FESTIVAL REVIEW: Cage the Elephant at Coral Skies Fest

After the somewhat success of Big Guava Fest this past spring, Live Nation put together another festival at the Amphitheater. Coral Skies Fest featured two stages and a dozen bands in the alternative-indie rock genre. You also had food trucks and beer gardens to help build up the fairgrounds aesthetics A decent lineup made for a nice Saturday in Tampa.

Opening the day up on the main stage was Tampa native Benjamin Booker. The young guitarist commented on growing up just 8 miles away from the Amphitheater stage, before jumping into a rock heavy 30 minute set. Booker is increasing in popularity, partially due to his opening gig for a number of Jack White shows this summer. You can definitely tell White had some influence on the 24 year old, but he also reminded me a bit of the Jake Bugg show I saw earlier this year. The arrangement was similar as Booker took center stage in a trio. Check out "Violent Shiver" to get a feel for the style.

The bands following Booker were all average performances for the most part. I was neither overly impressed nor bored with Wild Cub, Bombay Bicycle Club, Tokyo Police Club and Bleachers. All the groups have familiar songs though, so it led to a decent afternoon of music.

After a quick dinner break at the Winghouse conveniently located across the street from the venue, I was back for the main acts. After seeing the Strokes at GovBall this spring, I was intrigued by the idea of Julian Casablancas set with his new band. Let this be clear: they are not similar to the Strokes! Jules and his new group, The Voidz, were NOT good in my opinion. They sounded like the background music you would hear while watching a horror movie, and despite the chants, it was easy to tell that Casablancas clearly did not want to play any Strokes material.

The strange vibe set by The Voidz quickly turned positive as headliner Cage the Elephant took the stage. Guitarist Brad Shultz walked up to the main microphone and yelled at the crowd immediately to move up to any empty seats they saw and get as close to the stage as possible. He was followed by younger brother and lead singer Matt, who didn't say anything before jumping into opener "Spiderhead."

I've written about Shultz before, mainly during Lollapalooza when Cage delivered one of the best sets of the weekend. The frontman is absolutely unpredictable on stage. During the Coral Skies performance, he did some stage diving, crowd surfing, and for lack of a better term, crowd-jumping/walking. Shultz is the perfect example of a lead singer that makes the most of not playing an instrument.

Through the exciting stage antics, the 6 band members put together a great setlist. It was heavy on their most recent album - Melophobia, which I was not at all upset about. I believe the album is a bit more laid-back than the first two Cage albums, but is still upon one of my favorites for the year. Lead singles on it include "Take It or Leave It," "Cigarette Daydreams," and "Come a Little Closer."

The Bowling Green, Kentucky natives also mixed in some of their greatest hits throughout the set as well. In total, it was just a classic rock show. There was no backdrop or fancy screens. This was simply a performance where the band was the main attraction.

Cage the Elephant Concert Rating: 3.5 Stars



Setlist:

1. Spiderhead
2. In One Ear
3. Aberdeen
4. Take It or Leave It
5. Cigarette Daydreams
6. Ain't No Rest for the Wicked
7. It's Just Forever
8. Halo
9. Telescope
10. Bach Against the Wall
11. Teeth
12. Come a Little Closer

Encore:
13. Shake Me Down
14. Sabertooth Tiger

Concert Review: American Authors with The Mowgli's

Honda has done an excellent job with their 'Civic Tour' this season, combining exciting bands for 2 month stints across the country. I saw the 'Honda Civic Tour' featuring Portugal the Man and Grouplove back in September. This time was two younger bands - American Authors and The Mowgli's. The pair performed last month at Jannus Live in St. Pete.

I first heard of the Mowgli's from their excellent Lolla Aftershow back in 2013. They're a band that not only has catchy songs, but gives off a feel-good happy vibe. They constantly stress that the audience should go out and do whatever it is that makes them happy. This definitely reflects in their music and it's no surprise that majority of their tunes focus on the theme of love.

The Mowglis played some of their best songs off their superb 2013 debut, Waiting for the Dawn, including hit single "San Francisco." They also threw two brand new songs into the mix, giving hope that new material could be on the way soon. For anyone that's yet to hear a Mowgli's tune, my essential tracks include - "The Great Divide," "Clean Light," and "Time."

After a set break that seemed a bit longer than necessary, American Authors took the stage. Since seeing these guys and ranking them highly at Big Guava Fest earlier this year, they've only gotten bigger. They have a smash radio hit on their resume, and they've actually backed it up nicely with a decent debut album - Oh, What a Life.

Lead singer Zac Barnett started things off with "Home." This was the first of ten songs from their debut album throughout the night. The front man seems to have fully bought into the teenage rock sensation role, as he went into the crowd and picked out girls individually in the crowd to sing to throughout different parts of the show.

The group did a nice job of keeping fans entertained that may have only known "Best Day of My Life." They threw in covers of both Coldplay's "Yellow," (an all time favorite) and current radio hit Sam Smith's "Stay With Me."

It's been a huge year for American Authors and their performance only indicated that they would continue to build. The band is playing a handful of holiday shows to close out the year.

CONCERT RATING: 2.5 Stars



American Authors Setlist:

1. Home
2. Heart of Stone
3. Believer
4. Luck
5. Ghost
6. Trouble
7. Yellow (Coldplay Cover)
8. Think About It
9. Nothing Better Than You
10. Love
11. Stay With Me (Sam Smith Cover)
12. Hit It!
13. Best Day of My Life

Encore:
14. Keep Me Dreaming
15. Oh, What a Life



Mowgli's Concert Rating: 3 Stars

Mowgli's Setlist:

1. Emily
2. The Great Divide
3. Whatever Forever
4. Kids in Love
5. Love is Easy
6. Summertime
7. Make It Right
8. Say It, Just Say It
9. San Francisco

 

Concert Review: Fun Capital Cities Show at the Ritz

Indie pop duo Capital Cities broke into the top 40 radio scene in 2012 with their smash hit "Safe and Sound." Since it's release, the group has been riding the coat tails of the singles success, as well as it's backing album - In a Tidal Wave of Mystery. The California group became a regular at festivals and have toured extensively for the past two years. I caught my first Capital Cities show this past month at the Ritz Theater in Ybor.

Capital Cities haven't released new material since their 2013 debut, and the initial signs may be beginning to show. My initial reaction upon entering the venue was a negative one in regards to the crowd. The Ritz holds 1,100 spectators, and on this night the club did not appear to be half full.

However, the fans in attendance were still plenty excited when Capital Cities were set to take the stage. Their set followed a slightly corny Xbox commercial and an opening performance by the Night Terrors of 1927. (Look for their first single, "When You Were Mine," to start hitting radio waves soon.)

The Capital Cities duo is comprised of Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian. Right away, they displayed this would not be a show where the crowd would stand quietly. The high energy opening tunes had everyone jumping and dancing. During their first tune, "Tell Me How to Live," the pair even showed the audience how to do the 'Capital Cities Shuffle.' (A simple few steps to the left, few steps to the right, and then a spin.)

Merchant and Simonian definitely kept the show entertaining for those who may not know more than just their big hit. Their second single "Kangaroo Court" flowed perfectly into a familiar cover of the Bee Gee's "Stayin' Alive" that had everyone grooving.

Another huge factor towards the entertainment level of the show was the trumpet player Spencer Merwin. I saw Merwin first perform with Foster the People at their Governors Ball set and he was just as impressive on this night. The trumpeter is the backing rhythm behind the albums success and he has the ability to take control of the room with his rousing solos.


One observation I made during the set was how the pair always sing simultaneously. There was never a moment when either Merchant or Simonian took a verse or even a line to sing solo. They sang each part of every song together, combining their voices into one solid performance.

The obvious set closer was "Safe and Sound," erupting the crowd into a huge dance party. The song even prompted the crowd to start the encore chant, which eventually led to a second performance of the big hit single. Merchant even jumped down into the crowd this time to dance with some fans.

Overall impressions - Capital Cities is a fun band riding the success of a fun debut album. They remind me of a more pop friendly Broken Bells and they definitely have the ability to get the crowd jumping at their shows. I'll see them when they come back to Tampa.

Concert Rating: 3 Stars




SETLIST:

1. Tell Me How to Live 
2. Chartreuse 
3. Origami 
4. Center stage (/do you remember the time-Michael Jackson) 
5. Kangaroo Court 
6. Stayin' Alive 
   (Bee Gees cover)
7. Love Away 
8. Patience Gets Us Nowhere Fast 
9. Lazy Lies 
10. I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo 
11. One Minute More 
12. Safe and Sound 
13. Encore:
13. Farrah Fawcett Hair 
14. Nothing Compares 2 U 
    (The Family cover)
15. Holiday 
    (Madonna cover)
16. Safe and Sound (Cash Cash Remix) 

Edward Sharpe Takes a Big Step Backward

Headlining the Sunday slot at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday this year was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero's. This indie band is comprised of wacky frontman Alex Ebert and a backing band of up to 13 members at times. They're responsible for two of the best concerts I saw in 2013, including a great opening set to Mumford's 'Gentlemen of the Road' St. Augustine Stopover.

After building up a great reputation for live shows last year, the group made an unfortunate decision earlier in 2014. One of the best things about Edward Sharpe is the work of singer and instrumentalist Jade Castrinos. Jade was disappointingly asked to leave the band in the spring, taking away a key piece of the band. The resulting product without Jade produced a somewhat depressing show for the Clearwater crowd.

After opening up with their hit "40 Day Dream," the band seemed confused. Rather than having a concrete setlist, Ebert simply asked the crowd what they wanted to hear next. He would listen to the requests, pick one of the titles out, and ask the rest of the band if they were ok playing it. Now this may sound great (Springsteen displayed a similar technique by picking out songs off signs in his May show) but the the presentation wasn't great. The vibe seemed that the band didn't really care what they were playing, and they just wanted to get through the show.

Over the next two hours, (well over their allotted time limit) the band combined these crowd requests with a few tunes that Ebert suggested on the spot. They did do a good job of playing the most popular songs, but it was nowhere near the energy of the two shows in 2013.

One of the reasons for this was simply the venue. Rather than a uniting general admission crowd like Jannus, the venue of Coachman Park was entirely different. Most of the intense fans were in the GA section, but that was located on the lawn behind multiple VIP sections of seating. The guests in VIP did not seem interested in singing or dancing, even when Ebert himself came into the crowd to dance from chair to chair.

I think the best way to sum up the show was general discomfort. There was no moment more awkward than when the band inevitably had to play their most popular song, "Home." This was a crown jewel of the indie rock scene for years, topping playlists with a catchy chorus and conversational versus between Ebert and Castrinos. The problem with that is it becomes exceptionally difficult to perform live when you take away the female singer. Alex had the crowd try to sing Jade's parts, giving off an unprofessional and cheap feeling. I think the band would be better off just putting their biggest hit on hold until Jade returns to the band.

I have to try to make some positive comments before this review is over. I will admit that the group played most of the songs I was hoping to hear. My essential Edward Sharpe tunes for newbies are "Janglin," "I Don't Wanna Pray," and "Life is Hard." I'll also give credit to the band as a whole, since they did show off to be excellent musicians.

In total though, it was an awkward and disappointing night. Unless Jade returns to the band or Ebert improves on being a sole frontman, I will not be seeing the Zero's on their next tour. These guys have great music, but their live performance this night was lousy. I hate writing negative reviews, but this one is deserved.

Concert Rating: 2 Stars

Jack White Rocks Columbia

Back in June I attended Governors Ball Music Festival and had the opportunity to see many great acts. On the top of the power rankings that weekend was Jack White. White delivered an epic show spanning his entire career. (FULL Review Here) It was a memorable night in NYC.

Almost entirely opposite of seeing a rock legend headline a festival for 40,000+ fans was the experience I had last month in Columbia, SC. While in Augusta, GA for work, I traveled over to the South Carolina capital to see White play the Township Auditorium for a sold out crowd of 2,500. Although the capacity was far different, the ferocity and performance by White stayed the same.

The Nashville, TN resident played for over 2 hours and gave the audience exactly what they wanted, delivering 21 songs while sampling from every act he’s had his hand in. (Enter: The White Stripes, Dead Weather and the Raconteurs) In total, he entertained the audience through 13 covers.

While the history behind Jack is excellent, my favorite tunes of the night came from the 8 remaining songs that are considered his ‘solo career.’ White has released two solo albums – 2008’s Blunderbuss and the excellent – Lazaretto, released just earlier this year.

As the curtain opened to start the show, White appeared center stage, raising his hands to encourage the crowd to start screaming with him for opening tune “High Ball Stepper.” This was just one of five songs from the most recent album that would appear in the first set. The essential tracks included “Just One Drink” and “Three Women.”

In traditional rock star form, White kept his first set short in order to set up an epic 12-song encore. The hits seemed to flow one after the next with “Fell in Love with a Girl” and “Steady, As She Goes” to begin. The energy was high and White showed off his musical talent, spending time on both the guitar and piano.

White made quick work and did not speak too much during the night. While known for going off on rants at shows from time to time, the opinionated rocker kept quiet. He did mention prior to his final song that he had not played this venue before, but claimed he wants to come back now after the success of the show.

The appropriate closer was “Seven Nation Army,” capping off a great set. White acknowledged the audience as the blue light that illuminated the stage all night finally dimmed. While White is great as a festival headliner, seeing him in a small venue with an up close and personal feel is a true treat. I'm giving this the slight advantage over the GovBall show. 

CONCERT RATING: 4 Stars

SETLIST:

1. High Ball Stepper 
2. Lazaretto 
3. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground 
   (The White Stripes song)
4. Temporary Ground 
5. Just One Drink 
6. Cannon / Little Room 
   (The White Stripes song)
7. Misirlou 
   (Dick Dale cover)
8. Three Women 
9. Apple Blossom 
   (The White Stripes song)
10. Blunderbuss 
11. Encore:
11. Fell in Love With a Girl 
    (The White Stripes song)
12. Steady, As She Goes 
    (The Raconteurs song)
13. Old Enough 
    (The Raconteurs song) (First verse and chorus only.)
14. I Cut Like a Buffalo 
    (The Dead Weather song)
15. Missing Pieces 
16. We're Going to Be Friends 
    (The White Stripes song)
17. You've Got Her in Your Pocket 
    (The White Stripes song)
18. Icky Thump 
    (The White Stripes song)
19. I'm Slowly Turning Into You 
    (The White Stripes song)
20. Would You Fight for My Love? 
21. Seven Nation Army 
    (The White Stripes song)

Portugal the Man Steals the show in NYC

While spending a week in Princeton, NJ for work last month, I was able to escape over to NYC one night and catch a pretty great show. Playing at the Rumsey Playfield in the middle of Central Park was a co-headlining tour featuring Grouplove and Portugal the Man. Despite already catching both bands at Lolla earlier in the summer, it was a no-brainer to attend.

This pair spent about two months on tour together this summer, and the NYC date was the final night of the run. Both bands had been alternating opening up for each other, and on this occasion it was Grouplove that started the night. Now I'm no stranger to Grouplove, catching their set and ranking them highly at both Big Guava Fest and their headlining Metro show this year. However, I was less than impressed with this fun California band this time around. They didn't quite command the attention of the crowd that I've become accustomed to, and that subsequently seemed to affect the bands energy.

The feeling of slight disappointment from one of my favorites having an off night was quickly erased once Portugal the Man hit the stage. Following the same model from Lolla, the band came on stage playing Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2" before jumping into their arguably biggest hit, "Purple Yellow Red and Blue." This was just the first of eight songs played off their brilliant 2013 album, entitled Evil Friends.

Throughout the next 90 minutes, the guys from Alaska dazzled the audience with a 21 song setlist and some amazing lasers that stretched on top of the Central Park crowd. One of the most notable notes from the night was the high amount of cover songs performed. In addition to Pink Floyd, the group covered Black Sabbath, Ghostface Killah, Oasis (one of my all time favs), the Beatles, and even a fan friendly sing-a-long of the 'Always Sunny in Philadelphia' tune "Day Man."



It was a pretty entertaining setlist to say the least. The strongest section came during the end of the set, with "Atomic Man," "Modern Jesus" and "Creep in a T-Shirt" being played consecutively to end the night.

After seeing Portugal the Man for the first time earlier this year, their performance in NYC solidified my fan-hood in them. I recommend them for any alternative rock fan. Hopefully they'll make the trip down to Florida for a future tour.

CONCERT RATING: 3.5 Stars 



SETLIST:

1. Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 
   (Pink Floyd cover)
2. Purple Yellow Red and Blue 
3. All Your Light (Times Like These) 
4. "Sabbath Sludge" (medley of Black Sabbath riffs) 
5. Kilo 
   (Ghostface Killah cover)
6. The Home (partial) 
7. Waves 
8. Hip Hop Kids 
9. Evil Friends 
10. Day Man (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia song) 
11. So American 
12. People Say 
13. Everything You See (Kids Count Hallelujahs) 
14. Don't Look Back in Anger 
    (Oasis cover)
15. Atomic Man 
16. Modern Jesus 
17. Creep in a T-Shirt 
18. Someday Believers 
19. Sleep Forever 
20. Smile (partial) 
21. Hey Jude 
    (The Beatles cover)

CONCERT REVIEW: Trampled by Turtles, Live in Madison

While on the road for work a few weeks ago, I was able to catch a Trampled By Turtles show in Madison, Wisconsin. For those unfamiliar with the band - yes, that is their actual name. The group actually hails from nearby Minnesota and is highly regarded in the folk rock community. They've been together for over 10 years and put out their 4th studio album earlier this year.

The show took place at the Overture Center, which was a beautiful venue. It was a theatre setup, giving Hurray for the Riff Raff.
the show more of a 'Broadway' feel than a folk show in a college town. The room definitely played into the performance, as the entire audience sat in the dark for the duration of the show. Trampled by Turtles took the stage just after 9pm following opener -

Initial impressions was that this was a true strings show. The 7 members of Trampled by Turtles constantly lined up front stage with their respective string instruments and jammed out tunes. For several songs, the group was joined by a local string quartet, adding even more string instruments into the mix. I myself am not accustomed to shows with no percussion or electric instruments. But Trampled By Turtles made it work, making up for the lack of loud instruments with a big group playing as one.

I thought the most talented member of the band was violinist Erik Berry. Throughout he night, Berry constantly stirred up loud ovations with his violin solos. He played above everyone else and was very enjoyable to hear.

Lead singer Dave Simonett wore a cowboy hat all night and didn't interact too much with the audience. He led the band through the majority of the groups well-known tunes, which he seemed to play at a faster tempo than on the studio versions. He also spent time on the slower songs to create a more intimate setting. Some of my favorites were "Wait So Long" and "Codeine."

A true highlight of the evening was a delightful cover of the Pixies "Where is My Mind." The band added an excellent wailing violin into this rock classic, giving the song an entirely new feel. It was a great cover that had the audience singing.


Trampled by Turtles played a 3 song encore bringing their total performance to just over an hour and a half in length. After all the shows of 2014, I can relate it most closely to a more laid back Old Crow Medicine Show. These guys don't necessarily have the same high energy or sing-a-long moments, but they're still plenty enjoyable to see live. I'm always in to support a solid folk rock band!

Concert Rating: 3 Stars




SETLIST:

1. Are You Behind The Shining Star? 
2. Western World 
3. Victory 
4. Codeine 
5. Wild Animals 
6. Hollow 
7. Lucy 
8. Repetition 
9. New Orleans 
10. Alone 
11. It's a War 
12. Winners 
13. Where Is My Mind? 
    (Pixies cover)
14. Silver Light 
15. Midnight on the Interstate 
16. Keys to Paradise