Music Review
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Streisand would be proud: Ann Hampton Callaway and The Boston Pops soar at the Mahaffey
Posted by David Warner on Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 2:08 PM
Heading into "The Streisand Songbook" last night at the Mahaffey with the Boston Pops and Ann Hampton Callaway, I was admittedly more excited about the singer than the orchestra. I'm a longtime fan of Callaway, and had enjoyed talking with her in a phone interview before the show. So when I looked at the playbill and saw that she wouldn't be coming on till after intermission, I was a little dismayed.
Shouldn't have been. Turns out hearing a full-on orchestra dig into Broadway overtures and, gasp, Marvin Hamlisch, was a hell of a lot of fun — and an experience you don't get when you see a show on Broadway or at the Straz, where the orchestra is often out of sight in the pit, not front and center in all its glory. Suave young Pops conductor Keith Lockhart led the white dinner-jacketed ensemble with grace and even a bit of nimble soft-shoe, leading his musicians through the urban bedlam of a Bernstein suite from Wonderful Town and West Side Story; the sly lilt of Jule Styne's overture to Gypsy; and the irresistible hooks in Hamlisch's Chorus Line overture, including the unmistakable opening piano chords of "One."
The ostensible connecting thread between these selections was that they all bore some connection to Streisand. That thread got stretched pretty thin at times: the theme from Ice Castles? Turns out that's another one by Hamlisch, a great pal of Streisand's. And Hello, Dolly? OK, right — as Lockhart reminded us, Streisand played Dolly in the flop film version of the Jerry Herman musical. The orchestra's rendition of the all-too-familiar song was my least favorite number in the program — you need a Carol Channing or a Louis Armstrong as the astringent to Herman's sugary melodics, and the Pops version bore dangerously close to elevator music.
At first, I worried that Ann Hampton Callaway, armored in a Kate Smith-y blue gown and Michelle Obama bangs, was going to do her segment in full emcee mode; the intro was a little too rah-rah, kind of like a PBS pledge break ("if you love Streisand as we do …"). But once she settled in, all doubts faded.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Photo review: Less Than Jake at the Florida State Fair, Tampa
The Gainesville act took fans on a special Valentine's Day date at the fair
Posted by elawgrrl on Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 11:28 AM
Less Than Jake took Tampa Music lovers on a special Valentine's Date to the Florida State Fair, Tampa, FL on February 14, 2013. Such nice boys!
- Less Than Jake naturally inspired a good natured Circle Pit
- Less Than Jake in lights
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Photo Review: Hot Water Music, La Dispute & Menzingers at Orpheum
Shots from the Wed., Jan. 13 show
Posted by elawgrrl on Thu, Jan 17, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Hot Water Music kicked off their new tour at a packed Orpheum on Wednesday night. Opening the show was La Dispute and punk rock darlings, the Menzingers.
Hot Water Music
- Nicole C. Kibert / elawgrrl.com
- Hot Water Music @ Orpheum, Ybor City, FL on January 16, 2013
It warms my punk rock heart to have a band that I loved in college playing to a packed house in Tampa, FL in 2013. No matter where I've seen Hot Water Music over the years - from basements to the Wilkes-Barre Festival to huge crowds in Germany - they play their hearts out and we love them for it. Here's to many more years - just remember "...if you live by your heart and value the love that you find, then you have all you need."
Check out more photos from Hot Water Music's set including a setlist photo here.
Friday, June 29, 2012
CL on the Road: Backstage at Bonnaroo, Part 2 (with photos, video)
Deborah rocks it like a VIP and offers her wrap up of the Tennessee music fest, days 3 and 4, with photos & video
Posted by Deborah Ramos and Mike Wilson on Fri, Jun 29, 2012 at 2:00 PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 12
Waking up to a late start, we realized we needed to venture back out to Walmart to pick up some crucial supplies for the group, a process that only took only about 45 minutes; from what I've heard, GA passholders can't leave the farm at all. Though momentary civilization was a nice break, especially the wifi, while we were out I missed the first of four Blind Pilot sets. Though I'd recently seen them play at Crowbar, I've been playing their album nonstop and really wanted to see the band perform in front of a crowd this large. I heard they played a cover of the Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil," which would've been really cool to hear at a festival with jammy roots.
After the relaxing morning we'd just experienced, emerging out into the masses was like encountering a scene from The Grapes of Wrath. Mid-day in the hottest sun of the weekend, the day pass holders had invaded the festival in what seemed to instantly double the amount of sizzling sunburned bodies sprawled in the dust. It was bizarre realizing just how different this festival is for general admission, as we shook our heads in sympathy for the swarms of people waiting in line to fill their water bottles. [More after the jump.]
Sunday, June 17, 2012
CL on the Road: Backstage at Bonnaroo, Part One (with photos, video)
Deborah rocks it like a VIP and offers her wrap up of the Tennessee music fest, days 1 and 2, with photos & video
Posted by Deborah Ramos and Mike Wilson on Sun, Jun 17, 2012 at 2:11 PM
You see, there is a bit of a caste system to the wristbands that provided access to this year's completely sold-out festival. The vast majority of Bonnaroovians have GA wristbands. They stay in tents, rarely shower (if ever), buy food from vendors (often eaten while walking), and spend hours baking in the hot sun to get a glimpse of bands amid thousands of others in a grassy field. Of course, that's if they aren't passed out in one of the plentiful spots of shade, simply too exhausted to carry on to the next show. The next level is VIP, which offers better access to the stages, private campgrounds with showers, or RV rentals. The highest level of wristband is Roll Like a Rockstar, a special package that provides accommodations on a fully stocked tour bus, chauffeured golf carts whisking around on hidden back roads, private viewing areas and restrooms, and hospitality lounges spread throughout the farm.
Our group wasn't just rolling like rockstars, we were rolling as rockstars. We wore the coveted yellow ‘Artist’ wristband, with full access to nearly every area at Bonnaroo one could ever wish to see, and plenty of perks that no paying attendee can experience. I didn't realize before the trip but this is much more access than even press receives, as my experience seems to have been much different from Andrew's. We didn't have a tour bus or golf carts, but none of that nonsense mattered because we had the most superior access to music out of anyone in attendance.
Sometimes, the good things in life are just about knowing the right wonderful people.
- Mike Wilson
- Danny Brown
We arrived at artist check-in after a long drive and a stop for a mind-boggling amount of food at Walmart, where the locals seemed completely amused by the chaos that landed upon them. We drove right in to our parking lot with no wait and no bag or body checks, checked in at our RV, and settled in for the weekend. Since getting onto the farm took less than 5 minutes, there was plenty of time before the first show we wanted to see to wander around and experience the calm before the storm. At this point, I hadn't yet accepted the Bonnaroo code of "Be In Here," and was struggling to find wifi and send texts, not comprehending my phone would be little more than a camera and notepad for the rest of the trip. After a quick walk back to the RV to freshen up, our group split apart, with some of us heading to an backstage crawfish boil complete with open-bar and the others towards the music. We were rested and ready to go.
We were instantly sucked in by heavy bass filling the grassy area in front of This Tent, walking right into the private viewing area at the foot of the stage to catch the beginning of Danny Brown's set. His biting delivery and filthy lyrics were nearly overcome by the bass, which up this close twitched the hairs on my arms to the beat. This was the first of several fantastic hip-hop sets we wandered into, and my introduction the the unbelievably enthusiastic Bonnaroo crowds. I've never seen anything like how ballistic the packed tent became when Brown shouted out, "Bonnaroo, y'all some freaky motherfuckers! You gonna be getting dirty up in those titties later?" Brown played a bit of Blondie's "Rapture," dancing around onstage to recapture the crowd's attention before launching directly into the aggressive "Die Like a Rockstar."
I don't know that I've ever left a show in the middle of a set, but had a sense it was going to become a trend as we headed briskly to the front of the Other Tent to see the act we'd originally planned to start with, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.. Their indie-rock seems deceptively simpler live than recorded, as I'd never realized their perfectly harmonized songs are fleshed out by recorded electronic elements. Not only did the band bring a killer cover of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," they also brought a little something special for the crowd. Josh Epstein explained that they were so grossed out by the porta-johns when the band played their last festival that they decided to buy a bottle of Dom Perignon and leave it in one of the 7,500 facilities spread across the Manchester farm. Though Epstein encouraged "whoever finds it, goddamnit, have a good time," I'm pretty sure anything I found in one of those things would be staying there for the next person to enjoy.
From the back of the field we caught the last two songs from Orgone. Their funky R&B had Soul Train written all over it, like a fantastic 70's blaxsploitation soundtrack. Vocalist Niki Crawford encouraged the crowd to get into her vibe, saying "Orgone has been making sweet, sweet love to you for the last hour. Did you feel it? How you gonna make love back to us?" before the crowd enthusiastically responded with a sing-along to "Love Maker" as we started our walk back to This Tent. Stopping briefly by one of the smaller side stages, the Great Taste Lounge Brewed by Miller Lite (one of the thankfully rare visible sponsorships), we enjoyed some psychedelic basement rock from Monstro before continuing on to catch Yelawolf. [MORE photos, video and wraps after the jump.]
Saturday, June 9, 2012
CL on the Road at Bonnaroo 2012
On-site coverage of the mega music fest.
Posted by Andrew Silverstein and Mike Wilson on Sat, Jun 9, 2012 at 1:18 PM
Here I am once again, typing away in a musty press trailer and basking in the air-conditioning at Bonnaroo here in Machester, Tenn. While I laugh at my peasant friends who are currently sweltering in our cheap tents drinking equally cheap beer at 10 a.m., the joke's on me. I'm working. [Text by Andrew, most photos by Mike.]
Through some masochistic sense of consistency and a strange fondness for this pleasurably depraved festival, I did the same thing again last year. And now, I've returned for a third round.
I'll break Bonnaroo down day by day with set recaps, mundane observations, and whatever else pours into this unwashed head of mine. Check it out after the jump.
Monday, May 7, 2012
#MusicMonday, Vol. 68: Silversun Pickups, Miike Snow & more
What the CL Team is jamming this week; audio & video included.
Posted by Joel Weiss, Leilani Polk, Gabe Echazabal, Taylor Toothman, elawgrrl, Shae Krispinsky, Ray Roa, Valerie Quintana and Evan Tokarz on Mon, May 7, 2012 at 12:48 PM
What the CL Music Team is listening to on this fine Monday to rocket launch the work week. Click here to check out previous entries.
Singer/guitarist Brian Aubert told Spin months ago, "We really wanted to play with drums as textures. We played around with drums coming in here and there and building atmosphere, which guitars usually do." While Neck of the Woods lacks barnburners like "Panic Switch" or "Well Thought Out Twinkles" (from the band's first two full-lengths), they still occasionally integrate some heavier rock moments as they explore and evolve musical ideas within each song. But for the most part, I hear their Smashing Pumpkins heavy fuzz giving way to early Death Cab at times. I liked Carnavas (2006) almost instantly. I think Neck of the Woods will settle with me like 2009's Swoon, one that grows on me slowly but surely with time... Check out first single "Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)" after the jump, along with the rest of this week's entries.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Review: Eddie Money - It's Only Money at State Theatre, St. Petersburg
Thursday night's show at State Theatre proves a disappointment.
Posted by Cynthia Mulligan on Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 12:03 PM
To be honest, I didn’t even know until the day of the show that he was playing in town. A friend put it together last minute, calling to ask us to join him and some others for drinks and the show. At $10 admission, we figured why not? Eddie Money’s always been the consummate professional; he performs the songs he knows everyone wants to hear and does it in an entertaining way.
The lineup included a local vocalist and a couple of local bands, and The Rockstar Riders out of St. Louis, Missouri, who tour with Eddie Money. (The name of this last band was bit of foreshadowing, in hindsight, my reasons for which will become clear as you read on.) The show was billed as Eddie Money - It's Only Money: The Stories Behind the Hits, “Eddie will bring you his favorite hits - and the stories behind them - with an intimate, audience-interactive presentation.” Fair enough. Drinks, hanging out with fun people, Eddie Money at a small venue, close to home… sounds like a decent way to spend a Thursday night: I’m in.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
CL Tampa Music Team's Best Albums of 2011
A breakdown of our favorite albums of the year, with lots of video & audio.
Posted by Leilani Polk, Julie Garisto, Nicole Kibert, Gabe Echazabal, Joel Weiss, Deborah Ramos and Evan Tokarz on Wed, Dec 28, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Every year, we break it down for you — the best albums of the year. This year, I've kicked off the post with my Editor's Picks, and because opinions are entirely subjective (we don't all listen to the same music, I'm aware), I've also rounded up the CL Music Team's submissions for their favorite albums of 2011. Enjoy — and get ready to stock up your music library.
LEILANI
I’ve been listening to this album relentlessly throughout the year. The music is delightfully quirked-out psychedelic art pop/avant Afro poptronica as crafted by New England native Merrill Garbus; tUnE yArDs is her solo project. Garbus creates percussive-intensive and propulsive drum loops, throws in ukulele, electric bass, glitter-washed sonics and the occasional blast of drunk-n-high horns, and as a final important touch, sets her crazy high vocals against it all, her multi-layered outbursts ranging from repetitive nonsensical utterances and exclamations to bird-like coos and cat-in-heat cries, to her fall-back wildly passionate wails. Garbus delivers lyrics in crushed together streams-of-consciousness, and throws out lines like "The worst thing about living a lie is wondering just when they'll find out" (from "My Country," a riff on the patriotic tune that diverges completely out into left field). Reminds me of Dirty Projectors, with less rock and more blissful electro-pop moments. Check out "Bizness" below; also one of my favorite videos this year.
2. MuteMath, Odd Soul (Teleprompt/Warner Bros.)
Seriously badass '70s-vibing prog-psyche rock with plenty of crunchy grinding guitars, fatty fuzzed-out bass and synthesizers, and some electro-groove moments to keep things from getting too overly throwback. "Blood Pressure" below.
3. TV on the Radio, Nine Types of Light (Interscope)
The buoyancy and sexiness of 2008’s Dear Science permeates the avant rock outfit’s fifth LP. Themes of love, society and politics are explored against dark, loop-and-horn-infused experimental sounds marked by elements of electro-rock, hip-hop, psyche-soul, funky R&B bounce and moments of melodic grooving pop. "Second Song" below.
4. Extra Classic, Your Light Like White Lightning, Your Light Like A Laserbeam (Manimal Vinyl)
San Francisco's Extra Classic offers up a mesmerizing, soulful, hazy-layered groove-and-psychedelia take on dub reggae. The sextet captured the sonic quality of old Jamaican recordings by laying it down all-analog, on 8-track tape, and using vintage recording equipment from the 1960s and '70s. It definitely has a very warm quality to it, as if the musicians are playing amid a hanging cloud of ganja smoke. Listen to "Congo Rebel" below.
5. Cloud Control, Bliss Release (WEA)
The first full-length from a new Aussie band radiates feel-good sunshine. Mellow, psyche-folk with surf rock and Afro/tribal percussive tendencies, vocals that range from ecstatic yelps and whoops to lovely multi-voice harmonies and straight-forward nasally singing, and plenty of unexpectedly catchy hooks. "Gold Canary" below.
READ THE REST OF MY PICKS ALONG WITH A ROUND-UP OF THE CL MUSIC TEAM’S PICKS FOR 2011 AFTER THE JUMP
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
CL on the Road Concert Review: Orlando Calling, Day 1 at the Citrus Bowl, Orlando
Any number of great support acts like The Roots, Pixies, or The Raconteurs would've made stronger headliners than The Killers, but Orlando Calling did a lot of other things right.
Posted by Joel Weiss on Wed, Nov 16, 2011 at 8:00 AM
I'm curious as to the overall success of Orlando Calling's first day. The GA floor was perhaps a third full and the stands only speckled with people by the time The Killers took the stage for their day-ending set. The Roots closed out the grassy, more festival-friendly Authentic Stage an hour earlier with a far more intense performance in front of what looked to me to be like a larger crowd. And blisteringly awesome main-stage performances even earlier by Pixies and The Raconteurs easily out-classed The Killers' Vegas glitz-and-glam. On what basis were The Killers chosen to close this festival? Spectacle must have been prioritized over substance, because the latter was found elsewhere...
- Tracy May
- Jack White, The Raconteurs
My day started around noon with a forgettable steak and cheese-substance sandwich consumed to the sounds of Civilian. The Florida natives opened the fourth stage sounding not too different from how The Killers would end the day (despite my dark foreshadowing of The Killers' performance above, I do mean that as a compliment). I wandered to the second stage and was surprised by an unlisted all-girl synth-rock band delivering cheese thicker than what I'd just encountered on my lunch. After some research, I discovered they were Orlando act Dollface, added to the lineup after I printed my schedule last week. Later, this stage's tardiness would affect my schedule for the rest of the day — and now I know there was a shitty band to blame.
(More band reviews and setlists from Pixies, The Raconteurs, and The Killers after the jump.)
