Either we missed Lou Barlow doing a solo set at the beginning of the night…or he decided not to when he came back on stage after Dinosaur and everyone started Booing because it wasn’t the encore they were looking for? (Jackhats!)

Great sounds. Really rocking out. The hair on the lead singer is like less-coiffed leftovers from a Ratt video. And it drove me nuts all night to try to figure out what was on his t-shirt. Dinosaur? Diamond? DeeWayne?

Wow. I really had no idea what to expect going in. The first time I listened to these guys was last year when a few of their songs kept popping up on shows I watch (one of them made my favorites list last year). I remember reading reviews that said those songs were really a departure from their former harder-rock style. Their new album came out and the reviews said it was trying to be a mix of their old & new styles (and not necessarily succeeding). I got it. I like it.

So, on to seeing them live: OK I go to a lot of concerts, but not necessarily that many rock concerts. More singer/songwriter, acoustic, indie, alternative. This concert? ROCKED. Total hypnotic oral assault = awesome. Freakish torturous visual assault (light show) = surely dangerous to any epileptics in the audience! Music sounded great. They’re better musicians than I would have guessed from the albums. Good stage banter, great lyrics, nice acoustic touch in the middle. Loved it.

I am officially bonkers about this band.

A complete 180 from the first time I saw them. Then: Huge outdoor venue, dusty field, no sound control (Lolla 2005); now: small indoor space with lights show, intense acoustics, assigned seats much closer to both the band and the speakers. This is a great band to see live: consistently better live than on the albums. Best when all 10 (11?) of them are completely rocking out.

Totally enjoyable enervating evening. But not entirely thrilled: current favorite song “Intervention” = not as powerful live as it should have been (better on the album! sacrilege!)! Need to pump up the amps on the organ!! My co-attendee: liked “Funeral” much better than the current album so enjoyed the concert but wasn’t thrilled with the song selection. But given that it’s a tour for the second album, had to expect that.

Opener: Electrelane. Four rockin’ chicks. Mostly music / only some lyrics. Loud, intense, sassy. I’ll be buying their album.

Positives: His voice is fucking just as amazing and gorgeous as it was 20 years ago. His backing band was pretty damn good.

Negatives: Oh, the ridiculous stage contortions. The ultimate drama queen. The vogueing with the mike. The incessant playing with the mike chord: was he practicing his ribbon routine for rhythmic gymnastics?

Apparently, in my old age, I am even more cranky and judgemental than I realized. I’m all about the tunes, and not so much about the ‘tude. Found it kinda laughable in fact, in those few moments when I didn’t find it annoying.

That said, I have never forgotten exactly where I was and who I was with the very first moment I ever heard the Smiths. And seeing Morrissey live, even now, even with all that, brought it all screaming right back. And that’s something.

15th: Morrissey – I’m hoping for a few Smiths appearances. “Frankly, Mr. Shankly” anyone?
19th: Arcade Fire – Concert of the season, no? second time seeing them. Will accept nothing less than being blown completely away.
24th: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – I have no idea what to expect.
31st: Dinosaur Jr. with Lou Barlow doing some solo stuff also or so the flyer suggests. “Mary kissed me and we lost control / The oldest story never told / Crazy Mary you’re forever divine /
They’ll never know the baby’s mine…”

One of the most widely known African vocalists, but unknown to me: I was invited to this, and had no idea what to expect or what kind of music it would be.

Super high energy show. Band was great, backup singers were fun, Salif Keita’s voice was amazing, and I lovedlovedloved the way he led the band with hand motions/gestures/body language.

That said, it was hard to listen to vocals in a language I will never know. I have no way of telling you which was my favorite song, (you know, the one where he sang “xxx?????”), I kept wondering what he was singing about, I felt a little in the dark…

It all SOUNDED really great though.

I really wanted to see these guys and it was their last night in America, so I’m glad I went. But lordie, what a bad idea when it comes to my SLEEP needs, which are MIGHTY. Third concert of five in a seven day period; I had to work at 6 a.m. that day, and 7 a.m. the following day, and the concert didn’t start until 9:30 and there were two openers, and the venue was so filled with smoke that when I got home at 1:30, I had to take a shower and wash my hair seven times in order to be able to breathe… Yup, it was a long night.

That said, they sounded GREAT. Very put together / accomplished band. One of the opening bands (more on that below) kept talking AS IF Youth Group was just accompanying them on the road, rather than the other way around. But sonically it was quite clear who was the REAL hit of the evening. Thought they were great, like them even more now.

Kind of a hilarious look to them, though. Four boys. Three all ’70s-styled and hirsute, one beard, one white ‘fro, one mustache, disco-y shirts, denim, etc. And the fourth? Could be a Calvin Klein model. Tall, lanky, clean cut (!!), and oh so very very pretty. Chiseled cheek and chin bones. Smooches to you, bass player! You’re hot!

Openers:

What Made Milwaukee Famous: Not bad, not bad. Didn’t seem quite comfortable on stage but some of their songs were good. Pretty enjoyable.

Aqueduct: Wow, what an ego. Their first song was GREAT but sadly they set the bar a BIT too high and it was downhill from there. The lead singer seemed to feel his band was the highlight of the night. Unfortunately for his band, I’d say his vocals are their weak link. (But I will concede the song of theirs that was on the OC Mix 4 also sounded good.)

I enjoyed seeing him so much last year, I jumped at the chance to see him in an even smaller, better venue this year (Old Town). He did not disappoint although he was a bit more low key due to an adult case of chicken pox! Touched on all the albums, including the full She’s Spanish, I’m American EP with Paz Suay joining him on stage. Still haven’t heard him play my favorite song live but oh well, something to live for.

Opener:
Kyle Andrews: Totally cute goofball. “This is a song from my album. That I recorded. In my bedroom.” Nice sounds, cute stage persona. Lots of potential.

The first of five concerts in seven days (thanks to the moron -moi- who plans my life).

Moody and turgid and layered and dense and quite lovely. Just as on their albums. You picture them holed up in their house in Minnesota over the long winters, depressing each other with these dark, deep sounds.

Openers:

Charlie Parr: Really enjoyable. Accompanied by a washboard player. Bluesgrass / folk. Storyteller.

Lonely, Dear: Bizarre.