The David Bazan House Show Was Awesome

I'm glad I have friends that have social-event awareness or I would've never heard that David Bazan was playing a really cool show tonight in Fresno--a show that I'm sure I'll remember for a long time.  It was one of those events that you wish you could replay the experience on demand time and time again.

GF and I arrived pretty much before anyone (that never happens) and found that the guys hosting the show were a few cool guys from The Aircrash (formerly Help Computer)--a band that The Nancies used to share a practice space with.  Their livingroom was certainly no bigger than the livingroom in my apartment, so fitting the limited 40 people in meant for some coziness, which actually turned out to be just fine.  Bazan showed up maybe 15 mins before the show was supposed to start and hung out with the rest of us not-so-famous peeps, which was pretty darn cool.  That totally exemplified the lack of pretentiousness that he displayed in the many dialogues with the rest of us throughout the night.

Bazan explained at one point during the show that he and his manager came up with the idea of doing these sort of "underground" shows some time ago when he realized that he just wanted to keep touring in the Fall and Spring like he'd always done; not to mention which would also help pay some bills, etc., for him and his family.  Essentially, these house shows are intended to be sans media in order to keep his label happy, but of course puts a smile on the rest of our faces.  All in all he probably played maybe 12 songs--a mixture of old Pedro the Lion stuff, old solo stuff, and stuff on his new album (due out August 25th)--but the greatest part about the whole deal was his interest in chatting with the rest of us.  He stopped every couple of songs and would ask if we had any questions or comments, which led to some really cool stories and insight in to his life.  This, coming from a guy who's songwriting is something I hold at the tip top of my list, was really pretty awesome.



At one point he said that this was one of the best times he's had in a long time playing shows--I wasn't sure if he meant this particular show or just playing these really small house venues, but either way I felt way privileged.  He said he'd definitely be coming back to Fresno after the album came out, so we'll see if that pans out, but man--what a cool guy with some really powerful things to say in his music.  I'm really hoping he does make it back here, as his music is hugely inspiring to me.  Please come back to Fresno, David Bazan!!!

I got a couple bits of songs on my iPhone--they're crap for quality, but worth listening nonetheless.  Check em (probably need to crank the volume a bit--like I said, sucky quality):

The opening 2 songs (off the new album) and "Options", off of Pedro the Lion's Control:

Long Time No Show

I played my first (quasi) gig tonight (with The Rhoda Penmarks) in almost a year (since last year's Rogue Festival) and I have to say it was pretty great. No, not the music--that was probably a tad rougher on the ears than i would've liked--I mean just playing music with good friends.

I love not really ever knowing what's gonna come out of Benji's amp, and I love Chris' musicality on the drums (and other percussion!). To me, there's some of that true live-music-ness about playing with these guys--that idea that you kinda know which road you're heading down, but you're not ever really sure what anyone's going to do, yet you don't really have to worry about one of them all of a sudden punching you in the face. I think that's also something that draws me to people in general--some safe level of interesting unpredictability. Some creativity with words and thoughts and actions. It keeps life fresh.

It's taken me a long time to come to this, but I think I finally really enjoy playing with others (as opposed to tout seul in my apt). I look back at early college, when I didn't "get" why I should share MY music with anyone else, and am glad to see that I've grown out of that. I left work tonight trying to keep my head from spinning off, and left Javawava with a bit of a burden off my shoulders. I'd forgotten how cathartic playing shows can be--even if people didn't come to see my band (it was for Danielle's Art Hop show).

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

I'm finally going to a show

I'm not quite sure, but I think the last big-name show that I went to was when I saw Radiohead at The Shoreline, back on their Hail To The Thief tour (geez, was that really 5 years ago?), with my good friend Doug (was that a 12er of Bass that we "quenched our thirst" with in the parking lot beforehand?).  In any case, Sigur Rós should be a good way to break that streak; I'm excited to see what kind of presence they bring in a live setting. Althoooough... Peter sent me a link to NPR interviewing them, and I have to say that it evoked some interesting emotions, that might have changed my opinion of them.  Sometimes ignorance really is bliss when it comes to my perception of bands and their music (one reason why I've usually stayed away from watching music videos--well, back when MTV actually had music videos on).  Here's that interview:

Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You (Live @ Blueberry Hill)

Here's a recording from someone's bootleg tape, which isn't quite as yummy, but still ain't too shabby...

mog.com

More about this song

Share

Led Zeppelin: Since I've Been Loving You (BBC Sessions)

Well, I don't have the original track on my laptop for some reason, but found this awesome recording of the track recorded for their BBC Sessions album. This is what that Raconteurs song reminds me of--and once again, I friggen love it. I'd never heard this recording of this tune, and damn it's yummy. Bonham gets a little silly with the double kicks and the like, but does some real tasteful stuff here--super awesome. (Funny how I always drool over Bonham's drumming before anything else, when I don't even play)  The hint to the culmination @ ~4:55 is soooo niiice--totally one-up's the studio version.  And what a nice sound they get from whatever room they were in when they recorded this... Bastards. Oh, sorry about the funky slideshow--I really wanted to find a music-only version online somewhere, but no juice.

Blue Veins - The Raconteurs

A couple weeks ago, Scotty turned me on to The Raconteurs (w/Cat Power) on Austin City Limits 2006 show that was on PBS in HD. I'd never really been a huge fan of The White Stripes (probably as a result of not really listening to them much), and hadn't heard anything really of The Raconteurs since their first album--and even then, it was maybe one track, one time. Decent, I thought. Holy merde though. I hadn't expected to be so impressed--which is probably partially why I was so impressed. Totally money. They did a few tracks which were good (I think off of "Broken Boy Soldiers"); the cover of "Bang Bang" was freaking great; and then this tune--"Blue Veins". I'll let it speak for itself, but man did I dig it. I couldn't stop flashing back to Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Lovin' You", which just so happens to be one of my favorite tunes, period. Check it...