Chicago Show Preview - September 2006

MySpace Links:
The Clientele
The Dears
Serena Maneesh
Evangelicals
Asobi Seksu

Aug 30 – The Clientele @ Abbey Pub

The Clientele is the British indie pop band designed for a rainy day spent indoors. That doesn’t only mean in springtime, since their music also fits well with golden falling leaves. I only worry because their formula is so fragile due to its retrospective quality. They might transport the audience to a 1960’s mindset, or they might fall flat (like the Shins at Lollapalooza).

(Detroit equivalent – Magic Stick, 8/31/06)

Sept 7 – The Dears @ Schubas

Last summer I caught wind of The Dears, who were being labeled as the next indie band to watch. Unfortunately, the public didn’t embrace them as they deserved. They take after the sophisticated pop and crooning vocals of the Smiths. Front man Murray Lightburn credits himself for “directing” the album. They’ll be playing a handful of shows before departing for an extensive European tour. Also, their new album “Gang of Losers” releases in the US on 10/3/06.

Video: "Ticket to Immortality"

Sept 15 – Serena Maneesh and Evangelicals @ Logan Square

Serena Maneesh hasn’t yet earned their brownie points, even if their debut album is one of the best reviewed of the year. They emulate the kings of shoegaze in some amazing moments, but usually favor the unstructured noise of late 80’s groups like Sonic Youth. The lack of structure hurts them, especially towards the end of their album when not enough emotional peaks have occurred. With so much critical hype, a live show will either make or break their future.

Evangelicals are not religious. At least I can find no indication of that anywhere. They do sound like a wild cult of some kind churning out dizzying psychedelic indie rock. 2006’s So Gone is the type of album that defines an entire year, like the much discussed Destroyer’s Rubies. They give a sonic interpretation to living as a free spirit. Their songs are catchy and inventive, but they never take themselves too seriously. If you compare them to other Oklahoma natives the Flaming Lips, I might box your ears. Listen to “Diving” while sitting in the sun with your feet in the water, and you will be happy.

(Detroit equivalent – Magic Stick, 9/14/06. Also, Evangelicals will be in Grand Rapids, MI with Say Hi To Your Mom on 10/10/06)

Sept 22 – Asobi Seksu @ Schubas

Normally, I try to avoid topics that EVERY SINGLE MUSIC CRITIC covers when discussing a new band, but this time I can’t help myself. According to my sources, Asobi Seksu is Japanese for “playful sex.” I mention it because it’s so appropriate. Their neo-shoegaze is like a more playful take on the movement that was often depressed and longing for love. Vocals alternate between English and Japanese, providing an alien feeling reminiscent of Sigur Ros. They are not from Japan, however – they’re from Brooklyn. And if they can escape that fortress of hype, they might have a bright future ahead of them.

(Detroit equivalent – Lager House, 9/23/06)

Video: "Thursday"

Aloha w/ Rahim @ Schubas - 8/20/06

Website link: Aloha

Aloha used to be the little experimental indie rock band from Ohio, who my brothers and I discovered on Amped (the snowboarding video game for Xbox that boasted a soundtrack of over 180 songs). Now with four full length albums released on Polyvinyl, the band is finally starting to get the recognition they deserve. Having listened to them for the last two years, I was naturally thrilled at discovering they were scheduled to play at a small club two blocks from my Chicago apartment. The group played at Schubas on Sunday, August 20, with special guest Rahim who started off the night with a bang. I don’t know Rahim too well, but they give off major hipster vibes. Their distilled indie rock was amusing enough in a half hour live set, but whether their trendy sound would survive on record remains to be seen.

Local band The Eternals almost ruined the entire night with their vomit-inducing Primus vs. Outkast sound. Even more unfortunate was that they played for an hour, not the half hour posted on the show schedule, and they played second (after Rahim). It was a shame because the drummer and bassist seemed talented, but the third man evaded any chance of salvation with his senseless yapping and random keyboard hits.

Aloha’s new album Some Echoes has been received extremely well by critics, currently ranking at #20 on Metacritic.com’s Best of 2006 list*. Critics like to throw around a bunch of genre and sub-genre names when discussing Aloha, like progressive, post-rock, free jazz, indie pop, and even soft rock, never failing to mention their trademark xylophones. What’s most important is that their grab bag of inspirations allows them constant exploration: whether it’s through instruments, song structure, emotions, or elsewhere.

Front man Tony Cavallario’s voice is accessible, and he never wastes time with uninspiring lyrics. He switched between guitar and keyboard (proving proficiency at both), while T.J Lipple alternates between keyboard and xylophone (somehow managing to hold four mallets in his two hands). Seeing the members of a band switch instruments is always something that wins my respect (the bassist was the only one to stay put). At one point they even put three men on percussion (including a guest), sounding off like a marching band drum line. Each of their songs functions like a small work of art in a gallery. They seem to focus on constant reinvention, not only from album to album but also song to song. A headline tour affords them live show time to explore even further, jamming past many songs’ regular lengths.

Hearing the arpeggios of “Water Your Hands,” from 2004’s Here Comes Everyone, played with such accuracy was truly breathtaking. Although they omitted some of my newer favorites such as the soft rock of “Ice Storming” and the Mark Mothersbaugh-like “Between The Walls,” the show was still extremely rewarding for dedicated fans and newbies alike. “Mountain” and “Your Eyes” were especially thrilling, but the boisterous “Summer Away” and “Weekend” were what really made the show sparkle. The emotional high-point of the show occurred during “Boys in the Bathtub,” a song lamenting the loss of youth and innocence. The song reminds me personally of the spring of 2004 at MSU, when it was played regularly on the campus radio station.

Aloha has no desire to be trendy. They’re not trying to take over the world. They view their craft not as a means to an end, but as the endpoint of all their creative collaboration. And the integrity they constantly carry with them is starting to take them to high places. They rumble like snow rushing down a mountain, or waves relentlessly crashing a rocky shore. This band will be remembered and celebrated for their work, whether later this year or ten years down the line. I hope for the band’s sake that the former will be true. But only time will tell.

*For those unfamiliar with Metacritic.com, they create average scores of album reviews. They weigh the scores based on the importance of the reviewer and include quotes from many of the sources. It’s a nice way to get a lot of info on a band or album very quickly.

Video: "Summer Away" from the 2004 album Here Comes Everyone

Lansing State Journal

I thought I should put up a quick note about an article I wrote for Lansing State Journal that was published last week. It's about Michigan bands on the rise. You can read it by clicking here. Enjoy!

Lollapalooza 2006 - Day 3 (8/6/06)

Day 3:

Sparta
Benevento/Russo Duo
30 Seconds to Mars
The Shins
Of Montreal
Queens of the Stone Age
Broken Social Scene
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Was there really a third day to this monstrous festival??? Waking up and getting ready on Sunday was difficult. I mean writing about Lollapalooza is exhausting, so you can imagine what it must have been like to go all three days. And the third day took the most effort. But Dave and I managed to get to the AT&T stage by 12:30 pm for Sparta’s set. So what can I say about Sparta? After their guitarist (Paul Hinojos) jumped ship last year to join the Mars Volta, I thought it might be the end of the line for them. Their debut album Wiretap Scars was among my favorite albums from my college years, and represented the thunderous drive and tight songwriting from At The Drive-In (whereas The Mars Volta represented the experimentation and progression). But, they got a new dude to man the guitar, so this might not be a closed case. Their music thus far has a tone of worldly importance, carrying the weight of all the chaos since the turn of this century. It was comforting to hear their older material (like “Cut Your Ribbon” and “Glasshouse Tarot”) played with the same edginess and determination as always. In fact, some older songs even sounded better, as if Hinojos had been a loose thread in the patchwork. Unfamiliar songs weren’t immediately catchy though. But the point is that this group hasn’t lost my faith quite yet (despite their almost too smooth sophomore effort Porcelain). So rock on, you Texans, and you will likely find me in your audience wherever you play. Unless Threes is completely terrible. In that case, nevermind.

I had heard of Benevento/Russo Duo among jam band crowds in the last couple years. I think I missed their set at All Good Festival 2005 in West Virginia. But my brother saw them at last year’s Wicker Park Summer Festival in Chicago. So going in, I expected a somewhat eclectic mix of keyboard/synth/drums with a tendancy for improvisation. And that is more or less what I heard at their 2:15 pm set on the AMD stage. The first thought that came to mind while watching them is that they make good driving music. I would pop their CD in while driving down the Pacific coast (on the trip I’ve been planning in my mind for over a year now). They throw in pieces of Phil Collins and Hall and Oates during fits of autumnal grandeur on songs like “Something for Rockets,” “Best Reason to Buy the Sun,” and “Soba.” They may suffer a little from not having a vocalist, but most of the time they make enough noise to get by. And Benevento/Russo Duo could appeal to indie electronic fans despite their experimental abilities and jam band history. In fact, they kind of remind me of Caribou (especially the Up In Flames album) in a good way. If all this messiness sounds cool, be sure to check them out.

At my brother’s request, we checked out 30 Seconds to Mars on the Q101 Stage at 3:30 pm. They play radio friendly alternative rock, but it’s sometimes entertaining and never annoying. The highlight of their show (and the real reason I’m mentioning them) is because of a stunt frontman Jared Leto pulled mid-set, when he spontaneously climbed the stage and sang a song from about 50 feet off the ground. That took balls. Big balls. Watching this I couldn’t help but think of him getting his face beat to a pulp in “Fight Club”, or losing his arm after a heroin related infection in “Requiem For A Dream.” I wondered if he would slip and fall, only to splatter his brains on the stage. It’s not that I wanted him to fall, but it definitely added some suspense to the show. The dude looked like Luke Skywalker for crissake! But those 15 year old girls in the front row were probably ready to catch him, or at least break his fall. Okay, enough of that.

The Shins played all the way at the north end Bud Light stage at 4:30 pm. Keep in mind, this is the same place The Flaming Lips had detonated the previous evening. I had high expectations for this group, given my emotional connection with the music they’ve released to date. What happened in that hour, though, was the biggest let down of the weekend. I now realize that their music is better fitted for poolside lounging, or even skiing snowy mountains – NOT for playing to thousands of fans at a jumbo music festival. Given that I have little positive to say about their show, I’ll stop here. I will say that I hope to someday see them at a smaller, indoor venue.

I returned to the AMD Stage at 5:00 pm to see Of Montreal. Finally! They are a group to which I can give full-out, unmitigated praise. But I knew what I was in for, having seen them at Metro on March 10. They showed up complete in funky costumes ready to entertain not only dedicated fans, but also random passers-by and food court frequenters. Of Montreal take their love of psychedelic pop and turn into a twisted dance party. Not to mention Kevin Barnes random babbling is hilarious, and succeeds at drawing everyone into his colorful alternate universe of sound. I’ve already spoken many kind words about this group, so I’ll try and contain myself. I did hear that their song is featured in an Outback Steakhouse commercial, and I’ll let the absurdity of that slide for now. This show showed me the true potential of this band, given the right exposure. I’ll have to hold on tight while I can, because a major label could grab them at any time!

I’d just like to issue a public “screw you” to Queens of the Stone Age. I hate them. They’re terrible and should not have been given a main stage slot on any day. But staying true to my promise for Lollapalooza coverage, I will not dwell on that. What can I say? There was a lot of great music on Sunday, but also a lot of abhorrent crap.

The climax of the entire festival occurred during Broken Social Scene’s WAY TOO SHORT 45 minute set at 7:30 pm on the Q101 Stage. I knew to expect good things from his group, but WOW! Like David said, “I’ve never seen anything like that before.” The stage was occupied with six to sixteen players at different points in the show, which included every single member of the collective. Thank goodness that Feist showed up, or I would have cried. The truth is that their set had me almost in tears anyways. As they played, the setting sun cast an orange tone on their faces and the summer breeze blew through their hair. All the men had beards (the primary reason that I’m now growing one) and were adorned with bandanas on their necks. All the women (including Amy Millan of Stars) had on summer dresses. At times 4 people took on horns, or 3 people just played tambourine. They made no sacrifices, and put everything they could into that short stretch of time. I was overwhelmed by how well the miniature orchestra operated. They played well known songs like “7/4 Shoreline” and “Fire Eyed Boy,” but then some amazing songs that I can’t find record of anywhere (which hopefully means a new album is in the making). Writing about them ends up as messy as their 2005 self-titled album, but from their messiness something incredible is born. BSS blew every other act into Lake Michigan and completely captivated everyone watching, resulting in a 15 minute ovation of yelling and screaming “WE WANT MORE.” Unfortunately, Mr. Ferrel showed his asshole side because he needed to introduce Red Hot Chili Peppers. Ask anyone who was there, and they will probably tell you that this group touched their soul. Broken Social Scene has now become a band that hundreds of other bands will try to be like, but never will.

Red Hot Chili Peppers brought their unsurprising (and uninspiring) California rock to the AT&T Stage at 8:30 pm. I didn’t really watch, but instead sat in the lawn coming down from the natural high I received from BSS. Now how do I conclude my coverage of Lollapalooza 2006? It was a near perfect three day musical experience. The convenience of public transportation made it much easier than a camping festival, but the city environment takes away from some of the freedom. I did at least make some peace with Chicago, a place I’ve basically hated since moving here last October. As for the festival, there were some amazing shows, and a lot of good shows. The enormous festival ground and diversity of bands probably had some people craving a more specialized festival (like the many that feature only jam bands, electronica, etc). I get the impression that this has become one of the biggest festivals in the world, which is nice, because I’ll never be too far away in Michigan. Some day I’ll make it to Coachella and SXSW. But for now, thanks goes to Mr. Ferrel for not losing his dream after the touring Lolla dwindled away. The city of Chicago truly is a better place for having such an event, and I hope it remains here for years to come.

Lollapalooza 2006 - Day 2 (8/5/06)

Day 2:

Sybris
The Go! Team
Disco Biscuits
The Flaming Lips
Thievery Corporation

Saturday was far and away the best musical line-up of Lollapalooza, and it was also the most crowded. It was obvious that many people had bought one day passes to see the mainstream hip hop stretch of Gnarls Barkley, Common, and Kanye West. I, however, avoided all three of these vile performers to the best of my ability. My day started just like Friday, at 1:00 pm on the PlayStation stage, where Sybris brought their Chicago noisy neo-psychedelia to the audience (an audience which was too small because old-school poppers Nada Surf were on the nearby Bud Light stage at 12:30 pm). Regardless, Sybris fulfilled every expectation of a live show I had developed since buying their album in the spring (I’ll try to avoid repeating myself after the CD review). I was worried that Ms. Mullenhour wouldn’t pull off that sexy howl on stage, but she did. During their set, she announced “We’re from here!” But you could tell by their shabby look, worn down by this desolate urban environment. It works well for Mullenhour though, as she shines like a ragged indie rock princess. And while men wear their guitar as an extension of their phallus, Mullenhour’s instrument melts together with her swaying hips (or even her womb). Although I dwell on the female vocalist (I’m such a sucker), I shouldn’t omit praise for the whole band. This group could soon make a national impression with the right amount of effort. Maybe it depends on the outcome of a sophomore album, so let’s wait and see.

I was sad to leave Sybris a little early, but I could not miss the Go! Team’s set at 1:30 pm on the Q101 Stage. This group’s one disappointing factor was the nearly constant rapping in places that it doesn’t appear on the album. It got very old very quick. The girl has a strong British accent that rubbed me the wrong way even when she was speaking between songs. Otherwise, I would say they got the job done. They managed to start up a rollicking party on a hot and humid Saturday afternoon. I was surprised that they didn’t even have a DJ, given that their album is loaded full of samples. I guess they felt they didn’t need one, since they already had dual drums and multiple instruments to cover most of the album’s sounds. I’m thankful at least to have seen them once, since they are from England and will not be around very frequently.

Skipping past Built to Spill and Particle (I promised to try and keep things exciting), I’ll now talk about the Disco Biscuits, who played at 5 pm on the AMD stage. I’ll admit I was pretty messed up from this time to the end of the night, but I feel that I can still report on the bands. I had been hearing about the Biscuits since sophomore year of college when I started listening to String Cheese Incident and Umphrey’s McGee, but this was my first opportunity to see them live. They are a foursome employing the classic line-up of guitar, bass, keyboard/synth, and drums, escaping the “jam band” noose to play a rather specific type of jazzy, electronic, experimental rock. I realized while watching them how much I missed hippies, after hanging out with them in years past. The crowd at this type of show becomes just as entertaining as the band on stage. The crowd was the orchestra, and the band was the maestro. There was a very “Matrix Reloaded underground dance party” feel to it all. Primal vibrations enveloped the area for an extremely peaceful and positive hour of dancing and grooving. They did include a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Have a Cigar,” which was a definite crowd pleaser (especially at a festival).

The real gem of the festival though was the Flaming Lips, who played at 6:30 pm on the Bud Light stage. I could spend all day and night talking about the Flaming Lips. They have been earning a stellar performing reputation in recent years by hitting up almost every music festival in the country. Of course, the one time they played a real show in Detroit (with Sonic Youth, Sybris, and the Go! Team?!?!) was at the State Theatre on Friday, Aug 4, and I missed it. The bottom line is that these fellows have hit a nerve in the collective consciousness of human beings. I’ve been saying for a year that this band (especially their Soft Bulletin album) is simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. Their live show is equal parts extreme carnival and campfire sing-a-long. Along with the three steady band members (with Wayne Coyne as ring leader) came women dressed as aliens, men dressed as Santa Claus, and four inflatable monsters behind them. Coyne almost immediately blew up his human hamster ball and took a stroll onto the crowd. Then “Race for the Prize” exploded with dozens of gigantic blue balloons and Coyne shooting confetti rockets at the audience. It seems like I’m the only idiot who hasn’t watched their Fearless Freaks DVD yet, but the Lips are obviously on a quest. Maybe they’re trying to take the meaning out of those symbols like aliens and Santas, or maybe they’re celebrating the wonder and excitement aroused by them. Maybe Coyne was right when he asked everyone to sing along to hopefully stop the bombing in Israel, or maybe he’s a crazy fool who just knows how to get people off. One thing is for sure, the Flaming Lips will be remembered as one of the great bands of this generation. Despite all my words, you have to see it to believe it.

The final group from Saturday that I will cover was Thievery Corporation. They were on the Adidas stage at 7:30 pm, and were a perfect come down from the previous performance. I was so worn out in fact, that I just sat in the lawn at watched the band on their stage video screen. This show turned out to be a worldly electronic dance party that sounded a lot better than I expected. They performed their song “Lebanese Blonde” with almost no alteration from the album track. The sky was striped with clouds and faded into reds and pinks as the sun slowly set. It was truly beautiful, and I felt a sense of home in the city of Chicago that I hadn’t experienced in the 10 months of living here. Of course, it faded quickly, but somehow I made peace with the city. Darkness came after I got some pizza and beer, and Manu Chao took the Bud Light stage at 8:30 pm. Remember, most festival-goers were at the south end watching Kanye West at this point, so the north end had room to breathe. Manu wasn’t too thrilling, but it was nice to hear a little Latin music at this festival. I left the festival again around 9:30 pm, completely exhausted and almost forgetting that I still had one day to go…

Lollapalooza 2006 - Day 1 (8/4/06)

Day 1:

Anathallo
Stars
Umphrey’s McGee
Mates of State
My Morning Jacket
VHS or Beta DJ set
Death Cab for Cutie

After a well-deserved week of rest and recuperation, I can now begin covering my experience at Lollapalooza 2006. As you may or may not expect, I went into the weekend with the entire festival almost completely planned out. Although some of the plans did change, I am proud to say that my brother David and I survived from approximately noon to 10 pm three days in a row. To save time (and avoid boring you), I will only talk about the groups who rocked my socks off. If I didn’t see a band, don’t remember much about their set, or didn’t enjoy a band, I probably won’t mention them here. I like to follow the age old motto, “If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all.”

According to my plan, we arrived at Grant Park on Friday promptly at 12 pm so I could help pass out Innerview magazines for an hour. The first band I was determined to see was Anathallo, who bombarded the audience from the PlayStation stage at 1:00 pm. Descriptions of the group always mention the former marching band participation of these Michiganders, but it’s no secret when you see their stage set. Their xylophones look like they were permanently “borrowed” from the band storage room. But a couple things stood out to me about this group’s live set. First, the front man has a sense of humor, and likes connecting with the crowd. It doesn’t matter if we had no idea what he was yapping about when describing a Japanese folk story (which inspired much of their album Floating World). He reminded me of the Decemberists’ Colin Meloy. Secondly, I was amazed at how their complex music came together so seamlessly in a live setting. With seven members on stage, there is much to coordinate, and they pulled it off like pros. Third, they were extremely grateful for the chance to be there. I heard multiple thank you’s and other phrases of awe and excitement from the band. So it seems that Anathallo learned a bit more at band camp than that geek from American Pie, like how to kick off a three day urban music festival the right way.

The next band to tickle my fancy was Stars, who played the Adidas stage at 3:30 pm. Stars are the band for springtime, but fit well in summer too. Their music would fit well accompanying time lapse photography of flowers opening. Strangely, their music would also fit in many 80’s teen movies (think Breakfast Club or really any of the Howard Hughes flicks). Seeing them on the festival’s only permanent stage was rewarding, despite the camera crews constantly blocking our view (there’d better be a live DVD MR. PERRY FERREL!). Their music has a raw naivety to it, but also a stylistic quality that makes it completely unique. Their music is bittersweet in nature, but also for me personally because I came to know them around MSU graduation time. Songs like “Set Yourself On Fire” play like a moment stopped in time, allowing the listener to witness it all in detail. They didn’t play “The Big Fight” or “He Lied About Death,” which are my favorites, but their performance was still once of the best of the weekend. I also love them because Evan Cranley and Amy Millan are on the current Broken Social Scene roster, but I’ll get to that later. I said enough about this band between this festival coverage and my Canada feature.

I had seen Umphrey’s Mcgee about a dozen times at indoor venues, so I had some idea what to expect for their set at 4:30 pm on the AT&T stage. What I didn’t expect was the giant crowd. Umphrey’s isn’t your run of the mill jam band. They operate with a strictly no bullshit mentality, melting all forms of rock together with a currently unmatched ability for improvisation. And improvisation is the key factor. My favorite moments of their concerts are when they experiment and let themselves wander. Some of their album tracks just aren’t that exciting, and the vocals are often unattractive. The bottom line is that this set was a chance for the little turbo touring band to show a crowd of near 40,000 what they’re capable of.

Power duo Mates of State played on the AMD stage at 5:00 pm. Although there wasn’t as much tangible energy as a small club show (it’s too bad that I missed their Lolla pre-show at Abbey Pub), they still drew one of the biggest crowds to that smaller stage. Their performance didn’t falter in the boiling afternoon sun either. Opening with “Fraud in the 80’s,” they pushed on for the hour allowed to them and created more racket than would seem possible by two people. The best thing about Mates is that they know their role. They know what they’re capable of, and they do it full out with their keyboards, drums, and dual vocals. They are right when they claim “You will surely find us pleasing to your ears.”

After a hefty walk to the north end, I found what would become my regular spot on the hill to the viewers left of the Bud Light stage, where My Morning Jacket played at 6:30 pm. I have to admit, I was impressed by this Kentucky rock band. I want to hate them because of all the praise given to their 2005 album Z, but they make it so difficult. With songs like “What A Wonderful Man” and “Anytime,” you can’t help but bounce to the beat while taking in all the sunshine and skyscraper views. Their set made me think of them as the new brand of arena rockers. With Jim James' gigantic voice and straight up rocking guitars, they could fill every square inch of a stadium with celebratory sound. So cheers to MMJ for impressing me, despite my desire to detest them.

Since I didn’t want to watch Sleater-Kinney or take another trip to the south end to see Violent Femmes, I went to check out the Mindfield where a VHS or Beta DJ Set was slated for 8:00 to 10:00 pm. During the day, this was supposedly filled with movies, comedy, and singing competitions. But at night, the small stage with dual video screens turned into a dance party. This was a real unexpected treasure. There were streamers and inflatable brains hanging from the trees, creating a small forest haven from the chaos of the festival. I wish that I had been intoxicated, because VHS or Beta was spinning some awesome music (including Daft Punk and Chemical Brothers). But I was sober, so I just relaxed and watched the psychedelic visuals on the screen.

After a half hour of that, I returned to the Bud Light stage for Death Cab for Cutie’s set at 8:30 pm. Just two years ago, I saw them in a small ballroom at MSU, and now they played a headline slot at Lollapalooza. That’s crazy! I give them kudos for playing such a wide variety of music. They included older songs like “President of What?” and “Company Calls,” and played many from Transatlanticism (my favorite of their CD’s) like “The New Year” and “Title and Registration.” So Death Cab is no longer the tiny Pacific Northwestern emo band, but instead are world class performers. I don’t think they made my top ten performance count, but I was still impressed. I did leave before the end of their set in order to beat the traffic to the train. So day one I survived from 1:00 pm to about 9:30 pm. Stay tuned for days 2 and 3!

Pitchfork Music Festival 2006 - Day 2

The bands I saw/heard at Pitchfork Fest Day 2 were:

CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy)
Aesop Rock w/ Mr Lif
Mission of Burma
Devendra Banhart
Yo La Tengo
Matthew Dear
Spoon

Because of the exhaustive nature of Day 1, I decided to go to Union Park a bit later on Sunday. It’s too bad that I missed Tapes ‘N Tapes and Danielson. I wanted to evaluate them based on the buildup Pitchfork created. I’m kind of glad I missed Jens Lekman though. I just don’t understand what the indie writers see in his music (maybe he’ll be my next Anti-Hipster project). I arrived around 3 pm, and made my way straight to the Biz 3 stage (where I had spent very little time on Saturday) at the rear of Union Park. I had heard a little about CSS (short for Cansei de Ser Sexy) from internet news sources. I won’t tell you what their name means (just read any review of their album), but I will say that they’re an electro dance rock group from Brazil. I came into this set with a very skeptical mind, since I hadn’t heard their music and I tend to expect most bands with hype to be letdowns. At first approach, the scene resembled the opening act of zombie movie “Shawn of the Dead.” Or maybe even Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” music video. Anyone who can make twenty-something Caucasian males dance and groove like South American strippers must be employing some new tricks. So CSS doesn’t consistently amaze, but they do have the ability to make a party in full daylight with little to no intoxication involved. I enjoyed the female vocals, and the explicit song titles up the fun level. After all, they don’t seem to take themselves too seriously, even though they’ve been signed to Sub Pop (a label on the opposite side of the world of where the band was formed). Fans of the Sounds or older Yeah Yeah Yeahs would benefit from looking into this group.

Moving on, the first main stage act that I paid attention to on Sunday was Aesop Rock with Mr. Lif. As far as hip hop goes, I can only appreciate music that displays creativity and a willingness to push beyond the mainstream sounds of the past 20 years. It seems as though Aesop Rock fits the bill. He’s not trying to sell an image or a lifestyle. He’s just a guy from New York (I think?) with smooth lyrics about life that match ideally with his undemanding beats. His wordplay will really have your head spinning at times, but it’s impressive to say the least. If you’re into any alternative hip hop (like Jurassic 5, the Roots, or even older stuff like A Tribe Called Quest), I’d recommend you pick up the album Labor Days.

The rest of Sunday was difficult. I was basically passing the time until Yo La Tengo took the stage. I watched a little of Mission of Burma’s set, mostly because I wanted to see the band who reportedly started the post-punk genre (and they’re on my 80’s underground box set). For a threesome who are probably in their 50’s, they do rock in a big way. It was interesting to imagine the hundreds of bands who have followed in Mission’s footsteps since their debut album was released in 1982. I don’t think their recent couple CD’s are something I’d really get into (not like Sonic Youth’s new one), so halfway through their set I went to rest in the shade and conserve water (remember, it was another 95 degree and sunny day). (note - picture below is the water filling station at the festival)

After Mission came Devendra Banhart, who I had been waiting to see for some time because I expected that the pedestal he has been placed on would dissolve easily after his unfulfilling performance. Banhart is usually tagged as “freak folk,” but all I know about him is that he was born in Columbia and writes generally unengaging music. His set came with extensive breaks between songs and a whole lot of boredom. His band looks like they were dug out of some northern California cave after decades of recluse, all complete with dirty beards and flower-child clothing. But the bottom line is, this is not psychedelic rock, or even melodic folk rock. It’s some kind of minimalist experimental acoustic-based songwriting that, I believe, 99% of people who aren’t struggling indie music critics won’t connect with.

Finally! Next was Yo La Tengo! The band who I’ve been obsessed with for the past three years since I first discovered them through my own hard work. But oh, what a let down I was in for. I won’t blame it on the band. I blame it on the festival set up. First of all, their stage speakers were QUIET. Next, techno performer Matthew Dear was on the Biz 3 stage behind them, so the bass bled through their sound in a bad way. Third, the other main stage was doing sound check for Spoon and interfered with their sound. The end result was extremely frustrating and I don’t even think I can attempt to talk about the band or their abilities and accomplishments, because I don’t feel that I got a real concert experience. So I will put off talking about them until I (hopefully) see them in October, when they are scheduled to play at indoor venues around the country.

After giving up on Yo La Tengo, I went to the Biz 3 stage to watch Detroit artist Matthew Dear. I heard that he’s a prominent figure in the electronic music scene there, and his set was very entertaining. When I walked up, he was mixing old disco and hip hop with fresh beats. It was basically a dance party in that big white tent. I was thinking that, at a techno concert, the crowd is really the show instead of the artist. The crowd becomes the entertainment, or the physical manifestation of the music. I hope I get to explore that idea more when I move back to Michigan.

Spoon was the last band that I saw at the Pitchfork Music Festival. They are not a very inspiring band, so I don’t have a lot to say about them. They do strike me as the carriers of a torch once held by piano man Billy Joel. They play relatively to-the-point indie rock, with repetitive piano or guitar arrangements. The vocals have a cold city sound, ideal for Chicagoans ears, but without being unpleasant. I am a fan of their song “The Way We Get By,” which played on an episode of O.C. (when I was completely and embarrassingly obsessed with that program). After Spoon came the Brazil group Os Mutantes, who I expected to be world music giants playing psychedelic rock with a Latin flair. They were not altogether appealing though, so I decided to head home after what felt like a long weekend of music. I had no idea, though, what was in store for me at Lollapalooza. I will do my best to convey my experience of the weekend of Aug 4 – 6, 2006 to you over the next week or two. In closing, the most important thing I learned from attending the Pitchfork Music Festival is that you can draw 36,000 people to a line-up of bands largely on hype you generate on your own website, instead of the accomplishments of the bands themselves. So that’s what it comes down to. The festival was made by hipsters for hipsters. There were a couple good performances here and there, but overall it was a let down. That’s the truth according to me. Disagree if you will.

Pitchfork Music Festival 2006 - Day 1

The bands I saw/heard at Pitchfork Fest Day 1 were:

Chin Up Chin Up
Man Man
Band of Horses
Destroyer
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists

Now it’s time to tackle the monster of a writing project that is the Pitchfork Music Festival (although when compared to Lollapalooza it’s a piece of cake). To clarify in advance, I have no intention of covering the entire festival. That would be dumb. I plan to cover my personal experience at the festival. I will only talk about bands that I saw (or at least listened to), and only display pictures that I took. I had no press pass, no backstage VIP pass…no notepad, no professional camera. I was just a soul wandering in the crowd, taking it all in. That said, let’s get started.

Sometime around May I ordered my 2 day pass for the Pitchfork Music Festival at a measly $30. I knew there would be at least 40 bands there, but really Yo La Tengo was enough for me to buy the ticket. After attending the Intonation Festival, I had high hopes for Pitchfork. I knew the bands would be better, and I figured the crowd would be better too. I had no idea that both days would completely sell out (according to their website, the number present was around 36,000). The forecast for sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-90’s was intimidating, but I wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. I rode my bike to the Red Line, purchased two 1-liter water bottles, and got on the train. After a quick transfer to the Green Line, I was at Union Park.

It was odd to see a line at the entrance at noon on Saturday, until I realized that I was among the first to enter the park. After a quick circle of the park I decided to sit in the shade, where I would still sweat my balls off. Luckily I could see both stages well enough. The first band to catch my interest was Chicago group Chin Up Chin Up. Their sound carries traces of vintage groups like the Cure, but also current northwestern rockers Modest Mouse. The dual guitar and restrained synth and keyboards are ever pleasant. Next was Man Man, who are a batch of circus freaks with white outfits and face paint. The first thing they reminded me of, with their childlike exploration of percussion and yelling, was Primus.

Finally Band of Horses took the stage, and managed to live up to the hype surrounding them. I had been trying to figure out what I like about this group, despite their relatively unoriginal songwriting. I think it’s the richness and depth of sound. The lead singer often employed a slide guitar, which inevitably adds warmth and texture. Their songs have a tricky way of growing on you the more you listen to them, especially with soaring vocals that bring to mind My Morning Jacket. Look for this group to either make a big Pacific-style splash over the next few years, or drown into complete obscurity.

Now comes the most difficult section, where I talk about Destroyer. For those who don’t already know, I am obsessed with their 2006 album Destroyer’s Rubies. But what I realized during this set is that Destroyer is not an incredible live act. The best explanation I could come up with for this fault is the fragility of their music. Their albums have a sense of magic that doesn’t come just from the instruments or vocals or lyrics. It’s like a crazy science experiment that could go terribly wrong, but always seems to create the desired product. I think mostly it reminds me of Cat Stevens (a childhood favorite) and Van Morrison, even though I always hear about Dan Bejar's dedication to early-70’s David Bowie. (note - I took the following video on my digital camera. The quality isn't excellent, but you get the basic idea)

The last group I paid attention to on Saturday was Ted Leo & the Pharmacists. Their song “Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone” was one of my all time favorites from MSU’s Impact 89 FM. Basically, their the most straightforward, dependable indie rock group around today. They provide catchy guitar chops and lyrics that make me think of Elvis Costello, even though I am relatively unfamiliar with that artist’s work.

Unfortunately due to the extreme heat, I was completely exhausted by 6:30 pm on day 1 and had to head home (actually it was fortunate because I didn’t have to watch the Walkmen that way). What really stuck out about this day was the fluidity of the crowd and the overwhelmingly friendly atmosphere. Of course, the entire neighborhood of Wicker Park had emptied all its hipster children on Union Park. But the result was not objectionable. I kept thinking, “Why was there never anything like this at parks back home?” I pictured in my mind a rectangular fenced-off area at Boulan Park (that’s Troy, if you don’t know) with two stages and an exciting line-up of bands. Anyways, look out for day 2 soon. I have to move on to more important things, like LOLLAPALOOZA!!!

Quick Lollapalooza Top Ten Preview

I am so excited about Lollapalooza 2006, at Chicago's Grant Park August 4 - 6, that I thought I'd write up a TOP TEN REASONS YOU SHOULD BE AT LOLLAPALOOZA list. So here it is, as quick as my fingers will type it:

10. Sybris - Chicago dreamy indie rock quartet Sybris is set to play Saturday at 1:00. They sound a little like the Pixies, a little like My Bloody Valentine, and a lot like GOOD MUSIC. The female lead vocals are obviously a selling point for me, since I am apparently a sucker for a sexy voice.

9. Anathallo - This group from Mount Pleasant, MI (what?!?) could actually be amazing live. Their lush orchestration and interesting arrangements have been compared to Sufjan Stevens and the Decemberists. Show your support on Friday at 1:00, especially if you're from the Great Lakes State.

8. Manu Chao - Screw Kanye. Across the park from that giant-headed monster, a world music dance party will take place. His music contains elements from British rock and French music, but also sounds from Spain and South America. Forget the hype of that hip hop hooligan. The cool kids will be partying with Manu from 8:30 to 10 on Saturday night. (p.s. - followers and/or members of Kanye's entourage, please don't murder me)

7. Feist - Oh why do you have to be performing during The Go! Team's set??? Canadian vocal vixen Feist will be performing Saturday at 1:30. She recorded her album in Paris, which makes her even hotter. It's for the best that I miss her set anyways. She'd probably break my heart in that short hour on stage. Trust me, Feist can't wait to quit her job so we can get married and have babies. Then one day we will start a family band and we will tour the countryside and you won't be invited! (Sigh...I'm a dork)


6. The Shins - The Shins broke out with two songs on the Garden State soundtrack and a huge college following in the last couple years. For some reason I always thought they were British. Anyways, see them serve up their summery indie rock at 4:30 on Sunday. It should be a good time.

5. Sonic Youth - These days Sonic Youth plays like Yo La Tengo playing like late 80's Sonic Youth (anyone that follows that deserves a pat on the back). The reality is that their new CD is actually good! Make sure to check out these legends of noise rock Saturday at 4:30.

4. The Go! Team - I am actually skeptical as to whether or not the Go! Team can pull off a live act with the same fervour as their live album. But I'm completely willing to find out. See them combine hundreds of samples with live instruments and vocals on Saturday at 1:30. Get ready for a Motown-kung fu-western-cheerleader-indie rockin good time!

3. Of Montreal - Their live shows have the same capacity for fun and excitement as the Flaming Lips (read below). Alternating intstruments and switching between real and electronic drums, this is acid indie pop like you've never heard (or seen) before. Kevin Barnes is hilarious at the mic. You will leave their set (Sunday at 5:00) feeling happy. Trust me.

2. Broken Social Scene - I think this group, with their miniscule 45 minute set on Sunday at 7:30, will emerge as one of the more memorable of the festival. Call it a hunch. At least Feist will only be breaking my heart once this weekend while she provides the powerhouse vocals on songs like "7/4 Shoreline." Be there, or be Canadian.

1. The Flaming Lips - Their set at All Good Fest 2005 in West Virginia was hands down one of the coolest acts I've ever seen. I wish they had a headline slot. At least they get an hour, at 6:30 on Saturday (Saturday's gonna be a good day huh!?). Be prepared for fake blood, giant balloons, strobe lights, confetti, and....oh, wait....I'm giving away the surprises!!! GET EXCITED!!


Wow, I'm exhausted already. Go to www.lollapalooza.com for more info or to buy tickets. Hopefully I'll see you there!