valentine's day Man Man, Yeasayer @ Cat's Cradle - 4 May 2008 (pics, live video/MP3s)

valentine's day It's always nice to be back home and it was an extra special treat to return to the Cat's Cradle last night, for the first time in eight years, to see Man Man and Yeasayer. After all, this was the club that raised me. I wondered, having spent the last seven years seeing shows in New York clubs, what would it be like now? And how would the audience differ from NYC crowds?

My questions were answered before I even made it into the venue as I waited in line for half an hour. A line! The posted time for doors was 8:30pm, they didn't open the doors until 9pm. Funny, but I take it for granted that doors always open on time at the shows in New York. Whatever. Once inside a second difference: HOT. 80 degrees outside and no AC! But hey, that just added to the atmosphere. Which, I must say, was awesome. The Cradle looked, more or less, as I remember it. The bar was in a different spot, the walls were setup differently (they have always enjoyed shifting around the interior of the place), but ultimately it was the same old faithful venue I'd been to a hundred times before.

The room was refreshingly packed by the time Yeasayer started and the band played their final show on tour with Man Man with obvious appreciation and extra intensity. Once again, they blew me away live in a manner completely contrary to the way they come across on their album All Hour Cymbals. They're soo freaking New Wavey yet organic and rock-your-body awesome... Talking Heads circa Fear of Music mixed with Gary Numan's Telekon. I'm very very much looking forward to Yeasayer's next record and hoping it better captures their live show. Man Man blistered their way through another stellar performance, whipping the crowd into a frenzied sing along/large mosh pit within a few measures. The audience involvement, and the band's furious performance, were strikingly similar to the last time I saw them at Bowery Ballroom. Made me happy to see that the Man Man army is not solely a New York phenomenon.

Check out pictures and a live video/MP3 from each band after the jump...
Yeasayer
valentine's day
valentine's day
valentine's day Listen:
"No Need To Worry" by Yeasayer (live, from this show)

Watch:
"No Need To Worry" by Yeasayer (live, from this show) on YouTube

See more Yeasayer pictures (from this show) HERE.

Visit Yeasayer on MySpace.

Man Man
valentine's day
valentine's day
valentine's day
valentine's day Listen:
"Big Trouble" by Man Man (live, from this show)

Watch:
"Big Trouble" by Man Man (live, from this show) on YouTube

See more Man Man pictures (from this show and many others) HERE.

Visit Man Man on MySpace.