Sunday, December 20, 2009

playing ketchup: shows.

these are the various shows that i have been to since moving home. (one was in utah).
here we go.

the weekend that i moved home i got to see two sweet bands that i had yet to see. the first was the day after i got home: Band of Horses


on 8/29/09 i went to the fox theater in pomona, ca (near the famous or un-famous glass house)


they rocked it for a great set and a great summer evening back in southern california. i went with three of my younger sisters. they are amazing live and if you haven't had a chance to see them you totally should.

the following monday (8/31/09) i saw Bat For Lashes


at the music box @ the fonda in hollywood, ca.


wow. that is about all i can say about this performer. it reminded me of the time that i saw imogen heap in salt lake. i didn't know what to expect at either show. yeah they sound great on their albums and i love their music but it was amazing! they totally had me (and anne) blown away from the beginning all the way until the end of the night.

ps to this show. i think we saw amy madigan (the mom from field of dreams, and uncle buck) there. i don't know who else it could have been.


the next show that i went to cost less for me to travel all the way to salt lake then to see them in california. i wasn't quick enough to get tickets to see them here in california and it would have cost me more then $400 by the time i got around to getting the tickets. on 9/28/09 i returned to utah and saw Pearl Jam


at the e center.


I was a little hesitant but was quickly blown away by these guys. they had such great energy and eddie vedder's bottle of wine loosened him (and some lucky front row fans) up for the show. One good thing about the shows that they put on now is the fact that they have tons of material that they can play. on the setlist were some songs that you would expect and are almost staples to pearl jam; but they also hit you with some others that you wouldn't think would make the setlist. i went with jared shores and we were up the whole time and jamming with the pearl. great show.

october 10, 2009 was an amazing day in my concert going experience. i went with justin and anne to a MuteMath show at the new club nokia in downtown los angeles.


this was one of the most amazing shows in my life. they had me racking the whole time. and i didn't have to deal with all the little kids that were their to support there new favorite band just because they appeared on the twilight soundtrack.


okay. during the show. things like this were not uncommon:


also, at the end of the encore the drummer was going crazy and took his bass drum to the crowd and had them hold it. then he got on top of the drum, waved his arms around and hyped up the crowd (as if the gesture of him standing on his bass drum wasn't enough) and then he dove into the crowd. i mean, whoa! my mind is still blown every time that i think about the awesomeness.


the temper trap


at the roxy in hollywood was the next show.


they are of the "sweet disposition" fame that is on the soundtrack for the film (500) Days of Summer. They are an australian based band. they have been constantly making a name for themselves and have performed all over the world. check out their debut album entitled conditions. very good. i saw them with anne and afton. thanks to afton for getting the tickets and making it a special night with the two of them.

okay. the next show with anne was on the 23rd of october at the el rey theater


that featured ben gibbard (death cab for cutie, the postal service) and jay farrar (irving) performing songs from the film One Fast Move or I'm Gone.


it was a good show and they both performed solo stuff and stuff that they had written together for the film. a highlight for me was a non-electronic version of the song "couches in alleys" that ben gibbard did with a band called styrofoam off of their album nothing's lost. it was a very good show and was glad that i got to see one of the very special engagements of the tour.

next was the Pinback show that i saw on 11/14/09.


this was a return to the el rey and i have to admit that i was happy to return and see a show there because i knew the lay out and had a feel for the venue already. i went solo on this one, which was weird since it was the first time in a long time (if ever) that that had happened. they incorporated a lot of video to go with their show and even played some music vids in the background as they played their hearts out. they both have many side projects that it was a good thing i saw them now and didn't wait until the next album (because who knows when that will be).

high voltage rock was blasted into my ears on the 24th of november by an aussie band called Wolfmother


at the wiltern theater.


they played an awesome set and a few surprises hit me as i was at the show. there were some celebrities there. first there was slash:


you may have beaten him in the guitar hero game where he is one of the bosses. well, he and andrew stockdale (wolfmother vocalist) wrote a song for slash's upcoming album slash and friends they blasted our ears and shredded our faces better then the shredder even could have.


but that is not all. when i turned around to face the rear of the venue because there were some very friendly people next to me, i saw the man behind the rise of snowboarding success in the united states (if not the world).


yes, shaun white was there being shredded by guitars instead of shredding the mountains of the world. then, on new years eve this duo came full circle as i was watching travis pastrana jump a subaru in long beach they kept playing a promo for Project X and my ears were soothed by the sounds of wolfmother as i watched shaun white snowboard in his very own half-pipe. and the world was right again.

(that was a lot of talk of shredding. i am sorry)

the 9th show on this tour was a stop at the orpheum theater with anne again.


this time we were on our way to see Zero 7 for the first time.


after missing opportunities in the past to see them i could not let them come and go another time without me seeing them. they played for 2 hours straight almost and at one point went into a trance and played these groovy beats and electro-mental pieces that made even the oldest and most uncoordinated people stand up and dance. they also have the singers on their albums come with on the tours to support because the two guys that make up zero 7 usually just provide the music. but, we also showed up early to catch the openers and i was pleasantly surprised/blown away/awestruck/in love with Phantogram.


phantogram played a great set and really set the mood for zero 7. between performances i went out and bought the ep and have been listening to it ever since. their lp "eyelid movies" is coming out soon and you should really look into them.

so that is where i have been. the next show will be at the el rey theater (once again) on the 13th of february, but this time to support Sea Wolf and The Album Leaf who will both be touring together in select cities to support their new albums "white water, white bloom" (which is already out) and "a chorus of storytellers" (out the 2nd of february) respectfully.


sea wolf


the album leaf

5 comments:

Greg said...

You show junkie. I'm jealous.

ANNwithanE said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ANNwithanE said...

i'm glad we have our priorities straight: spending all our hard-earned cash to hear some sweet tunes...who do you think we'll run into on the 13th? i hope the REAL shawn spencer shows up :)

afton said...

too much goodness for one post. i'm also trying not to hate you for seeing all these shows without me. being in school blows.

Amanda said...

so glad that i was able to accompany you to the wolfmother concert and see shaun white.i have to admit i kept turning around after we found out it was him.