NIN at Voodoo Music Experience - NOLA

 Rawk Shows   

(1,000,000 - courtesy of nin.com)

So, yes, this was my third NIN show of the year but the first in a festival setting. It was the furthest back I’ve been thus far which has it’s good points - mostly that you really get to see the awesome visualizations. Let’s get to the set list and then I’ll make my comments.

Nine Inch Nails
Voodoo Music Experience at City Park
New Orleans, LA
10/25/08

Encore:
Echoplex
The Good Soldier
Hurt
In This Twilight

First of all, I think there should be an admission test to all NIN shows. If the only song you can sing is “Closer”, especially the eff you like an aminal lyric, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN! Sorry for screaming at ya, but god damn those people bug me.

(ghosts 31 - courtesy of nin.com)

The show, of course, was incredible. This incarnation is really one of the best touring bands that Trent has ever had. I’m glad I got to see Josh Freese one last time. His drumming is so solid and really sets a level of intensity for the show. From where I was standing, I was having a hard time feeling the crowd vibe (except for the aforementioned d-bags) but I know I was into it. While there were no surprises for me, I can say that for the uninitiated, it must have been incredible (from the voodoo twitter feed “the nin screens are sick”. ) Trent wasn’t that talkative, but before “The Good Soldier”, he told the crowd it was good to be home and that NOLA is still home for him and he loves it here. Awe. I’m with you Trent. Thanks for yet another great show.

P.S. I’ll post more about the Voodoo fest when I am back home.

New Tune Overload

 Rawk Radio    Rawk Releases   

I’m posting this earlier than usual because the rest of my posts for the weekend will be NOLA and Voodoo Fest related. I thought about skipping a post but there is so much good stuff coming out this week!

In Stores 10/28:
Bloc Party Intimacy
The single “Talons” is way dancy. (You can check it on their myspace.) Not sure if I am digging it that much, but I will listen to this album at least once.

The Cure 4:13 Dream
Ack. I used to be such a fan, but I cannot get excited about this.

Eagles Of Death Metal Heart On
I’m so all over this. Check out “Wannabe in L.A.” on their myspace.

Funeral For A Friend Memory And Humanity
There are definitely moments when I like this band. You can check out the album on their myspace.

Kaiser Chiefs Off With Their Heads
You can listen now at their lastfm.

Lovedrug The Sucker Punch Show
I loved their last album. Check out tracks on their myspace. I’m gonna try to catch them at the El Rey when they play there on 11/11 as I’ll be in L.A. that week for work.

Snow Patrol A Hundred Millions Suns
Can’t wait to hear all of this album. Check out the single “Take Back the City” (#2 on the triple a charts!) on their myspace.

Tom Gabel Heart Burns (EP)
The Against Me! frontman strikes out on his own. He’s been releasing a video a week on his myspace. You can listen to the entire EP on purevolume. Also, he will be at the Casbah performing the new material (and maybe some Against Me! faves) on Sunday 11/2.

Impacting on radio:
(alt rock)
Alkaline Trio - Over And Out
Ludo - Go-Getter Greg
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Say Hey
Rev Theory - Light It Up
Stereophonics - My Own Worst Enemy
Tom Gabel - Anna Is A Stool Pigeon
(triple a)
Rachael Yamagata - Sidedish Friend
Tom Gabel - Anna Is A Stool Pigeon
Verve - Valium Skies

Release Spotlight - The Dears

 Rawk Releases   

Artist: The Dears
Album: Missiles
Recommended if you like: “orchestral dark pop”
From the press kit:
“Harking back to their beginning, the forthcoming album is steeped in the band’s signature sound yet embellished with contemporary flavor, charting into new territory. The exquisite and often complex arrangements serve as the springboard for the urgency in Lightburn’s lyricism.  His blatant storytelling swirls through epic instrumentation, raw with emotion and dramatic pauses, playing out like a cinematic romance with moving interludes.”
Standout Tracks: “Berlin Heart","Crisis 1 & 2”
Worth a second listen?:
This album is out on Dangerbird which quite honestly has never led me astray. No disappointment here either. I want to compare it to JAMC but with no guitar feedback. Or even (dare I say it?) My Bloody Valentine. That’s a ringing endorsement from me, for sure.
More info: myspace
Listen: “Money Babies”/“Berlin Heart”

New Tunes

 Rawk Radio    Rawk Releases   

I am too busy to find info on these new albums so you just get the list this week. Probably the same for next week unless I find some free time when I am in NOLA.

In Stores 10/21
AC/DC Black Ice
(Isn’t this only available at the evil Wal-Mart?)
The Dears Missiles
I’ll review this later in the week.
Electric Six Flashy
Matisyahu Shattered (EP)
Of Montreal Skeletal Lamping
So excited about this one.
Sebastien Grainger Sebastien Grainger And The Mountains

Impacting on radio:
(alt rock)
Paramore - Decode
(triple a)
Adele - Right As Rain
Butch Walker - The Weight Of Her
Switchfoot - This Is Home

Adventures in Ft. Wayne Indiana

 Shutterbug    Wanderlust   

I know, I go to the most random places for work. But sometimes, these little towns really surprise me and I actually enjoy my time there. Ft. Wayne, Indiana was one of those towns. I met my friends/co-workers from TX and we stayed downtown in the Hilton for the week. I didn’t really have time for sightseeing, but we kept driving past these cool old buildings so I walked around this morning before I left and took photos.

I loved the County Courthouse. It takes up a whole block and I got photos of three sides of it.

(south side)

west side)

Across from the courthouse was the Tower building.

This building reminded me of buildings in NY - with the art deco entrances.

This was the block across the street from the hotel. Every single one of those buildings were in the National Register of Historic Places.

Not surprised that there were a ton of churches in Ft. Wayne - from my hotel window I could see this one - The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

More photos here.

I also yelped some of the fine establishments in Ft. Wayne. Check out the list here.

Release Spotlight - Ingrid Michaelson

 Rawk Releases   

Artist: Ingrid Michaelson
Album: Be OK
Recommended if you like: singer-songwriter chicks
From the press kit:
Be OK kicks off the next episode in the singer-songwriter’s saga with typically adventurous attitude and—even more importantly—memorable tunes to spare. Michaelson is quick to point out that the disc, which combines covers, live songs and a passel of new songs, is something of an appetizer designed to satiate listeners between meals.
“I wanted to put something out as a gift to my fans,” says the 28-year-old native of Staten Island, New York. “I still feel funny saying the word ‘fans,’ but people who’ve responded really strongly to my music know a lot of these songs because they’ve heard me play them live. A lot of people have said they really wanted to be able to have them to listen to, and I wanted to give them that.”
Standout Tracks: “Be OK","Keep Breathing”
Worth a second listen?:
If you’re already a fan, this is required listening. If you’re not a fan, this is a great introduction to her music.
More info/listen: myspace

EIAC: Catching up on New Music

I spent some quality time catching up on the stack of promos on my desk. Here goes....

Artist: The Little Ones
Album: Morning Tide
Recommended if you like: indie pop a la Shins and early R.E.M.
From the press kit:
a collection of songs that take the word “pop” in “pop music” literally, bursting with effervescence and joy. - NME
Standout Tracks: “All Your Modern Boxes”, “Everybody’s Up To Something”
Worth a second listen?:
This album was upbeat and an easy listen. I did think the comparison to the Shins and early R.E.M. was pretty spot on.
More info: Official/myspace
Listen: “Morning Tide”



Artist: The Panics
Album: Cruel Guards
Recommended if you like: The Church, Nick Cave
From the press kit:
Despite what their name might suggest, Australian indie rockers, The Panics, don’t evoke a sense of chaos or hysteria.  In fact, they offer the exact opposite: interweaving melodies and atmospheres over landscapes of rousing instrumentation.
Standout Tracks: “Get Us Home","Don’t Fight It”
Worth a second listen?:
I liked this right away - it reminded me a lot of those other Aussies - Crowded House.
More info: myspace/official.
Listen: “Get Us Home”



Artist: Rachael Yamagata
Album: A Record in Two Parts: Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart
Recommended if you like: triple a radio darlings, singer songwriter chicks, artists on the Hotel Cafe tour
From the press kit:
The CD, as its title suggests, contains two parts. The first, Elephants, is the darker and more vulnerable of the two. It plays like a film score, with orchestral transitions that expand as the songs progress. The more guitar-driven Teeth Sinking Into Heart is grittier and more defiantly cynical. Underscored by Rachael’s husky alto and expressive piano (and now guitar) playing, the two parts, when taken together, present a snapshot of the emotions that revolve around heartbreak and the inevitable challenges of relationships.
Standout Tracks: “Little Life”, “Faster”
Worth a second listen?:
The first part reminded me a lot of Cat Power. It is dark and brooding and is best left for listening when you’re not in a bad space. The second part does get edgy and is more my speed.
More info: official/myspace
Listen: “Elephants” (qt stream)/“Sidedish Friend”(qt stream)