Sleepy Steele, the Champion.

I've only had a few hours of sleep, and that is because I'm still winding down from seeing The Sleepy Jackson perform last night. It's mostly due to the astonishing performance they put on (plus getting to meet Luke Steele), but also due to being royally pissed off at the security crew of Bowery Ballroom. You see, of all places to photograph bands... Bowery has never been a problem. But last night? A security guy was grabbing me by the arm saying I had to leave... before I finally broke him into letting me remain for the show that I had paid for. Luckily for you, I had already got a few good shots and a semi-decent video in before the camera fun had to end.

Since I'm so sleepy from the Sleepy Jackson, I'm going to try to get through this review as quickly as possible. I need to finish work and take an afternoon nap before the White Rabbits show tonight at The Annex.

Luke Blonde Corporation:



Luke Blonde Corporation is just a blonde-wigged Luke Steele entertaining the crowd with bizarre vocal effects, Dr. King speeches, and quirky music. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or stand still and quiet in awe. It was ridiculous, but strangely entertaining. I felt it was more of an artistic time killer, if anything.

Rick Steele:


Rick Steele is the wonderfully talented father of Luke Steele, and a very sweet man to top it off. His chatter between songs was like that of a father telling war stories... if the war were music, and his troop were Bob Dylan. Luke was standing next to me during Rick's performance, and you could see his happiness in watching dear old dad perform.

Sam Champion:



I had never actually heard Sam Champion until last night, but apparently I had met the bassist, Jack, once before. At least he insisted I had, and that somewhere in that once meeting... a CD exchange and my site had been mentioned. Well I'm sorry we never got around to it before, because I really liked their performance. Very Pavement-esque, Built to Spill'ish, with just enough of a swamp rock touch.

So Good To Me
All Of Our Tomorrows
Slow Rewind

The Sleepy Jackson:




There are just not enough adjectives in the english dictionary to describe how awe-inspiring The Sleepy Jackson were last night. I've been in love with this band since the first listen of Lovers, and the wait for a new album and a US appearance was a hell that is finally over. I thought the songs themselves were fantastic enough, but the energy Luke brings on stage tops anything that could ever be recorded. When they first came out on stage, Luke became the photographer as he took poloroids of the crowd and tossed them out to the crowd. Then, as the third poloroid was taken, instead of throwing it out to the crowd... he handed it to me. Yes, I'm a little giddy like a school girl over that. But all in all, this is one of those shows that I will never forget. I just hope they do a full US tour soon so the rest of the states can experience what magic The Sleepy Jackson are.

Good Dancers Live (Video)
I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree
Good Dancers (Gerling Remix)
+ Myspace

They are sensation.

Have I told you how much I absolutely love Tigercity? No? Well pay attention. These guys are truly one of my best finds of 2006. It's only July and I've already seen them live 4 times. If that's not proof enough of how good they are, I honestly don't know what is. They put on a great show, and with the sound they have... that's not easy to do. But they keep doin' it, doin' it, and doin' it well.

Bill's falsetto is just... Jesus... I would marry that guy for his falsetto alone. Joel and Andrew are strong and on time with the bass and guitar... and Aynsley somehow manages to play the drums perfectly alongside the programmed drum tracks on some of the songs... and he's not even wearing headphones.

If you haven't gotten the chance to see these guys live yet, don't worry. I've captured some of it for you. But if you ever do get that opportunity... take it. Trust me on this one.

Here are some images from their performance this past Tuesday night at The Annex:




And some video:
Solitary Man Live.wmv
Cloakrooms Live.wmv

And if you didn't grab them last time, some songs:
Are You Sensation?
Timecard
Cloakrooms

+ Myspace

In other news, Paul the Anglophile is temporarily out of service due to killing his computer. Send him loving messages on myspace to cheer him up while he's at work (because that's the only place he can get them). Also, my bi-weekly party - Manifesto! - is tonight. I'm doing it solo all night, so drop in for a drink or few and keep me company with your requests.

More rock, less breeches.

Last night I stood to witness complete and utter madness that I had never seen in New York before. Where, you ask? At the Electric Six show at Warsaw of all places. Mind you, I had just seen these guys a couple weeks back at the Milwaukee Summerfest... and that was nowhere near the madhouse that Warsaw was last night. Not even in Milwaukee, people. Not even where they drink Miller Lite and the beast all day long, and 14 year olds can drink with their parents in a restaurant. But then again, maybe that's why they're so much more well behaved there.

The show was fantastic. I have no quips with that, so don't take this next bit as any reflection on the bands or performances themselves. But what I do have quips with is obnoxiously drunk frat boys moshing and smashing into me when I'm holding a damn expensive camera. To be honest, half of these jackasses looked about 19 or 20 (security?)... and I had to pull one guy by the collar of his shirt off this poor girl next to me, and also push a couple others off of me. Thank god I had my friend Lou standing bodyguard behind me most of the show or else I'm sure I would've eventually been knocked to the floor. It didn't matter if Electric Six was rockin' or talkin', these kids wanted an excuse to exhaust their testosterone... and it was fucking irritating. Listen kids, you wanna mosh? Go hangout with mosh girl at a hardcore show. Just please leave us to enjoy our shows without injury. Pricks.

Pardon my french, guys... which brings me to the band that went on before Electric Six, Les Sans Culottes ("without breeches" in english). When I first walked in, I thought they were a B-52s rip off band, but it turned out they are a brilliant faux-french-rock band from Brooklyn who play each song as if it were their last. I didn't get to catch their entire show, but what I did see impressed the hell out of me. They keep your eyes' attention and they can do a killer cover of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walking." And here I thought Jessica Simpson ruined that song for me (it came close after Crispin Glover's cover, and Simpson was practically the last straw)... but Les Sans Culottes just saved it from it's horrible death.

All in all, jackasses aside, the show was well worth the trek to Brooklyn (Manhattan makes you lazy). Electric Six played a bit of their new material from Switzerland (to be released 9/12/06), and although what I've heard so far is no "Dance Commander"... the cynical and silly lyrics are still there to love and sing along with. I'll just have to wait until the release to see which direction the rest of it goes.

Les Sans Culottes:


SOS Elefants
Balzac 7502
Les Cactus
Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde
+ Myspace


Electric Six:






Be My Dark Angel Live @ Warsaw (Video)
Dance Commander Live @ Warsaw (Video)
Synthesizer
Take Off Your Clothes
Rock Show (Peaches Cover)
Peaches - Gay Bar (Electric Six Cover)
+ Myspace

Da Bears. Daaaa Bears.

At the Acid House Kings show, I found myself talking to some very nice guys who happened to come to NYC all the way from Ohio just to see the Kings and Legends. I came to find out that they have a band of their own, called simply Bears, and these gents were nice enough to hand me a copy of their album when I said I'd like to hear it. I had a feeling that it must be good if these guys like AHK, but holy crap... one listen and it has passed my expectations. It's a beautiful twee pop discovery, and I feel lucky that I stumbled upon these guys. I'm just not sure why I hadn't heard them before.

Hey, if you guys are reading this, I'd now like to see you on the stage... not in front of it.

Definitely recommended for fans of indie pop acts such as Boy Least Likely To, Beulah, Sufjan Stevens, Field Mice, and of course... Acid House Kings.

From the self-titled album, Bears (available now at iTunes):
Days
Everywhere
+ Myspace

And since Rah was nice enough to answer my request yesterday for The Cat Empire cover, here is that track along with another cover worth mentioning.

The Cat Empire - Hotel California (L'hotel de Californie)
Spouse - Voices Carry

- LB

Ten Covers for Tuesday

I've been seeing more and more covers popping up everywhere, so I figured I'd pitch in my own 10 likes, in no particular order:

My Bloody Valentine - Map Ref 41 N 93 W (Wire)
Editors - French Disko (Stereolab)
The Futureheads - Let's Dance (David Bowie)
Blitz - Vicious (Lou Reed)
Supergrass - Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others (Smiths)
Halloween, Alaska - I Can't Live Without My Radio (LL Cool J)
Placebo - Running Up That Hill (Kate Bush)
Ulrich Schnauss - Crazy For You (Slowdive)
Whomadewho - Satisfaction (Benny Benassi)
Primal Scream & Kate Moss - Some Velvet Morning (Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood)

I also really wanted to include The Cat Empire's cover of "Hotel California", but I couldn't find an mp3 of it anywhere... hence why it took me so long to get this post up today. If any of you readers have it, please send it over!

Leagues, Legends and Queens?

The past two nights have been nothing short of a musicalgasm for me. After counting the days until, I finally got to spend not one... but TWO nights enjoying the splendid sounds of both The Legends AND the Acid House Kings (whom Ivy League, while on stage, hilariously dubbed the "Acid House Queens" for their sweetness and great pancake making skills). By far one of my top 5 shows ever attended, and if you missed it... you deserve a slap in the face. But hey, if you're in D.C. or Philly (Boston was tonight), there's still a chance for you in the next two days before they head back to Sweden. Check their myspace page for the locations.

One thing I really appreciated about the performances is that, regardless of the venue, the sound was fantastic all around. I wasn't sure how The Legends were going to transcribe live, but 12 seconds into the first song... I was relieved of my worries.

The first venue, Cake Shop, is notorious for it's narrowed sound... but even standing up front, I was able to fully enjoy the show. The vocals did become a little washed out during the more guitar heavy parts, but that's what you get when you stand close. The bill of bands fit perfectly together (I think that's a first for Cake Shop), and the crowd was fantastic. If you had to pick a large group of strangers to be packed in and sweaty with, Saturday night's crowd would have been the creme de la creme.

As far as the opening bands, there were a couple of pleasant introductions for me. Ivy League (who are on the same label with Acid House Kings, Twentyseven Records) were a soft and lovely beginning to a night that was going to intensify... much like some of their songs. I had read about them and the myriad of references to Simon and Garfunkle before, but it wasn't until actually seeing them live that I felt the references as well as a strong vocal resemblance to Belle & Sebastian.

After that (and my brain is on overload so I've forgotten the correct order) were White Rabbits and Mixel Pixel. I had heard Mixel Pixel before and definitely like their sound, but I was beginning to feel a little heated and walked upstairs for a break of fresh air. When White Rabbits came on stage, I had to stick around to check it out because their keyboardist looked a mix of Indiana Jones and Duckie (from Pretty In Pink). And anybody who knows me, knows my crush on those two. Not only did they look good, they actually sounded amazing. Kind of a mix of the Rapture and !!! sound, but I really can't fully describe it and give it any justice until I have a second go at listening. And that'll be a couple of months, because they're currently recording it.

Well kids, I'm about done with yapping since I'm not much of a yapper, so here's the part where I give you the goods I brought for you to take part in.

Here are some of the live photos I snapped, from both the Cake Shop and North Six performances. Click on the thumbnail for the full picture (Note: I was still adjusting to the settings on the camera in the dark throughout a lot of these. Please forgive some of the fuzziness):

Ivy League:




The Legends:





Acid House Kings:




To see the rest of the photos, just go to the Flickr account. And If anyone wants to use any of these, email me.

There's also videos! Yes, I tried to keep steady, but it ain't perfect. These are somewhat large, so give quite a few minutes for each one. Eventually I'll get the right program to size them down and format them for quicktime, but for now this is what I've got:

Acid House Kings:
This Heart Is A Stone Live.wmv (Cake Shop)
Keep Your Love Live.wmv (Cake Shop)
Do What You Wanna Do Live.wmv (North Six. Only partial song, memory cut out.)

The Legends:
Play It For Today Live.wmv (Cake Shop)
The Kids Just Wanna Have Fun Live.wmv (North Six)

Ivy League:
Modern World Live.wmv (North Six)
London Bridges.mp3 (not a video, but a song you should hear)

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

(Special thanks to Clyde of Twentyseven Records for the list spots, and to Johan for being such a nice talker.)

- LB

Help me get this by getting drunk.

Sorry for the lack of update yesterday, kids. We're a bit busy recovering from the holiday. I don't have a full post together for today either, but I figured I'd throw a few songs your way until I get reorganiz-ized.

You're also probably wondering about the subject of this post. The thing is I've been going to a LOT of shows lately, and trying to snap live photos with a craptastic $100 digital camera is not only embarrASSing... it's damn frustrating. Blurry photo after blurry photo, all while looking like a jackass. So all I'm asking you to do is... if you're in the NYC area tonight, grab your friends and simply drop in for a drink or few at my bi-weekly party, Manifesto! The more the bar's cash register gets fed tonight, the closer I am at grabbing this little toy tomorrow... just in time to capture the Acid House Kings/The Legends show on Saturday night.

Look at it this way, your alcoholism could be support for future Who Needs Radio articles! And you get to enjoy great music all while feeling charitable and good about your habit.

In the meantime, here are some fantastic tracks to hold you over until we get our shit together:

Gil Mantera's Party Dream - Dreams (Fleetwood Mac Cover)
The Helio Sequence - Don't Look Away
The Rakes - We Are All Animals
The Pipettes - It Hurts To See You Dance So Well
Hot Chip - Boy From School (Erol Alkan Extended Re-Work)

Magic America

On this day of American independence I felt it was appropriate to feature something purely British. And who's more British than Blur? In fact no other band has had a love hate relationship w/America like Blur has. So here in tribute to America are a few songs about America from one of the best of British.

Miss America
Magic America
Red Necks
Look Inside America

And a bonus because we all have the day off...

Bank Holiday

So folks grab a Boddingtons w/a Flake, Put on 1000 Greatest Goals (we won't talk about the World Cup), and listen to these songs in tribute to the States!

God Bless America! Ha.

Ottarock

"Camp Radio is a powerful rock tour-de-force harkening back to the glory days of The Nils and Husker Du." The kids over at Kelp decided to introduce me to this little known band, and at first I wasn't too sure about it. I was never a large Husker Du fan, but as MFKWCRG put it, I hear a little Ted Leo in there too upon closer listening. Not bad at all. So if you like any of the names dropped so far, I recommend you check these guys out.

From their self-titled album, available now at Kelp Records:
On The Landing Strip
Cons at the New Moon
The Julie Rationale

In other news, Milwaukee is full of drunk people. I love it. Last night I got to watch Ray Davies perform some classic Kinks hits, and Nine Inch Nails fogged themselves out of any pictures I tried to take with their damn smoke machines.

Gonna get myself into it.

Okay, I said I wasn't going to post until Monday, but when End TV informed me of this little "leak" (although not really a leak, it's on their Myspace profile)... I couldn't help but get it posted right away.

So here it is, finally... a little taste of the real new Rapture album, Pieces of the People We Love:

The Rapture - Get Myself Into It*

* Removed by request. Go to the myspace page to hear it.

So far everything I've heard is sounding really good. Now here's to looking forward to the release this fall.

Alright, see you Monday.

Wake up, it's the 1st of tha month.

Our bandwidth has been reset for the new month... aaaand we've found an additional host for our mp3 files! So don't forget to check in with us on Monday when we will be back on track. There is a lot of new stuff that has come in during our outage of space, and I hope to get it all posted up this week.

But for now, let's enjoy this weekend.

... or at least let me enjoy it before I'm thrown into juggling my day job, updating this site and being out of town for a music festival all at the same time.