brokebecauseconcerts-blog

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

If life were filmed through a hazy VSCO Cam filter, smelled like salty ocean air and tasted like a lobster roll, it would sound like Real Estate.

A hard band to google (given it is the same name as a common career choice), and even harder band to differentiate their songs from one another, remains to have a very pleasant vibe and makes me want to take up surfing. I try to stay away from the word vibe, especially when describing music, but they are vibe-y. 

I saw Real Estate last night at Brooklyn Steel, the new venue in East Williamsburg/Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Very very cool venue and the most impressive part about it was the lighting. The effects and colors throughout the night had me very engaged, even while I thought i was hearing the same song for the 4th time in a row! L-o-l i am slightly kidding, I don’t mean to drag Real Estate but it’s actually what I like about them. Some bands can really pull off the whole “every song sounds the same” thing and when they are as beach-y and pleasant as theirs are, I’m okay with it! They’re sort of a mix of surfer rock and late 90′s indie rock. Think Weezer and The Shins. Which is a great segway to introduce that they are...Jersey Bro’s! If you didn’t know or couldn’t tell from listening to them, you would definitely be able to tell by seeing them live. The crowd was a bunch of muscular bro’s hugging each other and screaming every lyric to every song. I really enjoyed this. I had no idea Real Estate had such a die hard following, again, given the continuous chillness and monotony of their songs. But the bros’ were there and the bros’ delivered. 

It was really really pleasant. That’s mostly all I can say. I could've listened and swayed for another hour longer. It felt like a nice escape from the loudness of the city, especially on a Sunday night. To expand on Real Estate’s pleasant-ness, their album titles include “Reality”, “It’s Real”, “Easy”, “Days”, “Atlas”, “In Mind” & more. So chill! So cool! I just installed a hammock on my fire escape. This band was made for me!

All in all, I was impressed with their set. They are chill as hell but no where near boring, they have super dope guitar solos, they are incredibly nice to their fans, they’re very quirky and funny on stage, and most importantly, they are an audial xanax! What could be better.

Since I’ve met him, “Municipality” has been my boyfriends morning alarm and after seeing them live and seeing what they're all about I am pleased with the way i have been starting my days. Even if I didn't know it before. *Sunglasses Emojii*

#realestate #brooklynbowl

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Father

John

Misty

Where oh where do I begin? I try not to pick favorites, in anything I do. I think picking favorites sets people up for failure. I figure there will be one day another candidate outshines the favorite, resulting in disappointment. But fuck it, Father John Misty is my favorite. And I trust it because there is virtually nothing he can do wrong that would take that title away- and he does a lot of textbook things “wrong”.

Josh Tillman stole my heart when I heard “I’m Writing a Novel” on WFUV Radio when I was in college (around 2012) Not knowing much about him personally, I started listening to “Fear Fun” and fell in love with his music. “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” and “Everyman Needs a Companion” landed every mixed CD (yep, still made CDS in 2012) and I decided to dig a little deeper and actually check the dude out. WOAH he’s hot! WAIT he was in Fleet Foxes? OMG he has the exact the type of humor that I adore, equal parts witty, snarky and dark. Fuck, he has a girlfriend. I’m absolutely done, they’re getting married. I can’t remember a time I fell so hard for an artist post-emo/punk/highschool days (Think Gerard Way and Travis Barker). 

However, I’m really fucking glad he was and is in such a beautiful relationship because thats how his sophomore album came to be. i wasn't sure If I’d ever love an album as much as “Fear Fun” but lo & behold: “I Love You, Honeybear” took & continues to take the damn cake. Has there ever been an album (albeit, Rumours) that has described love so honestly? It talks about the honeymoon phase in depth, the ga-ga feelings and pedestals that we put our partners on in the beginning. The way new love helps us start to feel creative again, or creative in a new, fresh way. And then after time, how love can start to get a little paranoid and jealous. It’s messy, it’s raw and it sort of made me hate his beloved Emma (who eats bread & butter like like a queen would have ostrich and cobra wine. Listen if you don't get the reference but also stop talking to me: https://open.spotify.com/track/2eg2gvPXuwZ9FyrPaLgrXi) Could you I-M-A-G-I-N-E having someone write you a love song such as that? Fun fact, I heard this song for the first time freshly after ending a 4 year relationship. Bad timing? Nah, it actually was so beautiful and uplifting that the song gave me hope and made me feel secure that I haven't found the right person yet and that I didn't just lose that person (burn). It gave me hope that I’d eventually meet someone that I could picture having a satanic christmas eve with or dance around to a mariachi band with. Spoiler Alert: FJM did help me find love. I will get to that at the end. Any who, this album ruled and continue to rules my world. The title track “I Love You, Honeybear” is about taking on the shitastic world we live in with someone you love. “Bored in the USA” is about the absurdities within our pop culture and the bullshit promise of the American Dream gone wrong. The album as a whole is romantic and existentialist and I am 100%AboutThat.com

And then we were gifted “Pure Comedy”. I write that with a sigh. Not because I am disappointed but because It’s heavy. It highlights our current political and social climate and it does so in a very dark, darker than usual way. When he realeased the video for title track, “Pure Comedy” a few short months after the election I wept at my desk. The song itself is so eerie and fantastical with the baritone sax wailing the fuck off as Donald Trump’s face slyly pops up. I Think FJM is making the point that everything happening right now is so fucking ugly and wrong that it’s absurdly funny. Not haha-funny, just...funny. As in “something smells funny”, as in our country. He attacks religion, pop-stars (gotcha, Taylor Swift), environmental issues, the delusional lifestyle of LA inhabitants, you name it. But, in true Josh Tillman fashion, and we know theres a big beating heart in there, he ends the album in a hopeful way with “In Twenty Years or So”. In the song, Tillman addresses the cosmic indifference of the universe and the existential fear that comes with it. In the first two verses he sets up the great comedy: That despite all our grand gesturing and philosophizing (with the character of Father John Misty as the embodiment of this behavior), we ultimately don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Then in the second verse he starts to assign a little more meaning to the chaos.

That in twenty years More or less This human experiment will reach its violent end But I look at you As our second drinks arrive The piano player's playing "This Must Be the Place" And it's a miracle to be alive

I *think* he’s saying, “Look, the world is fucked, we’re only getting worse, it’s too much to handle, but thank god I have you to navigate it with. And we have music, and it really all is amazing, isn't it”. I’m sorry it sounds like a basic Audrey Hepburn wannabe annotation of his beautifully written song, but It comforts me. It’s like a really elongated and philosophic way of saying “All you Need is Love”, but The Beatles beat him to it.

All in all, “Pure Comedy” takes us through a (trippy) walk of life thats starts out as that scene in Willy Wonka where they’re all taking a boat ride through the tunnel of hellish images, to a calm setting where all you want to do is hug the people you love and be left with the simple yet complex thought, “it’s all going to be okay”. Bravo FJM for creating such a mature and powerful album. I think melodically it is not for everyone, as it is much slower that what he’s done. But give it a good listen through and really listen to what he’s saying. If 2017 had to sound like anything (besides screams and tears) it would sound like “Pure Comedy”.

Kk thanks for reading.

OH WAIT, yeah I forgot this is a concert blog. Well! I saw him last night at the Kings Theatre in Flatbush, Brooklyn. A tremendously stunning place to see live music, in my opinion. He played most of “Pure Comedy” straight through, without any speeches or commentary. Nerd moment- I fuuucking love when artists do this with newly released albums. it shows they care about it, it shows they're not just trying to appease the crowd with favorites. It’s saying here is the art i just created and worked on for mad amount of time. Sit the fuck down and experience it. He did every song except the 13 minute “Leaving LA” (good call IMO) and the last two songs, yanno, the uplifiting ones. Then halfway through he broke out the oldies, a couple from “Fear Fun” and a bunch from “I Love You, Honeybear”. The whole theater was standing and dancing and watching HIM dance and holy shit I love when tall lanky men swivel their hips. Probably one of the best parts about seeing Father John Misty live is watching him break it down. He was even slow dancing with himself at one point during “Strange Encounter” and i was both turned on and hysterically laughing. One interesting point to make was that he was oddly quiet. He’s known for long on-stage rants, whether they're actually anger driven or just a comedy bit- they usually always show up on Pitchfork the next day. This was my third time seeing him and i’ve had the pleasure of hearing some of those rants and raves. This time he was quiet, appreciative and...mature? IDK I really liked it. I think it mimicked the seriousness of his newest album and demanded that you pay attention to the music and what it’s trying to say. I noticed a bunch of Brooklyn bros at the end of the show making comments like “he wasn't that funny!” “I thought he was going to talk more” and thats fine, but maybe consider why that is. After he came back on for his encore he played the last two songs on “Pure Comedy” and ended on a very special and postive note with a v sweet sun and moon setting in the background. Father John Misty is giving us hope.

Also I felt this deserved it’s own paragraph but his band absolutely blew me away. I would 100% go see them live without vocals. He had an entire orchestra + five piece band. Another additive to the experience compared to past Father John Misty concerts, as he’s always played with just a 5 piece band. It made the album come alive in the most spectacular way.

All in all, he is still my favorite. I hope to see much more from him in the future because I think he has a really really good thing going on on all levels. So back on the topic on Father John Misty and hoping to find love. JOSH, BABE. if you ever see this, I owe you some thanks. If it weren't for you and if it weren't for Tinder syncing my Facebook page likes, I never would have matched with my current partner whom we both share a massive and almost grotesque love for you & we wouldn't have anything to talk about on our first date, or a an album to makeout to for the first time. so really, thanks. At the risk of sounding like a cheese dick, It’s amazing to me that your song, the one that gave me hope and an idea of an ideal partner, led me to so much happiness. Awwwww.

Steam “Pure Comedy” & go through an existential crisis, today! https://open.spotify.com/album/3CoFoDt6zt5EKxmTpOX32b

#father john misty #pure comedy

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

You know when you find an artist and they’re the exact concoction of everything you love, to the point that it’s weird, to the point where you buy a ancestry.com account to see if you’re related because how could you not be?

..........I love Maggie Rogers. If you live under a rock and don’t know the story yet- she’s from Maryland, studied music at NYU, was discovered by a guest teacher in one of her classes that happened to be the one and only Pharrell Williams, and in about a year became a viral folk-pop sensation. Selling out decent sized venues with only a 5 song EP out in the world and playing festivals such as Lollapalooza and South by Southwest. Rogers is the dream. This is the daydream millions and millions of people have everyday, doing their thing, being discovered, blowing the fuck up over night. And guess what? She’s one of the most humble people I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching.

You might know ‘Alaska’, Rogers’ first single. It’s about going on a hike after a breakup and coming to terms with reality and moving on. The thing I love most about her is her nature and soul connection to music. Most of her songs have this earthy, folkish quality to them, while still being dance-pop hits. I’ve never heard anything like this before! Most of her music videos take place in the woods or by a lake, one takes place at a summer camp which I vibe with (camp gurl over here) It’s refreshing to see someone onstage sing about our environment, let her natural hair down and still make us want to dance. 

She played her second sold out NY show last night at Music Hall of Williamsburg. I went by myself and met fellow Maggie lovers. I think everyone was on the same page. There was definitely more excitement buzzing in the air compared to most shows I’ve been to recently. I think because everyone is SO happy for her and her incredible story. The set started in a blue hue with a chorus of crickets chirping. She humbly walked on stage and sang “Color Song” a haunting, acoustic melody about being entranced by a sunset; and really the world. It was mesmerizing. It was the moment where I was like “Pharell, I feel you” because in many interviews he mentions being brought to tears from the first time he watched her at NYU. She continued the rest of the set with her signature dance moves, playing all the songs off her EP. My favorite one being “Dog Years”. 

AND THENNNNNNNNNN she did a cover of “Harvest Moon” like ALL of the artists I’ve been seeing lately. AND THENNNNNNNN she mashed it up with “Kiss it Better” by Rihanna, my top played Spotify song in 2016. No biggie. So naturally, I lost my shit and she became one of my top 3 favorite artists. We could be best friends. I’m here when you’re ready, Maggie.

This was the last show of her first tour, and Williamsburg happens to be her current residence. She ended the night by telling everyone how grateful she is, how mind blowing the last year has been, and how insane it is that she gets to walk home with her best friends, roommates and family at the end of the night. And the coolest part was looking up at the balcony and seeing her family bawling and cheering for her. I love seeing acts like Adele and Beyonce because they're just immortal at this point, but what really makes me fall in love with music over and over again is seeing a talent in the making, or someone on the rise. It’s exhilarating and you just see their current and future potential right there on stage and just by attending, you are apart of the legacy that they're about to create. She ended by saying “This is only the beginning”. 

Check out her EP here: https://open.spotify.com/album/16wZsyXQ463IYlrXyJnRfY

Check out her mashup of ‘Harvest Moon’ and ‘Kiss it Better’ here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BSz7viGgFwt/?tagged=maggierogers

And Maggie- I live in Bushwick, so, holler.

#maggierogers #alaska #musichallofwilliamsburg

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Though it was interrupted and resulted in me fleeing in a panic (work emergency, booooo) I had a wonderful time watching the exuberant and full-of-life, JAIN at the Bowery Ballroom last week.

She’s a French pop singer, but don’t assume that she’s like every pop star you know. She brings something totally different to the table. That might have something to do with her having roots in Madagascar, the Congo & Dubai, that might just be because she’s a rare talent.

She started writing when she was 16, proclaiming to be a very shy and innocent young girl. JAIN claims, “Music is like my secret garden. It's where I heal myself from every pain that I feel. It's like a therapy," Thats a great way to heal your pain, i’d say!

The show was really fun. At 25, admittedly I already feel so much older than I felt when I was 16 at shows, pushed up against the barricades literally bruising my ribs and loving every second. Now, I like to stand in areas where I have space, might sway a little bit. But at this show all I wanted to to was jump and wave my arms around!! She has really wonderful energy. It was also cool to see she was wearing the same outfit and hairstyle that she displays on her most recent album. I like that kind of curation and storytelling at a live show.

Unfortunately, as stated earlier, I had to run out early so I only saw 3-4 songs. I could feel the momentum building so I’m sure it ended on an energetic note. I’m really happy I got to see her perform my favorite song by her, “Head’s Up”. It’s an uplifting song about dreaming and going after what you want in life. See below. Check out her album “Zanaka”, and I dare you to not dance to it.

Head’s Up:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1xXYPPWQkPjILLxjisFjni

#jain #boweryballroom

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

*LORDE APPRECIATION POST*

What do we need in 2017? We need to dance. We need to embrace our problems, globally and personally, stop hiding behind them and fucking dance.

She's only released one song and video since announcing her sophomore album coming out this year, but I have an inkling that Lorde is going to help us out.

When she was a mere 15 years old, she released an EP with hits like “Royals” and “Love Club”. I remember hanging out in my ex bf’s room being really excited about this New Zealand talent, but also ashamed that we hadn't accomplished nearly as much as young young Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor.

Since then I saw her for $5 at Le Poisson Rouge (she was perfect) and one year later she released her first feature length album,won Best New Artist at the Grammy’s, wrote and directed the Hunger Games soundtrack and was headlining international festivals. All while staying insanely insanely humble and wise beyond all of our years. I really appreciate the internet jokes about Lorde being a immortal and her actual age being about 100,000 years old. It’s a compliment though, girl handles everything with grace.

She recently posted on her Facebook a letter to her fans about how she's putting her heart and soul into her next album and explaining why its taken so long. I even hate saying “so long” because as pointed out by Lorde, if you want your art to be well received, its gonna take as long as its gonna take. She does everything by herself, no one is writing for her, no one else is making executive deacons for her. Give the lady some space!

Yesterday, she released her first single off of “Melodrama”, the upcoming album. Talk about a perfect album title. The song is super catchy, it has a fun La La Land-esque piano riff, it’s an empowering but also vulnerable song about self control and learning how to step away from a relationship. If the rest of the songs are anything like this, I have extremely high hopes for this album.

Just a friendly reminder, Lorde isn’t even old enough to drink in the US yet :) Have a nice day!

#lorde #greenlight

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Damn Margaret Glaspy had a good summer. And by summer I mean 2016. And she is riding that wave of goodness right into 2017. 

The singer-songwriter released her full-length debut to accolades last spring. She grew her audience on tour and landed coveted opening slots for acclaimed duo the Milk Carton Kids and the indie pop band Lucius. An appearance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts racked up more than 300,000 video views. Shortly after all of this she landed spots in various gigs, such as teaming up with Andrew Bird and the Lumineers at Madison Square Garden. For one year in the spotlight, thats not too shabby.

With influences ranging from Bill Withers to Elliott Smith, from Weezer to Rage Against the Machine, the 26-year-old songwriter focuses her talents into fiercely raw, guitar-driven pop songs. Glaspy expands on her influences saying, “Joni Mitchell’s Blue set the bar in my mind that I’m always striving for.” And that is truly evident in “Emotions and Math”, because you get to experience the highs and low of love and life and it reads as a cohesive series of short shorties, much like Mitchell’s Blue.

Glaspy’s debut album, “Emotions and Math” is in her own words, a deep personal and specific mix of situations she's been through. And whats amazing to me is that in various interviews she talks about how specific the songs are and how she hopes that people will still be able to connect with the songs on a personal level, and without any exaggeration I haven't connected to an album more like this. Every song feels like a memory I’ve lived through in which it is able to perfectly describe a feeling I’ve never been able to describe in my own words. The title track, “Emotions and Math” is about how we drive ourselves crazy when we’re in love, especially in long distance love, especially whilst “on the road” where all sorts of roadblocks are thrown your way, creating anxieties that might not exist in the real world. “You and I” is moody and riffy and shows the side of Glaspy that is vulnerable but also has an IDGAF attitude. “Black and Blue”, just melodically a beautiful song, it’s about things you thought were one way but aren’t really like that at all. Chilling.

She preformed all of those songs & more last night at The Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan. She is one of those rare talents that sounds exactly the same as she does recorded, if not better. No, she is better. She’ll step away form the microphone and wail extra chords during a guitar solo and it sounds incredible. She also has this Louis Armstrong-y throat rumble in her voice and it’s I-N-S-A-N-E. At the risk of sounding naive and stereotypical, I felt this was an unexpected sound that is coming out of a frail, white, Irish-American looking gal. I can’t think of many other female artists that can pull of the kind of sound Margaret Glaspy can, but that makes her all the more special. She’s also fucking amazing on guitar. Rolling Stone calls her playing, “hot barbs of electric guitar” which I think perfectly describes her sound. Mix that, Louis Armstrong belts, a floral-y delicate falsetto and just an incredibly unique singing voice, Margaret Glaspy is bringing something new to the table. Kind of like a farm-to-table meal. Organic, fresh and raw. Was this a necessary analogy? 

After she preformed most of “Emotions and Math”, a Lucinda Williams cover, and her older song, “I Know You’re Smiling (But i Don’t Believe You) she ended with “Harvest Moon” originally by my man, Neil Young. Swoon swoon swoon SWOON swoooooon. It was slow, moody, magical, dark, but heartwarming. An absolute perfect cover and she was joined by Julian Lage (http://www.julianlage.com) on guitar. She brought him up a couple of times and their chemistry on stage made me literally drool. They went into a couple minute back and forth guitar duo and it sounded like some sort of fairytale lullaby. I felt the entire crowd swaying and cooing together. You can check out part of my instagram video of it below, though I don't have any of Julian in it: https://www.instagram.com/p/BQmZ05AjmM1/

Margaret Glaspy is one of those artists that while I was watching her I had a sharp and intense yearning for wanting to be doing what she's doing. She has this effortless stage presence and without being too show-y can produce such an honest and gorgeous show that brought me through my own emotions and memories. During some songs I felt a yearning for a specific someone and during others I felt a sort of fire and urge to punch another person I was thinking about in the face. If someone else’s songs can get you to feel that way, they are a true artist in my book. She's also one of those artists that I literally cannot wait to see what she does next. Love you Margaret! 

*Feverishly books electric guitar lessons and buys a metallic bomber jacket*

#Margaret Glaspy #Neil Young #Harvest Moon #boweryballroom #emotionsandmath

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Story time: It was 2010, I was in my 100 Level Drawing class also known as “Drawing 101″. I was painfully bad at drawing and painfully frustrated with our monotone uninspiring professor who described art to us in what I thought was a weird way. Sort of “you either have it or you don’t” kind of way. I was about to drop the class one day when she let us freely draw and she turned on “For Emma, Forever Ago”. We listened to the album in its entirety and at the end of our 2.5 hour class, I had drawn the best I’d ever drawn. She later forced me to drop the class though, sorry to disappoint.

But, what I’m getting at here is that some music has the power to transport us into a mindset or a trance where we can become a different person for a while. Maybe not different but a better version of ourselves. Listening to music is the closest thing to meditation I can think of, without having to sit down, cross your legs, and think about not thinking-actual meditation is hard! Whether the result is solitude, peace of mind, or in my case, a drawing, music can get me do to things I wouldn't have been able to do before. I remember hearing each song on that album for the first time being “what IS this”. That day was the beginning of my Justin Vernon, AKA Bon Iver devotion.

A co-worker of mine described him as being less interesting than a rubber glove. When he won “Best New Artist” at the Grammy’s in 2012 people were wildly confused. Calling him “Bonny Bear” and saying they want to cut their wrists listening to his music. I think these people, and I hate to blanket statement and I hate to sound like a hipster, but I think these people don’t get it.  See him live. Just see him live and then you can go ahead and make any critical statement you wish.

As Bon Iver’s music has developed over the years, It’s had more and more of an electronic, static-y, Kayne West-y influence. It’s changed, and people don’t like change. “For Emma, Forever Ago” was sweet and somber. Skinny Love prevailed within the mainstream music community. It was comfortable to listen to even though it was about possibly the most painstakingly heartbreaking breakup. But you could easily digest it. It was relatable and bland. Kind of like ordering a roasted chicken at dinner. It’s good, fulfilling your hunger, but not complex enough to say “DAMN that was an amazing meal” His music now is steak. It needs to be worked through a bit more and has to be cooked just the right way. And that takes patience and understanding, understanding I didn’t have until I saw him play “22, A Million” live.

I saw him at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. One of the most stunning venues I had ever been to-see someone you love there. Between the graphics, the lighting and obviously the music the night was chilling. He started with “22 (OVER SOON)”. Which is not how it’s written which is another thing people have a problem with is how he types his music out, with symbols and unlikely characters. Not to sound like Trump, but get over it! He is an artist, let him do his effing art. Anyways, Vernon was flawless in introducing his fever dreamsish set. The rest of it went on with most of the songs off the new album. The way he was able to loop his songs, autotune his voice and make it sound completely natural blew me away. I felt like I was at a religious ceremony that felt completely unholy. Does that make any sense at all? If not thats okay because I’m not really sure if he makes sense either. That’s what I enjoy about him.

My favorite song off the new album and my favorite song he played live was “29 #Strafford APTS” and that is because it’s one of the only ones I can accurately type. Just kidding but lol. It’s such a beautiful song and it’s so gentle. I’ve also been a huge fan of saxophones (not so much Kenny G) but that part was beautifully done live. His whole band altogether was fucking flawless. After my Kings Cup of wine (2.5 glasses) this song had me teary eyed for the remainder of the show. Crying by yourself to live music is one of the most vulnerable and powerful feelings. Listen to the song here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4VZM71F8XAoLRuNyNLxwWS

He did play an acoustic version of “Skinny Love”, unsurprisingly it was beautiful. He also did “Beach Baby”, an older song that I love to do yoga to. So that was dope. But I really have to give major credit to all of the songs from “22, A Million”. It had the opportunity to sound like garbage with all of the technical additions but he pulled it off beautifully.

This post is as emotional and jumbled as his songs are but I can’t think of a better way to describe the experience. On and endnote I’ll just say stop hating and goooooooooooo see him. Pls pls pls. 

#boniver #kingstheatre #22 a million

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

I’m not a Mom, but I imagine watching your first born grow up is similar to watching a band group up.  With the  minor exception of actually having to carry that band in your womb and then birth them and pay for their college, but you get what I’m saying, right?

Brooklyn’s Leah, Will and Kyle formally known as Slothrust, welcome to  adulthood. it’s been a pleasure watching you grow up. A cool personal insight- I’ve loved this band since Leah started “Slothbox”, her solo project. The three of them joined forces around 2012 and have been getting better and better. Now, I work for the company that manages them! And it’s a really cool time to work there because they have really big things happening and in the works for 2017.

You may recognize Slothrust’s work from the TV show, “You’re the Worst”. They sing “7:30 Am”, the opening credits to the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DS1952IHQ

Slothrust released their 2nd album on Friday (October 28th) on Dangerbird Records. Everyone Else grabs you immediately with a surf rock instrumental track that makes you wonder what’s coming next, and then you hear the melancholy vocal intro of track two- “Like a Child Behind a Tombstone.” The album as a whole is a healthy mix of 90′s post punk, dive bar jams and blue-sy jazz-y ballads. It works so well it makes me giddy. 

I saw them on Saturday night at Irving Plaza, opening for Highly Suspect (another band we manage). They killed it. Dressed in Halloween costumes, they slowly progressed from a slower, jazzy tone to punk rock over the course of the night. They seemed a little more playful than usual while still keeping their “too cool for school” attitude on stage, not in a bad way! You could feel the excitement from the crowd surrounding their new album and their was a unspoken “We’re rooting for you!” feeling in the room. Perhaps underdogs once, Slothrust is on the rise. 

Get to know ‘em if you don’t already. They are truly something special: http://www.indegoot.com/slothrust.php

#slothrust #irvingplaza

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Ever listen to a band and immediately get inspired to fall in love, steal a car, rob a few banks and embark on a wild west bandit love fest? Just me? Cool, lets talk after you’ve seen Shovels & Rope because that’s exactly how they made me feel last night.

They played at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, a smaller and intimate venue. There is much to be said about two people who at one time can play a total of 7 instruments. Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst are an American folk duo from Charleston, South Carolina. I admittedly didn’t know much about them going into the night. All i knew was their 2012 hit “Birmingham”, a song that lands on almost every one of my playlists and a song that makes me want to drop everything and go on a road trip every time I hear it. They played it second to last before the encore. It was fun screaming out “BQE” and “Call in the arms of New York City” while actually being in the city. I’m a nerd. I also appreciated the fact they kept teasing the song all night, playing a a couple chords from it before going into a different song. They know it’s their hit, they're small enough where they were bound to play it but big enough where they could tease it. How do I know they’re big enough? They’re playing THREE NY shows this week and some of them are sold out! That’s really impressive especially for a folk band from the South. Yee haw! (Sorry)

I’ve also watched their NPR Tiny Desk Concert before and that’s when I knew I had to seem them live. See for yourself: http://www.npr.org/event/music/223115562/shovels-rope-tiny-desk-concert

They have incredible chemistry and heart warming harmonies. Which brings me to really fun news- they’re married! If you’re a Shovels and Rope fan already you’re like “Duh” and this isn’t news to you, but my friends and I weren't sure. Musically they have more chemistry than any duo I can think of and they get reaaaal close on stage when sharing a mic, but other than that they don’t make it very obvious. Before the encore they shook hands very cordially and we all determined “Oh maybe they’re not?” Later on we discovered (ty internet) they are in fact, married and that makes the handshake 10x cooler. The fact that a married couple can produce something so beautiful together and still congratulate each other and respect them even as a business partner is inspiring and bad ass. If you need more proof they’re the most precious couple in all of America besides the Obamas, check out their bio: “We are a little band called Shovels & Rope. We are from Charleston, SC and we travel all over the land in our "covered wagon" van with our hound dog. We are small but mighty and we are happy to being doing what we love. We are a very lucky band” #Goals #Goals #Goals 

The two hour set was filled with leg stomping bangers, weepy heart wrenching ballads and lots of looks of love between the two. They played a few songs from their new album, “Little Seeds”, including “Buffalo Nickel” which may have been my favorite. It was gritty, dark and empowering. Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/7mwJgmZN8hADm1zNvf9TyY

“Botched Execution”, “St Anne’s Parade” (more shout outs to NYC),  “I Know” & “Lay Low” were also a few stand out songs.

Fun fact, Shovels & Rope released a cover album titled Busted Jukebox Vol. 1, featuring 10 cover songs with help from 9 other bands including The Milk Carton Kids, Shakey Graves, and Lucius. All also *insanely* talented bands.

Thanks for a wonderful night @shovelsandrope. I so badly want to go to Athens Georgia on a Friday night, Sing in a bar called Comatose, and maybe like, learn guitar too while playing the harmonica, singing, keeping a steady beat on the drums and tapping on a keyboard. They did all of this. I’ll leave you with one last lyric that pleasantly sums up their contribution to music and humanity as a whole, “From the Crescent City to the Great Salt Lake, it ain’t what you got, it’s what you make” <3

#shovelsandrope #americanfolk #musichallofwilliamsburg

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Spotlighting: Bel Heir

Bel Heir is one of the bands we manage at work. Since I’ve started, I’ve seen them at two shows. One very intimate and private show at The Ludlow House in LES and the other at Rockwood Music Hall. They’ve been around for a few years but are really kicking things into gear right now. 

I would classify Bel Heir as a pop punk band with an indie surf touch. They’re really fun and they have a lot of jump up and down songs. A couple of pretty sexxxxxy ones too. I really wish the best for Bel Heir because not only are they talented, they are extremely nice guys and always make people giggle with their onstage banter. Bel Heir is based out of Philly and have a pretty big following there but I think they definitely fit in with the NY and LA scene(s)

They’re hoping to release their new album soon but in the meantime listen to “Kiss the Devil” and “Too Cool” on Spotify.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6dWCIQZ6CDTcwlEhqJJcml

My favorite song, that isn't released yet is “Desperate Youth”. It’s been stuck in my head all week and it’s my favorite live song they play. You’ll just have to see them live to hear it :D (Next NY show is Nov 4 @ Mercury Lounge, see you there?)

#belheir

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

WELL HEY. I have so much to share with y’all.

I’ve seen so many concerts in the past months that have blown me away. To name a quick few, I’ve seen ADELE, Of Montreal, Beirut, Ted Leo, Lucius & more. I’ll write about some of them soon.

Most importantly…I got a new job!!! In the music industry!!! WRITING ABOUT CONCERTS!!! Do you feel my enthusiasm!!? Do dreams really come true?!?! I’m going to be working on the Digital Marketing team to help promote a select few rock and indie bands. I’m so excited and so grateful to finally have work that excites me and actually makes me jump out of bed in the morning. 

So with that, I actually will have a little more time to focus on this blog, and hopefully incorporate my job with it. I am so grateful for this experience.

Love always,

A Little Less Broke Because Concerts

#blessed #blessed #blessed

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Here is a tribute to one of the most magical weekends and experiences of my life.

Bonnaroo Music Festival: you have me. all of me.

If you’re a music lover, a festival lover I would even go as far to say a festival hater: try Bonnaroo at least once. You’re probably thinking 100,000 people, on a farm in Tennessee, and I hate festivals. What’s wrong with me? Probably something but take my word on at least one thing I’m sure of: you will have a magical time. (You can shower here)

No matter where you’re venturing from, the drive into Manchester, TN is one that will give you a certain overwhelming feeling of butterflies you never knew you could feel. There are folklores that speak of the 5 hr lines to get in, I’m sure it happens. We arrived on late Thursday afternoon, a full day after the gates opened. We waited for ten minutes and only got a few glowsticks taken away. Could’ve been worse, just sayin.

Make sure you go with cool people. People that party the way you do, people that are really up for the whole “make your own fun” type situations. Because in 90 degree heat, crowds and a slue of other distractions, Bonnaroo can get hectic. Not to sound like a bird-brain but you reeaaaalllly got to, as the Bonnaroovians say, “Radiate Positivity”. Pack your weirdest outfits, hydrate like a mother f*cker and smile til your face breaks.

Also, their line-ups are truly remarkable. They get a lot of criticism for becoming too commercialized, but at the end of the day they are a business and they’re trying to get more diverse as the years go by. Who can hate that? FUN FACT: I worked for Superfly Presents three summers ago. They are the event organizers of Superfly so I learned the in’s and out’s. It was the best job I’ve ever had and it made me appreciate the festival as a whole. You truly would not believe the amount of work that goes into those four days. 

it breaks my heart every year when Bonnaroo rolls around and I’m not there.  Pretty sure Bonnaroo was my first boyfriend, first love. I still stalk it’s social media, I have an influx of happy and jealous memories. I will never forget how you made me feel. 

Radiate Positivity, y’all.

#bonnaroo

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Good morning, I am depressed. 

Two weekends in a row of intense fun, friends, music, gallivanting, dancing, jumping, eating, drinking, smiling and traveling = a very sad Monday and a 12 hour migraine. I was at Governor’s Ball this weekend and it was a delight. This was my first Gov Ball, which I am surprised by having being from New York. I would say it’s one of the more popular smaller festivals around the area. I have always loved NYC festivals- Catalpa, All Points West...even Bass Island. I am one of the few psychopaths that actually severely enjoys having to trek to a weird Manhattan island via bridge, tunnel or ferry. Even though it takes a million years to get there and get home after a long night. It makes the festival seem like its own little world and its fun to do with thousands of others.

Anyways, Gov Ball started on Friday, and I left work early to catch a few people I really wanted to see. Getting there is tricky, but holy balls I really have to commend Governor’s Ball on being ridiculously efficient and accommodating. Having worked a little bit in the entertainment, specifically festival event planning industry, this is hard hard work. A lot of things can go wrong when you're herding 100,000 people onto a little island for three days, most of who are on drugs. They had an express bus shuttle people from 125th street right to the gate of the festival. I never waited more than 15 minutes to get on a bus getting there and getting home. They also did not charge people on the way home who were using the bus. Big props Gov Ball!!!

Here’s day by day my faves:

Friday

1. Father. John. Misty.- My boy. One of my favorite artists. One of the highlights of my entire weekend. I could fan girl the shit out of this post but I’ll try and contain myself. He’s hysterical, weird, hot as fuck, sarcastic as hell and a really great performer. He started with “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” which was bomb and played a lot from “I Love You, Honeybear” and a couple other faves. He tickles my soul and I swear we made eye contact twice and I think he knows we’re meant for each other. Sorry Emma (his wife) 

2. Christine and the Queens- I had never heard of them before but we happened to be sitting in front of the stage where they were performing. All I have to say is DAMN those dance moves. They had this boy band/Jackson 5 thing going on. They were really cool and I’m excited to check them out some more.

3. Jamie XX- I wish I had gotten up closer and watched longer! I will definitely be seeing him again in a more intimate setting. His music rocks and my friend and I couldn't stop dancing.

4. Bob Moses- They’re all really hot.

5. Elle King- Caught a few of her songs. After seeing her last weekend I have a lot of respect for her. If you check out her instagram she calls out a few people who threw a lot of shade at her after her performance at Boston Calling. A lot of people called her “fat” and a “gross lush” among many other horrible things. First of all, fuck you. Second of all, she might be one of the realest performers I’ve ever seen in the so if you’re going to hate on that then I question your judgement and wonder what kind of performer is ideal to your liking. Third of all her response was great and she continued to kill it this weekend. Go Elle.

6. The Strokes- I didn't see their entire set, but they were really good! I grew up with a lot of people who LOVED them so I’m very familiar with their music. 

7. Robyn- Decided to see her again, and I’m glad. I was very enthralled by her performance. And since most people were at The Strokes I was able to get close. I also got a free corn dog during her performance and I dedicated it to her. I know none of this says anything about her music but you can check out last weeks post ;)

Saturday

1. Lord Huron- ooooooh they have such a pretty sound. They have this Southern Asian, indie-rock, Fleet Fox-y sound and it’s really cool. They look like an emo boy band which threw me off but they sounded just like they do recorded. It was a nice way to start the day

2. Haim- yeeeee! They are so great I had to see them again! The set was almost identical to their set at Boston Calling but it was fun. It started to downpour during their performance but we embraced it and in solidarity, they poured bottles of water on their heads. That is a pretty metal thing to do.

3. The motherfucking Killers- You knew it was coming but- they KILLed it. They were the highlight of my entire weekend. We waiting up front for them for over an hour in a torrential downpour. My clothes were soaked through and my eyeliner bled down to my toes but It honestly made everything 10x more fun. I was yanked by someone standing next to me under a sheet they were holding up in which we formed a tribe and sang Queen songs underneath until the show started. Then in all his devastatingly gorgeous glory, out came Brandon Flowers in a hot pink sports coat and I wanted to combust. I had forgotten how sexy and stunning he was. They started with Mr. Brightside which was the best call ever. Everyone went nuts. They played a ton from Hot Fuss, they played a bunch of the new ones. Then he announced “We haven’t played this in 6 years, but here goes” and it was my all time favorite- “Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll” and. it. was. incredible. My friend and I were squeezing each other to death while they played it. Ahhhhhhh it honestly was so magical  and it was so worth the rain.

Day 3 got cancelled. Personally, I was burnt out and a little thankful for this. I really wanted to see Death Cab for Cutie and now I am determined to see them one day and I was secretly pumped for Kanye, but with bad weather thats what happens. We’re also getting refunded for the day so again, big ups for Gov Ball.

Also humungous shoutout to the food @ Gov Ball. I am delighted yet horrified by all of the things I ate this weekend.

And that’s all folks for the summer festivals. I will be crying this upcoming weekend while Bonnaroo is happening. Until next time <3 

BTW Here’s my cute festival squad: 

#govball #govballnyc2016 #govballeeeeeats #thekillers #thestrokes #kanyewest #fatherjohnmisty #robyn #bobmoses #jamiexx #haim #lordhuron

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Have you ever been to a concert by yourself? I highly suggest it. Last night, due to some work perks, I got to see Damien Jurado at Music Hall of Wiliamsburg. And I flew solo. (See derp-y picture above) It’s honestly one of the most fun things to do by yourself. You can move all over the place without having to worry about someone sticking close to you. You can inch your way up front because people automatically assume your with someone. You can strike up convos with other fellow solo concert go-ers (there were a ton!) and I feel like you’re just fully immersed into the music a lot more than you would be with company. Beware of card minimums@ the bar, there was a $20 dollar one that I learned after I opened my tab. Oops! 

I wasn’t all too familiar with Jurado before seeing him. I knew he was from Seattle, I knew he had a similar voice to Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes, also from Seattle) And I had fallen asleep many-a-times thanks to my boyfriend who’s a fan. I do have a question: is it required to have a velvety, haunting, moan when pursuing music in the state of Washington? Bc they all do. I’m very into it but, what’s the deal?

The set opened with about 5-6 songs of Jurado and his band, “The Heavy Light”, no intros, no stage banter. I thought it was cool that they got into it and played in their own little world. His sound is really interesting. Lots of chimes, space-y riffs and that haunting “moan”(there’s probably a better way to describe it) His music makes me feel like I’m walking around in the woods. Does that make sense? I feel like a lot of musicians from the Pacific North West have this similar kind of sound. But at 43 years old, and working with sounds like this for a while, he may be one of the OG adventurous,psychedelic and dub-infused rocker’s. But he is certainly humble about it.

I would like to focus on his character for a minute, which is something that isn’t often common when examining his career. Jurado, known as the “empathetic outsider” has won my heart just through his speaking. I teared up after a lengthy speech he made. He talked about how it’s been a crazy few years for him, losing a lot of support, losing a lot of drive sort of losing him self. I’ve never seen anyone with so many fans in the room talk so humbly about themselves. In an interview he commented on his successors, like Father John Misty, Lord Huron & co and said, “I’m thankful that I’m not in their position, I’d rather be an influence than in the spotlight. You just see artists who burn out and disappear…I’m in it for the long haul.” You have my effing heart, Damien Jurado. I just think its so beautiful that someone is so true to themselves and their goals throughout their entire career.

He also warmed my heart 20 more degrees by talking about his first tour. And how he and his bandmates drove a van from Seattle to New York, and the van broke down in every single state they went through. By the time they reached Times Square the car was completely shot and his dad who he hadn't talked to in 4 years wired him money. And now every time he visits New York he has the upmost appreciation for it and for it truly being a city where you can turn nothing into everything. Those kinds of stories are what makes a human very real to me.

Another interesting fact, Damien Jurado’s music and worth ethic is heavily influenced by God and he so blatantly admits that. However, he never explicitly mentions that within his lyrics and most wouldn’t know how spiritual he was just by having a listen. Through the years, Jurado’s work has appealed to believers and non-believers alike because, among other things, he’s not delivering or promoting a message. There’s nothing didactic about his flawed characters—he’s telling stories with universal connection points, even when the subjects are countercultural hippies living outside the time and space most of us inhabit. 

All in all, I was pleasantly humbled by Jurado’s performance and I would see him again. Maybe he is an underdog but nobody should feel pity on him. He’s doing exactly what he wants to do exactly how he wants to do it, and he’s doing a wonderful job.

Dear Washington, thanks for all the dope musicians. 

*A sad edit: Damien Jurado cancelled the rest of his North American Tour this morning due to exhaustion. :( Feel Better Damien and thank you for everything!

#damienjurado #musichallofwilliamsburg #fleetfoxes #seattlesound

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Ahhhhh, there’s nothing like being back in the office after a 3 day weekend music festival. Music stuck in head, legs and feet sore, head throbbing, heart aching. If you’re like me, you are happiest amongst music, sunshine and friends. Festival season is like Christmas and Mondays (or in this case Tuesdays) feel like the day after New Year’s Eve. Already nostalgic, a little empty, and very hungover.

I went to Boston Calling this weekend (in Boston, obvs) Fun fact: Boston Calling remains one of the last independent music festivals in the country. It’s a really interesting festival, one that I’ve always had mixed feelings on. The reason being is definitely proximity related, it takes place in Government Center/City hall in the middle of Boston. Taking the T to get there is ridiculously easy, and it being located right next to Faneuil Hall and other attractions makes it easy to come in and out of the festival especially if you don’t want to buy expensive festival food, which is unlike many others. On the downside, it being right in the center of the city, all three nights ended fairly early, before midnight because of the city’s noise laws. Personally, I didn’t mind being in bed before 1 AM every night. 

I didn’t get to see everyone who played, and I also missed the entirety of Friday’s performance. I heard Sia and Sufjan were incredible which gave me intense FOMO. So excuse me for not including everyone in what is about to be my Boston Calling’s Worst-Best list. And let me clarify by worst I mean, my least favorite. Everyone there has immense talent.

7. Miike Snow- “Cause I’m stiiillll I’m still an animal”, that’s the only line/thing that stuck with me from his performance from his popular song, “Animal”. He’s good! Just not my style.

6. Odesza- Wasn’t planning on seeing them but they were really cool. Again, you won’t find me at many electronic shows but under the right circumstances and state of mind it can be fun. 

5. Disclosure- They headlined the last night of the festival Honestly wouldn't have been my choice If I were planning a festival but they also surprised me with how good they are. I love “Magnets” featuring Lorde (who I saw at Boston Calling last year and was so warmed by how much she appreciated her first trip to Boston) They played some cool new songs, and the very popular old songs including “Latch” featuring Sam Smith. My friend and I were tired but by the end of the set we were dancing our butts off and it was really fun. I suddenly understood why they were chosen to close out a fairly “vanilla” festival. 

4. Elle King- GUUUUUUURL!! She is such a badass! Did you know she was Rob Schneider’s daughter? It was very obvious while watching her live. Did you know she’s from Ohio? She made fun of that a lot. Did you know her favorite song is Oh! Darling? Why would you know that? But she sang it and she murdered it. This excites me because it’s also one of my favorite songs. She’s so cool, she doesn’t give a fu**, she plays the electric banjo, she makes Alt-Country really enjoyable for someone who severely dislikes country, I think I just love Elle King. I’m seeing her and her electric blue hair again this weekend and I can’t wait. 

3. Haim- So it’s funny. I went into this set being like “Eh Haim” because I thought they were just three privileged sisters that were barely talented and had pretty long hair and paid their way into the industry. Nope. Lisa = Wrong. And I’m so glad. I really like being proven wrong by talent. They can all sing, they can all play multiple instruments and they wrote all of their songs. “My Song 5″ they introduced by saying “This is about the time we all got fucked over in the same week” and the entire song is about being lied to and whatnot. Inset fire emoji. They also had a song where the three of them were on three sets of drums and I had massive goosebumps the entire time. Dear Haim, I was so wrong about you. Give me another chance. 

2. Robyn- What gal hasn't made “Dancing On My Own” her rock anthem. Or danced on the floor gollum style to “Call Your Girlfriend” Her set was really fun. She looked like a techno pixie on stage during what she referred to as her “remix” set. I think whatever you expect Robyn to be like live, is what you’re going to get.

1. Janelle Monae- Winner. Have you seen Janelle Monae? Have you seen her at a festival? Why isn’t she more prominent in the music world? This was my second time seeing her at a festival (last time was Bonnaroo) and while both sets, two years apart were very similar if not identical, she was incredible. She was wheeled out on a stretcher, James Brown and Kurt Cobain style, and demanded every Boston Caller’s attention for the next hour. Everyone was dancing and everyone who maybe hadn't seen her or known her before mouth’s were dropped to the ground. She did a Jackson 5 cover, she played some of her own oldies, she was just perfect.

All in all a lot of surprises this weekend and a lot of musical artists I was wrong about. My final thoughts on the lineup: the ladies prevailed. One thing I have to commend is Crash Line, the organizers of Boston Calling, on how truly well the event ran.The staff was great, the grounds simple, and the whole machine just worked smoothly. There was decently priced booze, Tasty Burger which I was urged to get by my Northeastern alumni roommates and granola bar freebies. All in all simple, clean and smooth. A nice break from rowdier festivals. 

Going on round 2 this weekend for Governor’s Ball. Will report back (if I make it) 

#bostoncalling #elleking #disclosure #odesza #haim #janellemonae #robyn #miikesnow #musicfestivals #festivalseason #boston

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

For Dad’s who rock.

I am no dad but I am someone who gets really down to “Dad rock”. What’s “Dad rock” you ask? Urban Dictionary says it’s “rock music that appeals to an older generation, or that is heavily influenced by that of an earlier era”. Is that really fair? No, but it’s funny and it can give a younger generation an understanding of what type of show they're going to if they dish out at least $75 bucks to see these guys. This is no Mac Demarco show, kiddos.

It was chill as heellllll. Which is already making me sound like a wayward youth amidst a sea of dads. But it was! If you’re under the age of 45, imagine getting a  little drunk (and stoned) with your parents’ friends and them putting on their favorite records. Remember in the movie, “Boyhood” when the Dad and son are driving in the vintage pontiac and the dad is like you need to listen to good music blah blah blah, coming of age moment/time to be a man spiel? It was amazing that Richard Linklater picked “Hate it Here” by Wilco to be played in this moment because its just perfect. I can see my own father doing the same thing when I was a teenager, thinking “man my daughter is such a square, music will save her soul". Well- theres dad rock and theres Wilco to fulfill the music stereotype. There is no hate here- just want you to really understand.

Anyway, the concert was at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, aka my second home. They played a lot from Star Wars, their newest album, which I'm not crazy about. They also played classics like “I am trying to break your heart” and “Impossible Germany” which has one of my favorite guitar solos of all time. Which lead to a “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” of favorite guitar solos between me and my boyfriend on the train ride home.

Even though the show was a few months ago, it was definitely worth the hike to Port Chester from the city on a Wednesday night. Wilco is fantastic live and despite their longevity in the preforming world, they still really got it! I like them so much that I would be down to go to their music and arts festival in Boston, MASS MoCA.

All in all, lovely band, lovely night, Jeff Tweedy and I wore the same exact outfit, I witnessed a dad fight and dad rock rules but also they are much more than dad rock and I am a bratty millennial. Much love!

#wilco #jefftweedy

[brokebecauseconcerts-blog]

Hiatus no mo

HI I have no excuse for the neglect this blog has faced! I am still going to lots & lots & lots of concerts and I have a lot coming up. I will try my very hardest to do some short little re-caps and then I promise I will consistently update. Morning after. Like the good old days.