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Archive for the ‘Cities’ Category

Lucy Dacus: Free at Noon (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, July 8, 2022)

Posted in Lucy Dacus, Philadelphia, PA, World Cafe Live on July 8, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: July 8, 2022] Lucy Dacus: Free at Noon [postponed from March 4, 2022]

I have seen Lucy Dacus quite a few times and she always puts on a mesmerizing show.

After her March Free at Noon was postponed, I decided to definitely grab a ticket for this July Free at Noon (somehow I’m more interested in doing a weekday concert in the summer than in March).

The last time I saw Lucy she said she was living in Philly, so I assume that this show was fairly easy for her to cooridnate.  She was also upright (after her herniated disc injury) so this must have been an easy show to perform, too.

She stood up on stage in a white dress as blue lights filled the stage.  Her band surrounding her, she began with the lovely, quiet “Triple Dog Dare.”  The lights slowly brightened as the rest of her band came into view (I love watching her guitarist Jacob Blizard play)

They moved into the bouncier “First Time” (“You can’t feel it for the first time, a second time”) as the lights changed color and grew brighter.  There were notably more keys in this set, I thought–from synth player Sarah Goldstone who also added lovely harmonies. (more…)

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Man Man (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, June 30, 2022)

Posted in A Hard Tay's Night, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Man Man, Philadelphia, PA on July 1, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 30, 2022] Man Man

I have seen Man Man twice before and each show was a wild extravaganza of fun and craziness.  Lead Man, Honus Honus knows how to put on a show–part lounge, part punk, part WTF.  It’s a spectacle in the best possible way.

This was the first time I Was seeing them as the headliner–they did headliner Philly Music fest, but it was a Festival, not a Man Man show.  The crowd was there for Man Man and they were pretty rowdy and wiled up (I didn’t really care for them).

But we were all there to see the band put on a great show.  So the lights dimmed, the band came out and soon enough Honus Honus walked up to his keyboard (which, as always, abuts the drums that sit at the front of the stage) and the launched right into their latest single “Cloud Nein.”

The band recently (pre-pandemic) put out a new album, Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, and this was their first time back in Philly since the album came out.  They were well practiced with the song with Honus standing up and getting everyone to sing along.

It was followed by an oldie, the swinging surfy “Piranhas Club.”  It’s impossible to keep track of what everyone is doing on stage.  Especially since everyone seems to play whatever they can get their hands on during the next song.  As for a lineup.  I’m seeing:
Jazz Diesel on drums, Smunk Smalls on guitar, Eggs Foster on keyboards, Mature Kevin on marimba, and Hard Tay on wind instruments.

Next came a new song.  Not a new song on the new album, but a new, unreleased song.  This would be the first of several new unreleased songs.  This one was called “Iguana” and featured several deep chants of “Iguana!” (more…)

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A Hard Tay’s Night (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, June 30, 2022) [MAN MAN]

Posted in A Hard Tay's Night, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Man Man, Philadelphia, PA on June 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 30, 2022] A Hard Tay’s Night

I was pretty excited to see Man Man again and I didn’t really care who the opening band was.

Originally it was supposed to be Pink $ock, whom I have listened to and hated–a cheesy R&B lounge act that I was glad not to have to sit through.  He was replaced by A Hard Tay’s Night, which I didn’t understand the name of.  And didn’t really understand the concept of until it was over.

A Hard Tay’s Night is the creation of Taylor Plenn who is the saxophone player for Man Man.  Taylor, according to him plays saxophone, flute and EWI (an Electronic Wind Instrument that is a synthesizer controlled by breath) and is “known for my improvising skills and my ability to adapt to different genres. I have had experience performing and recording a wide variety of styles, from hard bop, rock and roll, blues, free jazz, hip hop, electronic music.” (more…)

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Purity Ring / Dawn Richard (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 27, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Coronavirus, Dawn Richard, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Purity Ring, Quarantine, Union Transfer on June 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 27, 2022] Purity Ring / Dawn Richard [postponed from May 13, 2020 and April 21, 2021 and November 12, 2021] 

This show came and went.  I never got tickets and never wound up going.

I heard really good things about the show.  And I have put them on my list of bands to see when they come around again. 

I’m not sure what kept me away–sometimes, you just don’t feel like going outside.

It’s a cool poster though.

(more…)

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Starset / Red / Divide the Fall / Oni (Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ, June 26, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Divide the Fall, Oni, Red, Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom, Starset on June 26, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 26, 2022] Starset / Red / Divide the Fall / Oni

My son and I have seen Starset twice.  Each show has been pretty fantastic.

When this tour was announced, I was excited that a show was going to be at the Starland Ballroom (a venue I don’t love, but which he does).

But then it turned out to be the night before he was leaving for Europe.  There was n way we were staying out all night the night before his flight.

So, we gave this tour a miss.

Rock on Purpose has a big review of the show.

I didn’t know any of the other bands.  The above reviewer is a big fan of Red, who he says plays a “combination of cinematic, uplifting, and hardcore rock music.”

They are a Christian band, which seems an odd fit for Starset’s cryptic stances, but whatever, their songs are pretty good with interesting orchestral arrangements over the heavy guitars.

Divide the Fall are from Minnesota.  Spill, their local magazine says

their modern hard rock sound and catchy choruses with the occasional heavy breakdown.

And a review of their recent EP describes melodic harmonies and stunning, clean vocals.

Oni were a progressive heavy metal band from Canada with growling vocals and crazy technical profiiency, at least in 2016.  In 2022, they released a new album about which Drowned in Sound says

If you were anticipating another round of technical bludgeoning akin to the Ironshore era then you may be disappointed as ONI have taken an entirely different direction this time round.

Sounds like the heaviest bands went on first, although some of their new songs are pretty mellow too.  Interestimg.

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Ty Segall & Freedom Band / Shannon Lay (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 24, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Shannon Lay, Ty Segall, Ty Segall and the Freedom Band, Union Transfer on June 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 5, 2022] Ty Segall & Freedom Band / Shannon Lay [rescheduled from October 2, 2020 and June 24, 2022]

I have become a fan of Ty Segall in the last few years.  He releases far too much music to keep tabs on him, but I’ve wanted to see his fuzzed out live show for a while now.

He has had a bunch of shows in Philly, both with Freedom Band and with his other band Fuzz get postponed over and over again.

Back in April the Fuzz show was finally rescheduled and I was really excited to see them.  But we wound up going on vacation that week instead.

Now came this show, which I didn’t realize would be as amazing as it is (if this KEXP live performance is any indicator).

But my son was leaving for a trip to Europe in a couple of days and I wanted to spend time with the family.  So I blew off this show.

Now, since he puts out new music all the time, I have to assume he’ll be back next year (and I hope with this kick ass band).

Shannon Lay is a former punk and now folk singer.  Her songs are quite lovely but 100% unlike Ty Segall & Freedom Band.

However, Ty Segall also plays acoustic shows–he has one coming up in Philly in November (so that’s three shows in Philly in one year).  and I wonder if she has played with him in these solo settings.

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Tears for Fears / Garbage (PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ, June 24, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Garbage, Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Center, Tears for Fears on June 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 24, 2022] Tears for Fears / Garbage

I’ve never been a huge fan of Tears for Fears, although I like more than just their big hits (I especially like the Sowing the Seeds of Love album).  With the release of their most recent album, there’s been a lot of discussion about their music with many people point out just how prog rock they are.

This seemed like a really interesting tour, but I wound up never getting tickets.  Sometimes those PNC Bank shows are really pricey, and if it doesn’t look like there’s going to be an seats to upgrade to, you’re stuck in the lawn.  Which is no fun at all.

Although a double bill with Garbage would be the best way to see them.

Reviews of the tour are overwhelmingly positive, so I guess I missed a good one.

I have seen Garbage a few times (most recently in 2018).  They are great live, even as an opening band.

Although I’d rather see them as a headliner.

 

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Vundabar / Runnner (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, June 23, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in M.A.G.S., Philadelphia, PA, Runnner, The Foundry, Vundabar on June 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 23, 2022] Vundabar / Runnner [moved from March 25, 2022, First Unitarian Church]

This show was moved forward a couple of months.  By this time I knew who Vundabar was and was interested in seeing them because of their ubiquitous (in my house) old song “Alien Blues.”

This show sold out before I really knew about it, so there was no way i was going.

I was also a little surprised to find out that their music doesn’t really sound like “Alien Blues”–that song is a bit more frenetic and weird than their most recent album anyway.  Although most live reviews I’ve read say they are terrific live.

M.A.G.S. was supposed to open for this tour, but he couldn’t accommodate the new dates.

Instead, Runnner was the opener.  Noah Weinman is the singer-songwriter behind the melancholy bedroom-folk project.  I listened to a couple of songs and yes, “melancholy bedroom-folk” sounds about right.  I wouldn’t have enjoyed them as an opener, especially if I thought Vundabar was going to be a rocking outfit.

 

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Midnight Oil / Liz Stringer (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, June 22, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Franklin Music Hall, Liz Stringer, Midnight Oil, Philadelphia, PA on June 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 22, 2022] Midnight Oil / Liz Stringer

When I was in college I was a DJ for a few years.  My freshman year, I loved “Beds Are Burning” and played the song on my show all the time.

I enjoyed the rest of the album, but really don’t know much else by them.

When this tour–their final tour–was announced, I dithered about whether to get tickets.  I assumed it wouldn’t sell out (it didn’t).  I don’t love Franklin Music Hall, so that was a strike against it.  A friend of mine said they were great live (she went to the NYC show and said it was great)./

But ultimately, I decided not to go (or buy a ticket).

And I’m okay with that.

Liz Stringer is an Australian singer who is beloved by many Australian musicians.  She has a devoted cult following.  but it never translates into mega sales.  I’m a little surprised by this because her music is pretty straightforward with an alt-country feel that could appeal pretty broadly here.

I guess I’m not that upset that I missed her though.

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Frank Turner / Kayleigh Goldsworthy (Crossroads, Garwood, NJ, June 20, 2022 [late show]) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Crossroads, Frank Turner, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Garwood, NJ, Kayleigh Goldsworthy, Philadelphia, PA on June 20, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 20, 2022] Frank Turner / Kayleigh Goldsworthy

On September 15, Frank Turner announced that he would be playing Underground Arts on October 3.  At 2PM!

This year, after announcing his show in Philadelphia, he announced that the next night he would be playing Crossroads the following night–a solo show–AFTER playing a show in Queens earlier in the day.  Frank is a lunatic.

I wanted to see him, but the show started at 11 PM.  Which, let’s face it, is too late, even for me.  Plus, he was solo, and I want to see the band this time.

His opening act was announced as a special guest.  The guest turned out to be Philly singer-songwriter Kayleigh Goldsworthy.

I saw her open for Frank at that 2PM show and really enjoyed her.

Kayleigh commanded the afternoon crowd right off the bat. She sang slow ballads that were full of angst.  Her voice was really strong and she had the amazing confidence to have long (relatively) stretches of her song where very little happened.  And we were rapt by her.  Her voice sounded very familiar to me–like someone who I can’t place.

There are some videos available of the show 9which sounds like the audience was full of drunken men, perhaps no surprise there).

 

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