I Know It's Only Rock 'n Roll But I Like It

As you can probably tell by the lapse in blog posting, we've been enjoying a couple weeks of relaxation and slow schedules. Last weekend, we enjoyed a low-key visit from Ryan's childhood friend, Jeff Larsen ("Larz"). Our hosting skills were a little off as we spent the entire weekend watching football. Thankfully, Larz is a major football fan.

To bad Larz left on Sunday night because last night we went to a great show at the University of Washington. Luckily, Ryan and I got to the venue in time to gain entry to the floor and avoid having to sit in seats far away from the stage. The concert featured three bands: The Gossip , LCD Soundsystem , and headliner Arcade Fire .

You may remember our previous post(s) on Arcade Fire. Every time the Montreal band comes near the Seattle area, we buy tickets and go to the show. Last night's show was at least the 4th time we've seen the group in the last two-and-a-half years. When we first listened to the band's CD, Funeral, we liked their sound but didn't become devout followers. Arcade Fire's live show is the band's bread and butter -- now we can't get enough of their albums. Check them out when you get a chance.

A pitiful attempt to capture the busy stage during the Arcade Fire performance.

We love watching opening bands because we often get to see some great performers like Wolf Parade, the Bell Orchestre, Hold Steady, and others. Well last night did not disappoint. Our favorite opening performance was by The Gossip, a punk/soul/rock band with only three people on stage but a lot of energy. The lead singer, Beth Ditto, is a powerhouse on stage. Her voice is often compared to Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, and other iconic female vocalists. I am also a fan of a strong, opinionated, and vivacious woman giving pop culture and patriarchy the finger. I'm looking forward to getting to see Ditto and The Gossip again.

Add The Gossip to your list of albums to try and bands to see live. I'll try to find a good video clip of Beth Ditto and post it to the blog in the next few days. In the meantime, here's a photo of Miss Thing in action:

Sing it out, girl!

The LCD Soundsystem also put on a good show with a sweet disco ball effect in the arena. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the retro funk/rock/pop/dance sound, which is LCD's specialty. As you can probably tell by our music postings, I really like blues, punk, and more jagged music stylings. This morning, I went to iTunes to listen to clips from the LCD album, and I can't seem to get over my personal preference to buy an album. I feel that way about a number of bands that are talented and deserve respect, but that I can't bring myself to really follow. That being said, I did enjoy the LCD live show. Various members of Arcade Fire showed up on stage to perform some of the band's most popular songs, which is always cool.