Posts by Shawn Donohue

Here are five tips to abide by when planning your summer road trip to catch live music under the stars or in a smoky club. And as you know rules are meant to be broken so we will call them guidelines for your next rock and roll road trip.

The original oddballs of Sub-Pop return with Under A Billion Suns, a clanging mix of guitar noise, 50’s pop, and paranoid dirty vocals with the occasional trombone backing.

The band has closed down the dorms at Epic and moved cross town to fresher digs at J records with the release of their new self-titled effort that has been receiving the full court promotional press, and with good reason, Pearl Jam shows a band blooming in full rage.

For the record release party of their acclaimed new album Ten Silver Drops the Secret Machines took on the best-kept venue in New York, The Hiro Ballroom at the Maritime Hotel. Unlike other shows held in the gorgeous room filled by gorgeous people, this one would not be on a stage slotted back against the wall. This evening would be an “in-the-round” performance, in the tradition of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

In the midst of their current U.S. tour the California 4-piece, Mellowdrone, took the stage Tuesday night at the Knitting Factory. The one-stop singer, songwriter and front man Jonathan Bates was joined on guitar by Tony DeMatteo, keyboardist/bassist Cami Gutierrez, and uniquely rhythmic drummer Brian Borg.

Unlike the Original Funkateers (who were from another planet entirely) The Coup’s ideas are grander then the actual sound on this disk, but they vary up their hip-hop style enough to keep listeners who are not trapped in the club engaged and thinking about searching out a bigger weapon for when the revolution comes.

When the band was in gear and smoking, like during their set closing cover of Sabbath’s “War Pigs” they bring more to the table then just silliness, they bring power playing, spot on pitch perfect singing and perhaps most importantly they demonstrate what a successful live show can become.

With “Goodnight and Go,” you get a bubblegum teen romp with silly lyrics and a chorus that sounds so immature, it might make Britney puke when she hears it.

I never once thought that the kings of Irish punk/folk would regroup and play America, let alone in a place and time when I could see them. The last time I caught the whiskey bottle of a singer known as Shane MacGowan live, he was a bloody mess from falling down and being dragged off stage only 3 songs into his set with the Popes.

With most of the songs played during the set slated for a new full length in the works, black rimmed glasses wearing girls and Chuck Taylor sporting boys all across the country will be able to decipher the words and sing-a-long to Dirty on Purpose in the near future.

Bassist Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead brought his rotating cast of characters to New York City this past week for a slew of highly anticipated outings.

The band seemed to have a decent stage presence and the tracks on their debut album are played in a punchy Franz Ferdinand style that should translate live, but I guess we will have to wait for another show to find out for sure.

2 feet of snow? Check. 50 Mile an Hour wind guests? Affirmative. Sounds like a perfect night for rawking on out on the Lower Eastside of Manhattan Isle. The blizzard conditions did nothing to keep the crowd away though as a variety of fans infiltrated the Mercury Lounge to hear an eclectic offering of sound.

The 80’s. It’s a state of mind, from big hair and leg warmers to Atari football. You know the one where you could run through the screen and come out the other side, thus running around the entire world to sack the quarterback, good times. With the retro flair of John Hughes films and Lacoste polo's, the rock and roll was sure to follow and it has in a big way. From the Bravery to Bloc Party to the Killers the “Me” decade is alive and selling in the music world. Enter a new contender for the retro title, the Lolita Bras.

ooking like Mike Nesmith’s fan club, this five piece hit the stage just before midnight in silly wool hats, but the sweltering club had already served to warm them up. They collided into the music sans introduction, if there was any doubt about the energy and excitement in the room, it was obliterated under the first notes of the majestic show opener “Say Something.” The band who goes by their coded names are: TAXI: guitar, vocals, TABLES: bass, vocals, TEXT: keyboards, guitar and vocals, TURBO: trapset, vocals, THANKS: guitars, vocals.

Laid out in theatre format and playing like the soundtrack to a mid century German film on existentialism produced by a floundering grad student, Book of Sand’s music bores from start to finish. The three main movements titled “The Century Trilogy: Conquest, Empire and The Fall” are grandiose in title only. The album is fundamentally instrumental with random chanting; some of it from guest Devendra Banhart, however the ghostly wails do nothing to further the music in any direction.

Toubab Krewe truly breakdown all genre barriers and have created their own sound, as they call it, “Afro-Cowboy-Ninja-Surf-Music”. When you catch them live you will call it a blast.

Morningwood is a little wild and still gelling as a band, but certainly ready to bust out of their jeans.

Dinosaur Jr,’s performance was one big pile driver leaving the audience with ears ringing and hearts singing. More then one person was looking for any extras to Saturday

Playing a stand alone club date, a benefit for the Red Cross, the Machines aired some new material and a few old favorites to a receptive, if tame, crowd. The Secret Machines have been steadily gaining respect with their form of vibrant musicianship and mind blowing live shows.