Avi Buffalo & My Morning Jacket at Open Air Theatre

I know I'm months behind when it comes to photos, but sometimes, like tonight, there's this crazy thing...I'm such an amateur photographer and I'm constantly chided for not having a "real" camera, yet I was the only one in the photo pit for Avi Buffalo, and then during My Morning Jacket there was only one other photographer...so besides all the people shooting photos from the crowd, I was quite privileged to have an up close view of the show. Sometimes I will stand right in front of a speaker just to hear the music closer than anyone else, and take pictures just so I don't look like such a fangirl.

I have to say I have a certain affection for Avi. I know he's been a big deal in LA for a while, but it still makes me especially happy to know that he's signed to SubPop. I recommended him for last year's North Park Music Thing. His career was already on a trajectory for success, but just how well the band is doing is really impressive. Immediately after the show, Sezio announced that the next time we'll get to enjoy Avi Buffalo will be Sunday, November 7 at Sushi Art. Save the date.
Here are some of my shots of Avi Buffalo:



There's no way that my photos can represent the awesome of My Morning Jacket at the Open Air Theatre, but like I said, I felt pretty privileged to have a photo pass and do the best I can with the tools I have. I did catch a shot of the set list which had 26 songs...the last two weren't played because MMJ played right up until curfew for OAT but the set had moments of beauty, moments of bliss, and full on rock out moments. Dondante, for example, clocked in at nearly 14 minutes and the total set was just shy of 2 and a half hours. I'm sort of a late-on-the-MMJ-boat fan, so the songs I really appreciated were the more mainstream ones, but I know that most of my "I've-seen-MMJ-since-they-played-dive-bars" kinda friends also appreciated them pulling some older material out of the vault. I have to say personally that while Jim is a genius on guitar, it's a lot more fun to watch him wander around the stage without and instrument, strutting with his cape or a towel over his head. Either way, everyone present at the show last night felt the joy that Jim expressed about being on the road and about kicking off the show in San Diego, which garnered comments about our beautiful weather more than once. Kentucky, apparently, really sucks right now with a sweltering summer. To that, I say, Jim, you're welcome back to San Diego any time and we'll always have a place for you here.



I didn't realize when I was uploading the photos that they would be so small...I seriously sometimes suck when it comes to the shortcut. These are just a handful of the 319 that I shot. I might try to add some more later.

Jeff's Weekly Pick: My Morning Jacket @ Open Air Theatre Wednesday August 11, 2010

One of the more difficult rock bands to pigeonhole is My Morning Jacket. Having produced five studio albums, as well as a live cd, the band from Louisville, KY continues to experiment and display a varied musical palette. This translates into longer than normal live performances, having witnessed an epic two and a half hour concert the last time the band played in San Diego. There is no doubt who brings it all together, that being lead singer and guitarist Jim James. This man is one of the busier guys in the music business today, with side projects, solo efforts, guest appearances on other bands albums and who knows what else. The band members have remained in tact for the last six years. Though they may live in different parts of the country, they are one truly cohesive unit in the studio and on tour. Each one of the five studio albums is unique in its musical themes, but their most recent LP, Evil Urges, found the band going in many different directions. The result was a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Rock album.

Having attended concerts for longer than most of the attendees have been alive, I was thoroughly blown away during their 2008 performance. It ranked as one of my all time favorites. Here's hoping for more of the same this time around.

Avi Buffalo sets the stage.

Watch a video of Touch Me I'm Going to Scream, Pt. 2 below

Avi Buffalo, Casbah, 4.21.2010

Last week Avi Buffalo opened for Japandroids at the Casbah. His debut album is coming out on Sub Pop Records tomorrow and I highly recommend that you grab it. In the meantime, here's a playlist from the set last week.

NPMT: Avi Buffalo

I wasn't part of the planning for NPMT at all, but I was asked my opinion about some LA bands and had a very small part in contacting some L.A. peeps. Of the dozen or so bands I actually suggested, two were selected. Unfortunately one of those bands, Local Natives, had a scheduling conflict and had to decline the invite, but the other one is someone I'm really stoked to see.

I heard about Avi Buffalo one night when I was working at the Casbah. I got to talking to a guy who's in a band called Tommy Santee Klaws and he asked if I'd heard of Avi, told me he was some sorta high school prodigy, and that he had been working on a demo and was already generating some buzz in LA (and some association with Beck but I'm not sure what exactly). Anyway, he ran to his car, handed me a CD and told me to rip it into my iTunes. I'm glad I did, and after you see Avi Buffalo on Sunday, I hope you can be glad about my chance meeting, too.