A beautiful day, and a great time had by all. We had an intimate but enthusiastic crowd and all four bands performed terrific sets. Thanks to all the bands, and to Pianos!
The entire show was recorded and I’ll be offering all four sets in the very near future.
He is one-half of arguably the greatest songwriting team of the last two decades of the twentieth century. Chris Difford penned such Squeeze classics at “Tempted”, “Pulling Mussels From the Shell” and “Cool for Cats”. The latter features his distinctive accented baritone in a song that influenced an entire generation of Brit-pop and powerpop bands.
In between Squeeze tours, Chris released his latest solo album The Last Temptation Of Chris in March, and returns to the U.S. this week to perform several solo shows. We will be at the show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken on Tuesday May 13, 2008. We emailed Chris and secured his permission to record the show for nyctaper. Squeeze returns to the States this Summer for a series of dates nationally.
Here are Chris Difford’s May dates:
May 12 2008 8:00 Iron Horse Northampton MA
May 13 2008 8:00 Maxwell’s Hoboken NJ
May 14 2008 8:00 Water Color Cafe Larchmont NY
May 16 2008 8:00 Stephen Talkhosue Amagansett NY
May 17 2008 8:00 Ocean County Lib Toms River NJ
May 18 2008 8:00 Tupelo Music Hall Londonderry NH
The Last Temptation of Chris can be purchased at The Turkey Zone through a link at Chris’s main site.
British Sea Power are currently on tour in support of their excellent new release Do You Like Rock Music?. Last night’s show at Bowery Ballroom was a tight and straightforward set of primarily new material (9 of 15 songs), which while it lacked the classic BSP histrionics, more than compensated with outstanding performances. The band let loose on the final number — the traditional improvised Rock in A — and ended the show with a flood of feedback, sans encore.
We were pleased to learn that BSP management informed fans at both the Seattle and Chicago shows that the band was fine with tapers. We recorded this concert from the perfect location in this venue, which has perhaps the most outstanding sound system of any venue in NYC. The location was identical to our superb Richard Hawley recording, except that the volume of this set drowned out any crowd chatter and provides excellent clarity. Enjoy!
Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)
Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].
British Sea Power
2008-05-10
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA
Digital Master Recording
Recorded from FOB
Dead Center 30 Feet from PA
DPA 4021’s > Marantz PMD-660 (Oade BCM) > 16bit 44.1 wav > Soundforge (set fades, level boost, slight eq) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac
Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
2008-05-11
Setlist:
[Total Time 1:20:20]
01 [introduction]
02 Lights Out For Darker Skies
03 Atom
04 Remember Me
05 Down on the Ground
06 Leaving Here
07 A Trip Out
08 Canvey Island
09 Waving Flags
10 The Great Skua
11 Oh Larsen B
12 No Lucifer
13 True Adventures
14 The Spirit of St. Louis
15 Carrion
16 Rock in A (“Rokend” on written setlist)
If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT British Sea Power, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their new release Do You Like Rock Music? directly from their website.
What:
NYCTAPER ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Where:
PIANO’S
158 Ludlow Street
New York NY
[MAP]
Date and Time:
SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2008
4:00 pm to 8:00 pm (doors at 3:30 pm)
TICKETS:
100 Will-Call Tickets will be made available exclusively through this site at the price of $10.
The cost of entry at the door on the day of the show is $12.
Purchase tickets by clicking the paypal button below:
SET TIMES:
4 p.m. Spanish Prisoners (Acoustic)
5 p.m. The Loom
6 p.m. The Antlers
7 p.m. Bridges and Powerlines
Many Thanks to the following web sites/blogs for their posts about this show:
Pianos Web Site
Jessi’s Music
Music Slut
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted
Yahoo Events
Last.fm
Deli Magazine
Tall Firs opened the CD Release Party for Awesome Color on Friday night with a 35 minute set of their compelling self-described underground electric folk. The set drew primarily from their new release Too Old To Die Young on Ecstatic Peace records. The intelligent interweaving of the dual-guitars of Aaron Mullen and Dave Mies provides the melodic forefront, while Ryan Sawyer’s driving powerful drumming is the backbone of this superb trio.
Many thanks to Aaron for permission to record the set. Our equipment was set up in advance and this was recorded from the same position as the Awesome Color set. The quality is equally superb. Enjoy!
Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)
Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].
Tall Firs
2008-05-02
Glasslands Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA
Digital Master Recording
Soundboard/Audience Matrix
Soundboard + Front of Board Neumann KM-150s > Edirol UA-5 (Oade Digimod) > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav file > Soundforge (set fades, downsample) > CD Wave 1.95 > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac
Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2008-05-05
Setlist:
[total time 35:35]
01 Blue in the Dark
02 More to Come
03 Hairdo
04 Lookout
05 Pretender
06 Loveless
07 Slaughterhouse
08 Hippies
If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Tall Firs, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their new release Too Old To Die Young directly from the Ecstatic Peace website.
Antietam’s set opening for Big Dipper at Southpaw last Friday was similar to the last time I saw them live, opening for Pylon at the Mercury in November. The trio performed a strong 40 minute set of recent material with a strong emphasis on Tara Key’s incendiary guitar work, and Tim Harris’ thundering bass. We have very little memory of our first live experience of Antietam in ’88 or ’89 (probably at CBGB’s), but in the two decades since, they have worked with such artists as Eleventh Dream Day and Yo La Tengo, and have established an excellent catalog of material. The recent 2-CD set Opus Mixtum (Carrot Top Records) is perhaps their strongest release and is featured in 9 of the 11 tracks of this recording.
We were fortunate to speak briefly with Tara at the end of their set regarding this recording. Thanks for her permission. This recording was captured from the identical location as Big Dipper, and we are very pleased with the quality. Enjoy!
Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)
Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].
Antietam
2008-04-25
Southpaw
Brooklyn, NY USA
Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Dead Center
Front of Board — Front Railing at 30 Feet
Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Monster XLR cables > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > 24bit 48kHz wav file > Soundforge 8.0 (set fades, slight level boost, resample 16/44) > CD Wave 1.95 > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac
Recorded and Produced
nyctaper
nyctaper@nyctaper.com
2008-05-04
Setlist:
[total time 40:51]
01 RPM
02 Time Creeps
03 Shipshape
04 Pennants and Flags
05 Turn It On Me
06 That’s the Way It Is
07 Needle and The Eye
08 1-2-1
09 Stowaway
10 The Moor
11 Orange Song
If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Antietam, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase the new release Opus Mixtum directly from the Carrot Top Records website.
As regular readers are aware, Glasslands is one of my favorite music venues in NYC. Last night, one of the “family bands”, Awesome Color, hosted a CD Release party for their new album on Ecstatic Peace Records Electric Aborigines. Awesome Color’s sophomore release follows the band’s evolution from buzz-saw garage guitar rave-ups to psychedelic crunch noise. The premiere track “Eyes of Light” begins with a burst of guitar feedback and drum cacophony that quickly develops into a focused and intense song exhibiting positive influences of guitar luminaries from Husker Du to Black Mountain.
The live Awesome Color experience is quite another story. Last night, the “party” aspect of the show was taken literally, as the band hosted quite a number of friend and fan participation numbers — the vocal microphone passed around like a peace pipe. The one-hour set featured some straight-forward performances of tracks from the new album, and several older numbers with “guests”. However, despite the craziness, Awesome Color kept their musical performances and show together — all delivered with a good natured smile.
We were lucky to have chatted with band leader Derek on several prior visits to Glasslands, and when this CD Release Party was announced, he was kind enough to offer us guest list and early access to record the show. We solved the past problem of the placement of microphone stand picking up too much crowd and bar noise. Prior to the crowd arrival, we mounted the Neumann’s to the balcony railing with the microphones literally pointed face-level at the PA stacks from about 15 feet away. Again we mixed the board feed with the audience capture for a “matrix” recording, which reflects the positive aspects of both. The only “flaw” in this recording is some peak volume bursts during some of the “guest” vocals. Overall this is an accurate representation of this frolicking show. Enjoy!
Tall Firs were also recorded and will be featured in the coming days.
Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)
Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].
Awesome Color
2008-05-02
Glasslands Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA
Digital Master Recording
Soundboard/Audience Matrix
Soundboard + Front of Board Neumann KM-150s > Edirol UA-5 (Oade Digimod) > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack 24/96 > 24bit 48kHz wav file > Soundforge (set fades, downsample) > CD Wave 1.95 > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac
Many thanks Derek for permission and access.
Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2008-05-03
Setlist:
[total time 1:03:42]
01 Flying
02 Already Down
03 Eyes of Light
04
05 Slaughterhouse
06 Hat Energy
07 Ridin’
08 Burning
09 It’s Your Time
10 Free Man
11 Shoegazer
12 Grown
13 The Moon
If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Awesome Color, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their new release Electric Aborigines directly from the Ecstatic Peace website.
The Loom have graciously agreed to perform at the nyctaper Anniversary Concert! The Loom are a Brooklyn based quintet that present a uniquely urban approach to americana music while transcending an “alt-country” label. Sample some tracks at their MySpace page.
Was (Not Was) returned to NYC last night after an 18 year hiatus, during which time Don Was (Don Fagenson) became a prolific grammy-winning producer and award winning film/music director, while the other band members enjoyed similarly good fortune. Re-uniting for a tour in support of the new Was (Not Was) album Boo!, the touring band consists of original members the Was “brothers” Don and David, guitarist Randy Jacobs, keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac, and the three lead singers Sweet Pea Atkinson, Sir Harry Bowens, and Donald Ray Mitchell, along with a touring drummer and saxophonist.
Despite the break, Was (Not Was) performed a tight set of career-long material, including a terrific extended version of “Walk the Dinosaur” with excellent work by Randy, and the 4-song 80s-dance medley that culminated in the classic “Out Come the Freaks”. Sweet Pea was in excellent voice, and Sir Harry danced and shimmied throughout the set. Although we would have preferred David’s sardonic “Earth to Doris”, we settled for the less surreal although equally Waits-like “I Feel Better Than James Brown”.
We were pleased to read of Was (Not Was) taping policy in the weeks leading up to this show. We recorded from the “sweet spot” again at this venue — center floor about 30 feet back. The instrumental mix was excellent and the room features outstanding sound. We are pleased with the representation of this excellent band. Enjoy!
This recording is now available for Download in FLAC and MP3 at Archive.org [HERE].
Was (Not Was)
2008-05-01
Blender Theatre at Gramercy
New York, NY USA
Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded from Center of Floor
30 Feet from Stage
DPA 4021s > Marantz PMD-660 (Oade BCM Mod) > 16bit 44.1kHz wav > Soundforge (level adjustments, slight EQ, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries)> flac
Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2008-05-02
Setlist:
[Total Time 1:18:30]
01 Hello Operator
02 Papa Was a Rolling Stone
03 I Blew Up the United States
04 Sunshine Superfly
05 I Blew Up the United States
06 [band introductions]
07 Where Did Your Heart Go
08 Your Luck Won’t Last
09 From the Head to the Heart
10 Semi Interesting Week
11 [band introductions]
12 Walk the Dinosaur
13 I Feel Better Than James Brown
14 Tell Me That I’m Dreaming
15 Robot Girl
16 Wheel Me Out
17 Out Come the Freaks
18 Crazy Water
19 11 MPH
20 Knocked Down Made Small
If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Was (Not Was), visit their website, and purchase their new release Boo! from their website.
[image by songbirdnest]
nyctaper was born one year ago from a simple idea — that I could create a live music community that would bring together artists and fans through the free share of my live recordings. The site has had its share of growing pains, but in many respects it has succeeded beyond my wildest expectations. The people I have met, the music I have experienced, and the relationships that have been established have made this year absolutely unforgettable.
To celebrate the one year anniversary of nyctaper, I will host a concert with live performances by four bands that have been featured on this site. We are extremely excited to offer a lineup of musicians of such quality and variety, and indeed we are humbled that these bands have all agreed to perform at our concert.
Here are the Details
What:
NYCTAPER ANNIVERSARY CONCERT
Where:
PIANO’S
158 Ludlow Street
New York NY
[MAP]
Date and Time:
SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2008
4:00 pm to 8:00 pm (doors at 3:30 pm)
TICKETS:
100 Will-Call Tickets will be made available exclusively through this site at the price of $10.
The cost of entry at the door on the day of the show is $12.
Purchase tickets by clicking the paypal button below:
THE BANDS:
Bridges and Powerlines
Last week Bridges and Powerlines released an album that we expect will expose this excellent band to wider audiences. Ghost Types (Citybird Records) was the result of two years of writing and recording that has produced 11 songs with hooks and harmonies to spare. The addition of Bridges and Powerlines to the nyctaper concert roster will give us an opportunity to experience the energy this band offers live audiences.
The Antlers
The Antlers Peter Silberman writes songs of depth and maturity that evoke such luminaries as Sigur Ros and My Bloody Valentine. The 2007 release In The Attic Of The Universe (Fall Records) was a mainstay on best-of-year lists, and the anticipated 2008 release Hospice offers the promise of a performer reaching his songwriting prime. nyctaper captured the live Antlers in February, and experienced a live band of talented musicians that breathed new life and energy into the sublime recorded material.
Spanish Prisoners
[photo credit]
Spanish Prisoners were the d.i.y. and grassroots web success story of 2007, as their self-released album Songs to Forget received universal praise. The offbeat lyrics and quirky hooks recall acts as diverse as the Kinks and Donovan, but the result is less derivative than a completely unique mix of talents. 2008 has seen the official release of the CD, and nyctaper was lucky to experience the live Spanish Prisoners at their CD release party in early April.
The Loom
The Loom are a Brooklyn based quintet that present a uniquely urban approach to americana music while transcending an alt-country label. Sample some tracks at their MySpace page.
This will be our first opportunity to experience The Loom live!
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