On Saturday night, the Casbah presented a show at the San Diego Woman's Club with Henry Rollins. Whenever we have outside events, I usually help work the door, and this was no exception. What made it really easy was that the 400 capacity show was sold out, so it was just a matter of ripping tickets and Barb checking names off will call. There were people waiting in line as early as 3pm for the show, though we didn't open doors until a little after 6.
You can read all about it and see more photos after the jump.
On Tuesday night, I was quite excited to be working at the Noah and the Whale/Bahamas show. I've recruited Phil, another photographer for shows, so he'll be posting some photos later, but in the meantime, I thought I'd give a little rundown of the show. As I've been endlessly whining about,I've had kind of a shit week and kinda felt on the edge of...well, something...it felt like nothing I was doing was worth anything and I've been feeling really delicate, like one more little thing happens and I'm just going to lose it. I only say all of this because I wasn't prepared for just how emotional and eventually cathartic this show ended up being. I got there early...around 5:45...and walked in on Noah and the Whale soundchecking with "Blue Skies".
This is a song for anyone with a broken heart This is a song for anyone who can't get out of bed I'll do anything to be happy Oh, cos blue skies are coming But I know that it's hard
So imagine walking in all fragile and being one of 4 people in a room as Charlie sings this. Talk about intense. The rest of the soundcheck was more rockin and we just cleaned up loose ends before opening doors at 7. I was taking tickets at the front door, but we got everyone in really quickly because we didn't have stamps or wristbands or ID checks or anything like that. This ultimately meant that those of us working were able to peek in on the show. We were blown away by Bahamas...guitar, drums, and two women singing backup harmonies. They were phenomenal and I suggest seeing them if and when they come to a town near you. They felt really appropriate at the Woman's Club...it felt timeless, like you could've walked into the room with that band performing in 1955, 1965, 1975 and it would've felt exactly the same which is a pretty rare quality for a musician/band to have. You can check out Bahamas' Daytrotter Session here.
When Noah and the Whale came on at 8:30, we didn't have much to do in the lobby, so I went in for the first song and almost had a total meltdown. It was "Give A Little Love"
Well I know my death will not come 'Til I breathe all the air out my lungs 'Til my final tune is sung That all is fleeting Yeah, but all is good And my love is my whole being And I've shared what I could But if you give a little love, you can get a little love of your own Don't break his heart
Well my heart is bigger than the earth And though life is what gave it love first Life is not all that it's worth 'Cause life is fleeting Yeah, but I love you And my love surrounds you like an ether In everything that you do But if you give a little love, you can get a little love of your own Don't break his heart
Well if you are (what you love) And you do (what you love) I will always be the sun and moon to you And if you share (with your heart) Yeah, you give (with your heart) What you share with the world is what it keeps of you
The rest of the show was equally intense, and the production, sound, and lights were amazing, impacting the half full room that much more. It really did bum me out that this show wasn't a sell out because Noah and the Whale are amazing with every performance, but at the same time, a half house with passionate fans is a far more comfortable show. At the end of the show, I was filming the final song of the encore, "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N", and I looked to my left and there was a guy filming and wiping tears from his eyes. It was pretty amazing to see that I wasn't the only one completely moved by this show.
Noah and The Whale, an indie folk rock band from London, will be making the first stop of their upcoming tour this Tuesday in San Diego. This show will be taking place at the intimate San Diego Women’s Club in Banker’s Hill. First and foremost, this is an all ages venue, so there is no reason not to attend. The last time the band was in town, they played a heartwarming set at The Casbah. Noah and The Whale burst onto the scene with the release of Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down in 2008. Lead singer Charlie Fink wrote all of the songs on the album, and the result was nothing short of amazing for the young band. Former backup vocalist and one time girlfriend Laura Marling became the focal point for the band’s sophomore effort, The First Days of Spring. It became apparent that Mr. Fink and company had moved on from that relationship with a new batch of songs and a new sense of purpose. In a sense, the growth of the band’s music reflects the band members themselves maturing in real life. Moving to the present, Noah and The Whale recently released its third full length, Last Night on Earth, to mixed reviews. This is definitely the most polished production to date, but the folk leanings have almost disappeared on this record. This only shows the band’s willingness to step outside the box and try something different. The songs move with an almost effortless rhythm, which results in a rewarding and pleasant listen. It promises to be a great evening with the band performing stateside in the comfortable room at the historic building. Having witnessed a number of shows there, I am always impressed with the sound quality and sight lines (not a bad spot in the room). If you were on the fence about attending, do yourself the favor of going to see one of Britain’s youngest and best bands. You will thanking yourself as the songs remain on repeat in your mind long after the show ends.
[I've been chatting with my friend Tyler a lot this week about a couple of School of Rock shows coming up this weekend. The kids are super talented and under the direction of Tyler and Chris are obviously in very good hands when it comes to training and guidance. Below is Tyler's plug for some shows this weekend. It would be awesome if the music community rallied around the shows this weekend, and even cooler if bands that are being covered would come check out the kids performing their music. Below is from Tyler Ward, General Manager and Music Director of the School of Rock, San Diego.- rosey] I don't like being "that guy" who always blabs about my job, but if you've seen me lately, I can't talk about anything else. The School of Rock is putting on a San Diego themed show and I couldn't be more excited. In case you don't know about the school, it's a music program for kids that not only teaches lessons, but puts on themed concerts. This time around, it's a love-letter to our village and the kids are playing songs by: Rocket From The Crypt, Three Mile Pilot, Pinback, Drive Like Jehu, Buck-O-Nine, Heavy Vegetable, Unwritten Law, Louis XIV, The Zeros, Unbroken, Black Heart Procession, Beat Farmers, fluf, and more.
The shows are taking place at the historic SD venues, The Kava Lounge (old Casbah) and the SD Women's Club, and we may have some very special guests play with the kids. The Kava is so small that it will sell out, but the Women's Club has plenty of room. Both shows start early enough that you can still go out afterward.
Saturday, January 22nd @7pm Kava Lounge 2812 Kettner Boulevard San Diego, CA 92101-1223
Sunday, January 23rd @6pm San Diego Women's Club 2557 3rd Avenue San Diego, CA 92103-6570
On Saturday night, the Casbah presented a show at the San Diego Woman's Club with Henry Rollins. Whenever we have outside events, I usually help work the door, and this was no exception. What made it really easy was that the 400 capacity show was sold out, so it was just a matter of ripping tickets and Barb checking names off will call. There were people waiting in line as early as 3pm for the show, though we didn't open doors until a little after 6.
