Cloaca Melodia

The Cabaret at Theater Square, Pittsburgh, PA It was about a year ago that Son Volt had announced the recording of a new album after a six year hiatus. And not only were they heading back into a studio, but they were inviting their fans in with them by providing a webcam link. Anyone would be able to be a fly on the wall of the sessions--at least visually. post continues.... But on the first announced day of recording, the webcam wasn't functional. Website visitors were instead given a "due to circumstances beyond our control" type of message. I assumed a technical glitch, but it turned out to be a Human Resourses problem. In subsequent interviews, bandleader Jay Farrar repeatedly stated as mantra, "It was a hugely devastating situation for me," and press reports said things like "Farrar and the other musicians hit a contractual wall." Years ago I had interviewed both of the Boquist brothers of Son Volt's original lineup, bassist Jim and multi-inst...

Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh with Damien Marley I didn't plan it this way. But I only see U2 once a decade. First in 1985, in Hartford, CT, on the Unforgettable Fire tour. Then, the indoor " Zoo TV " tour in 1992. And now again, 13 years later. post continues.... The stage set-up included a circular walkway which extended out into the crowd, allowing for the General Admission ticketholders who got in line early to be within the elliptical walkway. I was standing about 25 feet on the outside of the walkway (nearest to where The Edge's microphone was placed for "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of"), so it was a terrific view when bandmembers strolled out into the crowd. Above the stage, the video monitors were broken up into four sections. For most of the show, each section featured isolated shots of each bandmember, which was a pretty good idea (although it was perhaps more attention than Larry and Adam were used to, as the Adam-cam caught him picking hi...

Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Mr. Smalls, Millvale, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Dowe's on 9th, Pittsburgh, PA Richard Thompson played a number of new (or, at least, previously unreleased), rather droll songs, including " The Hots for the Smarts " (a title which has internal rhyme if you're British): post continues.... "I need a girl with a feel for Faraday's wheel A girl who'll drool for Fleming's Left Hand Rule Now you may like pin-ups of girls who do chin-ups Like Xena the Warrior Princess but I'll take to dinner My Nobel Prize winner with plutonium stains down her dress" Another one along these lines is " Alexander Graham Bell ": "Television was a thing That he had all prepared But he left that to his pupil John Logie Baird Of course there was the telephone He’d be famous for that alone But there’s 50 other things as well From Alexander Graham Bell" You've gotta love a song that disses Edison and Tesla: "Edison, he was a thief And Tesla nuts beyond belief"

Mr. Smalls, Millvale, PA It was the 4th or 5th time I've seen Jonathan, but it was the first time since 1986 that he wasn't performing solo. Drummer Tommy Larkins ably assisted Jonathan, and it was a nice addition to the show. Jonathan likes to dance around during his set, but when he's the only musician, such hijinx kind of brings the music to a screeching halt. A drummer at least keeps the beat going throughout, allowing Jonathan to dance or play sleigh bells or cowbell without losing any forward momentum for the show. post continues.... Highlights include "Vincent Van Gogh," "Egyptian Reggae," "Let Her Go Into the Darkness," "Springtime in New York," "He Gave Us the Wine to Taste." The very incompatible Vic Chesnutt opened the show. Vic's music is so dark and moody, and Jonathan is so childlike and happy, that the pairing couldn't help but be a train wreck. I was late in arriving, so I missed the beginning of Vic...

Benedum Center, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Bedford Square & the unfinished WYEP Community Broadcast Center sorry, Mike has not yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

31st Street Pub, Pittsburgh, PA setlist: Listen to the whole set here (flac files).

Peterson Events Center, Pittsburgh, PA Setlist: "My Beautiful Reward," "Reason to Believe," "Devils & Dust," "Youngstown," "Long Time Comin'," "For You," "The River," "Part Man, Part Monkey," "All I'm Thinkin' About," "One Step Up," "Reno," "All That Heaven Will Allow," "Real World," "Racing in the Street," "The Rising," "Darkness on the Edge of Town," "Jesus Was an Only Son," "Two Hearts," "The Hitter," "Matamoros Banks," "Waitin' on a Sunny Day," "Growin' Up," "Homestead (with Joe Grushecky)," "The Promised Land," "Dream Baby Dream"

Amphitheater at Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA.... Elvis and Emmylou playing a lot of country -- of course it was a great time!   setlist: "Hurry Down Doomsday" "Clown Strike" "Everyday I Write the Book" "(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea"  "Clubland" "Man Out of Time" "Radio Radio" "Country Darkness" (Before the song, Elvis announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Larry Campbell!" Also, Elvis noted the railroad tracks right next to the venue and proclaimed, "We'll try to time one to a train passing by.") "Waiting for the End of the World" "Stranger in the House" (Emmylou came out on stage starting with this one.) "One of These Days" (Emmylou sang lead) "Sleepless Nights" (Elvis & Emmylou duet) "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" (Elvis & Emmylou duet) "Indoor Fireworks" (Elvis & Emmylou...

Festival Pier at Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, PA     post continues....   I moved to NJ in 2003 and somehow had lost the title to my car in the move. I finally had a stern warning from a law enforcement officer to get my shit taken care of, so I had to go back to NJ for a trip to the DMV. Why not pair it up with an Oasis concert on that end of PA. I went with my friend Chris and some of her pals. A tremendously fun night, despite a pissy review of the show in the Philly Inquirer (mainly complaining about Liam: "Listless Liam spoils the fun in Oasis" was the headline).    Oasis setlist:  Turn Up the Sun  Lyla Love Like a Bomb Bring It On Down Morning Glory  Cigarettes & Alcohol  The Importance of Being Idle  Little by Little  A Bell Will Ring  Live Forever  The Meaning of Soul  Mucky Fingers  Champagne Supernova  Rock 'n' Roll Star  [encore break] Songbird  Wonderwall  Don't Look Back in...

Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Michelle Shocked, Michael Penn, Erin McKeown, Assembly of Dust, David Poe Allegheny Landing Park, Pittsburgh, PA In Brief: The only old song Shocked played was "Anchorage"--everything else was new. But unlike many performers who are heavy on their latest material, she was so dynamic that no one seemed to mind. Erin McKeown sat in on guitar for about 4 songs. There were some technical troubles during Penn's set, but he still played well. "Long Way Down" was interrupted halfway through ("I'd like to soldier on," Penn explained when he stopped the number, "But it's hard to sing if I can't hear the guitar"), but I'm so glad he played it. He closed with "Walter Reed," one of my favorites of the new record.

Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Three Rivers Arts Festival, Point State Park, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA A showcase-style show for a radio convention, the Seattle R&B band Maktub was scheduled to go on around midnight. They were pretty good--I was glad, since I had met frontman Reggie Watts earlier that day and it always sucks when a nice guy is in a sucky band. Robbers on High Street are a perfectly serviceable stripped-down punky rock band from New York. They rock out in a gaunt, London-laddish sort of way with a troubling style-over-substance subtext. post continues.... Detroit group The Sights performed as a trio, with keyboardist Bobby Emmett pummelling their Hammond organ into brutal submission and nearly shoving it halfway across the stage by the end of the show. Emmett also played Ray Mazarek-style keyboard bass, which, frankly, you just don't see much anymore. Actually, you never really saw it, so it stands this band apart. I'd be interested in catching them again sometimes. On top of the music, there was a lot of personal shit go...

Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA sorry, Mike has not yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Dowe's on 9th, Pittsburgh, PA Also attended an afternoon house concert with Mary Gauthier.

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, Mike has not yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Dowe's on 9th, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, Mike has not yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, Mike has not yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Dowe's on 9th, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, Mike has not yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, Mike has not yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!

Dowe's on 9th, Pittsburgh, PA sorry, I haven't yet written about this show... add your own comments if you were also there!