Bryan Ferry: Too Classy For Clevehole

Text and all photos by Julie Finley

Playhouse Square, Cleveland OH
October 10, 2011

So, I am standing on the street in Clevehole, waiting for the bus after work. I look across the street, and see demolition and one condemned building still standing (because the owners won’t sell; they think their condemnation is a gold-mine . . . WRONG!). I look kitty-corner, I see two thugs arguing. I look at the other corner, I see constant construction that will probably run out of money before it’s complete. Three of the four sidewalks are closed. Some sketchy guy is eyeballing me. I am grinding my teeth. I see some rusty, piece-of-shit Chevy Cavalier with a booming system cut off three lanes of traffic, and one jaywalker playing virtual Frogger in the midst of traffic.

I think to myself, “This is what Bryan Ferry is gonna see when his tour bus pulls into downtown Cleveland!” I am filled with disgust! Bryan Ferry IS TOO GOOD FOR THIS BULLSHIT . . . and frankly, SO AM I!
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Blinded By Library Science: Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library/Nervous But Excited

By Chelsea Spear

Club Passim, Cambridge MA
November 6, 2011

Photo © Kelly Davidson

What has 18 legs, 15 instruments, eight pairs of cat-eye glasses, and one handlebar mustache? No, it’s not the latest electronic edition of Paste or the next Diablo Cody movie, but rather the Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library.

Boston music wunderkind Michael J. Epstein has assembled a chamber ensemble to perform his opulent, melodic cache of tunes. Live performances by the MJEML take the “memorial library” concept to its logical extreme by populating the stage with eight comely lasses in red, black, white, and bifocals, shushing a talkative audience in unison and reminding their listeners that “You might get a ticket for speeding . . . but you won’t get a ticket for reading.”
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Oh Honey Watch That Man: The Chain Gang Of 1974 In Toronto

By Less Lee Moore

The Phoenix, Toronto ON
October 6, 2011

If you haven’t yet heard of The Chain Gang Of 1974, that’s likely to change very soon. Based on last night’s Toronto show at The Phoenix, they’ve got a big future.

Sandwiched between the exceedingly earnest (and exceedingly fresh-faced) White Arrows and New Zealand’s The Naked and Famous, Chain Gang were almost anachronistic. White Arrows sound a bit like The Strokes with a more sunny-California, reggae quality; while they weren’t exactly my cup of tea, they were so obviously thrilled to be on stage, it was fun to watch them. They made their own tie-dyed T-shirts for the merch table and singer Mickey Schiff encouraged everyone to “come talk to us after the show; we’ll be around all night.” It was quite sweet and endearing. I’m sure that The Naked and Famous played a great set, but I didn’t stick around to see it (no offense, guys and gals).
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Scottish Sellout: KT Tunstall

By Christian Lipski
Photos by Deborah Lipski

Aladdin Theater, Portland OR
May 5, 2011

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Portland’s Aladdin Theater was completely full, with people standing along the walls, pushing the boundaries of its 620-person capacity. The area in front of the stage was filled with chairs, but it was clear from looking at the audience that there wasn’t going to be any moshing anyway. A curious weighting on the older side for some reason, though the show was 21 and over due to alcohol sales. It’s possible that the people who grew up with the acoustic guitar-based singer-songrwiters of the ’70s find KT Tunstall‘s music to be familiar territory.
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The Choir Indivisible: Scala & Kolacny Brothers Live

By Christian Lipski

Roseland Theater, Portland OR
March 9, 2011

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Scala & Kolacny Brothers, a Belgian girls’ choir directed by Stijn Kolacny and accompanied on piano by brother Steven, has made its name by performing haunting covers of popular songs including Radiohead’s “Creep” from The Social Network‘s soundtrack. At the Wonder Ballroom last night, they gave Portland a taste of their European direction.

Even if you’ve heard their self-titled CD, which was recently reviewed in Popshifter, you can’t know what it’s like to hear these songs coming from 23 young women in an enclosed space. It gives the modern listener a glimpse into what early devotional music must have been like for medieval worshipers. Hearing so many human voices at once is incredibly moving, especially when paired with the right songs.
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Fever Dream: Iron & Wine

By Paul Casey

Photo © kDamo

Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
March 14, 2011

From the upper tiers of the Olympia Theatre, surrounded by a mass of attractive people —some bearded, some without— I watched Sam Beam and his band perform a set of material spanning the last decade of his career. Although I cannot claim that seeing Iron & Wine live was a particularly revelatory experience, it was an enjoyable one. Beam’s eye on developing his musical palette, particularly from 2007′s Shepherd’s Dog onwards, has led to his earlier work sometimes coming out at unusual angles in a live setting.
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Let The Kids Dance: Girl Talk

By Christian Lipski

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Roseland Theater, Portland OR
March 17, 2011

Girl Talk played the Roseland Theater on Thursday, a sold-out all-ages show. All Ages meant that the booze was at the bar on the balcony for those with ID. It also meant that the floor was crowded with under-21 girls in fine 80s fashion, and their boys in fine ironicwear. There was a great deal of excited running around and kissing, which reminded me of self-conscious high school dances.
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I Now Pronounce You . . . Allie Hughes!

By Less Lee Moore

Drake Hotel, Toronto ON
February 9, 2011

Did I tell you about that Allie Hughes Valentine’s Wedding Spectacular I attended? I didn’t? Well, let me tell you, it more than lived up to its name.

It was at The Drake—yes, downstairs in that hotel—and perfectly lovely, with tons of votive candles giving the place a wonderful ambiance, and the pews arranged at an angle.
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Everything In Between: The Decemberists

By Maureen

Beacon Theatre, New York NY
January 25, 2011

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I have to steal a quote I overheard from a fellow fan at the merchandise table: “I’ve seen them many times, and every time it’s like, totally different.” The Decemberists played a three-show block at the historic Beacon Theatre this January. I attended the “middle” show, which was originally the only show, as the other days were added to accommodate incredible ticket demand. This is my third experience with seeing the band live, throughout more than five years of being a fan. This current “Popes of Pendarvia” Tour follows the release of their newest album The King is Dead.
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The Power & The Glory: White Lies Live

By Less Lee Moore

The Mod Club, Toronto ON
January 29, 2010

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Rare is the band that I like immediately upon hearing them; rarer still is the one that can sustain that feeling in a live setting. White Lies have accomplished both.

Hugely popular in Britain, White Lies played just four dates in North America this time around—actually three, since their New York show at the Highline Ballroom was canceled at the last minute due to bad weather. Luckily, Toronto residents did not have to miss them at the Mod Club last weekend.
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