“Let’s hear it for New Yoooooork.” Early on in Julian’s set at Terminal 5 last night, the first of a pair at that Hell’s Kitchen hellhole, he began paying props to Alicia Keys’s performance on SNL. “Both songs,” he said, but it was “Empire State Of Mind” he kept teasing. It was the solo Stroke’s “first show in New York in a long fucking time,” and though it’s often difficult to pin down his mood through that ever-present onstage mumble — sober or not — clearly he was glad to be home. Julian’s career frustrations been highly publicized; this recent New York profile quotes him at length about how disappointed he was with RCA’s botched job promoting Phrazes For The Young, and how he hemorrhaged money on the elaborate stage sets towering over his run of L.A. shows, scrapping them entirely for these gigs. (“In the end, it wasn’t a positive experience for me at all … I went broke doing it.”) So last night we didn’t get Julian’s full vision for live Phrazes, though he “want[s] to do that in New York eventually. Badly.”
We also had to make sense of his material in the three-tiered boom-room that is Terminal 5, offering the acoustic experience of overhearing a music festival from inside a port-a-potty but with more high end. The trade off was worth it, though, spending a night with an icon of post-millennial cool who can still rock head-to-toe leather despite a signature move that amounts to hanging on a mic stand for dear life. He looked uncomfortable on the Tonight Show — though these days he isn’t the only one. Last night he was home.
The band at his back was tight, the material was almost exclusively from his solo record save a few covers. One being Kings Of Leon’s “Velvet Snow,” which is a bit like Eddie Vedder covering Creed but hey, a little something for the midtown bros (who were demonstrably psyched). More powerfully received was the “cover” of the Strokes’ “I’ll Try Anything Once.” The kids for their part jumped and danced and spat back most of Julian’s Phrazes word for word, but it was the response to that Strokes tune that put shit in focus: People want LP4. Which, by the sound of that New York article, finally has some real momentum. His voice sounded great, he looked the part, and don’t forget how savvy this dude is, right down to his choice for openers. As we know, his tastes are in line with ours, so inviting Tanlines and Telepathe to open was basically paying homage to his personal playlist. But also, while they’re dope acts capable of stellar live sets — the last time I saw Telepathe they conjured stormclouds at All Points West; the last time I saw Tanlines they whipped Market Hotel into a chilled out dance party — they’re also just duos, trading largely in synthetic beats. They made Julian look good on paper, and better in person. No two-piece set up behind a table of laptops is going to steal thunder from a sextet composed of monster-players looking like they were cherry-picked off Bedford Ave.
‘Round midnight, as the band shuffled offstage after a second encore, JC grabbed his drummer and instructed him to play a big backbeat, to which he added only his voice: “Let’s hear it for New York, these streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you.”
Thanks to Bao Nguyen for these photos, and to @GaryCanino for this clip (“Empire State Of Mind” starts a minute in):
SETLIST
1. “Ludlow St.”
2. “River Of Brakelights”
3. “11th Dimension”
4. “30 Minute Boyfriend”
5. “Out Of The Blue”
6. (New Song)
7. “Glass”
8. “Left & Right In The Dark”
//
9. “I’ll Try Anything Once”
10. “4 Chords of the Apocalypse”
//
11. “Tourist”
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Really? A KOL joke? That album was generally regarded by all as quality. Don’t mix up which KOL albums you’re supposed to hate.
Quality? Not really. One or two listenable songs at best. This guy plays 11 (mostly weak)songs and no one complains? My how people’s standards of what is great has dipped over the years.
Julian brought the house down. I saw him in London several years ago and he just stood there. He seems to be in a way better place emotionally. He actually engaged with the crowd, for instance. I was secretly hoping a Stroke or 4 would join him on stage, but no dice.
As for Telephathe, I’m going to go ahead and say they’re the worst band I’ve ever heard. This is coming from someone who used to go to A LOT of ska shows, i.e., I’ve seen more shitty opening punk bands than I care to remember. Telepathe was on that bill because they fit the bill aesthetically and sonically, in that the whole primal beats and synths thing is in. Less haircut, more talent, please.
While everyone is hoping for LP4 to come very soon, I thought he as his own did amazingly last night. The show was phenomenal, Tanlines was great, Telepathe began to drag a bit, but Julian was fucking incredible.
I think his homage to KOL is due to the fact they toured together and are great friends. Julian completely respects them as musicians and helped them get their foot in the door. I know Stereogum represents the new breed of snarky music fans who take in bands and then quickly spit them out to catch the new flavor never allowing themselves to savor and digest any one band because afraid they will lose their sense superiority i.e. coolness over everyone else (why I have a hard taking this site seriously) but if you map King of Leon career you would realize they have worked long and hard for their success. I pretty sure they have been on almost a constant tour since 2002. They are not my most favorite band but they have put out a number of songs I enjoy.
In addition, it was great to see JP Bowerstock in the band. He was the guru behind, “This is it,” as said by the Strokes. By the way, I think he has been working in music business a little longer to be cherry picked off Bedford Avenue, a destination that only recently became the mecca for your breed of hipsters. In fact, I know he has been resident of the East Village for years, back to the day when crossing Avenue A was asking for a type of assault. Even Julian and the Strokes were well into their success before Willamsburg became soup de jour. (If you are going to be snarky make sure you know what you are talking about first.)
And do you think Telepathe would be on his playlist? Really? I think you would know by now that opening bands are more a decision of the label and politics around it. I was so bored by them. They were the worst band I have seen in a long time. I am sure with good production team and then their music made into a remix by someone else, they would be interesting. I guess if you think about it they were good foil for Julian because they really highlighted Julian’s innate craftsmanship, talent and strong vocals.
I know Kings Of Leon toured with the Strokes — I first saw them 10/9/03 at the Tower in Philadelphia when they were promoting their first album, opening for the Strokes who were touring on their second (‘Room On Fire’). Julian’s reasons for covering the Followills weren’t at issue here, although their friendship doesn’t change the fact that Kings Of Leon came up in the wake of ‘Is This It,’ offering a Southern-fried version of it. (For what it’s worth, I found things to like about KoL’s first two albums; their drop off has less to do with my tastes than theirs.)
Actually, the Strokes were seeing success right around the time Williamsburg became the soup of the day.
http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/features/music2002/n_7734
To me, the East Village’s days as shorthand for the range of dress and attitude in Julian’s band are long over. I lived there, on 6th & Ave. A, for years before moving two blocks off Bedford; I’m not the only one to make that migration, and be run out by what it’s become. Wherever JP Bowersock lives now, you’ll find more people resembling him and the rest around McCarren Park than in Tompkins Square, which is presently overrun by Sex And The City types wearing Uggs and walking their puggles.
And I don’t think Telepathe would be on Julian’s playlist, I know they are. Click the link that says “his tastes” for the interview in which Julian talks about what he’s listening to these days. I realize that takes some effort, so I can just tell you here: Beirut, Dirty Projectors, Beach House, and Telepathe.
I agree with you though, knowing what you’re talking about is key.
Yea, I remembered KOL kinda started with them and are friends, as well.
JP’s last name is actually Bowersock. Sorry to nitpick.
I love Telepathe. Do they only do live shows with the two of them now?