For the two Northeast shows on back-to-back nights, there was certainly a focus on the new album as well as a look-back to the beginning of the band
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.
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.
