Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival 2009

Let's put this into perspective. We traveled from Ottawa to Vancouver expressly to see this show. First time at GM Place - WTF? No bar inside to have a drink BEFORE the show - just concessions?

Bushwalla opened and was awesome. Only three songs - but audience participation that was magical. He then introduced K'Naan. This is the reason why people usually skip the opening act. He started with some really nice tunes but then went into a lecture about Somalia and Africa and the political situation there. Look, we get it - you're all about Africa - but no one came to get lectured. Shut up and play - which he didn't - he would interrupt songs to make political statements and then even called out the wrong city (TO instead of Vancouver).

To make it worse, after he left, it took over 45 minutes for Jason's stage to get set. How do I know? When you can play the entire standard Cars album and then some, you're definitely in there way too long.

When Jason did finally come out, it was closer to 9 than the 7pm the show started at. He played for one hour before the encore - 60 minutes - 10 songs, very nice, a great duet with Bushwalla, but with 10 songs, you really shouldn't try to pull in the audience participation on the 3rd song as though you had been playing for a while. We had pretty good seats where we could see the stage and their faces. Until they did the encore - at the other END of the arena. Nice idea but his back was to the audience the entire time. People were leaving - some to try and get to the front. I felt for the floor audience who had been waiting since 5pm to get in (we saw them) and then they got 1 hour and then had to rush the other stage.

We left at that point - I know his last song was to be Butterfly - he played three songs in the other area. Not sure how he got back to the main stage but he did.

I think the stadium production isn't the way to see Jason Mraz - he wanted to please everyone and in the end, didn't please anyone. And dump K'Naan - he obviously doesn't get how to be an opening act. I wish Bushwalla had done the entire opening thing.

I give them points for making a pretty successful career off of smarmy, mindless songs. They're proficient at playing their respective instruments, but are unable to craft songs that stimulate any more than a few brain cells. With this in mind, Dave Matthews Band would be more suitable as studio musicians or fill-ins for more talented artists.

I saw Bettye Lavette on Conan O'Brien last night (Jan. 16th) and was absolutely KNOCKED OUT. I live 50 miles from Detroit, and had never heard of her! I admit I am not much of a consumer of music, but I am wondering why she hasn't got a larger presence around here, and indeed, everywhere. She was great! Her voice has a lot of feeling and character, like a cross between Aretha and Janis Joplin. Her band played PERFECT FUNKY MUSIC, and the overall performance made a convert out of me. Two big thumbs up from this dude.

Jones has risen above self-caricature, delivering songs with a stylistic and vocal range that exceeds both the parodies and any other singer on any other stage today. Check out the Kiss Festival video to see the old man move.

Collabs and contributors include David Bowie, Nick Zinner (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Katrina Ford (of Celebration) and the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra.

If you haven't yet heard their 2006 album 'Return to Cookie Mountain' you're missing out...

KCRW turned me onto this LA-based trippy band with layered acid sounds and vocals that are positively celestial. Sonically somewhat like an electric and dreamscapey Brian Eno though more complex with multiple instruments and more hooks and grooves, but pulsing live and meditative at the same time. Caught them live at the Independent in SF last week. Added bonus: Lead vocalist is enchanting, sultry and gorgeous. True to their LA roots, they put out a big presence, a heart-stopping show without being premeditated or cliched. They have a sound all their own and deserve a place at the pop-trance musical altar

Tom Jones has always been a performer that I have had an odd fascination with. He amuses me greatly and I suspect that has alot to do with the fact that he is so closely tied to Carlton from "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air". Now, I must see him before I loose the chance to.

I'm not so much a fan of listening to their music which sounds too similar but I think they're outstanding in concert, a great live band that you can just hand out and enjoy.

What Weird Al was to the eighties and nineties, Tenacious D is to 2000!!
Hmm... I take that back... that doesn't really do these guys justice.