Wild Beasts @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Sunday, February 28th
When Wild Beasts came to New York City last fall, they found themselves in the pressured position of having a lot to prove. They’d made only one US trek beforehand, to SXSW. Members of the press came out in droves to hear and see the UK foursome, now on their second album, Two Dancers, which...
Yeasayer @ Bowery Ballroom, Monday, February 8th, & @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Tuesday, February 9th
Alternately titled: How I got in to Two Sold Out Yeasayer Shows in New York City, A Tale of Happiness & Triumph One of the biggest challenges a music writer can face is writing about a band you adore. Sometimes you like something so much that the task of describing it is an overwhelming pressure....
Glasvegas @ Webster Hall, Monday, March 30th
They may only have an album and a christmas EP behind them, but Glasgow’s Glasvegas are already performing like a big-time rock band. Grabbing the attention of the US late last year with the release of their debut, self-titled album, Glasvegas have packed New York City venues of increasing sizes, including their most recent stop...
Akron/Family @ Union Pool, Sunday, March 29th
“Everyone is guilty,” Akron/Family sang at their second gig at Union Pool, but if their performance was any indication, that fact isn’t getting to them. The bi-city band, based in New York as well as Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was full of whimsical energy Sunday night as they surged through an 11-song set without so much as...
Cursive @ Music Hall of Williamsburg, Monday, March 9th
Appearances, as they say, can be deceiving. Looking at Cursive frontman Tim Kasher’s slim stature on stage at the Music Hall of Williamsburg last Monday night, one unfamiliar with his songwriting might have never guessed the hostilities that lurk within. Shaking his head and his fist, Kasher pointed his rage at lovers, religion and critics,...
Les Savy Fav @ The Mezzanine, Sunday, March 1st
By now, most people who’ve heard (of) Les Savy Fav know their live show is more spectacle than concert. This is due in large part to front-man Tim Harrington, whose no-holds-barred antics could probably attract the same crowd sizes on their own. This isn’t to knock Les Savy Fav’s music, or their ability to play...
Frightened Rabbit @ Le Poisson Rouge, Monday, Feb. 2nd
Frightened Rabbit could not have been more different from the setting for their acoustic, all-request set at Le Poisson Rouge on Monday night. Le Poisson Rouge’s pricey beverages and bottle service attracted an audience more interested in being seen there than being there, as the sound of chatter rose above both openers, Joe Pug and...
Tallest Man On Earth & Marissa Nadler @ Mercury Lounge, Tuesday, Dec. 9th
Image courtesy flickr user Karl Gunnarsson (note: not from Mercury Lounge show) Though Kristian Matsson’s stature does not meet the expectations set forth by his stage moniker, Tallest Man on Earth, he was plenty intimidating in presence during his recent show at the Mercury Lounge. Pacing about the stage and having staring contests with the...
Nine Inch Nails @ DCU Center, Sunday, Nov. 9th
Image courtesy flickr user kernelslacker It would go against the trail-blazing spirit of Trent Reznor to use him as any sort of guideline, but it must be said that any arena rock band should turn to Reznor’s live show for inspiration. Every aspect of Sunday night’s show at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA was...
TV on the Radio @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple, Wednesday, October 15th
There are some bands whose God-like characteristics fade a bit in a live setting. Merely seeing that they’re human is enough. They have arms and legs and eyes and ears and a nose, just like you, they’re holding the instruments you’ve seen hundreds of times, and maybe even know how to play. They’re simply standing...
The Notwist @ Webster Hall, Monday, Oct. 13th
In their recordings, the Notwist might give off the impression of being a sleepy little electro-pop band, but don’t let that twist your notions of what their live show is like. Sure, they hide behind the gentle guise of glasses (four out of the five touring members wear them), but in a live setting, their...
Beck w/ MGMT @ United Palace, Wednesday, Oct. 8th
Beck could have been a more engaging performer at Wednesday’s United Palace show, but what he lacked in personality on stage, he made up for in song. The show was the opener of a three-day stand at the Washington Heights venue, and it was hard to tell whether he was tired from touring or simply...
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