kmmmusings... Top Shows of 2008

Because the world needs another top ten list from a dorky blogger. Trust me.

1. My Morning Jacket at Madison Square Garden -- 12.31.08



Expectations were high for this one, as New York City abounds with options (musical and otherwise) as the days expire on a calendar year. From this vantage point, the lofty expectations for this New Years party were met--and surpassed. From the opening waterfall of tumbling horns that introduced Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" through to the always-mindblowing "One Big Holiday", Jim James and crew delighted the nowhere-near-capacity dressed-to-the-eights crowd at MSG. The extra space made for ridiculously easy maneuvering to be with loved ones as the balloons fell: nuzzling up sidestage with a hundred of your closest friends to welcome '09 made this the year's top show for me. Steven Bernstein's horn section was used judiciously and superbly: to augment funky covers that would have been impossible without brass (Charles Wright's Express Yourself, Kool & The Gang's Celebration, James Brown's Cold Sweat), but also used on occasion to bolster some MMJ staples (Evil Urges, Dancefloors) making them the perfect accoutrement for the Jacket on this special evening. Very close to being this here dorky blogger's perfect show.

2. Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, and Brad Barr at Sullivan Hall -- 01.10.08

I'm going out on a limb, perhaps, by identifying this little gem as my second favorite show of the year, but for anyone who was in attendance, you can corroborate my wonder at the amazing energy and spontaneity this trio displayed on the old Lion's Den stage. Maybe it was because Brad was arrested on his way to the gig and arrived JUST in time to plug in onstage to soundcheck a note or two before diving headfirst into a first-set jam with his old friends, or maybe not. Who's to say where synergy like this is derived: these long-time collaborators have a vast amount of trust in each other's talent and each other's listening skills. The trio had played a small run of shows together in Nov 2007, where Brad was mostly providing complement to The Benevento/Russo Duo's material, but this show didn't even remotely resemble a Duo show. Without an ounce of premeditation on what the set should contain, these three poured out a symphony of rock n' roll, with Barr touching on riffs from Chuck Berry to Jimmy Page, from Django Reinhardt to Trey Anastasio, all with a good dose of Slippy guitar in there for good measure. Benevento delighted in having a new partner with whom he could tag team tangling with his regular bandmate, Sir Russo, and the interplay between Russo and Barr was (for lack of a more sophisticated word) SICK. Video footage of this little gem is currently under lock-and-key at Shine A Light Productions, but will surely see the light of day soon, and in the meantime you can enjoy this clip from Benevento's 2008 residency:



3. Trey Anastasio at Music Hall of Williamsburg -- 08.07.08

He sounded good. Really good. It was worth the second mortgage I took out on my home to procure that tough ticket. From the oddly-familiar first notes of his new tune,"Alaska" right through to the sweaty last notes of the now-epic "Bug", I was in the zone that I can only get into with a few performers, and I was happy to have him back. Clean and sober Trey has an undeniably purer tone despite still being able to unleash some of the dirtiest licks in guitar history.



Adding the amazingly-underappreciated Ray Paczkowski to his inaugural TAB team (Tony Markellis and Russ Lawton), the quartet debuted newer versions of some TAB standbys (when did "Gotta Jibboo" become sooooo irresistibly nasty? when did Driftin' lose all the schmaltz and deliver Jerry-esque elation?). The intimacy of the venue fed the frenzied energy in the room, and it's safe to say that most in attendance had their aural tubes cleaned out upon leaving the newly-appointed venue almost four hours later. Money well spent, in my books.

4. Radiohead at All Points West -- 08.09.08



It was almost too good... Really. The sound was so good that I felt like I had headphones on. The lights were so good I almost cried. The music, well, there's no one else that does what Radiohead does. How sparse arrangements of songs (like the haunting Nude, which prompted a hilarious "That was impossible!" outburst from my friend) can sit side by side with meticulous cacaphony (the delicious 15 Step) is something to behold live... and yet, I almost felt like it wasn't live. Like it was a pre-recorded show, somehow, too perfect in its delivery (despite a late-concert flub, which friends tell me was executed with the exact same script in Montreal days earlier). I was left loving the show, and yet strangely unsatisfied by how perfect it was. My suspicious sentiments were seconded by a much-respected musician who shared that while he was undeniably impressed with their show, he prefers his rock with a little more danger, and I realized that despite the wild rapids of Radiohead's wizardry, I, too, would prefer musicians going into the unknown and risking a little more for their rewards. That said, any person who listens to music in this decade owes it to themselves to go see this band, and any musician playing in this decade who doesn't cite them as an influence is a total lying bastard.

5. The Slip at Paradise Rock Club -- 12.27.08



I'm not going to lie to you, I don't recall the details. I spent the day geeking out in the car on the way to Boston with two fellow Slip-enthusiasts, and thus I was fully prepared to launch into outerspace with the opening notes of Airplane/Primitive. Fact: this was The Slip's third concert of the year. Fact: it fucking rocked. I've double checked this fact by re-living it through the hard work of Clinton Vadnais, and I stand by my evaluation. There is only one Slip. These guys are it. They owe it to the world and to themselves to let the Slip out of the bag more often, for they are able to incorporate genres like no other trio, and the intense rapport that comes from playing together for over a decade is something that few young bands can hope to have. It was extra-special to see the boys in their backyard of Boston, for Slip fans have proved time and time again to be my favorite live music concert-goers -- attentive, respectful, and totally into it. Let's all please say a prayer that 2009 sees this trio popping up in lineups all over the country, and do yourselves a favor and go listen to what awesome music sounds like.

6. Neil Young & Wilco at Madison Square Garden -- 12.06.08

While the sound in MSG was poorly suited to display the rich tapestry of Wilco's sound, I had to admit that Wilco -- a band who could headline most festivals around the world -- was serving as perhaps the most wonderful opening act in memory. It seems as though Wilco is distinguishing itself as the quintessential modern American Band, as I recall getting whiffs of ZZ Top in there amidst the usual overtones of The Band that Wilco invokes.



And Neil, well, I couldn't have more respect for the aging Canadian icon, and when I compare the energy and preparation that his show requires with the lucklustre performances of some other legends I saw this year (but who will remain nameless because it's sacreligious to say anything bad about Bobby Dylan... I mean, uh...), it is clear that Neil's passion for the music, for performing, for leaving it all out on the stage has not diminished with age. When he closed his set with The Beatles' "A Day In The Life" (featured below), he gave the lyrics a haunting immediacy (not unlike when he sang "Campaigner" at the United Palace last year), making Lennon & McCartney's words from 1967 seem like a current critique of modern media, social apathy, and war.




7. Jay-Z at Pemberton Music Festival -- 07.27.08

I had never seen anything like Jay-Z. I was floored. I want more. When Jay-Z suggested to the burly British Columbian crowd that we ought to get rid of the border between our respective nations so that we could do a whole lot more hangin' out, well, I thought that was a swell idea. His undeniable magnetism and gift for spontaneity become painfully clear seeing him live, where he can deliver several minutes of improvised valentines to the crowd (as he did in the amazing "Girls, Girls, Girls") that are shockingly well-delivered off-the-cuff. Sample the blissful energy that explodes during the "99 Problems" below:



For a gal who doesn't get much hip hop in her musical diet, I was admittedly surprised by how much I loved his set, but that is the gift of a true performing star -- the ability to connect and delight crowds supersedes the confines of any genre. Don't ever miss an opportunity to see him for yourself, please.

8. Kronos Quartet with Glenn Kotche at Carnegie Hall (Zenkel Hall) -- 12.05.08

As difficult as it may be to believe, not all of the aural titillation that I enjoy comes at the hands of an electric guitar. This remarkable classical concert featured a handful of world premieres, as well as the seminal 1970 George Crumb piece "Black Angels", which was the inspiration for David Harrington to form the Kronos Quartet in 1973. Kronos Quartet is difficult to categorize, as you will see from their rendition of Hendrix's "Foxy Lady" below.



The highlight of the show, for me, was when Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche joined the quartet to perform the NY debut of his piece "Anomaly", which is the first piece Kotche has penned for instruments beyond percusscion, and in which the strings are meant to emulate the limbs of a percussionist. The 25-minute piece was mesmerizing, clearly demonstrating that Kotche is so much more than a mere Heavy Metal Drummer.

9. Earl Greyhound Acoustic at Calhoun School -- 09.12.08

Nothing against turning the knob to eleven, but when the strumming comes unplugged there is just something so real about it. Brooklyn's Earl Greyhound is known for making a whole lotta noise, but for those who aren't initiated with their honky tonk roots, Kamara Thomas and Matt Whyte have been performing acoustic for some time, and thus when they bring the EG material to this stripped-down format, it is truly something special. The audio from this concert is available in a limited release, and the video is (again) in the tank over here at Shine A Light Productions, so you'll have to make do with pictures of this one-of-a-kind show. You'll want to try to get your hands on a copy of "I'm On Jupiter Waving My Arms at You" because it features Thomas at her most riveting (causing chills when I witnessed "My Kentucky" from behind the lens, and thereafter in the edit room) and Whyte at his most swoon-a-licious (on tunes like "Someone" and "Out of Air"). It was particularly heart-warming to witness EG get the high school crowd to sing along with them on Whyte's children's song, "This Tree". A truly touching show from a trio that is more apt to melt your face off. Seeing them acoustic is a rare, delicious treat.

10. Bustle In Your Hedgerow at The Knitting Factory -- 12.28.08



Cover bands are supposed to be kind of lame, even if the band they're imitating is cool. That has never been the case for Bustle In Your Hedgerow, who have always been so-much-more than just a cover band. Why? Because of the talent on the stage, duh. But this particular show was so-much-more than even that -- on this evening where Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, Scott Metzger, and Ween's Dave Dreiwitz would say goodbye to 14 years of memories at the fabled Knitting Factory (over and done in Manhattan, at least, as the club is heading to what we used to call The Luna Lounge in Williamsburg), the quartet truly went beyond any boundaries that were drawn in the sand by Page and Plant so many years ago. Sure, it's always awesome to hear your friends rock the living daylights out of some of the best songs ever written, but this time, they really did it as a band: they went out on a limb and re-arranged my concept of what Zep should sound like, and that's no small task. Witness the transformation on "Out on The Tiles" above, and on "The Song Remains The Same" below:



Honorable mentions:

• Ruby Benevento making her big-stage debut at High Sierra Music Festival, 07.03.08

• Steven Bernstein's Millenial Territory Orchestra at 55 Bar, 11.14.08

• Good Enough For Good Times at Le Bon Temps Roulé, 05.03.08

• Lizzie Powell fronting Land of Talk and then joining headliners Broken Social Scene as the new girl in town. Brooklyn Masonic Temple, 10.24.08










• Brad Mehldau at (le) Poisson Rouge, 10.10.08

• Marco Benevento with Reed Mathis and Jon Fishman at Drom, 11.07.08

• Surprise Me Mr. Davis at Sullivan Hall, 04.20.08

MMJ and other things that Make Me Proud

I won't try to hide the fact that I have thrown myself on the altar-- I'm an MMJ disciple. And because I cannot profess to being objective when it comes to this deliciously hard-rockin' Kentucky outfit, this is not necessarily a review. It's an opportunity to share the thought that this band going in an unexpected (but welcome) direction with the release of their latest record, Evil Urges.

I mean, it would be easy to expect more hair-raising, head-shaking, ear-splitting, southern-fried rock anthems from Jim James and crew, but am I the only one who thinks this record sounds more like the Bee Gees were hanging out playing bocce with Beck when their friend Prince came over and they all started to get their modern-day soul-jam on? A tune like Thank You Too! is just too luscious to be crafted in this decade, or so I thought. I'm happy to be proven very wrong.

The show that My Morning Jacket treated fans to last week at Radio City Music Hall was a show that was as classy, mature, and truly awe-inspiring as the venue itself. The newer tunes are indeed slower than some of the epics we've come to love (like Lay Low or One Big Holiday), but nary a moment is wasted on these new efforts, and the sparse arrangements are rich when one knows just how much could have been packed in between each note. Had I been seeing this newer soul-licious version of MMJ in a hockey arena with a flask in my pocket, I admittedly might have wanted more head-banging. Seeing it at Radio City felt perfect, however, as the band seemed to channel tones that have echoed through the venue in days gone by.

The theatrical venue inspired whimsical frontman Jim James to explore its upper reaches, as you will witness as he serenaded the first balcony with some searing guitar riffs during a powerful Steam Engine, from their 2003 album It Still Moves. This song is a perfect example of how their gentle songcraft can suddenly accelerate into a blistering crescendo (which is the moment when James took advantage of his wireless setup to do some stairclimbing).



(all MMJ RCMH photos courtesy Dino Perrucci)

And to offer some alternatives to those who still want their rock a little more, well, raucous, I will give you two extremes of rock, both hailing from my native country. The first is Canada's heir to the Tragically Hip throne, The Constantines, and just witness how they not only heartily endure a vicious hailstorm at the Gorge, but get the crowd whipped into an astonishing frenzy as they endure getting pelted. (Highlight comes at 2:45 when keyboardist Will Kidman climbs the rafters... thanks for this one, Mary!)



The other extreme is something that I fully expected to bring me shame-- the worst cover ever performed is by a Canadian? According to Total Guitar Magazine, Celine Dion's version of AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long gets top honors in the dregs department. But before you concur, just check it out and tell me if this clip doesn't define "guilty pleasure"... Maybe I love AC/DC too much, or maybe the hilarity of Celine and Anastacia changing the lyrics to describe a man are too good to hate. I mean, "knocking me out with his American thighs"? Let's begin with Celine not only air-guitaring her entrance, but then somehow combining the air guitar with a can-can on one stiletto-heeled leg? This woman is a brave, brave performer, and I deem this is too good to pass up. So sue me.

'Scuse me while I Slip into My Morning Jacket...

It is a rare thing indeed when someone tells you that a band is about to melt your face off... and they're right. I had heard studio work from My Morning Jacket, and I suppose I can recall a few recommendations to see them live, but I was nowhere near prepared for the tower of sound that engulfed me on Nov. 30th at the Roseland Ballroom in New York.

First things first, of course, which brings us to the delicious opening set by The Slip, a trio who earns more and more of my respect each time I hear them. (Which, fortunately for me, is rather often these days...) The songs that comprise their latest studio effort, Eisenhower, are all remarkably stage-worthy, continually evolving, and are profound enough to provoke both your grey matter and your dance moves.

The band took to the stage adorned with furry wildlife as headgear: Brad Barr (guitar & vocals) played Moose, Marc Friedman (bass) was the Fox, and Andrew Barr (drums) took on the Wolf. The story goes that the pelts were acquired somewhere in western Pennsylvania, and there were multiple plush accessories purchased (including one for My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James, who brought his Bear onstage for portions of his set).

While Slip fans are now accustomed to getting their fill of Eisenhower's 'hits' like Even Rats, and Children of December, songs like Paper Birds are developing into incredible live adventures, and Airplane/Primitive might just be my favorite rock song of the year. Do yourself two favors: buy the album, and see the band, and you'll be a much happier person. New York, are you listening? The Slip will be playing their New Years show at (soon-to-be-closed for-renovation and returning-in-spring as the Williamsburg Music Hall) NorthSix in Brooklyn. You have been advised...

You can stream the set that The Slip played the following day for WXPN at Philadelphia's Electric Factory here.

Which brings us back to My Morning Jacket, where my face was just about to melt. I'm really at a loss for words to describe their impact, but what I can tell you is that I was captivated every single moment of the show. Not just entertained, but that kind of "I don't even want to have a sip of beer because I might miss something" engagement. I think it's safe to say my jaw was on the floor for the majority of the set, and I kept wondering "Where have I been? Why hasn't anyone told me about this breathtaking sound before?" The energy was powerful not only in the epic rock tunes (and these boys from Kentucky seem to know a thing or two about epic rock), but also in the seemingly mellow tunes which touched on everything from reggae riffs (Phone Went West) to easy listening elements (Lowdown) to jazzy romantic ballads (They Ran).

The show inspired that kind of striking-oil-eureka euphoria that a whole well of future musical enjoyment had just been tapped. While I was admittedly less flattened by the next night's show in Philadelphia, I can safely add this band to my list of not-to-be-missed concert experiences, and if you're reading this, you can't say nobody told you. San Francisco, are you listening? A three-night New Years run at the Fillmore. Consider yourselves advised...

You can stream My Morning Jacket's 12.01 Philadelphia show here, and you can also add it to your iPod through the Setbreak.com podcasting system.