We here at The Stu Reid Experiment go to a lot of concerts, there's no denying that. Hardly a week goes by that we aren't out somewhere in Boston checking out some live music. I personally find a lot of rejuvenation in seeing live music - there's an energy in concert that just can't quite be captured on a record. Sometimes, (like the Cut Copy show we saw at the House of Blues in March), a concert doesn't live up to the hype of an album. More frequently (like the Ramona Falls show I caught at Great Scott in September) an album really comes to life on stage, taking on new form that convinces you to revisit it for months to come. And that's the beauty of live music.
Since there's no real point in ranking the top concerts of the year, here are our favorite half dozen concerts from the first half of 2009, in chronological order. Check back in tomorrow for the second half!
Blitzen Trapper with Alela Diane @ The Paradise, February 26th
TSRE Alela Diane Review
Without Alela's voice, the band would be a pretty standard folksy affair, with slight pops and interesting rhythms coming from the percussion. With Alela's voice, however, it's a force to be reckoned with - one of the few openers I've felt could carry a headlined show on its own.
TSRE Blitzen Trapper Review
Blitzen Trapper took the stage and absolutely put on a party. Folky jams started off woodsy and were transformed into flannel lined dance hits. While the more well known hits, like Black River Killer and Wild Mountain Nation were great as to be expected, songs like Gold for Bread and Saturday Nite really displayed Blitzen Trapper's awesome sense of funky rhythm that they so seamlessly integrate into their overall folky style.
Noah and the Whale with Anni Rossi @ The Paradise, April 29th
TSRE Anni Rossi Review
In appearance, Rossi is refreshingly normal - not too hipster, hippie, hip-hop. She looks like a really talented woman who wants her music to speak for itself. Which it does. Using a combination of pizzicato, bowing, percussion against the viola itself, foot stomps, and col legno (playing with the wood of the bow) she makes beautiful music while rooted to a single spot on stage. Oh, and did I mention she also has an amazing voice?
Melophobe Noah and the Whale Review
Charlie Fink, lead singer of Noah and the Whale, interrupted his set after three songs to explain to the crowd—in a devastatingly British way—that he had lost his voice while filming a movie to accompany the band’s latest album. Worst (or best) of all, he noted, throughout their recent tour, “no one seemed to care.” “Makes you feel valued,” he deadpanned.
If anything, Fink’s struggling voice added texture to Noah and the Whale’s music throughout a well paced and surprisingly rock ‘n roll thirteen-song set at the Paradise on Wednesday night. Note to aspiring musicians/mathematicians: slow love songs + trembling voice = vulnerable hero.
Lady Sovereign @ The Paradise, May 3rd
TSRE Review Melophobe Review
I came into Lady Sovereign’s show at The Paradise on Sunday night not knowing what to expect from a girl with a shaky performance record and a sub-par sophomore album. I left with a new hope in the S.O.V. and a crush on a girl who burps into microphones on a nightly basis.
From start to finish, Sov pounded through a high energy set, leading the crowd in top-40 sing-a-longs of “So Human” and “Love Me Or Hate Me,” while injecting a fierce energy into album dud “Pennies” and a roaring cover of Metro Station’s “Shake It.” Final count: 3 shirts, 2 hats, 1 pair of sunglasses, 0 breakdowns.
Atmosphere with Brother Ali @ The House of Blues, May 13th
TSRE Review
Atmosphere's frontman, Slug, was clearly impressed by the Boston masses. "Intimidating", he called the crowd at the House of Blues, saying that the audience for him represents the city, and that he'd never played a crowd like this. For all I know, he says that in every city. But he says it well, and it seemed like he meant it. And from the first verse he dropped until the end of the night he had the crowd waving their hands, raising their voices, and revelling in the jubilation of the night.
For me, though, the real show was in that opening act. Brother Ali is my favorite rapper around, and his performance on Wednesday night straight up blew the roof off of the House of Blues. With a tight set of 9 songs, he proselytized newcomers while preaching to a multitude of existing fans. An informal poll from the stage revealed that half the venue had seen Ali before. Given his performance, it's no surprise that they came back for seconds.
Brother Ali - The Preacher (YSI)
TV On The Radio with Dirty Projectors @ House of Blues, June 4th
TSRE Dirty Projectors Review
Playing exclusively from their new (and...um...FANTASTIC) album, Bitte Orca, Dirty Projectors melted faces in a weird and quirky way that only they can. Their sound was crisp and clear, with Dave Longstreth's vocals placed front and center where they belong.
TSRE TV On The Radio Review
Standing before a huge, beautiful patchwork cloth backdrop of swirling colors and subtle pattern, TVOTR let lose with blistering renditions of all the heavy hitters like Wolf Like Me and Staring at the Sun that left Tunde literally dripping with sweat and the crowd seething. Because they are such great musicians, TVOTR are able to expand and alter their songs live, creating a unique experience each time I have seen them. Having seen so many concerts in the past year, TVOTR reminded me of what is a truly amazing concert and why they are my favorite band.
TV On The Radio - The Wrong Way (YSI)
Passion Pit with Harlem Shakes @ The Paradise, June 18th
TSRE Harlem Shakes Review
The set opened with a percussion heavy rendition of "TFO", an oft-overlooked banger off of their debut LP Technicolor Health. The song saw three members of the band banging away on both the drum kit and a standalone snare, kicking things off with a literal bang. They never looked back.
Passion Pit cranked up the synths and special effects for a massive 45 minute long dance party. Ripping through choice cuts from Chunk of Change and Manners the crowd had barely any chance to catch its breath from dancing during the nine song set. Highlights included the entire crowd screaming OH NO! at the top of its collective lungs in time with Better Things and a full fledged sing-a-long during the chorus of Little Things. Despite a furious pace, Passion Pit sounded absolutely fabulous, great production along with crisp and clean effects.
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