Posts Tagged ‘ bowery ballroom ’

Our Top 25 Concert Moments of 2010 (with MP3 Download and Streaming Songs)

December 31, 2010
By

We were treated to a lot of amazing music this year, and the site has continued to grow. This year, we reached our 600th recording posted since 2007 – a pretty incredible number considering that this is only the fourth year of the site.  As a final New Year’s treat to our readers, we thought we would share a “mixtape” with you of some of our favorite concert moments of 2010.

Out of the two hundred-plus shows that we saw, we selected 25 moments that we thought were particularly memorable (among the shows we recorded, at least). There is a wide range of music, styles and artists represented: folk, rock, Scandinavian pop, punk and much more. There are new bands who are just breaking into the mainstream, as well as mainstream acts continuing to perform at a high level. The only consistent theme is that these artists all touched us in some way, giving performances that stayed with us long after the last notes were played.

The following list is in no particular order. Links to download the entire compilation, as well as selected numbers streaming, are below.

Want to keep up with the latest concert updates and recordings on the site? Follow @nyctaper and @acidjacknyc on Twitter.

Download the entire mixtape [HERE]

1. Built to Spill – “Carry The Zero” – September 20, 2010 Rocks Off Concert Cruise. This show was nuts – on a boat, with a tiny main floor, with a crowd that was loud, drunken and rowdy, and a veteran band doing what they do best. We saw Built to Spill a ton of times over the past two years, but this show was the clear standout. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/BTS-CarryTheZero.mp3]

2. Oh Land – “Lean On Me” – November 8, 2010 Brooklyn Bowl. We first saw this young Danish artist play Brooklyn Bowl back in July. Although she was still getting comfortable with her new material, her talent and unique stage presence were already on display. After seeing her again at the Backyard Brunch Sessions, we caught her again a month later at Brooklyn Bowl. Her evolution blew us away – displaying newfound poise and confidence, designer clothing and a new percussionist, Nanna dominated the stage. Though many of her songs lend themselves to dancing, I have always been partial to this more precious number. She may now be the face of Missoni, but Oh Land is far, far more than a pretty face. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/OhLand-LeanOnMe.mp3]

3. John Vanderslice – “The Parade” – October 21, 2010 Mercury Lounge. On the night after our Unofficial CMJ Day Party at Cake Shop, we caught one of our favorite acts, the inimitable songwriter John Vanderslice at Mercury Lounge. John has always been a supporter and friend of the site, but we were especially gratified by his heartfelt intro to this song when he thanked nyctaper from the stage. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/JV-TheParade.mp3]

4. The Dirty Projectors – “As I Went Out One Morning [Bob Dylan]” – September 11, 2010 Terminal 5. After this band blew us away at the tail end of 2009, we were thrilled that Johnny Fried Chicken Boy was able to catch their show at the massive Terminal 5. This Dylan cover was among many special songs played during another show that wowed us with its musical skill. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/DirtyProjectors-AsIWentOutOneMorning.mp3]

5. Pavement – “Fight this Generation” – September 19, 2010 Williamsburg Waterfront. Pavement‘s return was probably my personal musical highlight of the year – nobody ever thought it would happen, and when it did, they were exactly as nonchalant about the whole thing as you would expect. Everything went right at their first NYC show in ten years, and the irony of Pavement – an iconic band for Generation X – playing “Fight This Generation” on the Williamsburg waterfront to an entirely new generation of fans was perfect. This loose, jammy rendition killed, too. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/Pavement-FightThisGeneration.mp3]

6. Superchunk – “Digging For Something” – September 19, 2010 Music Hall of Williamsburg. While I was checking out Pavement, nyctaper was down the street taking in an equally amazing performance from another 90s indie darling, Superchunk. Supporting their first new album in almost a decade, Superchunk gave us even more than we could have imagined when special guest John Darnielle joined them for this number. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/Superchunk-DiggingForSomething.mp3]

7. John Roderick w/ Nada Surf – “The Commander Thinks Aloud” – March 26, 2010 Bell House. Nada Surf‘s multi-night series of full album performances had many memorable moments, but my favorite of all came from John Roderick of The Long Winters, the opening act at the Bell House/The Weight Is A Gift show. With Nada Surf as his backing band, Roderick capped off his acoustic set by tearing through a fully electric version of this big number that showcases Roderick’s unique voice. You can stream and download this song, and the entire show, on the Live Music Archive [HERE].

8. Natureboy – “I’ll Keep It With Mine” – May 15, 2010 Piano’s. This show was a special day for us, as we celebrated the third anniversary of the site with some of our favorite bands. Natureboy drew a strong crowd as our first act of that evening, and they made our night by performing, our request, their cover of this Dylan-via-Nico classic.[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/Natureboy-KeepItWithMine.mp3]

9. Fucked Up – “Son the Father” – February 18, 2010 Maxwell’s. I had the pleasure of seeing Fucked Up three times this year, and each show was awe-inspiring. Damian “Pink Eyes” Abraham is a punk rock showman without parallel: on the mic, he is extremely hardcore; in between songs, he chats up the crowd like each person is his best bud. “Son the Father” is one of the band’s best songs, and it was at about this point during the Maxwell’s show that (as has to be the case at every Fucked Up show) all hell broke loose. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/FuckedUp-SonTheFather.mp3]

10. The Black Keys – “Same Old Thing” – July 28, 2010 Terminal 5. There was a huge response to our post of The Black Keys‘ show at Terminal 5, and for good reason – it is an excellent recording of a band that is rapidly ingratiating itself with the mainstream. This song is a four-piece version of this song, with Leon Michaels on keyboards and Nick Movshon on bass. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/TBK-SameOldThing.mp3]

11. Panda Bear – “Song For Ariel (Guys Eyes)” – September 11, 2010 Governor’s Island. On the same day as the epic Dirty Projectors show back in Manhattan, Panda Bear was giving a magical performance on Governor’s Island that blew our minds both for the incredible quality of the sound (which did not always receive such good reviews for other shows) and the clarity and focus of the performance. This guitar-heavy and reworked version of this song was one of many highlights of an amazing show that also featured some new songs. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/PandaBear-SongForAriel.mp3]

12. Soft Black – “I’m Not Afraid of You” – August 7, 2010 A Backyard in Bushwick. This whole show was a testament to the power of the local music community and the DIY spirit of the moment. Soft Black were supposed to be playing on a rooftop elsewhere in the ‘hood as part of a benefit show for the people of the Gaza Strip. That show was shut down by the cops three acts in, while it was still light outside. But instead of giving up and calling it a night, the fans and bands rallied to move the show to one of the musicians’ backyard. Soft Black dedicated this haunting song, with its defiant refrain, to a kid who got arrested when the police shut down the rooftop show. The song itself is quite dark, but the moment was joyful, and powerful, in a way that I will never forget. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/SoftBlack-I’mNotAfraidOfYou.mp3]

13. Real Estate – “Reservoir” – June 25, 2010 Music Hall of Williamsburg. Real Estate is another band that has wowed us both with their consistent playing as well as their respect for their fans. We had seen them open for labelmates Woods a number of times, but this time, they found themselves as the headliner of the Woodsist showcase at the Northside Festival. This showcase was one of the best experiences of the entire Northside Festival, but Real Estate’s set in particular stood out, as the more mature band showed off some new songs, including the excellent “Reservoir.” Download the entire set [HERE].

14. Maps & Atlases – “Solid Ground” – August 12, 2010 Mercury Lounge. I caught Maps & Atlases back in 2009 touring behind their previous record, the EP You, Me and the Mountain. I liked what I saw – the unusual combination of freak folk and math rock, vocalist Dave Davison’s vocals, the dual percussionists – but they didn’t seem quite there yet. For one, while I liked their sound, I wasn’t completely blown away by the songs. That all changed with the release of this year’s Perch Patchwork, which was one of my favorite records of the year, and a massive leap forward artistically. For this show, the band was greeted by a spirited crowd literally screaming for more, and in particular, this song (you can hear a drunk dude yelling “Solid Ground!” in between every other song on the set before they finally play it). When the band finally played the song, the payoff was huge, and the jam at the end clinches it. After an outstanding set, Maps broke down their gear and put some chairs and drums in the center of the floor and played an acoustic set for those willing to wait. The performance was not only the most improved of any band that I saw this year, but also one of the flat-out best. It didn’t hurt any that the recording came out flawlessly, too. Download the entire set [HERE]. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/M&A-SolidGround.mp3]

15. Holly Miranda – “I’d Rather Go Blind [Etta James]” – May 26, 2010 Bowery Ballroom. A Bowery Ballroom headlining gig has become a barometer of a band’s success these days – for a New York band on their way up, there is your time on the scene before Bowery, and your time after, and after, things are never the same. This show represented Holly Miranda’s Bowery breakout, and she treated the event with the reverence due it as she ripped off a lengthy set representing her latest record The Magician’s Private Library, and played two covers, including this jaw-dropping rendition of an Etta James classic. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/HollyMiranda-RatherGoBlind.mp3]

16. Wilco – “Thank You, Friends” – April 2, 2010 Wellmont Theatre. The challenging acoustics of this venue did not deter Wilco from delivering one of the most epic sets we have seen of theirs (well over three hours long). This Big Star cover played tribute to their singular frontman, singer and songwriter Alex Chilton, who sadly passed away this March. Alex and his many contributions to rock music will be dearly missed. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/Wilco-ThankYouFriends.mp3]

17. Sharon Van Etten – “One Day” – October 8, 2010 Rock Shop. It is no secret that this site has been a huge booster for Sharon Van Etten, and we are thrilled to see her career taking off in a big way (you can hear one of her songs, “I Fold” in the closing sequence in a recent episode of the Showtime series The Big C). In the two shows she played at Rock Shop this year, Sharon’s maturity and outstanding songwriting made us fall in love with her music all over again. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/SVE-OneDay.mp3]

18. Woods – “Bend Beyond” – May 13, 2010 Abrons Arts Center. In a music scene that is strong but fragmented, Woods have emerged as bi-coastal scene godfathers of sorts, in the way that Sonic Youth have been for a generation. The Woodsist label, for which the band is the anchor, has produced a roster of like-minded acts from the East and West Coasts that share a common affinity for the psychedelic, folk-influenced sound the label is known for. While they have been building a formidable presence with the label, Woods themselves have evolved far beyond the “freak folk” tag into a full-blown indie rock jam band of sorts, turning four-minute album tracks into epics that showcase their virtuosity on their instruments. This show, featuring the band backed by the Joshua Light Show, was especially sprawling, and never moreso than on this nearly twenty minute “Bend Beyond.” This show proved that this was a very different band than the act I saw opening for Dungen in 2009 – that band was a great “freak folk” act, if you will. This band is legendary. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/Woods-BendBeyond.mp3]

19. Spoon – “Car Radio” – September 13, 2010 Cake Shop. After we caught their set opening for Arcade Fire at Madison Square Garden, we weren’t sure we would have another chance to record Spoon this year. But then along came this secret show at Cake Shop, a live video recording for “Nobody Gets Me But You,” that proved to be one of the most exciting and intimate performances we saw all year. These guys remember where they came from (Austin) and we trust that they will never stop being one of the most consistent, most fan-friendly acts in the country. Download the entire set [HERE].

20. The Loom – “The First Freeze” – October 10, 2010 Backyard Brunch Sessions. We enjoyed many of the Backyard Brunch Sessions sets we saw this summer and fall, but perhaps none more than this performance by our friends The Loom, who proved that great musicians do not need extra amplification or trickery to make powerful music. Set up in a humble backyard in Bushwick, rocking a homemade bass made out of a washtub, they wowed us with their modern, folk-influenced sound. This song was my favorite of all, not least of which because of the added humor of some rowdy neighbors making noise in the background (who cannot be heard on the recording) – making a bunch of noise right before this (the quietest song of the set) song began. Once it got going, it was the most mesmerizing vocal performance of the day. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/Loom-FirstFreeze.mp3]

21. Yo La Tengo – “Little Eyes” – December 7, 2010 Maxwell’s. If you have read this site once in December, you know that Yo La Tengo’s 2010 Hanukkah shows have been our main focus this month. These eight nights of unique setlists, special guests, and fan camaraderie at one of our favorite venues in the city, Maxwell’s, are some of the best nights of the year every time that YLT decides to do them. This song, from the Summer Sun album, is an expanded version augmented by the guitar wizardry of the legendary Nels Cline, who joined the band for most of this night’s set. Although we loved the December 5 show featuring Mission of Burma, this show on the 7th turned out to be our favorite of them all – a perfect balance of the band’s harder and softer dynamics that showcased them at the height of their powers. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/YLT-LittleEyes.mp3]

22. Bear In Heaven – “Lovesick Teenager” – November 19, 2010 Music Hall of Williamsburg. Bear In Heaven was another band that stepped up in a big way in 2010. A year’s worth of touring took what had been a great album act but somewhat uneven live band and turned them into the juggernaut that we witnessed at Music Hall of Williamsburg. Whereas previous shows had always faced technical limitations (primarily with respect to sound), everything was perfectly dialed in for this show, with the Music Hall sound system delivering crystal clear sound and a light show that dazzled the sold-out crowd. Not but twelve months ago this band was playing the cozy Zebulon down the street. This show was obviously this band’s “Bowery moment.” [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/BearInHeaven-LovesickTeenager.mp3]

23. The Joy Formidable – “Austere” – January 12, 2010 Pianos. Whereas a Bowery Ballroom show tends to cement a band’s status in the scene, Pianos is Manhattan’s best incubator. Shows there tend to capture the nervous energy of bands trying to make their break who know that this could be it. We are pleased to say that since this show, The Joy Formidable did make it in a big way (including their own Bowery moment), playing tons of NY-area shows (almost all of which we saw) and bringing their music to new fans each time. Their massively loud sound is probably better suited a bigger venue, but we loved this Pianos show best of them all (and our recording sounded great). [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/TFJ-Austere.mp3]

24. The National – “Terrible Love” – December 8, 2010 Maxwell’s. Though it borders on heresy (and is not an opinion shared by all who work on this site), I was not an instant convert to The National‘s critically acclaimed High Violet. I didn’t hate the album, but after a three year break from recording, I was not sure what I should expect from the band. High Violet didn’t grab me in the way that earlier records like Alligator did, and it didn’t help that I first saw the songs live in the sonically deficient Terminal 5, where the sound was so poor that even The National’s sound engineer commiserated with us about the venue’s challenges. Luckily, I was given a second chance at this rare set opening in the (relatively) tiny Maxwell’s for Yo La Tengo on the final night of their Hanukkah shows. This time, in this intimate setting, the subtle beauty of the High Violet songs shone through, especially on the set’s closer, this fantastic rendition of “Terrible Love.” [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/National-TerribleLove.mp3]

25. We Were Promised Jetpacks – “It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning” – February 15, 2010 Knitting Factory. I went to this show on a lark, having never heard this Scottish trio before. Apparently I had missed the memo, as the Knitting Factory was so packed I was literally crushed against the soundboard. In the best of ways, We Were Promised Jetpacks are what I like to call Scotland’s answer to U2 – their songs rely on anthemic riffs and vocalist Adam Thompson’s throaty choruses. The band worked this crowd into a froth, the energy seething through the room, as Thompson belted out song after song in a way that could have melted the ice outside. In a show full of them, this song was a particularly stirring anthem. [audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/2010Best20/WWPJ-Lightning.mp3]

Special thanks to all of the artists, management, labels, photographers and other music sites that have supported NYCTaper this year. And of course, a huge thank you to our readers, who we hope to continue to provide with high-quality, artist-sanctioned recordings, reviews and photos throughout 2011. Happy New Year!

Peter Wolf Crier: July 15, 2010 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Sample

August 2, 2010
By


[photo by Johnny]

It’s always a great thing when you show up early enough at a concert to catch the opening acts you’re not familiar with and they wind up impressing you.  Peter Wolf Crier is such a band.  I hadn’t heard of the Peter Pisano and Brian Moen indie/alt-rock duo before but I’ll be keeping track of them.  They remind me a bit of a Greg Markel-era Prime Movers or if Radiohead had started out as a two-piece and Thom Yorke wasn’t so maudlin, they might sound like this.  It doesn’t hurt that Pisano’s voice is a little like Jeff Buckley’s with a shot of testosterone.  Closing with their brilliant take on a Nick Drake song ended the set wonderfully and the folks in attendance that night were treated to another pleasant surprise when Peter joined the Heartless Bastards during their encore.  I’m looking forward to the next time these guys are in town.

We recorded this set from the same spot on the balcony as Heartless Bastards and it came out very good.  Hope you like what you hear as much as we did.  Enjoy!

Stream “Untitled 101”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/P5701PeterWolfCrier1020/pwc2010-07-15-Untitled_101.mp3]

Direct download of the complete show in MP3 [HERE]
Direct download of the complete show in FLAC [HERE]

If either of the links are no longer working, email nyctaper with a request for the download location of the files.

Peter Wolf Crier
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY, USA
(opened for: Heartless Bastards / The Builders and the Butchers)

Source: AUD > AKG C 414 B-XLS’s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, adjust levels, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > Trader’s Little Helper (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC) > FLAC Level 8
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 29:54]
01. Crutch & Cane
02. Hard As Nails
03. Down Down Down
04. [banter]
05. Untitled 101
06. You’re So High
07. [banter]
08. Lion
09. Place to Be  [Nick Drake]

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Peter Wolf Crier, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases and merchandise.

Heartless Bastards: July 15, 2010 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Samples

July 23, 2010
By


[photo by Johnny]

I first saw Heartless Bastards about a year and a half ago when they opened for The Black Keys and was pretty blown away.  Since then, I’ve been waiting (somewhat impatiently, I’ll admit) for them to return to NYC with their indie-garage rock-blues amalgam and headline their own show.  My wish was granted when Erika, Dave, Mark and Jesse played not just one, but two back-to-back concerts at Music Hall of Williamsburg and Bowery Ballroom.  Suffice to say, I wasn’t disappointed: acidjack and I caught the first night at MHoW and by the time the house lights came up, I couldn’t wait to go to the second night.  The setlist included songs culled from their three albums, a short acoustic interlude, violinist Zy Orange Lyn joining the band for a handful of songs and Peter Pisano of Peter Wolf Crier sitting in for the encore’s “Could Be So Happy” (the Peter Wolf Crier and The Builders and the Butchers sets will be coming soon).  While the setlists were essentially the same both nights, there was the surprise addition of “Searching For the Ghost” during the encore at Bowery.  Adding to the milieu, someone in the crowd inflated a few condoms that bounced around the venue (which Jesse makes reference to) for a good part of the show and can be heard occasionally popping throughout the recording.  On a personal note, I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Wennerstrom after one of the gigs and she is an absolute and gracious sweetheart.  Yeah, I’m smitten.

We were in our regular spot on the balcony next to the soundboard and, aside from the occasional rumble of being under an a/c vent and a group that preferred to chat loudly rather than enjoy the music, we came out with an excellent recording.  Hope you like what you hear as much as we did.  Enjoy!

Stream “Out at Sea”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/H6602HB9922/hb2010-07-15-Out_at_Sea.mp3]
Stream “Searching for the Ghost”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/H6602HB9922/hb2010-07-15-Searching for_the_Ghost.mp3]

Direct download of the complete show in MP3 [HERE]
Direct download of the complete show in FLAC [HERE]

If either of the links are no longer working, email nyctaper with a request for the download location of the files.

Heartless Bastards
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY, USA
(opening bands: The Builders and the Butchers / Peter Wolf Crier)

Source: AUD > AKG C 414 B-XLS’s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, adjust levels, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > Trader’s Little Helper (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC conversion) > FLAC (level 8 )
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 1:41:21]
01. Done Got Old
02. Out at Sea
03. Onions
04. Witchypoo
05. Blue Day
06. [banter]
07. Into the Open
08. I Swallowed a Dragonfly [*]
09. So Quiet [*]
10. Had to Go [*]
11. All This Time [*]
12. The Mountain
13. Sway
14. Hold Your Head High
15. Swamp Song
16. Nothing Seems the Same
17. Early in the Morning
18. [encore break / banter]
19. Could Be So Happy [#]
20. Searching for the Ghost [*]
21. Gray
22. Runnin

* Zy Orange Lyn on violin
# Peter Pisano (of Peter Wolf Crier) on additional vocals

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Heartless Bastards, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases and merchandise.

The Hold Steady: April 17, 2010 Bowery Ballroom – Flac and MP3 Downloads

April 18, 2010
By


[photo courtesy of Edwina Hay]

The Hold Steady will release their fourth studio album Heaven Is Whenever in a couple of weeks. The band is set to embark on a two-month tour to support the album. On Saturday night as a tour send-off, the Hold Steady took on the ambitious task of playing two shows in two boroughs on the same night. We sort of figured the late show at Music Hall would be a bit of a messy and drunken affair so we decided to grab a ticket to the early Bowery show. It felt strange entering Bowery Ballroom during daylight hours and setting up the equipment with the assistance of the natural light from the back window. By the time the Hold Steady took the stage at 8:30, the place was packed and all seemed right again. The band roared through an eighty-minute set which featured five of the ten new songs, and a heavy dose of Steady classics — we enjoyed “Chips Ahoy!” and “You Can Make Him Like You” in particular. Craig Finn was his usual animated self, and the addition of a new guitarist added some muscle to the band, while the loss of Franz Nicolay seemed to create a more guitar-heavy stage sound, as the new keyboardist was definitely low in the mix. At the close the set the band returned for two crowd-participation-heavy encores, and although the band still had another show to play, the Bowery performance did not seem perfunctory or rushed and we left quite satisfied.

This set was recorded from our standard position at this venue with just the Neumann hypercardioid microphones and the sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

The Hold Steady
2010-04-17
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded at Balcony Rail

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

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2010-04-18

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:19:31]
01 [introduction]
02 Positive Jam
03 Same Kooks
04 Hurricane J
05 Cattle and the Creeping Things
06 Magazines
07 You Can Make Him Like You
08 Rock Problems
09 Sequestered in Memphis
10 Navy Sheets
11 Soft in the Center
12 Barfruit Blues
13 The Weekenders
14 Chips Ahoy!
15 Stuck Between Stations
16 A Slight Discomfort
17 Stay Positive
18 Southtown Girls
19 How a Resurrection Really Feels
20 [encore break]
21 Massive Night
22 Slapped Actress

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT The Hold Steady, visit their website, and preorder Heaven is Whenever from the links at their website [HERE].

Titus Andronicus: March 6, 2010 Bowery Ballroom – Flac and MP3 Downloads

March 9, 2010
By


[photo by nyctaper]

Patrick Stickles decision to perform a solo rendition of The Replacements’ “Treatment Bound” as a tribute to his band was appropriate in so many ways. Titus Andronicus owes much to the Replacements in terms of their sound and their attitude. At the Bowery on Saturday night, Titus sold out one of NYC’s premiere venues on the night they celebrated the release of their triumphant new album The Monitor. As the Replacements did during their Hootenanny/Let it Be heyday, Titus has learned to walk the thin line between inspired manic energy and chaos. But if the decline of the Replacements from a group of talented crazies to a bland major label AOR band is any lesson, one can only hope that Titus can maintain their edge. The Monitor is an ambitious album that works on many levels as it draws inspirations from history, life in the suburbs, and life in a punk rock band. As the Minutemen did contemporaneously to the ‘Mats, Titus has structured big ideas into multi-layered songs (“Battle of Hampton Roads” lasts sixteen minutes), but still manage to keep within the punk idiom and ethos. Its truly a strange site to see virtually the entire floor of the Bowery Ballroom slamming to a song about Civil War ironclad warships, but somehow on Saturday it seemed to perfectly fit the occasion.

I recorded this set with the Neumann microphones from the balcony rail mixed with a feed from the soundboard. The two sources give the recording both instrumental and vocal clarity while also reflecting the energy in the room. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Titus Andronicus
2010-03-06
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Neumann KM-150s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2 x 16bit 44.1kHz 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
2010-03-08

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:31:11]
01 [introduction]
02 A Pot In Which To Piss
03 Upon Viewing Bruegel’s “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus”
04 A More Perfect Union
05 Joset of Nazareth’s Blues
06 Richard II
07 [tuning/banter]
08 Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, New Jersey
09 [banter]
10 No Future Part Three: Escape from No Future
11 Titus Andronicus
12 Band Introductions/My Time Outside The Womb
13 [banter]
14 The Battle Of Hampton Roads
15 …And Ever
16 [banter]
17 Four Score And Seven
18 [banter]
19 Treatment Bound (The Replacements)
20 No Future Part II: The Day After No Future

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Titus Andronicus, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase The Monitor directly from Beggar’s Group/XL Recordings [here].

Mission of Burma: January 30, 2010 Bowery Ballroom – Flac and MP3 Downloads

February 1, 2010
By


[photo by nyctaper]

The second of Mission of Burma’s two nights at Bowery was covered for nyctaper by Acidjack. Our recording of the first night is [here].

Acidjack reports:
“I have to admit that this was my first time seeing Mission of Burma, which is one of those concert-going omissions that I should be embarrassed about. My first experience, with them playing a second night to a packed Bowery Ballroom, was a great one. It is truly an honor to see bands continue to produce at such a high level during the second phase of their careers. Unlike some bands whose raison d’etre for their career revivals seems to have more to do with credit card and mortgage balances than artistic vitality (I’ll avoid naming names), Mission of Burma prove that they still have something to say. The sound, thanks to the excellent work of master production wizard Bob Weston and the Bowery sound team, was excellent, and this recording, from the same spot as last night’s show with similar equipment, reflects that. Enjoy!”

Download the MP3 and FLAC files and stream the entire show on the Live Music Archive [HERE]

Mission of Burma
2010-01-30
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY

An acidjack master recording

Equipment: DPA 4021>Naiant littlebox>Sony PCM-M10 (24/44.1)
Position: Clamp to balcony at right side of SBD, 8′ total height
Mastering: 24bit/44.1kHz WAV>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify each channel, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Dirt
02 Careening With Conviction
03 Good Cheer
04 SSL 83
05 After the Rain
06 Trem Two
07 Devotion
08 banter
09 Blunder
10 Spider’s Web
11 13
12 1, 2, 3 Partyy!
13 Possession
14 Feed
15 Comes Undone
16 2wice
17 This Is Not A Photograph
18 Red
19 encore break
20 1001 Pleasant Dreams
21 Hi Fi [new song]
22 That’s When I Reach for My Revolver
23 banter
24 Good, Not Great

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Mission of Burma, visit their website, and purchase their official releases directly from the Store at their website [HERE].

Dinosaur Jr.: January 16, 2010 Bowery Ballroom – Flac and MP3 Downloads

January 19, 2010
By


[photo courtesy of Greg Notch]

“You can’t hear the vocals? … what the f show do you think this is?” yelled Lou Barlow at some clueless complainers. The full throttle sonic guitar onslaught that is a live Dinosaur Jr. show was on display on Saturday at Bowery Ballroom, and those few fans seeking vocals were bound to be disappointed. The vast majority of the crowd was treated to a ninety-minute run through the Dinosaur Jr. catalog that was perhaps a bit too heavy on material from 2009’s Farm, but never let up on the intensity. Any disappointed old school fans were more than satisfied at the two encore selections — first album songs “Repulsion” and the ultra-rare “Mountain Man”.

I recorded this set from the standard balcony rail location, the vantage point pictured above. The sound quality is quite excellent. Enjoy!

The Sunday night show at Music Hall was also recorded for nyctaper and will be posted soon.

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Dinosaur Jr.
2010-01-16
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Four-Track Digital Master Recording
Recorded at Balcony Rail

Neumann KM-150s + DPA 4021’s > 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
2010-01-19

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:28:25]
01 [introduction]
02 Thumb
03 Kracked
04 Imagination Blind
05 Raisans
06 [tuning/banter]
07 Pieces
08 Plans
09 Feel The Pain
10 Over It
11 Forget The Swan
12 [tuning jam]
13 The Wagon
14 Freak Scene
15 I Don’t Wanna Go There
16 [encore break]
17 Repulsion
18 Mountain Man

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Dinosaur Jr., visit their website, and purchase their official releases from the Store at their website [HERE].

Kurt Vile: January 16, 2010 Bowery Ballroom – Flac and MP3 Downloads

January 18, 2010
By


[photos courtesy of Vincent Cornelli]

Kurt Vile’s Matador Records debut Childish Prodigy was one of the most underrated albums of 2009. After several years as an underground favorite in Philadelphia and NYC, Kurt’s unique style of sludge-punk and throwback acid-rock is now quite ready for a national stage. In an opening slot for Dinosaur Jr. on Saturday at Bowery, Kurt and his band the Violators played a too-short five-song thirty-minute set of Childish material, highlighted by the appropriately titled “Freak Train” (featuring a saxophone) and the Crazy Horse-like “Monkey”. Kurt Vile returns to NYC for two local dates opening for F’ed Up in February.

We recorded this set from our standard location (pictured above!) at Bowery with the four-microphone rig. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Kurt Vile
2010-01-16
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Four-Track Digital Master Recording
Recorded Behind Soundboard Booth

Neumann KM-150s + DPA 4021’s > 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 by nyctaper and acidjack
Produced by nyctaper
2010-01-18

Setlist:
[Total Time 30:47]
01 Hunchback
02 Freak Train
03 Monkey
04 Overnight Religion
05 Dead Alive

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Kurt Vile, visit his MySpace page, and purchase Childish Prodigy from the Matador Records site [HERE].

Dirty Projectors: November 22, 2009 Bowery – Flac and MP3 Downloads

December 8, 2009
By


[photo courtesy of Amanda M. Hatfield]

Acidjack reports:
“The Dirty Projectors are the band you’d get if some Ivy League music majors decided to convert their acappella group into a rock band. Or perhaps, they are, almost, the band we *did* get. If you don’t own Bitte Orca, their excellent album from this year, go out and buy it now, before you don’t own the album that will top all of this year’s “best of” lists.

Experiencing this band live, it is even more striking just how *musical* this band is. Quite frankly, I lack the music theory vocabulary to explain what it is they’re doing up there, but the complexity in their compositions – from the vocal harmonies to the song structures – is evident to even the untutored ear. This night, closing out an almost weeklong run in their home town, saw the Projectors in fine form, playing a nearly 90 minute set (including an acoustic set) that closed out with special guest star David Byrne, as well as an appearance by The Roots. Not since Kid A has a band moved rock music this far forward this quickly, and, like Kid A, challenged the most basic notions about what “rock” music is – and could be.

I recorded this set in the center with my new DPA 4021s. Thanks to the combination of the band’s extremely talented sound engineers, the respectful crowd, and the top-flight equipment, the sound is excellent. Enjoy!”

NYCTaper would like to acknowledge and thank David Longstreth and Domino Records for their kind permission to post this recording.

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

[edit: some formats are having problems extracting track 08 of the mp3s due to the syntax of the multi-song title. An alternative Track 08 is here]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

The Dirty Projectors
2009-11-22
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY

An ACIDJACK master recording

Equipment: DPA 4021>Marantz PMD660 (16/44.1)
Position: FOB, center, halfway back
Mastering: WAV>Audacity (tracking, amplify channel, set fades)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Imagine It
02 Ascending Melody
03 Cannibal Resource
04 crowd
05 Wittenberg III
06 crowd
07 Fucked For Life
08 Gimme Gimme Gimme>Rise Above>Thirsty and Miserable
09 Two Doves
10 crowd
11 Spray Paint the Walls
12 The Bride
13 Stillness is the Move
14 No Intention (with the Roots)
15 Remade Horizon
16 Useful Chamber
17 encore break
18 Temecula Sunrise
19 crowd
20 Knotty Pine (with David Byrne)

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT The Dirty Projectors, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase Bitte Orca directly from the Domino Records website [HERE].

SUPPORT NYCTaper




DISCLAIMER and LEGAL NOTICE

nyctaper.com is a live music blog that offers a new paradigm of music distribution on the web. The recordings are offered for free on this site as are the music posts, reviews and links to artist sites. All recordings are posted with artist permission or artists with an existing pro-taping policy.

All recordings and original content posted on this site are @nyctaper.com as live recordings pursuant to 17 U.S.C. Section 106, et. seq. Redistribution of nyctaper recordings without consent of nyctaper.com is strictly prohibited.

nyctaper.com hereby waives all copyright claims to any and all recordings posted on this site to THE PERFORMERS ONLY. If any artist posted on this site requests that recordings be removed, those recordings will be removed forthwith.