the antlers @ bowery ballroom - 12.15.09

the antlers have had a really big year. and it's no wonder - their new album hospice is one of the best to come out this year. i shot this show at the bowery ballroom for nyctaper who captured an amazing recording of this epic show, which you can download here. the show was one of the most incredible i've seen all year and the crowd was incredibly appreciative. the new york times reviewed the show...you should read it to get a real understanding of the magic that transpired that night. my photos from the show have popped up all over the place - you can see them here, here and here.

you can see the rest of my photos here.

k

sharon van etten @ bowery ballroom - 12.15.09

i think it's fair to say that i officially have a girl crush on sharon van etten. she is so incredibly talented and wonderful and amazing. She opened for the antlers at the bowery ballroom and blew me away with her intricately crafted yet subtle folk songs. and her singing voice is one of the most beautiful i've ever heard. i plan to be standing in the front row every time she plays from here on out.

you can see the rest of my photos here.

and download nyctaper's excellent recording here.

uninhabitable mansions @ bowery ballroom - 12.15.09

uninhabitable mansions, a group that includes members of clap your hands say yeah and au revoir simone, opened for the antlers at the bowery ballroom and were a lot of fun. they played lots of energetic pop songs that had the crowd dancing and smiling right along with them.

you can see the rest of my photos here.

k

jeffrey lewis @ bowery ballroom - 11.15.09

the completely fascinating and indescribable jeffrey lewis also opened for art brut last month and it was the first time i'd seen him live. peter stampfel (who has played with bob dylan and mississippi john hurt, among other notable musicians) played with him and boy did they put on a show. i suppose lewis's music could be categorized as anti-folk, but there's something else there, too. he's an avid comic book reader and writer and several of his tunes are what he called "documentaries" which were songs about historical events that were sung to a slideshow of his hand-drawn cartoons. he played three at this show: the peloponnesian war, the story of the mayflower and fan-favorite, creeping brain. he is one smart and talented dude.

 you can see the rest of my photos here.

k

murder mystery @ bowery ballroom - 11.15.09

new york's own murder mystery opened for art brut last month and were pretty great. jeremy coleman's vocals reminded me a lot of velvet underground era lou reed (not a bad thing at all) and his sister laura's drumming and enthusiasm were so much fun to watch. this band writes smart and catchy tunes that make for a very entertaining live show.

you can see the rest of my photos here.

k

art brut @ bowery ballroom - 11.15.09

when i was asked to photograph art brut at the bowery ballroom, i had no idea what i was in for. i had read about the band from time to time on the blogs and had heard that they were good, but i had never heard any of their music and i certainly had no idea what to expect from their live show. and i'm so glad - i don't think i've ever been so surprised in such a good way. when we were waiting for the band to come on stage, i should have known that i was in for something when every single person in the packed house started chanting "art brut, top of the pops" at the tops of their lungs. raucus guitars, pulsing drums, and howling vocals...but that wasn't what i was impressed with. i was impressed by the sheer energy and joy that radiated from this band. hilarious banter, lots of schtick, tons of smiles, and real interaction with their audience. i was standing directly in front of lead singer eddie argos, who leaned over me and sweat and spit all over me and my camera (you'll see alot of this in the pictures - i couldn't clean my lens fast enough). at one point in the show, i felt a hand on my shoulders and when i looked up, i saw that it belonged to eddie. he then leaned in to me and said, "excuse me love, but i need to get down". he then proceeded to use my arm for balance while he jumped into the crowd. he then crawled into the audience and somehow convinced each and every person in the bowery ballroom to get down on their knees (except for me) while he preached to them. INCREDIBLE. i haven't had that much fun at a show in a long time. here are pictures of the craziness.

art brut, top of the pops, indeed.

click here to see the rest of my pictures.

k