Travis Frontmen Delight Fans With Unplugged Performance

By Aaron Malofsky

No musician could have scripted this chill-out concert more appropriately. Just like a would-be episode of MTV’s Unplugged, Scotland’s Fran Healy & Andy Dunlop (of Travis fame) played an all acoustic set of their most celebrated songs and rare gems Wednesday night before an intimate crowd at the Granada Theater in Dallas. For most of the evening, their tunes were played in chronological order, complemented by very funny and sometimes charming anecdotes with an entertaining slide show.

Healy entered the stage solo to start the night, sporting a generic solid t-shirt and denim jeans, and offered some self-deprecating humor about his childhood. He must have felt the warm welcome as he played tunes in front of a hanging sign that read "Glasgow Times Presents." The Scot then played a dreamy ballad, Twenty that was dedicated to his teenage roots and miscellaneous childhood follies. It's hard not to be amused by this very humorous stanza, “it’s hard to accept the role you're given … when sitting there staring at the ceiling … when you're thirteen.”

The Scottish Duo later played a resonating acoustic version of their popular single, All I Want To Do Is Rock. Healy enamored the crowd with a pitch-perfect wailing vocal, while Dunlop provided just enough flare with his masterful guitar rhythms. Another impressionable moment was when they paid homage to both Kafka’s love letters and Noel Gallagher’s Top-40 hit Wonderwall before playing his similarly chorded hit Writing To Reach You from their The Man Who LP.

The somber but cleverly written ballad, Why Does It Always Rain On Me, was inspired by a vacation trip in Israel, which was inundated with rain showers. The band sported a hybrid slide of an Israeli/Spanish flag because the track was produced and recorded between both countries.

Healy and Dunlop’s most captivating point of the night was during their fantastic rendition of their 1999 hit Driftwood. Healy recalls watching an episode of Cheers where Norm overheard his boss talking about firing all of the “driftwood” (unwanted personnel). The backstory behind this popular track may cause fans to view it in the same more morbid style as most of Morrissey’s discography.

The pair closed the night’s festivities with two crowd-pleasing favorites during their short encore performance. Concertgoers were screaming with pleasure while the Scots played their brilliant Britney Spear’s cover, Hit Me Baby One More Time. Fans laughed feverishly to a slide shot of a bald Britney. The Scots final performance surprised fans when it began with a few verses from Coldplay’s Viva La Vida before crooning to their newer 2007 hit Battleships.

The band offered fans an opportunity to have signed autographs of their 2009 Concert Tour Bootleg CD and chat with attendees after the show.

Grade: A-

SkyNotes

California native Greg Laswell has generated acclaim in the Indie-music scene for conjuring up dark captivating ballads that touch your inner core. The artist played for nearly 45 minutes as he shared stories that provided more insight into his discography.

Many of Laswelll’s tracks have appeared in several night-time serial dramas including Grey's Anatomy and Damages. What A Day is an uplifting Bruce Hornsby-like piano ballad that could serve as a wake-up call to be more productive and give up "smoking." Many fans were cheering during his dark and haunting cover of Cindy Lauper’s Girls Just Want To Have Fun. Laswell playfully recalled a prolific e-mailer who scorned him for releasing this cover to the public. The message said the artist would “rue the day” he recorded the version.

He currently is plugging a new Covers EP, which includes brilliant versions of songs from Echo and The Bunnymen and Kate Bush.
Grade: B+

Posted 10/15/09

U2 Offers Fans An Epic Intensive Set in Arlington

by Aaron Malofsky


The Irish foursome delivered an awe-inspiring performance in front of a packed house at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington Monday night, featuring a powerhouse set list of new, old and classic rock covers. U2 dazzled their fans with an array of vibrant multicolored (LED) and spinning LCD lights during several of their top tunes, including ones from Achtung Baby, Joshua Tree and the new No Line On The Horizon (NLOTH).

The Dubliners began their spectacular set list with the soulful rock ballad, Breath (from NLOTH), featuring the quintessential crooning from Bono. As with many of the band’s new tunes, this track is more emotionally impactful while delivered live as opposed to their studio album version.

The dance pop track Get On Your Boots was transformed into dynamite rock n’ roll track filled with battering-ram style percussion from Larry Mullen Jr., fierce guitar grooves from The Edge and thunderous drums by Adam Clayton.

U2 later delved deeper into their precious discography to unearth a scintillating dance version of Mysterious Ways from Achtung Baby, which had everyone dancing from their seats. The band then morphed into a low-key version of The Beatle’s Blackbird. The 40-inch HD Screen provided 360-degree panoramic views of the entire band on stage.

The band reached perfection during their tearful blues-laden acoustic version of Stuck In A Moment. Bono and The Edge showcased their masterful vocal range during this unplugged rendition from their Grammy Award-Winning Album All That You Can’t Leave Behind.

One of their signature features of the night was their fantastic reworking of NLOTH’s Crazy. The band employed a mash-up of UK mix maestro Redanka’s Electro-House version with the Dirty South Remix. This new concert tour staple helped galvanize the fan’s spirits and became a very participative moment during the night's festivities.

Before the start of U2’s masterful encore performances, Bono payed homage to those leaders and organizations that supported the underprivileged in Africa with medication supplies and educational resources. Bono then provided a rare solo-cover of Amazing Grace which then built into a flawlessly executed Where The Streets Have No Name. The Edge’s menacing guitar rhythms were on full display as the band crooned in unison during the heart-pounding chorus.

The band’s finest hour came when they paid tribute to their 90s dance-driven album Zooropa with a computer-generated screen, featuring a psychedelic spaceship with space aliens before launching into their epic masterpiece Ultra Violet Rays. Bono’s heart-wrenching vocal croons about finding love during times of emotional crisis. His divine lyrics reach magical proportions with “Your love is like a lightbulb swinging over my bed.”

U2’s incredible set list was capped off with their chill-out, Caribbean influenced tune, Moment of Surrender from their new album. Bono closed the night by saying, “Don’t forget about us.” With a fan’s limited remix album on the way and new EP next year, the Irish super group sensation left fan’s clamoring for more before heading home for the night.

Grade: A

SKYNOTES

Opening for arguably the world’s premier “Super Group” is a difficult task. These talented UK lads provided a colossal spark before the main attraction took center stage to promote many of their songs from their new LP, The Resistance. The band kicked off their short set with the rock opera-esque Uprising. The song featured impressive savage guitar riffs and the vocally unique stylings of Matthew Bellamy. Who can not be motivated by a chorus featuring the phrase, “We will be victorious?” Map of Problematique perhaps unofficially pays homage to recent New Order material and vintage Led Zeppelin. The band closed their mesmerizing set with their radio friendly hit Starlight.

Published 10/13/09

90 Minutes of Mind-Boggling Static

By Aaron Malofsky

Faced with several technical gaffes, Kings of Leon Struggles Through Their Setlist in Dallas

In front of a near capacity crowd of rowdy, proud and loud fandom, Kings of Leon (KOL) stormed through their discography Wednesday night, but their efforts were thwarted by an imperfect sound quality at the American Airlines Center. Despite national recognition for the Center’s impeccable acoustics, some of the artist’s most celebrated tunes were marred by poor technical direction by Center officials. The band’s few remarkable performances of the night came from their latest album, 2009’s Only By Night.

The Nashville foursome began their eclectic set with their slow-space jam, Closer, featuring computer-generated, sci-fi electronically driven beats and seductive crooning vocals by Guitarist/Lead Caleb Followill. But most of their instrumental effects were hampered by dismal acoustics arrangement and a poor speaker system at the Center. Much of Followill’s scintillating ballad was muffled with static and feedback distortion.

Be Somebody ignited a fierce spark in the crowd assisted by its motivational lyrics,which could be a proclamation for self-purpose and independence. The tune featured a masterful array of tribal drums and jagged guitar grooves by Matthew Followill. This was one of the stellar moments of the night as the band chanted in unison to the highly emotive chorus and helped galvanize the crowds to sing along with the band.

Another priceless moment was Sex on Fire, their New-Wave intensive jammer that features a combination of flawlessly executed guitar work and battering ram-style percussion. The AA Center became a huge dancing mosh pit in a matter of moment as fans raised their fists in the air to one of this year’s best new anthems.

Much to this dismay of concertgoers, attendees appeared to be lethargic and largely apathetic to the on-stage neon-colored light fest during highly touted anthems such as On Call. This southern blues post-punk track should have sparked animation from the crowd from every corner of the stadium. The crowd instead suppressed their resentment for a garbled delivery from the band.

KOL's encore from the night’s festivities included the international hit single Use Somebody. The track is an eyes-closed rocker that is an ode to those singles looking for romance in a congested metropolis. But much of the band’s quintessential chorus and signature “whoah-ohs” were drowned out once again by a poor acoustics and microphone system.

The 2009 music calendar has brought added fame, fortune and prestige for these foxy foursome from Nashville. But their road trip to Dallas will serve as an unfortunate reminder that choosing the wrong venue will hamper any musician’s performance. Grade: C+

SkyNotes

While many of the AA Center’s crowd lined up outside for KOL merchandise, high-priced beverages or eateries, London’s new modern gothic rockers, The White Lies provided a monumental performance to spark the music festivities. Most of their short set was dedicated to their collection of songs from this year’s To Lose My Life LP.

Farewell To Fairground could be paying unofficial homage to Echo and Bunnymen and The Killers. The track featured savage guitar riffs and an exquisitely haunting vocal from Harry McVeigh that’s reminiscent of Brandon Flowers. Their most popular track, the Joy-Division-inspired song Death, resonated most with the audience as many were seen dancing close to their seats. Band members also offered the ticket holders the opportunity to receive autographed copies at the conclusion of the Kings of Leon performance.
Grade: B+

Posted 10/8/09

As Gothic As They Want To Be

London's synth group blaze through their most celebrated anthems.

Depeche Mode returned to Dallas at the Superpages.com Center to rock n’ rave through new material and provide a few new takes on some vintage classics. Earlier this summer, DM received a major setback when band leader Dave Gahan canceled several European shows to have a malignant tumor removed. Fortunately, Gahan and Co.’s performance provides solid evidence that Depeche Mode has returned to form without missing a beat.

The foursome entered the stage to play the trip-hop new track, In Chains (from the new album Sounds of the Universe), featuring a controversial graphics screen of a wise old man and what appeared to be a black refugee child. By the end of the song, the two had morphed into one another. Despite fans’ unfamiliarity with the new tune, many concertgoers were lively and actively dancing from their seats.

Precious (from the Playing The Angel LP) was reworked with tribal drum beats and Gore took center stage to unleash a flurry of menacing guitar riffs that brought every attendee to their feet. This is one of the band’s signature highlights, which was a throwback to many of their successful hits during the 80s and 90s.

The band reached into its vault of older anthems as it stormed through the club-worthy rocker It’s No Good from their Ultra album. The song was arguably one of the best tracks of the night as it showcased DM’s pulsating drum loops and buzz saw guitar rhythms. The crowd’s exuberance for this setlist choice was emanating from every corner of the arena.

A DM concert extravaganza would not be complete without paying tribute to their epic 1990 blockbuster LP Violator. The band played their mega-single Enjoy The Silence while dropping multi-colored balloons onto the stage. Enjoy The Silence resurfaced with a slew of rapid-fire funkadelic breakbeats. The track also featured a graphics screen of the trio (Gore, Gahan and Andrew Fletcher) in space suits. The hypnotically sexy and soulfully delicious I Feel You also received a standing ovation from far reaches of the stadium.

The band’s most intimate moment with the concertgoers came during the waning stages of the first encore when they played an acoustic version of their bittersweet love ballad, Somebody. Gore’s vocal resonated throughout the stadium and women crooned as he sang “ I want somebody to put their arms around and kiss me tenderly…” The setlist was not without its share of significant shortcomings.

The synth-flavored Fly On The Windscreen needed some retooling as it felt too dated. It was as if the audience was time-warped into 1985 for far too long. Jezebel was a romantic guitar-driven track that left fans sagging in their seats. Fans grew impatient at times, questioning if the band had been jamming inside the far reaches of the universe.

Dallas fans were rewarded with a double encore where DM blazed through a big-beat rendition of Stripped. But DM lovers were very underwhelmed when the band closed the night with an off-key take on the Air-like, minimalist techno-driven Waiting for the Night. At the close of their performance, DM fan’s were reminded that the gothic band has aged gracefully and their music offers the same ear-candy as it did twenty years ago.
Grade: B+

In The Spotlight: Enjoy The Silence (Live From Dallas)



Posted 8/30/09

Coldplay Returns to Big D With A Few Setlist Surprises For Fans

Coldplay delivered awe-inspiring performance Thursday night in front of a crowd of nearly 20,000 raucous fans at the Superpages Center in Dallas. While most of the setlist featured many of their hit singles from their Viva La Vida album, Chris Martin had a few tricks and treats for their loyal fan base. The British “Super band” surprised many concertgoers with a massive array of special effects, unique setlist additions and a tribute to a recently deceased legend of rock n’ roll.

Chris Martin and Co. had fans surging from their seats during an electro-beat remix of Clocks, which featured a barrage multicolor laser-light schemes, encompassing the stage. Many fans flaunted their iPhones to capture the special choreographed scenes of the performance.

One of the more mosh-pit worthy moments of the evening came when the band mashed-up Talk (Thin White Duke Remix) with a heavy metal version of God Put A Smile On Face.

Fans were clamoring for Coldplay to surprise its loyal following with some of their older hits. The band silenced the house with a mournful unplugged version of Trouble, featuring just Martin on piano. Martin continued to showcase his exceptional high octaves and his prowess as a could-be classical pianist on the big beat epic hit Politik.


One of the top highlights of the night came when the band disappeared from the main stage and re-emerged from their satellite stage in the center of the lawn section. They proceeded to play a dreamy unplugged version of Green Eyes followed by an uproarious audience sing-along to the semi-acoustic cover of Michael Jackson’s mega-hit single, Billie Jean.

Coldplay stunned the crowd near the conclusion of the setlist by dropping a shower of multicolored papier-mache butterflies on the audience while they crooned to their new romantic anthem, Lovers In Japan.

The only hit worth mentioning that the band didn’t play was their techno pop-infused single Speed of Sound. This decision sheds light on the band’s new shocking musical evolution to more dramatic rock selections. Fans will have to wait two years before their next album surfaces. What direction might the band venture into next? Acid Jazz? Rave-infused drum n’ bass? The possibilities are endless – but then again, so is the wait!

Grade: A

In The Spotlight: Lovers In Japan (Live From Dallas)

A Modern Take on A Timeless Story

Hatred, love, desire death and a plague on both your houses. Of course, these themes refer to the timeless love story, Romeo and Juliet. The Dallas Hub Theater was able to successfully modernize a classic Shakespearean love story and make it feel hip. The young cast and minimal set give the production had a timeless feel.

Rachel Bower and Travis McClung are excellent as the two leads. They have fantastic chemistry and were able to easily slip into the Shakespearean dialogue. Other cast members seemed to stumble on their words at times or to be stating lines instead of becoming their characters. Although this version is in present day, Texas twangs are never acceptable during a Shakespeare performance! David Jeremiah (Mercutio) and Manson Thoma (Benvolio) manage to make up for pitfalls of other players

The direction, choreography and staging were all excellent and Shakespeare fans will enjoy the retelling. The Hub Theater’s casual, low-key environment and small performance space enhanced the evening and made for an intimate experience.

Grade: B-

Posted 8/8/09

An Oldie, But A Goodie

In the 1930s, families were going through uncharted territory as they paved their way through economic hardships at home and enemies abroad. Woody Guthrie advocated for the people and used their own words in his songs. He observed and reported, refusing to be quiet or be threatened by labels like “communist” or “socialist.” In an ironic twist of fate, the themes of the theatrical musical, Woody Guthrie’s American Song, still ring true today.

The play retells Guthrie’s life through a series of vignettes that emphasize his need to make people feel better … his desire to show that all people are equal. Actors in the show each take on Guthrie’s persona at different times in his life. Songs like “Do Re Mi,” Grand Coulee Dam” and “The Sinking of the Rueben James” are just as powerful today. His brilliant lyrics are historical retellings of tragic events. Yet, somehow you feel the need to sing along and feel better for doing so.

The first half of the show is both lively and entertaining. The second half is a bit slower and couldn’t keep the same pace. Perhaps the show would have benefited from putting more fast-paced songs in the second half. The cast did a great job of rallying attendees to sing along. By the grand finale, the audience members were singing, swaying from side to side and smiling, while taking part in a rousing rendition of “This Land Belongs to You and Me.”

Guthrie inspired future folk singers like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. He also impacted singers like Bruce Springsteen. Woody Guthrie’s American Song is both a tribute to an American icon and a musical history lesson rolled into an entertaining theater performance.

Grade: B

525,600 Minutes: A Tale of Love and Survival

It’s been more than 525,600 minutes since Rent debuted in New York. It’s been more than 10 years since this show touched audience members around the world. Jonathan Larson’s musical is a modern-day remake of Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème – the central characters are a group of friends, (musicians, lawyers, filmmakers) struggling to get by in New York. Many of the characters have contracted the AIDS virus, and the show faces this issue head on. Although there have been many changes in the world since its 1996 release, the themes of struggling to find love, friendship and personal fulfillment are just as strong and impactful today.

As audience members filled the Dallas Music Hall at Fair Park, an energy emanated throughout the theater. It turned to excitement and anticipation as the curtains opened. From the moment Mark and Roger – original cast members Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal – sang their first notes, it was obvious that theatergoers were in for a very special treat. As the show continued, attendees began to rock in their seats and mouth the words to each song. When the performers concluded a scene, the audience broke into huge rounds of applause and whistles and cheering could be heard in surround sound.

Many theatergoers are passionate about their favorite Broadway shows. They will speak about Phantom of the Opera, Les Mis, Jersey Boys or other performances. What makes Rent (Broadway’s seventh-longest running shows) so special is the way its characters, plot and music seem to move and touch individuals. In an age filled with political correctness, nothing is too taboo or risqué in Rent. There are cross-dressers, homosexuals, homeless people, poverty and AIDS. Yet, crowds have flocked to the theater for 12 years, many repeat attendees.

This is the little show that could and did! Numerous members of the original cast are household names – Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Jesse L. Martin, to name a few. This show has achieved phenomenal success by crossing the societal acceptance lines to portray how one simple emotion can fuel desolate and lonely people – the act of love. Be it love of friendship or passion, it is what helps this cast survive “in the age of a new millennium.” Its story of friendship and courage in the face of adversity is inspiring and uplifting to all in attendance.

After ten years, Pascal and Rapp may not be able to hit the same high notes, and new members have joined the traveling troupe, but it is still evident that audiences will keep packing the house and cheer for the underdogs in this phenomenally moving and emotional show.

Grade: A

Two & Half Scotsmen: Franz Ferdinand Rocks The House With a Sensational Set

Franz Ferdinand burned through a killer 90-minute setlist in front of a sold-out crowd at the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas. For the most part, The Scottish trio of Alex Kapranos, Bob Hardy and Nick McCarthy (struggling on crutches) chose a well-rounded setlist that included tracks from their self-titled debut album, You Could Have it So Much Better and Franz Ferdinand: Tonight. It only took a handful of songs before the most raucous crowd was on their feet; dancing and screaming the lyrics back at lead vocalist Kapranos almost verbatim.

Three songs into their concert, Kapranos said, for those of you who can’t see over the people in front of you, you might as well get up dance with the rest of us. Do You Want To is one of their most recognized anthems that features Hardy’s jagged guitar grooves over a melody that is reminiscent of some of the finest work from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. It must have been ladies' night at the House of Blues, most of the women were screaming the chorus to very catchy and new retro rock favorite No You Girls. It features sexy and seductive lyrics including, no you girl’s will never know how you make the boys feel …

One of band’s finest song selections of the night was the slick yet somber guitar ballad of Walk Away. Kapranos mourns and croons about prematurely breaking off a relationship that could have been special. His vocal was so haunting and his delivery invoked so much pain and grit, it rendered the concertgoers speechless – for nearly four full minutes. Kapranos’ dark yet emotive voice invoked such empowerment with the audience that it didn’t take deep hypnosis to find the audience was singing or humming along.

Fans received another large dose of adrenaline during the encore performance of the Franz classic, This Fire. The North Texas fandom united together to chant in unison the highly addictive chorus, This fire is out of control, I’ve got to burn this city, burn this city ... This song is very reminiscent to many of the emotionally invigorating songs from Joy Division’s back catalogue.

While Franz bulldozed their way through many dance floor stompers, nothing matched the electricity more than the band’s final song of the night, the techno-ladened Lucid Dreams. McCarthy’s injury did not hamper his amazing wizardry on keyboards as he unleashed Depeche Mode-like synthesizers and break-beats that had everyone grooving and grinding from their seats one last time.

One of the few limitations of their performance was that Franz failed to surprise the audience with a few lesser-known gems from their discography. The electro-inspired Live Alone exemplifies the band’s new direction, adding more Eurodance beats to accompany their brooding guitar rhythms. L. Wells could have been a welcomed edition that conjures up memories from the gorgeous sing-along choruses from the classic Beatles’ Abbey Road album. But the Scottish set was sharp, short and sweet, leaving its audience yearning for one more tune and another pint of brew before they called it a night.

Grade: A-

In The Spotlight: Franz Ferdinand No You Girls (Live From Dallas)