Guitartown/Conqueroo Party
Small Ponds (featuring Caitlin Cary)
Ian Moore
Steve Poltz
Jon Dee Graham & the Fighting Cocks
Syd Straw
The Silos
Michael DesBarres
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Bright Eyes/The Mynabirds; March 15, 2011; The Riviera
I thought maybe I was done with Bright Eyes, but then again I also thought they were done. I hadn’t really liked 2007’s Cassadega, and Oberst’s 2008 release was simply titled Conor Oberst which in my mind spelled the end of the band. So I was a little surprised when I heard there was going to be a new record. The most obvious thing about The People’s Key is its great packaging, but one listen reveals it also has some pretty good songs. I’d been planning on going to this show, but it sold out before I got a ticket. Luckily, a friend had just gotten a great new job working at the booking agency who handles the Mynabirds and I was his plus one.
We walked in just shortly after they started at eight and settled into the front center section of the balcony. Pretty sweet, I definitely like his new job. After seeing how many girls were in the band, I was all set to hate the Mynabirds, but surprisingly I really enjoyed them. Not only was the girl drummer totally kick-ass but lead singer Laura Burhenn had a sassy Nancy Sinatra air about her, and a killer voice to match. When they ended their set with a song that she said we might know, I didn’t know if they had a hit or if it was a cover. It was a cover, but I was pleased to find it was a very cool one. I’ve heard a couple covers of the Zombies’ “This Will Be Our Year,” but this was one of the best.
Even though currently the official Bright Eyes band is just a trio, made up of Oberst, guitarist/producer Mike Mogis and multi-instrumentalist Nate Wolcott, the live band is much larger. Burhenn returned as part of Bright Eyes band, playing keyboards and singing backing vocals. There were two drummers, which is always cool, but even cooler was when they started “The Calendar Hung Itself” (hands down my absolute favorite Bright Eyes song) and I looked up to see my friend Head of Femur’s Matt Focht on one of the kits. It was especially surprising as he’d been sitting one section over from me just minutes earlier. Throughout the night you could almost judge exactly how old a song was by how many people were singing along. New songs barely had any audience participation, even for the super catchy “Heavy Love,” while during songs from I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning like “Song of Joy” or Lifted’s “From a Balance Beam” Oberst was nearly drowned out by the crowd.
Bright Eyes has always had long talking introductions to his records, and I’ve never minded them much, but the one for The People’s Key is even longer than usual, and not very interesting. The show started with a recording of that intro, something about aliens in the bible, and the audience seemed mildly confused by what was going on, but when Oberst and the rest of the band took the stage they went crazy, an enthusiasm that lasted the entire night. Signs outside the venue warned that “Strobe lights will be used “extensively” during tonight’s show.” I am not sure what the quote marks were all about because extensively was exactly how they were used. They were a minor distraction in what was otherwise a pretty interesting light show. A large digital display behind the band showed random designs or close ups of the bass player’s hands and guitar, and colored fluorescent tubes adorned each mike stand. The most curious things were two big band shell type structures in the back corners of the stage. They didn’t really seem to serve any purpose other than to backlight Wolcott, which looked especially cool when he pulled out the flugelhorn.
I am happy to report that not only is Bright Eyes back, but they are back in excellent form. If only they would turn off those annoying strobes.
The Mynabirds
Bright Eyes
I thought maybe I was done with Bright Eyes, but then again I also thought they were done. I hadn’t really liked 2007’s Cassadega, and Oberst’s 2008 release was simply titled Conor Oberst which in my mind spelled the end of the band. So I was a little surprised when I heard there was going to be a new record. The most obvious thing about The People’s Key is its great packaging, but one listen reveals it also has some pretty good songs. I’d been planning on going to this show, but it sold out before I got a ticket. Luckily, a friend had just gotten a great new job working at the booking agency who handles the Mynabirds and I was his plus one.
We walked in just shortly after they started at eight and settled into the front center section of the balcony. Pretty sweet, I definitely like his new job. After seeing how many girls were in the band, I was all set to hate the Mynabirds, but surprisingly I really enjoyed them. Not only was the girl drummer totally kick-ass but lead singer Laura Burhenn had a sassy Nancy Sinatra air about her, and a killer voice to match. When they ended their set with a song that she said we might know, I didn’t know if they had a hit or if it was a cover. It was a cover, but I was pleased to find it was a very cool one. I’ve heard a couple covers of the Zombies’ “This Will Be Our Year,” but this was one of the best.
Even though currently the official Bright Eyes band is just a trio, made up of Oberst, guitarist/producer Mike Mogis and multi-instrumentalist Nate Wolcott, the live band is much larger. Burhenn returned as part of Bright Eyes band, playing keyboards and singing backing vocals. There were two drummers, which is always cool, but even cooler was when they started “The Calendar Hung Itself” (hands down my absolute favorite Bright Eyes song) and I looked up to see my friend Head of Femur’s Matt Focht on one of the kits. It was especially surprising as he’d been sitting one section over from me just minutes earlier. Throughout the night you could almost judge exactly how old a song was by how many people were singing along. New songs barely had any audience participation, even for the super catchy “Heavy Love,” while during songs from I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning like “Song of Joy” or Lifted’s “From a Balance Beam” Oberst was nearly drowned out by the crowd.
Bright Eyes has always had long talking introductions to his records, and I’ve never minded them much, but the one for The People’s Key is even longer than usual, and not very interesting. The show started with a recording of that intro, something about aliens in the bible, and the audience seemed mildly confused by what was going on, but when Oberst and the rest of the band took the stage they went crazy, an enthusiasm that lasted the entire night. Signs outside the venue warned that “Strobe lights will be used “extensively” during tonight’s show.” I am not sure what the quote marks were all about because extensively was exactly how they were used. They were a minor distraction in what was otherwise a pretty interesting light show. A large digital display behind the band showed random designs or close ups of the bass player’s hands and guitar, and colored fluorescent tubes adorned each mike stand. The most curious things were two big band shell type structures in the back corners of the stage. They didn’t really seem to serve any purpose other than to backlight Wolcott, which looked especially cool when he pulled out the flugelhorn.
I am happy to report that not only is Bright Eyes back, but they are back in excellent form. If only they would turn off those annoying strobes.
The Mynabirds
Bright Eyes
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Carrie Elkin/Jeff Burkhart; March 13, 2011; Kiki’s House of Righteous Music
I tend to be pretty honest in my introductions for my house shows. For instance I said that Icarus had turned me down so many times I thought they wanted me to stop asking (not the case), and that part of the reason I’d booked Immaculate Machine is that I knew their good-looking drummer would take off his shirt at some point (he did). So it shouldn’t be surprising that when introducing Carrie Elkin I admitted I usually don’t book artists I haven’t seen or whose music I don’t know, and that I especially don’t book girls. Out of 52 shows I’ve only had four, now five, female headliners. Part of the reason I even took the time to listen to Carrie Elkin was that she was referred by a friend with good musical taste, the other was that her booking agent was looking for a date so far in the future that I couldn’t possible have anything else booked. Most importantly, what I listened to I liked.
I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to have her play at the house the night after she opened a Madison Folk show, but since she was only doing fifteen minutes there, I hoped it would wet people’s appetites for the full-length show. It didn’t quite turn out that way and only one person who had seen her the night before came to this show. In all there were maybe only a dozen people, but Elkin still played a great set. I’ll admit that the songs on her new release Call It My Garden aren’t as catchy as the ones I had listened to on her MySpace, which is too bad. The majority of the record is quiet and contemplative, pretty songs all, but there needs to be a little more life. Opening track “Jesse Likes Birds” provides it, and the song bubbles with unbridled joy. The record was recorded in the house of fantastic Austin musician Sam Baker, who played at my house a few years back and I’ve been hoping to have return ever since. Carrie told me on the phone that I should be prepared to get a hug that came from Sam when she arrived, he was so happy she was playing here. Usually she doesn’t play the song “Dear Sam” live, but since I know him she made an exception.
There are two remarkable things about Elkin’s live show. The first is her voice, which is far more powerful than I would have guessed from the record. She is the perfect artist for house concerts that don’t use a PA. As it was, for most of the show here she stood a foot back from the microphone. For the encore she did an amazing a capella rendition of “Amazing Grace” that was show stopping. The second are her stories. She had one about her VW bus breaking down in a little town in the middle of nowhere on her way to Boston, where she intended to pay her dues busking in the subways. Since the bus was old, and it turned out she actually needed a whole new engine, she ended up spending several weeks there, where the locals adopted her as one of their own. She played every night at the local bar and when it was time for her to go, they held a fundraiser to pay for her engine.
Opener Jeff Burkhart also tells some good stories, but he prefers to do it mostly through his songs. As the lead singer and songwriter of the Dirty Shirts, a mostly classic country cover band, he’s written a few classics of his own. Tonight’s set featured many of the songs from the band’s still relatively new CD Two Dollar Turpentine, including the lovely “A Little Rain.” He wrote the song after finishing a book that he thought was amazing, though there was some disagreement from the audience. Even so, it is my favorite song on the CD, despite the fact that it wouldn’t sound out of place on commercial country radio. It would certainly raise the level of quality. He also debuted his protest song. As the unrest over Scott Walker’s proposed budget continued, he felt it was time he contributed his own voice. “You’re Bound to Lose Scott Walker” took its melody from Woody Guthrie’s classic, but the lyrics had been changed to reflect our current situation. He invited everyone to sing along on the chorus since we all knew it.
Carrie was heading back home after this show to prepare for several dates during SXSW. I promised to try to see her, but I already know the chances are slim there is just so much going on during those five days. Hopefully she will get back up this way again before too long because she is that rare girl singer I honestly enjoyed.
Jeff Burkhart
Carrie Elkin
I tend to be pretty honest in my introductions for my house shows. For instance I said that Icarus had turned me down so many times I thought they wanted me to stop asking (not the case), and that part of the reason I’d booked Immaculate Machine is that I knew their good-looking drummer would take off his shirt at some point (he did). So it shouldn’t be surprising that when introducing Carrie Elkin I admitted I usually don’t book artists I haven’t seen or whose music I don’t know, and that I especially don’t book girls. Out of 52 shows I’ve only had four, now five, female headliners. Part of the reason I even took the time to listen to Carrie Elkin was that she was referred by a friend with good musical taste, the other was that her booking agent was looking for a date so far in the future that I couldn’t possible have anything else booked. Most importantly, what I listened to I liked.
I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to have her play at the house the night after she opened a Madison Folk show, but since she was only doing fifteen minutes there, I hoped it would wet people’s appetites for the full-length show. It didn’t quite turn out that way and only one person who had seen her the night before came to this show. In all there were maybe only a dozen people, but Elkin still played a great set. I’ll admit that the songs on her new release Call It My Garden aren’t as catchy as the ones I had listened to on her MySpace, which is too bad. The majority of the record is quiet and contemplative, pretty songs all, but there needs to be a little more life. Opening track “Jesse Likes Birds” provides it, and the song bubbles with unbridled joy. The record was recorded in the house of fantastic Austin musician Sam Baker, who played at my house a few years back and I’ve been hoping to have return ever since. Carrie told me on the phone that I should be prepared to get a hug that came from Sam when she arrived, he was so happy she was playing here. Usually she doesn’t play the song “Dear Sam” live, but since I know him she made an exception.
There are two remarkable things about Elkin’s live show. The first is her voice, which is far more powerful than I would have guessed from the record. She is the perfect artist for house concerts that don’t use a PA. As it was, for most of the show here she stood a foot back from the microphone. For the encore she did an amazing a capella rendition of “Amazing Grace” that was show stopping. The second are her stories. She had one about her VW bus breaking down in a little town in the middle of nowhere on her way to Boston, where she intended to pay her dues busking in the subways. Since the bus was old, and it turned out she actually needed a whole new engine, she ended up spending several weeks there, where the locals adopted her as one of their own. She played every night at the local bar and when it was time for her to go, they held a fundraiser to pay for her engine.
Opener Jeff Burkhart also tells some good stories, but he prefers to do it mostly through his songs. As the lead singer and songwriter of the Dirty Shirts, a mostly classic country cover band, he’s written a few classics of his own. Tonight’s set featured many of the songs from the band’s still relatively new CD Two Dollar Turpentine, including the lovely “A Little Rain.” He wrote the song after finishing a book that he thought was amazing, though there was some disagreement from the audience. Even so, it is my favorite song on the CD, despite the fact that it wouldn’t sound out of place on commercial country radio. It would certainly raise the level of quality. He also debuted his protest song. As the unrest over Scott Walker’s proposed budget continued, he felt it was time he contributed his own voice. “You’re Bound to Lose Scott Walker” took its melody from Woody Guthrie’s classic, but the lyrics had been changed to reflect our current situation. He invited everyone to sing along on the chorus since we all knew it.
Carrie was heading back home after this show to prepare for several dates during SXSW. I promised to try to see her, but I already know the chances are slim there is just so much going on during those five days. Hopefully she will get back up this way again before too long because she is that rare girl singer I honestly enjoyed.
Jeff Burkhart
Carrie Elkin
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Dan Bern/Brett Newski; March 10, 2011; High Noon Saloon
I’m not quite sure why I don’t have any Dan Bern records. He’s one of many artists, all of whom I like, who have been labeled “the new Dylan,” though in most cases that label has been more burden than benefit. The biggest reason is likely because this is only the second time I’ve seen him in a decade. I intend to remedy that after seeing him this time. Though now I don’t know where to start.
He joked a lot about the early show, the “on the way home from work show,” as he kept calling it. He had told his booking guy he didn’t want to do an early show, but as people kept filling in he changed his mind. Deciding by the end of the night that the “on the way home from work show” was all he was going to do from now on. They were a rapt audience too. It’s unusual to see a happy hour crowd be that quiet. Even though I didn’t know any of the songs I was certainly enchanted. In fact it was only the crowd around the merch table that kept me from buying every CD he had that night. It was a combination of great songwriting and good storytelling. He was well accompanied by just a single musician who played what looked like a long-necked fiddle. I asked after the show what it was called, but promptly forgot. It was pretty cool though.
I say that I didn’t know any of the songs, but that isn’t quite true. When he came back for a quick encore (the only problem with the early show is that there is a late show), he listened to a request from the audience. He repeated back a song title I didn’t quite catch, and followed it with “really? I usually open with that one, it’s kind of a downer for the last song.” A few lines in I realized I knew it, but wasn’t quite sure how. Then I remembered I had seen Josh Harty and Brooks West do it years before. It was one I’d videoed, and I watched it many times. It was that good of a song, and their performance of it was impressive. I can vouch for the original being even better.
Opener Brett Newski seemed an odd choice, his mainstream anthems didn’t pair well with Bern’s individualistic voice. But even so it was a great show. I hope it is less than ten years till I see him again.
Brett Newski
Dan Bern
I’m not quite sure why I don’t have any Dan Bern records. He’s one of many artists, all of whom I like, who have been labeled “the new Dylan,” though in most cases that label has been more burden than benefit. The biggest reason is likely because this is only the second time I’ve seen him in a decade. I intend to remedy that after seeing him this time. Though now I don’t know where to start.
He joked a lot about the early show, the “on the way home from work show,” as he kept calling it. He had told his booking guy he didn’t want to do an early show, but as people kept filling in he changed his mind. Deciding by the end of the night that the “on the way home from work show” was all he was going to do from now on. They were a rapt audience too. It’s unusual to see a happy hour crowd be that quiet. Even though I didn’t know any of the songs I was certainly enchanted. In fact it was only the crowd around the merch table that kept me from buying every CD he had that night. It was a combination of great songwriting and good storytelling. He was well accompanied by just a single musician who played what looked like a long-necked fiddle. I asked after the show what it was called, but promptly forgot. It was pretty cool though.
I say that I didn’t know any of the songs, but that isn’t quite true. When he came back for a quick encore (the only problem with the early show is that there is a late show), he listened to a request from the audience. He repeated back a song title I didn’t quite catch, and followed it with “really? I usually open with that one, it’s kind of a downer for the last song.” A few lines in I realized I knew it, but wasn’t quite sure how. Then I remembered I had seen Josh Harty and Brooks West do it years before. It was one I’d videoed, and I watched it many times. It was that good of a song, and their performance of it was impressive. I can vouch for the original being even better.
Opener Brett Newski seemed an odd choice, his mainstream anthems didn’t pair well with Bern’s individualistic voice. But even so it was a great show. I hope it is less than ten years till I see him again.
Brett Newski
Dan Bern
Saturday, March 05, 2011
United Sons of Toil/Control; March 5, 2011; Project Lodge
There couldn’t have been a more perfect time than tonight for the United Sons of Toil to play at the Project Lodge. Even as protests over Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget continued at the Capital, the Project Lodge had collected some of the best signs from the square and displayed them as part of what they called “SolidARTity.” And some of these really were art, not to mention wicked clever. “Who wants a pink slip?” asked one placard, as an actual rose colored undergarment hung from the pole. Another declared “Stop the Imperial Walker” over an imposing Empire war machine any nerd would recognize.
If you know anything about the United Sons of Toil, you know that their message is one of socialism. Equal rights for all people has been the underlying theme of their previous two records and continues with their third full length, the awesomely and extensively titled When the Revolution Comes Everything Will Be Beautiful, which they were celebrating the release of tonight. At least that is what I have gathered the message to be through context clues. I’ll be honest I can’t understand most of what lead singer Russell Hall growls. It doesn’t help that my knowledge of history from ancient times to recent, is terrible. I don’t know what Act he’s referring to in “Repealing the Rumford Fair Housing Act,” but I do know that it is my favorite because I can understand more words than usual (especially the repeated phrase “Television Man”) and because it is super catchy. As befits a CD release show, the trio played the disc in order and then called it a night, ignoring pleas for an encore, much to the dismay of the three enthusiastic fan boys right up front. They leaned into the stage; intent on Hall’s every chord and every shout. It was the first time I’d seen them, and it occurred to me that maybe it was because they were underage, though now that I think about it I’m pretty sure they had beers. It was a short and intense set, but they’d said all they needed to say.
Hall has named Control his favorite local band, so it is no wonder how they ended up on this bill. The trio is propelled by the African-influenced drumming of the always-excellent Luke Bassuener; the rhythm section is rounded out by Matt Rajale who has been laying low since the dissolution of the great New Kentucky Quarter. Their songs are mostly instrumental, with some rhythmic vocals that I wouldn’t call lyrics. I enjoy them, but mostly in small doses. And this opening set was just right.
Afterwards Hall looked surprised when I handed him $8 for the new CD. Even though I’ve seen them many, many times, I think he realizes it isn’t really my thing. Even so, it does have my favorite song on it, and with a gutsy European tour on the horizon they can use the money.
Control
United Sons of Toil
There couldn’t have been a more perfect time than tonight for the United Sons of Toil to play at the Project Lodge. Even as protests over Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget continued at the Capital, the Project Lodge had collected some of the best signs from the square and displayed them as part of what they called “SolidARTity.” And some of these really were art, not to mention wicked clever. “Who wants a pink slip?” asked one placard, as an actual rose colored undergarment hung from the pole. Another declared “Stop the Imperial Walker” over an imposing Empire war machine any nerd would recognize.
If you know anything about the United Sons of Toil, you know that their message is one of socialism. Equal rights for all people has been the underlying theme of their previous two records and continues with their third full length, the awesomely and extensively titled When the Revolution Comes Everything Will Be Beautiful, which they were celebrating the release of tonight. At least that is what I have gathered the message to be through context clues. I’ll be honest I can’t understand most of what lead singer Russell Hall growls. It doesn’t help that my knowledge of history from ancient times to recent, is terrible. I don’t know what Act he’s referring to in “Repealing the Rumford Fair Housing Act,” but I do know that it is my favorite because I can understand more words than usual (especially the repeated phrase “Television Man”) and because it is super catchy. As befits a CD release show, the trio played the disc in order and then called it a night, ignoring pleas for an encore, much to the dismay of the three enthusiastic fan boys right up front. They leaned into the stage; intent on Hall’s every chord and every shout. It was the first time I’d seen them, and it occurred to me that maybe it was because they were underage, though now that I think about it I’m pretty sure they had beers. It was a short and intense set, but they’d said all they needed to say.
Hall has named Control his favorite local band, so it is no wonder how they ended up on this bill. The trio is propelled by the African-influenced drumming of the always-excellent Luke Bassuener; the rhythm section is rounded out by Matt Rajale who has been laying low since the dissolution of the great New Kentucky Quarter. Their songs are mostly instrumental, with some rhythmic vocals that I wouldn’t call lyrics. I enjoy them, but mostly in small doses. And this opening set was just right.
Afterwards Hall looked surprised when I handed him $8 for the new CD. Even though I’ve seen them many, many times, I think he realizes it isn’t really my thing. Even so, it does have my favorite song on it, and with a gutsy European tour on the horizon they can use the money.
Control
United Sons of Toil
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