Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band made a stop to Louisville on Tuesday night to play their songs to a sold out show at Headliners. They brought along Michael Runion with The Royal Family Band, and Deep Sea Diver to open for them. The last time I went to a show for Conor Oberst I was introduced to outstanding opening bands, and it looks like that is the standard.

First up for the night was Michael Runion playing with The Royal Family Band. Though they arrived in Louisville as Headliner’s doors were opening, they were able to set up and play on time. They did have a few difficulties, such as a broken string early in the set, but the crowd still seemed to be pretty into the show. A few people in the crowd were their friends who came all the way from LA to see the band play for their first time in Louisville. Speaking of Louisville, they did dedicate their set to Slint. That comment perked up my ears, but seems as though it went over the heads of the younger Bright Eyes fans since it was met with minimal applause. It gave them a little more indie cred in my book though.

Second at bat were Deep Sea Diver out of sunny southern California. I had not heard this band before, but now I can’t stop listening to them. As with the last time I saw Conor, I was more blown away by the opener than by the headliner. They were playing songs from their recent CD (which has not left my CD player since Tuesday night), and it had an incredible sound. Jessica Dobson’s voice was very smooth and soothing, as were her piano and guitar playing. The two drummers at first surprised me, but it seemed to fit well. It was their first time in Louisville, and it will not be the last if I can help it. They are definitely worth listening to.
Deep Sea Diver

Then came Bright Eyes, er, Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band. Even after all these years, the kids still love Conor. Even the “tweens” came out for the show, and might I add, squealed quite loudly when he took stage. Though there was a fairly diverse age group in attendance that night, and everyone in the fairly diverse crowd was hot as hell. There were quite a few times when staff were spraying water bottles across the front of the crowd to cool off everyone.  Conor commented on this by asking “Do you feel like you’re on a tropical island?” Sure Conor, I did. I felt like I was on a tropical island that is enclosed and has a bar. You will be happy to know that Conor has denounced Satan. It’s true. He had to. Conor announced that he became a godfather today and that he had to denounce Satan in order to become a godfather. One can only hope that he will star in the upcoming remake of the classic film The Godfather.

Oh yeah, they did play music during their time on stage. Conor and the Mystic Valley Band had a good sound, and it seemed like the sold out show was pretty into it. There was one person up front that I could barely see who seemed to be shouting every lyric right to Conor. We could use more people like that at shows.  The band rocked through a nice size 18 song set, including a long encore of I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital). It seemed a bit long, and awkward at points, but was a good closer that drew in everyone. Overall it was a good sound and a good show, as you can tell by the videos below.

Video below the break…

Air Mattress

Sausalito

One Of My Kind

Get Well Cards

Difference Is Time

Michelle Jones over at the incredible Louisville blog Consuming Louisville is throwing a block party this next Tuesday, July 21st in conjunction with the Social Media Club of Louisville and her new job Block5.  Here’s what Michelle has to say about it on her post:

On Tuesday July 21 Social Media Club Louisville and Block5 (the startup I’m working for) are throwing a block party down on Main Street.

Block5
720 W. Main Street
Louisville, KY

So, there will be funnel cakes, food, and drinks and it’s looking like Louisville’s own Bro. Stephen will be providing some tunes.  Plus, there’s a chance you could get some free shoes!  Sounds like fun to me.  I’ll be there for sure.

Flashback to 2003!  I know you and your friends all devoured the Taking Back Sunday record Tell All Your Friends and you thought it was the greatest thing since Thursday’s Full Collapse.  It’s ok.  Don’t be ashamed that you totally got caught up in the Taking Back Sunday/Brand New drama and don’t feel bad about how excited you were when you realized they used the same lyric in TBS’s “There’s No ‘I’ In Team” and BN’s “Seventy Times 7″.

I know how bummed out you were when you realized that TBS was splitting at the seems and how excited you were when you found out that John Nolan (guitar and vocals) was starting a new band called Straylight Run.  How could one band split apart and create so many other good bands?  What other treasure has the universe been forming just for you?  Oh wait, that wasn’t you?  Maybe that was just high school me…

Anyway, fast forward a few years and all these bands are still together (kind-of), but John Nolan has recently recorded a solo-record which is a much more low-key affair and you can hear some of the songs on his MySpace.  Thankfully for all those who have grown out of the “Mic’s are for swinging” phase, this new folkier stuff from Nolan is coming to town this Sunday on July 19th.

Nolan will be supported by semi-local band Mansions which has kept a higher than local-band profile since it got signed to infamous Doghouse Records.  I hope you feel warm and fuzzy about some local boys having their tunes pushed by the same people that brought you indie-pop mega-stars All-American Rejects and Say Anything.

Also on support is local troubadour Isaac Mingo who has been shaping and refining his love of songwriting for the past 5 years or so around town.  Last I saw him, he was singing some love songs pure and simple that wouldn’t have been out of place on disc 2 of Cold Roses.  Let’s hope that’s where he still is.

Plus, that’s not to mention how amazing Skull Alley is.  If you find a better venue within 150 miles for all-ages shows, I’ll call you a liar.

We are giving away five pairs of tickets to see Alice Cooper at the Horseshoe Casino across the river.  If you haven’t been to a show there, here is your chance.  The venue is fantastic and Alice Cooper, one of the greatest rock stars of all-time, should be awesome to see.  At 60+, he is still going strong and this will be his first show of the tour.

TO WIN, COMMENT BELOW WITH EITHER YOUR BEST CASINO STORY (real or fictional) OR, IF YOU WANT TO BE REALLY CHALLENGED, SCRAMBLE THE LETTERS OF “ALICE COOPER” TO CREATE YOUR OWN WORD/PHRASE.  FOR EXAMPLE,  “COOL ICE PEAR.”  WE WILL E-MAL FIVE WINNERS ON JULY 25TH.

Alice Cooper – Elected

More details on the show…

HORSESHOE INDIANA PRESENTS

ALICE COOPER

In his first ever performance of the all new Theater of Death Tour

Show Date: Friday, July 31st

Get Tickets Online at www.ticketmaster.com or

by phone at 1-800-745.3000

11999 Casino Center Drive SE,
Elizabeth, IN 47117

21+ show

Doors: 7:30 pm / Show: 8:00 pm

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!

Will Oldham, the man whose music you know and love as Bonnie “Prince” Billy is probably one of the most diverse and intriguing artists in the world today.  From his early days putting together screen plays at the Walden Theatre, photography, design, to his acting career in such films as Old Joy and several others, and of course his music.

Now Oldham is taking the opportunity to share the artwork that moves him by curating the Fleisher/Ollman Gallery in Philadelphia, PA entitled “Frenz”. The exhibit includes the artwork of Spencer Sweeney, Shary Boyle, Able Brown, Kyle Field, Jill Gallenstein, Leslie Show, Sammy Harkham, Lori Damiano, Joanne Oldham, Alan Licht and Ashley Macomber. Although I can’t help but wish the gallery was of Oldham’s own works, it presents an interesting opportunity for fans to see what it is that inspires the artist that inspires so many others.

The press release follows below the break, including a rundown of each of the artists:

Fleisher/Ollman is pleased to announce an exhibition of works selected by Will Oldham, the prolific singer-songwriter who most often records and performs under the moniker Bonnie Prince Billy. Frenz, on view June 18 through the end of the summer, will include the work of artists: Shary Boyle, Able Brown, Lori Damiano, Kyle Field, Jill Gallenstein, Sammy Harkham, Alan Licht, Ashley Macomber, Joanne Oldham, Leslie Shows and Spencer Sweeney.

The exhibition started with a simple thought—to ask Will Oldham, whose music is visually rich and albums are artful, lovely objects, to select the work of contemporary artists whom he finds compelling. It seemed likely that visceral connections would arise between Oldham’s intuitive practice and diverse interests (in addition to his musical endeavors, the artist has taken turns in numerous independent films, has appeared in videos with both Kayne West and R. Kelly, and has performed stand-up comedy) and those of Fleisher/Ollman. Both Oldham and the gallery seem to have one foot firmly rooted in the mainstream and the other deeply planted in the margins. Both have voices that are distinctly vernacular and elusive, falling happily between the cracks of any definable genre or category.

What resulted is Frenz, a cacophonous exhibition fueled by the work of eleven artists, working nationally and internationally.

Snippets of cartoons, pop references, text, disembodied limbs and prismatic passages of toxic color aggressively coexist with good old-fashioned abstraction in Spencer Sweeney’s nearly psychedelic paintings. These works, like the artist himself, show a complete disregard for convention and consistency of identity (Sweeney is known for his assumed personas and provocative performances as a former member of the anti-band Actress) and serve as a nice touchstone for the show with their almost violent beauty and lyrically poetic, but elusive moments.

Critical and enchanting, Shary Boyle’s practice includes drawing, painting, sculpture and live “projected light”performance. The work on view, deeply personal and psychological, recalls the anxieties, desires and bittersweet fantasies of childhood and adolescence.

Able Brown, life-long drawer, full-time Park Ranger, and part-time funny man, makes immediate observational sketches of nature and of man. The artist jots down seemingly insignificant bits of language and events—people’s conversations and habits, signs, personal thoughts, names of pets, passages from library books—and uses these texts to fuel his crude and sometimes rude drawings, which the artist refers to as “things he wants to see.” The resulting works, such as “Serena Williams Hanging Ten in Oahu”, are inventive, absurd and generous.

Along with Brown’s nearly twenty drawings, Kyle Field’s intimate ink and watercolor works share an affinity for cryptic bits of language and non-sequitur information. Field absorbs content from life’s daily uproar and blends vague narratives that can be read in all directions. Each of the works explores the intersection of nature, commerce, and community through the convergence of personal experiences, inside jokes and imaginary creatures.

Jill Gallenstein’s paintings and drawings explore symmetry and patterns found in nature, providing an overall world view assembled from small, local vantage points. For Frenz, the artist has created a three-part pen and ink drawing, “inside my broken heart is a pocket for you” which perfectly presents the artist’s exploration of space/time and order/chaos, with meticulous, elegant detail.

The four bodily humours are the central characters in Leslie Show’s four collaged prints. The ancient theory of blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm, believed to influence one’s health, personality and temperament, is closely related to the theory of the four elements found in nature—earth, fire, water and air. These thunderheads of the humours enable us to make connections between psychological states and the phenomenal world, between body and landscape.

Sammy Harkham, the author of the comic series, Crickets and Poor Sailor and editor and publisher of Kramers Ergot, one of the most influential comic anthologies published today, will have his zines, strips and original drawings on view.

Lori Damiano’s “Lord I: The Records Keeper” follows the journey of Lord I, a records keeper by trade, who is devoted to documenting and classifying all she encounters. This sublime and thoughtful hand-drawn animation, six years in the making, comments on mediated experience and the struggle between awareness and distraction.

Joanne Oldham has been making powerful collages from collected images for over 30 years. Her work employs repetition, pattern and space to create central images that read as both narrative and portraiture. While her works have been exhibited only once at Family Bookstore (Los Angeles), Oldham’s visionary works have been seen widely on the covers of “I See A Darkness” and “Lie Down in the Light.”

Alan Licht, musician, composer and author, is represented here with a sound piece, “A New York Minute,” which consists of spliced together New York City weather reports, one from each day of January 2001. The 15 minute long piece speaks to the futile exercise of predicting the weather and comments on the limited range of day-to-day activities and the narrow ways in which one can articulate those differences.

Ashley Macomber’s humorous, dark and imaginative paintings present archetypal images of cheerleaders, wolves, and clowns, out of context, making murky associations and revealing the power and ambiguity of sexuality.

Okay. Based on Backseat Sandbar’s experiences thus far at the Forecastle Festival… we’re giving our faithful viewers a task for the final day. Find any and all of these sights and add up your points in the comment section. We’re offering a prize that’s yet to be determined. Bonus points for pictures taken providing evidence of your findings.

If you see:

- a guy with no shirt doing ‘the hippie dance’   2 points
- a lady wearing one article of clothing not suited to the weather (i.e. a winter coat)   3 points
- a guy over 30 wearing a Bonnaroo 2009 t-shirt   2 points
- a lady wearing a flowy skirt with a pastel tank-top sporting a beer belly   4 points
- parents buying booze for their underage kids   6 points
- someone eating food from a trashcan   5 points
- a marching band   2 points
- shirts referencing Hunter S. Thompson   3 points
- a middle-aged man with a beer he clearly did not purchase inside the festival   1 point
- a lady with her skirt tied up, soaking wet   4 points
- the ‘couples grind’ (you know you’ve seen it)   1 point
- someone still tripping from Saturday’s Man Man show   5 points
- someone wearing a t-shirt of a band that has already played Forecastle   3 points
- someone watching a band   1 point
- someone waiting at the stage for a band that doesn’t play for at least 6 hours   5 points
- someone taking a cell phone picture   .5 points
- a parent that cannot get their child out of the Galt House fountain   3 points
- a guy running to a porta-potty   3 points
(BONUS) a girl running to a porta-potty   5 points
- someone wearing a Bonnaroo/Rothbury bracelet   5 points
- Chemic   50 points
- Widespread Panic   (-5) points
- Wyatt (you’ll know)   10 points
(BONUS) Wyatt NOT wearing Oakley sunglasses   15 points
- more than 20 people at the Ocean Stage (DJ tent)   8 points
- Captain J.K. McKnight   5 points
- someone that you’ve posted a Craigslist ‘Missed Connection’ about   8 points
(anti-BONUS) someone that you’re going to post a Craigslist ‘Missed Connection’ about   1 point
- Backseat Sandbar   10 points

Have at it.

THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE

Recently, WFPL’s Gabe Bullard wrote an article describing ASCAP inspectors visiting Derby City Espresso with a bone to pick over some royalties they believed they were due. In the article, Gabe admitted to taking a peek at the “form” (although it was more like a bill) which indicated an expectation of a payment of just under $500 which is roughly the cost of a blanket license for that size of a business (with a maximum of $912.50 at BMI, unsure of the others)

One issue with ASCAP, BMI & SESAC rises when they’re not being paid their license is that they have to gather evidence that their songs are being played. Generally, what happens is they will come in, sit down and write down every song they hear played and compare it against the list of songs in their catalog. If they don’t hear any of their songs, then they turn towards live music. However, because these inspectors may not be around in time for the show, they rely on assumptions with respect to these live performances, namely that when a venue has a stream of artists coming through it’s doors playing live music, one or more of those artists are likely to do a cover of a song from their catalog. If it’s a Bob Dylan cover, SESAC deserves to be paid, if it’s a U2 cover, ASCAP should get paid, and if you do The Beatles, you pay BMI.

Gabe’s article only slightly misstates the issue. ASCAP came in wanting money because they believe Matt is playing music at DCE. In fairness, while there are live shows at DCE, I’ve yet to hear a cover song and if there is music playing over speakers at all, I don’t know whether it’s the type of work for which a license is required. Nevertheless, I am writing to explain the system and warn against the consequences of not knowing whether or not you need to pay a performing rights organization. While inspired by Derby City Espresso’s story…this is a bigger issue than just Matt’s place. It’s important that you understand that THIS ARTICLE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE.

When I say that Gabe’s article slightly mistates the issue, what I mean is that paying ASCAP isn’t exactly a protection against infringement, but rather what it does is to give the proprietor of the business a blanket license to publicly perform songs registered with ASCAP. The business is generally going to need to also pay the fee for BMI and SESAC, which comprise the other performing rights societies. As a result, you cannot look to a live performance schedule and say that having a certain number of bands playing per years equates to a certain number of dollars for the license, unless each of those bands cover at least one song in ASCAP’s catalog, which, in the case of DCE is certainly not going to happen.

For those who aren’t familiar with some of the things I’m referring to, it’s important to know what a performing rights society is and does. Normally with property, he who possesses something owns it. With intellectual property, and copyrights in particular, ownership rights get divided up more easily. One of those rights provided by §106 is the exclusive right of the copyright holder to publicly perform the work. Artists affiliate with one of these three performing rights societies namely ASCAP, BMI & SESAC. For administrative ease, performing rights organizations step in and give users (in this case businesses) a way to pay for their public performances to only one of three entities (as opposed to each individual copyright holder) and then remit that money to the copyright holder (ASCAP and BMI are non-profits and only collect their costs, whereas SESAC is for-profit and takes a percentage).  By making the process of paying for the public performances incredibly simple, businesses are more likely to pay the money that they owe to the copyright holder. Additionally, artists would not themselves be able to administer or enforce the payment for their public performances and would resultingly lose out on all public performances.

To simplify things further, these entities give the option to pay for a blanket license to use any and all of their works. This means that whether you play 5 songs or 5,000,000 songs, you pay essentially the same blanket rate (varied by certain factors, of which I am unfamiliar). As a result, they’re necessary to protect the rights of the copyright holders. Nevertheless, issues remain and I am strongly of the opinion that the right of these societies to collect on behalf of the copyright holder should be limited to accommodate technologies that, while post-dating the copyright act, are hardly “new”. As it stands, Congress maintains the (in my opinion) absurd stance that broadcasting music over the radio is somehow less damaging than webcasting music or playing it via satellite radio, and the effect is that businesses such as Derby City Espresso among others are taking a substantial financial hit for it.

To explain the point, §110(5)(B) provides certain exceptions for small businesses to play the radio or television to their patrons (which would otherwise be a public performance). In Matt’s case, if DCE is less than 3,750 sqr feet, then he’s free and clear to play the radio, if it’s more than 3,750 then he can play the radio so long as he doesn’t use more than 6 loudspeakers with no more than 4 in any single room or adjoining outdoor space.

Unfortunately for Matt & DCE customers, broadcast radio is full of commercials and nobody wants to play that at a relaxing place like DCE. The really unfortunate thing is that neither satellite radio nor webstreaming is included in this exception, so XM and Pandora and similar technologies are both out.  Of course, it’s important to note that broadcast radio is treated as an exception, and simply because it receives favorable treatment does not mean that other media should receive favorable treatment, however in the interest of “fairness” if such a thing exists, I am of the opinion that if it’s good enough for terrestrial radio, it’s good for satellite radio and webstreaming audio.

To that end, playing CDs or your iTunes playlist IS different from broadcast radio, streaming audio or satellite radio because of who is choosing the music. Just as you cannot choose what songs the radio plays, sites like Pandora have tried to avoid infringement claims by eliminating the ability to go back or to choose a particular song (although they do permit pausing, and while choosing one artist selects similar artists, so does choosing a station on broadcast radio). However, until Congress realizes that some new media isn’t functionally that different from some old media, playing media in this way continues to constitute a public performance, and doing so without a license constitutes copyright infringement. I contend that just as playing records wasn’t allowed then (or now), mp3’s and cds shouldn’t be allowed, but streaming audio and satellite radio should fall within the exception carved out for small businesses (particularly considering that as of this past Tuesday Websites have to pay a LOT of money for the public performance that they give by streaming (a minimum of $25K + the greater of 25% of all revenue or $0.08 per song played, rising to $0.14 in 2015) and to a lesser degree, satellite radio with an annual fee of 6% of gross revenue, rising to 8% in 2012.  25% of Pandora’s $19M revenue in 2008 would be $760,000 for a total of $785,000 which would seem to be more than enough to accomodate the businesses streaming audio.

Ultimately, ASCAP has to, from time to time, threaten legal action, and if venues continue to refuse to pay up, then taking them to court. If for no other reason then as to make an example of those places they catch. BMI files a suit against Pianos in NY this week which can turn a $500 blanket fee into some big numbers very quickly. The orgs push the limits, but ultimately they’re backed by Congress and until Congress catches up with the times…they’re going to keep tracking down these venues and enforcing their rights.  While the recording industry has taken a massive hit in recent years, and treating these technologies different from a public performance standpoint helped to appease the copyright holders, my belief is that the new royalty rates are going to inject a LOT of money back into the system and the distinction no longer makes sense (if ever it did).

Ultimately, the way I see it, most businesses should get a warning (which my understanding is that they do) because most people aren’t going to know the finer details of copyright law and know that they have to pay just because they play their iTunes from their computer but wouldn’t have to if they played the radio. It’s part of the forgiveness of the learner’s curve. If Matt has received some sort of warning, I’m sure that it is either a) overzealousness on behalf of ASCAP or b) a simple misunderstanding that he will be able to easily clear up. I bring the matter to public attention only because I find it important that other businesses gain a better understanding of their rights.

In the meantime, consider the differences between streaming audio, listening to satellite radio and listening to broadcast radio and ask yourself whether it makes sense for these to receive different treatment.  Additionally, do you think that the recent agreement regarding royalty payments from streaming audio could increase the chances that the exception could be broadened to include these technologies?

Update: Call me a genius.  Just as I had been arguing that broadcast radio is in no way different than webstreaming or satellite radio, and while I had predicted that the recent agreement regarding royalties for webstreaming (the final unresolved straw) would result in changes to the royalties paid for public performances by the end performer, namely businesses…it seems I overestimated a few things.  Now Pandora is joining the recording industry’s argument backed by new Congressional legislation that for-profit terrestrial radio is receiving an unfair and unwarranted advantage by being able to play music without having to pay performers for the public  performance of such works (although they DO pay the songwriters).  While in truth, the bill would likely only affect roughly 1/3 of all radio stations because of protections built in for stations making less than $1.25 Million annually, I suspect that many more terrestrial radio stations will be seriously impacted by any kind of licensing that goes on whether it affects them directly or not, and further if any additional or reduced license is required that they might have to build into their already depleted budgets, particularly with advertising revenue as down as it has been.

The question however remains, now that streaming audio and satellite radio both have to pay for their own public performances (and keep in mind, this is different than the public performance at places like DCE…here we are talking about the performance by the webstreaming site or radio station, not the bar owner who turns the radio on), is there any difference between them and terrestrial radio that deserves for one to have to pay millions of dollars a year and the other virtually nothing?  Now that websites and radio would be paying for the public performance, is permitting ASCAP to collect for bars actually playing that radio station to give them a windfall by collecting twice for what amounts to the same performance? If radio stations are going to continue being treated differently, how will these other technologies be able to justify the significant fees (other than of course by their legally binding obligations). Pandora wants to get on even footing with these radio stations because they are aware that they do what it is they do better than most terrestrial stations can do, and will gain significant market share once the playing field is leveled.

In a related note, ASCAP is now seeking royalties for websites embedding YouTube videos, although they promise not to target fully noncommercial personal blogs, but then you have to ask what those terms really mean. Things could get sticky.

The Photographic have recently recorded a session with Chicago-based Cinechamber, operated by Daniel Ryan. Cinechamber is along the lines of a La Blogoteque or Black Cab Sessions. Unlike many of the other video-based music blogs out there, Ryan is a true filmmaker and visual artist whose work, as he describes it “elicits a bold visual trademark composed of stylistic symmetry, meticulous attention to detail, and a delicate yet audacious use of landscape with an emphasis on the surreal.” His talent has not gone unnoticed, as he recently completed a film collaboration with Carlos Dengler of Interpol as a 25-minute short, entitled My Friends Told Me About You, which was co-written, photographed, directed and co-edited by Daniel.

For this one, the guys played Secure for this session.

The Photographic – Secure

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…

Heartless Bastards

Jenny Lewis

Fernando (Opening song)

Jack Killed Mom

Carpetbaggers

Louisville has a new band in town and they just finished recording a record at local hit-factory The Funeral Home with Kevin Ratterman.  The record is called Or Granfalloon and you can download it here.

From the horse’s mouth:

Howdy all,

Download our new album!!!!
It’s Free and EASY, just like us!

1. Click the link below and follow directions. You do not have to sign up for anything. (A pop up window might say “click here for direct link if download doesn’t start. Click it.)

http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/48213

Thanks for your time
-Karass

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I haven’t gotten the chance to listen to all of it yet, but I expect great things from these folks.  Definitely a must-listen if you are into starry, ambient instrumental music that you can sway to.  Enjoy and feel free to let the band know how much you appreciate the free music on their Facebook page. Also on their Myspace.

Last night Pitchfork announced that Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney has started a new drummer supergroup called, creatively, Drummer.  Other drummers participating in the project are Jamie Stillman of Teeth of the Hydra, Jon Finley of Beaten Awake, Stephen Clements of Houseguest/Six Parts Seven, and Ghostman and Greg Boy of Sandman.

What’s more is that the guys are touring in support of their debut Feel Good Together (out September 29) and they’re coming to Louisville’s Skull Alley on October 19th with the Royal Bangs!

Drummer – Feel Good Together

For a full list of Tour dates and the tracklisting,

Feel Good Together:
01 Lottery Dust
02 Feel Good Together
03 Serious Encounters
04 Mature Fantasy
05 Every Nineteen Minutes
06 Good Golly
07 Connect to Lounge
08 Buddyscapes
09 Diamonds to Shake
10 Summer Control

Drummer Tour Dates:

08-07 Akron, OH – Musica
10-08 Brooklyn, NY – Southpaw *
10-09 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s *
10-10 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge *
10-11 Cambridge, MA – T.T. the Bear’s *
10-12 Washington, DC – DC9 *
10-13 Baltimore, MD – The Ottobar *
10-14 Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506 *
10-15 Knoxville, TN – The Pilot Light *
10-16 Atlanta, GA – The Earl *
10-17 Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge *
10-19 Louisville, KY – Skull Alley *
10-20 Indianapolis, IN – Spin Nightclub *
10-21 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon *
10-22 Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry *
10-23 Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern *
10-24 Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom *#

* with Royal Bangs
# with Other Girls