Category: Pics

I was very apprehensive about going to the Studio again but I was hoping that the early shows would be better organized. Tonight was their “British Invasion” and The Hosts from Sheffield started things off and played predictabe decent british pop.

Up next was Eugene Jr. & The Juniors from Wales and they brought a full band to play their highly addicting folktronica. They play enchanting pop music with lots of musical textures that you may not notice because you are singing along. Awesome set.

I quickly ran over to Mercury Lounge to check out The Muslims from San Diego. These guys played very fast surf rock punk. Their songs were so energetic that they crammed a 40 minute set into 20 and wasn’t sure if that was on purpose or thats their style. Needless to say  the crowd wanted more and I hope they swing around again.

Frances is from Brooklyn with lots of unique instruments and sounds. They play easy to listen songs but nothing to get excited about.

As soon as Pela took the stage and exploded into their set, the crowd woke up from their long night of bands. These guys just plain rock with their pounding drums and driving guitar sounds. The songs are more intense live and although not all their songs are great, the ones that work really work. I enjoy their take on rock-punk and they are definitely exploring new ways to push their sound. A must see live band.

Pictures from the show
better pictures of the Pela set

http://www.myspace.com/thehosts
http://www.myspace.com/eugenefrancisjnr
http://www.myspace.com/themuslims
http://www.francestheband.com/
http://www.pelamusic.com/

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is a 24-year-old Brooklyn-via-Oregon singer-songwriter that played songs tonight that frequently started of sounding like cover songs. His songs eventually got mangled with jerky melodies and undiscernable vocals. I couldn’t handle his set and left to play guitar hero downstairs and passed someone in the audience singing “Jesse’s Girl” along to the music. ha.

The enthusiasm the exhibited on stage by the Friendly Fires was infectious and soon enough the crowd danced to their electro guitar pop songs. The lead singer never stopped gyrating and kept the energy up for the entire night. If you sped up Fujiya & Miyagi and made them more fun you’d get this band.

I fell in love with Lykke Li’s new album and her sultry dance moves seen on her videos. The band played her songs flawlessly including a stripped down version of “I’m Good, I’m Gone”. Her voice translated very well live and she apologized that she didn’t have any more songs to play so she did covers by Vampire Weekend and Tribe Called Quest. She did not disappoint and a great start to CMJ.

Pictures from the show.

http://www.myspace.com/milesbenjaminanthonyrobinson
http://www.wearefriendlyfires.com/
http://www.lykkeli.com/

Uninhabitable  Mansions   is a quirky band with a quirky name and includes members from Au Revoir Simone and Clap Your Hands and Say Yea.  Nothing exciting and sounds exactly if you were to put those 2 bands together. Cute happy music.

Finally hitting the states, Mugison comes driven by the lust for life, love, and sex. A mixture of alt-country and classic rock, the music was engaging and entertaining. Not afraid to experiment with instruments and vocals, Mugison pushes his sound into uncharted territories. HIs brother accompanied him on stage accenting his songs with electronic components including mics attached to their feet to create interesting bass sounds. HIs albums, including his newest “Mugiboogie” is one of my favs and the concert was musically the best shows of the year.

Pictures from the show.
http://www.myspace.com/uninhabitablemansions
http://www.mugison.com

I missed Telepathique but caught New York’s Takka Takka play their very diverse blend of guitar pop. Their stuff ranges from quiet harmonies to up-beat rock which made their set a bit confusing. However I really enjoy the way they constantly change the music they play. They are getting somewhere with their stuff and feel they’ll find it soon.

Originally from Lawrence, KS the married indie pop duo Mates of State have been putting out interesting material for several years now, but with “Re-Arrnage Us,” they add some more complexity into their music. It’s still quirky and poppy but with now with added instrumentation giving it a richer and different sound. I was very impressed with Highline’s sound quality and despite the overly priced drinks, the show was great. Really addicting songs with a great crowd.

Pictures from the show.
http://www.takkatakkamusic.com/
http://www.matesofstate.com/

A Hopi word meaning “parasitic way of life” or “life in transition, Powaqqatsi is also 1/3 of the ‘Qatsi’ movie trilogy. The soundtrack was performed live in perfect Brooklyn summer weather. This movie contains more human voices than the others in the series and they were surprisingly represented in the orchestra pit. Children from a local school began the hypnotic intro to the movie and the entire score was perfectly timed to the visual. A cleric from a local mosque sang the final call to prayer to end the incredible night.

Pictures from the show.

Finally, I get to check out L.A.’s No Age live and join the significant buzz around this band. I am really digging what they are doing with energy + music. With only 2 members they create some of the most interesting mix of soft, loud, noisy, artful punk. These guys were awesome live and I was probably the oldest in the overly excited crowd. These guys don’t sound perfect but I think that’s part of the point. The potential within their innovative sonic noise is very exciting.