The Helio Sequence - Maxwell's - Hoboken 5-18-08

I went, I saw, I was amazed. First off after a not so restful weekend I actually toyed with the idea of not going. Going to bed early really was looking inviting BUT I knew if I didn't go I would be beating myself up for weeks. So I leave Connecticut a bit later than I wanted to. The drive wasn't bad, no traffic etc. Got to the venue with about 10 min to spare. The band was amazing...just two guys. They sounded phenomenal. I ended up watching the drummer alot, he's very good. I guess I'm sort of drawn to drummers since my father was one. I always like to look at their facial expressions etc.

Basically an amazing show, and if there are no issues that come up, my ass will be in Northamton, Mass on the 23rd to see them again.

If anyone has a chance to see these guys, GO! draft

The Helio Sequence

Nothing is more exciting to me than finding a new (in this case not so new) band.
I'm pretty new to the Indie/college scene so the last three years have just been very exciting. Thanks to Sirius Left of Center and my friend Mark - I've found new artists that are great and its very refreshing to finally after years and years have something new and good! STOP EVERYTHING.................The Helio Sequence...HOLY FUCK. That is all I'm saying. Have to give props to Left of Center - I had heard a track called "Keep Your Eyes Ahead". I kept hearing it, enough to where The Helio Sequence was scribbled on several yellow sticky notes in the bottom of my purse to look into, download, find whatever. I bought the album on Itunes last week, its not left my car, my computer at work, etc. I have shared it with two people so far.
I can't get enough. Track 2 - "Can't Say No" is great but then Track 3 comes in and that is great. I have to admit though, Track 6 - Title track of the Album "Keep Your Eyes Ahead" I have listened to that over and over again to where I think something might be wrong with me. I absolutely love finding a new artist/band that makes this much of an impression. Luckily I live in the NE and it just so happens they are playing in Hoboken, NJ on 5-18 and some place in Massachusetts 5-23 and because I'm the way I am....I'M GOING TO BOTH SHOWS and I'm so excited I'm about to explode.

So there is my music tidbit for the week. Listen to this CD IMMEDIATELY. And I also have to thank this band because if it weren't for them Vampire Weekend would still be in my cd player.

Misfits - Warsaw - Brooklyn, NY 4-18-2008

Normally I don't feel comfortable writing about bands I don't know much about but I have to say I was pretty impressed with my first experience (way too late in the game I realize) seeing the Misfits. Now going in you have to know I only know "Hybrid Moments" and "Last Caress". I wouldn't recognize anyone in the band, I know Glen Danzig was involved somehow and Samhain, Misfits and Danzig are all related, how who knows but I know those band names and they are mushed together some way. My good friend Jim tried to give me a history lesson in this but I have pretty much forgotten all the info he gave me.

So about the show...very loud, very fast, it seemed like they played so many songs, almost like a Ramones show. The sound was great but then it started going downhill. The mike screwed up several times in the beginning - once that was fixed it was ok for a while then started going downhill. Luckily it picked back up by the end. They also played Rise Above which was great.....so great that I thought my friend was going to explode in a slightly messy way.

All in all it was a great time and was very glad I went and have now added them to my concert resume.

Siouxsie Sioux - Irving Plaza - NYC - 2/9/08

Currently at work listening to Hyeana thinking I really should of written about the Siouxsie show already but I didn't get around to it. Anyways....god where to begin. First off the tickets were a little high but I didn't care. Of course I go into this thinking she is going to play all the old classic Siouxsie stuff - she didn't. I really didn't care though. By the end of the show I was so amazed at her performance and how she carried herself being what 50 now! Absolutely amazing. She did manage to play three old Siouxsie and the Banshees tracks pretty early on in the show. I remember typing the info in my phone while trying not to spill my vodka. The 4th, 5th and 6th songs were as follows - Dear Prudence, Hong Kong Garden and then NightShift. I can't even begin to describe the audience reaction when Hong Kong Garden started. I had seen Siouxsie and the Banshees twice before this, once in 1992 I believe and then on a Lollapalooza tour - not sure what year. I had also seen the Creatures but something about seeing just her - really just an all around good time and a great show.

Editors 1-17-08 Terminal 5 - NYC

Happy to announce I was on time for this show. I didn't miss half the set like last time. I went into this show completely excited...I could not wait for it to start. It was amazing - what can I say. Exactly what I expected. This next comment will throw some people off I'm sure but this band could be the next Coldplay in my opinion. I have to admit....I didn't give Coldplay a chance back when they first started. My friend Mark told me about them, in one ear....out the other. So like other bands....now they have quite the following - almost like another U2 or something. Even if Coldplay is not your thing, they are very talented and I consider them to be sort of a different type of music. Anyways...Got into Coldplay while seeing a live performance they did on SNL and thought it was the most amazing thing I had seen in a long time. To me Coldplay makes pretty music....That probably sounds stupid but that is the only way I can describe it. Anyway back to the Editors show - the place was packed with people just like myself. Eyes glued to them anxiously awaiting the next song. The way the lyrics blend so well with he music, parts of it are so pretty it can be very emotional. The show went by too fast, just great song after great song.

Massive Attack - Roseland Ballroom 10-05-06

I only have one Massive Attack cd - Mezzanine. I came across this with lets say a friend - we were doing adult things while we listened and he left it at my place. I'm happy to announce I still have this cd and have never given it back to him. I will have to remind him of that. I should thank him for Sneaker Pimps - Becoming X as well. Thanks! Back to the topic at hand, I was lucky enough to catch them in NYC on the night of their last show. I think they played 3 nights at Roseland http://www.roselandballroom.com/. It was great because they brought out Elizabeth Frasier of the Cocteau Twins to do some tracks. It was amazing to hear them live. I'm definetly glad I went.

Iggy and The Stooges 4-9-07

Little crowd participation in this one.

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Iggy Pop years ago at a some Promo Party at the Hard Rock in Dallas - I believe it was when Instinct came out. Regardless I manged to find a piece of paper to obtain an autograph, when he asked me my name, I only had to spell it once. I was rather impressed.

Here is a video I took with my digital camera on April 9th, 2007. Iggy and the Stooges played United Palace Theater. It's this really old church, pretty cool set-up. http://www.theunitedpalace.com /

My Pics for Best Albums 2007

Ok so yes I'm new at this blog shit and I'm sitting around thinking...well what the fuck am I supposed to talk about between shows right....so yes...here I go, another person with their faves from 2007. So here goes...

Hands down...no arguments.....THE SHINS - Wincing the Night Away

I have to give props (does anyone even say that anymore) to my amazing friend Mark who really steered me to the college/indie music scene, that and being addicted to Sirius Channel 26 - anyway. By the time this album came out I couldn't wait to listen to it. I got it a little early (lets leave it at that) and I was leaving songs on Mark's voicemail over 1800 miles away and we were already freaking out over it and emailing back and forth. This album from start to finish is great. I go through phases of where I just have it in my shitty cd player at work and just hit repeat and listen to it daily. I'll do this for weeks at a time. I put it away for a while and a month or so will go by and here I am..pulling it out again. In the car/ipod I listen to it. At home on Itunes, again the Shins. And forgive me for not knowing song titles anymore, only track numbers but #5 and #9....I can't even begin to describe how amazing these songs are.
Then came the show! So being new to the area...I go to shows solo a lot. Not everyone wants to go see what I do....other times I find myself with a good conert buddy, about half of the time. This show went on sale, I purposefully bought one ticket....I wanted to go and just soak it up and not have to talk or do anything. Sounds cunty I know but that night was about me and the show, thats it.


EDITORS - An End Has A Start

Great follow up album to their first release THE BACK ROOM. Another album I was really excited about getting. Love tracks #1 and #2.......oh #2...what a great great song.
So get this....I got tickets to see the Editors at Webster Hall. Now I have had a lot of experience with this venue. I get there at certain times and the main act has gone on early. I have gotten there early sometimes and I end up waiting. So for this show I was set on getting their early, I didn't want to miss one bit. A friend and I arrive at 9:45 thinking that would be plenty of time for the first two bands to be on and finished. I walk up the stairs and hear the band - yes my band, the only band I came to see that night. I ask the will call guy, oh how long have they been on? They went on at 9. Immediately my eyes started watering, that is how dissappointed in myself I was. This is how important this show meant to me and what happens, I miss 45 min of their set. I was literally sick to my stomach. Luckily they are playing in less than two weeks and I'm going and I will not be missing any of the set this time.

ARCADE FIRE - Neon Bible

One word - LIVE! If you have heard of these guys or don't know who the hell they are, JUST GO SEE A SHOW. Nothing else to talk about, end of story, no arguments.

Several others come to mind but these three were worth going on and on about.

Unfortunately High On Fire's new one didn't make my list.
Some of you, you know who you are, will find this amusing.



Arcade Fire 5-8-07 United Palace Theater