Delphic w/The Hundred In The Hands - 2010-10-21 - 330 Ritch St. SF

James Cook, a young Jez Kerr?  Sorry, couldn't resist.

Delphic
2010-10-21
330 Ritch St (Popscene)
San Francisco CA

Multi-source audience blend taken from following sources:

#1: Sonic Studios DSM-6  > Edirol R-09HR (tomzero)

#2: Sonic Studios DSM-6L > Sony PCM-M10 (thehappyone)

Tracklist

intro / Clarion Call / Doubt / Red Lights / This Momentary / 
Halcyon / Counterpoint Acolyte


Total: 42:59

Delphic have been described as the next Great White Hope of Manchester[tm], fusing rock and dance elements into a juggernaut of sound.  No need for me to remind the reader who else from Salford had managed that feat, especially as their place of origin seemed to be something every review of the group goes to battle over (and I just realized this one is no exception) which must be awfully tiring for the band to deal with, since who honestly *hasn't* been influenced by "Retro When"...read that backwards very slowly.  I'll spare you the Pitchfork review.  In fact, I really didn't listen to them closely, much less "get" them until I watched the video to 'Counterpoint' while listening back in on my live recording earlier today.  That, with 'Acolyte' then hit me...absolutely MASSIVE tracks justifying all the accolades and 'album of 2010' mentions.

With that, I do have to concede that 'Clarion Call' (their opening song) is a bit too Doves-y...but thankfully the electronic elements and playfulness hearken back to their Sub Sub incarnation...if you're going to play the comparison game, at least pick a more accurate basis for comparison.  Or better yet, do as I haven't and just forget...and enjoy intelligent people's craft while you have a fun night out...or if you missed it, you can listen in...

The openers after the jump...

THITH: Indie-dance guitar heroics

The Hundred In The Hands

2010-10-21
330 Ritch St (Popscene)
San Francisco CA

Multi-source audience blend taken from following sources:

#1: Sonic Studios DSM-6  > Edirol R-09HR (tomzero)
#2: Sonic Studios DSM-6L > Sony PCM-M10 (thehappyone)

Tracklist

Dressed In Dresden / Last City / Sleepwalkers Pigeons / Lovesick (Once Again) / Ghosts
Young Aren't Young / Commotion

Total: 42:20

Wow, these guys were good.  Jason Friedman makes one of the most unlikely guitar heroes of our modern age, as during 'Commotion', he was standing over the front lip of the stage, shredding away on his cream-colored Rickenbacker (if that's even possible to imagine)...turns out like most of these "new" bands, most of the protagonists have some history and have been at it for years and years playing and playing...so it's great to see when they finally catch some buzz, and get people to sit up and pay attention. 

Their entire set was one giant swoon, quickly capturing the interest and adulation of the crowd.  Highlights for me include the intro, Dressed In Dresden...my recording comes in a bit late, so the first few seconds of the song are just from tomzero's recording...and the gorgeous 'Sleepwalkers'.  Elinore was singing into a handheld mic (seen above) that were treating her operatic vocals through shimmering reverb and other assorted FX, as well as handling keyboards, while Jason played his Rick and twiddled with the beats.  I seemed to have a lot less angst about THITH were supposed to sound like, since I hadn't even heard of them before getting to watch them perform.  And now that I have, I wish everybody gets a chance to see them too.  Or at least hear them.

Shonen Knife - 2010-09-12 - Amoeba Records SF

Shonen Knife, in front of the gathered Amoeba horde 
(source: amoeba.com)

I only wish I read Amoeba Records' own Five Reasons To Go To See Shonen Knife at Amoeba.  Couldn't have said it better myself, and wished I could have heeded their advice.  Sundays don't tend to be gig days 'round my parts, sadly.

But my friend tomzero made it, and so did another taper by the fabulous handle of toolshirt.

Knife Knife (source: amoeba.com)

So, you have a multitude of download choices, since I like to think I've gotten adept at doing multisource blends, aka matrix mixes.  I'm particularly proud of this one, actually...I really feel that if done right, they make the blended recording greater than the sum of its parts.

Knife or spiel? (source: amoeba.com)

(Just so I don't have to hear it from the person who just doesn't want to deal with converting FLA-what's-it? to our beloved Fraunhofer's abortion of an algorithm.  I don't want to hear about either, it's a topic that's been done to death, so I've punted and am just using that format.)

The component versions are available as well, for those who can send me a REQUEST.

Recording details:

Shonen Knife
2010-09-12
Amoeba Records
San Francisco CA
USA

contrast cluse:

Matrix mix by lammah, combining two different recordings together

Components

(1) tomzero:   Sonic Studio mics -> 
Edirol R-09HR (24 bit / 96 kHz) -> 
Nero (level boost & downsample to 16/44.1) -> 
cd wav -> flac level 8
 
(2) toolshirt: Zoom H1 -> WAV -> 
CD Wave for track splitting ->you guys

(1) panned L30 -3dB
(2) panned R30 -5dB


Setlist

01 intro (photograchar) (parisensore)
02 Twist Barbie (false start)
03 Twist Barbie (bayareanorthernsoul) (photograchar)
04 Perfect Freedom (bayareanorthernsoul) (photograchar) (David Toshiyuki) (Alex Luo)
05 Capybara (bayareanorthernsoul) (photograchar)
06 Top Of The World [The Carpenters] (bayareanorthernsoul) (photograchar) (David Toshiyuki) (Alex Luo)
07 Gyoza (bayareanorthernsoul) (photograchar)
08 Super Group (bayareanorthernsoul) (photograchar)
09 BBQ Party (bayareanorthernsoul) (photograchar)
10 Sushi Bar Song (photograchar)

'So Adorable': (photograchar)
Autograph signing: (photograchar)

Think Amoeba was filming, you can see their video camera in the above footage, though to date only photos have appeared:

SF: http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/detail-1719#cat-most_recent_shows/page-1
LA: http://www.amoeba.com/live-shows/detail-1710#cat-most_recent_shows/page-1

Chameleons Vox - Cafe Du Nord - 2010-09-28 (w/Chambers and Veil Veil Vanish)

'Stop staring at the ground!'

This was one of those shows we couldn't afford to miss. However, "Nostalgia" (the original Chams even have a tune by that title) would become something that would wear heavy on even the most optimistic fan. Hasn't it been 25 years since their albums came out?

Anyway, the only thing one could do was judge Mark Burgess and his latest ensemble by their merits. And I have to say, they did not disappoint.

Does this guy look the part or what?

In particular, I have to call to your attention the stylings of one Andru Aesthetik, he of Post-Punk.com. I'm not going to dare to make any comparisons to anyone present or past, that would be most unfair, but wow, I couldn't have pictured a better match even had I the omniscience of the God whom this particular player doesn't believe exists. So...kudos!

One cannot say enough good things  about Mark Burgess, singer and author of the terrific 'View From A Hill'.

Does *this* guy look the part or what?

So I won't.

I'll just let the music, lyrics, and Mark Burgess' passionate delivery do the talking.


More details on the recording after the jump...

(Credit, all Chams stills: bigrezz71)