Another camera? You've got to be kidding me...

My Olympus digital point & shoot camera has been dying a slow death ever since I got it as a graduation present in 2004. It's survived many trips, but I've had a few problems with it - mainly a) it takes xD cards which have never gone down in price, and b) about the only manual control I have over it is turning the flash on or off. Not very useful for me.

I've had my eye on the Canon Powershot SD1000 for a little while. The combination of its portable size (~the same as a pack of cigarettes) and its manual funtions (I can set ISO, spot metering, macro focusing, etc) won me over. About the only thing I wish it did was shoot in RAW format, instead of JPEG. Oh well.

I found a good deal on it from Circuit City over Thanksgiving, so I just couldn't pass it up. And already it's proven useful for the purpose I wanted it - to be portable, for those shots that you don't expect but just kill you to pass up.

Wasps enslaving cochroaches - isn't nature awesome?

Nature News - How to Make a Zombie Cochroach

Good god, I hope this somehow finds its way into a human zombie movie soon. Fucking weird.

Belated Thanksgiving

There is one piece of this apple pie in my fridge at home, and I'm salivating now just thinking about it. All hand-made from scratch, using my grandmother's recipe. Yes, I do fancy myself a baker. The pumpkin chocolate chip cookies were also delicious, as was the rest of the food.

Iron & Wine @ 4th and B, 11/27/2007 - Photos and Review for Impose Magazine

Impose Magazine - Iron & Wine photos and review

I was contacted by Impose Magazine to take photos for Yo La Tengo's show at the Museum of Contemporary Art earlier this month. While there, I mentioned to the West Coast editor (who was doing the write up of that show), that I'd like to shoot the Iron and Wine show at the 4th and B.

A couple emails later, it was all set up, and I agreed to write a little review of the show as well. You can find that here.

I didn't really go into it that much in the review for that site, but CHAIRS? Really? They did give the people standing in the wings a great view of the show, but seriously. I'm on my feet at work for ~10 hours/day, and I still don't want to sit down at my concerts. And what's with the girls standing behind me, right up near the stage, talking over the band about their relationships? Maybe it would be easier to do that somewhere, I don't know, WHERE THERE'S NOT A BAND PLAYING? Anyway.

It saddened me that the security guards stopped the first guy who went up to the front of the stage and started dancing. They actually told him that if it happened again, he would be escorted out. But then a few more people got up to dance during other songs, and the security guards didn't do anything about it. I mean really, if you're not enforcing your camera policy (people using flash from their seats halfway back - enjoy your photos of the backs of everyone else's heads), why are you stopping people from expressing their enjoyment of the show?

Oh yeah, and Califone ruled. I didn't write anything about them in my review, but they sounded amazing, especially during my personal favorites "The Orchids" (I know it's a Psychic TV cover, but still) and "Spider's House."

Photos will be up later.

Excuses

Lack of posting = I am in the grant-writing cave.

Seriously, folks, the government doesn't make it easy for you to get money from them.

It's not the scientific research part of the grant that's killing me. It's the inane paperwork, the filling out of seemly random numbers and letters in their proper spots and finding out who needs to sign off on what to make it all official. All while my lab is packing up and fleeing northwards.

Microsoft Word is being the bitch it always is. I hates it. Hatessssss it. And please, the first person to suggest that I should switch to a Mac is going to get clobbered.

I will be venturing forth from this cave to attend the Iron and Wine show tonight, because honestly, listening to them now is the only thing that's allowing me to cling to my sanity. Also, I am reviewing the show for Impose Magazine.

Back to work now.

North Kaibab Trail

North Kaibab Trail
Originally uploaded by kudoskid0511.

I know the sky's overblown, but I love the detail in the canyon. Must have been shot with f22 or something close to that. You can follow the North Kaibab Trail deep into the canyon, including the bridge that P wanted to hike to (we didn't).

President Bush Takes Credit for Discovery He Can't Even Begin to Explain

Via Wired: President Bush Takes Credit for Stem Cell Breakthrough

I was pretty much waiting for this to happen. Motherfucker. Don't take credit for things you don't even understand. Don't take the credit away from the people who slave long hours, get paid shit wages, and have to constantly fight to get funding for their research. Funding for science is terrible because it's all going into your stupid oil war, and also because you've made it difficult for anyone doing stem cell research to get any money from the government. Without studying embryonic stem cells, how do you think we'd even be able to tell that we transformed differentiated cells into them? As the Wired article points out, the two pathways of research are incredibly interconnected. We couldn't have done one without the other. So by hindering embryonic stem cell research all these years, Mr. President, you also hindered this discovery.

Let the scientists have their glory. It doesn't happen nearly enough.

Oh, and props to Arlen Specter from my home state of PA: "I really don’t think anybody ought to take credit in light of the six-year delay we’ve had.... My own view is that science ought to be unfettered and that every possible alternative ought to be explored." I'm not sure how you're from the same state that elected Rick Santorum, but I sure am glad you are.

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens
Originally uploaded by kudoskid0511.

Swedish Models Party Van to the Roxy This Saturday

Looking for something to do to shake off those post-Thanksgiving, post-Black Friday doldrums? The Swedish Models have rented a van to go up to their show at the Roxy in LA this Saturday. Van cost is $15, show cost is $13, and all the extra fun is free. RVSP to their myspace site if you're interested in going. It would really help them out to have a strong showing there, so if you can't make it, tell your LA friends to be there. It's always a party with these guys.

I imagine the show might look something like this:



And here's another video, just for kicks - definitely not because I helped in the making of it...

The Swedish Models -- Eye for an Eye -- Final

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Show Review: Annuals and Manchester Orchestra @ Epicentre and The Strange Boys @ Whistlestop, 11/16/2007

Photos: The Annuals

Last week was a strange one for me. Moving to a new lab forced me to readjust to my settings, and to the new people around me, and come Friday afternoon/evening, I was beat. Therefore, I was extremely happy that the show I was going to that night was at the Epicentre, as opposed to the Che or any of the over-21 venues in town. Maybe I'm getting old, or maybe I just relish the few hours of sleep I manage to get too much, but there's a lot to be said for a show being over at 10:30PM.

However, that early end time comes with a price - an early beginning to the show. I was banking on this, and on there being a few bands playing before either the Annuals or Manchester Orchestra (I think there ended up being two?) but I was also banking on the Annuals closing out the night. When we arrived at the venue around 8:30, though, we soon saw that unfortunately that wasn't the case, as they were already about halfway through their set. I sneaked up front to snap a few photos and enjoy the remaining songs, which included a version of "Brother" that had some members of Manchester Orchestra onstage, playing along.


The Annuals, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Annuals, shot by Natalie Kardos

The energy of the set was intense. They somewhat reminded me of San Diego locals The Burning of Rome, although that might have more to do with the sheer number of people in the band, and the way the lead singer was playing keyboards, headbanging, and singing all at the same time, than with the sound of their music. At any rate, I dug it, and was sad that I missed a good part of their set.


The Annuals, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Annuals, shot by Natalie Kardos

After a quick set change during which the young'uns flocked to the front of the stage, Manchester Orchestra started playing. Or rather, Andy started singing while the band provided a background of noise. At first I was reminded of the singer from Silversun Pickups, with his sorta high, sorta nasally voice. Then it was Bright Eyes. But finally, I figured it out, with the help of the refrain he was singing - Neutral Milk Hotel (the refrain was "we know who our enemies are" from "Oh Comely"). He definitely nailed that whole raw, emotional way of singing, and it worked for me for a few songs.

But then it started to get a little uncomfortable, right around when it started to get a little too religious for my taste. I'm not saying that bands can't sing about certain things - I'm just saying I'm not always going to be okay with it. Religion is a very personal issue for me, which has a lot to do with being raised Catholic and things that I don't want to go into here. Let's just say that I bristle at the first sign of anyone preaching/attempting to convert others. Anyway. It was also around this time that I grew weary of the soft-loud-soft equation at work in most of their songs. It's a powerful tool, but when you overuse it, it gets to feel tedious - you spend the entire "soft" part wondering when the band is going to get "loud" again. Yawn.

But the teenagers seemed to hang on every syllable, as they often do when songs display raw, unfettered emotion. Which got me to thinking that maybe I would have liked this music a lot more when I was in high school. Back when I used to sit around, wondering "Why doesn't he like me? If he did, everything would be rainbows and sunshine and candy!" Back when emotional issues seemed only one- or at most, two-dimensional. "Does he like me - yes or no?" "Does God exist - yes or no?" Maybe part of growing up is realizing that questions like these don't have straightforward answers, and maybe that in turn causes a shift in the type of music you like. Or maybe I'm just bullshitting this review into the ground. Either way, their set didn't capture me like the Annuals' did, but I was definitely in the minority at that show.

Afterwards - remember what I said about shows ending early - I ended up at the Whistlestop, where I managed to unknowingly walk into my third show that evening. Mario et al (read: The Prayers) were hosting The Strange Boys from Austin, Texas. The plan was to just grab a drink and then head out before the band started. After some convincing from Brandon, we decided to stick around "for a song or two," which evolved into staying for their entire set. And I danced, although the rum and cokes had something to do with it. Their music was poppy and sweet in all the right places, and all the hipsters were digging it. I left happy and tired - one of the best ways to end a night.

Fountain - Holga B&W

I never found this fountain in Balboa Park all that creepy before, but something about this photo makes it decidedly weird. Maybe it's the fact that it's in complete shadow, while the building behind it (above the arches) is in full sunlight. Kinda gives me the "sun just went behind a cloud because something BAD is about to happen" feeling.

Again, Fuji Neopan 400 pulled to 250. It really was too bright out that day to be shooting 400 speed film (or even 250 speed), so I looked for the shadowy bits.

Carousel - Holga B&W

Again, Fuji Neopan 400 pulled to 250 during development. On-camera flash fired during this shot of the moving carousel.

Fish Pond - Holga B&W

I took this shot on a roll of Fuji Neopan 400 black and white film (pulled to 250 during film development) at Balboa Park, the same day I took the colored shots that I posted last week. I didn't think this was going to be a very interesting shot when I took it, but turns out I love it. The detailed ripples on the water, the way the fish seems to be swimming in the path of the light, and the reflections of the trees and building in the water all just work together. It helped that I had to do absolutely no dodging or burning to get the print to expose perfectly.

Show Review: The Walkmen w/The Subjects and Goodbye Blue Monday @ Casbah, 11/10/2007

Photos: The Walkmen w/The Subjects and Goodbye Blue Monday

Pitchfork Photos: The Walkmen

I really should write my show reviews a little sooner, like before, say, a week passes by. But after dealing with the photos for Pitchfork, I kind of got caught up in the week - packing up my lab stuff to move to another lab for the time being, finishing up a grant, settling down in the new lab, etc. But I finally did get around to posting the other photos I took that night (and there were a lot - a sure sign that I enjoyed the show).

Local band Goodbye Blue Monday opened the show, and we arrived smack dab in the middle of their set. For a sold out show, there weren't too many people there yet, but the ones who were seemed to be enjoying the set, as was I.


Goodbye Blue Monday, shot by Natalie Kardos


Goodbye Blue Monday, shot by Natalie Kardos


Goodbye Blue Monday, shot by Natalie Kardos

Next band up was Brooklyn band The Subjects. Their music was incredibly catchy, with constantly moving bass lines and upbeat guitar hooks. But their songs were far from simple, with multiple tempo changes per tune, sometimes exploding into a wall of sound. I was very impressed with them as well, and thought they were a good fit as an opener for The Walkmen.


The Subjects, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Subjects, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Subjects, shot by Natalie Kardos

And then The Walkmen shambled onstage. Despite having seen them last year at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia, I wasn't prepared for how tall Hamilton Leithauser was. Nor how much he looked like Britt Daniel from Spoon (I was fairly drunk at that Philly show - and so was Hamilton, as he confessed to me outside the Casbah later that night). What I was prepared for was his voice - that remarkably Dylanesque warble that sounds much more melodic than its originator ever could. Also shared - a penchant for telling stories in a folky manner, although The Walkmen incorporate more than a few grungy/garage-y influences into their tunes.


Hamilton Leithauser of The Walkmen, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Walkmen, shot by Natalie Kardos

Most of their set focused on new material and songs off of their latest release, A Hundred Miles Off (not counting their remake of Pussycats, released in the same year). And it sounded good. Hamilton's voice positively ripped through the sold-out crowd as he clenched the microphone in both hands when not playing guitar. Sometimes it seems like he's holding it in check on their records, but that night, all the stops were pulled. I might have fallen in love.


The Walkmen, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Walkmen, shot by Natalie Kardos

The only downside of the night was when Hamilton mysteriously left the stage for a few minutes, after fussing about trying to find a drink from the other band members. The band carried on in his absence, building up a wall of noise, and when Hamilton finally returned juggling a handful of Sapporos, he took a swig from one and leapt right back into wailing lyrics at us. Although the audience seemed somewhat confused in his absence, no one could really begrudge the guy a drink to quench his weary throat, and things carried on as usual afterwards.


The Walkmen, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Walkmen, shot by Natalie Kardos

Despite playing two encores, some people were disappointed because they didn't play "The Rat," or "We've Been Had." But again, I can't begrudge a band for not playing their one hit single that's more than a few years old, especially when they've just wowed me with a selection of other great songs, both new and old. They're trying to move on in another direction, and I'm more than okay with that.


The Walkmen, shot by Natalie Kardos

The Writers' Strike, Explained by Daily Show Writers

Via BoingBoing. The man has a point.

Football Practice

Another Holga shot from the roll of Fuji Reala ISO100 film. I had to tweak this one quite a bit in Adobe Lightroom, as it was quite underexposed when shot. Ahhh, the latitude of negatives...

Contest - Annuals

The first ever contest/giveaway on It's Too Sunny Out Here involves the Annuals, a band that has gotten much love from the blogosphere, but sadly not this site...yet. It just turns out that every time they've played San Diego (at least twice in the past year), I've had parents in town or some sort of other plans. But I do quite enjoy the lush sounds of their debut LP Be He Me.

They're playing the Epicentre this Friday with Manchester Orchestra opening, and this time around I won't be missing them. And neither will one lucky winner, who will receive two tickets to the show, courtesy of Sneak Attack Media. Another lucky winner will receive a copy of the Annuals/Manchester Orchestra split 7", which is only available on tour at the moment.

This is how the contest works - email me (natkardos AT gmail DOT com) with "Annuals Contest" as the subject line and your name will be entered in the contest. If you're unable to make the show, but are still interested in the split 7", say so. The contest will close at midnight tomorrow (Wednesday), and you will be notified via email on Thursday if you've won.

While you're waiting to hear if you're the lucky winner, take a listen to these tracks.

Annuals covering Manchester Orchestra's "Where Have You Been"

Manchester Orchestra covering Annuals' "Brother"

Annuals "Nah Keseyi" from their digital-only Frelen Mas EP

Annuals Myspace

Hilarity: The Walkmen Read Sex In the City Scripts

Boy do I love Daytrotter. In addition to recording and distributing great tracks from indie artists, sometimes they also get the bands to do book readings. For one reason or another, with The Walkmen, they chose to have them read scripts from "Sex In The City." I'm already half in love with the band from their blistering set at the Casbah on Saturday night - but this just sealed the deal. Hamilton - call me. Please. I heart you.

Daytrotter - The Walkmen do Sex In The City

Back to the Music

Via Largehearted Boy, Spoon's set from Street Scene is available for free and legal download. It was quite a good set, so if you're a fan, and either missed Street Scene or want another listen, head over to the Live Music Archive.

Setlist:
1. Black Like Me
2. Don't You Evah
3. Jonathon Fisk
4. Stay Don't Go
5. The Beast and Dragon, Adored
6. Back to the Life
7. I Turn My Camera On
8. The Ghost of You Lingers
9. The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine
10. I Summon You
11. The Underdog
12. You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb

Don't miss at the end of "The Underdog," where Britt promises to come back to San Diego and play "the Casbah, or somewhere small." I love bands that love this town.

More Holga Photos

I had the day off from work today, and since it was so sunny and nice outside, I loaded up some Fuji Reala 100 film into my Holga and went for a walk, and then a drive to Balboa Park. Looks like the second roll was the charm, because I got the exposure right for most of the frames, as well as the film winding. Immediately after shooting it, I took the film to George's Camera to be processed, which they do for $4 in about 10-15 minutes. Note - that's processing only, no printing. Since I've got a scanner at home that can handle 120 size film negatives (as well as 35mm negs, slide film, and 4x5 negs), I don't bother with printing. I was quite happy with these shots, as well as the film, although on some of the shots there is a slight abberation in the middle that makes me think the film wasn't tense enough during the shot. All part of the Holga's charm.


Purple Flowers, shot by Natalie Kardos
I wasn't really paying attention to the focus like I should have been on this one, but I kind of like the effect. My neighbors have a boatload of flowers growing in their yard, mostly roses, but also these purple guys.


Bird on a Wire, shot by Natalie Kardos
I did a better job on the focus with this one. The thing that spurred me to take photos today was seeing some crows/ravens playing/bathing in a puddle of water outside my apartment. When I came back out after grabbing the Holga and loading film into it, they were no longer playing in the puddle, but I did manage to catch this one in a palm tree. He's not actually sitting on a wire, but it made me think of the Rogue Wave song by that name.


Wires, shot by Natalie Kardos
The alleyway behind my apartment offered this great view of wires going every which way.


Lily Pads, shot by Natalie Kardos
This is the shot where the abberation in the middle is most noticable - look at the top line on the building across the way. Also, I need to be better about cleaning up my negs before scanning them...


Botanical Gardens, shot by Natalie Kardos
I know, I know, obligatory shot of the Balboa Park Botanical Gardens from across the lily pond. Although I think using the Holga, and the slight tilt to the photo gives it a little more character of its own.


Lights on a Wire, shot by Natalie Kardos
I actually guesstimated the focus and framing pretty accurately for this photo. I dig the colorful lights.


Stop, shot by Natalie Kardos
I noticed this stopsign because it appeared to be the same bright red as the flowers in the pot it was attached to. I also like that you can see the shadow of me holding up my camera to take the photo.


Mosaic Statue in Balboa Park, shot by Natalie Kardos
This statue in Balboa Park, along with the lizard statue near it, are some of the most colorful and interesting subjects I've ever run across. I used some fill flash on this shot because the statue was half in the shadows - unfortunately the lizard statue was completely in the shadows, so I didn't bother with any shots of him this time.

North Kaibab Trail

North Kaibab Trail, shot by Natalie Kardos

This is why I love making black and white prints. I never would have had the patience or know-how to get this negative to look like this just with Photoshop. I exposed the print for 24 seconds (with Ilford Multigrade Contrast Filter 1.5) to let the clouds really show up against the sky. But I also had to dodge the entire canyon wall for about 8 seconds so that it wasn't terribly underexposed. I actually made a print without dodging the canyon, and the difference is just incredible.

I feel like a real photographer again.

More Pitchfork Photos: The Walkmen @ Casbah, 11/10/2007

What a week of shows - Robbers on High Street/Great Northern, Art Brut/The Hold Steady, and The Walkmen all within four days of each other. I'm still working on a review for The Walkmen show (quick hint - it was awesome!), but I wanted to draw attention to the photos from that show that are up on Pitchfork's site. Even with two lights burnt out, I think I managed to do the Casbah justice. All I can say is that I'm happy to finally be getting a "real" San Diego venue that I respect and appreciate (and almost can call home) some national press, as opposed to Cane's or RIMAC.

Pitchfork Photos: The Walkmen, 11/10/2007

Show Review Part II: The Hold Steady @ Canes, 11/8/2007

Photos: The Hold Steady w/Art Brut and The Blood Arm

The last time I saw The Hold Steady (which was also my first-ever time seeing them), I gushed afterwards about the show and their music in general. Everything that I said then still stands. The band was in high spirits, despite a year of touring incessantly in support of Boys and Girls In America. In fact, one gets the feeling that touring actually keeps these guys in high spirits. Or maybe it was their tour mates in Art Brut goofing off onstage. Whatever it was, everyone in the band seemed a little more playful than the last time I saw them.


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos

Galen (the bassist) was probably the goofiest of all, hamming it up for my camera the entire set. At one point, Franz was fixing his sock, which was held up with sock suspenders (or whatever you call them), and Galen pointed it out to me. I tried taking a photo, but that one didn't turn out. Even the drummer, who's usually the most taciturn of the bunch (if you can call any of the members taciturn), was laughing and kidding around - at one point where Craig was talking to the crowd, he was making the universal sign for "too much talk-ey talk-ey," which Galen and Franz later picked up on.


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos

Craig was in quite a jovial mood. He's shaved his beard since the last time I saw them, and it was somewhat hilarious to see him get ID'd on his way back into Cane's as British Joe and I were arriving at the show. Apparently saying "I'm the lead singer of the headlining band" isn't enough to get you past security at Canes - although that being said, that was the worst security issue they had the whole evening. Everything was much more relaxed then when I saw the Justice show a couple weeks back, which Tim Pyles attributed to the bands when I asked him about it after the show. But I digress.


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos

The Hold Steady is a band that loves San Diego, for one reason or another. And they showed us that love by debuting two new songs for us - "Sequestered in Memphis" and "One Townie Falls." The also played new songs "Creepy" and "Lord I'm Discouraged," which had been debuted at previous shows, as well as the universally favorite, but seldom played live, "Chillout Tent." Some female vocals would have been nice on the track, but the boys can only work with what they've got, and no one was really complaining.


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos

At one point Craig mentioned that a friend of his from childhood that he met the day after he moved from Boston to Minneapolis was in the crowd at the show, which may have contributed to his high spirits. He also pointed out a couple at the front of the crowd, who had been at their past three shows, and dedicated the song "Citrus" to them. Other standouts were "Party Pit" and "Southtown Girls," although they didn't neglect songs from their previous albums. Greg nabbed their setlist for his post over at SD:Dialed In. They ended their encore with the usual "Killer Parties," and people flooded the stage to join in on the fun, which is something that didn't happen the last time I saw them.


The Hold Steady, shot by Natalie Kardos

It was quite a sight to behold, and I was sad to see the night end. So sad, in fact, that I prolonged it myself by heading to the Ken Club just in time to see Swim Party packing up their equipment and to wish Rosey a happy 1-year Blogiversary.

Show Review Part I: Art Brut and The Blood Arm @ Canes, 11/8/2007

Photos: The Hold Steady w/Art Brut and The Blood Arm

The Hold Steady touring with Art Brut? Pretty much as soon as I heard about this show, I bought my ticket. I'd never seen Art Brut before, but I'd heard many, many good things; and as far as The Hold Steady goes, well, we already know how I feel about their live shows.

Seeing as how The Hold Steady's last show built up my trust in their ability to pick great opening bands (Illinois, Blitzen Trapper), I made sure to get to Canes in time to see LA act The Blood Arm. How telling is it that when we walked inside the venue, their lead singer was singing to the crowd from the middle of the dance floor? That was only the beginning of it. This guy was all over the stage, walking on the speakers set up in front of the stage, and back out onto the dance floor - even hauling himself up to sing while standing on the railings, or the bass drum.


The Blood Arm, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Blood Arm, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Blood Arm, shot by Natalie Kardos

I'm a sucker for a band with a charismatic lead singer, although it makes it even better when the other band members get into the act as well. And all three acts that evening did not disappoint on that level (or on any level, to be honest). The Blood Arm's dancey keyboard-tinged indie pop/rock didn't hurt either.


The Blood Arm, shot by Natalie Kardos


The Blood Arm, shot by Natalie Kardos


Setlist, The Blood Arm 11/8/2007

Art Brut was up next, and they absolutely blew me away. Eddie Argos manages to be this totally charismatic frontman while still retaining an unassuming British personality. You can easily infer this from Art Brut's recorded material ("We Formed A Band"), but it's not until you see him shuffle onstage in a fatherly cardigan, with socks but no shoes on his feet, that you really experience the full effect.


Art Brut, shot by Natalie Kardos


Art Brut, shot by Natalie Kardos

Their entire live show is about celebrating the fact that they did indeed form a band, and that playing onstage in front of people is what they get to do for a living. I say 'get to do,' instead of 'have to do,' because unlike other jaded rockstars, they still obviously derive pleasure from it all. And not only that, but they encourage others to go out and do the same. At one point during their set, Eddie was standing on the speakers in front of the stage, essentially 'blessing' everyone in reach by putting his hand on their head, and then proclaiming that 'everyone of you needs to go out and start a band.' I'm happy to report that I was one of those people he blessed, although my prospects of starting a band are pretty low at this point...


Art Brut, shot by Natalie Kardos


Art Brut, shot by Natalie Kardos

Art Brut ripped through their set and were thoroughly entertaining to watch. Not content to let Eddie steal all of the spotlight, both guitarists (one who looked like a typical hipster rockstar, while the other looked like a typical 80's hipster rockstar) were shredding all over the stage. The would even get into little 'fights' during the songs, parading up to each other and alternately slapping at each other, playing chicken to see who would back away first, or jabbing their guitars at each other. The drummer was watching it all and cracking up the whole time, all while playing drums standing up.


Art Brut, shot by Natalie Kardos


Art Brut, shot by Natalie Kardos

Pretty much all of Art Brut's songs are made to translate into a live show, so any combination of them would make a stellar setlist. As it was, they played a nice mix off of both of their albums. The only major song lacking was "Formed a Band," but even so, the chorus appeared briefly during "Good Weekend." During "Moving to L.A.," around the point where the lyrics 'When I get off the plane/The first thing I'm gonna do is/Strip naked to the waist" appear, Eddie actually unbuttoned the shirt he had been wearing underneath his cardigan to reveal his very British pale chest and beginnings of a gut. This is something that only a very confident, and very charismatic, person could do onstage and still leave the ladies loving him. And believe me, they still did. He was also cracking jokes the whole time about how he felt like he was "playing in the cafe from Saved By the Bell," a comparison I never thought of, but which is a very fitting description of Canes. He even went so far as to introduce the taller guitarist as Screech, and make a reference to Mr. Belding before launching into "Nag Nag Nag Nag." Quite the showman, he was.


Art Brut, shot by Natalie Kardos


Art Brut setlist, 11/8/2007