show reports Archive

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I Saw Bruce Springsteen Chug A Beer In Front Of Me And Stage Dive

By
Andy Yen
– Posted on May 15, 2012Posted in: Music, Show Reports

Not bad for a 65 year old.

Both videos are from his 4/26/2012 show at the LA Sports Arena. Overall, I was really impressed by the breadth of music that The Boss and The E Street Band played. Songs touched upon almost every genre including soul, folk, rock, rap, and big band. It’s a shame Bruce didn’t convince the band to do some dubstep songs, though I imagine the older crowd would have found it in poor taste.

Tom Morello was a guest on three songs, content with playing in the background until he was featured front and center for an amazing rendition of “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” It ranked among my top 5 live guest appearances, musically speaking. More raw and impassioned than Bruce’s album cut, yet not as abrasive as the Rage Against the Machine cover, the performance created a version of song that stood above the sum of its parts.

The following video is a clip of “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” which closed the encore set. It includes a great tribute to Clarence Clemons.

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Show Report: Chromeo 11-17-11 @ The Wiltern, Los Angeles

By
Andy Yen
– Posted on November 29, 2011Posted in: Music, Show Reports

One of the signs that you’ve made it as a live band is if the crowd has a custom chant for you as you take the stage or during the encore break. By that token, Chromeo has really made it, since the crowd at the Wiltern was already primed to let out a choral “CHRO-MEE-OH WHOAAAAAAAA OH” as soon as the lights dimmed. We came to the show to get our electro-disco inspired dance fix and we got what we came for, no more, no less.

There’s only so much a duo can do on stage musically and even backed up by three Rockette-like lady dancers/singers, Chromeo didn’t do much to distinguish their sound from their recordings. That’s not necessarily a knock on the band, as their recordings are very fun affairs, though it is noteworthy that the material from their latest album, Business Casual, sounded much more polished and alive. If your goal at the show was to get drunk, dance, and have a good time, you probably got your money’s worth. If you were looking for a dynamic stage presence or transcendant live music revelation, though, you’re going to to want to keep looking.

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