Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

An Evening With Band of Horses (Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ, April 15, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Band of Horses, Montclair, NJ, Wellmont Theater on April 15, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 15, 206] An Evening With Band of Horses

My wife and I saw Band of Horses here about a year and a half ago.  The show was great.  When this show was announced, our friend Jonathan who lives nearby asked if we were going.  But it turned out we were going to The Last Dinner Party already on this night.  So we had gotten tickets for Philly.

We actually know a lot of people who went to this show and the consensus was that the sound was pretty bad.  So I guess we picked the right one (even if we didn’t actually have a choice). The did play two songs tonight that they didn’t for us (NW Apt. and Cigarettes, Wedding Bands) but I still think we got the better show.

Read Full Post »

Sunn O))) (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, April 11, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Sunn O))), Union Transfer, Venom on April 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 11, 2026] Sunn O)))

I saw Sunn 0))) in 2017.

It was a pretty intense and amazing experience.  I didn’t think I would need to see them again, but when this tour was announced, I figured that roughly ten years was enough time between shows.

Sadly, t was scheduled for the same night that I had a ticket to see The Belair Lip Bombs.  Since this was their first time coming to the States and it was at the terrific PhilaMOCA, I decided to give Sunn O))) a miss.  However, I did consider that I might be able to sneak into the end of their set and catch maybe ten or fifteen minutes since my show was two bands with a small catalog of music.

My friend Jae went to the Sunn O))) show and I told him to text me when it ended.

I wasn’t sure how I would ask to get in to see the last few minutes of the show–if they’d make me pay or what.  But it was all moot.  Sunn O))) had no opener, and their set ended roughly at the same time as mine did.  He also laughed that they played the audio of banter from a Venom show.  Hilarious.

Jae said the show was great and I hope they come back again in a couple of years.

Here’s the clip that Sunn played (hilarious)

Read Full Post »

Laveda (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, April 11, 2026) [THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS]

Posted in dust, Laveda, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, The Belair Lip Bombs on April 11, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 11, 2026] Laveda

I hadn’t heard of Laveda, but when I listened to them before the show I was interested in their take on 90s grunge.  Then, as I was leaving the house, I saw that they were going to go on at 7:30 instead of 8.  But I wasn’t going to be arriving until like 8:45, so I was bummed to miss them.

However, traffic was light and for one reason or another the band didn’t go on until 7:45, so I was able to see their whole set and was right up near the stage.  Laveda is from Brooklyn.  They were founded by Ali Genevich (guitar, vocals) and Jacob Brooks (guitars and effects).

They opened with Strawberry, a heavy, crashing song with tons of distortion and feedback.  It was a great introduction to the band.  Ali sang all of the songs and had a quiet delivery that suited the songs.

When it ended, they played a noisy and lengthy feedback filled section. Brooks was on his needs playing with the effects pedals and generating feedback.  The noise resolved into the song Care.  It was this song that full won me over.  *’s guitar chords were great and reminded me a lot of Sonic Youth (their more commercial songs).  The bass was also great–a rumbling low end that propelled the song as much as the drums.  The song rocks for a solid 4 minutes and then ends with a very pretty quiet guitar part.  I actually assumed this was a new song, but I see it’s the end of Care, which makes me like the song even more. (more…)

Read Full Post »

The Belair Lip Bombs [FREE AT NOON] (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia Pa, April 10, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Free at Noon, Philadelphia, PA, The Belair Lip Bombs, World Cafe Live on April 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 10, 2026] The Belair Lip Bombs [FREE AT NOON]

I really liked Hey You from The Belair Lip Bombs.  I was pretty excited to get a ticket to see them tomorrow night at PhilaMOCA.  Especially since it sold out pretty quickly.  Then they announced a Free at Noon for the day before the show (they were playing a show in NYC tonight, so they drove back and forth with all of their gear.

I grabbed a ticket because I thought that maybe I’d skip the PhilaMOCA show and go to see Sunn0))) on Saturday instead.  But I was busy that morning and didn’t feel like hauling ass all the way down to Philly especially since I had a ticket to their show.

So I blew this one off.  Interestingly, they played 9 songs at the Free at Noon and 11 songs at the PhilaMOCA show.  Huh.

You can hear their set here.

Read Full Post »

Art Brut: Band Bang Rock n Roll plus hits / Party Nerves (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, April 6, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Art Brut, Johnny Brenda's, Party Nerves, Philadelphia, PA on April 6, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 6, 2026] Art Brut: Band Bang Rock n Roll plus hits / Party Nerves

We had returned from Minnesota on Sunday and this show was the following night.  I loved this album (and the follow up) when this came out.  Eddie Argos was a weird but fun frontman.  I thought about getting a ticket for this but I had so many shows lines up the previous week that I just opted not to get one.  But since I had cancelled those shows while in MN, I thought that I would grab a last minute ticket for this one (which had not sold out yet).

But earlier in the day I went to the knee doctor for some pain and he gave me a cortisone shot.  It hurt so much that evening that there was absolutely no way I would have been able to tolerate standing for the show.  (The shot felt much better by the following night).  So I’m glad I didn’t buy a ticket even though I’m sure it was a fun show.

I’ve seen Party Nerves open for other bands three times.  I was delighted to think I could have seen them a 4th time without really meaning to.  They are a great.  As I’d said before:

All three members are super in tune with each other, but fairly or unfairly, most of the attention has to go to guitarist Woolly since he’s the one playing the lightning fast, non-stop surf guitar riffs. Yup, rocking surf guitar that reminds me of Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet (the band who made The Kids in the Hall theme song), although listening to them this time, they have more urgency and intensity that Shadowy’s laid back vibe).

Read Full Post »

Circle Jerks / Gorilla Biscuits / Negative Approach (Archer Music Hall, Allentown, PA. March 31, 2026 // Theatre of Living Arts (TLA), Philadelphia, PA, April 3 & 4, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Circle Jerks, Gigi Perez, Gorilla Biscuits, Negative Approach, Nikole, Philadelphia, PA, Theatre of Living Arts on April 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 31, April 3, April 4, 2026] Circle Jerks / Gorilla Biscuits / Negative Approach

I liked a lot of 80s punks, but I was never really into Circle Jerks.  I mean, they were legends of course, but for whatever reason I never got their music.  When these shows were announced I was actually surprised that Circle Jerks were still a thing.  Actually, I guess they are once again a thing.  They tend to reunite and then stop and reunite and stop.  They’ve been touring now since 2019 (but haven’t released any new music since 1995).  I Really did consider going to this show. I mean, it’s the Circle Jerks after all.  And they were playing THREE dates.  But I was completely shut out on all of these dates.

The March 31 date was the same night as The Teeth who I didn’t want to miss.  April 3 I had tickets to Puscifer and April 4th I had tickets to Nothing.  And then we wound up going to  Minnesota the first few days of April, so I wouldn’t have been able to go anyway.

I’m not sure what an old school punk show like this would be like–is it all old punks in a pit or is it all young kids in a pit an old guys standing around.  I mean I do love seeing that they played 31 songs in roughly an hour–nice old school punk.  And since they played two dates in Philly, they probably won’t come back around any time soon.  Oh well.  Not a bucket list band, but it would have been fun.

All I know about Gorilla Biscuits is that I bought their Start Today CD in college and it had 99 tracks, which was a really fun at the time.  I hadn’t really thought about them much since then, and was kind of surprised to see that they were touring (which I guess they have been doing since 2005?).  They have released no new music since Start Today (1988).  So I guess their shows aren’t very different each night.  I’m not sure I would have recognized many of the songs but it would have been fun to see them too.  They played about 40 minutes (not bad since they released about 30 minutes of music)

Negative Approach is yet another hardcore band who is still around but who hasn’t out out new music since their debut album Tied Down (1983).  I’m aware of the band but really know very little about them.  Unlike the other three bands, when they started playing again in 2006, only the singer remained–everyone else was new.  But it’s the same guys since 2006 which is longer than the original incarnation lasted (1981-1984).  They played for about 30 minutes)

It sounds like a fun night of old school punk and I wish I’d been able to go.

Read Full Post »

Wax Jaw / KulfiGirls / Lash Out (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, April 4, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, KulfiGirls, Lash Out, Philadelphia, PA, Wax Jaw on April 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 4, 2026] Wax Jaw / KulfiGirls / Lash Out

I was such a huge fan of Wax Jaw and I wanted to see them every chance I got.  And then for some reason, I wasn’t that excited about this show.  Have I outgrown them?  I don’t know.  Maybe it’s because I already had a ticket to a different show that night that I wasn’t thinking about this show too much.  Of coure, we wound up going to Minnesota so I wouldn’t have been able to go anyhow.

KulfiGirls are a Philadelphia-based rock band fronted by lead vocalist Abi Natesh who, through her use of the South Indian Saraswati veena, presents a novel “carnatic rock” sound inspired by diverse genres of pop and rock. 

I hadn’t heard of them, but holy cow I would have absolutely gone to this show for KulfiGirls.  Their mix of South Indian music and indie rock is really exciting and interesting.  And Abi’s voice is fantastic.  I’m going to have to check them out.

Lash Out is a Philadelphia band made up of Taylor and Tessa.  They are very low-fi and their songs are really short (on bandcamp, they do a cover of Big Lizard in My Backyard).  Also on their bandcamp is a collection of demos and their debut album Lash Out (which doesn’t sound much more polished than the demos.  Their songs are simple and short and decidedly DIY.

Read Full Post »

Nothing / Full Body 2 / Cryogeyser / Violent Magic Orchestra (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, April 4, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Cryogeyser, Full Body, Full Body 2, Nothing, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer, Violent Magic Orchestra on April 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 4, 2026] Nothing / Full Body 2 / Cryogeyser / Violent Magic Orchestra

I don’t fall for a lot of hype about things.  But when Union Transfer hypes an upcoming show, I often check out the band.  They especially like to hype Philly bands (which makes sense) and I feel like I had been very lax on my Philly music knowledge.  Nothing is a band that I probably should have known but didn’t.  And it turns out I’ve had a few opportunities to see them.  They opened for Boris on the one tour  that I missed and they hosted or helmed Slide Away Philadelphia, which was an all day shoegaze event.  I would have loved every band but a whole day would have been too much.

At the time I wrote

They’ve been around for almost fifteen years. Everything I’ve listened to from them has been quite good.  They tend to veer into the more creepy and less heavy side of shoegaze.

Full Body 2 (odd name that) is also from Philly.  They sound a lot more like My Bloody Valentine than other contemporary shoegaze bands–the vocals are really buried and there’s some interesting synth sounds.

IndexYear0001.com explains the name

Full Body 2 are a band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania made up of Cassidy Rose Hammond, Dylan Vaisey, & Jack Chaffer.

Full Body 2 is a sequel to the band Full Body, which included Hammond and Vaisey. Full Body 2 have a dense, shoegaze sound which they combine with aspects of electronic genres like breakcore and digi-core as well as rendered futuristic aesthetics.

Opener Cryogeyser says this about themselves on their bandcamp: “Three piece from Los Angeles. Cute.”

Flood Magazine writes that

 Distortion and reverb are their friends, but none of their music feels consumed or overwhelmed by such effects. A mix of dreampop, shoegaze, and grunge, the LA-based trio balance their stone-heavy rhythmic section of bassist Hunter Martinez and drummer McCoy Kirgo with the swirling melodies and heaven-reaching vocals of singer-guitarist Shawn Marom.

Their music is quite stark and spare, though for all the reverb.  There’s also a sense of 50s girl group about them.  I’d be curious to see how that translates live.

I hadn’t heard of Violent Magic Orchestra who are from Japan.

The Wire says this “Osaka based six piece fuses black metal aesthetics with the endorphin rush of peak time hard trance and gabber”

And the blurb on their bandcamp pages says

After touring the globe showcasing their A/V moshpit-inducing live show, they are revealing their new musical creations to an unsuspecting public. Never Sleep are proud to present a landmark moment in the Japanese hardcore new rave scene.
The blinding lights of DEATH RAVE point to an untraveled journey, a sci-fi fusion of black metal, gabber, cyberpunk, performance art and techno.

I have no idea how they wound up on this shoegaze bill and their live show sounds pretty amazing.  They are more glitchy/noisy than the other bands, but I would love to see what their love show is like.

We were in Minnesota for this show.  I hadn’t been all that excited about this show because I’d forgotten what Nothing sounded like, but as soon as I listened to them again I remembered how much I liked them and how much this whole evening would have been awesome.

Read Full Post »

Puscifer / Dave Hill (Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem, PA, April 3, 3026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Bethlehem, PA, Dave Hill, Puscifer, Wind Creek Event Center on April 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 3, 3026] Puscifer / Dave Hill

I saw Puscifer this past summer as part of a triple bill with Primus and A Perfect Circle.  I didn’t know much about Puscifer except that it was one of Maynard Keenan’s bands.  But their live show was so great that when they announced this tour, I immediately grabbed a ticket to the Bethlehem show–Bethlehem?  Amazing.

But this show also fell within our Minnesota trip dates.  So I would miss this one too.  There were really some special shows to be missed in these few days.  Alas.

I saw Dave Hill open for Kevin McDonald Superstar.  HE was really funny and was a great guitar player as well.  I was really looking forward to seeing him too.  Interestingly Dave played at a small venue in Frenchtown (a venue I have yet to go to even though it is so close).   But that show was on the same night as my Baroness show. So, no luck for me.

Read Full Post »

Madison Cunningham / Annika Bennett (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, April 2, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Annika Bennett, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Madison Cunningham on April 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 2, 2026] Madison Cunningham / Annika Bennett 

I saw Madison Cunningham and Juana Molina play together at Ardmore two years ago and I was blown away by her unique style and cool guitar playing.  She was far more of a delightful weirdo than I imagined. And I really looked forward to seeing her again.  When she announced this show at Ardmore I was torn because I really wanted to see Dirty Three.  And of course, given the rarity of a Dirty Three show, I was going to see them.

And then I found out that her new album Ace, was if not entirely, then at least mostly, performed on the piano.  And that’s cool and all, but I wanted to see her on guitar.  And yes, it’s very cool that she mixes things up, but since I never got to see her do Hospital the normal way, I would have been slightly disappointed in the new arrangement (even though the video below shows that it’s really cool).  I guess the point is that Madison Cunningham is going to put o a cool show no matter what she does.  So next time she comes around, it’s worth going.

Annika Bennett is a New York/Nashville singer. Her bio is interesting and I guess she’s been playing music for a long time in divergent styles.  Sadly, she has settled on a style that fueses pop concision, country clarity and indie introspection.  So a folksinger, basically.

 

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »