Kicking off their North American tour, Oasis stopped by Oakland’s Oracle Arena to showcase hits old and new. Alt-country/rock singer Ryan Adams offered support with his band The Cardinals for a performance that pleased the decently-filled arena and got the rock juices flowing. For both acts, the songs were unbelievably well-selected, with the best of their extensive catalogues seamlessly sliding right between the new and unfamiliar. However, the two performances shared an unsettling commonality: A lack of interest.

With twenty albums between both Oasis and Ryan Adams, it is more than fair to respectfully refer to each as veteran musicians who have more performances under their belt than most modern artists will ever last to see. However, being so well versed in the art of performance, it would also be fair to assume these guys could at least successfully pretend to care.

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals were short on audience interaction, but luckily redeemed themselves in their high-energy, electric performance of earlier solo Adams tracks and new Cardinals material. Performing against a simple backdrop of a black curtain and two electric blue roses, the set opened and closed with cuts off Cardinology, the fourth album from the group and their most recent release. The audience appeared wary at first of the ultra-serious Adams, who stood modestly on the far left side of the stage, but positively welcomed him into their night as the band jumped from one up-beat track to another, never leaving a moment to doubt the sounds.

Some highlights included the sweet “Come Pick Me Up” off his 2000 debut Heartbreaker, as well as the popular “When the Stars Go Blue,” which was originally recorded by Adams‘ first band Whiskeytown in the mid-nineties. Concluding with the Tom Petty-esque “Magick,” Adams said a quick, “Bye, Thank You,” and rushed offstage before the audience could even lift their hands to applaud.

The curtain then dropped to reveal a much larger stage set up for the headliners, and the crowd waited patiently for the band they paid much money to see. For most first-timers at an Oasis show, the mind explores a variety of expectations. What will they play? What does a performance from a group that’s been around for almost twenty years look like? What antics will the Gallagher brothers engage in?

Oasis from myspace.com/oasis

As the lights dimmed and lead singer Liam Gallagher stood onstage glaring with a tambourine clenched between his teeth, the answer to those questions was soon enough delivered. They kicked off the set with “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,” the very first track from their first release, Definitely Maybe. It was an appropriate opener, as it got the crowd up on their feet and set the tone for the remainder of the night, as Liam repeatedly shouted the chorus, “Tonight, I’m a rock ‘n’ roll star,” over and over – which is exactly how he and his bandmates acted.

With Noel Gallagher and the other members virtually standing in place, all eyes were fixated on Liam, front and center, as he came across more like an egotistical zombie than a performer. To be fair, the off-putting, lack-of-interest style of the band may be the very essence of Oasis to many die-hards, who eat up their antics and scoff at those who may not “get it” – and that’s fine. Music inspires everyone uniquely. However, the sparsely filled venue only housed a handful of fanatics, and most of the crowd ended up unsuspectingly dumbstruck and disconnected.

In its essence, a concert is about the relationship formed between the band and the audience; you play off one another’s energy, and you get lost in each other’s presence. That is the magic behind the whole rock experience, and that is the formula for an all-consuming, out-of-body musical adventure. Even the slightest hiccup can hinder that relationship, but audiences are typically quite forgiving. When the egocentric Liam spends the full 20-song set glaring, pacing and chugging (water), you can’t help but scratch your head and wonder just exactly why the group continues to tour. Do they even want to?

Noel was much more convincing than his brother, and his voice sounded powerful and intact as he stepped up to sing the mildly underrated “The Masterplan” and “Songbird” before diving into the grossly popular “Slide Away” and “Morning Glory.” It was not until the end of the set that the audience seemed to forgive the antics of Oasis, either due to the foreseeable conclusion of the show or because they played the ever-pleasing “Wonderwall.” The encore purveyed this emotion, and the crowd was offered “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Falling Down,” “Champagne Supernova” and perhaps the most impressive song of the night, a high-energy psychedelic cover of “I Am the Walrus.”

Despite the mixed reception and their lackluster presence, the evening was a quintessential Oasis experience, where even after two decades of solid rock, the band continues to stir things up, do things their own way and never once turn back.

Original Post: <a href=”http://www.jambase.com/Articles/15990/Oasis.Ryan-Adams-12.03.08-Oakland”>

Original Post: http://wers.org/articles/?id=888

Jamie Lidell took the stage at the Paradise Rock Club this past Saturday night for an energized performance filled with uplifting tunes and hilarious antics. Stepping out in his signature black and gold metallic jacket, Lidell instantly set the tone of the night as eclectic and unique in style.

Starting the night was the highly soulful and invigorating track, “Another Day”, which instantly brought the crowd together with all feet moving and each voice shouting. It was evident that Lidell felt at home on stage, even during the few moments where self-awareness and shyness could be detected.

The cohesion between Lidell and his bandmates was undeniable, and their constant grins, grooves and improvising served as evidence of pure exuberance felt within the moment. The band features double saxophonist Andre Vida, bassist and accomplished Vancouver jazz singer Denzal Sinclaire, as well as remaining members on percussion and keyboards.

Some of the night’s highlights included the upbeat tracks “Wait For Me” and “Hurricane” off of his latest album, Jim, which his devoted fans assuredly sang in unison. Also worth mentioning was the entrancing breakdown of sounds in the beginning of Lidell‘s set, as band members took their dance moves to the audience while Lidell remained onstage like a chemist in a laboratory—mixing and splicing noises through both a variety of electronics and vocals, all for the greater cause of groove.

Adding to the overall visual spectacle provided by Lidell and his bandmates was the backdrop screen filled with continuous video footage, and displaying anything from ironic scenes of a toy car crash, to the trance-like blending of colors and shapes, as well as a live feed of the band and the excited crowd. This element greatly contributed to the overall success of the show, giving the audience a constant image to feast their eyes on while grooving along with Lidell.

The final song of the performance was “Mulitply”, the title track off Lidell‘s 2005 release. For this encore, Lidell rejoined the stage (thanks to an ocean of applause) wearing a hollowed-out television set on his head—with his smiling face center on the screen, and certainly capping off the night as an unforgettable, highly entertaining experience.

Check out some of his tracks here.

June 9, 2008

Original Link: http://wers.org/articles/?id=890

After an electric performance at the Paradise Rock Club Saturday night, British soul artist Jamie Lidell stopped by the WERS studios on Monday evening for a live performance to share tracks from his latest release, Jim.

Starting the set was the popular track “Another Day”, which also happens to be Lidell‘s favorite off the new album.

“It was one of those songs that wasn’t even going to be on the album,” says Lidell, “and it just came together last minute and everything in the recording fell into place in a really cool way.”

The sensual yet simplistic “A Little Bit of Feel Good” was up next, followed by the track “Where’d You Go”, which Lidell opened powerfully with raw a capella vocals and catchy hand clapping to set a playful tone.

Lidell has been celebrating the release of Jim with an extensive tour, including international festival dates and solo shows throughout the summer. Hailing from England and now residing in Berlin and Paris, Lidell appeared to be quite happy about touring the States, describing his journey as being ”kind of like the Holy Grail for Europeans.” His excitement is genuine, and as he performs it is evident that Lidell is having the time of his life. Lidell relishes sharing his sound with fans both new and old.

The album and the tour mark the first time Lidell has performed with a band, rather than as a solo act, and the line-up includes highly talented and eclectic members playing the saxophone, piano, bass and guitar. Be sure to catch Lidell on tour this summer, or this winter when he opens up for Elton John.

Jamie Lidell @ WERS Studios

Passion Pit Live

The five members of Passion Pit filled the studio with electronic, indie-rock bliss, as they dove head first into their first song, “I’ve Got Your Number”. Following was the track “Live To Tell the Tale”, which features an Animal Collective-esque ambiance and the soul of Angelakos bared through his vocals. “Sleepy Head”, a track from their latest release called Pretty Penny wrapped things up.

Pretty Penny is collection of B-Sides that was released in 2007, and continues to display the reflective lyrics of Angelakos. In terms of writing, he describes himself as a “fast songwriter … when something happens, everything kind of snaps all at once.” He also draws from influences like Randy Newman and other Los Angeles-based songwriters as a guide in order to maintain a non-complicated and non-threatening style of expression.

Next week, Passion Pit will be heading to New York City to record tracks for their next album, which Angelakos explains will be “about surreal things pertaining to dreams, as the older stuff is about how my girlfriend puts up with me … this will be about exploring euphoria”.

With half of the band still in college (Emerson and Berklee) and the other half recent graduates, finding time to tour has been a hard act to balance. Angelakos is still weighing the option of taking a semester off in the fall in order to reach a broader audience, but for now expect to see the group perform select local gigs this summer.

Official Website

Original Article Post (WERS)

\”Sleepy Head\” – Passion Pit

Jennings has been on tour since mid-September supporting his most recent release, In the Ever, which contains more daring, highly political tracks than found on his previous records. His choice to hit the road this season was extremely well-timed, and unlike other artists who toured relentlessly, screaming what choices we should or should not make, Jennings appeared like a fresh breath of air. He suggests that you listen closely, but never demands that you like him or even agree with his words, as his subdued demeanor remains solidly present to welcome in all open ears.

Mason Jennings

Supporting Jennings for this tour is Zach Gill, who can typically be found performing as lead vocalist of ALO, or supporting his friend Jack Johnson. Fresh off his solo debut (Zach Gill’s Stuff), it was clear that Gill has already mastered the art of performance and grabbed the attention of a curious audience right from the start. He appeared humbled and modest while gliding through his eclectically-themed collection of songs, with highlights including “Poseidon’s Navel” and “Handy Man”. He brought in an element of humor that was reminiscent of a street performer, and as he switched from the keyboards to the squeezebox, made sure to change his hat and persona. Gill has visibly grown both publicly as a performer and privately as a individual; his themes (when not exploring time travel) proudly display his family and life as a father, allowing for a grateful innocence to capture the hearts of those who looked on.

Once nine o’clock arrived and the crowd was well-warmed, Jennings emerged prepared and casual, guitar in hand, ready to address both his die-hard fans and those anew. He opened acoustically with the upbeat, metaphorical “Memphis, Tennessee”, painting a scene of a love based on opposites. Soon after, he plugged in his guitar and was joined by the remainder of his band. Through both slow songs and fast, Jennings modestly remained in place behind the safety of guitar, lost in his words like he was singing each for the very first time.

His voice, at times sounding like a folkier-Lou Reed, delivers like an atypical instrument; while not particularly loud and commanding, it is neither timid nor unclear. His middle-of-the-road delivery works largely in his favor, allowing for the establishment of instant trust and the audience to hang on his every word.

A definite highlight to the performance was Jennings‘ performance of “California (Part II)”, a track found on his 1996 self-titled debut, which effortlessly and pleasantly describes the beauty of Northern California– sitting especially well with the nights’ crowd and drawing one of the nights’ biggest responses.

Still high from the hope of a “Yes We Can” victory, the tone of the night was certainly celebratory and buzzing during his most political songs from his latest release, such as “Soldier Boy” and the Katrina-based “Going Back to New Orleans”. This was also the case for his popular track “I Love You and Buddha Too”, where Jennings professes his love to a multitude of religions in a catchy, sing-a-long manner, rationalizing each and questioning those who question otherwise.

Zach Gill (copyright JamBands.com)

Jennings makes sure to find time to balance the serious with the silly, all the while remaining socially relevant. Towards the end of his performance, he returned to his initial solo set-up for “New Man”, a ridiculing bash of an ex-girlfriend’s cheesy new love, right before diving into anecdotes about volcanoes and the dangers of driving while you text.

The nights’ conclusion found both Jennings‘ band and Zach Gill back onstage in full force with a restored energy. The bunch performed the hit track “Fighter Girl”, as well as Gills‘ popular “Don’t Touch My Stuff”, ending the night with an electric bang. They expressed their gratitude for the city and for their supporters, addressing the amazing diversity of young and old, collars and tie dye, all found under one roof and smiling.

If anything, Jennings‘ music can perhaps serve as testament to the new state of America, where change is necessary and all can truly stand hand in hand. The night was restorative to the souls’ of his fans old and new, addressing the past but encouraging the future.

Tonight I was at the Fillmore to check out Mason Jennings. His name was one that I had heard here and there over the past couple of years, but I never actually took the extra step to check out his music. About two weeks ago, I pitched my story to JamBase to review his show, and they accepted. My concept explored the inner-workings of Jennings, highlighting his unique political voice in the wake of both the recent election and our ongoing national tribulations. So in preparation, I picked up his latest release In the Ever. All in all, I can say that I’m really glad I did. He is a dynamic performer, and it by seeing him tonight it was clear exactly how his modest, shy demeanor perfectly allows for his strong opinions to reach and effect a very broad audience. The crowd was filled with so many dedicated fans…I was shocked! I definitely recommend checking out In the Ever, or even some of the tracks he recorded last year for the soundtrack of the Bob Dylan bio-pic I’m Not There. Very mellow, socially conscious goodness.

Zach Gill was the supporting act this evening– another unexpected treat. For those who aren’t familiar with the Gill, his tunes’ tend to be extremely light-hearted, comical, and simple. I saw him a few weeks ago at the Bridge School Benefit Show in Mountain View, CA, supporting Jack Johnson, and in my opinion, he totally stole the show. Dare I say he rivaled Jennings tonight as well? Hmm, perhaps. It’s like Gill feels so comfortable as a sidekick/opener role that he just completely lets it all hang out while on stage. There is (arguably) less pressure for the opener, and he appeared smiling and joking throughout the entirety of his set. To me, his onstage persona was reminiscent to that of a street performer, where you kind of just sit back in awe, wait for the punch line or trick, and unsuspectingly witness something spectacular in the end, totally getting your dollar’s worth.

Tomorrow, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals are at the Independent. I don’t really know much about her, except my buddy showed me a fairly impressive cover she had done of Mr. Neil Young‘s “Cortez the Killer”; based on her braveness for taking on that amazing tune, I’d say I can expect good things.

Until I figure out how to directly add music to my blog, the links will have to do! Do yourself a favor, take a listen:

\”Times They Are A-Changing\” by Mason Jennings

\”Soldier Boy\” by Mason Jennings

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