So it's pretty snowy out there. Not sure if tonight's shows are still on or not. Probably not. SITKOT never claimed to be a meteorological authority.
Assuming your power's on and your cable's not out, SNL should be worthwhile tonight. Ashton Kutcher may be annoying beyond toleration, but if you're not worn out on supergroups, the latest rockstar combo of Dave Grohl on drums, Josh Homme on guitar, and John Paul Jones playing bass should bring a decent offering of rock.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Rockler Radar [A forced title for a blog post about this wintry weekend's concerts in Pittsburgh, PA]
It's really not that bad out. Seriously. Snowy, wet, yes... standard Pittsburgh winter stuff. Turn off the local news and pull on a hat and coat.
I thought I might spend some time today and do a nice profile of some of the Pittsburghers playing around town this weekend to kick this blawg back into gear. Then it occurred to me they've already been profiled by people who've done a more thorough job than I would have. So:
Tonight, Ernie Hawkins returns to Calliope Center Stage in Shadyside with a seriously stellar backing band of Marc Reisman on harmonicas, Roger Day on tuba, Rich Strong on the kit, and Paul Cosentino on clarinet. I wish I had some video to post of the October show with the same group of musicians because it was fantastic. If you like jazzy blues and ragtimey ditties, this will be the best gig you see all winter. Hold me to that.
Tomorrow, you have to make a choice: get happy or get pissed.
Donora will be at the Rex in the South Side. So if you understood "pissed" in the British sense, then maybe this one is actually your show. Chances are if you've been following the blog for a while you already know Donora. If not, this three-piece puts out the best pop rock (I think the full two-word label is quite appropriate here) Pittsburgh has to offer. Take your dancing shoes. And if Bruce Kraus gives you any guff on your way out, tell that old curmudgeon to get his ass back to Bomont.
Or, maybe you took "pissed" in the Americanized sense. That's cool, too. And maybe it's a generalization, but I think you get the idea. Again, a lot of you are probably already familiar with our city's finest punk-pop export, but, if not, you can get up to speed over at Old Mon Music: Anti Flag. They'll be in Millvale, fighting the forces of the grain for all us sinners out there. Maybe you'll spot a local G-20 protester or two.
EDIT: Okay, it's getting a bit worse. Just drive slow. Or maybe take a bus.
I thought I might spend some time today and do a nice profile of some of the Pittsburghers playing around town this weekend to kick this blawg back into gear. Then it occurred to me they've already been profiled by people who've done a more thorough job than I would have. So:
Tonight, Ernie Hawkins returns to Calliope Center Stage in Shadyside with a seriously stellar backing band of Marc Reisman on harmonicas, Roger Day on tuba, Rich Strong on the kit, and Paul Cosentino on clarinet. I wish I had some video to post of the October show with the same group of musicians because it was fantastic. If you like jazzy blues and ragtimey ditties, this will be the best gig you see all winter. Hold me to that.Tomorrow, you have to make a choice: get happy or get pissed.
Donora will be at the Rex in the South Side. So if you understood "pissed" in the British sense, then maybe this one is actually your show. Chances are if you've been following the blog for a while you already know Donora. If not, this three-piece puts out the best pop rock (I think the full two-word label is quite appropriate here) Pittsburgh has to offer. Take your dancing shoes. And if Bruce Kraus gives you any guff on your way out, tell that old curmudgeon to get his ass back to Bomont.
Or, maybe you took "pissed" in the Americanized sense. That's cool, too. And maybe it's a generalization, but I think you get the idea. Again, a lot of you are probably already familiar with our city's finest punk-pop export, but, if not, you can get up to speed over at Old Mon Music: Anti Flag. They'll be in Millvale, fighting the forces of the grain for all us sinners out there. Maybe you'll spot a local G-20 protester or two.But lo! There is another option. Maybe the Joe DeNardo wannabes out there have got you feeling lowdown and shut in. Well fear not and rock on: check out the jukebox over at Lawrenceville's own FAWM.org. February Album Writing Month is just getting started, but there are already some fine songs rolling in. I have to admit to surprise at finding more good than bad so far (notwithstanding demo-quality sound, to be excused given the nature of the project). Or at least 50/50. Better odds than you'll find over at the slots.
EDIT: Okay, it's getting a bit worse. Just drive slow. Or maybe take a bus.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Ramblings
The way place and time play on our minds and affect our memories has always been wild to me. How a day in some nearby place can make it seem like a week has passed upon your return, but events in our lives that happened years ago can be so vivid. I'm reminded of this often when I think for a moment that I recognize a passerby, but then realize the person I'm recalling would by now have aged years beyond the face I see, or perhaps he lives far from wherever I am.
Semi-related: the way setting can affect our reception of music at a given time. Last night I spent an hour or two swigging on a tasty merlot (which I only today realized must have been a gift, and was actually pretty expensive) and cooking some mofongo con camarones (which, to my surprise, turned out okay) with my entire music library on shuffle, and every song seemed just right. But this morning on an over-crowded 51-C which smelled vaguely of mildewed gym shoes and baby food, I skipped just about every track that came on until, finally, I stepped off the bus and, ta-daaaa, the right song clicked with me.
Something about winter gets me leaning on Americana and quasi-electronica. Maybe you've noticed the occasionally changing playlists in the sidebar lately. That's what's happening. I'm still digging the current one right now, but I'm feeling a shift back toward something more organic. I sense some Tom Waits in the next one. Maybe a bit of mandolin, too.
Anyhow, this is probably sounding like filler. Fluff. Sorry for the interruption. This January's been a slow month musically, but some good shows are in town this weekend: Richie Havens, Langhorne Slim and Flotation Walls, all tomorrow night. Pick your pleasure. Looking ahead, all kinds of good things are happening in February. So keep your ear to the sod, and stay off that miserable 51-C.
UPDATE: Courtesy of Infinonymous, a few more shows to fill your weekend.
Semi-related: the way setting can affect our reception of music at a given time. Last night I spent an hour or two swigging on a tasty merlot (which I only today realized must have been a gift, and was actually pretty expensive) and cooking some mofongo con camarones (which, to my surprise, turned out okay) with my entire music library on shuffle, and every song seemed just right. But this morning on an over-crowded 51-C which smelled vaguely of mildewed gym shoes and baby food, I skipped just about every track that came on until, finally, I stepped off the bus and, ta-daaaa, the right song clicked with me.
Something about winter gets me leaning on Americana and quasi-electronica. Maybe you've noticed the occasionally changing playlists in the sidebar lately. That's what's happening. I'm still digging the current one right now, but I'm feeling a shift back toward something more organic. I sense some Tom Waits in the next one. Maybe a bit of mandolin, too.
Anyhow, this is probably sounding like filler. Fluff. Sorry for the interruption. This January's been a slow month musically, but some good shows are in town this weekend: Richie Havens, Langhorne Slim and Flotation Walls, all tomorrow night. Pick your pleasure. Looking ahead, all kinds of good things are happening in February. So keep your ear to the sod, and stay off that miserable 51-C.
UPDATE: Courtesy of Infinonymous, a few more shows to fill your weekend.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Get on the bandwagon
Monday, January 18, 2010
Concert Haiku: Bear in Heaven's Openers
Mariage Blanc: shouldaincluded yinz guys in that
post on loc's. My bad.
Elliott Smithish
Apples in Stereo? Hate
to summarize by
comparison. But
hey, this is high coup. If they
were a bird: blue. Then
Freelance Whales rocked me
with glockenspiel. Whoah, Nelly.
Banjo, sqeezebox, five-
part harmonies and
fuzzy bass make PBR's
flow at Brillobox.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Local Is the Only Universal
First off, that Cypress Hill allusion three posts down was probably my best headline yet. I can't believe you people didn't acknowledge that with effusive praise in the comments.
Second off, I wish I'd saved it for this post, in which I intend to state something to the effect of:
"One of my resolutions for this blog this year is to cast a broader spotlight on the local scene. There are several great bands coming out of Pittsburgh and vicinity these days, and they all deserve their due."
So, it's no secret that I'm a big Good Night, States fan. They're my favorite of the locals, with no disrespect to any others. I'm not sure if they officially up and came in '09, or if they're still up and coming. Probably the latter is more likely. I think maybe my appreciation for their music skews my perception of their status as a band in the rock scene at large. Anyway, keep an ear open for them this year. That's my advice. I hope people in and outside of our little rustbelt metropolis take it.
Beyond GN,S there are about 7 to 10 other local bands I intend to highlight in the next few weeks/months (saying that with the understanding that I often fail on the following through aspect of intentions). To start, let's look over the concert calendar on the sidebar.
As January nears its icy end, Meeting of Important People play Brillobox. If I were you, and you were a Pittsburgher with an interest in infectious indie-pop, then I'd take that opportunity to catch one of the most promising local bands at what is probably the hippest local venue. And pick up their self-titled CD while you're there, or maybe download beforehand. It's fantastic.
About a week after that, another stalwart of the Pittsburgh indie-pop scene (do you guys hate that genre title? I might.) will be at the somewhat-recently refurbished Rex Theater: Donora. They put out one of Jimmy's favorite records of 2009 on the locally owned Rostrum label (also home to emcee Wiz Khalifa), and they put on a hell of a show.
If rebellion is more your thing, that same night over in Millvale you can find Anti-Flag. If any local band has successfully broken through on the national level in recent years, this is it, so I don't think they really need the publicity from a little site like mine. But regardless, they're sweet, so as long as Small's can get its soundboard in order for this one, the show should be great.
Another couple weeks go by and Beware Fashionable Women will play Southminster Coffee House out in the South Hills. These guys have been a bit under the radar, so this could be a breakout year for them. They have a solid album out which is not afraid to meander among genres. On early listens a few tracks sounded a bit Phishy to me (not a bad thing), but on further review it really opened up, and now I'm not even sure where I got that first impression. It has several great tracks, but one great track which is not on that album--"He's a Boy"--is currently available for free download at their MySpace page. Give it a listen. And keep your eye on them this year. I will, too.
Then, come March, we get a "double-whammy" of sorts: Lohio and Emily Rodgers team up for a double-bill at Calliope Center Stage. On the one hand, this is an event to benefit the Carnegie Libraries. That's cool, yes? On the other hand, this is an intimate venue which was very nicely renovated and is a great place to hear/see live music. Also cool. And if you had a third hand (and maybe you do for all I know), then on it you would see one of the city's most solidly respected young bands and one of our most promising songwriters. What I'm trying to say is, you really can't go wrong. So don't. (Don't go wrong, that is.) (But do go to the show.)
So where am I going with this, besides one glass deeper into a nice, chilled, inexpensive white wine blend? I guess we'll see in the coming weeks as I perhaps continue this potentially quasi-regular series on local music and ideally focus on that Pittsburgh facet of this weblog.
Meanwhile, there are a ton of other good shows creeping up on the calendar this winter and spring. So support a local venue if not local musicians, and resolve to go see some live music early on in 2010. It's good for the soul, I think.
Second off, I wish I'd saved it for this post, in which I intend to state something to the effect of:
"One of my resolutions for this blog this year is to cast a broader spotlight on the local scene. There are several great bands coming out of Pittsburgh and vicinity these days, and they all deserve their due."
So, it's no secret that I'm a big Good Night, States fan. They're my favorite of the locals, with no disrespect to any others. I'm not sure if they officially up and came in '09, or if they're still up and coming. Probably the latter is more likely. I think maybe my appreciation for their music skews my perception of their status as a band in the rock scene at large. Anyway, keep an ear open for them this year. That's my advice. I hope people in and outside of our little rustbelt metropolis take it.
Beyond GN,S there are about 7 to 10 other local bands I intend to highlight in the next few weeks/months (saying that with the understanding that I often fail on the following through aspect of intentions). To start, let's look over the concert calendar on the sidebar.
As January nears its icy end, Meeting of Important People play Brillobox. If I were you, and you were a Pittsburgher with an interest in infectious indie-pop, then I'd take that opportunity to catch one of the most promising local bands at what is probably the hippest local venue. And pick up their self-titled CD while you're there, or maybe download beforehand. It's fantastic.
About a week after that, another stalwart of the Pittsburgh indie-pop scene (do you guys hate that genre title? I might.) will be at the somewhat-recently refurbished Rex Theater: Donora. They put out one of Jimmy's favorite records of 2009 on the locally owned Rostrum label (also home to emcee Wiz Khalifa), and they put on a hell of a show.
If rebellion is more your thing, that same night over in Millvale you can find Anti-Flag. If any local band has successfully broken through on the national level in recent years, this is it, so I don't think they really need the publicity from a little site like mine. But regardless, they're sweet, so as long as Small's can get its soundboard in order for this one, the show should be great.
Another couple weeks go by and Beware Fashionable Women will play Southminster Coffee House out in the South Hills. These guys have been a bit under the radar, so this could be a breakout year for them. They have a solid album out which is not afraid to meander among genres. On early listens a few tracks sounded a bit Phishy to me (not a bad thing), but on further review it really opened up, and now I'm not even sure where I got that first impression. It has several great tracks, but one great track which is not on that album--"He's a Boy"--is currently available for free download at their MySpace page. Give it a listen. And keep your eye on them this year. I will, too.
Then, come March, we get a "double-whammy" of sorts: Lohio and Emily Rodgers team up for a double-bill at Calliope Center Stage. On the one hand, this is an event to benefit the Carnegie Libraries. That's cool, yes? On the other hand, this is an intimate venue which was very nicely renovated and is a great place to hear/see live music. Also cool. And if you had a third hand (and maybe you do for all I know), then on it you would see one of the city's most solidly respected young bands and one of our most promising songwriters. What I'm trying to say is, you really can't go wrong. So don't. (Don't go wrong, that is.) (But do go to the show.)
So where am I going with this, besides one glass deeper into a nice, chilled, inexpensive white wine blend? I guess we'll see in the coming weeks as I perhaps continue this potentially quasi-regular series on local music and ideally focus on that Pittsburgh facet of this weblog.
Meanwhile, there are a ton of other good shows creeping up on the calendar this winter and spring. So support a local venue if not local musicians, and resolve to go see some live music early on in 2010. It's good for the soul, I think.
