Spoon & Deerhunter - 9:30 Club (3/23/10)

While Spoon's latest, Transference, isn't my favorite, I couldn't pass this one up - especially at the bargain price of $25. I don't think I've ever read anything bad about Spoon in concert, but have read a fair amount of lukewarm reviews from years past which surprised me. Interestingly enough though, those from this tour are much more favorable, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Throw Deerhunter into the mix and who knows what the hell this night would bring.

Deerhunter was... well, intense. And lead singer Bradford Cox is... well, different. In between songs he would ramble on about nothing in particular and many times seemed to just string words together without much concern for whether or not they made any sense. But then he would introduce a song, the band would start playing and it was like a switch turned on (or off) in his brain and everything became right in the world. Deerhunter played a hell of a set and the place was packed for them (it actually seemed to be more so than for Spoon). Their performance took me by surprise, but in a good way - at the end I felt like they had chewed me up and spit me out. I was relieved that it was over yet still wanted more. It was a strange feeling.

By the time Spoon came on, it was after 10pm and I was almost 18 hours into my day so I was starting to drag some serious ass. But they did a hell of a job of picking me up, dusting me off and giving me a swift kick in said ass. They blasted through their setlist, hitting all parts of their catalog and even covering a song by The Damned (“Love Song” maybe?). The only really low point for me was “The Underdog.” Substituting the horns for a piano seemed karaoke-ish. It’s all good though, I just used the opportunity to hit the head.

New music

• Dirty Projectors, free download of Acending Melody 7", Gorilla vs. Bear
• Spoon, free stream of Transference (Jan 19th), NPR
  
• Shearwater, "Castaways," The Golden Archipelago (Feb 23rd), Aquarium Drunkard
• Rogue Wave, "Good Morning," Permalight (Mar 2nd), MOKB

New music

• The National, "Ashamed of the Story I Told" (Polaris cover), Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy (Sept 29th), P-fork
• Thom Yorke, "All for the Best" (Miracle Legion cover), same album, Stereogum
• Artic Monkeys, "Crying Lightning," Humbug (Aug 25th), Ultra8201
• Yim Yames (aka MMJ's Jim James), "Long, Long, Long," Tribute to (Geroge Harrison tribute out now digitally, Aug 4th hard-copy), Ultra8201
• Spoon, "Got Nuffin," Got Nuffin EP (out now), Ultra8201
  

Hooray Friday!

- The All Points West Festival lineup has been announced with Radiohead playing on Friday AND Saturday. Ah Jersey City, NJ… a beautiful area of the world. And let's not forget the fact that Jack Johnson has managed to score the trifecta in festival headlines this summer. Good on ya, Jack.

- I am fuel has a handful of Eddie Vedder/Bruce Springsteen collaborations posted for your listening pleasure.

- Same blog, different topic. This week’s music roundup had a new track from the Mountain Goats, a live one from Spoon, a White Stripes/Beck diddy and a Daft Punk cover.

- Apparently Maxim magazine reviewed the Black Crowes' upcoming album, Warpaint, without even hearing it. This reminds me of when I was in college and tried to write term papers without doing any research. Unlike Maxim though, I was never called on it (thankfully). Thanks to Product Shop NYC for the K.

- For those of you who have yet to discover Cloud Cult, you are missing out. The Meaning of 8 was a highlight of 2007 for me and they are following it up with the release of Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) in April. MFKWCRG has a track from the album, "When Water Comes to Life", which does not disappoint.

- Rihanna and the Klaxons got together at the 2008 Brit Awards and made a little "Umbrella" and "Golden Skans" love. The Music Slut provides the links.

Hooray Friday! (a day early)

I apologize for my lack of communication this week. I'm in the process of moving houses and offices so things are a bit hectic. I'll make this short and sweet (but hopefully informative)...

- The Into the Wild soundtrack by Eddie Vedder is streaming on the WROV website. Official release is Sep 18th. Thanks to Metro D for the heads-up.

- The White Stripes cancelled their upcoming tour due to Meg White having acute anxiety. No rescheduling information was given.

- An Aquarium Drunkard has a pretty good review of the Spoon concert in LA this week. I may end up heading to Maryland to catch them and the Sins at Merriweather. I wish they didn't cancel their 9:30 Club dates though.

- A new Wu-Tang track has surfaced from their upcoming 8 Diagrams release. Check it out on Blogs are for Dogs.

Get your tour dates here

- Well, it looks like the Cold War Kids subscribe to Gus "R" Us and read my thoughts on their concert with Muse a few week back. I should have been a band manager when I grew up. They're hitting a few smaller venues at the major cities in Nov/Dec. That is after they're done whoring themselves out as openers for Muse & the White Stripes (just kidding fellas).

- Jose Gonzalez is touring this fall to promote his new album In Our Nature. Dates and his new single here.

- Spoon was supposed to be hitting up some smaller venues again this fall, but then a little band called the Shins asked them to open for them. I know Spoon has cancelled their dates at the 9:30 Club because it conflicted with the Shins at Merriweather, so I'm assuming they're doing the same with the rest of their tour. Shins dates here.

- For anyone who has not sunk their teeth into the newest Cloud Cult album, The Meaning of 8, you are truly missing out. They have started announcing dates beginning in September (October/November dates TBA). Unfortunately, I don't see a DC area venue on there as of now.
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- Queens of the Stone Age are giving no love to DC this time around. They'll be hitting up B-more, but it's 2 days before I'll be up in that area for a night of debauchery (read Bachelor Party). Dates here.

- Bright Eyes anyone? Dates are hot off of the press.

Hooray Friday!

- The White Stripes played their 10th anniversary show last Saturday in Nova Scotia - a 30-plus song, 2 1/2 hour barn burner. They've been popping up in the strangest of places - on the back of a boat, at a YMCA day camp, flour mill, museum, classroom, park and bowling alley. Now this a band for the people! If I was a rock star, I'd be like the White Stripes. See clips on Product Shop NYC and RatBat Bear.

- Bob Marley alert! Aquarium Drunkard has posted tracks from a 1973 radio session and 1976 concert. I, for one, will be digging in to these this weekend.

- I haven't had the chance (or quite frankly, the desire) to dive into the new Ryan Adam release, Easy Tiger - however, it seems to be picking up steam in numerous blogs. Alternate versions of some of the tracks can be found on I am fuel, you are friends.

- Same blog, different artist. Spoon has an EP of bonus material called Get Nice! Sample some of the offerings here.

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- My Old Kentucky Blog has a few Dappled Cities tracks from the MOKB Radio show on Sirius here. I also uncovered Tokyo Police Club tracks from the same radio show here. Good stuff, but not quite enough to get me to pay for satellite radio (I'm a cheap bastard).

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- I'm liking what I'm hearing from the White Rabbits. I'm also liking free, unreleased songs. Damn the man, I say! If you want to damn the man too, check them out here.