Madison Music Review

Memphis, Tennessee’s Lucero packed the High Noon Saloon with it’s unique flavor of punk rock roots twang. This band played for the first time in early 1998 and since 2001, they have played between 150 and 200 shows a year across the United States and Canada. They have released seven full length albums, the latest entitled 1372 Overton Park.

It was another fine evening of great music at the High Noon Saloon.  Canadian Psych/slug rockers, Black Mountain fired up their distinctive tones through vintage gear and let loose on some great “new” material. Stephen McBean, Amber Webber and the band also ran through cuts from In The Future as well as their self titled LP, Black Mountain.  Look for Wilderness Heart to be released on September 14, 2010, on Jagjaguwar / Outside Music.

Madison has seen some great jam bands emerge on the scene in the past couple of years and two of the best were in the house High Noon last Friday. With stunning projections and laser/fog galore forming the perfect background for the music, The Grasshoppers warmed up the quickly growing group of band fans, jam band enthusiasts and dance fanatics. Elf Lettuce took the stage a bit before midnight and had the floor packed till bar time. Combining original tunes with popular rags from the Grateful Dead canon, the band put on a flawless performance that had people holding on to their heads in amazement… Having seen the bands play at other venues around town before, this show at the High Noon was special with beautiful sound, plenty of space for the band and the dancing fans, and a the crazy light show… catch them play the next time!

It was a special night for techno lovers in Madison Friday night a couple of weekends ago. A triple bill featuring Madison DJ Tinhead, Ryan Simatic and Ian Lehman from the Twin Cities had the 120 or so people dancing to bar time Saturday morning at the High Noon. The club’s sound system was dialed in just right (despite an initial bass glitch during Tinhead’s set) to transform the venue into a pulse pounding experience making me reminisce our recent Movement experience in Detroit. We do not get to see Tinhead play that often here in town, and it is always a treat when the rare occasion comes up. This time was no exception with a playful mix of deep house and techno, including some Steve Bug favorites of mine. Things got a tad darker with Ryan Simatic’s minimal techno set but it was Ian Lehman’s performance that sent another jolt of adrenaline coursing through the system. Dark, broody, heavily textured and layered hard driving techno… tribal and ‘animalistic’ if there is a word to describe things. A special thanks to Jason @ Prognition for organizing the stellar lineup.

Japanese post-rock band, Mono made their way to Madison last night for an intense instrumental performance.  Mono’s sound is characterized by the lead and rhythm guitars of Goto and Yoda respectively, both of whom make extensive use of reverb, distortion and delay. They manage to create an atmosphere of transcendent energy in their dynamics. Mono’s latest release is titled, Hymn to the Immortal Wind, check it out.

Scotland’s The Twilight Sad opened the show for the evening.  Vocalist James Graham call their sound,  ”folk with layers of noise,” as they are based on experiences that have happened to them, around their hometowns or people they know.  I was astonished by Andy MacFarlane’s skillful, effect driven guitar work. It seemed to create a wall of sound textures and act as a backdrop for Graham’s poignant lyrics and emotional delivery. Check out The Twilight Sad’s latest album, Forget The Night Ahead. Read more…

A couple of weeks back I got to see The Devil Makes Three play in Madison. My friends had been talking great things about the band for a while now, and I was looking forward to catching their take on folk, blues, and ragtime. Of course, I also enjoy Trampled By Turtles a lot, but having seen them perform at several shows in the past year, I was definitely keen on the opening act. With a line stretching out to the parking lot, there were plenty of excitement and anticipation in the air (some of it around the question “Will I get tickets before the show sells out?”, which it did as I passed through the doors. So next time, get you tickets in advance). Raw and punky sounding, The Devil Makes Three consists of guitarist/frontman Pete Bernhard, stand-up bassist Lucia Turino and guitarist Cooper McBean. No drums, plenty of rhythm, and lots of dancing. With influences ranging from the great Mississippi John Hurt, Doc Watson, Hank Williams, to AC/DC and Dr. Dre, the band makes party music that’s also the real blues, as in the case of “Old Number Seven” – a blistering homage to a familiar friend, Jack Daniels and the song they opened up the show with. A packed house cheered with joy and burst into a frenzy that did not subside till the band got done an hour later.

Trampled by Turtles took the stage next, and with a great opening act setting the bar, the lads from Minnesota did not disappoint. Here are some pictures from the show… enjoy!

Checking in late last Saturday night at The High Noon, I missed openers The Kickback and Here We Go Magic but caught Brooklyn, NY based indie darlings White Rabbits bring their brand of indie rock and post-punk energy to town. The venue was filled in nicely considering the cold, rainy weather last weekend. In fact, The High Noon felt almost tropical with the humidity and heat rising from warming bodies. The band had plenty of energy and stage presence, with the percussive pair of Matthew Clark and Jamie Levinson creating huge walls of reverb and sound… thought I am sure the fans would not have minded some more of the vigor. A great show overall and I highly recommend catching this act live and picking up It’s Frightening [Vinyl], their 2009 release on TBD Records and produced by none other than Britt Daniel of Spoon fame. And here’s the link to the album available as mp3 (It’s Frightening) and CD (It’s Frightening). Some pictures from the evening follow… Enjoy!