Blogged about Thao back in February. I was lucky enough to catch Thao with The Get Down Stay Down at Sound Fix Records in Williamsburg. And, it was free (donations welcome)! Thao filled this cozy venue on a sunny Easter afternoon, with most people sitting at small tables or large, pew-like booths. And, yes, Thao commented on the appropriateness of the pews on this particular day.
I was surprised by how much energy this hand-clapping, feet-stomping folk band had on a (holy) Sunday afternoon. Of course, the beer and wine probably helped. Also, surprisingly, Thao had some great commentary between songs. For one, the crowd and the venue reminded her of RENT; she expected us to break out in "La Vie Boheme" at any second. Before performing "Bag of Hammers" (I think), she told us that if we wanted to break out in choreographed dance, this song would be the one for it. The best story was about a recent show they played at a college. Apparently, the venue was a student-run, converted garage-stage. And by garage-stage, she meant that the cars were taking out of the garage. Anyway, while they were playing "Swimming Pools," some girls in the front took off their shirts and were dancing like they were in Cancun. The irony is that the song is about the exact opposite of that.
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down played the Music Hall of Williamsburg tonight. They are currently on tour with Xiu Xiu.
***At the request of Thao's record label, Kill Rock Stars, I've taken down the posted songs. Instead, I've put up some songs from Thao's Daytrotter session. Check out Thao's myspace and my past post for more music.
Fear and Convenience (Daytrotter) - Thao with The Get Down Stay Down
Big Kid Table (Daytrotter) - Thao with The Get Down Stay Down
March 23, 2008
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - Sound Fix Records 03.23.08
February 11, 2008
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down
For whatever reason, I am not really a fan of female artists/vocalists, with the exception of Cat Power. So, I was skeptical when
a friend (Thanks, David!) introduced me to We Brave Bee Stings and All, the latest Thao album. However, I trust my friend's tastes in music so I checked out their myspace. And now, I am completely hooked.
A singer/songwriter from Virginia, Thao Nguyen is backed by The Get Down Stay Down, a 3-piece band. Maybe it's because they're not from Brooklyn, but Thao with The Get Down Stay Down is surprisingly refreshing. The Midwestern girl in me cannot resist the charm of the banjo. Some of the songs off We Brave Bee Stings and All are a little too poppy for my tastes (i.e. "Bag of Hammers"), but "Swimming Pools" is definitely the highlight of the album. Can you ever have too much banjo? No, you can't, and that's why I love that song.
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down is currently on tour in the U.S. Check out the dates here. If I had known about them a week earlier, I could have seen them at the Knitting Factory. But, alas, I missed them. Thankfully, they're coming back on March 23 (Music Hall of Williamsburg).
So after saying I didn't really like female artists/vocalists and that Feist is completely overrated, I stumbled upon this pleasant surprise. Just enough to change my mind about female artists...but not about Feist.
***At the request of Thao's record label, Kill Rock Stars, I've taken down the posted songs. Instead, I've put up some songs from Thao's Daytrotter session. Check out Thao's myspace and my most recent post on Thao for more music.
Geography (Daytrotter) - Thao with The Get Down Stay Down
Feet Asleep (Daytrotter) - Thao with The Get Down Stay Down
