[photo credit]

The quartet So Percussion performed a free concert in the Wintergarden at the World Financial Center on Tuesday night. The troupe performed three distinct pieces, a US premiere of an Arvo Part piece, a world premiere of Martin Bresnick’s newest work, and the NYC premiere of Paul Lansky’s Threads. Each piece utilized the many and unique talents of So to create a rich layered texture of beats that communicated a variety of emotions.

It was quite a challenge to record this concert. The Wintergarden is a enclave in the western corner of the World Financial Center, and is essentially in the midst of a shopping center. The extraneous noise of foot traffic, shoppers, workers, and general commotion created a significantly less than ideal sonic setting. Additionally, the PA volume was quite low, as to not disturb the other inhabitants of WFC. As a result, this recording has many flaws which have been reduced but not removed through post-production. If the listener can focus on the magic of So Percussion, enjoyment is within reach.

This recording is no longer available at nyctaper. The sound quality does not meet our current standards.

So Percussion
2007-11-20
Wintergarden
World Financial Center
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Inside Soundboard Booth
at Rear of Venue

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > 24bit 48kHz wav files > Soundforge (set fades, downsample, level adjustments) > CD Wave 1.95 (tracking) > Flac Frontend (level 7, align sector boundaries) > flac

A venue with terrible acoustics, extraneous noise, low PA levels, and recorded
from the rear. Caveat Listener.

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2007-11-21

Many thanks to So Percussion (Adam) for permission to record.

Setlist:
[total time 1:32:29]
01 Fratres for Percussion Quartet (Arvo Part)
02 [interview with Martin Bresnick]
03 Caprichos Enfáticos (Martin Bresnick)
04 [interview with Paul Lansky]
05 Threads (Paul Lansky)

Information:
txt file

Verification:
md5 file

If you download this recording, please support So Percussion and visit their website.

[photo credit]

Yo La Tengo appeared Friday night at the Music Hall for the final night of their “Freewheeling Tour”. The band fielded questions, requests and general banter from the audience, and responded with humor and some interesting song selections and performed a primarily acoustic concert. The highlights included Georgia’s beautiful cover of Dylan’s 4th Time Around, and the humorously persistent audience member’s request for Blue Line Swinger–which was eventually granted (Ira: “Is that Fred Armisen?”).

The recording of this concert was a difficult affair. This was my first event at the Music Hall, and I gravitated towards the balcony for a better view and more direct line to the PA speakers. Unfortunately, the acoustic nature of the concert, drastic variations in volume, and the inattentive nature of the balcony crowd created certain impediments to a clear recording. At times, this recording can be outstanding, at other times, the stage volume is too low and the ambient noise too great. Overall, its a nice listen of an interesting concert, and the apparently the only circulated recording of this mini-tour. Enjoy!

Yo La Tengo
2007-11-16
Music Hall of Williamsburg
Brooklyn, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Balcony Railing Left
15 Feet from Left PA Speaker

DPA 4021’s > Marantz PMD-660 (Oade BCM) > 16bit 44.1 wav > flac

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
2007-11-17

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:56:04]
01 Introduction
02 The Weakest Part
03 Moby Octopad
04 [questions and banter]
05 Sometimes I Don’t Get You
06 Deeper Into Movies
07 [questions and banter]
08 I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party
09 Tom Courtenay
10 [questions and banter]
11 Magnet
12 The Summer
13 [questions and banter]
14 4th Time Around
15 [questions and banter]
16 Looney Tunes
17 [questions and banter]
18 Black Flowers
19 [questions and banter]
20 Dreaming
21 [questions and banter]
22 Blue Line Swinger
23 [questions and banter]
24 Hanky Panky Nohow
25 [questions and banter]
26 Somebody’s Baby
27 Griselda
28 The Story of Yo La Tango
29 You Can Have it All
30 [encore break]
31 Stockholm Syndrome
32 Big Day Coming
33 Flowers of the Forest

If you download this recording PLEASE SUPPORT Yo La Tengo. Visit their excellent website.

[photo credit]

mum performed another outstanding set on Saturday night at the Concert Hall of the Society for Ethical Culture. The venue was a classic structure with superb acoustics that fit the layered sound structure of mum perfectly. As this was the last night of the U.S. tour, the band was in good spirits, playful, and clearly enjoying themselves.

The other “star” of the excellent 2-night stand was the Wordless Music Series itself. Wordless had the foresight to book mum for two concerts in two very distinct but appropriate venues. The brainchild of Ronen Givony, Wordless presents diverse and yet inter-related musical genres and performers. The Series is well-researched and presented with meticulous attention to detail.

I recorded this concert, again with kind permission from Gunni (and Wordless), from the 5th row of the balcony, far right. This is not an ideal location, but the venue’s acoustics transcended space limitations, and delivered a fine recording. Again the PA speakers had some hiss, but this is only noticeable during quiet passages. Enjoy!

Download the complete show in FLAC [HERE].

mum
2007-11-10
The Wordless Music Series
Concert Hall at the Society for Ethical Culture
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Balcony
5th Row far Right

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > flac

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2007-11-11

Many thanks to Gunni for permission to record.

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:27:14]
01 Winter (What We Never Were After All)
02 Moon Pulls
03 Oh, How the Boat Drifts
04 I Was Her Horse
05 Sit Down
06 Guilty Rocks
07 Blessed Brambles
08 I’m 9 Today
09 Marmalade Fires
10 A Little Bit, Sometimes
11 Kostrzyn
12 These Eyes are Berries
13 Dancing Behind My Eyelids
14 They Made Frogs Smoke ‘Til They Exploded
Encores:
15 The Ghosts You Draw On My Back
16 Smell Memory

If you download this recording PLEASE SUPPORT mum. Visit their myspace page, the mumweb fansite, mumweb forum, and buy mum official releases

[photo credit]

mum resurrected their old magic in the Church of St. Paul last night. The newest version of mum debuted at the Sugarcubes Reunion almost exactly a year ago. After the departure of founding member Kristin Anna Valtisdottir (now Kri­a Brekkan) , the 2006 performance was an awkward set of entirely new material, and the new mum seemed to be exploring less interesting musical approaches. Following a year of maturity, and the release of an excellent new album Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy, mum has toured Europe and the U.S. this Fall. The performance last night concentrated primarily on the new album’s songs which have developed fully into solid mum compositions, rich in texture and complex instrumentality.

An interesting footnote to last night’s concert. Near the end of the first encore, a curious tall thin dark-haired woman in a large overcoat approached my microphone stand and watched the concert for a short while. After a few brief minutes, I realized that she was Kristin, and when the woman left to the rear of the venue, a shocked mum crew member noticed her and the two embraced at length. She left shortly thereafter.

Many thanks to Gunni for permission to record. I set up very close the PA speakers to avoid the echo and boomy nature of recording inside of an old church. The PA system was plagued with a noticeable hiss and buzz, and those noises do mar the quiet moments of this recording. When the music is louder, you can not notice the noise. Enjoy!

My recording of last year’s debut mum performance is available (here).

Download of the complete show in FLAC [HERE].

mum
2007-11-09
The Wordless Music Series
The Church of St. Paul the Apostle
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Upfront, 6 rows from Right PA Speakers

Neumann KM-150’s (AK-50 Hypercardiod Capsules) > Apogee Minime > digital coaxial > M-Audio Microtrack > flac

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2007-11-10

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:14:00]
01 Slow Bicycle
02 Moon Pulls
03 I Was Her Horse
04 Oh, How the Boat Drifts
05 Sit Down
06 Asleep In A Hiding Place
07 Guilty Rocks
08 Winter (What We Never Were After All)
09 Mother’s Last Word to Her Son
10 A Little Bit, Sometimes
11 Blessed Brambles
12 Marmalade Fires
Encores:
13 The Ghosts You Draw On My Back
14 I’m 9 Today

If you download this recording PLEASE SUPPORT mum. Visit their myspace page, the mumweb fansite, mumweb forum, and and buy mum official releases: