Review: Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps @ Off Broadway, 9/22/2011

Review and photo by Hallie Applebaum

See photo here.

The indie folk band from Minneapolis returned to the stage at Off Broadway to play old favorites from their debut release, “Backyard Tent Set,” and new material from their second album, “Little Wind,” released earlier this week. Great stage banter and infectious energy left the crowd dancing.

This entry was written by Tara, posted on September 23, 2011 at 4:38 pm, filed under Live, Review and tagged Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps, Off Broadway. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Live Review: Foo Fighters at Scottrade Center, 09/17/11

Review by Dakota Hommes
Photo by Danny Hommes

The Foo Fighters had two openers, so let’s get that out of the way first.

Mariachi El Bronx, the alter-ego of hardcore band The Bronx (it’s a little confusing; they’re not even from the Bronx, they’re from LA), took the stage in their matching black and red mariachi outfits. While at first a little confused, I was pleased to hear their unique sound. They combined mariachi and punk music in a really cool way. Their drummer, a Buddy Holly look-alike, played a cocktail kit that sounded awesome. It was clear that the whole band was having a blast.

What can I say about Rise Against? The bass player was solid. The singer had a lot of enthusiasm. That’s the positive stuff. The drummer was weak. The songs sounded the same. The guitarist can kick his foot above his head and does so at EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY. But, they made the Foos sound better. Gotta give them that.

The Foo Fighters finally took stage and opened with “Bridges Burning,” the first track of their new album. Playing a great mix of old and new songs, the set lasted three hours just as Dave promised. Many of the songs had extended endings and “Stacked Actors” featured a guitar battle between Chris Shiflett and Dave Grohl.

Emphasizing on the epicness of their rock music, the stage had a platform that extended all the way across the floor of the arena. Scottrade is pretty big. There was also a riser at the opposite end. It doesn’t get any bigger than singing lead vocals for a band all the way across a stadium. They also had an awesome light show.

“Young Man Blues” was covered by Foo Fighters for VH1 Rock Honors The Who in 2008. Since then, they’ve been playing it at most of their live shows including the one last night. They also led us in Tom Petty and The Heartbreaker’s “Breakdown.”

At the beginning of the encore, Dave played a few songs on acoustic before being joined by the rest of the band. Finally, the best possible song to end the night, “Everlong.” This is my favorite Foo Fighters song as well as that of many other fans. It has the amazing quality of meaning something great to everyone who hears it even though everyone hears a different meaning. If you enjoy any form of rock, go see Foo Fighters in concert. They’re the most accessible great rock band on tour.

This review adapted and published from Dakota’s blog, Anti-Formula Review.

This entry was written by Tara, posted on September 18, 2011 at 4:26 pm, filed under Live, Review and tagged Foo Fighters, Mariachi El Bronx, Rise Against, Scottrade Center. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Live Review: Bon Iver at The Pageant, 09/11/2011

Review by Annie-Rose Fondaw
Photography by Jarred Gastreich

The Bon Iver origin fable of isolated cabins and the frozen forests of Wisconsin has long framed the band’s aura of reflective solitude. While Sunday’s concert at the Pageant had moments of Bon Iver’s iconic hushed intimacy, Vernon and his eight-piece band commanded a broad spectrum of dense, lushly orchestrated sounds. From reverberating lashes of percussion to spiraling harmonies and schmaltzy synthesizer, the performance highlighted Bon Iver’s ability to bring a dizzying variety of textures and tones to their artistic scope—all while remaining rooted in the emotional sincerity that endears them to so many listeners.

Opening with “Perth,” Vernon’s raw falsetto arched over a simple guitar melody, gathering intensity and instruments until finally erupting in a rousing chorus. The pattern held over through much of the set, starting off with sparer arrangements and moving towards kicked-out jams with a cacophony of instruments. A stand-out rendition of “Blood Bank” (on a stage bathed in red lights) brought a flurry of horns and brass, while “Creature Fear” ratcheted the audience up to a fever pitch during Vernon’s guitar licks. Though a divisive track among fans, the live incarnation of “Beth/Rest” more successfully transcended its saccharine-sweet 80’s synthesizer, becoming instead an ethereal swell under Vernon’s lilting voice.

The performance’s softer moments brought equal appreciation from the audience, who sustained a warm relationship with Vernon throughout the show, often singing along to the plaintive refrains. The final song, “Skinny Love” had the audience clapping and singing along with the band, who abandoned their instruments to gather around two microphones. Vernon, standing at the edge of the stage with his guitar, finished the mournful love song with a grateful bow of his head. And even with all the bright stage lights and the writhing audience, it was hard not to feel the stillness and quiet of a cabin up North.

This entry was written by Tara, posted on September 12, 2011 at 6:23 pm, filed under Live, Review. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Lollapalooza 2011 – a quick summary

You can’t rain on Perry Farrell’s parade. Lollapalooza returned this year with enough momentum (the festival was sold-out with 90,000 fans/day) and a solid lineup to blast through some stormy weather which plagued the final day of the weekend’s activities. I caught a few photos during the festival, which will guide you through a quick Lolla recap. (more…)

This entry was written by Jonathan Fritz, posted on August 12, 2011 at 3:45 am, filed under Live and tagged Chicago, Lollapalooza 2011. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Review: Cults at Firebird 08/03/2011

Last night we caught a triple bill of distorted fuzz rock from Cults, Guards, and Writer.

With all of the buzz around their latest self-titled release, it was no surprise that Cults played to a packed Firebird last night. Similar to the both openers Guards and Writer, Cults mesmerized the crowd with enough distortion and loudness to send each and every concertgoer home with ringing ears.

And although I still can’t hear out of my left ear, my mind and body are entirely fixated on the triple-bill I just experienced.

Cults’ frontwoman Madeline Follin wooed every man (and woman) as she gently held onto each side of her dress, swaying back and forth as she poured out her heart through her high-pitched, girl-next-door vocals. Her timid stage presence felt fitting as she, Brian Oblivion, and their backing band played through a 35-minute set of cutesy ’60s girl group-style tunes.

The crowd went into a down-right boppin’ frenzy during “Bumper.” (Imagine a dance number by a modern-day cast of Grease who follow Pitchfork and Eleven, religiously). However, cutesy cannot be the only adjective to describe Cults’ live presence. Their modern-day take on the AM Gold sound is heavy in distortion and rock’n'roll energy.

Guards, notably the loudest act of the night, immediately dimmed the lighting, turned the fog machines on full blast, and played through a stunning set of vintage ’60s-style rock meets modern indie pop. Led by Madeline’s (of Cults) brother Richie Follin, the band’s style doesn’t stray far from that of Cults, though a much more masculine take on the era. Most impressive was Guards’ performance of “Long Time”, a trippy, hypnotic track combining shredding guitars and bass with vocals sang in unison.

San Diego duo Writers started off the night, energizing the crowd with their gritty, lo-fi fuzz pop. Their sound can be best described as a more toned-down version of Wavves that’s more suited for a makeout mixtape. In fact, the couple standing next to me agreed. Lip-locked with live music, those two definitely left The Firebird a happy pair.

This entry was written by Ryan Marian, posted on August 4, 2011 at 2:46 pm, filed under Live, Review and tagged cults, firebird, guards, Writer. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

What’s Going On: 8/3 – 8/6/11

We at Eleven just wanted to get something up about just some of the AMAZING shows happening all week.

TODAY – WEDNESDAY, August 3rd

//1//

Local indie heroes Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three play the finale show of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Whitaker Music Festival. The Garden opens free to the public at 5:30pm and will be chock-full of picnickers and old timey Americana folk fans. Fresh off their July release Middle of Everywhere, Pokey and company will be a delightful soundtrack to your garden exploration and lazy snacking.

Here’s their NPR Tiny Desk Concert:

//2//

Cherokee Street’s beloved Apop Records brings the Coathangers, with Skarekrau Radio, Pink Sock, and Escalade. All we can say is: Prepare to have your face rocked off. Full details here.

//3//

Cults and Guards play the Firebird. Cults will bring you undeniably catchy lo-fi twee to bop around to. Guards rock, a la Portugal the Man or Suckers – definitely a band to check out.

THURSDAY, August 4th

//1//

Atlanta pranksters The Black Lips bring their shenanigans to the Firebird. Local openers Flaming Death Trap and Seattle’s Night Beats will get the mosh pits started.

Here’s Flaming Death Trap’s Stack Session at KWUR 90.3FM, St. Louis Underground Radio:

//2//

On the folkier side, Frontier Ruckus grace The Gramophone with their banjo-laden mountain music. Perfect to sip a craft brew to.

FRIDAY, August 5th

//1//

Screw Lollapalooza. We’ve got a show at the Gramophone with ultra-groovy Gardens and Villa, The Reeling Gilly, and Spectator. Enjoy the show for a chance to win LouFest tickets. RSVP here for free admission.

//2//

Off Broadway brings The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, with Craft Spells. The Pains’ yummy twee jams and Craft Spells’ tasty synth tunes will feed your music cravings.

SATURDAY, August 6th

//1//

Holy cow. Troubadour Dali throws their release show with The Blind Eyes, Ocean Rivals, and Secret Colours – new music bonanza! Troubadour Dali’s new album Let’s Make It Right kicks psychadelic-pop ass (we got it early from Euclid Records). The Blind Eyes just released their With a Bang in June, and have been playing a lot of shows to spread their ’60s pop vibes. Ocean Rivals also recently released Summer’s Dogs, in April, and their mellow guitar-heavy rock screams America. Secret Colours fits the bill, consistent with the psychadelic-tinged experimental rock of the night.

Here’s the Blind Eyes from inside one of the haning cages at the City Museum!

//2//

See some of hip-hop’s hardest, when Tech N9ne plays Pop’s with Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Big Scoob, and Jay Rock. It’s undoubtedly going to be a wild show… slash dance-off?

//3//

If you’re in the mood for a short road trip, the legendary Blue Note in Columbia celebrates 31 years with a show with emo-folk sweetheart Bright Eyes. Here’s a Connor Oberst classic:

Now get out there, St. Louis. 

This entry was written by Tara, posted on August 3, 2011 at 12:30 pm, filed under Live, Upcoming, What's Going On and tagged apop, big scoob, Black Lips, blue note, Bright Eyes, craft spells, cults, escalade, firebird, Flaming Death Trap, frontier ruckus, gardens and villa, gramophone, guards, jay rock, krizz kaliko, kutt calhoun, kwur, night beats, Ocean Rivals, Off Broadway, pains of being pure at heart, pink sock, Pokey LaFarge, secret colours, skarekrau radio, south city three, spectator, tech n9ne, The Blind Eyes, the coathangers, The Reeling Gilly, tiny desk, Troubadour Dali, whitaker music festival. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Review: Stalley at the Gramophone 07/29/11

This past Friday, we caught Stalley’s St. Louis debut at the Gramophone, presented by Made Monarchs.

Known for showcasing his lyrical prowess and a beard of epic proportions, Ohio native Stalley rhymed effortlessly over bass heavy production Friday night and the Gramophone. The recent addition to the Maybach Music family displayed crisp, deliberate rhymes to an adoring crowd of hip hop heads. >> – Jen Everett

photos by Jen Everett

Eleven writer Tara Mahadevan shares:

I’ve never been to The Gramophone, nor have I been to a a hip-hop show in St. Louis—Stalley’s show at The Gramophone on July 29 was a killing-two-birds-with-one-stone deal for me. I have to say that it was a brilliant introduction, allowing me to sample multiple styles of St. Louis hip-hop, first with WilliamH, then Chalk Boyz, MVP, Whiteout and RT-FAQ. All these boys did Stalley justice; and when Stalley finally came out, everyone was roaring.

I admit that I didn’t know much of Stalley’s music before the show, but knowing wasn’t a necessity. The air was buzzing with excitement and elation, and this was enough for me. Not to mention seeing the humble Stalley himself—and when I say humble, I truly mean it.

Seeing Stalley for the first time, you are immediately struck by his long beard (it seems to be his ‘signature look’); his tattoos; his fitted hat covered in pins. Stalley is unassuming—he certainly doesn’t have an in-your-face type of personality; however, he isn’t someone to ignore. His humbleness combined with his music samples and rapping style, put a fresh spin on his particular brand of hip-hop. He was tremendously thankful, showing gratitude for his crowd between songs. Stalley’s music and personality is saturated with truth, and Stalley’s fans reflected this truth, rocking as he rocked with it; singing as he sang.

However, be sure to remember that Stalley isn’t from St. Louis. He’s Ohio-born and -raised—from Massillon to be exact. He constantly reps Massillon in his music, using the area code 330 as an identifier. His website is www.stalley330.com; one of his songs (which he was sure to play at the show) is titled 330. I’d say that his hometown love is not a concept unbeknownst to St. Louisans, as we are all proud of our 314 area code. Stalley undoubtedly fit right in.

All in a night’s work, STL.

This entry was written by Tara, posted on August 1, 2011 at 4:26 pm, filed under Live, Review and tagged gramophone, made monarchs, stalley. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

The Feed @ Off Broadway, 6/24/2011

The Feed returned to the stage at Off Broadway, rocking a line-up change and new material.

(more…)

This entry was written by Brendan Donahue, posted on July 15, 2011 at 10:00 am, filed under Live and tagged Off Broadway, The Feed. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

CunninLynguists @ The Gramophone

CunninLynguists packed the house at the Gramophone. See more photos after the jump.

(more…)

This entry was written by Jen Everett, posted on July 14, 2011 at 5:09 pm, filed under Live and tagged CunninLynguists, the Gramophone. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Photo Recap: Urban Exploration in Downtown, 6/16/11

After a successful maiden voyage in May, Eleven’s Urban Exploration team set its sights on Downtown St. Louis for the month of June. On Thursday, June 16th, we hooked up with five of our favorite bars (plus a secret bar crawl pre-game at Flamingo Bowl) for a night we could hardly remember.

(more…)

This entry was written by Josh Petersel, posted on June 28, 2011 at 8:32 pm, filed under Live and tagged Crack Fox, Downtown, Dubliner, Hair of the Dog, Lola, PinUp Bowl, St. Louis, Thaxton Speakeasy, Urban Exploration, Urban Exploration Pub Crawl, Urbex. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.