Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Cities’ Category

Kurtis Conner (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, November 9, 2025)

Posted in Danny Gonzalez, Dean Hebscher, Drew Gooden, Jacob Sharpe, Kiss, Kurtis Conner, Neil Diamond, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia, The Rolling Stones on November 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 9, 2025] Kurtis Conner

My daughter and I saw Kurtis Conner three years ago.  I didn’t know him at al, but I knew my kids really liked him.  I came away from the show laughing really hard and having a really strong respect for him as a comedian.

I still have not really watched any of his YouTube stuff (what I’ve seen I like, but it’s off my radar).  But what really impressed me (and impressed me more this time) was how a YouTuber who effectively uses editing can do standup so well.  He is (mostly) comfortable in front of the audience (in fairness, everyone there loves him and there is nary a heckler in sight), and he clearly feeds off of the laughter.

Although he is (quite a bit) younger than me, I found it really interesting that his childhood sounded kind of similar to mine–defects and all.  Kurtis is a feminist and an ally, and proudly on both counts (which I found wonderful since my kids liked him so much).  But he’s also able to look back on his younger self with dismay at the way he (and kids in general) behaved.  It does make for good comedy too.  Like he regretted that when he was ten, he and his friends used to use “gay” as an insult.  Like he would be drawing and his friend would come up and he’d tell the guy to get away and stop being gay–and then go back to drawing the most detailed penis you’ve ever seen.

The show was called The Goodfellow Tour and it is named after where he grew up–on Goodfellow Street.  A road that had a ton of kids in it.  They used to play together all the time.  He had a lengthy but very funny bit about a kid in their group whom they all convinced had super fast speed.  They would do races all the time and the kid with super fast speed (who was in reality the slowest person in the world) would win. It went on all summer until the kid’s father found out.

This was all in aid of a running joke that he is a compulsive liar trying to fix that about himself.  But somehow, he keeps lying–throughout the show, even, making the jokes even funnier. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Wednesday / Daffo (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 10, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Daffo, Leith Ross, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer, Wednesday on November 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 10, 2025] Wednesday / Daffo

Wednesday were supposed to open for Beach Bunny at The Fillmore in 2023.  They bailed on the show and I was a little bummed because I had heard good things about them.  They played Union Trasnfer last year and I didn’t go.  I really like the fuzzy guitars and largely grunge sound, but there’s a kind of alt-country vibe that underpins their sound that I just can’t get past.  They have a lap steel guitar (which I either love or hate depending on how it’s used) and are often described as merging shoegaze and country.  The more I hear the less grungy they sound so I decided against this one.

My daughter and I saw Daffo open for Sr Chloe last year.  Since then she opened for Blondshell at Union Transfer in June and now she’s back again.  I’m glad she’s getting to open in bigger venues.

Read Full Post »

Danny Gonzalez (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, November 9, 2025) [KURTIS CONNER]

Posted in Danny Gonzalez, Kurtis Conner, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia on November 9, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 9, 2025] Danny Gonzalez

My daughter and I saw Kurtis Conner three years ago.  I didn’t know his stuff at all but I thought he was really funny.  So when he announced another show in the same venue I grabbed us tickets.  My son is also a fan and he wanted to go to this show too, so it was a fun night out with the kids.

We had seats in the balcony but they allowed us to sit in the ADA section.  It didn’t seem like it sold very well, which I was surprised by since last time I think it was sold out.  But we enjoyed the spaciousness of the ADA section to be sure.

Before the show started, we didn’t know if there would be an opening act.  And then Kurtis announced that his special guest would be Danny Gonzales.  The crowd went crazy, although I had no idea who he was. I see that for the last show I wrote that my daughter told me

the Holy Trinity is Kurtis Conner, Danny Gonzalez and Drew Gooden.

So, it was cool to see one third of the trinity.

Danny was very funny.  He seemed a little nervous to be doing stand up, and suggested that it was either his first time or his first time in a long while.  But he was very warmly received–that’s an understatement.  My daughter says it was very exciting to see him live.  And the one vide I can find of his introduction practically blew out the speakers of my phone (more…)

Read Full Post »

Rocket (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, November 7, 2025)

Posted in Bleary Eyed, Cashier, Philadelphia, PA, Rocket, Warehouse on Watts on November 9, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 7, 2025] Rocket

About a year ago I saw Rocket open for Ride and I loved their set. I wrote then

This band is from LA and holy cow, they scratched just about every musical itch I had.  Soft female vocals, shoegaze to heavy crunchy guitars.  It was all there.  I loved every second of their set.

I mentioned the L.A. part because there’s a few bands named Rocket and this was the easiest way to distinguish them.

Anyhow, I said that I would definitely see them again and here was a great opportunity.

There’s nothing fancy in Warehouse on Watts and that’s totally fine.  It’s all about the music.  And wow, did Rocket sound great.  Despite this being a tour for their new album, they opened with Take Your Aim from their previous album.  It’s got great guitar riffs and a classic 90s alt rock sound,   It wasn’t quite as immediate as Portrait Show (which won me instantly last time and which they didn’t even play this time (!). But it was still great.

I loved the vocal melody on the chorus of Sugarcoated.  Things got loud again with a great fuzzy bass intro and perfect guitar lines on “Act Like Your Title.”  “Crossing Fingers” continued with perfect quiet verses and soaring vocals and a great chord progression in the chorus.

For The choice she moved to the keys adding a droning high end with really no low end–a nice mix up in tone as the guitar played  a cool melody.  But SHE was back to the bass for Crazy with the nice low end kicking back in.  For Number One Fan, the guitarist moved to synth for this dreamy slow song.

The final three songs were three that they played last time, too.  They were unreleased at the time.  Pretending has another classic grungy riff–hits all the sweet spots.  Wide Awake is a solid rocker with guitar harmonics and a heavy riff.

And R is for Rocket is a fantastic set ender.  It rocks with a great riff and then has a lengthy jam in the middle of the song–not a wild soloing jam, just a nice noisy jam with the band enjoying the riffs that they made.

The set was about an hour and they played a great set,  I was pretty surprised that they didn’t play more of the songs they played last time.  But it was nice to hear the new ones.

 

2025 [W.O.W. headline] 2024 [open Ride]
Take Your Aim ∇ Portrait Show ∇
One Million ® Sugarcoated ∇
Sugarcoated ∇ Pretending ®
Act Like Your Title ® On Your Heels ∇
Crossing Fingers ® Normal to Me ∇
The Choice ® Pipe Dream ∇
Crazy ® Wide Awake ®
Number One Fan ® R is for Rocket ®
Another Second Chance ®
Pretending ®
Wide Awake®
R is for Rocket®

® R is for Rocket (2025)
∇ Versions of You (2023)

Read Full Post »

Cashier (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, November 7, 2025) [ROCKET]

Posted in Bleary Eyed, Cashier, Philadelphia, PA, Rocket, Warehouse on Watts on November 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 7, 2025] Cashier

Cashier is a four piece from Louisiana.  Before this show I went to their bandcamp and found exactly five songs.  And I liked them all.  A grungy shoegaze vibe with female vocals and cool guitar sounds.

I stood in front of singer guitarist Kylie Gaspard who played intensely and sang with a similar intensity.  She was an early focus for me, but I soon realized  that the whole band was fun to watch.

They opened with Beginner, and like on the recorded version, it opens with feedback and two guitars playing one note over and over until one of the guitars turns it into a little riff and then the song slams out with the full force of the band.

Guitarist Joseph Perillo and bassist Austyn Wood were on the far side and I couldn’t really see them, but Perillo’s guitars were great–playing lead lines throughout the songs. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Post Animal / The Slaps (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, Novmber 8, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Post Animal, The Slaps on November 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 12, 2025] Post Animal / The Slaps

I saw Post Animal open for Temples back in 2023 and they blew me away:

They came out on stage–all five of them–and proceeded to blow me away with a fusion of what I heard as Rush meets King Gizzard.  The Rush component came in some of their extended, prog-like songs that ended in chord patterns that were very much Rush adjacent.  The King Gizzard part came from some of the frenetic guitar soloing.  And what was really really fun about them was that every song was really different.

I was really excited to see them again and thought Johnny Brenda’s would be a perfect venue for them.  The show had sold out.  I listened to their latest album and it was pretty mellow and straightforward.  I was surprised and lost interest in going to the show.

Since I had a show the night before and the night after, so I blew off the show.  Although looking at the setlist, I gather they did play a lot of their earlier weird stuff too.

The Slaps play a quiet soft folk sound with some quirky elements.  It did suggest that Post Animal would be more mellow. Although perhaps they are louder live, as this review from DC says “a three-piece from Chicago, who cross that great divide between long jazz-inspired passages and straight ahead rock.”

Read Full Post »

Grandson / Ho99o9 (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 8, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Bob Vylan, grandson, Ho99o9, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on November 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 8, 2025] Grandson / Ho99o9

Two years ago, my son and I saw grandson and he was great.  It was a stellar show.  So when he announced a new tour this year I grabbed us both a ticket.

We didn’t go when he came back two years ago and  was surprised that my son didn’t want to go this year. I guess he doesn’t listen to grandson anymore.  I thought his new album was really good.

Initially Bob Vylan was supposed to open, but they wer embroiled in a controversy that prevented them from coming to the U.S.

Bob Vylan is under investigation in the U.K. and banned from performing in the U.S., after its singer led anti-Israeli military chants during a BBC live broadcast of the Glastonbury arts festival.

That seems pretty mild to prevent someone from coming to the U.S., but we live in crazy times.  I’m just listening to them now and they’re really good.  I’m sure the publicity is great (that’s how I know them) but I hope they can get out from under the thumb of the man.

Ho99o9 is an punk rap duo founded in 2012 in Newark, New Jersey by theOGM and Yeti Bones. They relocated to Los Angeles in 2014.   They are very intense–sometimes too much for me.  Although I gather their live show is insane.  One review said

Tonight’s show was the definition of insanity, bodies flying all around the room, mosh pits opening up anywhere there was available space; Ho99o9 have been able to secure some of the most dedicated and passionate fans in the scene, no matter where they play no doubt there will be fans there to listen!

They might overwhelm grandson who is very cool, but much more low key.

Read Full Post »

The Mars Volta (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, November 5, 2025)

Posted in Feliz y Dada, Kianí Medina, Philadelphia, PA, The Fillmore Philadelphia, The Mars Volta on November 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 5, 2025] The Mars Volta

My son and I saw The Mars Volta open for Deftones in an arena and the sound was terrible.  They played an unreleased album so it was really hard to know what was going on in a cavernous place where all subtlety was lost.

So when they announced a headlining tour I grabbed tickets for my son and I.  And what a treat to get there early and be right up front for the show.

Visually there wasn’t a lot going on–the band is largely dressed in black and white and there was only a black curtain behind them.  The lights tended toward the dark and the blue so you couldn’t see super clearly.  But this was really all about the music.

This show was for them to play their new album, Lucro sucio straight through, just like they did opening for the Deftones.  That set was 40 minutes (like the album) but this show was about twice as long with lots of trippy jamming sections.

The set opens quietly with Fin wherein Cedric Bixler-Zavala sings to a synth opening–his voice soaring to great heights–as it did all night, his voice is incredible. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Bleary Eyed (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, November 7, 2025) [ROCKET]

Posted in Bleary Eyed, Cashier, Philadelphia, PA, Rocket, Warehouse on Watts on November 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 7, 2025] Bleary Eyed

I was supposed to see Bleary Eyed with Hello Mary back in 2024.   But family things came up and I couldn’t go.  I don’t always try to see bands that I missed for one reason or another. And I certainly don’t with opening bands.  But it is fun to see a band that I was supposed to and check them off an imaginary list.

Bleary Eyed is from Philadelphia so I’m surprised I have seen them on more bills, but I consider myself lucky that there are so many good Philly bands that can get tossed onto a bill sometimes as the first or second opener.

Bleary Eyed is the brainchild of Nathaniel Salfi who sings and plays guitar.  He started the project in 2015 and has had a mostly revolving lineup.  Margot Whipps joined the band on vocals and guitar a couple of years ago (she’s also credited with bass).

Bleary Eyed turned out to be a classic-sounding shoegaze band with chorusing guitars and washes of sound.  There were also some keyboard flourishes and two singers.    Nathaniel has a somewhat deeper voice that flows perfectly with the sound.

I enjoyed the way they mixed up the sound with some really good loud/quiet shifts in Wreck.  There was also some good My Bloody Valentinesque soloing at the opening of 2 True.  And a great opening riff on Upset which was sung by Margot.  I felt like her vocals were not loud enough, although it may have been that I was on the other side and everyone on my side was loud. (more…)

Read Full Post »

I’m With Her / Ye Vagabonds (McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, November 7, 2025)

Posted in Aoife O'Donovan, I'm With Her, McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, Ye Vagabonds on November 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 7, 2025] I’m With Her

We saw I’m with Her in 2019 at McCarter.  Billy Strings opened for them and look where he is now!

I’m with Her is something of a folk and bluegrass supergroup made up of Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Jarosz and Sara Watkins.  But on to the music.  The women sing in absolutely gorgeous harmony.  Individually, their voices are wonderful, but as they add one and then a second harmony…swoon.  They also switch instruments constantly–fiddle, mandolin, ukulele, guitar, banjo.

But I wasn’t really feeling this show.  And I’m glad I didn’t get tickets because Rocket announced a show tonight and I enjoyed that show immensely.

Ye Vagabonds are a folk duo from Ireland. They are the Carlow-based brothers Diarmuid and Brían Mac Gloinn. They have been described as “being at the fore of a new wave of Irish folk.”  The song I heard had full instrumentation and their voices are lovely together.  They had a vibe of early Darlingside, which I liked quite a lot.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »