valentine's day Paul Simon "American Tunes" @ BAM - 23 April 2008

valentine's day Paul Simon renewed his month-long residency at BAM Wednesday night in a concert billed as "American Tunes", an obvious foil to the two previous series "Under African Skies" and "Songs from The Capeman". The three separate concert runs were designed to highlight different periods of Simon's songwriting career with "American Tunes" revisiting his years as a songwriter working with Art Garfunkel into his early years as a solo artist, "Under African Skies", quite obviously, highlighting those years in the '80s and '90s when Simon delved into the music of Africa and South America, and "Songs from The Capeman" giving New York one final listen to music from Simon's Broadway disaster The Capeman.

EAR FARM skipped out on "Songs from The Capeman". But! We were lucky enough to attend the other two Simonfests (check out the EF review of "Under African Skies") and I was, in particular, looking most forward to seeing Grizzly Bear and Gillian Welch and Paul Simon perform Simon's earlier work. You know, the stuff that came from his soul, rather than from the mind of someone else. The American songs! Songs to be proud of as an American, because they were written by an American, in America! (gratuitous Trey Parker nod alert) America! Fuck yeah!

What follows is a song by song recap (in order) of we what heard and saw on Wednesday during night one of "American Tunes".

"American Tune" performed by The Roches and Paul Simon
Appropriately, from a thematic standpoint, the show began with the song that gave the final run of Simon concerts its name. However, because of the mellow nature of the song and below average performance by The Roches, it was an altogether lackluster start to the concert. Par for the course, really, when you've decided to begin a show with a song about "trying to get some rest" and being "weary to the bones". Simon remained in the background for the entire performance feebly strumming along, perhaps exhausted before he even began...

"Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard" performed by Paul Simon
Or not. As The Roches exited the stage Paul Simon launched into "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard" and the cloud of doom that had permeated the building gave way to applause and dancing and joy. One of the great lessons learned during Simon's April residency is how automatically pleasing many of his songs are on the most basic of levels. Even when they're about drug deals and mothers witnessing illegal activity and all the whatever else this song is about. (side note: anyone else remember that video for this song featuring Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Spud Webb, Mickey Mantle, et al.? The one that came out like 15 years after the song?)

"Graceland" performed by Grizzly Bear
Simon exited the stage and the crowd waited for what seemed an eternity as the crew setup the stage for the next performance. It was a recurring theme throughout the night - the lull. Maybe they too were "weary to the bones"? Whatever the case, Grizzly Bear entered and launched into a mind-bending deconstruction of "Graceland" that split the crowd in two immediately. A surprise song choice, given that the song was also played at the "Under African Skies" concert, but easily one of the two major highlights of the night.

"Mother And Child Reunion" performed by Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear continued their too-brief appearance with an elegiacally poignant twist on "Mother And Child Reunion". The arrangement and the band's performance were both outstanding. It is, after all, and contrary to its upbeat reggae vibe, a song about a "strange and mournful day". Regardless, the audience seemed largely perplexed and the band departed with little fanfare. Marty McFly chided them in my mind, "I guess you guys aren't ready for that, yet. But your kids are gonna love it."

"Peace Like A River" performed by Amos Lee
Another lengthy change-over later and Amos Lee took to the stage. His take on Simon was much shallower water for the majority of those in attendance and they cheered with appreciation. If there was a time to visit the restroom, this was it.

"Jonah" performed by Amos Lee
In fact, if I hadn't noted the set list as I was watching the show, I'd have completely forgotten that Amos Lee even performed. His two songs were far from bad, but also nowhere near memorable.

"Slip Slidin' Away" performed by Olu Dara
Olu Dara is the father of Nas? And... I learned something from Stereogum? Weeeeird. Anyway, Dara's presence was animated and magnetic. "Slip Slidin' Away" was the perfect song for him and his band.

"50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" performed by Olu Dara
However, he didn't hit full stride until he twisted and reworked the lyrics to "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover". Dara hit something like 1 out of every 5 lines correctly, but this was intentional. He was flippin' it. For our sake, and likely his own too. Who hasn't heard "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" 50,000 times? It was roborant, it woke me up a bit from my Amos Lee-induced daze, and was entirely entertaining.

"Still Crazy After all these Years" performed by Olu Dara
But wait, Olu Dara's a one-trick pony... I see. Well, why'd he have to butcher one of my favorite Paul Simon songs? Butthead.

"Another Galaxy" performed by The Roches
No! What freakin' song is this, and who let these women back on stage?! Yaaaaawn.

"Cecilia" performed by The Roches
"Cecilia" is one of Simon and Garfunkel's most rousing songs and a near can't-miss for an artist picking a Paul Simon song to cover. Unless, of course, you're The Roches. Not good.

"America" performed by Josh Groban
Josh Groban? Okay, I'm pre-disposed to dislike him, probably owing to the fact that he's like a black hole of indie-cred (hey, I can be honest with myself), but this was actually an excellent, if very straightforward, rendition of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel song "America". Groban's voice is good. Too good?

"Silent Eyes" performed by Josh Groban
It struck me during Groban's performance of this song that he sings rather like Superman would: perfectly, and utterly devoid of even a tiny hint of human emotion.

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" performed by Josh Groban and Paul Simon
This was the one. The one I'd been wondering about heading into the show: "who's going to sing Garfunkel for 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'?" I queried. Obviously it was going to be Groban. He was born to sing songs like this... And to save our planet from evil masterminds like Lex Luthor and Brainiac!

"Gone At Last" performed by Gillian Welch
Boy oh boy was Gillian Welch a site for sore eyes. Here, finally, was a performer with the ability to liven up BAM just a little bit. And that's precisely what she and guitarist David Rawlings with their take on "Gone At Last". Their bluegrass barnburner performances were far and away the highlight of the evening, much the same way David Byrne was at "...African Skies". I was a casual fan of hers before this show, now I need MORE GILLIAN.

"Duncan" performed by Gillian Welch
Is David Rawlings in Megadeth? I know that they too were in town this night, can anyone confirm or deny that he and Dave Mustaine are/aren't in fact the same person? Both play guitar, same first name... I'm just saying, dude can shred.

"The Boxer" performed by Gillian Welch
A pure classic, this song, and an audience favorite. But again, the impotent booms (rather than hefty BOOMs) that followed the "lai la lai"s should've been much mightier. Solid, but a missed opportunity. Grizzly Bear should've done this one.

"The Sound Of Silence" performed by Gillian Welch and Paul Simon
Pictured above, this performance was elegant and very good, if a tad on the "weary" side. It is, however, important for younger listeners (note to self) to remember that downtrodden, tattered, torn, weary, embodying ennui yet somehow beautifully full of harmony, is precisely what Paul Simon first made a name for himself with before he discovered the music of Africa, Jamaica, and Central America.

"Mrs. Robinson" performed by Paul Simon
As Welch and Rawlings left to a well-earned round of applause, Paul Simon and his backing band turned a corner and finally energized themselves and the audience by launching into a bluesier than expected version of "Mrs. Robinson". Paul beamed and clearly enjoyed performing this one.

"Train In The Distance" performed by Paul Simon
Inconceivably, Simon seemed to rise up to another level during "Train In The Distance". As if he was merely annoyed before that all of these guests had stayed so long at his party, but now he finally had the house to himself. His backing band soared here, most notably the sax solos at the end.

"How Can You Live In The Northeast?" performed by Paul Simon
Thanks to Paul's infatuation with appearing on Saturday Night Live, I was already familiar with his 2006 song "How Can You Live In The Northeast?" - a refreshingly relevant song for an artist in the twilight of his career. Again, Simon obviously enjoyed this one and so did I. A surprise favorite.

"The Only Living Boy in New York" performed by Paul Simon and The Roches
Ah yes, an obvious inclusion. But perhaps poorly placed within the set as the first song in the encore and... there are those damn harpies again! Who invited them back onto the stage??

"Late In The Evening" performed by Paul Simon
Right, well it was late in the evening at this point - probably 10:15? - so definitely late if you're... a sixty-six year old hobbit, weary from hearing three harpies slaughter your songs, and eager to get back to your Shire in New Canaan. What? I kid the living legend Paul Simon... But really, I was expecting "Kodachrome" as a final song and was more than pleased with "Late In The Evening". The song soared, helping Simon and crew to end the evening on a series of high notes (nudge nudge); unsurprising, perhaps, since "Late In The Evening" serves as a creative bridge to the vibrant Graceland. Which, ultimately, left me wanting to revisit the far superior concert that was "Under African Skies".

*above photo courtesy of Kathryn Yu.

Listen:
"Graceland" by Grizzly Bear

Also at this show: NY Times, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Thepunkguy, and Guac & Roll.

See Paul Simon perform "American Tunes" from April 24-27 at BAM.

Visit Paul Simon on MySpace.

valentine's day Paul Simon "Under African Skies" @ BAM - 11 April 2008

valentine's day In imagining ways to describe Friday night's BAM production, it's difficult to avoid summoning the whole "universal language of music" cliche. It almost sounds like the setup to a bad joke...quick, what do you get when you put two pop icons, a legendary South African vocal group, a Cameroonian chanteuse, and two Brazilians - one percussionist and one singer - into a room with an amazing backing band?

A bad joke at band camp nonetheless, but the point remains: "Under African Skies" was a two-hour case study in the universality of amazing melody, exquisite musicianship, and the shared love of music. It was also one of the more incredible shows I've seen.

The evening began with Ladysmith Black Mambazo - a world-renowned 10-piece vocal group from South Africa - emerging unaccompanied onto the sparsely lit stage to perform two songs. Specializing in a traditional form of music originating in the mines of South Africa called Isicathamiya, the group's combination of imaginatively playful vocal harmonies and carefully choreographed "tip-toe" dance steps - dating back to the mines when workers would dance lightly so as not to disturb security guards - set a celebratory tone amidst feverish expectation for what else was to come.

What came next was the voice. Vusi Mahlasela, known in his native South Africa simply as "The Voice", led Simon's backing band onstage and launched into a wonderful rendition of "The Boy in the Bubble", the first of many selections from Graceland. Then, finally, as not to surrender any of the production's irresistible momentum, Simon emerged to delirious applause and officially commenced the evening...

With Simon at the helm, the band launched into a muscular "Gumboots" before then transitioning into "Under African Skies". For this song (and the next several), Simon ceded the floor to the amazing vocals of Cameroonian singer Kaissa in a move that characterized much of the evening; he would play a song and then sit the next few out, lending the whole performance an informal vibe of good friends getting together and swapping songs back and forth. It was an effectively humble way for someone as legendary and iconic as Simon to celebrate his own song catalog, and it clearly inspired each guest performer to give their all in his presence.

Transitioning to the equally rhythmic material of 1990's The Rhythm of the Saints, Kaissa gave stand-out track "Proof" new life and swagger while guest Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista grooved on a daunting assortment of drums, chimes, and auxiliary percussion pieces. Most interesting among these was the cyrimba, a glockenspiel-like instrument made from an assortment of enormous PVC pipes and played with what looked like Dr. Scholl's insoles. Baptista put this piece to work on an amazing version of "Can't Run But", providing an enchantingly melodic rhythmic backdrop upon which guest Brazilian singer Luciana Souza added soaring lead vocals.

With each progressive song, the energy and momentum continued to build until reaching a palpable climax as David Byrne took the stage, first shimmying alongside the backup singers before moving front and center to deliver two of the evening's highlights: utterly unbelievable, transcendent, magical, and perfect versions of Graceland's "I Know What I Know" and "You Can Call Me Al".

The buzzing crowd responded in kind with the realization of having witnessed something unique and special, coaxing Simon back onstage after singing "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" alongside Ladysmith Black Mambazo (and in characteristic fashion of the evening, allowing them to finish the performance with a final reprise) before summoning all of the evening's participants to join him for a group bow in recognition of the frantic standing ovation.

This same rabid applause should be extended to BAM as well, whose scope of effort and creative ingenuity in making a month-long Paul Simon concert series more than just a simple fantasy (not to mention some of the other recent concerts they've hosted) is nothing short of remarkable.

*above photo courtesy of Nadim Issa

See also:
8+ (David Byrne)
The 5 Sides of Paul Simon You Won't See At The BAM Retrospective
The National @ BAM - 23 February 2008
Joanna Newsom @ BAM - 1 February 2008

See Paul Simon perform "American Tunes" from April 23-27 at BAM

Visit Paul Simon on MySpace

valentine's day The National @ BAM Howard Gilman Opera House - 23 February 2008

valentine's day Having the opportunity to see a rock concert in a venue as special as the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Howard Gilman Opera House is a rare treat. Generally, modern rock bands are relegated to the confines of various banged up ballrooms (at best) and/or basement bars (or worse) in this city. While abundant in character and rock and roll charm, these standard kinds of venues lack quite a bit in terms of mood-setting ambiance and happy acoustics. However, these characteristics are precisely where opera houses excel. Given that Boxer was perhaps my favorite album released last year, it should come as no surprise that I headed into Saturday night's performance by The National with great hopes, expectations, and anticipation. Just what, exactly, would such a glorious venue do for one of my favorite current American rock bands, and how would The National treat the opera house in return?

My Brightest Diamond (led by/aka Shana Worden) opened the show with her unique blend of cabaret, chamber music, rock, and opera influence. Though she's no stranger to the NY music scene (honing her chops over the past few years on stages throughout the city, and previously finding work as a backup vocalist for Sufjan Stevens) this was my first time seeing her in person. During the opening songs she had me thinking of Edith Piaf (vocals), Antony Hegarty (vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (guitar), PJ Harvey (guitar), and Roy Orbison (hair/vocals); but by the end of her set all I could think of was of how much I needed to see this woman/band perform again. The contrast of the string quartet arrangements, soaring vocals, and delicate-rocking-diving-detuned guitar work was quite the perfect way to set the scene at the BAM Opera House for The National to take the stage. And thank goodness for that, because as good as My Brightest Diamond was on that night, all we all really wanted was The National. Badly.

Against a shiny Vegasesque backdrop, and to the tune of Bon Iver's excellent song "Flume", the band took to the stage with a small orchestra in tow. I expected the accompaniment, but still found myself supremely pleased when I saw the trumpet, bassoon, flute, violin, cello, saxophone, piano, and two trombones. For this meant that The National meant business. And that they did.

The show began with "Start a War", a perfectly building opener, and continued through song after song from the band's two most recent (most outstanding) albums, Boxer and Alligator. In fact, the entire set list was comprised of songs from these two records, save two cuts from Cherry Tree and one brand new song. As I listen to 19 of the 20 songs right now, in the order they played them that night, it strikes me how well thought out this set list was. Like anything worth enjoying, the songs put together in this order create a mood that slowly builds up, gloriously falls apart, and then rebuilds itself again and again multiple times. It was a magnificent concert.

In person there were two very distinct moments that stood out: the series of songs from "Secret Meeting" to "Mistaken for Strangers" to "Squalor Victoria" to "Abel" (a sequence which had me smiling the rarest of concert smiles - my "I'm seeing Morrissey" smile), and the first encore which saw lead singer Matt Berninger venture out into the middle of the audience for the chorus of "Mr. November". It's not an exaggeration to say that the show gave me chills once or twice. And the sound? Oh the sound! The whole thing felt like all of those times I've found myself watching a concert film and wishing that I was fortunate enough to be one of the lucky few who got to see the recorded show live, in person. The magnitude of excellence was not lost on me.

The audience was the only thing that marred the show at all, sometimes with their sceneyness (including some girls behind me critiquing female audience members' fashion during the show), sometimes because of their collective body odor, sometimes because of "witty" repartee ("Freebird!" and "Brooklyn!" among the standout shout-outs), but mostly because of all of the clapping along to the songs. I'll save you my extended and annoyed ranting on the subject, save for a single question. Question: do you ever feel like a rhythmically challenged deaf monkey when you clap along to songs at a concert? Because you look and sound like precisely that. Regardless, no amount of annoying audience behavior could do anything to ruin this show. And after all, most of what I found annoying from other people was a result of fandom. A fanatical response to the greatness of the musicians on stage. Can't really knock that. On this night the band had people moving, singing, shouting, and clapping along - the old man across the aisle seemingly moved to tears even (though I think that was because he twisted his knee "dancing") - doing whatever we could to somehow reflect our adoration for the performance. To let the band know how much we approved. Something about the look on each of their faces tells me that they knew.

The National is one of those rare bands with the power to both touch you with their words and move you with their playing. They can floor you with gentle beauty at one moment and rouse you out of your seat with anthemic emoting the next. For all of you people across the US wondering if you should consider seeing The National open up for R.E.M., don't make the mistake of missing out when they come to your part of the world. This past Saturday night the band was given the rare opportunity to grace the stage at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, and in return they gave each of us in attendance a glimpse at The National at their very best. They had us all up, out of our seats, and in the palm of their collective hand. We'd have taken ten encores if they would've given them.

Set list:
Start a War
Brainy
Baby, We’ll Be Fine
Slow Show
Secret Meeting
Mistaken for Strangers
Squalor Victoria
Abel
Wasp Nest
Racing like a Pro
Ada (feat. Sufjan Stevens)
Apartment Story
unknown NEW song
Green Gloves
Fake Empire
--
City Middle
Mr. November
Daughters of the Soho Riots
--
Gospel
About Today

Listen:
"Something Of An End" by My Brightest Diamond
"Wasp Nest" by The National

See The National live - tour dates HERE.

Visit The National on MySpace.

Download The National's performance at BAM on the 22nd of February over on NYCTaper.

*above image from HERE.