Yamagata Plays to a Sold-Out Birchmere

Rachael Yamagata @ the Birchmere, Alexandria Virginia
September 23

Recommended Beverage to go with this Show:
Starr Hill Amber (this Charlottesville, VA microbrew was dark,
complementing the mood of the show]

Singer/songwriter, pianist, and guitarist Rachael Yamagata joked that half the people at the Birchmere last night were either related to her or worked for her family. Wherever they emerged from, hundreds of fans flocked to this sold-out show. In the spring, Yamagata played there on a co-bill with Landon Pigg and, only drew a fraction of the crowd.

Raised in the DC area, her shows here are always a bit of a homecoming. She did have family in the audience, including her dad [who sat way in the back leading her to joke, “Dad, you couldn’t get here on time for your daughter’s show?”]; her grandma [who called out a request for “Reason Why,” during the encore that she then played], and her twin brother Benjamin. In fact, he and Rachael were celebrating their 30^th birthday that night.

Still, "celebrating" must be used loosely around Rachael who is known for her melancholy mood and downright wry and bitter lyrics and kept in character the whole night. Her rich, sultry, bluesy vocals reinforced that mood. At times, though, the band, particularly the bass, overpowered her, but the drums were always just right.

One new song she played, “Elephants,” is a lovely ballad she said came to her while feeling particularly down but then simultaneously appreciating the beauty of nature. It’s the title track off the first disc of her anticipated double-disc of new material, Elephants…Teeth Sinking into Heart, set for release on October 7.

ClubD is Going to Austin!

ClubD is hittin' Austin City Limits this weekend. Notes and photos to come next week.

James: What a Show!

James @ the 9:30 Club, Washington DC
September 18

Recommended Beverage:

Smithwicks from the upstairs bar

“Anybody know if there’s a curfew in this place?” asked James lead singer Tim Booth when they’d just about hit the two-hour mark of their show. He then noticed a guy in the crowd holding a napkin-sign that read, “Don’t Wait That Long,” a song from their 1992 album Seven that wasn’t on that evening’s setlist. The band happily obliged the request and then ended with another song from that album, the very danceable “Born of Frustration.”

What happened during this show was pure magic and a rarity at this venue. At first, just a few Brits were jumping up and down. One can spot them easily because they’re the ones truly enjoying themselves, a normal reaction to good music. But, soon, the whole crowd got truly into the show. From my excellent vantage point on the side balcony, I saw an entire floor jumping and singing for much of the show. Much of the credit goes to Booth, who had left the band for much of this decade but returned as frontman last year; he looked like he was having the best time himself and that excitement was contagious.

“I didn't recognize a lot of the songs but still thought they sounded fantastic,” said my buddy Bill (also a Booth, though unrelated to the singer) who also was at this show. “I was wondering if any of them could be new because they had that "old" early ’90s sound. Usually when bands take a hiatus, they can't recapture it but I thought the environment was electric and the show was phenomenal.”

James, a 7-piece band from Manchester UK that includes a trumpeter and keyboardist, played several songs from their new and 10th album, titled Hey Ma, songs which blended in well with their earlier sound. They of course belted out the hits, “Sit Down,” “Come Home,” and “Laid,” the latter having been an anthem in every college dorm room in the early ’90s. The band also played much of the Laid album, including one ballad they’d never performed live, as Booth said he figured that was the material with which this [an American] audience would be most familiar. A highlight was “Say Something,” from that album, which Booth sang while standing on a ledge by foot of the crowd, supported by a fan (and a club staffer).

This show exceeded all expectations. I believe I speak for much of the crowd when saying we left elated and musically fulfilled.

Paul Weller: That's Entertainment!

Paul Weller, 9:30 Club, Washington DC
September 13

Recommended beverage to go with this show:

Boddington’s, slow poured from can to cup,

from the downstairs left-side bar

It’s rare for any British rock band to play a two-hour set at the 9:30 Club but Paul Weller, with decades of material to choose from, did just that. Playing songs that spanned his career, from his previous bands the Jam and Style Council as well as his solo stuff, the 50-year-old Weller proved he hasn't lost his touch.

He also presented some fresh-sounding new material from his ninth album, 22 Dreams, released this year. The 20-song album features the new single “All I Wanna Do is Be With You,” and a song co-written by Noel Gallagher from Oasis called “Echoes Around the Sun.” Several other guest artists appear on this album as well, including Blur’s guitarist Graham Coxon and Ocean Colour Scene’s guitarist Steve Cradock.

One band member on this tour who particularly stood out was the drummer, who I later learned was Steve Pilgrim from Liverpool. In the midst of Weller’s rocking set, Pilgrim set down the drumsticks and grabbed a guitar to join Weller and other band mates for a short and moving acoustic set. The band then emerged afterward with full power to perform a peppy version of one of my favorites in his solo collection, “Wildwood.”

During one encore, Weller had the crowd in a frenzy with the Jam’s hit “Town Called Malice,” but the show wasn’t yet over. Weller took the stage one last time with his bandmates to perform the Beatles “All You Need is Love.” It was an outstanding show.

The Kooks: Simply Good Music

The Kooks, 9:30 Club, September 8

I know little about this band, but I know this much: They're a quartet from Brighton, UK. Their single, "She Moves in Her Own Way," from their 2006 debut album, Inside In/Inside Out, still enjoys wide radio play on both sides of the Atlantic. Their second album, Konk, released last spring, has a bunch of catchy tunes on it. And lead singer/guitarist Luke Pritchard, aside from having a fabulous head of hair, has a great vocal range.

The four youngish lads play a happier side of indie rock, and you just wanna bop around to it. At times, they really rock out, always fronted by Pritchard's strong vocals. It's solid British rock. Expect to see and hear this band on the scene for a long time to come...