Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Union Transfer’ Category

Plini (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 18, 2024) [ANIMALS AS LEADERS]

Posted in Animals as Leaders, Philadelphia, PA, Plini, Union Transfer on November 18, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 18, 2024] Plini

Plini is Plini Roessler-Holgate, an Australian guitarist who has been recognized by all of the famous guitar gods [for instance: Steve Vai described him as “the future of exceptional guitar playing.”]

I wondered if he would play solo, but no, he had a four-piece band.  Jake Howsam Lowe played guitar with him.  And Jake was amazing as well.  He had some moments of speed and impressive dexterity–and I was glad that he was given his own spotlight in a song at the end.

I was really impressed by bassist Simon Grove.  He played a six string bass and at times played the same fast riffs as both guitarists.  He also had a few soloing moments and I loved seeing him play.

Finally, Chris Allison on drums was terrific.  And he inadvertently had one of the best moments of the night for me.  Someone in the audience held up a sign that said Mr Allison will you trade drum sticks with me  And Allison was totally game.  The fan passed their sticks through the audience (he or she was pretty far back and the sticks were crowd surfed) and Plini asked if the fan wanted the ones Allison had just played with or new ones.  And then said, oh give them both.  Then Plini asked how honest the Philly crowd was as they crowd surfed the sticks to the fan.  It was great.

Plini then said that instead of playing music for 30 minutes, they would just do a trade and swap for the next 30 minutes.

But indeed, they did play.  (more…)

Read Full Post »

Destroy Boys (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 15, 2024)

Posted in Chokecherry, Destroy Boys, Jigsaw Youth, Philadelphia, PA, Sasami, Union Transfer on November 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 15, 2024] Destroy Boys

My son is a fan of Destroy Boys and when he was playing them, I was getting into them and agreed that they’d be fun to see live.  We saw them open for Pierce the Veil in Reading and really enjoyed the show.  Although, as I said then,

For some godawful reason, the venue decided to bathe the band in purple, which rendered them almost entirely invisible from where we were seated.  It definitely made us all want to see see them (actually see them) in a small club when they come around next time.

So it was great to see them up close at Union Transfer.  It was really entertaining seeing singer Alexia Roditis wearing a long leather coat and chaps (and black underwear).  She is an intense frontperson–powerful and in total control of the room, and I love that she proved how in control she was by basically wearing her underwear on stage.

Guitarist Violet Mayugba was on our side of the stage and she was an intense force of sound and attitude.  Bassist David Orozco was on the far side and seemed somewhat out of place in fairly normal clothes while the women in the band were wearing leather.  Drummer Narsai Malik was great behind the kit.

For this tour they had a fifth member, Nastacha Beck (aka Miss Distortion) from Jigsaw Youth on rhythm guitar.  [Back in 2022, I could have seen Destroy Boys (as a trio), Jigsaw Youth and Pinkshift in ne show but I had other plans…bummer!].

The show was full of energy right from the start with a ripping (and catchy) Shadow (I’m Breaking Down).  They didn’t only play new songs, jumping immediately back to Crybaby from 2018.  And Drink (an incredibly catchy song) dates back to 2021.

But this show was touring the new album so of course there were lots of new songs (which everyone there knew).  Like Plucked, a far more complex song musically than say K Street Walker from their debut (which makes up in fierceness what it lacks in complexity). (more…)

Read Full Post »

Sasami (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 15, 2024) [DESTROY BOYS]

Posted in Chokecherry, Destroy Boys, Philadelphia, PA, Sasami, Union Transfer on November 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 15, 2024] Sasami

When this tour was announced, I thought it would be perfect for myself and my kids.  My daughter loved seeing Crawlers, the original opening act, my son loves Destroy Boys and in addition to liking both bands, I had wanted to see Sasami for quite a while.

I had heard that Sasami’s shows for her album Squeeze were insane–intense rocking shows in which Sasami didn’t hold back in trying to create “maximum chaos per capita.”

That tour had a full band and they rocked hard.

So I was disappointed that this set from Sasami was all over the place.  It was just her and her Colombian drummer Juan Diego Patiño (who was pretty great).  And she played songs from all over her career.

And honestly there was nothing bad about her set, it was just totally not was I was expecting.  (more…)

Read Full Post »

Chokecherry (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 15, 2024) [DESTROY BOYS]

Posted in Chokecherry, Destroy Boys, Philadelphia, PA, Sasami, Union Transfer on November 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 15, 2024] Chokecherry

When this tour was announced, I thought it would be perfect for myself and my kids.  My daughter loved seeing Crawlers, the original opening act, my son loves Destroy Boys and in addition to liking both bands, I had wanted to see Sasami for quite a while.

But then Crawlers dropped off the tour (I’m not sure why) and they were replaced by Chokecherry who I hadn’t heard of.  I listened to a song or two and liked them.  So I was pleased to arrive early enough to see them.

I’m not really sure what the details are of this band, but I’m guessing that the two women who were up front, Guitarist Izzie A. Clark and bassist E. Scarlett Levinson are the fixtures of the band.  Other articles list two different members in the band. but for this show, Jack Lillian played second guitar and Sean Aaron  was on drums.

Izzie, Scarlett and Jack were dressed in provocative outfits–undergarments and corsets and they played up this flirtatiousness.  But their music totally rocked and their look proved to be an accent to their songs.   I couldn’t really see Sean who was behind the drums, so I’m not sure if he was wearing only boxers or what.

They opened with Lisa 1 and 2.  It starts with Izzie and Scarlett, quietly singing Lisa, I miss you, Lisa I’m sorry.  And then the song takes off.  But it’s in pat 2 that he real blistering punk comes out.  Two minutes of intensity.

Scarlett sang Afterglow, a song that builds with her softish voice into a terrific loud/quiet rocker.  It features one of several songs that have great guttural screams in them.  Around Around Around had a bit of a shoegaze vibe to it

The two singers had great harmonies together and I loved when Izzie left the mic for a few seconds to walk around while soloing.

They ended with Mirror Mirror a kicking rocker with fuzzy guitars and big loud chords.

I enjoyed their set a ton and would happily see them again.

 

2024 Union Transfer
Lisa 1
Lisa 2
Afterglow ∀
Around Around Around §
I Know You ∀
Glass Jaw §
Mirror Mirror ∀

∀ Messy Star (2024)
§ single (2023)

 

Read Full Post »

Slow Pulp / Free Range (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 13, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Free Range, Philadelphia, PA, Slow Pulp, Union Transfer on November 13, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 13, 2024] Slow Pulp / Free Range

In 2022 Slow Pulp opened for Alvvays and I wrote

Slow Pulp is a funny name.  Especially if (like to me) it sounds like your band is just a slower version of the band Pulp, which they are not.  Rather, they are kind of a slow version of Alvvays.  They are slow and introspective.  Seems like a good (if maybe dull?) fit.

I still don’t like the name (for the same reason), but I’ve become somewhat more interested in them.

Last year, they were playing The Foundry on Halloween on the same night that we were seeing Japanese Breakfast.  I listened to them a bit since them and while I still think they are too slow for me (the name is apt), I liked some of their stuff more than I thought I would.

I was intrigued to see them live, but this show was the same night as Palehound and Ratboys, so, I wasn’t going to miss that one.

I have actually seen Free Range live twice.  Technically I only heard them on one occasion–they were playing when we arrived at All Things Go and we could hear  them through the speakers.  But I also saw them open for, of all bands, Ratboys (so the band they opened for last time prevented me from seeing them this time).

About them I wrote

Sofia Jensen’s voice sounded familiar–maybe a kind of Phoebe Bridgers vibe–a kind of strong whispery style, and her songs had a strong Pinegrove feel to me (turns out that Nick Levin from Pinegrove plays pedal steel on on two of the tracks).  I guess the songs are indie rock with a whiff of country about them.  Although, interestingly, the chill vibe was often smashed by the loud jamming sections of some of the songs, especially the final one “Want to Know” which rocked out more than the others.

I would have enjoyed this show if I was in a mellow mood.

Read Full Post »

Pond (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 11, 2024)

Posted in Fazerdaze, Philadelphia, PA, Pond, Union Transfer on November 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 11, 2024] Pond 

I saw Pond here six years ago and it remains a memorable show for me, primarily because I got a great close up of lead singer Nick Allbrook as he was about to lean into the crowd.

I’m not sure why I didn’t go to see  them in 2019 or 2022, when they played Underground Arts–I assume Allbrook was just wandering around the crowd at that show given how interactive he was with us at Union Transfer.

When they announced this tour, I was interested but also a little unsure (again, I’m not sure why, had I forgotten how much I enjoyed their last show?)

So, when they came on stage, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect.  Allbrook didn’t have make up on like last time, but he was immediately and amazing frontman–dancing, getting close to the edge of the stage, and engaging fully with the audience.

When I saw them last time, all I really knew about them was that they were connected to Tame Impala and the few songs I listened to were really good.  [Allbrook was a touring member with Tam Impala until 2013, but Pond is far beyond any mention of Tame Impala].

They opened with a slow number called Daisy from their 2019 album Tasmania (which I don’t know at all).  The song picks up into a bouncier, synthy number and it was a good opportunity to check out what the band was doing.  (more…)

Read Full Post »

Panchiko / Trauma Ray (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 12, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Panchiko, Philadelphia, PA, Trauma Ray, Union Transfer on November 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 12, 2024] Panchiko / Trauma Ray

I really only know about Panchiko because of their fascinating story.

The band first received public attention in 2016 when their 2000 demo EP D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L was discovered by a 4chan user in a charity shop in Sherwood, Nottingham and shared online. The EP’s status as lost media led to a dedicated cult following and a community devoted to tracking down its band members. This was unbeknownst to the band until 2020, when Davies was found and contacted by a fan through Facebook. In November 2021, they amassed over 10 million streams on Spotify.

I genuinely don’t know if I’d go to see them, but I feel like I might give them a chance.

Opening for them was Trauma Ray, who, I didn’t know.

Their blurb sounds pretty awesome:

Among the current wave of shoegaze revivalists, Fort Worth’s trauma ray rank as high as any at capturing its complexity, intensity, and expressive devastation.   One of trauma ray’s greatest gifts is their ability to make doomy, sledgehammer heaviness sound like an ear-worm, without production tricks or gimmicks: “Riff, verse, chorus, three guitar parts – that’s all you need.”

I listened to a couple of songs and they’re really good.  I guess maybe I should have gone to this one.

Read Full Post »

Fazerdaze (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 11, 2024) [POND]

Posted in Fazerdaze, Philadelphia, PA, Pond, Union Transfer on November 11, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 11, 2024] Fazerdaze

When I saw Pond six years ago, I loved their opening act, Fascinator.   I was equally intrigued by their opening act this time, Fazerdaze, although I didn’t really look into them too much.

When they came out on stage, it was just two of them facing each other in the center of the stage.  Fazerdaze is the creation of Amelia Murray. She stood facing our side of the stage with her guitar and electronic gear.  Dave Rowlands stood facing her with his guitar and synth.

And perhaps most interesting is that they’re from New Zealand.

Murray would start the drum loop and then the two of them would play together.  The lights were dim so it wasn’t always clear who was doing what, but it was clear that it was Amelia’s show.

She told us that her new album was officially coming out at midnight and the set had five of the eleven songs in it.

The songs are mostly mellow with gentle psychedelic notions thrown in.  Amelia has a terrific voice and the melodies were quite lovely.  Although overall the vibe was a little too mellow for me.  The set was fairly short, but it still felt a little long to me.

I also thought they were also a bit of an odd choice as an opening act since musically they are quite different.  But I’m happy that they were getting exposure in the States and there were quite a lot of people there to see Fazerdaze.  The woman in front of me sang along to every song and actually left (my area) when they were done.

SETLIST

  1. Break! ⇑
  2. Winter ⇑
  3. Soft Power §
  4. A Thousand Years §
  5. Purple_02 §
  6. Cherry Pie §
  7. Bigger §

⇑ Break!
§ Soft Power (2024)

Read Full Post »

The Spirit of the Beehive / Kassie Krut (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 9, 2024) [POSTPONED]

Posted in Kassie Krut, Palm, Philadelphia, PA, The Spirit of the Beehive, Union Transfer on November 9, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 9, 2024] The Spirit of the Beehive / Kassie Krut [moved to March 5, 2025]

I saw The Spirit of the Beehive seven years ago and they were outstanding live.  I’d never heard of them before that show but they blew me away with their set which was a great mix of shoegaze and noise.  I said then that I’d like to see them headline a show.

They’ve been around a few times and I wasn’t planning on going to this show because it was the same night as Makoto Kawabata.

But then they had all of their gear stolen.

On October 5, SOTB announced on social media that their van and trailer were stolen at a hotel by the Seattle airport. The trailer had all the band’s gear and most of their merch inside of it. Later that day, they shared an update that they had found the trailer, but it was virtually empty. On Sunday morning, SOTB found out that the van had been found in Seattle and impounded, but before they were able to claim it, the van was somehow restolen from the impound lot.

Their GoFundMe raised over $75,000, and they are rescheduling shows.  I don’t know if they had any specialized gear. (more…)

Read Full Post »

Touché Amoré  (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 2, 2024)

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Portrayal of Guilt, Soft Blue Shimmer, Soul Glo, Touché Amoré, Union Transfer on November 5, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: November 2, 2024] Touché Amoré

I saw Touché Amoré open for Deafheaven last year and I knew I wanted to see them again as a headliner.

I was happy to see them at Union Transfer and I was happy that my son wanted to go with me.  But a four-band night was a lot to ask.  And having too much food for dinner and being way overdressed for a concert (it was cold out, but warm inside) meant that he didn’t enjoy the show as much as I hoped he would.  And his unhappiness always mars a show for me.

And yet, Touché Amoré was amazing.  My son admitted that even though he didn’t feel great, he was really impressed by them.

The band has a big, clean sound and singer Jeremy Bolm screaming the lyrics.  The best thing about his screaming is that it is intense like old school punk, but it is completely clear. so the powerful lyrics really show through.

Like last time, for every last line of a verse or chorus he put the mic out for the audience to sing the last word or phrase. And they did.

I love the sound of the band–not too complicated–but every song has something interesting going on in it.  Drummer Elliot Babin is a maniac behind the kit.  And I loved that you could hear both guitarists Clayton Stevens and Nick Steinhardt very clearly. And bassist Tyler Kirby would punctuate songs with excellent thumping bass.

Some of their songs are really short.  Art Official is about 90 seconds, and Nine is 45 seconds! (more…)

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »