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Cat Power @ Moma

This night even started out bad by waiting in line for about an hour in the rain and cold just to get into Moma’s sleepwalkers event. Having a show at a museum with no stage is a bad idea. No one could hear the opening reading but then these 2 performers/artists came out yelping out auction bidding in a frantic and unstopping pace. It was surreal having that occur in a museum and thought it was thought provoking.

Despite being a few rows back from her and next to the speaker, Cat Power’s performance was muffled by all the chatter going on inside. It was one the worst audiences I’ve ever experienced. She seemed very happy taking the stage but she left after a few songs, no doubt because no one could hear her. At least the lights hanging from the ceiling provided an interesting backdrop for her.

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SupaComp will rock you

SupaComp 2006 is finally done. Another jam packed disk full of the past year’s highlights. Lots of great music came out in 2006 which made editing really tough. Although musically diverse, there is a consistent
theme throughout the comp. Here’s some other interesting data points.

The first time John Vanderslice has not made a comp.
Repeat bands that have been on previous comps: 30
1 musician appears 3 times
Bands from New York: 20
Female bands: 23
3-piece bands: 7

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O’Death | Tim Fite @ Union Hall

I decided to not go to the Matt & Kim show to FINALLY see Brooklyn’s O’Death and it was a fitting show to start off 2007. Union Hall was packed for the band and although they were late because the band had to go all the way out to Queens right before the show, the crowd erupted when they took the stage. Their myspace page sights their influences as old civil war gospel, appalachian mountain music, sweet melodies, punk energy, whiskey, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, and that’s a perfect description. Half the members were shirtless and were armed with a guitar, ukulele, and banjo while the drummer banged away at a mangled and ripped cymbal and rusty can. They got the crowd riled up and luckily got close to the front for the ho down fun.

“Tim Fite was one of the small number of babies born between 1975 and 1983 without any blood.” With a huge lit up wooden boom box the stage was ready for Tim Fite. A screen projecting a gun inside a heart as he started to immerse us into his world of demented stories. Tonight revolved around the episodes of the gentleman with itchy legs and I was was impressed with his synthesis of video, lyrics and animation. I especially enjoyed the video of himself staring vacantly into space while playing along with the live version of himself. He is extremely clever and his songs and drawings are disturbing and beautiful at the same time. Although the album “Gone Ain’t Gone” is over a year old by now, it’s his live performance that is captivating. Full of energy and fun and I guarantee that he will keep you entertained, and give you really weird dreams….

Pictures from the show.

Links:
www.myspace.com/odeath
Be sure to check out Tim Fite’s site. Full of good stuff.
http://www.timfite.com/