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Archive for the ‘Labrador’ Category

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, October 1, 2026)

Posted in Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Labrador, Stiff Little Fingers, Ted Leo, Ted Leo + Pharmacists, The Pogues on October 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: October 1, 2026] Ted Leo & the Pharmacists

I’ve seen Ted Leo four times before this.  Twice with Pharmacists, once solo and once with Aimee Mann for a Christmas show.

I enjoyed his solo show–which was personal and fun and also informative–but when he has the whole band with him, the show explodes.

The band set up and Ted came to the mic and said they were early (it was 9) and they were going to take a few minutes and then come back.  Why did they wait until 9:15 to start?  I have no idea.  The first thing he said was that the Phillies were losing (it was a win or they were out of the playoffs–they lost) and then he told people not to soot the messenger.

He started playing Timorous Me by himself.  And, just like on the record, about half way through the song, the rest of the band came out and the room exploded with sound when they all joined in on time.

I noticed immediately how much bigger and better Ted and the band sounded than Labrador.  And I don’t mean that as an insult to Labrador at all, because I enjoyed their set a lot.  But TL/RX just filled the room in ways that Labrador didn’t.  Is that because the headliners get more time to set up their gear and do soundchecks?  Even in a small place like this?  I have no idea.  But man, TL/RX just filled the room with music.

Ted has been in punk bands, but he has also written slower songs.  But holy cow, these songs were fast and fun and intense and loud and just screamed for everyone to dance.

We were right on the barricade (there was like no one there when we arrived, but it filled in), so we probably didn’t get the best sound–Ted’s vocals were always a little quiet which is shame because his words are so good.  But the energy was undeniable.

I love the way that Ted doesn’t skimp on the sounds of his songs, like the little guitar scratches that start out The Sons of Cain.  There’s few things as fun as the whole band screaming heeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyy (or Caaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnn or whatever they say) at the end.

We were right in front of Ralph Darden and he was so much fun to watch.  He jumped around, played solos and sang backing vocals.  Just a great performer.  Marty Key on bass mostly stood by the big bass speaker but occasionally he came out front to contribute backing vocals.  But his bass sounded amazing. (more…)

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Labrador (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, October 1, 2026) [TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS]

Posted in Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Labrador, Ted Leo + Pharmacists on October 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: October 1, 2026] Labrador

I hadn’t heard of Labrador before this show.  Turns out they are a solid Philly rock band.  Their blurb on bandcamp says Maximum Alt Country which I assumed was a joke as they don’t sound country at all.  But even in the review of their new album, it says “The latest LP from Philadelphia rock quartet Labrador turns up the heat on the alt-country and mod influences forged on their previous records.”  I can certainly hear the mod influences, but I don’t hear any alt country at all.

Especially live, where they rock pretty hard and singer and guitarist Pat King has a powerful rocking voice.  And Steve Kurtz’ drums were simple but punctuated the songs nicely.

And what I really liked, in addition to his pleas for the Phillies to win, was his passionate belief in justice.  As the rest of that blurb says

Labrador are a barn-burning bar band bringing influences from the storied, intersecting legacies of anti-war punk, blues, folk, and soul music into the 21st century. Labrador’s weathered, vintage sound isn’t indicative of a desire to return to some idealized fantasy version of the past, but to learn from the history that created destructive forces dominating the present—worker exploitation, corporate greed, rampant xenophobia, genocide in Palestine.

Their songs are simple.  The three chords of Kill Kill Kill were instantly catchy and the progression to the chorus was obvious but satisfying.  The mix was a little off in the beginning with Kris Hayes’ guitar being a little too loud.  But his solos were really tasty.  We couldn’t reallu hear bassist Will Hochgertel at all–maybe that’s why the set sounded less full that Ted Leo’s.

Later the chords to We Drew Straws was similarly three chords.  But again, catchy and fun.  And then the chorus takes a pointed turn

Shout these words out loud
War crimes for genocide
Cease fire now

A slower song like Slow Down King (where King played acoustic guitar) was really simple but effective

If I’m hollow by the sunrise at least I’ll know I’ve tried
I’m going to keep on fighting I’m gonna fight for what I know is right
I got some people I love in my life who could use me on their side.

They sang a song that was popularized by Joan Baez, No Man is and Island but was actually an old soul song–Labrador certainly reference soul roots, but i didn’t really hear it in this set. (more…)

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