Indie NY invades SD
Tonight, live at HOB, fresh from their respective appearances at Coachella....Regina Spektor and Only Son. Here is how it went down.
I got to HOB way too early (miscalculated the time I needed to spend at M-Theory) so I sat at the bar and struck up a convo with someone who drove down from L.A. for the show. Very cool. (P.S. If you are reading this, I do remember your name, but I never disclose without prior permission. P.P.S. Thanks for the jager and the stella.) So around 8, we mosied into the music hall, where I found a primo spot on the floor. Set list first -
Only Son
HOB San Diego
4/29/07
You Stayed At Home
My Museum
Captain Dead at the Controls
Long Live the Future
SleepyFace
Quiet Surrender
Stamp Your Name on It
Only A Tool
So who is this indie band from NY that I am digging so much? The band is fronted by the Moldy Peaches lead guitarist, Jack Dishel. I was sent a promo copy of the album “The Drop To Top” and dug it right away. (Listen to some tracks on myspace.) This performance was just Jack on his acoustic with the “ipod band” playing on the majority of the songs. The set consisted of 6 songs off the album and two others that will be on the forthcoming album. One of the two non album songs was from Jack’s previous project Stipplicon. So, I really enjoyed his set, especially “SleepyFace” which was my favorite. After “Only A Tool”, Jack did this monologue type thing about the VIPs at Coachella. Very sarcastic and funny. (OMG, Cameron Diaz!!!)
Next up...Regina Spektor. I guess she normally travels with a band, but not tonight. It was just her and a grand piano and an acoustic guitar for some songs. Okay, actually, she did a song or two acapella with her finger tapping the mic for the beat. I didn’t keep a full set list because I am not familiar with a lot of her older material. I think the crowd was pretty split with fans of her latest album “Begin to Hope” with fans who are hip to “Soviet Kietsch” and her recorded live material. I was glad that she did my personal favorite “On The Radio” as the second song in. For the songs I wasn’t familiar with, I was still engaged. I mean, she is so freaking cute! Other songs she did from “Begin To Hope” were “That Time” (with the memorable lyrics about G-n-R’s “November Rain"), “Better”, and the single “Fidelity”. The encore was really cool. She came out and hushed everyone and did a cover of John Lennon’s “Real Love”. Then for “Hotel Song”, Jack came out and was the beat box for the song. That was awesome. She ended her set strongly with “Samson.”
After the show, SD Dialed In Rosey invited me to hang out as she won a meet and greet with Regina Spektor. Cool. I got my ticket stub signed and then Rosey and I noticed that Jack came out, so we both went over and talked to him. He was really cool and actually helped me out with my set list, which I had pretty much nailed except for the first song.
So yes, a thoroughly enjoyable show. I highly recommend both Regina Spektor and Only Son’s current albums, you won’t regret buying either one, I promise.
