M Ward w/the Watson Twins Pabst Theater
Milwaukee, WI July 19, 2008
M Ward made a quick stop in Milwaukee before his Saturday showcase at the Pitchfork Music Festival. Bringing with him a four-piece band that "rocked" its way through a set focused on his last two records. Ward opened the show dressed in his near-trademark hoodie and baseball cap performing "Chinese Translation" solo. The band then joined him for revved up versions of "Poison Cup," "Right in the Head," "Undertaker," and "Flaming Heart." Ward's guitar playing is always a treat, but tonight’s show got my attention for being louder and more rocking than usual. The personal highlight being encore opener, "Story of an Artist." It's a Daniel Johnston composition that Ward proclaimed to be his "all time favorite Daniel Johnston song," which is somewhat surprising since Ward did an amazing job on Johnston's "To Go Home." The only drawback of the night was the set length – just 60 minutes with almost no intermittent song banter. Regardless, it felt like a special night and I don’t think anyone left disappointed.
I'll mention that the Watson Twins opened the show merely as a footnote. Their new album is highly average and their live show, well, it's not much better.
See photos here via Muzzle of Bees: http://www.muzzleofbees.com/2008/07/20/photos-m-ward-pabst-theater-milwaukee/
~Mike Bailey (Stark Contributing Writer)
After the jump.
No comments:
Post a Comment