March 7th, 2010 |
Posted in Live Music Reviews by zack
Saturday night I went out to the Dream Factory for the benefit show “Dance for Haiti.” What a weird show! I thought it would be because the lineup was so eclectic, but I had no idea of the weirdness I was in store for. I showed up at about 10:30 or so. Maybe this was late, but, come on, this is Shanghai. Nothing gets started on time. So I missed Duck Fight Goose again. I have a curse with this band. I can only see their practices. It makes for an interesting view of the band. I have barely seen them play, but I have heard their practices many times. So basically I know the parts that they practice over and over, like three thousand times.
I walked in on Studio 188 and it was like walking into a room where your grandparents are having sex; it’s great they’re still doing it, but you really don’t want to witness. I even caught a version of “We Are the World,” which was like the worst grandma crotch shot you could ever envision.
And then the next band was Lions of Puxi, a terrific reggae band, really. It’s not just that they are the only reggae band in Shanghai anymore; it’s just that they are great. Gaulthier and Gilbert have other-worldly chemistry and presence up front, Vlad just perseveres within the groove, and Johnny holds it all down behind the kit. Damien Banzigou, Layabozi Interview Subject, was worked in on the bass and Layabozi interviewer Theo Croker embellished the sound to its fullest. They played a short, tight set, and left.
So that was the highlight. One of the promoters came through with a vanity project for a couple next songs, featuring Fabien on the drums, and then we were treated to Monroe Stahr. Except, “treated” is not the right word; it should read “subjected to”. I can’t put my finger on it with his band, but they turn me off. I’m not saying they are bad musicians, but it might have to be chalked up to juju. They need to be cleansed with herbs and smoke or something. I don’t think I am alone in this thought, either, because they almost completely cleared the floor for Weghur, the next band.
Weghur played with conviction and fortitude. Unfortunately, they had been undercut by the lineup order and they seemed despondent about it. They trudged through the first half of their set, up to a point where Hassan broke a string. Then, the incomparable Gaulthier came on for an impromptu jam of a French rap song and really brought the house (of about 30 people) down. After that Weghur continued, working all the angles for another half hour at least. Their energy for the second half of their set was better. The few people who stayed were rewarded for their persistence with a jam that bordered on transcendent.
Now is the time that I reiterate that this was a charity show. With all of the earthquakes going on, it was definitely timely. Big ups to Nate and Carl, the promoters. I hope the cause did well. And I’m also going to give them a back slap on the lineup, which had a lot of promise. They got handcuffed by a musician’s schedule on that night and that’s why they ended up with a wonky order. I’m sure that during a normal evening they would schedule accordingly. They should be commended for putting together such an eclectic show and pretty much packing it out for a while. Again, all for charity.
Three Chord Truth: props to you. Haiti (and Chile and Taiwan): Get well soon.
tags: Duck Fight Goose - Lions of Puxi - Monroe Stahr - Studio 188 - Three Chord Truth - Weghur
March 4th, 2010 |
Posted in Editor's Picks by mike
So the big news in my life this weekend is that after being extremely busy for the past two months, I the weekend off, except today when I’m playing the heavily, heavily hyped Thursday pick, so you might very well see me at ALL the pick events this weekend. If you do, you definitely win an awesome prize. Just take pictures of me at all the events and email them to me at mike(at)layabozi.com, and I’ll give you some of the special witch-salt that Mache did special magic on and which has made me insanely wealthy, or some fancy beers, YOUR CHOICE! Anyway, go to YYT on Thursday or else we will never affectionately refer to you as a duckling ever again.
Thursday:
Break for Borneo
Layabozi’s house band brings the rock-tinged reggae and reggae-tinged rock to YYT in their (our) first headlining spot as Zack moves from the percussion…area to the drum stool. Expect strong melodies, tasty harmonies, and rock alongs a-plenty. IT WILL BE AWESOME!!! COME OR ELSE!! THERE ARE NO OTHER GIGS! Opening are Whale and special late-addition Stegosaurus, and Gooda keep things rocking after.
YuYinTang, 1731 Yan’an Xi Lu, enter from Kaixuan Lu
9:30 start
No cover
Friday:
Dance for Haiti
Three Chord Truth puts on a benefit concert to help the victims of the (second most) recent Earthquake. The line-up is sick (Wayne’s Basement, Duck Fight Goose, Studio 188, Monroe Stahr, Lions of Puxi, Weghur) and all the money goes to charity, so if you don’t go to that show you are a bad person. Seriously, though, these guys are doing something great. Gilbert of the Lions was also a driving force behind the JZ Sichuan earthquake benefit (aka Together Day) two years ago, so especial mad props to him. I think it’s going to be only this pick today because it’s so awesome, though you wouldn’t be wrong if afterwards you went to hear Andy Smith (DJ for Portishead and others and apparently really sweet on his own) at The Shelter, or the JZ Latin Band (now that they have a capable bass player again).
Zhijiang Dream Factory, 28 Yuyao Lu Building B 4th Floor, near Xikang Lu
9:00
100 RMB (for charity as mentioned)
Saturday:
Mark Ernestus and Tikiman
Sub-Culture brings the influential German producer/DJ and his long time collaborator from Dominica (not the D.R.). In the 90’s Mr. Ernestus had an influential label for which he made influential tracks with hip and secretive label designs. Mr. Tikiman, a vocalist has been working with him for awhile, doing their cross-pollination between dub and techno. Supporting them on this fine Saturday evening will be B6, Deville, Drunk Monk, dji, ChaCha, Didje, Esia, and Arminda.
The Shelter, 5 Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu
10:00 start
60 RMB cover
Sunday:
Theo Croker Sextet: The Path of Transcendence
Theo, who has been, I think fairly, called ubiquitous, is nevertheless rarely heard in a concert setting here in Shanghai. Here’s your chance to check out his new suite played by a killing ensemble in just such a setting, with Andres Boiarsky (tenor sax), Jon Parker (alto sax), Nicholas Bouloukos (piano), Curtis Ostle (bass), and Dr. Charles Foldesh (drums). Note, this is an afternoon concert.
Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Performance Hall, 425 Dingxiang Lu, near Science and Technology Museum
3:00, so don’t sleep too late
Tickets available for 60, 100, 180, or 300 RMB
tags: Andres Boiarsky - B6 - Break for Borneo - ChaCha - Charles Foldesh - Curtis Ostle - Deville - Didje - dji - Drunk Monk - Duck Fight Goose - Gooda - Jon Parker - Lions of Puxi - Mark Ernestus - MC Arminda - MC Esia - Monroe Stahr - Nicholas Bouloukos - Oriental Arts Center - Stegosaurus - Studio 188 - The Shelter - Theo Croker - Three Chord Truth - Tikiman - Wayne's Basement - Weghur - Whale - YuYinTang - Zhijiang Dream Factory
June 26th, 2009 |
Posted in Album Reviews by john
Every album has its very own time and place. For Monroe Stahr’s debut album, it really shouldn’t be very hard to deduce the right time. The first track is, “Summer Starts Here,” and that’s about right. The acoustic guitar paints a picture pretty early on of a veranda, or a nice bar/café patio in the hot summer sun, a comfortable, but somewhat restless atmosphere that carries on throughout the album. Much like other good summer albums: Sister Hazel, Phantom Planet’s the Guest, Roman Candle’s Midnite Revue, etc. Monroe Stahr walk a fine and difficult line between sounding “easy” and free without sounding “lazy” or non-committal. That easygoing quality last through the first third of the album and it’s a nice little triptych for a summer afternoon, the acoustic and electric guitars trading center stage without struggling for the spotlight or overcoming the vocals, again, a tough line to walk. And, like any good summer band, the rhythm section keeps things at a nice pop tempo. There’s not a lot of showy drumming or bass work here, which fits the atmosphere rather well, bring in too much rhythm and people will want to get up and move around, and really, this album wants you to sit and enjoy your beer (or wine, you fancy-pants, you.)
Stahr pulls a lot of influences into this debut, at times, especially on “Mantras”, sang by Nathan, they do a very good job of channeling Joy Division into something relatively optimistic, or rather, non-nihilistic, and the effect is something like meeting a bummed, yet well-adjusted Pete Doherty and the Libertines. It’s a welcome feeling, and when the album manages to pull these moments off it shows the potential for a band of musicians that, while clearly talented, don’t seem to have much of a plan right now.
But you know what? That’s OK. Bands don’t always need a plan, and most of the best debut albums lack any real thesis (I’m thinking of “Greetings” from Asbury Park, for some reason.) Stahr is really on point when conveying that warm feeling, most evident on tracks like “Summer Starts Here,” “Nescafe Years,” and “Square One,” the last of which is likely the best song of the album. It’s the song with everyone on top of his game, and every element really works. The rhythm section gets a little bit of elbow room, the vocals get a well-deserved breaking from trying to be serious, and the guitars work together perfectly.
About those vocals. Nicky Almasy clearly has a good voice for rock ‘n’ roll, but throughout most of the album, he’s simply trying too hard to affect. And that’s a shame because not only does he have a great voice, but the forced drama and “Arctic-Monkey-ness” but also because it really clashes with the atmosphere of entirely pleasant guitar work. At times it sounds like an acoustic Alice in Chains, with a vocal trying very hard to sound rock ‘n’ roll badass and instrumentals just having a good time.
Almasy makes up for it substantially by writing pretty good lyrics. “History,” in particular has the sort of simple lyrical thesis that is really easy to get behind, and like “Square One,” it’s back by an excellent accompaniment that adds just the right amount of melody to the unforced but emotive lyrics.
There’s one song that I’ve avoided ‘til now, mostly because I simply don’t know what to make of it. “Airport,” is the kind of song that will come on at a party and everyone, at the same time goes, “is that…. That’s…. wait, no, it’s not. What is this?” Essentially, it’s an acoustic rock lobster with an almost wall-of-sound style electric guitar on top, reverbed, toned down shouting underneath, and the chorus “It was you.” That last bit sounds doesn’t really sound note worthy, but it is, mostly because the opening, “Rock Lobster” riff comes back just as Almasy sings “it was,” so my brain just keeps thinking “a rock… a rock lobster” no matter how many times I listen to it.
Finally, the last two tracks may sum up everything good and bad about this debut. “That would be a No,” has trying-too-hard written all over it, from the lyrics to the vocals and the instrumentation. It really feels like a filler “sad song,” and, more importantly, the kind of thing that these guys can definitely do better (since they already have in “Square One”). But the closer, “Nescafe Years,” it’s a shining white light of hope. OK, the lyrics are a slight bit cliché, but the song itself is excellent, all of the pieces, including a few added “bee-boos” (xylophone?) fit together perfectly and it’s an altogether great way to finish a summer album.
The album cover for DaShiJie is a winding, open road, and that’s a pretty good metaphor. This is open music, summer music, maybe even road music, but there’s definitely a journey to make, and bands could do a lot worse than a first step like this one.
tags: Elbow - Emo - Joy Division - Listen to - Monroe Stahr - Pop - Racks - Rain - Rock - Void
