Dashboard Confessional: Ram's Head Live 9/28/07

Forgive me, but I'm skipping the opening acts from this show. Kristen had a birthday this past week, and we also had a death in my family, so we've had mixed emotions the last few days. It was nice to get out on Friday evening after dealing with our personal tragedy to enjoy a show.

Dashboard Confessional kicked off an anticipated solo tour last Friday at Ram's Head Live! in support of a new album, The Shade of Poison Trees, out tomorrow on Vagrant Records. After a first listen, the record definitely puts aside the full-on band style of Dusk and Summer, but lacks the emotion of Swiss Army Romance and other earlier DC albums.

Changing guitars like Christina Aguilera changes wardrobe, Carrabba blasted through songs from his entire catalogue, inspiring sing-along and screaming amongst members of the crowd on songs like "Screaming Infidelities" and the obvious "Vindicated" and "Hands Down" (admittedly my favorite Dashboard song). However this night's crowd was relatively clueless on lesser-knowns including "Carry This Picture".



Speaking of clueless, apparently $31.00 for a ticket isn't enough to cause a room full of Gen-Y kids to shut their mouths and listen to the music. As with the Regina Spektor show last week, it was a battle to hear the music over the chatter of the crowd. Only after forging our way into the middle of the floor were we able to hear reasonably. Note to Ram's Head Live! management, turn it up!

As with any Dashboard Confessional show, it was 50% Chris Carrabba, 50% crowd singing. One member of my party may have suffered a punctured eardrum from the screaming boy behind her. Partly because of easy-to-remember songs, part because of a rabid fanbase, there exists a sense of community among Dashboard fans as they belt out their favorite songs with their icon. The only downside? The burning screams of Chris Carrabba were turned over to the crowd instead of coming from the author himself.

Launching from "The Best Deceptions" to the new song "Thick As Thieves" around to "Again I Go Unnoticed" and "So Long, So Long", Carrabba shared songs in a much more intimate performance as a solo player than recent tours with his band. This comes as a real pleasure to my inner circle which has made many jokes about the rock star persona of Chris Carrabba and a certain violinist in the band.

A solid performance by Carrabba overall is undermined by a sense of complacency. New songs like "Where There's Gold . . ." (following that ellipses is the lyric "there's a gold-digger.") seem to reach for straws of anguish to spawn new material rather than the agony of the scathing "Turpentine Chaser" or, even better, "This Bitter Pill".

Sorry, Chris, but I liked you better when you were shy and put upon.

September 19, 2007: Regina Spektor with Only Son at Ram's Head Live!

Any Given Tuesday last saw Only Son and Regina Spektor at Sonar in November of 2006 (read the review here). While this last week's show Ram's Head Live! didn't mesmerize the author as much as the previous, the sound was 178% better. It would have been 200%, but the girl who sounded (but unfortunately did not look) like a contestant from Beauty and the Geek took some points off.

Only Son started out with a few acoustic songs before launching into his popular iPod band set (an iPod plugged into the sound system plays the backing tracks while Only Son sings and plays guitar). Fun, yes, but after touring once with Regina Spektor, hasn't this guy learned that he has to introduce himself to the crowd a couple times? I kept overhearing people asking, "Who is this guy?" Trust me, Jack, people aren't that bright.

As for Regina, what is there to say that hasn't been said before? A charming woman, a captivating performer. Her voice is masterful and unique, employing beat boxing, unusual forms of percussion, and a perfect blend of imperfection and poise. With recent favorites such as "Fidelity" and "On The Radio" balanced by older ones such as "Us" and (a personal favorite) "Ghost of Corporate Future", Spektor masterminds the art of pleasing old and new fans alike without screaming sell-out.

The intimacy wasn't as palpable at Ram's Head Live! as Sonar, causing concern that Spektor can't satisfy a venue any bigger than this, but for her most forgiving fans, any proximity to her charm and character should suffice.

Dashboard Confessional Solo Tour

Dashboard Confessional solo again? You bet:



09/14 - Rochester, MI - O'Rena Athletic Complex

09/28 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live!

09/29 - Nofolk, VA - Norva

09/30 - Raleigh, NC - Meymanid Concert Hall

10/02 - Atlanta, GA - Center Stage

10/03 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium

10/05 - Orlando, FL - House Of Blues

10/08 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa

10/09 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live

10/10 - Dallas, TX - Palladium

10/12 - Las Vegas, NV - House Of Blues

10/13 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre

10/14 - San Diego, CA - SOMA

10/16 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre

10/17 - Los Angeles, CA - Orpheum Theatre

10/19 - San Francisco, CA _ Warfiled

10/20 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom

10/25 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre

10/16 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater

10/29 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues

10/30 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues

11/01 - Toronto, ON - Kool Haus

11/02 - Pontiac, MI - Clutch Cargo's

11/03 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall

11/05 - New York, NY - Webster Hall

11/06 - New York, NY - Highline Ballroom

11/08 - Worcester, MA - Palladium

11/09 - Worcester, MA - Palladium

11/10 - Atlantic City, NJ - House Of Blues

11/12 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory

11/13 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory

11/14 - New York, NY - Blender Theater At Gramercy

I tried to buy tickets for Ram's Head Live!, but it says they are not available, nor is the show listed on the RHL site. Tickets abound for the Electric Factory shows.

Other shows to see at Ram's Head Live! in the future:

Feist - September 11

Kings of Leon w/ Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - October 3

Album Review: The Cat Empire - Two Shoes

The Cat Empire are from Melbourne, Australia where they have gone double platinum on two occasions. Their latest, Two Shoes, is their bid to take the United States by storm. If you are a fan of late-night television, you may have already heard the band.

Released in 2005 in AU (and certified double platinum), the album hit the States this year. Two Shoes was recorded in Havana, Cuba in the same studio as the Buena Vista Social Club album. Apparently the Buena Vista spirit found its way onto the album, as this record exhibits a Latin influence unseen on prior releases, courtesy of session musicians billed as the Empire Horns. The band's standard-issue jazz, hip hop, funk, ska, and rock hodgepodge remains true, so early adopters of The Cat Empire need not worry about the band losing their crown.

On the title track, reggae vocals give way to salsa horns and a gypsy chorus. The joyous conviviality of "Two Shoes" gives way to the military metaphor of "The Chariot", which in turn is flanked on its opposite side by "Sol y Sombra". By its name, this song is The Cat Empire's homage to their host country while recording Two Shoes.

"Sly" is a romping track that blends the Blues Brothers with callback vocals and handclaps over lyrics about a girl's dancing skills (incidentally, a girl who became one of the band member's girlfriends). A band that got to support James Brown on tour before his death, The Cat Empire have enjoyed much success in their home land, ironically dismissed on "The Car Song", where Harry Angus runs into an old high school mate who is enjoying much success of his own. Whether The Cat Empire will break into the American scene remains to be determined. Their very eclectic sound can be viewed as either uniquely blending a broad base of influences or wildly mixing sounds into a scatterbrained pile. Either way, The Cat Empire are not afraid to mix and match different sounds from the world as they embark on a US tour. Rumor has it that the band should really be revered for their live set, which Any Given Tuesday will get to see on July 27 at Ram's Head Live!. Stay tuned for that!

Your 60-Day Window of Shows: 6/28-8/25

JUNE
6/28 The Fray, OK Go, Mae @ 9:30 Club
6/30 The Polyphonic Spree @ 9:30 Club
6/30 Rodrigo Y Gabriela @ Rams Head Live

JULY
7/1 Robbers on High Street, The Redwalls @ Ottobar
7/3 Morrissey @ Rams Head Live
7/5 The Fiery Furnaces, dios(malos) @ Black Cat
7/7 Tortoise @ Black Cat
7/8 Built to Spill @ 9:30 Club
7/8 Chromeo, Flosstradamus @ Sonar
7/10 Mickey Avalon @ Sonar
7/11 Pela @ Black Cat
7/17 Dirty On Purpose, The Besnard Lakes @ Black Cat
7/20 Violent Femmes @ Power Plant Live
7/21 Deerhunter, Battles, Singer @ Ottobar
7/23 The Ponys @ Black Cat
7/23 Marnie Stern @ Ottobar
7/24 Marnie Stern @ Rock and Roll Hotel
7/25 James Morrison, Ben Folds @ Verizon Center
7/26 Great Northern @ Black Cat
7/27 Paid Dues International Hip Hop Festival: Brother Ali, Hangar 18, Sage Francis, Mr. Lif, Living Legends and more @ Pier Six Pavilion
7/28 The White Stripes @ The Patriot Center
7/30 The Polyphonic Spree, Jessica Hoop @ 9:30 Club

AUGUST
8/2 Fiona Apple @ Pier Six Pavilion
8/4 Virgin Festival @ Pimlico Race Track
8/7 Ra Ra Riot, Tokyo Police Club @ Black Cat
8/8 My Brightest Diamond, Rasputina @ Ottobar
8/8 Blonde Redhead, Beach House @ Rams Head Live
8/8 Ra Ra Riot, Tokyo Police Club @ Sonar
8/11 The Cribs @ Black Cat
8/16 Neko Case @ 9:30 Club
8/21 Wolf Parade, Octopus Project @ Black Cat
8/21 Camera Obscura @ Sonar
8/22 Octopus Project, Stereo Total @ Ottobar
8/25 Limbeck, The Format @ 9:30Club

Lamb of God, Hatebreed Tour Dates (side dates on Ozzfest tour)

Lamb of God and Hatebreed will be playing twenty off-Ozzfest dates this summer, with Behemoth and 3 Inches of Blood supporting:

7/13 Vancouver, BC @ Croatian Cultural Center
7/15 Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theatre
7/16 Sparks, NV @ New Oasis
7/20 Bakersfield, CA @ Stramler Park (Outdoors)
7/22 San Diego, CA @ Soma
7/23 Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
7/27 Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theatre
7/29 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion
8/1 Houston, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
8/3 Lubbock, TX @ Lonestar Events Center
8/5 Dallas, TX @ Clear Channel Metroplex
8/13 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
8/17 Niagara Falls, NY @ The Dome Theater
8/19 Johnson City, NY @ Magic City Music Hall
8/23 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live! (tix on sale tomorrow 5/19)
8/25 Toronto, ONT @ Kool Haus
8/29 Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
8/31 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
9/1 North Charleston, SC @ The Plex
9/2 Richmond, VA @ Toad's Place

See Any Given Tuesday's review of Hatebreed's last visit to Baltimore here.

Filter Magazine's Show Picks For April, May, and June

Here is a short list of upcoming shows at the better small venues in the area, courtesy of Filter Magazine:

APRIL
4/17 The Graduate, The Fold @ Ottobar
4/17 Ratatat, The Books, Despot @ 9:30 Club
4/18-19 TV on the Radio, Noisettes @ 9:30 Club
4/18 Ozomatli @ Sonar
4/19 Richard Swift and the Sons of National Freedom Page France @ Black Cat
4/20 Rodrigo Y Gabriella @ Grosvenor Auditorium
4/21 Hot Chip, Clipse @ 9:30 Club
4/21 Brand New, Kevin Devine, Manchester Orchestra @ Rams Head Live
4/21 Spoon @ Sonar
4/21 Stars of Track & Field, Joseph Arthur and The Lonely Astronauts @ Sonar
4/23 M. Ward, Norah Jones @ DAR Constitution Hall
4/25 Wolfmother @ 9:30 Club
4/26 The Frames @ 9:30 Club
4/29 Constantines @ 9:30 Club
3/29 Deerhunter, Pterodactyl @ Rock and Roll Hotel
4/30 Peter Bjorn and John, Fujiya & Miyagi, Au Revoir Simone @ 9:30 Club

MAY
5/4 The Arcade Fire @ DAR Constitution Hall
5/6 Blonde Redhead @ 9:30 Club
5/8 The Clientele, Beach House @ Black Cat
5/8 Young Love, Under the Influence of Giants @ Ottobar
5/9 Kate Havnevik, Air @ 9:30 Club
5/9 Cornelius @ Sonar
5/10 Ben Gibbard, David Bazan @ 9:30 Club
5/11 The Album Leaf @ Rock and Roll Hotel
5/11 The Greyboy Allstars @ Rams Head Live!
5/12 Silversun Pickups v@ WWDC Radio Show
5/12 Illinois, The Kooks @ 9:30 Club
5/12 Dr. Dog @ Rock and Roll Hotel
5/12 Elvis Costello @ Rams Head Live
5/13 Silversun Pickups, Sea Wolf @ Recher Theatre
5/13 LCD Soundsystem @ 9:30 Club
5/14 !!! @ 9:30 Club
5/16 Artic Monkeys, Be Your Own Pet @ 9:30 Club
5/17 Mando Diao, Pop Levi, The Films @ Black Cat
5/18 Elvis Costello @ 9:30 Club
5/20 Andrew Bird @ 9:30 Club
5/20 Pretty Girls Make Graves, Moonrat @ Black Cat
5/21 Stars of Track and Field, Joseph Arthur and The Lonely Astronauts @ 9:30 Club
5/22 The Rosebuds @ Rock and Roll Hotel
5/23 Cursive, Mastodon, Against Me! @ Sonar
5/25 Damien Rice @ DAR Constitution Hall
5/27 Mice Parade @ Rock and Roll Hotel
5/28 Lily Allen @ Sonar
5/29 Keane, Rocco DeLuca & The Burden @ 9:30 Club
5/30 Sage Francis, Buck 65 @ Ottobar
5/31 Sage Francis, Buck 65 @ Rock and Roll Hotel

JUNE
6/2 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ 9:30 Club
6/8 EL-P @ 9:30 Club
6/9 Califone, Bitter Tears @ Rock and Roll Hotel
6/10 Architecture in Helsinki @ 9:30 Club
6/20 The National @ 9:30 Club

Speaking Of Mike Patton: Peeping Tom Tour Dates

As Mike Patton and Norah Jones celebrate her awesome album sales today, here are Peeping Tom's tour dates for Spring 2007 (Rahzel will be joining Patton on this tour):

Mar. 30, 2007 Dallas, TX Granada Theatre
Mar. 31, 2007 Austin, TX Emo's
Apr. 2, 2007 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Apr. 4, 2007 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
Apr. 5, 2007 Carborro, NC Cat's Cradle
Apr. 6, 2007 Baltimore, MD Ram's Head Live!
Apr. 7, 2007 Philadelphia, PA Theater of Living Arts
Apr. 9, 2007 New York, NY Irving Plaza
Apr. 10, 2007 Boston, MA Paradise
Apr. 11, 2007 Montreal, QC Spectrum
Apr. 12, 2007 Toronto, ON Phoenix
Apr. 14, 2007 Cleveland, OH Agora
Apr. 15, 2007 Chicago, IL Park West
Apr. 16, 2007 Minneapolis, MN Trocadero
Apr. 18, 2007 Denver, CO Gothic
Apr. 19, 2007 Salt Lake City, UT Depot
Apr. 21, 2007 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
Apr. 22, 2007 Vancouver, BC Commodore
Apr. 23, 2007 Seattle, WA Showbox
Apr. 25, 2007 San Francisco, CA Fillmore
Apr. 27, 2007 Indio, CA Coachella Festival

You might steal the Raveonettes from us, Boston, but you have to share Mike Patton!

Concert Review: Killswitch Engage, Hatebreed, Bury Your Dead, 2 Cents at Rams Head Live!, 12/15/06

As slick and well-designed as Rams Head Live! is, you can't really end up in a bad location for a show there. The place is only two years old, has nice bars, flat screen TVs all around, and bathroom attendants. Yes, I went to a hardcore show and had a man pump soap into my hand and offer me a spritz of Drakkar (OK, the Drakkar reference belongs to my dear friend who yet remains unnamed as this individual has not consented to my use of her name, even with prior request herein, indicating she has much in common with most of the world, as she must not have read that post).

2 Cents features a singing drummer. I tend to consider that a laughable situation, since the singer then becomes attached to his instrument and can't really move. The singer's stage persona is 100% bogarted from Jack Black, sharing JB's cadence and with his typical petty commentary and inane teenage-minded humor, not to mention the lack of respect for women. The performance was surprising, if only because it relieved the audience's having to listen to the singing drummer speak. The lead guitarist displayed some fancy fingers as he channeled Metallica's Kirk Hammett with blazing solo work. Not at all bad for an opening band, 2 Cents set the show off right so long as they played and didn't let the singer speak.

Bury Your Dead followed up with a crushing set including material from the current and previous albums (the latter of which featured songs named after various Tom Cruise films), and showed why they were so loved on the Family Values Tour this past summer. Bury Your Dead doesn't write complex songs (listen to the bonus track on Cover Your Tracks in which a chugging riff complements the vocal repetition of the band's name with an F-bomb thrown in for flavor), they write tough-guy hardcore. Dropped tuning, power chords, and screaming are the lot of their skill set. But live performances of "Mission: Impossible", "Top Gun" and "Magnolia" explain how this is a band best seen live than heard on CD, even with the poor behavior of throwing full bottles of water into the audience and spraying mouthfuls of beverage into the crowd. As I said, tough-guy hardcore. The singer is especially demanding on stage, jumping on top of half-stack amps and climbing the metalwork of Rams Head to join the balcony audience before dismounting to crowd-surf.

My most anticipated performance of the night was Hatebreed, who joined the tour after Shadows Fall dropped off to finish recording their forthcoming album. Hatebreed tours relentlessly, and as soon as this current tour ends, they will begin their own headlining tour which stops at 9:30 Club on December 26. After adding an additional guitarist (hardcore hero Franky "Three-Gun" Novinec, who sported a GG Allin t-shirt on this particular evening) this year, Hatebreed's sound has become even harder, and their live show even more bone-crushing. Material spanned the Hatebreed catalogue, from Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire's "Before Dishonor" as well as a healthy serving of Perseverance, The Rise Of Brutality and plenty of Supremacy, including "Destroy Everything" which is one to really amp up the crowd. Hatebreed's infectuous love for the genre and the scene make them one of the best bands to see, even if Jamey Jasta's deceptively positive lyrics (which have become somewhat less inspired on the most recent album) don't strike up the artistic stroke most critics seek. An instrumental onslaught, championed by Jasta's solid vocals, and cornerstoned by a commendable work ethic make Hatebreed one of my favorite live bands.

As for the headliner, Killswitch Engage, they are much more technical than their tourmates, but don't carry the same weight that other bands in their scene do. Their songs are much more accessible, because even with the death-metal vocals, they include melodic and anthemic choruses and pop influence that draws a cross-over audience. Cape-sporting guitarists aside, Killswitch makes more critically impressive music, and are poised for an even more popular breakout with their new album As Daylight Dies, but somehow lack the progressive metal reputation they've developed, and strike as less metalcore than crossover metal with their aforementioned anthemic choruses as well as breakdown bridges. Definitely a tight, respectable live performance, but less energy on this night than Bury Your Dead and Hatebreed.