At this show they did mostly songs from their new album, Truth Decay (2009).   It included songs such as Dark Star, The March, Rusty Moon, Things Will Never Be The  Same and Welcome To The Future (my favorite, I think).  Strangely in the middle of the set the band performed “On The Radio” originally performed by Donna Summer (1979).  It was a fun sing along and with the sweet harmonies of singer Jason “Shyboy” Arnold and Keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian it proved to fit in the line up well.

As seen in this picture (left), the band sported a second guitar player (to the right).  The regular guitar player (on left) has a great mellow, rock star quality about him adding to the “this is easy” feel of the band.  I am not sure if the band is growing, or this is just the live set up for the band…. but on the CD it just lists 4 band members.  Either way, during one song, both guitarist played the song together sporting a deeper sound and rockin’ intensity ~

Hard to see, but not hard to hear is drummer Adrian Barnardo.  I am a big fan of drums knowing that sometimes, especially in rock, it can be overwhelming live.  Adrain doesn’t let you forget that he is there, however, allows for each of the other members to be heard during each song.

They ended the show with Worship Me (I’m On TV) ~ not my favorite song on the CD, but the one that is mostly likely to get stuck in my head for days!  The lyrics are very appropriate for LA and our culture of TV obsession….

Overall, a great band!  I was so glad to see them for a 2nd time and look forward to shows in the future.  And until then I will rock out listening to their CD in my car on the way to work.  ~

I always wanted to see these guys and they didn’t dissapoint.  I brought my Wife, two daughters (4 years and 3 mos. old) and Mom to babysit during the show.  We stayed at a hotel outside of the buildings on the cover of the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album.  I didn’t plan that.  I’ve never had so many expenses just to see a show but it was worth it.

Wilco set list: 10/18/09 (Chicago, IL; UIC Pavilion)

1 Wilco (The Song)

2 A Shot in the Arm

3 Bull Black Nova

4 You Are My Face

5 I Am Trying to Break Your Heart

6 One Wing

7 Misunderstood

8 At Least That’s What You Said

9 Deeper Down

10 Impossible Germany

11 It’s Just That Simple

12 I’ll Fight

13 Handshake Drugs

14 Sonny Feeling

15 Jesus, Etc.

16 Theologians

17 I’m Always In Love

18 Hate It Here

19 Walken

20 I’m The Man Who Loves You

Encore:

21 You Never Know

22 Heavy Metal Drummer

23 Just a Kid

24 Kingpin

25 Monday

26 Outtasite (Outta Mind)

27 Hoodoo Voodoo

28 I’m a Wheel

I agonized about whether I needed to buy a ticket online and decided I would swing by the venue the day before.  This theater is in a very cool neighborhood on the West side of Cincinnati.  After a great lunch at the Indian buffet a few doors down, I stopped in the theater.  They were not really open, but the House manager just happened to be in the lobby.

He told me the tour manager had the actual tickets so it would be best to just buy at the door before the show.  Then he offered to show me around the place so I could check out the layout.  All of the movie seats had been removed from the front of the house and had been replaced with round, low tables and some bar tables.  The front tables were just feet from the front of the stage.  Now I was really excited,

On the day of the show, I raced from my appointment back to Oakely and grabbed a quick sandwich.  I was 4th in line at 6:30 and started chatting with the folks in front.  Turns out, one of them had an extra ticket on reserve.  For face value of $20, I was in the door with my new best friends.

In the lobby, we had a few minutes to shop the CD’s and the bar because they had not finished the sound check yet.  As concert goers arrived, many brought gifts for the band.  Some had home-grown produce and some had bottles of Jaegermeiseter.

About this time, Marty Willson-Piper popped out of the stage doors and had a nice chat with whomever was standing around.  What?  How unexpected and totally endearing.  Relaxed and friendly.

I sat at the front table with my new pals (who are in the Kentucky-based band call the Pyramid Builders Union — check ‘em out).  House music was OLD Pink Floyd until show time.

The band was tight and sounded great.  This was only days after the death of GW McClennan and everyone seemed to be aware of this.  Steve Kilby said a few words about this and then they played Providence.  The guitar tech/roadie played the rhythm guitar and she (yes, she) was solid.

After the show, folks just milled around.  I went to thestage and asked the Tech if I could have one of the set lists that had been taped to the floor in front of Steve.  She said, “Sure.  Would you like me to have it signed?”  I said yes gratefully and she disappeared.  She reappeared about 5 minutes later the sheet, now bearing 3 signatures.  Steve Kilby did not sign, but Marty, Peter and Tim all did.

Signed Set-List

On the side of the stage, Marty and Tim were gathering gear and just chatting with fans.  I was able to thank them for a great show personally.  Marty also signed my CD of “Univited, Like the Clouds”, which I’d purchased in the lobby.

All in all, this was a great show and a great experience.  This has been a favorite band for decades and I’m still thrilled that I was able to see them live.

The Viper Room Stage Sign

My prevailing thought this morning, after seeing L.A.-based rock band Hypnogaja live at The Viper Room (great live music venue once owned by Johnny Depp): I need to go out and see more local bands.

Seriously, Hypnogaja’s music is superior to 95% of the music we hear on Rock, New Rock and Modern Rock radio.

To my ear, Lead singer Jason Arnold’s (AKA “ShyBoy“) voice floats somewhere between Aaron Lewis (STAIND) and Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer). The band also features guitarist Jean-Yves “Jeeve” Ducornet, keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian, drummer Adrian Barnardo and bassist Bryan Farrar.

Hypnogaja Live at The Viper Room (2009)

The bands touring resume (playing with acts Shinedown, Saliva, 311, Cold and Godhead) gives a strong indication toward their sound. Yet Hypnogaja feels more “accessible” — radio-friendly, even! — as compared to others in their genre. I mean, keyboards and gorgeous harmonies? The fearless audacity! Who do they think they are, Saigon Kick?! (Full disclosure: SK is one of my all-time favorite bands).

The band has been playing L.A. for ten years, clearly enjoying a good following. Case in point: After their set (playing first), the room literally CLEARED OUT; everyone was there to see them. If you’re in or around L.A., I urge you to check out this utterly sick band before you have to pay stadium ticket prices to do so. I can’t wait to see them again soon, hopefull next time they play The Whiskey!

"ShyBoy" Arnold and Chelsea, outside The Viper Room (right where River Phoenix OD'd)

This was my wife’s and my second time seeing the Decemberists. Last time at the Paramount, this time at one of the nicest outdoor venues in the Puget Sound area. Their opening guests were Blind Pilot and Andrew Bird, both of whom were extremely good in their own right.

The Decemberists were amazing. I appreciated the new music and the old favorites, but to me the best moment of the night was when they busted out the Heart cover “Crazy on You” with their two female vocalists dressed like Ann and Nancy Wilson. They rocked the song, and I loved seeing Colin belting out the backup vocals, his guitar held over his head. Love that guy.

The only downside of seeing a concert at Marymoor is that apparently people pay $35 + Ticketbastard fees to talk through the entire concert. Some young gay couple next to us were clearly courting and so they chatted and chattered all through. And then there were the three ditzy blondes making Blondetalk in front of us, and then the group of behind us yammering about the music and the song titles without actually listening. Sheesh! Finally the Mrs. and I went up front to dance and catch the music unmediated by the idiots.

They wrapped up the concert with “Sons and Daughters,” which is a great song to send everyone home with. It sticks in your head, and we sang it all the way home.

Neither ticket-purchasing criteria mattered. This was a spoken-word tour, devoid of any music. Not that I didn’t *enjoy* the show… but I really wanted to hear “Coolsville.”

Jokes aside, it was a moving and funny show by one of America’s most important (IMO) Performance Artists.

Laurie Anderson (1991)

The event that made this show special to me, actually occurred *after* the show. My show-going buddy (and musical/artistic GURU, Ernie) and I stopped by the fine French restaurant where we both worked. We were surprised to find that Laurie Anderson and her entourage were already in the restaurant eating!

Cautiously, Ernie and I approached the table to express our appreciation of the show and of the artist herself. Ms. Anderson was gracious and funny, signing both of our ticket stubs.

It was a great experience.

Note to self: ALWAYS address Pat DiNizio as “Mr. DiNizio”.

The brainchild of Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, this was the first major concert festival of my generation… a veritable Woodstock for us Gen-Xers.

The line-up was astonishing, and included Jane’s Addiction, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, Ice-T & Body Count, Butthole Surfers, Rollins Band, Violent Femmes and Fishbone.

Yum!

Lollapalooza (1991)

I’d already seen Nine Inch Nails and Siouxsie live, but it was such a treat to see Ice-T (even though I prefer his Hip-Hip stuff like “Power” and “Rhyme Pays” to his Nu-Metal “Body Count” stuff). I also really enjoyed Rollins Band and was pleasantly surprised by Living Colour.

I recall just one unpleasantry: I got a massive headache around the time Gibby Haynes and Butthole Surfers took the stage. It wasn’t the music I hated, it was Gibby firing off his stupid, fake shotgun! Oh my God, it was SOOO loud!

Nine Inch Nails (1990)

I don’t remember a lot about this show, except the following:

1) A Sea of Black clothes

2) Sweat. Lots and lots of sweat

3) Some jackass imitating Eddie Vedder by doing the backwards “dead fall” from the balcony into the crowd.

OK, #3 was actually pretty cool. I, myself, have a dubious history of crowd-involved histrionics (see my earlier blog about the Transvision Vamp show… sigh). But this dude, the one at the NIN show, was just fearless.

I am very happy I saw this early show, as I also had tickets for NIN opening up for Peter Murphy the following year, but I ended up in the hospital on the day of the show… I hate that I missed that show! I also enjoyed NIN at Lollapalooza in ‘92, but that’s just not the same thing as seeing such a cool band in a tiny venue like St. Andrew’s Hall.

Oh! One other memory: When opening act Meat Beat Manifesto took the stage, some dude was dancing around the stage, dressed like a giant crocodile. Or dinosaur. Or maybe Barney. I don’t think it was Jack Dangers, but it might have been. Pretty funny, looking back.

Sinéad O'Connor (1992)

Nope, I didn’t get to see Sinéad live until she toured in support of her second record, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” (1990). I remember how much she blew up in America, after the video for her cover of the Prince-penned “Nothing Compares 2 U” hit MTV. Ah, what a few tears will get you. Remember that video?! It was on all the time!

I bought two tickets for the show, not really knowing who might go with me. I had one good friend who was also into Sinéad, but it was August and we were in school… so he was still back in New York. My oldest brother, Matt — admittedly not a big Sinéad fan, even then — thought it might be cool to check her out, so I happily went with him.

So Matt took me on his motorcycle (I had to ride “Bitch,” of course. Sigh.) from our town of Ann Arbor to Clarkston, Michigan, site of an outdoor amphitheater called “Pine Knob.” I saw countless shows there, and it was actually a good venue.
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Then, about 45 minutes into the show, she uttered a final “thank you,” and walked off the stage. For good. The lights came on (I don’t think it was even dark outside yet!), and the crowd just stood around starting at the stage. No one believed that could be the show. Surely, $22.50 was enough money to give us some semblance of a performance, right?

Mmmm. Guess not. Sinéad O’Connor performed live in 1990, in Michigan, for less time than it takes to rip up a picture of the Pope.