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Archive for September, 2024

Los Bitchos / Faux Real (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, September 23, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Faux Real, Franklin Music Hall, Los Bitchos, Philadelphia, PA on September 23, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 23, 2024] Los Bitchos / Faux Real

Back in 2022, Los Botchos opened for Belle & Sebastian.  And at the last minute we weren’t able to go to that show.

But I had listened to them and was really interested:

Los Bitchos is a four piece from London.  The band consists of Serra Petale (guitar), Agustina Ruiz (keytar), Josefine Jonsson (bass), and Nic Crawshaw (drums; percussion).  They predominantly play instrumental music in the style of cumbia from the 70s and 80s.  And they are a lot of fun.  Sounds like a great opening act.

I would have really enjoyed this show (and I love getting to see a band that is doing, in this case, six dates).  But it was the same night as Sigur Ros, who would definitely win out.

Faux Real sounds like a fascinating project:

Visionary art-pop duo Faux Real’s long-awaited debut album “Faux Ever” is a self-described “11-piece symphony for head-banging and longing.”

They sound campy and amazing, frankly.

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Jinjer (Starland Ballrom, Sayreville, NJ, September 20, 2024)

Posted in Hanabie, JInjer, Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom, Ukraine on September 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 20, 2024] Jinjer

I’ve seen Jinjer twice.  Last time, after the show I wrote:

Now that I’ve seen “Pisces,” I don’t think I need to see Jinjer again.  In fact, I’m probably not going to go to too many more metal shows.  I think I’ve seen everyone I wanted to.

Pisces was the song that introduced me to them and Tatiana Shmailyuk’s incredible voice.  She can sing beautiful soaring melodies and then on a dime turn into a scary growling monster.  It’s fascinating on record but it is mind blowing to see live.

So I wasn’t really sure I wanted to see them again, but I was inspired by the opening band Hanabie to go see them again.  And I’m so glad I did. This was the closest I’d been to them and it was great being that close to Eugene Abdukhanov on bass. The previous tow times, I was on guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov’s side but I’d really admired the bass work on these songs.  So it was very cool to see just how complicated his bass rhythms were.

Ibramkhalilov has a great sound–shifting from quiet picking to heavy chords, but it was a little lost on my side of the stage (I noticed it more on some of the recordings I took).  Drummer Vladislav Ulasevich also adds wonderful fills and stops and starts to add drama to the songs.  He was even louder than the last time I think–I needed to put the earplugs in deeper toward the end. (more…)

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Stars (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, September 21, 2024)

Posted in Christine Bougie, Lydia Persaud, Philadelphia, PA, Stars, Union Transfer on September 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 21, 2024] Stars

I have been a fan of Stars since about 2004.  I finally got to see them on their Christmas tour of 2022.  Singer Torq said that they would definitely be back for a Christmas tour the following year (they weren’t) and they didn’t do one in 2024 either.  But instead they did this: a 20th anniversary of Set Yourself on Fire, the album that introduced me to the band and which I love.  So yes, I was going to this one, too.

No surprises in the setlist then.

Instead it was a great band playing a great album

Amy Millan and Torquil Campbell sounded great and their onstage rapport is always amazing together–like (sometimes jilted) lovers (although they are not).

The rest of the band has remained the same for 20+ years.  Last tour I learned that bassist Evan Cranley and guitarist Chris Seligman are the main composers of Stars’ music. They repeat a riff or tune until something develops, and then Campbell and Amy Millan write lyrics.  (This according to Wikipedia).

Drummer Pat McGee and lead guitarist Chris McCarron were joined by a violin and sax player for some of the songs. (more…)

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Hanabie [花冷え。] (Starland Ballrom, Sayreville, NJ, September 20, 2024) [JINJER]

Posted in 花冷え。, Hanabie, Japanese Music, JInjer, Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom, Ukraine on September 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 20, 2024] Hanabie

I have seen Jinjer twice.  I didn’t really think about this tour until I checked out the opening acts.  I hadn’t heard of Hanabie, but when I looked them up I was blown away and was really excited to see them live,

I actually assumed that they would go on first since they are so much newer of a band than Born of Osiris.  But I was delighted to find out that BOO was on first so we could relax and enjoy the fun.

Hanabie [花冷え。] is a Japanese band known for combining loud and heavy music with contrasting Harajuku aesthetics in a style self-described as “Harajuku-core.”  They have been around since 2015 (when they started as a Maximum The Hormone cover band).  They have clean vocals and unclean vocals and the most fascinating thing is that singer Yukina does both!  She sings in an incredibly high almost cartoonish voice and then shifts to a growl that would impress anyone.

Guitarist Matsuri also sings– and has a lovely voice.  She often sings super catchy chorus and bridge parts while Yukina adds to them.  Bassist Hettsu also sings and has a lovely clean vocal style.  The three of them together are a dynamic force.

Drummer Chika is the only new member (they’ve had several drummers over the years).  I couldn’t see her at all because she was positioned on the far side of the stage/  Which was quite a bummer.

But Yukina, Matsuri and Hettsu were certainly enjoyable enough to watch.  They ran back and forth between stations, completely engaging with the crowd.  The few times that Yukina came over by us, you could see her making faces at people in the crowd.

Their set was so much fun–full of energy and excitement.  I particularly liked that they had so many high sounds–in a genre that is usually devoted to low frequencies.  Between the high vocals and some of the electronics it really made for a dynamic show.  I’m not sure how they all are (mid 20s, I guess?) but they had so much energy, bouncing and jumping around the stage.

And their fashion sense was pretty great too.

They were a great opening act and I would absolutely see them again–I hope as a headliner.

2024
Metamorphose! §
Ware Amatou ⊗
Reiwa Matching-sedai ⊗
O•TA•KU Lovely Densetsu §
NEET GAME ♥
Kotoshi koso Gal~Shoka ver.~ ♥
GIRL’S TALK §
Tales of Villain ♥
TOUSOU ♥
Osaki ni Shitsurei Shimasu ♥

§ single (2024)
♥ Reborn Superstar (2023)
⊗ Girl’s Reform Manifest (2021)

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Lydia Persaud & Christine Bougie (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, September 21, 2024) [STARS]

Posted in Christine Bougie, Lydia Persaud, Philadelphia, PA, Stars, Union Transfer on September 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 21, 2024] Lydia Persaud & Christine Bougie

Back in 2022, I saw Stars for the first time (on their Christmas tour) and loved them.  The opening act was Lydia Persaud (& Christine Bougie).

I believe that they both play together in a lot of things.  Lydia has been a member of The Soul Motivators, The O’Pears and Dwayne Gretzky and she and Christine are part of the the Queer Songbook Orchestra.  

They played a jazzy set of remarkably sad music.

When Stars announced this new tour for Set Yourself on Fire, I was super excited.  And, they announced some interesting opening acts along the way (including Dears, a band I could have seen before the pandemic but missed them and they haven’t been back since).  (more…)

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Born of Osiris (Starland Ballrom, Sayreville, NJ, September 20, 2024) [JINJER]

Posted in Born of Osiris, Hanabie, Japanese Music, JInjer, Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom, Ukraine on September 20, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 20, 2024] Born of Osiris

I’ve seen Jinjer twice and I didn’t really think I needed to see them again.  But they announced this show at Starland Ballroom and I was intrigued by one of the openers, Hanabie.  I hadn’t heard of Born of Osiris.

Turns out Born of Osiris is a metalcore band that’s been around for over fifteen years.  Interestingly, the band’s first two records were more or less created and played by the band’s mastermind and drummer, Cameron Losch.

Their set was very loud–so loud that it was hard to distinguish anything.  I wasn’t really all that interested in anything they played.   There were a few moments that included some electronics but mostly it was just bludgeoning and intense metal.

I found it kind of dull, actually.  It amused me that the singer kept trying to get people really psyched–I’m assuming that they have played headlining shows in the last fifteen years.  But every time they pointed the floodlights to the crowd, it kept showing an empty floor.  Part of the problem for them was that the website said they were going on at 7:30, but they went on at 7:10 and Starland is notoriously bad about slow entry.

There were some people who enjoyed it, but compared to the dynamic nature of the next two bands, they seemed really rather plodding.

This was the setlist from a show a few days later.  I assume it was the same.

 

2024
Open Arms to Damnation §
Bow Down §
Elevate ¥
Empires Erased §
Abstract Art §
Angel or Alien ♥
A Mind Short Circuiting ¥
In Desolation ¥
Machine ⊗

¥ single (2024)
♥ Angel or Alien (2021)
⊗ Tomorrow We Die Alive (2013)
§ The New Reign EP (2007)

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Sisters of Mercy / Black Audio (The Met Philadelphia, PA, September 18, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Blaqk Audio, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, The Sisters of Mercy on September 18, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 18, 2024] Sisters of Mercy / Black Audio

Back in the 80s, I was big into goth bands.  And I loved The Sisters of Mercy.   They were pretty damned cool.

Well, except for Vision Thing.  But the other two albums were awesome.

I was sort of interested in seeing this show to relive the old days (seeing Skinny Puppy this year was awesome).  But I didn’t really think I wanted to go.  At least not really.

I have since seen the setlist and there’s only three songs from Floodland and four from Vision Thing.  And then a whole bunch of unreleased stuff.

Just as well I stayed home

Blaqk Audio (I didn’t realize that was a q until writing this–look at the poster above) is an American electronic music duo, formed by current AFI members Davey Havok and Jade Puget.

They seem almost like they are poking fun of this kind of music.  But apparently their live shows are a lot of fun with lots of dancing.

 

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Brutus (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, September 16, 2024)

Posted in Brutus, Philadelphia, PA, Superbloom, Underground Arts on September 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 16, 2024] Brutus

Brutus is a trio from Belgium.  I wasn’t familiar with them until this show was announced but when I listened to their album Unison Life, I loved everything about them and knew I wanted to see them.

As the Superbloom gear was being removed, there was a drumkit on the right side of the stage.  I assumed that it would get moved to the middle, but it never did!

Rather, guitarist Stijn Vanhoegaerden and bassist Peter Mulders were center stage with all of their gear (including Milders’ bass pedals) and vocalist and drummer Stefanie Mannaerts faced them from the side of the stage.

Mannaerts’ microphone was on her left so she turned to the crowd when she sang.  The problem for me is that one of her cymbals was right where her face was, so I literally couldn’t see her face the whole night.  Even when the guy in front of me made room for me (that was very nice), it was still impossible to see her. (more…)

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Superbloom (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, September 16, 2024) [BRUTUS]

Posted in Brutus, Philadelphia, PA, Superbloom, Underground Arts on September 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 16, 2024] Superbloom

Superbloom is a 4 piece Brooklyn band.  They are grunge-y and heavy (and loud).

Their latest single shows the band as a five piece so I don’t know which guitarist was playing.

Lead singer Dave Hoon has a great grungy voice, at times sounding a bit like Kurt Cobain (and on one song drummer Matteo Dix did backing vocals like Dave Grohl).  Hoon was wearing a Soundgarden shirt and I’m sure that was only part of the reason I could hear Soundgarden in their music as well.

None of this is to say that they were a knock off band because they weren’t.  I never thought “this sounds just like X,” rather I loved the vibe and the confidence of the songwriting. (more…)

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The Lemonheads: It’s a Shame About C’mon Feel Tour / Cooper B. Handy / The Taxidermists (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, September 14 & 15, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Cooper B. Handy, Lemonheads, Philadelphia, PA, The Taxidermists, Theatre of Living Arts on September 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 14 & 15, 2024] The Lemonheads / Cooper B. Handy / The Taxidermists

I rather enjoyed The Lemonheads’ anniversary of It’s a Shame About Ray.  But I felt that Evan Dando’s performance was less than stellar.  And there was no word that he was “doing better” these days.

So even though I would have really enjoyed hearing these two albums in total, I wanted to hear them by Evan from twenty years ago.

Markit Aneight was there so I didn’t have to be and his video confirms that Evan was in a bad way that night.  So I’m glad I didn’t waste my time.

The first night opener was Cooper B. Handy.

Cooper B Handy has a kind of 90s DIY sound, but from the video below I wouldn’t really have enjoyed him that much.

Born on Cape Cod, Cooper B. Handy started releasing music as LUCY in 2009. In the years since, the Western Massachusetts based singer/producer has made a career of self-releasing music and videos, unpolished & posted in near real time.

The second night opener was The Taxidermists, a band from Massachusetts that’s been around for over a decade and which may have been the same band as played the first night.

the duo of singer/guitarist Cooper B. Handy (LUCY) and drummer Salvadore McNamara—take complete creative control on their infectious new KO EP. The organic sound of two childhood best friends sequestered in a garage with tape reels.

The first night it was just Cooper and a drummer, so maybe it was the same band–but probably different songs?  Maybe?

 

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