As David Lowery sang with a maniacal glint in his eye about the problems of his youth, what pissed him off then and what pisses him off now, you remembered how you stood up and shook your fist in agreement when you were seventeen. Once again at the 8 x 10 club, you couldn't help by finding yourself shaking your fist in agreement to Camper Van Beethoven.
The perfect fit for a feel-good return of one of the most impressive bands of the last decade
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.
With undeniable talent, hot picking and multiple genre bending, The Waybacks are on the verge of breaking the line of question mark to exclamation point. The Mill Valley, CA based five-piece was recently named as Bob Weir's backing band for two April performances – not a bad twist of fate for these middle aged up-and-comers.
From the dark and dirty to the mellow and mild, the band portrayed a multidimensional, multifaceted collective that can take their sound in whichever direction they feel.
As Jay Farrar's nasally drone filled the smoke-heavy air of Newby's, the crowd swayed along, nodding with approval.
The absolute highlight of this night from either band was the monstrous Pink Floyd masterpiece of "Echoes" that closed the set.
Unadventurous and uncharacteristically lacking in stage presence, MTB was completely inoffensive – and thus, fairly forgettable.
The best thing about Of Montreal’s super-charged live act, perhaps, is their playfulness. They don’t take the retro-rock thing too seriously, as so many style-conscious bands do these days. Yes, they were wearing fancy rock-star outfits, striking poses and even began “I Was Never Young” with the intro to “The Final Countdown,” but you still got the feeling that any and all posturing was accompanied by a large wink and a very open invitation to play along.
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.
