Kanye West: "Aw, Hell No! I Got The Best Pumpkin!"

from last night's SNL:

concert review: Van Halen, Opening Night Of Tour, Charlotte, NC

In the encyclopedia, the definition of the term "Rock Show" should read: "See: Van Halen".

I was fortunate enough last night to catch the debut performance of the newly reunited, David Lee Roth-fronted Van Halen at Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, and it was pretty incredible.

The staging was pretty minimal for such a show, with only a ramp twisting from the stage up and abobe the drum riser, and a U2-style "ring" into the front of the audience, and thankfully VH let the music be the show, rather than corny visual props. A huge screen above the stage allowed fans to watch Eddie Van Halen's insane fingering technique up-close, and showed the fans in the back David Lee Roth's enormous grin that was there from the opener of "You Really Got Me" through the encore finale of "Jump".

Eddie's son Wolfgang was a nice surprise as a wholly competent replacement on bass for Michael Anthony, fitting in fine on the trademark background harmonies, but looked a little unsure of himself when moving around the stage. The kid is only sixteen, though...I'd have wet my pants walking out on that stage. It was fun to watch him play and sing on "Hot For Teacher", a song written by Roth from a sixteen-year-old's perspective. Let's hope his old man has the smarts to steer him clear from the all the well-documented excesses that gave Van Halen the reputation as the "Kings of Backstage Shenanigans" during their '80's heyday.

Eddie and Dave both looked like they were in amazing shape, and Dave wisely kept the gymnastics to a few high kicks and martial-arts manoevers. Alex Van Halen still kept it all rock-steady, and played one of his patented drum solos that had hardcore fans staring with mouths agape. There are not a lot of drummers in rock these days that can keep an arena full of fans from using a drum solo as an opportinity to run out to the corridors for more beer, but watching Alex wail on that giant six-bass-drummed kit on the big screen was every bit as compelling as watching a good magician to learn the secret of his tricks.

And Dave was...well, Dave. He's funny, sexy, corny, and he remarkably hit every high note he attempted. His intro-story to "Ice Cream Man", in which he accompanied himself on acoustic guitar out on the ring in the middle of the audience, was hilarious and told in a way that only a master storyteller could pull off in such a setting.

And thankfully, no songs from the Sammy era.

All-in-all, a really fun and satisfying night...well worth the price of the ticket. These shows truly are your opportunity to see the world's greatest guitar player and the world's best frontman on the same stage together. I literally had goosebumps more than a few times during show...which in my book is the ultimate barometer of a great show.

Set list (courtesy Blabbermouth.net):
01. You Really Got Me
02. I'm the One
03. Runnin' With the Devil
04. Romeo Delight
05. Somebody Get Me a Doctor
06. Beautiful Girls
07. Dance the Night Away
08. Atomic Punk
09. Everybody Wants Some
10. So This Is Love?
11. Mean Street
12. Pretty Woman
13. Drum Solo
14. Unchained
15. I'll Wait
16. And the Cradle Will Rock
17. Hot for Teacher
18. Little Dreamer
19. Little Guitars
20. Jamie's Cryin'
21. Ice Cream Man
22. Panama
23. Guitar Solo (incl. "Women in Love" intro, "Cathedral", "Eruption")
24. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
------------------------
25. 1984
26. Jump

(photo courtesy charlotte.com)

Seriously?

DJ Sara and DJ Ryusei are 8 and 5, respectively. Yes, I'm twice as old as both of them put together, and I'm lucky if I take a record out of its sleeve without ruining it. Cheers to the budding DJs everywhere. I'm going to go watch Superbad, play the Impossible Quiz and continue to be useless. More scratcher baby awesomeness here.

Bonus Baker's Dozen Downloads From Athlete, British Sea Power, The Donnas, Mono, Ministry, Les Savy Fav, and More!

I know we've already posted up a Baker's Dozen for September, but there's been so much good new music thrown our way lately that we've got no choice but to throw you a bonus edition.

Here are thirteen more extrawack!-approved tracks, ideal for that tricky and very sensitive Summer-to-Fall musical transition:


Foreign Born - "Into Your Dream" mp3

Athlete - "Airport Disco" mp3

The Silver Seas - "The Country Life" mp3

British Sea Power - "Atom" mp3

Division Day - "Enjoy the Silence (DM cover) mp3

Mono - "Gone" mp3

The Donnas - "Don't Wait Up For Me" mp3

The GoStation - "All Together Now" mp3

Les Savy Fav - "What Would Wolves Do" mp3

Benzos - "Hurt Everybody" mp3

Ministry - "Die In a Crash" mp3

Small Sins - "On The Line" mp3

The Blackout - "Prepare for a Wound " mp3

moby.mk.ii - "In Transit" mp3

Van Halen NYC Tickets On Sale Today

Tickets for Van Halen's first NYC area dates (Meadowlands on November 10, Madison Square Garden on November 13) go on sale this morning at 10:00 here.

Looking at their itinerary, they've got a ton of open days on either side of those dates, so expect more shows to go on sale as others sell out.

I'll actually be in Charlotte, NC for opening night of the tour...just in case they break-up before they hit NYC. I'll tell Diamond Dave you said hello.

Check out video of recent dress rehersals in California:



Looks like Wolfie's gonna hold down the bass just fine. Hopefully nobody breaks a hip. I'm so psyched.

Biffy Clyro Album Out Today, Rhianna Cover Here.

One of the best things about the recent In The City Of New York conference was the Enter Shikari/Biffy Clyro/Blood Red Shoes showcase at Highline Ballroom.

Friends who were out on the Warped Tour this Summer tell me Biffy Clyro blew a great portion of the rest of that festival's bill clear off the stage(s), so it's good news that the band's Puzzle finally gets a proper release here in the States today.

It also gives us good reason to post their recent cover of Rhianna's "Umbrella" from BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge:

Biffy Clyro - "Umbrella" mp3

Biffy Clyro Tour Dates:
with Editors:
Sept 18 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
Sept 19 - Portland, OR @ Berbati’s Pan
Sept 20 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Sept 23 - Del Mar, CA @ Del Mar Fairgrounds
Sept 24 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern LG

with Queens of the Stone Age:
Oct 12 - Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
Oct 13 - New York City, NY @ Theatre at Madison Square Garden
Oct 17 - Clifton Park, NY @ Northern Lights
Oct 20 - Columbus, OH @ The LC Pavilion
Oct 22 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Orbit Theatre
Oct 23 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore FKA State Theatre
Oct 24 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
Oct 25 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre

Fountains Of Wayne, Apples In Stereo, The English Beat, The Smithereens, and The Alarm For Free in Jersey Saturday

I spend a lot of time trying to figure out where my tax dollars go here in the 'burbs, but I'm a little psyched knowing that guys like Robert Schneider and Dave Wakeling will get a small piece of the dough that Union County gets from me...



This Saturday is the yearly Union County Music Fest, being held at Nomahegan Park in Cranford. Check this lineup:

10:30 am
Beale Street Love

11:30 am
The English Beat

12:30 pm
Chuck Berry (Backed by The Smithereens!)

1:30 pm
The Old Ceremony

2:30 pm
The Smithereens

3:30 pm
The Apples in Stereo

4:30 pm
Fountains of Wayne

6:00 pm
The Alarm

8:00 pm
Live

That's an incredibly long day...

Not sure if I can hang for the whole thing, but I plan showing up for brunch with The English Beat and then probably coming back for The Smithereens on through The Alarm, whose leader Mike Peters is really one of the most compelling performers in rock. Seriously. I don't think I need to see Live, especially since their doppelgangers Daughtry already hurt my feelings on a regular basis...

Directions to Nomahegan Park here.

The Apples in Stereo - "Energy" mp3

The English Beat - "Live at KEXP" mp3

The Old Ceremony - "Papers In Order" mp3

The Alarm - "Festival Of Light (demo)" mp3

Hipsters To Be Forced To Dance At Calvin Harris & Gabby Glaser Show Tonight.

A super-fun bill tonight at the Mercury Lounge:



By now you should know Calvin Harris as the man who claims to have invented disco. Of course it's not true, but perhaps he has re-invented the genre...nomatter what, his tunes are crazy dancable.

If you read extrawack! regularly, you already know we are big fans of ex-Luscious Jackson Gabby Glaser, and her live set will have you movin' & groovin' to her funky rock and rockin' funk.

Zambri is a catchy-as-hell synth & guitar-driven band fronted by two sisters who mix equal parts new wave, electro-pop, and Tori/Regina girly smartness. Yet another band on the bill who will force you to move enough to spill your overpriced cocktail.

The show is listed as sold out, but there are usually a few tickets at the door for early birds at the Mercury Lounge.

Calvin Harris - "Acceptable In The 80s" mp3

Gabby Glaser - "Spirit Of Long Island" mp3

And here's Zambri's "Get Dressed" Live at The Annex:



And for those who want to extend their dancing pleasure...the after party at Happy Ending with Adam Kesher & David Bruno:

video of the week: OFFICE - "Oh My"

Chicago's OFFICE checks in this week with a cheeky new video for "Oh My", starring 80's porno relics Randy West, Peter North, Tom Byron, and Melanie Moore. It's from their excellent new disc, A Night At The Ritz.

I have the feeling just having those dudes' names in this post is gonna get us an extra 500 hits a day from porn-Googlers...so...Welcome, pervs! Enjoy the tune.



OFFICE - "The Ritz" mp3

http://www.newlinerecords.com/ohmymovie/

OFFICE (w/Earlimart) Tour Dates:

September 27: Portland, OR: Doug Fir Lounge
September 29: Vancouver, BC: Pit Pub
October 2: Milwaukee, WI: TBC
October 4: Cleveland, OH: Grog Shop
October 5: Toronto, ON: El Mocambo
October 6: Montreal, QC: La Sala Rosa
October 7: Boston, MA: Harper's Ferry
October 11: Philadelphia, PA: First Unitarian
October 12: Baltimore, MD: Ottobar
October 13: Chapel Hill: Duke Coffeehouse
October 14: Atlanta, GA: The Earl
October 15: Birmingham, AL: Bottletree
October 16: Houston, TX: Minc
October 17: Austin, TX: The Mohawk
October 18: Dallas, TX: Loft Palladium
October 20: Denver, CO: Larimer Lounge
October 22: Phoenix, AZ: Paper Heart Venue
October 23: San Diego, CA: The Casbah

September Baker's Dozen Downloads - Sunset Rubdown, Enon, Baby Elephant, Tiny Masters of Today, and more.

Another month, another batch of rad (and free) downloads with the extrawack! seal of approval...and a photo of a monkey with a pistol. Have at 'em.

The Deadly Syndrome - "Eucalyptus" Here" mp3

Adrian Orange and Her Band - "You're My Home" mp3

Tiny Masters Of Today - "Hey Mr. DJ (CSS Remix)" mp3

Enon - "Mirror On You" mp3

Sunset Rubdown - "Winged/Wicked Things" mp3

Dawn Landes - "Suspicion" mp3

Baby Elephant - "How Does The Brain Wave" mp3

The Birthday Massacre - "Red Stars" mp3

The Real Tuesday Weld - "Last Words" mp3

Phosphorescent - "A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise" mp3

Bottomless Pit - "The Cardinal Movements" mp3

Axe Riverboy - "Carry On" mp3

Larune (featuring Kamara from Earl Greyhound) - "Slow Sally" mp3

Thanks to the labels and PR peeps for hosting these tracks.

Satanicide (with Moby, Hal Sparks + Dave Hill) at Bowery This Friday

Friday night's bill at The Bowery could quite possibly be the most fun you can have at a concert ever...

Check it:



SATANiCiDE, with special guests:
The Notorious MSG
TRAGEDY, the Heavy Metal Tribute to The Bee Gees!
Generals & Majors

Friday, September 7th - Bowery Ballroom - 7pm
$13 adv / $15 day of show
tickets here

From the press release:

On the heels of their sold-out Fillmore at Irving Plaza performance in August, SATANiCiDE will reunite for one last show. Making the 17 mile trek from Jer-Z with SATANiCiDE will also be Moby, and comedian Hal Sparks of Showtime's, "Queer as Folk". Other special guests include Suicide Girls, and SATANiDANCER, (and girlfriend of SATANiCiDE's Aleister Cradley) Peg Ramon-Stamos.

"How envious we are of you, all our fans", says SATANiCiDE lead singer Devlin Mayhem. "Unlike you, we will not be able to see our own show. We will be too busy rokking to witness the greatest spectacle of rokk this side of the Holland Tunnel".

That show oughta be nuts.


Satanicide - "Ride the Snake" mp3

The Notorious MSG - "Dim Sum Girl" mp3

Generals & Majors - "Drink From My Cup" mp3

concert review: Placebo @ PNC Arts Center

As a fan of Placebo from the first time I heard the clanging chord intro to "Pure Morning" from their 1998 album Without You I'm Nothing, and having been unable, for whatever reason, to catch them on one of their many stops in NYC, I jumped at the chance when offered to catch them in Jersey last week at the PNC Arts Center.

Remarkably, the band were in the area as part of Linkin Park's touring "Projekt Revolution" festival, and had the unenviable second-from-the-bottom-of-the-bill-5pm slot on the main stage. Considering the fact that the rest of the show was loaded with emo-giant bands like Taking Back Sunday and local heroes My Chemical Romance and their goofy and very young fans, and noting the earliness and daylight setting of their set time, I wondered whether it would even be worth a trip down the Garden State parkway to see them...but they played like they were on the main stage at Reading and made a bunch of new fans along the way. I loved 'em.

Based on previous live tracks from the band that I've heard (including those on the excellent new US-release-only EP Extended Play '07), it sounds like Molko & Co. turned up the rawk-quotient a bit to fit more squarely in the festival's mix, but definitely to good effect.

As is expected at a show like that, the amphitheater was less than full during Placebo's early set, but the cheering from a crowd that probably had never heard of the band before was pretty inspiring. The band wisely played a set full of the loudest and most rocking of their superb catalog, and by the end of the show they had pulled a pretty impressive cadre of Jersey Rock Girls to the front of the stage to do that strange shimmy dance only Jersey Girls can do.

At a meet & greet after the show, the band really seemed to be enjoying itself on the tour, and said they were enjoying the challenge of making new fans at this late career stage. Based on the gangs of kids trying to get to the band to say hello and get newly purchased cd's and shirts signed, I'm guessing they've picked up a bunch of new followers on this tour.

And at the risk of revocation of my hipster card, though I didn't stick around for too long after Placebo's set, that crowd was one of the nicest and best-behaved concert crowds I've ever seen.

Here's some of the action:












Placebo - "20th Century Boy" mp3 buy

mp3 courtesy of i wake up late