!!!/Maserati @ Studio B - Brooklyn, NY - 5-30-07

Opening act Telepathe were, simply put, awkward. Oddly placed My Bloody Valentine-esque guitar that wasn't in synch with the rest of the band's sparse drum beats and whispered female vocals. Not into it at all. No pictures of them either since the lighting was absolutely terrible and all my pictures came out looking bad. You're not missing anything, don't worry.

Maserati (aptly named due to their driving rock sound) were great, although their stuff was a little too predictable/repetitive at times.

!!! were extremely fun to watch, despite the crowd, who seemed more interested in shoving people around than actually dancing. The band made full use of the stage and spent half the time practically in the audience.

More photos here.

Click the photos below for larger images.

Maserati




!!! (chk chk chk)

Lifetime/Pisschrist/Seasick @ 331 Somerset Street , New Brunswick, NJ - 5/28/07

Beloved NJ band Lifetime played a "secret" New Brunswick basement show this afternoon. It fucking ruled. I think I have seen this band like six or seven times since they got back together and besides the Asbury Park show that happened instead of Hellfest, this was the best time I have seen them. A packed, sweaty basement full of kids just going nuts and singing along to a fantastic band. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my day off.

More pictures here.

Click the images below for larger images.

Seasick



Pisschrist




Lifetime

Lightning Bolt/DMBQ/Aa/The Apes @ 600 Bushwick Avenue - Brooklyn, NYC - 5/26/07

Despite the late start, technical problems, and immense heat, the show was a lot of fun. Sorry for the short post but I had to be at work like 5 minutes ago.

More photos up here and here.

Click the photos below for larger versions




The Apes



Aa




DMBQ




Lightning Bolt

Lacking

Sorry for the lack of updates. I'll be going to tons of shows this weekend/next week (Lightning Bolt, Brand New, The National, the show I discuss below) so stay tuned.

Also, if you are in the New Jersey area and don't go to the show in New Brunswick on Monday, then you are absolutely insane. I can't say anymore.

Spoon @ University of Chicago Summer Breeze - 5/19/07

Spoon headlined the University of Chicago Summer Breeze concert last night.

More photos on flickr.

Photo of the Spoon setlist from the University of Chicago Summer Breeze show:

The Roots & Lupe Fiasco @ University of Chicago Summer Breeze Concert - 5/19/07

The Roots played the annual Summer Breeze concert at the University of Chicago last night. I was in town visiting a friend, who graciously hooked me up with a ticket. I would also like to thank the completely oblivious security guard who saw my camera and let me bring it in anyway. Thanks!

Anyway, the main frontman for The Roots had a medical emergency and wasn't able to play last night. Instead, the group brought out friends and special guest Lupe Fiasco (who also played at Northeastern's spring concert) to help them out. The group did a 10 minute tribute to James Brown, a rap medley featuring them covering rap songs from the past 30 years, and numerous other performances, while only mixing in two of their own original songs throughout the set. Granted, it's understandable that the frontman couldn't be there, but it would have been nice to see more original material. Either way, the group went with the flow and still managed to entertain the hell out of the crowd.

More photos at flickr.

Animal Collective @ The Metro - Chicago, IL - 5/17/07

I shot this show for Late Night Wallflower, so check out my post over there with a full report.

More photos up on the flickr page.

Video of the last Kill Your Idols show

Some awesome person has posted up a 3-part video of the last Kill Your Idols show that took place in Long Island this past Sunday. Despite cops shutting down the show initially (and later on when they reconvened in a parking lot), the band were able to play a quick set to an adoring crowd. Check it out at the links below:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

LCD Soundsystem/Yacht @ Webster Hall, NYC - 5/14/07

Who said New Yorkers don't dance? LCD Soundsystem packed Webster Hall with sweaty, drunk people who clearly came to party. Despite the bass that felt like it was going to tear me in two and make my organs escape from my body, the band sounded tight and thoroughly rocked the crowd. Opening act Yacht (the guy who makes the beats for The Blow), braved the crowd and hopefully won over some people with his eccentric pop songs. When he began a Q&A question with the audience the dialog went something like this:

Yacht - "Yes, you sir!"
Audience member - "You're awful!"
Yacht - "Not a question! Next!"

Of course, Brooklyn Vegan was there on Saturday night at Studio B.

More photos at the flickr, of course.

Click the photos below for better versions and check out numerous other shots at my flickr page.

Yacht




LCD Soundsystem

Kill Your Idols/Violent Society/Splitting Headache @ 538 Johnson Ave - Brooklyn, NYC

Many more Kill Your Idols photos - http://flickr.com/photos/jberg/sets/72157600211917208/
More photos of Violent Society and Splitting Headache - http://flickr.com/photos/jberg/sets/72157600211913992/

Manny Mares was also taking photos at 538 last night.

Ambulance photo was at the show in Long Island on Friday night.

Photos from the show in Garfield last week can be found at this post.

Splitting Headache



Violent Society



Kill Your Idols