Not quite a Panic! on this year's Honda Civic Tour

Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack performs at the Chevrolet Theater

By Jennifer Penna
photo by Amy Willard

The Honda Civic Tour, which hit Connecticut, on Saturday May 10^th proved to be a night of entertainment, great sound, and of course rock. The concert opened just before 6:30 PM with Doug Neuman, a jazz cover artist. While he demonstrated he has a good voice, singing songs like Fall Out Boy’s "Dance Dance," placed him outside of the style of the concert.

It wasn’t until 7:00 PM when Phantom Planet took the stage, dawning their own band shirts and jackets, that the audience rose to their feet. Even though they got off to a rough start with some rocky vocals, the band had electrifying energy and guitar solos performing songs off their Raise the Dead album such as "Geronimo," "Do the Panic," "The Living Dead," and their hit single "California" off The Guest record.

After a fifteen minute intermission, The Hush Sound performed keeping the momentum that Phantom Planet had generated. After Brendan Urie, lead singer of Panic at the Disco, came out to perform a quick solo, The Hush Sound continued by rocking out their hit songs "Honey" and "Wine Red." These songs show the audience that they are a band to watch out for and that they have a surprisingly good sound. The alternative rock quartet from Chicago have a jazz type feel with the piano that adds an element a lot of other bands today do not have.

Motion City Soundtrack's set soon followed and really got fans excited. They had such a strong opening with "My Favorite Accident" and their high energy continued throughout their performance. The few technical difficulties they experienced did not take away from the intense enthusiasm the band showed. After hearing and seeing them perform "Everything," "Broken Heart," "Time Turned," and many others, anyone can tell that Motion City Soundtrack has really come into their own and improved their stage presence and it seems they are only going to get better from here.

Everyone in the audience was standing from the moment they entered the stage to the last note of the last song even through the slower songs like ‘Last Night.’ The entire band was constantly moving and jumping around including the keyboardist and the drummer. The performance ended with their hit "The Future Freaks Me Out" and the entire band throwing everything off stage from drum sticks to water bottles and set lists leaving the audience to try and grab anything they can from the band’s amazing set.

The main event for the evening, Panic at the Disco, took to the stage with their sophomore album Pretty Odd With the new songs came a new sound that has a mix of hard and soft rock with positive lyrics. While they played a good amount of new and old tracks, the audience seemed to have more energy then the band, which is unlike their previous shows.

Many of their hit singles such as "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" and "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," were slowed down in tempo and did not have the same power that they once did. "Strike Up The Band" showed a little excitement with the guitar solos, but it seemed like the entire band and especially the lead singer, Urie, were holding back. "Folkin Around" also added a country sound to the mix whereas songs like "Northern Downpour" had more of Beatles type sound. Even though many of the fans were excited just to be at the concert, Panic at the Disco seemed to be just a shadow of their former selves.

Vanilla Sky returns to Rome

Brian Autore of Vanilla Sky performs at Alpheus in Rome

by Amy Willard
photos by Amy Willard

It's a Friday night and after getting lost for about twenty minutes, I arrived to a familiar scene, a quiet neighborhood, and a crowd of teenagers anxiously awaiting something--only I wasn't in DC, I was in Rome. [Yeah, Rome, Italy.]

So what were about a hundred kids, dawned in dark jeans, Converse, and studded belts waiting for? Well, from the outside you really wouldn't know. Standing at an unmarked building with a gate around the door wouldn't exactly explain much, but the sounds from inside was definitely an indicator that something was happening.

I was about to dip my toe into the Italian music scene at a club called Alpheus. After waiting about thirty minutes, and receiving puzzling looks from just about every face in line, I was finally let into the show.

I made my way to a small stage, situated in a room, probably about half of the size of the 9:30 Club. As I turned around to watch the door, dozens of kids began packing in at the front of the stage. It didn't take long for me to realize that this concert would take me back to shows in the US, as a swarm of boys starting pushing each other around creating an infamous mosh pit.

Luckily I was able to seek refuge between the barricade and stage. At around 22:00 [10:00 PM] the first act took the stage. I had no idea who was opening the evening, nor did the girl standing next to me, but we lent our ears.

The openers happened to be a local band called Scenario. They are a hardcore/screamo act with tons of energy. Normally I'm not into that genre, but I found my self bobbing along. Feel free to give them a listen at http://www.myspace.com/scenariomusic.

About an hour after the start, it was time for the headliner, Vanilla Sky (the band, not the movie). As an anxious crowd began to cheer, the four Roman based musicians took to the stage. Dawning a white Atticus T-shirt, lead singer, Brian Autore, took to the center microphone and announced "BUONA SERA!! SIAMO VANILLA SKY!!" [GOOD EVENING! WE ARE VANILLA SKY!]

The Roman quartet opened their set with "Nightmare," the third track off of their 2007 album, Changes. The face paced, pop-punk hit quickly got the crowd moving. A little mix up in the sound interrupted the opening, but the guys brushed it off and recovered quick.

Vanilla Sky played an array of songs from their album, as well as a few covers I never saw coming. One of which included Vanessa Carlton's "Thousand Miles,"-- which I have to say, sounds pretty good in a rock scenario.

Then guitarist, Vincenzo Mario Cristi, transitioned into a cover of Blink 182's "Small Things," as bassist, Francesco Sarsano, selected a girl and two guys to come up on stage, one of which could have been mistaken for drummer, Luca Alessandrelli's, long lost brother. After a few moments of hesitation, the guests quickly took to the mics to carry out the song.

Halfway through the show, the band exited the stage, leaving fans restless in the pit. Suddenly the cheers for Brian or Vinx turned to a chant.. "VA-NIL-LA! VA-NIL-LA!" As the crowd grew louder, Autore took to the stage for a solo performance of "Broken Car," from their 2004 record, Waiting for Something.

The band continued to play a great set, alternating between songs in English and Italian. I would tell you what they said between songs... but my Italian isn't that good. The set list also included their recent single, "Se Voui Andare," which has an English version entitled, "Goodbye."

Vanilla Sky wrapped up their hometown performance with their infamous cover of Rhianna's "Umbrella." When I first heard these guys had such a cover, I had my doubts. Hearing it live, however, I would pick their version any day.

Overall, the concert was energetic and enjoyable. In all honesty, I was afraid that they were going to be a CD only band--great in a studio, terrible on stage-- but hearing them live confirmed that they in fact have talent.

I had a chance to briefly chat with Cristi aka Vinx after the show. He thanked me for coming but felt the band did awful that night. Sorry man, but I'm going to have to disagree.

Vanilla Sky is continuing to tour through Europe with their album, Changes, so be sure to catch them live if you can! Also, if you're in the United State, head over to Eventful.com and DEMAND them for a city near you.

The complete set list: [grazie a Vinx]
Nightmare
Your Words
Cut Away
Se Vuoi Andare
Distance
On & On
A Thousand Miles/Small Things
XMas Girl
Gotta Believe
Letargo
Devastante
Break It Out
Broken Car
Unfriend
Umbrella
The Ghost Track


for more photos, please visit http://www.myspace.com/barricadebuzz

Nathanson Returns to Boston

By Amy Willard
photo by Amy Willard

On a warm, August evening, Boston's Copley Square patiently waited the arrival of San Francisco singer/song writer, Matt Nathanson.

The free show from WBOS radio concluded a summer long concert series which previously featured recording artists: Brandi Carlile and Fountains of Wayne.

Nathanson, a former Massachusetts resident, returned to his home stage, opening up his set with his debut single, "Car Crash," from his latest album, Some Mad Hope, which hit stores earlier this week.

The record has been several years in the making for the California based artist, and is a compilation of inspirational ballads that “depict both a personal and musical transformation,” as one long term fan, Jennifer Penna, 20, said after driving more than three hours from Connecticut to attend the concert.

Those who are unfamiliar with Nathanson’s previous work can still understand his new direction by simply listening to the opening lyrics, "I'm wide awake and so alive..."

The free concert served as crucial promotion for the record, providing enjoyable entertainment for loyal fans and unsuspecting tourists to Boston that evening. Although the balancing on the microphones appeared to give the artist some difficulty, Nathanson still delivered a sound performance.

"Come On Get Higher" and "To The Beat of Our Noisy Hearts" really got the crowd moving, as Nathanson passionately delivered his fresh set of lyrics. Although the performance featured primarily new songs, he did appease long time listeners with his older work, including "Angel,” a song he dedicated to "the great Bruce Springsteen.”

Other moments in the show included a rendition of "I Want You To Want Me" by Cheap Trick, and Journey's ever popular, "Don't Stop Believing," which "really gets any concert going,” according to Nathanson.

The show slowed to the original finale of "All We Are," the concluding track on Some Mad Hope. It was quickly revived, however, with his notorious cover of James’s "Laid,” featured on the soundtrack to American Wedding.

Despite having to reserve himself from his normal concert routine of vulgar language and hilarious, but inappropriate stories that can only be described as an “experience,” Nathanson delivered yet another passionate performance. Be sure to catch this San Francisco artist on tour next summer and pick up Some Mad Hope.

Lifehouse proves just who they are

By Amy Willard

The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. was all abuzz Wednesday night, as Lifehouse set the stage for main headliner, the Goo Goo Dolls. The California based trio opened their set with nostalgia as they welcomed the crowd with "Spin" from their 2002 album, Stanley Climbfall.
Lead singer and guitarist, Jason Wade, had fans quickly singing along as he transitioned into the 2000 hit, "Hanging By a Moment." Looking out into the crowd, Wade expressed his gratitude to fans and said he was glad to be back in the state. Lifehouse has not performed in Connecticut since April 2005, at Toad's Place in New Haven.
The guys mellowed the place of the show with new songs, such as "Whatever It Takes," from their latest release titled, Who We Are. After reading a few signs and welcoming a fan one thousand miles, from Wisconsin, they covered rock and roll legends, The Rolling Stones, with their alternative rendition of "Beast of Burden."
Lifehouse continued to play tracks off of their new album, as well as their infamous single "You and Me" off their self-titled 2005 release. The show concluded with their latest single, "First Time," and "Broken," the fifth track off of Who We Are.
These California rockers certainly did not disappoint. They put on a great performance, it is definitely a shame their set could not go on longer. If you are a long time fan, newcomer, or are looking for a great alternative rock band to see live, catch Lifehouse on tour.

Complete Set List [July 25, 2007]
Spin
Hanging By a Moment
Whatever It Takes
Who We Are
Beast of Burden [cover]
The Joke
You and Me
First Time
Broken