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Eddie Izzard: The Remix Tour (Miller Theater, Kimmel Cultural Campus, Philadelphia, PA, September 14-15, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 14, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 14-15, 2023] Eddie Izzard

I saw Eddie Izzard 20 years ago in Boston.  The show was hilarious and since then she has been one of my favorite comedians of all time.

When I saw that she was coming back to the States to tour I immediately went to the Kimmel Center site to grab tickets.  But they must have been on sale for a long time already because both shows were almost sold out.

The Thursday night show was the same night as the final Palm concert ever, so I couldn’t miss that and then the Friday night show, well, let’s just say that it would have been a real challenge getting my wife and I to Philly on a Friday night for a show at the Kimmel–especially after her first full week back to work.

So I had to give this one a miss.  She tends to record her shows so I hope this one gets a release because it promised to be revisiting some of the best bits over the last thirty some years.  Continue Reading »

Posted in Eddie Izzard, Funny (ha ha), Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Miller Theater, Philadelphia, PA, Religion | Leave a Comment »

Nourished By Time (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, September 14, 2023) [PALM]

September 14, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: September 14, 2023] Nourished By Time

Nourished By Time is Baltimore producer Marcus Brown.  I could have seen him a while back, but didn’t make that show.  He’s also supposed to open for Vagabon later next month, but I think I’m not going to make that show either.  So this was my only chance to check him out.

During the Palm set, Eve said that they had been listening to his new album Erotic Probiotic 2 all the time.

Nourished By Time was, indeed, just Brown, with a laptop on the floor and keyboard on a stand.  I liked that he had a bandana round his mic cord–I imagined it was his way of keeping track of his stuff.

He played about six or so catchy songs.  They were kind of a blend of new wave and R&B.  His vocal delivery differed for each song, which I really liked.  His first song, “Staring Into the Fireplace” he kind of drawled and sounded almost bored as he rhymed his final lines.

Each song had an instrumental section–either middle or coda which had him playing solos over the prerecorded music.

Some of the later songs got bigger and were even more catchy.  I liked “The Fields.” Continue Reading »

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Nourished By Time, Palm, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

The Lemonheads / Willy Mason (Theatre of Living Arts (TLA), Philadelphia, PA, September 13, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 13, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 13, 2023] The Lemonheads / Willy Mason

I rather enjoyed The Lemonheads’ anniversary of It’s a Shame About Ray.  I thought I might also really enjoy the anniversary of Come On Feel the Lemonheads.

But when I asked my wife if she wanted to go, she said no. And, while I like that album a whole lot, I think I may have had my fill of Evan Dando.

Willy Mason is a folk singer with a deep voice.  I listened to a little of one song and didn’t like his vibe at all.  So that kind of helped me decide not to go to this tour.

Markit Aneight was there so I didn’t have to be

Posted in Lemonheads, Philadelphia, PA, Theatre of Living Arts, Willy Mason | Leave a Comment »

The Lemonheads / Willy Mason (Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, September 12, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 12, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 12, 2023] The Lemonheads / Willy Mason

I rather enjoyed The Lemonheads’ anniversary of It’s a Shame About Ray.  I thought I might also really enjoy the anniversary of Come On Feel the Lemonheads.

They are playing in Asbury Park one night and then Philly the next.  I would have rather enjoyed going to the Asbury Park show more than the TLA.  I’m sure it would be a lot of fun–and he seems to have cleaned up his act somewhat.

But when I asked my wife if she wanted to go, she said no. And, while I like that album a whole lot, I think I may have had my fill of Evan Dando.

Willy Mason is a folk singer with a deep voice.  I listened to a little of one song and didn’t like his vibe at all.  So that kind of helped me decide not to go to this tour.

Posted in Asbury Lanes, Asbury Park, NJ, Lemonheads, Willy Mason | Leave a Comment »

Palm / Body Meat / Ada Band 2 (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, September 12, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 12, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 12, 2023] Palm /Body Heat

Palm is a band I discovered by accident (they were opening for someone) and who I really bonded with.  Their music is weird–catchy (sometimes) obnoxious (sometimes) and always challenging (and yet somehow addictive).

They are ending their life as a band and they announced a show in Philly, which I quickly grabbed a ticket for.  It sold out and they added a second show two days earlier.

Since I had a ticket to the Thursday show, I didn’t feel the need to see the Tuesday show as well.  There are different opening acts for this show.  Continue Reading »

Posted in Ada Band 2, Body Meat, Johnny Brenda's, Palm, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Superchunk / Cable Ties (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, September 10, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 10, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 10, 2023] Superchunk / Cable Ties

I’ve seen Superchunk twice in the last half dozen years or so.  The put out one of my favorite shirts (it looks like wordle).  Their shows are filled with energy and fun and the band is always on fire.

Somehow, I don’t see quite how that translates to Ardmore Music Hall, a smaller venue with no room for Mac to jump around.  Plus, I feel like after both shows I’ve seen everything I need to from them.

Cable Ties are a band from Melbourne Australia.  Their blurb says

frenetic lead lines tethered to a hypnotic rhythm section. They take the 3 minute punk burner and stretch itpast breaking point. Suddenly the garage rock gives way as primitive boogie, kraut and post-punk take things way out to the horizon

I like their sound quite a bit, although I’m on the fence about their singer.

I am, however, quite taken with the whole rock scene from Australia, so I’m sure they’d win me over.

Posted in Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Cable Ties, Superchunk | Leave a Comment »

Beck (The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, September 8, 2023)

September 10, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: September 8, 2023] Beck

My wife and I have seen Beck three times now and his shows are always fun.

It’s interesting that his shows tend to be pretty short–he does a lot of co-headlining tours.   He also doesn’t tour that often–3 tours in 9 years.

Beck has put out a couple of albums in the last decade or so, but he didn’t play anything from his most recent album (Hyperspace) or the mellow Morning Phase.  And only one song from Colors.

The show focuses a lot on Modern Guilt and Odelay–he told us that this was the first tour that the Odelay band had played together since that album: guitarist Jason Falkner (who played on the last tour andwas amazing), bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen and drummer Joey Waronker (were both new to me). On the top row was longtime keyboardist Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. and percussionist Ian Longwell (new to me and excellent).

The set was a mix of big hits and some weird older cuts.  This being the third time we’ve seen him, this show was almost like a mashup of the last two tours.

Like the first time we saw him, he opened with Devil’s Haircut followed soon after with The New Pollution.  Notable was that bassist Meldal-Johnsen was a maniac, adding in all the weird backing vocals and deep growls.  He also bounced around and was having a great old time.

On the way home I told my wife that I was so happy for her because he played just about everything she wanted to hear–not always the case with concerts. Continue Reading »

Posted in Beck, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, Phoenix, Sir Chloe, Weyes Blood | Leave a Comment »

Mr. Bungle / Battles (Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ, September 9, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 9, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 9, 2023] The Flaming Lips

I saw this tour in Philly just a few days ago.  I didn’t realize that this tour was popping by the Wellmont until I had already gotten my Philly tickets.  I thought about grabbing this date and selling my Philly one but I as afraid that that Jersey metalheads would be too rough.  Turns out the Philly metalheads were super rough.  So maybe this one would have been better.

After seeing the show, I half considered getting a ticket for this show as well, just so I would know where to stand when Dave and Scott throw their stuff into the crowd.  I could probably get a lot closer too.

Plus, now that I know they play a (slightly) different set list each night, it might have been fun to see this show agin.

But I won’t be going for a second time this week. If it had been a little further away I might have done it.

Posted in Battles, Montclair, NJ, Mr. Bungle, Wellmont Theater | Leave a Comment »

Sleep Token / A.A. Williams (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, September 9, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

September 9, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: September 9, 2023] Sleep Token / A.A. Williams

I had never heard of Sleep Token until about a week ago when Shevy Marie, the woman who plays all of the women in Ice Nine Kills’ live performances, announced that she would be touring with Sleep Token.  I have no idea in what capacity.  Ad when I looked up to see where  the tour was taking this band, I found out that they were playing Union Transfer and the show was sold out.  In fact, the whole tour appears to be sold out. Wow.

So, who are they?  Interestingly, no one know.

Sleep Token are a British alternative metal band from London, formed in 2016. The group are an anonymous, masked collective led by a frontman using the moniker Vessel. They have been categorised under many different genres, including alternative metal, post-rock/metal, progressive metal and indie rock/pop.

There’s obviously so much for me to like about this band–masked singers, calling their shows “rituals”, toying with heavy metal, Shevy Marie.  Although when I listened to a few songs I didn;t really like them all that much.

Well, it being sold out saved me the worry.

A.A. Williams is a singer from

The first thing that comes up when searching for her is a cover of Placebo’s “Without You I’m Nothing” which is even more gothy than the original.  It’s good and moody.  Her other stuff is similarly moody and gauzey with a healthy dose of goth.  Or as Kerrang says

a stunning work of minor-chord perfection that announced its author as a genuinely exceptional talent. A perfect expression of beautiful melancholy that touched that same delicate, isolated, rainy-night nerve as Anathema, Nick Cave and Deftones at their most understated,

I’ll bet this show is really good.

Posted in A.A. Williams, Philadelphia, PA, Shevy Marie, Sleep Token, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Mr. Bungle (Fillmore Philly, Philadelphia, PA, September 6, 2023)

September 9, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: September 6, 2023] Mr. Bungle

Back in 1991 when the self-titled Mr. Bungle album came out, it was the perfect release for the era of weirdo music.

Sure, Mike Patton was the singer from Faith No More and they had a couple of huge hits, but he was a weird dude to be sure and Mr. Bungle is where he came from.

I enjoyed that self-titled album a ton and really liked their follow ups as well.  Each album was weird and genre-bounding.

Then in 2020, they “reunited” for a re-release of one of their early demos, The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny.  This “Demo” version was a reworking of that album (and other songs) and featured Scott Ian (Anthrax) on rhythm guitar and Dave Lombardo (Slayer) on drums!

I was pretty excited for it.  And then when I heard it I was a bit let down because it was pretty much all hardcore and speed metal without much of the genre hopping that I loved about the band.   True, there were some great tracks on it, and it rocked really hard, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.

When Mr. Bungle announced that they were going to tour, it turned out to be a tour of this album.  I was torn about whether I wanted to go.  But it didn’t matter because the tour was only in Brooklyn and California, so the heck with that.

But recently, they announced they were running through some of these lesser East Coast cities and Philly was a stop (as is Montclair, NJ!).  I was torn between being really excited–any opportunity to see Mike Patton is a good one.  Plus Dave Lombardo is a master.  I have never seen Anthrax and seeing Scott Ian live would be pretty awesome.  Finally, Trey Spruance is a weird, amazing guitar player.  Sorry Trevor Dunn, I had no thoughts about you. Continue Reading »

Posted in Battles, Helmet, Mr. Bungle, Philadelphia, PA, The Fillmore Philadelphia, Tomahawk | Leave a Comment »

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