FOSTER THE PEOPLE BRINGS HIGH-ENERGY FUN TO THE LC

Well, they have done it…they have raised the bar even higher. With another sold out show, Foster the People have transformed their small indie rock show into an indie rock extravaganza.

The weather was cloudy, chilly and windy but the local concert junkies were not missing this event. Fans had been waiting the day away to see the talented musicians lined up for the June 1^st show at the LC Outdoor Amphitheater.

Kimbra, the beautiful and quirky blues singer immediately got the audience amped and excited.  Her style (complete with a frilly pink tutu) and energy put a smile on your face, beginning with her reggae-inspired “Limbo” and closing with the smoky, soulful “Come into My Rocking Head.”

After her set, the Kooks took the stage, singing all their hits and jamming out like the British rockers they are. People sang along and began the crowd surfing right away. By the time they closed with the bouncy, summertime beats of “Junk of the Heart” and “So Naiive”, the crowd was well prepared for the headliners.

As the cool wind blew through the pavilion, smoke rose from the stage and curtains fell to reveal the glorious stage set. Lights. Camera. Action. And there they were: Foster the People ran out to their instruments and immediately began creating that sound that everyone had been waiting for. The audience roared and in unison began chanting: FOSTER THE PEOPLE. Front man Mark Foster took the stage and began howling the lyrics to their opener, “Miss You”. The pit moshed, drum beats ran through veins – no one had control of their excitement. They could feel that Foster the People truly missed Columbus.  The show continued with no loss of energy… a show that was fit for the indie rock gods, with amazing lights and incredible volume. Suddenly a change of pace occurred as Kimbra took the stage to perform their duet “Warrior”. No complaints, total satisfaction.

The crowd surfing continued and cheers were still loud as Foster The People sang explosively to the crowd until finally, there were no more songs to sing…except 1. They closed the concert with their hit “Pumped up Kicks” and traditionally remixed it for a grand finale that was unforgettable. To see this show come to an end was beyond deflating. The screeching crowd wouldn’t stop until they were forced to exit the pit. It was an experience like no other and surely impacted many people as well as their eardrums.  Well done, Mark and crew. You have done it again, but better.

-Hannah Richards

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Play to a Sold-Out Crowd at the LC

The day after Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros released their newest album, Here, they had the opportunity to play for a sold out Columbus crowd hungry to hear their music.

The night opened with He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister from L.A.  HMBSMS is lead by Robert and Rachel Kolar who are, in fact, brother and sister.  The band recently finished independently recording their latest album and just wrapped up a successful Pledge Music campaign for a new van.  The band definitely carried that momentum into their high-energy set in Columbus.  When you see HMBSMS play it is hard not to notice their unique percussion set up which is drummer Lauren Brown standing on the bass drum in tap shoes with 2 floor toms and a crash cymbal in front of her.  According to the band’s website, Lauren has been tap dancing since she was a child and uses her tapping feet as the band’s primary means of percussion.

Robert and Rachel have soulful voices that melt together in a way that only siblings can, plus Robert sported a dapper top hat throughout the set. Rachel was dressed in a sequined dress and at times felt like she was channeling Jenny Lewis or Regina Spektor but always maintaining individuality.  In addition to musical talent, bassist Oliver Newell not only played the most beautiful upright bass I have ever seen but also sported the deepest V on a t-shirt I have seen since Ben Stiller’s sketch on SNL.

By the end of the set, all of the band members were beautiful, sweaty messes who left every ounce of themselves on that stage.  If you missed this show never fear, the band will be back in Columbus in July.

After the crowd had time to grab some fresh drinks, run outside to have a smoke, or just stand around in anticipation, front man Alex Ebert and the other 11 musicians performing as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros made their way to the stage.  Ebert opened the show by telling the crowd: “The beginning of life is the first time you find out you’re going to die. Tonight we start at the beginning.”  The band then launched into “Up From Below” which begins with the line “I was only five when my dad told me I’d die”, a song Ebert obviously wrote about when he first found out that he would die.  They followed it up with “40 Day Dream”, a song in CD102.5 rotation and clearly a crowd favorite, especially because the beat makes it almost impossible not to clap your hands and sway your hips.  The crowd was obviously hooked from the moment the band started, especially after having been warmed up so well by He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister; however, the early part of the set was a little heavy on Ebert’s vocals, making it hard to hear the rest of the band.

“Awake My Body”, a song issued on Ebert’s first solo album, Alexander, was more of a reggae, Bob Marley inspired moment that at times sounded like fart noises and other times like J. Roddy Walston and the Business’s “Brave Man’s Death”.  The song also featured a solo by every musician in the band.  The trumpet solo was grinding and truly epic and the guitar solo was so powerful it could blast the crowd into space – and it was a nice touch that each musician was able to showcase their incredible talents. Honestly, though, it felt like the solo breakdowns lasted 20 minutes, although the band still received resounding applause from the crowd when the song finally ended.

The jubilant sounding “Janglin” evoked much singing and jumping from the crowd as they exuded pure joy.    “I Don’t Wanna Pray”, another song from the new album, was a ridiculously fun mix of folk, jazz, heart, and silliness, it was as if we were walking down the streets of New Orleans, marching and singing along with the band.

“Home” was not surprisingly the biggest hit of the night with shouting and singing at such decibels I wouldn’t be surprised if they could hear it in Cleveland.  Again, the trumpet soared through the air, piercing the hearts of the crowd while both the band and the crowd exhibited such love and passion it’s difficult to put into words. It was the pinnacle moment that reminded me of that extra special element sold out shows have for both the band and the fans.

Fun. Brings the Fun to Columbus

Excitement was in the air Thursday in Columbus.  The day of the sold out fun. show had arrived & loyal fans began lining up before noon – a good 7 hours before doors.  By 5pm the line stretched back past the railroad tracks.  When the doors opened, anxious fans rushed in for a chance to be near the front, leading to one unlucky person falling, her phone flying through the air.  Aside from that unfortunate incident, everything else went according to plan.

Miniature Tigers kicked things off with “Female Doctor” – featuring a bit of falsetto, some synths, and the bass player’s sweet dance moves.  It seems the band brought in quite the crowd themselves, as a number of fans were clapping along to the off beats of the song. “Boomerang” opened with a beautiful two-part harmony and acoustic guitar that gave way to a beachy, surf rock feel.  At one point, part of the crowd started swaying back and forth to the music, which quickly spread like wildfire.  The band encouraged more dancing and the crowd obeyed.  Overall, there was so much excitement and applause throughout the set that lead singer, Charlie Brand, proclaimed he loved Columbus so much he was going to get us a promise ring.

Fun. is a tricky band for some people – those people being fans of the members’ previous bands The Format, Straylight Run, Steel Train, and Anathallo.  While some elements of the band’s music reflects elements of their old lives, Fun. is definitely different and suddenly much more successful/well-known than any of the previous bands. The last time I saw them play they had a slightly different lineup and were playing a much smaller venue, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Would they play any of The Format’s songs as they had done in the past? Would the crowd expect it?  I was about to find out.

Fun., LC Pavilion

As people started to get a little antsy from the anticipation, the lights dropped and shadows crossed the stage.  Suddenly the screens turn on, lights begin to flash, and “One Foot” begins to play.  The crowd roars and then instantly begins singing along and never dimmed their tune for the duration of the night.  My immediate thought was “Wow, for just 4 members, they really know how to work this huge stage.”  As “Walking the Dog” started there was enough excitement to blow the roof off of the LC.  The beautiful back and forth between Nate Ruess and Andrew Dost was reminiscent of old Format songs.

Throughout the show, the band continued to compliment the Columbus crowd.  Ruess even commented: “Every time we come to Columbus, it’s always phenomenal…you guys are fuckin’ awesome!”  Before “All the Pretty Girls” Ruess told the crowd that if they knew any words to sing along and sing along they did.  The female vocals for “We Are Young” and “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)” were impeccably filled in by the crowd.  While many criticize “We Are Young” for being too commercialized and overplayed, seeing it live was certainly a memorable experience.  The energy and emotion from both the band and the crowd made it difficult to not feel moved by the lyrics.

While the band has achieved a great deal of success, especially over the last few months, they proved that they are still the same group of talented musicians that we’ve always loved.  However, this time around they also show how they have really forged their own identity, playing only their own songs, having a huge chunk of fans that only know fun. songs, and by putting on a show so fantastic that I certainly didn’t mind not hearing those old Format songs.

The Naked and Famous Conquer CD101 Day: Side B

CD101 Day: Side B, like Side A, was originally sold out in the indoor LC and moved outside due to the unusually early warm weather. Side A turned out to be a little chilly, but with the sunny, breezy weather Side B was showing, it would’ve been a shame for the show to happen anywhere else but outdoors. Thousands of eclectic fans gathered for what was proclaimed by many as the “more hipster” of the two CD101 events. Regardless of which was actually more hipster, thousands of fans of the Alternative Station came out to enjoy what was sure to be an unforgettable night.

The night kicked off with new local favorites, The Regrettes; winners of the CD101 local band contest. The band’s energy and enthusiasm was impressive, as they played before the sun even started to set, what was truly impressive was the amount of fans attracted to the concert just to see their performance. Throughout the Pavilion, people of all ages donned black and white Regrettes shirts while enjoying the confident voices of the band’s two female vocalists, Lizzy Morris and Meghan Hutchinson. For a band which began performing last December, The Regrettes performed a great set and got the audience revved up for the remaining performers.

The Regrettes, LC Pavilion

Next on the bill was Reptar, a poppy group hailing from Athens, GA. Since the band opened for (now unbelievably popular) Foster the People last October, they’ve been on tour prepping for the release of their debut album, Body Faucet, out this May. They proved their versatility throughout their set, performing songs which were perfect for the spring sunshine. Despite the fact of being early on the bill, they effortlessly managed to pull the crowd in with their synth-laden, lighthearted songs. The band is bound to become indie sweethearts come summertime, with anthem, upbeat songs like “Sebastian” and “Orifice Origami”. It was clear by the end of their set that Reptar would be the band audience members would brag about having seen before they got famous.

Reptar, LC Pavilion

From the opposite side of the musical spectrum, The Features approached the stage with an almost intimidating intensity, which ensured that the crowd was eating out of the palm of their hand from the moment they began. Their guitars sounded grittier, their demeanor was more soulful, they had beards, and they were ready to rock (but not too hard… this is CD101 Day we’re talking about.) After a couple of songs, I jumped to the conclusion that if The Black Keys bought a synthesizer and Dan Aurbach suddenly became a tenor, they would be The Features. But I was quickly disproven by songs like “From Now On” and “How It Starts”, which proved that they possessed a certain Nashville charm that was distinctive to their band alone. In many ways, they were a quintessential alternative rock band that possessed the pulsating rhythms, catchy riffs, and inspired lyrics that finally got the audience pumped for the rest of the night. The night was half over, but the party had just begun.

The Features, LC Pavilion

As I meandered through the crowd before the set of hometown heroes, Walk The Moon, I was confronted by a group of my friends, a few strangers, and a tiny palette of face paints. “Do you want to get face paint? Oh no, you NEED face paint!” my friend insisted. I hesitantly agreed and was decorated with red dots, just upon my cheeks. Because the band opened for Fitz and the Tantrums last November, I knew that one of their traditions was to decorate their audience members with face paint. But this experience was different; this time, the band was reeling from their appearance on Fallon three days earlier and the crowd was impatient with excitement. I now felt as though I’d been initiated into a sort of secret society. I was ready to Walk the Moon.

Comparatively with their last Columbus performance, the band gallivanted onto the stage with a newfound confidence. They performed favorites like “Anna Sun” and “Next in Line” as though they were concert veterans. Perhaps what made the audience so excited for the band, aside from their amazing songs, was the fact that they were a band that wasn’t afraid to communicate with their audience; in fact, they possessed a peculiar comradery with most of their fan base. These guys weren’t hiding away, writing songs in their van; they were eager to become friends with their fans, and they just happened to use face paint as a sort of ice breaker. Needless to say, a little face paint and a lot of raw talent go a long way.

Walk The Moon, LC Pavilion

It was finally 9:30. In minutes, we’d be reveling in the upbeat, oscillating melodies of headliners The Naked and Famous – who hailed from far off New Zealand and have been touring nonstop since even before the release of their game-changing LP, Passive Me, Aggressive You. When the lights finally dimmed and the LED’s flickered with excitement, there was officially no turning back for the crowd. And as the beat to “All of This” began to resound through the Pavilion, there was nothing left to do but dance to the rhythm of the synths and the drums, complimented by the impeccable vocals of Alisa Xayalith. Crowd surfers blanketed the pit as the rhythms of the band made it impossible to turn away from the spectacle that was before us. Performed with almost hypnotic precision, each song packed more intensity than the last, and, although some audience members found slower-paced songs to have been an interruption to the momentum of their performance, I found songs like “The Sun” and “The Ends” to have been exemplary of their exceptional skills as performers.

The Naked and Famous, LC Pavilion

The concert kicked into overdrive in the middle of their set, when they performed “Spank”, which managed to keep the attention and energy of the crowd, even during the revamps at the end of each chorus. Each time the song took a pause, it was as though the energy returned two-fold, which made the night endlessly enjoyable for the energetic crowd.

The Naked and Famous’ encore consisted of arguably two of their best songs, “Girls Like You” and “Young Blood”. “Girls Like You”, a slightly bitter, honest ode to the encounters of guitarist and singer Thom Powers with the type of girl consumed by her own superficialities. The pointed lyrics, “Your heart is a stone/ buried underneath your pretty clothes”, brought a dark tone to an otherwise catchy and simplistic melody. But regardless of the tone of the preceding song, the intensity of the entire show could have never amounted to the outbreak of excitement from the crowd which accompanied the beginning chords of the band’s biggest hit, “Young Blood”. The lyrics were impulsively chanted throughout the venue, from beginning to end, as the last CD101 day of the year came to a close. Overall, CD101 day Side B, along with Side A, was an unforgettable inauguration for what is certain to be an even more amazing season of outdoor concerts to come.

-Shelby Williams

Jane’s Addiction and Young The Giant Make For a Mighty Saturday In Columbus

Jane’s Addiction (LC Pavilion) and Young The Giant (Newport Music Hall): Dual Review

February 25, 2012

Music was in the Columbus air Saturday night. Rock legends and rising stars rang sold out shows throughout both Newport Music Hall and LC Pavilion. On OSU’s campus, Young the Giant packed them in while Jane’s Addiction brought the circus to the LC. Both sides of the 102.5 spectrum ignited both adolescent and cultured rock fans, with all in between as fortunate bystanders.

Young The Giant, Newport Music Hall

Young the Giant, an up-and-coming indie power house from California, headlined the Newport playing their debut album.  Their fourth Columbus play in two years, we’ve seen this band rise from the 300 cap room of The Basement, to opening for Incubus at the outdoor LC and filling Newport to capacity. With no hesitation, Sameer Gadhi wailed over the enthusiastic crowd; hits ‘Apartment’ and ‘Cough Syrup’ were met with cheers and an electric atmosphere.  Not to leave the crowd out of the fun, Gadhi dove into the crowd and surfed while singing the final lines of “My Body”.  Young the Giant created a vibrant mixture between the upbeat rock and the slower ballads on their album, even covering R. Kelly’s “Ignition”.  A few newly-written songs made the set, with hopes of appearing on a future album.

On the other side of the 102.5 coin, Jane’s Addiction and Black Box Revelation rocked the LC.  Black Box Revelation, a two member rock band from Belgium, opened with amazing stage presence and pure high-quality rock.  Driving drums and deep guitar riffs set the groundwork for unique vocals, leaning more towards the Death from Above 1979 style as opposed to a Black Keys or White Stripes.  The band’s small size didn’t stop the sound from penetrating through every person in the packed venue.

Jane's Addiction, LC Pavilion

Roaring applause transitioned to the main act, rock legends Jane’s Addiction. ‘The Great Escape Artist’ brought powerful rock tones to die-hard fans and newcomers alike from the very beginning, with the unrelenting single “Underground” setting the tone for the unveiling of the set, dancing girls and other stage performers that accompanied Jane’s.  The intricately designed pseudo-Carnivale stage, brilliant lighting and visuals set the mood for a set that included hits old and new. Perry Farrell’s voice was melodic as ever, backed up by the expert guitar workings of Dave Navarro.  Through multiple visual and audio tones, which included LED screens playing vintage erotica, transition videos that felt like scenes out of a 1930’s propaganda exploitation film, and Navarro’s slowly shed clothing the band evolved throughout the night.  They closed the night with a relaxed 3 song acoustic set, picked it back up into the hallucinogenic hit ‘Irresistible Force’, and then drove it home through 2 more and an encore; carrying their audience into a frenzied rush as the final notes rang out. Not a silent voice in the house as the band reminded everyone what real rock sounds like.

After the show, the LC crowd was still dying for more and was granted a surprise visit to the A&R Bar: Young the Giant guest-DJ’d the Soundoff after party.  Great music and drinks were enjoyed by all as the night drew to a close.  Hall-of-Fame-bound idols mixed with powerful new trends made Columbus the place to be for live music.  2012 is still young, but the bar has been set high by these two amazing bands; challenging the spring acts to bring their all.

-PromoWest Productions