Occupy Boston march on Global Demonstration Day, October 15, 2011

It’s a sad fact that a bad situation usually has to get much, much worse before it can start to get better. Ninety-nine percent of this planet should be really pissed off right now, if only there wasn’t so much other stuff that gets in the way. If religion is the opiate of the masses, then so are radio talk shows and opinion columns, political pundits and proselytizers. All that noise, all those petty disagreements over social issues and divisive politics. What commentators call the “wedge issues” that cause people who have more in common with each other than they realize to bicker endlessly, while they lose sight of the main plot.

The image of crabs in a barrel frantically climbing all over each other to get to the top remains stuck in my mind ever since Reverend Al Sharpton brought up that great analogy during his recent MSNBC interview with Michael Moore. The interview itself made me grimace, though it was a classic pairing, and a surprise that they hadn’t crossed paths before. Don’t get me wrong – I’m a big fan of Michael Moore and his hard-hitting documentaries and stinging social commentary, but his trumpeting of the Occupy Movement might have come off as more genuine if it hadn’t conveniently coincided with his book tour. For god’s sake man, just support the cause without having an agenda! Though it’s great to have him – and many others – on board.

The Occupiers in Dewey Square, across from South Station

Nothing Ever Trickles

Yes, the bad situation has gotten worse. It’s no longer just poor people in the inner cities who don’t have jobs, are becoming homeless, can’t feed their kids, and are losing hope. We’ve known for a long time that a small percentage of the world’s population (make that 1%), through their stockpiles of wealth and purchased influence, control the lives and livelihoods of everyone else. But up until just recently, enough crumbs have fallen from the overflowing mouths of the corporate elite to at least keep the unwashed masses reasonably subdued. Personally, I’ve never believed in the theory of ‘trickle-down economics’. While it’s a charming concept, there’s just one small problem… greed.

So what exactly happened? As Reverend Sharpton said in that program, the card sharks “overplayed their hands.” In this age of out of control poverty and equally out of control opulence, we now talk about billionaires instead of just millionaires, and they’ve pushed their luck a little too far.

Occupy Everywhere

The real roots of the Occupy Movement can be traced back to the Spanish protests in
May, though most cite Occupy Wall Street as their inspiration for getting personally involved. It goes beyond symbolism. This is the very heart of the banking industry and corporate America, and the wealthy’s schoolyard sandbox. This is where a rich tycoon’s “bad day” could, for the vast majority, translate into the loss of a lifetime of retirement savings. Appropriately then, in this country, it began here. But the reason this one protest has been able to spread to nearly 1,000 cities worldwide is that there are increasing numbers of people who, without jobs, find themselves with enough time on their hands (and enough anger in their hearts) to set up camp.

Healthcare Hell

In my own current financial crisis, I’m acutely aware of the plight of the middle class – too wealthy to receive benefits; not wealthy enough to pay the bills. I’ll address just one example of this that directly affects my family: the healthcare debacle industry, and long-term facilities. If you’re unfortunate enough to have to place a family member into a nursing home, I have news for you: if you’re not rich, then it’s best to be poor.

Quite apart from the fact that I can’t find a single person without some horror story of inadequate or incompetent care, these places are stupidly expensive. However, if your assets fall below $2,000, congratulations, you’re poor, and the state will pay for room and board. If you happened to squirrel away a few dollars but still can’t afford the approximate $10,000/month bill, the nursing home will simply suck you dry like an incubus until there’s nothing left, and will then move away from your dry carcass towards state funding, where it will continue its ravenous feeding frenzy.

There’s a breed of lawyer that specializes in “Elder Law,” and one of their primary services is a kind of “wealth hokus pokus.” For a sizable fee (of course), they’ll help you move your money around to make you appear, for all practical purposes, poor. All entirely legal, I might add. If you’re not poor and not rich, you should look into this. Though if your family’s situation is like mine, with one spouse taking care of the other, you’ll have to make a bet as to who’s going to die first. You might want to consult a psychic as well.

Why should any of this be necessary in a country that can afford to bail out major financial institutions and car companies to the tune of $2.5 trillion (as of April 30) and spend over $799 billion in Iraq?

That’s my rant. And here’s my review of the march and rally in downtown Boston last Saturday, as part of the global demonstrations: awesome.

The Music Connection

Music has always been an integral part of social movements and demonstrations. Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Universal Soldier,” John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance,” Billie Holliday’s “Strange Fruit,” Bob Dylan’s “Masters Of War,” Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger… just a few shining examples. Though the idea to fight injustices with song dates well before all that (one early mention is from 1795, in support of women’s suffrage), and it’s universal. Boston-based Sleepover Shows (who films acoustic sets of bands living in and passing through our city) have put together a wonderful documentary about the Occupy Movement and its music connection. Read more about this and watch the doc below.

Get Involved

If you’re lucky enough to have gainful employment and can’t yourself be an occupier, you can still make a contribution, which would be greatly appreciated. If not money, there’s also the need for material donations. Occupy Boston’s list of requested items changes, so for up-to-the-minute requests, check their logistics twitter feed. It’s best to just drop things off at their camp in Dewey Square (across from South Station), and then you can be amazed like I was by their organization and dedication.

Stay Informed

Occupy Boston: official site | twitter | facebook
Occupy Wall Street: official site | twitter | facebook
Occupy Together (for all Occupy groups): official site | twitter | facebook

Live streams of protests: OccupyStream | Global Revolution

Live blog of international protests: Al Jazeera

The Mercury Lounge

It is an odd paradox. The Airborne Toxic Event’s audience is getting larger, the hardcore fans more rabid, so many are now singing their praises; and yet, people seem to be actually hearing them less.

At the tiny Pianos on NYC’s Lower East Side last Monday night, Mikel tried to joke about the situation – “Oh, I see the bar’s open… well, it wouldn’t be an Airborne show..”, but it had to suck for them. Eight days in to a 15-day-straight run of shows before a single day off, they were all visibly exhausted, and Mikel had observed a 24-hour “vocal silence” of no talking before the show, in order to preserve his voice. The setlist was drastically altered in favor of quieter ballads instead of vocal chord-straining all-out rockers, and that – along with sweet, sentimental introductions in between every song – should have made this an unusual and very special time for their most loyal fans. There were stories of the early days before Airborne – Mikel’s upstairs neighbor banging on the floor to get him to stop playing, and of previous band members saying “your band’s never going to make it.” Of dragging a broken amp down Ludlow Street, and thanking Pianos for “giving them a shot.” About their first single, “Girls In Their Summer Dresses,” and the tiny label that released it, Square Records. Of all the support they’ve received, the many letters, and the connection with their audience. It should have been an evening of beautiful music and shared experience. Except that the cast of Jersey Shore was in attendance that night.

Pianos, New York City

An inebriated gentleman directly behind me kept yelling out (as in 10 or 12 times), “I love you Mikel!” (who first responded with “I love you too, buddy,” but after about the 8th time, “Yes, I think we’ve established that.” This neanderthal, though professing his love for Mikel, proceeded to sing loudly enough (and out of tune) to nearly drown him out. My quiet requests, desperate pleas, then repeated kicks to the shins, did nothing to stop this. “Please, I came to hear him sing, not you.” “Can’t you tell I don’t care?” Thanks. [Note: I couldn't bear to actually embed this video, but you can see it on YouTube, if you don't believe me...]

So when did Airborne’s fans become a bunch of knuckle-draggers? Has this been a slow and steady transition, one which I am only just now noticing? When Mikel politely asked one guy if he could please be quiet while he tried to speak, he was answered back with “I have one night, dude.” Excuse me? You’ve only going to this one show, so you want to be as noisy as possible so you can’t hear the band (this part I just don’t get at all), and screw all the rest of us? Hey, I drove down from Boston for this show, dude. One fan flew in from Germany, dude. I hate to break it to you, dude, but it isn’t just about you. And what about the band? Maybe a little respect is in order for a hard-working group of people who are here tonight 3,000 miles from home, sharing with you some quality songwriting and sophisticated musicianship in a living room-sized Lower East Side club. [Note to Pianos: This was was my first time in your legendary indie rock band incubator, and man, is it ever awesome. I'll be back!]

An interesting thing is happening, and for all the annoyance of anticipating these two shows for months, then being confronted with this lack of respect (the crowd at the Mercury Lounge was a little better), I leave this experience with my already soaring admiration for this band about 10,000 times greater. Because despite the blind and deaf mob (not all of course, but enough to set the tone in a small room, and that crass album cover could not be more appropriate), the band is becoming more serious. Way more serious. Serious about their music, their message, and especially their commitment to each other. In an unguarded moment after the show, Anna spoke of her admiration for Mikel, how he “puts himself on the line” – not just in the physical sense of being the band’s front man, but emotionally, as the words he sings are of such a personal nature; a window into his soul. Well, that last bit is mine, and I’m paraphrasing here, but she went on to say how it’s a good thing he decided to put together a band, so he didn’t have to be “out there” on his own as a solo artist; that the others could be there for him and support him. I knew they all felt that way, it’s obvious in every interview and in the way they play together, but to hear it expressed like that was deeply moving. That’s the great thing about being so damned weary – people will say the most extraordinary things.

I’m reminded of Mikel’s early description of the band’s camaraderie as “a group of siblings stranded on a desert island”. This is even more true now, as the water rises, more treacherous and perilous, with outside pressures that could threaten even the strongest spirit, clearest vision, and greatest resolve. People’s misinterpretations of what the band represents, what they’re about, the strange “projections” that come from widespread radio airplay and increasing success. Yes, bands are broken up because of drugs and crazy lifestyles, but also because of growing egos stoked by gushing adulation and hollow promises; a lost sense of direction. True success happens on one’s own terms; not to buy in to all the bullshit is the greatest challenge.

Daren, at the Mercury Lounge

The Mercury Lounge was also no happy hippie fest, but for entirely different reasons. For one, no one told me it was hardcore punk night. This might seem like a curious choice for Airborne’s support act – except that Noah’s cousin is the lead guitarist. What’s even more interesting, I recall that when they played the Fillmore West in San Francisco back… well, back when, “Noah’s cousin’s punk band” supported them. And now I find out – it was a different cousin, and a different punk band! (must be something in the genes?). In any case, when the lead singer of State of Decline lounged out on the stage – mohawk and tattoos, eating his dinner before their set, with a young drunken blond promptly hitting on him – I knew it was going to be an interesting evening.

(actual overhead conversation): “What band are you in?… so where’s the afterparty?” | “Do you have any coke? That would make me very happy” | (she leans over and kisses him) | “I can see down your shirt” (she doesn’t seem to mind)

State of Decline were… ok. Crazy antics from the lead singer, with people at the front cautiously keeping their distance as he swung his mic stand inches from their heads. There was a kind of “sameness” to all the songs; nothing terribly distinguishing. Noah’s cousin (I’d provide a name, but I can’t find more than a mention of this band online) did a few songs on his own at the start. A vocalist he’s not. But he’s a decent guitarist, and the songs were such that.. well, from what I could make out, I’d say there’s some potential, but he’d be better off going it alone or with a different band. Sorry guys, just my humble opinion. It was all cool, though, I managed not to get whacked with that mic stand, and it was actually quite a bit of fun. What wasn’t cool was when a friend of theirs, this skinny junkie with bleached out white hair, decided he would climb up on stage and lunge off, hurling himself into the front few “rows”. I have nothing whatsoever against crowd surfing, but there are nights to do this, and nights not to. This really wasn’t that sort of crowd, nor were any of them expecting it, so those who had fast reflexes stepped back quickly, leaving him to land hard on the concrete floor, taking out a few unfortunate folks with him.

Noah's cousin, doing a solo set

State of Decline, in a rare quiet moment when I wasn't afraid my camera would get broken.

After a broken mic stand, food spilled all over the front monitors, and an audience shaking their heads, thinking “what the fuck??”, Airborne took to the stage and ripped through a considerably more rocking set than the night before. Mikel’s voice seemed stronger, the band more energetic, and they hit the ground running with “Papillon”, and wailed through a marvelous version of “The Kids Are Ready To Die” (the punk version, of course), leading gorgeously into “Welcome To Your Wedding Day”. A nice mix of old and new, fast and furious, changing things up completely from the low-key evening at Pianos. “Innocence” finished off the main set, sounding just wonderful, and with less interruption during the exquisite intro than what I was expecting. There was again a surprising element in the crowd, nowhere near as obnoxious as the night before, but still not what I remember of Airborne Tox fans as recent as last year.

For an encore, they launched into “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?”, though Mikel, warily eyeing a few over-exuberant girls in the front who immediately started grabbing at his legs as soon as he came to the edge of the stage, wisely decided against wading in this time. And despite (or because of) the aforementioned floozy, who was now shrieking for “Missy”, they instead closed the evening with “All At Once”.

Fortunately, it seems the audience improved as the week went on (or at least, the handful of amateur drunks got “absorbed” in larger audiences), which I’m glad to hear for those who were able to see all five NYC shows. It’s a shame though, and perhaps an indication that you can never really go home again. Everything has changed. Viewed from a distance, I suppose it’s just part of the band’s evolution. Some things are lost, some things are gained, life goes on. Bring on the All At Once tour.

Night #1 Tonight: Philadelphia, The Trocadero;
Wednesday, May 11 – Boston, House of Blues – tix still available.

Other Videos
Pianos: Wishing Well | It Doesn’t Mean A Thing | The Book Of Love | Gasoline/Does This Mean You’re Moving On?
Mercury Lounge: Wishing Well | Does This Mean You’re Moving On?

Let’s put it this way: I have concerns (though nowhere near the concern I have for “what do I do if my house starts shaking?”).

And it starts… with Daren and Steven riding in a vintage car, turning off “Sometime Around Midnight” as it comes on the radio, and exchanging looks of smug derision. Are they already that jaded? Mick Jagger once said, “If I’m still singing ‘Satisfaction’ when I’m 40, I’ll kill myself”. But that was in 1972, a full 10 years and a dozen albums after the Rolling Stones first formed. For Airborne to turn their noses up (even in jest) at the song that helped catapult them to worldwide album sales of 300k+ and sold out shows while they’re still a band with just one album out seems… a bit premature. For a lot of fans, that song meant (and still means) a great deal. For better or for worse, it’s why a lot of them are fans.

The video is slick, like – as another blogger pointed out – an alcohol or men’s cologne ad. There’s a self-congratulatory feel to it – back-slapping, handshaking revelry in a bar room party scene that feels strangely out of place with the lyrical content of the song. It’s a generic mainstream rock backdrop for an indie-pop ode to a dysfunctional relationship. A drunken-celebratory tone set against Mikel’s angsty personal introspection. In an interview about the making of the video, Mikel agrees that it “reinterprets the song in a new way”. Well, that’s fine, but is that what you want for a promotional video for your first single off the new album? Kevin Bronson of Buzz Bands addresses (rips into) the video’s imagery, and what follows are comments from people who come off like betrayed lovers. Mouse of Classical Geek Theatre has a more moderate (though equally perplexed) view – and a really sweet photo.

I had said some time ago that I believe the band is the same, but that the scene around them is changing. What I mean is: they’re still talented musicians, Mikel’s lyrics are still poetic (more so, in fact), they still have tremendous chemistry together and they craft beautiful, infectious songs. But now there are more people involved, they’re on a major label, working with a famous producer at a fancy studio. Under such circumstances, with people whom you’ve just met telling you what to play and how to play it, grabbing on to your successful band like parasites to the body of a whale, one must take great pains to ensure that the music – and your vision – doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. Mikel once said that he didn’t expect to be able to control everything. I’m thinking he might want to control some things.

My take is that this was seen as a marketing opportunity – a new demographic for the band, and a new demographic for Strikers All-Stars. Fair enough. Though I don’t think either is well-served by this. They’re terrific dancers, no denying that. But if I were their choreographer, I’m not so sure I’d choose “Changing” as the proper music to highlight their talents. Nor does this song need step dancers, drunken revelers, an arm-wrestling match and a girl putting on lipstick (huh?) to get its point across. So what? It’s just a music video. But it’s indicative of new people with input into creative decisions, other than just the band and their manager. And it’s at a crucial time when a lot of people are watching, just ahead of a long-awaited follow-up to their debut. People are standing there, arms folded, waiting to see what they’ll do next. I want to see them as mega-stars. I want to hear their music in movies and in ads. I want to know when in hell we’re going to see a decent feature in Rolling Stone. I just don’t want to see them compromise their integrity to get there.

Having said all that (and as proof that all is most certainly not lost), they’ve also been releasing some absolutely gorgeous acoustic one-take, one-shot videos of songs from the new album. The latest of which is a beautiful tribute Mikel wrote for his parents, lovingly performed as a folksy ballad:

Why on earth can’t something like this be the official video and aired on MTV, VH1 or wherever it needs to be? This is how I see the band – sweet, funny, smart, talented, with music that’s deeply personal and a cut above pretty much everything else out there. So what if it’s not slickly produced with fast edits? What if it has no edits at all? Who the f*ck cares? Is the mainstream rock audience such a docile bunch of sheep that they can’t process something that doesn’t look like a Budwiser ad? (no wait, don’t answer that). This “Bombastic Series” is directed by Jon Danovic, the same man responsible for “Changing”, and also for the beautifully filmed Disney Hall performance. He’s obviously supremely capable of doing anything you want him to do.

So that’s my long-winded opinion of the “Changing” video. And I anxiously await the new album. Not with folded arms, mind you, but with arms outstretched.

As I told the Siara boys after their deeply gratifying set of life-affirming rock ‘n’ roll, “thanks man, I really needed that.” Yup, tough year. What can I say? Read more of my heartfelt gratitude on Ryan’s Smashing Life. I gave him the photos that didn’t look like I shot them in a dark underwater cave. Apart from the ridiculous volume level for two dozen of us in a place the size of a shoebox, they also have a rather creative lighting technique, whereby they illuminate the audience but leave the performers in semi-darkness. Actually, we later decided that was good for bands with bad hangovers; Joey said it was nice and subdued, and he could see all of us just fine. Awesome.

Joey raises his plastic cup to the 20 of us. No man, here's to you.

The xx at their in-store appearance at Newbury Comics, Newbury Street, Boston

The day started out innocently enough. Well, apart from only just having breakfast at noon, but that’s become standard operating procedure with my middle of the night paying job. I went into town to see my friend Mary who had come in from Washington, D.C. to see The xx at a Newbury Comics in-store, and to cover their show with Friendly Fires at the Paradise for There Goes the Fear and PopWreckoning.

We waited for about an hour past the scheduled time (due to a late arrival of equipment) in an enormous line of several hundred people at Newbury Comics, during which time I got a parking ticket for being at a (paid) meter for too long – go figure, it’s always something. Finally, we were all poured into two narrow aisles between CD racks to see (well, not exactly see) The xx perform a gorgeous, absolutely breathtaking 7-song set of their dreamy atmospheric music. Percussionist/keyboardist Jamie Smith, singer/guitarist Romy Madley Croft, and singer/bassist Oliver Sim conjured a magical trip through dark, mysterious English forests amongst racks of CDs, glaring fluorescent lights, t-shirts, stockings, and Dr. Who memorabilia. Ok, well maybe the Dr. Who stuff made sense somehow. They recently lost keyboard player Baria Qureshi to the exhausting rigors of international touring, yet for me, hearing them live for the first time, their music sounded rich and full, a beautifully ethereal swirling mass of sounds and textures which swept us off to some distant place. I later learned they’ll be headlining their own show on April 2 at the Paradise. My advice: buy your tickets NOW.

Romy Madley Croft of The xx

In-store setlist
Intro
VCR
Basic Space
Islands
Crystalised
Night Time
Infinity

Despite the long wait and cramped quarters, the in-store proved to be a great success; the actual show, not so much. The one good thing that happened was that I found a parking space quickly, which was something of a marvel on Commonwealth Ave. outside the Paradise on a Friday night. This gave me a false sense of well-being and a completely inaccurate omen of a good night to come.

It was my own fault. Having seen Friendly Fires back in March when they came through with White Lies at that same venue, there were still tickets at the door the night of the show, so I thought I had plenty of time. I was wrong. As I told FF guitarist Edd Gibson in the lounge before the show, during a strange conversation – “uh hi, nice to meet you, sorry I can’t be at your show tonight…” – what was bad for me was great for them. Wow, have they gotten popular in 8 months time! I’m guessing that may well be their last show at the 650-capacity Paradise, and it’ll be the House of Blues next time around.

Jamie Smith and Oliver Sim of The xx at Newbury Comics, with their newest members... oh wait, never mind. (yes, they have Twilight Saga memorabilia.)

I commiserated for a while outside with fellow ticket hunters. I hope you guys got lucky. One girl who drove down from New Hampshire to see the show with a friend fortunately scored a ticket, I think, as some stranger’s “plus one”. I then got into a just-shy-of-physical confrontation with a scalper who tried (unsuccessfully, it seems) to upstage us so that he could procure tickets himself and then gouge us. If he had purchased the tickets beforehand, I wouldn’t have minded so much, but something about his comment, “You need tickets? I’ll get back to you in a minute” set me off. Almost as much as when he said to me, “hey, this is my job. I wasn’t born into money like you.” Honey, if I was born into money, would I be standing out here on a skanky Boston street corner trying to find a Paradise Rock Club ticket? Uh no, I would be in L.A. for the weekend, seeing my favorite band at an elegant venue.

I ended up at a friend’s apartment watching a PBS pledge drive and bad late-night talk shows, and torturing myself with live tweets from the Airborne Toxic Event performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

My lovely evening continued with a nasty note from my friend’s neighbor on my windshield, warning me to “never park in their space ever again” (yes, it could have been worse; fortunately my car wasn’t towed), and then at 1 am, to cap it off, I was stuck in standstill traffic on Route 1 heading back to the North Shore, and then pulled over and questioned as part of a “sobriety checkpoint”. I explained to the officer “I don’t drink at all anymore”, and he promptly let me go. He’ll never know, at that particular moment, how much I desperately wished I still did.

[For an actual review of the show, please see Mary Chang's write-ups for PopWreckoning and There Goes the Fear (direct links to be added when she gets them up).]

After my failed attempt to win tickets to Coachella, and hot on the heels of recent announcements that The Airborne Toxic Event (and a host of other wonderful indie rock bands) are playing Austin City Limits and the Fuji Rock Festival this year, I find myself bemoaning the fact that the East Coast really doesn’t have a decent indie music festival. Well, apart from I guess what is now only the second annual All Points West in New Jersey, which seems to be the only festival Airborne Tox isn’t performing at. Of course. There are plans, apparently, for a festival in upstate NY, but that wouldn’t be until 2010, so who the heck knows. Yes, here it comes — it’s Julie’s weekly rant.

Oh sure, here in New England we have bluegrass festivals, folk festivals, jazz festivals, Early Music festivals, reggae festivals, and chamber music festivals. We have a Wild Blueberry Festival, an Egg Festival, and the Potato Blossom Festival (all in Maine, and not hard to figure out why; no one up there but moose). But a rock festival? Nope.

WZBC radio personality Victor R. Venckus and one of the emus spend some quality time at the Topsfield Fair, 2006.

We do have the Topsfield Fair. Maybe Tox can play a set in the petting farm, next to the emu (always a personal favorite, though I think the ostrich is probably closer to my own temperament). We can have them on just after the pig racing, because no one likes to miss that. There’s also the Big E in Springfield, MA, with much the same. They’ve played at Six Flags. They’ve done Knott’s Berry Farm. Why not the Big E? Although actually, they can’t play this year – Foghat already beat them to it. Foghat. Yeah. I rest my case.

Don't Kill Antz

I managed to get a Friday night off and headed to Toad again to catch a few bands. I’m hesitant to repeat what a nice, cozy place this is to see music in, because it gets packed enough as it is. But it is a cool little venue, and they have some really great performances – albeit some noisy and clueless patrons. But more about that in a minute [yes, it's going to be another one of Julie's rants, so buckle up.].

Opening was Boubacar Diabaté with someone, I’m not sure who, playing what looked like a giant half-pumpkin. I had to look up information about this guy (and purchase his CD), because he’s really wonderful – a lovely voice, and some very nice guitar playing. His percussionist was playing what were probably traditional African instruments, though of course I’m quite ignorant, hence my description above.

Boubacar Diabaté of SambaLolo

“Griot singer, guitarist, drummer, songwriter and storyteller Boubacar Diabate from Bamako, Mali comes from the Mande lineage and has combined traditional rhythms with modern influences to create his own style of contemporary Malian Griot music presenting his own compositions and arrangements, singing and playing guitar with his group, Samba Lolo. Singing in Bambara and Manding, Boubacar Diabate and SambaLolo create a performance that spans the full spectrum of Traditional to Contemporary Malian music from West Africa combined with Blues, Jazz, Reggae and Bluegrass – Bouba sings of our common shared experience of love, life and humanity, giving all an opportunity to hear the age-old West African tradition of Griot storytelling through song.” (from his MySpace page).

I was completely unfamiliar with this style of music, and it was quite a treat. His smooth, sensuous vocals draw you right in, with his fabulous guitar playing and just the right amount of traditional percussive accompaniment making for a truly beautiful performance. I felt myself swept away to a distant place, interested in learning more about this fascinating storyteller.

And here’s my rant: although it’s always nice to see a show like this in an intimate venue, it would have been far more enjoyable to be able to listen to his thoughtful storytelling song craft without the constant stream of mindless chatter by inebriated Toad patrons. This is an inherent problem with live music in bars. Yes, it’s the most common sort of place for artists to perform – people gathered together in a friendly, informal setting. But something happens when people start drinking: they become very stupid. Please understand. Though I don’t drink anymore, I do remember what it’s like to get completely shitfaced, so I’m not coming from a pious place of ignorance. Hardly. But I cannot understand why people go to an establishment where music is being performed, when all they really want to do is drink and talk to their friends. Wouldn’t it be better to go to a bar where there’s quieter piped-in tunes? Wouldn’t it be far more respectful to the musicians who are trying to introduce an audience to their work?

These people were not only talking through SabaLolo's entire set, but they were standing directly in front of the band and in front of everyone else - many of whom had come to Toad exclusively to see the band's performance.

Ending on a more pleasant note, I’m delighted to see that SambaLolo is based here in Boston, because this means I can see them again sometime! And I highly recommend that you see them too.

Don’t Kill Antz was an unexpected pleasure as well. A rootsy stomp with rocking guitar riffs and a highly engaging lead singer (Brendan Fitzgerald) provided for a very enjoyable evening. The rest of this talented band consists of: Donald Bakerian-guitar, Jimmy Trapella-bass, Will Szabo-drums, and Mike Weafer-guitar. Trapella and Weafer were previously in a reggae/dub band called The Well, and indeed they’ve brought that jamming sensibility to “Antz”, which has only been around since August 2008. Not even a year, and yet they have that cohesive sound of bands who’ve been together much longer. “[Singing] is like surfing. I wait to catch my wave… I feel [the song's] melody and fit the lyrics to it, let them rhyme, drop something funny or smart…” – Brendan Fitzgerald, from the band’s website on ReverbNation.

Embrace your pain; use it to create art. Ok, so I embraced my pain, and I created… something. The song is called “Yay Coachella!”, and it’s sung to Weezer’s “Troublemaker”, which WFNX has played, I think, about 500,000 times to date. Once would have been enough. In fact, once would have been too much. We put together this video for their contest to win a trip to the wonderful Coachella music festival out in Indio, California, April 17-19. A partial list of bands I would love, love, love to see: The Airborne Toxic Event, Leonard Cohen, The Cure, Conor Oberst, Franz Ferdinand, Morrissey, Silversun Pickups, The Hold Steady, We Are Scientists, Band of Horses, Bob Mould, Fleet Foxes, Glasvegas, Henry Rollins, M.I.A., TV on the Radio, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Lykke Li, My Bloody Valentine, Okkervil River, Public Enemy, The Orb, Throbbing Gristle (good heavens, Throbbing Gristle??), X, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. All except for Franz and TATE I’ve never seen before, and I’ve never been to a music festival like this (save for maybe one or two low-key things in Connecticut, back in the late ’70s). Wish us luck! (I really need a vacation…)

Yay Coachella!

Put me on a plane somewhere,
cos’ I am comatose
I just crawled through the winter
and I need a rockin’ show.

Who needs stupid sports,
and frozen ski resorts,
when out west there’s a rock fest of
the music of my dreams.

Get off the internet
we’ll do a midnight run
but an evening out at Hooters
isn’t my idea of fun.

What am I doing here?
with these jocks and their beer.
They think you are from Mars
and from Southie you have scars.

(Chorus)
Get me to Coachella
sunny Cali. weather
hippie beads and t-shirts
and bands I really love.
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Airborne Tox, Orb, and The Cure
we are out of patience
we need to rip it up.

I drew the card of Death
what does that signify?
I need a quick live music fix
or else someone will die.
you wanna have some proof?
how’s this then for some proof?

:: Arrggghhhhhh!!!!!::

That’s right.
I’m tearing out my hair
I wanna go to Indio
and hang out with some rock stars
and you can come along with me
’cause I can’t stand my job
I feel just like a slob
face glued to a computer screen
as creepy as The Blob.

developing a twitch
short-term memory a bitch
getting tired and feeling old
and crying out to God…

(Chorus)
Get me to Coachella
sunny Cali. weather
hippie beads and t-shirts
and bands I really love.
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Airborne Tox, Orb, and The Cure
we are out of patience
we need to rip it up.

We’ll wish upon a star
so many awesome bands
have never seen them play before
I’ll be a happy fan.
Henry Rollins, M.I.A.,
TV on the Radio
Throbbing Gristle, Public Enemy -
is this really the same show??

A slice of history
rock, rap, folk, and indie
I’ll dance around and celebrate
as happy as can be.

Leonard Cohen, he’s so classy
Paul McCartney – an old geezer
he’s been at it for 100 years
but he’s WAY better than WEEZER!!

(Chorus)
Get me to Coachella
sunny Cali. weather
hippie beads and t-shirts
and bands I really love.
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Airborne Tox, Orb, and The Cure
we are out of patience
we need to rip it up.
(need to rip it up)
Get us to Coachella
(we need to rip it up)
Get us to Coachella
(I need to loosen up)
Get us to Coachella
(we need to rip it up)
Get us to Coachella
we’re not giving up.

About an hour after the MTV article landed in my inbox, Brooklyn Vegan picked up on the news – and proceeded to get slammed, the first comment being “brooklynvegan, brought to you by People Magazine!”

An interesting thing is happening here, as the music industry collapses onto itself and goes supernova. The internet brings bands from remote small towns into the homes and ears of music fans around the planet. Those fans can listen to new music, purchase songs and support those artists without ever stepping outside, and without a record label, manager, PR firm, or physical record store getting involved. Band to audience. That’s it. And simultaneously, probably because of the internet as well and wider exposure for bands signed to small labels or not signed at all, it’s mixed with increasing competition for people’s entertainment dollars and a desire to keep things fresh and connect with younger viewers tethered to their MacBooks. More films (including the big Hollywood ones) are using indie music in their soundtracks, TV shows and commercials are doing the same, ringtones fer god’s sake, games, you name it. Mainstream. Or better yet, no “indie”, no “mainstream”, but just good music and sure, bad music too, but as they say the cream will tend to rise anyway. Whatever people want to hear, and everyone can decide for themselves what they enjoy. This is a bad thing?

Of course, there are dangers. Take rap music, for instance. I’m not a huge fan now, but I remember walking around the Village in the early 1980s, record shopping at those cool little places back then, seeing breakdancing in the streets, rap music blaring from boomboxes, and thinking “this is important.” Even with my decidedly upper middle class and white upbringing (having been moved by my parents from Queens to Connecticut just before things got interesting), I just knew. At that time, although the major labels were already starting to put their filthy paws on it, the lyrics were still very political, socio-economic, and vital. It was original, genuine, the voice of the urban community. Public Enemy… N.W.A….Ice-T. Fast-forward 25 years. Um… yeah. But again, all hail the internet; the pre-packaged, glossy, and exploited remnants of that genre, well, it doesn’t matter anymore, because there are so many others who have remained true to their vision. With the lack of boundaries and absence of rules, I’m convinced it’ll sort itself out. There will still be a place for the glossy shit, ’cause heck, there are people who like glossy shit, and then there’s a vast cornucopia of delights for the rest of us.

Then there’s the other end of the spectrum. The “British music fan disease” as I like to call it, though we’re not immune from it here on the other side of the pond. It’s the belief that once a band has more than 15 people who’ve heard of them, and maybe they’ve sold a few CDs at shows and can pay their rent and gas bills, they’re no longer considered “acceptable” and you can’t listen to their music anymore. What a load of rubbish, as those Brits might say.

Oh, and another thing. I just finished listening to TATE’s Maida Vale session with Zane Lowe for BBC Radio One. Which is a very big deal over there, and as dorky, behind the times, and uncool as I am, I know of Maida Vale for their legendary radio sessions – Bowie’s early 1970s ones come to mind). So there’s a brief interview and Zane asks Mikel and Anna what’s next for the band. Which, I dunno, I would think that might prompt a somewhat intelligent answer about the group’s plans – touring, upcoming release, etc. So Mikel says they’ll be touring across North America after these shows in the UK, and then goes on to mention that the single has just been released there, with the full album a few weeks later. And he adds, probably very honestly, “after that, who knows? I mean, we’re still a new band.” And he gets slammed for that! What, is he supposed to be completely dense about when their album is coming out and where they’re playing? Is it uncool somehow to be involved in the daily activities and direction of your band, and involved in the business aspects of your music, which you’ve spent the past few years of your life completely immersed in?

Rant over. And as for me? Me, the unkempt, unwashed, and uncool. Just now discovering music that the hip crowd listened to, celebrated, and discarded 15 years ago. Tuning in to TV shows that I find I quite like, only to have them go off the air a week later (or, in the case of The Sopranos, after it was already off the air). Missing punchlines and references from movies, because I haven’t seen them yet. No more “cool” or “uncool”, “indie” or “mainstream”. It isn’t this, it isn’t that. It just IS. How wonderfully refreshing. Thank god, I can relax now.

Before I start to bitch about something here, let me first say that these are all really good bands, and I had a great time. I would encourage everyone out there to not only go to shows of your favorite artists when they come to town, but to take a chance on people you may not have heard before and support your local musicians, wherever you may be. MySpace makes it so damn easy now. You don’t even have to risk not liking something; have a listen first.

Now for my rant. A suggestion to bands out there who may be reading this: just because you’re playing in front of an audience doesn’t mean you have to try to rip people’s faces off. If you have pretty, melodic, folksy singer-songwriter type songs, it’s ok to play some stuff gently and softly (even in a skanky, dirty bar), so folks can enjoy them as they were intended. Now, I do realize you’re in Boston, and maybe it’s because of our driving habits and generally aggressive, foul temperament that you think we don’t like music unless it’s thrashy and loud and makes your ears bleed. But it’s just not true. Especially if you’re playing at a place like the Middle East Upstairs, the size and shape of a shoebox (and I say that lovingly). Yes, I’m old, but it’s not just that. I like to be able to actually hear stuff once in a while. Have a fighting chance of maybe being able to make out the lyrics. All four of these bands, at least on their MySpace pages, have music that’s multi-layered with subtleties that I didn’t hear very much of last night. Not to say that I don’t enjoy my share of thrashy rock, but mix it up a little, especially if a particular song calls for a different approach. Don’t worry about that drunk headbanger two feet in front of your face, nor the sloshed young girls (who are new to inebriation and don’t know how to do it properly yet) talking throughout the entire set, spilling drinks and falling into everyone. Play for those people who came to listen to your music.

Ok, first impressions, not having heard these bands before, and purely subjective…

Left Hand Does – really sorry I missed part of your set (I’m North Shore-challenged, which makes those “first band of four in Central Square” early evening sets a bit iffy), but I think you guys are terrific and I’ll definitely make a point of seeing you again. Standouts for me (based on the 4-5 songs I heard): something with the line “I like your shoes, but I hate your face”, and “Airplanes”, which was very cool with some awesome keyboards. It’s interesting that among their influences they mention Crowded House and Split Enz, because I definitely got that “Kiwi quirkiness” from them, which I really like.

Thick as Thieves – Another band I will investigate further. Two guys on guitars (Aaron Benson and Tyler Littwin), keyboards, bass & drums, sounding really good, and hints of some really nice stuff underneath that “in-your-face barroom scrappiness”, which caught my attention.

This Car Up – Again, two “dueling guitars” which sounded great together, keyboards, bass, and some guy named George on drums. Very quirky, fun guys. Nice vocal harmonies. But again, the more melodic songs on their MySpace page didn’t totally come across (to me, anyway), I think just because it was too loud. Maybe it’s also the sound in that room, not sure. It’s certainly not the worst in town (the old Paradise back in the 90’s takes that particular award), but maybe still not so great.

The Shills – This was actually my least favorite, even though they were the headliners and obviously have a decent following of hardcore fans. It comes down to personal preference; they were decent musicians and put on a highly energetic show, but just not my thing. It may have been the high-pitched vocals, which I’ve never really been a huge fan of, unless it’s part of a wide vocal range (as in the case of Rocco DeLuca, one of my favorites). But again, all this is obviously subjective. Oh, I’ll also say that they have a sax player who I really would have liked to hear more of; either it was just my hearing in that room, or he was mixed way down.

Jesus, I sound really critical! But hey, 3 out of 4 isn’t bad, especially for my first time hearing any of them. And there’s nothing like leaving those four walls and checking out your struggling local bands, showing them some support. True, Boston has an amazing music scene, but you never know, your little town in the middle of nowhere might have some awesome band waiting to be discovered…