Given that this was a free show at Ribfest, I knew better than to expect a great mix or clear soundsystem. That said, although I thought the lead guitar was amped too loud and the vocals too low, “See These Bones” sounded even better than I imagined it would be (damn I love that song a ridiculous amount of love), and I really enjoyed the energy of the rest of the show (the rest that came before it, See These Bones being saved for almost the very end). “Ice on the Wing” and “Beautiful Beat” were other highlights. Lowlights were primarily a) the Amazon who kept shifting to stand in front of me no matter where I moved and b) her incessant pawing of her equally Amazonian boyfriend. Ew.

I think the reason I didn’t write this show up earlier was it was so similar to the one I went to in October, except I wasn’t as tired that night so I had more fun. This time, my feet hurt and I was cranky and I left early even though RK probably would have happily stayed longer. But don’t fret, Rogue Wave, it was me, not you. You were great.
Really intimate show, started with an acoustic set in the middle of the audience and since it was Schuba’s, the “middle of the audience” was no more than 10 feet away from anyone. A bit fuzzy once they got on stage. Didn’t realize how much better the Double Door’s sound system is (that was where the October show was) but I guess now I know.

We bought the tickets because AW is a huge fan of Girlyman; finding out that Meg Hutchinson was the opener was an added bonus!
Meg Hutchinson: Gorgeous set. Just her and a guitar. Mostly stuff from her new album which has such great lyrics, I really can’t get enough of it. Lovely. On the folky side of pop. LOVE.
Girlyman: Three very unique voices, used quite well together. Reminds me of early Indigo Girls with their harmonies although AW was a little snippy about me having that viewpoint. They seem to switch back and forth between joke-y and serious (in a BNL kind of way), but the vocals/mike were mixed way too low(quiet) for the soprano, they need to amp her up a bit (a big bit). Despite that, really enjoyable, fun show.

So the first time I saw him/them live, I didn’t even have the album yet (small release in ’07, big release 2/19/08). I was worried that seeing him/them again so soon would be too much the same, but given that I had the album to compare it to this time, it felt very different.
They’re really evolving these songs away from the album versions. A lot more atmospheric, more discordance and (purposeful) feedback and such. The falsetto is a little wilder and sometimes turns into a yowl. The three of them sing in harmony a LOT and it’s awesome. It’s a bit more raw and in your face than on the record. Not quite as plaintive and sad, a bit more aggressive in its melancholy. Beautiful.

A totally rockin’ sonic assault. Sounded great! Sooooo loud though, may have been the loudest show I’ve heard at the Double Door. My heart could not decide whether to beat in time with the bass or with the drums but it certainly was not beating at its own pace! And there were some songs during which the amps vibrated so strongly that you could see (or I could feel) the tips of my spikey hair vibrating. Nuts!
On the other hand…there’s not a lot of variation going on in their sound. Every song was played at the same level of loud, same speed of beat-thumping, same vocals level, etc. There’s no “Oh I like their softer ones” with this band, or even their “louder” ones, it’s all at the SAME level.
So if you’re a fan of their particular sound (and I am), then it was great. And if you’re looking for a bit more variety in your listening experience (variety in tempo, or decibel level, or even beat), then this is not the band for you.

So apparently Monday night shows at House of Blues start at 6:45 p.m. If your “goal” is one of the openers, hey, you can be home by 9! Nuts!

This dude has seriously the best stage banter I think I’ve ever seen/heard at a show. Lots of fun, totally charming. And looks about 22 causing us old folk some bizarre conversation since 90% of his references are 80s. Turns out he’s 35 (or something, this discovery was made late last night and I cannot be bothered to look it up again); Never would have guessed!

I loved the songs and the banter and the energy he throws into the crowd and my god the brilliant covers. (He rocked Don’t Stop Believing.) But seriously? House of Blues? You’re kind-of sucky. If you are even an inch below the balcony overhang, the acoustics are COMPLETE CRAP. We did not stay for Lifehouse because frankly, how are they billed as the main band when Matt Nathanson is also taking the stage? How? (Smooches to you, funny boy!)

So much fun. The skinny bearded nutty rapper dude is actually Scroobius Pip; Dan le Sac is the DJ/mixmaster/whatevah. Really great energy, even if half the time you can’t understand what he’s saying.

Doug Hoekstra: The female vocalist (whose name I never caught; it was one word, started with S? Shaz?) has a really nice tone to her voice. Great harmonizer, she makes his voice sound a lot fuller.
Peter Mulvey: Given Amanda’s huge crush on him, this is the third time I’ve seen him and that’s probably just the first three in a long list. A deep, deep voice. Sassy sense of humor. Really connects with the audience.
The Spares: Wow! They were great. Very twangy, definitely on the country side of country/folk. The lead singer has a just absolutely crystal clear voice. Lovely. Great harmonies. Best “Wayfarin’ Stranger” I think I’ve ever heard (and I’m not a lover of that tune).
Carrie Newcomer: Songs sounded pretty. But I guess I prefer my activism with a (heavy) dose of humor and sarcasm and a (LOT) lighter dose of contemplative, meditative “let’s all be good to each other”-ness. You know I’m not somewhere I want to be when people are yelling “Amen” at the end of songs…