Posted by The G on April 25, 2012 under Encounters with G, G Reviews | 
Photos by G.
Emeli Sande'
Up-and-coming mega-star alert! Wow! Scottish singer Emeli Sande’ performed at a very sold out show at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 24, 2012 and in a word, the show was sensational. From the moment Emeli Sande’ (pronounced “Emily San-day”) hit the stage until she left, the audience watched her perform in awe (and silence!) with thunderous applause and cheers after each song. Emeli Sande’ has a powerful voice that has already conquered Europe and she’s about to capture the US as well.
Emeli Sande'
As she took the stage, she was blown away by the warm reception and was almost surprised that we knew who she was, since her debut album will not be out in the US until June. Not only did the audience know who she is, the crowd knew the words to most every song and the crowd went wild every time she introduced the next song. She decided to “introduce” herself to us through an intimate night by playing stripped down versions of her songs. Each song began with the story of what the song was about and how she hopes that her words will connect with audiences. Mission accomplished, Emeli!
Emeli Sande'
Before performing an amazing cover of Coldplay’s “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall,” she mentioned that once lead singer Chris Martin heard her version, she was invited to open for Coldplay on their UK tour and what fun that was. She also performed soon-to-be US hits “Heaven,” “Where I Sleep” (a song about having your place in the world even if you are a globe trotter), “Daddy” (a song about succumbing to temptation even when you know that person is bad for you), and “Breaking the Law” (written for her sister and is about how Emeli will do anything to protect her, if needed – which was one of the sweetest moments of the night, according2g). Before the main set closer “My Kind of Love,” she mentioned that she had studied to become a neurologist before deciding to do something more creative with her life and that the song was inspired by the many people she met in hospital.
Emeli Sande'
For New Yorkers reading this, Emeli is playing Bowery Ballroom in June and do not sleep on getting tickets! They are going to sell out in seconds. And rightfully so. Emeli is amazing!
See the set list after the jump.
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Posted by The G on March 2, 2012 under G Reviews |
Photos by G.
Young Empires
It’s no secret that I love the Toronto-based dance/punk band Young Empires. I’ve been fortunate enough to catch each of their Manhattan shows over the last couple of years including their smoking hot performance at Mercury Lounge on March 1, 2012. If you weren’t there last night, I hate to break it to you, but you missed out on a great time.
Here’s 10 reasons you should never miss one of their shows.
1. Young Empires’ debut EP “Wake All My Youth” has 7 great dance tracks with not one bad song in the lot.
2. They’ve recently added a new member to the band – drummer Taylor Hill and his live drumming adds a new layer of funk to their already funky sound.
3. Spiritual guru Deepak Chopra is a fan (and Young Empires will be performing at the Chopra Foundation on March 5, 2012)!
4. Their entire 45 minute set is a non-stop dance party.
5. In terms of good looks, Young Empires are in a tight race with Foster the People to be the best looking dance band in music today.
Matthew Vlahovich of Young Empires
6. All of their songs are catchy with infectious choruses that will stay with you long after the show is over.
7. New York – you can catch them live tonight (March 2, 2012) at Glasslands in Brooklyn (and they’ll also be performing at South By Southwest, so don’t miss out Texas!)
8. Have I mentioned how great “Wake All My Youth” is? Well, I am saying it twice because I love it that much!
9. After their set was over, the crowd refused to accept it and was literally begging for them to play more songs. That’s a site, I’ve rarely seen (and I see hundreds of bands a year!)
10. They are so nice to talk to, so make sure you chat with them after their set blows your mind!
Thanks again Young Empires for a great night! See you soon!!!
See the set list after the jump. Read more of this article »
Posted by The G on October 19, 2011 under G Reviews |
Photos by G.
Chris Glover of Penguin Prison
The day has come! October 18, 2011 was an exciting day for New York’s dance/pop group Penguin Prison. Their long awaited self-titled debut album was released in the United States and they celebrated by performing a showcase at Dominion in Manhattan as part of the CMJ Music Festival. If you are unfamiliar with Penguin Prison’s music, here’s a few things you need to know: 1. Every song is ridiculously catchy. 2. Lead singer Chris Glover is a multi-instrumentalist and his falsetto will make you become an instant fan. 3. Penguin Prison are great in concert. As you are all aware, I see hundreds of bands each year and Penguin Prison are one of the few groups that keep me coming back for more and in addition, I always have a great time at their concerts! With each Penguin Prison show I’ve seen, I really love watching the audience react to the songs. I am starting to see more crowd sing-a-longs as fans are getting more familiar with the music, but one thing never changes – a Penguin Prison show is a non-stop dance party. Before the end of their 40 minute set, Chris Glover jumped into the audience and played guitar behind his head! The infectiously catchy new single “Don’t Fuck With My Money,” got thunderous applause and other crowd favorites included “In the Way,” “Golden Train,” “Fair Warning” and the show’s final song “Multi-Millionaire.” Based on the crowd reaction at each show, I can say with great certainty that Penguin Prison is going to be huge and I am very excited for them.
"Penguin Prison" - Out Now!
Penguin Prison’s debut album is out now! Get it and spread the word!
See the set list after the jump.
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Tags: 2011, Album Release, Chris Glover, CMJ, CMJ Showcase, Dominion, New York, October 18, Penguin Prison, Photos, Review, Setlist
Posted by The G on October 9, 2011 under G Reviews |
Photos by G.
Helen Marnie of Ladytron
Ladytron! My first time seeing the British synthpop band was on October 8, 2011 at New York’s Terminal 5. VHS or Beta opened the show and got the crowd ready to dance. Ladytron took the stage around 9:30 and in additon to a great performance, there was a great light show. Ladytron has 2 females and 2 males. Helen Marnie sings most lead vocals and Mira Aroyo also sings lead on a few songs. The 2 guys Reuben Wu and Daniel Hunt play keyboards. Together, they make some pretty delicious dance grooves.
Ladytron
The nearly 2 hour set featured Ladytron hits such as “Seventeen,” “Discotraxx,” “Soft Power,” “Destroy Everything You Touch” (which was the final song of the night) and “Runaway.” Tracks from their new album “Gravity the Seducer” including “White Gold,” ”Ace of Hz,” and “White Elephant” were played. The reception to the newer material was just as good as it was for the classic songs and it was a very fun show.
You can see the setlist (though it’s not that great of a photo) after the jump.
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Tags: 2011, Band, Helen Marnie, Ladytron, Lead Singer, New York, October 8, Photo, Review, Setlist, Terminal 5
Posted by The G on July 15, 2011 under G Reviews |
Photos by G.
Nikka Costa
I’m just going to say it – I think Nikka Costa is one of the best live performers around. Since her 2001 album “Everybody Got Their Something” was released, I’ve seen Nikka live at least 10 times in multiple cities and every time, she is amazing! It was no different when she kicked New York’s ass on July 14, 2011 at the Highline Ballroom. If you’ve never heard her music, you must remedy that immediately! She packs the funk of James Brown and has the soul of Janis Joplin. Nikka hit the stage around 9:15 PM and delivered the goods for nearly 2 hours. She played an even mix of tracks off her latest 3 albums and also included songs from her new EP “Pro*Whoa!”
Nikka Costa
You’ll be seeing a video of “Push and Pull,” coming soon, so stay tuned – you won’t want to miss it. Seeing that song performed is akin to a musical religious experience for me. She hits the notes and I think the song is one of the most beautiful tracks of the new millennium. For most bands, a song of that magnitude would be the closing number, but not for Nikka Costa. She sandwiched it in a powerful run of songs that included the new song “Pro*Whoa!,” “Like A Feather” (which had everyone in the crowd clapping along during the chorus), the new song “Nylons in a Rip,” and “Can’tneverdidnothing.” Nikka played percussion for a little bit, engaged the audience (which included Adam Lambert in attendance) with sing-a-longs and even got down on her knees to plead on the funk!
Nikka Costa
You do not want to miss Nikka Costa when she comes to your town! She’s got funk that’ll kick your butt and have you begging for more. Her new EP “Pro*Whoa!” is available online and for the Youtubers out there, she’s launched a channel called “Nikka’s Box,” where she uploads exclusive performances that sometimes feature special guests. After the show was over, Nikka signed copies of “Pro*Whoa!” and I think it’s safe to say, everyone in attendance danced away into the night with a smile on their face.
See the set list after the jump.
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Tags: 2011, Adam Lambert, Highline Ballroom, July 14, Live, New York, Nikka Costa, Photo, Pro*Whoa!, Review, Setlist
