Sunset Rubdown Live in Philly

I saw Sunset Rubdown for the 2nd time in Philadelphia last week, this time at the First Unitarian Church basement on Chestnut Street and 23rd.  It's an odd, small venue that holds about 200-300 people and despite the cool temperatures outside it was a solid 115 degrees packed in with all those bodies in a small enclosed space.  Spencer was sweating like a madman and Camilla complained about the heat, but it was an absolutely incredible performance.  Spencer tried a boatload of new material and said we were only the 4th audience to hear the new stuff, which they were just premiering on this small, month-long tour.  He said that they intend to go into the studio to record a new album as soon as the tour is done, which would probably mean early November or so.  I don't know when we can expect that album to hit the street, but I'm already excited.  Spencer might possibly be the most prolific indie rock artist ever, releasing 5 albums since 2005 (2 for Sunset Rubdown, 2 for Wolf Parade, 1 for Swan Lake) and now prepping another for early 2009.  That doesn't even mention all his other recordings in that time (helping out his former band Frog Eyes on their new album, for instance) and his constant touring in support of the bands.  I really don't know where he has the time to write.  And to keep coming up with such great songs.  It's really mind-blowing.

As for the new tracks, he debuted 4 Sunset Rubdown and 1 Swan Lake songs and I would say all but one of them were incredible.  A couple were absolute gems that I wished I could listen to again, immediately. He's certainly not lost a thing.  I don't know the names of the tracks (he didn't announce them), nor do I have recordings of them (Spencer passed around a card a couple times during the show that "jokingly" said "Live songs do not sound good on the Internet" -- which he's right about, actually, live recordings from the audience usually are really bad, but even if he wasn't right, I wouldn't have the recording equipment anyway).  So you'll just have to take my word for it that they were great.  As for the older tracks, the highlights for me were a scorching version of "Idiot Heart" as the second song played on the evening, and then later, after a bit of a lull with slower/new songs, they ripped out "The Mending of the Gown" (my favorite Sunset song) and absolutely killed it.  "Stadiums and Shrines" followed -- by request (Spencer asked a bandmate what they were going to play next and the audience started yelling out possibilities;  I was actually the first one to shout "Stadiums and Shrines", although I'm not sure why (the song is only #8 on my list of favorite Sunset songs), but quite a few people joined in and that ended up the choice over "Winged/Wicked Things," which I would have actually rather heard).  But they did a great version anyway, then finished in a flourish of four songs in a row, extending well past when they were supposed to leave the stage.

It was a nearly 2 hour show of incredible music and even included some pro-Obama banter from Mr. Krug, who admitted that he'd spoken about Sarah Palin in his shows the past three nights and vowed not to do it again, but the crowd egged him on and he admitted that being from Canada, he often finds our political system rather amusing and strange, but the Palin selection was by far the most shockingly bizarre thing he'd ever seen (and not in a good way).  And when someone from the audience shouted out "But she's hot," he responded "Please don't vote for McCain even if you think she's hot."  Good times.  Oh, and the show opening band Thomas Francis Takes his Chances, a NJ band who were a last-minute fill-in after Parenthetical Girls canceled, did a very good job, even if they screamed through much of their set and ended up dancing near me during Spencer's songs, quite clearly drunk.  But they were actually quite original, which is a good thing.

Sunset Rubdown's set list:

1. New song - I think it's called "Black Swans" but I'm not sure
2. "Idiot Heart"
3. "Shut Up I Am Dreaming"
4. New song - slower song, don't know the title; it was very good
5. "Trumpet, Trumpet Toot Toot"
6. "You Go On Ahead" (a newer song that's been around since the spring)
7. "Stallion"
8. New song - I'm calling it "Apollo"
9. "The Mending of the Gown" (mind-blowing)
10. "Stadiums and Shrines II"
11. New Swan Lake song!
12. New song - I'm calling it "Widow" -- this was also a mind-blowing performance
13. (encore) "The Taming of the Hands"
14. "Us Ones in Between"

• Download Sunset Rubdown - "Idiot Heart (Daytrotter Session)".mp3
• Download Sunset Rubdown - "Trumpet, Trumpet, Toot! Toot!".mp3
• Download Sunset Ruddown - "Shut Up I Am Dreaming (live)".mp3
• Download Sunset Rubdown - "You Go On Ahead (Black Cab Session)".mp3

You are a waterfall waiting inside a well,
You are a wrecking ball, before the building fell.
And every lightning rod has got to watch the storm cloud come.
And I've heard of pious men and I've heard of dirty fiends.
But you don't often hear of us ones in between.
And I've heard of creatures who eat their babies,
And I wonder if they stop to think about the taste.

And I saw the sun go down outside of Arkansas,
And I saw the sun come up somewhere in Illinois
And in the darkness, I taught myself to hate,
But where were you, oh where were you?
And where'd the fucking sun go?

And I am a creature and I am surviving,
And I want to be alone, but I want your body.
So when you eat me, mother and baby,
Oh baby, mother me, before you eat me.
And you should always pass when you get inside lane.
Don't pull your hair out, I won't pull my hair out.
For I have never seen a sun that did not bury its head in the side of the world when the day is done.

You are a waterfall, waiting inside a well.
You are a wrecking ball, before the building fell,
And I will mutter like a lover who speaks in tongues, he speaks in tongues.
I speak in tongues.

Comments

[Sarah Palin]

I can see Russia from my house!

[wayne]

Thanks for the review Bill. I seriously hope that Spencer get find his way
to Australia at some point.

[Sarah-not funny... like Rudnick bad]

just saying...

[Sarah Palin]

But as for foreign policy, you know, I think that I am prepared, and I know that on January 20th, if we are so blessed as to be sworn into office as your president and vice president, certainly we'll be ready, I'll be ready."

[Sarah Palin]

You're right Sarah-not funny, it isn't funny at all. That's the point.

[Sarah Palin]

If I am wearing lipstick everything is OK.

[Joe Biden]

i was at the show it was great. sunset rubdown was stunning, and that opening band, tfthc, were fantastic i thought. great show all around. love your reviews