NYU Troubadour » Amanda Katz

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:01:33 +0000

Death Metal. Yes, Death Metal– but I don’t know what band, and I’m pretty sure the majority of their fans had no clue either. At just past ten on Tuesday, Dec. 1 The Mountain Goats took to the stage with a metal song supporting their grand entrance, a necessary prep for frontman John Darnielle’s ever-whiny but endearing voice as well as his soft piano keys, of course. What ensued, however, was nothing short of a fantastic folk show. “I like the idea of some things remaining intimate,” remarked Darnielle while discussing the new trend of recording every single one of a band’s performances. Their thoughtful, story-based songs were even further enhanced by Darnielle’s explanatory narratives of how the lyrics came to be; witty, yet relatable tales of his life experiences that kept everyone laughing. The music was spirited, and even when Darnielle switched between playing his guitar and keyboard he assured the audience that he “was still the same guy” and the show kept on rolling. For their last few songs and two encores (playing the crowd-favorite “This Year” during the first) the band included their opening act, violinist Owen Pallett from the band Final Fantasy, further creating a sense of intimacy within the venue. The Mountain Goats gave a few waves before concluding their set, but they left us hooked, craving infinitely more Mountain Goat.

BUILT TO SPILL

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:13:08 +0000

I stood less than five feet from Doug Martsch the whole night. And, I had room to breathe and space to bounce around in with my friends. The Built to Spill show at Webster Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 13 was by far one the most thoroughly enjoyable concert-going experiences of my whole life. The opening band Disco Doom was great; the lighting wasn’t too intense and the overall crowd that the Boise-indie-rock band attracted was, well, ‘chill.’ But most importantly, the music–even those songs created in the nineties– still felt new. It didn’t matter how many times the mainly twenty and thirty-somethings had probably listened to “There’s Nothing Wrong With Love”, or even some of their younger fans (like me). Everything about the three electric guitarists, bass player, and drummer was captivating. As performers, they really welcomed the audience. While most people opted for subtle head nodding or a single foot tapping, certain songs, like “Big Dipper,” merited an uncontrollable full-body groove that even the more mature folk couldn’t contain. Five feet, ten feet, all the way in the back of the venue– from any distance, it’s apparent why Built to Spill has been producing great music for almost two decades.

REGINA SPEKTOR

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:08:37 +0000

It’s just what happens when you take a phenomenal musician out of small Brooklyn venues and stick her center stage at Radio City Music Hall. Her vocals manage to fill up every inch of the theater, reaching out to her sold-out crowd– as well as her star-struck fans gazing down from the third mezzanine (I should know, I was one of them). At nine o’clock she began the show with her two cellists, drummer, viola player and violinist with a few songs off of her most recent album “Far.” Making sure to appease both new and old fans, Spektor weaved some of the more classic Regina ballads such as “Ode to Divorce,” into the show. Halfway through the almost two hour performance, Spektor’s mini-orchestra left her with nothing but an electric teal guitar, giving her and the crowd time to jam out to edgier songs such as “That Time” and “Bobbing for Apples.” Her witty, more provocative lyrics paired with just a guitar, keyboard, or her infamous chair-drum (for “Poor Little Rich Boy”) juxtaposed with the grandeur that is RCMH was really the most spectacular part. “I’m so grateful for tonight– it feels like a dream,” Spektor said. “Thank you for a dream New York,” she continued, before playing an encore. And before it was over, the Russian/Jewish New-Yorker brilliantly ended the night with an interpretation of a Country song, jumping around and singing about whores.