Saturday, June 28, 2014

Beck w/ Sean Lennon's Goastt 6/24/14 Massmoca

Massachusetts museum of contemporary art is nestled in the bucolic town of North Adams. The museum is in the 1900s factory that made gasmasks for WWII. Joe's field, the open space behind the museum, was the site for this performance. Sean Lennon's band Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger opened the show. Loud and fuzzy, Goastt sped through a slurry set. Sean's vocals, at times, bore a genetic resemblance to his icon father.
I haven't seen Beck since the Odelay slot at a Lollapalooza in Hartford.  Beck's recent album, Morning Phase boasts the same lineup as the fantastic release Sea Change. Beck rarely comes to our area, and this show made up for lost time. Culling hits from all points in his career, Beck put on a great show. Devil's Haircut, Black Tambourine, Novocaine, Modern Guilt, Think I'm In Love, Golden Age, Lost Cause, Blackbird Chain, Loser, Guero, New Pollution, Paper Tiger, Heart as a Drum, Girl, E-pro, Hell Yes, an awesome Debra, closed the show with Two Turntables and a Microphone. The venue was packed, the weather was perfect, and the concert was memorable.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Gringo Starr w/ Atrina 6/11/14 Bar

Hard rockers Atrina started the show. Strong female singer-shredder led the two guitar, bass, drums attack. Drummer could have been John Bonham's nephew, sounded as if he had cinder blocks tied to the drumsticks.
Atlanta natives Gringo Starr have been around for years. I'm pretty sure this is the third time i've seen them at Bar. Jangly garage pop is GS's style. Two guitars, (sometimes keys), bass and drums was the lineup. In previous shows, GS would wear southern civil war uniforms. They ditched the military garb but kept their dizzying ability to switch instruments on each song. True multi-instrumentalists, this quartet's ability to back each other up is admirable. Be proud you're not truly a Beatle, cuz the south just might do it again.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Brandon Ross w/ Stomu Takeishi 5/30/14 Firehouse 12

Underattended second set at the Firehouse had Ross/Takeishi's show "For Living Lovers". With Ross on banjo, acoustic, and guitarron and Takeishi on acoustic bass, this show had a slow deliberate delivery. These songs sounded like screwed down outtakes from Ry Cooder's soundtrack to the movie Paris/Texas. Ross is a true chameleon, able to shred with the Jazz Passengers, funk it up with Harriet Tubman, or sparingly pluck a banjo until it is almost unrecognizable. This sleepy sound probably scared off most first set attendees. Takeishi's sit down acoustic bass looked like an acoustic guitar with the hole in the body situated south of the strings so that it looked like a bass with a cup holder.