In what seems to be a biennial pre-record release show, Black Lips played in their hometown of Atlanta on Saturday night at The Variety Playhouse. Their impending record is untitled as of right now, but will most likely be released in April. Perhaps this was just an early treat. The Lips put together a similar show at the Playhouse in February 2009, the month that they released 200 Million Thousand. That show surely was fun as can be for all that attended — the Lips played a mix of rarely played oldies and a few new songs that would quickly vanish from their typical set-list. For example, they played four songs that had a little lasting power back in 2009, but are rarely played nowadays: “Take My Heart,” “Starting Over,” “I’ll Be With You,” and “Elijah.” The tunes that have stuck from 200 Million Thousand are “Drugs” and “Short Fuse.” As far as rare classics go, they played “Ain’t No Deal” (which I must note has been played more than usual in 2010), “Workin,” and one of my personal favorites, “Fad.” Getting back to Saturday night, they played six new songs, a few of which have been debuted recently. These include “Dumpster Diving” (Ian St. Pe on lead vocals), “Raw Meat” (the whistle one they played frequently on their ’10 US tour), and “New Direction” (not the official name, but sung in the chorus). Notably, though, Bradford Cox was in attendance and he played drums (as he did in the studio back in ’04) on “Notown Blues”. Accomplished multi-musician Joe Bradley played the organ during that song.
Category Archives: Black Lips
Chris’s Best of 2010: Concerts
Inspired by Glen’s post here is my list of the greatest concerts (16 damn I saw 21 last year, I’m slacking!) I had the pleasure of seeing in Twenty Ten; if I see anymore I will add them accordingly.
A+ :
1) Black Lips and Box Elders at the Middle East Downstairs- March 25 (best concert ever!)
A:
2) No Age and Needy Visions at the Middle East Downstairs- November 16
3) Wavves, Cloud Nothings, and Young Adults at the Great Scott- June 22
4) King Khan & the Shrines, Gentlemen Jesse and His Men, and Red Mass at the Royale- October 13
5) Deerhunter and Real Estate at the Royale- October 16
A-:
6) Deerhunter, Kurt Vile, and K-Holes at Royale- October 13
7) Nobunny and Maine Coons at the PAs Lounge- June 29
8) Spoon, Deerhunter, Strange Boys at the House of Blues- March 27 (formerly an A show)
B+:
9) Girls and Dum Dum Girls at the Paradise Rock Club- April 1
10) Those Darlins, Strange Boys, and Gentlemen Jesse and His Men at T.T. the Bears- September 17
B:
11) Harlem and Girlfriends at the Great Scott- April 25 (formerly a B+ show)
12) 1964 the Tribute at the Merchantsauto Stadium- August 16 (formerly a B+ show)
B-:
13) Uninhabitable Mansions and the Big Big Bucks at the Middle East Upstairs- May 7 (formerly a B show)
C:
14) Kurt Vile, Real Estate, and Sore Eros at Harpers Ferry- July 23
N/A: I don’t grade my friends’ bands, but in any case I had fun at these shows.
15) Silhouette Rising and The Scouflaws at the West Side Social Club- July 2 (I actually saw countless SR shows, but I can’t remember any of the exact dates except this one)
16) Gold Star Morning at Bull McCabe’s- October 30
Black Lips – “Christmas In Baghdad”
Christmas in Baghdad, it can be such a drag
Don’t wanna come home in a body bag
No candles, no cheer, just all violence here
Well I hope I can see you this year
Not a reindeer in sight; this ain’t no holy night
They’re putting up a hell of a fight
Guess there’s nothing we can do about it
Learn jingle bells in arabic
Hope I can make it home alive
‘Cause I’m sure missing Christmas time
Not a chance of snow
Pretty sure my heart beat will go
But please don’t let that bullet go
Face down in the sand
Fighting strangers in a foreign land
Well I hope that you can understand
Glen’s Best of 2010: Concerts
It looks like another year in concerts has concluded for me. I got to see 22 shows (25 in 2009) at quite a few different venues and three happened to have taken place in New York City (reppin’ Queens). While I’m not so sure 2010 can top 2009 in terms of overall favorite shows, I think it’s safe to say I had a great time concert-going. Looking back, I’m going to rate shows based on three factors: opening bands, headlining band, and experience. A great experience for me is a combination of a great venue, a great crowd, and second-by-second fun. I tend to be pretty analytical about this kind of stuff, so for math people the weighting is as follows: 20% opening bands, 20% experience, and 60% headlining band. Also, I’m usually stricter when it comes to these end of the year tallies.
A
1. Black Lips – Temptress, NYC [95]
2. No Age – Middle East Downstairs [95]
A-
3. Black Lips – Middle East Downstairs [93]
4. King Khan & The Shrines – Royale [92]
5. Wavves – Great Scott [90]
6. Nobunny – PA’s Lounge [90]
B+
7. The Walkmen – Royale [89]
8. Editors – House of Blues [89]
9. Spoon – House of Blues [87]
B
10. Paul Weller – Apollo Theater, NYC [86]
11. Girls – Paradise Rock Club [86]
12. Beach House – Paradise Rock Club [86]
13. Harlem – Great Scott [85]
14. Deerhunter (AUG) – Royale [85]
15. Those Darlins – TT The Bears [84]
16. The Growlers – TT The Bears [84]
B-
17. Deerhunter (OCT) – Royale – [83]
18. Uninhabitable Mansions – Middle East Upstairs [82]
19. Mission of Burma – Paradise Rock Club [81]
C+
20. Vivian Girls – Great Scott [79]
21. Black Lips – The Shank, NYC [78]
22. Kurt Vile – Harper’s Ferry [77]
Exclusive Rolling Stone BL Studio Vid!
Take a look inside the MetroSonic Recording Studios in Brooklyn, New York where the Black Lips recently finished recording with Mark Ronson. Inside you’ll see Cole’s infamous human skull and a boat load of analog equipment. For those confused about the Lips pairing with Ronson, Ronson says it’s not like he came in and said “hey, I’m going to clean up the Black Lips!” From the video, it looks like there’s a new song with what I like to call the “Dirty Hands” arrangement — a D-A-G chord progression and Cole’s vocals. The last song that is played sounds absolutely fantastic, an ode to the production techniques of Brit Invasion rock and roll.
Check it out: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/68404/237078
Garage Explosion – Excellent New Documentary!
Watching this documentary, you might feel like you are reading this website. There are shots of living and deceased (literally/not literally) KLYAM regulars like Black Lips, Jay Reatard, King Khan & BBQ Show as well as shots and interviews with other great musicians and performers like Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, Davila 666, The Dirtbombs, The Magic Kids, Hunx and His Punx and Box Elders. What is garage rock? For Jay Reatard, it was about grossing people out. For Joe Bradley, “it’s about keeping it simple, stupid. That’s what we’re [Black Lips] are trying to do. It’s about fun and entertainment.”
VICE goes around interviewing some of the most notable and downright prolific names in garagerock. Part 1 examines the scenes in Memphis and Detroit.
Part 1: http://www.vbs.tv/watch/vbs-music-specials/garage-explosion-part-1-of-3
Part 2: http://www.vbs.tv/watch/vbs-music-specials/garage-explosion-part-2-of-3
New Black Lips Song: Live In Savannah, GA
After a fairly extended break from touring (only a few one-off shows and festivals since April), the Black Lips played the first of two November Georgia shows last night in Savannah at the Jinx. They played a brand new song, which will probably be released on their new album due out in April 2011. I’m not a master decipherer, but it sounds like the chorus goes something like: “I’ve been looking at a new collection.” Ian has a nice solo.
Click here to watch (starts @ 4:00 if you don’t want to watch “Short Fuse” first): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7kNgW2HEE4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
Ian St. Pe: “Roughly 30 Songs to Choose From” For New BL Record
November 14 marked the last day the Black Lips recorded in the studio with Mark Ronson. According to Ian St. Pe’s twitter: “We now have roughly 30 songs to choose from for our next record. This new one is gonna be the Shit!”
I always love hearing that kind of stuff. They should include ’em all on a double LP. Whatcha think about that, Vice?
Actual Vid Footage of Black Lips on Authentic Shit
I made a post about this last weekend, but now you can actually watch the BL in studio teasing around and playing “Garbage Dump.”
Old King Cole Younger Playing In Philly 2Nite
Old King Cole Younger, the alias of Cole Alexander of Black Lips, will be playing what looks to be his first show (ever?) tonight in Philadelphia. At least a few Philly newspapers are reporting that he is opening for lo-fi psychedelic band Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti. Is this true? If so, this is great.
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 