I get way too lazy sometimes. Here’s a link to Onafriday and the fantastic pictures they posted from the Om show at the ICA. Lichens was the highlight of the show for me, but I’m biased.
Archive for the 'Shows' Category
Excellent show at the Piano Craft Guild on Tuesday night. Was very taken by Brendan Murray’s set. It was my first time hearing him. Murray started by generating a basic tone. He would then derive new tones from that first one and layer them, creating a massive and sustained harmony that filled the room. He repeated this process a couple of times, generating a complex wall of sound from a series of very basic tones. Eventually a series of glitched up rhythms made an appearance; they would bounce about the room as Murray manipulated a current of digital sound beneath their hypnotic pulses. He finished his set with washes of ambient noise and rhythm that brought groups like Mirror and Troum to mind. The whole set felt very deliberate and controlled and it was my favorite part of the night. Keith Fullerton Whitman and Geoff Mullen played a set completely different from the one I saw at the Middle East. Far less menacing, their set also featured some rhythm, but of a much more distorted and primitive kind. Mullen played with an unidentified device, bending and destroying his beats while Whitman pulled a barrage of bird sounds from his synthesizers. Their set seemed a lot quieter than last time, which ended up being a problem for each of the performers. There was a lot of low end happening, but it didn’t quite reach the gut-rumbling levels I recall from the Middle East show.
Point Never’s set was not at all what I expected, but engrossing nonetheless. I’m used to Daniel Lopatin’s marriage of soundscapes and Vangelis-esque melody, but for this show he created a massive body of sound with his keyboard, some basic drum sounds, and his voice. The set began with some manipulated percussion, which was looped and distorted in a multitude of layers. I was surprised by how nakedly identifiable they were. He stuck to mixing these drums sounds up for a short amount of time and then switched to his emblematic, keyboard-based sound. The arpeggiated melodies immediately developed into a swaying rhythm and Lopatin used that element as a foundation for the rest of his set. He slowly added vocal effects, percussive hiccups, and random tapes noise to his already full sound, eventually producing a wall of shifting noise. Everything culminated in this mass of frequencies, which was eventually replaced by little more than an organic whoosh.
The low end at The Piano Craft Guild could have used some more oomph and I would’ve loved to have heard everyone on a bigger sound system, but the space itself handled all the big sounds very well. Would love to see more shows played there.
Here’s some photos from the show. Thanks for reading. Expect another mix to hit the site this week.
My digital camera is dying a slow death, but I snagged a few pictures from the Zs/KFW+Geoff Mullen/Geoglyphs/Melissa St. Pierre show at the Middle East Upstairs on the 23rd of February. I didn’t manage to catch Melissa in action, but I have at least a couple of photos from the other sets. Forgive me for hating the use of flash, but I hate the way it makes performers look: stiff and awkward.
Zs were about 15 to 20 minutes of pure intensity – I wish they would’ve played a longer set, but it meant that Geoglyphs and the duo of KFW and Geoff Mullen had plenty of stage time. Geoglyphs is a brand new Boston band with only a few shows under their belt. They play a kind of fusion-jazz and post-rock hybrid with lots of emphasis on rhythm and heavy bass lines. Add some stylized noise like you might expect from Black Dice or Fuck Buttons and you get Geoglyphs; they also had some excellent film projections to accompany their various noises. I was pretty taken by their set. I didn’t expect the heavy rock emphasis for a bill like this, but I look forward to seeing them again
KFW and Geoff played some incredibly dense, ultra-heavy noise based around tons of synth errata, feedback, tape loops, organ, and God knows what else. For awhile a simple rhythm took center stage and it gave the set a very industrial feel that induced more than just a little head-banging. Keith also pulled some super low end out of his equipment and managed to make the entire upstairs rumble. I could feel it in my stomach and chest.
Melissa St. Pierre’s sound was way too over-driven; it made her music sound a lot sloppier live than it does on CD. Anyways, a few people managed to attempt a dance or two while she was playing, but the music simply didn’t translate well. Her record is very good, but perhaps best suited for at-home play.
Hope you enjoy the photos.
22
Feb
09
2/17: Brief Update
Sorry for not updating in so long. The only bit of news that I care to talk about right now is Will Oldham’s impending album release and tour and Juana Molina’s performance at the Brattle Theater on Thursday the 26th. As you all know, I’m an appreciator of Oldham’s music. I’ve never had the chance to see him live, however. He’s finally posted a show I can attend. I already have tickets for the Wilbur Theater performance set for May 17th. I’m not sure how quickly these will sell out, but judging by the cult of loyal followers Oldham has unwittingly amassed, getting tickets soon wouldn’t be a bad idea. You can visit the Royal Stable for more information about the new album, the tour, and various appearances Oldham has made in different magazines.
Juana Molina is performing at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, MA on the 26th. You can see other tour dates for areas closer to you by visiting her (old) website.
ZBCONLINE.COM is now the place to visit if you want to download my show. I’ll keep providing links here, but updates are going to be very infrequent. There’s lots of stuff on my plate at the moment and school is my primary focus for now.
Thanks for stoping by.
DOWNLOAD HOUR 1
DOWNLOAD HOUR 2
01. Scott Walker “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” from Classics & Collectibles (2005) on Mercury — originally performed by The Walker Brothers in 1966
02. Antony & the Johnsons “Daylight and the Sun” from The Crying Light (2009) on Secretly Canadian
03. Buffalo Springfield “Expecting to Fly” from Buffalo Springfield Again (1967) on Atco — written by Neil Young w/o the rest of the band
04. Tom Waits “Earth Died Screaming” from Bone Machine (1992) on Island
05. Devo “Mongoloid” from Live: Mongoloid Years (1992) on Ryko
06. Birdsongs of The Mesozoic “The Tyger” from Dawn of the Cycads (2008) on Ace Of Hearts — from Magnetic Flip, recorded in 1984
07. Fad Gadget “Speak to Me” from Gag (1984) on Mute
08. Add N to (X) “Kingdom of Shades” from Add Insult to Injury (2000) on Mute
09. Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid “Between B & C” from NYC (2008) on Domino
10. High Places “A Field Guide” from High Places (2008) on Thrill Jockey
11. Bruce Peninsula “Shutters” from A Mountain is a Mouth (2009) on Bruce Trail
12. Songs : Ohia “How To Be Perfect Men” from Axxess & Ace (1999) on Secretly Canadian
13. Alva Noto “u_07” from Untitxt (2008) on Raster-noton
14. Colin Potter & Paul Bradley “Cavity” from Behind Your Very Eyes (2003) on ICR
15. Asad Qizilbash “Raga Piloo” from Asad Qizilbash – Sarod Recital/Live In Peshawar (2008) on Sub Rosa
16. Colin Andrew Sheffield “Surrender” from Signatures (2009) on Invisible Birds
17. Male “I’ll Be Standing Soon (excerpt)” from All Are Welcome (2009) on Other Electricities
18. Juana Molina “Los Hongos de Marosa” from Un Dia (2008) on Domino
Mark Hollis’ music is something nearly everyone is familiar with even if they aren’t conscious of it. His work in Talk Talk led him to popular success and exerted a fairly substantial influence on a number of musicians, earning him a place among the most influential musicians of the last 20 years. Talk Talk’s evolution, due largely to Hollis’ influence, is a surprising one. They started as a Duran Duran clone, producing several hits that fit the 80’s new wave aesthetic perfectly. The music was formulaic early on, but Hollis’ voice was unique and the band enjoyed introspection more than most contemporary acts did. In 1984 Talk Talk began to move away from the synth-pop sensibilities that formed them and released It’s My Life. The single of the same name was eventually covered very poorly by No Doubt. Talk Talk’s original is full of character and color. It’s a far cry from the average new wave hit. Other singles from that album demonstrate the band’s desire to move into more complex compositional territory. Just a couple years later the band released The Colour of Spring and cemented the fact that there was more to them than catchy hooks and a handsome voice. It’s on this album that Hollis first began to move away from pure pop sensibilities and implemented various musical styles, ranging from “world music” to odd-ball pseudo-jazz and near-ambient balladry. Talk Talk eventually released The Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock, two records that shaped the way underground rock would sound well into the new century. I often wonder if any band will ever perfect their Talk Talk impersonation, but so far the imitators can’t hold a candle to Hollis’ subtlty (including Radiohead). After Talk Talk broke up members of the band went on to form various bands of differing sorts, but Hollis alone continued the final “Talk Talk sound” and released a self-titled album in 1998. Since then… nothing.
I had two calls right at the beginning of the show concerning Cloudland Canyon. Not much from the band is available online, but I can point you in the direction of Kranky’s website and the band’s official website. Their newest record, Lie in Light, was just released and is receiving plenty of positive press.
Tanakh has so many musical associations that I can’t even begin to count all of them. Ben Chasny from Six Organs of Admittance, Ned Oldham of The Anomoanon, Mic Turner, and Pat Best of Pelt are just some of the musicians associated with this Jesse Poe-led project. Over at Tanakh’s Myspace page is a video interview in addition to several free music samples.
I also had several inquiries about The Dead Texan. Adam Wiltzie of Stars of the Lid and Christina Vantzou are The Dead Texan, a joint audio-visual project that has only one release of which I am aware. Southern Records has a small write-up about the project available and Brainwashed.com plays host to a free video from the band. The self-titled album was released as a CD/DVD combo and is still available from Kranky. The various whale sounds and water samples were from the Hildegard Westerkamp and not The Dead Texan.
Last up is a Brainwaves 2008 REMINDER: Brainwaves 2008 is coming up and this is the lineup:
Meat Beat Manifesto
Matmos
Stars of the Lid
A Place to Bury Strangers
Little Annie
The Reformed Faction (of Zoviet France)
Andrew Liles and Jonathan Coleclough
Nmperign feat. Jason Lescalleet
Marissa Nadler
Glenn Jones
His Name Is Alive
Gary Wilson
Rivulets
Strategy
Nudge
Boduf Songs
Charalambides
To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie
Baby Dee
Lichens
Individuals willing to volunteer their time to this festival will be allowed into the festival for free and will probably get the chance to meet some of the musicians involved. Brainwaves 2006 was an enormous success and had more than just a few surprises up its sleeve. You can expect a number of surprises from the 2008 show, too. The festival lasts three days and is likely to feature some great great videos, a DJ set or two, and more merchandise than you can shake a stick at; check out the website linked above and get ready for what will be the best show in Boston all year long.
Thanks for listening! Talk to you next week.
UPDATE: DOWNLOAD 5/5/2008 @ MEGAUPLOAD – Full Show
download – Laughter 5/5/2008 – Hour 1
download – Laughter 5/5/2008 – Hour 2
01. Talk Talk “Happiness is Easy” from The Colour of Spring (1986) on EMI
02. Cloudland Canyon “Dambala (Excerpt)” from Silver Tongued Sisyphus (2007) on Kranky
03. Windy & Carl “A Dream of Blue (Edit)” from Through the Square Window (1999) on Ochre/Blue Flea
04. Ken Ikeda “Yume” from Merge (2003) on Touch
05. Faust “Why Don’t You Eat Carrots?” from Faust (1971) on Rer
06. Keiji Haino “Affection (Excerpt)” from Affection (1992) on Modern Music (P.S.F.)
06/07. Ghost “Overture (Excerpt)” from Overture: Live in Nippon Yusen Soko 2006 (2007) on Drag City
08. James Blackshaw “Celeste Pt. 1” from Celeste (2008) on Tompkins Square — originally released in 2004
09. Last Days “Saved By a Helicopter” from These Places are Now Ruins (2007) on N5md
10. Tanakh “Mashah” from Villa Claustrophobia (2002) on Alien 8
11/12/13. Hildegard Westerkamp “Beneath the Forest Floor” from Transformations (1996) on Empreintes Digitales
12. The Dead Texan “When I See Scissors I Can’t Help but Think of You” from The Dead Texan (2004) on Kranky
13. Labradford “Midrange” from Labradford (1996) on Kranky
14. Tangerine Dream “Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares (Excerpt)” from Phaedra (1987) on Virgin — originally released in 1974
15. Wauvenfold “Stab” from 3Fold (2002) on Tiger Style
16. Vangelis “Blade Runner (End Titles)” from Blade Runner (1994) on Atlantic
17. Monos “Slowly Fading (Excerpt)” from Generators (2005) on Die Stadt
18. Sun Kil Moon “Harper Road” from April (2008) on Caldo Verde
The radio station for which I work has a blog site that has recently uploaded a live Times New Viking set that some of you might enjoy. One of ZBC’s fine DJs, Sir Nick, hosts Spectra Sonic Sound every Tuesday from 10 AM until noon and had Times New Viking come in and play a special and exclusive set for fans in the Boston area. Now, after a short delay, that performance is available online for absolutely free.
I hope all of you enjoy it. If you do, maybe let us know by leaving a comment at the ZBC blog or on this site. I’ll make sure to pass the word along. I thought I’d have a mix for all of you by this point, but other obligations have kept that from becoming a reality for now. Keep checking back, however, because I plan on finishing it sooner than later.
Thanks for listening!
28
Mar
08
Stars of the Lid Tour Reminder
During last week’s show I was surprised to find that Stars of the Lid are touring in US and I promised myself that I would post that information to the website simply because it is such a rare thing that this band tours. In case you are wondering what Stars of the Lid might be like live, you can check out this video at Last.fm, which shows the band playing Arvo Part’s “Fratres.” As the Kranky website has pointed out, Stars of the Lid will be accompanied by a string trio for the entirety of the tour and Luke Savisky will be providing visuals.
In any case, here are the dates. Who knows how long before they tour again… that is, if they tour again…
4/14 @ Echoplex in LA, CA
4/15 @ The Independent in SF, CA
4/17 @ Holocene in Portland, OR
4/18 @ Triple Door in Seattle, WA
4/21 @ Southern Theater – Wordless Music Series in Minneapolis, MN
4/22 @ Staerkel Planetarium in Champaign, IL
4/23 @ Sebring-Lewis Theatre in Grinnell, IA
4/24 @ 930 Listening Room in Louisville, KY
4/25 @ Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA
4/26 @ Lakeshore Theater in Chicago, IL
4/27 @ Museum London in London, ON
4/28 @ Music Gallery in Toronto, ON
4/29 @ Masonic Temple in Montreal, QC
5/01 @ Remis Auditorium – MFA in Boston, MA
5/02 @ Good Shepard Faith Church in NY, NY
5/03 @ St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Penn University in Philadelphia, PA
5/04 @ Iota in Arlington, VA
5/05 @ Fine Arts Theatre in Asheville, NC
5/07 @ Ritz Theatre in Austin, TX
5/08 @ Granada Theatre in Dallas, TX
That’s a picture of El Camino Real. A quick search using Google will result in some more photographs, but I felt this image was the most appropriate for the blog considering the timbre of Basinski’s music and the history of this road. I will be updating this page again after I have some time to work on school-related projects, but the downloads are available, now. After taking a look around the internet I’ve also decided to upload something special for everyone a little later. I might have to wait until tomorrow to finish that, but I think I can say that what I have isn’t easy to find… in MP3 format or otherwise. In any case, I have some very rare and out of print material that I think deserves to be heard, so keep checking back.
Thanks for listening and enjoy…
download – Laughter 3/24/2008 – Part I
download – Laughter 3/24/2008 – Part II
01. Low “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me” from Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (2000) on Chairkickers Union
02. Serge Gainsbourg “Melody” from Histoire de Melody Nelson (1971) on Mercury Records
03. Kammerflimmer Kollektief “Lichterloh” from Absebcen (2005) on Staubgold
04. Revolutionary Army of The Infant Jesus “Come Holy Spirit” from The Gift of Tears (1988) on Probe Blues
05. Pan American “Starts Friday” from S/T (1998) on Kranky
06. Aidan Baker “Do You Remember Me?” from Oneiromancer (2006) on Die Stadt
07. Throbbing Gristle “Hot On the Heels of Love” from Greatest Hits (1990) on BMG
08. Terry Riley “Poppy Nogood (7:55, edit)” from Ohm: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music 1948-1980 (2000) on Ellipsis Art — originally recorded in 1968
09. Strategy “Cathedral Spark” from Music for Lamping (2008) on Audio Dregs
10. Stars of The Lid “Broken Harbors Part 2” from The Tired Sounds Of…. (2001) on Kranky
11. Mirror “A Pilgrim’s Solace” from A Pilgrim’s Solace (2004) on Three Poplars
12. Radian “Rapid Eye Movement” from Juxtaposition (2004) on Thrill Jockey
13. Growing “Afterglow” from Lateral (2008) on The Social Registry
14. William Basinski “El Camino Real” from El Camino Real (2007) on 2062/Musex
Shane Broderick from Boston’s twodeadsluts onegoodfuck sent me an email informing me that dates and times have been solidified for the Northeast Regional Noise and Power Electronics Festival. Here is the updated schedule:
NORTHEAST REGIONAL NOISE AND POWER ELECTRONICS FESTIVAL
At America’s Longest Running Drag Club
Jacques Cabaret / Underground (website)
79 Broadway – Boston, MA (map)
21+ ONLY and $10/Day
Friday March 14th 2008
6pm – 930pm
Bloodyminded
Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck
Karlheinz
Cathode Terror Secretion
Sharpwaist
Saturday March 15th 2008
3pm – 8pm
Ahlzagailzehguh
Halflings
Angeldust
FFH
Shallow Waters
Craniopagus
Bereft
Sewer Goddess
Nurture Abuse
Performing after the noise shows on upstairs stage:
“The Cast Of Mis-Leading Ladies”
Kris Knievil, Destiny, Mizery Lakia Mondale, & Fena Barbitall.
—
If you want to hear some of these bands before deciding whether or not to attend check out this post, which contains a number of links to various Myspace pages and free music. Many of these bands are well known for their live performances and for good reason. If you’re intrigued even a little bit go out and see these bands do what they do, you won’t soon forget it.
More updates, soon, including out-of-print and hard-to-find recordings from Luke’s CD-R vault.
Image courtesy of Doug Savage, from Adam Kellie, who has evidently begun the “fantastic” drinking game my last show spawned.
