I have made a list of all of comedians from Taskmaster who I would like to see live. It’s not everyone of course (some of them don’t do stand up and some I don’t think I would enjoy). I never really imagined that I would see everyone on the list as many British comedians do not tour the U.S. But imagine my surprise when Paul Chowdhry announced a show in Philly.
I didn’t know there was going to be a warm up act until the day of. I hadn’t heard of Sonya Vai, who is a NYC based comedian. She immediately joked about the empty seats saying it was the traffic or that Indian people are just always late.
This landed hard until she told us that she herself was Indian, even though she doesn’t look it. (more…)
I was scheduled to have total hip replacement surgery on the day after this show. I didn’t think I’d be able to go and then two things changed my mind. The first is that I saw that the show was fairly short–Chokecherry was playing for about an hour. The second was that my surgery wasn’t scheduled until the afternoon. I had assumed it would be early in the morning, but a later appointment meant I could sleep in. As it turned out my wife had a minor emergency after I got home that kept us up until 3AM, so it was all moot, but whatever, I’m thrilled that I got to go to this show.
I had seen Chokecherry open for Destroy Boys about a year ago and I loved them. The band seems to consist of guitarist Izzie A. Clark and bassist E. Scarlett Levinson. Their second guitarist and drummer were different from last time.
Warehouse on Watts is really small, so while Scarlett was setting up her gear (in a long faux fur coat), I chatted with her for a moment. I told her how much I liked them when they opened. And she told me that she had food poisoning that night. I never would have guessed, although in retrospect, when she said she talked a lot less than usual, it was true given how much she talked tonight.
They opened with a favorite song from their previous EP, Afterglow–slow and moody opening with crashing choruses. Scarlett commented that the new album is pretty sad, although the first song they played from it Major Threat is a blistering rocker with a catchy chorus.
I love that Izzie and Scarlett switch off on lead vocals for nearly every song.
Things quieted down a bit for Secrets, but this allowed them to really feature their harmonies. I was more or less in front of Scarlett, so I could really hear her delicate higher voice. I was a little bummed that I couldn’t see Izzie that well because I remembered that she shredded impressively. She still sounded great even if on the other side of the stage. Particularly on the delicate guitar intro of Goldmine.
I loved how much the crowd new the songs by name when they were introduced and Scarlett’s super high vocals on Pretty Things (which the crowd knew) were stellar. Second guitarists was excellent, either making the sound fuller while Izzie soloed or adding some extra flourishes. (more…)
The Sewing Club is from Nashville. I hadn’t heard of them before this show. When I walked in, their guitarist was at a merch table selling cute little hand sewed monsters. He later told me he had been sewing since he was little and thought it would be fun merch given their band name. And it was! I bought one.
The Sewing Club are a four piece of two guitars (Stephen Meaux and Justin McKinney), drummer Zach McCoy (who added great backing vocals) and singer/bassist/keyboardist Hannah McElroy. I was in front of McCoy and very close to their merch guitarist (I’m not sure who was who). I could clearly see McElroy, but the other guitarist was on the far side of the stage and I never really saw him.
They opened up quietly with Sport Mode. I enjoyed the shoegaze vibe of the song and the intensity of the guitars, but was blown away when the song started rocking out. The loud part was simple but really catchy with the two guitars playing different parts (one lead). Up next was Wyatt, a song that mixed the tempo up right from the start (and which had some soaring guitar lines).
I enjoyed watching the crowd around me get more and more into the set especially when Wait kicked in and ramped up the intensity.
For Bite, Hannah switched to keys. This was a much slower and more mellow song, although the rest of the band joined in before the end. After an unknown song (the most rocking of the set with lines something like I wish you’d die), they played a newer song that they were sure they’d screw up (they didn’t) with some fun headbanging from Hannah.
They ended their 30 minute set with Strange, a slower song that filled the room and had a killer guitar riff. I really liked their set a lot and look forward to more music from them.
Sport Mode ∼
Wyatt¢
Pocket ∼
Wait ∼
Bite $
(Unknown)
Alright Ok %
Strange ¢
% single (2026)
∼The Sewing Club EP (2025) ¢ Care EP (2024)
$ single (2024)
After seeing Tyler the Creator earlier this year, I thought my daughter might also enjoy seeing Earl Sweatshirt, his former partner in Odd Future.
What was fascinating was that Tyler’s show was MASSIVE. He sold out Wells Fargo Center. He had two stages, lots of lights, and a whole routine. Earl’s show was at Union Transfer and didn’t even have a backdrop. There was no light show, just the venue’s lights. And all of that is totally fine, it was just such a contrast.
Earl had been on the stage for most of the night. Hanging out behind the DJ table, bouncing with the people around him. But I didn’t know it was him until he came out from behind the table and started his set.
I was fascinated at how short his songs were. Riot! is about a minute. gsw vs sac was just over a minute. He did 22 songs in under an hour.
Earl is a bit of a mumbler, but he has a lot of charisma and knows how to modulate his flow. and yet overall, it’s still a pretty chill set.
Like with the others, there were people walking around, filming, dancing, smoking. For Earl’s set a guy with a really big beard (Daryl, I think) walked around and got a shout out but didn’t actually do anything.
According to setlist, many of the songs were unreleased. So when the short songs ended (abruptly) the crowd had to take a second to respond. There was also a kind of pause where they played music and he talked to the DJ or something? Everything about the whole night just felt like a bunch of guys hanging out rapping. It wasn’t that it was unprofessional, it just felt totally relaxed and low key–much like Earl’s music. Like friends hanging out.
The biggest reactions came from his songs from SICK! and of course, Molasses from Doris was a big hit with crowd rapping along. Earl seemed to really enjoy the crowd for this song and they way they rapped back–“make some noise for yourself Philly.”
The tone picked up a lot when ZeLooperz came back out to rap on Vision and it made me laugh that Earl just kind of stood around watching him. Earl is very very chill. Then Cletus Strap came to the front and did one of his own songs while Earl acted out the lyrics somewhat–Earl has a verse on the record and did his own verse when it was time.
About half way through Earl’s set he recognized the DJ, Black Noise, who I don’t think was DJing all night. It was very hard to tell what was going on most of the time.
When he announced the song E.Coli the crowd was super psyched–I understand his record with The Alchemist is quite a favorite. It was pretty unusual for me to hear people rapping back at him. Not singing, but more or less talking. Fascinating.
There were at least two more medical situations (and it wasn’t hot in there or anything). Earl started talking about how y’all need to drink water. He also offered to buy granola bars for the city, LOL.
My daughter definitely didn’t enjoy this show as much as Tyler’s. And that’s fair–she didn’t know really anything that was played during the night and it was a long, non-stop night. She knows I hate to leave early even if the show isn’t going to change very much. She asked if we could leave in like 15 minutes, but I looked at the setlist and saw that the show was only going to be about 25 minutes longer, so she agreed to stick it out.
When he finished the set, it didn’t seem like he was going to come back out for an encore. I knew my daughter wanted to leave but I told her that if he didn’t come out in like a minute we’d leave. I always think an encore will be a fun ending.
Earl came out and did (apparently) one half of the song Quest/Power (he did the Power side). And that was that. His encore was about a minute. Crazy. I’m not sure it was worth staying, but on the plus side, we didn’t stay for merch, we got out really fast and were on the road in about 5 minutes. So we made up for most of that time, I think.
It was definitely up there with one of the least enjoyable concerts I’d been to. I assume if I knew more of the music I would have been more into it. I assumed it would be a fun show like Tyler’s (whose music I don’t really know either), but it felt more like I was a plus one guest at a party of close friends.
FiloTV recorded the whole set from the stage and you can see someone in the front row holding out vinyl for Earl to sign (I guess). For like the whole show (he didn’t acknowledge it).
SETLIST (I think)
Riot! § gsw vs sac £ FORGE King of Hearts (Unreleased) Warrior (Unreleased) 2010 ∇ INFATUATION £ 8/22 (Unreleased) Sirius Blac (Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist cover) Truffle (Unreleased) Fire in the Hole ∇ Molasses ‰ Azucar § Live £ The Mint § Vision (with Zelooperz) ∇ I’m Not Really Trying* (Cletus Strap song rapped by Cletus) E. Coli (The Alchemist cover) Gamma £ TOURMALINE £ Word to the Truest (Unreleased) Nowhere2go § Shattered Dreams § Exhaust £ (paused for medical emergency)
encore
Quest/Power [Power only]
£ Live Laugh Love (2025)
∇ SICK! (2022) § Some Rap Songs (2018) ‰ Doris (2013)
This is my third time seeing The Beths, a New Zealand band that’s taking the U.S. by storm. Las time they played here they sold out Union Transfer. This time, they sold out TWO NIGHTS at Union Transfer.
We immediately got tickets to night one and for the first time, saw them from a chair off to the side (thanks ADA seating). Although they interact so nicely with the front, that it’s kind of a bummer to not be in on the action.
But the sound was great (I know it always sounds better further back, but I like being close).
So The Beths are a four piece: Elizabeth Stokes, singer and guitarist. Jonathan Pearce who plays lead guitar. Benjamin Sinclair on bass and Tristan Deck on drums. They are delightful and funny and play fantastic songs. Liz is a great songwriter and the boys make divine harmonies.
Last time they played nearly all of their then new album. This time they played nine out of ten songs from their newest album. And they opened with the title track a bouncy song that had everyone delightedly singing along.
After the even punchier No Joy they played two older songs one from Expert and one from Future Me Hates Me.
Then they moved back to the new album with the super fun first single Metal.
At one point during these songs, Benjamin did something that made a tin whistle fly into the air which he caught and started playing. Later both Benjamin and Jonathan activated the tin whistle cannon and we were delighted to see them snatch the instruments out of the air and start playing. The also have some shakers in their songs. Liz uses a banana shaped one. If you go to Benjamin’s review of the following night, you can read about the amusing trick they played on Liz and her banana. (more…)
After seeing Tyler the Creator earlier this year, I thought my daughter might also enjoy seeing Earl Sweatshirt, his former partner in Odd Future.
After ZeLooperz, Liv.E (pronounced liv) came out. She spoke to the audience a bunch, said she had lost her voice in Vegas (Chris Angel took it).
Then the beats started and she changed things up by singing instead of rapping. She has a kind of quiet voice but she can scream as needed (even if she lost her voice).
I didn’t know any of her songs either, but some of them were quite pretty. Overall the set was back to the mellow vibe. I enjoyed it when she started singing the Schoolhouse Rock 12 song. (more…)
I hadn’t heard of Phoebe Rings and then I found out that she (I now know that Phoebe Rings is a band name and no one in the band is named that) was opening for The Beths on Saturday and Sunday and opening for Speedy Ortiz on Monday.
The Beths and Phoebe Rings are from New Zealand and, it turns out that Phoebe Rings and Speedy Ortiz are on the same record label.
Phoebe Rings began as the solo project of musician Crystal Choi, and is now a four-piece made of jazz students (guitarist Simeon Kavanagh-Vincent, bassist Benjamin Locke and drummer Alex Freer).
We arrived and had ADA seats. Then we laughed as the tallest person in the room stood in front of us. We could still see just fine, but it was hilarious how much taller he was than everyone else.
Phoebe Rings was delightful. They are described as dream pop but they were a bit more like jazz pop. I’d even go so far as to say they were like lounge music. There was an early Stereolab vibe musically (not lyrically). (more…)
I saw Portugal. The Man last year in Asbury Park. It was an overcrowded show and I found it pretty unpleasant to be there (not a fan of The Stone Pony). Although the band was so much fun and played great songs, I came away from the show not knowing if I’d want to see them again. But a year passed and I realized the problem was the crowd not the band. So when they announced this show at Union Transfer, I decided to get a ticket. And an ADA seat.
The seat was a good choice because I had lots of room, but I feel like I missed out on some interesting on stage interactions because I was pretty far back.
In the past, the band has had a Native speaker introduce the band. They would talk about the land we were on and, in Asbury, they did a traditional song. I expected the same tonight, but instead, they played a short film that was very powerful. It was about The Living Fire–people, detatched from nature and the evil spirits are coming in. Avoid the dark forces of anti-reality.
Then the band came out–something between seven and ten people (I wasn’t that close and some people seemed to come and go).
Denali a really heavy song with a classic heavy metal sound in the guitars, although the vocals are pure PTM. Pittman is pure hardcore, with screamed vocals. The singer was David Marion (from the band Fear Before) whose intense screams set this song apart. I’m not even sure if he did anything else–he was very tall and seemed to come out of nowhere. The thing about the visuals was that they projected images on a screen behind them which mean they were in shadow or silhouette most of the night. (more…)
After seeing Tyler the Creator earlier this year, I thought my daughter might also enjoy seeing Earl Sweatshirt, his former partner in Odd Future.
It had been about 50 minutes and the third act was bouncing on stage. ZeLooperz brought some much needed energy to the stage.
He was fast and funny–loud and interactive. He has some great song titles (not sure if he played them or not though): JayJay-Z, Bustin Jieber.
He immediately shouted a Hands Up! Which most people did. It was during his set that I realized how short most of the songs have been. Most are around the 2 minute mark.
About half way through he brought a guest on stage (Quadie Diesel) and he rapped a song while everyone on stage danced around. And then he had a dance contest–he cleared the floor–but don’t worry this ain’t no mosh pit, this is for the ladies, this was “Skinny Dip.” (more…)
After seeing Tyler the Creator earlier this year, I thought my daughter might also enjoy seeing Earl Sweatshirt, his former partner in Odd Future.
After Cletus Strap, Niontay was up. He came out in a huge puffer jacket and had excellent locs. He is also a mumble rapper (he even has a song called mumbleman). He too had a lot of people videoing him while walking around him on stage.
Pitchfork loved Niontay back in 2024:
His flow is all over the map: He can lay a stone-faced delivery over a hearty chipmunk-soul loop fit to soundtrack a downtown New York streetwear shop, or raise his pitch to Florida-fast-music levels–a relentless marathon of cold punchlines and flexes.
And that seemed right. He had a lot more variety than Cletus, although overall the tone was similar.
At some point possibly during Cletus’ set, Earl Sweatshirt came up on stage too. He stood behind the table with the DJ and may have done some DJ work too–it was hard to tell. So by the middle of Niontay’s set there were nearly a dozen people on stage, mostly just hanging around while the person rapping took center stage. (more…)
I have made a list of all of comedians from Taskmaster who I would like to see live. It’s not everyone of course (some of them don’t do stand up and some I don’t think I would enjoy). I never really imagined that I would see everyone on the list as many British comedians do not tour the U.S. But imagine my surprise when Paul Chowdhry announced a show in Philly.
I was scheduled to have total hip replacement surgery on the day after this show. I didn’t think I’d be able to go and then two things changed my mind. The first is that I saw that the show was fairly short–Chokecherry was playing for about an hour. The second was that my surgery wasn’t scheduled until the afternoon. I had assumed it would be early in the morning, but a later appointment meant I could sleep in. As it turned out my wife had a minor emergency after I got home that kept us up until 3AM, so it was all moot, but whatever, I’m thrilled that I got to go to this show.
I Just Read About That... 