Podcast 12 - Gutter

This week the guys examine the Lollapalooza lineup, review As Tall As Lions w/ Bad Veins and Kinch. They also recommend some excellent upcoming shows, including Adam Green, Rogue Wave, and Bad Lieutenant just this week.

You can grab our podcast by subscribing in iTunes or Zune, or using our feed in any podcast provider.

As Tall As Lions and Bad Veins - February 6, 2010

It is becoming too rare a feat to find tours with openers and are worthy of your attention. The one-two punch of this spring's As Tall As Lions tour is such a line-up.

Cincinnati's Bad Veins warmed the crowd with a powerhouse half-hour set. The two-man-and-a-reel-to-reel band kicked off their set with the sparse rat-a-tat beat marching in the hazy, horn-laced "Found". The reel-to-reel, affectionately known as Irene, handled the portions of the wonderfully crafted songs , front man, Benjamin Davis and, drummer, Sebastien Schultz could not recreate on their own. With Schultz emphatically tumbling his way through the beats and Davis belting out the vocals and dividing his time between the guitar and keys, 'Irene' colored in the horns and strings. The lethargic, sloshed vocals of "Gold And Warm" contrasted the frantic beat. It was a risk that made the fantastic love song sound fresh and dramatic.

The duo continued down the set list, matching the order of the album, with the passionate "Crosseyed" before breaking order into "Afraid", where they provided enough energy and personality for a band double their size. Davis used the phone attached to 'Irene' to add a layer of distortion to his vocals on "Falling Tide", where the rumbling bass and killer beat turned it into the danciest of their set. The only slight issue with the duo is that Irene leaves them no room to do anything outside of the planned setlist. Thankfully, they are good enough performers on stage to make it feel fresh every time out, but it would be nice to suddenly hear them blast out something new that they are working on. Until they shed Irene, or expand the band a bit to a three or four member experience, that is unlikely to happen. As lush and gorgeous as the songs sound, they are good enough to stand on their own in a live setting without the orchestral bits. Regardless, by the end of the too-short set, it was clear they had converted more than a few fans asking 'Who is this?' at the start.

As Tall As Lions seemed to squander the energy provided by Bad Veins' lead-in, with a forty-minute set change that dragged on and finally taking the stage after a minute of Oukast's funky "Spottieottiedogaliscious". The muddled sound of "In Case Of Rapture" left you wondering what all that time tuning instruments and running through sound checks was for. The poor sound mix buried Dan Nigro's vocals beneath a clumsily tangled web of guitars and percussion, turning what should have been one of the most enthralling songs of the night into a cluttered mess. Thankfully, Nigro's move to keyboard for "Go Easy" found a better mic and allowed the soundboard operator to fix the balance, allowing his amazing vocals to shine. The band's use of an extra percussionist on tour paid off, turning the song into a more beat-driven affair that almost sounded like the Latin remix.

Nigro's to-the-rafters vocals on "Circles" showed that you really need to try to bury his voice, as the band continued the string of energetic rockers. There is a dreamy element to much of As Tall As Lions' material on album, but they are definitely a rock band live. Pulling material exclusively from their two most recent full-lengths, the set list was a fantastic showcase of what an excellent live band they are. Even awkward album tracks like the staggering piano-led "We's Been Waitin'" sounded great live. If you went in unsure about You Can't Take It With You, you came out of it with a new appreciation for it. Sounding like a Timbaland collaboration on-disc, "The Narrows" was one of the stand outs of the set; culminating in a killer drum-off between, drummer, Cliff Sarcona and, touring percussionist, 'Scotty'.

Nigro introduced "Song For Luna" claiming, "This is about singing to a girl, who is also the moon", adding, "It's so deep, I don't even understand it". Meaning aside, the fan favorite was one of many dazzling songs off their lush self-titled effort. The spangled guitar and great vocals of "Ghost Of York" proved Nigro's voice the kind you need to hear to believe. Bassist, Julio Tavarez's falsetto showed that Nigro is not the only one in the band with talented pipes, delivering a 'post-sex cigarette' version of the jazzy ballad "Duermete". The band capped off the regular hour-long set with a solid three-song encore, starting with the trippy, Tavarez-sung "You Can't Take It With You". Long before the end of, soaring love song, "Milk And Honey" it was clear As Tall As Lions are a must-see live band. Do not miss your chance when this line-up rolls through your town.

In Case Of Rapture
Go Easy
Circles
Song For Luna
A Soft Hum
The Narrows
Duermete
Stab City
Where Do I Stand
Ghost Of York
We's Been Waitin'

You Can't Take It With You
Maybe I'm Just Tired
Milk And Honey

Upcoming Shows - Week ending April 11th

Baseball is here, and so is the spring surge of concerts! It is a very busy week!

Monday, April 5th - Schubas – 8pm - FREE
Headliner: Kerretta
Openers: An Aesthetic Anesthetic, Shooter Grey Suede, The Young Jesus Band

Things do not get much better than a free show, with a new up-and-coming import band headlining. Add three local bands to a line-up top-lined by, sensational New Zealand instrumental hard rock trio, Kerretta, and you have yourself a can't-miss show. One listen to last week's Single Of The Week will make it hard to resist.



Tuesday, April 6th - Bottom Lounge - 8pm - $13
Headliner: As Tall As Lions
Opener: Bad Veins

As Tall As Lions are plenty to get you interested in this show. Their self-titled sophomore album is dream-pop perfection, and their third album saw the Long Island band spread their wings to more experimental territory. They are a fantastic live band, thanks in large part to, front man, Dan Nigro's soaring vocals. Bad Veins are the best orchestral pop band you have never heard of, and the duo will blow your mind live. Do not make the mistake of getting to this show late!



Tuesday, April 6th – House Of Blues – 6pm - $24
Headliner: Dashboard Confessional
Openers: Corey Chisel & The Wandering Sons

Following a stint opening for Bon Jovi's Circle tour, Dashboard Confessional bring their songbook of heartfelt anthems to the cozy confines of House Of Blues. This is not our first choice on Tuesday night, but we can certainly see it as a viable alternative to As Tall As Lions and Bad Veins.

Wednesday, April 7th – House Of Blues– 5:30pm - $20.50
Headliner: Motion City Soundtrack
Openers: fun., A Rocket To The Moon, Sing It Loud

We have been in love with My Dinosaur Life since its release earlier this year, and the only potential negative to this show is the unfortunately early start time combined with the start of 'road construction season' on 290. The 5:30 start will make it difficult for anyone with a job in the suburbs to see the opening bands; which is a shame, given how damn fantastic fun. is. The new project from Nate Reuss (The Format) is exudes the same gorgeous melodies of his former band, now with an arrangement that recalls classic Beatles. Even if you do not make it for fun., Motion City Soundtrack will prove worth the price of admission on their own.

Friday, April 9th – Shark City (Glendale Heights) – 9pm - $15
Headliner: Local H
Opener: Kinch, Love Blast

We would not normally recommend a suburban show, since most venues in the suburbs are full of tribute and cover bands. Local H has been a Chicagoland staple for years. Their concept of playing this show as one album, start-to-finish, based on a fan picking an album out of a hat, is great. Still, we are headed to the Glendale Heights pool hall to get an earful of Kinch. There is a bunch of great indie bands making noise out of Arizona lately, but Kinch is among the best of them. Give a listen to this week's podcast for a clip of the infectious "Carolina Cannonball", and just try not to go. We dare you.

Saturday and Sunday, April 10th and 11th – Aragon Ballroom – 7pm - $50
Headliner: Atoms For Peace
Opener: Flying Lotus

Thom Yorke, Flea, and Nigel Godrich = Atoms For Peace. Seriously, what else do you need to know?

Monday, April 12th – Schubas – 8pm - $12
Headliner: The Morning Benders
Opener: Miniature Tigers

This is somewhat of a 'bonus' show, but we want to make sure you do not miss the chance to catch these two great indie rock bands next Monday. Speaking of great Arizona indie bands, Miniature Tigers make an appearance opening for The Morning Benders at Schubas on Monday night. One great band is usually enough to make a show worth going to, with tantalizing unknown opening bands. Two great bands makes for a must-go show.

Podcast 11 - North Side vs. South Side

This week, the guys discuss The Gaslight Anthem's upcoming album, talk about Them Crooked Vultures coming to town, and recommend shows like Kerretta, As Tall As Lions and Bad Veins, Motion City Soundtrack, and an opening suburban show for, killer indie pop band, Kinch.

You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Zune, or by using our feed in any podcast provider.

Podcast 10 - Bless This Mess

This week, the guys gush over the recent sets from Manchester Orchestra and The Features at Metro, and give recommend a ton of upcoming shows to hit - including Passion Pit, David Bazan, Kerretta, Bad Veins, and As Tall As Lions.

Podcast 7 - Gone Skanking

This week the guys talk about the re-formed Sublime, discuss new albums from The Black Keys and Kate Nash, and dish out a bunch of shows worth checking out. Oh, and we go skanking...

Subscribe on iTunes, or listen to the stream below. Thanks!

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As Tall As Lions Announce New Headlining Tour Dates

New York-based indie darlings, As Tall As Lions are set to embark on their first headlining tour since releasing 2009's You Can't Take It With You. Lucky for us, the tour kicks off in Chicago, with an April 6th stop at Bottom Lounge. Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 5th, with special pre-orders available to fan club members at their site; which comes with the added bonus of reduced service fees and a special edition poster signed by the band. No word yet on opening bands, but all you really need to know is that they are a fantastic, psychedelic-tinged indie rock band definitely worth your attention live.

06-Apr Chicago, IL The Bottom Lounge
07-Apr Minneapolis, MN The Varsity Theater
09-Apr Kansas City, MO Record Bar
10-Apr Denver, CO Marquis Theatre
13-Apr Tempe, AZ Clubhouse Music Venue
14-Apr El Paso, TX Club 101
16-Apr Indio, CA COACHELLA
19-Apr San Francisco, CA Slim’s
21-Apr Portland, OR Hawthorne Theater
22-Apr Seattle, WA Neumos
23-Apr Boise, ID Neuorlux
24-Apr Salt Lake City, UT Club Sound
27-Apr Dallas, TX The Cambridge Room @ HOB
30-Apr Orlando, FL The Social
01-May Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room
02-May St. Petersburg, FL State Theatre
03-May Atlanta, GA Vinyl
05-May Philadelphia, PA World Café Live
06-May New York, NY The Fillmore @ Irving Plaza
07-May Baltimore, MD Sonar Club Stage
09-May Cambridge, MA Middle East (Downstairs)

As Tall As Lions Announce Tour With Cage The Elephant, Coachella Appearance

New York-based indie rock geniuses, As Tall As Lions have just announced a string of dates with up-and-coming Cage The Elephant, in support of their 2009 album, You Can't Take It With You. I felt the album was a slight step backwards for the band on the heels of their stellar sophomore album, but it's better to have experimented with your sound with mixed results than have gotten stale. Regardless of how you feel about their latest work, they are definitely a band worth catching live! The band also is now confirmed for the 2010 edition of Coachella, for those able to hit the West coast festival.

There are no Chicago dates listed, but we can always hope the space between the final Cage The Elephant date and Coachella gets filled in with one.

Upcoming Tour Dates
Headlining:
29-Jan Albany, NY Jillians (Free Show 21+)
w/Cage The Elephant:
15-Feb Augusta, GA Sky City
16-Feb Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
18-Feb Knoxville, TN The Valarium
19-Feb Asheville, NC The Orange Peel
21-Feb Charlotte, NC Amos' Southend
22-Feb Charleston, SC The Music Farm
23-Feb Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
25-Feb Washington, DC 9:30 Club
26-Feb Towson, MD The Recher Theatre
27-Feb Philadelphia, PA Theatre Of The Living Arts
5-Mar Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
6-Mar Portland, ME Port City Music Hall
8-Mar S Burlington, VT Higher Ground/Showcase Lounge
10-Mar Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre
12-Mar Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom
Coachella
16-Apr Indio, CA Coachella