It’s been far too long since we’ve heard from the mighty Bardo Pond. (Though they’ve been quietly reissuing their 90’s albums.) But the Gibbons brothers—John and Michael—have kept busy with their Vapour Theories side project, releasing the aptly-titled Celestial Scuzz last year. It might not come as a surprise that Vapour Theories sounds a lot like Bardo Pond stripped of everything but the guitars.
Last year we caught the brothers opening for Birds of Maya in their hometown Philadelphia, outdoors on a beautiful early Summer day, and here (finally!) is that recording. Besides a little ambient noise from the outdoor setting, the sound is excellent. Enjoy!
Vapour Theories
2021-06-24
Sunflower Philly
Philadelphia, PA
Vapour Theories is John and Michael Gibbons of Bardo Pond
Recorded and produced by Eric PH for nyctaper.com
MBHO KA200N/603A > Naiant PFA >> Sound Devices MixPre-6 > WAV (24/48) > Adobe Audition CC + Izotope Ozone 5 > Audacity 3.0.2 > FLAC
Tracks
01. Part 1
02. Part 2
The immediate first impression of Weak Signal is “this dude’s guitar tone is going to tear my face off.” You could stop at that and have a decent idea of what the band is about but thanks to our own EricPH Weak Signal is now on the internet archive giving us several excellent live options to examine. Close consideration of these recordings reveal more than a monstrous guitar tone; beautiful and expressive song writing, excellent harmonies and one of the most engaging rhythm sections operating today.
The rhythm section, Tran on drums and Sasha on bass, present the aural equivalent of a train coming down the tracks a bit too fast. It feels out of control, like it could crash at any time but then pulls safely to its destination right on schedule. It’s that possibility of collapse and the thrill of evading it that makes this band so exciting to listen to. In many ways it reminds me of the great early Kinks rhythm section of Mick Avory and Peter Quaife.
This was the first show with the full band together in six months and features songs from all their records as well as a live debut of a new tune called “Don’t Want No Problems.” Weak Signal has several upcoming dates including two nights opening for Pavement! Go see them, you won’t regret it.
I recorded this from the soundboard with my MBHO mics and a mono board feed from the FOH engineer Kyle. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!
Much has changed in Kingston since the start of Covid. Many of the long-standing hubs of the community (RIP BSP, Boitson’s, Tony’s) sit empty while revitalization and housing prices march onward. Tubby’s, thankfully, has not only weathered the storm, but seems to be steadily gaining steam.
At its core Tubby’s is a local hang. On any given evening it may be the gathering spot for local members of the LGBTQ+ community, Simpsons fans, Deadheads, Goths or just folks looking for a cold beer after work. This beautiful Spring evening was a double bill with Mountain Movers and Wet Tuna, a night for the heads.
Mountain Movers have appeared on this website several times over the years, and I am happy to add another recording to the list. The New Haven CT quartet pulled from their entire catalog including several tracks from their excellent 2021 release “World What World”. The set ended with a particularly transportive 10-minute workout of “Unknown Hours” exploring all the corners of noise, psychedelia, atmosphere, and Rock they are known for.
I recorded this set from my normal spot atop the riser next to the soundboard with my MBHO mics and a mono board feed from Tubby’s FOH engineer Brian. I am quite happy with the results!
As if further proof were needed, this first-time collaboration between Mary Lattimore and Bill Nace proves that she is easily the most versatile and dynamic harpist on the planet. As for Nace — perhaps best-known of late for his work in Body/Head but with a decades-long list of experimental guitar solo projects and collaborations under his belt — anyone who has seen him perform knows that you can never be sure what you’ll hear, but you can be assured it will be done with intention and skill.
This set, during the outdoor portion of the final day of the Three Lobed Recordings 21st anniversary festival, might have been the most special I’ve seen from either artist. Nace brought a rare (in the west) instrument, the taishogoto, to the table for the collaboration, and the combination with Lattimore’s harp proved extraordinary — something so delicate, rare and beautiful that the pairing of the two musicians almost felt obvious instead of new. Early word on the street is that the musicians agree: we may well see something committed to release at some point in the future.
Don’t take my word for it. Press play on the stream below, make sure your set and setting are smooth, and drift in.
I recorded this set with Wayne’s excellent house mix and Schoeps mics in the audience. The sound quality is outstanding. Enjoy!
Steve Gunn has been a key presence in the Three Lobed universe since the 2006 release of the Heavy Elements CD. His dynamic growth as an artist in the years since — including his current Matador-backed full band work — has been a thrill to watch, to the point that it’s hard to pick favorites among his work. That said, it’s hard not to consider his duo work with John Truscinski among the very best. As this set demonstrates, improvisation between these two is almost an unspoken language at this point. Fans of the band’s most recent LP, Soundkeeper, which includes one of my Union Pool recordings, can attest that the band’s live improvisations can be some of their best work. Tonight’s first song was one such moment — an untitled new number that already feels like a forthcoming GTD classic. As to the rest of the set, it consisted of exactly those — “Banh Mi Ringtones” and “Ocean Parkway,” both from Three Lobed’s second GTD LP, Ocean Parkway. These renditions were as inspired and electric as the entire evening, perhaps never more so that the climactic interplay around the eight-minute mark of “Banh Mi.” This whole night — the whole festival — celebrated all that’s right with independent music. John and Steve are certainly a big part of that.
I recorded this set with Schoeps MK4V mics mounted on the center of the balcony, with a soundboard feed from Christopher Scully-Thurston’s mix. It sounds like it.
A sunny spring afternoon in North Carolina, with a light breeze in the air, audience members in uncramped splay on the ground, Wet Tuna onstage as a new lineup, here to celebrate the 21st anniversary of a label whose longevity and success both might once have felt improbable, but now seem inevitable. All of this smack in the middle of the lush arboreal campus of an elite American university, one equally improbable as the location of a weird daytime concert and birthplace of said label. Like the first song says, so much vibe in the world. So much right here.
Held on the outdoor grounds of the Karsh Alumni Center at Duke University, Wet Tuna’s set kicked off the third and final day of Three Lobed Recordings‘ 21st anniversary celebration, one of many things postponed by the pandemic. Tuna’s third full-length, Warping All By Yourself, was released recently by Three Lobed, and is the band’s first that isn’t a collab between Matt “MV” Valentine and Pat “PG Six” Gubler. So, for its expanded embrace of funk, we have only Valentine himself to thank — and today’s live lineup including MV&EE collaborator and partner Erika “EE” Elder and Jim Bliss for bringing that vibe to the live audience this afternoon.
This set began in the mellow embrace of “So Much Vibe In the World” and ended with the straight up boogie of “Sweet Chump Change,” which might be the most “approachable” Tuna jam yet. In between, don’t sleep on the band’s take on Peter Laughner’s “Baudelaire,” the new album’s centerpiece, “Raw Food” (this being closer to version 1 of the 2 versions offered) and “Cowpath 40” which sets the stage for the segue into “Sweet Chump Change.” This day couldn’t have opened more smoothly or in any way that felt more right. It was good to be here, in this welcoming space, back in the zone.
I recorded this set with a soundboard feed from longtime area sound engineer Wayne, together with Schoeps MK4V mics. MV’s outbound mix to the board did most of the work here; like the day itself, it’s right on.
Download the complete show in FLAC, Apple Lossless and MP3 [HERE]
Tracks [Total Time 56:00] 01 [Rayborn intro] 02 So Much Vibe in the World 03 Baudelaire [Peter Laughner] 04 Raw Food (version 1) 05 Cowpath 40> 06 Sweet Chump Change
Personnel: Matt Valentine – guitar/vox Erika Elder – keys, vox Jim Bliss – bass/synth
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