Jan 30
DaraAdult Contemporary, Singer/Songwriter
it’s still surprising to hear beautiful noises come out of a person you’ve only heard speak so far – but I wasn’t surprised that Karen sings with the heartfelt passion that I always suspect is under her cool calm collected non-singing demeanor – I liked that the passion seemed more genuine than showmanship, as if her songs were about things she had actually experienced – her voice is rich and even, with a cool elegance that is soothing – interesting and smart lyrics and well-crafted songs – she plays with her voice at times and she used some sort of beat-recorder to add rhythm to one song – I especially liked that she’s brave enough to pause and give the song room to breathe – and she managed to play guitar well with half-frozen fingers!
Dec 09
DaraGarage Rock, Pop
Another fantastic local band. Jangle-pop garage punk with all three male members harmonizing sweet vocals. Reminded me of The Strange Boys. Seemed like they achieved a nice consensus of sound from a diverse range of influences from the band members. Extremely danceable. Some of that stop-start groove guitar like the Gang of Four. I had lots more to say about this band that escapes me now. You should see them. Great live show.
May 16
AndrewDance, Pop
The B-52’s continue to put on a dance party despite being on the circuit since 1979. Sticking to a nice mix between their latest set Funplex and their classic material like Love Shack and Rock Lobster, they kept the audience dancing with every transcendent note. Their music translates well in the live setting and even the cavernous hall of the House of Blues couldn’t dull their energy. Fred Schneider introduced Strobe Light as a love song, “of the 7,000 written, this is the one we recorded.” He stumped for Obama before Channel Z “8 years of shit is enough” and generally kept up the wise cracking between songs.
The beginning of the set, Mesopotamia and the new track Ultraviolet, highlighted their vocal harmonies at their best. The night’s best was the rare party mix track Give Me Back My Man, with Cindy Wilson on vocals. Wilson constantly mixed it up with her vocal contributions, and used her sex appeal on stage to full effect. The B-52’s have definitely entered the realm of bands that take breaks in between songs more for their own benefit than for that of the audience, but they kept up the banter and did a good job of keeping their reputation as the preeminent party band intact.
The B-52’s setlist
Pump
Mesopotamia
Ultraviolet
Private Idaho
Give Me Back My Man
Funplex
Strobe Light
Quiche Lorraine
Juliet of the Spirits
Roam
Party Out of Bounds
Love in the Year 3000
Hot Corner
Channel Z
Love Shack
Encore
Planet Claire
Rock Lobster
Mar 21
DaraPop, Psychedelic, Rock and Roll
wrong band… wrong time… wrong audience… wrong place – maybe they’re good but maybe they’re not – I couldn’t get out of that audience of 60 year old guys bobbing their heads fast enough – typical 1960s jangle pop band – should you be proud that you’re decent after 40 years of practice?
Mar 21
DaraDance, Heavy Metal, Punk
so tight and hard, they almost approached math metal – in addition to this, they were distinguished by their ‘fun’ take on the whole serious rock/metal thing: they started with a “dance party” that really made you want to dance and had audience participation which is atypical for this sort of music – eventually played songs that approximated rockabilly/metal if there’s such a thing – would call them dancepunk if hard-pressed – I keep wondering why there was so many Japanese bands at SXSW? Or was this just a Dara experience? – this was one of my favorite shows at SXSW and I was moved DESPITE extreme weariness
Mar 21
DaraPop, Punk
really bad Japanese punk-pop, dull as all get out
Mar 21
DaraDance, Pop, Punk
the show I won’t forget – I recognized their name but knew nothing of them – first and only band who was actually introduced by a SXSW official (I guess) – he said that they were the only band who was asked to return to SXSW because they “bring it” when they perform – top-notch showmen with costumes, stunts, antics, acrobatics, lame jokes, and general insanity – and then they made me think, why do all of these bands NOT put more effort into their shows!!?! – they bill themselves as comic punks in their fluorescent spandex outfits – the guitarists were guys and we thought the drummer was a girl (either way s/he was adorable with spunky grin throughout the show) – they climbed on top of their speakers, into the 2nd floor crowd, on top of the tarp covering the 1st floor crowd – they flashed cardboard signs that said “healthy,” “steak,” and just nonsense – everything they said in their Japanese accents was nearly unintelligible – they created a bowling alley in the middle of the crowd with their bodies as the ball and the pins – this all would have begun to annoy me if they didn’t also have the music but they did – it was this insanely tight, intense dance punk, actually similar to other Japanese rock bands at SXSW
Mar 20
DaraGarage Rock, Pop
Montreal – came to this showcase for Outrageous Cherry but also because I have discovered I am a girl immediately smitten by the sound of garage rock which was the theme of the showcase – this band was young and idyllic – they were a more melancholy version of The Beach Boys – they were quite good but I’m always annoyed by young freshness in rockers – on a happier note, the music played in between sets was fantastic: all old garage I instantly recognized and an indication I was in the right place – BUT the crowd was ALL OLD MEN which was a clear indication I was in the wrong place
Mar 20
DaraDance, Goth, Modern Rock
this band was distinctive in a quiet way – there was a girl on guitar and singing in a slinky glittery dress of large black and gold stripes – she had on black nylons and no shoes – there was a clean-cut cute urban-looking boy in black on guitar – there was a drummer in something – their music was a gothy sort of dance-rock almost approximating a poppier Bauhaus which is a pretty dramatically positive comparison to make… but there you have it – they both had good voices – too low key to go crazy over – oh and they were part of a Swedish showcase
Mar 20
DaraAlt-Country, Indie Rock, Pop
I have an extreme fondness for this band’s vocal harmonizing and general sound (please see “Shake Our Tree”)… quirky fun indie pop with interesting lyrics – very unfortunately, the Mohawk’s sound system totally failed the band and underplayed the voices and highlighted the less interesting instrumentation – additionally, in what I saw (a lot), they did not play my song – I think it’s possible they’re solid song crafters and it’s just a matter of being better on album than live – their physical appearances were interesting enough though that I suspect the Mohawk is to blame
Mar 20
DaraDance, Electronic, Gangsta Rap, Rap
she was the rapper I’d come to see (part of the British grime scene) and she wasn’t quite what I expected – I pictured a wannabe type gangster girl, more pretty than tough, but she was far more ‘legit’ than the two female rappers before her: small intense-looking white girl in baggy clothes, baseball cap, snarly rapping, etc. – you can’t help but be totally sucked into her world: Eminem-like phrasing and attitude, cockney accent, and total stage dynamism and mastery – lots of silly posturing but I loved her – she could rap fast and plays in interesting twists with her words and her voice – her DJ samples a lot, including American music, and can go from kooky noises to harder synth walls – am currently considering my rapper potential
Mar 20
DaraDance, Electronic, Pop, Rap
all-class sultry deep-voiced black girl rapping over groovy electronic big-bass DJ tracks – another bad ass – her music was harder and she was better than Amanda Blank – girl power begins to surge in the room
Mar 20
DaraDance, Rap
swanky white city girl who raps like a bad-ass boy – she was all swishy smooth black hair with a pretty girl gold necklace – she held her microphone close to her mouth with forearm extended straight and covered in a mass of tiny gold bracelets – she had a DJ backing her with hardcore party rap – big crowd – I quite enjoyed her… oooh, just looked her up and she’s associated with a party rap band from Baltimore whom I have really been liking: Spank Rock… even better… and she’s apparently “dirty rap” though I totally missed that
Mar 20
DaraDub, Pop, Reggae, Soul
this band has a gorgeous reggae-pop sound that I’ve come to crave – probably because of the touches of dub – singer’s voice is also a husky high-pitched delight – although my drunk compatriots were a bit of a distraction and my view was often blocked, the band did not disappoint a bit – music and lyrics can move from fun to more soulful and melancholy – they were a group of 3 to 5 clean-cut nice-looking white and black people – “Where’s your soul gone to?”
Mar 19
DaraElectronic, Pop
three girls with long lank brown hair on three keyboards in a row – standing and singing in little girl voices – about as exciting as you’d imagine – they weren’t bad but so innocent they made me feel dirty just looking at them
Mar 19
DaraElectronic, Pop, Reggae, Tribal
this band was a breath of fresh air after rock overload – tiny black boy with polo shirt and giant smile singing – another black boy with dreads, gapped teeth, and abercrombie-style clothes on ??? – silly white boy with plastic animals glued to his t-shirt and plastic sunglasses on the keyboard – they were electronic hipsters interlaced with warm authentic African touches – the singer was all positivity and would switch from African style hymns to reggae to pure pop – the first song sampled M.I.A. and I would say their sound is fairly comparable to hers – perhaps the best part of the band were the two black female dancers in rainbow-colored clothing – one was skinny but the big girl had all the moves and no shame – the crowd was all young awkward white hipster kids and, at one point, the big girl put her hands on the hips of a shy white girl in the front and made her move them – we agreed though that there’s something unsatisfying about a group without a single musician
Mar 18
DaraAlternative Rock, Blues, Comedy, Country, Electronic, Pop, R&B, Rap, Rock and Roll
We’re all bickering on a hot street: WomanInCharge on crutches and no cabs in sight. Two of us head off towards busier corners to find a taxi when what to our wondering eyes should appear, but an oddly shaped taxicab coming so near. We whooped, climbed in and shortly realized that this was no normal taxi. It was shaped like a big box, had a stripper’s pole and fluorescent lighting. Even better, there was an interactive jukebox-style touch screen with a wealth of music videos from the 70s to 00s to choose from. 3 to 4 TV screens allowed a clear view for every passenger. The kind of random magic that only happens during SXSW… or anytime of the year for the lucky few who know to call 512-626-TAXI.
Feb 26
User ReviewsPop
David Archuleta
February 26, 2009
Starland Ballroom Sayreville, NJ
I saw David Archuleta last Thursday in N.J….3rd night of his solo tour….he was wonderful…he’s learning to work the stage and crowd and his adorable personality really came through…the club was small which was GREAT because he was sooooo close to everyone……. FANTASTIC! His voice was as good as ever and the band he has seems good for him…He did a smart variety of songs, and a medley of other artists, which was a real treat! His purity and sweetness are oh so refreshing to see, in a world that is inundated with complications and darkness…….Thanx David…..
By Tammy F. bugnout299@aol.com
David Archuleta setlist
Touch My Hand
Barriers
Your Eyes Don’t Lie
A Little Too Not Over You
Somebody Out There
My Hands
Works For Me
Waiting for Yesterday
Medley: One/You Gotta Be/Love Song/I’m Yours
To Be With You
Don’t Let Go
Zero Gravity
You Can
Crush
A Thousand Miles
Angels
Oct 24
DaraBlues, Dance, Indie Rock, Psychedelic
the high quality of their sound was immediately apparent – rich and full despite it being an acoustic show, I take note of them because of the distinctive voice but that actually became annoying – seemed contrived – he does have a good voice but could change up on its nasally execution every now and then, very attractive band – appear serious and smart, did a short set of only three songs but with a wide range of sounds from psychy indie rock to hoppy dance hit “Something Is Not Right With Me” in which the drummer continued to play drums with his left hand while shaking the shaker with his right hand… which was terribly impressive to me
Oct 15
AndrewPop
Despite ticket prices coming down across the board, Madonna is still selling out shows with the top ticket price at $350. Who has that kind of money to spend?
It’s a rhetorical question. Don’t answer.
Madonna makes a convincing case for forking over the money, from the elaborate dance routines, to an enormous set of movable parts that extended half way across the arena, to Madonna herself. She continues to reinvent her old material, turning Human Nature into a grunge rocker (complete with a Britney Spears cameo) and Rain into a mash-up with the Eurythmics’ Here Comes the Rain Again. Madonna looks unbelievably hot and muscular and her voice sounded great. She opened the show with Candy Shop and a stunning dance routine and then set out across the long catwalk to a secondary stage set up in the round dead center of the arena floor for Beat Goes On.
Everything moved. The screens pushed back, raised up and pulled forward. Floors dropped below the stage and raised up in the air. Slender half-sized screens, pushed by Madonna’s troupe of back-up dancers, flashed images of Justin Timberlake and other Hard Candy contributors during various songs. It was total overstimulation and to die for.
The last Madonna show I forked over my life savings for was Reinvention which was a good choice because despite promoting a not-so-great album (American Life) the show itself was a greatest hits set and it was spectacular. It was simply stunning, overwhelming and such a completely outrageous display and I loved every second of it. I expected every moment of the Sticky and Sweet Tour to be the same.
I love Madonna’s new album Hard Candy and that alone made it worth heading down to Boston to see the Sticky and Sweet Tour, even if the ticket price made me gag. The show was heavy on tracks from the new album, but Madonna generously added in some of her best hits including a couple of favorites of mine Human Nature and Ray of Light.
The show was divided into four segments, thematic breaks if you will though the average person probably doesn’t obssess over the difference between the Gypsy segment and the Pimp segment. But I guess if you’re an artist, it helps to keep the creative flow organized. Much of this show was a mash-up of various components from the album and samples from other artists. Vogue featured the numerous strains of ticking clock from 4 Minutes. Like a Prayer borrowed from Felix’s dance track “Don’t You Want Me” (and frankly was one of the highlights of the night.) Into the Groove included an entire interlude dance routine on jump ropes and another Madonna hit Jump. 
Borderline went from ballad to a straight rock song giving it an almost Natasha Bedingfield vibe. During She’s Not Me, Madonna confronts her own ghosts, four dancers dressed in Madonna costumes and blonde wigs from various music videos, including the bride from Like a Prayer. (Okay, honestly, the way I just described it doesn’t do the scene justice – it was exquisitely choreographed.) Before Hung Up, Madonna screamed at the crowd “I hope you registered to vote” and then claimed she wasn’t allowed to make political statements before telling us to “Vote for Obama.” She also led the crowd in a sing-a-long of American Life after seeing a handful of guys hold up signs in the audience. The crowd itself was pretty weak, and Madonna made a comment about it, and then thankfully cranked up the energy level in spite of the lackluster response she was getting.
The sound in the Garden tonight sucked but it was more noticeable on some songs than others (I couldn’t figure out why.) Spanish Lesson actually benefited because the lyrics were completely drowned out by the mix. During Heartbeat, it was almost painful to listen to and then one song later, Borderline, you wouldn’t have noticed any problem.
It’s well known that Madonna likes it warm for her vocal chords and having sweat through the Garden during other shows, I knew what to expect. One, jungle-like temperatures. Two, a long wait past the posted start time. Three, a lot of drunk, screaming fans every time the house music swells up and down even when there is no indication the show is about to start. Madonna had a DJ play a thirty-minute set around the time the show was supposed to start, but it was still another hour after that before she took the stage. She also apparently has numerous oddball demands on her hotel space and of the venue itself, but when you bring along 250 staff, crew, dancers and musicians, I guess any amount of accommodation and travel plans is an organizational nightmare. How taxing is it to get her extra bottles of Kabbalah water, really?
It’s a rhetorical question. Don’t answer.
Madonna setlist
Intro/Candy Shop
Beat Goes On
Human Nature
Vogue
Die Another Day interlude
Into the Groove/Jump
Heartbeat
Borderline
She’s Not Me
Music
Rain/Here Comes the Rain Again mash-up
Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You
Spanish Lesson
Miles Away
La Isla Bonita/Lela Pala Tute
Doli Doli interlude
You Must Love Me
Get Stupid interlude
4 Minutes
Like a Prayer
Ray of Light
American Life sing-a-long
Hung Up
Give It 2 Me
Aug 22
DaraDance, Electronic, Goth, Industrial, Punk
this band exudes exactly the sort of smirking depravity and darkness that I like, the MySpace monologue that describes his upbringing and disposition simultaneously makes me roll my eyes and delights me, lots of homoeroticism, did I also mention that they were produced by Jay Reatard – the fourth musician out of all musicians from all times that I would marry without question, I was very disappointed that I missed both of their SXSW shows this spring, I was mildly disappointed that he turned out to be a curly-headed very cute clean child of age 23 tops which explains the shallowness of some of his lyrics but I prefer to believe it all masks glorious depths, he was accompanied by a keyboard wizard and a depraved-in-the-tacky-and-icky-way drummer, their best stuff in my opinion is the raging synth-punk heavy on the ominous organs, some of the recorded songs I’ve heard are reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails but generally they’re in line with a whole school of current bands like Lost Sounds, The Vanishing, and Destruction Unit, there was good variety in the songs and singing style – some less-synthy punk songs for example, lastly he voiced a desire to be picked up by a label so he could live in Hollywood which confirmed again an unattractive value system or a charming lack of indie-pretension
Aug 14
DaraLounge, Pop, Singer/Songwriter
very atypical for Austin, this band is a vehicle for girls with pretty voices, ballads and ditties as if they were little girls playing around at home, I liked them, the two harmonizers and the lead vocalist all look alike, we were actually there as stalkers of one of the backup harmonizers (PartyBoy’s ex) although PartyBoy denies that he happens to show up at every single Dana Falconberry show
Aug 02
AndrewPop, Rock and Roll
Maroon 5 played practically their entire second album in a short, 75 minute set headlining at Comcast Center. A few songs from their first album found their way as well including the main set closer She Will Be Loved and their very last song, Sweetest Goodbye. They are one of those bands that you don’t realize how many songs you know until you see them live and recognize just about everything they play.
It was gloriously campy for a rock band. Adam Levine scorched the stage but then pranced back and forth like Oberon and spent a lot of time shaking his money maker for the crowd. Mickey Madden was wearing a dress. James Valentine looked like he just rolled out of bed and Jesse Carmichael looked like he was going to the prom. Of course, the crowd loved it. The songs stayed faithful to their studio versions, except for a slightly more mournful Won’t Go Home Without You. From If I Never See Your Face Again (alas without Rihanna’s vocals) to Wake Up Call , the audience was crazed for every song. You would think it was a crowd of 13-year-old girls instead of middle-aged housewives dragging along their husbands. The Sun, Harder to Breathe, Little of Your Time, it was as close to a hit parade as you can get with only two albums of material to draw from.
Sure, the songs blended a little too well together giving the set a bit of a continuous remix feel. And it’s hard to believe that Adam Levine sounds like Chris Tucker all the time. His take on Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game was in the wrong register for his voice. But maybe I’m just nitpicking needlessly. As entertainers, Maroon 5 was technically flawless. What more can you ask for from a pop band?
Maroon 5 setlist
This Love
If I Never See Your Face Again
Makes Me Wonder
Tangled
The Sun
Won’t Go Home Without You
Kiwi
Shiver
Wake Up Call
Little of Your Time
Sunday Morning
Wicked Game/She Will Be Loved
Encore
Harder to Breathe
Sweetest Goodbye
Aug 02
AndrewPop, Singer/Songwriter
We only caught the last two songs of her set, a Beatles cover and one of her own, due to hitting traffic on 95 near Gillette Stadium, where Bruce Springsteen was playing tonight. Not much to comment except her performance seemed artful.
Jul 27
AndrewPop
The George Michael dance mix block party rolled into TD Banknorth Garden a little late on Sunday night. Tickets for George Michael said “8pm prompt” but as the man himself explained, he never goes on before 8:30 to make sure no one misses a minute. Weather delayed his flight into Boston and the show didn’t start until almost 9:30. He came out on stage and did a long, energetic mash-up of Fastlove and I’m Your Man. From there, the show was one non-stop megamix of George Michael’s best songs.
His voice is superb. The production was flawless. His band was stacked vertically on what looked like an enormous spice rack, flanked on both sides by huge screens. In the middle, shaped like a waterfall, was a giant ceiling to stage screen. The screens played a montage of music video footage, light shows and other visuals, including a strip tease from Dita von Teese. Dressed in a black suit, Michael jumped, jived and wailed through his set, occasionally joined at the front of the stage by his back-up singers (6 of them) and other members of his band.
The setlist was straight from his hits album TwentyFive, marking his twenty-fifth recording year. Some songs which really weren’t hits in the states, and he padded the set with a handful of tracks from his breakout solo album Faith. It was all gloriously retro. During Too Funky, Michael resurrected the music video for that song featuring models from that era, including an 18-year-old Tyra Banks.
George Michael was surprisingly gregarious and personable when he talked to the audience. He said, “I know being a George Michael fan hasn’t always been easy” but promised that by the end of the show, “it’s going to get a lot easier.” He explained the footage of Amsterdam taken 10 years ago before singing a soulful rendition of Roxanne.
After the intermission, the set changes between songs started to drag a bit but Michael himself imbued his good spirits into the audience. He asked, “Do you forgive me?” for being late. He introduced Flawless saying it was his gayest album but it also proved to be the moment when the concert’s energy kicked into overdrive. He concluded with two sprawling singalong encores, Careless Whisper and Freedom.
At the end of the night, Michael did something pretty unique for an artist. While the band continued to play Freedom, the production credits rolled across the screen, listing the band, the crew and other people involved in the tour.
George Michael setlist
Waiting (reprise)
Fastlove/I’m Your Man
Father Figure
Hard Day
Everything She Wants
One More Try
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
An Easier Affair
Too Funky
Star People
Intermission/ John and Elvis are Dead
Faith
Spinning the Wheel
Feeling Good
Roxanne
Kissing a Fool
Amazing
Flawless (Go to the City)
Outside
Encore 1
Careless Whisper
Encore 2
Freedom 90
Jul 27
AndrewPop, Rock and Roll
Sheryl Crow puts on a show that borders on spiritual. There is so much about her, her personality, her sense of style, her music, that speaks to you almost like a sermon. But what a sermon it is.
Her voice tonight sounded great, despite having a cold that made some of the notes evaporate into the air. She opened her set solo with the guitar in front of a black backdrop, jamming through God Bless This Mess. The full band joined in for a rapturous version of Shine Over Babylon followed by Love is Free, all from the new album Detours which dropped back in February. But after that, she really got done to business with a set riddled with her best, most radio-ready songs. From A Change Will Do You Good and a uplifting version of Can’t Cry Anymore complete with a diversion to I Can See Clearly Now which emphasized the theme of renewal.
After a run through of My Favorite Mistake, Crow kicked the show into another gear. Despite a rambling and completely nonsense spoken word intro to Gasoline (which, contrary to what you might expect, is actually a song about gasoline) the song itself was a serious bit of rock music. As the song built up speed, the band shifted into the Stones’ Gimme Shelter and then harmonized one song on top of the other.
Back to back songs Run Baby Run and a the brief Detours slowed down the pace a bit, and a good chunk of the audience left around that time. So by the time she launched into a stomping, fiery version of Out of Our Heads, the people left in the audience were true fans.
It’s just as well. From Soak Up the Sun through the encore All I Wanna Do, the crowd provided a huge lift of energy. They sang along to every word and damn if we weren’t all converts on a new spiritual plane. Appropriately, the band ended the night with a blistering version of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground, each of Crow’s back-up singers taking a turn on lead vocals.
Sheryl Crow setlist
I Can See Clearly Now intro
God Bless This Mess
Shine Over Babylon
Love is Free
A Change Will Do You Good
Leaving Las Vegas
Can’t Cry Anymore / I Can See Clearly Now
Motivation
My Favorite Mistake
Gasoline
There Goes the Neighborhood
Run Baby Run
Detours
Strong Enough
Out of Our Heads
If It Makes You Happy
Soak Up the Sun
Every Day is a Winding Road
Encore
All I Wanna Do
Higher Ground
Jun 29
AndrewAdult Contemporary, Pop, Singer/Songwriter
Cyndi Lauper is just amazing. Her political speech was uplifting (think southern gospel preacher stumping for the get out and vote) and she touched the crowd through her music. The highlight was an impossibly gorgeous and spare version of I’m Gonna Be Strong and the classic Time After Time with an a capella intro of the track Lyfe from her new album Bring Ya to the Brink. While she was more talkative this year, she also seemed a little more tense overall, and several of her songs seemed to stop abruptly with a flick of her hand towards the band.
The new material fit in great with her classic tracks. Rocking Chair, despite being a weird cat-lady kind of song, actually came across as a solid live tune. She sang Set Your Heart, which she debuted last year on tour, from the middle of the audience as if she was determined to reach out to everyone. And Into the Nightlife was a pure disco tune. She pulled out an acoustic version of Erasure’s Blue Savannah by way of leading into a rocking I Drove All Night. The entire ensemble came out at the end for Everyday People and the show closer True Colors.
Cyndi Lauper setlist
Change of Heart
Rocking Chair
Set Your Heart
When You Were Mine
Sisters of Avalon
She Bop
Into the Nightlife
Blue Savannah/I Drove All Night
I’m Gonna Be Strong
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Encore
Rain on Me
Lyfe (intro)/Time After Time
Money Changes Everything
2nd Encore
Everyday People (with ensemble)
True Colors (with ensemble)
Jun 29
AndrewDance
The B-52’s have been putting on the summer tours for years since their last studio album (in 1995) and greatest hits release (in 1998) but this is the first tour since recording a full album of new material. The foursome have the energy of twenty-year olds but let’s face it, the band is collectively pushing 60-years old and the average age of the crowd isn’t far behind.
It was a still a party. They revived all the old moves straight out of 1982 with Mesopotamia and rocked an amazing version of Private Idaho. Some of the new material fit seamlessly (Ultraviolet and Hot Corner) and some of it fell flat (new single Funplex and the bland Love in the Year 3000). The setlist was too heavy with new songs, most of which failed to energize the crowd. But they finished with the one-two punch of Love Shack (with a ripping extended guitar solo in the middle) and ever-buoyant Rock Lobster.
B-52’s setlist
Pump
Mesopotamia
Private Idaho
Ultraviolet
Juliet of the Spirits
Roam
Funplex
Hot Corner
Love in the Year 3000
Love Shack
Rock Lobster
Jun 29
AndrewDance, Electronic, Pop
Whatever possessed Andy Bell to sign up for the True Colors Tour this year, show up in a track suit and sweat to the oldies (in this case, Erasure songs) is beyond me. Andy’s voice is usually heavenly but pitch problems and oddball set up gave the entire performance a work-out video feel from 1981. He looked out of shape and a bit winded as he danced, shimmied and jivved (including, lord save me, the Robot) in front of a generic True Colors back drop that covered the stage. For 30 minutes, it was just Andy doing the worst Erasure karaoke imaginable. The set included two tracks from his solo album Electric Blue and reworked Erasure hits heavy on the bpm.
Andy is reportedly working on a second solo album while Vince Clarke is touring for the Yazoo reunion. These were his first “solo” concerts (he did some dj-ing while promoting Electric Blue) but it ended up reminding me of when I sing Erasure songs in front of the mirror in my bathroom.
Cyndi Lauper came out and sang the duet Early Bird with him at the end of his set. The song was recorded last year before the 2007 True Colors Tour and was only released on two obscure albums, Storm Chaser (Erasure) and the True Colors 2007 Compilation cd. Cyndi’s voice was out of this world and she gamely shimmied up to Andy and pretended there was nothing strange about the whole thing.
Andy Bell setlist
Blue Savannah
Caught in a Spin
I Could Fall in Love with You
Chains of Love
Electric Blue
A Little Respect
O L’amour
Early Bird (with Cyndi Lauper)
Quicktime Clip of ‘Early Bird’ Andy Bell with Cyndi Lauper
Apr 29
DaraIndie Rock, Pop, Psychedelic
pop pop pop rock, then picked it up a little to “rock” as they said but it was more like pop pop rock then, I liked the lesser pop version but overall they were quite good, 60s jangly pop with psychedelic edges, I suspect that the gray-hair member of the band is behind their sound rather than the cutesy-voiced singer but who knows
Apr 04
DaraEmo, Pop, Punk
nauseating pop punk, crowd of 18-21 year olds
Mar 05
AndrewAlternative Rock, Dance, Pop, Rock and Roll
For the second year in a row, the True Colors Tour will head out with Cyndi Lauper in the headlining role. The tour, which launched for the first time last year, will once again raise awareness and money for the Human Rights Campaign, along with other organizations that support the LGBT community. The tour is a five-hour music festival with acts music acts ranging from alternative to pop. This year, the B-52’s and host Carson Kressley are slated to appear on all dates. Other acts including Rosie O’Donnell, the Indigo Girls and Regina Spektor have been tapped for various stops, with as-yet unannounced special guests appearing on some dates. Confirmed line-ups listed below.
The 2008 tour will reach 24 North American cities including playing Radio City Music Hall in New York on June 3 and a two-night stand June 16-17 in Atlanta, GA. Presale tickets for most shows will be on sale March 10 and general onsale begins March 15 for most shows.
The True Colors Tour has partnered this year with cable channel Logo, CenterLink (LGBT community centers) and Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and other organizations. Auction site eBay which will host a tour and music auction fundraiser to raise money for the tour’s non-profit partners.
True Colors Tour 2008
May 31 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Regina Spektor, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 1 Wantagh, NY Nikon at Jones Beach Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Indigo Girls, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 3 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Regina Spektor, Indigo Girls, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 4 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Indigo Girls, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 6 Mashantucket, CT Foxwoods Casino Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Tegan and Sara, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 7 Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Regina Spektor, Tegan and Sara, Carson Kressley
June 9 Minneapolis, MN Target Center Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Tegan and Sara, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 10 Chicago, IL Auditorium Theater Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Tegan and Sara, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 11 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Tegan and Sara, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 13 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Hotel and Casino Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Deborah Cox, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 14 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Deborah Cox, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 16 Atlanta. GA Chastain Park Amphitheatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Tegan and Sara, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 17 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Tegan and Sara, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 18 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
June 19 Fort Lauderdale, FL Sinatra Theatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Deborah Cox, The Cliks, Carson Kressley
June 21 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Wanda Sykes, Carson Kressley
June 22 Dallas, TX Smirnoff Music Centre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Wanda Sykes, Carson Kressley
June 25 Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Wanda Sykes, Carson Kressley
June 27 Alpine, CA Viejas Casino Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Carson Kressley
June 28 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Wanda Sykes, Carson Kressley
June 29 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre
July 1 Seattle, WA WaMu Center Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Wanda Sykes, Joan Armatrading, Carson Kressley
July 2 Vancouver, BC Deer Lake Park Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Joan Armatrading, Carson Kressley
July 4 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Joan Armatrading, Carson Kressley
July 5 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre Cyndi Lauper, The B-52’s, Rosie O’Donnell, Joan Armatrading, Carson Kressley
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