Ray Davies
w/ The 88
Riviera Theatre, Chicago
March 13, 2010
@@@@1/2
I've been to over 450 concerts and what makes the great ones great are a preponderance of excellent songs and a healthy (but not exhaustive) dose of interaction between performer and audience that goes beyond the music itself. The former might seem stupendously obvious and the latter might sound unnecessary, but my favorite shows almost always meet both criteria (and sometimes a third, which I'll speak to in a bit).
Last Friday and Saturday nights I attended two rock concerts that were about as different as can be, with their relative merits, IMHO, illustrating the above statement. Friday I saw Muse (review here), a current, relatively young British trio that filled the United Center. They had a multimillion dollar stage set up, impressive visuals including lasers & lights galore and a powerful sound that I really enjoyed, in part. Unfortunately after 10+ years and 5 albums, they only could fill about half (at best) of their 100 minutes onstage with truly top-notch material. And they virtually never spoke to the audience.
Saturday, I saw one of rock's true legends, Ray Davies, former lead singer, principal songwriter and rhythm guitarist for The Kinks, an original British Invasion band elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. The Kinks' heyday was clearly the 1960s; on a 5-star scale, the great AllMusic website gives 5 or 4-1/2 stars to seven Kinks albums released between 1965-1971, but the same distinction to just one studio album (1978's Misfits) from 1972-1994. But while comparatively not quite as brilliant throughout the rest of a mostly non-stop Kinks and solo career, not only has Davies remained an excellent songwriter into his 60s, he had accumulated a songbook as deep as nearly anyone's by the time he was 27 years old.
And I, and nearly everyone at the Riv, came out to hear a heavy dose of Kinks Klassics.
After a likable but unremarkable opening set by a 4-piece band from LA called The 88, Ray took the stage with acoustic guitar in hand, accompanied by only one other musician, a guy named Bill Shanley who alternated between acoustic and electric guitar. After they played about 22 songs, all but 2 being Kinks chestnuts, The 88 joined them for 5 full band tunes.
Unlike Muse, no arena rock show, no lasers or fancy risers or video. But also unlike Muse, and most other artists for that matter, from any era, every song played was excellent. And as the guy who basically invented VH1 Storytellers, Ray told stories, spoke of Kinks history, introduced several songs and did more than enough to ensure we knew he knew he was in Chicago, not Cleveland.
As one of a few minor quibbles, referencing my third criteria for a truly great concert--which is making every night unique in some way, typically by changing up the setlist a la personal favorites Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam--Ray seemed to play essentially the same set list as on other stops of his current tour. And especially as someone who's seen him 4 times now in the last 4 years, he could easily sprinkle in many more different Kinks Klassics (and even solo songs) than have routinely filled his performances of late. Though to be fair, he did freshly turn me onto I Need You, Nothin' In The World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl and dug pretty deep into the Kinks Kanon.
So aside from mixing it up a bit more to appease hardcore fanatics who check setlists and have seen him multiple times--though believe me, I doubt I'm the only one when it comes to the small but devoted fanbase of Kinkophiles --Ray Davies put on an entirely engaging & enjoyable performance, filled with wonderful songs. Sometimes less is more and more is less. More or less.
This is the set list (with possibly a couple omissions):
This Is Where I Belong
You Really Got Me
I Need You
Where Have All The Good Times Gone
Till The End Of The Day
In A Moment
Victoria
Dedicated Follower of Fashion
20th Century Man
The Tourist
Apeman
Two Sisters
The Hard Way
See My Friends
I'm Not Like Everybody Else
Too Much On My Mind
Nothin' In The World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl
A Well Respected Man
Sunny Afternoon
Tired Of Waiting For You
Set Me Free
All Day And All Of The Night
---Encore (with The 88)
You Really Got Me
David Watts
Dead End Street
Low Budget
Lola
Monday, March 22, 2010
Concert Review: Muse
Muse
w/Silversun Pickups
United Center, Chicago
March 12, 2010
@@@1/2
I first saw, heard and liked Muse before I or very many people, certainly in America, knew who they were. Ten years ago this month, on a day when the University of Wisconsin coincidentally made the Final Four for the first time in decades, I ventured to the Dane County Coliseum in Madison to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers with the Foo Fighters opening. I didn't know there would be a third band truly opening the show, and although they were quite young and clearly derivative of Radiohead--with a lead singer who sounded much like Thom Yorke--I really liked them.
So I later learned the band was named Muse and I bought & enjoyed their debut album, Showbiz. I've since bought all their subsequent albums and--as I'm quite fascinated by bands that become huge in England but remain largely unknown or much less popular in the U.S, from The Jam to Blur to Stereophonics to Razorlight--I took note as Muse steadily built a sizable stateside fan base.
But while each of their albums has had a few good songs, I've kind of felt their popularity kept growing roughly in reverse order of their artistic merit. So now that they have, somewhat surprisingly (as many of my friends still have no idea who they are) reached the level of selling out the United Center--keep in mind that in the UK, they sold out Wembley Stadium twice (over 140,000 tickets) on their last tour--I felt that I had to see them, but didn't even love them when I saw them at the Aragon in 2006.
As I kind of expected, last night's show was a mixed bag. I don't fully consider it a good thing that "arena rock" has largely become a thing of the past, and there are several worse bands that American teens to twentysomethings could have latched onto. And with an elaborate stage set up, laser lights galore and myriad sonic references--which long ago moved beyond Radiohead--Muse reminded me of many a show gone by at which I burned myself in trying to hold up a Bic lighter. But though they riffed on Zeppelin and AC/DC, and sounded at times like Queen, Rush, Def Leppard, and other arena rock icons, Muse isn't nearly as good as any of those bands.
At their best, and last night that meant a strong opening, about 6-8 really good songs (setlist here) and perhaps 40 minutes (out of 100) worth of truly impressive music and visuals, Muse can be quite enjoyable, though still a musical pastiche and not particularly meaningful. The rest of the time, they play a lot of songs that sound somewhat alike, put forth a bloated hodge-podge of other people's ideas--including a cover of Nina Simone's Feeling Good--and represent the worst of prog rock excess.
Plus, without ever saying hello to the crowd, barely a thank you until the end, and playing much of the show on individual risers, the band kept quite a distance from each other as well as from the crowd. This might have been partially due to being in the very last row at the top of the UC, but there seemed to be something very cold and calculated about the whole affair.
I imagine many in the arena loved it, having seen some comments accompanying the video below on YouTube, and I'm glad they did. But I have seen much better, even from Muse itself. (Opener Silversun Pickups might be a decent band, but it was hard to discern their live merits with unfamiliar tunes lost among the UC's muddled sound mix.)
w/Silversun Pickups
United Center, Chicago
March 12, 2010
@@@1/2
I first saw, heard and liked Muse before I or very many people, certainly in America, knew who they were. Ten years ago this month, on a day when the University of Wisconsin coincidentally made the Final Four for the first time in decades, I ventured to the Dane County Coliseum in Madison to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers with the Foo Fighters opening. I didn't know there would be a third band truly opening the show, and although they were quite young and clearly derivative of Radiohead--with a lead singer who sounded much like Thom Yorke--I really liked them.
So I later learned the band was named Muse and I bought & enjoyed their debut album, Showbiz. I've since bought all their subsequent albums and--as I'm quite fascinated by bands that become huge in England but remain largely unknown or much less popular in the U.S, from The Jam to Blur to Stereophonics to Razorlight--I took note as Muse steadily built a sizable stateside fan base.
But while each of their albums has had a few good songs, I've kind of felt their popularity kept growing roughly in reverse order of their artistic merit. So now that they have, somewhat surprisingly (as many of my friends still have no idea who they are) reached the level of selling out the United Center--keep in mind that in the UK, they sold out Wembley Stadium twice (over 140,000 tickets) on their last tour--I felt that I had to see them, but didn't even love them when I saw them at the Aragon in 2006.
As I kind of expected, last night's show was a mixed bag. I don't fully consider it a good thing that "arena rock" has largely become a thing of the past, and there are several worse bands that American teens to twentysomethings could have latched onto. And with an elaborate stage set up, laser lights galore and myriad sonic references--which long ago moved beyond Radiohead--Muse reminded me of many a show gone by at which I burned myself in trying to hold up a Bic lighter. But though they riffed on Zeppelin and AC/DC, and sounded at times like Queen, Rush, Def Leppard, and other arena rock icons, Muse isn't nearly as good as any of those bands.
At their best, and last night that meant a strong opening, about 6-8 really good songs (setlist here) and perhaps 40 minutes (out of 100) worth of truly impressive music and visuals, Muse can be quite enjoyable, though still a musical pastiche and not particularly meaningful. The rest of the time, they play a lot of songs that sound somewhat alike, put forth a bloated hodge-podge of other people's ideas--including a cover of Nina Simone's Feeling Good--and represent the worst of prog rock excess.
Plus, without ever saying hello to the crowd, barely a thank you until the end, and playing much of the show on individual risers, the band kept quite a distance from each other as well as from the crowd. This might have been partially due to being in the very last row at the top of the UC, but there seemed to be something very cold and calculated about the whole affair.
I imagine many in the arena loved it, having seen some comments accompanying the video below on YouTube, and I'm glad they did. But I have seen much better, even from Muse itself. (Opener Silversun Pickups might be a decent band, but it was hard to discern their live merits with unfamiliar tunes lost among the UC's muddled sound mix.)
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Concert Review: Editors
Editors
Sept. 11, 2007
Park West, Chicago
@@@1/2
I'm always a bit unsure when I'm reviewing concerts, especially by artists with whom I don't go all that far back, how much I'm supposed to critique the merit of the band's material vs. the performance of the material. For instance, Editors probably delivered a show drawn from their 2 albums as well as I could have have wanted, yet while I find them a substantive band, something about most of their songs leaves me unexcited. They have a few really good songs; the rest are okay, but sound a lot like lesser versions of the really good ones. They reminded me a bit of Coldplay, who isn't among my utmost favorites, and Editors have a long way to go to be that good. Their performance was strong, probably @@@@, but their music at this point only rates a @@@, thus the @@@1/2 review. Getting just @@1/2 is Biffy Clyro, who preceded Editors (an American band called Ra Ra Riot opened the show). I actually knew and liked much of Biffy Clyro's current album, Puzzle, but live they were a bit rougher around the edges and looked too much like Spinal Tap. At times, they were impressively forceful, but overall nothing too special live.
Sept. 11, 2007
Park West, Chicago
@@@1/2
I'm always a bit unsure when I'm reviewing concerts, especially by artists with whom I don't go all that far back, how much I'm supposed to critique the merit of the band's material vs. the performance of the material. For instance, Editors probably delivered a show drawn from their 2 albums as well as I could have have wanted, yet while I find them a substantive band, something about most of their songs leaves me unexcited. They have a few really good songs; the rest are okay, but sound a lot like lesser versions of the really good ones. They reminded me a bit of Coldplay, who isn't among my utmost favorites, and Editors have a long way to go to be that good. Their performance was strong, probably @@@@, but their music at this point only rates a @@@, thus the @@@1/2 review. Getting just @@1/2 is Biffy Clyro, who preceded Editors (an American band called Ra Ra Riot opened the show). I actually knew and liked much of Biffy Clyro's current album, Puzzle, but live they were a bit rougher around the edges and looked too much like Spinal Tap. At times, they were impressively forceful, but overall nothing too special live.
Concert Review: Bloc Party
Bloc Party
Friday, Sept. 7, 2007
Hideout Block Party, Chicago
@@@@
Bloc Party is an interesting, sonically unique British band. They headlined the Friday session of the Hideout's Block Party in Chicago, with Scotland's The Cinematics opening the night. Bloc Party performed strong, well-received renditions of their songs, with of course, some being better than others. Like most bands of their ilk, particularly in a festival setting, they played about 75 minutes, and their best songs: Like Eating Glass, Helicopter, Banquet, I Still Remember among them, were really good. The Cinematics are likely destined to be an also-ran band, but they were tunefully enjoyable as well, and pretty affable about a late-start due to rain and some technical issues. I'd give their set @@@.
Friday, Sept. 7, 2007
Hideout Block Party, Chicago
@@@@
Bloc Party is an interesting, sonically unique British band. They headlined the Friday session of the Hideout's Block Party in Chicago, with Scotland's The Cinematics opening the night. Bloc Party performed strong, well-received renditions of their songs, with of course, some being better than others. Like most bands of their ilk, particularly in a festival setting, they played about 75 minutes, and their best songs: Like Eating Glass, Helicopter, Banquet, I Still Remember among them, were really good. The Cinematics are likely destined to be an also-ran band, but they were tunefully enjoyable as well, and pretty affable about a late-start due to rain and some technical issues. I'd give their set @@@.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Concert Review: The Cribs
The Cribs
August 5, 2007
Lollapalooza
@@@
The Cribs were the first band I saw at Lollapalooza and the only noteworthy Britpop act I caught (I did see Paolo Nutini and wasn't greatly impressed). It was cool to hear their catchy Our Bovine Public ringing out as I walked through Grant Park for a closer view of what turned out to be a surprisingly solid, at times stellar, 50-minute performance. I only have the latest of their 3 albums and would call it decent, but not the best of current Britpop, though I know they are getting some acclaim back home. Comprised of three brothers from Yorkshire, England, who spent some time recording in Chicago (which explains singer/guitarist Ryan Jarman's reference to living on Kedzie Avenue), the Cribs weren't the day's highlight, but justified my getting there at 12:30. I'm not sure why they have such bad haircuts (at least 2 of the 3 brothers were oddly coifed), but their music is a cut above.
August 5, 2007
Lollapalooza
@@@
The Cribs were the first band I saw at Lollapalooza and the only noteworthy Britpop act I caught (I did see Paolo Nutini and wasn't greatly impressed). It was cool to hear their catchy Our Bovine Public ringing out as I walked through Grant Park for a closer view of what turned out to be a surprisingly solid, at times stellar, 50-minute performance. I only have the latest of their 3 albums and would call it decent, but not the best of current Britpop, though I know they are getting some acclaim back home. Comprised of three brothers from Yorkshire, England, who spent some time recording in Chicago (which explains singer/guitarist Ryan Jarman's reference to living on Kedzie Avenue), the Cribs weren't the day's highlight, but justified my getting there at 12:30. I'm not sure why they have such bad haircuts (at least 2 of the 3 brothers were oddly coifed), but their music is a cut above.
Concert Review: The Automatic
The Automatic
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Subterranean
Chicago, IL
@@@@
I opted to see the Automatic (or as they were billed in America, The Automatic Automatic, due to some nebulous name conflict) in a late night, $10 show largely because I really liked two of their songs, Raoul and Monster, off their otherwise OK but not phenomenal album, Not Accepted Anywhere. And from their All Music Guide capsule, I'd envisioned them to be arty, if not somewhat dorky. But I was pleasantly surprised with how good, and mostly straightforward they were. Their singer/bassist was a large, affable kid named Robin Hawkins who wasn't at all what I expected, though they did have a hyperkinetic keyboardist, Alex Pennie, to provide a bit of what I did expect. Anyway, they were much more of a straightforward, rock band who made the songs sound better than they did on the album and really impressed me beyond their two best songs (solid hits in the UK). They only played 45 minutes to less then 50 people, but those there wanted more so it was a bit disappointing that they didn't play an encore to really end the night right.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Subterranean
Chicago, IL
@@@@
I opted to see the Automatic (or as they were billed in America, The Automatic Automatic, due to some nebulous name conflict) in a late night, $10 show largely because I really liked two of their songs, Raoul and Monster, off their otherwise OK but not phenomenal album, Not Accepted Anywhere. And from their All Music Guide capsule, I'd envisioned them to be arty, if not somewhat dorky. But I was pleasantly surprised with how good, and mostly straightforward they were. Their singer/bassist was a large, affable kid named Robin Hawkins who wasn't at all what I expected, though they did have a hyperkinetic keyboardist, Alex Pennie, to provide a bit of what I did expect. Anyway, they were much more of a straightforward, rock band who made the songs sound better than they did on the album and really impressed me beyond their two best songs (solid hits in the UK). They only played 45 minutes to less then 50 people, but those there wanted more so it was a bit disappointing that they didn't play an encore to really end the night right.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Concert Review: The Fratellis
The Fratellis
Switches
Dappled Cities
Mon., July 30, 2007
Pabst Theatre
Milwaukee, WI
@@@@1/2
If you haven't gotten the point yet, I love the new wave of music coming from the British isles. Practically every week, I discover new music from previously unknown bands (The Enemy, The Pigeon Detectives, The Maccabees being among the latest) that I think is wonderful. And even driving up to Milwaukee on a work night, and barely staying awake on the drive home, was completely worth it. Not only for the amazing Fratellis, who despite not being great showmen and not quite replicating the great sound & vocals of their debut album (Costello Music) live, have enough great songs from just one album that they were phenomenal anyway. But I got there, starving, and finding no food at the venue, just in time to hear the opening band, who I thought were the Switches. I thought they were really good, and it turns out the first band was a pre-opening act, an oddly named band called Dappled Cities. Next up were Switches, who were wonderful (I'd never heard any music from either of these acts previously, and it was instantly accessible). Both were from England. And then the Fratellis. So 3 hours of great music for just $10.
Switches
Dappled Cities
Mon., July 30, 2007
Pabst Theatre
Milwaukee, WI
@@@@1/2
If you haven't gotten the point yet, I love the new wave of music coming from the British isles. Practically every week, I discover new music from previously unknown bands (The Enemy, The Pigeon Detectives, The Maccabees being among the latest) that I think is wonderful. And even driving up to Milwaukee on a work night, and barely staying awake on the drive home, was completely worth it. Not only for the amazing Fratellis, who despite not being great showmen and not quite replicating the great sound & vocals of their debut album (Costello Music) live, have enough great songs from just one album that they were phenomenal anyway. But I got there, starving, and finding no food at the venue, just in time to hear the opening band, who I thought were the Switches. I thought they were really good, and it turns out the first band was a pre-opening act, an oddly named band called Dappled Cities. Next up were Switches, who were wonderful (I'd never heard any music from either of these acts previously, and it was instantly accessible). Both were from England. And then the Fratellis. So 3 hours of great music for just $10.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Concert Review: Maximo Park
Maximo Park
July 16, 2007
Double Door - Chicago
@@@@
I’m not sure how many things can count as “one of the best,” but without getting too analytical about it, Maximo Park are clearly one of the best of the current wave of Britpop bands. Their 2005 debut album, “A Certain Trigger” is one of my favorite albums of the last few years, and though their newest disc, “Our Earthly Pleasures” isn’t as great, it’s still quite enjoyable.
With their music being more angular and quirky than rousing and anthemic, their live performance proved to be similarly more enjoyable than spectacular. But they have a boatload of good songs, a few great ones and an affable lead singer in Paul Smith. Throw in two good opening bands – The Oohlas and Monsters Are Waiting, both female-fronted American bands I hadn’t previously heard of – and a place to sit at the Double Door, and I really have nothing to complain about. So I guess that makes for a @@@@ show.
July 16, 2007
Double Door - Chicago
@@@@
I’m not sure how many things can count as “one of the best,” but without getting too analytical about it, Maximo Park are clearly one of the best of the current wave of Britpop bands. Their 2005 debut album, “A Certain Trigger” is one of my favorite albums of the last few years, and though their newest disc, “Our Earthly Pleasures” isn’t as great, it’s still quite enjoyable.
With their music being more angular and quirky than rousing and anthemic, their live performance proved to be similarly more enjoyable than spectacular. But they have a boatload of good songs, a few great ones and an affable lead singer in Paul Smith. Throw in two good opening bands – The Oohlas and Monsters Are Waiting, both female-fronted American bands I hadn’t previously heard of – and a place to sit at the Double Door, and I really have nothing to complain about. So I guess that makes for a @@@@ show.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Concert Review: Keane
Keane
May 17, 2007
Riviera Theatre - Chicago
@@@1/2
Keane is a decent band from England that forges a good sound without any guitars or bass, just two keyboardists -- one being vocalist Tom Chaplin -- and a drummer. Their two albums both hit #1 in the UK and their latest, last year's Under the Iron Sea opened at #4 in the US, so they arrived at their sold out show at the Riviera with a good bit of stateside renown. They were originally booked -- and then rebooked and again cancelled -- for a show at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre last fall, on tours that feel through due to Chaplin's rehab stint. Led by the ruddy-faced Chaplin, an energetic and gracious though less than captivating stage presence, the band played fine but largely unspectacular renditions of good but mostly not great songs, which were met with ovations far beyond their merit. It's probably wrong to hold crowd reaction against a band, but this was the loudest I've heard a crowd in quite some time. BS or not, Chaplin told the crowd it was "a night he would never forget." But though worthy of a look and listen, Keane at this point are far from unforgettable.
May 17, 2007
Riviera Theatre - Chicago
@@@1/2
Keane is a decent band from England that forges a good sound without any guitars or bass, just two keyboardists -- one being vocalist Tom Chaplin -- and a drummer. Their two albums both hit #1 in the UK and their latest, last year's Under the Iron Sea opened at #4 in the US, so they arrived at their sold out show at the Riviera with a good bit of stateside renown. They were originally booked -- and then rebooked and again cancelled -- for a show at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre last fall, on tours that feel through due to Chaplin's rehab stint. Led by the ruddy-faced Chaplin, an energetic and gracious though less than captivating stage presence, the band played fine but largely unspectacular renditions of good but mostly not great songs, which were met with ovations far beyond their merit. It's probably wrong to hold crowd reaction against a band, but this was the loudest I've heard a crowd in quite some time. BS or not, Chaplin told the crowd it was "a night he would never forget." But though worthy of a look and listen, Keane at this point are far from unforgettable.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Concert Review: The Killers
The Killers
Sears Centre - Hoffman Estates, IL
May 10, 2007
@@@@1/2
OK, so the Killers aren't British and they're not exactly "hidden," as they're on a tour of large theaters/small arenas that brought them to a nearly full Sears Centre in Chicago's Northwest suburbs. But the show was good enough to serve as an illustration -- perhaps well-heeded by many of the personality-challenged Brit-bands cited on HiddenInTheIsles.com -- that there is a difference between playing a concert and truly giving a performance. Though not quite U2 or Springsteen, the Killers put on a highly enjoyable show featuring the kinetic energy of lead singer Brandon Flowers, an impressive lighting display and loads of good songs from both of their two albums (their latest, Sam's Town, being substantially better than I originally thought). And with only 2 albums to draw upon, the Killers made 100 minutes go by fast, unlike the Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys and Razorlight, who made 60-70 minutes go by somewhat slowly, despite also touring behind sophomore albums.
The show could've been a @@@@@ performance, but lost momentum after Flowers left the stage briefly, leaving the band confused and causing the drummer to believe he should speak to the audience. Rarely a good idea.
Sears Centre - Hoffman Estates, IL
May 10, 2007
@@@@1/2
OK, so the Killers aren't British and they're not exactly "hidden," as they're on a tour of large theaters/small arenas that brought them to a nearly full Sears Centre in Chicago's Northwest suburbs. But the show was good enough to serve as an illustration -- perhaps well-heeded by many of the personality-challenged Brit-bands cited on HiddenInTheIsles.com -- that there is a difference between playing a concert and truly giving a performance. Though not quite U2 or Springsteen, the Killers put on a highly enjoyable show featuring the kinetic energy of lead singer Brandon Flowers, an impressive lighting display and loads of good songs from both of their two albums (their latest, Sam's Town, being substantially better than I originally thought). And with only 2 albums to draw upon, the Killers made 100 minutes go by fast, unlike the Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys and Razorlight, who made 60-70 minutes go by somewhat slowly, despite also touring behind sophomore albums.
The show could've been a @@@@@ performance, but lost momentum after Flowers left the stage briefly, leaving the band confused and causing the drummer to believe he should speak to the audience. Rarely a good idea.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Concert Review: Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys
Riviera Theatre - Chicago
May 8, 2007
@@@
When the Arctic Monkeys' debut album came out in January 2006, setting sales records in England and some (though much lesser) buzz in America, I checked them out and liked what I heard. In part, they inspired my exploration to find other "Hidden In The Isles" bands, and I subsequently found bands like The Fratellis, The Kooks, The View, Maximo Park and Art Brut, all of whom I like better than the Monkeys. The AMs' are now on their second album, also a monster seller in their native England, and they sold out this show at the Riviera. They sounded strong and the crowd was really into them, and their best songs were great to hear live. But overall, they need to all some melody, and distinction, to their songs for 70 minutes (as they played) to be any better, or perhaps even not worse, than just 10 minutes. Though I've read comparisons between them and the early Jam, the Arctic Monkeys have a long way to go before deserving such praise.
Riviera Theatre - Chicago
May 8, 2007
@@@
When the Arctic Monkeys' debut album came out in January 2006, setting sales records in England and some (though much lesser) buzz in America, I checked them out and liked what I heard. In part, they inspired my exploration to find other "Hidden In The Isles" bands, and I subsequently found bands like The Fratellis, The Kooks, The View, Maximo Park and Art Brut, all of whom I like better than the Monkeys. The AMs' are now on their second album, also a monster seller in their native England, and they sold out this show at the Riviera. They sounded strong and the crowd was really into them, and their best songs were great to hear live. But overall, they need to all some melody, and distinction, to their songs for 70 minutes (as they played) to be any better, or perhaps even not worse, than just 10 minutes. Though I've read comparisons between them and the early Jam, the Arctic Monkeys have a long way to go before deserving such praise.
Concert Review: The Kooks
The Kooks
Caberet Metro - Chicago
May 5, 2007
@@@@
I'm too old and fat to stand at concerts anymore. But much to my feet, legs and back's chagrin, I still do when there's no other choice and the artist I'm seeing is worth it. At the Metro, England's fun pop-rock band, The Kooks, were worth it. Fortunately, for me at least, they only played for an hour, as they are still touring on their debut album, Inside In Inside Out, which is infectious throughout and came off as so -- though without much variance -- on stage. And the other songs they played to round out an hour, whether new songs or B-sides I didn't know, still seemed tasty enough to speak of this band's promise. Though they sold out the Metro and got Q101 promotion, I don't know if they'll ever break big enough in America to play a place where I can sit down (at least in a reserved seat; unlike Metro, I usually find someone to plant myself at the Vic and Riv), but if I can tolerate it, I would love to see them after they have a couple more albums under their belt.
Caberet Metro - Chicago
May 5, 2007
@@@@
I'm too old and fat to stand at concerts anymore. But much to my feet, legs and back's chagrin, I still do when there's no other choice and the artist I'm seeing is worth it. At the Metro, England's fun pop-rock band, The Kooks, were worth it. Fortunately, for me at least, they only played for an hour, as they are still touring on their debut album, Inside In Inside Out, which is infectious throughout and came off as so -- though without much variance -- on stage. And the other songs they played to round out an hour, whether new songs or B-sides I didn't know, still seemed tasty enough to speak of this band's promise. Though they sold out the Metro and got Q101 promotion, I don't know if they'll ever break big enough in America to play a place where I can sit down (at least in a reserved seat; unlike Metro, I usually find someone to plant myself at the Vic and Riv), but if I can tolerate it, I would love to see them after they have a couple more albums under their belt.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Concert Review: Art Brut
Art Brut
April 20, 2007
Subterranean - Chicago
@@@@ (out of 5)
After seeing the Kaiser Chiefs at the Vic (for which I had pre-bought a ticket) I ventured over to Subterranean on North Avenue to see if I could get into the sold out Art Brut show. I managed to, for just $20, and am glad I did. Of course, I say that on Monday morning, having survived a packed and immensely hot venue, a crazy drunk moron jumping into people and a floor that seemed it could've crashed down onto the level below (despite the venue's name, the showroom is in a loft). But whereas many could see the Kaiser Chiefs as a fun, energetic band, with a bit of quirkiness and a cheeky lead singer -- and they pretty much are -- Art Brut outdistance them in pretty much all these regards, and their performance was just more impressive. Lead singer Eddie Argos was pretty much the entire focal point, and though far from a Bonoish, Vedderish, etcish, frontman or even singer, you couldn't deny his charm or entertainment value. If these guys took themselves seriously, I'd probably hate them, but that they're in on the joke, makes them all the more fun.
April 20, 2007
Subterranean - Chicago
@@@@ (out of 5)
After seeing the Kaiser Chiefs at the Vic (for which I had pre-bought a ticket) I ventured over to Subterranean on North Avenue to see if I could get into the sold out Art Brut show. I managed to, for just $20, and am glad I did. Of course, I say that on Monday morning, having survived a packed and immensely hot venue, a crazy drunk moron jumping into people and a floor that seemed it could've crashed down onto the level below (despite the venue's name, the showroom is in a loft). But whereas many could see the Kaiser Chiefs as a fun, energetic band, with a bit of quirkiness and a cheeky lead singer -- and they pretty much are -- Art Brut outdistance them in pretty much all these regards, and their performance was just more impressive. Lead singer Eddie Argos was pretty much the entire focal point, and though far from a Bonoish, Vedderish, etcish, frontman or even singer, you couldn't deny his charm or entertainment value. If these guys took themselves seriously, I'd probably hate them, but that they're in on the joke, makes them all the more fun.
Concert Review: Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
April 20, 2007
Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL
@@@1/2
The Kaiser Chiefs played an hour of pretty good, occasionally inspired, songs from their two pretty good, occasionally inspired, albums. Any longer would have been too long and a half-hour shorter may have been sufficient. Lead singer Ricky Wilson is quite energetic and affable, and a sold out 1,500-person Chicago crowd seemed sufficiently into these British superstars. But, and I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, if you catch a couple live clips of the Kaiser Chiefs on YouTube, that will likely suffice.
April 20, 2007
Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL
@@@1/2
The Kaiser Chiefs played an hour of pretty good, occasionally inspired, songs from their two pretty good, occasionally inspired, albums. Any longer would have been too long and a half-hour shorter may have been sufficient. Lead singer Ricky Wilson is quite energetic and affable, and a sold out 1,500-person Chicago crowd seemed sufficiently into these British superstars. But, and I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, if you catch a couple live clips of the Kaiser Chiefs on YouTube, that will likely suffice.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Album Review: Bloc Party
Bloc Party
A Weekend In The City
@@@1/2
What makes Bloc Party good is also what makes them difficult. Rather than the catchy, guitar-driven Britpop I tend to favor, their music is angular and oblique, with random drumbeats, slow to develop melodies and a decided lack of instant accessibility. But with patience, you discover that there is a lot of quality to their music, which is infused with more melody than anything I've yet to latch onto from TV on the Radio, an increasingly popular yet somewhat similarly obtuse American band. Bloc Party's first album, Silent Alarm, had a number of eventually highly enjoyable songs, and only a few weeks into this one, it's continuing to grow on me. A @@@@ review wouldn't be inconceivable, especially over time, but @@@1/2 seems about right. This isn't music that's going to pump you up or make you want to dance, but it is certainly better than a lot of what passes for popular these days, and I even favor it over the more traditional but less inspired new Kaiser Chiefs album (see review below).
A Weekend In The City
@@@1/2
What makes Bloc Party good is also what makes them difficult. Rather than the catchy, guitar-driven Britpop I tend to favor, their music is angular and oblique, with random drumbeats, slow to develop melodies and a decided lack of instant accessibility. But with patience, you discover that there is a lot of quality to their music, which is infused with more melody than anything I've yet to latch onto from TV on the Radio, an increasingly popular yet somewhat similarly obtuse American band. Bloc Party's first album, Silent Alarm, had a number of eventually highly enjoyable songs, and only a few weeks into this one, it's continuing to grow on me. A @@@@ review wouldn't be inconceivable, especially over time, but @@@1/2 seems about right. This isn't music that's going to pump you up or make you want to dance, but it is certainly better than a lot of what passes for popular these days, and I even favor it over the more traditional but less inspired new Kaiser Chiefs album (see review below).
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Concert Review: Smoking Popes
Smoking Popes
March 9, 2007
Champs Rock Room
Burbank, IL
@@@@ (out of 5)
OK, so the Smoking Popes aren't British. But other than some acclaim across Chicagoland -- they hail from northwest suburban Lake In The Hills -- they probably could be considered "Hidden." After releasing two near perfect albums of power pop gems in the mid-'90s, they disbanded as lead singer and songwriter Josh Caterer wanted to explore his Christianity (and formed a band called Duvall, like the Popes accompanied by his brother Eli). Now they've reunited and I caught them for the first time since in a smoky room full of Bud Light drinkers in the lovely burg of Burbank, IL. A couple of opening bands called The Arrivals and Dead Town Revival were listenable but nothing exceptional, but the Popes made the excursion to the southwest burbs quite worthwhile. The stuff from the aforementioned albums -- Born To Quit and Destination Failure -- sounded wonderful, while some songs they played from an upcoming album didn't completely "wow" me. But though I enjoyed the show throughout, I was blown away by a show closing cover of Springsteen's "Born To Run." I'm not sure if the entire crowd loved it as much as I did, but I'd never heard anyone cover it before and I got a kick out of it.
March 9, 2007
Champs Rock Room
Burbank, IL
@@@@ (out of 5)
OK, so the Smoking Popes aren't British. But other than some acclaim across Chicagoland -- they hail from northwest suburban Lake In The Hills -- they probably could be considered "Hidden." After releasing two near perfect albums of power pop gems in the mid-'90s, they disbanded as lead singer and songwriter Josh Caterer wanted to explore his Christianity (and formed a band called Duvall, like the Popes accompanied by his brother Eli). Now they've reunited and I caught them for the first time since in a smoky room full of Bud Light drinkers in the lovely burg of Burbank, IL. A couple of opening bands called The Arrivals and Dead Town Revival were listenable but nothing exceptional, but the Popes made the excursion to the southwest burbs quite worthwhile. The stuff from the aforementioned albums -- Born To Quit and Destination Failure -- sounded wonderful, while some songs they played from an upcoming album didn't completely "wow" me. But though I enjoyed the show throughout, I was blown away by a show closing cover of Springsteen's "Born To Run." I'm not sure if the entire crowd loved it as much as I did, but I'd never heard anyone cover it before and I got a kick out of it.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Album Review: Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Yours Truly, Angry Mob
@@@ (out of 5)
When I was in London in May 2005, I asked a record store clerk to cite some popular new bands in Britain that I may not have heard of in America. He mentioned Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian and Razorlight and I bought the current albums from the first two right then and there. Employment, the 2005 album by Kaiser Chiefs, was quite enjoyable, with a few really good songs, including I Predict A Riot and Everyday I Love You Less and Less. They would go on to get some press and airplay in America, play Live 8 in Philadelphia, not London and open a co-headlining tour by Foo Fighters and Weezer. But they won multiple Brit Awards (England's answer to the Grammy's) and their new album and its lead single, Ruby, went straight to #1 in Great Britain. In America, they're still playing small venues, such as the Vic in Chicago. Based on the new album, their entire output to date and even my own discovery of numerous current Brit-famous bands that I like better, I think both America and Britain are about half-right. The Chiefs deserve a bit more acclaim and success in the states, but cannot yet be considered a great band worthy of all the love heaped on them at home. Yours Truly, Angry Mob is listenable, even enjoyable, but certainly not brilliant, revelatory nor especially interesting. Ruby is fine, but there are dozens of better recent Britpop singles. And even after several listenings, none of the other songs stand out and seem to fall short of the top songs from Employment. So as Britpop ignored in America goes, this is a band and album worth knowing about, but doubtfully one that will change your life.
Yours Truly, Angry Mob
@@@ (out of 5)
When I was in London in May 2005, I asked a record store clerk to cite some popular new bands in Britain that I may not have heard of in America. He mentioned Kaiser Chiefs, Kasabian and Razorlight and I bought the current albums from the first two right then and there. Employment, the 2005 album by Kaiser Chiefs, was quite enjoyable, with a few really good songs, including I Predict A Riot and Everyday I Love You Less and Less. They would go on to get some press and airplay in America, play Live 8 in Philadelphia, not London and open a co-headlining tour by Foo Fighters and Weezer. But they won multiple Brit Awards (England's answer to the Grammy's) and their new album and its lead single, Ruby, went straight to #1 in Great Britain. In America, they're still playing small venues, such as the Vic in Chicago. Based on the new album, their entire output to date and even my own discovery of numerous current Brit-famous bands that I like better, I think both America and Britain are about half-right. The Chiefs deserve a bit more acclaim and success in the states, but cannot yet be considered a great band worthy of all the love heaped on them at home. Yours Truly, Angry Mob is listenable, even enjoyable, but certainly not brilliant, revelatory nor especially interesting. Ruby is fine, but there are dozens of better recent Britpop singles. And even after several listenings, none of the other songs stand out and seem to fall short of the top songs from Employment. So as Britpop ignored in America goes, this is a band and album worth knowing about, but doubtfully one that will change your life.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Concert Review: Razorlight, with Mohair
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Martyrs Pub - Chicago
Razorlight: @@@@ (out of 5)
Mohair: @@@@1/2
In their native England, Razorlight plays 15,000+ seat arenas; in Chicago, they played a bar with a capacity of 200-300. I was about 10 feet away from them. They are not among my very favorite current British bands, but they are pretty good and showed some nice growth from their first to second (and current) album. I was supposed to see them in September, opening for Keane, but that show and a rescheduled one in December were canceled due to Keane's lead singer going into rehab. I did not hear about this show when it was announced, and I guess it sold out pretty quickly, largely to British expats based on the crowd. I would've taken a pass, but I became curious about the opening act, Mohair, when I saw the concert listing. Mohair's 2006 debut album was strongly reviewed on AllMusic.com, so I downloaded it. It is really, really good (probably @@@@1/2). So I went to Martyrs without a ticket and was fortunate to get one outside, albeit for a good bit over face value, but that had only been $13 so it wasn't too bad. Mohair was really enjoyable, young guys who were quite personable and obviously enjoying what is likely their first American tour. The crowd really loved Razorlight, and I enjoyed them too, but with only two albums in the can, there is a disparity between their 4-5 really good songs and the rest. It also didn't help that they didn't play my favorite tune of theirs: Rock 'n Roll Lies. On this night, they certainly merited their headlining status, and I can see why England loves them, but I can even more promising things for Mohair, at least musically if not in stateside popularity.
Martyrs Pub - Chicago
Razorlight: @@@@ (out of 5)
Mohair: @@@@1/2
In their native England, Razorlight plays 15,000+ seat arenas; in Chicago, they played a bar with a capacity of 200-300. I was about 10 feet away from them. They are not among my very favorite current British bands, but they are pretty good and showed some nice growth from their first to second (and current) album. I was supposed to see them in September, opening for Keane, but that show and a rescheduled one in December were canceled due to Keane's lead singer going into rehab. I did not hear about this show when it was announced, and I guess it sold out pretty quickly, largely to British expats based on the crowd. I would've taken a pass, but I became curious about the opening act, Mohair, when I saw the concert listing. Mohair's 2006 debut album was strongly reviewed on AllMusic.com, so I downloaded it. It is really, really good (probably @@@@1/2). So I went to Martyrs without a ticket and was fortunate to get one outside, albeit for a good bit over face value, but that had only been $13 so it wasn't too bad. Mohair was really enjoyable, young guys who were quite personable and obviously enjoying what is likely their first American tour. The crowd really loved Razorlight, and I enjoyed them too, but with only two albums in the can, there is a disparity between their 4-5 really good songs and the rest. It also didn't help that they didn't play my favorite tune of theirs: Rock 'n Roll Lies. On this night, they certainly merited their headlining status, and I can see why England loves them, but I can even more promising things for Mohair, at least musically if not in stateside popularity.
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