everyone’s connected!
The parallel to Volcano Choir makes perfect sense considering that Josh Scott and Justin Vernon (of Volcano Choir and Bon Iver) are close buddies that both hail from Eau Claire, Wisconsin and have been making music together off-and-on for over a decade. In fact, Justin produced Aero Flynn’s debut album, recently released in March 2015. I was lucky enough to get my hands on this treasure chest last night after the show and in doing so, got to meet Aero Flynn‘s friendly drummer, Dave Power. I quickly learned from Dave that Aero Flynn was in the UK twice this year — first to tour with big wig Ben Howard, and a second time for a headline tour of their own where the played at my former London stomping ground, the Lexington, as well as the End of the Road music festival (which I heard was awesome but never made it to). When Dave asked who I’d seen play at the Lexington, the first band that came to mind was Wye Oak. Little did I know — until he pointed to his chest — that he was WEARING a Wye Oak t-shirt and we both laugh at the coincidence.
I then mentioned how I saw Sylvan Esso open for Wye Oak that Lexington show (right before Sylvan Esso BLEW UP), and he chimed in to say that he first met Jenn Wasner (of Wye Oak) when in Durham, NC to see Sylvan Esso. Small world! I then talked about Jenn touring with El Vy (Matt Berninger of The National and Brent Knopf of Menomena), and he said that his friend was actually managing that tour. Haha crazy odds.
BUT, even CRAZIER ODDS was that Aero Flynn’s recent US tour was with GIVERS, one of my FAVORITE southern bands that I was lucky enough to discover back in 2011 during their infancy stages (when they opened for Ra Ra Riot at Gundlach Bundschu winery). I’m sad I had to miss GIVERS when they played The Independent last month (I was out of town for an interview), but I’m at least glad I got to catch their amazing set (videos on my youtube) at Outside Lands music festival in August. Speaking of music festivals, Dave of Aero Flynn said that I should definitely come to the Eau Claire music festival this summer (started last year by Justin Vernon), and that if I do, I’ll should stop by and say hi. I will DEFINITELY follow up on this invitation, as I have wanted to go to this ever since I first heard about it, and I’ve got a few close friends dying to go as well. Hopefully we can get tickets!
Now GO CHECK OUT and get the electronic-tinged-folk-psych album that is Aero Flynn, (Ooh La La Records). Dave and I agreed on this genre description of their “mystery sound,” although you’ll have to to listen for yourself to decide!
Travels and transitions (moving across the world) always results in my playlists taking a backseat, despite how important they are to maintaining my sanity and well being. They truly are a rhythmical road map to my peace of mind and self-awareness, offering a common ground when I am on foreign ground. No matter how transient or unpredictable life gets, my playlists remain a constant, an extension of something familiar. It have officially been over FOUR MONTHS (longest hiatus yet) since I’ve compiled my last playlist, but let me tell ya, I’ve brewed up something SUPER SPECIAL. It’s got to be one of the TOP TEN of my all my playlists (80+) thus far.
This playlist title (‘Coming Home‘) is inspired by one of the hit tracks from a new favorite artist of mine — Leon Bridges — that I discovered back in June from my sister. I was also lucky enough to see him at Outside Lands (OSL) music festival this year in San Francisco (first OSL in 3 years), and WOW was he something else. Living up to his title as “the new Sam Cooke,” Leon Bridges will have you movin’ and groovin’ and finding your Motown Mojo. ‘Coming Home’ also reflects my MOVE BACK to Northern California where I had always left my heart and knew I would be “coming home” to. Milky Chance was another band that I saw for the first time live at OSL, and I was very impressed by the live rendition of their songs (especially those with the insane harmonica solos!). Right after OSL, I was lucky enough to catch the Seattle-based folk rock six piece — Hey Marseilles — that I had wanted to see ever since leaving California in 2012. Unfortunately that meant me waiting 3 years because this band never made it on tour to the UK or to Australia. Hey Marsailles was INCREDIBLE (very surprised that they do not have a larger fan base), and their opener LA-based opener — Wildling— was awesome as well (check out their cover of Neil Young’s ‘Heart of Gold‘ that I included on here). Around this same time, I was also listening to some new albums from two of my ALL TIME FAVORITE BANDS, Foals and Ratatat. I was especially excited to see that Ratatat has put out a new record because it had been nearly 5 years since generating any new material. Seeing them live at Bonnaroo in 2011 will forever mark them as one of the greatest live acts, and it’s super cool to know that my buddy Alex Barnett was their guitar tech for Ratatat’s recent shows in France. I also want to give a shout out to the amazing tunes (check out ‘Loosen Up‘) coming from Travis is a Tourist, an Belfast-based artist I was lucky enough to see and meet when he played a small pub in London last year.
With early October bringing about San Francisco’s famous FREE Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (HSB) festival, I was able to FINALLY SEE The Oh Hellos, another band that I had wanted to see since leaving California but never because they never toured outside the states. Having been FRONT & CENTER for their performance and knowing almost every lyric to their songs, I nearly had an ANEURYSM when they started to play ‘Hello My Old Heart,’ one of my LIFE ANTHEMS. This 10 piece folk rock group BLEW ME AWAY, and their relentless energy — triple drums, fierce stomping, feverish violins, banjo breakdowns — had me in quite a favorable frenzy. I still plan on writing a full review about them and I guarantee they will be back here in the Bay Area soon enough, especially to promote the release of their new album, ‘Dear Wormwood’. They were an obvious HSB festival standout, as was the band that played before them, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds. This pint-size powerhouse (my size and frame) leading this band had pipes that could shake up the tree in ALL of Golden Gate park, and I really hope they come back next year so I can sing along to their super catchy tune, ‘Sugar.’ By the way, if you like the sound of The Oh Hellos, then you should be sure to check out Wild Child, who recently were recently in town for a show at the Independent. Another new band I saw at HSB was The Sheepdogs, hailing from Canada and dishing out a healthy serving of pure ROCK. I really enjoyed singing along with the crowd to their hilarious hit song, ‘I Don’t Know.’
Soon after HSB, I made sure to not miss Kurt Vile when he added a second night (aside from the Filmore) to play at Slims in San Francisco. This was my 5th time seeing the Violater (who also happens to be from Philly like me), and no disappointment to be had. He consistently brings his game, with the name of the game obviously being to VIOLATE US with his incredible guitar-plucking skills (he first learned on a banjo!) and experimentation with lo-fi elements/sound distortion. There is no doubt that Kurt will continue to amaze and amuse (such a unique songwriter) with his music, and that the new album (‘Believe I’m Going down’) will be received well on his upcoming world tour (especially with that siiiiiick single, ‘Pretty Pimpin‘). Other bands that I saw that month were Daughter/Ben Howard, Of Monsters and Men, and Little Green Cars/Hozier, all 3 Fridays back-to-back at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley.
More recently, I FINALLY broke my music review hiatus (many to get to in the huge backlog!) with a review of Little May‘s awesome performance at The Independent on Monday night. This was their first show in San Francisco and you can tell they are excited to get back here again, hopefully for OSL this summer. They just released a new album — ‘For the Company’ — that was produced by the incredible Aaron Desser of The National. Having been on tour with Angus and Julia Stone and soon City and Colour, there is no stopping this awesomely adorable trio of Sydney-based Sirens. Learn more from my review here! Also hailing from Australia is the AMAZING Boy & Bear that have just released a new album — ‘Limit of Love’ — and will be playing at Brick and Mortar (such a TINY VENUE for this folk rock powerhouse) on Nov 19. I have seen them a handful of times before in the UK but am super stoked to see them again since this new album release (see below for my favorites from this new album). Speaking of the UK, the Sister Sirens that are The Staves have released their much anticipated new album that was produced by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Volcano Choir. Their harmonies are simply MAGICAL and must be attributed to their physiological bond as sisters. Speaking of Volcano Choir, the soulful singer that opened for Little May — Doe Paoro — had previously worked with Justin and others from Volcano Choir to produce her recent album, ‘After.’ Half Moon Run — a band that I deemed my FAVORITE NEW BAND of 2013 and saw 4 times in 5 months — also just released a new album called ‘Sun Leads Me On,’ and I am very excited to see them in San Francisco in January. Finally, one of my favorite bands HAILING FROM San Francisco — Geographer — just released a unique and catchy spin on Paul Simon‘s ‘I Know What I Know’ and I can’t WAIT to see this one live when they play in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve.
Now go grab some headphones and HAVE A LISTEN to this playlist that I am OH SO PROUD OF. Rock on. 🙂
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Here’s a Spotify playlist with most of the songs (some still missing):
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You can download all of the songs (out of order) from my link on Box.com
Coming Home- Leon Bridges
Walk The Wire- Boy & Bear
Crystals- Of Monsters And Men
Pretty Pimpin- Kurt Vile
Sugar- Sister Sparrow And The Dirty Birds
To Travels & Trunks- Hey Marseilles
Mountain At My Gates- Foals
The Shine Is Brighter At Night- Little May
The Kitchen- Tow’rs
Steady- The Staves
Heart Beats- Hey Marseilles
Brown Skin Girl- Leon Bridges
Loosen Up- Travis Is A Tourist
Heart of Gold- Wildling
Cream On Chrome- Ratatat
Seven Hours- Little May
Bright Stars Burning- Hey Marseilles
Turn Your Love- Half Moon Run
I Don’t Know- The Sheepdogs
Bitter Water- The Oh Hellos
Where’d You Go- Boy & Bear Let Me Down- The Staves
Fools- Wild Child
A Thousand Faces- Boy & Bear
Feathery- Milky Chance
Better Man- Leon Bridges
I Know What I Know (Paul Simon cover)- Geographer
In A Week (Feat. Karen Cowley)- Hozier
Traveling- Doe Padro
Limit Of Love- Boy & Bear
Make It Holy- The Staves
Exeunt- The Oh Hellos
Bow & Arrow- Little May
Dust Bunnies- Kurt Vile
Abrasive- Ratatat
Little May– The Independent, San Francisco
(November 2, 2015)
Written by Erica Andreozzi
I first heard about Little May from a band called Passport to Stockholm around this same time last year when Passport was asked to open for Little May’s first London gig at The Waiting Room. Having seen Passport to Stockholm 5 times in 5 months (I became a loyal fan after first seeing them at Communion’s Bushstock festival in June) and having another commitment that night, I decided to pass on this gig. LATER, after listening to Little May’s self-titled debut EP, I nearly pulled my hair out in frustration for MISSING THEM. These Sydney-based Sirens had me hooked with every song on that EP, especially the track called Bones, which STILL remains to be my favorite (even after the recent release of their new album): “Do you feel it in your bones like I do?” they whisper with visceral rapture. YES, we certainly do. 🙂
Little May, comprised of long-time friends Annie Hamilton, Liz Drummond and Hannah Field, first had the idea to start playing together (“fooling around”) back in 2008 and didn’t become serious in this pursuit until 2012. They had no idea that their first song — Boardwalks — would be the SPARK that ignited an international fan base on sites like Spotify, Youtube, Hype Machine, and Itunes. This spark brought about significant attention from popular radio stations like Triple J in Australia and BBC Radio & XFM in the UK. Around the same time as their EP release (Oct 2014), Little May turned heads at NYC’s CMJ music festival and were selected as one of the “11 Breakout Acts of CMJ.” Continuing to ride this high wave (I wouldn’t even be surprised if one of them surfed), they sold out a string of shows across Europe (UK, Ireland, France) and played prominent festivals such as the Great Escape Festival (UK), Southside (Germany), Hurricane (Germany), and Best Kept Secret (the Netherlands). They also were asked by the powerhouse brother-sister folk-rock duo — Angus and Julia Stone — to join them a few months later on their Australian summer (Nov/Dec) tour. Having been a HUGE fan of Angus and Julia Stone for years, this raised my respect for Little May even more.
Realizing that they had a unique brand of dark-tinged folk-rock/pop with a trio of vocal harmonies alongside catchy guitars riffs and racy percussion, Little Mayreached out to Aaron Dessner to produce their album because they adore The National and attribute the legendary band as an inspiration to their sound. This bit of knowledge made me adore Little May just a LITTLE BIT more. ❤ It surely was a career-defining moment for them when Aaron agreed work with the band and produce their debut album in a 5-week recording stretch in upstate New York (Hudson). This collaboration has proved to be a successful one, for Little May’s debut album, ‘For the Company,’ is already receiving lots of buzz and avid fans like me are nodding with approval. What a treat it was to see the songs come to life this week at the Independent in San Francisco. These awesomely adorable Aussies immediately greeted the audience with a friendly “Hello,” emphasizing how excited they were to be here in Northern California and how appreciative they were of us to come out on a Monday night to see them. Liz said they were surprised to see the room almost full, but I in all honesty was expecting it to be busier (especially considering their sold out shows in Europe). At least that meant that I had more room to dance and sway to their hauntingly beautiful melodies and cinematic arrangements.
They kicked off their set with Home, and as an avid “jet-setter,” one really HITS home, especially with the lyrics, “I don’t think we’ll ever know till we get home.”
Then came the gorgeous 7 Hours track, followed by the catchy dark ditty titled Sinks.
Following this was my new FAVORITE off their album, Bow & Arrow, which I’ve had on constant REPEAT over the past few days. This seductive standout (yes, that heavy baseline oozes all sorts of sexiness) was followed byHide, one of my top tracks from Little May. I especially love how the prominent percussion adds ferocity and fury to those already powerful (RAWR) lyrics:
“I feel so haunted in your bed. Is it me or is it her that’s in your head? And you found it, And you drowned it, And you washed it clean. Feed me words while you had her between your sheets, Bet she likes that.” (can’t help but throw my fist in the air and shake my hips!)
Little May introduced this one — Boardwalks — as the song that STARTED IT ALL for them — their very FIRST song and one that reminds them of what it’s like to be back home in Australia. I found out later from Liz that this is the song they are probably least proud of even though it’s is one of the most highly requested from fans. I love the buildup and anticipation around the last verse and the intensity that follows the last line.
“Cause we are not afraid of who we are but of what we have become
And we are not afraid of what’s to be when this road has just begun
So we will turn our backs and close the doors for the last time…
Give me back what’s mine.” (YES.)
From the very moment I heard this song (The Shine is Brighter at Night), I thought it reminded me of a song from the National’s recent album (almost like a slow version of Graceless). When I mentioned that to Liz after the show, she agreed and said that it makes perfect sense because the album was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National.
This was one of the songs I fell “knee deep in the dust” for when first hearing Little May’s EP last November. Upon seeing this live for the first time last night, I realized that it’s Liz’s vocals set the hauntingly beautiful intro. But the beauty of Little May is that they are three stunning Sydney sirens and their harmonies at about 1:40 min in when the drums let loose is really something special. I especially love the vocal arrangements with this climatic chorus:
“When we were young You watched me come undone I watched you shake I watched you break I watched this place take away all we had And I’m sinking into something that I wish I hadn’t found…”
I only predict BIG things for LITTLE May, and I look forward to seeing them again when they come back this summer for festival season in the states. We’d love to have them here with us in SF’s glorious Golden Gate park for Outside Lands Music festival 2016. Buuuuuut, my ONE REQUEST is that they PLAY MY FAVORITE SONG — Bones! 😛
To all of my Australian pals, keep a heads up for when they stop through town this Nov/Dec on tour with the amazing City & Colour.
p.s. Check out their recent cover of “Skeletons” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (requested by TripleJ,the famous Aussie radio station)
Record label: Capitol Records (US), Island Records (UK), Dew Process/Universal (Australia)
For the past 6 months, I’ve been swamped by work obligations and sidetracked with moving (London –> Melbourne –> the States) and travel excursions (Tasmania, New Zealand, Indonesia, Belarus, Russia), and thus my MUSIC BLOG WRITING has TAKEN A BACK SEAT. However, there are TONS of INCREDIBLE BANDS that I have seen this past year and I am still AVID about WRITING REVIEWS on. Here are just some of the gems in my backlog waiting to be polished!
Alexi Murdoch
The Boxer Rebellion
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Three Blind Wolves
Washington Irving
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Nathaniel Rateliff
Nick Mulvey
Imogen Heap
Sylvan Esso
Highasakite
Travis is a Tourist
Icelandic artists(Vok, Kaleo, For a Minor Reflection, Sin Fang)
LONG OVERDUE (travel got in the way) playlist inspired by recent albums and recent live shows from two of my FAVORITE ARTIST, courtney barnett and Unknown Mortal Orchestra (UMO). It’s also heavily inspired by two incredible Melbourne-based artists, Harrison Storm and Kagu, that I was lucky enough to discover and to watch live in Melbourne. It’s also inspired by new albums from Alabama Shakes, Sufjan Stevens, and Twerps. Every song on UMO’s new album is ACE, but I particularly drawn to ‘The World is Crowded’ because of the catchy, soulful lyrics and siiiiiiiiiiick guitar. Can’t not help get FUNKED UP with UMO. Sooooo lucky to have catch them at tiny venue in Philly this week. ENJOY!
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Here’s a Spotify playlist with most of the songs (some still missing):
I had been eagerly anticipating this gig for several months now (see my previous review of them), especially considering that it would be Augustines‘ first headline show in Belfast (very cool to be a part of this), as well as the first one for my friend Laura. With this night marking my fifth Augustines‘ gig, I was excited to experience the magic all over again with those seeing it LIVE for the FIRST TIME (my god). As I recall Todd Howe (director of RISE: Story of Augustines) mentioning in the film’s trailer, “If you haven’t seen these guys live, then you have NO CLUE what we are talking about.” Belfast soon became aware of this fact by the end of the night. 🙂
At the start of the show, the fans stood back a few feet from the stage, and I was a bit taken back by this “gap” that never before existed in previous Augustine gigs I’ve attended. All in all, it took about 4-5 songs (Headlong Into the Abyss, Chapel Song, Augustines, Ballad of a Patient Man, Juarez) for the flip to switch in the Belfast crowd, but once that cold front warmed up, damn was it hot! Most of the people in the audience were only just seeing Augustines for the first time, and I can’t tell you how many people I saw completely captivated by the end. I girl even grabbed my in the bathroom after the show to say so!
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Within those first few songs, Ballad of a Patientman was a distinct highlight for me, as I had only just discovered this gem back in August and had never yet seen it live. The blood verse reminds me alot of my blog (beatsthatsetmypulse.wordpress.com), and so there is an extra-special sentiment and connection to the lyrics:
“Lift your tired heart now darling Lift it up into the air And I will float to you in this crowded room (slayed) And whisper in your ears .. As long as my heart keeps pumping blood..pumping blood..pumping blood BLOOD, BLOOD BLOOD, BLOOD.”
As soon as my ears began to recognize the distinctive intro “Lift your tired..”, I LAUNCHED UP INTO THE AIR like a ROCKET. Haha! It launched me into my “own little world,” said my friend Laura who was standing next to me in slight bewilderment. This one was meant to have the heart “keep pumping blood,” even during those time when the pulse may be weak. Love…love…LOVE!
Next up was Philadelphia, One of my favorites from Augustines‘ first album, Rise Ye Sunken Ships (and it’s not just cause I’m from Philly). I love the live rendition of this one, with Eric’s piano ballad opening and closing the passageway to the “City of Brotherly Love.” I also enjoy watching as Billy eagerly challenges his vocals with this one, piping out vibratos with his “Oooo-ooo’s” before cauterizing our wounds: “Soak your scars in the ocean…”I can’t help smile ear-to-ear when Billy hugs Eric at the end. So much love with this band. It’s utterly contagious. On a side note, we all had absolutely NO CLUE what Billy was up to with that fire extinguisher, haha.
After embracing the song that reminds me of my dirt and roots (yes, I’m talking about PHILLY), Billy makes a Birthday toast to John Panos, the siiiiick, sassy trumpet player from The Bronx. Even more, he’s an off-the-boat Greek American from NYC, and what better way for the band to shower him with love than to douse him in some Ouzo. They fill him a glass (more than half-full) of his country’s liquid courage, and Billy joins him, as if to not leave a man hanging. Billy then takes the initiative to drink to his own heritage, busting out the Jameson whisky and having to swig back more than intended due to the peer pressure of the Irish (…when it comes to drinking, they are surely hard to hang with). The crowd sings John a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and we all wait in eager anticiaption as John and Billy duel back-and-forth (trumpet vs. guitar) as part of the intro to Strange Days, which Billy describes as a “dance song!” I absolutely LOVED this improvised “horny for some horn” (Billy’s words!) beginning, and was even a bit tempted to fire up Panos a bit as the fellow Italian American from Philly (would still have a chance in Dublin, haha). By the end of this song, EVERYONE was DANCING, just as Billy said the would. 🙂
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After all that dancing, it was time for a Walkabout. This song had struck a particular deep chord in me the first time I heard it– a chord that would continue to resonate as I continued on with my international work experience abroad in London. At one point during this two-year walkabout, I had traveled a span of 17 countries in 15 months, and I become gripped with emotion EVERY TIME during the confessional intro: “I’ve lost my way, so bad.” I once WAS lost, but now I am found. This song has been a torch guiding my path to clarity, and it will continue to walkabout in my mind, again and again. ❤
Walkabout was followed by a DOUBLE-WHAMMY of the high-intensity, upbeat anthems, Nothing to Lose But Your Head and Cruel City, to close Augustine’s standard set. BUT, the fans were not ready to go home yet, and their incessant clapping an howling had Augustines returning back on stage for long, generous encore. Billy and Eric immediately took this opportunity to perform The Avenue while standing on top of the bar, looking out onto the crowd.
I love the one fan who kept egging Billy on with his encouraging “Sing it!” and “Who-hoo!” banter. You always need a bit of a firecracker to kick the heat up a notch! Haha.
Billy pours out his heart and soul as he wails, “Oh you just can’t see me yet…you still don’t know me after all this time.” (SLAYED)
“I wanna love ya or leave ya You ain’t my home Just swinging at nothin on the avenue…Again.
(Eric stars ferociously stomping his heels on the bar)
You haven’t seen all the good inside Me yet I know Maybe I should see that in myself again…
(I shouted horny cause I saw Panos raising his horny on stage, and it was a running joke of the night)
See that in myself and GO!”
Then, Billy becomes so moved by the Belfast choir’s “Ooo–Ooo-Ooo’s” that he drops his beer on the bar, and with a dropped-jaw, quickly hugs Eric out of disbelief (and slight consolation, haha). x
Billy then shouts, “Now I gotta try and figure out a way to get the hell off this thing” (referring to the bar), and the crowd can’t help but embrace his genuine, not-afraid-to-be-himself, cool character. He then extends a big thank you their their bus driver, Lee, who’s been their “captain” this entire UK/European tour. Love.
Billy and Eric then return back on stage for the MVPs (most valuable players) –Now You Are Free and Book of James– whose impact have been vital to the eminent success of Augustines and Rise Ye Sunken Ships, respectively. Both have rocked me in ways that I never knew rock music could- “thoughtful, intelligent rock music,” that is.
After these hair-raising, heart-pumpers, Billy and Eric leap off-stage to once again play songs IN the crowd, WITH the crowd. THIS is the very essence of what distinguishes Augustines from most typical bands…the all-inclusive, intimate sing-a-longs that leave us feeling liberated and loved.
Billy and Eric locked eyes the entire first chorus of Weary Eyes, as if they were reliving those never ending struggles that kept them in the dark for so long. I teared up watching this “I can’t believe we made it” unfold in front of me. As an athlete (softball/soccer/lacrosse) growing up, the longest I span I had ever had with another teammate was probably around 5-6 years. I can’t IMAGINE the depth and intensity of Billy and Eric’s 12-year, “struggle-became-our-identity” kind of bondage that had them holding on for dear life in order to fight for what they were born to do: heal people with their music. Serious emotion…(heart BEATING like a hammer!)
This verse always gets those goosebumps crawling:
“Do you remember that song When the bar sang along and we stumbled home Weary eyes? We laid on the roof, drank wine and we proved WE CAN FIX OURSELVES!” (carotids bulging as I shout along!)
Then, without warning, the one-and-only John Panos marches into the crowd and churns out even more chills with his powerful, playful trumpet. The omnipotent, holy-esque “Oh-Oh-Oh-OH-Oh-Ohs” that follow had the whole crowd praying for more.
Billy gave the crowd a few options for what to play next, including the option TO DANCE. He quickly mentions the song Pressure Drop by Toots and the Mayta, and a 70-year-old (ballpark) Silver Fox squeals like a boy on Christmas morning. Billy of course could not let this jubilant man done, and quickly gives Eric the cue for the ultimate pressure drop.
I too joined that man in a state of utter jubilation, and could NOT STOP LAUGHING LIKE A HYENA (apologizes to those around me), especially when John Panos TRUMPS in with his trumpet as Billy yells, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
This song was SO MAGICAL on SO MANY LEVELS; It was so hilarious and to watch Eric, Billy, and John dancing all goofy right alongside me, while at the same time watch Rob beating that box drum like melodic madman. I had never seen this one before, and MAN did it MAKE MY PRESSURE DROP.
Following this pressure drop was a poignant, emotional rendition of East Los Angeles (“a song about hotel rooms and car parks”) from the balcony above, where coincidentally that Silver Fox was sitting…(maybe that’s why he chose to post up there!)…I was amazed to see how many fans around me knew all the lyrics.
With the Belfast crowd clearly wide awake and begging for more, Billy, Eric, Rob, and John got everyone huddled around for an intimate New Drink for the Old Drunk lullaby, which Billy introduces as a “drinking song,” and then exclaims, “Wait a sec! This feels a bit..(weird)…You are my family!…I was just up there!”
He clearly wanted the crowd to not be shy and to continue to huddle around as they kicked off this song acoustic-style before Billy hands ME his guitar (DYING) and they finish it off full volume and full blast on stage with everyone ARM-IN-ARM, jumping UP and DOWN.
I was SO STOKED to have been able to say hi to them all after (haha Billy called me “Tiger”) and meet their awesome, talented cameraman, Brendon. Memories to last a lifetime. I feel so blessed and thankful fir if all. Thank gosh it was Thanksgiving the next day. Cheers to ROUND TWO in Dublin with my fellow American Brooklyn Boys. I’m glad to see that they were sporting the Irish bling that I got for them! I figured it might bring them some extra Lucky Charms for the Dublin gig. Plus, the I thought the Leprechaun hat would be an ideal replacement to Billy’s standard fedora. 😛
I am as serious as a heart attack when I say that their music has been one of my only constants when my world was thrown many variables. It’s been a comforting haven to find shelter and clarity, and it’s adopted me into a “family” of fans who feel the same way. The intense loyalty and devotion from this Augustines’ family is one that I have never before witnessed, and I see TONS of live music. It’s as if we all give each other “virtual hugs” with each new Facebook/twitter post, as only WE can understand the life-changing, emotional embrace of every Augustines‘ gig. Can’t wait for the REAL hugs at the Brighton and London gigs next week!
Turns out I was standing next to a guy that used to work with Damien Jurado when he was (get this!) a ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER in Seattle. I am so shocked! After seeing him writhe around on the floor shouting the lyrics to his last song, I have a hard time believing he was once disciplining small children. Haha. I love hearing the interesting backstories of these musicians. Always a pleasant surprise 🙂
Nothing is the News and Working Titles were my favorite tracks from his 2012 album, Maraqopa. Favorite verses back-to-back in Working titles:
“Leave me an exit to damage I could use a ledge to jump off of I wasn’t lying when I said this was over I have questions that lead to more questions (truth)
… Running time that will cut off my fingers You wrote about me on every new record I’ll show up in the title of your song I only hope somebody requests it.” (slayed)
VIDEOS:
Working titles:
I had no idea the Tallest Man on Earth and Idiot Wind (his wife) cover this! INCREDIBLE.
Also, check out Augustinescover of Damien Jurdo’s Ohio!
Sun Kil Moon (aka Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters) was one of the top 3 artists at Green Man who I was REALLY EAGER to see live, and it was crazy odds that they just so happened to be the act right before Augustines, one of my other top bands of the festival. I made sure to get to the front, posting up on the left side facing the stage…only to later realize (mad luck!) that this side would land me directly opposite Mark, with the BEST VIEW in the house. That lucky strike is what prompted my little “Look at us!” comment during the beginning of I Watched The Film the Song Remains the Same (video below), when I turned to the giddy older couple standing next to me.
Ever since a friend had told me about Mark’s new album (Benji) back in June, I had been listening for days on end and had been utterly transfixed by all of the personal narratives cleverly laced within his beautiful guitar melodies. Mark is brutally honest in this record, unveiling a repository of deep-seated emotions: relentless love for his mother (I Can’t Live Without My Mother’s Love), troubled confusion over the death of his cousin (Carissa), sexual confessions (Dogs), discomfort of misfortune (Micheline), death marking time (Richard Rameriz Died Today of Natural Causes), coming-of-age insecurities (Ben’s my friend), etc. And of course there’s much dressing in between the meat of these songs….So much subtle detail that you might think is random and out-of-place, but then later (after letting it marinate) you realize you were wrong- there is indeed a distinct method to Mark’s madness. He truly is a master of his craft.
One of the first songs that Mark kicks of his Green Man set with is a heartfelt track from Benji that he wrote about his mother: I Can’t Live Without My Mother’s Love. He’s also wrote a track about his father on the same album, but it was not nearly as sentimental and loving. You have to think that this brought her much tear-shed:
“I can live with the sky falling out from above I can live with your scorn, your sourness, your smug I can live growing old alone if push comes to shove But I can’t live without my mother’s love …. I can live without watching the classic old fights I can live without a lover beside me at night I can live without what you might call a charmed life But I can’t live without my mother providing her light.” (slayed)
Funny thing was, immediately following this heartfelt track — a track that would almost prompt you to wanna give him a big bear hug– he makes a racy comment that most of the crowd found funny, but some found kind of vulgar: “They cancelled Jabberwocky tomorrow, so I’m gonna hang out here and try to get laid.” Referring to a “slew of ex-lovers” in one of his songs, it’s definitely clear that Mark likes to put off a ‘bad-boy’ image. Right after he made this comment about trying to get laid, he chugged some vodka from a bottle he had on stage; he re-visted this bottle several times throughout the set.
Next up was Dogs, which was very fitting since it’s about Marks’ sexual confessions/desires. I like this one, but it was kind of a strange choice for a festival that has a large demographic of families and children. I would have actually swapped this one out for Ben’s My Friend, one of my favorites from Benji that talks about the time he went to see his friend Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service) play at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, California but how he felt too old amongst the crowd so he “gave his backstage pass to two cute Asian girls” and “drove to his place near Tahoe.” I love all of the references to San Francisco (Union Street), Berekely, and Tahoe in this one. Definitely takes me down memory lane and gets me a bit ansty to get back to California.
After Dogs came MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE from the Benji album: Micheline- a gnarly narrative that that is nothing short of GENIUS. Mark cleverly threads 3 different life accounts into one heartfelt journey of whit, irony, shock, despair, and gratitude, and you are left stunned and yet eager to hear more. I was SO STOKED to finally witness the live performance of Micheline at Green Man, although I was a bit thrown off by the beginning. I’m used to Mark’s acoustic guitar part kicking off the song, and it was a bit odd that he sat this one out. His vocals were incredible, but I still do enjoy his guitar!
“She wanted love like anyone else… She had dreams like anyone else.” (flood of chills every time)
Soon following Micheline was another top Sun Kil Moon track (Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes) from Benji, although you couldn’t really hear the cool electric guitar part that comes in after Mark’s last verse (one of my favorite parts!). I turned my head toward the electric guitarist and stared at him with a “pick up your game!” kinda stare. Maybe it was a bit harsh, but come on!
“Richard Ramirez died today of natural causes These things mark time and make us pause… at 53 Richard Ramirez died but in 83 he was very much alive he was the scariest killer in the bend he had a pentagram in the center of his hand.” (WOAH…creepy)
Another favorite was A Film The Song Remained the Same, and I can never seem to get enough of those gorgeous guitar melodies in the beginning. Such an incredible narrative that Mark weaves in this one, and the “thank you” verse (although more annunciated on the recorded version) slays me every time.
“I don’t know what happened or what anyone did From my earliest memories I was a very melancholic kid When anything close to me at all in the world died To my heart, forever, it would be tied … And since that time so much has happened to me But I discovered I cannot shake melancholy… (love this line) .. I got a friend who lives in the desert outside Santa Fe I’m going to visit him this Saturday Between my travels and his divorces and our time not being what it was It’s been 15 years since I last saw him He’s the man who signed me back in ’92 And I’m going to go there and tell him face-to-face, ‘thank you.” (Favorite part! Mad chills…)
A few other songs from other albums that I would have love to hear him play are Elaine, Natural Light, UK Blues, and A Song for Richard Collopy. These festival sets often tend to be very short 45-60 min, and so I felt rest assured knowing that I would be able to hear much more at his solo gig scheduled for Aug 28th at St. James church in London. However, it was announced on Aug 23rd that this show had been cancelled. MAJOR DEVASTATION. I was REALLY looking forward to a much longer set, and of just him and his guitar. He’s playing festival in Sweden right now (from his song lyrics it’s clear he really loves it there), and maybe just decided he wanted to stay there for longer. Who knows, but WHAT A BUMMER. Luckily, my buddies in San Francisco will get to see him FOR FREE (along with Jonathan Wilson, another stand-out act at Green Man) at this year’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival on Oct 3-4 in Golden Gate Park. Catch him WHEN YOU CAN…he doesn’t tour often!
Augustines’ BIRTHDAY CHEER at Green Man Festival in Wales
(Aug 15, 2014)
A review by Erica Andreozzi
I am STILL on CLOUD NINE from last weekend’s Green Man Festival in SouthWales. This was my favorite UK festival of last year, so it was only fitting that it would be my last and favorite (STILL) UK festival of 2014. It might even be my last Green Man for a while, as I’ll be leaving the UK in a few months, but as least I ended it full circle. Set in the heart of the idyllic Brecon Beacons, the environment, scenery, band selection, people, and just overall vibe is really something special. PLUS, last but not least…(I thank the Green Man gods for this!), Augustines were added to the festival lineup with short notice, making this festival EVEN MORE highly anticipated than ever before. NOT ONLY THAT, but the night that Augustines were scheduled to play the Mountain Stage (pics below), was the night of both Billy’s birthday and the birthday of his brother James (who inspired the emotive track, Book of James). Grab a helmet cause there’s more! Billy and James’ double-wammy birthday is further compounded by Eric’s birthday at the strike of midnight. CRAZY ODDS. I mean, it wasn’t already enough that I was seeing Augustines in THEIR MONTH (their August birthdays inspired the name), I was seeing them at THE PINNACLE (pretty much) of THEIR MONTH. (one lucky lil’ lady) Seeing them at their summit, IN FRONT OF a summit (yes, that beautiful mountain behind the stage that everyone’s refers to as “Sugarloaf”), was just way too surreal. So many good vibes going on, so much beauty brewing around us…it was definitely one of those “pinch me” moments where I had to convince myself that YES, this was all really happening. AND, to top it off, the act preceding Augustines just happened to be Sun Kil Moon (aka Mark Kozlek), the artist that I had been listening to for weeks on end (that Benji album is ACE) and anxiously waiting to see live for the first time. I distinctly remember both Billy and Rob poking their heads out from behind the stage curtain during Mark’s performance of The Film the Song Remains the Same(one of my favorites), and I couldn’t help smile at their eager eyes and beaming grins. They were more than ready to get on stage and do what they DO BEST: Entertain crowds with stadium-size sound that somehow maintains an intimacy/inclusiveness of a small room. Unlike most bands, they SHARE THE STAGE and are genuinely excited by fans dancing and singing their songs along WITH THEM. They feed off that energy and participation, making it one big joyous sing-a-long for everyone. WE ALL WIN. 🙂
When the clocked struck 8 pm for Augustines’ set to start, the tenacious trifecta (Billy, Eric, Rob) came running out on stage like gazelles, ready to celebrate Green Man AND THEIR BIRTHDAYS with the 10,000+ grateful Green Man audience. Billy introduces the band and then shouts into the microphone: “It’s my birthday!” This immediately prompted the entire crowd to sing him ‘Happy Birthday’ while he stood up on stage grinning ear-to-ear. If this was the first time you were seeing Augustines (hard to believe from my end), you would immediately be drawn to the deep appreciation that they have for their fans. Billy was BEAMING, as if he could hear every single fan’s individual birthday cheer like it was coming from his best friend. Later on, he posted this Facebook message alongside a photo of him standing up in the sea of people: “Wales my eternal thanks. Bloodied knees and hoarse voice and an unbelievable joy in my heart. Best birthday ever…that’s me in the middle having the time of my life…“
Although their set seemed way too short to me (especially in comparison to their usual 2+ hr set), they served up a handful of hearty sing-a-longs, kicking off with Nothing to Lose but Your Head and soon following with Cruel City(it was so cool to be in front of Eric and watch him do the beats for this one).They also played Chapel Song and Headlong into the Abyss, both of which got the crowed roaring and all warmed them up on this crisp, chilly night. They then freed everyone of all their ghosts with the always compelling Now You are Freebefore rounding out the set. BUT BILLY, chock full of surprises, SURPRISED US ALL with an impressive BIRTHDAY DANCE (below), shouting: “I was getting fucking worried you guys were sleeping the past two hours!…” HELLS NO. Never.
Billy’s Birthday Dance:
Soon after the birthday dance, I heard a girl behind be scream a request of Philadelphia, and although I’m from ‘the City of Brotherly Love’ and do love that song, I quickly screamed Book of James because I knew it was coming down to the wire and I REALLY WANTED to hear my favorite. They usually save this heavy hitter for the end, so I had a feeling it was coming anyways. These lyrics forever resonate in my mind: “Here lies, my green eyes, rolled back in my head, but their ALIVE.” (so good) I actually thought they would close out on Book of James, but they decided to give us one more hit. Home run. For this one, Rob ditches his drums and comes close to the front of the stage to be apart of the acoustic encore that will forever be etched in our memory. Billy also ditches guitar, leaving Eric the one to hold down the fort and lead the rhythm for The Avenue. This is when Eric’s smile was EAR-TO-EAR; he was just STARING OUT at the cheerful crowd of 10,000+ with that look of, “YES, we’ve finally made it. They FINALLY GET IT.” Yes, we certainly do, and we truly hope Augustines continue to RISE UP as a band and made beautiful music that touches hearts every day. For the encore of The Avenue, Billy asks the crowd to be a ‘Green Man Choir’ and sing along with “oooo’s” during the chorus, stating: “It only works when everybody does it.” Before he knew it, the entire Green man choir was full force, leaving him “impressed” and ready to end his birthday on a verse that celebrates the wonderful human being that he is:
“Yeah, haven’t seen all the good inside me yet, I know Maybe I should see that in myself again See that in myself and go.” 🙂
The Avenue:
After the show, I was lucky enough to catch (and finally meet!) Rob and give him a pen-and-ink sketch that a women named Pauline Williams drew of Augustines on-the-spot during their set — although she said she had a hard drawing it because standing behind me…(I do get a tad rowdy). I initially saw her drawing sketches for other bands earlier that day and mentioned that she should return that night for the Augustines set. Not only did I want her to see the band, but I knew they would really appreciate her unique sketch. I got to TONS of gigs, but I never ONCE saw someone do what she does…there are always load of photographers, but never free-sketch artists. Check out the rest of her collection: http://www.paulinewilliamsart.com/collections/pen-ink
I would have been nice to wish Billy and Eric a happy birthday in person, but Rob said the band was off to Germany that night for another festival. At least we can rest assured from their Facebook post that this year’s birthday would always hold a special place in their hearts: “…such an amazing experience for us. The crowd spontaneously sang Happy Birthday to us under the night sky. Its hard to describe to you how big our smiles were. Special thanks to Wales, and cheers to all of you. Best birthday ever.” -Bill, Eric, and Rob
“It’s not how slow you go, it’s that you never stop.” “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in RISING every time we fall.” “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
–Confucius (500 BC)
These simple truths, voiced thousands of years ago by a great Chinese philosopher, remain the vein of Augustines existence and the “duende” that continue to invigorate their diehard fans (who fly from other countries to see them). “Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without” (also Confucius), and when it comes to Augustines music, this pleasure percolates the crowd like the sweat seeping through every pore on our body. Sounds intense, and IT IS. Their live shows strip you bare, break you down, and build you back again, as if some sort of REBIRTH. Those that have never seen Augustines live can’t comprehend the sort of exhaustive catharsis and resurrection that accompanies their set. Each song will awake the soul and revitalize the heart, and by the end, you will feel like you are on the verge of a heart attack (at least I do). Not only is this because my carotids have been bulging from my neck from belting out the chorus so loud, but because my heart fills up like a balloon that is about to burst. This American Beauty quote describes it perfectly: “It’s hard to stay mad when there’s so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I’m seeing it all at once, and it’s too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that’s about to burst. And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain, and I can’t feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life.” Augustines have that same effect.
Billy McCarthy, the beating heart of Augustines, perpetuates an endless cascade of positivity EVERY SINGLE SHOW, leaving fans feeling loved, understood, and validated. “And all you want is something to believe in… just for a little bit. And we’re here tonight because of music. And music’s a funny thing because you can’t fucking own it. It doesn’t exist. It’s just matter. You can’t hold onto it. It’s a moment. This is your moment with music. And we’re sharing this moment with you right now through our music and we really appreciate it. We all need something to believe in and I want to tell you something tonight: at the end of this tour, I’ve been waiting my whole fucking life for this,” says Billy at the end of their gig in Birmingham (Feb 2014). Spoken like a true genius –one with the ability to creatively use your intellect—Billy knows exactly how to heal every wounded person in the audience. Armed with upbeat rhythms and uplifting lyrics (“soak your scars in the ocean”), he delivers an intoxicating dose of musical medicine with healing powers that are beyond belief. Music, ‘mere vibrations through the air,’ can somehow unite people all across the globe– people of different language, race, and background. Music is a way to explain things where there are no words, and the mood it elicits becomes common denominators for those ‘mere vibrations’– vibrations that chill our bones, strike chords in our soul, and resonate mantras in our minds. When it comes to Augustines, that mantra is to RISE. To “soak your scars in the ocean… to put away all our sobs…to let go all of your ghosts…to RISE up from some dirty ashes.”
I am always conscious of the notion that “everyone’s got a story to tell,” but the story of Augustines (Billy McCarthy, Eric Sanderson, Rob Allen) is something short of a MIRACLE— how they rose up from their ashes (e.g. death, neglect, deceit) and “overcame massive adversity & personal tragedy to become the most critically acclaimed indie band in the world.” Just last week, Big Vulture Productions announced a kickstarter campaign to fund a DOCUMENTARY FILM (called “RISE”) on this miracle of a story behind Augustines: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1638587871/rise-the-story-of-augustines (donate!)
If you do ANYTHING SENSIBLE this August (the month of Augustines!), it would be to donate to this incredibly rewarding cause and to help their story get told. Just as the great Maya Angelou once proclaimed, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you,” and I whole-heartedly agree. She also said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” I cannot think of a band that exemplifies this MORE so than Augustines, and SHARING THEIR STORY WITH THE WORLD has the potential to EMPOWER THE MASSES and to help people RISE UP from devastating tragedy. Tod Howe, the direct of “RISE,” states: “It is our intention that RISE transcends both music and band to stand on it’s own as a truly compelling film…To me, what makes this film so unique are the band members. The fact that they have been through so much in their history makes the success they now have inspirational on another level altogether.” If we truly believe that life is an echo, it makes sense that the generosity Augustines has sent out to fans for years is finally coming back to them. Let’s fortify this echo by donating to this film.
While my fervid film fever for this band might have you thinking that I am part of the creative collective behind “RISE,” don’t be fooled. Nope. I am just DIE-HARD fan (lil’ lady, BIG HEART) that feels utterly compelled to give MY EVERYTHING to making sure the music and story of Augustines is heard around the world. Although I am a MAD SCIENTIST by day (Biomedical Engineering: BS, PhD), I am a MUSIC JUNKIE by night that’s been gripped by the power of music and has felt its ability to heal. With a day job that encourages me to think analytically (aka “overanalyze”) and to use equations/formulas to study uncertainty and solve scientific problems, it’s nice to let my mind escape at night. Live music is indeed my escapism, and it has let my mind fly away to wonderful places when physical escape was not possible. Unlike science, there are no “formulas” for creating the “perfect song,” and I LOVE THAT. There are endless possibilities to crafting combination of keys, chords, rhythms, but none of which are “right” or “wrong.” Music is formless power whose only measure of its existence is the heightened sensation it provokes. Some songs resonate more with us during moments in our lives, and our favorite song one month might not be so the next. As with karma, I truly do believe that different music comes in and out of our lives at certain times FOR A REASON; the reason for Augustines coming back into my life (new album/tour) when it did was obvious: to RISE.
When I encounter life-changing music like Augustines, I am overwhelmed by such strong impulse to share it. Sharing music with others has always given me this insatiable high, this sense of euphoria that’s almost indescribable to those who aren’t music junkies like myself. Music is my drug, and I am definitely an addict– it’s my fuel when energy levels are low, and it’s my meditation when thoughts need reorganization; It’s my rhythmical road map to peace of mind and self discovery, my passport to the heart and soul; It’s my appetite for life. After moving to London and quickly averaging 2-3 shows a week, I started to joke that I might need an “intervention” from all of this live music. But then I realized that this would be like taking away my oxygen…my very life force. While I really do enjoy my day job as a scientist, this job does come with certain pressures and responsibilities that can sometimes overwhelm me to the point of paralysis; And that’s when music steps in. “Keep your head up kid, I know you can swim, But ya gotta move your legs.” YES. Thank you for reminding me, Billy. Not only does music keep me swimming in the face of adversity, but it also gives life a certain rhythm that keeps me dancing. In honor of the legendary actor, comic, BRIGHT SOUL that we lost yesterday—Robin Williams—I recall his memorable line from a scene in Dead Poet’s Society: “We read and write poetry because we are part of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion…Medicine, law, business, engineering…these are all noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life…But poetry (MUSIC), beauty, romance, love …These are what we STAY ALIVE FOR.” Eerie enough, about an hour before Robin William’s suicide death was announced to the public, Billy had posted on facebook that it was the 5 year death anniversary of his brother James, who also happened to die from suicide. HEAVY HEART. Although a person may look happy, you sometimes have to look past their smile and see how much pain they may be in. We all need to start looking out for one another more, and starting show that we care. ❤
No matter how transient or unpredictable life gets, some music will ALWAYS remain a CONSTANT, an extension of something familiar (people, places, things). That is how I –and others– feel about Augustines. Their music is safe territory for people to find their voice, express themselves, and heal their wounds inside and out. It is a mainline to Billy’s heart and a conduit for people to connect with his experience in a very real and very personal way. Earnest Hemingway once said that a person’s “virtue” (what makes them great) is also “what makes them more vulnerable” and “they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed.” It’s this very vulnerability that make us fans able to connect with Billy in ways that most other frontman would never know. I’m not sure if Billy’s watched Brene’ Brown’s TED talk on vulnerability (I hope he has!), but it’s an excellent reminder that “shame is the fear of disconnection” and that, no matter the past, we must “fully embrace vulnerability in order to make connection happen.” THIS is why the music of Augustines is SO powerful, and why Billy has received fan letters from people proclaiming that their music has cured grief and prevented suicide. There are not many bands whose emotions are brimming so close to the surface (ready to boil over) that you can nearly taste their pain. Despite everything that makes us fragile humans, Augustines reminds us that DREAMS DO COME TRUE. Their music is the very vessel that carries people forward through hardship and helps them harness the strength to “rise ye (own) sunken ship.”
It was not until I first saw Augustines at The Lexington (150 capacity) in London for an impromptu pre-album release show (selling out in 4 min), that I finally understood what it feels like to RISE, Augustines’ style. I remember that night so clearly because it was such a rat race to get to the venue and I almost did not make it. After an exhausting 12+ hr day (no food/drink) of injecting/imaging mice as the mad scientist, the music junkie kicked into full gear and I was off in a mad dash to arrive on time. Profusely dripping with sweat as a entered the door, I heard Billy’s voice upstairs realized that they had ALREADY STARTED. With panic mode soon kicking in, I became flooded with adrenaline and somehow (it’s sill all a bit hazy to me), I dodged through the crowd like a dark phantom in the night and was able to glide along the perimeter walls before magician-ing myself to the front. This scrappy, lil’ Italian ain’t no rookie, and although I normally wouldn’t be so rude, it was AUGUSTINES, and I had a HARD DAY. The fact that I even MADE IT there was shocking, so I wasn’t about to TWINKLE TOE in. If I got there, I was GETTING TO THE FRONT. And a sweet spot at the left corner of the stage (facing front) is where I landed. (like A BOSS) 😛
I thank EVERY HIGHER POWER out there, because that show was one of the most blistering, raw, cathartic performances from a rock group that I HAD EVER SEEN. (I see tons of bands). Seriously UNREAL on SO MANY LEVELS. Although I missed Augustines‘ opening song of Headlong into the Abyss–which is a real shamed because I love shouting along the chorus (“Call the police, go ahead call your shrink…Call whoever you want but I won’t stop the car…Call the police, go ahead call your priest…Call whoever you want, call in the National Guard”)–I was there for the full rundown of Chapel Song, one of my favorites from their debut album, ‘Rise Ye Sunken Ships.’ Rob’s opening drums remind me of a racing heart beat, while Eric’s vacillating chords remind me of an apprehensive mind– both of which are very fitting for a song about a man standing indecisive on his wedding day:
“Well there goes my girl Into the chapel Now she’s walking down the aisle And it feels just like a mile And I shake shake shake like a leaf And I’m lyin’ lyin’ lyin’ through my teeth.”
Sung out with desperation and inner rebellion, Billy’s brutally honest vocals will have you feeling his every inch of emotion. The same goes for the line in Augustine when he pleads, “Keep your head up kid, I know you can swim, But ya gotta move your legs” (love the trailing guitar part), and when he shouts (my personal favorite), “New York City can go to hell!” I am always wondering if the “kid” he sings about is himself; if so, then Juarez helps explain why it might not be so easy to keep his head up: “Lord I see red…and I think my Daddy’s dead…Lord I see red and I’m prayin on my bed…I got a drunk for a mother…Got a saint for a brother.” Also early in the lineup that night was Cruel City, one of the first new songs delivered to the audience that night. This one was devoted to NYC, and Billy describes the meaning behind its name: “We did 255 shows over 23 countries for the last record, and I would come back beaten to a pulp…and I would get back to New York and there would be all these honking horns, and ‘Fuck You Buddy’, it was all really rough. I couldn’t relax; I would walk down the street feeling tense.” Although you might expect this tension to transpire into a harsh, angry song, it’s quite the opposite. Cruel City feels more upbeat than the others on the new album, and it has a distinct levity to it – a lightheartedness that can be attributed the influence of West African rythyms. Eric learned many new styles after studying music in Ghana, and the bouncy beats he brought back definitely give Cruel City its resilience: “Hey, I miss your skin…I still reach for you in the dark.”
As Billy looks out the crowd with his “weary” green eyes (although they did not play Weary Eyes that night), you can’t help feel compassion for him in a real and personal way. This ‘my heart feels your heart’ compassion is most evident during You Got Nothing to Lose But Your Head when he shouts at the top of his lungs: “Have you ever felt lonely?…Like your hollow heart is hanging in the wind…Your black lungs can’t breath…You got nothing to lose but your head.” But, the verse that really had my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach and on the verge of tears is:
“Have you ever lost someone, Screamed Holy Mary down the hall Or cried against the steering wheel, and hated every mirror you ever saw. Have you reached out in a cold cold night, Waved goodbye into headlights, Thought you were wrong your whole life, (slayed) The day you found true love…”
That first line about losing someone really hits home, as my best friend lost her father just over a year ago to cancer (horrible). But, instead of using his emotional carnage to harness sympathy, Billy uses it as a sort of SOS to rescue those still consumed by grief. “This song is about “the realization that now is the time. Gone are the days of wandering around waiting for that right time. There is no right time, so go — ya got nothing to lose but your head,” he says. It’s clear that he’s convinced the entire audience of this when he has them all belting out the last chorus: “HEY! You gotta get me outta here…Running circles in my brain.” Billy got so carried away that he actually LOST HIS HEAD and plummeted into the drums during the closing of the song. Funny thing was, Rob CONTINUED TO PLAY the symbols over Billy’s head to end the song, and immediately after –once climbing out the drum mess— Billy says to the crowd all nonchalantly, “Well THAT was a bit unnecessary…” HAHA. We all enjoyed the academy award winning performance. x
Another song where we feel compassion for Billy is in Hold On To Anything, when he holds up his hand ups as if being resurrected and wails: “Holes in my hands, can’t hold onto anyone…Can’t hold onto anyone…Soooo, call you friends…Cause I can’t hold onto anyone….hands full of holes.” Although the lyrics are a bit oppressive, the triumphant trombone of Al Hardiman keeps us clinging on, and we can’t NOT join Billy when he roars “YEEE–EEAH!” throughout. Al Hardiman is not a full-time Augustines member, but he joins them on some of their tours and it was a real treat to have him along that night at the Lexington. “He’s a very talented artist who we have a strong connection with,” explains Eric. “He’ll play trombone and sing, and play keyboards as well. We decided, with the nature of the music that we made on this record, that we wanted someone else to come out for the journey with us, because the walkabout hasn’t stopped, now that we’re learning to play these songs live. So as we go out into America and Europe and the rest of the world, this idea of a walkabout, of finding yourself, is going to carry on, and Al’s going to be joining us, for however long it lasts.” Not only did Al play trombone for some of the songs, but he also played cello for Philadelphia (City of Brotherly Love), a song whose very lyrics serve as the key mission statement for the band: “To RISE up from some dirty ashes.” Eric’s opening piano instantly dissipated any heaviness I was carrying around with me that day, and I felt a thousand times lighter as I joined Billy in singing:
“It’s the same people Just different faces All lost in a fog And we could disappear just as easy And I’m already gone To rise up from some dirty ashes, (YES)) To put away all our sobs And now we’re choking on the years But this is not your fault… It’s the city of brotherly love…”
Having been born in West Philadelphia and raised just outside, I very much commiserate with other’s who’ve faced the austerity/turmoil of this rough city. Although I could never move back after moving to the West Coast (I’ve surely left my heart in San Francisco), I do appreciate where I came from, the dirt and the roots. Philly’s cultivated in me a natural scrappiness/toughness that is unparalleled to many (we don’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and we often ‘hustle’ to get our way), and so I thoroughly enjoyed belting out “Soak your scars in the ocean…YEEE-AH!’ with the rest of the crowd. Chills all over my body for this one, cause you know the scars that Billy refers to RUN DEEP. And to have this song bleed even more emotion with Al’s stunning cello howling in the background?…DEAR GOD.
But for me, the most moving moment in the show –one the evoked the strongest visceral sense of sincerity–was when Billy described his disbelief of the show’s record 4-min sellout: “Four minutes to walk to the subway that used to take me to my last shitty job, two and a half to three years ago; Four minutes to tie the boots that would take me to that subway; Four minutes to queue for coffee before starting the job I had before Augustines…and…FOUR MINUTES TO SELL OUT THIS ONE OFF UK GIG.” (heart racing as if it might come through my chest!) This same thread of appreciation and devotion reminded me of Billy’s comment in an previous interview: “I think that art gets really good when you need to do it…I could drive a truck again, and I’d survive, but my soul wouldn’t survive. I need this music for my soul to make sense.” GOD I love this frontman and THIS BAND. Billy’s voice and lyrics are like a lifeline to the heart, and his live performances are concrete evidence of this NEED for music. He recently elaborated: “Music, some people enjoy it…blah blah…but something interesting happens when you need it…I NEED IT…I need music…music has made me become a better person…I just kept playing guitar and it gave me focus…I couldn’t afford a therapist, and my guitar and my heart and my band mates, it’s allowed me to not completely destroyed by some of the things that happened.” ❤
And with survival often being the mother of invention, this need for music sparked the very FLAME that would become Augustines—who rose from the ashes of Billy and Eric’s previous group, Pela (which broke up in 2009). Billy and Eric were joined by British drummer, Rob Allen, and together they grew immensely as they ignited the ashes of Pela to a new success. Eric says, “As individuals, we hit rock bottom after our dream of becoming musicians evaporated with Pela’s demise. We started drinking the pain away and gave up on mostly everything.” But, they DIDN’T GIVE UP. Using Pela’s defeat as sort of a fresh stimulus to create their debut alum, ‘Rise Ye Sunken Ships.’ The very crux of that album was the loss/longing that deteriorated Billy as he suffered the death of his brother (James) to suicide and his mother (a schizophrenic) to a drug overdose.
“During that record (Rise Ye Sunken Ships),” Eric explains, “we spoke openly about a deeply personal time period in our lives, especially Billy’s.” Eric, Rob, and Billy all became each other’s therapists and wound-healers, reminding me of a quote I once heard from a famous rock climber: “Experiences that require that much struggle and involve that much raw human emotion, really expose us. When you’re that exposed, you can’t help but either love or hate the people you’re with. It just happens that way. When you’re rubbed raw, your partners are going to be salt in your wound, or they’re going to be Bandaids.“ (love this) Together, Augustines was able to transform this tragic past into emotional emancipation— emancipation from pain endured by others with similar tragedy. Their struggles only built them a stronger warrior, adding more metal to their armor. They’d beaten off every unfortunate circumstance thrown their way, spinning every negative into a positive, and eventually shouting this message to the world with renewed spirit and vitality. “By the end of that tour,” explains Allen, “we had people at festivals dancing and singing words back to us. It was incredible. I don’t think we were fully expecting that. But by the end of it, it was so inspiring that, after two and a half years, we were able to look at the past with a positive attitude. And that’s really what this new record is about – capturing those feelings and positive energy. It made us a unit. It made us a band.”
The positive reaction and excitement from Augustines’ first album (Augustines) ended up overpowering the tragedy and darkness that inspired it, and they realized that they wanted to feed off that excitement. “The new album doesn’t deal with the despair of the first,” Billy said. Instead, it’s about the excitement that he, Eric and Rob felt as they grew the band from the ashes of another project and made it its own success. After playing >250 shows in 2011, they feel they’ve become better live performers, and have enjoyed the fans’ reciprocation of their on-stage passion. “For me,” says Eric, “the core of the record is the concept of a walkabout. Going on a journey to find– re-find–yourself after going through a life changing experience. What do you do when you make it through the other side? When you can confidently say that you’ve worked through the tragedy? When your life actually starts to mirror the belief you have in yourself?” It’s an album of rebirth, renewal, and regeneration, as well as growth, exploration, and moving on from the past. Robs adds: “The whole point is finding who you are and finding yourself, taking in everything that happened and moving on. Because by the end of it, we felt so many positive vibes and we wanted to put that into the record. There are loads of big sing-alongs and choruses, and it’s all because, when we were playing, we’d get that back from the crowds and it was so inspirational for us. It was a wonderful feeling and we wanted to make sure that got put onto the record.”
For Billy, finding himself and moving on from the past meant to re-visit it (old schools, old teachers) and to visit places FAR from “home”: Turkey, Mexico, Kenya, Alaska. My good friend Allie once told me that you “never know what ‘home’ is until you travel away from it,” and I couldn’t agree more. Before playing Walkabout at the Lexington that night (yes, I definitely went on a tangent), Billy talked about how he was unsure where “home” was, and so he decided to do a “walkabout” and explore the world. He drove his motorcycle all across the States, up to Alaska (“exploring isolated territory of caribou and dogsled packs”), and even went as far as Turkey, Mexico and Kenya (“I played the demo of ‘Cruel City’ to Kenyans in Kenya”). He made everyone laugh with his witty story, but soon these giggles became tears as he wailed this melancholy majestic ballad in stride with Eric’s beautiful piano (during the beginning and end):
“Into the arms of the sea, Where my tide had carried me, I walked out of the waves, To be quiet with storms inside.” (slayed)
While I do love ALL of the songs on the new album (Augustines), Walkabout –the albums’ key track– strikes a special chord in me. Although I didn’t flee Brooklyn and ride a motorcycle down to Mexico and up to Alaska like Billy, I did leave California for international work and have been traveling around Europe (17 countries in 15 months) in search of new adventure, paying close attention to where I could see myself calling “home.” Walkabout was released right about when I needed to start making some hard fast moves regarding my decision to stay in London (or go back home), and I can’t help but tear up every time Billy roars “COME ON HOME” during the middle. And “roar” means ROAR– Billy feels every word and relives every moment of every lyric that he vocalizes on stage, and YOU feel it too. Knowing this, he asked the audience after Walkabout: “Was that too much?” This apprehension reminded me of something I heard Billy discuss in an interview: “If I’m not mistaken, life aches…It’s like when I hear flamenco, I like it when those women go [he imitates a wail]. I didn’t wake up one day and go, ‘Hey, I’m going to sing like I’m nearly crying’. It’s just that that’s how it makes me feel.” Life sometimes DOES ache, and although we often travel (“walkabout”) to make sense of this life, travel too, can hurt. I quote Anthony Bourdain: “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life – and travel – leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks – on your body or on your heart – are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt.”
Aside from Walkabout, the other standout track to me is Now You are Free, and I only just found out that it was previously considered for the album’s title: “When we started working on this record it was called ‘Now You Are Free’. Because when you invest all your time and heart and passion into getting somewhere and overcoming obstacles and finding a sense of peace and you finally get there, you’re free to do whatever you want. We’re free to finally prove ourselves to people and live life the way it should be,” Eric says. Adding to this, Billy comments, “You’re free to walk the walk you always said you could walk.” Now You Are Freeis one of those universal songs that most ANYONE can relate to and make sense of in their own unique way. Everyone has ghosts from their past that they need to “let go,” and so when Billy belted out this ballad, we couldn’t help throw our fists in the air and belt along too:
“You got to let go Let go all of your ghosts You got to let go Or more will come around… Alright, now go easy on yourself.. Alright, now you are free…”
As if that verse didn’t satisfy your inner rockstar, the next one would. Fast-forwarding from the Lexington gig to the much larger gig at KOKO (a few months later), I lucidly recall my anxious anticipation as the entire crowd (1,500+ screaming fans) shouted “WHAT AM I RUNNIN’ FROM?” over and over –echoing Billy in a call-and-response kind of manner– right before the highly climatic response of: “Myself and everyone….LET GO!” Hands down one of the most CATHARTIC musical experiences of my life. And to top it off, Billy introduced the song with some inspirational words that will forever stay present in my mind: “THIS IS YOUR FUCKING LIFE!…Don’t give up on your shit I promise.” I DID have ghosts, but now they’re gone. x
I’ve always found that the most powerful way to SAVOR is to share feelings and events with others as they unfold. This is EXACTLY what makes Augustines different from any of the other bands I’ve seen. They SHARE THE STAGE with their fans. “Action for me is in the crowd,” Billy says. “If we can minimize the distance between the artist and the crowd and make it for more of crowd participation, then that’s really something.” Eric adds, to us “It’s not (about) musicians up on a pedestal…The audience is singing, the audience is dancing, they’re all making music together…That’s what we’ve been trying to do our whole lives as musicians, but only recently have we been able to embrace that.” On the recent Augustines tour in particular, the band had developed a reputation for playing their encore (~5 songs) IN THE CROWDS, some of which are also IN PARKING LOTS. I mean, you can’t get anymore public than that. When asked to comment on this, Billy explains: “This is us handing it over to those people that sang our songs back to us all over the world…It’s all about being inclusive…Interaction is the lifeblood of what we think music is.” This inclusiveness is what sucks us fans into the Augustine vortex and has us roaring in a vehement sing-a-long to their lyrics, gasping for air at the end of each verse. You feel exhausted at the end, but it’s an exhaustion that you crave because it’s made you heal. The best medicine out there.
New Drink for the Old Drunkwas one of those songs that they played IN THE CROWD that night at the Lexington, and in fact, Billy was standing RIGHT in front of me. (Dying). There are many caustic lines in that song, but this one always stands out: “And you cringe as you binge to forget how you hate…All the doom in the pitiful room you create.” Wow. Aside from New Drink for the Old Drunk, Augustines later added The Avenue, Weary Eyes, and East Los Angeles, as songs they would play in the crowd as part of their encore. They also learned some cover songs, like Guns of Brixton by the Clash, which they played at KOKO. That KOKO gig was MENTAL, and while The Avenue was played on one of the theater balconies, the rest of the encore was played with Billy, Eric, and Rob surfing (pretty much) in the middle of a SEA OF FANS. This highly anticipated gig surely escalated into one night of EPIC MUSICAL ESCAPE, and I could not be more captivated by a band who’s honesty and pure passion is more tangible than most bands will ever know. By the end of the show, every fan looked as if they had been spellbound by the Augustine fever. I nearly died when Rob, a London native (usually very shy), shouted to the crowd with his hands raised high in the air, “LONDAAAAN, you MAKE ME PROUD.” Yup, THESE is these are the moments I live for. Like Billy was saying all night: “This is your FUCKING LIFE!”
And if there is ONE SONG, one song that Billy breathes life into MOST, it’s Book of James. He’s commented before that Book of James was the most meaningful song of the first album: “I think anybody that’s a writer… well, sometimes the closest distance between what you want to say and how it’s being perceived, sometimes that can be a big gap or it can be very immediate: right from your heart, out of your hands, into a page and the person gets it. I think that happened in that song. I needed it to happen in my life that kind of straightened me out. It’s kind of an interesting thing that you can set a four-minute piece of music and it can change your life. I needed to say some things. I needed to reach out to somebody that wasn’t treated well. I needed to restore some innocence to somebody who I didn’t think it was his/her fault. It gave me a platform to move through the process of adjusting what had happened. It was a bit of a gift. I’m really proud of it.” As a listener, this song encourages you to be with Billy as he grieves his brother’s loss and lives to honor it—to be somewhere between life (hope) and death (fear): “Here lies, my green eye, rolled back in my head…but they’re ALIVE.” (SLAYED) And, if that doesn’t lather your skin with chills, this next verse will: “And all these words can all get spoken…just know we tried…and you’re forgiven.” (could be a Hail Mary) They extended the instrumental intro to Book of James that night at KOKO in order to build up rapture and lure us in even more. Billy has definitely made the legacy of his brother live in him during this song. That’s obvious. For me, Book of James was the ONE SONG in particular that kept my legs moving and had me cross that finish line for my first marathon (Gran Canaria) a week after the Lexington gig. Each Augustines song (especially Don’t Look Back, Kid You’re On Your Own, and This Aint’ Me) contributed a mile to that marathon, but Book of James found my ‘SUPER HUMAN.’
There is no denying that Augustines has changed me for the better, and that their WALKABOUT into my life came at a perfect time. Just like they give it THEIR ALL at each and every gig (playing every second as it if was their last), I wanted to give MY ALL in writing about them. This review had brewing in my bloodstream for a WHILE –ever since I first saw them at the Lexington back in January– But, it wasn’t something that I wanted to rush. I wanted to exhaust all of my efforts to convey my appreciation for this band, and to lead others to do the same. I find that the most beautiful/extraordinary things in life are often the most difficult to convey, so this review was surely a challenge. If you’ve stood next to me at an Augustines’ show, then you would UNDERSTAND. Some emotions, feelings, and experiences just CAN’T be transcribed, and so my best advice would be to GO SEE FOR YOURSELF. Every Augustine gig has been branded in my memory as a ‘moment I’ve LIVED for,’ moments that DO last a lifetime. “This is your FUCKING LIFE.” The music and story of Augustines has given us SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN, and for more than just a moment. Don’t forget to RISE UP in helping to make their story heard. 🙂
I won’t be able to make their Roundhouse gig in Dec cause I’ll be in Melbourne, Australia, so I need to SAVOR EVERY MOMENT at GREEN MAN festival this weekend! Augustines will play on Friday, August 15th. This also happens to be BILLY’S BIRTHDAY!! (with ERIC’S BIRTHDAY the next night!) WHAT ARE THE ODDS?!! I mean, REALLY. We BETTER make sure we HELP THEM CELEBRATE! xxx
All of my pictures and videos from their gigs can be found below.
I go to A LOT of gigs (everyone knows that), but last night was one of the first times I ever came across a singer/songwriter (Jake Morely) with such breadth- a true amalgamation of various styles. Every song of Jake Morley‘s set had it’s own unique flavor, from funk to folk to gospel. Funny enough, he elaborates on why this is: “I set out to write varied songs because I’m a varied person. Also – I’m only just getting started, so I wanted my first album to act as an introduction. The songs on Many Fish To Fry are just like me – in parts heavy, light, elated, confused, serious, funny, random and whatever else. In isolation they might just be fragments, but put the fragments together and they hopefully form a coherent whole. That’s the idea anyway. After we’re best buds I can always make other albums that look at certain areas in more depth.” I especially like when he laid his guitar flat across his lap, combining fingertaps with percussive slaps. The only artists I’d ever known to do that were Andy McKee, Ben Howard, and Daniel Champagne, and I remember being utterly amazed. Jake’s set our to record some more new songs this summer, and from the ones he played last night, I don’t think I’ll be disappointed. One of my favorites was a song called Falter (aka ‘Headstrong’), where he unveils yet another bag of tricks: “Flicking your fingers across all the strings one after the other to make a harp-like sound.” https://vine.co/v/M9TWzVb5EzM I remember thinking this was THE COOLEST THING because I’m a huge fan of the harp, and a it’s rare to find many harpists these days. I can’t wait to hear the full song and the FULL ALBUM. xxx
Just this month, Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit was reincarnated as an “Owl”, Owl John that is. He hoots, “It’s been about ten years since I had the notion to add the word ‘Owl’ as a middle name. Scott Owl John Hutchison. I thought it had a really splendid flow to it. I suppose I enjoy owls as much as most people, admiring their weird neck thing and having read ‘Plop’ countless times as a wee one. I don’t buy the wisdom bit, but they are incredibly good at being owls and it would be nice to be as effective at being a human. Sadly, I’m not and it is from this croaking foible that songs come. The desperate crunch of failure sat right next to the fizzing, spumante spark of joy. They cackle and point at each other because they don’t understand their opponent. You will find me sitting between them, eating a bag of nuts (not Brazils, they make my mouth itch) and documenting the whole sorry episode.” On August 4th, Owl John took flight with the release of his self-titled debut album and landed in London (Oslo) two days later for the album launch. The album was produced by Andy Monaghan of Frightened Rabbit and Simon Liddell of Olympic Swimmers,but John only made space for one animal during this tour. Next time, we hope to see owls AND rabbits sharing the stage, hooting all sort of Scottish song.
Just like with Frightened Rabbit, Owl John‘s honest, raw, and heartbreaking tunes is what make him stand out among other indie rock contenders. With only two days of listening to the album prior to the London gig (SOLD OUT), I had already known most of the songs by heart, and was already slayed by some of Scott’s more heartfelt confessionals: A Good Reason to Grow Old, Los Angeles Be Kind, Ten Tons of Silenceand Stupid Boy.By the time the Twilight Sad (always a pleasure) came on stage to open, Oslo was already jam-packed with FRabbit fans and the room was already at full capacity. This was to be expected though since Frightened Rabbit nearly sold out the O2 Brixton Academy back in February, the O2 Brixton being TEN TIMES the size of Oslo. I wouldn’t be surprised if the tickets sold out in a matter of hours
The first song of the night (Hate Music) was one of my favorites off the Owl John album, and although I love the growling guitar in this one (see video below), but I would have really enjoyed Billy or Andy’s base chasing up this growling like it does on the record. I really do hope Frightened Rabbit plays some Owl John songs on their next tour!
Next came Modern Leper, and Scott told the crowd that he would alternate between new (Owl John) and old (Frightened Rabbit) songs, welcoming requests from the audience. Of course this stirred up all sorts of crowd competition, and fans were making a mad dash to the bar to get Scott drinks in exchange for their favorite song request. One guy even got him his favorite aged malt-whiskey with hopes that he would play Architect, which was my request too, but he said that he couldn’t because Andy (of Manchester Orchestra) wasn’t there; I still thought he would been able to do it without him…bit of a bummer! Next up was Los Angeles, Be Kind, another one of my favorites from Owl John. Scott dedicated this one to his girlfriend. “Some nights I can’t figure out quite where your heart is… Oh Los Angeles be kind…No more trouble or red lights, I can learn to love you in good time…Oh, Los Angeles be kind.”
I LOVE the idea behind this song, addressing Los Angeles as if it were a person (and a jerk, at that). And, even though I find it hard to believe that Scott learned to “love” Los Angeles, he apparently DID. He told us last night that it was his one-year anniversary with his girlfriend who lives out there, and that he’s basically living there now too. “Having disliked Los Angeles a lot, it’s grown on me – and she’s the reason for that.” I’m shock and amazed all at the same time. She must be a very special lady!
Red Hand was the next new song, and just like Hate Music, I love the guitar rhythms but yearn for the additional depth present on the album as a result from other instruments: keys, drums, and lead guitar. I always smirk when he sings, “There’s a boy in your pocket and a pig in your bed.” (soooo good) Sticking to his word, Scott played an old favorite (The Wrestle) before continuing on with a new one. The next new one was Good Reason to Grow Old, which I find to be the heaviest on the album. Scott prefaced this one as a song that was partially (one-third) written by their tech/producer Simon “in the back”, and that he deserves a big round of applause. He jokes, “It just so happens that I’m the egotistical maniac that wants to take all the credit. He’s too nice for that.” Brutal, fearless, sentimental, grateful, enlightening. It’s hard to thread all of those provocative emotions into one song, but Scott manages to do so, and you don’t know whether to smile or cry. By the end, you just want to go up and give Scott a big giant hug: “I was ready to drown in the after-life….Not anymore. Now I’ve finally found a good reason to grow old. (his girl ♥)…Oh, how she murders my thought…(tears welling up)….Oh, how she plunges a knife into the suicide in my blood…(f*ck)…Oh, how she plunges a knife into the suicide and I AM BORN. (smile)
I guess Scott hasn’t missed those Scottish winds very much since being in sunny California, because he prefaces this song by saying, “I don’t even live in Scotland anymore…Fuck it..I live in Los Angeles now.” (Still so hard to believe!) Scottish Winds is another top Frightened Rabbit track for me; I love all the metaphors and the personification of Scotland’s elements (winds, rain, smoke, blood), and my favorite verse has got to be the one about Scottish blood:
“Come burl around my body, Scottish blood
I’ll try not to spill a drop
Oh, I’m sure you’ve spilled enough
And the English fucking rule (Rawr!)
Who mean nothing to these times
Ah, run forever in my veinsBold Scottish blood..” (They do have some of the boldest blood out there!)
Twist, Holy, and State Hospital were some of the other oldie but goodies to surface next. A few songs earlier, Scott was talking about his “snake” (we can all know what that is), and so he when he got to the “state” hospital part, he stopped and laughed: “I was about to say “snake” hospital. Haha.” We all enjoyed the EPIC performance of this Frightened Rabbit favorite, and could not help shout along with the lyrics. “Saturday’s uniform for the ‘Fuck-me’ parade…” is especially cathartic.
Next up was Square 9. This heartfelt confessional of a LOVE SONG basically turned into a COMEDY HOUR when a group of drunk “lads” decided to obnoxiously chime in at the wrong time, and with the wrong rhythms. At first, Scott thought it was kinda funny and says, “You can do Billy’s part…It’s a fucking brilliant part…It’s as if Billy is with us now…” I was cracking up (ans you can hear it) at that last comment. But, at about 3:15, shit hits the fan and Scott starts shaking his head, looking REALLY pissed off: “You came in a bit early man..I’m assuming that happens to you quite often…You know seriously….When we first started playing this song to audiences, it was just heart-broken bearded guys…THEN, THE LADS start coming to the shows…Yes I’m telling you to maybe SHUT THE FUCK UP…It’s nice of you to interact, but you’re not sober, CLEARLY.” (Go Scott!) It was such a witty, amicable way to deal with what could have been a brutal situation. He was so good humored about it, and stayed really patient the entire way through. The last verse of this song slays me…so freaking adorable. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, but in the least “sappiest” of ways. It’s a fine art, but Scott’s surely got a handle on that canvas. “Forget about square two, There was no me and you…Just like square one, Where we fell in love, Under the tree, Forget about square three, Oh that wasn’t me. Like square one, Where we fell in love, Forget about square five, I was only half alive.” xxx
Ending the set with If You Were Me, Scott teases us as we anxiously await his return on stage for an encore. And what an EPIC ENCORE it was! Woodpile and Oil Slick are two of my Pedestrian Verse favorites, and it was truly a double-whammy that he kicked off the encore playing those back-to-back. The guitar part for Oil Slick was really fun to watch (a bit different from how he plays it with the full band), and wish I would have gotten that on video. Oh well. I was hoping desperately that Scott would play Stupid Boy, Song about Roses(reminds me of a song by the National),Cold Creeps from the new album, these songs have lots of percussion/keys/backing vocals, and it might be better to wait and hear them with the full band. The final FINAL song of the 30 min encore was Poke, and Scott encouraged vocal support from the audience during the chorus. “All we can ask is that you try your best…I can’t sing, I’ve just been TRYING MY BEST for the past 10 years,” he says. As if we couldn’t admire that humble Rabbit Owl even more…(too much). Scott’s last set of oooo–ooo–oooo’s make for a very happy ending. HOOT HOOT. 😉
**Set List**: 1) Hate Music 2) Modern Leper 3) Lose Angeles, Be Kind 4) Fuck This Place 5) Red Hand 6) The Wrestle 7) Good Reason to Grow Old 8) Scottish Winds 9) Unreleased OJ Song 10) Old Fashioned 11) Ten Tones of Silence 12) Footshooter 13) The Twist 14) Holy 15) State Hospital 16) Square 9 17) Floating In The Forth 18) If You Were Me(Encore) 19) The Woodpile 20) Oil Slick 21) The Loneliness And The Scream 22) Snake 23) Poke
Moving from gentle “bedroom-pop” on his first album (‘The Year of Hibernation‘), Trevor Powers (aka Youth Lagoon) expanded his sound to include bits of psych, shoegaze, experimental and electronic on his second album (‘Wondrous Bughouse‘). He then realized he needed a live band to take this sound on the road, and spend a few months working to translate it. Man was it WORTH THE WAIT…
Of the entire set, Cannons was one of my favorites (see video below). The live electric guitar trailing the beautiful keyboard intro makes this Youth Lagoon track even more powerful than it already was. Wow. Chills, the ENTIRE TIME.
Another standout was Seventeen, my favorite track on the first album. The main verse SLAY MES every time:
“When I was seventeen, my mother said to me Don’t stop imagining The day that you do is the day that you die.”
The “don’t stop imagining” lyric is so simple but SO FREAKIN’ POWERFUL, I it’s something I was even thinking about getting tattooed. Anytime I’ve felt down and depressed, it’s usually because I’ve lost faith in my own imagination. Sometimes our “dreams are the only things that save us.” (spoken from the wise folk of Arcade Fire)
One of the major standout tracks from the newer album was Dropla, and although it came a bit later in the set, it was well worth the wait. The whirling keyboards leave you with a heightened sense of anxiety/anticipation as Powers sings “You’ll never die” over and over again. He then lashes out, “you weren’t there, when I needed…” revealing inner vulnerabilities that you can’t help emphasize with. A creepy song that whirls your emotions like a merry-go-round! “But you’ll never die, you’ll never die, you’ll never die…”
Aside from Cannons, Seventeen, and Dropla, other favorite tracks include: July, Montana, Mute, and Daisyphobia.
I enjoyed the show so much that I wanted to stick around and say thank you to Trevor, who actually happens to be first cousins with my friend Tyler from Austin, TX. I’m so glad I waited, because not only did Trevor laugh at the inside joke that Tyler told me to tell him, but he was SO appreciative of my support and spent time talking to about his musical beginnings. Not only was he one of the nicest and most engaging artists that I’ve met, but his CINDERELLA STORY is one of the most fascinating I’ve heard. Raised by a very sports-driven family (except his grandma who he said he used to rock the keys with), he was quite keen on making a career out of baseball (who knew?), his first love. But during high school, he started getting more into music (already had 6 years of piano lessons), and decided to pursue that love full force. With the purchase of some loops pedals, a synthesizer, and a guitar (which he learned to play himself), the brilliant, organic solo project of Youth Lagoon was born. Endless hours of experimentation and a “year of hibernation” (pun intended) led to the birth of his first album, which was never meant for selling records. He writes music for “himself first,” because he “has to.”“Writing music is how I sort my thoughts, as well as where I transfer my fears,” he says. With $1000 in hand, he set out on a northwest coast tour, most of which was a bust (especially in Seattle, where not one person walked into the coffee shop he was playing at). Sometime later, when he was enjoying Sasquatch music festival with his gf (now wife), he told her, “I’m gonna be up there on stage one day. I promise you.” Well, NOT ONLY did Trevor perform at Sasquatch this year, but he’s performed many other famous festivals all over the globe. Three years ago he was busking for money TO SURVIVE, and yesterday he played PITCHFORK, one of the largest and most prestigious music festivals in the world. How about that for a CINDERELLA STORY. ❤
Scroll to the bottom to see me kicking it with Trevor Powers (aka Youth Lagoon) after his INCREDIBLE and far out (yes, it certainly took me to another dimension) on Friday night. 😀
VIDEOS:
Cannons:
Seventeen:
Dropla:
PICTURES:
Kicking it with Trevor Powers (aka Youth Lagoon) after his INCREDIBLE and far out (yes, it certainly took me to another dimension) on Friday night. He was SO NICE!
Passport to Stockholm– Communion’s Bushstock, London
(June 14, 2014)
You MUST CHECK OUT this talented London-based folk-indie quartet (Chris, Tom, Sophie, Henri) that turned heads at Communion’s Bushstock and Barn on the Farm festivals back in June: Passport to Stockholm. Despite the name, this band is NOT from Sweden, and you will just have to ask Chris what inspired it…(I certainly did!). Chris ‘Barny’ Barnham’s vocals are slightly reminiscent ofBastille’s frontman (who certainly did well for himself), and Henri’s percussion and glockenspiel remind me a bit of Freelance Whales (one of my favorite bands from back in the states). Also, I fall weak at the knees for any band with a cello, and Sophie’s bowing/plucking of this beautiful instrument gives this band extra depth, adding fullness to their sound. Of course we can’t forget about Tom, who’s guitar and loops serve as the band’s backbone. Everyone’s talent shines through, and their chemistry is something we can’t ignore. Luckily you CAN’T ignore this if you buy their debut EP, which happens to be CALLED ‘Chemistry.’ I have already put some of my favorite tracks (What Have We Done, Chemistry, Reality, Carousel) on a recent playlist titled ‘What Have We Done,’ but there some other unreleased gems that you can only pocket LIVE, when you see them IN THE FLESH…which you SHOULD and CAN at upcoming summer festivals: Brownstock, Weyfest, Feastival, Southsea fest. Even though I’ve been lucky enough to see this band THREE TIMES in ONE MONTH (Bushtock, Soho House, Hoxton Square Bar & Grill), there’s not doubt I’ll be at their next gig in a heartbeat. They continue to impress me the more I see them, and now that I finally know their entire catalogue of songs, I can finally sing along!..(not TOO loud, of course). Here’s a near perfect indie-folk track (Imperfections)that they just announced and will have a launch gig for at the Barfly on Sept 16th. SEE. YOU. THERE. https://soundcloud.com/passporttostockholm/passport-to-stockholm-imperfections
First off, I can never get ENOUGH glockenspiel in my life, and so their peppy opener of Wanted It More made for a pretty powerful first impression. Go Henri! The catchy melody and glockenSPEEK leaves you WANTING IT MORE just as Barny wraps up the last verse: “All that we are left with is the bittersweet taste of of life, love and lust…” Glad I now know it’s “wanted it more” instead of “once you need more.” Oh, that BRITISH ACCENT…
Next up was the STELLAR title track (Chemistry) of their debut EP. A beautiful mix of cello, percussion, and vocals, that will have you swaying along and soon chiming in on the chorus: “And you wanted, to reason, an escape route, to leave in…was I selfish, letting you choose, when you had everything to lose.” Not only does Barny’s voice SOAR in this one, but Sophie (the cellist) adds some lovely backing vocals toward the end. See the videos below.
Then came Carousel, which I teased Barny about being such a HARD WORD TO SPELL. He totally disagreed, saying it was “soooooo easy,” but we all know he just spent too much time the carnival as a kid, haha. This one is another lovely track off Passport to Stockholm‘s debut EP, and the chorus is very fun to belt out (esp. the first line):
“You get what you want….but not what you need Cause you tear my soul and you spin me around… What a man to do?”
Following the “hard to spell song” was a track (All I Seek) that Barny introduced as his “personal favorite,” and I COULD NOT AGREE MORE. The drum part in this one is WICKED, and reminds me a bit of Bastille (which is not a bad thing!)…What’s also wicked is Sophie’s gnarly picking of her cello. Tom furiously strums, Barny vehemently vents: “All I see, all I need from you, is TRUTH.” (indeed) I can’t wait when they finally release this gem so I can have it in the palm of my hand….All I seek, all I need…is THIS TRACK. x
Passport to Stockholm are new band discovery that I’m REALLY PROUD and EXCITED and about, and who I know are destined for bigger stages and bigger carousels. Besides having awesome CHEMISTRY (literal and song) with each other, they have awesome chemistry with the crowd, and are some of the most genuinely appreciative and humble bunch of music makers that I know. Do yourself a favor and CHECK THEM OUT. You’ll thank me later! 🙂
VIDEOS:
Wanted it More:
Chemistry:
Carousel:
What Have You Done: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LdrTQR78LA
All I Seek:
PICTURES:
***
Passport to Stockholm– Hoxton Square Bar & Grill, London
Daniel Champagne– The ESPY in St. Kilda, Melbourne
(May 14, 2012)
Meet Daniel Champagne, an incredible Aussie musician who I discovered just over 2 years ago at the ESPY in Melbourne, Australia. I am still blown away by his talent, and his desire to push the limits with guitar. His manic percussive skills and unique strumming/tapping/flicking of the guitar remind me a bit of Andy McKee and Gabriela (of Rodrigo y Gabriela), both of whom are highly-reputed and globally-recognized for their unique, progressive style and whom have defined a category ALL THEIR OWN. If you were listening to Dan’s music from the back of a room, you would think there was a FULL BAND on stage and would later be SHOCKED to find out it was only ONE MAN. Lastfm has described him “one of the most talked-about rising star of Australia’s next generation,” who “delivers one of the most impressive one-man-shows out there! Reaching to musical depth’s far beyond his years and a way with the guitar that can only be seen to be believed. Champagne often sounds closer to a three-piece band than the 21 year old singer songwriter guitarist now established as a renowned performer on both the Australian and international stage.” Along similar lines, music gurus at Byron Bluesfest 2014 have said, “Daniel Champagne exudes a natural ease on stage, as he sings poignant lyrics and beautifully crafted melodies that invariably whisk the heart up with grand romanticism. Coupled with an exhilarating guitar talent that transcends mere acoustic playing to replicate a whole band, Champagne is just magical.”
It also doesn’t hurt that this guitar prodigy (who yes, picked up this instrument at the age of 5), also has a dreamy voice. Of the songs that I was lucky enough to get great videos of (see below), Nightingale and Losing Home are my favorites…(although Spoonful will definitely made your JAW DROP and KEEP IT THERE.) Nightingale begins with an incredibly beautiful guitar melody, and soon follows with a verse that immediately wraps your skin in chills:
“When I told you I was afraid to fall, really I, was afraid to fly… When I told you I was afraid to fall, really I, was afraid to fly…AT ALL….”
Such a lovely song that really captures the notion of having to risk in order to reap rewards…having to “fall” in order to “fly.” Lyrics like this are such a good reminder that one should never lose hope in chasing those dreams, keeping those wings in flight. That idea reminds me of something someone once told me (and has stayed with me ever since): “Erica, you’re kinda like one of those birds that was “never meant to be caged”- Somehow, you’d make the cage take flight.” YAAAS. Maybe I’m a “nightingale” in disguise. Haha.
Lose Home was another one that really raised the hair on my skin…another “dreamy song” (yes, you can hear me say this in the video) about the concept of losing “home” when you are living the nomadic lifestyle of a person chasing their dreams/goals: “Now we’re bound to roam…losing light, losing love, losing home.” Having gone to tons of gigs in these past 2 years, I’ve come to notice that SO MANY artists write songs about this vague notion of “home,” a place which probably becomes less and less linked to one specific geographical region and instead extends to all the new places they’ve traveled and left their mark. All of the travel that comes along with touring has probably affected musicians in many ways– their dreams, judgements, priorities, values, sacrifices–and has molded their vision of what “home” should be. Dan got it right when he says that more more you “roam,” the more you likely you are to “lose home.” BUT, I think everyone ultimately figures it (“home”) out in time. x
Next up in the set was I Grew Up Where I Could See the Stars, which Dan attributes to the New South Wales region where he is from, and possibly will be “home’ again one day. Another beaut that seems to just make all of those trouble melt away…
Dan’s encore was Spoonful, a very technical guitar song that really SHOWED OFF his impressive, jaw-dropping guitar skills that “no one else could possibly play unless they spent at least two lifetimes studying the art” (The BW Review). I remember laughing deliriously because I was in such a stuper from it all, and couldn’t believe that I was watching a prodigy FOR FREE when I have paid substantial money to see musicians not nearly HALF AS GOOD. I clearly wanted more than just a “Spoonful” of this! x
Since that surprise treat of a gig two years back in Melbourne, Dan has done very well for himself. He’s traveled North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand and of course, his homeland Australia playing such festivals as Vancouver and Mariposa Folk (Canada), Belgium’s Labadoux Festival and Australia’s Woodford, Falls Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival and the legendary Byron Bay Bluesfest. During these tours, he’s shared stages with likes of Lucinda Williams, Judy Collins, INXS, John Butler, KT Tunstall and Ani DiFranco (who he supported), and has also independently released three EPs (‘My Own Design,’ ‘Wide Eyed and Open’, and ‘Real Live Offering‘) and a debut album (‘Pint of Mystery‘). Dan has recently signed to US booking agency Fleming Artists and has relocated to North America where he continues to tour. CHECK HIM OUT AND THANK ME LATER! 😉
I had always heard that Mogwai was an incredibly SOLID BAND and one of Scotland’s FINEST, but for some reason, I let them slip under my radar (which is pretty surprising considering my hearty appetite for Scottish bands: Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad, Admiral Fallow, Three Blind Wolves, Washington Irving, We Were Promised Jetpacks, RM Hubbert, Fatherson, Bwani Junction, CHVRCHES). I remember I was going to see Mogwai at Sasquatch music festival back in May 2012, but they cancelled last minute due to visa/travel issues. Looking back, I can’t even IMAGINE hearing/watching their ethereal music emanate over the Gorge’s siiiiiiiiick celestial skyline. MY GOD. Seeing them and Explosions in the Sky on one weekend might have shattered my brain to bits, and maybe it was for the best…NOT. If it wasn’t for The Twilight Sad (one of my favorite Scottish bands) announcing a benefit concert with them to honor the loss of Julia Brightly, I might not have traveled down MogWAY (thankfully I did). The benefit was the idea of Stuart Braithwaite from Mogwai and Daveid Phillips from KOKO, and the message they posted on their ticket page was:
“On Saturday 3rd May, we were devastated to learn of the passing of our beautiful friend Julia Brightly who lost her struggle to sudden illness (cancer). To say all of us were in shock is a huge understatement. Anyone who knew her from the days of the Mute Drivers to any artists she did sound for, from Mogwai, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Caribou to Slint and her friends & family will all agree, she was one of the bravest and most talented people we were lucky enough to call a friend. We all miss her dearly, and although sadly departed she will never be forgotten. In her honour we are staging a benefit to donate all the proceeds to one of Julia’s favourite charities, Gendered Intelligence – something very close to Julia’s heart…All proceeds from the concert will be donated to GenderedIntelligence.co.uk.” SUCH an amazing idea and generous offer by both bands, and I’m so glad I was able to be a part of it.
After a brilliant set by The Twilight Sad (they keep getting better and better every time I see them), I anxiously anticipated this “post-rock instrumental band” that I had been hearing alot about. I recall meeting a guy at The Twilight Sad’s Bandstand Busking event (June 21) telling me that Mogwai was his FAVORTE BAND OF ALL TIME and that he’s seen them 11 TIMES NOW (including traveling to Primavera Sound Music festival every year they’ve played). Well, let me tell you…I can TOTALLY see WHY he’s seen them that insane amount of times, and whey he’s harnessed an addiction for their hypnotic concoction of music. I am STILL LEVITATING from Tuesday night’s performance at KOKO, and my EYES HURT (literally, I’ve had sore eyes since) from how long I’d kept them WIDE-EYED (buggin out!) during the entire set. I was lucky enough to soak up all the magic from the very front, and might just have collapsed if the railing was not there. Serious adrenaline. Serious numbing. Serious loss of motor control.
It’s hard to describe the beauty of the compositions that Mogwai create– their music steal snippets of magic from genres like shoegazing, math rock, art rock and occasionally instrumental metal. It was once stated in an interview that “the band do not like the categorisation of post-rock” because they believe it “over-analyzes everything.” I definitely agree, and many times I’ve found that the most beautiful things in life are often the hardest (and sometimes impossible) to describe. What I CAN SAY it is seems to me like symphonic music made with rock instruments, similar to Explosions in the Sky, but with alot moredistorted guitar (which I LOVE). I was lucky enough to see Explosions in the Sky both at Sasquatch music festival (2012) and at the Palace of Fine Arts theater (sick, I know). More recently, I’ve seen 65daysofstatic and sleepmakeswaves, two other bands who I can draw some parallels to Mogwai.
I was so BLOWN AWAY by how adroit and technically-sound all of Mogwai‘s band members were, and how flawlessly they would exchange instruments like they were PLAYING A GAME OF CATCH. In the absence of lyrics, it’s obvious they all communicate through their unique instrumental dialogue: raging riffs, piercing percussion, tantalizing trill, disturbing distortion, bellowing base…(You get the picture). Having formed in 1995, Mogwai (…MogWAY…MogWOW) has craft their craft into the music scene for nearly two decades now, and their talented cast includes: Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), John Cummings (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). The spot I chose to stand (front left facing the stage) just happened to be directly across from John Cummings, who is one to stand the farthest out on stage (and I’m not complaining). BUT, the COOLEST THING about this band is that there IS NO FRONTMAN. They ALL alternate in taking “center-stage,” and it’s not like all the focus is can be on the singer (cause they don’t have one!). I love this concept.
The entire set was MIND-BLOWING (did I mention that already?), but the first song to strike a chord in me was White Noise, (see video below) off their 2011 album, ‘Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will.’ I loved being right in front of John Cumming’s guitar greatness, especially for this song, where you can’t help but sink into the mellowing monotony of his undulating riff. You then find yourself sinking deeper into this wave at 2 min in, when Stuart layers on an additional guitar riffs that stagger John’s in all the right places. I wish all WHITE NOISE sounded THIS GOOD. But, we must be honest with ourselves…this “noise” is “in fact the brilliant music of a genius.” It’s fusion of complex sound is guaranteed to stimulate a level of curiosity that is beyond our control.
I also recall the 5th SONG being one of my FAVORITES of the night, and I’m a bit upset I didn’t get it on video. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I found out later (from that guy I met who’s seen them 11 times) that this 5th song is called Christmas Steps, and that it’s one they HARDLY EVER play live. Well then…I must have a pretty DAMN GOOD FILTER, cause I put this on the top of my list without ever haven’t listened to their albums (although now that’s definitely changed now). I just remember gentle guitar melody in the beginning suddenly become devoured but a BABBLING BASELINE at about 4 min in, and the clashing contrast was just freaking phenomenal. The plucking of the base strings in that one was like something I’d never seen before. BRUTAL ATTACK. (So good).
Nearly right after Christmas Steps was Autorock, the piano powerhouse off Mogwai’s 2006 album, ‘Mr Beast.’ The piano riff starts out soft (well, For Mogwai’s standards), and slowly builds volume and intensity throughout, keeping us VERY MUCH on our TIPTOES the entire time. Barry Burns banging on those keys was definitely a “MR BEAST” in this one. xx
Then came Remurdered, a popular gem off Mogwai’s newest album, ‘Rave Tapes’ (released October 2013). This album, by the way, entered the UK album charts at #10 and as of April 2014 has been the best selling UK album released in 2014 in terms of vinyl sales. WELL DESERVED. I currently can’t get enough of Remurdered, and it’s def going to be the title track of my next playlist.
Immediately following this one was Helicon 1, one of Mogwai’s best from their debut album, ‘Ten Rapid.’ I knew this one was gonna be SOMETHING SPECIAL when Stuart took a seat. It reminds me so much of an Explosions in the Sky song, but more distorted guitar (as I mentioned before). YAAAAAAAS. Grip me with that kinda distortion any day. A flood of adrenaline at ~4 min in, and everything becomes numb. xxx
With only two more songs left, my brain could NOT EVEN HANDLE all of the stimulation/euphoria I was experiencing. My eyes were bugging out of my head and tearing (thank gosh cause I’m sure they would have dried out), and I was left speechless. SPEECHLESS (and anyone who knows me knows that I ALWAYS have something to say!)…It was so cool to later share my REVELATION with the girls standing and me, including someone I had met previously at a Twilight Sad gig (see our huge smiles below). Then, I later saw that Mogwai music buddy (who had seen Mogwai 11 times) on the tube that night and basically let our ENTIRE TRAIN CART know how I felt about the life-changing gig. (I tried to subdue my squeal and number of “holy shit”‘s…)
Since that gig (see set-list below), I have downloaded all Mogwai albums and been listening non-stop. This new discovery truly came at an ideal time, and with an insane amount of scientific data to soon tie up, their music offers the perfect mindscape. I was all excited to analyze my 100+ brain images yesterday, knowing that I had this MogWOW feast to dig into. Just like they state in their Postpunk song, “Music is so powerful that it’s quite beyond my control…and when I’m in the grips of it I don’t feel pleasure and I don’t feel pain, either physically or emotionally…when you just couldn’t feel anything, and you didn’t want to either.” YES….I know EXACTLY what you mean. And although you might not be conscious of how Mogwai’s music is making you feel WHILE listening, you later realize that it’s seeped into your subconsious will all sorts of healing powers.
I’m on such a Mogwai kick right now that I’m vacilating between the decision of seeing them (or not) at Richmond Park in Glasgow as part of East End Social’s ‘Last Big Weekend.’ Not only will it be one of their last announced gigs of the year, BUT, it will be IN THEIR HOMETOWN. I can’t EVEN IMAGINE that musical “MogWOW” madness…. (I’m most likely GONNA GO) 🙂
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