Miracles DO happen: Passion Pit, Phoenix, Spoon @ The Orpheum, Boston

Anyone that says Boston's crowd is the worst to perform in front of was not at the Orpheum last Friday.  I mean, what-a-show! WFNX hosted their annual "Miracle At Tremont Street" concert with Passion Pit, Phoenix** and Spoon as the guests of honor.  What's not to love?  It was heavy-loaded synth dream pop, french-infused alternative rock, and intense hoarse-vocal indie... it was rock and roll.

Passion Pit faced the Bostonian beast first.  Personally, this Boston band is one of my favorite discoveries of the last two years, and from what I could see, also favorites of the ecstatic crowd.  They have built a rather decent fan base.  I'm talking about a crowd that was dancing and singing-a-long at the beat of Sleepyhead and Smile Upon Me, and unleash an deafening scream with Moth's Wings and The Reeling.  I was happily surprised, why? Well, let's say, it was not their usual crowd twisting and shouting.  These were young professionals and the trendy clique of girls wearing heels and heavy make-up.  You have to understand that this is outstanding, having seen Passion Pit play at their niche, the Great Scott, before.  Clearly, they are Boston's very own group of heroes that have redeemed dream pop and heavy synth melodies, taken away the "hipster-only" label and made it mainstream. 

Phoenix followed the Brighton/Allston natives.  All they needed was two songs to unleash a rampage within the Orpheum premises.  Behold the power of the French! It has been a while since the last time I saw any band do what they did.  I'm still unsure how they did it.  When you listen to their albums, yes, you get mildly jolted, but how did they get happy-tunes with slightly romantic lyrics and turn them in to the loudest, craziest examples of contemporary rock I've ever seen? [and not to be presumptuous, but I've seen a lot].  And of course, it's worth mentioning that Thomas Mars was giving to the audience, as much as they gave to him.  He finalized his set by coming off the stage, and sang among the crowd... falling, falling, falling...  One word: EPIC.

The closing act: Spoon. 

The Austinites had quite a challenge; I mean, Phoenix had set a benchmark pretty high.  Still, they gave a fight and brought the crowd on a musical roller coaster, from mellow toe tapping songs to throat tearing hollers.  

These three bands are among the most acclaimed acts of the year.  I gotta give it to the people in WFNX that made this possible.  For lack of a better word, I have to say this was AWESOME.  I was definitely heart-warmed with musical joy... may the holiday season officially begin.


* There's a few extra videos of the show... do check 'em out!

Mew @ The Paradise, Boston

Visiting Northern Europe is still at the top of my to-do list.  I’ve realized there must be something magical about this land, as so many great bands have come from its pastures.  Is it the weather?  I mean, cold weather makes you remit to your living quarters, and mixed with a little bit of leisure and creative impetus, it’s got to produce a much rather artistic output, right?

Well, whatever it is… I’m grateful for it because it exported great bands, like Mew, Radiohead, Bjork, Sigur Ros, Royksopp, The Hives, The Cardigans, U2, The Knife, and the list could go on and on…

Mew was at the Dise this Wednesday.  It was a night of surprises.  Being the music junkie that I am, I looked at some previous set lists, so I had in mind what the show would be like.  I was wrong.

The Danish covered a little bit of Frengers, Kites and No More Stories […]  Of course, the expected tracks:  “Introducing Palace Players”, “Am I Wry? No”, and “Repeaterbeater”.   The unexpected?  An acoustic mash-up of “New Terrain” and “She Came Home For Christmas” with Jonas Bjerre behind the piano; it was a gasps, sighs and forgot-to-breath kind of moment.  This time I’ll let the videos of the show speak for themselves… Definitely a little early holiday gift Danish style.

Jonathan Carr | This time I say to YOU: "Smile If You Wanna Kiss Me"

There's something about Thanksgiving season that makes me reminisce about the good ol' days.  A year ago I had the chance to meet a charming Scottish lad named Jonathan Carr.  I remember the night we met some friends mildly introduced us, but he shamelessly came with the most contagious smile (worthy of a TV ad) and said, "Smile if you wanna kiss me!" He had me after that cheap pick-up line.  How could I deny at least a pucker to the blue eyed comedian?  But, seriously...  I was helpless after being lured by his voice.
In the style of the great jazz oriented-pop singers, Jonny startled everyone with his great vocal strength.  Considering myself an alternative-indie fan, I was surprised with an ecstasy of love, joy and passion triggered by the beep-bop, ooh's and ah's coming from the man.
From then on, I became a faithful fan, something I hope most of you will become one day.

Jonny recently released his EP titled Letters and Reveries.  It is a work full of pop ballads, lucid lyrics and charming beats.  But it doesn't stop with the romantic odes.  There is humor hidden in the mushy-palette.  One of my favorite tracks included in this EP is Daisy Buchanan, a song based on a true-story alluding the famous Newbury St. bar, women and bad decisions.  Haven't we all had one of those?


Carr has personally worked with John Mayer himself, and, although I'm not a big fan of Mayer, it's hard to overlook the musical strength behind the pop idol that made us shiver in unison, convincing us our bodies were wonderlands.


When listening to Carr's new EP, there's no doubt that his music is plenty appropriate for the soundtrack of the chilly, empty streets of Boston during this holiday season.


Here are two lost clips/raw footage of a rooftop show Jonny had a few months ago. Ahhhh... The energy behind his "Back To You"! And, oh... instant karma - even the accidental flying balloons sighed with Carr's cover of "Blackbird".  Enjoy!  

Metric @ House of Blues, Boston

2009 has brought a lot of great shows to Boston so far, but to every rule, there is an exception.  Unfortunately, for me, that exception was Metric.


The band filled up the House of Blues (capacity of over 2,400 people), which is always a good omen.  Their track "Twilight Galaxy" was a great opening song - a relatively slow-mo tune with a strong synth foreshadowing an electro-rock explosion.  The band followed this with "Help, I'm Alive".  You would've expected that their hit-single would have brought the so-called explosion, but it didn't.


Emily Haines barely spoke to the fans, and although I know artists are not politicians or professional speakers, what's wrong with showing some appreciation to the fans?  It's simple math; I call it establishing a connection with the audience. And so... without this connection, the show went on with a few peaks along the curb (like their performance of "Dead Disco"), but altogether it felt like a listening party, where you join the masses, give away beer and press play.


My friend said I wasn't feeling it largely because of the venue; at least, for him, the House of Blues was "the McDonald's of concert halls".  I'm not sure I agree with this.  Although the atmosphere might be slightly fabricated, I've felt more pumped in other shows with similar features (in terms of audience capacity, size of venue, genre of the show and target audience).

Anywho... I love concerts, and I got to see the Canadian-US band live.  I must say that, although on a much smaller scale, the show You Can Be a Wesley put up after Metric at the restaurant of the HofB was great.  It is not the best place they've performed, as in there is no real stage and the sound could be better tuned, but the Wesleys' signature beat and familiar faces made the night worthwhile, after all.

Local Bands Throwdown ... YCBW and Banana Phonetic

So although this might be a little last minute, but I'd regret it if I didn't say a word or two about two upcoming acts.... My two favorite local bands will be having shows back-to-back this weekend, so... hit the venues.

Banana Phonetic - Cask n' Flagon @ 10:30 pm
This Allston-based band has slowly worked its way up the Boston indie radar.  They are slightly influenced by Wilco and Pavement and I personally love their constant change of tempos, which makes every show a dance off... and... it's also worth mentioning that Akhil, their front man and also main contributor to IndieMuse, has an awesome mane which can't stand still while they are jamming.  Seeing them live is a blast.


I heard they were recording in Vermont a few days ago, so maybe we'll get some great stuff from their new recordings.

You Can Be A Wesley - House of Blues, the restaurant @ 9:45 pm
You know about the Wesleys because I've written about them a few times.  But, just in case you need to understand why I love them so much... when they're on stage you know they are not playing to get a cult-like following, they play for the love of music, something many artists have forgotten about. 


Their music is an energy builder with unique vocals, and musical juxtapositions: heart-throbbing lines with soothing harmonies, explosive drum strokes with dreamy guitar riffs, and unexpected change of tempos with metaphorical lyrics.




So, people... no questions asked... two great shows.   Sounds like an awesome weekend is ahead of us.

Grizzly Bear | "Ready, Able": the video

It's no news how I feel about Grizzly Bear - I mean, I have expressed my undying love before.  Veckatimest is still up there and I don't see myself hiding it in the back of my closet any time soon.  I still consider it one of my favorite releases of 2009; plus, I have too much emotional baggage attached to this album.  But, on my behalf, I do consider this mild addiction still meandering in the realm of the healthy.  Anywho... why justify?  This is the land of the free, right?


Last week Grizzly Bear released the music video for "Ready, Able".  Now, the videos for their two previous singles proved GB is constantly pushing their limits.  What can I say?  They're creative entities - slightly twisted, but creative nonetheless.   I love "Two Weeks", adore "While You Wait For the Others", but "Ready, Able"is my ultimate favorite (Just so you get a picture, it is the most played song in my iTunes -- but, seriously).

Like the song, the video opens the door to different interpretations, it is truly the visual equivalent to the aural experience.  On one hand it is mysterious, dark and makes you turn to yourself to do some self-examination.  On the other hand, it is playful, full of colorful details and imaginative.


The band decided to use claymation, stop animation using clay, under the direction of Allison Schulnik.  I particularly liked Schulnik's interpretation once the song hits the bridge, where the track comes to a climax full of organs, strings and chorus.  In turn, the ghosts are isolated in the darkness and spotlighted as they morph from one emotion/character to the other.
(PERSONAL FUN FACT: these forty seconds after the bridge are my favorite part of the song... so, thank you Allison Schulnik for making this moment so worthwhile).
Anywho... enjoy!




NOTE: While we are on the subject of claymation, I feel I should mention two artists that come to mind, just in case you want to pursue this form of art.  

First artist: Jan Svankmajer, a Czech cinematographer considered one of the front runners of stop motion and clay animation.  He is best known for his interpretation of Alice in Wonderland and his surreal short Darkness/Light/Darkness.

Second artist:  Daniel Farah, he is a Mexican artist who has recently emerged from Savannah College of Art and Design.  He is an animation and a motion graphics artist.  His portfolio is quite interesting, full of short-films definitely inspired by surrealism and magic realism.

"The Death of Michael Jackson Meant the Death of My Youth"

I remember being on a cab the night Michael Jackson died; I was coming out of the Somerville Theater after seeing Camera Obscura live, heading to the mythical land of Allston.  As we came closer to student turf, I realized that a different Jackson song was being blasted house after house.  They were all mourning the death of the King.  I'm not trying to be melodramatic, it is a brief recollection of what I saw.  


Four months later, the movie This Is It was released.  To be completely honest, I found it morbid and lacking good taste, but consumerist America is not exactly known for being a moral police or an etiquette school.  I figured investors, record labels, et al were rooting for the movie in order to squeeze the last drops from MJ.  Needless to say, I was reticent to see the movie, but who am I kidding?  I'm human, a rather sarcastic, dried humored and, yes, slightly morbid one, so I secretly went (by myself) to the nearest movie theater and paid a student ticket to see what It was all about.


I cannot say it wasn't worth it.  I really enjoyed it actually.  I mean, we, the kids born in the mid-80's, didn't exactly live through his kingdom.  Still, it does not take away the fact that his music is still part of my life's soundtrack - I followed the man at a distance (rumors and scandals, too), know a few of his moves, and can recognize most of his songs before they hit the 10 second mark.

                                            Wall Memorial for Michael Jackson - Apollo Theater, NY

Of course, most of my generation never had the chance to see him on stage and the movie gave a sneak-peek. I will tell you that Michael Jackson had a massive production prepared... choreographers, lighting, musicians, and dancers from all over the world.  All tops.  I mean, as they mentioned, the dancers were an extension of him, standards that applied to all of his staff.  It is clear that he was planning a great come back.


Highlights of the show?  A full remake of Thriller with great costumes and hallucinating 3-D scenes; a mind-blowing mobster scene intertwined with old movies from the 20's for Smooth Criminal; a special set for The Way You Make Me Feel that covered the entire stage and recalled the animation for Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue an awesome Australian guitarist that shines in Black or White; and, my favorite, an army dance sequence where 9 dancers were multiplied by hundreds for Bad/They Don't Care About Us.

Almost two hours of footage left me elated, exactly the way I feel when I see an awesome live performance.  I'm still not sure about the intentions behind this project, but as far as I'm concerned... the footage proves once again that Michael Jackson was one of the greatest pop-idols ever seen.


On that cab ride from Somerville to Allston, the driver said he was very surprised I didn't seemed afflicted by Jackson's death.  I answered that I was shocked, but wasn't exactly moved, I even said it might've been my age and the fact I was raised outside of the US.  He said, "You don't understand.  The death of Michael Jackson meant the death of my youth," all of this with tears in his eyes.  I guess that's when it hit me, when I got what Michael meant for his many fans all over the world.  Truthfully, the label "The King of Pop" testifies on his behalf.

Urban Art: Surviving the White Wash

I realize it's been a while... but this weekend I had some great encounters with great urban art around Boston.  So... here are a few...

 

 

Where The Wild Things Are, a modern day adult fairy tale

You know the New England winter has fully kicked in when you get the first day of snow.  Winter, the uninvited guest, officially started today.  I know, in theory, it's still Fall, but it doesn't feel like it at all.  I feel the time has come where it is socially acceptable to be woeful.  Yes, everybody! May the Seasonal Affective Disorder [SAD] begin!


While it would be easy to fall into the stereotypical self-deprecating mood, I would very much rather make the best out of it, or at least I'll try; I mean, this is just the beginning of the eight wonderful, bitter-cold months to come.


I was gonna restrict myself from writing about Spike Jonze's Where The Wild Things Are, considering it has generated enough buzz on its own. But, it is definitely worth a word or two.  I realized that the adaptation of this children's book may have unexpected outcomes on the older ones: it succeeds at bringing out the wildest feelings within you, if you will excuse my redundancy.

At the risk of sounding tragic, it is not surprising to find yourself revolving in an emotional whirlwind - at least I found myself digging into my darker side and fully relating to the protagonist.  But it is also fair to say that Jonze' take on the story makes you realize there is still an insecure melodramatic nine-year old child within you.  So comforting! (no sarcasm).  Not all of us have been fully corrupted.


Of course, it was hard not to notice Karen O's participation in the movie.  The music has the YYY's written all over it.  And though the music is great, would anyone agree that Mew would have been a great addition to the soundtrack?  Think of their album No More Stories [...], especially tracks like New Terrain or Introducing Palace Players. *sigh


So, dear people, it is ok to feel lonesome, misunderstood, bitter and angry... sometimes!  Quoting the trailer:  "there's one in all of us".  And for you, dear winter: bring-it-on! I will not lay in fetal position.  Instead, I'll bundle up, have a daily chocolate fix, listen to desolate tunes and enjoy the muted colors - may they become your faithful friends, just as they'll surely become mine.

KIA Soul Collective Rolls Into Boston: of cars, art and music

I noticed that the Kia Soul Collective Tour will be hitting Boston this weekend.  Yes, three days of complementary beverages and cars, free test-drives included.

Never been that impressed by motorized vehicles, but this event has a catch: an awesome line-up, music and design.

I'm personally thrilled to see Jonas & Francois, the parisian team of filmmakers, probably best known for being the masterminds behind Justice' "D.A.N.C.E." video.  The young directors will be featuring a shortfilm they have created solely for the Tour titled "Soul Streets"  - Back to the Future's DeLorean meets A-Ha's Take On Me?

The line-up, yes...

          Thu    Oct 15th   Cymbals Eat Guitars & DJ Redfoxx

          Fri     Oct 16th    Here We Go Magic, White Rabbits & DJ's Frank White, Mistaker, Ghostdad

          Sat    Oct 17th   Boy Crisis & DJ's The Bladerunners, Knife, and Harmeet

AND.... should you  test drive the new KIA models, of course, you get the opportunity to see the Pains of Being Pure At Heart at a private bash on Sunday. 

Where is this being held?    Artists For Humanity  -  100 W 2nd St, South Boston

Passion Pit, a commentary

Guilty pleasures. We all have them.
They're the type of habits we like to keep in secrecy to avoid public scrutiny, but also to keep its sanctity - it is yours and only yours.  No explanations asked, allowing you to fall back on them when in need of comfort.  Yet, it's important to realize that the operative word here is guilty.  They're usually mind-numbing, lo-fi, pleasure generating rituals... we fall like flies hypnotized by the light.


My guilty pleasure? Well... I have several, but for practical purposes I'll admit that I follow Gossip Girl (I know I'll regret admitting it, more so having a written proof).  Now, a week ago I was filling my heart with hollow joy, when I was shocked, more like perplexed by the sound of a familiar tune.  Yes, the featured song of the week that gave closure to the addictive sitcom was "Moth's Wings".   Passion Pit on Gossip Girl.  I felt mildly betrayed/disappointed... like something had been stolen from me.

No no no, I'm not being ridiculous, do allow me to expand.  I saw Passion Pit at the Great Scott on May 15th, a secret show before they embarked on their national tour.  They emanated energy and love and dance and music... they were at home!  Hate to use cliche analogies, but it was a true diamond in the raw.  Now, everywhere you click you see Passion Pit.  "The Reeling" was nominated for Breakthrough Video for the 2009 MTV Music Video Awards, not to mention they were also featured on the front cover of last week's Improper Bostonian.

Where am I trying to go?  No.  Sell-outs is not the word I'm looking for.  They are being exposed to the public and their PR staff is doing a great job.  They are making it big and I am ecstatic for them.  But, even they can be overplayed.  THIS is the upsetting part, to see how artists are idolized and then destroyed by "the machine".  I came across this video the other day...  MGMT making a fool out of themselves.  

I enjoy dancing to MGMT, I do!  But, really? Passion Pit is usually compared to MGMT because I guess both can be catalogued as separate strands of dream/dance pop.  I hope it is just a comparison.  I know it is.  I trust Passion Pit will know better.


And in the mean I must say... Quality TV or not, Gossip Girl can be considered a measure of success.  It's 'hip' and it's streamed across borders.  So, I vow to thee and say, Dear Passion Pit:  Congrats, guys!  You made it. Be careful not to go through the roof, and remember your peoples, who saw you roaming around Allston Village.  Oh, and do come back. Please do.

Musical Demagogy: Future of Music Policy Summit 2009...

Part of my morning routine involves reading the international news section in several online publications.  So, like many avid readers, I'm used to hearing about world conferences, protests and gatherings about world peace, animal preservation and global warming, not to mention the endless meetings to make the underdeveloped more developed brought by the G-7, G-5 and so forth.  They are all good causes.  The bottom line is that, like Michael Jackson once said, we are trying to make this world a better place.

To my delight I came across a rather interesting set of panels revolving around MUSIC.  Hosted by Georgetown University, the Future of Music Policy Summit '09 hosted several speakers involved in the music industry - radio hosts, producers, managers, executive directors, and music curators.

I did not personally attend the event, but listened to several panels via live-webcast thanks to web.illish.us, and found one particularly interesting.  NPR Music: Making music Matter on-Air and Online, was particularly relevant to today's stance.  The main focus? The media as an effective vehicle to reach those unreachable through the radio tower.  Many people can agree with me that internet has revolutionized the music industry, to the point where the MySpace revolution and file sharing has forced record labels to find alternatives to get revenues (cause clearly record sales are no longer profit generating).  In fact, artists do not necessarily seek record deals, hence the "indie" revolution - indie = independent, get it? haha (you'd be surprised as to how many people don't know this etymology).  Bob Bailen, Host and Creator of NPR's All Songs Considered, delivered what to me is the biggest dilemma of many online listeners:  The amount of music on the web is overwhelming.  The problem is not how to expose listeners to new music, but get them to care for music - how to become tastemakers, gatekeepers, music curators!  and... being highly democratic/realistic, the need for radio stations to serve their right niches.

The summit also considered the importance of websites -like CONSPICUOUSLY- that feature music, just for love of music, not seeking revenues.  The bloggers of the world are now considered main drivers of the music industry and bridges between the three main components of the music industry:  artists, fans and investors.

It's always fulfilling to see that the leaders of the world and people up their in the hierarchy are actually considering what people want and need, and, especially, begin to evolve with the industry.  Change is good, and in this technological era, it's kinda hard not to go 2.0.

Grizzly Bear @ the Orpheum

To me, Veckatimest best translates as "Summer oh-nine".  It is the soundtrack of the social experiment I like to call my post-grad career, simply because it became the aural analogy to my everyday.


I've lost many hours of sleep to Veckatimest and I guess I owe this to a friend of mine.  You know how friends always say "You should listen to this band, they're awesome"?  Well, this is a friend whom I trust blindly - his music taste is pretty much implacable and very in tune with mine.  Came May and all he would talk about was how he could not wait to get Grizzly Bear's new vinyl; halfway down going to the record store, his bike got a flat tire.  This little monster was not capable of stopping him from his endeavor.  He was on a mission.  I was intrigued.  I had to listen to the quadrupeds.


Once I did, only two songs grasped my attention.  But I have learned my lesson in terms of new bands, you actually have to listen to the albums.  After a couple of nights I was swearing my undying love.  It only snowballed after that.  I acquired Yellow House and Horn of Plenty, too and it was a matter of time before I became acquainted with Department of Eagles, GB's singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Rossen side project [note: Listen to No One Does It Like You].  


Ultimately, I found myself not only liking GB, but talking about them non-stop and longing to have a sidekick with whom to share this musical masterpiece.


I guess it's not hard to see that I have a deep emotional connection associated with this band.  Knowing they had scheduled two shows in Boston was just mind blowing... I had to be there.   The first one kicked in early in the summer at the Berklee Performance Center, a place that has limited seating and was bound to sell out immediately.  The second one happened this Thursday.

The Orpheum was packed by folk lovers, indie aficionados, and hipsters... Yes! haha  But it wasn't the crowd what made it so special.  It was the over all environment, the feeling... ya know? It was like going to an underground show in an Allston basement with your friend's band playing - it was familiar, cozy and face-melting - not to mention that Ed Droste, being from Boston, gave it a local twist by dedicating each song to a Massachusett's related element, from the infamous Red Line to Arsenal Mall and, of course, the Red Sox.

Don't get me started on the visuals... Ah! The lighting...  The most important element in the stage set up were the dangling jars that eventually became like giant christmas lights twinkling according to the tracks.  I'm telling you, it was a basement gig... just slightly upgraded.
...and the music, of course.  


The surround sound given by the Orpheum was perfect for their music, which I like to say is orchestral indie pop.  Its all about instrumentality, plus, their theatricality was accentuated by the live versions of their heavy layered songs.  Droste's voice was melodic and vibrated with great strength and confidence... he's just a great singer.  Chris Taylor, the one-man band, is fascinating.  He moves from the bass, to the clarinet, to the flute, to the saxophone and back to the bass, while playing with audio gimmicks at all times.  Amazing.  And Christopher Bear, the drummer... wow.  I believe he is the largest reason I say orchestral is the operative word in their music.  His drums can be deep and harmonizing or quite the opposite, enticing and aggressive.  I'd dare to say that few drummers have been able to guide through a song from beginning to end without losing me, somewhat a hypnotic situation.  And, of course, Dan Rossen.  He is just the master of the guitar, and probably the main reason my all time favorite GB song is "Ready, Able".

I read an article a few days ago about Grizzly Bear... It read something like this: "It is feasible that, since the release of their deservedly beloved Veckatimest, no one does not like Grizzly Bear.  You could play them for your smelly calculus professor who only listens to Brahms..."  It made me laugh, but I can't say I couldn't agree more.


I really just hope this band doesn't fall in the category of one hit wonders that fade once this "indie fad" is over, cause, their honestly great... and live, even better.  Jaw-dropping, forgot I had to breath, can't stop staring kinda great.

ADDENDUM: Damian Ortega | DIY "Mexican Style"

One of the beauties of navigating the cyberspace is having the capacity to attain the unattainable... haha
Yes! In a way you are able to defeat the system from within.  Now, what do I mean by this?


Well... as is the case of many museums, the ICA has a strict no-camera policy for rotating exhibitions.  Only the fortunate ones with press passes can filter in, unlike the rest of us, simple mortals.  


I mentioned Damian's exhibition here, but still felt I was laking the appropriate visuals to get my point across, so... here is a free pass to Damian Ortega's Do It Yourself.


WARNING:  The video is noteworthy because of the sneak peak it gives to most pieces in the exhition, but when it comes to the anchorwoman and the reporter... well... uptight and ineffective, to say the least.  I wasn't quite satisfied with the coverage and interpretation they gave to Damian's work.  He says you have to do your research for this exhibition... Did he?