Concert Review- Decemberists at Stubbs, Austin TX 8/8/2011

I've seen The Decemberists three times on this current tour, and I've yet to be disappointed. Most of it's because the music is good and the song selection is safe, but partly because Colin Meloy is a very underrated front man. Need proof? Go to a show and try not coming back with a smile on your face. Meloy plays the hell out of his guitar, he sings his little heart out, and for a guy who writes some pretty grim tunes, he's pretty damn hilarious. But even this being a third show for me, it was special in it's own way. Jenny Conlee, the longtime multi-instrumentalist for the band, made a rare appearance with the band after being diagnosed with breast cancer back in May. Her presence was felt and she's glue to a well made machine.

Opening with "Leslie Anne Levine" from "Castaways and Cutouts" was a great choice. It's a song, rarely played that kind of set the tone for the light hearted approach the band took for the evening. New tracks off the band's latest LP "The King is Dead" sounded great too, highlights being "Rox in the Box" and "All Arise!" in which I myself "two stepped" with a much older, attractive woman who sang the lyrics back at me. The show kind of put you in that mood to sing along with your fellow man...or woman.

The best portion of the show came from the only two cuts off of the underrated "Hazards of Love" album. The one-two punch of "Won't Wait for Love" and "Rake's Song" made for a headbangin' and fist pumpin' good time that displayed the fun of both the band and the crowd. While the album didn't get it's due on this show, the aforementioned tracks were among the best played on this whole tour. For an encore, you get "The Mariner's Revenge Song", I won't tell you anything to spoil it for you, but it's one of those things you have to experience for yourself since it's probably the cheesiest, sweetest, most fun you can have at a show with songs involving death, killing children, political change, and lost love.

Not once was I bored, even opening act Caitlin Rose, with her pretty face and country songs had me tapping my feet. The Decemberists are one of the premier bands right now that we have in the states. Pretentious? Yes. Melancholy? Without a doubt! But good lord, these Portlandians know how to have a good time. In the face of a serious situation within a band member's health, you wouldn't be able to tell if they were going through turmoil or not. Like a live band should be, they just want to have fun.


-bro sport

Concert Review- Arctic Monkeys at Stubbs, Austin TX 8/2/2011

So I keep wondering to myself, where are the great rock bands? Surely there are better bands than Arctic Monkeys, but let's be honest, how many pure rock bands do we have that are consistently good? Arctic Monkeys have been tearing a hole in England for the past decade but have suffered a bit in the states. Popular? Yes. But these guys are headlining stadiums in their homeland and they're playing clubs here. That being said, they're a live band that work in any venue, they're just that damn good at what they do.

Set opener "Library Pictures" off of this year's "Suck It and See" is a terrific way of displaying the band's talent, and probably their most underrated card is Alex Turner's delivery on his often sly and cryptic lyrics. He's a good singer, but the dark material of the Monkeys' last two albums has been enough put a little whoop ass into Turner's persona which was that of a Teddy Boy.

Oh but then we have Matt Helders. Helders is probably the best drummer out there period. Listening to him pound away on "Brianstorm" is something to see because you can't believe someone can actually go that fast and keep up with the band. "Crying Lightning" is also a spectacular showcase of his skill as well, the twists and turns in that song are enough as it, but Helders can keep it up and pound and not outshine the band, in fact he seems completely modest and comfortable on stage compared to the others.

The Austin crowd was perfect. The crowd had fun, knew most of the words, lost their shit to "I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor", and largely appreciated the band as well as their fans back in the old country. New cuts like "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" sounded great and were played with an added jolt compared to their album counterparts. They're young, hip, and have made four good albums and rival The Strokes as the best pure rock and roll band of the past decade. It's a shame they're not as big in the states, but those of us in attendance on Tuesday will appreciate them either way.

-brosport

Concert Review- Eels at Stubbs, Austin Tx, 7/20/11

Mark Oliver Everett, otherwise known as E has a knack for writing bleak tunes. He's been through several traumatic experiences that it's no surprise his songs can make you downright feel like crap. What is surprising is how much fun you can have at an Eels show. The songs are sad, but the way they're played along with the genuine fun the band looks like they're having on stage make for a more than pleasurable experience. This past Tuesday, I got to witness one of alt-rock's most interesting minds as E and his band kicked off their US tour with a bang.

Coming on stage with a backing band dressed exactly like him, complete with sharp suits, beards, and sunglasses, what may have seemed a bit off and unorthodox came off as funny and well done. Along with a brass duo (E referring to them as "The Snatch Brothers"), the band quickly blasted into a terrific opener with "Flyswatter", and for 19 more songs, the showcase of three guitars, impeccable timing on the drums, and some sweet, sweet saxophone entranced the crowd. The songs receiving the most praise were the ones off of the trilogy starter "Hombre Lobo", "Tremendous Dynamite" early in the set was a beer swilling kick in the ass, showing the great ear for catchy and grimy rock and roll that E has always had.

Older fans were treated to some nice cuts off of "Shootenanny!" and "Souljacker" with "Souljacker 1" evoking the biggest and best response of the evening. How could it not, with E screaming out "AWW YEAH" while obliterating his guitar as if to be some hero to the masses. While the show had many songs from the post-2000 output, no fan would go home disappointed, because of how exciting the band came off. The encore featuring the combo of "Fresh Blood" (the closest thing to a hit Eels may see in this decade) and "Souljacker" highlight "Looking Up" sounded like it was closing out an Elvis impersonator show in Vegas...the good kind of impersonator.

While the show was sparsely attended and some weird omissions from the show (I was bummed we didn't get "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues"), it was hard not to wipe the smile off the face of your average attendee to the show. It was loud, it was fun, a cover of Sly Stone's "Hot Fun in the Summertime" was played, there were even crazy introductions to band members, but it made us all feel glad that the live hiatus is done and such a show could be put on even if you have the electro shock blues.

-bro sport