February 13, 2006
Nada Surf @ Vintage Vinyl
It might be physically impossible for someone to write about the NYC band Nada Surf without noting that the group had one quasi-novelty hit on modern rock radio - "Popular" - then wound up without a record contract within the span of the couple years. Working with European and indie labels, though, the group's soldiered on, remarkably with the same trio intact, releasing a series of winning pop-rock, replete with catchy hooks and slightly-snotty, eminently clever lyrical content.
The group's got a pricier gig at a local venue this week, but why not check out the band for free at Vintage Vinyl this evening, with a start time of roughly 6 p.m.? It'll supposedly be a "stripped-down" gig, whatever that may mean, though the group will be tying into the PA, so expect some... rock!
And if anyone happened to be lucky enough to catch them at the old Side Door with the NYC-French trio Ivy a few years back, you know they can rock a bit. Ah, memories.
See ya there, fellow geeks.
I just recently got into Ivy and get oddly annoyed when I hear things like "remember when they played at the Side Door." In the Clear was one of my favorite albums of last year.
Posted by Jeff on Mon., Feb 13, 2006 at 11:39 AMYikes. Wasn't trying to annoy!
Posted by thomas on Mon., Feb 13, 2006 at 12:06 PMIt's a personal problem, I guess. I think I'll get over it. Wasn't Rogue Wave originally announced to be on the same bill tonight? I have a recollection that the first print ads included them, but now don't... That's way too far of a drive for me tonight, anyway, so I may have to stop by VV...
Posted by Jeff on Mon., Feb 13, 2006 at 3:01 PMI missed it... How was it?
Posted by Jeff on Mon., Feb 13, 2006 at 11:47 PMThey started about 35-40 minutes late and I had to get to KDHX by 7:00. So I heard half of the first song, which sounded good. Anyone, anyone with a little more comprehensive report?
Jim Utz promised to kick them in the (shins) for me, because of the late start.
Posted by thomas on Tue., Feb 14, 2006 at 9:31 AMThey needed that kick, too -- but not for their set, which was good. I satyed until they ended -- right at 7:00 p.m. despite the late start -- and watched them put some genuine energy and rock'n'roll into their songs. I wasn't expecting it to be that good, given the late start and the constraints of playing in the jazz section, but they broke my expectations in half.
Posted by Michael Allen on Tue., Feb 14, 2006 at 4:05 PMI don't know that I can add much to what's already been said. The set was short, but good. I hadn't heard them before (aside from the one obvious song), but they had a nice, simple, sweet sound, and a cleverly entertaining stage manner. They closed with a song where the main lyrics were "Always love. Hate will get you every time." ....that left me feeling good.
Posted by Claire Nowak-Boyd on Tue., Feb 14, 2006 at 10:07 PM