LCD Soundsystem - 09/24/10 - Philadelphia Naval Yard

For all intents and purposes, LCD Soundsystem (the brainchild of writer / composer / producer / lead singer James Murphy) should be one of those bands that permanently reside in the exclusive realm of the alt. music ghetto, playing small celeb-packed clubs while garnering love letters from the media cognoscenti who fancy themselves the gatekeepers of all that is worth listening to. The music is a pastiche of simple electronic beats married with introspective, melancholia drenched witticisms decrying the state of the world in Mr. Murphy's distinctive, scream-laden vocal stylings. Tracks from the group's new album "This Is Happening" and from their previous 2 full-length albums can stretch into the 8-10 minute run times, leaving the listener exhausted yet oddly exhilarated at the same time. In other words, this shit isn't simple!

Yet at Friday night's show at the Philadelphia Naval Yard celebrating the 10th anniversary of the "Making Time" party event, Mr. Murphy and all his friends (bandmates Pat Mahoney, Phil Mossman, Tyler Pope, Nancy Whang, and assorted others) laid to rest any sort of argument that electronic-based music is virtually impossible to replicate in a concert setting. Taking the stage after a rather jarring opening set from electro-noise rockers Sleigh Bells, LCD completely owned the place, opening with "Dance Yourself Clean", easily one of the best songs released this past year. Blasting through tracks from the new album as well as select favorites from past releases such as "Daft Punk Is Playing At My House" and "Get Innocuous", the soldout, glowstick-laden crowd went narcotic-induced apeshit while I retreated to the relative safety of the back of the venue to better observe the general nuttiness of it all. Having seen the band play before, I understand the power of this group live. Incorporating a full band that has an amazing rhythm section combined with a frontman who knows how to nuance his shrill vocals into crescendo induced agita packs a mighty fine wallop in a live setting. It might not be pretty. But it damn sure is powerful!

There have been hints from Mr. Murphy that this may be his last album under the LCD moniker, retreating into relative obscurity to think it all up again after this tour closes out in Japan at the end of the year. Considering the passion this group's fans have combined with their growing popularity (they are headlining the Hollywood Bowl later this year), I sincerely hope more people have a chance to see this extraordinary band live before the DFA label head calls it quits. Unfortunately if that is not to be the case, then indeed, to paraphrase one of the groups songs, I might be losing my edge but I was there!

Set:

Dance Yourself Clean

Drunk Girls

Get Innocuous

Yr City's A Sucker

Daft Punk

I Can Change

All My Friends

You Wanted A Hit

Tribulations

Movement

Yeah

Encore:

Someone Great

Losing My Edge

Home

The Pixies - 09/07/10 - Philadelphia - Tower Theater

Taking the stage at the historic Tower Theater in Philadelphia Tuesday night, the Pixies opened the final leg of their Doolittle redux tour with a blast of nostalgia, melting faces both young and old in the process. Over the last year, the band has jumped on the "front to back" touring bandwagon, focusing on one album from their oeuvre and playing all tracks from said feature, sprinkling the set list with b-sides and other rarities from that period in their career. As "Doolittle", their seminal art-punk-rock-pop album released in 1989, is considered by many to be a touchstone in the alterna-rock category, it was cause for celebration for hipsters everywhere as the band strolled on-stage, opening the set with the obscure b-side "Dancing The Manta Ray". Backed by a rather elaborate lighting / video system synced with the bands efforts, the group plowed through such hits as "Monkey Gone To Heaven", "Hey", and "Gouge Away", delivering meaty riffs and classic lyrics from what many still consider the halcyon glory days of indie music.

Francis Black, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering have had one of the more well-publicized, tempestuous relationships in the annals of broken rock-and-roll bands. Moving on to varied solo careers and session work, the band reconvened 4 + years ago to milk the alterna-nostalgia market. Unlike the majority of like-minded ventures by other bands of their ilk, this reunion was rapturously well-received from the outset, introducing a new generation of skinny jeaned, floppy-haired youths to the harsh yet soothing soundscapes the band so elegantly captured back in the late 80's. Their talent and virtuosity was on full display Tuesday night as they plowed through the album in its entirety, making minimal small talk yet producing maximum volume as hands were waved and lyrics were mangled / shouted. Two encores later, the crowd was sated as the band took their final bows together as a group. I'm not sure we'll ever have the pleasure of hearing new music from this band again. However, I am sure the pleasure recognized from seeing them live more than compensates for this in so many ways.

Set:

Dancing the Manta Ray

Bailey's Walk

Weird At My School

Manta Ray

Debaser

Tame

Wave of Mutilation

I Bleed

Here Comes Your Man

Dead

Monkey Gone To Heaven

Mr. Grieves

Crackity Jones

La La Love You

#13 Baby

Ther Goe's My Gun

Hey

Silver

Gouge Away

Encore 1:

Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)

Into the White

Encore 2:

Nimrod's Son

Isla de Encanta

Vamos

Where Is My Mind