litigious hipster

The National At Bowery Ballroom

Setting the stage at the Bowery...

If only I could figure out how to use the zoom
feature on my Pearl's camera...

So I went to see The National at the Bowery Ballroom Thursday night.  It was a very good show, and the sound was excellent.  They played everything I wanted to hear, besides maybe 'Guest Room'.  Matt Beringer's vocals were a little weak, but they were better than when I saw them at TT the Bear's in Boston 2 summers ago. 

The best part of the show was when Matt hopped off stage and into the middle of the crowd during 'Abel'.  I was on the balcony, and it looked fun down there.  I just wish Matt could relax more on stage, or at least match the level of level headedness of the rest of the band.  Of course, without his hangups I'm sure Matt wouldn't write the same lyrics (or would he?...)  If I had a popular comments section, this is where this sort of thing could be discussed!

Eurotrip

Recently I went to Spain and France for a two week vacation.  It was my first time in Spain, and it was great to finally practice the Spanish  skills I abandoned after my Junior year of high school.  I didn't get to see much music there, but I did fall in love with Gaudi.  Casa Batllo should be one of the 8 wonders of the world.

I always try to seek out some sort of Jazz music wherever I go, and this trip was no exception.   On my last night in Barcelona I ended up at a tiny Jazz club (that is often a club club) called Jamboree. 

I saw a "gypsy jazz" (Read:  Django Reinhardt) trio called the Biel Ballaster Trio play with this amazing dude from Oslo, Norway named Jon Larsen.  (see front dude below)

Jon owns a record label called Hot Club Records.  From what I've heard so far his stuff is pretty awesome, and some of it is on iTunes.  I'll be checking it out this week after Apple un-DRM's its stuff (supposedly).

For now,  check out a clip from the song "Ah! Les Femmes" from the Biel Ballaster Trio below:

Down the Rabbit Hole

Moving to the lower east side July 1st.  Further cementing my role as a gentrifying agent in the city.  Love me or hate me.  Or both.