As the year comes to a close, the inevitable parade of best-of lists are littering blogs, magazine articles and the life pages of newspapers. Some of it is intelligent, most of it is there to fill content in between ads begging consumers to fork over the last of their 401K savings for a new camera of perfume.

I’ve always greeted these types of lists with a degree of cynicism and doubt. They are never really best-of lists from the year, but rather a collection of the best music the writer/journalist has presumably heard in the 11.5 months (remember, these lists are written early).

Inevitably, this means things are missed, gems are forgotten and soon arguments break out in a bar because someone can’t understand how Coldplay’s alleged plagiarism-ridden “Viva la vida” scored lower than TV on the Radio’s “Dear Science”…or vice versa.

There’s a pretentious music fan war going on out there and while I’m a big fan of public conflict, I don’t nearly have enough whiskey in me to contribute extra wood to the fire of aural discontent, especially in a year with such a good-time feeling thanks to the first presidential election where I felt something real.

Instead, this is a short account of the best concert of my year. Not yours or the fat guy in the corner chowing down on a hotdog (dude, two words: eat less…and bathe).

For me, the concert of the year wasn’t at an indie rock club listening to band employ a violin bow to play a guitar or a summer hip-hop festival where a combination of breakdancing and drug use took the day over.

No, the show of the year for me was in Preservation Hall in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans. There, in a non-air conditioned room with minimal seating and no mics, I experienced unbridled, concert joy.

It was jazz as it was meant to be with jubilant players, a larger-than-life dude on the drums and a lanky keyboard player who looked like he had been jamming the same song for his entire life and a saxophone player seemingly smiling and playing all at once.

The lead singer, hardly caring his voice failed to rise above the power from the trombone and drums, closed his eyes and sang traditional jazz songs like “Down by the Riverside” as if the small music space was a church and he was speaking to the congregation.

In many ways he was.

Next to him was the lone white girl, handling the trombone and looking like she just got off of work at the local corporate retail store. And yet she fit in, somehow.

Something was different with this show. I didn’t feel part of the product, the endless aim of the industry to get people to talk about the next undiscovered band. I simply enjoyed, breathed it in and was grateful when they played “Saints” towards the end.

Different is not necessarily good. Talent always trumps everything else and in these financially meager times, a more toward quality over flashy may be for the best.

But this is why we go to shows, why we trudge through lame opening acts and and pay over-priced beer. We are all addicts for a drug we rarely get. And when that moment comes, it makes all the latenights and weird mornings worth it.

*Photo from Brooklyn Vegan

Since most of my favorite singers/bands hit their peak before I was even born, Ben Kweller is the only artist that I have followed throughout his solo career. I was introduced to his music in college, shortly after the release of his debut album, Sha Sha, and have been hooked ever since. Last night was my seventh time seeing Ben Kweller live (in my defense, 3 of those were part of a 3 albums in 3 night series), more times than I have seen any artist. On Sunday night, he played the second of two nights at Terminal 5 as the opener for Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band.

I’ve heard a lot about Conor Oberst. I’ve heard a few Bright Eyes songs. I always meant to listen to more of his stuff, but for some reason, I never got around to it. I thought about seeking out some of his music before the concert, but decided to go in with a blank slate and see how that experience compared to seeing an artist I was already so familiar with.

When I arrived, shortly after the first opener Rig 1 started its set, the large three-level venue was filling up fast with a diverse crowd of all ages. There were even some parents with their teenagers, in the middle of the crowd on the floor no less. I’m still not sure what the deal is with Rig 1, whose music sounded like bad rap from the ’90s. I thought maybe it was a joke or I was at the wrong show. There were some boos, but at least two people in the audience seemed to enjoy the band, or they were just being polite. I’m sure there are talented bands in New York that would be more appealing to Ben Kweller and Conor Oberst fans.

Kweller’s set was pretty short, only 11 songs, but I guess I’m not used to seeing him as an opener. He played mostly new songs, which I assume will be on his new album, Changing Horses, and a few from each of his three albums, but he didn’t play most of his usual crowd-pleasers, like “Wasted and Ready.” He also didn’t speak as much as usual, never introducing the new songs or mentioning his new album, but he put his all into his playing, as he always does. His new songs have more of a country/bluegrass feel, and I prefer his more whimsical pop tunes, but I’ve heard him play all his other stuff, so it was exciting to hear something new.

I felt a little bit like an outsider during Oberst’s set. Maybe I didn’t deserve to be there, since I couldn’t sing along or scream when a favorite song came on (although this one woman was screaming inappropriately in random places during each song, really unnecessary). But then I guess I had an advantage. This may sound obvious, but you can only hear a song for the first time once, and I got to experience that over and over again throughout the night. Although, it’s a little easier to take in a new song from the comfort of my home where I can pay close attention to the lyrics and music than in a loud concert hall.

I think for the future, I’ll stick to doing my research ahead of time. I had little idea from which of his projects each song came from. The song that most stuck out in my mind was “NYC–Gone, Gone,” which I have since found out is from his recent self-titled album, just because it was the most upbeat and got the audience dancing. Oberst has a compelling stage presence and I dug his black hat, though it covered his eyes. I would definitely check out more of his music, but I don’t think he’s going to be my new Ben Kweller.

During the encore, Oberst brought his good friend Kweller back onstage, as I was hoping he would. I was wondering if they would sing an Oberst song a Kweller song, or maybe one of each, but instead they sang a song I know and love, Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome.” Finally, I was able to sing along with Conor Oberst.

“Love is Complicated,” TV on the Radio band member Kyp Malone told a sold-out crowd at the Wilbur Tuesday night.

Malone was talking about how outside of their concerts, Bostonians are assholes – but the band loves us anyway. Speaking as, I guess, one of the assholes, I should say our love is mutual, Kyp.

Honestly. With “Dear Science,” TVotR’s third sternum-thumping soul-shredding powerhouse album, still ringing in my ears, the Monday night concert felt less like a concert and more like a proposal.

I went into the concert eager for some kind, any kind, of release. I started listening to “Dear Science” Monday this week, and it very nearly brought me to tears. It’s that powerful. Seeing it live was even stronger.

Seeing most of the new album done live, with Malone and frontman Tunde Adebimpe pouring their everything into the tracks, with equal attention and life put into unstoppable barnburning favorites like “Wolf Like Me” and “Staring at the Sun,” brought you down – or up – to the band’s level.

The show was a communal effort, and wouldn’t have had nearly the mind-clearing power it had over me if the audience didn’t allow themselves to be taken away. There was the necessary hipster headbobbing, of course, off to the right of the balcony, but down on the ground, the throng snaked, thumped, pulsed like organs, muscles, blood.

It’s the band’s earnestness that does it. Only a few times did the band pause to address the audience, and each time, as with Malone’s frank admission that Bostonians are jerks but he loves us anyhow, the band was so frank, so direct. You take that next to the poetry — both aural and lyrical — coming out of the musicians, and the show became one big clearing of the air.

By the end of the show, we were all like Winston Smith. Whatever we had put up had been broken down, and the audience and the band moved as one. The show’s hypnosis peaked with “Wolf like Me,” when the band showed us what the howling was for.

Everybody was singing, jumping, shouting along, howling forever.

Think about it.  It’s really quite simple.  What better way to nail those Robert Plant Led Zeppelin vocals but with a female vocalist?  Better yet, why not just get all chics to play in the band, too?

Sounds like a marketing formula for success, and Lez Zeppelin have it pegged.  Whether or not sexual orientation has anything to do with the name, these four ladies nevertheless strap on guitars and smack the skins to covers of the entire Led Zeppelin catalog.

I got to see them for the second time at Diesel in Pittsburgh on September 25, 2008 (eerily the 28^th anniversary of John Bonham’s death), although this time I got a lot closer and saw the whole set, unlike the four songs I got in last time.

And let’s face it:  they have their work cut out for them.  Not many bands/musicians will even consider trying to cover songs from arguably one of the best rock bands of all time.  At least I’ve never heard anybody nail a song.  But the ladies of Lez Zep do it a bit tongue-in-cheek, with a hefty dose of female swagger thrown in.

The live show kinda got off on the wrong foot for me.  They opened with Whole Lotta Love, but not with a whole lotta energy.  The guitar parts were pretty close and during the breakdown the guitarist did some cool spacey effects using a Theremin over the vocals.  But the ladies must’ve been feeling a little queer that night, because they just didn’t seem to be enjoying themselves up there.

And you could see it in the crowd, too.  There were the obligatory cat-calls from 40-something beer-swilling men in the crowd and 20-something bi-curious females, but there was a sense of malaise at times that made you wonder if you were really at a rock show.

The singer, Sarah McLellan, didn’t even acknowledge the crowd until the third song and there were a lot of pregnant pauses between songs. I think if they came running out and played the crap out of the songs fisting them down your throat, they would have been much better off.  Hell, they would have had me for the whole show!

One thing that could have helped McLellan immensely would have been some delay and reverb on her vocals to get that Zeppelin record sound.  They were just too dry to make it sound convincing.  And they need to be a lot less Cabaret and a lot more Rock ‘n Roll.  C’mon girl!  Give me some grit in those vocals!  I know you got it in you!

Technically speaking, the ladies aren’t virtuoso performers.  I found a lot of the guitar playing a tad sloppy and just not tight, though not horrible.  The dials on guitarist Steph Paynes’ Marshall half stack could use a bit of tweaking, too.  I had to turn away during one solo before my ears bled from treble overload.

But drummer Helen Destroy is the real deal and did her own brand of destruction that night.  She’s got some big shoes to fill in John Bonham, and she dared take a rather long drum solo halfway through the show.

There wasn’t a lot of flash or tons of well-executed monster rolls, but she put the sticks down and played with her bare hands at one point, crashing cymbals and playing her drums like they were bongos before grabbing the sticks again to join back with the band.  Pretty impressive feat–and she came out on top.

But let me get down off of my high horse for a minute because I’m totally missing the point here.  The bottom line is, this band is all about fun.  It’s all girls for goodness sake!  You can’t help but smile when you watch them rocking the balls off of old school classic rock gems, even if they miss a beat here or muff a solo there.

These ladies are smart by capitalizing on a gimmick and taking advantage of their novelty.  And the crowds eat it up!  The next couple of months will see them in Japan and Europe, having already headlined the opening night of Bonaroo 2008.

The only thing that could’ve put the show close to a 10 would have been more energy on stage from all of them.  At times they seemed a bit too self-aware instead of getting lost in the music and the moment.  There was a sense of discomfort in the singer’s disposition that made even me feel awkward.

But Lez Zeppelin saved the best for last with their set-ending version of Kashmir, which featured bass player Lisa Brigantino on synth, crushing out the string parts.  Everything came together with this song and for a moment I felt like I was really at a Led Zeppelin show.  Even the sound guy finally figured out how to add some delay to the vocals.

The ladies were finally warmed up and the crowd brought them back for their encore, Rock and Roll.  If there was a quintessential Lez Zeppelin moment, this was it.  By this point, the place was frenzied and I didn’t want to see them go.  It’s a shame it took them a whole set to get there, but I finally succumbed to the coolness that is Lez Zeppelin.

These ladies have some pretty big balls…er, ovaries…to tackle a band like Led Zeppelin.  But it’s not about trying to nail every Page solo, Plant scream, Jones bass line, or Bonham beat.  It’s really about rock ‘n roll and having a good time.  And at that, they won’t let you down.

[audio:http://www.52shows.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/whole-lotta-love.mp3]

After battling the strange area in Boston near the Harbor/Dock Area (I always get lost there and I inevitablly think of that Emilio Estevez movie “Judgment Night” where the dudes take a wrong turn and end up wrestling with the mob or something), I literally ran into the Bank of America Pavilion to catch what was left of the Sigur Rós show. Thankfully, I was only about ten minutes late and only briefly cursed Google Maps before handing over $9 for a Bud Lite in a plastic cup (ugh).

It’s difficult to describe a Sigur Rós concert without comparing it to a movie soundtrack or talking about various epiphanies one may have during a song. Mine revolved around the idea that the hoodie sweatshirt will never go out of style. At any give point in the future, it will either be embraced by the “cool kids” or the vagrants, and therefore, forever cool. The same thinking applies for smoking and girls who wear high-heeled boots.

Which led me to think of porn…but I digress.

There’s also something special when a band sings the majority of its songs in another language (Icelandic), and yet can still command a crowd emotionally. For some, Sigur Rós may just be background music, something to put on while they do work or walk around an outdoor concert venue, taking whiffs of weed and watching the Red Sox game on the televisions set up in the back (who comes to a concert and then watches the entire game on a small 13-inch screen with no sound?).

But there’s more to this music than that. There’s something inate and natural, that every time they strike a chord on stage, it strikes a human chord inside of us and helps us remember the tiny nuances in our life: the job you hate to love, the girl you’re gonna marry someday, the frozen pizza waiting for you in fridge. These are all littly Sigur Rós songs waiting to happen and when you hear them live, you experience these moments almost every minute.

All around the venue, which is open air with seats in the main area, people swayed and danced to the music. Most, I suspect, were unaware of the English translation of the songs (the band is still promising to put them up on their site). But it didn’t matter.

Through their music alone, one becomes philosophical and introspective. The picture in the middle of the post was from the end of the show, where confetti was blasted out, allowing it to gently fall on the crowd.

Sure, it’s just bits of colorful paper being thrown into the air, but that combined with the soft tunes of Sigur Rós can make a person feel invigorated and even hopeful. You forget about getting lost and about your diarrhea-prone dog at home.

Instead, you look up at the stars, breath deep and sip your beer and not worry about how overpriced it is.

If life is a movie, then the music of Sigur Rós is for those epic moments when the entire world feels like it’s folding into you.

Sigur Rós – Hoppipolla (live from the Bank of America Pav)
[audio:http://www.52shows.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/sigur-ros-hoppipolla.mp3]

An old friend turned me on to local Boston singer-songwriter Vanessa Kafka a couple of months ago and I was immediately drawn in by the the whole pop-sounding, girl with a guitar thing that she has going on. Tonight (I’m just as shocked as you are that I’m being prompt with the write-up), was her first since she dropped her newest release “Into Place,” which you can see above.

The timing of everything seemed right. The weather in Boston is starting to cool (got to wear a jacket tonight with a hoodie), which makes discovering a new acoustic-guitar based band all the more fitting.

I got there just in time and immediately ordered a Miller High Life (it seems to be my beer of choice when I’m discovering new things like bands, food and hidden talents).

This was Kafka’s first show since her album was released on Sept. 16 and it gave the show a certain electric feel. It’s always special to be there for the birth of an artist and to see how she handles this new-found position on stage.

With equal parts giddy (“I have merch! How cool is that?”) and vulnerability in her voice, it was easy to tell that this moment, standing on stage and looking out to a crowd of friends, was special for her.

But something else shined through. Towards the end of her short set, she played a song called “Tell Me So,” a song that has Kafka picking at the guitar while she sings about love. At the show, it was one of the only times where Kafka seemed to be someone else on stage, when the artist inside was coming out and she was doing more than simply playing music.

Vanessa Kafka – Tell Me So
[audio:http://www.52shows.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/11-tell-me-so.mp3]

From there, she launched into her fan-favorite/indie hit “Silhouette,” an insanely catchy tune made that would be at home on a soundtrack to a movie about a roadtrip out West (or even during a “special” moment on Grey’s Anatomy…I don’t watch the show I swear).

Vanessa Kafka – Silhouette
[audio:http://www.52shows.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/03-silhouette.mp3]

The melody stayed rattling around in my head as I drove with the windows down, taking in the autumn air, wondering what other musical finds would come my way this season…and how many new artists will have their big moment at TTs.

By Owen Fegen, The Picture

So, last Friday I had tickets to see Stereophonics in Pittsburgh, but a few hours before the show I learned that it was canceled due to singer Kelly Jones feeling a bit under the weather.  Bummer.  With my plans for the evening dashed, I regrouped and called a buddy of mine to catch a few beers.

We decided to start at the Brillobox in the Lawrenceville section of town.  Sort of a hipster joint that always has live bands on the weekends.  I wasn’t sure if I wanted to check any music out in particular, but we soon learned that one of the local bands (Ennui) I really liked were playing upstairs.

We headed up and one of the supporting bands was about halfway through their set.  It’s not often that I dig a band I’d never heard, but I immediately was drawn to their sound, even coming up the stairwell.  I knew they weren’t local or I’m sure I would have heard of them.

We soon learned from the singer that they are called The Picture and hail from NYC, probably in town for a show swap with the local headliner.  But later I checked out their MySpace page and it seems they have a couple of Pittsburgh connections.  Whatever the case, they had a good full room to play to, making the trip worthwhile I’m sure.

I caught maybe four or five of their songs, but I really liked what they were doing.  Their sound is pretty straightforward melodic rock with catchy guitar hooks, driving beats, and good harmonies.  Dare I say a tad Coldplay/U2-ish, with bits and pieces of Spiritualized thrown in for good measure.

So many bands these days are too obsessed with being different and ironic or appealing to the hipster crowd.  But it’s hard to argue with a good melody, well-written lyrics, and a couple of good hooks.  It seems The Picture have not forgotten this.  Bravo guys.  Definitely worth checking out if you are in the NYC area.

After what seemed like an eternity to change bands over, Ennui took the stage.  I think they have undergone some personnel changes, as I remember them having a more traditional line-up before.  Their bag is (or used to be) piano-driven pop rock highlighted by interesting drum patterns and delay-heavy guitar riffs.  Maybe a tiny bit shoegaze even.  But their singer, Jim Doutrich, is great and manages to keep the vocals fresh and interesting without sounding too much like anybody else, even though you could hear some Talking Heads influences coming through.

Their new stuff is a lot more experimental and electronic now, with Doutrich switching between stints on guitar, bass, and keys.  They were definitely using a lot of drum loops, recorded tracks, and samples synced from a laptop for what I guess is their new material.  I did a little research when I got home and learned this was their CD Release show for the new disc “The Myth In Which We Live.”  It’s been a few years since I have seen them, so I wasn’t sure what they had been up to.

The songs were definitely different from their old stuff, taking more creative risks with the use of the electronica.  There was some cool stuff coming from their keyboard player who was using a vintage Wurlitzer, but most of it was drowned out by the recorded tracks and beats.  The sound guy had them so far up in the mix that I couldn’t understand or barely hear the vocals for all of their set.  A sad shame because some of it was pretty damn cool.  It got to be so obtrusive that we eventually left.

I don’t want to take anything away from these guys though.  They are great at what they do.  To me, I think their guitar player really stands out.  He’s one of the only guys I’ve heard locally that manages to add just enough guitar in innovative ways without overplaying, following a trend, or sounding cliché.

His lines are clean and simple and really add a ton of atmosphere and melody to the music.   As far as guitar work goes, I think he’s definitely doing some of the best stuff in town.  It’s rare to find a guitar player that doesn’t annoy me.  Cheers to you my friend.  I bet with a couple more shows with the new sound under their belt, Ennui will get everything flowing well together and really do some great stuff.

So, even though Stereophonics canceled their show, my night turned out pretty darn good.  Got to see some cool acts.  I just hope more bands out there start to realize that you shouldn’t throw melody and structure by the wayside in the name of being different and weird.  You can’t be ironic on purpose.

I can finally scratch off Radiohead from my list of favorite bands (that are still alive/together/not retired) that I have yet to see.  They were the last and most elusive one, as they don’t make many trips to the states.  Radiohead are somewhat of an enigma, being one of the most influential and important bands of the last twenty years.  They’re just one of those bands that you plain have to see, and I finally got my chance.

My buddy and I bought tickets immediately after they confirmed a show in Cleveland, OH at the Blossom Music Center on August 4th.  We waited a few days last time and the D.C. show sold out.  (Yea, we were willing to drive the five hours from Pittsburgh.  After all, it’s Radiohead!)

It was my first trip back to Blossom since my very first concert ever there when I was five years old to see Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.  We got stuck in a bumper-to-bumper line trying to get off of the Turnpike and down the local road to the amphitheatre and then into a parking space.  We sat for a good hour in traffic, hoping that they would delay Radiohead’s start since it was sold out and thousands of people were still parking.

No luck.  During our mile walk from the lot to the amphitheatre we heard the crowd erupt.  They had just lunged into “15 Steps” as we broke into a sprint.  Thankfully, that was all we missed of the set, although we were disappointed to miss them initially take the stage.

The whole experience of a Radiohead concert is just that-it is a whole experience.  Not just a drunk-fest with fan sing-alongs.  From the music-which is intricately and expertly played–to the light show, to Thom Yorke’s frantic on-stage persona, it was something completely new and exciting that I had never witnessed before.  You almost sit there waiting to learn something and be enlightened.  I was totally expecting to be blown away.  Besides, it’s Radiohead!

Particularly, the light show was insane!  Above the stage hung several dozen columns that I expect were made of some sort of fiber optics.  Light and animation were then either projected or beamed from the columns.  It was absolutely mesmerizing and added such a huge visual element to what was happening sonically on stage.  And the crowd was fueled by the changes in the light show that punctuated the music.

Radiohead kept things pretty mellow and mid-tempo, as most of their music is anyway.   They played the entire In Rainbows disc, with “House of Cards”, “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”, and “Reckoner” being standouts for me.  (Check out my crappy-quality camera phone videos below) -We’re trying to get those up…and we’re failing bigtime. More word on those videos soon…-Eddie

Absent were “Karma Police,” “The Bends,” “Fake Plastic Trees,” “High and Dry,” and of course “Creep,” which Thom utterly hates playing.  This did not surprise me as the set was kept pretty liberal and experimental.  Although, I would have liked to hear them play “My Iron Lung.”

The band left the stage only an hour into their set and thanked the crowd.  This was to be the first of two encores they took that night.  Presumptuous?  Maybe.  But when you witness how well they play, what they do, and how well-written the songs are, it is perfectly within their right.  After all, it’s Radiohead!

During the first encore came the highlight of the night for me and the rest of the crowd.  “Paranoid Android” was absolutely mind-blowing live with its ups and downs and tempo changes.  It also saw the band rock out more than any other selection that night.  Add to it just how awesome a song it is and the explosive light show (see videos) -again, we suck- and you have your quintessential Radiohead moment.

They barrage your senses from all angles with sound, light and emotion that you don’t need any drugs to feel a high.  This was the first big concert that I didn’t drink at.  I really wanted to be able to remember this one.

However, there was more marijuana smoking here than any Tom Petty show I’ve ever been to.  The clouds of smoke from joints and cigarettes were smothering for an outdoor venue.  And unfortunately I was standing by Thom Yorke’s echo for half of the show.  Don’t ever be “that guy” that sings the words to every song and says “Oh Sweet!” when the next one starts.  I came here to hear Thom sing, not some scenester douchebag.  We eventually relocated.

I am not going to dissect their music here.  You either love it or you don’t.  But the one thing I most appreciate is that they reproduce everything live.  All of the swirling effects and feedback are performed live–even the synth beats.  There are no canned samples or recorded tracks.  Radiohead are a band that believes that if you can’t replicate it live, it’s not worth doing, and I am a subscriber to this.  It may not be appreciated as much or even realized by someone who is not a musician, but it is the Holy Grail of live performance for those that play.

Jonny in particular swapped picks for cello bows, guitars for synth pads, and standing for crouching over his effects board, making the strange sounds and atmospheres that make Radiohead what they are.  He also used a lot of E-Bow for sustained notes and feedback.

Thom played a lot of piano and Rhodes and swayed his head back and forth so much while singing, it was hard to understand how he could do it so smoothly.  He of course was spot-on and dominant for such a small guy.  Vocals never faltered and hearing Thom live was even more soulful than on the recordings.

Not enough credit is given to drummer Phil Selway.  He managed to keep the beat throughout all the odd time-signature changes and chord progressions.  If you are familiar with Radiohead’s writing style, you know that is no easy feat.  He was solid as a rock and kept everything simple:  no gaudy flourishes or over-the-top rolls.  Just solid pocket drumming with lots of kick, snare, and ride.

The rest of the musicians (Ed O’Brien-guitar; Colin Greenwood-bass) filled out the sound with layers and textures that were hard to pick out separately but joined together to make one heck of a sonic landscape.  Not many bands can achieve that.

The band ended the night and second encore with “Everything In Its Right Place.”  As they thanked the crowd and left the stage, the title “Everything In Its Right Place” was scrolled across the light columns.  It wasn’t immediately obvious–you had to pay attention to see it.

But, an important note to Radiohead production crew:  they spelled “Its” wrong, using the contraction “It’s” instead.  Call me a grammar nerd for noticing, but the band just got done making a sly political reference to Big Oil during the song, and the title is significant.  You wouldn’t want a simple spelling error to mar your objective.

Besides, it’s Radiohead!

Videos

House of Cards

Paranoid Android

Reckoner

Weird Fishes

Everything in its Right Place

I’ll be honest. After working damn near 12 hours, I was barely in the mood to go out. But the lure of the night was too much for me, as was the prospect of entering a club with the distinct smell of beer and puke.

I had heard of the Duke Spirit, which is to say I read about them somewhere and knew that people were talking about them. What I didn’t realize was that the band was fronted by the Liela Moss, the energetic blond with a penchant for reaching to the sky and picking up mic stands.

There she is during one of her epic rock poses that sent her hair flying. At first i thought she was trying to hard, attempting to emulate rock stars of the past.

Then she started to act like she was seducing the mic and then starting slamming her tambourine in her hand. Before long, I found myself completely into the music, mesmerized by this blond singer with an English accent telling me a story about some accident the band had in the past. I didn’t care. I wanted another song so that the beat could be stuck in my head.

I wish I could tell you all the songs they placed. I can’t. I can tell you they played the song featured on this post, which is off their album “Neptune.” It’s been a while since I’ve seen a woman command a stage this well and with this much playful ferocity.

Random observation: the drummer is the guy with the fro in the picture who looks like Bob Dylan. He always wears vests and I wondered halfway through if he really liked vests or if he felt that every indie band should have “that” guy.

And with Moss’ stage presence, it’s always great to see a performer being as epic as possible, even if the club she’s in is a small one with ratty old pool tables in the back.

But what grabbed me from this show was how well it just took over my mind. Before long, I didn’t realize how much i was enjoying the songs and found myself completely lost in a wonderful aural sea of awesomeness.

Or maybe it’s because I gravitate towards any woman who flings her blond hair around that much.

Either way, like a teenager leaving a Mexican stripclub, I felt surprised and completely fulfilled after the show and wondered how many other good shows I’ve missed because I was “too tired” or “too drunk” to get there (ok, maybe the latter is a valid excuse).

Next time I say that to myself, I’ll think back to those mental pictures I now have of Liela Moss embedded in my brain.

The Duke Spirit – “The Step and the Walk”
[audio:http://www.52shows.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/03-the-step-and-the-walk.mp3]

Aug 8 2008 8:00P     All Points West Festival New York / New Jersey, New York
Aug 9 2008 8:00P     New American Music Union Festival Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Aug 10 2008 8:00P   3rd and Lindsley Nashville, Tennessee
Aug 12 2008 8:00P   The Basement Columbus, Ohio
Aug 13 2008 8:00P   Magic Stick Detroit, Michigan
Aug 14 2008 8:00P   Empty Bottle Chicago, Illinois
Aug 17 2008 8:00P   Slavia Stadium – Supporting REM -(Multifunctional Centre Eden) Prague
Aug 22 2008 8:00P   Reading Festival Reading
Aug 23 2008 8:00P   Leeds Festival Leeds
Aug 24 2008 8:00P   Solfest – Main Stage Tarns, Silloth, Northwest
Sep 6 2008 4:30P     ‘Bestival’ – BBC Tent Isle of Wight, South
Sep 26 2008 8:00P   Oran Mor Glasgow
Sep 28 2008 8:00P   The Cockpit Leeds, Northeast
Sep 29 2008 8:00P   Club Academy Manchester, Northwest
Sep 30 2008 8:00P   Astoria London, London and South East
Oct 1 2008 8:00P    Komedia Brighton, London and South East

Last night (I know, it’s rare that I write about a show this quickly), I checked out Wakey! Wakey!, a band we were touting last week thanks to their free album download “Wakey! Wakey! Live at the Bowery Ballroom.”

Armed with a sensitive beard and a keyboard, Wakey! Wakey! took the minimal stage at the Asian-themed restaurant/bar/music venue, All Asia, as the opening act for the CNC marathon (not the music factory, though they are kind of like a music factory).

I know, the name is offputting and now you don’t even want to press play to hear his music. You should. He’s like Ben Folds.

“But I’m better looking than Ben Folds,” said Mike Grubs during the show. “You can tell Ben Folds that…now he’s going to kick my ass.”

The comparison is warranted. When a young, hipster white guy sits down at a piano and starts to sing, the first thought in everyone’s mind is “Ben Folds” followed very quickly by “Hey, I want to hear ‘Brick‘ again.”

In fact, after Grubs sang a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (it’s not weird when you sing it with the passion of a white pianist with a beard), some dude yelled out “Ben Folds!”

(Right the music. I’m losing track here. I have “Brick” playing in the background and am thinking about abortion.)

Wakey! Wakey! – “LGA”
[audio:http://www.52shows.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/03-lga.mp3]

See? Once you get past the name, it’s engaging, sensitive music.

He’s got a couple of albums out, mostly of live material (he calls it the Bootleg Series and as far as I know, there are three volumes. The second one is called “Silent as a Movie”).

The show was intimate. It was 8:30pm on a Friday night, so the crowd was somewhat thin. But Wakey! didn’t care. He treated us like we were an army of music fans, talking about drinking his first Sam Adams Light (“It’s great. And it’s light so I’m going to drink four of these and sing at the bar later”) and how awkward it is to sing “War Sweater” in front of his sister (who may or may not have been hit on by an older guy at the bar).

But something else happened during the show, and I’m not sure if it’s because there’s been a lack of it in the world or it I just haven’t been paying attention: I’m ready for sensitive piano rock once more.

It was refreshing to hear a song with the lyric “I bet you can’t guess what I would to kiss you in the middle of the room” and fully enjoy it. Maybe it was his easy-going style or the fact that I needed a calm moment from enduring another horrible week at the office (why did I think Journalism was a good career again?).

In many ways, the name of the band is appropriate. Not only does it foreshadow the idea that it’s something you won’t expect, but Grubs music helps you wake up from the familiar sound of the guitar/bass combo. Tis time for the piano.

Before he went on, Grubs mentioned that he’ll be doing something with the violinist from The Arcade Fire. I don’t care what it is because whatever this guy releases, I’m ready to hear it.

Aug. 26 TT the Bear’s, Cambridge
Aug. 28 Rockwood Music Hall w/ Pearl and the Beard, New York City, 9 p.m.
Aug. 28 Public Assembly 0 Warhouse Songs Vol. 2 CD Release Party, Brooklyn, 11:30 p.m. (yes, 2 shows in one night)
Aug. 30 The Red & Black Washington DC
Sept. 24 The Black Cat Washington DC