[Bytor Peltor]

Originally Posted by Rob Instigator

Gonna go see JANDEK perform at Lawndale Arts Center Friday! http://www.freepresshouston.com/jand...ers-speakeasy/

Thanks to Rob's post in the upcoming gig thread, I learned of the Jandek show in Houston last Friday. It was my first time at the Lawndale Art Center and the show was in the main gallery. The walls where white with nothing on them and various Thelonious Monk tunes were playing on a overhead speaker system.

To the far right was a mixing board and several people manning laptops. There was a stationary video camera set up in the back of the room and a guy with a handheld camera lurking in the balcony.

 

They descended down a staircase onto the Gallery floor......the bass, drummer and keyboardist took their positions while Jandek, donned in black, looking like a distant cousin of Beaumont's very own, Winters Brothers, sat on a wooden thrown over on the side. The audience applauded after the first "song," but then there was no other clapping until Jandek and the band exited the stage. In between "songs," Jandek would go sit on his chair.

 

Two guys playing bass and drums and a younger looking female keyboard player. The drummer was doing all sorts of high-hat manipulation. At one point, the drummer separated the high-hat top & bottom as far apart as they would go, playing them with mallets. The bottom of the high-hat was wobbling like an empty bowl. The top half was removed and used to play/make contact with the other cymbals. Last but not least, one piece of the high-hat was turned at an angle and forcefully moved up and down the high-hat pole, the friction producing a very unique sound.

 

The first half of the show, Jandek walked around holding a clipboard with LED lights attached, reading/reciting and moaning the lyrics in the style of an open mic night as he paced the Gallery floor. At no time did it appear to me that anyone in the audience recognized what was being played.

 

[pepper_green]

Originally Posted by PLips

I just saw Thee Oh Sees in Toronto. Stellar show, I wish it was longer. I don't understand music theory but I have a concept of it.

The guy's lyrics were completely incoherent, his voice was nothing more than an instrument, which was a psychological relief! Every once in a while the guy screamed and the crowd went wild.

It was a 3 piece band though my brother says he usually has 2 drummers. The tone of the guy's guitar was so psychedelic, the sound he made opened my mind.

They played no encores, my brother said they don't really care about trying to overplease. The last song was really trippy and about 10 minutes so they still left a good impression.

One cool personal thing was I invited some friends to the show and then they couldn't make it. Then another old friend I didn't know would be there picked me out in the dark and told me Oh Sees was his favourite band. It was great to see him there. He tried to get a concert poster but they wouldn't let him back in after the show. The poster was stellar though, it was like a moose with the Milky Way airbrushed in it, no text.

I am glad my oldest brother got me into Thee Oh Sees and would definitely see them again. They left me wanting more. Best modern band out of California.

Oh Thee Seas are fab live. the latest I've see was Dino Jr and the Melvins.

I would go see the Sleaford Mods but they aren't coming anywhere near me.

[Bytor Peltor]

Saturday night, I took my wife and daughter to see, John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett at the Jefferson here in Beaumont. Just two chairs center stage with a few guitars......they took the stage at 8:05 and played until 10:30. Just two guys and their acoustic guitars. Well, John Hiatt did play some harmonica.

They started with a John Hiatt song and swapped until they ended with a Lyle Lovett song. They accompanied each other (guitar/singing) on about half of the songs......lots of story telling and jokes in between songs. John Hiatt telling about being in the recording studio with Iggy Pop when he recorded Hiatt's, Something Wild. Also, Lyle Lovett had a ton of family and friends who made the drive over from the Klein and Conroe area.

 

 

 

[Bytor Peltor]

For the second time in 2017, I saw JANDEK in Houston. Last nights performance was at Hamman Hall on the Campus of Rice University.

 

Sheila was the drummer and twice she and JANDEK switched places......this was the first time for me to see Jandek play drums.
The song structure for the night was as floolws:

Jandek 3
Sheila 2
Jandek 3
Sheila 2
Jandek 3

 

 

Two members of Jandeks backing band are in the Houston band, Dollie Barnes. After the Jandek show, I was invited to another Willie's Bar (basement bar in building on Rice campus). The Dollie Barnes were playing and Jandek showed up to watch. Even in normal lighting, Jandek appears just has ghostly as he does on stage.

 

[_tunic_]

was that Sheila E.? Sorry, I've never listened to Jandek, but now listening on Youtube, it's not bad at all. One of the comments read "Shit, he tuned his guitar!":-)
he sounds a bit like Bill Callahan / Smog to me so I should listen more

[Severian]

I saw the Flaming Lips last week after thinking I wasn't going to see them and then having stuff just kind of work out.

What was it like? It was glittery and Wayne Coyne rode a unicorn right in front of where my friends and I were standing.

The highlight of the evening for me was "What is the Light?" They did not play "The Gash," and of all the times I've seen them I think they've only done so once. Goddammit. I hate that. It's clearly and obviously one of their best songs.

Great show. Little wild for me at this point. Opening band played some crap garage glam stuff and I went and had a piss.

Glad I went. Short set, really. Good thing since I worked the next morning.

[Toilet & Bowels]

The first time I saw Jandek was around the time he first started playing live shows, so back in like 2005 or 2006. He sat there and literally strummed the same chord for an hour, it put me off seeing him again or checking out his new music for like 10 years. Then a year or two ago I thought I should try again, this time he was billed as playing with a band. It was one of the most upbeat, weird, fun and groovy shows I've been to. It made me feel like an idiot for ignoring him for so long, but also delighted that i got to see something so strange and magical.

[Bertrand]

Saw Last Train yesterday in Rennes and they rocked!
They're a a regular built unit (2 guitars, 1 bass, 1 drums) from Mulhouse.
They're in their early 20s and they look sure to be promised a future, at least in France, where they've opened for Placebo, and are due to open for Marilyn Manson. Playing before bigger names will draw attention upon them, plus they're not afraid of touring. Got to go see them now before they become too big to play in nice (small) venues.
They've just recorded their first album and are yet able to play an 80 minutes live show.
Impressive, if not innovative.

[betweenthebars]

R. Ring (Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery) and Split Single on Thursday.

Great show.

Spit Single is Jason Narducy's (former Verbow leader, bass for Bob Mould, occasional bass for Superchunk) newest project. They are two albums in and if you're into Bob Mould's last three records, you'd like Split Single.

R. Ring have released sporadic singles over the last few years and just put out their first lp. I'm enjoying it.

[Bertrand]

I saw les Wampas yesterday in Saint-Brieuc, at la Citrouille (= the Pumpkin).

The Wampas are a French band brought to life in 1983 near Paris. They belonged to a punkish scene under the influence of the Clash and rather joyous music (La Mano Negra, les Satellites, les Négresses Vertes...).
Unlike most of their pears they didn't disappear. Guitarist-singer Didier Wampas always kept his job working for the French railway systems. He never wanted to quit it all to try to live from his music once he got an audience. Most of his pears did the opposite choice and have vanished.
The gig gathered lots of people for the venue, from about 8 year-olds to guys over 50. Didier Wampas trusts his audience so much it was jawdropping. The mood in the pit was great, people protected the kids from the dancers who seldom came in their area.
And, apart from the texts, which seem to be the main asset of the band (they sang their tune about Manu Chao, one of their pears with La Mano Negra, who rose; the song goes about what they'd do had they had the money Manu Chao'd gotten), they rock too.
They've got a young guitar player among them. He joined in 2014 and he was awesome.
A very good night in a venue that might pull the curtain.

[Bertrand]

Thee Oh Sees were a disappointment. They play their old songs as if the desire to destroy whatever fine and fluent was in them. It's way too fast and brutal for my tastes.
An exception : The Dream, which had something extra.

I saw Moon Hooch yesterday.
They're a two sax one drums band, and play an instrumental music. They were great, and the audience reaction to their music seemed to please them.

[_tunic_]

Bertrand, have you ever heard of Oiseaux-Tempête? If you ever have a chance, go see them. That is if you like post-rock like the acts on Constellation Records (Godspeed Yo Black Emperor, etc)
I was in Paris for work a couple of weeks ago, and the meeting was ended way earlier than I had expected, so I checked the internet for what was going on tonight an this band was playing at the Trabendo. All I read from their site was:
1. post-rock
2. G.W. Sok

And that was reason enough for me to try them out. And I'm glad I went, they blew me away. Not continuously, but some songs were truly brilliant. They are a French band, and they don't play that much I guess live, and don't play outside of France that much either. So chances are slim that I may see them soon. But I do hope I will, especially if Mr Sok is joining them again.
Oh and their current lineup features Mondkopf, so the sound is like a mix between Constellation Records and Nine Inch Nails. I guess because I don't really know how NIN sounds. Maybe Ministry then ;-)
And to make it even more special, the band also features two musicians from Beirut on traditional instruments.

Because this was a last moment decision, I didn't bring my recording gear with me, which I now really regret. I still have one of their songs on my head and I don't think it's on any of their albums and it drives me nuts because I want to hear it again.

[Bertrand]

I did not know them but I'll keep an eye open. Listened to them on Youtube, them bringing in influences from different places makes them worth the while indeed.
Thanks!

[Phlegmscope]

Lasti night local bands Sumuru and NOKU with tons of beer. Great stuff.

Sumuru was sort of postpunk/-hardcore-ish melodic noiserock and Noku more heavier straightforward noisy guitar screech.

A la amrep/touch and go.

Neither of them had I heard much before so I was positively surprised.

https://noku.bandcamp.com
https://sumuru.bandcamp.com

[tesla69]

I have to brag about a wild party I attended last weekend where Loren Connors performed with poet Steve Dalachinsky, Daniel Carter and Charles Waters performed with Steve and poet Yuko Otomo and Edgar Oliver performed with the Octave Doctors. And thanks to the L train still running I even got home before 12...

Its gonna be awhile before I outdo that one, although if Wet Tuna play with One-Eleven Heavy next month that might do it.

[gogologogolo]

I saw Tool. They were... OK? There weren't really any surprises throughout the show, and it felt like they were just going through the same old routine. They sounded pretty much exactly like their albums--which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when I go to a show I like to see at least a little improvisation and spur-of-the-moment interactions between the band members and the crowd. This felt pretty cold and lifeless and they might as well have just put on a Best Of album and walked off the stage. This might have something to do with them playing in arena, but it's hard to tell.

They're past their prime, I'd say.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by gogologogolo

I saw Tool. They were... OK? There weren't really any surprises throughout the show, and it felt like they were just going through the same old routine. They sounded pretty much exactly like their albums--which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when I go to a show I like to see at least a little improvisation and spur-of-the-moment interactions between the band members and the crowd. This felt pretty cold and lifeless and they might as well have just put on a Best Of album and walked off the stage. This might have something to do with them playing in arena, but it's hard to tell.

They're past their prime, I'd say.

Did Maynard Keenan wear dress blues and give a speech about how complainy "snowflakes" are? Cuz that's what he did that a couple weeks ago — around Memorial Day I guess. Really kind of shocked me. I haven't been a Tool fan since high school, but I still thought they had their heads on relatively straight.

Still, I saw them a few times back in the day ('97 and '01 and I think one other time) and they never really disappointed as a live band. But they were also touring behind new albums during those shows, specifically Ænima and Lateralus, so there was at least SOME freshness to what they were performing. I can't imagine what a Tool show would look like in 2017, a decade after their last miserable album. Just playing the same shit, same shit, same shit. No alarms, no surprises.

[_tunic_]

I saw Oiseaux-Tempête again, already two weeks ago now. This time it was in Brussels at a very nice venue I had never heard of before. The band was on fire again, but this time their two Arabic guest musicians were not there, so the sound was less rich. Don't know how else to explain that.
But Mr Sok was there again and delivered some splendid performances. And the bass player is a joy to watch play live, and the rest of them too btw.

[gogologogolo]

Originally Posted by Severian

Did Maynard Keenan wear dress blues and give a speech about how complainy "snowflakes" are? Cuz that's what he did that a couple weeks ago — around Memorial Day I guess. Really kind of shocked me. I haven't been a Tool fan since high school, but I still thought they had their heads on relatively straight.

Still, I saw them a few times back in the day ('97 and '01 and I think one other time) and they never really disappointed as a live band. But they were also touring behind new albums during those shows, specifically Ænima and Lateralus, so there was at least SOME freshness to what they were performing. I can't imagine what a Tool show would look like in 2017, a decade after their last miserable album. Just playing the same shit, same shit, same shit. No alarms, no surprises.

Pretty much. Maynard didn't do much of anything the whole show, just kinda hid in the shadows. Which is his shtick, apparently. I probably would have enjoyed the show more if I was still in high school, or maybe stoned out of my mind, but I've definitely lost my enthusiasm for these guys at this point.

Maybe that's the reason bands like Swans can still stay vital after so many years--they just refuse to play the same old shit.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by gogologogolo

Pretty much. Maynard didn't do much of anything the whole show, just kinda hid in the shadows. Which is his shtick, apparently. I probably would have enjoyed the show more if I was still in high school, or maybe stoned out of my mind, but I've definitely lost my enthusiasm for these guys at this point.

Maybe that's the reason bands like Swans can still stay vital after so many years--they just refuse to play the same old shit.

That, and, Swans is the band that Tool wishes it could be. You look at their whole approach to music, parts of their sound, their image, and they are extremely indebted to Swans in just about every way. Except Swans has, like you said, never settled, not even with their familiar material. It's always shifting and changing. Tool fucking wishes they had the stamina and curiosity of those wonderful old geriatric bastards.

I think I pretty much stopped caring about Tool when I got into Swans because I was like, "Ah, so this is what it's supposed to be like, without the 120 minutes/nu-metal flourishes, and with a thousand times more musical variation and texture."

Tool put on a good show in their prime, surrounded by other bands that wanted to be Swans but probably didn't even realize that's what they wanted at the time... but in the grand scheme of things, they're kinda nothing.

And yeah, Maynard's always been a shadow lurker. At least he had when I've seen them. It's been frustrating. But I've been super stoned every time I've seen them, so I've found plenty to take my mind off the fetal mohawked weirdo wandering around the stage like Golem.