The Airborne Toxic Event @ Richard's on Richards - Feb 18/09

Feeling tired, I decided to forgo the openers tonight and arrived just in time for the start of The Airborne Toxic Event's set at 11.

This is an L.A. Band that won me over last year when I was researching the unknown names on the Pemberton line-up. Does This Mean You're Moving On immediately made it onto my playlist and ATE were high on the list of must-sees for me when the Festival finally rolled around in July.

I was not disappointed: they were fun and engaging in the bright afternoon light on the second stage, and seemed genuinely grateful to have been invited. I knew I'd want to check them out if they came through town. And on Wednesday night, they did just that.

Just like on their debut album, The Airborne Toxic Event opened with Wishing Well and closed with Innocence. The first two songs were pleasing, but had me worried that the band's charisma was MIA. But by the third song of the night, Gasoline, it looked like they were warmed up and starting to have fun.

Anna Bulbrook, alternately on violin, keyboards and tambourine was winning and bouncy. She and singer/guitarist Mikel Jollett were the main visual show, climbing on the speakers, drum riser, and sides of the stage and grinning madly at each other. Stephen Chen on guitar was stone-faced and absorbed in playing, as was bassist Noah Harmon for most of the set, save the odd shy smile. Daren Taylor on drums was energetic, but I couldn't help visually comparing him to one of the mustached detectives on Hot Fuzz.


The sold-out Vancouver crowd was a bit loud and chatty during the show, which Jollett commented on a couple of times, scolding and teasing the audience, then apologizing for being snarky. He excused the limited range of his voice to us early on, saying they considered cancelling due to some throat issues, but after a shot of cortisone they decided to come play for us.

Despite the sound being lower than I would have liked, it was a fun, intimate show, and I enjoyed seeing them live again. If I get the chance, I'll see them again.

After a short set (we arrived at 11 and were out at midnight), ATE gave us one encore, Innocence, during which they invited their openers, Rademacher and the Henry Clay Project on stage with them, thanking them for being great tour mates, introduced the band, and then invited the audience to come up on stage if they wanted to. A handful of fans took them up on the offer, dancing and singing. I wonder how long this tradition will last, as I have no doubt this band is going to be playing larger and larger venues very soon.

Partial Setlist:
Wishing Well
Gasoline
Does This Mean You're Moving On?
Echo Park (new)
Goodbye Horses (Q Lazzarus cover)
Sometime Around Midnight
Plus:
Another new song
Papillon (I think)
Something New (I think)
Encore:
Innocence

Glasvegas w/Rich Hope @ Richard's on Richards - Jan 11/09

I was torn about seeing this show, until I saw that the opening act was Carl Barat (formerly of The Libertines, and Pretty Dirty Things). Separately I might have passed, but these two on the same act was worth checking out, to me.

Got there early so as not to miss the opener, and found out immediately that Carl Barat wasn't going to be there. Another example of Canada Customs protecting us from criminals wanting to corrupt us through music, no doubt. So, I was pissed to begin with.

Local rocker, Rich Hope, who've I've seen 2 or 3 times, was the last-minute stand-in, and did a good job winning over the crowd and getting us ready for an evening of rock, despite the fact he was seated with his guitar and the percussion was his foot on a tambourine. He pulled it off.
Glasvegas made us wait, and it wasn't until the sold-out crowd started getting antsy they finally showed up. They began the night with the slowly building Flowers and Football Tops. I was immediately glad I'd come to check them out despite the Carl Barat disappointment.

Glasvegas have a big sound on their debut album, and it was immensely satisfying to hear that richness translate to the stage at Richard's. The creeping, surging guitars and booming scots accent was well-matched to the almost blinding lights, backlighting the band, and along with the smoke machine, creating a transporting rock experience.

It was a short show, with no encore, but it felt right, and is understandable as they only have one album and an EP to draw from. I'm sure there were NO complaints from the gentleman directly to my right. The last song of the night, Daddy's Gone, was drowned out by him singing at the top of his lungs. The turned heads didn't bother him one jot. And in the spirit of the night, I wasn't bothered. It was a testament to the adoration this band can create in its fans. The Glasvegas experience is one you definitely shouldn't miss if you get the chance.

Setlist:

Flowers And Football Tops
Lonesome Swan
It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry
Please Come Back Home
Polmont On My Mind
Geraldine
Ice Cream Van
Go Square Go
Stabbed
Daddy’s Gone
Encore:
(None)

Louis XIV w/What Made Milwaukee Famous @ Richard's on Richards - March 28/08

This was the first time openers What Made Milwaukee Famous have performed in Vancouver. They played a half hour set but still managed to do nine songs, including a cover of Billy Joel's 'You May Be Right'.

Richard's was pretty empty on this Friday night and the majority of those present were 20-something girls dressed in their hottest indie wear, and several couples in their mid to late 20s: a slightly older crowd than I would have guessed Louis XIV would bring out.

I got cancelled on myself by a new boy I hadn't sealed 'the' deal with yet and once Louis XIV launched off their set with the heavy, throbbing beats and suggestive lyrics they're known for, I thought to myself "he's missing out. Doesn't he know what panty-remover Louis XIV are?"

Updated in 2018: I never finished this concert review I'm afraid. My memory is off a fun, energetic set within the  intimate environs of Richards'. I remember thinking that the venue wasn't sold out as there was plenty of standing space. The crowd wiggled around to the catchy and raunchy songs, but never got more animated. The band members were all in hipster vest/suits ensembles and put on a sweaty (on their part) show. Fun.



 
Setlist:

Slick Dogs and Ponies
Paper Doll
The Grand Apartment
Louis XIV
A Letter to Dominique
Sometimes You Just Want To
Illegal Tender
Tina
Air Traffic Control
Finding Out True Love Is Blind
Guilt by Association
All the Little Pieces
God Killed the Queen
There's a Traitor In This Room
Encore:
The Hunt
Pledge of Allegiance

Pinback w/MC Chris @ Richard's on Richards - Feb 15/08

When Pinback played Richard's on Richards in February, they were suffering from colds and initially out of tune. And although I don't think it was a great show, I have to say I would gladly see them again if given the opportunity.

Playing mainly material from their 2007 Autumn of the Seraphs album, Pinback was able to recreate the beauty of their recorded music for the assembled crowd. And for a group of mainly 20-somethings, the crowd was somewhat diverse: the expected indie hipster types, baseball cap sporting hip hoppers there for the opener MC Chris, some moshers, and the bookish girls who discovered Pinback on an OC soundtrack on stools circling the balcony, flanked by their harmless-looking boyfriends.

My musician friend pointed out Zach Smith chording on his bass, and after that I was aware that Pinback certainly seem to be all about the bass. Two are featured on some of the songs and bass duties are shared among Smith, Rob Crow and one of their touring musicians. Smith plays bass exclusively and is the higher voice on vocals; the heavily-bearded Crow standing behind a keyboard for the perrformance, switches between that, guitar and bass and does the remaining vocals. Two backing musicians play guitars and keyboards on either side of the Pinback duo when needed and the group is rounded out by the drummer.

Pinback play their set at sped-up tempos making for a more energetic show than you may imagine from listening to them at home. And I was delighted to find the sound was just as pretty and transporting.

Within the 16 song setlist, thoroughly covering the album they're touring to support, Pinback also played a half dozen songs from their earlier albums, including 'Non Photo-Blue' and the best-known song 'Fortress' (welcomed by high-pitched eruptions from the balcony) from the 2004 Summer in Abaddon, 'Penelope' from 2001's Blue Screen Life, and a lone song, 'Loro', from their 1999 debut Pinback.

I know they weren't playing their best on this night, but they still made a bigger fan of me than I was going in. The show gave me an inkling into how good Pinback likely are when in top form, and I hope to have that pleasure one day in the future.

Setlist:

Bouquet
Torch
Non Photo-Blue
Penelope
Good To Sea
How We Breathe
Walters
Devil You Know
Subbing For Eden
Microtonic Wave
(something I didn't recognize)
B
From Nothing To Nowhere
Encore:
Loro
Fortress
AFK

Video Clip from February 15, 2008

Pinback - 'Fortress' (captured from the balcony):