BigYawn

Sometimes shows come together because the bands all sound similar, sometimes it is about the bands being buddies and other times it is all about random luck; whoever the venue pulls together. I’m not sure how this bill was created, but it certainly wasn’t the first of those three options. This trio of bands truly covered three far corners of the indie rock/pop triangle. Comparing Typefighter(61)’s lo-fi musings to the Black and White Jacksons(62)‘ Afghan Whigs-esque rock to Exit Clov(63)’s indie pop makes for an interesting game of Pictionary. I kind of hate that game.

I know Typefighter are a fairly new band on the DC scene. And judging by the little press out there, in both words and pictures, I can see that the band line-up has already changed some as well, so it is safe to say this is a band still getting their shit together. For a group that fits that moniker, they aren’t half bad. I’m not sure how they fit all seven people on stage at the Black Cat Backstage, but they did, and they brought along a fair amount of instruments with them. This communal atmosphere lends itself to their soft, almost child-like version of Americana. It was announced at the show that many of the band members had parents in the audience seeing them play for the very first time, and one of the band members played a solo song for her (dying?) grandmother. All of this made the music feel young, fresh and untainted. The lead singer’s impish voice only added to the aesthetic.

Directly opposite this pure style of music was the “dirty” rock played by the Black and White Jacksons. That sounds negative, but comparing a band to anything fronted by Greg Dulli is not a bad thing. This was apparently the B+W Jacksons last show ever, which immediately made me sad I had not seen them before.

The band has an interesting swagger, personified by lead singer Michael Medlock, who just seems to evoke a heavy does of “Fuck You.” And the music is more of a throw back to mid 90’s alt-rock, but the kind you never heard on the radio — let’s be clear, I am NOT comparing these guys to Spacehog. Large doses of punk seen through-out — and I would expect nothing else from a DC band — means this is a band that often goes unnoticed, that plays the basement parties instead of the cooler clubs. And maybe that is what sunk the band? Though, while I had never seen them, they certainly played around enough. It may just be the fact that DC has a lot of bands that “sound” like this? Even so, I find it hard to believe there are many bands out there that have the package the B+W Jacksons have. Or, sadly, had.

And then we had Exit Clov, a band I have seen around 100 times. And since this is more than other other living human being who does not actually play in the band, I feel I have the required resume to say whether or not an Exit Clov show was good. And this one? Well, it was kinda eh.

Let’s be up front here, I love this band, and have them to thank for a lot of the good musical experiences in my life. I’ve known them all since before they were a band, spent multiple years in a relationship with one of them, and still hang out with a couple of them socially. This band is capable of magic. What scares me here, is that they might have actually plateaued.

Exit Clov have been sitting on a finished album going on two years now, an album much more dour and sublime then either their early prog/prop work or their more recent political dance pop stuff. As time goes on their sound, and their live shows, have drifted more to that murkier water. It is every artists right to change how they approach their art, and if there wasn’t some kind of progression in a band’s sound it tends to get pretty stale, so movement is good for Exit Clov. But going too far is not, and I think there is some danger of that happening here.

The set was much slower and quieter than the last time I saw the band, which was six months prior.  There haven’t been that many shows in between, as the band now calls New York City home more so than DC. I imagine practicing is a bitch, so we get the newer more recently played material as opposed to the older, more up-beat (in tempo if not mood) songs. “Death is a Song,” “Strippers and Politicians” and “District Menagerie” set the mood of the night, with the band playing the more dancier — yet just as dark — “Commie BBQ” and “The Hate” almost begrudgingly. Again, this is not necessarily a bad thing. New fans aren’t baring the same experiences I have, so they see the band for what it is on an immediate level, which despite their changes, is a still a great live performance full of incredible songs. Just not the incredible songs I’m looking for, I guess. Frankly, it just takes a lot for Exit Clov to impress me. And that is where my jaded comments come from, and that lack of objectivity likely makes me a poor reviewer for the music.

I wish these guys nothing but the best, and I hope they find a route to lay down their debut (after 7 years!) album on the world. And I look forward to seeing them again the next opportunity I get.

A number of bands seemed to get added and dropped off this bill, and some of that makes sense, it being on a Sunday night and all. But the end result was lovely Futurecop!(60) on a bill by their lonesome with some random DJ spinning and debuting his new video. Fair enough, or so I thought.

I showed up in time to catch the said video, but the only folks viewing it were the DJ and his four friends. Forget the uncomfortable factor, it gets worse as they then start blasting the music in tiny DC9 and dancing like freaks. This goes on for an hour: decent music, unrealistic volumes. I was pretty sure my girlfriend was about to leave me…

Thank God for Futurecop!. These guys finally came on and the crowd got bigger; not huge but enough to remove the awkwardness from the room. And when Futurecop! started playing their remixed and rebuilt 80s focused electro, the place got busy.

It is hard to describe Futurcop!’s music beside the fact that is all about the 80s. I heard some M.I.A. and even some Dizzy Rascal mixed in, but the lion’s share was 80s based, right down to this little nugget. They added some pretty snazzy/cheesy 80’s visuals as well, from Molly Ringwald to Thundercats.

80s kitsch is all over the place and some could say that it is really overdone. I agree that in many cases it certainly can be, but the 80s were over the top in so many ways, we may never run out of ways to repackage, especially in terms of the decade’s music. Futurecop! take modern day technology — as you can see above they are not on casios or commodores — and make impressive dance music from some pretty unlikely parts. It sounded pretty damn unique to me, but then again I’m the guy listening to Rick Springfield on youtube pretty regularly.

Please enjoy Futurecop!’s self-titled three-song EP from earlier this year.

Let’s talk about getting free passes to shows. I fully admit, I request passes to shows, certainly not all of them, but when I can I try to. To pay for all the shows I need to go to would be very hard on the wallet. Especially when I am paying for most of the bigger acts: Springsteen, Cohen, TV on the Radio, U2, Lollapalooza etc. In many cases, it is a symbiotic relationship, I get in for free and add bands to my list, the band gets some press. Seems like we’re each getting something out of it.

I am a-ok with someone turning me down for a spot, I’m just a regional blogger at best, and I know guest lists can be pretty tight. If some PR or management type sends me a note back declining my request, I don’t have a problem with that. It is the fuckers who never return my e-mails that piss me off. Especially when they are major label fuckers repping a less than major label band. Case in point, Glasvegas(59).

Before we get to the Scots, let’s talk Ida Maria(58) first. Ida, BTW just signed to a major label herself, which makes this tour pretty dubious if you ask me. She has gone on to re-release her 2008 debut Fortress Round My Heart on a major, despite the fact her album actually sold fairly well in Europe the first time around last year.

Her 35 minute performance felt very much like an A+R tour, as she ran through ten songs pretty quickly. This was a tour that started at SXSW in Austin. Her backing band appeared to be the type of Norwegian equivalent of the guys Ashley Simpson uses in her band. They kept running around and screaming her name and how amazing she was, and even ended by dumping water on themselves and into the audience. No one there was near the type of frenzy that would validate such behavior, so I was a little surprised.

The music was decent, her singles “Oh My God” and “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked” were the highlights. Everything else was pretty even keel, but again it all happened to fast to really even appreciate it.

Glasvegas more or less followed suite. And in the end, that wasn’t a bad thing. I will say this, as a 100% straight man, a singer with a Scottish accent is pretty damn hot. Ok, there, I said it. But, that doesn’t change the fact that Glasvegas‘ music just doesn’t translate across the Atlantic.

The story behind these guys is a that they busted their asses for three years before finally getting discovered. Great, I got no problems with that. But there was then a major label bidding war, and it thrust these guys into a position I don’t think they really fit. They needed to hone their chops as a succesful indie band before the labels took over. I’m not sure these guys had ever played a show outside of Scotland before they got signed. They have been essentially playing the same material for four plus years now, and they need to get creative. The pressures of having a major label release don’t generally allow this sort of time. And as I said, while their self-titled debut has some promise, it is really built around  a couple of singles, “Daddy’s Gone” and “Geraldine,” and the former has been around for years apparently. While the British press dumped plaudits all over the album, it has to be said this is the same press that anoints every new Oasis album as a classic, despite the band’s irrelevancy in the states for the past ten years.

I’ve said this before in reviews, but this is really a band trying too hard to be a major label band. The songs simply aren’t there yet, and their inexperience shows. For example, Caroline McKay plays the drums standing up. Weird, but what makes this bush league is that she doesn’t even have a kit, merely a snare and a tom, and a crash symbol. The drum parts are so uncomplicated,  I could have jumped up on stage and done them myself without even knowing most of the songs. Sorry Caroline, but there is a lot of work left to be done on these guys.

This review isn’t negative because some Sony guy wouldn’t return my e-mails, but the reason why he didn’t is a consideration. I’m not the mainstream press, not from the Post or anything all formal. I’m clearly not big enough to land on Glasvegas‘ radar, which is ironic, cause major label or not, I am exactly the type of writer who they should be reaching out to. Because unless something changes, their label is going to force Glasvegas into becoming homogenized squallor, and I feel bad for them.

I really had no idea what to expect from this type of an electronic show at the 9:30 Club, I had simply never been. But I was excited to see Booka Shade(57) live, despite the fact that tickets were being sold on two for one deal — always a bad sign the show is going to be empty. Last year’s The Sun and the Neon Light was a great techno house album, and I say that not because I know Booka Shade are purveyors of techno house or electrohouse, but because the people who know electronic/dance music tell me that is what they play. It is all Greek electronic music to me, so forgive me if my ignorance insults anyone, I just like the stuff!

My concerns on the crowd size seemed legit, as RNS(56) was playing to no one when they started. I would think one could call this duo house DJ’s as well, but sadly ones who embodied a lot of the cliched stereotypes you often see associated with DJ’s: arms constantly swinging in the air, chants of “C’mon (fill in your city here),” the occasional “Make some noise (fill in your city here)!!” and the completely over-done hat and/or hood combo while DJing. One of these guys added face-paint for good measure. I mean, are you trying to remain anonymous, and for what reason? If these guys were worried they were gonna get mobbed after the show they failed to notice there were 35 people there for much of their set. 25 of whom remained mostly uninterested throughout.

The crowd did increase the closer we got to their set ending. I normally wouldn’t count straight-up DJs as one of the 333 Bands, except they did play a few hand percussion instruments, and one of them did sing into a vocoder. Works for me. These underwhelming knob-twiddlers ended their set by letting some skanky hoes backstage as they got off. Very classy.

Booka Shade, meanwhile, came out to a more or less a full house (two-for-one tickets do work?). Arno(right on pic on right) was on a pretty hi-tech stand up electronic drum kit, and Walter(left on pic on right) manned the decks, synths and other noise making type contraptions. Honestly, I’m not sure I recognized anything, but it was all great. The crowd was very excited, and while it didn’t break out into a full on dance club, everyone was moving something: a leg, a head, an ass-cheek, something. It was great to see an electronic artist like Booka Shade get an enthusiastic audience in DC, as we often get passed over by many of the genre — and I’m looking at you Windish Booking agency. On a related side note, if I could book another DAM! Festival I would be way more than happy just pulling from the Windish talent roster. Damn you Tom Windish, damn you…

The music, well, the music was fantastic. Both guys had an energy about them that was rather contagious. I think they were shocked to see a crowd like this, for their first performance ever in DC on top of that! A better reviewer than me would tell you all about the singles off of various albums they played. Me, I just like the songs; You know, that fast one, and the slow one, and the really, really fast one. You know those right?

Whatever specific songs were played, Booka Shade convinced me that electronic shows can be fun and don’t have to occur on a Spanish vacation island to fully make an impression on you. I would go see these guys again in a second, utterly uplifting and energetic in every way, it is very hard to pass on an opportunity like this.

When Bloc Party(55) announced they were doing a US tour of smaller venues (if you call 1200 capacity venues small) I jumped for joy. As usual, I was a late bloomer, missing their earlier 9:30 Club performances, and refusing to pay money to see anyone at DAR Constitution Hall. After seeing the Pixies there on their reunion tour I swore never to go back. So, seeing Bloc Party at 9:30 was a no-brainer, and driving north to catch them in Philly on a Saturday night was a must as well.

Longwave(5) opened both shows, which sucked only because I was catching two shows and adding only one band to my list. But it was fantastic for every other reason. Longwave was damn good at their January DC9 show, and I was even more in love with the their newest album, Secrets are Sinister, out last year. So I was excited for the whole bill, a rarity in the annals of 333 bands.

Having never been to the Electric Factory in Philly, I was surprised and impressed with the full set-up. For one, it is huge, with two large “bar” areas, as well as a concessions concourse. What impressed me more was the amazing energy and excitement from the crowd. Granted, being on the floor of the venue I was surrounded by teens and early 20 year somethings, so their energy level should be high, having not yet been beaten down by the man. But even when Longwave jumped on stage, the place erupted. This was an exciting place to be, one of the very best audiences I’ve ever been a part of. I was worried the DC crowd would not be able to follow suite the next day, and they didn’t, especially in how they responded to Longwave. But the crowd — skewing much older — did improve dramatically for Bloc Party.

Longwave’s set was very similar both nights, leaning heavily on material off the new album, with only a handful of older songs in the mix, which they wisely switched up between te two nights. “Siren In the Deep Sea” and “Life is Wrong” were highlights, the sets closing with the latter and opening with the former on both nights. Having seeing Longwave perform much of this material at DC9 earlier in the year, it is obvious to me that they are band that belongs on a bigger stage with a bigger sound system and an impressive light show. Their over-powering sound, heavy on the guitar and the fuzz, was perfect for a tour like this. I think the Philly crowd appreciated them more, but based on what I’ve heard, this tour has won the band a number of new fans.

My expectations, along with those of the many screaming around me, were high for Bloc Party. Happily, they obliged by putting on the best two performances I have seen thus far this year. Kele Okereke is a showman in every shape of the word, knowing when to egg an audience on, and when to simply let them be themselves. While in Philly he pulled and taunted the audience into a frenzy — including the first crowd surfing and full on mosh pitting I have seen in a decade — in DC he played it straighter, sticking more to the music. He did dive far into the crowd in DC, making it almost to the sound booth, before crowd surfing his way all back to the stage. He did not do that in Philly, likely because he knew he would have been torn apart by the crowd.

Most importantly, the music was amazing. Kudos to the sound guys working with the band, and thanks god the systems at both the Electric Factory and the 9:30 Club were able to handle the onslaught. Pair with that the traveling light show, and it was quite the spectacle. A series of honeycomb lights threw a variety of colors at you equally impressive as either beautiful backdrops or straight on bursts of light burning out your already overstimulated retinas.

I have always felt that three albums are the perfect number for a band to pull a full set from. Bloc Party weaved songs from throughout their small but diverse catalog throughout the night, leaning a bit more heavily on Intimacy, their 2008 release. The DC show also included the rare live treat of “Tulips,” a song that predates Silent Alarm.

Which leads me to the general critiques of Bloc Party. Most people seem to think that it has been all down hill since Silent Alarm, that Bloc Party’s music is somehow less immediate. I could not disagree more. What I see here is a band that is actually maturing. A Weekend in the City in my mind perfectly connects with what one is going through in their late mid to late 20’s. Granted I was 31 when it came out, but from a maturation standpoint, that was just about right. “Uniform” or “Hunting for Witches” capture both the youthful aggression of Silent Alarm, but also shows that the band is becoming more worldly. Both songs were played each night, and completely hit home, “Uniform” especially.

While it is true that the band has embraced more electronic elements in their songwriting, I think this only goes to prove that the band is developing, and not remaining a one-trick pony like so many other UK darlings. I admit, hearing “Banquet,” “Helicopter” and “Like Eating Glass” live was impressive, and they were clearly the moments the crowd went the craziest, even those who may have only had their first experience with Intimacy. But “Mercury” and “One Month Off”  — the latter opened both shows — were killer as well. This is band that tears into their music, and even I, someone who barely bobs and waves at my best moments, was jumping up and down, waving my hands in the air and chearing far more than I normally do. I know Bloc Party is used to playing in venues far larger than either The Electric Factory or the 9:30 Club, but I find it hard to imagine the band doesn’t get a lot more out of a show like this. Meanwhile, I am trying to find a way to get to the west coast t catch a couple more of their shows. All 3 albums below…

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, but Thrust Lab canceled on this show, which meant that new Baltimore band Mraaraam(52) stepped in. By new I mean they have no published info or pictures anywhere to be found on the web. And by band I mean an audio/visual group that had a projector playing sun-spot soaked visuals of explosions and people exploring the opening to a cave. Superimposed on top of that was some sort of Atari type video game targeting system that occasionally seemed to fire, and musically — still following me here? — they had what appeared to be droney guitar and violin as a soundtrack. Yeah, it was a bit over my head, but interesting. They only played for about 15 minutes and I’m afraid anymore might have been too long. At least on a weeknight where I was stone cold sober

Exactly(53) are loosely tied to the BrightestYoungThings cult based out of DC, which immediately leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Yes, BYT does cover a lot of the ground BY used to cover, and yes, in some ways they do it much better. BUT, and this is the but that bothers me, they also encourage a particularly coke inspired/fashionista wannabe hipster scene that sickens me to the core. Wait, did you ask how I really feel?

All that hate aside, Exactly were pretty damn good, especially for a band that claims to have no musical talent. They performed in butcher smocks with what I’ll assume was fake blood all over them, but when you got past all that jack-ass pretense, their synthy, fuzzed out noise had some serious pop songs underneath them. Two synths and a drum (there were only three guys, don’t be confused with the pic at the left), along with  lot of loud vocals can make quite a racket, so it is easy to loose the song value underneath. But, it was oddly different with these characters. Reverb can be your friend and it was absolutely a tool used wisely on this night.

In the end, this is a band that is hard to take seriously, and it is hard to know if they even want you to take them seriously. But if they are “serious,” this is the odd-ball type of music  — akin to Dan Deacon or the Black Lips — that could actually come off as unique, interesting and good.

I have to admit this, I actually thought the band headlining this show was DAM! Festival alums Foreign Islands, not Future Islands(54). Bit of a silly slip on my part, but no harm no foul on this one, as Future Islands were just as good. And, I think my life would be a little less exciting if I didn’t catch vocalist Samuel Herring live. If you can imagine a much less androgynous Antony Hegarty (of Antony and the Johnsons) without the fear of rocking out into some sort of pissed off Jack Black temper tantrum, then you can imagine the way Samuel sings. It can be pretty and brutal, often at the same time. “Little Dreamer” and “Pinocchio” are two great examples of his stylings.

The funny part about these guys is that while Herring is ripping his voice to shreds and sweating his ass off, the other two guys just go about their business playing bass and synths/noise board respectivelly, without even batting an eye-lash. And, need I remind you, the Velvet Lounge does not have a big stage.

Forget what you hear on their myspace page or their CDs, you need to go see these guys live to fully appreciate what they are capable of. Very impressive group, I’m pretty damn happy I caught the right band.