Shining Still…To Give Us The Will
In the summer of 1980, my father pulled into our driveway. My mom and he had been divorced for just over a year. I had spent the last year missing him terribly. He was living over a half hour away in a different city. I had just turned 13 only a few months before and the hormones were raging. My emotions were all over the place as the man who had introduced me to the sacred power of music had become a part time dad.
My dad was like my own personal John Lennon. He was so fucking cool with his longhair and carefree lifestyle. He liked The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Kinks, and scores of other great bands. As a child I would sit on the floor of our basement as he would pull out vinyl gem after gem and spin it on his Thorens turntable which I still own to this day. Like Alice falling through the rabbit hole, a vibrant and gorgeous world opened up to me. Anything was possible in this magical place that shone brightly, was eternally warm and forever welcoming. I learned at a very early age that as long as there was music, no one would ever be truly alone.
One artist that I fell in love with immediately was Todd Rundgren. Hermit of Mink Hollow
was the album I remember hearing quite a bit back in the late 70’s, although my dad played all of Todd’s records incessantly. When he pulled up in our driveway that day in 1980, he had a big smile on his face. I ran out to greet him and he said, “Hey Mark? Guess what? I have tickets for us to see Todd Rundgren’s Utopia at Poplar Creek in Chicago in a few weeks. Wanna go?”…
Review: The Gaslight Anthem at Martini Ranch, Scottsdale
For the second time in just 6 months, the Phoenix area was treated last night to the bare-bones rapid-fire majesty that is the Gaslight Anthem. The guys have been touring their asses off in 2009, with two swings around the US, and a successful European festival season highlighted by a couple of guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen on “The ’59 Sound” (at Glastonbury and Hard Rock Calling). Their work ethic is paying off, it seems. The buzz continues to build, and I felt a noticeable difference in the vibe between last night’s show at Scottsdale’s Martini Ranch, and April’s show at Tempe’s Clubhouse. The atmosphere felt more electric last night – the crowd was alive, vibrant, singing along, pumping their fists; and the venue is more colorful and inviting than the dungeon-like Clubhouse. It was my first show there, and any reluctance I had about venturing into the belly of the beast that is Scottsdale was quickly put to rest.My brother and I (6’3″ and 6’4″) respectively, got a good position stage right – much to the disappointment of those behind us. Sorry folks, we staked our claim. Move along, nothing to see here.
The set was standard fare for the Gaslight Anthem. That’s no knock on them – it’s just that with two full albums and an EP to draw from – you have a good idea which songs are coming. But there’s nothing standard about their performance. The charisma and charm of front man Brian Fallon leads the charge…
They played all but one song off of their 2008 breakthrough The ’59 Sound
(no “Meet Me By The River’s Edge” their most direct tribute to the Boss), and they drew a handful from their debut Sink or Swim
, and their EP Senor and the Queen
. I’m most familiar with The ’59 Sound, and what was astounding to me was how familiar the crowd was with their older material. I love the fact that there’s a fan base like this locally – lingering under the radar – and emerging for great live experiences like this.
Sound-wise, my only gripe is that Fallon’s mic could have been louder and more crisp – the vocals weren’t too clear at times. Then again, we were in front of the bass amp, so Alex Levine’s bass lines were washing over us pretty intensely.
The highlights for me came in the form of “The ’59 Sound”, which really turned me on to the band when they performed it on Letterman early this year; the “Stand By Me” intro into “I’da Called You Woody, Joe”, which is Fallon’s ode to Joe Strummer and the Clash; I love the driving force of “The Patient Ferris Wheel”; and one of Gaslight’s few ballads, “Here’s Lookin’ At You, Kid”. I know it’s hard to pull off live, but I wish Fallon would sing it in the lower register like he does on the album – it’s such a bittersweet tune.
Gaslight’s set clocked in just short of 90 minutes, and as they wrapped it up with “We’re Getting A Divorce, You Keep The Dinner” , the final chant resonated with me: “It’s all right, man / I’m only bleeding, man. / Stay hungry, stay free, And do the best you can.” It sums up what I love about the band, and the artists they draw inspiration from – Strummer & Springsteen in particular – that in this imperfect and often unjust world in which we live, the important thing is not to let it get you down. Stay positive, care for those around you, and “stay hungry, stay free, and do the best you can.”
The Gaslight Anthem continue their hectic touring schedule. If you’re in North America, odds are they’ll be in your neighborhood by the end of the year. Check out the tour dates here. Check out a great band on an upward trajectory. There are great things to come from these guys.
Quick Notes:
- It was great meeting two friends from my Twitter existence: Drew (@azecho) and Dave (@dfactor). I met Drew when a 300 lb drunk was shoving himself through the crowd, and pushed Drew right into me. That guy cannot be feeling great today.
- I would have posted some pics, but they didn’t turn out post-worthy at all. The only decent one was of the hot Gaslight roadie.
- I didn’t mention the opening acts, Gaslight’s tour mates the Loved Ones and Death by Murder. It was my first exposure to either band. I’d have gone more into their sets, but I’m not familiar at all with them, so I’ll spare you. Enjoyable stuff, though.
Set List – 9/15/2009
Martini Ranch
Scottsdale, AZHigh Lonesome
Casanova, Baby!
Old White Lincoln
Even Cowgirls Get The Blues
The ’59 Sound
We Came To Dance
Film Noir
Miles Davis & The Cool
The Patient Ferris Wheel
Stand by Me intro >
I’da Called You Woody, Joe
Angry Johnny And The Radio >
If I Had a Boat [Lyle Lovett]
Great Expectations
Here’s Lookin’ At You, Kid
The BackseatEncore
Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts
Wherefore Are Thou, Elvis?
Senor and the Queen
We’re Getting A Divorce, You Keep The DinnerLet There Be Drums
Thanks to Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure, his radio show on Sirius-XM’s Deep Tracks, I heard a gem this morning. An instrumental that reached #7 on the Billboard charts in 1961, featuring the drum work of Sandy Nelson. I’m not sure how today’s modern drummers would judge the technical prowess of Nelson’s drumming on the song. All I can say is, for me, in the year 2009, a catchy rhythm is a catchy rhythm, regardless of the year. Turn it up LOUD and enjoy.
From The Very Best Of Sandy Nelson
Any other instrumental tunes that showcase the drums? Older or newer?
Those Three Words: Snow Patrol at the State Theater in Minneapolis
In April of 2004, I walked the cold, snow/rain soaked streets of downtown Minneapolis towards the now defunct music venue The Quest. I was a man obsessed. For the few weeks before this, I had been incessantly playing what has become THE ultimate break up song of all time…”Run” by Ireland’s Snow Patrol.
The band was in town to perform, not in the main room, but in the much smaller Ascot Room located in the upstairs of The Quest. I was pretty amped because the room was not all that bigger than a tennis court so essentially it was going to be like a press gig. I stood two feet from lead singer Gary Lightbody, who smiled at me constantly for being such a dork for every song he played, and watched the band play several songs from the current CD at the time, Final Straw
, as well as tunes from the first two indie releases. It was magnificent.
Less than three months later, they came back and played the main room at the Quest and it was good, but the Quest’s main room sound system really gargled old-man-in-a-rest-home testicles so I had trouble getting into it. Plus that first show was so intimate that it was hard to compare. More people were at the second gig as the band was beginning to get popular so at least that was cool.
Two years later, they released Eyes Open
and made the word “popular” their bitch. At the time, I have to admit that I wasn’t as into that album as the rest of humanity was…I liked the songs but they didn’t resonate with me like those on The Final Straw…like “Run.” Would they ever write the bookend to the ultimate break up song in the form of the ultimate love song?
Last year when the band released A Hundred Million Suns
, I discovered the answer was yes. So when I saw that they were kicking off their US tour in Minneapolis, my heart metaphorically melted into a pile of squishy love goo at the thought of hearing the most romantic song I have EVER heard played live…”Crack the Shutters.”
Gary Lightbody, lead singer and songwriter for Snow Patrol, calls the song “the purest love song I’ve ever written. Even more so than ‘Chasing Cars.’ It’s luxuriating in the beauty and wonder of someone you love with all of your heart.”
I completely agree.As the set started with the almost as romantic and deeply personal “If There’s a Rocket Tie Me To It,” a feeling slowly crept over me…ever growing…like a ripple spreading across a still Irish pond. This band travels on a path that leads very deeply into that part of the heart where the fire of romance is as eternal as the one that keeps vigil over a fellow countryman named Kennedy.
Gary solidified this as he sang, “On my knees I think clearer” for the next song, “Chocolate,” and literally did so. As the band struggled with a multitude of sound problems and Gary’s failing memory, lyrically speaking, the audience didn’t seem to care as the set list was adjusted. Looking over at my favorite show companion of all time, her face was overcome with emotion as they decided to do “Make This Go On Forever” earlier in the set. It was quite a sight to behold…to watch this companion let every single fucking word of this song resonate inside of her in glorious commonality. This was transpiring because the band had found yet another layer of heartfelt purity and, ultimately, the truth within her.
And I had realized that the songs on Eyes Open were just as good as all their rest.
When the time came for the ultimate break up song, the rest of the band left the stage. A single spotlight shone down on Gary as he sang the crush my heart wonderful words “To think I might not see those eyes /makes it so hard not to cry / and as we say our long goodbye / I nearly do.” Playing the song by himself put an interesting bend to the song and when the band then rejoined him for the ending build up, it was quite lovely.As the set progressed, I began to prepare myself for…it. The song. That fucking song. When it started, I quickly turned to my right to see my companion’s eyes close in pure bliss. Singing every lyric, she became like true lovers everywhere as “Crack The Shutters” filled the State Theater in Minneapolis….feeling the truth of beauty in every word Gary sang….validating their belief that it does, in fact, conquer all.
As they left the stage after having done an encore of “Lighting Strikes”, “Open Your Eyes”, and “You’re All I Have”, I thought of Gary’s words above regarding “Crack The Shutters” and the song they had done back in the middle of the set…”Chasing Cars.” Yes, “Shutters” is the ultimate love song, but perhaps the song “Chasing Cars” has the ultimate line:
“Those three words…I say too much…and not enough.”
Do you have someone in your life to whom you can tell those three words? When you say them, are you continually amazed by how they look at you? And do they say them to you in the way you need to hear them?
I do.
And it’s the best fucking thing in the world.
Snow Patrol will be touring North America alone and with U2 (!) for the next six weeks. Check Ticketmaster to see if they are coming to your town.
The Friday Five: September 11, 2009
Friday Five : ˈfrī-(ˌ)dā,-dē ˈfīv : On the sixth day of every week I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five and drop a little knowledge and insight for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, sometimes there isn’t. Sometimes we have guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
Editors Note: Beatlemania is alive and well and kicking this week’s five back to the ’60s for five tunes from the fab four.The Beatles – “Get Back” (from Let It Be, 1970)
“I’d like to say thank you of behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we passed the audition” – John Lennon
The Beatles – “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)” (mp3) (from Past Masters, Volume Two, 1988)
If pressed to name my “Desert Island” Beatles tracks, this would land squarely in the Top 10. Hell, it would probably make the Top 5. Originally released as the B-side to “Let It Be” this track has the distinction of being the last official release in the The Beatles cannon.
The Beatles – “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” (from The Beatles, 1969)
And to the other end of the spectrum, this is probably one of my least favorite tunes in the catalog. To that point is a bad Beatles song a bad song? While you ponder that…
The Beatles – “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” (from Help!, 1965)
We make our way to another favorite. According to Paul the song “is just basically John doing Dylan.”
The Beatles – “A Hard Day’s Night” (from A Hard Day’s Night, 1964)
Like many of you out there, the first thing I did when I got my hands on the remasters was cue up this track and turn up the speakers. The familiar, and noticeably clearer, opening chord rang out and it instantaneously transported me back to the first time I recall hearing the tune. The remastered track – and the whole collection, for that matter – brings to the front the considerable contributions of Ringo Starr. It’s as if I never noticed the bongo track underneath the verse.
What’s got you spinning across the universe this week?
Sea of Heartbreak / Rosanne Cash + The Boss
“Sea of Heartbreak” is one of those classics you recognize when you hear it, you enjoy it, but you really know nothing about the history or origin of the song. Well, that’s my experience anyway. After hearing Rosanne Cash‘s new version, with Bruce Springsteen on harmonies, and listening about 5-6 times in a row, it was time to hit All Music and get to the bottom of it.
The song was written by Hal David and David Hampton. Far as can tell, it was originally recorded by Don Gibson in 1961. Rosanne’s old man Johnny covered the song on his 1996 Rick Rubin-produced album Unchained
, an album that features Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers as the session band.
It’s the first single from Rosanne’s forthcoming album The List, due out October 6th. The story goes that Johnny gave Rosanne a list of 100 essential country songs when she was 18 years old. Juuust a few years later, she’s taken a handful and made The List.
I think Rosanne’s voice is flawless. Love it. And add the Boss to the mix? Sheesh. Fuhgetaboutit.
I think I’ll listen to it 5-6 more times…Buy the single on
Visit: Rosanne Cash’s Official Site
Two Gallants come from the old time, baby
Well I come from the old time baby / too late for you to save me
For two guys in their late twenties, they sure sing and sound like they come from the old time. San Francisco’s Two Gallants are a duo – Adam Stephens on guitar & vocals, Tyson Vogel on drums & vocals. These two caught my ear during my summer vacation in Colorado. I was checking out Pandora during a nap – listening to Deer Tick Radio (totally recommended) – and these guys kept popping up and bowling me over with their low-fi but powerful tunes.
They’ve released three albums, the last couple on Saddle Creek records. This tune is a favorite, and was actually one of the singles from their second album, What The Toll Tells. As is my custom it seems, it caught up to me a few years later. Go ahead, see what these guys can do with one guitar and one drum kit.
Two Gallants – Steady Rollin’ (mp3)
From What the Toll Tells
Visit: Official Site | MySpace
Went for a run and got the Harlem Shakes
So I went on an ill-advised 100 degree run this morning. Usually I’d be okay, but clearly the beer and food from last night’s BBQ had something to say about it, and I ended up really light-headed and exhausted. Now that I’m back to normal, I’ll share one of the great songs that popped up during the Hot Run.
Harlem Shakes are a quirky NYC-based indie band. I’ve had their latest, Technicolor Health on the iPod for some time. Today’s surprise kick in the pants shorts was “Radio Orlando”.
Harlem Shakes – Radio Orlando (mp3) – from Technicolor Health
Visit: HarlemShakes.com
Back Porch Hand Me Down Tunes
This Labor Day weekend, the temperature here in the Arizona desert finally dropped below 100 degrees for two straight days. Some rain, lots of clouds, and best of all, a chance to venture out to the back patio for one of my favorite pastimes: listening to my oodles of music on Shuffle. It seems I discover something new each time. If you’re constantly gathering music from all sources – ripped CD’s, ripped vinyl, eMusic, iTunes, the Amazon MP3 Store, etc – there’s little chance you listen to everything in your music collection. Especially more than once or twice.
Therefore, it’s important to me to spend a lot of time with the iTunes on Shuffle, and let it flow. Yesterday morning, as I wrapped up the yard work, and relaxed on the patio chair with a bottle of water, the tunes did flow: “Black Man’s Cry” (Fela Kuti & Ginger Baker), “Gypsy Woman” (Bruce’s version), “Don’t Go Away Mad” (Little Village)…
Then a soft acoustic tune came on – a rocking chair on a rural country porch kind of tune. I didn’t recognize it. And those are exactly the moments I look for: hearing something great in my collection, and having no idea who it is or where it came from. Turns out it was the Avett Brothers, and the song was the final track on their last full length album Emotionalism – “Hand-Me-Down Tune”.
Take a listen…
The Avett Brothers – “Hand-Me-Down Tune” (mp3) – from Emotionalism
September is a big month for the North Carolina-based Avett Brothers. Their latest full length, I and Love and You will come out on September 29th. During the month, starting Tuesday, they’ll release 13 video pieces on their web site – combining live footage, fan and band interviews – each of them dedicated to a a song on the new album.
Pre-order I and Love and You by clicking on the cover…
The Friday Five: September 4th, 2009
Hallo. Pete here, filling in for Michael on the Friday Five!
Michael said his ass was kicked 10 ways from Sunday, and he’s not gonna be able to deliver in a reasonable amount of time today. So I’m giving him the day off, poor fellow.
I’m gonna hit you with 5 random tunes that came through my air space today, then you do the same, okay? It’s a deal? Good.
1. Megadeth – “Mechanix” (mp3) -I am by no means an expert – or even a fan- of Megadeth
. But when I came back from lunch today, a co-worker (I’ll call him Jeff, ’cause that’s his name) brought up a Megadeth song with some very difficult to understand lyrics. Some of the words he perceived to possibly be German. So he sent over the mp3, and by utilizing Google and my ears, I discovered that this is indeed the English language, only with Dave Mustaine singing as nonsensically as possible. Cool tune, and I guess it’s the same as Metallica’s “The Four Horsemen” – though I’m too confused to comprehend it at the moment.
2. Linton Kwesi Johnson – “Hurricane Blues” / Always happy to hear LKJ come on the iTunes. You want politically charged talking reggae poetry, Linton’s your man
.
3. Bap Kennedy – “Drunk On The Blood of Christ” / A reader, Brad, recommended Bap’s Lonely Street
album a few weeks ago, and I’m glad he did. Great stuff.
4. Kraftwerk – “Computer Love” / Just picked up this classic album
recently, along with some other pioneering electro stuff (like Cybrotron’s ‘Clear’ album).
5. Roadside Graves – “Valley” / Greg over at Captain’s Dead recommended this album just yesterday. I listened to this sucker 2 times straight through. Rootsy, raw rock ‘ roll. Just the way I like it. Track down the album ‘My Son’s Home
‘.
What’s shuffling in your corner of the world? Do share…
