So, I feel like I have so much to plan, organize and write within the next week. By this point next week we will already be in the ACL Fest pre-show zone but to be honest, I'm not ready to write about all of that just yet. In year's past I have not attended the fest itself, focusing my energies on pre and after-shows but 2010 is the year of Bloggy and I'll be on the festival grounds making fun of Andy Langer every chance I get. Seriously A. Langer, Dawes? Wake me up when your favorite artists are finished performing.
In the meantime I wanted to show you some videos I shot last week. I'm going in reverse chronological order. I was sitting at home Tuesday night feeling ill, broke and generally bummed because I didn't acquire entry to the sold-out Pavement show at Stubb's. I was resigned to catching up on Tivo when I decided I couldn't sit at home and not try to see Pavement. I mean, how many more opportunities will I have to see them perform live? Not very many. So I grabbed 2 bucks for the bus and $20 for a ticket and headed downtown. For those of you who planned ahead you paid roughly $50 for your ticket. I arrived at Stubb's as Pavement was starting their first song, I spotted a scalper and asked him how much. It went something like this:
"Need a ticket?"
"Yeah, how much?"
"$50"
"I have $20"
"$30"
"Listen the show has started, do you want the $20 or not"
*Hands me ticket*
I was inside midway through their 2nd song. Unfortunately, I didn't really jockey for position to get good video so you can't really see the band in this footage, but they were up there, trust me. Also, take note of all the talking, how can people pay $50 for a once in a lifetime show just to talk through the whole effing set? STFU!!
Pavement - Grounded video via YouTube
Before, Pavement I caught Jamie Lidell at Antone's. I had seen him on his tour for Jim but his sound is much different on this Compass tour. In fact, not one member of the Jim band was in the Compass band. There was no horn section and things were more rock and less soul. Props to J. Lidell's new keys player though, that dude while not so easy on the eyes, was an amazing musician with some serious chops. All in all I would say the performance was less fun than during the last tour but much tighter with much greater musicianship. The song I captured was actually from the Jim LP but it has definitely been re-interpreted for his new band. If you don't watch the whole video you need to skip to the last minute that's where the amazing happens. *chills*
Jamie Lidell - Another Day video via YouTube
Opening for Jamie Lidell was up-and-coming artist, Twin Shadow. I received a preview copy of his forthcoming LP and I really dug it but the songs were even more impressive in a live setting. The tunes are already very atmospheric but in person they have a mesmerizing energy that really draws you in. The following video was the first song the band performed and it really won the crowd over. You could feel a definite shift in vibe from when the song began until when it ended. Make sure you catch Twin Shadow if and when they hit your town. I expect them back in Austin for SXSW 2011...or sooner.
Twin Shadow - Shooting Holes at the Moon video via YouTube
You can find one more video from Twin Shadow over on the Bloggy F*c*book. Look for all my ACL writing soon. See you at the fest?
