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Archive for the ‘Skyline Stage at The Mann’ Category

Car Seat Headrest: The Scholars Tour (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, September 12, 2025)

Posted in Car Seat Headrest, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Skyline Stage at The Mann, The Lemon Twigs on September 14, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 12, 2025] Car Seat Headrest

My son and I saw Car Seat Headrest three years ago (I can’t believe it was that long ago).  The show was terrific–singer Will Toledo was in a gasmask the whole night and the whole production was wild and intense.

Since that time, Will has suffered from long COVID.  Whether or not this impacted the delay in the new album (when he was other so crazily productive) it’s unclear.

But his new album was a big deal.  It was a concept album (the booklet apparently adds much depth to the album) and songs were over ten minutes long (Planet Desperation runs to almost 20!).  Before the show, I had checked and it turned out that this tour was going to be almost entirely the Scholars album.  And that proved to be the case.

The band came out, the crowd went nuts.  Before starting Will set some ground rules–be nice to each other; if someone does something you  don’t like and they ask you to stop, do it somewhere else, etc).  Incidentally before the show started there was a lengthy promo for hydrating.  A male voice who said he was with Car Seat Headrest, then went on to say he was Bradley Cooper, Tyler the Creator and Charlie XCX–all giving fact and stats about hydration.  It was pretty entertaining.

And then the lights (and the fog, oh so much fog) obscured the stage as they broke into CCF.  The band sounded amazing,  And, unlike last time, my son and I managed to get reasonably close to the stage, so that was fun (even if photos and videos were pretty much useless with the lighting).

Will spoke in between songs sometimes, introducing Deveraux which segued into Lady Gay Approximately.  There are some hugely catchy moments on this album, but there are also jamming moments–which sounds great but are hard to dance to, so the crowd was reasonably subdued during the non-singing parts. (more…)

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The Lemon Twigs (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, September 12, 2025) [CAR SEAT HEADREST]

Posted in Car Seat Headrest, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Skyline Stage at The Mann, The Lemon Twigs on September 13, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: September 12, 2025] The Lemon Twigs

I really liked the first album from The Lemon Twigs.  Their second album was weird by fun, and then the pandemic came and I lost touch with their new music.  But I really wanted to see them live because I had heard they were great.

When they played around the last few times, for one reason or another I didn’t go and as it turned out, I didn’t love their two newest albums as much as I liked the older ones.  So I had kind of given up on seeing them.  But I was really excited when they were listed as the opening band for Car Sear Headrest.  This would be a great opportunity to check them out.

And holy cow were they good.  Their newer albums have a kind of soft rock vibe that I really didn’t like.  But live, they totally rocked.  They leapt in the air, they soloed, they shouted–it was a total blast.

They didn’t play anything from Go Hollywood (sigh), but that’s okay because even though I didn’t really know any of the songs, they were catchy and fun.  Brian played a big old fashioned looking guitar and Michael played an old school Rickenbacker.  The two of them sang lead and harmonies, alternating (see the setlist for who sang what–on some songs).

But it was when bassist Danny Ayala (also on a classic Rickenbacker) and drummer Reza Matin sang along with them that the harmonies were out of this world. (more…)

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Cavetown (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, July 3, 2024)

Posted in Cavetown, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Meet Me @ The Altar, Mother Mother, Philadelphia, PA, Skyline Stage at The Mann on July 5, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: July 3, 2024] Cavetown

When I learned of Cavetown from my daughter, who played “Lemon Boy” a lot.  Even a few years later, I think the song is fantastic.  I didn’t really know all that much about him (Robbie Skinner), but I had listened to a few records.  So I assumed that the whole set would be kind of mellow and folky.  It actually seemed like an odd double bill.

But there is a sizable overlap of young trans/non-binary people who make up both audiences so even if the music isn’t similar, the tone of acceptance and respect permeates both (all three actually) bands.

I don’t normally like to be far from the stage–it takes me out of the action and makes me feel like I’m just hearing a band not really experiencing a live show.  That makes me a little insufferable I know, especially to my kids who just want to chill out and enjoy an Event.  And really, an outdoor show is more of an Event.

So, when they walked to the back of the lawn and sat on a blanket, I compromised and left the front area that we were in for Mother Mother and hung back with  them.  Although once everyone stood up, I had to move forward a little because I couldn’t NOT SEE the stage. (more…)

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Mother Mother (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, July 3, 2024) [CAVETOWN]

Posted in Cavetown, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Meet Me @ The Altar, Mother Mother, Philadelphia, PA, Skyline Stage at The Mann on July 4, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: July 3, 2024] Mother Mother

When this show was announced back in January, it was a killer triple bill.  Mother Mother, who we love to see live, Cavetown, who I’ve wanted to see live and Destroy Boys, a band that both my kids like and who my son and I have seen once and wanted to see again.

We were bummed that Destroy Boys was unable to play, but we arrived a little late so maybe we wouldn’t have seen their full set anyway.

We also didn’t know who was headlining this show–it appears that Mother Mother and Cavetown have been switching who was the headliner.  I rather hoped Mother Mother would go last because I felt like their show would be bigger and Cavetown’s would be more mellow.

But Mother Mother went on second and I think it was all for the best!  Because we rocked out to Mother Mother and  then we walked to the back of the lawn and chilled out for Cavetown’s more mellow set.  Very cool!

So this is the third time we’ve seen Mother Mother and actually the first time they weren’t headlining.  As I’ve learned over the years, a double headline bill means neither band plays a very long set, which kind of suck, tbh.  But whatever, it usually means a kind of greatest hits package as well.

Mother Mother has a new album out, which I didn’t realize until a few weeks ago.  They played a few songs from it, but the did not skimp on the big names.

The band walked out. First came bassist Mike Young (who runs all around the stage during the show and is a lot of fun to watch) and drummer Ali Siadat.  Then the applause grew louder as singers/keyboardists Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin were singing the new song “Nobody Escapes.”   Finally, huge applause as Ryan Guldemond came out and the song took off.

Then everyone went nuts when they played “Arms Tonite.”  And they surprised me by playing “Hayloft II” which I think has taken on a life of its own.

The new song “The Matrix” is super fun with the completely singalonable part “fuck no.”   They segued that song into Pixies “Where is My Mind?” and I was delighted and surprised at how many very young people knew this rather old song.  Ryan asked at one point how many people in the audience were younger than the band (who celebrated 20 years this year) and scores of hands went up.  Crazy.

They played two songs about having “Problems” including the super fun “Burning Pile.”  Ryan Guldemond really has his banter down well and when he asked if anyone was having a hard time in life, he commiserated and told them to throw everything that was bothering them on the burning pile.  It was a really sweet moment and I love how Mother Mother has really embraced the community that TikTok has built up around them.

The new song “Explode!” is also super catchy–the whole album is really good.  All the fans love the O My Heart album the most, so they played seven songs from it.  Including “Sleep Awake” a slow, pretty song that Ryan said was the first song he wrote for his big sister to singer. Molly has a lovely voice and I love the way the song was really quiet to start and then got huge.

The band left briefly and then came out for an acoustic medley.  They played six songs from their earlier albums and it was really fun hearing the crowd react to the snippets of each song.  Sadly, someone passed out (I guess) during “Ghosting” (my favorite song in the medley) and they stopped it but did not resume it.  But at least the person was fine (and so were we).

They stayed acoustic for “Oh Ana” “Wrecking Ball.”  I said last time that I really want to see them rock out “Wrecking Ball,” but it is more or less an acoustic song so it makes sense that they would play it that way most of the time.

Then they busted out “Verbatim” and the crowd went nuts.  And they went even crazier for “Hayloft” of course.  Jasmin usually gets a solo moment during the set–it had been “Girl Alone” but for this tour they mixed it up and she sang a beautiful rendition of Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” before they segued back in to Hayloft to end the show.

When we saw them last time the show was explosive in lights and everything else.  It’s a little harder to overwhelm with lights when it’s 7PM and you’re outside.  But the lighting was still pretty cool–minimal but cool.

It’s also funny how much of a festival-like atmosphere an outdoor show has.  People just seem looser and more prone to doing wild things when outside.  It wasn;t my mafvoirte Mother Mother show, but it was a lot of fun.

 

 

July 2024, Mann Center October 2022, Fillmore February 2022, TLA
Nobody Escapes € Verbatim ⊗ Seven ⇔
Arms Tonite ♥ O My Heart ♥ O My Heart ♥
Hayloft II ⇔ Bit by Bit ≠ Let’s Fall in Love ≠
The Matrix € / Where Is My Mind? (interlude /Pixies cover ) Infinitesimal ≠ The Stand ∇
Problems ∇ Body of Years ♥ I Got Love ⇔
Burning Pile ♥ Creep (Radiohead cover) Problems ∇
Explode! € The Stand ∇ Body ♥
Back to Life § Back in School ‰ It’s Alright §
Body ♥ Burning Pile ♥ Sick of the Silence ⇔
Sleep Awake ♥ Problems ∇ Arms Tonite ♥
Dirty Town ⊗ / Neighbour ⊗ / Wisdom ♥ / Ghosting ♥ / Little Pistol ≠ / It’s Alright §
(Acoustic, Ghosting interrupted due to a medical issue in the crowd)
 Sick of the Silence ⇔ Life ⇔
Oh Ana ⊗ [acoustic] It’s Alright § Pure Love ⇔
Wrecking Ball ♥ [acoustic] Arms Tonite ♥ [acoustic] Ghosting ♥
Verbatim ⊗ Body ♥ [acoustic] Bit by Bit ≠
Hayloft ♥ / Video Games (interlude Lana Del Rey cover) ⇔ Wrecking Ball ♥ [acoustic] Wrecking Ball ♥ [acoustic]
Oh Ana ⊗ Oh Ana ⊗ [acoustic]
Hayloft ♥ / Girl Alone ⇔ Verbatim ⊗
Hayloft II ⇔ Hayloft ♥ / Girl Alone ⇔
encore Hayloft II ⇔
Ghosting ♥
Dirty Town ⊗
Burning Pile ♥

€ Grief Chapter (2024)
⇔ Inside (2021)
§ Dance and Cry (2018)
‰ No Culture (2017)
≠ The Sticks (2012)
∇ Eureka (2011)
♥ O My Heart (2008)
⊗ Touch Up (2007) [originally called Mother released 2005]

 

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Meet Me @ the Altar (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, July 3, 2024) [CAVETOWN]

Posted in Cavetown, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Meet Me @ The Altar, Mother Mother, Philadelphia, PA, Skyline Stage at The Mann on July 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: July 3, 2024] Meet Me @ the Altar

When this show was announced back in January, it was a killer triple bill.  Mother Mother, who we love to see live, Cavetown, who I’ve wanted to see live and Destroy Boys, a band that both my kids like and who my son and I hhave seen once and wanted to see again.

Then, in May it was announced that Destroy Boys would no longer be opening

In a joint statement, Mother Mother and Cavetown shared, “Destroy Boys will no longer be able to join our summer tour due to a medical issue. We’ll be sad to miss them and wish them a speedy recovery.
We are really excited to welcome Meet Me @ The Altar to the tour in place! Can’t wait to see you all soon.”

It turned out that this bummed my son out and kind of soured him on the show a bit.  I have seen MM@TA twice and knew what to expect.  I actually thought they’d be a lot of fun since their opening set is usually a condensed form of bangers an covers.

Well, we arrived a little later than I wanted to and then parking was pretty tough. I was frankly shocked by how many people were there so early (on a Wednesday).  People looked like they’d been camping out forever by  the time we strolled in.

We could hear them from the parking lot, so we could hear most of their set, but by the time we got into the venue and found our places, we were easily more than half way through their set. (more…)

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The Head and the Heart / The Revivalists (Skyline Stage at The Mann Center, July 12, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Skyline Stage at The Mann, The Head and the Heart, The Revivalists on July 12, 2023| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 12, 2023] The Head and the Heart / The Revivalists

I’m actually surprised that this show was at the Skyline stage instead of the main building at The Mann.  That kind of made me want to go a little bit more (but very little as The Mann is a pain in the ass to get to).

Turns out, though, that we were away on the night of the show, so, it did’t matter anyway.

My wife and I saw The Head and the Heart at the Met Philly in 2019.  Here’s what I wrote:

I had quite possibly the worst concert experience of my life at this show.  And I want to reiterate it had nothing to do with the band.  There may have been a song or two in the middle that I wasn’t too excited about, but overall, they sounded great, played some really fun songs and seemed to be really enjoying themselves.

I wouldn’t mind seeing them again to make up for this show, but I probably won’t.   I also feel like I never want to go to the Met Philly again.  I feel like it attracts the wrong crowd–rich people who are looking for a night out rather than fans of music.

Re-reading the review I spent 2/3 of it complaining about the people around me. They were loud talkers and drinkers, completely louder than the band at times.

I would like to see The Head and the Heart again, I think.  Although it turns out they released a new album last year and I didn’t even know it.  So, I guess I won’t miss them that much,

I just checked and this show is sold out, so I guess they won’t miss me either.  And it really sounds like an event I don’t want to be at.

The Revivalists are a band that get some airplay on WXPN.  I do like one of their songs but overall their vibe is a little too retroey for me.  They are probably a very good fit with The Head and the Heart, although I feel like they veer in a direction I don’t enjoy as much.

 

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