02.16.2011 Godspeed You! Black Emperor / Total Life

I still remember sometime in 2003 when Godspeed was touring the US and I really wanted to see them. They started with the east coast and were planning on doing west coast dates afterwards. That was until they broke up. Their reformation is easily the most excited I've ever been to see a band play live. The opener wasn't really worth writing about. Total Life as he was called was a one person laptop/dj/looping noise maker and the only act to put me to sleep in the 15 or so years I've been going to concerts.

Godspeed ended up being the exactly what I imagined they would be 8 years ago. A dark and brooding orchestral force. Also worth mentioning were the visuals. It was like watching an old artsy film put to the perfect soundtrack. This photo best illustrates what I'm talking about. My only complaint for this show was that in my dreams back in 2003 they played both Moya and East Hastings.


Godspeed You! Black Emperor
02.16.2011
The Vogue Theatre
Vancouver, BC

source: DPA 4061>diybb>H140
lineage: WAV(m)>FLAC
editing: Fade in/Fade out,volume raised in some parts, removed some talking

Setlist:
01) Intro/Hope Drone
02) Storm
03) Static
04) Albanian
05) World Police and Friendly Fire
06) Dead Metheny
07) Rockets Fall on Rocket Falls
08) BBF3



mp3s and a better player here.


$40/$40

02.11.2011 Lou Barlow @ Zulu Records

If you grew up in the 90s it's likely you would have come across at least one of the bands Lou Barlow has been in. Lou Barlow was one of the founding members of Dinosaur Jr. After leaving Dinosaur Jr, he would go on to form Sebadoh amongst other projects. He would end up rejoining Dinosaur Jr years after. Sebadoh is currently on tour. Before their show in Vancouver Barlow played a solo set at Zulu Records. He's a pretty funny guy, lots of self deprecating humour. During the set he asks the crowd for requests and ends up turning most of the suggestions down. He also mentions be sick this night and has to do some warm up exercises before going into song mode.




$10/$0

01.22.2011 The Thermals / Juvenile Hall

An hour after doors, I was kind of worried that The Thermals would be playing to an empty room. I mean I know their drawing power has diminished somewhat over the years, but I wasn't expecting to only see 30-ish people in the venue after an hour after doors opened. Turns out all there was a hockey game going on and the venue really started filling up afterwards. The show actually ended up selling out. Hmm so let's recap what's changed since I last saw these Portland pop-punk rockers (circa 2007) - 2 albums, some music videos and a they lost a guitarist, er touring guitarist.

Juvenile Hall were up first. They were a 3 piece all girl band from Vancouver. They played pop punk / riot grrrl kind of stuff. They remind me of that other all girl Vancouver band the Riff Randalls. Not really my jam.

I think the Thermals as a (power) trio is the right fit for them. The touring guitarist was pretty forgettable anyways. There were two distinct instances during the show where the sold out crowd really got into it. First one happened during an interlude or breakdown of a new song where the drummer went into the crowd to party it up. The other was when they played "Here's Your Future", which caused, just like last time I saw them, a pretty intense pit at the stage lip. The majority of the show was newer songs from their last two albums. I think there were only 3 or 4 songs from "Body, Blood ..". Highlight of their set for me was "Never Listen To Me", which was primarily Hutch doing only vocals during the verses. It was as close as they would come to playing a ballad that night. I get the feeling Hutch didn't like the way someone did a stage dive during the end of their set. When pressed by the crowd for a second encore, Hutch declined, not looking all too happy.

$12/15

Dan Mangan - Sold

Dan Mangan's newest music video for "Sold" was shot at Famous Foods! Go East Van!

Death From Above 1979 - Romantic Rights (Live 04.02.2005)

Just in case you didn't already know, DFA1979 reformed. They're playing Coachella and Sasquatch and a full tour later.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qACnGMd9Yq4&feature=player_embedded

Comeback Kid - Lorelei (Live 03.10.2004)

I couldn't really get into this band after their original singer left.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiIPmd0V0YY

Jill Barber - Hardline (Live 03.20.2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32XMHwCMCko