Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for May, 2022

Tori Amos (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, May 9, 2022)

Posted in Companion, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, Tori Amos on May 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 9, 2022] Tori Amos

I last saw Tori Amos over 20 years ago.  I was a die-hard looney fan back in the 90s. That has since passed.  I saw her a lot of times in the span of five years and then I was kind of over her.  I still enjoyed her music but the fanbase was getting too intense for me.

I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to get tickets to this show, I though it would have sold out immediately.  But when the presale was announced, I was able to score third row.   When I was a huge fan, I was never anywhere closer than half way back.  So this was sort of a last hurrah for seeing her.  If I had gotten these tickets twenty-five years ago I would have ben beside myself.

Turns out that the intense fanbase is still there and they may have been unhappy that I was in that third row seat because there was a coordinated effort by the folks in the first three rows to control the audience.  Not in a “you must do this” way but in a “this is how it’s done” way.  It almost felt like church–which is very funny given Tori’s upbringing.

Tori’s band (bassist Jon Evans and drummer Ash Soan) came out and did a little jamming before Tori walked out in a lovely flowing kimono type thing and the highest spikiest heels that one might ever see on a pianist.  

She opened with “Juárez” from To Venus and Back.  Not my favorite song from the album (I would have loved to hear “Bliss”), but a promising start to the idea that she was going to be playing from all over her career.  Plus, the all sounded great–the band was excellent and Tori’s voice sounded in good form.  She also made a lot of eye contact and gestures to the folks in the front row–just like the old days, but I could actually see them.

After playing a song I didn’t know (I have American Doll Posse, but couldn’t tell you when I last listened to it), she jumped all the way back to play “Little Earthquakes.”  The crowd went berserk (as they should) and then we sat back and enjoyed it.  Because this was part of the coordination from the front row,  as soon as the second song was done, they turned around and motioned for everyone to sit, like they knew the next song was going to be a slow one and we should sit now so we didn’t sit during the song.  It was weird (although not unappreciated). (more…)

Read Full Post »

A Place to Bury Strangers / Lunacy / Glove (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 9, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in A Place to Bury Strangers, Glove, Johnny Brenda's, Lunacy, Philadelphia, PA on May 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 9, 2022] A Place to Bury Strangers / Lunacy / Glove

A Place to Bury Strangers is one of those bands that I have heard about for years whose music I had never heard.  And like The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die, they have a long name that is rather evocative but which implies a heaviness that may or may not be there.

I put this show on my “check out” list mostly because I was curious as to what this band actually sounded like.

When I played their songs on Spotify I was taken aback by how much they sounded like The Church (at least on “Always Gonna Be the Same”).  That’s their latest single (okay I’m writing this long after the concert happened).

Their other songs are a lot louder and darker, which means this Wikipedia entry makes sense

Commonly known by the initials APTBS, the band plays a heavy, atmospheric Wall of Sound–influenced blend of noise rock, shoegaze and space rock. The band is known for the loudness of their intense live shows. A Place to Bury Strangers are commonly referred to by music writers as the “loudest band in New York”, a reputation the band developed even before the release of their first album.

Fascinating.

Sometimes you can tell a lot about a band by their openers.  The two openers for this show were darkwave and a kind of 80’s synth alt rock.  I think I would have enjoyed this show about twenty years ago.

Glove is a retro synth band, in the vein of Depeche Mode or New Order.  They’re from Tampa but look like they are straight out of the 80’s UK music scene.

Sounds kinda fun.

Lunacy is Pennsylvania’s industrial darkwave monk who plays Dark, dystopian vibes; deep electronic cuts that shake and rattle with power.

I suspect I know exactly what this show was like and there was very little movement in the audeince.

 

Read Full Post »

Companion (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, May 9, 2022) [TORI AMOS]

Posted in Companion, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, Tori Amos on May 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 9, 2022] Companion

I last saw Tori Amos over 20 years ago.  I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see her again and then this tour was announced.  I liked the new song from the new album and since it was the met and I was able to get presale tickets, I figured I’d give it a shot.

It wasn’t clear to me who would be opening for her, if anyone.  But as the show drew closer the date was listed as Tori Amos and Companion.  Which was confusing to be sure.  I’d never heard of a band called Companion. Was this a suggestion that Tori would have a companion on stage?

Well, it soon became clear that Companion is a band.  A duo, actually.  As their site explains:

Companion is the Fort Collins, CO-based duo of identical twin sisters Sophia and Jo Babb. The pair’s music presents immaculate harmonies, delicate folk melodies, and a nuanced approach to songwriting that feels at once lighthearted and weighted with palpable empathy.

The duo came out in spectacular outfits.  Sophia in a yellow, wildly patterned 70s era pantsuit (and straight hair) and Jo in a floral shirt and jeans (and curly hair). (more…)

Read Full Post »

PUP (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, May 6, 2022)

Posted in Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, Pinkshift, PUP, Sheer Mag on May 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 1, 2022] PUP

It’s kind of funny that the headliner is the only band on this bill that I hadn’t seen before.

I was really excited to see PUP.  I knew some of their songs and t hen slowly I knew and liked even more of them.  After watching their Tony Desk on NPR, I knew they were fun guys who probably put on a great show.

The backdrop was in  the same deliciously surreal style as the poster (which I love).  And then the band came out.

Stefan Babcock played the opening song from the new album (about just learning to play piano and writing a song on it because the label wanted them to) on a keyboard.

And as soon as the song ended, the whole place exploded into a pogoing slamming chaotic fest of fun.  They blasted through one song from each of their albums and everyone sang/screamed the words to all of them.

The light show was simple but really effective, with a bank of lights behind the drums and beams shooting out from time to time. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Rina Sawayama / Hana (The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA, May 7, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Hana, Philadelphia, PA, Rina Sawayama, The Fillmore Philadelphia on May 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 7, 2022] Rina Sawayama / Hana

Rina Sawayama is a fascinating pop star.  She is British-Japanese and has an amazing voice.  She is also comfortable embracing all genres.

At the time of this show her second album has not been released yet, but her first album Sawayama embraced all kinds of genres in each song.  There’s aggressively pop singing with incredible hooks and then some hugely metal guitars.  “STFU!” was massively metal with a swooping pop center.

It was fun to imagine that her live show would be a riot.

As one reviewer wrote:

As Sawayama kept up with multiple outfit changes, an onstage thunderstorm and memorable choreography, her voice remained a beacon of light.

This show sold out at the TLA long before I had even heard of her.  It was moved to the Fillmore where it also sold out. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Lucius / Celisse (Theatre of Living Arts [TLA], Philadelphia, PA, May 7, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Celisse, Lucius, Philadelphia, PA, Theatre of Living Arts on May 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 7, 2022] Lucius / Celisse

I didn’t see this show the night before in Jersey (even though I was offered free tickets) because I had a (better) show with my son to go to.

So they were playing the following night in Philly (originally Rina Sawayama was supposed to play the TLA, but she got bumped to the Fillmore–good for her).

But honestly, sometimes I can go to two shows in a row, but the Pup show was pretty exhausting, so it seemed smart to just hunker down at home.

I’m not even 100% sure I want to see them live–I really like some of their songs a lot, but a lot are just kind of okay for me.  Although their harmonies are absolutely dynamite.

Celisse Henderson is a wild rocking woman who plays a killer guitar–I think she’s more of a blues player than anything else, but with a modern, female spin on the blues..  I don’t think I knew who she was at the time, but I have since learned that she is a killer and I would have loved to see her.

 

 

Read Full Post »

Sheer Mag (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, May 6, 2022) [PUP]

Posted in Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, Pinkshift, PUP, Sheer Mag on May 7, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 6, 2022] Sheer Mag

I saw Sheer Mag back in 2017 and enjoyed their set quite a lot.  I had said that

They play a terrific swagger-filled hard rock (comparisons to many riff rock bands of the 70s abound).  And they are fronted by bad-ass singer Tina Halladay whose gritty voice sounds quite a bit like some of high-pitched male singers of the era.

They haven’t really made any new music since 2019, which is kind of a surprise as they were pretty prolific up until then.

This show had them playing a few songs from each of their albums and some of their earlier 7 inch records too.

This being a home town crowd, I thought the band would bring something extra.  It seemed like they were a little cranky or something. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Pinkshift (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, May 6, 2022) [PUP]

Posted in Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, Pinkshift, PUP, Sheer Mag on May 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 1, 2022] Pinkshift

Pinkshift is from Baltimore and they play a great mix of grunge and punk all coordinated by lead singer Ashrita Kumar.

I saw them open for Mannequin Pussy last year and they were amazing.  I was psyched that they were opening for Pup and made sure my son and I arrived early.

The band has only gotten better since we last saw them.  Kumar remains an amazing front woman, channeling her anger and aggression into an amazing set of songs and really getting he crowd pumped.

Guitarist Paul Vallejo and touring bassist Mikey Stabekis  were locked in step as they rocked.  Sounds like original bassist Erich Weinroth has been let go]. And drummer Myron Houngbedji was completely intense.

Here’s a funny detail I didn’t know.  (more…)

Read Full Post »

Destroyer / Rosali (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, May 6, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Dan Bejar, Destroyer, Philadelphia, PA, Rosali, Underground Arts on May 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 6, 2020] Destroyer / Rosali

It was just over two years ago that Destroyer was the last show I saw before the pandemic shut everything down.  So, Destroyer will always have a warm place in my heart because of that.  When this show was announced, I immediately bought tickets for it.

Then, over the next few weeks, SIX other shows were posted for that very same night.  Gogol Bordello, Sunflower Bean, Olivia Rodrigo (which sold out long before I could get a ticket), Lucius and Pup (which my son and I went to).

Pup was a big hit in my house and so we decided to go to that one.

I’m sure Dan and his team will be back for another tour in the not too distant future.

I saw Rosali open for Graham Coxon.

Here’s what I had to say about her in 2018

She is a Philadelphia-based singer songwriter with two albums out (her last album got some pretty glowing reviews).

She has a lovely voice which reminded me of Aimee Mann.  …  But the problem was that there were no hooks in her songs.

She also had very little stage presence.  She stated as much, confessing that stage banter wasn’t her thing.  No kidding.  One time she asked if anyone watched the news today, after some mild boos, she didn’t follow it up.  Every other time that she tuned, she was basically quiet.  In fact, she never said her name, the most basic thing you do when tuning your guitar.

The other problem was her guitar.  She was playing an electric guitar and was primarily playing slowly, picked notes.  But the settings of this guitar–so clean and sharp–were not helping with her voice at all, which was pretty and rather quiet.

She needed either some echo or vibrato or even an acoustic guitar to let the music resonate more.  She made a number of chord flubs which is no big deal but which really stood out since she was by herself and her guitar was so unforgiving.

I hope that her stage show has gotten better in the last four years, because I did really like her voice.

Read Full Post »

Sunflower Bean / Hello Mary (Absury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, May 6, 2022) [CANCELLED]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Hello Mary, Sunflower Bean on May 6, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[CANCELLED: May 6, 2022] Sunflower Bean / Hello Mary

I’ve seen Sunflower bean twice.  The first time I was blown away by them.  The second time, they had changed their sound a bit and, while I liked them, I didn’t really love the new direction quite as much.

It was unlikely that I was going to this show anyhow, because this night was an embarrassment of riches in terms of shows to see: Gogol Bordello, Sunflower Bean, Destroyer (which I had bought a ticket for a long time earlier), Olivia Rodrigo (which sold out long before I could get a ticket), Lucius and Pup (which my son and I went to).

But the day of the show, singer Julia Cumming posted

Hey guys. It breaks my heart to announce this, but tonight’s show at @asburylanes is cancelled, and we will also not be able to perform in Baltimore for the @wtmdradio showcase either. I am currently resting due to an injury in my neck, and although I thought through many ways to play these shows, it doesn’t feel safe for my body or fair to our fans. Refunds are available at point of purchase. Thank you guys for understanding.

Ouch.

So, at least I didn’t feel bad missing that one.

Hello Mary is a band I hadn’t heard of.  Why hadn’t I heard of them?  Well, because this article from November 2022 (yes, out of chronology, but it shows just how unknown they were back in May) explains

The New York trio’s self-titled full-length debut, out March 3, is a blast of distorted chords, sunny harmonies, and all-consuming angst that will renew your faith in the hopelessly dated and/or timelessly classic sounds of alternative rock. Hello Mary is an instant contender for 2023’s most bracing entrance to the stage, sharp and self-assured. Oh yeah, and the band’s two founders — singer-guitarist Helena Straight and bass player Mikaela Oppenheimer, both 18 — just graduated from high school this summer.

So at the time of the show they were still in high school.  That would have been wild to see them.  I have since listened to the album and I love it.  I sure hope the tour soon.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »