grinch
Cognac....icky.Scotch....icky.Vodka....
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- Jan 1, 2002
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[size=xx-small]crappy phone/camera pic:[/size]
I saw these guys last night athe Knitting Factory in NYC and it was a very enjoyable show. If you don't know, this is the remainder of Sunny Day Real Estate (minus Dan Hoerner, who sold out to play a stint with mega-sellout Dashboard Confessional, but that's another story), including Jeremy Enigk, who was always the heart and soul of the band, for me anyways. They'd been working on an album for over two years, occasionally posting an unmixed/unmastered mp3 on their webpage for fans to gobble up, without much word about what was going on with them. Then suddenly a small tour late last year, no album to promote, but a bunch of small shows to just get the band's name out there again. I went to this gathering at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC and it was quite mind opening. I hadn't seen Jeremy on stage since ~2000 and I had almost forgotten the magical performance he always manages to put on. I remember being somewhat disappointed though, as they didn't play a single Sunny Day song. Oh well, it was a great show anyway.
So anyway, back to last night, same deal went down only this time they have an album to promote and a full assortment of shirts, stickers, posters and other goodies at the "merch" stand. Their album came out last month on Rykodisc, and I hadn't yet picked it up so I grabbed it there for $14. The show was more of the same really. I find that there's something about Jeremy Enigk that doesn't ever need refreshing or changing or expanding or anything. If anything I'd say these songs are slightly more focused and guitar-rock based than the bulk of Sunny Day's stuff. Of course, there were plenty of elongated jam sessions with few lyrics. It was during one of these elated performances that really made me realize how so very few bands ever have moments on stage where every member has their eyes closed and just letting the music flow out of them towards heaven and everything else. It was really good to see some heart onstage.
Jeremy was outside greeting fans before the show even, which I thought was really refreshing as well. It makes me realize how much he really seems to care for his fans and how he really appreciates their applause and feedback. His attitude was the same as that first show I went to in that very respect.
After the main set, he and the other guitarist came out and played a song together, announcing beforehand that they, "don't have many songs, so [they're] going to play one from six or seven years ago." Heads went up for that, as they started and played a song from Jeremy's not-so-popular solo album. Of course, he would have to pick the one bit of his work that I haven't heard in close to two years. Oh well, it was a good song nonetheless. They played one more after that, with Jeremy on the keyboards for the first time of the night, and that concluded the performance.
All in all I'd recommend any Sunny Day fan to pick up this album and try to catch the live show. If you've never had the pleasure of seeing Jeremy Enigk live, I highly suggest you make it to one of these performances as very few shows reach this level of joy in the performers.
I saw these guys last night athe Knitting Factory in NYC and it was a very enjoyable show. If you don't know, this is the remainder of Sunny Day Real Estate (minus Dan Hoerner, who sold out to play a stint with mega-sellout Dashboard Confessional, but that's another story), including Jeremy Enigk, who was always the heart and soul of the band, for me anyways. They'd been working on an album for over two years, occasionally posting an unmixed/unmastered mp3 on their webpage for fans to gobble up, without much word about what was going on with them. Then suddenly a small tour late last year, no album to promote, but a bunch of small shows to just get the band's name out there again. I went to this gathering at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC and it was quite mind opening. I hadn't seen Jeremy on stage since ~2000 and I had almost forgotten the magical performance he always manages to put on. I remember being somewhat disappointed though, as they didn't play a single Sunny Day song. Oh well, it was a great show anyway.
So anyway, back to last night, same deal went down only this time they have an album to promote and a full assortment of shirts, stickers, posters and other goodies at the "merch" stand. Their album came out last month on Rykodisc, and I hadn't yet picked it up so I grabbed it there for $14. The show was more of the same really. I find that there's something about Jeremy Enigk that doesn't ever need refreshing or changing or expanding or anything. If anything I'd say these songs are slightly more focused and guitar-rock based than the bulk of Sunny Day's stuff. Of course, there were plenty of elongated jam sessions with few lyrics. It was during one of these elated performances that really made me realize how so very few bands ever have moments on stage where every member has their eyes closed and just letting the music flow out of them towards heaven and everything else. It was really good to see some heart onstage.
Jeremy was outside greeting fans before the show even, which I thought was really refreshing as well. It makes me realize how much he really seems to care for his fans and how he really appreciates their applause and feedback. His attitude was the same as that first show I went to in that very respect.
After the main set, he and the other guitarist came out and played a song together, announcing beforehand that they, "don't have many songs, so [they're] going to play one from six or seven years ago." Heads went up for that, as they started and played a song from Jeremy's not-so-popular solo album. Of course, he would have to pick the one bit of his work that I haven't heard in close to two years. Oh well, it was a good song nonetheless. They played one more after that, with Jeremy on the keyboards for the first time of the night, and that concluded the performance.
All in all I'd recommend any Sunny Day fan to pick up this album and try to catch the live show. If you've never had the pleasure of seeing Jeremy Enigk live, I highly suggest you make it to one of these performances as very few shows reach this level of joy in the performers.
