[photo credit]

I had the same reaction when I saw Pylon in 1988. How can a band who has not toured in many years, and who have played intermittently since the 1980s, so sound tight. Its a credit to the rhythm section of Curtis on drums and Michael on bass, but its also a testament to the quality of the original songwriting and the unique melodic sense of guitarist Randy. Last night at the Mercury Lounge, Pylon delivered a terrific set of their best material in front of a packed and adoring crowd. Vanessa was energetic and genuinely modest about the tremendous crowd support.

With the permission of Pylon (thanks!), I recorded this concert from the ideal location in this venue, equidistant from the two sets of speakers, and directly in front of the soundboard booth. The result is a recording with excellent stereo separation and clarity. The crowd is present in the recording, but not obtrusively. Enjoy!

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Pylon
2007-11-07
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from in Front of Soundboard
Dead Center Approximately 30 feet from PA

DPA 4021’s > Marantz PMD-660 (Oade BCM) > flac

Many Thanks to Pylon (in particular Michael) for permission to record.

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
2007-11-08

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:17:38]
01 Cool
02 Dub
03 Driving School
04 Read a Book
05 Working is No Problem
06 Sugarpop
07 3×3
08 Gravity
09 Precaution
10 Weather
11 The Human Body
12 Crazy
13 K
14 Danger
15 Volume
16 Feast on My Heart
17 Stop It
Encores
18 M Train
19 Beep
20 Sloganistic

If you download this recording PLEASE SUPPORT Pylon. Visit their website and buy their official releases.

[photo credit – From our friends at twi-ny]

The Fiery Furnaces continue to invent new ways to entertain their fans. At the Hiro Ballroom last night, the final show on the US leg of their Widow City tour, the Furnaces added a written/call-out request segment to their show. Following a tight 45-minute set which began and ended with the new material, and contained a nice medley of Rehearsing My Choir material in the middle, Eleanor read from some notes passed up on stage (as their website suggested) and fielded shouted requests. The last 20 minutes of the performance featured some oldies, some false-starts, and much humor. The band continues their tour with a trip to Europe that begins on Tuesday, and goes throughout to the end of November.

My recording of this concert was a bit of an ordeal. I arrived very early, with plans to record one of the opening acts on the bill, Pit Er Pat. However, after nearly completing the set-up of the Neumann rig, I discovered that my fully-charged lithium battery (that powers the entire rig), had completely died. I broke down the rig, left the venue, and took the L train all the way home again. I retrieved my DPA rig, returned to the venue, and arrived in time to record the Furnaces.

The Hiro Ballroom is a neat little venue with an excellent sound system. I positioned myself in the back section of the floor, in the center of the stacks, and recorded a fine stereo mix. Enjoy!

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Fiery Furnaces
2007-11-03
Hiro Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Dead Center
Approximately 30 feet from PA

DPA 4021’s > Marantz PMD-660 (Oade BCM) > flac

Recorded and Produced by
nyctaper
2007-11-03

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:11:43]
Main Set:
01 The Philadelphia Grand Jury
02 Navy Nurse
03 My Egyptian Grammar
04 Evergreen
05 Duplexes of the Dead
06 More Automatic Husband
07 Ex-Guru
08 Black-hearted Boy
09 Bitter Tea
10 Right by Conquest
11 A Candymaker’s Knife in My Handbag
12 Forty-Eight Twenty-Three Twenty-Second Street
13 Seven Silver Curses
14 Slavin’ Away
15 Japanese Slippers
16 Widow City
17 Restorative Beer
18 Clear Signal From Cairo
Request Set:
19 Inca Rag (partial)
20 Whistle Rhapsody
21 Blueberry Boat
22 My Dog Was Lost But Now He’s Found
23 Single Again/Smelling Cigarettes/Single Again
24 Don’t Dance Her Down

If you download this recording PLEASE SUPPORT The Fiery Furnaces, visit their site, and purchase Widow City:

[photo credit]

Gary Lucas, guitar virtuoso extraordinaire, is perhaps best known from his grammy-nominated collaborations with the late Jeff Buckley, or as the lead guitarist for Captain Beefheart’s early-80’s albums. For the last decade or so, Gary has been involved with Gods and Monsters, a veritable who’s-who of punk legends, including Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads and Modern Lovers), Ernie Brooks (Modern Lovers), and Billy Ficca (Television). Last night’s performance at the intimate Bowery Poetry Club was a nice mix of Gods & Monsters material, some interesting covers, and a few inspired improvisations.

Gary Lucas permits audience fan recordings, and as a result I was able to use my Neumann rig and set up at an advantageous spot. Unfortunately, after I was completely set up, I noticed a draft of air from an air conditioning duct that was blowing directly onto the microphones. There is a wooshing noise from the duct that is audible during quiet moments, but can not be heard when the band plays. While the music plays, this is an outstanding recording! Enjoy.

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Gary Lucas and Gods & Monsters
2007-11-02
Bowery Poetry Club
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Front of Soundboard Booth
30 Feet from PA

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

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
2007-11-03

Setlist:
[Total Time 1:19:56]
01 [introduction]
02 King Strong
03 Let’s Go Swimming
04 Bra Joe From Kilimanjaro
05 Depression
06 Poison Tree
07 Instrumental
08 Yedvadna
09 Whirly Gig
10 Swamp T’ing
Encore:
11 Chime On

If you download this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Gary Lucas and Gods & Monsters, and visit Gary’s excellent and thorough website.

Tonight Zappa Plays Zappa performs at the Beacon Theatre, in a continued celebration of the music of Frank–whose annual Halloween NYC shows were legend. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend this evening’s performance. However, last year I was lucky to see the show at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden. The band was led in the capable hands of Dweezil, and last year’s show featured members of Frank’s band, including the amazing Steve Vai, Terry Bozzio, and Napoleon Murphy Brock.

In anticipation of tonight, nyctaper presents a Halloween present to our loyal readers.

I recorded this concert from the center of the front section, directly in front of the soundboard, and utilized the Neumann rig. This recording has an excellent stereo presence and rich bass notes. Enjoy!

This recording is no longer available at nyctaper. If you search the web, you’ll likely find a copy.

Zappa Plays Zappa
2006-10-31
The Theatre at Madison Square Garden
New York, NY USA

Digital Master Recording
Recorded from Front of Board – Dead Center
Section 100, Row R, Seat 12

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

Recorded and Produced
by nyctaper
https://www.nyctaper.com

Setlist:
[Total Time 2:51:44]
01 Andy
02 Call Any Vegetable
03 Tell Me You Love Me
04 Who Are The Brain Police?
05 Can’t Afford No Shoes
06 Pygmy Twylyght
07 Idiot Bastard Son
08 Cheepnis
09 I Am The Slime / Pound for a Brown
10 Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow / St. Alphonzo’s Pancake Breakfast
11 Inca Roads
12 I’m So Cute
13 Trying to Grow a Chin
14 Advance Romance
15 Punky’s Whips
16 Black Page 1
17 Black Page 2
18 Peaches En Regalia
19 Montana
20 Village of the Sun// > //Echinda’s Arf
21 Zombie Woof
22 Black Napkins
23 The Torture Never Stops
Encores:
24 Quick Orange County Lumber Truck
25 More Trouble Every Day
26 Regyptian Strut

Information:
txt file

Verification:
md5 file

CD Artwork:
front
back

If you download this recording PLEASE SUPPORT THIS ARTIST and buy their official releases at their website, where you can also preview the upcoming Zappa Plays Zappa DVD.