Music Snobbery

Marina and the Diamonds / Young the Giant @ The Wonder Bar

2010-09-07T00:50:01-04:00

That's it, Marina. You're in Asbury Park. Have a few laughs.

As I mentioned last week, having U.K. superstar in the making Marina and the Diamonds play Asbury Park's Wonder Bar seemed a strange choice. On Thursday, she played the 1,000 capacity of Webster Hall. On Friday, it was the World Music Cafe's large room in Philly. Wonder Bar (not to be confused with the Wonder Bra) is spacious as a sports bar, but rather small for a rock club. The gig barely got about 200 in attendance in my estimation. Those 200 people were all big fans and still make for a lively crowd. In any event, I knew that M.D. would put on a fun show no matter what the venue. She being the rising pop star and good-time girl you want in your town.

This being my second time around with Marina, I knew she likes to put on a lively and glammy show. Nothing much as changed -- she still a jewel of a performer, a strong presence and just a damn good time.

The setlist, almost the same as last time, with Are You Satisfied? added (the cover of 3OH!3's Starstrukk was nixed from the set list, thank you for sparing us that) :

The Outsider
Girls
Seventeen
I Am Not a Robot
Oh No!
Numb
Obsessions
Rootless
Hollywood
Shampain
Are You Satisfied?
Guilty
ENCORE: Mowgli's Road

So why the love for Marina from the party girls, the gay men and the idiot bloggers from Jersey? For me, I'm drawn to the eclectic mix she infused into her better tunes. I've always been an admirer of her early piano based tuned. Now, she strives to be more of a hitmaking, pop star. Somewhere in the middle is the happy medium that I think she shines. I Am Not a Robot and especially Mowgli's Road are the tunes that set her apart from other U.K. pop stars.

I do know that people have become fond of Marina Diamandis herself. Let's face it, she is gorgeous with her Mediterranean dark skin, long hair and exotic face. I'm looking at my old post and it sounded like a needed a cold shower after that show at Le Poisson Rouge. Beyond her va-va-room looks, she seems like a fun person to be around. She doesn't take her live show too seriously -- always cracking jokes between songs and winking at people in the crowd. While she goes through her dance moves and poses, she also brings out these props like a foam hamburgers and heart flashlights just to give the song a little bit of levity.

What I've noticed from the album and seeing her again is that she's aware of who she is and that place she has in music. Songs like I am Not A Robot, Oh No! and Hollywood are about trying to be herself in a business that doesn't want her to be herself. It's that ageless struggle in pop music, wanting to have success in America, without having to sell your soul. That's probably reason why I think the Family Jewels is a good album as whole, but Oh No! and Hollywood are heavy-handed in the production -- like they are trying too hard to make a mainstream radio hit. As I said, that happy medium between the glam pop star and piano-playing singer-songwriter is where I think she'll do best.

With that said, I tend to over-analyze the music so much, I forget to tell you how damn fun the shows are. It's put-your-hands-together, jump around and dance in your shows type of fun. I love Mowgli's Road live, it's a cracking tune with great sing-a-long lyrics and you get to scream "CUCKOO!" a lot.

That's it for MD and her boys -- well-worth the drive down. More of Asbury (rhymes with Glastonbury) at the end of this post.

As I side note, she totally knows who I am when I met her. I should have brought her flowers or brownies then.

Opening on this tour is Los Angeles act, Young the Giant. I accidentally called them Yes Giantess when somebody asked who the opening act. Then I like, "No, I think its Young and the Giants or something." As it turns out, they changed their name from The Jakes to Young the Giant. We all straight now? Good.

They were pretty good. They had a couple of good solid songs they can hang their hat on. The tune "My Body" has a heavy thumping beat, catchy bass hook, a decent chorus and some gnarly guitars. It's kind of hard to pinpoint them as a certain type of band. They are not glammy and dancey enough to sound like The Killers and too polished to sound like The Walkmen, but that's probably good that they have their own thing going. They definitely sound like a west coast band with their sunny outlook.

Their debut album comes out next month of Roadrunner Records.

As for The Wonder Bar, it was okay for the show. It's more of a sports bar than anything. The nearby Stone Pony, The Saint and Asbury Lanes are true rock venue. Looking at their programming, they mostly book local acts and cover bands. It's an open layout, with a round bar by the entrance and the small floor in front of the stage. I would look back and see the whole back of the bar not paying attention to the show. My only thinking of why this tour was booked at Wonder Bar was that other places were already booked.

The Wonder Bar has been there for a while. It wouldn't be a Asbury Park landmark without a picture of Springsteen or a Soprano cast member on the wall. They've got both. They've taken up the logo of that creepy clown with the wide smile, Tillie, from the torn down Palace Amusements.

So yeah, I would love to come back to Asbury Park. I haven't been to the super cool Asbury Lanes in a while with the rock-a-billy and burlesque nights. And let's not forget about the Silverball Museum, that's open until 3am!

The Asbury Park area is slowly getting some juice. It's indeed not the place anymore that Springsteen wrote about in My City In Ruins 10 years ago. Ocean Avenue is all neon now with a few nightclubs. On the way to show, I passed a douche-tastic club with lasers shooting everywhere and playing that dance club remix by Eric Prydz of Steve Winwood's Valerie. Ha! Even the old Howard Johnson's is a nightclub now. The rest of the town beyond Ocean's Ave ... that's another story.

Here some photos of the Wonder bar. Salt is playing. I guess she doesn't get along with Pepa anymore.

The Five People You Meet Working The Bar At The Rock Club

2010-09-03T01:03:48-04:00

Thank you for the good tidings with the first installment of this series -- The Five People You Meet In The Most Pit. Your Facebook postings and referrals are greatly appreciated here at HQ.

In the second installment, I explore the grease in the wheel in the world of rock clubs and concert halls -- the bartenders. We all think that the venues make money from ticket sales, but the real juice is in selling juice ... and beer, wine and well drinks. The bartenders are there to get your money and have you coming back for more. Here are the five types you find working behind the bar.

The Perminent Fixture (a.k.a. The Legend)

Age: 40-75

Background: When he pissed-off Joey Ramone in a card game, he was forced to leave the the life of a roadie. He decided to try bartending until he can get back on his feet. That was 1988.

Wardrobe: Faded black t-shirt, faded jeans, cowboy boots -- seven days a week. Back pocket has perminent frays from his bottle opener.

Favorite Band: Pixies

Favorite Drink to Serve: Anything in a bottle (easiest to serve)

Probable Name: Frank

Attributes:

He knows where everything is, and hates when the new staff asks him a thousand questions.
Doesn't play favorites.
Rarely seen outside the club
That Joey Ramone story might be a lie.
Might sleep in a cubby hole in the back room
Secretly hates every band that comes in to play
Remembers the good ole days when you could serve underaged kids and no one would bat an eyelash.
The guy to ask if a certain rumor is true. "Did you really punch Kurt Cobain?" Answer will be, "I don't know what you're talkin' about."
Will be there ten years from now, wearing the same t-shirt, jeans and cowboy boots

Aspiration: Waiting for owner to die so that he can run the joint ... or just rob it blind.

The Tank Top Wearing Hottie

Age: 25

Background: Former Maxim Hometown Hottie looking to have fun, make easy money, tease the boys and network

Wardrobe: Tank top (white in spring/summer, black in fall/winter), super skinny low cut jeans to show the tramp stamp, ugg boots.

Favorite Band: Kings of Leon

Favorite Drink to Server: Anything on tap because pulling the taps is FUN!

Probable Name: Mel (short from Melanie)

Atrributes:

Will make triple the tips when she goes braless in the the summer
Will water down your drink, but you don't mind
Her smile will make you feel funny inside
She might be nice to you, but she doesn't like you
Dates the asshole lead singer of some dirtbag band
Might sing along to song on jukebox
Auditioned for Big Brother
Rumored to had blown one of the Followill brothers backstage, When you ask The Legend about this, he will say, "I have no idea what you're talkin' about"
Broke 10 bottles trying to do that Tom Cruise thing in Cocktail
If she recognizes you from before, will say "Hey yoouuuuu!!!"
When she wears the pigtails, watch out!

Aspiration: Marry a twice-divored investment banker who has teenage kids, so she can be a mom without the stretch marks.

The New Kid in Town

Age: 22

Background: Just graduated midwestern college where he majored in Drama and English Lit. Played King Charlemagne in his high school production of Pippin.

Wardrobe: A sweet vintage short sleeve shirt that he got at this local store called Urban Outfitters, Gap jeans and his favorite pair of Vans

Favorite Band: The Shins

Favorite Drink To Server: Everything, man! What can I getcha?

Probable name: Andy

Atrributes:

Sees working as a bartender as a first step in a glorious first year out of school
Forgets to use the spoon when pouring a Guinness, but will trying again.
Looks forward to the new indie bands coming through that he reads about on Pitchfork, even though he won't get a chance to see them for more than 30 seconds.
Willing to clean the toilets
The Legend will never learn his name.
Will think The Hottie is his best friend
Frequently looks up how to make drinks, like a screwdriver and Long Island Ice Tea
Freaks out when he see big time celebrities at the show like that guy who's on the Daily Show and that girl who's on SNL, you know, that girl.
Making shit money, so lives off of oyster crackers, cherries and corn chips
Easiest person to use a fake I.D. on.

Aspiration: Turn blog/tumblr account into book deal

The Disgruntled Lesbian

Age: 28

Background: Has worked 15 different clubs on both coasts since dropping out of design school.

Wardrobe: Vintage t-shirt, baggy jeans, tighty whitey underwear, wallet chain, nose wring, upper lip stud

Favorite Band: CocoRosie until they became popular. Now back to Bikini Kill.

Favorite Drink to Serve: I don't have time for this, guy. What do you want?

Probable Name: Nancy

Attributes:

Sees working as a bartender as the last step in a disappointing life
Hasn't been the same since Ani DiFranco married a man -- twice.
Wants to stab The Hottie in the eyeball with a toothpick
Gets angry when you can't make up your mind
Most likely to curse out the owner
Will roll her eyes when you ask for a cup of water
Only joy in life is when ten people show up for a show, making it an easy night.
Will probably be working at another venue next week

Aspiration: Turn etsy website featuring her canvas tote bag designs into a real brick & morter store.

The Old-Timey Hipster (a.k.a The Chap)

Age: 25-30

Background: Trust fund ran out. Since all his friends are musicians, might as well work at the club.

Wardrobe: Deep V-neck white t-shirt, mountainous chest hair, suspenders, nerd glasses, old timey handlebar mustache, tweed pants, bespoke dress shoes

Favorite Band: Beirut

Favorite Drink to Serve: Aged Rye Whiskey

Probable Name: Abner (fake name)

Attributes:

Always seems to be talking to his friends who come to the shows
Took two days off to stand in line for new iPhones
Looks forward to serving well drinks so he can impress the ladies with his alcohol knowledge
Uninpressed with your drink order
Denies knowing anything about pop culture, but totally does
Sees right through The Hottie, befriends the Lesbian and New Guy and wants to write a screenplay about the Legend
Bought the deep V-necks in bulk.
Knows every band that comes to play
Bands been known to crash at his place
Claims not to work hard or think about his moustashe and chest hair, but totally does

Aspiration: Develope his steampunk costume so that he can make the monocle and cape acceptable fashion attire ... or start own old timey bar.

Anna Calvi Won't Be Leaving Any Time Soon

2010-09-02T00:14:49-04:00

One of the new signees to Domino Records this year is London guitar goddess in the making Anna Calvi. You might want to keep your socks securely fastened to your person because with every note and guitar cord, she will shake your very soul.

There's a lot of raw emotion in her music. You have at the high end of the spectrum, a pure rock furocity that is operatic and intense. On the soft end, you have soulful singer who's trying to keep her feelings in check. There's a battle between the two on "First We Kiss". On her myspace page, that song is in demo form and it sounds like the finished product with the string section and choir.

Anna, who are you? Where did you come from? More importantly, how's the debut album coming? If it's anything like your current slate of songs ... damn.

The obvious comparison is early PJ Harvey, and I'm reminded of St. Vincent and her expert guitar skills. I watched a bunch of Anna's performances online and she has this intense, stoic look on her face. She wears business-like blouses, with slicked back hair and bright red lipstick.

So far, she's opened for label mates Arctic Monkeys at the Royal Albert Hall. In Rocktober, she'll be tagging along with Nick Cave's Grinderman for his European tour.

He's the video that caught my eye, a live performance at the Luminaire of the track, "Love Won't Be Leaving". Stick with it because it gets nasty and rocking in the middle.

Apple Takes Us Back to 2001 With Short Skirt/Long Jacket

2010-09-01T23:28:48-04:00

It was just like old times again, as grand puba Steve Jobs envieled that latest upgrades to the iPod Touch, Nano and Shuffle. Unfortuantely, an iPod touch with a superior capacity behond 64GB($399) was not one of the upgrades. Come on now, the now dinosaur iPod classic holds 160GB for $249. Is it that hard to develop an iPod touch or iPhone with that sort of capacity? We'll have to wait for the alien invasion for the technology to arrive.

I got a good chuckle of the unveiling on the two new ad campaigns. One used Chappo's "Come Home", the other the 2001 summer classic "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" by Cake. That 00s revival is already here. I guess Better Than Ezra, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Spin Doctors, Gin Blossoms, Toadies, Fastball, Barenaked Ladies and Soul Asylum were asking too much for song usage.

Speaking of which, I guess the Infinite Sunshine tours are not so infinite. The band has been dormant since 2004. According to wikipedia, John McCrea has plans to release a new Cake album this year. Oh goodie. I roll my eyes in their general direction.

Jamaica Is Invading America! The Band, Not The Country

2010-09-01T00:00:00-04:00

French buzz duo Jamaica (previous name Poney Poney) has been making all the super cool Euro kids dance and groove in their expensive shoes. They are the latest edition to the Ed Banger family thanks to Justice's Xavier de Rosnay shepherding their debut album, No Problem. Antoine Hilaire and Florent Lyonne are not entirely dance floor monsters, but you can feel a heavy pulse in their tunes. It's Ed Banger's most traditional indie rock band on their roster. More Phoenix via Klaxons then Daft Punk. Still, I think the party people will love it. "I Think I Love U 2" is a nice double meaning for a song title. It can mean, "I think I like you too" or "I think I like U2".

They'll come through these parts for CMJ for what will be some heavily attended shows.

Rocktober 13: Warehouse -- San Diego
Rocktober 15: Echoplex -- Los Angels
Rocktober 16: Treasure Island Festival -- San Francisco
Rocktober 17: Clun Encore -- Atlanta
Rocktober 18: Lincoln Hall -- Chicago
Rocktober 19: Wrong Bar -- Toronto
Rocktober 21: Making Time (Venue TBA) -- Philadelphia
Rocktober 22: Webster Hall -- New York
Rocktober 23: Making Time (Venue TBA) -- Brooklyn

For a visual representation of their album track Cross the Fader, they called upon the innovative designer/ video director So Me (Jérémie Rozan), who did the Justice videos for D.A.N.C.E. and DVNO.

Angus & Julia Stone Skipping Across U.S./Canada This Rocktober

2010-08-31T23:12:50-04:00

The Stone Family Slideshow Players continue to plug away for their 2010, Down The Way. I'm considering it for best of 2010, and why don't you, the fine people of music snobbery land. If think it's all soft, folk pop tunes, think again. When I saw them last June, I saw that there was more more to them.

They'll be coming through this parts during CMJ with shows at Bell House, Maxwell's and an opening slot for Devotcha at Lincoln Center.

Rocktober 5: El Rey Theatre -- Los Angeles
Rocktober 6: The Independent -- San Francisco
Rocktober 8: Austin City Limits -- Austin
Rocktober 11: The Crocodile Cafe -- Seattle
Rocktober 12: Venue -- Vancouver
Rocktober 13: Aladdin Theatre -- Portland
Rocktober 15-16: Lincoln Hall -- Chicago (opening for Devotchka)
Rocktober 18: Iron Horse Music Hall -- Northampton, MA
Rocktober 20: World Cafe Live -- Philadelphia
Rocktober 22: Bell House -- Brooklyn
Rocktober 23: Damrosch Park, Lincoln Center -- New York (opening for Devotchka)
Rocktober 24: Maxwell's -- Hoboken, NJ
Rocktober 26: Paradise -- Boston
Rocktober 28: Opera House -- Toronto
Rocktober 29: Le National -- Montreal
Rocktober 30: Le Cercle -- Quebec

Here's the video for their latest single, it's for the song, Hold On:

Alice Gold Sends You Into Orbit

2010-08-31T00:00:00-04:00

Here's something funky, fresh and different to keep your eyes and ears on. Alice Gold is a U.K. singer-songwriter with some tricked out electronics over a funkadelic 70s groove. It's like the soundtrack for a female-revenge flick from the 70s with a heavy bass groove and strong vocals. There's bad assitude going on here. She's almost Beck-ian in her approach to taking all these different styles and making it her own.

As her bio points out, she won a Winnebago in a poker game and took that bad boy across the U.S. for six months. Along the way, she wrote and recorded in the vehicle, using the bathroom as the vocal booth. And to think I was using my bathroom for .... you know.

"Everyone I met before I left warned me of danger and strange people," she notes. "But the only bad experience I had was having to break into my own van after locking myself out." She made a stop in Nashville, Tennessee, performing gigs nightly. "Just seeing the way musicians do things over there," she says, "The standard of performances are higher, even the small acoustic nights were incredible - unsigned artists really putting on a show and giving it their all."

The big graber is her first single and video for the song Orbiter with her large, inviting vocals and that wacka-wacka guitar hook. The other songs she has to offer on her myspace page have a similar slant -- a little bit of this, a little bit of that and whole lot punch. She's already been signed to Fiction Records, so she's going to legit.

Check out the colorful video for Orbiter.

A little research shows she's opened up for Holly Miranda in London, and tomorrow she opens up for Eels at Brixton Academy.

Smoke Fairies Set With New Album, Through Low Light And Trees

2010-08-30T22:45:35-04:00

Those frighteningly talented ladies, Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies, have put the finishing touches on their major-label debut album, Through Low Light And Trees. V2 in the U.K. will release the album next Monday with a U.S. release imminent. The album was produced by long-time PJ Harvey producer, Head. The album artwork is to the right, and the track listing is below.

1. Summer Fades
2. Devil In My Mind
3. Hotel Room
4. Dragon
5. Erie Lackawanna
6. Strange Moon Rising
7. Morning Blues
8. Storm Song
9. Blue Skies Fall
10. Feeling Is Turning Blue
11. After The Rain

Here's a four-track preview of the album, and you'll see why the two are a must-listen.

Previously:

The duo opened up for Laura Marling at Johnny Brenda's

Marina & The Diamonds Launches First U.S. Tour This Week -- Stops in NJ and Philly

2010-08-30T04:04:15-04:00

This flew under my radar: After a jaw-dropping performance last March at Le Poisson Rouge, Marina Diamandis and her sparklies will go cross country on their first extensive U.S. tour. She hits up World Cafe Live in Philly this Friday, which I would love to go to if the traffic wasn't so hellish.

So maybe a little visit next Sunday to that legendary club in Asbury Park. No, not that one -- the other. No, the OTHER one. Ahh, The Wonder Bar, which is kind of random, but cool none the less. I haven't been there since it's been renovated, so this would be good chance to check out the joint.

September 1: Paradise -- Boston
September 2: Webster Hall -- New York
September 3: World Cafe Live -- Philadelphia
September 5: The Wonder Bar -- Asbury Park, NJ
September 6: 930 Club -- Washington, D.C.
September 8: Opera House Concert Venue -- Toronto
September 9: Lincoln Hall -- Chicago
September 10: Triple Rock -- Minneapolis
September 13: Crocodile -- Seattle,
September 14: Doug Fir -- Portland,
September 15: Independent -- San Francisco
September 17: El Rey Theatre -- Los Angeles

LCD Soundsystem Is Playing Near My House ... My House

2010-08-30T03:45:49-04:00

I'm really curious at what kind of crowd LCD Soundsystem will get at the Wellmont when they role through on Sept. 23. I might have to create a post, The 5 People You Meet at the LCD Soundsystem Show in the Burbs.

On top of that, the band you're sick of hearing about even though they've only been together for 10 months, Sleigh Bells, is opening. You can get their CD at Target. It's the suburban hipster uprising.

That whole week is just a clusterfuck of awesome shows. Pavement picked the wrong week to dominate New York, because damn, they are just so many things that week. The National play the Wellmont the next day as well. My Pavement tickets are the 23rd and 24th. I'll spend more time thinking about this then important things, like what am I going to do with the rest of the my life.

September 23: The Wellmont Theatre -- Montclair, NJ
September 24: Philadelphia Naval Cruise Terminal -- Philiadelphia,
September 25: Merriweather post pavillion festival -- Columbia, Maryland
September 27: Memorial auditorium -- Burlington, Vermont
September 28: Orpheum -- Boston
Rocktober 1: Hamilton College -- Clinton, New York
Rocktober 2: Charlottesville Pavilion -- Charlottesville, Virginia
Rocktober 4: Tabernacle -- Atlanta
Rocktober 5: Hard Rock -- Orlando
Rocktober 6: Fillmore -- Miami
Rocktober 8: Verizon Amphitheater -- Houston
Rocktober 9: Austin City Limits festival -- Austin
Rocktober 13: RIMAC Arena -- La Jolla, CA
Rocktober 15: Hollywood Bowl -- Hollywood, CA
Rocktober 16: Treasure Island -- San Francisco, CA
Rocktober 19: the complex -- Salt Lake City
Rocktober 20: Fillmore Auditorium -- Denver
Rocktober 22: Eagles Ballroom -- Milwaukee
Rocktober 23: Roy Wilkins Auditorium -- St. Paul, MN

Previously:

LCD Soundsystem at Randall's Island
LCD Soundsystem at Theatre of Living Arts

Film School Wants You and Your Stripes To Help The Animals

2010-08-30T03:32:19-04:00

The worlds of indie rock and Major League Baseball are finally colliding for a cause.

Film School is holding at merchandise design contest at Animals of Fission. they are looking for something animal striped based like zebras and tigers. You vote for the best, the top 3 get to see their designs in the merch. You have until Sept. 8.

Then, 10% of the merch sales will be donated to St. Louis Cardinals' manager Tony La Russa's charity, Animal Rescue Foundation. Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) saves the lives of countless animals each year whose time has run out in public shelters and who are scheduled to be killed. ARF's team of trained volunteers and expert staff make sure every animal receives proper nutrition, medical evaluation and treatment, training and lots of love as they await their new forever home. ARF's shelter touches the lives of thousands of animals and people each year.

Will somebody think about the animals?