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Archive for September, 2024

Brittany Howard (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, September 29, 2024) [MICHAEL KIWANUKA]

Posted in Brittany Howard, Michael Kiwanuka, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, Yasmin Williams on September 30, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 29, 2024] Brittany Howard

I was really excited to see Michael Kiwanuka but less so about Brittany Howard (although I see that in 2020 I said I was excited to see her live).  Actually I loved her Tiny Desk Concert back in 2020, so I guess the thing was I didn’t really like Alabama Shakes because I don’t really like blues rock.  Although I just realized that they sing Don’t Wanna Fight which I really like, so I guess I’m just dumb.

So I clearly should have been more excited to see her live.  But maybe it’s better that I wasn’t because SHE BLEW ME AWAY!

From the moment she walked on looking like a sparkling goddess, she commanded the room.

To be honest I’m surprised she wasn’t the headliner of this two person tour–I guess maybe they are coheadlining, but still).  The crowd around me went crazy for her–the two women near me were yelping and screaming (I assume they were both pretty drunk).

Howard’s band was fantastic.  She had four musicians behind her, a guitarist next to her and two backing vocalists on her side.  Her drummer Nate Smith was outstanding–he even had a (very brief) drum solo.  I don’t know any of her songs really (except Stay High) so I don’t know the setlist.  But wow, what a voice–so commanding–and what a range.  So impressive.  I also had no idea she played guitar.  There were two other guitarists, so she didn’t play all the time.  Mostly, she played rhythm, but occasionally she played louder parts–with a great tone on that old guitar.  And then every once in a while, she played a guitar solo and totally killed it.  I didn’t know she soloed. but she was really impressive at that too. (more…)

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The Hives / The Mary Veils (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, September 29, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, The Fillmore Philadelphia, The Hives, The Mary Veils on September 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 29, 2024] The Hives / The Mary Veils

When The Hives released their second album, I, like so many people, fell in love with the punchy songs and cool black and white look.

They did another album that I really liked and then I pretty much forgot about them.

I don’t know if everyone else did too, but in 2023 they released their first album in 11 years and like the others it features sledgehammer guitars, drums that sound like they’re being punctured as they’re being played, obtuse lyrics delivered at a steady Scandinavian scream.

I would have more seriously considered going to this show if it wasn’t the same night as Michael Kiwanuka and if it was at a smaller venue.

The Mary Veils are a Philly garage rock band that started as the solo project of songwriter Brian von Uff, and has evolved into a full band with Justin Mansor, Andrew Mann and Evan Wall.

The fuzz is good and they have the same energy.  Sounda like a fun bill.

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Yasmin Williams (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, September 29, 2024) [MICHAEL KIWANUKA]

Posted in Brittany Howard, Michael Kiwanuka, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, Yasmin Williams on September 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 29, 2024] Yasmin Williams

I hadn’t heard of Yasmin Williams before this show.  But as soon as I watched a video of her, I knew I wanted to see her set.  (Any video will do, definitely check her out).

My tickets said that the show would start at 7:30.  I arrived a little later than I intended, but was still there by around 7:20.  It took a while to get into the venue and by the time I got close to the stage (it wasn’t very crowded yet), Yasmin finished a song and announced her last song!

I don’t know what time she actually went on (a little after 7, I guess) so I only had the chance to watch one of her songs.

It was wild fingerpicked guitar (she lays the guitar on her lap and has a kalimba at the end of it as well.  So much fun to watch.  I’m not sure I would simply listen to her–although her song was lovely.  I don’t really listen to solo acoustic guitar music.  But I would absolutely see her live any time.

No setlist available.

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Hotline TNT / Disq / Euphoria Again / Patter (First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA, September 28, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Disq, Euphoria Again, First Unitarian Church, Hotline TNT, Patter, Philadelphia, PA on September 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 28, 2024] Hotline TNT / Disq / Euphoria Again / Patter

I’ve been a little bit obsessed with Hotline TNT since I missed them back in January (and then fell in love with their record).

When they played  show in June that I missed, I wrote

Hotline TNT plays what I can only describe as classic shoegaze, which is definitely having a moment again.  Unlike a lot of their contemporaries, they don’t really mess with the classic shoegaze vibe all that much–not adding elements at all.  Their music warms my heart and I’d love to see them live.

But it’s hard to imagine going to a four-band show when the headlining band is one you only know a little and has one album that you’ve listened to.

And, of course, I wasn’t going to go to the Church anyhow.

The rest of the lineup?  Never heard of them. (more…)

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Nilüfer Yanya / Lutalo / Eliza McLamb (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, September 28, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Eliza McLamb, Lutalo, Nilüfer Yanya, Philadelphia, PA, Underground Arts on September 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 28, 2024] Nilüfer Yanya / Lutalo / Eliza McLamb

I saw Nilüfer Yanya back in 2019.  Since then she seems to have become even more of a dynamic performer.

I wanted to go to this show but I had a show the night before and the night after so I stayed home.

And the more I listen to her newer stuff the less engaged I am by it.

Lutalo is based in Vermont.

After releasing their 2022 debut EP, the 24-year-old born Lutalo Jones emerged as a rising presence in the indie world, catching the attention of Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold and Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker, who invited the young musician on tour.

Their music was good, but didn’t inspire me. (more…)

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Stars / Lydia Persaud (Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park, NJ, September 28, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Christine Bougie, Lydia Persaud, Stars, The Stone Pony Summer Stage on September 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 18, 2024] Stars / Lydia Persaud

I have been a fan of Stars since about 2004.  Seeing them live in 2022 was amazing.  And I couldn’t wait to see them again.

But since they were playing at Union Transfer, there was no way I was going to the Stone Pont Summer Stage to see them.  Frankly, that sounds like a terrible place to see an intimate band like Stars.

Lydia Persaud opened again.  I didn’t really like her last time.

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Mannequin Pussy (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, September 27, 2024)

Posted in Mannequin Pussy, Margaritas Podridas, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on September 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 27, 2024] Mannequin Pussy

After I saw Mannequin Pussy in May I was certain that I didn’t need to see them again.  But when they announced that they were playing in Asbury Park with Margaritas Podridas opening, I knew I had to go!

Margaritas was fantastic, but I couldn’t get over how crowded the place had gotten for Mannequin Pussy.  When I saw them in Philly, I knew that they would sell out (three shows!).  And I know that Asbury isn’t that far from Philly, but sometimes the shows don’t really translate.  But wow, it was packed.

I moved to the higher level (which I didn’t even realize was open for shows).  And that’s where the ADA section was.  So I grabbed a high stool and could see the stage perfectly.

One thing I’ve always noticed about me though is that if I’m not in the mix on the floor, I tend to not get fully involved in the show.  So even though the band sounded great I was mostly thinking about how I saw them first in 2018 when they opened for Japandroids.  They were pretty unknown at the time and didn’t have much of a stage thing going on.  But now, they were like rockstars.

Marisa Dabice’s hair was flowing, she was wearing a fancy crop top (that she must have known couldn’t hold her breasts since she had tape on the nipples.  The stage looked great and it felt like a big show. (more…)

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The Get Up Kids: 25 Years of Something to Write Home About / Smoking Popes (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, September 27, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Smoking Popes, The Get Up Kids, Union Transfer on September 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 27, 2024] The Get Up Kids / Smoking Popes

Back in 2022 I wrote

My friend Al got me into The Get Up Kids back in the early 2000s.  “Mass Pike” is a frequently played song on road trips.  My Get Up Kids album is Something to Write Home About.  I never really got that into Four Minute Mile.  So, even though this show could have been fun, it wouldn’t quite have been for me.

And here they are two years later touring for that very album.

But it was the same night that I was going to see Mannequin Pussy and Margaritas Podridas, who I was really excited to see.

So, once again I missed The Get Up Kids.

Smoking Popes seem like an unlikely opening act.  I didn’t even know they were still a band.  I enjoyed their Born to Quit album quite a bit.  And the one after that was pretty good too.  Apparently at some point in their career, someone in the band became a Christian and the band broke up.

Then they reunited about twenty years ago (!) and have put out a few records since.   I’m sure it would have been fun to hear the old songs again.  Maybe I’ll bust them out on Spotify.

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Margaritas Podridas (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, September 27, 2024) [MANNEQUIN PUSSY]

Posted in Mannequin Pussy, Margaritas Podridas, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on September 27, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 27, 2024] Margaritas Podridas

I’m not sure how I first heard about Mexico’s Margaritas Podridas, but as soon as I did I wanted to see them live.  They had yet to play on the East Coast of the U.S. but they did open for Mannequin Pussy on the West Coast, so I was pretty excited that they were at least playing in the U.S.

When they were announced as the support for Mannequin Pussy in Asbury, I had to get tickets even if I had just seen the headliners in May (and really I was happy to see them again so soon).

The band came out as a trio (they are listed as a quartet in all their promo material) and proceeded to rip the house down.

Margaritas Podridas does play some shoegaze, but at this show they were in full on rage mode (as their newest singles have indicated).

They opened with a killer 2022 single “No quiero ser madre” (I don’t want to be a mother), and bassist Carolina Enríquez demonstrated that in addition to having a lovely singing voice, she can strip paint off the walls with her screams.

The rowdy Asbury Park crowd responded immediately.

Going forward, she introduced every song with the English translation of the title, playing the two songs from their 2023 single Corazón and Muñeca (Heart and Doll)

The song “Vómito” (no translation needed) even featured her retching.  That song from 2023 and “Tornillo” (Screw) are from a 2023 single.

They slowed things down for the middle section with the shoegazey “Wow” and the starts-as-shoegaze but then gets really intense “Parabrisas” (Windshield).

Then it was back to the heavy, grungy “Margaritas” (Daisies).  At this point the crowd started a small mosh pit–a rarity for an opening band, but the crowd was totally into it.

Things got even more intense (with lots more screaming) on “Agujas” (Needles) and “Pólvora” (Gunpowder).

They played one song in English (their first album was all in English) called Malign, and then ended  the set with a blistering “Filosa ” (Philosopher).  When the song ended, the band jut exploded with sound, with feedback galore and Carolina scratching her bass against the mic stand.

By then the pit had pushed me pretty far away from where I started, and I feel like the band really appreciate the crowd’s energy.

I would happily see them again.  Such a great energy.  I also enjoyed that they were really happy to be in New Jersey because they love My Chemical Romance.

2024 Asbury
No quiero ser madre Ø
Corazón ♥
Muñeca ♥
Vómito ⊗
Tornillo ⊗
Wow ∪
Parabrisas ∪
Margaritas ∪
Agujas λ
Pólvora §
Malign λ
Filosa ⊗

§ single (2024)
♥ Corazón de Muñeca single (2023)
⊗ single (2023)
Ø single (2022)
∪ Margaritas Podridas (2021)
λ Porcelain Mannequin (2018)

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Sigur Rós performing with Wordless Music Orchestra (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, September 23, 2024)

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Sigur Rós, The Met Philadelphia on September 23, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 23, 2024] Sigur Rós performing with Wordless Music Orchestra

The first time I saw Sigur Rós back in 2001 is still one of the most memorable and moving shows I’ve ever been to.  So it’s shocking to be that I’ve only seen them four times in total.

When they announced  this Wordless Orchestra tour last year I wanted to go, but decided it wasn’t worth going into Manhattan (and paying the huge ticket prices).  So I assumed I’d miss this show.  Then they announced a Philly show.

I bought cheap seats far from the stage thinking that it was an orchestra, what was there to really look at.  And it was the right choice aside from the horrible people sitting near us.  I’m just going to get this out of the way.  This couple a few seats down from us talked through the whole show.  Sometimes whispering but always loud enough that you could hear her.  I even know she felt better after going to the bathroom.  I mean, for fucks sake.

But enough, focus on the greatness of  the show. (more…)

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