Saw them this evening, November 29th, 2009.
Set list
Camera Talk
World News
Warning Sign
Airplanes
Wide Eyes
Shapeshifter
Who Knows, Who Cares
Sun Hands +jam
another energetic, uplifting live performance from the-next-big-thing (in Indie) err..not next to me of course considering I've loved them for nearly 3 years to the day/week as it was December'06 or January'07, I forget, when I was 1st introduced to the band, then known as Cavil at Rest.
Sun Hands is such a winner live. It absolutely kills every-time. Honest-to-god, they might be good to open with that track every show. I told Matt, their drummer, if they ever release a live album/dvd that has got to be on it.
And maybe most satisfying about this show, I am pretty certain, I was right. A lot of people had never heard them before and now dig them. Hopefully memories won't be short and come February, when they mentioned Gorilla Manor should drop in the US, those folks will remember and hound 89.3 to play them. And to be honest, they could play any number of songs off GM. If I picked one, I might suggest "World News"..the vocal-harmonies are just such a great representation about what they are about, a ton more people can and will enjoy them just for the vocal-harmonies on that track.
Interesting in talking with the band after the show and showing them my copy of "Gorilla Manor" they-had-not-seen-it yet in fact, lol. I felt so privileged yet embarrassed in a way. The special pre-order from Rough Trade
edit: for what it actually is worth, Gorilla Manor is their "album-of-the-month" lol. Very cool!
The Varsity Theater: this show sold out. Mainly because "Home" by Edward Sharpe is being played seemingly every hour on 89.3. But they removed most of the couches and risers that they place them on on the sides of the floor. I still love/prefer The Varsity Theater to any other venue, at least for Rock music in Minneapolis and St.Paul. But without the couches, it's a little different. I guess they changed the set-up to fit more people, which is understand-able, but still unfortunate for some people who really enjoy having them there to sit on. I stood for Local Natives, which was only about 45 minute set. But Fool's Gold and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros I certainly would have preferred to watch from the couches/chairs, assuming I'd be able to see the stage okay.
The one thing to look forward to, even with that kind of arrangement in the future, being the construction/expansion they are doing on the 2nd level. It appears they'll be adding actual General-Admission seating up there soon. That should add to the capacity and add more seated options. So, it's a matter of the next time I'm there, which I'm not clear on at this point. It could be in a few weeks, it may not be until next Summer. But hopefully the similar if not expanded seating will be available at that time.
A few words about Fool's Gold and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. I'm happy LN's got to open for such a buzzed-about band. But honestly, Edward Sharpe's music really doesn't do all that much for me. They did "Home" at least, which does admittedly, have a very catchy chorus with the whistling. But even when the 2 Minnesotan female string-players joined them onstage, their music didn't really get much more interesting. The Folky/Americana style just only goes so far for me. Ya got a whole bevvy of players on stage, and the overall result ends up sounding stripped-down.
Fool's Gold were fun for a little while, but the African-funky jam combination is not something I find enjoyable in large doses. The song "Poseidon" I think it was, with the lead-flute, I will grant them had them kind of going into progressive rock territory. But overall, most of the music had a samey-ness to it, even tho I enjoy percussive stuff. If I saw them play at Fest or CON they may have done more for me. Perhaps the same fate would have found the likes of Bat For Lashes and especially BLK JKS who I wanted-to-see earlier this year but missed.
just a few small notes to add.
1st off, my Grandpa, "Papa Dave" passed away over the weekend. In short, it had been coming, I suppose more-so in the last few weeks. Why this is relevant on this blog? mainly due to what I meant to be doing, and what I will do with this. Which leads me to my next point.
2nd) I am trying-to and likely will be doing some podcasts soon. Limited though, as I'm not interested in shamelessly plugging them on the podcast networks or other spots (at this point).
3rd) Lists. They are coming, and I meant to work more on them this weekend. But somehow my activities shifted to dvr-clearing and talking-on-the-phone with a certain female. Along with just reflecting about my life and experiences with my family, my Grandfather and Grandmother namely. So, like many, my mind has been pre-occupied with things, thus not as consumed by others. Especially on a long holiday weekend like this was.
But it is that time of the year, and certainly my lists will find their way in here soon enough. 2009 Albums Index, 2000-2009 Albums Index, and I will publish some kind of 2000-2009 Movies and TV Indexes. And I suppose like last year, a Feb 2009-Feb 2010 Movie Index as well. Scary thing is, the Albums one's I'm not all that excited to compile, at least compared to the movies and tv ones.
some other notes to be added in the next entry...
