live: Kurt Vile DNA Fest 4/28/09

"He's Alright"
2009 was a big year for Kurt Vile. While shredding out with the Violators seems to be his prerogative these days, lately I've been returning to a live set captured by guys at Fan Death Records this past April at the label's annual DNA Fest in Washington DC. The Fan Death guys, who know a thing or two about Kurt Vile, said "as far as live recordings go, this is the holy grail..(so far...)." After four months of listening to this set over and over, I can wholeheartedly agree. It's a must own, and finds Kurt playing solo acoustic versions of soon-to-be-classics from Constant Hitmaker, God is Saying This to You and Childish Prodigy. In twenty years, your going to lie and tell your kids you were at this show.

Kurt Vile Live at DNA Fest 4/28/09 Velvet Lounge, Washington DC

bootleg: Lotus Plaza 9/22/09

"Red Oak Way"
I never really thought Lotus Plaza would play any shows, so it was quite a pleasant surprise to see this pop up on the Deerhunter/Atlas Sound/Lotus Plaza blog this morning. "Direct from the mixing desk courtesy of Nathan Brown & Robby Kee," two dudes behind Tree Creature, this set finds Lockett Pundt's beginning with a hazy warble of synthetic mist, before exploding into a sonic barrage about ten minutes in. Of course, the barrage gives way to some blippy, ambient pops and skips. Not as wrapped in ten layers of gauze as you might expect, the bootleg finds Pundt channeling friend Noah Lennox's realm of sampled percussive rhythms and bouncing, looped vocals.

Download Lotus Plaza 9/22/09.

bootleg: Mogwai @ MHoW 4/29/09

"Mogwai Fear Satan"
(photo by georgia.kral)
Last Wednesday I hit up the final show of Mogwai's sold-out three night run at Music Hall of Williamsburg. While I was prepared for a full on sonic explosion, I was absolutely dumbfounded by how devastating the Scottish post-rock acts live show was. A full on sensory experience, I left having to completely regroup, as if I'd been skiing Tuckerman's Ravine, hit a boulder, fell 300 yards and had to climb back up to reclaim my gear. I literally felt like I lost my shit. Luckily, NYC Taper was there to capture Mogwai in all its glory. And if that wasn't enough, for fans truly looking to experience the set again, the band was filming the show for a future DVD release.

NYC Taper Mogwai 4/29/09

bootleg: Tom Waits 4.19.1974

"Twilight Coup DeVilles"

A poetic vision of the dusty backstreets and alleys of the American landscape, no one conjures such bourbon soaked images as marblemouthed railroad preacher Tom Waits. His prowess and power have never been questioned, and certainly shine on this bootleg of his first ever performance at the San Diego's Folk Festival in 1974. The city's native son, Waits delivers hobo hymns like a sad, dog howling at the moon, shining on "Shiver Me Timbers", a shanty tune probably sung by men Shanhai'd in the San Francisco port bars. However, Waits may be most poignant most on "The Ghosts of Saturday Night", his piano-spoken word portrait of National City, California from 4am til dawn, in which he oh-so-eloquently describes every diner waitress in the history of diner waitresses as having "Maxwell house eyes, and marmalade thighs and scrambled yellow hair."

Tom Waits 4.19.1974 San Diego Folk Festival
1. Better Off Without A Wife
2. The Heart of Saturday Night
3. On A Foggy Night
4. Shiver Me Timbers
5. Fumblin' With the Blues
6. Semi Suite
7. San Diego Serenade
8. Glad That You're Mine
9. Ice Cream Man
10. Depot Depot
11. The Ghosts of Saturday Night

Download Tom Waits 4.19.1974 San Diego Folk Festival

bootleg: R.E.M

"Sometimes I Feel So Happy, Sometimes I Feel So Sad"

R.E.M. - Live @ Music Hall, Seattle, Washington - June 27, 1984 (Full show) (direct download) (setlist in comments)