Yuck & Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Varsity Theater 7/19/11 (Concert Review)

Ever since Yuck released their fantastic self-titled debut album earlier this year, there has been a bit of contention regarding how the British quartet would translate their fuzzed-out sound in a live setting. As was seen through several of their streamed SXSW showcases in March, they appeared bored, lackadaisical and tired. I had my doubts going into their Twin Cities debut last night at the Varsity Theater, but I'm happy to say that those doubts were completely unfounded. Long story short? Anyone that claims Yuck sucks in concert has probably never seen Yuck in concert.

Before I dip into their booming set, though, let's talk about openers Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Yuck's label and tourmates (and creators of another one of my favorite albums of 2011 thus far). The Portland-based trio made their mark on many Minneapolitans this past February opening up for Smith Westerns at the Triple Rock. Their return to our fair city was hyped a great deal, and they more than delivered last night. Shrouded in darkness (after requesting the stage lights be kept off due to the Varsity's increasing steaminess), UMO ripped through much of their new album over the course of 30+ intoxicating minutes. From "Ffunny Ffriends" to "Jello and Juggernauts" to "Nerve Damage" and everywhere in between, the young psych-influenced rockers commanded the dark stage and left nothing but intrigue amongst the onlookers. If I were a high school student in the mid-70s, I would want UMO to play every single house party I threw.

After UMO left to substantial applause, Yuck took the stage to an even bigger ovation (maybe the crowd was just happy they could now see the performers). They opened with a bang, giving us "Holing Out," one of the biggest sounding tracks on their only album before kicking up the fuzz quite a bit for "The Wall." Over the course of about 50 minutes, the four-piece played 75% of their new record and spliced in a couple of b-sides to boot, most notably the dreamy "Milkshake."

Now, if you came in expecting a raucous stage show, that's not what you got. Yuck is not going to bounce around aimlessly just for visual satisfaction. They did, however, play each and every song brilliantly (especially their current hit "Get Away") and gave their own restrained punch of verve for presence. For how much guitarist and lead singer Daniel Blumberg gazed at his shoes while jamming out to some of Yuck's blistering arrangements, I'm pretty sure the poor dude is going to end up with some serious scoliosis.  While they said their thank yous and acknowledged the beauty of Minneapolis, there wasn't much stage banter....well outside of calling out the super tall dude with the afro that most of us have seen at some local show in the past year. Blumberg and lead guitarist Max Bloom commented how he looked like drummer Jonny Rogoff's dad (Rogoff has an afro himself, and resembles a modified Wooly Willy). For a band that many people think are standoffish, they created quite the connection with the appreciative crowd.

As the set came to a close, we were treated to an upbeat and relentless version of "Operation," followed by a new track and the dirty grinding anthem "Rubber," which saw the entire band become totally unglued, pounding their respective instruments mercilessly. They slowly and humbly left the stage, making their first Twin Cities appearance an unforgettable one.

The Elected @ Triple Rock 7/3/11 (Concert Review)

I found a spot in the Triple Rock's parking lot on Sunday.

Blame it on the fact that the Black Keys were in town playing a sold-out show at Roy Wilkins. Blame it on the holiday weekend. Blame it on it being a late show on a Sunday night. Any way you look at it, the turnout for The Elected's return to Minneapolis was about 1/3 of what my high-school ska band drew for our final show at the Foxfire over a decade ago. There weren't even 50 people there...and that was including the bands.

With that knowledge, one would expect a weak "go-through-the-motions" type of show. Frontman Blake Sennett (of Rilo Kiley and Salute Your Shorts fame) & company offered nothing of the sort, though. After opener Tristen playfully went through her 35 minute set, often times exuding the same kind of vibe as Sennett's Rilo Kiley bandmate Jenny Lewis (just with a little more twang....and a drum machine), The Elected quietly took the stage and treated the empty room as if it were near capacity. The fans that were there were devoted, and Sennett realized that from the get-go as he and his 3 backing members ushered in their 55 minute set with a trippy rendition of "Sun, Sun, Sun," the title track from The Elected's breakthrough 2006 release on Sub-Pop. The response was upbeat, and so was Sennett, who continuously joked that he, steel-guitarist/bassist Mike Bloom and Buddy (Tristen's accompanist and possible boyfriend) were all on herbal ecstasy, which still hadn't kicked in. The early part of the set showcased Sennett on a beautiful Telecaster and saw the band ignore much of their recent release (Bury Me In My Rings) in favor of their earlier output. "Not Going Home" sounded especially energetic, although a bit out of place as it's more of an exclamation point than a comma.

Before Sennett toned things down a bit, he promised us one more electric tune, and it's a good thing that's all he promised as the PA at the Triple Rock decided to give out about 6 songs in. Rather than fumble around aimlessly, Sennett just grabbed an acoustic guitar, stood in front of the monitors and invited the welcoming crowd to surround him as he performed "Ripchord" from Rilo Kiley's 2004 hit record, More Adventurous.

After a little crowd participation and a quick fix by the Triple Rock staff (it was a blown circuit), the PA was back and The Elected burst into the ukulele-happy "Babyface" from the new album. Aside from this joyful song and a couple others, though, the new record was largely ignored (and probably for the better given its unevenness). The night wound down with a rousing rendition of "The Bank and Trust" and a taste of their 2004 debut, Me First.

Was this a show for the ages? No. Was it one that I could've skipped? Maybe...but I'm glad I didn't. Despite the awful turnout, it's comforting seeing musicians dedicated to their craft and giving it their all, whether they're playing in front of 50 people or 550 people. 

Okkervil River, Titus Andronicus & Future Islands @ First Avenue 6/12/11 (Concert Review)

Last night at First Avenue, Okkervil River finally made their long-awaited and highly anticipated return to Minneapolis. Playing to a full (but not sold out) house, Will Sheff and company delivered on every level...but we'll get to that in a second.

If you didn't show up early for Future Islands, let's just say you missed out big time. For 35 minutes, frontman Sam Herring bounced around the stage like a dog chasing its tail. He was the spawn of Morrissey, Henry Rollins and the monster from Cloverfield. He wailed and screamed and howled and cried in anguish, then was chipper beyond belief between songs. He once stuffed his entire right fist into his mouth before slapping himself continuously on the face and chest. He gave it his all to a crowd with little to no background info on the trio. It worked...and Future Islands, with their sprawling synthed out vibe, sounded damn good in the process.

Titus Andronicus, arguably one of the hardest working young bands touring today, came on next and did what they do best...treated the receptive and appreciative crowd to 45 minutes of ear-shattering, face-blistering rock and roll. After supporting Bright Eyes over 2 nights at First Avenue in April, I really expected Titus Andronicus' next Minneapolis gig to be a headlining one of their own. Rather, they have carved out a nice little niche as go-to openers, easily getting the crowd revved up for that night's headliner. I don't know what I can say about them that I didn't already address the last time I saw them, but let's just say that they continue to push the limits of what good old blood on your fingers rock and roll should sound like. Last night was no exception, as they one-upped themselves a mere two months after they were last in town.

After two very different bands warmed up the evening, it was just appropriate that a third (sounding very unlike the first two) was headlining. Okkervil River took the stage shortly before 11pm to a simple backdrop depicting two of the dog-people from the new "I Am Very Far." Opening with the slow burning "White Shadow Waltz," the [touring] six-piece gave us a mere glimpse of what was to come. The first songs felt purposefully restrained, as if they wanted the crowd to be equally urgent before they burst forth. This was especially true of "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene," which saw Sheff's teeth clenched as he searched for every important word. As "Rider" began, everyone (on AND off) stage had seemed to reach a comfortable state which allowed the performance to really open up. And let's talk about those drums on "Rider." Wow. I don't think the soundman at First Avenue has made a drummer sound that good in years. Cully Symington (also of Cursive fame) sounded brisk and pointed all night. Every fill was perfectly executed, every cymbal splash and crash expertly timed. His rhythm was the ideal complement to Sheff's hypnotic storytelling.

The set list was a nice mixture of new and old, and gave me a new understanding of the recent material. Two of my least favorite songs on the new record "Piratess" and "The Valley" were played beautifully back to back. Perceptions on recorded music can change when hearing live interpretations, and mine did just that. To everyone that heard me knock the new album's first two tracks in recent weeks, I stand corrected.

As the energy in the room peaked, Sheff did the unthinkable and brought the crowd to a self-induced silence (no 'hushes' or 'shhhhhs' here) with a captivating and intoxicating rendition of "A Stone" (a song noticeably absent from the setlist I snagged post-show). "A Stone" played out as one of those moments where you don't want to be anywhere else, and even if you did, your eyes, ears and feet would be motionless and useless as they fixated on Sheff, oozing his heart into the microphone. As he strummed the final chord, the crowd appeared to mouth a collective 'wow' before bursting into deep applause.

The main set closed with the one-two punch of "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe" and "Lost Coastlines," two crushing songs that revitalized a late Sunday crowd that didn't yet want to go home. After we were given a psych-out moment of the screen descending (cueing no encore), it did in fact raise again quickly so the band could give us three more songs, including the expected closer "Unless It's Kicks," which brought the room to appreciative hysteria, one that undoubtedly many of us had been waiting on for years.

Thanks for a good night Okkervil River. You're welcome back any time.

Architecture in Helsinki @ Varsity Theater 6/9/11 (Concert Review)

24 hours after Iron & Wine thoroughly disappointed me, I sought out musical redemption at the Varsity last night. Simply put, Architecture in Helsinki provided just that. The Aussie sextet delivered 90 high-powered minutes, mixing in a large part of their new Moment Bends LP (which sounds much better live than recorded) with a slew of older favorites.

The band took the stage one by one, dressed in various spectrums of white and teal, and kicked off their set with the smushy and sunny "Desert Island," which urged the 1/3 full Varsity crowd to stop standing still. While it did its trick, it was the spastic rendition of "Hold Music" that followed which really kicked the show into high gear. As I watched virtually everyone around me dancing their socks off (often times invading my personal bubble), I tried thinking about the last time I had seen such a high percentage of an audience dancing at a show...I've concluded that such a time did not exist. The crowd last night, young and full of energy (and, um, seemingly ecstacy), did not stop bouncing once throughout AiH's perfectly structured set. And the band, feeding off their fans, mirrored those actions.

"That Beep," the best track off the new album was especially entertaining as 4 off the 6 members participated in a hilariously straight-faced choreographed dance that will undoubtedly earn none of them tryouts on Janet Jackson's next tour. After slowing things down for a bit, but not enough to make the crowd keep both feet on the ground at once, AiH hit us with "Escapee" and crowd-favorite "Wishbone," both which transported me out of the Varsity and rather made me feel like I was at a house party in some/any John Hughes movie. A couple more new tracks followed, including the gorgeous "W.O.W." and a funked-up version of "Everything's Blue." Both tracks lured the crowd into a false sense of security as AiH ended the main set with the welcomely raucous "Do the Whirlwind" and the tribal beat-tinged "Heart it Races" to a chorus of duly deserved cheers.

A 3-song encore saw the band give us the Antony-inspired "B4 3D" before offering up a splendid, spot-on version of Londonbeat's classic "I've Been Thinking About You." They closed the night with Moment Bends' first single, the upbeat and in your face "Contact High," which gave the crowded front one last chance to shake out any remaining energy they still had left.

Hooray for Earth, the hotly hyped New York quartet opened to a less than accepting audience, but ending up winning over a ton of new fans with their swirling mix of guitar and synth. There's definite promise here, and they should take close notes to AiH's musicianship if they hope to one day headline a room like the Varsity.

Architecture in Helsinki said "see you in the Fall," and if their self-imposed prophecy is in fact true and they return to Minneapolis that quickly, I hope it's to the same loving response, just a little larger in size.

Iron & Wine @ First Avenue 6/8/11 (Concert Review)

First, let's get this out of the way. I love Iron & Wine's new record, Kiss Each Other Clean.

Now that I've put out there, I did not love Iron & Wine's set at First Avenue last night. Hell, I barely liked it. Rather than focus on the stellar songwriting that has somehow made him a heartthrob amongst lovers of indie rock crooning, Sam Beam decided to emphasize the kookiness of his all-too-big backing band (another 10 musicians that I could see, including The Swell Season's resident woodland nymph, Marketa Irglova).

The roughly 100-minute performance saw Beam expectedly show off the deep arrangements of the new record's songs, beginning with one of the album's weaker numbers, "Rabbit Will Run." I say 'expectedly' because the audience knew what they were getting into after hearing Kiss Each Other Clean. The unexpected and, sadly, low points of the evening were when Beam fiddled with the structure of his earlier work a little too much, leaving the crowd confused as to what in the name of Leftover Salmon was happening on stage. It really seemed as if Beam was heading into jam band/prog-rock territory, and that was evidently not connecting with the crowd, as couples started to filter out only halfway through the set.

And let's talk about the saxophones for a second. I can appreciate some good sax, but Beam gave a little too much leeway to the trio of brass players/multi-instrumentalists over his left shoulder. If word bubbles were made available during the set, there would have been a handful over the horn-blowers saying "I'm gonna Tim Capello the crap out of this tenor."

There were some solid moments throughout the night, though. The new "Walking Far From Home" resonated well with the crowd, and was one of the few songs that benefited from the expansive band on stage. "In My Lady's House" was left stripped down, as it should be, with Irglova lending some gorgeous backing vocals. Those highlights, though, felt out of place given Beam's inability to let a song remain finalized/written. He got all James Blakey on us during "The Sea and the Rhythm," another song he should have just left as is. Ending the main set with "Tree By The River" seemed quite out of place as well, especially since he gave a little Hall & Oates tweak to it, something that made it curiously poppy in relation to the rest of the set. The brief one-song encore was the gorgeous "He Lays in The Reigns," which was brilliant, beautiful and welcome...and probably his best song of the night.

The Head & The Heart opened the show and made the crowd open their wallets to snatch up tickets to their upcoming gig at the Varsity in August. I swung by the Electric Fetus for their in-store earlier in the night, which was decent, but nothing ground-breaking. Their 45 minute set in the mainroom, though, was filled with folky energy and perfectly layered harmonies. All in all, I would've been content just seeing them and calling it a night.