YOUTUBE ROUNDUP

inspired by my friend tim's roundups of interesting things on youtube and wikipedia, i've decided to collect and exhibit for you some of my favorite MUSIC RELATED things on the best website ever. the reason i love these videos varies: killer dance moves, a unique performance, a revealing story, blah blah blah.

the first one i'm going to share with you is ON A NECK ON A SPIT, BY DAN ROSSEN OF GRIZZLY BEAR, IN A PARISIAN ELEVATOR. this is a video by la blogotheque, who do amazing things called concerts a emporter (literally, show to take with you). i link to them quite often because they are quite often mindblowing and very exciting. if you are ever at home sick on a rainy day i would take the time to watch every one that you can (my favorites are by architecture in helsinki, grizzly bear, yeasayer, tapes n tapes, andrew bird, vampire weekend obviously, and fleet foxes). this particular video is so incredible i don't even know how i can describe it to you. it's just dan in an elevator playing the best part of the best song on yellow house in dizzying, awkward light, singing in THAT VOICE, etc etc etc. haunting and mesmorizing.
next, THE WALKMEN PLAYING IN THE NEW YEAR AT YOU & ME's RELEASE SHOW. you will understand why when you watch it.
recently, THE BEARS ARE COMING, BY LATE OF THE PIER ON A BRITISH TV SHOW. i got tickets for april 1 in NYC. this band look like they will rip your face off live by the force of their ridiculousness. this recording is good because it seems very spontaneous. it sounds cleaner than the version on the album... crisper. i like the duo vocals, and i will always love that first minute. i am pretty sure that they always dance like this.
EVEREST BY RA RA RIOT AT BOWERY BALLROOM WHERE THEY PLAYED BETWEEN VAMPIRE WEEKEND AND TOKYO POLICE CLUB; AKA. THAT SHOW THAT NOT GOING TO IS THE BIGGEST REGRET OF MY LIFE. this is, by all rights, a terrible video. the sound is about 200% shit. the camera jitters and jumps around, you can't hear wes sing, it is incomplete, etc etc etc. i want to cry about the fact that i was not there, so watching it just makes me sad. that said, do you see the energy in this video. i get chills from watching it on youtube. look at wes jump in the beginning! the occasions when you can hear rebecca's violin in the background are shockingly gorgeous. this corroborates my opinion that ra ra riot might be the most consistently great live band currently playing shows. if you have doubts you obviously have not watched this video.
DO THE WHIRLWIND BY ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI ON THE SECOND SWEATIEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE. this was the closer to their 'first set' (they came out and played never ever ever did and heart it races). the recording of this is so clear and awesome. that night they played mostly new stuff off of places like this, which i hadn't heard after a year of trying to remember what they all sounded like from the first time i saw them. way to remind me. they opened with red turned white. they way that they ad-lib so much live is so incredible (ie. cameron yelling random shit in the middle). gus playing the trombone. something is very strange and very powerful about this song.
BLIND. favorite music video maybe ever. this song is really transfixing as well. it reminds me of love will tear us apart (always a good thing) because it is so dancy and simultaneously expresses this overwhelming hopelessness. devastating song.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND PLAYING TO ACTUAL RICH PREPPY WHITE KIDS. i almost applied to williams because of this video. i like the story in the beginning... "it wouldn't be a bad thing if we were from massachusetts either... we've got the jams to prove it." look at how psyched the audience is / that dude in the white beret. this almost manages to communicate exactly what it feels like to yell along with a whole bunch of other people "do you want to fuck like you know i do? would this feel so unnatural to peter gabriel?" the audio's really great. before the video came out, i considered this the definitive video for the song because it is just too good.
I WANT TO BE... YOUR SLEDGEHAMMER. peter gabriel's dance moves are so evidently sexual but so grossly so that you can laugh at them more than actually wanting him to be your sledgehammer. my favorite part of this song in any form is its total confidence and purpose - "i am going to be your sledgehammer. there will be no doubt about it."
DAVID CROSS INTERPRETS THE BEAST AND DRAGON ADORED FOR THE DEAF. classic.
PHOTOBOOTH BY FRIENDLY FIRES AT ICELAND AIRWAVES IN 2007. i was not sold on friendly fires until i saw this video. this was the first time i heard photobooth.
SKIN IS MY AT TARRYTOWN MUSIC HALL. you might remember when i saw andrew bird last year. this video is from that show. the entirity of this song KT and i sat in our seats leaning forward and stared and watched him play. you have to see andrew because he will blow your mind.

more later. might not do so much updating because my stage management duties are getting to me.