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Archive for the ‘Philadelphia, PA’ Category

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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Pottery / P.E. (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 4, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Coronavirus, Fontaines D.C., Johnny Brenda's, P.E., Philadelphia, PA, Pill, Postponed, Pottery, Quarantine on May 4, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 4, 2020] Pottery / P.E.

indexI saw Pottery open for Fontaines D.C. and was really impressed by them (I actually enjoyed them more than Fontaines because the Fontaines crowd were jerks).

Pottery were weird and cockeyed and really fun. They have an EP out that is only online. They have a full length coming out soon.

I didn’t know they were touring until recently and I probably wouldn’t have gone to this show because I’d have had a show the two nights in a row before it.  But I’m pleased to know that they were coming and that they are going to come back when things settle down.

P.E. is a band formed out of the band Pill (who I’ve not heard of but who were a skronky and intense DIY art-punk band).  Three members of Pill have gone on to form P.E.  The song I heard “Top Ticket” was a propulsive thump, strung along by drill whirs and Torres’ snotty deliver: “I want the top ticket/ Nothing average, nothing contrived/ None of that consumer-grade shit.”   Noisy and weird, a pretty good fit for Pottery.

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Acid Mothers Temple / ST 37 (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, May 3, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Acid Mothers Temple, Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., Cancelled, Coronavirus, Philadelphia, PA, Quarantine, ST 37, Underground Arts on May 3, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 3, 2020] Acid Mothers Temple / ST 37 [moved to March 8, 2021]

indexI have seen Japanese psych rockers Acid Mothers Temple twice and each show was a whirlwind of fun and insanity.

I promised myself I would see them any time they came to town.  So I was very excited to see them again.

Acid Mothers Temple pretty much tour all the time and they come our way every year or so, but because their tours are planned out ages in advance , it means that their rescheduled date isn’t until next year!  Bu that’s okay, I’ll still be there.

ST 37 is from Texas.  Their bandcamp blurb:

Quite simply, we rule. And we have been ruling for over 30 years. So there.

They play a noisy experimental kind of rock and have nine people listed in their “past members” category.  Wikipedia gives these two quotes about them: mind-altering space-punk whose live shows are drowning in a haze of guitar and reverb that can drift through cosmically shifting layers of aggressive punk riffs, fuzzed noise, and scalding jams.

Sounds fun.

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Chicano Batman / Le Butcherettes (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 3, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Acid Mothers Temple, Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., Chicano Batman, Coronavirus, Le Butcherettes, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Union Transfer on May 3, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 3, 2020] Chicano Batman / Le Butcherettes [moved to June 16, 2021]

index

I know of Chicano Batman through some songs on WXPN and through a cool Tiny Desk Concert.  They play a groovy psychedelia that is laced with soul and funk and indie rock.

There’s always a great bass sound that underpins Bardo Martinez’s soft vocals.

They also have a great name.

The more I hear them the more I think they’d be fun to see live.  Last time they came to town, they were opening for someone.  But this tour they are headlining.

Le Butcherettes I also know from a Tiny Desk Concert.  Teri Gender Bender is a great punk front woman. She channels different vocal styles and can rock with the best of them.  She is also unafraid to stare at the audience.  I imagine she’d be an intense experience.

I was unable to see them in May (that was Acid Mothers Temple night), but I’m free on the new date.

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Crash Test Dummies / Elizabeth Moen (City Winery Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, May 2, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Brad Roberts, City Winery Philadelphia, Coronavirus, Crash Test Dummies, Elizabeth Moen, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine on May 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: May 2, 2020] Crash Test Dummies / Elizabeth Moen [moved to March 14, 2022]

indexI saw Brad Roberts solo a few years ago and I really enjoyed him.  I have remained a Crash Test Dummies fan since the early days, even with their weirder Brad Roberts-only solo stuff.

This tour was going to be a full band anniversary tour and I was really interested in seeing them all.

However, two things were standing in the way.  The cost: City Winery is SO EXPENSIVE! (especially for a band like CTD) and the date: Conflicting with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, who I was not prepared to miss.

So this postponement might actually allow me to see them.

Elizabeth Moen is described as a bluesy folk singer.  That seems fairly accurate for the one song I listened to.

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