This was a great double-header show at the Beachland, with Waxahatchee in the Ballroom and Son Little in the Tavern. My original plan was for Waxahatchee, but a strong recommendation pushed me to decide on Son Little. He has this great bluesy, folky, rock & roll sound about him. Very enjoyable. Dylan LeBlanc opened, and was quite enjoyable as well. Check them out.
Yet another great concert! This BØRNS show was originally scheduled for the Beachland Ballroom (yay!), but moved to the House of Blues (boo!). But whatever, good for him. The album was gold the second I heard it - very easy to connect with. However, I wasn’t sure how well that’d translate live. Well, the lead singer easily captivated the audience, and was also a bit more flamboyant than I was expecting! It was hard not to feel Freddy, or maybe Elton with the cover of Bennie and the Jets (in the video!).
I’d been luke warm on M83 of late. Their most recent album didn’t resonate right away, and eventually fell off my playlist. I wasn’t sold on this show either, and I don’t even remember now what actually convinced me to go - but I was so glad I did. A much more upbeat and energetic show than I was expecting. I only wish the main floor at the HOB was larger to accommodate more people… Since that show, I’ve rediscovered their latest album and fell in love with it. This show also introduced me to Bob Moses - who I obviously liked enough as an opener to post a video. :-)
M83
In what felt like a somewhat unusual match, Blitzen Trapper performed at the Grog Shop. For some reason the Beachland just feels like the natural home for an alt-country rock band like Blitzen Trapper. Opening was Quiet Life, who I just heard several days before and instantly enjoyed. Check them out below as well…
While I’m pretty much over CHVRCHES (for now), getting a chance to see them with Death Cab for Cutie outside at Jacobs Pavilion - I was sold. While it didn’t feel too strange to me to have these bands performing together, the crowd seemed quite mixed about the lineup. CHVRCHES really seemed to struggle to connect with the audience, in the earlier time slot. Death Cab for Cutie were superb. Everything I wanted in a show by them, despite their lineup change.
"Co-headlining tours always manage to draw an eclectic mix of people, and last night’s show at Jacob’s Pavilion featuring both Death Cab For Cutie and CHVRCHES was certainly no exception. In fact, one might suggest the gap between the former’s compelling indie rock anthems and the latter’s upbeat synth pop tunes might be too large to feature both on the same bill. You can see a slideshow of Death Cab for Cutie performing here.
While that might be up for debate, there’s no doubt that both acts deserved their equal time in the spotlight."
Similar to the Plants & Animals show the week before, I love Digitalism enough to get up to Detroit on a Wednesday - even though I’d be back up there on Friday for the Movement Electronic Music Festival. That much. It turned into a great trip with a friend - totally worth it… Unfortunately traveling to other venues means my good camera stays home, and the lighting didn’t help either - so only one measly photo was salvageable.
Plants and Animals are truly one of my top 5 favorite bands of late - so of course I would drive down to Columbus for a mid-week show. These guys from Montreal couldn’t feel more authentic if they tried. Their talent for long and winding jams is quite enjoyable. It was a unique space, I just feel like the venue should have been able to bring in a bigger audience - and it could have served my video with better lighting as well.
(Quickly catching up…) I was thrilled to see Heartless Bastards again, and hear Erika’s powerful voice. The Old 97’s were a real treat as well, a band I’m going to have to find some more time for.
"The Heartless Bastards and the Old 97’s, two high-energy alt-country acts that defy stereotypes about the genre, have teamed up for a string of East Coast, Midwest and Canada dates throughout May with opener BJ Barham (of American Aquarium). The 'Bastards have built their reputation around Erika Wennerstrom's 'powerhouse vocals that electrify a crowd.' And the Old 97’s singer Rhett Miller tends to sing until he’s hoarse. "
"They stormed onto the stage with a rousing rendition of 'Nashville,' an upbeat track from their most recent album. And with Miller's patented forearm twirl, they jetted into the equally speedy 'Rollerskate Skinny' and 'Melt Show.' They slowed only a little for their fourth song of the evening, an angsty version of 'Stoned.'"
(Via The Old 97's rock the Beachland Ballroom | cleveland.com.)
Max Jury has one of my absolute favorite new songs with Beg & Crawl. Brandi Carlile brings us a video for Beginning to Feel the Years, which is just as sweet as the song. Thew new River Whyless for All Day All Night is as good as gold.
Bonus: Changing gears COMPLETELY, Róisín Murphy is back (already!) with a new album and an amazing new video for Ten Miles High.
