Portugal. The Man Concert Review: Wednesday, March 24

Okay, so I wrote a review for Vox, but writing it in my own non-Vox-voice words is so much more fun.

Portugal. The Man was aaamazing last night. One of the best concerts I've been to (and I attend concerts almost on a weekly basis... That's a big deal). I was also alone, because my friends went to see the Wailers instead, but I didn't care. Fog poured out of the stage, and the four members jammed for at least an hour and a half. And that's exactly what it was -- jamming. They took all of their already amazing songs and added a live spin to each one.

Their six albums are all very different, but they were somehow able to play a continuous set that jumped from album to album while still remaining coherent. They played everything back to back, choosing a poppy song from American Ghetto, a blues-y track from Church Mouth, and then immediately flowing through to an indie-alternative pick from Satanic Satanist.

The group played each of my favorites, "Do You", "People Say", "The Dead Dog" and "Shade" being some of them, and the crowd was crazy. The band utilized lasers, fog, heavy guitar solos and really never took a break. I fell in love, just slightly, last night. Listen to this band, please. They are awesome.

AND they retweeted my review from Vox. I cannot contain my excitement. That means they probably read it. And their fans are going to read it. And then John Gourley or Zachary Carothers is going to come find me and profess his love for me. Probably. Just saying. 

Upcoming Concerts

I was glancing over the Blue Note and Mojo's Web sites today, (the two major concert venues in Columbia, the Blue Note being larger and hosts more popular bands,) and a few things struck me. I really enjoy lists, which you will come to learn if you continue to read my blog, so here is my list for the day.

1. First of all, I'm excited about the band KCOU was able to get for Summerfest (which is the free show that the local student-run radio station presents every summer). Of Montreal will be playing on May 26. OF MONTREAL. And it's free. My freshman year I believe they had The Walkmen, before their newest album and their new surge in popularity, and there was no one in the crowd (my friend and I went and shouted things at the lead singer, Hamilton, because I was mildly obsessed with them back in high school, but we were just two obnoxious girls in a crowd of 20). Of Montreal played a sold-out show last year in Columbia, and now KCOU got them. I'm really just angry that I will not be here. Granted, I'll be on a plane to London so I have no right to complain, but Of Montreal... Their live shows are epic. Everyone who will be in town needs to go.

Watch: Of Montreal -- An Eluardian Instance. I love this song, but this live show isn't as crazy as ones I've seen in the past. Last year they came out in animal costumes and bizarre clothing, with random dancers in the back. It was ridiculous(ly awesome).

2. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros will be in Columbia on June 15, and Dawes will open for them. I'm obsessed with this band. I found them randomly on a blog a few months back, and they're awesome. They have some country twangs, but I would mostly categorize their music as indie-folk (whatever that means). Again, I'm super upset I'm not going to be in town, but I will be in Greece by June 15... Listening to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros on a beach on Serifos, a Greek southern island.

Download: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros -- Home

3. Local Natives plays Mojo's May 19. They're amazing. I've been listening to them since their Daytrotter session last spring, (the best blog in the world. They have bands come into their studios to play a set of tracks that they then give out for free to readers). But I've become mildly obsessed since then. "Who Knows Who Cares" and "Airplanes" are both amazing, but "World News" sucked me in.

Download: Local Natives -- World News AND Airplanes (from Daytrotter. Then spend an hour listening and downloading the various bands that they have. It's worth it, I promise).

Portugal. The Band

Time for a shameless plug.

Here is the article I wrote for Vox Magazine on Portugal. The Man coming to Columbia!

Enjoy. And, go to their show on Wednesday night. I will be there!

Road Trip

Music makes a road trip (especially if I'm alone, on a 6 1/2 hour road trip through the Midwest). Here are the best songs to get you through that awful, lonely experience.

1. Play Rogue Wave when you first get on the road to set the pace of your trip and get your mind off the hours you have ahead of you. (Even the police realize that driving 65 mph through the entire state of Illinois is cruel and unusual punishment).

Watch: Rogue Wave -- Permalight (They come to Columbia April 20 -- I hope they let us up on stage like this...)

2. Listen to TV on the Radio when a jerk cuts you off and then drives slower than the speed limit you were at instead of ramming him off the road giving him the finger.

Download: TV on the Radio -- DLZ

3. Have a dance party with Bloc Party to keep yourself awake when you get tired by the third hour of your trip.

Watch: Bloc Party -- Hunting for Witches (one of my favorites, but really any Bloc Party will do).

4. The coffee (a venti iced coffee, maybe?) you got at the crappy gas station a half hour ago is setting in, and you may or may not be contemplating your life (or what I'm going to do once I get back home). Rilo Kiley might be depressing at times, but Jenny Lewis has quite a few important things to say.

Download: Rilo Kiley -- The Good That Won't Come Out

5. Listen to Bon Iver while you're crossing the inevitable bridge (or 4, which is the amount I pass from Chicago to Columbia). This is a fear for most (aka my biggest fear. Except today I learned a new fear. A tire flew off a truck directly in front of me. The tire literally flew through the air and hit the windshield of my car.  The smell of burning rubber lasted for miles after that). Justin Vernon's voice is so soothing, it'll calm your nerves even over big bodies of water (the Mississippi River. Or the canyon between St. Louis and Columbia that I drive over for a mere five minutes, but one swift jerk of the steering wheel, and I'd fall hundreds of feet to my death).

Watch: Bon Iver -- Skinny Love (the song that got me, and the rest of the world, obsessed with this band. I would post a free download, but seeing them play is just something else. Youtube the crap outta them, for real. And, he's just sooo hot...)

6. Do a pee dance to some Radiohead to ignore and suppress that venti coffee that is pressing on your bladder. You're about a half hour from home, so there's no point in adding ten minutes to your travel time (might not be the smartest idea, but that's where the pee dance comes into play).

Watch: Radiohead -- 15 Step (and see a very entertaining messed-up Thom Yorke thrash around on stage. He even forgets a few of the lyrics).

Hope you enjoyed my road trip play list!

Fun fact of the day: There is a Paul Simon Freeway in Illinois outside of St. Louis. Maybe it's because I'm not the biggest fan of Paul Simon, but whaaaat?

Muse Concert Review: Friday, March 12

The Muse concert was amazing. Unfortunately, my sister and I did not get to the venue until an hour after the doors opened, and Silversun Pickups had already finished their performance. I was really surprised, because it was at a huge arena and usually bands don't start until about an hour after doors open, but oh well. I would've loved to see them, but Muse made up for it. I've only seen them live once, and it was at Lollapalooza back in '07, so I try to see my favorites live not just at the big festivals.

They opened the set with their new single "Uprising," unsurprisingly, and played their entire new album. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the new album, The Resistance; I just don't think it really compares to Absolution or Black Holes and Revelations. The band played their big songs, which, if you don't know Muse, check out Guitar Hero. ("Supermassive Black Hole," "Knights of Cydonia" and "Stockholm Syndrome"? It's sad how good music is only learned through video games). My personal favorites, "Time is Running Out" "Starlight" and "Map of the Problematique" were what carried the performance for me. They missed a couple of their better songs, I think, and really, this band has lost some of my love after I waited three years for their newest album and it did not reach my expectations.

They have so many guitar solos and instrumental pieces, which is fine for some bands, but at times I don't think the instrumental talent carries the attention of the audience and it can get repetitive. Their lyrics and riffs just don't cut it in the new album. But the light show, their energy, all that Muse is and has been for 10 years remained intact. The stadium was packed, and my favorite person of the evening was the drunk girl next to me who danced the whole two hours and literally knew every word to the songs the band played. They have a strong following, so although this wasn't my favorite concert of all time, at least some people think Muse can do no wrong.

Download (bottom of page): Muse--Time is Running Out

MUSE AND SILVERSUN PICKUPS TOMORROW NIGHT.

I'm really excited.
Pictures, video, rave reviews will follow.

Hello World.

I have decided to make a music blog. Really, because it's required it one of my journalism classes, but don't get me wrong, I do really love music.

It's not going to be formal, because I have a hard time maintaining any types of formality. Hopefully at least one person out there enjoys my completely eclectic taste in music, because not only do I love music friends but I'm pretty sure the analytics of this thing are part of my grade..

I've been listening to quite a bit of new music lately. I've gotten more into Vampire Weekend's newest album, Contra, but the band I'm currently obsessed with is Portugal. The Man. This is partly because I interviewed the bassist, Zachary Carothers, who is the most down-to-earth person I've ever met, but they're really just an amazing band. All of their youtube videos are them just jamming, having a good time, and Carothers spoke to me for 45 minutes about his tour, his back injury and his life. Their newest album, American Ghetto, came out on March 2, but Satanic Satanist is still my favorite (probably because I have yet to completely get into the new one yet). They're coming to Columbia on the 24, and I'm stoked (also because I'm secretly hoping to meet Carothers and the entire band... He told me to introduce myself...)

Download (bottom of the page): Portugal. The Man: The Sun

I also just purchased Rogue Wave's Permalight and am having a hard time saying bad things about it. Pitchfork didn't look too kindly on the album, because they said it was too cheery and lost their edge, but Rogue Wave is a happy band. You can't make an album with Zach Rogue singing that isn't somewhat optimistic. Pitchfork is blaming it on Zach Rogue's brush with death after two discs slipped in his neck, but you try making a depressing album after you've just found out that you're not in fact going to be paralyzed for the rest of your life.

Download (bottom of the page): Rogue Wave: Right With You