Review: Russian Circles @ Middle East Upstairs, 12/2

Before you assume you would never like a metal band, consider seeing Russian Circles live. They’ll take you on a unique, orchestrated journey—without any lyrics. The instrumental metal trio from Chicago headlined a sold-out show at Cambridge’s Middle East Upstairs Wednesday night.

Hailing from Louisville, The Phantom Family Halo opened the show with “Blackouts and Runaways” off their double LP entitled “Monoliths and These Flowers Never Die” which came out in October. The song’s eerie, monotone verses are grow increasingly ominous when vocalist and drummer whisper lyrics like “saw you dancing in your dreams wearing a dead man’s shirt; saw you sleeping like a queen, your crown was covered in dirt.” Their music can be described as rock laced with LSD—meshing psychedelic bells and pumping whammy bars with classic 1970’s battle cry, rock chants. This oxymoronic juxtaposition results in surprisingly catchy music with a strong percussion backbone.

Fellow Louisville natives, Young Widows, followed with a more direct metal sound. Steady, pounding drumbeats and screeching guitars exemplified the rougher and heavier sound Young Widows aggressively bring to the table. The epitome of this loaded style was their performance of “Old Skin;” in which, lung-emptying screaming and almost mechanical guitar sound sufficiently riled up the crowd and the hardcore head banging ensued. Once Young Widows finished, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by lyrics being screamed into my face, rampant crying guitars, and the constant swelling of the drums thumping.

Russian Circles provided the pleasantly surprising alleviation from the smothering math rock of Young Widows. Their music was refreshingly narrative and it constantly developed into something bigger and better within each song by itself.

Their songs are epically progressive, beginning like an elementary, dreamy lullaby evolving into a full-blown, melodious medley. Russian Circles take their listeners through the transformation from a simplistic, intimate moment into a fully developed symphony. The band was like a three-member orchestra, conducted by the pulsing energy of the audience. Intricate guitar riffs, packed drum patterns, mile-a-minute bass lines, and looping all fused together seamlessly to create a musical ensemble much like a classical orchestra. A combination of this synthesis and the music’s natural ability to connect with the live audience without the band having to utter a single word on stage is the pivotal factor that makes them unmistakably more than just another metal band.

So don’t deem off metal until you hear to Russian Circles play live. Their newest album, “Geneva,” frankly cannot stand up to their live versions of their title track and “Malko.” As a member of the audience accurately said, “The thing about falling in love with live bands is that listening to their album almost always breaks your heart.”

-Renée Trilivas

Video: WTBU Presents The Static Jacks @ the Middle East

Check out this video from Tuesday night's cosponsored show at the Middle East, featuring New Jersey band THE STATIC JACKS! More videos to follow!

The Static Jacks - My Parents Lied from Peisin Yang Lazo on Vimeo.

WTBU Presents: The Static Jacks with Nightmare of You, 11/30 @ Middle East Downstairs

Nothing like partying on a Monday night.
DEFINITELY nothing like partying on the first Monday back from Thanksgiving break.

Click here to find out more about the Static Jacks and hear some of their music.

The New Collisions on BU in the Morning!

The Cambridge new wave indie pop band The New Collisions will be joining the DJs on BU in the Morning tomorrow! Check out BUITM from 10 am to 12 pm to hear an interview with the band.

The New Collisions are playing a show, presented in part by WTBU, at the Middle East Downstairs THIS THURSDAY NIGHT! The band has been making a splash recently, opening for Blondie and spending the summer touring with The B-52s. They will be releasing their first CD, going on another national tour, and doing two CMJ showcases this fall.

The lineup for Thursday night is, from headliner to first:

The Luxury
The New Collisions
Hot Protestants
Muy Cansado
Oranjuly

There will be DJing before, after, and between sets is the always awesome ROGUEWAVES.

Doors at 9pm, 18+, and admission is $7 w/ a student ID, $10 without.

It's a "Back to School" show, featuring the best of the Boston scene. So get educated on BUITM tomorrow, then come dance with us on Thursday!

WTBU Interviews: Jennifer O’Connor and Michael Brodlieb!

Photos by Nina Mashurova

Folk/Indie rock singer Jennifer O’Connor played a show at the Middle East in Cambridge on Thursday February 26th. She and her bassist Michael Brodlieb sat down with us beforehand to talk about her roots, influences and the plethora of bands she’s worked with. Jennifer’s fourth full length CD Here With Me is out on Matador Records and has been getting great reviews from Spin magazine, as well as NPR radio.

Emma Dessau: Where did you grow up and when did you start playing music?

Jennifer O’Connor: I lived in Connecticut until I was about thirteen in Danielson. It’s a small town about an hour from here. Then I moved to Florida before high school and I went to college in Atlanta, Georgia. It was a lot of moving. I took piano lessons when I was a kid, but I didn’t really start playing until after college.

Nina Mashurova: You were in a punk band in Atlanta, right?

JO: Punk makes it sound a little cooler than we were but yeah, my first band was called “Violet.”

NM: Was that after the Hole song?

JO: Yeah it was! I think you’re the first person that’s ever guessed that. I was a big Nirvana and Hole fan in college. That was right around the time Nirvana became really huge.

NM: It seems like a big shift from a punk band to what you play now. Do you still listen to that kind of music at all?

JO: Oh yeah. I like all kinds of music.

ED: I saw you in Hoboken when you opened for Yo La Tengo. That was a really awesome venue, I am from that area and had never been there before, and you were really good.

JO: Oh cool! That was really exciting.

ED: Do you have a favorite venue to play in?

JO: In New York I like the Mercury Lounge. I like playing here at the Middle East, I haven’t been here in a while.

ED: When was the last time you played here?

JO: It’s probably been about a year or so. We played here with Langhorne Slim.

NM: I think I saw you! I remembered that Langhorne Slim had a girl open for him. Did you cover “Achin’ to Be” by The Replacements?

JO: Probably! Yeah it must have been me. I played solo. It’s funny because I recorded that as a B-side for the record so I must have played it that night.

ED: When I saw you you played a Carly Simon cover, “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.”

JO: Yeah that was probably the first time we ever played that. We tend to learn covers right when we play them.

ED: I heard that you recorded some tracks with Franz Nicolay from The Hold Steady on your record and someone from Ben Folds Five.

JO: Yeah, Darren Jessee was the drummer for Ben Folds Five. He is actually a very good friend of mine, so that was really cool to work with him. He’s a great singer and songwriter. I didn’t really know much Ben Folds stuff, but apparently he is a fantastic drummer. He’s apparently one of the best drummers in the area.

Franz (from The Hold Steady) is really great, we met him through our record producer. He made records for the Hold Steady and he made our records. That’s how we got hooked up with him. We’re actually doing a show with him tomorrow night, which we’ve never done before. It should be really fun.

ED: We’re kind of obsessed with The Hold Steady.

JO: They’re a lot of fun. They live in our neighborhood in Brooklyn. Craig Finn goes to our gym.

ED: That’s awesome. Does he spazz out when he’s working out at all like he does on stage?

Michael Brodlieb: No, he just completely ignores everybody and rides his bike. He only benches like one pound.

ED: Yeah, that’s what I would guess. He’s not the type of guy I could see lifting a lot of weight.

MB: That’s pretty much what I can bench too so I can’t say anything.

ED: You’ve released a couple records on Matador and you’re making your own record label now. How is that going?

JO: Well my first CD that I put out I had made it on my own label. All that really means is I came up with a name to put on the CD. And after that I put that by the wayside. I’ve put out a couple of 7” since then, but I’m sort of bringing it back a little bit to put out a few CDs of some of my friend’s bands.

ED: Is that the main reason why you’ve decided to do it, or do you feel like you have less freedom on a bigger record label?

JO: I’m still on Matador. This is just kind of like a side project I guess. I just want to help out and be involved with friend’s music and help them reach a new audience as well as put out little side projects of my own.

ED: Matador is a really good record label, right? It’s got some big names like The New Pornographers.

JO: Yeah definitely. It’s done tremendous things for me. This is just my way to build my own little thing as well.

ED: You’ve been compared to Aimee Mann and Elliott Smith. That’s a pretty big compliment. How do you feel about that?

JO: I feel good. I mean, I think that you tend to get compared to people no matter what you do and those are people I really like. I think they are great song writers so I would much rather get compared to them than somebody I don’t like at all.

ED: Is this your first headlining tour?

JO: We’ve done a couple of headlining tours. Not that many. You’d be right in thinking

it was. We’ve been mostly opening for other bands. This is probably our second or third headlining tour. We were on a really long tour before this.

ED: Who else have you toured with?

JO: We’ve toured with Damien Jurado, Jamie Lidell and Amy Ray (of the Indigo Girls) most recently. We’ve done a few shows with Wilco. I wouldn’t call it a tour but, I’ll stretch it and call it a tour. Who else? I’ve done a few shows with The Mountain Goats, and Mason Jennings. I’ve pretty much been all over the map. I do shows with a lot of singer/songwriter people and then some indie rock shows as well. Sometimes I play with these guys (Michael Brodlieb and Jon Langmead) and other times I’m solo.

ED: Is it true that you recorded your latest CD “Here With Me” in 12 days?

JO: Yeah it is. Our record producer helped us out with that, John Agnello.

ED: And he’s also produced Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.?

JO: Yeah, that’s really why I wanted to work with him. Someone recommended him and I went to his website and saw that he’d made some of my favorite records. I saw Sonic Youth a million times in college and Dinosaur Jr. too. We did it really fast, but it was awesome.

ED: Do you have a favorite song to play live?

JO: That’s a good question. Yeah! I have a few actually. What’s your answer? I wanna know what you think.

MB: I’d say Lightbulb.

JO: Yeah. We have this song Lightbulb that didn’t make the record, but it’s a B-side. You can get it online. I like playing that and I like playing “Here with Me,” the title track. I also like playing “Dirty City Blues” from my last record.

ED: I bought your CD after I saw you and I have a new favorite song from it every week.

JO: Oh good! That’s what I like to hear. What’s your favorite right now?

ED: I really like “Daylight Out” right now. Actually, I’m not sure if you played it in Hoboken or if I just heard it online, but I also really like “Hole in the Road” from your older CD “The Color and the Light.”

JO: Oh yeah. We’re gonna play that tonight, just for you.

ED and NM: Thanks a lot for talking to us guys! Have a good show.

-Emma Dessau and Nina Mashurova of Nick at Night, Emma in the Evening

Dr. Dog & Delta Spirit @ Middle East Downstairs, 10/10

There is a certain type of show that stays with you for a good, long time...and the Americana rock trinity who took a sold-out Middle East Downstairs by storm on Friday night certainly delivered one of them.

It is not often that a first-opener does anything for you except give you a chance to grab another beer, go outside for a smoke, and/or hold your ears shut and scream in agony. Not so, however, with Hacienda, a San Antonio quartet who stayed true to their roots with a solidly talented 45-minute set of Beatles-infused soul rock. Songs like "Hear Me Crying" and "She's Got a Hold On Me" had the audience thoroughly converted; then, a strange thing happened: these scruffy Texas boys got the hipsters to dance. Indeed, a considerably large circle of plaided, skinny-jeaned kids in the center of the dance floor began moving, to the beat of the music, and apparently enjoying themselves. The set ended with a guest harmonica appearance by the fedora'd and well-received Scott McMicken (of Dr. Dog)--this show was to be henceforth fraught with collaboration, one of the most impressive qualities of the performances. It should go without saying that Hacienda went above and beyond the call of duty and demonstrated what opening bands should have had from the beginning: talent. Take note, fledglings.

Up next was the grungy blues-folk powerhouse, Delta Spirit. It's a miracle and a blessing how Matt Vasquez (lead vocals, guitar) keeps his larynx intact after so much screaming. The lyrics "If you're feelin' what I'm feelin', come on/All you soul-searchin' people, come on!" resonated throughout the club, with a couple hundred people screaming it back onto the stage. Delta Spirit seemed relatively indifferent to their adoring fans, smiling only once or twice if at all, but it's safe to say that the fans themselves could not have cared less. Yet again, hipsters (and bros alike!) danced, and the set ended with even MORE collaboration, with every member of Dr. Dog flooding the stage with drumsticks, maracas, and awesomeness.

Finally, after hours and hours of waiting, the headliners arrived onstage—and by no means was the waiting in vain. Dr. Dog, the charismatic indie-blues quintet birthed in Philadelphia, kicked off a power hour of punch-you-in-the-gut folk rock with the song “The Old Days” from their newest album, Fate. Following this was a whirlwind of old and new material, including songs like “Hang On,” “The Girl,” “100 Years,” and “The Beach.” And the encore…oh, the encore. While the crowd had been shouting for a number of songs throughout the set, no one song title was thrown out more than “Die Die Die,” which rumbled into existence as the band re-mounted the stage and every voice in the club began singing—or wailing—along. By the end, every member of both Hacienda and Delta Spirit had joined the band onstage, Vasquez complete with a coffee pot full of beer, in a full-blown cacophony of what can only be described as the very essence of thumping, rasping, good old American blues. As a fan put it numerous times, screaming over the crowd’s roar, holding his hands to the sides of his head in disbelief, “Oh my god! This! Is! Incredible! Best night of my life!”

To put it simply, listening to recordings of this band is not enough to appreciate the full talent that is the work of McMicken (lead guitar & vocals), Toby Leaman (bass & vocals), Zach Miller (keys & vocals), Juston Sens (drums & vocals), and Frank McElroy (rhythm guitar & vocals). With each song’s performance came even louder, more soulful laments than their albums could have communicated. There’s definitely something to be said for a band that makes great records and then manages to render the music even more spectacular by roughing it up completely. The grating harshness of Dr. Dog’s live set qualified the whole night as an unforgettable show, one that should not, under any circumstances, be missed when it comes to town again.



- Devon Maloney

TRASHED: Tilly & the Wall @ The Middle East, 3/22

Welcome to the first installment of "TRASHED." This weekly series will include music reviews that the Daily Free Press has recently "trashed." In other words, these are all articles written by the WTBU staff, that for some reason or another, the DFP just wouldn't print. Enjoy our trash!

Last semester, when Jason Anderson played a WTBU sponsored show at Hillel House, his songs exuded the energy and understanding of an old friend. It all seemed due to the small crowd, acoustic set, and intimate venue. But even when he took the stage last Saturday at a sold-out Middle East Upstairs, the crowd was as engaged as if it were a basement show in suburban New Hampshire.

Accompanied by a handful of musicians known collectively as ‘the Best’, Anderson retold personal stories in the form of powerful, energetic lyrics to light-hearted, fun indie rock. The entire crowd couldn’t help but get involved, every time Jason’s wide eyes and huge smile asked them to clap or sing along with his songs, which seemed more like campfire stories. Tilly in the Wall singer Kianna Alarid was intrigued enough to join him on stage to provide vocals on the epic ending of “So Long,” singing: “The best thing in the world, is to love someone and they love you back,” over and over and over.

Following Anderson was Capgun Coup, a four-man band from Omaha, Nebraska. While they label themselves an indie/experimental/folk rock band, a strong garage element dominated their live performance ridden with wild, unintelligible vocals. The harsh vocals seemed to turn off much of the crowd, but catchy popish beats did their best to lure concert-goers back in… unfortunately, to little avail. Compared to Anderson, an artist with intense crowd-involvement and coherent vocals, Capgun Coup was disadvantaged as most of the confused crowd wandered around the Middle East unsure of what they were listening to. Their sound, almost an awkward collaboration of early Blood Brothers vocals and pop-punk guitar riffs, seemed to alienate well over half of the audience, rather than offer the best of both worlds.

Dressed eccentrically--one in a rainbow rag dress, one in a gold lamè sweater, and one in a black tutu over blue zebra tights--the three Tilly and the Wall front-women finally took the stage at 11:30, chanting, “Bean! Town! Get! Down!” Only a fraction of the audience responded to their call to “get down” at first, but after the first half of the crowd-pleaser-packed set, a dance party erupted--including the band's tap dancer.

Along with their guitarists, drummer, and keyboardist, the 6-piece started the night off with a few songs from their new album, “Beat Control,” which they’re currently recording at home in Omaha. When compared to songs from four years ago, Tilly’s change in sound is a similar vein to Rilo Kiley’s change from More Adventurous to Under the Blacklight; it has heavier beats, it’s more electronic, polished, danceable, and radio-ready, and the band is having a lot of fun with it.

To the delight of older Tilly fans, by the fourth song, “Fell Down the Stairs,” they were already bringing back tracks from 2004’s “Wild Like Children.” Highlights of the set included coordinated dance moves, a couple of quieter songs with only one of the girls singing and guitar, and a “Nights of the Living Dead” rendition that had the whole Middle East screaming: “And I feel so alive, and I feel so alive and I feel…”

They closed the set with “Sing Songs Along,” which seemed to be a theme of the night, particularly during the encore, when the band was requested to play “I Always Knew.” The band was hesitant to tackle the song, explaining that they didn’t remember the words, so instead they directed the microphone to the crowd, to sing the lyrics.

--Sarah J Berg & LP

Concert Review! St. Vincent @ the Middle East (Marry Me, Annie)

Annie Clark a.k.a. St. Vincent hit the stage with her full band at around 11:30 PM for a sold out Middle East Downstairs last Saturday night. A packed crowd full of college students with their X-ed out fists raised high greeted Clark when she finally appeared. Her fans were eager to witness the talented musician in her element: live. With her quirky charm, unmistakable voice and dazzling guitar playing, St. Vincent did not disappoint.

“Holy cow!… My name is Annie, but um, but you can call me Annie,” said Clark, looking awestruck at the massive turnout. Throughout the night, she addressed the crowd with her unusual comments, much to everyone’s delight. Her stage banter included a shout-out to JP (Jamaica Plain), anecdotes from Montana and the announcement that “the Camaros don’t run on gasoline – they run on dreams and hopes.”

Clark kicked things off with album opener “Now Now,” which set the tone for the night. The song’s climactic ending featured Annie shredding on her bright red guitar in true rock star style – a sign of things to come. Clark went on to perform the rest of the songs off of Marry Me, along with a couple other bonuses: her cover of the Beatles’ “Dig a Pony,” a fan favorite, and a new song that had the punch and haunting mood of “Your Lips Are Red.”

The crowd was in for a special treat as The Dresden Dolls’ Amanda Palmer made an appearance to lend her vocals to the chorus of “Marry Me.” A Massachusetts native and friend (and fan) of Clark, Palmer has covered “Marry Me” at her live shows in Boston in the past.

While her secondary microphone could have been louder, Clark and her band performed each song with an intensity that simply does not translate onto CD recordings. Her barefoot violinist was especially impressive with his exciting instrumental flourishes. Together, Clark and the band created magic by adding new dynamics to each song; it was like hearing the album for the first time.

Clark ended the show with an unforgettable rendition of “Your Lips Are Red,” complete with some serious guitar ripping. The crowd, sad to see Clark go, roared for an encore and got its wish. Clark returned to the stage for a graceful performance of “What Me Worry,” the album’s closer.

Aspiring artists, take note – if there’s a way to rock a live show, Annie Clark wrote the book on it.

To hear songs by St. Vincent, tune in to Girl Powa! on Wednesday nights--technically Thursday mornings--from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m.

--Jessy Bartlett