I’m sure you all have been stumped by the Forecastle headliner clues (so were we). Well, we think we may know some of the headliners at this year’s Forecastle Festival (July 9-11). We could be wrong, but this is what we have heard:
SPOON
TOOL
WIDESPREAD PANIC (AGAIN)?
THE POGUES
UMPHREY’S MCGEE
It’s that time again! The Louisville Improvisors, Louisville’s premiere improv troupe, are back with their 10th improv showcase: IMPROVAPALOOSA 10 at the Mex Theatre in the Kentucky Center. For two nights, Jan. 8 and 9, the boys with special guest (and Squeezebot member) Todd Hildreth will lighten the weather (or at least make you warmer through laughter) with Los Angeles’ own Trans4merZ.
Logistics:
Jan 8 & 9 @ 8pm
MEX Theatre in the Kentucky Center
$20 for Tix from the Kentucky Center (502) 584-7777 or here.
On a personal note, I saw Trans4MerZ when they were here for the last Improvapalooza a few years ago and they’re amazing. See? watch the video, and read more after the break.
The Courier Journal profiled uber-engineer, critic, musician, analog-man-in-a-digital-world Steve Albini in today’s paper. Albini was the guy behind the equipment on seminal albums like the Pixies Surfer Rosa and Nirvana’s In Utero.
Albini has been one of the most outspoken critics of how music is run these days:
That way of doing things is dead and gone, and they haven’t adapted even in the slightest. The big record labels are doomed, and the mainstream music industry is collapsing. I actually find it quite gratifying to see that this is a very active and very positive time for bands on the street level. It’s very easy for bands to promote themselves internationally now, using the Internet. It’s a great time to be in a band. It’s a bad time to be a big ol’ behemoth record label.
Read the whole thing and see Steve’s list of his five fav. albums that he’s worked on here.
Albini’s band Shellac is playing the Jason Noble benefit on the 21st at the 930.
What were we all doing in August? Well, I don’t know about you, but I sure missed this one. L’ville’s own dark-folky/Civil War reenacter, Will Oldham, put out another collab album. C’mon you didn’t think he could go a whole 6 months without putting something out there, did you? Unlike his previous work with Tortoise and Matt Sweeney, Silent City features Mr. Billy with conceptual artist/field recorder Brian Harnetty. Well, frankly, it’s mostly Harnetty’s work with Mr. Prince Billy’s collab, tho 3 songs feature Oldham centerstage on the mic. Here’s what Harnetty says about the project:
made with the collaborative help of bonnie ‘prince’ billy, ‘silent city’ is a mix of songs, instrumentals, and field recordings that are loosely centered around a small, rural town.late at night, just before closing; sleepy, between awake and dreaming; old jukebox, conversation, laughter––and then, transformation.
as with ‘american winter’, samples were used from the berea college appalachian sound archives, and with their generous support and encouragement.
Harnetty even has a couple beautiful and haunting videos featuring the Oldham sung tracks and filmed in southern Ohio.
Buy it here.
Less than 24 hours after we announced that It Came from Indiana! was coming to Louisville, BackseatSandbar is proud to announce that you, yes you, can win tickets. It’s really simple. All you have to do is send an email to itcamefromindiana@gmail.com and you’re registered. So if you wanna save a little dough and support live theater in Louisville, just send an email. Be sure to include when you’d like to see the show and if you want to know more, click here.
As a reminder, here are the dates & times:
The show runs October 22, 23, 24, 29, & 30 @ 7:30pm
October 24 & 31 @ 2:00pm
All performances are at Walden Theatre, 1123 Payne St.
email itcamefromindiana@gmail.com with the date and time you’d like to come and we’ll get you set up for the ticket giveaway.
This Thursday, October 22, Walden Theatre is premiering a new play by Hank Willenbrink entitled It Came from Indiana! Just in time for the Halloween season, It Came from Indiana! is a mashup of 1950s sci-fi and contemporary environmental issues in Louisville. Written specifically for the students of Louisville’s premiere youth theatre conservatory, It Came from Indiana! promises to delight and excite audiences with local flavor, fine acting, and more than a couple chills and thrills.
The story goes like this: When students from Yum! Brands High School start making a movie about the environmental issues of the West End, the movie is only half the problem. Is it life-imitating-art or life-imitating-art-imitating-life? Set in the near future, when the I-64 bridges still aren’t done, Louisville still fears what resides across the river, but it may be what’s at home that’s the real problem. Directed by Walden’s Associate Artistic Director, written by Hank Willenbrink, and designed by Lily Bartenstein, It Came from Indiana! proves that the real danger may be what we’re all forgetting on this side of the Ohio.
All performances will take place at Walden Theatre, 1123 Payne St.
The show runs October 22, 23, 24, 29, & 30 @ 7:30pm
October 24 & 31 @ 2:00pm
Call (502) 589-0084 for tickets and information.
The last time I saw Royal Bangs was backstage at Forecastle. I was trying to interview drummer Chris Rusk when Honus Honus from Man Man showed up. In a video, which will probably make its way onto the net, Honus and Chris dug at each other, were slightly homosexual, and made a veiled threat to kidnap someone. Fuck, I love this band. So fucking up the stoke, yo. ‘Bangs have a new album out it’s called Let it Beep and dudes are traveling across the country trying to drop panties with it.
Royal Bangs – “My Car is Haunted”
Tracks like this have been concert staples for the past couple months, but it’s gonna be slick to hear them get the studio treatment, because knowing Royal Bangs it’s gonna sound like 30 people are hopped up on corn liquor and shoved into a dilapidated building in Ohio during the recording.
If you wanna be one of those 30 people, Royal Bangs are on tour thru October:
October
08 – Southpaw | Brooklyn, N.Y.
09 – Johnny Brenda’s | Philadelphia, PA
10 – Mercury Lounge | New York, N.Y.
11 – TT the Bear’s | Cambridge, MA
12 – DC9 | Washington, D.C.
13 – Ottobar | Baltimore, MD
14 – Local 506 | Chapel Hill, N.C.
16 – The Earl | Atlanta, GA
17 – Mercy Lounge | Nashville, TN
19 – Skull Alley | Louisville, KY
20 – Spin Nightclub | Indianapolis, IN
21 – High Noon Saloon | Madison, WI
22 – 7th St. Entry | Minneapolis, MN
Pick up the album here.
At Walden Theatre tonight, the Louisville Improvisors unveil their 2nd Annual Irish Hill Improv Festival. They’ve thrown in a bit of history as well, as Tom Owen will be giving a brief talk about the history of Irish Hill and then the Improvisors will act it out the way it really happened. There will also be some special Highland Coffee Irish Hill blend as well as an Irish Hill History exhibit.
Irish Hill never had it so good.
The show runs Saturday as well. The speaker that night will be Clyde Crews.
Tickets are a measly $10 and can be purchased at the door.
THE IRISH HILL IMPROV AND HISTORY FESTIVAL
Walden Theatre, 1123 Payne St
8 pm, $10
You might remember the killer concert with Bodeco that we threw with those wacky Louisville Improvisors last year at the first annual Irish Hill Improv fest. Though you may have scoffed at the word “annual” turns out Chris, Alec, and Josh weren’t foolin’ around. Not only are they gonna make you laugh, they’re bringing some knowledge to you as well. Secret communiques with anonymous sources out of Improvisors confirm that local historian Tom Owen will be there to give the history of Irish Hill and the Improvisors will act it out — as it really happened — on Friday. Then, on Saturday, the boys’ll be joined by Clyde Crews for a talk called “Irish Hill, Yesterday and Today.” This talk will no doubt be followed by shennagins as well. And, like last year, they’ll be celebrating everything Irish Hill including wheeling out the area’s oldest resident for some sort of meet and greet. The Louisville Improvisors will be joined by special guests Improv Nashville.
Councilwoman Tina Ward-Pugh says: “Tired of being told NOT to improvise? Come to the Louisville Improvisors festival and make it up as you go.”
It’ll be more fun that a night at Porcini’s with a woman who’s trying to extort money out of you. Ah, you knew we couldn’t resist.
Here’s the stuff to tell yr mom when she asks where you’re going:
Show’s @ 8.
Walden Theatre, 1123 Payne St.
Tix are $10 at the door
Backseat Sandbar has 2 pairs of tickets to GIVEAWAY! Drop your favorite moment in Irish Hill in the comments with an email addres and we’ll pick the best for free seats.
O Canada indeed. The funny thing about our northern neighbors is that unlike bands down here, they’re perfectly happy with mates breaking out and joining their wives for electro-ish side projects. Hence Handsome Furs traveling to Louisville last week. If you don’t know already, the Furs are husband/wife duo Dan Boeckner (see also Wolf Parade and Atlas Stragtegic) and Alexei Perry. Not only was it the duo’s first trip to Louisville, it was also the first show at Skull Alley put on by our other buddies over at Production Simple. So, your average night at Louisville’s best all ages venue, it was not. We’ve gone on several times here about how great Skull Alley is, and I have to continue to say, that it is the best venue in Louisville. Without Skull Alley, the Handsome Furs may have been trotted out to the cavernous, bar feeding frenzy that is Headliners, ruining the intimate broke-down atmosphere that their electro-punk thrives on. The pairing of Skull Alley and Production Simple, in this case, was a wonderful one and one that I hope continues.
Now, for my caveats:
1. I’m always a little hesitant about husband/wife duos, mostly because it always feels a little too lovey on stage. I don’t have any problems with people being in love, it’s just not necessarily what I want to see when I go to a show. So, there was a bit of the cutesy smiles tossed around, but these were outweighed by the headbutts and shoving doled out by both Dan and Alexei.
2. I’m not a big fan of the Handsome Furs.
Not being a fan at a show always puts you in a different position. For starters, you don’t know the lyrics. Secondly, you’re not waiting for “your song” to be played. If you’re not a fan of a band that you see live, then, you’re looking for something different. The best way I can describe it is that you’re looking to be converted into a fan or at least brought into the fold with the people who mouth the lyrics and wait for their favorite song to be played.
I was brought into the fold, but I wasn’t fully converted.
Here’s why. For all the bluster of the music, the songs weren’t always exciting. The last three were my personal favorites but the grouping before then were overwrought punk-dance duds that seemed to drone and bang without ever going past droning and banging. The setup was pretty simple — Dan on guitar and vocals, Alexei on drum machine, synth, and partying. Alexei’s flurry of arm movements and insane jumping were entertaining as all hell and passed into the audience’s fervor, but it still seemed to be flapping wings for no real reason. Yes, the energy was electric, but the substance was wanting. Substance is probably the wrong word here. I don’t mean to imply that there wasn’t substance to the music but there wasn’t enough to keep me interested. For fans (and those who had enough PBRs to turn their feet into dancing shoes) the beats and hammering were more than enough. And, honestly, there’s a lot to like about this band and this band in this context. Dan’s obviously an amazing musician and Alexei (though what she was doing was hidden behind knobs and keys) has a fantastic connection to the music. But, in the end the whole thing didn’t add up for me. Maybe it was the songwriting, maybe my semi-unfamiliarity with the tunes, maybe my taste made it this way. But I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. I wanted desperately to get converted, to have this show succeed. However, all I could muster to the other Sandbarbarians was a lackadaisical “it was alright.”
Of course you have to go past what one person feels about something to judge whether or not a show succeeds. Those of us who have or write for blogs are in the (un)fortunate position of seeing a lot of things. And, sometimes we try to drum them up or to turn you onto what we like or refute what everyone else says is cool. Beyond my critique or my non-comprehension of the Handsome Furs show, look at it like this: a lot of people had fun and we’ve finally got two of the best organizations in town working together in a positive way to bring some great music to the city.
So what if I wasn’t totally into the show. Maybe next time it’ll happen.
More pics below the break…
Arnett Hollow
CJ: If i hadn’t have already heard so many good things about Arnett Hollow, this performance would have been my biggest surprise of the weekend. For as long as I’ve lived in Louisville, I had never gotten around to seeing them perform. My disappoint of this has now fallen into the ‘epic’ range. The group’s concise take on modern bluegrass (or newgrass, even though i hate this term) provided one of the more interesting and lively shows I saw on Saturday. If nothing else, Arnett Hollow made me extremely happy to live in this town. If you’re given the opportunity to see them in town (or anywhere else for that matter) you’d better take it. They are the voice of our town’s heavy breathing. Just ask Silver Jews.
The New Mastersounds
(compliments of Keith Robbins)
Afromotive
CJ: Damn I love me some Afrobeat.
Dead Confederate
H: This was my first time to see Dead Confederate. And to be honest, I wasn’t blown away. The Athens, GA based group seems to be making a splash across the modern rock circuit. But the droney, noise-heavy group never put anything together that I was stoked about. Still, the gathering crowd showed the rich promise for Confederate’s fanbase. I’ll wait it out until I join them.
Black Crowes
H: There’s something so effortlessly incredible about the Black Crowes. There’s almost a throwback quality seeing them live. All us indie kids are into two person bands, bands with multi-instrumentalists. The Black Crowes have their roles — lead singer, bass, rhythm — and they execute them with precision. Mining that deep pool of southern-fried rock ‘n roll you can tell there’d be no MMJ without the Black Crowes. As the tie between groups like the Jacket and the Band, the Crowes stand on their own. Oh, yeah, and they played “Hard to Handle”.
CJ: They played “Hard to Handle”.
DJ Dory
H: Seeing an Asian female DJ is as rare as seeing two horses kissing. DJ Dory didn’t let us down, tho. I’m not a fan of turntable-ism or electronica or whatever you call it. But, it was hard not to enjoy myself watching Dory’s leg shake to the beat while folks danced in the fountain behind us. Sorry we didn’t make it to Asiatique afterwards, Dory. Still, you rocked us while we were here.
CJ: Dory came to Forecastle prepared. Before she even began her set, she handed me a CD as a walked through the ocean stage tent. I expected a single, but found out later that evening that what she gave me was a full length album will no stops, smooth transitions, and everything else the house fanatic in your family will enjoy. It should make everyone’s Christmas list this year. I mean… just look at her! How can you say no to that face?
Royal Bangs
H: Anyone who reads this blog knows that we’re enamored with Knoxville’s Royal Bangs. Having visited the small venue Skull Alley a couple times over the past months, this was our chance to see them if not on the big stage then on the bigger stage than they’re used to. What could have been an awkward transition given the Bangs’s hyper-audience driven shows (they’ve usually got that second drum set right down there with us) turned out to be more like we’re used to. In the first song, Henry, the bass player for the Royal Bangs, stormed into the crowd with a tambourine. It was the perfect energizer to a humid Saturday evening. As the group rollicked through the highlights off We Breed Champions, nothing seemed out of place at all. Sure the skyline was in the background, but the Royal Bangs made us feel like we were at home. Capping off the set was show stealer “Brother” whose two drum onslaught withered any haters who may have just been stopping by on their way to Panic.
Annuals
CJ: The Annuals set was the biggest surprise show i saw at Forecastle. I had never heard of them prior, and truthfully was sticking around between the Royal Bangs and Man Man sets, but damn… I’m glad I stayed. Every member of Annuals that sings (at least four members) has an immaculate voice. These voices mixed with the aggressive post-rock driven by Anna Spence’s piano made the Annuals set the closest experience to church I have seen at a live show since Sigur Ros (hot shit, i did just say that. maybe i was a little drunk. i’m going with it). Upon further review, I have found that their recorded material is quality as well. See Annuals if they come around. They will make you a believer.
Man Man
H: Before Man Man took the stage, there was an awkward incident in the press room. Honus Honus (pictured above) showed up at the Royal Bangs interview. He started answering questions, rubbing the drummer from Royal Bangs hair comparing it to mouse hair, and the stunt ended with Honus looking at Cory complimenting his smile and saying — “If I worked at a convenience store, he’d be on my milk carton.” We never saw Cory again. JK! He took that picture! LoL!
Man Man was there to harsh the shit out of Forecastle. And they succeeded. Undoubtedly the best show of the festival. Man Man slayed for an hour and a half. Their disturbing sounds mixing with the insanity of the stage show. Honus throwing water, slamming his entire body into the Rhodes piano, and the rest of the band making strange faces and singing like castratti. What’s incredible about Man Man isn’t just the songwriting, the strange place that you enter when you listen to them, or the antics. It’s how well the chaos is done. Dissonance gets attention. Music is a collection and arrangement of noise and silence. Man Man is a hurly burly of bluster, noise, and nervous breakdowns. But, at the heart of it, there’s still a heart. As “Van Helsing Boombox” closed us down you could catch the real glimpse of what Man Man is all about — insanity because “nothing is everything.”
SK: Unfortunately my only real thoughts from Day 2: Don’t ever try to drink a 45 oz margarita when you haven’t eaten and its 120 degrees outside./ Madi Diaz is amazing and probably my favorite find of the festival. Her voice is incredible and her songs were gorgeous. I expect to be hearing tons from her in the near future. Also, Madi, if you read this and are looking….I’m single. Just throwing it out there./Royal Bangs killed it as always./I missed the Black Crowes boat. I’d rather just listen to their LIVE record in some air-conditioning./Annuals were cute….and that’s about it./The Deep Vibration was solid as always./US Royalty was a pleasant suprise with their balls to the wall rock n roll./Really wish I wasn’t too sick to see Man Man. I heard it was epic.
Erin Hill and her Psychedelic Harp w/ The Space Rats
CG: Although a New Yorker these days, Erin Hill is originally a Louisville girl and was glad to be back in town with her gang of diverse artists, from JP “Thunderbolt” Patterson originally of seminal NY punk band The Dictators to the gorgeous Meena Cho who Erin met while on tour with Kanye West, and several other incredibly talented artists with side-projects galore. While hip hop wouldn’t immediately come to mind with a harpist (or cello in Meena’s case), Erin is hardly ordinary, making a career out rethinking the harp, including an entire series of harp-based rock shows. Ironically, some hippies decided to be less than discreet with their drug usage and the arrest was mentioned on WHAS’ nightly news. I mention this for the fact that if you liked the song you heard scoring the newscast (which I wasn’t aware they do) it was Erin…and yes, it was the song “Giant Mushroom”!
Lady Killers
CJ: Louisville’s Lady Killers put on one of the first DJ sets at the ashamedly unpopulated ocean stage. The local outfit puts on a very entertaining set, and as a somewhat new fan of live DJ shows, I thought the flow of their mixing was right up there with the best shows I’ve seen yet. The only aspect I felt was unexplored was their ability to work together. As much as I loved their set and relish the opportunity to give a great review to a local act, I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t work more cohesively together. While one DJ was mixing, the other was laying in wait, or text messaging. This prevented me from getting a decent action shot (aside from the gem of a photo above). Nonetheless, I’ve heard some big buzz about Lady Killers since Forecastle and fully expect to see them again.
Cage the Elephant
SK: It seems that CtE is blowing everyone away these days. They have been slaying Europe supposedly and have been creating a rabid fan-base which was evidence by quite a few people in the crowd singing along to every word of their set. I was a little surprised initially to see that they are from Bowling Green because I’d never heard them before. The sound was a little emo-punk for my taste, but everyone seemed to be having a good time which I am certainly not opposed to. I thought the singer was way over-the-top for their sound. I understand being an engaging front man is necessary, but is there a point when you are about 18 levels past the other guys in the band energy wise where it just seems weird? Yes, there is. CtE has totally conquered it too.
The Young Republic
SK: The Young Republic was one of the bands I was looking forward to seeing. I’d seen some video from them and heard a lot of folks mention just how they were some nice folks playing good tunes. That seemed to be very true. The lead singer had a swagger that was at once a little out of place with their sound and at the same time seemed to legitimize them as more than just a Twee-ish Nashville pop band. Their songs were gorgeous and mature in a way that I wasn’t expecting. I don’t remember any song titles or anything, but I remember all of the songs being really well written. I hope to see them again in a more personal setting.
DJ Amtrak
SK: I was a little surprised that The Ocean Stage was not better attended, and I didn’t know anything about Amtrak, but what I do know is that I walked down to the stage for the first time as he segued from some dancy party freak out jams into a mashup containing “Everything In Its Right Place” and it was one of the most disarmingly legitimate DJ moves I’ve ever heard. This is highly due to the fact that “Everything” is such a ridiculously good song, but in Amtrak’s hands he made a believer out of me.
CJ: There’s not a whole lot more I can say that Scott hasn’t already said. The moment Amtrak’s mix segued into Radiohead’s “Everything In It’s Right Place”, my first thought was “that was the best musical transition I have ever heard”. When I got home from the festival later that evening, I jumped directly on myspace to see if Amtrak was a local act. Thankfully he is.
The Whigs
SK: I would have really loved to see this band on the smaller, more intimate East Stage. The Whigs are a no-holds barred rock and roll trio with out any of the flash that most bands seem to think is so necessary. Their songs were really solid, but seeing a band playing to a fairly empty field of casual onlookers always seems to take the sparkle out of it. The bass player had some tasty licks which was fun, but overall I feel like they were victims of their environment.
Bad Veins
H: Cincinatti’s Bad Veins sported equipment that you trip over in your parents basement — a reel to reel player and rotary phone. But, the two piece sounds anything but antiquated. Deftly treading the line between Interpol & the Butthole Surfers, Bad Veins brought a force of blues-inspired indie rock. For only having two folks, you were never left wanting more. And though the technology may have been a couple years behind, it accentuated the sound perfectly. The phone made singer Ben Davis’s voice more melodic drawing us all into the sprawling anthem sounds of their tunes.
SK: I was expecting there to be a few bands that surprised me for better or worse and this was definitely one of the top ones. People had told me that they sounded a little like Coldplay and Snow Patrol which left me a little less curious than before, but let me set the record straight. Bad Veins is fantastic and completely wonderful. Of all the two-man bands out there, they just might be the most interesting with their brand of homemade-indie-rock and their melodies were so strong that I don’t think I’ll ever stop singing them. All stage-props aside (which were awesome), the band writes some incredible songs and is most likely going to be your favorite band once their new album drops. (Side note: right before they played The Lion’s Rampant, also from Cinci, totally killed as they tore through 30 minutes of sweaty, blues-y, slurred rock n roll. The blonde haired lead singer screeched and screamed through the set and made me a little afraid of rock n roll. Folks, this is a good thing.)
Zappa Plays Zappa
JF: Though I didn’t get to catch too much of this year’s Forecastle, I stopped by the waterfront just in time to catch a little of Zappa Plays Zappa. I do not know much of Zappa’s music, but I had a good time listening to the set. However, the man pictured above apparently did not like the singer. That bird of his was flying for a solid 15 minutes before the singer caught sight of it. Some speechless banter went back and forth between them, and it continued to soar for almost half of the set.
Jesse Jamz
SK: Again, I don’t know what the deal was, but it was a shame that more people didn’t rock out to the Ocean Stage as some of the best DJs from anywhere were slinging stacks of tracks on wax. I caught the last half of Jesse Jamz’s set and got just what I was hoping for: beats piled high and some of the hottest remixes around.
Hackensaw Boys
H: THE HACKENSAW BOYS!!!!!!!
Pretty Lights
JF: You’re right, that picture of Pretty Lights looks like crap. But hey, it’s hard to take a decent picture when there are hundreds of people around you dancing like there’s no tomorrow. Fortunately, there was a tomorrow, so I am able to write about how great Pretty Lights were. I had heard great things about them from a friend that saw them at Bonnaroo, so I looked forward to seeing them. They did not disappoint in the least. It was a non-stop party as soon as they hit the stage. I think they played over the hour that was allotted to them, but nobody cared, we were all too busy dancing.
The Black Keys
H: Closing the night on Friday was Akron, OH’s Black Keys. The West Stage was slammed letting Dan and Pat work us as they would. As much as I like the Black Keys, there was something underwhelming about the live show. I’m not one of those that denigrates the Keys for sounding like the White Stripes. And frankly, if you are one of those people, get a life. They sound nothing alike other than the similar instrumentation. What caught me more about the Keys performance was how everything sound rather similar. Bombastic opening down to pianissimo and then blowing back up. Nothing against Dan and Pats obvious musical prowess, but I do wonder in a live setting — particularly a festival setting — what the Keys can do to connect with the throngs that turn out. Unfortuntely, the answer on Friday was not much. Both seemed pinned behind their instruments, letting the music do the work, but at a festival, you’ve got to go a little further than that. I wish the Keys had gone further and tried to approach us as well as rock us.
SK: I’ve seen the Black Keys a few times, and it never ceases to amaze me how well their minimalist approach works on such a large scale. With just 2 dudes on stage playing for (literally) thousands of people crammed onto The Belvedere clamoring for a decent view, they gave the crowd what it came for. I have an attention span problem at festivals, which wasn’t helped by the fact that they played my favorite 4 songs for their first 4 songs. I am actually thankful for that because I couldn’t stay for the whole set. Kudos to the dudes for opening with “Thickfreakness” which just slays me every time. I love their stuff, but after awhile, it can start to sound a littly samey. Oh well, they came and rocked and everyone loved it (except for maybe the unconscious girl that was dragged out of the pit by 4 dudes….and Hank).
Other notable stuff from Day 1: Jason Isbell was amazing as always despite several sound issues. He just might be one of my favorite songwriters of recent years and he capped it all off with crowd-pleasing “Outfit” as his last song of the night. I was amazed how many people showed up to see him despite The Black Keys playing, but he killed it. Seems like his transition out of DBT will bode well for him./Pretty Lights were….pretty./The lamb gyro I had was delicious and well worth the 6 tickets I had to throw down on it. Word to Forecastle: Ticket system is so lame./Elmwood=DMB Lite or DMB Zero (you take your pick).
AFTERPARTY on Belle of Louisville with Designer Drugs, Kid Color & Jesse Jamz
Walden Theatre’s having it’s first annual family picnic this friday. You don’t have to be involved to stop by, though. In the tradition of big family style Catholic picnics, Walden’s gonna have a bunch of games prizes and since I said Catholic, that means there’ll be booze too.
There’s some cool music related stuff going up for bids including signed photos of Neko Case, Zooey Deschanel, and a guitar autographed by Willie Nelson. So far as we can tell, there’s no extras inside the guitar. It’s free to go and starts at 5 pm ending at 9 pm.
Walden Theatre, 1123 Payne St.
5 – 9 pm
Parking is available on Payne St., Hull St., and behind the 501 building.
Come out and support your local theatre conservatory for youth!
The second part of a trifecta of the female, country-inspired, chanteuses’s came through Louisville on Monday (The first being Jolie Holland and final being Neko Case).
Opening for Lewis were Ohio-based The Heartless Bastards. Lead by gold Les Paul weilding Erika Wennerstrom, the Heartless Bastards played a slaying Southern rock set. “The Mountain” the title track off their lastest release was a slide guitarists wet dream. Providing a gilmpse into how the Bastards were carving out a fan-crazed niche in contemporary music. In the 90s, this band would have been lumped in with the glut of alt-country acts. But, listening to the Bastards live, you can hear how they expand the sound. Turning the uber-masculinity (even if somewhat sensative in Ryan Adam’s case) of alt country on it’s head, The Heartless Bastards use it as a stepping stone toward something unique. The slide guitar in “The Mountain” wasn’t accompanying the band. It was leading it — aching out rhythm and punctuation rather than soaring over. Wennerstrom’s voice — not the angelic Emmy Lou Harris-insipired sound of many country-inspired groups — was a bleeding ulcer of emotive yawlp. It was a blue collar party atmosphere to say the least. And the Bastards played with the seasoned assult of a great touring band. No note was frivilous or fouled up. Instead we were all driven home by the onslaught, so unrelenting that the Bastards immediately jumped up there with acts like The Black Keys as one of the best blue-collar, bluesy, indie rock groups out there today. Lead by Wennerstrom’s bashing and vocal bellow, we can expect to hear more from those bastards very soon.
Jenny Lewis knew we were all looking at her. The dashing indie superstar pranced on to the stage in an 80s Raiders tee, short cut mom shorts and fishnets. Through the opening song – a blistering rendition of Acid Tongue standout “See Fernando,” Lewis worked her near-mythic sexuality to its peak. Teasing and tormenting the audience, yes, the same people who would later be yelling “I love you” as a cacophonous pitch, the same group that included some guy with a bad mullett bringing flowers to the stage, the same crowd where one guy threw his shorts on stage. If there is an indie rock equivalent of flashing Axl, it’s throwing your shorts at Jenny Lewis.
Ordinarily, I’d shy away from such obviously superficial remarks about a singer at a show. But, let’s face it, this is JENNY LEWIS. Indie rock doesn’t really have a lot of good looking heroes. I mean, we worship Elliott Smith, for chrissake. Lewis’s looks aren’t a novelty, but they’re definatly something that we have to confront not matter how many times we may look at our friends and say, “no really, it’s all about the music.” And in one of the most brilliant moments of the show, you could tell how much Lewis knew that there were a bunch of people staring at her. Flirtatiously drining a Negro Modello, winking, rocking her hips, it was a kind of indie rock femme fatale — watching us watch her. Performing how we thought we were wanting to see her, and then mocking it at the same time. Because, in the end, it was about the show. And the hyper romantic (or hopeful romantic) gestures were ultimately shrugged off with Lewis, who mouthed “Oh Shit” as the bouquet of flowers advanced on the stage. You could tell she wasn’t here to be looked at. She was here to play.
And play she did. It was a short set, barely over an hour, running through a handful of songs from her record with Louisville’s The Watson Twins (not in attendance) and the aforementioned Acid Tongue as well as a gorgeous cover of George Harrison’s “Handle with Care.” Despite the obvious awareness that she was the main attraction, Lewis’s deeds made it clear that she wasn’t hogging the spotlight. Letting the band jam through both at the close of the set and then during the encore. Lewis was really working her band. If you haven’t heard Acid Tongue, and I hadn’t until Monday, it’s worth a listen, but unless you’re a hardcore fan, you may only come up with a few tracks that make your daily iTunes rotation. Live is a different story. What’s immediately different is the addition of a Jane-of-all-trades (whose name I can’t find) who spent most of the show banging away at one percussive instrument or another (when she wasn’t laying down sick guitar solos). If Rabbit Fur Coat is an atmospheric theology wondering, then Acid Tongue is a nostalgic hymn to psychedelia and past exploits. I don’t know much of Lewis’s past, but something in this show struck a chord with a previous Cat Power show I had seen. Both seemed to say: “I’m here. I’m clean now.” The dionysian revelry wasn’t quelled, but was contained. The mark of a group hedging their bets or more interested in playing than partying. Either way, Lewis and company sounded pretty damn good. “The Next Messiah,” which seems to crawl a bit on the record, became a funk jam in the middle. And “Jack Killed Mom” wasn’t as much a folk song as it was an ecastic choral tune treading that old jealous trail.
The Heartless Bastards really impressed. But, Lewis held her ground, churning out great live tracks that (even if you were there just to see her) made her look great.
More pics and video below the break…
Who doesn’t love a band with a guy named “Critter?” In a seeming attempt to make me stay in Louisville, Old Crow Medicine Show has booked a show at Waterfront Park on August 12. Not just any show, this one features a lineup of some of the best Americana groups working today: Dave Rawlings Machine (f/t Gillian Welch), The Felice Brothers and Justin Townes Earle. That’ll be out August 18.
Not only that, but the boys are going to put out their first live album Live at the Orange Peel and Tennessee Theatre. That’ll be out August 18.
Here’s a taste:
Fine, Old Crow, I relent. I’ll stay another day, just to see ya.
