Here’s one of several sets I captured at this year’s Westword Music Showcase–John Common over at Dazzle.  All the venues were pretty crowded (a good thing), and Dazzle was no exception.  Instead of hassling with a lot of gear, I clipped a pair of mics to a drink glass on the table and let ‘em roll.  The results weren’t bad, all things considered.

John Common and Friends
6.14.2008
Westword Music Showcase
Dazzle, Denver, CO

Source:  DPA 4060s (clipped to a drink glass) > battery box > M-Audio Microtrack 2 > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Turn Around
3. Don’t Need You
4. Go To Hell With Me
5. The Dreamers
6. Good Heart

Lineup:
John Common
Matt Gilliam
Jed Marrs
Jess Mefford

(And here’s a zipfile of the full show.)

Another Elf Power set for y’all…this time at Denver’s Hi-Dive on their way back east.

Elf Power
11.19.2008
Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Mix [Microtch Gefell M300's > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3] +
[SBD > Apogee Mini-Me > M-Audio Microtrack II] > WAV >
Mixing in Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. Owl Cut (White Flowers in the Sky)
2. Spiral Stairs
3. Quiver and Quake
4. Dream In Sound
5. Hole In My Shoe
6. The Demon’s Daughter
7. The New Mythology
8. Paralyzed
9. Fried Out >
10. The Everlasting Scream
11. Back To The Web
12. An Old Familiar Scene

A zipfile of the mp3s can be found here.
FLAC files are available here.

I was listening to Achille Lauro before work this morning, and before heading out the door, figured I’d quickly post a set for everyone to enjoy.

Achille Lauro
4.24.2008
The Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. unknown
2. Laredo
3. unknown
4. Dreams We Had
5. unknown
6. unknown

(Link to a zipfile of mp3s.)

Here’s another show from Ruby Isle, this time back on my home turf.  The Denver setlist was very similar to the one from Athens, but is highlighted by the addition of two songs from their elbo.ws cover project: “Shadow Falls” (Hello Blue Roses) and “Aly, Walk With Me” (The Raveonettes).

Ruby Isle
10.02.2008
Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtch Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro/Hey Hey Hey (aborted)
2. So Damn High
3. Blow Up
4. Shadow Falls *
5. How It Hurts
6. Night Shot
7. Aly, Walk With Me
8. Into The Black

Notes:
* = first time played

(Per usual, a single zipfile of the show is available here.)

In the spirit of posting more local acts, here’s a nice set from Action Packed Thrill Ride, when they opened for The Builders and the Butchers last month.  I don’t see any APTR shows on the calendar for November or December, but maybe a few will pop up before 2008 fades away.  (Lucas?)

Action Packed Thrill Ride
9.10.2008
Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtch Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Yours Truly
3. Something Tells Me
4. I’m A Sinner, You’re A Saint
5. Two Dreams
6. On My Way
7. unknown
8. unknown
9. unknown
10. Hug of War

(A single zipfile of the show via megaupload.)

I posted Hi-Dive sets from Dr. Dog and Delta Spirit a few weeks ago, and wanted to introduce the opening act of that evening, San Antonio’s Hacienda.  These guys were a great addition to the lineup, and their flavor of psych-pop fit in perfectly with the other two acts.

Their debut album, “Loud as the Night” (produced by Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach), just hit the streets in September.  To be honest, I didn’t have a chance to pick it up at the show, and have only listened to the myspace tracks.  But based on the live set in Denver, I’m looking forward to checking it out!

Hacienda
9.27.2008
Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtch Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. unknown
2. unknown
3. Shake Ya
4. Officer
5. Useless and Tired
6. Hear Me Crying
7. Angela
8. Sun
9. Little Girl
10. Baby Don’t Go
11. She’s Got a Hold On Me
12. unknown
13. unknown
14. unknown

(And as always, the link to a zipfile of the show.)

(Photo courtesy of Cable and Tweed)

On the last day of PopFest, you’d think that everyone would have succumbed to fatigue and taken a break from the evening sets at Flicker for a nap.  Not the case:  Just before Oh Fortuna took the stage, the room was packed to capacity.  I’m not sure where the hype came from (maybe from their 40-Watt performance in April), but it was well-warranted.

Easily among my top-ten experiences from the festival, all 7-8 members, decked out in colorful psychedelic garb (insert Polyphonic Spree reference here) picked up their guitars, synths, and horns, proceeding into a powerful set of “dance music”.  They had the entire room jumping about, dancing on folding chairs, clapping along, and breaking out the tambourines.  (Remember, this is PopFest…getting the crowd to do anything other than bob their heads takes a miracle!)

Their 3-song demo, “Whales” has been getting constant rotation on my iPod.  Hopefully we’ll see a full length release in the near future.

Oh Fortuna
8.16.2008
Athens Popfest, Flicker Theatre, Athens, GA

Source:  DPA 4060’s > battery-box > Microtrack II > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. ?
2. Bodies Broken
3. Billie Holiday
4. Love Tester
5. Might Mountain
6. ?

(Here’s a zipfile of the full set via megaupload.)

The Gainesville scene had strong presence at PopFest this year, with at least four bands that I know of representing.  The following two acts, Nervous Systems and Oh Sanders, played back-to-back on Wednesday.

Nervous Systems were an aptly named band on this occasion.  The entire set was a collection of high-strung tunes (none longer than two minutes), without any banter whatsoever.  Maybe the band really was a bit nervous, or maybe it’s just part of the act.  Either way, don’t let the hard edge fool you–underneath this maniacal pace is a set of catchy, repetitious lyrics that will have you singing along:

“So shut up, so shut up.  I can’t understand the words that you’re saying to me.  I can’t comprehend the language you’re speaking.” (Mondegreen)
“I realize that sometimes that sometimes I am a verb. I realize that sometimes that sometimes I am a verb.” ” (Sometimes I Am A Verb)

I haven’t run across any details about an album, but they’re supposedly involved with Obscurist Press, who is responsible for putting out records by a number of Gainesville acts.  Anyone have details?  Hopefully we’ll be hearing more from these guys in the future.

Nervous Systems - 8.13.2008
Athens Popfest, Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > CoolEdit Pro > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist::
1. All True Believers
2. Soft Weapons
3. Mondegreen
4. Good Luck
5. Sound Effect
6. Sleeping Arrangements
7. Mnemonic Device
8. Sometimes I Am A Verb

Oh Sanders was a favorite for me on this particular afternoon.  Dan had recently returned from Mongolia. This performance was the band’s first in a few months, but they didn’t miss a beat.  Stella’s personal lyrics left me reminiscing about college days past…and wanting to go for an afternoon jog…and take someone to the zoo…   Their first full-length has just been released on HHBTM, and will be christened with a show at The Atlantic on September 6th.

On a side note, Dan had a scrabble table set up for most of the day, challenging the crowd to beat him and win a copy of the new CD.  While I didn’t have the grit to take him on, I now have the option of listening during the downtime on my tapes and expanding my vocabulary.  Thanks!  :)

Oh Sanders - 8.13.2008
Athens Popfest, Little Kings Shuffle Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 >
Firewire > CoolEdit Pro > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. You Should Have Been Nicer
2. Below the Radar
3. The State of Disorder
4. Underwater Voyeur
5. Season for Sleeping
6. The Concrete That Surrounds Us
7. Conspiracy to Commit Arson

I have a confession to make.  Before this set, I had never listened to a single Music Tapes composition.  Yes, seeing Julian Koster, Scott Spillane, and the rest of the E6 crew on stage was phenomenal.  Yes, the singing saw is an interesting curiosity.  Yes, the march of several hundred kazoo players down Hancock at 2 a.m. was a surreal experience.  Yet I got the feeling many in the near-capacity 40 Watt crowd that night were there due to the band members themselves, and not the music they were making.  (This was evidenced by the constant chatter during Julian’s solo tunes on the banjo.)

Yet, after the show, several friends were making comments along the lines of “best musical experience of my life”.  This left me thinking, “I must have missed something”, so I dutifully picked up a vinyl copy of Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes, released this week.  After a few private listenings to both this and the live set, I finally understand what they hype is about.  These lonely yet powerful melodies run in circles and play games with your personality, leaving you happily content and in a state of melancholy, all at the same time.  Go grab up a copy from Merge or your local record store now!  You won’t be disappointed.

Here’s the show in all of it’s chaotic glory.  Several songs are unreleased, so I made a guess at the titles.  (Also, Yetter is planning to add the audio to his video capture.  Keep an eye on the E6 boards for details.)

The Music Tapes
8.16.2008
Athens Popfest
40 Watt Club, Athens, GA

Source:  Microtech Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > M-Audio MicroTrack II >
CF > Adobe Audition > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack (inthistube [at] yahoo.com)

Setlist:
1. “Secret to Snowing”
2. The Television Tells Us
3. The Minister of Longitude
4. Kolyada #1
5. An Orchistration’s Overture
6. Song For The Death Of Parents
7. Song For Ocean’s Falling
8. Majesty
9. Aliens
10. ?
11. Manifest Destiny
12. “Secret to Snowing” Reprise
(Post Show)
13. Julian’s Marching Kazoo Army > The Passing of the Bell

MP3s of the full show are available via sendspace.

FLACs are available as a torrent over on DIME.

Looks like Great Northern will be back at the Larimer on 11/15, making their third appearance in Denver this year! I always enjoy the layered, dreamy sound they produce on-stage, and have managed to tape their last two Denver appearances. Here’s last month’s Hi-Dive show.

Full zip of the mp3 files via sendspace.

Great Northern
8.06.2007
The Hi-Dive, Denver, CO

One Disc:
1. intro
2. Our Bleeding Hearts
3. Just a Dream
4. Telling Lies
5. A Sun A Sound
6. Low is a Height
7. City of Sleep
8. Home
9. The Middle
10. Into the Sun