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Pinegrove (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, February 18, 2022)

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Pinegrove, Union Transfer on February 20, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 18, 2022] Pinegrove

This is my fourth time seeing Pinegrove.  I have a sweet fondness for this band.  They were my first (and only) show at the First Unitarian Church–a show that was so vibrant and alive that I remember it very well even five years later.

Their shows don’t have a lot “going on,” just a lot of good music and a band that sounds better and better.

This new tour is in support of their new album 11:11.  I didn’t like this album as much as their previous collections–the songs were a little too slow for my liking (although there are some terrific songs on it).  They played the entire album (not in order) which might seem like a bummer given how I wasn’t crazy about the album

But instead, the band sounded so good, so dynamic, that it made me like the new songs far more than I did.  Perhaps it was the way they were spaced out.  Or maybe it was mixing older songs with the new ones.  Whatever the case, it made the new songs sound fantastic.

(more…)

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Lily Konigsberg (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, February 18, 2022) [PINEGROVE]

Posted in Lily Konigsberg, Philadelphia, PA, Pinegrove, Poise, Sixpence None the Richer, Union Transfer on February 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 18, 2022] Lily Konigsberg

I have seen Lily Konigsberg play with Palberta–she and her bandmates switched instruments throughout the set.  For this set Lily played guitar and sang.  Her Lily K. Band was a four piece.

Nate was on guitar, Charlie on bass and Charlotte Kahn on drums.  I am 90% sure I have seen Kahn play drums with someone else, but I can’t remember who that was.

Lily is a prolific songwriter.  Some are catchy.  Some are downright weird. I was actually surprised at how conventional some of these songs were.  Especially after she started out with the decidedly odd and wonderful “Alone” with its jumpy bass line and wicked guitars.

I loved the title of the next song “At Best a #3.”  Then she told is that “Proud Home” was about Stacy’s perspective from “Stacy’s Mom.”  It was good but not as catchy as he original. (more…)

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Avalanches (Theatre of Living Arts [TLA], Philadelphia, PA, February 19, 2022) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Avalanches, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Theatre of Living Arts on February 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: February 19, 2022] Avalanches [moved to October 10, 2022]

Avalanches debut album, the sample abundant Since I Left You, a fun, left-field rocker that was full of so many samples it was impossible to keep track of them.

It took them something like 16 years to make a second album and I didn’t listen to it.  Or the one they made more recently.  That’s probably not the best attitude for going into a show.  Especially since, as with a lot of electronic based music I wasn’t sure if I necessarily wanted to see them live, but this seemed like a rare and fun opportunity to experience their sampling and beats in a big setting.

But then on December 15, the group announced that it’s postponing the tour to September and October “due to ongoing personal health issues.”

“We want to thank each and every one of you who bought tickets and who have supported We Will Always Love You,” the Avalanches wrote on Instagram. “We thank you so much for your understanding and apologise for the inconvenience. We can’t wait to see you in the US in September and October.”

This date was a little hinky for me, so I was glad it was postponed.  See them in the fall.

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Poise (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, February 18, 2022) [PINEGROVE]

Posted in Lily Konigsberg, Philadelphia, PA, Pinegrove, Poise, Union Transfer on February 18, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 18, 2022] Poise

Poise is the creation of Lucie Murphy.  She has released an EP and an LP and the songs on them are quite varied.  She’s a got a few short rockers with great riffs and a few mellow, more brooding pieces.

They were a four piece for this show with Marguax on bass, Theo Munger on drums and Sam Skinner (from Pinegrove) on lead guitar.

They cam out with a short rocker.  Murphy’s voice is pretty great–she can hit some really high notes, but mostly she’s got a lot of power.  I really enjoyed the second song “Nothing You Can Say” with a super catchy riff.

She mellowed things out for a song and then allowed Skinner to make some really cool feedbacking squalls during the song with the otherwise quiet chorus of “Let me break your heart.” (more…)

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Yola / Jac Ross (Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia, PA, February 15, 2022) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Brooklyn Bowl, Coronavirus, Jac Ross, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Yola on February 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: February 15, 2022] Yola / Jac Ross [moved to September 23]

index

I has seen Yola on TV and her live presence was incredible. I don’t know a ton of her songs, but the ones I knew I liked a lot.

I really thought it would be fun to see her live

Then the second waved of COVID came through and the show was postponed until the fall.

Jac Ross is an R&B singer who I just listened to and did not like at all.  Sometimes, although not always, it’s worth seeing who the headliner chooses as an opening act to see if you’ll actually enjoy the show.

 

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CHAI (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, February 12, 2022)

Posted in CHAI, Hinds, Japan, Japanese Music, Mariya Takeuchi, Philadelphia, PA, Su Lee, The Foundry on February 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 12, 2022] CHAI

I heard about CHAI from NPR. Bob Boilen had found them charming and said their live show was not to be missed.  But since they were from Japan I had to wonder how likely it would be to see them.  When they announced a tour, I grabbed pre-sale tickets even though I was sure it wouldn’t sell out.

It didn’t, of course, and it was scheduled opposite Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, so the two crowds couldn’t have been more different.

So here’s a brief histoy of CHAI

Chai was formed in 2012 in Nagoya, by twin sisters Mana and Kana.  Mana, Kana, and Yuna were in the same class at high school.  Yuna introduced the other band members to Japanese music that did not easily fit into the traditional definition of “J-Pop”, such as the band Cero or Kimyō Reitaro. After the members went to university, Mana became friends with Yuuki (originally from Gifu Prefecture, who had moved to Nagoya), and asked the four friends to form a band.  The band’s name comes from Russian tea (known as chai). Kana drank the tea with jam with her Russian literature professor at a Russian restaurant, which she thought was cute.

Cute is the key.  They wanted to make something that was neo-Kawaii.  Not as limiting as what people thought of as kawaii.

The band came out in brightly reflective rain jackets with hoods.  Underneath these were pink toile…outerwear.  Underneath those were a kind of jumpsuit that had short sleeves and pants.  In short, they were matching and they were a sight to behold.

Three of the women came to the front of the stage and faced away from the audience.  The fourth, Yuni, sat at the drum set.  She played a beat while electronic sounds swirled (I assume she was triggering, them, too, but who knows).

The other three women proceeded to do synchronized and, at times, wildly freeform “dances.” as they sang their hilarious song “No More Cake.”

Thank you for reminding me your daily makeup routine
But look at you
That’s way too much
That’s way too much
You’re not a cake
Look at you
That’s way too much
Your face is made up like a cake ha?

As the song neared its end, Kana was handed a guitar.  She walked up front and proceeded to play a noisy, wonderfully wild guitar solo.  Then she handed the guitar back and they finished the song. (more…)

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Su Lee (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, February 12, 2022) [CHAI]

Posted in CHAI, Japan, Korea, Philadelphia, PA, Su Lee, The Foundry on February 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 12, 2022] Su Lee

If you’re a fairly unknown Japanese band coming to America for the first time (some cities anyway), who do you invite for an opener?

Well, apparently, you pick Su Lee, a Korean singer who had a burst of success on Reddit with her song “I’ll Just Dance” (subtitled: ‘what my mental breakdown sounds like’).  That was in May 2020.  The viral success apparently allowed her to continue as a musician.

Lee was very funny and very very nervous.  This was her first ever tour and we were he fourth or fifth show.

She came out on stage, and shouted at us.  “This thing isn’t working!”  The ear piece–a technology she had never used before wasn’t doing what it was supposed to do.  She muttered and cursed a bunch and eventually it started working. (more…)

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Ghost: Pre-Imperatour (Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, February 10, 2022)

Posted in Ghost, Ghost B.C., Newark, NJ, Prudential Center, Set in New Jersey!, Twin Temple, Volbeat on February 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 10, 2022] Ghost

C. and I saw Ghost a couple of years ago and the show was amazing. I knew I’d want to see them again.  We sat close to the stage but kind off to the side.  It was actually an amazing view and we were really close to one of the risers that the guitarist and singer came to.

But for this show i got us floor seats (just behind the pit).  The seats were close but not quite as satisfying.  We did get an amazing view of the set, but it felt just far enough to not be really in it.  And, having seats meant that we couldn’t move away from the tall people in front of us.  (Plus, if we were in the pit we would have had a pretty good chance of getting one of the seemingly endless amount of picks and drumsticks they doled out).

But that’s beside the point, because the performance was great.  The curtain dropped and the amazing stage was revealed.  Stained glass windows of the former Papas, the stairs and platforms and the Nameless Ghouls playing.

This tour was ostensibly to promote the new album.  But Ghost’s new album isn’t out yet.  And, since they were co-headlining it meant that their set was cut short (who exactly does a co-headline tour benefit?  Not the fans.). But that also meant that this was like a greatest hits show.

After playing a new song “Kaisarion,” he began the first of man sing-alongs with “Rats.”

I was delighted with how “funny” the show was last time.  Because they had less stage time, this show did away with some of the fun.  Lead singer Papa Emeritus does some wardrobe changes and the Nameless Ghouls places some instrumental songs to keep us occupied while Papa is backstage.

Last time, the two lead guitarist Ghouls had a showdown.  This time, there was a much briefer contest.  But it was still funny, with the Ghouls pantomiming on stage.  At one point one of the Ghouls played a high note that squealed into feedback.  One of the other Ghouls had to run over and make it stop in what looked like a possible usurpation of lead guitar status.  And it was very amusingly when Papa shoved away the guitarists when they would be where he wanted to stand.

They played a bunch of songs from Meliora, and older album.  They were catchy and the crowd was really into it.

The lighting was always great–conducive to whatever the songs were about.

After a new song “Hunter’s Moon,” they played some songs from Prequelle.

Some jackass had been calling out for “Year Zero” for much of the show.  As C. pointed out–it’s a popular song with a great sing along chorus–of course they’re going to play it.

There was a guy in front of us who was really really into the show–waving his arms and acting out lyrics (even the Nameless Ghouls weren’t doing that).  It’s a little disconcerting when you now some of the words.

There was even a brief keytar solo during the show! The band has added some Ghoulettes to round out the family, one of whom plays keys and tambourine.

They played a rocking “Mummy Dust” complete with confetti cannons.  Although for whatever reason, the confetti all blew off to the right side of the stage and never really made it past the pit.

And then Papa told us that they had three songs left.  Volbeat felt so endless, I couldn’t believe that Ghost was almost over.  They played a cover of  “Enter Sandman,” I guess they did the song for the Metallic covers album.  It sounded really good.

Then they ended with two of their biggest, catchiest sons, “Danse Macabre” and “Square Hammer.”

I had such a good time with them playing “Kiss the Go-Goat” last time, that I was sure they would encore with it.  But they didn’t.  There was no encore.  Sure the final band gets to do an encore!  But no.  And their set was only an hour and fifteen minutes.  While Volbeat played an hour and twenty.  Boo!

But man it was so much fun to see them again.  Like last time, they ended the show with an tapes recording on an Emmylou Harris song (which is weird).  They handed out picks and sticks and waved to people and were generally fun and delightful.

Clearly, next time we see them we need to get pit seats

Oh, and how cool is it that were playing at Devils stadium?

2022 2018
TAPE: Imperia ⇑ TAPE: Klara stjärnor (Jan Johansson song)
Kaisarion ⇑ TAPE: Miserere Mei, Deus (Gregorio Allegri song)
Rats Ashes
From the Pinnacle to the Pit ⊗ Rats
Mary on a Cross ⊕ Absolution ⊗
Devil Church ⊗ Faith
Cirice ⊗ Mary on a Cross ⊕
Hunter’s Moon ⇑ Devil Church [with extended jam] ⊗
Faith Cirice ⊗
Helvetesfönster Miasma
Year Zero ∞ Ghuleh/Zombie Queen ∞
Ritual € Helvetesfönster [partial]
Mummy Dust ⊗ Spirit ⊗
Enter Sandman (Metallica cover) From the Pinnacle to the Pit ⊗
Dance Macabre Ritual €
Square Hammer ♣ Satan Prayer €
TAPE:  Sorrow in the Wind (Emmylou Harris song) Year Zero ∞
TAPE: Spöksonat
He Is ⊗
Mummy Dust ⊗
Kiss the Go-Goat ⊕
Dance Macabre
encore
Square Hammer ♣
TAPE:  Sorrow in the Wind (Emmylou Harris song)

⇑ Impera (2022)
⊕ Kiss the Go-Goat EP (2019)
♣ Popestar EP (2016)
¶ Prequelle (2018)
⊗ Meliora (2015)
∞ Infestissumam (2013)
€ Opus Eponymous (2010)

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Volbeat (Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, February 10, 2022) [GHOST]

Posted in Ghost, Ghost B.C., Newark, NJ, Prudential Center, Set in New Jersey!, Twin Temple, Volbeat on February 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 10, 2022] Volbeat

I hadn’t heard of Volbeat before this tour was announced.  Although I had to join their (free) fan club to get the pre-sale code because it seemed like Ghost’s didn’t go out as early.

I listened to a few Volbeat songs before the show but nothing really grabbed me.  I wasn’t quite sure what I didn’t like about them–they had a kind of “rock-n-roll” vibe which I don’t really care for.  Some of their songs were heavier than others, but it did nothing for me.

I assumed that live would be a different story.

And judging by the crowd, you’d think that was right.  The crowd went berserk for these guys.  And I… didn’t.

There’s so much that I should like about this band.  They’re from Denmark, which is exotic and fun.  The lead singer is funny and charismatic and he had a terrific voice.  The guitarist is from New York (he really looked nothing like the rest of the band) and he was tremendous–doing some amazing solos.

The rhythm section was always on.

And yet, it did nothing for me.  I felt like the singer’s voice, while great, never worked with the music.  And the solos were impressive but not very interesting,  It felt like something was missing–four great parts in need of something interesting to bring it all together.

Their backing videos and such were pretty great.  They changed for most songs and were fun to watch.  For a few songs they even had narrative videos that were fun to watch.  The video screens also did a fun thing where they mirror-imaged one of the guys to be on either side of the person in the middle screen.  And I really liked that the lead singer had microphones all over the stage, so he sang from different parts at different times–very democratic.

It’s possible I didn’t like them as much because the dudes in front of me were tall and filmed nearly everything so I could hardly see anything at all (hence watching the videos).

And yet there was nothing about them that I hated.  I just felt completed blah by them.  I couldn’t wait for their set to be over.  I almost never feel this way.  But shockingly, they actually played for a few minutes longer than Ghost (the headliner) did.

Strangely enough, or perhaps not, my son felt exactly the same way–Just meh.  Just nothing from them.

But the crowd was so into it and I genuinely worried that concerts had lost magic for me.  Ghost brought it back, thankfully.

The people in the row behind us were really noisy when they sat down and then were very quiet.  When Volbeat was done, we learned that someone in the row behind us peed on the stranger next to him.  I don’t have any details and I can’t quite imagine exactly how this all happened.  But it sounds like it was a deliberate act?  Did he take it out and point at them?  Did he just pee his pants?  I have no idea.  Apparently the victims were allowed to move to a better location.  But It was far more memorable than Volbeat.  (And fortunately, none of us got anything wet).

Not entirely true.  We all enjoyed his little Johnny Cash cover (he started “Ring of Fire” and then said that he had ripped off Johnny for the old song “Sad Man’s Tongue,” but I have no recollection of that song.

I see that they have a Rockabilly vibe going on and I really don’t like rockabilly, so maybe that’s it.  They also seemed to be kind of Satanic, but not really.  Even just looking at their album titles kind of annoys me.

SETLIST

  1. Seal the Deal $
  2. Pelvis on Fire ®
  3. Temple of Ekur Ø
  4. Lola Montez ⊗
  5. Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash excerpt) / Sad Man’s Tongue ¥
  6. Becoming Ø
  7. Last Day Under the Sun ®
  8. Wait a Minute My Girl Ø
  9. Black Rose $
  10. Shotgun Blues Ø
  11. The Devil’s Bleeding Crown $
  12. The Devil Rages On Ø
  13. Doc Holliday ⊗
  14. The Sacred Stones Ø
  15. Die to Live ®
  16. Still Counting ♦

Ø Servant of the Mind (2021)
® Rewind, Replay, Rebound (2019)
$ Seal the Deal & Let’s Boogie (2016)
⊗ Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies (2013)
♦ Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood (2008)
¥ Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil (2007)

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Twin Temple (Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, February 10, 2022) [GHOST]

Posted in Ghost, Ghost B.C., Newark, NJ, Prudential Center, Set in New Jersey!, Twin Temple, Volbeat on February 10, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 10, 2022] Twin Temple

I was really intrigued to see Twin Temple because I’d heard about them through….NPR? I’m not sure, but I remember hearing about this satanic doo-wop group.

I don’t really like the music as I don’t like doo-wop, but I was all in for the spectacle.  And wow, what a spectacle.

The band came out of stage: drums, bass, keys and a big old tenor sax.  After riffing for a bit, the two main persons in the band came out on stage in their full satanic regalia.

Their bio states:

The band was started on Halloween (a Witch’s Sabbath) in 2016 when a destruction ritual was performed, and Alexandra and Zachary James stepped into their power as Twin Temple, energetically killing all their previous incarnations up until that point. 

And while a lot of “Satanic” metal bands begin and end their worship of Satan on stage, the same can’t be said for Twin Temple. Both their music and their practice of Satanism, on and off the stage, are rooted in the ideals of free will and giving space to those who are often not allowed any.

So no, Twin Temple doesn’t drink the blood of virgins or kill babies to sacrifice on the full moon. They are challenging notions about what it means to free the oppressed, fight back against dated and binary ways of thinking, and doing it all while hailing the dark lord himself.

So the duo came out on stage–Alexandra in her huge beehive hairdo and Zachary with his tiny mustache–and proceeded to do some rituals.

(more…)

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