Playing in Boston
Where: Great Scott
When: Thursday, January 20th
Price: $12
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Listen: The Concretes – “Good Evening (eden rock version)”
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Category Archives: MP3
Horse Feathers / Shearwater @ Middle East Downstairs – Thursday
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For starters you have the whisperer sounds of Horse Feathers. Justin Ringle is the heart and soul of this group. Hailing from Idaho, Justin moved to Portland, OR back in 2004 and hasn’t looked back since. The line up has changed around him over the years but mainly it’s his guitar, vocals and some string instruments surrounding him (cello, violen, etc).
Then we jump over to Shearwater whose make up revolves mostly around the piano workings of Jonathan Meiburg. This Austin based outfit includes members of Okkervil River (actually, it just one member as Will Sheff is no longer in the band). And I should actually say former member of Okkervil since Jonathan is no longer in that band either. So yeah, the connection is/was there and it’s safe to say that if you like Okkervil River that you will enjoy Shearwater.
Both bands are rooted in orchestral composition but definitely give off a different vibe making this show a nice mixed bag of sounds.
Download MP3s
Castaways (Shearwater; Off of The Golden Archipelago)
Download the Daytrotter Sessions for Horse Feathers
Show Details
Price: $15
Time: Doors at 8
Opening Acts: Anais Mitchell, Damien Jurado
Location: Middle East Downstairs
Les Savy Fav @ Royale – Friday
Frontman, Tim Harrington, is a bit of a character. His humor is on par with that of Zack Galifianakis. For example, back in the summer when their new album, Root for Ruin, was leaked the band setup a special Paypal account where those who stole the album could go and pay to be forgiven for their sins. There was also a message that said, “Pay extra and you’re also forgiven for sex sins and stuff AND we’ll tell Jesus to send you cookies.”
This personality carries over to their live show but not so much in words but more through body language. A lot of jirating and bouncing around because lets face it, this is dance music and you better put on your dancing shoes if you plan to go tomorrow night.
Show Details
Price: $17.50 advance / $18 day of show
Time: Doors at 5:30
Opening Acts: Bodega Girls
Location: Royale Boston – 279 Tremont Street
Marco Benevento @ Middle East Upstairs – Thursday
Marco is better known as one-half of the Duo, a New York City avant garde jazz duo that includes drummer Joe Russo. I use to catch their act back in college when they’d shoot up from NYC to play the now closed Valentia’s bar in Burlington, Vermont. This was your typical hippie hang out and Joe and Marco knew how to make the patrouli fly. Just thinking about those cold winter nights with the steam soaked windows keeping outsiders from peering in to see what the fuss was all about makes me nostalgic.
Last we spotted Marco was behind the ivories playing for Surprise Me Mr. Davis, a side project of The Slip. Here he plays with Reed Mathis from Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey on bass and Andy Borger from Ani DiFranco’s band on drums. You are sure to see some serious jazz improvisation at this show. Check out Marco jamming a piano solo from earlier this summer at Montreal International Jazz Festival.
Show Details
Price: $14 advance / $18 day of show
Time: 8:30
Opening Acts: Bearquarium (Burlington, VT)
Location: Middle East Upstairs
Boston and Beyond Concert Newsletter Volume 4
Dungen @ Harpers Ferry – Wednesday
They may not sing any of their songs in English but it doesn’t mean you can’t understand what these Swedish psych-rockers are laying down for your listening pleasure. For those looking to take a trip back to the psych-rock days of the late 60′s and early 70′s, your wishes come true at Harper’s Ferry when Dungen come strolling into town.
I’ve only caught these guys once live and it was at an outdoor festival in the hot blazing sun. In other words, not the greatest environment. A dark, dank room filled with the stench of years of drunk college kids is just the right shade of gray for their sound. Plus, you’ll want to catch a show at Harper’s before the legendary venue makes it’s departure from the ever so fading music venue scene in Boston.
Download Marken Lag Stilla from their latest album, Skit I Allt, off of Mexican Summer.
Cymbals Eat Guitar (The Thermals opening) @ Paradise Rock Club – Thursday
They only just released their debut album last year and already they’re opening for bands like The Thermals and playing at high profile venues such as the Paradise Rock Club. So that should give you some inclination as to their infectious indie rock sound. The most notable comparison is Pavement as lead singer (Joseph D’Agostino) vocals tend to skate the same off-key, high pitched screaming lines as Stephen Malkmus. It also helps when a little known online publication called Pitchfork gives your debut a whopping 8.3/10.
Download MP3s
Watch them play Wind Phoenix live on KEXP:
Deerhunter @ Royale – Saturday
Looking back at the last few years of my musical experiences, I can still safely say that seeing Deerhunter at the new ICA here in Boston in their giant glass theatre room overlooking the Boston harbor was one of my top 10 shows of all time. Yeah, the environment was a huge reason for this but man, can these guys rock. And I don’t mean “throw beer bottles into the crowd” kind of rock (although I wouldn’t put it past them to do this), but their sound is so explosive and dynamic that it demands your attention.
It wasn’t long ago that Deerhunter were in town playing at Royale to give us a glimpse of their forthcoming songs off of Halycon Digest (now out and YOU MUST BUY NOW). Word has it that this show was kind of a let down with respect to playing time. According to this Phoenix review, it took awhile to get the sound adjusted and since Royale follows the same pattern that The Avalon use to with concerts ending around 9:30 / 10 to let all the clubbers in, they only got to play about an hour. So hopefully this time around they’re given more time to throw the crowd back on their heels so folks like Chris over at Kids Like You & Me can have his epic show to tell someones grand kids about.
A couple of videos for you to check out – One oldie from Cryptograms and one newbie from Halycon Digest
Where you Might Also See Hip2besquare
The Avett Brothers @ House of Blues
Belle and Sebastian @ Wang Theatre
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