Wax Idols (w/ Aerosols and Altars) - 2011-04-09 - somewhere in SF

Hether Fortune and Mat Hartman

Three very very good but different bands that night, a bit of an unusual location typically features singer/songwriter types and not full band ensembles.  Interestingly, Wax Idols, whom I reckon is the best known of the three bands was booked as the middle act.  Rather than the four-piece we've seen them play as, this time it was only Hether Fortune backed by none other than Mat Hartman (of Henry's Dress/Coachwhips/Sic Alps fame)...more on their set in a bit.

First up was the Aerosols, led by Joe Z Armin, pictured to the left in action.

I enjoyed their material, it had a bit of a Robyn Hitchcock feel with 60s-style Floyd organ played by Amy Fowler.  Overall, a good way to kick off the proceedings.


'untitled' is either called "Tropical Impact" or "The Harmony Band", though as of this writing it still has no official name.



Setlist, thanks to Joe Z for answering my request.

Cold Jewelry
You're On the Outside Looking In
China
untitled
Last Cup Of Tea
Zombie Crossing
Ain't It Hart [The Electric Prunes]
Fake Mirror
Satan's Sheet Music
If It Hurts, Take It Downtown

Link to recording unavailable.



Playing last was Altars, whom are fairly new to the scene.  Lead by singer Melanie B, their sound was primary keyboard driven, but with bongos (played standing up!) adding a distinct flavor.  These guys remind me a bit of The Hundred In The Hands, but a bit more downbeat, and provided a healthy contrast to the feedback drone of Wax Idols, which had cleared out the room.  For me, their last song "Icarus" is their most solid effort, I'm looking forward to seeing how they progress over the coming months.



Setlist 

Sculpture Falls
Sunlight
December
Slowly Falling
unknown #1
unknown #2
Icarus

Link to recording unavailable.

As you know, I'm a huge Wax Idols fan, go here to catch up on the other recordings I've done of them.    But I had no idea I was about to be thrown a curveball with delicious huge heapings of guitar drone starting in over the PA music, eventually leading to the chords of the brilliant Human Condition, quipping "I seem to have misplaced my band", followed a new composition called "Nothing At All", repeating the lyric "Time is no friend of mine", and then, after stating she only did this show to pay for her record, a heart-rending version of The Boys Next Door's "Shiver", which was arguably the highlight of the set.  After "All Too Human", Hether than pulls out a sheet of paper and proceeds to read from it in a piece titled "Yes, I Like Lydia Lunch"...reading out missives like "You should smile more, what's with your bad attitude?"..."I stab myself in the gut with a cigarette because I'm so punk rock"...after which Mat switches from guitar to drums for the last two numbers, a shambolic-as-the-original Buzzcocks cover and a great loose version of one of my favorite songs on the upcoming album, Gold Sneakers, which is introduced with "Here's an original, and I'm then I'm done torturing you", which Hether follows by mentioning that Mat had decided to play with her only yesterday because she didn't have a band in town, only to be "corrected" by someone in the crowd who mentions they've *at the show*.  

The truth of the matter...is that it doesn't matter, Wax Idols would be Hether Fortune and whoever plays with her, whether it be Mat on drums (just for this show only, apparently) or as Mark E. Smith famously quipped, your granny (or maybe the guy in Altars) on bongos. 

Yes, she likes Lydia Lunch

Setlist

PA music > Human Condition
Nothing At All
Shivers [The Boys Next Door]
All Too Human
Tweets (Yes, I Like Lydia Lunch)
Ever Fallen In Love [Buzzcocks]
Gold Sneakers

Link to recording unavailable.

I also videoed the entire set with my friend's Panasonic DMC-ZS7, which you can view here.

Fedewa for president!
 

Asobi Seksu - 2011-03-08 - Bottom Of The Hill SF

This was a show I didn't attend, but will still present for your musical enjoyment.  Asobi Seksu are a nu-gaze band from NYC that have been around since 2004, and have just released their latest album Flourescence.

This recording is a blend of tomzero's Sonic Studios recording with a different source made with Schoeps cmc34 mics, and is an absolutely stunning listen.


Setlist:


Coming Up
Trails
Strawberries
Pink Cloud Tracing Paper
Sighs
New Years
In The Sky
Thursday
Leave The Drummer Out There
Me And Mary
Pink Light


Trance Out
Never Understand [Jesus and Mary Chain]

Listen to the blended version (FLAC set in zipfile)
You can still find tomzero's recording on DIME, here.

Minks - 2011-02-17 - The Satellite Silverlake Los Angeles CA

capture courtesy of fatalblades

Minks
2011-02-17
The Satellite Silverlake
Los Angeles CA

taper: SR

gear: Schoeps MK4 active setup > Nbox > Sony PCM-M10 (wav @ 48KHz 24 bit) > Adobe Audition 1.5 (tracksplits, downsampling to 44.1/16) > FLAC

setlist

Bruises

Kusmi

Funeral Song

Cemetery Rain

Araby

Ophelia

Juniper

Drunk Punks

Audio download (FLACs in zipfile)

A companion piece to my own capture the night before.  A bit re-EQ'ed over the original.

'Funeral Song'

Television...and television

and Hollywood...and Hollywood

Stealing your pulse...stealing your pulse

and breaking your heart...breaking your heart

So long, summertime, I'm not coming back

So long, summertime, and I like it

So long, summertime, I'm not coming back

So long, summertime, and I like it

Falling in love...and falling in love

Stealing your song...and stealing your song

Touching your skin...touching your skin

And kissing your smile...kissing your smile

So long, summertime, I'm not coming back

So long, summertime, and I like it

So long, summertime, I'm not coming back

So long, summertime, and I like it

[Repeat chorus...breaking your heart...]

The similarity these guys have to a certain group from Crawley are in their ability to craft shimmering, catchy, uplifting songs even through their palette tends towards the darker colors.  And that's all I'll say about THAT.

British Sea Power - 2011-04-05 - The Independent SF

Less talk, more bands.  As Yan said it best after Canvey Island (at the 4:45 point) we're not conversational, we're here to play music.  Our small group were right up front so we were in a great position to watch Brighton's finest, eschewing some of the scenery and antics of past performances, just playing their songs.  Much of their set featured songs from their newest long-player Valhalla Dancehall, but there was a generous selection of past tracks as well.

British Sea Power
2011-04-05
The Independent SF

Blended "TZ0/TH1" sources, TZ0 was using Sonic Studios DSM-6s/Ls > Edirol R-09HR, TH1 was using CA11 cards > Sony PCM-10

Setlist

Who's In Control
We Are Sound
Atom
Something Wicked
Oh Larsen B
Luna 
No Lucifer
Blackout
Baby
Mongk II
Zeus
Stunde Null
Canvey Island
Living Is So Easy
It Ended On An Oily Stage
Remember Me
Lights Out

Waving Flags
The Great Skua
Carrion
All In It

Full audio recording (FLACs in zipfile)

Linked videos all shot by my friend, who posts as SilenzioStatico12 on YouTube, save for 'Waving Flags', shot by myself.  I should emphasize that if you like anything here, SUPPORT THE BANDS by buying their albums and going to see them live.

More BSP pics are in the above archive, but here are a few snaps, including the setlist, I should note that the second group of songs (No Lucifer to Mongk II) were sung by Hamilton.

A Classic Education
2011-04-05
The Independent SF
TZ0TH1 blend


They're from Bologna, Italy.
No baloney.  The singer sounded Canadian though.  Loved the Fresh and Only shirt they keyboardist was wearing, that's a good touchstone for the kind of tunes
these cats were playing.


Setlist


Wicked House
Baby, It's Fine
Spin You Round
Gone To Sea
Place A Bet On You
Terrible Day
unknown
Little Red Riding Hood [Sam the Sham and his Pharoahs]
What My Life Could Have Been
Night Owl


Full audio recording (FLACs in zipfile)

 

The Sporting Life
2011-04-05
The Independent SF
TZ0TH1 blend


Was very favorably impressed by these guys, it turns out that the father of one of the players on my boys' soccer team is close friends with singer Kevin, as they went to the same high school together.  Looking forward to hearing their upcoming releases in full.

Setlist

It's Not Money
Daddy
Disappointed
Immigrant
The Road
Draft Cards
Way I Grow
Life/Fields
Parking Lots

Full audio recording (FLACs in zipfile)

 

The Soft Moon - 2011-03-18 - Klub Krucial SXSW Austin TX

The Soft Moon
SXSW
2011-03-18
Klub Krucial
Austin TX


Video by Shawn Breen (Mogwaione)
Photos and editing by Shantell Mitchell

I've been looking for any TSM performances (audio or video, basically anything) from SXSW.  Mogwaione replied to one of my recent posts saying that he filmed the Klub Krucial performance, 
and has given me permission to post the link through AMH.

Here Luis can be seen wearing a Screamers T-shirt, yet again showing off his good taste.  He was also fighting losing his voice, not a surprise since he and the rest of group typically give their all for their live shows, even in abbreviated format here due to the number of bands playing.

Setlist

Into The Depths (0:07)
Circles (4:10)
Breathe The Fire (8:08)
We Are We (11:45)
Parallels (15:53)
Tiny Spiders (19:10)

Click on the photo above or go here to view.

More screencaps, this time of bassist Justin Anastasi and synthist Damon Way:

Craft Spells w/The Soft Moon - 2011-04-03 - Vera Project Seattle WA

Photo courtesy of virtualsound

Another show taped by SR of two outstanding Captured Tracks artists, one of course being The Soft Moon, which have been amply covered elsewhere in this here blog, and the other are the excellent Craft Spells, playing selections from their new album 'Idle Labor' for this record release party.


Again, the quality of these recordings should cause your jaw to drop and hit the floor, they put my own meager efforts to shame.  Enjoy!


Craft Spells
2011-04-03
Vera Project
Seattle WA


SR master.  Gear: Schoeps MK4 active setup > Nbox > Sony PCM-M10 (wav @ 48KHz 24 bit) > Adobe Audition 1.5 (tracksplits, normalization, downsampling to 44.1/16 > FLAC

Photo courtesy of virtualsound

Setlist

Love Well Spent
Scandinavian Crush (alt video)
The Fog Rose High
After The Moment (pt 2)
Beauty Above All
Given The Time
Party Talk
You Should Close The Door
From The Morning Heat



Volume got turned up a bit during the second song, I've normalized levels so hopefully this is not noticeable.

Photo courtesy of virtualsound

The Soft Moon

2011-04-03

Vera Project

Seattle WA

SR master.  Same as above.

Setlist

Into The Depths

Dead Love

Circles

Breathe The Fire

We Are We

Out Of Time

When It's Over

Parallels

Tiny Spiders

Coverage on other blog sites:

Finest Kiss:  Genetic Reengineering 
 (video for 'Scandinavian Crush')


Virtual Sound
 (video for the other linked selections)

Wild Nothing with Abe Vigoda - 2011-02-27 - Vera Project Seattle

(photo courtesy of virtualsound)

All I have is joyous-sounding music, the quality of these, as captured by kind contributor and fellow Captured Tracks fan SR with his Schoeps mics, has to be heard to be believed.  You guys are in for a treat!


Wild Nothing
2011-02-27
The Vera Project
Seattle WA

SR master.  Gear: Schoeps MK4 active setup > Nbox > Sony PCM-M10 (wav @ 48KHz 24 bit) > Adobe Audition 1.5 (tracksplits, downsampling to 44.1/16) > FLAC

Setlist

Your Rabbit Feet
Live In Dreams 
Gemini
Confirmation
The Witching Hour
Vulture Like Lovers
Golden Haze
Chinatown
My Angel Lonely
Our Composition Book
Summer Holiday

Full audio recording (FLAC format in zipfile)

(photo courtesy of virtualsound)

Abe Vigoda
2011-02-27
The Vera Project
Seattle WA


SR master, same as above.


Dream Of My Love (Chasing After You)
Throwing Shade
November
Repeating Angel
To Tears
Bear Face
Skeleton
Beverly Slope
We Have To Mask
Sequins


Full audio Recording (FLAC format in zipfile)


Here's coverage of this show on the 'Finest Kiss' blog.

The Soft Moon - 2011-03-30 - 103 Harriet SF

Of course, at this point, I've been well-habituated to The Soft Moon's live set, this being the third time seeing them over a two-month span, but that did not lessen their impact in the slightest, and it was heartening to see people who were obviously not familiar with their material stop and take notice.

We came in a bit late (bad habit, and not normal practice, but we had to get something to eat) but did catch half of Water Boarders set and generally liked what we heard. 

"When It's Over" was played here for only the third time, it was debuted at the Feb 6th show at the Echo and LA and played again on one of their other SoCal dates (Long Beach, I am informed).   It's quite rightly deemed the emotional centerpiece of their album...and this show.

Luis wearing a Bad Brains shirt was a nice touch, which he revealed after the first song (was hot on stage!). 

I can't say enough for how good these guys are, so I won't bore you trying.   Credit goes to the bloke who runs ESWA who turned me onto something that was in my own backyard the whole time.

As for any comments about the headliner, I'll pass.  I refer you instead to Bob Duvet's excellent article, who also has very nice things to say about The Soft Moon.

Setlist
 
Into The Depths
Dead Love
Circles
Breathe The Fire
We Are We
Out Of Time
When It's Over
Parallels
Tiny Spiders

(individual songs linked have their own video clips, 'Into The Depths' and 'Circles' shot by Nakoeth, the rest shot by my friend with his Panasonic TZ7) 

And debuted here, the COMPLETE VIDEO,  shot with my Flip UltraHD at 720p and stabilized with a Ready Steady, I declare this amazing, yes it's weird to make this comment as if it were somebody else filming.  

Wild Nothing / Abe Vigoda - 2011-03-03 - Popscene, Rickshaw Stop

One of the most compelling sounds...whose 2010 album "Gemini" was absolutely superb, Wild Nothing's show at Popscene was eagerly anticipated, with the room being as crowded as I've ever seen it, as the line for the show stretched around the block.

We had heard that although the doors opened at 9, Abe Vigoda (whom we saw in 2009 at the Part Time Punks festival in LA) would be on at 10:30.  So we get there maybe a quarter before 10, and they hadn't even started letting people in yet, so there was a long line of people waiting to get in...took about 20-25 minutes to get in....inside is pretty packed, though it doesn't stop more people trying to make their way forward...typical stuff.

Looks like Nate, Vigoda's drummer, was also Wild Nothing's bassist, or they share the exact same taste in shirts(!)  Doing double duty on multiple instruments for two bands isn't something I'd seen before, though I did see Vivian Girls' drummer also pound the skins for Best Coast.   I liked Wild Nothing quite a bit...Tom thought they sounded like New Order...which I don't really hear except perhaps "Confirmation"...a standout for me was the title track "Gemini".

In the "too much information" category was told the band were delayed as they needed to use the bathroom.  Thanks, announcer!

Wild Nothing

2011-03-03

Rickshaw Stop (Popscene)

San Francisco CA

Setlist

Your Rabbit Feet
Live In Dreams
Gemini
Confirmation    (alternate video)
The Witching Hour   (alternate video)
Golden Haze
Vultures Like Lovers
Chinatown
Take Me In
Our Composition Book
My Angel Lovely
Summer Holiday

Full audio recording [FLAC files in zipfile]  
(TH1, SS DSM-6sL's > Sony PCM-M10)

Parts of this recording, especially, during the first few tracks, are muffled, and I had to do quite a bit of bass reduction in post, but very listenable overall.

Abe Vigoda
2011-03-03
Rickshaw Stop (Popscene)
San Francisco CA

Setlist
     
Dream Of My Love (Chasing After You)
Throwing Shade
November
Repeating Angel
To Tears
Bear Face
Skeleton
Beverly Slope
We have To Mask
Sequins


Full audio recording [FLACs in zipfile]
(TH1, SS DSM-6sL's > Sony PCM-M10)

Bonus recording from a couple of years ago...

Abe Vigoda

2009-10-11

Part Time Punks Festival

The Echoplex LA

Setlist, need some help to ID:

01 / November / Dream Of My Love (Chasing After You) / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / Skeleton / 09

Full recording [FLACs in zip archive] 

(recorded with Edirol R-09HR w/built-ins)