Tag Archives: St. Louis

Feb20

Man Man – St. Louis, MO: The Firebird 2-18-13

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Band: Man Man

Venue: The Firebird

Location: St. Louis, MO

Tickets: $16

Date: 2-18-2013

Man Man

4/5 Man Man members. From left to right: Honus Honus, S. Murphy, T. Moth and Pow Pow.

I was never intentionally misled about what a Man Man concert was. I was told that a Man Man concert would be raucous, a tad rambunctious. Maybe even a little boisterous.

And all of those words describe the concert. They just don’t describe it enough. The concert was a sensational mix of loud colors, loud sounds and a band that knows how to play the crowd flawlessly.

Before we jump in with a concert review, allow me to give you a bit of background. Man Man has been labeled an experimental rock group, and maybe there’s some truth in that. I mean, more than a few times you get the full impact of their eccentricities (example: drummer Pow Pow had a magic orange toolbox full of maracas, kazoos, a feather and what we’re pretty sure was one of the missing crystal skulls), but they are more than an experiment. They are the result of genre smashing, neon colors and the gentleman’s sport of tennis. It goes without saying that they are Men Men after my own heart.

Having arrived two hours early, my brother and I snagged a most-coveted location: right in front of Pow Pow’s drum setup.  And that was a fantastic place to be.  I even made it into one of Honus Honus’ pics of the audience.  Check this out.  Recognize the girl on the right?  Me either.  I’m far front left.

Once Man Man took the stage (after two excellent opening acts, Damian Suomi and Murder by Death), I think the audience went a little wild. The place was hopping all through the set. I’ve got bruises on my knees from being pushed into the stage and I didn’t notice until the drive home. We were all jumping and screaming and watching each band member haphazardly and lovingly play their respective instruments. And the way they stare out at the audience…it’s like they’re daring you to sit still and glare at them. When they’re playing, that’s impossible. They never pause between songs, they don’t exchange pleasantries. They don’t need to. The first song either scares you out of the house or gets you in the bedroom. Why waste time wooing you?

The set itself was a brilliant mix of old and new, giving us time to belt out our favorites and learn that their next album will be eagerly awaited (that sentence was really toned down…eagerly sounds better than anxiously awaiting, hoping the next meteor won’t be striking before the album comes out because that would be a natural disaster on too many levels and I can’t figure out how this sentence should end so I’ll end it with FLAIR!). They played hard, they played well and I’m planning on seeing this band as many times as distance and their schedules will allow. Here’s the Setlist (bestowed upon us by Brown Sugar):

Man Man Setlist

Man Man Setlist

Feathers

Pink Wonton*

Top Drawer

Spider Cider

Mister Jung Stuffed

Paul’s*

Hurly / Burly

Haute Tropique

Rabbit Habits

Piranhas Club

Against The Peruvian Monster

Bangkok Necktie

Van Helsing Boombox

Life Fantastic

Black Mission Goggles (interspersed with Doo Right)

Engwish Bwudd

Encore:

Steak Knives

Mayan Nights

Ice Dogs

Sarspirillsa (first 30 seconds of vid)

You know, the night was best summed up when I was chatting with one of the band members. While I was getting him (Murphy) to sign my shirt, we saw Honus rolling around on the ground with the girl he was taking a picture with. Laughing, I asked Murphy,

“How do you guys handle him?”

He smiled and said,

“Easy.  We’re all as bad as him.”

And don’t we just love that?

Concert: A+

Venue: A+

Drink Prices: B

Audience: A+

Overall: A+

*This is a new song!

Aug14

Tommy & The High Pilots – St. Louis, MO: The Firebird 8-12-12

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Band: Tommy & The High Pilots

Venue: The Firebird

Location: St. Louis, MO

Tickets: $13 ($15 at door)

Date: 8-12-12

“Say everyone else was shitty, but Mike was great.” – Mike Cantillon

You know how you have that one band that you’ll listen to only when you’re in a specific mood, because their music is really only one dimensional?

Tommy & The High Pilots is not that band.

Tommy & The High Pilots at the Firebird

Tommy & The High Pilots. From left to right: Steve Libby, Matt Palermo’s arms, Tom Cantillon and Mike Cantillon. Photo courtesy the wonderful Nicole.

On Sunday, August 12, 2012, Nicole (one of my friends who has been in a lot of these posts with me…she’s cool like that) and I drove up to St. Louis to see The High Pilots.  While driving, we had a discussion about why we loved this band and were willing to drive 3 hours one-way to see them.  We concluded that it’s because their music is brilliantly everyday.  And I don’t mean that in the sense of “it’s trite and like everything else.”  I mean that their music is applicable to every minute of your life because they have music that makes every minute of your life better.

Feeling sad?  There’s a song for that.  Feeling happy?  There’s a song for that.  Horny?  Triumphant?  Contemplative?

They cover a lot of ground.  But you already knew I loved their music.  And their live performances always deliver up the goods.

“And I lust you.  My grandma once told me that it takes 10 years for lust to become love…and I’m lusting the shit out of all of you.”  -Tom Cantillon

First, I think it’s important to note how wonderful these guys make the sound check.  I mean, Nicole and I were shifting about impatiently, wanting the show to start, and the guys are great about making the sound check something fun to watch and listen to.  You really have to admire that.

Second, their set wasn’t long enough.  This is my biggest consistent complaint about their shows.  I never get the chance to see them when they don’t get cut off at 8 songs.  8 songs goes by fast.  TOO fast.  It feels like we’re cut off when they start hitting their groove.

Of course, they also happen to be great performers.  They have memorable chemistry with the audience, and with each other.  They frequently toss grins to one another and to the crowd.  It makes them charming and irresistible.  I kept hearing one of the girls in front of me, both of whom had never seen or heard the band before, say:

“Tommy, you are flawless.  You are flawless.”

Without a doubt, their live performance always captures new fans and keeps them.

And yeah, they were on fire.  I’ve seen them 6 times now (not that I’ve been counting) and I would say this is the best they’ve sounded.  It might have been the venue, the crowd, the planet’s alignment.  All I know is they were great.  Despite some technical difficulties (like the mics not working at the end of the first song), the band had their act together.  Good show, gents.  Good show.

“Life’s full of ups and downs.  When you’re happy, BE happy.”  -Matt Palermo

Matt Palermo of Tommy & The High Pilots

From left to right: Nicole, Matt Palermo, me.

The High Pilots have been teasing us with talk of a new album for a while now.  Luckily, the boys played some new songs to whet our appetite.  And yeah.  It was successful.  Here’s a really good video of one of their new songs, “Devil To Pay” from their show at the Roxy in June.

Just listen to those lyrics.

“Tell me.  Do you love me in the worst way still?  Don’t ask me, ‘Do I need you?’ ‘Cause I plead you. And I know, you know, I do…Tell me.  Do you love me in the worse way still?  Don’t ask me, ‘Do I hold you?’  ’Cause I told you.  And I know, you know, I will.”

I’ve always been a person first attracted to the lyrics of a song, and I can safely say that these give me chills.  And when Tom kicks in with the guitar?!?  It slays me non-lethally every time.

Safe to say this kid is looking forward to the new album anxiously.  And I would like “Devil To Pay” to be released as a single sometime in the nowish.  Cool?

“Don’t touch my cocktail.  EEEEEEYAH.  EEEEEEYAH.”  -Steve Libby

Steve Libby of Tommy & The High Pilots

Steve Libby is…the Most Interesting Man in the World.

The bottom line is that these guys are wonderful performers, musicians and guys.  As well as I can know them from bothering them at shows, I can say that they’re sweet and earnest.

My mom loves this band, my friends love this band.  There is no reason these guys shouldn’t be national icons.

So.  Let’s make that happen.

Concert: A

Venue: A+

Drink Prices: NA*

Audience: A

Overall: A

*If you’ll believe it, we didn’t drink at this show.  For some reason, a 3 hour drive makes me not want any alcohol in my system…I’m weird that way.  Anyone want to let me know how prices are?  Have they changed appreciably since the last concert I saw there?

Jun27

Los Campesinos! – St. Louis, MO: Plush 6-16-12

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Band: Los Campesinos!

Venue: The Plush

Location: St. Louis, MO

Tickets: $13 ($15 at door)

Date: 6-16-12

From left to right: Jason’s back, Me and Gareth.

The only way I’m going to make it through this post is to separate my impressions of the concert from my fangirlish excitement at seeing one of my favorite bands again.

Unfortunately for you, this is impossible.  Suffer or enjoy!  Your choice!

So, firstly, this was my brand new cars first road trip.  I’m proud to say that Cas made it there and back again like a champ.  It was a comfortable road trip with James (my brother), Nicole (my brother’s girlfriend and one of my friends) and Jimmy (one of my close friends).  So, I went with seriously great people.  The hours of driving don’t seem so bad when people are willing to laugh and make puns.

We get to St. Louis with plenty of time before the concert and are deciding where to eat.  Lo and behold, the venue for the concert has a restaurant.  This restaurant would have been worth visiting regardless of the concert.  The Plush was an amazing place.  Their menu was INSANE.  They had Banana French Toast MADE OUT OF BANANA BREAD.  They had PORRIDGE.  They had TIE-DYE NAPKINS!

Also, as we were waiting for our drinks, James says, “Allyson, there appear to be several people of the distinctly British looking variety in the space across the street playing soccer” (I swear he said it like that).

I turn around, and yes.  There are some of the band members playing football (soccer) in the space across the street.  I was then incredibly antsy because I really wanted the concert to start.

But I digress.  The restaurant was great and after a fantastic meal, we moved into the actual venue.  The Plush has a great setup with plenty of floor space, a nice bar in the back and a second floor overlooking the stage.  I insisted on getting spots to stand that were very close to the front, so we were directly behind the people directly in front of the stage (mouthful of a sentence).  The schematic is below:

Stage Map of the Concert. The letters on the stage are the members of the band. From left to right: Robert, Neil, Gareth, Jason, Kim, Ellen and Tom.

Don’t worry.  I’ll get to some of the weird descriptions in the Key later.

The opening band was Yellow Ostrich.  Three men, a bajillion instruments, and a song about a whale.  No stretch to say they were entertaining and a perfect opening act to LC!.  For the first few days after the concert, I pretty much had Yellow Ostrich playing on repeat.  Check out these songs:

“I Got No Time For You”

“WHALE”

“Marathon Runner”

“Elephant King”

Then we get to the main event.  And remember how much I loved LC! in LA?  Turns out, I loved them just as much here.

They have such a fun way about them that it’s hard not to immediately get caught up in the spirit of mature juvenile delinquency.  Ah, yes.  The world falls away as we recall adventures of our misspent youth (I can speak this way.  I’m an old 22).

Anywho.  Here are some of my favorite memories from this concert.

They opened with “By Your Hand.”  An excellent choice since it sets the tone for the rest of the concert as upbeat (even when sad) and cheeky (even when serious).  “By Your Hand” is possibly LC!’s catchiest song, and it has one of my favorite lines from the album in it:

“I’m not sure if it’s love anymore, but I’ve been thinking of you fondly for sure.”

A few songs later, we get to the title track of their newest album, “Hello Sadness.”  This song has become a definite favorite of mine.  It’s really sad (not that you’d expect a song called “Hello Sadness” to be sad, right?), but kind of nice.  Recognizing the extent of the devastation so you can move on, right?  Well, this song is also great live.  Fist Bump Guy most emphatically agreed that,

“It’s only hope [fist bump] that springs eternal.  And that’s [enthused fist bump] the reason why this dripping [forlorn fist bump] from my broken heart is never [resigned fist bump] running dry.”

Fist Bump Guy really underscored the potency of the lyrics.

Kim, Ellen and Tom rocking out.

Then they change the pace with some “Life Is A Long Time.”  A great song, but it definitely shifts the vibe of the concert.  Gareth knows this.  He tells us after the song is over that we should all remember this when we’re in the music business:  always follow up an unpopular slow song with a popular faster song!  With those sage words, they start “We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed.”

Now, here’s where Chatty Chick, Fist Bump Guy and I really start working together.  See, it’s dawned on us that we are awesome.  We know all the words, we know all the names of the band members (there’s seven of them…it’s impressive to know them all) and we are kindred spirits for the next half hour or so.  Chatty Chick at one point leans over to me and thanks me for knowing all the words.  She said I was one of her favorite people and that I was lovely.  Chatty Chick, if you ever read these words, know that the feeling was mutual.

Fist Bump Guy…you almost punched me.  Your passion does you credit, but I would’ve taken you down.  I may have been outweighed and outheighted (I’m making it a word), but I would not have been outmatched…seriously, I get mean.

But, we put aside our differences and managed to jump and scream and act crazy like dedicated fans are supposed to when a kickass song like “WAB” comes on.

But, for me, the best part of the concert came right.  It still makes me shake my head wonderingly.  You know how you have that one song from a band that actually makes you listen to them for real?  You just hear the music or the words and actively seek out more?  “Knee Deep At ATP” was that song for me and LC!.  It started my dedication to them.  And they played it.  I recorded it and put it up on my YouTube page.  My friend Jimmy takes my phone midway through because he is way taller than me.  Gives it a better vantage point.  My apologies for my singing leaking through.

So, the things you need to know about this concert:

  1. You should’ve been there.
  2. The audience was a little crazy and a lot awesome.
  3. Driving over three hours in rainy conditions (and almost hitting a deer) wasn’t a big deal because everyone in the car started reliving our favorite memories of the concert.
  4. I finally got Gareth to sign my shirt.
  5. Gareth’s voice was a little shaky in some of the songs, but the energy of everyone in the room made it impossible to care.

Setlist from the show. Nicole grabbed one from a guy packing up some of the instruments. She then gave it to me because she’s awesome. Seriously, she’s great. Oh yeah, and I managed to wrangle 7 signatures for this bad boy.

By the way, when I was getting all the band members to sign the setlist, most of them recognized me from the LA show.  Rob was a bit confused by the jump in location (see above).  Also, double props for Jimmy wearing his Allyson’s Setlist shirt.  It helped the band remember, I think.  And since Jimmy is so tall, it was like having a walking billboard…and one that speaks intelligently and holds cameras!  Best of all worlds!
So, in case you can’t decipher that setlist up yonder, the setlist was:
Encore:
And now the grade!

Concert: A

Venue: A

Drink Prices: B

Audience: A-

Overall: A

Dec11

Ludo – St. Louis, MO: The Pageant 12-10-11

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Band: Ludo

Venue: The Pageant

Location: St. Louis, MO

Tickets: $16

Date: 12-10-2011

Sometimes I have a tendency to exaggerate.  This is not one of those times.  This concert was amazing.  One of the best concerts I’ve been to.  I mean, I don’t even know if I can speak coherently about this concert with all the Christmas I had coursing through me.  Exhibit A:

A Very Ludo Christmas Stage

Garland, fake snow, angels and snowmen were everywhere on the stage.  It was like Christmas decided it needed to have a show to spread Christmas joy.  Christmas won last night.  It won in a big way.

And Ludo was all right.  I guess.

Okay.  They were pretty awesome.  I’ve seen them three times (this year), but this was definitely my favorite show.  Maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe it was the audience, but they were undeniably “on” last night.

The show began with Santa coming out to light up the Christmas stage, with Ludo spilling out stage left.  The crowd went wild.  Andrew Volpe (lead vocals, guitar) grabbed his guitar and sauntered (for real, he sauntered) up to the microphone.  Tim Convy (moog, keys, vocals) took his place in front of the fireplace decorated with stockings for all the band members (though Tom Cantillon’s, the touring bassist, just had a gym sock with his name written on it) with a wave and a bow for the audience.  Matt Palermo (drums, vocals) sat down, putting his earplugs in and smiling at the crowd.  Tim Ferrell (guitar, vocals), shorn of his magnificent locks, waved at the audience as he adjusted his guitar to sit comfortably.  And, before the crowd could bask too much in the glory of Ludo, they began with “Part 1: Broken Bride.”

We went crazy.  I mean, everyone in the pit was belting out the lyrics, hugging each other and basically clapping our hands in glee.  It was wonderful.

Ludo at A Very Ludo Christmas

An admittedly blurry photo.  It’s not great.  But I think it conveys the feeling of a Ludo concert.  Excitement, bright colors and Andrew and Tim C. (the blur at the left of the photo) going nuts.  Tim C. doesn’t stay still for any length of time (especially when he’s being accosted by an inflatable snowman.  Yeah, that happened…TWICE).  Andrew is always engaging the crowd with strategically placed pursing of the lips and occasional winks.

So, they started on a really high note.  And kept going higher.  What might have been one of the more exciting moments for me was seeing “Laundry Girl.”  I never thought I would get the chance to see that song live.  And, of course, when I heard the opening chords, my phone was out and I recorded it.  The video was recorded oddly, but I hope you can forgive that after the first minute or so.

Then, after more rocking, Andrew took the stage alone for “The Horror Of Our Love.”

Andrew Volpe singing "The Horror Of Our Love."

As usual, Andrew singing “The Horror Of Our Love” is always a moving part of the concert.  In the middle of the song, a girl fainted in the pit.  The Ludo fans surrounding her helped her get out of there, so kudos to everyone who helped her and hope she’s okay.  I’m inclined to agree with Andrew’s assessment.  She fainted because of all the Christmas.  There was an awful lot of it, folks.

The next big moment (for me, at least) was when they played “Save Our City.”  Listen to that song.  It’s the only way for you to put this next story in context.  We’re all singing along and going crazy when we get to this part in the song:

“The mayor’s ruined head.  The boy steps to the window.  Cries out from the ledge to the people below.  There’s a time to pray and there’s a time to fight, anything can be a weapon if you’re holding it right.  Defend what is yours.  They will not take our souls.  It’s time now to rise and fight.”

And, of course, we’re all way into it.  Then with that brief pause and the words “Save our city” (at the 4:49 mark in the song), a confetti cannon goes off and showers the people in the pit.  It was so great.  That high moment of tension and triumph in the song, and as we’re all screaming about how we’re going to be victorious over zombies, it’s raining confetti.  Could there have been a better moment?

Why, yes.  Yes there could’ve been.

After the last song (don’t quote me on this, but I think it was “Good Will Hunting By Myself”), Ludo threw presents into the crowd.  They were chucking them to the people in the pit, the balcony, the bar, everywhere.  And I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the friend I went to the concert with, Brett Zeiler.  He managed to snag a couple presents, one for him and one for me.  His was a flower ornament.  Mine was substantially cooler (thanks Brett).

Bruce Springsteen Tape, still in wrapping paper, with some confetti from A Very Ludo Christmas.

So, yeah.  THAT’S pretty awesome.  But the awesome didn’t end there for me.  After waiting in line for forever (probably 20 minutes) for the meet and greet in the merch room, we got to talk to the band.  And I had a stroke of brilliance.  Obviously I wanted them to sign something.  But what?  Answer:

The Allyson's Setlist Shirt signed by Tom Cantillon, Andrew Volpe, Tim Ferrell, Tim Convy and Matt Palermo.

I got them to sign my Allyson’s Setlist t-shirt.  You can’t see my face right now, but it’s the face of an excited person.  This put the icing on an already iced and delicious cake.  I can officially retire last night as having been a wonderful, wonderful evening.

Now.  I wanted everyone to have an idea of what Ludo played at the concert.  However, I can’t remember the order the songs were played in.  I mean, I had better things to do than take meticulous notes.  But, here is what my memory tells me occurred:

“Part 1: Broken Bride”

“Hum Along”

“Go-Getter Greg”

“Topeka”

“Lake Pontchartrain”

“Rotten Town/Skeletons On Parade”

“Laundry Girl”

“Anything For You”

“Girls On Trampolines”

“The Horror Of Our Love”

“Save Our City”

“Whipped Cream”

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”*

“Jingle Bells”*

“Silent Night”*

“I Wish You A Merry Christmas”*

“A Very Ludo Christmas”

“Love Me Dead”

“Good Will Hunting By Myself”

And now!  The score!

Concert: A+

Venue: A

Drink Prices: B

Audience: A+**

Overall: A+

*Group sing-alongs.  Andrew, Tim F. and Tim C. came out into the audience and played for us.  ’Twas wonderful and put everyone into the Christmas spirit.  Even though we didn’t follow Andrew’s directions very well…

** I can’t describe how awesome the audience was here.  You know, Ludo makes great music full of wonderful lyrics and meaningful instrumentation, but just as great is their ability to inspire such loyalty in a crowd.  There wasn’t a single person I was standing next to who wasn’t belting out the words to every song, raising their fists in the air, or dancing with me when “Girls On Trampolines” came on.  Ludo is the type of band that actively encourages audience participation, and the audience is always pushed to answer the call.  It makes Ludo shows some of the best to see.  If you ever have the chance, take it.  You won’t regret it.

Dec9

My Ultimate Fangirl Moments

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Before this relationship goes any further, I think you all should know some things about me.  If you feel different about me after you read this list, I’ll understand.  Really.  Underpinning the entire post tonight is a girlish squeal and the clapping of abnormally small hands.  I’m sure that’s off-putting.

The truth isn’t pretty, folks.  It might not even be tolerably neutral looking.  But, here goes:

I am a fangirl.

If some of you are still reading, thank you for giving us a chance.  For the rest of you, my mom says I’m better off anyway (She also said you were no good, will miss me and will wind up alone.  Hope that’s true.).

So, here are my top five fangirl moments.  Be prepared.

The Amanda Palmer Bonding Incident

I was listening to Amanda Palmer’s “Do You Swear To Tell The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth So Help Your Black Ass,” and she agreed that the video was quite good.  And she Retweeted me.  There was a good amount of squee.  That’s a scientific term encapsulating how I responded to the following:

Amanda Palmer both Tweeted and Retweeted me. *squeal*

The Honus Honus Hocus Pocus

Give me a lot of credit for that alliteration.  It made me giggle.  This just happened a couple of days ago.  Honus Honus (aka Ryan Kattner), the lead singer of Man Man, read the blog post about Man Man and Tweeted me about it.  It meant a lot.  And it left me speechless for half an hour.  Ask the people calling me at work.  I didn’t say a word.

Honus Honus (aka Ryan Kattner) from Man Man read the blog and Tweeted me about it.

Are Your Antennas Up?

Literally could not think of a better hook for this entry.  I’ve already told you about how Kyle knew my name at the AU concert a few months ago (and, for the record, I still totally consider that one of the best examples of my fangirlhood), so I think it’s fair to tell you how AU responded to the blog post.  They Tweeted me:

Antennas Up read the blog and Retweeted me.

And Jonny Universe (Jon Ulasien, guitars/keys/vocals for AU) shared the blog post on Facebook:

Jon Ulasien shared the blog post about AU on Facebook.

 Gareth Campesinos! Is The Exclamation Point

I have not kept it a secret that I’m addicted to Los Campesinos! right now.  I mean, I’m so into them.  For a couple of weeks, they were all I listened to.  And I’m constantly discovering new things I love about their music.  The lyrics are infinitely clever, the music is varied, deep and adorable at the same time, and they are such cool people.

So I Tweeted Gareth.  He’s the lyricist and one of the lead singers of the band.  I decided to tell him that I was in love with him because of his lyrics and the obscenities he Tweets (for real, he has a dirty Twitter Account).  He responded:

Gareth Campesinos! Tweeting me.

I mean, I don’t want to say that means we’re going to have a happily-ever-after or anything, but I think it’s unarguably the start to a beautiful Twitter relationship.  Oh, and he’s since Tweeted me no less than three other times.  I squeal a little bit louder each time.

So.  If you’ve stuck with me through all of that, I’m impressed.  And hopeful that this means you still want to give us a chance.  I promise I won’t let you down.  I’m a great person, really.  Just a desperately uncool one at times.

We still pals?

PS: Ludo concert tomorrow night.  ”A Very Ludo Christmas” promises to be AWESOME.  If you’re not going, you’re almost as uncool as me.  OH BURN.

PPS: Lest you think these are my only fangirl moments…they’re not.  There are so many others.  But these are my favorite/most blush inducing.  My humiliation is your entertainment.

PPPS: I’m sure some of you missed the playlists last night.  That’s fine.  I’m not hurt or whatever.  But there are a few songs I think you should definitely make time to listen to.  “When Water Comes To Life” by Cloud Cult, “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” by Stars, “Little Lover’s So Polite” by Silversun Pickups, and “Dance Yrself Clean” by LCD Soundsystem.  Ideally, of course, you should listen to all of the songs.  They were picked for their infinite awesome.

PPPPS: I don’t think I’m supposed to use this many “p’s” in a postscript.  Just thought I should point that out for you.

 

Nov27

Tommy & The High Pilots – St. Louis, MO: Firebird 11-25-11

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Band: Tommy & The High Pilots

Venue: The Firebird

Location: St. Louis, MO

Tickets: $12

Date: 11-25-2011

This show was AMAZING.  And sure.  I hadn’t seen The High Pilots since August so I was more than a little excited, but I don’t think it was my imagination.  The crowd went wild for them, and Tom, Mike, Steve and Matt went crazy for us.  It was electric to be in that audience.  I was standing right in front of Steve (an awesome place to be considering how great he is with the crowd) and had a clear view of Tom (and his new blond hair).

First, let me take this opportunity to thank The High Pilots for playing my second favorite song of theirs that I was sure I’d never see in concert: “Lonely Place.”  FYI, if you click on the link, you’ll see a video I recorded.  Ignore my bad vocals along with Tom’s.  How could I not show my appreciation and sing along?  Oh, and I haven’t edited it yet, so it still looks like it was recorded on an iPhone (which it was).  Seriously, I think they knew how much I loved this song and they played it as a gift to me.  That’s how I’m looking at it.

Then, in the sweetest surprise possible, The High Pilots PLAYED A NEW SONG.  THEY PLAYED A NEW SONG.  And it was great.  It’s called “Young and Hungry” and I loved it.  I recorded it but, out of respect to the boys, I’m not going to post it.  Just trust me when I tell you that it was great.  Oh, and Mike, Matt and Steve assured me that their new album should be out sometime this coming Spring.  From what I heard at the concert, the wait will be worth it.

And I did, of course, talk to them after their set.  Matt and Mike complimented my coat in a pair of adorable accents (the coat has since been nominated for best piece in my wardrobe…it’ll win in a landslide.  The election is rigged.), Tom talked with me about the new song, and Steve won hero of the year.  After they did not, unfortunately, have my size in a t-shirt, I settled on getting the show posters that I had not yet acquired.  Having already purchased three High Pilots shirts, Steve gave me the posters for free (after telling me appreciatively that he saw me singing along to every song…I almost swooned).

The two High Pilots posters that Steve gave me.

By the way, I was totally at the Springfield show on the red poster.  That’s where I saw Antennas Up for the first time.

Of course, The High Pilots were opening for Ha Ha Tonka.  And, rest assured, Ha Ha Tonka was also splendid.  I bought my first Ha Ha Tonka shirt to celebrate their awesomeness.

My Ha Ha Tonka shirt.

And, for those of you who see me this week, don’t be surprised if I’m wearing it.

Now, I want to get serious for a minute.  The High Pilots are one of my favorite bands (seriously, probably top 2).  I love their music.  It’s always a surprise.  For every gentle and romantic lyric you get in Tom’s crooning voice like:

“Maybe she’s someone I’ve made up.  Maybe she’s somebody true.  But I won’t rest until I know you.” (“Lonely Place”)

You also get the following line from their most popular song, “Where To Start”:

“I’ll be depressed when I am 40, getting horny, having no sex.  Can’t catch a break, I’m too damn dirty.  Wish I was 16.”

Like I said.  It’s a surprise.

But it’s even more than the music.  I love that they care about the fans.  I love that they take the time to talk to those fans at their shows (I’ve harassed them enough to know this is the case, and they’ve never been less than delightfully charming).  I love that they’re easy and relaxed on stage, and will banter with the crowd.  I love that their performance isn’t about US, the audience, admiring THEM, the band.  It’s an exchange of ideas.  It’s a give and take.  The audience feeds them the energy, and they throw it back at us.  That seems like something every band should do in a live performance, but few that I’ve seen do it as skillfully as The High Pilots.  I think it’s fair to say that I’m a fan and I’ll be staying that way.

And, of course, there was the added benefit of seeing Tim Convy at the show (moog, keys and vocals for Ludo, for those of you who don’t know…and if you didn’t know, shame be upon ye).  I took an insanely blurry and dark photo with him and had the following conversation:

Tim: “Are you having a good time?”

Me: “Yeah!  I’m loving it.  Oh, by the way, I’ll be at ‘A Very Ludo Christmas.’”

Tim: “Really?  Me too.”

Me and Tim Convy from Ludo. He was wearing an awesome cardigan. FYI.

He’s hilarious.  He can’t help it.  He also told me that the t-shirts for “A Very Ludo Christmas” were going to be a T-Rex wearing a Santa Claus hat.  That sound you just heard was me counting out the dollars I’m going to be spending on merch.

That show should be epic.  And, now that I’ve droned on about pretty much everything on my brain this fine but chilly evening, here is the score:

Concert: A+

Venue: A

Drink Prices: B+*

Audience: A-

Overall: A

*Funny story about the drink prices.  We went to the bar and ordered four drinks.  The bartender tells us the total is $34.  We stare, astonished that the drinks were pretty much $9 each.  She then says the total was closer to $22.  Oh, math.  Why have you forsaken us?

 

Nov22

Best Band Shirt Contest Results

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I know I said 7ish for the results.  But, in my defense, I had to print some business cards, wash my hair and watch TV.  Vital things, people.  Oh, and if you haven’t listened to “Hello Sadness” by Los Campesinos! yet…do it.  For real.  This album is rocking my world AND I’M ONLY ON THE THIRD SONG.  Don’t worry, chicks.  An album review will be forthcoming.

But, before I get to excited talking about Los Campesinos! and my desire to stalk them and squeal like a little girl when I meet them, let’s get back to the contest.

The contest has come full circle (please hear that last sentence in a Darth Vader voice…it’s necessary).  And there is, as it turns out, a decisive winner.  But first, the up-runners:

 

Tying for 5th place:

Sleigh Bells and Linkin Park.

The Sleigh Bells shirt, entered by Jimmy Proszeck:

“I chose it because I think music should reflect pop culture, even if it feeds on itself, which actually happens a lot.  So I chose the Sleigh Bells jersey because it parodies the old Chicago Bulls jersey basketball legend Michael Jordan wore.”

Oddly enough, I picked the shirt for the poll for the same reason that Jimmy picked it.  I liked the throwback to Jordan’s jersey.

The Linkin Park shirt was entered by Ashley Gatlin, but she was unavailable for comment (Note: I love saying that.  Unfortunately, she left her phone in Chicago in an attempt to evade my desperate attempts to reach her.  I find this rude and shall immortalize that rudeness here.  The perfect revenge!).

I picked the shirt because I loved the little video game-esque people on it.  Made me giggle.

In 4th place:

Mister Heavenly.

The Mister Heavenly shirt, entered by Nicole Montgomery:

“The pineapple skinned Noriega, cause he had the nickname Pineapple…face?  Something like that.  For his acne scars.  So, clever, clever shirt.”

I picked it because I thought it looked fun.  After reading what Nicole sent me, I realized that I picked it for all the wrong reasons.  I have been put ever so in my place.

In 3rd place:

Tommy & The High Pilots.

The Tommy & The High Pilots shirt, entered by Brett Zeiler:

“[I picked it] because I knew you liked the shirt and it would give me the best odds of making it to the final poll.”

Yeah.  He pandered.  Did it work?  Yeah.  But only because the shirt is really sweet.  Oh, and have I mentioned that I’m going to a Tommy & The High Pilots concert this Friday?  I have?  Well, just thought I’d remind you.

And now.  The moment most of you probably didn’t bother reading through the post to see…the runner-up is:

Regina Spektor.

The Regina Spektor shirt, entered by Katie Rauhoff:

“1. The shirt “name” is “No Surprises”
2. The proceeds of the shirt go to help Doctors Without Borders. Regina Spektor sold it at a Haiti Relief concert and continues to sell it for the cause of helping the good doctors.AND
3. The person with an unusual head is reading a book. YAY reading!
PS-The name is also a Radiohead song, “No Surprises” I like that it combines two musical talents.”

I loved this shirt.  I mean, who sees shirts like that ever?  Also, it was a refreshing change from some of the more bandcentric shirts on the poll.  Of course, knowing that the shirt was named for a Radiohead song makes the winner that more fortuitous…

In 1st Place:

Radiohead.

Radiohead Shirt, taken by Sherrie G., available at her Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/people/optionthis/

The Radiohead shirt, entered by James Strickland:

“I picked [it] because it was a) clever, what with it being a cover for a body, (b) being rainbow tape for the In Rainbows shirt and (c) the running computer HTML language love affair.”

Have to admit, this was my favorite shirt on the poll, so I’m delighted that you all voted in accordance with my wishes.  I mean, it’s SO clever.  And adorable.  I would wear that shirt.  In fact, I’m currently lusting after it.

Congratulations, James!  You win the $10 iTunes gift card!  Huzzah!

And with that, I wish you a good evening.  And take heart, lovelies.  There will be another contest announced soon.  I have too much fun with these.

Oh, wait!  One more thing.  Did I tell you about the Tommy & The High Pilots concert happening this week in St. Louis.  Yeah.  IN YOUR FACE (unless you made the right decision and are going…then you’re cool and we’ll hang out later).  G’night!

 

Nov20

Ha Ha Tonka Tickets

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Dearies.  This past week has been an exciting one, and this next one will be even better.

Last week, I received these beauties:

Ha Ha Tonka Tickets

Oh, this is going to be the sweetest concert ever.  Tommy & the High Pilots plus Ha Ha Tonka makes for an awesome evening.  I don’t even know what to do with myself, other than to make a playlist, lose myself in it and wait, rather impatiently, for Friday.

Also, don’t forget to vote for the best band shirt.  The poll closes at 6 on Tuesday.  Let your voice and your good taste in shirts be heard!

And that’s really all I wanted to tell you this evening.  Just so you know that my Friday will be better than yours.  Unless you’re going to the concert.  Then I’ll see you there, and we’ll rock it.

Oct29

Colin Meloy v. Chris Funk

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Special treat.  In honor of “Long Live the King” (out Nov. 1), here is a guitar battle between Colin Meloy and Chris Funk at the Decemberists concert in St. Louis at the Pageant on April 27, 2011.

Of course, midway through they brought in help.  Because their expert guitar skills weren’t enough.

It. Was. Great.

Fo’ real.

Also, don’t forget about the contest children.  You need to submit something to win!

Oct3

A Very Ludo Christmas – December 10 – The Pageant, St. Louis

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I am the proud father of Andrew Volpe’s babies. Sure, the name on the birth certificate is simply “St. Louis” but I’m sure my performance during “Whipped Cream” in August was enthusiastic enough.

Half of the people who read this will understand it. The other half will be perplexed, embarrassed and possibly intrigued. For those who really want to know, follow this link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUw-V0GPvQU

If you weren’t offended by that video and accepted it for the upbeat satire it was, high five!  If you shut it off and aren’t reading my blog anymore…fine.  It must be a sad place inside the mind of a person who didn’t laugh and join in the dance.  <end pretentiousness >

Anyway. The point of this post isn’t to mock people who may or may not be in need of mocking.  Rather, you may recall me mentioning a few days ago (http://allysonssetlist.com/2011/09/29/weekly-setlist/) that my Ludo ticket for A Very Ludo Christmas had been mailed.

Well, it got here today.

LUDO PRESENTS A VERY LUDO XMAS 2011!!!

Is that my Ludo ticket resting on my legs bearing Christmas red and green striped knee socks because I got so excited for the concert that I started singing Christmas carols and wanted to dress the part for opening the envelope from Ticketmaster and finally getting my hands on The Red and Green Ticket?

No. That’d be weird.

Ludo Suggested Listening:

“Ludo”:

1. “Good Will Hunting By Myself”

2. “Laundry Girl”

3. “Hum Along”

“Broken Bride”:

ALL OF IT IN ORDER. DO NOT SHUFFLE. It’s a narrative that Andrew Volpe (Ludo’s lead singer) is now writing a book about.  Check it out here: http://brokenbride.tumblr.com/post/8798493302/how-i-got-here-a-poorly-structured-short-story-by

“You’re Awful, I Love You”:

1. “Lake Pontchartrain”

2. “The Horror of Our Love”

3. “Mutiny Below”

4. “Topeka”

5. “Love Me Dead”

“Prepare the Preparations”:

1. “All the Stars in Texas”

2. “Whipped Cream”

3. “Anything For You” (possibly my favorite love song)

4. “Battle Cry”

5. “Manta Rays”