Friday, October 4, 2013

Rocktober & Quiet Hounds Preview


Rocktober is now in full swing.  Tonight, the discriminating Atlanta concert goer has to choose from among The Dodos and Dustin Wong at The Drunken Unicorn, Ted Leo and Aimee Mann at Variety Playhouse,  Cody Chestnutt at The Loft, and Kisses at Smith's Olde Bar.

Tonight, I'm going to none-of-the-above, and checking out Quiet Hounds at the Atlanta History Center for a special, one-time performance titled Swans and Embers.


Quiet Hounds are no strangers to theatrical, historically-themed performances.  Here they are performing Lost Souls and Pocket Change as part of An Ode To Lost Souls at the Goat Farm on November 17, 2012.  Dude, I was there! (The picture up top is the stage from their February 25, 2012 debut performance.)

An Ode to Lost Souls was performed in one of the Goat Farm's historic, late 1800's industrial buildings.   The Hounds constructed the staging, lights, sound, and artwork for the performance in honor of soldiers who died at Andersonville prison in 1864.

Quiet Hounds might be one of Atlanta's best-kept secrets.  These guys could/should be filling concert halls across the country, if not the globe, but tonight they'll be playing at the ornate Swan House mansion, home of the Atlanta Historical Society.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Daughter

Daughter at Variety Playhouse, Sept 20, 2013
Oh look.  Here's a video of the British band Daughter performing their song Amsterdam live in Los Angeles.



Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Chvrches at the Doug Fir, Portland, September 5, 2013


KEXP has released the video of their early morning (10:30 am) set by Scotland's Chvrches during MFNW, and dude, I was there!  The set kicked off what was quite likely the most awesome day of the whole six-day festival, which reminds me that I'm past due on posting a retrospective (I did finally get caught up on posting the pics to Flickr, though).  KEXP had a photo-nazi volunteer working the show, though, who kept stopping anybody trying to take a picture (even though the sign said "No flash photography," implying non-flash photography was acceptable as in years past), but whatever, I was still able to sneak in a couple of close-ups of Lauren Mayberry.


Chvrches will be playing Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on Tuesday, November 26.  No word yet on the opening band.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Local Natives & Wild Nothing at The Tabernacle, Atlanta, 9/30/2013


In what is probably the first official set of Rocktober 2013, Local Natives performed last night at The Tabernacle.  Wild Nothing opened.


Wild Nothing play a particular blissful hybrid of dream pop and indie shoegaze, characterized by catchy songs with spacey instrumental passages.  Here's a Wild Nothing song featuring a verse sung by Twin Sister's Andrea Estella.


Wild Nothing's set was a particularly enjoyable warm-up to the headliner, L.A.'s Local Natives.


We've seen Local Natives twice before, both times at the godforsaken Masquerade, once in Hell and later in Heaven (that's the upstairs and downstairs stages for those unfamiliar with the venue).  Since those performances, the band has released a new album, Hummingbird, early this year and their fan base has grown considerably, to the point where they're now packing the large Tabernacle.


Local Natives have been touring extensively since Hummingbird was released, but this is the first time they've come to Atlanta since The Masquerade appearances in 2011.  They kept raving about how much they liked the crazy, enthusiastic audiences at the Masquerade shows, begging the question what's kept them away for two years?


According to the indefatigable Wikipedia, their sound has been described as psych folk, new-fangled folk, and "afropop-influenced guitars with hyperactive drumming and hooky three-part harmonies."  


After a nearly 70-minute set, they ended the show with a three-song encore, culminating in their stand-out Sun Hands.  During the dramatic finale of the song, it looked like singer Taylor Rice was about to crowd-surf the audience, but security kept a hold of the back of his belt and wouldn't let him loose.  


I had a nice spot to watch the show, about three persons back from center stage, but when Rice jumped off the stage the crowd surged forward and I had to do my Charles Barkley move (bent slightly over with the butt stuck out as far as possible) to keep from getting trampled.  That was fun, and capped off an enjoyable evening of music.

For those interested, more pics from this show are posted over at the Flickr site.  

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Washed Out

Washed Out at Bumbershoot 2013

Washed Out on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

The Coathangers

The Coasthangers at L5Fest,, September 14, 2013
Adderall, a new song by Atlanta's The Coathangers from their forthcoming split 7" with Orange County's Audacity, finds the band moving into Au Pairs territory.