How the Notes All Bend : Midlake "Acts of Man" 4/7/10

Last night I caught Midlake's first night at Bowery Ballroom (oddly enough night #2 sold out long before this show did) It's been a very long time since Midlake has done a proper tour, not to mention bring the follow up to their critically acclaimed record, The Trials of Van Occupanther. Not only was the crowd last night restless because of the several-year lull from the band, but it seems they were restless in general, perhaps a result of an 85 degree day in a city that has been abused by winter. Unfortunately it meant A LOT of talking from the room, as you'll hear in the video below.

The band put on a great set, but I'm the first to admit that I'm not totally sold on The Courage of Others. While Van Occupanther had such dramatic shifts throughout the record, it feels like Courage is just linear. Fortunately, when it comes to playing live, the band managed to pull all the dynamics into the performance, pulling in some serious jam moments that I didn't remember from the last time I saw them. Lined up across the front of the stage, they had harmonizing flute duets and, as my friend admired in amazement, a guy with a recorder (Almost as cool as a melodica . . . ALMOST)

It's an on going fight for (as my friend Chad from The Via Maris coined) "quietXcore" to pull in the attention of a short-attention-spanned crowd, especially in a period of music where everyone seems to need to be sold on a song or an album immediately. It's clearly something this band has gotten used to, because they didn't let any of the static over their show deter them from playing a great one. Hopefully someday the tides will turn and the active listener will prevail.

I shot this from the very very back of the venue, resting my arm on the wall in order to keep it somewhat stable. The noisy crowd sort of takes over but you can dull them out if you listen closely to the band (which is the theme of this post, yeah? Metaphors-n-stuff)

Midlake "Acts of Man" 4/7/10 from Seven Watt Media on Vimeo.

How the Notes All Bend : The Temper Trap "Science of Fear" 4/5/10

I caught the second New York-area show for Australia-based band The Temper Trap. They've followed a natural progression as far as NYC shows are concerned, selling out Mercury Lounge last year, shuffling through a literal marathon of shows during the CMJ Music Festival and now selling out two shows in their own right after the US release of their album Conditions. The song "Sweet Disposition" has been the soundtrack a lot of our American subconsciousness, and the soundtrack to their steady rise to notoriety. The show itself proved that they are hardly under the radar anymore, with a seriously impressive light show and some avid fans from a usually "too-cool-and-mostly-indifferent" Brooklyn crowd. I finally got a good view for their last song, "Science of Fear", capturing yet another from-the-balcony video. The sound is a little bass-ier than I was hoping, not sure if it's the fact that I have to compress the file down (tech nerds? advice?) I was less zoom-crazy which I think looks nice, plus the sweet light show made it awesome. The best part? Hearing my friend Alex talk responding to the band's rhetorical "Thanks for having us" and also commenting on the mysterious guy-in-a-suit who seemed to be their roadie/towel manager. Seriously, who was that guy?

The Temper Trap - "Science of Fear" 4/5/10 from Seven Watt Media on Vimeo.

How the Notes All Bend : Manchester Orchestra - "Now That You're Home" 4/2/10

So I'm starting a new blog series (or section, or whatever you wanna call it) I recently purchased a fairly good digital camera with HD video recording and I thought maybe this is a cool next step in how to experience music differently yet again. I'm calling it "How the Notes All Bend", because that line (from Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea") is the single best way of describing something as seemingly intangible as music as a verb. In a lot of ways, that's the purpose I feel live music serves, which is why I'm such a junkie.

At any rate, here's my first shot. Not sure if I'll do any fancy intros or how this "series" will take shape, but enjoy the video below. It's not HD because I didn't have the paitience, but maybe down the line I'll suck it up for better quality. This is Manchester Orchestra performing their song "Now That You're Home" from their first album at Irving Plaza on 4/2/10:

Manchester Orchestra "Now That You're Home" 4/2/10 from Seven Watt Media on Vimeo.

Listography : List the Places You've Seen Live Music

This is just off the top of my head (really). My very first show I went to was at Phoenix First Baptist Church and the last show I went to was tonight at Joe's Pub. It's insane to see this all in one big list. I feel aged.

1) The Nile Theatre - Mesa, AZ
2) Bash on Ash - Tempe, AZ
3) Modified Arts - Phoenix, AZ
4) The Trunkspace - Phoenix, AZ
5) Phix - Phoenix, AZ
6) Chyro Arts - Scottsdale, AZ
7) Venue of Scottsdale - Scottsdale, AZ
8) Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ
9) The Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ
10) The Real Bar - Tempe, AZ
11) The Sets - Tempe, AZ
12) Nita's Hideaway - Tempe, AZ
13) Yucca Tap Room - Tempe, AZ
14) The Loft - Tempe, AZ
15) Peace Tree House - Tempe, AZ
16) Four White Walls - Phoenix, AZ
17) Paper Heart Gallery - Phoenix, AZ
18) Orpheum Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
19) Dodge Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
20) Celebrity Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
21) Jobing.Com Arena - Phoenix, AZ
22) US Airways Center - Phoenix, AZ
23) The Old Brickhouse Grill - Phoenix, AZ
24) Minder Binders - Tempe, AZ
25) Neckbeards - Tempe, AZ
26) Arizona State University (all over!) - Tempe, AZ
27) Mesa Arts Center - Mesa, AZ
28) Women's Club of Mesa - Mesa, AZ
29) Mesa Amphitheatre - Mesa, AZ
30) Cricket Pavillion - Phoenix, AZ
31) Peoria Sports Complex - Peoria, AZ
32) Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
33) Webster Hall - New York, NY
34) Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
35) Mercury Lounge - New York, NY
36) Joe's Pub - New York, NY
37) Le Poisson Rogue - New York, NY
38) Cameo Gallery - Brookyn, NY
39) Knitting Factory - New York, NY
40) Glasslands - Brooklyn, NY
41) Matchless - Brooklyn, NY
42) Terminal 5 - New York, NY
43) Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
44) The Bell House - Brooklyn, NY
45) Grammercy Theatre - New York, NY
46) Highline Ballroom - New York, NY
47) Irving Plaza - New York, NY
48) The Wellmont Theatre - Montclair, NJ
49) Hammerstein Ballroom - New York, NY
50) Nokia Theatre Times Square - New York, NY
51) Beacon Theatre - New York, NY
52) Jones Beach Theatre - Long Island, NY
53) Nassau Memorial - Uniondale, NY
54) Stubbs - Austin, TX
55) Emos - Austin, TX
56) Austin Music Hall - Austin, TX
57) La Zona Rosa - Austin, TX
58) The Parish - Austin, TX
59) Red Eyed Fly - Austin, TX
60) Maggie Mae's - Austin, TX
61) Schuba's - Chicago, IL
62) Union Park - Chicago, IL
63) El Rey - Los Angeles, CA
64) The Mayan Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
65) Staples Center - Los Angeles, CA
66) Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
67) Central Park Summerstage - New York, NY
68) Coney Island - Brooklyn, NY
69) Cake Shop - New York, NY
70) The Living Room - New York, NY

... more to come!

Listography : List Your Guilty Pleasures

1) Party in the U.S.A. - Miley Cyrus
2) The entire Ke$ha album
3) On the Way Down - Ryan Cabrera
(Once upon a time, when my brother and I hosted our weekly radio show called "Team Awesome", I went out of town one week and left him my iPod. He then played a game of "let's find the most embarrassing thing on Ashley's iPod and this was it. I retaliated by taking his freshly washed underwear and throwing it all over his car in front of the house. Win.)
4) Tomorrow, Fire Burning and Face Drop - Sean Kingston
5) Most pop punk (specifically, as of late, The Maine)
6) For You I Will - Teddy Geiger
7) Jason Mraz
8) Ska music
9) No Air - Chris Brown / Jordin Sparks
10) I'm With You - Avril Lavinge
11) Single Ladies and Halo - Beyonce
12) Sick Cycle Carousel - Lifehouse
13) I'll Be - Edwin McCain
14) Paramore
15) Imma Be - Black Eyed Peas
16) Taylor Swift
17) Coldplay (sometimes, the old records, and that's not just a line)
18) 3 - Britney Spears
19) The All American Rejects
20) Dashboard Confessional

Listography : My Music "Bucket List"

This category isn't a part of the "Listography : Your Life in (Play)Lists" book, but I've been thinking a lot about this recently. Basically, I grew up on music and spent the better part of eight or so years "working" music in some capacity. I'm constantly thinking, talking, writing, working, listening to and watching music and I've had a hard time finding hobbies or social skills outside of it (not that I'm complaining).

At any rate, as a fan or as a music businessladyperson, there are certain things that I've been fortunate enough to experience but other things that I still want to do in order to fully understand the entire process. I'm not getting any younger, unlike the average age of a lot of us working in music, so before I get to old to rock or stop liking music (whichever comes first), here are the things I'd like to do:

1) Go out on tour for two weeks.
-This could be in any capacity: tour managing, merch girl, shooting content, etc. I just want to know how it feels day to day and do some traveling.

2) Take a class on ProTools.
-I have a very basic understanding from working in college radio, but certainly fudged some of it.

3) Sit in during a band's writing process.
- I'm still so fascinated by the way a song is written since I can't write myself.

4) Learn to play the guitar.

5) Go out for a week on Warped Tour.
-Preferrably not through Arizona or anywhere where its 115 degrees in July.

6) Go to the following festivals:

• Sasquatch
• Bonaroo
• Coachella
• Glastonbury
• Lollapalooza
• Newport Folk Festival
• Soundwave

7) Speak on a SXSW panel
- Y'know, about . . . uh . . . something?

8) Convince SXSW to hire me.
-Seriously though, WHO GETS TO WORK ON THIS FESTIVAL?!

8) Be a part of a band's entire recording process.
-From pre production to mastering and everything in between. Not sure what I'd contribute, maybe just being there to watch.

9) Write a treatment for a music video.

10) Start another live music radio show
-Or podcast, or video blog, whatever.

11) Finish reading "All You Need to Know about the Music Business"
-Before another new version comes out, which I'm sure will be soon.

12) Take a class on Entertainment law.

13) Learn to Swing Dance.

14) Work in some capacity during a band's appearance on a late night talk show.

15) Dance on stage with a big group during one of my favorite bands' sets.

16) Sing with a band on stage.

17) Work at a record store.
-Even if only for a little while. I never got to growing up, even though I tried.

18) Go to a music award show.

19) Sequence a movie or TV show soundtrack.
-In the romantic way of just picking songs that sound awesome and of course the paperwork.

20) Have one of my favorite artists perform at my wedding.
-Right now I've narrowed down my wedding song to either "Re:Stacks" by Bon Iver or "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds. Both are welcome to come party.

Listography : List a Song That Reminds You of Each Boyfriend You've Had

The trick is that I won't tell you which song is for who. :) Sorry boys. Some of the boys have multiple songs and many reference the crushes, the not-quite-boyfriends and dead-ends that we're all familiar with. . .

1) The Brilliant Dance - Dashboard Confessional
2) Blizzard of '77 - Nada Surf
3) Carry You - Jimmy Eat World
4) Don't Get Spin Spin - Skybox
5) Satellite - Dave Matthews Band
6) Photobooth - Death Cab for Cutie
7) Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley
8) Time Restrains - Goodbyetomorrow
9) No Sensitivity - Jimmy Eat World
10) Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches
11) I Am Yours - The Adicts
12) Skies So Blue - The Rocket Summer
13) Galaxy 500 - Reverend Horton Heat
14) Midwestern Dirt - Dear and the Headlights
15) Suspended - Matt Nathanson
16) Janet - The Format
17) Suspended in Gaffa - Ra Ra Riot
18) Suicide Medicine - Rocky Votolato
19) The Engine Driver - The Decemberists
20) Romeo and Juliet - Dire Straits