Wyoming Beat

Way Out West 2010: Swedish band wrap-up

2010-08-19T06:51:00.000-07:00

Way Out West in Gothenburg, predictably, showcased some pretty great Swedish bands.

Miike Snow exceeded my expectations, partly due to crowd enthusiasm... although some teens told me the night before they weren't planning to see Snow because "he's Swedish, we can see him all the time, we want to see the other bands!" My regret: not purchasing a Miike Snow t-shirt with the Swedish elk on it.

Shout Out Louds looked and sounded good and put on nice set. Lykke Li, sadly, was not in full voice, so I abandoned her set part way through. I do plan to try to see her again, as I think the lack of vocal power was anomalous.

By far the biggest draw of the entire festival, Gothenburg native Hakan Hellstrom rallied the crowd of 25,000+ into a crazed singalong. I swear that I was one of only ten people who did not know every word to his songs. How to describe this Swedish singer in a sailor suit? Maybe a cross between Michael Franti and Wayne Newton? Check the video below to get a better idea of his show.

As a bonus to my stay in Gothenburg, Jose Gonzalez played a free show early in the week at the local Culture Fest. He sounded the best I've heard him, backed by the Gothenburg String Theory.

Sleigh Bells live at Way Out West, Gothenberg Sweden

2010-08-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

I filmed this at the Sleigh Bells club show in Gothenberg on Friday, August 13, 2010 at the Way Out West Festival. An enthusiastic crowd, they were not super familiar with Sleigh Bells but definitely warmed up to them. "Thank you Sweden!"

Snowy Range Music Festival

2010-07-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

The schedule is out for the 2nd annual Snowy Range Music Festival right here in scenic Laramie, Wyoming on September 3, 4, and 5. The cherry on top? Mavis Staples!

The complete lineup:
Big Head Todd and the Monsters
Mavis Staples
Jon Cleary
Rick Estrin & the Nightcats
Blinddog Smokin'
Ana Popovic
Eden Brent
Billy Branch & the Sons of the Blues
Carl Weathersby
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Gino Matteo
Anders Osborne
Oli Brown
Jack Hadley
Carrie Rodriguez
The Colorado All-Stars Featuring Hazel Miller & Lionel Young

Titus Andronicus a mere 12 miles from Laramie

2010-04-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

When I saw this photo on the Titus Andronicus myspace, I had to share with my Wyoming readers. You'll recognize the location on the historic Lincoln highway, where the band members are posed in front of former UW art professor Robert Russin's iconic statue of Abraham Lincoln. The spot is quite near I-80's highest point, around 8,600 feet.

And note to the boys in the band: next time you're this close to Laramie, stop in and stay awhile!

Band of Horses at the Fox Theater, Boulder

2010-03-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

Band of Horses began their tour March 15th with a sold out show in Boulder at one of my favorite venues.

The band sounded amazingly tight on the new material, especially so early in the tour. There were a LOT of new songs, but Ben Bridwell chose to forestall any concerns about that by saying "yeah, I know we're playing a lot of new songs, but that doesn't mean we forgot the old stuff... we're just gonna play a shitload of songs tonight". No complaints were heard from the audience.

Highlights included the General Specific, First Song and Great Salt Lake. It was particularly startling and rewarding to see how absolutely comfortable Bridwell looks on stage, how in command of the material and the audience. When I saw them at the Fox in September, 2006 Bridwell seemed a bundle of nerves, worried about disappointing, visibly hoping to get The Funeral out of the way and move onto songs the audience knew less well. What a difference 4 years on the road makes. This band has never sounded better, now is the time to see them live if you get the chance.

Crappy setlist (half-assed and written on my arm) and photos below:

setlist
new song (x2)
Great Salt Lake
Weed Party
new song
Islands on the Coast
Marry Song
new song
No One's Gonna Love You
new song (x2)
Wicked Gil
Ode to the LRC
The Funeral
General Specific
[encore]
First Song
Detlef Schrempf
Yo La Tengo cover

update: just realized I forgot Is There a Ghost in My House, but where in the set? Damn memory.

We Were Promised Jetpacks @ the Hi-Dive

2010-03-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

It's not easy to pick a favorite Scottish indie band these days, but once again the boys in Jetpacks won my heart with their live show.

Playing loud as hell to a packed house at the Hi-Dive on March 6th, the Jetpacks amped up the intensity from their brief Monolith set this fall. The crowd knew all the words (another change from Monolith) and could not have been happier with the boys' performance.

the longest winter ever

2010-03-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the snowy wilds of Laramie! As is customary, this blog seems to go on a winter hiatus due to road closures and workload. [Seriously, the roads are closed as I write this... the above photo is straight from the Department of Transportation today.] I'm working out a couple concert reports to post this week that sneaked in during a confluence of good weather and spring break.

And! Tickets to the Sasquatch! Festival are purchased, marking the true beginning of spring and raising hopes for a fun summer of concert-going. Think spring...

Fall Wrap-Up: Pixies, the Fray

2009-12-17T13:43:00.000-08:00

Holy s&*t it's been a month since I've posted (damn snow, job, illnesses, ennui). In the interest of keeping the record complete, the following post will be a short re-hash of what happened but did not get posted here in November.

Firstly, and most importantly, I saw the Pixies play all of Doolittle at the Fillmore. While it may be true, as some young bloggers pointed out, that the Pixies are a bit long in the tooth, as are their fans, let us not understate the magnificence of Doolittle as an album top to bottom. How rare for every track to resonate, for even the short romps like Crackity Jones to stick in your brain for all time. I shan't list here the many "firsts" of my life that occurred while listening to Doolittle, but imagine for yourselves how much happened since I first heard it in 1990.

So hearing it now, live, along with choice tracks from Surfer Rosa and my beloved Come on Pilgrim in the encore, made me remember how great rock and roll can be. If I heard Doolittle for the first time today, I would fall in love with each and every minute all over again.

Secondly, the Fray came to Laramie. Which is kind of awesome as Laramie rarely hosts big name shows. Less awesome: me stranded at home under H1N1 quarantine. I think the folks who used my ticket and snapped these photos enjoyed the show more than I would have.

And so ends 2009. With any luck the roads will stay open for some great shows coming up this spring down Denver-way...

Monolith Festival needs your help

2009-11-19T11:59:00.000-08:00

Sad news from the folks at Monolith this week... unless they can scrape together a good chunk of cash over the next two weeks there will not be a Monolith Festival 2010.

Make your pledge now! I am willing to pledge money to maintain a local, small-scale, awesome lineup, indie rock fest at the crazy beautiful Red Rocks... are you?

Miley Cyrus ruins my indie cred

2009-10-07T19:42:00.001-07:00

You knew it would happen...

I went to see Miley Cyrus live. Jealous?

Let me be clear from the start: No Hannah Montana wig, no "Best of Both Worlds," just straight up Miley with 18,000 screaming fans in Phoenix, Arizona.

Miley's brother Trace opened with his band Metro Station. Their music was execrable. This blogger was especially horrified to hear, in an introduction to their song Japanese Girls, "this song was written in Toke-ee-yo Japan, it's about Japanese Girls. This song is pretty much what electronic music is all about right now!" Really? Please don't tell the children that electronic music sounds like s&*tty rock/pop/country.

But of course Metro Station served their purpose: allowing the children to grow accustomed to the concert setting while the moms purchased more wine. Bless them.

Miley Cyrus took the stage via a giant Spinal Tap-esque pod (hers opened properly). All you indie fans out there, consider what kind of stage show a Wal-Mart/ Disney sponsorship can provide. Pods! 10 dancers! Flames! Costume changes! Flying motorcycles! Take a moment to think what the Flaming Lips could do with this budget. I'll wait...

And now to Miley: girl can sing. No Ashley Simpson behavior here. She sang it for real, she sounded great, she jumped into the crowd, she connected. She communicated how much she really really wants you to work hard and believe in something and do things that are meaningful to you.

Fan favorites included Party in the USA, Girls Night, and the Hoedown. And of course, the sound of a billion 6 year olds singing along with encore The Climb will give you goosebumps (or make your hairs stand on end, same thing right?)

The Fray playing in Laramie

2009-10-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

If you're into it...

The Fray will perform in the University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences auditorium Saturday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m.

Student tickets, limited to two tickets per valid student ID, go on sale Thursday, Oct. 8, for $25. Tickets go on sale to the public Monday, Oct. 12, for $35. Tickets can be purchased at the Wyoming Union information desk, the Fine Arts box office, by phone at (307) 766-6666 or online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts.

"We encourage students to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the public," says Michael Lange, coordinator of Student Activities Programs.

The Denver-based band achieved national prominence with hit-singles such as "Over My Head (Cable Car)," "How To Save A Life" and "You Found Me."

Monolith Day Two: fun fun with a little sun

2009-09-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday at Red Rocks started with friendly Scotsmen We Were Promised Jetpacks. Despite technical difficulties, the Jetpacks charmed the overflow crowd at the woxy.com stage with witty banter and blew us away with a fantastic set. Probably my favorite of the three talented FatCat bands at the festival.

Next up, the much hyped Neon Indian for their first live performance ever. I'm channeling Simon Cowell here (ugh) but keeping one's eyes open during at least part of the performance would aid in forging a connection with the audience. I'm just sayin'.

I jammed up the stairs to catch part of the Monotonix set during Neon Indian. The always energetic Israelis did not disappoint, playing wildly within the crowd, stealing hats and drinks and sharing glimpses of parts best left covered.

We caught part of the Dandy Warhols on the main stage and while I harbor fond memories of some of their tunes, the attitude of that band brings me down. Seeing them in person did not change my feelings.

Later in the day, back downstairs for the Twilight Sad, another Glasgow band. This involved skipping Health (I'm too old for that action) and Passion Pit (not willing to risk the disappointment after Sasquatch).

Last minute illness from MSTRKRFT put Phoenix on the main stage bill, snuggled nicely between the quite entertaining Redman and Methodman and headliners Mars Volta. The French pop masters took the bump up to the main stage with panache, fully owning Red Rocks and filling the place as full as I saw it all weekend. They sounded fantastic!

After all that fun, we left the photographer to the Mars Volta and headed for the beer and cheese sticks hiding in the parking lot cooler. Au revoir until next year, Monolith!

More Day Two photos follow:

Monolith Festial 2009: Girl Talk & Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2009-09-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Despite constant drizzle and wet socks, Saturday night offered some of the best energy of the entire festival.

The main stage filled with rain-soaked dancers for Girl Talk's set. I may never understand how Gregg Gillis can make me dance to Fergie but I think I love him for it. Also! Is the official Girl Talk Tivo set to record the Disney Channel? How else would he be thinking about Pilot's 70s classic "Magic"? This man blends the musical superego and the id over and over again until you forget you don't really "appreciate" Journey and find yourself singing along at full volume.

After we all caught our breath and swept away the confetti, Karen O and company took the stage, starting their set with one of my favorites from the most recent LP, "Runaway". Mid-way through their 16 songs of awesomeness, the YYYs played "Date with the Night" and I need to be perfectly clear that not 24 hours prior I had demanded of the universe that I hear the lyrics "we're sweatin' in the winter" live. Thank you, universe.

Encore "Y Control" cemented their place in my heart as one of the best live bands working today. The visuals of Karen O in couture striking kabuki poses across the stage while Nick Zinner and his hair represent the stoic side of punk are a spectacle worthy of your ticket dollars.

And while we're talking about the silent Mr. Zinner allow me to postulate a long-simmering theory... a lot of people, a lot of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' most fervent fans especially, and I include myself here, embrace Karen O's lyrics, loudness, broad smile and sexual lyrics. Her guttural groans and moans remind me of Prince, a decidedly womanly barbaric yawp. And yet. Consider this: without Zinner's guitar there is no Yeah Yeah Yeahs. His shrieking strings cut past the vocals, the grunts, the synth to get down to the true bump and grind that makes rock and roll great. Almost a call and response of the loins, her lyrics, his guitar. That is all.

Please enjoy more photos below...

Monolith Day One: the small warm stages and the cold rainy ones

2009-09-16T17:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday started off chilly, with me hurrying to don leggings before the sweet strains of Stars of Track and Field. (p.s. is it just me or do these guys sound like they should be on the soundtrack for a CW show?)

Also playing in the cozy warm basement of Red Rocks: Antlers. They sounded ah-mazing. Too bad it was too packed to see them, but I've vowed to spend more time with their album after hearing the live show.

Then we were off to see Frightened Rabbit on the main stage. These Scots delivered the songs we wanted to hear, plaintively and somewhat plainly. I love this band, but they're a bit tentative for a venue like Red Rocks. More shows, more songs, and they'll be ready to bring the crowd to their feet.

Next up, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. Again, I love this band and I love Thao's energy and her giant guitar and her cowboy boots, but the drizzle and the chill and the giant stage brought her down a bit. This set did not exude the same joie d'vivre as the one I saw from her at Sasquatch in 2008. The folks exuding during these main stage sets were the delightful troupe of Grand Teton National Park workers - shout out to that Wyoming drive!

At this point, my rain-soaked body required food, shelter, and a glass of wine, causing me to miss Pains of Being Pure at Heart, one of my most anticipated acts of the day. Sheesh, how can a librarian/ music fan not love a song like Young Adult Friction? Next time, PoBPaH, next time.

Replenished with string cheese and hooch, we made our way back out into the rain to see The Walkmen. Dang these guys always sound good. The Rat remains a modern classic. Their set, their black and gray outfits, the mist over Red Rocks, all delivered the indie rock goods. They left the Wyoming fans craving digital watches and sexy gloom.

As for the big guns on Saturday night, Girl Talk and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, more to come... and more photos from Day One below.

Chromeo DJ set @ Monolith pre-party

2009-09-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

We caught a portion of the long DJ set from Chromeo at the pre-party. Fun fun, dance dance, but what was up? Texting? Tweeting? A lot of handheld device usage onstage.

The Grates @ Monolith pre-party

2009-09-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

The Grates brought loads of Australian energy to the Gothic Friday night. Frontwoman Patience is a human tornado who charmed the entire crowd, comparing fans to adorable puppies and taking a ride on shoulders. Absolutely fun and a must-see Sunday at Monolith if you missed them at the pre-party.

Sugar and Gold @ Monolith pre-party

2009-09-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

You know I'm a sucker for all things Prince, and Sugar and Gold make a fine tribute to the purple one. Singing original material with a definite debt to Prince, they shimmied up the stage of the Gothic.

My Monolith schedule

2009-09-01T12:56:00.003-07:00

You can make your own schedule for the Monolith Festival at Gigbot. What am I missing on this list? Will I see you at any of these bands?

Monolith daily schedule now up!

2009-08-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

Check out the 2 day schedule for the Monolith Festival and tell me... any major conflicts breaking your heart? So far none of my favorites overlap that I can tell, but I need to give this schedule a full perusal.

Devotchka Halloween pre-sale

2009-08-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

Denver darlings and Halloween fans Devotchka are slated to play two nights at the Boulder Theater October 30th and 31st. See below for pre-sale links, password = pumpkin.

DeVotchKa will return to the Boulder Theater for the Halloween 2009 Extravaganza on October 30th and 31st. We want to welcome our fans to a very special Fans First presale.

Tickets will go on sale Friday, August 7th at 10am. Online presale only. Public on-sale begins on Saturday, August 8th at 10am. Click below to buy your tickets. The password is pumpkin.

Click HERE for October 30 (18 & over)
Click HERE for October 31 (21 & over)

Everything Absent or Distorted: Cheyenne Frontier Days

2009-07-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

It was not an official CFD stage but it was a Frontier Days-style party. Bonfire, fireworks, cowboys and EAoD.

The band sounded great in the warm air of the tennis courts. A short set, but a welcome venture to Cheyenne. Sadness here to learn that the band is breaking up. I was glad to see them while the getting was good and glad to leave the compound with no burns.

Tennis court stage:

The bonfire:

The compound:

Bon Iver, Fox Theater, Boulder on June 12th

2009-07-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

When you drive 2+ hours from Laramie to a show, it's easy to be a little worried about seeing a "mellow" artist before hitting the road back home after midnight. The right combination of quiet pretty songs and a swig of Jameson at the show can mean a long ride north.

On his second date in the Front Range this weekend, Bon Iver led off on Sunday with the beautiful Flume and while I loved it, I worried about the mellow factor. No need for alarm as Justin Vernon and his band turned up the volume and re-arranged all the favorites from For Emma, Forever Ago in a way that no one could call "mellow". Creature Fear knocked the sold-out crowd's socks right off and we knew no one was falling asleep.

Even with the sweltering guitars, the lyrics from his indie torch song masterpiece proved more affecting that I anticipated. There are very few shows indeed where I tear up and feel truly heartsick over the music, but Sunday was one of those nights. Bon Iver's songs forgo cliche in favor of an emotional landscape that is muddy and slippery and true in some elemental way.

I knew I loved Skinny Love before the 3 person percussion was added, but I liked it loud in the live setting. And Blood Bank never really worked for me until this show and the Neil Young/ Crazy Horse encore treatment it received.

But getting back to those lyrics, man, they come at you when sung live to a hushed crowd. Re: Stacks topped my wishlist of songs to hear Sunday, and it topped my all-time list of amazing-gorgeous-powerful songs to hear live. Friends in the Pacific Northwest used to tell me about girls crying through Eliot Smith sets and I felt like one of those girls Sunday night. When it came time to sing along with Wolves (Act I and II), my quiet "what might have been lost" joined with what seemed like the rest of Boulder.

It took Bon Iver a long time to make it to the Rockies, let's hope he comes back. Soon.

Full Monolith lineup

2009-07-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here it is, your lineup for Monolith Festival September 12-13th... who are you most excited to see at Red Rocks?

Saturday, September 12
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Girl Talk
Of Montreal
M. Ward
DOOM
The Walkmen
OK Go
Ida Maria
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Frightened Rabbit
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down
Hollywood Holt + Million $ Mano
Starf*cker
Thunderheist
Woodhands
These United States
Cymbals Eat Guitars
The Antlers
Cotton Jones
Gregory Alan Isakov
Lydia
Generationals
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
The Answering Machine
Roadside Graves
Danielle Ate the Sandwich
Speakeasy Tiger
Autovaughn
Avi Buffalo
Wendy Darling
Boulder Acoustic Society
Caitlin Rose

Sunday, September 13
The Mars Volta
MSTRKRFT
Method Man & Redman
Phoenix
The Dandy Warhols
Chromeo
The Glitch Mob
Passion Pit
WALE
The Thermals
Harlem Shakes
Monotonix
The Grates
HEALTH
Deer Tick
The Twilight Sad
The Features
Spindrift
Savoy
Bad Veins
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Beats Antique
Tigercity
French Horn Rebellion
The Pirate Signal
Neon Indian
The Knew
A Shoreline Dream
The Royal Bangs
Red Wire Black Wire
Jim McTurnan & the Kids That Killed the Man
Rachel Goodrich

Plus! Cool Kids and a Chromeo DJ Set at the VIP parties.

Monolith headliners: Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Mars Volta

2009-07-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

We knew about Karen O and company gracing the Red Rocks stage on September 12th, and now it sounds like Mars Volta will close out the Sunday show at Monolith.

Their antics at Sasquatch 2008 kept me entertained (see Cedric in the air in above photo), although I hope not to take a cymbal + stand to the head.

The Mars Volta, live video from Sasquatch 2008 from Dave Allen on Vimeo.

Monolith headliners?

2009-07-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

I am beyond delighted to see Saturday headliners Yeah Yeah Yeahs at this year's Monolith Festival. Still waiting to hear about the Sunday headliners, but could it be these guys? A Denver show in the works per pitchfork... my fingers are crossed!

EAOD update... new time for Cheyenne show

2009-07-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

Wyoming fans of Everything Absent or Distorted, take note of the new time for their show Saturday...

What: E.A.O.D. (a love story).

When: Sat. July 18th 2009

Where: 919 Iron Mountain (take Yellowstone north to Iron Mtn, go right for about a mile and look for the big house and pink balloons and cars on the road).

What time: 7PM until we all can’t rock any more we’re so rocked out (and Beer shoots off his fireworks) (Funk tractor at 8PM, EAOD at 9PM, Chaos to follow).

Sorry: A few band members can’t make it up early so we’ll be competing with George Strait. You can still wear a Stetson and two-step to the E. You just have to move quickly.

What to bring: Some beer, wine, balloons, your dancing shoes. We’ll have some kegs.

What to wear: We prefer Iron Maiden T-shirts from the 80’s. And a single sequined glove.

Love: I hope you all can make it, invite your friends, all are welcome, etc.

Yeltzi at the Buckhorn Saturday

2009-06-25T17:48:00.001-07:00

Hey Laramigos, this just in from trustworthy friends in Duluth:

I wanted to let y'all know about some fantastic, live music that will be yours for the taking this weekend. Yeltzi, a two-piece outfit from Duluth, consists of Sara Softich and her fella, Jason (aka "Pip" or Whistler") Wussow. They will be at the Buckhorn this Saturday, June 27th, playing from 9-midnight. They'll be playing an early show at the Beartree in Centennial the next day, Sunday, June 28th, from 4-6ish. Their website is http://www.sarasoftich.com if you want to listen a little

More of their tunes at the Yeltzi site and myspace.

Everything Absent or Distorted Cheyenne show!

2009-06-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

Denver's beloved Everything Absent or Distorted (a love story) makes a rare Wyoming appearance in our capitol city this summer. Hooray!

Details from the band follow... make your plans (hotel room, camp site, my guest bed) now!

Mark your calendars for July 18 at maybe 4PM to 7PM (time tba)? We finally were able to find a venue to play here in Cheyenne. It's a come one, come all musical rockfest out at 919 Iron Mountain (Beer's barn/tennis courts). Everyone in town is invited and I'm sending out multiple invites and hoping I get everyone I know so please spread the word....
We'll supply some kegs etc and it's BYOB as well. We'll pass a donation hat around to try to round up some money for hotel rooms for all my Denver bandmates.

Local rockers Funk Tractor to start the show.

Snowy Range Music Festival

2009-06-23T17:22:00.001-07:00

The brand new Snowy Range Music Festival comes to Laramie September 5-7th at the scenic Albany County Fairgrounds. The lineup so far features national blues acts alongside local bands.

Full lineup below:
September 5th:
* Jonny Lang
* Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers
* Reba Russell
* Dave Beegle featuring Michaela Rae
* Gino Matteo & The Family Phunk
* Tony Lucca
* Bobby Walker
* Mike Hurwitz & The Aimless Drifters
* High Voltage
* Mumbletypeg
* Hogback

September 6th:
* Susan Tedeschi
* Eric Sardinas and Big Motor
* Carl Weathersby
* Blinddog Smokin'
* Reba Russell
* Gino Matteo & The Family Phunk
* Samuel James
* Jasco
* Michael Hurwitz & The Aimless Drifters
* Heidi & The Rhythm Rollers
* BoomSlang

September 7th:
* The Derek Trucks Band
* Bobby Rush
* Carl Weathersby
* Seth Walker
* Dave Beegle Electric Band
* Gino Matteo & The Family Phunk
* Jasco
* Bobby Walker
* Big Hollow

Time to buy tickets for Monolith

2009-06-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

The Monolith Festival site is up, the lineup is nearly finalized, and they are offering a screaming hot deal on early bird tickets.

$75 two day pass, no fees.
Or $185 VIP Gold two day pass, again no fees.

Follow Monolith on Facebook for the latest artist additions.

Westword Music Showcase - take the shuttle

2009-06-11T07:57:00.001-07:00

For all my Laramigos, this is a pretty sweet deal. Take a shuttle from UW to and from the Westword Music Showcase June 13th.

The bus leaves at noon from the east Wyoming Union parking lot and will return to campus around midnight. Cost is $10 for UW students and $15 for non-students. Tickets for the music showcase are available from the Wyoming Union information desk. Tickets include the bus ride and admittance to the music event.

For more information, contact the UW Campus Activities Center at (307) 766-6340 or e-mail cac@uwyo.edu.

Get on the bus and see Wyoming Beat faves Everything Absent or Distorted along with Built to Spill, Photo Atlas, Young Coyotes, A Place to Bury Strangers, and more.

Neko Case @ the Ogden, 5-30-09

2009-06-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

Neko Case sounded amazing as always, although maybe I've gotten a little spoiled by her past performances. I wanted more songs, a longer set, and (no fault of Neko's) a better crowd. Songs from the new album sounded great next to her older tunes, and I continue to love Kelly Hogan and her perfect vocal foil to Neko with all my heart.

Back to the fans... when the venue is not seated, and the show is sold out, please fans, make an effort to let people in. Try to make room, not enemies. Nobody wins when a few folks guard their personal space with rudeness while others are left with no option to fit in the theater. Security staff made matters worse instead of better, and left me wondering why 30,000 youngsters at the Sasquatch Festival could behave better than a thousand or so NPR- listening 40 year olds.

Denver, you can do better.

Janes Addiction Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-27T13:37:00.001-07:00

Aw, Janes. I loved every minute of the set. Right up to the end when I realized that Perry Ferrell, Dave Navarro and I are none of us the young chickens we were when I saw them 18 years ago.

But! Three Days, Mountain Song, Ted Just Admit It..., Pigs in Zen, these songs all held up much better than me and Dave and Perry. They sounded fantastic in the midst of a sweaty crowd in front of the beautiful darkened Gorge. Even if more than one person pointed out that Perry Ferrell looks rather like David Copperfield these days, I'm still glad he made the trip out to Sasquatch.

Nine Inch Nails Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Photos from the NIN show Sunday night at the Gorge...

Of Montreal Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

My curiosity about the Of Montreal live show led me to the Wookie Stage late in the day on Sasquatch day 2. True to form, Of Montreal brought costumes, dancers and a strange beauty to the proceedings. They also sounded beautiful and each song was met with a complete singalong from the crowd.

TV on the Radio Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Punishing heat framed a great set from TV on the Radio Sunday. They sounded good and even the tiredest and hottest of the crowd got on their feet for Wolf Like Me.

The Walkmen Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

We caught the last part of their set but the Walkmen sound translated well to the main stage of the Gorge.

Airborne Toxic Event Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

Going into the Airborne Toxic Event show with low expectations (I only knew one song and had my doubts about how much I would get into their live show) turned into a pleasant surprise. The band seemed thrilled to be at Sasquatch and put forth a lovely sound with lots of good songs. I will pay more attention to them in the future.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

Yeah Yeah Yeahs provided the highlight of Sasquatch Saturday. From opener Heads Will Roll all the way through to the closing Y Control, Karen O and company delivered the goods. Highlights included Black Tongue and Kiss Kiss, but in truth every song rocked and left me wanting more more more. The entire festival is talking this morning about the awesomeness of Karen O's stage presence and the greatness of Nick Zinner's guitar. Even predictable songs like Maps got a slightly different treatment (a lovely acoustic guitar from Zinner) and attitude (Karen screaming a dedication to all "the f&*king lovers in the Gorge tonight!")

Please, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, come to the Front Range soon!

Animal Collective Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

Animal Collective played during the hottest part of the day Saturday at Sasquatch. They led off with Summertime Clothes followed immediately by My Girls, pleasing pretty much all in attendance. They emphasized new material throughout, and their set sounded great reverberating through the vastness of the Gorge.

King Khan and the Shrines Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-24T09:48:00.000-07:00

King Khan and the Shrines brought full energy to the 90 degree Gorge Saturday. A flapper dancer, Khan's headdress, cape and staff, and a partially nude and tucked band member during "Wish I was a Girl" kept an over-heated crowd at full attention.

Passion Pit Sasquatch 2009

2009-05-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

Day 1 of Sasquatch Festival started off with Passion Pit. A huge crowd gathered for the boys, but it dwindled as the live performance paled next to their recorded work. Disappointment for some fans, others stuck it out.

Teenage Bottle Rocket w/ Cobra Skull, Laramie, WYs

2009-04-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

Laramie punk heroes Teenage Bottle Rocket appeared in their home town this month, much to the delight of the overflow crowd full of locals, students, and roller derby dames.

They played like they meant it, offering fast short punk songs one right after the other well into the night.

Reno openers Cobra Skulls got the crowd going with their blend of Spanish rockabilly punk.

For Laramie, this is an exceptional sized crowd:

Monolith Festival announces dates

2009-04-07T14:17:00.000-07:00

It looks like September 12-13, 2009 at Red Rocks is a GO for Monolith this year. Hooray!

Not too many details yet, but they are soliciting suggestions for bands to include in the lineup on their facebook page...

Elton John, Laramie, 4-4-2009

2009-04-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Rocket Man visited wee little Laramie this weekend to the delight of thousands of fans in the Arena Auditorium.

The set up looked rather different than traditional events in the arena, namely graduations and basketball games:

He opened with Your Song and proceed to play, just Sir Elton and the piano, for nearly three solid hours. He spoke movingly about Matthew Shepard and part of the playlist was less rocking and more sentimental. Even my cold crusty heart melted during Candle in the Wind, a song I formerly despised. Crowd favorites included Crocodile Rock and Benny and the Jets. I was delighted to hear Levon. The event raised over $550,000 for the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the crowded hotels and snowed in guests did wonders for the Laramie economy!

[p.s. my pictures are so-so, check out Saranay's for better images!]

Elton John to visit Laramie

2009-02-24T10:58:00.000-08:00

Elton John returns to Laramie on Friday April 3rd for a concert to benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

Folks who caught Sir Elton at the Arena Auditorium here in Laramie 10 years ago report that it was one of the best shows of their lives. Don't miss this one!

Tickets: $35, $65, $85, $125, on sale to the general public Monday March 2nd. Reserve tickets at the Arena Auditorium box office, the Wyoming Union, Fine Arts box office or online. Limit tickets per order.

[thx to Julio who scooped me on the local news!]

Sasquatch schedule set!

2009-02-18T07:58:00.000-08:00

Sasquatch! set the 2009 festival schedule this week. Now I need to readjust the budget so I can spend Memorial Day at the beautiful Gorge once again. This lineup is fulfilling a lot of my hopes, especially Animal Collective and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Hoorah!

Sasquatch! 2009 lineup

Saturday, May 23th
Kings of Leon / Yeah Yeah Yeahs / The Decemberists / Animal Collective / Bon Iver / Devotchka / M. Ward / Doves / Sun Kil Moon / The Gaslight Anthem / King Khan & The Shrines / Ra Ra Riot / Shearwater / Passion Pit / Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band / Vince Mira / Blind Pilot / Owl City / Arthur & Yu / Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele / Death Vessel / Hockey

Sunday, May 24th
Jane’s Addiction / Nine Inch Nails / TV On The Radio / Peter Bjorn and John / of Montreal / The Avett Brothers / Calexico / M83 / The Airborne Toxic Event / The Walkmen / The Wrens / St. Vincent / The Dodos / John Vanderslice / The Submarines / Viva Voce / The Builders And The Butchers / AA Bondy / Fences / Point Juncture, WA / Jon Benjamin

Monday, May 25th
Ben Harper and Relentless7 / Erykah Badu / Silversun Pickups / Fleet Foxes / Gogol Bordello / Santigold / Grizzly Bear / Explosions In The Sky / Girl Talk / Blitzen Trapper / The Knux / Monotonix / Bishop Allen / Black Moth Super Rainbow / Beach House / Mugison / The Dutchess And The Duke / School Of Seven Bells / Horse Feathers / The Pica Beats / Loch Lomond / BLK JKS

Blue Scholars Wyoming Union 1/21/09

2009-01-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

Indie hip hop duo Blue Scholars visited the University of Wyoming this week. An enthusiastic crowd greeted them in Union Ballroom.

I love any band who can walk into a room that may or may not know their work and leave the crowd sweaty and wanting more. And I really love a group that can successfully transcend traditional Wyoming values and connect where it really matters. When Geologic asked who knew soldiers who'd served in Iraq, and brought on a chant of "bring 'em home," I knew he had reached the crowd.

It was a beautiful thing to see over 100 young Wyoming Cowboys swaying their hands along with lyrics like

It’s said talk is cheap, but war is expensive
I speak cuz it’s free and these words are my weapons
Don’t think for a second I will not question US foreign policy

Of course the night was not all political. We danced, we remembered the 80s, we enthused about MIA. And for the Pacific Northwestern transplants in the crowd, any and all references to The Ave, Campus Parkway, KEXP and the 71 busline brought forth a heavy dose of nostalgia and longing for the streets of Seattle.

Happy Inauguration!

2009-01-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

A little present for Wyoming Beat readers, in the form of a Music We Can Believe In mix... our favorites from late 2008, music to end the Bush era by.

Band of Horses Monolith 2008 (+ setlist)

2008-09-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Wow a lot changed in the two years since I last saw Band of Horses play Colorado. Almost the entire lineup, for one. But most importantly, Ben Bridwell seems comfortable playing in front of more than 10 people now. He looked happy to be there even! And the sound = incredible! And the songs = beautiful! My favorite of Day 2 to be sure.

Setlist Band of Horses Monolith 2008:
The First Song
Is There a Ghost in My House
Great Salt Lake
Islands on the Coast
Weed Party
new song
Marry Song
new song (by Ryan)
Ode to LRC
Monsters
The Funeral
No One's Gonna Love You Like I Do
cover [update: "Am I a Good Man" by Them Two. Thanks Chris!]
General Specific

The Kills Monolith 2008

2008-09-17T05:58:00.000-07:00

I should have paid more attention to the music when The Kills played the secondary stage on top of Red Rocks. Instead I was mesmerized by frontwoman VV. I'm pretty sure they sounded awesome, though.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings Monolith 2008

2008-09-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

Sharon Jones came on the stage with style. Her Dap-Kings warmed up the crowd, then she strutted on to the mainstage, filling the amphitheater with presence despite being a diminutive 4'11". The backing band was tight and Sharon brought tons of personality to the party.

Avett Brothers Monolith 2008

2008-09-17T05:48:00.000-07:00

Before arriving at Monolith, it seemed like people were coming out of the woodwork with exhortations to see the Avett Brothers. I went in with not much info, just a couple CDs borrowed from the library and trust in my friends' good taste. Turns out they were right!

The Avett Brothers brand of rocking hillbilly music hit the right spot, and their energetic stage show made the sunny boozy afternoon at Red Rocks come alive. I'll be playing their tunes for sure up in Laramie, where the indie rock fans are scarce but the whole town loves bluegrass and old timey music.

Devotchka at Monolith Festival 9-13-08

2008-09-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

Devotchka have been on my life list of bands to see live for a long time now, so I was delighted to see them headline Monolith this year. I was not disappointed one bit in their beautifully stylized stage show and gorgeous sounds. It still startles me to realize that Devotchka is four people, rather than, say, 20. Of course they added a few more people with the Devotchka strings and horns for the home town performance, and the amphitheatre filled with their beautiful music.

And, it must be said, I have a wee girl crush on the sousaphone-ist and her beautiful t-strap shoes.

Silversun Pickups at Monolith Festival, 9-13-08

2008-09-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Our favorite Los Angelinos always seemed ready for a large scale stage and they proved themselves Saturday night. Filling the air with their brand of shoegaze noise coupled with blistering rock, Silversun Pickups seemed at home.

Holy Fuck at Monolith Festival, 9-13-08

2008-09-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

The New Beligium stage for Holy Fuck was the. place. to. be. on Saturday. Wow these seeemingly quiet Canadians blew out our eardrums and set the whole place to dancing with their fierce and inscrutable beats. A dynamic stage presence and wicked awesome drummer kept the crowd firmly in Holy Fuck's hands for the whole set. The boys seemed overcome with happiness as more and more Monolith-ers joined the dance party.

They closed the set with a transcendent rendition of "Lovely Allen", which seemed to me like it was always meant to be played at Red Rocks. The crowd flew to another plane, causing the stage MC to call for an encore, in the middle of the day, at a secondary stage. That's what I'm talking about!

If you get the chance to see Holy Fuck, do so. And remember your earplugs.

Cut Copy at Monolith Festival 9-13-08

2008-09-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Cut Copy is great at what they do, which is perhaps not exactly my thing. They're a good looking group of talented folks though, so I need to share some photos.

Port O'Brien at Monolith Festival, 9-13-08

2008-09-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

Port O'Brien was one act I wanted to catch live for sure. Having listened to their single "I Woke Up Today" regularly while sipping PBR in my back yard this summer, I couldn't wait to hear their other material and see them on stage.

They did not disappoint, bringing a fiery set and confrontational but oddly loveable energy to the stage. They closed with "I Woke Up Today", inviting fans to dig into a box of pots and pans and start banging them on the stage. Soon the whole room was screaming "Whoa whoaooooooawhoaaooo -oh!" and enjoying one of th esingle best moments of the whole day.

Lovelikefire at Monolith Festival 9-13-08

2008-09-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

These San Franciscans started the day off right, plenty of energy and rock to get the crowd ready for the Festival.

Cloud Cult, Monolith Pre-Party

2008-09-13T08:23:00.001-07:00

A double dip of Cloud Cult for my team, although I was an old lady who only made it to one of two back-to-back shows in the Rocky Mountain Empire.

Every time I see this band, I stand in amazement at the quality of their stage show and wonder why they don't have more fans. To college students I say "these guys blow Jack Johnson away! Try some Cloud Cult!"

Opener "Transistor Radio" set the stage for their quiet side, followed by a blistering "Intro" and "Tornado Lessons" and a hint of the rock to come. They played the song I most wanted to hear last night, "Pretty Voice" and it delivered, although I was left wanting "Please Remain Calm".

Ghost themes ruled the night, with some great tracks from their latest album Feel Good Ghosts including my favorites "No One Said it Would Be Easy" and "Journey of the Featherless" as well as crowd fave "Everybody Here is a Cloud". They also dug back to the Aurora Borealis album with "Alone at a Party in a Ghost Town".

The set closed with "Take Your Medicine" and a three song encore of "Mr. Tambourine Man" (shades of the live at kexp cd), "Happy Hippo" (in a sweetly described rebellion against Baca's protestations from the May performances), and "Love You All".

"Pork Pie" and "More Cowbell" delivering the art and the rock.

"Mr. Tambourine Man"

The Dutchess and the Duke, Monolith Pre-Party

2008-09-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

On the last stop of their month-long tour, Seattle's The Dutchess and the Duke suffered from a few technical snafus. They made the most of the quiet sound and the noisy pre-party crowd by creating their own little take-away show in the pit in front of the stage.

Beautiful harmonies! Lovely songs! One day I will see them when conditions are perfect (i.e. I don't drink a Jamesons and get distracted by Fleet Foxes merch during their set as I did earlier this summer and they remember their pickups).

Young Coyotes, Monolith Pre-Party 9-12-09

2008-09-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

These coyotes are young, just 4 months together as a band according to the singer. Their multi-percussionist sound reminded me a bit of the Annuals, and their footwear reminded me of Vampire Weekend (which in turn reminded me of high school).

Shoes aside, a nice introduction to Young Coyotes at the Monolith pre-party.

Cloud Cult - last night, tonight!

2008-09-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

My friends who saw the show at the Aggie Theater in Ft. Collins last night report that Craig Minowa and company put on another excellent performance. Tonight, they bring it to the Bluebird - see you there!

Monolith treats for the Laramigos

2008-09-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Wyoming and Northern Colorado residents benefit from the Monolith influx of musicians this week.

First, Cloud Cult makes a Fort Collins appearance at the Aggie Theatre on Thursday September 11th. I'm so tempted to attend, because they put one of the best live shows around, but it seems a bit excessive as we'll be seeing them the next night at the Bluebird. If you've not seen Cloud Cult before this show is $8 (!) and so close to the Equality State that you can't go wrong.

On Saturday the 13th The Giraffes make their way through Laramie en route to their Sunday Red Rocks date. I'm new to this band but getting a national act at a bar like JJ's is totally worth checking out in my mind.

Obama mania

2008-09-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

I don't really want to talk about politics on a music blog, but these were irresistible.
[via bb-blog]

TV on the Radio (monolith preview)

2008-09-08T08:07:00.000-07:00

I've missed TVOTR their last couple trips through the mountain west, and I'm so pleased to correct that mistake this weekend! I predict the sound of "Staring at the Sun" oozing out over the rocks will be mind-blowing.

What I've heard from the new album is amazing, and the New York Times agrees. Be sure and check out the interviews with Dave Sitek. That man is a genius.

Monolith Lineup Grids for you!

2008-09-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

Map Monolith by time and stage... These will probably be all over the place soon, but we were impatient and made our own. You can print them and work on choosing your own Monolith adventures for Saturday and Sundays lineups. I hope you don't find too many conflicts! Right now I'm a bit concerned about a couple tight spots and wondering how fast I can run up and down those stairs, especially on Sunday night.

Saturday!
Sunday!

Monolith is almost here!!

2008-09-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

Fleet Foxes at the Hi-Dive 7/22/08

2008-07-24T17:07:00.000-07:00

Seattle's hirsute harmonizers the Fleet Foxes made their way back to Denver this week to a sold out show. Despite a broken down bus and doing serious time on the road this summer, the boys sounded absolutely AMAZING.

A few superlatives: this was the best sounding show I've ever heard at the Hi-Dive. The best crowd I've ever witnessed in the Mile High City. And one of the best bands in America.

From opening songs Sun Giant and the beautiful Drops in the River, jaws were dropping across the room at the vocals. The sweaty crowd stood silently, kept their cameras and their phones in the pockets, and listened with reverence. Highlights included a stunning, better than the EP version of Mykonos featuring the beautiful folk tone of drummer J. Tillman at the ending.

If you get a chance to see these guys, take it. The quality of their live sound is in rare company.

Magnetic Fields set Boulder date!

2008-07-16T07:07:00.001-07:00

Oh Stephin Merritt, this time I will make it to see you! No wedding to attend, no baby to feed, just me in the car headed to Boulder. You'll wear brown, I'll wear a smile.

Presale here.

Magnetic Fields - 2008 Tour Dates
10/10 - State Theatre Minneapolis,MN
10/11 - Overture Center for the Arts Madison,WI
10/15 - Boulder Theater Boulder,CO
10/17 - Symphony Hall Atlanta Atlanta,GA
10/18 - Progress Engery Center Meymandi Concert Hall Raleigh,NC
10/23 - The Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre Jersey City,NJ
10/24 - Southern Theatre Columbus,OH
10/26 - George Washington University - Lisner Auditorium Washington,DC

Willie Nelson visits Wyoming on summer tour

2008-07-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

I missed a chance to see Willie at Frontier Days about 5 years ago. Maybe I'll have better luck this go around. He's certainly offering a lot of dates for the Mountain West!

Willie Nelson - 2008 Tour Dates
07/18 - Grand Casino - Hinckley Hinckley,MN
07/19 - Arnolds Park Arnolds Park,IA N/A
07/20 - Liberty Hall Lawrence,KS
07/22 - Jesse Auditorium Columbia,MO
07/23 - Harrahs Stir Cove Reserved Are Council Bluffs,IA NEW DATE
07/25 - Riverfest Amphitheatre Premium Little Rock,AR
07/25 - Riverfest Amphitheatre Little Rock,AR
07/26 - Amphitheater at the Wharf Orange Beach,AL
07/27 - Chastain Park Amphitheatre Atlanta,GA
07/29 - Charlottesville Pavilion Charlottesville,VA
07/30 - Wicomico Civic Center Salisbury,MD
07/31 - Carrington Pavilion-GA Danville,VA
08/01 - Louisville Slugger - Stands/Re Louisville,KY
08/01 - Louisville Slugger - Field/GA Louisville,KY
08/02 - AutoZone Park - Stands/Reserve Memphis,TN
08/02 - AutoZone Park - Field/GA Memphis,TN
08/03 - Julie Rogers Theatre Beaumont,TX Pre-Sale 6/20 On-Sale 6/28
08/22 - Red Lodge Rodeo Grounds Red Lodge,MT
08/23 - Center for the Arts Jackson Hole,WY N/A
08/24 - Casper Events Center Casper,WY On-Sale 6/27
08/26 - Red Rocks Amphitheater - RESER Morrison,CO
08/26 - Red Rocks Amphitheater - GA Morrison,CO
08/28 - Marymoor Ampitheater - Reserve Redmond,WA
08/29 - Oregon State Fair Salem,OR On-Sale 6/14
08/30 - Lithia Motors Ampitheater Central Point,OR
08/31 - Benbow Lake State Park Garberville,CA N/A
09/01 - Napa Valley Opera House Napa,CA N/A
09/03 - Concerts Wente Vineyards TERR Livermore,CA
09/03 - Concerts Wente Vineyards RESTR Livermore,CA
09/04 - The Mountain Winery Saratoga,CA
09/05 - Ironstone Vineyards Theater Murphys,CA N/A
09/06 - Santa Barbara Bowl Santa Barbara,CA
09/07 - Harrahs Rincon - GA Valley Center,CA
09/07 - Harrahs Rincon - RESERVED Valley Center,CA
09/25 - Radio City Music Hall, NY, NY w/ Jakob Dylan, The Gold Mountain Rebels

[via brooklynvegan]

Heart, Cheap Trick and Journey @ Fiddler's Green, 7/9/08

2008-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Wyoming Beat's trusty correspondent Nigel saw Cheap Trick, Heart and Journey at Fiddler's Green last night. Her email review this morning brought a smile to my face:

Subject line: Any Way You Want It

Concert was great fun.

Omg it was PACKED.

We could hardly find a place to sit. Tons of college-agers, as this retro music is very popular with them.

Mostly they make fun of it.

Cheap trick was great – yes, I actually like them.

They played my 3 favorite songs (their hits) which pleased me.

Heart was AWESOME. They are sooooo good.

Seriously. And should totally be the headliner.

Journey was up and down.

They played 4 too many “new” songs.

That sucked arse. Keep it to the hits, boys.

They actually played a couple of the oldy-oldies which made me and Tommy happy – the songs they made before the huge hits.

The guy is good. He for sure is a karaoke-winning Steve. BUT he is no Steve Perry. I repeat, he is no Steve Perry.

Steve is amazing. He hits unthinkable high notes and sustains them with this amazing Perry-specific vibrato.

New guy does not do that.

Now that I’ve established myself officially as a Journey geek...

Nigel, we love you and your Journey geekness!

Happy 50th Birthday Prince

2008-06-09T16:49:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I didn't hold his annual party this year! I feel like such a heel. Since he's 50, maybe a belated party is in order. Date suggestions??

p.s. thanks to Ann for the graph!

Flaming Lips Sasquatch 5/26/08

2008-05-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

What a carnival! The UFO show, confetti, dancing teletubbies, nekkid ladies... Wayne Coyne's imagination is amazing. A perfect way to end three days at the Gorge. And thank you to all the lovely folks around us in the pit, Flaming Lips fans were easily the nicest coolest people at the whole festival.

Warning: One photo NSFW...

Pela, Sasquatch 5/26/08

2008-05-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Pela! What a blast we had!

The show started with a small crowd, surprising us a bit, but as the set went on Pela added more fans for sure. Their set did not differ hugely from when I caught them in NYC last year, which was fine with me and a bit of a pleasant surprise that they delivered that same level of hometown energy when they played in the hot sun of Washington state in the middle of the day.
Tenement Teeth stole the show, and they closed with a blistering version of Cavalry and a cover of the Pixies' Holiday. The boys looked thrilled to be there, grinning wide and snapping shots of the crowd. Thanks for the fun Pela, we had to take a nap on a grassy knoll after that set!

Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Sasquatch 5/26/08

2008-05-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

I came into Thao's set with no knowledge of the band and I left wanting more. She brought a ton of energy to the stage and played a nice robust set. Her voice does sound like Cat Power's, something everyone mentions, but she brings her own sound on the guitar and a passel of good lyrics, too. Her song Bag of Hammers proved itself, we kept talking about it all day.

Yeasayer, Sasquatch Monday 5/26/08

2008-05-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

The lads from Yeasayer were a cleaner cut group than I remembered. They sounded beautiful as they got our day started with a short set of five songs that included my three favorites off the album. Speaking of, if you don't have the album you should buy it immediately and listen to the first three tracks on repeat.

I am holding on to the memory of them singing an extended version of Sunrise. Beautiful!

The Cure, Sasquatch Sunday 5/25/08

2008-05-26T11:06:00.001-07:00

2 hours, 40 minutes. A sold out crowd at the Gorge.

What more do I need to say? How about two encores, The Forest, 10:15 on a Saturday Night, and Killing an Arab?

Oh Robert Smith, thank you!

Taste of Seattle, Sasquatch Sunday 5/25/08

2008-05-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

The Cops have balls.

Let me backtrack. Sunday at the Gorge offered a lot of big and I suppose good bands that don't do it for me.

After abandoning the Cold War Kids midset, leaving White Rabbits midset and electing to skip Tegan and Sara, I made my way to see The Cops at the small stage. Wow! They brought back the energy and aggression and punk rock of festivals of my youth. A slightly more melodic Fugazi, they told us to fuck corporations, vote for Obama, spit water on the crowd, and basically brought the ROCK. Imagine this old lady's surprise when the singer walked into the crowd and started a mosh pit directly in front of me. I said "I'm too old for this shit" but there was a smile on my face as I watched the gentle teenagers of Washington let loose!

Also of note on the small stage from Seattle:
J. Tillman brought a sense of humor and beautiful quiet folk. The Blakes started out kind of meh but the last half of their set confirmed the hype around them. Sera Cahoone sang gorgeous country and I need to buy her album immediately! Photos below, my photographer saw different bands, so make of it what you will.

J. Tillman

Cold War Kids

Tegan and Sara

The Blakes

Sera Cahoone

Death Cab for Cutie

Okkervil River, Sasquatch Saturday 5/24/08

2008-05-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

Festivals mean tough choices. Seeing Okkervil River yesterday meant forgoing M.I.A. and arriving late to the National. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Will and his band were tight coming fresh off their tour, but with plenty of wild energy. He flailed around giving everything he had to the mouthfuls of lyrics. The band offered amazing sound and an Arcade Fire-like approach to participation, singing along un-miked, playing three tambourines instead of just one, replacing Will's mike when it flew off the stand after he whirled through the entirety of the stage. This band is the real thing - I cannot wait for another chance to see them again. They finished up with a rocking "Unless It's Kicks" and made me wish they'd play through the whole set again!

New Pornographers, Sasquatch 5/24/08

2008-05-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Neko Case! Dan Bejar! All the New Pornographers in attendance on the glorious mainstage at the Gorge. And they sounded fantastic. They played my favorite songs (Use It, Challengers, Testament to Youth in Verse). A truly transcendent version of the Bleeding Heart Show added it to my favorites - the female vocals were heavenly. The band ripped through an awesome cover of "Don't Bring Me Dooooooooooown, Bruce"!

I wish that more of the crowd was there for the NPs, it seemed to be a lot of M.I.A. fans waiting down front, with a few of us NP fans intermingled and freaking about what a great show we were witnessing.

Fleet Foxes, Sasquatch Saturday 5/24/08

2008-05-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

I've been bitching about how much these guys sound like Crosby Stills and Nash. Seeing them on the mainstage Saturday (filling in for the National whose bus broke down) I realized, "holy shit, these guys are amazing!" Best vocal harmonies of the day, a true honor as we saw New Pornographers and Grand Archives, too.

I take back the cake talk and give Fleet Foxes a strong live recommendation. Nice to see them with a Seattle crowd who clearly spent a lot of time with the album. I should also point out that the band members seem like true salt of the earth guys, funny and generous and modest and talented.

Cloud Cult Larimer Lounge 5/18/08

2008-05-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

Craig Minowa and company provide one of the best live shows around. Their show Saturday was just as beautiful as the one a year ago at the Larimer Lounge that made me fall in love with them.

I can't say it better than Ricardo Baca, read his account!

Flight of the Conchords, 5/16/08

2008-05-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's just me, but the Ellie Caulkins Opera House is a) amazingly beautiful and b) a much larger venue than I expected. Who knew that Bret and Jemaine have so many Denver friends? And so many loud obnoxious drunken friends?

To those who insist on bringing their drinks into an opera house performance, those who yell angry profanity at other guests, and those who love to call out throughout the night at the performers, I say "stay home!".

To Bret and Jemaine I say "come back any time, we love you!"

Second encore!

Beach House @ the Hi-Dive 3/22/08

2008-03-24T09:23:00.001-07:00

The crowd seemed ready to see Beach House, more people than I expected and they waited patiently for the soothing sounds. Singer Victoria Legrand guested for a song with opener Papercuts, and we were ready for more of her beautiful voice.

The trick I think with following a lot of opening bands is that your audience might be a bit loaded. At times it was difficult to concentrate on Beach House's artful songs, with their stillness and sameness, when surrounded by a 100 or so drunks. So it goes.

Listening to their album on Easter morning, I felt the Beach House sound might be better suited to the morning after than to the bar scene.

Papercuts @ the Hi-Dive 3/22/08

2008-03-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

San Francisco's Papercuts opened for Beach House at the Hi-Dive Saturday night. We made it to the crowded Hi-Dive just in time for their set. With each song, we liked them more. By the end of the set we were warmed up and ready to sway to the music.

Clinton, Obama and OK Go

2008-03-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Maybe you heard -- it's been a busy week here in Laramie, WY.

First Bill Clinton came to town Thursday. I waited in line for 1.5 hours only to see the doors closed less than 20 people ahead of me. Then I took my influenza-ed body back home to bed. Reports on his speech = inspiring. All the old Bubba magic intact.

Cold, sick and no room at the rally.

The next night, Obama came to town. I stayed home with my Nyquil, but the rest of the gang ventured out and Kaijsa took pictures. Folks in attendance said that Obama was eloquent and gave good speech, but did not speak directly to Wyoming issues.

OK Go (yeah, the treadmill guys) postponed their already scheduled concert that night to follow the Obama rally, which members of the band attended. Their show was "pretty good" according to my team and a nice turn out for them at the UW Arts and Sciences Auditorium.
The next morning, with a fever not entirely born of excitement for the democratic process, we caucused with about 1,300 other county democrats. Truly an interesting day for Wyoming and we felt less lonely in our chosen party as we looked through the crowded civic center to see co-workers, mentors, professors, pillars of the community, all out to support their candidates. A great week to be in Laramie, flu or no flu.

And in case you did not hear, Obama won our county and the state.

Ghostland Observatory vs. Pitchfork

2008-03-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

Pitchfork was bitchier than usual this morning, saddling Ghostland Observatory's new album with a dismal 1.5 rating and the description "daft punk for frat boys".

I love me some Daft Punk. And some Ghostland. Can't say the same for frat boys.

As for reviewer Eric Harvey, I've agreed with him more often than not in the past. His Yeasayer review made me seek out their album, which proved to be a favorite. No one would read Pitchfork if not for the occasional flash of genius combined with the occasional snark.

Decide for yourself gang. I've seen GLO live a few times and they always win over the entire crowd by the end of the show. It might be their very populist quality combined with lack of irony that drives the Pitchfork crowd to the breaking point.

Live preview: too many to contemplate

2008-03-04T16:51:00.001-08:00

March coming in like a lion!

March 4: Grand Archives @ the Hi-Dive
March 6: MSTRKRFT @ the Church
March 7: A Place to Bury Strangers & Holy Fuck @ Larimer Lounge

Gogol Bordello @ Filmore

March 8: British Sea Power @ the Hi-Dive
March 10: ~~Pela & Liam Finn @ the Hi-Dive~~ cancelled!

Monotonix @ Rhinoceropolis

March 11: Xiu Xiu @ the Hi-Dive

Helio Sequence @ Larimer Lounge

Dang, I'd be happy to see any of these, but it is snowing again in Laramie. Tell me all about how awesome they are if you go.

Sasquatch days + lineups announced

2008-03-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

Looks like I'm in for all three days. Saturday especially knocks my socks off.

From the official Sasquatch site:

Magnetic Fields

2008-02-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

Tis no secret I love the Magnetic Fields. After talking myself out of buying tickets to one of their 2008 shows -- I wondered about flying that far to see a genius who only wears brown and who hates playing live -- and talking myself into some Sasquatch tix, I now find myself reconsidering.

All reports from their NYC shows indicate some 69 Love Songs beauty overflowing on the setlist. Oh how I'd love to hear Come Back from San Francisco in person! All My Little Words, The Night You Can't Remember, and oh god, Papa was a Rodeo...

Magnetic Fields 2008 U.S. dates:
Feb 28, 29 -- Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, CA
Mar 2, 3 -- Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Mar 6, 7 -- Town Hall, Seattle, WA
Mar 14, 15, 16 -- Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL

Sasquatch lineup announced

2008-02-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

The Sasquatch Festival, May 24-26 at the Gorge, announced their official lineup today and holy moley it's a good one. No Radiohead, but other than that I've got no complaints. Also, kexp was giving three day Sasquatch passes to pledgers today...

SASQUATCH! MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2008 LINEUP

Memorial Day Weekend | May 24, 25, 26, 2008

The Gorge | Quincy, WA

R.E.M, THE CURE, THE FLAMING LIPS U.F.O. SHOW, DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, MODEST MOUSE, M.I.A., MICHAEL FRANTI & SPEARHEAD, FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, THE PRESIDENTS, THE NATIONAL, TEGAN & SARA, BUILT TO SPILL, THE HIVES, RODRIGO Y GABRIELA, OZOMATLI, COLD WAR KIDS, THE BREEDERS, BEIRUT, THE KOOKS, MATT COSTA, BLUE SCHOLARS, GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY, STEPHEN MALKMUS & THE JICKS, THE FLAMING LIPS MOVIE PREMIER: “CHRISTMAS ON MARS”, OKKERVIL RIVER, DENGUE FEVER, JAMIE LIDELL, CRUDO (FEAT. MIKE PATTON & DAN THE AUTOMATOR), MATES OF STATE, DESTROYER, ROGUE WAVE, BATTLES, THE FLEET FOXES, WHITE RABBITS, THE CAVE SINGERS, PELA, GRAND ARCHIVES, THE LITTLE ONES, THAO NGUYEN & THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN, DEAD CONFEDERATE, 65DAYSOFSTATIC, THE HEAVENLY STATES, KINSKI, DAVID BAZAN, DYME DEF, VINCE MIRA WITH THE ROY KAY TRIO, SERA CAHOONE, JOSHUA MORRISON, THE BLAKES, SIBERIAN, THROW ME THE STATUE, THE COPS, SAY HI, THE SHAKY HANDS, J. TILLMAN, “AWESOME”, AND MORE TO COME!

Ticket information:

$55 per day for the on sale weekend only, beginning Saturday, March 8th at noon
$65 per day beginning Monday, March 10th
$75 week of the festival, beginning Monday, May 19th

V.I.P. package tickets with special amenities also available.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, March 8th at noon and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, sasquatchfestival.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or charge by phone in Seattle (206) 628-0888, in Oregon (503) 224-4400, and in Eastern Washington (509) 735-0500

[thx jumpsuit, via tig]

Monotonix March 10th

2008-02-24T17:55:00.001-08:00

Monotonix visit Denver March 10th, and from what I've been reading about their Seattle show last week, it sounds worth checking out! Crowd surfing, wall scaling, fire starting...

photo from Josh

Need more inspiration? How about a quote from Stranger writer Ari Spool:

"Don’t make my mistake: This three-piece will rip your face off—think guitar riffs like Death from Above 1979, but less pretty-boy attitude. Also, they party like Hamas is right around the corner, and we can all learn a little something from that."

Monotonix pre-SXSW dates:
Feb 25 2008 8:00P Cap Hanson’s Bellingham, WA
Feb 26 2008 8:00P The Space Salem, OR
Feb 27 2008 8:00P The Vista Eureka, CA
Feb 28 2008 8:00P Crux Gallery Chico, CA
Feb 29 2008 8:00P Stork Club w/ Triclops Oakland, CA
Mar 1 2008 8:00P Bimbo’s w/ Gutter Twins (Noisepop) San Francisco, CA
Mar 2 2008 8:00P Satellite Lounge Reno, NV
Mar 3 2008 8:00P Sandrini’s Bakersfield, CA
Mar 4 2008 8:00P The Biko Goleta, CA
Mar 5 2008 8:00P Pink Elephant San Diego, CA
Mar 6 2008 8:00P The Smell w/ Anavan Los Angeles, CA
Mar 7 2008 8:00P Pomona College w/ Old Time Relijun Claremont, CA
Mar 8 2008 8:00P Bunkhouse Saloon Las Vegas, NV
Mar 9 2008 8:00P House Party - 1518 Broadway SE C Albuquerque w/ The Mae Shi Albaquerque, NM
Mar 10 2008 8:00P Rhinoceropolis Denver, CO
Mar 11 2008 8:00P Record Bar w/ Genghis Tron Kansas City, KS
Mar 12 2008 8:00P The Continental Tulsa, OK

Yeasayer returning to Denver

2008-02-18T08:30:00.000-08:00

Yeasayer set an April 20th date at the Bluebird supporting Man Man. This is great news for us high plains-dwelling music fans who found ourselves snowed in and unable to make their performance earlier this month. Snowed blocked our Black Lips plans this weekend too. Laramie is a cruel home sometimes.

Man Man & Yeasayer - 2008 Tour Dates
April 12 - Boston, Mass. @ Paradise Rock Club
April 15 - Columbus, Ohio @ Wexner Center for the Arts
April 16 - Chicago, Ill. @ Logan Square Auditorium
April 17 - Madison, Wis. @ The Annex
April 18 - Minneapolis, Minn. @ Varsity Theater
April 19 - Omaha, Neb. @ Slowdown
April 20 - Denver, Colo. @ Bluebird Theater
April 21 - Salt Lake City, Utah @ In the Venue
April 23 - San Francisco, Calif. @ Great American Music Hall
April 24 - Santa Barbara, Calif. @ SOhO Restaurant and Music
April 27 - Phoenix, Ariz. @ Brickhouse
April 29 - Dallas, Texas @ The Loft at the Palladium
April 30 - Austin, Texas @ Emo's - Outside
May 2 - Birmingham, Ala. @ Workplay Theater
May 3 - Atlanta, Ga. @ Lenny's Bar
May 4 - Carrboro, N.C. @ Cat's Cradle

[via brooklynvegan]

New favorite music: Muscles

2008-02-18T07:05:00.001-08:00

I just got back from a sun-filled vacation where I realized that Muscles is the perfect music for slow summer days. I predict we'll all want to hear it this spring after the Front Range thaws. What I learned last week: The National is wonderful, but listening to Boxer pool-side does not make sense.

Instead, I choose "Sweaty"!
Muscles Sweaty mp3
[song via goodweatherforairstrikes]

Yeasayer/ MGMT at the Hi-Dive

2008-02-07T08:39:00.001-08:00

The Laramigos were snowed in! That sound you hear = us weeping.
Julio offers a great photo essay - I'm envious of the chance to see these two bands, and increasingly enthusiastic about what I hear from them. Maybe they'll swing back through in summer?

photo Julio Enriquez

The Replacements - I'm in love, what's that song?

2008-01-29T16:51:00.001-08:00

Wow, I reminisce about my Minnesota youth for two seconds (that's my max) and all of a sudden this guy is talking about the Replacements on kexp. Take a moment to picture young me, braces on my teeth, my first concert ever, Paul W and the gang on the stage in their flannels, just about to break up, Minneapolis 1991.*

Two things stand out to me about today's kexp interview: a) the Replacements survive time in great shape without their mythology distorting their innate goodness and b) kids today aren't listening to the Mats.

Children of America! Listen to Bastards of Young!

Srsly, the newly remastered best of deserves your attention. Buy it.

As I'm writing this kexp plays September Gurls followed by Alex Chilton. The synergy that makes Replacements fans love Big Star is also what makes me love music. And the whole package made high school worth living.

*What, you want a setlist? The internet provides!
Minneapolis, Orpheum 02/06/91
(I Don't Know / I Will Dare / Achin' To Be / Bent Out of Shape / Merry Go Round / Satellite / Happy Town / Swingin' Party / One Wink at a Time / Waitress in the Sky / Skyway / When it Began / Someone Take the Wheel / Talent Show / Can't Hardly wait / (T-REX tune) / Kiss me on the Bus / If only you were Lonely / Asking Me Lies / I'll Be You/ Nobody / Within Your Reach / I.O.U.)

Vampire Weekend - headed for Denver and a backlash?

2008-01-29T16:34:00.000-08:00

The interwebs are talking about an inevitable Vampire Weekend backlash today (thx to Julio for the tip)...

No backlash here, as I kind of never understood the Vampire Weekend allure to begin with. Given my past, I can safely say I'm comfortable with their preppiness, and lord knows I enjoyed some Paul Simon before, during and after my preppy days.

The album just doesn't click with me. What am I missing? Hoped to see their last live show but weather being what it is at 7220 feet, did not make it.

Fill me in on why I should love Vampire Weekend. Please.

Sounds like they're making another Mile High appearance, I need to check it out in person.

Vampire Weekend U.S. dates 2008
Jan 30 2008 - 8:00P
Bowery Ballroom [21+] w/Aa, Plastic Little (SOLD OUT)
New York, NY
Jan 31 2008 - 8:00P
Popscene
San Francisco, California
Feb 1 2008 - 7:00P
Amoeba Music
San Francisco, California
Feb 4 2008 - 7:00P
Amoeba Music
Los Angeles, California
Feb 6 2008 - 8:00P
The Rock and Roll Hotel (SOLD OUT)
Washington DC, Washington DC
Feb 7 2008 - 8:00P
First Unitarian Church (SOLD OUT)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 8 2008 - 8:00P
Willams College
Willamstown, Massachusetts
Feb 9 2008 - 8:00P
Museum of Fine Arts (SOLD OUT)
Boston, Massachusetts
Feb 11 2008 - 8:00P
Horseshoe Tavern
Toronto, Ontario
Feb 12 2008 - 8:00P
The Blind Pig
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Feb 13 2008 - 8:00P
Gypsy Hut
Cincinnati
Feb 14 2008 - 8:00P
Wexner Center for the Arts
Columbus, Ohio
Feb 15 2008 - 8:00P
Andy Warhol Museum
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mar 6 2008 - 8:00P
The Social w/ THE WALKMEN
Orlando
Mar 7 2008 - 8:00P
Langerado Festival-Big Cypress Indian Reservation
Clewiston, Florida
Mar 8 2008 - 8:00P
Cafe Eleven w/ THE WALKMEN
St. Augustine, Florida
Mar 9 2008 - 8:00P
The Earl w/ THE WALKMEN
Atlanta
Mar 10 2008 - 8:00P
The Bottletree w/ THE WALKMEN
Birmingham
Mar 19 2008 - 8:00P
The Casbah
San Diego, California
Mar 20 2008 - 8:00P
El Rey (SOLD OUT)
Los Angeles, California
Mar 22 2008 - 8:00P
The Independent
San Francisco, California
Mar 23 2008 - 8:00P
Rickshaw Shop
San Francisco, California
Mar 25 2008 - 8:00P
Doug Fir Lounge
Portland, Oregon
Mar 26 2008 - 8:00P
Neumos
Seattle, Washington
Mar 27 2008 - 8:00P
Richards on Richards
Vancouver, British Columbia
Mar 29 2008 - 8:00P
The Badlander
Missoula, Montana
Mar 30 2008 - 8:00P
Neurolux
Boise, Idaho
Apr 1 2008 - 8:00P
Bluebird Theater
Denver, Colorado
Apr 25 2008 - 1:00P
Coachella
Indio, California

Upcoming shows- February/March Edition

2008-01-17T09:11:00.002-08:00

Wow, February and March are shaping up! Julio, Mystik and Ricardo all put together nice preview lists recently. Here's my big wish list. Obviously by February I need to a) win the lottery and b) build a time machine. Also maybe c) create a clone to go to work for me the day after shows.

February 1: Editors & Hot Hot Heat @ Ogden
Liars @ Marquis
Talib Kweli @ Gothic

February 4: Yeasayer & MGMT @ Hi-Dive (kexp thinks you should go!)

February 13: Supersuckers @ Gothic

February 14: Devotchka @ Fox Theatre (this is the only chance to see them in U.S. for months)

February 16: Everything Absent or Distorted @ Hi-Dive
Black Lips @ Bluebird (+twist&shout in-store Feb 17)

February 22: Drive-by Truckers @ Ogden
February 23: Drive-by Truckers @ Fox Theatre

February 26: Hives @ Ogden

February 28: Built to Spill w/ Meat Puppets @ Gothic

March 10: Pela @ Hi-Dive

March 4: Grand Archives @ Hi-Dive

March 7: Place to Bury Strangers & Holy Fuck @ Larimer Lounge

March 11: Xiu Xiu @ Hi-Dive
Helio Sequence @ Larimer Lounge

March 22: Beach House @ Hi-Dive
Justice @ Ogden
Bob Mould @ Fox Theatre

March 31: Sons & Daughters @ Hi-Dive

2007 Wrap-up

2007-12-29T13:17:00.000-08:00

Cripes, I am tired of top 10 lists! That might not stop me from making some lists of my own.

Not qualified to definitively select the very best music of 2007, as I'm neither wealthy enough to obtain all the music nor a genius critic, I'll settle for some more personal lists.

After consulting itunes and my (admittedly faulty) memory, these were the albums in high rotation Chez Wyoming Beat in 2007. A fickle list, not all were released this year as I can be slow to adopt at times. Also I cannot vouch for them being the best of the year, but I can attest to each of these albums, taken as a whole, providing the right mood at the right time:

January: Grizzly Bear - Yellow House
Heartless Bastards - All This Time
M. Ward - Post-War
February: Menomena - Friend and Foe
!!! - Myth Takes
Serena Maneesh - Serena Maneesh
March: Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Hold Steady - Separation Sunday
Bjork - Vespertine*
April: Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
May: same! Arcade Fire and LCD = my faves at this point in the year by a long shot
June: Feist - The Reminder
July: The National - Boxer
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
August: New Pornographers - Challengers
Pela - Anytown Graffiti
September: nada new due to illness
October: Cloud Cult - Meaning of 8
November: Iron & Wine - Shepherd's Dog
Okkervil River - The Stage Names
The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow*
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is
December: M.I.A. - Kala
Daft Punk - Alive 2007
Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals

*confession: when I don't like the new album, I go back to the good stuff.

2007 Lamentations: missing Daft Punk at Red Rocks, missing Menomena twice (!), lacking the oomph to see the National the day after Arcade Fire, and not being cool enough to understand Animal Collective.