My name is Sarah, and I like to dance. I like to dance to good music and with people who like to dance. Dance with their eyes closed. Anyways, Mimi asked me to guest write on her blog, and I thought it was going to be a ghostwriting kind of a deal, which is all gravy because my writing sucks, despite my BA in English. But here's what I had drafted while bored at work and on the bus to work. I saved approximately four dollah bills today taking the bus in, but ruined my satin flats.
Coachella was awesome, and Andrew was the perfect person to go with. PERFECT. It makes me wonder who would be more fun to go see shows with- Mimi or Andrew.
:) p
It was an experience to say the least, but not as... grand as I had imagined, not nearly as big or overwhelming as I had expected, although I was rarely at the main stage.
A few disappointments:
Spank Rock never showed up - instead, Amanda Blank and two women did an insulting set, insulting to the audience because it was just unorganized and badly put together. When Amanda Blank messed up, she laughed it off and ran off stage instead of continuing. But Spank Rock is performing with MSTRKRFT at Hardfest.
MGMT - I know I really only like 2-3 songs of theirs. I don't think I gave enough of their songs a listen before going in expecting their entire set to sound like Kids or Electric Feel. I'll stick to the songs that I like.
M.I.A. was a huge disappointment. By no means was I expecting to be blown away, but I did want to experience her live. She's a little "ghetto," if you will, for my taste. I liked her earlier stuff, but quite a few songs feature a copious number of gunshots, to which the audience and crowd throw up their hands fashioned into guns. I'm just not kosher with that. Pumping those into the air to gunshots is not my idea of YAYNESS.
Chromeo was another disappointment. I've seen them a few times, the last at Neighborhood Fest in LA, which was a good performance. I don't know if they took the time to make a set list, but most likely not. It was almost as if they had come up on stage like they were going to have a jam session. I think the main dude is letting it get to his head that he's "made it," and now that he has he has the right to waste the time and money of people who have driven out to see him among other acts. He must have played a maximum of five songs.
Vampire Weekend. Wow. They really blew up. One of the largest crowds at the Outdoor Stage, given it was the first day and an afternoon. Ezra just doesn't have the energy or personality to hold an audience. They may be intelligent and talented musicians, but performers they are not.
This was definitely a weekend of surprises. Bands I wasn't expecting or anticipating were the most enjoyable.
Jack Johnson at night is weird. He's daytime listening, Malibu listening. I have several beach playlists with him on it. Well, I HAD playlists because my external harddrive decided to leave me. Every good man leaves me, with a big void and a huge chunk of history. Literally, all my photos ad music.
Fatboy Slim was awesome. I'm pretty sure Andrew was entertained by me. Floored by the light show. We sat at the back of the tent enjoying the crazy light fixtures and effects. But I digress, because the music was unbelievable. He was an awesome headliner.
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings was a welcome break from the continuous chaos that is Coachella. Soulful, but energetic, Sharon Jones really infused the crowd with her rich voice. I sound like I'm writing a newspaper article.
Oh, and her unforgettable pinwheel.
Random note - being made a contributor on this blog kind of feels like being given a key to your boyfriend's place. No, it doesn't actually. I'm just flattered.
Diplo turned the speakers/bass in towards him, and I'd be lying if I didn't say that it scared me a little. I was scared for his ears. I was disappointed that he didn't do the Beatles song.
Cut Copy was absolutely unbelievable. This is when I first took off my shirt - which I didn't anticipate doing. I was jamming HARD.
The shows I enjoyed most I also remember least because i was so lost in my own world of dancing, beats thumping in my head, and interacting with other people around.
PRINCE. CAN. MOVE.
PRINCE. CAN . JAM.
PRINCE. CAN. PERFORM.
At one point, he did an awesome riff, sustained a high note for a good thirty seconds, covered his face with his arm, slowly lowered his arm, devilishly cast his eyes about the crowd, and then continued holding the tens of thousands of people in suspense. Andrew and I marveled at his control over the crowd. How do you have that many people scream your name on command? It's hard enough for me to get ONE person to scream my name.
I'm so glad we went to the main stage and decided to stay. Prince did have a long set, and he gave the crowd what they wanted. For a huge headliner, that's awesome. And his drummer was an older woman in a vibrant red jacket.
Oh, and the first thing I saw was his shiny outfit. All white. And custom heels, or so Andrew believes.
Yelle was so adorable. A few things stand out:
1) her shiny dress
2) her songs were fun and poppy, but start blending in
3) her Heidi Klum accent, e.g. "Ah you rehdee too dahnce Coechehhlaah?" "Do yoo wahnt too shehk yo bootee Coechehhlaah?"
Hot Chip - read Cut Copy, plus the international crew that joined in the dancing madness.
Bonde Do Role was amazing. The crowd kept spilling out of Gobi so we danced outside (I think it was Gobi).
Mark Ronson was good. I heard a few songs but again, it was dark and the outdoor theater, and it just wasn't engaging enough.
Justice. Wow. Suspense.
The intro was literally 2 minutes long. And you could never tell when he was going to end.
"We are your friends" went on for what seemed ten minutes. The entirety of Sahara and, probably, Coachella was jumping at one time or another. It definitely could have gotten dangerous in there.
Simian Mobile Disco was tons of fun - refer back to Hot Chip and Cut Copy.
Booka Shade was interesting.
Kid Sister was adorable. I convinced myself that I had found the orange leather flats she was wearing until Andrew shot me down. She started quite late after A Trak had a long set, and the soundboard cut her short. Well... she did start late so she went over her time.
Some afterthoughts:
There were soooo many Prius' in the lots of parking.
My favorite art installations:
Big Rig Jig
The robots that interact with people and voices and roam around the fields
The Tesla Coils
And my last note - do not go near the burgerrito. Such a bad idea.
Thanks to Mimi for faith in me, such blind faith, an everyday plebeian thrust into the limelight (limelight, aka www.madeablog.com)
Can you still title your blog "Look at me, I made a blog" if you've bought a domain name? I think not.
April 30, 2008
I'm like FAMOUS (but really I'm not because I was a poor plebeian with normal tickets at Coachella)
April 27, 2008
She & Him - NYU 04.23.08
Pictures from Dese'Rae L. Stage. My camera's batteries died.
This is very delayed, I apologize. I've been pretty sick/sleep-deprived this week. If you haven't heard by now, She & Him is Zooey Deschanel (Remember she sang "Baby It's Cold Outside" in Elf?) and M Ward. I loved loved loved Zooey in Elf, so her album was highly anticipated one for me. For whatever reason, I thought Volume One would sound jazzier, like Zooey's rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside." Instead, Volume One is really pop-y and very safe. Yes, most of the songs are pleasant-sounding because they utilize chord progressions that you can't help but like. But, on the whole, the album lacks some serious depth.
I arrived nearly an hour early for this show at NYU Skirball Center, there was an unbelievably long line. The duo was scheduled for two performances at Hiro Ballroom earlier that week. Due to illness, the first show was canceled, and the second one was moved to Webster Hall to accommodate tickets from both shows. I guess all the hype surrounding She & Him caught up with the NYU students.
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down opened, and they were awesome, as usual (Thao seriously has the most awesome commentary). By the time She & Him hit the stage, Skirball was pretty packed. I'm not sure if Zooey was still dealing with sickness, but she was really quiet on stage. There were a lot of awkward silences in between songs...as in, she would just stare at us and not say anything. For being sick, she didn't sound bad at all. I have to admit that Zooey is super adorable when she plays the tambourine and plucks out notes on the piano. Onstage, M Ward and Zooey Deschanel pretty much remind me of Johnny Cash and June. I've read this comparison somewhere else online, and I totally agree.
On the whole, I wasn't very engaged by the performance. I may have been more excited if I had seen them in a much smaller venue. Yo La Tengo made a surprise appearance for the encore. Not surprising since they backed up She & Him on Conan the other day...
Zooey sounded much sicker here.
Setlist
Black Hole
Change is Hard
I Was Made for You
You Really Got a Hold On Me
Take It Back
Got Me
Dusty
I Thought I Saw Your Face
Magic Trick
This is Not a Test
Sweet Darlin'
Bring It On Home
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him
This Is Not a Test - She & Him
Chairlift - "Evident Utensil"
NOTE: This post was taken down by Blogger and "Evident Utensil" was taken down by Divshare, supposedly due to a DMCA copyright infringement. The funny thing to me is that Chairlift's former indie label Kanine Records told me to share "Evident Utensil" since it was free. Sure enough, RCRDLBL is still hosting the song, and so is Kanine Records! I'm not sure how Chairlift can just "take back" a free download, but I guess this is what happens when a band moves on to bigger and better things. A shame, because I've been a big supporter for awhile.
via Kanine Records
The most evident utensil
Is none other than a pencil.
Write and tell me what you want from me
Before my paper is through.
I love listening to Chairlift's "Evident Utensil" while writing papers. That means that I end up listening to this song on repeat for hours on end...while I'm in the library, loving my life.
Chairlift is BFF with a certain MGMT, as shown by the remix and surprise joint shows. Some people are loving the remix, but I prefer the original. Apparently, Chairlift's LP drops sometime this upcoming summer. I seriously cannot wait. Until then, you can enjoy this old favorite. Wish I could share more... like "Planet Health," which I have been listening to on repeat for the last half hour.
Chairlift is opening for Black Kids at Bowery Ballroom on May 18th. See you there.
April 22, 2008
Grizzly Bear - Columbia University 04.21.08
I have to agree with The Bwog; Columbia obviously didn't do any research before the Bacchanal show. Most people had never heard of Grizzly Bear, even though the band name was written on the ticket. Of course, I was one of the very few people who went to the show mostly to see Grizzly Bear. If you're curious about the National, check out my friend R's coverage here.
Before this show, I'd never seen Grizzly Bear perform. I heard them play from afar when they were at Pitchfork Music Festival. so I had an idea that this would be a mellow set. And, I got what I expected. After recording a performance of "While You Wait for the Others" for Conan O'Brien, Grizzly Bear rushed over to CU for a short performance. The crowd seemed to enjoy the electric version of "Little Brother" and "Knife," which has been countlessly covered and/or remixed, including versions by Girl Talk, CSS, Atlas Sound and Beirut. I wish they would have performed the acappella version of "Knife" that they did for La blogotheque. Also, I would have loved if they had performed "Deep Blue Sea."
On the whole, Grizzly Bear seemed to be pretty bored. Can't blame them entirely, the crowd wasn't the best. At one point, I just started talking to Ed Droste, who was directly in front of me, in between songs. Either he appreciated the interaction or he thought I was crazy. I hope it was the former.
Setlist
Alligator
Lullabye
Little Brother
Service Bell
Knife
Colorado
Fix It
On a Neck, On a Spit
Mother & Child Reunion (Paul Simon Cover)
While You Wait for the Others
"While You Wait for the Others" on Conan
On a Neck, On a Spit - Grizzly Bear
While You Wait for the Others (Live on Morning Becomes Eclectic) - Grizzly Bear
Little Brother (Electric) - Grizzly Bear
April 21, 2008
Tokyo Police Club - Bowery Ballroom 04.20.08
I'm really getting sick of my broken LCD screen.
I have to admit, I may be a biased when it comes to Tokyo Police Club. TPC has been one of my favorite bands for the past couple years. Sometimes, I would go days/weeks only listening to A Lesson in Crime, TPC's debut EP, and some live recordings. Basically, at last year's Mercury Lounge show, I was the the girl in the front who knew the words to all the songs, even the ones that hadn't been released.
So, unsurprisingly, I had a great time at the Bowery Ballroom show last night. I do have to be honest and say that I'm not in love with Elephant Shell, but I am in love with TPC's live shows. It's really hard to resist playing along with this band. They must have had the audience in mind when they wrote these songs; so many of them involve yelling out "HEY!" and clapping until your arms feel like they're going to fall off ("Be Good" is a perfect example of this).
Compared to last year's performance at ML, this Bowery Ballroom show was definitely more polished and professional. It is pretty obvious that Tokyo Police Club is growing up, and we should expect them to do so. TPC has gone through a lot of changes in the last year, including a label change and an increasing fanbase (that includes Agyness Deyn! Met her after the show. Check out my friend E's music blog for the details). Like I said before, Elephant Shell is not one of my favorite albums. But, there are moments in the album when I am glad that TPC traded in some of their playfulness for more meaning in their lyrics. "Graves" is my favorite song off the LP, and I've enjoyed it since it was just a minimalist live recording. When Dave Monks sings, "You're trading me for the lump sum, you try but you only ever treat the symptoms," I actually feel something (and that's a rare, good thing). What can I say, I am an emo kid at heart.
Although I prefer the intimacy of Mercury Lounge, it was exciting to see TPC pack a venue like Bowery Ballroom and get people into the music. There was a guy in the front who knew all the appropriate times to clap/yell for ALL the songs. I was impressed.
Did anyone buy any of the specialized merchandise? TPC's merch didn't arrive in New York, so they made some customized socks and such.
Elephant Shell hits stores tomorrow, April 22nd. If you missed them last night, you have four more chances (2 are free!) to catch them in New York.
Tonight (April 21) - Music Hall of Williamsburg (Sold Out)
Tomorrow (April 22) - Bowery Ballroom (Sold Out)
Tomorrow (April 22) - Virgin Megastore, Union Square (7pm, free)
Wednesday, April 23 - Sound Fix of Williamsburg(8pm, free)
Setlist
La Ferrassie
In a Cave
Box
Sixties Remake
If It Works
Graves
Juno
Your English is Good
Cut Cut Paste
Nursery Academy
Citizens of Tomorrow
New New Song
Tessellate
Shoulders & Arms
The Baskervilles
Nature of the Experiment
Listen to the Math
Be Good
See this post for more songs.
Graves - Tokyo Police Club
Tessellate - Tokyo Police Club
Be Good - Tokyo Police Club
April 13, 2008
Hot Chip - Terminal 5 04.12.08
The bad part about having a broken LCD screen is that I am no longer able to take centered pictures.
Last night, I finally experienced Hot Chip. To be honest, I was really skeptical about the hype surrounding their live shows. Even after I blogged about Made in the Dark, I didn't jump on buying tickets for the show. Yes, I would put the tickets into my cart on Ticketmaster (aka Satan), but I never convinced myself to hit the buy button. One day, I was checking the Terminal 5 website, and I saw that the Hot Chip show was SOLD OUT. Now that the show was sold out, I suddenly had the urge to go. Luckily, I picked up some reasonably-priced tickets on Facebook and on eBay.
The Hot Chip show was my first concert at Terminal 5, the largest venue of The Bowery Presents with a capacity of 3000. Knowing that the show was sold out AND it was open to all ages, I arrived about 30 minutes before doors opened. There were already people waiting in line, but coming a little bit earlier paid off; my friends and I acquired prime spots in the very front, near Al Doyle and Owen Clarke (who, btw, has the most amazing dance moves).
During the entire Hot Chip show, I kept on thinking that I was at a club in the Meatpacking District. I'm not sure if this is typical of Hot Chip or Terminal 5, but there were a ton of flashing lights, including a heavy usage of strobe lights. The lights were pretty appropriate for the music and weren't THAT cheesy. Hot Chip played all of their most danceable songs, and the crowd went insane. Literally. I have never experienced a more aggressive crowd. Even the band looked a little concerned when people were shoving each other, elbows flying everywhere. My friend told me that at one point, there was a guy who had another guy in a headlock. Right up against the gate, I had problems of my own. A girl actually thought she could squeeze into 3 inches of space in between this guy and me. Both the guy and I had arrived early, stood in line, and sat around for an hour before the opening act; we were NOT MOVING. After enduring some delicate fighting moves and words, the girl finally moved. You can check out a picture of my bruised arm below.
No, I wasn't beaten up. I just went to a Hot Chip concert. I count about 10 bruises.
Even though I look like I was beaten up at the Hot Chip show, I had a lot of fun. In my opinion, the show wasn't mind-blowing, but it was definitely entertaining and I was glad that I went. My thoughts may have been different if I had seen Hot Chip at a smaller, more intimate venue. Terminal 5 is definitely not my favorite venue. This place has been open since last fall, and they STILL had technical difficulties at Hot Chip. Has there been a single show at Terminal 5 without technical issues? Most reviews of Terminal 5 concerts seem to share this common complaint. Nonetheless, I haven't had this much dancing fun at a show since Girl Talk, !!! (Chk Chk Chk), or Of Montreal. Hot Chip had a lot of energy, and it was hard not to move your body. Also, Hot Chip played some of their mellower songs, which added a nice balance to the set. More importantly, it gave me some time to rest and cool down. Towards the end, I felt like the show started to drag, especially with a long, 4-song encore. I'd have to say that Owen Clarke (guitar, synthesizer) is my absolute favorite member of the band. This guy can seriously move. And, it seems like his legs move independently from the rest of his body. Yes, Owen has that body-isolation dance thing down.
Hot Chip is currently on tour in North America. Made in the Dark is in stores, and their new single is "One Pure Thought."
Setlist
Shake a Fist
Boy from School
Hold On
Bendable Poseable
Touch Too Much
Over & Over
Out at the Pictures
Wrestlers
(Crap Kraft Dinner)
One Pure Thought
Ready for the Floor
Made in the Dark
Don't Dance
No Fit State
Privacy of Our Love
These songs may be taken down soon...
Ready for the Floor - Hot Chip
One Pure Thought - Hot Chip
April 9, 2008
Jamie Lidell - "Another Day"
This is how Jamie Lidell was dressed when I saw him at Pitchfork Music Festival last year.
***UPDATE: Can I just say that I totally called Jamie Lidell's new single? Haha.
I've been sitting on Jamie Lidell's Jim for awhile, because I wanted to wait until the release date was not too far off. But, this song is too good to keep to myself. I was sitting on the train by my lonesome after midnight when this song started playing on my iPod. Let's just say a huge smile spread across my face.
More on Lidell's new album later. Jim hits stores April 28/29.
Another Day - Jamie Lidell
"Another Day" video.
"Little Bit of Feel Good" video.
April 7, 2008
No Kids
You've got the Cool Kids, Black Kids, Kid Sister, Cold War Kids, and now...No Kids. I saw No Kids open for the Dodos at Mercury Lounge on April 6th, and there was something about their music that made an impression on me. I kinda dig the minimalist R&B feel of their songs; the "less is more" concept is lost on many bands nowadays. From Vancouver, No Kids are a trio that is so indie that they don't even have a Wikipedia entry (But, there is one on P:ano, a past project of the members). Yes, they are really awkward on-stage, but it's all endearing. Nick Krgovich plays everything with intensity, especially when he's striking the triangle.
You can purchase Come Into My House here at Insound.com. No Kids are currently on tour with Dirty Projectors.
Give them a listen!
For Halloween - No Kids
The Beaches All Closed - No Kids
Bluster in the Air - No Kids
The Dodos - Mercury Lounge 04.06.08
The Gothamist borrowed this photo. I'm quite flattered since I am not a photographer, and the LCD screen on my camera is broken. Someone at the show looked at the screen and laughed at me.
Trombone intro to "Fools."
Aside from Fleet Foxes, the Dodos are my favorite discovery of 2008. Last night's show at the Mercury Lounge was sold out and the venue was completely packed. AND, it was a Sunday night. I bought my tickets nice and early, because I suspected this show would eventually sell out. The post-SXSW hype surrounding the Dodos is exponentially growing. Also, I suspected that Pitchfork followers would be drawn to the show since Visiter had been listed as Best New Music. So, no surprise that Pitchfork was there last night. Again, I don't really agree with Pitchfork on a lot of things. But, they're sorta right about the Dodos in that they are awesome.
If I could describe the Dodos show in one word, it would "sweat." There was sweat everywhere. Sweat on Meric Long's guitar from his right strumming arm, sweat soaking Logan Kroeber's shirt, sweat dripping down my own face from dancing in close proximity to a lot of people. If you listen to the Dodos' music, it's not hard to see why performing is like an intense cardio workout for these guys. For one, as I mentioned before, Logan does not have a kick drum. Every single drum is on a stand. Watching him play was so jaw-dropping, because it was very apparent how hard it was to play the rhythms that he was pounding out. Even more incredible, his energy did not drop once throughout the entire show. On guitar, Meric Long was also playing fast patterns (Check out "Chickens"), along with some looping. He used three acoustic guitars, no picks. Halfway through the show, I started concentrating on his playing when I noticed that he had very long, acrylic nails on his right hand. I don't think I've ever seen that before, but I can see why they'd be useful for finger picking and strumming. After the show, I went to go shake his hand, but he didn't offer his right hand. Instead, he just awkwardly slapped me a high-five with his left hand. Maybe he sensed that I was going to ask about his nails. Right you were, Meric.
Check out his nails. Acrylic, no? FRICTION agrees.
The Dodos' high-energy show went by quickly, with little to no transition in between songs. I feel like the set was a decent length, at least 10-12 songs. But, they didn't play "Winter," which is one of my favorites. In general, they didn't showcase many slower songs, such as "Park Song" and "Winter." These songs would have balanced out the show a little more, adding some variety to the high-energy set. But, hey, maybe the Dodos enjoy sweating it all out. And, let me tell you, their perfermance was impressive as hell. The way that they were squeezing in the rapid notes and beats reminded me of Charlie Parker's famous improvisations (FYI, Charlie Parker was one of the first so-called hipsters). Meric and Logan are true virtuosos of their instruments.
The Dodos are currently on tour with Joe Haener (on percussion and xylophone) as their third band member. They return to New York on July 19 for the Village Voice's Siren Festival, as confirmed by brooklynvegan. They're also playing Pitchfork Music Festival the next day in Chicago. Man, these guys are busy.
No Kids and Silje Nes opened for the Dodos. I'll be putting up a post on No Kids soon.
If you have the setlist for this show, please leave a comment. Thanks! Check out my past post for more songs.
The Season - The Dodos
Park Song - The Dodos
The Ball - The Dodos
Chickens - The Dodos
April 5, 2008
Jens Lekman - Webster Hall 04.05.08
Jens opens the night with a song about cutting out the bullshit, "I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You."
**Note: Pictures were blindly taken. The LCD screen on my camera is broken.
It's impossible to see Jens Lekman perform and not smile. It's like when I walk out of Pinkberry/Red Mango/Forty Carrots with my froyo; a huge smile just spreads across my entire face. Not that I'm comparing Jens to frozen yogurt, because I would easily give up the froyo for a long while to see my favorite Swede play again. Last night, Jens Lekman played a sold-out show at Webster Hall with his back-up ensemble. And, he is every bit as silly and funny in real life as he is in some of his songs.
Jens started out the night with a small request, asking the audience not to record any videos to put up on YouTube. No videos have popped up yet, but who knows if people actually listened to him. From there, he transitioned into a song about cutting out the bullshit, "I'm Leaving You Because I Don't Love You." Jens played some new songs, songs off of the amazing Night Falls Over Kortedala, and older material off of When I Said I Wanted To Be Your Dog and Oh You're So Silent, Jens, a compilation of his EPs. "New Directions" is a new song that Jens wrote when he left Kortedala for the last time. Apparently, the roads in Kortedala form some sort of labyrinth. While it's easy to end up inside, it's hard to get out. So, cab drivers request that passengers come prepared with Google map directions. These Google directions were the inspiration for his new song.
Jens' antics continued with his many entertaining stories and commentaries. One of the most memorable moments was when Jens told us about a show he played in Florence. He told the crowd how nice he thought Florence was and how much enjoyed being there. Apparently, this turned out to be a huge mistake. Two guys approached him after the show, and they were all worked up because Jens said that their city was a nice place. So, in New York, Jens was not taking any chances. With a deadpan face, Jens said, "Fuck you, New York." He went on to complain about the pigeons and tall buildings. It was quite endearing. My favorite performance was an extended version of "A Postcard to Nina." The song itself is a great anecdote, and Jens made it even better with extra details and quotes. And, yes, it is a true story.
To add to the credibility of his live show, Jens Lekman completely won over the crowd and convinced them to play along with him. The New York crowd is not very impressionable, but they were still singing, whistling, clapping, and snapping along with Jens. Although he had band members on drums, bass, violin, cello, saxophone, trumpet, and a laptop, Jens played a few songs by himself. Friday Night at the Drive-In Bingo, one of the songs, was completely transformed with the audience whistling the instrumental melody. The crowd also provided vocal support during Pocketful of Money, singing "I'll come running with my heart on fire."
The only disappointing part of the show last night was when it came to an end. I would have been happier if Jens continued to play for another hour or two. Basically, if he had performed every single song he had ever written, I would have been ecstatic. Also, I would have loved to have seen him perform "Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig," but it was a great show, nonetheless. Jens invited the entire crowd to a house party in Brooklyn, where he planned to continue playing. You can find coverage on the house party here. Last time he played in New York, he wanted to continue his show at Union Square. Unfortunately, he didn't know where it was or how to get there. Oh, Jens.
We all need a little (or a lot) of Jens in our lives.
Playing an imaginary triangle at the end of "The Opposite of Hallelujah."
Making airplanes with their arms during "Sipping on the Sweet Nectar" (I think? Please correct me if I'm wrong).
A Postcard to Nina - Jens Lekman
Kanske Ar Jag Kar I Dig - Jens Lekman
Your Arms Around Me - Jens Lekman
A Sweet Summer's Night on Hammer Hill - Jens Lekman
Dirty on Purpose - Mercury Lounge 04.04.08
Yes, that is a nipple on that bottle.
I first heard of Dirty on Purpose back in 2006 when they were on the line-up for The Village Voice's Siren Music Festival. Stars, one of my favorite bands, were co-headlining the festival with the Scissor Sisters, so I trekked my way down to Coney Island. However, I didn't get there early enough to catch Dirty on Purpose.
To be honest, the show didn't live up to my expectations. Mainly, the instrumentals were just way too loud, and the vocals were too soft. I really think everything could have sounded a lot cleaner instead of being so muddled. It's really a shame because some of their recorded stuff is quite good. Also, they didn't perform "Girls and Sunshine," which is by far my favorite Dirty on Purpose song. In fact, they didn't play any of their really old stuff from their debut EP, Sleep Late for a Better Tomorrow. Maybe my lack of excitement for the opening acts led me to become less enthusiastic about the headline. I thought I would be more appropriately rewarded for standing through a couple painful acts. All I have to say about the opening acts is that...having an experimental style does not mean you have to make music that sounds bad.
Dirty on Purpose recently released two EPs, Like Bees and Dead Volcanoes. Dead Volcanoes is available for free download at RCRDLBL.com.
Setlist
These Days (?)
Audience
Light Pollution
Hard to Tell You
Leaving
Always Looking
Marfa Lights
The Thing about Getaways
Ways to Drown
Canned Fumes
Girls and Sunshine
Hard to Tell You - Dirty on Purpose
Audience - Dirty on Purpose
