bradley's almanac - a boston music blog

boston area shows of note:

thursday, august 21st

yndi halda

caspian

irepress

@ tt the bears

friday, august 22nd

varsity drag

lump

charcoal lavage

jake and the jakes

@ o'briens

friday, august 22nd

obits (ex-hot snakes/rftc)

viva viva

dead cats dead rats

sunday morning music

@ the middle east

saturday, august 23rd

the soft drugs

higgins

the toothaches

drama queens

@ pa's lounge

saturday, august 23rd

amo joy!

franklin bruno

(from nothing painted blue)

one happy island (ep release!)

@ the lily pad

saturday, august 23rd

newbury comics / unnatural axe

30th anniversary bash

the meatmen, queers, nasties,

unnatural axe, sleazies

@ the middle east down

sunday, august 24th

don cabellero

ponytail

irepress

@ harper's ferry

tuesday, august 26th

the final installment of...

neil cleary's 'doozy'

a guest-packed august residency

@ the lizard lounge

wednesday, august 27th

liz phair performing

'exile in guyville'

@ the paradise

wednesday, august 27th

xiu xiu

prurient

@ the paradise

friday, august 29th

liz phair performs

'exile in guyville'

@ the paradise

monday, september 1st

the juan maclean

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, september 3rd

ryan's smashing life presents...

justice of the unicorns

tigers & monkeys

spanish armada

wild business

@ the middle east

friday, september 5th

silver jews

hallelujah the hills

who shot hollywood

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, september 6th

my morning jacket

@ the bank of america pavilion

saturday, september 6th

matt pryor (get up kids)

kevin devine

mike fiore (faces on film)

@ harper's ferry

sunday, september 7th

ryan adams & the cardinals

@ the bank of america pavilion

tuesday, september 9th

paul weller

@ the berklee performance center

friday, september 12th

mission of burma

in-store performance

7pm @ newbury comics, newbury st.

friday, september 12th

buffalo tom

as part of the boston arts festival

@ christopher columbus park

saturday, september 13th

wfnx disorientation 2008

the kooks, flogging molly,

alkaline trio, rogue wave,

and more to be announced

@ bank of america pavilion

sunday, september 14th

lymbyc systym

this will destroy you

arms and sleepers

@ harper's ferry

monday, september 15th

lagwagon, mxpx,

only crime, & tat

@ harper's ferry

monday, september 15th

sunset rubdown

@ the middle east

monday, september 15th

james

@ the paradise

tuesday, september 16th

a place to bury strangers

@ the paradise

thursday, september 18th

the walkmen

@ the middle east downstairs

friday, september 19th

sigur ros

@ the bank of america pavilion

friday, september 19th to

sunday, september 21st

all tomorrow's parties

with my bloody valentine, low

built to spill, mogwai, shellac,

polvo, yo la tengo, lilys, autolux

dinosaur jr, mercury rev, & more

@ the catskills in nyc

saturday, september 20th

mike viola (solo)

(1st of 3 weekly residencies)

with guest blue and their

band, the major labels

@ the lizard lounge

saturday, september 20th

noah & the whale

@ toad

sunday, september 21st

the low lows

magic magic

ryan lee crosby

@ tt the bears

monday, september 22nd

the broken west

@ the middle east

monday, september 22nd

oxford collapse

love as laughter

takka takka

@ tt the bears

monday, september 22nd

mogwai

fuck buttons

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday, september 23rd

writer dennis lehane

(release day for 'the given day')

@ the coolidge corner theatre

tuesday, september 23rd

weezer

angels & airwaves

tokyo police club

@ the tsongas arena

tuesday, september 23rd

cut copy

the presets

@ the paradise

wednesday, september 24th

joan as policewoman

@ the middle east

wednesday, september 24th

low

tulsa

@ the museum of fine arts boston

saturday, september 27th

mike viola (solo)

(2nd of 3 weekly residencies)

@ the lizard lounge

saturday, september 27th

built to spill

performing 'perfect from now on'

dinosaur jr.

meat puppets

@ the orpheum

sunday, september 28th

the bird and the bee

willoughby

@ great scott

sunday and monday

september 28th and 29th

ratatat

@ the paradise

thursday, september 30th

boston spaceships

(gbv's robert pollard)

big dipper

@ the paradise

thursday, september 30th

say hi

jukebox the ghost

@ the middle east

thursday & friday

october 2nd & 3rd

baltimore round robin

29 bands playing in a circle,

non-stop, one song at a time,

with you in the very center

with dan deacon, beach house,

creepers, the death set, adventure,

and everyone listed here

@ mass art

friday, october 3rd

death cab for cutie

@ agganis arena

friday, october 3rd

the fratellis

airborne toxic event

electric touch

@ the orpheum

saturday, october 4th

mike viola @ friends

(3rd of 3 weekly residencies)

@ the lizard lounge

sunday, october 5th

old 97s

@ the wilbur theatre

sunday, october 5th

pinback

@ the paradise

monday, october 6th

the wedding present

the jealous girlfriends

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, october 6th

fleet foxes

@ the somerville theatre

monday, october 6th

stereolab

monade

@ the paradise

tuesday, october 7th

liam finn

the veils

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 8th

wire

@ the middle east downstairs

thursday, october 9th

chuck ragan (of hot water music)

ben nichols (of lucero)

tim barry (of avail)

with guest jesse malin

@ the middle east

saturday, october 11th

the feelies

@ the roxy

sunday, october 12th

the residents

@ showcase live, foxboro

sunday, october 12th

the notwist

@ the roxy

sunday, october 12th

jamie lidell

@ the paradise

sunday, october 12th

against me!

ted leo & the pharmacists

the future of the left

@ the wilbur theatre

monday, october 13th

tv on the radio

the dirtbombs

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday, october 14th

cold war kids

@ the paradise

thursday, october 16th

ben kweller

whitley

@ the paradise

thursday, october 16th

jonatha brooke

glen phillips

(from toad the wet sprocket)

@ the wilbur theatre

friday, october 17th

hallelujah the hills

wonderful spells

capstan shafts

@ tt the bears

friday, october 17th

jonathan richman

with drummer tommy larkin

@ the somerville theatre

saturday, october 18th

ra ra riot

walter meego

the morning benders

@ the middle east

sunday, october 19th

the spinto band

frightened rabbit

@ the middle east

monday, october 20th

magnetic morning

(adam swervedriver & sam interpol)

julie ocean

springhouse (w/jack rabid)

@ great scott

tuesday, october 21st

minus the bear

annuals

sylvie

@ the wilbur theatre

tuesday & wednesday

october 21st & 22nd

billy bragg

@ the somerville theatre

wednesday, october 22nd

yeasayer

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 22nd

lyle lovett & john hiatt

(acoustic, on stage together)

@ the orpheum

thursday, october 23rd

lykke li

@ the paradise

thursday, october 23rd

deerhoof

experimental dental school

@ the middle east down

friday, october 24th

fujiya & miyagi

@ the paradise

sunday, october 26th

broken social scene

land of talk

@ the wilbur theatre

monday, october 27th

matthew sweet

@ the paradise

wednesday, october 29th

legendary pink dots

@ the middle east down

thursday, october 30th

of montreal

@ the orpheum

friday, october 31st

the rumble strips

birdmonster

@ tt the bears

friday, october 31st

david byrne

performing the songs of byrne & eno

@ the wang center

saturday, november 1st

henry rollins (spoken word)

@ the orpheum

monday, november 3rd

coldplay

@ the td banknorth garden

sunday, november 9th

the hold steady

drive-by truckers

@ the orpheum

tuesday, november 11th

deerhunter

times new viking

the vivian girls

@ the paradise

wedneseday, november 12th

kings of leon

we are scientists

the whigs

@ the orpheum

tuesday, november 18th

m83

school of seven bells

@ the middle east down

thursday, november 20th

bishop allen

@ the middle east

saturday, december 13th

neil young

wilco

@ the dcu center, worcester

visit tourfilter for more shows

Monday, May 23, 2005

Mp3s: live Nada Surf & Rilo Kiley

It was a whirlwind weekend up in Vermont, back and forth in 24 hours to visit family and catch the Rilo Kiley, Nada Surf, & the Brunettes show at Higher Ground in South Burlington. When I found out that Nada Surf was doing just a few East Coast shows, I decided that seeing 'em up there on a Saturday night would be much better than a Sunday night show at Boston's much-larger Avalon. So worth the extra effort...

We arrived near the end of the Brunnettes, and I liked the couple songs we saw, including the set-closing Olsen Twins number (although the full-band Mary Kate & Ashley masks were frightening). I'll have to check out the audio samples on their site sometime soon, see how their recordings strike me.

Up next was Nada Surf, the main attraction for me, but only because I'd just seen Rilo Kiley last fall. I hadn't seen N.S. in a long time, and I knew they'd be playing a few songs from their next album, which according to singer/guitarist Matthew Caws was finished last week and is due out in September. I was a huge fan of their last one, 'Let Go', so I'll be grabbing their next on its release date.

They put on a fantastic show, far better than the last time I saw them in Boston (which was a pretty good show to begin with). Matthew's singing, as always, was dead on; he's rarely less than note perfect... I just love the guy's voice and songwriting style. Their set consisted mostly of 'Let Go' songs, along with three new ones and a couple from 1998's 'The Proximity Effect'. Here you go...

Nada Surf
live at Higher Ground
South Burlington, Vermont
Saturday, May 21st, 2005

(mp3s removed, july 2005)

Blizzard of '77
Hi-Speed Soul
Happy Kid
Inside of Love
What Is Your Secret? (new)
80 Windows (fades out)
Killian's Red
The Way You Wear Your Head
Always Love (new)
Fruit Fly
Imaginary Friends (new)
Blonde on Blonde
Hyperspace

A personal highlight: During their set, just before 'Inside of Love', Matthew namechecked the best (and least known) damn band to ever come outta Burlington, Guppyboy. I was just stunned. You'll hear it if you download the track... so damn cool.

Sadly, it appears that Rilo Kiley has adopted a new 'No Photos, No Video, No Recording' policy, so in the middle of Nada Surf's set I was confronted by club security and asked to bring my digital camera to the box office. I'd missed the posted sign, wasn't searched, and Higher Ground is normally cool with picture taking, so I snapped away without fear or flash. Regardless, I got embarassingly escorted to the lobby where I had to hand it over (that explains my fade out of '80 Windows' and the missing mp3 for the amazing 'Killian's Red'... one of my favorite Nada songs, and I missed it).

I don't blame the venue, they were obviously instructed to do this by the band(s), but it was pretty bizarre... I thought the days of 'no photos' were long gone. And as silly as a 'no audio recording' policy might seem to me personally these days, at least I can understand why a band might do it. I'd call it misguided and paranoid, but hey, it's their music and their call. Confiscating digital cameras, though? Totally uncool.

I suppose now that tiny electronic devices are so ubiquitous, and are becoming more and more multi-functional, an all-or-nothing choice has to be made... but I wonder if it's R.K. themselves or their brand new major label ties (they're on the WB) that has put a stop to the sharing. Either way, it's unfortunate. Makes me wonder how much longer they'll keeping letting first-rate fan site RiloKiley.net make full live sets available.

Anyway, obviously no one noticed my clip-on stereo mic, so here's Rilo Kiley's excellent set from Saturday night, minus the first song since I was caught slightly unawares (and I hate fading in). Naturally, if the band or label has a problem with my sharing these with other fans, they can just let me know...

Rilo Kiley
live at Higher Ground
South Burlington, Vermont
Saturday, May 21st, 2005

(mp3s removed, july 2005)

The Execution of All Things
Accidntel Deth
Portions For Foxes
Paint's Peeling
I Never
Pull Me In Tighter (new)
So Long
More Adventurous
Ripchord
It Just Is
It's A Hit
Love and War
Hail to Whatever You Found in the Sunlight That Surrounds You
The Good That Won't Come Out
Does He Love You?
(blake talks phish)
I Love LA (new)
Spectacular Views

It was such a great sounding night, Rilo Kiley also putting on a better show than the last time I'd seen them in Boston. Their soundguy, Robbie, did a beautiful job of balancing everything: Blake Sennett's great backup vocals, extra-member Michael Runyan's added guitar parts, Harry from the Brunettes' trumpet on 'It's a Hit' and 'Ripchord', all of it was crystal clear... a powerful mix but never too loud. Loved it.

On my way out of the show, as I grabbed my confiscated camera, the Higher Ground staffer who'd taken it handed me a couple fairly cool ltd. edition, hand-numbered, screen-printed Rilo Kiley posters to make up for it... it was a really nice gesture that was very much appreciated. I'd like to offer my extra up to another RK fan, ~~so I'll send it along to the first person that emails me at the address in the left column with the subject 'Rilo Kiley poster'.~~ (edited to add: congrats to John in Nebraska, who was the first one to email me)

Stop back in the next couple of days when I'll be doing the same with a spiffy autographed Summer At Shatter Creek poster from Fingerprints Music in Long Beach, CA.

Labels: livemp3s