Browsing all 350 posts in Live Show Reviews.
April 15, 2013
When I returned to camp around 10:30pm, the Coachuggalos were nowhere to be seen, their camp site tossed to bits by gale force winds. They had turned out to be kind, considerate guys. I’d have liked to say goodbye. What became of them? The sands and the winds aren’t telling.
By the middle of the day Sunday, I was ready to go home. Most years I leave the festival early, around 4:30p or 5:00p, but I had to cover Wu-Tang Clan’s late set. All the bands before 6:00pm were disappointing except for Kurt Vile, who made for a lovely nap in the sun.
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April 14, 2013
The sixer of Coachuggalos brought back to camp late last night a harem of sorority girls. I wonder how that went for them. I put in my earplugs and passed out after a phenomenal festival day.
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April 13, 2013
The sixer of Coachuggalos in my campsite have settled in to a consistent mellow. Very good.
You can’t overstate how much EDM has taken over the music landscape. Nobody is talking about the bands, and almost every rock act I saw yesterday at least mildly disappointed. It was a tough day to make the case for rock tradition’s lasting importance.
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April 9, 2013
The Henry Clay People (and friends) played a show at Seafood World in Westminster, Orange County because I was getting married that day and I asked them to play at the reception. They said yes. It turned out to be their third-to-last show ever. (So far.)
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September 27, 2012
Hello, blog. I am sorry it has been almost five months. Truly.
Some things in life are precious. You should enjoy every sandwich. Dance like no one is laughing. You know.
Tonight I saw The Henry Clay People in Cincinnati. It is the eighth state, ninth city, and somewhere between 16h – 20th venue I’ve seen them play. It is something like my 35th or 45th show. I dunno anymore.
That’s really weird. It’s not normal. Most people don’t see any bands in that many places, let alone that many shows. Like, people don’t do that. But The Henry Clay People are probably my all-time favorite band, if I’m being honest with myself.
Seeing friendly faces in far-off lands kinda makes me want to cry sometimes.
It’s always fun to see The Henry Clay People destroy a crowd of 350 at The Satellite (no, Spaceland), in LA, where friends and familiars are in abundance. But it’s really special to see them kill it for 40 real-deal Cincinnati folks. Precious memories. All-time top five HCP show. Out of 35 or 45. In nine cities. 15 or so venues. I don’t know anymore. But it was that good.
This ain’t a scene… they say rock n’ roll lost its teeth… all the bands we ever loved are selling out and breaking up… but tramps like us, baby, we were born to run. We don’t read fine print…
…because we don’t believe in it.
(rock n’ roll will never die)
Goodnite, Cincinnati.
<3 u LA
May 2, 2012
Overview
Usually my annual trip to Coachella, the Pop-Up Utopia, is rife with meaning and self-discovery. This year I just packed-up my shit, drove out to the desert, and had a great weekend. It was my eighth Coachella. So strange.
It was my third year covering Coachella for Buzz Bands and the first time in four years (I think) that I’ve not had my chummer Travis Woods at my side. (Missed you, pookie!) In fact, I only ran into people I knew twice all weekend. I wasn’t lonely, though. There are lots of people at Coachella.
I was too lazy to book a hotel months in advance and settled on dropping $85 to camp-onsite. It went better than expected. There’s a decent chance I camp next year, too.
The big story of Coachella this year was, of course, that the same festival was put-on two consecutive weekends. I’m an OG and went to Week 1. The big story of that week was the weather. It was the most temperate Coachella in my experience by about 15 degrees, and easily 25 degrees cooler than the average I expect.
The lineup lived up to its billing. Last year, reunions were weak. This year they were formidable. I didn’t see many buzzy-bands, but the ones I did see batted about .500. Coachella’s identity used to shift year to year (some years gothy, others rave-y, others brotacular) but in recent years they’ve hit an equilibrium. Something for everyone, truly.
After eight years of attendance, Coachella feels to me less like a hot new girlfriend and more like an old love. That suits my disposition just fine. More after the jump.
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May 2, 2012
This post has been sitting in my queue, half-written, for over two weeks. It is silly to do a “Field Report” post just before I start writing-up the full catalog of Coachella 2012 memories that linger still, except that the asymmetry would drive me nuts.
Day 3 was a short one for me. Camping would be on lock-down from 10pm to 2am; I could either skip the night sets I wanted to see or go to work sleepless. I did the grownup thing. Disappointing, I know.
Coachella 2012 Day Three Top Four:
- Les Butcherettes
- The Hives
- Fitz and the Tantrums
- Real Estate
April 15, 2012
Yesterday was just about perfection. Beautiful weather all day, save for a chilly night. Didn’t even need sunscreen. I ate a delicious waffle sandwich thing. I liked Radiohead as much as I’m ever going to. Squeeze, Jeff Magnum (Neutral Milk Hotel), and Buzzcocks also got struck off the bucket list.
I got 15 minutes of laptop power, with the screen at maximum dim, so details will have to wait for later in the week.
Coachella 2012 Day Two Top Five:
- The Vaccines
- Buzzcocks
- Radiohead
- The Shins
- Squeeze
April 14, 2012
I’m camping this year, so internet access is limited to 8:00a-3:00a in a public tent. (I wish it opened at 6:00a…) Field reports are brief this year.
I am camping and it rained and was cold last night and my air mattress won’t inflate. I feel very alive right now, which is to say, I am aware that Earth is a horrible place to station life. But having a blast!
Great day yesterday. Arctic Monkeys-to-Madness-to-Pulp-to-Mazzy Star followed by Explosions in the Sky and Refused is a goddamned indulgence.
Coachella 2012 Day One Top Five
- Madness
- Refused
- Pulp
- Gary Clark Jr.
- Explosions in the Sky.
May 16, 2011
The Henry Clay People played two shows at The Satellite this past weekend. Once accustomed to seeing them a couple times a month, I’ve learned to cherish each show as it were their last. Both nights were special in their own way (Friday was a pro set, Saturday a drunken slobberknocker), and I very much enjoyed hearing old tunes like “You Can Be Timeless,” “Fine Print,” “Bulls Through,” “Andy Sings!” (All on Saturday, come to think of it, but they played most of the new EP on Friday and those are arguably their best songs.) They’re my favorite band. You already knew that.
(Say nothing of Shadow Shadow Shade, who also played both nights, and were just terrific. The Girlfriend especially loved them. And the half I caught of Apex Manor‘s late set on Friday was impressive.)
But Manhattan Murder Mystery stole the show.
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