CoMusic Review: Photos from Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin on The Missouri Theatre Center for The Arts patio

May 3, 2012 By 2 Comments

That may be a record setting post title. Maybe I should have gone with SSLYBY @ The MO Theatre. After a late night of thesis writing in the coffee shop Tuesday, I just happened to see the show advertised on the theater marquee as I walked past. I didn’t even know the theater had a patio, so the fact they were holding a show on it definitely intrigued me. It didn’t hurt that I think SSLYBY is one of the most underrated bands performing today (ignore the fact that their debut Broom was the love child of just about every music blog except Pitchfork).

SSLYBY played well, plus had a strong showing of super fans standing in front, singing along with every song. Unfortunately, the mix was way off and even with the extra help the vocals were muddy and sometimes absent. John Robert Cardwell and Phillip Dickey often trade vocals or interweave them throughout a song. Since the mic at the drum set was turned down so low, it seemed like one singer was giving the silent treatment to the other. Plus, the patio’s geometry really lends itself better to a wine and cheese function with a jazz band than a crowded rock show. But for what it’s worth, SSLYBY played well, the crowd was into it, and it’s hard to beat a night of music with your friends under the warm Missouri sky.

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Photos from Mission of Burma at Mojo’s

April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Mission of Burma brought their post-punk act to Columbia last night with a stop at Mojo’s. The Riverfront Times music blog indicates that prior to this tour, Mission of Burma’s sole Missouri performance was at Mizzou’s Springfest in 2004. That’s a rather unflattering statistic for our state since the band has trekked across the states on a number of tours over the three and a half decades of its existence (granted, the band was on hiatus for 20 years). I expected a large crowd to come out for such a widely respected group, but there was actually plenty of breathing room inside Mojo’s. Perhaps that should be expected when a late 70s-era punk band plays a college town. After all, Mizzou freshman were only 9 years old when Mission of Burma reached their second peak in popularity after their reformation in 2002.

 

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Photos from Band of Skulls at Adult Swim Carnival Tour

April 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Adult Swim Carnival Tour came to Columbia last night. The event was just about what you would expect from Cartoon Network’s night late programming block: weird and wonderful. Add in popular UK group Band of Skulls and make it all free, and you’ve got a really fun night. Shakespeare’s parking lot made the transition to carnival midway throughout Thursday. By mid-afternoon a giant inflatable Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force had been erected atop Shakespeare’s. The carnival featured classic games such as Balloonacorn, Flunko, University of China, IL wheel, and Smack Up My Ulna. Despite all the distractions, the crowd was attentive throughout Band of Skulls’ set. The band rewarded the crowd with a set that extended 20 minutes past their scheduled time.

 

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Photos from White Rabbits at The Blue Note

April 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

White Rabbits formed in Columbia in 2004, but soon moved to Brooklyn. They quickly rose to national prominence with their debut album Fort Nightly, appearing on Letterman soon after the album was released. The group returned to Columbia last night, a few years and two more albums under their belt. Gull opened for White Rabbits. Gull is an interesting project with a major contradiction. It is a one-man band, yet has the sound and aura of a tribe. The consistently great Believer’s also opened the show.

Gull

 

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Photos from Dr. Dog at The Blue Note

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Dr. Dog paid a visit to Columbia last night. They were last in town four long years ago. Back in 2007, they played Mojo’s and an in-store at Slackers during a tour with What Made Milwaukee Famous (incidentally, this photographer caught that tour in St. Louis at the Creepy Crawl). They played Mojo’s again in 2008. It seems time has treated the good doctor well, because now they’re playing a near-capacity Blue Note. This show must have sold very well, because the big barricade was up near the stage, a rarity at The Blue Note.

I’ve seen Dr. Dog a number of times before, including an opening slot for The Black Keys. This is the best show I’ve seen from them. In part it was probably due to the silly stage decorations that included multiple tiger heads and fireplaces and better lighting. The crowd interaction was almost nil, save for an extended staredown by the bassist Toby during “Fate.” Still, energy was high and the music sounded great. Dr. Dog has left their lo-fi origins far behind. The set included a number of cuts from the band’s excellent recent effort Be The Void. Scroll to the bottom for a full setlist.

Givers opened the show. I’ll admit, I knew nothing about them, but I liked what I heard. One of my friends realized he knew two of their songs without actually knowing the band. He claimed that he heard them on a Minnesota radio station, but it turns out it was probably from the Fifa 2012 video game soundtrack.

 Givers

Dr. Dog Setlist:

That Old Black Hole
Stranger
The Breeze
The Ark
Do The Trick
Lonesome
Shadow People
Hang On
I Only Wear Blue
Someday
The Rabbit, The Bat, and The Reindeer
These Days
Heavy Light
Fate
The Old Days
Shame, Shame

Encore (This is from a previous show. Any ideas if it’s correct?):
The Way the Lazy Do
Vampire
My Friend
Jackie Wants a Black Eye
Heart It Races (Architecture in Helsinki cover)

All photos by Benjamin Gross

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Photos from Twin Sister at Mojo’s

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Twin Sister often get thrown in with the “Chillwave” group, but their set last night at Mojo’s didn’t exactly add credence to that label. Their performance often strayed into ambient territory, including an extended jam at the end that lead singer Andrea Estella watched from the crowd with a Blue Moon in hand. Ava Luna was a real pleasure to hear. There a strong funk and soul influence running through their music. The crowd dug it. Neatly Knotted also opened.

Ava Luna

Photos by Benjamin Gross

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Believers at Mojo’s

February 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Despite the chill in the air Friday night, Believers kept the fire roaring at Mojo’s with their raucous brand of danceable, indie afrobeat. It’s something to create tropic levels of heat and humidity from some amps and dueling drum kits, but believe me when I tell you that Believers burned that mother down. Clothes were lost. The hippies smelled worse than ever. Mojo’s is no longer standing*. Believers brought the heat and burned the place to the ground.

And it really was an inferno in that narrow hallway they call a rock venue. Hipsters removed their hands from their pockets and began to dance. Drinks were flowing. The band built the energy with their tribal beats and soothed us all to sleep with their sweet vocals. It’s Sunday night and the soft echoes of that fantastic set still linger.

Believe me when I tell you that Believers are the best band in town. We may not have them around for long as lives and situations change. Few bands last in CoMo as young people have to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. So, get out there and see them soon. Believers are set to play the Saturday showcase at True/False next month. Don’t miss out on a chance to see them before they’re gone.

It’s hard to find a band that continually builds great new material while maintaining what is a completely engaging set. Despite the heat in the building, fans were treated to a fantastically wild show. We were all hot messes, prepared to enter the cold of the night with the flames of Mojo’s to keep us warm. I can’t wait for True/False…

Kansans Spirit Is the Spirit played just before Believers, filling that echo void normally held down by the headliner. They paired well with the closers but brought something sounding more of pastoral plains, like they were from Kansas or something.

Fliight opened on the floor in front of the stage. Loads of feedback and echoes filled the hall as Fliight worked through what had plenty of blues and country inspiration set over sonic landscapes… It sounded like psychedelic horseshit to me. I don’t mean the Columbus, OH shitgaze band. I’m using the phrase as a term of endearment and as a descriptor. I look forward to hearing more (with less vocals).

 

Spirit is The Spirit

*Mojo’s did not actually burn down.

Photos by Benjamin Gross

Words by Zac Early

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Supersuckers at Mojo’s

February 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Supersuckers and The Spittin’ Cobras provided one of the most entertaining shows of the year last night at Mojo’s. Following the hilariously named Abominable Showmen, Spittin’ Cobras worked hard to engage the crowd. Lead singer Alx Karchevsky roamed the front half of Mojo’s with the assistance of his personal mic cable jockey. He ventured all the way to the top of the bar, which I’m sure is a feat not repeated often here. At one point Alx harassed a young female who was texting near the stage. The best moment, however, was when he made a loop around the 20 or so fans standing 15 feet away from the stage, then corralled them together with an improvised mic cable lasso. He pulled them up to the stage front before releasing them. Add in a cover of Rainbow’s Long Live Rock and Roll and it made for a very amusing set.

Supersuckers’ set was tame in comparison to The Spittin’ Cobras, but make no mistake, this is rock and roll. Half of the band members wore dark sunglasses, despite the nearly dungeon-like lighting of Mojo’s. The occasional synchronized steps and hops were unexpected. The guitarists’ matching golden Gibsons were unusual as well. The rock came in the form of the sign of the devil (flashed numerous times), a prominent “666″  plastered onto the bass amp, and pure volume.

Supersuckers

The Spittin’ Cobras

All photos by Benjamin Gross

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Photos from Badfish at The Blue Note

February 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Last night, Badfish once again brought their popular Sublime tribute to Columbia. There’s no denying this group’s appeal. They seem to roll through Columbia at least once a year and always draw a strong, enthusiastic crowd. The CoMo collective was there and brought back these pictures. Full Service opened.

Full Service

All photos by Benjamin Gross

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

CoMusic Review: Photos from Walk The Moon at Mojo’s

November 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Walk The Moon brought their high energy act to Mojo’s last night. This is a band that effortlessly engages a crowd. Endless smiles bounced from the performers to their dancing fans to right back up on stage. Walk The Moon was last at Mojo’s in March performing with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and Reptar. They’ve been touring extensively since then, despite taking some time off to record their second album. Guitarist Eli Maiman said the new album would likely be released in March on their new label RCA. Eli also commented on how RCA parent company Sony Music has a building in New York that resembles the Death Star. Signing to a major label hasn’t had much of an affect on the band, yet; they still asked the crowd for a place to crash last night (a whole group of people were competing to host them).

I’m not sure why everyone has their eyes closed in the pictures I’m posting. Their eyes were definitely quite open and bright throughout the show. Kopecky Family Band opened the show. The band featured cello, accordion, glockenspiel, synth, and of course the requisite guitar, bass, and drums. I was impressed with the collection of multi-instrumentalists on stage. Aside from the expressive vocals from the lead singer, their sound seemed intentionally restrained with an attentiveness for the craft.

Filed Under: CoMo Arts and Music, CoMusic, CoMusic Review Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Posts