Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Cities’ Category

Pallbearer (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2026)

Posted in Knoll, Lástima, Pallbearer, Philadelphia, PA, Type O Negative, Underground Arts on April 22, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 20, 2026] Pallbearer

I saw I had heard of Pallbearer but didn’t really know all that much about them.  I assumed they were a really heavy growling type of band.  So when Knoll announced that they were opening for them, I checked them out, enjoyed them and bought a ticket to the show.

It turns out that they are a doom metal band and the album that they were touring, Foundations of Burden, is a classic of the genre.

I had enjoyed the first two bands but when Knoll was done, a whole bunch of guys rushed to the stage.  One of them was actually a guy I’ve seen at a couple of shows recently (MMJ and Band of Horses–he even looks a bit like Jim James).  He is a massive headbanger (headbanging to Band of Horses!).  So he was finally in his element and he knew this album really well. There were a bunch of guys together who knew each other and they were all headbangers and fist pumpers.  And  while it was all harmless, I didn’t enjoy the vibe.

And when the band started I realized the real problem for me.  I was standing right in front of Brett Campbell’s guitar amps.  And it was LOUD!  So when he stepped up to the microphone and I literally couldn’t hear him I wasn’t too happy.  Later on, bassist Joseph D. Rowland sang another part and I couldn’t hear him either.

By the third song, when Devin Holt played a solo and I could hear it until Campbell started playing his guitar, I knew I had to move.

So the album has 6 songs which meant I was already half way through.  But I just wasn’t really enjoying myself.  So I left the front and headed toward the back.  And things were much better back there.  The sound was phenomenal–balanced perfectly and still loud as anything.  Mark Lierly was on drums with a fairly small kit net to the wall of amps–but he was certainly loud enough. (more…)

Read Full Post »

José González / Abby Sage (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, April 22, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Abby Sage, José González, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on April 22, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 22, 2026] José González / Abby Sage

My wife and I saw José González a year ago in New Jersey.  It was a wonderful set–quiet, moody and exquisite sounding.  We didn’t feel the need to see him again.  Sometimes one set is perfect.

I’m not sure if he added more people for this show (ours was solo).  I see that the setlist was similar but with lots of songs switched out.   I’m not sure if I need to see him again, but we’ll see.

Abby Sage is a singer songwriter from Toronto.  She writes interesting moody folk songs and she sings with the vocal style tha I assoiate with young women in the 2010s and 2020s–like she’s afriad to elucidate the vowels or something.  I don’t dislike the style, but it seems very common and I’m curious about it.  At first I thought it was regional, but it clearly isn’t.  If she had a whole band I would have enjoyed her set because the harmonies (guitar and vocal) are really nice on her audiotree session..

Read Full Post »

Knoll (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2026) [PALLBEARER]

Posted in Knoll, Lástima, Pallbearer, Philadelphia, PA, Underground Arts on April 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 20, 2026] Knoll

I saw Knoll open for Agriculture three months ago.  Then I saw that they were returning in three months to open for Pallbearer.  And they are the reason I went to this show (and why I listened to Pallbearer for the first time).

Knoll’s show in January was just mind blowing–intense and wild and loud and a little scary.  And I really wanted to see them again.  Last time I was in front of guitarist Cameron Giarraputo, so this time I wanted to experience it from the other side of the stage in front of Ryan Cook guitarist and trumpet (!) player.

What did I write three months ago?

I have seen a lot of extreme bands, but there’s nothing to prepare you for this.

And the show was largely the same.  Possibly the same songs, but it’s kind of hard to tell.  So I’ll quote from myself a bunch.

Knoll set up their gear.  They had an old-looking end table (I would guess like 100 years old, with all kinds of filigree–but probably not worth anything) and interesting gear on it.  The table also had a little light on it and there were four floor lamps around the stage.

This time I watched as singer Jamie Eubanks asked them to cut all of the lights.

These lights were the only things that lit the stage!  And, most interesting of all, each band member had a step on plug which turned their individual light on and off throughout the show.

All five members of the band were dressed in all black–button down shirts and black pants.  And the lead singer, James Eubanks, has his head shaved, (possibly his eyebrows), his fingernails shaped into points.  He looks like Nosferatu.

Last time I noted that Giarraputo was like a machine with the speed and technical expertise he brought to these incredibly fast songs.  The same was true of Cook–his wrsits moved so fast!

Drummer Jack Anderson must be exhausted by the end of the show playing so fast.

(more…)

Read Full Post »

Ilana Glazer (Helium Comedy Club, Philadelphia, PA, April 21, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Broad City, Helium Comedy Club, Ilana Glazer, Philadelphia, PA on April 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 21, 2026] Ilana Glazer

I loved Broad City.  But I haven’t really been that interested in seeing Ilana Glazer live.  Not sure why.  But these show announcements haven’t excited me that much.  This show happened to be between two nights when I was already going out, so I didn’t really consider it.

Although now that I have been to Helium, and I see how small it is, I think it would be really fun to see someone like Ilana there.    Especially since she did at the much larger Miller Theatre last year.

By the time I realized that we should probably go to this, it was sold out (no surprise there).

She’s playing in New Jersey in a few months though so, maybe we’ll go there instead.

Read Full Post »

Lástima (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2026) [PALLBEARER]

Posted in Knoll, Lástima, Pallbearer, Philadelphia, PA, Underground Arts on April 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 20, 2026] Lástima

I hadn’t heard of Lástima.  They are a Philly band who plays blackgaze which may be a term they made up, or maybe not.  But it makes sense.

They play fast, heavy, dark music with mostly growled vocals.  Back in the day we called these cookie monster vocals.  But cookie monster vocals are for fast singers and I think singers of this style of music sing more like real monsters–slow and deep and creepy AF.

What set this band apart was the inclusion of Thuy Nguyen on violin! (!).  From where I was you couldn’t always hear the violin (again, I need to stand further back from the stage) but when the rest of the band quieted down, the violin was a wonderfully mournful component.

I was in front of Eric Mauro on guitars and Hazel Whitman on bass.  I could kind of see Sam Hyla on drums, but really the most entertaining person was singer/guitarist Richie DeVon.

DeVon sang.  Sometimes in a normal voice (during the quiet section) but usually with a growl or a scream.   There were a few songs (or openings of songs) which had quiet piano parts.  DeVon played them and was usually accompanied by Nguyen on violin.  Toward the end he got down on his knees and screamed his head off while messing about with his effects pedals.  It was quite cathartic.  (more…)

Read Full Post »

HEALTH / Carpenter Brut / Desire (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, April 19, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Carpenter Brut, Desire, Franklin Music Hall, HEALTH, Philadelphia, PA on April 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 19, 2026] HEALTH / Carpenter Brut / Desire

A few years ago, my son told me he was into Carpenter Brut.  I hadn’t heard of them, but I kept them on my radar to see if they’d tour around here.  Well, here was a tour!  Carpenter Brut and a band called HEALTH whom I had never heard of.

But before we can even get remotely excited about this show, it was the same night as a family member’s birthday.  So there was no way we could go.  Which was a real bummer because my son listened to HEALTH and liked them so much he bought a shirt online.

HEALTH is an interesting band.  They can be heavy and electronic, with industrial overtones, although the lead singer reminds me of the Pet Shop Boys, except the part where the vocals are screamed at the top of their lungs.  For the most part, the new album is old school industrial type music with really gentle vocals.   Although their earlier stuff is really noisy and chaotic.

Carpenter Brut is a synthwave project.  Franck Hueso blends aggressive beats with synths and an obsession with 80s action and horror films.  It’s kind of like Magic Sword, but more synthy.

Desire is an electronic duo from Montreal.   They play slinky cabaret type music with vampy spoken word vocals, and swirling melodies.  They’re interesting, but a bit slow.  Probably a good opening band for this night.

This review from Montreal Rocks makes the night sound really fun.  If only it could have been some other night.

Read Full Post »

The Chameleons / The Veldt (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, April 18, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Chameleons, Philadelphia, PA, The Chameleons, The Veldt, Underground Arts on April 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 18, 2026] The Chameleons / The Veldt

I thought that I knew The Chameleons. They’re a British band from the heyday of British alt rock.    They’re from Manchester and started in 1981.  I’ve known about them for as long as I can remember.  But I guess I got them confused with The Charlatans (Charlatans UK here).  Because when I listened to the debut Chameleons album, I didn’t recognize a thing.

I didn’t dislike the albums, but I didn’t feel compelled to go listen to them.

The Veldt is a “soul powered rock band on the heavier end of the shoegaze spectrum.”  Formed by identical twins Daniel and Danny Chavis, The Veldt emerged from Raleigh, North Carolina, with instincts shaped by gospel, Motown, Prince, Sun Ra, and Pink Floyd.

The vocals are really soulful with some great rocking guitars.  It was actually The Veldt that made me thing this (or three) times about going to this show.  But it didn’t happen.

 

Read Full Post »

King Tuff / Morgan Nagler (Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA, April 18, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in King Tuff, Morgan Nagler, Philadelphia, PA, Punky Brewster, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on April 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 23, 2023] King Tuff / Morgan Nagler

King Tuff is Kyle Thomas.  Thomas was a member of Ty Segall’s band for a time (and Segall plays on his albums).

I really enjoyed his Black Moon Spell album, but I haven’t listened to him all that much since.  When this show was announced I put it on my radar, but knew that I was pretty busy this week.  When my weekend opened up because a scout trip came up, I seriously thought about getting a last-minute ticket t this show.  But it was already sold out.  So that’s okay.

Morgan Nagler is a singer from Los Angeles.  She plays slowish fuzzy indie rock.  Her voice is pleasant and cool.  She is also the singer for Whispertown.  In a fun backstory that seems to be popping up from time to time, Nagler worked as a child actor, appearing on Punky Brewster and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  But she’s got the musical bona-fides (she wrote a song for Rilo Kiley and did a single with Kim Deal).

I think this would have been a really fun show.

Read Full Post »

Touché Amoré / One Step Closer / Greet Death (Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia, PA, April 17, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Brooklyn Bowl, Greet Death, One Step Closer, Philadelphia, PA, Touché Amoré on April 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 17, 2026] Touché Amoré / One Step Closer / Greet Death

I’ve seen Touché Amoré twice and have been clown away both times.  When they announced this tour of the Stage Four album, I was ready to see them.  I don’t know this album any more than their other ones, but I do enjoy a tour of an entire album.

Now this album is pretty intense: it is the band’s fourth album, but the title’s central inspiration was singer Jeremy Bolm’s mother, who died of cancer.  But I have been so impressed by the passion and empathy of the band that I assumed this show would be the very definition of catharsis.

But then DAVE announced a show the same night and I had a tough time deciding which to go to.  I had never seen DAVE before, after all.  And then, the whole thing was moot because the John Malkovich show was announced in Princeton, and there was no way I could miss that.

I’m sure Touché Amoré will be back and I will happily see them again next time.

I don’t know One Step Closer, but they are a straight edge hardcore punk band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.  They are indeed a hardcore band (the singer is a classic hardcore screamer) but they have some melodic components as well.  Indeed, in one song there’s intense hardcore screaming and also really pretty harmonies.  They haven’t put out an album since 2024 and it sounds like their sound is evolving.  I’ll bet they are great live.

I saw Greet Death (geez, with this name and the TA album being about cancer…) open for Foxing in 2022.  I have an overall good memory of them, but when I look at the post I wrote, I didn’t have all that much to say about them, except that the girls in front of me talked thoughout their set.  Their newest album is even more shoegaze than when I saw them.  This would have been a fun night (despite the darkness).

Read Full Post »

Dave / DJ Diamond Kuts (Fillmore Philly, Philadelphia, PA, April 17, 2016) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in DAVE, DJ Diamond Kuts, Philadelphia, PA, The Fillmore Philadelphia on April 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 17, 2016] Dave / DJ Diamond Kuts

Back in 2022, I could have seen DAVE at TLA.  Now, four years later. he’s back and headlining The Fillmore.  Which makes sense, since back in 2022, he had to add three nights to his NYC shows.  But I had no idea that anyone here knew of him.

I know of DAVE from a Tiny Desk Concert.  And I wondered, how does a British rapper succeed in the U.S. when he is called DAVE?

I really like his DAVE’s tone (and his accent is neat).  But this show proved to be on a night that I was triple booked.

I had already gotten a ticket to se Touche Amore a Brooklyn Bowl (which I was able to sell).  As soon as DAVE announced this show a the Fillmore, I grabbed a ticket.  And THEN the John Malkovich performance was announced in Princeton and I couldn’t pass that up.

I guess the next time DAVE comes to the States, he’ll be playing Franklin Music Hall?  Well, if he’s still at the Fillmore, I will try to make it.

Does he really play the harp?

DJ Diamond Kuts is a DJ and Producer from Philly.  It sounds like she is in huge demand.  And her instagram shows her spinning at lots of big name events.  I wonder what she played before DAVE.

 

 

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »