The New Pornographers - 9:30 Club - June 23, 2010 - Setlist

The New Pornographers rode into their favorite city this week to play 2 sold-out shows at the 9:30 Club.  I was only able to see the second, whose setlist was dictated by a kid in the front row.  I'm serious, some dude handed Carl a setlist, and they played it. The show included some songs they claim haven't been played in years (To Wild Homes and The End of Medicine) and Pitchfork jabs (Neko actually trying to pick a fight with them).

Whoever that guy in the front was, they did a superb job.  Much better than Dan Bejar, who was visibly drunk the whole time (especially during Jackie) and screwed up some lyrics (Myriad Harbour).

My favorites?  Of course The Bleeding Heart Show evokes shivers, yet I think their new songs shined.  Crash Years and Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk stand out in my memory.  They brought out The Dodos to play horns on A Bite Out Of My Old Bed, which was amazing..

TNP stand out as one of my favorite bands to see live.  You can't leave one of their shows without a grin and a feeling that the world is a better place.

Setlist:
Sing Me Spanish Techno
Up In The Dark
Myriad Harbour
Use It
Crash Years
All The Old Showstoppers
The Body Says No
Jackie
A Bite Out Of My Old Bed (with The Dodos on horns)
The Bones Of An Idol
Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk
To Wild Homes
End Of Medicine
Moves
Your Hands (Together)
My Shepherd
Twin Cinema
Silver Jenny Dollar
Mass Romantic
The Bleeding Heart Show


Challengers
My Rights Versus Yours
Electric Version
Testament To Youth In Verse

Field Music - Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA - March 26, 2010

What a coincidence: I happen to be in the Bay area for work and Field Music just so happens to be playing.

The place was actually kind of crowded, which surprised me.  I had no idea anyone else knew of this band.  Apparently they do on the west coast.

The sound was great, unlike School of Language's show at DC9 a while back.  They played a medley of old and new stuff, and even dipped into David's repertoire.  My favorite?  Glad you asked.  A Gap Has Appeared followed closely by Effortlessly.  No strings, but they did well with those parts on guitar, especially in Measure.

Setlist:
Give It, Lose It, Take It
A House Is Not A Home
The Rest Is Noise
Rockist Part 4 (School of Language)
Shorter Shorter
Each Time Is A New Time
Let's Write A Book
Keep Right
A Gap Has Appeared
If Only The Moon Were Up
All You Need To Say
Effortlessly
Measure
Them That Do Nothing
Something Familiar
Share The Words
Clear Water
Tell Me Keep Me


Tones Of Town
Not The Only Way To Feel Happy

Getting sick of them, yet? I'm not.

Fleet Foxes, Frank Fairfield - Black Cat - October 3, 2008

Having missed Fleet Foxes the two previous times they have been in town, I was quick to jump on tickets as soon as they went on sale. I kind of forgot about the show until G.H. posted about the $100 tickets on CL and I thought "Damn, gonna be packed." It was.

Frank Fairfield opened up the show with a ratty old banjo, looking like an Amish boy. He picked away on that banjo and mumbled some whiny lyrics into the mic. Then he picked up a fiddle and did the same thing. Then a guitar, then a banjo, then a fiddle and finally a guitar. I couldn't catch a single lyric that he spouted... He sounded like an old man on a porch in Mississippi, so I was taken aback when I discovered he is from California.

Fleet Foxes got onstage. Although they didn't play anything off of their first EP, they did play a cover (or two) and a new song (or two). Robin played an old folk song, "Katy Cruel," which has been covered by the likes of Jerry Garcia, Nick Cave and many, many more, that left the audience not knowing what to do with themselves. He then went into a song that I couldn't identify ("Nothing's happened but I think it will soon..."). Their new song, "Silver City," combined all of the aspects of their previous songs: driving staccato guitars, big toms, soft harmonies and a lot of "ooooos." Although the harmonies started out a little shaky, I really enjoyed it.

I know G.L. has commented on the staying power of these guys, but I think he is underestimating them. As long as Fleet Foxes keep putting out catchy, pretty music, guys will continue taking their girlfriends to the shows.

Fleet Foxes Setlist:
Sun Giant / Sun It Rises / Drops In The River / English House / White Winter Hymnal / Ragged Wood / Your Protector / Katy Cruel (solo, old folk cover) / New Song? (solo) / Oliver James (solo) / Quiet Houses / He Doesn't Know Why / Mykonos // Tiger Mountain Peasant Song (solo) / Silver City (new song) / Blue Ridge Mountains

R.E.M., Modest Mouse, The National Setlists - Merriweather Post (6/11/08)

Man, talk about a great evening. Beautiful weather, 3 good bands, good friends... fantastic. This is one of the few outdoor outings in the last month that didn't get torrential downpours.

It was so nice, in fact, that we missed the first couple The National songs. I asked around at the show, and most people had never heard of them before (nerds) or told me that they played "Sorry," which isn't even a song of theirs that I know of. One person told me that they started off with "Start A War," which sounds plausible. Can anyone help us with the others?

Modest Mouse was good. I left the setlist generating to Allison for that show. She loves them...

R.E.M. was superb. Michael Stipe rearranged the lyrics in "Drive," which threw me for a loop (yes, I sing along... leave me alone). During "The One I Love," disaster was averted. Stipe stumbled off an amp, almost biting it. He brushed it off, but kind of seemed perturbed; not even a smirk on his face. I was kind of disappointed that Stipe didn't perform the narrative during the bridge of Orange Crush, but I'm probably grasping at straws.

The encore was quite political. Mr. Richards was dedicated to Dick (the attempted murderer quail hunter, not Tricky). After the song, he said they partnered with Amnesty International and Environmental Action before putting on an Obama button and declaring Barack would be the next president (to many cheers, of course).

R.E.M.
Finest Worksong / Living Well Is The Best Revenge / Bad Day / What's The Frequency Kenneth / Drive / Ignoreland / Man-Sized Wreath / Little America / Hollow Man / Walk Unafraid / Houston / Electrolite / Don't Go Back To Rockville / Pop Song '89 / Horse To Water / The One I Love / Driver 8 / Until The Day Is Done / Let Me In (Acoustic) / These Days / Orange Crush / I'm Gonna DJ // Supernatural Superserious / Losing My Religion / Mr. Richards / Fall On Me (w/ Johnny Marr) / Man On The Moon

Modest Mouse*
Invisible / Satin In A Coffin / I Came As A Rat / Fly Trapped In A Jar / Trucker's Atlas / Out Of Gas / Dance Hall / Float On / King Rat / The View / Dashboard

The National
Start A War / ??? / ??? / Baby We'll Be Fine / Slow Show / Mistaken For Strangers / Squalor Victoria / Racing Like A Pro / Fake Empire / Mr. November

*Thanks to Allison for the Modest Mouse assignment.

Radiohead Setlist - Nissan Pavilion (5/11/08)

To round out our weekend of rock, the Rockists traveled in our fuel efficient vehicles out through the set of Deliverance to good ol' Brostow, VA. G.L. and I enjoyed our 4 hour car party while the heavens opened up around us. Luckily, I had mistakenly bought pit tickets and G.L.'s coworker had extra pavilion tickets so our group got to stay (semi) dry. Suckers...

I heard there were a lot of people who weren't able to make it into the show due to 2 hour waits to park and closed roads. That blows and our hearts go out to those not in attendance. We were quite lucky to get in there quickly and out of there (relatively) quickly.

The show was amazing. I have been waiting over 7 years to see these guys and it wasn't worth the wait (why would anyone wait 7 years to see a show?), but it was worth the weather. The songs were flawless except for Johnny messing up the beginning to Faust Arp... twice. Did anyone else notice Thom shouting "Barack Obama" during "The National Anthem"? I know G.H. did.

All I Need / Jigsaw Falling Into Place / Lucky / 15 Step / Nude / Pyramid Song / Weird Fishes/Arpeggi / Myxomatosis / Idioteque / Faust Arp / Videotape / Paranoid Android / Just / Reckoner / Everything In Its Right Place / Bangers + Mash / Body Snatchers // Like Spinning Plates / Optimistic / Karma Police / Go Slowly / Planet Telex // Fake Plastic Trees / National Anthem / House of Cards

Okkervil River / New Pornographers @ 9:30 Club - UPDATE (Neko's 'Illness')

G.H.: 'Twas a gathering of the Rockists Monday night for G.L.'s birthday celebration. Rob and I had labored to arrange for Neko Case herself to blow G.L. a kiss from the stage, but alas she was ill and sat this one out. It was Carl Newman's birthday too, though -- some consolation -- and when the crowd half-heartedly sang to him, the female Rockist fans accompanying us sang loudly to G.L. and he seemed happy. As for the actual show, it was okay. Probably the first time I've had issues with the sound at 9:30 -- it was just too low. At rock shows in rock clubs, you ought to feel a buzz in your chest and it ought to be somewhat difficult to hear the person next to you talking. Both bands lacked this last night. I'll save the detailed stuff about Okkervil frontman Will Sheff for G.L. and Rob, but I didn't think his voice was very strong. Sorta took the melody away. Finally, while I love both the Wrens and "You Can't Hold the Hand of a Rock and Roll Man", Wrens' guitarist Charles Bissell (playing with Okkervil on tour) laid down a lifeless, sad version of the indie rock blues in his solo. But the New Pornographers were pretty good, played a very likeable set. For me, "Testament to Youth in Verse" really got things going with that audience singalong-breakdown "no no no no no". I also thought that ELO cover was pretty sweet -- they actually seemed loosest on that one. How about you all? G.L., how you feeling?

Rob: I think G.L. is still passed out. Can't blame him, though. That was some delicious corn whiskey. I have previously made it known that Okkervil River is not my first choice of bands, and the show solidified that opinion. Will seamlessly combined the whiny wailings of an emo frontman with the bangs of Danny Noriega. They did have a few gems towards the end when they decided to "rock." I especially liked "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe," but that is to be expected. I was quite disappointed with the absence of Ms. Case, but keyboardist Kathryn Calder did an amazing job filling in, it's just too bad we could barely hear the music. The sound at the club was extremely muddled. For a band that thrives on harmonies, that was probably the worst problem to have (not to mention the lack of volume). The encores were the highlight of the show, namely the ELO cover and the final song, "The Jessica Numbers," which in Carl's eyes is the "proggiest song" that they have.

Well, looks like G.L. is still hurting, or can't remember the show, or is dead.

G.L.: Drunk, celebrating a (my) birth, and yet still able to gripe over a poor mix and an annoying front man - we're so going to Rockist Heaven. Well, I'm not dead, have for the most part recovered, and surprisingly enough - remember a good portion of the show. Ok, I still love Okkervil River a lot, I think Black Sheep Boy is a brilliant record and The Stage Names is frequently excellent, but they kinda pissed me off Monday night. Either recent success has gone to Will Sheff's head or he's just an immense douche, but holy crap were his emo-affected antics too much for me to handle. The way he would lean into the mic and sweep his hair out of his eyes was seriously killing me. Maybe I'm just old school or something. That said, I thought they played pretty well, despite the aforementioned sound problems. "Black" and "A Stone" were great, as was "Our Life is a Movie". New Pornos were also solid, I thought, though the poor mix hurt them more than Okkervil River. I liked the songs I knew I would like, basically everything they played off of Electric Version. And the ELO cover, natch.

Rob: It turns out Neko fell while she was here in DC and broke her ankle. She is now leaving the tour. Via email:

Hello friends,

We have some very unfortunate news to report. Neko had a really bad fall in Washington DC, which resulted in a fractured ankle, and will be leaving our tour today. She was really trying to be a trooper and stayed on as long as was possible through Richmond and Athens, but it has gotten to the point where she must return home and have her ankle taken care of and to recuperate. She's very upset about having to leave, it's been super fun having her on stage and around the bus.

New Pornographers Setlist @ 9:30 Club

The New Pornographers - 9:30 Club - April 14, 2008
All The Things that Make Heaven and Earth / Use It / Electric Version / Jackie, Dressed in Cobras / All the Showstoppers / July Jones / My Rights Versus Yours / The Laws Have Changed / From Blown Speakers / Challengers / Testament to Youth in Verse / Unguided / Slow Descent into Alcoholism / Mystery Hours / Adventures in Solitude / Sing Me Spanish Techno / Bleeding Heart Show // Don't Bring Me Down (Electric Light Orchestra cover) / Mass Romantic /// Execution Day / The Jessica Numbers

pictures here.

More from the show here, stay tuned for a full Rockist review...

Evangelicals/Headlights/We Were Pirates @ Iota

G.H., a TRS VIP and I went to Iota last Thursday to check out these bands. I went mainly for Headlights, not expecting much out of the others.

Two words for Death Cab (ahem!), I mean We Were Pirates: bop verse? Seriously? I don't know much about this band going into it (actually, nothing) and have no desire to know any more going out.

After what seemed to be a half hour of sound checks, Headlights finally started playing. They opened with my two favorite songs off of their newest album, Some Racing, Some Stopping. "Get Your Head Around It" and "Market Girl" are almost perfect indie-pop songs. The former consisting of soft verses and chorus, a powerful bridge of "bah bah bahs," and a sudden soft ending. Remember that sound check? Normally in such a small place a long sound check between bands is unnecessary, but thank God for it. When you have a song that's one big controlled reverb, the sound needs to be perfect, and it was quite close to that. "I Love You Laugh" separated what turned out to be two upbeat pop sections of their set. Rounding down the set with "Cherry Tulips," Nick Sanborn dropped his bass to wield the accordion I was eying all night long. Can't remember what song they actually played, but it was good.

When Evangelicals went on stage, I really didn't want to like them. Who asks for more and more reverb? Covered in Day-Glo and requesting their own lights, these Omahanians rocked so hard, they blew a fuse. The most memorable song of the show was "Party Crashing," which, at the show, I thought was 3 different songs, but apparently not. Highly entertaining show. I was laughing most of the time, mainly at the band's demeanor.

Should Have Taken the Spread

GL and I took a few hours out of our gluttonous Sunday of Taco Bell and Guitar Hero III to check out a band... I don’t know if you’ve heard of them. They like Nickelodeon. They’re called The XYZ Affair. We’ve mentioned them once or thrice before.

Rocking the night in front of a crowd of... well, what are numbers anyway? Let’s not quantify the night. It’s all about qualification here at TRS.

Recounting a conversation with Bones (bass) that night, I’m surprised the Complement (van) actually survived the trip to DC (via Philly). Next time you see him, ask how the drive down was.

The set list (pictured) confused me, and not because of the defecation. Maybe it was the 40, or the Sparks, or the PBRs (I swear I wasn’t drunk... it was a Sunday night for crying out loud), but I don't remember XYZ playing "A Little Lye" or “Good To Know But Hard To Tell” (which I didn’t even know was a song; they have an EP of the same name) on Sunday night. The encore, “Hello Hello Hello”, was also not played, but it was getting late. Quite late. On a school night.

The new stuff sounds good. XYZ pulled out the older one of the two, “Trial”, at Dcist’s last Unbuckled show. The newest song, “Sarah”, is fantastic. (By the way, I don’t know the real titles of the new stuff. I’m just going off of the set list. Yep, mailing it in.)

All in all, a good show, as expected. The sound was the best I’ve heard in the 5 shows attended. It was also nice to see a fan (besides the Rockists and friends) singing along to all of their songs.

Sloan @ the Black Cat

Rob: I never thought I'd say this, "Thank you, Black Cat." I know G.H. won't share in my appreciation, but I just had to say it. Arriving solo for the show, I walked up to the ticket counter, set down a twenty and was given a twenty and a ticket. The really cute girl behind the table told me someone upstairs was being nice. Alright.

I also was amazed at the crowd. Although small, everyone seemed into the show. There were a few groups of people singing along to every song with fists pumping and heads bobbing. I was quite impressed.

As for the show, I would rate it strong to quite strong. Within the first hour, they played over 20 songs, many of which were played right after another. The songs were great. A few of my favorites included "Who Taught You To Live Like That?", "The Good In Everyone," and "Money City Maniacs." The highlight of the evening was when Chris Murphy and Patrick Pentland came out to start the encore and played an abbreviated "The Other Man" followed by a few more teases and then the whole band blasted into "Losing California." The weakest parts of the show were when drummer Andrew Scott came out from behind the skins, donned a guitar and took over the mic. He's a fantastic, engaging drummer and should probably stay seated.

What about you GH? I understand you have a different opinion of the Black Cat staff.

GH: Honestly I'm sick of talking about it. They're occasionally real cheery, but mostly they seem like the saddest bunch of bar-attendees I've ever come across. It must suck to work at a place that books great acts and get to see them and meet them all for free. Granted, you have to put up with free, "secret" Good Charlotte shows, but whatever. Small price to pay. One of these days I'm going to be greeted at the door with big smiles and good cheer, and I'm going to take a picture of it and post it here.

Still, whatever I say about the Black Cat doesn't matter -- we don't really have a choice and they do a fine job booking loads of bands I really want to see. Sloan was no exception, and I thought they put on a very good show. I like them. I don't love them. Why? Can't put my finger on it. They're catchy enough, and a very tight band, and I really love the drummer, but the songs don't seem to have much conflict or tension -- none of that bittersweet resignation that just kills on classic cuts like "September Gurls" or "Surrender."

Or maybe it's that the one song of theirs that seems to have these characteristics in spades is "Right or Wrong", and they didn't play that. They did play 30 other songs, and their range is undeniable. All five of them can sing, all of them can apparently play guitar, and having four different songwriters with similar aims but not so similar means really benefits the catalog. There isn't a bad song in the bunch. Anyway, enough of my cynicism -- everyone there seemed to love every minute of the show, and I had a perfectly enjoyable time.

The XYZ Affair @ Rock and Roll Hotel

We're gonna three-way this post Rockist style, so get ready...

G.L.: The braintrust of the Rockist Society did a little Sunday night rocking last night at DC's favorite new venue, the Rock and Roll Hotel. For G.H. and me, it was a feat of endurance worthy of mention in the Rockist Book of World Records (should one ever exist) as we made it to our third show in four nights. Not that it took much convincing though, considering the band happened to be one of our favorites - Brooklyn's very own The XYZ Affair. Tired though we may have been, we were promptly rocked back to life as they launched into an energetic set strongly favoring songs from their 2006 LP, A Few More Published Studies.

While the de facto opener was an amusing rendition of Boyz II Men's "Motown Philly", it was "The Young Philosopher" that set the stage for the evening. Showcasing their impressive vocal capabilities and a penchant for Prospect Park-sized choruses, "The Young Philosopher" also has, in my opinion, the catchiest guitar hook on the entire album. There were a few technical difficulties throughout, though overall I thought the set sounded fantastic. XYZ have certainly benefited from some time on the road, as they've seemed to find the big, beefy tone that works so well with their brand of indie arena-rock. We here at TRS can't wait to see more from these guys.

G.H. and Rob, I'm sure you were equally as impressed as I was, let's hear why.

G.H.: Yeah, agreed. These guys are slowly but surely morphing into pros. The sound was much beefier, roaring, and other applicable masculine adjectives. We chatted a little about this band later -- GL's seen them four or so times now, Rob three (I believe), myself twice -- and they seemed poised for a breakthrough. Granted, there were only fifteen people at this show, and probably only a couple of newcomers to the band, but the performances are edgy and impassioned, with the feel of "modern rock". I wrote a while back that their debut, A Few More Published Studies, sounded like a concept album about academia. It's not (says their lead singer), and, though it could be, it's really about being a recent college grad and trying to figure out women, which, of course, the Rockists all have pretty well covered. But for most, its accessible subject matter, immaculately performed, with extremely catchy results. The rousing chorus at the end of "Academics" seems like the stuff major labels kill for. Plus, the fact that this band parallels bands like Weezer, the Killers, even the Flaming Lips, while reserving a big soft spot for Queen's flair for anthemic, suite-like songs, would seem to translate into big time potential. I'm not saying you oughta hold your breath just yet, but when they start getting radio airplay one of these days, just remember that you heard it here first.

Rob: Impressed is an understatement. As my fellow Rockists pointed out, there were a few technical difficulties. A few of Alex's solos were lost to a bad connection and some of the harmonies were hard to hear, but the show still rocked, literally. We love these guys, and not just because they rock, it's because they are genuinely nice guys that rock. Even though they were wrapping up a long, tiring tour, they were extremely animated on stage and grateful for each and every fan at the show. Hell, they even played my favorite song of theirs: "Hello Hello Hello" off of the EP Good to Know (but Hard to Tell). It may have been because at their previous show I would scream for it between songs... they probably just wanted me to shut up.

Just because their self-proclaimed "Cushy Tour" is over, that doesn't mean these guys are talking a break. While talking to the band after the show, we learned that they are filming a video to "All My Friends" this week with super special guests. You can be assured that there will be a special This Week In Video as soon as it comes out.

David Vandervelde @ The Black Cat

GH and myself sauntered on down to U Street last night to catch a quadrupile bill at our formerly most hated club in town. Maybe the usual dillweed staffers were all seeing TV on the Radio at the 930 club or maybe they were just in a good mood because we had pleasant interactions with almost everyone - including the girl at the door who let us grab a couple posters off the wall. The good vibes didn't stop there, either. I went into the night genuinely interested in each of the four bands slated to play, which is a pretty rare occurrence. We ended up only catching a song and a half or so of the opener, Headlights, though I enjoyed it thoroughly. Their lead singer was a babe and they're from Champaign, IL - sorry about the Chief, guys! - so how could I not like them? Impossible, I know.

Up next were Page France with their infectious indie pop, repelete with xylophone interludes and tamborine shakedowns. I don't really recall too much of them now, except that they too had an attractive female member. Truth be told, as much as I wanted to focus on all the bands, I really came for one band and one band only: David Vandervelde and the Moonstation House Band.

Now, I know I've posted on Mr. Vandervelde before, so I'll spare you the bio information, but just let me say: he fuckin' rocks. Playing with what he calls the "Power Trio", they tore it up hard. They played most everything off their debut album, a few unreleased tracks, and - in what may possibly be the most rockist move ever - covered the Stones' "Cocksucker Blues". The unreleased Mick and Keith classic sounded pretty awesome and Vandervelde's extended soloing was on point. My favorite cut off their record, "Nothin' No", didn't quite do it for me in the live setting, though I thought "Feet of a Liar" and "Murder in Michigan" sounded great.

Why DV and the Moonstation House Band weren't the headliners I have no idea, but Richard Swift was up last. Knowing that he'd have trouble following the blistering set we had just seen, I decided to focus on sobering up and buying The Moonstation House Band on vinyl instead. I was successful on the latter, not so much on the former. Got the band to sign the album for me, which was cool and we also nabbed David's email addy, so there may be an interview feature in the works here at the Rockist Socety...stay tuned.


David Vandervelde and the Moonstation House Band: "Cocksucker Blues" (Daytrotter Sessions)

Lucero w/ Catfish Haven

March and April seem to be busy months for us Rockists. To many shows we have gone; to many shows we will go. The latest was at the Black Cat on Friday.

Rob: First of all, G.L.'s sangria was amazing.

Second of all, Black Cat's staff blows. While standing in line, a "bouncer" walked up and down announcing that if you just want to go to the Red Room, you can leave line and walk in. He also announced that he had announced that prior and that every time he does, idiots get out of line because they know no better. He then paused at the couple standing directly behind us and asked to "sniff" the lady's water bottle (which, by the way, was filled with a red liquid). He then confiscated the bottle, saying that she couldn't drink it out there. Story should end, right? Wrong. He kicked both people out of line and said they couldn't see the show. WTF? Did we suddenly get enrolled at Wheaton College?

As for the show, I was quite impressed with Catfish Haven (and not just because I have the same blue Levi's cords as George Hunter). They were strident and brash but had a soothing quality about them. I liken it to seeing a bulldog in a bow tie. Lucero's set was long, impressively long. They definitely put their all into it. It gave me flashbacks to a hot summer day, surrounded by my best friends with my stomach full of Busch Ice, watching DBT. Fantastic.

It's refreshing to see bands that could and would kick my ass if they were so inclined.

It's too bad the Black Cat attracts such great bands.

G.H.: Yeah, I mean, my distaste for the Black Cat is well-documented. And, to clarify, she was drinking red Powerade from a Powerade bottle. I've come around and decided that, besides that fact that the girl should've refused to let him have her bottle of Powerade, he was well within his rights to refuse her entry into the show. What that makes him for doing so, I'll refrain from saying.

The show itself was good and exhausting. You can see more about on DCist, but I'll focus on Catfish Haven for the sake of changing it up. This is maybe the first time I've ever seen an indie band I really felt like dancing to. They would make a damn fine party band, and I bet they could cover some old Stax numbers pretty well if they put their mind to it. They did say goofy stuff like "We're gonna heat this place back up, people!", "Spread the love", etc, and I could see their aesthetic feeling less, well, novel, at a jam band festival. And I was impressed with Lucero, too. Loud, kind of abrasive, but with enough tunefulness to hook my girlfriend. Favorite was "My Best Girl", which I'm pretty sure is about a guitar.

G.L.: While I too dislike the staff at the Black Cat (except for the bartenders, who have always been relatively civil), I do think the bouncer had every right to kick that girl out of line and deny her entry. I'm not saying I'm applauding him for doing so, but that girl is an idiot for being so non-discrete.

As Rob mentioned, we drank sangria beforehand (yes, I'm aware of the disconnect between sangria and southern rock, not to mention it snowed later that evening, but whatever) and I was wasted. That may have led directly to my enjoyment of Catfish Haven because I've gone back and listened to them since, and I'm not really a big fan. They did have some impressive energy for a three-piece though, I'll give them that. I really enjoyed Lucero. I did, I'm not just saying that. But after the show, deep down, I wished I had seen the Drive-By Truckers instead...

The Long Winters w/ Broken West

Our joint reviews seem to elicit a disproportionately large (read: any) response from our readership, so we're back at it again. The Rockist Society members went to the Rock and Roll Hotel on Tuesday night to check out The Broken West (again) and the Long Winters. Here are our thoughts:

GH: I hope I'm not stealing everyone's thunder by being the first to claim this as the best show we've seen this year. Or to be more specific, the best headlining set. The Broken West did not impress me. I really like a number of their songs, but they are sorely lacking in charisma and stage presence. Which became only more glaring when the Long Winters had it in spades. Lead singer John Roderick is one of the few indie band leaders to seem genuinely enthused about playing live and taking his songs on the road. And what excellent songs they are too -- lots of good lyrical nuggets (my favorite is from "Hindsight", their penultimate song of the proper set: "But I'm bailing water and bailing water / 'Cause I like the shape of the boat"), soaring voices, ample guitar. Maybe a couple of the piano songs dragged on a little (I never really liked "Blue Diamonds") but other than that, no room for complaints. The Long Winters just got themselves invited to one of year's most elite parties: an entry in my facebook "favorite music" section. Congratulations.

Rob: Still feeling betrayed by the cancellation of Field Music on Saturday, I was looking for solace in The Broken West. Unfortunately, they didn’t supply that. Although they did play “Hale Sunrise,” it definitely didn’t stack up to their last show with The Walkmen.

Feeling a little dejected and a little drunk, I hoped that The Long Winters could fill the void in my soul. I now have a new favorite band…

Looking like a Jim Henson creation with his mustache and long sideburns, John Roderick immediately drew a smile on my face with permanent marker. I am in awe of his presence. As G.H. points out, he does look like he’s having an amazing time onstage. Throwing his head back while he turns his drawn out “R”s, you can’t help but fixate on him. I don’t know much about their music since I only own The Worst You Can Do Is Harm, but my favorite song was definitely “Shapes.” The main riff sounds like something you’d hear at a moe. concert. I loved everything they played, even though I only recognized 3 of the songs. Fantastic.

G.L: While I love the Long Winters, I had relatively modest expectations for their show at RnR. Being a big fan of their albums, I figured it was probably worth the 12 bones to see 'em live, especially because they were playing with another Rockist favorite, the Broken West. I didn't think the Broken West were as poor as GH and Rob seem to suggest, but I do think they suffered from crappy sound and some unfortunate equipment problems. Speaking of sound, the RnR - though still a toddler in the DC music scene - has already earned a reputation for spotty sound. But apparently they got things figured out by the time John Roderick and friends took the stage because the Winters sounded excellent.

And back to the Long Winters. They were great - the aforementioned banter was entertaining, they sounded crisp, and, hey, they've got some pretty great songs. They played some of my personal favorites including "Carparts" from their underrated debut, The Worst You Can Do Is Harm. Unfortunately for me they also played one of my least favorite songs...ever. "Cinnamon" might be the worst song I've ever heard. Seriously, after three and a half minutes of "...her skin is cinnamon, her skin is cinnamon..." ad nauseum, I think I have diabetes. But whatever. One blemish on an otherwise awesome set is fine by me. Set closer "(It's A) Departure" brought the house down with one of my favorite stanzas in recent memory, "I like the old days/but not all the old days/only the good old days", with everyone in the place screaming the last line. Let's hope they come back soon.

The Hold Steady - Ottobar - B'more

Last night the Rockists (+5) braved the cold and crowds to see The Hold Steady in our neighbor to the north(east). Time to triple-team this bitch!

Rob: Let me first say that I hate crowded bars/shows. The show was sold out, and quite, at that. Also let me say that I don't enjoy seeing the same show twice. THS aren't known for mixing it up at shows. In fact, I think it would be safe to say they have opened up with "Stuck Between Stations" at every show since the end of summer '06. When my fellow Rockists and I saw THS in October at the same venue, it was an amazing show. The bar was half full and it was the night before Boys and Girls in America was released. It was probably one of the best shows I had seen in 2006.

Last night was the same exact show, except the venue was packed (it was hard to even get my hands up to clap) and it wasn't the usual crowd I was used to being around at the previous THS shows. F-ing pseudo teenie-boppers. But I did enjoy myself. For the first time, I liked their old songs ("The Swish," "Killer Parties") better than the stuff off of Boys and Girls and it was great to hear them include them into the show towards the beginning. One other thing, if you end up making the trek up to Ottobar, be sure you visit the upstairs bar. It's quite chill (although much more smokey than downstairs) and last night it was 2 for 1 drinks. Bonus.

Let's hear from the Gs.

GH: This is was Hold Steady show #6 for me, and the first where I've doubled up on either a venue or a city. Ottobar is still great -- it sounds good, the drinks are reasonable, and the upstairs is pretty sweet. We caught Tad Kubler (lead guitar), Bobby Drake (drums), and Galen Polivka (bass) shooting some pool beforehand. That was sweet. They asked if the Rockist Society would be interested in exclusively putting out their next album. Just kidding.

As for the actual concert -- good but not great. They always put on a consistent performance, but this one lacked a cutting edge or just a touch of magic -- err, a funny bit of chemistry? -- that made our last trip to the Ottobar so great. Rob's right: this set is starting to sound a little too familiar, and, for a band that tours as much as they do, you'd think they'd want to change it up too. "Stuck Between Stations" is still great, and we all know I love "You Can Make Him Like You", ditto "Southtown Girls". And I bet "Guys Go For Looks, Girls Go For Status" from the encore (the b-side on the Chips Ahoy! 7") sounds good on record, but it was a little flat in concert. Whoa, look at me -- complaining about the greatest band in the history of all-time. Just a little journalistic integrity, folks.

Final verdict: if you haven't seen them yet, you really ought to. Even an off night has the power to convert the skeptics.

G.L. First, some comments on the venue: I really like the Ottobar, this was my second time there and I'll welcome any opportunity to head back. For some reason it reminds me of the Black Cat, though it's better in almost every way - the sound is great, drinks are cheap, and the staff are fairly pleasant. Oh yeah, the upstairs bar had two for one drinks. Charm City? More like Crunk City!

But on to the show. I guess I was slightly disappointed by the setlist - it was a pretty Boys and Girls heavy show, which in itself isn't that bad, but they played everything we heard last time. They did end with "Killer Parties" much to my and GH's delight, though i was hoping for a few more "deep cuts", namely "Sweet Payne". That being said, they were incredibly animated (albeit slightly less drunk, or at least less visibly so) and it should be noted that at one point bassist Galen Polivka took out his wallet and started throwing dollar bills into the crowd. Talk about getting your money's worth...

This show was a wake up call for me in that I realized The Hold Steady are, like, kinda popular. Ottobar was sold out and I mean, it was really sold out - like I think I got to third base with the person behind me. As GH and I discussed on the ride home, this, of course, is fine...actually it makes us here at The RS extremely happy, but it's still a weird sensation to see one of your favorite bands go from relatively unkown to playing on Letterman and selling out shows. I won't stop loving them by any means, but is it time to find a new favorite band? Who knows. Maybe it's just the rockist in me.

Unbuckled: 2/15/07

Well, the DCist had their Unbuckled show last night. After downing a few Sparks Plus on the walk over, my fellow Rockists and I grabbed some cool, refreshing cans of Schlitz and settled in for a quaint evening of music. Did I say quaint? I meant to say "a soul-soothing set of songs" followed by a face melting rock show. We really didn't know what to expect but if we would have expected anything, those expectations would have been exceeded.

Rob: Jesse Elliot (These United States) reminded me of a new age crooner; a young, indie Sinatra. Every girl in the audience was fixated on him as he stared above the crowd . I have to admit, there were probably some guys who were smitten with him too. If you've heard the music on their myspace page, you weren't surprised by their sound. It seem as though they didn't diverge from their recorded versions. (My grammar is very much lacking right now, mainly because it hurts to think. My apologies.)

Um, Pela rocked. Lead man Billy McCarthy exhumed all emotions while belting out his self-proclaimed "pastoral punk" songs. After playing for what seemed to be hours while only feeling like minutes, they were even nice enough to play a couple extra songs after their set. I really enjoyed them. I can't speak for the rest of TRS, but I will be first in line when their album comes out April 24. Oh, and the crowd was far better than the Apples show.

GH: Rob, a "young, indie Sinatra"? Maybe Sparks Light for you next time (sidenote: I had no idea the Sparks Plus was supposed to be a different flavor -- grape -- than the regular stuff. I guess I just figured it tasted different because of the Plus). These United States were decent, had some good tunes, played well together. I kinda didn't go for Elliot's constant affectation. Having read the gospel of Craig Finn, I get kind of annoyed with singers that don't use voices or accents that come naturally (as I say this, I think of roughly 20 bands I like that stand as exceptions). The lap steel was nice though, and towards the end the cold-blooded bassist started adding some harmony parts that changed things up a little.

As for Pela, really good performance. Genuinely affable guys who worked hard, were happy to be there, and show a lot of promise. They seemed to be sorta in to the Arcade Fire, too. I was waiting for some random dude wearing a bike helmet to start hacking away on a Pringles can like the world depended on it. I must admit: a lot of the songs ran together, though this may or may not be any fault of the band. I did really like the slower tune about his cop friend. GL, are you in any condition to make quality-based judgements on last night's performances?

G.L. Naut: I'm not sure if it was the Sparks, the Schlitz, or the Ben's Chilli Bowl (interesting tidbit: I learned today that Bill Cosby may have met his wife at Ben's, or at least took her on dates there...either way, pertty sweet deal), but Señor Naut is feeling it this morning. That's not to say it wasn't worth it, 'cuz it certainly was. As Rob mentioned, we didn't really know what to expect other than overpriced Schlitz ($3.50/can), but I was pleasantly surprised with the lineup that the DCist put together. Local band These United States were up first and, like I somewhat drunkenly told Rob and GH, I like anything with a lap/pedal steel. I'm probably not going to run out and buy their record or add them to my Myspace friends, but they were fun and had some decent songs. The singer could stand to lose the Fidel hat and the stupid vocal accent, but the lead guitarist was good. I'd see them again.

Pela were really fun, I found myself rockin' out pretty hard throughout their set. I thought they sounded like a subdued Wolf Parade...so, yeah, pretty much like Arcade Fire. Their brand of pop-punk was a nice change of pace from These United States' more laid-back performance. I wish I could say more about them, but as we've all mentioned, the Rosckists were out to party...and party they did.

Dispatches from the District: Apples in Stereo 2.13.2007

The braintrust here at Rockist all went down to the Black Cat last night to check out the TRS-certified Apples in Stereo. We've decided to do a collective post about it, so you can follow our conversation here:

GH: I'll get us started by talking about the sound system down at the Black Cat. Maybe good enough for two distorted guitars and a bass, but the keyboards were always too low and you could barely hear Robert Schneider's solos. But maybe I'm just being surly because the door staff -- I exclude the bar staff -- are some of the most unfriendly folks I've come across in DC. None of that has to do with the Apples though, who I thought were pretty good and energetic. Sometimes they seem so excited to play that sonic quality (let's call it) is sacrificed -- see "Do You Understand?" and "Can You Feel It?". However, I'll go so far as to say "Strawberryfire" will go down as one of the best psychedelic moments DC sees all year. That song just has this addictive drone -- I'd be okay with them stretching it out over ten minutes. Rob, Mr. Naut, what do you think? Favorite song? Black Cat ticket takers just unpaid interns on the Fugazi road crew?

Rob: I thoroughly enjoyed "7 Stars" and was quite pleasantly surprised to hear "Strawberryfire." What was missing from the show, however, was the early, bouncy pop songs that made me fall in love with Apples. Songs like "Try to Remember," "Tin Pan Alley," and "You Said That Last Night." Well, I guess I just wanted to hear Tone Soul songs. Hell, they could have played a couple for all I know, but with the crappy sound and my beer goggles, if it didn't punch me in the face, I didn't notice it.

Speaking of punching in the face: what's with the crowd at the show? Other than the one short kid in front who kept throwing his hands up (which I appreciate. It helped me know he was still alive) there weren't any signs of life in the audience. I almost felt bad for the Apples. During the encore things seemed to liven up, but not much. Even during "Can You Feel It?" the crowd stood still. Most of the mop head, tight jean and Chuck wearing kids stood with their arms crossed. Jesus...

G.L. Naut: I agree with both of you - the door staff at the Black Cat are assholes and the crowd last night sucked. Though to be honest with you, I've often noticed DC concert-goers as being rather apathetic. Why this is, I have no idea.

But back to the Apples. I think one of my favorite things about them is the stark difference between their albums and their live shows. Where their albums tend to be heavily produced, their songs sound very lo-fi live. Where each song on the album is carefully placed, their live setlist seems farily loose - they're open to requests and start and stop songs at their leisure. This for me is really the best combination. An album should be labored over and each detail should be perfect, but a live show should be a chance to let loose and really let the songs shine without all the trappings of the studio. Luckily for the Apples, they've got some pretty good songs.