Live readings of The Books

jsh · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2005 10:02 pm

Anyone had the chance to see The Books in performance yet? They're playing here on Wednesday, and I love them, but I'm hesitant to go, for I worry that I won't love it. Your input could tip the scales.

scottycash99 · **Joined:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 1:46 am **Posts:** 1149

i have not seen them live, but i would love to

jsh · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2005 10:24 pm

scottycash99 Wrote:

i have not seen them live, but i would love to

That should count as "-1" on your post, um, count.

two guns holla · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2005 11:29 pm

scottycash99 Wrote:

i have not seen them live, but i would love to

jsh · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2005 11:39 pm

Boo x2.

jsh · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 12:14 am

* thump *

This show is tomorrow (Wednesday). Unless the tour is starting tomorrow in Montreal, I want to hear some opinions, Obnish. I feel like this show could possibly suck, even though the Books are amazing.

Natural Mike · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 7:28 am

I haven't seen them, but I've heard bad things. Save your money for bowling instead.

jsh · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 11:29 am

Yeah, I anticipate bad things, kind of, knowing also that it's at the city's worst venue. What badness have you heard?

I think I might save my dollars for USAISAMONSTER/Japanther/Et Sans/Dreamcatcher tomorrow, tennis, and moksha yoga.

Yail Bloor · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 11:47 am

Bonor Obnerst Wrote:

I think I might save my dollars for USAISAMONSTER/Japanther/Et Sans/Dreamcatcher tomorrow, tennis, and moksha yoga.

You're such a renaissance man, J....

jsh · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 12:04 pm

I'm just all kinds of zen.

Balls Mahoney · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 12:25 pm

They aren't bad, but it gets extremely boring after a while. This is from someone who thought their first two records were classics on one listen each.

Go, but keep your expectations in line.

PS- I don't like the new record much at all, so I'm skipping them in Seattle.

jsh · **Posted:** Wed May 04, 2005 2:21 pm

I've learned to always keep my expectations in line, especially since that wreck of a Magnolia Electric Co. show last fall.

Do they play with a band, or is it just the two of them? Laptops, instruments, or both?

I think the new album is kind of less ispired than the first two, particularly "Thought For Food". Maybe they made this album with the intent of touring on it, that's why it's so song-like.

. . .

jsh · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 11:50 am

A brief review, primarily for Scotty and Mandy Fudge:

Obviously, ended up going last night. The Books were excellent. Their set was captivating. Sincere, humble, well-conceived, homey, polished but not flawless, and a logical and successful translation of what they've put on record. The band was the two core members, plus a brother and a sister of one or both of them, I don't know. Cello, guitar and bass (mostly acoustic), violin, keys, samples, and home videos that were a perfect compliment to the context of what they do: sampling, and sampling of themselves. It was very beautiful, and very welcoming. The success of their performance for me secures that The Books are without question one of the most important projects in music in the last few years, and can already be called well-rounded with this their first tour.

I got on the list, so I bought "The Lemon of Pink" on vinyl to compensate. I hope I come to love it like I do their first.

Balls Mahoney · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 12:46 pm

Bonor Obnerst Wrote:

A brief review, primarily for Scotty and Mandy Fudge:

Obviously, ended up going last night. The Books were excellent. Their set was captivating. Sincere, humble, well-conceived, homey, polished but not flawless, and a logical and successful translation of what they've put on record. The band was the two core members, plus a brother and a sister of one or both of them, I don't know. Cello, guitar and bass (mostly acoustic), violin, keys, samples, and home videos that were a perfect compliment to the context of what they do: sampling, and sampling of themselves. It was very beautiful, and very welcoming. The success of their performance for me secures that The Books are without question one of the most important projects in music in the last few years, and can already be called well-rounded with this their first tour.

I got on the list, so I bought "The Lemon of Pink" on vinyl to compensate. I hope I come to love it like I do their first.

You're making me re-think my decision not to go next Friday, the wife really wants to go to the Shins instead, but I bet I can work both. Lemon of Pink is every bit as cool as Thouhgt for Food.

puma · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 1:59 pm

they're playing here in a couple of weeks and i really want to go. that weekend will be filled with idm pleasure.... the books/autechre/prefuse 73.

jsh · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 2:48 pm

The Books is not an IDM show, though, and not to be a contrarian, (or maybe to be), I'd never classify them that way anyway.

Wow, I'm a jerk.

puma · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 2:54 pm

lol yeah you are.

i knew i was gonna get shit for saying that. but i just said that because it's still nerds with laptops and that weekend will be full of that.

jsh · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 4:23 pm

No laptops. Just a sampler with The Books. Mostly live instrumentation. Did you not read my little blurb review? Sheesh.

puma · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 4:25 pm

stop it!!! now!!

two guns holla · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 5:45 pm

Bonor Obnerst Wrote:

A brief review, primarily for Scotty and Mandy Fudge:

Obviously, ended up going last night. The Books were excellent. Their set was captivating. Sincere, humble, well-conceived, homey, polished but not flawless, and a logical and successful translation of what they've put on record. The band was the two core members, plus a brother and a sister of one or both of them, I don't know. Cello, guitar and bass (mostly acoustic), violin, keys, samples, and home videos that were a perfect compliment to the context of what they do: sampling, and sampling of themselves. It was very beautiful, and very welcoming. The success of their performance for me secures that The Books are without question one of the most important projects in music in the last few years, and can already be called well-rounded with this their first tour.

I got on the list, so I bought "The Lemon of Pink" on vinyl to compensate. I hope I come to love it like I do their first.

Awesome. Sounds like a great show. I'll look into seeing if they come by here anytime soon.

As far as the USAISAMONSTER/Japanther/Et Sans/Dreamcatcher show, I've only seen USAISAMONSTER (with Lightning Bolt and a few others bands I can't recall), but I seem to remember them being good. I'm listening to the Et Sans disk right now, and I would tend to think they would be good live. Don't know the other two bands, but seems like a pretty decent show.

jsh · **Posted:** Thu May 05, 2005 5:50 pm

MandyMoore..Fvdge? Wrote:

As far as the USAISAMONSTER/Japanther/Et Sans/Dreamcatcher show, I've only seen USAISAMONSTER (with Lightning Bolt and a few others bands I can't recall), but I seem to remember them being good. I'm listening to the Et Sans disk right now, and I would tend to think they would be good live. Don't know the other two bands, but seems like a pretty decent show.

It should be awesome. It's at this really odd bunker-like venue a little out of the way of downtown and area. Dreamcatcher is actually a pretty awesome little local project. Pretty brand new, but their sound is already astounding. I'm not big on the Et Sans record, and I've heard mixed reviews about them live. I couldn't care less about Japanther, but I'm hard for USAISAMONSTER!

You should check out Esmerine's new one "Aurora" for more in a parallel vein.

Live readings of The Books

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