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Archive for the ‘Philadelphia, PA’ Category

Nap Eyes (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, March 8, 2020) [DESTROYER]

Posted in Alvvays, Nap Eyes, Philadelphia, PA, Ryley Walker, Underground Arts on March 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 8, 2020] Nap Eyes

I saw Nap Eyes open for Alvvays nearly three years ago.  I was mesmerized by their mix of deadpan, melody and noise.  Since then I’ve really enjoyed their first two albums.  I missed their third one entirely somehow, but I was really looking forward to seeing them again.

I was especially looking forward to watching guitarist Brad Loughead because he managed to play really pretty melodies and then fill them awash with all kinds of distortion.  It had been three years since I’d seen them, but when they came out on stage I looked at Loughead and though, wow, he looks an awful lot like Ryley Walker.

Well, sure enough, it WAS Ryley Walker, whom I had just seen him on New Year’s Eve doing some wild improvisational guitar playing. (more…)

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Soulwax (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, February 29, 2020) [POSTPONED]

Posted in 2manydjs, Cancelled, Philadelphia, PA, Soulwax, Union Transfer on February 29, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[POSTPONED: February 29, 2020] Soulwax [moved to October 8]

soulwax

I haven’t thought about the Belgian band Soulwax in about 15 years.  I bought their 1998 album Much Against Everyone’s Advice and then really enjoyed brothers David and Stephen Dewaele’s side project 2ManyDJs (whose release As Heard on Radio Soulwax Pt. 2) was an amazing mash-up album).

I really had no idea they were still making muisic (and apparently putting on incredible shows).

Brooklyn Vegan said:

If you’re never seen Soulwax live, David and Stephen Dewaele treat a live band show like a DJ set, with songs flowing into one another, and builds and drops. (Their 2006 show at long-gone Brooklyn club Studio B was one of the best shows I saw that decade.) You can get a feel for what to expect on their 2017 album, From Deewee which is a seamless one-hour set they recorded live in their Deewee studio in one take.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to go to this show, but then the show was inexplicably postponed.

As Brooklyn Vegan put it:

Dammit! Soulwax were to have started their first U.S. tour in forever beginning in February but they’ve just announced that it’s been postponed. It’s not visa issues, for once, but production design for the group’s new stage set:

We are always committed to delivering the best show we can and have designed a brand new set up which sadly just won’t be ready in time for March. We are working on new dates – please look out for an announcement very soon.⁣

We would like to thank everyone who bought tickets for these shows and look forward to seeing everyone later this year.

I’m more interested than I have been in a decade.

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Sarah Harmer (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, February 27, 2020)

Posted in Canadian Music, Kathleen Edwards, Philadelphia, PA, Sarah Harmer, Weaves, Weeping Tile, World Cafe Live on February 27, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 27, 2020] Sarah Harmer

I don’t remember when I first heard Sarah Harmer.

I think it was back in 2000 with her first album You Were Here.  (She has an album that she recorded before it but it wasn’t officially released until later).

You Were Here had the song “Basement Apt.” which was a reasonably big hit.  I also checked out her previous band Weeping Tile who are unjustly overlooked.

Harmer put out consistently great records, including I’m a Mountain, a bluegrass album that is totally awesome.  It took her five years to release the next album, Oh Little Fire, because she became an environmental activist and performed music mostly in guest roles.

Now it’s been ten years since Fire and she is back with a new album called Are You Gone.

She told us that this was the second night of her tour–a warm up for the big times in Canada.  Sarah had a four piece band with her.  She introduced them twice and I couldn’t make out a single name in the bunch.  But I was able to look them up. (more…)

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Chris Pureka (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, February 27, 2020) [SARAH HARMER]

Posted in Chris Pureka, Genderqueer, Philadelphia, PA, Sarah Harmer, World Cafe Live on February 27, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 27, 2020] Chris Pureka

I had not hear of Chris Pureka before this set, but they really blew me away.

Pureka has been making music for about twenty years and they have a fantastic stage presence.

Chris is never rushed, calmly getting things set up between each song and maybe chatting with us–or not.

For the first song, “Holy,” they played acoustic guitar and the song was really quite pretty.  But it was when Pureka turned away from the microphone and yelled a “Hey!” that I really paid attention to how they were singing.  Pureka’s voice is quiet, but when they did those “Hey”s their voice was loud and filled the room.  Fantastic.

Introducing “Tinder” Pureka says that they wrote the song back in 2009 when tinder had an entirely different (and nicer) meaning.

One of the cooler things was Pureka’s use of an electronic drum pad.  What I especially liked what their sparing use of it.  Because whenever that cavernous echoing drum jumped in to keep the beat, it made the song so much bigger.  But the spare use of it meant that it gave the song parts some extra oomph.

Pureka played acoustic and electric guitar and for the fourth song, they sat down (after joking about how the microphone was going to fall into their lap for sure).  The reason for sitting was because in addition to the electronic drum, there was also a tambourine and Chris used both feet to add the drum and a tambourine to these songs. (more…)

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Garcia Peoples (Boot & Saddle, Philadelphia, PA, February 7, 2020)

Posted in Boot & Saddle, Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band, Full show video, Garcia Peoples, Grateful Dead, King Crimson, P.G. Six, Philadelphia, PA, WXPN 88.5 FM--Philadelphia, PA on February 7, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 7, 2020] Garcia Peoples

I saw Garcia Peoples on New Year’s Eve eve at a Phish after party.  The show was great with them playing their new 30 minute song “One Step Behind” as well as a few others.  For that show, their original bassist Derek Spaldo was in town (after this Philly show I talked to Tom Malach and he told me that Spaldo lives in Chicago and tours with them when he can–sometimes they are a six-piece band).  That show was great.  It was the second time I’d seen them playing a short set and I really wanted to catch them as a headliner. So I was pretty excited to see that they’d be playing Boot & Saddle (even if I’d only seen them a month ago I wanted to check them out again).

When I arrived the place was pretty empty, but by the time Garcia Peoples went on, it had filled in nicely.  I was intrigued by the diversity of ages in the crowd–a lot of old Dead-heads and a few younger frat boy types as well as a lot of (drunk?) women.  I am also pretty certain that Chris Forsyth was in the audience.

The crowd was responsive and really appreciative whenever the guys played some impressive soloing (which was often).

I was intrigued to see that Spaldo was not with them this time but bassist Andy Cush was.  Cush played with them when I first saw them.  This means that there are two guys who know the bass parts to their songs. Pretty cool. (more…)

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Suffacox [Mach 2] (Boot & Saddle, Philadelphia, PA, February 7, 2020) [GARCIA PEOPLES]

Posted in Bethlehem, PA, Boot & Saddle, Brother J.T., Full show video, Garcia Peoples, Mae Pang, Philadelphia Stories, Philadelphia, PA, Pink Floyd, Suffacox, Suffacox (Mach 2), Tech & Learning, The Original Sins, The Tights, Vibrolux on February 7, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 7, 2020] Suffacox [Mach 2]

When I entered Boot & Saddle, I saw that the opening band was named Suffacox.   I had never heard of Suffacox and was rather puzzled by the name.

I was even more surprised when I saw the band setting up because I was standing a few feet from the stage and a guy kind of squeezed in front of me (which I thought was kind of rude as there was so much empty space).  He then proceeded to remove his coat and soon enough I realized he was the guitarist for Suffacox.  Whoops.

When the band started, the guitarist, John Terlesky, told us that they were Suffacox… Mach 2.  He said that they had been a band in the mid 90s and now they were back together again.

In their first incarnation they were led by Wayne Hamilton (whom they spoke of as if I’d know who he was, which I don’t).  Hamilton has passed on and now the rest of the original band is back with an extra guitarist and a manager/backing vocalist. (more…)

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Seratones (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, February 4, 2020)

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Seratones on February 4, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 4, 2020] Seratones

I first heard of Seratones on a Tiny Desk Concert back in 2016.  I was really impressed at how great they were.

When they announced a show at Johnny Brenda’s I knew I’d want to see them.  And they did not disappoint.

Their new album Power is a bit more soul and a little less rocking than their debut, but when they played it live, it totally rocked.

I watched the band set up their gear.  Singer A.J. Hayes was not wearing the big red skirt as she did so.  After they were all set up, they stepped away and then came back right at 9.

They opened with a wave of synths from Tyran Coker as Hayes showed off her amazing voice.  It was like the coolest warm up a vocalist could do as she sang “like a heart attack” slowly and in different pitches until she signaled to drummer Jesse Gabriel that the song was ready to start.  And with those clicks, “Heart Attack” rocked out.  I loved that they allowed for some serious jamming in this song.

On the record the song is 3 minutes, but this version included a little drum solo and a lengthy keyboard solo while Hayes yelped and rocked out up front.   It got everyone moving. (more…)

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The Dull Blue Lights (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, February 4, 2020) [SERATONES]

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Seratones, The Dull Blue Lights on February 4, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 4, 2020] The Dull Blue Lights

The Dull Blue Lights are yet another Philly band that I’d never heard of.

I’m always curious about the logistics of touring.  Like, when does a band wind up using local bands as opening acts instead of having someone tour around with them?  And how do they pick a local band in each town?

Well, whoever did their research did it very well because The Dull Blue Lights were an absolutely perfect opening act for Seratones and they were absolutely fantastic.

The Lights describe their music as “Basement Soul” which is a perfect summary of the kind of music they play.  It has a Soul feel (with a fantastic organ sound) but a nice gritty guitar and vocal component that makes it different from pure soul.

Generally, their songs had great riffs from singer/guitarist Todd Fausnacht.  But there were also multiple sections of the songs that made the more than one-dimensional.   Fausnacht also had a cool yelping falsetto that he could employ whenever he needed.

But what really sold me right away was the way the first song, “A Faint Whisper,” seemed like it was one thing (kind of an old-school rocker) and then the chorus turned into something much smoother before rocking out again. (more…)

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Nada Surf (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, January 30, 2020)

Posted in Nada Surf, Philadelphia, PA, World Cafe Live on January 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 30, 2020] Nada Surf

I’ve been a fan of Nada Surf for a really long time.  I was so excited to see them live two years ago (on the 20th anniversary tour for Let Go).  That was two sets and a ton of music.

I was pretty excited that t hey were coming back to World Cafe Live to tour for their soon to be released album.

I arrived just in time for the opening act and was really surprised at how empty the venue was (last time it was packed to the rafters).  By the time Nada Surf came on, though, it was pretty crowded, so that’s good.  Nevertheless I was right up front.  So close that I could read Matthew’s water bottle.

I assumed that the last show was so comprehensive (all of Let Go, plus a full set of 20 songs) that there wouldn’t be a lot of difference in this show.  And I didn’t mind at all, because there’s hardly a dud in their entire musical output).

Amazingly they played NINE new songs at this show (including three brand new ones).  And as I was comparing the setlists, I couldn’t believe some of the songs they didn’t play last time–and that show was so good I didn’t even miss these terrific songs.  Well done, Nada Surf! (more…)

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Aaron Lee Tasjan (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, January 30, 2020) [NADA SURF]

Posted in Aaron Lee Tasjan, Michael Penn, Nada Surf, Philadelphia, PA, Tom Petty, World Cafe Live on January 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 30, 2020] Aaron Lee Tasjan

I knew Aaron Lee Tasjan from a Tiny Desk Concert that I really enjoyed.  He was playing songs from his then new album Karma for Cheap which had a great psychedelic kind of sound to it.  I thought that he and his band played really well together and I was looking forward to seeing them.

So I was a little bummed to find out that he was playing solo (and acoustic!).

But it turns out that Tasjan is a great songwriter and while I definitely preferred the sound he got on the album, I enjoyed listening to his lyrics as he played acoustic guitar. (more…)

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