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Archive for the ‘Cities’ Category

Public Image Limited (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, October 2, 2026)

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Plague Vendor, Public Image Ltd, Union Transfer on October 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: October 2, 2026] Plague Vendor

I was torn about this show from the get go.  John Lydon has (possibly) become a right wing stooge like Morrissey (there are those who say he is mocking the MAGA camp, who the hell knows).  I didn’t really want to give him any money (although I did feel bad about his wife dying and all that).

And yet, I’ve loved most of PiL’s output (at least up through 9) and have never seen them live.  Reviews suggested that on their last tour, at least, they were still great live and so I grabbed a ticket.  There were many other shows that night that I was interested in.  Indeed, we almost went to Karina Rykman at the last minute.  And, boy oh boy do I wish that we had.

Public Image Limited was the worst show I have ever been to.

I’ve been reading other reviews of this tour in which people were blown away by this show and I can’t tell if they are all crazy or if John was just really off tonight.  And yet, people around me seemed to really enjoy it as well.  I’m not sure what rubbed me the wring way so badly.

Now, I know all about John and his antics–his utter disdain for the audience, the “did you ever get the feeling you’ve been swindled,” everything.  I was expecting a performative asshole.  I was actually worried that he might get in my face and give me shit for something I was or wasn’t doing.  But instead, what I got was an old fat guy who didn’t even sound like Lydon.  Lydon has the most distinctive (borderline irritating) high pitched voices in music.  And yet, when he sang (if you can call it that) his voice was deep and gravelly.  It’s hard to imagine that his voice can’t get high pitched and whiny anymore, but maybe he can’t?  And yet it’s not like singing where you have to hit the high notes, this is just a high whiny sound.  Can you really lose that ability? (more…)

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Labrador (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, October 1, 2026) [TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS]

Posted in Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Labrador, Ted Leo + Pharmacists on October 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: October 1, 2026] Labrador

I hadn’t heard of Labrador before this show.  Turns out they are a solid Philly rock band.  Their blurb on bandcamp says Maximum Alt Country which I assumed was a joke as they don’t sound country at all.  But even in the review of their new album, it says “The latest LP from Philadelphia rock quartet Labrador turns up the heat on the alt-country and mod influences forged on their previous records.”  I can certainly hear the mod influences, but I don’t hear any alt country at all.

Especially live, where they rock pretty hard and singer and guitarist Pat King has a powerful rocking voice.  And Steve Kurtz’ drums were simple but punctuated the songs nicely.

And what I really liked, in addition to his pleas for the Phillies to win, was his passionate belief in justice.  As the rest of that blurb says

Labrador are a barn-burning bar band bringing influences from the storied, intersecting legacies of anti-war punk, blues, folk, and soul music into the 21st century. Labrador’s weathered, vintage sound isn’t indicative of a desire to return to some idealized fantasy version of the past, but to learn from the history that created destructive forces dominating the present—worker exploitation, corporate greed, rampant xenophobia, genocide in Palestine.

Their songs are simple.  The three chords of Kill Kill Kill were instantly catchy and the progression to the chorus was obvious but satisfying.  The mix was a little off in the beginning with Kris Hayes’ guitar being a little too loud.  But his solos were really tasty.  We couldn’t reallu hear bassist Will Hochgertel at all–maybe that’s why the set sounded less full that Ted Leo’s.

Later the chords to We Drew Straws was similarly three chords.  But again, catchy and fun.  And then the chorus takes a pointed turn

Shout these words out loud
War crimes for genocide
Cease fire now

A slower song like Slow Down King (where King played acoustic guitar) was really simple but effective

If I’m hollow by the sunrise at least I’ll know I’ve tried
I’m going to keep on fighting I’m gonna fight for what I know is right
I got some people I love in my life who could use me on their side.

They sang a song that was popularized by Joan Baez, No Man is and Island but was actually an old soul song–Labrador certainly reference soul roots, but i didn’t really hear it in this set. (more…)

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Beabadoobee / Wisp (Liacouris Center, Philadelphia PA, October 2, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Beabadoobee, Liacouris Center, Philadelphia, PA, Wisp on October 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 2, 2026] Beabadoobee / Wisp

I saw Beabadoobee back in 2021 on her first tour of the U.S.  Since then, she’s put out a couple of albums and has been back to the States.  I didn’t go last time.  She was supposed to play at All Things Go last year but cancelled for some reason or another.

I would have liked to go to this show.  I am genuinely surprised she played a venue the size of the Liacouris Center (10,000 seats, although it can be converted to a 5,000 seater which I have to assume they did for this.  But I didn’t want to go to a massive venue to see her and the tickets were outrageously expensive.

I’m assuming it must not have sold well because one of the local radio stations had a contest for free tickets and when I didn’t win, I received an email

I’m writing because you entered [the]  contest for tickets to see Beabadoobee on Friday, October 2nd at The Liacouras Center, but did not win.  We do have one extra pair of tickets for the show that we can offer as a thank you gift for a donation of $50.

And then a day or so later

These tickets are still available.  Would anyone be interested in the pair for $40?  That would really help Y-Not Radio reach our fundraising goal for this month.

I certainly would have taken the two tickets for $50 (although I ‘ll bet the seats were crappy), but I had tickets to Public Image Limited (and possibly Karina Rykman is I changed my mind on PiL).  But I do hope she comes back and plays a smaller venue.

Wisp opened for System of a Down a while back and then had a headlining gig at Union Transfer.  (Apparently Wisp has a big online following).  She (Natalie R. Lu is Wisp) plays a delightful shoegaze–heavy guitars but not really heavy metal and perfect soft vocals.  This would have been a good show for sure.

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Plague Vendor (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, October 2, 2026) [PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Plague Vendor, Public Image Ltd, Union Transfer on October 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: October 2, 2026] Plague Vendor

I was torn about this show from the get go (see main post) and when I listened to Plague Vendor briefly, they were interesting but not compelling.  So I wasn’t that excited when they came out on stage.

Three guys came out and they started playing an awesome, simple bass and guitar riff.  The bass and guitars sounds fantastic and I was instantly hooked.  Their outfits (the bassist was wearing like a Sears cowboy outfit from the 70s, including a glittering belt buckle that said Bill.)  The guitarist had a fringe of hair that fell in his face and I couldn’t see him at all.

After a minute or so of this riffage, a guy came out on stage in black pants, a black muscle shirt and lots of tattoos.  His hair was soaking wet and he was an absolutely lunatic.  He started singing the first song fairly calmly and then the chorus exploded and his voice exploded too.  It was fascinating.

During the instrumental parts, he lined up the bottles of water (one of which he dumped all over his head midway through the show).  He seemed unhappy with the microphone stand and at one point he threw it into the photographer pit and then later climbed down to get it.  He complained about the lights twice saying how hot it was up there.  He even said I don’t know where the hell I am and I’m sure you don’t either, so let’s just play music.

I didn’t really like him, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.  And it’s a good thing I didn’t, because suddenly, he was standing on the barrier singing right at us.  He was holding on the a fan’s hand (and head at one point) just wobbling and singing.  (more…)

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Karina Rykman / Mackenzie Johnson (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, October 2, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Karina Rykman, Mackenzie Johnson on October 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 2, 2026] Karina Rykman / Mackenzie Johnson

This concert was announced after I had already purchased my tickets for PiL.  Which was a bummer.  A few days before, my wife said she might like to go to this one and I was okay with it.  I looked up the PiL setlists and decided I was kind of meh about it.  But we went to Ardmore Music Hall the night before and she didn’t want to do that two nights in a row (I feel bad for dragging her out to Ted Leo now).

We’ve seen Karina a four times and every show has been super fun.  I would have liked to see her at Ardmore, since the first time I saw her and realized who she was  was at a Marco Benevento show at Ardmore.

But instead, I went to PiL and that was a pretty terrible show, so I’m even more bummed now.  But I’m sure she’ll be back.

Mackenzie Johnson is an acoustic-pop singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, PA. She became known for the acoustic covers and original songs she posted to her YouTube channel.   Her songs are on the softer side of  things, but her voice is a powerhouse.

 

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Soccer Mommy / Snail Mail / Brennan Wedl (Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ, October 2, 2016) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Brennan Wedl, Sayreville, NJ, Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, Starland Ballroom on October 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 2, 2026] Soccer Mommy / Snail Mail / Brennan Wedl

I’ve seen Soccer Mommy three times. She always puts on a good show.  But we had three other possible shows this night and I had tickets to PiL for months by the time this was announced.

I have been wanting to catch Snail Mail since 2018, when I missed her opening for Alvvays at Union Transfer.  You don’t always get to see a singer progress so clearly up the ranks of popularity.   In 2018 she was opening for someone at Union Transfer and 8 years later she was headlining The Fillmore.  Here she is on a double headlining bill with Soccer Mommy and once again I have to miss her because it was the same date as another show.

I’m more intrigued by Brennan Wedl‘s name than their music.  Wedl is a Minnesota-raised, Nashville-based songwriter.  She has a pretty hefty country twang for a Minnesotan.  She and Wxahatchee do a cover of Kathleen Edwards’ 6 o’clock News, which earns them some props.

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Weezer (XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia PA, September 29, 2026)

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Silversun Pickups, The Shins, Weezer, XFinity Mobile Arena on October 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 29, 2026] Weezer

This is my fourth time seeing Weezer.  I’m not a huge Weezer fan and I know they’ve released some real stinker songs, but when they hit it right, they absolutely nail it.  And their shows are a lot of fun.

This is the first time I’ve seen them headline in a pretty long time.  I remembered their 2018 show was a great spectacle showing the band progress through the years.  But they went all out for this show and it was a blast!

The show began with a video of a kid drawing pictures like those in the poster to the right.  Some bullies mocked Nicholas for drawing his weird Ws and Nicholas said that Weezer were playing at his house tonight.  The kids don’t believe him.  Nicholas wishes really hard and the weird symbols he’s drawing start to glow and Rivers received the message about a show that night.  He grabs the band and they head to Nicholas’ house.

The stage had been setup to look like a back yard.  There was a house (!) as well as telephone poles (with sneakers on the wires) artificial turf and a picket fence.  On the screen, the guys approach a fence and then walked through the fence on stage. A simple detail, but really fun.  The screen converted to a backyard scene with a swimming pool and trees and everything.  It looked really convincing (despite being obviously fake).

The story was played out though the whole night (even if the guys in the band are TERRIBLE actors–so bad!  Rivers’ “let keep this party going” and things were pretty sus but who cares).

They started playing a brand new song (I don’t now the album all that well, but everyone on the floor sure did).  In addition to showing the band on the stage, the cameramen in the front row went back an forth to the folks in the front row, and most of them were singing along.

And then came what was mostly a greatest hits selection of songs, but with quite a few deep cuts as well.  (more…)

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Loudon Wainwright III / Wesley Stace (Sellersville Theatre, Sellersville, PA, October 1, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Loudon Wainwright III, Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA, Wesley Stace on October 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 1, 2026] Loudon Wainwright III / Wesley Stace

Loudon Wainwright III has been playing pretty and also pretty funny music for decades.  I discovered him about twenty years ago and quickly became a fan of his work.

His newer material deals more with old age than his earlier stuff but it’s still enjoyable.  I’m sure he would play songs from throughout his career.  Recent setlists show he plays stuff from all over his catalog.

He plays Sellersville every year or so and I never seem to be able to catch him.  This poster on the right is for a different show, but it’s the same billing with Wesley Stace.

Tonight’s show was up against Ted Leo who I really wanted to see with my wife.

Wesley Stace once recorded under the pseudonym John Wesley Harding and released some 20 albums.  These albums bear a resemblance to Elvis Costello because he shared some of the members of The Attractions and also because his singing voice has the same arch tone and timbre as Costello’s.  I saw him open for Steven Page back in 2018 and loved his set so much I bought a novel of his as well.

This is a great double bill and I’m bummed I couldn’t make it.

UPDATE: I received an email today that Loudon Wainwright had to reschedule this show.  But Wesley Stace was still performing.

$15 POP UP SHOW TONIGHT WITH WESLEY STACE!

What else do you have going on? Come on out!

There is a great new show this evening! Singer songwriter Wesley Stace (aka famously as John Wesley Harding) will perform a full concert. Wesley Stace has performed at Sellersville Theater before and is loved by the staff. Tickets are available now for $15 and the show is general admission. Come by, bring friends, and enjoy a night out!

I would have loved to support him.  But, hey, he announced a free at noon for next week so…

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The Shins (XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia PA, September 29, 2026) [WEEZER]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Silversun Pickups, The Shins, Weezer, XFinity Mobile Arena on September 30, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 29, 2026] The Shins

I have been a fan of The Shins since their debut album came out and I have never seen them live.  I put them very high on my list of bands that I wanted to see.  But I assumed I just never would.  (They played Franklin Music Hall in 2022 and The Fillmore in 2017).  And yet, here they were opening for Weezer.

I don’t know what James Mercer (the only real Shin at this point) has been up to for this last decade (their last album came out in 2017), but whatever it is, he’s been keeping his voice in amazing condition.

They opened with Simple Song and I immediately remembered how much I love The Shins.  And as soon as he hit the first high notes of the song–and hit them confidently and easily, I knew this set was going to be fantastic.  They made some use of the video screens.  The camera zoomed in on the musicians from time to time and behind them, for each song there was a different band name logo, which was really fun.

Up next was Australia (I realized I have no idea what the names of these songs are) but as soon as the “la la las” came along, the whole song flooded back.  And Mercer seemed like he was having a really good time up there.  He commented about how he had never been on an arena tour before and how much fun he was having. (more…)

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Silversun Pickups (XFinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia PA, September 29, 2026) [WEEZER]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Silversun Pickups, The Shins, Weezer, XFinity Mobile Arena on September 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 29, 2026] Silversun Pickups

I had been wanting to see Silversun Pickups for a pretty long time and finally managed to see them (after missing easily a half dozen shows in our area over the course of a year or so) in 2024.  And they were great.  I really wanted to see them again, but once again, their headlining show fell during a vacation.

So, at last here they were again, this time opening for Weezer.

Initially, my wife said she didn’t want to go to this show, but upon hearing that The Shins were opening, she changed her mind.  I wound up getting cool seats in the club section (which includes a personal food and drink and bathroom area) and we fought the traffic (why would you AC/DC playing at the football field next door at the EXACT SAME TIME as this show?

We arrives in time, found our cool seats and even ordered food (which we never do) because we hadn’t had time for a pre meal dinner.  Hint: go for the kid’s meal, it’s a decent sized portion for half the price).

We were on the left side of the stage.  Almost parallel to the stage but not quite and really rather close.  Great seats.  And even if you couldn’t see the screens behind them straight on, they were done really well and were easily viewed from where we were.

The Silversun Pickups came out and Nikki Monninger’s bass rumbled the opening notes of Well Thought Out Twinkles. The sounded great.  The venue’s sound quality isn’t perfect or anything, but they sounded really good–that bass was so clean.  It’s always fun to watch drummer Chris Guanlao, going crazy pack there–hair flying, sticks smashing things.  He shows you how fun being a drummer can be. (more…)

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