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Barenaked Ladies / Toad the Wet Sprocket / Gin Blossoms (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, July 12, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 12, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 12, 2022] Barenaked Ladies / Toad the Wet Sprocket / Gin Blossoms [rescheduled from July 14, 2020 and July 13, 2021]

I haven’t seen Barenaked Ladies in a while.  They always put on a good show, although i feel like I’ve enjoyed the last few a little bit less than the previous ones.

I always consider going to their Last Summer on Earth tours, but i typically dislike the other bands that are playing with them–usually 90s bands that I assumed were broken up. Which doesn’t really speak all that well of BNL (unless it speaks well of them trying to boost old bands).

I never liked Gin Blossoms.

I liked Toad the Wet Sprocket for their name (which comes from Monty Python) but couldn’t tell you a single song they sang.

So, it was very unlikley that I was going to this one.  And I didn’t.

~~~~~~

As recent as mid-May this concert was still listed as happening in 2021, but when you clicked to buy tickets, the ticket pages said 2022.

I know that the whole “Last Summer on Earth” thing is a joke, but it’s getting a little creepy now.

I was kind of hoping they’d switch opening bands by now but, instead of this show, I think I’ll be seeing them at the Festival of Ballooning on July 24th instead.

~~~~

I have seen Barenaked Ladies almost more than any other band.  I’ve seen them from way back in the early days to a few times in the last few years.  They are reliably solid live (if not a bit predictable with their setlists).

We didn’t see them for last year’s “Last Summer on Earth” tour.  They have been using that name for the last several years, it may be time to think of a new name, especially given the current state of the world.  I wasn’t planning on going to this show mostly because I don’t really like the opening acts.  And, honestly, unless the show was something special and different, it would entirely depend on the opening acts whether I went or not. Maybe they’ll mix them up for next year.

Toad the Wet Sprocket got their name from a Monty Python skit which immediately made me like them.  I think I ha a cassette of their first album, maybe.  I haven’t really thought of them in years and remember them being kind of inoffensive.  Oh, wait, they had a pretty big hit with “All I Want,” a sweet slightly alt folk rock song.  I’ll bet there would be lots of lighters up for that song.

I really hated Gin Blossoms back in the 90s.  They were so overplayed and hardly qualified as alternative or college rock, but they were lumped in that category.  They had a number of songs that I probably know all the words to even though I never listened to them on purpose.

With a lineup change I’d consider seeing them next summer, especially if they changed the name of the tour.

Posted in Barenaked Ladies, Coronavirus, Gin Blossoms, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Quarantine, The Met Philadelphia, Toad the Wet Sprocket | Leave a Comment »

Lucy Dacus: Free at Noon (World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA, July 8, 2022)

July 8, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: July 8, 2022] Lucy Dacus: Free at Noon [postponed from March 4, 2022]

I have seen Lucy Dacus quite a few times and she always puts on a mesmerizing show.

After her March Free at Noon was postponed, I decided to definitely grab a ticket for this July Free at Noon (somehow I’m more interested in doing a weekday concert in the summer than in March).

The last time I saw Lucy she said she was living in Philly, so I assume that this show was fairly easy for her to cooridnate.  She was also upright (after her herniated disc injury) so this must have been an easy show to perform, too.

She stood up on stage in a white dress as blue lights filled the stage.  Her band surrounding her, she began with the lovely, quiet “Triple Dog Dare.”  The lights slowly brightened as the rest of her band came into view (I love watching her guitarist Jacob Blizard play)

They moved into the bouncier “First Time” (“You can’t feel it for the first time, a second time”) as the lights changed color and grew brighter.  There were notably more keys in this set, I thought–from synth player Sarah Goldstone who also added lovely harmonies. Continue Reading »

Posted in Lucy Dacus, Philadelphia, PA, World Cafe Live | Leave a Comment »

Stuart Gibbs–Charlie Thorne and the Curse of Cleopatra [Charlie Thorne #3] (2022)

July 4, 2022 by Paul Debraski

SOUNDTRACK: Hiatus.

[READ: July 4, 2022] Charlie Thorne and the Curse of Cleopatra

This is the third book in the Charlie Thorne series.  And there will clearly be a fourth.

Sarah brought this home and was very excited about it.  I was pretty excited to read it as well.  Our excitement was justified, because Stuart Gibbs has created a great heroine, an intriguing mystery and a thoughtful historical quest.

One of the things I liked best about this book was the historical information about Cleopatra.  We all know all about Cleopatra.  Except  that everything we know is incorrect!  The course of (male) history has been very unkind to Cleopatra–she was an amazing woman and ruler and has been historically described as little more than an exotic temptress.

In the acknowledgements, Gibbs, heaps praise on the book Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff.  I have just checked out the book and the first chapter is fantastic.

The Prologue is set in Alexandria, Egypt in 30 BC.  Cleopatra was being held prisoner by Octavian–Julius Caesar’s nephew.  Cleopatra and her husband Mark Antony were united in a war against Octavian–but they had lost.

Octavian lied about how he would treat Cleopatra after Mark Antony’s death.  She discovered this and was preemptive about her own fate.  She did not kill herself with an asp–rather, she drank poison and burned down her mausoleum.  And her great treasure was destroyed wit her.

Staying in Egypt, the book shifts to the present day.  At the end of the last book Charlie has escaped from the CIA as well as the Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel.

Now she is sneaking into a party in Giza, Egypt, at the penthouse of Ahmet Shah, the oldest son of a wealthy shipping magnate.  Ahmet has a ton of security because he has a ton of expensive things in his house.  But one thing that Charlie wants is not expensive–it is information. Continue Reading »

Posted in Adventure, Charles Darwin, Children's Books, Cleopatra, Death, Feminism, History, Julius Caesar, Robbery, Scientists, Smarty Pants, Stacy Schiff, Violence | Leave a Comment »

Man Man (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, June 30, 2022)

July 1, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: June 30, 2022] Man Man

I have seen Man Man twice before and each show was a wild extravaganza of fun and craziness.  Lead Man, Honus Honus knows how to put on a show–part lounge, part punk, part WTF.  It’s a spectacle in the best possible way.

This was the first time I Was seeing them as the headliner–they did headliner Philly Music fest, but it was a Festival, not a Man Man show.  The crowd was there for Man Man and they were pretty rowdy and wiled up (I didn’t really care for them).

But we were all there to see the band put on a great show.  So the lights dimmed, the band came out and soon enough Honus Honus walked up to his keyboard (which, as always, abuts the drums that sit at the front of the stage) and the launched right into their latest single “Cloud Nein.”

The band recently (pre-pandemic) put out a new album, Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between, and this was their first time back in Philly since the album came out.  They were well practiced with the song with Honus standing up and getting everyone to sing along.

It was followed by an oldie, the swinging surfy “Piranhas Club.”  It’s impossible to keep track of what everyone is doing on stage.  Especially since everyone seems to play whatever they can get their hands on during the next song.  As for a lineup.  I’m seeing:
Jazz Diesel on drums, Smunk Smalls on guitar, Eggs Foster on keyboards, Mature Kevin on marimba, and Hard Tay on wind instruments.

Next came a new song.  Not a new song on the new album, but a new, unreleased song.  This would be the first of several new unreleased songs.  This one was called “Iguana” and featured several deep chants of “Iguana!” Continue Reading »

Posted in A Hard Tay's Night, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Man Man, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

A Hard Tay’s Night (Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, June 30, 2022) [MAN MAN]

June 30, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: June 30, 2022] A Hard Tay’s Night

I was pretty excited to see Man Man again and I didn’t really care who the opening band was.

Originally it was supposed to be Pink $ock, whom I have listened to and hated–a cheesy R&B lounge act that I was glad not to have to sit through.  He was replaced by A Hard Tay’s Night, which I didn’t understand the name of.  And didn’t really understand the concept of until it was over.

A Hard Tay’s Night is the creation of Taylor Plenn who is the saxophone player for Man Man.  Taylor, according to him plays saxophone, flute and EWI (an Electronic Wind Instrument that is a synthesizer controlled by breath) and is “known for my improvising skills and my ability to adapt to different genres. I have had experience performing and recording a wide variety of styles, from hard bop, rock and roll, blues, free jazz, hip hop, electronic music.” Continue Reading »

Posted in A Hard Tay's Night, Ardmore Music Hall, Ardmore, PA, Man Man, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Purity Ring / Dawn Richard (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 27, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 27, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 27, 2022] Purity Ring / Dawn Richard [postponed from May 13, 2020 and April 21, 2021 and November 12, 2021] 

This show came and went.  I never got tickets and never wound up going.

I heard really good things about the show.  And I have put them on my list of bands to see when they come around again. 

I’m not sure what kept me away–sometimes, you just don’t feel like going outside.

It’s a cool poster though.

Continue Reading »

Posted in Coronavirus, Dawn Richard, Philadelphia, PA, Postponed, Purity Ring, Quarantine, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Starset / Red / Divide the Fall / Oni (Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ, June 26, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 26, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 26, 2022] Starset / Red / Divide the Fall / Oni

My son and I have seen Starset twice.  Each show has been pretty fantastic.

When this tour was announced, I was excited that a show was going to be at the Starland Ballroom (a venue I don’t love, but which he does).

But then it turned out to be the night before he was leaving for Europe.  There was n way we were staying out all night the night before his flight.

So, we gave this tour a miss.

Rock on Purpose has a big review of the show.

I didn’t know any of the other bands.  The above reviewer is a big fan of Red, who he says plays a “combination of cinematic, uplifting, and hardcore rock music.”

They are a Christian band, which seems an odd fit for Starset’s cryptic stances, but whatever, their songs are pretty good with interesting orchestral arrangements over the heavy guitars.

Divide the Fall are from Minnesota.  Spill, their local magazine says

their modern hard rock sound and catchy choruses with the occasional heavy breakdown.

And a review of their recent EP describes melodic harmonies and stunning, clean vocals.

Oni were a progressive heavy metal band from Canada with growling vocals and crazy technical profiiency, at least in 2016.  In 2022, they released a new album about which Drowned in Sound says

If you were anticipating another round of technical bludgeoning akin to the Ironshore era then you may be disappointed as ONI have taken an entirely different direction this time round.

Sounds like the heaviest bands went on first, although some of their new songs are pretty mellow too.  Interestimg.

Posted in Divide the Fall, Oni, Red, Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom, Starset | Leave a Comment »

Ty Segall & Freedom Band / Shannon Lay (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, June 24, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 24, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 5, 2022] Ty Segall & Freedom Band / Shannon Lay [rescheduled from October 2, 2020 and June 24, 2022]

I have become a fan of Ty Segall in the last few years.  He releases far too much music to keep tabs on him, but I’ve wanted to see his fuzzed out live show for a while now.

He has had a bunch of shows in Philly, both with Freedom Band and with his other band Fuzz get postponed over and over again.

Back in April the Fuzz show was finally rescheduled and I was really excited to see them.  But we wound up going on vacation that week instead.

Now came this show, which I didn’t realize would be as amazing as it is (if this KEXP live performance is any indicator).

But my son was leaving for a trip to Europe in a couple of days and I wanted to spend time with the family.  So I blew off this show.

Now, since he puts out new music all the time, I have to assume he’ll be back next year (and I hope with this kick ass band).

Shannon Lay is a former punk and now folk singer.  Her songs are quite lovely but 100% unlike Ty Segall & Freedom Band.

However, Ty Segall also plays acoustic shows–he has one coming up in Philly in November (so that’s three shows in Philly in one year).  and I wonder if she has played with him in these solo settings.

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Shannon Lay, Ty Segall, Ty Segall and the Freedom Band, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Tears for Fears / Garbage (PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ, June 24, 2022) [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 24, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 24, 2022] Tears for Fears / Garbage

I’ve never been a huge fan of Tears for Fears, although I like more than just their big hits (I especially like the Sowing the Seeds of Love album).  With the release of their most recent album, there’s been a lot of discussion about their music with many people point out just how prog rock they are.

This seemed like a really interesting tour, but I wound up never getting tickets.  Sometimes those PNC Bank shows are really pricey, and if it doesn’t look like there’s going to be an seats to upgrade to, you’re stuck in the lawn.  Which is no fun at all.

Although a double bill with Garbage would be the best way to see them.

Reviews of the tour are overwhelmingly positive, so I guess I missed a good one.

I have seen Garbage a few times (most recently in 2018).  They are great live, even as an opening band.

Although I’d rather see them as a headliner.

 

Posted in Garbage, Holmdel, NJ, PNC Bank Center, Tears for Fears | Leave a Comment »

Vundabar / Runnner (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, June 23, 2022) [rescheduled date] [DID NOT ATTEND]

June 23, 2022 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: June 23, 2022] Vundabar / Runnner [moved from March 25, 2022, First Unitarian Church]

This show was moved forward a couple of months.  By this time I knew who Vundabar was and was interested in seeing them because of their ubiquitous (in my house) old song “Alien Blues.”

This show sold out before I really knew about it, so there was no way i was going.

I was also a little surprised to find out that their music doesn’t really sound like “Alien Blues”–that song is a bit more frenetic and weird than their most recent album anyway.  Although most live reviews I’ve read say they are terrific live.

M.A.G.S. was supposed to open for this tour, but he couldn’t accommodate the new dates.

Instead, Runnner was the opener.  Noah Weinman is the singer-songwriter behind the melancholy bedroom-folk project.  I listened to a couple of songs and yes, “melancholy bedroom-folk” sounds about right.  I wouldn’t have enjoyed them as an opener, especially if I thought Vundabar was going to be a rocking outfit.

 

Posted in M.A.G.S., Philadelphia, PA, Runnner, The Foundry, Vundabar | Leave a Comment »

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