As part of Echo LA's Twilight Concert Series, No Age came back up to the surface for a rousing sunset show along with Tijuana Panthers. Crowd surfing ensued from the get-go, and when was the last time you saw an opening band get crowd surfers? At times the night seemed exceedingly close to getting out of hand, but everyone minded their manners just enough for the festivities to proceed, and the fire marshals kept everyone on the straight and narrow.
It's been almost three years now since No Age played their most high profile gig to date, an opening slot for Pavement and Sonic Youth at the Hollywood Bowl, and it could be called a career capper. August will see the release of An Object, their followup to Everything In Between, (both on SUB POP), and from their first notes of the night, it became apparent the No Age was back in business. Focusing mainly on the tried and true in their catalogue, they did find time to slip in a few of the new, including "Lock Box" and "I Won't Be Your Generator". Pared back to the core duo of Randy Randall and Dean Spunt, they're older and wiser, (evidenced by some good-humored observations about series co-sponsor Myspace), but no less ferocious.
As noted, Tijuana Panthers set the tone early on, and got the crowd moving with their surf garage sound. Been meaning to catch them for awhile, and oh so glad i did. It certainly won't be the last time. "Red Headed Girl" from Max Baker was a standout. The Long Beach outfit's most recent release is Semi-Sweet on Innovative Leisure Records.
Savages opened up a two-night run at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles with a devastating performance. The London-based quartet, (vocalist Jehnny Beth, guitarist Gemma Thompson, and the rhythm section of Fay Milton and Ayse Hassan), appeared here in April, and has generated much excitement with their debut LP, Silence Yourself (Pop Noire/Matador).
In keeping with the band philosophy of total immersion in the set,
there was no photography of video shot to capture the moment from me,
but Debi Del Grande more than does justice to the evening for the LA Record.
Pop Noire co-founder Johnny Hostile opened with a hypnotic rhythm heavy set that hit some of the same sweet spots as early Kills. His stint was livened up with guest appearances from Gemma Thompson for guitar support, and later in the set, none other than Jehnny Beth herself.
As for the main event, Savages hit the stage fully in control, and didn't look back. They're honing a fine sense
of dynamics, but the emphasis is pretty straightforward: they have come
to rock. Gemma Thompson's feedback showcase on "Waiting For A Sign", and "No Face" and "She Will"
were propulsive highlights, and first single "Flying To Berlin" was a
welcome inclusion. All told, an exciting night to savor.
Occupying an armada of venues scattered around Old Town Pasadena, Make Music Pasadena once again made its mark as a showcase for rising bands, and provided a grueling, but satisfying day for those willing to invest the shoe leather. As a first timer, I didn't wander too far afield, sticking primarily between a stage set up at the back of the Pasadena Playhouse, and the main stage, (about a mile away down Colorado). Having my bearings in place, I look forward to exploring every nook and cranny next year, but what I saw certainly worked well for an introduction. Superhumanoids, (who kindly visited my home base of Santa Barbara back in February), kicked things off, and their buzzing heartfelt pop was the perfect way to start the day. August will see the release of their new LP Exhibitionists. The first of a few long hikes to the main stage yielded the high energy of Hunter, Hunted. High point of their set was a spot-on cover of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind". After a short refueling break on some neighboring stoops, it was back to the main stage for Yacht, who set the standard with a commanding performance that packed up the closed-off Colorado Ave.
On the way back down to the Playhouse Stage, a shortcut by the Pasadena Civic Auditorium yielded a welcome surprise: churning out a set of Eastside garage rock, were a combo i came to know as the Blackfeet Braves. No nonsense, old school rock that won the day for me. In the intervening space in time, they've apparently changed their name to Mystic Braves. Whatever the name, they're well worth tracking down. Robert DeLong overcame the brutal effects of the hot sun melting down his laptop, and salvaged a performance that sated the anxious crowd. Fan favorites Tanlines, (from NYC), finally got it together setup-wise, appearing half an hour after their appointed time, but threw down a crowd-pleasing set.
Scary part is that this was just the tip of the iceberg. Hats off to the Make Music Pasadena crew for an impeccable one-day Fest. And did I mention that it was FREE! The organization asked for a mere $5 donation to help defray the costs, and it certainly is worth that.
In the midst of a string of summer festival dates, Scottish indie-pop legends Belle and Sebastian made their only California appearance at the Santa Barbara County Bowl Wednesday night. Coming out of Austin, flight issues delayed their crew, but with the help of local pros, things came together, and a magical night was had. L.A.'s own Best Coast nailed down the opening duties on an evening presented by Santa Monica public radio powerhouse KCRW.
Almost three years have elapsed since the last time we caught up Belle and Sebastian at the Matador Records celebration in Las Vegas, and they remain as sharp and charming as ever. Backed with horns and a string section, Stuart Murdoch led the band through their back catalogue, to the delight of a sparse, but fervent audience. Highlights included "I'm A Cuckoo", and "Piazza, New York Catcher", both from Dear Catastrophe Waitress, and an epic "Stars Of Track And Field", from If You're Feeling Sinister. "Dirty Dream Number Two" from The Boy With The Arab Strap provided the first opportunity for audience participation, (below),
All told, it was a delightful evening outdoors with what might be the ultimate bedsit band. From here, the tour pushes on to Salt Lake City, and a spotlight slot at the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago. Hopefully, the touring gods have had their fun, and the band's travels will be smoother.
Best Coast, no strangers to Santa Barbara, graduated to the big stage of the Bowl, and seemed right at home. Their tight set rested heavily on their debut album, and gave a sneak peak of their upcoming EP in the form of a new song, "Fear Of My Identity", (below), that fit in perfectly with the girl-group garage sound of their earlier days. While Bethany Consentino fielded the audience love and Seinfeld queries, it was Bobb Bruno, taking care of business off to the side, who remains the band's secret weapon.
"I'm Writing A Novel" is not only the fourth track off of Father John Misty's Fear Fun, but a pretty solid assessment of where i'm headed at this point in my collected Misty musings. With this evening marking the end of the Fear Fun tour, the question mark of 'what next' lingered over the proceedings. Having freed himself from the shadow of the Fleet Foxes, and more than put to rest the hovering ghost of J. Tillman, would the Misty project continue, or that too shed aside? And how exactly does one follow up an indelible album like Fear Fun?
Having gotten to Soho early to meet an old friend for dinner, it happened to luckily coincide with soundcheck, which turned out to be a great way to start the evening, especially when the band worked through a new number. I walked out to the patio and peered through the doors at the band, transfixed. Even with stops and starts, the guts were there, and it was promising...It was more naked and personal writing-wise, and more full musically, with the band kicking in hard. My only hope was that it wasn't constrained to the sound check.
Kicking things off with the majestic, and by now, de riguer opener "Fun Times In Babylon", Tillman was loose and the band was tight, summoning keyboard and bass crescendos that trumped the studio version. Tillman's mock snarkiness and shady dance moves got the crowd howling, and at one point he broke to grab and kiss the hand of a girl filming, then apologized for fucking up her video. Having fun with the mores of modern performance frustrations such as cell phone cameras is something he's embraced with gusto, as opposed to the humorless signs and demands of his peers. He breaks again at the end, noting that "This is gonna be a good one", before the band slams into the grand finale.
The mystery song from the sound check resurfaced, bolstered by the full slam of the band, and it slotted gracefully into the show. Given a tasty intro by lead guitarist Benji, Tillman spins a tale of true love found vs. the times we live in, spiked with his idiosyncratic wordplay. His own line sums it up best: "Don't ever doubt this/my steadfast conviction." As usual, half the fun is watching bassist Jeff dashing around, pumping up the drummer with body language, then racing back to the mike for harmonies.
That wouldn't be the evening's only surprise, as he dropped in another new number, done alone acoustically towards the end of the set. The intro is priceless, with Tillman introducing it as a new song over acoustic strumming, before dispatching the notoriously talkative Soho audience with some less than tender words, then proceeding to uncork a quietly devastating, but ultimately uplifting tale.
The remainder of the set followed form, with a righteous "Every Man Needs A Companion" giving way to a take on "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings" that was even more jacked up than usual, descending into chaos with Tillman flailing the mic stand around, and we on the side ducking swipes from Benji's guitar. Frightfully fun.
Closing the night on full simmer, the band fell back on Canned Heat's "On The Road Again", and brought the evening, and the tour, to a successful close. Tillman and the band will be returning to action with an appearance at Coachella.
ADAM GREEN AND BINKI SHAPIRO
Adam Green and Binki Shapiro opened up the night in style, laying down tracks from their debut album with a full band, and winning the crowd over in surprisingly quick order. They've recently come back from a European jaunt, including an ill-fated van burglary in Manchester. Adam Green is probably best known for teaming up with Kimya Dawson in the Moldy Peaches. Binki Shapiro, from Little Joy, plays the perfect foil to Green, and they plumb the depths in a post-modern Lee Hazelwood/Nancy Sinatra vein. Their sole self-titled, (and highly recommended), album provided grist for the mill, and the highlights were "Pleasantries", (below), "What's The Reward" with it's killer surf guitar break, a moving reading of "Nighttime Stopped Bleeding", and the Binki showcase "Don't Ask For More". All in all, a satisfying taster, and more than enough impetus to see them again.
