Muse at the Forum

My streak of seven shows in a row was magnificently capped by Muse. Muse have more cool music gear on stage then any band in recent memory. Matt Bellamy plays custom made Hugh Manson guitars with crazy effects like a MXR Phase 90, a Z. Vex Fuzz Factory and a Korg Kaoss pad built into his guitar. As if that wasn't enough, they flaunted a Buchla synthesizer on stage with a Nord Keyboard as well as a rackmount MiniMoog Voyager. I have read a lot of reviews of how people dislike their new album. I guarantee you will sing along to every song if you witness their live show. Immigrant opened the show at the sold out Forum. I think they must be related to the Live Nation president because they are an unsigned band according to their myspace page. In light of them being unsigned they opened for the Killers back in October at the Wiltern as well. "Knights of Cyndonia" is not my favorite Muse song but in a live setting it still rocks. "Hysteria" had the whole floor bouncing as Chris Wolstenholme's bass lines were rattling my skull. My jaw dropped when Matt ripped into his guitar solo on "Invincible" as he was two handed tapping while using his Digitech Whammy Pedal. "New Born" featured some of the fierciest guitar tones I have witnessed in a live setting. As if I wasn't impressed, Matt demonstrated his Kaoss pad skills near the end of the set with a blazing jam session. The night closed with the apropos "Take a Bow" which featured Dominic Howard hovering over his Buchla synthesizer cranking out the opening synth line. It was too much gear and music to handle in one night, but I would go again in a second.

The Killers at Staples Center

I receive a lot of flack from my friends for being a Killers fan. My defense is that if it is good enough for Flood and Alan Moulder, then it is good enough for me. The Killers appeared on my radar when they opened for Morrissey at the Wiltern back in 2004. They are the second band(Tool was the first) that I had seen in a club that have eventually graduated to the Staples Center. Solarcade opened the show and played a generic rock set. The only thing interesting about their show was the B.C. Rich acrylic green lit guitar. Howling Bells came to the rescue with a dreamy alternative rock vibe. Juanita Stein (Vocals/Guitars) had a voice similar to Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley and was rocking with a Fender Mustang and an Orange Amp Half Stack. Their album is not available domestically but I was intrigued when I heard some of their songs were remixed by The Presets and Forward Russia. I will await their domestic release to see how they fare. The Killers opened with streamers and "Sam's Town" that electrified the Staples center. I was impressed with Brandon Flowers improving stage presence as he frantically paced the stage and gave a passionate performance. One thing that has not changed about the Killers is Brandon's synth setup which consists of a Nord Lead 2 and a MicroKorg. The beginning synth swell of "Read My Mind" was excellent and continued to capitivate the audience. I was extremely surprised that the Killers performed "Shadowplay" originally performed by Joy Division. I think everyone in the crowd under 30 was looking at each other unable to identify the song. Unfortunately, the metal detectors prevented me from taking my camera into the venue so I posted a picture from the Troubadour show. It would have been helpful to have the camera because I could have snapped a picture of a disinterested Jessica Simpson who was two rows behind me from the floor.

Mew at the Belly Up

Deja Vu struck me as I pulled into the Belly Up parking lot on a Sunday evening. This was probably due to the fact I was there last week for the amazing Tv on the Radio show. Mew at the Belly Up was a show not to be missed. I have alluded on the varied reasons why the Belly Up is an amazing venue for a show as listed in my prior reviews (TV on the Radio, Ladytron, and Silversun Pickups) and continue to watch their concert calendar for any good shows. This show was no different as I was privileged to catch the final Mew show on their tour of the U.S. Oh No! Oh My! was on board again to play an energetic set that went over well with the crowd. The songs seemed catchier on the second go around and I caught myself tapping my foot during their set. This calls for an investigation into some of their releases. Oh No! Oh My! were victims of final show pranks by the crew of Mew. Their drum kit was reversed and tape was placed on across their keyboards. Mew delievered another outstanding perfomance that featured "Why Are You Looking Grave?" which literally included "background" vocals from J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr fame. Some other set highlights included "Comforting Sounds" and "Am I Wry?". I also managed to snap a picture of Jonas Bjerre's pedalboard which featured another Z. Vex sighting in the form of a Super Duper pedal. Bo Madsen (Guitars) had a switching system combined with a Dunlop Wah pedal and a Boss Volume pedal. Please do yourself a favor and purchase both Mew releases of "Frengers" and "And The Glass Handed Kites" to expand your musical palette and impress your friends.

Mew at the Henry Fonda

Mew leaves quite the impression in a live setting. During San Diego Street Scene last year, I was walking to see the Yeah Yeah Yeah's after catching Bloc Party's set and stopped dead in my tracks after watching Mew perform. I couldn't describe their music at first but I was immediately drawn in and entranced. Mew describes themselves as dreamy thunderstorm pop. I describe them as a phenomenal live band. Oh No! Oh My! opened the concert with their brand of quirk pop that sounded like an amalgamation of Band of Horses, and The Rentals. It was the second time I spotted a Moog Little Phatty synthesizer on stage(Rapture was the first). Other key gear included a Korg MS-2000, a Rhodes Piano, and a Melodica. The band had a good energy on stage and I liked their set but felt it was mismatched in terms of opening for Mew. Since I was in the middle of a seven day concert stretch I opted to sit in the balcony and check out the visual aspect of Mew's show. Mew proceeded to play songs from their 2003 album "Frengers" and 2005 album "And the Glass Handed Kites". Jonas Bjerre (Vocals/Guitar) has an amazing vocal range in league with Matt Bellamy (Muse) and Thom Yorke(Radiohead). Some great examples of their epic songs include "The Zookeeper's Boy", "Am I Wry?", "Snow Brigade" and "Special". "Special" features some excellent guitar work by Bo Madsen as he uses a Danelectro Baritone to crank out the opening riffs. Mew was shrouded in darkness all night as the visuals and the music took over. Their albums will take over your ipod as well.

The Thermals at the Ex_Plx

Friday traffic was not as bad as one would expect as I made it to the Echo early enough to stop at Sea Level records and purchase the Darker My Love live from Spaceland album to add to my collection. The Echo was holding an early show as one of Portland's rising stars, The Thermals headed into town. Them Hills opened the evening's festivities with an indie rock vibe. Unfortunately the mix was not up to par as I was straining to hear the vocals. Wet Confetti (also from Portland) was intriguing from the get go. I was captivated by the beautiful Fender Bass VI that Alberta Poon was playing. When I wasn't distracted by that, Richel Martinez was throwing it down on a Roland Suitcase Synth. Daniel Grazzini (Guitars) was getting in the act as he was jamming on a Univox guitar which are copies of the infamous Mosrite Guitars made popular by The Ramones. They played a well received set that drew a large applause from the tough Los Angeles crowd. When I saw the setlist from the Thermals being taped to the ground I knew I was in for a treat....23 songs. Their blend of political sugary power pop punk rock got the mini pit started as Hutch Harris(Vocals/Guitar) went into a power chord downstroke flurry. Hutch was rocking a stellar Fender Thinline Telecaster. Interesting to note that Hutch had two Ibanez Tube Screamers in his pedal setup. Lorin Campbell (Drums) was crushing the skins all night as Kathy Foster (Bass) held down the low end. The Thermals had the crowd in the palm of their hand early as they roared through each song. One of the impressive traits that the Thermals possess is that each song sounds different which a lot of bands in their genre tend to struggle with. When I listenend to their album "The Body, The Blood, The Machine" after the show, I could distinctly remember the corresponding live performance in my head. Some of the tracks that were especially incendiary include "A Pillar of Salt", "Here's to Your Future" and "God and Country". The night was even sweeter with a free ice cream sandwich courtesy of the ice cream man.

Ken Andrews at the Troubadour

Ken Andrews does not need an introduction. If you own A Perfect Circle's album Thirteenth Step then you are familiar with some of his work as they covered "The Nurse Who Loved Me" originally perfomed by Failure. Failure splintered off with Greg Edwards resurfacing as an integral piece of Autolux. Ken Andrews surfaced with his solo project On, and Year of The Rabbit as well as various production credits involving some of my favorite bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. First Wave Hello happens to be a band Ken recently produced and opened his show at the Troubadour. First Wave Hello hail from San Diego and were proper openers as they performed their interesting style of space/prog rock in the vein of Failure, Hum, and a sprinkle of Burning Airlines thrown in. Their setup included two guitarists and two keyboardists which garnered my attention immediately. One side of keyboards involved a Roland RD-700 and a MicroKorg, while the other side had a Korg Triton Studio along with an M-audio keyboard that was hooked to some rack synths that I could not discern. Jacob Turnbloom (Vocals/Guitars) had a Moog Ring Modulator pedal that really tweaked the sound of his Fender Telecaster along with his Deluxe Memory Man Echo/vibrato/chorus. They played a convincing set and I purchased their debut CD "The Lord & Its Penguin". First Wave Hello pulled double duty when they reemerged to be Ken Andrews backing band as proceeded to play a career spanning set that had the crowd enraptured. The set started with the shimmery Failure song "Stuck on You" and made its way thru some of his new solo album "Secrets of The Lost Satellites". Ken was rocking a Boss GT-3 thru his Fender Strat and Telecaster into Marshall JCM 800. The crowd was most responsive to "Sergeant Politeness", "The Nurse who Loved Me" and my favorite Year of The Rabbit song "Absent Stars". His new solo album has been in rotation here at Amateur Chemist headquarters for quite some time and I recommend you spin it as well.

The Little Ones at the Troubadour

I almost aborted this show due to the fact that I was attending the Battle of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Lakers vs the Los Angeles Clippers). With a victory by the Clippers, I double timed it up to the Troubadour to catch the last thirty minutes of The Little Ones set. It was ironic however that after two songs, Ed Reyes (Guitar/Vocals) asked the audience if the Lakers won the game. I did manage to catch "Lovers Who Uncover" and "High on a Hill" but missed my favorite song "Oh, MJ!". If you enjoy bubble gum pop with a infusion of Beatles like sensibilities, then I highly recommend The Little Ones EP Sing Song. For a description of their gear, check out my archival shows in December 2006 when they played at the Orange County Museum of Art. Unfortunately I did not catch Sea Wolf but they will be playing again with the Canadian wonders Sloan in a few weeks. The Little Ones will be embarking on an intriguing tour package of The Kaiser Chiefs, and The Walkmen before returning back to the U.K.

TV On The Radio and The Noisettes at the Belly Up

I almost didn't make it to this show. I originally slept on buying tickets at the Belly Up but was adamant about not going to the Henry Fonda to see TV On the Radio. Thanks to Craig's list and a guy named John, I managed to trade my extra Bloc Party ticket for tickets to TV on The Radio at the Belly Up in Solana Beach. What a trade it was. The Noisettes by the way of the U.K. came up first with their hodgepodge style of noise funk punk rock. Shingai Shoniwa (Vocals, Bass, guitar) was a dynamo onstage easily commanding the audiences attention as she sung and screamed her heart out. I was particularly impressed with her Fender Jaguar Bass that she pummelled without a pick. Shingai also would switch to guitar and rock away without a pick as well. They will be back at the Troubadour in June for those whose who are intrigued. I have seen TV On the Radio back in 2004 for the shortlist awards and was impressed. TV on the Radio also opened some of the summer shows for Nine Inch Nails in 2006 but played for thirty minutes to a sparse crowd. This show was vastly different as it was a packed house inside a dimly lit club. Unfortunately, an announcement was made that the band requested that no photos be taken during the performance. This was okay because I was spellbound throughout their entire set. Tunde Adebimpe (Vocals) gave an other worldly performance as he lost himself in the music and belted out the opener of "Young Liars". He would sample phrases of his voice with a Line 6 Delay Modulation pedal or a Digitech Jamman and play it back while he was singing. David Sitek (Guitars) had 2 Line 6 Delay Modulation pedals that were eminating a storm of feedback guitar washes running thru 2 amps. "Wolf Like Me" was simply phenomenal and spine tingling at a loud concert volume. Kyp Malone (Guitars) also had a Line 6 Delay modulation pedal to augment the wall of noise. During "A Method", various members from the Noisettes came out to add percuasion as David was pounding on a snare drum. As they closed with the hypnotic "Staring at the Sun", I wondered why they aren't one of the bigger bands around.

Datarock at Spaceland

Club NME at Spaceland was packed once again with a triple bill of The Scanners, Lady Tigra, and Datarock. The Scanners were up first and a formidable crowd had already gathered to check them out. I have seen the Scanners twice before with The Rakes and back in December with Forward Russia. The Scanners have continued to improve their live show and introduced a MicroKorg keyboard into their setup. Some of the highlights off their album Violence is Golden included "Joy" and "Lowlife". Lady Tigra sauntered onto stage by herself armed with backing tracks as see spit out various electro-rap songs. It was like Peaches but without a backing band. It would have been more interesting if she had some live keyboards or a drummer to give the music a better vibe. I didn't know what to expect with Datarock but I knew it was going to be interesting when I spotted a Devo sticker on Fredrik Saroea's guitar. Even though they are being dubbed as "New Rave" by NME, I saw more of a Red Hot Chili Peppers party vibe. One of the funnier moments occurred when one of the members of Datarock grabbed some girls from the audience and showed them what keys to play on his MicroKorg and Casio keyboard. He then jumped into the crowd and pretended to be a fan jumping up and down. Datarock played songs of their album Datarock Datarock with some of the memorable songs being "Fa-Fa-Fa", "Sex Me Up", and "Computer Camp Love". They ended their set with a sing along version of "Time of my Life". One couldn't help but crack a smile after witnessing the masses of Silverlake hipsters sing along word for word. Check them out when they head back to the Troubadour in June with Crystal Castles.

Beck at the Echo

I was really excited to catch Helio Sequence, Dirty on Purpose and The Besnard Lakes at the Detroit Bar but managed to receive a cryptic e-mail about going to the Echo and being surprised. The surprise was that of the one and only Beck. Beck stole the KROQ Acoustic Christmas Night 2 show last year with his veritable hit parade set. It is different when you go to a Beck secret show because it is more low key and without the puppet show. It seems that very few artists have played as many secret shows as Beck. I think he did two last year at the Element(it rocked) and at the Echo as well. The set started out with funky version of "Think I'm In Love". Other highlights included "E-Pro", "Nausea", and "Black Tambourine". I also managed to snap a photo of Beck's pedalboard. It consisted of a Z.Vex Super Hard-On, Digitech Whammy pedal, a really old Boss Delay pedal, a newer Boss Delay pedal, Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb pedal which he used quite judiciously, and the requisite Big Muff Fuzz Pedal. The only complaint was the set seemed to go by in seconds. So when is the next secret show Beck?