Show Review: Flight Of The Conchords at the Masonic, 6/27/2016

Never before has spontaneous comedy seemed so effortless — and brilliant — in a musical performance

Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie of Flight Of The Conchords
Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie of Flight Of The Conchords

Comedy and music have always seemed to be slightly at odds with one another; there’s always this slightly underlying sense of novelty in humor-driven bands, a thought that without certain “gimmicks”, their work wouldn’t be nearly as funny, or that their jokes only appeal to a certain subset of popular culture. Artists like Reggie Watts manage to defy this expectation with deft aptitude; he is both a hilarious improvisational comedian and a brilliant musician in his own right, and the minimal nature of his performance adds emphasis to the stories he tells. The ability to shoot off jokes with rapid-fire delivery is, therefore, crucial in a concert setting; it reminds the audience of the brilliant wit and skill of the performers, rather than their ability to practice rehearsed jokes night after night. Nearly seven years after the release of their last album I Told You I Was Freaky, Flight Of The Conchords are still able to demonstrate these skills with flawless, side-splitting ease, and their live show is marvelous to watch — for both casual fans and hardcore ones alike.

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Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 9/19/13-9/25/13

Coming to The New Parish
Coming to The New Parish

We live in a lovely place…. There is always too much to do.

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New Release Round Up, 10/20/09 – 42 Instant Album Reviews

Undisputed winner of the holiday value for money championships
Undisputed winner of the holiday value for money championships

“Fill in for Pouria” they said, “yes” said I.  Little did I know what I was in for. Of course being someone who appreciates Hannah Montana but not the super-cool indie bands this could be a little different.

I’ll start by saying I wish I could have done this last week when the Editors In This Light and On This Evening was released.  I loved their last album and eagerly awaited this one, I planned to write a full review but in the end could only muster one word (or perhaps many versions of one word) – unlistenable (which may, in fact, not even be a word).  So there you go, I managed that review.  Now onto this week: Continue reading “New Release Round Up, 10/20/09 – 42 Instant Album Reviews”