2008 Q4 Concert Reviews

While I'm supposed to be tracking the music I listened to and saw in 2008, I've done a pretty poor job since the summer.  This post is going to be more about documenting it for my own recollection than anything super enticing.  For that, we have Woody's Neil Diamond Vegas Show Review to look forward to!

The Loom at The Bell House

I made my every few months trek to see The Loom in Brooklyn during CMJs at The Bell House.  I was taken by the beauty of this recently opened venue and keep saying that I need to return to the venue again.  There was a great mix of music playing at the storefront with a cozy bar and comfortably old and eclectic seating throughout the front room.  There's a great alcove in the back of the performance space by the soundboard if you just want to slightly escape from the crowd with someone.  I was exhausted after The Loom's set and eager to walk back to my car and get home to Connecticut, so I missed the final act, although one of the girls looked like Mel, causing me to text Brett, who really thought that I got to see Mel play during the magic of CMJ.  (And yes, us FotC fans are ready to go with the new season!)

Check out the band's myspace above as they have a good amount of New York gigs in January, including a residency at Piano's.  And check out my favorite song below.

The Loom - All Your Famous Friends

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals at The Apollo

When I emailed sometime concert buddy about this show, his response was, "I'm there--now I don't have to get dressed up for Halloween and go to some party!"  Only he didn't plan for the traffic delays that would come from the Village's Halloween Parade.  While I sat outside enjoying the kids' costumes on the Upper West Side, Sam slowly made his way to pick me up and we made our way to The Apollo for the first time.  We made our way to our seats during a fantastically drawn out version of "Goodnight Rose."  It was a beautiful show, stopped by the curfew rules at 11 (preventing the band from their planned closing of Halloween Head).  Sam and I both said how nice it was to enjoy a rock show with some extended songs and a band that plays so well together.  I may be biased, but I've been in love with Ryan's stuff ever since he officially partnered with the Cardinals on the last few albums.  Now I'm debating about grabbing a ticket to his show in New Haven later this month.  

1. Cobwebs

2. Everybody Knows

3. Born Into A Light 

4. Fix It

5. Natural Ghost 

6. Goodnight Rose

7. Sun Also Sets

8. Rescue Blues

9. Peaceful Valley

10. Bartering Lines

11. Wonderwall 

12. Dear John

13. Go Easy

(intermission)

14. Let It Ride

15. Desire

16. Grand Island

17. Sink Ships

18. Evergreen

19. Please Do Not Let Me Go

20. Two

21. Magick

22. Cold Roses

23. Shakedown on 9th Street

24. Freeway to The Canyon 

25. Crossed Out Name

26. Like Yesterday

27. Stop

(PS  Ryan was really into wardrobe changes/adjustments this show.  It reminded me of the ND-BC game where I probably wore the entire Adidas line throughout the game as I just couldn't find the right temperature.  The Adidas rep, Molly, was loving the TV coverage, though.)

Ryan Adams - Cobwebs (Live)

Cloud Cult at The Bowery

My flight from San Francisco got into JFK around five, I texted Jeff to remind him about the show and headed downtown, even to Jody's protests about the painting.  Jody--the painting was so good that Jeff even bought one, so there!  I've still never really gotten into any of Cloud Cult's opening bands, although the blogs were loving Mason Proper's performance.   As much as Jody  loves to hate on Cloud Cult, I love their lyrics and was enjoying the show, even if we were way in the back since Jeff got in late.

I loved that they closed the encore with Take Your Medicine, then after the show I rambled on about Connecticut and Tapes 'n Tapes with the bassist, before chatting with Connie Minowa, while Jeff figured out how to get the painting into the Yaris.   Plus the bartender at The Bowery recognized my Bag bag and she has 4!  Wow.  I talked a lot that night.

Cloud Cult - Love You All (I recorded this at their spring show, such a beautiful song for an encore)

Set List

Brain Gateway

No One Said It Would Be Easy*

Chemicals Collide

Everybody Here Is a Cloud

When Water Comes to Life

Million Things

That Man Jumped Out the Window

Pretty Voice

Some dum ditty song that I'm unsure of

The Ghost Inside Our House

Bobby's Suitcase

Journey of the Featherless

Start New

Love You All

Grandson of Jesus

The Tornado Lessons

Transistor Radio

Take Your Medicine

*This might not really be the song, as I wrote down EHIAC twice.  Sometimes I am not a good concert set list keeper

Vampire Weekend at Terminal 5

Everyone loves to hate on this band, but it always takes me back to my Hawaii trip in February, as it was the perfect island soundtrack.  While our work holiday party the previous night did Sam in, I still headed to the concert.  I was happy to see The Teenagers again.  They're completely irreverent and goofy in a I want to laugh at them, but they're French and I never really got into that whole Freedom Fries thing way, so I'm not going to.  

Either way, they always make their shows fun.  I'd seen them in Hoboken in the spring and the small crowd was familiar with their lyrics, so I got such a kick out of watching people's mouths fall open as the band broke into Homecoming.  It turns out that the lead singer, Quentin, had invited some 15 year olds onto stage to sing a few days before, so they wanted to make sure that everyone was 18 and legal before joining the sing and dance along.  

I get to a good variety of shows around here and hardly anyone dances.  It was great to be a few rows back from the stage and watching everyone dancing during Vampire Weekend's set.  The Teenagers were peeping out of the curtains on the second floor and dancing with the crowd and each other.  And the band brought a string section out for a bit and we all know how I love strings!  Hate them all you like, but it was a fun show and anyone could use a reminder of Hawaii in early December.

Below are the two songs that closed the encore.  (Sorry, there's dancing, but the sound is good :) )

A cover of Fleetwood Mac's Everywhere

Walcott

Hot Chip & Peter Gabriel - Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Cover)

Vampire Weekend's Set List

Mansard Roof

Campus

Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa

I Stand Corrected

New Song

Bryn

Boston

A-Punk

One (Blake's Got a New Face)

The Kids Don't Stand a Chance

m79

New Song

New Song

Oxford Comma

Everywhere

Walcott

The Teenagers' Set List

Starlett Johannson

Feeling Better

Fuck Nicole

Love No

Make It Happen

Homecoming

Streets of Paris