The greatest artists are always brilliant storytellers, in one way or another, and there is no doubting that Cyndi Lauper is a great communicator.  I’ve been to many of her shows over the years, and Cyndi Lauper is all about connecting with people; connecting with her fans.  She kicked off her show at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento last night by jumping off the stage and making her way up to the middle of the crowd, doing much of her singing surrounded by those who adore her and love not just her music, but what she’s down with her life, how she lives it, and what she gives back to the global community.  Throughout her set, her stories in-between were unfiltered (apart from a few word choices out of respect for a nine year old up front), meandering, and fascinating… and going by the set list taped on the floor, passed into some of the time planned for singing.  But when she sings, it’s truly a marvel, with her gift of voice and performance, and as she paced up and down the crowd up front (which instantly went from an all seated show to a standing GA free for all), she made personal connections with each of us – a look, a touch with her hand – because she is one of those earnest people…  that rare breed who “made it” but it is not about themselves, but giving back… through songs, stories, laughter, experiences… and of course her brilliant music.  Touring for the 30th anniversary of her debut album, She’s So Unusual, she is playing all those classic songs from that seminal 80s work, along with a bonus or two.  I obviously go to a lot of concerts, but Cyndi Lauper was a true icon for me growing up in the 80s, and this was definitely the best experience I’ve had at one of her shows.  Definitely a must see tour this year, and I’ll personally be doing it all again tonight at Mountain Winery in Saratoga.

Who: Cyndi Lauper
Supporting: Hunter Valentine
Venue: Crest Theatre
Where: Sacramento, California
Promoter: Sherpa Concerts
When: June 18, 2013
Seating: Row B, Seat 5 (front row left section; though ended up front row center standing against stage halfway through first Cyndi Lauper song)

Sacramento is my “home” metropolitan city, but unfortunately, we don’t get too many shows like this one, so I was thrilled when I learned Cyndi Lauper would be hitting the Crest, as well as one of my favorite venues, Mountain Winery, so it was a lock to go to both.

Hunter Valentine

Members

• Kiyomi McCloskey (vocals, guitar)
• Laura Petracca (drums)
• Aimee Bessada (guitar, keyboards)
• Leanne Bowes (bass)

Hunter Valentine is an alternative rock band from Ontario, Canada.   Their music style has a lot of range, from alt rock to punk.  They have two studio albums, The Impatient Romantic (2007) and Collide and Conquer (2012).  You can check out one of their single, “Liar Liar” on their official site, www.huntervalentine.com.

Hearing them for the first time, lead vocalist Kiyomi McCloskey has a really compelling voice…  more “husky” in tone like Johnette Napolitano but also able to maintain with some powerful rock vocals, like Joan Jett.  I thought their opening set was fantastic, and already purchased their two albums to catch up on their work.  They did an excellent job waking up the audience in preparation for Cyndi Lauper.

Ordinarily, I would publish photos of the opener, but I did not have clarity on the photo policy for the night until afterwards, and had thought it was no photos and was being respectful of that, so apologies for the misunderstanding and missed opportunity to include some photos of Hunter Valentine here.

Cyndi Lauper

Members

• Steve Gaboury (pianist/keyboards)
• Jan Pulsford (keyboards)
• Keith Mack (guitar)
• William Wittman (bass)
• Sterling Campbell (drums)

Having just turned 40 this year, the 80s (all of it) was the most influential decade of my life, especially pop culture and music in particular.  Growing up with MTV, the artists that had the biggest impact on me in the early 80s – from ’80-’84 – were (in no particular order) Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Billy Idol, Duran Duran, Hall & Oates, and… Cyndi Lauper.  Those were the artists that really broke big in the mainstream, and were enduring over time.  They each had a spectacular number of hits.

Cyndi Lauper’s first album, She’s So Unusual, which was the inspiration for this current tour, celebrating what was accomplished 30 years ago, was released in 1983.

During the show last night, Cyndi Lauper talked about the past, and some of what used to be, what was… even little things, like the difference in sound quality between analog vinyl records vs CDs and downloads today.  Some of the soul of music has been lost in the past 30 years, and the music industry does not remotely resemble what was.

So it was interesting to see her reach out to that young girl who came out for the concert, and try to convey some of how things used to be.  For me, the tour doesn’t just celebrate her awesome album, but the way things used to be, and it is sad that the younger generation of kids today – who are the same age now that I was in 1983 – will never know how great we had it back then.

Just looking at the list of artists I noted above, and thinking about those years, and 1983 in particular…  Madonna released her self-titled album in July 1983 (which included “Holiday”, “Lucky Star”, and “Borderline”), then Cyndi Lauper released her debut just three months later in October (with “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, “Time After Time”, “She Bop”, “All Through the Night”, and “Money Changes Everything”, Billy Idol released Rebel Yell the following month in October (featuring “Rebel Yell”, “Eyes Without a Face”, “Flesh for Fantasy”, and “Catch My Fall”), while the same month Duran Duran released Seven and the Ragged Tiger (with “Union of the Snake”, “New Moon on Monday”, and “The Reflex”).  All of these albums were released within four months of one another, and serving as bookend we had Michael Jackson’s Thriller released in late 1982 and Prince’s Purple Rain debuting in the Summer of 1984.

It was such a different time.  Today, we seem to have thousands and thousands of bands releasing new music constantly, in a short attention span society.  Songs don’t have time to breathe, let alone artists develop a following, and it’s all “free” one way or another (whether it’s streaming or on YouTube or some other service) and younger generations seem to find it all quite disposable.  If you don’t anticipate something, let alone pay for it, it has no value.

I remember, growing up, watching Madonna’s famous performance of “Like A Virgin”, and seeing Michael Jackson’s live moonwalk on TV…  these were events.  But in that time, there were three broadcast channels and cable just getting off the ground.  Now there is endless streams of information, entertainment, and time-wasting junk.  We don’t have pop cultural “moments” anymore.  At best, a small blip in a news cycle, and it’s usually sensationalist garbage – junk food for the mind – to keep viewers past the commercial break.

But there was a time when it was all different, and 1983 was at the center of it, more or less.

When Cyndi Lauper broke through with her first single – “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” – it was at a time when maybe the idea of girls having fun was kind of a novel idea (depending on the definition of fun).  People hear the song now, and forget what it was like in 1983.  It was the dawn of a new era, and a lot of changes.

There was recently a great docuseries on NatGeo – The 80s: The Decade That Made Us – that does an excellent job of refreshing one’s memory (if you were there) and maybe giving those who weren’t an idea of what an exciting and revolutionary time that it really was, and how much pop culture drove and inspired those changes and overall transformation.  At the start of the first of six hour long episodes, they frame it all by remind us that in the beginning of the 80s, “America was in a very dark place“, and, per Kurt Andersen of Spy Magazine, “[t]he very beginning of the 1980s, it’s still the 1970′s, which is to say malaise was till the operative condition“.

Pop culture – music especially – was in large part instrumental in bringing some color to our culture.  And what more colorful an ambassador than Cyndi Lauper – in both appearance and music?

While the 90s was the decade in which woman bands and singer songwriters became all the rage, it wasn’t so in the 80s – particularly the early 80s.  I think Cyndi Lauper confounded people.  Who was she?  What was she really singing about?  Why does she look so… unusual?

But the younger generation, my generation, totally got it, and she became an icon and idol for us.  She spoke to us.  And she had a beautiful voice, amazing songs, and she was optimistic, and made the future seem brighter and better.

I’ve had this theory of late that everyone is “weird” to some degree or other (good or bad or indifferent), but it’s those with money and resources that have the luxury of indulging it and, for lack of a better turn of phrase, being themselves.  There is that old adage about wealthy people being eccentric.  I think that is misleading, or missing a bigger truth.   I think we all are, but for most, there is no time for it or it is inappropriate or not consistent with one’s work and/or personal life.  Rich and successful people just don’t have the same limitations, so it comes out more obviously to the casual observer.

Well, as I began to articulate in my opening, I get the sense that Cyndi Lauper is a really thoughtful and decent person, while most with her success would probably be focused more inward.  I can only speculate, but I get the sense that Cyndi Lauper doesn’t tour for any monetary reasons, but because she loves sharing her music and connecting with fans.  At the Crest last night, it was all about those connections on so many different levels.  And she has important messages – and feelings – to share.  I think she has true purpose in life, understands what it is, and acts on it every day.  Which is probably why she is so prolific – not just in music but in all the arts and charity and other causes as well.  One only needs to visit her website to understand that she is a woman who wants to do, not merely to be.

So… how was the actual concert?  The music?

Fucking fantastic.  Ever facet of it was amazing.  And I felt very fortunate to be right up front.  What an honor, really.  If my 10-year old self from 1983 only knew what was in store for me, I don’t think I would have believed it.

Cyndi Lauper has always been one of my favorite vocalists, and time has always been an ally of hers, as her voice sounds better than ever.  She is still beautiful, stunning, and radiant, and has superb fashion instincts.

I love that album, and the songs, and I’m actually a fan of artists doing full albums like this – it’s really something special, and with the trend these days being singles and not albums, all the better.  Again, I’ll take the way things used to be on that front as well.

One thing is for sure – no two Cyndi Lauper concerts are the same, and I’m quite sure she’s never told the same story the same way, or even with the same asides.  She is very stream of consciousness, as some of the most creative among us sometimes are, but it offered a fascinating journey into the mind of Cyndi Lauper, along with the music.  I think her set ran nearly two hours, and there were only a dozen songs, so that should give some idea of the quantity and quality of the storytelling that framed the experience.

The highlight for me was at one point during the show, she looked into my eyes and started singing directly to me, and I was kind of hypnotized for that moment, and then she reached down and grabbed my hat and kind of brought me back to full consciousness.

Cyndi Lauper is all about bringing people together and taking them on a journey.  There is great power in that, and she seems to wield it with all the most positive of intentions.

Loved the show.  Amazing experience.  And really looking forward to the show at Mountain Winery tomorrow night.

Below is an image of Cyndi Lauper’s set list from the stage:

Below is my recollection of what was actually played at the Crest last night (two songs omitted due to lack of time)…

Setlist:

• Money Changes Everything
• Girls Just Want To Have Fun
• When You Were Mine
• Time After Time
• She Bop
• All Through The Night
• Witness
• I’ll Kiss You
• He’s So Unusual
• Yeah Yeah

Encore

• Shine
• True Colors

Below are some photos of from the Cyndi Lauper concert at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento on June 18, 2013 (click any image for higher resolution versions of each photo):

Jason DeBord

The Super Freestyle Explosion will be hitting the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California on June 29th, US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona on August 2nd and Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento on July 27th with an amazing line-up of popular artists that are immediately recognized by fans of the electronic dance/pop music of the 80s, much of which originated in Florida and New York.  The massive line-up includes Stevie B, Lisa Lisa, Exposé, Debbie Deb, Shannon, Trinere, Jenny O, Pretty Poison, and Stacey Q. 

Tickets for both shows can still be purchased for the San Jose and Phoenix shows via Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com and through the link below:

You can also connect with ITP Records and Pacific Concert Group via their webpage at www.itprecords.com and their Facebook event page.

The Rock Subculture Journal will be covering the event at HP Pavilion at San Jose.

Jason DeBord

Following last year’s rocking tour, Adam Ant & the Good, the Mad and Lovely Posse will be returning to the United States supporting his first new studio album in 18 years, The Blueback Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter, which was released earlier this year.  Supporting the tour (on all dates except Hawaii and Buffalo), which is kicking off next month, are Los Angeles-based group Prima Donna.

Full details can be found at the official Adam Ant website at www.adam-ant.com:

• 7/17/13    Balboa Theatre    San Diego, CA
• 7/19/13    City National Grove of Anaheim    Anaheim, CA
• 7/20/13    Club Nokia    Los Angeles, CA
• 7/23/13    The Grand    Salt Lake City, UT
• 7/24/13    Ogden Theatre    Denver, CO
• 7/26/13    The Belmont    Austin, TX
• 7/27/13    Warehouse Live    Houston, TX
• 7/28/13    Granada Theatre    Dallas, TX
• 7/30/13    Cain’s Ballroom    Tulsa, OK
• 8/1/13    Congress Theater    Chicago, IL
• 8/5/13    The Cannery Ballroom    Nashville, TN
• 8/6/13    Center Stage    Atlanta, GA
• 8/8/13    Grand Central    Miami, FL
• 8/9/13    Palladium Theater    St. Petersburg, FL
• 8/10/13    Hard Rock Live    Orlando, FL
• 8/12/13    McGlohon Theatre    Charlotte, NC
• 8/13/13    9:30 Club    Washington, DC
• 8/15/13    Keswick Theatre    Philadelphia, PA
• 8/16/13    Irving Plaza    New York, NY
• 8/17/13    Irving Plaza    New York, NY
• 8/19/13    Royale Boston    Boston, MA
• 8/20/13    Phoenix Concert Theatre    Toronto, ON
• 8/22/13    Thursdays at Canalside    Buffalo, NY
• 8/23/13    Stage AE    Pittsburgh, PA
• 8/24/13    Madison Theater    Covington,  KY
• 8/26/13    The LC Pavilion    Columbus, OH
• 8/27/13    Cathedral Theatre    Detroit, MI
• 8/28/13    The Agora Theatre    Cleveland, OH
• 8/30/13    Old National Centre    Indianapolis, IN
• 8/31/13    Turner Hall Ballroom    Milwaukee, WI
• 9/1/13    Mill City Nights    Minneapolis, MN
• 9/4/13    Revolution Center    Boise, ID
• 9/6/13    Vogue Theatre    Vancouver, BC
• 9/7/13    Showbox at the Market    Seattle, WA
• 9/8/13    Roseland Theatre    Portland, OR
• 9/10/13    Grand Sierra Resort & Casino    Reno, CA
• 9/11/13    Ace of Spades    Sacramento, CA
• 9/12/13    The Regency Theatre    San Francisco, CA
• 9/14/13    The Republik    Honolulu, HI
• 9/17/13    Tower Theatre    Fresno, CA
• 9/18/13    Golden State Theatre    Monterey, CA
• 9/20/13    Hard Rock Café on the Strip    Las Vegas, NV

The tour is actually playing some of the best venues across the U.S., as I am familiar with many of them, so it should be an amazing collection of shows.  I was fortunate enough to catch one of his gigs in San Francisco last year, which was amazing, and plan to catch up with the show at Ace of Spades in Sacramento and perhaps one or two more as well.  You can expect the Rock Subculture Journal to publish a review review and photos for any show attended.

Jason DeBord

It’s rare that audiences are treated to a real triple header concert, but that was my take on the female fronted trio of bands that owned the stage at The Independent in San Francisco last night.  How I ended up there…  I blame the Swiss (more on that later), but it was a real showcase of contemporary alternative bands that are making incredible music and bringing it on the road.  All three have also released amazing new albums this year (more on that later as well) and this material seemed to please the sold out crowd of 800 at the intimate Bay Area club.  They are all doing it again tonight at the Great American Music Hall, and I can’t recommend enough checking it out.  If they aren’t coming to a city near you, I can’t recommend enough picking up their albums, each released this year.  CSS’s Planta, MS MR’s Secondhand Rapture and IO Echo’s Ministry of Love are, for me personally, three of the best releases of the year, and there is a good chance all three will appear in my Top 10 Albums list for my 2013 End Of Year article.

Who: CSS
Who: MS MR
Who: IO Echo
Venue: The Independent
Where: San Francisco, California
Promoter: Another Planet Entertainment, part of the Nylon Summer Music Tour
When: June 16, 2013
Seating: General Admission (front row slightly left of center mic; also photo pass first three songs for each artist)

This is part of the Nylon Music Tour:

I often tell people that I don’t listen to the radio, or any of the various online streaming music services…  so if I don’t buy something, I never hear it.  And at the beginning of 2013, I’d never heard of any of these three bands.  So how did I find myself at this show last night?  Switzerland.

When I was covering Caprices Festival for nine nights in the Swiss Alps back in March, I spent a lot of time in the press office working on reviews and photos late into the night (usually 4 or 5 am).  We had a shared laptop and projection screen in these offices, and some of the other journalists took on the role of DJ in playing music to keep us all entertained (and awake!), and one of the photographers with 20 Minuten played two songs over and over…  Snakadaktal’s “Dance Bear” and MS MR’s “Hurricane”.  I’d never heard either, but became hooked, and purchased MS MR’s Candy Bar Creep Show EP and fell in love with the band and their work.  I eagerly awaited the full album, but could imagine it all being as amazing as the four song EP preview (spoiler – it was).

Just days after returning from Switzerland, MS MR’s PR company sent me an e-mail about the album, Secondhand Rapture, and tour dates!  Unfortunately, the California date conflicted with other plans (I was going to be in Salt Lake City for OMD, en route to Las Vegas for New Order & Johnny Marr, Garbage, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs)…  I was disappointed, as I hoped to see them live, but it was not in the cards this time…

Fast forward, and another opportunity (at the same venue even, the awesome Independent).  Only this show was with CSS and IO Echo.  I’m a believer that sometimes things happen for a reason, and I can’t imagine a better first show for MS MR, and I’m so glad to have learned of CSS and IO Echo, as I found both to be amazing.

In any event, I’m pretty good about remember how and when I first learned of each of the bands that I follow, and that is how it all pieced together for these three bands.

Playing The Independent, which is a great little venue (where I shot and reviewed Imagine Dragons earlier this year), the 21 and over venue was packed, and the bands remarked on the quality of the crows throughout the night.  Even with three full bands switching out on the relatively small stage, there wasn’t too much time lost between sets, so kudus to the crews for these bands in moving it all along quite quickly.

IO Echo

Members

• Ioanna Gika (vocals, guitar, piano, koto harp)
• Leopold Ross (bass, programming)
• Michael Edelstein (guitar)
• Paul Rinis (drums)

Not vocally, but instrumentally, IO Echo reminds me a bit of Cocteau Twins – kind of an ethereal, sweeping, at times cinematic soundscape.  Ioanna’s voice perfectly fits the accompanying music.

One interesting thing with last night’s show was comparing the studio recordings of each artist’s music with how it translates live, and with IO Echo, there is definitely more of a raw sound, contrasting the more polished studio sound.

For me, they are kind of a modern take on a better era of music…  and their Ministry of Love even includes a “hidden track” (who does those anymore?) which sounds like something you might expect to hear at the end of some David Cronenberg/Ridley Scott film collaboration that never happened – a kind of dark and revelatory score that would have you leaving the movie theater of this fantasy movie feeling a bit numb and doubting some fundamental element of human nature, and maybe some affirmation in something even deeper.  These are artists that have figured out a way to tap directly into our psyche, if we let them.

On stage, fog machine kicked into full gear and with moody, mostly blue backlighting, IO Echo seem at home projecting their sound through the darkness, lost more in themselves and their music than the crowd.

Below are some photos of IO Echo performing on stage; click on any image for higher resolution versions of each photo:

MS MR

Members

• Lizzy Plapinger (MS)
• Max Hershenow (MR)
• Curtis Nystrom (lapsteel, autoharp, bass, and synths)
• Zach Nicita (drums)

As soon as I heard their music, I became an instant fan of this band – I just love their music.  And Lizzy has such a unique voice – and delivery – that sounds like no one else.  For me it was interesting to see and hear her on stage, as she sounds exactly like her studio recordings, which is what you would expect, but it’s always something to have that performance right before you, and see her singing and glimmer in her eye.

Writing catchy, hooking, original and unique songs is kind of like an archeologist finding proof that Yeti exists or something, and most bands that find success in the industry typically do it built on one, maybe two hit songs that capture the imagination.  Then every once in a while there is one of those bands that manage to craft an entire album of songs other artists would die for just to pick off one.  MS MR is one of those artists, that somehow fashion together such a work of art with their first attempt.  I am quite sure that “Hurricane” will remain near the top of my favorite new songs in 2013 by the end of the year, and the album is a lock for my own Top 10 as well.  Brilliant album.

Growing up in the 80s, hearing Secondhand Rapture for the first time brought back those feelings of hearing Yaz’s Upstairs at Eric’s…  the heavy electronics and an amazing voice that just owns the lyrics, and a perfect union of a musical partnership that just sounds like it was meant to be.

On stage, they seem like really natural performers that have their music hardwired into their brains, putting out a set that at once seems effortless and sounds spot on to the studio recordings.  More, they are having tremendous fun, with a celebratory and jubilant performance.

I believe that this is just the beginning for this band, and can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.

I was lucky enough to get Lizzy’s setlist, so below are the songs played last night:

Below are some photos of MS MR performing on stage – click any image for higher resolution versions of each photo – and apologies for the lack of drummer shots as he was completely blocked from where I was standing:

CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy)

Members

• Lovefoxxx
• Luiza Sá
• Ana Rezende
• Carolina Parra

So this was one of those highly interactive performances…  frontwoman Lovefoxxx is one of those singers that is constantly seeking out connections with her fans, scanning the audience for reactions and she sings and bounces around the stage.  If that weren’t enough, toward the end of the set she took a quick surf out into the audience (over and past my head).  At one point in the show, she was doing battle with a troublesome plastic cup that circled back to her each time she tried to kick it out of the way, boomerang style, so I helped by grabbing it and placing on the side of the monitor in front of me, out of her way, and she mouthed a quick “thank you” to me.  One of those hyper-aware artists that doesn’t miss a beat, in every sense of the word.  But more than anything, she brings amazing energy to the stage, and it is contagious, as the place was bouncing from end to end.

The Brazilian rock band from São Paulo formed about a decade ago, and has released four studio albums (which I purchased leading up to the show), and all are cracking indie/rock/pop/electronic works, which I can’t believe have been off my radar all this time.

The latest album, Planta, is definitely in the top three of my favorite albums released thus for in 2013.  It really caught me by surprise – and I can’t say enough good things about.  The opener, “Honey”, totally gave me a sense of being transported back to the mid-80s and hearing an amazing new New Wave song for the first time, in a way I have experienced since The Killers did the same for me with their debut, Hot Fuss.  Contemporary, but completely captures the spirit of 80′s New Wave music.  Great sound and sample, energy, speed, goes through the changes, and just when you think it’s over and are about to hit the ‘back’ button to repeat it, it kicks off into another all-instrumental groove to close it out.  “Into the Sun” is another more synth/keyboards oriented song that I can’t get enough of – and Lovefoxxx’s vocals are just awesome.  This one feels like a bit of an ancestor to the kind of music Book of Love was making.

The album is very smooth and well crafted; expertly produced.  The songs have a distinct spatial quality with a perfect separation of all of the parts, yet working together brilliantly.

One of my favorite tracks, which closed out the main set last night, is “Dynamite”.  LOVE this song.  And this one shows their more rocking side, with more emphasis on guitar than synth/keyboards, but as with all of their songs, for me at least, they are pushed forward by the vocals.  And this is one of the reasons I’ve become such a fast fan of this band, as I prefer artists that have the biggest emphasis on the vocals.  “Dynamite” also goes through some great changes, and even seems to cross over into different musical cultures.

“Sweet” is the song that showcases the great beats and drums behind their music, and that is the biggest hook on this one, which is another of my favorites from the album.

“Teenage Tiger Cat” is another great song, with a great beat and infectious “woo” chorus.  I think my favorite at the moment though is “Frankie Goes To North Hollywood”, which is a slower song, but more of a slow burn.  For me, this is the song that really hits all all cylinders and I could listen to it on endless repeat and never tire of it.

Unlike MS MR, all of this doesn’t translate into a live setting sounding just like the studio recordings.  Which isn’t good or bad, just a different experience.  While the studio albums are more polished and expertly produced, the live versions are raw, more like a rocking Pixies show than a synth-sounding electronic band.  And having witnessed it, I can’t really imagine them being any different on stage.

Awesome, awesome show, and I really look forward to following them going forward, and catching one of their live shows again soon.

I was fortunate and got one of the setlists from the stage, pictured below:

Below are some photos of CSS from The Independent last night (click any image for higher resolution versions of each photo):

Jason DeBord

“We got in kind of late today, and everybody jumped off the bus, except me… I had to change my clothes… and I looked out the window, and there was a man in his underpants… directly across from the bus… and was just sort of walking around like, ‘it’s cold’.  And I felt like I was finally at home.  Which brings us to this next song, ladies and gentlemen, which is called ‘We Live In A Dump’.”  Preface to one of their uniquely They Might Be Giants songs, by one of the two founding members, John Flansburg, painting an accurate picture of the immediate area surrounding The Warfield in San Francisco in a uniquely perceptive and humorous TMBG way.  The Grammy Award-winning duo and backing band have long been pioneers in alternative and experimental music, breaking into the mainstream with their third studio album, Flood (1990), which included hits “Birdhouse in Your Soul” and “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” and well known for their “Boss of Me” theme song to the television series, Malcolm in the Middle.  Last night’s show included a great mix of old and new material, including songs from their 16th studio album, Nanobots, released just a few months ago.  The packed theater seemed to be filled with hardcore fans, which wasn’t surprising given that their work is so unique and they have been so prolific over more than a quarter century that they’ve cultivated quite a following.

Who: They Might Be Giants
Supporting: Moon Hooch
Venue: The Warfield
Where: San Francisco, California
Promoter: Goldenvoice
When: June 14, 2013
Seating: General Admission (photo pass; starting up front and roaming thereafter)

Hosted by The Warfield in San Francisco, there was a huge line in front of the venue pre-doors.  Interestingly, ages ranged from kids to people older than my parents, so the band definitely appeals to all ages, and I heard that there was a 12-year old boy attending his first concert.  Some I spoke with prior to the show were huge fans, following the band all over the U.S., and one gentleman up front that I spoke with has been going to their concerts going back to the beginnings in 1986.

A first in my experience going to shows of late at The Warfield, the security barricade in front of the stage was removed, so the audience on the standing-only floor were right up against the stage.  As such, my closer photos are all from one perspective (front row to left of stage, looking at the stage), so not as much variety with angles, but it is what it is.

Moon Hooch

Members

• Wenzl McGowen (Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet, Tubes, EWI)
• Mike Wilbur (Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone)
• James Muschler (Drums)

Brooklyn-based Moon Hooch plays a genre of music I’ve never heard of before…  “Cave Music”.  They even have their own definition of this published on their Bandcamp site:

Cave Music / ˈkāv myo͞ozik / It’s like House, but its more wild, more jagged, more free, more natural to live in.

I read a little about them earlier in the day, but figured I would wait out the show and be surprised by the sound that they brought to the stage.

In short, I was blown away.  Very talented musicians, who have kind of created a genre all their own.  Not sure if I can describe it, but it was that rare kind of music that you can get fully into at first listen, and in a live environment that was quite exciting.  Very different music, but very catchy and somehow pop-oriented.

Some of it you don’t know where one song ends and another begins, but at one point James was rocking some cowbell (yes, cowbell) on drums, and it eventually transitioned into an almost drumkit/wind instrument sort of techno song…  all played live, with “real” instruments.  I’ve been streaming their music as I’ve worked on this review, and I’m pretty sure it was “Low 4″ from their upcoming album.  And this jam by Moon Hooch completely blew away and rendered irrelevant some acts I’ve seen as openers of late who arrive on a stage, in front of a table, with an Apple laptop…  playing the most basic of looping and non-musical messes of electronic music. I see this more and more as opening acts at concerts…  the guy (or two) standing behind an Apple laptop…  for all you know, he pressed “play” of something pre-recorded, and is standing there checking his Facebook and Twitter accounts for the next 30 minutes.  Not very compelling for live music.  Not Cave Music.

Moon Hooch and their unique music with a completely bizarre configuration of real instruments just completely blow away some of these contemporary DJ-type acts.  It shouldn’t work, but it does, and it’s brilliant.  Love live Cave Music, and their Earth-based ambassadors, Moon Hooch.  I’m a believer.

Their debut album is available for pre-order HERE and it appears it will be out on June 25th.

You can learn more about Moon Hooch on their official webpage (hosted by Bandcamp) and their Facebook page.

Below are some photos of Moon Hooch performing on stage (apologies for the lack of straight on drummer shots – was stuck in a fixed position and the cymbal was in the perfectly wrong spot):

They Might Be Giants

Members

• John Flansburgh
• John Linnell
• Dan Miller
• Danny Weinkauf
• Marty Beller

Hmm… yeah, I can’t quite remember the last concert I attended with a sock puppet show intermission…

I’ve seen They Might Be Giants twice, but long ago…  the first show I attended was at The Crest Theatre in Sacramento on September 2, 1992 and then again at The Radisson Grove in Sacramento on May 16, 1994.  So it’s been nearly 20 years.

They Might Be Giants were out of the closet geeks and irreverent about 20 years before that became cool and hip.  Yet they endured, and I think easily “spoke” to the sort of people that got there music, their lyrics, their humor.

Never short on ideas or enthusiasm, the band is touring their latest, Nanobots, which has the expected hooky, poppy, catchy riffs and choruses.  Unlike most bands though, half the fun is paying attention to the lyrics and figure out what is going on in their minds with their newest studio recording.  All of this, of course, translates into their live shows – even more – as panning the audience, it is one of the most smiling crowds you will ever encounter.  Sponges to whatever zaniness might project from the stage, either from the music or the dialogue in-between those songs.

While they have all the instruments and gear of a rock band spread across the stage, they don’t come across that way at all.  Their casual demeanor and relaxed nature makes one in the audience feel like they are more at a party among familiar acquaintances more than what usually goes on at a venue like The Warfield.

But they do play their songs, and while the set list comes across a bit random, it covers all the eras and albums and hits one might expect.  And somehow, the humor in the songs endures and always feels fresh.  Like the first five seconds of “Minimum Wage” (“heeyah!”), which has the funniest lyrics website reader comments ever.

Overall, TMBG put on one of the most “fun” shows, and is definitely worth checking out.

Below are some photos of They Might Be Giants performing on stage (click any image for higher resolution photo):

Jason DeBord

Live Nation and BAMP Project today announced a special concert in Hawaii by Goth and Modern Rock icons The Cure.  The Robert Smith fronted band will play the Neil Blaisdell Center Arena in Honolulu on Oahu on July 30th.  Tickets will be on sale Friday, June 14th at 10 am at www.bampproject.com.  Special front row seats will be offered with a portion of those proceeds for the ticket price to benefit the Hawaii Arts Alliance, which also include a meet and greet with Robert Smith.

Additional information will be published on the official BAMP Project Facebook page soon:

Jason DeBord

“I’ve been losing my voice, so I’m probably going to be singing a lot of sweet, falsetto songs tonight.  I apologize for not being able to do more of my trademark growling and Janis Joplin screaming that I’m so famous for… but I’ll do what I can.”  A few songs into her set, how singer-songwriter Jewel framed her performance at Ovations LIVE! at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino last night in Chandler, Arizona, well into her “Greatest Hits Tour”.   Having had an opportunity to meet her backstage before the show, where conversation was limited to whispering, I wasn’t too sure what to expect.  Amazingly, sitting in the audience, you would never have any idea that she was having any issues at all, as she put on an incredible showcase performance, reflective of her place in the music world as one of our most gifted vocalists in popular music today, with range, versatility, and emotion bursting out of every song.  Having penned over 500 songs, later in the show Jewel mentioned that no two shows are ever the same, yet in addition to the music she provided some personal insights into her life and journey in music, both of which seem forever intertwined.  It was really a fantastic evening, and her (mostly) solo, all acoustic show is definitely a must see in live music today.

Who: Jewel
Supporting: Steve Poltz
Supporting: Atz Lee Kilcher
Venue: Ovations LIVE! Showroom at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino
Presented By: Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino
Where: Chandler, Arizona
When: June 8, 2012
Seating: C8, third row center floor section

This was my second trip to Chandler, Arizona at Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino for a concert, and they host a great little venue.  I actually came exactly one year ago, to the day, for a B52s concert at the Ovations LIVE! Showroom in 2012.  The 1,400 capacity, all-seated venue has a low stage, great lighting, beautiful sound, and a really nice and professional staff.

Jewel had two supporting artists with her on this leg of her “Greatest Hits Tour”, and with her, “supporting” takes on a greater meaning of the word than with most music acts.  In her case, the night opened with her brother, Atz Lee Kilcher, performing his own acoustic set, which was followed by Steve Poltz, who as we later found out from Jewel’s monologue’s between songs later in her own set, was a central figure in her life as she began her music career.  In fact, both performed on stage later, during her own 90-minute set.

Since I was taking part in the pre-show meet and greet, I missed Atz Lee’s opener and caught just the last few songs of Steve’s, but thankfully got another opportunity to hear their music later in the show.

Atz Lee, Jewel’s brother, funny enough is currently featured in Discovery Channel’s docuseries, Alaska: The Last Frontier.  Jewel talked a little bit about this onstage (and since she goes by her first name as her stage name, many don’t realize it is her family featured in the show).  It definitely offers some insights into what her life was like growing up in Alaska.  She discussed several aspects of this during her show, and her perspective definitely underscored her overall modesty and thankfulness for the good fortunate that ultimately intersected her real talent and ability in music.

During the meet and greet, Jewel came across as sweet but quiet, and funny enough, later in the show, she talked about her overall shyness, in quite a funny way (at one point talking about television commercials about social anxiety). Below is a photo from the meet and greet:

That she later spoke of her shyness was surprising to me, as she came across as highly confident in her own reality series, Platinum Hit (2011), which was aired on Bravo.  As an aside, I was a huge fan of this program, which featured 12 aspiring singer-songwriters who faced songwriting and performing challenges and were eliminated one by one until one winner was left (Sonyae Elise).  Jewel was featured as the host of this reality series, and I found it much more compelling, interesting, and entertaining than the shows limited strictly to singing other artists’ works (i.e. American Idol, The Voice, etc.).

Jewel’s own debut album, Pieces of You, went platinum 15 times, and became one of the best-selling albums of all time.  Funny enough, I first saw Jewel live in the Summer of 1995, opening for Peter Murphy, which seemed like a really odd pairing at the time, and even more so looking back today.  I remember being blown away by her now famous yodeling ability, which we were treated to in closing the show last night as well.  Something that needs to be seen and heard in a live setting to truly appreciate and understand, as I can’t begin to contemplate finding the words to describe her brilliance with this ability.

Over the course of her career, Jewel has written and performed songs in a number of genres, from folk to pop to country, and while some have questioned this, I think it is more reflective of the fact that she understands how to craft catchy, hooky music, but in a way where her voice and approach is kind of a genre of its own, unique to her, and I’ve always found her movement into more widely understood genres, Jewel’s music, for me, always sounds uniquely her, regardless of the larger constructs.  And her all acoustic performances of her work I think affirms this, as you wouldn’t know that the original studio recordings were born of different traditional genres if you were previously unfamiliar with the songs.  Everything on stage, with just her and her guitar, is her music and I think the acoustic versions are the true, pure versions, even with a song like “Intuition”, which was published as a more contemporary pop song (along with more modern remixes).

Below is a video I shot with my pocket camera of “Intuition” as an example of what we got to experience live and in person:

But of course the real power in Jewel’s music is that she actually writes about things, real things, emotion, experiences.  And on stage, however it is she does it, she brings it all to life with both emotion and music.

For me, the most moving part of the show was when Jewel talked about 9/11, and hearing her song “Hands” played on the radio in response and dedication, which left me thinking that I could never hear it quite the same way again.

She is a storyteller, and one of the benefits of her concerts is that in addition to the stories we glean from her lyrics in her music, she also provides a preface to a lot of it, giving us stories and background on the genesis of her songs, and it all works beautifully.  Walking out of her show, as a fan, we feel that we know and understand her better, appreciate her life’s story, and how her very unique experiences will live on in some way through her music.

One other aspect of her live show that I really applaud is that she records them and makes the available for sale to fans after the show.  I never understand why more artists don’t do this, as being one who personally enjoys memorializing shows myself, however I can, having a live recording of a show I attended is such a great thing to have.  It was a bit in vogue many years ago (I think the first show I remember with this bonus was The Pixies “Sell Out” reunion tour in 2004), not many artists do this today.  In Jewel’s case, you can buy a code after the show for $20, and later download the performance at tunesontour.com.  Last night’s show is not yet available, but once it is, I will work out the set list from the show and update this article.

Below are photos taken from this event:

Jason DeBord

This is part of a continuing series of my impressions and experiences staying at various hotels and resorts while traveling to attend concerts worldwide. This stay was during my extension trip throughout Eastern Europe and London in May and June 2013. This review is for citizenM London Bankside.

Property: citizenM London Bankside
Location: London, England
Address: 20 Lavington Street, London SE1 0NZ, England
Phone: 011 44 20 3519 1680
Website: www.citizenm.com/london-bankside
Room Type/Class: Standard
Date: May 27-29, 2013
TripAdvisor Page/Reviews: LINK
Booking Source: Booking.com
Overall Rating: 5/5 [Note: Score is totally subjective based on price, location, and comparison to "like" properties within same area and price range]

I loved this hotel.  Very new, very unique, great location, great price.  I would definitely stay again.

I was coming in from the European part of my trip, arriving late into Heathrow from Vienna, so it was a bit of a trek getting there via the tube with a lot of luggage.  Unfortunately, the main line to this property was shut down due to an accident, so I had to navigate my way via a different tube station than the citizenM website instructions recommended, and it was late at night.  I tried to navigate via the “Maps” app on my iPhone, which was not very accurate.  With some wandering around, I eventually found the property.

While there is someone on staff to assist, you basically go through a self check-in process via a touchscreen computer, which is the first indication that you are staying at a different, more modern hotel.

The lobby, restaurant, bar, and other public areas on the floor level are all very impressive.   The hotel is very modern and hip, but not in a lame, night club way, but a way that just exudes character.  It is a lot of fun and has a great atmosphere.

Every step you take in this property you have a heightened awareness to check out all the fun little touches here and there.  It is not just a place to stay, but explore and experience.

The room is super futuristic.  While not large, what it lacks in square footage it makes up for with style and innovation.  The first thing you notice is the Star Trek transporter-inspired toilet/shower area, which glows in any color you choose via your computer tablet.  The latter also controls all lighting in the room, temperature, television (with an array of options), and more.

While the Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill I stayed at afterwards catered to the very old, this place had the polar opposite in mind, I think, when imagining the profile of potential visitors.

The sleeping part of the room is more like a loft… with a bed acting as most of the room, apart from the adjacent desk.  There is also a mini fridge in the room.

I think it would be very crowded for more than one person in this room, but is perfect for the solo traveler.

I really loved this property and will definitely return in a future visit to London.

Below are photos taken during my stay…

Jason DeBord

This is part of a continuing series of my impressions and experiences staying at various hotels and resorts while traveling to attend concerts worldwide. This stay was during my extension trip throughout Eastern Europe and London in May and June 2013. This review is for Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design.

Property: Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design
Location: Vienna, Austria
Address: Lange Gasse 13, Vienna 1080, Austria
Phone: 011 43 1 4001122
Website: www.hotel-rathaus-wien.at
Room Type/Class: Standard
Date: May 26-27, 2013
TripAdvisor Page/Reviews: LINK
Booking Source: Booking.com
Overall Rating: 5/5 [Note: Score is totally subjective based on price, location, and comparison to "like" properties within same area and price range]

This was the second hotel I stayed at in Vienna on this trip, for just one night after visiting other countries and returning to Vienna to fly out of that airport to London for the second half of my trip.  I selected this property based on reviews published on TripAdvisor.

Since I had a rental car, and there was no obvious parking options in front of the hotel, I found a parking garage down the street, and it just so happened to have been the parking partner for the hotel, so I paid for an overnight space and walked to the hotel.

While “vintage” in appearance externally, once inside the hotel it is something altogether different.  It is definitely one of the coolest hotels I’ve ever stayed at, and would not hesitate to book another stay for a future visit.

More cool and hip/different than “modern”, it exudes character.

While you have to walk up a short set of stairs to get to the front desk area, the rest of the property is accessible via a single elevator, which rises up and down the center of the hotel.

Check in was simple and straight forward, and while there were some dining options on site, I did not have time to use them.

Each room is customized to a specific wine/winemaker.  In most hotels with such stylistic choices, these differences room to room are essentially hid from external eyes, so you don’t really have any understanding of these differences unless you return again and again and stay in different rooms.  However, at the Hotel Rathuas, these differences are apparent just walking down the hallway on your designated floor looking for your own room, as each of the other rooms have very cool customized doors showing the theme for each of the neighbors.

The room itself was positively massive compared with the size of most rooms you find in Europe and England.  Huge.

The decor in the room and, really, everything about it was extremely impressive.  It had all of the amenities you might expect, but will otherwise let the photos speak for themselves.

One of the highlights of the room for sure is the shower, which has options to turn on many, many showerheads, some on the side and one large rain-type overhead.  It is like a car wash for people.

The bed was very comfortable and multiple windows provided awesome local views.

There was also a large, very functional desk.

Definitely a very nice place and excellent value for Europe.  Highly recommended.

Below are photos taken during my stay…

3

Jason DeBord

This is part of a continuing series of my impressions and experiences staying at various hotels and resorts while traveling to attend concerts worldwide. This stay was during my extension trip throughout Eastern Europe and London in May and June 2013.  This review is for the Hilton London Tower Bridge.  I stayed at and reviewed this property last year, so this is an updated review.

Property: Hilton London Tower Bridge
Location: London, England
Address: 5 More London – Tooley Street, London SE1 2BY, England (London Bridge)
Phone: +1 888 414-2018
Website: www.hilton.com
Room Type/Class: Executive Level (Room 1105)
Date: May 31-June 2, 2013
TripAdvisor Page/Reviews: LINK
Booking Source: Direct
Overall Rating: 5/5 [Note: Score is totally subjective based on price, location, and comparison to "like" properties within same area and price range]

I have stayed at many different hotels in London in the past four years, and the Hilton London Tower Bridge remains my absolute favorite.  While other properties better it with certain features and such, overall, I have found this Hilton to be the best overall.  I have published a prior review – and even stayed in the exact same room – so not much will differ between this review and the original.

The property itself feels very “new” in every way.  The lobby area is quite large, with two restaurants, a bar, and lots of places to sit and relax.  There is also a concierge desk which was always staffed and they were always extremely helpful as well.

The room I was booked it was on the 11th floor, near the top.  It was of a good size for a London room (though small by U.S. standards).  It was very nicely appointed, nice furniture, and a comfortable king-sized bed with a “real” mattress (unlike a lot of UK beds, which are frequently two smaller mattresses side-by-side or futon-like non mattresses, both of which can be uncomfortable).

Unusual for a London room, it featured both a soaking tub as well as a separate stall shower.  And unlike most London hotels, you don’t feel like you are going to fall trying to get in and out of either.

The room features some closets with some shelving, but there is no where else in the room to store your clothes for an extended stay, so I would say it could get crowded with more than two people if you want to get your clothes completely unpacked out of your luggage.

There is a desk with wired or wireless Internet options (cost varies depending on your booking and your status with Hilton – it was free for me).  It was appropriately fast, and fast by UK standards.

There are a number of other in-room amenities, including a small fridge – though mostly stocked at a pay-per-use system, there is a small space for your own things.  There is also a coffee/hot water maker and some dishes and glasses. There is also an electronic safe in the room, just large enough to accommodate a 15.4″ laptop and other items on top (if you place it in at an angle).

The views from the room I was in were nice enough, but nothing spectacular – mostly looking at the offices in the adjacent commercial space.

There is an awesome executive lounge on the 9th floor with an outdoor balcony with high tables and chairs with awesome views, and in inside area with couches and dining areas.  There is a buffet breakfast most of the morning, wine, cheese and crackers, and appetizers in the evening, and other goodies.  I had access to this as a Hilton Gold member (all gratis), but am not sure of the availability, if any, for non members.  There are also a few computers to use here, and a printer (though if you need to print off your own system, make sure to bring a USB card – they weren’t compatible with SD cards).  This was a fantastic amenity though; can’t recommend it enough.

In addition to all of those pluses, I can’t rave enough about the location.  Fantastic.

The hotel is about a 5 or so minute walk from the London Bridge tube station (and a direct walk on the same street).

It is about a 2 minute walk to two different markets (one is probably the largest “grocery store” I’ve found in London), as well as a pharmacy, lots of take out food places, and some nice restaurants and other attractions.

For me, probably the nicest thing about the hotel is that you are about a three minute walk to the River Thames, with awesome views of the Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the HMS Belfast, London Bridge, etc.  It’s so awesome to stroll just outside of your hotel on a wide pedestrian-only sidewalk right to all of these attractions.

On top of all of this, I can’t say enough nice things about the staff at the Hilton London Tower Bridge.

All in all, the Hilton London Tower Bridge Hotel is far and away the best place I have stayed in London, and will definitely be returning there on my next trip, without a doubt.  I can’t imagine anywhere else so perfectly matching my needs and exceeding my expectations.

Below are photos I took during my stay at the Hilton London Tower Bridge Hotel:

These images below are from the 9th floor Executive Lounge balcony:

Exterior photos:

Lobby:

Jason DeBord