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Protomartyr / Golden Apples (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, June 18, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 18, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 18, 2023] Protomartyr / Ian Sweet

I saw Protomartyr back in 2018.  I loved their album Under Color of Official Right but I haven’t enjoyed their other albums nearly as much.  I’m not sure what it is, but the newer records don’t do the same for me.

In particular, the music has gotten softer and smoother, whereas on Right it was more abrasive.  Singer/talker Joe Casey doesn’t seem as strangely out of place on these latter songs–a deep-voiced, spoken word seems quite apt for these jazzy melodies.

So I really had no interest in seeing this show.  Although I am curious if they have the same fan base as they did in 2018 when the mosh pit was ceaseless and I had to move away from the front to stop getting elbowed.  Songs like “Make Way” just don’t lend themselves to slam dancing.

The first night sold out crazily fast and they added a second night with Philly band Golden Apples opening.

Golden Apples are another 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.

Maybe these mellow opening acts signal their intention to move away from their more slam-dancing sound.

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.

Posted in Golden Apples, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Protomartyr | Leave a Comment »

Strand of Oaks / Friendship (Upper Merion Township Building Park, King of Prussia, PA, June 17, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 17, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 17, 2023] Strand of Oaks / Friendship

I really like Strand of Oaks, both musically and because I have a real soft spot for Tim Showalter who is such a nice guy.

I have seen them five times, primarily because he started doing an annual Christmas show at Boot & Saddle, which I really liked going to.  He did one this past year at Johnny Brenda’s and it sold out before I had even heard about it.

This would have been a fun opportunity to see him at the 37th annual Concert Under the Stars in King of Prussia, PA.  I do love an outdoor show, after all.

However, the show was a little further than I wanted to go and we had just celebrated my son’s graduation.  So it seemed like a good nice to stay in.  I’m sure Tim and his band will be back again, and maybe this time I’ll even get to the Christmas show.

Although a DJ on WXPN said that this Strand of Oaks show was the best show he’d seen all year.  So maybe I should have dragged ass down there.  Although I aslso see they only played ten songs, so maybe not….

Friendship is from Philly.  They were suppose to open for Indigo de Souza for all of her cancelled shows and theyn they were replaced by someone else when the show finally went on.

According to their bandcamp page

Onstage, bassist Jon Samuels is the only Friendship member who stands up. He is usually swaying back and forth as the songs bear down, pulling together and apart. Friendship’s new record, Dreamin’ is an exorable wave of motion, endlessly rocking between intimacy and loneliness.

I listened to two of their songs and absolutely hated each of the vocalists (I think they were different, if not then I hated both styles of singing that the one vocalist had).

Posted in Friendship, King of Prussia PA, Strand of Oaks, Upper Merion Township Building Park | Leave a Comment »

Protomartyr / Ian Sweet (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, June 17, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 17, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 17, 2023] Protomartyr / Ian Sweet

I saw Protomartyr back in 2018.  I loved their album Under Color of Official Right but I haven’t enjoyed their other albums nearly as much.  I’m not sure what it is, but the newer records don’t do the same for me.

In particular, the music has gotten softer and smoother, whereas on Right it was more abrasive.  Singer/talker Joe Casey doesn’t seem as strangely out of place on these latter songs–a deep-voiced, spoken word seems quite apt for these jazzy melodies.

So I really had no interest in seeing this show.  Although I am curious if they have the same fan base as they did in 2018 when the mosh pit was ceaseless and I had to move away from the front to stop getting elbowed.  Songs like “Make Way” just don’t lend themselves to slam dancing.

But whoever their fanbase is, they are legion because this show sold out immediately and they had to add another show the next night.

Ian Sweet is the band/stage name of Jilian Medford from Los Angeles.

I can’t quite imagine a band that is further away from Protomartyr’s sound than Ian Sweet.  The music is predominantly synth and dancey–bright and shiny (words that have never been used to describe Protomartyr).  Some of the songs do get loud, but in a very synth way.

Given that when I saw Protomartyr, the fans couldn’t wait for a mosh pit to break out, this seems like an odd choice of opening band.  And yet, I think it makes a really nice counterpoint.

Posted in Ian Sweet, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Protomartyr | Leave a Comment »

Wednesday / All Dogs / Tenci (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 17, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 17, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 17, 2023] Wednesday / All Dogs / Tenci

Wednesday were supposed to open for Beach Bunny at The Fillmore last year.  They bailed on the show and I was a little bummed because I had heard good things about them.  When they announced this headlining tour (at Union Transfer?  They’re big enough for there already?) I was intrigued.  I’d heard a song or two that I liked, but there was something that held me back.

I really like the fuzzy guitars and largely grunge sound, but there’s a kind of alt-country vibe that underpins their sound that I just can’t get past.  They have a lap steel guitar (which I either love or hate depending on how it’s used) and are often described as merging shoegaze and country.  So I didn’t feel compelled to go to this show after all.  And it was nice to have a Saturday night at home.

All Dogs is kind of a mini supergroup with Maryn Jones, from Saintseneca, drummer Jesse Wither, from the punk band Delay,bassist Amanda Bartley  from Swearin’, and guitarist Nick Harris, from Slaughter Beach, Dog.  That may explain why their first EP had som many reviews.  With details like

“pierced with a strong sense of yearning” [Pitchfork] “containing more perfect anxiousness and earnestness than some bands can get out in a whole album” [Stereogum] and it’s “awfully charming for something that’s eating itself alive from the inside.”[Consequence of Sound].

I listened to a couple of songs and rather liked them.  They had a good indie rock sound with fuzzy guitars and a pop bedrock.  Although they haven’t released any new music since 2015.

Tenci features Jess Shoman on vocals and guitar and are a indie folk band.  They have a bedroom quality and I don’t quite like their sound. They are a little too slow and yodelly for me.

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer, Wednesday | Leave a Comment »

Peter Swanson–The Kind Worth Killing (2015) [audiobook 2012]

June 16, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[LISTENED TO: June 2023] The Kind Worth Killing

I had enjoyed Peter Swanson’s Eight Perfect Murders so much that I wanted to get more audio books by him.  I had heard that he was creating a sequel to one of his popular books, but I didn’t know which one.  It turns out it was this one.

So this seemed like a good one to start with.

As it opened, I absolutely hated it.  It may have been Johnny Heller’s voice, which I did not like.  Although it also sounded familiar and I wondered if I knew him from reading a children’s book and I didn’t like him in an adult role.

Why did I hate it?  Because within the first few minutes, his character, Ted Severson says something to the effect of, “My wife cheated on me.  So I have to kill her.”  I mean, who the hell thinks like that?  And who bases an entire book on that?  That is psychopathic.

Interestingly, I have read many complaints about Swanson’s bland characters, and while I’m not sure they are bland, exactly, they are certainly deadpan or flat or disinterested.  At least that’s how the narrators read them.

So when Karen White took over as narrator for Lily Kintner’s parts, I enjoyed the book more.  Lily was a flat character, but I found her dispassionate voice to be kind of interesting.  Continue Reading »

Posted in Airplanes, Drinking, Feminism, Guns, Johnny Heller, Karen White, Kathleen Early, Keith Szarabajka, Maine, Marriage Trouble, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Peter Swanson, Sex, Sexism, Unlikable main character, Violence | Leave a Comment »

Pierce the Veil / The Used / Don Broco / Girlfriends (Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem, PA, June 15, 2023) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 15, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 15, 2023] Pierce the Veil / The Used / Don Broco / Death By Romy

My son has been into Pierce the Veil for a while.  When they announced a show last year we were going to go, but they weren’t the headliners, and it seemed like a lot for just 45 minutes of music.

So here they were, possibly headlining (certainly co-headlining) this Creative Control tour with The Used.

There were literally FIVE shows that we could have gotten to for this tour.

This was the fifth and final show in this local run.  I actually thought we might like to go to this show most of all because it was kind of close.  But it was his graduation night!

The first and fourth shows were at the Rooftop at Pier 17, a venue I love but hate to get to.

The second one was at the Skyline Stage at the Mann Center.  Not a great venue to drag to on a Friday night (we would’ve certainly missed at least one band).  But I already had tickets to see Pixies.  I would have given those up for this show, but was happy I didn’t have to.

The third show was at the Stone Pony and that’s what we got tickets for. Continue Reading »

Posted in Don Broco, Girlfriends, New York City, Pierce the Veil, The Rooftop at PIer 17, The Used | Leave a Comment »

The Used (The Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park, NJ, June 12, 2023)

June 15, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: June 12, 2023] The Used

I didn’t know The Used at all.  Which is crazy since they’ve been around for 20+ years.

My son told me that he was excited to see them as well–there were a few of their songs that he really liked (and he bought a shirt).

Pierce the Veil went off the stage around 7:45 and The Used came on around 8:15.  It seemed like a lot of the (younger, female) crowd left after PTV, but the crowd for The Used was loud and intense as well.

Their stage setup was adorned with flowers–including “picture frames” of flowers that surrounded their amps and drum set.

They came out on stage and lead guitarist Joey Bradford (who joined in 2018) was wearing a butcher’s apron.  Bassist Jeph Howard (who has been with the band since the beginning) seemed to be wearing a pith helmet (or a bucket hat).  I enjoyed his look which to me was quite nerdy and then he would scream some really growly vocals.   Drummer Dan Whitesides (been with the band since 2006) played loud and furious.  Continue Reading »

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Don Broco, Girlfriends, Pierce the Veil, The Stone Pony, The Stone Pony Summer Stage, The Used | Leave a Comment »

Pierce the Veil (The Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park, NJ, June 12, 2023) [THE USED]

June 14, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: June 12, 2023] Pierce the Veil

After everything I’d seen, I was fairly certain that Pierce the Veil was the headlining act tonight.  They seem to have been the headliner on most of the shows of this tour.

So, when the recorded music stopped playing and the stage lights went on, I assumed we’d be getting The Used.  Then a recording of (what turned out to be) El Rey the Vicente Fernández song started playing.  I didn’t think The Used would be playing a Mexican song, but what do I know?

After a verse of so, out came Pierce the Veil and in came all of the other people who thought The Used were up next.  It was like a swarm around us.

By this time the rain was coming down in buckets, and I think everyone was super excited to jump around.

Pierce the Veil has their first new album out in seven years, so they were clearly going to focus on this album.  But when I looked up the setlists, I saw that they were only playing for an hour–ten songs in total, so it couldn’t be all new songs.

They opened with a new song, “Death of an Executioner” which got everyone rocking out immediately.  It was very cathartic.  Then they followed it with a massive crowd pleaser.

“Bulls in the Bronx” is one of the first songs I’d heard by them and I loved everything about it.  The vocals, the catchy chorus, the intensity of the loud parts and, best of all, the lovely Spanish/acoustic guitar part in the middle.  Which they did play live (although not quite as acoustically as it could have been.  But it still sounded great.

Pass the Nirvana plays really nicely with the loud/quiet sounds and the repeated intense screams of “I Can’t Hear You” is a fun part of the song.  And the crowd absolutely loved screaming that super loudly.

Vic Fuentes asked if anyone had brought their emergency contact with them during weather like this–a nice intro their song “Emergency Contact.”  It was at this point that I realized that the woman who had just moved in behind me was screaming every word very loudly.  Pretty much right in my ear. Continue Reading »

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Don Broco, Girlfriends, Pierce the Veil, The Stone Pony, The Stone Pony Summer Stage, The Used | Leave a Comment »

Don Broco /Girlfriends (The Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park, NJ, June 12, 2023) [PIERCE THE VEIL/THE USED] [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 13, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 12, 2023] Don Broco

Tonight’s show started at 5PM.  FIVE.

PLUS, there was a massive thunder and lightning storm heading into Asbury Park at right around 9PM.

Without any updates on social media, the schedule had changed.

We walked into the grounds around 6:45.  I felt like the timing of he show (that Girlfriends would go on at 5), seemed not right mathematically.

I knew that The Used and Pierce the Veil were each getting an hour.  Don Broco couldn’t be getting more than 40 minutes and Girlfriends would get 30 minutes max.

So this seemed likely:
5-5:30 Girlfriends
6-6:45 Don Broco
7:15-8:15 The Used
8:30-9:30 Pierce the Veil

I thought maybe we’d catch some of Don Broco after our chimichangas.

But when we walked in I asked a woman in a Don Broco shirt if they had played yet and she said yes.  The whole show had been shifted because of the potential storm.  No Girlfriends.  Don Broco went on earlier (but really, how much earlier?  5:30, maybe?)

At any rate, we missed the first two bands.  I would have liked to have seen a little of Don Broco as I’ve heard their live show is full of tremendous energy.

Maybe someday.

 

Posted in Asbury Park, NJ, Don Broco, Girlfriends, Pierce the Veil, The Stone Pony, The Stone Pony Summer Stage, The Used | Leave a Comment »

Pixies (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, June 9, 2023)

June 13, 2023 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: June 9, 2023] Pixies

I saw Pixies in 1989 and assumed I’d never see them again.  Then they reunited and started making new music.  So I saw them in 2017 and they were great.  Then I saw them the following year when they opened for Weezer (!).

That second show was shorter but they played a couple of songs that I hadn’t heard them play before and that was awesome.  I assumed I’d never need to see them again.

And now, five years later (holy cow), they were doing a headlining tour for a new album that I hadn’t listened to.  I wasn’t going to go until I saw that the two opening acts were bands I really wanted to see.

Bully is a great young band with a massive 90’s alt rock sound and Franz Ferdinand are a great 2000’s band who has been touring a lot lately but whom I missed when they were in town last time.  So I mean, Pixies are great and that’s cool, but that’s not who I was actually there to see.

In the six years since I last saw them headline, not a lot has changed.  They play a ton of songs, they don’t talk between songs and they sound fantastic.  The one difference was that they really seemed to be having fun up there.  Not that they didn’t before, but they had a few moments of levity on stage this time. Like when they messed up a song and were all smiles about it. Continue Reading »

Posted in Bully, Franz Ferdinand, Philadelphia, PA, Pixies, The Met Philadelphia | Leave a Comment »

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