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...
Dan Deacon & Dirty Projectors @ The Brooklyn Masonic Temple, Thursday, Dec. 11th
Image courtesy flickr user thepiratehat Looking down on the audience at Dan Deacon’s show at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Thursday night was akin to watching a strange orgy or mating ritual of some kind. People in their teens and twenties swayed as a group, not moshing so much as just moving, touching each other...
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...
Smashing Pumpkins @ United Palace, Thursday, Nov. 6th
Anyone who was unsure as to what to expect from the Smashing Pumpkins’ performance at United Palace last Thursday surely had that question answered within the first few minutes. They started on time, and opened “Roctopus” with a Jimmy Chamberlin drum solo, after which erratic frontman Billy Corgan took the stage – in a dress....
Dispatches from CMJ, Day Five: Drink Up, Buttercup, Little Jackie, Pattern Is Movement
The first half of the last day of CMJ was something of a random draw, with there only being one band I was determined to see that day (Pattern Is Movement, seen above). I ended up at Cake Shop for a repeat performance of Drink Up, Buttercup, the only band I saw more than once...
Dispatches From CMJ, Day Three: The Lovely Sparrows, Au, Goes Cube, Villa Vina
The third day of CMJ began at Fontana’s, with Austin, TX folk-duo the Lovely Sparrows. This is one of the shows I was looking forward to, as occasional T-Sides contributor Clay Franks turned me onto them. Fans of current rising-stars the Fleet Foxes will find much to love in this pair, who also play melodic-pop-folk,...
Soapbox