Photographer:  Thirst’n Howl III
Venue: Troubadour
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Date: 3/3/10

Photographer:  Thirst’n Howl III
Venue: Detroit Bar
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Date: 3/4/10

Harlem come to Orange County.   Ears rejoice as new sound prevails.  Finally, a new tune or two.

Orange County is  a place that has far too many connections and ties to music that lingers on the radio and often blares from multiple raised trucks.  Sublime, No Doubt and other OC staples will usually make one cringe as they enter your brain constantly harassing you on repeat as though they were Casper the Friendly Ghost searching for a friend.  And so it was indeed a treat to have something new and authentic visit from the musical kingdom of Austin, TX.  Those in the know were at Detroit Bar to chase such repetitive and stagnant songs from their heads as Harlem ushered in the new catchy.  Songs such as Caroline and Friendly Ghost (holy irony!) now are stuck inside my noggin and I couldn’t be happier.

The twangy guitars and the jangly pop of these boys is unmistakably their own.  It reverberates through speakers and gives off a care-free and honest sense.  Their songs are the kind you would have playing in your tree fort if you still had one.  Well, maybe they would be the songs you have playing at the kegger party you throw at your treehouse.  Shoeless and stress free and probably some free drugs.

Photographer:  Thirst’n Howl III
Venue: Troubadour
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Date: 3/3/2010

Photographer:  Thirst’n Howl III
Venue: Casbah
Location: San Diego, CA
Date: 2/25/2010

Photographer:  Thirst’n Howl III
Venue: Casbah
Location: San Diego, CA
Date: 2/25/2010

Photographer : Ryan Bunker
Venue : Casbah
Location : San Diego, CA
Date : 2/27/10

Photographer : Finck
Venue : Cinespace
Location : Los Angeles, CA
Date : 2/22/10

Photographer : Thirst’n Howl III
Venue : Spaceland
Location : Los Angeles, CA
Date : 2/22/10

Photographer: Lindsey Best
Venue: The Echoplex
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Date: 2/18/2010

Photographer: Lindsey Best
Venue: The Echoplex
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Date: 2/18/2010

Photographer: Ryan Finck
Venue: House of Blues
Location: Anaheim, CA
Show Date: February 20, 2010

Photographer: Ryan Finck
Venue: House of Blues
Location: Anaheim, CA
Show Date: February 20, 2010

Interview and Acoustic Session to come…

Written By: Derek Walker
Artists: Editors with The Antlers
Venue: Vic Theatre
Location: Chicago, IL
Date: 02/15/2010

Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood is pretty swanky, and that’s where one will find The Vic Theatre, a relatively upscale concert hall unto itself. For those unaware, which I’m guessing is roughly 98 percent of this Web site’s readership, The Vic is the place for bands too big for the local dive bars, but too small for the larger venues and stadiums — perfect for up-and-coming Brooklynites The Antlers, and one of the United Kingdom’s hottest acts, Editors.

I don’t get to many Monday shows, as Monday is a unique, almost unprecedented day for a concert. While I generally don’t work until Wednesday, I’ve always felt a disconnect with the beginning of the week. Call it a “case of the Mondays,” or just a general malaise on my behalf, but I’m used to enjoying sitting in with a cold one and watching the televised wrestling matches or “24.” So for me to step out at all is a rarity, but there are exceptions to be made for two bands of this quality performing at a venue of this atmosphere.

Being a Monday, the show started somewhat early, at 7:30 p.m. Perhaps I’m more adjusted to going out on a weekend and catching a band’s set closer to midnight to not notice. I almost wish the concert started a little later, as I got lost on my way to the theater, no thanks to Google Maps. But it was fitting, or maybe a little coincidental that the three who make up The Antlers were running a bit late themselves — they didn’t come on until around 7:50 p.m. Because of this, their set was abbreviated, and they were only given about a half-hour to run through a half-dozen or more of their stronger cuts from their critically-acclaimed 2009 record, “Hospice.”

With only two bands on the bill, as well as the early start time, I expected a little more courtesy from the venue folks. Another group, The Dig, was supposed to open, but had to cancel due to weather issues and complications with their tour van. Unlike most in attendance, though, I was there to see Peter Silberman, Michael Lerner and Darby Cicci: the three gents who make up The Antlers. However, the guys did their best with what time they were given, offering a powerful, most poignant performance. Emotion is never something that runs low for this band, as their new album demonstrates, and their stage show is equally sensational. Silberman, belting through the lyrics of “Sylvia,” stared blankly into the half-full balcony. One could tell he is a vocalist who puts his entire heart, soul and being into what he does. As an avid concert-goer and fan of the music, that is certainly an appreciable quality to possess. My only complaint is not hearing the bittersweet “Epilogue,” though it is a minor complaint at most.

The Antlers brought it Monday night and kept the crowd nice and toasty for Editors, which took things to a whole new level. After releasing its third record overseas last fall, the group has been riding a wave of momentum which culminated in a brief run of the States this month. I hadn’t had a chance to hear “In This Light and on This Evening,” which has received mostly favorable reviews, and after checking out some of the new songs live, I regret that decision. The songs I did recognize were each executed masterfully, all accompanied and fleshed-out by The Vic’s lush sound system. The lighting, disappointingly enough, left a little to be desired.

I compliment the guys behind the lighting boards, but from an amateur photographer’s perspective, the first three songs I was allowed to photograph during were marred with a sharp red hue impossible to capture digitally. Now, I’m not one to place the blame; I recognize my photo-taking ability is not ideally where I’d like it to be, but even the nice fella beside me shooting for the Associated Press had his problems. So, to those clicking through the image gallery after reading this, my apologies, as I was only able to get a handful of decent, usable shots of vocalist Tom Smith. Or, if you’re a fan of Smith’s and none of the other guys in the band, I suppose you’re in luck. Depends on your perspective, but from my literal perspective, the lighting was less than stellar — which is unfortunate, because standing back from the stage led to some impressive visuals, replete with the much-desired, epilepsy-trigger strobe effect.

Editors, the clear headliner, were given a nice 90-minute window to perform, and the band used every second of it to their advantage. With a lengthy 19-song set, which included four encores, no fan in the almost-sold-out audience left unhappy. I wish I had heard “Camera,” from the debut record, “The Back Room,” but my ears were pleased enough with what they were given. With great sound, a neat, strobe-y light show and a compassionate, mature crowd, this was one of the better concerts I’ve attended as of late. It was so good, in fact, it almost took the sting out of ponying up $20 for parking and getting lost on my way there.

Almost. Maybe if I had heard “Epilogue.”

Editors set list:

1. In This Light and on This Evening

2. Lights

3. An End Has a Start

4. You Don’t Know Love

5. Bullets

6. The Boxer

7. The Big Exit

8. Blood

9. Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool

10. The Racing Rats

11. Escape the Nest

12. Like Treasure

13. Bones

14. Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors

15. Bricks and Mortar

Encore:

16. Walk the Fleet Road

17. Munich

18. Papillion

19. Fingers in the Factories

Photographer: Derek Walker
Venue: The Vic Theatre
Location: Chicago, IL
Show Date: February 15, 2010