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Archive for the ‘John Baizley’ Category

Commitment (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, March 6, 2026) [BARONESS]

Posted in Baroness, Blood Vulture, Commitment, John Baizley, Philadelphia, PA, Underground Arts on March 7, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 6, 2026] Commitment

I listened to Commitment just before the show and was blown away by the band’s old school hardcore punk sound.  And that the singer was a woman (not all that common in hardcore).  The woman is Tati Salazar who can scream with an unparalleled fury.   I noticed that the guitarist from Soul Glo was standing in the back of the stage, and that made even more sense when I found out that the drummer is Soul Glo vocalist Pierce Jordan.  And he is a beast on the drums!  Holy cow he is fast and loud.

Guitarist Jake Smith (of Eye Flys, who I do not know) was on the far side of the stage and bassist Zach Bailey, was in front of me.  Bailey was fascinating to watch because his bass work was excellent, but he did not fit the part–he looked a little like Peter Parker in the early Spiderman movies.  He also wore a black latex glove on his left hand–how did it not get ripped on the strings that he was sliding all over?  The last time I saw someone wearing those gloves on stage was also at UA when Damien from Fucked Up said that he had cut his hand and the glove was for protection.  If Bailey cut his hand, it didn’t impact his playing at all.

The band came out and exploded all over the stage.  It was no-frills hardcore punk with almost no song reaching the two-minute mark (except for one longer song).  Now, I couldn’t understand a lot of what Tati was singing, but her energy and intensity made it pretty clear what the songs were generally about. (more…)

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Blood Vulture (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, March 6, 2026) [BARONESS]

Posted in Baroness, Blood Vulture, Commitment, John Baizley, Philadelphia, PA, Underground Arts on March 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 6, 2026] Blood Vulture

I had not heard of Blood Vulture before this show was announced.  I listened to their record and was kind of surprised at just how much they sounded like Alice in Chains.  Singer Jordan Olds sounded quite a lot like Layne Staley, almost shockingly so.  It’s possible that it was a combination of his voice and the backing vocalist(s) who really made this comparison, but it was unavoidable.  They are a bit heavier and groovier on record.  And live, the Alice in Chains delivery is pretty much gone.  But the energy remained.

I didn’t know anything about Blood Vulture or Jordan Olds who is also known as Gwarsenio Hall from his popular YouTube series, ‘Two Minutes to Late Night.”  During the Baroness set, John Baizley said that they had been on Jordan’s show a number of times.

I was initially turned off by Jordan because he did that thing where opening bands demand that people dance (and circle pit) to their music.  I’m not convinced that anyone can insist on a pit–they should form organically.  Anyhow, I didn’t love his attitude, but I quickly learned that he’s pretty funny and whatever these songs are about, he told us that each song was “about sucking blood!”

Their drummer was fantastic, and indeed, everyone in the band was great.  I loved the sound of the bass.  The lead guitarist played some great solos and they keyboardist sang great backing vocals too.  Although the recording was all done by Jordan, so there was no introduction of the band members. (more…)

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Baroness: Red & Blue (Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA, December 15 & 16, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Baroness, John Baizley, Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA on December 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: December 15 & 16, 2024] Baroness

Three years ago, Baroness played three nights at Kung Fu Necktie.  I was able to get to one of the shows and it’s the only time I’ve seen them play.  This year, they announced that they were going to play all of their Red and Blue albums at Kung Fu Necktie.  The first show was announced, but I already had tickets to Strand of Oaks that night.

(Incidentally, it’s because of Strand of Oaks that I know Baroness at all)

Back in 2017 I saw Strand of Oaks play Union Transfer.  Toward the end of the set Tim Showalter called John Baizley on stage.  I didn’t know who he was but I was taken by his look (bald with a big beard) and his terrific voice (and guitar playing).  Turns out he’s the main force behind Baroness (he draws/paints all of the cover art, too).  I got into Baroness and wanted to see them live.

So I stuck with Strand of Oaks and them moments later they announced a SECOND show the following night.  And that night happened to be the night of our big cookie party, which meant that there was no way I was going to go.

I hoped hoped hoped that they’d announce a third night (like last time).  I even asked them on their IG account of they could add a third night (like last time) but it never happened.

This is something like the fifth time that I have NOT seen them for one reason or another.  I do hope to see them in a full sized venue some day.  We’ll see.

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Baroness: Your Baroness Tour (Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA, December 12, 2021)

Posted in Baroness, John Baizley, Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA, Strand of Oaks on December 12, 2021| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: December 12, 2021] Baroness: Your Baroness Tour

Back in 2017 I saw Strand of Oaks play Union Transfer.  Toward the end of the set Tim Showalter called John Baizley on stage.  I didn’t know who he was but I was taken by his look (bald with a big beard) and his terrific voice (and guitar playing).  Turns out he’s the main force behind Baroness (he draws/paints all of the cover art, too).  I got into Baroness and wanted to see them live.

Since then I’d had a few chances to see them, all of which were dashed or one reason or another.  I did get to see an acoustic performance when they put their last album out in 2019, but that’s not the same, obviously.

Finally, Baroness announced the Your Baroness tour–a tour of small clubs which would feature an all-request set.  And the three (!) Philly shows (where Baroness is based) would be at Kung Fu Necktie, a club I’d never been to but always wanted to check out.  (It has about 100 person capacity, so…intimate show!). (more…)

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Against Me! / Baroness / Drug Church (Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA, May 30, 2020) [CANCELLED]

Posted in Against Me!, Baroness, Cancelled, Coronavirus, Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, Dilly Dally, John Baizley, Quarantine, Sherman Theater, Strand of Oaks, Stroudsburg, PA on May 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »

[CANCELLED: May 30, 2020] Against Me! / Baroness / Drug Church

indexI had a ticket to see Against Me! on their “2 Nights / 4 Records / 48 Songs,” tour.

I was mostly interested in seeing Dilly Dally who was opening, but I thought it would be interesting to see Against Me! as well. My night was for the White Crosses/Transgender Dysphoria Blues albums.  I actually don’t know those newer albums (I have New Wave), but I was interested in hearing them.

This show seemed like a good opportunity to check them out

But the main reason I wanted to go to this show was for Baroness.

I saw ‎John Baizley play with Strand of Oaks a few years ago and he was a great addition.  I hadn’t heard his band, but I immediately had to check them out.  I really liked them.  Last year I got to see and meet Baroness at an in store performance at Vintage Vinyl, but seeing Baroness acoustic in a record store (as cool as it was) is nothing like seeming them as full band in concert.

Unfortunately their Philly stop was at the Decibel Metal & Beer Fest that had a good line up but sounded like a nightmare, honestly.  But when they set up the rest of their dates, they didn’t do Philly again.

I don’t know Drug Church, but I’ve read that their sound mixes hardcore punk with alternative rock and grunge.  I listened to their song “Avoidarama” (love the name) and I really liked it (it’s far more grunge than hardcore and no screaming vocals).  “Grubby” has a bit more punk elements, and I liked it too.  I hope they tour with them when this gets rescheduled.

This show in Stroudsburg is the closest their were coming and even though they weren’t headlining (double headliner, I guess) it was the best I could do.  I’ve never been to a show in Stroudsburg before and I was curious how the commute there would compare to Philly.  But I’ve heard the Sherman Theater is really nice.

Since this show was at the end of May, I was counting it as a sort of holding out hopes for shows to not get cancelled.  But better safe than sorry.

 

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Strand of Oaks [Winter Classic V, Night 1] (Boot and Saddle, Philadelphia, PA, December 12, 2019)

Posted in Beck, Boot & Saddle, Carl Broehmel, Joe Pug, John Baizley, Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner, Philadelphia, PA, Phish, Pink Floyd, Songs: Ohia, Strand of Oaks on December 12, 2019| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: December 12, 2019] Strand of Oaks

In 2016, Timothy Showalter played his second Strand of Oaks Winter Classic at Boot and Saddle.  I got a ticket for the third night, not really knowing what to expect.

It turned out to be a fantastic night of music and togetherness.

I missed the next year but went last year to Winter Classic IV.  Which was also great.

There was no way I was going miss Winter Classic V.  This year I went for the first night of the three.

The other two shows had opening acts announced, but there was none announced for my night.

I didn’t think we’d get an extra long show (Tim doesn’t do extra long shows).  Instead we got a cool improv by his partner for the night, Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner. (more…)

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Strand of Oaks (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, March 10, 2017)

Posted in Baroness, Eliza Hardy Jones, Jason Anderson, John Baizley, Philadelphia, PA, Strand of Oaks, Tim Showalter, Twin Limb, Union Transfer on March 10, 2017| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 10, 2017] Strand of Oaks

Back in December I saw Strand of Oaks at Boot and Saddle.  It was just Tim Showalter and Jason Anderson and they were great.  It was very intimate, it was the third night of a three night stint and everyone was loose and having fun.

At the show, they were selling tickets this March appearance at Union Transfer–which was going to be the whole band.  So I decided to get a ticket that night, for a good comparison.

While waiting for the band to come on, I wound up talking to a bunch of people who were huge fans.  I found out that his previous keyboardist was Eliza Hardy Jones who has since gone solo rather successfully–she was evidently at XPNFest last year, when we were there.  One lady told me that the last time she saw Strand of Oaks, Showalter stage dove right where she was standing (which is where I was standing).  The guy she was with said that last time he saw them, they opened with “Cinnamon Girl,” and they talked about how this was a hometown show and he would go all out–especially since the venue was far more filled than the previous time. (more…)

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