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Archive for the ‘Venues’ Category

Polo Perks <3<3<3 (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, March 5, 2025) [THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE]

Posted in Kassie Krut, Palm, Philadelphia, PA, Polo Perks <3<3<3, The Spirit of the Beehive, Union Transfer on March 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: March 5, 2025] Polo Perks ❤ ❤ ❤ [rescheduled from November 9, 2024]

I saw The Spirit of the Beehive seven years ago and they were outstanding live.  Here it was all this time later and I was able to see them again.

Originally, the opening band was Kassie Krut, but sometime more recently they added Polo Perks ❤ ❤ ❤ to the roster.

I’d never heard of him and didn’t know if the ❤ was part of his name (it is) or if it’s supposed to be three asses or what (I still don’t).  Apparently, he is a NYC drill pioneer.

His DJ came out first, set up a folding table, laid down a laptop and a mic and started a beat.  Then Polo Perks came out on stage.  His DJ tried to get everyone really hyped up.  I was at the barrier and couldn’t see who was behind me.  But the guy next to me knew a lot of the words. (more…)

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Nish Kumar in “Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe” (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, March 2, 2025)

Posted in Amy Annette, Nish Kumar, Philadelphia, PA, Taskmaster, Underground Arts on March 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 2, 2025] Nish Kumar

I know Nish Kumar from Taskmaster, where he was hilarious.  I have since grown to love him from his appearances on various podcasts, including his own Pod Save the UK.

When he announced that he was touring the US and playing Philly, I grabbed my wife and I tickets immediately.

And holy crap was he funny.  He ranted for 90 minutes and we never stopped laughing the whole time.

Most of his material is political (and there’s so much to choose from in 2025), but there were also personal observations (his poor therapist gets mentioned A LOT), and even a joke or two about his fridge and his mom.

In his current tour, he is upfront with how his therapist warned him against discussing traumatic unprocessed memories on stage, saying that re-telling unprocessed memories can re-traumatise you.

What’s his comedy like?  It’s fast, angry and very funny.  Think Lewis Black but less deranged sounding.  He’s also got a wonderful outsiders perspective on the US that can make you see thinks a little differently, although as he points out, his radical left wing base probably sees things this way already.  But, as a Brown person, he brings a whole new perspective on, well everything.

Like how Indians should be pleased that they are getting represented in politics, even though these people are the worst representatives of their culture who routinely abuse and put down their own people. (more…)

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Amy Annette (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, March 2, 2025) [NISH KUMAR]

Posted in Amy Annette, Nish Kumar, Philadelphia, PA, Taskmaster, Underground Arts on March 2, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 2, 2025] Amy Annette

I didn’t know if Nish Kumar would have an opening act.  Since the show was starting at 9PM (!) on a Sunday night, I hoped he didn’t.

But then I remembered that comedy opening acts aren’t the same as concert opening acts.  They don’t stay on for all that long and there isn’t a 30 minute gap between performers.

So when Amy Annette was announced, I was ready to be entertained.  I found out after her set, once Nish came on, that Amy is his girlfriend of 13 years.  This made me happy for two reasons.  The first was that her set was only about 20 minutes, and it seemed crazy to travel all the way from the UK just to do 20 minutes.  And also, her material is so very different from Nish’s I wondered how he might pick someone to warm up that was doing completely unpolitical material.

So, the fact that they are dating was great!  They get to travel together and we all got some exposure to a comedian that we (or I, at least) didn’t know but now want to see again.

Amy’s humor is so very different from Nish’s.

She began with a really funny bit about bread. Yes, bread!  She had some good audience interactions to find out others’ bread choices.  And one of the respondents was a man named Paulie who would come back later. (more…)

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The Bevis Frond / Oneida (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, March 1, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Oneida, Philadelphia, PA, The Bevis Frond on March 1, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: March 1, 2025] The Bevis Frond [moved from October 11, 2024]

I feel like I’ve always been aware of The Bevis Frond, but I don’t think I’d ever heard them.

When they announced their first US tour in 25 years I grabbed a ticket without even being sure if I really liked them,  So I listened to them a bunch and, yes, I do like them.

I felt lucky to be able to go to one of these shows as there were only 8 shows on the tour.

And then in late August it was announced

The Bevis Frond’s first US Tour in over two decades has now been re-scheduled for 2025. Fans can expect a selection from the Frond’s colossal catalogue as well as new music from their recent Fire releases, for what promises to be an historic live show.

When the new tour was announced, I was pretty excited to have one of my first shows scheduled for 2025.  And I was looking forward to this show for months.

And then, my family had plans during the day of March 1.  And the day was very good and we enjoyed ourselves quite a lot.  And we dithered about what time t o head home.  And the thing that bummed me out the most is that we dithered long enough that by the time we got home, we were just late enough that I wouldn’t have been able to make the show.  If we had stayed out later to have made it undoable entirely that would have been fine. But to make it so that I basically was just unable to go was a real bummer especially since I doubt he’ll be back for another tour.

Oneida is described as an experimental band from Brooklyn.  But the few songs I listened to weren’t that experimental.   They strike me more as a garage rock/psychedelic lumbering entity.  Joyful Noise, their record label says

Oneida has long straddled gray-area boundaries between the NYC punk/psych/rock world and the art/experimental world, playing at gritty rock clubs and elevated cultural institutions, including the Guggenheim, MoMA PS1, ICA London, MassMOCA and the Knoxville Museum of Art. The band has been known for extended live improvisational performances,

I’m guessing they would have been pretty fun.

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Father John Misty (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, February 28, 2025)

Posted in Destroyer, Father John Misty, Philadelphia, PA, The Fillmore Philadelphia on March 1, 2025| 1 Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 28, 2025] Father John Misty

Back in 2016, while touring his second album, Father John Misty played XPNFest.  I had been planning on going that day but for some reason couldn’t make it.  He wasn’t the only person I wanted to see, but I was interested in seeing him for sure.  And that’s the year that he had what I guess was a breakdown on stage.  As one person on reddit said

People came to see FJM and he gave them a 20 minute set without even playing a single song of his because what…it’s part of his “character”?

So I’ve been kind of against him since (I held the grudge a lot longer than WXPN did since they play his music all the time–and I know it’s stupid to hold a grudge since I wasn’t even there, but whatever).  The grudge finally ended this year with his great new album.  We enjoyed the new songs so much that we decided to see him at the Fillmore

Sadly, we arrived quite late.  Actually it wasn’t even that late–quite long before Destroyer went on.  But it was packed and we were very far back. I had no idea he would be that popular (or that the show would sell out).  The one fun thing is that I ran into an old school friend Susie and it was great seeing her and catching up with her.

After Destroyer, the crowd adjusted and damnit I was behind a tall dude for a bunch of the set.

I really liked his first two albums.  I grew a little tired of him for a while, but still enjoyed the singles that came later. (more…)

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Trupa Trupa / The No Good Crowd (Silk City, Philadelphia, PA, February 28, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Silk City, The No Good Crowd, Trupa Trupa on February 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: February 28, 2025] Trupa Trupa / The No Good Crowd

I Trupa Trupa is a band from Gdansk Poland.  Their music is moody and cool and I’ve heard they are great live.  They came to Philly in 2022 but by the time I heard about the show, I had tickets to TWO others shows that night (one had been rescheduled to this date).  Now, almost three years later, they have announced their second show in Philadelphia.  And it’s the same night that my wife and I have  tickets to see Father John Misty.

Here’s how the band describe themselves on bandcamp

Trupa Trupa is a post-punk band from Gdańsk, Poland, known for their unique blend of brooding leftfield rock and psychedelic influences. They combine dark, introspective melodies with rich, experimental sounds to create their own distinctive space in the world of alternative guitar music.

They definitely have a dark 80s vibe, which I think would get more people into them.

No offense to Father John, but I would 100% rather see Trupa Trupa.  But we already have the tickets and I’m sure Father John will be enjoyable.

But, damn.  What bad timing.  I do hope they come back again in a couple of years.

I don’t know The No Good Crowd, but their bandcamp pages says

Formed in 2023, guitarists Jamie Olson and Jim McGuinn have history going back to Philly’s beloved indie rockers Cordalene(2000-2005), with Jamie forming the rootsier Midnight Singers not long after, where he was joined by drummer Neil Simpkins. Later Jamie formed the even more rootsy Atlantic Coast Ramblers with bassist Brendan Skwire, and putting us all together, we become The No Good Crowd.

I just listened to them and, wow I do not care for them.  So I guess that’s something.

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Destroyer (Fillmore Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, February 28, 2025) [FATHER JOHN MISTY]

Posted in Destroyer, Father John Misty, Philadelphia, PA, The Fillmore Philadelphia on February 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 28, 2025] Destroyer

I bought tickets for this show long before I knew who the opener was.  I was pleased that Destroyer was opening.  Destroyer was the last show I saw before the pandemic shut everything down.

Dan Bejar, who is Destroyer, is an unusual guy.  He’s got the vibe of a lunge singer, but he sings rather unusual lyrics (and has a rather unique voice).  None of which leads to a band named Destroyer of course.

Last time I saw them there were six members on stage.  This time there were only two in addition to Dan.  There was a drummer (who also played keys while drumming!) and a guitarist.  And of course, Dan was up front singing in his unusual manner–Dan’s microphone stand is set up so that the microphone was at his waist.  Basically he held onto the stand almost like a cane when he sang, and sang more or less to the floor.  And when there were instrumental sections, he would squat down so all eyes were on the other two.

He’s an unusual guy for sure.  I don’t know if he won anyone over–the Fillmore is a much bigger venue than he usually plays in Philly.  He’s also unabashedly himself, so he doesn’t really seem to care if everyone likes him, because a lot of people do.

The arrangements were stripped down to be sure, but I really enjoyed them this way.

He’s playing a headline tour in October, and I may just have to go.

 

2025 2020
The Music Lovers ♥ Crimson Tide ¿
Tinseltown Swimming in Blood ⊄ Kinda Dark ¿
It’s Gonna Take an Airplane ♥ The Raven ¿
Painter in Your Pocket ♦ Cover From the Sun ⊄
Times Square ∇ Kaputt ⊗
Cue Synthesizer ¿ Times Square ∇
It Just Doesn’t Happen ¿ Bangkok ∇
Stay Lost ⊄ It Just Doesn’t Happen ¿
Chinatown ⊗ Cue Synthesizer ¿
Poor in Love ⊗ University Hill ¿
Tinseltown Swimming in Blood ⊄
Chinatown ⊗
European Oils ♦
foolssong ¿
Bay of Pigs (detail) ⊗
encore
Poor in Love ⊗
Looters’ Follies ♦

 

¿ = Have We Met (2020)
⊄ = Ken (2017)
∇ = Poison Season (2015)
⊗ = Kaputt (2011)
♦ = Destroyer’s Rubies (2006)
♥ = Your Blues (2004)

 

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Richard Thompson: Ship to Shore Tour – Solo Show (McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, February 22, 2025)

Posted in Fairport Convention, Linda Thompson, McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, Richard Thompson on February 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 22, 2025] Richard Thompson

This is my 12th time seeing Richard Thompson and my sixth time seeing him at McCarter Theater.  For a while it seemed like he was playing McCarter annually.  But we last saw him there in 2020 (he did play in 2023 but we didn’t go).  I was really hoping to see Richard with a full band, as most of the time that I’ve seen him it’s been him solo.  He was playing with a full band on this tour, but I missed those dates.  And, somewhat sadly (in context, but not actuality), this show was a solo.

I admit to not being as excited for this show as I tend to be for bands that I like a lot.  I feared that I had seen his solo show so much that I would be annoyed at how samey it was to other shows.

But, as soon as he started playing I was blown away at his mastery and at how great his voice sounds (at 75!).  We had great seats–row K, center stage–and I could clearly watch his hands as he did…everything.  I was amazed at the way he played the low sting perfectly in time with the beat as the rest of his fingers played intricate melodies and solos.  I was really quite in awe once again.

It’s interesting the way he seems to play certain era songs a bunch (I tend to see the same songs like three times in a row).  So he opened with If I Could Live My Life Again which came out in 2020.  But then he moved back to Walking on a Wire.  I’ve seen him play it 8 times and I never get tired of it.

Same with Beeswing.  I have a hard time believing there were four shows I’ve seen where he didn’t play it!  But hearing it so clean and perfect and watching his fingers play those gorgeous chords was like hearing it for the first time again.

I Feel So Good is one of my early favorites by him.  I haven’t seen him play it since 2013 and it was fantastic.  I guess someone in the front requested Matty Groves, and old Fairport Convention song and he played it–he is sometimes amenable to requests.  Later in the show someone shouted a song and he said.  Maybe later–much later.

Then he played a song that he said he wrote yesterday.  Most of Richard’s properly released songs are serious and intense.  But live he tends to play these goofy songs that are hilarious.  Maybe someday he’ll release an album of funny songs like You Love Me Like It’s 1969. (more…)

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Alcest (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, February 20, 2025)

Posted in Alcest, Kaelan Mikla, Kælan Mikla, Mono, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on February 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 20, 2025] Alcest 

I hadn’t heard of Alcest before this tour.  I was mostly excited when I saw that Mono was playing Union Transfer.  But when I listened to Alcest, I rather liked them.  Especially their latest album Les Chants de l’aurore, which is the album they were touring.

So Alcest has been around for almost 20 years, although their first album came out in 2007.  After some lineup changes, the band was solely the work of Stéphane “Neige” Paut who played everything.  In 2009, drummer Winterhalter from Les Discrets joined Alcest, after eight years with Neige as its sole full-time member.  Neige still plays everything except drums on the records.

Since 2010, the live shows include Pierre “Zero” Corson on second guitar and backing vocals and Indria Saray on bass.

I was really pleased with my spot near the stage when, with moments to go before the band came out, two women pushed their way up next to me taking up more room than there was between us.  And when the band started she proceeded to either really get into it or was just messing with me as she kept putting her hands through her hair and then raising her arms high and wide for minutes at a time.  I’ve literally never had one person ruin a show as much as this sociopath did.

Fortunately she (presumably) got sick after four songs.  She was clearly very drunk, and then after a couple of songs she seemed to just stop and stare straight ahead of her and then after the fourth song she bolted for the back of the room (to which a guy behind me said, thank god).  Her friend (who was very short) then proceeded to take up enough space for both of them, headbanging in a way that ensured you didn’t want to stand behind her.  A song or two later, she received a text and then headed to the back of the room.  In my mind, the tall one got drunk and nauseous and them ruined the second half of the show for herself and her friend after she ruined the first part of the show for me and everyone around me. (more…)

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Mono (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, February 20, 2025) [ALCEST]

Posted in Alcest, Kaelan Mikla, Kælan Mikla, Mono, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on February 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: February 20, 2025] Mono

I saw Mono back in 2019 and I was blown away by their show.  I haven’t been able to see them since, and I was mildly bummed that they were opening instead of headlining this show.  But any chance to see them is a good one.  And, it introduced me to Alcest!

The crowd was really really into Mono.  In fact a couple of people up front left after their set.

They played mostly new songs.  All of their songs are instrumental and sound vaguely similar, so I can’t tell them apart.  That’s not an insult, they play seven to ten minute epic tracks that build to varying degrees of intensity and I could listen to them all night.

I was in front of guitarist Hideki “Yoda” Suematsu who is described as a rhythm guitarist but who does a lot more than that.   Bassist Tamaki Kunishi was in the middle (except for the one song she played keys on).   And Takaakira “Taka” Goto was on the far side of the stage (and hard to see on the mostly dark atmosphere).

Their drummer Dahm Majuri Cipolla was tucked in behind a rack of amps, and it was hard to see him.  He also had a gong!  And I was a little bummed that I could only see a part of it, but it was cool to see him smack it on two different songs. (more…)

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