Week In Rock: The Chronic Edition
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Snoop Dogg at Brooklyn BowlAt the end of Snoops Dogg's effortlessly enjoyable concert at Brooklyn Bowl last Monday, a little after 4/19 had twisted into 4/20, Snoop told the adoring audience the three things they should do every morning after waking up: "Brush yo teeth, thank God to see another day, and most important, smoke weed motherfuckers!"Snoop Dogg is a consummate performer and entertainer above all else, which was readily apparent every moment of his hour-long set. The setlist was a greatest hits shuffle with a peace-and-party vibe: everything the fans wanted to sing along with, from "Gin and Juice" to "The Next Episode" to "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" to "Drop It Like It's Hot." (You can see a video of that one below.) It was a night that split down the middle between his two great loves: weed and women. He took a moment of silence at midnight for the turning of 4/20, and dedicated the awesomely-autotuney "Sexual Seduction" to all his ladies.His voice was silky and durable as ever, a low tone that always seemed to click in and submerge seamlessly with the beats. On stage, there was a pleasantly minimal presentation: Snoop front and center, his DJ backing him up, and three of his hype men/entourage/crew coming in and out for cameos and encouragement. The sound was crisp and clear, and graffiti projectors covered the walls with Snoopisms, although it was hard to see clearly at times through all the billows of smoke.After the show, Snoop greeted superfans and scantily-clad women alike in his rented trailer, obliging their requests for photos and fist pounds. He was cordial and welcoming to everyone who showed him love. In between requests, he did little dances on his own, singing along to Stevie Wonder, smiling the whole time.Snoop Dogg-Drop It Like It's Hot from Gothamist on Vimeo.
<strong>The Tallest Man On Earth at Highline Ballroom</strong><p>It seems as though The Tallest Man on Earth accurately and eerily summed up his origins in the song "Burden of Tomorrow," on his recently-released, fantastic album, <em>The Wild Hunt</em>: "Oh but rumor has it that I wasn't born/ I just walked in one frosty morn/ Into the vision of some vacant mind." The Tallest Man on Earth (who is not <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/09/21/worlds_tallest_man_is_also_worlds_l.php">that</a> tall) is the moniker of Kristian Mattson, a Swedish-born folk singer/songwriter, a disciple of Bob Dylan and descendant of the seminal <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthology_of_American_Folk_Music">Harry Smith Folk Anthology</a> series. He sings in a skewered, poetic English with a passionate, raspy voice that has oodles of charisma.</p><p>And at his sold-out show at the Highline Ballroom this past Tuesday, he commanded the stage on his own like that, just a voice and finger-picked acoustic guitar. It was a refreshing and welcoming sight, a performer unafraid to let his voice fill up the monitors with every hiccup and croak he could muster, and best of all, no affectations. He stared intensely at the audience at times, and bantered a bit, particularly when some people decided to shout profanities in Swedish at him. </p><p>He played a mix of songs from each of his two stellar albums, including the charmingly upbeat "The Wild Hunt," concert favorite "King of Spain," and haunting "Love Is All." Toward the end of night, he played the rollicking "You're Going Back," where you could hear the imagined band in his head in the chord changes; he also throws in the most effortlessly joyous curse in the tune's bridge. Like the rest of the show, it was a moment both surprising and abundantly exuberant. </p>
<strong>The Thermals at Brooklyn Bowl</strong><p>Portland's <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/05/06/the_thermals_musicians.php">The Thermals</a> are a fun live band. While their songs lyrical focus have gained confidence and ambition over the years, they've retained a strikingly consistent, upbeat indie-punk sound, filled with singalongable "oh yeah" choruses and mountainous hooks. And while that consistency can also lead to a certain level of exhaustion on record, their live sets remain a flash of Pixies-like riffs and Fugazi-like effervescence. </p><p>Now a three-piece, their show Wednesday night at Brooklyn Bowl was the last of their current tour; they have a new album, <em>Personal Life</em>, which is just being mastered right now, and which they previewed throughout the night. They started the show with "We Were Sick," and proceeded to rip through nearly 20 equally friendly, energetic songs, including highlights "Now We Can See," "Pillar of Salt," "Here's Your Future," and the recently-released bass-heavy "Separate." </p><p>Vocalist/guitarist Hutch Harris and bassist/vocalist Kathy Foster <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/05/16/gothamists_week_in_rock_ovally_edit.php">pushed and pulled</a> one another with their shared vocals; Foster was constantly dancing around the stage, her hair bopping around, setting the tone for the night. It might have been a bit of a blur, but they were having a great time of it.</p>