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Archive for the ‘Philadelphia, PA’ Category

Oshima Brothers (The Arrow, Allentown, PA, May 6, 2025) [KISHI BASHI]

Posted in Brooklyn Bowl, Kishi Bashi, Philadelphia, PA, Sweet Loretta, Tall Tall Trees on May 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 6, 2025] Oshima Brothers

This was our first time going to Archer Music Hall or it’s smaller companion The Arrow.  It’s a great set up with the two venue attached and yet somehow totally independent.  Our show was a quiet folkie show and downstairs were The Melvins and Napalm Death and we couldn’t hear any of it.

I had never heard of the Oshima Brothers.  Actually, that’s not true, they played Guster’s On the Ocean Festival (which we didn’t go to), but I hadn’t head them at all.

The brothers came out and there was a joke about one of them (Sean) looking like Nick Jonas (he does).  So they are Japanese-Italian folk-pop siblings from the coast of Maine.  Sean and Jamie play keys, bass, drums, looping, dance moves, and magic.

They had a great stage presence–lots of smiling and crowd interactions.  And their musical prowess was impressive–the amount of things they could play with looping.

Their songs were gentle and sweet but kind of forgettable.  The kind of songs that work well and are enjoyable live, but when you listen to them later, they’re just sort of okay. (more…)

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The BellRays (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 3, 2025) [THE DAMNED]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, The BellRays, The Damned, Union Transfer on May 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 3, 2025] The Damned

I saw the Damned at Coney Isalnd High with my friend Garry on Feb 6 1998

The BellRays are a band from California that describes itself as an original punk, rock and soul band.  I had never heard of them and assumed they were a young band.  But they have been together since 1990.  I guess if I hadn’t heard of them in 35 years, they weren’t really on my radar.

So they came out and demanded quite a lot from the audience.  Again, I thought they were a new band, so this surprised (and annoyed) me.  Knowing that they’ve been doing this for so long, I get where the on stage banter and attitude comes from.

They rocked pretty well, but it really wasn’t my thing.  Actually, that’s not true.  If they had opened for someone else–someone soulful and almost bluesy, I would have enjoyed them more. But there’s really nothing punk about them (except their attitude, I guess).

The songs were basic, good rockers, but lyrically, they were pretty meh.

Having said that, singer Lisa Kekaula has a fantastic voice–soulful and powerful–and she and guitarist Robert Vennum, the founders of the band) have great chemistry.  I was thinking that a comparison of her voice to Tina Turner’s was lazy; however, in their blurb they say they have been described as ‘Tina Turner fronting AC/DC.”  I wouldn’t go as heavy as AC/DC for the band, but the description works.  Actually, they sound a lot more like an L.A. metal band circa late 80’s.  Although their cover of Ball of Confusion was pretty great.

If I was in the right mood for them I probably would have loved them, but I found them just okay.

The Damned toured around here in 2023 and I couldn’t go.  But Fucked Up opened for them and I sure as hell would have enjoyed THAT double bill.

  1. On Top £
  2. I Fall Down ♠
  3. Hard Drive ♠
  4. Wolf’s Sun ♠
  5. Changing Colors ‰
  6. Living a Lie £
  7. Down On My Knees ♠
  8. One More Night ♠
  9. Voodoo Train €
  10. Black Lightning £
  11. Startime €

♠ Heavy Steady Go
£ Black Lightning
€ Red White and Black
‰ Let It Blast

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Varietourpia with Paul F. Tompkins (Theatre of Living Arts [TLA], Philadelphia, PA, May 4, 2025)

Posted in Artoun Nazareth, Medusa the Gangsta Goddess, Paul F. Tompkins, Philadelphia, PA, Theatre of Living Arts, Varietourpia on May 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 4, 2025] Varietourpia with Paul F. Tompkins

Paul F. Tompkins is one of my favorite comedians and I would happily see him do anything.  Although this is the first time I’ve been able to see one of his Varietopia shows.

As the name suggests, this is a Variety show like they had in the old days: comedy, music, interaction, magic.  All in one show.  He’s been doing this since 2002 (!) and it sounds like when he does the show in L.A. anyone who is funny or entertaining shows up.

For our show, we had Medusa the Gangsta Goddess and Artoun Nazareth.  Not household names by any means.

Medusa the Gangsta Goddess is an underground hip-hop legend whom I’ve never heard of.  She was fun and is referred to as the godmother of west coast hip hop.

Artoun Nazareth is a magician who I thought was really good and very funny.  I was gobsmacked by a trick in which writing appeared to move across a page and turn into something else.

Nazareth is also an actor, so it makes sense that he was such a good performer.  He did fun crowd work and was good enough that I immediately followed him on Instagram. (more…)

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The Damned (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 3, 2025)

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, The BellRays, The Damned, Union Transfer on May 4, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 3, 2025] The Damned

I saw the Damned at Coney Island High with my friend Garry on Feb 6, 1998.  I don’t really remember all that much about it.  I wasn’t a huge fan at the time, but I do think it’s cool I got to see them.

I hadn’t really considered seeing them again, but when they toured in 2023 I came around to wanting to see them.  I missed that tour (which was for a then new album), and in retrospect I’m glad I did.  That tour was predominantly that new album (and of course a while bunch of older songs too), but this tour was more of a complete retrospective (including some of the new songs too).

And, it featured three of the four original members: singer Dave Vanian, guitarist Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies.  [There’s no point in trying to talk about when who was or wasn’t in the band as it was a revolving door for a while].  But Paul Gray on bass has been with them since 1980 and Monty Oxymoron has played keyboards with them since 1996 so he’s not exactly a newbie.

So I don’t know a ton of songs by The Damned.  I have a few of their albums but the people around me knew everything they played.

Nevertheless, they played a fantastic selection of songs and it was so much fun to see Captain Sensible in his striped sweater and the ageless Dave Vanian looking great in his coat and puffy shirt.  And, most impressively–his voice sounded great. (more…)

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Devo (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, May 1, 2025)

Posted in Devo, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia on May 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 1, 2025] DEVO

As with most people my age, Devo has been (intentionally or not) part of my life for most of my life.  Even if I didn’t know their earlist stuff, Whip It was unavoidable in the days of MTV.

I never considered seeing them.  In fact I hadn’t really thought about them at all since college.  But a few years ago we saw a Mark Mothersbaugh exhibit in a Denver Museum and I went on a really deep dive of his stuff (and obviously I know he makes all kinds of great soundtracks).

Devo has played live over the last decade, but this was their first time playing Philly since 2008.  And I had heard that the shows on this tour were great.  So I was excited to see them.

And what a show!  They’ve always been a very visual band and this continued in their live show.  And the crowd responded in kind.  There were many people dressed in yellow jump suits.  There were countless energy domes, including one that a guy custom fit the inside with duct tape and other gadgets so it fit him perfectly (he of course had on a yellow jump suit too).

It opened with a funny video showing a where are they now look at the guy who tried to make them stars in the 1970s.  (Very funny, but also quite pointed).

They opened with one of their “new” songs (from 2010) which I vaguely knew.   And the backdrop was a full scale visual assault of colors and videos.

The band were dressed in black suit jacket and pants (with Devo printed on the lapel).  Mark Mothersbaugh looks a lot like Steve Martin now which is somehow even more fun. (more…)

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Orla Gartland / Fightmaster (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, April 25, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Fightmaster, Orla Gartland, Philadelphia, PA, Underground Arts on April 25, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 25, 2025] Orla Gartland / Fightmaster

I’ve known about Orla Gartland for a few years.  I really liked her song You’re Not Special, Babe.  And her newer song Little Chaos is great.

She falls into the grouping of youngish women singers who I really like one or two songs by but never looked into more of their stuff.  So I want to see them but I’m not super psyched to do it.

Usually when I go see them I enjoy their show.  But if I don’t, then I think about seeing them every time they come.

I had intended to see Beach Bunny the following night with my daughter, so I stayed home because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go out two nights in a row.  And I feel like I should have gone to this one.  I should definitely go if she comes back to the US.

Fightmaster is the solo music project of nonbinary artist ER Fightmaster.

ER Fightmaster has appeared on Grey’s Anatomy (!).  I gather that they have quite following and their live sets are pretty captivating.  Maybe they’ll open up for someone else in the future.

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Magic Sword / Mega Ran / Starbenders (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, April 24, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Magic Sword, Mega Ran, Philadelphia, PA, Starbenders, Underground Arts on April 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 24, 2025] Magic Sword / Mega Ran / Starbenders

I’ve seen Magic Sword twice and I love their instrumental fake-soundtrack music.  Everything about them is super fun.  I would see them any time they came around.  But at the same time they’re kind of a second tier show for me.  Like if something else came along I might go to that instead?  So Cheekface the same night was a tough call.

But I wound up staying home instead of having to decide.

Mega Ran according to Wikipedia,

Raheem Jarbo (stage names Mega Ran and Random) is an American underground nerdcore rapper, chiptune DJ, and record producer. In February 2015, he changed his stage name to Mega Ran, removing Random from any releases.

Mega Ran keeps popping up at shows around here and I’d really like to see him once.  I hope it works out.

Starbenders sound like they’re a mid 80s hair metal band.  And I think that’s the point?  They seem to be considered a glam rock band.  I almost feel like they’re a joke band but I don’t think they are. I’m probably not the right audience for them.

 

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Cheekface / Pacing (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, April 24, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Cheekface, Pacing, Philadelphia, PA, The Foundry on April 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 24, 2025] Cheekface / Pacing

I saw Cheekface two years ago and loved them.  I really wanted to see them again.  Last year they played The Church, which I don’t go to.  So when they announced this show at The Foundry I was psyched.  But I already had tickets to see Magic Sword tonight.  What’s a guy to do?

Well, having gone out a few times and having my wife at home still recovering, a guy stays home and doesn’t see either band.

I had not heard of Pacing but when I looked them up I found them delightful and hilarious.  Their bio says

Pacing is the songwriting and recording project of Katie McTigue (she/her). Various Small Flames wrote that she “follows inthe playful, tongue-in-cheek tradition of the likes of Kimya Dawson, yet always nudges the ideas further to be more than mere twee humour or sardonic fun.” Fans and new listeners alike often remark that her anxious, confessional lyrics are “a little too relatable.”

The music is kind of twee but I do love twee.  This would have been a really fun show.

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Steven Page Trio (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, April 22, 2025)

Posted in Art of Time Ensemble, Barenaked Ladies, Craig Northey, Kevin Fox, Philadelphia, PA, Steven Page, The Beatles, World Cafe Live on April 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 22, 2025] Steven Page Trio

I have loved Steven Page’s voice for decades.

I’ve really enjoyed his Trio shows, too.  I think I’d like to see him with a full band to really rock out, but even in this trio format, they can still rock.

The trio includes Craig Northey (of Odds) on guitar and Kevin Fox on cello.  I saw this same trio in the same place six years ago and it was great to see them again.

Like last time, they played a mix of BNL songs and Steven solo songs.  It was fun that they opened with It’s All Been Done (Steven acoustic, Craig electric) and the crowd Whoo hoo hoo’d along with them.  They followed it with Steven’s A New Shore (Land ho!) and the on to another BNL song, Jane.

The conundrum is that I love the BNL songs as much as anyone, but I feel a little bad that he doesn’t play more of his great solo stuff.  And yet, when he satted Alternative Girlfriend–one of my all time faves, it was a glorious moment.  The fact that it segued into Odds’ Someone Who’s Cool was a wonderful touch. (more…)

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Menno Versteeg (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, April 22, 2025) [STEVEN PAGE TRIO]

Posted in Barenaked Ladies, Craig Northey, Hollerado, Kevin Fox, Menno Versteeg, Philadelphia, PA, Steven Page, World Cafe Live on April 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 22, 2025] Menno Versteeg

Menno Versteeg is a Canadian musician who fronted the awesomely-named (but I’ve never heard or heard of) Hollerado.  I wasn’t aware of him until this show, and I’m not sure how “big” he is in Canada.

Menno was very funny–a lighthearted storyteller (even if the stories were kind of dark).  Sadly, we walked in during the first song (WCL can be a real pain to get to), but we didn’t miss much.

It was him and his acoustic guitar playing songs from Why We Run, his debut solo album–although he has released music under the name Mav Carlo as well.

His songs were about a rough life as a youth in Canada

We would to drink enough whatever there was
To kill a clydesdale every night
But we’d do enough drugs and punching,
To bring that same horse back to life  [from Videostore]

There was a country vibe, but like most of Canadian country music, there wasn’t that awful twang in the vocals.

I particularly enjoyed the two dog songs.  The 4o some second I Got a Dog which is (entirely):

My mother is dyslexic
Sometimes her letters switch around
She failed grade 10 like a good artist does
And passed those ğood ġenes down
She faints plowers, like she saints pun-sets
Haints her Peart when She bolds a hush
And she assured me I would rind my dog
When I wasn’t in a fush

And then Bad Dog was a funny song story about a real bad dog–but Menno loves him still. (more…)

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