tasty

Looky looky what I got today:



OK, so it's kinda hard to see... but THAT, my friends, is the new Ryan Adams & The Cardinals. Yup, Easy Tiger on orange vinyl.

It sure is purty...

weird. fucking. night.

Yup. So, I found out last month that Dan Deacon was coming to Denver. I really like his new album, Spiderman Of The Rings, so I figured I'd check it out. However, even with the best of intentions, I often don't go to shows on weeknights at the Hi-Dive because they are typically late, and I have a job, for god's sake.

But, partly because I've heard nothing but good things about Dan's live show and partly because I feel guilty about missing a lot of recent shows that I should have attended, I decided to venture out tonight. Now, here is what I have learned about the Hi-Dive... normally they have 3 acts per night, generally starting at 9:00. From my experience, they never start anything before 9:30, so I have made a promise to myself never to get to the Hi-Dive before 9:30. Tonight, doors were at 7:00, show at 8:00, BUT... 4 bands, not 3. I thought to myself that typical rules should apply, so I left home just after 10:00. Boo.

The first weird thing is that about halfway to the venue I realized I forgot my phone. I forgot my FUCKING phone!!!! Never mind that I could get an important text (although Leah, my most reliable concert-going buddy, is in the Yukon at the moment) but my phone is what I use to take show notes. I felt completely naked without it.

The next weird thing was that when I got to the Hi-Dive, the guy at the door asked me if I was going to the show. Huh. Why the fuck else would I be here? I gave him my $8 and got my wristband, and upon entering I assumed that Video Hippos were on stage (they were the band before Dan).

The next, not so weird - but mildly annoying thing, was that the Hi-Dive had "THE FENCE" up. I've only had to deal with THE FENCE once, when the Spinto Band played. I don't really get it... I've been to other 16+ shows there where they didn't have THE FENCE up... When THE FENCE is up, you can't take any alcohol into the stage area, you have to stay on the bar side. It's weird. Since I was under the assumption that we were still in opening band territory, I got me a PBR and stationed myself outside THE FENCE to watch the show. What I noticed was that the stage was dark and all I could really see was a skull on a post that intermittently decided to emit some strobe lighting.

After about 5 minutes, as I was thinking how great the music was for an opening band, I realized that it was Dan Fucking Deacon playing. I missed the goddamn beginning of the show, despite the fact that I got to the Hi-Dive at 10:30. What's a girl to do? I downed my PBR and made my way into the rather BO-smelling stage area so that I could get the fuck down. I stood toward the back for a few songs, but when Dan said he only had two more I knew I had to make my move. I wormed my way up to the third row for the last two, and I gotta tell ya... I danced like I was fucking 18 years old again. And it was great. Dan played not on stage, but in front of the stage. The crowd was ideal - dancing and having fun but not obnoxious. The hour that I was actually there flew by like it was 10 minutes.

So, was it worth the 30-minute round trip drive and the $8 for the hour that I got to see Dan Deacon? Goddamn right it was. I only hope that it's not too long before Dan shows his face around here again. If you ever have him in your town, go. No shit.

Good god, what a fun fucking show.

regarding okkervil river...

I guess all I had to do was ask... :)

07-14 Concord, NH - Capitol Center for the Arts
07-15 Providence, RI - Jake's Bar and Grille
09-03 San Diego, CA - Casbah
09-04 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
09-05 San Francisco, CA - Independent
09-08 Portland, OR - Berbati's Pan (MusicFest NW)
09-09 Vancouver, British Columbia - Richard's on Richards
09-10 Seattle, WA - Neumos
09-13 Denver, CO - Marquee Theater
09-14 Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
09-15 Iowa City, IA - Picador
09-18 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
09-19 Urbana, IL - The Canopy Club (Pygmalion Festival)
09-21 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
09-22 Hamilton, Ontario - Pepper Jack's Café
09-23 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
09-24 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
09-25 Boston, MA - Middle East
09-26 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse
09-28 New York, NY - Webster Hall
09-29 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
09-30 Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel
10-02 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
10-03 Athens, GA - 40 Watt
10-06 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington

shows of interest for 6/25 - 7/1/2007

Oh, happy week...

Monday, June 25
Joan Armatrading/Elvis Perkins @ Chautaqua Auditorium*

Tuesday, June 26
Marnie Stern @ Larimer Lounge

Wednesday, June 27
Great Lake Swimmers/Horse Feathers @ Hi-Dive

Thursday, June 28
Dan Deacon @ Hi-Dive

Friday, June 29
Melt-Banana @ Bluebird Theater
Sage Francis @ Gothic Theatre
The Godfather II @ Boulder Outdoor Cinema^

Saturday, June 30
Richmond Fontaine @ Bluebird Theater
Shearwater @ Larimer Lounge
Sage Francis @ Gothic Theatre
School Of Rock @ Boulder Outdoor Cinema

Sunday, July 1
Big Business @ Larimer Lounge

*I still wish I could see Elvis Perkins w/o paying the Joan Armatrading prices... poor me.
^I thought I'd include Boulder Outdoor Cinema for this summer - great films!

local bands, yes.

A few happy things occurred today. First, I found out that Aussie band You Am I is playing the Hi-Dive next month. My friend Tualla is a huge fan, and after she so expertly turned me on to The Broken Family Band this week, I trust her implicitly. Plus, I know that she'll come down from Canada to kick my ass if I don't go...

Second, the new Okkervil River album, The Stage Names, just leaked!! I have listened to it 4 times today, and I can honestly say that it is fucking brilliant. It's crammed full of the clever Okkervil lyrics that we've come to count on, and as an added bonus Will Sheff has really taken his vocals to the next level - he sounds fabulous. I have come to believe that this band couldn't make a misstep if it tried. The Stage Names is coming out (Jagjaguwar) on August 7. I command you to buy it. You know you want to. Now if we can just get these guys to come to Denver...

Finally, I had a lovely night of local band festivities at the Bluebird. I used to think that Denver didn't have any bands worth a damn, but have since discovered that I just wasn't looking in the right places. I was fortunate enough to catch two of my favorites tonight.

The first time I'd heard of Everything Absent Or Distorted was when I saw them open for Malajube and Snowden a few months ago. OK, truthfully, I saw the last song of their set; but I admit that it hooked me. They played again at Larimer Lounge last month, but I was Fort Collins for a graduation ceremony. So, tonight was the first time I got to witness a full set from these guys, and I gotta tell ya - in this case, the first impression was more than accurate. I'll say again what I said back then - these guys are the epitome of geek rock... geek rock with a razor sharp edge, anyway. They are 8 bodies of instrument swapping, sports-jacket wearing, energetic blast of a band. The one guy who seemed to actually be "dressed down" was wearing jeans and an Iron Maiden t-shirt. Not only was he wearing an IRON MAIDEN shirt, but he shuffled from banjo to accordion to bass to showing off his dandy ballet dance moves. Other members played a violin and trombone, in addition to the normal, boring, rock and roll instruments. The only way this set could have been better would be if they could have thrown in some damn cowbell. If you live in the Denver area (or even if not) and you have the chance to see these guys - GO! They do not disappoint.

Headlining tonight were the Hot IQ's. I saw them open for The Thermals a few months back and was definitely impressed. They've received accolades aplenty for being best local band and whatnot. After the 8 member EAOD set, the stage seemed rather empty for the 3 Hot IQ's, but they brought it, for sure. Slightly less geek and slightly more rock, the Hot IQ's had the crowd eating out of their hands. Me? I caught myself wishing that the sets had been swapped and EAOD were headling. Not that Hot IQ's weren't fabulous, just that EAOD really knocked my socks off. But THEN, midway through their set, Hot IQ's brought out a cooler of popsicles, and proceeded to throw them into the crowd. I didn't manage to catch one, but the mere fact that I was at a rock show where popsicles were hurled into the crowd was reward enough for me. I don't know if it was the sheer fucking coolness of the band actually flinging popsicles from the stage or what, but they seemed to gather some steam after that. They finished up their set in incredible fashion, and I was the slightest bit bummed that there was no encore. They're playing Monolith at Red Rocks in September - w00t! See them.

some shows that i am excited about. you should be too.

Of late, I've been stumbling across several live show announcements that, well, basically have me wanting to jump outta my skin. Denver (and surrounding area) peeps, take note, we've got some great stuff coming our way:

June 26 - Marnie Stern @ Larimer Lounge
June 27 - Great Lake Swimmers/Horse Feathers @ Hi-Dive
June 28 - Dan Deacon @ Hi-Dive
June 30 - Richmond Fontaine @ Bluebird Theater
July 2 - Get Him Eat Him @ Hi-Dive
July 8 - Battles @ Larimer Lounge
July 8 - David Vandervelde @ Hi-Dive (not sure what I'm gonna do...)
July 20 - Built To Spill @ Ogden Theater
July 25 - Stars Of Track And Field @ Larimer Lounge
July 31 - Aqueduct/Smoosh @ Hi-Dive
August 8 - Dios Malos @ Larimer Lounge
August 22 - Crowded House/Fountains Of Wayne @ Fillmore Auditorium
August 28 - Magnolia Electric Co. @ Bluebird Theater
September 1 & 2 - Wilco @ Fillmore Auditorium
September 3 - P.O.S. @ Bluebird Theater
September 10 - Devendra Banhart @ Ogden Theater
September 20 - Guster @ Fillmore Auditorium
September 20 - The Fucking Champs @ Larimer Lounge (decisions...)
October 23 - Caribou @ Larimer Lounge
November 7 - Do Make Say Think @ Bluebird Theater


And then there are those shows that have me so giddy I can barely stand it:

July 4 - Johnny And The Moon @ Larimer Lounge
July 19 - Maximo Park @ Larimer Lounge
July 21 - Tokyo Police Club @ Larimer Lounge
August 3 - Ryan Adams @ Red Rocks (two words - Easy Tiger. Buy it early and often - quite possibly Ryan's best solo effort since Heartbreaker. Yeah, it's that good.)
August 9 - Centro-Matic @ Larimer Lounge (open for Jason Isbell)
August 14 - Papercuts @ Hi-Dive
August 31 - The Apples In Stereo @ Bluebird Theater
September 14 & 15 - Monolith Festival @ Red Rocks
September 17 - The Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem @ Red Rocks
September 24 - New Pornographers @ Boulder Theater
October 2 - Midlake @ Bluebird Theater
November 17 - Of Montreal @ Bluebird Theater

Get ready, my friends.

mark this on your calendar NOW

The Arcade Fire & LCD Soundsystem, the artists behind two of my favorite 2007 albums, are hooking up for a show at Red Rocks on September 17. Don't miss this... it's gonna be fucking epic.

shows of interest for 6/18 - 6/24/2007

Monday, June 18
Tortoise @ Bluebird Theater

Thursday, June 21
The Veils/The Comas @ Larimer Lounge

Friday, June 22
Feist/Grizzly Bear @ Boulder Theatre
Deftones @ Fillmore Auditorium
Jill Sobule @ Lannies Clocktower (I'd never heard of Lannies... it's a cabaret!)

Saturday, June 23
Hot IQ's/Everything Absent Or Distorted @ Bluebird Theater
Joan Armatrading/Elvis Perkins @ Paramount Theatre
Lucinda Williams/Kelly Joe Phelps @ Fillmore Auditorium

I really really really wish that Elvis Perkins wasn't opening for Joan Armatrading... Totally want to see Elvis, totally DON'T want to pay for Joan... :(

Listen to the new Elvis Perkins album - Ash Wednesday. It's brilliant.

dance party usa! er... uk, anyway

First off, happy (rather belated) Father's Day to all the dads out there, hope you had a great one. I spent the afternoon hanging out at my folks' house, stuffing myself full with Boca Burgers, baked potatoes, veggies & coconut cream pie. And despite massive amounts of cheating by team Mystik (that would be me and my baby brother), we still managed to lose a few games of euchre. Cheating on Father's Day? I know, I'm terrible... but the parents were pretty lit up, they'll never know what happened.

What better way to wrap up a day of family fun than to boogie down with Hot Chip at the Gothic Theatre? I could have sworn that when this tour was announced, they were supposed to be playing at the Bluebird. Ah well, it was a good night for it as the Gothic is relatively on my way home from my parents' house. Judging from the size of the crowd, the venue change (if indeed there WAS a venue change...) was a good idea; the Gothic was nowhere near sold out, but the little Bluebird would have been packed. As it was, I was pleased and surprised by the crowd - it was smaller, tamer and older than I expected. We had front row spots in the balcony, and although it was probably 90 degrees up there, the crowd was sparse. Happy happy. I was a bit worried at the outset, as I had developed a bit of a red wine/rum & coke induced headache on the way to the show. I don't know if it was the ice water I was drinking or the dweeb-funk beats, but the headache was gone shortly into the set. Yeehaw.

Hot Chip put on a great show. I'm not familiar enough with them to have worked out a setlist... they played a couple/few new songs which sounded great. They ended the regular set with an amazing, energetic rendition of Over And Over. It was so good, that I thought it would be impossible to top it with any kind of encore. Unfortunately, I was right; the encore was pretty disappointing - Everywhere (EKOLU cover); Electric Boogaloo (?) & In The Privacy Of Our Love. I guess what bothered me the most was that after a dancetastic main set, 2 of the 3 encore songs were slow. It just kind of killed the groove. BUT, it was a great, really fun show.

shows of interest for 6/11 - 6/17/2007

Tuesday, June 12
Two Cow Garage @ Hi-Dive
Bloc Party/Noisettes @ Ogden Theater

Thursday, June 14
The Photo Atlas @ Larimer Lounge

Friday, June 15
Canada/Cat-A-Tac/White Rabbits @ Larimer Lounge
Jesse Malin @ Bluebird Theater
John Mayer/Ben Folds/Rocco Deluca @ Red Rocks

Saturday, June 16
Lucero/Dinosaur Jr. @ Westword Music Showcase
John Mayer/Ben Folds/Brett Dennan @ Red Rocks

Sunday, June 17
Hot Chip @ Gothic Theatre
Brett Dennan @ Fox Theatre

jamie t lands stateside

Jamie T's brilliant album, Panic Prevention, will be released in the US come September. I can't find any reports of a specific date, but keep your eyes peeled, as the US release is to contain two bonus tracks. Which means that although I own Panic Prevention on vinyl via Amazon UK, I'll have to buy the fucking thing again... :) The tracklist for the US release:

Brand New Bass Guitar
Salvador
Calm Down Dearest
So Lonely Was the Ballad
Back In the Game
Operation
Sheila
Pacemaker
Dry Off Your Cheeks
If You Got the Money
Alicia Quays
Northern Line
Raw Hide (feat. Lily Allen)

Conspicuously absent is track 10 on the UK release - Ike & Tina. I guess it's a good thing I got me that vinyl... lol. The UK sure is bringin' it in 2007 with several great releases already, not even halfway through the year:

Aereogramme - My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
Art Brut - It's A Bit Complicated
The Earlies - The Enemy Chorus
Endrick Brothers - Attraction Versus Love
Field Music - Tones Of Town
Fujiya & Miyagi - Transparent Things
Good Shoes - Think Before You Speak
The Good, The Bad & The Queen - s/t
Gruff Rhys - Candylion
Idlewild - Make Another World
Jamie T - Panic Prevention
Klaxons - Myths Of The Near Future
Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position
Pop Levi - The Return To Form Black Magick Party
The Tailors - Wakey Wakey
The Twilight Sad - Fourteen Autumns, Fifteen Winters
The Veils - Nux Vomica

Go UK!

more tour news - MEC

Some Magnolia Electric Co. tour dates:

8/23 - Bloomington, IN - Bluebird
8/24 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
8/25 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
8/26 - Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
8/27 - Kansas City, MO - Grand Emporium
8/28 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
8/29 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
8/31 - Vancouver, BC - Richard’s On Richards (early show)
9/01 - Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
9/02 - Portland, OR - Someday Lounge
9/04 - Arcata, CA - Muddy’s Hot Cup
9/05 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom Of The Hill
9/06 - Los Angeles, CA - Echo
9/07 - Pioneer Town, CA - Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneer Town Palace
9/08 - Pioneer Town, CA - Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneer Town Palace (Jason Molina solo)
9/09 - TBA
9/10 - Phoenix, AZ - Modified Arts
9/11 - Tuscon, AZ - Club Congress
9/13 - Austin, TX - Emo’s
9/14 - Oklahoma City, OK - Conservatory
9/15 - Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
9/16 - Houston, TX - Rudyard’s Pub
9/17 - TBA
9/18 - TBA
9/19 - Jackson, MS - Hal & Mal’s
9/20 - Birmingham, AL - The Bottle Tree
9/21 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl
9/22 - Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
9/23 - Columbia, SC - Columbia Music Festival Association Space
9/24 - Mount Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern
9/25 - Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
9/26 - Charlottesville, VA - Satellite Ballroom
9/27 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
9/28 - Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
9/29 - New York, NY - The Blender Theatre at Gramercy
9/30 - Portland, ME - Space Gallery
10/1 - Cambride, MA - Middle East
10/2 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse
10/3 - Montreal, QC - Pop Montreal at La Sala Rossa
10/4 - Ottawa, ON - Zaphod Beeblebrox
10/5 - Toronto, ON - Lee’s Palace
10/6 - Detroit, MI - Magic Stick

modest mouse & band of horses touring!

It's been entirely too long since I've seen my beloved Band Of Horses play. I can't say no to Modest Mouse at Red Rocks either...

08-01 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
08-03 Kansas City, MO - City Market
08-08 New York, NY - Keyspan Park !
08-15 Columbus, OH - LC Amphitheater
08-16 Cleveland, OH - Warner Cable Amphitheatre
08-18 Mansfield, MA - Tweeter Center (Download Festival)
08-19 Philadelphia, PA - Festival Pier

Love As Laughter is also playing these dates

it's a double edged sword...

The first time I ever heard of Brakes (I refuse to give in to the brakesbrakesbrakes rubbish...) was just over a year and a half ago, when several people over at Via Chicago were raving about their debut album, Give Blood. I fell in love with the band immediately, and their recent release, The Beatific Visions, landed in my 2006 top 10. I never thought I would see Brakes live... The good news is I got my chance when they played the Hi-Dive in Denver tonight. The bad news is tonight is probably the last time I'll ever see them live again... at least in Denver.

But I digress...

My evening began spectacularly when I caught a car leaving a meter just half a block away from the Hi-Dive. I got inside at about 9:15... No matter how many times I promise myself I won't get to the Hi-Dive before 9:30, when I want to see both opening bands I forget that even though the show is supposed to start at 9:00, it never does. Electric Soft Parade took the stage at about 9:30 and played a great set. Since I'm a sucker for both funny banter and Brighton accents, they were definitely right up my alley. Seems they were in Salt Lake City last night, where there was no drinking, and the crowd was "all-ages emo shit". "Fuck. Oh, jesus, I said fuck. Oh shit, I said jesus. Oh fuck, I said shit. People buggered off!" Well, maybe you had to be there... :) I really enjoyed them, and while I've heard of them (obviously), I've never actually heard them - although their new album No Need To Be Downhearted is on my list of things to do. It seemed that nearly every song they played was a single in the UK... good, british pop for sure. We were thanked profusely for "coming out early and actually watching". Seems they've had a lot of "dead" shows lately. Ironic, now that the show is over...

Next up was Brooklyn's Pela, who I was excited to see as I've really been enjoying their new album, Anytown Graffiti. They played a great set, very high energy and completely rockin'. I had thoughts of trying to work out a setlist, but that never quite panned out... lol. Billy did dedicate the 3rd song - Drop Me Off - to Aunt Maureen and Grandpa Joe. I'm pretty sure that everybody in the bar knew who Aunt Maureen and Grandpa Joe were, as there were the only two grey-haired people rocking out to Pela's set. Too cute. Billy also mentioned that he'd never been to Denver before and wants to come back. Sweet. Pela endeared themselves to me even more when they stayed and danced to the Brakes set.

Finally, Brakes. My hopes for a good crowd were up during the Pela set, where the 200-capacity Hi-Dive was at least half full+. Sadly it seems that most of those people were Pela fans and didn't stick it out. Their loss, I guess. Brakes are one of those bands that I like to think of as "mine"... I know few people who have heard of them - none in my own town - even though they are a British "super-group", made up of members of Electric Soft Parade and British Sea Power. They are one of those secrets that I simultaneously want to keep to myself and share with the world. Unfortunately (in some sense) it seems that the secret is thus far well-kept. Despite a decent turnout for Pela, there were maybe 40 people who hung around for the Brakes set. Remember the irony I mentioned about the ESP set? I think there were more people in the crowd for their set than for the Brakes. But, I enjoyed every last drop of that Brakes set... I'm not normally a very vocal live music fan, but I did yell for every Brakes song tonight. I figured they could use the moral support... :) A funny aside, Eamon kept referring to the venue as Hi-Dave's, said he really wanted to meet Dave... lol. It was a great show and everything that I hoped for... which is nice since, as I stated above, tonight may very well be the last time I ever see them in Denver. Boo. The setlist:

Hold Me In The River
Ring A Ding Ding
Heard About Your Band
Pick Up The Phone
I Can't Stand To Stand Beside You
Cheney
You're So Pretty
Margarita
Beatific Vision
All Night Disco Party
On Your Side
We Saw Jerry's Daughter (CVB cover)
Cease And Desist
What's In It For Me?
Spring Chicken
Porcupine Or Pineapple
The Most Fun
NY Pie
Comma Comma Comma Full Stop (on setlist, not played - you know it's bad when a 7 second song is scratched...)
No Return (on setlist, not played, which really pissed me off!!!)
Jackson
Huevos Rancheros

shows of interest for 6/4 - 6/10/2007

I gotta start gettin' me to some shows...

Monday, June 4
Thunderbirds Are Now! @ Marquis Theatre

Tuesday, June 5
Rosebuds/Land Of Talk @ Larimer Lounge

Thursday, June 7
Brakes/Pela @ Hi-Dive (woooooo!)

Saturday, June 9
The Police @ Pepsi Center
Sparta/Lovedrug @ Marquis Theatre
Susan Tedeschi @ Paramount Theatre

Sunday, June 10
Matt And Kim @ Hi-Dive
The Police @ Pepsi Center