The Roots - World Cafe, 13 September 2006

Only time for a quick post (making up for it with an enormouse pic of the band though). Apparently the Roots are coming at the end of the year. This isn't a great set (although Here I Come is phenomenal), but its all I've got for the time being.

Interview
Game Theory
Interview
Here I Come
Interview
Clock with No Hands
Interview/Outro

https://mega.co.nz/#F!hFl3RDZA!EsgWSHjkyf4Yfo2UG7OETQ

Spoon - 23 October 2007, Washington DC

With all the love round here for Divine Fits and Handsome Furs, it's important not to forget the fantastic Spoon. Apparently the plan is to run both Divine Fits and Spoon as ongoing bands (Spoon have been doing some recording and Divine Fits have some new tracks as well).

This is another show from NPR in Washington DC. I've got a more recent show to put up later, but, although this is older, its from the tour for the phenomenal Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. I know a little people only know them from that album and it's immediate predecessor Gimme Fiction, but there's a lot of other great stuff on the earlier albums, so this is also a gateway to that earlier work.

I Could See the Dude
Utilitarian
Minor Tough
Fitted Shirt
Anything You Want
Me and the Bean
Small Stakes
The Way We Get By
Stay Don't Go
Jonathan Fisk
Back to Life
The Beast and the Dragon, Adored
The Delicate Place
I Summon You
Don't Make Me a Target
The Ghost You Lingers
You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb
The Underdog
Black Like Me

Japanese Cigarette Case
Peace Like a River
I Turn My Camera On
Don't You Evah

Rhythm and Soul
My Mathematical Mind

http://www.mediafire.com/?dd7namqn1u6p8

The National - 20 June 2007, Washington DC

The National, are playing Splendour and said they'll be back in November and in 2014 to headline an (unnamed) festival. Given that, Australians are going to be hearing a lot of these guys, so its a good idea of find out what you're in for.

This show is from way back in 2007 when they were touring Boxer. It's a really nice show focussing on material from their last two albums (I really like their debut, but they don't seem to play anything off it anymore). Obviously their more recent shows will feature less of this material but this is a good start until I put up some more recent stuff. My only worry is that, outside of the studio, Matt Berninger seems to struggle to nail the more agressive songs (listen to Squalor Victoria or Mr November to get an idea of what I mean). I read somewhere that he's just stopped smoking and it's had a beneficial effect on his voice, so maybe this has improved.

Start a War
Mistaken for Strangers
Slow Show
Secret Meeting
Brainy
Baby, We'll Be Fine
Lit Up
Racing Like a Pro
Squalor Victoria
Apartment Story
Daughters of the Soho Riot
Ada
Fake Empire
Mr November

Green Gloves
Abel
About Today
http://www.mediafire.com/?0c23rzf1c2tc3

The Racounteurs - 27 May 2008, Washington DC

I've got quite a few random shows to put up over the next few months. This is from the Raconteurs (apparently also known as the Saboteurs here in Australia) just after the release of their second album.

I really like both their albums (particularly Consolers of the Lonely (whenever I've linked to anything at Amazon I've made sure to mention if I know you might be able to get it cheaper - when I put this link up it was $6.99, which is a pretty great price) but their annoying habit of playing extended jams/intros/outros for every song gets pretty tiring. Having said that, this is a good long set, with a nice mix of tracks. Plus their wikipedia page says they're back in the studio, so maybe you'll be hearing more from them soon.

Consolers of the Lonely
Level
The Switch and the Spur
Keep It Clean
You Don't Understand Me
Top Yourself
Old Enough
Store Bought Bones
Hold Up
Steady As She Goes
Rich Kid Blues
Blue Veins

Many Shades of Black
Salute Your Solution
Broken Boy Soldiers
Carolina Drama

http://www.mediafire.com/?wa80r887217c1

The Black Angels - 5 November 2006, Washington DC

So the Black Angels are making their annual trip down under. I saw them way back in 2011 and wasn't that impressed. Probably because I was mainly a fan of their first album and didn't know the new stuff. That means this set works pretty well for me - it's from their stint opening for the Black Keys way back in 2006 and features just one song off their, then unreleased, sophmore album, everything else being from their excellent debut: Passover (if you can wait, I picked this up at their merch desk for $10). For anyone not familiar with them their sound is basically a fusion of the Doors and Joy Division (Manipulation, in particular, sounds like a lost Joy Division track). That shouldn't be taken as a bad thing though - they do a good job of what they do, and there are really very few bands (any?) that sound completely unlike everything that's gone before.

As this is from an NPR podcast the sound is great, if a little low during the few ocassions they address the crowd. Worth checking out, particularly if you're thinking of heading along to see them in June.

Black Grease
Better Off Alone
Manipulation
Bloodhounds on My Trail
Sniper at the Gates of Heaven
The First Vietnamese War
Empire
Never/Ever

https://mega.co.nz/#F!JQFX1YTI!NmM2jB4vb6VqU7bTPGtZOw

Okkervil River - NPR 2007

Another one from the US's National Public Radio. This isn't the best Okkervil River performance (Will Sheff comments that most of the band are sick, and his voice isn't always good). On the other hand Okkervil River is a great band, and this is from the tour for (in my opinion) their best album: The Stage Names.

A King and a Queen
It Ends with a Fall
No Key, No Plan
The Latest Toughs
A Girl in Port
Song of Our So-Called Friend
Plus Ones
A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene
Unless It's Kicks
Black
Our Life is Not a Movie, Or Maybe
For Real
John Allyn Smith Sails

A Stone
Okkervil River Song
Westfall [for the definitive live version of this check out their Overboard & Down EP, which also includes a bunch of other great tracks]

http://www.mediafire.com/?te5j28e28ecke

Neko Case - Washington DC, April 9 2009

Oh Neko Case how I love thee. Apparently her new album is nearly finished. If it's anything like her entire back catalogue it'll be a gem.

This is another show from a NPR podcast. Enjoy.

Maybe Sparrow
People Got a Lotta Nerve
Fever
Hold On, Hold On
The Pharoahs
Middle Cyclone
Deep Red Bells
I Wish I Was the Moon
I'm an Animal
Prison Girls
The Tigers Have Spoken
Margaret vs Pauline
Red Tide
Don't Forget Me
That Teenage Feeling
This Tornado Loves You

Vengeance is Sleeping
Vengeance [this is the title I've got on the file, but I think it must be a mistake. However, the setlist.fm setlist is wrong, so you'll have to figure this one out yourselves]
Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
Magpie in the Morning
Knock Loud