Editors with Hot Hot Heat at Fine Line Music Café on 1/30/08

Howwastheshow.com concert review

By: Amber Schadewald

---

Hot Hot Heat – photo from myspace.com/hothotheat

A bit strange perhaps, but I couldn’t help but think Hot Hot Heat vocalist Steve Bays looked like a sheep. With his fairly-behaved head of tight curls, long neck, beady eyes and long tongue, the resemblance to the wooly mammal was undeniable. Images of the sheep that starred in the movie Babe appeared, and even his voice at times sounded less like words and more like Baaaaa’s…I mean, this is simply my opinion.

Musically, Hot Hot Heat was everything I had always hoped. A long time fan of the Canadian band, I was elated to hear so many songs off my favorite albums from a few years back, including “Bandages”, “Oh Godamnit,” “Goodnight Goodnight” and “Dirty Mouth.” Bays made my favorite song, “Middle of Nowhere,” a great entity live by delivering the lyrics crisp and clear, while not forgetting to add his snappy energy. The crowd really enjoyed “Island of an Honest Man,” seeing Bays’ face go red as he spit out the words in heated speed.

Conscious of his front man/vocalist role, Bays urged the crowd to shout and clap. He spoke sporadically between songs, once commenting on the venue’s name: The Fine Line Café. “This isn’t much of a café,” he joked. “There’s only one pot of coffee in the place and it’s cold.”

After an extensive intermission between sets, Editors played to the sold out, middle-aged (and older) crowd, who in turn looked quite happy to hear the Brit band. I, on the other hand, was not so pleased. I was especially not so happy with the lighting effects, which included blinding spotlights aimed directly in my eyes, nearly blinding me every 25 seconds.

Not to mention, Editors were a lazy, copy-cat, made-for-TV version of Interpol. Standing mostly in one place, eyes blank, boring clothes and generic sound, the four musicians had zero personality. It were as if this band came out of a pre-packed box; unfolded and held up by strings and tack.

My feelings were only reiterated when I caught the lyrics, “You don’t need this disease…not right now,” which repeated for three minutes in between guitar solos. I personally have never thought anyone ever needed a disease, at any point in time. Apparently, this idea was worth writing a song about.

Pretending there has never been an Interpol, on a disc, Editors are alright. Unfortunately for them, Interpol came before them and therefore they were far from hitting any mark of approval in my notebook— (which by the way had its picture taken by the man standing behind me. I hope he captured my sour writing on film).

---

Location Info: Fine Line Music Café
Artist Info: Editors, Hot Hot Heat

A Fine Frenzy at Fine Line Music Café on 1/28/08

howwastheshow.com review

By: Amber Schadewald

---

Alison Sudol (aka A Fine Frenzy) – Photo by Melinda Dahl

Courteously packed into the small space, the attentive crowd shushed one another as Alison Sudol, a.k.a. A Fine Frenzy, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The room was literally silent. An audible signifier of the appreciation the crowd felt for this young artist, the silence gave way to pure emotions mustering almost collectively between strangers and friends. More delicately than any other song that evening, her fingers began tapping out the familiar intro to her adored single, “Almost Lover.” She nearly whispered the words, singing it as though it was the first time she had granted another being a glimpse into her aching soul. The moment alone was nearly as beautiful as the song itself.

From the first moment she walked on stage, Sudol had everyone’s heartstrings tied around her finger. Sweet to the last morsel, her young, honest spirit was laid out under the lights, between dear melodies and winning lyrics. A string of white Christmas lights was strung across the front of her keyboard and her hair (now a great deal shorter than her album cover suggests) burned red atop her playful expressions. Two men accompanied her, one on keys and bass, the other guitar and drums. I for one had a hard time watching anyone but her.

The entire show was super relaxed. Ali, as she prefers to be called, even took off her boots, saying she couldn’t feel the petal of her piano. “Music before fashion,” she giggled.

Her first time headlining a major show, she was a bit squirmy and undeniably giddy. Besides the continuous smiling, dancing and quirky comments, her excitement got in the way of her performance, including one extended note she stopped singing, giggling before finishing the song. My mom, who came as my guest, thought it was adorable; I on the other hand, thought she should pull it together.

My only other complaint was the lack of clear pronunciation, yet it’s hard to gripe when her velvet voice is ringing in your ears. There were also a few notable moments when she really let loose, singing hard and harsh, most notably in the song, “Ashes and Wine,” when she sounded a bit like an angry eagle— it was awesome. I continually waited throughout the set for something more like it, but she tends to sing more on the windy side.

After the show my mom and I met her upstairs and were lucky enough to get a poster signed. Calm and collected, yet perfectly friendly and spunky, she’s a really cool person… in person. My mom more than approved.

---

Location Info: Fine Line Music Café
Artist Info: A Fine Frenzy

Binary Star at Triple Rock Social Club on 1/11/08

another howwastheshow.com review by amber schadewald

---

One Be Lo of Binary Star – Photo by Kyle Johnson

A duo from Michigan, Binary Star consists of One Be Lo and Senim Silla, who until recently, haven’t played with one another since 2002 due to “creative differences.” I was told by a trusted hip-hop loving friend to see Binary Star if I ever had the chance, for I would not be disappointed. I’m not sure he was entirely correct.

Throughout their performance, the two rappers performed one at a time, leaving not only physical space between them, but the loss of an artist to artist connection. Immediately I found their “too cool” presence a turn-off. Senim Silla started out the set in his camo hat with slick raps and only a minor shine. He’s got a real consistent sound, very typical of new school Midwest hip-hop. It was real difficult to catch lyrics, but the beats were easy to feel in all parts of my body.

One Be Lo came out, rhyming about his home state, hat backwards with the word “hater” sewn across the forehead. He and Silla stopped the music and asked the crowd to make noise if “you’re a survivor, ya know?” I didn’t know, and therefore I just stood silent. In the same moment, I also marked up my face with a pen. Thankfully, my date is also not a “survivor” and therefore had time to wipe off the mark with spit.

I noted that regardless of track, I felt like Binary Star’s rhythm never really fluctuated. I got tired of the recorded choruses and in general, I just wasn’t as impressed as I had hoped to be. I did appreciate the two-minute acoustic break where One Be Lo took time to rap about Christopher Columbus, Black History and politics. His hat at this point had changed; this one read, “truth.”

A moderate show in comparison to the long list of hip-hop that makes me sweat love, yet it wasn’t a downer by any means. If OBL and SS could become better buddies, instead of just co-workers, I think their collaboration would result in gold stars.

---

Location Info: Triple Rock Social Club