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An Evening with Geordie Greep (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, June 6, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Geordie Greep on June 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 6, 2026] Geordie Greep

Geordie Greep was one of the vocalists in Black Midi (who are no more and I’m really glad I got to see them when they came to the States).  He’s a fascinating dude with a fascinating voice.  When I saw that he was doing a solo tour, last year, I was really intrigued, but the shows sold out before I found out about them.

There was a show announced at Ardmore Music Hall back in February and I grabbed a ticket and then couldn’t go.  But I knew he was also playing at Asbury Lanes, so I grabbed a ticket for this show.

And, as seems to happen in my house, a miscommunication meant that I was unable to get to this one as well.  I assume at this point that I’ll never see him because surely he’s going back home by now.

 

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St. Vincent Live with Orchestra / Ruby Plume (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 6, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Ruby Plume, St. Vincent, The Met Philadelphia on June 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 6, 2026] St. Vincent Live with Orchestra / Ruby Plume

I have seen St. Vincent four times and each time has been amazing.  I told myself that I would never miss a show if I could.  Then she announced this show with an orchestra–the Philly Pops.  I’ve seen two bands with orchestras.  Sigur Ros was mind blowing.  King Gizzard was pretty cool.  But the thing that I love about St. Vincent is her unpredictability.  You never really know what you’ll get or what she’ll do.  When I saw her last time, she climbed up the box seats in the Met and sat with an audience member.  She even crowd surfed.

The thing about an orchestra is that there is no room for improvisation.  You have an entire orchestra who has learned the music and is ready to play it as written.  It works great for Sigur Ros because that’s what their music is like.  But St. Vincent—well, I listened to the Live from London CD and it was good.  But not good enough for me to want to see.  Basically, I knew what I was getting and didn’t need to experience it.  I’ve heard it was great, and I’m sure it was.  But I don’t regret not going.

Ruby Plume‘s bio says that she is an alt folk-pop artist from Nashville whose intricate storytelling and lush guitar melodies form a liminal, daydreamy musical canvas. Her vocals carry a quiet intensity, layering youthful clarity over emotional depth reminiscent of artists who defined alt-pop for a new generation. Ruby’s songs are subtly prismatic-shifting effortlessly between vivid emotions and elusive mystery, warmth and introspection.

Damn, that is some fifty-cent word verbiage there.

Seeing some other setlists, it looks like she played six songs, including a Joni Mitchell cover and a Bob Dylan cover. Having listened to a couple songs, she is a gentle folks singer with a pretty, slightly muffled voice.

 

 

  1. We Put a Pearl in the Ground
  2. Hell Is Near
  3. Reckless
  4. Violent Times
  5. Black Rainbow
    [The Strangers on Live record]
  6. Marrow
  7. The Bed
  8. Smoking Section
  9. Now, Now
  10. Live in the Dream
  11. The Nowhere Inn
  12. Digital Witness
  13. Los Ageless
    [The Party on Live record]
  14. New York (Walked through crowd)
  15. Paris Is Burning
    Encore:
  16. Candy Darling
  17. Slow Disco

 

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Modest Mouse / Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo (Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ, June 5, 2026 / Archer Music Hall, Allentown, PA, June 6, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Allentown PA, Archer Music Hall, Modest Mouse, Sayreville, NJ, Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo, Starland Ballroom on June 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 5 & 6, 2026] Modest Mouse / Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo

I continue to not go to Archer Music Hall.  I really ant to go to at least one show there.  Although recently a very loud man (with very bad breath) told me the sound there was terrible.

I’ve seen Modest Mouse a lot (eight times) and every time I think I don’t need to see them again, they do something that makes me jump back in.  Mostly I wanted to go to this show because it was at Archer. Especially since they announced a show in Philly that I got tickets for my wife and I to go to.

So, since I’d be out the night before this and I assumed I’d be going out on Sunday to see Geordie Greep, I sold these tickets.  I’m curious how much this setlist will reflect what they play in Philly.

I hadn’t even considered the Starland Ballroom show because I had tickets to two shows already that night.  And, honestly, I don’t love Starland.  For certain shows it’s a great venue.  But the last time I saw Modest Mouse there, the crowd was…icky.  So, it was never in contention anyhow.

Modest Mouse often chooses odd bands to open for them.  Although, that is how I first discovered Tropical Fuck Storm.  But the Silver Triplets of the Rio Hondo are from Portland, Oregon and make sci-fi roadhouse music & noise collage for dissociatives.   That’s not what I thought they’d sound like at all (I imagined three women singing a capella or something).  Instead, they’re three guys (in white suits I gather) who play slow Western music with trippy sound effects added in.  I’m pretty sure I’m happy I didn’t see them. (more…)

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KulfiGirls / Eraser / Farewell Days / Máty Rodriguez (Warehouse on Watts, Philadelphia, PA, June 5, 2026) [Saw 2 songs from Farewell Days]

Posted in Eraser, Farewell Days, Máty Rodriguez, Philadelphia, PA, Warehouse on Watts on June 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[SAW 2 SONGS: June 5, 2026] KulfiGirls / Eraser / Farewell Days / Máty Rodriguez

I found out about KulfiGirls a few weeks ago and I was really interested in them.  Then I saw that they were playing W.O.W. right around the corner.  But it turned out to be the same night as the Mekons show.  I figured that the Mekons show might end early enough that I could get over to W.O.W. and see their set.  Although someone on IG said that KulfiGirls would be going on at around 10.  So I left Mekons a little early (which I never do, but I wasn;t really feeling it).

When I got to W.O.W. I asked who had gone on and he said that Farewell Days was going on.  Which at first made me happy that I hadn’t missed Kulfi Girls.  But then I realized that I Eraser had not been on yet.

Farewell Days was still setting up when I walked in.. My leg was feeling really sore and it was actually hard to stand (no idea what I did to myself).  I took a seat over by the merch, but I just wasn;t feeling it at all.  When Farewell Days finally got going, I liked their sound, but just couldn’t get into it.

Formed in 2024, Farewell Days are a new band out of Philadelphia blending layers of distorted guitars with haunting atmosphere, modern sensibilities and a strong melodic framework.  Fronted by charismatic singer/guitarist C.J. Davis, whose ethereal vocals float over the walls of shimmering guitars and driving beats, each Farewell Days performance is a mesmerizing installment.  Drawing inspiration from the dreamy vibes of Shoegaze and the raw energy of Grunge, Farewell Days are poised to become a force in the indie scene for the foreseeable future.

On record they sound like the best of the Deftones’ shoegaze style.  Live, they were a lot louder.  The shoegaze vibe was replaced by a really heavy sound that I just wasn’t in the mood for, I guess.   So I did a crazy thing and walked out.

I heard two songs but have no idea what they were.  And I don’t blame the band at all.  In fact, the more I listen to their records, the more I like them.  So maybe I’ll see them open for someone else one of these days.

KulfiGirls are a Philadelphia-based rock band fronted by lead vocalist Abi Natesh who, through her use of the South Indian Saraswati veena, presents a novel “carnatic rock” sound inspired by diverse genres of pop and rock. I listened to their album and really liked it.  I was really excited to be able to see them, but I couldn’t believe how bad I felt and how much I didn’t want to stay there.  I’m sure they’ll be playing in the area again, but it would have been cool to see them on their album release night.

I saw Eraser open for Remember Sports a little while ago.  They were weird but good.  But I didn;t feel like I needed to see them again.

Máty Rodriguez is from New Brunswick New Jersey and now lives in Philadelphia.  She moved to Philadelphia about four years ago with the encouragement of her longtime producer, Justin Calaycay with Mt. Moon Recording Studio.  She’s a young, new musician with an EP, Standup Show.  And I guess she now goes just by Máty.  Decisions like not returning to college, getting sober, and her first major heartbreak are revived and recounted, some expressed as somber realizations (I’m Tired, Unilover) and others as cathartic releases (Ghost, T-Town).

I didn’t know anything about her and would have missed her regardless, the EP has a nice vibe, although I prefer her early single Ghost to the more mellow EP.  Her voice (which is great) sounds like a lot of other peoples–the mellow Billie Eilish comes to mind.  And it’s weird that on I’m Tired she sings in that mushmouth way that is very popular these days.  But the EP ends with QUE PEDO which sounds like Mannequin Pussy.

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Built to Spill (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, June 3, 2026)

Posted in Built to Spill, Guerrilla Toss, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on June 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 3, 2026] Built to Spill

Built to Spill is a fascinating band.  I’ve seen them seven times.  They change their setlist nightly which is awesome, and even some of the bigger “hits” don’t get played every show.  They didn’t play Carry the Zero the last time I saw them and there’s no song that they’ve played at every show (I Would Hut a Fly is pretty close).

So they are an indie rock band who tour a lot but who don’t put out a ton of new music.  And yet their fan base is devoted (and pretty obnoxious).  The age range is pretty broad, but there are a mix of twenty-somethings scattered in there who are awful–drunken bros and chatty girls.  The girls next to me couldn’t stop talking and taking pictures of each other and the bros at the bar were audible during the quiter moments–one of them even said something about the bass player which was borderline salacious.

This is the third time I’ve seen the band with this lineup: Melanie Radford on bass and Teresa Esguerra on drums.  It’s the most times I’ve seen them with the same players.  And they have really been gelling.  Onec of the most fun parts of the shows is when Dug does a lengthy improvised solo and Melanie steps back and looks over at Teresa and they smile and get into a tight groove.  It’s great!

Teresa plays in Prism Bitch who opened for BtS back in 2019 and Melanie Radford plays in Blood Lemon who opened for BTS in 2022.  As a trio, they are fantastic.  A friend of mine says he misses the larger band, and yea, it is cool when there are two guitars playing off each other, but this format give Dug a lot of space to play around.

Every setlist is different, even from show to show.  I’m intrigued, though, that they never play songs from Ancient Melodies of the Future (I’ve only seen them play one song from that record).  But as for the other albums, he mixes it up.  And tonight’s show started with Some Other Song and Spiderweb.  The crowd was really loud after his solos–I’m fascinated that there’s so many people who enjoy jammy guitar solos.

I was psyched to hear The Plan, a personal favorite.  It was followed by The Wait which I haven’t seen them play since 2019.

By this time I was getting really annoyed by the girls near me.  They were talking so much.  And I wanted to let it not bother me but they were so annoying.  But they were also apparently really into the show.  They were excited by Center of the Universe, but I have to wonder what songs they really like.

They started Tomorrow, a song I had not heard them play before and a guy at the far left of the crowd shouted They’re Playing My Song!  And he bounced his way to the middle right in front of me, obnoxiously singing and facing everyone until he pushed his way to the barrier ans shouted along. Security came a few moments later and the loud girls next to me started shouting No No, He didn’t…  whatever.  At that point I had to leave the area because I hated everyone.  I was glad my wife hadn’t come because the crowd was awful. (more…)

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Mekons (Latvian Society of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 5, 2026)

Posted in Latvian Society of Philadelphia, Mekons, Philadelphia, PA on June 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 5, 2026] Mekons

Mekons are a legendary punk/DIY/country band from England.  Their fanbase is as intense although the people who have never head of them is probably ten times as large.  I’mnot a huge fans, although I do like two of their albums from the 90s.  I thought it would be fun to see them live and hope that they played one or two of the songs that I really like.  I was also really intrigued that they were playing at the Latvian Society of Philadelphia (which I’d never heard of).  Evidently they tend to play offbeat places when they play in Philly (and maybe when they play elsewhere too).  But I was pretty pleased to explore the Latvian Society which is pretty cool.  Its right next to the German Society which is even more impressive on the outside.

I looked online and some site said that we could park in the German Society parking lot for shows at the Latvian Society.  I parked there and when I asked at the door, the Latvian folks had no idea what I was talking about, so I had to run off and move my car again.

I made it back in in time.  And I got a nice spot near the stage (in what was basically like a grammar school auditorium).  The show was going to be about 90 minutes and then “the band DJs after their set (they’re calling it a “Mekonic Disco”, so cool).”  So, there was incentive to stay late.

However, I had just discovered a band called KulfiGirls who were playing that night at Warehouse on Watts.  And I thought it would be super fun to go to both shows.  I was told that the KulfiGirls would go on at 10, so I planned to leave around 9:40.

Once the band came on, the old fans (and they were old!  I was definitely on the young side) pushed forward and blocked views and were just awful.

That didn’t help.  Nor did the fact that the old dude with the big white beard who pushed his way next to me was dancing in a way that I can only describe as invasive.  He rocked back and forth and swung his arms out to the side as he did so–basically taking up the room of 3 or 4 people.  I was really uncomfortable by the guy who was really close to hitting me, so I backed up and then he was in front of me rocking back and forth.  And I guess he was having fun, but Jesus.

So he really made me not enjoy myself.  And, worse than that, my hip started hurting and it was actually getting painful to stand on it.  So I thought I’d stick it out until they played the one song that I wanted to hear.  Of course, when I looked at the setlist again to see when Millionaire was being played–it wasn’t on the setlist at all. (more…)

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Tash Sultana / Daisy the Great (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 5, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Australia, Daisy the Great, Philadelphia, PA, Tash Sultana, The Fillmore Philadelphia on June 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 5, 202] Tash Sultana / Daisy the Great

I saw Tash Sultana in 2017.  She had just bubbled up on my radar from NPR.  When I learned that she plays every single sound of her songs herself and she does it live using looping pedals that I became really interested in her.  When I finally saw her, I couldn’t believe she played for nearly 2 hours–all by herself, bouncing around the stage nonstop–and kept the crowd watching her every move the whole time.

She was really a great performer.

And then I lost track of her completely.  When her name popped up her, I did think, what has she been up to all this time.

According to the setlist, she played a few songs with a full band, and then a few songs solo (like Jungle, the first one I’d heard by her).  Then the full band came back out and played together some more.  She also has at least four albums out now.   Realistically I wasn’t going to go  to this show, but I’m happy for her that she’s going strong and headlining the Fillmore.

I could have seen Daisy the Great in 2022 when they opened for Half.Alive.  But I didn’t go to that show.  Daisy the Great is a band, not a person.  Led by singer-songwriters Kelley Dugan and Mina Walker, their 2017 debut single “The Record Player Song” was a hit.  Later, a remix of “Record Player” was released with production by AJR.  I listened to the song and it’s possible I’ve heard it.  It starts with an a capella intro which is pretty interesting.  Then it turns into a kind of indie folk pop.  The remix adds a kind of dance beat to it (with extra vocals–changes the song quite a bit actually).  I’m interested but not hugely interested.

 

 

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Ilana Glazer (Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ, June 4, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Broad City, Ilana Glazer, Montclair, NJ, Wellmont Theater on June 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 4, 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.

And yet, she’s really funny.  So after missing the show at Helium in April, I thought about seeing this show at the Wellmont.  The Wellmont is not my favorite venue, although we’ve seen some comedians there and it’s not bad if you’re seated on the floor.

But then this show turned out to be on the same night as an Awards Night at my daughter’s school.  So, obviously that takes priority.

I’ll have to watch a bit of one of her specials to see if I like her stand up.

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Built to Spill / Guerilla Toss (Musikfest Cafe, Bethlehem, PA, June 4, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Bethlehem, PA, Built to Spill, Guerrilla Toss, Musikfest Cafe on June 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATEND: June 4, 2026] Built to Spill / Guerilla Toss

Built to Spill and Guerilla Toss played Asbury Lanes last night.  I probably would have preferred to see them at Musikfest Cafe, but I’m not sure.  The question was moot, though because tonight was an award night for my daughter’s school.

So I was glad that the Asbury Lanes show went on.  There’s a part of me that would have liked to go to both shows–I mean, I could watch Built to Spill any time and Guerilla Toss was amazing.  Now that Dug has been playing with this lineup a lot, I think they have even more songs under their collective belt which makes for even more varies setlists.

Here’s the setlist from Bethlehem–they played 11 songs that they didn’t play the night before.  Amazing.

  1. C.R.E.B.
  2. Reasons
  3. Stab
  4. Understood
  5. The Plan
  7. Hindsight
  8. Fire to Dust
  9. Gonna Lose
  10. Bad Light
  11. Wherever You Go
  12. Broken Chairs
  13. Else
  14. I Would Hurt a Fly
  15. Made-Up Dreams 
  16. Randy Described Eternity 
  17. Car

Here’s from Asbury Lanes

  1. Some Other Song
  2. Spiderweb
  3. The Plan
  4. The Wait
  5. Mess With Time
  6. Center of the Universe
  7. Three Years Ago Today
  8. Tomorrow
  9. Fire to Dust
  10. Distopian Dream Girl
  11. I Would Hurt a Fly
  12. Gonna Lose
  13. Laughing (R.E.M. cover)
  14. Car
  15. Virginia Reel Around the Fountain (The Halo Benders cover)
  16. Carry the Zero
    Encore:
  17. Broken Chairs
  18. Goin’ Against Your Mind

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Guerilla Toss (Asbury Lanes, June 3, 2026) [BUILT TO SPILL]

Posted in Built to Spill, Guerrilla Toss, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on June 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 3, 2026] Guerilla Toss

Back in December, Built to Spill and Guerilla Toss played a show at Union Transfer.  I was really excited to go, but it was right after my surgery so I couldn’t make it.  I was especially bummed because I have wanted to see Guerilla Toss for a while.

So it’s awesome that they continued the tour together this summer.

I had heard a lot about Guerilla Toss’ live show and how wild it was.  Reviews I’ve read suggest that back in 2014, Guerilla Toss was a wild band with nudity and short sets.  They have now become far more traditional, but they are still plenty weird.  It’ sjut that now there are catchy, danceable moments within the noise.

So, this show wasn’t particularly wild, but the songs were great and weird and singer Kassie Carlson is a wonderful presence onstage (with great vocal dynamics).  She has a diverse delivery style, sounding at times like the B52s, but also making some fascinating squeaky sounds.

Their bassist Zach Lewelleyn has some fantastic bass lines in the songs.  He’s also either really tall or playing a fairly small bass guitar.  Guitarist Arian Shafiee (who founded the band) plays equally weird riffs and chords.

I couldn’t really see Peter Negroponte (another co-founder) on drums, but he did sing backing vocals a lot. (more…)

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