[photo by nyctaper]

In his thirty years in the music industry, Richard Barone has played just about every role imaginable — singer, writer, producer, director, promoter, musical director, and author. Last Saturday, he returned to the place where it all began, Maxwell’s. Barone led the very first band to perform in the venue in 1980, and his Bongos appeared there more than any other band over the years. The occasion last weekend was the release of Richard’s album Glow. Co-produced by the legendary Tony Visconti, Glow is a stunning achievement — his first studio album in seventeen years and an album which rivals the pop brilliance of his best work, 1987’s Cool Blue Halo. The show opened with the first two tracks from the album, and for the next seventy minutes, the crowd was treated to much of the new material along with career highlights. The set also contained three Bongos songs, including “Numbers With Wings” (streaming below) and the classic “Barbarella” as the encore. Several times, Richard noted the outstanding performance of his band, which includes long time collaborator Nick Celeste, and the excellent electric violinist Deni Bonet. Richard Barone is currently on tour, but returns to NYC on December 1, for a special show at St. Mark’s Church in the East Village.

We recorded this set as we do most of the captures from Maxwells, with the mic stand mounted inside the right front corner of the soundboard booth and mixed with a soundboard feed. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Numbers With Wings”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/R1312RichardBarone1020/Richard%20Barone%20Numbers%20With%20Wings%20(Live)%202010-11-13.mp3]

Direct download of complete show in MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Richard Barone
2010-11-13
Maxwell’s
Hoboken, NJ USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + DPA 4021s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2010-11-18

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:09:50]
01 [introduction]
02 Gravity’s Pull
03 Glow
04 [banter]
05 Girl (T Rex)
06 Tiger Nights
07 Odd Girl Out
08 [banter]
09 I Belong To Me
10 Flew A Falcon
11 Radio Silence
12 Satellite of Love (Lou Reed)
13 River To River
14 Its Only Love (Beatles)
15 [banter]
16 Candied Babes
17 Numbers With Wings
18 [banter/band introductions]
19 Yet Another Midnight
20 Glow
21 Barbarella

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Richard Barone, visit his website, and purchase Glow from the Bar-None Records website [HERE].

[Screenshots provided by West Egg Productions]

Until recently, ARMS was the solo project of Brooklyn’s Todd Goldstein, who until last year was the guitarist in the now-defunct band Harlem Shakes.  Now, Goldstein has assembled a full band to help him realize his vision.  Goldstein’s songs are emotional, melodic parables of heartbreak and longing, framed around his distinctive vocals.  Goldstein’s music has a verifiable emo bent, and he doesn’t shy from the type of melodramatic vocal turns that are uncommon in today’s present shoegaze revival.  The result is songs that are surprisingly soundtrack-ready (any rom-com would be lucky to have these tunes), and if not out of step with the current moment, certainly not overly concerned with it.  This performance, as part of the “Brunch After Dark” show by our friends at the Backyard Brunch Sessions, was a fine introduction to the band, with ARMS covering a range of their material, including from their self-titled EP available for free download right now on their MySpace page.   These songs were well suited to the big chaotic room – they force you to pay attention.  That was important on this particular night, as ARMS had the unenviable task of closing out the show at the end of a five-act bill on a Tuesday night.  The crowd that stayed were more than fairly rewarded.

ARMS are currently in the studio recording their second full length, Summer Skills, which they promise to deliver later this month.

I recorded this set with a high-quality soundboard feed from the Brooklyn Bowl staff, as well as the Schoeps microphones.  The recording heavily emphasizes the board feed due to the distance of the mics from the stage and my desire to minimize the sounds of talking, bowling and the other non-music activities going on during the show.  The sound quality is excellent, albeit with a bit less room ambiance than I personally prefer.  Enjoy!

Stream “Fleeced”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/A0811ARMS0210/ARMS-Fleeced2010-11-08.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

ARMS
2010-11-08
Brunch After Dark
Brooklyn Bowl
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Soundboard+Schoeps CMC641>Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) (24/48)
Position: At soundboard, slightly ROC, 12? up
Mastering: 2×24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ, mixdown, set fades, limit peaks, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample to 16bit/44.1kHz)>FLAC (level 8 )

Tracks
01 Tiger Tamer
02 Dog Days
03 Fleeced
04 High Heels
05 Floaters
06 banter
07 Emily Sue, Cont’d
08 Sore
09 banter
10 Face Gravity
11 banter
12 Heat & Hot Water

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT ARMS, visit their website (where you can download their EP for free), and purchase their music from your preferred retailer.

[iPhone 4 photo by acidjack]

After a fantastic outing last month at the Backyard Brunch Sessions, we were excited to come out on a Saturday night and see our friends The Loom close out their Autumn tour with a more typical “electric” set at Bowery Ballroom.  Thanks to some positive mentions from The New York Times and a fantastic outing at CMJ, culminating in Brooklynvegan’s famed invite-only loft show (not to mention their sustained and high-quality efforts), the band packed the house for their opening set.  The treated the crowd to several new songs (including several from the Backyard Brunch set) as well as numbers from their At Last Light EP.  They may be a folk-oriented band, but The Loom rocked the hell out of Bowery Ballroom anyway; songs like “Snowed In” and “Helen” filled the room with their kinetic energy.  This is a band that belongs on your radar – musicians with skill, integrity, poise and damn fine new songs.  Don’t miss The Loom’s soon-to-be-released debut full-length, Teeth.

I recorded this set with the DPA microphones clamped at the balcony on an even level with the sound staff.  Although I positioned the microphones in a wider pickup pattern than I otherwise would have due to the expectation of a soundboard feed that I ultimately did not get, the recording still has excellent clarity and balance, although unfortunately the mics picked up some distracting chatter on the left side.

Stream “Snowed In”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/L0505Loom1111/TheLoom-SnowedIn2010-11-13.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

The Loom
2010-11-13
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY  USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021>Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) (24/48)
Position: Clamp to left side of soundboard on balcony, LOC, extension arm extended right and on level with sound team’s ears, ORTF
Mastering: 24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (set fades, tracking, EQ, amplify and balance, smooth peaks, downsample to 16/44.1)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 The Middle Distance
02 Snowed In
03 The First Freeze
04 True Believers All
05 Like Lamp Glow
06 Song For the Winter Sun
07 For the Hooves That Gallop and the Heels That March
08 Helen

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT The Loom, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their debut EP At Last Light from the links on their MySpace page, and keep an eye out for Teeth.

[Photo from SXSW by Matthew Solarski.  See his Flickr stream here]

We last checked in with Philadelphia’s A Sunny Day in Glasgow back in March, when they treated us to an excellent set at Bell House.  Since then, the band has toured extensively in the U.S. and abroad, and found the time to produce an excellent followup to their last release, the Nitetime Rainbows EP, with the dreamy Autumn, Again.  Annie Fredrickson and Jen Goma continue to tighten their vocal harmonies, and the band’s show this time around felt a bit tighter overall, too, perhaps owing to the heavy touring.  Autumn feels even less like a rock record than Nitetime and its predecessor, the critically acclaimed Ashes Grammar, but that doesn’t stop these songs from sufficiently rocking live, especially my personal favorite of the new numbers, “Drink Drank Drunk,” and “Sigh, Inhibitionist,” which the band also previewed at the Bell House show.  We hope to see this excellent band continue to grow their fan base – and the fact that they are giving away Autumn, Again for FREE until the end of Autumn shouldn’t hurt any.  If you do download the album, please make a donation – the band members can’t eat good reviews, and the money will be used exclusively to produce more music.

I recorded this set from my usual spot in the venue with the Schoeps microphones.  The sound quality is excellent.  Enjoy!

Stream “Drink Drank Drunk”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/A2309ASDIG0102/ASDIG-DrinkDrankDrunk2010-10-26.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

A Sunny Day in Glasgow
2010-10-26
Knitting Factory
Brooklyn, NY  USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Schoeps CMC641>Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) (24/44.1)
Position: Clamp to right of soundboard, mics pointed at stacks, 7.5ft
Mastering: 24bit/44.1kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ, tracking, set fades, amplify and balance, downsample to 16bit)>FLAC ( level 8 )

01 Failure
02 Passionate Introverts (Dinosaurs)
03 Nitetime Rainbows
04 banter
05 [new]
06 The White Witch
07 [unknown]
08 So Bloody, So Tight
09 [new]
10 Drink Drank Drunk
11 Sigh, Inhibitionist
12 Shy

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT A Sunny Day in Glasgow, visit their website, and download Autumn Again or buy it on vinyl directly from the band here.

[Photography by Eloy Anzola]

Take a look at the gorgeous photos above and below on this post, and you will know all that you need to know about the evolution of Oh Land since she hit the U.S. scene earlier this year.  When we last saw her full “electric” set at the FREEWilliamsburg Northside Showcase at Brooklyn Bowl this June, it was obvious that Nanna Øland Fabricius was a prized talent just coming into her own.  Her music is original but accessible; catchy and fun and welcoming to all comers, but quirky and organic in a way that ensures she won’t be lumped in with any high-gloss pop princesses.  I have seen three of her performances in total, including the “acoustic” set we recorded at the Backyard Brunch Sessions last month, and she has consistently proven herself as a musician, refining her arrangements (and in the case of the acoustic show, delivering entirely new ones) and giving sharp, entrancing vocal performances.  Nanna’s evolution from June is evident.  Now fully versed in how to use “the contraption” (the mysterious effects, keyboard and percussion box that accompanies her at all shows), and sporting a full-time drummer, her show now feels like a true performance, a celebration of her talent and a gift to her audience.  What rough edges there were are gone and her confidence is in full bloom; Fabricius is clearly ready for the next level.  Add to that the fact that she comes across as a humble, likable person onstage, and you can appreciate why she was able, on a very cold Tuesday night, to pack the inaugural “Brunch After Dark” show at Brooklyn Bowl.  “I love Brooklyn Bowl,” Nanna announced from the stage, and well she should.  She wears this venue well.

I recorded this set with a soundboard feed and the Schoeps microphones on a 12-foot stand directly in front of the soundboard.  The outstanding quality of the recording owes almost entirely to the Brooklyn Bowl staff’s impeccable house mix.   We greatly appreciate their efforts.

Oh Land has a record coming out next year, an EP out currently that features many of these songs, and a very special performance this Monday at Mercury Lounge with Steve Lewis & the Vagrants.

Stream “Sun of a Gun”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/O0627OhLand0210/OhLand-SunOfAGun.mp3]

Stream “Lean On Me”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/O0627OhLand0210/OhLand-LeanOnMe.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Oh Land
2010-11-08
Brooklyn Bowl
Brooklyn, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Soundboard feed + Schoeps CMC641>Edirol R-44 (Oade concert mod) (24/48)
Position: At soundboard, slightly ROC, mics at 12ft
Mastering: 2×24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ, mixdown, set fades, hard limit peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Wolf and I
02 [unknown]
03 Sun of a Gun
04 banter
05 Lean On Me
06 White Nights
07 We Turn It Up

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Oh Land, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their 5-song EP, which is available at all major retailers, on iTunes and here.

[photo by PP]

This photo is taken from the stage at last month’s Lightning Bolt show at Ridgewood Masonic Temple and fairly portrays the crowd and the music that night. We’ve previously posted the Dan Deacon set, but this Lightning Bolt performance was a challenge — the recording has some technical issues that needed to be resolved, and we frankly didn’t know what to make the performance itself. Its very hard to describe Lightning Bolt. The common moniker “noise rock” does not really describe anything they do. While drummer Brian Chippendale wears a mask (see photo) that holds an amplified telephone mouthpiece for vocals, he is accompanied by Brian Gibson’s aggressive bass that sound nothing like a bass guitar. Lightning Bolt does not play conventional songs, nor are the songs played the same way twice. Although the band is noted for leaving the stage and playing from within the crowd, on this night in Brooklyn Lightning Bolt remained on the stage for their hour-long set. The setlist is consistent with other recent shows and includes songs from the last two albums and some new material, perhaps for a planned followup to 2009’s Earthly Delights.

I recorded this set in the same manner at the Dan Deacon set. The audience mics were placed at the rear of the venue in front of the soundboard area, and near the back of four speakers. The soundboard feed for this particular set was marred by inconsistent levels on the drums, and the last half of the feed was excluded entirely due to overamplification of the snare drum. The levels of the set were made consistent and some severe peaks were softened. The final result is a very listenable recording. Enjoy!

Stream “Dead Cowboy”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/L1510LightningBolt0201/Lightning%20Bolt%20DEAD%20COWBOY%20Live%202010-10-15.mp3]

This Recording is now available to Download in FLAC and MP3 and to Stream at Archive.org [HERE].

Lightning Bolt
2010-10-15
Ridgewood Masonic Temple
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Neumann KM-150s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2010-11-12

Setlist:
[Total Time 55:31]
01 2 Morro Morro Land
02 Sound Guardians
03 Horsepower
04 Megaghost
05 [new song / improvisation]
06 Colossus
07 [new song]
08 [encore break]
09 Dead Cowboy

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Lightning Bolt, visit their website, and purchase their official releases from the Load Records website [HERE].