You don't come round here no more. Yes, that is a Petty paraphrase, but for some reason it just fit. Maybe I'm delirious or sleep deprived, but lately the songs playing in my head have taken to making their own lyrics. This whole situation has made me grumpy and irritable, so if I say something like "Hate Fuck" to you - don't take it to heart because maybe, just maybe I'll do something super sweet for you. Anyway, throughout the blur of the last few days, I've seen a number of bands so I'm going to give you my initial reactions since this is all I have time for.

Neko Case :: She has a unbelievable voice, but I could really give a shit. There was some hilarious stage banter about Chip n' Dale dancers which kept me interested. Does that make me gay?

The Raconteurs :: This came out of left field. Noah and I shot up to Irving after slugging a couple drinks at Neko's show. We were swept right in and rocked out to the new styling for a good six or eight songs. My first impression was they were sloppy. Now it was somewhat endearing, but we all know the production Jack White and Brendan Benson are capable of kicking. By the end Jack took command of the stage and watching the heads in the crowd swivel as he darted across the stage was hilarious. He was the obvious focus of attention, but dammit his guitar could have been louder.

The Teeth :: This Philly four-piece (ironically) contains a set of twin brothers who look a lot like Matty G. Their sound is best described as "fun". Their show is better suited for a midnight slot rather than a 9pm on a Saturday, but they managed to bang it out with spazzy intensity. If they catch the right ears The Teeth could hit the next level, but I don't know how long the Wolf Parade meets World Inferno with a dash of 3rd Wave Ska minus the horns can last.

Lake Trout :: The last time they played the Mercury Lounge the fire department showed up. Thankfully they left their pyro equipment at home on this trip to the Bowery. They headlined an evening that included Shelby, Army of Me and The Harlem Shakes. For me, the night was more about the booze than anything else, but Lake Trout was a nice little cherry on top of the evening. I first heard this band during my junior year of high school when they had the unfortunate hang up of being a jam band. They've completely shed that sound, but that doesn't stop dirty hippies from dancing around like assholes at their live shows.

Holy Fuck :: I love you but you've chosen remixes. This band has a few jams that get me so worked up, but they delivered alternate versions. You can't fault a band for this, but you can fault them for not bringing it as heavy as they do on the record. It came off as a bit repetitive, which I can dig, but dammit - I wanted to hear my jams! Beans popped onstage for a song or two which added a nice layer to their show, but I'm definitely a fan of just the band especially with the new bass player.

Wolf Parade:: This five piece is completely undeniable. Until Sunday I'd always been a bit under whelmed by their live performance. This feeling has been wiped off the cutting board and into Rachel Ray's garbage bowl. They fucking destroyed. I was lucky enough to catch the latter half of both Webster shows, and after those sets it's easy to see why both shows sold out. Now I have to agree with Jeff's comments regarding Dante. That dude reminds me of the rhythm guitarist for Art Brut. Dante - do something and don't look so fucking uninterested when you're doing it! Last night they kicked out "Disco Sheets" which had me hand clapping from the balcony while both nights included all the hits from Apologies along with an encore, jammed out, extended version of "Dinner Bells". This band is totally legit - now I know why Dana's jeans are all steamy after their gigs.

Voxtrot :: In total I only saw four songs, but they were fantastic. Apparently they hit a sound snag or two last night, but you couldn't tell. Those kids are going to be absolutely huge. They write amazing songs and have the earnest, heartfelt personality of superstars like The Shins. Keep it together Voxtrot. See you at Webster Hall.