Tonight, Monday night, October 30, from 8 until 11 mountain time, I'm doing a test-run of Range Life live on the air at www.radioboise.org.
Big deal you say?
Fair enough. Big deal. Thousands of people do this kind of thing every day. Many of them are not so bright. So big deal.
But it's a big deal for me. The first in what I hope is a long line of live broadcasts, somday soon hopefully moving to the actual airwaves. For now, we'll take the netwaves. The ether. Whatever.
Check it out. Gimme a call at 208.424.8166. Or e-mail me at crhess@gmail.com. Make a request. Tell me how it sounds. Dictate a PSA. Or, just listen.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
RrrrrrrrOCKtober
Great turnout last night at the Neurolux for Viva Voce and Silversun Pickups. And the thick and excitable crowd was rewarded with a kickass rock show.
Openers The Kingdom were good enough, though I admit I didn't pay such close attention. The sound was spare and the songs seemed catchy enough. Sorry, that's all I've got.
But the middle band, Silversun Pickups, just pulled out the stops and shredded the joint. They were fantastic. High energy, impeccable sound, and no cutting of any corners. The singer's a weird dude with a slightly girly voice, but as he fluctuates in intensity and moves from a sibilant whispery voice to a growling scream, his songs are brought to life.
They made believers out of lots of people last night.
And while I was worried that folks would clear out after their set, being a school night in Boise and all, I was pleasantly surprised to see the front-of-house crowd swell when Viva Voce hit the stage. They too put on a hell of a show, playing it loud and hard as often as possible, and fleshing out the quiet bits nicely. They make a lot of noise for 2 people, that's for sure.
Great show.
Openers The Kingdom were good enough, though I admit I didn't pay such close attention. The sound was spare and the songs seemed catchy enough. Sorry, that's all I've got.
But the middle band, Silversun Pickups, just pulled out the stops and shredded the joint. They were fantastic. High energy, impeccable sound, and no cutting of any corners. The singer's a weird dude with a slightly girly voice, but as he fluctuates in intensity and moves from a sibilant whispery voice to a growling scream, his songs are brought to life.
They made believers out of lots of people last night.
And while I was worried that folks would clear out after their set, being a school night in Boise and all, I was pleasantly surprised to see the front-of-house crowd swell when Viva Voce hit the stage. They too put on a hell of a show, playing it loud and hard as often as possible, and fleshing out the quiet bits nicely. They make a lot of noise for 2 people, that's for sure.
Great show.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Live Music
Califone's show at the Neurolux was good. It wasn't great, but it was good.
Part of it was that the band was a trio--by far the fewest people I've seen on stage for a Califone show. The band has shapeshifted since its inception, but this new stripped down format was a bit too stripped. And this coming from me--I love minimalism in music and all other things, but this lineup depended too much on nuance, leaned too heavily on the quieter stuff, to come across right.
Another part was that Neurolux crowds are among the loudest and least-engaged of any venue I've been in. And this is consistent. It's almost a shame the main bar isn't in another room altogether.
This week holds another type of rock show. On Thursday, Silversun Pickups and Viva Voce will play the Lux, and from what I've seen of both these bands, it should be a good one.
Silversun Pickups impressed at SXSW this year, even though I'd come to them blind and only saw them accidentally as I waited for the band that followed them. They put on a hell of a show, though, high energy and sufficient charm to bring their songs to life. Viva Voce pull off the chill groove well in the live setting, so they should be good complement to each other.
Part of it was that the band was a trio--by far the fewest people I've seen on stage for a Califone show. The band has shapeshifted since its inception, but this new stripped down format was a bit too stripped. And this coming from me--I love minimalism in music and all other things, but this lineup depended too much on nuance, leaned too heavily on the quieter stuff, to come across right.
Another part was that Neurolux crowds are among the loudest and least-engaged of any venue I've been in. And this is consistent. It's almost a shame the main bar isn't in another room altogether.
This week holds another type of rock show. On Thursday, Silversun Pickups and Viva Voce will play the Lux, and from what I've seen of both these bands, it should be a good one.
Silversun Pickups impressed at SXSW this year, even though I'd come to them blind and only saw them accidentally as I waited for the band that followed them. They put on a hell of a show, though, high energy and sufficient charm to bring their songs to life. Viva Voce pull off the chill groove well in the live setting, so they should be good complement to each other.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Califone - Roots & Crowns
Califone's new CD, Roots & Crowns, hit today, and I expect it will further their legacy as one of the most criminally underrated and underappreciated bands in all of indie rock.This is amazing music, plain and simple. Tim Rutili bends tunes and strings together images and suggestions like no one else. His is a twisted and heartbreaking sort of American music, full of narrow eyed confusion, lumpthroated wanderings, maniacally genius guitarwork, and some of the coolest noise outside of Noise.
This is the blues, but (forgive me) so much better. It's a remaking of American music, drawing on Delta and Chicago blues as well as the finest traditions of punk and noise rock to piece togehter collages that get more beautiful the closer they come to disintegration.
Pink and Sour kicks things off with an appropriate stomp, and the line runs hilly from there. Slow and spooky to raw and rocking, things open up with A Chinese Actor and blow apart again and again. The Orchids is gorgeous and Black Metal Valentine is a masterpiece of restraint.
But what's a track by track account to you? Listen to it.
There's a couple new tracks and a couple great oldies on their MySpace page. For the rest, check emusic, or hit the Record Exchange (or your local independent record store).
Austin
So, Austin.
Every time I do this I swear I won't again, but here I've done it again. When I wait til the glow's off the visit, I find that the more astute and profound observations elude me. I had a great time in Austin. It was great to hang out with Eric, as always, and Harlan too.
Rode the shit out of Rocky Hill with my man Oko, and Flat Rock kicked my butt (with a little help from Eric, Jason, and a raging PBR hangover). I rode Eric's new custom ti IF 29er as well as his new all carbon Solis road rig, and I rode his Fireman's Cruiser all around the city, s I came home hating all my bikes.
Spoon was good, though not great.
Serena Maneesh blew.
Polvo's was wonderful, both nights. I had breakfast tacos every day. I missed the barbecue entirely. Hai Ky remains one of my favorite restaurants in town. And the posole at El Sol y La Luna was as wonderful and comforting as I remember.
It was sad to leave. I wish Eric lived here in Boise. Sometimes I wish we lived there in Austin. Harlan bought a new house I can't wait to see. Saw Harold and Sandra, missed Raoul.
No more than a tally, really, but then I guess I should be happy that it's not awful to come back here to Boise. Fall weather's hit in all its glory, and the mountain biking is fantastic right now. This coming weekend is Cathy and I's 5th Anniversary, and though we can't do a big out of town trip, I've got some plans in store.
It's good to be here.
Every time I do this I swear I won't again, but here I've done it again. When I wait til the glow's off the visit, I find that the more astute and profound observations elude me. I had a great time in Austin. It was great to hang out with Eric, as always, and Harlan too.
Rode the shit out of Rocky Hill with my man Oko, and Flat Rock kicked my butt (with a little help from Eric, Jason, and a raging PBR hangover). I rode Eric's new custom ti IF 29er as well as his new all carbon Solis road rig, and I rode his Fireman's Cruiser all around the city, s I came home hating all my bikes.
Spoon was good, though not great.
Serena Maneesh blew.
Polvo's was wonderful, both nights. I had breakfast tacos every day. I missed the barbecue entirely. Hai Ky remains one of my favorite restaurants in town. And the posole at El Sol y La Luna was as wonderful and comforting as I remember.
It was sad to leave. I wish Eric lived here in Boise. Sometimes I wish we lived there in Austin. Harlan bought a new house I can't wait to see. Saw Harold and Sandra, missed Raoul.
No more than a tally, really, but then I guess I should be happy that it's not awful to come back here to Boise. Fall weather's hit in all its glory, and the mountain biking is fantastic right now. This coming weekend is Cathy and I's 5th Anniversary, and though we can't do a big out of town trip, I've got some plans in store.
It's good to be here.
Monday, October 02, 2006
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