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Archive for the ‘White Eagle Hall’ Category

Swervedriver / Slow Fiction / The Still Out (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, August 28, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Jersey City, NJ, The Still Out, White Eagle Hall on August 28, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: August 28, 2026] Swervedriver / Slow Fiction / The Still Out

There was a time a few years ago when the choice between going to White Eagle Hall or Underground Arts would have fallen squarely on White Eagle Hall.  It’s a gorgeous venue with great sight lines and a bouncy floor.  Not to mention a state of the art sound system.  But the last few times I’ve been there I’ve been dissatisfied.  Primarily with the parking.  But it feel busier and more crowded with less enjoyable people.  SO naturally I picked Underground Arts (which has rapidly become one of my favorite venues).

I was supposed to see Slow Fiction (who are from Chicago) when they were opened for Vundabar.  But I missed the show and therefor missed Slow Fiction.  Which is a shame because seeing them last night was amazing.  It would have been cool to see them at a bigger venue just a few weeks earlier.

I had never heard of The Still Out and, apparently with good reason.  Their bio is pretty interesting

The Still Out was formed by producers Josh Stoddard and Arjun “Arj” Agerwala in the mid 2000s in New York City. They were signed to indie label Hi-Speed Soul (Nada Surf, Afghan Whigs, Swervedriver, The Black Heart Procession) and released their album, Crystallized, which included guests Adam Franklin (Swervedriver), Jody Porter (Fountains of Wayne) and Claude Coleman, Jr (Ween). Veteran rock critic Jack Rabid ranked Crystallized #13 on his top 50 reissues of 2018, declaring of the Still Out, “Who are you and why are you so good?!”

Their songs range from anthems to lullabies, interspersing dreamy, wandering imagery with layered guitars, hypnotic bass vamps, and tight, dynamic drumming to create a wall of sound that is both melody and mayhem.

After playing shows to promote the album and opening for Swervedriver … they took a long hiatus. Josh became a sought-after video director, sound bath performer, and prolific creator while Arj focused on his career as a producer, engineer, and songwriter.  In 2021, they reunited to cover Fountains of Wayne’s “Sick Day” as part of a tribute to friend and supporter Adam Schlesinger, who died from covid. Josh himself died tragically not long after. Arj has now revived the band with the help of several talented musicians and with Josh’s harmonies and sounds helmed by Suneel Agerwala. They are continuing the Still Out to honor his beloved friend and bandmate.

So I guess I feel bad for not wanting to see them.  But I’ll give Crystallized a listen.

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Ratboys / Golden Apples (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, July 10, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Golden Apples, Jersey City, NJ, Ratboys, White Eagle Hall on July 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 10, 2026] Ratboys / Golden Apples

I’ve seen Ratboys three times and have really enjoyed all of their live shows.  I didn’t love this new album as much–it goes too deep into the country angle.  And yet, I know that their live show is great.  But I couldn’t make this show as I had a show the night before and I’ve been down on White Eagle Hall lately. The venue is great but the parking is just insurmountable.  I’d have to really like someone to head back there again.

So this was my second time NOT seeing Ratboys within a few months.

Back in 2023, I first heard of Golden Apples.  I noted that they are a gentle pop band with feelings of jangle pop, grunge, and dream pop.  I listened to one of their songs “Under the Sun” and it sounded instantly familiar, but I had never heard them before.  The song “High School” is a bit dirtier sounding and comes from the first album when Golden Apples are a full band.  I enjoyed it just as much if not more.  I’m immediately hooked and will definitely be listening to them more.

I didn’t listen to more of them because when I finally saw them live last month, I didn’t realize I had checked them out before, because I wrote

I enjoyed the simple but catchy guitar riff of followed by the totally rocking High School. During this song, Russell stepped off the stage (it’s about 6 inches high) and played his solo among the crowd (which was empty up front).  The set was about 30 minutes and I really enjoyed it  The songs were catchy with some slightly off kilter vibes.

This would have definitely been a good show if WEH was easier to get to.

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The Feelies (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, May 22 & 23, 2026) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Jersey City, NJ, The Feelies, The Velvet Underground, White Eagle Hall on May 22, 2026| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 22 & 23, 2026] The Feelies

The Feelies are a band from a town pretty close to where I grew up.  Of course, I didn’t know that at the time. I liked their Crazy Rhythms album and discovered Only Life while in college.   But I never got into them more than that.

I feel like I should have known them better and liked them more–local pride and all.  But I just never did.

They play sporadically and, really, if there were an opportunity to see them, this would be it.  They played two nights at White Eagle Hall–a venue I used to love but now find to be more of a pain in the ass than anything else (parking is a disaster there).  The first night, the were playing The Good Earth, an album I don’t think I know at all and then second night was Crazy Rhythms, which would have been more fun.

But I didn’t really feel like going out either night. So I missed out.  But thta’s ok.

Listening to them now, they really do sound a lot like the Velvet Underground, huh?

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An Evening with The Mountain Goats (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, October 3, 2025 & White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, October 4, 2025) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Jersey City, NJ, The Mountain Goats, White Eagle Hall on October 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 3 & 4, 2025] An Evening with The Mountain Goats

I have been trying to see The Mountain Goats for years.   Something always comes up–usually other shows.  But I was lucky enough to catch them this summer touring with Guster.  And earlier today I got to see them do a Free at Noon.  These were great and I would have loved to cap it off with a full evening of them, but I had tickets to see Deltron 3030 tonight and Born Ruffians tomorrow.

Maybe one day I’ll get to see them do an evening of their songs.

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The Dead Milkmen (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, May 10, 2025)

Posted in Jersey City, NJ, The Dead Milkmen, White Eagle Hall on May 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

[ATTENDED: May 10, 2025] The Dead Milkmen 

It took me 35 years to see The Dead Milkmen live.  And now I’ve seen them twice in about a year.  The last show was so much fun; I was really excited when they announced more shows at Underground Arts.  But those days were booked for me.  Bummer.  But then they announced this show at White Eagle Hall (where they have played a few times recently).

I arrived late (because parking there sucks).  I almost gave up and went home, but I found a reasonable parking spot. And the usher brought me to the ADA section which was pretty cool because I had been really far back.  But the ADA section was in the balcony and I was able to get really close to the stage.  Rodney Anonymous is such a wild and inclusive front man that he gets everyone involved in every song.  And even though he never looked up at the balcony, I felt like a participant.

Last time I was on the far side and could barely see bassist Dan Stevens or drummer Dean Clean.  This time I was on Joe Jack Talcum’s side and could see the whole stage easily.  I was also able to watch Jack’s guitar playing which is surprisingly complex.

One of the fun parts of sitting where I was that I could see all of the people slam dancing–and really making their pit large (to the dismay of other around them).  And for once I was really glad that I was upstairs away from the action.

The setlist wasn’t radically different from the previous show, but the order was very different and there were a few songs thrown in that they hadn’t played last time (I was pretty thrilled to hear The Thing That Only Eats Hippies). (more…)

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Miss Teen America (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, May 10, 2025) [THE DEAD MILKMEN]

Posted in Jersey City, NJ, Miss Teen America, The Dead Milkmen, White Eagle Hall on May 10, 2025| 2 Comments »

[ATTENDED: May 10, 2025] Miss Teen America

Parking around White Eagle Hall is a nightmare.  Despite arriving 25 minutes early for the show, I missed the first half of Miss Teen America.

But I did catch about half of their set and I enjoyed it quite a lot.

As I was watching I thought they had a really My Chemical Romance vibe.  But their earlier stuff.  It was very funny to me when, on my way back to the car, a young woman was talking with her friends and she said “That opening band was like what it must have been like to see My Chemical Romance when they first came out.  The singer even looked like Gerard Way.”

The band had a great look.  Their (new) bassist was awesome in fishnets and super high boots.  And their lead guitarist had a look that I couldn’t see all that well (the stage was pretty dark) but which was cool from afar.

They played four or five song while I was there including a song that they played together for the first time that night.  They describe themselves as traditional goth with “punk rock energy and a pop sensibility” and that’s pretty accurate.  I feel that the goth part is more from their look than their sound, but they definitely fall into the punkier side of goth. (more…)

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Ted Leo and the Pharmacists / Oceanator (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, November 13, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Aimee Mann, Jersey City, NJ, Oceanator, Ted Leo, Ted Leo + Pharmacists, White Eagle Hall on November 13, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTENDED: November 13, 2024] Ted Leo and the Pharmacists / Oceanator

I saw Ted Leo back in June.  But I missed about half of the set because I was at another show that night.  When he announced that the tour was continuing and he was going to play White Eagle Hall (where I had first seen him five years ago), it seemed like a nice moment of serendipity.  But the show was the same night as Ratboys and Palehound and I knew I was going to go to that show.

So I’m going to have to wait until he comes back around (and for December 6 when I see him play with Aimee Mann).

Oceanator opened for AJJ back in 2023 and I didn’t go to that show either.  But here’s what I said about them then

Oceanator is Elise Okusami a Brooklyn-based guitarist.  I hadn’t heard of her and when I listened to some songs, I loved them. The songs are catchy and fun and sound great.  This would have been a really fun show.

I even hear a little bit of Aimee Mann in her voice.

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Mdou Moctar / The Messthetics (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, October 3, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Jersey City, NJ, Mdou Moctar, The Messthetics, White Eagle Hall on October 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: October 3, 2024] Mdou Moctar / The Messthetics

I have seen Mdou Moctar twice, the most recent time back in July.

I would have enjoyed seeing them again, but I already had TWO shows to go to this evening: Soul Coughing and Nada Surf.

I really like The Messthetics (including the name).  The band has at its core drummer Brendan Canty and bassist Joe Lally who were both in Fugazi.  Along with guitarist Anthony Pirog, they make cool and interesting instrumental rock.  They have been pretty high on my list of bands to see. (more…)

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The Beths / Alvvays (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, September 7, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Alvvays, Jersey City, NJ, The Beths, White Eagle Hall on September 7, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 7, 2024] The Beths / Alvvays

Holy cow what a fantastic show!  I saw The Beths twice in a few months about a year ago and they were fantastic.  I would happily see them again.

And Alvvays is one of my wife and my favorite bands.  And there they were together on the same night.  And we haven’t seen them since 2017.

But this show was plopped right on the same night as the Pearl Jam show that we absolutely not missing.

Bummer for doubling up on concerts.

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The New Pornographers / Gustaf (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, August 6, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

Posted in Gustaf, Jersey City, NJ, Neko Case, The New Pornographers, White Eagle Hall on August 6, 2024| Leave a Comment »

[DID NOT ATTEND: August 6, 2024] The New Pornographers / Gustaf

I saw New Pornographers’ back in 2019 (I didn’t realize it was quite so long ago).  I enjoyed the show quite a lot.  And almost wondered if I didn’t need to see them again since they played pretty much everything I wanted to see.  And yet, they were really good and I enjoyed the show a lot–I suspect they are always worth seeing.

That show featured Neko Case on vocals–she wasn’t going to be with them on this tour.  That didn’t actually impact my decision at all about this one because, The New Pornographers are excellent without her as well.

This show happened to be on a night that my daughter was going to be doing stuff at the 4H Fair.  I wanted my wife to come with me, and that was proving to be challenging with out timing.  I hadn’t gotten a ticket but i assumed it wouldn’t sell out.

Then the night of the show it was raining like crazy.  Her event was moved forward and I realized that every time I got to White Eagle Hall, I have to park outrageously far away.  And I realized that I didn’t want to be wet or standing in a venue where everyone was wet.  So we stayed home.

I was actually really excited to see Gustaf who I saw open for Idles almost three years ago.  I’ve wanted to see them again because they were outstanding.  But again, sometimes things prevent you from doing what you want to do.

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