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Archive for June, 2025

Girls Against Boys / Maafa (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, June 19, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Girls Against Boys, Johnny Brenda's, Maafa, Philadelphia, PA on June 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 19, 2025] Girls Against Boys / Maafa

I was into Girls Against Boys in the early 90s.  Not a huge fan, but I liked their sound and a bunch of their songs.  When this tour was announced, I didn’t know that they were still a thing (they’ve broken up and reformed a few times).

I was instantly intrigued about going to this show (especially at Johnny Brenda’s) but it was in between two nights that I was already going out.  I’m a little bummed to have missed it, but it’s okay.  I would have liked to see Kill the Sexplayer live though (and I’ll have to dig out their CDs to listen to).

I had never heard of Maafa, but they sound pretty amazing

MAAFA is a Brooklyn-based “Afro-progressive hardcore” band founded by Brazilian bassist, vocalist, and composer Flora Lucini. They fuse intense, abrasive hardcore punk with traditional African instrumentation and rhythms, featuring politically charged lyrics that address systemic oppression and the African diaspora.

Looks like this would have been a really fun show.  I should have reconsidered going.

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Matt Kirshen (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 18, 2025) [SARAH MILLICAN]

Posted in Matt Kirshen, Philadelphia, PA, Sarah Millican, The Met Philadelphia on June 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 18, 2025] Matt Kirshen

I knew (and loved) Sarah Millican from Taskmaster.  I was so excited when she announced her tour and I was excited for her that it sold out and she had to add a second date!

When show time arrived, she came out on stage and gave us a little warm up.  And then she introduced her opening comedian!   I’ve never seen the headliner come out before the support act, but it was fun and classy.

Her opening act was Matt Kirshen.  Kirshen is a British comedian who has recently become an American citizen.  We all had a good laugh at his terrible timing of becoming an citizen.  He said that he liked being part of something in its final act.

His routine was really funny–it must be quite challenging to be a less well-known comedian.  But he was great and had us laughing quite hard.

He had his own show at Helium the following month and I’m sure it was really good.

I’m writing this three months after the show and can’t remember his jokes, but I know he had us laughing quite a bit.

If I think of any jokes or see any videos, I’ll add them here.  But I would 100% see him again.  He was great.

 

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Lip Critic (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, June 16, 2025)

Posted in Halloween, Hello Mary, Lip Critic, Philadelphia, PA, Warehouse on Watts on June 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 16, 2025] Lip Critic

I had not heard of Lip Critic and never imagined that they would be headlining this show.  But when they started I realized why they were better suited as the headliners–because they are crazy and would be very hard to follow.

I actually wondered if they were even playing songs or just improvising loudly on stage (they are playing songs and do have records out, so settle down).  It’s not just that it was loud (it was), it’s that it was chaotic in the extreme.

There were two drummers (yay), a guy who made all the sounds but who faced away from the audience the whole time (but did a lot of dancing)  and then the singer/screamer, who was fun and funny and brought a good time to all the chaos. (more…)

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Honey Revenge / Vana / Daisy Grenade / Nightlife (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, June 18, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Daisy Grenade, Honey Revenge, Nightlife, Philadelphia, PA, The Foundry, Vana on June 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 18, 2025] Honey Revenge / Vana / Daisy Grenade / Nightlife

I saw Honey Revenge open for Meet Me @ The Altar and I really liked their set.  Honey Revenge is evidently a two-piece: Devin Papadol (vocals) and Donovan Lloyd (guitar), (although live there were two others).  They play an electro pop that is really fun and Papadol is a great front woman.

But this was the same night that I had a ticket to see Hello Mary, who I had really wanted to see, so I blew off this show.

I listened to a Vana song and thought they were a dancey synth band and then about fifteen seconds in the song went total death metal with screaming vocals.  Wow.  There’s a total Poppy vibe–growly vocals interspersed with sweet synth pop verses.  Her bio states

Vana is an independent female alt metal artist from Aotearoa [New Zealand]. She doubles as a musician and content creator and prioritises spending her time sharing her creativity with the world.  Vana’s music is dark and alluring. She strives to make music that represents her pride as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as encouraging women to embrace their sensuality. Her songs encapsulate the feeling of viewing life through rose-tinted glasses, especially the consequences of doing so.

Daisy Grenade opened for Pierce the Veil but we missed them. I wanted to see them because I like what they call bubblegrunge.  Although I think I like Vana more (because I’m obsessed with New Zealand).

Daisy Grenade is an alt-pop duo led by Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittakker hailing from their hometown of NYC. Their songs hit like chaotic diary entries equal parts heartbreak, rage, delusion and rebellion. They’re giving bubblegrunge a bloody nose, wrapping raw vulnerability in distortion and glitter.

Nightlife is a Baltimore-based “soul-punk” band formed by Hansel Romero (vocals/production), Julian Lofton (bass/guitars), and Isaiah Walker (drums/percussion).  They are known for blending energetic, melodic punk with soulful vocals, featuring popular tracks like “new low,” “fallback,” and “strangeluv”.

I haven’t heard of blending soul and punk.  I’m all for genre melding, although this feels more like soul with loud guitars.

 

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Hello Mary (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, June 16, 2025) [LIP CRITIC]

Posted in Halloween, Hello Mary, Lip Critic, Philadelphia, PA, Warehouse on Watts on June 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 16, 2025] Hello Mary

Iwas supposed to see Hello Mary about a half dozen times and it kept falling through for one reason or another.

So when they announced this show at Warehouse on Watts, where I had never been before, I grabbed a ticket quickly, having no idea how quickly it would sell out.  I loved that the venue was so small, and I had great access for seeing them for the first time.

They had a newish album out for this tour and I was ready for it.  I was closest to bassist Mikaela Oppenheimer who plays some awesome basslines.  On the far side was singer guitarist Helena Straight (who makes some gorgeous noise/feedback while not playing cool melodies), and and then at the kit was drummer Stella Wave.   Float started with washes of keys (from Mikaela) and guitar while Stella and Helena ooh’d the intro.  By the end, the song was a wall of noise and screamed vocals.  It was a great opening.

They followed it with a classic 90s-sounding rocker Stinge from their debut album–a great guitar riff and intermittent quiet parts.  Even their quieter songs like Courtesy have a good grunge tone. (more…)

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Halloween (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, June 16, 2025) [LIP CRITIC]

Posted in Halloween, Hello Mary, Lip Critic, Philadelphia, PA, Warehouse on Watts on June 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 16, 2025] Halloween

I first heard about Warehouse on Watts back in 2021, when some kind of Yves Tumor Halloween show was being presented there.  I didn’t understand what was happening that night and really had no idea what to think of this venue.  I’ve only been interested in the venue one other time since then, but I didn’t go to it.  But here at last was someone (Hello Mary) that I really wanted to see and they were playing there.

Imagine my surprise to find out it’s a block away from The Met Philly.  It’s a cool, small club with a short stage and walls that you can lean against if need be.  I really liked it and would happily go back.

So I arrived really early and was able to check out the place a but before Halloween started.  I can’t believe that in 2025 a band can call themselves Halloween and there’s no real conflict.  Has no one ever called their band Halloween before?

Halloween is a Philly based band and they play an interesting mix of sounds.  They are probably based around shoegaze, with fuzzy swirling guitars.  The vocals are quiet ( I often couldn’t hear them, but I could tell there was singing).  Guitarist Sia Dokos (who also sang lead sometimes) played really cool interesting chords and noises and I wished that I was on their side of the stage to really see what was going on). (more…)

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The Head and the Heart / Futurebirds / Anna Graves (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 6, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Anna Graves, Futurebirds, Philadelphia, PA, The Head and the Heart, The Met Philadelphia on June 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 6, 2025] The Head and the Heart / Futurebirds / Anna Graves

One of the worst shows I’ve been to was The Head and the Heart at this very venue in 2019.

It wasn’t the band’s fault, it was the crowd.  They were terrible.  And I’m not going to revisit the details.  We saw THATH in New Brunswick and the show was a much better experience.  But it also happened to be the same night as The Last Dinner Party’s only Philly show and I’m really bummed to have missed that one.

So THATH have a bit of a curse on them for me.  But there was no way I was going back to that venue for this band.

Futurebirds are from Georgia and sound like a country Tom Petty. Not something I’d be excited to see, although they’re probably fun at a beach concert.

Anna Graves is an alt-folk artist  who was raised on a farm in southern Minnesota.  She left home chasing big dreams and bright lights, only to return years later and rediscover the mystical magic that first sparked her songwriting.  She has a pretty voice and is probably delightful live, although she’s not that exciting to me.

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Bloc Party / Blonde Redhead / Joan (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 4, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Blonde Redhead, Joan, Metric, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia on June 4, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 4, 2025] Bloc Party / Blonde Redhead /Joan

I was originally excited about this tour because Metric was co-headlining and was going to play Fantasies in its entirety.  They cancelled pretty close to the last minute saying “Bloc Party’s team made some sudden production decisions that broke the agreement we made.”  I have no idea what that means and many people had nasty things to say about Metric online.  But I was glad I hadn’t gotten a ticket.

I never got into Bloc Party, although I feel like I should have.  It wasn’t that I didn’t like them, I just never had the time for them.  When I listened to this record I liked it, but didn’t love it.  So, no big dela to miss out on this one.

Blonde Redhead was a band that I really liked for a while and then forgot about.  I probably should have been more excited about this announcement, although I didn’t realize that they have been making music all this time (an album every few years).  I assumed they had broken up and were back together for this tour.  Turns out they played mostly songs from their latest album, which I didn’t know.  So no big deal.

Come on guys, you can’t call yourselves Joan.  Not because it’s a woman’s name, because it’s impossible to search for.  Even if antimusic calls you “Beloved alt-pop duo joan-Alan Benjamin Thomas and Steven Rutherford.”  But their music is surprisingly big for just the two of them, with a soft vocalist.

Beware, though, unbelievably, there’s another band called simply Joan.

The band playing this show has an album called superglue.

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Sleigh Bells / Sophie Hunter (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 3, 2025) DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Sleigh Bells, Sophie Hunter, Union Transfer on June 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 3, 2025] Sleigh Bells / Sophie Hunter

I saw Sleigh Bells open for Pixies a few years ago.  I had remembered when they first came out and they were very noisy.  Several years later and they looked different but they were still noisy.  I had written

For this show the band consisted of two guitarists who flanked Alexis Krauss.  The drums and every other noise was handles by a woman offstage.  The two guitars were probably overkill as they both did the same thing pretty much all the time.  But the stage belonged to Krauss.  She jumped around, she sang (beautifully).  Despite her attitude, the show was a little monotonous.  The guys didn’t do much, and she can only keep the crowd rolling for so long.  It was a fun opening set, but probably would have been more fun in a small dark club.

So this was in a small dark club, but I didn’t want to see them as a headline act.

Sophie Hunter is a delightfully weird musician who kinda raps over unusual beats.  Feel the throb describes her perfectly

Those red curls and that Natasha Lyonne-esque voice deadpan-rapping while she walks the streets of NYC. Since 2021, the New Haven native has been steadily building buzz with singles like Cvnt and Fight!  Hunter grabs you by the eardrums and doesn’t let go. Her self-described “pop+rap” style is less a fusion and more a full-on collision of genres, with shrapnel flying in all directions. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s glorious. However, don’t let the cacophony fool you – there’s method to this madness. Hunter’s lyrics are a masterclass in wordplay, with more double entendres than a late-night comedy show. She weaves tales of the female experience with the dexterity of a verbal contortionist, leaving you reaching for the replay button to catch what you missed the first time around.

I’m going to keep an eye on her–she’s probably a blast live.

But Tito Santana recorded the whole show

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Vampire Weekend (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, May 31, 2025)

Posted in Geese, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, Vampire Weekend on June 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 31, 2025] Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend’s first two albums are perfect.  They are two of my favorite albums and any time I listen to them, it makes me smile.  I had wanted to see them for a while, but I wasn’t sure if they would be as good as the records live.  And then suddenly they were selling out bigger venues than I wanted go.  I had tickets to see them in 2019 but couldn’t make it.  Somehow I missed when they played The Mann in 2024 (I was too buys that weekend anyhow) and finally I was able to snag tickets for one of the two nights at The Met.

I saw after that they played a different set for each night, so it’s a bummer I couldn’t go to both.  But having finally gotten so see them I can yell at my younger self because they were fantastic live.

After Geese left the stage, a giant Vampire Weekend banner dropped in front of the dark curtain.  A whole bunch of folks in dayglo yellow set up the stage area–bringing out a piano and drums as well as a mic stand.

Having never seen them I honestly wasn’t sure if this was the show–just a trio in front of the band’s name.  And I was fine with it because they sounded great.

It was just the original trio singer/guitarist Ezra Koenig, drummer Chris Tomson, and bassist Chris Baio.  They opened with  the quiet Hold Me Now and then segued into a far more rollicking Oxford Comma (And I was in heaven because they’d already played on of my favorites songs).  And then they played Blake’s Got a New Face, which my wife and I had just been singing.  It was great.

It was sometime during the next song Ice Cream Piano that I realized that there were more sounds coming from the stage than these three guys could possible make.  And soon after, the pulled back the VW curtain to reveal a huge band behind them.  The revelation was quite a delightful surprise and it wasn’t until they started the next song, Classical (which I never no the name of) that I realized how great the whole huge band sounded.  There were two drummers, keys, several guitars and lots of backing singers.  During the instrumental section of the song, one of the guys in the dayglo shirt did a very sexy dance in the spotlight.  It was pretty fun.

And how to describe the backdrop?  It looked like they were in an underground tunnel, like a concrete bunker with multiple ins and outs.  It looked really convincing.

Ezra typically played guitar but for a few songs, like Connect, he put down the guitar and walked the stage while singing. (more…)

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