Before we get into it… We got a bunch more great pics of all the fans waiting in line and getting some ice cream here. You should check em out, we’ve even got a game.
Eisley rolled into Los Angeles Monday night to cap off their FREE Yahoo – Who’s Next? mini tour. It’s amazing how many people you can get to show up to a concert when you tell them it’s free. Pat arrived super early, like 2 O’clock to hang out with the all the kids lining up. Since I was heading up in Bessy to give some cream away, I left Long Beach about four to avoid any traffic. It worked out perfect. Free Care Bears, 50/50 bars, Firecrackers (popsicles, not the lighted kind) and some Julie’s Organic treats were bestowed upon the fans, and some for the male counterparts in the band.
Ok, there are a couple ways your going to make it in the music business. One is just to get really really lucky. Since that’s not going to happen to 99.9 percent of musicians, the other is to do what Eisley is doing. Work your tails off. You probably got only one chance in this game and you might as well do it right. You can tell as soon as they hit the stage that they’re not messing around. As I was standing (or better put, bopping) in the back of the crowd the thoughts that kept coming to my head were, talented, determined, and professional. Which normally wouldn’t be my first thoughts for such a young band with a young crowd.
They ripped through what had to be most of their catalogue. The fans would scream out everytime Sherri would announce the song they were about to play. I even got that way after waiting all day and night to hear “Tree Tops”. Eisley has a great and rare thing going for them. They can rock out, harmonize like no one’s business, write serious songs, and appeal to anyone who appreciates pop music. “Marvelous Things” which appears to be their current single is lush and sweet. The swirling chorus is catchy and was definitely the sing along song of the night. “Telescope Eyes” could have been an early Fleetwood Mac cut. I particularly enjoyed it when the quite young rhythm section (new bassist Garron is only 15!) got to get their groove on.
So here’s the deal. Eisley is going to be huge. Why? Because they work their butt off, dig great music like Radiohead, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Beatles, and have the skills to pull it all together. Once they establish themselves a bit more and get complete creative control over everything they do, they’re going to blow some socks off. I’ve heard some lost/experimental recordings that will hopefully be the direction they’ll be heading in the future. I guess we’ll all just have to wait and see.
Richard Swift opened the night to a capacity crowd of pretty damn attentive kids. This was the first time I had seen him with a full band and he’s an artist that can pull it off either way. One of the best tracks of the set was the solo piano version of “The Novelist”. “I am New York, tired and weak, I try to write a book each time I speak”. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what Richards music sounds like. Which is good in a way cuz you can’t pigeon hole him into whatever’s hip at the moment. It’s much bigger, broader, and real.
The band was great. Ely on bass filled in harmonies (yes, the theme of the night)effortlessly while the sunglass clad drummer held the beat. The keyboardist, sound manipulator, and one time dancer filled in any voids with the smoothness necessary to complete the mix. Be sure to catch the last couple August residency shows at Tangiers this month (tonight, tuesday the 23rd and August 30th). You can also catch ’em opening for The Walkmen, Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Posies, and Earlimart over the next couple months. Dig it.
Eisley Peeps
If your wondering what kind of madhouse it was outside while everyone was waiting to get in, here ya go. We’re also going to play a little game. It’s called…..Name the Celebrity. The first person to spot the celeb in first pic below and correctly email me wins something. Not sure what yet. We’ll have to dig through the vault. Maybe we’ll see if Pat has some fun old Eisley stuff. If not, maybe something sugary. Send answers here(contest over). You can click on the image to bring up a bigger one to spy.
