Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Venues’ Category

Sanguisugabogg / Despised Icon / Defeated Sanuty / Corpse Pile (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 29, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Corpse Pile, Defeated Sanity, Despised Icon, Emma Harner, Leith Ross, Philadelphia, PA, Sanguisugabogg, Union Transfer on November 29, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 29, 2025] Sanguisugabogg / Despised Icon / Defeated Sanity / Corpse Pile

There’s a few reasons why I like Sanguisugabogg and none have to do with their music.  Most of it is their social media presenceand thatthey have some kind of sense of humor. I also love that their name is crazy and their logo is impossible to read because their name is so weird.  They play death metal.  Lots of death metal.

Despised Icon is a Montreal based deathcore band.  So lots of growing and lots of really fast drums.  The drums in MVP sound impossible fast to me (and also don’t sound very heavy).

Defeated Sanity is a German technical death metal band.  They throw n some fascinating prog rock elements and then blow it all away with really fast parts and really deep growling vocals.

Corpse Pile is from Houston.  They are heavy, slow, and heavy.  The singer sings in the slowest growling manner I think I’ve ever heard.

I like a little death metal now and again.  This evening would have destroyed me.  Possibly just seeing a whole show by Sanguisugabogg would have destroyed me.

Read Full Post »

Avatar / Alien Weaponry / SpiritWorld (Archer Music Hall, Allentown, PA, November 28, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Alien Weaponry, Archer Music Hall, Avatar, Phantogram, SpiritWorld  on November 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 28, 2025] Avatar / Alien Weaponry / SpiritWorld 

Avatar are a great live band. I’ve seen them three times and have been wanting to take my son to see them.  We did get to see them open for Pierce the Veil, but it was really hard to see what was going on.  I think I need one more show from them.  But this wasn’t it.  It was the weekend after Thanksgiving and we had company, so we did not go to this one.

Alien Weaponry are a power trio from New Zealand.   They play a mix of thrash and hardcore but with some really catchy parts as well.  The band currently consists of Lewis de Jong (guitar and vocals), Henry de Jong (drums), and Ethan Trembath (bass guitar). They are known for tackling sociopolitical issues particularly pertaining to New Zealand’s history and contemporary society. They often incorporate Te Rao Māori lyrics into their songs.  So that’s pretty cool.  Listening to Kai Tangata, it’s clearly not English.  Maybe their fans can learn a new language.

SpiritWorld are pretty fascinating.  They sound like Helmet but they dress like spangled cowboys.  They have an album called Deathwestern which is hilarious.   They play mostly thrash metal with elements of death metal (and chanted choruses), yet thematically it’s all about Westerns.  I hear elements of Slayer and Pantera in their songs too.

This whole evening would have been pretty intense.

Read Full Post »

Momma / Narrow Head (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, November 22, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Momma, Narrow Head on November 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 22, 2025] Momma / Narrow Head

I saw Momma back in May and really enjoyed their set a lot.  They play the kind of music that I just love–female fronted alt/grungy stuff.  When they announced this show in Asbury I was really sure I wanted to go.  I mean, they were great when I saw them last time and I think they only get better each time.

Plus, I suspect that their next album will show them growing their sound more.  I imagine they’ll be expanding their sound some. So the next time they tour, it will be for a new album and they won’t play these songs as much.  But sometimes things come up and seeing a band you just saw six months ago isn’t as important.

This was, apparently a double headline show with Narrow Head whom I’ve never heard of.  Turns out they did a split single with Momma.  They are from Dallas and sound a lot like Helmet or Biohazard or some heavy band like that.  They seem like a really odd match for Momma, but it was probably an interesting show.

Read Full Post »

Rheostatics: The Great Lakes Suite (TD Music Hall, Toronto, ON, November 21 & 22, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Alex Lifeson, Canadian Content, Canadian Music, Dave Bidini music, Hugh Marsh, Kevin Hearn, Martin Tielli, Rheostatics, TD Music Hall, Tim Vesely on November 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 21 & 22, 2025] Rheostatics

I am a huge fan of the Rheostatics, but I’ve only seen them live one time–ten years ago!

They don’t play live much these days and they record music even less.   But they had just released this new project–The Great Lakes Suite.  And, even crazier, Alex Lifeson was on the record and was going to play live!  I could go to this relatively small venue in Toronto and see one of my favorite bands with one of my favorite guitarists.

When I saw Rheostatics, they were playing their Group of 7 album–it was a special event.  So, I saw them play my least favorite of their albums (although live it was really tremendous) plus a few extra songs.

The Great Lakes Suite is a beautiful piece of symphonic music inspired by the Great Lakes.  And this is what they were playing.  And no matter how much I wanted to see Rheostatics and how exciting it was to see Alex up close, I didn’t want to drive all the way to Toronto and hear a band I love NOT play the songs I wanted to hear.

I see on the setlist that they played the entire Suite and two encores.  So I’m glad I didn’t get tickets.

Read Full Post »

Stinking Lizaveta / channls (album relase) / Deathbird Earth (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, November 21, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in channls, Deathbird Earth, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Post Animal, Stinking Lizaveta, The Slaps on November 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 21, 2025] Stinking Lizaveta / channls (album relase) / Deathbird Earth

For reasons I don’t entirely remember, I’ve added Stinking Lizaveta to the list of bands that I’d like to see.

I think what inspired me to check them out is that they are an instrumental band who play complex music.

And this is the third or fourth time that I am not seeing them.  But for some reason I didn’t really feel like going to this show.

channls is a heavy post rock band from Philadelphia.  This show was an album release show for them, although they weren’t the headliners.  Their bandcamp page says

Formed in 2023 by drummer Jay Yachetta and guitar player Steven Rosplock – veterans of the progressive outfit Phantasm – channls is rounded out by two key figures from the Philly music underground: bassist Vincent King (In the Presence of Wolves) and guitarist Jace Miller (Alright Junior). In a move that borders on poetic irony, the band boasts three frontmen in a project where vocals are conspicuously absent.  The band’s sound, rooted in post-rock but unafraid of distortion-drenched aggression, occupies a liminal space between beauty and brutality.

I’m now thinking that this would have been a really good show and I should have gone.

Deathbird Earth are a dup from Philly (BJ – BASS, SYNTHESIZERS, VOCALS; DAVE – DRUMS, PERCUSSION, SYNTHESIZER).  I really enjoy watching two people make a ton of noise and their recording has a lot going on.  They note:

Deathbird Earth’s sound tends to eschew typical genre classification but is made from a mix of heavy drums and distorted bass layered with keyboard sounds that may or may not be lifted from your favorite classic science fiction films.

I guess you’d call them heavy metal, but there’s a lot going on in this heavy metal. They’re the only band with and singing tonight.

 

Read Full Post »

Ted Leo (Revilla Grooves and Gear, Milltown, NJ, November 20, 2025)

Posted in Milltown NJ, Ray Lego, Revilla Grooves and Gear, Ted Leo on November 20, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 20, 2025] Ted Leo

I’ve seen Ted Leo three times before this.  Twice with Pharmacists and once with Aimee Mann for a Christmas show.  When I saw that he was playing a solo gig at Revilla Grooves, since it’s only 45 minutes from me, I had to go.  I also happen to know the owner, who DJ’d at my wedding.  But this is the first I’d been to his store and it is impressive.  A fantastic collection of vinyl and CDs as well as a ton of used equipment.  If you’re into music, it’s worth the trip.  He knows his stuff too.

But back to Ted Leo.

Back in September, Revilla Grooves hosted the ‘Noise In Focus: 30 Years of Music Photography’ exhibition.  It’s 30 years of candid photos of hundreds of musicians (while I was there I saw MCR, Deftones, Phoebe Bridgers, Jarvis Cocker and so many more) by Ray Lego.  This was the final night of the exhibition which also included a video room containing “Unseen behind the scenes of making of Deftones’  “Sat Night Wrist” record.  The video was from a bunch of tapes Lego had saved from when the band was making Saturday Night Wrist.  It showed the guys playing and taking candid shots.  There was no sound, but it was cool to watch for a bit.

So on this closing night, Ray invited Ted Leo (of whom there were many photos) to play a 45 minute electric set.  I’d never been before and the setup was great.  There’s a small stage and the sound was fantastic.  So, standing about five feet away I got to see Ted Leo do his thing.  This seemed like a great opportunity for Ted to play whatever the heck he wanted.  And I was pretty delighted by the variety of songs he played–some that I knew and many that I didn’t. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Ghost Funk Orchestra (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 19, 2025) [PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS]

Posted in Ghost Funk Orchestra, Philadelphia, PA, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Union Transfer on November 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 19, 2025] Ghost Funk Orchestra

I was really excited to see the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets again.  I had no idea who might be the support act (last time it was Acid Dad which was awesome).  I didn’t know who Ghost Funk Orchestra was and wasn’t really sure what to expect, but the name is fairly apt.

They are an orchestra–at least on stage there were some nine people up there.  Although Ghost Funk Orchestra is the brainchild of composer/multi-instrumentalist Seth Applebaum and it started as a one man band.

But for our show on the right side of the stage were a trumpeter, a baritone sax player (Stephen Chen, the only person whose name I got because he was very very popular–he also plays with San Fermin) and a trombonist.  Their bass player stood with them as well.

I was delighted with how no one in the band looked like anyone else–Chen dressed in a button down shirt and the bass player wearing what looked like a cowboy outfit with large silver buttons (stars?) down the outside of his pants.  The trombonist had long hair an a beard while most everyone else had short hair.  It felt like a motley crew thrown together to make great music. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Blake Freeman (NJPAC–Victoria Theater, Newark, NJ, November 14, 2025) [AARON CHEN]

Posted in Aaron Chen, Blake Freeman, Newark, NJ, NJPAC-Victoria Theater, Set in New Jersey! on November 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 14, 2025] Blake Freeman

I have made a list of all of comedians from Taskmaster who I would like to see live.  It’s not everyone of course (some of them don’t do stand up and some I don’t think I would enjoy).  And then we started watching Taskmaster Australia and Taskmaster New Zealand, and I’ve added a dozen or so more to that list.

So I was pretty delighted that Aaron Chen announced a show at NJPAC–only ten days after Romesh Ranganathan.

Romesh didn’t have an opening act, so I didn’t know if Aaron would.  But out came an Australian comedian named Blake Freeman.  Blake has been living in the U.S. for about a year (with his partner).

He was very funny.  His delivery was calm but witty.  Talking about living in the U.S., he said the hardest part wasn’t having absolutely no professional or personal support network, it’s that we use Fahrenheit.

There was a very funny bit about him not being able to fight.  He said that he and his mates are open emotionally, and so they only fight when people can’t admit their feelings.  He had to break up a fight between his friends because one felt the other wasn’t opening up about his breakup, “You think you’re tough, well, connect with me like a man.”  After, he apologized saying his love language was touch. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Jens Lekman: Songs For Other People’s Weddings Tour / Yeemz (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, November 14, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Jens Lekman, Philadelphia, PA, Underground Arts, yeemz on November 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 14, 2025] Jens Lekman/ Yeemz

I have enjoyed Jens Lekman over the years. His Tiny Desk Concert is tremendous.  He was even the subject of a request in an episode of Every Little Thing, (a caller could not get a fragment of a song out of his head and it was one of Lekman’s).

But as the years go by and I listen to him less, I’ve lost interest in seeing him.  This show sounded interesting (he has, indeed, written songs for other people’s weddings.  And this show was basically playing the whole album and then a few bonus songs.

I hadn’t heard the new album at all, and just didn’t feel like going to this one.

yeemz (Yi-Mei Templeman) is a cellist, singer-songwriter, and composer based in Santa Monica, California. She blends musical worlds seamlessly, creating music that is intimate yet universal, intricate yet accessible. A lifelong songwriter, yeemz began composing at the piano, and later developed her signature style—singing while playing the cello like a guitar—after she couldn’t bring her ukulele to college.

She reminds me a bit of Regina Spektor and maybe Mitski in her delivery.  She has a pretty voice and seems to play mostly mellow piano songs.

Read Full Post »

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, November 14, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Joe Russo, Joe Russo's Almost Dead, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia on November 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 14, 2025] Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

I don’t actually know Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.  It didn’t actually occur to me that the Dead in the band name is a Grateful Dead reference.  But I see that JRAD is like a Grateful Dead cover band plus more.  They are known for their intermingling of the Grateful Dead’s recognizable folk-rock and Americana sound with more contemporary Progressive Rock and Jazz Fusion influences.

I haven’t been super excited to see them.  I’m vaguely intrigued.  And then my wife won tickets to this show at XPNFest.  Actually there weren’t many concerts to choose from so she chose this and we got on the waiting list for Neko Case (which we eventually got as well).  I thought free tickets would be the perfect way to see JRAD.  And if we hated it we could leave.

But then we saw that Aaron Chen was doing a show in Newark, so we grabbed tickets to that instead.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »