C-U shows

tonight

2010-01-17T14:52:00.001-08:00

First night of the cover up. Wait 3 hours, then head over to the Highdive.

the great cover up

2010-01-16T09:32:00.001-08:00

go go go go go go go go go go

if you miss this, you might as well leave champaign and never come back.

i'm droppin shows like girls be droppin babies

2009-12-01T12:31:00.000-08:00

second semester arrives, and with it, more shows! anyways....

01/05 - Knifey Spoonie, Jet W Lee, NJCK Cowboys (sometimes blog contributor Aaron's band!), Rabble Rabble @ Terror House

01/07 - Alma Afrobeat Ensemble @ Highdive

01/15 - The Octagon @ Mike & Molly's

01/16 - The Satin Peaches, On Again Off Again @ Mike & Molly's

01/17, 01/19, 01/21 - GREAT COVER UP 19 @ Highdive

01/22 - The Gold Motel (Hush Sound side project), Empires, tba @ Canopy Club

01/23 - Jared Bartman, Good Night and Good Morning, You and Yourn @ Mike & Molly's
01/23 - Snowsera, The Natural @ Canopy Club
01/23 - We Must Dismantle All This, Hallowed Ground @ Dead Rodent House

01/28 - Kronos Quartet, Wu Man @ Krannert Center
01/28 - Strange Arrangement, Daphne Willis @ Canopy Club

01/29 - Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ Courtyard Cafe
01/29 - Keller Lolliams @ Canopy Club
01/29 - Jookabox @ Mike & Molly's

01/30 - Brighton MA, Elsinore @ Cowboy Monkey

02/04 - Gov't Mule, Jackie Greene @ Canopy Club

02/05 - Good Night & Good Morning, TBA @ Red Herring

02/06 - White Mystery, Stranger Waves @ Mike & Molly's

02/11 - Nomo, TBA @ Canopy Club

02/14 - Former Thieves, TBA @ Terror House

02/18 - Retribution Gospel Choir (Alan from LOW), TBA @ Canopy Club

02/20 - RJD2, Happy Chichester @ Canopy Club
02/20 - State Radio @ Highdive

02/27 - Cold Cave, Hair Police (Wolf Eyes side project) @ Canopy Club
02/27 - Lesser Birds of Paradise, World's First Flying Machine, My Dear Alan Andrews, Carl Hauck @ Cowboy Monkey

03/30 - Mavis Staples, JJ Grey, Booker T @ Krannert Center

04/03 - We Must Dismantle All This, Middle Class Trash, The Atrocities @ Dead Rodent House

04/24 - Joshua Redman @ Krannert Center

05/05 - Ozomatli @ Krannert Center

also, it looks like Icy Demons has been cancelled. SAD FACE.

Download: Walkmen at Krannert

2009-11-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

we're not dead...we promise. to go along with the review, here's audio from Walkmen's show at Krannert last night, including three new songs and that AMAZING version of "The Rat".

http://www.archive.org/details/walkmen2009-11-14.spbmc2

01. On the Water
02. In the New Year
03. new song
04. Canadian Girl
05. Four Provinces
06. What's in it For Me
07. Thinking of a Dream I Had
08. Postcards From Tiny Islands
09. new song
10. The Rat
11. new song
12. Donde Esta la Playa
13. All Hands and the Cook
14. encore break
Encore:
15. Little House of Savages

Shows at Krannert

2009-11-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

Walkmen last night were pretty fantastic. I'm not a big fan or anything; I only have Bows + Arrows. They played "The Rat" and "What's In It For Me" among others. The crowd was pretty good too. People in the front dancing, people in the back not talking all the time.

But some kid thought it would be a good idea to smoke pot in the Krannert lobby. If this was at the Canopy or High Dive, I'd pat him/her on the back: "What a badass," I'd say. Krannert is a great venue and it doesn't have good indie shows very often. The lobby even has a bar (which sold High Life and PBR)! I worry that the presence of drugs that indie shows bring will deter Krannert from hosting more. I don't see too many people getting high and going to see the Nutcracker, or being cool with smelling weed on their way to get a coffee or glass of wine after the opera.

My point, I guess, is that I want to keep seeing shows in the Krannert lobby, so get high outside.

Downloads: Some old, some new

2009-10-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

First up, some old stuff from the archives. Here's a recording of the amazing Mountain Goats show from this past spring, espresso machine and all. Check out this setlist!

01. Free Fallin' [Tom Petty]
02. Going to Bolivia
03. Deinara Crush
04. Downtown Seoul
05. Cobscook Bay
06. Send Me an Angel
07. Whole Wide World
08. Twin Human Highway Flares
09. Sept 15, 1983
10. Cotton
11. Ice Cream, Cobra Man
12. Song for Dennis Brown
13. This Magic Moment [Jay & the Americans]
14. Shadow Song
15. No Children (crowd on vocals)
16. Standard Bitter Love Song #1

Download

Second, Hum's secret pre-reunion show from Cowboy Monkey last December...while the DIH material is somewhat rough, this show is more than worth a listen for the phenomenal version of "I Hate it Too", as well as the unreleased "Inklings"

01. Soundcheck/Intro
02. The Pod
03. Green to Me
04. Iron Clad Lou
05. Ms. Lazarus
06. Comin' Home
07. Suicide Machine
08. If You Are to Bloom
09. Inklings
10. Afternoon with the Axolotls
11. Stars
12. I Hate it Too
13. (encore break)
14. I'd Like Your Hair Long

Download

Lastly, The Antler's excellently played Pygmalion set:

01. Bear
02. Sylvia
03. Atrophy
04. Shiva
05. Two
06. Epilogue

Download

As always, if you download any of these, please support the artists by buying merch and attending shows...

movement

2009-09-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

A few quick things--

The Cory Chisel show (9/28), while listed on the Canopy website as cancelled, is on the Cowboy Monkey site as an early show. Joshua James and Noah Harris open.

The Saturday (10/3) Vertebrats reunion show has moved back to Highdive, where it was originally. Don't miss this one...

Times New Viking on 10/16 is at Courtyard, not in the void room post-Blitzen Trapper as previously thought (source). The Axemen open....beware that Courtyard has moved their shows up, and unless a second opener is added to the bill, TNV could be on as early as 8:30

Pygmalion: Saturday

2009-09-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

Zach May and the Maps (Exile on Main St., 2:30 pm)
I'd been waiting to see these guys for a long time, and I wasn't disappointed. Zach May and the Maps have a sound somewhere between Neutral Milk Hotel and the Legend of Zelda soundtrack. Zach is hilariously awkward, the percussion consists of a wooden box, and the band played off hand-written sheet music, but somehow it all came together and worked. Definitely worth the trip to Exile.

New Ruins (Parasol Records, 3:40 pm)
Man, I forgot how good this band is. Originally billed as Caleb and Elzie acoustic, this morphed into a full-band affair by showtime (and yes, Paul is back!). Personal favorite had to be "Lake". As a sidenote, the Parasol store is absolutely awesome.

The Horse's Ha (Parasol Records, 4:40pm)
I was expecting something a lot closer to the grungy and feedback laced sound of Eleventh Dream Day, but instead The Horse's Ha played a breezy, almost jammy set (some songs stretched past seven minutes!), with a little bit of alt-country and bluegrass thrown in for good measure. While the crowd had steadily dwindled up to the point when they went on, those who stayed were thoroughly rewarded.

The Books (Krannert Center, 7:30 pm)
I don't have too much to write about this underwhelming show. Basically, while the visual gimmicks are really cool at first, they get old after about three songs. I had more fun listening to the middle-aged Krannert denizens next to me arguing about "all these twenty year olds with the women's jeans" than listening to the actual music.

Iron and Wine (Krannert Center, 8:45 pm)
Sam Beam is one funny motherfucker. Who'd have though? Opening with "Such Great Heights" was a nice surprise, and definitely cut through the sometimes impersonal atmosphere that can arise from Krannert shows. The rest of the set was mostly filled with old favorites ("Naked as We Came", "Sodom, South Georgia", "Upward Over the Mountain") along with a few new songs. The encore of "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" was another major highlight. Overall, the acoustics couldn't have been better, and Beam turned in an intimate performance that perfectly cut through the psychological muck of the Krannert Center.

YACHT (Canopy, 10:45 pm)
YACHT's gimmicky stage antics included inviting the crowd to mail them packages or stop by their apartment should they happen to be in Portland, while they half-rapper, half-shouted over their canned electro beats. That said, the show was still a blast, and "I'm in Love with a Ripper" is still a fucking great song. I'm sure they won't be any fun in a few years (see: Girl Talk, Flaming Lips), but it was great being on the bandwagon while it lasted.

Gazelle (Cowboy Monkey, 12 am)
These guys are somewhat of a supergroup, featuring three members of Absinthe Blind, two of Headlights, two of Honcho Overload, and one of Hum (yes, I realize that adds up to eight). While I was somewhat disappointed with the short, six song set (Seth and Brett from Absinthe Blind were both in the building, along with Matt Talbott), but the music was good enough that I didn't feel cheated. Gazelle's sprawling studio material sounded tighter and closer to Absinthe Blind in a live setting. "Lineal" was the definite highlight of the show.

RJD2 (Canopy Club, 12:45 am)
He was using four turntables ZOMFG. Plus a small army of drum machines, synths, and sequencers. RJD2's set leaned more towards Hip Hop than the DJ Shadowisms of his album, which was definitely feeding into the crowd's reaction. When he dropped "The Horror" the roof just about blew off of Canopy. For me, however, this was a chance to chill in the balcony and rest my feet for...

The Hood Internet (Cloud Factory, 3:15am)
This was the sweaty, hipster, PBR fueled dance party I'd been searching for all weekend (ten points to whoever booked them into someone's living room!!). They started by segueing out of the DJ playing before them (someone from Physical Challenge, I think??) into a mashup of M.I.A.'s "20$" and New Order's "Blue Monday", then hitting some old chestnuts ("Drop the Icebox Pressure", "Pro Nails Forever", "I Got Your Smoke"). Unfortunately, the combination of Highlife, Skoal, and dancing started to get to me around this point, and I decided to stumble home. Fucking AWESOME end to an amazing weekend. Can't wait for next year.

Pygmalion Download: Maserati

2009-09-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

From Thursday night at Canopy, here's Maseati's mindblowingly amazing set, recorded from the first row, directly in front of Jerry. This recording sounds absolutely phenomenal, even on laptop speakers, and is definitely worth a listen. Tristan from Headlights sits in on Show Me the Season.

Setlist:
No More Sages
We Got the System to Fight the System
12/16
Show Me the Season (with Tristan Wraight on guitar)
Chug
Monoliths

If you download this recording, please support Maserati by buying their merch and attending their shows. They are currently on a US tour with post rock gods MONO, including an Oct. 4th Chicago date at Bottom Lounge

MP3 files here

Please post a comment to request FLAC downloads

More excellent Maserati tapes may be heard/downloaded at Southern Shelter

Pet Lions - 9/18/09 Red Herring

2009-09-22T21:52:00.000-07:00

I didn’t have anything going on Friday, so I figured I would check out a show at the Pygmalion Festival. Ben told me that the show at Red Herring would be pretty excellent and fairly inexpensive, so that sold me (I’m super easy apparently). I saw the name Pet Lions on the line up and listened to their Myspace leading up to the show. I got there, paid my entry, hung out. Oceans played a high energy set, and then Pet Lions came out.

The band of Chicagoans was all set up and ready to play and they asked for all of the people sitting to move up. Everyone was super hesitant but once they belted out the first couple notes, a few people of the crowd came up and that turned into a handful. Their fun indie-pop tunes couldn’t keep those who moved up standing still. Songs such as Roman History and Girls of Athens especially grabbed my interest and drove me to dance. They were funny and seasoned the time in between songs by telling stories of how they had van trouble or how the lead singer/guitarist has the flu. They ended on a high note playing the song extra energetically, including the keyboardist/guitarist stepping on a near by piano while shredding. That ended the set with a big goofy smile pasted on my face. Overall, I feel like this was a super set from this eccentric group. If they ever make there way down to the C-U area again, I hope you will check out this fun-filled band.

This ended up being the only Pygmalion show that I went to due to the fact Now, Now Every Children had to drop due to illness, but if I had to choose one show to go to over again, this would be it. I picked up their ep after the set (which is just as fantastic as their set), and you too can pick up their ep for free if you join their mailing list at: http://www.petlions.com/mail/user/subscribe.php.

Pygmalion: Friday

2009-09-22T12:22:00.001-07:00

Ryan Groff (Blues BBQ, 12pm)
First off, props to Girls Next Door for closing with Mandy Moore's "Candy" as I was walking in the door. That was fun. Onto the Ryan Groff set, his songs seem to the growing codas at an alarming rate (seriously, the acapella ending of "Chemicals" was as long as the whole song). That said, he still turned in a fantastic performance, and yes, he did play that AMAZING "Nude" cover.

You & Yourn and Hathaways (Channing-Murray, 6:30pm/7:15pm)
I'm combining these because I only saw fragments of both of them. I will say that I enjoyed what I saw, and I liked Casados far more than when they opened for David Bazan last December. Anyone know what the instrument Heather from You & Yourn plays is called?

Good Night & Good Morning (Channing-Murray, 8pm)
This was something really, really special. Channing-Murray was made for this kind of music, and GNAGM did not dissapoint. The segment where they were playing bowed vibraphone was especially amazing, as the whole room seemed to fill up with the sound. Most of the crowd laid down on the floor (!!) and several even seemed rendered immobile after GNAGM went off stage (although, I guess they might have been asleep). Outstanding set and a major highlight of the night.

Low (Channing-Murray, 9pm)
I need to preface this review with three points: I'd never listened to Low prior to this performance, I was sick, and I'd gotten about three hours of sleep the previous night (damn house parties). Low still managed to cut through my personal funk and really wow me. Particular highlights were the opening "Shots & Ladders", a cover of The Smith's classic "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me", and the main set closer, "When I Go Deaf". The acoustics in Channing-Murray couldn't have been better made for Low's extreme dynamic contrast, leaving me continually marveling at how good the room sounded relative to most other venues in town (not that they're bad per se, they just aren't Channing-Murray).

Oceans (Red Herring, 10:30pm)
Unfortunately, due to some weirdness at the door (what was going on with this? Seth had to come over and sort it out) and extra time spent setting up, I had to skip out on the last song of Oceans' set. What I did see, however, was awesome. Oceans have easily the best fanbase in Champaign-Urbana, mostly due to their extremely intense live shows. They did not disappoint. I'm sad to report that this was their last show in the area, though (bassist is already gone, another member is leaving soon). They ripped through three tracks from the excellent Nothing Collapses (which you should really get), the first of which I unfortunately can't place the name of, followed by "Lit Up Under Streetlights" and "Boy Detective". As I was walking out the door, they started to go into what I assume was the massive album closer "Your Plane Leaves Tomorrow". Gonna miss these guys....

The Antlers (Canopy, 11:10pm)
I'm not really sure what to say about this set...I mean, it was extremely well played and enjoyable, the sound was decent, etc. But again, the crowd fucked it all over. Seriously people, you don't need to get so excited you quit watching the band when Wavves is standing 50 feet from you on the other side of the room.

Autolux (Void Room, 12:10am)
Oh man, this was fucking incredible. Loudest show (excepting My Bloody Valentine) that I've ever been to. I didn't think the combination of industrial and shoegaze that Autolux play would go over too well in the Void, but it was easily the best show I saw all weekend. To the bros that insisted on crowd surfing: stop. not. acceptable.

Wavves (Canopy, 1am)
Is it ok to enjoy Wavves yet?. He's not as bad as people say he is. I actually kinda enjoyed the few songs I saw. And apparently Zach Hill (Hella, etc) was playing drums with him...

Pygmalion: Thursday

2009-09-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

Ohtis (Void Room, 6:20 pm)
First things first: Ohtis are not breaking up. However, Sam (guitarist) is apparently moving to Detroit. The band seemed disoriented (or drunk?), but still turned in great versions of "Sugar Babe", "Downtown Your Heart", and "Lollalollalollalollalollalollapalooza". I'd like to add that Ohtis' album, If This Country Had a Heart, That's Where I Was Born is one of the best things I've heard in a long time, local or not. It can be (legally!) downloaded at their Myspace MEGABLOG

Brooke Waggoner (Krannert Art Museum, 7:20 pm)
I was expecting standard girl-with-piano fare from this set, which is just about what it was, albeit with some excellent technical work. I found myself wishing I'd arrived earlier to Liz Janes, whose closing number was far better than anything I heard Brooke Waggoner play.

Joe Pug (Canopy Club, 9:40 pm)
Joe Pug is better than Bob Dylan because you don't have to deal with a bunch of rabid Bob Dylan fans (think Mac fanboys, but in the 1960s. authentic!). That said, this was actually a really enjoyable set, with "Bury Me Far From My Uniform" and (of course) "Nation of Heat" being the standouts.

Decibully (Void Room, 10:30 pm)
Last time Decibully played Pygmalion, they got their set cut due to a late show running late. The time after that, at Courtyard in May, I was the only person who showed up to the show. I can't begin to describe how awesome it is to see them actually get to play a full set to an enthusiastic audience. They covered most of their new album, World Travels Fast, including awesome versions of "Don't Believe the Hype" and "Broken Glass". Thankfully, at least one old favorite ("Penny, Look Down") made it's way into the set as well.

Maserati (Canopy, 11:10pm)
I can't even begin to describe how awesome this was. Top 5 set of the festival, easily. Jerry Fuchs is a god...I've never seen anyone play drums like that. Tristan guested on a massive, kraut-influenced "Show Me the Season", and the closer ("Monoliths") was even better.

Skream (Highdive, 12am)
If anyone caught the epic flamewar regarding this show on SmilePolitely, you know that several of the main players in the DM crew were hyping this pretty heavily. They weren't joking. Skream owned the crowd like few electronic acts can. This wasn't a Girl Talk show where everyone is more focused on their friends or how much fun they're having. The whole crowd was rapt on Skream as he meticulously layered vinyl samples, sequencers, and bass bombs to create his excellent set. While I left before the very end of his set (1:45), it sounded like he even dropped some DnB as I was walking out the door.

Elsinore (House Party, 2:00am)
This was pretty awesome, but next time maybe setup in the basement, guys. Its like nobody here knows how to run a house show anymore (not that there weren't multiple awesome shows or to disparage anyone setting them up, but AFAIK every single one except for The Ruckus got busted). That said, Elsinore were pretty great. Crowd was rockin'. Headlights and Maserati were due to play after, but the cops showed up during Elsinore's last song. That said, the house party idea is fucking awesome, and I seriously hope this continues in years to come.

(photos: Ben, Sarah)

Pygmalion: Wednesday

2009-09-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Part one of Pygmalion coverage. More coming soon!

Common Loon (Void Room, 8:30 pm)
I've been disappointed with Common Loon's live sets in the past. Sure, they have the songs and chops to put on a great show, but they've always been so...restrained. Not on Wednesday night. They lit up the void room with a furiously loud show (aside from Autolux and Wavves, the loudest thing I heard all weekend), and I can't wait to finally get their album.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band (Void Room, 9:30pm)
Another set I wasn't expecting too much from and wound up being blown away by. On their albums, MSHVB play a freewheeling but delicate brand of indie pop completely unlike their live show. Strongly reminiscent of Modest Mouse, their songs took on an intense and urgent energy live. Another band I'll definitely be checking out more of.

Owen (Canopy Club, 10pm)
The only real letdown of the night, mostly due to sound issues and the crowd's inability to STFU and listen. To be fair, Owen was mismatched as hell on this bill, and even Bob Nanna couldn't overcome the noise. I would have loved to see him outdoors in the Krannert Amphitheater instead...

Japandroids (Canopy Club, 11pm)
This was a fucking sweet set. I was NOT expecting them to be this awesome....once the mix cleared up, people were pogoing like no tomorrow. They played pretty much all of Post-Nothing. Highlight of the night by far.

Headlights (Canopy Club, 12am)
Usually, I know what to expect from a Headlights show. Tonight I did not, as they devoted roughly half their set to the new material, which is far more rocking than their previous albums, while still being just as good. A major highlight was the lengthy, shoegaze-inspired "Dead Ends", which has an absolutely massive chorus (can't wait to hear the album version!). Cherry Tulips > School Boys > Put Us Back Together Right > Lions with the whole crowd on stage was a terrific way to end the night and kickoff the festival.

A Reminder

2009-09-21T09:17:00.001-07:00

I know I know... Pygmalion just ended, you're tired, your feet hurt, blah, blah blah.

Tomorrow is the City Center Show. Details: http://cushows.blogspot.com/2009/09/city-center.html

Be there.

Pygmalion Downloads: Joe Pug and Low

2009-09-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

While in-depth reviews/photos are coming from Pygmalion, here's a quick teaser of some audio downloads...

Here's Low's absolutely stunning set at Channing-Murray on Friday, including their wonderful cover of The Smith's "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"

Setlist:
Shots and Ladders
For Free
In Silence
Monkey
Dragonfly
California
(That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace
Violent Past
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me [The Smiths]
Canada
Murderer
When I Go Deaf
Encore:
Shame
Last Snowstorm of the Year

And here's Joe Pug from Thursday at Canopy:

Setlist:
Nation of Heat
Speak Plainly, Diana
I Do My Father's Drugs
Nobody's Man
The Door Was Always Open
(new song)
Hymn #35
Bury Me Far From My Uniform
Hymn #101

More sets coming soon, including Maserati, The Antlers, and The Horse's Ha!

whoa aftershows

2009-09-19T00:35:00.000-07:00

dear people of urbana,

ok i understand calling the cops on a thursday night, but on a friday? let the house after show live!

santa rocked pretty hard tonight. and elsinore was sweet last night. too bad i didn't get to see jookabox play where i used to live.

Introducing Blogger: AaronS

2009-09-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hello readers of C-U Shows, it is I blogger Aaron S!

I wanted to tell you a little about myself before I posted to this, an icebreaker if you will.

I am currently a freshman here at U of I, I hail from Peoria, IL, and music is a pretty large chunk of my life currently. I have a dog back home named Lucy. I am super duper good friends with a boy named Jared, who lives in Minnesota, that I video message every other day. I have played in the band Druids and I am currently performing with the NJCK Cowboys pretty infrequently. Fun stuff.

I hope you feel like you know me, as well as I hope I feel like I know me.

On a side note, I wanted to spotlight two of Pygmalion bands that Ben left out that I feel are worth mentioning. Unfortunately, these two bands are playing on Saturday, but fortunately, at different times!

Tyson and the Friction (8:15 pm Mike n’ Molly’s): This new-wave, power-pop trio is made up of Tyson Markley of Amazing Kill-o-Watts, Dylan Stanford of Fly TV, and G.A.R.Y their “bass, drum, and attitude” computer companion. This band’s beats can’t be beat! Their poppy tunes will be stuck in your head for days. Check them out and dance your heart out!
www.myspace.com/tysonandthefriction

Now, Now Every Children (11:00 pm Red Herring): These cool dudes hail from Minnesota, coming down to play this show while not on tour, isn’t that sweet? Although they play softer indie rock, they will keep you tapping your foot and bobbing your head to the music until the last note of their last song. Plus, they’re probably the nicest band I have ever met, so make sure you go say hi after!
www.myspace.com/nownoweverychildren

So, keep these two close in your thoughts while you’re deciding what to listen to on that jam-packed Saturday night.

Matt & Kim review coming either later tonight or tomorrow! Stay posted!

Pygmalion Preview: Must-Sees, Conflicts, and Bus Routes

2009-09-15T13:47:00.001-07:00

So, the Pyg starts tomorrow. Here's a look at what we recommend checking out, plus the nastiest scheduling conflicts.

9/16
Not much to say about this...there's only one show, and every band on it is amazing. Go early and pick up a copy of the new Headlights album before it comes out officially.

9/17
Don't miss: Ohtis (Canopy, 6:20pm), Starfucker (Courtyard Cafe, 9:30pm), Joe Pug (Canopy, 9:40pm), World's First Flying Machine (Red Herring, 10pm), Bob Nanna (Krannert Art Museum, 10:45pm), Skream (Highdive, 12am)

Ohtis is a must-see. Their album, If This Country Had a Heart, That's Where I Was Born, is one of the best of the year, and this is their last show, ever. In the same vein, World's First Flying Machine are one of the best local groups playing the festival, and they really kill live. The Early Day Miners/Starfucker/Joe Pug/My Brightest Diamond clusterfuck is also pretty bad, but I guess we'll have to deal with having too many shows going on in this town (for once!). Personally, I guess it depends what kind of mood you're in (and if you can still deal with shows at Courtyard), but I'll be at Starfucker. And of course, if you're in the dancing mood, you really can't go wrong with Skream. The insanity of Dubstep Massacre combined with the biggest Dubstep artist in the world is gonna be nuts.

9/18
Don't miss: Ryan Groff (Blues, 12pm), Kilroy, et al (Sandella's, 2:15pm), Tina Sparkle (Mike & Molly's, 8:15pm), BLK JKS (Canopy, 8:20pm), Low (Channing-Murray, 9pm), Oceans (Red Herring, 10:30pm), Autolux (Canopy, 11:10pm), Alpha Mile (Bentley's, 11:30pm), Withershins (Red Herring, 12:30am)

This one isn't too terrible as far as the schedule goes...basically the tiny-venue that Low is playing in creates some issues, since you have to skip all the shows before that to make sure you get in the door. Discounting that, this really isn't so bad. If you've ever heard the stunningly good Under and In by Glifted, whose Tim Last also plays in Alpha Mile (not to mention Hum), you'll want to hit that show at (the tiny and fucking awesome) Bentley's. Otherwise, check out Autolux at Canopy. Withershins, who feature Isaac (formerly of the beloved Blanketarms), have a nice shoegaze-inspired sound, and you really can't go wrong with a show at the Red Herring.

9/19
Don't miss: Tim Stephens (Parasol, 12:40pm), Zach May & the Maps (Exile on Main St., 2:30pm), New Ruins (Parasol, 3:40pm), The Horse's Ha (Parasol, 3:40pm), Lymbyc Systym (Courtyard Cafe, 6pm), Take Care (Bentley's, 10:30pm), YACHT (Canopy, 10:45pm), The Life and Times (Mike & Molly's, 11:15pm), The Hood Internet (Canopy, 11:45pm), Gazelle (Cowboy Monkey, 12am)

Saturday is bad. It looks like someone took every band I wanted to see and stuck them between 10pm and Midnight. On the bright side, you don't really have anything to distract you during Iron & Wine, which I imagine will go over a lot better in Krannert than The National did. The Horse's Ha's laid-back sound should work a lot better in the Parasol store than in Cowboy Monkey, and Zach May and the Maps are definitely worth checking out if you're missing them Friday to get a good spot for low. Elsewhere, check out the loudest band in the midwest (The Life and Times), 3/5ths of fireflies (one of the best local bands, ever) performing as Take Care, and an almost-Absinthe Blind reunion (Gazelle, whose live band will feature everyone except for Seth). I'd say check out local scene godfathers Lonely Trailer, but avoid the conflicts by seeing frontman Tim Stephens earlier in the day at Parasol.

BUSES:
If you haven't been reading the official website, you should start. For one, you find out great things like the fact that you get to ride the bus for free if you have a wristband. You also find out that there really isn't too much about which buses to take to get to the venues. So, if you're lazy and can't be bothered to check out the C-U MTD site, here's a breakdown, with the Canopy as ground zero:

from the Canopy Club
-to Krannert Art Museum: 22 Illini North to ARC/Law Building (picks up at Nevada and Goodwin)
-to Downtown Champaign venues (Bentley's, Exile on Main, Mike & Molly's, Highdive, Cowboy Monkey): 12 Teal West to Illinois Terminal (picks up at Nevada and Goodwin) or 5 Green West to Illinois Terminal (picks up at Illini Union)
-to Parasol records: 13 Silver North to Springfield and Cedar or 5 Green East to Green and Cedar (both pick up at Illini Union)
-to Courtyard Cafe/Blues/Sandella's/Krannert/Red Herring/Channing-Murray: walk. Its like a block, seriously.

Review: The National/The Long Count at Krannert

2009-09-14T19:01:00.000-07:00

Krannert needs to stop having rock shows. None of the halls are suited to them. Aside from the terrible mix, I can't think of a better example than when Matt Berninger, in the midst of the standard Mr. November crowd-excusion, attempted to walk on the cushy seats in Tryon and nearly fell over. The several hundred empty seats didn't help, but it was nice when Berninger invited the balcony crowd down into the front. While it was an awkward setting, the show overall was great. The band mentioned several times that this was their last show before a long break, and they played a long, jammy set with a handful of new songs alongside fan-favorites like Mistaken For Strangers and Fake Empire (easily the highlight of the show). While it was an excellent, fun show, this was probably the worst performance I saw at Ellnora this year.

Friday night, something far more interesting was going on: The Long Count. With 3/5ths of the National, Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), Kelley Deal, and an extremely skinny Kim Deal (seriously, I didn't recognize her), I would have expected the music to be firmly grounded in indie rock, but instead we got something closer to a Phillip Glass opera. The stage setup was slightly cheesy (mirrors on the floor and fake rocks...really guys?), but it actually provided a pretty decent counterpoint to the music, distracting from the actual performers and creating a blurred aesthetic that matched the shifting, disorienting music. The baseball-themed vocal loops and minimalist orchestration clearly took inspiration from minimalist composers such as Reich, Glass, and Partch, with a few elements borrowed from contemporary avant-garde, such as Kim Deal beating a heavily distorted violin into submission during one of her vocal features. Speaking of which, lets talk about Shara Worden. That woman can sing! Her expansive, soaring voice filled the tiny Colwell Playhouse to the brim during her two arias, which were definitely the best parts of the performance. The Bjork-caliber feathered headdress she wore wasn't even needed.

Review/Download: Derek Trucks Band at Krannert

2009-09-14T15:37:00.000-07:00

Derek Trucks completely owned Krannert last Thursday. There's no other way to put it. Displaying a huge range of styles, from slide guitar ("Meet Me at the Bottom") to eastern ragas ("Sahib Teri Bandi") to full-on jazz ("My Favorite Things"), his performance was, in every sense of the word, a tour-de-force, even in the cramped and sweaty Krannert Lobby (which really doesn't seem like it was designed for several thousand people).

Additionally, Derek is kind enough to allow recording/trading of his live shows, and we've recorded/uploaded it for you!

Download (FLAC/MP3)

Because of a loud clapper in the left channel, I couldn't amplify the recording without clipping. So, you'll need to turn your speakers up a bit. Also, this is best enjoyed on a decent stereo/with headphones. If you download this, please support Derek Trucks by attending his shows (he's on tour almost constantly, you really don't have an excuse to miss this) and purchasing his albums/merch.

City Center!

2009-09-09T23:54:00.000-07:00

CUShows Presents (sort of?)...

CITY CENTER

with:

Thankful Tree
Morgan Orion and the Constellations
World's First Flying Machine
Peninsula

Tuesday September 22nd

7 pm @ Cloud Factory House

803 W. Nevada St. Urbana

$3-5 Donation (please)

last.fm event page

Yep. It happened. Thanks to Morgan Orion for setting most of this up. City Center is Ryan and Fred. Fred's from Saturday Looks Good To Me, Flashpapr, among others. City Center link goes to their blog, which is full of demos and other ideas from the band. Personal favorites: Friends, and Grasslands. A lot on their myspace too.

See you there.

Jay-Z?

2009-09-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

According to an article in the SPLog, none other than Jay-Z will be coming to town on November 11th. While this isn't confirmed by any means, its pretty exciting news if true.

In other news, at least one of our writers has secured a ticket to the Sufjan Stevens show next month...

UPDATE: Jay-Z confirmed for November 12th!
http://pitchfork.com/news/36419-jay-z-announces-fall-tour/

Review: Vivian Girls

2009-09-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

Vivian Girls at Cowboy Monkey, August 29th

Between the opening blast of "All the Time" to the relatively low-key closer "My Baby Wants Me Dead", Vivian Girls packed Cowboy Monkey with an even hour of ferocious, noisy, low-key punk songs. While "All the Time" was an early highlight, the high point of the show was easily the encore, consisting of "I Believe in Nothing", "Damaged", and the aforementioned "My Baby Wants Me Dead". The instrument rotation jam (a tradition originated by Phish, if I'm not mistaken) during "Damaged" was the definitive highpoint of the show, showcasing not only Vivian Girls' playing proficiency, but also their willingness to stretch the boundaries of the punk genre itself. Lead singer/guitarist Cassie Ramone's humor was on display throughout the set, salvaging early technical issues by declaring that the band was going to get Smashing Pumpkins tattoos ("they're gonna say the world is a vampire, which is something we really believe in") and dealing with the slightly creepy 30-something guy who kept sending the band rounds of shots. Openers The Beets turned in a spirited, antifolk inspired set of songs about topics such as satan and death, while locals My Werewolf Diary (Elzie and Caleb of New Ruins) showcased a sound reminiscent of the older-acoustic driven New Ruins material.

Vivian Girls setlist:
All the Time
Surfin' Away
Wild Eyes
The Desert
Can't Get Over You
You're My Guy
Double Vision
Tension
Out for the Sun
The End
Second Date
Never See Me Again
Before I Start to Cry
When I Get Home
Tell the World
---
I Believe in Nothing
Damaged (instrument rotation jam)
My Baby Wants Me Dead

The Vivian Girls and Beets sets were recorded, and pending band approval, will be posted here to download

(photos: Sarah, Ben)

Casiotone + New Ruins Preview

2009-08-31T17:15:00.000-07:00

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone / New Ruins

Friday September 4th

Illini Union Courtyard Cafe

7 pm Doors... means show at... 9? Who knows.

One my most anticipated shows of the fall. Here's some youtube clips of a few of their songs.

Casiotone: Mostly one man electronic band (Owen Ashworth). Kind of like if Dan Deacon was trying to be a mumbling Elliott Smith.

Scattered Pearls: (Live, this will be song by Owen)

Calloused Fingers...:

Killers:

New Ruins needs no introduction. My favorite local band. Kinda shoegazey, kinda americana.

book this show for me please

2009-08-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

http://citycenternyc.blogspot.com/2009/08/calling-all-kids.html

City Center is Fred Thomas, from Saturday Looks Good To Me, Flashpapr, and Lovesick. If anyone has a house, I'd be happy to help set up this show.

Times New Viking

2009-08-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

My inaugural post was going to be something better. Perhaps I would have shared some words of wisdom from my years in Chambana; perhaps I would have lamented the lack of shows at Paradiso.

No.

Fucking Times New Viking is coming back. From the matablog:

Fri-Oct-16 Urbana, IL Canopy Club

Hopefully they'll play more than a 25 minute set this time.

http://www.matadorrecords.com/matablog/2009/08/28/times-new-viking-us-tour-fall-2009/

Preview: Ellnora

2009-08-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ellnora guitar fest (formerly known as Wall to Wall) returns to C-U in just three weeks. Check out the list of performances not to miss below...

9/10 - Opening Night Party: Derek Trucks Band, Junior Brown, Chicha Libre (Lobby, 7 pm)
While this will probably take place at the less-than-ideal Stage 5, the cheap cover ($5) and terrific lineup make it well worth it. Opening is NYC-based Chicha Libre, whose lo-fi pop sounds like what I imagine would happen if High Places and a Mariachi Band had a child. The middle of the bill goes to country journeyman Junior Brown, whose twangy guitar gives him a sound surprisingly close to modern alt-country. However, the real draw (for me, anyways) is the incendiary blues guitar of Derek Trucks. This guy has been playing with the Allman Brothers since he was ten, and he's easily the best slide player since Duane.

9/11 - The Long Count (Colwell Playhouse, 7 pm)
What's the best part about this? Aaron, Bryce, and Matt (The National)? Kim and Kelley Deal (The Breeders)? Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond)? Baseball meeting apocalyptic Mayan mythology? Pitchfork hype? Ten dollar tickets for students? I can't decide. Pitchfork has been hyping this for a while, but somehow managed to miss the Krannert Performance, which gives you double hipster cred for seeing it first.

9/11 - A Story of Floating Weeds (Amphitheater, 8:30 pm)
Continuing the film-soundtrack theme, Alex de Grassi will be soundtracking Japanese silent films from the 1930s in whats sure to be a relaxing performance in the amphitheater. Plus, guy can fingerpick like its nobody's business, and the show is free.

9/12 - The National (Tryon, 10 pm)
Not a whole lot to say about this one, other than its gonna shred. I wonder if Matt will make it into the balcony during Mr. November? Only $14 for students as well.

Also check out: Jerry Douglas (9/11, 5pm, Lobby, free), Jake Hertzog (9/12, 1 pm, Lobby, free)

9/12 - The National (Tryon, 10 pm

Upcoming reviews calendar

2009-08-24T15:32:00.001-07:00

Expect reviews (and possibly recordings) of the following, and look for Ellnora and Pygmalion writeups soon:

8/27 - Throw Me the Statue
8/29 - Vivian Girls
9/4 - Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
9/10 - Ellnora Opening Night: Derek Trucks, Junior Brown, Chicha Libre
9/11 - Ellnora: The Long Count/Alex de Grassi
9/11 - Sharon Van Etten
9/12 - Ellnora: The National
9/13 - Matt & Kim
9/14 - Hoots & Hellmouth
9/16 - Pygmalion: Headlights, Japandroids, Owen, Mt St Helens Vietnam Band, Common Loon
9/17 - Pygmalion: Lucero, Maserati, Margot & Nuclear So and So's, Decibully, Joe Pug, Early Day Miners, Post Historic, Brooke Waggoner, Ohtis
9/18 - Pygmalion: Wavves, Autolux, The Antlers, Pomegranates, Low, Pet Lions, Ganglians
9/19 - Pygmalion: RJD2, Gazelle, YACHT, Princeton, Iron & Wine, The Books, Lymbyc Systym, Parasol Day Party
9/23 - Rural Alberta Advantage
10/3 - Vertebrats
10/22 - Avett Brothers
10/24 - Maltross
10/30 - Batrider
11/03 - The Toasters (Springfield--Black Sheep Cafe)*
11/05 - Generationals
11/06 - Neko Case*
11/14 - Heavy Trash*

(* = maybe)

Best Bets: August

2009-08-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

8/27 - Throw me the Statue with Nurses, Brunettes, WFFM at Courtyard

Aside from being free and featuring the band behind the best pop song in years (Throw Me the Statue's "Lolita"), this show features Portland-based Nurses, The Brunettes, and local group World's First Flying Machine, who put on one of the best sets I've ever seen opening for Headlights last spring.

8/28 - Dubstep Massacre 7 with DZ, Substr8, Lincoln Jones, Mobius, DJ Belly, Mordechai in the Mirror at Cowboy Monkey

DM is always a party (and one of the few dance nights worth attending in this town). This month DZ headlines, with an excellent supporting lineup (especially Lincoln Jones and Mordechai)

8/29 - Vivian Girls

Eh, whats to say about this show really? Pitchfork darlings, etc. Certainly worth checking out for $5, especially if SSLYBY are as anemic as their January show

Hello

2009-08-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

So, here's a blog I started. I'm looking to cover new show announcements, reviews, the local scene, and occasional live recordings.
questions/comments/corrections to transluscent at gmail dot com
or message me at last.fm