Careful Patterns in the Snow

Posted on September 14, 2004 at 12:01 pm | No Comments

Snow Patrol just returned to Boston for the third time this year, with a couple of acoustic appearances capped off by a sold-out show at the Paradise last night. It’s remarkable to see how much their area following has grown in seven short months. Their night at the much-smaller TT the Bears in February was far from sold-out, and another headlining gig at the Paradise in April was maybe half-full. Once again proving the power of heavy alt-rock airplay, the crowd went nuts last night when ‘Run’ started up. Could hear the guys behind me mutter “Dude, listen up… it’s that song.”

I hadn’t planned on catching them this time around… I’ve got that silly, uncontrollable tendency to stop paying attention once the masses get on board. I had such a great time at the TTs gig that I figured anything else would be a let down. This proved true when I saw S.P. play London in March… too massive, too packed, too many chatterers who only stop yapping when the single started up. (insert the UK translation of “Dude, listen up…” here.)

So seeing them twice in the past couple days was pure chance. Amie won tickets to a special acoustic set at ZuZu on Sunday afternoon. About thirty of us seated around Gary and Nathan as they played four songs from the most recent record, and one from 2001’s “When It’s All Over We Still Have To Clear Up”.

A surreal setting, a lazy Sunday afternoon with the bright, early-fall sunshine gleaming in the windows behind them. Not to mention the Central Square street wanderers standing close at their backs, freaking Gary out in a major way. “If they grab me, can someone come and get me?” he asks. Someone in the crowd responds: “Don’t worry, we’ve got your back.”, and Gary follows up with “Well, that’s the problem… so do they.”

I took the opportunity to test out my mp3 recorder and a crappy radio shack clip-on mic. Little hissy, a bit rumbly, but all in all, not bad. (anyone got any good clip-on stereo mic recommendations?) …

Snow Patrol

(gary & nathan acoustic)

at ZuZu, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Sunday afternoon, September 12th, 2004

1. Wow!

2. Chocolate

3. One Night Is Not Enough

4. Spitting Games

5. Run

Amie hadn’t seen Snow Patrol before (despite my promises of “You’d love ’em!”), and was pretty well enthralled by their acoustic action… smitten enough to get herself (+1 husband) on the guest list for the Paradise show. (Many thanks to the shall-remain-unnamed ‘FNX DJ who hooked us up with that. Much appreciated.)

So, yeah, last night the place was jam-packed… I raced over from a preview of Sky Captain (more on that later) just in time for the lucky parking spot and the first song. A great (if unsurprising) set and an enthusiastic audience, front row fans singing along with every word, Gary in a Red Sox jersey (#11 for Bill Mueller)… but it’s not like he needed that to endear himself to the Boston crowd.

Most amusing banter of the night: Boston’s been unfortunately overwhelmed with Jimmy Buffett fans, as he played two huge shows at Fenway Park over the weekend. Thousands of so-called “Parrot Heads” everywhere, filling up the bars, and their bellies with margaritas. I don’t know where Margartaville is, but it sure as hell isn’t supposed to be anywhere near the Northeast. Glad that’s over and done with. At least they’re not likely to linger around like Dead-Phish-heads do.

So, anyway, Gary’s up on stage and says something like: “It’s real good to be in Boston again… but what has happened to this town? What is it with all these people wearing parrots on their heads?! Aren’t they supposed to be worn on your shoulder? I mean, historically?”. Ah, pirate-flavored humor. Can’t beat it.

Nothing is Enough and Everything’s Too Much

Posted on September 13, 2004 at 2:08 pm | No Comments

No foreplay today, just jumping right on in. Mostly music-type things this time around…

A brand new Audio Learning Center track has just been posted to their site, and whoa, is it a good one. Titled “New Calvary“, the song almost made it onto their latest record (the criminally underheard Cope Park), but wasn’t quite finished in time. Now that it’s done, it’s ours for free. (or you can pick up the latest Vagrant Records compilation, it’s on there, too… although misspelled as ‘Cavalry’. Silly spellchecker.)

Oh my oh my oh my. Just found out that Rilo Kiley‘s October 5th Boston show was moved from the Middle East over to the much bigger Somerville Theater (seats!). Wanna know why? Well, it wasn’t because the show was in danger of selling out (although it probably is)… it was to accommodate the 10 PIECE ORCHESTRA that they’re touring with. Siiiigh… I’m such a sucker for strings. The ending of “Does He Love You?” is going to sound like heaven.

So not only did I pick up those Rilo Kiley tickets yesterday, but I grabbed some to Ted Leo‘s December 9th gig as well. I chose that one over his show on the 8th since his brother Chris’ band, Vague Angels, will be making their Boston debut, opening up that second night. Plus, Matt Pond PA. Hell of a triple bill.

Oh, and we got Pixies tickets. Pricey weekend. Buh-bye, bank account.

I’ve been on an Arcwelder kick recently, which I tend to do once a year or so… going back through all their albums, wondering if they’ve got any new music in the works. It’s been too waaaay too long since the release of 1999’s Everest. So, an a whim, I dropped them an email through their website. This morning’s response…

“Hey Brad –

Believe it or not, we have been kinda working on a few new tunes. Not enough to be a record or anything, but a few that seem OK. It may be that they will be an internet release only kind of thing, who knows.

The band is really kinda on the back burner these days, but we aren’t 100% ready to give it up yet either, so who knows. We just don’t have a lot of time to put in to getting things in shape for recording.

Anyway – Thanks for your continued interest in the band, I’m glad you like the music.

Rob, (Scott, Bill) arcwelder”

So there’s hope for new stuff on the horizon. Great news. I’m probably pushing it to hope for a tour someday (hell, it’s been 8 years), but ya never know. One of the best live bands I’ve ever seen, no lyin’.

The tracklisting to Rhino‘s upcoming box set, Left of the Dial: Dispatches From the ’80s Underground is fairly respectable. Target-designed for people like, uh, me I suppose. Well, maybe to people like me who don’t already own most of the songs, that is, and who don’t care about the rest. Talk about a bit of schizo-sequencing… Camper into Suicidal Tendencies into the Cocteaus? Party programmers beware. Still, might make a good gift come Christmas.

Suddenly, it’s 12 years ago all over again. Not only is New Radiant Storm King back with a few shows to followup the release of their excellent Leftover Blues singles/rarities collection (they hit the Allston Plan on October 1st), but Thursday, October 7th will see the out-of-nowhere return of the one and only Green Magnet School to the stage, along with Kudgel the day after, and all for a good cause. The details…

“THE “BARTLEY’S CHOICE” MEMORIAL BENEFIT/NOISEROCK REUNION

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, OCT. 7th and 8th

MIDDLE EAST UPSTAIRS, CAMBRIDGE

The fertile, late 80’s-early 90’s Boston noiserock scene is born again hard when several bands from that era reunite to honor good friend and fan, Tim Bartley, who died recently, leaving a wife and young daughter.

*Proceeds from the event will benefit the Tim Bartley Family Fund* The show will be 18+, 21 to drink, and will be $10 at the door.

Many of the bands featured over the 2 nights, including Kudgel and Red Bliss, have been disbanded for over a decade. Former Sub Pop recording artists Green Magnet School will be playing 2 sets, the first featuring all original members, the second with the ’92-’94 “Illuminatus” lineup.

Noise-art terrorists Red Bliss, famously banned from every club they ever played, have members traveling hundreds of miles to do the benefit, as are others as well. Of course, these are all “one-off” performances, so this is going to be an amazing, rare chance to see and hear what the Boston “noise scene” was like in the late 80’s-early 90’s.

Earplugs are recommended for the faint of heart, and lobotomies are promised for those who take this raw sonic shrapnel without protection.

Officially, these are the lineups over 2 nights…

Bartley’s Choice Memorial Benefit

Middle East Upstairs

18+ $10.00

*proceeds to benefit the Tim Bartley Family Fund*

Thursday October 7th:

Green Magnet School (2 sets)- headlining.

Slughog (featuring members of Barbaro, Liquor Tricks)

Luca Brasi (Members of Blacktail)

Donna Parker – opener

Friday October 8th:

Kudgel – headlining

Red Bliss

The Beatings

St. Bastard (From NYC, featuring Dave Gwiazdowski of Badass)- opener

There will be a limited edition double 7″ Kudgel/Luca Brasi single for sale, as well as material from all featured bands, including their current endeavors.”

Couple of sure-to-be-good records getting released tomorrow: Silkworm‘s “It’ll Be Cool”, and Thalia Zedek‘s “Trust Not Those In Whom Without Some Touch of Madness”. The lead track off of the Silkworm disc is available here, and Thalia’s got a sample mp3, Evil Hand, available here, too.

Set the TiVo: Ambulance Ltd. will be playing on Last Call with Carson Daly this Thursday night (well, technically Friday morning), September 16th.

Anyone else catch that Six Feet Under season finale last night? Now that was some good teevee right there. I tell ya, I’ve had a difficult time riding the elevator here at work today. Yikes.

Duty calls, more later on…