Words To Sell

Antony & the Johnsons @ Pantages Theater (02.14.09)

Antony & the Johnsons @ Pantages Theater

Initially, I was a bit dismayed when I found out that Antony and the Johnsons would be playing the Pantages Theater on Valentine’s Day. His music has an underlying melancholy and heartache to it that I wasn’t sure would fit well with America’s most saccharine of holidays. But the show turned out to be the perfect antidote to all that sugary artificial sentiment, for Antony’s performance was about as real as they come, and was one of the most stripped down, vulnerable performances I’ve seen in recent memory.

Taking his place on the bench of the grand piano where he would stay the entire show, Antony and his backing band of six musicians came out to a warm ovation from the near capacity crowd at the Pantages. The musicians (or Johnsons, if you will) consisted of a drummer, bassist, cellist, and three others that swapped instruments throughout the entire show, switching from violin to acoustic and electric guitars, oboe, and saxophone during the course of the set. The orchestra provided stellar support to Antony, whose delicate and understated piano playing often guided the song forward at the onset, but never really became the focus of the arrangements. That focus was placed squarely on Antony’s beguiling falsetto, which carried the night to its exalted heights and kept me awestruck and captivated all evening long. His voice does take some getting used to, being part cabaret/part operatic, but it’s filled with a level of emotion and honesty that isn’t found in most modern music, and imbues his music with a haunting, impassioned lucidity that is rare in any art form these days.

Antony & the Johnsons @ Pantages Theater

The stage remained shrouded in darkness throughout the performance (explaining the lack of quality in my photos), with the lighting and backdrop done up in understated white tones. Antony eased into the evening with “Where Is My Power,” a b-side to the “Epilepsy Is Dancing” single, taken from Antony’s brilliant new record The Crying Light. Things got a bit more solemn with the touching, eloquent “Her Eyes Are Underneath The Ground,” whose lyrics “In the garden with my mother I stole a flower” took on added significance by the fact that Antony’s mother, father and brother were all in attendance. He alluded to his time spent in Minneapolis by telling a story about walking by First Avenue earlier in the day, realizing the last time he’d been there was when his father took him to see Nina Hagen. He was too young at the time, so his dad had to get him in. Antony laughed when he said his father only stayed for a couple songs. “Epilepsy Is Dancing” was next, and it was a soaring tour de force. It’s truly an epic, heartbreaking track that escalated nicely to a dramatic, stunning finish. “One Dove” gave the band a chance to show off their chops a bit, with a stirring oboe solo that added a gorgeous layer to the song. The show really didn’t have any low points, other than very slight pacing problems, for the song selection was perfect throughout the set, and all the tracks were performed with an elegance and candor that isn’t often found in the music industry these days.

Other standouts from the superb set include “For Today I Am A Boy,” “Another World” and a version of “You Are My Sister” that brought forth audible gasps amongst the crowd around me. It was as moving and passionate as music can be, a touching ode to the dreams of loved ones getting realized, again made even more enthralling knowing that his family was in the crowd. “Twilight” followed, and was simply stunning, made even more so by the accompaniment of the orchestra, who guided the song to its tender finish along with Antony’s skillful piano work.

Antony & the Johnsons @ Pantages Theater

The night did have some lighter moments, like the bands playful cover of Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love,” that started out simple and sounded quite improvised, but took on added weight as Antony breathed new life into the lyrics and the band provided a steady accompaniment while Antony lost himself in the song. And, when that song was quickly followed by a soulful rendering of “Fist Full Of Love,” the pairing of seeing Antony on Valentine’s Day started making perfect sense. His songs are indeed filled with love, after all, either searching for it or remembering love lost. Either way, it was more of a tender, joyous affair than I was expecting, even with Antony struggling to find words after someone in the crowd wished him a happy Valentine’s Day. He sat silent at the piano bench, explaining how he didn’t have anything special planned, trying to find words to signify the day, and just couldn’t. Later in the show, he encouraged all of us to YouTube the “Hamster at the Piano” video, that the video would be his Valentine’s Day gift to us. Which is silly, in the end, since sharing his music with us was always going to be the best gift of them all.

After a rousing, electrified version of “Aeon” closed out the main set, Antony and his band left the stage to a standing ovation from the adoring and respectful audience, who were stone silent during most of the set, except when Antony invited us to have a conversation with him after he came out for the encore (which never seems to work out well in any show, and didn’t on this evening). Antony rambled on a bit about spoonfuls of peanut butter, and joked about how he had a few lately and was hoping that one of them would be “the magic spoonful that would send him to his grave.” But he was honestly horrified to find out that three people had died in Minnesota from salmonella poisoning linked to peanut butter, and begged our forgiveness for his insensitivity. It was a minor diversion before the encore began with a wonderful version of “Cripple and the Starfish” that again showed the talent and dexterity of the orchestra, who gave the song a mournful edge with their delicate accompaniment. The show finished the only way it could, with a jaw-dropping version of “Hope There’s Someone” that enraptured all in attendance with its stark, plaintive lyrics and Antony’s vulnerable, unadorned plea for someone to be there when he needs them most. It was absolutely beautiful. And everyone that gave the band another standing ovation as they left the stage seemed to agree.

So, spending Valentine’s Day with Antony and the Johnsons wasn’t such an odd pairing after all, with Antony’s honest, heartfelt lyrics playing the perfect foil to all the insincere sentiment being sold to us everywhere we turn. The performance was as sincere and genuine as any I’ve seen recently, and was far and away my favorite show of the young year.

Antony & the Johnsons @ Pantages Theater Set List

Please see my original review and much more @ www.culturebully.com. Cheers!

Fujiya & Miyagi & School of Seven Bells @ Entry (02.11.09)

School of Seven Bells @ Entry (Photo Courtesy of Jon Behm)

There are some rock shows where you close your eyes to avoid seeing the train wreck happening in front of you, diverting your attention from an artist clearly not ready for the stage they are on. And then there are shows, like last evening’s Fujiya & Miyagi/School Of Seven Bells show at the extremely sold out 7th Street Entry, where you close your eyes and let the sound wash over you and take you somewhere else entirely. Especially with the stunning identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Dehez on stage, School Of Seven Bells were best experienced (at least in my opinion) with eyes closed, without their beauty distracting from the music in any way. And both bands didn’t really get up to much on stage, so I let the music do most of the work for me, transporting me somewhere besides the extremely crowded Entry.

School Of Seven Bells opened with “Iamundernodisguise,” the first track on their excellent debut full-length Alpinisms, and right from the get-go, it was clear that guitarist Benjamin Curtis was working way too hard on his various effects pedals and knobs without having the sound in the room reflect his efforts. His sounds were buried too deep in the mix, and the vocal harmonies of the Dehez sisters, while pleasant enough, overwhelmed their sound and made a lot of their songs sound similar as a result. Perhaps it’s a conscious effort by Ben to not dominate their ethereal sound with his guitar work, because their mix was the same when I saw them open for M83 at the Triple Rock a couple months ago. But, in my opinion, their music suffers a bit under that arrangement, for he’s way too talented to be relegated to merely a bit player in the group, and their album is filled with varied and interesting sounds that he creates which don’t come across nearly as clear when performed live.

School of Seven Bells @ Entry (Photo Courtesy of Jon Behm)

That’s not to say that the show wasn’t without it’s highlights, for when the band hit their stride, the music is quite intoxicating. “Wired For Light,” “My Cabal” and “Connjur” were all enchanting sonic experiments that worked well in the live setting, and filled the club with the band’s airy sound. On record, the band’s sound is much more soaring and exalted, but those heights aren’t quite reached by their live set. Their songs are enjoyable, but ultimately don’t really go anywhere all that interesting in the end. I think with more of an impact from Ben, their live sound could match the elegant soundscapes found on their record, but for the time being, their live show suffers from a lack of his guitar and effects in the mix.

School of Seven Bells @ Entry (Photo Courtesy of Jon Behm)

Surprisingly, the club cleared out ever so slightly for headliners Fujiya & Miyagi, and those that left missed out on a group that has clearly found their sound and polished it to electronic perfection. The band was tight and balanced, and their sound was superb. During the middle of the Brighton band’s second song, I was wondering why there was even a drum kit set up for the evening, for SVIIB didn’t employ a drummer and up until that point Fujiya & Miyagi weren’t either (they’ve been a three-piece with a drum machine prior to this tour). But new member Lee Adams came out from behind the curtain to sit behind the kit, and helped bring “Ankle Injuries” to a propulsive close. He brought a more natural, organic sound to their music, and in my mind is a welcome addition to the group’s hypnotic live show. Frontman David Best was affable and accomplished all evening, as his intricate guitar work guided the songs, and the “rhythm section” of Steve Lewis and Matt Hainsby gave the songs their depth and atmospheric dimensions.

Fujiya & Miyagi @ Entry (Photo Courtesy Of Jon Behm)

Touring behind their splendid new record Lightbulbs, their set leaned heavily on their new material as well as songs from 2007’s Transparent Things. Standouts included “Cassettesingle,” “Pussyfooting” and “In One Ear.” Their songs are tightly wound constructions that have a catchy underlying beat that always seems to get heads nodding. But there is quite a bit of space to be found in their music as well, no matter how dense it may sound. And plenty of people in the crowd were free to get lost in that space throughout the show, even though there wasn’t much room available to dance in. Best’s lyrics are rather goofy at times, reminiscent of the often dead-pan delivery of Jermaine and Bret from Flight Of The Concords (especially on a track like “Pickpocket”). The real innovative aspect of the band is their funky, enthralling sound, which was mixed pristinely last night, with all the nuances of their music perfectly audible and crisp.

Fujiya & Miyagi @ Entry (Photo Courtesy of Jon Behm)

It was a show I spent a good majority of in my own head, with the music providing a spatial soundtrack to my thoughts as well as conveying me out of the crowded Entry into somewhere much more pleasant but rather hard to define. I think School Of Seven Bells have yet to reach the promise that is hinted at in their debut record, but touring with a taut and focused band like Fujiya & Miyagi will only help them to flesh out their live sound and add dimension to their music. Fujiya & Miyagi have really solidified their sound and nailed down their live show, and when it’s mixed right, as it was last night, their sound can take you to all corners of the globe with their varying influences and styles. Or, it can simply just make you dance, provided you have the room.

Please see my original review, and more of Jon's incredible photos at culturebully.com. Cheers!

Lykke Li @ Varsity Theater 02/08/2009

Lykke Li @ Varsity(Photo Courtesy Of Jon Behm)

I’m sure there were plenty of people in the near-capacity crowd at the Varsity Theater that were surprised with just how funky Lykke Li’s live show was Sunday night. While her album just offers hints of bass and beat driven sounds in favor of an overall more subdued, downcast tempo, her live show is a frenzy of percussion, pre-recorded backing tracks, and a three piece band that really filled out her sound nicely. And that support allowed Lykke Li to dance around the stage like a whirling dervish, constantly beating on symbols placed on either side of her whenever she wasn’t singing. It was an energy that the languid Sunday night crowd at the Varsity initially had a hard time matching, but eventually Li and her band got the crowd moving in what turned out to be quite a rousing set.

Taking the stage alone to the instrumental sounds of “Melodies & Desires,” the opening track from her excellent full-length debut Youth Novels, Li proceeded to ease slowly into the opening bars of “Dance, Dance, Dance” before the band hit the stage to join her for the chorus, and really turned the song into a propulsive, drum driven smash that got the show off to a great start. And even though it took a while for the young crowd’s enthusiasm to match the band’s (it was a 15+ show after all), that didn’t stop Li from whirling around the stage, beating her drum stick on whatever was nearby, urging the crowd to let go “because it’s Sunday.” Her verve, and her band’s steady accompaniment added an upbeat, danceable quality to early set standouts “Everybody But Me,” “I’m Good, I’m Gone” and “Complaint Department,” which owes quite a bit of it’s menacing sound to fellow Swedes the Knife.

Lykke Li @ Varsity (Photo Courtesy Of Jon Behm)

Li’s boundless energy eventually enlivened the large crowd, who were enraptured by her cover of Kings Of Leon’s “Knocked Up” which she cheekily dedicated to anyone who’s pregnant in the crowd (too bad M.I.A. was at the Grammys). I liked her version much better than the original, and the cover was just a sign of things to come in a set that would feature a few surprises. Halfway through “I Don’t Mind” she busted into a credible, amped-up cover of Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” that finally got the response from the crowd that the shy, Swedish chanteuse had been looking for all night. That communion with the crowd really propelled the end of the set to great heights, with “Let It Fall,” “Little Bit” and “Hanging High” really benefiting from the energetic reworkings of her full-band live show. At one point she got part of the crowd to sing along in French to the chorus of “Window Blues,” which is no small feat, even around the campus of the U. And, by the time she got to the raucous set closer “Breaking It Up,” she had the room electrified and entranced by her sultry, smoky vocals and captivating stage presence. “Breaking It Up” was another example of how her songs turn into club anthems through her enlivened live show, and that adds a depth and moxie to her songs that aren’t quite as evident on record.

She came back out solo at the start of the encore to sing a tender version of “Time Flies,” before the band joined her on an absolutely stunning version of “Tonight” that was the highlight of the set for me. The song is a real showstopper, and her achingly beautiful version last night will stick with me for quite a while. It was just perfect in every sense of the word. But the party wasn’t over by a long shot, as the familiar bass-line to Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side” echoed off the walls, along with Li’s melodic “Do-do-do, da-do, do-do-do” that ushered in what I immediately recognized as her lively cover of A Tribe Called Quest’s classic “Can I Kick It” that really set the place off. It was a great way to end the nearly hour-long show, and drove the point home even further that Lykke Li is indeed funky, and can bring the noise when she wants to. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that hip-hop element permeate her music more in the future, and look forward to hearing how her style evolves over the course of her next couple of records. No matter what direction Lykke Li chooses to take her sound, she’s got enough variables and influences involved to keep all of us interested for quite some time to come.

Please see my original review, along with more of Jon's fantastic photos and Brody's great vids on culturebully.com. Cheers!

Tapes 'n Tapes w/Solid Gold @ First Avenue (02.06.09)

Tapes 'n Tapes(Photo Courtesy Of Jon Behm)

Last night was a true hometown celebration in downtown Minneapolis, with local bands Solid Gold and Tapes ‘n Tapes managing to completely sell-out First Avenue’s main room (and then some). The large venue allowed Twin City music fans the opportunity to pack the club and show their love to both bands, and gave the groups the chance to fill the room with the sounds and spirit that have garnered them all of the acclaim in the first place. Tapes ‘n Tapes have already made their way rapidly up the musical hierarchy and from all indication Solid Gold should soon join them on the national stage—last night’s entertaining and energetic show was further proof why both bands warrant all of the attention and accolades.

Normally, when you have three bands on the bill for a show at First Ave., people are still filing in while the opener is finishing its set. Friday night however, the club was good and packed by the time Solid Gold took the stage. That must have been quite a confidence boost to the band (who were playing one of their largest Twin Cities shows to date), because they came out sounding tight and focused, with their mix sounding superb and their smooth sound easily permeating the entire club. By the time they played their second song of the night, “Armored Cars,” they were settled in and the club was theirs for the taking. They rattled through most of their stellar debut record, even playing one new song that fit seamlessly into the flow of the set, and other than thanking Tapes ‘n Tapes for having them as openers, kept strictly to the music.

Solid Gold (Photo Courtesy Of Jon Behm)

Tapes ‘n Tapes selecting Solid Gold to open the show was quite a smart move, and certainly no accident. Their longer than usual set (for an opening act) confirmed not only that they were a local band that Tapes were generously providing a larger stage (and audience) to for the night, but also that the band has the kind of sound and appeal that can fill First Ave. on their own, which I’m sure they will soon. I’m curious to see how they go over in Austin for SXSW but based on their captivating performance last night national success should be imminent. And these guys certainly deserve it for they have crafted one of the most unique and listenable local records in recent memory with Bodies Of Water, and have an enthralling live show to match. Solid Gold were given a golden opportunity to play to a full room at First Ave. and they stepped up and delivered a knock out set to an admiring audience that will most assuredly propel them on to bigger and better things.

Following Solid Gold’s set would prove to be a difficult affair for any band, and New Hampshire’s Wild Light, while being a tight live band with anthemic songs and earnest choruses, were a bit of a let down after such a stirring opening set. Under different circumstances their sound and style would perhaps be more engrossing, but I found myself anticipating the headliners more and more as their set progressed. “California On My Mind” is a hell of a song though, and was the highlight of their set for me.

Tapes 'n Tapes (Photo Courtesy of Jon Behm)

With the club now packed well beyond capacity, Tapes ‘n Tapes didn’t waste any time in tearing into the beginning of “The Dirty Dirty” before the projection screen covering the stage was still rising, starting a fiercely paced set that rarely let up all night. Due to incessant touring and a burgeoning familiarity with their material, they have become an even tighter band since I last saw them headline the main room last year. Their sound last night was buoyed even more by the addition of drummer Jeremy Hanson’s brother Jacob on guitar during part of their set. It was clear right from the start that the boys were on point and out to set fire to the place, tearing through early set highlights “Hang ‘Em All,” “The Illiad” and “Headshock” without so much as a word to the capacity crowd nor much of a chance to catch their own breath. It was a blazing start that was inevitably bound to subside a bit, as it did with “Conquest,” which finally allowed front man Josh Grier the time to acknowledge the capacity crowd and thank us all for coming.

After a sped up and feisty version of “In Houston,” the set really took off with the rousing one-two punch of “10 Gallon Ascots” and “Insistor” that reminded me why these guys blew up in the first place. They tore through these familiar songs with the same intensity and energy that they did when the songs were first written, fleshing them out with a grittier sound and a potency born from years now spent on the road. Josh went on to say that this is the first time they’ve played Minneapolis while being in the middle of their tour, and it was nice to be home after three weeks on the road. The band also debuted a few new songs during their set that had a fresh and lively sound that will fit right in with their varied and distinctive catalog.

The set did have a few lags in energy (it would have been nearly impossible for any band to keep up that level of ferocity all evening), so while songs like “Demon Apple” and “Say Back Something” were good additions to the set, they just lacked the whip-crack potency of the earlier part of the show. That strength of sound returned quick enough, though, with the slow build of the cacophonous “Manitoba” and the frenetic set closer “Jakov’s Suite” that had a good part of the capacity crowd thrashing right along with the band. The encore was as tightly wound and focused as the main set, with the band wasting little time backstage before storming back out to play spirited and explosive versions of “Cowbell” and “Just Drums” that proved to be a perfect finale to a set that found the local band showcasing their continually evolving talent and dexterity before an audience that has been rooting for them since the beginning.

And that’s what the night ultimately became—a celebration of two local bands that, while already having achieved great things, are hopefully both bound for more. And if all goes well, the enormous crowd that greeted them at First Avenue last night will just grow in numbers and stick with them every step of the way. I know I will.

Please see my original review with many more of Jon's great photos at www.culturebully.com. Cheers!