Dawes - Live at the Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

Deer Tick's John McCauley joins Dawes for "When My Time Comes" in Boston, March 3, 2011The very first post on Visible Voice back in March of 2010 was a live recording of Dawes at Great Scott in Allston, so it's fitting to mark the approximate 1 year anniversary of the site with a brand new recording of Dawes.  While I marvel at the growth of Visible Voice in the last year, the ascent of Dawes in that same timeframe is staggering.  From a tiny, albeit sold out, Great Scott in February to a monumental breakout set at Newport Folk to another sold out Royale show in November, the band has been playing larger and larger venues across the country, and growing an ever-larger fanbase.  It's really no surprise - when I first heard Dawes sometime in early 2009 I liked what I heard, but wasn't a believer until I saw them live.  They play with a passion and intensity that seems to becoming more rare among many of today's entitled,  P4k-hyped buzz bands.  Dawes is doing it the old fashioned way, and it's paying off.

Playing first on a stacked bill that also included Deer Tick and Middle Brother, Dawes played to an already-packed house - opening with Bedside Manner from 2009 debut North Hills.  Their set consisted of a fairly even mix of old favorites and new tracks from their upcoming sophomore LP.  Highlights from the new songs include "If I Wanted Someone" and "Fire Away", both hard-edged takes on the rootsy classic rock sound that has become the band's trademark.  Jonny Corndawg joined the band for a 5-song mini-set of his own tunes, expousing the benefits of exercise, razors and taking out the trash.  Anyone that wasn't already a convert certainly was by the time the set ended, as John McCauley joined the band for an expectedly blistering take on "When My Time Comes", a cathartic singalong and brilliant set closer.

The full recording is available for stream or download below in pristine sound (soundboard+room matrix).  Thanks to the staff at the Paradise for a fantastic mix, and to Dawes for their taper-friendly polilcies.  I hope everyone enjoys this...it's a good one!

Dawes
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
March 3, 2011

Bedside Manner
How Far We've Come
My Girl To Me
That Western Skyline
If I Wanted Someone
Out In The Woods (Leon Russell cover)
Peace In The Valley
Keep Your Body Happy Through Exercise (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Shaved Like A Razor (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
When A Ford Man Turns To Chevy (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Trashday (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Goodbye (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Fire Away
When My Time Comes (w/ John McCauley)

Full set download:  mp3 zip

Related post:  Middle Brother - Live at the Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

The Head And The Heart - Live at the Paradise Boston 4.20.11

The Head And The Heart's fantastic self-titled debut record landed at #14 on my favorite albums of 2010 list.  The truth is, with a few more months to marinate, it's now probably somewhere in the top 10.  Songs of weariness, of love and of home, delivered with honesty, confidence and a bouncy folk-pop jangle.  With a rough-edged charm, sugary-sweet melodies, male-female vocals and earnest stories of distance, there's a lot to love about this band.

As memorable as the songs themselves are, I'll never forget the journey they took into my collection.  Waking up in Seattle, hungover, with fading, hours-old memories of hearing about this great band that had just signed to Sub Pop records, I opened the band's myspace page and let the music revive me.  It wasn't long before I was in a coffeeshop expousing the merits of the band from my little soapbox here.  Hours later I was on a mission to get the album; a digital download just wouldn't do, I needed the physical artifact.  You see, there was no telling if I would have another chance to get the pre-Sub Pop self-released version back home in Boston - and for someone like me, that just wouldn't do.  So we walked.  First a pleasant stroll to Sonic Boom Lower Queen Anne.  "Sold out".  Then, coffee in-hand, a longer jaunt in a steady drizzle to Silver Platters.  "Nope, but Sonic Boom Capitol Hill might have some copies".  The cold drizzle now a heavy downpour, we kept walking - there was one last chance.  Through puddles and mud and tire spray, up Capitol Hill (the long, long way) and finally success.  I've never worked so hard to get my hands on an album.  Admittedly, it was a little insane - but well-worth all the effort.

So, you can understand my excitement this past weekend to see the band live for the first time.  As good as the songs are on record, believe me when I say that this is a band that you have to see live.  Playing their first-ever shows in Boston in support of Dr. Dog, they exuded the stage presence of a band far more seasoned.  It was one of the most impressive opening sets I've seen in a long time.  They held the focus of a rowdy crowd, performing a set that was energetic, engaging and hopefully a precursor to many headlining shows to come.

Check out a full recording of the show below - taped from the front row of the balcony, the sound is excellent.  Please support the band by picking up their album here.

The Head And The Heart
Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
February 20, 2011

Cats And Dogs
Ghosts
Honey Come Home
Heaven Go Easy On Me
Lost In My Mind
Winter Song
Sounds Like Hallelujah
Down In The Valley
Rivers And Roads

Full set download: mp3 zip

More photos

Live: David Wax Museum at Paradise Rock Club 10.16.10

UPDATE: By popular demand I've re-uploaded this David Wax Museum show from October 2010.  This show featured a stripped-down three-piece lineup but as always, they delivered an incredible set -- the crowd ate it up.  They play songs from I Turned Off Thinking About, Carpenter Bird, the then-unreleased Everything Is Saved and "Vivian", a track that will finally see the light of day (in re-worked form) on their upcoming album.

My first introduction to The David Wax Museum was at the inaugural Kitchen Session back in March.  I still remember showing up on that rainy Spring night knowing literally nothing about the band and leaving later in the night, CDs in hand, a fan.  A polite golf clap turned into raucous applause over the course of the night as David Wax, Suz Slezak, Jiro Kokubu and Jordan Wax played an energetic set of Mexican-infused folk songs.

Over the last six-plus months I've had the chance to see the band win over larger and larger audiences in the same way they did a small living room that night.  First it was the tiny Lizard Lounge and Club Passim, later it was the mighty Newport Folk Festival - in all cases the band's enthusiasm brought the crowds to their feet as they sang and danced along.  As I stood at the side of the stage at Newport I couldn't help but eavesdrop as members of the Avett Brothers likened the drive and ambition of David Wax Museum to themselves.  In the days that followed it was hard to find a review of the festival that didn't cite The David Wax Museum as one of the true highlights. 

Following a successful but busy summer that culminated with a string of sold out shows at Lizard Lounge, the band took what must have been a much-needed break.  They returned to the stage at the Paradise on October 16 and picked up right where they left off, quickly winning over a crowd of Carolina Chocolate Drops fans.  The set was a mix of songs from their last LP Carpenter Bird, and songs from their upcoming album Everything Is Saved.  The full set is available for stream/download below in fantastic sound - a pristine matrix of soundboard and audience recording.

Please support The David Wax Museum by pre-ordering Everything Is Saved here, and get tickets for their October 29 show at Club Passim (early show is sold out, tickets still available for the late show).

The David Wax Museum
Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
October 16, 2010

Beatrice
The Persimmon Tree
When You Are Still
Born With A Broken Heart
Colas
Unfruitful
Lavender Street (acoustic)
Beekeeper
The Great Unawakening
Vivian
Yes, Maria, Yes

New Music: Deer Tick "The Great Smoke Off" + live bonus tracks

Deer Tick's newly released Black Dirt Sessions delivers another solid album of raw, shambolic bar-band-roots-rock.  When my limited edition vinyl arrived today, I found an unexpected bonus CD with the curious title "The Great Smoke Off".  Turns out that it's a hilarious story song about a Yankee Stadium ganja showdown.  It's completely ridiculous, but also a lot of fun.

Deer Tick - The Great Smoke Off

Also including a few tracks from Deer Tick's recent set opening for Dr. Dog at the Paradise.  This is a soundboard recording, but the quality is sub-par due to almost no guitar going through the soundboard at all, which is why I'm only posting a few select tracks.  Included is a great new MG&V song "Me Me Me", two brand new Deer Tick songs (not included on Black Dirt Sessions) and a great version of Diamond Rings from War Elephant, performed by John McCauley solo.

Me Me Me (MG&V)
New Song? (Ian O'Neil on vocals)
Born At Zero (new song)
Diamond Rings (John solo)

Newly remastered and fantastic-sounding recording of Dr. Dog's set from the same night is available here.

Dr. Dog: Paradise Boston 5.12.10

 

Dr. Dog brought their energetic live show to the Paradise last Wednesday for the second of two sold out shows.  As I watched from the balcony, the stage was a blur of bright lights and neon.  The songs were grittier and played with more intensity than the album versions, and came in rapid-fire succession - there were almost no breaks whatsoever.  The packed crowd danced to a set that was expectedly heavy on tracks from 2008's Fate and the just-released Shame, Shame.  Having seen Dr. Dog a few times now, I was impressed by how far the band has come in recent years - the rag-tag underdogs from Philly now have a deep catalogue of bouncy folk/psych/pop gems, a reliably excellent live show and dedicated, rabid fan base.  

Fantastic full soundboard recording of the show is available for stream/download below.  Thanks to Dr. Dog and their top-notch sound crew for the great recording.  If you download this please support the band by going to see the show when they come to your town, and go buy Shame, Shame if you haven't already.  Enjoy!

Dr. Dog
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
May 12, 2010

Mirror Mirror
Hang On
The Old Days
Army Of Ancients
The Way The Lazy Do
Someday
Shadow People
The Ark
The World May Never Know
I Only Wear Blue
Later
Unbearable Why
The Beach
The Breeze
The Rabbit, The Bat and The Reindeer
Station
The Girl
Shame, Shame
Jackie Wants a Black Eye
Stranger
Die Die Die
Fat Dog
Easy Beat
Heart It Races (Architecture In Helsinki)
My Friend

Full set downloads:  mp3 zip  

The Low Anthem: Paradise Boston 4.20.10

I have seen The Low Anthem many times over the past year and while they are always great, Tuesdays show was on a different level.  I stood in shock, completely captivated by songs both old and new - this is a special band, and they seem to be hitting their stride.

The Low Anthem have come a long way (literally) since they last played the Paradise, when they played to a half-empty club in support of Blind Pilot last November.  Shortly after that show they embarked for London to play to a national audience on Jool's Holland.  In the months since, they have opened for Josh Ritter and The Avett Brothers, toured both sides of the Atlantic as headliners and holed up in a former pasta sauce factory to record their hightly-anticipated follow-up to 2009's Oh My God, Charlie Darwin.  Now they've returned to the road to test out the new songs.  As the band huddled around a single mic in the center of the stage on Tuesday night, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to Neil Young at Massey Hall in 1971 playing unknown classics to an awestruck audience.

As Ben Knox Miller's lyrics tumbled from the stage they were completely new, yet felt somehow familiar.  The new songs seemed more personal than the timeless parables that comprised Charlie Darwin.  The arrangements and delivery were both measured yet felt off-the-cuff, and nothing distracted from the songs. The older songs were played with confidence, fleshed by multi-instrumentalist Mat Davidson - the newest addition to the band.  The set was well-paced - folk songs were punctuated by electric blues romps, new songs intermingled with old favorites and everything flowed perfectly.  This is a band that seems in complete control; I'm grateful to have followed their arc, and I'm excited to see what comes next.

Full soundboard recording of the Paradise show is available for stream and download.  Sound is pristine - thanks to taper Steve Legare, the sound guy at the Paradise and, of course, The Low Anthem for making this fantastic recording possible.  Enjoy, and please support the band by visiting their site and buying their music

The Low Anthem
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
April 20, 2010

Cage The Songbird
Ticket Taker
[thanks]
Sally Where'd You Get Your Liquor From *
To The Ghosts Who Write History Books
Apothecary
Ghost Woman Blues
Charlie Darwin
Home I'll Never Be **
Cigarettes, Whiskey & Wild, Wild Women ^
Maybe So
This God Damn House
Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around %
Ain't No More Cane %
Dreams Can't Chase You Down
Ohio
Love And Altar
I'll Take Out Your Ashes

* - Rev. Gary Davis
** - Jack Kerouac
^ - Jim Croce
% - Traditional

Full set downloads:  mp3 zip (new link) | FLAC zip (362MB)

The Low Anthem are back in the area this summer for the Green River and Newport Folk festivals