The Black Crowes- Riverside Theater, November 8, 2013

The Black Crowes are a rock 'n roll band in its purest form with all of the right ingredients to thoroughly entertain their crowd: charismatic lead singer with extraordinary range, lead guitarist with mystique, rhythm guitarist with poise and chops, and a rhythm section who was spot on every note.  Add a repertoire of over twenty-five years worth of music and a vast array of covers, and you have all of the fixin's for a great night of music.

The Crowes began their show with a trio of high energy numbers, "Soul Singing," (off of 2001's Lions), "Sting Me" (off of 1992's masterpiece, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion) and "Twice As  Hard," (the title track off of The Black Crowes debut record, 1990's Shake Your Money Maker).  The set continued featuring songs from across the band's career, with as much energy and passion as if they were brand new tracks.  "Evergreen," (from 2008's Warpaint) delivered a sultry swagger, and "Mellow Down Easy," a Little Walter blues cover (which appeared as a bonus track off of 1996's Three Snakes and One Charm), was well-jammed out with a great boogey rhythm.  

However, the true highlight of the show occurred half-way through the set, when the band broke out a nearly 20 minute rendition of their famous tune, "Wiser Time," (from 1994's Amorica).  When a band chooses to perform any song for a long duration of time, it is easy to lose the audience's attention or become excessively self-indulgent.  This wasn't the case with this version of "Wiser Time," however, which saw each band member take turns soloing.  The guitar work of Jackie Greene and Rich Robinson was precise, soulful and spot on in the jam.  After "Wiser Time" the band went on a roll of well-known favorites to close out their night, including a stripped-down acoustic version of "She Talks to Angels," (from 1990's Shake Your Money Maker), a straight forward, rocking rendition of "Remedy" (from 1992's Southern Harmony and Musical Companion) and a set-closer of The Black Crowes' most well-known tune, their shake-rattle-and-roll cover of Otis' Redding's "Hard to Handle."  For an encore, the band covered "Don't Do It" by The Band, a fitting rock classic that kept the crowd smiling.   

The band's recent trend of touring for about a year, then taking a few years off and then touring again seems to have done wonders for keeping their sound tight and shows full of power and energy. While it had been over 8 years since I last saw the Black Crowes I certainly won't let that much time pass before I see them again.  In summary, during the show, a fellow fan inquired if The Black Crowes were the inspiration behind the band "Stillwater" in Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous, which starred Chris Robinson's then wife Kate Hudson.  I don't know the answer to the fan's inquiry, but do know that The Black Crowes are about as "rock 'n roll" as they come.

Grade: A+ 

Check out the setlist from the concert

photos compliments of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch.

Fort Frances- Club Garabaldi, November 2, 2013

It's pretty clear when you see people doing something they love.  This was evident when the trio of Fort Frances took the stage at Club Garibaldi to a crowd of roughly 50 or so people.  The crowd could have been 20 people or 200 people, and I think the band would have had just as much fun.  Fort Frances exceeded expectations for their live performance, putting together a solid set of folk-inspired indie pop-rock, from three very talented musicians who clearly enjoy playing their music with each other and for others.  

The opening tune of the set, "How to Turn Back Again," off of this year's Harbour EP set the stage with a jammed intro.  From there, the band launched into "Truths I Used to Know," also from Harbour.   A new track, "Habits," from the band's just-released Breaking Room EP followed next, which was more of a lamenting number about choices.  This track, along with others showcased McMillan's strong narrative songwriting style.  When talking with McMillan before his performance, we discussed similarities between some of the Fort Frances' material and Counting Crowes' Recovering the Satellites album. Songs like "Cities in Dust" and set closer, "If The Ocean Runs Dry" definitely showcase this influence in a good way.  

An interesting inclusion to the set was a cover of Prince/Sinead O'Connor's tune "Nothing Compares to You," where the band held true to the original, yet putting their own delivery on it.  While some in the audience, including your's truly, were hoping for the popular cover of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's "Summertime," to be included, the song, as described by drummer Aaron Kiser is "not in season," and, also quoting Kiser, "Hey, it'll make you come back and hear us some more."

After hearing Fort Frances live, Kiser is quite correct.  This is a great band on the rise that myself and others would love to see again and soon.  With the right exposure and right tour partner, I could see this band gaining some real buzz in the music scene. They already are well on their way with being featured on the Outlaw Road Show at SXSW.  Whether or national buzz happens or not, one thing's for certain, Fort Frances is enjoying themselves, making good music. and having a blast in the process.

This show was as much fun as any show I've seen in a small venue like Club Garibaldi.  While it's easy for me to be biased(after all, Jeff Piper is my cousin), getting texts the morning after seeing the band about folks downloading their material speaks volumes... it isn't just me, these guys are GOOD.

From left to right: McMillan, Kiser, Piper

Fort Frances opens their show

Jeff Piper busts out the drums during the set

Toro y Moi-- Turner Hall Ballroom, November 1, 2013

It is hard to describe Chaz Bundick (better known by stage name "Toro y Moi"'s music).  If you took late 80's-early '90's Prince sprinkled in vintage rock guitar riffs, added a lot of synthesizer, threw in some loops and a dash of funk, combined them all into a blender and hit the "pulse" button and you might get the idea.  Often described as one of the core contributors to the "chill wave movement" (whatever that is), Toro y Moi are a unique act to say the least.  With lots of smoke and a pulsating light show, they certainly were entertaining and got the mostly late 20-something crowd dancing and enjoying themselves.  The show, as expected, drew heavily from this year's release, Anything in Return.  Show opener, "Harm in Change," the first track off of that album, was as energetic and fun as one would expect.  At their best, Toro y Moi jammed out their numbers and lead to some interesting sonic grooves.  At their worst, after about 30 minutes, all of the songs started sounding the same.

Opening for Toro y Moi was Los Angeles electronic duo, Classixx.  Donned in retro 1980's baseball jackets, they did a great job of getting the crowd jumping and dancing to numbers like "Holding On" (which sounds like 1980's pop with loops and samples thrown in).  While many people seemed to really enjoy this act, I had a hard time "getting it" as I really don't understand how electronic music is being performed live.  The guys weren't singing, but there were vocal tracks, and the musicians did more head-nodding and in-place dancing behind their rigs than anything else from my vantage point.  It was fun for an opener though.

The most amusing part of this show was the wacky crowd.  Perhaps the fact that it was the day after Halloween had something to do with it, but from a large man with retro high-tops and glasses that would blink in neon colors to a woman dressed like some sort of Willy Wonka creature, to a beekeeper and a bee, to folks who, to be quite honest, I wasn't sure if they were dressing up for the show or wearing a Halloween costume, this was a good people-watching show to say the least.

Grade: B

Photo courtesy of Stephen Bloch

Little Green Cars- Turner Hall Ballroom, October 20, 2013

My winning ways continue this fall, as I scored free tickets to Little Green Cars.  This folk-rock quintet from Dublin, Ireland played to about 250 people on a Sunday evening at Turner Hall.  Despite being a young band, their fan base was extremely diverse as high school kids to men and women in their 60's came to check out Little Green Cars.

Drawing primarily from their debut record, this year's Absolute Zero, Little Green Cars put on a solid, nearly 90 minute set.  The show started slow, with softer down-tempo numbers, but then picked up quicky.  "Big Red Dragon" was an energetic tune that started a real upswing in the show.


While all members of the band sang, often beautifully, the vocal duties were primarily handled by Stevie Appleby and Faye O'Rouke.  Of the two of them, Faye's lead numbers stood out as stronger tunes, playing off of her powerful, yet not overbearing voice (which echoes the range of Dolores O'Riordan of fellow Irish rock group, The Cranberries).  "Love Took Me Down to the River to Silence Me" was a beautiful number that showcased Faye's range an the band's ability to blend both rock and harmony together.

While I went into the show only really knowing one tune, "Harper Lee," thanks to 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, I found that this was at best a mid-set tune, and that the band has better music to offer.  The overall highlight of the show, was set closer, "The John Wayne," which told the story of Stevie Appleby having a few drinks and "falling in love" with a girl, only to end up back at his parent's house watching The Quiet Man and getting scolded by his "massive pops" for being loud.  It is in Appleby's storytelling that showcase his skills the strongest.

For their encore, the band literally came out into the crowd to perform an acoustic number without microphones.  This is a very fan-friendly, band who is accessible in all ways, especially with their sound.  I see Little Green Cars as a band with a very bright future.


Harper Lee

The John Wayne

Grade: A-

Blitzen Trapper & Phox- Turner Hall Ballroom, October 9, 2013

Portland's Blitzen Trapper has established themselves as a solid indie rock act over the past half of a decade.  Powered by harmonizing vocals that are reminiscent of vintage Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, the band masterfully combines elements of folk, blues, country and jam rock together to create a unique sound.

Photo by Stephen Bloch

I've been a fan of Blitzen Trapper since their 2007 release Wild Mountain Nation, and have had the pleasure of seeing the group on several occasions live, both as a headline and support act.  While 2008's Furr remains the band's high water mark for me, their live show has continued to evolve and mature.  With a very solid recent release in this year's VII, Blitzen Trapper rolled into Turner Hall as a solid headliner, drawing close to 400 fans on a weeknight.  While Trapper fans, many of whom looked like they belonged in the IFC Channel's Portlandia themselves, dressed in plaid, the band surprised its audience, emerging in suit coats and ties.  Front man Eric Earley emerged with jeans, a button down shirt (sans tie) and a suit coat, looking more like a businessman than the guy who penned "Wild Mountain Nation" and "Country Caravan."  This was similar to the image transformation I noticed when I last saw Okkervil River and they emerged dressed in similar attire.  While clothes certainly don't make the man, the image that the band sent was that this is an established act who deserves to headline shows with a diverse and deep catalog of material.  Blitzen Trapper has never sounded finer and I hope the band continues to cultivate their success.

Madison indie rockers Phox opened the show to an enthusiastic crowd.  This was my first time seeing Phox and they certainly lived up to the hype they've been receiving on the Internet and the festival scene.  Their sound blends elements of 80's synth rock together with strong female vocals, similar to Policia.  I would be curious to check out a gig where Phox headlined to get a fuller picture of their sound and what they're all about.

Grade:
Phox: B
Blitzen Trapper: A-

Hanni El Khatib- Turner Hall Ballroom, October 2, 2013

Produced by Black Keys guitar god, Dan Auerbach, Hanni El Khatib's latest record, Head in the Dirt has received a fair amount of buzz.  Rightfully so- the album is one of this year's most rocking releases.  Head in the Dirt reminds me of early Black Keys material with short, energetic songs powered by solid guitar hooks, fuzzy chords, and, above all, a tight rock 'n roll sound.  Auerbach's recent work with legendary producer Danger Mouse, probably helps in the pop sensibility of this release as well.  Hands down, if you want a solid blues-rock record, you can't go wrong with Head in the Dirt.

Hanni El Khatib came to town with much hype and promise.  He opened his show in dramatic fashion, coming onto a dark stage and busting into his set full throttle with a powerful, rock raucousness.  His large backdrop of two skeletons  with the HEK initials were illuminated against simple back lighting.  However, after about three songs into the set, Hanni mentioned how the crowd was "surprisingly sparse."  From that point in the set, Hanni seemed to be "checked-out," and played exactly an hour with little crowd interaction and energy.

While there is no doubt that Hanni El Khatib has some major chops musically, an artist can take a small crowd and do one of two things.  1) He/she can engage the crowd in the same fashion as he/she would if the room was full, and by doing so, endear fans to spread the word of "this awesome band" all around the Internet in hopes of gaining a larger crowd next time they're in town.  Or, the artist can do what Hanni did and 2) Play to get your paycheck, with nothing more to offer. Unfortunately, for myself and others who were in attendance thanks to winning local ticket contests, this had less than the desired effect.  Hanni live did not live up to the rock 'n roll promise heard on his album.  As with many rock acts, the setting you see the music in adds to the experience of enjoying the music in communion with fellow rockers.  In retrospect, perhaps a booking at The Cactus Club or Club Garabaldi might have proved a better fit for Hanni El Khatib.  Regardless, rock chops or not, Hanni did little to make the 150 or so fans in attendance want to go out of their way to see him next time he comes to town.  

Grade: C+ (and the + is merely because I like the album so much)

Black Joe Lewis & Pickwick, Turner Hall Ballroom, September 30, 2013

Austin rhythm and blues rocker Black Joe Lewis and his band invaded Turner Hall to a crowd of about 400 people for a Monday evening of funky rhythms, horns, and fun.  If there ever was a reason for a "Monday Funday," this was it!

The evening kicked off with with what will go down to be my surprise act of the year, Pickwick.  Hailing from Seattle, Pickwick is one part White Stripes, one part Fitz and the Tantrums, and, above all, an engaging and highly professional act.  Thanks to 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, I was familiar with their single, "Hacienda Motel," but, to be honest, had little other background exposure to band.  Truth be told my argyle socks on my feet from a day of teaching mysteriously left my feet, and, for all we know, might still be on the floor of the Turner Hall Ballroom.  Simply put, for a debut Milwaukee performance, Pickwick wowed me and the crowd fortunate enough to catch their set.  Powered by Galen Disston's rich, powerful vocals, the six-piece rock/soul outfit played the majority of their debut album, Halls of Columbia.  One of my friends in attendance picked up this album as well as their Zenith, EP.  Cuts like "The Round," and, "Hacienda Motel,"  "Windowsill" packed deep vocals on top of contagious melodies.  Disston's stage presence along with the rest of the band made me think this was a seasoned veteran act, rather than a newer act with something to prove.

Black Joe Lewis had big shoes to fill after Pickwick's set, and he did a great job of getting the crowd swaying to his infectious, boogie-filled melodies and rhythms. Lewis' latest album Electric Slave got the majority of the attention, although his tracks from Scandelous were probably most recognizable for the crowd.  Black Joe Lewis barely paused in his 90 minute set, playing his red guitar with simply his fingers, and using his thumb to create bar chords.  Black Joe rocked the joint and had the crowd movin' and groovin'.  I love throw back rhythm and blues acts, but, Black Joe Lewis suffers from the same issue that many acts in this genre do: all of the songs, essentially sound the same.   Part of the success of "Booty City," Lewis' trademark song, is that it's energy level far and groove surpass most of his other work.  Too often, I felt like I was hearing a song that Lewis played earlier in the set while he was playing new material.  Still, Lewis and his band managed to thoroughly entertain their crowd.  I'd put Black Joe Lewis as an act whose live show far surpasses his studio work for sure.  It's a fun party I'd gladly attend again.

Photos compliments of Gigshots by Stephen Bloch.

Pickwick: Grade A+ (going to be hard to beat for opening band of the year)
Black Joe Lewis: Grade B+