Violent Femmes/The Avett Brothers/Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros- Summerfest, 6/26/13

Exceeds expectations... those two words best sum up my feelings about the performances by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, the Avett Brothers and Violent Femmes during their opening night performance in the Marcus Amphitheater during Summerfest 2013.  Each of the acts did their best to thoroughly entertain and engage the audience.  While I've seen all of the bands before, the combination of the three lead to a very enjoyable and fun evening of music, and ultimately a premier bill that will rank among the best I've ever seen at Summerfest.

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros:
Alex Ebert, Jade Castrinos and the eight or nine other musicians who were playing on stage cooked up a laid-back, fun, hippie love-fest to start off the evening.   Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros 40 minute set was packed with the majority of Edward Sharpe's hits from their 2009 debut record, Up From Below, as well as numbers from their 2011 follow up, Here.  Most notably, "Man On Fire" featured Alex jumping into the crowd and running up and down the amphitheater stairs dancing with fans, posing for smart phone photos and high fiving concert goers, including my neighbors, all while singing one of his band's hits.  The band closed with a ruckus rendition of "Home," undoubtedly their best known track, which had the crowd there for the warm-up act, dancing and jumping in the aisles.  For a support act, you can't get much better than these guys if you want to get the crowd moving and pumped for an evening of music.

The Avett Brothers:
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel music critic Piet Levy was right-on when he declared after last year's stellar performance at the BMO Harris Pavillion that the Avett Brothers would grace the big stage on their next trip to town for Summerfest.  After recently seeing the Avetts twice at the Riverside Theater and last year at the BMO Harris stage, I was a little worried at first about how their polished, yet down home Americana sound would translate in the cavernous Marcus Amphitheater.  After all, the Avett Brothers consist of musicians who mainly play bass, acoustic guitar, drums and cello, not necessarily the instrumentation we've come to expect from the majority of amphitheater bookings over the years.

Overall, the sound was solid and the band delivered an energy-packed seventeen song set that kept the crowd engaged throughout.  The band wisely focused on their more up-tempo numbers and highlighted their harmonizing abilities and exceptional musicianship.  Opening with "Live and Die" from last year's Grammy award-winning release, The Carpenter, the Avetts kept the momentum going right into "Talk of Indolence," a tune usually reserved as a set-closer or encore.  With barely a pause in between songs, the band made the most of their time on stage, delivering rousing renditions of tunes like,  "Head Full of Doubt," and "Kick Drum Heart."  On "Laundry Room," a more notable song off of 2009's I and Love and You record, the band rearragnged the number making it a bit more glossy, yet staying true to the original.  This pretty much encompasses the Avetts' musical progression as they've traveled up the ranks from a club act, theater act and now amphitheater show.  Perhaps the highlight of the set, however was the band leading the crowd in a sing-along of their staple set-closer, "I and Love and You," with the Big Bang Fireworks going off in the background.  I got goosebumps.

Setlist for The Avett Brothers.

Violent Femmes:
Drummer Victor DeLorenzo addressed the crowd as his band took the stage, "We are Violent Femmes and we're from Milwaukee, Wisconsin."  In many ways, telling the crowd what they already knew was a perfect metaphor for the Femmes headlining performance.  The songs were all ones that we already knew, and for this we, as an audience, were both comforted and grateful. 

Recently reunited after some serious inner strife amongst the band members, the Femmes returned to play Summerfest in front of a devoted hometown crowd in a loose and playful mood.  The band was as animated as I've ever seen them, most noticeably DeLorenzo.  The first ten tracks were the Femmes debut, 1983 self-titled record front-to-back.  While a dated record in terms of its sound, I would argue that there isn't an album out there that better encapsulates the general sense of adolescence than this one, and for that reason, it has timeless appeal with its listeners.

The hits, "Blister in the Sun," "Kiss Off," "Please Do Not Go," "Add it Up," and "Gone Daddy Gone," got the biggest reaction from the crowd.  You could not tell based on the stage chemistry that these were three guys who filed lawsuits against each other just years ago.  Instead, they seemed very happy and playful, albeit, showing their age as elder statesmen of the alternative folk movement. 


However, the highlight for me was not just the Femmes, but the fact that they brought along their horn section, "The Horns of Dilemma," who added brass accompaniments on several numbers.  My favorite Femmes tune, "Held Her in My Arms" came across in a classic manner with horn players (granted many of them with softball-player guts) cranking out the infectious melody on the chorus.

The fans were reminded when the band took the stage for their encore, that the word, "encore" literally means "again," and, for that, we got a second taste of the band's biggest hit, now turned baseball stadium clap-along, "Blister in the Sun."  There wasn't a fan in attendance, myself included, who didn't leave the festival grounds after seeing Violent Femmes without sporting a Summerfest logo-sized grin.


Setlist for Violent Femmes:

Grade: A+ (new #5 on my all-time "Best of the Fest" list).
All photos compliments of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch.

A view of my friend, Steve Bloom and I from the stage.  Cheers to Summerfest

Best of Summerfest (So Far)

MKERocks: Best of the 'Fest (So Far):

The annual summer lakefront bacchanalia is almost upon us.  A few years ago, I recalled some of my favorite Summerfest shows, and I thought I'd go back, revise that list, and re-post it here. Please share your favorite Summerfest memories (or your opinions of any of the shows I've listed) in the comments section.  I'd love to hear from you!

Here are my top five highlights from my past twenty-some-odd years of hitting the Fest:

5.  The Violent Femmes, The Avett Brothers, Edward Sharpe and Magnetic Zeroes- Marcus Amphitheater 6/26/13
Summerfest has a knack of booking unique "one-off" performances.  The reunited (at least for the moment) original line-up of the Violent Femmes delivered a homecoming worthy performance with the Horns of Dilemma and all.  The Avett Brothers' first trip to the big stage further propelled the band into super stardom, and backed with great interplay between Alex and Jane, Edward Sharpe fired up the crowd with a riveting opening set.

photo by Stephen Bloch

4.  Wilco: (seen July 3, 2003 and July 6, 2006)
If you know me musically (and currently) you know that Wilco is my favorite band, and I have a terrible, “homer” bias towards them.  I first saw them at H.O.R.D.E Fest in 1995, and have since taken in over 20 shows of Wilco or Jeff Tweedy (their lead singer/songwriter) solo.  Simply put, I love their tunes.

The 7/3/03 show is one that I'm guessing many music aficionados would look over (as it was in a weird stage of the band's history where they had fired longtime guitarist and co-songwriter Jay Bennett and before they signed now-guitarist extraordinaire, Nels Cline.). However, for one very brief tour, Wilco toured with a large projection screen that showcased black and white images of the Chicago River architectural boat tour while the band played a set of old numbers dating back to Tweedy's previous band, "Uncle Tupelo," alongside brand new tunes at the time from the forthcoming “A Ghost Is Born” album like “The Late Greats,” and “Muzzle of Bees.”  It was by far not the tightest Wilco set I've ever seen, but certainly one of the most memorable, as they busted out "New Madrid" and "We've Been Had'" in a very eclectic set.

3.  Widespread Panic (7/9/95, 7/4/94, 7/5/97, 7/2/98, 7/3/01, 7/3/02)

blurry, yes, but JB's sporting the Brewers jersey!

Needless to say, I saw "The Panic" a bunch of times during the Fest.  Of all of the shows I attended, the encore of "Can't Find My Way Home" with lead singer, John Bell, donning a Milwaukee Brewers hat and jersey might be my favorite moment of Panic at The Fest.  There is a time when you're in college and Summerfest becomes the place to unite your buddies from near and far.  This moment in '98 pretty much summed that sentiment up.  Their prolific shows and long jams during the height of their career played well to the festive Summerfest fans. 

2.  Bob Dylan and Paul Simon: July 4, 1999

photo from Boblinks.com

This was my first time seeing both of these artists. Dylan, who at the time, was known for having either “on” or “off” nights, was spot on, opening with a spirited cover of The Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil," and also sang a duet with Simon for "The Sounds of Silence." Needless to say, Dylan is no Art Garfunkel, but this odd musical memory stands out.  Paul Simon stole the show with a lengthy set showcasing much of his world music-influenced albums, "Graceland," and "Rhythm of the Saints."  A high energy “Call Me Al” towards the end of Simon’s set was exceptional as was “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes.”  While I have seen both artists multiple times since this gig, this night was really something special and a true representation of two musical masters.

1. Pearl Jam: July 9, 1995
You’re 16 years old and the hottest band in the country is playing your home town for two nights… who doesn’t want to be there?  Of the now hundreds of concerts I have attended, to this day, I cannot recall a hotter ticket than the 1995 Summerfest Pearl Jam shows.  Shrouded in mystery of whether the band would even show up (as they were threatening to cancel their tour due to disagreements with Ticketmaster at the time), Pearl Jam showed up and with a bang.  The first night of the their Summerfest engagement opened with “Oceans,” and ripped through much of their two albums at the time, “Ten” and “Verses.”  They even threw in some popular non-released tunes like “Yellow Ledbetter” to close the set.  However, their encore, which featured the band coming out with local Neil Diamond impersonator act “Lightning and Thunder” for a rendition of “Forever in Blue Jeans” stole the show and etched itself into the annals of Milwaukee concert lore.  I am still grateful to Benny Weber for getting me a ticket to take in this most memorable show.  I found a YouTube link of the show here for anyone who wants a trip down memory lane

photo courtesy of Wilipedia

Portugal. The Man- Pabst Theater 6/20/13

The last time I saw Portugal. The Man was a $10 Turner Hall show in 2010.  The place was about half full and I recall being rather impressed with their musicianship and stage performance, although, I did find it a bit peculiar that the lead vocalist and guitarist, John Gourley, spent a fair amount of time facing his drummer rather than the audience when he sang.  Still, the psychedelic, poppy band from Oregon via Alaska delivered a memorable set, prompting me to continue following them and ultimately going to see them live for the second time this past Friday at the always beautiful Pabst Theater.

Fast forward four years, and three albums later, and you have a quite different act on the stage of the Pabst Theater, performing to a strong crowd (the floor and mezzanine sections were packed, leaving only the balcony empty).  Portugal. The Man, this time around consisted of six musicians.  Anchored by founders, John Gourley and bassist/vocalist, Zachary Carrothers, this incarnation of the band contained newer members keyboardist Kyle O'Quinn and drummer Kane Ritchotte, and a female vocalist (name not listed on their webpage) who handled a lot of the harmonies on tracks from the band's recent, Danger Mouse produced, 2013 release Evil Friends.  

Several things stood out in the 1:45 minute Portugal. The Man set.  First off, the band, while a six

piece, is really more of a seven piece outfit, as their stage lighting and visuals served as a key focus, just as much as the music itself.  In addition, the band, especially John Gourley, seemed much more confident on stage than last time I saw them.  Now armed with two mics- one facing the drummer and the other facing the front of the house, Gourley sang at least two-thirds of the numbers towards the crowd.  The band also exhibited more of a swagger on stage, seeming more comfortable with their roles as showmen and women.  The increased confidence is well-deserved, considering how much more polished Portugal. The Man was this time out.   This show seemed very well-rehearsed with slick transitions allowing numbers such as "Evil Friends," "So American," and "People Say" to flow seamlessly into one another, not unlike what one would expect from a jam band.

Their latest album, Evil Friends, utilizes Danger Mouse's knack for catchy tunes, and might be the band's most accessible release to date.  That said, it is darn good, and translates better live than I expected.  Numbers like "Modern Jesus," and "Creep in a T-Shirt," were quite well-done and stood up to any of the band's previous material even the set closing climatic "Sleep Forever."  In fact, seeing Portugal. The Man live has made me appreciate what a fantastic record Evil Friends is even more.

With its personality as an act continuing to evolve, I am curious to see what comes next for Portugal. The Man.  The unique lighting arrangements and visuals and more poppy and dancy tunes remind me of a throw back to the Flaming Lips circa Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots era.  Likewise, more jammy material fits more in line with acts like Tame Impala, and were also well-received by the audience which varied greatly in demographic from college students to couples on "date night" to folks in their fifties.  Clearly, Portugal. The Man is a band honing their sound and establishing themselves as one of indie rock's finest.

Grade: A

Second and third photographs used courtesy of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch.

What's On Will's iPod- June Edtion

Looking for some new tunes for the summer- I've got you covered.  Here are four albums I've had on regular rotation.

The National- Trouble Will Find Me
The National deliver again with perhaps their most accessible work to date.  Brooding vocals by Matt Berringer and terrific instrumentation make this is great listen from start to finish.  Seriously, these guys keep producing excellent records, and Trouble Will Find Me lives up to their high standards.

 

Junip- Junip
While 2010's Fields was a solid record, Junip's self-titled 2013 release is exceptional.  Layered instrumentation and excellent vocals from Jose Gonzalez makes this a huge step up for the Swedish psychedelic folk outfit.  

 

Portugal. The Man Evil Friends
Despite the title, this might be the most sunny album done by the Portland, rock group.  Danger Mouse's contributions from the production standpoint have certainly made this a crisper and more pop-leaning record.  Overall, it's a lot of fun, and reminds me of the Beatles' Abbey Road material.


 
The Shouting Matches- Grownass Man
This is perhaps the album that has surprised me the most... a straight-forward blues-rock power trio fronted by Justin Vernon isn't just good, it's darn good.  Gone are the sweeping falcettos of his work in Bon Iver and inserted are jammy guitar riffs, sweeping keyboards, and simple, but driving, drum patterns.  The Shouting Matches rival the best work of blues rock troubadours, Big Head Todd and the Wallflowers on this very enjoyable release. 

Frank Turner- 6/10/13 Turner Hall Ballroom

I didn't know quite what to expect when I visited the Turner Hall Ballroom on a Monday evening for a concert to literally kick off my summer break.  Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls made, what I believe, was their second career stop at the Turner Hall Ballroom (amply booked for this occasion).

Frank Turner and his band is an interesting act in many ways.  Overseas, in their native London, they played Wembley Arena in April of 2012, and clearly have established themselves as a Foo Fightersesque arena anthematic rock act.  Here in Milwaukee, they drew quite well, nearly filling up Turner Hall on a Monday, but, needless-to-say didn't have the same arena appeal that they do across the pond.

Turner is a singer-songwriter who got me hooked with his album Love Ire and Song, which came out in 2008.  Each subsequent album has been more poppy in nature, although Turner's trademark storytelling lyrics have persevered.  2013's release, Tape Deck Heart may be Turner's most accessible material to date.

His music is often referred to as "folk punk," although it's hard to really pinpoint what other critics mean by this descriptor.  Turner and the Sleeping Souls sounded to me like a working-class rock outfit, not unlike the Minneapolis-via-Brooklyn band I enjoy, the Hold Steady.  There were lots of references to growing up, friends, partying and lots and lots of crowd sing-a-longs.  However, Turner's show is a lot more polished than the Hold Steady, and honestly would be better compared alongside American working -class hero singer songwriters like Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, and not unlike fellow Brit, Billy Bragg.

Frank Turner's whole show was based on crowd participation and, as he early-on declared, "there were only two rules to being at his show: 1) be kind to one another and 2) sing along whenever possible."  The crowd embraced both of these mantras to their fullest.  While I hung towards the back more so than usual at this show, the fans in front clearly took Turner's advice to heart and belted out chorus upon chorus, clapping, singing, screaming, jumping, and, at one point, per Frank's request, doing jumping jacks in unison.  This show was an interactive party, capped off by a young fan who couldn't have been more than eight years old joining Turner onstage during the set closer, "Photosynthesis," belting out the chorus, "I won't sit down, I won't shut up, and most of all, I will not grow up."

It was easy to see how, with his ability to hold a crowd in the palm of his hand, Frank Turner could play arenas overseas.  After all, if Springsteen and Mellencamp can do it here, why not Frank Turner over there.  However, like Springsteen and more so Mellencamp, Turner's show became predictable quickly, which, to hardcore fans wasn't an issue, but to a more casual listener lead to some redundancies.  Overall, Frank Turner is an entertainer and showman with a great backing band and a promising future as a rock 'n roll act.  As Turner stated before the encore (my personal favorite song of his), "I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous," going to a show is, "a time to check your BS at the door, get together with other folks, accept their differences and be part of rock 'n roll."  Turner's show lived up to this disclaimer.

Turner @ Wembley Arena:



Turner @ Turner Hall Ballroom:


As you can see the Wembley Arena crew had better equipment than my iPhone 4s, but the energy was consistently high in both venues.

All photos courtesy of Stephen Bloch's Gigshots.

Grade: A-