The Suspense is Terrible...I Hope It'll Last

We still have no idea what the musical costume is going to be this year, but I am beyond hyped to head down to Atlantic City on Sunday for Phish's highly anticipated Halloween show. Between this concert and the ING NYC Marathon that follows exactly one week later, I am hopped up on anticipation and getting less and less sleep every night. Be sure to hit up Run Schiff, Run! in the coming days for all things Marathon, and in the meantime check out this short MTV feature from 1996 detailing Phish's Halloween performance of the Talking Heads' Remain In Light. Because Music Television used to cover, you know, music. We miss you, Kurt Loder! [Saw it here]



So, what's it gonna be Sunday night?

Gorillaz - "Doncmatic (All Played Out)" ft. Daley [Friday Jams]

Somewhere between releasing a new album and embarking on a world tour, Gorillaz found time to record this new track just in time for their gig at Madison Square Garden tonight, and more importantly for your Schiff Happens Friday Jams. Yours truly will be one of the lucky ones in attendance tonight, and this tune has me that much more excited. I was immediately drawn to Gorillaz when I first caught a glimpse of the incredible visuals that they fuse with their musicianship and have been pumped to see them live since before it was even a possibility. The closest I ever came was when I was living in London back in 2005 and I saw a flier for a sold out festival-type ticket featuring Gorillaz as the headliner pasted to the wall in some sketchy neighborhood as I made my way home from a night of drunken shenanigans at the roller disco. So yeah, despite my seat location in the 300s, I'll be considerably closer to the action tonight. HYPE and video via Hidden Track (emphasis mine):

The Live on Letterman webcast series rolled on last night with a not quite an hour set from Gorillaz. Gorillaz’s front man Damon Albarn clearly enjoyed the setting as he hammed it up throughout and expressed his excitement for tonight’s Madison Square Garden gig multiple times.

Guests on the webcast included Miho Hatori, Paul Simonon and Mick Jones of The Clash, De La Soul, a string quartet and Bootie Brown as the band played a total of nine songs including the suave Superfast Jellyfish, a gorgeous On Melancholy Hill and a Clint Eastwood closer that turned into a party when Albarn invited half the crowd on stage with him.

 

Finally, check out the new jam, "Doncmatic (All Played Out)" below. It's apparently "inspired by The Donca Matic - the groundbreaking Japanese-designed drum machine which started the Korg Musical Instrument Company in 1963." Okay then. Watch below or download here.

SO ready for tonight.

Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B Live at the Fillmore Irving Plaza, NYC, 4/10/2010

I wanted to get some thoughts down before this became untimely, and then I woke up and it was Wednesday. Well, screw it - here are some thoughts on Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B bringing the Steppin Lasers Tour to the Fillmore Irving Plaza last Saturday, April 10:

I don't want to say that I was more excited for the opener than the headliner (even though I sort of did), but having seen Lupe once before, I already knew the kind of high-energy, max-effort performance he was going to bring to the stage. On the flip side, I have had my eye on the Atlanta-based rapper once known as Bobby Ray since the very early days of Schiff Happens, and now that my attention has finally been rewarded recently with the massive success of the single "Nothin' On You," I was pretty damn hyped to see what kind of performance we were going to get out of him, especially considering that he's on the bill for all those awesome summer festivals I wish I were attending. Actually, let's keep things positive and not get started down that bitter, festival-less road.

I was a bit nervous when he opened the set with just a mic and a d.j., especially knowing that he's all about playing the guitar and playing with the typical rap style, but after two or three songs his full band was out there rocking behind him. Soon enough after that, B.o.B pulled out the guitar and let us know that he likes to name all his axes -- a feather-adorned acoustic, we learned, was known as "War Hawk" -- urging the crowd to offer suggestions for guitar names on his twitter page. Although there was a glimpse of it during an a capella run-through of "Generation Lost," Bob's true passion emerged when he was armed with the six-string. He's a talented rapper and lyricist, but his talent goes well beyond that. He has a wide range of abilities that could allow him to reach a much broader audience, which he displayed during an passionately-delivered acoustic number called "Letters From Vietnam."


Even though I went in hyping the emcee to my concert crew, I was surprised to see as many fans as I did who were not only eager to pour out their b.O.b love, but displayed a high degree of familiarity with the music. This was definitely not lost on Bobby Ray, either, appearing flat-out giddy at times as he chuckled his way through the set and definitely had a few "Wow, really? Okay!" moments when the crowd sang along or responded to certain things. He displayed his incredible talent and had a great time while doing it, and as a lover of live music, that's all I ever ask of the performers I go to see. B.o.B made a lot of believers at the Fillmore on Saturday night, and I suspect many more will join them after his debut album, The Adventures of Bobby Ray, comes out on April 27.



As for the headliner, the room was packed to the brim and teeming with excitement for Lupe's set, and he delivered in the usual body-heaving, shadow-boxing, sweat-flying fashion that his fans (and critics) have come to expect. Personally, I'll never understand the backhanded comments sometimes directed Lupe's way that he goes "too hard" on stage, like it's an act that somehow detracts from the musical performance. To me, all of that stuff is the heart of live music. You're not just up there to play your music for me, you're there to create a body and soul experience. Happily for me and the screaming, unwashed masses jamming the Fillmore, Lupe set out to do just that as he ran through a mix of fan favorites and new joints from his upcoming album Lasers.

Classic favorites like "Go Go Gadget Flow" and "Superstar" notwithstanding, there were two highlights for me. Alright, three if you include Lupe introducing Diggy Simmons (yeah, that Diggy Simmons) as his newest label- and supergroup project-mate (I know, I know). However, from our angle, we couldn't see young Digs, and we were always Russy fans anyway, so we're going with two main highlights. First, Lupe's performance of the new song "Beautiful Lasers," which he prefaced by telling the emotional tale of how he the song was born during a dark period in his life as he "put down the gun and picked the pen up" to write it. If that is to be taken literally, it gives whole new meaning to "Hip Hop Saved My Life." But even if it didn't happen exactly like that, it's some heavy imagery and a profound reminder that life is a gift, and there's always more to gain by giving a piece of yourself to the world than selfishly taking yourself out of it.



The other standout moment from the night was the final number - a freestyle that lasted nearly 10 minutes. This wasn't your typical freestyle, which is generally speaking less a freestyle and more pre-written rhymes rapped as though they're being improvised. This was very clearly Lupe Fiasco weaving spoken-word poetry all alone on stage. I was impressed, if not pumping my fist and yelling "OOOOHHH!" after every verse (although, as you'll hear if you watch the video below, some idiots can't be helped, regardless of the setting...."Shots fired!!").



A lot of people like to hate on hip-hop as a washed out, auto-tuned landscape overrun with fake gangsters and bereft of creativity, but B.o.B and Lupe Fiasco put on a show in NYC over the weekend that displayed the best of the artistic expression, creativity and range of talent that the genre has to offer.


P.S. Yes, I took those (better than average considering I was in a packed crowd fairly far away) photos.

And because live music is awesome, click here for a few B.o.B tracks from Sunday night's show. [All The Way Live]

The Dead Weather rock Bowery Ballroom [Jack White rules the universe]

Last night at the Bowery Ballroom, I was lucky enough to be among the tightly packed crowd of about 600 for the public performance debut of Jack White's latest side project/"obj-band"/supergroup, The Dead Weather. For the uninitiated, the rock god of our generation is fronting yet another band these days, wherein he returns to his first love, the drum kit, and continues to rock your face with his trademark brand of dirty, buzzing, crackling blues rock. Joining him this time around are lead singer Allison Mossheart of The Kills, Raconteurs bassist "Little Jack" Lawrence, and Queens of the Stone Age's Dean Fertita on guitar and keys. But you knew all that. Let's get to the part you don't know about -- the actual concert -- because unlike this guy, you couldn't score tickets, which sold out in approximately 47 seconds.

As I mentioned, the crowd was packed into Bowery Ballroom as tightly as we could have been, and I leaned over to Smellson the Music Fairy and remarked on the uniqueness of the situation--600 of us had snatched up tickets instantly and crammed ourselves shoulder-to-shoulder for a band that 6 people not named Meg White have ever seen perform and won't release their first album until June. Who else but Jack White makes that happen? The excitement was clear from the moment the band sauntered onto the stage in their matching black leather, and we knew we were in for some good old fashioned greasy, grimy rockin'.

White is as capable a rocker on the drums as he is on the guitar, and although his kit was set far back and pretty low to the ground, he still found a way to remain the centerpiece of the experience (mostly by playing the shit out of those drums). Mossheart is the perfect lead singer for White's brand of music, and she ferociously grabbed the room by the balls with her stage-stomping, mic-grinding, chain smoking hotness. I was transfixed. I wanted to do dirty things to her while listening to dirty Dead Weather music (which she would of course be singing). During one stretch, she rocked out on a Bo Diddley-style box guitar. Later, on "Will There Be Enough Water," Jack finally grabbed the axe and shredded, like we all not-so-secretly had hoped he would.

To echo the Rolling Stone article, it didn't feel like we were watching a "new" band. It was clear that this crew had practiced together, as it was clear that this was Jack White music. Without knowing any of the songs, I found myself rocking out hard throughout. When they finally got to the one song I did know, "Hang You From The Heavens," I whipped out the digicam and did some of my finest concert camerawork to date, embedded below for your face-melting pleasure.



Another great show in the books, which brings us to Humpday. The Yankees play at 4, which is cool, because that means the last few hours of the workday will sail by as Wailin Suzyn and John "Puns are Fun" Sterling bring me the play-by-play from Tampa. Or is it St. Pete? Or Tampa-St. Pete? Whatever. I'll be watching the game with a bunch of Fackers, so if you want to talk shit with me, head on over here.

Dead Weather links for those who weren't steeped in awesomeness last night:

• Jack White's Dead Weather Debut With A Bang in New York [Rolling Stone]
• THE PERFECT STORM: S/T Corners The Dead Weather for One of Their First Full-Band Interviews [Self-Titled]
• The Dead Weather @ Bowery Ballroom, NYC - pics, video [BrooklynVegan] (Featuring videos daringly captured by twitterfave @kibbe--now available in real life!)
• The Dead Weather [Official Site]

PHISH! SPRINGSTEEN! BEASTIES! BONNAROO!

Well, it happened. As we kind of knew, Little Eric was right, and the initial lineup announcement for Bonnaroo ’09 means the end of mankind and my face as we know it. Mind, you’re about to be blown. It’s been great knowing you. As if confirmation of the PHISHSTEEN rumors wasn’t enough, I get to see Beastie Boys again – and I thought I was lucky to have seen them once. That’s the holy trinity of Schiff Happens: The Hippie, The Tribesman and The Boss. Plus, there really is no party like a Snoop Dogg party. Warm up the RV, I’ll bring my green hat.

So much good music I already know and love, and so much that I have heard about and wanted to get into that I will now be able to see live in concert. As glad as I am that I get to spend a bunch more money I don’t have, a twin headliner of the best two bands I’ve ever seen, period, is worth the price of admission. And by the way, with complete and total Jersey domination descending on the year’s annual keynote summer festival, this WSJ article (which I have been trying for a minute to find the right context for) is really worth noting.

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Oh yea, I almost forgot.... the lineup.

Previously:
Who decides? The Boss decides.
If I had a penny for my thoughts I'd be a millionaire [Beastie Boys]
It's (almost, ok not really but pretty much) official!
Suck It Philly: Springsteen Edition
Phish Happens? [Rumors, Speculation and Hearsay]

Tuesday night Fishin' in the City

Reel Big Fish @ Roseland Ballroom, 1/20/09 (Click for full size)

Yesterday I got an email from a buddy offering me and my friends a free ticket to see Reel Big Fish at Roseland Ballroom, a medium sized concert venue in midtown and a staple for any live music-watching Manhattanite. Because I felt like having 9th grade flashbacks of walking the halls of my high school, brooding over my angsty 15-year-old life is while blasting "Everything Sucks" on my state of the art discman that I got for my birthday at Nobody Beats the Wiz, I decided to check out the show. I also figured that it was as good a time as any to show off my spazzed out, 25-year-old version of the skankin' dance moves I first learned in my sleepaway camp bunk at age 11 when I was rockin out to the sounds of Mustard Plug and Skankin' Pickle. To give you an idea of what these moves look like, please direct your attention to my faithful assistant, Dancin' Pants Ross (You have no idea how long I've been waiting for an excuse to get that on here. Actually, forget that - you can probably imagine).

When we got to the show, we were pleasantly suprised to find that despite the abundance of awkward shirtless teenage boys forming mosh pits and crowd surfing, we definitely skewed closer to the audience's median age. This was verified by the security guard outside, who told us that most of the people there were "Around 21 - too young for you guys." I politely assured the gentleman, as I assure any 21 year old girls reading right now, that 21 is just right for us guys.

We made our way inside and caught the end of Streetlight Manifesto's set. We didn't know at the time that the band included members of Catch 22 (New Jersey and third wave ska go together like lamb and tuna fish), but that wasn't going to stop me from singing along to "Keasbey Nights" regardless of what they were actually playing. As it happened, they finished up their set with a rowdy horn-filled jam and a rendition of "Keasbey," which was pretty funny and left us wondering if Streetlight Manifesto really was Catch 22 in disguise. Well, not exactly, but pretty much yea exactly.

Next up was the headliner, the band we had come to see after years of somehow missing them on the Warped Tour, Reel Big Fish. Turns out they happened to be celebrating the release of their new album, Fame Fortune and Fornication, an all-covers album featuring 10 songs in less than 30 minutes (or your pizza is free?), which had actually come out earlier that day (they gave us 2 cuts from the album, "Authority Song" and "Nothin' but a Good Time"). The band sounded every bit the same as I remembered from the days when I'd listen to their uptempo jams to get my blood pumping before my track races, mostly because the one remaining original member is lead singer and guitarist Aaron Barrett, who somehow has retained his gameshow host-meets-Atlantic City lounge crooner voice after all these years. There was a lot of moshing and shoe-throwing, which I couldn't understand. I tried to reason with the guy standing next to me that you'd have to show up for a concert with an extra shoe if you planned to chuck your kicks around a concert hall, but he assured me that this is not necessarily the case. I don't know how you'd plan to get home with only one shoe, especially when you have to walk the streets of New York in (what has been a particularly brick effing cold) January. Stone summed it up: "I could certainly make do with one sock, but not one shoe." Amen, brotha.

The band played all the hits you could have wanted to hear, from "Sell Out" to their cover of "Take On Me," "Everything Sucks" to "Beer," "The Kids Don't Like It" to "Thank You For Not Moshing (aka "In The Pit"), during which I remarked to Smelly Pelly that I love it when concert crowds actively participate in songs that make fun of them. Barrett echoed my sentiments after the tune when he attempted to offer the crowd a basic lesson in sarcasm. They brought out sisters Nicole and Simone Olivia of their other opening act, Tip the Van, to sing on "She Has a Girlfriend Now," at which point Smelly fell in love. Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better first Reel Big Fish experience, even if it probably came well over 10 years late.

Two more highlights: First, there was this guy.

The picture doesn't do a great job of capturing just how "My Giant" this guy was, but he was standing right next to me and Stone at one point and I can promise you that it was the only time in my life when I got to see a living model of what Gheorghe Muresan would look like if he were skankin' in a crowded ballroom, a spectacle made more hilarious by the fact that he was doing so next to three extremely tiny girls (Oh, what's that you say? Touche, Sportscenter).

Second, Schiff Happens discovered an unofficial new anthem in a RBF tune none of us had ever heard before but quickly picked up and sung along to while gratuitously pumping fists. Watch below, learn the words.

Good times had by all, which is of course why you should go see live music in the first place. Since you missed out, I was gonna give you a chance to wallow in the relative shittiness of your Tuesday night by singing along to my home video of "Everything Sucks" from last night, but I got tired of waiting for YouTube to upload the damn thing so you're gonna have to wait until later. I'll embed it here as soon as I can.