The decade old project of Jamie Stewart, Xiu Xiu, played a fresh set at FUC in Philly on the third of May 2012. This avant-garde experimental indie group has existed as a solar system of artists with one star. The current orbiter (since 2009) is Angela Seo. The history around Xiu Xiu is deep and saving a regurgitation of this, we simply point you to wikipedia for many paragraphs on the subject.
We can state unequivocally that the performance was moving and energetic. Coasting in between soft and hard sounds, Xiu Xiu created an atmosphere that held gravity in a state of influx allowing those in attendance to ebb and flow with the metaphorical currents; quiet interludes pulled at the feet while soaring guitar solos and haunting vocals pulled the listener up off the ground. Percussion sounds added to the visceral feel that was manifested and we were happy to be in attendance for yet another stunning performance at FUC for Xiu Xiu. We have a few videos for you below and apologize in advance for the partially obscured shots:
Lost Show Posts: LPC has caught some really kick-ass shows that for some strange reason never got reported on. The Vivian Girls set at Johnny Brenda’s on September 6th 2011 was one of these. This is the first in a series of set reports that should have been covered long ago.
The Vivian Girls from Brooklyn, NY put on a power set for the JB crowd on September 6th. The lineup consisting of Cassie Ramone, “Kickball Katy” Goodman and Fiona Campbell were the headliners on this evening and showed why we had heard so many good things about their live performances. Having released 3 LP’s the band had much material to draw from but focused primarily on their new release “Share the Joy”.
We thoroughly enjoyed the energy these ladies put out into the ether. Drawing on numerous influences including the Wipers and past tour mates Jay Reatard (RIP), King Khan and the Shrines, and Sonic Youth, the Vivian Girls have an indie/garage rock/lo-fi sound unequaled. Their passion for playing music comes across clearly on stage and we felt it in every note and riff. Now on Polyvinyl records, the Vivian Girls sound is getting tighter and tighter while staying true to the sound on which they were founded.
Catching the Vivian Girls live is highly recommended and their return to Philly is eagerly awaited. Check out some video from the night below:
The Casiokids of Bergen, Norway were at Kung Fu Necktie in Philly on October 18th and we feel very sorry for those who missed this exciting performance. Boasting 6 members on this night, the core group of Ketil Kinden Endresen, Fredrik Øgreid Vogsborg, Omar Johnsen and Kjetil Bjøreid Aabø blew us away with their delectable synth pop sound. Though the songs weren’t in English, we all understood what we were hearing – a sound that has truly gotten tighter and tighter in it’s evolution since 2005 and one which permeates the soul with electric precision.
Playing mostly tracks off their new album, Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen, Casiokids made many new fans on this evening. We were fortunate enough to get a copy of the album digitally beforehand as it was just released this month in North America so we were very excited at what we might hear. This new collection of songs was written in conjunction with each other making it the most cohesive album yet. Hearing it come to life was truly an honor.
A little background on their new album title comes courtesy of their website. We loved this explanation:
Why was “Aabenbaringen over aaskammen” chosen as the album title?
The song themes and sounds on the album are shaped around and inspired by the story of adventurer Dr. Tarzan Monsoon, and his discovery of a hidden rainforest. ‘Aabenbaringen’ translates to ‘the revelation’, and ‘over aaskammen’ as ‘over the mountain’, something that appears from over the mountain top. Two of the words are written in old Danish-Norwegian with the double A, instead of the more common modern-Norwegian Å, and a ‘B’ to replace the more modern-Norwegian ‘P’ in ‘aabenbaringen’. This gives the title a hint of being older, in Norwegian grammatical terms, 100 years or so.
The show and the story of adventurer Dr. Tarzan Monsoon was immense fun and the Casiokid sound made dancing irresistible. The multi-talented band would switch off instrumentation duties culminating in a full scale switch finale wherein everyone changes instruments and jammed out (video to follow).
We hope that these Norwegians will return to the city of brotherly love soon as sounds like theirs seldom pass through. Casiokids played this final night in the states (outside of New York CMJ performances) and will next head to Japan for their first tour in that country ever. We hope you enjoy some video from the evening:
With great fortitude, Matt Pond took the stage on September 20th at JB’s in Philly with a broken leg he acquired just five days into his 2011 tour. Staring his first song standing up on crutches, he continued the rest of the show in a chair managing to sing, play the guitar and work the pedals – a testament to his desire to play music and please fans. It would have been easy to cancel the tour and abandon his tour-mates and fans but Matt played on. This is the nitty-gritty Matt Pond from Philadelphia, PA we love. Not the one Pitchfork so mercilessly tares apart in its’ reviews – reviews I consider to be unfair and one dimensional.
Matt Pond PA formed his band in Philadelphia, PA (thus resulting in the PA suffix) but has been writing and recording in New York since 2003. They have released eight LPs and eight EPs since 1998 and currently reside on the Altitude Record label. His band’s current line up consists of himself on vocals, guitar, Chris Hansen on guitar, vocals, keys, Leslie Sisson on guitar, vocals, George Souleidis on bass and Dan Crowell on drums.
Matt Pond PA’s performance on this night was captivating and we were excited to hear at least one forthcoming single (Hole in My Heart) played. His broken leg did not slow him down but rather added emphasis on the kind of person he is. It did, however, force an encore to be played without the typical departure and return to stage – a fact which he mentioned prior to playing his final song. This performance was a homecoming of sorts and it was certainly befitting of that description. Matt should be commended for his ability to generate quality material while ignoring the critics and satisfying his audience. To that end, we present to you some clips from his most recent show in Philly:
Navigate on over to LPC on YouTube to catch a few more tracks from this show such as From Debris, A List of Sound, and Remains.
Starfucker is Joshua Hodges (vocals, keyboards, guitar, drums), Shawn Glassford (bass, keyboards, drums), and Keil Corcoran (drums, keyboards, vocals) and hail from the great city of Portland. Having released 2 LP’s, 2 EP’s and singles, Starfucker has created a phenomenal catalog of music so far. Having been featured in national commercial music, Starfucker has kept it’s name and not given into the pressures of corporate rank and file. Using audio samples from Alan Watts in several of their songs is just another clue into the genius that is Starfucker.
We were very stoked to see them perform at FUC on September 13th and even more excited to hear them run through most of their eponymous album which they did. Their energy was palpable and the audience hung on every synth line, guitar cord, drum beat, and vocal. Add to their sound a dazzling light display and the experience was a trippy joy ride through their musical repertoire. This band is one not to miss and should certainly be experienced before they move to large scale arenas or your little cousin is playing it on their iPod – something we greedily hope doesn’t happen.
Check out some video from the show and enjoy the ride:
Live Philly Concerts 