i can't see straight
I actually brought my camera out for once last night, but neglected to check the batteries, which were, of course, dead. If you want, you can imagine that there's a grainy photo of Woodhands' Dan Werb with his shirt off and playing a keytar between this paragraph and the post title.
Dave from the Lamp described the band as a punkier Unicorns with synths, which is pretty accurate. Although, for the record, if I had to come up with something on my own, I would've said "hipster crunk." The duo rocked some sick synth noises, programmed beats, and some pretty impressive live drums on top of it all. It would've been more fun if everyone in the crowd was dancing as hard as Edo from the Clips was, but that can be said for many a show.
Speaking of Edo, he was leading the other Brasstronauts - who were a four piece instead of a duo last night - through their set when I got to the show. I'm warming up to their stuff, but I find it really hard to concentrate on the low key music in a noisy bar. Admittedly, that's probably more of a reflection on my ADD-like tendency to be easily distracted than it is on the band. Oh, and I have to note that they beat Cadence Weapon to the punch with one of their songs. A few years back I interviewed Rollie and he mentioned that he was writing an album about "the hipster condition." He may have been joking, but regardless, Brasstronaut have beaten him to the punch - at least with one song. "These days it's all coooooocaine, and vice magazine, and terrible jeans." Heh. I'm probably misquoting that a bit, but you get the idea.
The Public or the Press were on between Woodhands and Brasstraonaut. I think this is the second time I've seen them, and while they're pretty tight and really give it, I'm just not feeling the music all that much (though they aren't bad either). Kudos to their lead singer, whom I can only imagine is the "recovering hip-hop head" mentioned in their old bio, for spitting a freestyle during Woodhands set though.
Here are a boatload of shows that you will probably want to spend your money on:
Sunset Rubdown are at the Plaza on October 25th. The Vancouver date is once again near the end of the tour. Hopefully that doesn't mean that the band will spend half the show arguing with each other because they've been cramped together in a tour van for too long.
Stars are doing a pair of shows at the Commodore on November 17th. There's an afternoon show for you minors and an evening show for the adults.
Ted Leo & the RX are at Richard's on October 22nd.
Klaxons are at the Commodore on October 1st with Mystery Jets.
Lightning Dust is at Pat's on August 29th with the Cave Singers.
Culte du Cargo emailed me about their CD release show. It's happening this Saturday at Open Studios and Vera Way & Her Sisters and Eug support.
Salbourg has a couple of big guests lined up for the end of Summer/Back to School. Crookers rock the Unicorn on August 25th, Institubes (Para One, Surkin, Curses, and DJ Orgasmic) are at a locale TBA on September 12th, and BoysNoize are at an as yet undetermined venue on September 19th. Massive.
Not to be outdone, Casbah! - who keep it local - have a pretty exciting set of live acts lined up to complement their DJs:
- Canaries and Hawaiian Bibles are there this Friday.
- Mondern Creatures and Cheerleader Camp on August 17th.
- The aforementioned Suspiria/16mm/Adjective soiree is on August 24th.
- Treacherous Machete play August 31st.
- Elizabeth and Fake Shark Real Zombie will be a definite must see on September 7th.
- Culte du Cargo play with People or the Press and Adjective on September 14th.
- And Taxes and Sun Arise are there on September 21st.
Casbah! goes down every Friday at Library Square, and as with seemingly everything else in the industrialized world, you can keep track of what's going down via Crackbook.
Last, but most certainly not least, my good friend Aaron is playing his first show (I think - feel free to correct me) as the Swords of Righteousness Brigade on August 16th at the Unicorn. He's sandwiched between Overgrowing, Gr8-2000, and Piper Davis, who should not be confused with the first African-American ball player signed to the Red Sox. I don't know what the rest of the acts sound like, but Aaron like 808s, the Lil Jon kick drum library, and French House.
Actually, one last thing... somebody out there please hook up a Vancouver date for this. And get Les Savy Fav on the bill like in NYC.
now playing: the Shins - Turn On Me
Labels: brasstronaut, entries that are too long, show announcements, show recaps, the public or the press, woodhands
4 Comments:
i second that arcade fire request, although given the choice of support, i'd go with beirut and they'd be playing pat's ... seriously, though, my fingers are crossed for a vancouver show (anywhere) soon ...
By 
, at
3:28 p.m.
did i just read that comment correctly? beirut at pat's? i'd have a really hard time trying to decide which to attend. even if the arcade fire/lcd tour came through vancouver. let's pray that none of us have to decide between the two.
By 
thelottery, at
6:05 p.m.
only, and I mean only, downside to an Arcade Fire/LCD show would be that it almost certainly would be at GM Place or the Coliseum given how many AF pulled to Deer Lake Park.
By , at
10:34 p.m.
arcade fire are the only band that would make me go to a gig at the coliseum or gm place - shame an af/beirut gig will probably never happen (at least in vancouver) - i'll just keep hoping that both play here separately soon ....
By , at
9:00 a.m.
