ends of the earth

michael emailed me today. he had an extra ticket for the dirty three, who were playing tonight at the great american music hall. i have a few of their albums ("ocean songs", "whatever you love, you are", and "she has no strings apollo") which i like enough so i figured it'd be cool to go. from what i know, they're a three-piece band, the main instruments being guitar, violin, and drums. there was a fourth person for the show, playing violin and bass. these guys were exhilarating. the lead violinist, warren ellis (who also plays with nick cave and the bad seeds), was a fucking madman. for the most part, he played with his back to the crowd. he played with so much fire and passion, you could see it in his body movements and you could hear it in the music. and it wasn't just him, it was all of them. when they homed in on a groove, you could feel it in the air, it was almost something you could grab. it was beautiful.

i think dirty three are one of those type of bands one has to see live in order to really appreciate what they're doing. the albums that i know, they seem so subtle; like they're holding back. on stage, they simply let loose. they have a deft touch, as well. they know how to pull it back in and have the audience hanging on each note. they're playing a second show, so i recommend going to see them if you're in san francisco tomorrow night (wednesday) with a few hours to spare. even if you're not around here, just go whenever they come to your town. you'll thank me for it. A+++++++!!!~~~!

some links for your clicking pleasure:
dirtythree.com
thebillionscorporation.com
anchorandhope.com
u.s. tour dates (there are european dates listed at dirtythree.com):
october
11 San Francisco Great American Music Hall
12 San Francisco Great American Music Hall
13 Los Angeles Knitting Factory
15 Chicago Metro
16 Boston Museum of Fine Art
17 New York Bowery Ballroom