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Mint Field (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, May 19, 2026)

Posted in Knotfall, Mexico, Mint Field, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Sherrie on May 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 19, 2026] Mint Field

I found out about Mint Field during the pandemic from their outstanding Levitation Sessions record.  They headlined at Silk City back in September and I was really surprised to see them back again so soon.

I couldn’t make their previous show but I was sure to grab a ticket to this one.

Mint Field is from Tijuana.  The band is Estrella Snachez (vocals and guitar) and Sebastian Neyra (bass). The laziest description of them is shoegaze, but they incorporate other elements as well–dream pop, ambient and occasionally loud feedback.  I’m not sure who their drummer was for this show, but she was really good.

They opened with the quiet Horizonte, a gentle guitar melody and soft bassline.  The funny thing about this song is that as soon as you start to really get into it, it’s over.  It’s just under 2 minutes long.   But it’s a great introduction to Estrella’s floating vocals and their overall vibe.  “Recuerdo de los dias” has a more pronounced bass line and a simple but bouncy drum beat.

El mar me veia was the first song that really showed off Estrella’s cool guitar techniques–she makes interesting sounds by sliding her pick up and down the strings–using various pedals and looping, it created a cool visual.

Delicadeza is one of many songs where Sebastian’s bassline is wonderful–he doesn’t simply follow the guitars, he plays high notes and lets the music really revolve around what he’s doing.

While most of the opening was dreamy and trippy, Sensibilidad showed that they can get loud with both guitar and bass building the intensity before pulling back into a very quiet middle section.  And Susiro sailed back off into the dreamy skies again.

Sueño Despierto (with a cool bass line) and Infinito are slow and dreamy (Infinito is a newer song) but Contingencia adds a real pace to the set. It’s fuzzy and rocking and a lot of fun.  As the set reached the end, they got a lot more noisy with Ve hacia la ventana bringing out some fuzzy guitars in between quiet parts.  But no one could expect the explosive ending!  Un flro sin interior starts like many of their songs–fairly mellow and dreamy.  But mid song, the full band kicks in loudly with a big riff that the band jammed for several minutes.  Estrella stood by her amp generating lots of feedback and looping it around while Sebastian and their drummer were going nuts–it was the loudest and craziest the drummer had been all night–like catharsis after being so chill.  (On record the song is 2 minutes total, but live, they stretched it out wonderfully).  It felt like a set-ending but of noise and chaos, but they brought it back in and finished the song with one more verse and that was that.

I was a little bummed that they didn’t play the songs that I really fell in love with like Jardin De La Paz and Sentimental Mundial, but there were two tracks from that session that they did play (Delicadeza and Contingencia) so that’s cool.  I was glad to finally see them, although now I kind of wish I had seen them play at Union Transfer during that shoegaze festival–to get fully surrounded by their songs.

I got the impression, or maybe they just said, that they wouldn’t be touring the U.S. for quite a while.  So I’m even more happy that I got to see them.

  • Horizonte ∇
  • Recuerdo de los días €
  • El mar me veía €
  • Delicadeza ∅
  • Sensibilidad dormida €
  • El Suspiro Cambia Todo ∇
  • Sueño Despierto ∇
  • Infinito §
  • Contingencia ∅
  • Aterrizar ∅
  • Ve hacia la ventana €
  • Una flor sin interior €

§ single (2025)
€  Aprender a Ser: Extended (2024)
∇ Aprender a Ser (2023)
∅ Sentimendto Mundial (2020)

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Knotfall (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, May 19, 2026) [MINT FIELD]

Posted in Knotfall, Mexico, Mint Field, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Sherrie on May 20, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 19, 2026] Knotfall

Knotfall is another band from Philly. I’m guessing that the band is the project of singer/guitarist (and for one song, drummer) Sami Rahman.  Because there have been different people on the different releases.

They totally threw me for a loop when I listened to them because I thought that they were basically a shoegaze band (since Mint Field is).  August in the Water starts their album and this set.  It has quiet guitars and soft vocals.  It’s quite lovely and I could see how they fit with Mint Field.  The song built to a louder sound, but still rather shoegazey (actually I found that his voice sounded a bit like Grandson and sometimes like Pavement).   But as the song reached the end, he started screaming in an intense, voice cracking sort of way.  And then the song dropped down to quieter moments again.  It was surprising on record but it was even better live.

Beyond Memory had an early Cure feel with lots of fuzz and I loved when the song broke and the two guitars played a really cool and clear riff–that blasted through the fuzz.  But the bigger surprise came at the end of the song when it shifted gears into a really heavy sound and really dark almost doom metal riff.  It was great and really intense–I would have happily let that riff continue for several more minutes, but it stopped after just a few runs through.

Sami told us that five of the six songs they were playing were from their recently released debut album.  Surprisingly they didn’t have any for sale and their shirts (which were really cool) were only Small-Large. (more…)

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Sherrie (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, May 19, 2026) [MINT FIELD]

Posted in Knotfall, Mexico, Mint Field, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Sherrie on May 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 19, 2026] Sherrie

I like going to PhiaMOCA, it’s so casual and it’s such a great space to meet and chat with a band.  For whatever reason, I was early for this show.  When I walked in (probably at 7:30) Sherrie was still doing a sound check.  It was pretty weird and slightly awkward.  But it was hot out and cool inside, so I did some NY Times puzzles and listened to the band get ready for the show.

Sherrie is a band from Philadelphia.  When I saw that they were opening for Mint Field, I went to their bandcamp site and saw that they had three songs out.  I hadn’t realized until writing this that each of these songs came out at a rate of one a year, and that none of the songs were released in the last five years.

I can’t find out much about the band.  The lead singer is Rae and there’s a guy who has been with Sherrie since the beginning, whose name is Drew.  Their Instagram page has a few things up before COVID and then nothing until 2024.  Ah, and then I see that their first gig was at Ortlieb’s in March 2024–they were a two piece.  Then they played Johnny Brenda’s in April of this year as a five piece.  For this show they were a four piece.

Sherrie describes their music as dream pop, but it feels more like bedroom pop to me–remarkably spare, although it is sweet.  There’s not a lot of movement from the band–except for the last song when the Rae walked over to the keyboard that someone else was playing and pushed a button to change the sound of the keys.  She stayed for a bit and then turned it off again. (more…)

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The Belair Lip Bombs (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, April 11, 2026) [THE BELAIR LIP BOMBS]

Posted in dust, Laveda, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, The Belair Lip Bombs on April 13, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 11, 2026] The Belair Lip Bombs

The Belair Lip Bombs are a young band from Victoria Australia.  They have been bubbling under around Philly with their insanely catchy song Hey You which was one of my favorite songs of the year so far.  They had played a Free at Noon the day earlier and I opted not to go since I was seeing them tonight.  And it’s pretty good I didn;t go because their set was almost exactly the same!

The band plays a fun bouncy alt rock with Maisie Everett’s delightful voice ringing clear.  Again and Again is a fun bouncy poppy song with the insanely catchy repeated chorus Again and Again and Again and Again….  Bassist Jimmy Droughton kept the bouncy songs bouncing, opening Another World with a catchy melody.

There was a guy behind me who knew the album by heart (which I certainly didn’t) and he sang along occasionally, but not too loudly.  He was really excited when they played Back of My Hand, a bubbly song with, at times only bass and drums (from Daniel Devlin), but when the twin guitars come in the song really blows up.

So Everett plays guitar (some lead moments and riffs) but most of the lead guitar is played by Mike Bradvica.  Standing in front of both guitarists, it was fun to see them both playing these distinctive parts while the bass held things together, especially on a song like Stay or Go which featured rocking guitar from Everett and running lead parts from Bradvica.

Look the Part was an older song with a cool bassline during the middle section.  There weren’t too many traditional guitar solos although Price of a Man had a relatively long one.  (more…)

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

Posted in Australia, dust, Laveda, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, The Belair Lip Bombs on April 12, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: April 11, 2026] dust

There are a few bands called dust.  This band is from Newcastle, Australia.  They’re a five piece with drums, bass, two guitars and a saxophone!  And they were amazing.

They fall into that post-rock scene with roaring guitars and vocals that are kind of spoken, kind of shouted.  Main lead vocalist Justin Teale has an understated style that relies on subtly sung melodies and occasional loud grunts.  Drummer Kye Cherry plays fast and hard and bassist Liam Smith was a key component to the songs–whether keeping the low end with the rest of the song or playing independently–a rhythm of his own–he really held the songs together.

The songs are propulsive, moving along at a good clip with their singer kind of speak singing (in the vein of Fontaines D.C. but less accented).  The biggest surprise came when Ridgway played saxophone–it wasn’t just saxophone solos–although New High does have notes dotting the song–the sax was manipulated and distorted, running through the songs underneath rather than as a main melody.  I loved the end of the song where the band.

Then a song like Swamped has high octane stars and stops with jagged guitars and a rumbling bass.  Just Like Ice opens with a simple punky bassline and then the whole band crashed in with guitars and sax.  It was in this song that second guitarist Gabriel Stove traded off vocal lines with Justin.  His style was similar but different enough to add a really cool sonic style to the voices.  I enjoyed their back and forth a lot on this song.

Things changed up even further with Trust U See which opened with a slow threatening pulsing bassline and bleats of sax making a very noir-sounding vibe.  It was even more so when Teale’s spoken vocals came over the top.  The slow down in the middle was just long enough that the tension built even more.

Another surprise came when Stove sang lead vocals on Restless. His style isn’t that much different but he is more singing than spoken and his timbre is pretty different so that when Teale added his vocals toward the end, it sounded amazing.  One of the more amusing things about this set was that when the lead singer/guitarist leaned forward, he almost hit the guy in the front of the stage in the head (about ten times) but the singer’s eyes were closed so he never noticed. (more…)

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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…)

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Kevin McDonald: Superstar (with Dave Hill opening) (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, August 27, 2025)

Posted in Dave Hill, John Wlaysewski, Kevin McDonald, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Robin Rothman, Scott Thompson, The Kids in the Hall on August 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: August 27, 2025] Kevin McDonald: Superstar

I saw Kevin McDonald do a bit of storytelling last year.  In this very venue.

This year he was back again, this time bringing his musical Kevin McDonald: Superstar to the MOCA.

I didn’t really know what to expect.  I had read that it was a musical, but what does that mean?  Well, when the show started, Kevin and guitarist John Wlaysewski came up on stage and play 2 songs that Kevin wrote.  One was all about grass (not that kind of grass, backyard grass).  Then he told a long story about Johnny Rotten and an AIDS test (which he told in a slightly different style last year but which was still very funny).  And then another song “Just Keep Dancing.”

Then Dave Hill came out on stage.  I hadn’t heard of Dave, but he is apparently quite well known (well known enough to play a ripping guitar solo version of the Canadian and American national anthems before a hockey game (easily found om YouTube).  Dave is also a comedian.  He came up on stage and played a hilariously self-deprecating character (who was secretly loving all of the fame).

He told a few stories and then played some songs.  Even though he is a massively talented guitarist, his songs were hilarious.  He played Danzig’s Mother by getting the sound just right on his guitar, singing the word Mother and the first line and then mumbling his way through to the next time he screamed Mother (just like everyone else who has no idea what the words are).  When he took requests, someone (of course) shouted Freebird (gag), and he said, ok you asked for it I’m playing the whole thing.  He played 30 seconds of the intro and said, there you get the picture.  After a very long song/story about being a part of the biggest meat heist ever, he stayed up on staged and introduced the players for the evening.

It was John and Dave on guitars, Joe Moore as the narrator and Robin Rothman as a few characters (she has an amazing voice). (more…)

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Hundreds of Beavers (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, December 5, 2024)

Posted in Hundreds of Beavers, Mike Cheslik, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Ryland Brickson Cole Tews on December 5, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: December 5, 2024] Hundreds of Beavers

I had seen an ad for Hundreds of Beavers and it looked weird and fantastic.

When I saw that it was playing at PhilaMOCA, I grabbed a ticket for myself and my son (my wife was bummed that she said no when I asked if she wanted a ticket, because she admitted that it sounded like fun).

So I picked up my son from school and we drove to Philly.  We had pizza at a nearby shop and wow was it bad.  It was made worse by the fact that when I poured grated cheese on it to make it more palatable, the grated cheese was actually sugar.

In fairness, it was in a sugar dispenser, but why is there sugar on the table at a pizza joint?  Have you ever had pizza with sugar on it?  It is, simply, not good.

But we were there in time for the movie and we grabbed seats in the back.

This was a special screening in which they had random prizes to give out (posters and such).  We didn’t win, but that’s okay. (more…)

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Makoto Kawabata+ Tim Dahl + Simeon Cain (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, November 9, 2024)

Posted in Acid Mothers Temple, Basic, Makoto Kawabata, Mental Jewelry, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Simeon Cain, Tim Dahl on November 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 9, 2024] Makoto Kawabata+ Tim Dahl + Simeon Cain

I had missed Acid Mothers Temple when they played Philly last month, so I was pretty excited to see that Kawabata Makoto was hanging around the Northeast to do a mini improvised tour with Tim Dahl and a rotating cast of drummers.

This November, a collaborative music tour between guitarist Makoto Kawabata (Acid Mothers Temple) and bassist Tim Dahl (Lydia Lunch, Child Abuse) will hit the American Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, promising rock intensity, avant-garde design, and psychedelic perception. With a combination of predetermined material and improvisation, one can expect a focused yet unpredictable and dynamic sonic experience. This collaboration will take audiences on a journey through chaotic, noise-infused passages that suddenly give way to moments of serene beauty, showcasing variety, creativity, and fearlessness. Each night’s concert will be enriched by the distinctive styles of a notable regional guest drummer, adding fresh, unpredictable elements to the performance. Audiences should expect a whirlwind of sound that pushes the boundaries of conventional music and celebrates the expression of unrestrained artistry.

I had never heard of Tim Dahl and was entirely interested in the show for Kawabata.  But it’s possible that Tim Dahl may have been the real draw?

Tim Dahl is a New York based bassist and vocalist best known for his work with the noise-rock bands Lydia Lunch Retrovirus and Child Abuse.

The name of that last band tells you a lot about Dahl’s sound.  He plays a fascinating bass style–in which it doesn’t seem like he is actually playing notes–just running his hands up and down the fretboard at random.  He also uses a finger slide but in his picking hand, generating all kinds of noise.  Combine this with the fact that his microphone seemed to have a very fast repeating echo on it so whatever he said or sang into the mic was repeated beyond recognition and he really seemed to dominate the room. (more…)

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Nick Millevoi + Mental Jewelry (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, November 9, 2024) [MAKOTO KAWABATA + TIM DAHL + SIMEON CAIN]

Posted in Acid Mothers Temple, Basic, Makoto Kawabata, Mental Jewelry, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Simeon Cain, Tim Dahl on November 9, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 9, 2024] Nick Millevoi + Mental Jewelry

I had missed Acid Mothers Temple when they played Philly last month, so I was pretty excited to see that Kawabata Makoto was hanging around the Northeast to do a mini improvised tour with Tim Dahl and a rotating cast of drummers.

There hadn’t been an opening band and then it was announced that Nick Millevoi and Mental Jewelry would open the show.

I knew Millevoi from BASIC, the band he’s in with Chris Forsyth.  I’ve actually seen him twice although both times I was more or less behind him (he sat facing the center of the stage and I mostly saw his back).  I had not heard of Mental Jewelry and assumed it was a band.  But it is the stage name of Steve Montenegro, who has also played with Moor Mother (as Moor Jewelry).

Their blurb says

Nick Millevoi and Mental Jewelry’s collab combines repetitive electronic beats and noisy improvised guitars into the groove-fueled future that the ’80s dreamed we’d discover.

And that’s pretty accurate.  Nick set up the drum beats (simple, but with interesting effects on them) and played his baritone guitar.  He mostly played simple chords–riffs would be too strong a word for the chord patterns.  But he manipulated the sounds with effects pedals and dynamic fretboard work.  Everything I’ve read about Mental Jewelry (which is not much) suggests that he is a keyboard player. But he played guitar as well.  He added the higher end to the sound of the songs.  He didn’t add a lot–complimentary chords and minimal “soloing.”

Most of the songs were minimalist and catchy by virtue of repetition.  The fourth (of five) songs was my favorite and felt like an actual song rather than just repeated chords.

At this stage it’s fair to say that this venture is more fun live than on record, but I’m interested to see how it evolves.

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