Thursday, March 29, 2007

Silversun Pickups - Up Close & Personal

Thursday, March 29, 2007: Newbury Comics on Newbury Street, Boston

One of the advantages of signing up for their newletter (and getting a free red nalgene water bottle in the process), Newbury Comics emailed that they were hosting an in-store appearance by the Silversun Pickups. I was truly ecstatic when I heard about this, because the night before (Wed, 3/28) I couldn't be in two places at once. While we were attending the Bloc Party festivities, another huge concert was being held just a few T stops away from our apt: Snow Patrol, with OK GO and Silversun Pickups at the Agganis Arena on Boston University's campus. Having heard that Snow Patrol was having another concert, I decided to opt out on this one having seen them at the Bank of America Pavillion just this past August, as well as OK GO just in December. But I didn't know that the Silversun Pickups would also be performing. But it all worked out in the end...

After an interesting start - getting on line, with less than ten people in front, and just before a ton of other folks lined up behind me; the chaos of the staff letting us in before the band was ready or did a soundcheck, meaning that the crowd that rushed in would somehow move to another part of the store in an orderly fashion and in the order that they came in?!; meeting some new friends with similar alt band tastes while waiting - I did make it to the front row, whipping out my big dslr. Brian Aubert, the lead singer, took one look at me and was like, whoa! you're going to be able to see my pores. And there was a moment when he rubbed/picked his nose, made a note of announcing what he just did, and thinking I snapped a photo, laughed and said that I will probably post the photo on youtube (a slight mispeak). I didn't take that photo btw - I'm not that kind of shooter.

Anyhoo, he encouraged everyone to ask questions and make song requests. He was a bit surprised when songs other than "Lazy Eye" were shouted out. After they did play "Lazy Eye" someone shouted "Lazy Eye!" and playing along, the band started the first few bars again before stopping.

After almost missing them completely and then getting front row view of an up close and personal show, I couldn't have asked for more. Also got a nice poster signed by all four members. I made some small chit chat with each of them as they signed. I told Brian that I had gone to the Bloc Party concert, having not getting tickets to their show. He asked how it was, and I told him it was pretty awesome. He said he knew some folks had gone to their concert and left right afterwards to go see Bloc Party, and I told him that both venues are a few T stops from each other. They all had really nice easy-going personalities.



guitarist-singer Brian Aubert



keyboardist Joe Lester, bassist Nikki Monninger & drummer Christopher Guanlao




short snippet of "Lazy Eye"



I almost forgot that there was a raffle among those at the store for the custom designed guitar shown above. With the relatively small number of people in the store, the odds were good. A young man, probably late teens, won and was truly flabbergasted.

It's a Bloc Party!

Wednesday, March 28th 2007 - Orpheum Theatre in Boston

Sorry for the lack of content, but I'm writing this quite a bit later...





Sebastien Grainger



Albert Hammond Jr.

is also a guitarist for The Strokes but is doing a solo tour until the spring. I only learned that fact after the concert, but since I really enjoyed the sound, I got myself a t-shirt. There was one fan who just couldn't contain himself, so he made his way to the stage and got on it. BUT the huge security folk literally had him grasping and clawing the stage as they pulled him by his legs back off the stage. He was relentless trying to get back on, and the security just pounced on him and dragged him away. A tall and lanky guy versus not-as-tall but 3 huge guys. Albert even took notice, saying to take it easy on the guy, who unfortunately couldn't enjoy the rest of the show.




Kele, the lead singer, was urging the crowd to go wild and crazy. For many of the shows we've been to, it seems the bands think Boston somehow has a reputation for having crazy concertgoers, but I still haven't seen it. Maybe it's just the venue. But at the very end, two young guys managed to break through to the stage, dance a bit on the side, and then approach Kele, who welcomed them at first, but when one of the guys put his arm around him, Kele shrugged it off.


Setlist:
Song For Clay
Positive Tension
Blue Light
Hunting For Witches
Waiting for the 7:18
Banquet
I Still Remember
This Modern Love
The Prayer
Uniform
So Here We Are
Like Eating Glass

Encore:
Sunday - (2 drum sets)
She's Hearing Voices
Pioneers
Helicopter

Monday, March 19, 2007

Happy St. Patrick's Day Parade

Sunday, March 18th, 2007 - South Boston

(There are some glitches and conversion fuzziness, but try to ignore them.)






Song: "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Happy Birthday, Maria!

Saturday, March 17th, 2007 : Jake Ivory's on Landsdowne Street

and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Green anyone?
























































and some opa!