Dear Madison, Please Bring this Band! GOBBLE GOBBLE

These guys are amazing.  Fun.  Unique.   Weird.  I love them!  Book them, ole ye Promoters of the Gods!
Gobble Gobble

Powerman 5000, Lollapoolza, and other randomness

Not that I like this band at all, but I think it's kind of funny that they are playing at the Annex.  And not for a very high ticket cost.  Was it just me or didn't these guys get big at some point?  Anyway, if you are interested, check out their show on June 12. 

The Lollapalooza lineup is up and I can say I am actually kind of tempted to go to this festival this year.  I always said if there is any well known band that I want to see before I die that I haven't seen yet it would be Tina Turner's reunion tour, and Arcade Fire.   And fuck if Arcade Fire isn't playing this year.   There's also Cut Copy, Hot Chip and some chick named Lady Gaga.   Very impressive lineup.  To see all of the bands playing, check out their website Lollapalooza.

My roommate's sister's band is playing tonight at the Wisco.  Victoria Echeverria is an amazing performer and I hope Wisco can handle all of that awesomeness tonight.  Check out Venus in Furs tonight!!

Let's Wrestle!

April 16th at the Annex

w/ Quasi

I might have a soft spot for British bands, this I admit.  Especially when they come from the great big isle across the ocean to play in our landlock state of Wisconsin.  I also haven't been disappointed yet from seeing a show from a band from the UK.  It's true.  

I admit that I knew that Quasi was playing at the Annex but of the few songs I heard from them, nothing really stuck out as being amazing.  I do have to admit having Janet Weiss, the drummer of Sleater Kinney, performing in your band really kind of bumps it up a notch.  The music doesn't have to be that spectacular to get me to buy a ticket to see the beautiful and amazing Janet banging away at lightening speeds on her drums.  But I still wasn't sold on this show.  Hey, I'm a poor guy who needs to make sure his money can be spread out for all the shows he wants to see in the Spring and Summer.  Already I've spent close to $400 including Sasquatch.  So I'm picky.  

But then I saw that Let's Wrestle is playing at this show.  I will say that their music doesn't stand out all that much for me.  But I've seen their band pop up on quite a few mixtapes that I have come across to the point where I'm really curious to see them now.  Let's Wrestle are three dudes singing some basic rock music.  Sometimes there is some more performance additions other then the guitar riffs and drums, such as looping and distortion.  But all in all, these guys are primarily the straight up rock sound with of course a lead singer with a British Accent.  OK, I'm sold! 

Let's Wrestle

We are Men You'll Grow to Love Soon

Check out this Review of the Titus Andronicus show at Project Lodge

From the blog, Muzzle of Bees:


By Tyler Fassnacht
Ever since I saw Titus Andronicus open for No Age back in 2008, they have been in the running for my favorite live band. Each time I have seen them grace a stage with their energy and stage presence, it has been better than the last, and this concert was no exception. When it was announced that they would be playing the Project Lodge, one of my favorite intimate venues, I bought my ticket immediately, especially because this would be my first time seeing them as a headliner.
Local Madison group His and Her Vanities opened and started the evening off a great foot. They are able to mix jangly and catchy with dissonance and elements of math-rock, into their art-rock sound. Their set did a good job of getting everyone excited for the headliners, but was also memorable in their own right. Since this band doesn’t play too many shows, I would suggest seeing them if you ever get the chance, or just pick up last year’s awesome The Mighty Lunge.
Titus Andronicus came out on a stage covered in American flags, to a cheering, completely packed audience and jumped into the opening track from their near perfect new album, The Monitor. As soon as the song began, the front of the crowd went crazy and continued throughout the rest of the show. It had been a while since I left a concert so sweaty. Something that makes this band so great live is that in almost every song there is opportunity to dance, pump your fist or shout along with big choruses and memorable lines (I have never heard so many people shout “FUCK YOU” in unison). Playing mostly tracks from their new album, they tore through all the epic songs, even the magnum opus, fourteen minute long, “the Battle of Hampton Roads.” They also threw in a handful of tracks from their amazing debut album; so older fans were made happy as well.
There was some trouble with the mics turning off at some points, but they were fixed pretty quickly. My one complaint with the sound, however, was how the vocals seemed a little muddy, but with front man Patrick Stickles growls and yelps, it wasn’t too noticeable.
After more than an hour of playing, they put down their instruments and left the stage. The audience applauded and chanted “one more song!” until Stickles came out to say that they actually didn’t know how to play any more songs. That was the sad realization that the night was over. Though after the comical banter, the moshing, the raging guitar solos and the scream a longs, I was completely satisfied. Yet again, Titus Andronicus blew me away with their live show, which is something I think everyone should experience at least once in their life.

Janelle Monae!!! Forget the last post. See this Woman!

April 23 at the Union Terrace

   I love this woman.   I saw her at Bonnaroo last year and she was one of the best acts that I saw.  This woman has amazing, fun beats.  She has great lyrics and has one of the best voices I've heard in a long time.  At the show I saw at Bonnaroo, she demonstrated how she was musically trained in opera, wowing the crowd with a short operatic piece.  She also proceeded to do a painting on stage while singing another one of her songs where at the end, she threw it into the audience (glad no one got their eye knocked off).  All in all, this may be one of my big highlights of the season, and a GREAT way of kicking of my three large concerts in under a week.   Check out her music and videos and see you at the Union!!

Metropolis: The Chase part 1

Many Moons (Video)

The Archandroid (May 18th)

Tightrope (Video)

Surgeons in Heat

 

April 23 at The Frequency

I saw these guys open up for Woodhands and can say that I have another local Wisconsin band that I enjoy. Again, as some of you know, I have a soft spot for a male lead singer that sings in falsetto. I also have a soft spot for local talented bands.  So they have two for two there.  As they took the stage before Woodhands, the guitarist of Surgeons in Heat admitted that he was "Really fucked up" and the lead singer also seemed overly intoxicated.  He could barely open his eyes as he held on tight to the microphone.  And as they performed theirs songs, what was supposed to sound more like pop rock turned into more of a mellow rock.  But as "fucked up" as he was, the lead singer was still able to hit that falsetto and belt out some great songs.  Here's another "local" band I'd recommend you checking out.  

Fang Island

April 22nd at High Noon Saloon

w/ Red Sparowes & Caspian

Another Brooklyn band trying to break out, I think this band has a good chance to do just that.  Although I don't find their songs that complex, there definitely is a sense of experimentation and fun.  There's a little Animal Collective.  There's a little Black Lips.   There's a lot of just one word or one sound choruses.  But it works and it's fun.  Here's what Pitchfork has to say of their new album:

"Fang Island's self-titled second album is joyous despite its general lack of verses or choruses. It's fractured like any post-punk record while also speaking the language of classic rock, yet often feels like an intricate collage pieced together from elements that make songs memorable-- palm-muted power chords following wide-open intros, blistering solos, double-time outros. Pretty much all of that is crammed into the deleriously infectious "Daisy", an emphatic crossbreed of the Go! Team and the Promise Ring's "Is This Thing On?" The dance routine in the song's video feels like the only natural reaction to hearing it."

Fang Island


Daisy
Life Coach (Video)