Santosh's Blog

Next stop, Mark Lanegan in Portland.

I wasn’t entirely sure if I could have made it to this show, but everything worked out well and I took the train to Portland just in time for the show.

First off, I bumped into Mark Lanegan and Sean Wheeler walking around near the venue. I got to say hello to Mark and tell him how excited I was for the show. When the venue would not allow me to bring my camera in, I asked Mark if it was OK. Yes, I bumped into him again and he said he was cool if i shot the first two songs. Made my day! I usually never feel nervous about these things but I have to admit that shooting pictures with official permission was a lot of pressure. Especially when its the first time and its a Lanegan show.

I decided to hang out at Everyday Music right across the street until the show started. To my surprise, Aldo Struyf walked in after a little bit. He is such a down to earth guy. Time and again, I have noticed that awesomer a person is, the more humble that person is.

I tried to set my camera up during the Lyenn and the Sean and Zander sets. Sean and Zander were awesome by the way. Much more relaxed and enjoying themselves more than the previous night. Lyenn has got a powerful voice. My goodness, he was so awesome in Seattle. In Portland, he more or less repeated that performance.

When Lanegan took the stage, the lights were completely changed. I don’t know why but I never bothered to check my shots. Such a silly mistake, I kept clicking away. Took a lot of pictures but I am not entirely proud of how they came out. 😦

Show highlights, Sean and Zander were having lots of fun. Lanagen band sounded better and tighter. Jeff’s guitar playing was awesome! Mark seemed to be having fun as well.

Sean and Zander pics are here.

Mark Lanegan pics are here. Hope you like atleast a couple of them.

Long overdue! Mark Lanegan, two nights, two different cities. First night, Seattle.

I love the new album, Phantom Radio. Its a great album. My favorite tracks are Killing Season and Harvest Home.

Seattle was the first stop of the Phantom Radio tour. So I had no idea as to what will be on the setlist. All I knew was that the band comprised of Jeff Fielder and some Belgian musicians.

The band comprised of Jeff Fielder, Aldo Struyf, Jean-Philippe De Gheest, Frederic Lyenn Jacques and our main man, Mark Lanegan!

The show was awesome despite the fact that Steven Janssens wasn’t on guitar duty. That band for the Blues Funereal tour was sooo good and I felt that Steven was a major part of that sound. But Jeff Fielder was amazing too! Although, Jeff’s style is very different from Stevens. Surprises? The jazzed up version of Bombed and Aldo Struyf. I haven’t really heard a lot of Creature with the atom brain yet but I am sure I will do that in the near future.

Setlist:
The Gravedigger’s Song
Harvest Home
Sleep With Me
One Way Street
One Hundred Days
Resurrection Song
Riot in My House
Quiver Syndrome
Floor of the Ocean (first performance ever)
Waltzing in Blue (first performance ever)
Hit the City
Creeping Coastline of Lights (Leaving Trains cover)
Ode to Sad Disco
Harborview Hospital
Torn Red Heart (first performance ever)
Black Rose Way (Screaming Trees song)
Death Trip to Tulsa (first performance ever)
Tiny Grain of Truth

Encore:
Bombed
Judgement Time
The Wild People
I Am the Wolf
Methamphetamine Blues

Pics are here.

I’ve never seen REM live but I can only imagine how amazing they must have sounded after seeing the Baseball Project. The project comprises of Peter, Mike and Scott from REM and they sounded fantastic. Like amazing! How I wish I had seen REM. 😦 Kurt Bloch joined the band for a song and they all seemed to have a lot of fun!

Pics are here.

Saw Heart at the Showbox. Was kinda excited about the show. Kinda sucky that the left speaker kept buzzing each time the keyboardist “Debbie Shair” played something. Wonder why the sound guy did not do anything about it. Liked Craig Bartock’s guitars. And the Wilson sisters lived upto the expectations.

Pics are here.

I have seen Walking Papers like a dozen times but I haven’t seen them enough. They put up such a great show! And their debut album is a gem! Mindblowing stuff!

I love Barrett Martin, he is just awesome. I also love Jeff Angell. If you like Walking Papers, then you should check out Jeff’s other projects too. He is amazing! “Consequences” by Missionary Position is one of my fav albums! Barrett is very prolific, and has played with everyone under the sun. His influences and style varies so much that its hard to point any one thing. Tuatara’s (Barrett’s other band) latest album – Underworld is also amazing. Ofcourse, I did not want to miss this show.

After some trouble, I managed to score a ticket (another story, for another time).

The show was awesome with the band playing about 7 new songs (songs that are not on the album). The sound is very crisp. The one complain that I have is that, the band is now missing the rawness that was there in their earlier shows. They just appear a little too rehearsed. They just seemed to be enjoying themselves more earlier. But please dont get me wrong, they sound fantastic! One comment about the new songs, they are kind-of progressing from the blues influence. I felt the new songs were missing the cool bluezy guitar riffs.

For my liking, their best show was the one at Easy Street Records. Barrett was on fire that day, man what a memorable show! These guys are my fav rock band from the Seattle area. I do wish they become big but at the same time I wish they will continue to play these small clubs, The Crocodiles, The Sunsets and The Jazz Bones.

Anyways, do check them out if you have a chance. Fantastic band.

Pics are here.