Stay Positive (Part 1)

As promised, I'm back to the 2008 retrospective stuff. I've decided the best of/worst of approach is getting a little played out and might reflect too much of pessimistic perspective. So from here on in, I'm gonna view the cup half full. Maybe this is a resolution I'll carry out into the new year -- who knows. I am just going to list the tops for the remaining major categories. These will be in traditional countdown fashion, as you'll see:

Top 10 Shows of 2008

Honorable Mention: The Gaslight Anthem @ Roseland Ballroom 10/13/08

Granted this band was designated the opening slot for a four-band bill, it might be a little controversial to to place in the top ten. However, this just goes to show how much I believe in the Gaslight Anthem. I'll give them my honorable mention spot. Churning out a majority of The '59 Sound's Jersey Shore-inspired catalog in the allotted 40 minutes, this was a make-or-break show for me. The fact that I continually rave about them will tell you how well that went. People are still talking about Gaslight's recent performance on Conan, so I think 2009 will only keep the momentum going for one of my new favorite bands.

10) Fountains of Wayne @ The Highline Ballroom 2/8/08

The saddest thing to consider about this New Jersey power-pop quartet is that they will likely go down in the annals of history as one-hit wonders for "Stacey's Mom." But like comrades Nada Surf, this band has produced some of the best pop-rock for the better part of the decade, and has been critically received for every album that's been put out. When I saw these guys in February, it was my first time at the Highline Ballroom (one of the better venues in Manhattan), so I was blown away by the sheer intimacy of venue as well as the slew of upbeat 3 and half minute beauties that were churned out with ease. Can't wait to see these guys again.

9) The Killers @ The Highline Ballroom 7/29/08

Same venue, MUCH different band. I was skeptical about the validity of this secret show because it was mysteriously easy to get tickets. As everyone knows, this is an arena-sized band -- for them to play the 600 person capacity Highline Ballroom was a little bit of a head scratcher. But when they did eventually come on, they knocked it out of the park. Combining the usual suspects with b-sides, lesser known tracks, and new songs "Spaceman" and "Neon Tiger," this show restored my faith in the band I hadn't really been into since college.

8) Ryan Adams & The Cardinals @ The Apollo Theatre 10/31/08

I know, I know. For someone who's a little too obsessed with this guy, the eight spot might seem a little out of place. This just goes to show how brilliant 2008 was for me in terms of concert attendance. Don't get me wrong; this was yet another classic Ryan Adams Halloween show -- the fact that it was at the legendary Apollo Theater was worth the trip alone. Skewing mostly new material, Adams decided it was a good idea to avoid the very songs that helped to build his strong fan base. I don't know how well this strategy was received by those in attendance, but it worked for me. His clean attitude has surely led to spot-on singing/guitar playing.

7) The National @ Brooklyn Academy of Music 2/23/08

Another legendary venue, another soon-to-be legendary band. This marked the first show of the year I'd been to outside of Manhattan, and let's just say it was worth the borough crossover. Matt Berninger's morose baritone set the tone for a memorably bleak winter evening (in a good way). Playing most of the songs off of many critics' top 2007 pick (Boxer), as well as host of old material I was admittedly unfamiliar with, this show officially made me a believer. I'm looking forward to this band's follow-up, which will hopefully see an '09 release.

6) Mark Kozelek @ The Highline Ballroom 6/13/08

I think it's pretty apparent which New York venue wins MVP this year for me. I think this show takes the cake for most anticipated concert of the year. Ghosts of the Great Highway remains one of the best records of all time for me, and by June I was REALLY getting into the most recent Sun Kil Moon album, April. Not to mention Kozelek's solo stuff AND his catalog with former '90's band Red House Painters. So yeah, a lot to look forward to. Mark was dead on -- distributing equally from all of his projects with finger-picking ease. "Lost Verses" was hauntingly beautiful. Enough said.

5) My Morning Jacket @ Radio City Music Hall 6/20/08

Without a doubt, this show was the most important performance ever for Jim James and crew. I remember seeing My Morning Jacket just three short years ago a D.C.'s 930 club -- a show that didn't even sell out. Since then, a lot has changed. I was skeptical about the band's booking at such a large venue, but after seeing James tear down the house with a near 3-hour performance, I knew there was no turning back. Shortly after, the band was booked for an MSG New Year's show. If you've got no New Year's plans just yet and don't want to spend the absurd $100+ "all you can drink" bar fee, this is definitely a worthwhile alternative. Live album surely to follow.

4) TV On The Radio @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple 10/13/08

For TVOTR to clock in at number four, this just goes to show how stiff the competition was this year. Definitely the most interesting venue of the year. The Brooklyn Masonic Temple is exactly how it sounds -- the performance space resembled the appearance and size of an elementary school gymnasium. This being said, it was impossible to not like this show. The band played the perfect blend of old and new on an evening that featured a full horn section for the majority of the show. Considering the hype that surrounds this band, I have a feeling it will be a while before I see them at a temple again.

3) Neil Young & Wilco @ MSG 12/16/08

Not to cut corners here, but I just saw this show last week and went into great detail a couple posts ago. Just scroll down to read all about it.

2) Fleet Foxes @ The Grand Ballroom at The Manhattan Center 10/4/08

Don't be deceived by the venue's name; there's nothing colossal about this ballroom located above the Hammerstein Ballroom. And quite frankly this is what made this show so special to me. The Fleet Foxes are hands down the most exciting success story of 2008. To see them play at such a tiny standing room venue was absolutely mind-blowing. These guys are about as hyped as Vampire Weekend, but unlike their '08 amigos, they are legitimately worthy of all this praise. Sweet harmonizing, precocious arrangements, brilliant musicianship, and the best possible attitude for a hipster-approved band are only a few things that make this Northwest quintet the best thing ever. Bonus points for the legendary beards.

1) Sigur Rós @ The Museum of Modern Art 6/17/08

This show will go down as the most transcendent in my book. For this was just not aural ecstasy by one of the best bands in the world; those who were in attendance we treated to a visual art exhibit beforehand by fellow Icelandic countryman Olafur Eliasson. The free Grolsch beer didn't hurt in helping to set the tone. Definitely the best cultural experience of 2008 for me. Refering back to an earlier post, "throughout the course of the night, the guys brought out their standard surprises, which included a full horn section, a wind section, and singer Jónsi Birgisson's trademark falsetto vocals/bow guitar playing abilities." A life-changing combination which easily made this the best show of the year.

"Rockin' In The Free World" (Literally...) - Neil Young/Wilco 12/16/2008 @ MSG & Oasis/Ryan Adams & The Cardinals 12/17/2008 @ MSG

Ok, so this is probably the only time I will consolidate two reviews in one post, but I couldn't think of a better reason to do so given my very fortunate situation this week. One of the best perks of my job is that it affords me free tickets to some pretty excellent shows. So was the case Tuesday and Wednesday night when I partook in back-to-back nights of Neil Young/Wilco and Oasis/Ryan Adams at the world's most famous arena. Considering the lack of sleep, the extended setlists, and the fact that my seats were nearly the same for each show, both evenings seemed to have bled into one -- further convincing me that I can do as damn well please/do one writeup.

Sadly, I was a Wilco virgin before Tuesday night. This band had been on my checklist for years (along with Radiohead and Death Cab), so it was a pleasure to cross them off despite the all-to-short hour that was allotted for them. This shortened stint didn't mean that they came out any less gangbusters. Jeff Tweedy was in really good spirits and looked legitimately happy to playing in front of the sold-out crowd. I've never seen an MSG opening band receive such a well-attended reception more so than these guys. This being said, most of the asses were already in the seats to watch these guys play their mellow folk/jam/alt-country blend of rock (note to promoters: if Kings of Leon and Interpol can headline the Garden, I think Wilco just made a pretty loud statement). Their 10-song set comprised of scattered material from their soon-to-be-classic oeuvre. The set kicked off with "I Am Your Face," a tune off of their latest Sky Blue Sky, before segueing into Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's confessional opening track, "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart." The boys got a little more upbeat with "Handshake Drugs" and "A Shot In The Arm" before mellowing it down easy with the jam-bandy "Impossible Germany." Nels Cline's incendiary solo received a warm reception and had the Garden crowd on its feet. Tweedy welcomed a trio of backup singers (later jokingly referred to as Puss 'n Boots) before busting out my favorite tune off of YHF, "Jesus Etc." Tweedy then announced the birthday of his 13-year-old son Spencer and brought him out to play drums on "The Late Greats." The audience thoroughly enjoyed this father/son moment, and Tweedy, in turn, responded with something along the lines of, "You are now a man, it's all down here from here." The band went on to play "Walken," another single of off SBS, before closing with the customary "I Am The Man Who Loves You." An hour of pure perfection.

Little did I realize that the evening was just getting started. Neil Young came on just after 10 PM with an elaborate stage set-up that included Native American statues, light-up letters, and a person painting abstract art in the background (knowing Neil, these will be auctioned off for some charity). I joked that the scene looked more like a garage sale than anything else, but when you consider all of the different elements of Americana that Neil has accumulated throughout his illustrious career, this mess of potpourri only seemed fitting. Mr. Young came out nice and loud with "Love and Only Love" off of 1990's Crazy Horse collaboration, Ragged Glory. The blaring guitars ensued with the classic rock station staples "Hey Hey, My My" and "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere." The faithful in attendance, which included the old and the new, got its figurative rocks off during the opening chords of "Powderfinger," and the 63-old Young appeared as youthful and he did 35 years ago. His band proceeded to slow it down about with a relatively new number "Spirit Road" before blazing through a hair-raising version of "Cortez The Killer." Just when you thought a bulk of his hits were exhausted for the evening, Neil came out guns blazing with "Cinnamon Girl" -- his vintage signature falsetto tenor in full swing.

Neil gave the band a break for a bit in favor of an intimate set that included the Chet Atkins gem "Oh, Lonesome Me," an organ-arranged "Mother Earth," and the flawless solo acoustic version "The Needle And The Damage Done." Young's supporting band came back out to liven up the mood with a string of rockabilly-inspired songs that included "Cough Up The Bucks," "Fuel Line," and "Hit The Road." Neil then traded in his Les Paul for his Gibson acoustic and busted out litany of softer fan favorites that seemed to beautifully contrast the edgier start of the evening. "Unknown Legend" was followed by a pair of his most recognized Harvest-era songs: "Heart of Gold" and the chilling "Old Man." We got to experience the hoedown side of Neil with the bluegrass-tinged "Get Back To The Country." Every set has its lull, and this evening's occurred towards the tail-end of the show with the forgettable combination that was "Off The Road," "When Worlds Collide," and "Just Singin' A Song." But have no fear, there was absolutely no way Neil was going to let us down (needless to say he didn't). Young came back roaring with "Cowgirl In The Sand" before inviting Wilco (and other opener Everest, who I missed) to join in with evening closer "Rockin' In The Free World." And yes I will go on the record to say, this version was infinitely better than the multiple times I've seen Pearl Jam play it. The hour was already well past midnight, so I had assumed an encore was out of the question. Neil had already played over twenty songs and there's only so much a guitar-swinging, head-banging 63-year old can handle, right? Wrong. Neil came back with "Get Behind The Wheel" and finished the night off with a surprisingly spot-on version of "A Day In The Life" -- sound effects and all.

It is unfathomable to wrap your head around the fact that Neil Young is a 60-something rocker than is still in top form. Considering the shelf-life of most musicians and the fact that the man has had some near-death experiences, you would have thought there would be some frayed edges or loose screws after 40-plus consistent years in the business. Maybe for Bob Dylan. Not for Neil Young. The man is the most legendary rock act you can possibly enjoy these days (key word enjoy). He is one of a kind, so I implore you in all that is holy about rock music to please take advantage while you can.

Enough blabbering. On to night number two. I really wish the order of the concerts had been reversed. I love Oasis and Ryan Adams (obviously), but there's no topping Neil Young. It's almost an insult to see ANYBODY perform the day after such a legend. Despite this, I soldiered on and partook in some mid-90's Britpop. Beforehand, I was fortunate enough to witness Ryan Adams & The Cardinals play what I consider to be a curtailed encore performance of the Halloween show. Like Wilco, Ryan and crew were limited to just under and hour, and likewise, were only able to get through 10 songs. As usual, Adams' performance was as fluid as it's ever been. Very little stage interaction, and little variance from the set list from his recent tour. I won't go on about the details too much because nine of the ten songs he played were from Cardinology and Easy Tiger, and I think I've driven my stance of this into the ground. As packed as the Garden was for Wilco's performance the prior night, it was pathetically vacuous for Ryan. Perhaps a Ryan Adams/Oasis pairing didn't sit to well with the diehards as much as it did for me. I noticed there were a few cheers during closers "Come Pick Me Up" and "Magick," but other than this, it was a benign performance that will surely slip through the depths of the collective Oasis fans' memories.

As expected, Oasis came out roaring with a playback of "Fuckin' In the Bushes" -- the drum and bass intro song from Standing On The Shoulder of Giants. They've done this on every tour since so I can't say this came as a shock. The first actual song played by the band was the appropriately titled "Rock and Roll Star," a song that represents everything musically and egotistically that this band used to be. Contrast this with the next song, "Lyla," and you'll find a band that's lost its edge. Good thing the Gallaghers opted to lay low on its "fart in the wind" catalog that's only remained on the minds of those confined to Great Britain. For the most part, the Brits gave us Americans what we wanted to hear -- peak year '94-'96 Oasis hits. In between all of the dull new album drivel, we were given inspired renditions of "Cigarettes & Alcohol" (dedicated to the Limeys in attendance), "The Masterplan," "Slide Away," and "Morning Glory." Uncharacteristic to the band's typical stoic stage personality, Liam and Noel were actually quite talkative -- even going so far as mocking two sailors in uniform seated in the first couple of rows.

Much like Neil Young, the tail end of the set was chock full of tunes that put the crowd back into its seats ("Ain't Not Nothing," "The Importance of Being Idle," "I'm Outta Time"). But like Neil's "Cowgirl in The Sand" moment, Oasis resuscitated the night with a double shot of "Wonderwall" and "Supersonic." They left the stage to howls only to come back to give the crowd what it wanted. Noel and Andy Bell played a (mostly) acoustic version of "Don't Look Back In Anger" (an arrangement I've never heard before), and then brought the remaining band members back (sans Liam) to play the Noel-helmed "Falling Down," arguably the best tune off of Dig Out Your Soul. Noel asked if anyone in attendance happened to catch Neil Young the night before, to which he simply replied "Fucking brilliant." With Liam back in full tote, the guys played the final original song of the night, 1995's sweeping ballad "Champagne Supernova." What would an Oasis show be without a Lennon/McCartney cover? Two nights at the Garden, two psychedelic Beatles songs to close them out. This time I heard "I Am The Walrus," an Oasis live staple since I can remember.

Two days in the life, indeed.

12/16/2008

Wilco
You Are My Face
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Handshake Drugs
A Shot In The Arm
Impossible Germany
Jesus, Etc.
The Late Greats
Hate It Here
Walken
I'm The Man Who Loves You

Neil Young
Love And Only Love
Hey Hey, My My
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Powderfinger
Spirit Road
Cortez The Killer
Cinnamon Girl
Oh, Lonesome Me
Mother Earth
The Needle And The Damage Done
Light A Candle
Cough Up The Bucks
Fuel Line
Hit The Road
You Don't Need A Map
Unknown Legend
Heart Of Gold
Old Man
Get Back To The Country
Off The Road
When Worlds Collide
Just Singing A Song
Cowgirl In The Sand
Rockin' In The Free World w/ Wilco & Everest
---
Get Behind The Wheel
A Day In The Life

12/17/2008

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
Cobwebs
Crossed Out Name
Everybody Knows
Fix It
Off Broadway
Go Easy
Sink Ships
Natural Ghost
Come Pick Me Up
Magick

Oasis
Rock 'n' Roll Star
Lyla
The Shock Of The Lightning
Cigarettes & Alcohol
The Meaning Of Soul
To Be Where There's Life
Waiting For The Rapture
The Masterplan
Songbird
Slide Away
Morning Glory
Ain't Got Nothin'
The Importance Of Being Idle
I'm Outta Time
Wonderwall
Supersonic
---
Don't Look Back In Anger
Falling Down
Champagne Supernova
I Am The Walrus

*Pictures courtesy of BrooklynVegan.com

Let's Impeach The President Tour '08

Apparently Neil Young is prepping a pretty ambitious tour that just happens to coincide nicely with the election. Although this has yet to be confirmed by official sources, news is popping up all over the interwebs that Mr. Young will be playing a whole bunch of arenas starting in middle October. And it gets better: it looks like the openers will be Wilco and Death Cab For Cutie. Not sure if it's both, or just one of above. Here are the alleged dates with their on sale information -- let's keep our fingers crossed:

October 14 - St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center / on sale August 22
16 - Winnipeg, MN – MTS Centre / on sale August 22
18 - Regina, SK – Brandt Centre / on sale August 22
19 - Calgary, AB – Pengrowth Saddledome / on sale August 22
21 - Everett, WA – Comcast Arena at Everett / on sale September 12
22 - Vancouver, BC – GM Place / on sale August 22
29 - San Diego, CA – Cox Arena / on sale August 25
30 - Los Angeles, CA – The Forum / on sale August 25

November 1 - Reno, NV – Events Center / on sale August 23
4 - Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center / on sale September 12
5 - Omaha, NE – Qwest Center / on sale September 12
29 - Halifax, NS – Metro Centre / on sale August 23

December 1 - Montreal, PQ – Bell Centre / on sale September 13
2 - Ottawa, ON – Scotia Bank Place / on sale August 22
4 - Toronto, ON – Air Canada Centre / on sale August 22
7 - Detroit, MI – Palace of Auburn Hills / on sale September 12
9 - Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena / on sale September 12
12 - Philadelphia, PA – Wachovia Spectrum / on sale September 19
15 - New York, NY – Madison Square Garden / on sale September 15

**UPDATE** This has been confirmed by Live Nation this morning. The opening band for the NYC show will be Wilco.