all delighted people raise their hands.

after much anticipation, and i mean MUCH anticipation, i finally had the chance to see sufjan stevens. it was the last night of his four night run in new york, and i couldn't have been more stoked. we arrived around 7pm to find that the will call line was split into two parts, one for A-K and the second for L-Z. strangely enough, most people were on the line for the first part of the alphabet, and there were three people waiting on the other line. thankfully, my last name starts with an M and we got onto the smaller line.

they started letting us in shortly after and told us doors would be opening at 8:30, but that didn't stop everyone from hoarding the door like a flock of pigeons around some breadcrumbs. they ended up opening the door around 7:45, and despite the fact that they told us to enter slowly, every person, young and ancient, sprinted towards the stage to snag a front row spot.
the spot in which i thought was decent proved to be not so great later on, due to the piano that they parked in front of my face, but i'll get into that later.

as i was awaiting cryptacize, some obnoxious girl showed up. she had a tripod ... REALLY?! doesn't she know that assholes who bring tripods to shows are generally frowned upon? whatever, she was dumb and i didn't like her.
anyways, i hadn't seen cryptacize in quite some time, and i honestly didn't remember loving them when i saw them. all i remembered was really red lipstick, pilgrim-esque clothing and some folky tunes.
i'm not sure, maybe i was just having a bad day when i saw them before, because i really enjoyed them this time around. they had a sort of retro feel, and aside from being totally adorable, nedelle had the cutest dance moves ever. i quite enjoyed them.



they started to set up for sufjan stevens, and i hoped to god that they wouldn't move the piano. much to my luck, they moved it right in front of my face. i could literally see NOTHING. everyone in the front from the piano and to the right started to shift left, thank goodness. at that point, i had a pretty decent view and i was far beyond eager for sufjan to start.

he opened with mistress witch and the crowd just stared in awe. it was as if a spell had taken over the entire audience as we were entranced by the greatness that is sufjan stevens. each song has a simple complexity that just takes over your mind and captures you. i felt like i was in a different world.





sufjan is one of the few artists that could make singing about even the silliest things seem totally profound. i mean, he could sing about garbage, and i'd take him seriously. he's incredibly talented and amazing and wonderful.
he didn't talk much between songs, but when he did, it was adorable. one song, a new one, he claimed was about smurfs taking over connecticut. all of the new songs were fantastic. they were all super long and exciting. the one that stood out though was "all delighted people" which had this fantastic line "oh, i love you a lot ... oh, i love you from the top of my heart," which was so sweet and lovely. during the part where he sang "all delighted people raise their hands," everyone in the audience put their hands up. it was beautiful.









here's the setlist, i got a picture of it before some girl rudely stole it before the end:


this show was definitely one of the highlights of the year. i haven't been that satisfied with a show since, i don't even know when.

islands shows are like snowflakes...

no two are ever remotely similar -- and that's something to be said, especially about last night.
sure, it's cool when they change their outfits for the shows every few months, or when the set lists subtly change with a new album release, but what happened last night was a little more overwhelming than a change of clothes.
from what i had heard earlier in the month, i sensed that this show would be far different than anything i've ever experienced at an islands show.

i read that jamie thompson was back in the band (you know, the member that was also in the unicorns, and helped form islands, but he quit between the release of return to the sea and arm's way, so then he got a song written about him and how he left the band, and basically everyone was pissed at him? yeah ... him), and that he contributed a lot to the new album, vapours, due out on september 22nd, along with tracking all of the drums, but it wasn't quite clear to me whether he was just recording with them, or if he would be playing with them live as well.
nothing really clicked in my mind until a few minutes before we arrived at the bell house last night.
if jamie would be playing tonight, then what happened to aaron? would the other members still be there? does the new album even have violin or bass clarinet? i tried not to think about it but i would be forced to face the truth later that night.

but first we had to watch two other bands.
radical dads left me less than excited. i could've done without the girl's yelling, but whatever, i guess i didn't hate them. i wouldn't run out and buy their album or anything.

next up was das racist. at first, i was a little bit frightened by them, but then realized quickly that they were just three totally amusing dudes who were completely stoned. it was a rap comedy act, basically. i enjoyed them.





finally, after much anticipation, was the moment of truth.
two young boys in fairly formal attire, who looked strangely familiar, entered the stage, followed by who appeared to be jamie thompson. this was it. i was so baffled. nick then came out shortly after, wearing a satin, bedazzled cape. i want it.



i was overwhelmed with both confusion and awe. they opened with a song that was new to my ears, entitled "switched on." it was clear that people in the crowd already had a leak of the album, so they already knew every word.
at this point, i was still speechless, but flustered at the same time. it was true. there was no more aaron, and no more patrick, or patrice, and no more super chow brothers (oh how i'll miss sebastian's suave ways) and and and .... i was heartbroken. like, it's nice to see that jamie is back, but i honestly really miss the other members.
i think i would've been less upset if i had notice of the member change beforehand, but i've come to realize that the only thing constant, the only thing that is truly forever about islands, is nick. nick is islands. the rest have just been there to support his vision, nothing more, i suppose.





the first six songs they did were new, and to see despot waiting on the side of the stage for "whalebone" sent a huge sigh of relief through me. at least one thing is still the same, right?






they continued on with a few more new songs. it's a far far stretch from anything islands have done in the past. it's more similar to the unicorns, which makes sense considering jamie is back in the band, so they were bound to revert to catchier tunes and synths again. it was especially strange because arm's way was such a drastic move into a darker direction.
BUT! as i've said many times, any direction that nick thorburn takes his band is bound to be genius, because genius is all the man is capable of.
but anyways, they also did a few other old ones, "don't call me whitney, bobby" and "creeper" ... basically the only two songs that don't REQUIRE violin or bass clarinet. so sad. i had even been hyping myself up by doing the clapping thing that the crowd does during "rough gem" that morning, and they didn't play it.

















they did "swans" for their encore, and while not as epic as it usually is, it was still amazing. there's no way that such a superb song could be done badly by them. it would be a sin.



i left the bell house, still confused. but thoroughly satisfied by yet another fantastic show from nick thorburn and company.
oh, and we realized that the other guys in the band, geordie and evan, are from that band, the magic that have opened for islands and human highway before. talented kids, they should be honored to be playing with one of the most talented musicians of our time. just saying.

CLICK FOR MORE PHOTOS!

let's discuss something.

so, i completely overlooked this when i listed all the things i needed to blog about this week, but it's probably just because i had to force myself to stop thinking about it because when i do so, my heart palpitates and my saliva glands become overactive. what topic would ever make one do this? you must be asking yourselves. why, none other than slim twig's legs ... youuuu know, the boy who plays billy zero in the tracey fragments with ellen page?!?!!?!? yes! this one:



i went with gina to death by audio on thursday to view his legs in all their glory, and of course to see him play, but my oh my ... i'm not even sure how it is humanly possible to be quite that attractive, and have such fantastic legs.
seriously, they're magnificent.
i would've gone up to the stage to take a few decent pictures if there were more than ten people in the room, but sadly, it was only his family, and the other band members and gina, besides myself. it would have been awkward.
so i had to settle with quite possibly, the worst picture i've taken all year.



LOOK AT HIS LEGS! SERIOUSLY?!??!?!! I'M SWOONING RIGHT NOW!

ima ima ima ima lesbian savant!

after seven bells, we headed to brooklyn to see snakes say hisss! i hadn't seen them since december, so let's just say i was a little bit baffled to find out that they're more than just two dudes and an ipod now. yeah, they have an actual band, so when they were setting up, i thought to myself "this can't be them" ... then of course, they hooked up the mic and said "hi, we're snakes say hisss!" ... i was confused to say the least, but it was indeed them.



i really forgot how much i love them. they're just so much fun, but i sorta miss it being just the two of them. whatevz, they aren't any less fun. i was totally drenched in other peoples' sweat like two songs through, but that's what i love about diy shows and poor ventilation, it just shows how much fun you're having. we left satisfied and disgusting and smelling like beer and smoke.
but there's something about that nasty feeling and smell that's comforting, which is strange, i know.

who hired the latin fusion band?!

another good free show? yes, i think so.
this time it was at the williamsburg waterfront.
clearly, all of these waterfront shows in manhattan and brooklyn are run by the same people because they all use the same sad barricades that are not meant to hold people, oh and they all have asshole security guards, but it's all good, the shows are free, so i shouldn't be complaining, right?



it was kind of sweltering and muggy and disgusting out, there was obviously a storm coming our way, it was just a matter of when it would actually start raining. luckily, we didn't get hit until the very end of black lips.
trail of dead was canceled due to the lightning, but whatever, i would've missed them regardless.

the first band to play was grupo fantasma ... seriously, WHO INVITED THEM?! it didn't make sense at all why they were there. do fans of black lips and health seem like they would enjoy a latin fusion band from texas? ... i think not.
they seemed like the type of band that you'd see at the puerto rican day parade.
like, okay ... sure, they were talented, but latin fusion is not something that gets me amped.

finally, after a million years of latin music (and a flippin encore ... no mas! no mas!), health came on.
of course, noisy, and i was nearly deaf shortly after they started, but i found them enjoyable (not to mention the fact that john famiglietti is oh so attractive, and he's a crazy dancer).







they're not necessarily a band i listen to a whole lot (aside from their disco album), they're one of those bands that are a hell of a lot better live, and the same goes for black lips. they had a ton of energy, but i'm sure it's a little difficult to get their whole vibe in an outdoor setting. i'll have to plan on seeing them somewhere else soon. oh wait, but i can't. their bowery show is 18+ ... fuck my lifeeee.

more photos here: HEALTH @ WILLIAMSBURG WATERFRONT

next up were black lips ... okay, so i guess i forgot how RIDICULOUS their crowds are. maybe because i blocked it out because i've been so traumatized at black lips shows, from being butt raped to the worst bruises of my life. being in the front and center was NOT a good idea, i mean unless you dig getting smashed against metal by a bunch of black lips superfans.
we quickly removed ourselves from the madness and held our ground in the front off to the right, where it was a whole lot safer than 5 feet to the left of us.







epic, basically.


more here: BLACK LIPS @ WILLIAMSBURG WATERFRONT

again with the sad barricades that aren't meant to hold people ... at first, security tried to hold everyone back. they failed.
the crowd then managed to push it all the way against the monitors so they could easily climb onto the stage. i was terrified, to be honest, but i managed to NOT get hurt this time. wow, what an accomplishment.
but other than the violence, black lips were lovely as usual. they're always a lot of fun ... jared smashed a ukulele today! oh, and cole grew his mustache back! jared though, he did not ... JARED, I WANT YOUR MUSTACHE BACK! :{D

the end