The Avett Brothers have just completed a second pass through metro Detroit in the last six months and are drawing in new fans and keeping the old ones happy with their always-impressive live performances. The summer crowd was a mish-mash of diehards mixed with newbies whose interest was peaked by the 93.9 [...]]]>

Concentration: Scott Avett

The Avett Brothers have just completed a second pass through metro Detroit in the last six months and are drawing in new fans and keeping the old ones happy with their always-impressive live performances. The summer crowd was a mish-mash of diehards mixed with newbies whose interest was peaked by the 93.9 annual summer Riverfest promotion. Opening bands on the bill at the Fillmore Detroit were UK stars One Eskimo and singer-songwriter Justin Nozuka.

The headlining Avetts played songs from their 10+ albums and sessions with such intensity and vigor it was often hard to tell the newer songs from the older ones because their catalog is so deep.  The show was a roller coaster ride with fast-tempo jams like “One Line Wonder” from 2004’s Mignonette up hill and the mellow “January Wedding” from I and Love and You on the downside. Everything in between was spot on as well and I often come away from their shows with some new favorite songs.

Commonly heard upon exit from fellow audience members were statements such as, “That’s the best concert I’ve been to all year!” I couldn’t agree more.

I ♥ She & Him. That’s what the concert t-shirt reads that I bought, and I usually don’t buy concert t-shirts. However, there was something so real and pure about this duo that I could not resist the t-shirt, or declaring my love. She [...]]]>

Zooey Deschanel of She and Him.

I ♥ She & Him. That’s what the concert t-shirt reads that I bought, and I usually don’t buy concert t-shirts. However, there was something so real and pure about this duo that I could not resist the t-shirt, or declaring my love. She & Him consists of Hollywood free-spirit starlet Zooey Deschanel and indie-rock superstar M. Ward. Both are equally talented, she not only being an actress but also a talented musician and singer-songwriter and him a guitar-playing singer and production genius.  M graciously allows Zooey to glow in the spotlight and that she does.

The pair, along with the Chaplin sisters and their traveling band meandered into sold-out Royal Oak Music Theatre on a lazy Sunday night. The crowd was fairly young and mellow, but the show was not. Performing with old soul and energy She & Him killed on songs like “Thieves” and the crowd sing-a-long “In the Sun.” Deschanel’s voice was soothing and M’s almost sultry on “Brand New Shoes” while “You Really Got a Hold on Me” was lovely and fun.

Playing a strong repertoire from both their albums, Volumes 1 and 2, She & Him definitely certified their place in the music scene. Their musical combination is divine – part indie, a portion folk, a quarter bit vintage soul, and a smidge of country with small bits of everything else thrown in. This girl and boy make my heart swoon.  They might make yours too…

She and Him are touring throughout the summer. They play Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, TN tonight. For more dates, check out www.sheandhim.com. Both of their albums are available at Amazon.com.

(Photo and review courtesy of Christian Spencer & Nicole Cummings. If you want to check out more photos from this show and others, check out www.flickr.com/photos/christian_nicole).

The Local Natives are commonly compared to their contemporary indie peers—Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Yaesayer, etc.—the very convenient list goes on to capture just about every band that has [...]]]>

Local Natives' Taylor Rice & Baba Booey from "Howard Stern"- seperated at birth? Maybe. (Photo: Christian Spencer & Nicole Cummings)

The Local Natives are commonly compared to their contemporary indie peers—Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective, Yaesayer, etc.—the very convenient list goes on to capture just about every band that has a song playing on college radio.  It’s a lazy comparison—Local Natives, especially live, have a lot more working for them than much of today’s indie scene. Their melodic tunes have more depth and sense of history —glimpses of the Beach Boys intertwined with hints of earthier groups like The Samples or Rusted Root.  There is a maturity to the Local Native sound that is missing in many of the routine sounds of their contemporaries.

Live, they shine. At the formerly smoke filled 400 person Blind Pig in Ann Arbor they put on a positively exciting performance.  They deliver their sound with such an authoritative intensity that their recorded music sounds bland in comparison.  What’s also intensely engaging is how well the ‘Natives work together as a band, they are convincing in their collaboration and everything fits and feels necessary. Unlike many lopsided acts out there today, the Local Natives work to prove that every member plays an integral role in the music. We’re convinced.

(Photo and review courtesy of Christian Spencer & Nicole Cummings. If you want to check out more photos from this show and others, check out www.flickr.com/photos/christian_nicole).

There is a certain wildly popular independent music website that absolutely loathes OK Go; too contrived, too formulaic, too campy. Their albums get completely blasted for trying too hard to be commercially successful. The most positive thing [...]]]>

OK Go during their Magic Stick performance April 22nd (photos courtesy of Christian Spencer & Nicole Cummings.)

There is a certain wildly popular independent music website that absolutely loathes OK Go; too contrived, too formulaic, too campy. Their albums get completely blasted for trying too hard to be commercially successful. The most positive thing mentioned is that you’ll like a handful of songs, but hate yourself in the morning for it.  Although we will agree that rush hour lip-synching to ‘C-C-C-Cinnamon Lips’ cannot be categorized as “cool”, these guys can put together a solid play list and are an absolute blast to see in concert.

Opening songs often forecast the performance to come, and in the case of OK Go- they powered right out of the gate with a fast and loud version of “Invincible”. They kept an engaging pace all night mixing up old and new songs with confetti cannons, goofy dance moves and middle of the crowd podium signing.  We were hoping for something involving treadmills- but aside from our irrational expectations- this is a fun band that understands how to put on a great show. So as long as you don’t try and take it too seriously, we’ll think you’ll agree with us.

(Review courtesy of Christian Spencer & Nicole Cummings. A full gallery of photos from the show are available at www.flickr.com/photos/christian_nicole)

There is no confusing the on stage performance of Clarence Greenwood, a.k.a. Citizen Cope, with Iggy Pop. Clarence is, to say the least, laid back. He’s a lot gentle strumming, some shallow swaying and a bit [...]]]>

Citizen Cope at Royal Oak Theater April 20, 2010. (Photo courtesy of Christian Spencer & Nicole Cummings)

There is no confusing the on stage performance of Clarence Greenwood, a.k.a. Citizen Cope, with Iggy Pop. Clarence is, to say the least, laid back. He’s a lot gentle strumming, some shallow swaying and a bit of back and forth head tossing mixed with subtle vocals from a barely open mouth and rarely open eyes. For sure, there will be no Superbowl-esque fireworks at a Citizen Cope show. But who really expected there to be? Concerts are your chance to see an artist in the flesh and hearing their sound in person. And performing live, Citizen Cope sounds great. His raspy, torn and sometimes troubled voice sounded positively warm inside Royal Oak Music Theater.

Although the band played a pleasant mix of songs from the newly released The Rainwater LP as well as older favorites like “Bullet and a Target” and “Hurricane Waters,” it was clear that the new album hadn’t yet caught on with the crowd. They’ll be out touring for the remainder of spring and back in Detroit with O.A.R. this summer.  Just don’t expect any jumping around.

(For more of Christian & Nicole’s photos of this show and others, check out www.flickr.com/photos/christian_nicole)

Mayer Hawthorne, dressed to impress in a bright red suit and tie, wheeled into St. Andrew’s Hall for a hometown show of sorts. Mayer, born Andrew Mayer Cohen in Ann Arbor, has been touring the country since September to promote his [...]]]>

Mayer Hawthorne during his show @ St. Andrew's Hall March 26th.

Mayer Hawthorne, dressed to impress in a bright red suit and tie, wheeled into St. Andrew’s Hall for a hometown show of sorts. Mayer, born Andrew Mayer Cohen in Ann Arbor, has been touring the country since September to promote his album, A Strange Arrangement. His most recent stop before hitting Detroit was the highly acclaimed South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.

After a rocking set by DJ House Shoes and a charming performance by Nikki Jean, Hawthorne took to the stage with full on back-up from his County Band.  His eclectic soulfulness was apparent in his thirteen song set featuring such hits as “Green-Eyed Love” and “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out.” His stage presence and mad tambourine skills had the crowd grooving. He also played to the locals by mixing in stories of his favorite Detroit food spots and sing-a-long covers of late 80s car commercials. Well done, sir.

(Pictures and reviews courtesy of Christian Spencer & Nicole Cummings. For more photos of the Mayer Hawthorne show and others, check out www.flickr.com/photos/christian_nicole Mayer Hawthorne continues to tour the Midwest, for dates in your area, check out http://www.myspace.com/mayerhawthorne)