Noise Pop 2015 has wrapped and you’re exhausted and broke and nearly deaf, but you should consider pushing your luck with these irresistible shows...
Tuesday: Theophilus London at The Independent
Kanye West’s latest pet project goes by the already-known name and proven quantity, Theophilus London. West is the executive producer on London’s sophomore album, Vibes!, and even appears on the album in some choice vocal spots. But this goes beyond West’s Midas touch; the album has already earned heaps of praise — for example, the Boston Globe says, “his second album is confident and hooky, spanning funk and reggae, and psych.” We should also note the Trinidad-born rapper approaches live sets much in the same way West does — like a Facebook friend who overshares and makes you think about your own projections to the world in one breath. In other words, attendees may be witness to a Kanye-esque meltdown, or a triumph.
Wednesday: Lucinda Williams at Fillmore
Lucinda Williams re-scheduled event from early February takes place Wednesday, and we couldn't be more excited. Here’s what we wrote about her last month.
Thursday: Stars at the Fillmore
Canada’s greatest bedroom pop heroes are making the rounds again, putting hearts and souls at ease and unease. For the uninitiated, Stars has all the makings of a guilty pleasure emo band. Yet there’s something more to it — lyrically, they’re beyond sophisticated. More Shakespeare than Dashboard Confessional. Start with the album Set Yourself on Fire, read the lyrics, repeat, profit (emotionally-speaking).
Thursday: Viet Cong at Rickshaw Stop
Whoa. This band is gooooood. Post-punk is in good hands in their self-titled album. Once we get past the lo-fi veil, you can find hints of the Strokes, Bloc Party, and Talking Heads. Every song goes in unexpected directions, evolving from industrial grit to pop euphoria at a moment’s notice. But don’t take my word for it; Pitchfork declared it Best New Music if approve of that stamp of approval.
Friday/Saturday: Galactic at Fillmore
Galactic fans rejoice: the famed jam band has a new album in the works! Sax player Ben Ellman recently offered some advanced thoughts to the Reno Gazette Journal: "It's a little more, I think for us, a little more of a throwback, I guess, or a little more sort of taking it back a little bit...There's a lot less sort of, I wouldn't say production, but it's definitely got a little more of an old-school vibe.” That's what we like to hear: don't fix something that isn't broken. The band's two-night stand at the Fillmore should offer plenty of sneak preview opportunities.
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