Thee Oh Sees- Music Fest NW 2010

It has been about a week since I posted on here, and during this time I have been diligently working on compiling the tracks for a summer-themed mix for 2011.   Back in 2003, I compiled a summer mix that was recorded before I started Eclectic Grooves, so this will be the first official summer mix to be featured on the blog.  Be on the lookout for this to be dropping on here just in time to enjoy these tunes with the windows rolled down and the summer breeze blowing through your hair.

In other news,  I have been working out the logistics for another series to debut on Eclectic Grooves where I will be featuring posts about the music blogs and record labels that are currently blowing my mind.  For the posts on the record labels, I will be featuring a few songs that truly capture the essence of the label, and will hopefully encourage people to purchase music released on these labels.



Well, I know you have been patiently waiting for today's offering, so I will get on with it. Anyone who checks out this blog on a regular basis knows that I am one of the biggest Thee Oh Sees freaks out there. I can't say enough good things about this band, or explain what their music means to me in words that do the band justice. But I will continue to sing their praises on here to hopefully spread the word to the masses about their electrifying live show and seemingly bottomless well of brilliant recordings. Having just released their latest batch of hyper-melodic summer jams that comprise the increasingly addictive Castlemania, I figured that it would be apropos to feature a recording of their performance at the Doug Fir Lounge during MusicFest NW in Portland. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend this show because I was still working, but I was able to bob along to their incredible set of primal garage rock as I streamed the entire show with one earpiece while taking phone calls with the other ear.

I won't give a track by track review of the performance, but I will tell you that this is probably one of the best recordings I have ever heard from Thee Oh Sees. The sound quality is crisp and there are virtually no dropouts in sound which makes for an utterly enjoyable listening experience. As far as the setlist, they played a couple oldies, (which by Oh Sees standards means songs from the album released last year) but seemed to focus largely on a bevy of lesser known songs that still had the whole crowd bouncing and gyrating like wild banshees on acid. The entire band was pretty much firing on all cylinders from the time John Dwyer's hand pounded out the first chord of the evening. At times, while listening to this show, I found an uncontrollable urge to jump around and dance to the music. This, my friends, is the greatest compliment that could ever be paid to a band who clearly prides themselves on giving the audience everything they've got.  Even at a mere 32 minutes, this is an incredibly satisfying performance.

This was originally streamed by KEXP radio, but I have captured this performance in Audacity and saved it in mp3 format. The tracks have not been separated, but I am sure that you can do that if you so desire. I hope you enjoy the show!

Thee Oh Sees- Doug Fir Lounge- 9-10/10

1) Crushed Grass
2) Contraption/Soul Desert
3) Meat Step Lively
4) The Dream
5) Enemy Destruct
6) Tidal Wave
7) Crack In Your Eye

Comments

L said…
Thanks for this! I liked their Master's Bedroom record.

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