Dispatch at World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA 8-24-2012

Every now and again one discovers music that is somehow more then music and is, dare I say spiritual, and DISPATCH'S performance at the Free at Noon  made me feel like part of the DISPATCH family.

This band is just ONE of a zillion reasons to love music and to seek out good new music. New being defined as new to you!

This show was at capacity and the crowd was more then stoked to see them. The band joked that; "we didn't know what to expect, but we didn't think there would be real people singing, dancing and clapping". I wanted to shout back thanks for playing music to sing and dance and clap too!

These guys were not messing around and the smiles and laughs as the audience more then showed their appreciation for their performance was only matched by the bands passion and enthusiasm in performing.

Every song was more then a show highlight. the new songs were executed beautifully and had harmonies that had me longing to hear them (the harmonies) again and these songs could have used the signature DISPATCH extended jam sessions..
The new songs performed were - Circles Around the Sun, Not Messin' and Get Ready Boy.

The performance of The General and  Elias were spiritual - I really don't have words that will work to describe them. The audience singing along words like "go now you are forgiven" repeatedly and "I see your boys and when they look up, You know I think they got their mother's eyes, 'cause she looks so proud, she looks so happy".

Wikipedia categorizes these guys as reggae, flamenco, funk, ska, folk, rock and rap....I categorize them as beautiful, downright beautiful. Loved this show.

Band of Horses @World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA, 8-17-2012

WXPN Free at Noon concert series yielded a great combo of Selah Sue and Band of Horses.

Selah Sue put on a warm and rousing set of three songs. Songs that seemed to rise up from her very being and resonate with guts and soul.

Band of Horses was on track and did a fun wake-up set that had folks singing along and swaying to the sounds. It's great when a band is having a good time and they certainly were as they introduced some new songs and crowd favorites like The Great Salt Lake. The song Older written and performed by keyboardist Ryan was perfectly performed.

Many artists who play World Cafe' Free at Noon are pleasantly surprised by not only the turnout and intimacy of the venue, but of the fan appreciation and this set was no exception.

Alexi Murdoch @ Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, Washington DC, 10-18-2011

This is the third time this year I caught Alexi. His music is real, his music is Alexi communicating love and truth. It's like listening to someone with great wisdom and experience and not so much sing or play for you as much share with you.

The stage was set. Alexi's acoustic,  hollow body, violin and his small boxed accordion instrument.  An accompanying trombone player who worked some very light mixing of sorts and a versatile percussionist.

This is the way to see Alexi. Stripped down to minimal instruments and players.

The "intro" listed on the set list was a great lyrical masterpiece; words that welcomed you to his music, words that gave you troubles and hopes.

Seeing Alexi perform is not so much about a show or concert as much as gaining tranquility in life and  remembering what is important - people/love/time. The more I learn about Alexi and his music the more I enjoy life and it's small appreciations and I am thankful for this friend that Alexi shares musically with us.

It's interesting to watch him tune his guitar and fiddle with the tuning. It is a joy to see the details he puts into this. It's like breathing....just enjoying the back and forth of the tuning. When he does this (and remember I've seen him do it at three different shows this year), it's like you are sitting on a porch with someone watching the clouds roll by. Purpose is that moment and that moment alone- Tune on Alexi, tune on!

Highlights include - Anything he performed that I did not know including the intro and two of the encores. Alexi going directly from Segue to All my Days was about as natural of a transition as you will ever hear. Slow Revolution which is a song that is heavy on my playlist and Lay My Body Down- he totally cut lose on this one vocally and he blew us away.

Hope you get to catch him.

Andrew Bird @ Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Washington DC, 12-8-2010

Gezelligheid~ is a Dutch abstract noun which, depending on context, can be translated as convivial, cosy, fun, quaint, or nice atmosphere, but can also connote belonging, time spent with loved ones, the fact of seeing a friend after a long absence, or general togetherness.

Mr. Bird titled these intimate shows as a "gezelligheid" and on this frigid, windy, December evening an intimate evening of creativity and mind expansion was needed...the only thing missing was a crackling fire.

This is my my first Bird show and my first attendance at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.
Both entities win!

Bird, he wanted to play, he is on the top of his craft, he is creating, living, expressing and as he experiments with what he knows best (and music is what he knows) the outcome is like perfected construction, the layers intoxicating and at times overwhelming within their own creativity, but the overwhelming complexity is truly a creative positive exercise for one's mind.

Andrew Bird is an artist and watching him perform is artistry for one's ears and the sounds are not of the normal construction one hears.

There was an addition of Plasticity and the completion of other songs that may not have been in complete form before, but this music is fluid in nature and the production is not of a repetitious nature, but like wind blowing things here and there, but yet with power.

Sixth and I Historic Synagogue is worth a visit in of itself and I could not believe the intimacy of this venue truly an intriguing experience.

The fun of watching/listening/rubbing shoulders with Mr. Bird is an experience not only worth retelling, but also revisiting should the opportunities arise.

The Frames @ the TLA, Philadelphia, PA 11-19-2010

It was like Christmas morn', the waxing moon brought about an early gift in the form of The Frames opening tour night.

Every song, every moment, was a glorious adventure of living a musical fantasy with Glen and the band as they laughed and smiled with each other throughout the set, but most noticeably at the close of each song.

Glen remarked how terrified they were about performing songs they had not performed in a long time. He also mentioned how they had performed the longest sound check they could ever remember and then took a nap!

They played a few more then the set-list indicates. Colm mentioned they had planned on 90 minutes (1st show) and ended up doing 2+ hours. It was apparent that Glen wanted to go longer and was just enjoying himself like a child unwrapping Christmas presents in the form of songs.

For those attending the shows-- be ready to have a special evening of classic Frames. As the tour warms up and the band loosens up, the shows are going to get tighter and tighter, not that this show was not tight, it was.

Highlights for me- Star Star, Disappointed and all of the band's foray into brief glimpses of Neil Young, Pure Imagination, Redemption Song and so on.

I am glad they are a down to earth group of musicians that make you feel as if you are part of the band and act as if you know them all.

The band's fun-loving attitude is infectious. I am just trying to figure out how get to their next show.

Roger Waters @ the Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA 11-8-2010

In 1980 I purchased the double album, The Wall, upon it's release and with a group of friends was able to get tickets for the NY show. Those friends did not come through with the tickets and now 30 years later a desire to see some, any, semblance of Pink Floyd in my lifetime has been achieved.

Roger Waters performing The Wall in it's entirety. Sure we are missing key people and David Gilmour's guitar work although duplicated spot on, was missed by this long-time fan.

I had obstructive view seats, but was excited to see the show.

During the intermission Roger had pictures of people who were victims of political and war events. I think most fans, did not feel the impact that these visuals brought about, but for me they were beyond emotional as I read name after name and viewed picture after picture of loved ones who's lives were gone due to anger and hate. The images of these individuals drove home not just the pain of war, but primarily of love, love from the ones who had lost friends, fathers, brothers and husbands.

Visually the show was amazing, from the wall being built, to the films cast upon the wall and the various enlarged props during the show.

I felt an emotional pulls throughout the show, but none came as strong as towards the end of the show as I wanted to shout out and did....TEAR DOWN THE WALL, TEAR DOWN THE WALL, TEAR DOWN THE WALL!!

This was not a concert of typical fare. People loved the rock anthems of "Run Like Hell" and "Comfortably Numb" and their production was over the top as the rock anthems they are, but the truth of the show was, for me, caught in the lyrics of ALL the songs and ALL the parts duplicated as I so joyfully recalled as I learned the lyrics when listening to the album.

Many people have been quoted as to shedding a tear at the end of the show, I for one did not, maybe it was the obstructed view, but I think it was more of my desire to TEAR DOWN THE WALL then desiring The Wall to be torn down.

One EskimO @ The World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA 4-5-2010

What a band, and what an "Amazing" disc. Live they come off a little more studioesque then I would like and I would prefer a rougher true to form cut without the computer generated sound mixes.
That aside, they truly are enjoying their craft and performing it.

The World Cafe is a great venue and catching these guys there on a Monday night was a hoot.

Very little interaction with the audience, more of a performance show and not because of the video shown during the set. It's just the way they roll....they play.

Great kudos for instrumentation and wherewithal to get their intricate sound out.

This is a band you will hear from if you don't know them yet.