I need to update more / WOODSIST+CAPTURED TRACKS FEST

Damn. Three weeks since my last update. Almost like a musiconfessional (haw haw. See what I did there?).

Great past weekend though, Woodsist/Captured Tracks weekend was as great as expected. Some great bands, some okay ones, but nothing TOO terrible. Plus, the weather was perfect (for once), so staying outside all day was wonderful.

The highlight for me was definitely Dum Dum Girls. I liked them a lot before I saw them live, but goddamn, for a first show...:



Yeah. Pretty great. One hell of a DIY-star studded line up also. Mike Sniper (Blank Dogs) on bass, Frankie Rose (Crystal Stilts) on drums, and dude from Crocodiles (sry dude, dunno your name :() on guitar. Dum Dum Girls also sings way better live than on record. Or at least, I find her voice live to be more interesting. The reverb covers up your voice! Love reverb, but it might not suit yours as much as say, Cassie from Viv Girls.

Besides them, Real Estate played a fucking great show also. Some blog coined them as "Shorecore" and I'z down with that term. Really technically competent, and so fucking tight. Feel the only reason they're not more popular is that they haven't released an album yet, so most people haven't really checked 'em out (Similar to Dinowalrus). Check them out (and Dinowalrus too).

Other highlights: Gary War, Mayfair Set (<3 u Dee Dee), Kevin Failure rapping (actually good. f'realz), Thee Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees mosh, Thee Oh Sees mosh fight, Fresh & Onlys at the afterparty, fireworks going off behind show.

Now for pic highlights:

DAY ONE


Chinese take-out place across from MH apparently really loves Michael Jackson.


Supercrush on Gary War's keyboardist. Would make her breakfast. (msg me)


Hole in Market Hotel stage. Psych Horseshit almost broke a leg through it :(


Kevin Failure
Kevin Failure WERKIN IT.

DAY TWO


Whilst editing pics, my mom passed by and goes "Oh, the bands look good also". Real Estate. MOTHER APPROVED.


<3 u Dee Dee (u 2, Mikey)


Just really liked this shot.


Babies. Babbys.

Check out all the pics here:
Woodsist/Captured Tracks Day One

Woodsist/Captured Tracks Day Two

5.10.09 - Times New Viking/Blues Control/Pink Reason @ Market Hotel

So, just to get this out of the way: Market Hotel's new art installations make for some fucking awesome background shots. A bit less 'punk'/'DIY' than before, but way more art school dropout/middle school play about the inside of your stomach. In fact, in some shots, the walls look organic, like they're rocking some Aliens steez.
Pink Reason started off the night (really late) at 10pm. Way more rocking than when I saw them last time at Monster Island, full band this time, though the tempo is still a bit more "lazy" compared to the recordsGreat show either way, especially since I was already hyped on them due to Webb's comments about their previous night's show being better than Blank Dogs (on 5/8 anyways).

Blues Control was great also, even with the disappointment of both Blank Dogs and Woods canceling. Really noisy...noise rock? Not sure what else to call it. Though, listening to their myspace page now, it sounds a bit more ambient on their records. Still great either way though, and definitely a nice surprise.


As for Times New Viking, they were definitely better tonight than when I last remembered them at Maxwell's even though I didn't recognize a bunch of what they played (a lot of newer songs). Cute mini-mosh pit.

Rest of the photo's Here.

Anyway, I'm satisfied, even though I was pretty disappointed with the cancellations. Turned one of the best line-ups I've seen for a while into a pretty good one. Oh well. Doesn't look like Blank Dogs is playing any time soon though (besides No Fun Fest, which I was wayyyy too late to get tix for). The next Woods show should be good though: Kurt Vile/Woods/Blues Control at the Shank? Nice.

4.3.09 - Kurt Vile/Gary War/US Girls/Birds of Maya

[Birds of Maya]

[US Girls]

[Gary War]

[Kurt Vile]

[Rest of the pics here]

Cool show. Gary War's a 3-piece now? Kurt Vile was almost fully acoustic? What's up with bands/people (US Girls) that play effects pedals (Woods)? Birds of Maya was a total throwback to 70s rock.

Busy Weeks

Don't think I've had a week this filled with shows since the fall. Pretty crazy:

[Mentioning the bands I'm there for]

Tonight (4/1):
Tyvek (now 'Tyvjk'??), Woods @ DBA
Should be fun. Saw Tyvek last fall with Crystal Stilts and Cause Co-Motion! at Death by Audio. Fun garage-punk. Woods is always great, been getting better since I first saw them live last summer.

Tomorrow (4/2):
Dan Deacon, Future Islands @ NYU
Not looking that forward to Future Islands, but Dan Deacon was ridiculously fun last time I saw him at 1896. This is going to be his first time playing on stage though I believe. Will be interesting to see how he works with a full band.

Friday (4/3):
Kurt Vile, Gary War @ Silent Barn; off to La Roux @ Studio B
Yep. Two shows in a night. From lo-fi to electro-pop.

Saturday (4/4):
WFMU Party @ Bell House: Thee Oh Sees, Pink Skull
Really looking forward to this. Hope it doesn't sell out early.