Fiddle While You Burn

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There’s nothing like some good old fashioned Iggy Pop style audience baiting to help the hard rock go down & the Vacation shoved it right down the throats of a stunned audience of tourists and teens at Virgin records.

Promoting their new CD “the Band from World War Zero” singer Ben Tegel pulled out all the stops – swearing at the crowd then diving into them, slithering on the floor, chasing old ladies up escalators, climbing up the wall for a serenade then jumping off a ladder all while chugging Heineken and screaming through Vacation anthems like “Destitute Prostitutes” and “Liquid Lunch”. Ben’s twin brother Steve was a monster on guitar and drummer Chris Chester held the songs together throughout all of Ben’s wild stunts.

It’s safe to say no one left this show undecided. The shrill screaming was at times way over the top and the band could stand toning this down a bit. But overall it was a very solid performance for a young band and if this is how they a rock an in-store then fans of gNr style hard rock everywhere should check ‘em when they’re at the local club.

Labels: the Vacation

Posted by Nev Brown for FWYB at 6/29/2005 11:59:00 PM | Comments

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Labels: Longwave

Posted by Nev Brown for FWYB at 6/28/2005 12:06:00 AM | Comments

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I go to a lot of shows and I’ve seen hundreds of bands but every once in a while I see a band that makes me think “Holy Fucking shit!”,”Who are these guys?”, “This is fucking cool”, “What the hell is going on here?”

So it was with Ghostland Observatory.

I was at the Knitting Factory for a party called “Moveable Hype” showcasing up and coming bands for industry types and Brooklyn hipster kids. The party was excellent from the moment I walked in – Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah were finishing up their set in front of a packed house. I got a few pix as I worked my way through the crowd (see other review for CYHASY) but by the time I got to the front they were done. A bunch of people left but I started chatting with a friend and before I new it an emcee was introducing “Austin’s Best Band”, Ghostland Observatory.

The people who left were suckas - it was kick ass from the very beginning. G.O. is a two piece a singer/guitarist Aaron and a drummer / rhythm master Tom. Their sound isn’t easy to label but if you like Prince or Franz Ferdinand or LCD Soundsystem you’ll dig it. Every song was great - pulsating, future beats, southern soul vocals and twang guitar. Then just when I though it couldn’t get any better Aaron put down his guitar and danced through the final few songs. His dances were ill - some freaked out Texas, Robo, B-Boy funk shit. The crowd was dancing too, smiling and in general completely blown away. In NYC for a band that almost no one has heard of to get this reaction is almost impossible. I spoke briefly with the guys after the show and they seemed pleased with the response to their first NYC show.

I dragged some friends along with me to the show the next night at the Ace of Clubs – a rat infested dive in the heart of the Bowery (formerly Acme Underground) and the place was packed with fans screaming for Ghostland Observatory. One thing about NYC, if you suck you’ll know it immediately but if you kick ass you can become a gods overnight. Unfortunately I had some tech difficulty that night and there's no pix.

Bands like Ghostland Observatory make all the nights of sitting through crappy bands in dingy smoke filled rooms worthwhile. G.O. is the best new band I’ve seen since the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Keep an eye out for these guys.

… by the way David Bowie was in the crowd at this show.

Ghostland Observatory on MySpace: myspace.com/ghostlandobservatory

Labels: Ghostland Observatory

Posted by Nev Brown for FWYB at 6/20/2005 12:08:00 AM | Comments

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Word on the street is these guys are good and they didn't dissappoint. I got there late but the room was packed and the crowd was into it. Can't wait to catch the next show.

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08-11-05 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ South Street Seaport

Labels: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Posted by Nev Brown for FWYB at 6/20/2005 12:03:00 AM | Comments

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I love shows in small rooms like this and when you catch a band as good as Aqui it's a treat. The songs were mostly excellent and the crowd was lovin' their energy.

Labels: Aqui

Posted by Nev Brown for FWYB at 6/18/2005 11:52:00 PM | Comments

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The MacNamara Bros & company put on a wild afternoon show for a packed house at the Mercury Lounge to celebrate the release of their fourth album "Out of Nothing". Embrace can be a bit bland on their records (in that UK Coldplay, Keane kinda way) but they always spring to life on stage. The new tunes sounded like their best bunch yet and the mostly female crowd sang along with every song. Danny was in good spirits, laughing & joking and even diving into the crowd at one point. But Richard stole the show tonight - burning through solo after solo and ending the night by snapping all six strings at once with a super power chord then slamming his guitar into his mountain of amps. It was a stunning end to a night of brilliant Brit-Pop.

This is probably the last time they'll play a room this small in NYC. If Keane can sell out Radio City then these guys should at least be able to sell out the Bowery.

Labels: Embrace, Mercury Lounge

Posted by Nev Brown for FWYB at 6/13/2005 11:46:00 PM | Comments

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Labels: Spoon, Webster Hall

Posted by Nev Brown for FWYB at 6/08/2005 11:54:00 PM | Comments