Posted in Coronavirus, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Union Transfer on August 27, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: August 27, 2020] Joywave [rescheduled from April 24; moved to June 27, 2021]
This show was postponed from April 24. I didn’t know all that much about Joywave then but figured I’d listen to them more and see if I wanted to go see them. When the show was postponed I thought it would give me more time to check them out.
I did and I found them to be okay. But I probably wouldn’t have gone to see them anyway (I’d rather have gone to The Beths).
Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Coronavirus, Fenne Lily, Jeff Tweedy, Lucy Dacus, OHMME, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Union Transfer, Waxahatchee on August 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: August 14, 2020] Waxahatchee / Fenne Lily [moved to April 6, 2021]
Waxahatchee was supposed to play Union Transfer back in April. That show was rescheduled to October. But in the interim, she scheduled this date at Asbury Lanes.
Union Transfer holds about 1,000 people. Asbury Lanes holds about 100. What a different experience that would be. Even if you went to both shows.
The one real difference though is the opening act. OHMME is in Union Transfer, Fenne Lily is here. I loved OHMME when I saw them and want to see them again.
I saw Fenne Lily open for Lucy Dacus and I really enjoyed her. In fact, I would enjoy seeing her again as well. So, her as an opening band isn’t a bad thing by any means, It’s just not as good as OHMME.
I’ve seen Waxahatchee twice–once with a full band and once solo. I like her, although I wasn’t sure I wanted to see her again. She has a new album out and I’ve heard it’s much more mellow than her last couple, so that doesn’t really appeal to me.
I’m curious if this show will be rescheduled. It would be fun to see her in a small space (with social distancing).
Posted in Cancelled, Coronavirus, Jersey City, NJ, Kraftwerk, Marshall Poole, Newport Folk Festival, Philadelphia, PA, Prism Bitch, Quarantine, The National, Union Transfer, White Eagle Hall on July 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: July 30/July 31, 2020] Built to Spill [White Eagle Hall show moved to July 30, 2021]
I’ve seen Built to Spill a bunch of times. The last time I promised myself I wouldn’t get too close to the stage, but I did. The problem with being so close is the way Doug Martsch has his guitar set up. His amp is right next to him and it is so loud. From where I was you could barely hear anything else. Of course I’m there to watch Doug play, so it’s not too bad. But I promised myself I would stand back to fully appreciate his band.
On this newly announced tour, his whole band was going to be different. In fact, I have seen at least three different lineups for the band over the years. This tour was going to feature drummer Teresa Esguerra of Prism Bitch (who opened for Built To Spill last time) and bassist Melanie Radford of Marshall Poole. I knew it would be a very different show.
Unfortunately, I had tickets to Kraftwerk on July 30 and tickets for The national on July 31 (not to mention we were supposed to leave for the Newport Folk Festival on the night of the 31st as well). So I sure hope he keeps this line up when he;s ready to play again. And I will stand back and take it all in.
Posted in Coronavirus, Kim Gordon, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Sonic Youth, Union Transfer on July 24, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: July 24, 2020] Kim Gordon
Kim Gordon was a founding member of Sonic Youth (duh). I never got to see Sonic Youth while they were together (how could I have missed them??).
I recently saw Thurston Moore solo and it was fantastic. Kim Gordon’s solo output is a bit more esoteric, but I’d love to be able to see her live at least once.
I was really looking forward to this show. But then on May 6, Kim Gordon announced
Due to the ongoing desire to keep everyone safe, my US shows have now also been cancelled. Tickets will be automatically refunded at point of purchase. I look forward to seeing you all in the near future.
I hope she can come back around when things are better.
Posted in Coronavirus, EOB, Kiss, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Radiohead, Thom Yorke, Union Transfer on June 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: June 8, 2020] EOB [moved to June 11, 2021]
I used to be the kind of fan who would listen to anything that a band member released (blame Kiss for that four solo albums stunt back in the 70s).
But not every solo project is worthwhile. And some of these solo shows are even more heavily attended than the main band.
So I didn’t really need to see Thom Yorke on his solo outings. But the new EOB album sounds really good (from what I’ve heard of it). I’d be curious to see what the third best known member of Radiohead was like live. I’m not certain I was going to go to this, but it was certainly intriguing.
I do hope the tour gets rescheduled.
UPDATE: This is the first show that has been rescheduled to a new date on which I already have tickets to a rescheduled show. Now, do I want to see EOB or King’s X?
Posted in Andy Shauf, Asbury Park, NJ, Faye Webster, House of Independents, Margaret Glaspy, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Union Transfer on May 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: May 15, 2020] Andy Shauf / Faye Webster [moved to December 18, 2020]
Andy Shauf is a Canadian singer songwriter. He sings quiet, introspective songs. He was playing at Union Transfer at the beginning of Mat and then in New Jersey in the middle of May.
I was introduced to his music from a Tiny Desk Concert in which he never really moves. He has very long hair which also never moves. His songs are really very pretty and well constructed.
It’s his voice that I find utterly fascinating. He enunciates in such an unusual way. The way he emphasizes certain vowels defies his Saskatchewan upbringing. He sings not unlike Margaret Glaspy and other newer sings who stress their vowels in an unusual to me way.
I really enjoyed his Tiny Desk and I enjoyed reading about the album The Party which sounds like the worst party ever.
Since then he has cut all of his hair and looks totally different–I wasn’t even sure it was the same guy.
Faye Webster is a singer from Georgia who actually has a similar singing style to Andy, which is fascinating. She sings low key torchy ballads and would be a perfect opening act for him. I’m going to have to listen to a bit more from her.
He’s the kind of musician that I would think about going to but probably wouldn’t, and then I’d wish I had. Well, now I have two more chances.
His initial itinerary fascinated me:
Boston, Brooklyn, Philly, D.C., North Carolina, Atlanta, New Orleans, Alabama, Indiana, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, upstate New York.
The rescheduled shows keep the same basic set up except that now Philly is the day before NJ–I wonder what changed that plan.
Posted in Coronavirus, Diet Cig, First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA, Philly Music Fest, Postponed, Quarantine, Sad13, Speedy Ortiz, Thin Lips, Union Transfer on May 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: May 14, 2020] Diet Cig / Sad13 / Thin Lips [moved to November 4, First Unitarian Church]
I have wanted to see Diet Cig ever since I saw them on a Tiny Desk Concert–they are a bundle of energy and the duo play super catchy pop punk. I wanted to see them before they lost their energy.
I missed them the first time they came around and last time around they played at the First Unitarian Church, a venue I dislike. So when they announced this show at Union Transfer I was so excited. This cancellation was a major bummer for me.
Especially since now that they rescheduled it is apparently being moved to the Church again (does this mean sales are really poor?)
Sad13 is the solo moniker of Sadie Dupuis the singer of Speedy Ortiz. They were wonderful live (and I was right in front of Sadie to watch her terrific guitar work). I don’t really know much about the Sad13 songs but I assume they will be great if she is behind them.
I saw Thin Lips at the Philly Music Fest and they were absolutely fantastic. I loved them and was looking forward to seeing them again. They play catchy pop punk with pointed lyrics. Outstanding.
So, I sure hope all three can come around for the postponed date (and I hope it sells better and has to get moved out of the Church into a bigger venue).
Posted in Canadian Music, Coronavirus, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Purity Ring, Quarantine, Union Transfer on May 13, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: May 13, 2020] Purity Ring [moved to April 21, 2021]
Purity Ring is a duo from Edmonton–multi-instrumentalist/producer Corin Roddick and vocalist Megan James.
They put out a couple of albums and then disappeared.
I rather enjoy the way Wikipedia describes their sound
a combination of pop and hip-hop styles and James’ “childlike” vocals and “macabre”, “gory” lyrics, that she takes from “books and books full of things she’s written” in the past. Their music utilizes down-pitched, distorted vocals and percussive and vocal loops. A creative key to their sound is a sometimes aggressive use of a volume regulating technique called “sidechaining,” in which the rhythm of one instrument affects the volume of another.
After a five year hiatus, they returned in 2020 with a new album WOMB, just in time to have their tour postponed.
Posted in Coronavirus, Courtney Marie Andrews, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, The Tallest Man on Earth, Union Transfer on May 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: May 8, 2020] The Tallest Man on Earth / Courtney Marie Andrews [moved to March 6, 2021]
I have wanted to see The Tallest Man on Earth for a few years and things always seem to come up to cancel my opportunity.
In 2018 I had a ticket to see him, but then a camping trip came up.
In 2019, he had to cancel his tour for the first time because of a personal crisis.
And now this.
This show was awkwardly timed to be on a very important person’s birthday, but I was hoping that the family would forgive me if I ducked out to see Kristian Matsson finally.
Courtney Marie Andrews was on my bad list because she put out her last album right around the time that Courtney Barnett put out her last album, so whenever the DJ would say Courtney I was excited until they followed it with Marie.
Courtney Marie is a folk singer who veers too far into the country lanes for my liking. Although I did find that she had a powerful voice, which goes a long way.
Posted in Acid Mothers Temple, Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., Chicano Batman, Coronavirus, Le Butcherettes, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, Union Transfer on May 3, 2020| Leave a Comment »
[POSTPONED: May 3, 2020] Chicano Batman / Le Butcherettes [moved to June 16, 2021]
I know of Chicano Batman through some songs on WXPN and through a cool Tiny Desk Concert. They play a groovy psychedelia that is laced with soul and funk and indie rock.
There’s always a great bass sound that underpins Bardo Martinez’s soft vocals.
They also have a great name.
The more I hear them the more I think they’d be fun to see live. Last time they came to town, they were opening for someone. But this tour they are headlining.
Le Butcherettes I also know from a Tiny Desk Concert. Teri Gender Bender is a great punk front woman. She channels different vocal styles and can rock with the best of them. She is also unafraid to stare at the audience. I imagine she’d be an intense experience.
I was unable to see them in May (that was Acid Mothers Temple night), but I’m free on the new date.
I Just Read About That... 