Nine Inch Nails
NIN began the European leg of their tour, added some new old tracks ("Closer" and one or two others) and a new intro combining "The Downward Spiral" and "The New Flesh". Plus, a new stage set up that resembles a portable Tension. The bits and pieces I've seen look very interesting and I hope they carry this over to the U.S., perhaps with some better song choices.
And, speaking of the US, it was announced that Soundgarden will precede NIN on their tour.
Which is good because it means I can skip them, but bad because of the clusterfuck exodus.
One thing is for sure: I will never see Death Grips perform live.
And I'm kind of okay with that, as everything I've heard from them sounds like either people or machines trying to poop.
And, speaking of the US, it was announced that Soundgarden will precede NIN on their tour.
Which is good because it means I can skip them, but bad because of the clusterfuck exodus.
One thing is for sure: I will never see Death Grips perform live.
And I'm kind of okay with that, as everything I've heard from them sounds like either people or machines trying to poop.
Beck
Gearing up to start his "ALL OF THE GUITARS/NONE OF THE STRINGS"
world tour later this month.
In a month, I'll let you know how his Central Park set was.
world tour later this month.
In a month, I'll let you know how his Central Park set was.
They Might Be Giants
Well. They released Idlewild and mentioned, again, that they're working on those two new albums, so...more soon, I hope.
Cake
So, remember that thing about Cake releasing all their albums on vinyl, including their unreleased live album?
I put in my order for said live album and a t-shirt that was bundled with it. I never received an order confirmation so I sent the people distributing it a message informing them.
They sent back "ordr cnfrmd! thx!".
I took that to mean that everything was cool, so I sat back and waited for my record.
A few days later, a package arrived, but, it wasn't what I'd ordered, the single live album on vinyl...it was the whole set of all their albums on vinyl, including the live album and t-shirt. I checked my bank account to see if I had been charged for this thing that I hadn't planned on buying but, no, they'd only charged me for the single record.
Guys...if you want me to start writing about you again, while this is a really solid start, the best way to go about it is to write and release some new music.
I really, really appreciate the thought though.
Cake
So, remember that thing about Cake releasing all their albums on vinyl, including their unreleased live album?
I put in my order for said live album and a t-shirt that was bundled with it. I never received an order confirmation so I sent the people distributing it a message informing them.
They sent back "ordr cnfrmd! thx!".
I took that to mean that everything was cool, so I sat back and waited for my record.
A few days later, a package arrived, but, it wasn't what I'd ordered, the single live album on vinyl...it was the whole set of all their albums on vinyl, including the live album and t-shirt. I checked my bank account to see if I had been charged for this thing that I hadn't planned on buying but, no, they'd only charged me for the single record.
Guys...if you want me to start writing about you again, while this is a really solid start, the best way to go about it is to write and release some new music.
I really, really appreciate the thought though.
Eels
Saw Eels just last night at the Apollo Theater *.
After a most intriguing and incongruous performance from the dark, electronic, and sullen Chelsea Wolfe, who performed songs (read "dirges") from her latest release, Pain Is Beauty **, Eels took the stage. While this was, again, not my favorite Eels show, the audience was treated to yet another original instrumental line up, featuring a xylophone, melodica, cello and upright bass and trumpet along with some guitar, drums and E on piano. The end result was like listening to a version of Daisies of the Galaxy from some alternate reality. A very beautiful, mellow show, which included E poking fun at himself for the darker tone of the songs he was playing at the start.
Highlights included excellent new interpretations of "Fresh Feeling","My Beloved Monster" and "I Like Birds", as well as It's A Motherfucker", "Last Stop: This Town" (I'd love to hear the original arrangement live some day), and "A Daisy Through Concrete".
And E going into the crowd and hugging individual people for a good minute or two.
This show also had one of my favorite openings I've seen thus far: E, standing in a lone spotlight, singing Leigh Harline's "When You Wish Upon A Star".
Absolutely. Heartbreaking.
Saw Eels just last night at the Apollo Theater *.
After a most intriguing and incongruous performance from the dark, electronic, and sullen Chelsea Wolfe, who performed songs (read "dirges") from her latest release, Pain Is Beauty **, Eels took the stage. While this was, again, not my favorite Eels show, the audience was treated to yet another original instrumental line up, featuring a xylophone, melodica, cello and upright bass and trumpet along with some guitar, drums and E on piano. The end result was like listening to a version of Daisies of the Galaxy from some alternate reality. A very beautiful, mellow show, which included E poking fun at himself for the darker tone of the songs he was playing at the start.
Highlights included excellent new interpretations of "Fresh Feeling","My Beloved Monster" and "I Like Birds", as well as It's A Motherfucker", "Last Stop: This Town" (I'd love to hear the original arrangement live some day), and "A Daisy Through Concrete".
And E going into the crowd and hugging individual people for a good minute or two.
This show also had one of my favorite openings I've seen thus far: E, standing in a lone spotlight, singing Leigh Harline's "When You Wish Upon A Star".
Absolutely. Heartbreaking.
After the show, I hit upon something explaining why I'm more excited about Eels' live shows than any of my other favorite bands: with Eels, nothing is impossible. With other bands there are certain songs they have to play and certain songs they will never play. Nine Inch Nails will never play "The Perfect Drug" live. They Might Be Giants will never play "Nightgown of the Sullen Moon" live. *** Aside from "I Like Birds" and "My Beloved Monster" (each one different every time I've seen them), I don't think I've ever heard a single song played at every show, and never twice in a row. It's because Eels doesn't have a "Head Like A Hole" or a "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)", or, rather, they do. It's "Novocaine For The Soul", but E made it very clear to folks that he's not planning on being restricted by what the audience wants to hear. If he plays "Novocaine", it's going to be on his terms, or not at all. The first and only time he's played anything closely resembling the original 1996 version was just last year. And guess what...hearing it live was fucking incredible. Because the song is amazing and because fans have been waiting for almost twenty years to hear it in such a fashion.
Who knew that patience really does pay off?
And that's about it.
I'm seeing Damon Albarn this Sunday at Irving Plaza, so that should be pretty amazing.
More on that after the fact.
* Am I required, by law, to say "world famous" after "the" and before "Apollo"? Because everyone who works there apparently is.
** Yes, my tongue was firmly in my cheek while typing that album title.
*** Except for the one time they played it in 1995.
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