Concert Review: MOKB Presents My Morning Jacket: Indianapolis, August 7, 2011
My Morning Jacket brought their traveling circus to Indianapolis’ White River State Park on Sunday night. The band played a mammoth 23-song set just a day after headlining Chicago’s 20th Anniversary Lollapalooza festival, adhering to the motto: You don’t take nights off while conquering the world.
The concert was a homecoming for the band’s long-time guitarist Carl Broemel. A graduate of Pike High School, Broemel grew up playing in local band Old Pike before studying guitar at IU. My Morning Jacket picked him up in 2004 after two of the band’s members had quit. He has since carved out an important niche in the Jim James led outfit, lending his talents on guitar, saxophone, vocals and lap steel.
Tracks from My Morning Jacket’s latest summer soundtrack Circuital dominated the setlist Sunday night. The band looked a tad drowsy on the first few songs of the evening but throttled into high gear shortly thereafter. By the time they played “Mahgeetah” from 2003’s It Still Moves The Lawn had reached full-on party mode.
This is a band that displays clearly its ten years of experience. They hit on every cylinder with a catalog of songs that span an astonishing range of genres—the mish mash of sounds are all bound together by James. His vocal influence can be felt on so many of today’s hottest acts.
James stands alone in his natural born ability to entertain. He has learned over the years when to push an audience’s buttons. When to dance like a mad man. He wears his heart on his sleeve, constantly offering an emotional earnestness to the crowd that often seems false or contrived with other performers. It is James’ ability to constantly appear genuine that allows My Morning Jacket to frolic so boldly from style to style without alienating their audience.
A decade in their rear view, these guys are fucking rock stars with serious chops. This ship will continue sailing as long as the band can tolerate each other. If Sunday night was any indication, they are all having entirely too much fun to hop off the bus any time soon.
Written and experienced by Rob Peoni
Top photograph courtesy of Sam Kowal.
Inset photograph courtesy of Michael Stephenson.
Click HERE for previous Thought on Tracks coverage of My Morning Jacket.
Album Release: Hotfox – You, Me, and the Monster
You, Me, and the Monster the debut disc from Indianapolis band Hotfox was released by Roaring Colonel Records on Friday. To celebrate, the band threw a launch party and played a set at Earth House Collective showcasing the new tracks. Muncie acts The Bonesetters and Slothpop rounded out the bill.
One recurring thought kept rattling around my brain while watching Hotfox’s set: Damn, these kids are babies. But their youth worked to their advantage on Friday and may continue to do so into the future. These kids are too young to know any better. Too naïve to realize they should be intimidated or nervous. They owned Earth House on Friday night.
That being said, You, Me, and the Monster proves that Hotfox is as capable of producing a balanced, successful record as they are creating a balanced, successful setlist. “Mountain Tiger”, “Tombstone Teeth” and “The Dollar Theatre” are my takeaway tracks from the album, but the disc is strong start to finish. Do not sell these guys short based on their youth. After all, angry teenagers once served as the foundation for rock n roll as we know it.
During Hotfox’s last song I stepped outside Earth House for a cigarette, waiting near the exit for friends who would soon be joining. Moments later, guitarist Duncan Kissinger burst through the doors, walking at a frenzied pace down New York St. as if he had just conquered the world. I wanted to reach out and say, “Whoa bud, you are going to have a lot more venues to conquer and fans to win over. Remember this feeling and then duplicate it every night you play.”
For more on the band, check out their Facebook page. All videos were obtained via The In-Store. Stay tuned for Brett McGrath’s footage from Hotfox’s rendition of new track “AK-47.” Click here for the official video of “Mountain Tiger.”
Thought on Tracks 