Oh, what a perfect day. The Fiery Furnaces played for free in a beautiful park on a beautiful day, and all was right with the world. The crowd had a buzz, but remained attentive and supportive. The band sounded terrific and performed a short but tight set. With the East River behind them, and Socrates Sculpture Park before them, the Fiery Furnaces whirled through the live Bitter Tea suite, before closing out with a 30-minute medley of older songs. Eleanor was strong of voice, as the band was driven by the unique beats of double percussionists and anchored by Matt’s direction and keys.

My recording conditions were also ideal. Many thanks to Spencer, the admin from fieryfurnaces.com forum, both the band and management approved my recording. As a result, I was able to utilize my best equipment from the perfect location–centered directly in front of the soundboard, 25 feet from the stage and PA speakers. As you’ll hear in the download below, the results are truly profound.

This Fall, the Fiery Furnaces will release their new album Widow City, and will embark on a tour across the country. The NYC date is November 3 at Hiro Ballroom.

The complete show in FLAC files available [HERE].

More about FLAC

Fiery Furnaces
2007-08-26
Socrates Sculpture Park
Queens, New York USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from in Front of the Soundboard Booth
Dead Center approximately 25 feet from PA
8 foot Microphone Stand

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > flac

Premiere Download offered at
http://www.nyctaper.com
nyctaper@nyctaper.com

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2007-08-26

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:11:10]
01 [Introduction]
02 In My Little Thatched Hut
03 I’m in No Mood to Comb My Hair
04 Black-Hearted Boy
05 Bitter Tea
06 I’m Waiting to Know You
07 The Vietnamese Telephone Ministry
08 Oh Sweet Woods
09 Borneo
10 Benton Harbor Blues
11 Whistle Rhapsody
12 Teach Me Sweetheart
13 Bitter Tea
14 [stage banter]
15 Single Again
16 Wicker Whatnots
17 Quay Cur
18 I’m Gonna Run
19 Here Comes the Summer
20 Blueberry Boat
21 Tropical Ice-Land
22 Spaniolated
23 Name Game
24 Birdie Brain
25 1917

As with all artists featured on this site, if you download this recording please click the link below to purchase official Fiery Furnaces releases

As a warm-up to their annual “Camp Bisco“, the Disco Biscuits performed a fairly short and tame two-hour set on Wednesday night. However, the ambient and trance jams were on full display at several points during the show, and the crowd energy, the outdoor pool setting, and sound quality were all quite outstanding.

This recording was made from the exact same location and with the exact same equipment as the Umphrey’s opening set–optimal equipment in an optimal setting. Enjoy!

This recording is now available for download in FLAC and MP3 on Archive.org [HERE].

More about FLAC

Disco Biscuits
2007-08-15
McCarren Pool
Brooklyn, New York USA

Digital Master Recording
Front of Board Center

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime >
digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2007-08-16

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:53:56]
01 The Safety Dance
02 Trucker’s Choice
03 Terrapin Station (piano instrumental) >
04 Spaga >
05 Abraxas >
06 Spaga
07 Onamae Wa >
08 Crickets >
09 Jam > Highwire >
10 I Remember When
11 [encore break]
12 Woman at Home With Termites
13 I Wanna Be Sedated

As with all artists featured on this site, if you download this recording please purchase the Disco Biscuits newest release.

Its not often when the opening act of a concert performs a 90 minute set, and the crowd is thoroughly engaged. The Umphrey’s McGee set last night was the rarest of beasts, a tight “jam band” set full of prog-rock twists and turns.

Umphrey’s “taper-friendly” approach allowed a group of a half-dozen recordists to position themselves directly in front of the soundboard in the center. I was fortunate to be in that group, and used my best equipment. The result is an outstanding recording, with rich bass presence and excellent clarity.

The Disco Biscuits set from this concert will be posted within the next 24 hours.

This recording is now available for download in FLAC and MP3 at Archive.org [HERE].

More about FLAC

Umphrey’s McGee
2007-08-15
McCarren Pool
Brooklyn, New York USA

Digital Master Recording
Front of Board Center

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > flac

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:29:08]
01 Prowler
02 Pipeline
03 Plunger
04 Higgins
05 Plunger
06 Atmosfarag
07 Roulette
08 Utopian Fir
09 All in Time

As with all artists featured on this site, if you download this recording please purchase Umphrey’s McGee’s latest CD:

This past Friday was one of those perfect concert experiences that occur all too infrequently. You may know “pub rock” trio The Figgs as Graham Parker’s band, or you may know The Figgs from their 1994 hit “Favorite Shirt”, but they are so much more than those references. The Figgs write and perform well-crafted power pop songs as a skin-tight ensemble. As you’ll hear in the recording offered below, they are also an energetic and entertaining live act.

My experience of recording the Figgs was also outstanding. I was fortunate to meet up with some Figgs fans including Sal (who made this all happen) and Steve (from the excellent music blog Baby, You Got a Stew Goin’!), and also chat with the band. The soundman at Maxwell’s not only mixed a perfect set, but also assisted me in setting up my recording in an ideal location. As a result, the sound quality on this recording is about as superb as could possibly be captured in a venue of this size.

Many thanks to the excellent Figgs, Mike, Pete and Pete, to Sal, and to Craig the soundman. When the Figgs come to your town, you must go and experience this band!

Download the complete concert in FLAC [HERE].

More about FLAC

The Figgs
2007-08-03
Maxwell’s
Hoboken, NJ USA

Digital Audience Master Recording
Recorded from Inside the Soundboard Booth
Dead Center, approximately 30 feet from the PA

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > flac

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper

Setlist:
01 Waiting for the Sun to Rise
02 The Daylight Strong
03 Something’s Wrong
04 Jumping Again
05 Follow Jean Through the Sea
06 Song Of A Baker (Small Faces cover)
07 Cheap Cassettes
08 Some Desperate Measure
09 [work in progress – track removed at artist’s request]
10 Simon Simone
11 Let Me Hold You
12 One Hit Wonder

Please support this outstanding band and visit The Figgs website.
As with all artists featured on this site, if you download this recording please purchase the newest Figgs CD: