Lollapalooza day 2 reviewed

Wow what a day. I'm completely exhausted but I have to write this up while it's still fresh in my mind. Here's who I saw:

The Morning Benders - Great. They're so adorable! I got up actually in the morning just to come see them cause there was nobody else I really wanted to hear for hours after them and although they played a short set, it was totally worth it. I then stood in line and got an autographed CD and totally dorky photo op.

The Soft Pack - Pretty good. I heard them while waiting for signatures from The Morning Benders. Sounded decent. The girl I was next to said they sounded like the White Stripes a little. I'm not sure if I agree but I guess I'll YouTube them and form an opinion from that.

Blues Traveler - Good. Not my usual scene but they were catchy and upbeat. I just stretched out and enjoyed the sun during the show but I could see people dancing and having fun.

Gogol Bordello - Pretty good. I spent most of this show at the way back looking for my friends so to be fair, I don't think I got the full effect but yeah they seemed fun and had some cool outfits.

Grizzly Bear - Pretty good. They sounded different than I expected live and we missed "Two Weeks" (maybe they opened with it?) so it was a bit of a disappointment. But yeah, it was pretty good. Perhaps it would've been better closer to the stage?

Metric - Very good. They're as good live as on their albums, if not better. Very talented and everyone in the crowd was enthusiastic. (Side note: totally saw a girl pass out twice in a row from the heat at this show. Everyone be careful and stay hydrated!)

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes - Great. I heard them for the first time at Bonnaroo and since then have become a fan. They sound great live. Wish I could've gotten a ticket to see them in NYC... next time I guess...

Kaskade - Good. I only caught a couple of minutes but it was solid. Would've been better late at night but yeah.

Cut Copy - Best of the day. I looooooove them! I super groupied out and bought a t-shirt and pushed to a good spot in the crowd (which was pretty crazy) and recorded as much as my little cell phone could handle. I danced and I sang along and the lights were changing colors and it was serendipitous. They played a couple of new tracks which were, of course, awesome. Can't wait to get the new album when it finally comes out.

Empire of the Sun - Great. This show was packed with people cheering "fuck Green Day". There were costumed dancers and smoke and lights and sexy tunes and visuals and it was such a beautiful overload seriously. Unfortunately I got stuck to the right of the stage after barely surviving the crush zone with the help of some Canadians. I can't even make this stuff up. So I had to watch from the side and couldn't get the full effect but I can tell you that Luke Steele was wearing his signature head piece (cool!). Check this youtube video for a better idea of what I'm sure the show was like from the crush zone. It was also crucial that I go to this because I had to give up my Empire of the Sun ticket for Monday to be here but it'll all be worth it.

Phew after all that I was exhausted and ready to go to bed but then finally, at around 1:30 a.m., I convinced myself to meet my friend at the afterparty with JFK from MSTRKRFT and Midnight Conspiracy, after all, I planned my afterparties around Midnight Conspiracy but didn't make it out last night. Well, when I got there I realized my friend's phone had died and I was alone but I decided to have fun anyway. It was really sick this venue, Vision, is like 6 stories I think. I thought I was going some back way and found myself in a whole second dj area. Eventually, I spotted Louis Kha from Midnight Conspiracy on stage and let some random drunk local sneak with me onto the back of the stage so I could say hi. He's totally chill. He said they aren't playing anything Monday or Tuesday, my last two days here, so I know I can't miss the afterparty with Digitalism even for an hour tomorrow if I want to see them live, which I do. Definitely should have gone out earlier tonight and not vegged out with microwave pizza for so long =/

I'll add photos at a later date.

We'll still be best friends when it all turns to dust

this song makes me monumentally happy. listen, you'll feel it too =)
free download thanks to rcrdlbl



Excuses - The Morning Benders

You tried to taste me
And I taped my tongue to the southern tip of your body
Our bones are too heavy to come up
Squished into a single cell of wood

Aah, aah

And I made an excuse
And you found another way to tell the truth
I put no one else above us
We'll still be best friends when it all turns to dust

Aah, aah

Dum du-dum du-dum du-dum du-du-dum
du-dum du-dum du-dum du-du-dum
du-dum du-dum du-dum du-du-dum
(continued)

We are so smooth now
Our edges are beaten driftwood whittled down
Old bodies slip when they make love
We'll mine our sparks to shoot us above

Aah, aah

the black keys concert review

I am going to start this review with a quote from the film Kinky Boots (2005). "You are making two and a half feet of irresistible, tubular sex." The same could be said of The Black Keys except replace "feet" with "hours".

I saw The Black Keys this past wednesday, July 28th at the central park summer stage. The Morning Benders opened for them. The Morning Benders are adorable. Like stick figures with guitars. I'd never actually listened to them before but I'd definitely heard good things about them and I know they've been playing a lot of shows this summer; apparently they released a cd last month.. They were really good. The songs were all different enough (a pet peeve of mine with artists i don't already know) and I was really impressed that these kids were so skilled. Seriously they look like they're all about 15. I couldn't corroborate that in the brief google search I just did. They wanted people to sing along and they said they'd be hanging out at the merch tent to make new friends and I would've gone if I hadn't been so close to the stage and excited for The Black Keys. Bottom line: they're adorable, I'm going to start listening to them, and I'm seeing them again at lollapalooza.

Then there was a pretty long break before The Black Keys. I was grateful for my cold Corona and the sun was setting in everyone's eyes but it was totally worth the wait. The Black Keys have such a sexy sound and great stage energy. Clearly they were born to be stars and have lived up to it. (side note: Dan Auerbach had a haircut and scruffy beard and apparently is really attractive under all his usual hair) They played a super long set, too, so I really got the bang for my buck, so to speak. Halfway in, a bassist and keyboarder came up to play songs from the new album, Brothers, and I wasn't as enthused. The bass was good but I didn't feel the keyboard fit or maybe the sound was wired awkwardly, I don't know what it was but that segment didn't last very long. They wrapped up with some megahits like "Your Touch" and "I Got Mine", left, came back for a two-song encore, and left the stage again. I made a run for the exit but I heard them starting a second encore right after I left. Seriously this was a long show and they had another one right after at Terminal 5 so I was happily surprised they just kept playing. On the other hand, I see a lot of artists who have one or two albums out so of course going to a show where the artists have a bevy of material to choose from is going to last longer.

In short, if you don't listen to The Black Keys, you MUST. They are a blues/rock duo from Ohio and uniquely talented among the live acts performing for this generation. A great concert gives you that tingly feeling you get right before you first kiss someone. I felt like that when I saw The Black Keys at Bonnaroo and I felt like it again on Wednesday. Youtube em, buy em, go to their concerts! Irresistable, tubular sex.