I’ve worn plenty of wristbands in my day, but this one I wear with MOST PRIDE. Having been accepted to my second Iceland Airwaves Music Festival as a media pass holder is an opportunity that I do NOT take lightly, and I tried my best to capture the highlights of this magical, musical mystery tour. Not only does this “land of Ice” know know to shatter glass ceilings and defy the odds of artistic potential and possibility, but it does so in a way that is warm (“land of fire”) and welcoming, and so in the least bit pretentious. The sky is definitely the limit for this innovative, ingenious, impressive Island. The music, people, and scenery is uncharacteristic of anywhere else. ❤
Here are some of the bands that left a lasting impression in my mind and made me question the boundaries of human creativity (click on names or links below to see the full reviews): Hatari, Hogni, Hormonar, Kiriyama Family, We Made God, Omotrack, Rythmatik, Captain Syrup, Arstidir, Between Mountains, Axel Flovent, Mani Orrason, One Week Wonder, GDJYB (non-Icelandic), and Mammut (a personal favorite). Since my review for Mammut was taking a very long to write (I often find it most difficult to write about bands that move me the most), I decided to write a combined review on their 2017 & 2018 Airwaves shows. Other Icelandic bands I have written about in the past are Asgeir, VAR, Vok, Kaleo, For a Minor Reflection, Sin Fang, Agent Fresco, Lay Low, Rokvva, Samaris, etc. See my reviews on Asgeir and Low Roar. See videos below from Airwaves 2017 when Mammut performed ‘Kinder Versions,’ ‘Pray for Air in the Water,’ ‘The Moon Will Never Turn on Me,’ ‘Walls,’ and ‘What’s Your Secret‘ (these absolutely SLAY):
HATARI was BY FAR my favorite, unexpected discovery of Iceland Airwaves 2017. Their name, which translates to “hater” in Icelandic, suits the venomous vibe of their “experimental bondage dark ambient darkwave goth punk synth” (check out their Bandcamp). Formed back in 2015, this transfixing trio — Klemens Hannigan (vocals), Matthías Tryggvi Haraldson (vocals), and Einar Stéfansson (drums, also the drummer for the amazing band Vok!) — have already earned themselves Reykjavik’s Grapvine‘s “Best Live Band” pick of 2016 and 2017 (check out their comical interview). Their BDSM garb and bizarre masks (worn mainly by Einar) perfectly compliment the cult-like atmosphere that they create with their dark, enigmatic electronicbeats and their eccentric, bizarre behavior (crawling on the bar, swinging around poles, and screaming like the devil). What’s most compelling about Hatari is their discerning dichotomies: devilish, primal screams delivered with a stolid, poker face… disturbing, suicide lyrics shouted to happy techno beats… fearful, yet amused. They exude a mystery and allure that is truly magnetic, and I had such a hard time pulling myself away. Mad props to Hatari for helping the crowd unleash our inner demons and making us “haters” against all the rampant hypocrisy that exists in this world. AND, I later learned that Bjork was one of the unexpected crowd members that Matthías locked eyes when he swung down from the pole that show. ONLY IN ICELAND. ❤️ Can’t WAIT to see them again at Airwaves this year!
Hórmónar (Whoremoans) definitely roused plenty of hormones at Iceland Airwaves this year, and it is no surprise that their fan base is multiplying rapidly. They were one of my top new discoveries at Secret Solstice 2017, and their liberating (shirts off at the ed), sexually-charged punk rock performance had both men and women in a tizzy. It therefore was no surprise to later find out that these 5 friends (Brynhildur Karlsdóttir-Vocals, Urður Bergsdóttir-Bass/Vocals, Katrín Guðbjartsdóttir-Guitar, Hjalti Torfason-Saxophone, Örn Gauti Jóhannsson-Drums) won the 2016 Icelandic Music Experiment. Brynhildur’s vocals were unpredictable, edgy, and hot, and plenty of men shouted “are you offering?!” in response to her asking the audience, “Are you HORNY?!!” In a previous interview with the Rekyavik Grapevine, Brynhildur said: “Our songs are like a female orgasm; there’s no one big explosion, but many high points.” Their smoking hot, super-seductive, “drive-you-wild” energy sparked some serious attention at Iceland Airwaves this year, earning them the “Peoples’ Choice Award” at the Grapevine Music Awards. I am so glad I was able to see them up close without getting burned. 😛 Can’t wait to see my three favorite songs (videos below) from their album ‘Nananana Búbú” once more at Iceland Airwaves 2018. ❤
It was so awesome to have run into the talented brother duo (Markús and Birkir Bjarnason) front-men of Omotrackat Songhoy Blues(at Reykjavík art museum) only a few hours after catching their last set of Airwaves at the bookstore on Laugavegi. They’ve got such an infectious indie/pop/electro sound that kinda remind me of a funkier version of two Bombay Bicycle Club and Two Door Cinema Club. It’s pretty rare to see synths and brass (trombone, trumpet, saxophone) battling for the spotlight! The trumpet and sax were nailing their harmony parts! I loved all of the tracks in the set, especially the 4 below that I got on video: Hippo Trip (new), Imaginary Mountains, Old Habits, and Blind Spots. I especially love ‘Blind Spots,’ and assume that the lyrics were inspired by their experience of growing up as two Icelandic toddlers in remote village in Ethiopia called “Omo Rate” (which inspired the band name), witnessing disparities between people of different ethnicity and social class:
“People treated differently, due to their ethnicity.. Who can tell wrong from right, and sit back watch people fight… Why is life equalized, some people just can’t see… Life can’t be overpriced… Everyone has blind spots except for me.”
Not able to speak the local dialect of Daasanach or easily blend in, Markús and Birkir relied on each other for friendship, fun and musical entertainment and started creating music together as early as 5 and 3 years old. Now, in their early twenties, the band has put down some strong roots into the Icelandic music scene and recently placed third in Músiktilraunir, Iceland’s annual “Battle of the Bands” for young and emerging talent who are hoping to take their careers to the next level. “We tried to enter two years ago, but we only had two songs,” says lead singer and guitarist Markús. “We had been a band for maybe ten days. Now we have more music, and we feel more comfortable, so we just thought: let’s try this.” I’m so glad they did. Their bronze finish not only earned them a spot at Iceland Airwaves, but also a supporting slot with the contest’s winners, Between Mountains. Can’t wait to see them again at Airwaves this year!
FRESH NEW PLAYLIST (Spotify link and track listing below) inspired by recent shows in January and February (many of of which were part of SF’s NoisePop Festival) – Josh Jacobson, Typhoon, Mimicking Birds, Emily Afton, Future Feats, Wild Child, Andrew St. James, Wildling, Crooked Colours, Dagmar, Ha Ha Tonka, Belle Game, Geographer, DonCat, Langhorne Slim, The Album Leaf, Vakoum, Field Medic, Waxahatchee, White Knuckles, Banzai Cliff, King Krule, Derek Ted (of Owl Paws), Lucy Rose, Charlie Cunningham, tUnE-yArDs, X-Ambassadors, Tall Heights, Black Pistol Fire, Billy Rafoul, ZZ Ward, The Wedding Present – and new releases fromFrenship, Chvrches (including a track featuring Matt Berninger of The National), Jose Gonzalez, and Tallest Man in Earth (along with new tour dates!)
I chose Frenship’s ‘Love Somebody’ as the title track because, despite the song being so damn catchy (I couldn’t listen just once), I really liked the overarching message: “Get out and LOVE SOMEBODY, and GET LOST on the way.” You never know what hard times someone may be going through or how much they could use a simple smile or “Hello” from a stranger. Get out of your own head and look up at the beauty in your surroundings, savor all the amazing people around you and the lil’ miracles that might sweep you off your feet. I’ve recently encounter many young lives being snatched up way too early (including the super-talented, massively-loved LA-music photographer, Emery Beckerwho met last year at SXSW), and it absolutely crushes me. No matter what your circumstances and what miserable mood you may be in, strive to be kind. Remember that everyone’s days are numbered and that only WE have the power to make sure those numbers count – every hour, every min, ever second. The fleetingness of life will always remain one of our greatest mysteries, and we should never take anything for granted. Hug harder, smile wider, lend more hands. You never know what impact the tiniest act of kindness may have, or whose lives they may be saving. I hope this playlist will encourage you to open your heart to “love somebody” and to “make tiny changes to earth” (now quoting Frightened Rabbit). And as my friend Paige Parsons (met seeing The Twilight Sad (Official)) says so beautifully, music is the best medium to do so because “music cuts through out cynicism and breaks down the barriers that we erect between ourselves and the rest of the world.” Check out her talk on this:
Help me amplify this message by sharing my playlist with friends and posting about it on social media. AND, if you are an artist featured on this playlist, reposting this playlist will increase the odds of Google not filtering this out on the web and improving your visibility (from what I’ve been told by SEO experts), so please care to share! 😀
(In order to access the playlist, you have to press the 3 vertical dots in the upper right hand corner and select download. You can then cancel the download immediately and still have access to the playlist. If you are still having uses, let me know and I can send you a link to download the tracks!
Wake- Typhoon
Same Mistakes- FUTURE FEATS
LOVE Somebody- Frenship
Get Out- CHVRCHES
Hummingbird- Wildling
Rorschach- Typhoon
Plymouth- Crooked Colours
In the Morning!- Andrew St James
I Want Nothing- The Belle Game
Try to Be Someone- DonCat
Conversation- Owl Paws
Lost- Emily Afton
Suck- The Wedding Present
Gorgeous- X Ambassadors
Home- White Knuckles
Sparks Fly- Waxahatchee
Don’t Ask Why- Black Pistol Fire
Minimum- Charlie Cunningham
Laura- Andrew St James
Flow- Crooked Colours
backyard sorrow- derek ted
Biscuit Town- King Krule
Remember- Typhoon
Little Lies- Wildling
Tumbleweed- Dagmar
Expectations- Wild Child
What Do You Want- Dagmar
Sorry Bout Tomorrow!- Andrew St James
Foolish- Geographer
Millennial Malaise- Andrew St James
Severing the Knot- Emily Afton
Come Back To You- Crooked Colours
The Way We Move
Bloodlines- Mimicking Birds
Anyone Can Make A Mistake- The Wedding Present
Too Young To Die- Banzai Cliff
Silver- Waxahatchee
Bully- Black Pistol Fire
poison poetry- derek ted
Silver Screen- DonCat
Foolish- Geographer
Bully- Black Pistol Fire
Koyo- Josh Jacobson
Coast to Coast- tUnE-yArDs
Changes- Langhorne Slim
My Enemy (feat. Matt Berninger)- CHVRCHES
Think it Over- Wild Child
An Opening- Charlie Cunningham
Hipster Shakes- Black Pistol Fire
Tethered- Josh Jacobson
I Love to Dance- Langhorn Slim
Danielle- Banzai Cliff
I Hope You Get It- Crooked Colours
An Ocean- The Tallest Man on Earth
Back & Forth- Wild Child
Better Off- White Knuckles
What Did Your Last Servant Die Of- The Wedding Present
Lucy Rosejokingly said, “never bring an opener on tour who is better than you.” She was of course referring to Charlie Cunningham, the super-talented British singer/songwriter who was definitely more of a “show stopper” than “show starter” and who had you stopped in your tracks with HIS stunning tracks. Apart from his exquisite guitar work and super-soothing vocals, his incredibly pensive, poetic, introspective lyrics will seep into your soul and etch some long-lasting “Lines” (coincidentally the title of his debut album). His music reminds me a bit of Nick Mulvey and Jose Gonzalez, which is funny cause apparently Jose Gonzalez is one of the main musicians that Charlie’s record label curator (Magus) works with. Keen hunch! I l also hear a bit of Spanish guitar influence, which makes sense considering that Charlie traveled to Spain to create the music he wanted to play, free from the prerequisite of “having to read music” first. Charlie also learned to play piano before he learned guitar (at age 14), and I hope he brings both with him on his next US tour… which BETTER BE a HEADLINE one. His 45 min opening set at Swedish American Hall was way too short for satiation, and there was a unanimous request from the entire audience for him to keep playing after his last song, ‘Minimum‘ (video below), my FAVORITE (aside from ‘An Opening‘) and one that really hits home:
“How do I walk this earth? So much work at first, it goes How should I walk this earth? So much worse the further, the further you go
Go, take off a load Letting your wings unfold And keeping everything down to a minimum Everything a bit though Tell’em what you know but all that you know, though The truth be told you need it more than you thought But you’re managing, that’s how you evened out, out
Keep on walking that line, the fine line Between a wrong and a right You get yours, I’m gonna get mine Is that what you signed for? They’re feeding you lines To keep you on their side It works every time
What you got to live for Now you got the whole of the world at your feet And how much more can you pass yourself round?
What you got to live for now You got the whole of the world at your feet But you’re still shaking? You need to make up some ground
Go, take off a load Letting your wings unfold And keeping everything down to a minimum Everything a bit though Tell’em what you know but all that you know, though The truth be told you need it more than you thought But you’re managing, that’s how you evened out, out” ❤
Mad props to Lucy for bringing him on tour with her! It was also nice that she invited him up on stage to help sing a few of her songs. I was so bummed when I missed seeing him open for Low Roarat The Chapel last year cause of being away for a work trip. This was certainly a super sweet an unexpected treat!<3 🙂
Meeting Kevin McKeown, the WILD FRONTMAN of Black Pistol Fire!
“Why settle for a spark when you can have the whole damn fire”… BLACK PISTOL FIRE. Ain’t that the truth! There is no reason set settle for a mediocre “rock band” band you can have the HIGH-OCTANE rock duo that I like to call a “younger version of The Black Keys but with more energy, power, and FIRE.” Both Kevin McKeown (Guitar, vocals) and Eric Owen (Drums) are SERIOUS SPITFIRES that will have your ENTIRE BODY AFLAME within seconds of them hitting the stage. I nearly spontaneously combusted when getting to see him perform ‘Speak of the Devil‘ (my favorite track which I got a full video of) from the photo pit and watching him SHRED GUITAR so hard you thought he might puncture skin. Eric (shirtless, hands wrapped), was equally as intense, pounding on his drums as if he is beating away demons. My heart was racing the entire set, especially when Kevin started karate-kicking his legs up in the air and jumping off anything that didn’t move (although I’m sure that is subject to change). He would also stomp in place mid-shred as if marking his territory like in flamenco, with his feet moving so fast you can hardly catch them!. Kevin also blazed a trail through the crowd as he dove face first to crowd surf while STILL SHREDDING guitar. I’m not sure why the name of their album (released May 2016) is ‘Don’t Wake The Riot,’ cause they certainly wake every riot that I have in me, especially with songs like ‘Bully’ (“I like it when you play too rough…”) and I cannot WAIT to see FEEL THIS FIRE again, hopefully next week at SXSW while sporting my badass Black Pistol Fire t-shirt (pic above). 🙂 WARING: You better see them before they blow up and only play huge venues. They have already been clocking it at #1 on the Canada Rock Billboard Chart for the past week! ❤
Having waited over SEVEN YEARS to see Typhoon live, this night at The Independent seemed all a bit surreal. What pacified me in the interim was catching the mindblowingly-talented mult-instrumentalist and visionary behind this 9-person indie/folk rock, Kyle Morton, live in concert at The Swedish American Hall back in Jan 2016. Although this was only second night on tour in support of first solo album, ‘What Will Destroy You,’ Kyle received a standing ovation from his SF crowd. New tracks like ‘Sickness Until Death,’ ‘Water Torture,’ and ‘Survivalist Fantasy,’ found new homes in our hearts, despite old gems like ‘Claws, Part II,’ ‘Common Sentiments,’ ‘Honest Truth,’ and ‘Morton’s Folk,’ having been rooted there for years. (see below for videos) It was Kyle’s emotional rendition of ‘My Little Darling Knows My Nature‘ that hammered on my heart-strings the most, especially after raising his hand to show his wedding ring, saying he “did all right” (for his little darling is now his wife):
“Now my little darlin I’ll sing you a love song One you can hang your hat on every night I will be your witness if you be mine I will be your witness if you be mine I will be your witness if you be my wife.”
The allure of Typhoon lies in their pensive, visual narratives and its capricious, temperamental nature (just as the tropical storm would suggest). The songs that truly TAKE US BY STORM (Artificial Light, Young Fathers, CRP/ Claws Part 2, The Lake, Summer House, Hunger and Thirst, Common Sentiments) are those that sweep us off our feet with ease and move us on a suspense-ridden journey laced with sharp twists and turns. In fact, I thought ‘CRP/ Claws Part 2‘ was 2 songs when I first heard it, for there was a distinct, abrupt change in the rhythm and instrumental arrangement halfway through. The same goes for ‘Common sentiments.’ I adore the juxtaposition of Kyle’s harder guitar and deeper voice with Shannon’s softer strings (violin) and higher-pitched vocals.
We all had been waiting nearly 5 years for Typhoon to return with a new album, for their last one (‘White Lighter‘) was released back in 2013. This newest album, ‘Offerings‘ (the fourth in their collection) stood out to me as the most ominous and most mysterious, for many of the lyrics (and associated voice recordings) have you furrowing your eyebrow (especially mine!) and questioning the intent. ‘Offerings‘ opens with a thought-provoking prologue (“Listen — of all the things that you are about to lose, this will be the most painful“) before launching into a song (‘Wake‘) about about a man “preoccupied with memory, losing memory, and trying to recapture memory.” Kyle mentioned wanting to explore “the dual theme of (1) what it means to be a person stripped of all memory and (2) what happens to a world that loses all sense of history (read: modern America).” YAAAAS. ‘Wake‘ was certainly the perfect wake-up call for the album, and the startling, unexpected uproar of violins and guitar shredding together (2:30 min) immediately following this plea was absolutely PERFECT: “But if there’s nothing, if there’s nothing Then what’s that song that keeps hounding me? …. this is not your loss, this is your offering”. I love how it’s then followed by Kyle shouting “Asa nisi masa” as if an SOS cry for help.
‘Wake‘, ‘Rorchscah‘ and ‘Empiracist,’ are my three favorite songs on the album, and just happen to be back-to-back. Other favorites include ‘Remembering‘ and ‘Unusual‘.
‘Rorchscah‘ highlights Kyle’s concern of people losing all sense of history, describing the navigation of our world solely via tv, computers, and Iphones (“Eyes on the screen, We have all the information now, but what does it mean?”), which, despite “all our (technological) progress,” leaves us wondering “what happened to the life we lost, that got lost in the living?” (I love the call-and-response between Kyle and Shannon’s vocals). “All this fiction make me nervous,” Kyle mutters, as if to call out those who have so easily forgotten our history, the “sacrificial violence” (bloodshed, bombs), and who “edit” the “film in their brain.” TRUTH BE TOLD.
‘Empiricist‘ also has some intriguing lyrics, my favorite being “But you can’t help wonder, who is this person you celebrate?… It’s still your birthday, so blow out your past lives like they’re candles on the cake.” Wow. That certainly stings. Kyle dishes out even more cynicism in ‘Unusual:’ “This brave new world— It’s gonna take some getting used to… Yeah, it’s cruel and unusual, Can’t tell the punishment apart from the crime.” Nevertheless, my favorite lyrics from this album are in the song, ‘Remember,’ for it emphasizes urgency (“Just make your move before you have no move to make”) and constant curiosity (“How long can it take?”) HECK YES.
I think it’s safe to say that these Typhoon ‘Offerings‘ (in the form of their fourth album), offered more reflection, self introspection, and confusion than any before, all in all reminding me of a quote from Salvador Dali (who I thank my fellow music buddy Alex for mentioning): “What is important is to spread confusion, not to eliminate it.” AMEN. Can’t WAIT to see Typhoon again at Sasquatch Music festival at the end of May. 🙂
I remember leaving The Chapel(small venue in SF) in AWE when I first saw Judah & the Lion there over a year ago. To my PLEASANT SURPRISE, these Nashville natives were able to deliver their SUPERB STAGE PRESENCE and RELENTLESS ENERGY to a much larger venue, BottleRock Napamain ‘Jam Cellars’ stage. I was once again blown away by their unique fusion of folk and hip-hop (“Folk Hop n Roll”) and their hilarious, coordinated dance routines (even a booty dance!) to some of their songs. Flying banjos and mandolins, twirling accordions, broken drums sticks, are just a few of the flashbacks that I have, and I am still amazed by the passion and charisma of the frontman, Judah Akers, who was running all over stage and into/onto the crowd (yes, there was a crowd surf!). The best part is that you really DIDN’T NEED to know any of their songs prior, for I guarantee you’d find yourself picking up the lyrics and quickly chiming in on the chorus as if if was your LIFE ANTHEM. Highlights for me were ‘Kicking Da Leaves,’ ‘Hold On,’ ‘Going to Mars,’ ‘Better Man,’ a cover of The Killers ‘s ‘Mr. Brightside’ (HELL YES) and the EPIC ENCORE of ‘Take it all back,’ which is STILL A BLUR and pretty much felt like an EXORCISM of negative energy. I definitely left that set “thinking I could do anything I want,” which was the ONE and ONLY request that Judah asked of the audience. Still buzzing from that wildly creative, genre bending experience!
Broken Social Scene at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco (Oct 2, 2011)
It had been a solid six years since I last saw Broken Social Scene at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco back in Oct 2011 (pictured above), and I could not have been more ecstatic to see them at the Fox Theater in honor of their recent album, ‘Hug of Thunder’ (released on July 7, 2017). ‘Hug of Thunder‘ is certainly one to HUG LIKE HELL, for it happens to be Broken Social Scene’s newest album since ‘Forgiveness Rock Record‘ (released in May 2010), and represents their revival from a 7 year hiatus. And man.. WHAT A REVIVAL is has BEEN. This 12-piece Canadian indie rock played a stellar 2-hour performance spanning their entire collection (set-list above), including a large number of songs from the new album: Halfway Home, Protest Song (personal favorite), Stay Happy, and Skyline. I nearly lost it when they played ‘World Sick,’ one of my absolute FAVORITE TRACKS (love the intro guitar ditty!): “I get world sick every time I take a stand… Well, I get world sick, my love is for my man.” I feel this song is especially relevant to the political turmoil in the Unites States and all of the unfortunate tragedies happening in the world today, and it as no surprise that Brendan Canning (guitar, vocals) also vocalized this relevance. It kind of reminds me of despair that is eminent in their new track, ‘Mouth Guards Of The Apocalypse‘: “I don’t wanna be scared, Or addicted to the dream… This fight is a ghost, Whose suicide was unseen.” Just got the chills.
After treating us to a special rendition of ‘Anthem for a Seventeen-year Old Girl‘ (video below) with the lovely ladies of Belle Game (their opener), Broken Social Scene played BOTH ‘Cause = Time‘ AND ‘Lover’s Spit.’ After polling the audience and seeing a unanimous request for both, Brendan made sure no one would be let down. He then got CARRIED AWAY (literally) after climbing into the crowd for ‘Lover Spit‘ and sing most of the song while surfing in a sea of fans.
❤
AND, as if the music wasn’t cathartic enough, Brendan later initiated a group therapy session with the following request:
“You gotta take everything you got hear tonight. You gotta take all of the anxiety, all of the depression, all of the regret, all of the expectations that didn’t happen. You gotta take all of the people who aren’t here, all the people you wish were here, you gotta take all the joy, all the love, everything that you feel, and we’re gonna scream, and we’re gonna let it all go together. We’re gonna do some therapy – we’re gonna do it, together. We’re gonna let it out, and even if it’s just this moment and the momentary junkie society that we live in. This moment can be ours, and no one can take this away from us.” LOVE THIS
He then asked us to “Take this night and put it in your back pocket for (days that don’t work for you)” right before TAKING US HOME with the EPIC ENCORE of ‘It’s All Gonna Break.’ Such an INCREDIBLE NIGHT OF MUSIC. I sure hope we don’t need to wait another 7 years for Broken Social Scene to come back ONTO THE SCENE. 😛 ❤
(In order to access the playlist, you have to press the 3 vertical dots in the upper right hand corner and select download. You can then cancel the download immediately and still have access to the playlist. If you are still having uses, let me know and I can send you a link to download the tracks!)
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On + Off- Maggie Rogers
Truth Is Heavy- Benjamin Booker
Surrender- Walk the Moon
Gimmie- She Keeps Bees
Up All Night- The War On Drugs
Main Girl- Charlotte Cardin
The Wild Kind- Silversun Pickups
Keep In Mind- Pierce Brothers
Protest Song- Broken Social Scene
Continental Breakfast- Courtney Barnett And Kurt Vile
High On Humans- Oh Wonder
Believe- Benjamin Booker
Friendly Fires- Silversun Pickups
Spirit- The Belle Game
Murder to the Mind- Tash Sultana
Untogether- Courtney Barnett And Kurt Vile
Split Stones- Maggie Rogers
Invisible- Minus The Bear
Breezy- She Keeps Bees
Latchkey Kids- Silversun Pickups
Up Again- The Belle Game
The Slow Drag Under- Benjamin Booker
Towers And Masons- Broken Social Scene
Fear Is Like A Forest- Courtney Barnett And Kurt Vile
It had been 3 years since I last saw Asgeir, the incredibly talented artist who was my initial hook into the Icelandic music scene. Amped by the recent release of Asgeir’s beautiful album (‘Afterglow’) and his slay-worthy covers of Adele, Abba, Nirvana, The National, and others as part of his unique #asgeirstraigttovinyl project (taking requests from all over the world and recording them straight to vinyl for 24 hr straight), I could hardly contain myself for their show at The Fillmorelast night. They delivered a flawless performance from start to finish (75 min) without any interruption, making it easier for the crowd to be whisked away to another world (including the security guard who told me his mind wandered to a far away place). I think we all sported an Asgeir “afterglow” after hearing ‘I Know You Know’ (“Oh, how I long for light.. A light that won’t leave me… Never to go away”) and ‘Torrent’ (my favorites across both albums) come alive right in front of our eyes. Torrent was the first song in Asgeir‘s collection that had me hooked, and the fact that he saved it for the encore was super special. The drums and keys in that one are so freaking awesome! I am so happy that they came to San Francisco to serenade us with their “stardust,” and I look forward to more of it at Iceland Airwaves Music festival in November! Check out my previous review of Asgeir from 2014 and my recent playlist inspired my his track ‘I Know You Know.” 😀
The amazing Sylvan Esso making sure that we PLAY IT RIGHT before leaving the Fox Theater – Oakland after their stacked set, including hits from their new album, ‘What Now‘: Die Young, Radio, Glow, Kick Jump Twist, Just Dancing, and Signal. Their epic encore triggered a massive dance party after the closing of the show. First time I’ve ever witnessed such a phenomenon at that venue (and I go there ALOT). Amelia and her fluid, infectious moves had us all wishing we could “just dance,” for not many people can GLIDE ON STAGE the way that she does (not even close!). It was cool to also meet two videographers beforehand that were filming footage for a Sylvan Esso documentary. What an awesome idea! It was also cool to learn that Amelia’s family was originally from the SF Bay Area. Towards the end of the set, she mentioned that the Fox Theater was “her grandfather’s favorite,” and that many of her cousins (he had 11 grandchildren!) were in the audience that night. The unique lighting design on stage (<< >>) is tattoo that Amelia, Nick, and Jen (of Flock of Dimes and Wye Oak) all have. Speaking of Jen, it was such a treat to have her on tour with them. In fact, I first discovered Sylvan Esso when they opened her her as Wye Oak in March 2014 at the Lexington (tiny venue!) in London. I guess things really do come full circle!
Kurt Vile– St. James Church, London
(April 12, 2014)
I first heard about Kurt Vile from his brother Paul, who approached our campsite at SASQUATCH 2012, selling his own kick-ass t-shirt design (see pic below). Paul was a very cool dude, and I remembered Sara and I (both from Philly) enjoying a lil’ chat with him about the “City of Brotherly Love” and all the things we miss. Further discussion let me to find out that their younger sister actually went to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with my best friend Amanda. SMALL WORD. Looking back on that Sasquatch 2012 t-shirt, I am thinking….DAAAAAAAMN, what a siiiiiiiiiick line-up that year. I can’t believe it never sold out! That festival still remains to be one of my FAVORITE MUSIC experiences of ALL TIME (hands down). Mad props to the cool peeps (Kyle, Colin, Nick, Ben, Sara, Kenzie, Maria, Phil, Pat, Lucas) that made it so memorable. That’s one festival I am going to commit to as an annual tradition once I built my nest up in Northern California.
Although I was too late to catch Kurt Vile at Sasquatch, I took his brother Paul’s advice and made sure to check out his tunes when I got home. WELL, thank gosh I TOOK THAT ADVICE because Kurt Vile’s 2011 ‘Smoke Ring for My Halo‘ became on of my favorite albums of the summer, and I could not stop listening on repeat. It also happens to be the album that launched his career and made him a household name. Luckily, I saw that Kurt Vile and the Violators were playing at the Forum in Dec in London (the city I had just moved to at the time), and I made sure to snag tickets before they sold out. See live videos below.
One of the early songs in the set that night was Jesus Fever, a favorite from Smoke Ring for My Halo, and the intro line always makes me laugh:“I packed my suitcase with myself, but I’m already gone.” Soon after was Peeping Tomboy, an anthem of seeming contradictions that makes me smile time I hear it: “I don’t wanna change, but I don’t wanna stay the same…I wanna go but I’m running…I wanna work but I don’t wanna sit around…All day frowning.” Then came Baby’s Arms, a love song “Kurt Vile” style:
“I get sick of just about everyone And I hide in my baby’s arms Hide in my baby’s arms ‘Cause except for her you know…” (Slayed)
Following up this sweet song was Freak Train“YEAH YEAH YEAH,” and it surely got everyone up and rowdy. Such a siiiiick set already, and Kurt STEALS THE SHOW by surprising us with a cover of Bob Dylan‘s Knocking On Heaven’s Doorfor the encore. UNREAL!
Although I do enjoy being violated by The Violators, I must admit that I prefer Kurt Vile‘s music when he’s flying solo. Just over a year after that Kurt Violator and The Violator‘s gig in London, I saw Kurt Vile while on a solo tour around Europe. At that point he had already become a music LEGEND and music motivator for those scrappy musicians in the Philly music scene trying to make their “big break.” On this solo tour, I caught Kurt at St. James Church in London the night before Easter Sunday (only he has that kinda pull), and I actually felt pretty “holy,” with music being a sort of devout religion for me and all. I was lucky enough to snag a seat in the front pew for that show, and was utterly captivated by the rustic acoustic vibe of the night. It really showcased Kurt’s talent as an adroit guitar player and unique lyricist. My eyebrows were doing a lil’ dance the whole time as I was trying to follow his fingers. Haha. In comparison to his set with the Violators, this solo gig better captures his raw, lyrical style and his intricate finger-picking of the guitar and BANJO. Apparently the banjo was the first instrument that Kurt ever picked up (a gift from his dad), and he sure went to town on it (see video below). This helps explain why his finger-plucking of the guitar is so good! The entire set (Dead Alive, Ghost town, It’s Alright, Girl Called Alex, Laughing Stock, Smoke Ring for My Halo, Jesus Fever, Goldtone, Wakin on a Pretty Day, Baby’s Arms), and I can only thank Kurt for my pre-Easter resurrection.
One of the first songs of his set was Dead/Alive, and older gem that I never before heard live, but one that I kept smiling at when listening closely to the lyrics:
“You’re telling me a good man is hard to find Well what are you blind? Well never mind let’s try and have a good time..”
I really enjoyed how the chords get all temperamental in sync with the lyrics: “You’re telling me a good man is hard to find, What was that? You better rewind…” (haha, I love it)
Next up was Goldtone, one of my favorites from Kurt Vile’s newest album, Wakin on a Pretty Daze. It makes me feel all pensive and completely normal if I just want to hibernate all day in search of my “gold tones”:
“In the night when all hibernates I stay awake Searching the deep, dark depths of my soul tone Golden tones..”
Following this favorite was another favorite, Smoke Ring for My Halo, and the strumming in stride with his lyrics was enough to soothe the soul:
“Smoke ring for my halo Angel, demon, human Overestimated Over and over…Think I can see it now…. YEAH.” xxx
The acoustic version of this track has a certain organic vibe that I really enjoy. Just Kurt and his guitar. That’s all I need. Same with Waking on a Pretty Daze, another favorite from that album:
“Wakin on a pretty day Don’t know why I ever go away It’s hard to explain My love in this daze..”
The tempo is perfect for a chill, lazy day when you wanna live low, “lackadaisically so…” (love his words) x
Kurt saves one of the best for last: an encore of Baby’s Arms with Pall Jenkins (his opening act) adding some interesting sounds from the saw. Kurt doesn’t have many “love songs,” but of the ones he has, this one stands out above the rest:
“There has been but one true love…In my baby’s arms…Cause except for her…There’s just ain’t nothing to latch on to.”
I really wanted to meet Kurt after the show, but there was a huge swarm of crazy fans and I wasn’t sure where to cut in. I tried to get him to sign his brother Paul’s Sasquatch t-shirt, of which he shouted “Jelloman!” when he saw it. (Paul later told me that he had been making videos about touring festivals, selling his own shirts and jelloshots under that name.) Fortunately, I was able to snag a quick photo (see below) with Kurt before he had to go, and at least could come to the rescue when he asked the crowd if anyone had a piece of gum. “Bubble or mint?!”, I ask, and he so non-nonchalantly chooses mint. I knew I stocked my bag with gum for a reason. This isn’t “amateur hour,” as my sister would say. DUH. 😉
CAN’T WAIT TO SEE KURT AGAIN AT GREEN MAN in AUGUST 2014!!
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