George David Weiss, co-writer of "Can't Help Falling in Love," which became a focal point of Elvis Presley's live shows, died last week of natural causes. He was 89.
A multi-instrumentalist and former bandleader, Mr. Weiss penned a number of memorable songs for music's biggest names. In addition to Presley recording, Louis Armstrong made a mark with "What a Wonderful World" and Frank Sinatra and Perry Como also recorded his compositions.
Perhaps his biggest contribution to the pop-rock songcraft was his impact reworking "Mbube," written by South African Solomon Linda in 1939 and recorded as "Wimoweh" in the early 1950s by The Weavers. In the early 1960s Weiss and two others wrote additional melody and penned new lyrics, transforming "Mbube" into "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," retaining the "wimoweh, wimoweh" refrain that helped the song become a hit for The Weavers and helping "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" become a hit for the Tokens in 1961.
Sometimes, whether in the studio or live on stage, there is a moment where a performer sparks and burns like a match and, if we're lucky, that moment -- John Lennon's vocal chord-crushing scream on "Twist & Shout," Bruce Springsteen's raw, scared and endless "Hiding on the backstreets!" cry from "Backstreets" -- is captured for us to hear. Leonard Cohen's entire early morning set before 600,000 people at 1970's Isle of Wight rock festival is such a moment, now available after 40 years as Leonard Cohen Live at the Isle of Wight 1970. And while it might begin with the flick of a thumbnail on a match head the set smolders for 90 minutes -- a must-hear recording if there is one.
Some background of the Isle of Wight festival is necessary before listening to Cohen's first note. Planned for a max of 200,000 people, the concert drew 600,000 people to Afton Down on the Isle off the south coast of England -- and most of those folks decided they shouldn't have to pay. As at Woodstock, promoters eventually gave up and let everyone in for free, but that didn't stop those who just wanted to disrupt. Fans lit fires, booed and threw beer cans at quieter performers and those they didn't like, until Jimi Hendrix eventually went on with a blistering performance that Cohen was expected to follow. He wouldn't, at least not right away, because someone had set the stage's organ and piano on fire and pushed them over the edge. Cohen told promoters he'd go on as soon as they found him a piano, and he went off to take a nap.
Shortly after two in the morning Cohen finally takes the stage with The Army, his hippie group of backup musicians and singers (that includes fiddle player Charlie Daniels). He looks out into the darkness at 600,000 tired, angry, hungry, wet, drunken, frustrated, on the edge, almost-out-of-control people and with the voice of their conscience he brings them together. He starts by quietly telling a story, a methodically slow story about a circus. His raspy voice, soft tone, silent band and possibly even the story itself causes conversations to quiet and arguments to end and attention to be paid, and the story leads to his asking them all to light a match "so I can see where you all are." He grounds them all, brings them out of the darkness, turns their attention to him, and then reflects it back into their souls.
Cohen opens with "Bird on a Wire," pausing long and emphatically between each of the song's first words, making sure they are paying attention: "Like........ a.........bird." And you can hear 40 years later that they are right there. He introduces and sings "So Long, Marianne," then he stops and he talks with them again, speaking to 600,000 people as if they are sitting on his couch in his apartment. "Let's renew ourselves now," he suggests, and for almost a full minute he provides a mantra for the crowd, and then he sings "You Know Who I Am" and they applaud.
Cohen sings and speaks that early morning with the voice of a poet, and while it's not the voice of a singer it was just the voice those people needed. He tells quiet stories about his songs, he whispers poetry, some undoubtedly improvised, and he pokes fun at himself and lets the audience in on the joke. But mainly he sings to them and for them and even about them.
He sings 13 songs (including "Suzanne," see the clip) from his first two albums, Songs Of Leonard Cohen and Songs from a Room, and he introduces several new songs, including the high point of the concert and album, "Famous Blue Raincoat," one of the most stunning, haunting songs about love, betrayal, redemption and forgiveness ever penned. (Jennifer Warnes more than does the song justice on her Cohen tribute record Famous Blue Raincoat but Cohen gets to the heart of the matter quicker and more deeply here, and it's only when he's done that you realize you're holding your breath.)
Finally, he closes the show with "Seems Like So Long Ago, Nancy," which he dedicates to a woman he knew who committed suicide with a shotgun in her bathtub. "But," Cohen says softly, "There was no one else around her to light all their matches."
Pick this up, hit the lights, and light a candle or two.
If there is one thing Bob Dylan has, it is "bootlegs." Hence his idea for his "Bootleg Series," we'd imagine, and he is ready to add more to it. The 9th volume titled "The Witmark Demos" will be released on October 19th of this year.
Billboard is reporting that the 47 track collection will feature songs from 1962 thru 1964 including, Blowing In The Wind, Mr. Tambourine Man, and The Times They Are A-Changin. In addition to the bootlegged songs, the compilation will include 15 songs that were recorded exclusively for this release as well as deluxe booklet with rare photos as the liner notes. This is Dylan's first "Bootlegs" project since 2008 and it should be a good one.
In other Dylan news, accompanying the release of this collection, Columbia/Legacy will release a boxed set of Dylan's first eight albums reproduced from their original mono mixes.
October looks to be the month of Bob Dylan in 2010. Check back here as more information becomes available.
Though Lollapalooza's final day was dominated by bigger names throughout the late afternoon and evening, there were still some gems to be found flexing on the side stages.
1. The Ike Reilly Assassination displayed a fun blend of folk, blues and rock during its 45-minute set on the Sony bloggie stage. Lead by storyteller Ike Reilly, the band played accessible music that attracted a crowd standing way back under the trees and into the street. Reilly's meandering songs are stories that bear the mark of fiction and tall tales.. or do they?
2. Freelance Whales on the BMI stage (which came in #1 on the StraightLinesMusic Favorite Stage Poll) receives a ton of indie buzz and website chatter, and their set proved there's more than something to the acclaim. The band plays what Lolla describes as "folk-inspired pop" and has drawn comparisons to Arcade Fire (early Beck seems more like it based on the Lolla performance but if you check out this clip you can see where the Arcade Fire reference fits) but there's no denying the great melodies, pop hooks, and high energy.
3. Hockey, which landed its "Song Away" as one of the high points of WXRT's recent New Music Sampler, rocked hard on Sony bloggie and gave those who were hoping to hear some straight-on retro rock a place to settle in for an hour. The basic two guitar, bass, drum lineup is led by lead singer and guitarist Ben Grubin, and if your taste is more toward standard than experimental fare then Hockey is worth a listen.
Music fans can hear two of Lollapalooza's better lesser-known bands at a great venue when The xx and Warpaint play The Chicago Theatre on Sept. 28. The two bands (see our Lolla coverage) were highlights of the Fest, though The xx was hurt by playing a mid-afternoon set and too large an outdoor venue. The xx atmospheric vocals and sparse instrumentation should translate well in The Chicago Theatre, and Warpaint's sound will carry the place and will likely be a tough act for xx to follow. Zola Jesus opens.
Tickets are on sale Saturday but the presale runs tomorrow from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Just visit www.thechicagotheatre.com and use the presale code HCBASIC.
You never know what you are going to get with an Eric Clapton solo project. Will it be stuff like Wonderful Tonight and My Father's Eyes, or the good stuff, you know...the blues stuff. We won't know until the record hits stores, but we do now know when that will be. Mark your calendars, set a reminder on your blackberry, because "Clapton" is dropping on September 28th.
"Clapton," is Eric Clapton's 19th studio album and his first since 2005's "Back Home." Throughout the five years in which he was not in the studio, Clapton took time to tour with old rock legends Steve Winwood and Jeff Beck.
He says of the new album, "It's actually better than it was meant to be because, in a way, I just let it happen...it's an eclectic collection of songs that weren't really on the map-and I like it so much because if it's a surprise to the fans, that's only because it's a surprise to me, as well."
Among the lesser-known bands worth a long listen on Lolla's second day are:
The Morning Benders. Sounding a lot like an updated 1960s California pop band, these folks out of Berkeley kicked off the Sony bloggie stage for the day with a too-brief 30-minute set. Great guitar, sunny melody, good rockin' in the afternoon. Check out their 2010 release Big Echo.
Skybox. This Chicago band rocked pretty hard on the BMI stage, and though their sound is sometimes compared to MGMT their pop sound was more electric than electronic in this gig. New album: Morning After Cuts.
Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. Must have been the day for the Sony bloggie stage. This hippie band had an SRO crowd bouncing and killing more grass than any other band on that stage. Hyped by a number of music mags including Rolling Stone, these folks were featured on David Letterman -- or at least some of them were. While Sharpe is a constant the Magnetic Zeros are a rotating group, so while you never know who you're going to hear you can be assured they're going to be fun -- and easy -- to listen to. Comparisons are often dicey but press references to both Arcade Fire and the 1960s Mamas and the Papas resonate.
Harlem. Check out an earlier blog about these guys as they were a nice surprise following a lackluster indoor set three weeks ago opening for The Dead Weather. Hippies is their second album, released this spring.
Warpaint. Certainly the discovery of the day was this all-woman band which played a dense, dreamy but accessible set that rocked for 45 minutes and the crowd loved them. Powered by newest madwoman member Stella Mozgawa on the drums, this band plays music with a lyrical and musical edge -- and on the Sony bloggie stage you could hear understand the vocals. All four, including bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg and guitarists Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman, take turns on vocals so the band's sound shows different colors. Look for hints of Mary Well's "My Guy" in the "Billie Holiday" clip. Their debut EP is Exquisite Corpse.
Time to take a look at some of the nice surprises Lollapalooza held for those wandering the fields.
The Constellations. An early-afternoon act on Day One, this eight-person Atlanta band drew a good-sized crowd that seemed interested at the start but was enthusiastic by the end of the 45-minute set. Energetic pop music with some great hooks. Check out their first album, Southern Gothic, which chronicles (kind of) a late night in Atlanta.
Semi Precious Weapons. Okay, these guys were over the top, and lead singer Justin Tranter is the over the toppest. When he wasn't disrobing, pouring champaign on the front row, spewing a champaign mist as far as he could, or sticking his head through a 6-ft. portrait a fan passed him he was berating and abusing the crowd, accusing them of not doing something or of doing something or of being afraid to do something. Lady Gaga calls her fans "monsters" but these guys (who reportedly are Gaga's favorite band) aren't so nice. "Bitches" are the the prettiest term of endearment Tranter used and you can use your imagination to figure out what else he called the band's fans. Nasty lyrics, seamy songs, dirty images...but, hey, you can dance to it.
Billy Joe Armstrong, lead singer of rock band Green Day, was arrested by Chicago police officers following the band's performance Saturday night at Lollapalooza. Police said Armstrong was charged with violating a city ordinance that permits a maximum of 40 references by a performer to "Chicago" as a cheap way to generate noise from the audience.
"We were going to go back and review the tape but once we started counting there was no need," said the arresting officer. "He blew by 40 before he hit the encores and now he'll have to pay for it."
Armstrong was released on his own recognisance after promising to return to the city for his court date.
...and the next day...
Judge Gives Green Day's Armstrong Reprieve
Billy Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day who was charged with shouting out "Chicago" more than 40 times during the band's Lollapalooza set last Saturday, was given a reprieve by the judge who heard the case.
"He obviously got a little over energized," said the judge in releasing Armstrong. "Plus, he sang Chicago -- and not just the chorus. He knew the whole song and that should be worth something. I mean, how many performers even know there's a second verse?"
A relieved Armstrong thanked the judge and promised to be more careful on the band's next visit. "I apologize to Chicago and Chicagoans and everyone throughout the Chicago area," Armstrong said. "I didn't even know Chicago had a law against too many 'Chicagos' on stage but, hey, I guess that's Chicago. I've been to Chicago a whole bunch of times and Chicago has always been an exciting place, and that was probably my most exciting Chicago night."
In a related story the Downers Grove City Council approved a resolution declaring every August 7 Green Day Day in the suburb. "We're just glad anyone even knows we're out here," said the sponsoring council member. "There are 364 other days every year so if any other bands want to mention us we'll give them their own day too."
It would be pretty difficult to bring 150 bands together for three days and not have at least a few of them leave you wondering what all the hype was about, so here's a look at some of the bands that didn't quite justify the pre-palooza hype.
1. X Japan. Seriously? These guys have sold 20 million records? Who to? Talk about an over-the-top band, this Sunday performance -- on the Parkways Foundation big stage no less -- was the band's first ever in the U.S., and there was little to impress. Loud and louder. Shrill, bone-chilling vocals. Icy hot painful guitars. Hyper-amped, double kick drums... It hurt the ears. Blood red flashpots eaarly in the set hinted at what was coming -- but not much could prepare the crowd for singers shrieking, exhorting the medium-sized crowd to "Scream!" repeatedly throughout. Not that there wasn't something to X Japan. Delicate piano, taped Japanese choral interludes, and some decent guitar playing were evident throughout -- just not worth the time or the aural damage.
2. Erykah Badu. Okay, let's make sure we get this accurate. X Japan ends promptly at 5:00. A few minutes later Badu sends out her DJ who spins two vinyls for 10 minutes. Then her band strolls out and they play for 9 minutes. Then Badu saunters to stage right and stands there, hands on hips, golden Sly Stone hair style glinting in the hot sun. She wanders to the mic, peering at the audience as if asking "What you lookin' at?" and then starts to sing... 22 minutes into a 60-minute performance. If Samuel Beckett had been in attendance avant garde theater would be presenting "Waiting for Badu."
3. Wolfmother. Back on the Parkways stage, this band tries to stake a claim to a Led Zepelinish sound, and if that's accurate, well... good riddance to Led Zeppelin. But I doubt it's the case. Loud does not Zeppelin make, and after 15 minutes it was clear there was little difference from once song to the next. Can they play? Yes. Does it matter? Not last Sunday it didn't.
4. MGMT. Well, this isn't going to make many people happy but I just don't get it. Kids had the huge Budweiser stage crowd bouncing but other than that what was there? MGMT sounds alittle different than most bands so they get some credit for that, but what's all the buzz about? Maybe I'm missing something.
5. Dirty Projectors. These folks get a lot support from the indie underground and even fellow artists but Friday afternoon their experimental indie rock fell flat -- at best. Standing and listening to these folks fiddle about trying to be innovative was quite the annoying 60 minutes -- especially the pounding synth that started midway through and lasted the entire rest of the set.
6. The xx. This band only partly belongs in this list -- because they played a good set, I think. The biggest problem was how this band was going to translate what Lollapalooza described as "sleepy vocals and minimalist instrumentation" to an outdoor stage in the middle of a sunny afternoon. The Playstation stage (Petrillo Bandshell) was packed -- so much so that it was difficult to get in to hear. And while the instrumentation ame through loud and clear, the vocals were almost completely lost by the time the sound reached the first walkway. Not necessarily the band's fault but too bad they weren't on one of the smaller stages... check them out when they come to a club near you.
7. Lady Gaga. An awful lot of people believed (or at least were interested because of) the hype, and many of those types of music fans left the Parkways Foundation stage in droves, either to catch the rest of The Strokes or their train. Supposedly her set got better as it went along but a lot of those with mild interest were long gone by then.
When Harlem opened for The Dead Weather two weeks ago at Congress Theater the band could not have been more clueless or careless. Whether it was the terrible acoustics, the late night start, or the fact that almost everyone was just waiting for The Dead Weather, Harlem played a completely uninspired set. Known for short songs, pop melodies with a hint of punk, entertaining onstage patter, and unplanned sets whose spontaneity showcases the best of the band, this Tucson trio did nothing to engage the crowd -- and the audience responded in kind. To Harlem's credit, I suppose, they seemed to realize early on they weren't connecting. Unfortunately instead of trying to fight their way through their ineffectiveness they just figured "Let's play it out and watch the Dead Weather too."
Fast forward to Saturday on the Sony bloggie stage, one of the smaller Lolla stages nestled in a grove of trees. With a hot sun beating down on the SRO crowd and hundreds more onlookers in the shade, Harlem displayed what got them to Lolla (and what got them the shot as DW openers). Guitarist Michael Coomers and drummer Curtis O'Mara sang and played quick, sharp melodic pop, anchored by Jose Boyer on bass. Pounding over-amped drums and Coomers slashing guitar (including a broken string on the first song) kept the band rooted in the punk stylings, and the 45-minute set was so much more effective and enjoyable than their opening set you just had to wonder. Maybe they're just not night people.
It's a Lolla tradition to spotlight Elder Statesmen (and Stateswomen) of the music industry and Day 1 this year showcased two of influential singers to great effect.
Gospel icon Mavis Staples hit the Budweiser stage right on schedule Friday afternoon, kicking off her set with an acappella song that lead in to a rousing number from her soon-to-be released Jeff Tweedy-produced CD. The 71-year-old Staples, daughter of Pops Staples and one of the members of Chicago's First Family of Gospel Music, took the boisterous crowd to church and then to task, eventually letting them know that she would carry their burden. Midway through her set (following a guest appearance by Wilco's Tweedy on guitar) Staples picked up The Band's "The Weight"(which the Staples Singers performed with The Band at that group's Last Waltz in 1977), and arms widestretched, exhorted the crowd to "Put the Load right on me" and it looked like she could shoulder it all.
Staples closed the set after another Tweedy appearance) with "I'll Take You There," a hit by the first family in 1972, and an urge to the crowd that she take them -- and they take her. Quite a contrast to those preaching hellfire and damnation to all us sinners within hearing of their bullhorn. Too bad they missed her set.
A couple hours later on the Playstation stage reggae groundbreaker Jimmy Cliff treated a packed and enthusiastic crowd to hit after hit, including "The Harder They Come," Sitting in Limbo," "You Can Get It if You really Want," and a sweet "Many Rivers to Cross" -- all from the soundtrack of Cliff's breakthrough bad guy film, The Harder They Come.While never attaining the status of Bob Marley, Cliff should get the credit for breaking reggae music in the U.S., opening the way for Marley, Peter Tosh, and stirring the influence of that music into the American melting pot.
Politics are never far from Cliff's shows and he updated his anti-war anthem "Vietnam" to Afghanistan," even making the "telegram" an e-mail. Sadly the song, as Cliff noted, is still relevant.
He covered Cat Stevens' "Wild World," a minor hit for him, and also Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now," a Nash hit on its original release in 1972 and a hit more than 20 years later for Cliff.
But his most effective cover of the set was his closing number, The Melodian's "Rivers of Babylon," a song Jamaican group he introduced to the U.S. Seated at a conga drum and supported by four other congas (his band was tight and great all day), Cliff whispered and crooned and sang as he and his band pounded a soft rhythm to this great Rastafarian hymn
Okay, to start the overview of Lollapalooza 2010 which ended last night at Chicago's Grant Park, let's play a game. It's called "Top This Set" and up first is festival headliner, Arcade Fire.
Oh, as Hawk Harrelson would say, "This game is ovah!"
That's because despite some great music throughout the three days, no one is going to surpass Canada's Arcade Fire who raged through a 90-plus minute set to send thousands of hot, worn out, and delerious fans home happy. Despite significant sound bleeding through from a reunited Soundgarden (playing almost a mile away), Arcade Fire was able to connect with its intricate, tight, melodic music. Even more surprising is that the Fire decided to spend the bulk of the night debuting music from its new The Suburbs CD, released only six days ago. Sandwiched between set opener "No Cars Go" and set closer "Keep the Car Running" from the breakthrough Neon Bible was the bulk of the new CD -- and frontman Win Butler was surprised at the response.
More than once as he thanked the jumping, clapping, arm-waving completely enthralled audience for their presence and attention, saying "It's pretty intimidating to come out at a festival like this and play our new songs, but to have you singing them back to us is just amazing."
The last day of Lollapalooza 2010 is cruising right along.
Violent Soho took to the BMI stage for a loud 45 minute set, that included hit song Jesus Stole My Girlfriend.
Frightened Rabbit is the highlight of day three thus far. The group packed the Sony Bloggie stage with some folks filtering into the street to catch a glimpse of the scotish born folk rockers. Lyrically and musically the group was on for the entire hour long performance. The band was extremely appreciative of the fan support and rewarded them with a truly great performance.
Wolfmother did what Wolfmother does best, and that is hammer away long, hard, and loud on guitars. Nothing too special here aside from Woman, the groups big break song.
MGMT is a phenomenon that I can't fully understand. The band drew thousands upon thousands of people who just about lost their minds during the hour plus show. The group did the fan favorites like Time To Pretend and Kids; but also found time for songs off the new album, Congratulations. No matter what it was, the audience loved it and begged for more.
The National is rocking the Playstation stage at the moment with Arcade Fire waiting in the wings to close the festival down.
Stay tuned to Straight Lines all week long for Lollapalloza updates, reviews, and analysis.
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And the final day of Lollapalooza 2010 begins. It was a tad bit rainy in Grant Park this morning, but now the sun is shining bright.
Chicago's own, Company Of Thieves helped kick off day three with a very entertaining set at the Sony Bloggie stage. The band did a nice mix of old and new songs in their 45 minute performance.
Blitzen Trapper was on the schedule next, and was a bit ehhh. Not bad, but not excellent either. Much of the guitar and vocal work sounded alike which made it difficult to diiferentiate the various songs.
Hockey is on-stage now playing a very upbeat set that the crowd is actively dancing to. The group, playing their last US show before starting work on a new record, opened the set with the crowd favorite Song Away. Song Away, normally a fast paced tune due to the keyboard was slowed down a bit because of keyboard technical problems. Other than that, these guys are making it even hotter out here than it already is.
Stay tuned for more Straight Lines Music live Lollapalooza updates. Frightened Rabbit, Violent Soho, Wolfmother, MGMT, The National, and Arcade Fire, are all still to come.
Day two of Lollapalooza 2010 is almost in the books.
Against Me! played a raucus hour set that was loud, exciting, and intense. The band played many songs of their new album, White Crosses, but fit in plenty of old cuts as well. These guys were on fire and so was the audience.
The XX played a very mellow but excellent set in front of a crowd that was bigger than expected. The threesome was extremely in-sync for the performance making for a very good catch.
The return of Social Distortion was a nice treat. They opened the set with the classic Story Of My Life, ran through some old tracks inlcuding one from their 1983 debut, and then closed with a cover of Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire. Pretty classic set from the punk legends.
Green Day is up next...stay tuned for more updates.
Day 2 of Lollapalooza has shaped up nicely so far. The Soft Pack, a rock quartet out of San Diego, started the afternoon off with a very straight-forward but fun set. Harlem was up next on the Sony-Bloggie stage. This band opened up for The Dead Weather last week and was very unimpressive. However, on a small stage, they sounded like a group at least semi-worthy of sharing the stage with Jack White. Dragonettes are on now in front of a huge audience. Very dancy and active. Thumbs up for these guys.
Against Me!, The XX, and Social Distortion are still to come...as are more Straight Lines updates.
If day one of Lollapalooza is a sign of things to come. Chicago is in for a treat. The weather was a perfect mix of sunshine and cool breezes off of nearby Lake Michigan and the atmosphere was that of pure happiness.
The crowd was a bit larger for a Friday than it had been in years past, mainly because Lady Gaga was the scheduled headliner of the evening. Everyone seemed to want to check out what that phenomenon was all about. Sadly, while her set was decent, it didn't seem like she lived up the the hype that had been circling around the festival grounds throughout the day.
Some notes on some other bands...The Black Keys played a blistering set of old and new material. Jimmy Cliff relaxed a giant crowd with his legendary reggae tunes, and Chromeo tore the house down with an apparently torrid set that had the south lawn buzzing right up until Gaga took to the stage.
All in all, a great day. Here is what Day two has in store.
Against Me! is playing in the mid afternoon, as is The XX, followed by Social Distortion, Spoon, and Green Day. And that is just the beginning....
Straight Lines will be out on the scene providing updated reviews, highlights, and photos of the action, all day long. Keep it locked here!!!
Three good (and totally different), bands in three hours. That is the beauty of Lollapalooza. Drive By Truckers, Cymbals Eat Guitars, and Semi Precious Weapons all rocked their respective stages. Truckers was pretty much a straight rock set. Cymbals had a nice edgy and thrashy set. The real surprise was Semi Precious Weapons. The Lady Gaga favorite put together a wild set packed with champagne spilling, cursing, and the occasional stripping...So far a good start to the fest. Black Keys, Jimmy Cliff, and Lady Gaga on the way.
Happy Lollapalooza weekend to everyone! The best weekend of music is finally here. For those who need a Lolla "fix" and can't make it out, Straight Lines Music will be in Grant Park all weekend long, giving up to date reviews and pictures. If you're at the festival and see something great, email us and let us know. Enjoy the weekend!
Last Friday night The Dead Weather strode purposefully onto the stage of Chicago's Congress Theater (a barely acceptable venue for music) and conducted a full-frontal sound-and-vision assault on the near-capacity crowd. With Jack White spending most of the night cleanly driving the band with straight-ahead drumming, Jack Lawrence on bass, Dean Fertita on lead guitar, and Alison Mosshart on deep-throated banshee vocals, The Dead Weather ripped through almost all of the cuts from their first two CDs, tossing in a cover version of Them's "You Just Can't Win" for good measure.
Like any number of bands whose live shows outshine their recorded efforts (Eurythmics and Cowboy Junkies come to mind), The Dead Weather made it clear they are a band to see live. Anyone who's listened closely to Horehound and Sea of Cowards had to feel that there is something there that doesn't translate onto plastic and aluminum. Friday night The Dead Weather showed everyone what those CDs are missing: Fury.
Though not a knock on the CDs, the energy these four displayed on stage simply cannot be heard and probably can't be captured in a studio setting. It almost spewed off the stage, starting with Mosshart's whirling, crawling, bending, stretching, climbing dervish of a lead singer. From opener "No Horse" on through "I Cut Like a Buffalo," "So Far From Your Weapon," and "60 Feet Tall" she commanded the stage front and center, giving way only a few times to play rhythm guitar or smack a tamborine when White slid out from the skins to play lead. She would have shown Mick Jagger a thing or two, slinking and dancing around to the beat or not as if she inhabited the music -- or vice versa. Mosshart lives where Jagger preens and plays, and when she and White hooked up lip to lip over the centerstage mic the juice could have powered the intense, unrelenting light show that bombarded the crowd.
This is raw music, and not in an unfinished sense. It cuts and it pounds and it's powerful and it's very, very loud, a barrage of crisp drums, clashing cymbals, thumping bass and slashing, screeching guitars. And when Lawrence takes over the drum set and White takes up the guitar, as on the exquisite pre-encore set closer "Will There Be Enough Water?," the Mosshart/Lawrence/Fertita threesome generated a sonic current that an electrified White rode for an epic blues-tinged solo -- the finest music of the night.
The articles and reviews about this band always refer to it as "Jack White's side project" and lists each band member with a nod to the bands they are originally from. That does The Dead Weather a disservice. Though slightly more than a year old this band plays with one another, off one another, and together with all the fury music like this demands. See them live.
Let's celebrate Lollapalooza week with a Straight Lines video of the week from a highly anticipated Lolla band in Against Me! The video is for the band's song I Was A Teenage Anarchist; off of the group's newest record, "White Crosses." Against Me! will take to the Lollapalooza stage this Saturday. Enjoy!
