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Soulive: March 12, 2011: Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 26, 2011
By


[photo by Jill from For The Love of Brooklyn]

For the past two years now, the funk/jazz trio Soulive have been commandeering the cavernous adult playland Brooklyn Bowl for a series of concerts they dub “Bowlive”. These special shows in their home state of New York (they are originally based in Woodstock) feature memorable performances by the band as well as hordes of special guests; if anything, this year’s “Bowlive II” was even more epic than last year’s outing. This final night of their 10-day run promised to be a special one, and despite the last-minute illness-induced withdrawal of special guest Matisyahu, the band and their guests didn’t let that slow them down as they brought the funk for more than two hours. The tighter first set focused mostly on Soulive’s own material, including a heady rendition of “Doing the 2” jamming into “Too Much”, with the night’s opening act, Nigel Hall, on vocals together with Alicia Chakour. The first set closed with the night’s first surprise, when during their cover of the Meters’ “Just Kissed My Baby”, American Idol winner Taylor Hicks (remember him?) bounded to the stage. Adding backing vocals and harmonica to Hall and Chakour’s vocals, Hicks proved that although he may not be the most commercially successful Idol graduate, he lacks nothing in the talent department.

Set two saw more musical exploration, including a special showcase for the talents of guitarist Eric Krasno on a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan‘s “Lenny”. Not to be outdone, drummer Alan Evans brought the full force of his kit skills to bear during the night’s most epic number, “One in Seven,” featuring an extended solo in the middle. The set wrapped up with three covers: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears (turned into straight-up soul number), Aretha Franklin‘s “Rock Steady,” and finally (and appropriately), the encore, “Makin’ My Way Back Home” by Lettuce (only half a cover, given the overlapping players in both acts). Bowling and funk may be natural bedfellows, or they may not be, but either way, we hope there is a Bowlive III in the future.

We recorded this set with a combination of the DPA microphones at close range to capture the PA output, plus AKG large-diaphragm microphones onstage to capture the instrumental detail and broad, spacious stage sound. The results are truly outstanding. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Soulive and Morgan Young for approving this recording, and to Peter Costello and the Brooklyn Bowl team for their hospitality and hard work.

Stream “Just Kissed My Baby”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S1302Soulive1021/soulive2011-03-12bbowl_acidjack-11.mp3]

Stream “Lenny”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S1302Soulive1021/soulive2011-03-12bbowl_acidjack-17.mp3]

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

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Soulive
2011-03-12
Brooklyn Bowl
Brooklyn, NY USA

Recorded and produced by Johnny Fried Chicken Boy and acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: DPA 4021>Sound Devices USBpre2+AKG C 414 B-XLS (Wide Cardiod Mode)>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]
Position: AKGs onstage, DPAs on stand, 10ft from right stack, 12ft up, X/Y
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ DPA source, mixdown, downsample, tracking, set fades, level adjustments, fix SBEs, tag files, smooth peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks:
Set 1:
01. intro
02. Bubble
03. banter
04. Uncle Junior
05. banter
06. Flurries
07. banter
08. The Swamp
09. banter
10. Doing the 2 > Too Much
11. Just Kissed My Baby [The Meters]

Set 2:
12. 2nd set intro
13. El Ron
14. banter
15. Up Right
16. banter
17. Lenny [Stevie Ray Vaughan]
18. banter
19. One in Seven >
20. drums > One in Seven
21. Everybody Wants to Rule the World [Tears for Fears]
22. banter
23. Rock Steady [Aretha Franklin]
24. encore break
25. Makin’ My Way Back Home [Lettuce]

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Soulive, visit their website, and purchase their official releases and merchandise directly from the band’s online store [HERE]

Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour: March 21, 2011 Knitting Factory – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 25, 2011
By


[Photo courtesy of EardrumNYC]

The Elephant 6 Collective is a unique force in modern American music, a merry band of collaborators whose psychedelic, Beatles-inspired songs continue to resonate with indie aficionados across the globe. If you aren’t up for seeing more than 10 bands in one place at one time, you should skip the E6 Holiday Surprise extravaganzas, because over their usual three sets in a given night, they will illuminate and educate you, as well as wear down the unready. This gig at the Knitting Factory was night one of three here in New York, and it gave immediate notice to the untutored that life in Elephant 6 land can be a little loopy. This loose-knit group of Athens, GA-based musicians has formed and splintered off into numerous bands, and the sets find the players rotating on and off stage, constituting a different band at each song. This show was a veritable psych-rock circus, with a giant self-playing organ, a trippy cartoon video interlude, a “coming of spring” game that consisted of various audience members trying to pierce a paper target with a tossed fake snowball, a giant snowman, and intense, unusual sounds. The various E6 bands – some of the better-known being Olivia Tremor Control, Circulatory System, and Elf Power, to name a few (oh, and of course, Neutral Milk Hotel whose reclusive frontman could be seen in the audience, but not onstage) – vary in their degree of pop sensibility versus psychedelic experimentation, but even the tamer E6 bands play with sound collages, obscure instruments like the theremin, and a playful, childlike sense of wonder.

For three full sets lasting almost three hours, the players treated us with some of the collective’s best-known songs: Olivia Tremor Control’s “Define A Transparent Dream,” Circulatory System’s “Yesterday’s World,” and Elf Power’s “The Well.” But there were more obscure numbers from lesser-known bands like the Gerbils and the late b.p. helium, as well as some new songs as well. It was an evening of the unexpected, a huge range of songs that is difficult to summarize. What was clear was that this collective whole is greater than any individual part. As they closed with a mammoth thirteen-minute version of Sun Ra Arkestra’s “Enlightenment” (most of which was played in the crowd directly under my mics), I couldn’t help but notice that these guys had put on a three-hour set and still seemed to be be having so much fun – and probably had another three hours left in them. As I said, Elephant 6 land is a loopy place.

I recorded this set with a four-microphone rig from our usual spot in the venue. Although the band’s engineer was a bit dissatisfied with the house mix, I think he was being a little hard on himself. With some of the room’s natural characteristics removed, the recording is excellent. Enjoy!

Special thanks to the Knitting Factory for their hospitality. Also, thanks to Southern Shelter (who recorded the Atlanta show) for their assistance with the setlist.

Stream “The Well”:
[audio:http://www.acidjack.com/E6Holiday/03 The Well.mp3]

Stream “Sail Beyond the Sunset”:
[audio:http://www.acidjack.com/E6Holiday/17 Sail Beyond the Sunset.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour
2011-03-21
Knitting Factory
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Equipment: DPA 4021+Schoeps CMC6/mk41>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: Slightly ROC, at soundboard, DPAs ORTF, Schoeps 1ft split, pointed at stacks, approx 7.5ft
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ both sources, mixdown, set fades, tracking, smooth peaks, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks

Set I [1:07:37]
01 When Father Was Away on Business [Major Organ and the Adding Machine]
02 Nothing’s Gonna Happen [Elf Power]
03 The Well [Elf Power]
04 Yesterday’s World [Circulatory System]
05 Karaoke Free [Elephant 6 Orchestra]
06 [banter]
07 Life Form (Transmission Received) [Major Organ and the Adding Machine]
08 Hideaway [Olivia Tremor Control]
09 Spiral Stairs [Elf Power]
10 [banter]
11 As Time Passed [The Gerbils]
12 [banter]
13 Lucky Girl [The Gerbils]
14 [banter]
15 Define A Transparent Dream [Olivia Tremor Control]
16 Hide In the Light> [Elephant 6 Orchestra]
17 Sail Beyond the Sunset [Elephant 6 Orchestra]
18 [banter]
19 organ instrumental
20 [banter]
21 [unknown – Music Tapes]
22 [banter]
23 Party With Me Punker [The Minutemen]
24 Temporary Arm [Elf Power]
25 The Opera House [Olivia Tremor Control]

Set II [1:04:42]
26 They Broke the Speed of Light [The Late B.P. Helium]
27 The Rabbit’s Ear [The Late B.P. Helium]
28 Out of the Water [M Coast]
29 Can You Come Down With Us? [Olivia Tremor Control]
30 [banter]
31 To All Who Say Goodnight [Elephant 6 Orchestra]
32 [banter]
33 Days Remain [Elephant 6 Orchestra]
34 The Lovely Universe [Circulatory System]
35 An Old Familiar Scene [Elf Power]
36 [banter]
37 Nothing For Sunday [Elephant 6 Orchestra]
38 instrumental
39 Majesty [The Music Tapes]
40 Glue [The Gerbils]
41 A White Sky [The Gerbils]
42 [set break]

Set III [44:00:00]
43 I Have Been Floated [Olivia Tremor Control]
44 Round [Olivia Tremor Control]
45 This Morning (We Remembered Everything) [Circulatory System]
46 [banter]
47 Two Skies [The Gerbils]
48 [banter]
49 Alcohol [The Kinks]
50 [banter]
51 Candy For Everyone [The Late B.P. Helium]
52 [banter]
53 Green Typewriters [Olivia Tremor Control]
54 [banter]
55 Enlightenment [Sun Ra Arkestra]

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Elephant 6 Records, visit their website, and support the many fine acts on their label by purchasing official releases (including at the Elephant 6 Store, coming soon).

La Sera: March 2, 2011 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 15, 2011
By


[Photos by Geoffrey Dicker for According2G]

La Sera is the new LA-based project from Katy Goodman, best known for her work with the Vivian Girls. La Sera may be an LA band but the Bowery Ballroom crowd welcomed Katy and her new band with open arms, and well they should have. La Sera more or less picks up where the Vivians left off, but adds a lighter California twist that befits their hometown. La Sera songs, compared to the Vivians, are suffused with a sunnier tone that borrows from the girl groups of the 60s and California surf rock, with the Vivians’ layers of feedback stripped away. That leaves Goodman’s voice and her pretty, spare arrangements, which is all to the good, as she can sing the hell out of these songs. This set included a number of new songs – impressive considering that Goodman release La Sera’s debut LP, La Sera, just earlier this year – as well as a spot-on cover of the Mamas and the Papas’ “Dedicated to the One I Love.” Despite her use of rotating touring bands (because Goodman continues as a member of the Vivian Girls, she cannot consistently keep one La Sera together), this band delivered the songs confidently, setting the stage perfectly for the headliner, Tennis (also recorded).

I recorded this set from the same location as the Tennis recording, but utilized only the Microtech-Gefell microphones. The sound is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Beating Heart”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L3002LaSera0211/17 Beating Heart.mp3]

Stream “Dedicated to the One I Love”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L3002LaSera0211/13 Dedicated to the One I Love.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

La Sera
2011-03-02
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

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

Equipment: Microtech-Gefell M210s>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: LOC, at soundboard, mics on extension arm at eye level with sound staff, 210s pointed at stacks
Mastering: 24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (downsample, EQ, set fades, limit peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Time 33:06]
01 Behind Your Eyes
02 Sleeptalking
03 Never Come Around
04 Hold
05 [unknown]
06 [banter]
07 Been Here Before
08 [unknown – new]
09 Left This World
10 [banter]
11 Devils Hearts Grow Gold
12 [unknown – new]
13 Dedicated to the One I Love [The Mamas and the Papas]
14 [unknown]
15 You’re Going to Cry [feat. Molly from Widowspeak and Elena from Tennis]
16 Beating Heart

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT La Sera, visit their MySpace page, and purchase La Sera directly from Hardly Art records here.

Hooray For Earth: March 8, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 14, 2011
By


[Video still by Cannons]

Looking at Brooklyn bands with big, big potential to come out of SXSW this week transformed into rising stars, Hooray For Earth has got to be high on the list. Though there is no exact formula for making it to the next level, it has to include the appeal to resonate beyond narrow indie borders into the broader pop realm. Look at bands that have done it recently (Yeasayer, in particular) and Hooray For Earth is right up there with them. How so? The energy of Hooray For Earth‘s music is boundless, their beats ecstatic. Their songs are anthemic, but smart; fresh, but digestible. Songs like “Rolling/Nectarine” are all big beat backbone with shimmering keys and soaring choruses that click in any language, and that applies to most of their standout 2010 EP, Momo. They are both of rock music but beyond it in the way that many recent successes are; without dropping gimmicks, the band’s mastermind Noel Heroux takes some cues from the electronica realm and makes music that sounds like the near-future.

This Glasslands show was packed from when doors opened, completely sold out and then some. Undoubtedly, many of us had the same idea of spending Fat Tuesday sending off some local heroes before an SXSW run that will include a coveted spot at Pitchfork‘s showcase. Heroux and Co. got some unintended practice in crisis management, as gear malfunctioned left and right at the show’s start, including Heroux’s bass strap snapping during the second number. That didn’t slow the show’s momentum a bit, though, as HFE showcased a number of new songs that will appear on their forthcoming full-length, True Loves, which has already been generating heat in media circles. The hype seems justified, as Heroux has evolved the anthemic pop sound of Momo to embrace more tribal sounds, such as on the set opener, “Realize It’s Not the Sun,” and the spacescape-evoking “Black Trees.” The backing vocals of the ladies of Zambri were key throughout the night, perhaps no more so than on the standout title track to their new record, “True Loves”. Begged for an encore, the band came back to perform “Form” from Momo, which Heroux introduced as “This is Form. It’s rock n’ roll.” Not to contradict Noel, but in this moment, Hooray For Earth songs are all rock n’ roll. The rest of rock n’ roll may just not know it yet.

I recorded this set with the DPA microphones and an excellently mixed board feed from Derek at Glasslands. The sound is outstanding. Enjoy!

Stream “True Loves”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H7206HFE0201/05 True Loves.mp3]

Stream “Rolling/Nectarine”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H7206HFE0201/06 Rolling_Nectarine.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Hooray For Earth
2011-03-08
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Equipment: DPA 4021+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]
Position: ROC, balcony, ~ORTF
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (vocal-enhancing compression on soundboard track, smooth peaks, mixdown, adjust levels, EQ, smooth peaks, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks:
01 Realize It’s Not The Sun
02 Surrounded By Your Friends
03 Get Home
04 [banter]
05 True Loves
06 Rolling/Nectarine
07 [banter]
08 Sails
09 [banter]
10 Black Trees
11 [encore break]
12 Form

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Hooray For Earth, visit their website, and purchase Momo and their debut LP, True Loves directly from Dovecote Records.

Widowspeak: March 3, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 10, 2011
By

Brooklyn’s Widowspeak could be considered a Pacific Northwest import of sorts – vocalist/guitarist Molly Hamilton and drummer Michael Stasiak hail from Tacoma, Washington (guitarist Robert Thomas is from Chicago) and the rain-washed influence of that region suffuses both their sound and their songwriting.  Stylistically, you hear it in their guitar playing, which picks up the jangly, rangy sound of some of the early K Records acts like Beat Happening, and in the band’s unforced delivery.  There is a mellow, wistful air to Widowspeak that is uncommon to hungry young East Coast bands; rather than blaring “hear me NOW!” their approach is more akin to, “don’t worry, we know you’ll get it eventually.”  Which is to say that, in a scene thoroughly embracing the 90s at the moment, Widowspeak are firmly more in the SubPop than the shoegaze camp.  Hamilton’s vocals are sure to garner their fair share of favorable comparisons – one reviewer compared Hamilton’s distant, ghostly moan to Mazzy Star, but I prefer to think of her as a successor to Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power.  Her vocals talents were on full display this past Thursday night at Glasslands, where the band gave us a taste of some of the material they hope to release this summer on their forthcoming full length on Captured Tracks.  The band gave us a tight, well-rehearsed and set with few digressions, with a mix that emphasized Hamilton’s vocals.  Their current 7″ single (also available on Captured Tracks) “Harsh Realm” is both a knowing reference to an old joke (this link is worth reading) about grunge slang, as well as a paean to Hamilton and Stasiak’s roots, and that song also closed out this eight-song set.  Another highlight was the band’s sincere rendition of Chris Isaak’s classic, “Wicked Game”, which went perfectly with the band’s style and sound.

I recorded this set with the DPA microphones and a soundboard feed by Derek of Glasslands.  The sound quality is excellent.  Enjoy!

Stream “Harsh Realm”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W3030Widowspeak0211/09 Harsh Realm.mp3]

Stream “Wicked Game”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/W3030Widowspeak0211/07 Wicked Game.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Widowspeak
2011-03-03
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY  USA

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

Equipment: DPA 4021+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]
Position: ROC, balcony, ~ORTF
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, adjust levels, smooth peaks, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Burnout
02 Yellow Light
03 Brainfreeze
04 banter
05 Nightcrawlers
06 Ghost Boy
07 Wicked Game [Chris Isaak]
08 Pines
09 Harsh Realm

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Widowspeak, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their forthcoming LP and the “Harsh Realm” 7″ from Captured Tracks.

Mr. Dream: March 4, 2011 Glasslands – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 7, 2011
By


[Photo by Johnny Fried Chicken Boy and acidjack]

The Brooklyn band Mr. Dream gives the lie to the adage about writers, and critics in particular: That those who cannot actually do something become critics instead. In Mr. Dream’s particular case, the former Pitchfork writers Nick Sylvester and Adam Moerder joined with bassist Matt Morello to make the kind of rock music that made them become critics in the first place. Which is to say, rock music from the days when independent rock music wasn’t just the go-to tuneage for car commercials – when it was more often brash, loud, angular – and let’s be honest, had some fucking balls.

This show at Glasslands (and presented by PopGun Booking, who have been putting up one killer lineup after another at the venue recently) celebrated the release of the band’s first full-length, the 33-minute adrenaline burst Trash Hit. The record’s most evident influences are a who’s-who of critical favorites – early Pixies, Nirvana, Shellac, Fugazi, and a decent-sized portion of the SST canon. Stylistically, Mr. Dream’s songs embrace empty air in the manner most often associated with the legendary engineer Steve Albini – with each instrument clearly separated and clear, giving the music a dry, spare, propulsive quality. Joined by current Pitchfork contributor Matt LeMay (who produced three of the songs on Trash Hit) to bolster their guitar assault, the band hurtled through a half-hour of mostly Trash Hit songs whose intensity never flagged. The first notes of “Knuckle Sandwich” kicked in before the house music had even been turned off, and the show was balls-out from there. The musical erudition of the players shows through in their songs, which wear their influences well without being overwhelmed by them; the title track, “Trash Hit”, for example, could have held its own with the Pixies in their Surfer Rosa days. By the time they left the stage after “Unfinished Business,” Mr. Dream didn’t need an encore – they had cemented themselves as yet another band to watch in 2011. The band will be joining Sleigh Bells and CSS for their East Coast tour, with dates in DC, Philly and Boston, and a May 11 show at Webster Hall in NYC (tickets here).

I recorded this set with the DPA microphones mounted on the balcony, combined with an outstanding house mix from the Glasslands engineers. The quality is outstanding. Enjoy!

Stream “Trash Hit”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/M3400MrDream2011/05 Trash Hit.mp3]

Stream “Unfinished Business”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/M3400MrDream2011/12 Unfinished Business.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete Show in FLAC [HERE].

Mr. Dream
2011-03-04
Glasslands
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Equipment: DPA 4021+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]
Position: ROC, balcony, ~ORTF
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (guitar-enhancing compression on soundboard track, smooth peaks, mixdown, adjust levels, smooth peaks, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 30:20]
01 Knuckle Sandwich
02 Crime
03 Scarred For Life
04 Holy Name
05 Trash Hit
06 [banter]
07 Winners
08 Knick Knack
09 Croquet
10 King Klutz
11 [banter]
12 Unfinished Business

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Mr. Dream, visit their MySpace page, and purchase Trash Hit from Amazon or your favorite record store.

Tennis: March 2, 2011 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 4, 2011
By


[Photos courtesy of Geoffrey Dicker for According to G]

Just eight months into its existence, Tennis is a success story. Many bands toil in obscurity for years hoping to break it big (in the NYC scene at least) by headlining Bowery Ballroom; Tennis have already accomplished that feat with a full-on sellout as the icing. This unlikely story of a band born out of husband and wife Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore taking a seven-month sailing trip down the Atlantic coast, and deciding to turn it into a record, has resonated big-time in the indie world. People are paying attention undoubtedly because the nautical, retro conceit of their debut album, Cape Dory, is so unusual, but the band has got the songs to keep people interested. The band’s breezy sound, equal parts girl group and surf rock, is easy to like, an effortless-sounding sort of country club indiepop that the kids can get into, but is probably safe for the parents, too.

Tennis’ live performance is confident and unselfconscious as well (one advantage of being in a band with your spouse, perhaps). Moore introduced many songs by name, some with a bit of charming backstory. Of the new song, “Robin”: “Patrick doesn’t like me to say what it’s about – it’s too cute-seeming – but it’s about a baby bird that we saved last month.” Like the hilariously retro album cover for Cape Dory (Moore in a tight aqua jumpsuit with the band’s name etched in a hair metal font above her), Tennis are nothing if not cute. Although the show was notably brief at almost exactly 42 minutes, the band packed in a lot of music, including their signature number “Marathon” featuring Katy Goodman, lately of the excellent La Sera (whose opening set was also recorded and to be posted soon) and more famously of the Vivian Girls, and Molly Hamilton of the stellar new band Widowspeak on backing vocals. With spring and summer approaching, Tennis should be a fixture on indie fans’ playlists for the next few seasons (and of course, should be a staple on any sailing trips they may be taking).

I recorded this set from our usual spot in the venue with a combination of the Microtech-Gefell hypercardioid microphones and DPA omnidirectional microphones for room ambiance. Although there is some audible buzzing from the PA between songs (caused by the band’s instruments) the sound is crystal clear and a great listen. Enjoy!

Stream “South Carolina”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/T2300Tennis0211/17 South Carolina.mp3]

Stream “Marathon”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/T2300Tennis0211/14 Marathon.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Tennis
2011-03-02
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

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

Equipment: Microtech-Gefell M210+DPA 4061>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: LOC, at soundboard, mics on extension arm at eye level with sound staff, 210s pointed at stacks, 4061s mounted on a 1.5ft split
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, downsample, set fades, limit peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 43:48]
01 Seafarer
02 Take Me Somewhere
03 banter
04 Cape Dory
05 banter
06 Robin
07 banter
08 Baltimore
09 Bimini Bay
10 banter
11 Long Boat Pass
12 [unknown]
13 banter
14 Marathon [with Katy from La Sera and Molly from Widowspeak]
15 Pigeon
16 Waterbirds
17 South Carolina
18 banter
19 Hard Times

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Tennis, visit their bandcamp page, and purchase Cape Dory directly from Fat Possum Records here.

Buke and Gass: January 29, 2011 Bell House – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

March 2, 2011
By


[photo by Amanda Hatfield]

Buke and Gass (that’s pronounced byeewk and gayse, in case you were wondering) are the exciting new Brooklyn duo of Arone Dyer, on vocals and the buke (a self-modified six-string ukelele) and Aron Sanchez on the gass (a guitar-bass hybrid), all of it blown through homemade amps. The band uses this unorthodox instrumentation to make similarly unorthodox and unexpected rock music, with rapidly shifting tempos and lyrics that range from the lovelorn to the whimsical. The effect, in the live setting, is magical, as you wonder, first, how the hell they are making this music with these instruments and, second, where Dyer perfected her vocal delivery, which has a plaintive punk edge tempered with sweetness. This 35-minute performance at the Bell House saw the band play the bulk of their 2010 record, Riposte (voted one of NPR’s 50 Favorite Albums of 2010), and left the crowd (already packing the venue in anticipation of Mission of Burma’s set (which we also recorded)) wanting more. The band just wrapped up a once-in-a-lifetime show on February 15 with Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson at The Stone, and they should have many more exciting moments in their future.

I recorded this set in the same manner as the Mission of Burma recording. Although there is some audible hiss caused by the analog preamp used, the sound quality is nonetheless quite good. Enjoy!

Stream “Sleep Gets Your Ghost”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/B0129BukeGass2011/b&g2011-01-29bellhouse_acidjack-3.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Buke & Gass
2011-01-29
Bell House
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Equipment: DPA 4021>Oade M248>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: ROC, at soundboard, mics at 9ft pointed at stacks
Mastering: 24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (set fades, tracking, EQ, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Medicina
02 Medulla Oblongata
03 Sleep Gets Your Ghost
04 Naked Cities
05 [unknown]
06 Revel In Contempt
07 Page Break
08 Your Face Left Before You
09 Red Hood Came Home

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Buke and Gass, visit their website, and purchase Riposte directly from Brasslands records here or at your favorite retailer.

Futurebirds: February 26, 2011 Union Pool – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 1, 2011
By

All Southern rock is drinking music to some extent, and that was certainly the case this past Saturday night at Union Pool in Brooklyn as Athens, GA’s Futurebirds played to a packed, rowdy house. The band came on the scene in 2009 with a self-titled debut EP that showed significant promise, following that up in 2010 with their full-length debut, Hampton’s Lullaby and a visit to SXSW. Keeping company with bands like Drive-By Truckers (as well as Brooklyn favorites Motel Motel), Futurebirds play music that incorporates classic country elements but reaches a broader audience, partly on the strength of their songwriting, but also by signaling that they are more than simple nostaglists. Futurebirds songs serve up heavy doses of pedal steel and banjo (see “Johny Utah” for example) but they also reference the broader songwriting of artists like Neil Young and even the psychedelic scene for which their hometown of Athens is rightly famous. This show came on the heels of what was no doubt a wild Friday night at Mercury Lounge, and the band seemed ready for another big weekend night, giving us a high-energy hour of singalong-worthy songs from the album and the EP, as well as an exuberant cover of Stevie Nick’s “Wild Heart.” The last two songs of the main set were the longer, slower-building “Ski Chalet” which flowed right into the all-out rocker “Yur Not Ded.” In relative rarity for a Union Pool show, the band seemed to actually respond to the howls for an encore (one didn’t seem planned) with the rocker “Americle.”

I recorded this set with a soundboard feed from the Union Pool engineer coupled with the Schoeps microphones on the balcony. Because the acoustics of the room can be challenging, the recording leans more heavily on the soundboard feed, which was nicely balanced. All files are tagged for easy importing into iTunes. Enjoy!

Stream “Dirty D”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/F2602Futurebirds0211/07 Dirty D.mp3]

Stream “Wild Heart”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/F2602Futurebirds0211/10 Wild Heart.mp3]

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

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Futurebirds
2011-02-26
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY USA

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

Equipment: Soundboard+Schoeps CMC6/Mk41>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: LOC, on balcony, pointed at stacks
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, downsample, set fades, tracking, light compression, smooth peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 1:04:02]
01 Battle For Rome
02 banter
03 Johnny Utah
04 banter
05 APO
06 banter
07 Dirty D
08 Sam Jones
09 banter
10 Wild Heart [Stevie Nicks]
11 banter
12 The Dog
13 Red Top Girl
14 Ski Chalet
15 Yur Not Ded
16 encore break
17 Americle

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Futurebirds, visit their Facebook page, and purchase Hampton’s Lullaby directly from Autumn Tone records (on CD or in any download format) here.

Soft Black: January 21, 2011 Brooklyn Bowl – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

February 27, 2011
By


[Photo courtesy of Kevin Serra for Kevchino]

Our previous experiences with Soft Black had been more intimate experiences than this show at the massive Brooklyn Bowl – first there was the Gaza Benefit Show this summer, followed by their short but outstanding set at the NYCTaper Unoffiicial CMJ Show in October. As the band gets ready to release their new album The Witching Hour – the product of two full years of songwriting and playing – this set opening for Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers (also recorded) gave frontman Vincent Cacchione and the band a chance to show off their new songs in front of a wider audience. Cacchione’s songs carried perfectly in the larger setting – with vocals that remind me a bit of a punk Dylan with better elocution, Soft Black songs are the kind that stick in your head immediately. Kicking off the set with the haunting “I’m Not Afraid Of You” from The Witching Hour, this ten-song set gave us rocking renditions of older songs like “The Lions” as well as song we had not heard before like “The Man With the Midas Tongue”. The band is putting the finishing touches on The Witching Hour before officially releasing it to the wider world, and the record is sure to prove worth the wait.

We recorded this set in the same manner as the Shilpa Ray recording, balancing the recording heavily toward the soundboard feed to minimize the bowling and other crowd noise. The result is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Heaven Is A Place You Go”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S0087SoftBlack2010/13 Heaven Is A Place You Go.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Soft Black
2011-01-21
Brooklyn Bowl
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) > Audacity (tracking, tagging)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Recorded by nyctaper and produced by nyctaper and acidjack
2011-02-25

Tracks [Total Time 35:03]
01 Intro
02 I’m Not Afraid of You
03 The Man With the Midas Tongue
04 The Earth is Black
05 The Flesh of the Sky
06 I Am An Animal
07 The Girl Who Ate Her Own Heart
08 banter
09 The Lions
10 [unknown]
11 banter
12 I Was Born Drenched In Mud
13 Heaven Is A Place You Go

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Soft Black, visit their website, and purchase their records and merchandise directly from their online store here.

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