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So what happened here?

June 10, 2022 by Paul Debraski

For nearly fourteen years I was able to keep up this daily blog of books and music.

About a year ago I got a promotion and that changed everything.  I no longer had the time to post everything I wanted to.  Heck, I didn’t even seem to have the time to read all the short stories I wanted to.  Amusingly (or not), just before this new position, I had gotten a print subscription to the New Yorker.  This now means that I (like many others) have a two-foot stack of New Yorker magazines that I haven’t even looked at yet.

For a few weeks I was limiting myself to only the concerts that I went to because that was a little easier to write about.  Although back in the good old days, I used to include photo and links, and I pretty much have neither now. And I’m several shows behind as well.

So I’m still reading books and I think I may try to post some thoughts about them from time to time.  I’d also like to think I have time to write about my concerts, but even those are proving to be challenging.

So let’s consider the blog on hiatus more or less, with occasional posts about things I’ve read or listened to.

The good thing is that I like the new position and wouldn’t change it for the world. I guess I never realized how much down time my old position gave me!

Posted in Paul Debraski | 3 Comments »

Mt. Joy / Snacktime (Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden, NJ, September 25, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 25, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 25, 2026] Mt. Joy / Snacktime

Mt. Joy is based in L.A. but they have roots on Philly and therefore Philly loves them.  I’ve enjoyed some songs they’ve put out, but they released my favorite song of last year “Coyote.”  Indeed, it’s their latest album that I like most–although nothing else sounds like Coyote.  So it’s a shame (for me) that this tour is mostly for their debut.

But that’s neither here nor there as I wasn’t going to go to Freedom Mortgage Pavilion to see them (yuck, that venue sucks).  Not to mention, we were going to see The Beths tonight anyhow.

But two days ago I received an email from Live Nation saying

I’m reaching out because we just had some last-minute inventory open up for Mt. Joy this Friday, September 25th at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, and I wanted to give you the first look.

We are offering individual tickets in our suites for $107. This is a rare opportunity to experience the show from a luxury space without committing to a full buy-out.

Your ticket includes:
• VIP Club Access
• Box Seating
• In-seat wait service

I mean, DAMN, for $107 that’s amazing!  If they had thrown in some kind of easy parking, holy crap.  I would have certainly taken them up on this if we weren’t going to The Beths.  Although it looks like they aren’t playing Coyote and that would have pissed me off.

SNACKTIME is Philadelphia’s seven-piece band blazing a path cut from their soul, funk, punk, jazz, hip-hop, and R&B influences. Created during the height of the pandemic, the group began performing free shows that combined their love of music, food, and togetherness in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square. They quickly amassed huge crowds and became a symbol of positivity and lockdown release, while showcasing the richness of their city’s musical history and community.

I don’t really like their studio releases, but I saw them open for Portugal.The Man and wow they were a ton of fun live.

Posted in Camden, NJ, Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Mt. Joy, Snacktime | Leave a Comment »

Muna / Hemlocke Springs (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, Philadelphia, PA, September 25, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 25, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 25, 2026] Muna / Hemlocke Springs

Muna was the first band signed to Phoebe Bridgers label and they quickly amassed a huge following.  We saw them (on a video screen) at All Things Go.

I knew Silk Chiffon which was a highly touted song.  I kind of liked it.  There was something about it that I didn’t quite like but I couldn’t put my finger on it.  In general, I felt like there was something I wished I liked more about them.  But seeing them “live” was a revelation.  They were so fun and energetic.  I would like to see them live and this would be a fun bill, especially on a warm summer night out (which this was decidedly not–forecast of torrential rain).

But we had tickets to The Beths, so this was a non-starter.

Hemlocke Springs played All Things Go back in 2023, but we missed her.  I wrote then that she is an 80’s inspired alt pop singer who is massively quirky and cool.  I hadn’t heard of her before the show but now wish I’d seen her.

Posted in Hemlocke Springs, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Muna, Philadelphia, PA, Skyline Stage at The Mann | Leave a Comment »

Darlingside (SOPAC, South Orange, NJ, September 25, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 25, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 25, 2026] Darlingside / Caitlin Canty

We have seen Darlingside four times and I thought we’d never not see them if they were touring.  Especially if they played SOPAC, which is so close.

We saw them four times in three years and I just realized we haven’t seen them since before COVID.  I’m not sure why we haven’t seen them.

Although tonight we have tickets to see The Beths, so that’s why we’re not going.  But I’m sure they’ll be back and we’ll make an effort.

Posted in Darlingside, SOPAC, South Orange, NJ | Leave a Comment »

∈Y∋ (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, September 25, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 25, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 25, 2026] ∈Y∋

Every once in a while, a weird musical event happens and I want to be there but there is nothing I can do about going to it.  I got us tickets to see The Beths tonight because we LOVE The Beths.  And then a few weeks ago, this was announced for tonight.

We very much want to make sure you know the single greatest punk / experimental musician / artist of our lifetime, spanning 5+ decades of flawless output will be making his first visit to Philadelphia in 18 YEARS!!! Japanese noise artist, conductor, DJ, producer, designer and musician Yamantaka Eye aka EYE (of BOREDOMS, HANATARASH, PUZZLE PUNKS, and a million other projects) will be playing a live hybrid / DJ set at Warehouse on Watts TONIGHT.

I can’t even imagine what this is going to be like.  And of course, he won’t ever come back.  Oof.  But I know The Beths will be awesome, so it’s okay.  But still.

Posted in Angine de Poitrine, ∈Y∋, Boredoms, Philadelphia, PA, Public Opinion, Sparta, Warehouse on Watts, Yamantaka Eye | Leave a Comment »

Altin Gün (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, September 24, 2026)

September 25, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: September 24, 2026] Altin Gün 

I first heard of Altin Gün (which means Golden Day) in 2022 when they played Underground Arts.   Back then I quoted

Altin Gün’s relentless grooves are truly immersive, anti-elitist, inclusive. It’s truly music for the dancefloor – all dancefloors. Altin Gün are the perfect 21st Century psych band, hinting at a deep record collection while still belonging to a living tradition and having a unique and distinctive voice  [from Forestpunk].

They returned in 2023, this time playing Union Transfer.  I wanted to go, but we had a family obligation that night so I couldn’t check them out.  But in the past year I’d gotten an album and really liked it.

So, this year the show was announced and I grabbed a ticket, super excited to see them live.  Their music is psychedelic with a dirty blend of funk rhythms, wah-wah guitars and analogue organs.  They often play psychedelic covers of Turkish folk music.  Singer Erdinç Ecevit Yıldız is Turkish while the other four members are Dutch.

I walked in and it was really quite empty. I was able to walk up to the barrier with no problem.  And it was a great spot to be because the mixing was perfect.  Aside from the two women who would not shut up behind me.

They came out with a simple set up–guitar, bass and two percussionists.  The man on the left had a full on percussion set up–conga, bongos, wood blocks, cowbells, tambourines and a couple of foot pedals, which I couldn’t figure out what they played.  Daniel Smienk was on the standard drum kit and he was fantastic–a simple kit but complex rhythms.

Jasper Verhulst played bass.  He was on the far side, behind the singer’s keyboards, so I didn’t see him too much,but his bass was essnetial, especially when the other two guys were soloing.  I was right in front of guitarist Thijs Elzinga and he was fantastic.  He switched back and forth between rhythm and lead guitar effortlessly.  His solos were fantastic and he shared the soloing spotlight easily.   Then up front was Erdinç Ecevit Yıldız.  He played keys (some great keyboard solos) and also played the bağlama (or saz)–four-stringed, long-necked (lute family) instrument.  He played some incredible solos on this thing!

I’d listened to the album I have and quickly listened to the new album which I didn’t like quite as much as its a bit quieter.  But I needn’t have worried about that because they came out and played the grooviest psychedelic sounds.  On Gönül Dağ The bass was loud and low, the guitars were great and the percussion kept things interesting.  It had a mid-period Pink Floyd sound.  The percussion came out in force for Sevda Olmasaydı. Continue Reading »

Posted in Altin Gün, Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Alex Maas (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, September 24, 2026) [ALTIN GÜN]

September 24, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: September 24, 2026] Alex Maas

Alex Maas is the singer for The Black Angels. I didn’t realize that when this show was first announced.  I saw The Black Angels back in May and as curious to see how different Alex’ solo stuff would be.  And the answer is: very different.

He still sounds the same (he has a very distinctive voice), but for this set it was just him and an unnamed drummer.  In fact, I’m not sure he even introduced himself–his mic had a huge echo on it the whole time, so who knows what he ever said).

He played mellotron for a couple of songs and he played (very quiet) electric guitar for a couple of songs.  For the final song he played a small middle eastern sounding instrument.  It was small and stringed, but I’m pretty sure he pressed keys to change the notes.

The songs were all short with lots of echo.  The melodies were nice (and simple) and the drums were mostly snare and bass, but he also had some tiny roto toms which made really sharp sounds.  Continue Reading »

Posted in Altin Gün, Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, The Black Angels | Leave a Comment »

Willie Nelson & Family / Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts / Ty Myers (TD Pavilion at The Mann Center, Philadelphia, PA, September 24, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 24, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 24, 2026] Willie Nelson & Family / Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts / Ty Myers

This tour was announced with minimal fanfare and even mire minimal, even though it’s a pretty big deal, I think.

I’ve never been a big fan of Willie Nelson‘s music.  I like everything about him and everything that he stands for, I just don’t like his songs.  So I wasn’t especially interested in going to this.

But my wife and I are huge fans of Neil Young and I assumed we’d never pass up the chance to see him.  But this show didn’t really excite us all that much for some reason.  It was hard to imagine Neil sharing a headline spot.  And while the Mann can be a great venue, it can also be offputting.

So we both decided we didn’t need to see this set.  Shocking.

Turns out Neil went on second (and played about 70 minutes).  It was a good set. Continue Reading »

Posted in Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Neil Young, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, Philadelphia, PA, Ty Myers | Leave a Comment »

Slothrust / The Velveteers (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, September 24, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 24, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 24, 2026] Slothrust / The Velveteers

I thought that I had been on the verge of seeing Slothrust many times, and yet I either didn’t note it or I’m making that up.  I’d alway assumed that with a name like Slothrust that they would be really heavy.  I also assumed, since I thought I saw their name a lot, that they were from Philly.  But they are from Boston and have been around since 2010.  Even more interesting is that the band is just Leah Wellbaum (vocals, guitar) and Will Gorin (drums).

I also just realized/remembered that they played the song for the opeinng credits of You’re the Worst, a show that my wife and I really liked back in the day.  A nice review from The Revue (in Canada) from 2021 says

In the 8 years we’ve been covering Slothrust, we’ve seen the band change a lot musically. They’ve shifted from the early days of jazz-infused grunge, which eventually grew into much bigger and less easy to classify sounds. Each record feels like a rebirth, from Everyone Else having a fine polish on that distinctive Slothrust sound but expanding on it at the same time. The Pact felt like an even more diverse records, with the band diving more into electronic sounds and even diving into poppier sounds. It set up any future releases nicely to dive even more into the trio’s widening approach. Their latest record, Parallel Timeline, heralds yet another rebirth of the band.  This is a slower Slothrust, as the chugging basslines and heavy drums are nowhere to be found. All the things that make Leah Wellbaum stand out as an artist, however, are on full display.

The biggest surprise for me is just how catchy their latest song is.

I was mostly interested in this show because of The Velveteers, a band I saw on Instagram and was immediately hooked by.  Why?  Because the band consisted (I assume it still does although I know someone left) of two drummers (one of whom is named Baby Pottersmith) and a guitarist/singer.  The video was eye catching and the song was simple in that perfect grunge/garage sound that is just so great.

After hearing more of Slothrust, I would have really liked to get to this show, but I already had tickets to see Altin Gün tonight and I’ve been wanting to see them for a while.  So I hope they both come back soon (especially The Velveteers).

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Slothrust, The Velveteers, Underground Arts | Leave a Comment »

Suki Waterhouse (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, September 21, 2026)

September 23, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: September 21, 2026] Suki Waterhouse

My daughter and I saw Suki Waterhouse at All Things Go.  She hadn’t released Memoir of a Sparklemuffin yet, although she did play two songs from it (but not ones I really liked).  My takeaway from her set (not having heard her before) was that I liked her, although I found her songs a little slow, but my overall impression was really positive.  Although I honestly couldn’t really remember her songs.

Since then she has released three songs that WXPN has played a bunch which I love.  I regretted not going to see her last time she was in town, so I was pretty psyched when my wife said she’d love to see her as well.

By the time her set was to start, the young girls had al moved into place in front of us.  Since most of her fans are tiny, I was pretty pleased, until the tiny girls in front of us waved their tall friends over.  The really tall one was off to the side, but the shorter one was a major camera user.  Which was pretty annoying except that she put the camera up high enough that I could see clearly through her arms.   Interestingly. the  guy in the hat who filmed all of Charlotte, didn’t film any of Suki.  Go figure.

The lights dimmed and all of Somewhere Over the Rainbow played.  I do enjoy a walk on song, but it had been pretty long since Charlotte went off and this song is pretty long…  But all was forgiven when the band came out and the lights illuminated the giant heart shaped mirror ball that was on stage.

And then Suki came out and simply owned the stage.  I’ve seen a lot of shows and a lot of shows in this venue and I don’t know if it was the lighting or just her amazing star power, but she seemed enormous up there–like she glowed and it was perfectly easy to see every move she made.  But before she even came down the (mirrored) stairs, she stood on the platform in a Blondie cut off shirt, a shoulder shrug, sparkly shorts and tall boots.  She posed like a model and then the music started. Continue Reading »

Posted in Charlotte Lawrence, Emmma, Philadelphia, PA, Suki Waterhouse, The Met Philadelphia | Leave a Comment »

The Charlatans (UK) / Frankie Rose (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, September 23, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 23, 2026 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 23, 2026] The Charlatans (UK) / Frankie Rose

I have the first three Charlatans records (but actually didn’t even realize they had been making music since then).  I was supposed to see them in 2024 when they toured with Ride.  That would have been a great show, but a snowstorm kept me away.

I don’t listen to The Charlatans enough since their early stuff is so good. Their newer stuff sounds a bit like Oasis (or does Oasis sound like  them?)  Listening now, I think this would have been a really fun show.  Their sound has remained largely consistent over the years.

But we had tickets to see a comedian, Lauren Ramoso which was originally schedule for November but inexplicably moved to tonight.  Which meant I didn’t have to decide whether or not to go to this show.

Frankie Rose is evidently a legendary musician who has played with everyone like Vivian Girls and Dum Dum Girls.  Although her solo stuff is very synthy and unlike those other bands.   It would work well with the Charlatans, I think.

Posted in Frankie Rose, Philadelphia, PA, The Charlatans, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

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