Cold War Kids Put on Great Show with Fantastic Support Acts

Cold War Kids at the 9:30 Club, March 28

Recommended beverage

to go with this show:

With so much good music, who had time to get a drink?!

While lately this country seems politically f*cked, at least our music seems to be moving in a positive direction. The three bands at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday are part of the growing punk-indie trend in this country. I’ve long believed it’s been there, bubbling just under the surface, but it’s becoming more mainstream and fashionable recently, and that's a good thing.

Quite honestly, I was unfamiliar with these particular bands before this show, but I felt compelled to check them out due to a tug from a good friend, and the fact that they’d sold out three consecutive dates at the Bowery in NYC next month, which peaked my curiosity. It turned out, last night’s show was also sold out.

The bands—Delta Spirit, Tokyo Police Club, and Cold War Kids—had incredible energy and stage presence, not to mention impressive musicianship. They really had great camaraderie and worked off of each other well. Nothing illustrated this better than when the two opening bands joined Cold War Kids on stage halfway through their set to jam on “Saint John,” a rowdy, bluesy CWK song full of percussion and made even more powerful by all of them singing together, with rich harmonies.

Delta Spirit, from California, opened the show with their blend of rock, roots, and soul. Their singer sounded as though he came out of the Radiohead school and also reminded me of the vocalist from Starsailor, another great Brit rock band. Delta Spirit played songs from their 2006 indie album, I Think I’ve Found It. Their folk-rock ballad, “People Turn Around,” enhanced by the sweet sounds of a harmonica, gave me chills when the band all sang their hearts out on the chorus. In a bold political statement, their song “Streetwalker” delves into their disgust with human trafficking, particularly among children.

Next up, Tokyo Police Club, who hails from Ontario, Canada, was the punkiest of the three bands. They performed a sort of garage rock somewhat reminiscent of the Strokes. They were manic, raucous fun.

Cold War Kids from California headlined the show and just blew the lid off the place. The excellent sound mix allowed vocalist Nathan Willett’s voice to soar above the band, and what a voice it was. It truly was an instrument in itself. His power vocals (and this guy can wail), the talented band, including Willett at times playing a rollicking piano, and the skillfully placed tempo changes, contributed to this full and fantastic sound. Willett’s voice on the song, “Robbers,” hauntingly emulated Thom Yorke.

Cold War Kids were touring to promote their first full-length album, Robbers and Cowards, and they profess to make songs about the human experience. They subsequently admit on their website that they use “songs of Dylan, Billie Holiday, and the Velvet Underground as a road map.” Most amusing, and accurate, was Washington Post reviewer J. Freedom du Lac’s depiction of their sound, which he said was as if “Jeff Buckley was sitting in with the White Stripes to cover Tom Waits.” Rockin’.

Hanging out at the Red and the Black

recommended beverage at this place:
No taps but a few good bottle options. I chose the Allagash.

I finally made it out to the H Street Corridor. Getting there wasn't bad. There's a good amount of street parking and supposedly a free shuttle on weekends that will pick you up from Union Station metro. This stretch of H Street, Northeast was the unfortunate site of the 1968 riots that razed this once bustling shopping district to the ground, and it has only just begun recovering now, nearly 40 years later. There are some bars, small restaurants, and a theatre speckled among the still boarded-up shops and run-down rowhouses. Just around the corner, though, on Linden Street, the rowhouses seemed restored and beautiful, a sign of the continued neighborhood revitalization.

The Red and the Black, located at 1212 H Street NE, is one of the several new bars to spring up in the past year in this area. I immediately loved it when I walked in. It seemed so similar to DC 9, on the U Street corridor, and it turns out both clubs have the same owner. The crowd was friendly and unpretentious. Girls were dressed anywhere from jeans and a t-shirt to swanky, yet everyone just seemed to comfortably fit in.

Upstairs, there's live music--my kind of place! I caught parts of two different acts and was impressed with both. Interestingly, it's difficult to put either of them into words. First up, The Young Sinclairs from Roanoke Virginia played a folk-rock set, with echoes of 60s rock influences in their sound--perhaps a little Peter, Paul & Mary. Yet their sound was progressive and even a bit punk-inspired. Really rockin' set. Next up was Hand-Fed Babies, who consist of two guys, Sean Peoples and Hugh McElroy. It's loungy experimental music, at times quite unusual, yet mesmerizing. Using a synthesizer and sampling, they create an ethereal sound coupled with McElroy's haunting vocals.

Quite the experience!

Yorn: ‘Just Another’ Great Show

9:30 Club, Washington D.C.

March 20

Recommended beverage

to go with this show:

Any dark, bold brew with a kick

Jersey boy Pete Yorn moved to California to pursue his music career and it paid off. He’s put out three albums on a major label, Columbia Records, and a few of his songs found their way onto movie soundtracks. But he has built up quite a fan base almost exclusively through relentless touring. This time out, he has been hitting clubs across America since early last year in support of his third and latest album, Nightcrawler.

He opened last night’s show with “Policies” from that album, a fitting choice for a Washington crowd. His 19-song set was equally split between his first and third albums, seven songs from each. Interestingly, the only song he played from his second album, Day I Forgot, was the last of the night, “Crystal Village,” probably the strongest song on what is his weakest album. His first album, Musicforthemorningafter, coincidentally was released on my birthday in 2001, and was quite the present, as I haven’t stopped listening to it since. I’d rate it one of the best albums, by anybody, in this decade.

The show’s highlight, for me, was the Beach Boys teaser, “Surfer Girl,” followed by “Murray,” which got the crowd pumped and they sang along to the “ah ah ah ah-ah-ah”s, which thrilled the ever-humble Yorn. He’s so humble, in fact, that when a girl in the crowd yelled, “Take off your sweater, Pete,” he shyly responded, “You take yours off,” then moved along.

He also told the crowd he wrote “The Man” not far from DC. That song, from the new album and also on his most recent EP, Westerns—which he didn’t pull anything else from last night—has a great folk-rock feel (dare I say country?) Though a departure from his usual alt-rock/Smiths-inspired pop, he masters the folk genre as well, a great testament to his versatility.


9:30 Club Setlist (pulled from his site)
Policies*
For Us*
Long Way Down
Just Another**
Undercover*
I Am The Cosmos (Chris Bell) > Closet**
Alive*
Life on a Chain**
Black**
Never My Love (The Association)
The Man*
Surfer Girl (The Beach Boys)
Murray**
How Do You Go On*
For Nancy**

Encore:
Strange Condition**
Ice Age*
Ever Fallen in Love (The Buzzcocks)
Crystal Village

*from most recent album, Nightcrawler
**from first album, Musicforthemorningafter

Finger-Lickin' Good: The ChickenBucket Tour

at Iota, March 12.

Recommended beverage
to go with this show:
Monday is half-price wine night at Iota.

Three acoustic pop singers have embarked on what they've labeled The ChickenBucket Tour. Playing at small venues across the States, the three guys hail from the south but admittedly don't sing any country music. Each of the three played a short solo set and then they jammed together at the end, playing covers from Elton John to Boyz II Men.

First up, Atlanta-based Nathan Angelo sang songs from his debut album, Through Playing Me. Playing keys and singing with his sweet, soulful voice, Angelo played a great set. Some of his songs are bittersweet and some, such as Love Sucks, are just plain bitter. He's got a style similar to Gavin DeGraw but an even broader vocal range and his grooves are positively infectious. Very down to earth, both on stage and when I complimented him after the show, this guy is going places...

Next up, Nashville's Andy Davis alternated between acoustic guitar and keyboard and sang beautiful ballads from his new EP, Fine China and his 2004 full-length disc, Thinks of Her. This young, exceptionally talented singer/songwriter has a John Mayer meets Damien Rice vocal...sweet and pure, and sometimes a little smoky. His solid musicianship and heartfelt lyrics make this folk rocker one to watch...

Unlike the first two acts, modesty was not a virtue for Nashville's Josh Hoge, brother of Will, though he sounds nothing like him. His attempts at humor came off as cocky and it didn't set a proper tone for an otherwise relaxing show. With a guitarist at his side, Hoge was good but, on the whole, was upstaged by the openers. (not the first time that's happened at Iota, as I always giddily recall seeing John Mayer open for Glen Phillips a few years back).

All in all, a great show for Angelo and 'the Tennessee two.'

Fun Footnote: Since Nathan had beaten Andy to the male restroom, Andy ducked into the women's one. I was standing right outside the restroom when he exited. "I know I'm not a woman," he chuckled. Too funny. This reminds me to mention that I vote Iota as having the best club bathroom in the DC area. The ladies room always smells like cinnamon and something about the lighting offers an amazing reflection in the mirror. It's always clean and always is well stocked with paper towels, tp, and soap. Rock on!

What's Spinning?

ClubD has yet to go digital. Still listening to that archaic art form known as a compact disc. Here are a few cds spinning in my world right now.

The Fratellis:
On the heels of winning the 2007 Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act, this Scottish band's debut album, Costello Music, hit the stores yesterday on our continent and it's brilliant. They are post-punk in an Arctic Monkeys meets Stereophonics meets the Strokes sorta way and one can't help but "bah da bop ba dah" to their choruses. It's hard to sing along to the rest because their thick accents often make it hard to understand what in the 'ell these blokes are sayin' at times, but maybe it's just as well. I'm not sure I want to know what the album's final song "Got Ma Nuts from a Hippy" is about. The song "Flathead" is so infectious, IPod picked it up for a commercial. The rocking rhythms and vocal harmonies throughout the disc are fantastic. Stunning. Check 'em out.

John Cougar Mellencamp's Freedom's Road:
I discovered he had a new album out when he was a recent guest on the Daily Show, my trusted source for news. So I checked it out and I must say, it's the best thing this guy has put out in a couple of decades. Good solid rock with meaningful lyrics.

Ray LaMontagne's Till the Sun Turns Black:
Finally picked up this follow-up to his brilliant debut, Trouble, and it's wonderful. Listening to his smoky, soulful vocals is the perfect way to spend a relaxing Sunday morning.

Supposedly phenomenal album that I need to hear, according to my buddy Bill:
Arcade Fire, Neon Bible. I'm on the case and will report back.
Cheers.

Shamrock Fest 2007

recommended beverage:
Since the alternative was Bud, I went with water.
(someone please explain to me the logic of no Irish beer at a Shamrock Fest)

The luck of the Irish brought unseasonably warm weather today, with temperatures near 70--the perfect day to celebrate St. Patty's Day outside, though a week early. Tens of thousands of people descended upon the RFK parking lot for live music, dj tents, rides, games, food, and drunken debauchery. Upon my arrival, the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, of the DC Fire Department, were marching and playing patriotic songs on the bagpipes, which put me in the spirit of the day. Here are some thoughts on the bands I saw:

The Connells:
It would appear age has taken a toll on this band, that and the lead singer was a bit trashed and his mic wasn't turned up enough. Still, it was good to see the reunion of this North Carolina alt-rock band so named for two Connell brothers, bassist and guitarist, who formed this band back in the mid-80s. Some of their ballads have a Celtic flavor though most are simply good pop rock. But one had to be very close to the stage today to make out any of Doug MacMillan's mumbled singing.

Kelly Bell Band:
Always entertaining, Kelly hails from Baltimore and plays frequently in the DC metro area so it was no surprise a large crowd had assembled to check him out. It was surprising, though, that he played on a tiny stage and a crappy cover band would get to play the much larger stage next to it. Kelly engages the crowd with a combination of humor and dynamic vocals. His business is phat blues music and he delivered today, as usual. At one point, Kelly got a visit on stage from the singer of the cover band, Mr. Greengenes, and they dabbled in a few bars of a few covers for fun, then Kelly stressed he does original music but that the crowd should be impressed that 4 1/2 black men knew the lyrics to a Journey song. He also changed up the chorus of "My Girl" to "White Girls," which got a crowd chuckle. Most amusing was his bluesy rendition of Sponge Bob's Square Pants. Kelly is one homegrown phat cat.

Carbon Leaf:
Outstanding. This band has a big sound and the sound techs got it right. This Richmond-based band has Irish-tinged rock and rock-tinged Celtic in their repertoire, complete with fiddle, accordion, and lute. And the lead vocalist sounded silky smooth. These guys got some good airplay about five years ago with their song, "The Boxer," from Echo Echo but their real breakthrough onto the national scene occurred with "Life Less Ordinary" from their 2004 album, Indian Summer. I remember their small-town bar days and am happy to see them gaining well-deserved exposure and popularity. Yay for Virginia.

Emmet Swimming:
This was a great set, heavy on the early stuff, all up-tempo, and no trace of that annoying song, Sunblock, which they normally play at every gig. It's great to see Tamer Eid back on drums and the boys really working, and goofing, off each other to create their great sound. It's so hard to find words to describe my love for this band, but here ya go.
My article on them in On Tap is here.
Also, check out this blog from April and June 2006 for my coverage.

And, lastly, I only caught a few minutes of Flogging Molly who, unfortunately, played in the same time slot as emmet swimming. Amazing stuff.

A Happy St. Patty's Day to all.

Once Around the Block: BDB Puts on a Great Show

Badly Drawn Boy w/ Adem at the 9:30 Club, Washington D.C.

Recommended Beverage

to go with this show:

Redhook ESB from the upstairs bar hit the spot.

Sigh. The British blokes Badly Drawn Boy put on a brilliant, and lengthy show on Tuesday at the 9:30 Club. For more than two hours, frontman Damon Gough and his band performed songs from their five albums, including their newest one, Born in the U.K. The band always sounds refreshing, though their new material moves a bit away from their experimental sounds to a more mainstream, if a bit pop-inspired, sound but nonetheless they are excellent, catchy tunes. Especially catchy is "Journey from A to B." Especially beautiful is "Promises." Good stuff.

Introducing the rocking title track, "Born in the U.K.," he said we can't choose where we're born and preached a message of brotherhood, harmony, and unity--and then jokingly ripped on the Welsh. (Everytime I hear a British rocker joke about people from Wales, my heart bleeds a little for the Stereophonics).

The band jammed for a while, with Gough alternating between keys and guitar. Then they left Gough alone on stage to perform a long solo acoustic set that included a stunning arrangement of "Once Around the Block." Throughout the show, he had fun with the U.S. crowd, opening a few of his songs with bits of different songs by American artists, such as Madonna, The Beach Boys, and Journey. Having done the About a Boy soundtrack in 2002, he also performed a couple of songs from that, including "Donna and Blitzen."

The opener, Adem, performed a creative acoustic set. He was touring in support of his record, Love and Other Planets, released last spring. At times, he played bells and what looked like a mini ukelele. This singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist with his smooth Thom Yorke-sounding vocals was the perfect complement to BDB.