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Archive for the ‘Philadelphia, PA’ Category

Victoria Canal (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 22, 2025) [LUCIUS]

Posted in Lucius, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer, Victoria Canal on May 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 22, 2025] Victoria Canal

I had not heard of Victoria Canal before this show.

She has a fascinating backstory.  She was born in Germany but is of Spanish American heritage and was raised mostly in Spain.  And yet when she spoke she had no trace of an accent.

Canal was born without her right forearm.  What’s fascinating is that although she does not try to hide it at all, we didn’t notice for the first couple of songs.

Victoria played acoustic guitar and keyboards.  She also had really nice boots on.  Between songs she told delightful stories that really fleshed out songs like the new (and wonderful) Pseudo Zen Buddhist: A Screenplay.  Which she introduced by saying the song was about her ex boyfriend’s next girlfriend murdering him (she works in movies, hence the screenplay part).  It was great.

There was also a really funny intro to Yes Man, a song she write when on a songwriting retreat with Chris Martin of Coldplay.

Canal’s voice is soft and gentle with a really nice timbre.  And she can mix in some falsettos on a song like Totally Fucking Fine. (more…)

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Barenaked Ladies / Sugar Ray / Fastball (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, May 22, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Barenaked Ladies, Fastball, Guster, Philadelphia, PA, Sugar Ray, The Met Philadelphia on May 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 22, 2025] Barenaked Ladies / Sugar Ray / Fastball

We haven’t seen Barenaked Ladies since 2017 (2016 was the last time on one of these Last Summer on Earth tours).

They always put on a good show, although I feel like I’ve enjoyed the last few a little bit less than the previous ones.  Mostly because they play the same big hits all the time.  I mean, you can’t be BNL and not play those songs, but it would be fun if they didn’t.

I always consider going to their Last Summer on Earth tours, but I typically dislike the other bands that are playing with them–usually 90s bands that I assumed were broken up. Which doesn’t really speak all that well of BNL (unless it speaks well of them trying to boost old bands).  Their new setlist mixes in a few different songs, so maybe if next year’s co-headliners are good, I’ll grab tickets.

This year was finally an exciting option because one of the opening bands was Guster!  What a fun way to see them–as an opening band.  But then it turned out that they were opening everywhere but the north east!  WTF?  And who was their replacement?  Sugar Ray?  Really?  They had one song and they are still around? Really?  Ugh.

Fastball is someone I do like and they would have been interesting to see.  But not for Sugar Ray.

It’s like BNL’s mission is to keep one hit wonder bands active.  Which is noble I suppose.

Next year guys, find bands that I actually want to see!

 

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Pierce the Veil (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, May 19, 2025)

Posted in Daisy Grenade, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Pierce the Veil, Skyline Stage at The Mann, Sleeping with Sirens on May 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 19, 2025] Pierce the Veil

My son and I have seen Pierce the Veil twice in the last two years.  The first show at the Stone Pony Summer Stage during a pending hurricane.  We got soaked and the show was cut short.

The second show was in a fairly large arena and we were pretty far away from the stage.  It was good but unsatisfying.

But this one was at the Skyline Stage at the Mann, an outdoor venue that allows you to get close.  And this time my daughter wanted to come as well.  So I grabbed us three early tickets.

We had been put in the ADA section (my hip) and the kids were allowed to be there with me or they could leave if they wanted.  The ADA section is raised and is off to the side.  So, you get clear unblocked views of the stage (yea!) but at a weird angle (boo) with slightly distorted sound (boo).

I told the kids that I would not be offended if they wanted to go on  the lawn.  I would have if I was less held up.  So they looked at the setlist and decided that they’d like to be in  the lawn for the first part of the show and then maybe come back at the side for the hits at the end.

They enjoyed being on the lawn although they said it was hard to see the stage very well (it’s a very tall stage).  And then about half way through the show, my daughter came back to hang with my while my son made his way to the pit, where he slam danced for the next 45 minutes.  He had a blast and said it was the best show he had ever been to.

I enjoyed the show quite a lot as well.  Although, WOW was it cold.  I mean, mid-May, but the temps were in the 50s with a heavy wind.  And sitting on the side, there was no place for warmth.  Of course, I would feel much more into the show if I were in the mix with other people. But having said that, the band sounded great.  They were full of energy and seemed to be having a total blast.

We both agreed that this was the best of the three shows BY FAR! (more…)

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Sleeping with Sirens (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, May 19, 2025) [PIERCE THE VEIL]

Posted in Daisy Grenade, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Pierce the Veil, Skyline Stage at The Mann, Sleeping with Sirens on May 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 19, 2025] Sleeping with Sirens

My kids both really like Pierce the Veil and I got into them as well.  So when they played the GA stage at the Mann Center, I got tickets for all three of us.

The Mann Center is a great venue, but if you go there at the wrong time, the traffic can really suck.  And when the show starts at 6:30, there’s really no way we were going to arrive for all of the bands.

I was looking forward to seeing Daisy Grenade, but we missed them entirely.  Social Casualty says of them:

Female alt-pop, bubble grunge duo Daisy Grenade is led by Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittakker. They aspire to make diary-entry-like songs, bringing you through the growing pains of being a woman in today’s society. With raw emotions, wrapped up with femininity as a weapon, and a theatrical touch on top, they’re turning bubble grunge into something catchy and sharp with a side of something sweet.

So yea, that was a bummer to miss them. But we did arrive in plenty of time to see Sleeping with Sirens.  (more…)

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MJ Lenderman and the Wind / This is Lorelei (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, May 17, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Franklin Music Hall, MJ Lenderman and the Wind, Philadelphia, PA, This is Lorelei, Water from Your Eyes on May 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 17, 2025] MJ Lenderman and the Wind / This is Lorelei

I feel like people have been talking about MJ Lenderman for a while (although there are a lot of guys who go by 2 initials and their last name so I may be thinking of someone else).  But I see that he’s been putting out music since 2019.

I also saw know that he’s been playing with Wednesday and did a song with Waxahatchee.

His voice is a distinctive twang/whine that I sort of don’t like but kind of do.  It’s that whole alt-country thing that I mostly don’t like but maybe do.

Lenderman has a couple of songs that I like but I was really surprised that he was playing Franklin Music Hall–such a big venue.  Even if I liked him a little more I wouldn’t want to see him there.

This is Lorelei is Nate Amos who also sings in Water from Your Eyes who I’ve heard of but don’t know.  His records seem like simple bedroom pop, but I gather that when he plays live he has a band with him.

Either way this show was not on my must see list.

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Model/Actriz / AFK (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 17, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in AFK, Johnny Brenda's, Model/Actriz, Philadelphia, PA on May 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 17, 2025] Model/Actriz / AFK

I My son and I saw Model/Actriz open for Dazey and the Scouts bac in 2022.  They were bizarre and intense and put on a wonderful performance.  I would really like to see them again–especially now that it has been a few years.

But I had tickets to see Puscifer, Primus and A Perfect Circle the same night and you can’t be in two places at the same time.

AFK is an Industrial Glitch-hop trio from the Hudson Valley/NYC. Mind-melting beats and razor sharp flows. Hip hop from the future.

I like glitch hop in small doses. I didn’t love what I heard on their bandcamp, but I imagine it presents well live.

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Japanese Breakfast / Ginger Root (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, May 16, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Ginger Root, Japanese Breakfast, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia on May 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 16, 2025] Japanese Breakfast / Ginger Root

When this show was announced, it sold out pretty quickly.  We were bummed because we saw Japanese Breakfast on Halloween a couple of years ago when she said she’d be going to Korea for a year or so.

But soon after, they announced another show on the night before (I always think it’s funny to have the second show come before the first show, but realistically I suppose it doesn’t matter to the band unless they were planning on going all out for that final show.

So when they announced night 2 I grabbed tickets right away and we enjoyed yesterday’s show from the pit.  The shows were almost the same although I’m a little bummed that they did a final encore of Everybody Wants to Love You which they didn’t do for us.  But I’ve seen the song a few times so it’s no big deal.

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Amyl and the Sniffers / Sheer Mag (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, May 16, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Amyl and the Sniffers, Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, Sheer Mag on May 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 16, 2025] Amyl and the Sniffers / Sheer Mag

On paper Amyl and the Sniffers is exactly the kind of band I’d like.  A weirdo Australian rock band fronted by a wild woman.  But there’s something about them that I just don’t like.

I saw them open for King Gizzard in 2018 and they were pretty fun.  They do have a simple fun bratty punk sound.  And I usually like that.  But for whatever reason I don’t really like them.  Oh well.

I’ve seen Sheer Mag open for so many bands.  I liked them but I’m a bit tired of them at this point.

So this was a big no no for me.

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Sunflower Bean / Laveda (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 16, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Laveda, Oneida, Philadelphia, PA, Sunflower Bean, The Bevis Frond on May 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 16, 2025] Sunflower Bean / Laveda

I’ve seen Sunflower Bean twice.  The first time I loved them.  The second time I loved them for different reasons.  But since then they have drifted away from the sound I liked into a more.

Actually, I see that they have recently put out a new album that changes their sound quite a bit again.  So clearly they are a band who are experimenting with sounds. I will have to keep tabs on them for the next time they come around.

Laveda is an NYC-based indie rock band formed by Ali Genevich and Jake Brooks, known for their blend of dreamy, shoegaze, and ’90s grunge sounds.

I listened to a few songs and really liked them–possibly more than Sunflower Bean, although I’ll have to see what this new album sounds like.

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Hooveriii / Expo / Feaster (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 16, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Expo, Feaster, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA on May 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 16, 2025] Hooveriii / Expo / Feaster

I’ve been a fan of Hooveriii for a while. I got to see them open for Mudhoney and I really wanted to see them again.  I was excited for this show but when the date rolled around, we had a family crisis of some sort and I stayed home instead.  I have since seen that their set was only 45 minutes, but it sounds like the whole night was fun with these two weird opening bands.

Feaster is from Philly and describe themselves as One of the World’s Bands of All Time.  They’re weird in a really good way. They’re heavy and they rock and their vocals are kind of shouted and loud.  They seem like a lot of fun.

Expo is an experimental psych trio from Philadelphia and their music is exactly as they describe themselves there.  Wild drumbeats, funky bass lines and vocals that are squeezed on top.  I’d like to see them live.

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