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Archive for the ‘Asbury Park, NJ’ Category

Luminous Abstract presents Sonic Mass featuring Tramutanas (Trinity Church, Asbury Park, NJ, March 1, 2024) [SOMA]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Cementation Anxiety, Soma, Tramutanas, Trinity Church on March 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 1, 2024] Tramutanas 

The only thing I could find out about Tramuntanas online (in addition to their Instagram page) is this cryptic statement on their website:

Tramuntanas, a new instrumental duo from Baltimore, features Asa Osborne (known for his work with Zomes, Lungfish, and the Pupils) and Canadian sound and video installation artist Shan Collis. The duo will release their debut album in 2024.

So imagine my surprise when Tramuntanas (which means the north wind, I believe), turned out to be a trio.  Asa Osborne was on bass (a great bass sound), Shan Collis played keys (and I assume triggered the amazing visuals) and a third person played sax.

I’m not usually one for saxophone, but this gentleman (whose name was never given) was great.  He played elliptical lines and sounds–solos but never lengthy guitar solo type solos.  He accented the otherwise simple music and his sax was haunting throughout.

Unlike Cementation Anxiety, Tramuntanas’ songs were all short–3 minutes or so.  Some were super catchy with great bass lines, others were pretty and meandering.

Of the three bands, I enjoyed their lights the most–they really synched up with the music nicely.

I’m really quite curious to hear what their recorded output will be like–they have a bandcamp page but there’s nothing on it.

Such a mystery!

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Luminous Abstract presents Sonic Mass featuring Cementation Anxiety (Trinity Church, Asbury Park, NJ, March 1, 2024) [SOMA]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Cementation Anxiety, Soma, Tramutanas, Trinity Church on March 2, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 1, 2024] Cementation Anxiety

This night of shows was curated by Luminous Abstract, “a production, design and artist collective” who do “audio visual events and projection mapping antics.”

It’s hard to find very much about them (aside from their instagram page, but they seem to occasionally curate a Sonic Mass (I believe this is the fifth one).  The events are listed as

Sonic Mass: An Audio Visual Experience to benefit the Trinity Church’s well being Program.

Donations were appreciated and they raised $500 for the Food Justice Program at Trinity Church, which strives to meet the immediate needs of hunger in Asbury Park and to organize within the community to prevent hunger and injustice in the future.

So that’s pretty awesome.

Cementation Anxiety was added to this bill just before the show started, so I didn’t have time check them out.

I have since discovered that the band is basically the solo project of Kyle Nelson from the punk band Bodiless (who I didn’t know).

Spotify says the band is a

sonic departure from the intensity of Bodiless, Cementation Anxiety still endeavors to explore the catharsis present in both genres—predominantly through guitar—but also field recordings, oscillators, noise machines, and hardware tools.

It was pretty bizarre not being able to see the musician at all.  Occasionally when the projections were more bright, you could see Nelson with his guitar, but I had no idea how the rest of the sounds were being generated.

So it was a kind of wall of sounds.  He played guitar (which may have been a tweak too loud, especially compared to the other bands) but it was really interesting to watch (when he was visible) because his strumming didn’t seem to directly relate to the music that we were hearing.  There must have been effects galore on his guitar because he would strum really hard and the you couldn’t hear the individual strums like you would in a punk show, it was like the intensity of the wave of music just got bigger.

He switched guitars a couple of times and that changed the timbre of the music.  It felt old school industrial, but not.  It was powerful, bordering on overwhelming.

I later chatted briefly on Instagram with Kyle and he told me that the first half of the set came from his EP Liminal Instability and the second half was from an unreleased album coming out in May.

It was a cool way to start the night and the visuals were a great accompaniment.

Much applause goes to Luminous Abstract and the three bands.

(more…)

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Portugal. The Man (The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, February 23, 2024)

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Native Americans, Portugal The Man, Snacktime, The Stone Pony on February 25, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 23, 2024] Portugal. The Man

My family and I saw Portugal, The Man at the Newport Folk Festival.  Actually, we saw one song and their opening session with a Native American woman (which was very cool, but obviously meant we missed a few more songs.

So I’ve wanted to see them for at least five years, and I know that I wanted to see them for a while before then as well.

I had tickets to see them with Alt-J last summer, but couldn’t make it.   So here they were coming down to Asbury Park, a closeish drive and a cool city (especially in the off-season, when parking is cheap).

I hated the crowd.  They were squeezed in so close, and then a bunch of tall people shoved in front so I could barely see anything (I didn’t even realize there was a woman on stage until about 3/4 of the way through the show).  And the loud bros behind me engaged in this fascinating behavior: Song starts, “TALK TALK TALK TALK TALK–I love this song–sing chorus very loudly-TALK TALK TALK TALK.”  It was hard to move away from them but I slowly did over the course of the show.

But before the music started, they introduced a Native American woman from Alaska who talked about nature and how cool it was to be at the Atlantic Ocean, since she knows the Pacific Ocean.  And then she introduced a man and his daughter who had lived here on this land for thousands of years.  (I assume they were Lenapi).  The spoke a bit and then sang a song of thanks and praise.

It was pretty cool, and an amazing gesture from the band.  After they were finished, they left, the stage cleared for a few minutes.  Then the lights turned red and that just solidified that I wouldn’t see anything for the show.  So I settled in to just chilling with the music.

And it was pretty amazing.  They opened with a wild medley of Dopesmoker which segued into a really fast version of Yes’ Heart of the Sunrise (just the music).  They segued between that and two choruses of their older songs and finally settled on “Grim Generation” from the new album.

I didn’t really know the new album very well.  I’ve listened to it a few times, but it hadn’t really sunk in like their earlier stuff.  But it sounded great live.

The new album is a bit more mellow, but their older music is weird and wild.  And the crowd LOVED it.  I didn’t know that P.tM had such a huge and dedicated following–people who knew the words to all the songs.  Unlike me.  I knew some of the songs, but what really impressed me was how much I enjoyed even the songs that I didn’t know.  The songs were short and catchy.  Each song was about three minutes with a big chorus and they moved on to another song.  It wasn’t exactly a greatest hits type of show, but more of a touchstone for all of their songs through their career. (more…)

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Snacktime (The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, February 23, 2024) [PORTUGAL. THE MAN]

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Portugal The Man, Snacktime, The Stone Pony on February 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 23, 2024] Snacktime

I had heard of Snacktime, but I wasn’t all that excited to see them.

SNACKTIME is Philadelphia’s already beloved 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. This progressed to sold-out headlining shows, curation of neighborhood festivals, multiple appearances at Philadelphia 76ers halftime shows, and slots at major music festivals.

It wasn’t that I wouldn’t like them.  I mean, obviously, they were going to be a lot of fun.  I assumed they would play horn-filled songs that were catchy and fun and dancey.  And I felt like I had heard that before, so it didn’t excite me.

And when they came out, that’s exactly what they played.  Super fun bouncy horn filled melodies with occasional words (most encouraging people to get up, stand up or dance).

I was in a crabby mood when they started because it was super crowded and I realized for the third time how much I dislike The Stone Pony as a venue (especially when it is crowded).   I couldn’t really see the band and the lights weren’t very helpful, so it was not a great scene.  But their music cheered me up pretty much from the get go.

They played soulful music and implored us to Step Up to The Dance Floor.

I thought about how they were promoting a message of positivity, but “I Don’t Give a Damn” was kind of an odd choice.

However, I really enjoyed the stupid shout-along “Smokin’ Drinkin’ Talkin’ Shit”

The rest of the show was more of the same, with solos, chanting, clapping and good feelings.  There were a lot of people who were there to see Snacktime.  And I totally get it.  It’s just not quite my thing (except when it is). (more…)

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Pinkshift (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, January 26, 2024) [RESCHEDULED SHOW]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Fox Teeth, Jhariah, Pinkshift on January 30, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 26, 2024] Pinkshift [rescheduled from October 13, 2023, because of flooding]

This was my fourth time seeing Pinkshift in just over two years.  It’s impressive how much bigger and more confident they’ve gotten in this time.

I hadn’t intended  to go to this show when it was scheduled for October because I had other plans.  But this show getting flooded out (and subsequently shutting down the great House of Independents) did allow me to

I hadn’t realized that Pinkshift released an EP back in August.  It’s called Suraksha (Hindi for “security” or “safety” or “protection.”).  Singer Ashrita Kumar says, “I grew up listening to in Bollywood and Indian classical music would round out the songs perfectly. Going into the studio, the only thing on my mind was my family, and making these songs was unique because in my head I was making it for them.”

So that’s cool.  The EP has some traditional Indian sounds on it and live (and this was about the coolest thing), they had someone playing sitar (I think it was a sitar).  Ashrita Kumar introduced her, but I didn’t catch her name or the band she plays in.

The sitar was mostly used as an interstitial between these three new songs–she would have been drowned out during the main body of the songs if she was playing.  But it was so cool to see her up there with this great punk band.

They followed it up with a new song, called “Blood.”  Pinkshift has never shied from speaking their minds.  This time they look beyond personal issues to take on something bigger: “There’s blood in the water, there’s blood in the trees.”  A wish that Western colonization of all lands would end.  She dedicated the song to the people of Palestine. It was heavy and intense.

As always drummer Myron Houngbedji was amazing.  His intensity and skills are formidable.  They had a new bassist on this tour (but he was not introduced and their press photos still only show three people).

Guitarist Paul Vallejo is still an amazing force–he can shred with the best but he has an overall fantastic sound.

Then they moved into songs that I knew (I wondered why I didn’t recognize the other songs, had I forgotten their music?).

I had seen them play “Burn the Witch” last year and it was possibly more intense this time.

I don’t mean to comment on people’s appearance, but I kind of miss Ashrita’s longer hair because it looked amazing when she whipped it around.  I mean, she’s still an amazing front woman, doing incredibly intense things on stage, but it was fun watcher her hair follow her along.

I first heard “Nothing” when they didn’t have a name for it, so that’s fun.

I really know their first EP the best, so when they played “On Thin Ice” I was pretty psyched.  It was also around here that I realized that I’d only ever seen them as an opening band when they were playing 7 songs a night.  But there was to be a lot more.

They played another new song, another which was just as intense as the others.  Then Let Me Drown from the full length.

And from here  to the end it was mostly the Saccharine EP.  “Mars” gets more intense each time I see it.

But one of the real highlights came when they played “Eat Your Friends” a new song that they recorded with Jhariah for this tour.  Of course, he came out to sing with them and by the middle of the song Jhariah and Ashrita were in the middle of the pit that consumed most of the middle of the floor.

I can’t ever get enough of “i’m gonna tell my therapist on you” because the song is just as good as the title.

There are 12 songs on their full length LP, and I’ve seen them play 7.  I wonder if they had been playing that whole album before the new EP came out.  Their whole set isn;t that long so, they could have probably played a few more.  But it’s hard to keep that much intensity up.

Plus, Ashrita (and the band) were energized against Israel and were getting the crowd riled up to action.  It was pretty inspiring and I hope even a quarter of the audience was moved to action.

“Love Me Forever” slows things down, but doesn’t lessen the intensity as Ashrita shows off just how amazing her voice is (I mean, damn, this woman can sing!  And her range just gets better with every release).

After a brief encore they came back and blew through two more songs from Saccharine, the 90 second “Toro” and the longer “Rainwalk.”

By this time the crowd was in a frenzy.  It was a great show.  And a great bill overall.  I’m curious if Pinkshift will follow in Mannequin Pussy’s trajectory and if they’ll be headlining Union Transfer after their next album comes out.

 

January 2024 [headlining] January 2023
Lullaby ¥ I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying ♥
Home ¥ nothing (in my head) ♥
To Me ¥ GET OUT ♥
Blood [new] the kids aren’t alright ♥
Burn The Witch ♥ Burn The Witch ♥
nothing (in my head) ♥ i’m gonna tell my therapist on you $
On Thin Ice $ Love Me Forever ♥
new song (“fuck what you say”)
Let Me Drown ♥
Mars $
Eat Your Friends [new] (with Jhariah)
i’m gonna tell my therapist on you $
the kids aren’t alright ♥
Love Me Forever ♥
encore
Toro $
Rainwalk $

 

May 2022 Oct 2021
Toro $ Toro $
Mars $ Mars $
GET OUT ♥ GET OUT ♥
On Thin Ice $ On Thin Ice $
I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying ♥ cherry (we’re all gonna die) ♥
nothing (in my head) ♥ nothing (in my head) ♥ [at the time was known as “Crapple”
i’m gonna tell my therapist on you $ i’m gonna tell my therapist on you $
Rainwalk $ Rainwalk $
$ Saccharine EP (2021)
♥ Love Me Forever (2022)
¥ Suraksha EP (2023)

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Jhariah (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, January 26, 2024) [PINKSHIFT]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Fox Teeth, Jhariah, Pinkshift on January 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 26, 2024] Jhariah

I hadn’t heard of Jhariah before this tour was announced.  But when I listened to their song “Pressure Bomb!!!” I was hooked.  I love the whole vibe of their music–kind of musical theater (with all that implies) but with an intense punky undercurrent.

And that theatricality was present throughout Jhariah’s set which was, frankly, too short!

Jhariah came out and immediately had technical difficulties with his guitar so he said he’d do the show without playing guitar.  There was a second guitarist so that was fine.  And it may have freed him up to be even more theatrical as he danced and jumped all over the stage. (more…)

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Fox Teeth (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, January 26, 2024) [PINKSHIFT]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Fox Teeth, House of Independents, Jhariah, Pinkshift on January 28, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 26, 2024] Pinkshift /Jhariah / Foxteeth

I was really excited for this show.  It had been postponed from November (when I didn’t have a ticket) to the New Year.

Originally it was supposed to be at House of Independents, but the reason the first show was postponed was because of flooding.  The flooding was so bad that HoI had to close its doors and is now out of business.

So it was moved to Asbury Lanes, which is a great small club.

I arrived with just a few minutes to spare and soon enough Fox Teeth came out. Originally the opening band was Pollyanna, who I really like.  I was bummed that they weren’t going to be playing, but Fox Teeth more than exceeded expectations. (more…)

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The Damned / Baby Shakes / Fucked Up (The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, October 27, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Baby Shakes, Fucked Up, The Damned, The Stone Pony on October 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 27, 2023] The Damned / Baby Shakes / Fucked Up

Once I started listening to The Damned after realizing I would miss this show I realized how much I do actually like them.  And here was one more opportunity to see them.

I don’t really like The Stone Pony–every time I’ve been there I’ve had a crowd I didn’t care for.

But it didn;t matter because my wife and I had tickets to see My Morning Jacket tonight and there was no way we were passing up that show.  Certainly not so I could run off to Asbury Park.

~~~

I saw the Damned in 1998 at Coney Island High (RIP).

I honestly don’t remember all that much about the show.  Although Setlist actually has the details from that show! (see below).

I was never really a fan of the band.  I like “Neat Neat Neat” but don’t know much else. When this new tour was announced I was mostly interested in seeing Fucked Up again.  (more…)

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Bahamas / Fortunate Ones (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, October 19, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Bahamas, Canadian Music, Fortunate Ones on October 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 19, 2023] Bahamas / Fortunate Ones

This is the second concert (which I did not attend) that has been at Union Transfer and then Asbury Lanes (if there’s ever someone I love, I could see them twice!).

I’ve been surprised that the bands are playing these two venues as I tend to think of Asbury Lanes as being very very small.  But I see that the capacity of Asbury Lanes is 700 and the capacity of Union Transfer is 1200.  I would have guessed Asbury Lanes to be about 300, but then I’ve never seen anyone there when it was sold out.

About five years ago I watched a video of Bahamas at Massey Hall and I liked it.

Bahamas is Afie Jurvanen a Canadian folk act. I haven’t followed them much but considered that I might want to see them. But when I listened to their newer songs, I didn’t like them.

It’s very much soft rock with, and I feel that this works for the name Bahamas, a kind of summery vacationy islandy feel.  It’s the kind of thing that I would enjoy hearing while I was walking around in a vacation chalet, but not someone I’d want to see live.

Fortunate Ones is a Canadian indie folk duo from St. John’s, Newfoundland, consisting of Andrew James O’Brien and Catherine Allan.

It’s nice that Bahamas invited another Canadian band along with him.  But I didn’t like either of their voices (which surprises me).

Needless to say I’m not going to this show.

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The Lemon Twigs / Joanna Sternberg (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, October 14, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, The Lemon Twigs on October 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 14, 2023] The Lemon Twigs / Joanna Sternberg

The Lemon Twigs played just last year at two locations and I missed them entirely.  I didn’t even know about this show because I don’t do shows at the Church anymore.

But it turns out that my son has made a friend at school who loves The Lemon Twigs and was at this show.  So I thought I ‘d throw it here.

I really liked The Lemon Twigs’ Do Hollywood album and their follow up EPs showed even more development.  Since then they have put out a few albums, and I have enjoyed them.

Their new album is very retro with a serious 60’s vibe.  At first I liked it but I soon found it a little too derivative so I wasn’t that interested in going.  But after my son’s friend said how much he liked the show I did actually want to go.

But it turns out that this is the same night as the one Philly Music Fest show that I was going to.  Why do things always happen on the same day?  I mean, look how many shows I wanted to go to this weekend.

Joanna Sternberg played at World Cafe Live a while back and here’s what I said

Joanna Sternberg is a kind of anti-folk singer.  They have a high almost child-like voice.  And they sings pointed lyrics.  I have since listened to one of their songs from Non-COMM and quite liked it.  I wouldn’t buy their music, but I would enjoy seeing them as an opening act.

And here they are as an opening act. Shame I missed it, but I’m not going to the Church.

 

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