live report - high places + santogold + sigur ros + deerhoof + cut copy

Part of the reason why there has been a major lack of activity around here is that I've been busy soaking up some decent performances that have rolled through town. 

Last thursday a friend and I went out to see the High Places and Ponytail show. Musically, both bands were spot on, High Places hypnotizing me for their 45-minute set and Ponytail yelping and being nerdy B'More kids for their opening slot. Unfortunately, the vibe was lackluster since the venue was very empty. But, let it be known that Rob is one of the nicest musicians I've met, personally apologizing for the fact that the kids and adults were segregated, and Mary is every bit as cute as previously thought, if not moreso. 

On saturday, my fav female eclectic Santogold played the bass-y Showbox Sodo. Though she had a constant smile on her face, played the "Lights Out (Diplo's Panda Bear mix)," professed her love for our beautiful city, and played the goodies off her solid debut, her set only lasted a half hour. I don't know if it was because there were a lot of younger people there, but it seemed that nobody was really that upset by it. I was pretty disappointed, however, and felt very underwhelmed after leaving. At least her dancers kick ass.

The next days, friends and I went to Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony, to see Iceland's newest creative musical export, Sigur Ros. And, it was every bit as grandiose as would be expected from the dreamy and epically portioned band. For only having four members, with the exception of some drummers on "Gobbledigook," the sound was much fuller than I thought it was going to be. That the show was wildly adored is no surprise, as it seems that Sigur Ros might just be the quintessential band for Seattle's musically-obsessed populace. Their music is as beautiful on a bright summer day as a rainy fall evening. In a year of greats, this was certainly a top performance. Even if they hadn't played any music, their costumes would have been enough to sate me. But, thankfully, the music they played was spot on in every aspect.

Tuesday found me and some friends seeing Deerhoof. Though I'm not the biggest fan, I'll say that musically, they are one of the more creative bands I've heard in a long time. To try and classify them exactly would be too hard a proposition to even try and comprehend, and so I won't. But, know that I have much more respect for them after seeing their show. 

Last night, Australia's Cut Copy played to a super-packed Showbox. And, though I've become jaded with In Ghost Colors from recent overload, they are certainly penners of some significantly catchy 80's electro-tinged tracks.