Concert Review

The Wooden Sky @ Radio 5/8/2012

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, M&T Favorites | Leave a comment

Man am I glad that our friends over at Visible Voice turned us on to The Wooden Sky. Not only has the Toronto based quartet produced one of our favorite albums of 2012 with Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun, but they also put on one of the best shows we have seen this year at Radio in Somerville last night. It was my first trip to the new venue and my first time seeing the band, so needless to say I was quite excited upon pulling back the curtain at the venue entrance and stepping in to what would become a night of soaring crescendos and passionate harmonies.

The band opened their set with “Child of the Valley,” the first track on Every Child and from there meandered their way through a set that was heavy on more material from their latest release. For fans who have followed the band for much longer than we have, there were songs like “My Old Ghosts” and “Something Hiding For Us In The Night” from the band’s 2009 release If I Don’t Come Home, You’ll Know I’m Gone, but for the most part the focus was on Every Child. Highlights included the ethereal “It Gets Old To Be Alone,” the tropical feel of “Malibu Rum” and our personal favorite from the new record “Bald, Naked & Red.”

The band ended their set by ditching the PA, coming in to the crowd, and playing three songs without any amplification. The band chose “The Wooden Sky,” “Oslo,” and “Oh My God (It Still Means a Lot to Me)” to close out their set, the latter of which brought in a full-on sing-along during the chorus.

After leaving the venue I was still blown away by how fulfilling and memorable the show was, between the vibrant set and the unplugged encore it was safe to say that I had a pretty incredible Tuesday night.

If you don’t know The Wooden Sky check out a few of their tracks below and make sure to head on over to their webpage and pick yourself up a few CDs.

Alcoholic Faith Mission at TT the Bear’s: Live Review

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Caroline in Concert Review, M&T Favorites | Leave a comment

Well the M&T crew had quite a weekend. Not only did we host (and sell out) our first-ever concert, but we were lucky enough to film a live session with Danish indie-pop band Alcoholic Faith Mission. The videos from our porch session will be up shortly, and as you’ll soon see, the quality of their performance and the pleasure of hanging out with such a great group of Danes merited a celebration. In true AFM fashion, celebrate we did with many a daydrink. By the time AFM took the stage at 8:30 at TT the Bear’s, we were pretty much mascot status for Alcoholic Faith Mission, and in prime condition to enjoy their eleven song set.

On stage the group featured a seamless synergy, one that certainly grew out of their many years living and recording together in Brooklyn. And even when repeating absurdist lyrics like “you shock me/you fuck me,” the band remained spirited and joyous throughout. The dissonant guitars and fierce gang vocals of “Alaska” were the perfect tone to start the show on. It’s one of the strongest new songs we’ve heard since the release of Ask Me This. Later in the set, the band played “Into Pieces,” the song that began our love affair with AFM 6 months ago. That chopped-up staccato beat we heard back in 2011 is still undeniable. An intricate record like “Into Pieces” is a challenge to recreate live, but the gang interpreted the tune with staggering precision, thanks to excellent vocals contributed by each member of the band.

The group finished the show with an old favorite off their sophomore album, “Nut in Your Eye.” Knowing us writers here at Maimed & Tamed, you’re probably expecting some tasteless jokes about the title of the song. But in all seriousness, AFM finished their performance with a real bang. It began slowly and sweetly, only to explode into a relentless, pounding climax.

You should have expected that. All gross jokes and drinking references aside, Alcoholic Faith Mission has quickly become an M&T favorite, and we hope you all follow suit.

Set List:

Alaska

My Eyes to See

Running With Insanity

Into Pieces

I´m Not Evil

Legacy

Got Love? Got Shellfish!

Ask Me This

We Need Fear

Honeydrip

Nut in Your Eye

Review and Live Videos- Maimed & Tamed at O’Brien’s Pub 4/27/2012

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, M&T Favorites | Leave a comment

Thank you once again to everyone who came to O’Brien’s Pub on Friday night and helped to make our SOLD OUT show such a blast!

It was a night of incredible music featuring four great bands that you will certainly be hearing a lot more about in the future. The night kicked off with Boston trio The Civil Slingers whose raucous and impassioned performance certainly gained them some new fans. Moss Points North kept the energy level high featuring new songs from their forthcoming LP as well as a fan’s choice cover of My Morning Jacket’s “Mahgeetah” that brought the house down (see below). Jake Hill brought along his bandmates from Deep Creek and delivered a rockin’ set that saw plenty of originals as well as an electrified cover of John Prine’s “Fish and Whistle” which was certainly a pleasant surprise for the O’Brien’s crowd (video below). Of course our headliner Tan Vampires closed out the show in style and we could not have asked for a better way to end the night.

We expect big, BIG, things from all of these bands in 2012 so check back to M&T for the latest news and updates on each of the four bands. Thanks once again to everyone who came out and make sure to check out the videos below that we took of each band on Friday night!

Delta Spirit and WATERS @ Paradise 3/27/2012

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, M&T Favorites | 4 Comments

After one sold-out show at Paradise on Monday night with We Are Augustines and Band of Skulls, we knew we hadn’t had enough, so we headed back last night to catch WATERS and Delta Spirit. WATERS, who was one of our preview picks for CMJ 2011, opened the show with tunes from their debut album Out In The Light. After driving from Cleveland the previous night the band couldn’t have been happier given the circumstances of their lengthy journey and their interaction with the crowd was just what we needed to get the adrenaline flowing for Delta Spirit.

If you’ve checked out our blog before you know that we love Delta Spirit and although some have scoffed at the sound on their newest album we couldn’t resist heading out to a show to see how it would translate to the stage. Of course Matt Vasquez still had the swagger to command the crowd, but the setlist left something to be desired from the sold-out crowd. Take a look at the full setlist below and let us know what you think, if you were there feel free to share your thoughts in the comments as we’re quite curious to hear what other Delta Spirit die-hards thought of the set.

1. Empty House

2. White Table

3. Strange Vine

4. Tear It Up

5. Idaho

6. Parade

7. Tellin’ The Mind

8. Time Bomb

9. House Built for Two

10. Bushwick Blues

11. People C’mon

12. Children

13. California

14. Yamaha

Encore

15. Devil Knows You’re Dead

16. Money Saves

17. Trashcan

The Rocketboys at SXSW 2012

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, M&T Favorites, Music News | Leave a comment

After the madness of SXSW had died down we were able to catch up with Austin’s own The Rocketboys. With the band set to release their lastest record, Build Anyway, this summer I asked keyboard player Justin Wiseman what it’s like to see SXSW from a local’s perspective and how they have been preparing for their album release on June 5th, 2012.

Maimed & Tamed: What is SXSW like for a band from Austin, to see your city turned into a circus of showcases and industry folk for a week?

Justin Wiseman: On one hand it’s really great because we got to play our music on our home turf for tons of people from all over the planet. Although, like most locals who don’t have stake in beer companies or own bars or hotels, the flood of people was at times aggravating because of excessive traffic and litter and stuff like that.

M&T: Were you able to see any bands at SXSW that we should know about?

JW: Although I didn’t really get to see much music, the best band I saw was Vanaprasta from LA.

M&T: What was the highlight of the week for the band?

JW: It was all a highlight – we’ve had great SXSW experiences in the past, but almost every show was a head above anything we’d ever done before. The most gratifying moments I think were when on two separate occasions, when we were playing outdoor venues, when folks came late to the show and told us they could hear our music resonating in the street from blocks away!

M&T: With Build Anyway set to be released this summer what can we expect sonically after having the band lost three of its members?

JW: Brandon, myself and Josh wrote the entirety of Build Anyway, but there’s no way we could ever, just the three of us, replicate it all live. And we’ve been lucky to find a replacement drummer and guitarist. Though, up until now, the band has been a sextet, throughout the last year, we’ve found that we can replicate what we did with 6 with only 5 now. So every live show we do has those guys filling in.

M&T: Buzz bands come and go and fade away into obscurity sometimes more quickly than their rise to popularity, in an industry saturated with social media and top 40 taking over the radio airwaves, what does it take for an indie band to maintain longevity?

JW: I don’t know if we really know that honestly. And it may not even be half due to musical reasons. Honestly, the only reason our band has been on the brink of not existing was just real life stuff like jobs, marriages, buying houses, etc. But then again, most “indie” bands that have been around forever i.e. Modest Mouse, Death Cab For Cutie, Nada Surf, Appleseed Cast continually put out great music.

Take a listen to “Bloodless” below, the first single off of The Rocketboys’ upcoming album Build Anyways. You can also catch the band on tour this spring and summer, check out the dates closest to you on the band’s Facebook page.

SXSW Recap- Saturday March 17, 2012

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, Music News | 1 Comment

Here it is, the final installment of our SXSW 2012 recap. It was a whirlwind week and we were able to catch nearly 50 bands over four days. Our feet are aching and our livers are hurting but that doesn’t mean we won’t be back for more next year–

Big Easy Express w/ a performance by members of Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show @ Paramount Theatre- Again we found ourselves in a dark movie theatre smelling of popcorn instead of a dark club smelling of sweat and spilled Lone Star. This time it was for the premiere of Big Easy Express, a film that followed the three aforementioned bands as they embarked on the Railroad Revival Tour in an homage to Festival Express. Director Emmett Malloy who premiered his White Stripes doc Under Great White Northern Lights at the festival two years prior, spoke before the screening about the process it took to create the film and capture the emotion and camaraderie from the bands on the train. Ultimately the film did a tremendous job of re-creating the companionship and general sense of community on the train as Marcus Mumford affirmed in the Q&A session following the screening.

After the Q&A session the packed house at the Paramount was treated to a performance by members of all three bands which included “Roll Away Your Stone” (see video below and excuse the quality, I was way up in the nosebleeds) and “Train In The Sky” which Alex Ebert wrote while travelling from California to New Orleans on the Big Easy Express. The performance proved that the chemistry was still there between the bands and with new albums coming from all Mumford and Edward Sharpre this year it will be interesting to see how the Big Easy Express experience influenced their songwriting.

The Lumineers @ St. David’s Church Historic Sanctuary- My mother will be proud that I didn’t spend all my time in Austin drinking and listening to music in dirty clubs and that I was able to go to church at least three times. With those holy attendance numbers I’d say that I’m covered for at least the next few Christmases and Easters… One of the bands that we saw preaching at St. David’s was a favorite of ours from this summer, the Denver trio The Lumineers. The group immediately caught the crowd’s attention with sing-alongs and plenty of opportunities to clap with the jangling beats of songs old and new.

The band mentioned their mission of the week to convey the message of, “Keep your head up, keep your love,” and in no time they had the whole church singing along like a scene out of Sister Act. They even performed “Gun Song” in “surround-sound” with each of the band members spread throughout different aisles in the church using no amplification to tell the story of the pistol that lead singer Wesley Shultz found in his father’s sock drawer. The night ended with Shultz telling everyone in the crowd to “rise up” out of their pews and clap along to “Flowers In Your Hair,” the perfect ending to a wonderful service.

SXSW Recap- Friday March 16, 2012

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, Music News | Leave a comment

The week is almost over, but we’ve still got plenty of music left to go. Check out what caught our ears on Friday–

Sonicbids Showcase @ Maggie Mae’s- Sonicbids did an excellent job of programming their party with alternating sets on the downstairs stage and the upstairs roof deck from 11:30 am all the way up until 6pm, the free food and drink tickets certainly didn’t hurt either. Highlights of the morning included Bloomington, Indiana’s Hotfox rocking on the downstairs stage and the Netherlands’ Go Back To The Zoo tearing through a set on the rooftop. It was M&T favorites Rubblebucket who stole the show though, proving to the rest of the crowd at Maggie Mae’s what we at M&T already know- Rubblebucket is one of the best live bands in the country right now. With fans donning giant robot suits during “Came Out of a Lady” (see above) the entirety of the rooftop at Maggie Mae’s couldn’t help but dance along to the group’s horn-driven grooves. Other sets of note from the Sonicbids party included Miami’s ANR, Quebec’s Ariane Moffatt and England’s Clock Opera, who was one of our 5 bands to watch at SXSW 2012. Check out a video of Clock Opera’s “Belongings” from their Sonicbids set below.

Built To Spill @ Lustre Pearl- The indie rock vets from Idaho are one of the biggest names on the SXSW 2012 lineup, but that didn’t stop them from playing plenty of sets throughout the week and we were elated to have been able to catch them at Lustre Pearl. Doug Martsch led his band of merry rockers through a set highlighted by “Sidewalk” and their final song of the evening “Goin’ Against Your Mind.” My only complaint was that the set was far far too short and even when the crowd erupted into an enormous roar after the final note, the band still couldn’t play another tune because of time constraints. I guess that makes our decision all the more easier to see them at the Paradise this summer.

SXSW Recap- Thursday March 15, 2012

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, Music News | Leave a comment

Another day in the books at SXSW 2012 and here’s what stood out from all the flanel and Shiner Bock on 6th–

Shut Up and Play The Hits @ The Stateside Theatre- Under normal circumstances we wouldn’t make a conscious decision to take nearly two hours out of our day and dedicate it to non-live music activities, but when LCD Soundsytem calls it quits those are not normal circumstances. After watching the moving and extremely powerful film I had a brand new appreciation for being able to attend their final show at MSG and also a sense of something much larger, maybe even so far as to say a piece of history as Reggie Watts remarked when he introduced the film to the audience at The Stateside Theatre. This is a must-see for all LCD lovers and any music documentary buffs.

SPOILER ALERT: You are probably going to cry

Howlin’ Rain @ Valhalla- This had to be the most entertaining set of the evening for me as the San Francisco 5-piece took to the tiny stage at Valhalla and cruised through no more than 6 or 7 songs over the course of an hour and fifteen minute set. I can hear the wheels turning in your brain right now and yes your math is correct, each song averaged more than 10 minutes. The band opened with a raucous version of “Self Made Man,” the lead track off of their newest record The Russian Wilds and winded their way through other extended jams, both new and old. Lead singer Ethan Miller even made his way through the crowd to serenade us from atop the bar, only to make his way back down in to the audience and sway arm in arm with a few sweaty hipsters while belting out one of the band’s ballads. I’m not going to say I told you so, but I think we nailed this one with our SXSW preview picks.

Check out a clip below of “Can’t Satisfy Me Now” from Howlin’ Rain’s Valhalla set. As I mentioned before each song was regularly hitting the 10 minute mark so unfortunately my memory card filled up before the end of this jam, but you can still enjoy four minutes of shredding and harmonies.

SXSW Recap- Wednesday March 14, 2012

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Eric in Concert Review, Music News | Leave a comment

Night 1 of our SXSW 2012 trip is in the books here are some of the highlights–

You Can’t Win, Charlie Brown @ Karma Lounge- For this Portugese band it was their first time playing in the US and they began a campaign on their website and social media pages to raise enough money to make the trip. Boy are we glad they did. There weren’t many people at the Karma Lounge to catch the band’s eclectic style, but with a drummer who rocks out like nobody’s business with brushes and a cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Who By Fire” we’re hoping that this band starts gaining some buzz.

Solander @ Bethel Hall, St. David’s Church- Another group who was playing their first show in the U.S. and we were very excited to have them here as well. The Swedish group put on an incredible performance in the seemingly surreal setting of Bethell Hall at St David’s Episcopal Church. The trio certainly lived up to our designation as one of the five bands to catch at SXSW 2012 and will be on a short US tour following the conference. Like YCWCB our hope is that the small crowd won’t hold them back from gaining some much deserved traction in the US.

Alabama Shakes @ Stubb’s- This set had to be the highlight of the night as lead singer Brittany Howard certainly knows how to put on a show and engage the audience with some real emotion. The band played their single “Hold On” near the beginning of the set, but that didn’t stop them from captivating the audience for 45 minutes worth of straight up rock ‘n roll at Stubb’s. If there were any other Folk in the crowd last night I’m sure you’re just as excited as we are now to catch Brittany and the boys down at the Fort in July.

Zeus in a Haze of PBR @ TT The Bear’s 2/22/12

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Trevor in Concert Review | Leave a comment

There is nothing like catching the red line to Central Square at 10 PM on a Wednesday night and strolling through the brackish crowd of Harvard, MIT, drunk and stoned, lost and eternally indie people who occupy the 100 yard diameter around the Middle East and subsequently TT the Bear’s. Entering the venue we are greeted with an airy, dark and damp dive bar. Perfect for torn and faded black jeans, multi shades of plaid and enough beard hair to put locks of love out of commission. Grabbing the first PBR of the night we spot the band members of Zeus milling about, chatting and grabbing beers. It feels less like a show and more like our friend’s friends were playing the local joint.

Zeus came out in full fury. They tore through their setlist with a vengeance that spoke volumes to the drive this band has. Each song was an opportunity to showcase a talent that can be found on their albums, but doesn’t get full recognition until they are standing on top of the speakers smashing you in the face with it. The three frontmen Carlin Nicholson, Neil Quinn & Mike O’Brien all bring a different spark to the stage. Carlin stands out with his Freddie Mercury moustache, diamond studded guitar strap and Miami Vice linen blazer; Glam Rock embodied by a Canadian. Neil, is the 70′s rock star, with the voice and skill to play bass and guitar at a supreme level. Mike comes in and almost brings a little western,/country/folk influence to the show by supplying soothing vocals, but blaring guitar licks when appropriate. Naturally Rob Drake keeps the whole tempo going back on the drums, but don’t think he’s forgotten, as the the band members are constantly switching instruments and will take their time to go back and play a few notes on the cow bell or toms.

I have to say though that Zeus brought my appreciation for their music to a greater level after this show and I can’t wait for the next album. Anyone who can pull the too cool kids from the back pool room off the walls and up into the crowd with thunderous tracks such as their new single “Are You Gonna’ Waste My Time?” is worthy of praise. Overall Zeus gave proper due to their 2010 album Say Us while at the same time introducing new material. Songs that are staples for them got a tweaking for the live audience, “Marching Through Your Head” was started with an organized clap from the crowd and “Heavy on Me” had an extended hard rock session to balance some of the softer, more sultry tracks. Songs that might get less play time on the album stood out on their own as future could-be-singles ranging from the soulfully psychedelic plucking of “The River by the Garden” to the harmonized Beach Boys like “Kindergarten”. If Zeus carries the same energy they put into the live shows into their next studio album you should expect to see them hopping over places like TT the Bears and headlining the Paradise next time they come to Boston.

Zeus’s new single “Are You Gonna’ Waste My Time?”

*I would love to talk more about the second band I saw Wednesday night but they are very VERY elusive and barely have anything online for me to share with you.