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Archive for the ‘Glenside, PA’ Category

Circle Jerks | Repo Man screening (Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA, August 14, 2026)

Posted in Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre, Repo Man on August 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: August 14, 2026] Ciʀcle JƎʀᴋs

Circle Jerks are a legendary punk band.  They’ve been around since 1979 with various lineup changes and hiatuses. They more or less finished in 2011, but then started playing again in 2019 and have come to Philly every two years since then.  I thought about seeing them at the TLA in April playing with Gorilla Biscuits.  But we were out of town.

So when this event came up, I was really intrigued.  The band are in the movie Repo Man–playing a lounge version of themselves.  And the current bassist Zander Schloss was a main character in the movie.  And here they were–playing some songs, doing a Q&A about the movie and then showing the movie.  I’ve seen the movie a few times but haven’t watched it in a long time.  So I asked my brother-in-law if he wanted to go and he said YES, but then couldn’t make it.  So I asked my son and he said sure.

I don’t think he knew any Circle Jerks music, but he had heard of them.  And he had never seen the movie.

I waited till the day before the show to buy a ticket because I wanted to be in an area where there weren’t many people. I wound up getting the back row and it was pretty perfect for Keswick–you’re up ice and high and can see over the heads below you.  And the venue is small enough that the back row is only 34 rows back.

The band’s gear was set up and then someone came out singing the Feelin’ 7Up song.  I had totally forgotten that that’s how Zander Schloss’ character in the movie is introduced.  So he is singing the song and a guy in a tuxedo tells him to stop singing, man. Why so tense, guy?

Then the band launched into the song Repo Man and the man in the tux sang the song.   The man was Repo Man director Alex Cox.  He sang the song and left the stage.

Then Keith Morris came out on stage and the band launched into a barrage of songs totaling about 5 minutes. And I liked that security allowed anyone who wanted to to rush the stage (it’s not like any of us old people were going to cause too much trouble).  Although one person did climb in stage and dance around (and then slowly climbed back down off the stage). (more…)

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Sparks (Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA, September 8, 2025)

Posted in Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre, Sparks on September 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 8, 2025] Sparks

Back in 2022, I dragged myself all the way to New York City (which seems to get harder and harder to get to every time I try) to see Sparks at Town Hall.  I had never seen them and I was convinced they’d never play anywhere closer.  It was worth the grief because the show was wonderful.  Imagine my surprise when one year later they announced a show at the Keswick Theatre.  But I had tickets for another show that night, so I missed them.

And now a year later they are back at the Keswick! to tour their new album Mad!

Sparks is, without question, a weird band–they have a song about a Jansport backpack after all.  I got into them back in 1997 when they released an album of re-recorded versions of their best songs and called it Plagiarism.  Despite the occasional hit, they remain largely unknown in the States.  They are from the States even though many people assume they are from Europe.  Sparks are Russel Mael (vocals, aged 76) and Ron Mael (everything else, aged 80).

Before the New York show they hadn’t toured the U.S since 2013.  So I guess seeing them is a rare opportunity.  Perhaps I should have gone last year.  But at least I went this year and, amazingly the setlist was almost entirely different!

I walked into Keswick and the place looked like a fire had just been put out.  There was SO MUCH FOG!  There was an amusing sign that said “tonight’s show special effects FOG.”  And all the employees were joking how they couldn’t see anything.

I sat in the middle of an aisle and waited for the band.  The backing musicians came out first: Evan Weiss – guitar ; Eli Pearl – guitar ; Max Whipple – bass ; Darren Weiss – drums.

Then Ron sat in front of a keyboard, the letters of Roland rearranged to spell Ronald.  And Russel came out in a floral print suit.  And they began, as they should, with the song “So May We Start” from Annette.

They started that way last time too, so I assumed the show would be much the same.  But it wasn’t! (more…)

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The Musical Box (Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA, June 14, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Genesis, Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre, The Musical Box on June 14, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 14, 2024] The Musical Box

I’ve said many times that I don’t go to see cover bands.  But this cover band who plays early, prog Genesis, was an exception.

I saw them earlier this year (my first show of the new year) and loved it.

As I said,

I’m so glad I went to this show.  And I would absolutely see them again.  It’s crazy to think that they have been together for 30 years.  A cover band that is older than most other bands!

I didn’t go to this show for two reasons.  The first was that I don’t really love Keswick Theatre.  It’s also really inconvenient to get to.  The second, later reason, is that Kim Gordon played the same night, and I wasn’t going to miss her.

 

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Sparks (Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA, June 28, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre, Sparks on June 28, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 28, 2023] Sparks

Last year I dragged myself all the way to New York City (which seems to get harder and harder to get to every time I try) to see Sparks at Town Hall.  I had never seen them and I was convinced they’d never play anywhere closer.

It was worth the grief because the show was wonderful.

So imagine my surprise when one year later they announced a show at the Keswick Theatre.  Keswick is kind of a pain to get to but it’s a nice enough venue.  And for Sparks I was willing  to make the effort.

And then Sloan announced their local show for the same night–I’m honestly shocked how often bands winds up in Philly on the same night.  It’s a little weird, frankly.

So even though I have only seen Sparks once and I have seen Sloan four times, I assumed the Sparks show would be very similar while the Sloan show would be quite different.  Plus, my wife and I have been enjoying seeing Sloan together the last few times.

And so, I blew off Sparks for Sloan. (more…)

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Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark / In the Valley Below (Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA, April 27, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Glenside, PA, In the Valley Below, Keswick Theatre, OMD, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark on April 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 27, 2022] OMD / In the Valley Below

Really I was never going to attend this show.  I don’t really like going to the Keswick.  And OMD is probably my third favorite British 80s synth duo.

I did see them open for Barenaked Ladies in 2016 and that’s probably good enough.  I did enjoy them though and it’s nice that they are still touring.

In the Valley Below is a band I’ve never heard of although they’ve been around a decade or so and apparently had an indie hit with “Peaches” (not the “Millions of peaches, peaches for me” song) back in 2014.  They are described as indie rock and dream pop and would probably work very well with OMD.

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Squeeze (Keswick Theatre, Glenside, PA, October 14, 2016)

Posted in Glenside, PA, Keswick Theatre, Squeeze, The Easybeats, The English Beat, Tom Waits on October 14, 2016| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: October 14, 2016] Squeeze

2016-10-14-22-01-21Squeeze’s 1982 Greatest Hits album 45s and Under is my favorite Greatest Hits record of all time.  And yet, I don’t actually own any other Squeeze records.

But over the last year or so my friend Amy has been posting pictures of all the Squeeze and Squeeze-related shows she’s been going to.  And I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  So when they announced they were playing The Keswick Theatre (which I’d never been to before, but which I knew was an intimate venue), I snatched up tickets.

And as their T-Shirt says (see bottom) I’d forgotten how much I like Squeeze. (more…)

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