Now that’s a set of bookends.
Used to be a band toured in support of an album. But with the industry working the way it does nowadays, more bands seem to be releasing albums to support their touring. Live performances have always been a better financial deal for the bands anyway (unless you’re Jens Lekman), and this last weekend showed that good bands can come through multiple times a year.
Both Art Brut and Dirty Projectors came through San Francisco just this past summer (and played two of my favorite shows of the year), but they packed ’em in again over the weekend.
Art Brut played two sets (an early, all-ages and a sold-out late 21+) at Café Du Nord, San Francisco’s premier dinner theater. Clinging to newfound sobriety (at least until the late set started), Eddie Argos, Jasper Future, Ian Catskilkin, Freddy Feedback, and Mikey Breyer once again proved that in the Art Brut vs. Satan battle, we’ve chosen the right side. (At least until the house DJ played Reign In Blood between sets — then I started to waver).
Art Brut are the reincarnation of the spirit of the great late-70s/early-80s British–oh, hell, they’re the reincarnation of everybody who ever loved bands and so they started or joined one and are having the time of their lives. And they don’t want you to miss out, either, so every show comes with a sincere exhortation to go home and form your own band. It happens. This is good work.
Art Brut: “Formed A Band” (Cologne, 2006)
And last night, Dirty Projectors stunned a full Bimbo’s into silence. With six insanely multitalented and seemingly flawless musicians playing music that sounds both like interstellar communication and our own heartbeats, nobody wanted to miss what they would do next. We should all be stoked for the future, because the new songs they played fell right in line with the ridiculously high-quality music they’ve been putting out recently.
Both at their July show and last night, members of Dirty Projectors gave shoutouts to the large numbers of friends and family in the house, so I’m just going to go ahead and call this Brooklyn band a local act. So proud!
Dirty Projectors: “Useful Chamber” (San Diego, 2009)
For serious, pepples, if you don’t love one of these bands, you love the other. So nuff said, support your local and touring bands, music is good, see you there!
