Annie Clark’s weapon is her intent. Her grace is a swift punch packed with pointed articulation, and for this she has found the appropriate musical expression (aided by an assortment of gadgets at her feet, including an expressive kick drum, and the coupling of a regular microphone with a distorted one). Her angry, unrestrained outbursts on the electric guitar show off her control over the instrument, but her playing can hardly be classified as flamboyant or subtle. Instead, the power comes from the emotion she keeps sharpened, which results in clarity without being overbearing. Her singing takes on the same quality- it is the intention that provides shape to her voice that otherwise escapes easy categorization, and it’s this skill of Annie’s that makes her shows powerful, with or without a full band.
Even after The Books started touring as a duo, they’ve always been good at delivering their experimental songs live. Nick has an understated, calm voice faithful to the recordings while Paul’s cello serves to add improvisational fluidity. Ever since their collection of found-video collages began to take shape, however, the structure of their recent shows has been somewhat standardized. It was a great delight, then, to be surprised during the encore with a rarely performed “Getting the Job Done” from 2002’s Thought for Food. Perhaps it was the addition of opener Todd Reynolds on the violin that allowed it to happen. They referred to the shortened version as a “half” song, an amazing one at that, and Nick can really sing that fast.
The video montage projected behind Animal Collective’s Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) made his solo show all the more arresting. Though with little to say and a strange sort of serenity (despite all the bristling moods his songs convey), his solitary presence was already captivating to begin with. But there was something the visual display conveyed- via flashes of naked bodies, bearded men, a roller-coaster make-out scene, amongst others- that made the connection between his music and the audience more instinctive. Noah went from song to song without a pause, playing plenty of material from Person Pitch. He finally spoke in the end to thank others who played and those in attendance. There was no encore, but the set was not short. Animal Collective band member Avey Tare watched almost the entire show from the side of the stage.
After spending gruelling hours at work all weekend, running through the rain to catch Lavender Diamond at Bowery Ballroom was a fantastic decision. The Chapin Sisters, who make an appearance on Lavender Diamond’s latest Imagine Our Love, were almost through their set when I got there (Entrance opened before them). At first I worried over the thin crowd that looked like a ladies night out (we might as well have been given picnic baskets). But as soon as they left the stage, the crowd closed in, and the space filled up nicely, though not completely, by the time Becky Stark and friends came on.
Becky Stark is a charm, and her energy’s contagious. She uses the words “love” and “peace” unapologetically, has an immensely trained voice that is big without being loud, and is truly happy to be on stage. She made an entrace frolicking and waving. After each song, she jumped in excitement, reiterating how awesome it was going to be as we got “deeper into the night,” wishing that they had a song titled “Deeper Into the Night.” After playing “Open Your Heart,” which the band has nicknamed “the practical song,” she asked if she was allowed to say, “I love that song!” She wondered if that would be inappropriate or uncool.
Bowerbirds was a treat to watch at Bowery Ballroom, when they opened for Ladybug Transistor and The Rosebuds last night. The sound that is captured in their recordings is even more elegant live, and the performance reaffirmed the fine quality of Phil Moore’s and Beth Tacular’s voices. It was a soothing set faithful to the recordings, rarely interrupted by any talking. “In Our Talons,” with its energetic chorus, was beautifully rendered. Friend Mark Paulson was also present, switching between bass drum and violin (Beth switched between bass drum and accordian). For the last song they played “Dark Horse,” and two members of the Rosebuds came out to sing the exiting refrain. Almost half the space had filled up through their early set, but it shouldn’t be long till Bowerbirds plays to a devoted audience.
In the midst of Beirut-induced buzz I might’ve under-emphasized the merit of Final Fantasy sets. Here’s some evidence from the May 8th show. He played this after wondering out loud if he should play a downer, and before Beirut joined him for the last song, “That’s When the Audience Died.”
