girl about town

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & The Cairo Gang at World Cafe Live at the Queen (Wilmington) with the Phantom Family Halo

If you haven’t had a chance to catch a show at World Cafe Live at the Queen since its opening last spring, make it happen. This is a new venue with excellent acoustics, friendly staff, and enough positive energy to give Wilmington, DE a much-needed push towards revitalization. I visited the smaller upstairs stage several weeks ago for the My Friends/Atlas album release show, and was also impressed by the larger downstairs stage Thursday night. With accoutrements of the old theatre (including a balcony) still intact, the space has a great historical-mixed-with-contemporary decor. It also has a fairly vegetarian/vegan friendly menu and two full bars.

Louisville-originated openers the Phantom Family Halo were clearly a talented and experienced band, but seemed to struggle with connecting to the crowd. The set picked up when Will Oldham (Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) came on stage to assist on some songs. Oldham (also a Louisville native) and the Phantom Family Halo recently put out a collaborative EP titled Mindeater (Knitting Factory). Tracks from that EP seemed to liven up the set and engage the audience. When I spoke to a member of the Phantom Family Halo after the show, he mentioned that the band was still figuring out how to best arrange their sets on tour. Let’s hope they do.

And then there’s Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. Between at least five different stage names (Palace, Palace Songs, Palace Brothers, Will Oldham, and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) Will Oldham has built an intimidating musical catalog. He has also developed a film career, starring in everything from TV movies (Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure) to the critically acclaimed film, Old Joy. Oldham’s magnetic stage presence is clearly a result of his musical talent and love of dramatic performance diverging.

Listening to most of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s discography, one might expect a straightforward singer-songwriter experience in a live setting. However, Oldham, aged 41, appeared on stage with bright cerulean fingernails and some pretty serious eyeliner on his lower lids. While singing, Oldham often gestured dramatically with his arms and occasionally stomped his legs as though he was cast in O Brother, Where Art Thou. It sounds ridiculous, but like any great performer, his confidence was actually captivating and strangely moving. Oldham was backed by the Cairo Gang (a group of musicians that includes ultra-talented folk singer Angel Olsen). Oldham and Olsen cultivated a 1950’s Johnny Cash and June Carter country sound that was further amplified by the use of a Rhodes piano and an upright base. My favorite aspect of the show was that while I was not familiar with the vast majority of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s discography, I still felt captivated by the performance. I’d recommend catching this eccentric, talented performer next time he is in the Philly or Wilmington area.

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy’s newest release, Wolfroy Goes to Town will be released on Drag City records October 4th.

Set List

1.  No Match
2.  Teach Me to Bear You
3.  New Whaling
4.  Out of Mind
5.  You Want That Picture
6.  Merciless and Great
7.  Night Noises
8.  Easy Does It
9.  Whipped
10.  Seedling
11.  No Gold Digger
12.  Beast for Thee
13.  Three Questions
14.  After I Made Love to You 1
15.  I See a Darkness
16.  I Don’t Belong to Anyone
17.  You Win
18.  Time to Be Clear
19. There Is No God (Encore)
20. Island Brothers (Encore)
21.  You Ask Me (Encore)

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Domino Records / Drag City / myspace
Phantom Family Halo - Knitting Factory Records / myspace

The Joy Formidable, live at Kung Fu Necktie (Philadelphia) with Dig - 5/7/10

All Joy Formidable photos by C. Marcoux

 

"She could eat The Vivian Girls for lunch!" is not a quote often heard out loud. At least not without a guffaw or two....but in this case we couldn't agree more! We left Kung Fu Necktie in Philadelphia on Friday, May 7th, the light breeze outside hitting us [thankfully] cool on our face after such a great live performance. It was an elbow-touching-elbow close to capacity show and our ears were left burning from watching and hearing incredible Wales' trio The Joy Formidable perform live. We were completely in awe of a certain petite young blonde singer whose grinning growl was big enough to swallow a room with its noise and ferocity. The band who are no strangers to touring in the US (lead singer Ritzy Bryan confessed to living in Washington, DC for a time, herself) had many friends at the small Philadelphia show, which felt more like it was a comfortable home for the band to be at, rather than a trip away from one so far.

The group only played a small set, but with the little material they did have to offer, they made up for in pure spirit and a ferocious energy that had lead singer Ritzy on the back of their helpful stage hand at more than a few points during the evening. As the feisty lead singer/guitarist brought things to a distinctively louder level with her guitar feedback, she fed off of energy from the group's Russell Brand look-a-like drummer Matt Thomas, whose own sound complimented the loud fuzz from Ritzy's many pedals and FX gear that she stomped her feet on (and eventually got down on the ground to twist and turn) from song to song during the show. Bassist Rhydian Dafydd was firm in his resolve; getting the crowd clapping and involved with the group's music, also getting us ready for the track"Whirring" from their recently released EP, "A Balloon Called Moaning". Toward the end of their set, it became clear that they would exhaust all energies in giving their audience a lasting taste before ending sans encore for the evening--leaving an abrupt finish, but a very satisfied audience in their loud wake...!

The Joy Formidable, Live at Kung Fu Necktie Set Listing:
- The Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade
- Cradle
- The Last Drop
- Austere
- Ostrich
- The Magnifying Glass
- Anemone
- Whirring

 
The Joy Formidable, live at Kung Fu Necktie - 5/7/10

The Joy Formidable are the first signed band to Passion Pit's independent label "Black Bell Records". They came to be on Passion Pit's label by touring with the group last year, and have since headlined gigs in NYC most recently playing a Mercury Lounge showcase, as well as selling out several previous dates in the city and around the US. Hopefully the group will be announcing new dates on the East Coast in support of the new EP "A Balloon Called Moaning" as well--we can't wait to see them again....and the way that their fanbase is steadily growing; we're expecting it to be another sold-out show too!

The Joy Formidable - band site / black bell records / myspace 

Crystal Stilts Live at Maxwell's: Love Is All headline show @ Maxwell's, NJ - 3/27/10

Brad Hargett, roguish front man, Maxwell's, photo by C. Marcoux 

The Crystal Stilts, live at Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ) - 3/27/10 

Another goodie, from the 'live music' folder! This is the live show that we took away from seeing The Crystal Stilts when they opened for Love Is All at Maxwell's in NJ this past month. Maxwell's is fast becoming our favorite place to see a band, and our favorite city (Hoboken) to hang around while we're waiting. NYC is great; but we don't mind a little bit of slow-down in the pace of things when we can get it for a leisurely and fun weekend out! 

For this show, The Crystal Stilts pulled out their live best. Honestly, we can't help in being swayed toward the fact that Brad Hargett's vocals are slickly similar to the suave depth of a certain Morrison's, but; we'll give the real reward here to keyboardist Kyle Forester who never fails to disappoint us with his furious keyboard skills, funny antics, and in-between song banter on stage! In recent news, the group has also announced that they have finished recording their next album with David Feck (Comet Gain) and that it is to be named, "Cinema Red & Blue". The new album is up for a late-Spring release date (so far). See The Crystal Stilts live in NY when they play The Bell House on April 22nd, and again at Glasslands on May 15, 2010. 

Crystal Stilts - slumberland records / myspace

Spill! with Fanfarlo's Amos Memon

All Fanfarlo photos by C. Marcoux 

U.K.-based Fanfarlo headlined at the First Unitarian Church on March 31st in Philadelphia as part of their ongoing tour. Opening for the group were newcomers Robert Francis and Fanfarlo's tour support Lawrence Arabia (who seemed, already, to be a crowd favorite). Robert Francis' Springsteen roots-rock definitely strays to the side of southern-rock (during his set there were two exuberant fans running out to clasp hands and dance to the catchy pop of his recently released single, "Junebug"), while Lawrence Arabia's music landed purely into 70s Beach Boys harmony-laced pop territory, treading only lightly on the fey-folk sound similar to that of headliners' and tour mates Fanfarlo.

Lawrence Arabia photo by C. Marcoux

Robert Francis photo by C. Marcoux

Fanfarlo headlined to a largely cheering crowd who knew which lyrics to sing along with as the band launched into their first songs (having also become familiar with the group from their album Reservoir, and previous visit to Philly). Wearing pastel and looking every bit in preppy style with their mid-80s garb--barring bassist Justin Finch's staunch punk look--the group played it cool, switching easily from instrument to instrument between songs as they warmed up the crowd--urging on hand-claps and conversing with everyone easily from the stage. Although the set was long, the encore felt as though it had ended too soon as people lingered, hoping for one last track to cap Fanfarlo's already lovely evening set.

Fanfarlo's drummer Amos Memon spoke to Girl About Town via email this past week discussing everything from the band's sound, living their dreams, and their favorite songs...

Girl About Town: For "Reservoir" there seems to be so much happening in the background as far as instrumentation for each song. Was it your original intention to have such full songs, or was this brought out after discussing your ideas with your album's producer, Peter Katis? Was he much of an influence or mostly a guide?

Amos Memon: It was our intention to layer the brass and strings on certain songs on "Reservoir." When we arrived at Peter's studio we decided to plunder nearly all the vintage instruments he had there and as a result a lot of songs ended up with that "full" sound you mentioned. Peter was into the idea of layering our songs and sometimes he'd be the instigator for some crazy ideas, but at other times we'd be thinking of ways to beef up a song. "I'm A Pilot" is a good example of this where Mark was shaking a box filled with stuff and everyone else was stomping, clapping and slapping their thighs for percussion. Then we got every guitar we had in the studio and recorded all of us simultaneously playing them for about five takes. That changed the dynamic of the song and gave it a textured feel. To think I used to play that song live with brushes…

Would you say that the release of your band's album "Reservoir" has collectively changed your lives?

It has changed our lives in as far as it demanded that we quit our day jobs in order to be able to tour and dedicate time to the band. As a result we haven't spent much time at home this year.

Sometime after Reservoir's original release date in 2008, you offered it as a $1 download for a limited time on your website until the beginning of July 2009; do you feel like you made an impact by doing this and would you do it again with any future releases?

The $1 download was a success for that moment in time, but we wouldn't do it again with future releases. "Reservoir" had only been out for a few months and as it was self-released, it wasn't available in the shops and could only be purchased from us via our website or at our shows. We thought it might bring us some attention and help shift a few physical albums that we'd paid to have made.

Your album art and video imagery fits the sound of the music perfectly. Did you feel an instant connection with Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard for the making of your video featuring European escape artist Roslyn Walker? And had the making of this surreal video impacted yours or your bandmates dreams at all?

Simon and I had seen Iain and Jane's video installations and art before we worked with them as a band, and Simon used to work alongside Jane on other projects, so there was already a connection by the time we decided to make a video together. The video inspired us to use an escapologist for our show in New York last year which we may not have pursued if we hadn't had seen Roslyn Walker up close that day.

What has been your most flattering moment for the band since the release of "Reservoir"?

Performing on "The Late Show with David Letterman" was probably our most flattering moment to date. We never expected to be asked to do anything like that.

As poetic-related as your band name is; do you have other favorite poets beside Charles Baudelaire (where the name Fanfarlo came from)? Our favorite poem by him of course, is "Get Drunk!".

Leon recommends T.S. Eliot as one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century.

Would you say that any particular writer influences the way that you frame your lyrics from the page to actual instrumentation?

In this case, Simon says Jorge Luis Borges is an influence.

What are your thoughts on playing SXSW this year? Are there any bands that you think will make a big splash besides yourself that you are hoping to catch while there?

We didn't want to play SXSW this year after playing for the previous two years, but that would have made no sense since we're still a new band to a lot of people. Regarding new acts, Cathy saw Mountain Man and attempted to see Washed Out but the queue defeated her (it was too long). Simon saw Yellow Fever and liked them enough to purchase their LP. Goatwhore gets Justin's vote, but they've probably been around for a bit. I saw Gonzales at the Presbyterian Church, but he's not fresh off the boat by any means. He was touting a "demonstration cassette" at his gig and hoped to get signed while he was at the festival. The audience knew it was part of his show but went along with it anyway.

What would you say to someone who has never seen you play live--what do you feel would draw people to see you play live?

We purely just try to play our songs with energy and conviction. We spend a lot of time putting a set together, and people often comment that we're better live than on record, so I'd go with that.

When can your fans expect a new album, and will you work with Peter Katis again?

We need to take a break from playing to write new songs, demo them, play them live, re-arrange them. I don't think we'd work with Peter for our second album, just because we're interested in working with different people, but that's not to say it might happen in the future. Anyway, expect a new album next year.

How does the band decide on a particular setlist, and what are your favorite songs to play compared to what the crowd responds to?

Piecing our setlist together is like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle. You have all the shapes but you're not sure how they fit together. We don't like having a lot of trumpet heavy songs in a row and we also need to play a couple of slower songs for our own benefit, then there are new songs or covers that we sometimes throw in. It takes a while to make a setlist. My favorites are I'm A Pilot, Finish Line, Luna and Ghosts. The crowd responds to The Walls Are Coming Down, Luna, and depending on where it is in the set; I'm A Pilot.

Lastly, Fanfarlo will be playing Philadelphia again very soon--what is your favorite thing about Philadelphia?

We had an hour to walk around the city last time we were there, so I know where the record shops, art galleries, community allotment and vintage stores are now. Everyone I met seemed easy going and friendly. It's got a nice atmosphere about it. Much better than when we stayed in West Philadelphia and the pizza shop owner near the hotel told us to make sure we turn left rather than right out of the shop to avoid any trouble. In answer to your question, I'd say the people.

Fanfarlo, live at First Unitarian Church, 3/31/10

Fanfarlo Set List, 3/31/10:
The Walls Are Coming Down
Finish Line
Harold T. Wilkins
We Live By The Lake
Atlas 
I'm A Pilot
Waiting In the Wings
Ghosts
Comets
Luna

You can see Fanfarlo live one more time (at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA) on April 11th before they head to Europe for further dates! Watch for the band's new 7" record (to be made available as a Record Store Day exclusive on April 17th) which includes two tracks; side A's "You Are One" and on side B, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's "What Makes You Think You're The One".

Fanfarlo - band site / myspace

Power Animal / Toro Y Moi - Kung Fu Necktie, 3/25/10

Power Animal photos by Sam Gurry

Philly has been reppin' it so hard lately, it's ridiculous. Power Animal, who just kicked off their North American tour, is no exception proven by how they killed it last Thursday at Kung Fu Necktie. First off, it's refreshing to see a band that can actually play their instruments, which almost seems like an oxymoron. They stand out amid a sea of Macbook musicians that's getting bigger and bigger each week. Nearly every member of PA switched up instruments at some point, ranging from guitar to electronics to toy piano. The violin even made an appearance, a fact that makes the former Dor-kestra nerd in me very happy. Even with such dexterous members, Power Animal still provides a voice for everyone involved. Their live sound was especially, and pleasantly, surprising considering their strong electronic sound on their recorded tracks. A lot of what I thought was electronic was actually performed live using their varied trove of instruments. Their performance was a first-class balance between electronics and performance, giving the audience not only something to look at but also enjoy.

This abundance of musical prowess is reflected very basically in their sound. Their influences seem to be all over the board, ranging from twee-pop to anti-folk. It’s a clear result of all the creativity the members are bringing to the table. Even amid the wash of influences, they are still able to keep themselves from diving too far into one to the point of stagnation. Power Animal will be part of your summer soundtrack. Put it on during your road trip montage complete with hands weaving out the window and laughter torn smiles half cut-off on camera.

Toro Y Moi was faced with the difficult task of following Power Animal and failed to deliver the necessary energy. As soon as he took the stage, the crowd swelled around closer and tighter. This was clearly the act they all came to see. The energy level was brought down and a heavy soundscape started up.  He succeeds in creating his own atmosphere and you can feel the beats pad your face. It's the music that sticks to your ears when you're drunk. The sound that plays in slow motion an hour into a Lifetime movie. It's simplistic and well executed but still remains static. Toro is one of the posterchildren for the much blogged about 'Chillwave' explosion. Unfortunatly, it seems like he's limited by its own definition. He's very 'of' his genre, but fails to bring anything new to the game. Give him time to marinate on tour and let's see what happens.

Power Animal - myspace / Waaga Records

Toro Y Moi - myspace / Blog / Carpark Records

Spill! with Dee Dee from Dum Dum Girls

This weekend, Girl About Town had the opportunity to speak with Dum Dum Girls' Dee Dee after the all-girl group performed live at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA at the college's resident venue: Olde Club. Nestled in amongst the trees, stone-clad residencies, and halls on campus--finding the actual club after dark was no small feat! The show was intimately attended as the crowd seemed to be there more for the laid-back house party atmosphere and the free beer rather than the band itself, but as soon as the Dum Dum Girls urged the crowd forward: dancing broke out like wildfire. 

The gig showcased the group's dark and atmospheric garage-sounds with a mixture of new songs from their upcoming album "I Will Be", with their first B-side from the group's Jai La La 7" (a cover of The 'Stones "Playing With Fire") leading off their fiery set. The Dum Dum Girls music and look make us think of black and white 50s B-movies where the girls are all in hot cars out in the desert drag-racing the boys for their pink-slips! Available for sale? Their special pre-release: a black and white cover design of their new LP (out this month on SubPop) on Chicago's "Hozac" records; home to The Mayfair Set, Duchess & The Duke and more... Openers Fluffy Lumbers (a VERY solo Sam) were a bit out of sorts on stage, but otherwise pulled off an...interesting solo set culminating with a bizarre and almost unrecognizable number by The Who. We were glad to be there to catch Dum Dum Girls for an early set but they will also be playing Philadelphia later this week, on April 2nd, 2010 along with The Girls at the latest Making Time venue: Voyeur (1221 St. James Street, Philadelphia). We're expecting another great show; but this one with a lot of heat to generate as well--there is sure to be a big crowd so get your tickets soon if you haven't already!

Girl About Town: As far as the new album: what has been the feeling on how far the band has come and where you see this project going?

Dee Dee: It’s come very far because it started as just a solo recording project that I was doing out of my house. I did that for about a year with just a few small releases. When I signed with SubPop to put out a record, I was ready to make it a live band so it just took a few months to figure out who the lineup would consist of and then we played our first shows together in October at CMJ.

Is the lineup that you have right now solid?

Yeah, it hasn’t really changed that much in my mind. We played, well--the first show was just really premature and I played it because it was Mike Sniper’s [ed.: Woodsist, Captured Tracks, etc.] festival and my EP was the first thing that he put out so it seemed important to be involved in some way; and that was just asking friends so that I could make it [me playing] possible.

I played two or three shows with Jules (the guitarist) and then some friends filling in--and that was just because my husband’s band was on tour with The Raveonettes and I wanted to play a show with that lineup of bands on a bill. But, it was probably only four shows until this lineup. It’s not, you know, set in stone...although I’m assuming that Jules and Bambi are going to be lifelong members, but Frankie...Because she has her own project and she’s been working on that more seriously...it was never supposed to be the permanent solution--she was just the first girl to help me make it live. I can only imagine that at some point, she’s going to need to focus on her band, which we all are really happy for her to do. We have really had a lot of fun playing with her, but she is just so much more than a drummer.

Who do you see as the influences that helped you create your sound and that also help to keep it original?

My references are little more distilled than that just because I think that what really impressed me when I was a kid; what really formed my opinion about what I loved about music  was a lot of the stuff that my parents were listening to. You know, they had a lot of doo-wop and vocal groups and I had my mom’s later sixties stuff because they were pretty far apart in age. You know? They were teens from different decades. From The Supremes to Jefferson Airplane, early ‘Stones, Beatles, Creedence....stuff like that. Those were my first loves. And when I was a little bit older and started connecting the dots, and kind of the lineage of rock n’ roll; I was really taken with The Ramones. And I say The Ramones mainly because they weren’t ‘technically’ amazing musicians, and so for me it was inspiring that I could pick up a guitar and write a three-chord song--and you know, a lot of the vocals that Joey Ramone sings; they could be girl-group songs. And I just think ‘oh, shit!’ they were listening to a lot of the same stuff that I was in love with when I was a kid. For me, and because I’m also a singer, it was about combining a real focus on vocal melodies and developing harmonies with the reality of my limited musicianship. I’m a drummer, and that’s my best instrument, besides being able to sing--so the guitar is pretty new to me. I basically just learned what I needed to, to start writing songs. And I’m working on getting better, obviously, but I don’t pretend that the music is where the interest may lie.

What would you say to other women wanting to start a band?

I just know, that for me: I just wanted to be. I wanted to be Grace Slick, I wanted to be Patti Smith, I wanted to be Siouxsie Sioux, and I didn’t understand that the first step towards doing those things was, and is: doing them. It’s not just ‘thinking’ about how cool it would be. A lot of the first attempts that I made in being a musician were within the context of other people’s bands: mainly guys. You know, I didn’t have a ton of female friends growing up, and I don’t know why it didn’t strike me as something that I could do myself. It’s sad that it took me until I was twenty-four to....

That’s still so young...

It’s true, but I....you know, when I was like; when I was twenty, that was when I was like, ‘fuck--you know, I have to do music.’ And then it still took me four years of not knowing whether or not I could do it on my own. It’s really just: pick up a guitar and learn a Beatles’ song, and the minute that you can play a song; that’s the moment that you understand that a song can be really simple and that it’s just a matter of doing it.

For me, I was always drawn to female performers, but to me they always kind of seemed to be....the Soul: the female member of the band. Something about being the only female in the band didn’t hit me: it wasn’t inspiring or direct enough, and it took me seeing all female bands in order for it to actually hit me. If anything, I hope that girls who see our band get that from it. That to me is really important.

When we speak about female artists like early Tina Turner, The Ronettes, and The Supremes, they all had a specific look to their act that went with the style of their music: and your outfits tonight seemed to be inspired in a cohesive way as well. Do you think that your group attempts to also tie your looks and style into the type of music that you are playing?

I can only speak for myself when I say that I definitely wanted to have a cohesive look. For me, that is something that I find appealing--when there’s a visual aspect.

Right, it doesn’t have to be superficial.

Right, and this is something that I struggled with for a while. You know, it’s not ‘vain’ to have a ‘costume’. It’s something that’s been in music forever. Like, if you’re going to call bullshit on us, then you need to call bullshit on a bunch of Legends. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it, but I think it’s just about the personal choice. For us, we kind of like to get into a group mentality and for me it’s kind of a confidence boosting thing too. I feel like, we go out there; and we’re a unified front, and it really helps me to tap into the attitude that fuels the songs.

Do you feel as though having a ritual like this makes you closer as a group of friends as well?

Yeah, definitely. I mean, we get ready together, and we (laughs) you know, fuck around in the bathroom together as a bunch of girls and it’s really a lot of fun. And for as heavy a look as we have on the stage, we do also try to maintain a focus that’s pretty intense. But we’re all really fun people and we have such a great time doing this--it’s a really new experience for me and I’m having a great time!

For the next little while you will be on the road, and soon you will also be making it to Philadelphia as well. What is your favorite thing about Philadelphia?

Oh, well, I love Philadelphia. I’ve definitely done different versions of Philadelphia. You know, I’ve done the historic stuff, and I’ve hung out with friends and gone to the rival cheesesteak places; it’s just a great city. I definitely don’t love all cities, but I do enjoy Philadelphia--and I truly enjoy, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”!

 

Dum Dum Girls Set List, 3.26.10:

1/ Play With Fire
2/ Hey Sis
3/ Catholicked
4/ I Will Be
5/ Yours Alone
6/ Bhang Bhang, I'm a Burnout
7/ It Only Takes One Night
8/ Rest of Our Lives   

Live at Swarthmore College, Olde Club w/ Dum Dum Girls 
(live Dum Dum Girls recording thanks to D. O'Toole)

Dum Dum Girls - band site / sub pop / myspace
 

Ray Davies at the Tower Theater, 11/21/09

Photos by C. Marcoux

Kinks' frontman Ray Davies has been through a lot—three divorces, drugs, nervous breakdowns, being shot in the leg—which could have led him to either withdraw from life completely or come out swinging. Watching him perform, it’s clear there’s plenty of fire in the old man yet. After opener “I Need You,” Davies spat the biting “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” with as much conviction as ever. Still in good voice and spirit, he spent the evening weaving stories throughout his songs, covering a wide swath of his career, both with The Kinks and solo. The first half of the set featured only Davies and guitarist Bill Shanley, which lent an intimacy to the performance, and included Kinks classics such as “Waterloo Sunset,” “Dedicated Follower of Fashion,” and “Sunny Afternoon.” Davies showed a knack for impersonation during “Dedicated” when he sang a verse in the style of Johnny Cash. It got a laugh, but it was spot on, and for a second, one could imagine that this Swinging London era gem could have just as easily been a tune by the Man in Black himself.

Davies was soon joined by his band, which was a mixed blessing. Though it was great to hear a more fleshed-out sound for some of the songs, the band seemed to play with the kind of sterility that comes with playing the same ten songs over and over and over again. It’s hardly a criticism, though—each musician was outstanding, and it’s unfair to expect the slightly gritty sound of the original ’60s Kinks recordings forty-some years later. In addition to Kinks favorites “Celluloid Heroes,” “Come Dancing,” and “20^th Century Man,” Davies threw in some of his solo work, including “The Tourist” and “One More Time.” The biggest hits were saved for the encores, though, where the crowd heartily sang along to “All Day and All of the Night,” “Low Budget,” “You Really Got Me,” and “Lola.”

Two notable absences were a choral group (some dates on this tour featured a chorus, showcasing the work found on the just-released The Kinks Choral Collection) and any material from the revered The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society album. But Davies’ humor captivated, and the storytelling and crowd participation led to an engaging show. Far from just showing up for the cash, Ray Davies proved he is still a performer through and through.

For more photos, click through our gallery by using this link.

Ray Davies - band site / decca records / myspace

Sending Saturday Love in the Heart-Shape of Dear Nora: Live @ Café Du Nord, San Francisco Pop Festival, 05/24/09

Photos by C. Marcoux

For this live concert with singer Katy Davidson (Wolf Colonel) as her long-standing moniker Dear Nora, at Café du Nord for this year's San Francisco Pop Festival, we still get goosebumps and gasp over the raw emotion of her vocals combined with the draw that Katy's beautiful songs command. We're not sure how rare this live recording is, but this show at Café du Nord along with The Botticellis, Birds of California, Cheap Red and Eux Autres in San Francisco was one of Katy's last few live performances (for the year, at least) in 2009.

You can hear the influence of early Elvis Costello, and especially Billy Bragg through her strumming technique and singing, and we won't pinpoint it--but if you enjoy songs like "Between the Wars", you'll get our drift and want to hear this wonderful recording for yourself. Earlier this year, Magic Marker was working with Katy who has since released a double-disc available through them, filled with early 7" record releases and rare singles as well as out-of-print recordings. It's bittersweet when you get to the very last song where Katy sings "Fargo" along with the crowd, but you'll thank us for the smile.

Dear Nora (solo Katy Davidson) - live at Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco Pop Festival, 5/24/09

Katy Davidson - band site / magic marker / myspace

Mincemeat or Tenspeed / Ecstatic Sunshine / Lucky Dragons / Kria Brekken / Eric Copeland - live at Vox Populoi, 10/25/09

 
Mincemeat or Tenspeed photos by Sam Gurry

If you weren’t at Vox Populi last Sunday then we already feel sorry for you. It was a surprisingly (not)crowded show at the 11th street gallery especially considering the slick lineup; slicker than usual for a Philadelphia show. Kria Brekken, Eric Copeland (Black Dice), and Lucky Dragons were among those on the bill fresh from playing a show at Swarthmore College the night before. Joining them were, the new, Ecstatic Sunshine and Philly’s own Mincemeat or Ten Speed. Mincemeat, David Harms, opened the show by first asking the crowd “to please stand up” as the people sitting made him uncomfortable. Once the crowd ambled up, Mincemeat began his pulsating mixture of dirty low-fi beats using one beasting collection of pedals. Harms method of playing is distinct in that he doesn’t use instruments…really. “No synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers, musical instruments," As the liner, notes for his new album, Strange Gods, states. It provides for a unique experience Philly can be proud of.

 
Lucky Dragons photos by Sam Gurry

Sandwiched in the middle for the night was Lucky Dragons, Luke Fischbeck and Sarah Rara, bringing it back and back again. A trademark of a Lucky Dragons performance is the interactive music they present to the audience. The music isn’t just theirs to create; it’s the whole crowd's. The instruments provided to the audience ranged from something that looked liked a maraca’s cousin (complete with reverb) to part of the “Make a Baby” performance. “Make a Baby” begins with people in the audience holding onto a part of it and then touching one another on the skin. The pattern, pitch, and sound of the instrument are direct results of people touching each other. A perfect blend of performance, music, and art.  The whole set seemed to be facilitated by Rara’s wistfully pure voice providing moans and murmurs throughout. Everyone is the room was transfixed by the daze in front of them, even the too-cool-for-school door hepcats. Sunglasses removed, Ear Plugs in, and attention grabbed.

Unfortunately, the night was cut short when the PoPo decided to make a surprise visit during Eric Copeland’s set. The man doesn’t like young kids listening to their gosh darn Rock ‘N’ Roll. Come back to Philly Eric Copeland! We won’t let the man bring you down next time!

Mincemeat or Tenspeed will be playing Nov. 2nd with Talk Normal and The Black & The Blues at either the Copy Gallery or Marvelous Music depending on whose myspace you trust.

Mincemeat or Tenspeed - myspace / Zum Records
Lucky Dragons - myspace / band site / Marriage Records

Sea Wolf, Sara Lov, Port O'Brien, live @ North Star Bar - 10/17/09

Sara Lov photo by Helena P. (The Earl)

New writer and local artist Sara Wood writes, "This was our first trip to The North Star Bar.....As soon as we arrived (about an hour and a half after doors) we kitted ourselves out with some Woodchuck cider, and heard just a little bit of the first opener of the night, Sara Lov. Sara had a sweet, and very juvenile voice, but I have to be honest: I was more attracted to her pretty t-shirt designs over on the merch table. As more and more people crowded in, we made our way to the upstairs balcony, where we found an unexpectedly sweet spot. Even though the heat was a bit much up there, the view was definitely worth it--especially to a short person such as myself!

Port O'Brien photo by Sara Wood (The North Star)

The second opener, Port O'Brien (a group from Oakland, CA) soon came on to offer us some pretty solid folksy indie rock. It was during their performance, complete with 3 guitars, 1 bass, drums, 1 banjo, and a couple of toy instruments here and there, that we discovered that the North Star Bar's acoustics weren't particularly forgiving, but they put on a good show nonetheless, and really engaged the crowd. The lead singer, Van Pierszalowski, seemed to be having just about the best time on stage, and he let it all out with the last song in particular, where pots and pans were handed out, and the audience was guided through repeating the chorus of melodic screams. Good stuff, right?

Sea Wolf photo by Sara Wood (The North Star)

Sea Wolf came on not a moment too soon, and got right to it, playing a crowd-pleasing set. I wished that I could have heard Alex's yummy vocals a bit more, but other than that, they sounded strong and balanced.  I particularly appreciated the efforts of the band's two ladies; Joyce on cello and Lisa on keyboards--they really added to the character of the songs, and in my opinion, the recognizable Sea Wolf sound. Perhaps my favorite part of the show was the inclusion of a Marxophone, played by Lisa, which sounded much like a strummed mandolin, and served as a quirky complement to many of the songs. All in all, it was a great and intimate show full of some really beautiful music, and the night definitely sold me on the pros of The North Star Bar."

For more Sea Wolf photos from this show, view our online gallery of Sara's photos by clicking here.

Sea Wolf - band site / myspace
Sara Lov - myspace
Port O'Brien - myspace