Kasabian Live at Fitzgerald’s, Houston, TX 3.15.12
The vibe was celebratory at Thursday’s sold-out Kasabian show, and with good reason. For one, it’s been nearly six years since the Brit-rockers played in Houston, and–perhaps more importantly–seeing Kasabian in a small venue these days is a rare occurrence. In fact, it seemed like a surprise to the band members that they were playing such an intimate setting (surely it’s been years since the Kasabian was as close to its fans as it was during the Fitzgerald’s show). Although stage banter was minimal, hand gestures and facial expressions were fairly easy to read–it was great to see the band members having such a great time at this stage in their careers.
Kasabian relied heavily on its latest release, 2011′s Velociraptor, although the show’s lengthy setlist was essentially a “greatest hits” that featured “Club Foot” (probably the band’s best-known song in the U.S.), “Fire,” “Where Did All The Love Go?,” and “L.S.F.” From its first note, the band played Fitzgerald’s like they were playing a huge stadium show, with over-the-top bombast the band is known for. The sound (to my earplugged ears, at least) was excellent, and the band never lost momentum.
Like fellow Brit stadium rockers Oasis, Kasabian’s concerts draw a raucous crowd, and the Houston show was no different. But it was great to see fans so into a band, singing along with each song and continually throwing themselves at the band members. One fan I spoke with had seen the band in Milan and Dallas, and was raving and dancing throughout the band’s set. Despite some stereotypically annoying crowd members, the entire room seemed intently focused on the music and the obvious rock stars onstage.
It’s easy to see how Kasabian’s attitude and ambition can be a turn-off to the more jaded listener. However, there’s no denying the professionalism and enthusiasm for fans that the band displayed throughout its Houston set. It was both surprising and impressive.
Independent Houston venue Super Happy Fun Land is taking full advantage of the bands coming through Texas for South By Southwest with its annual SXSW Overflow Festival here in Houston, which I have posted about previously.
Local music site extraordinaire Space City Rockhas daily coverage, which you can read here.
Given the odds of ever being able to see The Jesus and Mary Chain live again, a definite sense of trepidation surrounded me before Tuesday night’s show at Houston’s House Of Blues. The stories of the Scottish band’s explosive, short, and often half-assed concerts are something of legend these days, and while I wasn’t expecting the Reid brothers to actually fight each other on stage, a part of me wasn’t all that surprised at the kinks the band was seemingly working out during the Houston show.
You can read another review on Rocks Off, but The Jesus and Mary Chain’s Houston show was, in my opinion, on par with a typical JMC concert experience. Fuzzy guitars played at ear-shredding volume? Check. Stopping a couple of songs because someone’s out of sorts? Check. Starting late? Check. William grumpy about something, forcing Jim to abandon the end of the show? Check.
However, despite the missteps during the House of Blues show–which I assume could bother the less-patient, especially given the steep ticket prices–The Jesus and Mary Chain played a blistering set of songs that was a good mixture of their catalog and showcased why they are a continued influence on today’s bands (any Black Rebel Motorcycle Club fans out there?). Sure, I could spend time fretting about what songs the band’s set didn’t include (“Darklands” and “April Skies,” for instance), but it was the songs I didn’t expect to hear–and had almost forgotten about–that made the show for me (“The Hardest Walk,” “Sidewalking”).
Granted, this comes from a long-time fan (my first introduction was picking up Darklands at a Ft. Worth Sound Warehouse in 1987), and with my earplugs I had no issues with the volume and thought the show sounded good overall. The Jesus and Mary Chain playing shows in 2012, apparently promoting its reissued and expanded albums, is simply what it is: a cash grab and a good way for long-time fans to get a bit of nostalgia in and for those who missed the band the first time around to see a bit of what they missed. The fact that I saw fathers with their small children, one of who told me it was their pre-teen daughter that asked to go to the show, drives home the band’s time-tested appeal.
The Jesus and Mary Chain plays an official South By Southwest showcase (sponsored by Paste) tonight (Thursday, 3.15.12) in Austin at The Belmont at midnight.
If you’ve been at a live music event in Houston over the past few years you’ve undoubtedly run into Mark C. Austin. A photographer/promoter/social media maven/music lover, Austin has been responsible for helping get the word out about a lot of local acts and has organized a slew of shows over the years. His latest effort moves him into the realm of artist representation and management, as founder of The Convoy Group.
The Convoy Group is sponsoring a day party in Austin during 2012′s South By Southwest, which will be held tomorrow (Friday, 3.16.12) at Gypsy Lounge (1504 E. 6th St.) from 10am-6pm, and features a diverse Houston-focused line-up that includes Young Girls, Poor Pilate, Buxton, Folk Family Revival, Bang Bangz, Benjamin Wesley, Wild Moccasins, Chase Hamblin, Finnegan, Holy Fiction, The Tontons, Dave Wrangler, and more. This is a free event.
Reptar hails from Athens, GA, a city that has been home to any number of influential indie bands over the years. The band played Houston late last month and was selected to play a showcase during South By Southwest 2012 in Austin, along with various day parties (including Filter‘s Showdown at Cedar Street). Reptar also recently played a Daytrotter Session, which is now available at daytrotter.com.
The band’s SXSW line-up includes:
Thursday, 3/15
2pm Cedar Street Courtyard (Filter party)
8pm IFC Crossroads House (Vice, 302 E 6th)
11pm The Deli’s Un/Off Party (The Gypsy Lounge, 1504 E 6th)
Friday, 3/16
2pm Paste party (Stage on 6th, 508 E 6th)
4:15pm Workaholics House Party (83 Rainey St.)
Saturday, 3/17
4pm Baeblemusic (Peckerhead’s, 402 E 6th)
6pm 40 Watt Club “Athens in Austin” 25th Anniversary Party (The Side Bar, 602 East 7th)
Reptar plays its official showcase at SXSW 2012 in Austin on Friday, 3.16.12, at 11pm at Buffalo Billiard’s (201 E 6th). Visit the band online at reptarmusic.com.
Scottish underground rockers The Jesus and Mary Chain plays a handful of shows in the U.S. this month, the first of which is tonight at Houston’s House of Blues.
I hope I hear “Darklands”:
Due to visa issues, the band was forced to reschedule earlier dates this week in New Orleans and Denton. New Orleans’ March 12 show has reportedly been rescheduled to September 5th, and The JMC plays 35 Denton for free on Wednesday, 3.14.12, with Ty Segall opening before heading to Austin for a slew of SXSW sets, including one at the Paste showcase on Thursday, 3.15.12.
2012 marks the fourth year that several Houstonians have helped organize SXSW‘s Christian hip hop showcase.
On Friday, 3.16.12, and Saturday, 3.17.12, DaSouth.com Hip Hop Hope Unity Conference and CityTakers Weekend features performances from gospel hip hop artists and offers artist development workshops and networking opportunities during South By Southwest.
The first event is a kick-off concert on Friday at 6:30pm at the Horizon Worship Center in Austin (1006 E. Yager Ln. Suite 115-A), which features bigAL, Viktory, Gifted da Flamethrowa, k-Drama, Von Won, theBREAX, Frontline, Omega Sparx, K-Praize, Tre Nation, Chris Lee Cobbins, Peculiar Image, and more. Saturday morning at 10:30 is the DaSouth.com Hip Hop Hope Unity Conference and CityTakers Weekend, which takes place at The Carver Cultural Center (1165 Angelina St.), and includes Houston rapper Tre9, among others.
See the workshop schedule after the jump… [Read more →]
Music reviews and news ... From Houston, Texas and beyond.
In addition to Houston Calling, you can occasionally read David's thoughts on music in Space City Rock,
and Houston Press. He has previously written for All About Jazz,
Splendid, Swizzle-Stick, Envy, Free Press Houston, and Houston magazine.
He is a very happily married new father and his loving family indulges his varied musical tastes.
