I say new, you say stuff! New! Stuff! New! Stuff!

New stuff is a-brewin’ here at A Show A Week.  In summary, the page you’re currently on will no longer be updated, and while the new ASAW is under construction I’ll be posting updates to ashowaweek.com.  Please stay tuned for new and awesome things, or follow me on Twitter for updates.

Thank you kindly,

Chris

9/2: Melting Point @ Cafe Steinhof

Cafe Steinhof is a bar/restaurant on 7th Avenue in Park Slope that provides “Austrian comfort food,” whatever the hell that means.  I had been there once before for a late-night visit which involved, as far as I can remember, apple pie and a strobe light.  But I knew they occasionally had bands so on Wednesday afternoon I checked and there was a bluegrass band playing!  Unexpected bluegrass is my favorite kind of bluegrass, so I went.

I arrived completely unfamiliar with the band and, based on the myspace page I just looked at, Melting Point typically rolls a deuce deeper than the two gentlemen there that evening.  They consisted of an acoustic guitar and an upright bass and played well enough together to make up for the lack of other instruments that generally make up a bluegrass band.  The bassist in particular was tremendously talented and played bluegrass bass lines the way they should be played, not just hanging out at Root and 5th.

Only three people besides myself were paying close attention to Melting Point:  the bartender, a seasoned enthusiast at the front and the guy next to me at the bar, also sipping on Irish comfort food.  But the guys in the band didn’t give a shit:  they were having a gay old time, playing old time music.  Background or foreground, it’s not bad music to stumble upon, and Melting Point is going to play it and enjoy doing so whether you like it or not.

Next up:  chances are good I’ll go say hello to Mike Gordon at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday, 9/8.

8/26: Surprise Me Mr. Davis/The Low Anthem @ The Bell House

I first heard of The Low Anthem when Bob Boilen named “Charlie Darwin” one of his favorite songs of the year so far.  The rest of their second album, “Oh My God, Charlie Darwin” deserves significant praise as well, and I’ve barely strayed from it since early July.  I was moderately familiar with their catalog and knew nothing about the live show, except that there were three of them, and at one time there was a fourth that wrote one of the songs they played.

The Low Anthem started, well, low, with slow, rich songs that captivated the audience.  Seeing a person or band render an audience absolutely silent and attentive is rare and beautiful.  The most notable instance for me was Iron and Wine at Webster Hall, which further solidified my infatuation with that band.  Another time!

One of the things I admire about The Low Anthem’s live show is that it is sort of messy, but passionate.  A few of the songs had ragged, loose endings, but throughout the set they played with such intensity and feeling that the flubs were easily acceptable.  At one point, the primary voice in the band took out and opened his cell phone and, I thought at the time, was checking for messages.  He walked over to a bag by the keys and took out and opened another cell phone, then started whistling and went back to the microphone.  He had called the other cell phone and whistled into them, which created an eerie, choppy, reverberating effect that I had never seen nor heard.

The Low Anthem have a thin but full sound and arm themselves with the means to reproduce necessary elements on demand.  They made heavy use of what looked to be small cymbals and a bow, not unlike running your finger along the edge of a glass.  The drummer played with maracas on a song or two.

Bands that can put together a solid album with many layers and can nearly replicate it in a live setting without the help of prerecorded tracks are of an unfortunate yet delicious minority, especially here in Brooklyn.  The Low Anthem is my favorite type of band, and they have the songwriting to support themselves.  I fucking loved this show.

The Low Anthem opened for Surprise Me Mr. Davis with Marco Benevento, who put on a restrained show.  By that I mean every single member of this band is a phenomenal musician in his own right, but the songs they choose to play fall in that boring purgatory between jam bands and indie rock (henceforth known as “jindie brock”), along with bands like Wilco and moe.

At times, Surprise Me Mr. Davis took full and righteous advantage of the songs that left room for improvisation.  In the first song that called for a keys solo, Marco Benevento tore it the fuck up.  During an instrumental break in the fourth song, the members of the Slip provided one of the highlights of the night.  This band will never play a bad show, I’m just in the unfortunate position of knowing what they can do and wondering why they don’t.  They’re definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re into the jindie brock scene, but I don’t know that I’d venture further than the Bell House to see them again.

Some pictures from the show below.  Next up:  figuring that out sounds like a good Monday morning breakfast activity.

8/22: Pre-War Ponies @ Barbes

The Pre-War Ponies play an old-timey jazz-swingy style of music that is perfect for Barbes.  Daria Grace has a beautiful voice and surrounds herself with talented players that complement her style wonderfully.  The piano player provided a  hot ragtime injection and the guitar player responded ably to every call for a solo.  They opened with “Give Me the Moon Over Brooklyn,” which I found myself singing [terribly] on my way home tonight, and continued to play songs in the same style that I did not recognize, but thoroughly enjoyed.

The Pre-War Ponies are an excellent choice for the early weekend show at Barbes, and I hope they keep playing there.  I wouldn’t mind running into them again.

Next up:  Surprise Me Mr. Davis w/ Marco Benevento with The Low Anthem @ the Bell House tomorrow (today), 8/26.

8/15: Phish @ Merriweather Post Pavilion

The span between this show at Merriweather and my last show before that at Coventry is five years to the day.  The night before Merriweather they put together at Hampton an incredible setlist on paper and, as I’m told, in person.  I got pavilion seats through the lottery, right next to the tapers and the sound booth, so the sound was guaranteed to be more or less the best in the venue.  I have been listening to shows occasionally during the tour and they’ve been playing extremely well, especially Page.  They walked on the stage and the place erupted, with my help.  I used to love that band, and here they were, about to melt my face again.

After some discussion on stage, apparently initiated by Trey, they opened with “Crowd Control,” a song off Undermind.  He may have been alluding to the fact that the place was overly crowded, which it most certainly was, but Crowd Control is a remarkably shitty choice for the first song nonetheless, and a rather subpar song to begin with.  They redeemed the second song choice – Kill Devil Falls – with the third – Sloth- before gracelessly tripping into Beauty of a Broken Heart.

At this point, I considered:  “Maybe I don’t like Phish anymore.”  Sloth was good and Kill Devil Falls has a lot of potential, but there was nothing saving the opening of that set.  As it went on though, I realized that it wasn’t the playing that night at all; the song selection was fucking atrocious. Everything was either brand-spankin’ new or old and rare, and not much in between.  Check it:

Set I:  Crowd Control, Kill Devil Falls, Sloth, Beauty of a Broken Heart, Axilla I, Foam, Esther, Ha Ha Ha, Party Time, Tube, Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan, Strange Design, Time Turns Elastic

Set II: Tweezer > Taste, Alaska, Let Me Lie, 46 Days, Oh! Sweet Nuthin’, Harry Hood

E:  Good Times Bad Times, Tweezer Reprise

They fell into a couple of noticeable grooves that reminded me of why I started seeing Phish in the first place:  Axilla I was on fire, Esther and Ha Ha Ha were appreciated by the old heads, Party Time is a new and mighty fun one that will see a lot of playing time, and Trey played Tube because that’s what he thought people were saying.  Oh! Sweet Nuthin’ is a gorgeous song, as is Strange Design, an absolute fucking gem.  And the crowd loved Good Times Bad Times.

But the song selection kept them from finding that steady current that carries a good show from open to close.  Alaska is a solid song, but following it with Let Me Lie is simply not the right decision.  Strange Design should have ended set I, not Time Turns Elastic, which just sent everyone into the bathrooms early and into the setbreak wondering why they were playing so many new ones.  Set II started and ended well, but the momentum was completely lost in the middle.

I dwell on the song selection because it really is the only downside of this show .  Each member of Phish is playing phenomenally, given the time apart from each other and the intense pressure of coming back to a phantatic crowd (yes, I did that) and, most importantly, they’re having fun.  A Phish show is often spectacular, sometimes mediocre, rarely regrettable.  I will continue to see this band for as long as they play together, just like last time.

8/12: Yeasayer @ Pier 54

I haven’t forgiven New York for closing McCarren Pool.  And by “closing” I do mean “opening.”  It was my favorite summertime activity and, consequently, one of my favorite things about living out here.  The peoplewatching was exquisite and it rarely felt overcrowded because there was so much fucking room.  But it had an intimate feel at the same time, in that you felt like you were a part of something.  It pulled fantastic acts for both free and paid shows, and it makes me sad to think about the place not being there anymore.

In comparison, Pier 54 sucks, which isn’t really much of a surprise.  It’s not the worst place I’ve ever been (I’m looking at you, Pianos) but it could certainly improve the sound, layout, location and beverage selection.  Regardless, a free Yeasayer show couldn’t be a bad thing unless, of course, they’re playing you-know-where.

All Hour Cymbals is a goddamn beautiful record from start to finish, which is a rare feat nowadays.  Because of that alone, I consider Yeasayer among the top of the indie cream of the music crop.  They opened with a couple of songs I didn’t recognize, then “Tightrope” off the Dark Was the Night album, then “Wait for the Summer,” which is one of the better songs off All Hour Cymbals.  I believe it was during this song that I heard an acoustic guitar being played, but didn’t see one.  And in the next song, I heard but did not witness hands clapping.

The unnecessary sampling bothered me slightly, but if that’s what they need to do in order to achieve the sound captured on their aforementioned record, then so be it.  It’s what produced 2080, one of my favorite songs of the past few years, which they of course played that night.  After 2080 they went into Red Cave, a song that goes a long way towards displaying their collective musical mastery, and ended the show after Sunrise and Forgiveness, all from All Hour Cymbals.

Yeasayer is not an outdoor band, and Pier 54 is not much of an outdoor venue.  But Yeasayer has a cache of impressive songs on which they can rely to significantly improve such a situation.  I enjoyed the show, but probably wouldn’t see them outside again.

8/6: The Big Surprise Tour @ The Beacon

I don’t often get good seats for shows.  I’m either in the back because I showed up late, in the back because I’m tall and don’t like standing in front of people shorter than me, or in the back because I bought tickets long after the on-sale date.

Mary was going to be out of town on the 6th, so I checked to see what tickets were still available for a stag like myself, knowing there were decent pairs of seats available not too long ago.  Exactly one week before the show I got front row, slightly off to the left.  That kind of shit never happens to me.  Especially in New York.

Holy crap! You people are behind me?

I unfortunately missed Justin Townes Earle and the first couple of songs from The Felice Brothers.  I came in during their set, forgetting that The Felice Brothers were playing.  I own “Tonight at the Arizona,” which is a wonderful album and, consequently, was given to me at some point, but that’s all that I knew of them.  The band onstage when I sat down were all wearing Yankee shirts and were enormously popular.  I couldn’t believe how many people in the audience knew their songs.  I thought they were some random local band and, as it turns out, that’s not entirely untrue.  Their songs are mighty catchy and they’ve got a soulful, authentic sound.  Towards the end of the show I got the impression that they tend to be a tad overzealous, dancing around on stage and trying so hard to rock it Americana-like.   That being said, this band is awesome.  They command the crowd and write fantastically catchy songs.  You should absolutely check them out if only because, for the time being, they’re still playing relatively small places and are fascinating to watch.

The Felice Brothers ended with all musicians from the evening on stage playing some song I didn’t write down because I was stoned and it was mesmerizing.  After the set break, the Dave Rawlings Machine (featuring Gillian Welch) effectively BLEW MY MIND.  I hadn’t heard of Dave Rawlings before I bought the ticket and it ends up being this fucking guy:

So they come on stage, open with I Hear Them All (one of my favorite Old Crow Medicine Show songs, which he co-wrote) go into This Land is Your Land, then back into I Hear Them All!  What the shit!  They play Queen Jane Approximately exquisitely and ultimately put on the best show of the night.  If you get a chance to see the Dave Rawlings machine, especially with Ms. Welch, please for the love of Christ get a ticket.

There was no setbreak before Old Crow Medicine Show, which inevitably turned into a hoedown of sorts.  I had seen OCMS once before, at Webster Hall, and it sucked my asshole.  It was uncomfortably full of douchebags which, I came to find out, was apparently not a fluke.  But the real problem is that I thoroughly enjoy their music.  It’s a polished, made-for-CMT style of bluegrass that, while it can certainly be annoying, is still rife with rich harmonies and grade A fucking chops.  These people are professionals and if you can get the chance to see them at place that isn’t a complete Hell on Earth, you will be impressed.

I had a goddamn great time at that show.  Every band was supremely talented and although the evening’s general musical stylings were relatively constant, the bands were different enough to keep it interesting throughout.  Having one of the best seats in the house certainly didn’t hurt either.

More pictures here.  And, of course, congratulations to John and Dana, my friends on the lower balcony that got engaged during the show.

Next up:  Free Yeasayer show at Pier 54 in Manhattan on Thursday the 13th, then it’s down to Maryland on Saturday for my first Phish show since Coventry.  Hot damn.

7/31: Mekons @ The Bell House

You know what?  Twitter’s not bad.

I follow the Bell House (@UHBHNY) on Twitter because, as I’ve mentioned before, I adore that place.  It’s rarely packed, they have a killer happy hour and, when that’s done, you can find Dale’s Pale Ale in the back with the music.  I cannot say enough good things about this place.  And, if I may ice this red velvet establishment, it is mere blocks from my house.

So last Friday, The Bell House announces via Twitter that the first person to answer a particular question correctly would win free tickets to that night’s show:  The Mekons.  I was going to The Bell House for happy hour anyway, so my show that night was a toss-up between this and the show at Union Hall (the previous show that week didn’t really count).  I was leaning towards Bell House, partially because I’d be there anyway, partially because I have no interest in Union Hall on a Friday at 10pm.

So when the question came (What band sprouted from the same University of Leeds class as the Mekons?) I did a quick Google search and responded with the correct answer (Gang of Four).  Lo and behold, I was the first and won tickets to the Mekons show.  And that’s the story of how Twitter became profitable for Chris Hadley.

The place was packed and the Mekons were quite good.  I knew nothing about their music, but found myself interested in getting acquainted with it.  They played old punk songs semi-acoustically, which I would assume helped to make these old numbers rather different and a little more fun for these folks.  They had a ton of energy and the crowd was full of serious Mekons fans, making me wonder what I had been missing.  I’m not sure I’d even heard of this band before last week.  So I’ll look into more music from the Mekons and see what their deal is, historically.

And you should get all up on Twitter and follow me (@ashowaweek) and The Bell House (@UHBHNY) and all kinds of other people.  You’ll know shit sooner, I promise.

Next up:  Got a single seat in the first motherfucking row tomorrow night for the Big Surprise Tour at the Beacon.  I’ll tell Gillian Welch you said hello.

[UPDATE:  Download the Mekons at Mercury Lounge 8/1 from nyctaper here.]

7/23: Suckers @ Pianos

The first time I saw Suckers was some time last year at the Mercury Lounge, opening for some band I can’t remember.  My wife knows them and friends of theirs, and she had been raving about them for some time.  Also, this is the first time I have referred to “my wife” in print.  Suckers impressed me then, partially because they’re simply talented, and partially because they were playing to a half-empty house but still rocking like they were playing Roseland.  They’ve recently gotten some good press, had a song featured on NPR, played Prospect Park and a Diesel store, of all places.   I needed a show last week and saw that they were in the midst of a residency at Pianos, so Mary and I went.  For the short time we were there, they again impressed me with their energy and, as a new addition, their decent light show.

Let the record show that I will never again see a live show at Pianos.  When I saw “Pianos,” I thought “Cake Shop,” and thought it would be okay.  I was disappointed to find that Pianos was the bar that helped ruin Passion Pit for me.  The front of the bar is full of relatively attractive assholes, and if you can sneak by the people that would rather not let you by, you can make it to the back room that will inevitably be bursting at the rafters.  I fully understand the desire to have a packed house at a rock show, but they let about 30 more people back there than they should, to the point that people are filling up the small hallway that leads back out to the bar.  I brought my new camera with the intent of adding photos to this here weblog, but it was too crowded to get it out of my bag, let alone get up to the front so I could get a decent shot and so Mary could say hi to her friends.

Not only is the place crowded, the crowd responsible for the adjective generally sucks.  The girl standing in front of me leaned against me and said to her date, while the band was playing, “I have a funny story….”  Who the fuck offers to tell a funny story while a band is in the middle of a song?  To the date’s credit, he did look mildly annoyed.

"The problem with Pianos is that it's full of people that go to Pianos."

If it was just the crowd, I could honestly deal with it.  I do live in New York and work in midtown, after all.  But the sound is subpar and getting to the bar for a drink is an adventure in itself.  I can say with full confidence that there is little to no reason to go to Pianos ever again.  And it’s a shame too because Suckers is a good band, and Pianos will probably have more good bands.  Just wait for Suckers to play a place like the Bowery Ballroom – which they will – before you check them out – which you should.

Ah, it’s good to be back in the thing of swings.  Next up:  Robbie Fulks & Jenny Scheinman, 7/28 at Barbes.

Update

Hi folks. While I haven’t given up on seeing shows, I have had to abandon writing about them due to a fucking insane schedule. I more or less lost the month of May due to a project at work, and I’m getting married a week from Friday. Holy crap.

After I get back from my honeymoon, I’ll have plenty of free time on my hands and will be able to get back into writing and will give this here blog some much needed attention. For now, you can find out what I’m listening to and where I’m listening to it on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ashowaweek/

See you soon.