Purling Hiss hit the road for the first time in a while to support their new record on Drag City, Drag On Girard. Last time I saw the ‘Hiss it was a solo Mike Polizze show opening for Dungen. I can’t even remember when that was but oh it’s great to be back. Long before I began contributing here at NYCTaper I followed along with all the excellent recordings especially from the Water on Mars-era. While I would have loved to hear the title track from that one, we got a solid setlist from them closing out their second night at Union Pool, including oldies “Almost Washed My Hair” and “Run From the City.” If you missed Purling Hiss at Union Pool, they’re playing a free show at Rippers on August 25th. Do it!
I recorded this from our usual spot at Union Pool with a feed from the engineer, Jase, who was responsible for the excellent sound all night. And thanks to all the folks for making it one of our favorite venues!
Purling Hiss
2023-04-23
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY
Recorded and produced by Eric PH for nyctaper.com
Soundboard (engineer: Jase Hottenroth) + MBHO KA200N/603A > Naiant PFA >> Sound Devices MixPre-6 > WAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC + Izotope Ozone 5 > Audacity 3.0.2 > FLAC
Tracks [38:17]
01. Yer All in My Dreams
02. Drag On Girard
03. Mercury Retrograde
04. Run From the City
05. Baby
06. Out the Door
07. Fever
08. Don't Even Try It
09. Almost Washed My Hair
Followers of this site of a certain age (e.g., too old to be seeing rock shows in the middle of the week) will almost certainly have some association with Damon & Naomi’s work. Maybe you have a fond memory from the early 90s of the sun shining, your vision blurred just enough around the edges to let the light and new ideas in and, somewhere in the background, “Strange” is playing from a mixtape. Or maybe that completely hypothetical and totally not autobiographical scenario doesn’t apply, and you just appreciate incredible songwriting with harmonies that can only come from a lifetime of playing music with someone. Either way, we’ve got you covered.
Tubby’s is a small room and acoustic sets full of ballads can be complicated. On this Wednesday night, the crowd was completely engaged in the moment. We stood enthralled as they worked through songs from their most recent album, 2021’s, “A Sky Record” and beyond. Things got really interesting when they invited their co-headliners, Meg Baird and Charlie Saufley, to join them.
When Damon casually stated, “Tonight, you’re seeing two duos and two quartets. This is the first appearance of the first quartet,” the room knew special things were about to happen. With Meg on drums and Charlie on guitar they eased into the ghostly and beautiful “Seasons Without Time” and eventually brought the set to fiery close with the Galaxie 500 classic “Another Day.”
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Will. Enjoy!
Brahs and Sahs! Here’s your unofficial Oneida chatbot with the news: It’s nearly summer and once again August has been declared the month of Oneida, with tour dates in a bunch of cities you’ve heard of and possibly live in. Last year’s August festivities were interrupted by that nasty bug (but not before we got to see them play Tubby’s), so wish the boys a Success-ful tour and grab your tickets now—dates below!
Soundtrack your buying with this sumptuous gig from last August in support of their latest album Success and general Oneida awesomeness. All the hits from the album are here with some oldies to round things out—I can’t even remember the last time I saw them play “Double Lock Your Mind,” not to mention the fan-favorite “Each One Teach One” making an appearance. But I love the new ones too—they’re like Oneida meets the Ramones? I don’t know but “Rotten,” “I Wanna Hold Your Electric Hand,” and “Beat Me to the Punch” are infectious pop-tunes run through the Oneida riff machine.
I recorded this from our usual spot at Tubby’s with a board feed courtesy of our bud, Will. The sound is excellent. And remember—if you don’t appreciate the Oneida you have we’re not gonna get you another one.
Oneida
2021-08-04
Tubby's
Kingston, NY
Recorded and produced by Eric PH for nyctaper.com
Soundboard (engineer: Will) + MBHO KA200N/603A (DIN) > Naiant PFA >> Sound Devices MixPre-6 > WAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC + Izotope Ozone 5 > Audacity 3.0.2 > FLAC
Tracks [1:21:42]
01. Rotten
02. Cockfight
03. Opportunities
04. Each One Teach One
05. Paralyzed
06. Ghost in the Room
07. I Wanna Hold Your Electric Hand
08. Low Tide > Ragged Shore
09. Up With People
10. Solid
11. Double Lock Your Mind
12. Beat Me to the Punch
Yes, you’ve read that date right! Sometimes life gets in the way and recordings linger. But this one’s been on my mind for a while and even more so recently, with Come ending a short US tour tonight in DC. More tour dates are scheduled this year for Come, Lupa Citta, and Codeine (go see them at the Bowery Ballroom November 9th). Chris Brokaw does not rest!
Last year we got to see him playing solo at Tubby’s supporting his solo LP, Puritan, and a new one from The Martha’s Vineyard Ferries, his band with Elisha Wiesner and Bob Weston which had been dormant since 2013. One of the great things about seeing Brokaw solo is that you get to focus on his lyrics which feature vivid juxtapositions of imagery, like in “She’s a Fucking Angel (From Fucking Heaven)” and “Betty Ford James.” I hear rumors we may get another opportunity to see Brokaw locally this fall, so keep an eye out. Meanwhile, catch up with tour dates, releases (including this recent live tape and a long-lost Codeine album!), and more at his website.
I recorded this set with the mics clamped to the soundboard booth, combined with a board feed from FOH Will. I mixed those down and then Sohrab Habibion of SAVAK provided some additional mastering. The results are excellent. Enjoy!
It’s hard to remember the last time I saw Chris Forsyth and crew tear it up. Before the pandemic? Time blurs! I do know that this was my first in-person experience of the most recent Solar Motel Band lineup with Tom Malach (Garcia Peoples) on guitar, Doug McCombs (Tortoise, Brokeback, etc.) on bass, and of course Ryan Jewell, who somehow manages to be everywhere at once, on drums. This set is mostly songs off of Forsyth’s latest burner, Evolution Here We Come, including the Richard and Linda Thompson song “You’re Going to Need Somebody.” Forsyth is ever-reliable in his choice of covers, here capping off the night (and not to mention the triple-threat Garcia Peoples/Purling Hiss/Motel Band tour) with his take on Neil Young’s “Powderfinger.” But it’s the Evolution-closer “Robot Energy Machine” that really let’s the group stretch out, McCombs and Jewell providing the motorik backing rhythms for Forsyth and Malach to trade lines over. Maybe next tour Forsyth and co. will be doing a Neu! cover. You never know!
I recorded this from our usual spot at Union Pool. Thanks to all the folks there and sound engineer Jase Hottenroth for making this happen. Enjoy!
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band
2023-04-23
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY
Recorded and produced by Eric PH for nyctaper.com
Soundboard (engineer: Jase Hottenroth) + MBHO KA200N/603A > Naiant PFA >> Sound Devices MixPre-6 > WAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC + Izotope Ozone 5 > Audacity 3.0.2 > FLAC
Tracks [56:56]
01. Tomorrow Might As Well Be Today
02. Experimental & Professional
03. Heaven For a Few
04. Bad Moon Risen
05. [banter]
06. You're Going to Need Somebody [Richard & Linda Thompson]
07. Robot Energy Machine
08. Powderfinger [Neil Young]
If you forgot to wear your tie-dye shirt out to Tubby’s 4/20 show—no problem, they were dyeing ’em out back. Meanwhile, local Kingston jammers Dominick and the Family Band were inside playing “I Wanna Get High” and “Just Smoke” to a packed Thursday evening crowd. Those songs are off last year’s tape Body Wave Heat Whatever, but the band has a new album nearly in the can and treated us to the new ones “All I Do,” “Heather,” and “Backwards.” More than a few ears perked up as the band transitioned from “Lights Out” into “I Know You Rider,” ensuring that we’d all get a bit of Dead in our 4/20.
I recorded this from our usual spot at Tubby’s, the MBHO’s combined with a board feed from enginner Nick. The sound is excellent. Dig in!
Dominick & the Family Band
2023-04-20
Tubby's
Kingston, NY
Recorded and produced by Eric PH for nyctaper.com
Soundboard (engineer: Nick) + MBHO KA200N/603A (DIN) > Naiant PFA >> Sound Devices MixPre-6 > WAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC + Izotope Ozone 5 > Audacity 3.0.2 > FLAC
Tracks [41:37]
01. I Wanna Get High
02. All I Do
03. Blue Morning Light
04. Just Smoke
05. Heather
06. Backwards
07. Lights Out > I Know You Rider
Readers of the excellent Raven Sings The Blues blog may have noticed a new mix of vibraphone-based music posted some weeks back. Rumor has it the initial draft of this collection, curated by Elkhorn’s Drew Gardner, clocked in at FIVE hours. This is not terribly surprising since Elkhorn does not rush to reach a point in their own music. They take the care and time to explore the corners and possibilities. They do this, as Jesse mentions at the beginning of this recording, by playing music with their hearts.
Their new album, On The Whole Universe In All Directions, sees Drew swapping his signature Tele for a vibraphone. While no one will mistake a vibraphone for a Telecaster, at its core, this still sounds exactly like Elkhorn. Deeply meditative, with both Jesse and Drew’s musical personalities front and center propping each other up.
Sadly, this night at Tubby’s did not feature any vibraphone but it did have Ian McColm on drums. This was my first opportunity to see Ian perform and I cannot think of a more perfect rhythmic companion for Elkhorn. His ability to play in, around and outside the guitar duo was remarkable. This trio is astounding.
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Sam. Enjoy!
The Royal Artic Institute is a perfect band name for a mid-February show in (slightly) upstate New York. Outside it was wet and cold but inside the drinks were flowing, the spirits were high, and the music was outstanding. Another perfect night at Tubby’s.
The NYC based band has over 50 years of combined touring and recording experience including stints with certified legends like Arthur Lee and Roky Erickson. The musical experience is palpable; they float though compositions shifting feel and sound and carrying the listener through the journey. This is a fun one for headphones and a dark room.
The Royal Arctic Institute plays “cinematic instrumental post-jazz” or, as they put it on their band camp page, “post-everything.” Pidgeon holing their sound defeats the point. These are expansive, imaginative soundscapes made for dreaming. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with my MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Sam. The sound and performance are excellent. Enjoy!
The final night of Mikaela Davis’s residency took place during one of Tubby’s semi regular Dead nights. These events started simply; just a dude with a couple decks playing some Dead tapes. They have since evolved into not to be missed parties complete with all the things you would expect at this type of event. There were tapes. There was a “lot” scene. There was spinning. There was Drums > Space.
The first set of originals was comprised of mostly older songs not often played including “Do You Wanna Be Mine” from 2018’s “Delivery”. The set also features a brand-new tune, “Left Hand Path,” about a D&D Vampirate. Let’s get weird.
The Dead set opened strong with a super upbeat version of the Garcia classic “Cats Under the Stars” and jumped straight into “Shakedown Street” which had the spinners spinning. On more than one occasion I felt a dreadlock swing against my arm in wild, envelope filter induced ecstasy. The meat of this set was the transition out of “Crazy Fingers” into “Drums” that contained the most exciting and free playing of the evening.
Mikaela and the band have decided to bring this tour on the road for a, mostly, East Coast run beginning in March, and I highly suggest you hit a show. This was some of the best Dead adjacent music I’ve heard post Jerry. This is much more than another Dead cover band. They have brought authenticity, innovation, and fresh air to a vital part of the American songbook.
I recorded this from my usual spot by the soundboard with MBHO’s and board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Sam. Enjoy!
This was night 3 of her 3 show residency at Tubby’s. Each night was a set of originals and a set of Dead music. Tonights Dead set featured songs from 1973-1989
Our live experiences with the Fiery Furnaces date back to the earliest days of this website. It would be fair to say that this band was in part responsible for the growth of the site circa 2007-2008, as we recorded them all around the area, from multiple times at Maxwell’s, Mercury, Bowery, and Music Hall, to singular shows at Sound Fix Records on Bedford (RIP), Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, LPR, Southpaw (RIP), East River Park Bandshell (RIP), and Hiro Ballroom (RIP). We recorded them so often that we ended up getting credited as an “engineer” for the Fiery Furnaces live album Remember, which used some of our recordings. The attraction was natural for we live music fans — the band never played any of their shows or songs the same way twice, they consistently invited superb musicians to join them on tours, and the music was always challenging and cerebral. We couldn’t get enough of them.
But in 2011, the band’s core siblings Eleanor and Matt Friedberger decided to take a hiatus. I expected a few years of time away, a solo album or two and then a return. I didn’t expect the break to take a decade, but in 2020 the reunion was finally announced and well, you know what happened then.
Last November at Brooklyn Steel, the wait was over. Fiery Furnaces were back for a “hometown” show at long last. To be honest, I didn’t really know what entirely to expect. The two stalwarts of the band from last decade (Jason Loewenstein and Bob D’Amico) were not joining in the reunion, and of the new band members, we only were familiar with the most excellent Emily Lee (Shearwater, and others). But what I did expect was a new take on classic material, and likely the new single from 2020 (“Down At The So And So And Somewhere”). And in that respect, this show was entirely what I had hoped to see. The setlist contained a healthy dose from all of the band’s releases, of course segued with unexpected twists and turns — but always anchored by Eleanor’s meticulously delivered tongue-twisters and turns of phrase. Matt’s keyboard rack was liberally employed throughout and jibed perfectly with Emily electric piano — check out the interplay in a tasty “Benton Harbor Blues”, and the rocking “Ex-Guru”. The entire ninety-minute set worked like that, with no lulls, plenty of highlights, and no dip in energy throughout. It was great to have Fiery Furnaces back, even if for just one night. We hope it isn’t another decade before they return.
I recorded this set with the Neumann hypers set up at the Soundboard and mixed with a board feed. We are extremely happy with the results, and are pleased to offer this high quality download. Enjoy!
Setlist: [Total Time 1:22:52] 01 Leaky Tunnel 02 Single Again 03 Two Fat Feet 04 I’m Going Away 05 Benton Harbor Blues 06 [checklist] 07 My Dog Was Lost but Now He’s Found 08 The Garfield El 09 Chief Inspector Blancheflower 10 I’m in No Mood 11 Don’t Dance Her Down 12 The Vietnamese Telephone Ministry 13 Down At The So And So And Somewhere 14 Duplexes of the Dead 15 Automatic Husband 16 Ex-Guru 17 Quay Cur 18 Tropical Ice-Land 19 [encore break] 20 Here Comes the Summer 21 My Egyptian Grammar 22 Chris Michaels
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