Monday, June 29, 2015

Video Day #tzachill

New New Pornographers with Champions of Red Wine.  Beirut has a new video for No No No that falls apart in no time.  Mike Posner has been stripping down in several ways lately, and this continues with the inspiring “Be As You Are.”

I’m a little surprised I’m putting a Peaches song in the #tzachill category, but it’s pretty low key stuff. I’m not a little surprised that she’s going in my “Bonus” slot - because there’s plenty of bonus material in this video (NSFW!).

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Video Day #tzachill

MIKA is wondering where have all the good (gay) guys gone, with his newest video for Good Guys.  A spaced out video for Lilly by Toro y Moi.  Jenny Lewis is recounting her past (Golden Girls!) in her new video for She’s Not Me.

Bonus is the stylish new long-player by Roisin Murphy for Evil Eyes.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Glass Animals (6/15/15)

House of Blues shows are always so much better with a Press Pass.  I love shooting these shows…

Glass Animals had been at the Grog Shop, but sold out almost instantly.  Thankfully they upgraded to House of Blues, and it still drew a full crowd in the new venue.  Opening was Gillian Moss opened.  Nothing great, but they really tried - and got better the longer they played.  I’ll check out their new album when it’s out...

Glass Animals (6/15/15)

Gilligan Moss (6/15/15)

Glass Animals were all energy and were all over that stage.  It was a great show and easily a DAKS 9. I just wish I had gotten more video…  But I’ll let Scene take it from here…  

"The band’s recorded tracks are filled with perfectly produced sounds and everything is mixed to perfection, making it seem like a difficult thing to pull off live. On studio recordings, Bayley’s high-pitched, sultry voice sounds too engineered to be true. But their first song (and one of their first hits), ‘Black Mambo,’ set things straight. Bayley made the liquidly, weird sounds on the recorded tracks with his guitar. His voice resonated throughout the club with the same subdued tone in all of his songs. The difference: it sounded a little raspier, making it even better."

(Via Glass Animals Make Impressive Debut at House of Blues | Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog | Cleveland Scene.)

Glass Animals (6/15/15)

Glass Animals (6/15/15)

Glass Animals (6/15/15)

Glass Animals (6/15/15)

Some more details on them...

"In 2014, Glass Animals burst onto the scene with an Oxford-bred sound of spirited indie rock, memorable hooks, and a pop sensibility. They were ready to take over the world. The band—made up of Dave Bayley, Drew MacFarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer, and Joe Seaward—didn’t break overnight, however. Rather, they steadily gained a following by releasing songs like ‘Hazy,’ ‘Black Mambo,’ and ‘Cocoa Hooves,’ and selling out shows from Australia to the U.K.

The group’s not afraid to experiment, either. From their debut album, ZABA, and the Hazey EP that included a re-work from Atlanta rapper Rome Fortune, to their knack for writing lyrics as strange as ‘ride my little pooh bear,’ Glass Animals will take chances most bands won’t. They’re paving their own way, becoming known for wobbled bass lines, punch-drunk melodies, and quirky lyrical themes. Over the next few months, they will embark on a massive North American tour through the United States and Canada, following a wild performance at Coachella. Watch out for these guys, and take note of the Five Reasons You Should Be Paying Attention to Glass Animals."

(Via They were Paul Epworth’s first signing to his Wolf Tone imprint. - Things to Know About Glass Animals | Complex.)

Pittsburgh Pride 2015

One of the more notable prides this year with the whole Iggy Azalea kerfuffle.  I couldn’t have been happier that Nick Jonas swooped in to save the day… his performance was one of the best that I’ve seen at this Pride and I’m even more of a fan now.  Great weekend!

Pittsburgh Pride 2015

Pittsburgh Pride 2015

Pittsburgh Pride 2015

Clean Bandit (6/9/15)

Ever since I Shazamed Rather Be off the radio, I’ve been loving Clean Bandit.  This UK 6 piece band put on a great show, despite a mediocre crowd, with this being one of the critical nights of the NBA playoffs with the Cavs.  I love the dance music mixed with strings, and the whole presentation of black vs. white.  I just wish they had a bit more material and played a bit longer… 

Clean Bandit (6/9/15)

Clean Bandit (6/9/15)

Shilpa Ray (6/5/15)

Another year, another Shilpa Ray show!  She continues to be a force on stage, and one I’m happy to be blown over by her… 

Shilpa Ray (6/5/15)

Shilpa Ray (6/5/15)

Elle King (6/5/15)

I was finally able to make it to one of the Sonic Sessions put on by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  A super cheap concert series ($5!) with some decent bands playing inside the venue.  Not quite as fun as their Summer series - but still pretty cool.  This time was Elle King, who I hadn’t spent much time with before this show - but she definitely is a powerhouse of a voice and a personality.  I thought her non-stop banter on dating and men got old quickly, but she had a voice that could totally stand on her own.

Elle King (6/5/15)

Elle King (6/5/15)

Elle King (6/5/15)

Hurray for the Riff Raff (6/2/15)

Just a simple night out to see Hurray for the Riff Raff.  I heard some good things about her on NRP and her album has been my alt/folk go to album as of late.  She sounded excellent in the Ballroom and made for a great night out.  Would totally see her again.  DAKS = 8.

Hurray for the Riff Raff (6/2/15)

Hurray for the Riff Raff (6/2/15)

Weird Al Yankovic (5/30/15)

It was a tough choice to miss Marina & the Diamonds to see Weird Al Yankovic, but when you’re in a relationship… :-)  It was also quite the treat that we had front row seats, VIP passes and had a meet & greet.  Weird Al was fun, professional, and has talent - and of course he’s totally wacky.  I’m not sure I would need to see another one of his concerts, but I enjoyed this one.

Weird Al Yankovic (5/30/15)

Weird Al Yankovic (5/30/15)

Weird Al Yankovic (5/30/15)

"Not even torrential rain and wicked lightning put a damper on 'Weird Al' Yankovic's delightful (and reliably hilarious) two-hour, career-spanning set last night at the Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, which was packed with faithful fans of the beloved parodist. The 56-year-old musician and his long-time bandmates delivered plenty of songs from his most recent album, Mandatory Fun, from the Lorde-parodying 'Foil' to the Pixies-esque headbanging rager 'First World Problems' and the Pharrell Williams-emulating show-starter 'Tacky'"

(Via Weird Al Delights Capacity Crowd at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica | Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog | Cleveland Scene.)

Shawn Colvin (5/27/15)

This is one of those shows where I really go for the opener.  Sure, I liked Shawn Colvin back in the 90’s (that one album), but tonight was all about me catching my first glimpse of Tom Brousseau (A soon to be total crush).  Everything that man does sounds amazing to me.  Light & fresh, but with depth and complexity.  Unfortunately for this evening (not entirely) he was performing with Andru Bemis and was not playing any of his original songs.  Oh well…  There’s always next time.

Tom Brosseau & Andru Bemis (5/27/15)

Shawn was OK.  She’s a little stiff for me on stage, but she definitely has talent.  But not quite enough there for me to grab the album or see her again… 

Shawn Colvin (5/27/15)

Movement 2015

My second year of attending Movement, formerly known as the Detroit Electronic Music Festival (DEMF!).  Again, a fabulous year - but this time with the perks of VIP!  Totally worth it - and will do it again next year…   Here are some highlights.

Movement 2015

Movement 2015

Movement 2015

Movement 2015

Matt & Kim (5/19/15)

I was lukewarm on another Matt & Kim show, but having Waters as an opening act had tipped the scale for me.  I’ve tried catching Waters several times before, and just haven’t had success.  While we didn’t quite make the beginning of their show, I caught enough to really enjoy their live stuff.

Waters (5/19/15)

And then Matt & Kim were typical Matt & Kim, over hyped and over sexualized - but hey, it’s fun!

Matt & Kim (5/19/15)

Hessler Street Fair 2015

Every year the Risingsun Community Garage Sale falls on Hessler Street Fair weekend, and ever year my familial duties prevail - as they did this year.  However, a friend drug me out for the last night, and I was thrilled to see it was still going strong!  It ended up being a great night at the festival, and then the Barking Spider Tavern (of course!)
Hessler Street Fair 2015


Created with flickr badge.

John Fulbright / Great Lake Swimmers (5/14/15)

Yeah, I’m that far behind. And no - these guys were not on the same bill, but I did see both shows at the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern!  It’s kind of fun having the run of both spaces in a single evening (though you do pony up for the pleasure).  I’ve seen John Fulbright, who I really enjoyed, but I hadn’t seen the Great Lake Swimmers yet - so why decide?

John was just as good.  The room did feel a little big for him, but his voice and presence on stage is effortless.  

John Fulbright (5/14/15)

Great Lake Swimmers were also superb.  These folk-tinged harmonies are the best… 

Great Lake Swimmers (5/14/15)

Tonight! Heartless Bastards @ Grog Shop

Also happening tonight… It bums me out that this Heartless Bastards show had to be on the same night as this Jacco Gardner & Calvin Love.  I love Heartless Bastards and would *love* to see them again.  If you can’t make it out to the West Side of town for a show tonight, then this is your gig.

Heartless

Tonight! Jacco Gardner & Calvin Love @ Happy Dog

It’s been some time since I’ve seen Jacco Gardner, and I missed him the last time he was at the Happy Dog.  This time, he’s coming with Calvin Love who I’ve also been enjoying.  Check these guys out and stop in!

Jacco

Calvin Love! 

NewImage

Only once with every blue moon comes an artist that seems so familiar yet out of space as Calvin Love. On Super Future, his first album for Arts & Crafts, the young charmer from Edmonton, Alberta, steeps songs of psychedelic wisdom in celestial sensuality. Calvin Love arrives an enigma, a strutting, crooning contradiction: as menacing as he is magnetic, like sex and murder wrapped together in a trench coat. With coolness that defies contrivance, Love links sounds and images of science-fiction vintage with an auspicious version of the future. The music drips with crystal aura, blending obsession with the beauty of artifice and the inner systems of real and natural things. It's this infallible match of the authentic to the inventive that make Calvin Love's Super Future so strange and inviting.

 

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Video Day #tzaupbeat

Damaged Bug (part Thee Oh Sees) released their new video for Jet in Jungle. Waters is looking for What’s Real.  FIDLAR has some fun pop culture references on 40oz. On Repeat.

Django Django has a creepy crawly new video for Shake and Tremble.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Tonight! Shilpa Ray @ Beachland Tavern

I think this might be now my 4th time catching Shilpa.  She has a magnetic stage presence, not one that is soft and welcoming, but one that shows that she shouldn’t be doing anything else.  Some articles are below, as well as her new video! 

NewImage

"Although Shilpa Ray dropped 'and Her Happy Hookers' from the bill, the Brooklyn-based rock musician and many of her same bandmates have returned with Last Year's Savage. On the album, which was released last week via Northern Spy Records, Ray maintains the deep, powerful voice and poetic lyrics for which she is known, while softening the underlying melodies and riffs, often opting for more exploratory sounds. Songs like 'Sanitary iPad' are written from the titular, inanimate object's point of view ('I've got a short shelf life / Who's gonna throw me out?') to address a type of mortality, while others, like 'Nocturnal Emissions,' playfully go straight to the point ('Don't wake me up, bitch!')."

(Via Without Her Happy Hookers - Page - Interview Magazine.)

"Shilpa Ray released her new album, Last Year's Savage, this week via Northern Spy. Her swaggering punk/blues/cabaret style is in full effect and lyrically sharp. You can stream the whole thing below. One of the album's more acerbic tracks is 'Johnny Thunders Fantasy Space Camp' and we've got the premiere of its video in this post. Using footage from a nightclub, it juxtaposes real life dancefloor debauchery with Shilpa's disdain of rock n' roll hedonism. It's pretty entertaining and you can watch it below."

(Via Shilpa Ray released 'Last Year's Savage,' shares "Johnny Thunders Fantasy Space Camp" video (stream ++ tour dates).)

Monday, June 1, 2015

Tomorrow: Hurray for the Riff Raff @ Beachland Ballroom

After first catching Hurray for the Riff Raff on NPR, I immediately knew I wanted to see her live.  Her recent album has been a go-to folk album for me, but it’s one that feels uniquely current and relevant.  And her voice is superb…  Check her out tomorrow at the Beachland Ballroom ($15).

Riffraff

(photo credit: Laura Partain)

Opening is Mechanical River...