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TPC STIR NOHO INTO A FRENZY

Tokyo Police Club stir NoHo into a frenzy

Daily Collegian | April 29, 2008

With a backdrop of sirens and the unified chanting of their name, Tokyo Police Club emerged onto a tranquil, illuminated stage amidst a hue of blue light and much fanfare. What followed was far from a peaceful Saturday night.

Translating their frenzied material seamlessly in the live setting, the band powered through the lengths of almost their entire discography before a capacity crowd at the Pearl Street Night Club. Four-piece bands generally don't create the kind of energy and depth of sound that the Canadian quartet mustered, and for that the band deserves their due. Whether rattling tambourines, emphatically clapping, or incorporating crowd interaction, the band not only stretched the limitations of what a relatively simple four-piece arrangement can offer in a live environment, they abandoned them altogether.

The frantic pace of their recorded works took on new life on stage, aided by the band's theatrical flair, engaging material, and the elaborate circle of fluorescent punctuations that accompanied every second of their set. Surrounded by synchronized glowing pillars, every break down was met with an elaborate array of colors, and every lull was met with soothing and still light. This added visual provided a unique dimension to their stage performance, accentuating the insatiable highs and melodic lows of their set list.

Bassist and lead vocalist Dave Monks was front and center and proved to be a stabilizing force to the band's eccentric on-stage persona. His bass lines carried the majority of the night's selections and were accented by Graham Wright's over-the-top keyboard arrangements and the spirited drumming of Greg Alsop.

Guitarist Josh Hook served in a variety of roles, playing his guitar positioned well below his midsection and periodically letting it hang from its strap in favor of inspiring clap-alongs and feverishly providing a supplemental layer of tambourine.

Wright was the true showman of the quartet, owning his corner of the stage with an unparallel flair for the dramatic. Onlookers could see the sweat drip from Wright's hair and collect on the lenses of his black-rimmed glasses and the exhausted expression on his face as he screamed into the microphone, lunging over his synthesizer, desperate to reach the audience.

When he wasn't playing or grinding his hips into the casing of his keyboard, he was violently rattling and slamming a tambourine, using his free hand to punctuate the fourth beats so hard your palms felt sore even from the back of the clubroom.

On this night, one of the biggest criticisms of the band's records turned out to be one of their live shows greatest strengths. With a discography that runs under an hour in length, the band provided a taste of everything, both old and new, and delivered their quick hitting songs with all the necessary dynamism.

Despite their newest album "Elephant Shell" being released just this past Tuesday on Saddle Creek Records, the crowd was familiar with the wide range of the new material performed by the band. Slower selections such as "Juno" and "Listen to the Math" resonated through the clubroom and were met with softly mouthed audience renditions to accompany the relatively calm lightshow.

Upbeat songs like the cheekily titled "Your English is Good" and the clap-along single "Tessellate" caused quite a stir in the crowd, as dancing broke out in patches throughout the packed room while those on the outskirts were likewise helpless to stand motionless.

As is almost always the case, the band's older material garnered the most positive response from the crowd. Tearing through tracks from "A Lesson in Crime," the bands 2006 release, the band managed to supplement their newest material with their established works, maintaining a delicate balance throughout the length of the set.

"Nature of the Experiment" elicited the warmest response of the night. The franticly paced number got people moving in unison with the song's aggressive pace and singing out with a complete lack of restraint in unison with Monks' vocals, which arguably sounded superior in the flesh then they did on the songs digital counterpart.

The band fittingly concluded the night with "Cheer it On," a song that served as the introduction to their first album and the band as a whole. As band and crowd yelled in unison along with the song's chorus "When you're standing near/ Tokyo Police Club/ when you're standing next to me/ Tokyo Police Club," the lyrics developed new meaning. With each emphatic declaration of their namesake it became increasingly obvious that the song was no longer an introduction; rather, it was a statement that they had truly arrived.

Photos Courtesy: Brian Tedder / Daily Collegian
Click for an awesome Photo Slideshow

WEAKERTHANS @ PEARL STREET REVIEW

Shifting dynamics please Pearl Street
Daily Collegian | April 15, 2008

Emerging from behind the shadows of speakers and other sight-obstructing objects, The Weakerthans received a hero's welcome Saturday night from a capacity crowd at the Pearl Street Night Club in Northampton. Following an hour-plus set filled with uproars of applause and on-stage theatrics, such a reception proved decidedly warranted.

Building anticipation for the band was opener AA Bondy, a singer-songwriter with a distinctly travel-infused, folk inspired sound. From his half-buttoned collared shirt and tarnished denim to the cigarette suggestively placed behind his ear to his raspy voice and wailing harmonica solos, it was almost impossible not to draw a very obvious (and tiresome) comparison to a young Bob Dylan.

Bondy, however, delivered a fresh approach to a style that often is inundated with imitation rather than innovation, implementing elements of blues throughout his set while using simplistic means such as stomping his foot to accentuate and bring life to his lyrical narratives.

In the wake of Bondy's set came what the singer himself jokingly described as "a Canadian Onslaught." Over 15 minutes of setup and microphone checks teased with the crowd's patience, but when five figures finally emerged into focus from the dimly lit corners of the stage, the crowd uncorked in unison with raucous applause complete with a stray "Yeah Winnipeg" proclamation flying in from the bar. The sporadic side conversations and murmurs that could be heard during Bondy's set all but disappeared, and the crowd hushed in delight for the band's first selection.

The rather mellifluous-sounding "Bigfoot" served as a precursor for an evening in which the band chose to run the spectrum of their catalog. Diversity is not always a recipe for success in a live setting, but their deftly arranged set never allowed for too much of the jovial or upbeat without a necessary counterbalance of the introspective and delicate.

The band transitioned into "Our Retired Explorer" to the delight of the crowd; they clapped along with the breaks and chorus and let out loud chants of approval during vocal breaks throughout the first lively selection of the evening.

Following this, the focus shifted back to more melodic selections from the band's newest release "Reunion Tour." The album's opener, "Civil Twilight" was met with head bobs and gentle swaying and was immediately followed by "Sun in an Empty Room," which turned out to be perhaps the band's weakest offering of the night. Recorded, the layered backing vocals featured in the chorus are a welcomed addition, supplementing vocalist John K. Samson's otherwise dominant presence on the album, but on this night, with the vocal levels being perhaps a bit off, they were flat and unflattering.

Finishing up the portion of their newest material was "Night Windows," another slower-tempo track that was met with more audience participation in the form of unison clapping during the song's conclusion.

After bringing the crowd into somewhat of a stationary lull with some slower material, the band jerked the audience back to life with "The Reason" and "Tournament of Hearts," with the crowd screaming, "I know you might roll your eyes at this, but I'm so glad that you exist" along with the Canadian quintet on the former and moving all around the cramped confines on the latter.

Guitarist Stephen Carroll and bassist Greg Smith proved to be quite the showmen on the tracks; playing up to the crowd with some flamboyant stage movements and guitar caressing that had almost arena rock sensibilities to them.

From this point, the show really hit its stride. Launching into two of their most popular tracks, "Reconstruction Site" and "Aside," the crowd responded positively, becoming as audible as Samson in delivering the words of the respective songs, a quality that would be present for the remainder of the evening.

The first few notes of "Left and Leaving" received one of the loudest ovations of the night. Its subtlety delivered, yet heavily poetic verses were met with an adoring echo of fans, eyes closed, heads swaying, singing in unison. Ultimately this was short lived, as the crowd lost their collective composure for "Plea for a Cat Named Virtue," which saw Carroll leap into the crowd, guitar and all, during the buildup to the song's finale of hectic noise and the band's eventual departure from the stage.

Following a steady minute of building applause, Samson returned to play two songs solo, first "One Great City" followed by "My Favorite Chords" after at least a half dozen requests for it from the crowd. The full band returned for the conclusion of the "My Favorite Chords" and they closed the night with "Virtue The Cat Explains Her Departure" and "(Manifest)," clumsily singing in unison the trumpet notes that herald the song's, and in this case the concert's end.

On more than one occasion following a song's conclusion, The Weakerthans received a cat-call unheard by most concert-goers or bands alike: "Play that one again." While it's often advisable to leave your audience yearning for more, The Weakerthans have managed to transcend that old adage. The applause, the enthusiasm, and the participation they generated from the crowd are proof that not only the desire for more is present, but also that fans are ecstatic with what is delivered.

* The Weakerthans Official Site
* The Weakerthans on Myspace

BOWERBIRDS REVIEW

Bowerbirds 'free from the city's cluster'

Daily Collegian | March 3, 2008

Straying from the common culture they view as destructive in its nature, North Carolina's Bowerbirds deliver inspiration for listeners with similarly progressive mentalities. As front man Phil Moore lyrically professed during their performance at The Iron Horse Music Hall Saturday, their music is "making matchsticks to start other people's fires."

Bowerbirds possess a stage presence and sound that is simultaneously haunting and soothing. With sweeping accordion and violin accompanying often minimalist acoustic guitar, the band's sound, when experienced live, is as inviting as a warm fire on a brisk winter's night.

The band opened the night with "Hooves," which also serves as the opening track on their latest album "Hymns for a Dark Horse." The chemistry amongst the trio was unmistakable even from the song's very commencement, effortlessly creating waves of sound that were just as lavish as their recorded counterparts, yet with a decidedly more intimate dimension to them.

While simultaneously finger picking and playing the high hat and tambourine with his feet for additional emphasis, Moore's voice resonated through the crowd in a demanding, yet comforting manner, bringing the audience at the hall to a whispered lull.

"You're the kindling still that burns below my heart, and you're the hooves that lead me through the forest," professed Moore during the song, while Beth Tacular and Mark Paulson supplied a gorgeous backdrop of accordion and understated percussion to the mellow number.

The band's next two songs illustrated the group's ability to seamlessly harmonize with one another. "Slow Down" and "In Our Talons" both showcase the combined vocal talents of Paulson and Tacular, who, during the respective songs, compliment Moore by adding additional layers of vocals that contribute to the songs compelling choruses.

The band gave those in attendance a glimpse of their newest music by performing two previously unreleased songs. Both songs draw lyrical inspiration from Moore and Tacular's current project of building their own home together.

The first selection was somewhat a love song, which featured both Phil and Beth singing solo parts before joining in unison for the heartfelt conclusion. The song revolves around the emotional connection the two have developed with each other and their surroundings during the past months.

The second debutant track was a surprisingly upbeat number, delving into their personal separation from the exploitation that accompanies life in modern society. The song begins with the highly visual lyrics, "One morning you wake to find you are shackled to your bed and bound and gagged; oh my, what a predicament," and reaches new heights with the group declaring in unison, "you are free, you are already free" at the song's conclusion.

Sandwiched between the new material was an established favorite in "My Oldest Memory," a song that showcases Paulson's violin talents, and further reinforcing the strength of the groups unified vocal harmonies when shouting out during choruses, "Is this an island that plots like a villain, or an old ghost friend we don't believe in?"

"Olive Hearts" was an undoubted highlight. The number shifts from upbeat accordion and harmonized choruses into a slower finale where Moore gives cheers to a wide variety of characters.

Following in the peaceful wake of "Olive Hearts" was "Bur Oak," a similarly melodic piece in which Moore would rattle the narrative with an occasional hi-hat strike, injecting moments of urgency into the otherwise low-key selection.

Closing out the night was "Dark Horse," a song that comes alive with its reassuring lyrics. Moore, Paulson and Tacular combine harmoniously during the chorus to proclaim, "We stow our words in the cellar so we never lose hope, and keep this wood fire stoked while the bitter winds blow." A rousing reception from the large and attentive audience followed, and the band graciously talked with admirers.

Bowerbirds are a band that is unified in their resolve, and anchored by their beliefs. Following their heartfelt ambitions by taking their message on the road, the band is a joy to experience in person, due to their obvious affection towards one another, and their artfully crafted views on the positive advancement of American culture. As Moore proclaims on "In Our Talons," "It takes a lot of nerve to destroy this wondrous earth." This is a nerve that the band successfully strikes with anyone open to listening.

Iron Horse Review: Ra Ra Riot

Ra Ra Riot prevails
Daily Collegian | February 11, 2008

In their first performance in Northampton, Syracuse's Ra Ra Riot wowed fans with an explosion of anxious beats, lavish string arrangements and passionately delivered vocals.

Following a 45-minute set by Massachusetts locals Whistle Jack, Ra Ra Riot took the stage to an enthusiastic and vocal crowd. Within moments after their sound check, the first cat calls for "Freebird" came, and acting like any self respecting band would, they were promptly ignored.

Kick-starting the evening was "A Matter to Act" off of their self-titled EP, a song that ordinarily possesses great enthusiasm, but witnessed live takes on a life of its own. Vocalist Wesley Miles softly transitioned on stage from keyboards to his microphone stand, striking delicate keynotes while belting out insatiably catchy melodies. Warm waves of sound generated by cellist Alexandra Lawn and violinist Rebecca Zeller combined with Cameron Wisch's drumming propelled the song to new heights.

Quickly transitioning into their second selection, the up tempo "Each Year," proved to be a perfect companion to their opening song. With every passing and progressing note, the at-capacity crowd swayed and danced along with arguably the catchiest song in the band's repertoire. Both guitarist Milo Bonacci and bassist Mathieu Santos proved to be quite the showmen with their animated stage movements, while Wisch was a whirlwind of flailing limbs, sticks and hair Following two of the band's established hits, the first taste of new material was presented.

Miles removed his microphone from its perch and explored the limited confines of the stage, playing off of Santos and butting heads with one another, stirring up the crowd into a frenzy. In an age where excess is commonplace in stage mannerisms, Miles is understated yet passionate with the microphone, feeding off his band members and elevating the performance to new levels in the process.

The slower "Can You Tell" proved to be a highlight of the evening, with Miles shining in his transition to the roll of crooner and Wisch continuing to show that he is a valuable addition to the band's lineup. Wisch joined the band following the tragic death of their drummer John Pike last summer. Driving the song with a tom drum heavy arrangement of anxious rhythm, Wisch managed to put his own unique twist on the established track. Throughout the song, Santos continued to show flashes of brilliance with his highly animated stage movements and knack for catchy and structurally-gifted bass lines.

Delving into some more fresh material, the band showed an affinity towards their signature stringed backdrop while incorporating tambourine and more dance inspiring bass lines. Also introduced were the vocal contributions of Lawn, who serves as a quiet and sultry counter to Miles vocal stylings. One new song, the night's slowest and mellowest piece, illustrated the obvious talents of Lawn and Zeller. Their use of cello and violin gorgeously carried the intimate song.

The unquestionable highlight of the evening was "Ghost Under Rocks," a song that exemplifies the bands strengths. Filled with vocal interplay between the urgent Miles and the delicate Lawn, wonderfully layered cello and violin and a thunderous backbone rhythm, these elements all combine to create a truly breathtaking experience. The entire band, amplified or otherwise, yelled in unison along with lyrics about "soaking wet dreams" this, more so than at any instance in the night, demonstrated not only the bands musical prowess but also the kinship amongst the group. Having survived tragedy, Ra Ra Riot exude confidence and are a unified and dedicated unit, bursting with potential and passion, while proving that great bands can thrive in the face of adversity.

Closing the night out was a spirited performance of "Dying is Fine," bringing the crowd to its most frantic point during the set. Swaying and clapping along with the band as they fired through the song, the last note was greeted with overwhelming applause. Following many thanks, Miles promised that they would return as soon as possible.

Quite simply, Ra Ra Riot combines one of the most engaging live performances with wonderfully constructed, multi-faceted songs. In addition to this, Friday's show also demonstrated their ability to strike a balance between playing new and established material to satisfy any fan's palate. Their songs are overflowing with liveliness, and the camaraderie amongst the members is a sight to behold. Their performance is not to be missed.

Iron Horse Review: Magnolia Electric Co.

Molina Brings crowd along on life journey

Daily Collegian | October 4, 2007

Resembling the battered denim jacket and dusty leather hat that he adorned, Jason Molina's lyrics exposed a traveled and well-worn man. Molina is constantly running from his ghosts while searching for silver linings. He is always in motion and never stagnant.

Molina's musical collective Magnolia Electric Co. took to the dimly-lit stage of the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton Tuesday night. This particular stop on the road was one that Molina admitted he made special efforts to make happen.

"We love to play this room," Molina confessed following the first song of the evening. He applauded the crowd for creating such a positive musical environment in Northampton before further delving into a handful of musical selections from his expansive repertoire.

Molina first emerged onto the music scene performing and recording under the moniker, "Songs: Ohia," recording both as a solo musician as well as with a rotating set of musicians. Molina released his first full-length work in 1997, when "Songs: Ohia" was unveiled to the public on Secret Canadian Records, a label he has remained loyal to ever since.

Following the debut, "Songs: Ohia" released five full length albums; 1999's "Axxess And Aces," 1998's "Impala," 2000's "The Lioness" and "Ghost Tropic" and 2002's "Didn't It Rain," as well as several tour-only albums, singles and EPs. It wasn't until the release of 2003's "Magnolia Electric Co.," that Molina announced that all of his future collaborative work would be played and recorded under the same name as his latest album, while any continued solo work would be released under his own name.

Molina & Magnolia Electric Co. are currently touring in support of their most ambitious work to date, "Sojourner," a four album one DVD box set limited to 5,000 copies worldwide. The box set chronicles the bands works from the past two years following the releases of their last two studio albums 2005's "What Comes After The Blues," and 2006's "Fading Trails," and includes "The Road Becomes What You Leave" a film by Todd Chandler and Tim Sutton documenting the band's trek across the prairie provinces of Canada.

For their set on Tuesday, Molina opened the night with a selection from the new box set, "Texas-71." The song's minimalist organ driven verses contrasted by Molina's rich overpowering voice created a fitting commencement to the evening.

"Now I think twice about every bargain," Molina confessed, "everything I've had and what I've walked out on."

Molina wasted no time pulling his listeners into his past indecisions, and informed them of his constant flight from them. "Now which one of these can I not outrun and which one of these can I ... baby down Texas 71."

Following some lighthearted stage banter, the band quickly broke into "Montgomery," another solemn tale of Molina's own inability to be stationary in life. With an emotional flutter in his voice, Molina softly professed, "no want, no waste and no fight, this boy is Montgomery bound," reasserting to the audience that he is always on the move, while finally concluding, "the road becomes what you leave and my ghost ain't waiting."

Without warning or hesitation the band seamlessly transitioned into "Hammer Down," a fitting up tempo conclusion to "Montgomery." The song reaches its crescendo with Molina stating emphatically that he is "heaven bound" hypothesizing that he has seen the light and is making his way towards it with reckless abandon.

This was the first glimpse of optimism presented to the crowd, who had quickly become entirely consumed in Molina's personal blues, and hinted at a possible turn of fortune for the inherently troubled songwriter.

This sigh of relief proved to be short lived.

With his next two selections, "Bowery" and "Leave The City" Molina returned to allusions to his past emotional scars. No longer was he traveling towards heaven such as on "Hammer Down," rather Molina had slipped back into darkness and regret. Molina croons on "Bowery," "Broken hearts were the only things listening and blue eyes, I heard everything."

In "Leave The City" Molina reminisces about fleeing Chicago at an earlier stage in his life, a decision he remembers having all the reasons in the world for making, but in retrospect can't remember what they were in actuality. Just as sudden as the ray of optimism that sneaked its way into Molina's story arch appeared, he quickly retreated, reminding the audience of his inescapable past regrets, a theme that would resonate for the remainder of the performance.

Molina closed the evening with two selections off of the "Magnolia Electric Co." album. Onlookers cheered with delight when the band thrust into a self-proclaimed "classic rock" full band rendition of "Just Be Simple," and again for the final song of the night, "Farewell Transmission."

Like any well-constructed story, it was not until the show's very conclusion that Molina finally put his life long journey with the blues into context for listeners, eloquently professing on "Farewell Transmission" that "the real truth about it is no one gets it right, the real truth about it is we're all supposed to try. There ain't no end to the sands I've been trying to cross. The real truth about it is my kind of life's no better off if I've got the maps or if I'm lost. The real truth about it is there ain't no end to the desert I'll cross, I've really known that all along."

During the performance Molina's songs became more than just simple narratives, they became personal confessions. When he proclaimed, "I'm not looking for that easy way out," he meant it. There were no cop-outs in his approach, no shortcuts in his delivery and certainly no ambiguities for listeners to wrestle with in his wording, his voice acting as a trembling instrument of honesty.

In "Left the City" Molina explained, "Half my life spent on a highway, half my life I didn't choose, and I have seen the North Star." The North Star is the universal compass for any common traveler, but for Molina it is the embodiment of the light at the end of his tunnel, and while he accepts that he'll never reach it, he keeps traveling on. Traveling the only way he knows how: hammering down, one stop at a time.