First/Last-Boca Chica

I have been going to Boca Chica shows for several years now and through the dozens of incarnations the band takes on, there is always one constant, singer-songwriter Hallie Pritts. She is celebrating the band's latest release 'Get Out of Sin City' tomorrow, Friday, November 18 with a show at Brillobox. Along for support are friends Donora and The Slow Reel. It's a 9:30 doors and 10:00 p.m. start and you know the drill, this show will probably be a sell-out so plan accordingly. There is a mess of press today about the band here, here, and here. With all that is going on, Hallie was cool enough to take some time and participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
No Rain by Blind Mellon.

Your last album bought?
Loretta Lynn All Time Greatest Hits.

Favorite album of all time?
It changes...  I get stuck on albums all the time... like, right now, I'm listening to the eponymous Aztec Two Step album, which a not terribly well-known folk rock band from the 1970s. I got the record at The Exchange when I was about 16 years old because I liked the cover. And it remains the best album that I bought on a whim. It's really light folk rock, but I love it. I also love Time (The Revelator) by Gillian Welch. To say that an album "changed your life" is kinda lame, but I think it's true of this one. What else? Harvest, of course. Also, I'm really into the live Neil Young/Crazy Horse album, Weld.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
You know, I don't even know my own self anymore. I've always hated Bob Seger. Just couldn't handle it at all. He was my standby for Music I Don't Like. But recently, whenever Night Moves comes on the radio... I find myself thinking that he really can't be denied. What is happening to me?

First concert attended?
I went to a lot of big concerts with my parents when I was a little kid, but the first concert I went to of my own volition was the Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors, and Cracker. I begged my Dad to take me. The first concert I went to with my buddies was a They Might Be Giants show at Metropol. I was 15.

Last concert?
I just got back from seeing a million nameless, amazing bands in New Orleans... hit up every venue on Frenchman Street.

Favorite concert ever?
Ah... I think this would have to be the Midnight Jam at Merlefest in North Carolina. I went to that festival for about 5 years running. They do this "Midnight Jam" on Saturday night and tickets are expensive, so only old people buy them, but then they get too tired to go, so if you stand outside and look sad, usually someone will just give you a ticket. It's amazing-- all the best musicians from the festival get together in a small auditorium and just jam for hours... well, the best part of that night, the part where I think I actually cried was a slow, slow, sad, sad rendition of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", headed up by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, supported by members of Nickel Creek, and, inexplicably, John Paul Jones. I was exhausted and sleep drunk and it may have been the best moment of my life.

Least favorite concert?
Oh geez... all the ones I didn't go to. I think the most disappointing time was when I sauntered up to Club Cafe and Andrew Bird was standing outside and I almost passed out. And then the show was sold out. Alas.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
Seeing Josh Verbanets play one of his first shows with The You at the BBT. Also, opening for the Avett Brothers at a sold out show at Club Cafe.

Thanks a lot Hallie. You have definitely been on my wish list to take the questionnaire for awhile now. Can't wait to hear the new disc! Oh yeah, probably see you at Bob Seger on Saturday then?

Image of the Day-"Anyhwhere You Go"

Pomegranates

Outside Dee's Cafe

Friday, November 11, 2011

Southside

I was cramming in all the rock and roll I could in one night (as I sometimes do) and my first stop was seeing Neighbors play the Smiling Moose. Of course they weren't starting on time and as I was heading out to the next show, I bum-rushed these guys from Cincinnati who were headlining for an impromptu photo shoot (as I sometimes do). They were game. Nice dudes.

Image of the Day-"Plumage"

Dazzletine

Garfield Artworks

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Larryville

Amazingly, this was my first show at GA this year. I was actually there in the Spring but bailed when Fergus & Geronimo were running late and weren't playing till 11 p.m. on a school night. Bummer. I think this set to celebrate the release of 'City Paper cover boys' super fun CD more than made up for it as these guys came out of the gate ON FIRE and never let up. This band is exciting as hell live and the joy they exude is unbelievable. My man Ohad was there taking some super awesome shots of his own, which you check out here.

Image of the Day-"Don't Gotta Work It Out"

Fitz & The Tantrums

Mr. Small's Funhouse

Monday, November 7, 2011

Millvale

I will remember this show as the gig that broke my camera. At the start of the second tune, my beloved Canon 30D shits the bed and although I am expecting a new camera tomorrow, I'll always have a special place in my heart for my first. Sniff. Oh yeah, this band was kinda great! More photos here.

Image of the Day-"Benefit Braddock"

 

Benefit Braddock

Braddock Carnegie Library

Thursday November 10-Saturday, November 12, 2011

Braddock

As a concert photographer I was so excited when they announced these shows. Six bands that I would have probably gone to see anyway if they were playing themselves. All together in one venue over a stretch of three days? Way cool.

Yeah, it was a benefit for the town of Braddock, and yeah, I'm going to try abstain from any bullshit soapbox arguments like Levi's should make clothes in the U.S.A. again (did Brett donate his fee for playing to Braddock? If not, shut up...sorry), or 'Why Braddock' and not an arts community that has a chance and could actually prosper with the attention unlike Braddock (is that you Garfield? East End?). Blah, blah, blah.

I don't know the answers. I probably never will.

What I do know is that I was never in Braddock before. Riding in and out of town was truly an eye opener. Believe me, I am not sheltered from depressed neighborhoods in this city by a long shot. I work everyday in the heart of Homewood. The main drag in Braddock made Tioga Street look like Upper Saint Clair. It stunned me the first night. The second I was trying to confirm and wrap my head around what I saw the day before. By the last night, I am compelled to write this post.

So many images, so many weird contradictions. For one example, a 'brokedown palace' that is wired (streaming video AND audio) for rock music that's literally falling apart, welcoming a crowd of 500 each night who will never set foot in the area ever again (unless this is an annual event). As attendees were walking into the venue (with burlap sacks over many of the decrepit seats), I couldn't help but compare them to people going to a wake...all bug eyed and trepidatious not knowing how to respond, even though they have been to one before...a concert that is. They were there to enjoy music and feel better for themselves that they did attend to make a difference. They donated. They came. They participated. That's the start I suppose. The goal?

 I have to keep telling myself that today as I feel this way. I am the first to admit, I am no better (I was on the guest list each night) and my observations aren't trying to be criticisms at all, even though they may reflect that attitude. I am simply stating I am changed in a little way. I am sad. That is all.

First/Last-Tokyo Police Club

 Image courtesy Mike Juneau

Tokyo Police Club

Carnegie Mellon University

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Oakland

TPC are an indie/garage/pop band from Ontario who are playing Pittsburgh tomorrow at CMU with local openers 1,2,3. These college concerts always bring in the coolest bands and should be a blast. The band's keyboardist Graham Wright was nice enough to take a few minutes to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
Our Lady Peace's 1997 breakthrough Clumsy. It was love at first sight after I broke a potted plant at my Grandma's house dancing along to the video for Automatic Flowers. OLP isn't exactly hip these days, but I still go back to this record every once in a while and it stands up!

Your last album bought?
A collection of songs by the 16th century composer Orlando Gibbons. I heard a beautiful instrumental arrangement of one of his more famous works, 'This Is The Record of John', and I wanted to hear it in it's original choral glory. I've never really listened to choral music before, and especially not in English, so it's really interesting to hear what they're singing about! A lot of the lyrics are about God, of course, but the last piece on the record is called The Cries of London and it features a surprising amount of singing about various foods. Fantastic stuff.

Favorite album of all time?
Kid A, by Radiohead. Everyone has a record that changed their life and really changed the way they think about music, and Kid A was that for me, so it kind of set the standard by which I judge everything else I listen to.

First concert attended?
I tell people the first show I saw was Radiohead, but it was actually the Christian group DC Talk on a church field trip when I was 8 or 9. I was tasked with writing a review of the show for the church newsletter, which to this day stands as my sole contribution to the annals of rock writing.

Last concert?
The CD release show for my friends Will Currie & The Country French. They're an amazing Toronto band whose new album, Awake You Sleepers, is really exciting and ambitious. It's really orchestrated, so for this show they pulled out all the stops and had a string section and horns. It was in this beautiful old church in Toronto that doubles as a venue and was a pretty damn good show.

Favorite concert ever?
Like my favourite album, the first proper concert I saw was Radiohead, and it set the bar pretty unreachably high. But I recently caught Jeff Mangum, of Neutral Milk Hotel fame, and that was one of the more intense experiences of my life. I'm one of the people who got into NMH after they'd already stopped making music, and so my entire fandom was spent assuming I'd missed the boat on seeing them live. Getting to hear those songs live was pretty insane.

Least favorite concert?
Probably some random local opener who I've forgotten about, but the worst 'big' show was probably a Broken Social Scene show in Toronto maybe 6 or 7 years ago. I should preface this by saying that I love BSS and I've seen several shows of theirs that were magical and fantastic, but at this particular show they indulged all they worst tendencies. It was rambling, preachy, way too long, and way too loud. A real bummer, since the last time I'd seen them I was blown away. Also I think I was having a fight with my girlfriend or something, so that probably didn't help...

Any thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
I like Pittsburgh a lot! I appreciate your devotion to hockey, your sandwiches with fries on them, and your generally awesome audiences, just to name a few things. We found some incredible donut place last time we were there, too, which I look forward to patronizing.

Thanks Graham. Should be a fun time tomorrow. BTW-Pittsburgh and donuts? That's a first!

Image of the Day-"The Well"

Horse or Cycle

Rehearsal Space

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Larryville

The guys invited me over to their practice to take some rehearsal shots for possible publicity purposes (the above photo not considered, I am sure) as they plan to release a new EP at the end of the year. That night they coincidentally received the master and aside from hearing them run through the material live, I was privy to listening to the studio versions as well. It's nice having an 'in' to the Pittsburgh music scene I must say. They are playing out this upcoming Monday where you too can hear the new stuff they are working on.