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Archive for the ‘Union Transfer’ Category

Bill Nace (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 2024) [KIM GORDON]

Posted in Bill Nace, Kim Gordon, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on June 14, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: June 14, 2024] Bill Nace

Kim and Bill Nace toured in 2022.  Bill was also in the band Body/Head with Kim.  I saw him play in a jam session with Chris Forsyth in which he played the Suzuki Ran–an Electric Taishogoto.  When he played with Forsyth I worte

It sounded like a bunch of noise, honestly—there were some loud and wild effects on it.  It also drowned out Forsyth’s guitar.

For this show, Nace came out with this same instrument.  It has keys that you press and strings that you strum or bow.  Nace used a bow and turned the distortion and effects up to max and then played noise for about fifteen minutes.  Then he put the bow down, turned the Ran so it was more like a piano and played the same note–tapping the same key–for about 8 minutes.

I did not enjoy the set at all.  Which is a little odd since I do enjoy experimental music.  But this seemed to be more of a joke or a punishment than anything else.

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Camera Obscura / Photo Ops (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 29, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Camera Obscura, Philadelphia, PA, Photo Ops, Union Transfer on May 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 29, 2024] Camera Obscura

When it was announced that Camera Obscura had released their first album in 11 years and were touring for the U.S. for the first time in longer, I got caught up in the hype.  I didn’t really know them, but felt like I sort of did.  But it turns out I didn’t know them at all.  Then I thought, ooh, their Scottish, I wonder if they are interesting and unusual.

I listened to the new album a few ties and I like it, just not enough to go out a second night in a row.  The same thing happened when they played a song on the radio this morning,  I thought it was pleasant, but when they said it was Camera Obscura, I didn’t think it was anything more than pleasant.

They more or less broke up in 2015 following the death of their keyboardist but reunited to play at a festival headed by Belle & Sebastian.

I really wanted to like them, but nothing i listened to really stuck. (more…)

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Mannequin Pussy (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 23, 2024)

Posted in Mannequin Pussy, Philadelphia, PA, Soul Glo, Union Transfer on May 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 23, 2024] Mannequin Pussy

I wasn’t sure if I needed to see Mannequin Pussy again–but when they announced a tour of their new (excellent) album and that they were ending it in Philly and that Soul Glo was opening, I knew I had to go.

This was the fifth time I’ve seen Mannequin Pussy, which is a little crazy since it’s more than band that I have liked for a lot longer.

But they put on a great show (and they play Philly a lot).

I enjoy them as a headliner because Marisa Dabice can really stretch out and encourage the audience t o let themselves go.  She also told us that this tour was all about playing the new album.  Which they did.  All but the last song.  And this album kicks ass so it was great to hear all of these new songs.

The show started quietly with their surprisingly mellow first single, “I Don’t Know You,” and it built with the second single “Sometimes.”  If anyone came just for the new singles, that was the end right there. (more…)

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Soul Glo (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 23, 2024) [MANNEQUIN PUSSY]

Posted in Mannequin Pussy, Philadelphia, PA, Soul Glo, Union Transfer on May 23, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 23, 2024] Soul Glo

I wasn’t sure if I needed to see Mannequin Pussy again–but when they announced a tour of their new (excellent) album and that they were ending it in Philly and that Soul Glo was opening, I knew I had to go.

I had heard lots of buzz about Soul Glo and all of the videos I’d seen had shown a frenzied band and a frenzied audience.  I was intrigued but decided that ultimately the show would be too intense for me.

But having them as an opening act made it a little safer–especially since I got to stand on the side of the pit and just watch it.  But a home town crowd knew how to get into their scorching punk.

Soul Glo came out to much applause.  Allen Nunez on bass was closest to me.  Singer Pierce Jordan was playing with some electronic sounds while the rest of band got set up.  TJ Stevenson was on the drum kit and GG Guerra strapped on his guitar and started making noises on his own electronic equipment.

And then they turned to us and were off. (more…)

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Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 22, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Baroness, Coronavirus, Philadelphia, PA, Sheer Mag, Uniform, Union Transfer, Zorn on May 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 22, 2024] Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo

I’ve seen Mannequin Pussy three times.  The first time they were opening for Japandroids and Boot & Saddle.  And now they have three sold out shows at Union Transfer!

I immediately grabbed tickets for the first night–a hometown show would be amazing.

When I saw that Gustaf was playing on Wednesday and they had added a Thursday show, I sold the Wednesday show and grabbed a Thursday one.  I assume they will be in full force on Thursday.

And I was especially excited that Soul Glo was opening for them. (more…)

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Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 18, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Mannequin Pussy, Philadelphia, PA, Soul Glo, Union Transfer on May 19, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 19, 2024] Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo

I’ve seen Mannequin Pussy three times.  The first time they were opening for Japandroids and Boot & Saddle.  And now they have three sold out shows at Union Transfer!

I immediately grabbed tickets for the first night–a hometown show would be amazing.

And I was especially excited that Soul Glo was opening for them. (more…)

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Chicano Batman / Lido Pimienta (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 12, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Chicano Batman, Lido Pimienta, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer on May 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 12, 2024] Chicano Batman 

I saw Chicano Batman three years ago and really enjoyed the show and the vibe of the crowd.

I would definitely had gone to the show except for three reasons.

  1. Avatar, Oxymorrons, Conquer Divide were the same night and I would have gone to that show in a heartbeat
  2. Neil Young & Crazy Horse, a show my wife and I were over the moon to see.
  3. It was Mother’s Day.  If the other two shows hadn’t existed, I was still going to be home for Mother’s Day.

Lido Pimienta had a song that was on WXPN a few years ago that I really liked.

She is a Colombian Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter whose 2016 album, La Papessa, won the 2017 Polaris Music Prize.  She plays traditional indigenous and Afro-Colombian musical styles such as Cumbia and Bullerengue and merges it with contemporary synthpop and electronic music.

She’s quite delightful.

This would have been a really fun set.

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Sweet Pill / Equipment / Broke Body / Have a Good Season (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 10, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Broke Body, Equipment, Have a Good Season, Philadelphia, PA, Sweet Pill, Union Transfer on May 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 10, 2024] Sweet Pill / Equipment / Broke Body / Have a Good Season

Sweet Pill opened for Pool Kids last year.  But I arrived too late and missed them.

The other bands raved about them so I was interested in checking them out.  I was really surprised that they had a headline spot at Union Transfer.  And they sold it out!  Very impressive.

I decided I didn’t care enough to go to a four-band show if I didn’t even know the headliners.

Philadelphia’s Sweet Pill writes eruptive emo songs that embrace the edges of pop and hardcore. The kind of band whose members are fully immersed in their local scene—through a handful of notable side projects (twentythreenineteen / Goings / Harm Assist / typopro) and the show-promoting Philly staple 4333 Collective—the quintet’s sound takes wide-spectrum influence from its environment. The result is an amalgam of complex song structures and flourishes of technical acumen, wholly unconcerned with genre, yet evoking the specific styles of touchstones such as Paramore and Circa Survive.

I personally hear a huge amount of Pool Kids in their music, without the wild guitar pyro that Pool Kids use. (more…)

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TWRP (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 2, 2024)

Posted in nelward, Philadelphia, PA, Trey Magnifique, TWRP, Union Transfer on May 4, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 2, 2024] TWRP

My son and I saw TWRP last year.  We had actually gone mostly for the opening band Magic Sword.  But I figured TWRP were going to be a lot of fun.

TWRP were once known as Tupper Ware Remix Party (TWRP is much better).  They are from outer space (and Canada).  They are also from the 1980s (and the future).

They are a foursome. In order of the below photo they are guitarist Lord Phobos, bassist Commander Meouch, keyboardist and vocalist Doctor Sung and drummer Havve Hogan.

Last year’s show was so much fun that I was really excited to see this year’s show.  I got a ticket for my son but he had a final exam at 8:30 the next morning so he (wisely) stayed home.

Last time, Doctor Sung told us all about their high tech new stage manager, Grobb.  Grobb appeared on the side of the stage in a circle which previously said IBS (in the IBM logo style).  Grobb looked like a psychopathic Teletubby as he smiled and talked to us.

Grobb was back again for this tour which was all about crypto currency. (more…)

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Trey Magnifique (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 2, 2024) [TWRP]

Posted in nelward, Philadelphia, PA, Trey Magnifique, TWRP, Union Transfer on May 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 2, 2024] Trey Magnifique

Just as I hadn’t heard of nelward, I hadn’t heard of Trey Magnifique.

He came on stage, a silver fox, in a while suit (with no shirt on).  He proceeded to fill the room with smooth jazz sex.

He won me over immediately by saying “If someone asks if you want to hear smooth jazz,” the appropriate response is “Hell Yea.”  So when we all shouted “Hell Yea!” he said, no our energy was too high.  Try whispering it.  So we whispered ‘Hell yea” and he said no that was too much, just think it.

He then proceeded to make obscene mouth gestures on his straight saxophone.   It was really funny.

And then finally, after about six minutes, he actually played a song.  It was cheesy smooth jazz, but he was great–his sax playing is really solid.

So who is this guy?

Trey Magnifique is the smooth jazz alter ego of musician, comedian, and theoretical physicist Brian Wecht. Best known for his comedy bands Ninja Sex Party and Starbomb, where he performs as the keyboard-playing “Ninja Brian”, as well as his kids’ band Go Banana Go, Brian is one of the most popular comedy musicians in the world. Mature Situations is Brian’s first album as Trey Magnifique, as well as his first solo project.

Brian grew up in Pompton Lakes, NJ, and, after studying math and music (with a focus on jazz composition, arranging, and performance) at Williams College, went on to get a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of California, San Diego. Wecht held postdoctoral research positions at MIT, Harvard, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and the University of Michigan, and was a faculty member in the Centre for Research in String Theory at Queen Mary University of London. Wecht has authored over 30 papers in theoretical physics, focusing on supsersymmetric quantum field theories and string theory.

While pursuing his academic interests, Wecht began doing improv comedy with San Diego TheatreSports, and went on to become the Musical Director of the Improv Asylum in Boston, MA. After moving to New York, he met Dan Avidan through a mutual comedy friend, and the two created Ninja Sex Party in 2009. In 2015, Wecht left his faculty position at Queen Mary in order to focus on his YouTube career full time. In addition to NSP and Starbomb, Wecht’s projects include children’s comedy band Go Banana Go! (along with NSP producer Jim Roach), and the podcast Leighton Night with Brian Wecht (along with Leighton Grey). Outside of YouTube, Wecht maintains an active career as a public speaker and science communicator, and is one of the organizers of the annual Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism (NECSS).

Incredible.  This guy is literally a genius AND he is funny as hell. (more…)

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