Live event articles 2008-10-13T15:49:24Z Copyright (c) 2008, PopMatters.com ExpressionEngine tag:popmatters.com-in-person,2008:10:13 tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.64290 2008-10-13T07:00:32Z 2008-10-13T07:00:32Z Kirstie Shanley Over the past four decades Nick Cave has risen from the depths of the Australian underground of punk and rock to create some of the most epic songs ever written. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.64136 2008-10-10T07:00:00Z 2008-10-10T07:00:00Z Thomas Hauner Whether disco is cerebral music or not becomes entirely arbitrary when a 2,500 capacity crowd, on a Sunday night no less, is shaking the building’s foundation -- an eventuality that repeated itself over and over with Cut Copy at the helm. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.64112 2008-10-09T07:00:00Z 2008-10-09T07:00:00Z Greg M. Schwartz It’s the season for political benefit shows, so it’s no surprise when the famously liberal Bay Area comes up with an evening of musical entertainment -- including headliners Hot Buttered Rum -- to raise funds for Barack Obama. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.64110 2008-10-08T07:00:00Z 2008-10-08T07:00:00Z Vijith Assar It's tempting to dismiss Staind as marketable one-dimensional depression, which is true, but that in itself is not a crippling flaw -- in this corner of the rock world, bands like Rage Against The Machine and A Perfect Circle have established themselves as perpetual sourpusses without making it this excruciating. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.64090 2008-10-07T07:00:00Z 2008-10-07T07:00:00Z Sara Hayes Polished by the California sun and worn smooth by ocean breezes, The Donkeys’ music captures the past and makes it sound shiny and new. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.64022 2008-10-06T07:00:00Z 2008-10-06T07:00:00Z Joseph Carver After a prolonged introductory applause John Prine leaned into the microphone and said, “This is my first time here. I think I’ll stay awhile.” He did. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63942 2008-10-03T07:00:00Z 2008-10-03T07:00:00Z Jennifer Kelly Thurston Moore revisits his 1995 solo album Psychic Hearts with Steve Shelley, Chris Brokaw, and a bass player called Mutilator along for the ride. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63682 2008-10-02T07:00:00Z 2008-10-02T07:00:00Z Spencer Tricker Who cares about art or style when you’re six drinks into your night and the guitar player’s starting to thrash around like an airborne river trout on ecstasy? ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63874 2008-10-01T07:00:00Z 2008-10-01T07:00:00Z Shain Shapiro The Constantines may never again play a smaller room. And if they do, they probably will never play it so well. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63873 2008-09-30T07:00:00Z 2008-09-30T07:00:00Z Greg M. Schwartz Michael Franti & Spearhead’s 10th annual Power to the Peaceful Festival blended groove-oriented music with socially conscious messages. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63846 2008-09-29T07:00:00Z 2008-09-29T07:00:00Z Cole Stryker As the rain poured down, Bestival’s “30,000 Freaks Under the Sea” theme seemed entirely apt. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63784 2008-09-26T07:00:00Z 2008-09-26T07:00:00Z Thomas Hauner At Jazz at Lincoln Center’s season opening concert series Ahmad Jamal humbly eschewed his celebrated stature, opting to cherish the Hall’s demure acoustics, his quartet’s deft phrasing, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s superb arrangements and soloing. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63752 2008-09-25T07:00:00Z 2008-09-25T07:00:00Z Greg M. Schwartz With a mix of food and beverages, bands, and informational booths, the Slow Food Rocks Festival provided sustenance for everyone. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63434 2008-09-24T07:00:00Z 2008-09-24T07:00:00Z Wilson McBee Through the common combination of love, spirituality, and patience, David Berman has stumbled upon what might be mistaken as a happy ending but instead should be properly described as a new beginning. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.63714 2008-09-23T12:04:00Z 2008-09-23T12:04:00Z Malcom X. Abram Monday's announcement of the 2009 nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame may be of heightened interest to folks on the North Coast because the 24th annual induction ceremony will take place in... ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63410 2008-09-23T07:00:00Z 2008-09-23T07:00:00Z Greg M. Schwartz Considering that modern American rock ‘n’ roll received one if its biggest boosts thanks to the “San Francisco Sound” of the late ‘60s, it’s fitting that the city now has a major festival to call its own. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.63680 2008-09-22T15:24:00Z 2008-09-22T15:24:00Z Barry Koltnow tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63405 2008-09-22T07:00:00Z 2008-09-22T07:00:00Z Greg M. Schwartz Considering that modern American rock ‘n’ roll received one if its biggest boosts thanks to the “San Francisco Sound” of the late ‘60s, it’s fitting that the city now has a major festival to call its own. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63346 2008-09-19T07:00:00Z 2008-09-19T07:00:00Z Thomas Hauner With artists ranging from 71 year-old Dr. G.B. Burt (playing only his second professional gig) to Patti Smith, the 25th Annual Roots of American Music Festival traced a line in the musical map from folk to punk. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63344 2008-09-18T07:00:00Z 2008-09-18T07:00:00Z Greg M. Schwartz Unlike pop bands whose fans come hoping to sing along to their favorite hits, Sound Tribe Sector 9 is a group where the particular songs played seem less important than the overall energy the band summons. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63336 2008-09-17T07:00:00Z 2008-09-17T07:00:00Z Sara Hayes Playing in a dark room, with swirling purple lights and a smoke machine, the atmosphere during Cass McCombs’ set was oddly reminiscent of a school dance -- stately, sleepy, and a little awkward. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.63459 2008-09-16T12:35:00Z 2008-09-16T12:35:00Z Taylor Barnes HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Soft sax sounds and the chipper voices of two female singers fill the tiny room that's made even cozier by its low, sloping ceiling. "Um, dois; um dois tres," and the 10-man band... ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63309 2008-09-16T07:00:01Z 2008-09-16T07:00:01Z Chad Berndtson If you were among the modest, but enthusiastic audience gathered for Shannon McArdle’s CD release party, and didn't know any better, you wouldn't have immediately pegged her for someone who'd just put out an album of wrenching, tough-minded confessionals. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63016 2008-09-15T07:00:00Z 2008-09-15T07:00:00Z William Carl Ferleman A slew of low-level music-to-sleep-to cuts amid several high-powered and impeccably well-performed songs meant that Trent Reznor, the audience, and the set often morphed into inanimate tedium. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.63259 2008-09-12T07:00:01Z 2008-09-12T07:00:01Z Robert Costa DMB and Michaelson rock NYC, raising funds for Stand Up for a Cure, a cancer research group, as well as 9/11 first responders. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62989 2008-09-11T07:00:01Z 2008-09-11T07:00:01Z Vijith Assar "This is one of the best days of my career right here," Aesop Rock says as the turntable belts start to cool. Musicians are generally full of shit, and usually they're lying when they say things like that in Cleveland, but here I'm inclined to buy it. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.63226 2008-09-10T22:24:01Z 2008-09-10T22:24:01Z Steve Paul tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.63214 2008-09-10T13:23:00Z 2008-09-10T13:23:00Z Michael Phillips tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62979 2008-09-10T07:00:00Z 2008-09-10T07:00:00Z Eddie Ciminelli Anchored by Radiohead sets on the the festival's first two nights, the inaugural All Points West was a Thom Yorke fan's dream and a commuting nightmare. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.63155 2008-09-09T12:58:00Z 2008-09-09T12:58:00Z Amy S. Rosenberg On the third interview in which you discuss karaoke as metaphor, karaoke as inspiration for high art, karaoke as a moderating force on otherwise strident political discourse, you stop yourself. Oh,... ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.63150 2008-09-09T12:42:00Z 2008-09-09T12:42:00Z Ben Wener tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62965 2008-09-09T07:00:01Z 2008-09-09T07:00:01Z Greg M. Schwartz It’s always a special moment when a band returns to the scene of one their greatest triumphs to revel in the resonation of that vibe while also seeking to push that energy further. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62853 2008-09-08T07:00:00Z 2008-09-08T07:00:00Z Chad Berndtson The Lee Boys wear constant smiles, throwing glances around the stage as each man toys with the groove, intensifying it and backing off, working the jab to see who's going to solo. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62743 2008-09-05T07:00:00Z 2008-09-05T07:00:00Z Andrew Martin From dueling drummers to "The Star-Spangled Banner" to a stunningly perfect cover of "My Generation", the Melvins put on more than just a show. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62723 2008-09-04T07:00:00Z 2008-09-04T07:00:00Z Neil Jones An idyllic site -- complete with its own railway station -- was the perfect place for indie-pop fans to hop on board the train to Indietracks. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62699 2008-09-03T07:00:00Z 2008-09-03T07:00:00Z Eddie Ciminelli After battling back following the desertion of his band mates, as well as a bankrupt record label, Marcus Congleton and his latest incarnation of Ambulance LTD faced their biggest test -- the talkative Bowery Ballroom crowd. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62691 2008-09-02T07:00:00Z 2008-09-02T07:00:00Z Thomas Hauner Unlike a host of electronic and dance acts who repeat, beat for beat, their turntable mechanics in a languid routine, Hercules and Love Affair translated into a motley crew of horns, bass, drums, synthesizers, vocalists, and dancers on stage. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/column/19.62617 2008-09-02T07:00:00Z 2008-09-02T07:00:00Z Ben Rubenstein Enthusiasm at sporting events and concerts is great. But when your spirited dancing turns into a one-man mosh pit, it's a damned annoying distraction. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62674 2008-08-29T10:59:00Z 2008-08-29T10:59:00Z David Lightman tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62512 2008-08-29T07:00:00Z 2008-08-29T07:00:00Z Kevin Pearson Like the festival site -- an old steel mill that was raised and re-built upon -- each band attempted a similar brand of resuscitation, albeit of the musical variety. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/feature/21.62479 2008-08-29T06:59:02Z 2008-08-29T06:59:02Z Wilson McBee Sandwiched between Lil Wayne’s lyrical wizardry and Kanye West’s globetrotting techno-populism, Bob Dylan gave one of the festival’s rare encores on a day when nearly every band deserved one. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62634 2008-08-28T10:44:00Z 2008-08-28T10:44:00Z Bruce Newman Even before the decision to move the speech into a Denver ballpark, the expectations for Wednesday's historic consecration of Barack Obama as America's first black nominee for president were a mile... ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62516 2008-08-28T07:00:00Z 2008-08-28T07:00:00Z Chris Catania From Radiohead’s transcendent set on Friday night to Kanye West’s emotional homecoming hit parade on Sunday, Lollapalooza offered the sold-out crowds over 120 acts as well as over-hyped rumors of a Senator Obama visit that never happened. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/feature/21.62478 2008-08-28T06:59:00Z 2008-08-28T06:59:00Z Wilson McBee With a line-up that read like a quick scroll through an FM radio dial, the Virgin Mobile Festival attempted to please every faction of the musical market and had more successes (Rodrigo y Gabriela, Sharon Jones, Wilco) than shortcomings (The Offspring). ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62591 2008-08-27T15:44:00Z 2008-08-27T15:44:00Z Karen Brooks DENVER - It was an unprecedented move by Democrats and Republicans this year when they invited hundreds of bloggers to cover their conventions with the same access as - and in some cases much better... ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62445 2008-08-27T07:00:00Z 2008-08-27T07:00:00Z Greg M. Schwartz Yellowjackets with Mike Stern are an incredibly tight ensemble with a modern sound and an impressive ability to vary their dynamics on a dime. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62542 2008-08-26T12:29:00Z 2008-08-26T12:29:00Z Steven Thomma tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62428 2008-08-26T07:00:00Z 2008-08-26T07:00:00Z Drew Fortune Chaos is always a welcome guest in the Broken Social Scene world, and the tightrope the band walks is the ability to find gorgeous melodies amidst their swirling soundscapes. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62517 2008-08-25T12:50:00Z 2008-08-25T12:50:00Z Tim Johnson BEIJING -- The most expensive and lavish Olympic Games in history came to a close Sunday as Beijing officially passed the Olympic flame to London, and the countdown started for 2012 games that the... ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62515 2008-08-25T12:47:00Z 2008-08-25T12:47:00Z Barry Koltnow tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62511 2008-08-25T12:05:00Z 2008-08-25T12:05:00Z Karen Brooks DENVER - The spotlight may be focused on Barack Obama this week, but thanks to Hollywood's long-standing off-screen love affair with politics, he won't be the biggest star shining. That may come as... ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62426 2008-08-25T07:00:00Z 2008-08-25T07:00:00Z Andrew Gilstrap For all of the junkies, hoodrats, overdoses, and blood to be found in the Hold Steady's songs, the entire point of the band's output is to cast an unflinching eye and lend a sympathetic voice. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62469 2008-08-24T16:00:00Z 2008-08-24T16:00:00Z Jack Chang tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62467 2008-08-24T15:37:00Z 2008-08-24T15:37:00Z David Lightman tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62420 2008-08-23T23:02:00Z 2008-08-23T23:02:00Z Hal Boedeker tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62452 2008-08-23T20:12:00Z 2008-08-23T20:12:00Z Linda Robertson tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62451 2008-08-23T20:09:00Z 2008-08-23T20:09:00Z Joe Posnanski tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62191 2008-08-22T07:00:00Z 2008-08-22T07:00:00Z Dan Raper As confetti rains down, behind giant orbs of multi-colored paper lanterns, Sigur Ros and their brass accompaniment pummelled drums with a purely celebratory energy. ]]> tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/news/23.62373 2008-08-21T15:36:00Z 2008-08-21T15:36:00Z Renee Schoof tag:popmatters.com,2008:pm/review/5.62184 2008-08-21T07:00:00Z 2008-08-21T07:00:00Z Thomas Hauner While Deerhunter’s pensive drones created interesting cadences, and the Black Lips rocked through their rowdy garage punk, the real attraction was King Khan who was resolutely unchallenged in his supremacy as premier buffoon. ]]>