no one is lost

venue: the fillmore
band: stars with leisure cruise
when: 5 march 2015 (thursday)
doors open at 7p

my 12th stars show (one where they opened for broken social scene) and the 3rd show with joe. corrie and arlo met us there. it was their first stars show. and i'm told, stars is arlo's new fav band! yay! i do love to spread the love of stars. they are so good and versatile that it is so easy to love them.

this new album is much different from the last two but i enjoy it very much. there's a song i absolutely love on this album. it's called look away and it reminds me very much of the beautiful south especially with both amy and torquil singing as they do on many of their songs. arlo mentioned that it reminded him of the housemartins who basically became the beautiful south. afterwards, joe and i hit tommy's joynt for our usual after concert snack. they don't do the combo pastrami and corned beef anymore. :(

i didn't know that the show was sold out but turns out, there was a fillmore poster for the show and i'm told they only make posters for sold out shows. this made my collection complete. yay!

the setlist:
1. from the night
2. ageless beauty
3. we don’t want your body
4. backlines
5. you keep coming up
6. a song is a weapon
7. this is the last time
8. hold on when you get love and let go when you give it
9. look away
10. dead hearts
11. trap door
12. one more night (your ex-lover remains dead)
13. elevator love letter
14. take me to the riot
15. your ex-lover is dead
16. no one is lost
encore: are you ok? & nothing i can do

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ turn it up!

new order again!

venue: bill graham civic auditorium (sold out!)
band: new order & la roux (opening)
when: 11 july 2014 (friday)
doors open at 7p

for some reason, i keep thinking that i've only seen new order 3 times before this show but it was actually 4. i kept forgetting about the area one festival where they headlined. in any case, this is new order #5. this year, i went with 3 first-timers and that was very exciting for all. i snagged pre-sale tickets this year so we had lower balcony seats (section 213). the capacity of this venue is 7000 which is more than double the size of the fox theater in oakland (venue of the last show). it was a crazy sea of people below. and we received a surprise second encore which they never ever do. when i first saw them, they didn't even do an encore. we waited but nothing. ages ago, i'd read that they didn't play encores because it's not technically part of the show. but in recent years, they've become more and more generous with their time. despite not having played any songs off of technique, it was another amazing show. especially with tommy's joynt for snacks afterwards! yum!

here is the setlist from the show:
1. elegia
2. crystal
3. regret
4. singularity (new song!)
5. ceremony
6. age of consent
7. your silent face
8. california grass
9. bizarre love triangle
10. 5 8 6
11. plastic (another new song!)
12. true faith
13. the perfect kiss
14. blue monday
15. temptation
encore: atmosphere & love will tear us apart (both joy division)
surprise encore #2: san francisco (be sure to wear flowers in your hair)

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ another fine time.

stars again

venue: great american music hall
artist: stars with trails and ways
when: 17 september 2013 (tuesday)
doors open at 7p

this is my 11th stars show and even though i just saw them last year, i would have seen them on the 18th if i could find someone to go with me. it was really nice because they played their old stuff. songs they haven't played in years. songs from their first album. though i have never seen them play the very thing, the song i first fell in love with them over. the kind of song that speaks to you.

we had dinner tickets which i love because it basically guarantees a seat. and at my age, i want to sit and enjoy the shows. the food is a plus!

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

10 years!!

i was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer in the summer 2003. i also had my thyroidectomy late that summer. coincidentally, a band called postal service released their new (and only) album give up earlier that year. for two weeks, after my surgery, that was all i listened to during my recovery.
venue: greek theater in berkeley (sold out)
artist: postal service with baths & divine fits
who: joe & sileena
when: 27 july 2013 (saturday) at 8p

my friend joe came up again with his friend for the show. i decided it would be a good idea for us to stay in berkeley near the greek theater so we could just walk there. it was really convenient.

the last time i was at the greek theater, i saw ben gibbard on his 30th birthday. that was 7 years ago. while i have seen death cab for cutie 3 times, i had never seen rilo kiley live. however, jenny lewis was playing with postal service so it was very exciting for me. she has a great voice. it was super cute how both jenny lewis and ben gibbard danced together. it was an amazing show. being there really brought me back to 2003, in a good way. we didn't stay for the second encore since they'd pretty much played all of their songs including any new songs they might have released with the 10th anniversary album. i would definitely see them again, even if they played the same songs over and over.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ nothing better

bearded men who sing like robert smith

venue: great american music hall
artist: shout out louds with haert
who: nisa
when: 22 may 2013 (wednesday)
doors open at 7p

optica is the new album by shout out louds which is a return to their first and second albums. i enjoyed every song. initially, i was disappointed with their last album work. but after another listen, i am finding it quite nice. it was just different. it's slower and has several delightful songs on it. i know it's unfair to compare them to the cure all the time and they really are a band on their own. but robert smith has such a unique voice and singing style. i haven't heard anything like him until i heard shout out louds. i discovered them while on my swedish pop high on pandora.

back to the show. nisa and i had dinner tickets so we could get first dibs on seats. we arrived so early that not only did we have to line up but we also got rock star parking. the opening band haerts could have been much better than they were. their vocalist had a cool stevie nicks vibe about her and had so much potential. however, i could tell there was a difference of musical opinions with the rest of the band. they were more rock and roll while she was more country folk.

i didn't remember adam olenius being so cute from the last show. but having such optimal seating, we were able to gawk at him for the duration of the show. another 80s throw back. it was something really wonderful. nisa and i had a great time eating, dancing, and best of all, gawking at the cute bearded man who sang like robert smith.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ like sugar on my tongue

the north with stars

venue: the fillmore (sold out!)
band: stars, diamond rings & california wives
who: joe
when: 20 october 2012 (saturday)
doors open at 7p

joe came up again to visit and see stars with me at the fillmore. lisa & i took the day off on friday so we could go to napa with joe. we started with the house for lunch in the city and then picked up some egg tarts at golden gate bakery. we began our wine tour with castello di amorosa in calistoga for some wine tasting, then dean & deluca for raclette cheese ending with v. sattui for more wine tasting and a picnic of cheese, paté, salami and bread. incidentally, both castello di amorosa and v. sattui are owned by the same company.

joe and i had peruvian food for dinner. a few blocks from the fillmore, we made it there in less than 10 minutes. the first band, california wives from chicago were surprisingly good. joe and i listened to both opening bands before the show and they sounded much better live. the second opening, diamond rings was even more surprising. the lead singer is like a gay vanilla ice. he was a total diva. very entertaining. the songs were pretty good too. joe liked them so much, he got their tank top and was quite excited about it too. hah.

this album really speaks to me. though i think i say that about most of their music, i'm so in love with "the theory of relativity." i love this verse, i think it's so catchy and fun to sing:

back in the lame grade ten i was a total devastator, baby
down in the schoolyard they all fell to their knees
but it can't be '93 sadly 'cause i wish it could forever
you call it luck; i call it tragedy

and in the song, "the north," the chorus describes my sleep patterns exactly:

good luck, bad luck, survival
sleep is my friend and my rival
good luck, bad luck, survival

i struggle with getting to sleep every night, however, i love to nap and sleep in when i get the chance to. and i suffer during the work week because i am a night owl by nature but my work life forces me to be an early bird.

there is one more song that i have to mention. "lights changing color" takes me back to my most favorite and possibly, the best date ever. specifically these lines bring back the memories:

it was empty 'till you came up through the honey
nothing ever goes as planned
when you're walking and the lights are changing color
remember how you held my hand

this is actually my 10th stars show. i counted. i miscounted before because i think that i counted the memphis show as a stars show. maybe i should say that i've seen torquil campbell play ten times. in any case, this is the most i've seen a band and i can't help it, i don't want to stop. it's as if i am addicted to them. well, i suppose i am. as i am in still in love with this new album, the north. plus, the poster that the fillmore produced is obviously designed by someone who knows their music because this was the perfect poster (by brad kayal) for them.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ the heart suspends then bends it into three or five.

new order, back after 7 long years

venue: fox theater (sold out!)
band: new order
who: lisa
when: 5 october 2012 (friday)
doors open at 7p

this is the fourth time i have seen new order. the first time was in 1993, then i saw them at the area: one festival in 2001. the last time was in 2005 for the tour of their most recent album, waiting for the siren's call. come to think of it, every show was with lisa except for the last one.
see the close-up shots of bernard sumner? i had to show off the awesome zoom i have on my point & shoot canon camera. hahah.

since i've seen them, new order started playing joy division songs at their last show but didn't before that. this is nice for those of us who never got the chance to see joy division which is most of us since ian curtis killed himself right before their american tour back in 1980. here is the setlist from the show:
1. elegia
2. crystal
3. ceremony
4. close range
5. age of consent
6. isolation (joy division)
7. here to stay
8. your silent face
9. bizarre love triangle
10. 5 8 6
11. true faith
12. the perfect kiss
13. blue monday
14. temptation
encore: atmosphere & love will tear us apart (both joy division)

we were a bit disappointed that they didn't play anything from their technique album but it was still a 5-heart show for me. we left as "love will tear us apart" was ending so we could avoid the mad rush leaving the theater. and we listened to technique "all the way" home to make up for what we didn't get to hear at the concert.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ it was a fine time.

orchestral manoeuvres in the dark

that's right, as in the band who wrote if you leave.

venue: the warfield
band: omd with washington
who: my brother and sister (our dentist, her brother, my friend thao and her friend)
when: 3 october 2011 (monday)
doors open at 7p

this was the first concert that three of us siblings went to together. i thought we'd gone to see the cure together in 1992 but no one seems to remember that far back. omd has a new album out called history of modern. usually, when bands go on tour, their playlist consists mostly of new music in order to promote the new album. not quite the case at this show. in fact, they played most of their classics. more than they did at their show at the fox theatre earlier in the year, apparently.

the opening band was washington as in megan washington, an artist from australia. her vocals are upbeat, a little bit sexy and very lovely. we all thought her set was quite good for an opening. i want to get her album.

omd was one of the few bands i hadn't seen live, that i really wanted to see. they toured during my senior year in high school but i was only 17 and couldn't get into the 18+ venues they were playing. that cd, sugar tax, is a good one. that was really the last album i listened to. andy mccluskey has a voice to swoon to. i remember listening to them when i was in middle school and just falling in lust with him. believe it or not, he's still got it. even at 52. he still gets down like it's 1990 but like i said before, he's still got it. i was quite impressed.

also impressive is the song, electricity. mccluskey said he wrote it in 1976, when he was 17! it's still a really great song. they played most of our favorites, all of the classics that we could remember. towards the end, everyone in the audience (even us on the balcony floor) got up and danced like it was 1999. for the most part, everyone there was around our age. however, there were people much older (white hair and/or no hair) getting down to omd. it was so much fun. i would definitely see them again.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

nearly caught up! i'm in october now...

gimme some

venue: great american music hall
artist: peter bjorn and john & the bachelorette (sold out!)
who: ro (& ashley!)
when: 13 may 2011 (friday)
doors open at 8p

when young folks came out in 2007, i fell in love. i don't think i was the only one. that album, writer's block was their best. i can't believe i have never seen them live before. i love love peter's voice. there is something about it that makes me melt. the bachelorette opened up for the trio. she makes full use of the loop machine as she is a one-woman band. she is surrounded by cool equipment that includes at least two laptops. it was really cool to watch and hear her put the songs together.

peter bjorn and john were awesome. so much that i wanted to see them again the next night in la at the el rey since i was going to be in the area. unfortunately, that show was sold out too. they are coming back in the fall and i am definitely planning to see them again. i can't wait...

during the show, peter made his way down to the audience (twice!) and that is when i spotted my dear friend, ashley, who was wearing a matching horizontal stripped long-sleeve with peter! she was right behind him at one point. it made the experience even more fun. the vibe on stage and in the audience were so incredible, i almost wished i was down there. but i was stuck sitting next to the couple on their first date, talking loudly the entire time! grrrr...

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ gimme more

i heart stars

venue: the fillmore
artist: stars & geographer
who: romi & joey
when: 10 november 2010 (wednesday)
show starts at 8:00p

my friend joe came up from la to visit and to see stars with me and ro. it was his first time so he was quite excited. it was my 10th time and i too was quite excited. this band gets better and better. they are one of the most amazing bands out there.

the opening band, the geographers were pleasantly surprising. especially, when they played a new order cover, age of consent that didn't suck. it reminded me of how much i love that song. nothing beats bernard sumner. their other songs weren't bad either.

when you see stars, you definitely get your money's worth. they have so many great songs to go through. they play encores like it's a second set. and in between songs, as with their previous shows, they thank the crowd profusely for being able to do what they love. entertain us with their beautiful music. they also throw white roses at the crowd. this is fairly new that started within the last 5 (or so) stars shows i've gone to. and to top it off, amy millan is 5 months preggers! what a trooper, to go on tour and rock out like it was business as usual. congrats to amy millan!!

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ stars, you are awesomeness.

the very thing

venue: the independent
artist: stars (sold out!)
who: ro
when: 19 june (saturday) & 20 june 2010 (sunday)
doors open at 7p & 6p, respectively

this is the 8th & 9th time i've seen stars and they just get better and better. i know i say this all the time. but having seen them since 2003 during the heart tour, i think that last comment holds true. i went to this show with ro, around both our birthdays since he is the one who introduced me to them. it was at this show that i took the liberty to speak to both torquil campbell and amy millan. and just the beginning of many more unfortunate situations i've had, given the opportunity to speak to musicians i really admire. i think i should retire this meet & greet stuff.

during the opening, torquil played a dj set as "dead child stars" which was the title of one of their eps. he was also a "child star." during this set, he sat in the dark with his ibook, played some tunes, asked us some questions and blew bubbles. it was different and i found that for the most part, i like the same music as he does. on saturday, he played the trashcan sinatras and went on about how brilliant they are. that night, i went home to look at my stars cds and saw that they included the trashcans in their acknowledgments on the nightsongs cd. and on sunday, he played every little counts by new order. i love this song, partly because you get to hear bernard sumner giggle during the song. torquil said that it was new order that was the reason they got into music. these two bands are one of my favorite bands since high school.

this got me thinking... is this why i love stars so much? then i realized that i love this band dearly because through their songs, they get me. they sing about relationships gone wrong, good love, bad love, sex (mostly good sex), and most recently... ghosts. if stars was a man, he would be my perfect match. and boy, i would be ALL over that. they bring out the hopeless romantic in me. incurable romantic, really. their new cd, the five ghosts, really hits close to home. i can relate to the songs on so many different levels.

back to the shows. they played their new album in its entirety. bands don't do this, ever. especially before the cd was released. after that, they played a set of fan requests from their website. then, they came back for an encore set. and for us lucky ones on sunday, torquil came back a fifth time for a solo encore. it was such an amazing show. on saturday, as we were leaving, i was telling ro how i was sad that the show was over but super excited that we were coming back the next day to see them again. they gave me this indescribable joy that lasted quite a while. this kinda explains the playful mood i've been in all week. then again, it might have been the full moon. i'd like to think it was because of stars.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ dead hearts are everywhere

teen dream

venue: bimbo's (sold out!)
artist: beach house
who: ro
when: 14 april 2010 (wednesday)

two houses in one night...

we planned to have dinner at the house in north beach. i always seem to end up with the deep fried salmon rolls and the hangar steak with wasabi noodles. ro got one of the specials which wasn't nearly as good as the hangar steak. he should have gotten the sea bass. lisa always gets the sea bass. we were surrounded by people who ordered the sea bass and he lost his appetite for sea bass. it's too bad. the sea bass is damn good.

after dinner, we headed over to bimbo's for the other house that night. beach house! the last time i saw them was upstairs at the swedish american hall. they were fantastic despite it feeling like an elementary school auditorium. the sound at bimbo's is much better. victoria legrand has awesome vocals. beautiful, really. just like thao nguyen, victoria's voice is nothing like candy pop. it's dream pop that's haunting and leaves you wanting more.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ so very dreamy...

man vs. teeth

location: san jose
artist: man vs. teeth
who: me, aka the band's assistant
when: 27 february 2010 (saturday)

last weekend, my very good friend joe was up for a gig. one that he would be playing. joe is the lead singer of man vs. teeth which is a great combination of electronic and dance with a touch of indie. joe's vocals have an amazing range from delicate highs to strong, bold lows. and what's inbetween could be anything from rock & roll to simply beautiful. reminds me a bit of alexis taylor from hot chip.

as most of my friends know, i love dancing. and if you give them a listen, you to will want to break out in a dance. if you see the video (to come... that i shot), you can see that i almost forget i'm filming as i had the urge to dance (when it gets a little shaky).

catch them on myspace and be a fan on facebook. you must check out their song, u aint 2 old. it's my favorite!

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ hear them, dance to them, love them.

know better learn faster

venue: the independent
artist: thao nguyen + the get down stay down, the portland cello project w/ david schultz
who: john
when: 21 november 2009 (saturday)

last month, i went to my last show of 2009. and similar to the number of shoes i purchased, it came out to a low total of 9. in 2008, i went to a total of 17 concerts so 9 is quite sad for me. i actually saw thao back in september with ro. and had planned to see her while i was in chicago over halloween. unfortunately, it didn't work out. what's funny is that i was going to see thao in chicago with john (who lives in chicago) and ended up seeing them with him here.

before the show, we went to dinner with my friends, grace and bob. we ate at espetus churrascaria in the city. if you've never been there, it's a fancy brazilian steakhouse smorgasbord. all the m-m-m meat that you can eat. and i ate and ate and ate. i took a break and ate some more. i ate more than john did. in fact, i ate my money's worth and his! i think he was a little scared of me afterward. hahah.

after dinner, we walked grace and bob back to their place (also where we parked) and headed over to the independent. we got there early so we could get good seats. in my ripe old age, i find that i don't mind sitting through opening acts if i can secure a seat. normally, i don't care for a good view as i can't really see anything unless i'm on the second floor. the independent does not have a second floor that is open to the public. however, the areas next to the walls are spaces that are a few steps above ground level. and i was pleasantly surprised by the opening bands. david schultz started off the night. he was charmingly folky. next up was the portland cello project. i really didn't know what to expect when i realized it would be mostly if not purely an instrumental set (with the occasional vocalist stepping in). they did a bunch of instrumental covers but the most impressive of them, was the super mario brothers video game theme. it was very entertaining.

by the time thao came on, the venue was packed. it looked like a full house. she was so excited about being back in the city (it was the end of their tour). when i saw thao and the get down stay down play back in september, it was prior to the release of know better learn faster. they played one song (body) from the new album. back to the current show... seeing thao live is a treat. she is so uniquely energetic and genuine. i don't think i've seen many (or any) musicians move the way she does while playing her guitar. it's interesting because she doesn't have the prettiest voice out there, nor are her lyrics particularly thought-provoking. what she does well is how she combines her vocals and the music (with the help of an awesome producer). the end result: amusing, upbeat and catchy tunes that i don't want to stop listening to.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ yep, still girl-crushing on her.

song for the leftovers

venue: the independent
artist: a camp, gentleman reg & rubies
who: betty
when: 14 june 2009 (sunday)
doors open at 7:30p

i first heard a camp in 2001, an ex put their songs on a mix cd. when he asked me if i knew who the band was, i said, sounds like... nina persson from the cardigans. and i was right. :) except, it's her side project with her husband, nathan larson, formerly the lead guitarist in shudder to think. the combination produces tenderness. their songs are slow & sweet, like young love. remember those days? i don't. :p

betty and i actually saw the cardigans at popscene back in may 2004 (predates this blog). it was so crowded that night, i spent most of it hanging out with chris (my former popscene bt) at the back bar. there was a random guy dancing back there. at one point, he stopped to tell me i was beautiful. something i wasn't used to. i told him he was just drunk. i'd just started seeing ted and got tricked into kissing chris the first time, that night. wow, i forgot about that... this old man tricked me into it. really!

the rubies was the first opening. at first, we weren't getting into them but then, we heard the second song and it was a lot better. they felt very pop candy 80's. reminded me a bit of call & response. the band had a strange dynamic. the keyboardist/vocalist was this chubby girl. their bassist is a very tall and masculine woman who was going for a very unflattering 70's look. the guitarist would have been cute if it weren't for his douche bag faux-hawk. and i couldn't really see the drummer. next up were gentleman reg, coming to us all the way from toronto. the vocalist, reg vermue's singing style was reminiscent of paul heaton back when he was the housemartins, except much more effeminate. way more. turns out, he also speaks that way. despite that, they weren't too bad. i actually enjoyed their set. i told him so when i passed him by on the way back from the restroom.

there is something so sweet about a band lead by a married couple, despite how i feel about marriage. there is also something wonderful about nina persson. they had this 20's and 30's theme going. it's always nice when bands put extra effort in their performances, whether it be their appearances or something else. her voice is sensational and beautiful and just lovely. they played all the great old songs (from their first cd) that i loved. ended their encore with my favorite song by them, song for the leftovers. i also really enjoy their latest cd (colonia, got the download on amazon for $2!). it is shows like this one that makes me so so happy.

afterwards, they invited everyone to meet them at the merch table. i never know what to say during these situations so i skipped it. however, betty was first in line and had them sign her t-shirt. she said they were really nice. :)

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ love has left the room

double the shows, double the love

venue: bottom of the hill (sold out!!)
artist: jens lekman & tig notaro (opening act)
who: ro
when: 1-2 june 2009 (monday & tuesday)

i flew back early from LA last weekend to make it to the jens lekman show on monday. ro was kind enough to pick me up from the airport to head straight to the show. we planned on going to goat hill pizza again but the wait (it was all-you-can-eat night) was too long so we ended up at lingba, just across the street. no wait and actually, not a whole lot of people in the lounge. we ordered the seafood platter, which was nothing special. maybe it was all the fried food (french fries & onion rings) i'd had in burbank. but i couldn't really handle all the fried calamari and fried prawns. ro & i barely touched the calamari but we finished the spring rolls and grilled prawns. i also ate the pineapple base for the grilled prawns. it was so-so for the price.

ro read that the opening was something we shouldn't miss. so, we got in line and waited to get in. tig notaro is a stand-up comic who does this type of awkward comedy. she was very entertaining. so much that i became of "fan" of hers on stalkerbook. check her skits out on youtube.

about jens... i don't know if this post can convey the awe & love i feel for him and his music. and, i know i'm not the only one. as i stood in the middle of this sold-out crowd watching him, i could see and feel everyone around me doing & feeling the same. we were all completely and utterly mesmerized by jens. he's spellbinding. and his voice is perfect with every pitch and beat. we didn't want him to stop. even if he was just talking, i think we'd still all be totally hooked and hanging onto his every syllable. to top it off, he's absolutely adorable! this was just from the first show.

on the second night, we decided we could skip tig notaro and make it to goat hill pizza. we were seated next to these two guys. i swear, if i couldn't hear their voices but heard every single word of their conversation, i would have thought they were chicks. because they were whining about the opposite sex like stupid little girls. i mean, the guy was analyzing every l i t t l e thing. and the chick he was in love with was playing him like the fool he clearly is. pathetic. ro & i hardly said a word to each other in an effort to eavesdrop on our neighbors. you couldn't not eavesdrop as you are seated in such close proximity to one another. they were so absorbed with this guy's girl problems that i don't think they noticed us listening. heh. oh yeah, the pizza was yummy.

at the last two shows (three including this second night), jens makes an announcement about recording his shows. well, a request really. he asks that if we so choose to film the show, that we don't put it online. this second night, i decided to bring my flip and i'm not talking about ro. hahaha. anyway, ro was again, so kind to be the guest videographer for the night. he has the creativity for it and frankly, if i had filmed it, it would just be a bunch of backs & heads of the people in front and all around me. the sound on that little camcorder is pretty amazing. i was quite impressed with it as well as ro's zooming in & out at all the right times. thanks ro!

jens invited us to stay after to talk to him as he did the last two shows. i was a bit too tired the night before so tonight was going to be the night! we went outside and waited for him, along with everyone else. i so wanted to talk to him but i didn't want to be the retard i was the last time. so i chickened out and we left. booooo. i know, i'm lame. :(

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ bom, bom, bom, bom, bom....

until we bleed

venue: the fillmore (sold out!)
artist: lykke li & wildbird & peacedrums
who: ro
when: 15 february 2009 (sunday)
doors open at 7p

last sunday, ro & i faced the raging california storm up to the city for lykke li's show at the fillmore. we had the much needed rain all weekend. and more. on sunday, it was non-stop. and didn't let up until we were on our way home.

we left early to head up so we could take time to get there (it took an hour and a half), get parking (at the kabuki theatre), and have dinner (korean bbq, mmm). with all of this, we still arrived at the fillmore before 8p. we coat checked our stuff, looked at the merch and went upstairs to find seats. i'd been going to the fillmore since 1994 (the they might be giants & frente! show), i don't think i'd ever once gone upstairs. for some reason, i kept thinking it was off limits to the general public, just for vips.

there is a whole other venue upstairs. that's where the food is! there was a little stage and an act performing (this woman with a guitar singing concrete blonde's joey, man i loved that song way back when). this room was filled with fillmore posters. it was pretty amazing. we sat and listened for a bit. then headed downstairs. it was just in time for the opening band, the wildbird & peacedrums. it was a two-person band. one vocalist and one drummer. that was it, really. no guitars, no keyboards. and surprise, i knew one of the songs. random.

this was a sold out show. the second sold out show i've been to at the fillmore recently. last year's death cab for cutie show was completely sold out. ro & i found ourselves a decent spot. i could actually still see despite these two giants standing right by us. oddly enough, the two were a couple. i think the woman was the tallest woman at the show. very random.

after we saw lykke back in november, ro mentioned how great it would be if lykke li performed until we bleed. the song is actually by kleerup, featuring lykke li. it is a fantastic song. this song makes me break it down in my apartment and rock out in my car. at the show, she asked if she could sing it. since kleerup wasn't there, she sang a different softer version of the song. she also sang one or two new songs. i noticed that not only are her back up singers men but, her entire band is male. they were all kinda hot too. sort of like how jens lekman has an all female band. i suppose the all male band is more common, just not the hot part. if this is how the swedes roll, i like it.

i ♥ lykke li. but clearly and previously noted here, many many others ♥ her. which means, we may not be able to see her again. she is getting too mainstream. she'll soon play at larger venues such as the greek in berkeley, then the shoreline in mountain view. while i enjoy the greek theatre, i detest the shoreline. the only band i'll see there now is new order. i keep side-tracking. back to the show... it was awesome. half of the crowd was rocking out. and the cherry on top, despite selling her own poster at the merch table, the fillmore dispensed free posters. this is why you pay the extra fees to go to the fillmore... for the posters.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ dance, dance, dance

top live show of 2008

looking back at 2008, i notice that there were more 5 ♥-rated shows than any other year. the nominees are (in chronological order): starting in march 2008, jens lekman gets two 5 ♥ ratings. next up in october, stars scores a 5 ♥ rating at the fillmore. then we have lykke li at the independent and she & him at the fillmore. and finally, the rosebuds at the independent. all three of those in november.

and the artist with the best show in 2008 is...

jens lekman. he won two 5 ♥ ratings and i think the best show was his at the bottom of the hill. it was very special. intimate, awesome sound, and the cherry on top, an unsolicited hug from jens after the show. *sigh*

in second place is... stars. i've seen them 7 times now and they just get better and better. the fillmore show was quite fantastic. i just wished we got fillmore posters for that show.

runners up are lykke li, rosebuds and she & him. they were fabulous shows in their own individual ways. funny, i went to all of these shows with ro. he must be a factor in the 5 ♥ ratings. ;)

speaking of she & him, a little gossip for fans (but you probably already know)... i read that zooey deschanel is engaged to ben gibbard from death cab (congrats!). i didn't even know they were dating!

life like

venue: the independent
artist: the rosebuds, jonah ray & magic bullets
who: ro
when: the day after my 34th (monday)

this is the second time this year that ro & i saw the rosebuds. earlier this year, it was at noise pop. this time, it was for the release of their album, life like. which is quite good.

i really liked the rosebuds before but now, i think i ♥ them. not only is their music awesome, but they are too, as individuals. their songs are catchy, danceable, and complete with clever lyrics. whenever i hear get up get out or cemetery lawns in my car, i break out in a dance. that's right, in my car. on top of that, they always seem to put me in a good mood.

the show was unfortunately scheduled on the monday before thanksgiving holiday so there weren't a whole lot of people out. on the one hand, this is great because we got fabulous seats. and on the other hand, as ro said, they deserved better than a mediocre turnout. but you couldn't tell that it effected them at all. and if it were a full house, would kelly had been able to come down to the crowd and dance with them? no, i think not. then again, i think she would have tried even if it were a sold out crowd. you know why? because she is the bomb. ivan is ok too. ha.

there was more interaction with the crowd that i've witnessed (& participated in) than most shows i've been too. perhaps, the most interaction. they are so down to earth and awesome. i just can't say enough about them.

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ in case you didn't notice, this confirms my kelly-girl-crush. see below for another reason to love them.

nice fox from kelly rosebud on vimeo.

sweet darlin' (three out of three)

on monday, ro & i went to our third show in 5 days. that's one every other day. all up in the city. thursday, saturday and monday. i left work early to get ready for the show. we left at 6:20p, with hopes that we would get there in one hour. we didn't get there until 8ish. our plans to get to bimbo's early to have dinner went out the window. and hearing that the opening band kinda sucked, we decided to have dinner before the show elsewhere.

we ended up across the street at kennedy's irish pub & curry. i was so so hungry and as a result, we ordered too much. a lot more than we imagined (see pic below). we started with curry fries (who doesn't love fries?), lamb infused nan bread, and la piece de resistance... the chicken masala dosa. lisa tells me that dosas are not very common and that's how you can tell the place is south indian. she's right, i'd never seen dosa on the menu before. as you can see in the picture below, dosas are crepes. gigantor crepes. for reference purposes, the beer next to the dish is a pint of guinness.
venue: bimbo's (sold out!)
artist: she & him & lavender diamond
who: ro
when: 3 november 2008 (monday)
doors open at 7p

when i first heard about she & him, i thought zooey deschanel was another actress-turned-over-produced-singer with little or no talent (ie scarHo). i was happily proved wrong.

it started with their song, sweet darlin' with which my niece & nephew love (and request) to sing in the car, repeatedly. after that, i listened to more. and when i found out they were playing, i listened to all i could. ms. deschanel teams up with m. ward to form she & him making songs that are fantastically familiar and wonderful. according to their website, they strive to "make music the old fashioned way: by hand - and with as few machines as humanly possible."

i wasn't sure what to expect since more often than not, bands sound better recorded (and produced) than live. but seeing a band live is more than just listening to their music, it's also being a witness to the passion and energy of the musicians who love and make this music. it was apparent in this show.

despite zooey's celebrity status, her stage presence was a bit demure. her vocals, however, was magnificent. i was blown away by her range. and i've decided, i hate her. not only is she talented as an actress and beautiful, she can really carry a tune. or, maybe i just have another girl crush?

rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ i have one word for m. ward: brilliance.