Yo La Tengo / Thee Oh Sees [The Fillmore, San Francisco 04.23.2010]

Last week was a very tough decision for me. Yo La Tengo was going to be in town and since I missed their performance at Treasure Island Music Fest last year in order to get a good view for The Flaming Lips, I thought this would be a pretty good chance to see them. However, having to decide between Camera Obscura, Thee Oh Sees or Sic Alps as the opener proved harder than I ever imagined. After carefully contemplating my choices I went with Oh Sees for a couple reasons. This was to be there first time at the Fillmore and this place does something to musicians. Its a famous venue with a rich history of music culture for San Francisco. They are also one of my favorite bands and I wanted to see them live once more before they head off to Europe for the summer.

They got to play for about 40 minutes and the energy, as expected, was cranked up from the start; Enemy Destruct sounds good every time I hear it and is the perfect song to get things going. They played essentially almost the same set list as they did from their show at the El Rio in March but I have been listening to the newer material lately so songs like I Was Denied and the epic closer that is Warm Slime kept sounding incredible to more I hear them. I'm a huge fan of John Dwyer's guitar playing and stage presence. His energy explodes from his amps and you can't but feel the music. Brigid Dawson on vocals adds an element of necessity that only enhances the songs and John's reverb.

Yo La Tengo made the stage after the set change and started their performance with about a 10-15 minute jam session that had Ira a maniac on his Red Fender. His guitar skills were unbelievable and I was totally engaged on his shredding. In fact, Ira goes crazy on any instrument he touches, whether it be guitar or keyboards. After the jam session they slowed it down a bit and the vocals were all shared by the band members only to speed it up again with more sessions of Ira brilliance. This was my first time seeing the band live I was very impressed by them. This show was one of the best last minute decisions I've made this year

Yeasayer [The Fillmore, San Francisco, 04.17.2010]

Yeasayer at the Fillmore in San Francisco. Even though I was not too into their latest record Odd Blood, I still found the show to be quite enjoyable and very danceable. I was happy to hear some songs from the first album sprinkled in and I did feel that those are their best songs still. Sleigh Bells was the opener and I did not like that band; their music is just not something that appeals to me and was pretty disappointed when I learned that they would be opening. Lets just say it was a long initial 40 minutes.

The Dead Weather [The Fillmore, San Francisco 04.15.2010]

Another evening at the historic Fillmore theater, this night's show was another Jack White band, The Dead Weather. The set began with "60 Feet Tall," probably my favorite song of theirs and then followed that with more songs from their first album. But soon enough, new tracks from the new album to be released in May began. The songs are heavier and have a more blues influence than Horehound; "Die By The Drip" just sounds better live.

Allison Mosshart is an insane singer, whos energy is un-relentless. She is all over the stage, swinging her hips to White's drum playing to soon balancing on speakers, making her small frame tower over the audience. It seems to me as if White gets the best out of Dean Fertita at each show. He goes between guitar and keyboards like a mad man and never misses a beat and Jack Lawrence is an amazing bass player who talent just can not be replaced.

And what can be said of Jack White that has not already been said. He is a showman of the highest caliber. From the outfits his roadies wear, the lighting of the show, to the matching instruments his band mates have, he knows how to put on a performance. He did that tonight leading from the back. He sang on several of the songs, performed a few by himself, played lead guitar on two of them and truly lit up the crowd. The Dead Weather may not be my favorite band but the opportunity the see Jack White perform at any occasion is worth the time.