Live Tweeting the Grammys
Happening right now on Twitter… until I get too bored.
Julian Casablancas Swaggers, Sings, and Causes Swooning @ Terminal 5
UPDATE: Ok, so in talking about the show with some old Strokes fan friends, people have express surprise at the fact that I enjoyed the show so much because…well, it’s just not the same without all the other Strokes. To that point I say this: No, it’s not The Strokes, but in my opinion, Julian is pretty much one of the best things about the band in the first place, so going to see a Julian Casablancas show is kinda like a Strokes show, but without all the other distractions.
That said, Julian’s music is much different than the regular Strokes fare. I like to think his solo work is more pop-based, and a little bit more carefree than Strokes songs. I also think his lyrics are more playful, the song structure more complicated and interesting, and the imagery more vivid. Perhaps that’s more of a reflection of his maturation as a songwriter than anything else, but any way you slice it, the solo stuff is great and you should be so lucky to see him perform it live.
The show last night wasn’t as elaborate as the ones he did in his LA residency (you know, the one that he felt were a fiasco) which included set pieces, costume changes, and an intermission, but it was polished, smooth, and successful. He truly seemed like he was having fun, and the crowd was enjoying it.
He seemed relaxed and at ease with himself and the songs — a very different energy than the one I remember when he plays with The Strokes. At Strokes shows, so much of the show is propelled by each of the band member’s energy bouncing off and pushing one another forward. At a Julian Casablancas show it seems much more like Julian is puttering along, guiding his backup band, and the pace of the show with the slow and steady push of his own internal performance propeller.
I’ve read in some tweets and reviews that people have been disappointed with Julian’s “lack of energy” on stage and I’d like to address that here: People who have seen The Strokes perform already know that JC doesn’t have that same inclination to roam or run around the stage like a frenetic 5 year old (or people like Chris Martin). He’s always been the kind of performer to stay more stationary.
Nevertheless I have always found him compelling to watch on stage. I think the pro-JC camp would agree with me when I say that it seems as though his energy is more focused on vocal expression than physical expression. He also can give a pretty mean intense stare. But he does have a physicality to his performance. With The Strokes his familiar moves seem to come from a place of internal aggression — the impassioned lapel grab, the back foot stomp, and the hand hitting side of the head move. As a solo artist, he seems to be a lot more fluid — his moves were more likely to swing on the side of a breezy waltz across the stage rather than a storming charge to-and-fro. Relaxed? Yes. Boring? No.
Toward the end of the performance he stepping into the crowd, much to the dismay of the event security staff, and before heading backstage he took the time to walk down the front of the stage and shake the outstretched hands in front of him — like some kind of rock star presidential candidate. All I know is he seemed quite happy — he tweeted “Thank you guys!” to his fans directly after the show — as did the audience, and that’s good enough for me.
RELATED LINKS: Saw my friends at Stereogum at the show, so please check out their review and photos once they’re up! Also check out coverage by Metromix, NY Press, 32f/second, Time Out NY
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Just came back from an awesome show at Terminal 5 courtesy of Mr. Julian Casablancas. Julian seemed overwhelmed by the warm greeting from the audience, thanking the crowd several times throughout the performance.
JC and the band blew through nearly all the songs on Phrazes for the Young, including “11th Dimension”, “Glass”, “Ludlow Street”, “Out of the Blue”, “River Of Brakelights”, and “4 Chords of the Apocalypse.” They also threw in some covers — notably a version of “Velvet Snow” by Kings of Leon and yes — an actual cover version of a Strokes song (albeit a b-side) called “I’ll Do Anything Once” as the encore. (See below.)
Continue reading ‘Julian Casablancas Swaggers, Sings, and Causes Swooning @ Terminal 5’ »
Julian Casablancas Talks Eats Momofuku and Talks about Child Rearing in NYC
Check out the interview Julian did with Jada Yuan in the latest issue of New York magazine. (The interview isn’t bad, the title of the store, “Different Stroke,” is quite unfortunate…)
Over a steaming bowl of pork ramen at Momofuku, Julian talks briefly about some of the issues that have plagued the Strokes in the past (“We split the money six ways, but we didn’t split the work.”), his disappointment in RCA (“They’re nice, they’re cool, but honestly they don’t do shit.”), and why he prefers NYC over LA (“L.A. is a vortex…I’m glad I got out of there.”).
All in all a pretty good interview, the photos are nice, and it sounds like Julian is happy and excited about the two shows he’s doing this week. Exciting!
Julian Casablancas Performs “Out of the Blue” on Letterman
Behold, a leather-clad Julian Casablancas performs “Out of the Blue” on Letterman:
Did you smile when Julian broke out his classic lapel-grabbing move? What about the blank stares into the distance? It’s good to have JC back in action!
Perhaps the best performance yet? Thoughts?
November and December 2009 in Under a Minute
Here’s some of what I did during the very busy holiday season in 2009:
Hipster karaoke, The Music Slut anniversary party with O’Death playing at Brooklyn Bowl, Kemado Records party, a visit to L.A., and other holiday fun!
VIDEO: Julian Casablancas “11th Dimension”
If you haven’t figured it out by now, Julian Casablancas‘s solo album, Phrazes for the Young is pretty much the greatest record released this year. Check out the new video for “11th Dimension”:
The totally ’80s bar sequence of this video (complete with Julian wearing a black tank top with gold chains) is AMAZING. Julian totally owns 1980s chic!
Julian Casablancas Plays “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” on Jimmy Fallon
Sorry, this year’s holiday season has been especially hectic, but just a quick post: I saw this a couple nights ago on Jimmy Fallon — Julian Casablancas, Jimmy, and Horatio Sanz doing “I Wish It Was Christmas Today.” EPIC:
Karen Elson Fell Into the Orchestra Pit at the British Fashion Awards
Whoops! Poor thing took a tumble during the British Fashion Awards gala!
Writes The Telegraph UK:
She walked straight into an ill-concealed “orchestra pit” and promptly disappeared from sight.
All the audience of fashion luminaries, including Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham, saw was a flash of Elson’s red velvet, Alexander McQueen fishtail gown, as she tumbled four feet downwards into the darkness.
…
She appeared, back on stage, within minutes, declaring:”I am the clumsiest person on this earth. I cannot believe I just did that.
“That is the worst fall I have ever had. I might have broken a rib, but I’m fine.”
Julian Casablancas at Terminal 5 – January 14th
Julian Casablancas just announced an upcoming New York City tour date at Terminal 5 via his Facebook page. The date is January 14th. On sale date and ticket info to come.
Get pumped!
Everything Changes…and Dead Weather on the Woodies
You may have noticed the lack of updates — sorry about that, but I just made a big move from my beloved (but tiny) Lower Manhattan apartment to… Brooklyn. Yup, I’ve officially defected to the “other” camp, and although I had my reservations, I’m loving it so far.
Anyhoo, finally got the internet and cable set up this week, and I just happen to catch the tail end of MTV’s Woodies awards last night, with a performance by the Dead Weather. Was it just me or was the sound AWFUL, and the camera work equally as disorienting?
Definitely not their best performance. What a shame, since their show at MHOW was so fantastic the night before.
Check out the video of their performance of “Cut Like a Buffalo”:
Continue reading ‘Everything Changes…and Dead Weather on the Woodies’ »
