The Sheila Divine @ Little Brothers, 3/15/00
Our Lady Peace and The Sheila Divine @ the Newport Music Hall, 4/16/01
The Sheila Divine & Miranda Sound @ Little Brothers, 11/4/01
Like Cursive, I saw The Sheila Divine more than a few times over a short span, so the memories sort of blur together. The first show was definitely thanks to local radio station CD101 playing their single Hum repeatedly, and that was enough to get plenty of us to the show.
The opening slot for Our Lady Peace, well to be honest, I had sort of soured on Our Lady Peace by this point. There first record was great, and the second fine, though definitely aimed at writing more singles. Two albums later, the band was definitely in a bit of rut, and only a year later the band would make the cringe-inducing Gravity, a stab at wannabe Creed/Nickleback third generation grunge that the band quickly abandoned.
The third show, second at Little Brothers, was a big deal in that our friends in Miranda Sound opened. Opening for touring regional or nation bands was a big deal, and at the time, since our band and Miranda Sound were both new to the scene, landing any opening gig was monumental.
This Week In Music: 10/22-10/28
This week in music listening, featuring patent-pending two-word reviews:
Titus Andronicus: Local Business – anthemic punk
XTC: Go 2 – some good
Winger: Winger – attempted braininess
Stereolab: Switched On – noisy beats
Soul Asylum: Time’s Incinerator – raw beginnings
Grandaddy: The Sophtware Slump – electronic hippiness
Titus Andronicus: Local Business – anthemic punk
XTC: Go 2 – some good
Winger: Winger – attempted braininess
Stereolab: Switched On – noisy beats
Soul Asylum: Time’s Incinerator – raw beginnings
Grandaddy: The Sophtware Slump – electronic hippiness
This Week In Music: 10/15-10/21
This week in music listening, featuring patent-pending two-word reviews:
Cabaret Voltaire: Eight Crepescule Tracks - early insight
Mike & the Mechanics: M6 - symphonic pop
Queensryche: Promised Land - big sound
Genesis: Selling England By The Pound – progressive wankery
The Jeff Healey Band: See The Light - bluesy jams
Kix: Hot Wire – catchy riffs
Ministry: The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste – occasional inspiration
Warrant: Born Again – unnecessary rebirth
Skid Row: Slave to the Grind – classic metal
Cabaret Voltaire: Eight Crepescule Tracks - early insight
Mike & the Mechanics: M6 - symphonic pop
Queensryche: Promised Land - big sound
Genesis: Selling England By The Pound – progressive wankery
The Jeff Healey Band: See The Light - bluesy jams
Kix: Hot Wire – catchy riffs
Ministry: The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste – occasional inspiration
Warrant: Born Again – unnecessary rebirth
Skid Row: Slave to the Grind – classic metal
Concert Review: Wilco @ the Majestic Theatre, Detroit, MI (2/21/97)
I actually wrote up a whole article for this show back in college, which you can read online somewhere (I'll link it, I swear). By far, this was one of the most fun rock shows I’ve ever been too.
What wasn’t included in the story was what happened after the concert, when I whipped out my WFAL College Radio business card and secured a private meet and greet for myself and the friends who had come along. First we talked with bassist John Stirratt and guitarist Jay Bennett, who told us he had designed the concert tees we had bought. They signed memorabilia, and then Jeff Tweedy joined us for a brief few minutes to say howdy, at which point I mentioned how the station was playing the crap out of Wilco and really supportive of the band, which was appreciated by Jeff, John and Jay, though they clearly wanted to get back to their bus and relax.
SETLIST
Misunderstood
Far, Far Away
Forget The Flowers
That’s Not The Issue
Someday Soon
New Madrid
Red-Eyed and Blue
I Got You (At The End of The Century)
Someone Else’s Song
Why Would You Wanna Live
I Must Be High
Passenger Side
Hotel Arizona
Monday
Kingpin
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
Encore:
Box Full of Letters
Casino Queen
We’ve Been Had
Encore 2:
Gun
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
What wasn’t included in the story was what happened after the concert, when I whipped out my WFAL College Radio business card and secured a private meet and greet for myself and the friends who had come along. First we talked with bassist John Stirratt and guitarist Jay Bennett, who told us he had designed the concert tees we had bought. They signed memorabilia, and then Jeff Tweedy joined us for a brief few minutes to say howdy, at which point I mentioned how the station was playing the crap out of Wilco and really supportive of the band, which was appreciated by Jeff, John and Jay, though they clearly wanted to get back to their bus and relax.
SETLIST
Misunderstood
Far, Far Away
Forget The Flowers
That’s Not The Issue
Someday Soon
New Madrid
Red-Eyed and Blue
I Got You (At The End of The Century)
Someone Else’s Song
Why Would You Wanna Live
I Must Be High
Passenger Side
Hotel Arizona
Monday
Kingpin
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
Encore:
Box Full of Letters
Casino Queen
We’ve Been Had
Encore 2:
Gun
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
This Week Music: 10/8-10/14
This week in music listening, featuring patent-pending two-word reviews:
The Tragically Hip: Now For Plan A - streamlined songs
Robert Pollard: Jack Sells the Cow - good rockers
AC Newman: Shut Down the Streets - mellower pop
Stereolab: Sound-Dust - endless interesting
Funkadelic: Maggot Brain - never better
Jane’s Addiction: The Great Escape Artist - U2 maturity
The Smiths: Meat Is Murder - Marr masterpieces
The Tragically Hip: Now For Plan A - streamlined songs
Robert Pollard: Jack Sells the Cow - good rockers
AC Newman: Shut Down the Streets - mellower pop
Stereolab: Sound-Dust - endless interesting
Funkadelic: Maggot Brain - never better
Jane’s Addiction: The Great Escape Artist - U2 maturity
The Smiths: Meat Is Murder - Marr masterpieces
Rock ‘n Roll Confessions
Even though I play rock music critic each week on a podcast with my buddy Jason, that doesn’t mean I don’t have some glaring omissions in my rock ‘n roll resume. Some are just “I never got around to it” admissions, and some are widely appreciated/derided artists or bands that I have not been on the popular side of the opinion fence.
I decided to clear my dirty laundry and just make with the confessions, here goes:
1. I Can’t Stand Bob Dylan. Don’t like the voice, dislike most of the songs I’ve heard, find him annoying as a personality.
2. I Should, But I ‘ve Never Listened To a Pink Floyd Album. Dark Side of the Moon? The Wall? Never listened to them all the way through, just a few songs here and there.
3. They Don’t Get Respect, But I Really Like Tears For Fears. So I’ve dissed Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd, but I’m giving love to Tears For Fears. I’m probably in rock ‘n roll jail for that. Too bad. Great harmonies, fantastic songwriting, unfairly lumped in with lesser pop bands of the same era.
4. I Know I’m Supposed to Bow Down To Their Genius, But I Can’t When It Comes To Robert Pollard, Guided By Voices, and all of his various musical endeavors. 10% of what Bob writes is genius, 90% is either half-baked or self-indulgent. Everyone needs an editor.
5. A Song I Wish I’d Written Is The Good Life by Weezer. Weezer has so many good songs, but this one speaks to me on a personal level. Plus, it’s just a great, smart, pop rock song.
6. My Favorite Crank It And Sing-A-Long In The Car Song Is Birth Ritual by Soundgarden. The best part is, I can’t hear how bad I’m singing when I sing along, because Chris Cornell is so damn loud.
7. A Song I Never Change When It Comes On The Radio Is The Spirit of Radio by Rush. And as my wife Katie will attest, that goes for many Rush songs. Luckily, she’s a good sport and will actually sing along to the “OF SALESMEN!” part in the bridge.
8. A Popular Current Artist/Band Who I’ve Never Actually Heard Is Ke$ha.
9. The One Artist/Band That Can Do No Wrong In My Book Is Greg Dulli. Even Mr. Dulli’s lesser work is still far more interesting than other artists best work.
10. If I Could Be Any Musician For Five Minutes It Would Be Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 playing Wild Thing. Just watch.
Jimi Hendrix - Wild Thing - Monterey '67 from Al Sim on Vimeo.
I decided to clear my dirty laundry and just make with the confessions, here goes:
1. I Can’t Stand Bob Dylan. Don’t like the voice, dislike most of the songs I’ve heard, find him annoying as a personality.
2. I Should, But I ‘ve Never Listened To a Pink Floyd Album. Dark Side of the Moon? The Wall? Never listened to them all the way through, just a few songs here and there.
3. They Don’t Get Respect, But I Really Like Tears For Fears. So I’ve dissed Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd, but I’m giving love to Tears For Fears. I’m probably in rock ‘n roll jail for that. Too bad. Great harmonies, fantastic songwriting, unfairly lumped in with lesser pop bands of the same era.
4. I Know I’m Supposed to Bow Down To Their Genius, But I Can’t When It Comes To Robert Pollard, Guided By Voices, and all of his various musical endeavors. 10% of what Bob writes is genius, 90% is either half-baked or self-indulgent. Everyone needs an editor.
5. A Song I Wish I’d Written Is The Good Life by Weezer. Weezer has so many good songs, but this one speaks to me on a personal level. Plus, it’s just a great, smart, pop rock song.
6. My Favorite Crank It And Sing-A-Long In The Car Song Is Birth Ritual by Soundgarden. The best part is, I can’t hear how bad I’m singing when I sing along, because Chris Cornell is so damn loud.
7. A Song I Never Change When It Comes On The Radio Is The Spirit of Radio by Rush. And as my wife Katie will attest, that goes for many Rush songs. Luckily, she’s a good sport and will actually sing along to the “OF SALESMEN!” part in the bridge.
8. A Popular Current Artist/Band Who I’ve Never Actually Heard Is Ke$ha.
9. The One Artist/Band That Can Do No Wrong In My Book Is Greg Dulli. Even Mr. Dulli’s lesser work is still far more interesting than other artists best work.
10. If I Could Be Any Musician For Five Minutes It Would Be Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 playing Wild Thing. Just watch.
Jimi Hendrix - Wild Thing - Monterey '67 from Al Sim on Vimeo.
This Week In Music: 10/1-10/7
This week in music listening, featuring patent-pending two-word reviews:
Tom Petty: Wildflowers – mellower Petty
L.A. Guns: Man in the Moon – decent riffage
Monster Magnet: Monolithic Baby – solid stoner
Genesis: Nursery Cryme – progressive nuggets
Vixen: Rev It Up – lacks spark
Kingdom Come: In Your Face – more Zeppelin’ing
Jim Carroll: Runaway EP – interesting snapshot
Tindersticks: The Hungry Saw – cinematic quality
Rufus Wainwright: Want Two – underdeveloped melodrama
XTC: English Settlement – brilliant weirdness
Muse: The 2nd Law – mediocre Muse
Pete Townshend: The Other Scoop – reinterpreted Who
Tom Petty: Wildflowers – mellower Petty
L.A. Guns: Man in the Moon – decent riffage
Monster Magnet: Monolithic Baby – solid stoner
Genesis: Nursery Cryme – progressive nuggets
Vixen: Rev It Up – lacks spark
Kingdom Come: In Your Face – more Zeppelin’ing
Jim Carroll: Runaway EP – interesting snapshot
Tindersticks: The Hungry Saw – cinematic quality
Rufus Wainwright: Want Two – underdeveloped melodrama
XTC: English Settlement – brilliant weirdness
Muse: The 2nd Law – mediocre Muse
Pete Townshend: The Other Scoop – reinterpreted Who
Concert Review: Jay Farrar @ Little Brothers, Columbus, OH (10/3/01)
Make no mistake, I’m a huge Jay Farrar fan. Uncle Tupelo? Love all those records. Son Volt? The first two are favorites, since then it’s been diminishing returns. The solo output. Well, I dig the first one, and that’s when this show happened, combining material from all three phases of his career. Since then, my attention has wandered, listening to a new release once or twice and then tossing it aside.
This particular show was just Jay and a guitar, joined by an additional multi-instrumentalist on a few songs. When I saw Jay a few years earlier fronting Son Volt, he was, for the most part, reserved and stoic through the whole show. Take away the energy of loud bass, gutiars and drums, and Jay was even more reserved. There was very little talking, sometimes four or five songs would run into each other, only interrupted by a guitar or tuning change, at which point Jay would mumble something inaudible into the microphone.
Despite the onstage frostiness, after the show Jay sat on the edge of the stage for quite some time signing autographs and talking with fans. He was friendly and engaging, an interesting contrast to his onstage persona.
This particular show was just Jay and a guitar, joined by an additional multi-instrumentalist on a few songs. When I saw Jay a few years earlier fronting Son Volt, he was, for the most part, reserved and stoic through the whole show. Take away the energy of loud bass, gutiars and drums, and Jay was even more reserved. There was very little talking, sometimes four or five songs would run into each other, only interrupted by a guitar or tuning change, at which point Jay would mumble something inaudible into the microphone.
Despite the onstage frostiness, after the show Jay sat on the edge of the stage for quite some time signing autographs and talking with fans. He was friendly and engaging, an interesting contrast to his onstage persona.
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