Live: Patterson Hood and the Downtown Rumblers with Hope For Agoldensummer at Bowery Ballroom 9.17.12

It's been a bit since I've seen Patterson play solo, and in this day and age, its probably more apt to say see his solo band, as the number of band members seems to increase with every tour. The Downtown Rumblers feature two multi-instrumentalist ladies (that also comprised the opening Hope For Agoldensummer) along with EZ B and Jay from DBT and a cellist.

Why these shows never draw as well as DBT shows is beyond me, but there was a decent enough crowd there for an average (in length) set from Patterson, almost two hours of older solo set perennials like Pride Of The Yankees and Pay No Attention To Alice along with a bunch of tracks from his new solo Heat Lightning Rumbles In The Distance. Set list is below.

12:01
Leaving Time
Little Bonnie
Pride of the Yankees
Daddy Needs a Drink
Better Than The Truth
Disappear
September Gurls
After The Damage
Uncle Disney
(Untold Pretties)
Pay No Attention To Alice
Betty Ford
Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance
Come Back Little Star
Fifteen Days (Leaving Time)
-Encore
The Righteous Path
Better Off Without
Polyanna
A World of Hurt
Back of a Bible
Bulldozers and Dirt

Patterson was in good voice, and the non-DBT musical elements made for a nice change of pace from his day band's live fare. And he closed with Bulldozers and Dirt, so you'd be foolish to complain. Or to have missed him. Don't get caught guessing a second time. Keep tabs on live dates and all other things P. Hood here and look for a review of the new record at JS-NYC soon.

R

Jaded Scenester NYC: Best EPs of 2011

As I understand, it's in the way that you use it, or so the Michelobs are telling me. Here's the JS-NYC take on all things short format in 2011.

1.  Iron Chic – Split & Shit EP
Their crowd is getting a little wearisome to this old bastard, but when it comes to hooky LIHC with a decided post-Lifetime bent, you can't go wrong with Iron Chic or Split & Shit.

2.  Drive-By Truckers – Sometimes Late At Night EP. It's chaos as usual for Team DBT, with bassist/singer Shonna Tucker the latest to depart in the time-honored ambiguous circumstances. This EP came out before the split, featuring a handful of live tracks and a studio version of the Vic Chestnutt tune, When I Ran Off And Left Her. Be interesting to see what's next for these Sons Of The South.

3.  The Hold Steady – Live from Soho EP
I still miss Franz, but this is a pretty solid eight song showing from Team THS. I'm intrigued to see how Craig's solo record impacts things as/re: the new (non-Vagrant?) record. I'm calling ATO as the winner, unless they score themselves a too-good-to-be-true major deal with Anti.

4.  Restorations – The Key Studios EP
Restorations have been a big deal for me over the last year ago and I was glad they sweetened the top with this live recording. Five great takes, with a little studio banter to remind you its not all glowering and dynamic shifts with these nice young men.

5.  Chixdiggit – Safeways Here We Come EP
Chixdiggit pretty much redeemed their last half-hearted junket through town with a fun EP and a great set with Kepi Ghoulie on an East River Rocks Off death barge. On Fat Wreck again, as well. While Hot n' Horny is embarassing for guys as old as these dudes, Since You Got A Dog continues to be an anthem for our times.

6.  Armalite – Humongous 7”
The eight year locusts of hardcore re-emerge from dormancy to drop three jolts of post-D4 Philly punkcore. Boo-ya. And Go! for that matter.

7.  Jon Snodgrass – Tri-State Record
I wish Jon would pull a Wedding Present and release a song a month and then offer a catch-up comp release at the end of the year, as he's almost prolific to a fault. Tri-State Record is the best cumilitive record this year, although the Scorpios record is quite a little delight as well.

8.  Superchunk/Coliseum - Record Store Day 7”

C'mon: The Chunk and Coliseum togther doing Misfits covers. That's worth a spin.

9.  Bobby Bare Jr. – a storm, a tree, an acoustic ep EP
The companion EP to A Storm, A Tree, My Mother's Head gave nerds and completists a shot at the demos that fostered the full-length.

10.  Trash Talk – Awake EP
Blaaaah! Blaah-Blaah-Blaah-Blaah! Circle Pit. Mosh-mosh-mosh. Chug.

Drive-By Truckers - Sometimes Late At Night EP

Drive-By Truckers have been their usual prolific selves of late, dropping two full-length in the last year. The most recent is Go-Go Boots and it may very well be the best release of the post-Isbell DBT era. Never ones to let the opportunity to release another recording slide, the band has released this companion EP called Sometimes Late At Night. It's got a studio cover of the Vic Chestnutt track When I Ran Off And Left Her, plus four live tracks. The closing live Buttholeville (dovetailed with State Trooper) features Cody Dickinson of North Mississippi All-Stars for added jam value. It's been getting a little tired saying how good DBT have been of late, but it's true once again with Sometimes Late At Night. The live versions of Buckets Of Mercy and Everybody Needs Love are pretty stellar and the Vic cover is pretty choice, too. Cover art is pretty aces, too. Get this from iTunes or from the DBT web presence here.

R