Mae at The Loft

Mae stands for multi-sensory aesthetic experience and that’s exactly what they are. It’s been a while since I’ve been on such a concert high but they were absolutely indescribably amazing. They played such a brilliant set list and were one of the best bands I’ve ever seen to interact with the fans. By the end of the show it was like everyone there was friends-- and we were.

The opening bands, Windsor Drive and The Terrible Things were also great. Windsor Drive were really cute and the perfect way to start off the night. The Terrible Things brought back so many wonderful high school memories. Had you asked me to describe a perfect concert when I was in high school it would have been exactly like watching Terrible Things. It was a ton of energy, super loud, great to sing and dance to and just rocked.

Watching Mae on stage was something I never want to forget. The guys were all smiling and having a blast and singing and playing like nobody’s business. And we in the crowd felt it. The vibe was amazing. We sang along. The reason why concerts are as great as they are is because of the connection that you feel with the band and the people around you and that’s exactly what happened tonight.

And after the show, all the bands stuck around signing stuff and talking with everyone. Dave, the lead singer of Mae gave me a setlist (I asked for it) and I got it signed by the whole band; they are all giant sweethearts. When I was buying some merch, I talked with the singer from Terrible Things and he gave me a sticker and a poster that they all signed. I chatted with Dave for a bit and he told me about a new project that he’s starting and we talked about me getting involved which I am super excited about. I always think it’s funny when they thank me for coming to the show when it’s really me who should be thanking them; they create this fantastic music that helps make my world and my life so much better. Mae might be breaking up but they’ll always be an important band. And at least we have the everglow.

2009: The Musical

Last year I made a playlist to represent the events and emotions of the year. Amazingly, people actually cared. So I've decided to make a tradition out of it. This year's mix is quite a bit longer than last years, which isn't surprising considering all that I have done in the past 12 months. It's been an absolutely amazing year with so many new and old friends who inspired a lot of the songs that make up this mix. So this is for the people who have made this year the best year I've had. I can't wait to see what songs will make up 2010.

I'm trying different hosting options so I'll have a link to listen to the songs and a widget to download any of the songs that you want.
The songs that make up 2009 are:

Delicate-Damian Rice
Bane of Progress-Jeff London
The Sweetest Thing-Camera Obscura
Because The Night-Cascada
Distance-Tiger Saw
Revolver-Isobel Cambell and Mark Lanegan
Never Had Nobody Like You (Featuring Zooey Deschanel)- M.Ward
Don't Forget Me-Mark Lanegan
People C'mon-Delta Spirit
The Gardner-Tallest Man on Earth
Detached-Pump House Gang
Sin-Nine Inch Nails
Clap for the Killers- Street Sweeper Social Club
Wish- Nine Inch Nails
World Spins Madly On- Weepies
Late Night Partner- Ed Harcourt
I'll Take Care of You- Mark Lanegan
Winter- The Dodos
Elephants and Castle- Houston Calls
Alameda- Elliott Smith
Revival- Soulsavers
Rumpus- Karen O. and the Kids
Red and Purple- The Dodos
You've Got Growing Up to Do- Joshua Radin
Sad Sad City- Ghostland Observatory
Scared Money- Saul Williams

Nothing But the Water- Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Wrong About Me- Brett Dennen
Messy Girl- Wakey!Wakey!
Elefantes y Ninas- Rauelsson
You Can Kiss Me-Matthew Dorian
Can't Go Back Now- The Weepies


Link to stream: 2009 Playlist



Addendum: I somehow managed to not add The Ofersures, which is basically a crime considering how important they were this year. So just know that Folk Song for Dogs belongs right after Wish.

Happy Listening

Three Months in Portland: A Recap

Portland has absolutely spoiled me. I’m not really sure what I’m going to do over the next couple years when I most likely won’t have the time, transportation or funds to go to as many concerts as I have been over the past three months. I still can’t believe that it’s already been three months. In that time I’ve gone to so many amazing shows and seen some of the most brilliant performances. The experience so far has been amazing and I guess that I’ve been so busy trying to live it that I’ve neglected my writing.

Bo Burnham performed at the Aladdin Theatre on Oct. 16th. Since I had just seen him in June I figured I would already know most of his routine, but really I had most of his songs memorized anyways so I guess I knew it the first time around as well. While Bo’s songs are hilarious and it’s definitely worth going even if just for those, it’s his interactions with the audience and his jokes between the songs where he’s absolutely golden. He’s so witty and quick with comebacks that you really do hope for a heckler just to watch Bo dismantle them in front of everyone. And thankfully, that’s what happened. Actually, no one is safe from Bo’s jokes. The girls in the front were made fun of for their names, the doorman for looking like Tay Zonday (he really did, it was amazing) and even the venue was made fun of when Bo said that he expected the old men from the Muppets to appear from the balconies they had on the side (A comment I had made earlier in the night and was very excited when Bo made the same observation). Bo Burnham is only 19 years old and he’s able to entertain an audience composed of every age and ethnicity. That’s just awesome and I’m so happy I’ve been able to see it so often and can’t wait to see him again.

The Dodos at the Aladdin Theatre, Oct 25th. I’m just gonna say this was the most disappointing show that I’ve been to. Not to say that it was a bad show, it just wasn’t the amazing experience that the other shows were. The problem was mostly that of the venue and not the bands. While the Aladdin Theatre is a perfect location for a comedian like Bo Burnham, it is most definitely not ideal for a performance like the Dodos. The seating causes everyone to be too quiet for a band that should inspire its listeners to get up and dance along. Because of this, the vibe was, like one of the guys from the opener, the Ruby Suns, said, like playing to a school auditorium. On top of that, I was stuck in the balcony where they had placed the minors. Now I appreciate that they had let the minors in at all, but seriously? The balcony? I hate it when the minors are separated and to put them so far away from the show as if they’ve been punished for not being old enough is insulting. But the show itself was fun. Listening to the Ruby Suns was like listening to island music on mars and made me want to make music videos with dinosaurs and astronauts to go along with it. The Dodos were fantastic and played almost every song that I wanted them to play. The highlight was then they turned off all of the lights to that the whole theatre was pitch black and then lit up balls of light on their drumsticks and the fingers of the guitarist. Watching the moving lights with the music was an amazingly surreal experience. Overall, it wasn’t the best show I’ve ever been to but it was fun and I’d definitely go again provided I could stand and dance along with the band.

Joshua Radin at the Aladdin Theatre, Oct. 30th. Joshua Radin is an amazing performer. He’s good looking, charming and an amazing musician. You can’t ask for a better show. Knowing that his music is rather relaxing, I wasn’t too worried about it being at the Aladdin Theatre because it would be nice to sit down and just enjoy his music. He told stories to every song, joked and interacted with the audience and wore a Powell’s Books t-shirt that had the outline of the state of Oregon, which of course caused everyone in the theatre to cheer. He played a fantastic mix of all of his CD’s including the one he’s currently working on. The show was simply fantastic and I am waiting for his new CD to drop and for him to go on tour again because there is no way that I am not going to be there. On top of all of that, I asked the light guy if he had the set list and he told me that if I waited by the door after the show, he’d try to get it for me and so when I waited at the door he came out with setlist; a nice souvenir for a fantastic show.

Ghostland Observatory at the Crystal Ballroom on November 8th. This was the first techno/dance show that I’ve gone to and I’m definitely a convert. It was brilliant. Non-stop dancing and excitement. It was everything that a show should be: a connection between the artists and audience. I knew that it was going to be a good show when we arrived and there were a few guys in capes already dancing along to the house music. This was also the first big show that I’ve gone to where I didn’t know a lot of songs from the band. I had briefly listened to their stuff that morning and so I had an idea of the kind of show it was going to be and had a few songs that I wanted to listen to. Not only did they play every song that I wanted to hear but every song that they played was great. The one thing that wasn’t awesome was how long they made us wait before the band arrived; the show didn’t start until around 10. But when they did start, they more than made up for the wait. The vibe and energy in the room was unparalleled and when the band left the audience didn’t stop the energy until we got two amazing encores that lasted just long enough to make sure I was thoroughly exhausted. The audience was one of the most diverse I’ve seen, and that’s saying something for Portland, and that everyone was so united for this show was a truly awesome experience.

Saul Williams at the Aladdin Theatre, Nov 15th. One of the coolest, most emotional concerts I’ve ever been to. The openers were good; they succeeded in pumping up the audience and all that jazz. But really, everyone was there for Saul Williams and you could feel the pent up energy as we all waited. When he finally did arrive, the theatre exploded, and for good reason. Arriving with his Mohawk of feathers in his hair, Saul Williams gets attention. If I remember correctly, he began the show with List of Demands, but don’t quote me on that. Regardless, every song performed, every poem recited was outstanding and by the time he covered Sunday Bloody Sunday it was one of the best audiences I’ve ever been a part of. There’s just something about Saul Williams fans that makes them awesome. It was by far the best show I’ve been to as far as range of fans go. I wish I could explain how electric the energy was. Being right against the stage, it radiated from all around me and the connection between everyone there was inspiring. Plus, I caught one of the feathers that he took out of his hair and threw to the audience. I'm gonna cherish it forever. Saul Williams said that he’s going to start working on his next album after this tour and when that album drops and he goes on tour to promote it, I’m going to be there in the audience because when Saul Williams performs, you don’t miss it.

Soulsavers with Mark Lanegan

First concert in Portland was an undeniable success. You can't get much better than Mark Lanegan.

We arrived in time for the opening act but I have no idea who they were. What I do know is that I'm still confused by what I saw. They were a pretty good band, I'll give them that. Kinda dark and ethereal and the lead singer was a woman with a pretty cool voice. Most of the songs were pretty mellow but they had a couple songs that were full of energy and I think that's where they shined. They actually reminded me a lot of The Duke Spirit, especially her voice. But I can't shake the feeling that the whole time she was performing she was seeing something the rest of us couldn't. I don't know if she was high or if it was all an act but her weird looks and antics kept me more than entertained. There was something about the whole thing that made it seem like some secret magical ritual and that she was actually casting a spell on us instead of just singing. Maybe we looked like idiots giggling throughout their set but I couldn't help it.

But then the Soulsavers came on and it was brilliant. They started off with The Seventh Proof, the first instrumental from their new album. They sound exactly the same, if not better, live as they do on the album. Although because it was an instrumental, Mark Lanegan didn't come out so when the song was ending and he came out by himself, the place blew up. It was obvious then that people were fans of Soulsavers because of Mark Lanegan and not really the other way around. Which isn't surprising considering I'm the same way. He started off with Ghosts of You and Me from their second album and hearing him sing the chorus

Some say this Highway seven
Is a long and lonesome road
Don't ask me little Rosa
Which direction I am going

actually gave me chills. Every song he did was just perfect. He barely acknowledges the audience, looks down almost the whole time, squints and closes his eyes but it doesn't matter. That's Mark Lanegan. He's the man with the voice that sounds like whiskey and cigarettes. Everything about him: his voice, his persona, it all hints at this man with a dark past. A man who survived so much that you'll never know about. And that's what makes his music so amazing. Especially when he sings the sweeter songs like Some Misunderstanding and You Will Miss Me When I Burn. Even though he didn't write those songs, it's obvious that he feels them and it's the layers and the softness underneath all his rough edges that make hims so fascinating.
And they didn't only play Soulsavers songs, the Wonder Ballroom absolutely erupted when they played Hit The City. You could hear people sing along and the energy in room absolutely engulfed everything. They also played Kingdom of Rain, a song of his that is also on the album. Since that's one of my favorite songs of Lanegan's it was just so wonderful to actually hear it live. You just can't help but melt hearing that gravely voice asking you

Would you put halos in your hair
Without a hope without a prayer
With lies close to your breast
You finally lay your shame to rest
Before I go, I'll hang in a cross on nails
I hung on for you in there
And every kingdom of rain comes fallin' down
Cause I loved you so long

Just like on the new CD, there was this Australian singer, Red Ghost, who accompanied him on some of the songs and even sang solo a couple times. Mark Lanegan always sounds fantastic when paired with a woman's soft voice. They compliment each other so well that they just make the other sound even more amazing.

Like every other concert I go to my only complaint is that it had to end. And before the encore they hadn't performed the one song that I desperately wanted to hear, Revival, or the song Sunrise but I would be able to handle not hearing that song performed. And so when they went away I could only hope that they would come back to perform it. When they did come back it was sans Mark Lanegan and Red Ghost sang one of her tracks on the album which of course was great but not what I wanted to hear. And then Mark Lanegan came back. And sang Revival. And at that moment, I could die happy.

I really hope that the concert was an omen for what the rest of this experience is going to be like but I doubt that any other show will match this one and I'm okay with that because this show was everything I could hope for.

All the songs that they played (fairly certain) but not exactly in order:

Ghosts of You and Me
Death Bells
Unbalanced Pieces
You Will Miss Me When I Burn
Some Misunderstanding
Hit The City
Rolling Sky
Jesus of Nothing
Paper Money
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Praying Ground
Revival

The Reason

I read somewhere that Amanda Palmer didn't get into music for the music but just as a way to connect with others. Ben Corman, a fantastic writer wrote this post about how he's a writer because that's the only thing he can be. And that lead me to a realization about myself. Everything decision I've made was based on connecting with others. My whole life, my reason for everything was around that goal. From soccer, to yearbook, to AcaDeca,the AmeriCorps and most definitely my reason for being in music was in order to be a part of something.

It's the reason why I'm here in Portland, the reason why I prefer cities, the reason why I love the Internet so much. I suppose there are those people who prefer to live their lives in their own bubble, who can allow the world to carry on without them having to be a part of it. But I want to be a part of everything. I hate sleeping because I know that things are happening that I am not a part in. The world is rapidly changing and I want to be in the midst of it. One of my greatest fears is to miss out on what is going on in our day and age. In the twenties I would have been a poet or a suffragette, the fifties and sixties I would have been involved in civil rights and peace protests. It's a good thing I wasn't alive in the seventies because that was all crazy parties and drugs. Ten years ago it would have been all about the tech boom but now, now it's the Internet and music. Now it's media and communication. And that's what I'm going to be in.

I don't want to live in a bubble. I want to be in the middle of the vortex.

Music is nothing without the people involved. The musicians need the artists as much as the fans need the music. Music has always been about "this is who I am" and the people who relate to that. And the Internet has taken it one step further. No longer is it just the musicians saying "this is who I am" but now the fan can say "and this is who I am".

Sam Potts is a guy in Boston. I'm think he has some sort of marketing company, but I'm not really sure. But he's a friend of Jonathan Coulton and I follow JCo on Twitter. When JCo tweeted about Sam Potts's new art project, Twitter on Paper, I listened. I followed Sam Potts and filled out the forms. Twitter on Paper was a project he was doing where anyone could request any of the tweets he had done and he would write them and send to you. It was like backwards technology and I loved it. I requested three, received them and they were fantastic. The best part was the note attached that had his address and said you were free to send anything you wanted to him. And even when the project ended, I continued to follow him. He's a really interesting guy and when I posted pictures of my framed Twitter on Papers he responded. When I asked him about his new project because it was going to launch on my birthday he explained and wished me a happy birthday in advance. Without the Internet, I never would have known who Sam Potts was. But my day is made with those kinds of connections. For me, life is all about those connections. I adore Sam Potts but I've never met him and I probably never will. And that's okay.

People scoff at social networking like blogs, Facebook and Twitter. They don't understand why you would want to know what everyone is doing. Why some lady would write about her five cats, or some guy the car he's building, or some kid about her love of music. But all we're doing is saying, "this is what I'm about, what are you about?" Because this blog, music, the AmeriCorps, and putting myself out there is what I'm about. What are you about?

Full Steam Ahead

I am moving to Portland. More or less. That's crazy.

I am so excited for the trip. I know that I'm going to volunteer and that my main focus has to stay on the work but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't equally looking forward to the musical possibilities.

First, the opportunity to work with one of my favorite record labels (fingers crossed). I have no idea how that is gonna work but I hope it does. I'm willing to do nearly anything for the label so it should be a learning experience, to say the least. Plus if it does work, I might get to hang out with some awesome musicians which would just be the greatest thing of my life. I'll find out when I get there if this dream is gonna become a reality or if I'm just chasing another dead end.

And the thing I'm most excited for, the shows. I have spent some major amounts of time looking up who's gonna be playing in Portland over the next couple months and it's looking pretty good.

Joshua Radin on Oct. 30th. There's almost no way that I'm gonna miss this show. His songs are just the sweetest thing and I'm already looking forward to it.

The Dodos on Oct. 25th. SO glad that I was recently introduced to them. They are amazing and they're gonna be even better live than on CD. Plus it'll be the perfect indie show considering the band and my location. I can't wait to see all the stereotypes fulfilled. I've been listening to a lot of the Visiter album and there are a couple tracks (Winter, Red and Purple) that I'm obsessed with.

Bo Burnham. Alright, so not your traditional music, but awesome nonetheless. I don't care that I've just seen him a couple months ago, he's the funniest nineteen year old alive and I adore him.

And the most exciting show and probably the least likely one I am to go to: Soulsavers feat. Mark Lanegan. As of right now, the fact that it's 21+ is proving to be a bit tricky but I'll see what happens as I may be able to get in. If I do get to go, I'm fairly certain I'll die. I'm currently listening to the new Soulsavers album, Broken, and it is brilliant. There's just something so perfect in this indescribable mix of rock and gospel and of piano, guitar and synths. And the singers are unbeatable. Of course Mark Lanegan sounds gritty and sad and haunting on every track he's on. The new female singer has a beautiful voice that holds it's own when matched with Lanegan and absolutely shines when it's on its own on the final track. I'm totally in love with the songs You Will Miss Me When I Burn and Some Misunderstanding. This CD has totally cemented my love and respect for Soulsavers and I just have to be able to see them live.

New music for a new adventure, what more can a girl as for?

Because the Night

Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to lust
Because the night belongs to lovers
Because the night belongs to us
~Cascada

Friday night I went to UCSB for a free Cascada show.

After spending the day in SB with my friends (try Lilly's near State St. for fantastic tacos) we headed over to Storke Plaza where the show was to take place. We got there a bit before 9 o'clock and the battle of the DJ's that was taking place before Cascada had already started. I was lucky enough to hear that they were playing Basshunter's DOTA as we arriving and since I adore that song I took it as a good sign.

The first DJ's were alright. They played a lot of popular songs, had a pretty good mix, transitioned pretty well and had some songs that were really fun. They danced a bit and since it wasn't too crowded it was fun. They did have some issues though, they played songs for far too long and even I know that when DJing you gotta switch it up often enough to keep the people interested. Especially at the end when they played all of Shout. I mean, yeah, it's a fun song but there are a dozen spots in the song where you should change it to another song. It was their last song so I suppose they thought it would be fun to go through the whole thing but honestly, epic fail. It kind of ruined them for me.

The second DJ was absolutely fantastic. I wish I knew who it was so that I could mention him by name but I never caught any of their names. He had a great mix, fun popular songs and even the songs that I didn't recognize were still easy to get into and easy to dance to. He had some absolutely brilliant transitions that made everything really smooth and with the little studying that I did on DJing I recognize as being pretty fricken hard to learn. Not only that, but the DJ was really fun. He'd get in front of the mixtables dance, get really into it, and time it perfectly to be back and switch the song. There was this one moment where he had his arms thrown out in time with a crescendo, the stage lights created a back light and he looked truly epic. (Actually looked like Jesus). Watching him up there reminded me how much I want to learn how to DJ and get a crowd going in such an amazing way.

After the second DJ, the third is nothing to rave about. The majority of song choices were trance which I feel only those on drugs really are able to get into. He also made the same mistake the first DJ's did in letting the songs go entirely too long. Plus, the dude had the bad luck of being the last DJ before Cascada. By the time he started all I wanted him to do was stop so that we could get to the awesomeness that is Eurodance. On top of all of this, by this time the place filled up with annoying drunk girls who made it impossible for me to either see or dance. Honestly people, if you choose to come late to a show, you no longer have the right to for chains of 15 people and push your way to the front. One of these days someone is just going to get sick of it and punch these girls in the face. I only hope I'm there to see it.

Finally, at 1030, after an hour and a half of DJ's, Cascada took the stage. First, her accent is adorable. My brother compared her to a chipmunk and while accurate makes her seem more annoying than she it. She's so cute. So despite my initial apprehensions, she sounded fantastic. Just as good as on the CD. I was seriously impressed. The crowds made it really hard for me to enjoy the first couple songs but halfway through my brother and I moved to a spot on these steps that were near the stage and not only could I see but I had enough room to dance. Which is a godsend at a show like that. It's just not the same if you can't go crazy. If there is anything I would complain, and did complain, about her set it was that it was entirely too short. I know it was a free show and that seeing her at all is fantastic, but really 30 min? That's all? That's half a set and I was really hoping for more. Nevertheless, great beats and an amazing voice made it a show to remember. She really is a great performer and played all her greatest songs. It was a lot of fun and given the opportunity I would definitely go, and pay, to another show. My sore throat after the show only proves that it's the kind of amazing show where you can just let go and have an absolute blast with your friends.

I almost forgot the best part of the show; she had the corniest introduction ever. I'm so glad that someone recorded it and put it on youtube.



Set list:
Miracle
How Do You Do
Perfect Day
Because the Night
Everytime We Touch
What Hurts the Most