I have now seen The Flaming Lips seven times. I’ve wanted to bring my kids to a show because there’s really nothing like a Flaming show. Last year, their set was on my daughter’s birthday and she didn’t want to spend her birthday seeing a band she didn’t really know (fair enough).
So this year, the show was in the middle of the summer with no other commitments around us And, it was the anniversary show of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots–a catchy album with a song (“Do You Realize??”) that they knew. My daughter’s friend also wanted to go, so I wound up getting five tickets for us.
Since there was no opening band I wanted us to get there fairly early so we could be in the confetti blast zone. My daughter (who typically doesn’t like to be up close) and her friend wound up really close (they were at the barrier by the end), although they were off to the side quite a lot.
The rest of us got right in the middle (behind some tall people, sadly) and could see as the giant pink robots (all FOUR of them) inflated and the test began … NOW!
It was great to hear “Fight Test.” And then to hear the song segue into the rest of the album. That mellow song morphed into “Yoshimi Pt.1” which I’ve heard five time and never get tired of.
By the way, the confetti included pink robots, which was a chef’s kiss touch on the Lips’ usual fun nonsense. I was pretty excited to hear Yoshimi Pt. 2, a weird instrumental in which lots more confetti came out. Wayne grabbed his tiny confetti tubes and shot them at everyone–there’s still streamers in the rafters I’m sure (they must pay extra for cleanup). (more…)
[DID NOT ATTEND: July 29, 2023] ALT 104.5 Fishtown FestivALT Block Party
I received a notification that Portugal. The Man were going to be playing at The Fillmore. They are a band who are high on my “wanna see” list. So I grabbed a ticket even though I had a ticket for another show that night.
Then I learned a short time later that the Portugal. The Man show was part of this ALT 104.5 Fishtown FestivALT Block Party. It’s an all-day affair in three locations. Much of it is free, although the Portugal. show is not. Well, then it turned out that we were picking up my daughter from camp that day–so that knocked out going into town early. And then we got invited to a farewell party for a friend who was leaving the area. So there went the evening show. I tried to resell my tickets but I guess Portugal. The Man is not on the top of everyone’s “must see” list.
As for the free bands, it’s amazing how much TikTok is making new bands into favorites.
[DID NOT ATTEND: July 22, 2023] The Struts / Mac Saturn
The Struts opened for Foo Fighters when my wife and I saw them. Sadly, we missed their entire set.
They have a retro look and feel and I like the way Louder Than War describes their:
knack for writing and performing unapologetically direct, catchy, feel-good original songs that somehow sound like long-lost rock classics. It also shows the singer’s ability to connect with crowds.
Moving with all the grace and poise of someone who, as a child, imitated Michael Jackson in front of a mirror, he fully commits to one tried-and-tested rockstar move after another. It works. His repertoire — above-the-head clapping, raised jazz hands, reaching out with microphone in palm, cupping hand to ear, come hither gestures, running hands over torso, and stationary hands-on-hips poses — forms a direct, almost primal, connection with the audience. With just the flick of a wrist he can get 2,000 people to sing louder, cheer harder, clap faster, or jump higher than they already are.
Luke Skinner sang a song with Foo Fighters and I can attest to his charisma.
This would probably have been a fun show, honestly, but I wasn’t all that inspired. Plus, I had a show the night before, so it seemed like too much.
Detroit’s Mac Saturn is best known for its explosive rock ‘n’ roll shows, filled with ’70s rock mystique and flair. The six-piece is made up of frontman Carson Macc, drummer Angelo Coppola, guitarists Mike Moody and Nick Barone, bassist Jive Moses and pianist Evan Mercer on the keys. Mac Saturn became a staple of the Michigan music scene in 2020 and has since released 2022 single “Diamonds,” funk rock EP Until the Money Runs Out and “Plain Clothes Gentleman (Live)” — an electrifying start to a promising career.
I’m getting a funky Steely Dan vibe from them. In fact, now that I’ve listened to a few of their songs, if you told me the songs were lost Steely San songs I’d believe you.
My wife and I saw First Aid Kit twice in seven months. First at Union Transfer and then, when they came back through Philly, at the much larger Fillmore.
Both shows were great and we were happy to see them twice so soon apart.
Especially since it took five years for them to come back to town!
The seven month separation between shows led me to observe:
In a nutshell, it felt like a very different show even though it was more or less the same show.
But five years is a long time. They put out a new album (and reissued it with extra songs the other day). So this promised to be a very different show.
Although the set up was similar, the backing band was different this time. Last time: Steve Moore on keys and trombone, Scott Simpson on drums and Melvin Duffy on pedal steel. This time: Freja “Freja the Dragon” Drakenberg on keyboards, Gabriel Runemark on drums and Johannes Runemark (a.k.a. Kasino) on guitar and mandolin.
Klara and Johanna came out a few moments later looking fabulous–they have really embraced their look with Klara in a hot pink pantsuit and Johanna in a short flowy one piece that was mesmerizing in its pattern.
The new album is great and it is doing well and they opened with two songs from it.
I knew they’d be playing a lot of new stuff, but they did a great job interweaving it since after the two new tracks, including the first single “Angel,” they played previous big hit “It’s a Shame.” There was no pedal steel guitar on this tour, although Johannes could play those pedal steel lines on his guitar quite easily.
And there was some delightful banter with the crowd (Hello Philleeeeeee!). (more…)
I saw The Weather Station open for Mitski last year. Well, I saw a couple of songs from their set because we were on the merch line for most of their set.
After that set, I wrote
I’ve heard a few of their songs on record and thought they were okay–jazzy and a little slow. But live their songs really came to life with an energy and vibrancy that I didn’t hear on record.
They ended the set with “The Robber” the one song I knew pretty well and it was great live. I’m glad they ended with that one.
Well, the weather was crazy and the traffic was nuts so we walked in a few minutes before The Weather Station went on. And of course, I was on the merch line for half of their set once again. (more…)
[DID NOT ATTEND: May 13 & 14, 2023] Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls / The Interrupters / Bedouin Soundclash
I am reposting exactly what I wrote last year:
I had been wanting to see him for a long time because I’d heard his live shows were amazing. I saw him last year in a solo (more or less) performance. And it was great. So next, I wanted to see him with his band because I’ve heard the band version is even wilder with a more punk aesthetic and I do love a fun punk show.
I grabbed a ticket to this immediately, not realizing that it was Father’s Day Mother’s Day. It’s not a very Fatherly nice way to spend Mother’s Day by being away from your family for hours. So I didn’t go.
COME ON FRANK. Last year on father’s Day. This year on Mother’s Day? WTF.
I prefer the Fillmore to the Summer Stage, but by the time I realized that my tickets were for Mother’s Day, we had already made plans for the Saturday so I couldn’t grab tickets in Asbury Park anyway.
The Interrupters opened for the Hella-Mega tour. We caught their ska set and it was fun as anything. I definitely want to se them again, so this bill was killer for me.
Bedouin Soundclash is from Canada. Their music is like a combination of reggae and rock with ska elements. Although everything I listened to on Spotify was far more mellow than I would have expected for this tour.
[DID NOT ATTEND: April 23, 2023] Nickel Creek / Gaby Moreno
Nickel Creek was one of the bands on my “really wanna see but they probably won’t tour” list. So when they announced this tour I was pretty excited to see them.
I also grabbed a ticket for my wife, thinking we could spend a nice Sunday evening near her birthday at a show and maybe a dinner.
But I think she wasn’t especially interested from the get go. Every time I mentioned it, there was no excitement. By the time the show came around, I pretty much knew we weren’t going to go.
She encouraged me to go by myself, but it didn’t feel right. So I’m guessing I never will see them after all.
Ironically, just a few days later, Nickel Creek had to postpone several of their dates because Chris Thile was sick:
“Nothing upsets us more than not being able to deliver a scheduled performance (which has happened just once before in our 34 years as a band), especially because as devoted concertgoers ourselves, we know how much goes into attending,” the band wrote. “We are deeply moved (and now further saddened) to see and hear the stories of how many of you were traveling/have travelled to join us at these shows, and will be doing EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER to make it up to you over the course of this year’s touring. We are so grateful for each and every one of you, and so, so, SO sorry about the news.”
They went on to describe the circumstances behind their postponements, sharing that Thile began the tour with a sinus infection, then caught the flu and did his best to power through it, which damaged his vocal chords. They went on to write, “[Thile’s] doctor, one of the country’s top voice specialists, says that he’d be risking far more serious damage if we proceeded and has prescribed a couple of weeks of rest and rehab.” They went on to thank everyone, including their fans, their crew and their management team – who are currently doing everything to make things amended as smoothly and quickly as possible and closed the message with hopes that they’ll be performing once again in late May.
I wondered if he wasn’t especially “on” for our show, but I’ll never know.
I know of Gaby Moreno from a Tiny Desk Concert which really impressed me. She sings in both English and Spanish and brings a lot of her home country of Guatemala to her music.
[DID NOT ATTEND: April 7, 2023] Guster / Allison Ponthier
My wife and I saw Guster yesterday. It was her ninth and my tenth time.
We both thought it would be super fun to see them two nights in a row (especially since their sets tend to change up so much). Indeed, the set from this night was almost entirely different.
However, I had long- long- delayed tickets to see Bikini Kill that night. I assumed up until the last minute that the show would get delayed once again, but it did go on this time. And my daughter was going with me and she was super excited to go to the show. So, we’ll catch Guster again I’m sure.
Allison Ponthier is a singer songwriter who sings quiet, catchy folk songs.
In August 2021, Ponthier released her debut EP Faking My Own Death. The debut single from the EP, “Cowboy”, was named one of the “25 Best Songs By LGBTQ Artists of 2021 (So Far)” by Billboard on June 29, 2021.
Her voice is quiet interesting and her videos are visually very interesting.
As for what she sounds like, her own description sums it up pretty well:
I will always be making pop music. Pop is very general, but my music will always be pop at its heart. Growing up, there was country music all around me. It was what my mom listened to, and it was all over Texas. But I also really found a love for songwriting with artists like Regina Spektor, Imogen Heap, and Fleet Foxes. When I’m writing, I try not to think about the genre and more along the lines of, “Oh, that piano chord sounds cool,” or, “I have this melody idea.”
Cool, although I’m so glad we got to see Karina Rykman.
[DID NOT ATTEND: December 17-18, 2022] Champagne Jam 2022
Every year for quite some time, The Front Bottoms have been doing a Champagne Jam at the close of the calendar year. Brooklyn Vegan talked about in 2019:
The Front Bottoms‘ annual holiday concert Champagne Jam has taken place in NYC and NJ in the past, and this year it moves to Philadelphia. It happens December 21 (the Saturday before Christmas) at The Fillmore Philly Complex.
2022 saw them return to Philly, which has three venues all more or less connected. I don’t know how the set times are structured–if there’s any way to see everyone (probably not). But then again, I dind;t want to see everyone.
I bought my son and I tickets to the Saturday December 17 show figuring it was one last opportunity to see The Front Bottoms (since we kept missing them for one reason or another). Then we wound up scheduling our own holiday jam for the same night.
So we weren’t going to go to the Friday night show anyhow, but here’s the full lineup:
Friday, December 16, 2022 in the Lobby
DJ Spicy Brown
Friday, December 16 2022 at The Foundry
Flycatcher are from New Brunswick, NJ According to The Deli
Flycatcher are a four-piece rock combo hailing from New Brunswick, New Jersey, three of whom have immaculately sculpted facial hair (well ok one of them has a bushy beard but still it’s neatly trimmed and shaped). On the musical side of things Flycatcher carry on in the fine tradition of immaculately sculpted extremely catchy power-pop-that-rocks made in the Tristate Area with oft-witty lyrics and a distinctly que será, será attitude as established by such legendary acts as Fountains of Wayne, The Feelies, The Smithereens, and the ripe-for-revival Cucumbers.
They sound like they are worth checking out–the one song I’ve listened to is pretty slackery.
Sweet Pill is an emo band from New Jersey. The band consists of vocalist Zayna Youssef, guitarist Jayce Williams, guitarist Sean McCall, bassist Ryan Cullen, and drummer Chris Kearney. The video I watched for High Hopes was super catchy (and set in a bowling alley).
Another Michael is a band who have opened for a bunch of shows I haven’t gone to. They play a kind of mellow indie rock with lead Michael’s vocals veering into R&B styles. Not quite my thing. But that’s only one dud in a bill I didn’t even think about going to.
Slothrust are from Boston. In a review from The Revue (in Canada) from 2021, they talk about an evolving band:
In the 8 years we’ve been covering Slothrust, we’ve seen the band change a lot musically. They’ve shifted from the early days of jazz-infused grunge, which eventually grew into much bigger and less easy to classify sounds. Each record feels like a rebirth, from Everyone Else having a fine polish on that distinctive Slothrust sound but expanding on it at the same time. The Pact felt like an even more diverse records, with the band diving more into electronic sounds and even diving into poppier sounds. It set up any future releases nicely to dive even more into the trio’s widening approach. Their latest record, Parallel Timeline, heralds yet another rebirth of the band. “Cranium” kicks off the record and immediately sets the tone. This is a slower Slothrust, as the chugging basslines and heavy drums are nowhere to be found. All the things that make Leah Wellbaum stand out as an artist, however, are on full display. Her voice, her surreal lyrics, and, at about halfway through the song, her guitar work. “Once More For The Ocean” hits a bit harder, kicking of with a ripping guitar solo, but it stays a bit in that pop realm with a bunch of sections that just beg to be sung along with.
Sounds like a really good night and some bands I should be on the look out for.
Friday, December 16, 2022 at Fillmore Philadelphia
Lunar Vacation I saw Lunar Vacation open for The Beths and they were great. I’d happily see them again.
Emperor X is from Louisville, Kentucky (and presumably not the Emperor X from Berlin). He plays a kind of low-fi pop that I see is described as a “bummer jam” which is absolutely not my thing.
Joyce Manor is a punk band from California who I always think are someone else. Their latest album 40 oz to Fresno was described by The New York Times (!!!) as “relentlessly tuneful 17-minute collection of all-killer, no-filler power-pop.” I rather like their clean punk sound.
The Front Bottoms are the stars of the night and the main attraction. They were, no doubt fantastic, and I love that they give a lot of other New Jersey bands a platform.
Saturday, December 17, 2022 at Brooklyn Bowl
Shannen Moser I’ve seen Shannen Moser twice. Her intense folk songs are quite good
Shane Henderson was the singer of Valencia and now does mostly production.
Tom May has “lived the dream” of being a full time, working, self-supporting folk musician. Tom is also the founder and host of the nationally-syndicated live radio program, River City Folk.
Kevin Devine is someone I love and I was really looking forward to seeing his set–and hoping that it didn’t conflict with any of the other headliners.
Saturday, December 17, 2022 at The Foundry
Riverby are from Philly. They are a fun indie rock band with a loose sound (and a cover of “Walk Through the Fire” from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Hotline TNT is the shoegaze/indie rock project of singer-songwriter Will Anderson (a.k.a. Flip Sandy). The project began after Anderson moved from Vancouver to Minneapolis. Now based in New York, Anderson still handles the songwriting himself and has played live shows with several different lineups.
Kid Sister is a rapper who has appeared with Sault.
Saturday, December 17, 2022 at Fillmore Philadelphia
Prince Daddy & The Hyena is an American rock band from Albany, New York, formed in 2014 described as indie rock with punk and “slacker” influences
Soul Glo is a band I really want to see. They are an extreme punk band and will probably scare the heck out of me. It would have been safest to see them amid all of these other bands
Titus Andronicus is a band I should probably love, but I just can’t get into them.
The Front Bottoms headlining a second night.
This seems like a really fun festival.
Jordan Norris nicely posted a video of The Front Bottoms from both shows
Friday night:
Saturday night
Also
Also, The Flycatcher review had these two videos (because of a song called sodas in the freezer)
[DID NOT ATTEND: December 2, 2022] Dinosaur Jr. / Guided By Voices / Eugene Mirman
I have seen Dinosaur Jr. three times and I don’t really need to see them again. They were great but there’s not a lot new in the mix to make it worth the trip. And that’s fine.
Guided By Voices are supposedly the greatest (or at least the most prolific) indie band of the 90s. And I’ve never really gotten into them. I like some of their songs just fine, but I feel like Robert Pollard plays two chords for 80 seconds and write some nonsense and there’s the new GBV song.
If I had seen them open for someone I’m sure I’d appreciate it, but they weren’t going to drag me to this show.
Eugene Mirman is a comedian and the voice of Gene on Bob’s Burgers. I wanted to go to this show just for him. But I didn’t. Once again, though, I love a comedian opening for a rock band.
I have now seen The Flaming Lips seven times. I’ve wanted to bring my kids to a show because there’s really nothing like a Flaming show. Last year, their set was on my daughter’s birthday and she didn’t want to spend her birthday seeing a band she didn’t really know (fair enough).
I Just Read About That... 