Concert Review: Kishi Bashi @ First Unitarian Church Sanctuary (September 14, 2013)

kishibashi

By Kirsten Becker

Kirsten’s review of one of our recommended concerts for fall 2013.

I was extremely excited to get a chance to catch Kishi Bashi at the First Unitarian Church on September 14. This was his second show he’s played at the Church, last year playing in the basement, this time playing in the sanctuary upstairs. I have seen him perform before, just a few months ago at Firefly Festival. I was blown away by his performance and I knew right away his Philadelphia show was one not to miss.

One of the opening acts was Elizabeth and the Catapult. Never hearing of them before, I was unsure of what I was about to see. The band, comprised of Elizabeth Ziman on vocals and keys, Danny Molad on drums, and Peter Lalish on guitar; was a mix of poppy rock comparable to Rilo Kiley, lounge­y vocals of Lana Del Rey mixed with heavy jazz influences. Elizabeth opened up with a solo version of “Thank You For Nothing.” She stood on stage with a keyboard and sparse lighting. The song captivated the entire room and it was the perfect first song to open the set with. After loud cheers, the set picked up intensity. Mike Savino of Tall Tall Trees came on stage a few times to collaborate with the band as well. Towards the end, Elizabeth and the Catapult played a moving cover of Dawes’s “When My Time Comes,” to which Elizabeth prefaced the cover by saying Dawes has been one of her favorite bands. She also played accordion and various other instruments throughout the rest of the set. After the surprise standout performance of Elizabeth and the Catapult, it was now time for Kishi Bashi. He announced that the show that night would be their last one for a few days, and that he wanted to play for as long as possible–a goal he fulfilled, ending his set well after midnight. Three new songs were debuted from his upcoming album that is scheduled for release next spring, including a personal favorite “Mister Steak.”

Seeing Kishi Bashi is an experience, some parts of the show seem like they don’t make sense, but he knows exactly what he’s doing. As a classically trained violinist, it is clear his early training in music is still very much part of his work. He played long solos, looping parts over and over until it sounded like an entire orchestra was filling the church. He recorded his voice, either singing pitches or beatboxing over the violins. Then, catching everyone off­ guard, he would double or half the speed of the loops creating an entirely different sound. Tall Tall Trees, a frequent collaborator with Kishi Bashi, again joined the stage to play more songs with his light­up banjo.

Taking a break before “I Am the Antichrist to You,” Kishi Bashi made some jokes about singing about an Antichrist in a church. He also took the time to express his gratitude for the Philadelphia crowd and how much he really does enjoy coming to this city. He finished his set with a highlight from his debut 151a: “Manchester.” The place lit up with cheers for an encore and after less than a minute he was back on stage. He promised to play one more song, “Bright Whites,” which was soon followed by a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” with the bassist on vocals and Tall Tall Trees on banjo again. Kishi Bashi jumped into the crowd while the song played and crowd surfed, videotaping the whole thing on his phone.

Getting to see Kishi Bashi is never a disappointment. He is an incredibly talented musician and an amazing performer with amazing energy. Be sure to download 151a and be on the lookout for new material from him in 2014!

Concert Recommendations: Fall 2013

By Nick Stropko

Over the past few months, I’ve been watching an amazing slew local shows being announced for the fall with frustration. You see, dear reader, while Philadelphia is about to have one of the best concert seasons in recent memory, I will be in Istanbul, enjoying the requisite college rite of passage that is study abroad (please, shower me with pity). Despite my infuriating inability to attend any of the following concerts, I have compiled a personal list of must-see shows for this fall.

Kishi Bashi @ First Unitarian Church Sanctuary, September 14 ($15)

Truthfully, I haven’t really given a good listen to Kishi Bashi’s only album, 151a. However, I did have the opportunity to catch him at the Church Basement as part of a WKDU Presents event, and it was stellar. Kishi Bashi creates little string ensembles with a lone violin and a loop pedal, which are combined with soaring vocals and occasional beatboxed vocals (it’s way less obnoxious than it sounds, I promise) to great effect. Throw in some whimsical stage decorations and a charmingly intimate venue, and I expect this to be a great experience.

Vampire Weekend @ The Mann Skyline Stage, September 19 ($35)

Okay, confession: I’m a huge V-Dubs fanboy. Huge. I’ve seen them five or six times, and Modern Vampires of the City is my album of the year right now. This being said, they’re a very tight, consistent band, and I’m very curious to see how much of their new material translates live. There’s really no gimmick here—just excellent songcraft and musicianship (and a steadily increasing touring budget, I suppose).

flaminglips

The Flaming Lips & Tame Impala @ Festival Pier, October 3 ($50–eesh)

A fortuitous pairing, to say the least. I’ve never really associated the psych stalwarts with the fresh faced up-and-comers, but I think the two bands will complement each other quite nicely. While the legendary nature of the Lips’ shows is already well-documented (they do seem to be adding some strange, disturbing elements to go with their dark new album, The Terror), Tame Impala proved to be a pretty excellent live band at their recent Electric Factory gig. I’m already a huge fan of both bands’ material, but I can guarantee that this will be a very entertaining show.

Making Time w/ Fuck Buttons @ Voyeur Nightclub, October 19 ($10)

The new Fuck Buttons album, Slow Focus, is a slice of dark, menacing, bass-heavy goodness. I really want to hear this thing pouring out of some overpowered subwoofers. Paired with Voyeur (possibly the most worthwhile nightclub in Philadelphia) and the fine folks at Making Time, I expect this to be a very, very good time. Be prepared to move.

Animal Collective w/ Dan Deacon @ Union Transfer, October 28 (Sold Out 🙁 )

This one’s already sold out, but it feels worth mentioning. Deacon’s manic energy, channeled through performing in the middle of the crowd, is not something to miss. I guarantee that you will dance, and you will love it. Animal Collective is notoriously spotty in their live performances, often receiving the complaint that their concerts are more about writing new songs live than performing old ones. That being said, apparently they’ve been playing more older stuff lately (they absolutely killed Peacebone when I saw them at the Mann a few months back), and I think the energy is going to be incredible. A second date has been announced sans Dan Deacon, which should also be cool, but if you can somehow manage to get into this show…do it.

Man Man @ Union Transfer, October 30-31 ($20)

Oh my god. Go to this. Go to this. I can only imagine what kind of hijinks Man Man have planned for back-to-back hometown Halloween shows. The band has put on some of the most entertaining live performances I have ever seen, and I fully expect this to surpass any previous shows of theirs. This one will be special.

Basia Bulat @ The Boot & Saddle, November 20 ($10)

I first encountered Basia as an opening act for Beirut at the Electric Factory last year. She’s an incredibly charming and talented folk artist who plays a variety of instruments, including a weird autoharp thing. It’s cool. Anyway, if you’re looking for an excuse to check out R5’s newest venue, this would definitely be it—warm music to provide respite from November’s cold.

All this being said, I’m just thankful that I’ll be here for Neutral Milk Hotel.