Asian Dan Summer 2009 Tour Review: Phoenix, A-Trak, Major Lazer, and Passion Pit
Photo by J-CIO
Last week was the Asian Dan Summer 2009 Tour a 4 day marathon of shows in NYC and Boston featuring Phoenix, A-Trak, Major Lazer, Steve Aoki, Auto Erotique and Passion Pit. Special thanks to Glassnote Records, Biz 3 Publicity, Adam Gill of Embrace Productions, Nicky Digital and Shuttle for hooking it up.
Phoenix – Live @ Paradise – Boston, MA – 6.17.2009
The tour started off in Boston with Phoenix. Amazing show. Finally Phoenix is getting the attention and respect they deserve for being such great pop that are able to move minds, hearts, and feet with . And everyone who thinks they are just a slick pop rock band, the drummer Thomas Hedlund shows that they are really rock and roll through and through. What a beast of a drummer, he is just so amusing to watch. I was most impressed by the songs they played off of It’s Never Been Like That such as “Rally” and “Sometimes in the Fall”, they had this raw quality that reminded me of The Police. The amazing setlist after the jump!
Photos by The Phoenix
Embrace Presents Bacardi B-Live featuring A-Trak, Major Lazer, and more – Live @ House of Blues – Boston, MA – 6.18.2009
Thursday night Bacardi’s B-Live show came to Boston’s House of Blues, I was most excited for Major Lazer and A-Trak. Got there as Matt & Kim started their set which was indie-tastic and lackluster, Kim is quite the energetic young lady. Steve Porter spun but did not play his Slap Chop Remix so I was thoroughly disappointed. A-Trak came on next and as usual struck the balance between technical proficiency, amazing track selection and overall just geting the crowd moving. Props to him. Major Lazer closed the night but unfortunately half the crowd had left and Diplo and Switch didn’t seem too into it. But they made up for it by dropping “Pon De Floor”, one of my summer jams.
Photo by Nicky Digital
Phoenix – Live @ Terminal 5 – 6.19.2009
Phoenix in my opinion is one of the most underrated bands of the past 10 years and am glad they finally getting the recommendation and respect they deserve. Which is warrants me seeing them twice in less than 3 days. Terminal 5 is not the best venue to see a band but Phoenix was able to blow me away again. Once again their drummer, Thomas Hedlund just astonished me. I also noticed how much guitarist, Christian Mazzalai reminds me of Jimmy Page. After seeing Phoenix live twice they have solidified my opinion that they are my favorite band of the last 10 years.
Steve Aoki & Auto Erotique – Live @ Webster Hall – 6.19.2009
After Phoenix I rolled down to Webster Hall to with Mr. Nicky Digital to catch Steve Aoki and Co. I was impressed by Auto Erotique who brought it quite hard, everyone watch out for this other Toronto duo. <3 T-dot. Check out a quick Asian Dan Q&A with Auto Erotique from a few months back here.
Photos by The Edgitator
Passion Pit – Live @ Bowery Ballroom – 6.20.2009
I’ve never been a huge fan of Passion Pit but I think that is a huge element of pop music, that guilty pleasure element, that I shouldn’t like these guys because of all the hype and the hooks. There is no doubt that their music is direct, catchy, gets stuck in your head, and gets people moving. All the proper elements of pop music. Compared to everyone else in the band frontman Michael Angelakos did not seem as into it, I guess that is part of his whole cloistered/shy frontman M.O. Props to my boy Nate, Shuttle who held it down on the drums. Also be on the look out for an Asian Dan Exclusive Shuttle Mix in the near future 🙂
Checkout after the jump Phoenix’s setlist from the Boston and NYC show, their Letterman Performance of “1901”, and a interview from The Fader with A-Trak in Boston.
