The Lobbyist @ Cafe Prytania
I had, probably, too much fun.
P.S. I'll be travelling with them to Austin in a couple weeks to shoot them playing the South by Southwest Festival!
The Music of Michael Millet
For several years now, my Dad and I have bumped into Michael on a monthly basis--as we're shuffling off stage, he's tuning-up and mic-checking for his set following. But only recently have we had the chance to sit down, talk, and get to know him a better, and what a cool guy he is. You can find him regularly haunting the eclectic Hi Ho Lounge on Mondays and Neutral Ground Coffee House the first Friday of every Month. For more info on when, as well as the many other venues where he may be found, check out his site. Plus, you can listen to some of his music!
Born in Houma, LA, he did a stint in California in the nineties, but he's back in New Orleans--the city he calls home--making a life with music.
Michael's been playing some form of music for the last two decades, so it's no surprise that he counts the completion of his second album, Hard Times on the Bayou, as one of his greatest achievements to date. It's a solid work of storytelling laid to a sweet bluegrass/folk soundtrack that many natives of this area, no doubt, can relate to as simply, a way of life.
This past year Michael has been busy rubbing shoulders with many of the local greats including Al "Carnival Time" Johnson, the Hone¥ Island Swamp Band, Pat Flory, and Gina Forsyth (whom he recorded with this past November). Last fall, he was invited to sing at the Abita Springs Opry and on the WWOZ pledge drive.
When the day's all done, you can find Michael either relaxing on his front porch, or searching the lands for live music. Michael and I find common ground in our deep-rooted desire for live music. There's not much else like it.
Check him out!
The Balsa Wood Flyers’ last stand
For the last ten years, the Balsa Wood Flyers have been a signature sound in the landscape of the New Orleans music scene. Saturday night at the Kerry Irish Pub on Decatur, they played their last show, encore and all. It was an emotional night for a lot of people--those who had been there in the beginning, as well as those who've just come along in recent years.
Founding members include Paul Tobin and Lee and Heidi Campbell, who were all present. My cousin, Holli, shed more than a few tears as she recounted memories of being five-years-old and sitting with her Dad, Lee, in their living room writing songs. More than a band, the BWF have become a long thread in the sound of New Orleans' Americana music.
Also playing last night was BWF-regular Tom Campbell on drums and Kevin Specht, an amazing guitarist in anyone's right, hashing out lead guitar.
The first time I saw Tom in action was before the Storm at a Christmas Eve party. In New Orleans it's a musical tradition to get together in somebodies living room, drink lots of wine, and play until the morning. By the time I had arrived, Tom had already put back a few glasses of some very fine boxed wine, but that was far from the end of it. In the next few hours, I don't know where he put it all, but with every song came a fresh glass, and with every glass a new, louder and wilder Tom emerged. I started feeling sorry for the drums he was pounding, but as I write this, I think back knowing I wouldn't trade those memories for anything.
Pulling myself out of this revelry, I remind myself, it's not all over. The music is still alive and evolving, if no longer under the BWF label, it exists in the different members pressing on in their own ways. But until it surfaces again, here are some pictures of their last show I'm proud to have been able to capture.
The Lobbyist
I talked about the Lobbyist last Tuesday. I've since had the great fun of hanging out with them and taking a bunch of pictures. Like, 900, if we're counting.
Formed a few years ago, the Lobbyist has been almost completely re-manned and is now ready to go places. Well, starting in February. They'll be at Cafe Prytania on the 27th, and in Austin the following month they're playing the South by Southwest festival. They've already cut a demo, are lining up shows, and in talks about making a video. Why so ambitious? Cause they're really good. Really. Good.
Click on their link above and give their song a listen. You'll love it! Trust me.
Here are a few of my favorites from the shoot:
Tuesday Music feat: The Lobbyist
I ran into my good friend Howard the other day, and he told me about his new band, the Lobbyist.
Whaaat. Yeah, it's awesome, right?. I've listened to lots and lots of times and keep going back for more! Photos and videos are in the oven right now, and I'm hoping to do some more with the Lobbyist in the near future!
If you're in the New Orleans area, they'll be playing at Cafe Prytania on February 27th. Don't miss it! I'll be there.
Vetiver is a folk band with a little touch of island sound--not so much that they're doing a Kenny Chesney (sigh), but where it still sounds good.
If you like them, you can watch more on YouTube and buy them on Amazon!
TOMORROW: Lighting tips from Brandon's Shoot this past weekend!
tuesday music:
I use Wordpress for my blog. If you're wanting to start a blog, it's a great platform, and it has a crap-load of free skins to get you there. However, there is this one little glitch that gets me from time to time: when I'm writing, and I click the 'Schedule' button too often, it has a way of not really clicking. I click, but it doesn't click. This is what happend last Tuesday. I originally had more music, but, you know, Wordpress had had enough. And that okay. It keeps it rich.
But all in all, it works out fine for me, because I'm in that tired-to-the-point-of-delirium state of mind right now, so I'll just through up some of that stuff and call it a night morning.
These are the posts that people often ask me questions about. The question I get the most goes like this: "uh, Joe?" Yeah. "What. were. you. thinking." If you've been that person. Thanks for reading in spite.
On to the music.
Augustana: All the Stars and Boulevards. This isn't exactly new. I mean, it happend this past decade, but that's about it. Good songs, though. I think he's a tortured soul.
I don't even know what that means.
Coffee & Cigarettes, caught my eye, not because it shares it's name with the movie (which was worth it if for no other reason than the five minutes of Bill Murray), but because last Thursday night I bought some coffee that tasted like cigarettes.
Sam knows.
The Format
Weird. I can see why a band would pick a high-school dance to show the awkwardness of adolescence and all that. But I think this is a junior-high dance. What. I try not to get too distracted by the way the kids sing the song back to you while bobbing their heads and mixing drinks, because I keep trying to focus on the lead singer who looks a lot like a woman. Like Nick Gilder.
I've saved the best (Hockey) for last (right here).
This song in particular reminds me of Everybody Else, which was my all-time favorite band of 2007.
TuesdAy MusIC
I heard Finger Eleven's Paralyzer on the radio the other day. I was curious who it was so I Shazammed it, and usually when this is the case, I listen to a few times on Youtube, hear it a few more times on the radio, and I'm good. And the song's good, but what's making it show up in my post is the video. It started out like a normal 'band video.' But then there's this crazy, side show of choreographed mod-squad dancers all dressed in black and white. I have no idea what it means or how it relates to the video, but it just made the song ten times better.
And on a side note, doesn't the lead singer remind you a little of Art Garfunkel?
White Rabbits released It's Frightening earlier this year. It's a cool compilation of beat driven songs that seem to want to be orchestrated but never quite get all that in order. To their advantage, I think. Kind of reminds me of Spoon.
Tuesday Music
Here are my music pics for the week. Enjoy!
Cymbals Eat Guitars: Why There Are Mountains
As a "musician," and I use the term loosely, I'm always partial to performance videos. Plus, I like behind the scenes stuff showing the recording studio and all that. For me, the gem was seeing lead singer, Joseph D'Agostino playing a Jaguar. For all the coolness of their soapbox pickups and various controls messily strung out across the body, one of their biggest critiques is that they don't offer a lot of punch when stacked against the rest of the band. But that's a guitar, and this is a band. And clearly it's all working for them. So, enough of that. About the music: it's some good stuff.
Generationals: Con Law
Con Law is one of those albums that belongs in your car to be played over and over. And it's that easy to listen through. Not every song needs the radio, but Generationals seem to have no shortage of pop-sounds. I like that. More than any of that, what I find especially enticing about this band is that they're local New Orleanians! The second video is a rough-cut, but it was filmed here in what looks like an old Uptown house. The first video, well done, also shows sites from around the city.
Telekinesis! [self titled album]
The first track I heard Chris Martin and though, ah crap, and they had such a cool album cover!
I'm not a Coldplay hater, I own a few of their abums (their first is still my fav), but one Coldplay is enough for all of us, I think (hope). But I am happy to report, they immediately redeem themselves with the next ten tracks stepping it up each time finishing with the wonderfully simple I Saw Lighting.
Pheonix Discovery, The Dead Weather & Harlem Shakes
Remember that great party scene from Lost in Translation where Bill Murray is walking hanging out in a Japanese apartment with a bunch of twenty-somethings? Well, part of that scene featured the song Too Young off of Phoenix's United album. Earlier this year they released Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix which is actually pretty good. I say "actually" and "pretty good" not because I disliked United, but because they're, well, French.
I mean, can you really name any other french bands? Yeah, me neither.
Ultimately, I think there are a few good tracks on here to download from iTunes, but I wouldn't recommend getting the whole album. Unless someone gives it to you for free. Then I recommend you take it.
Discovery is a collaboration between Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot--who, by the way, puts on an excellent show! I had the chance to see them the last time they were in NOLA. They played at the Parish (which is for bands who can't quite fill up the House of Blues, but I love it because it's so small). During sets we got a chance to talk to Wes. Very cool guy. Canadian. Go figure. Anyway, LP is as good as you'd expect from two great bands.
I wanted to put their Orange Shirt video here because it was a real video, but it was a Transformers II commercial and that made me sad.
The Dead Weather is one of Jack White's projects, which is a bit different still from the White Stripes and Raconteurs, but still holds on to his signature lo-fi-inspired framework. The Kills singer, Alison Mosshart, does the bulk of the singing and keeps a raw energy present that might otherwise cause this album to drop. Good stuff, but not for the faint of heart. Er, that is, those who need some serious studio polish in return for their $13.99.
And if you like The Edge and Jimmy Page (eyhh... comme, ci comme ca), watch this. But it's totally worth it because Jack White's in it and he's a beast. for real.
Harlem Shakes. Technicolor Health. From the opening track, Nothing but Change Part II, I knew I would like Harlem Shakes. With poppy melodies, quick guitars, and a driving beat, they keep it up like Vampire (and a bit of MGMT for good measure). As a word of warning, they sometimes have a thirty second buffer at the beginning of some of their songs where you might start to doubt. Beat that, and they're gold.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox + Michael Millet live
I saw The Fantastic Mr. Fox Saturday night, and it was, in true Wes Anderson fashion, the best movie I've seen since October 27 two years ago. That was when The Darjeeling Limited, his last movie, came out. Okay, maybe not the best since then. I'm sure there have been other great movies in between.
However, presently I can't think of any.
In any event, it's so up there. Here were some of my favorite lines:
"What the cuss, Foxie?!"
"Are you cussin' at me??"
"Well this is turning into a real cluster cuss."
Still makes me smile.
Michael Millet is a local musician who regularly holds down the nine-o'clock-first-Friday-of-every-month spot at the Neutral Ground Coffee House. Here are a few of my favorite shots from his set this past Friday. I'm going to be interviewing him in the near future, so stick around!
