Well the pretty boy brothers in Kings of Leon were too tired to keep on touring, but their tour openers Band of Horses had energy to spare, so they booked the picturesque venue in central Manhattan to play a blowout show for their fans
Kim Thayil better watch out next time he plays “Black Hole Sun” because Frampton definitely has his number on this one. Rock star having mellowed with age? Not on your life.
As Bon Iver’s reputation grows, so too do the venues, the ticket prices, and, more surprisingly, the size of the band. What began as a solo project has morphed into a nine-piece ensemble equipped with two drummers, countless rotating electric and acoustic guitars, a few reed instruments, a French horn, a violin and a number of keyboards and computer screens, all playing for a sold-out crowd at the Palace.
he line for Friday Nights free show in Greenpoint, Brooklyn stretched far into the steamy night as rain fell in buckets before things got started. It was a drenching evening in all aspects as the hardcore and punk rock washed over the crowd mixing with the sweltering venue, developing a cauldron of sound and some unfortunate smells. Ahh puke, sweat and spilled beers…METAL!
Once again, this year booked some of the biggest names in the blues universe, from established legends to the best of the up-and-comers. The event also continued their tradition of embracing folk, funk, rock, jazz, R&B, gospel and world music acts that incorporate the blues into their sound. The following is an account of this year’s highlights.
It was a bit disappointing to only hear two songs from the band’s older album Progress and the many compilations and EPs the band has recorded over the years. All in all, it was a good show. Not the best from the Bandits, but the crowd was good, the venue was good, and it’s always fun reliving the glory days through yet another band that provided the soundtrack to the drunken youth of so many.
What may come as a surprise is that Cinderella have been touring successfully most summers with no new album to promote. But they love this and love to play for their fans. “You know, we don’t have all the fancy tricks and stuff,” said LaBar. “We just rely on our playing and we take a lot of pride in our actual playing and putting on a good show … If we were doing an arena tour, we’d have some pyro or something. We’d blow up some stuff (laughs). But we’re more into the music and the playing and putting on a show with our actual bodies.”
Those who have been following the progress of The London Souls since their technical formation in 2008 know that their rise as a power trio has been hard fought through their steadiness to relentlessly tour all alleys of the New York music scene. Nearly a year and a half after the recording of their debut album was complete The London Souls come through ready to document their official introduction. In the time following album’s completion it’s as if the focus was geared to the performance and delivery of their sound in a way that could captivate fans through live shows, in any type of venue.
Once again the hot and humid Minnesota air could not keep the Vans Warped Tour goers from gathering to watch 75 bands perform on seven stages, all within the same day. With temperatures in the 90’s, it was definitely a shorts and flip-flop kind of day. Sunburns and sweaty teens filled Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota on the Vans Warped Tour’s 16th visit to the state.
For an evening teeming with humor, reflection and aesthetic exploration, Neko Case and her band kept the audience rapt with their superlative set. It’s further evidence that Case is unequivocally a significant voice in music today, deserving of her success, yet still looking to the future to investigate increasingly the depths of the human heart and mind.
