Random Music Talk CXXXI: Interference Finally Gets Its Revenge on Cobbler - Page 8

cobl04 · 02-26-2023, 04:54 AM

I wish I'd fucking listened to Harry's House before he finished his two-night stop in Melbourne. I'd have gone to see him for sure. This album is great.

LemonMelon · 02-26-2023, 07:23 AM

Revisited this gem today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg8U3YG9wCA

Best drums ever recorded on a late night performance? Absolutely incredible sound and feel. And there's a chunk missing from the cymbal!

cobl04 · 02-26-2023, 07:58 PM

I’ve got a recommendation for people, Toby Martin. I saw him open for Paul Dempsey (Something for Kate lead singer and one of my favourite musicians ever) a couple weeks ago and I really enjoyed his set, so I checked out his solo record, I Felt the Valley Lifting, which is a delight. It’s a mix of folk and indie, somewhat in the style perhaps of Neutral Milk Hotel, in that it can be fucking annoying as hell and really terrible but I feel like he pulls it off by not staying in that annoying lane for the entire length of the songs, and the band around him is excellent. The song below is a good example. The lyrics are quite interesting, the record is largely written from ho-hum experiences of living in a small British village, and at times they’re so earnest that it takes you out of the song, but he does pull it off for the most part. He was very funny and sweet live. The most interesting part of all of this for me was I googled him when I got home, and it turns out he’s the lead singer of Youth Group, who had that gigantic hit with their cover of Forever Young 15 or so years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6q4-8sgPoE

Joey788 · 02-27-2023, 04:12 PM

I listened to the debut of Brooklyn guitarist and songwriter Miss Grit this weekend and it's absolutely fantastic. Likely to be one of my favorite debuts of the year. They've cultivated a memorable vision built on unexpected mixes supernatural synths, exhilarating guitar, and poised vocals. This is one of those albums that's the full package - reminds me a bit of St. Vincent and her full-on transformations for each release cycle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZFxE1LcNsM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DVE2YjMLMA

Also, what does everyone here think of the new Gorillaz?

cobl04 · 03-03-2023, 05:54 AM

PAVEMENT WERE FUCKlNG SICK

Hewson · 03-03-2023, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobl04

PAVEMENT WERE FUCKlNG SICK

Probably the Aussie water gave them parasites or something.

gump · 03-03-2023, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobl04

PAVEMENT WERE FUCKlNG SICK

They were so great when I saw them last year. It’s either that or I was just happy to be amongst the youngest portion of the audience for once.

gump · 03-03-2023, 08:32 PM

On a separate note, Big Thief - whom I saw last night - remain as prolific as ever. It's crazy to think that they are debuting great new songs like it's nothing while they tour their long and incredibly diverse double album (which, if I think about it, might be my favorite double album of the century). And that's three years after releasing two great albums in the same freaking year, and with Adrienne releasing really good solo albums in between. Crazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XCMoPu8TXw

cobl04 · 03-03-2023, 10:15 PM

Wow, what a fucking show.

I went in excited, cos I do really like Pavement (although my knowledge extends only to Crooked Rain and Quarantine the Past) but it was another gig that blew my expectations out of the water.

Some other bits first... got stinged on parking, $16.52. The Palais Theatre is also in St Kilda, so completely on the other side of town for me, although I don't mind driving. It is a beautiful venue, but it is truely a theatre, meaning it's all seated. I was on the upper level and pretty immediately wished I'd gotten a ticket on the floor level right up close. Not sure how other people feel, whether you're younger or older (or perhaps not able-bodied), but I fucking haaaaaate sitting at gigs. (There's only one gig I've been to in my entire life that I was happy to sit for and that was Tim Hecker, who played in a small bar near my place, and he just played like four drone notes for an hour. It was at an all-standing venue, and everyone ended up sitting on the floor.) I'd have loved to stand in my seat the whole time but I only feel comfortable doing that at gigs where heaps of people stand up (it happened at Phoebe Bridgers thankfully - about 15 seconds into the first song and most people were standing). I got up at the end of a few songs and cheered and during Gold Soundz and Range Life I had to stand for bits and shred some air guitar. So, that, combined with the fact that I was a fair way back and up from the stage meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have if I was done on the floor.

Anyway, onto the amazing gig. I LOVE them now. Like, they've completely elevated themselves to a new level in my eyes. I'd love to hear from people who've seen them, and how they compare on this tour to that reunion tour in 2010 and to their active days. Cos last night, they were fucking incredible. They sounded phenomenal and their collective stage presence is a joy to watch, as I'll get into more below.

I loved how they came out on stage. They opened with a track called Our Singer, not a great song imo, but it started with the main drummer coming out (which I felt certain was a younger black or biracial dude, but all the info I can see suggests it's their longtime drummer Steve West, so don't know what the fuck is wrong with me) first, and then Stephen walks out and waves and starts playing the song. As it builds, the rest of the band come out during the song, waving and smiling and hyping up the crowd, it was really cool. It was one of a number of moments from them where they just felt cool, chill, authentic, low-fi, a bit ramshackle, laid back, I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but it was really cool.

Frontwards was fucking sick, and it's at this juncture that I'll just say how fucking blown away I was with the guitar playing. Like one of the two main reasons I've loved the band since I got Quarantine the Past from Amoeba on my America trip with family in 2010 is because the guitar is just so good (the other being Malkmus' vocals, which are just so unique, again not quite sure how to describe them, but they've got this laidback, warm, tone to them that feel really heartfelt, but then he can also really scream and go to another register without breaking too) and Frontwards is a great example.

Next were a few tracks that I didn't know, all from Wowee Zowee I see, Kennel District was probably my favourite of these. Then came the classic Shady Lane, this was one of a number of moments were the crowd lost their shit during songs, which I really enjoyed, and enjoyed being part of... this is a band that has retired twice, hasn't released new music in nearly a quarter century, and the theatre was absolutely packed, with heaps of people singing lots of the words or cheering wildly when certain songs started up. I love how Stephen and the band really play up the "all we/I want is a shady line" lines, so fun. I adore this song man, so many memorable lanes...

"You're so beautiful to look at when you cry / Freeze, don't move / You've been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life"
"I'm an island of such great complexity"
"Tell, me off / In the hotel lobby right in front of all the bellboys and the over-friendly conceriege"

I particularly love how Malkmus pulls off those two final lines in the verses, the'yre both one line that go way over what feels like an acceptable line and you can hear it and feel it, but it sounds great and it really elevates the song too. Interesting they don't do the J vs S part, not that it matters or is needed, just found it interesting. I'd be interested to know the J vs S backstory if anyone knows.

Stereo was the first song of the night where I was like yeah, this gig is fucking great. It's one of their 'silly' songs, for lack of a better word, in that it's got some funky shit in it, like the opening line, "you'll just have to wait", the way Malkmus sings the ramrod line sounds so sarcastic, and then the Geddy Lee stuff. The chorus is fucking mega, I was belting it out loud. So cathartic.

I'll take this juncture to talk about Bob Nastanovich. This man is absolute chaos. Didn't know much about him going in, save for that he's a member of the band, but he's absolutely insane. He sits off to the side with a drum kit and some synthesisers, he's got a suitcase of shit of shit behind him, and at any given moment he'll just get up, grab a tambourine and start wandering around the stage belting it. But that's like a quarter of his thing. He does all the weird little ad libs "you'll just have to wait", "I know him, and he does". In between songs, he's often yelling random shit. After one song, "we've got a special ping pong ball giveaway tonight" and starts throwing ping pong balls into the crowd. After another song, "it's time for the soap giveaway" and starts asking who's filthy and throwing them bars of soap. At one point he disappears into the crowd and it takes three or four minutes for him to find his way back onto the stage, after the next song. He also plays a rapper's hype man role during a few songs, taking the mic and wandering around repeating the end of lines under Stephen, and at other times taking the lead and screaming as if he's at a metal gig, like on Stereo, Embassy Row, Two States and Unfair.

Overall, their stage presence is amazing. Spiral Stairs (again, a backstory I'd like to know about) is also really engaged with the crowd, sings a few of the songs, and is so good on guitar. Scott West also does a fair bit of chat, as does Stephen, and they're always wandering around, looking like they're having a fucking ball. Stephen's stage presence is terrific, I like that he's off on stage left, he's definitely less extroverted than Stairs and Bob, but he's quite funny and I just really enjoy watching his physicality... plays guitar behind himself sometimes, throws it around, plays some songs on the floor, and seems to really enjoy the moments where Spiral Stairs or Bob are singing... during Painted Soldiers which is a Stairs song he just plays guitar and dance/walks in patterns around the stage. They've also got a touring member on keys, Rebecca Cole, she was great. Her and the bassist mostly just play music.

Gold Soundz is one of my favourite songs ever and though I loved hearing it, it wasn't one of my favourite performances of the night. Picks up a bit during the instrumental middle eight (is that what that's called?) and I got up and played air guitar but it was probably one of the few tracks of the night that didn't feel as good as the studio version. Still, what a joy to hear those iconic lines, "So drunk / in the August sun / and you're the kinda girl I like..."

Perfume-V was another song I didn't know, was cool, some funny stuff from Bob with the background vocals.

Then came Grounded, another of my favourite songs of all time, it has surely got to be up there with the very best alt rock (are they alt rock, indie rock or lo-fi?) songs ever written. That riff is absolute fucking magic, and Malkmus' vocals and lyrics just make me melt. I couldn't quite tell if it was Stephen or Stairs playing the mega guitar riffs, either way, Malkmus was throwing himself around and it was magic to watch. I sorely wish I'd been closer in because I wanted to get the feeling of being swallowed up by the guitar, so from my vantage point I didn't lose myself in the song as much as I wished I had, but if anything it's given me even more love for the song. The final crescendo is otherworldly.

Embassy Row is another one of those heavier rockers that was fucking heaps of fun, Bob really sent it during this one. Two States was fun as hell, and I really enjoy the levity of their pro-NoCal songs. Hadn't heard Major Leagues before, thought it was a great song. Unfair ruled, and then they launched into Range Life, such a great song and it translated well live. And so much fun hearing the Smashing Pumpkins/Stone Temple Pilots verse live. Amazing. The crowd screaming during "don't worry / we're in no hurry". Stop Breathin' came next, the second half of that was fucking aaaaaaawesome. So loud and heavy. The setlist says they played their biggest hit, Harness Your Hopes, next. They playing Starlings of the Slipstream around here, I enjoyed it.

The penultimate song before the encore was perhaps my favourite part of the night. Setlist says it was Type Slowly, it went for about 10 minutes and the musicianship on show during an extended instrumental break was phenomenal. The guitaring, the drumming, it was absolute magic. Love to know if this is a common thing and if it was indeed Type Slowly.

Summer Babe closed the main set, it was so warmly received and so well played, great song. They got a very long round of claps and cheers before they came out for the encore. They fucked around for a bit and Stephen started hanging shit on Foo Fighters, singing a few lines of some of their songs, including Everlong, a cappella, and was like "his lyrics are worse than mine", which got the crowd laughing. Spit on a Stranger was good, then a Spiral Stairs song, during which Malkmus did that dance/walk around the stage, so cool to see. "Time to cry", one of them announced as they launched into the beautiful Here.

By this point, it had been a 10/10 show and I was like, how are they gonna end this, and then as they started Cut Your Hair the crowd just went fucking nuts and they all looked like they were having such a good song. And I stood up and shredded air guitar to high heaven during that solo/middle eight part/whatever it's called. Such a joyous moment, actually this was my favourite part of the night. They then closed with a cover, the setlist says, I found the original and it sounds nothing like what they played although I recognised the line "makes me glad that I'm not dead".

And then that was it. They slowly left stage, so appreciative of the crowd, Malkmus and Stairs spending a fair bit of time thanking the front-left pocket of fans, Scott West taking a pic of the crowd. A fucking fantastic show, and I blasted Crooked Rain all the way home. The only thing setlist-wise that could have made the show better for me would have been Box Elder and Fillmore Jive, sadly they didn't play either. I would absolutely go and see them again if they were playing another Melbourne show, sadly they aren't. They seem to really change up their setlists, both songs played and order, from show to show, too. I feel very grateful to have seen them, and I hope I get another chance in the future.

cobl04 · 03-04-2023, 06:57 AM

Tonight I saw Bon Iver and for once I don't have the words. Maybe the second best concert I've seen behind my first U2 show in 2006. Spiritual and healing.

u2popmofo · 03-04-2023, 03:38 PM

I have tickets for Pavement in May and Bon Iver in August. You've got me psyched for both, Cobbz.

Have you checked out the new DJ Koze track yet?

cobl04 · 03-04-2023, 08:35 PM

It's interesting with Bon, I had gone off them quite a bit with i,i, sort of felt like I just lost interest, the increasingly stupid song titles playing a part in that. He hadn't played in Melbourne in 11 years. And last night it all just came flooding back. I was crying for a lot of the night. The reason I loved it so much had as much to do with my own mental health, my inner voices like my anxiety and my punitive critic, last night as the first few songs were playing it just felt like this stronger, powerful version of myself came rushing back in to let me know that I'm ok, and it was just so emotional and healing, after a long period of struggle. It really did feel spiritual.

The show itself was phenomenal, and it was really nice to be reminded of my love for their music after so long. It's so funny, Justin just looks like a truck driver, he's a touch meaty, he's going bald, and he just rolls out on stage in a headband and headphones and stands in front of whatever the fuck his incredible setup is and creates the most remarkable sounds. Band was incredible. I really enjoyed all the i,i songs, they played a super joyous cover of a Big Red Machine song, Re Stacks destroyed me and everything after that just felt like a victory lap. Gordi, the opener, was magic as well, I went somewhere during her set.

And no, I haven't, and can't find it?

u2popmofo · 03-05-2023, 12:25 AM

I haven't listened to Bon Iver much over the last several years either, they were announced for a concert series this week that I already had a season pass to. Look forward to the show

I've been listening to the DJ Koze track on Spotify, but I found it on Youtube as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VN1TOHZCQo

cobl04 · 03-08-2023, 03:58 AM

Another thing I'm super grateful to Pavement for is introducing me to this beautiful song Witchi Tia To (also called Witchi Tai To and Witchitai-to) by Jim Pepper. (Oh sorry, upon further research, it appears to be a Peyote song.) Appears he was a Native American jazz artist, played sax and sang. They closed with it.

There's two versions I've found, the first I found online (a bit hard to find!) this version, which appears to be from an album of his from 1988 called The Path, it's fucking gorgeous, I absolutely adore it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNZqgsW-dSM

There's also this longer and rockier version from his 1971 debut album called Peppers Wow Wow, which I assume is the one people know better and which Pavement covered. It's as good. Very uplifting and also beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2YeEUlyhQw

"Water spirit feelin' springin' round my head / Makes me feel glad that I'm not dead

If anyone knows more, please share!

cobl04 · 03-11-2023, 09:20 PM

Saw Camp Cope's final ever gig last night. It was pretty special to see so many women losing their fucking minds screaming the lyrics to The Opener. They've made a big impact

LuckyNumber7 · 03-12-2023, 03:45 PM

The Cure out here implementing what I think is the best possible anti scalping system

prbiker15 · 03-24-2023, 10:05 PM

New Depeche Mode album is out. And it’s great.

Forgot to post my thoughts about the lead single, Ghosts Again, but in my opinion it’s their strongest since “Precious”. Love it.

mikal · 03-24-2023, 10:30 PM

Empire State Bastard first single. So good.

cobl04 · 03-29-2023, 06:49 PM

Gee Pitchfork Music Festival is exceptional value for the lineup. We pay so much more for three-day festivals here that don't have a lineup a quarter as good.

namkcuR · 03-30-2023, 05:39 PM

So two upcoming releases that I haven't seen mentioned (unsurprising since this place is so slow nowadays) but that would probably be of interest:

Boygenius - after their three solos albums - are finally putting an LP out together called "The Record". It drops tomorrow. Four tracks have been available on streaming for awhile, and they're pretty good. Honestly, I liked Phoebe's album, but I wasn't that excited by Julien or Lucy's, but I do like these tracks, so I'm hopeful.

Leslie Feist - so nobody talks about her much anymore, but she was pretty popular around here during B&C's heydey 15+ years ago. She's a putting a new record, "Multitudes" out in a couple weeks. Four tracks are already available, and they're really good imo. Two of them are pretty sparse, acoustic type tracks, and the other are sort of indie-rock type tracks. I'm familiar with her stuff from the 00s, and really haven't listened to anything of hers from the last ten years, but I really enjoyed these four tracks and am looking forward to the full record.

02-26-2023, 04:54 AM	#141
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,011 Local Time: 09:00 AM	I wish I'd fucking listened to Harry's House before he finished his two-night stop in Melbourne. I'd have gone to see him for sure. This album is great. __________________

03-30-2023, 05:39 PM	#160
namkcuR ONE love, blood, life Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Kettering, Ohio Posts: 10,767 Local Time: 07:00 PM	So two upcoming releases that I haven't seen mentioned (unsurprising since this place is so slow nowadays) but that would probably be of interest: Boygenius - after their three solos albums - are finally putting an LP out together called "The Record". It drops tomorrow. Four tracks have been available on streaming for awhile, and they're pretty good. Honestly, I liked Phoebe's album, but I wasn't that excited by Julien or Lucy's, but I do like these tracks, so I'm hopeful. Leslie Feist - so nobody talks about her much anymore, but she was pretty popular around here during B&C's heydey 15+ years ago. She's a putting a new record, "Multitudes" out in a couple weeks. Four tracks are already available, and they're really good imo. Two of them are pretty sparse, acoustic type tracks, and the other are sort of indie-rock type tracks. I'm familiar with her stuff from the 00s, and really haven't listened to anything of hers from the last ten years, but I really enjoyed these four tracks and am looking forward to the full record. __________________

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03-03-2023, 05:54 AM	#145
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,011 Local Time: 09:00 AM	PAVEMENT WERE FUCKlNG SICK

03-03-2023, 10:15 PM	#149
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,011 Local Time: 09:00 AM	Wow, what a fucking show. I went in excited, cos I do really like Pavement (although my knowledge extends only to Crooked Rain and Quarantine the Past) but it was another gig that blew my expectations out of the water. Some other bits first... got stinged on parking, $16.52. The Palais Theatre is also in St Kilda, so completely on the other side of town for me, although I don't mind driving. It is a beautiful venue, but it is truely a theatre, meaning it's all seated. I was on the upper level and pretty immediately wished I'd gotten a ticket on the floor level right up close. Not sure how other people feel, whether you're younger or older (or perhaps not able-bodied), but I fucking haaaaaate sitting at gigs. (There's only one gig I've been to in my entire life that I was happy to sit for and that was Tim Hecker, who played in a small bar near my place, and he just played like four drone notes for an hour. It was at an all-standing venue, and everyone ended up sitting on the floor.) I'd have loved to stand in my seat the whole time but I only feel comfortable doing that at gigs where heaps of people stand up (it happened at Phoebe Bridgers thankfully - about 15 seconds into the first song and most people were standing). I got up at the end of a few songs and cheered and during Gold Soundz and Range Life I had to stand for bits and shred some air guitar. So, that, combined with the fact that I was a fair way back and up from the stage meant I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have if I was done on the floor. Anyway, onto the amazing gig. I LOVE them now. Like, they've completely elevated themselves to a new level in my eyes. I'd love to hear from people who've seen them, and how they compare on this tour to that reunion tour in 2010 and to their active days. Cos last night, they were fucking incredible. They sounded phenomenal and their collective stage presence is a joy to watch, as I'll get into more below. I loved how they came out on stage. They opened with a track called Our Singer, not a great song imo, but it started with the main drummer coming out (which I felt certain was a younger black or biracial dude, but all the info I can see suggests it's their longtime drummer Steve West, so don't know what the fuck is wrong with me) first, and then Stephen walks out and waves and starts playing the song. As it builds, the rest of the band come out during the song, waving and smiling and hyping up the crowd, it was really cool. It was one of a number of moments from them where they just felt cool, chill, authentic, low-fi, a bit ramshackle, laid back, I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but it was really cool. Frontwards was fucking sick, and it's at this juncture that I'll just say how fucking blown away I was with the guitar playing. Like one of the two main reasons I've loved the band since I got Quarantine the Past from Amoeba on my America trip with family in 2010 is because the guitar is just so good (the other being Malkmus' vocals, which are just so unique, again not quite sure how to describe them, but they've got this laidback, warm, tone to them that feel really heartfelt, but then he can also really scream and go to another register without breaking too) and Frontwards is a great example. Next were a few tracks that I didn't know, all from Wowee Zowee I see, Kennel District was probably my favourite of these. Then came the classic Shady Lane, this was one of a number of moments were the crowd lost their shit during songs, which I really enjoyed, and enjoyed being part of... this is a band that has retired twice, hasn't released new music in nearly a quarter century, and the theatre was absolutely packed, with heaps of people singing lots of the words or cheering wildly when certain songs started up. I love how Stephen and the band really play up the "all we/I want is a shady line" lines, so fun. I adore this song man, so many memorable lanes... "You're so beautiful to look at when you cry / Freeze, don't move / You've been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life" "I'm an island of such great complexity" "Tell, me off / In the hotel lobby right in front of all the bellboys and the over-friendly conceriege" I particularly love how Malkmus pulls off those two final lines in the verses, the'yre both one line that go way over what feels like an acceptable line and you can hear it and feel it, but it sounds great and it really elevates the song too. Interesting they don't do the J vs S part, not that it matters or is needed, just found it interesting. I'd be interested to know the J vs S backstory if anyone knows. Stereo was the first song of the night where I was like yeah, this gig is fucking great. It's one of their 'silly' songs, for lack of a better word, in that it's got some funky shit in it, like the opening line, "you'll just have to wait", the way Malkmus sings the ramrod line sounds so sarcastic, and then the Geddy Lee stuff. The chorus is fucking mega, I was belting it out loud. So cathartic. I'll take this juncture to talk about Bob Nastanovich. This man is absolute chaos. Didn't know much about him going in, save for that he's a member of the band, but he's absolutely insane. He sits off to the side with a drum kit and some synthesisers, he's got a suitcase of shit of shit behind him, and at any given moment he'll just get up, grab a tambourine and start wandering around the stage belting it. But that's like a quarter of his thing. He does all the weird little ad libs "you'll just have to wait", "I know him, and he does". In between songs, he's often yelling random shit. After one song, "we've got a special ping pong ball giveaway tonight" and starts throwing ping pong balls into the crowd. After another song, "it's time for the soap giveaway" and starts asking who's filthy and throwing them bars of soap. At one point he disappears into the crowd and it takes three or four minutes for him to find his way back onto the stage, after the next song. He also plays a rapper's hype man role during a few songs, taking the mic and wandering around repeating the end of lines under Stephen, and at other times taking the lead and screaming as if he's at a metal gig, like on Stereo, Embassy Row, Two States and Unfair. Overall, their stage presence is amazing. Spiral Stairs (again, a backstory I'd like to know about) is also really engaged with the crowd, sings a few of the songs, and is so good on guitar. Scott West also does a fair bit of chat, as does Stephen, and they're always wandering around, looking like they're having a fucking ball. Stephen's stage presence is terrific, I like that he's off on stage left, he's definitely less extroverted than Stairs and Bob, but he's quite funny and I just really enjoy watching his physicality... plays guitar behind himself sometimes, throws it around, plays some songs on the floor, and seems to really enjoy the moments where Spiral Stairs or Bob are singing... during Painted Soldiers which is a Stairs song he just plays guitar and dance/walks in patterns around the stage. They've also got a touring member on keys, Rebecca Cole, she was great. Her and the bassist mostly just play music. Gold Soundz is one of my favourite songs ever and though I loved hearing it, it wasn't one of my favourite performances of the night. Picks up a bit during the instrumental middle eight (is that what that's called?) and I got up and played air guitar but it was probably one of the few tracks of the night that didn't feel as good as the studio version. Still, what a joy to hear those iconic lines, "So drunk / in the August sun / and you're the kinda girl I like..." Perfume-V was another song I didn't know, was cool, some funny stuff from Bob with the background vocals. Then came Grounded, another of my favourite songs of all time, it has surely got to be up there with the very best alt rock (are they alt rock, indie rock or lo-fi?) songs ever written. That riff is absolute fucking magic, and Malkmus' vocals and lyrics just make me melt. I couldn't quite tell if it was Stephen or Stairs playing the mega guitar riffs, either way, Malkmus was throwing himself around and it was magic to watch. I sorely wish I'd been closer in because I wanted to get the feeling of being swallowed up by the guitar, so from my vantage point I didn't lose myself in the song as much as I wished I had, but if anything it's given me even more love for the song. The final crescendo is otherworldly. Embassy Row is another one of those heavier rockers that was fucking heaps of fun, Bob really sent it during this one. Two States was fun as hell, and I really enjoy the levity of their pro-NoCal songs. Hadn't heard Major Leagues before, thought it was a great song. Unfair ruled, and then they launched into Range Life, such a great song and it translated well live. And so much fun hearing the Smashing Pumpkins/Stone Temple Pilots verse live. Amazing. The crowd screaming during "don't worry / we're in no hurry". Stop Breathin' came next, the second half of that was fucking aaaaaaawesome. So loud and heavy. The setlist says they played their biggest hit, Harness Your Hopes, next. They playing Starlings of the Slipstream around here, I enjoyed it. The penultimate song before the encore was perhaps my favourite part of the night. Setlist says it was Type Slowly, it went for about 10 minutes and the musicianship on show during an extended instrumental break was phenomenal. The guitaring, the drumming, it was absolute magic. Love to know if this is a common thing and if it was indeed Type Slowly. Summer Babe closed the main set, it was so warmly received and so well played, great song. They got a very long round of claps and cheers before they came out for the encore. They fucked around for a bit and Stephen started hanging shit on Foo Fighters, singing a few lines of some of their songs, including Everlong, a cappella, and was like "his lyrics are worse than mine", which got the crowd laughing. Spit on a Stranger was good, then a Spiral Stairs song, during which Malkmus did that dance/walk around the stage, so cool to see. "Time to cry", one of them announced as they launched into the beautiful Here. By this point, it had been a 10/10 show and I was like, how are they gonna end this, and then as they started Cut Your Hair the crowd just went fucking nuts and they all looked like they were having such a good song. And I stood up and shredded air guitar to high heaven during that solo/middle eight part/whatever it's called. Such a joyous moment, actually this was my favourite part of the night. They then closed with a cover, the setlist says, I found the original and it sounds nothing like what they played although I recognised the line "makes me glad that I'm not dead". And then that was it. They slowly left stage, so appreciative of the crowd, Malkmus and Stairs spending a fair bit of time thanking the front-left pocket of fans, Scott West taking a pic of the crowd. A fucking fantastic show, and I blasted Crooked Rain all the way home. The only thing setlist-wise that could have made the show better for me would have been Box Elder and Fillmore Jive, sadly they didn't play either. I would absolutely go and see them again if they were playing another Melbourne show, sadly they aren't. They seem to really change up their setlists, both songs played and order, from show to show, too. I feel very grateful to have seen them, and I hope I get another chance in the future.

03-04-2023, 06:57 AM	#150
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,011 Local Time: 09:00 AM	Tonight I saw Bon Iver and for once I don't have the words. Maybe the second best concert I've seen behind my first U2 show in 2006. Spiritual and healing.

03-04-2023, 03:38 PM	#151
u2popmofo Blue Meth Addict Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utah Posts: 37,232 Local Time: 05:00 PM	I have tickets for Pavement in May and Bon Iver in August. You've got me psyched for both, Cobbz. Have you checked out the new DJ Koze track yet?

03-04-2023, 08:35 PM	#152
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,011 Local Time: 09:00 AM	It's interesting with Bon, I had gone off them quite a bit with i,i, sort of felt like I just lost interest, the increasingly stupid song titles playing a part in that. He hadn't played in Melbourne in 11 years. And last night it all just came flooding back. I was crying for a lot of the night. The reason I loved it so much had as much to do with my own mental health, my inner voices like my anxiety and my punitive critic, last night as the first few songs were playing it just felt like this stronger, powerful version of myself came rushing back in to let me know that I'm ok, and it was just so emotional and healing, after a long period of struggle. It really did feel spiritual. The show itself was phenomenal, and it was really nice to be reminded of my love for their music after so long. It's so funny, Justin just looks like a truck driver, he's a touch meaty, he's going bald, and he just rolls out on stage in a headband and headphones and stands in front of whatever the fuck his incredible setup is and creates the most remarkable sounds. Band was incredible. I really enjoyed all the i,i songs, they played a super joyous cover of a Big Red Machine song, Re Stacks destroyed me and everything after that just felt like a victory lap. Gordi, the opener, was magic as well, I went somewhere during her set. And no, I haven't, and can't find it?

03-11-2023, 09:20 PM	#155
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,011 Local Time: 09:00 AM	Saw Camp Cope's final ever gig last night. It was pretty special to see so many women losing their fucking minds screaming the lyrics to The Opener. They've made a big impact

03-12-2023, 03:45 PM	#156
LuckyNumber7 Blue Crack Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 19,503 Local Time: 06:00 PM	The Cure out here implementing what I think is the best possible anti scalping system

03-24-2023, 10:05 PM	#157
prbiker15 Blue Crack Addict Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 15,810 Local Time: 07:00 PM	New Depeche Mode album is out. And it’s great. Forgot to post my thoughts about the lead single, Ghosts Again, but in my opinion it’s their strongest since “Precious”. Love it.

03-24-2023, 10:30 PM	#158
mikal Blue Crack Addict Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Black Lodge Posts: 28,295 Local Time: 06:00 PM	Empire State Bastard first single. So good.

03-29-2023, 06:49 PM	#159
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,011 Local Time: 09:00 AM	Gee Pitchfork Music Festival is exceptional value for the lineup. We pay so much more for three-day festivals here that don't have a lineup a quarter as good.