VIDEO DUMP: SPOON "YOU GOT YR. CHERRY BOMB" (2008)

This is a cool video for one of my favorite songs from last year "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" by the indefatigable Spoon. It's on their 6th album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (2007), which gets better with every listen.



Spoon "You Got Yr Cherry Bomb" [YouTube]

ROCKTOBER: SPOON "JONATHON FISK" (2002)

From the fantastic Kill The Moonlight album, here's the Austin, Texas band Spoon with "Jonathon Fisk".



"Religion don't mean a thing, it's just another way to be right wing."

FABCHANNEL

My new favorite find is Fabchannel, a website from Amsterdam chock full of complete live concert videos, over 800 from many different indie artists, including Spoon, Bright Eyes, The Frames, Frank Black (doing a cover of Tom Waits' "Black Rider", even), Damien Rice, The Black Keys, and many more.

After watching some of this Andrew Bird show from the past year, now I KNOW I have to see him in concert.



My Playlist:

DON'T MAKE ME SHOP AT TARGET

DON'T MAKE ME SHOP AT TARGET!

I was shocked to see both Spoon and Interpol's new discs being featured in the weekly ad for Target. Shocked AND stunned. But there they were, right next to T.I., Fabolous [sic] and "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" DVD. I've seen these two bands play live (twice each, thank you very much, ha ha) so they've definitely earned my praise, but now they're rocking TARGET? Unable to resist the great bargains, I ended up going there on Wednesday during lunch to pick them up. However, I had to fight for a parking space at the mall with all the dirty Muggles taking their annoying Mugglespawn in to see "Harry Potter and the Magical Money Machine". That being said, buying a copy of "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" (with a throwaway bonus CD "Get Nice!" that you will listen to only once) is the best $7.98 you will ever spend. Also, a 12 pack of Kleenex Cottonelle Toilet Paper with Aloe is totally worth the price, especially if you hate chafing as much as me.

I also considered buying the new Smashing Pumpkins Zeitgeist, after hearing a few good songs and despite reading mostly "meh" reviews. But I was confused as to "which" album I was getting, as there are several different versions: iTunes, Best Buy, Target, and other, all have DIFFERENT TRACK LISTINGS. What is that all about? So I ended up not buying it, because I don't want anyone to see my CD and scoff at me, "Ohhhh, you got the TARGET one. That one is for idiots that go to the store to buy deodorant and end up with a CD as an afterthought."

However, one of the reviews I read directed me to this live clip of "United States" . . . and I'm reconsidering my decision.



Sweet Holy Jebus, Jimmy Chamberlain's drumming sounds simply fantastic. Billy's scream near the end gave me goosebumps. This certainly is a classic Pumpkins track. But where does Billy find these hot bassists? Do they clone them in a lab somewhere? If they play a big show in these parts somewhere, I might have to go see them . . .

Smashing Pumpkins "United States" (Live @ Rock Am Ring, Nuremberg, Germany, June 2007) [YouTube]

FREE SPOON!

Free shows = good shows.

SPOON is one of many bands that will be performing as part of the River To River Festival 2007 in various outdoor NYC venues.

SPOON. On the heels of their sixth album release, one of the most acclaimed bands in indie music delivers a rocking concert including some of their latest material. DATE: July 11, 2007, TIME: 7:00pm, LOCATION: Rockefeller Park

It would be great if they sang "Rockafella Skank". I'm definitely going to check out that show (weather permitting). Other bands playing freebies: The New Pornographers (7/4), Menomena (7/13), Bishop Allen (7/20), The National (8/17), Camera Obscura (8/24), among others.

Meanwhile from June 4 - 15, Spoon is streaming a song-a-day from their upcoming new album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga , out 7/10. Good stuff.

SPOON @ THE STONE PONY, ASBURY PARK, NJ, APRIL 24, 2007

I don't know why Spoon aren't bigger than they are. When I say that, people make faces and don't seem to understand. No, I'm not having trouble eating my cereal, and I'm not quoting "The Tick". I'm talking about the indie rock band from Austin, TX who just played an awesome show last night at the Stone Pony. Yes, the same place (more or less) that the Boss made famous decades ago--I didn't know it was still around either. I'd seen exactly two shows there in my lifetime: Morphine/Soul Coughing and Hole (back in 1995 and 1994, I think).

When we arrived at Asbury Park, I was amazed on how the area hasn't changed much in the 12 years that have passed; that is to say, despite all the claims of the area's "revitilazation", it still looks like a total shithole. Although they built some new condos, there are still a lot of of the old (now-abandoned) buildings everywhere. We parked on a makeshift dirt median (I assume this is part of the "beautification" project) and entered just as the opening band was going on, and although the crowd was initially sparse it filled in rather quickly. I was a little leary of the fact that is was an "all-ages" show, but it ended up being an excellent, enthusiastic crowd, and not packed with annoying scenesters like your average NYC show. I'm also glad I saw them here because no matter where you are in the Pony you're close to the stage.

I last saw Britt Daniels & Co. back in 2003 in support of their "Kill The Moonlight" album, and they once again sounded fantastic. Many songs from the aforementioned album were featured ("Stay Don't Go", "Paper Tiger", "Someone Something", "The Way We Get By", and "Small Stakes" which really rocks live--it's amazing what a simple backbeat can do). This time around I got to hear a number of "Gimme Fiction" songs ("Two Sides/Monsieur Valentine", "The Beast and Dragon Adored", "Stay Don't Go", "I Turn My Camera On", "My Mathematical Mind", "I Summon You", "They Never Got You"), and a healthy dose of songs from "Girls Can Tell" made the cut ("Fitted Shirt", "Lines in the Suit", "Me and the Bean", "Anything You Want"). They also played about 4 new songs from their new album "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga" (out 7/10) which were good; "Don't Make Me A Target" is the only title I could figure out. At one point, he said this was their first show in New Jersey--before being corrected by a band member that they had been at Maxwell's in Hoboken already, but the crowd gave him a pass. For the encore, they played my pick "Everything Hits At Once", and Joe's pick "Jonathon Fisk" closed the show.

For their straightforward, enjoyable songwriting and accessible rock sound, Spoon should be bigger than they are. But at the same time I'm kind of glad they aren't.

UPDATE: I added some pictures taken with my cell phone (the Samsung A930) and no, they're not that great (had I known security was going to be virtually non-existent I would have brought a proper camera). It's funny how the cell phone has replaced the lighter at concerts now, and for the first time I was actually envious of kids who had better camera phones than me. Anyway, once I learned how to use the zoom feature I got some okay shots. I don't know why the thought of Britt wearing the "I am old enough to drink" bracelet during the entire show cracks me up.

(Although I have Bitpim and a USB data cable I still haven't figured out how to access my videos--gah!)