Something Like Sound

The last time I saw The Walkmen was at Monolith 2009 and I was not in a good mood. My socks were soaked with rainwater, my legs were tired from running up and down the stairs at Red Rocks, and I felt like I needed a nap. Looking back on the experience I can say that my perception certainly suffered; The Walkmen’s performance did not. This past Sunday brought me to Boulder to redeem my Walkmen concert experience.

Local sail-rock group Tennis kicked things off with a great set of pop music. Each song beat with the pulse of the ocean as stories about joblessness in Baltimore and getting stuck in bad weather and high tide filled the venue. Before starting on “Pigeon,” singer/keyboardist Alaina Moore explained that the song was written as a slow-dance. “If you came with somebody, now would be the time to dance with them.”

Vancouver’s Japandroids kicked things up a notch with their simple, yet powerful brand of punk-inspired rock. Armed only with a drum kit, electric guitar, and a couple mics, this duo reminded me a bit of the Black Keys, only more punk. Their set was a nice change from the markedly more reserved Tennis and Walkmen sets; something which kept me on my toes.

By the time The Walkmen took the stage the Fox was packed. The entire venue stood with bated breath as the suit-clad band from the east coast appeared. Playing a number of new songs (from their recent record Lisbon) in addition to a few older tunes, the set showcased a broad range of the group’s catalog. My personal favorites, “Dónde está la Playa” and “On The Water” closed out the standard set (although a brief encore followed). Overall I would have liked to hear more from their You & Me record, but regardless it was an excellent set (and evening for that matter).

Click for more photos | Tennis | Japandroids | The Walkmen

(do click for more photos, I got a bunch of great shots at this show!)

Friday night found me at the Hi-Dive for an all-local lineup featuring Joshua Novak, Kissing Party, and Candy Claws.

It seems like every time I see Candy Claws their set changes. This time the group worked from a well-timed backing track that was roughly matched with psychedelic projector visuals.

Kissing Party brought a more 80′s-punk sound to the stage (in addition to some of the thickest fog I’ve ever seen/inhaled). After my coughing subsided, I enjoyed the set from a safer distance.

Joshua Novak was in full form as he played with a backing band consisting of several prominent local musicians (including Patrick and Tiffany Meese of The Centennial).

Click for more photos | Candy Claws | Kissing Party | Joshua Novak

When I walked in Casselman’s Bar & Venue off Walnut St in LoDo, it was definitely a change from the sticky beer floors, the 1o foot wide stages, and graffiti covered bathroom stalls that I was used to. I’m not saying I was uncomfortable, I’m just saying it was an adjustment. I mean, they had a man in the bathroom to turn the water on for you and smell you to see if you needed cologne. But once I had scoped out my environment and found a group of hipsters to stand near (notice I said “near,” they still haven’t accepted me as their own), I grabbed a Newcastle Brown Ale and prepared myself for Vinefield Agency’s lineup for the night.

Rachel James Project

The next band reminded me that this was a showcase, which in my mind is the concert equivalent of that sampler you order when you want to please everyone in your party of six, a little bit of hot wings, chicken strips, avocado egg rolls, mozzarella sticks, etc. Sitting behind her piano Rachel James played with passion and sang the pop melodies that make her so appealing. Even with the absence of their usual guitar edge, the Rachel James Project provided the energy to follow a much more rock-sound without missing a beat.

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Friday night at the Skylark Lounge was a bit of déjà vu. It was last February when I found myself there basking in the yellowy light, listening intently as Fellow Citizens and Old Radio filled the night with music. This past weekend’s show, a showcase from local-arts/music collective Hot Congress, brought me back to the Skylark to see… Fellow Citizens and Old Radio.

While the obvious question: “Why would you see the same lineup in the same venue twice?” did come to mind, another query had me intrigued: “How have these groups progressed since I saw them last?”

Fellow Citizens began the evening with a set of sometimes-ambient, sometimes-unrestrained wall-of-sound music. The group played through a set consisting of a number of new songs, including one that will be featured on an upcoming compilation (Act So Big Forest Compilation Vol. 1: Triton out October 12). Singer/harmonium player Eliza Boote began the band’s final song by looping her reverb-laden vocals to create a rhythmic and melodic base. By the end of the song I had been blown away by the multiplicity of sounds and the sheer quality of the music.

Old Radio closed out the night with their unique brand of shoegaze-rock. As the group bid guitarist Eric Peterson adieu (he’s going to focus on his other projects: Houses and Roger; Roll), their performance was the most intense Old Radio set I have ever seen. Their songs that night had an ebb-and-flow, often building to a feverous level of sound and energy. At one point singer/guitarist Patrick Kelly knocked over the mic stand while the entire stage pulsed with movement and energy. The highlight of their set came in the form of “Asleep at the Wheel,” a slow-burner with an excellent use of build and guitar-layering.

By the end of the night I had confirmed my suspicious: both groups have definitely matured since February. We can only wonder where they will go next.

Click for more photos | Fellow Citizens | Old Radio

Saturday night was a night for dancing. The Hi-Dive was abuzz with concert-goers all eager to enjoy the highly anticipated lineup which had resulted in a sold-out show. Tommy Metz (aka iungliss) opened up with a set of dub-inspired electronic beats and sung melody. I personally found his music to be decent, but wasn’t really feeling it because the stage-space was entirely unlit (it was like a cave in there! Thus, there are no photos of Tommy Metz).

Fortunately for me (and several other photographers there) the lights were a little brighter for local buzz-band Tennis. Despite playing with a slight cold, singer Alaina Moore kept things soulful with a voice reminiscent of some female-greats from eras gone-by. While the trio’s surf/sail-inspired sound stood out from the predominantly electronic-dance-band atmosphere, it was clear that Tennis is excellent dance music. Their sound is classic; something which transcends generations. Moving along to “Marathon” and “South Carolina” had me convinced that this group is definitely deserving of the attention they have garnered in the past few months.

While Tennis may have been a major draw, Portland’s STRFKR was the group everyone was there to see. The packed-out space was uncomfortably hot and full, but that didn’t matter- everyone was there to dance. Given that this was my first real exposure to STRFKR, I can tell why the show sold-out: they make some damn catchy music.

The highlight of their set came in the form of “Reynold Gregory Erikson the Second,” a tune driven by a catchy guitar part and great beat. Time flew by as each subsequent dance-number came and went. Before we knew it, the set was over and there was (unfortunately) no encore. However, everyone in attendance still left in good spirits.

click for more photos | Tommy Metz | Tennis | STRFKR

As my first venture into the Denver music scene, I was excited for what the city could offer in terms of unique local artists, and I came away from the Ogden eager for more.  Travis Egedy, also known as Pictureplane, began the night with little more than a synthesizer and microphone.  Walking onto the stage, he produced from his backpack a multicolored strobe light and a blue flood lamp, which would serve as the sole light display of his humble performance.  Despite his low key visual effects, which were accompanied by a masked interpretive dancer, Pictureplane’s driving beats and electronic samples were enough create an atmosphere where it was impossible for the audience not to dance.  Pictureplane’s electronic-style music was in sharp contrast to the later performing artists, but it was an enjoyable set list none-the-less.

Next, the So So Glos took the stage and played their repetitive sounding set list full of overwhelmingly ordinary power cords containing little to no musical surprises.  With a sound that reminded me of 90’s rock bands, the So So Glos were a get ‘er done group that stayed inside the confines of acceptable rock music and hardly ventured far beyond.  At times, the audience was energetically dancing to the loud drums and guitar combination, but at other times they were more interested in conversing with the friend next to them.

Finally, the married, musical duo Matt & Kim made their entrance in a way such that the word enthusiastic does no justice at all.  From their fervent entrance to their triumphal exit into the crowd, Matt & Kim held the attention of every single audience member throughout the entire show.  Matt & Kim kept it simple by using only two instruments: a keyboard and a simplified drum set.  Regardless of their modest use of musical tools, the twosome was able to create incredibly unique beats and songs with the help of Matt’s voice.  On top of the music itself, Matt & Kim brought their infectious personalities to the show that came in the form of crowd surfing, bass drum standing, and balloon throwing.  Desiring a connection with the crowd, the couple told personal stories, made jokes, exited into the crowd following the conclusion of “Daylight,” and had enormous smiles on their faces while doing all of it.  They weren’t just at the concert to play their set list and leave, they genuinely gave themselves to the crowd.  Matt & Kim came to the stage with two goals in mind: to have fun and give fun.  I think it’s safe to say that they accomplished both of them.

I remember first hearing about Casiotone For The Painfully Alone shortly after the 2009 UMS. Recording enthusiast and friend of the blog Lance Stack invited me along to a CFTPA set that took place a couple days after my marathon weekend in the Baker neighborhood. While I never did make it down for that show, I did manage to catch CFTPA this past weekend as Owen Ashworth played his last Denver set.

I Am The Dot opened the night with a fully-live lineup featuring Eric Peterson (of Old Radio, Roger; Roll and Houses) on drums. Despite having only practiced two times prior to the performance, Zach Tipton’s previously-laptop-based songs translated well with the help of live keyboard and drums.

Houston-based Young Mammals injected their unique style of energetic pop-rock into a show that was primarily dominated by rather-melancholy acts. There were certain points throughout their set where I picked up on some of the subtle surf and shoegaze influences (heavy reverb on the mics and sunny guitar tone reminded me of Real Estate).

Otuoto (pronounced “oh-two-oh-toe”), an Australian act with a hard-to-pronounce name provided the penultimate set of the evening. I can best describe their sound as “Casiotone, with girls.” The soft voices of the two female singers blended and played off of their synthesizers and guitar.

It was clear that Owen Ashworth was trying to give the crowd what they wanted; after all, he is retiring CFTPA after the current tour. Even from the first few songs he was taking requests and telling jokes. As someone not particularly familiar with CFTPA, I decided to stand on the edge of the crowd to just take everything in (also, it was ridiculously hot in the middle of the audience). The atmosphere was doubly somber as the hushed audience bid their heavyhearted performer adieu.

To hear a full recording of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone at Hi-Dive, hop on over to The Flat Response. To see more photos click here.

The Knew were in top form as they rocked the Hi-Dive on a Friday night. As a way of celebrating the release of their new 7″ EP Before It Ends, the Denver-based group shared a bill with two other “The” bands.

Kicking off the night was The Outfit, a local group with a heavy emphasis on guitar. Armed with three electric guitars and an energetic drummer to match, The Outfit did a great job of getting the crowd warmed up and moving.

It’s not very often that an opening act gets cheered on to do an encore. That is precisely what happened when The Knew (and other audience members) decided they hadn’t had enough of The Fling. Hailing from Long Beach, CA, The Fling brought their California-indie-rock sound to Colorado in a memorable set.

Never one to disappoint, The Knew made it clear that they were there to party (clearly indicated by their choice of Andrew WK as the house music). In what I can only describe as “the wildest set I’ve ever seen at Hi-Dive,” there was fog, lights, crowd-surfing, a pinata, and, of course, rock music to match. The Knew, always eager to perform new material, played two new songs they had written since finishing Before It Ends. By the end of the night the Hi-Dive was trashed and everyone went home happy.

See more pictures here. The Knew play again this Friday at the Gothic, opening for local metal-legends Taun Taun. Tickets are available here.

It would be hard to imagine music in Denver without the constant stream of fresh projects and musicians who refuse to stay tied to a single group.  Friday night’s show at the Meadowlark served as a showcase for three new bands full of Denver-music veterans.

Jimmy Stofer, former touring bassist for The Fray, current member of Hello Kavita, John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light, and Dualistics released the debut album from his new project Weather Maps earlier this summer. Employing a few friends from other bands, Stofer played through a handful of often-soft, always-melodic tunes as the space began to fill for the evening. A few of the tunes reminded me of  Bon Iver with less emphasis on falsetto and more weight on song structure.

When Meese broke up earlier this year it was unclear what would happen to the Meese brothers. A few months later it was announced that there would be a slight revival: The Centennial was created; moodier and more matured than what had been. While this was only the group’s second show, they still managed to fill the Meadowlark to capacity.

Adam Halferty’s gratitude was apparent as his close friends and family gathered to celebrate the release of Contradictions, Generalities, and Future Criminals, the debut album from American Tomahawk (expect a full review in the near future). Halferty, drummer for Young Coyotes (current), 3OH!3 (touring), and Axe That Chopped the Cherry Tree (former), enlisted six other musicians to help American Tomahawk see a proper live lineup. The sheer musicianship of the entire group was impressive and the quality of songwriting made me wish they had more songs in their repertoire.

Click for more photos | Weather Maps | The Centennial | American Tomahawk

Of all the shows I could have attended to mark my return from Chicago there are few that could hold a candle to Denver Does Denver. Not only did I get to see (nearly) everyone from the Denver music scene, but I also witnessed some truly excellent art. For those unfamiliar with the premise of Denver Does Denver, here’s the low-down: Local bands covered 3 to 5 songs from other Colorado musicians (there was also a graphic-art portion of the evening too). I could not do every set its due justice, so I’ll just be covering the highlights.

Safe Boating Is No Accident (covering Pee Pee): Dedicated to the “departed” Doo Crowder, SBiNA played a tribute to folk-collective Pee Pee. Starting with a high-energy rendition of “Jaroline,” SBiNA displayed the same amount of energy and musicianship you’d expect from the ~10-person Pee Pee, but with a concentrated 4-piece. The jammer “Pee-Pee Song” may have been a loose interpretation of the original, but I’m not really sure that a meticulous copy would be an effective way to channel the song’s namesake. (SBiNA also gave out copies of their forthcoming EP, expect a review soon! Release show 9/3 at Hi-Dive).

Night of Joy (covering Lust Cats of the Gutters, T. Rex): The normally reserved crowd at DdD got loose when Night of Joy ripped through covers of fellow Denver femme-punks Lust Cats of the Gutters. Even without their signature eye make-up, Night of Joy kept things at a “face-melting” level (see above photo) as they transitioned into playing a couple T. Rex covers (not technically a Denver-band, but at that point nobody cared).

Pink Hawks (covering Bad Weather California): The 11-piece Pink Hawks took on one of Denver’s beloved underground band Bad Weather California in a stunning display that earned my nod as “best set of DdD 2010.” Festival organizer Yuzo Nieto and his big band breathed a distinct latin-flavor and energy into BWC classics such as “New Religion,” “Two Ways,” and “This Is My Country Too,” ending with the most frenzied version of “Let’s Go To Bed” ever performed.

Flobots (covering Tickle Me Pink, Hot IQs, The Pirate Signal): For a band that has found success on the national level, the Flobots certainly haven’t lost connection with their roots. Playing a set at the packed-out Flobots.org Community Space the group started off with a spoken-word rendition of Tickle Me Pink’s “Typical” (the performance felt slightly jestful, in the same vein as Pictureplane’s take on 3Oh!3 at last year’s DdD). The highlight of the Flobots set was certainly their take on the late Hot IQs- complete with a rap-rhyme segment worked in during the bridge on “Retromuff.” Closing out with a couple Pirate Signal tunes, the entire crowd got down to the hip-hop beats that filled the small space.

For many more photos (including Key of D, Tom Murphy, Hunter Dragon, Houses, and more) click here.