Showing posts with label HEALTH. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HEALTH. Show all posts
May 6, 2021
HEALTH / Nine Inch Nails - "ISN'T EVERYONE"
October 4, 2012
Crystal Castles played Roseland Ballroom
Despite recently sharing a lot of festival bills with big name EDM artists like Justice, Deadmau5, and Skrillex, Crystal Castles brought their actual live show to Roseland Ballroom and showcased exactly what sets them apart from other big name dance acts. HEALTH kicked off the night with a blistering set of electro-noise rock that saw insane amounts of hair flipping, warped vocals, and a slamming rendition of "USA Boys" all while straddling the line of hardcore noise and dance music that seemed to leave some a little confused as to whether they should be dancing or moshing. Crystal Castles didn't help solve that dilema as the electro-punks unleashed their unique blend of big beats, live drumming, and Alice Glass' ferocious attack on the crowd. Disorienting lights flashed in every direction as Alice walked on the audience as if channeling her inner Iggy Pop and while her vocals were almost absent, the rest of the mix was at a soul crushing volume. Bro-step fans were out in full force to groove along to the band's eccentric electric throbbing rhythms and while some fans crowd surfed above, the dancing was kept to a surprising minimum. However unlike other contemporary guy-girl electro-punk duos (Sleigh Bells I'm looking at you), the energy of the show never let up and there was a heavy dose of their hits ("Crimewave", "Celestica", "Alice Practice", "Untrust Us", and a main set ending "Not in Love") that were all met with relentless euphoria from fans. While people raged on the floor, it did seem like there was some distance between the band and the dance party. Even though there was somewhat live instrumentation, it seems like modern dance acts can't compete with the connection generated by a live band. However, where their peers (Swedish House Mafia, Tiesto, Calvin Harris) all stand behind huge decks far removed from their fans, Crystal Castles aren't afraid to get up in your face and make themselves apart of the experience.
August 29, 2011
OMG!NYC - 5 Years Later
Celebrating the first 5 years of OMG!NYC, I take a look back at the things that shaped the way I listen to music and how my taste and interests have changed over the past five years.
--
When I began writing this blog five years ago, the goal was to update people on life in New York and the primary focus was going to be on concerts I attended. Over the course of time, the focus has shifted from general events mostly surrounding music to a full functioning music journal. I'll begin this retrospective with a list of five shows I saw here in New York that had a profound impact on me. All of these performances were truly unique to New York and my time spent here over the past five years.
01. Arcade Fire | Judson Memorial Church | February 14, 2007
A little less than a month before Arcade Fire released their highly anticipated sophomore release Neon Bible, the Canadian baroque-pop outfit set out on a week long stand of shows at the intimate Judson Memorial Church on the southern tip of Washington Square Park. For five consecutive nights, the rising stars powered through hits from their already classic debut Funeral and previewed material from their forth-coming record. Since then, I've caught the band twice and at much larger settings (Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden) and while the band has been just as impressive at all locations, no performance will ever be as special and as cherished as this one. Only feet from the stage, it was the opportunity of a life time to see these now titans perform in a space of which others could only dream.
02. My Bloody Valentine | Roseland Ballroom | September 22, 2008
The shoegaze juggernauts returned to the U.S. for their first non-festival performance in nearly fifteen years and I still have no words. The sheer volume unleashed by the quintet was legendary when they split in the nineties and the memories held up. For over an hour the noise pioneers shredded through cuts from their classic debut Isn't Anything and their groundbreaking masterpiece Loveless. Without hesitating, the band's opening chords ripped through the suggested ear plugs and the intensity never let up eventually culminating in the now monumental live rendition of "You Made Me Realise" which to this day leaves me wondering if my ears will ever be the same again.
03. Fever Ray | Webster Hall | September 28, 2009
I cannot remember another show that went off as flawlessly as when I saw Fever Ray. Making her solo U.S. debut, I had some doubts about the show merely due to the fact that it would occur in my least favorite venue in the entire city. However, when I have that thought now I am simply embarrassed. Fever Ray arrived amongst a haze of fog and donning an elaborate headdress that would make Bjork jealous. Her incredible voice melted the crowed and showed a true stage presence to which I have never seen matched. Her power on stage was unlike anything I have ever experienced and her ability to wield attention proved that even as a solo artist, her performances will leave people begging for a chance to see her live for years to come.
04. Phoenix (feat. Daft Punk) | Madison Square Garden | October 20, 2010
I do not know if there is anything left to be said about this show. After a near perfect set which set Phoenix atop the highest pedestal, it seemed as if the Frenchmen could not get any bigger here in the U.S. And then they invited Daft Punk to join them for an encore. Part of me still cannot believe they pulled off the surprise; suddenly the arena went dark... and then Daft Punk rose from the beyond. Part of me still cannot believe that I was actually there to see it happen in all of the glory. This was a truly special moment that in and of itself could be the sole post devoted to the past five years of this blog. It was as special of a moment as there could have been for me personally and I'm not sure if anything will ever be able to top it.
05. LCD Soundsystem | Terminal 5 | March 31, 2011
At the beginning of 2011, James Murphy threw in the towel for his short-lived but utterly fantastic band. For the final outing, his bandmates joined him for four consecutive nights of over the top (and over three hours!) renditions of practically every song one could hope the band to play. The final event was a spectacle at Madison Square Garden, but I caught his last 'smaller' performance at Terminal 5. The set was broken down into three sets (encore not included) which included everything from b-sides, 45:33 in it's entirety, and almost every other amazing LCD song. It was an emotional night as many of us would never hear these songs played live again (some had tickets to the final MSG performance) but in more ways it was a ceremony celebrating an amazing catalog of songs played with more heart than ever before.
--
The following songs left big impressions on me when they first came out for one reason or another and I still enjoy it when they come on the playlist. None of them were my favorite songs the year they were released and I believe all of them still fall just short, but they each still resonate with the same freshness as the first time they blasted through my speakers.
01. The Rapture | "Whoo! Alright, Yeah... Uh Huh"
I saw the Rapture perform a free show at the Apple Store in SoHo during my first month in New York. At the show, I was invited to be in the band's video for their new single "Whoo! Alright, Yeah... Uh Huh". For obvious reasons, I will always think fondly of this song and play at whatever party I can. Five years later, it still gets people on the dance floor and it still makes me think that New York is full of awesome surprises and the chance to be in a music video is right around the corner.
02. Crystal Castles vs. HEALTH | "Crimewave"
This song came at the height of mash-ups, but it was unlike anything else at the time.It was elctro, punk, noise, and dance all at once. Just like the Rapture, this song still gets people on the floor, but it is still as innovative as it was in 2007. Crystal Castles have since gained a higher fame and HEALTH (unfortunately as they have many other solid jams) might still be best known for this collaboration. Indie rock has not seen a meeting quite like this since the song's release and it does not seem likely that something of this nature will rise to this height any time soon.
03. Portishead | "Machine Gun"
Perhaps living in London when Portishead released their stunning Third is the reason I love that album so much, but more likely it is because of brilliant songs like "Machine Gun". Loud music had been in my collection since middle school, but it wasn't until this song that I realized music could be loud and aggressive without being hardcore. After this song blew my mind, I went back and listened to Liars, No Age, and Deerhunter and really began to digest noise music. Not only did this solidify Portishead as one of my favorite acts, but it opened my ears more so than anything else in the past five years.
04. Dirty Projectors | "Stillness is the Move"
I saw Dirty Projectors in 2008 and just did not understand what was happening on stage. A year later I heard this song and everything clicked. Well... everything clicked in the sense that everyone on this track sounds like they were playing a different song, but that was just it. It was so different (and still is) from almost anything else being released it had it's own place in time. I still have not heard a song that echos any part of this jam because it is so forward thinking that people are still trying to break it down enough to make their own imitations.
05. Deerhunter | "Helicopter"
There have been few artists as productive as Bradford Cox in recent years and none have reinvented themselves in so many ways. The studio masterpiece that is Halcyon Digest is another example of the ways that Bradford is a true audiophile taking each album to a new creative level. Perhaps the best part about the gorgeous guitar sweeps on "Helicopter" is how out of place it would sound on any other Deerhunter record, yet it is the backbone of their latest album. It is delicate, grandiose, and accessible and it still sounds like Deerhunter. Their song writing capabilities are so unique that every album is in another direction and still sounds like no one else.
--
I would like to thank anyone who takes the time to read this blog whenever I post. It really means a lot to me. I've been unbelievably fortunate to be featured on some of my favorite sites and have accomplished more than I ever thought possible with a simple blog. I hope to keep posting my favorite new music, reviewing amazing performances, and contributing to year end lists. Here is to another five years of OMGNYC and many more after that.
Keep it scene in the city.
--
When I began writing this blog five years ago, the goal was to update people on life in New York and the primary focus was going to be on concerts I attended. Over the course of time, the focus has shifted from general events mostly surrounding music to a full functioning music journal. I'll begin this retrospective with a list of five shows I saw here in New York that had a profound impact on me. All of these performances were truly unique to New York and my time spent here over the past five years.
01. Arcade Fire | Judson Memorial Church | February 14, 2007
A little less than a month before Arcade Fire released their highly anticipated sophomore release Neon Bible, the Canadian baroque-pop outfit set out on a week long stand of shows at the intimate Judson Memorial Church on the southern tip of Washington Square Park. For five consecutive nights, the rising stars powered through hits from their already classic debut Funeral and previewed material from their forth-coming record. Since then, I've caught the band twice and at much larger settings (Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden) and while the band has been just as impressive at all locations, no performance will ever be as special and as cherished as this one. Only feet from the stage, it was the opportunity of a life time to see these now titans perform in a space of which others could only dream.
02. My Bloody Valentine | Roseland Ballroom | September 22, 2008
The shoegaze juggernauts returned to the U.S. for their first non-festival performance in nearly fifteen years and I still have no words. The sheer volume unleashed by the quintet was legendary when they split in the nineties and the memories held up. For over an hour the noise pioneers shredded through cuts from their classic debut Isn't Anything and their groundbreaking masterpiece Loveless. Without hesitating, the band's opening chords ripped through the suggested ear plugs and the intensity never let up eventually culminating in the now monumental live rendition of "You Made Me Realise" which to this day leaves me wondering if my ears will ever be the same again.
03. Fever Ray | Webster Hall | September 28, 2009
I cannot remember another show that went off as flawlessly as when I saw Fever Ray. Making her solo U.S. debut, I had some doubts about the show merely due to the fact that it would occur in my least favorite venue in the entire city. However, when I have that thought now I am simply embarrassed. Fever Ray arrived amongst a haze of fog and donning an elaborate headdress that would make Bjork jealous. Her incredible voice melted the crowed and showed a true stage presence to which I have never seen matched. Her power on stage was unlike anything I have ever experienced and her ability to wield attention proved that even as a solo artist, her performances will leave people begging for a chance to see her live for years to come.
04. Phoenix (feat. Daft Punk) | Madison Square Garden | October 20, 2010
I do not know if there is anything left to be said about this show. After a near perfect set which set Phoenix atop the highest pedestal, it seemed as if the Frenchmen could not get any bigger here in the U.S. And then they invited Daft Punk to join them for an encore. Part of me still cannot believe they pulled off the surprise; suddenly the arena went dark... and then Daft Punk rose from the beyond. Part of me still cannot believe that I was actually there to see it happen in all of the glory. This was a truly special moment that in and of itself could be the sole post devoted to the past five years of this blog. It was as special of a moment as there could have been for me personally and I'm not sure if anything will ever be able to top it.
05. LCD Soundsystem | Terminal 5 | March 31, 2011
At the beginning of 2011, James Murphy threw in the towel for his short-lived but utterly fantastic band. For the final outing, his bandmates joined him for four consecutive nights of over the top (and over three hours!) renditions of practically every song one could hope the band to play. The final event was a spectacle at Madison Square Garden, but I caught his last 'smaller' performance at Terminal 5. The set was broken down into three sets (encore not included) which included everything from b-sides, 45:33 in it's entirety, and almost every other amazing LCD song. It was an emotional night as many of us would never hear these songs played live again (some had tickets to the final MSG performance) but in more ways it was a ceremony celebrating an amazing catalog of songs played with more heart than ever before.
--
The following songs left big impressions on me when they first came out for one reason or another and I still enjoy it when they come on the playlist. None of them were my favorite songs the year they were released and I believe all of them still fall just short, but they each still resonate with the same freshness as the first time they blasted through my speakers.
01. The Rapture | "Whoo! Alright, Yeah... Uh Huh" I saw the Rapture perform a free show at the Apple Store in SoHo during my first month in New York. At the show, I was invited to be in the band's video for their new single "Whoo! Alright, Yeah... Uh Huh". For obvious reasons, I will always think fondly of this song and play at whatever party I can. Five years later, it still gets people on the dance floor and it still makes me think that New York is full of awesome surprises and the chance to be in a music video is right around the corner.
02. Crystal Castles vs. HEALTH | "Crimewave" This song came at the height of mash-ups, but it was unlike anything else at the time.It was elctro, punk, noise, and dance all at once. Just like the Rapture, this song still gets people on the floor, but it is still as innovative as it was in 2007. Crystal Castles have since gained a higher fame and HEALTH (unfortunately as they have many other solid jams) might still be best known for this collaboration. Indie rock has not seen a meeting quite like this since the song's release and it does not seem likely that something of this nature will rise to this height any time soon.
03. Portishead | "Machine Gun" Perhaps living in London when Portishead released their stunning Third is the reason I love that album so much, but more likely it is because of brilliant songs like "Machine Gun". Loud music had been in my collection since middle school, but it wasn't until this song that I realized music could be loud and aggressive without being hardcore. After this song blew my mind, I went back and listened to Liars, No Age, and Deerhunter and really began to digest noise music. Not only did this solidify Portishead as one of my favorite acts, but it opened my ears more so than anything else in the past five years.
04. Dirty Projectors | "Stillness is the Move" I saw Dirty Projectors in 2008 and just did not understand what was happening on stage. A year later I heard this song and everything clicked. Well... everything clicked in the sense that everyone on this track sounds like they were playing a different song, but that was just it. It was so different (and still is) from almost anything else being released it had it's own place in time. I still have not heard a song that echos any part of this jam because it is so forward thinking that people are still trying to break it down enough to make their own imitations.
05. Deerhunter | "Helicopter" There have been few artists as productive as Bradford Cox in recent years and none have reinvented themselves in so many ways. The studio masterpiece that is Halcyon Digest is another example of the ways that Bradford is a true audiophile taking each album to a new creative level. Perhaps the best part about the gorgeous guitar sweeps on "Helicopter" is how out of place it would sound on any other Deerhunter record, yet it is the backbone of their latest album. It is delicate, grandiose, and accessible and it still sounds like Deerhunter. Their song writing capabilities are so unique that every album is in another direction and still sounds like no one else.
--
I would like to thank anyone who takes the time to read this blog whenever I post. It really means a lot to me. I've been unbelievably fortunate to be featured on some of my favorite sites and have accomplished more than I ever thought possible with a simple blog. I hope to keep posting my favorite new music, reviewing amazing performances, and contributing to year end lists. Here is to another five years of OMGNYC and many more after that.
Keep it scene in the city.
July 4, 2011
No Age / HEALTH / Cults / Ceremony played Vans House Parties
Vans kicked off their free summer concert series here in Brooklyn last week with a jam packed line-up of noisey fun. California hardcore act Ceremony kicked off the evening with their energy infused set of classic punk inciting circle pits and flying fists among other things. The aggressive growls and yells were met with pounding drums and thundering bass.
Cults were the odd band on the bill as they definitely did not fit in with the noise factor of the rest of the acts, however they were still able to fully engage their crowd even though their hopes of a circle pit of their own, never came to fruition. The expanded line-up of Cults, Manson family hair and all, brushed through their sugary pop jams meant for summer parties. New tracks such as "Abducted" and "Yeah You Know What I Mean" sounded fantastic and old tunes "Go Outside" and "Oh My God" really got people moving. While Madeline's voice is utterly amazing, the mix did not allow for their great sound to really penetrate the crowd. Some key elements were lost along the way holding back the band from making a great performance amazing.
Trance/dance/noise/punk band HEALTH served as the bridge between the pop dance-ability of Cults and the hardcore grind of No Age. The great energy brought forth by the band was equally matched by enthusiastic fans as synth undertones were upstaged by frantic drumming and swirling guitar. The rich sound provided perpetual grooves as the band powered through jam after jam culminating in their epic "USA BOYS" which proved to be the ultimate moment of their set as the crowd totally let loose showing a true blend of crowd surfing, moshing, and dancing ensuring that these guys can really draw a diverse crowd and still are able to make the most out of their truly unique sound.
It has already felt like a long night by the time No Age took the stage, however as soon as these two plugged in a second wind filled the crowd. The hard hitting Dean Spunt tore up his drum kit as he belted away each song while Randy Randall shredded away just a few steps over. The raw energy of these two really showcased their ability to rip through their oldest jams "Everybody's Down" with the same intensity as new classic "Fever Dreaming" and showed that these two are not afraid to mix old and new tracks for a set list full of punk classics in the making. The ear splitting guitar of Randall and exuberant drumming of Spunt showed a duo in prime form on the verge of being as big as they ever could have thought. The two display such a presence onstage that is hard to find amongst their peers. They blur the line of their DIY punk roots with their Pitchfork adorned present and are still able to hold true to their sound making them one of few bands that have been making consistently better albums over time.
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