I had the pleasure of seeing Camera Obscura at SXSW in 2006, and their following has apparently grown considerably in the past few years. People spilled out of the tent onto the lawns of the French Legation Museum and abandoned the folding chairs around the edges to catch a look. A few people couldn’t restrain themselves from making unsolicited requests for songs from Underachievers Please Try Harder. (And while that practice is only slightly less reprehensible than requesting Freebird, I secretly agreed with the sentiment.) Regardless of any requests, the band obliged us with a set list that included favorites from both Underachievers and Let’s Get Out of This Country, with all the 60s pop and R&B sounds, and Tracyanne Campbell’s achingly beautiful voice.
But despite the excited and cheerful crowd and equally sunny setting, the performance seemed subdued---true to the songs, but lacking in any particular live energy. I know the songs have a twinge of melancholy, but I still expected to see at least the hint of a smile, or any emotion really, from the band. And I know this is not polite to say, but Cambell looked pretty jet lagged, or at least nonplussed. So like most people under the tent, I was already a fan of the songs and was happy to be there, but I couldn’t help but notice that maybe Camera Obscura was underachieving a bit in their performance.
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The Grouch + Mr. F.A.B. + Fawshawn & Exile + The Prime - 12/15
Backspace
Portugal. The Man + World's Greatest Ghosts - 12/18
Doug Fir Lounge
The Rural Alberta Advantage + Blunt Mechanic + Monarques - 12/18
Backspace
Portugal. The Man + Jared Mees & The Grown Children - 12/19
Doug Fir Lounge
The Cave Singers + Haley Bonar - 12/20
Mississippi Studios
Four Tet - 2/26
Doug Fir Lounge
The Builders And The Butchers + Federale + Dr. Helicopter - 12/31
Mississippi Studios
Red Cortez sounds pretty good, from listening to their MySpace afterward - driving rock with hints of blues and soul.Perhaps they need time to tweek their live sound, as a handful of dedicated fans who clearly knew the music stood up front,singing along and flashing their cameras.
by Home theater discount on Fri Dec 11, 2009 at 07.48 am from the entry: Red Cortez - Radio Room (SXSW 2009; Mar. 18, 2009)
Thank you for distributing this (and thank you for taping, whoever that was!)!
I was on a trip to Oregon from Canada when I attended this show. Unfortunately I had to leave before the encore and I’ve been dying to see what I missed. Now I can relive the amazing moments and finally hear the encore!
Cheers
by Caleb on Fri Dec 11, 2009 at 06.44 am from the entry: Download a Yo La Tengo show: live in Portland (soundboard/audience matrix)
Haven’t heard a better remix yet - looking for one though.
Also, way to use EE for the site. 
by Luke on Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 08.15 pm from the entry: Sick remix of The xx's "Infinity"
ari: ha!
and, is it just me, or do others find wayne terribly grating? after listening to 5 of his tracks it feels like i’ve been listening for an hour and a half. getting through an entire record is an extreme feat. don’t get me wrong - i think he’s a great rapper. but only in small doses.
by josh on Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 04.45 pm from the entry: Lil Wayne is going to jail
i think your analysis chris, is on point. but what does that say about wale, or the record business in general, that two mixtapes are markedly better than a studio release?
by josh on Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 04.41 pm from the entry: Wale - "Attention Deficit" - Borrow It
Er, *Vuitton.
by Ari on Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 04.19 pm from the entry: Lil Wayne is going to jail
It was obviously someone else’s fault that the gun was found. Probably whoever hid the gun in a Louis Vitton bag and tossed it out the window (Wayne).
But totally, if he was just going to use it to protect himself (like how most weapons in bags thrown out windows are used), it’s all good. Cops, man.
He was also using the following to protect himself, as it was also found on his tour bus:
105 grams of marijuana
29 grams of cocaine
41 grams of ecstasy
drug paraphernalia
a handgun
A different handgun. The previous year.
Helluva fine artist. A fairly middlin’ criminal, me thinks.
by Ari on Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 04.17 pm from the entry: Lil Wayne is going to jail
