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8 results for concert reviews
Callers at Johnny Brendas April 15, 2011
“I feel empty and i feel dark, I am mesmerized by the sounds of, my own beats, like a heart beats, like a heart beats, like a heart beats, like a heart beats…..”
It is at this midpoint in Caller’s opening set for Wye Oak, that the band’s dynamic and slower than normal songs begin making sense to me. Lucas’ deep voice has been giving me jazz infused spaced out soul all night long and I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that I’m listening to a soloist performing with a live ensemble. It takes this raw but refined cover of the Wire’s Heartbeat to give me some clarity.
Beach House Conquers the Trocadero 2/24
As far as concerts go, there are certain methods of movement that are generally preferred for certain types of music. Ska-ers skank, punks mosh, metalheads raise their hands and wonder why they don’t have any friends, etc. At Beach House, one sways. That’s all there is to it. As the smoke machines funneled enough fog into the audience to both a) critique a post-industrial capitalist urban landscape, and b) replicate visually the dreamy atmosphere that their music evokes audibly, I found myself powerless to resist the allure of Victoria Legrand’s crooning when set to the drone of her synthesizer and Alex Scally’s shimmering guitar. That’s right, I shifted my weight slowly from one foot…to the next foot. And back. I swayed. Their delightfully languid rendition of “Gila”, the night’s highlight, guaranteed that.
Delicate Steve @ Kung Fu Necktie January 29th
….and the Delicate Shall Inherit the Earth
The tropicalia-tinged experimental/instrumental rock outfit dubbed Delicate Steve, lit aflame the stage last night at Kung Fu Necktie, bringing a summery vibe to a crowd of frozen Philadelphians. Delicate Steve is a refreshing sight (and sound) for those who love unexpected polyrhythms and strong melodies. Amid some of our favorite tracks off the upcoming debut album “Wondervisions,” (including “Sugar Splash,” “The Ballad of Speck and Pebble” and of course “Butterfly”) was a palpable energy made all the more apparent by the absence of words and lyrics. And before you think about cracking any jokes on front man Steve Marion for being “delicate”, know that this mere 23 year old can play nearly 100 instruments (okay,maybe not that many, but he still plays more than the average joe) and is the resounding voice behind the live incarnation.
Last Thursday night, I had the pleasure of seeing Oberhofer and Twin Sister open for the Morning Benders at First Unitarian Church. The show was overall magnificent. Oberhofer took the stage first, starting the night off with a wild and wonderful performance of several songs from his EP. Oberhofer is the project of 20-year-old NYU student Brad Oberhofer from Tacoma, Washington. His sound is a unique product of many components: xylophone compliments beautiful guitar melodies, lyrics delivered in a mixture of whistling, singing and shrieking, and driving drum beats and eerie sound effects top it off.
Oberhofer will build to a frightening and impressive crescendo one moment, and then hush to a complete pause within the same song. As a performer, Brad Oberhofer is as dynamic as his set list. He came out clad in a polka dotted shirt with a brilliant, neon blue electric guitar and literally spent his set jumping, kicking, stomping, rocking and careening around the stage. And of course, the whistling and shrieking accompanied his singing. His voice was pleading in his performance of “Haus,” and nearly savage in “Away FRM U.”
Not only is Brad Oberhofer tremendously talented, but he was beyond nice and came outside for an interview right after his seemingly exhausting show. What struck me the most in interviewing him was how relatable Brad was. Then, of course, it hit me. Brad Oberhofer is a college kid. He described his attempts to juggle his incredibly demanding schedule and still find time to eat (Does that sounds familiar to anyone here at UPenn?) And at the end of the day, all he really wants to do is play music. I think anyone here at Penn can sympathize with that sentiment, regardless of their passion, and that alone is a reason to check his music out. Here is someone our age who is bursting with talent, had the remarkable luck to be discovered and is now touring with the likes of the Morning Benders. I think we can all support an artist who, when it comes down to it, is exactly like us.
The Walkmen w/ Japandroids @ the Trocadero 10/23
In many respects, the Walkmen are the East Coast’s version of California-based Cold War Kids. Both bands feature big, bluesy guitars, driving percussion, plenty of piano and a dude who can throw his voice around at will. But unlike CWK, known for having a great fucking time when they play shows, the Walkmen were relatively stagnant Saturday night at the Trocadero.
Even Japandroids, who rocked out for all of their short set before the Walkmen took the stage, seemed a little worn-down: instead of their usual chatter between songs, the duo was relatively silent. Blood Feathers, from Philadelphia, also played some uninventive rock at the night’s outset.
Enter Shikari @ First Unitarian Church 10/13
Self-declared “happy hardcore” UK band Enter Shikari never fails to “rattle the ribcages” of every member of their audience, to paraphrase vocalist Roughton “Rou” Reynolds. The October 13th installment of their Destabilize Tour was no exception; the bare, cramped basement of the First Unitarian Church (capacity: 150 persons — whoops) was set thrashing and flailing from the moment the keyboard intro of “Solidarity” filled the room.
Two Door Cinema Club @ First Unitarian Church 10/14
photo by Evan Robinson
After closing the show with an ever-so-buoyant delivery of “ Eat That Up, It’s Good For You,” they dropped their instruments and walked off stage. The crowd was quick to start chanting the unabashedly tribal, monotonic “ah-oh-ah-ah-oh”–-a call that hipsters and indie fans know too well to be an invocation for the popular single “I Can Talk.”
Two Door Cinema Club didn’ t let up. Nobody left this place disappointed.
Ingrid Michaelson @ Trocadero 10/15
Ingrid Michaelson was the sold-out headliner at the Trocadero this past Friday the 15th. Opening the show was the Guggenheim Grotto, a duo hailing from Ireland with a unique sound and great stage presence. To begin the show Ingrid and her band came out to “Iron Man” and crazy lights, all wearing black robes obscuring their faces. The classic tune dissolved into one of Ingrid’s hits, “Soldier,” following then with more of her repertoire. The entirety of the show was excellent; Ingrid Michaelson and her band are well-seasoned musicians and performers. A neat addition to the middle of the show was the singer’s story of her experience at Carnegie Hall at the REM tribute show, with Ingrid playing her rendition of “Nighswimming.” The crowd was responsive, with many offering up their ukulele’s; one group offered up a carton of cookies from Temple U’s cafeteria. Overall the show was a lot of fun, with excellent music and atmosphere. I’m a huge fan of Ingrid’s and I’ll certainly have fond memories of this light-hearted but emotionally resonant performance on Friday night.
watch: Ingrid Michaelson covering REM’s Nightswimming earlier on Friday at Philly’s WXPN
listen: Ingrid Michaelson- The Way I Am
-Sarah Hendry
check out Sarah’s show with cohost Jesse Worford Mondays at 8am on WQHS
