nyctaper Recordings

concert discussion and free flac downloads

Natureboy: March 30, 2012 Union Pool – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 4, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack and Johnny Fried Chicken Boy]

Natureboy ranks high among bands that we have been pulling for on this site.  While we have hosted shows that featured the band before, we were thrilled to have the chance to co-sponsor this show at Union Pool with Kevchino.  We are pleased to report that the band we saw was more mature and even sharper musically than before.  Since we last saw the band, they have added a drummer and keyboardist to give their Dylan-inspired folk-rock sound more muscle and rock n’ roll presence.  Founder and frontwoman Sara Kermanshahi and the band have recorded a new, as-yet-untitled release at fellow bandmember Cedar Apffel’s studio, and they served up a generous portion of that record with this set, including a favorite we had seen before and craved seeing again, “A Flame”.  The band’s newly-found live energy was palpable, and the five players easily filled the room with sound as Sara’s voice remained, as it should be, the centerpiece.

Natureboy is exploring options for the release of this new record, and we expect a label to snap this up before they miss the chance. As they closed this set with the Smiths’ “Back to the Old House” – one of many great covers we have heard from them – it was evident how Kermanshahi’s unique singing style and vision is a perfect compliment to the band’s now-classic sound.

I recorded this set with an excellent soundboard feed from the Union Pool FOH, plus Schoeps MK22 open cardiod mics.  The results are excellent.  Enjoy!

Thanks to Union Pool for their hospitality and to Kevchino for co-hosting the show and developing this great bill. 

Stream “Head to Toe”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/N1107Natureboy2299/08 Head to Toe.mp3]

Stream “Back to the Old House”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/N1107Natureboy2299/12 Back to the Old House.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

Natureboy
2012-03-30
Union Pool
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK22 (ORTF, DFC, at SBD)>KCY>PFA>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>Audacity (mixdown, downsample, set fades, adjust levels, light EQ, tracking)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Pariah
02 A Flame
03 [tuning]
04 Lexies
05 [banter/tuning]
06 Blow To the Head
07 Don’t Worry
08 Head to Toe
09 Sight to See
10 Heart to Fool
11 [encore break]
12 Back to the Old House [The Smiths]

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Natureboy, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their debut album from Bleek Records [HERE]

Lee Ranaldo: December 16, 2011 Glasslands + December 22, 2011 Maxwells – Flac and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 3, 2012
By


[screen shot courtesy of visitor design]

2011 was an interesting and eventful year for Lee Ranaldo. As the 30th anniversary of Sonic Youth approached, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon split as a couple, and huge questions remained as to the continued existence of NYC’s foremost alternative rock band. Entirely coincidentally, Lee had also begun to work on a new set of songs that would ultimately comprise Between The Times & The Tides, released on March 20, 2012 on Matador Records. Other than another nonsensical hatchet job from the shark-jumpers over at Pitchfork, the album has received universal acclaim for being a superb set of well-executed songs — a “departure” from Lee’s previous experimental solo material. Back in December, the Lee Ranaldo band performed a number of local gigs, including a show at the Bell House, a headlining gig at Glasslands, and a surprise opening slot at Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah shows at Maxwell’s. We were fortunate to capture two of these December events. The Glasslands show is a complete set including 9 of the 10 songs that appear on Between The Times, one cover and one of Lee’s Sonic Youth songs. The band includes SY’s drummer Steve Shelley, downtown guitar virtuoso Alan Licht and bassist Irwin Menken and the set was both well performed and well received by a packed crowd. Jesse Jarnow wrote an excellent piece for the Voice on the Glasslands gig. The unexpected appearance at Maxwell’s was a special treat — albeit a shorter opening set. Later that night, Lee and Steve would make an incendiary appearance during the YLT set (featured here), but the opening set was a heretofore unreported pleasure. We are streaming two songs from the Glasslands gig and one from Maxwell’s. Lee will be touring for the next couple of months, including dates opening for M Ward and a trip to Europe (dates here).

Each of these sets was recorded by mixing a soundboard feed with high end room microphones. For Glasslands, I utilized the DPA 4021s for warmth, and in Maxwell’s I used the Neumanns for clarity. The sound quality in each recording is different but each is superb. Enjoy!

Stream “Off The Wall” from Glasslands:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L1609LeeRanaldo1122/05.%20Off%20The%20Wall.mp3]

Stream “Genetic” (Sonic Youth) from Glasslands:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L1609LeeRanaldo1122/15.%20Genetic.mp3]

Stream “Waiting on a Dream” from Maxwell’s:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L1609LeeRanaldo1122/11.%20Waiting%20on%20a%20Dream.mp3]

Direct download of complete show in MP3 files:
Glasslands (HERE)
Maxwell’s (HERE)

Direct download of complete show in FLAC:
Glasslands (HERE)
Maxwell’s (HERE)

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Lee Ranaldo
2011-12-16
Glasslands Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + DPA 4021s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 24bit 48kHz wav file > Soundforge (level adjustments, set fades, downsample) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and Tagging via Foobar)

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2011-12-17

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:00:16]
01 [introduction]
02 Angles
03 Waiting on a Dream
04 [band intro]
05 Off The Wall
06 Christina As I Knew Her
07 T.N.C.
08 You Just May Be The One [Monkees]
09 Fire Island
10 Hammer Blows
11 [banter]
12 Shouts
13 Lost
14 [encore break]
15 Genetic

*********************************

Lee Ranaldo
2011-12-22
Hanukkah Night 3
Maxwell’s
Hoboken, NJ USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Neumann KM-150s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2 x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, set fades, downsample) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and Tagging via Foobar)

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2012-01-06

Setlist:
[Total Time 46:11]
01 [introduction]
02 Off The Wall
03 Angles
04 Fire Island
05 You Just May Be The One [Monkees]
06 [banter]
07 Shouts
08 Genetic
09 Hammer Blows
10 Lost
11 Waiting on a Dream

If you download these recordings from NYCTaper we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Lee Ranaldo, visit his page at the Sonic Youth website, and purchase Between The Times and The Tides directly from the Matador Records website [HERE].

AU: March 29, 2012 Cameo Gallery – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 2, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

AU is not so much a “band” as a single man’s vision – that of one Luke Wyland, currently of Portland, OR and previously of Boston. Wyland performs under this moniker in a variety of configurations – with everything from an orchestra to his current setup of just him and drummer Dana Valatka. While AU earns comparisons to bands like Panda Bear and Animal Collective, Wyland’s vision is more playful than those contemporaries. His songs give off what a fellow show-goer described as almost a “carnival” vibe at times; they are bombastic, exuberant, and downright fun no matter what your frame of mind.

This show at Cameo Gallery found AU headlining to celebrate the release of Both Lights, the band’s new album that was release today on the quirky and flawlessly curated Hometapes. a label that plays home to several of this site’s current favorites. AU rewarded a packed house with a set that began with “Ida Walked Away” from the band’s record Versions, followed by the steel drum-dominated “rr Vs. D” from Verbs before transitioning to all-new material from Both Lights that wowed the crowd.  That set-within-a-set began with the relentless and appropriately-titled “Get Alive” and transitioned into the more anthemic “OJ”. This short set could barely contain all of Wyland’s disparate ideas, but it was rewarding to see him wind up with two more extended numbers “Go Slow” and his first single from Both Lights, “Solid Gold”. If this crowd was worn out from a four-band bill that ran a bit late, it didn’t show. It would have been hard to exhaust AU’s endless fountain of ideas with a set twice this long.

I recorded this set in the same manner as the Howth set, with AKG large-diaphragm microphones and an excellent soundboard feed from the Cameo FOH.  The results are also outstanding.  Enjoy!

Stream “Solid Gold”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/A3029AU2012/08 Solid Gold.mp3]

Stream “OJ”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/A3029AU2012/05 OJ.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] |  Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

AU
2012-03-29
Cameo Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

AKG C 414 B-XLS (cardiod, ORTF, DFC, FOB)>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown, adjust levels)>Izotope Ozone 5 (effects, EQ)>Audacity 2.0 (tracking, set fades, downsample to 16/44.1)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Ida Walked Away
02 RR vs. D
03 [banter]
04 Get Alive
05 OJ
06 Why I Must
07 Go Slow
08 Solid Gold

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT AU, visit their website, and purchase Both Lights directly from Hometapes [HERE]

Howth: March 29, 2012 Cameo Gallery – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

April 1, 2012
By


[Photos courtesy of Jonny Leather and Mecca Lecca Recording Co.]

Our friend and longtime music blogger Jonny Leather has managed to achieve a dream that few music fans do – creating his own label, Mecca Lecca Recording Co., to release the music of the bands he loves. In a fairly short period of time, he has built up a strong roster of acts like Unicycle Loves You (a favorite of this site), Christopher Paul Stelling, and Ghastly City Sleep, among others.  But my favorite of all of them, and a band I had been wanting to see ever since I bought their first record on bandcamp, is Howth.  This recent show at Cameo Gallery in Brooklyn showcased the young band at the top of their game as they shared material from their forthcoming album (and Kickstarter success story) Newkirk.

The band’s bio styles their sound as “psychedelic folk”, but their rich, texturally varied sound belies that simple label.  In addition to their folk influences, I heard elements of the epic sweep of The Antlers in some of their songs like the set closer “Keep Me Away From the Mirror”; the off-kilter rock of Radiohead and Modest Mouse in a few others; and even a few moments when the vocal harmonies reminded me of doo-wop and 60s pop. Howth is a versatile, dynamic act that clearly has a lot of gas left in the tank musically, and has already shown a lot of growth over just two releases. That said, there is no denying some of the earlier songs like “Idaho #1”.  My favorite song of the set was probably “Only Right Turns” from Newkirk – the song has compelling guitar work, soaring vocals and a healthy dose of the loud/soft dynamic that a fan like me who grew up in the 90s is permanently addicted to. Even better, Jesse Newkirk of Steel Phantoms gave this version an extra-special touch.  Howth will release Newkirk on May 1st, followed by a record release show at Mercury Lounge.  I’d recommend putting both on your calendar.

I recorded this set with AKG 414 large-diaphragm mics that were specifically selected to accentuate the detail in Howth’s rich sound, and a soundboard feed from the Cameo staff. This outstanding recording should serve as a worthy introduction to the band and their latest material.  Enjoy!

Special thanks to Howth, Jonny Leather and Mecca Lecca for inviting us to record the show, and my apologies for it taking me this long to actually see the band!

Stream “Only Right Turns”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H2930Howth0212/07 Only Right Turns.mp3]

Stream “Idaho #1”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H2930Howth0212/03 Idaho1.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

Howth
2012-03-29
Cameo Gallery
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

AKG C 414 B-XLS (cardiod, ORTF, DFC, FOB)>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown, adjust levels)>Izotope Ozone 5 (effects, limiter)>Audacity 2.0 (tracking, set fades, downsample to 16/44.1)>FLAC Level 8

Tracks
01 Out in Eagan
02 Snow Bank
03 Idaho #1
04 Wind Blows Cold
05 David
06 [banter]
07 Only Right Turns
08 Needles and Pins*
09 Keep Me Away From the Mirror

*with Jesse Newkirk of Steel Phantoms

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Howth, pre-order Newkirk on their bandcamp page, and check out their page and the other excellent roster of acts at Mecca Lecca Recording Co.

New Multitudes: March 14, 2012 Webster Hall – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 29, 2012
By


[Photos courtesy of Joe Papeo.  See more of his excellent work at irocktheshot.com.]

It’s my understanding that the seeds for the New Multitudes project were first sown as far back as 1995 when alternative-country godfather Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo) was tapped to collaborate with Billy Bragg on what would eventually become the ‘Mermaid Avenue‘ album.  After Jay declined, Bragg wound up recruiting Wilco and released two discs of previously unheard lyrics by folk singer Woody Guthrie put to music written by the performers.  Fast forward several more years and Farrar approached the idea again, bringing together a veritable Americana/alt-country supergroup to write music for lyrics that Guthrie wrote during his years in Los Angeles.  Adding Will Johnson (Centro-matic), Anders Parker (Varnaline) and Yim Yames (a.k.a. Jim James of My Morning Jacket), each artist imparts distinct aspects of their styles to the songs but, as a collective whole, they also blend incredibly well together.

With such a roster of talented musicians, I was very excited to see this concert at its stop in New York.  Out of the gate, the group did a straight run-through of the songs off the album, with barely any time for applause between them.  However, rather than being a carbon copy of the disc, the live renditions imbued much more detail and fully realized the interplay and spot-on harmonizing between the members.  It quickly became evident that a few weeks on the road had honed the material beautifully.  It also showcased their versatility, particularly as Will and Anders did a round robin between drums, guitars and vocals.  The next part of the show had each member taking an impressive solo acoustic turn.  Finally, it was everybody back on stage contributing to each other’s songs and finishing off the night with one of Woody Guthrie’s own compositions, each performer trading off on vocals.  After such an amazing evening, it’s a shame that this tour had only a handful of dates.  After New Multitudes’ next and last planned outing at the Newport Folk Festival in July, I certainly hope they can find the time for another pass through.

Being set up right behind the soundboard and dead center, the always wonderful sounding Webster Hall once again didn’t disappoint us.  Aside from the drums being a bit upfront during the first song, the house mix was excellent and our recording is a very good reflection of that.  We hope you like what you hear as much as we did.  Enjoy!

Stream “Chorine My Sheba Queen”: [audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/N4103NewMultitudes2210/New_Multitudes_-_Chorine_My_Sheba_Queen.mp3]

Stream “Angel’s Blues”: [audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/N4103NewMultitudes2210/New_Multitudes_-_Angels_Blues.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.

Follow Johnny Fried Chicken Boy on Twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

New Multitudes
(Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker & Yim Yames)
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Webster Hall
New York, NY, USA

Source: AUD > AKG C 414 B-XLS’s + Audio-Technica AT3031’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > TLH (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC conversion) > FLAC ( level 8 )
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 1:57:26]
01. Hoping Machine
02. Fly High
03. My Revolutionary Mind
04. V.D. City
05. Old L.A.
06. Talking Empty Bed Blues
07. Chorine My Sheba Queen
08. Careless Reckless Love
09. Angel’s Blues
10. No Fear
11. Changing World
12. New Multitudes
SOLO:
13. banter 1
14. Little Raider  [Will Johnson]
15. banter 2
16. Song  [Anders Parker / Varnaline]
17. Still Be Around  [Uncle Tupelo]
18. banter 3
19. Wonderful (The Way I Feel)  [Jim James / My Morning Jacket]
FULL BAND:
20. Tell It to the Dust  [Anders Parker]
21. Just to Know What You’ve Been Dreaming  [Will Johnson]
22. Bandages & Scars  [Jay Farrar / Son Volt]
23. The Way That He Sings  [Jim James / My Morning Jacket]
24. Pastures of Plenty  [Woody Guthrie]

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT New Multitudes and Woody Guthrie and the projects of Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames, visit the New Multitudes website, visit their Facebook and MySpace pages, and purchase the official release and merchandise [HERE].

Prince Rama: March 17, 2012 SXSW at Longbranch Inn Impose Party – Flac and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

March 28, 2012
By


[photo by Mary Kang – courtesy of Impose Magazine]

Our night-time regular haunt during this year’s SXSW Festival was the series of shows presented by Impose Magazine. The “Austin Imposition” took place this year at Longbranch Inn, a cozy East side venue that had the perfect atmosphere for Impose’s steady stream of outstanding bands.

On Saturday night, the highlight of the final evening of SXSW was the performance by Prince Rama. I had seen Prince Rama a couple of years ago at Glasslands when they were a trio, but the band now consists a duo of sisters Taraka and Nimai Larson and their performance was a revelation. The sisters combined stand-up drums with keyboards and effects to create a hypnotic set that entranced the crowd. One spectator exclaimed “that was a religious experience” at the close of the set. Prince Rama played two songs from their most recent record, Trust Now (Paw Tracks), and three newer numbers. We are streaming “Rest in Peace”, the opening track from Trust Now which was nearly seven minutes of bliss at the Longbranch Inn that night.

I recorded this set with the Sennheiser MKH-8040 cardioid microphones mounted on a stand at the front of the stage and combined the mics with a soundboard feed. The sound quality is superb. Enjoy!

Stream “Rest in Peace”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/P1703PrinceRama1211/03.%20Rest%20in%20Peace.mp3]

Direct download of complete show in MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Prince Rama
2012-03-17
Long Branch Inn – SXSW
Austin, TX USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Sennheiser MKH-8040 Cardioids > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2 x 24bit 48kHz wav files &gt Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and tagging via Foobar)

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper 2012-03-25

Setlist:
[Total Time 24:37]
01 Golden Silence
02 Radha Madhava
03 Rest in Peace
04 Receive
05 We Will Fall in Love Again

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Prince Rama, visit their website, and purchase their official releases from their website and Trust Now from the Paw Tracks Records store [HERE].

Bowerbirds: March 23, 2012 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 26, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

The Raleigh, NC based folk band Bowerbirds pulled off quite an achievement when they sold out the Bowery Ballroom – what they called “the best room that we’ve ever played” – on a Friday night and managed to keep the crowd rapt for their full 70-minute set. Theirs is not party music; the band strikes a modern chord with their lush instrumentation and arrangements, but keeps their vocal and melodic style more traditional than, say, the Devendra Banharts of the world. Band anchors Philip Moore and Beth Tacular have had several ups and downs during the band’s six-year history – the two have been together, broken up, and reunited during that time, and most recently, Tacular suffered a life-threatening illness.  The Clearing, the band’s latest record, is the product of both.  Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that this show opened with the climactic narrative track from that album, “This Year.”  For Moore and Tacular, it has been a tough one.

From there came a set that was full of elegance and poise, as the band worked through a solid portion of The Clearing material, as well as several songs from 2009’s Upper Air.  The live performances of these songs added additional depth not found on those records, as well as as surprising amount of energy.  Several songs boasted reworked arrangements, guitar solos, and best of all, a few crowd sing-alongs.  Moore thanked that crowd repeatedly throughout the night, and by set’s end, there was nobody left to win over.  The show had been a success from start to finish.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 cardiod microphones and a nicely balanced soundboard feed from the Bowery team.  The quality is excellent.  Enjoy!

Stream “In Our Talons”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/B2303Bowerbirds2012/19 In Our Talons.mp3]

Stream “This Year”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/B2303Bowerbirds2012/01 This Year.mp3]

This recording is now available as a direct download in FLAC and MP3 formats at Archive.org [HERE].

Follow acidjack on twitter

Bowerbirds
2012-03-23
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK5(c)>KC5>CMC6>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (light EQ on AUD source, mixdown, set fades, additional light EQ, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample/dither to 16/44.1)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 1:09:37]
01 This Year
02 In the Yard
03 Chimes
04 [banter]
05 Stitch the Hem
06 Walk the Furrows
07 House of Diamonds
08 Crooked Lust
09 [banter]
10 Death Wish [new]
11 [banter]
12 Brave World
13 Now We Hurry On
14 Northern Lights
15 Hush
16 Tuck the Darkness In
17 [encore break]
18 Hooves
19 In Our Talons
20 Overcome With Light

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Bowerbirds, visit their website, and order The Clearing and their other releases from their online store [HERE]

Lucero: March 17, 2012 SXSW at Hotel Vegan Austin TX – Flac and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

March 25, 2012
By


[photo courtesy of Amanda Hatfield]

As John noted several years ago, Lucero is the quality of band that impresses you the very first time you can a chance to see them live. For John, that was in early 2009 (here) and again for a secret show at Mercury Lounge last Summer (here). So as far as the nyctaper staff goes, I was the newbie to Lucero. But John was right. Within the first song of their set on Saturday’s Hotel Vegan outdoor stage, I knew that this was a band for me. They are no-nonsense honest alt-country and boogie outfit from Memphis whose live performances are exercises in full commitment. Lead singer Ben Nichols noted that he was exhausted for this afternoon show on the final day of SXSW, but that was good because it meant he was “doing his job”. At Hotel Vegan, the Saturday outdoor show was a wealth of music riches, with outstanding bands before and after Lucero — but their set was certainly a highlight. Currently on tour in support of the new album Women & Work, Lucero’s set contained a few of the new numbers but also a nice selection of older songs. We’re streaming “Sixes and Sevens”, the show’s climax before a quiet number closed the set. Lucero will return to NYC for a show at Webster Hall on April 20, 2012.

I recorded this set in a similar manner to the previous Hotel Vegan set (Fanfarlo), by mixing the Sennheiser MKH-8040s with a board feed. For this particular set, the “noisy neighbors” did not have their system cranked, and our location was more centered. The result is a superb recording. Enjoy!

Stream “Sixes and Sevens:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L2006Lucero9020/10.%20Sixes%20and%20Sevens.mp3]

Direct download of complete show in MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Lucero
2012-03-17
Hotel Vegan – SXSW
Austin, TX USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Sennheiser MKH-8040 Cardioids > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2 x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and tagging via Foobar)

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper 2012-03-23

Setlist:
[Total Time 36:15]
01 The Devil And Maggie Chascarillo
02 Downtown (Intro)
03 On My Way Downtown
04 Darken My Door
05 Women and Work
06 Raising Hell
07 Chain Link Fence
08 Sounds of the City
09 Summer Song
10 Sixes and Sevens
11 Fistful Of Tears

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Lucero, visit their website, and purchase their official releases and merchandise [HERE].

Cowboy Junkies: March 10, 2012 Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 22, 2012
By


[Photo by Johnny]

I was in college when the landmark ‘The Trinity Session‘ album by Cowboy Junkies was released.  Garnering attention with their unique cover of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane”, I think it’s safe to say that every guy on my dorm floor developed a crush on frontwoman Margo Timmins.  Rather than rest on the laurels of that critically lauded disc, this stellar band has continually put out terrific music over the past few decades, bucking trends and cultivating a distinct style on their own terms.  Their most recent project, the excellent Nomad Series, continues in that ambitious vein with them having recorded 4 separate albums in 18 months.

This particular night was the last stop on the tour and Cowboy Junkies seemed intent on making it a memorable one [check out guitarist Michael Timmins’ entry from his tour diary HERE].  In the lovely Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center the capacity crowd was treated to two sets of music.  With the first being tracks from the Nomad Series and the second consisting of material spanning the group’s career, there were amazing performances in each capped with an intense rendition of (fellow Canadian) Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”.  Overall, an outstanding evening.

Thanks to the very helpful and accommodating crew and venue staff, we were able to set up in a nearly ideal location in this wonderful sounding room.  We were also blessed with incredibly polite and appreciative attendees.  It was truly a pleasure to sit comfortably in a beautiful theater on a Saturday night and not have the music compete with people who would rather talk loudly than enjoy the songs.  Combine all these factors and our resultant recording is superb.  Enjoy!

Special thanks to Cowboy Junkies, Candace Horgan and Jared Herman for making this recording possible, and to Frank, Eric, Greg and the staff at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center for their courtesy and cooperation.

Stream “Late Night Radio”: [audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/C3100CowboyJunkies0122/Cowboy_Junkies_-_Late_Night_Radio.mp3]

Stream “200 More Miles”: [audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/C3100CowboyJunkies0122/Cowboy_Junkies_-_200_More_Miles.mp3]

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

Follow Johnny Fried Chicken Boy on Twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense.  The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

Cowboy Junkies
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
Westhampton Beach, NY, USA

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

1st SET:
[Total time: 52:55]
01. Sing In My Meadow
02. [banter 1]
03. Wrong Piano  [Vic Chesnutt]
04. Square Room  [Vic Chesnutt]
05. 3rd Crusade
06. Late Night Radio
07. A Few Bags of Grain
08. Stranger Here
09. [banter 2]
10. Damaged From The Start
11. [banter 3]
12. Angels In The Wilderness

2nd SET:
[Total time: 1:20:46]
13. Sweet Jane  [Lou Reed]
14. 200 More Miles
15. A Common Disaster
16. Working on a Building
17. [banter 4]
18. A Horse In The Country
19. Angel Mine
20. Cold Tea Blues
21. Crescent Moon
22. Hunted
23. [banter 5 / introductions]
24. Lost My Driving Wheel  [David Wiffen]
25. [encore break]
26. Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)  [Margo Timmins, Michael Timmins, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart]
27. Don’t Let It Bring You Down  [Neil Young]

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Cowboy Junkies, visit their website, visit their Facebook and MySpace pages, and purchase their official releases and merchandise [HERE].

Fanfarlo: March 15, 2012 SXSW at Hotel Vegan Austin TX – Flac and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

March 21, 2012
By


[photo courtesy of Amanda Hatfield]

NYCTaper went on the road to Austin last week for the annual SXSW Festival. As I tweeted at one point near the end of my trip, SXSW is kind of like CMJ on steroids. There are a ton of corporate-backed “scene” shows downtown that really don’t appeal to me. However, on the East side there was a series of unofficial showcases that featured just about every band you could see downtown, only under much better circumstances — a relaxed atmosphere not overrun by commercialization. That’s where we spent the Fest.

The best of these unofficial shows was the four-day afternoon showcases presented by brooklynvegan at the venue Hotel Vegas, rechristened “Hotel Vegan” for the week. Each afternoon eight or nine band played on an outside stage while inside there was additional bands on two other stages. We camped out on Thursday at noon at the outside stage and that’s where we stayed for the next three days. Each day’s afternoon showcases were recorded, and I’ll be featuring a large amount of those recordings over the next few weeks.

One of the highlights of Thursday’s show was the set by the British-based band Fanfarlo. They are currently in the US on tour to support their new album Rooms Filled With Light and based upon reviews, I expected the Fanfarlo to have a more pronounced electronic feel to their beautiful indie-folk. I had not seen the band since 2009 (here) and while its clear that their sound has changed, I find it more of an evolution than a departure. The focus remains on Simon Balthazar’s vocals and songwriting accompanied by a variety of instrumentations from the talented band. At this Hotel Vegan show, it was the horn playing that cut through the heat, chatter and outdoor sounds to propel the band forward. The set consisted of all but one song from Rooms, and we are streaming “Deconstruction”, a powerful song that builds in intensity to a stunning conclusion.

I recorded all of the Hotel Vegan outdoor sets with the assistance of my new Sennheiser MKH-8040 Cardioid microphones and they certainly proved up to the task. These recordings presented many challenges, the most pronounced of which was the persistent thumping of bass and drums from an adjacent competing stage (unaffiliated with brooklynvegan). Our “neighbors” seemed to feel the need to compensate for the poor attendance at their show by cranking their sound system. Some of this noise can be heard in between songs in many of the Hotel Vegan recordings. There was also the expected constant chatter and movement of the Festival crowd. I was also assisted with an excellent soundboard feed by the superb FOH technicians Toby and Taylor employed at the Festival by Miller Pro Audio. With all of these challenges (and caveats), I still feel that the sound quality of these recordings is excellent under the circumstances. Enjoy!

Stream “Deconstruction”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/F2010Fanfarlo2290/05.%20Deconstruction.mp3]

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

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Fanfarlo
2012-03-15
Hotel Vegan – SXSW
Austin, TX USA

Digital Master Recording
Soundboard + Audience Matrix

Soundboard + Sennheiser MKH-8040 Cardioids > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2 x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > TLH > flac (320 MP3 and tagging via Foobar)

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper 2012-03-21

Setlist:
[Total Time 32:15]
01 Feathers
02 Tightrope
03 Lenslife
04 Tunguska
05 Deconstruction
06 [banter]
07 Harold T Wilkins
08 Shiny Things

If you download this recording from NYCTaper we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Fanfarlo, visit their website, and purchase Rooms Filled With Light directly from the Fanfarlo webstore [HERE].

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