"In the middle of the night I was sleeping sitting up, when a doctor came to tell me, 'Enough is enough.' He brought me out into the hall (I could have sworn it was haunted), and told me something that I didn't know that I wanted to hear: That there was nothing that I could do to save you. The choir's gonna sing, and this thing is gonna kill you. Something in my throat made my next words shake, and something in the wires made the lightbulbs break." ~the antlers




Sorry I've been MIA for awhile. I meant to write a concert post for The Antlers at Bowery Ballroom, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I've been feeling lazy. It's been really hot lately (it got up to 90 degrees today), and I think that's contributing to my laziness. Anyway, it was a great concert. We got there really early and were dead center in the front row, as usual. The Antlers played their entire new album except for the instrumental song "Tiptoe." They also played a few favorites from Hospice. It's the same setlist they've been doing, and I was hoping they'd throw in something crazy like "Epilogue" or "Sylvia," but I wasn't surprised that they didn't. My favorite song from the new album was "Putting the Dog to Sleep," and I also loved hearing "No Widows." I got a setlist afterwards and overall I loved the concert.

The arrangements for some songs from Hospice are different from the studio versions, and in some cases that's a good thing, but in some cases I actually like the studio version better. For example, "Two" is my absolute favorite song by the band (and one of my overall favorite songs by anyone). But the live version felt a little bit too upbeat. Of course I still loved it, and it was the one song that I couldn't refrain myself from singing along with, but it just didn't pack the same punch as the album version. On the other hand, "Bear" and "Wake" were absolutely gorgeous live (and so was "Kettering"); the band managed to amplify the heartache in those songs.

I filmed the whole show, so here it is. You can watch the songs individually from my youtube playlist page or just click through them here using the arrows. You can also download great audio from nyctaper.com.

"You wanna climb up the stairs, I wanna push you back down. But I let you inside, so you can push me around." ~the antlers

I'm seeing The Antlers in concert on Friday, and I'm really excited. I've seen them before (in two very different venues) and they always put on a great show. I saw them at the High Violet Annex last year (a very tiny space about the size of my apartment, able to hold no more than 100 people, that The National used to celebrate their album release), which was amazing. I also saw them open for The National at Radio City Music Hall. This Friday's concert will be at Bowery Ballroom, and I'm sure it will be a fabulous concert.

The Antlers' album Hospice is one of my absolute favorite albums. It's beautifully devastating and brilliant. It can usually make me cry (in fact, choose just one random song from the album and that song will likely bring me to tears if I'm in the right mood). It's a concept album, which is rare these days, and it's even more rare to find a concept album done well. It's certainly done well here. It's difficult to listen to straight through because of what it's about. It hurts. It's even difficult to read all the lyrics straight through. I mean, it's called Hospice, so it's not like the depressing nature of it is surprising. I love it, though. It's cathartic. The music is absolutely gorgeous. And I love the progression.

It would be nearly impossible for The Antlers' next album to live up to Hospice in my mind. Indeed, in my mind Burst Apart doesn't quite cut it compared to Hospice. But it's probably an unfair comparison to make. Burst Apart is less gut-wrenching, but it's still depressing; just look at the song titles (they include "Putting the Dog to Sleep," "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out," and "I Don't Want Love"). The tone is different, though; it's less emotionally raw. The band seems to focus even more on the orchestrations, and there are some beautiful melodies here. I'm sure my opinions will continue to evolve upon further listening.

Be ready for goodies from Friday's concert.

Contest: A prize goes to anyone who can name another band that uses the word "femur" in two different songs. I'm guessing The Antlers are alone in that distinction.

I should write a review of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark 2.0, but I'm not really in the mood. For now I'll say that it's better than the original production, but it's still not any good. A few guitar riffs from The Edge and Jenn Damiano's voice are still the best things about it (Jenn Damiano's role, Mary Jane, is slightly expanded, but not enough). We had seats in the front row of the flying circle, which is the absolute perfect spot from which to see the show, and the finale is pretty impressive (the last time I saw the show, they couldn't do the finale flying sequence, which at that time was the act 1 finale).

"Birds flying high, you know how I feel. Sun in the sky, you know how I feel. Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, and I'm feeling good." ~nina simone

Somehow this post disappeared. I wrote it on Wednesday and it somehow got lost. So I have to write it again. Which pisses me off, but it's okay because what I'm writing about makes me so freakin' happy. Chuck has been renewed for a fifth season. Which is huge news. This show just keeps defying the odds; seriously, it's death-defying. And it deserves to continue, because it's a brilliant, creative, entertaining show. I'm so incredibly excited about this. This post sounded more excited on Wednesday, when I found out and was dancing and jumping around my apartment, so please believe how thrilled I am (I'm just not thrilled about typing it up again).

The song posted above is perfect for this post, obviously because of the lyrics and the mood but also because it's the song that Chuck decided would be Sarah's favorite song in one of my favorite scenes from the show.

To celebrate the renewal and the season finale (airing on Monday), here's an interview from the set of the finale with Zac and Yvonne:

And an interview from the set of the finale with Zac, Yvonne, and Josh. Zac and Josh are hilarious together. This is quite entertaining. I love hearing them discuss Bonita (General Beckman) and her Inception-like presence:


On a sad note for me, Brothers and Sisters was cancelled. I loved the finale so I'm at least satisfied with where the show ended, but I'll miss it.

"We get up early just to start cranking the generator. Our limbs have been asleep, we need to get the blood back in 'em. We're finding every day several ways that we could be friends. We keep on churning and the lights inside the house turned on, and in our native language we are chanting ancient songs, and when we quiet down the house chants on without us." ~freelance whales

Freelance Whales opened their set on Wednesday with that song. It was lovely. Scroll down if you missed my concert post.

Today it's time for show reviews.

Arcadia
Apparently this is a very polarizing play and a polarizing production. Ben Brantley calls the play "entirely terrific" and the production "half-terrific." I completely agree that the play is entirely terrific. I absolutely love the play. It's intriguing and intense and intelligent and yet it does have heart. It's three hours long and you have to be thinking the entire time, but the time went by quickly and I thought it was a great production. Billy Crudup completely deserves his Tony nomination for his performance; he's wonderful (as always; I love him). Tom Riley and Bel Powley are the other strongest cast members in my mind; I loved seeing their story unfold.

I agree with most of Mr. Brantley's review, especially these points:

"Though this play finds Mr. Stoppard at his most luxuriantly wordy, it is not hot air of which I speak. Watching David Leveaux’s production I realized more than ever that “Arcadia,” a tale of two centuries in pseudopastoral England, is propelled by genuine, panting passion....

Mr. Leveaux’s interpretation brings out the irresistible force of “wanting to know” better than any version in my experience....

Yet if this “Arcadia” lacks the uniform surface sparkle it had when I saw it (with a different cast) in London in 2009, it has acquired something more important: an emotional depth, viscerally rooted, to support its intellectual shimmer....

But see it you should, in part to experience the ingenuity and seamlessness of Mr. Stoppard’s time-traveling craftsmanship, but also to feel the empathic imagination brought to characters you may wind up realizing you never fully grasped before...."

The Normal Heart
Again, I'm going to rely on Ben Brantley to give you the gist, because he does it so well:

More than a quarter of a century after it first scorched New York, “The Normal Heart” is breathing fire again. The passionately acted new Broadway production of Larry Kramer's watershed drama from 1985 — an indictment of a world unwilling to confront the epidemic that would come to be known as AIDS — blasts you like an open, overstoked furnace. Your eyes are pretty much guaranteed to start stinging before the first act is over, and by the play’s end even people who think they have no patience for polemical theater may find their resistance has melted into tears. No, make that sobs.

Trust me, there were plenty of sobs. I cried like a baby. It's difficult not to. I think this production (directed by Joel Grey) very successfully clarifies what each character is experiencing and makes you experience their emotions right along with the character. That's not an easy feat. The incredibly strong cast certainly plays a large role in allowing that. Joe Montello is superb. This year's Tony race for best actor is ridiculously competitive, and Mr. Montello is a strong contender (I've seen all the nominees and I can't decide whom I think is most deserving; I'm torn between Mr. Montello and Mark Rylance). Back on topic: along with Mr. Montello, the cast of The Normal Heart consists of Ellen Barkin, Lee Pace, Jim Parsons, John Benjamin Hickey, Richard Topel, Patrick Breen, Mark Harelik, and Wayne Alan Wilcox. There are some pretty big names in that bunch, and they're all at the top of their game here, pouring out their hearts with intensity that you have to wonder how they maintain during eight performances a week. This is an emotional, important show about a topic that is still sadly very relevant today.


Wonderland
Oh, Wonderland. How do I talk about this show when I just discussed two very serious plays? Wonderland was just as awful as I expected it to be. It's full of cliches and bland music (I expected more from Frank Wildhorn) and awful costumes and sets, and the book is a huge disappointment. Poor Lewis Carroll would be so disappointed to see what his wonderful work has become in this musical. I mean, really. You can see for yourself in this sneak peek:


I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is a fantastic year for plays. Musicals? Not so much. Thank goodness for The Book of Mormon.

Just because he's in my mind after seeing Arcadia today, here I am with the charming Mr. Crudup (taken a long time ago). I think I'll go watch Almost Famous for the zillionth time now just to see him some more.

"We beg rebirth to take us up, parade our souls out by the back gate. Some claw the ground, some cut the air, some warm the seas; but what will you be and when?" ~freelance whales

I know I haven't written in forever. I didn't have my computer for a few days because it was being repaired (luckily the friendly folks at my local Apple store were able to fix it for free). I've been busy, too. But I'll start posting more again. This is a concert post. I have two concerts to write about, so here goes. I'll start with the most recent because it's in my head.

The Naked & Famous/Freelance Whales/Foals
I was literally swept off my feet at this concert. Unfortunately it wasn't exactly Prince Charming doing the sweeping; it was a kind security guard helping me out. Foals fans are crazy. Seriously. I should probably start at the beginning, though. I went to this concert with my lovely friend Leah. We went because of the first two bands (The Naked & Famous and Freelance Whales). We love both of them. We didn't care too much about Foals. We were the first people there (well, Leah was) and we got a spot dead center in the front row on the rail. The Naked & Famous were great. They only played five songs, but I loved every single song. They have a lot of energy and they're just a really fun band. They played "Young Blood" last, which really made us happy. We're Chuck fans, and that's the song that's playing at the end of "Chuck vs. the Push Mix" as Chuck is proposing. It was really cool to hear it live. I also particularly enjoyed hearing them play "Girls Like You." Fun fact: they're from New Zealand.
Freelance Whales were next, and they were also fabulous. Their set was close to an hour. They also played a song featured on Chuck, "Generator First Floor" and one from Covert Affairs, "The Great Estates" (I connect a lot of my music to TV). They had a lot of interesting instruments and they put on a great show.
Foals was next. Leah left to catch a train, but I decided to stay. I know some of Foals' music but I'm definitely no expert, but I figured I might as well stay and listen. First of all, remember that we were front row, dead center. There was a barricade between us and the stage. Foals fans are insane. People started pushing and those of us up front were being pushed into the barricade, but obviously we couldn't go any further forward so we were being crushed. It just got really annoying and uncomfortable. There were four security guards spread out across the barricade (in the passageway between the crowd and the stage) who occasionally tried to lean over and calm the crowd down, but they couldn't do much from their side. Finally I got so frustrated that I decided to leave (after dealing with this for about five songs). I couldn't make my way back out of the crowd, though, because everyone was packed so tightly. So one of the security guards literally scooped me up and lifted me over the barricade. He was tiny, but he was obviously very strong because he had no trouble just picking me up in his arms and lifting me over the railing. This was during the concert and I was lifted into the passageway directly in front of the stage, so of course I'm sure the band saw and I'm also sure I kicked a few people on my way over. Oh well. I just didn't want to deal with the craziness anymore. I couldn't enjoy the music because of it.

I took videos during the show, but I was just using my digital camera and it did an awful job with the sound because we were so close to the stage. Luckily someone else took this great video of The Naked & Famous performing "Young Blood." Watch it. It's wonderful.

And "Girls Like You:"

I really wish someone had taken a video of Freelance Whales performing "Generator First Floor," but I can't find one. So "Generator Second Floor" will have to do.



Cake
My friend Bill won tickets to this concert through a radio station, and he was kind enough to take me (he's taken me to see a LOT of concerts, and I'm very grateful for that). I like Cake. It's difficult to describe their music; they use elements from a whole bunch of different genres. They're very talented, though. They've been around since 1991 and they're still churning out solid albums (their most recent one debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart). We got a good spot in the front row on the side. Their was no opening band, so Cake played a long set. I filmed "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" (the theme song from Chuck).

They give away a tree at every show. At this show they gave it to the girl standing right next to me. To win it, she had to identify what kind of tree it was (it was a plum tree). It's kind of a cool tradition.


Next up: Broadway show reviews. I have to write about The Normal Heart, Arcadia, and Wonderland.


ETA: Okay, check out photo #13 to see how thrilled I was during Foals.