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Archive for the ‘Cities’ Category

Restorations / Hurry / thank you thank you (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 15, 2020) [CANCELLED]

Posted in Band of Horses, Cancelled, Coronavirus, Hurry, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Quarantine, Restorations, thank you thank you on May 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[CANCELLED: May 15, 2020] Restorations / Hurry / thank you thank you

indexI feel like this Restorations show was kind of dropped out of nowhere recently.  It’s not part of any kind of tour because they were going to play Europe and then just this one Philly Date (hometown date).

I saw them open for Band of Horses four years ago, and they were great.  Like with many opening bands, I thought it would be great to see them headline (especially in a small place like Johnny Brenda’s).  This show happened to be on the same night as Diet Cig who I really really wanted to to see, so I wasn’t going to be able to go, but I hope they reschedule another home town dhow soon.

Hurry is a band from Philadelphia, originally the solo project Matt Scottoline.  They are described as 90’s rock revivalists and all of their influences are bands I like.  Some of their songs online are a little slower than I expected, but they do have some uptempo ones as well.

I can’t find out anything about thank you thank you except that they are based in Philadelphia, they have one song on band camp (a piano ballad) and that the email address for the band is to Tyler Bussey.

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Andy Shauf / Faye Webster (House of Independents, Asbury Park NJ, May 15, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Andy Shauf, Asbury Park, NJ, Faye Webster, House of Independents, Margaret Glaspy, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Union Transfer on May 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 15, 2020] Andy Shauf / Faye Webster [moved to December 18, 2020]

indexAndy Shauf is a Canadian singer songwriter.  He sings quiet, introspective songs.  He was playing at Union Transfer at the beginning of Mat and then in New Jersey in the middle of May.

I was introduced to his music from a Tiny Desk Concert in which he never really moves.  He has very long hair which also never moves.  His songs are really very pretty and well constructed.

It’s his voice that I find utterly fascinating.  He enunciates in such an unusual way.  The way he emphasizes certain vowels defies his Saskatchewan upbringing.  He sings not unlike Margaret Glaspy and other newer sings who stress their vowels in an unusual to me way.

I really enjoyed his Tiny Desk and I enjoyed reading about the album The Party which sounds like the worst party ever.

Since then he has cut all of his hair and looks totally different–I wasn’t even sure it was the same guy.

Faye Webster is a singer from Georgia who actually has a similar singing style to Andy, which is fascinating.  She sings low key torchy ballads and would be a perfect opening act for him.  I’m going to have to listen to a bit more from her.

He’s the kind of musician that I would think about going to but probably wouldn’t, and then I’d wish I had.  Well, now I have two more chances.

His initial itinerary fascinated me:

Boston, Brooklyn, Philly, D.C., North Carolina, Atlanta, New Orleans, Alabama, Indiana, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, upstate New York.

The rescheduled shows keep the same basic set up except that now Philly is the day before NJ–I wonder what changed that plan.

shuaf

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Diet Cig / Sad13 / Thin Lips (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 14, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Coronavirus, Diet Cig, First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA, Philly Music Fest, Postponed, Quarantine, Sad13, Speedy Ortiz, Thin Lips, Union Transfer on May 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 14, 2020] Diet Cig / Sad13 / Thin Lips [moved to November 4, First Unitarian Church]

indexI have wanted to see Diet Cig ever since I saw them on a Tiny Desk Concert–they are a bundle of energy and the duo play super catchy pop punk.  I wanted to see them before they lost their energy.

I missed them the first time they came around and last time around they played at the First Unitarian Church, a venue I dislike.  So when they announced this show at Union Transfer I was so excited.  This cancellation was a major bummer for me.

Especially since now that they rescheduled it is apparently being moved to the Church again (does this mean sales are really poor?)

Sad13 is the solo moniker of Sadie Dupuis the singer of Speedy Ortiz.  They were wonderful live (and I was right in front of Sadie to watch her terrific guitar work).  I don’t really know much about the Sad13 songs but I assume they will be great if she is behind them.

I saw Thin Lips at the Philly Music Fest and they were absolutely fantastic.  I loved them and was looking forward to seeing them again.  They play catchy pop punk with pointed lyrics.  Outstanding.

So, I sure hope all three can come around for the postponed date (and I hope it sells better and has to get moved out of the Church into a bigger venue).

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Half Waif / Ian Chang (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 13, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Coronavirus, Half Waif, Ian Chang, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Pinegrove, Postponed, Quarantine, Son Lux on May 13, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 13, 2020] Half Waif / Ian Chang [moved to October 24]

indexHalf Waif is the project of former Pinegrove singer Nandi Rose.  I find her music very pleasing.

I only found out about this show recently before it was cancelled.  I had no plans of going to the show because I already had tickets to Bikini Kill (very different vibe) that night.  But she is someone I’ve thought about seeing.

A rescheduled date in October sounds wonderful.

Ian Chang is a drummer for Son Lux and a dozen other bands.  He is a phenomenal drummer, instantly recognizable and wonderful to watch.  The addition of him as a opening act makes the show a lot more interesting for me.

I’m glad to see that he is opening for the rescheduled date as well.

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Bikini Kill / Alice Bag (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, May 13, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Alice Bag, Bikini Kill, Coronavirus, Feminism, Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Riot Grrrl, The Bags on May 13, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 13, 2020] Bikini Kill / Alice Bag [moved to November 22]

indexWhen Bikini Kill did their short reunion tour a couple years ago, tickets sold out in like ten seconds.  When they announced this follow up tour I grabbed a ticket immediately.  As far as I can tell it still hadn’t sold out when it was postponed (which is a surprise, I think).

Bikini Kill are foundation for the Riot Grrl movement although I was not a huge fan of them per se.  I have their records appreciate them for what they did, but they weren’t my favorite,

Nevertheless, this opportunity to see them live sounded like a great time.

Alice Bag has been cropping up in my periphery for quite some time although I realized I didn’t know much about her.  Alicia Armendariz was a co-founder and singer of the 70s punk band The Bags.  After they broke up, she was in about a half dozen other bands, although none of them released more than some singles.  She finally put out a solo album in 2016.

Her album(s) since have gotten strong reviews and it would be excellent to see this feminist icon in action.

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Purity Ring (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 13, 2020) [rescheduled]

Posted in Canadian Music, Coronavirus, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Purity Ring, Quarantine, Union Transfer on May 13, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 13, 2020] Purity Ring [moved to April 21, 2021] 

indexPurity Ring is a duo from Edmonton–multi-instrumentalist/producer Corin Roddick and vocalist Megan James.

They put out a couple of albums and then disappeared.

I rather enjoy the way Wikipedia describes their sound

a combination of pop and hip-hop styles and James’ “childlike” vocals and “macabre”, “gory” lyrics, that she takes from “books and books full of things she’s written” in the past.  Their music utilizes down-pitched, distorted vocals and percussive and vocal loops. A creative key to their sound is a sometimes aggressive use of a volume regulating technique called “sidechaining,” in which the rhythm of one instrument affects the volume of another.

After a five year hiatus, they returned in 2020 with a new album WOMB, just in time to have their tour postponed.

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Fu Manchu: 30th Anniversary Tour / Speedealer (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, May 9, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Alex Lifeson, Coronavirus, Fu Manchu, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Rush, Speedealer, Underground Arts on May 9, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 9, 2020] Fu Manchu / Speedealer [moved to March 18, 2021]

indexFu Manchu is one of the great stoner rock bands.  They have been around for thirty years with a similar fuzzy, grungey sound.  I missed them the first time around but because more keenly aware of them when their 2018 album Clone of the Universe featured not only an 18 minute song, but also a guitar solo from Alex Lifeson of Rush.

Their early stuff is really catchy and I wish I had known about them for longer.  They seem like they’d be a really fun live band.

Speedealer was originally called REO Speedealer, which I love.  They were told to cease and desist from REO Speedwagon (imagine that).  They play a kind of aggressive garage metal.  They have a punk edge and the lead singer has a growly punk voice that is clear enough amid the roughage.

I feel like they don’t quite pair with Fu Manchu (they seem a bit too aggressive) and would pair better with Monster Magnet.

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Ratboys / Another Michael (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 8, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Another Michael, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Pinegrove, Postponed, Quarantine, Ratboys on May 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 8, 2020] Ratboys / Another Michael [moved to September 9]

indexI really like the new Ratboys record Printer’s Devil. It’s got a lot more rocking sound than their earlier albums.

The guitars are more distorted.  The drums are louder and Julia Steiner’s voice seems a bit bigger.  But they still have a pop sensibility.  They seem liked they’d be fun live.

I could have seen Another Michael open for Pinegrove at House of Independents.  I picked a different night with a different opening band.  They play a kind of mellow indie rock with lead Michael’s vocals veering into R&B styles.  They don’t exactly seem to go together, but maybe it would work.

I wasn’t going to go to this show since it was my birthday and I already had a ticket to a show that I wasn’t sure I would be able to go to.  So the rescheduled date of September 9 works pretty well for me.

 

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The Tallest Man on Earth / Courtney Marie Andrews (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 8, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Coronavirus, Courtney Marie Andrews, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, The Tallest Man on Earth, Union Transfer on May 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 8, 2020] The Tallest Man on Earth / Courtney Marie Andrews [moved to March 6, 2021]

indexI have wanted to see The Tallest Man on Earth for a few years and things always seem to come up to cancel my opportunity.

In 2018 I had a ticket to see him, but then a camping trip came up.

In 2019, he had to cancel his tour for the first time because of a personal crisis.

And now this.

This show was awkwardly timed to be on a very important person’s birthday, but I was hoping that the family would forgive me if I ducked out to see Kristian Matsson finally.

Courtney Marie Andrews was on my bad list because she put out her last album right around the time that Courtney Barnett put out her last album, so whenever the DJ would say Courtney I was excited until they followed it with Marie.

Courtney Marie is a folk singer who veers too far into the country lanes for my liking.  Although I did find that she had a powerful voice, which goes a long way.

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The House of Love: 30th Anniversary Tour / Alex Nicol (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, May 7, 2020) [CANCELLED]

Posted in Alex Nichol, Coronavirus, Jersey City, NJ, Postponed, Quarantine, The House of Love, White Eagle Hall on May 7, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[CANCELLED: May 7, 2020] The House of Love / Alex Nicol

indexTo me The House of Love are a quintessential college band.  I loved all three or four of their albums, listened to them a lot and then kind of lost them in the shuffle of new music.

But every time I hear a House of Love song it makes me happy.  So when they announced an American tour (their first American tour in nearly 30 years) I knew I’d have to go.

I was very sad to hear that the whole tour was going to be cancelled instead of postponed, but they did promise that they’d try to make it back, so while it is officially cancelled, we’ll still hold out hope for a future date.

Alex Nicol is a Canadian folk singer whose songs are kind of slow and downbeat.

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