Posts Tagged ‘ new york ’

Heartless Bastards: July 23, 2011 Mercury Lounge – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Samples

July 29, 2011
By


[Photo by Johnny]

Having become a fan of Heartless Bastards only in the past few years, I’ve been treated better by them in that short time than any devotee could ask for.  After catching several of their brilliant concerts, including the MHoW and Bowery gigs last year, we were graced by a pair of acoustic performances at the intimate Mercury Lounge this time around.  Sans a drummer, Erika, Jesse and Mark gave us captivating, pared down renditions of their work including several new songs, a Bob Dylan cover (one of my personal favorites of his) and brought out singer Heidi Johnson for the majority of the set to harmonize on the vocals.  And once again, when the night ended, I found myself already expectant for their next set of shows.  If the new material is an indication of what’s to come on the next Heartless Bastards album, I’m sure to find myself even more impatient in the interim.

As a compliment to our microphones, the most excellent and gracious house engineer, Kevin, gave us a patch out of the soundboard.  Combined with the dead-center location of our mics, the result is a superb recording and indicative of the outstanding sound in this venue.  Enjoy!

Night two was also recorded and will be posted soon.

Stream “Sway”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H6602HB9922/Heartless Bastards – Sway.mp3]
Stream “Could Be So Happy“:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/H6602HB9922/Heartless Bastards – Could Be So Happy.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.

Heartless Bastards
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY, USA

Source: SBD + AKG C 414 B-XLS’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, adjust levels, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > Trader’s Little Helper (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC) > FLAC ( level 8 )
Mercury Lounge house engineer: Kevin
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 1:11:10]
01. Marathon  [new song]
02. Sway
03. Hold Your Head High
04. The Will Song
05. Skin and Bone  [new song]
06. The Arrow Killed the Beast  [new song]
07. Searching for the Ghost
08. [new song]
09. You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere  [Bob Dylan]
10. Runnin
11. Could Be So Happy
12. [encore break]
13. The Mountain

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

Queens of the Stone Age: March 25, 2011 Terminal 5 – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

May 26, 2011
By


[Photos courtesy of a.f. cortes.  See more of his outstanding work HERE]

It’s basic fact that Josh Homme has been one of the principle contributors to the stoner rock handbook and it would’ve made for a very different read without his input.  Starting with his first band, Kyuss, in the early 90’s and continuing through present day with Queens of the Stone Age, he’s been adding chapters to it ever since.  On tour to coincide with the re-release of their long-out-of-print debut album, the crux of these shows was to play it in its entirety; a popular trend that seems to be the case with many bands nowadays.  The sticking point is that the Queen’s self-titled first disc is brilliant, a touchstone of hard rock that many professional reviewers and fans alike have added to “must-have” rosters.  With many of these songs rarely showing up in setlists, it was a treat to hear them performed in a live setting.  In addition to surrounding himself with talented musicians that have great chops, Homme takes to the frontman role well and has a knack for keeping the audience entertained.  The proof being the crowd’s interaction with him, the adulation that teeters on the brink of feverish worship and the many declarations of love from female fans that I witnessed during this sell-out performance.  With devotees like that, I predict this band will have more continued years of success.

Per our usual in this venue, we were set up in the dead-center spot on the first balcony.  Terminal 5 can be tricky when it comes to getting the sound just right, so while the instruments sounded very good and are nicely balanced, the vocals were pretty low in the mix throughout most of the concert.  Nonetheless, the recording is solid and a great snapshot of the show.  Enjoy!

Stream “If Only”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/Q3052QOTSA1012/QOTSA_-_If_Only.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.

Queens of the Stone Age
Friday, March 25, 2011
Terminal 5
New York, NY, USA
(opening band: The Dough Rollers)

Source: AUD > DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, adjust levels, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > Trader’s Little Helper (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC conversion) > FLAC (level 8 )
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 1:40:05]
01. Regular John
02. Avon
03. If Only
04. Walkin’ on the Sidewalks
05. You Would Know
06. How to Handle a Rope
07. Mexicola
08. [banter]
09. Hispanic Impressions
10. The Bronze
11. Give the Mule What He Wants
12. I Was a Teenage Hand Model
13. You Can’t Quit Me Baby
14. [1st encore break]
15. Turnin’ on the Screw
16. Long Slow Goodbye
17. Little Sister
18. [2nd encore break / banter]
19. Burn the Witch
20. [banter / band intros]
21. Make It Wit Chu
22. No One Knows

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Queens of the Stone Age, visit their website, visit their MySpace and Facebook pages, and purchase their official releases and merchandise [HERE].

Trey Anastasio Band: February 22, 2011 Terminal 5 – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 23, 2011
By


[photos by Johnny]

Despite how “jambands” seem to invoke the ire of quite a few people, it can’t be ignored that they attract a zealous following.  Bolstered by excellent musicianship and great songwriting, Phish has arguably been at the top of this genre for a long time and are able to sell out nearly every arena-sized (and larger) venue they play in.  That’s why it’s nice when the individual members indulge in their side projects, allowing them to kick back and play the smaller places like they did before becoming a multi-million dollar juggernaut.  I hadn’t been to a Phish concert for the better part of two decades when a few friends literally dragged me to see frontman Trey Anastasio last year.  It turned out to be a stellar gig and good enough to make me dip my toes back into the pond, so to speak.  With his return to Terminal 5 this year, there was no way I was going to miss it and it turned out to be money well spent.  Delving into the extensive catalog of material from his main band and solo jaunts, Trey and company split the performance into acoustic and electric sets, playing a lot of favorites and a few inspired, and some surprising, covers.  Judging by the great time the performers and the crowd were having, reinforced by the multiple sing-alongs during the course of the evening, I can understand why so many folks are continually drawn to them.

We recorded this show from the first balcony, nearly dead-center.  A few other people had the same idea and we had a blast turning the area into a taper’s section.  As with Phish, Trey Anastasio’s sound engineers are top-notch.  The house sound that night was superb and our recording reflects that.  Enjoy!

Stream “Meatstick”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/T2220TreyAnastasio0112/TAB_-_Meatstick.mp3]
Stream “Burn That Bridge”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/T2220TreyAnastasio0112/TAB_-_Burn_That_Bridge.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.

Trey Anastasio Band
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Terminal 5
New York, NY, USA

Source: AUD > AKG C 414 B-XLS’s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, adjust levels, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > Trader’s Little Helper (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC conversion) > FLAC ( level 8 )
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

1st SET: Acoustic
[Total time: 1:07:40]
01. Down with Disease
02. Wolfman’s Brother
03. Theme from the Bottom
04. Camel Walk
05. Kill Devil Falls
06. Meatstick
07. Halley’s Comet
08. Bouncing Around the Room
09. Cavern
10. Prince Caspian
11. [banter]
12. Limb by Limb
13. Stealing Time from the Faulty Plan
14. [banter]
15. Wading in the Velvet Sea
16. [banter]
17. Heavy Things
18. [banter]
19. Peggy
20. [banter]
21. Hey Ya!  [OutKast]

2nd SET: Electric
[Total time: 1:43:45]
22. 2nd set intro
23. In the Night  [Professor Longhair]
24. Valentine
25. Ocelot
26. It Makes No Difference  [The Band]
27. Gotta Jibboo
28. Burlap Sack and Pumps
29. Clint Eastwood  [Gorillaz]
30. Cayman Review
31. Sand
32. Sweet and Dandy  [Toots & the Maytals]
33. Burn That Bridge
34. [banter]
35. My Problem Right There
36. Tuesday
37. First Tube
38. Empire State of Mind  [Jay-Z]
39. [encore break]
40. Sultans of Swing  [Dire Straits]

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

La Sera: March 2, 2011 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 15, 2011
By


[Photos by Geoffrey Dicker for According2G]

La Sera is the new LA-based project from Katy Goodman, best known for her work with the Vivian Girls. La Sera may be an LA band but the Bowery Ballroom crowd welcomed Katy and her new band with open arms, and well they should have. La Sera more or less picks up where the Vivians left off, but adds a lighter California twist that befits their hometown. La Sera songs, compared to the Vivians, are suffused with a sunnier tone that borrows from the girl groups of the 60s and California surf rock, with the Vivians’ layers of feedback stripped away. That leaves Goodman’s voice and her pretty, spare arrangements, which is all to the good, as she can sing the hell out of these songs. This set included a number of new songs – impressive considering that Goodman release La Sera’s debut LP, La Sera, just earlier this year – as well as a spot-on cover of the Mamas and the Papas’ “Dedicated to the One I Love.” Despite her use of rotating touring bands (because Goodman continues as a member of the Vivian Girls, she cannot consistently keep one La Sera together), this band delivered the songs confidently, setting the stage perfectly for the headliner, Tennis (also recorded).

I recorded this set from the same location as the Tennis recording, but utilized only the Microtech-Gefell microphones. The sound is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Beating Heart”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L3002LaSera0211/17 Beating Heart.mp3]

Stream “Dedicated to the One I Love”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/L3002LaSera0211/13 Dedicated to the One I Love.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

La Sera
2011-03-02
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Microtech-Gefell M210s>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: LOC, at soundboard, mics on extension arm at eye level with sound staff, 210s pointed at stacks
Mastering: 24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (downsample, EQ, set fades, limit peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Time 33:06]
01 Behind Your Eyes
02 Sleeptalking
03 Never Come Around
04 Hold
05 [unknown]
06 [banter]
07 Been Here Before
08 [unknown – new]
09 Left This World
10 [banter]
11 Devils Hearts Grow Gold
12 [unknown – new]
13 Dedicated to the One I Love [The Mamas and the Papas]
14 [unknown]
15 You’re Going to Cry [feat. Molly from Widowspeak and Elena from Tennis]
16 Beating Heart

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT La Sera, visit their MySpace page, and purchase La Sera directly from Hardly Art records here.

Tennis: March 2, 2011 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 4, 2011
By


[Photos courtesy of Geoffrey Dicker for According to G]

Just eight months into its existence, Tennis is a success story. Many bands toil in obscurity for years hoping to break it big (in the NYC scene at least) by headlining Bowery Ballroom; Tennis have already accomplished that feat with a full-on sellout as the icing. This unlikely story of a band born out of husband and wife Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore taking a seven-month sailing trip down the Atlantic coast, and deciding to turn it into a record, has resonated big-time in the indie world. People are paying attention undoubtedly because the nautical, retro conceit of their debut album, Cape Dory, is so unusual, but the band has got the songs to keep people interested. The band’s breezy sound, equal parts girl group and surf rock, is easy to like, an effortless-sounding sort of country club indiepop that the kids can get into, but is probably safe for the parents, too.

Tennis’ live performance is confident and unselfconscious as well (one advantage of being in a band with your spouse, perhaps). Moore introduced many songs by name, some with a bit of charming backstory. Of the new song, “Robin”: “Patrick doesn’t like me to say what it’s about – it’s too cute-seeming – but it’s about a baby bird that we saved last month.” Like the hilariously retro album cover for Cape Dory (Moore in a tight aqua jumpsuit with the band’s name etched in a hair metal font above her), Tennis are nothing if not cute. Although the show was notably brief at almost exactly 42 minutes, the band packed in a lot of music, including their signature number “Marathon” featuring Katy Goodman, lately of the excellent La Sera (whose opening set was also recorded and to be posted soon) and more famously of the Vivian Girls, and Molly Hamilton of the stellar new band Widowspeak on backing vocals. With spring and summer approaching, Tennis should be a fixture on indie fans’ playlists for the next few seasons (and of course, should be a staple on any sailing trips they may be taking).

I recorded this set from our usual spot in the venue with a combination of the Microtech-Gefell hypercardioid microphones and DPA omnidirectional microphones for room ambiance. Although there is some audible buzzing from the PA between songs (caused by the band’s instruments) the sound is crystal clear and a great listen. Enjoy!

Stream “South Carolina”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/T2300Tennis0211/17 South Carolina.mp3]

Stream “Marathon”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/T2300Tennis0211/14 Marathon.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Tennis
2011-03-02
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Microtech-Gefell M210+DPA 4061>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: LOC, at soundboard, mics on extension arm at eye level with sound staff, 210s pointed at stacks, 4061s mounted on a 1.5ft split
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, downsample, set fades, limit peaks, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 43:48]
01 Seafarer
02 Take Me Somewhere
03 banter
04 Cape Dory
05 banter
06 Robin
07 banter
08 Baltimore
09 Bimini Bay
10 banter
11 Long Boat Pass
12 [unknown]
13 banter
14 Marathon [with Katy from La Sera and Molly from Widowspeak]
15 Pigeon
16 Waterbirds
17 South Carolina
18 banter
19 Hard Times

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Tennis, visit their bandcamp page, and purchase Cape Dory directly from Fat Possum Records here.

Drive-By Truckers: February 15, 2011 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC / MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

March 2, 2011
By


[photos by Johnny]

Being the standard-bearers for Southern rock can’t be an easy job and Drive-By Truckers not only do it well, but manage it with a smile on their faces.  Constant touring and marathon concerts that would hospitalize lesser people appear to make this group thrive and get better every time I’ve seen them perform.  Billed as the release show for their new album that had officially hit stores that day, the beautifully dark ‘Go-Go Boots‘, the band played nearly all the tracks from it during the course of this two and a half hour gig.  Both the disc and the night served as somewhat of a tribute to late songwriter/musician (and Patterson Hood family friend) Eddie Hinton who was honored not only with two covers of his songs, but also a beautiful take on the seldom-played “Sandwiches for the Road”.  In addition to a few acoustic spots, DBT filled out the set with tracks from all of their albums.  It made for an impressive night showcasing their outstanding and diverse talents.

Set up in our usual spot next to the soundboard in the balcony, the mix on this night was exceptional.  And in the Bowery Ballroom where it’s usually great, that’s saying something.  The resultant recording is excellent and ranks as one of the best I’ve personally ever pulled.  Enjoy!

Stream “Dancin’ Ricky”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/D8030DriveByTruckers3838/Drive-By Truckers – Dancin’ Ricky.mp3]
Stream “Gravity’s Gone”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/D8030DriveByTruckers3838/Drive-By Truckers – Gravity’s Gone.mp3]

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

Drive-By Truckers
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY, USA

Source: AUD > AKG C 414 B-XLS’s + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, adjust levels, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > Trader’s Little Helper (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC) > FLAC Level 8
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 2:39:27]
01. intro [Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom)]
02. I Do Believe
03. Go-Go Boots
04. Marry Me
05. Puttin’ People on the Moon
06. Cartoon Gold
07. I Hear You Hummin’
08. The Thanksgiving Filter
09. 3 Dimes Down
10. [banter]
11. Tales Facing Up
12. Dancin’ Ricky
13. The Weakest Man
14. [banter]
15. The Deeper In
16. Pulaski
17. [banter]
18. Sandwiches for the Road
19. Women Without Whiskey
20. Santa Fe
21. A Ghost To Most
22. Where’s Eddie [*]
23. Everybody Needs Love [*]
24. Birthday Boy
25. Sink Hole
26. Gravity’s Gone
27. Ray’s Automatic Weapon
28. Zip City
29. Lookout Mountain
30. [encore break / banter]
31. Used To Be A Cop
32. Get Downtown
33. (It’s Gonna Be) I Told You So
34. Mercy Buckets
35. Shut Up and Get on the Plane

* Eddie Hinton song

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Drive-By Truckers, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their new album, ‘Go-Go Boots‘, and their other official releases and merchandise.

The Giraffes: February 5, 2011 Mercury Lounge – FLAC/MP3/Streaming Songs

February 14, 2011
By


[Photos courtesy of Todd Kancar]

I make no secret of my admiration for The Giraffes and have been consistently rewarded by them over the past 5+ years with amazing albums and some of the most incredible performances I’ve ever had the privilege to attend.  When I heard a rumor that this show would be lead singer Aaron Lazar’s last with the Brooklyn-based group and had the information confirmed, I was heartbroken.  And I wasn’t the only one.  As a testament to the popularity of this band (one that has been criminally overlooked by the mainstream), I personally received more requests to tape this night than every other show I’ve recorded combined; a few of them from South America and Europe.  Further fears were put to rest when I was assured that guitarist Damien Paris, drummer Andrew Totolos and bassist Jens Carstensen would continue on with The Giraffes.  Blazing through with nary a break, the gents brought out an impressive setlist that including superlative renditions of “Honey Baby Child”, “Sugarbomb” and the rare “On Lovers Lane”, among other gems.  The enthusiastic crowd, packed to the rafters in the sold-out venue, brought their A-game, too [see Todd Kancar’s photo below].  Riddled with stage divers, crowd surfers, people singing every word to every song and enough flashbulbs going off to induce an epileptic seizure, it wasn’t long before the gallons of alcoholic beverages flying through the air had covered nearly every available surface and person.  As I’ve remarked before, it takes an exceptional set of skills to be able to play under these conditions and, as always, these guys rose to the challenge.  We wish Aaron the best in his future endeavors and eagerly anticipate what Damien, Drew and Jens have in store for us with The Giraffes, v.4.0.

As a compliment to the mics, the always magnificent and accommodating house engineers, Kevin and Dan, supplied me with a feed from the board and were joined by guest engineer extraordinaire, Phil, for this set.  Aside from the bedlam unraveling on stage that resulted in the occasional, unavoidable vocal distortion and clipping from microphones being grabbed, dropped and yelled into by attendees, thanks to their first-rate work we have captured an excellent recording.  Enjoy and PLAY IT LOUD!!

Stream “Million $ Man”:

[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/G2808Giraffes9220/The%20Giraffes%20-%20Million%20$%20Man.mp3]


Stream “The City”:

[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/G2808Giraffes9220/The%20Giraffes%20-%20The%20City.mp3]

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

Giraffes 2011-02-05 kancar528

The Giraffes
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY, USA

Source: SBD + DPA 4021’s > Edirol R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz)
Lineage: R-44 (WAV @ 24-bit/48kHz) > USB > PC > Adobe Audition (mixdown, adjust levels, downsample, dither, tracking) > WAV (16-bit/44.1kHz) > Trader’s Little Helper (check/fix SBE’s, FLAC conversion) > FLAC ( level 8 )
Mercury Lounge house engineers: Kevin, Dan
Guest engineer: Phil
Recorded and produced by: Johnny Fried Chicken Boy

SETLIST:
[Total time: 1:42:00]
01. Damien’s rant
02. Smoke Machine
03. Million $ Man
04. Prime Motivator
05. Honest Men
06. Honey Baby Child [*]
07. Wage Earner
08. I’ll Be Your Daddy
09. On Lovers Lane
10. The Power Of Fatherhood
11. Medicaid Benefit Appliqué
12. Sugarbomb
13. banter
14. The Border
15. The Ballad Of Sissyfist
16. The City
17. Sickness (This Is)
18. Having Fun
19. Haunted Heaven
20. Clever Girl
21. Man U.
22. Done

* Pierre Michel song

If you download this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT The Giraffes, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases and merchandise.

Oh Land: January 26, 2011 Hiro Ballroom – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

January 27, 2011
By


[Photos by Ryan Muir and courtesy of Metromix]

Last night’s industry showcase performance by Oh Land at Hiro Ballroom gave full evidence of the amount of dues that the former ballerina and current model/emerging pop star has paid over the past year – and the extent to which they have paid off. It struck me how many gigs like this she has probably played – to mixed rooms of her most fervent supporters and some who are just there to be seen – yet she remains graceful, kind and seemingly unfazed by the starmaking process. Work back from this very-well-attended celebration of a show through the latter part of last year, and you’ll find every type of appearance imaginable – a small club gig at Mercury Lounge, opening gigs for Mates of State, seemingly endless and tireless CMJ appearances, playing Brooklyn Bowl for our friends’ Brunch After Dark, and earlier, their backyard for Backyard Brunch Sessions, the Northside Festival, SXSW…. By the time that her second Brooklyn Bowl show rolled around, Oh Land’s performances had already become much more refined than her first Brooklyn Bowl appearance at the Northside Festival – true pop star performances, not merely a pretty girl, a keyboard and her “contraption” (a combination drum machine/keyboard/projector, I believe it is). This Hiro show presaged the logical next phase of her career as her first full length for Epic Records is released in March – when her music’s fan base has fully transitioned from the blog world to clubland and the mainstream beyond. Her repertoire has diversified a bit in that direction; a new club-ready song I had not heard before was in the mix, as well as the anthems “We Turn It Up” and another one I had not heard before, which I will call “Human.” But what separates Oh Land from typical pop music (even highly lauded, but ultimately terrible Scandinavian pop music), is her playful spirit, her quirkiness, and her unforced songwriting; any artist who calls her live show “Mary Poppins on acid” has probably put any Katy Perry comparisons on hold. Oh Land’s very busy 2011 already has another big moment – the opening slot for the comeback performance of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark at Terminal 5 later this year. We wish her an exciting and wonderful year.

I recorded this set with the Schoeps microphones on a 13-foot stand next to the soundboard. Unfortunately, the soundboard feed that was provided only contained the drum machine’s feed and was mostly useless, so this is an almost-all audience recording that does contain some noise from the bar crowd. Therefore, it is not quite up to our usual standards, but remains an accurate capture of the evening. For a truly outstanding Oh Land recording, I recommend that you download the shorter but better-sounding Brunch After Dark/Brooklyn Bowl recording as well/instead. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Epic Records for inviting nyctaper to this performance. Don’t miss Oh Land’s as-yet-untitled LP when it is released on March 15.

Stream “We Turn It Up”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/O0627OhLand0210/13 We Turn It Up.mp3]

Stream “Sun of a Gun”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/O0627OhLand0210/06 Sun of A Gun.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Oh Land
2011-01-26
Hiro Ballroom
New York, NY

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Schoeps CMC6/mk41+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: At soundboard, ROC, mics pointed at stacks at 13ft
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ, mixdown)>Audition (multiband compression)>Audacity (compress clapping, tracking, set fades, downsample to 44.1khz/16bit)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Perfection
02 [new]
03 [banter]
04 Break the Chain
05 Wolf and I
06 Sun of a Gun
07 Lean on Me
08 banter
09 Helicopter
10 Human
11 White Nights
12 [encore break]
13 We Turn It Up
14 Rainbow

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Oh Land, visit her website, purchase her EP, which is available at all major retailers, on iTunes and here, and purchase her upcoming LP when it is released on Epic Records on March 15.

Roadside Graves: August 28, 2010 Mercury Lounge – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

January 8, 2011
By


[Roadside Graves at Mercury Lounge on January 9, 2010. Photo by Amanda Hatfield]

I lucked out when I recorded These United States in August of last year, because Metuchen, NJ’s Roadside Graves had already set a high bar with a perfect set of Saturday night rock n’ roll. Pitchfork‘s writeup on their 2009 release, My Son’s Home, compared their narrative style to Bob Dylan and the Band (and they aren’t the only ones), and indeed, they have an unmistakably classic rock style that can at times veer into dark territory. But in the grandest of folk traditions, they wrap sad and even macabre themes in the upbeat guise of working man’s anthems – if you don’t listen too closely, you can just chug your beer, shake your ass and be happy. But there is a lot to explore beneath that surface that will reward the more patient and pensive listener; the band’s latest EP on Autumn Tone Records, You Won’t Be Happy With Me, continues the strong work done on My Son’s Home. Despite the many country comparisons, I find the band hewing closer to the more Irish folk inspired-sound of a band like NYC’s Bogmen, or The Pogues. Throughout the set, the band kept the stage banter fun and light, introducing their new song “Liv Tyler” through a funny little tale about an audience member misinterpreting the title as “MILF Diver”. Such is the beauty of Roadside Graves – they make serious rock n’ roll, but they’re also a great band to spend your Saturday (and the rest of your week) with.

I recorded this set from the same location as the These United States recording, with the soundboard feed and the Schoeps microphones. The sound is outstanding. Enjoy!

Stream “Liv Tyler”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/R0828RoadsideGraves2010/RSG-LivTyler.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Roadside Graves
2010-08-28
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY  USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Schoeps CMC6/mk41+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/44.1)
Position: ROC, at soundboard, mics at 7.5ft
Mastering: 2x24bit/44.1kHz WAV>Audacity (smooth peaks, mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Brokeback Mountain Theme>Far and Wide
02 Demons>Ruby Medley
03 Take A Train
04 Everything
05 Father
06 Liv Tyler
07 West Coast
08 God Touched Me
09 [banter]
10 Jail

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Roadside Graves, visit their website, and buy their records directly from Autumn Tone records.

Yellow Ostrich: January 4, 2011 Mercury Lounge – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

January 6, 2011
By


[Photos by the always excellent David Andrako]

This is my first recording of 2011, and I am pleased to say that Yellow Ostrich is officially my first great find for the year. I first heard of the band when they appeared on the bill for our friends at FREEWilliamsburg‘s CMJ show, and although I missed that show, Yellow Ostrich was highest on the list of bands I needed to see. After a somewhat uneven slate of opening acts, vocalist/guitarist Alex Schaaf and drummer Michael Tapper took the stage to a packed Mercury Lounge. Schaaf is a gifted vocalist with a sweet and somewhat nasal voice; in his delivery I hear a bit of a young Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel. The set opener, “Whale” was a whimsical and instantly catchy treat that started things off strong (if you hear a slight discontinuity in the track, it is because we removed a few seconds of computer glitch). But other than “Whale,” I actually preferred some of the band’s slightly less poppy, more angular numbers – the older song “Fog”, in particular, and the set’s closer, “Mary.” Most of the set focused on the band’s latest record, The Mistress, which is available, along with all of the band’s catalog, on their bandcamp page on a “pay what you will” basis, and can be pre-ordered on vinyl from Afternoon Records here. We expect more great things from this young band in 2011, and their year has already had a fantastic beginning, with them landing the coveted Pianos Thursday night residency for February.

Catch Yellow Ostrich at Shea Stadium on January 15, or February 3, 10, 17 or 24 at Pianos.

I recorded this set with an excellent soundboard feed from the Mercury Lounge engineers and the Schoeps microphones. The sound is outstanding. Thanks to Kevin for his consistently strong work behind the board.

Stream “Fog”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/Y1400YellowOstrich2110/06 Fog.mp3]

Stream “WHALE” (yes, it has a little glitch, but this song is so damn good):
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/Y1400YellowOstrich2110/01 WHALE.mp3]

Stream “Mary”:
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/Y1400YellowOstrich2110/12 Mary.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Yellow Ostrich
2011-01-04
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack exclusively for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Soundboard + Schoeps CMC6/mk41>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: ROC, at soundboard, mics pointed at stacks at 8.5′
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time 32:31]
01 Whale
02 banter
03 Hold On
04 banter
05 Daughter
06 Fog
07 banter
08 Hate Me Soon
09 banter
10 Campaign
11 banter
12 Mary

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect you to PLEASE SUPPORT Yellow Ostrich, be their friends on Facebook, and purchase their music from bandcamp and Afternoon Records.

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