Showing posts with label sleigh bells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sleigh bells. Show all posts


Odds and Sods 11/20



File under RUN AND STRAFE. 
  • I'm just going to come out and say it: I don't think WNY's college student population is pulling it's weight. We've got how many schools in the area with how many students, and shows like Sleigh Bells and Blitzen Trapper aren't getting the crowds they deserve. I just can't help but feel that these college students are failing miserably. I've heard a few theories as to why (they don't like to leave campus, they don't like music like students used to, the buzz for these bands isn't there), and I don't like the implications of any of them. Is it Buffalo's lot to land good college acts at a time when the local college population is too lame to take advantage of the situation? Getting the students into the city at large is going to be a big issue for 2014, that's for sure.

  • And while on the subject of buzz, it makes me sad that buzz has become a currency that flows like global capital to cheap labor markets in the third world. It's one thing to have buzz guide us to new things and keep things lively, it's another to chase the buzz and automatically abandon that which had buzz yesterday for the sake of chasing buzz. This doesn't bode well for the viability of popular music at all. Is this what they mean when they say "foodies are bad for food scenes?"

  • I'm not altogether thrilled by the dress code for next year's Arcade Fire tour as the band is requesting that attendees show up in "formal attire or costume," and frankly my nose is a tad pushed out of joint, if nothing else because I've defended Arcade Fire from accusations of pretentiousness and this is how they repay me, with intended feats of abject pretentiousness. While the dress code will no doubt be unenforced, the air of grandiosity is regrettable, and of course while I expect many Arcade Fire fans are already picking out their black tie and tails and gowns, the fact remains that this isn't a very Bruce Springsteen thing to do. Now, a costume however is entirely different... Tickets for Arcade Fire's March 13th show in Toronto at the Air Canada Centre go on sale this Friday. 

  • Black Sabbath however is a band that won't be issuing a dress code for their shows, which is good because they'll be swinging by our general vicinity April 11th when they play the Copp's Colosseum in nearby Hamilton, Ontario. Touring behind this year's Rick Rubin produced 13, the reformed Sabbath (minus Bill Ward) hit the road after guitar god Tony Iommi recovered from cancer treatment to strong reviews and solid enough box office to extend the tour into 2014. This might well be our last chance to see 3/4's of the classic Black Sabbath and Ozzy in his truest element, and at this point it could be a better bet than the fancy do that will be live Arcade Fire (he says somewhat facetiously). Tickets go on sale this Friday.

Cliff Parks



Concert Review: Sleigh Bells


For weeks leading up to the Sleigh Bells concert on Thursday, I was listening to their newest album release, Bitter Rivals, incessantly. When I initially listened to the album, it had a much brighter vibe to it. On a personal level, it reflected my life, in a way. When Reign of Terror was released, I was on a very heavy depressive kick. My life has become much more lifted since then, and somehow Bitter Rivals reflects that. I saw Sleigh Bells live twice for their Reign of Terror tour and then again last week. The feel of their productions may have a slight difference to them this time around, but the performances were equally fucking amazing.

Prior to the Sleigh Bells concert, I had never heard of opening act Montreal-based Doldrums. Their set had hints of '80s synths with tones of UK garage weirdness. The lighting for their performance was simple; red flashing lights reminiscent of a heart rate monitor. The group is comprised by three; the stage was set with a drum set, a Yahmaha and next to the lead singer's mic stand was various electronic equipment. It was a buffaBLOG night out for the Sleigh Bells show. Before Jon Krol, Cliff Parks and I headed downtown to Town Ballroom, I asked them what Doldrums was all about. One of them replied their sound was "sludgy," but in a good way. After the band thanked the audience and made way for the crew to re-set the stage, I wholeheartedly agree that the use of word was perfectly on point.

Sleigh Bells took the stage. This show was different than my previous two, in that it wasn't just Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller, but they were joined by their other guitarist and Poison the Well member Ryan Primack, and drummer Jason Boyer.

"It feels good to be back here!" Krauss told the audience. "Back in this creepy awesome place."

The show was incredible, once again. They played the classics like "Kids" and "Tell Em'" in addition to the Bitter Rivals tunes.

Krauss brought up a fond memory for the Buffalonians in attendance. She described a venue with a name she couldn't remember. The crowd yelled "Mohawk!" She laughed and replied "yes!"

The encore was incredible and I'm pretty sure it was during "Sing Like a Wire" that I threw my back out. I squeezed my way up to the gate to have a closer look and obviously to hear the music at a way louder decibel; the people surrounding me weren't too pleased. I asked one girl if I could scooch my way up a little closer and she said "sorry." Whatever. I stayed where I was and threw myself around like a rogue pinball in a machine. All I could do was laugh and I couldn't see anything because my hair was in the way. The girl who initially declined my request for a better view looked back, smiled and said "here," giving me a small spot to take a step closer.

I left Town Ballroom with ringing ears, a sweaty leather jacket and a sore back that I wouldn't feel until my after-concert beer as I made an attempt to walk across Allen Street.

Until we meet again Sleigh Bells. Until we meet again.


Alicia Greco


Tonight: Sleigh Bells


Tonight Buffalo audiences will be get another chance to take in the phenomenon that is Sleigh Bells when they return for a show at the Town Ballroom. Their show at that fine venue in July last year was a roaring blast of sound, vision, and palpable sexiness that left the sold out crowd exhausted but ready for more. Touring behind their terrific third album Bitter Rivals and with a body of work that will make for a dynamite show, Sleigh Bells, aka Derek Miller (interviewed recently for the blog by Alicia Greco) and Alexis Krauss is coming back to give us more. Opening the show will be the hazy and dreamy sounds of mystery electronic act Doldrums. Tickets are $24 and are still available, and doors open at 7 PM.


Cliff Parks


Sleigh Bells, A Little Less Tortured: Inside The Mind Of Derek Miller

Sleigh Bells - Rochester - Nov. 2012 - Photo by Alicia Greco

To see inside the mind of Sleigh Bells, is to see a beacon in the dark. Guitarist and lyricist Derek Miller was working as a waiter seeking a new music venture after he left hardcore group Poison the Well. While waiting on a table he was introduced to Alexis Krauss by Krauss' mother. What could be considered fate, or the perfect story of an artistic relationship stemmed from boy-meets-girl, was not considered so through the eyes of Miller.

"I don't necessarily believe in fate," he said. He was working hard at the time to find a female vocalist and as he said, "created conditions to make it more likely."

Krauss was an experienced vocalist from an early age after performing in RubyBlue, a teen pop girl band. After developing their sound, the revolutionary M.I.A. sought them out to be signed to her record label N.E.E.T. Recordings. She contacted a "Derek," who although was the wrong person with the same name coincidentally knew Sleigh Bells' Miller. Already critically acclaimed and unsigned by only releasing singles, Krauss and Miller signed to M.I.A.'s label in 2010 and released their debut album, Treats.

Sleigh Bells ascended to worldwide tours and went on to be covered by highly-esteemed publications and productions ranging from the cover of SPIN Magazine to an encounter with cultured explorer Anthony Bourdain on his show "No Reservations."

"I don't consider touring strenuous," Miller said. "I like it, it's great. It's a privilege. You get to play shows every night, just going out for blocks at a time ... it's a great experience."


Rather than being singled out by a floodlight spot, Sleigh Bells performs with staggered strobes and while Krauss wails sweet and sexy croons through the microphone, Miller is found by her side hammering riffs through the stacked speakers that are powerfully lined behind them. He steps closer to the gate blockade separating the stage platform from the group of aggressive dancers, and becomes enraptured.

"On a great night, everybody's on the same page. You approach being in the moment, and you're not thinking about anything else. Not thinking about before or after, you just sort of disappear. I don't want to romanticize it but ... when that happens, it's pretty special," Miller reminisced. "You can't pay to have that experience. You can't pay to have people show up in a room for a record you made. It has to just happen."

It is clear that almost each musician has some type of expiration date; a time when their music is irrelevant and they can't keep up, or when life plans veer away from record releases and tours with sleep-deprived international flights through changing time zones. "You don't make records forever," he said. "You can make music forever."

Although some fame tends to radiate an untouchable hue, we are all human. This is a characteristic Sleigh Bells embodies. Miller relates to those who have hit rock bottom, those who have been left helpless from the uncontrollable tribulations. These moments left him deeply inspired, especially for their 2012 album Reign of Terror.

"Life happened to me. I've just had my fair share of horrible things happen to me throughout my life," he said. "A lot of things come close to killing you and you quickly lapse into cliché ... 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' ... and those clichés happen for a reason."

"I have an internal dialogue that never really shuts off, and I'm really hard on myself. Truth be told, I could probably use a little more ego. It'd probably be healthy," he said and then swiftly reconsiders. "I don't think I'd have a career if it wasn't for that side of me."

Miller is the sole-lyricist for Sleigh Bells, although he said he will alter and won't write anything that Krauss would be uncomfortable singing. He said their newest album release, Bitter Rivals, is unlike past productions. "Bitter Rivals comes from a different place, a much less depressed place. It just feels different to me, it feels that it's coming from somewhere a little less tortured."

The official video of the title track was released in the beginning of September; the album dropped a month later in early October. I asked Miller to delve into the meaning of one of the tracks, "Young Legends." As expected, he said he prefers people interpret among themselves. The raw inspiration behind the tune, however, was about the people who have tremendous amount of talent, that "never get a chance to develop it, for whatever reason."

"I knew that I had all of these ideas, I knew what I could accomplish," he said. The odds seemed so against him, he said. There are so many people "who never find the 'x' factor, that other component." This is a mindset not limited to just music. Krauss sings "Young legends die, all the time, but I don't mind."

"The chorus is sort of sarcastic ... it's a lie," Miller said. He told a story about a time in his life when he felt lost, and was searching for his footing; this is an experience familiar to anyone aspiring for true greatness. His mother would ask him where his life was going. "I was like 'I'll fucking figure it out,'" he said.

He did indeed.

Since, he has been pouring his creativity into Sleigh Bells, even down to the merchandise. Veering away from the technological sprawl of today's world and appealing to the vinyl diggers, Miller developed and designed the record artistry for each Sleigh Bells album. The package is comprised by pull-outs of photos taken by Miller himself, each one complimenting to the theme and vibe of the album's sound. "I know what I like," he said. "I like to think there's some kids out there that have them pinned to their wall."

"Reign of Terror" Photo by Alicia Greco

I asked him, why does he love music?

"I couldn't possibly sum that up in a sentence. For as long as I can remember it has been the most important thing in my life. I loved music since the age of 5 or 6, it's just been the center of my life. I love it to death, I don't know why. It's like trying to explain why you like a certain flavor or certain color; you're just drawn to it."


Sleigh Bells will be performing Thursday, Nov. 14 at Town Ballroom. Tickets can be purchased here.

Alicia Greco


Listener's Digest Presents - New Albums to Watch for in October


The fall is a big times for new releases. This summer seemed like very little happened after Yeezus in terms of big exciting releases, even sleeper albums seemed kind of scant for a few weeks there. Coming off of that, the sudden onslaught of new music can be overwhelming. No worries, because your friendly bloggers here at buffaBlog are providing you with some quick recommendations to help organize your month of music listening and purchases. By bloggers, I mean me, so a friendly blogger at buffaBlog is here to help. October has a little bit of everything, culminating in the much hyped release from Arcade Fire. But until then, there are exciting new releases from Danny Brown, Glasser, Cass McCombs, The Dismemberment Plan, and many more.

October 1

Oneohtrix Point NeverR Plus Seven: Oneohtrix Point Never will release another collection of his rather hard to pin down work tomorrow, his first album on the legendarily innovative Warp Records. Mixing the ambient and the upsetting, Daniel Lopatin's ongoing electronic project is sure to be one of October's most interesting and engaging releases.
October 8

Danny BrownOld: You can already stream this record but it officially comes out on October 8. Danny Brown finally makes his long awaited follow up to XXX. Earlier released tracks off this record suggest this record will be ridiculous, adding to an exciting year for hip hop  (Drake, Kanye West, A$AP Ferg, Earl Sweatshirt etc. etc.). Brown seems to be pushing himself further, taking his music in dizzyingly and delightfully weird directions.



Glasser - Interiors:  Following up her well received debut, Cameron Mesirow aka Glasser, returns with  Interiors. Another record you can stream before it's official debut, Glasser writes spacey/spookey electronic songs that straddle the border between catchy and haunting, which leaves you with the same end result I suppose.

Summer CampSummer Camp: Summer Camp’s new record appears to be a nice burst of synth pop in a year filled with such bursts. “Fresh” is definitely a sleeper jam for 2013 with a clean rhythm and a almost disco feel. Definitely an easy dancer should you need something for your upcoming costume party. The album will be a great mix of new wave and disco and a definite crowd pleaser. Hard to tell if this will get a lot of attention when it comes out, but  it should.



October 15

Cass McCombs Big Wheel and Others: It’s been a while since McCombs released Humor Risk, 2011’s nearly flawless collection of folk rock. Early singles have been exceptional so expect this record to be more of the same, which will go nicely with the changing leaves and oncoming chill.

The Dismemberment PlanUncanny Valley: This is more personal for me than anything else coming out in October. I first discovered the Dismemberment Plan in high school and they shaped my music taste in a number of ways. Their work has stood the test of time in such a way that I grew into instead of grown out of their music. After an immensely successful reunion tour, the group recorded their first new album in over 12 years. I am certainly apprehensive to see if their return matches up to their past accomplishment but I also have to keep reminding myself that I could never repeat the connection I made to their music at 16. So, we will see if they hit me in a different but equally impactful way as I approach 30. Early indicators point to this being a possible yes.



Heavenly BeatProminence: Heavenly Beat, formerly of Beach Fossils, follows up their 2012 debut, underrated in its own right, with another collection of hazed over wistful pop songs. The first single was a solid note of growth for John Peña, and I am confident the album will contain more of the same. 

October 22 

DucktailsWish Hotel EP: Matthew Mondanile’s side project has proven to be one favorite records of 2013 (it is true, just ask Mac) so it is exciting to see him releasing another album, albeit an EP in the same year. A decidedly lower key affair than The Flower Lane,  Mondanile returns to recording alone. However, the first single, “Honey Tiger Eyees,” was as blissed out and grandiose as anything Ducktails has done previously.



Omar SouleymanWenu Wenu: A star in the Middle East, Souleyman has slowly been gaining recognition in the West for his ecstatic and poppy take on traditional music. For his wider US debut, Souleyman enlisted the production of Four Tet, whose own musical style seems a perfect match. The first single, “Wenu Wenu,” a joyous and epic party stomper, should give you a good idea of what to expect from the album. Certainly something I am anxious to hear.

October 29 

Sky FerreiraNight Time, My Time: Sky Ferreira was recently in the news for  being caught with massive quantities of heroin(along with the lead singer of DIIV, oh the scandal!!). Ok, maybe it was not massive, but it was a bit of heroin, certainly more than average…I think. Anyway, Ferreira is set to finally release her debut full length after a year of smaller releases. The first single  featured Ferraira doing what she does best and that is performing infinitely catchy low-key pop.

Arcade FireReflekor: Hey, did you hear Arcade Fire are releasing a new album? Do you have the internet? Ok, then I don’t have to do much for this one. James Murphy produced their 4th record which promises to be more heavily influenced by Haitian music and features a more groove centric sound. “Reflecktor,” the first single, might be one of my favorite songs of theirs to date.
 

Album to Avoid

Sleigh Bells Bitter Rivals: It’s been a longtime since I had second hand embarrassment from someone else'smusic but that is how I feel when I hear new music from Sleigh Bells. I really liked them in the beginning but their music has worn thin about as quickly as their first show in Buffalo a few years ago (they played for 20 minutes if you were curious). Every time I hear something from this album, I wince involuntarily. At this point, Sleigh Bells has pretty much exhausted their schtick and I am certain I heard one of their riffs on a Kid Rock song back in high school.

Michael Torsell


Just Announced: Sleigh Bells


With their 3rd studio album, Bitter Rivals (10/8), set to drop next month, the raucous pop duo, Sleigh Bells, have announced a fall tour (via Consequence of Sound) that will include a return stop in Buffalo at the Town Ballroom on November 14th. Joining them will be Detriot buzz rapper Danny Brown and Montreal electro-pop artist Doldrums. The pair just released the video for the album's first single and title track, which you can view below. Tickets go on sale this Friday (9/6) at noon for $22 in advance, $24 day of.






Concert Review: Sleigh Bells and araabMUZIK


It was refreshing to take a break from the 716 on Friday night as I headed to Rochester for the long anticipated Sleigh Bells show at Water Street Music Hall. I finally got to see araabMUZIK live after missing his show in Buffalo last year, which is a regret I can now put behind me. His talent was as mind-blowing as I expected, although I wish he stuck with more of a hip-hop vibe rather than dubstep. Call me jaded.

After feeling like one in a handful of people that was actually getting down to araabMUZIK's set, Sleigh Bells initiated their show with a eerie introduction. I was pressed up against the gate attempted to squeeze next to a couple territorial of their spot. Sleigh Bells took the stage and suddenly vocalist and ultimate babe Alexis Krauss mentioned Buffalo. Several people screamed wildly, including the couple that wouldn't make room for my small frame. We exchanged smiles and nods of acknowledgment with the Buffalo couple, and suddenly enough space was made for me to fit comfortably. Regardless of the different city, the Buffalo love was still there. 


The show left me awestruck. With a more intimate crowd size than the Buffalo show in July, the feel of the room was intense. Similar, if not the same set list, I was able to enjoy this show even more because of how deep I fell into their music in the past three months. I couldn't help but tear up a little bit when they performed "End of the Line" and all that was between Alexis Krauss and I was a gate. "It didn't have to be this way, you know it didn't have to be, but it's the end of the line, so goodbye..." I sang along as she sang directly at me; it was as if she knew I felt that combination of utter desperation followed by the longing for retribution that the lyrics bleed.

Just as the show was about to end she beckoned the ladies to come on stage. What I expected was what happened at Town Ballroom when Santigold did the same thing. I braced myself for a mass rush of females climbing over each other, over the gate to hop around on stage. What happened was the furthest from that. Krauss came back over to my little space once again and amongst the outstretched arms she grabbed mine and began to pull me up. With the help of the security guard and my youthful skills and practice from hopping fences when I used to play Wiffle Ball, next thing I knew I was up on stage dancing around to "Rill Rill." After the song ended, me, my friend and the one other girl on stage each hugged Krauss and I must say it was that entire moment that verified this show a place in my top 10 favorites.  

Not only did I come home with a sore neck from head-banging, but also a new appreciation for the loyal Buffalo crowd. I left Water Street Music Hall with ringing ears and the biggest grin I've had in weeks. Seeing Sleigh Bells live once again is exactly what I needed to re-learn: that art created in darkness can also be and usually is the most freeing from such.

Alicia Greco


buffaBLOG Road Trip: Sleigh Bells & araabMUZIK


The moment I found out Sleigh Bells and araabMUZIK were performing together in Rochester, I screamed with joy.

Originally my thoughts on Sleigh Bells were conditional. I had to be in the right mood at the right time; when I wasn't, they sounded a little grating. Until I saw them live at Town Ballroom this past July, and suddenly my vision of them transformed. Alexis Krauss was a being of power, rage and utter sex appeal. I suddenly found myself waking up, putting on "End of the Line" and walking to work in the morning. Reign of Terror is now a staple in my album collections.

araabMUZIK came to Buffalo last year, and I still kick myself for not going. Graced with a second chance, I absolutely cannot wait to see him perform. With his fast-paced fingers, araabMUZIK works an MPC like nothing I've ever seen before.

Originally scheduled for Oct. 3, the show was rescheduled for tonight due to guitarist Derek Miller's unfortunate bone fracture. I'm curious to see how a night of bubblegum metal and ghettotech will mix. I predict it's going to be fire.

Sleigh Bells on Facebook

araabMUZIK on Facebook

Tonight, November 9, 2012 - Sleigh Bells & araabMUZIK
Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St., Rochester)
Doors @ 7 pm

Alicia Greco


Hot Times in the Tor-Buff-Chester Tomorrow Night


I totally love living in an international megalopolis like Tor-Buff-Chester because the advantages for us Buffalonians in the creamy center between Toronto and Rochester are numerous and frankly, pretty damn cool if we take advantage of them. Sure there's commercial benefits, but I'm more interested in: 1) the hockey, namely our symbiotic relationship with our farm team in Rochester and our excellent and heated division rivalry with the Toronto Maple Leafs (I despise those ____ers); 2) the cultural benefits, and 3) the music. Especially the music, with Buffalo ideally situated between the two poles of our megalopolis, the megaregion becomes our oyster. Case in point: the skull crushingly fine tri-fecta going off tomorrow night featuring Sharon Van Etten with Damien Jurado at the Town Ballroom (tickets are still available!), Yeasayer in Toronto, and Sleigh Bells and Araabmuzik at the Water Street Music Hall in Rochester.

Tomorrow night we've got ourselves a smorgasbord of shows worthy of interest, even if two of the three acts have already played Buffalo this year. I'm not going to get into the Sharon Van Etten show because that's being covered tomorrow (also, I'm not that excited about it, but that's just me), which leaves the Yeasayer and Sleigh Bells shows, which will be excellent based on what's been seen before by the Town Ballroom faithful. Even though their Fragrant World album let a lot of people down, Yeasayer's Buffalo show was exceptional... a puzzling paradox that will make their show at the Danforth Music Hall an opportunity to perhaps solve this mystery while checking out the allegedly impressive light show they're mounting on this leg of the tour, perhaps as a result of the decidedly mixed reviews Fragrant World received upon it's release in mid August. I myself would like to believe that the band thought they'd be conquering the world behind their new album and went for a light show that'd blow minds while they circled the world triumphantly, but I suspect that's naive tomfoolery. In any case, Fragrant World sounded great live alongside cuts from All Hour Cymbals and Odd Blood, so this ought to be a great show for Buffalonians eager to revisit those heady summer nights when our scene was on fire.



Indeed, one of the hottest and most explosive shows of the summer easily had to be the Sleigh Bells show in July, another Buffalo show strong enough to merit seeing them again, this time at the Water Street Music Hall. In fact I'm bummed that Yeasayer and Sleigh Bells are going off on the same night because the wall of sound laid down by Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss was delicious, utterly irresistible, and something I'd love to experience again. If there is one downside to living in a megalopolis, it'd be the fact that sometimes great shows go off on the same night, forcing hard choices on the part of discerning music fans. Hell, the night of the Yeasayer show at the Town Ballroom, Sigur Ros played Toronto. Sometimes you can't win, but boy is it nice to have options.

Now I know that Buffalonians have a complicated relationship with our neighbors to the North, and it's completely understandable considering their hockey fans mock us in our own building, their poor driving skills make them menaces on our roads and theirs, and their disdain for us does tend to strike a sour note. That said, to hell with them. Toronto is nice, and it's wasted on them... so we might as well partake in the goodness while also occasionally benefiting from our proximity when bands pass thru town on their way to or from Toronto. OK, yes, to be honest, I wish more shows visited Buffalo. Of course. More, more, more. But that's not necessarily how it goes for a struggling Rust Belt city like ours, and while progress is definitely being made cultivating a scene and an audience, this is where living in a megalopolis comes in handy. Between Toronto, Rochester, and Buffalo we get just about everybody... and it is good.




Oh yeah, by the way, Passion Pit plays the Main Street Armory in Rochester February 18. I agree that it sucks that they're not playing here, but the Armory is a fantastic venue (of a size we just don't have in Buffalo), their show at the Rapids Theatre 2 years ago was muy excellent even with light show issues, and that means road trip...


Cliff Parks













In Praise Of The Sensual Life

I am going to miss Anthony Bourdain. I know he's not dead or dying (unlike Bowie, who I'm not sure about), and that it's only No Reservations that's riding into the sunset while Bourdain has moved on to CNN; but for me, that's close enough. Over the course of 9 seasons, No Reservations helped us get the Ugly American Abroad Syndrome under control, revealed how chefs really eat (they like hot dogs and tacos like the rest of us) thereby kick starting the foodie revolution, and proudly extolled the virtue of tasteful excess as a means of properly enjoying life. Most importantly though, Bourdain transcended being just another travel show host to live vicariously through by becoming a proponent of and for the sensual life to an American audience rusty on the concept of actively and aggressively feeding the senses, including (and especially) the ears. 

An almost classical sensualist, Bourdain has codified the concept of living through and for your senses, which is why it's not surprising that in the last few seasons No Reservations has included forays into music with The Black Keys, Sleigh Bells, and Josh Homme, not to mention music heavy odes to New Orleans; and that Monday night's episode (the first of the show's "Final Tour") featured Austin during SXSW. Indeed, true music fans are sensualists by nature. We can't help ourselves. Music fans are all about that next sensation, especially if it's transcendent, and Bourdain knows. Whether it's seeing Neil Young and Crazy Horse performing "Cortez The Killer" at Bonnaroo or an eating an exquisite meal, while both are transitory experiences with finite sensations, their impact on the senses register them as something to be remembered for future reference. That's why we can remember vividly the first time we had really good Chinese food, the first time we heard a Sigur Ros album, or really profound concert experiences. It doesn't even have to be a new sensation because there's value for the familiar,  and whether it's listening to a favorite album like Dark Side Of The Moon or mowing down a Ted's hot dog and some well done onion rings, scratching those itches just feels good. And if there's one thing Anthony Bourdain's taught us, it's to scratch that itch.

It was telling that Bourdain featured Sleigh Bells and Neon Indian in his Austin episode inasmuch that live both bands create intensely visceral audio visual experiencesI'm not a giant fan of Sleigh Bells but their show in July was a huge winner because my ears and eyes had an incredibly good time experiencing their show, whereas Neon Indian's live show is sublime non stop ear candy (and the light show ain't bad either). In short, both are perfect bands for sensualists like Anthony Bourdain. Hell, so many of the shows that have hit Buffalo this year have been a sensualists wet dream; from the gorgeous keyboard ecstacy of M83 to the angular and delicious art funk of St. Vincent, from the tasteful art pop of Cults to the all out sensory overload of Roger Waters, the senses of Buffalo music fans have been feasting.




So as No Reservations rides off into the sunset and Anthony Bourdain moves to CNN for god know's what, I feel compelled to express my thanks and gratitude. The living vicariously was all well and good, but it was his explorations into the sensualist philosophy that have made the world a better place because we too could make similar explorations of our own in our own communities (ie the foodie revolution, or maybe even local music blogs). The natural overlap between sensualists, foodies, and music fans, well that's just a bonus, for us and for Bourdain (who now gets to hang out with rock stars). 




Note: the Austin episode of No Reservations re-airs Monday September 10 at 8 PM.

Cliff Parks


Pitchfork Music Festival 2012: Day 2 Photos


Day two of Pitchfork Music Festival started off with torrential thunderstorms, but as the day went on the sun eventually worked it’s way out from behind the clouds and it turned out to be another exciting day of great music from 18 different artists including Atlas Sound, Cults, Youth Lagoon, Wild Flag, Sleigh Bells, Chromatics, and Grimes. Check out all the photos from Saturday below.

Atlas Sound



Cults























Youth Lagoon













Wild Flag



















Sleigh Bells























Chromatics









Grimes







All Photos by Tom Dennis



Tom Dennis