Wire and Bear in Heaven, Bowery Ballroom 7.16.13

Last week the country became obsessed once again with Tara Reid and Ian Ziering, thanks to the unholy spectacle that is Sharknado.  It was a welcome diversion to the wasteland that is summer television and the disastrous summer movie season.  Big budget "blockbusters" (see Pacific Rim, Lone Ranger and After Earth) have lost millions of dollars at the box office.  And with the exception of weekend cable staples, Dexter, True Blood, and FINALLY The Newsroom, summer is easily forgotten on the tv dial.   These are the dog days in the sporting world too.  The ESPY's?  Really?  

It was with that knowledge my wife and I took a dare from an old friend and bought tickets for Tuesday's show at Bowery Ballroom.  "Sure, why not?"  we thought.  Literally nothing better to do.  It also gave us an opportunity to eat at Supper in the Lower East Side.  Try the bolognese! 

What did we know about venerable Brit punk/new wave act The Wire.  Nothing.  What of their opening act, Brooklyn's Bear in Heaven?  Still nothing.   Maybe even nothing-er.  

We may not have known the bands prior to Tuesday.  But we do now.

Let's set the record straight.  First, both acts had far too many quiet moments during their sets.  Bear In Heaven, who have been around for about a decade, suffered a bit from song sequence selection and had too many slow moments  The trio incorporates synths and tribal beats to create, what some call "space rock."  Their single, "Sinful Nature", from last year's LP I Love You, It's Cool, has flashes of the 80s Manchester sound with a side of Jan Hammer.  They rely a bit too heavy on the pre-programmed computer for my tastes, at least in terms of their live performance.  Singer/keyboardist/founder and frontman Jon Philpot has enough charisma and vocal chops to get your attention.  Drummer Jason Nazary and bassist Adam Wills are solid, if not spectacular compliments.   The styling of the group needs some work, especially if they are going to make a living with a slower paced show.  If there are down moments you cannot help look at Wills and his oddball hat and creepy mustache.  My better half had two of the best lines of the evening.  First, Bear in Heaven might be her favorite "Bear" band.  Apologies Grizzly Bear, Panda Bear, Bear Hands etc...  No apologies to Barenaked Ladies.  You suck.  She was particularly happy she could share that thought with Nazary on Houston St after the show.

Second,  "Wills might be the most unattractive bassist she had ever seen."  Ouch.  It need not be that bad.  Wear the hat like an adult, not child of the 1950s.  And please note, only John Waters can wear a mustache that thin.   Sadly, although Nazary is talented and super friendly, his look (a cross between Woody Allen and Patrick Carney of the Black Keys), does not scream rock star.  

For more check out "Idle Heart"  Great percussion beat throughout and Philpot shows nice, subtle delivery.  A wonderful ode to 80s mood synth.

Also, "The Reflection of You" is a nice example of easy going pop that might make you think of New Order or Joy Division.  

Official Bear In Heaven site

At first glance the youngsters, Bear in Heaven, seem an odd choice to open for vet rockers The Wire.  After all, Wire became a band in 1976 or so.  The members of Bear in Heaven were all BORN in the 1980s.  Differences aside,  these two bands complimented one another surprisingly well.  Long regarded as an important and influential act (very much news to me) The Wire delivered an entertaining, if not awe inspiring set.  Singer/guitarist Colin Newman, bassist/vocalist Graham Lewis and drummer Robert Gotobed are the original members and have more than stood the test of time.  Newman rocks the Joe Jackson/Elvis Costello look.  For a great deal of the show he looked at a mounted iPad between every note/lyric.  This is a bad, bad thing and let me tell you why.

Even if he was not using it for lyrics (it was probably used for the mix and sound- in addition to words), it is, without question, anti rock and roll.  And, since The Wire are noted as forerunners or creators of the post-punk revolution, it can be said with much certainty that an iPad is ANTI punk.  Newman would have been better suited mounting the Ipad in front of his microphone, rather than off to his right. He never made eye contact with his audience and, for much of the evening, had the look of a Jr school talent show instead of the legend many think he is.  His biggest sin however was singing each sung with the same tone and inflection.  If you are not going to look at the crowd your voice had better represent.  Sadly, it did not.

Lewis and Gotobed on the other hand carried the evening with booming bass lines and rapid drum lines.  Clearly they have been doing it for a while.   Gotobed has the arms of a young Gilad and Lewis is a cockney version of Lawrence Tierney circa Reservoir Dogs.  "What do you mean you don't tip??"

Looks aside The Wire's hour and half set was well worth a blind taste test.   Was it an Earth shattering event that has converted me into their biggest fan?  No, clearly my buddy that brought me here has that title wrapped up.  But it sure beat the hell out of Hell's Kitchen or Wipeout, or whatever happy horsesh*t might have been playing that night.

Yeah I suppose I could read once in a while.  But who has time for that??  Except you of course.  Thank you sincerely!

Bear in Heaven, Bowery Ballroom 7.16.13

The Wire, Bowery Ballroom 7.13.13

Graham Lewis, not be be confused with Lawrence Tierney

Add caption

Bear in Heaven's Jon Philpot

Adam Wills of Bear in Heaven

The Wire

Ive been standing on Delancey, and Bowery

The Neighbourhood, Bowery Ballroom 4.29.13

First the good news, and there is plenty.  California indie rockers The Neighbourhood have released a rather solid debut record (released 4.23), I Love You.  From it, we have been fortunate enough to learn/devour/enjoy some exciting new songs; namely the comely and sedutive "Sweater Weather" and pulsating/spooky "Female Robbery".  The band, Jesse Rutherford (vocals), Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels (guitar), Mikey Margot (bass), and Bryan Sammis (drums) have youth on their side.  As I struggle to get out of bed these days it is easy to lavish praise on kids.  And these guys are kids!  For that reason it is easy to give them a pass when it comes to identity, stage presence and overall live presentation.

With that in mind their sold out performance at Bowery Ballroom 4.29.13 must be graded as an incomplete.  Some more positives if you will allow.  For a Monday evening show the place was jammed and most of the crowd was energetic, engaged and polite those in attendance old enough to be their parents.  It must be noted that my ever growing sample size indicates concert crowds under the age of 30 are far more behaved than thirty somethings and beyond.  Also, although it can adversely effect your morning routine for days to follow, seeing a concert early in the week can be rewarding in a few ways.  That is, if you head to a concert on Monday you are making a firm commitment.  So are the rest of those in attendance.  These folks really want to see the band on stage.  Worst case they are eager to see a live act and jump on the bandwagon.  My posse qualified for the latter.  

Go to Terminal 5, or even my beloved Webster Hall, on a Thursday or Friday and the crowd is vastly different.  Some are out for a good time.  Some are out to get drunk.  Some are there for the band.  The chatter intensifies among the concert goers as the night moves on.  Not to mention those evenings might find the band hitting the stage after (gasp!) 11pm.  That kind of night screws up your morning routine for weeks!

Anyway, the kids on stage and the kids in the crowd were clearly having fun.  For my money, the hour long set was entertaining, but not captivating.  Rutherford seems to be trying 1) to establish himself as a large than life lead singer in every sense of the phrase while 2) still trying to figure out who exactly he is?  

Is he a tough, leather jacket-wearing rap/singer jumping on stacks and leading the crowd in a sing along?

Or maybe the soft spoken, misunderstood romantic you might see in an Abercrombie ad or Twilight film?

He works real hard, maybe too hard.  His voice is strong and his hit singles were all played to perfection.  Many times a new band will try desperately to "re-work" their notable songs in an effort to show their versatility.  When you roll into a town the first couple times you are better server playing them as we all know, and love them.  The Neighbourhood did exactly that and both "Female Robbery" and "Sweater Weather" were high points.  

It was during the quieter times that Rutherford and his mates became more worrisome.  Some songs were similar sounding.  It was not bad, just similar.  

More troubling was Rutherford's styling as opposed to the rest of his crew.  Sure they all wore the same crew cuts, but that is where the similarity ended.  Rutherford was in all white, covered in ink, with sharpie written messages sprawled on his ripped white jeans.  His bandmates wore things like Anaheim Mighty Ducks t's, wife beaters, blazers and scoop necks.  All.  Over.  The Map.

While that might not seem like much, trust me, it is.  Because during those "off" moments when the song performed does not captivate your eyes start roaming.  They notice a disconnect.  They start wondering about cohesion.  Then you start listening to the song again and think "maybe this isn't sounding quite right cause they are not ALL feeling it."  "Perhaps the lead singer is wielding too much influence and turning the others off?"  

Listen, if your mind starts playing tricks like that then something is amiss.  

But, as mentioned earlier, these guys are young.  They roll through NYC in June for stops at Bowery again and Music Hall of Williamsburg (tix here).  Maybe this added time on the road will seem them mesh even stronger.  Maturity is a wonderful necessity.  Marrying maturity with the inherent adolescence rock and roll demands is a tall task.  

Time will tell if The Neigbourhood remains up to it.

The Neighborhood, 4.29.13

The Question Mark:  Is Jesse Rutherford on an island?

Or a man committed to the "band" The Neighbourhood?