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Guster (Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park, NJ, August 1, 2025)

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Guster, The Mountain Goats, The Stone Pony, The Stone Pony Summer Stage on August 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: August 1, 2025] Guster

My wife and I saw Guster in March of 2024 and again in January 2025.  Did we really need to see them again seven months later?  Yes!  In part because those two previous shows were their We Have Eras Too tour and this wasn’t.  And also because it’s Guster and we love them.

We also dislike the Stone Pony Summer Stage and the thought of going down the shore on a Friday night…?  Sheesh.  But things worked out wonderfully.  There was minimal traffic and I found a parking spot close to the Pony!

We were so early we could get merch and still get within three people of the stage.

It turns out that many people were there for The Mountain Goats, so when their set ended, we were practically on the fence (in front of Adam for a change).

We weren’t expecting a wildly different setlist from a usual show, although they do tend to mix things up a bit.   There are some songs we’ve heard A LOT (Come Downstairs and Say Hello), but others that we haven’t seen too often.  And yet even if we’ve seen most of the songs more than 5 times, there’s nothing like singing along with them and watching them have a blast.

The evening was perfect and they seemed to really enjoy being in Asbury Park (they had recorded their previous album there and had lived in AP for two weeks or so).

This set was interesting for being heavy on Adam-sung songs.  He doesn’t sing lead very often anymore, but he used to have a few lead vocals.  With Ramona, Demons Center of Attention.

The one thing that we missed in the Eras tour was that they didn’t play many songs of their newest album.  The first Eras night they played new songs but we didn’t know them yet.  So this was a good opportunity to hear When We Were Stars and The Elevator (for the first time!).  Mid way through the show, someone in the front requested Mona Lisa.  Ryan said they would play it and then said–wait, let us play it as the encore becaue we have the setlist set up already.

So they opened the encore with it (it was supposed to be Black Balloon, which I would rather have heard).  After a super fun Satellite, they called The Mountain Goats back up on stage and they all sang The Lido Shuffle.  It was fun and wild and everyone sang along to the Woah oh oh oh part.  Curiously, it was only a few days ago that I discovered that this song was not an Elton John song like I’d always assumed (I mean it sounds o much like him) but actually a song by Boz Scaggs.  I couldn’t believe they busted it out.  I also found out that it was played again the following night at the Summer Stage for Yacht Rock Review.  Same sing two nights in a row–I’ll be the Yacht Rock version sounded quite different.

One of the fun things about Guster (of many) is their mid set improv.  Tonight’s was all about how you could buy Jello Shots at the venue.  He said, only at the Jersey Shore!  So he sang a little song about Jello Shots (pop pop) and late during Doin’ It By Myself he walked through the audeince and grabbed Jello Shots for the band (they were disgusting apparently).

The show could have gone on and on as far as I was concerned but I suspect there’s a curfew.  When the show was over, my wife grabbed a setlist (very cool) and we sat on the boardwalk looking at the ocean.  A woman on stilts (dressed in black and white with seven foot long pants over her stilts) walked the board walk and took pictures with people.

And then we went for Mogo Tacos and they were delicious.

That makes 13 times for me seeing Guster.  I’ve seen Phish 17 times.  It’s possible that Guster will overtake them since a Guster show is always a much lower key affair (and less work) than a Phish show.

 

8/1/2025–Stone Pony Summerstage
Careful © [6]
What You Call Love ω [5]
Ramona © [8]
One Man Wrecking Machine ⊗ [4]
When We Were Stars Ø [2]
Demons ℵ [9]
Center of Attention ≅ [3]
When You Go Quiet £ [2]
Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [12]
Do You Love Me ω [9]
Hang On ⊗ [7]
Jell-O Shots (improv after noticing Jello shots for sale “only at the Stone Pony”)
Doin’ It By Myself € [10] (Ryan walked through the audience and grabbed a Jello shot for everyone on stage)
The Elevator Ø
Amsterdam © [6]
Happier ≅ [9]
encore
Mona Lisa ¶ [3] (fan requested the song earlier, they agreed to play it in the encore–Black Balloon on setlist)
Satellite ⊗ [10]
Lido Shuffle (Boz Scaggs cover) (with The Mountain Goats)

 

3/26/2024–Fillmore Philadelphia ERAs tour 3/26/2024–Red Bank  ERAs Tour 4/6/ 2023–White Eagle Hall  8/10/2022–Wellmont
Sketch 1: Dorm Room

Parachute ¶ [3] (Ryan & Adam only) 
 Sketch 1: Dorm Room

Parachute ¶ [2] (Ryan & Adam only) 
 What You Wish For ≅ [3] Careful © [3]
Sketch 2: Enter Brian

Happy Frappy ¶ [2]
 Sketch 2: Enter Brian

Fall in Two ¶ 
 Architects & Engineers ω [3] Terrified £ [3]
Sketch 3: Harvard Square

X Ray Eyes ℵ
 Sketch 3: Harvard Square

Demons ℵ [8]
 Red Oyster Cult © [3] Diane © [3]
Airport Song ℵ [9] Airport Song ℵ [8] Ramona © [7] Hercules  ω [3]
Sketch 4: Lillywhite

What You Wish For ≅ [5]
 Sketch 4: Lillywhite

What You Wish For ≅ [4]
 One Man Wrecking Machine ⊗ [2] (first since 2015) Hang On ⊗ [4]
I Spy ≅ [7] I Spy ≅ [6] Manifest Destiny ⊗ [6] Barrel of a Gun ≅ [7]
Barrel of a Gun ≅ [9] Barrel of a Gun ≅ [8] I Hope Tomorrow Is Like Today © [1] Backyard © [3]
Sketch 5: Tour Bus

Jesus on the Radio (Acoustic) © [5]
 Sketch 5: Tour Bus

Jesus on the Radio (Acoustic) © [4]
 All the Way Up to Heaven ≅ [3] Satellite (House PA goes out at the end of the song due to power outage.) ⊗ [8]
Sketch 6: Joe Joins the Band

Diane © [4]
 Sketch 6: Joe Joins the Band

Diane © [3]
 Satellite ⊗ [9] Jesus on the Radio (Acoustic) © [3]
Careful © [5] Careful © [4] Doin’ It By Myself (Ryan sang while walking amongst the crowd) € [7] Hard Times (Acoustic) £ [2]
(Nothing but) Flowers
(Talking Heads cover)  [2]
(Nothing but) Flowers
(Talking Heads cover)
 Look Alive £ [3] Parachute (Acoustic) ¶
Hang On ⊗ [6] One Man Wrecking Machine ⊗ [3] Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [9] Doin’ It By Myself (Ryan sang while walking amongst the crowd) € [6]
Manifest Destiny ⊗ [6] Satellite ⊗ [8] Do You Love Me ω [7] Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [8]
Satellite ⊗ [9] The Captain ⊗ [5] Never Coming Down € [4] Lazy Love € [3]
Sketch 7: Evil Producer

Thunder Song [2]
 Sketch 7: Evil Producer

Thunder Song
 When You Go Quiet £ (bonus track) The New Underground ⊗
Act 2

Do You Love Me ω [8]
 Act 2

Do You Love Me ω [7]
 Mexican Restaurant Penis TV Improv Jam to Bon Jovi’s Livin On A Prayer Lightning Rod ⊗ [2]
Sketch 8: Joe Leaves the Band

Architects and Engineers ω [4]
 Sketch 8: Joe Leaves the Band

This Could All be Yours ω [6]
 Airport Song ℵ [7] What You Call Love (with 11 year old Sam on bagpipes) ω [4]
Luke Reynolds is the Man song Luke Reynolds is the Man song Happier ≅ [6] I Spy ≅ [5]
This Could All be Yours ω [6] Lost at Sea ω [bonus track] Hard Times (with Karina Rykman) £ [3] Don’t Go £
Long Night € [5] Gangway € [3] Psycho Killer (with Karina Rykman band) [Talking Heads cover] Ramona © [6]
Doin’ It By Myself (Ryan sang while walking amongst the crowd) € [9] Doin’ It By Myself (Ryan sang while walking amongst the crowd) € [8] Groove is in the Heart (with Karina Rykman band) [Deee-Lite] The Captain ⊗ [4]
Sketch 9: Dave Gets Mad/Appreciated
Dave Song

Don’t Go £ [3]
 Sketch 9: Dave Gets Mad/Appreciated

Don’t Go £ [2]
 encore Demons ℵ [7]
Terrified £ [6] Terrified £ [5] Mona Lisa ¶ [3] encore
Sketch 10: COVID

When We Were Stars Ø
 Sketch 10: COVID

Keep Going  Ø
 Bury Me ¶  Do You Love Me ω [6]
Black Balloon Ø [2] Black Balloon Ø Terrified £ [4]
Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [11] Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [10] encore 2

Encore: Dumpster Set

Encore: Camp Fire Set

 Hang On ⊗ [5]
Happier ≅ [8]
Happier ≅ [7]
Amsterdam © [5] Amsterdam © [4]

 

3/23/2019–Fillmore 1/11/2019–Free at Noon 11/1/2018–White Eagle Hall
Diane © [2] Hard Times £ Long Night € [4]
The Captain ⊗ [3] Ramona © [5] Happier ≅ [4]
Terrified £ [2] Mind Kontrol £ [2] What You Call Love ω [3]
Airport Song ℵ [6] Manifest Destiny ⊗ [5] I Spy (haven’t heard since 2004) ≅ [2]
Gangway € [2] Terrified £ Endlessly € [2]
Hello Mister Sun (w/horns) £ [2] Look Alive £  Airport Song ℵ [5]
Overexcited (w/horns) £ [2] Satellite ⊗ [6] Hello Mr. Sun (new) £
Stay with Me Jesus ω [3] Overexcited £ Stay With Me Jesus ω [2]
Satellite ⊗ [7] encore Doin’ It By Myself € [4]
Doin’ It By Myself (w/horns) € [5] I Spy (not broadcast) acoustic ≅ [3] improv Levi’s bar mitzvah
Look Alive £ [2] Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [6]
Backyard (w/strings} © [2] ** from the new album Do You Love Me ω [5]
Amsterdam © [3] Rocketship (never before) ℵ
Window (w/strings & showed the original music video) Manifest Destiny ⊗ [4]
LOST AND GONE FOREVER
20th ANNIVERSARY SET		 Amsterdam (not since 2004) © [2]
What You Wish For ≅ [2] Ruby Falls ⊗ [2]
Barrel of a Gun ≅ [6] Ramona © [4]
Either Way (w/strings) ≅ Satellite ⊗ [5]
Fa Fa (w/horns & Stephen on flute) ≅ [3] Barrel of a Gun ≅ [5]
I Spy ≅ [4] improv-“False encore” song
Center of Attention ≅ [2] This Could All be Yours ω [5]
All the Way Up to Heaven (not since 2004) ≅ [2] “encore“
Happier ≅ [5] Mind Kontrol (new) £
So Long (w/strings) ≅ Two Points for Honesty ≅ [3]
Two Points for Honesty (w/strings) ≅ [4] Demons ℵ [6]
Rainy Day (w/strings) 2nd encore
encore Jesus on the Radio (acoustic, no mics) © [2]
Rocketship (w/strings) ℵ [2]
Hang On ⊗ [3]
Great Escape ℵ
Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [7]

 

6/16/2016–Fillmore 11/21/2015–Wellmont 4/24/2015–TLA
What You Wish For ≅
 Ramona © [2] Demons ℵ [3]
Satellite ⊗ [4] Satellite ⊗ [3]  Center of Attention ≅
Doin’ It By Myself € [3]
 Simple Machine € [2]  Doin’ It By Myself €
Barrel of a Gun ≅ [4]
 Happier ≅ [3]  The Beginning of the End ⊗
Ramona © [3] Hercules ω [2]  Ramona ©
Never Coming Down € [3] Careful / “Chariots of Fire” © [2]  Gangway €
Architects & Engineers ω [2] Doin’ It By Myself € [2]  Endlessly €
Lightning Rod ⊗ [2] The Captain ⊗ [2]  Stay with Me Jesus ω
Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [5] Kid Dreams €  Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [3]
Do You Love Me ω [4] Homecoming King © [2]  Do You Love Me ω [2]
Dear Valentine ⊗
 Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [4]  (Everything I Do) I Do It for You [Bryan Adams cover]
That’s No Way to Get to Heaven ω
 Do You Love Me ω [3]  Hang On ⊗ [2]
Red Oyster Cult © [2] Never Coming Down € [2]  Lazy Love €
Mona Lisa ¶ [2]
 Demons ℵ [4]  Hercules (with Kishi Bashi) ω
Manifest Destiny ⊗[3]
 Two Points for Honesty ≅ [2]  Satellite (with Kishi Bashi) ⊗ [2]
Simple Machine € [3] Happy Frappy ¶  Simple Machine €
Airport Song ℵ [4]
 Ruby Falls ⊗  Never Coming Down €
Kid Dreams €[2]
 Lazy Love € [2]  Two Points for Honesty ≅
Demons ℵ [5] Barrel of a Gun≅ [3]  Diane © 
This Could All Be Yours ω [4] This Could All Be Yours ω [3]  Careful © 
encore “Improv”
 “encore” (“Zombie Jews”)  This Could All Be Yours ω [2]
Long Night € [3]
 Long Night € [2]  “encore”
Bad Bad World ω
 One Man Wrecking Machine ⊗  Long Night €
What You Call Love ω [2]
 Manifest Destiny ⊗ [2]  Manifest Destiny ⊗
Fa Fa ≅ [2] Airport Song ℵ [3]  What You Call Love ω
encore “boooo” Careless Whisper [George Michael cover]  Happier ≅ [2]
Jesus on the Radio ©

 

7/20/2013–PNC Bank Center 7/5/2004–Starland
The Captain ⊗ Happier ≅
Architects & Engineers ω I Spy ≅
Homecoming King © Airport Song ℵ
Come Downstairs and Say Hello © [2] Demons ℵ
Do You Love Me ω Amsterdam © 
Airport Song ℵ [2] Come Downstairs and Say Hello ©
Hang On ⊗ Barrel of a Gun ≅
Demons ℵ [2] Mona Lisa ¶
Satellite ⊗ Red Oyster Cult © 
Barrel of a Gun (with Ed Robertson) ≅ [2] California Dreamin’ [Beach Boys cover]
This Could All Be Yours ω Fa Fa ≅
Jam (with Ben Folds)
Backyard (with Ben Folds) © 
All the Way Up to Heaven ≅


Ø Oh La La (2024)                              -7/10
£ Look Alive (2019)                            -2/10
€ Evermotion (2015)                          -3/11
ω Easy Wonderful (2010)                -4/12
⊗ Ganging Up on the Sun (2006) -2/12
© Keep It Together (2003)              -3/13
≅ Lost and Gone Forever (1999)   —
ℵ Goldfly (1997)                                    -5/11
¶ Parachute (1995)                              -6/11

 

Parachute

  1. “Love for Me”
  2. “Eden”
  3. “Scars & Stitches”
  4. “The Prize”
  5. “Dissolve”
  6. “Cocoon”

Goldfly

  1. “Perfect”
  2. “Medicine”
  3. “Grin”
  4. “Getting Even”
  5. “Melanie” (unlisted bonus track)

Keep It Together

  1. “Keep It Together”
  2. “Long Way Down”
  3. “Two at a Time” (hidden track)

Ganging Up on the Sun

  1. “C’mon” – 3:51
  2. “Empire State” – 4:59

Easy Wonderful

  1. “On the Ocean”
  2. “This Is How It Feels to Have a Broken Heart”
  3. “Jesus and Mary”
  4. “Do What You Want”

Evermotion

  1. “Expectation”
  2. “It Is Just What It Is”
  3. “Farewell”

Look Alive

  1. “Summertime”
  2. “Not for Nothing”

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The Mountain Goats (Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park, NJ, August 1, 2025) [GUSTER]

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Guster, The Mountain Goats, The Stone Pony, The Stone Pony Summer Stage on August 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 24, 2025] The Mountain Goats

Back in I have been wanting to see The Mountain Goats for a long time (my friend Andrew got me into them, jeez, like ten years ago).  They have played in the area nearly every year since I first heard about them but for one reason or another I never saw them. Usually it’s scheduling conflicts and occasionally the show sold out before I heard about it.

I had even more or less given up on seeing them (if you miss a band more than half a dozen times it’s practically a sign from the universe).  But here they were opening for Guster!

I was really excited to finally see them, and I was equally excited/surprised to see that the drummer for The Mountain Goats is Jon Wurster who I have seen with Superchunk and Bob Mould and have therefore seen him five times!  (I thought I’d be seeing him with Superchunk again this fall, but I didn’t realize he had left the band!)

The band was a three piece with multi instrumentalist Matt Douglas playing everything and John Darnielle (the master Goat) singing and playing guitar and keys. (more…)

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Guster / The Mountain Goats (Archer Music Hall, Allentown, PA, July 29, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Allentown PA, Archer Music Hall, Guster, The Mountain Goats on July 29, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 29, 2025] Guster / The Mountain Goats

When this Guster/The Mountain Goats tour was announced, I definitely wanted to see them in Allentown–a smallish venue that’s easy to get to.  But we had tickets to The Swell Season that evening and we didn’t want to give those up.

So we went to the Stone Pony Summer Stage instead (and that was awesome).

I have yet to go to Archer Music Hall, and I hope to before the end of the year.

 

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Guster: “We Also Have Eras Tour” (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, January 24, 2025)

Posted in Blue Merle, Guster, Philadelphia, PA, Talking Heads, The Fillmore Philadelphia on January 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 24, 2025] Guster

Back in March, we saw the We All Have Eras Tour and we loved it.  It seemed weird to get tickets to the same show a few months later when they announced the second wave of the tour.  But it was almost a year later!

This made my 12th time seeing Guster and every Guster show is a good time.  Although the last time we saw Guster at the Fillmore, we didn’t love the crowd so much (we were also close to the bar…boo).  But this time we landed squarely in the middle of  the floor and had a great view (for the most part) and the crowd around us was cool (for the most part).

The show was like last time, a that there would be a narrator telling us what was going on with the band.  Dave Butler (who also plays drums with Marco Benevento and has played live with Guster since 2015) was the evening’s narrator. [This also means I’ve seen Dave Butler play 13 times].

The sets and “Acts” were the same, possibly a little smoother and, as they said on Instagram–there were laughs in different spots.

They opened the show with a chalk board showing a dorm room at Tufts.  Ryan and Adam met at Tufts.  They each played in bands in high school  (Adam from outside of Morristown, NJ!).  (Ryan’s band was called The Silents, Adam’s was Royal Flush).  They didn’t have bands in common, so they wrote their own song: “Parachute.”  Then they needed a name.  How about Gus?  Sounds good.  They were all set to be the Indigo Boys, two guys with great harmonies and acoustic guitars.  Then a goofy guy, Brian, who carried bongos showed up (his early band was called Toejamb) and soon they were a trio busking in Harvard Square.

Then came two songs that were different from last time [Happy Frappy instead of Fall in Two and X-Ray Eyes (the first time we’ve seen them play it) instead of Demons].  Although I was happy to hear songs for the first time, this was also something of a greatest hist show, so of course it was great to hear Airport Song and Barrel of a Gun (again).

Their story is more interesting than just a band progressing.  They went from acoustic guitars and bongos to a full on band with drumsticks and bass.  They were approached by Steve Lillywhite to produce an album.

Then Luke Reynolds came out with a giant head of Joe Pisapia and a name tag that said JOE.  He was a multitalented multi-instrumentalist and wrote “Jesus on the Radio” (which Luke and Ryan sang together).  Then Joe joined the band for real (played by Luke). (more…)

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Newport Folk Festival (Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI, July 26-July 28, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Black Pumas, De La Soul, Guster, Hozier, Newport Folk Festival, Newport, RI, The War on Drugs, Tinariwen on July 26, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 31-August 2, 2020] Newport Folk Festival

We went to Newport Folk Festival in 2019.  We’ve had a kind of understanding that we would try to go again.

I’ve managed  to score tickets for previous years (and then resell them when we couldn’t go).  But this year I was shut out instantly.  Which is fine as the festival often conflicts with our summer schedule.
(more…)

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Guster: Free at Noon (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, May 17, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Free at Noon, Guster, Philadelphia, PA, World Cafe Live, WXPN 88.5 FM--Philadelphia, PA on May 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 17, 2024] Guster

My wife told me that she heard Guster was doing Free at Noon and we frantically tried to figure out if she could get the day off so  we could go.

As soon as I logged into the page, I saw that it was sold out!  I was so bummed.

I can’t believe that the last time I saw Guster: Free at Noon was five years ago!  I would have guessed it was two years at most.

The setlist was mostly new songs (the new album was released today).

There’s a video of the set online and, as usual, the show looks great.

  • Keep Going
  • Stay With Me Jesus
  • Witness Tree
  • Hang On
  • Keep It Together
  • Black Balloon
  • Satellite
  • This Could All Be Yours

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Guster: “We Also Have Eras Tour” (Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center, Red Bank, NJ, March 26, 2024)

Posted in Count Basie Theatre, Guster, Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, Red Bank, NJ, Set in New Jersey!, Talking Heads on March 26, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 26, 2024] Guster

This was my eleventh time seeing Guster!  This show pushed them in to second place (along with Tori Amos and Richard Thompson) as the artists I’ve seen the most.

And what a great show this proved to be.  Following Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, Guster announced that they have eras too (since they’ve been around for 30 years) and they announced a two set retrospective of their career.

What I didn’t know (I saw no spoilers!) is that there would be a narrator telling us what was going on with the band.  Dave Butler (who also plays drums with Marco Benevento and has played live with Guster since 2015) was the evening’s narrator. [This also means I’ve seen Dave Butler play 12 times]. (more…)

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Guster’s On the Ocean Weekend (State Theatre & Thompson’s Point, Portland, ME, August 11-August 13, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Bahamas, Brooke Annibale, Guster, Lucius, Madison Cunningham, Oshima Brothers, Shakey Graves, The Ballroom Thieves on August 11, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 31-August 2, 2020] Newport Folk Festival

There’s very few festivals that I’d like to go to, but Guster’s On the Ocean seems like a lot of fun.  It’s kid friendly (but there’s still adult things to do).  The band is very participatory and they curatea  weeknd’s worth of fun all in a pretty chill atmosphere.

My wife says that we might not like the other people there, which is true–Guster fans near us tend to be kind of partiers, but I still think it would be fun.

But not this year.

Here’s what was on the docket. (more…)

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Guster / Allison Ponthier (The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA, April 7, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Allison Ponthier, Guster, Philadelphia, PA, The Fillmore Philadelphia on April 7, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 7, 2023] Guster / Allison Ponthier

My wife and I saw Guster yesterday.  It was her ninth and my tenth time.

We both thought it would be super fun to see them two nights in a row (especially since their sets tend to change up so much).  Indeed, the set from this night was almost entirely different.

However, I had long- long- delayed tickets to see Bikini Kill that night.  I assumed up until the last minute that the show would get delayed once again, but it did go on this time.  And my daughter was going with me and she was super excited to go to the show.  So, we’ll catch Guster again I’m sure.

Allison Ponthier is a singer songwriter who sings quiet, catchy folk songs.

In August 2021, Ponthier released her debut EP Faking My Own Death.  The debut single from the EP, “Cowboy”, was named one of the “25 Best Songs By LGBTQ Artists of 2021 (So Far)” by Billboard on June 29, 2021.

Her voice is quiet interesting and her videos are visually very interesting.

As for what she sounds like, her own description sums it up pretty well:

I will always be making pop music. Pop is very general, but my music will always be pop at its heart. Growing up, there was country music all around me. It was what my mom listened to, and it was all over Texas. But I also really found a love for songwriting with artists like Regina Spektor, Imogen Heap, and Fleet Foxes. When I’m writing, I try not to think about the genre and more along the lines of, “Oh, that piano chord sounds cool,” or, “I have this melody idea.”

Cool, although I’m so glad we got to see Karina Rykman.

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Guster (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, April 6, 2023)

Posted in Guster, Jersey City, NJ, Karina Rykman, White Eagle Hall on April 7, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 6, 2023] Guster

It was only a few months ago that we saw Guster in Montclair.  And yet here they were back again in New Jersey!

They’re playing Philly tomorrow night and it was be incredible to see them two night in a row, but the second night is the same as night as the five-times rescheduled Bikini Kill show. so, you know, priorities.

Karina Rykman’s set was so much fun but we had no idea how good this night’s set was going to be.

This is my tenth time seeing Guster and my wife’s ninth (she couldn’t make the Free at Noon that I went to).  So we pretty much know what to expect at a show by now.

But the guys really mixed it up quite a lot for this one.

In addition to their super fun set design (desk lights suspended from the ceiling all set up with LEDs to glow different colors), they also played a setlist that was totally killer. (more…)

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