Music Discovered Under Quarantine (Not a Political Podcast)

  

Listen to this episode with full songs on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1o9zqYAjgHwdI1oRS0yRiV?si=9-iGLKTgSP2SckbpPuXJYw

MAHA Music Festival Announces 2014 Line-Up

Last night, the folks behind the annual MAHA Music Festival announced the 2014 line-up. As usual, there is some serious, top-notch indie talent booked for the festival. This year's headliner is Death Cab For Cutie. Other acts on the main stage are The Head and the Heart, Local Natives, The Both (Aimee Mann + Ted Leo), Doomtree, Radkey, The Envy Corps, Twinsmith, and Matt Whipkey.

Here is the official announcement video:

It is likely that I will be one of the stage managers again this year. Looking forward to meeting Aimee Mann.

New St. Vincent Video "Digital Witness"

I love, love, love St. Vincent. I'm super-psyched about the new album coming out next month. Not sure what to think about this white hair action on Annie Clark. She's gorgeous no matter her hair color, but still. I loved that black hair. New song is great, as usual.

 

How My Music Taste Was Forever Altered by a Teenage Crush on Susanna Hoffs

On my radio show yesterday, I premiered a new song by Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs. The two have been making music together for years, and just released their third album of cover songs called, Under the Covers, Vol. 3. I've played Matthew Sweet on the show a number of times. His seminal 90s album, Girlfriend, still sounds as fresh as it did when it was released 20 years ago.

But listening to the new CD did not make me think of Mr. Sweet and his great albums from the 90s, it made me think of his collaborator, Susanna Hoffs.

Hoffs was/is a member of The Bangles, and that band's music had a pretty big effect on my younger days. For some reason, I haven't played them on my show (with the exception of their cover of Big Star's "September Gurls" which I played after Alex Chilton died a few years ago), but their original songs, especially those from the album, All Over the Place, deserve more attention on that score.

I tend to frame my discussions on The Bangles around my long-standing crush on Susanna. Sexist as it may be, I fell for her the second I saw her in the Bangles video, "Hero Takes a Fall." That crush did lead the 14 year old Dave to bike over to the record store and buy the LP. So, there's that.

 

In 1984, I was pretty much a metal kid. My record collection consisted largely of records by KISS, Ozzy, Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, and some Rolling Stones to mix it up. True story: I special requested the song, "Looks that Kill" by Motley Crue, to be played at my Bar Mitzvah. That's how serious a junior high metal kid I was!

Obviously, the 60's influenced, jangle-pop of The Bangles did not mix well with what I was listening to at the time. Nevertheless, that All Over the Place LP was in regular rotation at my house that year. I used to think that hearing The Replacements for the first time (apprx. 1986) was where my modern music taste was really formed. But now, looking back, I think that Bangles record was really where it started.

In addition to "Hero Takes a Fall," tunes like "Going Down to Liverpool," "James" and "Tell Me" further altered my musical perception. Sure, I got some crap from my metal friends, but no one in Quiet Riot was as cute as Susanna Hoffs, and that ended the debate for me (again, I was 14 or 15, so my debating skills were not quite perfected).

Susanna Hoffs in the 80s (note the hair)

The next Bangles record, Different Light, also had a bigger influence on the teenage me than I have previously given it credit for. The record itself is not as good as the first one (the hit was "Manic Monday" a decent tune written by Prince), but it did introduce me to the music of Alex Chilton and Big Star. The band covered "September Gurls" a full year before The Replacements' song "Alex Chilton" introduced the indie rock world to the former Big Star frontman.

By 1988's Everything album, I had (for the most part) moved on from The Bangles. I remember buying the "In Your Room" 7" because it was an incredibly sexy tune from Susanna, but my musical world at that time was mostly about Husker Du, Replacements, Soul Asylum, Mission of Burma, Faith No More, and bands like that. The Bangles were bona fide pop stars by then, and songs like "Walk Like an Egyptian" and "Eternal Flame" put them in a different place than where I first got into them years earlier.

The Bangles broke up the following year, and Susanna Hoffs went solo. I don't really remember anything about those solo records.

I imagine the longest lasting effect of my early interest in The Bangles is my total acceptance of women in rock. Yes, I initially got into The Bangles due to an adolescent crush (which still remains to this day despite being in my 40's), but without the accompanying good songs, I wouldn't still be thinking and/or writing about them. After The Bangles and Go-Go's, I went to groups like Babes In Toyland, L7, Seven Year Bitch, Savages, Throwing Muses, Dum Dum Girls, and many, many more.

Susanna Hoffs circa now

Wow. All of this reflecting and reminiscing from seeing a current photo of Susanna Hoffs and hearing her sing "Trouble" by Lindsey Buckingham. The mind is a seriously bizarre instrument.

Hopefully, you got something out of this post. I have no idea if it even makes sense. But the new album from Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs is excellent. At least you can take that away after reading this. That, plus some teenage crushes never die.

The Life and Times TONIGHT at Waiting Room

Kansas City rock band, The Life and Times, returns to Omaha tonight at The Waiting Room. The band mixes UK shoegaze music with a muscular math rock sound to create very loud, very intense music. Bring your earplugs. Tickets are $8 at the door. Openers are Landing on the Moon and Lonely Estates.

R.I.P. Dick Clark

Television legend Dick Clark has died today at age 82. It is impossible to overstate the importance of Clark to the popular culture of the 20th century. His television dance show, American Bandstand, introduced rock 'n' roll music to millions of new people from all across the country. 

I have always believed that popular culture - mainly music, but also television, movies, and sports - had more to do with social change and progress in this country than any set of laws. It was kids of the "rock 'n' roll generation," who came of age in the late 1950s and early 1960s, who embraced what was essentially black music at a time when whites and blacks rarely inter-mingled. It became increasingly more difficult to hate someone when you listen to the same music or like the same athletes. Racists and opponents of change always understood this, which is why they were so opposed to rock music in the first place.

But this is not a sociology lecture, this is a blog post about the death of Dick Clark. By the time I came on the scene in the 1970s, American Bandstand was already an institution. Every major artist from the 1950s to the 1980s performed on the show, and countless records became hits after the AB audience said they liked it.

Looking back, the show seems so old fashioned and almost quaint. But, it was actually quite cutting edge in its day. I'm glad that I was able to grow up in the AB era. So long, Dick.

Top 50 Albums of 2010 (40-31)

40) The National - High Violet. For their fifth album, The National is not exactly breaking any new ground. The songs are generally slow and somber, the vocals are emotional and deliberate, and the playing is tasteful and intricate. In other words, High Violet is just like every other album by The National. Still, if you like every other album by The National, there is no reason why you wouldn't like this one. It seems the record did not get as much attention as the average National record would, so the label re-released it last month in an expanded form. Check out that version if you don't already own the CD.

39) Azure Ray - Drawing Down the Moon. The lovely ladies of Azure Ray have returned for their first new album in seven years with Drawing Down the Moon. The record begins right where the last one left off, and all of the same people are involved in the making of this one as the last one (i.e. Eric Bachmann as producer). Azure Ray's mellow tales of loves lost require you to be in just the "right mood" to fully enjoy them, but when you are in that mood, few artists deliver the goods as strongly as Azure Ray. Glad to have 'em back.

38) Murder By Death - Good Morning, Magpie. Not too many artists come from Bloomington, Indiana (except for John Mellencamp, of course) so it's hard to know what to expect when you hear where Murder By Death is from. Adding to the potential confusion is the very heavy metal sounding name of the band. But this band is not metal - not even close (it's probably more Mellencamp than metal, actually). MBD's sound is rooted in Americana, without sounding retro. There are guitars, bass, and drums, but there is also cello, which gives the band a gothic element. It's hard to do this band justice in words.

37) We Are Scientists - Barbara. The second album by this NYC trio, With Love and Squalor, made it into my Top 10 when it was released in 2005. The album was full of catchy, punchy, vibrant, poppy punk rock with decent lyrics, and it made a huge impression on me. The band's next one, Brain Thrust Mastery, didn't have nearly the same impact (though I have grown to like it more over the years). WAS returned in 2010 with Barbara, which is sort of a combination of the last two records. The production is a little flat on this one, but the tunes are still there.

36) The Mynabirds - What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood. The debut album by this Omaha via DC group, featuring former Georgie James singer Laura Burhenn, completely ignores the average indie pop of her former group and instead focuses on country and soul. In fact, Burhenn once said the goal of the band was to sound like Neil Young doing Motown (the name of this band is a tribute to an unheard band from the 60s featuring Young and Rick James). That's kinda what it's like, I guess.

35) M.I.A. - Maya. M.I.A.'s third album is a confusing mish-mash of styles, sounds, and themes that lacks the cohesiveness of her first two albums. Still, despite the critical and fan backlash, she has created a strong piece of art. In some instances you will have to dig a little deeper for the catchy melody ("Born Free"), and in others ("XXXO") you may be struggling to find the socially significant lyrics. You might not find either on some tracks. But M.I.A. has never been one to rest on her laurels, and this new album does take the controversial star in new directions. I am confident that in the future, music critics and fans will re-evaluate this record and give it proper praise.

34) No Age - Everything In Between. For their third album, the LA duo No Age has largely shed its older, noisy, fuzzed-out sound in favor of a more atmospheric and "spacey" feel. There is still some shredding, to be sure, but the boys of No Age have shown here that they are no one-trick ponies. NME has dubbed the band "the new Pavement." That is quite a comparison.

33) The Gay Blades - Savages. The two guys who make up The Gay Blades call their music "trash pop," and for good reason. Without sounding even slightly retro, the band is able to conjure up all the sleaze and trash of classic 70's Stones and New York Dolls, while infusing the music with a dance-ability that neither of those bands were able to get. I think it's safe to say that these guys have a few T. Rex and Bowie records in their stacks. The Gay Blades have the swagger, the tunes, and the drive to become a major force in pop music. Let's hope it happens for them.

32) Kele - The Boxer. Most people probably know Kele Okereke as the lead singer and songwriter of UK band Bloc Party. He's still with that band, but with his debut solo album, The Boxer, Kele is able to explore more dance sounds and rhythms than he can with his band mates. But anyone who has heard the more recent Bloc Party records knows that their sound has veered more into dance and electronic sounds. I wonder if this was a testing of the waters for a potential departure from the band. Let's hope not.

31) Sleigh Bells - Treats. This is a strange one, my friends. Sleigh Bells is yet another duo from New York, but unlike their NYC brethren, this band likes to make a lot of noise! The band mixes elements of noise and hardcore with electronic beats and delivers a thoroughly original (though sometimes difficult to listen to) album. Mastermind Derek Miller has a history in hardcore, and former members of this band have wound up in another 2010 buzz band, Surfer Blood. Treats is not fun, catchy, dance music by any means. It is abrasive, challenging, and difficult. Yet once you start listening to it, it becomes harder and harder not to like.

Top 50 Albums of 2010 (50-41)

On my radio show for the next two weeks I will be counting down my choices for the Top 50 Albums of 2010. I will do a brief re-cap here, with a more in-depth review of the Top 10. Here are 50-41:

50) Paul Weller - Wake Up the Nation. The legendary former leader of two of the UK's biggest bands of the 70s and 80s (The Jam and The Style Council), Paul Weller, has changed things up a bit with his latest solo release. Wake Up the Nation is a loosely constructed concept record that displays Weller's views on the numerous changes that have taken place in England over the last few decades. It is not overtly political, it is more social and economic changes that he is singing about. This is not Weller's best solo work, but it is still quite good.

49) Local Natives - Gorilla Manor. It is far too simple to say that LA's Local Natives are like Vampire Weekend. They both share an affection for afropop, and both use it in their music. But Local Natives' songs are generally slower, and seem more musically complex than Vampire Weekend. To me, they are more like Grizzly Bear. Gorilla Manor is an impressive debut, and I look forward to hearing where this band takes its music.

48) Versus - On the Ones and Threes. This veteran NYC band has been on something of a hiatus for the last ten years. Clearly they were able to dust off those amps and get right back to the business of making smart, guitar-driven indie pop. If you don't know about Versus, start with their masterpiece, The Stars Are Insane, from 1994. Once you are addicted to it, give this new one a try. You will then be a Versus fan. I guarantee it.

47) Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be. This LA based outfit is able to artfully mix classic 60s girl group pop music with garage rock on its debut album. DDG are so clued in to that vintage feel that they actually got Richard Gottehrer (writer of "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy" among others) to produce the disc. I Will Be is good summertime party music - any time of year.

46) Girl In a Coma - Adventures in Coverland. These Texas ladies have crafted another impressive collection, and it baffles me as to why this band doesn't get more recognition. On Adventures, the Girls do all cover songs, and their choices are pretty solid. The songs chosen range from the late Latina pop star Selena to Joy Division, and from The Beatles to The Velvet Underground. A great mix of tunes. Seek this one out.

45) Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo. Avi Buffalo is the nickname for this young band's front man, Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg. You can see why he uses a nickname. These natives of Long Beach, California have delivered a soft and sophisticated take on young love on their debut album. The first single, "What's In It For?" was one of the biggest singles on the college charts for 2010. Fans of bands like The Shins might want to check these guys (and gals) out.

44) Devo - Something For Everybody. Devo's last album of original material was released in 1991, and since that time, the band members have all worked on different projects. Mark Mothersbaugh, for example, scores a number of television shows. But the lure of devolution was just strong enough to get the guys back together for a new album. Something For Everybody doesn't really provide what the title suggests, but for fans of classic Devo albums like New Traditionalists and Oh No! It's Devo, it will provide enough of what you like to make this a worthy purchase.

43) Robert Plant - Band of Joy. The latest record from the legendary Led Zeppelin singer continues Mr. Plant's exploration into different (i.e. non-Zep sounding) styles of pop music. Band of Joy is a collection of covers from a wide variety of artists ranging from Richard Thompson to Duluth, Minnesota indie band, Low.

42) The Corin Tucker Band - 1,000 Years. The numerous fans of Corin Tucker's previous band, Sleater-Kinney, have been waiting for a long time to hear what she would produce once out on her own. The wait is finally over with the release of 1,000 Years. While not as immediate and powerful as S-K, Corin still knows how to craft a good song with a strong social message in the lyrics. Sure, I will always long for a reunion of Sleater-Kinney, but based on this record, I can be held off for a time with Corin Tucker's solo output.

41) Matt & Kim - Sidewalks. The Brooklyn duo of Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino have been something of a buzz band ever since their first single premiered just a few years ago. But the upbeat, sing-songy pop didn't hit me until I heard the third album, Sidewalks. Comparisons to Mates of State are hard to avoid considering the make-up of the band, but in all honesty, I like Matt & Kim better. Like many bands that begin as a duo (i.e. Black Keys), I imagine at some point, they will have to expand their line-up to take the music in different directions. Hopefully, they will be able to maintain their fun and loose feel when they do.

I will have the next installment up tomorrow or Wednesday.

Tim Kasher TONIGHT at Waiting Room

Cursive/The Good Life's Tim Kasher

Front-man for both Cursive and The Good Life, Tim Kasher, is performing tonight in his hometown of Omaha. Kasher is not appearing with either of his bands, however, he is wrapping up a leg of his first solo tour in support of his new album, The Game of Monogamy, which is out now on Saddle Creek Records.

Kasher will be performing along with both Darren Hanlon and Conduits for only $10 tonight at The Waiting Room. As of now, the show is not sold out, but that will probably not be the case by showtime.

Here is the video for Tim's new single, "Cold Love":

Tim was just interviewed for Lazy-I.com. Read it here.

Today's Three Must See Music Videos: The Replacements

I have never seen this footage of The Replacements until now. The following three videos were shot in Minneapolis on 10/16/83 while the band was opening for X. There is so little footage of the band from this period, that it is just amazing to see them back then. Enjoy.

Pink Floyd Reunion in Omaha Tonight?

There is a reasonable chance that David Gilmour (l) and Roger Waters will perform together tonight

As the title implies, there is a strong possibility that tonight, in Omaha, music fans will witness a rare performance featuring Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Roger Waters. Waters is performing tonight at the Qwest Center in Omaha on his current tour. He was spotted last evening in Minneapolis dining with his former band mate and adversary, David Gilmour. Waters performed in Minneapolis last evening, but Gilmour did not join him.

In a recent interview in Rolling Stone, Waters hinted that he and Gilmour may do a one-off reunion performance on this tour, and suggested Omaha as a possible city for that reunion.

Okay, so, Waters is in Omaha tonight. Will tonight be a reunion between the two masterminds of Pink Floyd?

UPDATE: A few commenters have alerted me to the fact that Waters has not yet played in the Twin Cities, so this "reunion" could still happen there.

UPDATE 2: It didn't happen. Waters played in Omaha last night, and there was no Gilmour. Cross your fingers, Twin Cities.

R.I.P. Ari Up

The Slits were punk rock pioneers in the 1970s

Ari Up, former lead singer of the legendary punk band The Slits, passed away yesterday at age 48. Up formed the band when she was only 14. Her stepfather, John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten from Sex Pistols), broke the news on his website. R.I.P.

This Weekend's Must See Show: The Walkmen and Japandroids at Waiting Room

New York City rockers The Walkmen are playing in Omaha Saturday night in what promises to be among the best shows of the year. I've wanted to see this band for nearly a decade. The Walkmen, touring in support of their amazing new CD, Lisbon, are playing along with Japandroids and Tennis. Tickets for this Waiting Room show are $13.

Here is a video from The Walkmen's second album, Bows + Arrows, for the song, "The Rat." It is, by far, my favorite Walkmen song. So awesome.

Pixies Play Special Set for Chilean Miners

The Pixies played their first ever headlining show in Chile last night, and were so inspired by the rescue of the 33 trapped miners that they played a special set. The band did 33 songs in dedication to the 33 miners. It was the band's longest set ever. Pitchfork has the entire set list. The video above shows Black Francis introducing the show in Spanish. He is a fluent Spanish speaker, as anyone who had heard "Surfer Rosa" can attest to.

Today's Must See Music Video: Donny Hathaway

I first heard the song, "Jealous Guy," when John Lennon recorded it sometime before his death in 1980. I actually thought it was an original of his. Turns out, it wasn't. Here is a 1972 recording of "Jealous Guy" by Donny Hathaway.

UPDATE: a reader has correctly pointed out that Lennon recorded the song in 1971, and it was an original. Hathaway's version is the cover. Ooops.

Film School TONIGHT at Waiting Room

San Francisco shoegaze rock band Film School returns to Omaha tonight for a show at Waiting Room. The band is touring in support of its new album, Fission. Opening the show is The Depreciation Guild, and tickets are $10.

Here is a video for Film School's "Compare"

Ra Ra Riot TONIGHT at Waiting Room

Syracuse, New York indie rockers Ra Ra Riot return to Omaha tonight for a show at Waiting Room. Tickets are now $15 while they still last. Opening the show are: Chikita Violenta and We Barbarians.

Here is a video for the song, "Boy," from the band's newest album, The Orchard:

My Matador at 21 Wrap-Up

I've been back from my weekend excursion to Las Vegas for the Matador at 21 festival since Monday, but have been under the weather, so I haven't been able to report until now. The whole thing was excellent, by the way. I should also note that I took my own pictures of the shows, but my camera sucks, and none of the shots I took are usable. So I am "borrowing" pictures taken by others for this here report. Sorry. So let's run through the artists I saw with some brief reviews of their sets.

Friday, October 1

Guitar Wolf - The Japanese garage rockers opened the festival. I had heard that GW had some flight delays and would not make it in time for their set, but it turns out they got there in time for an abbreviated show. I was never a fan, and this set did not change anything in that regard.

Chavez - Next up was New York City math rockers Chavez, who are one of my fave bands of the 90s. I was only able to see these guys one time before, so I was anxious to see them again. The set was stellar, and the guys (many of whom no longer play music full-time) seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. Their set was one of the highlights of the weekend.

Fucked Up - I have to say that this Canadian hardcore band does nothing for me. They certainly put on a lively show, but the music is not my cup of tea. I went to the merch booth during their set.

Sonic Youth - As anyone who listens to my radio show knows, Sonic Youth is one of my favorite bands ever. They are new to the Matador Records roster, but certainly not new to fans of indie and punk music. SY was absolutely stellar, and their set was filled to the brim with vintage Youth cuts. Unless I missed one, nothing in the band's set was newer than 1994 ("Bull in the Heather"). No problem for me, but I was surprised they didn't play anything from their one Matador record, The Eternal. Oh well. I loved it just the same.

Pavement - This was set to be a big one for me. I didn't go to any of the band's reunion shows earlier in the year, so this was going to be the only time I got to see them before the reunion ended and the guys went back to their solo careers. Unfortunately, the band did not really deliver the goods this time around. The set was sloppy as hell, and it seemed more like the guys were simply playing their parts as opposed to genuinely playing together. It also appeared to me that Stephen Malkmus and Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg were fighting or something, and Malkmus played with his back toward Scott. Spiral Stairs apologized a number of times for how badly they were playing, yet it didn't exactly get better. The song selection was great, but the performances were not. I chalk this up as a major disappointment.

Saturday, October 2

Come - I only caught the tail end of this band's set, but what I saw was quite good. Lead singer Thalia Zadek sounded great, and guitarist Chris Brokaw played spectacularly. I kinda wish I had seen the whole thing.

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - I really used to love this band in the early to mid 90s, and saw them perform maybe half a dozen times in their heyday. But it had been a while since I'd listened to JSBX, and I wondered if I'd still like them. Turns out, I do. While the JSBX set was plagued by sound and video problems (for some reason the projection screens were off during their set), they were still just as wild and energetic as they were 15 years ago. 

Perfume Genius - This is one of Matador's newest acts, and I have to admit that I never listened to their record when I got it. I actually left during the set and missed most of it. From what I heard from others, they were quite good - even a highlight of the festival. Their placement after JSBX seemed odd, though.

Cat Power - Chan Marshall aka Cat Power is an amazing talent, but has a history of spotty live performances. For this set, however, she was in fine form. She even looked like she was having fun. She opened with a cover of The Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction," and then ran through many of her best songs from the last few years. Her 1990s material was largely ignored. Fanboy note: I got to touch Chan! Not in a pervy way, mind you, but once when I was headed to the bathroom, I had to tap her on the shoulder and ask her to move. It meant something to me, even though she barely noticed.

Superchunk - Absolutely one of the best sets of the weekend!! The Chapel Hill boys (and girl) seriously brought it for this show, and got the crowd moving like they hadn't been all weekend. Before the show, I wondered if Superchunk would just play songs from their "Matador period" (i.e. the first three albums), thus making it a very unique set. It started out that way, but the band did play some cuts from their excellent new album, Majesty Shredding. This was the second time I have seen the band this year after a 15 year gap since my last 'Chunk show. I found myself utterly amazed at just how good this band is. Another stellar performance.

Spoon - Next up was Spoon, who also haven't been with Matador for a very long time. In recognition of their "Matador period" (which was only one album and an EP), Spoon opened with a cut from their debut, and proceeded to play a set that touched nearly all of their albums. I was especially excited to hear "Car Radio" from the band's most unappreciated record, A Series of Sneaks. They also covered the late Jay Reatard which was very cool. I bailed before the final act of the night, Belle & Sebastian, played as I can't really stand those guys. I did hear they were good, however.

Sunday, October 3

The New Pornographers - I skipped out on the first two bands of the night (Shearwater and Ted Leo & The Pharmacists), but got there in plenty of time for TNP. I've been a fan of the band for going on a decade, but have never been able to see them perform. I've seen singer Neko Case a number of times as a solo artist, but have never seen the collective play together. They opened with one my favorites, "The Slow Decent into Alcoholism," and played an enjoyable 50 minute set touching on most of their albums. Frontman A.C. Newman has a pretty good sense of humor, and had some good stage banter. I like stage banter.

Liz Phair - Like most of the folks in attendance at this festival, I was a huge Liz Phair fan when she first emerged on the scene with Exile in Guyville. Her next two albums - Whip-Smart and Whitechocolatespaceegg - were also great, but then she ventured into some strange areas with the rest of her music. I had sort of given up on Liz and wondered if she'd ever return to her past greatness. I'm not sure her newest release, Funstyle, will mark that return; but her set for Matador at 21 was a fantastic move in the right direction. She came on stage accompanied by another guitar player, and the duo ran through a quick 20 minute set that featured songs from the first two albums. Liz looked amazing after all these years, and performed with a confidence she did not have in her early days. While the shortness of the set prevented it from being a true highlight for me, many in the crowd considered her show to be the best of the weekend. It was also quite cool to see Ted Leo join Ms. Phair for her classic, "Fuck and Run."

Yo La Tengo - YLT has two types of sets - very quiet or very loud. The set on this evening was on the quiet side. I much prefer to see the band wailing away, as Ira Kaplan is one of my favorite guitar players, and one who knows how to use feedback the right way. The band was having a great time and was joined by a member of New Zealand's The Clean for a bit. By the time YLT came on stage, the show was already running an hour late. I think my patience was running a little thin at that point, and I had a hard time focusing on the band. Ultimately, this was my least favorite YLT set. But even a bad Yo La Tengo set is still better than most band's A-game.

Guided By Voices - After the disappointment of the Pavement reunion show, I was really hoping that the return of GBV would not have the same result. It didn't. GBV was abso-fucking-lutely amazing. Bob Pollard was in amazing spirits and in amazing form. The rest of the band - especially guitarist Mitch Mitchell - seemed so excited to be back on stage that their enthusiasm became contagious. The crowd was wilder than at any point in the festival. I noticed a number of the other artists from the festival really getting into the GBV set, as well - especially Chavez's Matt Sweeney (a one time touring member of GBV) who ended up jumping on stage and singing along. The band performed nearly all of their early classics, and ended up doing two encores. It was a helluva way to close out the festival. Here is a fan filmed video of my favorite song from the set, "Lethargy":

I had an awesome time over the weekend, and really enjoyed seeing some bands that I had not seen in years or even decades. It was, as Liz Phair put it, like a college reunion. This was largely the music of my college days, and as I approach 40, I am realizing that I may never enjoy music the same way I did back then. It was great getting to see so many of my favorites in one place. I highly doubt that any other label could pull off a festival with this many groups I like. Kudos to Matador for a job well done.

Must See Show: Retribution Gospel Choir at Waiting Room

Retribution Gospel Choir, an indie rock band from Minnesota,  performs tomorrow night (September 29) at Waiting Room. RGC features two members who are also in the band Low. The band is touring in support of its latest release for Sub Pop Records called, 2.

Tickets are a mere $10. Here is a video for the song, "Hide It Away":

Land of Talk TONIGHT at Slowdown

Canadian indie rockers Land of Talk are performing tonight at The Slowdown. The band is on tour in support of its new CD, Cloak and Cipher, out now on Saddle Creek Records. The show is $10, and opening are Suuns and Conduits. Starts at 9.

Here is a video for Land of Talk's song "It's Okay" from an earlier album. It was nominated for Juno (the Canadian Grammy).