Black Lips to visit Denver

These dates aren't exactly new news, but lately I'm way into the Black Lips. Their jangly punk sound reminds me of the Sonics in the best way.

They lead off their U.S. tour at the Bluebird February 1st.



Black Lips 2008 U.S. tour dates:
2/1/08 DENVER, CO BLUEBIRD
2/4/07 SEATTLE, WA NEUMOS
2/5/08 PORTLAND, OR DANTES
2/6/08 EUGENE, OR WOW HALL
2/8/08 SAN FRANCISCO, CA GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL
2/9/08 POMONA, CA GLASSHOUSE
2/10/08 COSTA MESA, CA DETROIT BAR
2/13/08 SAN DIEGO, CA CASBAH
2/14/08 LOS ANGELES, CA EL REY
2/22/08 NEW ORLEANS, LA ONE EYED JACKS
2/23/08 AUSTIN, TX EMOS OUTSIDE
2/24/08 DALLAS, TX THE LOFT
2/25/08 LAWRENCE, KS BOTTLENECK
2/26/08 OMAHA, NE WAITING ROOM
2/28/08 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 7th STREET ENTRY
2/29/08 MADISON, WI MEMORIAL UNION/U OF WISCONSIN
3/1/08 CHICAGO, IL LOGAN SQUARE
3/2/08 MILWAUKEE, WI TURNER HALL
3/4/08 COLUMBUS, OH THE BASEMENT
3/5/08 OBERLIN, OH CLUB DIONYSUS
3/6/08 DETROIT, MI MAGIC STICK
3/7/08 PITTSBURGH, PA MR SMALLS
3/8/08 BUFFALO, NY MOHAWK PLACE
3/10/08 NEW YORK, NY BOWERY BALLROOM
3/11/08 BROOKLYN, NY MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG
3/13/08 CAMBRIDGE, MA MIDDLE EAST
3/14/08 PHILADELPHIA, PA JOHNNY BRENDAS
3/15/08 WASHINGTON, DC BLACK CAT
3/16/08 CHAPEL HILL, NC LOCAL 506
3/20/08 NASHVILLE, TN MERCY LOUNGE
3/21/08 MEMPHIS, TN HI TONE
3/22/08 ATLANTA, GA THE EARL

[via brooklynvegan]

Yeasayer & MGMT coming in February

I keep hearing these two bands pop up, and I like what I hear! Yeasayer is catchy and delightful. Just last week an email came in my box from a friend saying, "are you listening to this MGMT song?" Good stuff. Looking forward to seeing them at the Hi-Dive February 4th.

Yeasayer's Wait for Summer on kexp. Perfect on a short cold day like this!

Yeasayer & MGMT 2008 U.S. dates:
01-16 Washington, DC - Black Cat Backstage *
01-17 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *
01-18 Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
01-19 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon *
01-20 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington *
01-21 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater *
01-22 Austin, TX - Emo's Jr. *
01-24 Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room *
01-25 San Diego, CA - The Casbah *
01-26 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo *
01-28 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *
01-30 Portland, OR - Holocene *
01-31 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
02-02 Boise, ID - Neurolux *
02-03 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court *
02-04 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive *
02-06 Omaha, NE - The Slowdown *
02-07 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry *
02-08 Chicago, IL - Schubas *

[via pfork]

This week at the Bluebird brought to you by the letter 'V'

It's impossible to go wrong at the Bluebird this week.

Thursday: VHS or Beta
Friday: Voxtrot
Saturday: Vampire Weekend

To all the v's I say "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"

Live Preview: The Blakes

Another dose of the Northwest here in the great Rocky Mountain empire this week arrives via The Blakes. I don't hear much about them out here but trust me, John in the Morning loves them and so should you.

Playing at the Larimer Lounge Thursday... see them while they're fresh and cheap.

photo Doron Gild via band's myspace,
proving they can roll Wyoming style.

Live Preview: David Bazan

Westword tells me that David Bazan (aka Pedro the Lion) is coming to the Hi-Dive Wednesday night.

Reading the article made me realize that we are all getting older:

"What I see now — I don't know what might emerge later, but as it stands now — it's about my wife and daughter, it's about drinking, and it's about does God exist? And the umbrella I think those are all under is a funny concept nowadays, but [it's] manhood, and, basically, am I a good man? — and what that means, and how do you measure that?"

And thinking about Pedro the Lion made me miss dear flooded Seattle, and Bumbershoot, and graduate school. Thanks for the memories Mr. Bazan. How about we all go out and support some PNW sound?

November update

Wow, I've been sick at the worst possible time, missing some good shows. Thank goodness other bloggers represented.

Cassie and Mystik Spiral saw the Mountain Goats.
Julio caught Trail of Dead.
Mark saw the New Pornographers, with Neko, dang.

Also missed Menomena, the Pipettes, Gogol Bordello, shoot a bunch of good bands. I must stop complaining about bands skipping Denver when I keep skipping their shows.

Confidential to Stephin Merritt: if you add Rocky Mountain shows to your tour schedule, I will be there. Promise.

Arcade Fire - Canadian Soul?

You all know I love me some Arcade Fire.

Some of you know I frequently disagree with New Yorker music critic Sasha Frere-Jones, especially when he discusses race and music. Anyone who takes aim at my beloved Stephin Merritt or Win Butler best be prepared to face my ire. Pretty much every time the magazine arrives in my mailbox, I prepare to think hard about music and whether Sasha successfully defended his point that week.

Imagine my delight when dear Win wrote back in this week's issue.

Win responds to Frere-Jones's accusation that the Arcade Fire have no soul:

Being as I am in the Arcade Fire, I prickle a little bit at your statement that “[i]f there is a trace of soul, blues, reggae, or funk in Arcade Fire, it must be philosophical; it certainly isn’t audible.” In a somewhat … I dunno, is it childish to respond to critics this way? Anyway. I’ve attached an MP3 with parts of our songs that I think steal quite blatantly from black people’s music from all over the globe.

And I could not resist this piece of Halloween candy from Mr. Butler...

Keep in mind, I’m not saying we’re the funkiest, most soulful bunch of dudes and ladies (though we do, at least, always clap on 2 and 4).

God bless the Arcade Fire for doing what they do best. I love and miss so much of the same music and African-American influence that Frere-Jones misses in today's indie rock. Let's keep Arcade Fire and get some fresh indie bands that can bring the syncopated rhythms we crave. The new prog rockers and Kate Bush accolytes can stay home.

This girl likes her music funky some days
white and Canadian the next