American Bands I actually like

Anyone I meet knows I am completely taken with UK music, like a few international bands and have a minimal tolerance for American music.
There are a few exceptions

The National
Scissors For Lefty
The Blood Arm
Every Move A Pictures
The Eames Era
Locksley
The Spinto Band
Cold War Kids
We Are Scientists
MC Lars
Ambulance LTD
Aberdeen City
Ra Ra Riot
The Little Ones
Tapes N'Tapes
Interpol
Be your Own Pet
The Dandy Warhols
Pixies (and spinoffs)

MC Lars TT the bears April 6th

Part of a lineup with 4 Nerd-rap bands. We arrived in time to hear the end of Schaffer The Dark Lord. He had some amusing lyrics taht we caught but not impressed with the music.
MC Lars, usual slide show to accompany the music plus he used MC Frontalots band- big mistake they are chronic. But MC Lars, seen him three times in just over a yera different show each time, perhaps a little corny in his idea I love to see this performance.
Played Space Jam, ahab, Download This Song, Generic Crunk Rap, Time Machine, Signing Emo, White Guys aint Hyphy, 21 Concepts, Hot topic is not punk Rock, Hey Thats Me.
I would like to know how to get the last Cd 'Radio Pet Fencing' which I still dont have.
He has a sense of humor, does great graphics and video editing, loves literature , samples music in a meaningful way and always makes time to talk to his fans.
I make time to see him any time he comes to Boston and rightly so.

must catch up

I should write for hours on the concerts I have been to but life is too nuts.
Synopsis
Paolo Nutini,
saw him do Conan O'Brien, one song at Paul Weller and the Paradise.
Stand up straight boy and look folks in the eye. He came over as a demented sub-normal creep until the paradise show. Not sure what the problem is but when he gets going there is a pretty face under there and a decent performer. The voice and songs, well what can you say, Paolo your voice is like an angel and limited though your songs are. I do love them. But I think he is destined for hype and huge venues- alas poor Paolo once I knew of you.
Lily Allen. (Sunday 18th Feb 2007 Axis)
Lily is what she is, or is she Lily plus, oh how the rumors wirl about her putative pregnancy. There is nothing original here. BUT she does have a great voice, is a bitch and a half (thats a plus in my book) and the songs are catchy even if they rip off other tunes right left and centre. And I just Love 'Nan, your a window shopper' - do you think anyone in her family talks to her?
Razorlight (Sunday 25h Feb 2007 Middle East Downstairs)
Got there early and managed to be at the front. Absolutely nothing offensive about Mohair but then nothing to make me go out of my way to go to their next gig.
So Razorlight. Always a band i have been ambivalent about, a little guilty about taking a front row place but what the heck. If nothing else in sub-zero temps it gives you a place to put your coat.
So Johnny comes out wearing poured on white jeans, yes we know which side you dress on Johnny and then some. The vneck shirt looks thin enough to be transparent and the low vneck is not flattering. A bad case of channelling Freddie Mercury. Within two songs off came the t-shirt. I know Johnny bats for the other team but this was a semi-porn experience.... The jeans only started after the pubic arrow of har had started and after the curve of muscle that curves down to the groin. This was a fully fledged mating display- totally distracting and if anyone wants photos I took closeups!
But to the music, the stage show was entertaining and the music well played, I find some razorlight songs slightly the same but I enjoyed the night and as long as they play venues this size would find myself buying tickets again.

MC Lars (Tuesday 27th Feb 2007 Middle East Upstairs)
Lars was doing a support slot upstairs at the Middle East. We got ther about ten minutes before he came on then left about five mnutes after he came off. He did the show to a slide show projector from his MAC and was the normal consumate performer. I have a real soft spot for LARS and would love to have the chance to see him do a show twice as long. Under his comedy his songs have some real biting points to make and i love that too.
Songs played that I remember, Signing Emo, Hot Topic, Krunk Rock, Hot Topic is not punk Rock, 21 concepts,I Generation, The Raven. This is about the only rap I stand. Love you Lars!
Bright Eyes and M.Ward
(Wednesday 28th Feb 2007 Somerville Theatre)
As an opener M. Ward was bearable and while not my style i opened my mind and tried to see what he was about, when he played with Bright Eyes I could have strangled him - cheerfully.
Bright Eyes- he was Bright Eyes, voice that entrances me, songs that I feel I should like more than I do, oddity to the max. Worth it but not quite sure what I saw.

More concerts coming to Boston

So coming soon I have
Paolo Nutini at Paradise Rock Club Feb 3rd
Protokoll at Great Scott Feb 9th
Lily Allen at Axis Feb 18th - Wow this sold out within 3 days!
Rumor! Razorlight Middle East 25th Feb
MC Lars at The Middle East Upstairs Feb 27th
Bright Eyes at Somerville Theatre Feb 28th
The Young Knives at Great Scott March 4th - so psyched about this one
And of course
SXSW March 14th thru 18th
The View at T.T. the Bear's Place March 22nd - hey guys prove yourselves worth the hype
Cold War Kids, Tokyo Police Club at The Middle East Downstairs March 30th
Kaiser Chiefs at Avalon April 9th (grotty support acts not like the UK)
The Kooks at Paradise Rock Club May 13th

OK that should keep me busy - and I have tickets in hand for all but two of these!