New Gig Thread

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:51 am

Red and I went to see M. Ward at the Mod Club Theatre here in Toronto last night.

Wow!

I think I can definitely say M. Ward is in the Top 10 live performers I have ever seen. The full-band thing is relatively new for him, but he did a great job with it... playing a bulk of tracks from his new album, Post-War as well as a variety of earlier tunes with a band that included two guys who switched between guitar and bass and two drummers, including the powerhouse that is Rachel Blumberg (formerly of The Decemberists).

Though the highlight for me I think was the solo-acoustic set of about four songs.

I think I need to order the rest of Ward's albums. What an incredible singer, songwriter, guitarist... and force.

PlaythingOrPet · Post by **PlaythingOrPet** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:07 am

British Sea Power tomorrow, Sparks later this month and Camera Obscura in October. Long time fan of BSP and Sparks, first time seeing all of them live so I have no idea what to expect. I just hope none of them are crap.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:13 am

My mate's a big fan of Sparks. I think he's going to see them at The Forum at the end of September.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:21 pm

BSP gigs sound like a lot of fun. Will you give us an account?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:38 am

So I'm seeing M. Ward tomorrow night at Webster Hall and my buddy Tom may have to drop off as a result of his tyrannical boss and his ridiculous demands. Anyone else interested in taking the ticket if he can't make it? I WILL be there.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:47 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote:So I'm seeing M. Ward tomorrow night at Webster Hall and my buddy Tom may have to drop off as a result of his tyrannical boss and his ridiculous demands. Anyone else interested in taking the ticket if he can't make it? I WILL be there.

If any of you can go with Sam... do. You will not be let down.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:45 am

Booked to see Silver Jews at Webster Hall over New Year's weekend. Come on New Yorkers - you know you want that M. Ward ticket!

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:11 pm

show some leg, sam.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:32 pm

OK, then. Here you go...

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:33 pm

Well his meeting's been cancelled, so the M. Ward offer is no longer on the table. Sorry

you bunch of ingrates

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:50 pm

Well I mentioned this on another thread but I recently got tickets to see Scritti Politti and the Futureheads-- not on the same bill, however-- at the Paradise. $27 total for both shows. Wickid bahgin!

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:01 am

Who Shot Sam? wrote:Well his meeting's been cancelled, so the M. Ward offer is no longer on the table. Sorry

Aw - I was going to ask you to show me the money!

And you should be grateful for the ingrates. What would have happened if you had already gotten rid of the ticket to a Board member?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:27 am

Well I did say "IF he can't make it". And the "ingrates" comment was wholly tongue in cheek.

As it happens, the show was one of the very best I've ever seen. You really get the sense that he is writing songs and making music at a level well above most everyone else out there. He is an absolutely amazing guitarist as well. And as he's become more confident as a singer, he has been able to turn his unusual voice to his advantage and become more of a showman. There were some annoyingly chatty folks in the back of the balcony at Webster Hall and even they shut up for the entirety of the acoustic encore, which blew my socks off. It's probably blasphemy to some out there, but I don't think it's unreasonable to throw around names like Waits and Dylan when you talk about M. Ward. There is something very special about this guy. He sounds unlike anyone else out there, and his music, even though it draws on all of these archaic influences - old radio broadcasts, rags, blues forms, etc. - seems completely contemporary and uniquely captures something about the time we are living in.

If any of you have Matt and his unbelievable band coming to your town, run out and get tickets. You will not be disappointed.

Setlist included (a few missing I'm sure and not the correct order):

To Go Home
Chinese Translation
Four Hours In Washington
I'll Be Yr Bird
Big Boat
Fuel for Fire (simply great)
Right In The Head
Post-War
[new song]
Flaming Heart
Poison Cup
Requiem
Helicopter
Undertaker
Sad, Sad Song
Paul's Song
Vincent O'Brien
Poor Boy, Minor Key (I think)
Duet For Guitars #2 (mindblowing)

Post by **BlueChair** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 7:37 am

He didn't do "Vincent O'Brien" at the Toronto show, which I was expecting since it's probably the cloest he's come to a hit - but he did do "O'Brien/O'Brien's Nocturne", a great song I had never heard before.

And I also noticed that the solo-acoustic set had the audience in a captive awe. I loved the solo-acoustic "Paul's Song."

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 8:04 am

There were also a bunch of people in Hawaiian shirts with me on the train home last night and I discovered that they'd all been down to the City to see Jimmy Buffett. One guy actually said, "At one time I thought I'd been Buffetted out, but after seeing him tonight it all came back."

A few of 'em were also decked out in Mardi Gras beads, leis, etc.

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:04 am

The Parrothead Party goes on! Which is interesting to me. His albums get worse and worse, and the tours get bigger and bigger. Even my sister(the nun) got swept up in the pre-show tailgating at her one and only Buffett concert experience.

Katie's team was briefly called The Makos - we made fins whenever we scored. Lame, lame, lame, I know. But, in Margaritaville, who cares?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:06 am

mood swung wrote:my sister(the nun)

For real?

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:08 am

As close as a Baptist can be.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:09 am

Ah, OK. Thought I'd stepped into Bizzarroland there for a moment.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Fri Sep 22, 2006 6:57 pm

Someone has been listening in on my dreams because Lloyd Cole is coming to Boston-- again, at the Paradise. Oh happy happy happy!!!!

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:48 am

Saw The Black Keys do a rocking one hour set in stuffed 'n sweaty Temple Bar Music Centre in Dublin last night. How just two blocks with drums 'n one electric guitar can make such a huge sound is mystifying. I was hearing bass 'n rhythm sounds , along with the lead from the guitar. I couldn't get through the throng at stagefront to see, but I suppose Dan Auerbach uses foot pedals 'n all that to do it. Deafening stuff - great!

http://www.theblackkeys.com/

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:46 pm

M. Ward has posted his UK/EU dates. If any of you can make it to any of these DO... Ward is an extremely gifted performer:

Oct 18 2006 8:00P
Paradiso (Small Hall) Amsterdam

Oct 19 2006 8:00P
Molotow Hamburg, Germany

Oct 21 2006 8:00P
Pusterviksbaren Goteborg

Oct 22 2006 8:00P
Sondra Theatern Stockholm

Oct 23 2006 8:00P
CafÃ© Mono Oslo

Oct 24 2006 8:00P
Vega (Jnr) Copenhagen

Oct 25 2006 8:00P
White Trash Berlin

Oct 26 2006 8:00P
Gebaeude 9 Cologne

Oct 27 2006 8:00P
Trix Antwerp

Oct 29 2006 8:00P
Le Point Ephemere Paris

Oct 31 2006 8:00P
Crawdaddy Dublin

Nov 1 2006 8:00P
Koko London

Boy With A Problem · Post by **Boy With A Problem** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:56 pm

He's playing with Neko Case in London at Koko - which is a great venue - I think I'll try and get to this one.

Thanks Blue

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:02 pm

Wow - that's quite a show. Get in there BWAP.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:31 am

Had a wonderful time at the Sufjan Stevens show last night, and it was a lot of fun to meet up with Otis, Mechanical Grace, Miss Buenos Aires and stormwarning before the show, and after (however briefly - sorry I had to leave early guys - I barely made the last train). Otis took a few snapshots and if they're not too frightening I imagine he'll post them up here at some point. As for the show, Sufjan and his band were in fine form. A lot of material from Illinois, The Avalanche and Michigan. Even a Christmas song thrown in. I snagged an inflatable Superman doll (they had thrown them out to the crowd), and the kids woke up this morning to find the Man of Steel staring them down in the living room.

Opening band was My Brightest Diamond, a project of Shara Worden, one of Sufjan's Illinoisemakers. This was very interesting. Reminded me a bit of Kate Bush - dark little songs about dreams and childhood memories. Great voice.

Good night out, but man it went by fast!