Spoon at Little Radio

It was a hot time in city on Monday night at Little Radio. The semi secret show from Austin's finest Spoon was the place to be. I hope you were lucky enough to buy one of the first 150 copies of their new album "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" from Amoeba records or purchase tickets from Little Radio. I heard they added another double secret show the next night at Cinespace but I would not dare miss Adam Franklin(Swervedriver) at the Echo.



John Vanderslice got things cooking with his detailed storytelling songs. He was on stage solo with just an acoustic guitar. He frequently interacted with the audience asking them questions and adding some general banter. John had time in his set to complain about how the guitar capo was an antiquated device and that someone should improve it. John had some technical difficulties with his Boss Guitar Tuner Pedal and ended up handing it to a lucky audience member. As a proponent of crowd participation, John invited some fans up on stage to add some polyrhythmic clapping to his songs. He will be releasing a new album on Barsuk records entitled "Emerald City" on July 24.








I had strategically maneuvered my way close to the stage and had a close up spot to see Spoon in action. I have to admit I think they over commercialized "I Turn My Camera On" but I don't blame the band for wanting to grab some mainstream attention. I did enjoy the movie "Stranger Than Fiction" which served as a Spoon infomercial staring Will Ferrell. They started off with "Eddie's Ragga" , "Don't Make Me An Easy Target" and "The Underdog" to showcase some of their new tracks of their album. The show proceeded to heat up literally and figuratively when they delved into their older material such as "Quincy Punk Episode" and from the last album "The Beast and Dragon, Adored". Eric Harvey was kicking old school with his Korg M1 synthesizer along with a Digitech sampler. Britt Daniels was dripping sweat and notes from his Gibson ES 335 and Fender Telecaster. Britt was effectively using his Deluxe Memory Man coupled with his Vox AC30 to add some colorful guitar washes in all the right places throughout the night. Britt became so intrigued by a masked female fan in the front row that he asked her to put her mask on him and played half a song with it on. They capped their hour and thirty minute set with "I Turn My Camera On" and "I Summon You" to the delight of a packed house. I still can't decide which was hotter, the band or the temperature.




Spoon Setlist at Little Radio (7/16/07)



Britt Daniels Pedalboard