Rodrigo y Gabriela have struck gold where many other musicians have struck out. Combining musical styles – in this case, metal and classical Spanish-style guitar – and performing entire sets and albums without one single lyric. In doing so, they not only have amassed a following, but a fervent one. Such was evident at their sold-out performance last Friday at Chicago’s Riviera Theater.
Here’s a sign that you’re doing it right: A check on craigslist for tickets weeks prior to the concert showed a massive disproportion. There were dozens of postings from people desperately looking for tickets to the show – just one posting actually selling tickets. Did ticket brokers miss the boat? Possibly. More likely, Rod Gab fans anticipated their arrival very early and made sure they scored tickets. And once they had them, they weren’t letting them go. That’s refreshing.
On to the show. We won’t spend a lot of time here talking about the magic of Rodrigo y Gabriela. If you’re not yet familiar, read this post from our review of a Rodrigo y Gabriela concert in Milwaukee. Besides, all you need to do is watch a little video – you won’t need convincing from me.
The highlight of the night (and one of this year’s best concert moments) came as a stunning surprise. Between songs, Rodrigo teased the audience about a special guest, then introduced Rob Trujillo – bass player for Metallica. It turned into perfect synergy (well, almost perfect – you’ll see) between the two styles of music represented by Rod Gab – their mind-blowing classical chops fused with their metal influences and inspiration while they jam Metallica’s “Orion.” It was the icing on an already sinfully outstanding cake. And the fans … let’s just say you can expect to hear them loud and clear as the music grapevine grows. Check out the crowd reaction at the end of the video “Part 2″ and you’ll understand.
Enjoy the video below. It’s excellent and comes courtesy of TP1134. Below that are two more videos shot by Sound Citizen, if you want more Trujillo. Also, check out TP1134′s account for more of the concert from an excellent vantage point. An outstanding job.
Only three dates remain on their U.S. tour schedule: Oct. 20 in Austin, TX, Oct. 22 in Philadelphia, Oct. 23 in Boston and Oct. 24 in Baltimore. If they’re coming through your area, you’d be an irresponsible Sound Citizen not to go. No excuses. Overseas? Check out more tour dates below the videos.
| 26-Oct-09 | Teatro Metropólitan | México, Mexico |
| 11-Nov-09 | La Carriere | Nantes, France |
| 12-Nov-09 | Casino de Paris – SOLD OUT | Paris, France |
| 13-Nov-09 | Aeronef | Lille, France |
| 15-Nov-09 | Vicar Street | Dublin, Ireland |
| 16-Nov-09 | Olympia Theatre – Sold Out | Dublin, Ireland |
| 18-Nov-09 | Les Docks – SOLD OUT | Lausanne, Switzerland |
| 20-Nov-09 | Ancienne Belgique – SOLD OUT | Brussels, Belgium |
| 21-Nov-09 | Watt | Rotterdam, Holland |
| 23-Nov-09 | HMV Hammersmith Apollo | London, United Kingdom |
| 24-Nov-09 | O2 Academy, Birmingham | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
| 26-Nov-09 | O2 Academy Glasgow | Glasgow, United Kingdom |
| 28-Nov-09 | Manchester Apollo | Manchester, United Kingdom |
| 29-Nov-09 | Colston Hall | Bristol, United Kingdom |
| 3-Dec-09 | Alcatraz | Milan, Italy |
| 30-Dec-09 | Falls Festival Marion Bay | Marion Bay, Australia |
| 31-Dec-09 | Falls Festival Lorne, VIC | Lorne, Australia |
| 3-Jan-10 | Enmore Theatre | Sydney, Australia |
| 5-Jan-10 | Palais Theatre | St. Kilda, Australia |
| 6-Jan-10 | Sunset Sounds Festival | Brisbane, Australia |
| 8-Jan-10 | Southbound Festival | Busselton, Australia |
| 11-Jan-10 | Aotea Center | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 14-Jan-10 | ZEPP | Tokyo, Japan |
| 15-Jan-10 | CLUB Diamond Hall | Nagoya, Japan |
| 16-Jan-10 | IMP HALL | Osaka, Japan |
| 18-Jan-10 | TOKYO | Tokyo, Japan |
| 10-Apr-10 | Olympia Theatre | Paris, France |
| 11-Apr-10 | Olympia Theatre | Paris, France |
(Video after the jump) Hailing from Las Vegas, it should come as no surprise that The Killers are first-class entertainers. So, standing outside in 12-degree weather, I at least knew I was going to see a good show. I last saw The Killers in Austin, at the 2006 Austin City Limits music festival. They put on a great show, even I wasn’t familiar with their music at the time. This time I’m a fan, so expectations were higher.
UPDATE: The Killers have added a slew of tour dates, in what will be a busy summer. Check out the bottom of this post for the latest dates. If you want to see The Killers live visit BarrysTickets.com for great deals on The Killers concert tickets.
It all starts with the stage and the effects. They opened with “Spaceman” and an explosion of lights. The entire stage, amps – just about everything was covered in small lights. Add a dozen more swirling lights and a huge video screen behind the stage and you’re engulfed in a performance, not just a concert. The video screen was interesting. It would show some effects and the occasional accompanying music video, and it was just grainy enough to be visible but not distracting. But none of it would matter without the powerful presence of lead singer Brandon Flowers (pictured). He emphasizes lyrics, pauses, guitar riffs, beats, you name it, he has body language for it. And he’s all over the stage pacing, sprinting and standing on top of amps – perfect for when you have that six-foot-seven guy standing directly in front of you for every single concert you attend … it’s not just me, right? But I digest … on to the music.
Both in Austin and here, the first thing to strike me about The Killers is how together they sound. It seems like every song is a mini-anthem, thoroughly modern but with a retro 80′s dance feel. It’s all timed and it’s hard to tell if they ever miss a beat.
They played as solid mix of tunes from their new album, Day & Age
The best part of the show came with back-to-back-to-back songs Sam’s Town, Read My Mind and Mr. Brightside. Flowers played Sam’s Town under a white spotlight, sitting and playing piano in a sort of acoustic and subtly plugged-in version of the song. And just when you thought it was time to slow it down, they rolled right into All These Things That I Have Done, with Flowers leading the increasingly loud, chanting crowd to “I got soul, but I’m not a soldier…” They closed out the show to a crowd-pleasing When You Were Young.
The “I wasn’t crazy about that song until I heard it live” award goes to A Dustland Fairytale.
There were two downsides to Tuesday’s show, although minor. First, UIC Pavillion is not the best place to see a show. Sight lines are good, but acoustics are bad.
Second, there were times when it seemed the band was going through the motions a bit. I suppose you can’t blame them – being the crowd-pleasers that they are, they probably play some of their songs so much it’s difficult to not get bored.
Below is some video from the show of Smile Like You Mean It. This was taken in a covert fashion, so apologies for the lack of a good view. And below that is Jenny Was a Friend of Mine - the view is even worse, but it sounds pretty good.
| Jul 16 2009 | 8:00P | Festival Les Vieilles Charrues | Carhaix |
| Jul 18 2009 | 8:00P | Festival Super Bock Super Rock | Lisbon |
| Jul 19 2009 | 8:00P | Benicàssim Festival | Benicàssim |
| Aug 8 2009 | 8:00P | Horseshoe Casino – Southern Indiana | Elizabeth, Indiana |
| Aug 9 2009 | 8:30P | Lollapalooza | Chicago, Illinois |
| Aug 31 2009 | 8:00P | Merriweather Post Pavilion | Columbia, Maryland |
| Sep 1 2009 | 8:00P | Nikon at Jones Beach Amphitheatre | Wantagh, New York |
| Sep 2 2009 | 8:00P | PNC Bank Arts Center | Holmdel, New Jersey |
| Sep 4 2009 | 8:00P | TD Banknorth Garden | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Sep 5 2009 | 8:00P | Quai Jacques Cartier | Montreal, Quebec |
| Sep 6 2009 | 8:00P | Molson Amphitheatre | Toronto, Ontario |
| Sep 9 2009 | 8:00P | Red Rocks Amphitheater | Morrison, Colorado |
| Sep 12 2009 | 8:00P | Shoreline Amphitheatre | Mountain View, California |
| Sep 13 2009 | 8:00P | Santa Barbara Bowl | Santa Barbara, California |
| Sep 16 2009 | 8:00P | Hollywood Bowl | Los Angeles, California |
| Sep 18 2009 | 8:00P | Cox Arena | San Diego, California |
| Sep 19 2009 | 8:00P | Mandalay Bay Event Center | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Sep 22 2009 | 8:00P | ARCO Arena | Sacramento, California |
| Sep 24 2009 | 8:00P | Memorial Coliseum | Portland, Oregon |
| Sep 25 2009 | 8:00P | Qwest Arena | Boise, Idaho |
| Sep 26 2009 | 8:00P | The E Center of West Valley | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Sep 28 2009 | 8:00P | Dodge Theatre | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Oct 1 2009 | 8:00P | UCF Arena | Orlando, Florida |
| Oct 2 2009 | 8:00P | USF Sun Dome | Tampa, Florida |
| Oct 3 2009 | 8:00P | American Airlines Arena | Miami, Florida |
It’s official – the four surviving members of The Grateful Dead (Lesh, Weir, Hart, Kreutzmann) along with Warren Haynes and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti will tour in 2009.
The tour begins in the East and wraps up in the West. Presale tickets start on 1/13, and general public sales start 1/23. You can be sure most, if not all of these shows will sell out – then you can expect to pay a major premium for tickets from brokers. So get on it if you want to go.
- April 12, Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Coliseum
- April 14, Washington DC – Verizon Center
- April 15, Charlottesville, VA – John Paul Jones Arena
- April 17, Albany, NY – Times Union Center
- April 18, Worcester, MA – DCU Center
- April 19, Worcester, MA – DCU Center
- April 21, Buffalo, NY – HSBC Arena
- April 22, Wilkes-Barre, PA – Wachovia Arena @ Casey Plaza
- April 24, Uniondale, NY – Nassau Coliseum
- April 25, New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
- April 26, Hartford, CT – XL Center
- April 28, E. Rutherford, NJ – IZOD Center
- April 29, E. Rutherford, NJ – IZOD Center
- May 1, Philadelphia, PA – Wachovia Spectrum
- May 2, Philadelphia, PA – Wachovia Spectrum
- May 5, Chicago, IL – All State Arena
- May 7, Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
- May 9, Los Angeles, CA – The Forum
- May 10, Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheater
12/28/08 (Video/Audio after the jump) The first time I saw My Morning Jacket live, I was impressed. That was about three years ago. Then I saw them at Austin City Limits. Whoa Nelly! It was one of the most disappointing shows I’ve ever seen. They embarrassed themselves. They embarrassed me … I forced a couple people to see them with me that day. The whole band seemed drunk, or high, or both (it was, then, no surprise that guitarist/singer Jim James ‘fell’ off the stage in October, canceling the originally scheduled Chicago shows.) Simply put, the show amounted to little more than un-choreographed noise. And there’s nothing worse than seeing a terrible performance from a band you really like – it can turn you off of them for a while, as it did me. So, as I walked into The Chicago Theatre to see them for a third time, I was skeptical. In my eyes, it was their last chance. And this time, they did not disappoint.
Want to write your own My Morning Jacket concert review? Get your My Morning Jacket Tickets – from Barry’s Tickets today! And be sure to stay on the lookout for Jim James’ new project, a collaboration with Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, and M. Ward under the name Monsters of Folk, to be released on September 22. Back to the review…
They opened with “At Dawn” and it was immediately apparent that James was in better shape (and without his beard) than the last time. He came to play, and sing. He was on key and, based on appearances, recovered from his October injuries and sober.
A couple of songs later they busted out their latest big hit from the new Evil Urges
The Venue:
Chicago Theatre is a masterpiece (lobby pictured above.) Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the architecture is beautiful. So much so that James commented on it – saying something to the effect of how we live in a linear world, full of straight lines, steel and glass, and how refreshing it was to be in a place with architecture that resembled the human brain. Something like that. He was clearly enjoying the place and I think that added to their enthusiasm on stage. The acoustics are solid and the space is large but cozy.
The Band:
There’s something so cool about watching someone rock a Flying V guitar. James did several times throughout the show, and watching him thrash is just plain fun. It’s a testament to the distinct flavor of MMJ – they go from playing ballads, mixed with jam sessions, mixed with metal – and at no time do they sound out of their element. In one of the more surprising developments, a new sound was tossed in when they played a new song, “Highly Suspicious.” It’s kind of Devo-ish and has all the makings of 80′s inspired electronica. Throw in James’ high-pitch and you’ve got … something. I admit, on the album, I wasn’t a fan of the song at all (reviews have continually blasted it.) But hearing and seeing it live – a whole different story. It nearly blew the roof off. The accompanying light show (pictured) was cool too. Don’t know if I’ll be jamming the song in my apartment, but I hope they play it live when I see them again.
James brought out an interesting instrument during several songs (including ‘Touch me I’m going to Scream Part 2′) that I’ve never seen. From my vantage point, it looked and kind of sounded like a keytar, but it’s not. I don’t know what it is, but it made for some interesting sounds. Leave a comment below if you can help me out.
The Crowd:
The crowd was just about exactly what I expected. A spattering of middle-agers but mostly twenty-somethings and college kids on winter break. By far, the most entertaining was a young couple (pictured) – him in sleeve tattoos and her in pigtails. He did some headbanging, while she attempted to dance. All I kept thinking was, “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” It was a strange bob-and-weave with absolutely no rhythm. Not as bad as Elaine Benes, but not far off either. At least she was having fun. And so was everyone else. From the devout fans singing along to every song, to the casual observer, the crowd was enjoying a good experience.
The Verdict:
Yes, My Morning Jacket atoned for their Texas sins. I’m still a little peeved (I passed up Wilco for them) but I feel much better listening to them again. They were sharp and focused, and made some great music. I wouldn’t put it in my top 5, but it was very good, and I would recommend seeing them on this tour, should they pass through your town. I’ll be on the lookout for when they come back to Chicago.
It’s not permitted to record at this venue … a Sound Citizen was caught in the act and forced to erase the recording, as well as check her camera. So, I couldn’t get any real video, but managed to get some audio of “Golden,” a personal favorite. You can hear it below, just don’t pay attention to the actual video.
(Video after the jump) It’s time to close the books on 2008. It’s been a good year – there was plenty to see, some great new releases and some good tours. We asked some readers about their favorite concerts of 2008 and we got back a variety of responses. Posted here are some of your answers. Thanks to everyone who responded and, if you didn’t, we’ll be polling the audience more in 2009 so don’t miss out on the next one! If you think we missed out on some great shows, leave a comment below. And if you have any questions, or if you would like to submit future concert or album reviews, please send us an email. Have a great time this New Year’s Eve – if you head to a show to celebrate, send us a review!
What was your favorite concert of 2008? Who, where and why?
bstanley, of Chicago, Illinois says, “Cold War Kids at The Vic because they are wildly entertaining, the music was electric & I had some great company +free tix!”
amykchulik, of Chicago, Illinois says, “I would say Bloc Party’s Lolla after-show at House of Blues – they were into it, audience was into it – huge energy.”
justinpward, of San Franscisco, California says, “Favorite concert of 2008 was easily The Whigs, Yo La Tengo and My Morning Jacket at SXSW. Second row. Epic.”
smussyolay, of Chicago, Illinois says, “James @ Vic. Tim Booth is completely captivating as a lead singer. Might’ve been best show I’ve seen in last five yrs.”
tiffany83, of Houston, Texas says, “New Kids on the Block. Haha. It was the only one I attended in 2008. Brought back fond memories of my childhood. 
”
FoxBrownFox, of Chicago , Illinois says, “Without question the best concert I saw this year was Badu – New Amerykah. she rocks so damn hard it hurts.”
TheLocalTourist, of Chicago, Illinois says, “Taste of chaos at the Aragon. Some of my fave bands! Venue bad acoustics, but historic.”
Note: Taste of Chaos featured Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Bless The Fall, Idiot Pilot, and others.
phogtom, of Windsor, Ontario, Canada says, “You Say Party, We Say Die! at Phog Lounge in Windsor, Ontario. Nutty, dancing awesomeness in an intimate venue!”
Kelly, of Denver , Colorado says, “Snoop Dogg in a small bar up in Aspen. Self explanatory!”
Meg!!! <333, says, “Avril Lavigne’s Best Damn Tour. The effects, her voice, everything blended perfectly.
kelody says, “If I had to pick just one it would be The Academy Is…‘ Bill and Trav’s Bogus Journey Tour at the House of Blues, Anaheim, California. William Beckett’s voice is captivating and you can’t ignore their stage presence. At the end I felt so exhilarated that I only played their songs for weeks.”
Sound Citizen’s TheMikePhillips, of Chicago, Illinois says, “Tough question, so I’m going to cheat. The Raconteurs at Lolla – one of the best shows I’ve seen 2008 or otherwise. Some serious talent there. And The Kooks at the Vic – great talent, high energy and just a good time.”
Note: Video below is “Sway,” from the Kooks show.
It was the promise of a pass to the Foundation Room and possible box seat that lured me to the House of Blues in Chicago for a Sister Hazel concert. I don’t know much of Sister Hazel, and I don’t claim to be a fan. But I’m a big fan of HOB and box seats, so I went. On the cab ride there, I asked my companion about Sister Hazel’s sound and “Hootie” came up in the conversation…
It was a cold, bitter night so it was with great joy that we walked into the warm, inviting Foundation Room, complete with burning incense and fuzzy upholstery. A couple cocktails later and we decided to check out the opening act, Pat McGee Band. I didn’t know this guy either. I paid slight attention, but what I heard was pretty good. Laid-back but fun. What did catch my attention were his repeated attempts to rally the crowd … “Get into it!” “Make some noise!” Pretty ballsy for simply a guy with a guitar. I can’t remember the last time I saw a mosh pit develop over a single acoustic guitar set.
So on to Sister Hazel. Like I said, I don’t really know their stuff. But what I heard was poppy, do-your-white-guy-dance music. A few songs into their set, I did start to recognize some songs. And if I remember correctly, they came straight from my college days.
Sister Hazel has some dedicated fans. Looking around the room, there were plenty of dancing folks, most of whom knew every song, and the majority of lyrics. And the crowd was fairly diverse, age-wise. There were forty- and fifty-somethings and twenty- and thirty-somethings reliving the days of CD jukeboxes and underage drinking.
I will say this – they sounded good. From the songs I didn’t know to their mass hit Change Your Mind the songs sounded like they came right off the radio or from some sweet floor speakers in the dorm room across the hall. And the crowd was pleased. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see them again, but I had a good time. They clearly have talent, and if you’re a fan, they definitely won’t disappoint.
A few side notes:
The House of Blues remains a top-flight venue. And if you have the chance, get to the Foundation Room. There was no recording or photography allowed, so I didnt’ get any video. But I did sneak a photo from the box.- Sister Hazel’s name comes from Sister Hazel Williams, an African-American woman who ran Sister Hazel’s Rescue Mission in their hometown of Gainesville, Florida.
- Yes, several times I was reminded of Hootie – before he went country.
Sister Hazel’s remaining 2008 tour dates:
December, 31 2008 08:00 PM – Jannus Landing, St. Petersberg, FL
January, 8 2009 08:00 PM – House Of Blues, Dallas, TX
January, 9 2009 08:00 PM – House Of Blues, Houston, TX
January, 10 2009 08:00 PM – House Of Blues, New Orleans, LA
January, 17 2009 08:00 PM – Carnival Cruise – The Rock Boat, Nassau, Bahamas
February, 11 2009 08:00 PM – Varsity, Baton Rouge, LA
February, 12 2009 08:00 PM – Jupiter Bar and Grill, Tuscalossa, AL
February, 13 2009 08:00 PM – Ricks, Starkville, MS
February, 14 2009 08:00 PM – Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
February, 18 2009 08:00 PM – Freebird, Jacksonville, FL
February, 19 2009 08:00 PM – Headliners, Columbia, SC
February, 20 2009 08:00 PM – Revolution, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
February, 21 2009 08:00 PM – House Of Blues, Orlando, FL
