[photos courtesy of Jill and For the Love of Brooklyn]
Montreal band Stars has long been one of my favorites. I first saw them at the now defunct Siren Festival of 2006, against the beautiful scenic backdrop that is Coney Island, and was blown away by their unique blend of pop and rock. Even though they now claim Montreal as their hometown, the band has deep NYC roots, having written their first song and several albums while living in a small West Side Apartment in the late ’90s, so it’s no surprise that they consistently return to their home away from home in the Big Apple.
We had the good fortune of seeing Stars at Music Hall of Williamsburg for a performance that was nothing short of outstanding. Their performance featured two never before played songs, To the Better Ones and Holes, offering up a moment of vulnerability, but also demonstrating their trust and connection with the audience.
Lead singer Torquil Campbell was also able to connect with the audience in a slightly different way, showing his jovial mood by kindly requesting that an audience member “pass the spliff” before playing the aforementioned To the Better Ones. Between moments like this and personal commentary about the heroes of Occupy Wall Street, it was clear that spirits were high and a genuine love for New York existed on this beautiful Brooklyn night.
I recorded this set using a pair of Schoeps MK41 hypercardioid microphones clamped to the center balcony railing. The samples I have chosen include Set Yourself on Fire, the self-titled track from their 2004 album, and my personal favorite Elevator Love Letter, a fitting tribute to our metropolis.
Stream “Set Yourself on Fire”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S1110Stars1102/stars2011-10-11.setyourselfonfire.mp3]
Stream “Elevator Love Letter”
[audio:https://www.nyctaper.com/S1110Stars1102/stars2011-10-11.elevatorloveletter.mp3]
Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]
Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].
Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.
Stars
Music Hall of Williamsburg
New York, NY, US
2011-10-11
Recordist : hi and lo
Location : DFC, clamped to balcony
Source : Schoeps MK41/CMR > Naint Tinybox > Sony PCM-M10 @ 24 bit / 48 kHz
Mastering : Wavelab 6 (Mixdown/EQ/Fades/resamping/dither) > Flac Level 8 with TLH v2.6.0 (Build 168)
Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Fixed
03. The Passenger
04. Take Me to the Riot
05. Wasted Daylight
06. Set Yourself on Fire
07. To the Better Ones
08. Dead Hearts
09. Ageless Beauty
10. Soft Revolution
11. Holes
12. Your Ex-Lover is Dead
13. Window Bird
14. We Don’t Want Your Body
15. How Much More
16. Reunion
17. Calendar Girl
18. (Encore Call)
19. One More Night
20. Bitches in Tokyo
21. The Ghost of Genove Heights
22. Changes
23. Elevator Love Letter
Running Time: 1:41:32
Please support Stars by visiting their Website. If you’ve enjoyed this recording, you may also purchase any of their wonderful albums directly from the band’s Store
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