nyctaper Recordings

[photo courtesy of Music Snobbery]

Chris at the Music Snobbery blog has a reputation for booking major acts at his anniversary show, and this year was no different. On Sunday night, Crystal Stilts headlined the show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken — their previous appearance on nyctaper was a headlining gig at Music Hall of Williamsburg, a venue about five times larger than Maxwell’s. This intimate set was a pleasure to behold. The band was energetic and the interactions with the crowd were hilarious — particularly Kyle’s references to his New Jersey roots. The set contains a furious “Love is a Wave” opener, another version of The Gun Club classic “Mother of Earth”, and a new song tentatively called “12 String”. After some humorous give and take with the crowd, the band was prodded to perform two encores, closing with a wild take of the Velvet Underground.

We recorded this set with the Neumann microphones in the standard location at this venue — front and center of the soundboard booth — mixed with a XLR feed from the board into the R-44. The four channel mix was perfected in post-production and we are quite happy to offer an professional quality recording of this outstanding set. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Crystal Stilts
2009-04-26
Maxwell’s
Hoboken, NJ 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) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by nyctaper
2009-04-28

Setlist:
[Total Time 45:02]
01 [introduction]
02 Love is a Wave
03 Through The Floor
04 Mother Of Earth (Gun Club)
05 Crystal Stilts
06 The Dazzled
07 SinKing
08 [banter]
09 Sycamore Tree
10 12 String
11 Sugar Baby
12 For The Love Of Ivy (Gun Club)
13 [encore break]
14 Converging in the Quiet
15 Temptation Inside Your Heart (Velvets)

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Crystal Stilts, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their latest album Alight of Night from links at their MySpace page, including at Insound [here] and purchase their new single “Love Is a Wave” at InSound [here].

[photo by Jay Blakesberg – courtesy of Jambase]

It was almost exactly fifteen years since we last taped the Grateful Dead at Nassau Coliseum in March of 1994, and more than 30 years since our first Dead show at Nassau in January of 1979. After the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, all of the various incarnations of this band have always felt somewhat empty and hollow. The 2009 version of the band was fueled initially by a benefit concert for Barack Obama at Penn State University. Apparently moved by the event, this particular 6-piece line-up (four original members, with Warren Haynes and Jeff Chimenti) began this tour in mid April with a series of inspired and extremely well received performances.

With this background, we captured a fine performance by The Dead on Friday night that frankly could stand up to many of the shows we saw in the early 1990’s. Warren is a huge presence — providing world class guitar work and vocals that echo Pigpen, Garcia, and even Brent Mydland. The highlights of the long show included the first set traditional pairing of Lost Sailor / Saint of Circumstance, a sweet three-song acoustic set, and an epic Dark Star.

We recorded from the front center rail on the official taper’s section with the four microphones and the R-44. This is a capture of outstanding depth and soundstage and we are proud of the results. Enjoy!

This Recording is now available for Download in FLAC and MP3 at Archive.org [HERE].

Stream the Entire Show via Archive.org:

The Dead
2009-04-24
Nassau Coliseum
Uniondale, NY USA

Four-Track Digital Master Recording
Recorded from First Row Center of the
Official Taper’s Section

Neumann KM-150s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper 2008-04-25

Setlist:
Set 1
[Total Time 1:11:05]
01 Jack Straw
02 Brown Eyed Women
03 Its All Over Now, Baby Blue
04 Easy Wind
05 Death Don’t Have No Mercy
06 Don’t Ease Me In
07 Lost Sailor
08 Saint of Circumstance

Set 2
Acoustic:
[Total Time 22:44]
01 When I Paint My Masterpiece
02 Peggy-O (Fennario)
03 Looks Like Rain
Electric:
[Total Time 1:22:06]
01 Alabama Getaway
02 Dark Star
03 Drums
04 Space
05 Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
06 Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad
07 [encore break]
08 [donor rap]
09 Touch of Grey

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

[photo by Edan at thepiratehat]

Our first exposure to the music of Rafter — at Cake Shop in November — was such a positive experience that we vowed to see him again when we could. Unfortunately, our attempt to attend and record his January show was frustrated by scheduling problems, and the San Diego native has not returned to NYC since. Our colleague at houtaper had better luck at SXSW as he captured Rafter’s entertaining set in the afternoon sun and heat at Ms. Bea’s during one of the remarkable bills presented by ToddP at this year’s Austin festival.

Houtaper recorded this set from up close with a high-end set of DPA microphones, and the sound is crystal clear. There is some chatter in between songs, and some slight wind noise, but otherwise this is really a superb recording. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Rafter
Friday March 20, 2009 – 2:30 pm
Ms Bea’s
Austin, TX

Taper: prof_peabody
Location: 15 feet from the stage, 3 feet high, near center
Source: DPA4023 -> Aerco MP2 -> R-09HR (24/48)
Transfer: USB -> Wavelab 5 edits (dither with UV22HR) -> CDWAVE -> FLAC

Setlist
[total time 42:34]
01 [introduction]
02 Magic
03 Thunderclap
04 Where Did You Go?
05 Fruit
06 Sampler Song
07 Noise
08 Salt
09 No Fucking Around
10 ZZZPenchant
11 Sweat
12 Sassy

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Rafter, visit his MySpace page, and purchase his official releases from the Asthmatic Kitty Records website [HERE].

[photo courtesy of p.z.hine – more here]

Of Montreal returned to NYC this week for three shows, exactly five months since their last appearance at Music Hall and over seven months since the infamous Roseland show. The Fall shows were part of the extravagant Skeletal Lamping tour, and while this week’s performances included the always-entertaining stage extras, the setlist was less concentrated on Skeletal and included much of 2007’s Hissing Fauna. This tour has also featured two new songs, one titled “Coquet, Coquet” and the other tentatively called “Like A Tourist” — the latter performed on this particular night.

Acidjack recorded from the sweet spot in this venue with the appropriate equipment for the location and the crowd. The result is a fine recording and an excellent listen to this outstanding band. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Of Montreal
2009-04-15
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from FOB
Dead Center 30 Feet from PA

Audio Technica U-853 Hypercardiods > AT adapter > SP-CMC-8 bodies > SPSB-8 > Edirol R-09HR > 24bit 48kHz wav file > Soundforge (set fades, level boost, downsample) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded by acidjack
Produced by nyctaper
2009-04-19

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:27:15]
01 Introduction
02 Nonpareil Of Favor
03 Beware Our Nubile Miscreants
04 Like A Tourist
05 And I’ve Seen A Bloody Shadow
06 Plastis Wafers
07 Wraith Pinned To The Mist (And Other Games)
08 Women’s Studies Victims
09 St. Exquisite Confessions
10 For Our Elegant Caste
11 Gronlandic Edit
12 Sink The Seine
13 Cato As a Pun
14 Labyrinthian Pomp
15 She’s a Rejecter
16 October is Eternal
17 Faberge Falls For Shuggie
18 Mingusings
19 Id Engager
20 [encore break/banter]
21 The Party’s Crashing Us
22 Heimdalsgate Like A Promethean Curse
23 A Sentence Of Sorts In Kongsvinger

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Of Montreal, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their new CD Skeletal Lamping at the Polyvinyl website [HERE].

[photo courtesy of fretsman from The Bluff]

At Highline Ballroom on Thursday last, The North Mississippi AllStars performed a mammoth two-and-a-half hour set of their outstanding blues-rock that was truly a family affair in more ways than one. The trio was joined on stage by a revolving group of guests from openers Hill Country Revue, that culminated in an appearance by long-time collaborator Robert Randolph. As Hill Country Revue also contains two members of NMAS, the entire night was essentially a four-hour smorgasbord of country, boogie, blues and honky tonk.

We recorded this set from directly in front of the soundboard, centered between the two main PA speakers. The four-track R-44 was utilized again, but this time to its maximum value. We positioned the Neumanns directly at the stacks and spread the DPAs in a 110 degree placement to capture a full round spectrum of sound available at this venue. We are extremely pleased with the outcome. Enjoy!

This show is now available to download as FLAC or MP3 at archive.org [HERE].

North Mississippi AllStars
2009-04-09
Highline Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Four-Track Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Front of Board Center

Neumann KM-150s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
2008-04-18

Setlist:
[Total Time 2:17:50]
01 Brooks Run to the Ocean
02 Sugartown
03 Shake
04 I’d Love to be a Hippy
05 I’m in Jail
06 No Mo
07 Mean Ol Wind Died Down
08 Po Black Maddie/Skinny Woman/Po Black Maddie/Drums
09 Shake Em on Down
10 Ghetto
11 Goin Home Part One
12 Lonesome Road
13 Moonshine
14 Boogie (with Robert Randolph)
15 Jam (with Robert Randolph)
16 Mississippi Boweevil (with Robert Randolph)
17 Joyful Sounds (with Robert Randolph)
18 Meet Me in the City
19 Snake Drive
20 [encore break]
21 Stay All Night
22 Keep The Devil Down
23 Freedom Highway

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT North Mississippi AllStars, visit their website, and purchase their available releases through The Store at their website [HERE].

[photo by the Starks]

Less than two months after their NYC debut, Wavves returned to play three shows in three venues last weekend. We were able to capture the last of those three — Monday night at the Merc. In the interim, Wavves has toured extensively through Europe, performed at nine SXSW showcases, and released Wavvves through Fat Possum Records. Wavves has survived the initial manic buzz, and the good news is that the band’s current popularity seems more based on its music rather than the hype. NYCTaper correspondent acidjack reports that there was an extensive line to get into Mercury Lounge this night, but as we can hear on the recording, the packed house spent most of the set listening rather than yapping.

This is a superior recording to the February nyctaper recording from Market Hotel. The live Wavves sound is significantly less saturated than the albums, and the result is a clear listening experience. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Wavves
2009-03-30
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Front of Board Center

DPA 4061 (Coresound HEB) > CoreSound Battery Box (no bass Rolloff)> Edirol R-09HR > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge 8.0 (level adjustments, set fades) > CD Wave > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded by acidjack
Produced by nyctaper
2009-04-08

Setlist:
[Total time 24:28]
01 Beach Demon
02 Summer Goth
03 So Bored
04 California Goths
05 To The Dregs
06 Friends Were Gone [unreleased — soon to be released on Fader 7′ Series]
07 No Hope Kids
08 Wavves

setlist help from MikeG

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Wavves, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their available releases through links at the Wavves MySpace page, and at Fat Possum Records site [here].

[photo courtesy of dollabill and Thom – more here]

This is an exciting time for fans of John Vanderslice. He is currently on tour with one of his compatriots, John Darnielle, with whom he will soon release an EP (Moon Colony Bloodbath). On May 19, JV will release his first full-length album in two years, the much-anticipated Romanian Names, and in May, he will tour with a band in support of the new album.

On Friday last, the “Gone Primitive” tour with The Mountain Goats came to NYC and JV’s short but sweet opening set featured several songs from Romanian Names, a track the Moon Colony EP, and some of John’s classic numbers. John also chatted amiably with the crowd and told a few stories. Its always a pleasure to attend a Vanderslice show and this night was no exception.

We recorded this set from the same location as The Mountain Goats recording, and while the same volume fluctuation problems exist, the issues were not as drastic for this set. There was still quite a bit of post-production work necessary, but we feel the work has given our readers a quite enjoyable listen of this excellent artist. Enjoy!

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

John Vanderslice
2009-03-27
The Music Hall at The Society for Ethical Culture
New York, NY USA

Four-Track Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Balcony Rail Center

Neumann KM-150s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (massive level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
2008-04-02

Setlist:
[Total Time 43:52]
01 My Old Flame
02 Sunken Union Boat
03 Too Much Time
04 Angela
05 Numbered Lithograph
06 Dead Slate Pacific
07 White Plains
08 [banter – mangos]
09 Oblivion
10 Lucifer Rising
11 [banter – drunk driver]
12 Nikki Oh Nikki
13 Trance Manual
14 Pale Horse

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT John Vanderslice, visit his website, visit his MySpace page, and purchase his official release, including Romanian Names in May, from the links at his website [HERE].

[photo courtesy of dollabill and Thom – more here]

The Mountain Goats show on Friday night was a fan’s dream but a taper’s nightmare. John Darnielle entertained the crowd with much banter, off-microphone songs, and accepted a series of obscure requests from the diehards. While the highlight of the show for many of those in attendance was the infrequently played “Ontario”, we were particularly moved by the story lead-in and the version of the beautiful “From TG&Y”, and John’s proclaimed first public piano performance (“1 John 4:16”) since childhood.

The Concert Hall at The Society for Ethical Culture is a beautiful and classic old theatre, but it sits in a residential neighborhood and the volume of the show is purposefully limited. Additionally, the high ceilings create reverberations that are particularly noticeable in an acoustic performance. The difficulties of the venue were magnified by a series of technical problems and John’s penchant to play several songs completely unamplified.

This was the maiden voyage of our new Edirol R-44, a high resolution four-track recorder (professionally upgraded for concert recording). We used our four best microphones in a configuration that decreased the echo in the venue. Due to the many issues in the capture of this show, the post-production for this recording was a major undertaking. We believe that we have maximized the sound quality of this difficult recording to create a fine listening experience for our readers. Enjoy!

The John Vanderslice [JV] recording was also recorded and will be posted in the next few days.

This Recording is now available for Download in FLAC and MP3 at Archive.org [HERE].

The Mountain Goats
2009-03-27
The Music Hall at The Society for Ethical Culture
New York, NY USA

Four-Track Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Balcony Rail Center

Neumann KM-150s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (Oade Concert Mod) > 2x 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (massive level adjustments, mixdown, set fades) > CDWave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
2008-03-31

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:25:02]
01 [introduction]
02 1 John 4:16
03 Woke Up New
04 [technical problems]
05 Song For Tura Satana
06 Cobscook Bay
07 Going to Lebanon
08 Un Rêve Plus Long Que la Nuit
09 Going To Kansas
10 The Last Limit of Bhakti
11 You or Your Memory
12 Going to Queens
13 [banter]
14 From TG&Y
15 Dance Music
16 [banter]
17 The Day The Aliens Came (or: Hawaiian Feeling)
18 Ontario
19 So Desperate
20 Color in Your Cheeks
21 Sign of the Crow 2
22 Steps Columns Pillars [JV]
23 [banter]
24 Surrounded [JV]
25 See America Right [JV]
26 No Children
27 [encore break]
28 The Sign (Ace of Base)

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT The Mountain Goats, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase Mountain Goats official releases from their website.

[photo courtesy of jen ballera]

Crystal Stilts released a new 7″ this week “Love Is A Wave” which caused on odd occurrence at nyctaper — a renewed interest in our December recording of Crystal Stilts at Bowery which contains the only recorded live version of the song. At Music Hall a couple of weeks ago, acidjack was there to capture the second live version of the song along with a complete Crystal Stilts headliner set. This concert was significantly longer than the December set and included two fairly obscure covers of The Gun Club and a standard Velvet Underground cover at the closer.

Our correspondent recorded from the same location as the Women and Blank Dogs recordings from this night. We can hear that the band had some issues with the mix, and perhaps because of the heavy use of reverb, the house mix is somewhat muddy. Overall, though this is a fine listen to the longest live recording of this excellent band to date. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Crystal Stilts
2009-03-14
The Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Audience Recording
Recorded from Front of Board Center
30 Feet from Stage

SP-CMC-8 (Audio Technica U853 Cardiod Capsules)> SP-SB-8 > Edirol R-09HR > 24bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (set fades, slight level adjustments, downsample, slight EQ) > CD Wave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded by acidjack
Produced by nyctaper
2009-03-25

Setlist:
[Total Time 50:48]
01 Through The Floor
02 The Dazzled
03 Mother Of Earth (Gun Club)
04 Crippled Croon
05 Prismatic Room
06 SinKing
07 [technical problems]
08 Seeds
09 Converging in the Quiet
10 Sugar Baby
11 For The Love Of Ivy (Gun Club)
12 Love is a Wave
13 [encore break]
14 The City in the Sea
15 Temptation Inside Your Heart (Velvets)

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Crystal Stilts, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their latest album Alight of Night from links at their MySpace page, including at Insound [here] and purchase their new single “Love Is a Wave” at InSound [here].

[vintage Plan photo courtesy of Chris]

Travis Morrison, the former leader of the Dismemberment Plan, played a show at Bell House last weekend and we were not there to record. However, in tribute we offer this vintage Plan show from 1999, which was about half-way through the legendary band’s existence, but about a year before they “hit”. Dismemberment Plan were actually the opening band on this triple bill. The other acts on the bill were the both-now-also-defunct Promise Ring and Burning Airlines. After the breakup of both bands, members of the D Plan and Promise Ring would go on to form the short-lived Maritime. This short set features primarily material from Emergency & I, released a couple of months before this show took place, and which is the album that ultimately propelled the band to larger gigs and increased popularity. Emergency & I was selected as number 16 of Pitchfork’s Top 100 albums of the 1990s. We have searched the archive and this may in fact be the earliest Dismemberment Plan recording in circulation.

The post of this recording was inspired one of our favorite music writers on the web, Soren deSelby-Bowen — formerly of the Well and currently of the excellent Parlando blog. After a lengthy serious illness, Soren returned to writing this week with a piece about the Dismemberment Plan.

The sound quality on this recording is really quite outstanding. This was recorded by xcrex with DPA 4061 miniature omnidirectional microphones and has an excellent soundstage. The volume of the band eliminates any crowd noise and provided a signal of great clarity. Enjoy!

Direct download of MP3 files (HERE)

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Dismemberment Plan
1999-11-23
Knitting Factory
New York, NY USA

Digital Audience Master Recording
Recorded from FOB

Recording: DPA 4061s > SBM-M1 > Sony D-8 DAT Master
Transfer: DAT Master > Panasonic SV-3800 > digital coaxial > Audigy 2 ZS Platinum > 16bit 48kHz wav > Soundforge (slight level boost, downsample 44.1) > CD Wave (tracking) > Flac Frontend  (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

Recorded by xcxre9
DAT Extraction and Post-Production by nyctaper 2009-03-23

Setlist:
[total time 31:59]
01 Do The Standing Still
02 Onward, Fat Girl
03 Girl O’Clock
04 Gyroscope
05 The Dismemberment Plan Gets Rich
06 Spider in the Snow
07 A Life Of Possibilities
08 The City
09 What Do You Want Me To Say?

If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT the members of The Dismemberment Plan. Although the band has been defunct for several years, visit the website and follow the members, and purchase the releases of Travis Morrison who has an active solo career [here].