October, 2010 | KISSES & NOISE

Last updated by at January 8, 2013.

Phoenix from the House of Blues, Orlando 10.26.2010

Oct 272010

Phoenix-the-band_orlando_live_kisses-and-noise Phoenix put on a hell of a penultimate show in Orlando the other night. Although they did not stray far from setlists I viewed, they were able to really amp up their sentimental indie rock for the live setting. The performance was loud and bright with a pulsing light show. The band was tight and displayed some jam prowess by extending some songs, adding nifty build-ups or interludes to others, while others got grandiose intros or reworked altogether (See “If I Ever Feel Better” metal version). There is a lot of music these days, but not many bands take the time to really expand on themes and play with their songs (especially indie) in concert. I’m not talking endless noodling, but having the chops and originality to give you something extra in person.

Singer, Thomas Mars, among the great unwashed

The guys were charming and fun and brought along a powerful drummer to step it up a notch. I’ve noticed several bands this month realize the impact of a good drummer by bringing in true ringers to lay down the backbone. The guy appeared to be middle eastern which is cool to see a guy like that rocking out instead of bashing a school girl with a rock. OOOOooooooh damn! Snap! That’s awful. Seriously though, French band, middle eastern (Maybe Indian – I should do my homework) powerhouse on the drums, and an American audience in the palm of their hands; Who needs the UN when you have rock n’ roll?

Grandaddy’s of Electronica: Thievery Corp & Massive Attack Tonight!

Oct 272010

Thievery on stage in Houston 2008

Massive Attack is back with a lush and powerful new album in Heigoland and Thievery Corporation is on the heels of their first retrospective release, It Takes a Thief, and debut of the Eric Hilton produced, conspiracy tinged, attack-on-the-establishment film, Babylon Central. My guess is Massive is headlining, but Thievery is sure to steal the show at Hard Rock. TC “brings it” live with a touring entourage of musicians, dancers, singers and rappers. TC’s Outernational sound is fleshed out with live instrument arrangements as they assemble the necessary talent for each song in their eclectic catalog. Let’s not kid each other fellas, this sort of music – the chill, down tempo electronica – brings out the the laaaaaay-deeeez! What, what?!

I love this song – “Sweet Tides” – from Thievery’s Radio Retaliation. A step back from Outernational and into pure pop electronica. It has a cinematic quality, sad and beautiful, and reminds me a bit of Massive Attack.

[media id=52]

“Lebanese Blonde” from HoB, Orlando 2009:

thievery-corporation_live_houston_kissesandnoise1

A little help with the reggae

Backstage in Houston

Eric and Rob

The Lovely Natalia Clavier

thievery-corporation_live_houston_kissesandnoise

International sound with Brazilian, Princess Karina

thievery-corporation_live_houston_kissesandnoise_belly

Belly Dancer!

Rob Garza

Karina and Lou Lou

Lou Lou & Rob

Loulou Ghelichkhani in Houston 2008

See more video from Thievery Corporation’s last visit to Orlando

MGMT @ Hard Rock Tonight

Concert Previews No Responses »

Oct 252010

mgmt_live_orlando-music-blog_kisses-and-noise I absolutely adored “Time to Pretend” off their first album, but as other songs from Oracular Spectacular were released MGMT came off sort of flat to me. That, coupled with reports of their live performances being somewhat lacking or flat made me lose interest as well. Apparently they have juiced up the live show and added some key musicians to help the duo expand on their sound. Their latest album, Congratulations, is more complete and seems to have drawn a lot of inspiration from The Elevator Drops (The best band you never heard) or at least The Drops’ influences. This show at Hard Rock is definitely one of the more anticipated shows this month.

“Let’s make some money, make some music, find some models for wives / I’ll move to Paris, shoot some heroin and fuck with the stars” – I love that.

Caribou from BackBooth, Orlando 10.18.10

Concert Reviews, Concert Video No Responses »

Oct 202010

Shitty pic of Caribou blowin' up BackBooth

Caribou was fucking brilliant. The one-man, moody, atmospheric trip pop, elegant and beautiful in its own right, was kicked in the balls with a stout dose of rock. Lead Caribou, Daniel Snaith, moved from drum kit to synthesizer and sampler assisting a full-time drummer (that had some serious chops), bass player, and guitarist. The show was rhythm heavy with the drummers pounding out trance-like beats together and sometimes dueling – adding power to the recognized studio versions of “Found Out” and “Sun” to name a few. The music was expansive and loud weaving through extended interludes and jams, bleeding most songs from one into the other seamlessly. The brooding and hypnotic music was infused with ear-splitting power by the live band and augmented by a simple, yet engaging and epilepsy inducing light show. Bra-fuckin-vo!

Edward Sharpe & The Magenetic Zeroes from The Ritz, Ybor City 10.16.10

Concert Reviews, Concert Video No Responses »

Oct 182010

All Praise the Magnetic Zeroes!

Are guys that look like “Jesus” charismatic or are they charismatic because they look like Jesus? Lead singer, Alex Ebert, played the gregarious front man (cult leader), engaging the crowd, dancing, leading sing-alongs, and talking to fans. The band wasted no time, kicking off the night with “40 Day Dream” and the ubiquitous “Janglin’.”

They extended some songs and added sweet interludes to others while nearly all tunes got a sort of custom intro. The 10-piece moved through most of their debut album with trippy, glowing, morphing projection panels as a backdrop. The Tampa crowd was lively and eager, singing nearly every word and giving the opener, He’s my Brother, She’s my Sister a warm reception. Good vibes prevailed.

My wife really likes the part in the middle when Alex and Jade have the cute little dialog about the her falling out of the window and them falling in love. They omitted this part to exchange pleasantries with Jade’s family who were in attendance at The Ritz.

School of Seven Bells with Active Child from The Social 10.15.10

Concert Reviews, Concert Video No Responses »

Oct 182010

Grossi aka Active Child slappin' da harp!

Active Child packed a ton of vocal power and emotion into a short set with only 2 musicians. Pat Grossi had a bass player assist as he played harp, guitar, and synthesizer. Tall and redheaded, Pat comes across like the anti-Josh Homme as his expansive, well trained voice filled the club. A darkly, brooding and sadly introspective sound, Active Child brings together elements of 80’s new wave and goth like New Order or Joy Division, but stripped down. Grossi moved gracefully from solid baritone to ethereal falsetto in each song with his trademark choir trained voice.

SVIIB

School of Seven Bells was down one Deheza sister and plus one drummer. The heavy-ish drummer gave the live interpretation a little more balls. Songs like “Babelonia” sounded almost like My Bloody Valentine with the hazy vocals mixing with the sludgy, distorted guitar layers. New Wave-y guitarist Benjamin Curtis had the panache while singer – the remaining Deheza sister – seemed in her own world as she belted her beautiful and ghostly lyrics and added accents on the gee-tar.

Caribou @ Backbooth

Concert Previews No Responses »

Oct 182010

caribou_backbooth_orlando_kisses-and-noise Caribou is bringing his darkly danceable brand of indie-electronica to town this evening at Backbooth. I think this may be the first trip to Orlando and could be a really good show for the intimate venue. In my Rocktober run-down last month, I deemed this a “do not miss” show and I’m going to stick to my guns even though I have nothing but a few cool albums to back it up.

The Flaming Lips from the House of Blues 10.14.10

Concert Reviews No Responses »

Oct 152010

Coyne leading the charge @ HOB

I posed the question yesterday about the Built to Spill show at The Social vs. The Flaming Lips at House of Blues. I’ve seen both before. The Lips are an amazing live show while BTS in a tiny place like the Soash is almost too cool to miss. Well, a photo pass for The Flaming Lips materialized thus making my decision for me. Once at the Lips show, I thought, “How could I have missed this?” Their concerts are explosive and powerful … moving even. The House of Blues was filled to capacity and the crowd was electric all the way through. The encores were deafening, killing my ears more than the music.

This is mostly due to Wayne Coyne’s charisma and ability to engage the audience. Dancing characters, 4 billion tons of confetti, lasers, overwhelming strobes, and a vast catalog of crowd pleasing songs don’t hurt either, but Wayne is able to captivate the audience on a very personal level. Despite the grandiose nature of the performance, it is very down to earth, almost lackadaisical. Yes, the band emerged from a giant pulsing, psychedelic vagina projected on a 2-story screen, and yes Wayne did re-enact the Embryonic motif of coming alive in a space bubble and walking on the crowd on the floor of the HOB, but the band milled about, tuning their own instruments for a good 45 minutes before the show. You would expect a grand unveiling, but Wayne is walking around checking equipment, talking to the crowd, and shaking hands while the band tunes and monkeys with everything from guitars and keyboards to confetti cannons. Then, the lights dim and the show starts. It is such a spectacle that you forget they were hanging out earlier.

Surfing the crowd

They rolled through classics like “She Don’t Use Jelly,” “Yoshimi” and a handful of others. I wished they worked in “Waiting on Superman” or “Race for the Prize” or even “Fight Test,” but it was a great set nonetheless – even if someone in my direct vicinity hadn’t used deodorant … in 2 weeks … then shit themselves. I hope it doesn’t become an association or “smell aversion” I develop that ties to the band.

I’m sure Built to Spill was epic and I wish I could have seen them, but the Flaming Lips are just too big of a show to miss, especially in a small venue.

Legends of the Fall ...

Awesome crowd response …

Amazing …

More pictures from the show on the Kisses & Noise facebook page. “Like” it. Now!

Even more images on the Kisses and Noise Flickr page. Flick it. Now!

Sleazy McQueen, Active Child, and School of Seven Bells @ The Social

Concert Previews, Coolest Song Ever! ... Right Now No Responses »

Oct 152010

Another promising show in Orlando at The Social Tonight. School of Seven Bells brings their hot chick dream pop along with the eerily sublime and uber-talented Active Child. SVIIB is a Brooklyn trio with pretty songs that could deliver or be a snoozer like Au Revoir Simone – not sure. Active Child could be interesting if he is able to re-create the darkly beautiful lushness on his debut Curtis Lane. It’s electronic with random live instruments – including the harp – and choir-like vocal presentation. If it is a one man show (Pat Grossi) it could be difficult to pull off, but if there are additional musicians it could add power and tension for a moving live performance. Listen to “I’m in Your Church at Night” to get a sense of the hymn-like subtle beauty.

[media id=51]

Decisions, Decisions: The Flaming Lips vs. Built to Spill Tonight

Concert Previews No Responses »

Oct 142010

Wayne Coyne in the space bubble - Langerado 2006 (I think, I can't remember)

I knew it would come to this – with so many shows this month there was bound to be overlapping. Well, there wouldn’t be if the Lips didn’t cancel part of their tour when they were supposed to be here a few months back. I get ticket, they cancel, they reschedule on the same night another powerhouse plays The Social. I’ve seen both bands before, but the allure of seeing a band like Built to Spill in a place like The Social vs. the psychedelic carnival of The Flaming Lips at HOB is indeed a conundrum. My heart goes with the smaller band at the intimate venue while my ticket situation (and my wife) lean toward the Lips. Wayne in the bubble for the first time @ Coachella 2004 …

Better, full version of “Conventional Wisdom” here.

Older Entries