Last night :: Fleet Foxes at the Hi-Dive

I’ve finagled, bargained, wheedled, and slunk my way into some pretty tough shows over the years, but let me tell you: Denver’s Hi-Dive was no country for procrastinators last night at the Fleet Foxes show.

I’d waited too long to secure a spot to review this scruffy Seattle quintet, shortsightedly not expecting a rare total sell-out crowd at the intimate Hi-Dive. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen such a crowd looking for spare tickets outside that venue, and it was only through a stroke of sheer last-minute luck, a guy named Kevin, and his Austrian exchange-student friend that I managed to get into this show. I was surprised but pleased at how hotly anticipated the Fleet Foxes’ Denver stop was last night — and how it lived up to the hype.

Once inside the humid oven of the club, the air was saturated with their gorgeous golden harmonies and near-ethereal shimmering songs, firmly rooted in a sort of Appalachian wilderness. I wish that they’d played longer, but with only one EP and a recently released full-length to pull from, they seemed to be climbing down off the stage way sooner than I would have liked. I was reminded of a sentiment in the Pitchfork review of their album when they wrote that “[the last song] doesn’t shoo you out the door. Instead, Fleet Foxes let you linger for a few more bars, leaning forward to catch Pecknold’s last syllable as it fades into the air. They don’t seem to want the record to end any more than you will.” I felt the same way at the end of this show.

The mood in the air was at once vibrating with a sort of CSNY-tinged nostalgia while also bringing to mind obvious contemporaries like Band of Horses. I’d rank their performance as nothing short of mesmerizing, the weight of it seeming to push back against the space in the room in almost palpable ways. Fleet Foxes also apparently liked Denver so much that they decided to stay with us an extra day today (sorry, SLC!).

OH! If you want to see some real-deal gorgeous pictures from last night, please check the fabulous Laurie Scavo’s shots. Even though I usually tend to think of Fleet Foxes’ music in shades of golden, all the reds and purples that she captures in her pictures seem so fitting to how it all felt last night.

For listening, I particularly love both of these songs:

Sun Giant – Fleet Foxes
White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes

Fleet Foxes are currently on tour (catch them! do it! buy in advance!), including some shows with Wilco. Their MySpace page adds a wonderful bit of their inner-monologue detail to these dates:

Wilco plays someone else’s songs, Part II

Hey do you like Wilco? Of course you do. And most everyone likes covers (especially me). This is part two of a jawdropping treasure trove of lovingly-assembled covers that Wilco has performed in concert over the years.

In this batch, you get covers of everyone from Neutral Milk Hotel (!!) to Herman’s Hermits, an even better version of that lovely lovely “Be Not So Fearful” song that I posted a while back, and you also get to hear Tweedy’s improvisational singsong verse about Grateful Dead fans (“You’re scaring me very much now / I always suspected that a lot of this crowd smoked a lot of pot, and dropped a lot of acid back in the hippy days / Oh, it’s so so sad that you’re Wilco fans.”)

WILCO: SOMEONE ELSE’S SONGS [via]
DISC 2
Give Back the Key to My Heart (11/22/99): Doug Sahm
Kingsport Town (1/4/00): Bob Dylan
Lookin’ for a Love (1/4/00): Neil Young
King of Carrot Flowers, Part 1 (1/9/00): Neutral Milk Hotel
Rock Salt and Nails (5/14/00): Bob Dylan
Organ Blues (5/14/00): T. Rex
Reflections in a Crystal Wind (9/12/00): Richard & Mimi Farina
I’m Into Something Good (9/13/00): Herman’s Hermits
Colon song (11/16/00)
Stairway to Heaven (12/20/00): Led Zeppelin – (Golden Smog)
Ripple (2/25/01): Grateful Dead
I Wish I Was Your Mother (9/15/01): Mott The Hoople
No Depression (11/18/01): The Carter Family
It’s Alright to Cry (2/17/02): Rosie Grier
Three Is a Magic Number (2/17/02): Schoolhouse Rock
Yellow Submarine (2/17/02): The Beatles
We Will Rock You (2/17/02): Queen
Be Not So Fearful (4/6/02): Bill Fay
TV Eye (5/26/02): The Stooges
Henry & the H-Bombs (6/10/02): Mott The Hoople

ZIP: SOMEONE ELSE’S SONGS (DISC TWO)

[photo from Louisville Slugger Field, credit Richie Wireman]

Wilco plays someone else’s songs

Hey do you like Wilco? Of course you do. And most everyone likes covers (especially me). This is a jawdropping treasure trove of lovingly-assembled covers that Wilco has performed in concert over the years.

In this batch, you get covers of everyone from Bob Dylan to the Replacements to The Stooges. Oh, and a sweet hip-hop version of She’s A Jar, bitch.

WILCO: SOMEONE ELSE’S SONGS [via]
DISC ONE
Listen to Her Heart (9/10/95): Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Peace, Love and Understanding (4/17/96): Nick Lowe – (Golden Smog)
Love & Mercy (4/17/96): Brian Wilson – (Golden Smog)
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (1/11/97): Jane Taylor
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (2/15/97): Carole King
Color Me Impressed (5/10/97): The Replacements
I Wanna Be Sedated (5/10/97): The Ramones
Drown (5/23/97): Son Volt
True Love Will Find You in the End (9/4/97): Daniel Johnston
Ever Fallen in Love (10/30/97): The Buzzcocks
Sunday Bloody Sunday (11/4/97): U2
Sugar Baby (11/7/97): Doc Boggs
Tear Stained Eye (11/7/97): Son Volt
If It Makes You Happy (11/7/97): Sheryl Crow
Won’t Get Fooled Again (11/7/97): The Who
Ingrid Bergman (3/26/98 ): Woody Guthrie/Billy Bragg
John Wesley Harding (3/26/98): Bob Dylan
100 Years from Now (6/12/98): Gram Parsons
James Alley Blues (8/30/98): Richard “Rabbit” Brown
A Fool Such As I (10/19/98): Elvis Presley
I’m Only Sleeping (11/12/98): The Beatles
Yesterday (11/15/98): The Beatles
Rainbow Connection (12/30/98): Kermit The Frog
She’s a Jar, hip-hop version (6/15/99): Wilco
Oklahoma USA (10/20/99): The Kinks
Thirteen (10/20/99): Big Star
Dreaming (10/21/99): Blondie
Any Major Dude (11/5/99): Steely Dan
Cock in My Pocket (11/5/99): The Stooges

ZIP: SOMEONE ELSE’S SONGS (DISC ONE)

Stay tuned for Part 2!

[image from St. Louis, credit Charles Harris]

Mile High Music Festival – Sunday

Sunday dawned even hotter than Saturday at the Mile High Music Festival (we didn’t think it was possible after the sweat and simmer of Saturday). In Colorado we usually get a rocky mountain high of mid 80s, with a rare foray into the 90s. So when the mercury hit 100+, it felt like a wave from an oven to this California girl who has forgotten what it means to perspire like that. The crowds were also more intense on Sunday, with several thousand more hardy souls fortifying themselves in the beer garden, filling up their water bottles, and slathering on the sunscreen.

The musical lineup Sunday was also more consistently solid, other than a lull right in the middle of the afternoon, when I was hard-pressed to find a single band that was worth peeling myself off the lawn for. This was one of the only downfalls of the MHMF — the bands were spaced out so that there was sometimes no choice #2 running simultaneously with the band you had no interest in seeing.

After regrettably missing The Whigs and Ingrid Michaelson (who I hear both turned in excellent performances), the first act I saw was the gypsy-flamenco sounds of former thrash-metal bandmates from Mexico City, Rodrigo y Gabriela. I was mightily impressed by this pair and the pulsing, ebbing, wildly romantic sounds that they coaxed from their pair of guitars. Through a combination of finger-picking, fierce strumming, and thumping a variety of beats on the wooden guitar bodies, this duo wove a rich set of moving music. They were also statuesque to photograph, especially the truly lovely Gabriela who evinced strength and grace like a piece of (really talented) artwork.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals knocked the crowd (and all the photographers) flat with her soulful wails and gorgeous confidence that reminded me of Janis Joplin. After starting her set with two songs seated behind a keyboard, writhing on the seat and tossing her head back in near-orgasmic ecstasy, Grace stood up, grabbed a flying-V guitar and rocked out with her bespectacled guitarist to the sounds of the turbulent “Stop The Bus” from her latest album. I was singing that song all the rest of the day (and on the long drive home to keep myself awake).

Stop The Bus – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Is it Grace Potter or is it a Vidal Sassoon commercial?

I got sidetracked by a wild concert promoter on my way to catch Denver’s own Flobots, and then couldn’t fight my way into the photographers pit (but Julio did). After watching their genre-melding set of politically-charged rap, alt-rock, and string instruments, I decided to hoof it over and find out how long John Mayer will, in fact, wait for the world to change.

Next up was a funk-laden, wild set from Philadelphia’s The Roots. The seven members were all over the stage, strutting and writhing their way through lengthy improvisations and a cover of Dylan’s “Masters of War” that clocked in at over ten minutes. The guitarist jumped out of his shoes at one point, and if I had to blow breath like that tuba player for an hour I think I’d pass out. They were absolutely awesome (?uestloooove!) and one of the clear highlights of the festival. The tent was packed to bursting, with the crowds spilling out dozens of feet onto the surrounding lawn.

I had to go all Prefontaine to hustle it over to see The Black Crowes strut, swagger, and wail their Southern rock. Through the haze of what obviously must have been incense, Chris and Rich Robinson + band (including a pair of gospel-singing ladies) wove a tight web of tunes for an enthusiastic crowd. The field erupted in a wave of hippie dances to the sound of gems like “Remedy” and “Soul Singing,” with plenty of guitar noodling and swinging hips on stage.

Dave Matthews Band turned in the most visually impressive set of the fest as the closer, with a curtain of lights obscuring the stage that slowly raised during the first song (the slow build and crest of “Don’t Drink The Water”), as a montage of images flashed between circus-bright bulbs. I had many interesting conversations throughout the weekend with friends, trying to guess who liked DMB at one time. A lot of us actually did (some refused to admit it, or claimed to like them for “about one minute” or “back in 1992 when they were so unknown”). I’ll admit to liking quite a few of the tunes off their first records — okay and by that I mean knowing them by heart. I’ll cop to it. DMB is nothing if not enthusiastic performers, and I pleased with their extended version of “Two Step” and loved #41 (now how about “Lie In Our Graves” or “Pay For What You Get”?). They were joined on stage by friend of the band Tim Reynolds, and played long into the night (closing with a Sly Stone cover) for the satisfied and damn sweaty attendees.

Finally, a few other parting shots: Great t-shirts…

…public art, lit on fire at sunset…

…and the enthusiastic crowds glowing the twilight.

[full pics from Sunday can be seen here, read my favorite review of the weekend here]

Mile High Music Festival – Saturday

The inaugural Mile High Music Festival brought massive-scale concert enjoyment to Colorado this weekend. An estimated 80,000 festival attendees from all over the nation and beyond (Canada?) descended on the endlessly stretching, sun-baked green of the fields at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on the eastern outskirts of Denver.

My hundred-degree Saturday started a bit belatedly (pitchers of cider called to me on a shady patio and I missed a few early day bands) with my favorite performance. The astoundingly rich Josh Ritter exploded through the more “rocking” of his folk songs (this meant no Thin Blue Flame, no Temptation of Adam sadly) and wowed the crowd with his incisive lyricism and ebullient joy in performance.

Oh, I heart you Josh Ritter.

Andrew Bird was next up, with his elegant orchestral pop songs that swirl around the otherworldly sound of his trademark whistling. My friend perceptively noted that this “instrument” of Bird’s whistle actually sounds a lot like a theremin, something I’d not previously realized but is absolutely true. Under the shade of the Bison Tent stage, Bird kicked off his blue shoes and strutted his tiny wiry frame around in multicolored striped socks. The silver double-head phonograph spun, dizzily. The crowd shouted their approval.

Spoon sounded excellent to these ears, making all the kids dance with the fantastic funk falsetto of “I Turn My Camera On” and the Paul Simon cover of “Peace Like A River,” a real treat.

Spoon photo by the awesome Julio

Lupe Fiasco knows what’s up.

And finally Tom Petty swooped in with his embroidered jacket and dozens of songs you forgot you knew every word to by heart. He finished off night one in grand style.

Festivalgoers shuffled exhausted out to our cars to get ready for day two . . .

[All my pics can be seen here for Day 1]

49 minutes of new Paul Westerberg coming tomorrow?!

Here’s some news out of nowhere (thanks Gregg!):

Tomorrow Paul Westerberg will be releasing “49 minutes of music for 49 cents” on his website (yes, that does actually still direct you to an AOL page, don’t hold it against him). I believe this is the first new solo material from the former Replacements frontman since 2006′s Open Season soundtrack. Curious!

LISTEN: Lots of Westerberg/Mats tracks

UPDATE: Buy it here – sounds pretty good!

New song from The Avett Brothers :: “Murder In The City”

North Carolina’s The Avett Brothers stretch their rustic tunes into unclassifiable yet beautiful territory on a regular basis. Their 2007 album Emotionalism reverberated with twang, but also rollicked and screamed with a healthy dose of smack-you-in-the-face rock and roll. And then they also go and wrench out these spare, honest, gorgeous ballads that hurt to listen to (please hear “If It’s The Beaches” from the Gleam EP, for my favorite excruciatingly lovely example).

On July 22, they will release the second installment in the raw Gleam series, and following in the initial footsteps of the first recording, “the Second Gleam EP sings to the uncommon senses of the common man.” Our first listen of this collection comes via new song “Murder In The City.” A friend of mine is a bit of an Avett Brothers megafan (to put it mildly), and recalls one particular time he saw them perform this song. He writes that it was “effing heartbreaking. Scott was crying on stage, my friend Kevin was crying in the audience, the rest of us were fighting back the tears.”

Murder In The City – The Avett Brothers

The Avett Brothers play Steamboat Springs on my birthday (warranting a road trip in what is sure to be one of the top birthdays in my recent memory), followed by a hotly anticipated appearance at the gorgeous Red Rocks on Sunday Sept 14th as part of the Monolith Festival.

The Morning Benders free Bedroom Covers

Berkeley’s The Morning Benders have a sunny sound that I’ve recently raved about. Hot on the heels of their lovely release Talking Through Tin Cans, they’ve now gathered together some of their favorite covers, recorded them in their bedrooms, and are releasing them free to you.

Through a partnership with a few of us music blogs, The Morning Benders are releasing one track each day this week through a different site. The full collection will be available next Tuesday on their blog. For now, here is the Fuel/Friends debut, see below for locations of the other ones:

Lovefool (The Cardigans) – The Morning Benders

The band says:
“These songs sound the way they do, because we recorded them with a laptop and one mic. We used mainly acoustic guitars and shakers because that’s what we had lying around, and we couldn’t make much noise in our apartment anyway… We learned the chords and the lyrics (which was pretty easy because we’ve heard all these songs hundreds of times), and we played ‘em.”

OTHER SONGS ON THE EP:
via 3hive: He’s A Rebel (The Crystals)
via MOKB: Mother & Child Reunion (Paul Simon)
via I Pick My Nose Blog: Pull Up The Roots (Talking Heads)
via Spinner: Temptation Inside Your Head (Velvet Underground)

Covers coming in the full batch next week will include songs by Fleetwood Mac, Randy Newman, and more. Check the Morning Benders blog for details. And rock on with the free summer covers music.

The Dandy Warhols love you, independent record stores, free EPs

The Dandy Warhols are giving away free music starting this Saturday, just because they think you are neat. Really. Oh, and they want to pimp their new album in creative form.

Starting July 19, you can pick up a gratis copy of their Earth To The Remix EP Vol. 1 at your friendly local neighborhood record store, wherein each Dandy takes a turn remixing a track from their August 19th release Earth To The Dandy Warhols (Beat The World Records).

For a complete list of participating stores, visit the Record Store Day site. Also, there is an interesting new interview with leadman Courtney Taylor-Taylor in The Sentimentalist.

EARTH TO THE REMIX. VOL. 1 – TRACKLIST
1. Come the Fuck On (A Peter Holmstrom/ Jeremy Sherrer remix)
2. THE MONSTER MISH (A Taylor-Taylor / Jacob Portrait remix)
3. Welcome to the Skin-up Remix (Fathead / Jeremy Sherrer)
4. Dub In The Lotus (A Zia McCabe / Jeremy Sherrer Remix Paul Brainard – Pedal Steel)

LISTEN (from the new album):
The Legend of the Last Outlaw Truckers aka The Ballad of Sheriff Shorty – The Dandy Warhols

DANDY WARHOLS TOUR
June 17 – Victoria, BC @ Element Nightclub
June 18 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
June 20 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo^
Sep 09 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue*
Sep 10 – Madison, WI @ Barrymore*
Sep 12 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theater*
Sep 13 – Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus*
Sep 14 – Montreal, QC @ Club Soda*
Sep 16 – Boston, MA @ Wilbur Theatre*
Sep 17 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5*
Sep 20 – Philadelphia, PA @ TLA*
Sep 22 – Washington, DC @ 930 Club*
Sep 23 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse*
Sep 26 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall*
Sep 27 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theater*
Sep 28 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up*
Oct 03 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern #
Oct 04 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield %
Oct 05 – Portland, OR @ The Roseland Theater*

More dates TBA

All shows with the Upsidedown
*With Darker My Love
# With A Place to Bury Strangers
% With the Charlatans
^With Monstrous

Denver’s Hearts of Palm

Yup, that’s a lot of people in one band. Call them Denver’s own Polyphonic Spree (minus the cult-tastic fashion robes), the warm and sparkly effervescence of Hearts of Palm is a bright spot in our city’s musical landscape. Previously named Nathan & Stephen, the 8-piece band decided to change their name earlier this year to more accurately reflect their gigantic size (not a two-piece!) and as a salute to their favorite vegetable (I might have made that up).

They’ve recently self-released a lovely free 4-song EP, originally available only at the delicious Mexican restaurant Illegal Pete’s in a creative arrangement that funded the production. It has been on heavy rotation here lately in anticipation of their two upcoming high-profile appearances at summer festivals.

On August 1st & 2nd they’ll play two shows as part of the Denver Post Underground Music Showcase. DPUMS is in its eighth year, and in a mere two weeks will invade South Broadway for a completely non-hostile takeover. And then on September 14th, Hearts of Palm will bring their “characteristic and customary joy, enthusiasm, and abandon” to the red rocks of the Monolith Festival.

So check these two tracks (my favorites from the EP), watch their recent interview with the fabulous R. Baca to get the firsthand story on the controversial name change, and then go download the rest of the songs. Because you can always use more free music, and this is good stuff.

No Water – Hearts of Palm
Give Em Hell – Hearts of Palm