Here’s a nice intimate Meadowlark set from Andrea Ball, backed by Carl Sorenson on drums.  Andrea treated the crowd to several new tunes (title guesses in quotes), demonstrating her ever-growing songwriting abilities.

Andrea Ball
10.04.2008
The Meadowlark, Denver, CO

Source:  DPA 4060s (Core-Sound HEBs) > battery box > Lunatec V3 > M-Audio Microtrack 2 > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro
2. “Lining Up In Rows”
3. “Lonely Sailor”
4. Beat Beat Pound
5. “Cheer Up Darling”
6. “Holding Back”
7. Gem
8. Funeral

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.)

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers
11.22.2008
The Gothic Theatre, Englewood, CO

Now available on archive.org

Last weekend’s Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers show at the Gothic was kicked off in style by The Mother Truckers out of Austin.  They won over the RCPM crowd, often fickle toward opening acts, with a set of (mostly) original country and blues tunes, which culminated in Steve Larson trading licks with Josh Zee on “Love Me Like a Man“.

The Mother Truckers
11.22.2008
The Gothic Theatre, Englewood, 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. Streets Of Atlanta
2. Dynamite
3. No Mercy
4. Can’t Sleep In Tucson
5. Van Tour
6. When I Get My Wings
7. Let’s All Go To Bed
8. I’ll Meet You There
9. Save My Soul
10. Love Me Like A Man *

Notes:
* = with Steven Larson on guitar

(As usual, here’s a link to a zipfile of the show.)

The Pseudo Dates
10.25.2008
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 (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. unknown
2. Wine & Coffee
3. Last Night I Dreamed That I Cut My Hair
4. Sinister Kisses
5. unknown
6. Ah! Sunflower
7. unknown
8. I Don’t Know, But I Think I Might

(Per usual, a zipfile of mp3s is available here.)

The Pseudo Dates
10.18.2008
The Bluebird Theater, 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. unknown
2. I Don’t Know, But I Think I Might
3. Wine & Coffee
4. Sinister Kisses
5. Last Night I Dreamed That I Cut My Hair
6. Ah! Sunflower
7. unknown
8. unknown

(Here’s a link to a zipfile of the mp3s.)

Angie Stevens has been one of my favorite Denver performers in recent years, a perfect example of top talent in the Denver area.  The addition of The Beautiful Wreck (Carlos Newman, Susan Phelan, and Jon Wirtz) as a backing band only ratchets her live energy to another level.  This set opening for Roger Clyne at the Aggie was one of my favorites this year!

Angie Stevens and the Beautiful Wreck
7.09.2008
The Aggie Theatre, Ft. Collins, CO

Source:  DPA 4060s (Core-Sound HEBs) > battery box > Lunatec V3 > M-Audio Microtrack 2 >
CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by:  Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. Accidentally Smiling
2. This Time Around
3. Sleep Never Comes
4. Old Churchyard
5. Folsom Prison Blues
6. Sleepwalking
7. Birds Flying Away > Black Panther
8. Words
9. “Can’t Have Me”
10. “Angie’s drinking song”
11. Favorite Rerun

(Here’s a zipfile of the mp3s.)

Here’s the legendary Pseudo Dates “guitar army” show from September, where Nathan was joined by three other guitarists for the second half of the set!  This show went off so well that Taylor Rice joined the band as a fourth member later this fall.

(Note: I just finished tracking out a large run of shows yesterday, so be prepared for a deluge of new posts later this evening, including two more Pseudo Dates sets.)

The Pseudo Dates
9.05.2008
Lion’s Lair, Denver, CO

Source: DPA 4060s (Core-Sound HEBs) > battery box > M-Audio Microtrack 2 >
CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16
Taped by: Lance Stack (inthistube [at] gmail.com)

Setlist:
1. intro
2. unknown
3. Last Night I Dreamed That I Cut My Hair
4. You Have Time
5. You’ve Got My Number
6. unknown
7. Sleepy Shoes *
8. Wine & Coffee *
9. I Don’t Know, But I Think I Might *
10. Sinister Kisses *
11. Amateur Night at the Shooting Range *

Notes:
* = with guest guitarists

Guest Guitarists:
Lucas Johannes (Action Packed Thrill Ride)
Diana Sperstad (Games For May)
Taylor Rice (Fissure Mystic)

(A zipfile of the mp3s is available here.)

I’ve had several requests to post this — Danielson from earlier this month at the Hi-Dive.  The set relies heavily on older tunes, which have appeared on their recently-released retrospective, “Trying Hartz“.  (Xandy did an excellent job on sound for this show, and the audience tapes will attest to!)

Danielson
11.08.2008
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
2. Good News For The Pus Pickers
3. The Lord’s Rest
4. Rubbernecker
5. Singers Go First
6. Idiot Boksen
7. Cookin’ Mid-Country
8. Animal in Every Corner
9. Jersey Loverboy
10. Daughters Will Tune You
11. Flip Flop Flim Flam
12. Five Stars and Two Thumbs Up
(Encore)
13. Did I Step On Your Trumpet?
14. Sold! To The Nice Rich Man!

FLAC files are available via dime.
MP3 files are available as a zipfile via megaupload.

Cryptacize
11.08.2008
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. Into the Clouds
2. New Spell
3. Cosmic Sing-a-long
4. Say You Will
5. Galvanize
6. unknown
7. unknown
8. Tail and Mane

FLAC files are available on dime.
A zipfile of mp3s is available here.

Here’s the Vic Chesnutt set from last week with Elf Power.  This is truly one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve seen this year!

Vic Chesnutt and 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. intro > Mystery
2. Little Fucker
3. And How
4. Teddy Bear
5. We Are Mean
6. Stop the Horse
7. Bilocating Dog
8. Phil the Fiddler
9. Old Hotel
10. Independence Day
(Encore)
11. See You Around *
12. banter *
13. Sleeping Man *

Notes:
* = Vic solo

FLAC files are available on dime.
A zipfile of MP3s is available via megaupload.

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.

Good friends, good tequila, and good times are common to any RCPM show, but on this night these principles rang truer than usual.  Roger Clyne came out to the farewell party for my friends Dave and Laura, treating us to very intimate (and drunken) solo acoustic renditions of Peacemakers and Refreshments tunes.  As a nightcap, pals Johnny Hickman (Cracker) and Jim Dalton (Railbenders) joined in for some fun singalongs and cover tunes.

Dave and Laura, you’ll be missed!

Roger Clyne
11.01.2008
Private Event, Secret Location

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:
(Roger Solo)
1. intro
2. Hello New Day
3. Mexico
4. I Do
5. Never Thought
6. Contraband
7. Wanted
8. My Best Friend’s Girl > Easy
9. Better Beautiful Than Perfect
10. Leaky Little Boat
11. Broken Record
12. Tell Yer Mamma
13. Maybe We Should Fall In Love
14. Beautiful Disaster
15. Switchblade
16. Mekong
17. Feeling
(Roger, Johnny Hickman, and Jim Dalton)
18. San Bernardino Boy
19. banter
20. Ring of Fire
21. banter
22. Teen Angst
23. Sundown
24. Banditos
25. banter
26. American Girl
(Encore)
27. crowd/banter
28. Green and Dumb

You can grap the zipfile here.

I was quite surprised when Andy annouced between songs at the Meadowlark that this was the second time Houses had performed for a crowd.  For a band that had only taken the stage once prior to Friday night, the buzz is already spreading among Denver music fans.  After seeing the show, it’s easy to understand why.

Judging by the crowd response, Houses promise to be a great addition to the local scene.  Their set showcases a number of catchy indie pop singalongs (reminiscent of Hearts of Palm), mellow jangles, dark jams, and straight-up rockers such as the “Good-Times Bad-Times” influenced “Red Feather”.

Houses have two shows left on the books for this year.  Don’t miss ’em!

• 11/28/2008 – Meadowlark
• 12/13/2008 – Larimer Lounge

Houses
11.06.2008
The Meadowlark, Denver, CO

Source:  DPA 4060s (Core-Sound HEBs) > battery box > Lunatec V3 > M-Audio Microtrack 2 > CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave
Taped by:  Lance Stack

Setlist:
1. intro
2. We’re Alright
3. Fair Weather
4. Rainy Day Parade
5. Crossing the North Sea
6. California Dreams
7. Circles and Squares
8. Matthew’s Groove
9. Red Feather

(A megaupload link to the full show can be found here.)

As promised, here’s the last set from Tuesday night, featuring another Canadian band, The Acorn. Lisa has a great review of the night posted at Reverb, and she’s right on target by pointing out that syncopation sets this band apart from the rest of the pack.  While the songs are undeniably folk-rock, complex drum/bass rhythms and a judicious use of harmonics result in a sound that stretches toward acts like Battles or Dirty Projectors.  This makes for a very interesting listen.

The Acorn
10.28.2008
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. Hold Your Breath
2. Low Gravity
3. Crooked Legs
4. Dents
5. Brokered Heart
6. Darcy
7. Glory
8. Oh Napoleon
9. Even While You’re Sleeping
10. Flood Pt. 1

(The full show as a zipfile is available via megaupload.)