Solange @ Webster Hall

When: February 25th, 2013

Mathew & Tina Knowles must be some seriously proud parents.  Their first daughter, Beyonce, is one of the biggest superstars on the planet.  Her music has brought joy to countless people around the world.  I mean, who hasn't had a blast dancing to Single Ladies?  Not only is Beyonce a world class performer, she's a beast on the business side, working her tail off and empowering women with her success.  At the same time, she seems to be a genuinely warm spirit and loving mother.  Whether you like her music or not, it's tough to hate on Mrs. Carter.  Now, Beyonce's little sister, Solange, is charting her own course in music.  After reading her bio, there are big differences between her and B, but the core values are the same.  Solange is beautiful inside and out, values her independence, sings like a bird, is a fashion trendsetter, and calls her child the center of her universe.  Their mother and father, recently divorced, did one hell of a job.  Mathew Knowles is a music executive and Tina Knowles is a fashion designer.  Together they raised a pair of incredible women who fuse both of their talents.  They should seriously consider putting out a book on parenting.  Bravo. 

The first thing my wife and I noticed when we arrived at Webster Hall was how fashionable everyone was.  I know I'm getting a bit long in the tooth and I wouldn't ever claim to have my finger on the pulse of fashion, but I know enough to know that this was the most fashion forward crowd I've seen at a show this year.  Maybe ever.  From head to toe, folks were decked out.  I wished I had an actual camera to take shots of the crowd (buying one soon).  It was so impressive, we posted up near the light of the back bar just to see what people were wearing.  Solange models for Madewell and has become something of a trendsetter.  Clearly, most of her fans also know how to put a look together.  Me?  Not so much. 

When Solange took the stage we stayed put.  It was a sell out (2nd for Solange at WH in less than a week) and we weren't up for trying to pierce the swelling mass.  From the get go it was apparent the place was filled with adoring fans.  The first notes of her songs were greeted with boisterous cheers.  Every time she dipped while dancing, the place shouted approval.  The band joined in throughout the set, sliding back and forth like vintage Morris Day & The Time.  

It's unfair to compare her to her big sister, but impossible not to.  Where Beyonce is one big grand finale, Solange is a less is more performer.  First, her music has more space within it.  She's joined forces with UK producer Dev Hynes and their collaboration has birthed a sound influenced by 80s new wave and the sound of The S.O.S. Band.  As opposed to wowing you with power, she has an ear for melody and knows how to use a delicate hand.  The second big difference is in her style.  Beyonce loves wind machines, showing off her body, and shiny costuming.  Solange is super stylish, but much more modest.  Lastly, there's the performance itself.  Solange dances quite a bit, but nothing choreographed, except maybe the back and forth with the band.  She dances when she feels like it and her moves are what you might see an audience member doing when they start feeling a song.  

Overall, Solange's show was a great time.  She sounded spot on, her band was tight, and the crowd ate it up.  She'll be in bigger venues soon, so it was a treat to catch her in such an intimate spot. 

Solange's EP, "True", is below to check out.  She's also got a full length dropping this summer.  In 2012, she signed with the Brooklyn indie label, Terrible Records, who also have Grizzly Bear and Twin Shadow in their stable.  Why an indie label?  She was seeking more creative control.  Just look at the two videos below.  "Losing You" is her making the decisions.  "TONY" was a major label trying to package her.  This is clearly a strong woman determined to do things her own way.  Oh, and she's also a mom who walks her son to school everyday.  Damn, those Knowles' girls are something else.  

"Losing You"

"TONY"

"Lovefool" Snippet - Solange, Beyonce, & Kelly Rowland

Chrysta Bell @ Le Poisson Rouge

When: February 22nd, 2013

It had been a long day when I dragged myself to Le Poisson Rouge to see Chrysta Bell.  I wanted nothing more than a glass of something strong, a seat with a good view of the stage, and a high quality musical performance.  18 year old Scottish whiskey?  Check.  A comfortable table near the front?  Check.  A show that made the day disappear and the night feel special?  Sadly, my third wish wasn't granted. 

What piqued my interest in Chrysta Bell was her ongoing collaboration with David Lynch.  They write songs together and he produces her music.  Mr. Lynch has a way with finding beautiful women and shaping them into something marvelous.  Sherilyn Fenn in Twin Peaks being just one example (and a favorite of mine).  I'd watched a couple of her videos and figured, "Why not? She's gotta have something."  

Chrysta took to the stage after a prerecorded introduction from Mr. Lynch.  He basically gave his stamp of approval with some humorous praise about her singing like a bird and being a one of a kind talent.  She looked stunning.  Long arms.  Gorgeous skin that seemed to glow.  Hair like she just stepped out of a high end salon or a shampoo commercial.  High heels at the bottom of her long legs and a tight dress clinging to her curves.  I mean, Chrysta was awfully nice to look at.  Sadly, her beauty far outshone her music. 

Over the course of her set, which was around an hour and fifteen minutes, there were a couple of songs that really worked.  Everything else was awful.  I mean, at one point, I was shielding my mouth to muffle the laughter.  Her voice wasn't her undoing.  She has a more than capable voice that at times reminded me of Beth Gibbons from Portishead.  It was her strangely awkward stage presence and boring songs that did her in. 

The photo above shows Chrysta singing through a sheer fabric she'd pulled over her head.  I'm sure she meant it to add a sense of mystery to the song.  Unfortunately, the band looked like they were falling asleep and the music never strayed from a super simple, disconnected lullaby.  She cooed into the mic looking like ET in his Halloween costume and mystifying no one, at least not in the way she'd hoped.  I knelt near the stage to take this shot and promptly made my way to the back of the place where I could chuckle discreetly.  

I don't feel good about skewering Chrysta's show.  I am always on the side of performer.  I'm the guy who gives 4 star music the 5 star stamp.  Over the years, I've been around a lot of musicians and made some music myself.  Creating something and performing it for people is commendable, no matter the outcome.  To her credit, Chrysta was appreciative of the audience, surprisingly humble, and gave a good effort.  Hopefully, she and David can find some magic as they continue to collaborate.  It could happen.  One of the only highlights of the show was a new number they just wrote that hasn't been released.  It was dark, melodic, and beautiful.  Sadly, over a third of the audience had already pulled the chute and floated out into the night when she performed it.  Me?  I stayed til the end.  

On the way home I stopped into a little diner near West 4th.  Diane, I tell ya, if you ever find yourself a stone's throw from the Blue Note, do yourself a favor and find this little hole in the wall.  Their pie is outrageous and they make a damn fine cup of coffee.  Oh, and keep an eye out for the Log Lady. 

 

Lee Fields & the Expressions @ Bowery Ballroom

When: February 15th, 2013

When most folks think of soul music they think of records cut decades ago by artists who are no longer with us.  Marvin Gaye.  Otis Redding.  Sam Cooke.  James Brown.  Curtis Mayfield.  Sure, their influence can be heard here and there in contemporary music, but the soul man seems to have gone the way of the dinosaur.  Well, I'm here to tell ya, they aren't all gone.  You just need to dig a little deeper.  Last year, I fell head over heels for Charles Bradley, who blew my mind at a show in Pittsburgh.  The other night my wife and I had the pleasure of seeing Lee Fields and the Expressions, another full on, no bullshit, real deal soul singer and his band. 

Jenny and I were dancing from the moment we entered the ballroom.  Ikebe Shakedown, pictured above, were the opening act and they had it cooking.  Band members took turns taking the lead over consistently tight bass and drums.  Afrobeat, funk, and jazz were melded together to make for one hell of a hip shaking set.  People were dancing and yelping in approval.  We were so impressed we picked up their self titled debut album at the merch table.  To read more about them, click HERE. 

 

Ikebe Shakedown got things heated up.  Lee Fields set the place on fire.  He came out looking sharp in a bright red suit jacket.  Over the course of his hour and a half set, he belted ballads while wiping away tears, sang to ladies in the front while holding their hands, spun circles and stopped on a dime while dancing, etc.  In interviews he talks about wanting to give people their money's worth.  He definitely delivered on Friday night.  It wasn't novelty or nostalgia.  It was authentic and sounded fresh.  It wasn't stiff and overly self aware.  It was fun and warm.  Lee didn't sound tired and old, he sounded invigorated and in his prime.  His joy was infectious.  Smiles were everywhere.  Almost everyone was dancing.  Lee repeatedly told the crowd, "I love you!"  It was obvious the feeling was mutual.  

At the end of the show, as the place screamed, he waved goodbye.  He slowly made his way to the small set of stairs stage left.  Suddenly, he spun back around, ran toward the mic, and began belting again.  The place went wild.  Then, he made his way toward the stairs again.  He waved.  The crowd screamed.  Again he ran back to the mic and let out a great wail straight from the soul.  This played out 4 or 5 times and summed up the overall vibe of the show.  He makes you fall in love with him and he gives that love right back.  We didn't want him to leave and he didn't want to go.  It felt like we'd all connected on a deep level.  That's what soul music is about and it's a beautiful thing when it's real.  

 

Lee's been doing his thing for over 40 years, but his isn't a story of times gone by.  He's making the best music of his career right now.  His band is incredible.  His voice is getting better with age.  Soul music isn't dead.  It's alive and well and lives in Lee Fields. 

Matmos @ Le Poisson Rouge

When: February 11th, 2013

Matmos is Drew Daniel and Martin Schmidt.  They are a highly experimental electronic music duo.  They are also a couple.  Theirs is a story that proves there is someone for everyone out there.  Before they met, both of them made sound collages on the cheap, maximizing what they could afford.  Both used six tape recorders to "track" music by playing the sounds on five and recording the mix onto the sixth.  They were each doing this at the same time in the early 90s.  It was soon after that they found each other.  

Martin and Drew were socially awkward and bullied as kids.  Both developed an interest in hardcore and industrial music.  Martin got a gig programming drums for a goth industrial band.  The other members wore a lot of dark make up and black leather.  Not Martin. He dressed like a suburban square.  Picture Drew Carey working the drum machines for Alien Sex Fiend.  One night his band was playing a warehouse party and he caught Drew's eye.  Not long after that, Drew caught Martin's attention when he was go-go dancing in a homemade, plastic fish jock strap.  Martin tucked a dollar into his g-string and the rest is history.  Now, decades later, they're a happy couple who've made, and continue to make, music that explores uncharted territory.  Calling them "made for each other" isn't cliche, it's a fact.

They've crafted over 10 albums, but Matmos have two things on their resume they're "known" for.  First, they were handpicked by Bjork (a big fan of theirs) to help in the creation of Vespertine, her stellar album from 2001.  The album was a major success.  They toured the world for over a year as part of her band.  I watched an interview where they admitted they were terrified at first.  They went from playing for tiny crowds in a microscene to sell out shows of thousands.  They also admit being happy when it ended so they could go back to doing whatever they pleased, as opposed to being hired guns. Watch the video above to see their performance of "Unison" with her at the Royal Opera House in London.

The second thing a music nerd may know about Matmos is their album "A Chance to Cut Is A Chance To Cure".  To create it, they went to plastic surgery clinics and recorded the sounds of things like bone saws, hearing tests and liposuction procedures.  They then matched these samples with things like a straw blowing bubbles in a bowl of water and a saxophone.  If that's not enough, there's a track on the album dedicated to their pet rat who had recently died and made from the sounds of them "playing" his cage.  Check out their video for "California Rhinoplasty" above.  It's a cut (pun intended) from the same album.

Le Poisson Rouge was packed from front to back.  I slithered my way to the bar and got a glass of this.  To my pleasant surprise, a french woman next to me complemented my choice of drink, pulled out some high end chocolate and broke off a hunk for yours truly.  A perfect pairing.  After thanking her and sharing a toast to good taste, I posted up stage left for what I knew would be a unique night. 

Matmos got things rolling with Very Large Green Triangles.  The lead guitarist from their opening band, Horse Lords, sat front and center donning a pair of headphones.  While he hummed and seemed to answer random questions he was being asked in the headphones, Matmos slowly constructed the music behind him.  Drew would occasionally stand up and spin with a brooding intensity, holding up a green glass triangle for all to see.  It made for a funny and surreal start to the performance.  Slowly the song took shape and grew until it reached a thumping peak of fuzz with green triangles popping up and flying across the projection screen.  Truly fun stuff. 

 

Over the course of their set they played a surprisingly diverse collection of styles.  They covered a hardcore song.  One selection sounded like Sun Ra doing acid jazz.  There was a big beat banger with an industrial vibe.  They even had a song end with a country sounding twang and a Johnny Cash sounding guitar.  Not only was the sound of the setlist diverse, so were the methods they used performing it.  The photo above shows Martin playing a balloon's hole.  He was manipulating the escaping air.  He did this with his hands and his mouth.  Then, after tying it a couple of times and getting some sounds from that process, he played the outside of the balloon with his fingers and palm.  Drew captured the sounds and manipulated them, looping them into a head knocking beat nothing short of genius.  They summed up their process in an interview I saw.  Martin is the food, Drew is the stomach, and the speakers are the ass.  

If you ever get the chance to check out Matmos in your area, I highly recommend it.  It's like going to see science teachers you wish you'd had in college make music to feed your brain and warm your heart.  Their stage presence was a rare mix of humor and intelligence.  The audience loved them from beginning to end.  When I spoke with Martin briefly after the show he was incredibly kind and appreciative.  Overall, I'd say this show's quality far exceeded the $13 ticket price. 

Read about one of their heroes, Pierre Henry.

On An On @ Glasslands

When: February 7th, 2013

     I had no business being out at a show on the night I saw On An On.  My nose was leaking snot, I was coughing up orange chunks, and my legs felt like I'd been bicycling uphill all day, when I'd actually called out of work and been in and out of sleep for over 24 hours.  I'd missed seeing Swans the night before because I wasn't able to get off the couch.  On An On's debut album, Give In, had been in my heavy rotation for weeks.  I wasn't going to take another loss, so my germs and I headed west on the L. 

     
     The first act on the bill was Young Heel.  Their set was alright.  Nothing excited me or made me forget that I should probably be home in bed.  Looking around as they played, I felt old and unattractive.  The crowd was super young and hip.  Sexy librarian hipster ladies flirted with handsome Buddy Holly wannabees while I leaned against a support beam with a handful of tissues feeling like Vincent Shiavelli backstage at New York Fashion Week.  Wasn't loving my decision to go out at this point. 

     Next up was Tiny Victories.  The name fit how I felt while they were on.  Their set made me a little happier to be out.  For a duo, these guys created an impressively full sound.  Greg Walters, the vocalist, gave his all, but just couldn't compete with the size of their music.  I think these guys would greatly benefit from finding a dynamic vocalist to pair with their big beat electronic pop.  At one point Greg sampled 2 girls at the front of the stage, asking them to say something, then looping and filtering them and folding them into a song that got everyone dancing (I swayed a little).  Find a vocalist, fellas! 

 

      On An On is a brand new band.  Their debut album, Give In, was just released and it's an outstanding collection of indie electro rock masterfully produced by Dave Newfeld.  The album showcases the band's different capabilities, yet the tracks all work well together.  They build the synths and guitars to enormous crescendos on one song and then pour hushed falsetto harmonies over deep drum and bass on the next.  I was curious to see what they could conjure on Glasslands' tiny stage. 

     Over the years I've seen some great acts in small venues they never played again.  On An On at Glasslands will likely fall into that category.  Standing next to the stage, I forgot I was sick.  These guys (and girl) didn't just pull off what's on their album, they went beyond that.  It was obvious to anyone there that they were in a whole different league from the two opening acts.  Some bands just have that indescribable something.  On An On has it.  There is nothing ground breaking about what they're doing.  The ingredients are simple.  But simple dishes can be delicious.

 

    Over the course of their set, I met friends of the band, including one of their songwriters.  They bought me a beer and we cut a rug.  I also met a super friendly and obviously happy to be there writer for Baeblemusic.  It was comical to me to say I was "covering" the show when she asked, being that she was an actual journalist and I write reviews on my couch in boxer shorts.    

     On An On was better than a trip to the doctor.  I went from sick with a scowl to sick with a smile.  They blew my mind while I blew my nose.  They even made me feel like I fit in with Brooklyn's young and beautiful, which is no easy task.

     On An On has a bright future with much bigger crowds on the horizon.  Glasslands is a tiny venue.  Their sound is big enough to fill a festival stage.  I saw an elephant in a shoebox. 

Check out their video for "The Hunter"

 

See more of the photos I took HERE.  

Not too shabby for an outdated iPhone;)

Ty Segall @ Webster Hall

When: February 1st, 2013

     You're an asshole Ty Segall.  A real shmuck.  I'm sorry.  I'm still bitter about the other night.  You are one of my favorite current artists.  You give me faith that rock and roll still has some balls.  Shit, I even work out to your stuff, when I get my husky ass to the gym.  The noise you hammer out makes moving at my maximum heart rate feel good.  So what the fuck happened on Friday night?  

     It said show starts at 7.  You had three opening acts listed.  I arrive at 9:25 to find you started at 9.  Then, you say good night before the clock strikes 10?!  10 o' clock?  After playing for less than an hour?  With a sell out, amped up crowd?  You've got some nerve pretending you are the real deal.  The guys you call your heroes would not be impressed.  Okay, maybe I'm going a bit overboard.  But damn!

     Ty Segall's show was a let down for me because of its brevity and early start, not the tenacity or quality of what I saw.  I was shocked when I arrived and he was on, but figured I still had plenty of show to see.  I grabbed a beer and snaked my way toward the front through the writhing mass.  The Hall was packed like a sardine can, so I didn't make it far.  
     There were people getting on stage and diving into the crowd while Ty and his band made some seriously beautiful noise.  A pair of well endowed ladies up in the dressing room to stage left were flashing the crowd and pressing their pumpkins into the glass.  There was a good sized mosh pit sloshing around near the front of the stage.  I saw a couple of inebriated people being led toward the back, unable to walk without assistance.  Some folks had climbed atop the speakers along the walls to dance.  The fog machine vapor was hanging thick in the air and mingling with clouds of silly smoke.  This was the sort of madness I had waited all week for.  Little did I know it would be over before I finished my 2nd beer.

     Ty Segall is a prolific, kick ass guitar player from San Fran who likes it loud and no nonsense.  The Stooges, Hawkwind, and The Troggs are three of my all time favorite rock bands.  His music blends them all into a heavy, fuzzed out stew of garage rock.  While most modern "rockers" are looking to get their song in an ad, Ty could care less.  For example, check out this television clip of him making as much obnoxious noise as possible on a Chicago morning show.  Clearly he's getting off on the absurdity of it.  I love picturing groggy Chicagoans having Ty interrupt their morning routine and saying "What the hell is this?!"

     Mr. Segall has been churning out solo albums and albums with various San Fran bands for the past few years.  It's tough to keep up with his output.  I can't say I love everything I've heard from him, but he is evolving at an insane rate and his riffs are consistently tough.  The album that first really got my attention was Slaughterhouse.  It's a sludgy, psychedelic blitz of power chords.  It led me to dig deeper and I like most of what I've heard.

     Anyway, back to the show.  So I'm bopping and banging my head, soaked with my own perspiration as well as the people pressed against me.  It's the fourth song I've seen them play and things are really cooking.  They finish the song and Ty says, "Okay, this is gonna be our last song.  Thanks a lot for coming."  I'm like, "What?"  They played a blistering version of "Tell Me What's Inside Your Heart".  I made my way to the back to meet a friend who was just arriving and pissed at having missed so much.  We linked up at the bar, grabbing a couple beers and expecting an encore.  The song wound down and ended.  "Good night!"  Off the stage went Ty and his band.  Up came the lights and on came the DJ.  Time?  9:55. 
     I'm sure I'll hit another Ty show sometime in the near future.  What I saw and heard was legit.  But next time, I'll show up early and make plans for something to do after:(

Shovels & Rope @ Bowery Ballroom

When: January 31st, 2013

     Everyone enjoys a good love story, especially when times are tough.  Something about seeing two people truly in love gives us hope and a sense of possibility.  Good things can happen and there's no way of knowing what the future holds.  There just might be brighter skies ahead.  In modern day America, we all could use a little more of that.  Shovels & Rope are not only a band, they're a great love story. 

     Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst met in Athens, GA.  He was a rock and roller with a growing interest in earthier country sounds.  She was a country girl who was exploring rock and wanting to get a little more snarl to her sound.  They were both veteran solo musicians with a handful of albums.  When their love affair began their dates involved playing Nirvana songs together.  Before they knew it they were head over heels and got married.  

       They couldn't get enough of one another and the thought of touring apart seemed too much, so they ditched the solo stuff and became a duo.  Then, in an old van they converted into a home/rehearsal space/tour bus, they took to the road and started playing a couple hundred gigs a year across the country. 

     

     In the summer of 2012 they released their debut album, O' Be Joyful.  Now these lovebirds are fixing to fly.  They played Letterman the night before I saw them, just got added to the Coachella lineup, and seem primed for a breakout.  I was pumped to see them do their thing at the Bowery, the first show of their new tour. 

     The first thing I noticed when I got to the show was the number of women.  The audience seemed to be an even split, which is rare at most NYC shows.  There was a good buzz in the place & the bartenders were struggling to keep up with the orders of bourbon and beer.

      From the moment S&R took the stage, it was obvious who everyone was most excited to see.  Cary Ann.  She started the show on the drums and keyboard, playing both as she sang along with Michael.  Her voice had the sweet Southern twang of June Carter Cash, but could belt with power like Melissa Etheridge.  Her good vibe and big smile lit up the place.  They both sounded great, but Cary Ann was the engine driving the train. 

 

     We were in Manhattan, but it felt more like we were in some barn on a Saturday night far from the big city.  There were whoops and hollers from the front row to the balconies.  Cary Ann got some laughs from a bad joke.  What's the difference between a Camaro and an erection?  I don't have a Camaro right now;)  Then, they got handed some shots of whiskey from the crowd.  "Well I'll be. New York City just bought us a drink, Michael." They toasted everyone and Cary said, "Now that we've drank a bunch of whiskey, let's do a religious song." 

     The stripped down sound of their live show could be described as a countrier version of the White Stripes, electric guitar twanging and ripping over the pounding of primitive drums.  They frequently trade places, taking turns standing to play lead or sitting to bang out a beat.  Their voices meshed all night, often belting it out into the same mic and looking like they were about to start sucking face. 

     From start to finish, the common thread of the performance was how in love they are.  They smiled and gazed at each other throughout the show.  The fact it wasn't nauseating to a New York crowd speaks to its genuine and honest quality.  And their warmth rubbed off on the crowd.  I hit this show by myself, but talked to a slew of different people over the course of the night.  Everyone seemed happy and approachable, quite an achievement in a city known for its cooler than thou attitude.  

     They closed out the show with a cover of Tom Waits' "Bad As Me", which made perfect sense and sounded great.  One of the last remarks of the night was from Cary Ann.  "With luck like this, you don't know when it's gonna run out, so we're savoring all of y'all. Thank you!"  I think I speak for all those who were there that night when I say, I hope Lady Luck keeps smiling on Shovels & Rope. 

"Gasoline"

 

"Hell's Bells" in their van