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.

Best Of 2009 Playlist

To close out 2009, I thought it was appropriate to pick a bakers dozen worth of the best songs of the year that you probably haven't heard yet. Grab these and give them a listen.

in alphabetical order


Bad Veins - "Crosseyed" This soaring, heartfelt confession of love is the best track off an incredibly impressive debut from this Ohio-based orchestral indie pop duo.

David Bazan - "When We Fell" Ex-Pedro The Lion frontman, David Bazan's first solo outing, a soul-baring look at his fallout with religion, is one of the most brilliant albums of 2009.

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - "Get Yo Shit" The raw voice of Lewis delivers the goods in the emotional hook, as he pleads his case to stay in the house after a late night of drinking. Horns ablaze, a funky blues riff, and a great sense of humor make this one of the best surprises of 2009.

Company Of Thieves - "The Fire Song" With all due respect to XRT, Chicago's finest rock right now is Company Of Thieves. In a great year for new bands, their January release of their debut album stood head and shoulders above the rest. It is an album where your favorite track can easily change every time you put it on - at the moment, this is mine.

Kinch - "Carolina Cannonball" More great, under appreciated Arizona rock. Impossible to listen to just once.

Pablo - "By Up I Mean" I adore Pablo, and this restless acoustic number off their sophomore set shows off front man Paul Schalda's vocal charms like nothing else.

Phantogram - "Mouthful Of Diamonds" This trance-ish pop outfit out of New York is not likely to remain unknown for long. Recently signed to Barsuk Records, their label debut should land sometime in 2010, with this irresistible blipping tune off their self-released EP a great indication of their talents.

Portual. The Man - "Guns And Dogs" Soul and classic rock come together for something brilliant here. It doesn't hurt that they also put on the most memorable live show I attended in 2009, rocketing them just below The Cat Empire on my list of must-see bands.

Ramona Falls - "I Say Fever" A shaggy fever dream of a song, as strummy and acoustic as it is lush and orchestral. The vocals hit as hard as the stomping beat. I'm not saying we don't need another Menomena album, but some more Ramona Falls first would not be a bad thing.

Reubens Accomplice - "No Motion" I really wish we got the new Reubens Accomplice album this year, but the kick-ass EP they delivered did just fine. This ode to their hometown, comparing Phoenix to New York and Los Angeles, is a great listen.

Jonah Smith - "Open Up The Door" This jangling piano rocker is just one of the many charms on this singer-songwriter's latest.

The Starlight Mints - "Black Champagne" This bubbly track is the most accessible on an otherwise wonderfully strange album. As an added bonus, it seems appropriate to ring in the new year.

Wallpaper. - "Celebrity" The whole album is hilarious, but this Kevin Federline-esque jam, about gaining fame by sleeping with someone famous, is a funky pop treat whose music is just as enjoyable as the lyrics.