Cheesemaster Flex

I go to lots of shows. I play music. I listen to music. And I finally found a way to make a living going to concerts. But I still blog.

Hank & Cupcakes, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros at The Roots Festival

Saturday, June 4th, 2011 I saw Hank & Cupcakes at The Roots Festival in Philadelphia, PA. The best part was that I got a free ride and a free backstage pass!  I was totally surrounded by famous people and half of them I had no idea where they were from.  It was probably the coolest backstage event I got to go to.  They had ping pong tables, basketball, free drinks, free food, etc.  There were interviews going on and people feeling important.  

Jeez I don’t remember everyone I saw because it’s been so long ago now, but here it goes for what I could remember…

Hank & Cupcakes—Awesome as always.  If anything, the sound dude sucked at the festival.  I don’t know what was going wrong with the sound but it was pretty bad all day long.  Unfortunately for H&C it kept delaying their performance.  However, once they started rocking out on the stage, they took the audience back.  Most people there hadn’t even heard of H&C before, but you could tell many people were made into instant fans.  

Little Dragon—I’m pretty sure I saw these guys.  This band fits in with Brooklyn.  Pretty good.

Railbird—Jeez I’m pretty sure I saw these guys but I totally forget.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros—KILLED IT.  Even with the bad sound system.  I got to watch them play ‘Home’ from the side stage.  It was kind of epic.  Afterwards, my friend and I went to go get some food and Jade Castrinos (the girl from the band) sat RIGHT next to us.  I was like ‘okay, here’s my chance to say anything’.  You could tell that ES&TMZ were not feeling confident about their performance either, due to the sound guy.  So finally I just said to Jade “I’m sorry, but I just have to say, you guys just rocked my face off”.  She couldn’t have been sweeter!  She was so excited to get a compliment which made me feel like less of a douche bag for interrupting her day, hah. I actually asked what her name was because I totally forgot that they even say her name in the song.  She answered and then I was like “Oh right, because it says it in the song, duh”, to which she replied “Aw thanks for listening!”  or something like that.  No for reals, Jade Castrinos is a sweetheart.  

Damn I am really far behind in concert reviews.  

Ray LaMontagne Part Deux, 5-31-11

So I totally forgot to include some info from my last post.  

A)  The Secret Sisters opened.  They were okay.  Just a little girl folk group.

B)  Brandi Carlisle also opened.  I recognized her music once she started playing.  You probably would too.

C)  This was the most important part I forgot.  I was totally talking to Allison Miller who used to be in Ani DiFranco’s band!  She was trying to let someone into the V.I.P. area and at first I didn’t realize she was in the band playing that night so I almost stopped her.  She was nice but kind of though I was dumb I think.  I was, lol.  I thought she looked familiar but I just couldn’t place it.  Once her name was mentioned on stage I realized how I knew who she was!  I’m pretty sure I have her autograph somewhere too.  

So yeah.

Also, I probably won’t be posting again until mid-May.  I’m heading out on tour and absolutely can’t wait.  See you then.  Enjoy your shows!

Ray LaMontagne at Central Park, Tuesday, May 31st, my 24th birthday

I couldn’t have wanted anything better on my birthday, after all I had just gone through.  My self-esteem and entire emotional being had just been slaughtered after learning that six years was gone for good, and it was all in vain in the end.

I volunteered this night because since I love Ray and they knew me at Central Park, I figured I had a good chance of meeting him.  

The show itself was amazing and as soulful as I had remembered him.

Setlist:

1)  Like Rock & Roll and Radio

2)  Cryin’ Shame

3)  For the Summer

4)  Beg Steal or Borrow

5)  You Can Bring Me Flowers

6)  Shelter Me

7)  The Devil’s in the Jukebox

8)  Are We Really Through

9)  New York City’s Killing Me

10)  God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise

11)  Trouble

12)  Jolene

13)  Henry nearly Killed Me

Encore:

14)  Three More Days

15)  All the Wild Horses

After the show, I was let backstage, although my friends were patient and waited for me out front.  I waited for a while looking kind of awkward since I had no one to talk to.  Then I asked the band if I could get their autographs and they couldn’t have been more normal or nicer.  The girl in particular was really cool—right off the bat she knew I was a Gemini.  I forget what we were talking about but we were joking around for a few moments.  They even told me to sit down but I didn’t want to intrude.  I should’ve sat down!!!

Eventually Ray came out of the little trailer.  It was perfect.  Just Ray and I.  I told him “I’m so excited, I’ve been listening to you since the beginning and it’s my birthday!  I’ve been going through some crazy stuff having six years come crashing down on me, and I just keep listening to your music and it feels much better.  It’s therapy”.  Something along those lines.  Then he looked DEEP into my eyes like he was looking into my soul and he goes ‘you’re just a baby’.  He mentioned his birthday was coming up soon as well and we had a little small talk.  He is as introverted and reclusive as I thought, but there’s something incredibly charming about it and somehow still warm.  I really felt like all of his focus was on me for those few minutes we spent having a conversation.  

I’ll always go back to see Ray play.  And if your heart got torn out, sometimes you gotta put salt to the wounds till you get better.  Ray will make you cry more before you get over any of it, but there’s some dark pleasure about that.

The Cars, Wednesday, May 25th at Roseland Ballroom

Wednesday, May 25th I volunteered through Live Nation to see The Cars for free at Roseland Ballroom.  This was a band that was on my bucket list, but I really didn’t want to pay money to go see.  I went to this one alone, but whenever I volunteer I really don’t mind.

The show was really good but there was no insane energy or stage presence.  Just the good songs we know and love.  The guys are getting older now too so I guess I shouldn’t expect anything extravagant. 

I was happy that they stuck with the songs people knew.  Let’s be real, if you’re seeing a musical artist that has been around for 20+ years, you want the best hits, not what’s being featured on the latest record.  And because there was nothing extravagant or out of the ordinary, this post is really short because there’s only so much you can say about an average but good show.

Setlist:

1)  Good Times Roll

2)  Blue Tip

3)  Since You’re Gone

4)  Up and Down

5)  My Best Friend’s Girl

6)  Touch and Go

7)  I’m in Touch With Your World

8)  Keep On Knocking

9)  You Might Think

10)  Drag on Forever

11)  Free

12)  I’m Not the One

13)  Sad Song

14)  Heartbeat City

15)  Let’s Go

Encore:

16)  Moving In Stereo

17)  Just What I Needed

18)  You’re All I’ve Got Tonight

Arctic Monkeys at Central Park SummerStage, Tuesday, May 24th

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011 I saw the Arctic Monkeys at Central Park SummerStage.  The only album I own by them is ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’.  And honestly, the only song I was there to hear was “When The Sun Goes Down”. 

At that point in time I had the song on repeat for the past 3 days.  Three days before the show I had a life-bomb dropped on me.  I was feeling pretty angry and the lyrics to this song just nailed it.  I remember feeling like I NEEDED to hear the song.  When they finally played it I felt a sigh of relief. 

The song was my strength at that point in time.  I had to hate him as much as possible and this definitely helped to fuel my anger.  “And what a scummy man.  Just give him half a chance, I’ll bet he’ll rob you if he can…’cause he’s a scumbag don’t you know….They said he changes when the sun goes down around here”.  See, I rarely get pissed off, but I’m one of those girls that once you’ve turned me on the other side, I have no mercy.  Yep.  I can definitely be one of those crazy bitches.  My hand gave a piece of my mind to him three days prior.  It’s songs like this that make a girl drive her car like a crazed speed demon just to deliver the justice he’s supposed to get.  I certainly felt empowered after this show…just what I needed.

The concert as a whole was really good.  They’ve got a great energy.  Once was enough for me, but if I got to see them for free again, yeah, you’ll catch me there.  Any girls who need revenge/power tunes to get through an awful insult, slap in the face break up…this is your song.

Oh yeah..The Vaccines opened….totally forget what they were like.

The Vaccines Setlist:

1)  Under Your Thumb

2)  Blow It Up

3)  Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)

4)  All In White

5)  Wetsuit

6)  A Lack of Understanding

7)  If You Wanna

8)  Post Break-Up Sex

9)  Good Guys Don’t Wear White (Standells/Minor Threat Cover)

10) Norgaard

Arctic Monkeys Setlist:

1)  Library Pictures

2)  The View From the Afternoon

3)  Brianstorm

4)  This House Is A Circus

5)  Still Take You Home

6)  Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I Moved Your Chair

7)  Pretty Visitors

8)  Teddy Picker

9)  Crying Lightning

10) Cornerstone

11) She’s Thunderstorms

12) I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

13) Potion Aproaching

14) Brick By Brick

15) If You Were There, Beware

16)  Do Me A Favour

Encore:  

17)  The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala

18)  When The Sun Goes Down

19)  Flourescent Adolescent

Kylie Minogue at Hammerstein Ballroom, 5-4-11

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 I volunteered my time in return for a free ticket to see Kylie Minogue.  People looking for ways to get free shows need to look no further than Live Nation’s volunteer group, Music Geeks.  It truly is the best way to get some of the best tickets for free.  All you have to do is show up usually 2 hours (max.) before doors open, try and get people to sign up for the mailing list, and occasionally put some pictures up.  Understandably so, many people can’t get to the venue 2 hours before doors.  Not a problem.  Volunteer for a show you don’t want to go to, don’t go in to watch the show, and use that as a free ticket in for whatever other show you really want to go to.  Most of the time they’ve got the tickets available for what you’re looking for.

Okay, now onto Kylie.  I’m a concert whore.  I’ll seriously go see anyone live at least once if I have enough time and money.  I know Kylie Minogue is apparently just like Madonna in the UK and Australia, so I figured I’d check it out….fo’ free.

First off….WOW.  Well before she even took the stage, I was already amused.  The people watching was FAN-TASTIC.  I seriously felt like I was in a gay man’s dance club.  The flamboyant outfits, drag queens, etc. were a fantastic addition the an already eccentric show.

When Kylie took the stage, she appeared as some sort of Greek goddess or ‘Aphrodite’.  I must say that the whole appearance of the stage, costumes and everything was impressive.  Actually, now that I think about it, the crowd wasn’t that much more different than going to a Meatloaf show.  I didn’t stay for the full set.  I mainly just wanted to see ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’.  I think if I had went with some fun friends and was able to drink or something I would’ve stayed for the full thing.  For free—I’m definitely happy I went.  

And your setlist:

1)  Aphrodite

2)  The One

3)  Wow

4)  Illusion

5)  I Believe In You

6)  Cupid Boy

7)  Spinning Around

8)  Get Outta My Way

9)  What Do I Have to Do?

10)  Everything is Beautiful

11)  Slow

12)  Confide In Me

13)  Can’t Get You Out of My Head

14)  In My Arms

15)  Looking for an Angel

16)  There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)  (Eurythmics cover)

17)  Love at First Sight

18)  If You Don’t Love Me (Prefab Sprout cover)

19)  Better the Devil You Know

20) The Loco-Motion (Little Eva cover)

21)  Better Than Today (Nerina Pallot cover)

22)  Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)

Encore:  

23)  On a Night Like This

24)  All the Lovers

25)  Your Disco Needs You

Bamboozle, 4-30-11

Saturday, April 30th, 2011 I had the opportunity to go to Bamboozle for free!  (In addition to free transportation and a backstage pass J)

I was helping out Hank & Cupcakes with the mailing list that day.  And yet again volunteering has proved itself not just helpful to others, but beneficial to myself as well.  It’s a win-win situation.  Of course getting paid is always better but for my circumstance, I was pretty pumped.

I’ve wanted to check out Bamboozle for years.  This was my first time there.  The only bummer about going to a festival by yourself is that you’re by yourself!  I wandered around on my time off which was most of the time I was there.  From what I can remember, here’s what I checked out.

First off, duh I saw Hank & Cupcakes.  I think that was the first time I saw them add the rabbit head to the mix.  I fully approve.  The only thing that sucked was that they were one of the first bands that played on one of the small stages.  They definitely deserved to either be on at a later time slot or on a better stage.  When you compare them to the other up and coming bands, H&C are in a league of their own.  They are true professionals who also happen to know how to entertain really well.  They kicked ass and had the crowd jumping on the concrete.

I saw Thrice.  I don’t know what I was expecting exactly, but they surprised me.  I guess since I know a lot of people that like Thrice like bands like Alkaline Trio or slightly emo/rockish bands I was expecting more down that genre.  Not so.  I think the average rocker would like these guys. 

I saw Alkaline Trio just for the fact that I can say I saw them.  I’ve never been die hard or even much of a fan but I always believe you should see a band live before you judge them.  I don’t really feel like I judge them now that I’ve seen them live…they’re just not my type.  But I know some people who are super passionate about them so maybe I’m just missing something.

Tokyo Police Club…um..what’s the big deal with these guys again?  They were one of the most boring bands I’ve seen play possibly ever.  I usually like to see a full set so I stayed for the majority of it.  I just remember wondering when they would be finished.

Streetlight Manifesto was probably the biggest surprise for me.  I knew their name but I really didn’t know much about their music.  Man can these guys throw down a party.  The horn section just makes the crowd want to get nuts.  There were plenty of crowd surfers and moshers.  It was a crazy atmosphere and I loved it.  The audience and the band were on the same page.  Party.

As I was leaving Bamboozle (early…boo I know), I caught some of Circa Survive.  The good news is that they sound exactly like their album.  The bad news is that they sound exactly like their album.  From the parts that I saw, don’t expect anything brand new or unexpected.  Expect the expected.  Depending on your taste, the band, etc., sometimes that can work.  I just have one of their albums and by no means would I consider myself a ‘fan’, but yes, I enjoyed myself.

 I hate that I left early, but chillin’ by yourself at a festival can only keep you occupied for so long.  Eventually you get bored partying on your own.  However, I saw some bands that I otherwise wouldn’t have seen, and that is always worth the time to me.

facevalues asked: Hey yo, I didn't know you had a Tumblr til I saw your facebook thingie.

Hah, I don’t really promote it that much.  I just keep it in case employers want something documented to see I’m actually a big music fan etc.  Usually I just refer shows I went to like 9 months ago, lol

Which Side Are You On?

If you didn’t already know, I’m a die hard Ani DiFranco fan.  I think I’ve seen her live around 15 times.  The only tattoo I have is ‘Living In Clip’.  I’ve been really excited for her next album to come out, especially after having visited Babeville in Buffalo, NY this year on Halloween while on tour.  One of the girls who gave me a private tour of Babeville told me ‘top secret’ information that the next album would be called ‘Which Side Are You On?’  I wasn’t an asshole who just told everyone anyway.  I’ve still not met Ani D. though I came close to it once in Pittsburgh.  While I was growing up and learning how to play the guitar, about 90% of the material I would play was Ani DiFranco.  *I just wanted to give my Ani fan-dom history before I give my very obviously biased opinion of the new album.

A lot of people didn’t like ‘Red Letter Year’ compared to her earlier and angrier days.  It was too mellow for most.  I enjoyed it because it was what I expected to come from Ani since it was her first album she wrote since she’s had her daughter.  You can’t expect her to sound angry after giving birth.  I didn’t think ‘Red Letter Year’ was her best work yet but I still predictably enjoyed it.

Now here comes ‘Which Side Are You On’, the first album DiFranco has put out since October ‘08.  True, I bought it first thing this morning and it’s been on repeat all day.  This album is more about documenting her life like a journal rather than a big musical journey.  The album cover and the first track, ‘Life Boat’ pretty much sum up what you can expect to hear from the album.  The moments that stand out in her album are the ones where you feel like it’s just you and your loved one alone, quiet, and truly in love.  Ani sounds more certain of this love more than any she’s sounded like on past records.  

‘Which Side Are You On’ is the rockiest track you’re gonna get from Ani.  I totally don’t agree with her politics but she makes you forget for a moment and really listen to her message.  That’s rad that music can do that.  Let yourself get swept away for a few minutes.  But really, don’t expect any of the tracks to bring down the house like Jukebox or Shameless.

‘Promiscuity’ is awesome.  Sometimes you don’t want to excuse yourself for being a slut.  Take Madonna’s message in ‘Human Nature’ and put it to a folky tune.  

‘J’ is cool, but it could’ve gotten so much more Bob Marley on me.  It’s like how John Mayer’s ‘Assassin’ almost climaxes, just to leave you high and dry thinking you’re still gonna get there.

‘If Yr Not’ sends the right blunt message.  ”If you’re not getting happier as you grow older, then you’re fuckin’ up”.  Basically, shut up and realize whatchya got.

Key track to pull your heart strings:  ’Hearse’.  Here’s your true love.  The focal line is just so incredible with feeling.  

“I will always be your lover

Even after our atoms are dispersed.

We’ll be pushing up daisies

And my crush will just be gettin’ worse.

And I will follow you into the next life like a dog chasin’ after a hearse”.

Okay, let your heart breathe.  ’Mariachi’ comes in.  I like the chorus “What if it was just me? Just me?”

So what do I rate this?  You know what, I’m not rating, I’m reviewing.  So I say if you love Ani DiFranco and enjoy her journey through life, buy it.  If you want to hear angry Ani rockin’ out, don’t buy it.  There are some really true feelings on this record though.  *I would highly recommend it.

Hank & Cupcakes at le Poisson Rouge, NYC on 4-25-11

Very cool venue.  I like the downstairs.  It seems sinful somehow.  The stage room was really intimate.  I like the heightened stage.  Intimate rooms with big stages always command your attention so you forget about how little the venue is.  It makes you take the place seriously.  This was my first time at le Poisson Rouge and I would love to go to more shows here.  Hank & Cupcakes were great but I was in the other room doing merch so I just heard them.  Not a problem though, that’s exactly what I’m there for.  I don’t have to see it to know they kicked ass.  They always do.  When the door peaked open from time to time I could see the audience was into it.  Met some pretty cool people that night too.  This is kind of a random entry.