June 19, 2013

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Indy Rock Live Top Picks June 18-22 (Sonny & the Sunsets, Portugal, More)

June 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Though not as packed as last week, it’s another good stretch of shows in Indy. Some suggestions:

Tuesday, June 18 – Two choices: Portugal the Man w/ Maps & Atlases at The Vogue or Radiation City at the Do317 Lounge. PtM have a solid new album and the recent addition of Maps to the bill makes this a strong option.

Wednesday, June 19 – Sonny & the Sunsets w/ Guests at Radio Radio — My show of the week.

Thursday, June 20 – John C. Reilly and Friends at Radio Radio — Yes, Reed Rothchild from Boogie Nights. Mr. Cellophane himself. On tour with his band. If it wasn’t my wedding anniversary, I’d be there. Should be a fun night.

Saturday, June 22 – Cheyenne Marie Mize at the Do317 Lounge — Mize has put on several great sets here during the past couple of years. Nice to see her back in Indy again.

Take your pick.

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Alt-J w/ Guards – Old National Centre 6/12/2013

June 13, 2013 By 2 Comments

In some ways I feel for a band like Alt-J, which stopped in the Egyptian Room at Old National Centre Wednesday night. With just one album to their discography, the band is limited to what they can perform. But you can’t fault them for wanting to play as big a room as possible. When the show was originally scheduled for Deluxe, 700 tickets seemed like a safe bet in a room that wasn’t beyond their career scope. Another 1000 tickets later — good for them, yet a new set of problems.

What I’m getting at is this: The expectations may have been too high. Their debut, An Awesome Wave, is simply phenomenal. A gorgeous blend of harmonies and sonic exploration, the record is one that envelops you in its wall of sound. Headphones on the result is exhilarating.

Live, however, something was lost in translation. It wasn’t a bad show, but a bit listless. The four members of the band had little to say and rarely moved from their perches on stage. For music that makes you want to bounce and sway, it would have been nice to see more energy. That’s not to say the set wasn’t without its high points. Fitzpleasure and main set closer Breezeblocks offered glimpses of that next level. Those moments, however, were too spread out. More often than not, one moment blurred into the next. Before you knew it the show was over, which brings me back to the one album conundrum. Alt-J took the stage at 8:30 and were done at 9:30, by far the fastest show I’ve seen in a long time. But after playing everything they have, including a couple of covers, I’m not sure what more the audience could expect.

A friend suggested the band would have benefited from doing opening slots for larger draws, similar to how Grizzly Bear built its following by playing with headliners like Radiohead. Possibly, but getting back to my initial thought, you can’t fault them for going big. All in all, a mixed bag live. The record, though, is still tops.

Opener, Guards, made it’s second trip of the year to Indy. The band’s 35 minute set was a looser more energetic performance than their slot opening for Joy Formidable a few months back. And they led the audience in a happy birthday sing-along for one of the band members. Good fun.

What did you think of the show?

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Indy Rock Live Top Picks June 11-16 (Alt-J, Calexico, Rogue Wave, & More)

June 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Super-packed week of great shows in and around Indy. Recommendations below:

Tuesday, July 11 – Baroness w/ Coliseum at Deluxe — Call it smart metal or knowing post-rock. Either way, it’s good.

Tuesday, July 11 – March Fourth Marching Band at White Rabbit Cabaret — How they fit that many people on stage is a mystery, but it’s an experience not to be missed.

Wednesday, July 12 – Alt-J w/ Guards + Charli XCX Pre-Show at ONC — This one’s been in bold for months. Alt-J is fantastic. Guards rock. And you can get there early for Charli XCX. Killer night.

Thursday, July 13 – Calexico w/ Sheepdogs at the Vogue — Outstanding bill in Broad Ripple. Calexico has been knocking out great stuff for years and Sheepdogs deserve a wider audience.

Friday, July 14 – Frank Turner at Deluxe — A couple of openers for this one, too, but Turner’s impassioned Billy Bragg meets Gaslight Anthem is the draw. Turner is huge overseas. Wouldn’t be surprised if this is the show people walk away most impressed from this week.

Saturday, July 15 — You could go down to Bloomington for Mountain Goats, but if you’re sticking around Indy, Klipsch overs a rare reason to make the trip — the legendary Tom Petty.

Sunday, July 16 – Rogue Wave w/ Caveman at Radio Radio — If you’re still in Bloomington, you can take your pick from Mac DeMarco or Mount Moriah. Otherwise, head over to Fountain Square to catch this tremendous bill. Rogue Wave’s newest was just released and Caveman are riding some nice buzz.

What’s your plan?

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Atlas Genius w/ The Postelles and Haerts – Deluxe 6/6/2013

June 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Review by Kelly Millspaugh

Relative newcomers on the music scene, Atlas Genius played like old pros. This is their first headlining tour of the US but you would never know it. For more than an hour, the band had the audience in the palms of their very capable hands.

The openers, Haerts, and The Postelles, did a good job of getting the crowd warmed up. I was not, however, impressed with the sound mixing for the first two bands. The vocalists were overpowered by the drums and bass and it was really hard to understand what they were saying in between songs or when they were saying goodnight. I heard several other people around me saying the same thing so I know I wasn’t alone in that opinion. This was the first time The Postelles had played in Indy and hopefully they will be back on their own headlining tour soon. They were high energy — usually by the end of the second opening band you’re ready to move on but the crowd really enjoyed both bands.

Atlas Genius took the stage around 9:30 and it was obvious they knew exactly what they were doing. Unlike many other young bands, they were in command from the second they stepped on stage. The set wasn’t long but the band has just one full length album released. Standout songs included On a Day, If So, and Trojans — the latter two, of course, being their radio hits. A great surprise was hearing a cover of Last Night from the Strokes during the back half of the set. You could tell the band enjoyed playing the song just as much as we enjoyed listening. Seeing a band during their rise to popularity is really fun. They are genuinely happy to be playing music and interacting with the crowd.

After Trojans the lights went up and people headed for the door, so it was awkward when the band hurried back on stage and told everyone to come back for one more song — usually the crowd’s job. The encore, Electric, was more of a period than an exclamation point to end the evening because of the transition. Nonetheless, the band was solid and I foresee them playing bigger even venues next year.

Set List:
1. Symptoms
2. On a Day
3. If So
4. When It Was Now
5. Centered On You
6. Back Seat
7. Last Night (Strokes cover)
8. All These Girls
9. Don’t Make a Scene
10. Through The Glass
11. Trojans
Encore: Electric

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Indy Rock Live Top Picks – June 2-8 (Son Volt, Atlas Genius, Tallest Man, and More)

June 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The summer concert season heats up this week. Several nights offer multiple options. Below are Indy Rock Live’s top picks:

Sunday, June 2 — John Fullbright at Radio Radio: Fullbright is quickly staking claim as one of the best young singer/songwriters. Relaxing, early show at Radio Radio to kick off the week.

Wednesday, June 5 — Cold War Kids at The Vogue: Solid indie pop from this L.A. band. Hard to believe they’ve been around since 2006. New album Dear Miss LonelyHearts may be their catchiest yet.

Thursday, June 6 — Atlas Genius at Deluxe: Atlas Genius outshined Imagine Dragons at ONC a few months ago. They’re back again as headliners, riding their strong debut album. The more intimate confines of Deluxe will probably result in an even better performance.

Thursday, June 6 — Andrew Combs at Do317 Lounge: Combs has toured with Jason Isbell and Caitlin Rose, among others. Extremely impressive Americana. Sleeper show of the week.

Friday, June 7 — Pick ‘em: You’ve got First Friday Food Truck Fest followed by Gogol Bordello at ONC or you can head to the Vogue for Tallest Man on Earth. Not sure, head to the Melody Inn for Blue-Eyed Son. All three are great choices.

Saturday, June 8 — Son Volt at The Vogue: Jay Farrar and company still going strong.

What’s on your agenda?

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Japandroids w/ A Place To Bury Strangers – The Vogue 5/28/2013

May 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Hello? Yeah, hello? Glad I had the earplugs because, yes, it was that loud.

Good double-bill at the Vogue Tuesday night, especially if you like music that piledrives its way into your sternum. Both bands brought the heavy for an invigorating show.

APTBS opened with 40 minutes of post-hardcore shoegaze that left no room to breathe. I prefer a little more melody with a shoegaze sonic assault — Swervedriver, Ride, and Catherine Wheel hit my sweet spot — but I won’t deny the power of the three-piece. Those who’ve seen the band before said their performance worked better with an AV presentation flickering behind them. A bit more variety may have helped to break up the occasional periods of monotony. Overall, I liked the intensity. Another 20 minutes and my patience would have waned, but the opening slot worked well.

Vancouver’s Japandroids kept the rush going with their garage/punk sonic swirl. Two guys, one guitar, one drum set, and a lot of noise. The duo use a simple formula: big sing-along hooks and volume. Considering the Pacers playoff game was going across town, the turnout was strong.

The set list focused on songs from their two proper releases, Post-Nothing and Celebration Rock. The expected songs were hit, including Young Hearts Spark Fire, Nights of Wine and Roses, and House that Heaven Built. Because the band’s songs don’t vary much in tempo, the pacing was consistent throughout the set. If I could pick a standout, it would be Younger Us from the newest record. That song had a little more space for the vocals to rise above the squall.

Not a transcendent show, but a fun night of loud music. Can’t complain. What did you think?

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Indy Rock Live Top Picks – May 23-29 (Japandroids, Melismatics, Margot, and More)

May 23, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Race weekend is here, which means hundreds of thousands descending on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For those who prefer the screech of guitars over tires, the choices are plentiful. Below are this week’s Indy Rock Live top picks:

Thursday, May 23: Team Spirit w/ S.M. Wolf at Do317 Lounge — Power poppy Passion Pit side project. I’m there.

Friday, May 24: Take your pick, they’re all great.

1) Listen Local Series: Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, Gentlemen Caller, and Everything, Now! at Broad Ripple Park — Great bill and pay what you want. Should be a cool night
2) Melismatics at Melody Inn — Minneapolis power pop band extraordinaire back at the Mel. You will have a good time and those hooks will burrow in your brain.
3) Yacht Rock Revue at Radio Radio — A lite rock party.

Saturday through Monday — Lots of race activities. Check Do317.com.

Tuesday, May 28: Japandroids w/ A Place to Bury Strangers at the Vogue — Show of the week. Capital R RAWK.

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Foals w/ Surfer Blood – Deluxe 5/17/2013

May 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Lately it’s seemed like a lot of the indie bands that have coasted through Indianapolis weren’t here that long before. Good shows though they may be, the excitement — the thrill of the new — is absent. Frequent concert goers want the thrill, which is why the Foals and Surfer Blood show at Deluxe Friday night had extra sizzle. (The Swans/Low pairing later this summer has a similar vibe.) Surfer Blood had never played Indy. I can’t be 100 percent certain on Foals, but if they have been here, it’s been quite some time.

Surfer Blood’s new record, Pythons, is due next month, but this was the first chance for Indy fans to catch killer Astro Coast tracks like Swim and Floating Vibes as well as stand-outs from their Tarot Classics EP, like Miranda and I Was Wrong. The four-piece was ferocious, deftly balancing their modernized surfer rhythms with the power-pop elements that make the songs such hooky delights. Lead singer JP Pitts sounded especially strong and the band seemed to be enjoying themselves. At one point Pitts allowed guitarist Thomas Fekete to draw cat whiskers on his face with a Sharpie before hopping down into the audience to sing a tune. I hadn’t listened to Astro Coast in some time, but their set had me anxious to get it back in the player. I hope to see them again soon.

Oxford, UK band Foals has been building a solid resume for several years now. The band’s 2008 record, Antidotes, was one of that year’s best, and newest, Holy Fire, is also very good. Although I enjoyed their set in Deluxe, I had some difficulty staying engaged. Foals has a sweeping sound that at times felt too big for the room.

Foals merges the U2 guitar vibe with dance beats — call it a sharper, more nuanced version of Temper Trap — and it can suffer from saturation. While early set songs like Balloons and My Number made me want to dance, mid-set tempo changers Milk and Black Spiders and Spanish Sahara sent my mind elsewhere. In no way, however, can I deny the impact of Holy Fire’s huge Inhaler. It was wicked.

I enjoyed the performance but I’d be curious to experience Foals in a larger venue where their sound could explode. For now, I’m content to listen to their studio recordings.

What did you think of the show?

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Metz w/ Television Ghost and Ancient Slang – Radio Radio 5/13/2013

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Review by: Phil Glasser

Radio Radio is an awesome venue. From its soft red and gold lighting and diner high tops, to its modern style front-of-house furnishings, this place vibrates with appeal. Propped up on a stool in the middle of several high top tables, I could easily get the hand crafted bar, screening a subtitled Bollywood film even the staff couldn’t explain (ed note: Aaron Caudle could!), but I digress. From my position I could see the stage with ease, although my view would be partially obstructed by the fans that gravitated towards the stage as Ancient Slang began to tune in. But hey, that’s what you get when you decide to sit down at a punk rock show.

Ancient Slang took the stage around 9:15 p.m. playing to a mostly male crowd of approximately 60-70 people. The trio consisted of electric guitar, bass guitar and drums, beginning the set with a guitar lead drone jam. The intro set everyone up for some punk up-tempo riffs, complemented nicely by the steady rhythms of percussion. As with any punk-ish band, the vocals left something to be desired. The heavy riffs and loud drum playing overwhelmed anything the group was trying to present vocally. Their set lasted roughly 40 minutes, but I caught myself toe-tapping for most of it.

Television Ghost took plenty of time to get going, almost completely erasing the momentum created by Ancient Slang. Once it got underway, the quintet consisting of 2 electric guitars, a bass, drums, and a synth player, stamped their trippy sound on the night. Using a range of effects on guitar and synth TV Ghost dug deep into my brain but left me wanting more. Riff heavy songs were almost drowned in feedback, making it impossible to understand what the lead vocalist was saying. Their energy, however, was amazing, with the lead singer stomping all over the stage and at one point completely losing his balance as he fell to the stage, not missing a beat. While it was entertaining to watch, their sound was repetitive and left me feeling exhausted and disconnected.

From the moment Metz started playing, it was apparent why they were the headliner. The trio radiated an aggressive energy that could be felt all the way out the door. Taking the stage just after 11:00, Metz’s fast tempo and in-your-face riffs freed me from the TV Ghost trance. Where the opening acts erred in stretching out their songs for too long, overplaying and thus desensitizing the crowd to the edgy sound, Metz kept their pieces short and sweet. This gave the audience a punch in the face and kept them wanting more.

Plenty entertaining show if punk/alternative is your genre, and a unique entertainment experience on a Monday night for only $10. Well done folks. Well done, indeed.

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The Flaming Lips w/ Skating Polly – Old National Centre 4/29/2013

April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Chalk this one up to a reversal of expectations. Festival juggernauts The Flaming Lips with virtually unknown duo Skating Polly as openers at a sold out Old National Centre — hard not to assume. Well, you know what that does.

The Somewhat Unexpected: Oklahoma teen duo Skating Polly bring it live. With songs that blend a sweet Tegan and Sara-like vocal chirpiness with riot grrl rage, step-sisters Peyton and Kelli were raw and refreshing. Loose, ragged, and fun, Skating Polly burned through a 35-minute set highlighting their newest record, Lost Wonderfuls. Heads up, Girls Rock Indy, here’s a band for next year. So refreshing to watch a young, female band that prefers the ferocity of Kathleen Hanna over the vacuous Disney girl pop that gets shoved through the radio.

The Disappointing: The Flaming Lips have built an impressive career as experimental pop masters. The Soft Bulletin remains one of my favorite albums, and whether you like the band’s stylistic twists and turns since, their recordings have never been boring. And yet, that’s what their performance was Monday night.

Newest record, The Terror, is admittedly dark. Despite a frenetic light show, those songs never came to life. Each one seemed to blend into the next, to the point that even old favorites like Are You a Hypnotist? and One More Robot were barely distinguishable amidst the drone. The show came alive briefly near the beginning with a spirited version of At War with the Mystic’s The W.A.N.D., but the closest the Lips came to re-reaching that peak was a solid, though not exciting cover of Bowie’s Heroes. I’m hesitant to say the show was depressing, but I can’t ignore how little fun it was.

And why was Wayne Coyne holding a baby doll most of the night?

Maybe I just needed to be high. The guy in the dress in front of me was, and he seemed to be having a good time.

Were you there? What did you think of the show?

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