Concert Review: Manchester Orchestra

Band: Manchester Orchestra 
Date: October 28, 2011
Location: The Regency Theater, San Francisco, CA 


Preconceived Thoughts of the Band: I had only recently started listening to Manchester Orchestra, but a lot of people that I have similar music taste with really love this band. From all their songs that I had heard previous to the show I really enjoyed listening to. So I knew that I would most likely love their live show. 


What Actually Happened (BITCH SPOILER ALERT) - 
There were three opening bands, Little Hurricane, The Dear Hunter and White Denim. I had actually 

Ghost Playlist

I thought I might have a little fun with this post. It's Halloween weekend. In trying to find a good theme for this post, I tried searching something Halloween related on my iTunes and ghost was most prominent thing on my search. ENJOY!

Band of Horse -
Is There A Ghost?

blink-182
Ghost On The Dancefloor

Deadmau5
Ghosts n Stuff

Explosions In The Sky
Welcome Ghosts



Wolf Parade
Ghost Pressure

White Lies
Holy Ghost

We All Have Hooks For Hands
Ghosts and Strangers

Umbrellas
Ghost

Voxtrot
Ghost

Tegan And Sara
Walking With A Ghost

Taking Back Sunday
What It Feels Like To Be A Ghost?

Spoon
The Ghost Of You Lingers

Enjoy!

Nostalgia Concert Review: Passion Pit

Band: Passion Pit Openers: Mayer Hawthorne and the County and The Middle East
Date: April 14, 2010
Location: UC Davis Campus


Sorry once again for not going to any current concerts. I am broke. as always

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band: Passion Pit was all over my playlist the end of my freshman year of college. Their EP Chunk of Change was constantly on repeat especially the song Cuddle Fuddle. After Manners came out, the exploded with Sleepy Head and The Reeling as their singles. Their music is just so catchy. Heavy synths and drums with high vocals; Almost sounds like a dance version of Sigur Ros. Weeks before their concert, I was hearing some live stuff on youtube, and oh man. I couldn't get a feel for the singer's voice. It sounded to forced and annoying. I was freaking out, but I didn't want to base off my idea of them off a youtube clip.


I got introduced to The Middle East by a friend of mine. Blood is so beautifully crafted with almost every acoustic instrument available. That song is structured perfectly, quiet and then climatic.


I never heard of Mayer and I wished I never did....

Playlist 2.

Hello!

In keeping with the whole tone of our blog, here is a bitchy playlist. The best time to listen would be when you are feeling just fucking angry, bitter, pissed off or upset. These songs have helped me get through those horrible days. Hope they help.

-Relic

1. Gypsy Woman- Anarbor
Listen here.

2. Backstabber- Cheap Sex
Listen here.

3. My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama- Frank Zappa
Listen here.

4. Unholy Confessions-Avenged Sevenfold
Listen here.

5. Take It Off- The Donnas
Listen here.

6. Ring the Alarm-Beyonce
Listen here.

7. Metal Meltdown- Judas Priest
Listen here.

8. Noise Complaint-Big D and the Kids Table
Listen here.

9. Sweating Bullets- Megadeth
Listen here.

10. Dammit-Blink 182
Listen here.

11. Motivation- Sum 41
Listen here.

12. Bought A Bride-Brand New
Listen here.

13. There's No "I" In Team- Taking Back Sunday
Listen here.

14. Away We Go- Valencia
Listen here.

15. Sowing Season-Brand New
Listen here.

16. Coffee Eyes- The Wonder Years
Listen here.

17. Seventy Times Seven-Brand New
Listen here.

Nostalgia Concert Review: Jason Mraz

Band: Jason Mraz

Date: Friday, October 8, 2010

Location: Santa Barbara Bowl

Side note: Yes, like Wolf James, this is also an old concert review. There weren't any shows of interest this week, so enjoy a great concert from last year.

Preconceived thoughts of the band: Jason Mraz is one of my favorite artists/human beings in general. He has an awesome stage persona as well as an amazing presence in society. He is really inspirational for me and has a great message to send to the world. I love going to his shows, watching his videos and reading his blog. His music is so beautiful and he is such a talented musician.

What actually happened (Bitch Spoiler Alert!!):

A Playlist.

Hello!

With the risk of sounding slightly morbid, tonight I am blogging about a death playlist. Over the summer my roomate and really close friend lost her mom. Personally, I am really bad with words, advice and condolences. I felt alot of emotions when I heard the news, but putting it into words is hard for me. Music on the other hand, is not. Over the past couple months I have been compiling a play list for her. Music for me means alot, and that's the way I express my emotions, whether happy, frustrated, angry or depressed, listening to a certain song means much more to me than many things. I had initially just sent my friend one song, and by her reaction I knew she knew that this song was what I was trying to say but couldn't. That song is track one of the playlist. The rest of the playlist are songs she will be receiving soon. I hope this playlist can help anyone out there who is coping with a loss.

-Relic

1. Timshel- Mumford and Sons
Listen here.

2. You Made Me Want to be A Saint- The Wonder Years
Listen here.

3. The Leaving Song- AFI
Listen here.

4. I Can Feel Your Pain- Manchester Orchestra
Listen here.

5. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song- Fleet Foxes
Listen here.

6. Lullabies- All Time Low
Listen here.

7. Saying Goodbye- Every Avenue
Listen here.

8. Maydays and Rosaries- AM Taxi
Listen here.

9. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows- Brand New
Listen here.

10. Is That You?- Hurray For The Riff Raff
Listen here.

11. Broken- Seether
Listen here.

12. Cancer- My Chemical Romance
Listen here.

13. Soul to Squeeze- Red Hot Chili Peppers
Listen here.

14. Believe- Yellowcard
Listen here.

15. Fall Back Down- Rancid
Listen here.

Mainstream Concerts vs. Indie Concerts

I know it's not the biggest issue for a music lover to come across with. It's all about the artist and their music; but is it REALLY always the case?! Is it the people, the venue, the "event" feel? the visual?


Well I'll break it down into two catagories...Mainstream and Indie.

Nostalgia Concert Review: blink-182 Reunion Concert

Band: blink-182 with Chester French, Taking Back Sunday, and Weezer
Date: September 13, 2009
Location: Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountain View, CA

Sidenote: Sorry! this is not going to be a current concert review. There wasn't any concert worth going to this week. I could have gone and seen this acoustic/spoken word artist but I'm always too skeptical on the artists the school brings. 

Hello!

There haven't been that many shows for me the past few weeks, but the next 3 or 4 weeks will definitely be different. As a preview, here is what to expect in the next month!

October 28th

-Manchester Orchestra and The Dear Hunter-

-Skrillex Afterparty-

October 29th

-Simple Plan and Forever the Sickest Kids-

October 30th

-Anamanaguchi-

November 2nd

-Mayday Parade-

November 16th

-Newfound Glory and The Wonder Years-

Look forward to these shows in the upcoming weeks!

--Relic 

The Bamboozle Festival 2011 Review and Tips

Hello all!

One of the biggest festivals I have ever attended was The Bamboozle Festival. For the 2012 year, this will be Bamboozle's 10th anniversary. This festival is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey at the Meadowlands Stadium. This past year (2011) was my first year attending the festival. Coming all the way from California, it was a big trip (as well as slightly expensive) to make. This blog post will talk about my experience at Bamboozle, as well as some tips for people coming from places other than Jersey.

My friend and I didn't start planning our trip out to Bamboozle until about 3 months before, in January. The festival was scheduled for April 29-May 1. Once we decided to go to the festival, it was necessary to save up money.

Things that needed to be purchased/planned beforehand:

Concert Review: The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit

Band: The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit
Date: October 8, 2011
Location: Sausage Fest, Farmers Market, Santa Cruz, CA


Preconceived Thoughts of the Band: A friend of mine manages the band for a class. All she said was they are middle aged men that sound like Mumford and Sons. hmmm..


What Actually Happened (BITCH SPOILER ALERT) - 
So a group of us (20 girls) all do a field trip to the farmer's market to see my friend's band perform. We get there pretty late because we didn't want to hear the opening bands. So we get there, and we tried to get in. This lady dress in some weird era of German clothes, tells us that the market is at full capacity and she couldn't get let anyone in. We were all pissed off!! More people were leaving then coming in. So we awkwardly stand in front of the gate, figuring out what we should do. My friend never called them and asked them to save us a couple of spots. A couple of minutes in they got on stage and start performing. 


They are nothing like Mumford and Sons. There were just another country band. I just can't stand country. Good thing we didn't listen to them.


Verdict - I don't like country music, therefore I don't like them.


Bitch Rate - 4/5

Concert Review: The New Gary Burton Quartet

Band: New Gary Burton Quartet

Date: October 7,2011

Location: Yoshi's, Oakland, CA

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band: I for one, am not an active jazz listener. I do have some Charlie Parker and some Wes Montgomery in my iTunes, but I HAVE to be in the mood for it, which is rarely. Jazz is way too complicated for me.The poly-rhythmic and complex chords never really synced in with me. I love it when I hear melody and harmony. I've always been that way since I can remember. I barely know this Gary Burton guy, but when I mentioned him to a couple of friends they were surprised (and jealous) that I would get to here him. From what I got in his biography, he's kind of a big deal. He has a great album background, has a GRAMMY for one his albums. He's a professor at Berklee College of Music. It's pretty amazing.

I'm sorry that this is a jazz concert review, but I thought it was helpful for me. As a musician, I need to explore different genres. I'm trying to become an open-minded musician....

Concert Review: Blink 182, My Chemical Romance, Matt and Kim

Band: blink 182, My Chemical Romance Opener: Matt and Kim
Date: October 2, 2011
Location: Sleep Train Amphitheater, Sacramento, CA

Preconcieved Thoughts of the Band: blink 182 is my favorite band...EVER! I saw them, two years ago at their reunion tour and I was blown away (and in physical pain) from their performance. They are known for playing loud punk rock and as fast as they can. I knew what they were going to be playing in their set list, even their new songs off the album Neighborhoods. I was so prepared for them. My Chemical Romance on the other hand, is a different story. I haven't heard from the since middle school. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge was pretty much it for me. I strayed away from the emo scene to more indie rock afterward. I knew a couple of singles form their Black Parade album but that was pretty much it. They did change their image to a more colorful one, but I was pretty DGAF about them. Finally Matt and Kim was another band I was crazy to see at the tour. They were on my playlist all of freshman year in college. I missed their performance at the Fillmore a year ago, but I wasn't going to miss them this time. 

Concert Review: Beirut

Band: Beirut
Date: October 1, 2011
Location: The Fox Theater, Oakland, Ca

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band - My current roommate introduced me to them about 2 years ago with the track "Elephant Gun", and I became an instant fan. I loved the use of trumpets, french horns, trombones, and tubas. They have very unusual sounds which is made by their unusual use of instruments. My music management professor mentioned the band a couple of times during his lectures. I wouldn't consider their sound to be a platform for every band to copy, but it is a unique sound that makes them stand out.

Blink-182, My Chemical Romance and Matt and Kim: Concert Review and Photos

Band: Blink 182, My Chemical Romance Opener: Matt and Kim
Date: October 2, 2011
Location: Sleep Train Amphitheater, Wheatland, CA

Preface:

Noely and I attended the same show, but we definitely both have different views of the show, being different levels of a "fan" so to speak. Enjoy :)

Preconceived Thoughts of the Band -

For Matt and Kim:

I had previously never heard any of their music before the show. I have some friends who absolutely love Matt and Kim, and those friends and I have pretty similar music taste. Going into their set, I expected to enjoy them, just based on my similar music taste with other fans.

My Chemical Romance:

I have been an on again off again fan of MCR for about 8 years. Back in middle school, my younger brother was obsessed with this band so I have been exposed to their music for quite some time. However, over the years their sound has definitely changed, and for me, it wasn't necessarily for the better. I loved their first two albums, but their last two I never really got in to. I had seen MCR live about 5 years ago, so going in to this show, I wasn't sure what to expect, since they are an aging band with a new sound.

Blink-182:

Much like the Brand New show, I was unsure how this show was going to play out. Since Blink is definitely an aging band, I have heard that seeing them now is not as good as seeing them, say, 6 or 7 years ago. While this can go for any band, I had heard bad things about this fact in regards to Blink. However, since I had never seen them live before, I had to go to experience them at least once, and I kept in mind the fact that they may not sound as good as they once did.

What Actually Happened (BITCH SPOILER ALERT) -

Recommendation for the Yellowcard Show

This month there are going to be quite a few shows that are tempting to go to. However, with a small pocketbook and increasing ticketmaster convenience charges, going to all the amazing shows that are coming up is not possible. Since the Yellowcard/Every Avenue, nevershoutnever, and Skrillex concert are all around the same date, I would recommend you attend the Yellowcard/Every Avenue show.

Yellowcard

Yellowcard is a pop punk band from Florida that formed in 1997. One of the unique features of this band is the fact that they use violin, which is unusual for this genre. The band released three records before going on a two-year hiatus and then releasing their most current album. Yellowcard has been on tour with reputable bands, such as All Time Low and Linkin Park. Every Avenue is a pop punk band from Michigan that formed in 2003. They have released 4 full lengths albums and 3 EP’s. They have toured with All Time Low, Mayday Parade, Boys Like Girls and The Maine. Both Yellowcard and Every Avenue have played at Warped Tour. These bands playing together would be a very strong and well-played show. This show would cost you $22.

nevershoutnever

nevershoutnever is a pop punk band from Joplin, Missouri. The front of the band, Christofer Drew began making music in 2005. The band has 6 EP’s and 2 full-length albums. While they have quite a large fan base due to Drew’s good looks and nomination as PETA’s sexiest vegetarian, he has often played and come to his shows drunk and high, which other fans, concert attendees and I find disrespectful to his audience. He also has a bad reputation for being mean and rude to fans when they approach him before and after shows. This show would cost you $27.

Skrillex

Skrillex, also known as Sonny Moore is producer from Los Angeles. He was once the front man for the band From First To Last, but now is known as Skillex and plays electro house music. He has grown quite popular in this music scene. However, when weighing the pros and cons between all of these shows, this show is the most expensive. While it may be fun, it is not exactly the type of music that this company is known for writing about nor is it worth the price of two other concerts that we can attend. Another negative about this show is that it is sold out on ticketmaster, so tickets would have to be purchased via stubhub, and currently the tickets listed are double the original asking price. This show would cost you $88.

Yes on Yellowcard

While all of these shows would offer a good experience, the Yellowcard/Every Avenue show would be the best and most tried and true for your money concert. Seeing the nevershoutnever concert would be fun because of the natural, good spirited music of Christofer Drew, but his poor attitude and usually inebriated self is definitely less attractive to the audience. Skrillex would bring to the table a dancing filled night, but the price is not worth drive into the city.

--Relic