Friday, December 21, 2018

The Hold Steady (and Ted Leo) @ Brooklyn Bowl; Reverend Horton Heat (and Junior Brown and the Blasters) @ Stage 48

The Hold Steady; Ted Leo
@ Brooklyn Bowl
Brooklyn, NY - November 28, 2018

Reverend Horton Heat; Junior Brown; the Blasters
@ Stage 48
New York, NY - December 7, 2018


Yours truly attended these shows consecutively and fittingly so. Not just because they each contained personal favorites of all time (pretty much everyone on the collective bills really - heck Junior Brown too why not he's a damn legend). But because these shows are repeats of exactly one year ago. It's happening - our rock n roll warriors are doing that thing - Annual Residencies. Annual events. Themed thingies. We're all that old now. Allman Brothers level old. That's OK.

Another sign of age? The Wednesday night edition of the Hold Steady's four night run featured not one mosh pit. Because it was a Wednesday? Maybe. Also our backs. Oy our backs. And for the second year in a row, the more subdued stylings of Horton come Christmas also did not lend itself to anything more than some light couples dancing and bobbing heads.

Ted Leo, guitar in hand, kicked off things with a sweet set of near-and-dear tunes including the recent newbies that are fresh and furious. Then the Hold Steady took to Stay Positive for its 10th year anniversary. It was great of course but they still can't save the one or two tracks that didn't work for me then or now. Does it matter? No don't be a fool. You know how the rest of this show went, it's the Hold Steady dammit.

As to the Hayride, I corrected last year's snafu and showed up on time. I was rewarded for my diligence with thoroughly perfect sets by the Blasters and Junior Brown. Junior had to tell the house guys how to quiet things down for their set which is similar to the last time I was at this shop and Horton had to sternly tell the house guys something. Have to be blunt - Stage 48 is not good for rock n roll shows. It's a dance club and the folks appear clueless how to handle a rock crowd. A nice, old, genteel rock crowd. Ha. Horton and Co. had an effective Christmas set, once again joined by Big Sandy with his impeccable voice and great songs.

Monday, December 17, 2018

Autumn and Rest of 2018

Bad Moves - One Thing
Lucero - For the Lonel Ones
Murder by Death - True Dark
Sharon Van Etten - Comeback Kid
The Dip - She Gave Me the Keys 
King Tuff - Raindrop Blue
Wimps - Garbage People
Bloods - Feelings
Caroline Rose - Bikini
Dude York - Moon
Eels - Today is the Day
Israel Nash - Rolling On
Jenn Champion - O.M.G. (I'm All Over It)
Natalie Prass - Oh My