Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Cities’ Category

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…)

Read Full Post »

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…)

Read Full Post »

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.

Read Full Post »

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.

Read Full Post »

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.

 

Read Full Post »

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.

 

Read Full Post »

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.

Read Full Post »

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).

 

Read Full Post »

Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls / Avail / The Bronx / Pet Needs (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 19, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Avail, Frank Turner, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Pet Needs, Philadelphia, PA, The Bronx, The Fillmore Philadelphia on June 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 19, 2022] Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls / Avail / The Bronx / Pet Needs

I had been wanting to see him for a long time because I’d heard his live shows were amazing.  I saw him last year in a solo (more or less) performance.  And it was great.  So next, I wanted to see him with his band because I’ve heard the band version is even wilder with a more punk aesthetic and I do love a fun punk show.

I grabbed a ticket to this immediately, not realizing that it was Father’s Day.  It’s not a very Fatherly way to spend the day by being away from your family for hours.  So I didn’t go.  I probably wouldn’t  have gone to all the bands (four is so many!), but still, it’s nice to be home with the family.

Avail is a melodic hardcore band that has been around since 1987.  There would be a LOT of slam dancing for this set.

The Bronx is a punk band from (amusingly) Los Angeles.  They’ve been around since 2022, but I’d never heard of them (clearly I’m not up on my punk bands).  Slam dancing here as well, although their newer stuff is less punk and a bit more metal.  Interestingly, the band also released several mariachi albums under the name Mariachi El Bronx.  I wonder if they play any of that in these shows.  Probably not.

Pet Needs is a punk band from England formed by brothers Johnny and George Marriott. Their debut album: ‘Fractured Party Music‘, was mixed and mastered by Frank Turner.  They have a good punk sound but they mix it up with slower parts in their songs, too.

 

Read Full Post »

tUnE-yArDs / Anjimile (Union Transfer, Philadelphia PA, June 18, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Anjimile, Philadelphia, PA, tUnE-yArDs, Union Transfer on June 18, 2022| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 18, 2022] tUnE-yArDs / Anjimile

I saw tUnE-yArDs in 2018 and enjoyed the show. There’s questions about her appropriation of African culture into her music which makes me think, rather than enjoy, her music.

So I wasn’t likely to go to this show even if it hadn’t been right up against Kraftwerk, which there was no way I was missing.

Anjimile Chithambo is a folk singer from Boston, Massachusetts.  Her music is pretty, but I don’t care for her singing style at all, which is kind of slow and deliberate and, to me, a little tedious.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »