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MNDR’s live show is full of raw emotion, positive energy, an interactive light show and songs you just can’t help but sing and dance your heart out to. It’s always great to check in with her as she hones her craft and deservingly continues to blow up (ie: collaborating with Mark Ronson and this Esquire bio!) Check out my interview with MNDR from earlier this year and don’t miss her supporting set for Miike Snow on October 7th at Terminal 5! I can’t wait!

mp3: MNDR – Fade to Black

T.I. and Mary J. Blige at Capitale

If you visit this site regularly you will notice that I have barely updated this summer.  2010 has been a year for major changes and maturing (if you can believe it) in a sense. After hitting a plateau in every sense of the word with my previous job of nearly 4 years,  I left for greener pastures to work with film (in particular The Angelika Film Center.) One aspect of my job will be overseeing their social media (You can keep up with me by following @AngelikaFilmCen and reading blog updates at AngelikaBlog.com) It’s all very fun and exciting and engaging which is amazing but hard to juggle along with the blog, my social life, family life and real life. I contemplated putting Tastes Like Caramel on a hiatus indefinitely (I did informally), but as I’ve said before this blog is a creative outlet for me.  There is no monetary incentive here but it’s the passion I feel about art, music and film that keeps this alive. I have a lot of history on these pages so I intend to keep it alive. I intend to continue to have fun, go to shows, interview bands and write about it here.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way… my summer was great but uneventful. I started the new job so my head has been focused on doing the best I can but now that I’m up to speed I should be able to do more fun things and share those experiences with you. I cannot believe it is September 1st! Here are a few highlights from August since I was so M.I.A. in the blogosphere.

August 16th: T.I.’s very first post-jail concert at Capitale.

Mary J. Blige, Cam’Ron, B.o.B., Keri Hilson, Swizz Beats all performed with T.I. for a 3 hour long show presented by AXE at the swanky Capitale venue! Free hors d’oeuvres and drinks, wardrobe changes and did I mention MARY J. BLIGE! Wendy Williams and Ciara (accidentally touched my back when going down the stairs) were also in attendance.

Class Actress at Mercury Lounge

August 19th: Class Actress and Brahms at Mercury Lounge

Early in the afternoon I stopped by Virgin Mobile Live to hang with Abbey Braden for an on-air interview and to my surprise Class Actress aka Elizabeth Harper was in studio. In case you forgot I was interviewed her at Brooklyn Bowl in April during the  Kylie Minogue encounter! Elizabeth is always pleasant in person and onstage, which we saw later that night at Mercury Lounge. Brahms played an incredible and visually infectious  set following Class Actress. They’re on my list of bands you must see in 2010!

August 21st: Crystal Castles deathmatch at Terminal 5

Photo-pass issues at Terminal 5 for Crystal Castles (no surprise) so I didn’t even bother taking pictures from the audience, in fear that my camera would be destroyed. Amazing fun, annoying crowd, loud, chaos and epic moshing. Check out my review/pictures/video from their show at Irving Plaza if you don’t believe me.

mp3: T.I.  – Hell of a Life

mp3: Brahms – Brought it Out

mp3: Crystal Castles – Insectica

mp3: Class Actress – All the Saints

Empire of the Sun Live at Terminal 5, 8.9.10

Back in 2008 a friend introduced me to Empire of the Sun via the music video for Walking on a Dream, my initial reaction being “What is this…?” After a few listens, views and the supplemental  debut album, Empire of the Sun began to make sense.

Two years after the release of Walking on a Dream, the band decided they were finally ready to make a debut performance in North America with a very brief 7-gig tour beginning earlier this month. In New York they played two sold-out shows at Terminal 5, the second of which I was in the house for.

Having been under the radar for over a year after the release of their debut I was not quite sure what to expect from the live show, actually I was pretty skeptical. However from the opening notes of Standing on the Shore and the accompanying visual and performance art, I was quickly proven otherwise. Lead singer Luke Steele clearly has an image and concept for this project, and onstage it is the best execution of avant-garde in my opinion (“as I told someone at the show Empire of the Sun is who Lady Gaga would be if she did it right”)

Standout moments from the set included Swordfish Hotkiss Night complete with swordfish-masked dancers, Without You performed seated in a wheelchair, and of course the closer Walking on a Dream. This is a show not to be missed so if the rare opportunity comes your way, don’t miss out!  Pictures and full set-list below.

Set List: Intro // Standing on the Shore // Breakdown // Half Mast // We Are the People // Delta Bay // The World // Movies // Swordfish Hotkiss Night // Without You // Tiger By My Side // Walking on a Dream

mp3: Empire of The Sun – Country

mp3: Empire of The Sun – Walking on a Dream (Van SheTech Remix)

The mix features ‘Stay Here’ an exclusive stinker composed by our good selves along with Toronto’s finest Azari & III. It’s in a Wild Pitch house style, so set the controls for NY circa Paris Is Burning and vogue your hearts out. We first met them in Toronto after hearing diamond-’ard bangers ‘Hungry For The Power’ and ‘Reckless With Your Love’. Cedric, their inimitable vocalist, turned up to the afterparty for one of our shows where your humble correspondant was spinning, and, once a microphone was sourced, belted out ‘Paris’ over whatever tough techno slammers I was playing. A big moment, and the genesis of this collaboration.

Pre-order the release HERE and tune into Annie Mac tomorrow night (Friday) between 7-9pm for the exclusive first play! Check out our exclusive interview with the band last year

mp3: Friendly Fires – Kiss of Life

Music fans and those-to-be-scene packed in tight for the show, but once the music started the attitudes seemed to clear out  for a carefree dance party ensued. It was great to finally see both Memory Tapes and Cut Copy perform live for what turned out to be a really great summer afternoon with positive vibes all around. Cut Copy played some new material from their upcoming album, one of which Blink and You’ll Miss the Revolution is totally infectious and has become one of my favorite new tracks! Check it out below via BIG ASS LENS:

mp3: Memory Tapes – Stop Talking

mp3: Cut Copy -Far Away (The Golden Filter Remix)

Having been a fan over the years, it was such an incredible treat to finally see the band perform old and new material (equally amazing) in a stadium venue, successfully moving every last person in the house  in one way or another. Highlights from the set included Rococo, Rebellion (Lies), Tunnels, Wake Up and We Used to Wait which all sounded absolutely pristine. Check out a few video clips below along with pictures I snapped (I didn’t have the best of seats in the house.)  Also be sure to pick up a copy of The Suburbs which is currently the #1 album in the US!

Set list: Ready to Start // Neighborhood #2 (Laika) // No Cars Go // Haiti // Empty Room // The Suburbs // Crown of Love // Rococo // Intervention // We Used to Wait / Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) // Rebellion (Lies) // Month of May // Keep the Car Running // Encore: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) // Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) // Wake Up

mp3: Arcade Fire – Keep the Car Running

Robyn & Kelis at Music Hall of Williamsburg

Earlier this year Robyn and Kelis announced a joint tour via Twitter called All Hearts Tour. Lucky for New Yorkers like myself, the multi-city tour included three NYC-area shows including one at The Music Hall of Williamsburg and two at Manhattan’s Webster Hall (which all quickly sold out!) For the tour the ladies invited Dan Black and Far East Movement as  supporting acts to round out the bill and provide some testosterone.

Dan Black successfully charmed the anxious crowd before Kelis kicked off the headlining portion of the bill. Kelis’ new record Flesh Tone to me is a Declaration of Independence and empowerment, the live show translating impeccably. On the other hand Robyn’s Body Talk 1 and 2 further solidify that she is a pop force to be taken serious which was proven through her  incredible stage presence. Worlds collided even harden when Kelis joined Robyn onstage for an awesome duet medley that included Neneh Cherry’s Buffalo Stance! Albeit poor ventilation at Webster Hall and a very obnoxious crowd for the Manhattan show, the tour was hands down one of the year’s best shows.

Full Galleries: Kelis at Music Hall of Williamsburg // Robyn at Music Hall of Williamsburg // All Hearts Tour at Webster Hall

Kelis at Music Hall of Williamsburg

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Robyn at Webster Hall

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Dan Black (Courtesy of Sheena Beaston)

Interpol’s summer tour comes as a smaller string of shows (make up gigs for the canceled U2 tour I assume) prior to the release of their fourth self-titled album out on September 7th, and a fall tour of a much grander scale. Surprisingly, Interpol’s flawless set covered a big chunk of Antics, Turn on the Bright Lights and their upcoming record, throwing in Heinrich Maneuver (from Our Love to Admire) for good measure. Check out pictures from the show above along with the full set list. Catch Interpol on tour this fall, dates can be see on their MySpace calendar.

mp3: Interpol – Lights

mp3: Interpol – Mammoth (Erol Alkan Remix)

mp3: Lemonade – Lifted (Twin Shadow Remix)