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Archive for the ‘Zeta’ Category

Rx Bandits (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, March 13, 2025)

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Rx Bandits, Zeta on March 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 13, 2025] Rx Bandits

So I didn’t know Rx Bandits at all.  When they started this tour last year (and played Philly), I skipped it even though I wanted to see Zeta.

But in the year since, I listened to this album and found that I liked it quite a bit.  And U still wanted to see Zeta, so I grabbed a ticket and investigated Rx Bandits more.

Rx Bandits had a simple set up–two guitars (singer Matt Embree & Steve Choi), a bass (Matthew Fazzi) and drums (Christopher Tsagakis).  And for a couple of songs they even brought out some horns (trombone: Andrew Borstein & saxophone: Dennis Passley).

This was a tour for their album The Resignation, which they played straight through.  I didn’t realize that they were initially a ska band and that they had morphed into something else over the years.

The band is tight and energetic and they rocked the venue (the crowd was nuts–I was on the barrier and was fairly safe).  They brought out the horns for Prophetic (and played the slow denouement that segued into Newsstand Rock. (more…)

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Zeta (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, March 13, 2025) [RX BANDITS]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Rx Bandits, Zeta on March 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 22, 2024] Zeta

I was not familiar with Rx Bandits when they announced this show.  Indeed the only reason I was interested in this show at all was because Zeta was announced as the opener.

I had seen Zeta once and they blew me away. I would do just about anything to see them again.  So if just going to Asbury Park is the requirement, I was there.

I bought this ticket from the box office (always fun), although I had never really heard of the RX Bandits.  I was psyched to see Zeta.

Imagine my surprise then, when they announced another show in January–this one headlining.  So I got to see them in Jan and then again in March.  And this show was very different.

Well, not very different.  But quite different.  For one thing the stage was huge.  At the Foto Club, they were crammed around the drum kit.  Here, they all had space to move around.  But the focus, as always was on drummer Chino Sandoval–front and center and a whirling maniac.  They are still touring their fantastic new album, and I’m not entirely sure what they played from it.

I’m assuming the first two songs were the same as last time, but after that, I lost track.  I feel like the set was a little different because at one point Juan Chi stepped away from the mic and literally just screamed the vocals into the crowd.  There was some chatter before that but as soon as he started singing like that everyone was silent (even though I believe he was singing in Spanish).

As always, Antonio Pereira loomed behind the drums with his awesome bass sound.

Daniel Hernandez was on the other side of the stage.  He rapped a song and I’m fairly certain he sang part of Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine.  I admit that their sound was a little fuzzy (opening act problems) and they were really loud.  So I didn’t really understand a lot of what they were singing (it being mostly Spanish as well).  But the intensity is unmatched.

After every few songs, the crowd around me roared it’s approval, with a few “holy shit” moments.   This was especially true the two times that Chi hopped on the bongos and Hernandez played his own small drum kit.  It’s all percussion and bass, playing rhythmically and it’s awesome.

Sadly I’ll never know what the set list was, but it doesn’t matter.  I loved the show, Iloved that they clearly won over new fans and it was especially cool that two of the guys remembered me from January when we chatted for a little while.

 

2025 Asbury Lanes 2025 Foto Club 2023 Underground Arts
¿Por qué cargamos el peso de la melancolía del mundo entero sobre nosotros? £ ¿Por qué cargamos el peso de la melancolía del mundo entero sobre nosotros? £ La flor de la palabra @
¿Por qué sentimos la necesidad de romper con todo? £ Completar ∞
Privilege ¿ La flor del tiempo @
La flor de la palabra @ El Canto de La Victoria @
Completar ∞ Afrontar ∞
La flor del tiempo @ Sufrir ∞
Steps ¿ Magia infinita ∞
The Truth ¿
Yo el peor de todos (somos cosmos) XXV §
Shadows ¿
The Wild ¿
unknown setlist Magia infinita ∞

 

¿ Was It Medicine to You? (2025)
@ Todo Bailarlo (2022)
∞ Magia infinita (2018)/reissued 2024
£ L’Antiteoria del Todo (2016)
§ single (2013)

 

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Zeta (Foto Club, Philadelphia, PA, January 16, 2025)

Posted in Foto Club, Lobby Boxer, Philadelphia, PA, Skullpresser, Zeta on January 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 16, 2025] Zeta

I saw Zeta open for Sparta in 2023 and I as blown away by them.  I knew I’d want to see them again and since my son was home, I dragged him along to see a band he’d never heard of.

Before the first band came on, Zeta was setting up the merch and we had a long chat with drummer Chino Sandoval, who was super friendly and excited to show off the new merch.

We waited on the main floor for Zeta to come on, but when I looked to see what was happening, there was a massive wall of tall people standing in front of the stage already!  (including Bear from mannequin Pussy and GG from Soul Glo!).

It sucked that I couldn’t see them very well, but the sound was great.

Unlike the two previous bands, all four members crowded onto the little stage.

Zeta opened the song with two songs from their fantastic album Because I don’t speak great Spanish and couldn’t really hear the words that well, I assumed they played the whole record (which is about 20 minutes long). (more…)

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Lobby Boxer (Foto Club, Philadelphia, PA, January 16, 2025) [ZETA]

Posted in Foto Club, Lobby Boxer, Philadelphia, PA, Skullpresser, Zeta on January 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 16, 2025] Zeta

I had never heard of Lobby Boxer (which is now one of my favorite band names to say) and I was surprised to find that they’d been around for ten years.

Like for Skullpresser, lead singer and amazing guitarist Zach Fendelman was in the floor with us, while the rest of the band was a few feet back on the “stage” (which may be elevated a couple of inches, if that).

The band was originally a trio with drummer Max Sandza and bassist Andrew Gurney (who is not afraid to play some cool basslines).  In 2020, they added second guitarist Jack Catalanotto who also plays wicked guitar lines.

As they opened, Fendelman played a quiet guitar while Catalanotto played a lead.  Fendelman sang quietly but after about a minute, the band blasted off and Fendelman sang in a great soaring emo style.  This was when I noticed that Gurney’s bass wasn’t simply following the chord pattern (which I love).  But after about two minutes the song took a kind of metal twist (Fendelman and Sandza’s first band was a metal band) and then switched back to the way the song started–but it ended with some serious guitar solo shredding.

So, in one song they threw in several different styles.  And they kept it up throughout the night–mixing all kinds of styles into one song, all held together by Fendelman’s excellent voice. (more…)

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Skullpresser (Foto Club, Philadelphia, PA, January 16, 2025) [ZETA]

Posted in Foto Club, Lobby Boxer, Mannequin Pussy, Philadelphia, PA, Skullpresser, The Wonder Years, Zeta on January 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: January 16, 2025] Skullpresser

Skullpresser was a later addition to this show.  For the longest time it was TBA.  When they were listed I had to look them up and was pretty surprised to see that they are a Philly supergroup of sorts with each of the members in other bands.  The one I knew the best was Colins “Bear” Regisford from Mannequin Pussy on bass.  Another famous name is The Wonder Years‘ Mike Kennedy on drums (I know they are quite big but I actually don’t know them at all).  I’d never heard of the other two bands involved.  One Dead Three Wounded‘s Sam Tropio is on guitar and Burdens is represented by Jared Birdseye on lead vocals and Dan Zimmerman on guitar.

I had also never been to Foto Club before and I’ll say that it might be my favorite small club in Philly!  The venue is cool and weird (a private club–whatever that means) with free pool tables and the venue upstairs.  It holds about 200 people and the floor is lit by LED lights.

When Skullpresser started, Jared Birdseye was on the floor with us.

They were tight and heavy (kind of a metal/hardcore blend). I couldn’t understand too many of the words, but the titles made the meaning obvious. (more…)

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Zeta / Cold Court / Sweet Pill (Ukie Club, Philadelphia, PA, May 20, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Cold Court, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Sweet Pill, Zeta on May 20, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 20, 2024] Zeta / Cold Court / Sweet Pill  

I was really excited when this show was announced (although not the reason it was an announced).*  But this week appears to be the week that I had many shows lined up and things keep coming up to prevent me from going.

So, as my day unfolded, it was pretty clear that i wouldn’t be able to go to the show.

And with this line up, I’m sure it was intense and amazing.  In fact, it may have been a little too intense for me in that small space.  The last time I went to the Ukie club there was some serious dancing and right now I am not up for the pit.  So maybe it was better for me to not be there. (more…)

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Rx Bandits / Zeta (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, March 22, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Rx Bandits, Union Transfer, Zeta on March 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 22, 2024] Rx Bandits / Zeta

I was not familiar with Rx Bandits when they announced this show.  Indeed the only reason I was interested in this show at all was because Zeta was announced as the opener.

I had seen Zeta once and they blew me away. I would do just about anything to see them again.

But this show, which is right in the middle of a bunch of other shows that I’m going to, was just too much.

When I read about this tour, though it did make me think two or three times about whether I should go.  There’s only a handful of shows, and I always feel special when I am able t o go to a little tour like this. (more…)

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Sparta : Wiretap Scars 20th Celebration Tour (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, August 1, 2023)

Posted in Geoff Rickley, Philadelphia, PA, Sparta, Thursday, Underground Arts, Venezuela, Zeta on August 3, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: August 1, 2023] Sparta

Since 2020 I have had four opportunities to see Sparta. Two were cancelled because of the pandemic.  One saw them opening for Get Up Kids (a show I was interested in, but not enough to go) and now this one.  And while those two cancelled shows were probably good, seeing them for this one was undoubtedly better.

Sparta formed out of the breakup of At the Drive-In (Mars Volta was also formed from that breakup).  Sparta sounded more like ATDI because the songs were short and punky, even though Cedric the lead singer went on to Mars Volta.  Guitarist Jim Ward sings lead on Sparta songs and his voice is unique and sounds just as great as it did when Wiretap Scars came out twenty years ago.

The band came out–a trio now–with Matt Miller on bass and Neil Hennessy on drums. Jim Ward stood on the far side of the stage (not too far away) and the band launched into the album.

It was great to hear these songs live.  I hadn’t listened to the album in quite awhile, although I did listen to it a week ago to refamiliarize myself.  And I remembered how much i loved at least half of the album.  And the rest I enjoyed.  Hearing (and feeling) the guitar riffs and the excellent bass lines was fantastic.

The crowd wasn’t as dense as I would have thought and there was surprisingly, no mosh pit (which I appreciated).

The whole album sounded great–fresh and new and really great live. (more…)

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Geoff Rickly (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, August 1, 2023) [SPARTA]

Posted in Geoff Rickley, Philadelphia, PA, Sparta, Thursday, Underground Arts, Venezuela, Zeta on August 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: August 1, 2023] Geoff Rickly

Geoff Rickly is the singer for Thursday, a band from New Jersey who I had never even heard of when I saw them open for My Chemical Romance last year.

I wasn’t really looking forward to his set (I would have missed this one if he was first), because I didn’t love the Thursday set.  It was fine and I may have liked it more if I was closer.  But it was fine.

However, as a solo performer, Rickly was fantastic.  He told little stories before each song.  He said that since Thursday torued with Sparta 20 years ago, he was going to play mostly Thursday songs (instead of his solo songs).

I didn’t know any of them, and at first I didn’t think the set would be that enjoyable, but he put so much passion into his singing that “Time’s Arrow” blew me away.  He had lots of fans in the audience who knew all the words and it was fun to hear them singing along.

He told us about a lawsuit that the band faced back ten years ago or so that cost them $100,000 which they did not have.  So they wound up doing a lot more shows to make some money.  They even did an “emo cruise.”  He said that he had written a solo osng which he thought was perfect and after the show the Captain of the theater told him to never play that song on a ship again. (more…)

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Zeta (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, August 1, 2023) [SPARTA]

Posted in Geoff Rickley, Philadelphia, PA, Sparta, Thursday, Underground Arts, Venezuela, Zeta on August 1, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: August 1, 2023] Zeta

Zeta (pronounced Zeh-tuh) is a band “of immigrants from Venezuela” as they put it.  They are now based in the U.S. trying to deal with the immigration deal.

I had listened to a little of their music before the show and I was absolutely intrigued.  I arrived just before 7:30 but they had already started by the time I came in.  I don’t think I missed too much, but as I got to the stage, the band was in full flight.

There were four members of the band.  As I walked in Juan Chi (Juan Ricardo Yilo) was whaling lead guitar and singing.  Right in the front of the stage was drummer Eduardo Sandoval.  He was front and center because this is a band that loves drums.

The wall of sound was really loud, but not harsh.  Sandoval was a maniac on the kit–it was amazing to have such a fun drummer right in the front of the stage.  Standing behind him was bassist Antonio Pereira.  Pereira was the one constant through the set–his bass was fast and steady keeping the song moving forward and also keeping it in perfect time.  He kept everybody moving. (more…)

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