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03/16/10 High Noon Saloon, Madison, WI
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Someone stole an hour out of my time, I could've sworn it was an early show at the Cedar Cultural Center. If I have not mentioned it enough, and if you haven't been paying attention enough, the Cedar is a community-owned venue, catering to the more "NPR"-type of crowd. Maybe it's my perception, but whenever I see seats, I think it's a classy joint (a la the Orpheum or the State Theater, you know, venues that I don't fit in).
In the past two years, I've been to the Cedar more and more lately, only because they have been getting some excellent bands, particulary the types that comes from other countries. But, unfortunately, bands like The Clientele and Field Music does not really fit well, at least in my opinion, in these seated-type situation. I feel that they are more used to crowds dancing and being loud and cheery.
You see, the Cedar, the way it's built, it seems that any noises you make gets carried across the room - so you can hear a pin drop if you really listen. Often, the audience is quiet as a mouse, so to be polite to the band, but at the same time, hearing silence scares the crap out of these bands. They're thinking they're not doing "their thing" well.
Anyway, Field Music (official / myspace) came on stage exactly at 8:30, and they look like very clean-cut handsome young men. The way they dressed, their haircut, it just seems to me that by the end of their US national tour (on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic), that they'll be looking beaten & battered & unshaven!
It suddenly occurs to me that the two lads that look incredibly alike were brothers (and indeed they are Peter and David Brewis). They started off their set with three songs, all keyboard-driven, then Peter switch to the drums, while David took over electric guitar to play for a rotation of songs. Then Peter switched to guitars, while David went back to drums.
As I previously mentioned, I've never heard of Field Music, and I mostly requested to see them live because I liked Clientele, thinking that they'll sound alike... but to be honest, I did not think they were much similar, besides from being both English. That's not to say that they were bad, just different from what I anticipated.
They certainly have their fans, though. A friend I ran into was there specifically to see Field Music (then left half way into the Clientele's set), and people did keep shouting out requests. "Sit Tight!" someone in the audience said, in which Peter responded that they'd love to play them, "if only we knew how".
I did borrow a friend's copy of Tones of Town to listen to prior to the show, and I did not expect them to play any from that album - since their latest release, Field Music (Measure), is a double-album. But surprisingly, they started their set with "Give It Lose It Take It", followed by "A House Is Not a Home". Since I didn't have their new album, I only recognize the one song that was sent to me, "Each Time Is A New Time", which was done midway into their set.
They ended their show with "Tell Me Keep Me", which has an insane bassline. Possibly the best song that was played that night.
I have not seen The Clientele (official / myspace) since their 2007 tour effort for God Save the Clientele. From my poor memory, I thought they were louder and more "rock" than I had expected. So seeing them at the Cedar, well it sort of brought it down a notch. Also, I don't recall seeing or hearing much from the keyboardist/violinist Mel Draisey the last time at the 400 Bar (but, again, see my note about poor memory).
One thing is clear, singer Alasdair MacLean is a very technical guitar player. He's quite good at what he does, and it's evident on his "jam" song, "Lamplight". Towards the end of this song, there is a twenty-minute guitar solo that seems to build and build and build.
They did a selection of songs from their new album, Bonfires on the Heath, like "Harvest Time", "Never Anyone But You" and "I Wonder Who We Are".
Overall, a decent, semi-early gig (Cedar shows generally ends before 11:30), but that was fine, the Clientele looked worn and tired from being on the road for the last two or three days driving from Seattle, Washington to Minneapolis. I nearly went insane being stuck in a car for nearly twenty-four hours driving to Austin, so I don't know how they seem really with it.
Below are some extra bonus photos and setlists. Apologies for the colors, the Cedar seems to only have red lights.
PS, There DJ that played music between sets, which I think was DJ Transmission? Maybe it's because I'm an old geezer, but I knew all of his songs (Stereolab, The Smiths, Sandie Shaw, the Beatles, St Etienne, etc). He's clearly stuck in British 60s-90s.
In the past two years, I've been to the Cedar more and more lately, only because they have been getting some excellent bands, particulary the types that comes from other countries. But, unfortunately, bands like The Clientele and Field Music does not really fit well, at least in my opinion, in these seated-type situation. I feel that they are more used to crowds dancing and being loud and cheery.
You see, the Cedar, the way it's built, it seems that any noises you make gets carried across the room - so you can hear a pin drop if you really listen. Often, the audience is quiet as a mouse, so to be polite to the band, but at the same time, hearing silence scares the crap out of these bands. They're thinking they're not doing "their thing" well.
Field Music - Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis 3-15-10
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It suddenly occurs to me that the two lads that look incredibly alike were brothers (and indeed they are Peter and David Brewis). They started off their set with three songs, all keyboard-driven, then Peter switch to the drums, while David took over electric guitar to play for a rotation of songs. Then Peter switched to guitars, while David went back to drums.
As I previously mentioned, I've never heard of Field Music, and I mostly requested to see them live because I liked Clientele, thinking that they'll sound alike... but to be honest, I did not think they were much similar, besides from being both English. That's not to say that they were bad, just different from what I anticipated.
I did borrow a friend's copy of Tones of Town to listen to prior to the show, and I did not expect them to play any from that album - since their latest release, Field Music (Measure), is a double-album. But surprisingly, they started their set with "Give It Lose It Take It", followed by "A House Is Not a Home". Since I didn't have their new album, I only recognize the one song that was sent to me, "Each Time Is A New Time", which was done midway into their set.
They ended their show with "Tell Me Keep Me", which has an insane bassline. Possibly the best song that was played that night.
The Clientele - Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis 3-15-10
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One thing is clear, singer Alasdair MacLean is a very technical guitar player. He's quite good at what he does, and it's evident on his "jam" song, "Lamplight". Towards the end of this song, there is a twenty-minute guitar solo that seems to build and build and build.
They did a selection of songs from their new album, Bonfires on the Heath, like "Harvest Time", "Never Anyone But You" and "I Wonder Who We Are".
Overall, a decent, semi-early gig (Cedar shows generally ends before 11:30), but that was fine, the Clientele looked worn and tired from being on the road for the last two or three days driving from Seattle, Washington to Minneapolis. I nearly went insane being stuck in a car for nearly twenty-four hours driving to Austin, so I don't know how they seem really with it.
Below are some extra bonus photos and setlists. Apologies for the colors, the Cedar seems to only have red lights.
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03/16/2010 16:33:56 ♥ vu (
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