more about "The Low Anthem on iLike", posted with vodpod

The Low Anthem, touring with BP in support of their current album “Oh My God, Charlie Darwin”  [BUY IT HERE, NOW!] were fantastic and very nearly stole the show. The versatility of the members is remarkable with group members all playing different and multiple instruments from song to song; this blew me away almost as much  their awesome and original sound. The depth of the arrangements made me wonder how a band with just three members make such an incredibly intelligent and wonderful music. However they do it, make no mistake, it was (as I have already said) fantastic. Sure, their usual hauntingly beautiful sound was in full effect on most tunes, like the aforementioned album’s title track, but they also showed a much harder edge at times and truly “rocked the Casbah” at times. Overall a very solid (if not too short) performance from a rising star.

Funny side note: Between sets, while waiting in line for the pisser, I was standing with this hip-lookin’ bearded dude and we were both looking at a poster with recent/upcoming shows at the Casbah. For some reason, boredom maybe, I felt compelled to strike up a conversation with the guy while we waited. I pointed to a show on the list from the previous Wednesday (“Noah and the Whale” had played that nite) and commented to this guy that “I just moved to San Diego and I almost made that my first trip to the Casbah, but wanted Blind Pilot to be my first show instead to make in more memorable.” To this the guy simply replied “right on” or “cool” or something along those lines, before the door opened and he went into the bathroom to do his business. Only after BP took the stage did I realize this same guy is a member of the band, up there wailin’ on a big ol’ stand-up bass. Hah! Dude probably thought I was a groupie or kissin’ his ass or something. (I have since learned, via the power of the intertubes, that his name is Luke Ydstie.) Anyway…

Like The Low Anthem, Blind Pilot came strong and did not disappoint, almost as if to justify my skipping Noah & the Whale. They were everything I expected: smart, soaring, beautiful and brilliant. They hit all the best from the most recent album [BUY IT HERE], including a killer rendition of my personal favorite 3 Rounds and a Sound. This song alone was worth the price of my admission (which was just $13, btw) but luckily this San Diego crowd got that and a whole lot more. The highlight of the night though may have been an absolutely AMAZING rendition of Gillian Welch’s “Ms. Ohio.” [watch BBC video of it here] (My new life’s goal in fact is to find an mp3/taper version of this from one of the BP shows on this tour.) Like any good cover, they took Ms. Welch’s beautiful original gave it their own little twist and created a new version that  stands on its own and pays wonderful homage to the original.

Additional funny side note: After the show, the band was out on the street generally milling around and getting some fresh air. Naturally I felt compelled to approach Mr. Ydstie yet again. I shook his hand and proclaimed “Hey, I’m the guy from the bathroom. Thanks for coming through for me tonight man.” … Yeah. So, in hindsight this was maybe not the best phrasing I could have chosen, especially with him sitting next to a couple of bandmates. All social awkwardness aside, I still feel I owed him at least a Thank You.

All in all, I would say a very successful inaugural visit to The Casbah. You can be sure I’ll be back. I strongly, no emphatically suggest that if either the Low Anthem or Blind Pilot (or if you’re lucky, both) come anywhere  close to where you are that you immediately purchase tix and check them out. You will not be disappointed. I am already looking forward to seeing them both again. And, if I may say, Thank You Low Anthem, Thank You Blind Pilot and Thank You Luke Ydstie for making my first trip to the Casbah a memorable one. Thank you very much.

more about “Video Session : Blind Pilot : Laundro…“, posted with vodpod

So, welcome to breathing time machine.

The introduction is always the hardest. My first instinct, likely derived from those journalism classes in college, is to approach every article (or post) with the objective of answering the 5 W’s. That is: who, what, when, where and why. And so, by means of introduction to me and my new writing outlet, those five classic questions will be asked & answered right up front. Here we go…

WHO? I’m just another average everyday nameless, faceless guy with access to the internets who really really loves music. A guy who not only loves listening to music but more specifically loves discovering music and great new songs or bands.

WHAT? This is my music blog. It will be called “breathing time machine”, after a line from the song “Laundry Room” from the amazing Avett Brothers. More on this later.

WHEN? Hopefully daily, but who can say. No sense setting a schedule I can’t meet, but I hope to update things regularly enough to make it interesting.

WHERE? Online at breathingtimemachine.wordpress.com. (hint: you’re there now) Twitter? ok, try @mikebeebe. Geographically based in San Diego, CA and I’ll do my best to spotlight local acts as much as I can and post reviews of as many shows as possible too…

WHY? Ahh…discovery, of course. And, perhaps more importantly, the joy of sharing those discoveries to those who might also love the music, but don’t have the time and/or inclination to find it themselves. Why should they be deprived?

And that’s really it, in a nutshell. Let’s face it, music is art and it can affect the heart and soul of the listener. Whether it’s a melody, a lyric or even a single line from an otherwise mediocre song, any music that can strike a personal chord is good music. And that is type of music that needs to be shared. So, come along for the ride…