Gotham Gal

The National at Radio City

I might be done with the big venue. 

We were asked to see something at Madison Square Garden this summer and although I won't be here, I have absolutely zero interest.  I thought that Radio City is as big as I get.  Not sure I want to even get that big.

The National put on a pretty good show.  The Antlers came out first which we missed most of the show but they I like them too.  Some parts were better than others.  I do love the sound and songs from the National.  But the lead singer said something that resonated.  In the front row there were 20 open seats that must have been held for VIPs that didn't show.  He told the audience to come on down because there were some extra seats in the front row.  Then he said something that I have heard before from artists at Radio City, he couldn't see past the first couple of rows.  The way the lighting works, it is difficult for the performers on stage to see the audience.  That is why I prefer the smaller venues. 

When you go to a small club or see an off-Broadway show in a small theater, the artists react to the audience.  They see the audience, they hear the audience and they can feel the vibe in the house.  It creates something more intimate and generally something special. 

Many of the artists now hitting MSG and Radio City, we saw 5 years ago or less in tiny venues like Bowery Ballroom.  I am thrilled to see the artists success because concerts is where the money is made for them but I might have to remain the fan that sees the performance at the start when there is more of an edge than when they grow into larger venues.  I just miss the intimacy.

date night

What a day....and night.

I had a meeting at ICM today that is located on 8th ave between 49/50th.  The lobby had really interesting art.  It was like a small show.  The artist above is Margaret Morrison.  I met with someone at ICM who I had an immediate connection with and for an added bonus had one degree of separation with on many levels.  When I left I bumped into someone I know from San Francisco in the main lobby.  Totally random considering I haven't been in that neck of the woods in over 20 years.

Last night I had a date night with my good friend Mo.  He came by around 730 and we walked over to Joseph Leonard for dinner ( we are both investors ).  En route we bumped into his good friend who I know too.  He told me that he had made my brisket last month and it was delicious.  Yay!

Gabe and Gina were there and we hung with them before getting a seat.  After dinner, which was delicious, we both saw that on foursquare someone we both knew had checked in. We found him at the bar with his friend having dinner.  His friend wanted to eat at Joseph Leonard because he read about it on my blog.  Another Yay!  As we were leaving someone introduced themselves to me who I have emailed with many times but had never met in person.  So psyched to finally meet her face to face and we are definitely going to have coffee.  Another Yay.

Mo and I grabbed a cab over to Webster Hall and met up with Michael from Aviary to see the Shout Out Louds. The show was good not great.  Live music is one of those things.  Sometimes it brings the music to another level and sometimes it all just sounds the same.  A little bit of the latter here.

Afterward, we left and went to a party where I bumped into a variety of people I knew.  I should get out more!  Spent some time talking to the founders of Venmo which was really interesting.  By midnight, I had my fill.

A great date night with Mo....and such a New York night.  I loved it!

Second Dan

Last night, in the bitter cold, we ventured out to Rockwood Music Hall to see our friend play.  His band is called Second Dan. 

I can't remember when we met Dan Rosen but he has one of those big warm-hearted personalities that make you feel as if you have known him all your life.  Super smart Aussie from Melbourne who not only has a band but works in the technology industry too.  Love him!

Rockwood Music Hall is a tiny venue on Allen Street right off of Houston.  One drink minimum.  Packed to the gills with a string of musicians that play hourly.  The girl sitting next to me, so lucky we scored a seat, told me she comes here regularly because you know that you will always hear good music.

Dan's band has great stage presence.  The songs are catchy.  Really fun to see him perform live.  His new album is being released in the next month. 

Of Montreal at the Highline Ballroom

Love the Highline Ballroom.  Such a civilized place to see music.  Upstairs you can reserve tables or grab one if available for the minimum cover of $10 a drink for each set.   You can't beat that.  If you want to do the floor scene, that is available too.  The sound system isn't stellar but the place works.

We went to see Of Montreal.  I have always liked their music.  They definitely appeal to a stoner crowd.  The sweet smell of reefer took over the place the second they came on. 

There was definitely an attempt from the band to show a kind of off the beaten track to their audience.  The keyboard guy came out in a lion costume to start and roar at the audience.  At the beginning of the show, there were 3 people who were wearing head to toe leotards covering their face holding posts with animals on them that they would wave around the musicians.  One of them had a camera and was streaming what he was filming behind the band.  One guy walked on his hands.  It was supposed to show an edgy weirdness, I guess, but to me, it just seemed manufactured.

For the music, sometimes you go see a concert and you walk away loving the band even more.  Live performances can change your entire perception of a band.  In this instance, I walked away not really loving Of Montreal.  Lots of the songs sounded the same, and the whole contrived show with the leotard guys didn't do it for me. 

But, the Highline Ballroom...love that.

More music

Fred posted his top 10 albums of 2009 which I had my fair share of listening to.  As we have become more and more play lists listeners, I really liked the top 25 song list he put up. 

Enjoy...
Here are the tracks.

Top music for 2009

Although the way we listen to music has changed so dramatically over the last decade, I still feel the need to do best albums of the year.  I have noticed that many of the critics are doing best songs of the year which makes sense.  The music industry, who is still trying to hold on to the days of yore where they owned the artists and it was all about putting out the album, have been actually the reason behind the singular songs.  As they tried to hold on to their golden handcuffs, they pushed artists to start putting out singles.  Funny how things have ended up.  Regardless, here is what was the top of my listening enjoyment this year….in no particular order.

 

1 – Harlem Shakes, Technicolor Health  

 2 – Avett Brothers, I And Love and You

 3 – Girls, Album

 4 – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros,  Up From Below

 5 – Monsters of Folk, Monsters of Folk

 6 – Conor Oberst, Outer South

 7 – Miike Snow, Miike Snow

8 - Blind Pilot, 3 Rounds and A Sound

9 - Andrew Bird, Noble Beast

10 - Listening to lots of French music which I am putting under one number.  Jacques Dutronic, Carla Bruni, Quelqu'un M'a Dit Serge Gainsbourg, Histoire de Melody Nelson and Madeline Peyroux, Bare Bones

Lots of hip-hop music through out house this year too.  Really enjoyed  Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day.  But, the rest was mostly singles here and there from other hip-hop artists.  I asked Josh for his top 10 list...lets see if he comes through.  If he does, I will post it.

This year was truly the year of the single and a lot of covers.  It was easier to come up with 10 this year vs years past.  Regardless, this list was on my heavy rotation list in 2009.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

After dinner last night, we grabbed a cab and headed down to the Bowery Ballroom.  One of my favorite venues.  We got there around 11 just as Edward Shape and the Magnetic Zeroes were coming on.  The good news is, we know the trick to get to the front of the stage.  Sorry, can't share. 

An 11 person band.  One person is more talented than the other.  All great voices.  They put on an incredible concert and one you can only appreciate in a small venue as it is lost in anything larger. 

We knew a bunch of people at the show which is always fun to discuss afterward.  If you get a chance to see them, run now because my guess is after the 2 lead singers stop sleeping together, that will be the demise of the group.  Also, the song Home just won't be the same.

Care Bears on Fire

In all transparency, we have an investment in S-Curve Records.  One of the bands is Care Bears on Fire. Catchy pop teen tunes.  This particular song is hilarious and actually says something about the culture of where girls are heading....in a very good way.

Brooklyn Bowl

Ever been to  Rock 'n Bowl in New Orleans?  A total run down bowling alley that plays live music.  Great concept.  Take it to Brooklyn and the experience is transformational. 

I read about the opening of the Brooklyn Bowl when it first opened.  Made a mental note to get there.  Also made a mental note that the economy was going sour and that the concept sounded expensive and quite grand for the times.  We saw the venue last night, quickly thought again, it is genius.  A tad clean at this point but I am sure that will change over time.  Sort of has a Southern bend like a clean honky-tonk bar out of Austin, TX.  The cleanliness sort of makes you wonder if you are in Brooklyn but believe me, you are.

The venue has a variety of different rooms that flow into each other.  You can sit down and eat, you can hang at the bar, you can bowl ( very sweet bowling spot with large leather couches for sitting in each area ), or you can go see live music.  No plastic glasses at this place but big glasses for beers on tap and wine glasses.  Nice touch.  I particularly like the glass wall with filled with arcade dolls, the ones where you generally buy 3 balls to hit down and win a stuffed animal. 

We went to see The Gaslight Anthemn.  Sort of mixture of Bruce Springsteen meets Pete Yorn and happens to bump into The Killers on the way out of New Jersey.  90% of the audience knew every word which was really nice to see.  The band was totally into the place.  Young, buff and clean cut.  Don't love them but seeing the venue was worth the trip ( and of course dinner at Dressler's and the company we were with ). 

Check out the Brooklyn Bowl, find a band you love and go.  Or if you love to bowl and toss back a few, this could be your place.  Except for the tunnel of smokers en route to the front door, a great additional venue to the city. 

Nick Lowe at the City Winery

Fred had planned a night at City Winery to see Nick Lowe this summer with some people.  Didn't exactly thrill me but I said I'd go so long ago and then before I knew it, the evening was here.   Also, the evening completely ended up with a total different crew than Fred had planned on.

City Winery is really a great venue.  The concept is smart.  You can make wines, have group events, rent out the entire place for yourself, see music, have brunch, eat dinner, taste their wines or others etc.  Conceptually a place that scales older.  People can sit down, order pretty good food and a large assortment of wines.  Not the place to see The Arctic Monkeys.

In all sincerity seeing Nick Lowe was not very high on my list.  I really do prefer new music vs older bands or musicians that I listened to endlessly 25 years ago.  Once in a blue moon do I go back and listen to old stuff and most of it is the classics like The Stones or Beatles.  I realize that is not the norm among my peers, certainly based on last night.  Definitely last night when a woman came up to our table and talked about how Nick totally rocked like she was 18 vs the reality that she was 45 and rock would not be the word I would have used to define the show.

Nick Lowe is an amazing musician and performer.  His songs, when you really listen to the words, are magical.  He also has that witty sharp British humor which I personally find incredibly appealing.

30 minutes would have been enough for me last night but the highlight  was when Nick he sang Peace, Love and Understanding, a song he wrote for Elvis Costello, was really worth the entire evening.  In addition, the entire night was purely an acoustical performance.

Really like the venue, City Winery.  Comedy would be great there.  Not that into the older musicians.  Yet the thing about marriage it it isn't only about compromises, its part of the chit system. Now I get to put in my chit for????