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Restorations (album release) Signals Midwest / Town Liar (First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 20, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 20, 2024] Restorations / Signals Midwest / Town Liar

I saw Restorations back in 2016 when they opened for Band of Horses.  I loved them and thought they were a perfect opener for them.  Since then I’ve wanted to see them again.  But I’m never going to the First Unitarian Church, so I had to bail on this one.  I’m kind of surprised that they played such a small venue, but maybe they liked the intimacy of it.

Signals Midwest describe themselves as a “loud, smiley punk rock band from Cleveland, OH. Been at it since 2008. Will play in your kitchen or anywhere really.”

I find them to be a really enjoyable band on the softer side of punk but with big guitars and soft/quiet melodies.  A really fun band.

I had not heard of Town Liar, but that makes sense as they appear to be brand new.  Jason Shevchuk of Kid Dynamite and None More Black has formed a new band called Town Liar. The band also includes Heath Saraceno, Nick Remondelli, and Benny Horowitz. The band has released an EP called Lies: One Through Seven

I thought I had heard of these other bands, but maybe not.  People seem divided on his work, mostly based on his voice.  I listened to a track and found that I did not enjoy his voice.

 

Posted in First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA, Restorations, Signals Midwest, Town Liar | Leave a Comment »

Ben Folds and a Piano (Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem, PA, April 20, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 20, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 20, 2024] Ben Folds and a Piano

Two years ago, we saw Ben Folds for the fifth time.  This was at Parx Casino.  And As I wrote then,

things were kind of weird right from the start.  He was really late coming out.  I accept that a start time is fungible, but the lights went down and it took him a solid five minutes to come out.  During which time someone loudly made a I’ll bet he had to rush to the bathroom joke which really set the tone.

It’s hard to say is Ben was annoyed, but he seemed to be.  He didn’t like the camera set up (one was on the keyboard) and he just didn’t seem as fun as he has in the past.

Of course, he’s professional, so he sounded great and his playing was wonderful.

The crowd around us was weird.  It was a much older crowd than a typical show that we go to and I’m guessing a Saturday night show at a casino is going to lend itself to a lot of drunken people.  Because the bad behavior was in evidence.

For whatever reason, this show didn’t feel as great as the previous ones.  I blame the casino.  And the drunks.

And this show, at another casino, in an auditorium with dicey sound at the best of times, just didn’t seem worth the bother.  I was surprised that neither of us wanted to go, but we both felt the same way.

And this doesn’t matter, really, but his setlist was pretty short too.

Posted in Ben Folds, Bethlehem, PA, Wind Creek Event Center | Leave a Comment »

METZ / Gouge Away / Rid of Me (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 20, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 20, 2024] METZ / Gouge Away / Rid of Me

I saw METZ open for Modest Mouse four years ago and my ears might still be ringing.  I knew of Metz from their noise filled chaotic but amazing albums.

Their live show was less about the abrasiveness and more about their intense stage presence.  I knew I wanted to see them headline a show.

I was really looking forward to going to this show and then the night of, I was just too exhausted to head out.  A lame excuse, but there it is.

They seem to be regularly playing though so I’m hopeful that I’ll get to see them next year.

The two bands that opened for them sound like a Pixies cover band and a PJ Harvey cover band.  I hadn’t looked them up before hand to see if either band sounded like the band they referenced.

Gouge Away is from Florida and are a perfect fit for METZ.  They are loud and abrasive with a female vocalist who can do quiet and screaming with equal fury.  I really like them and I’m even more bummed that I didn’t go now.

Rid of Me is from Philly and are described as “heavy melodic noise punk” which seems impossible.  They are definitely heavy.  Kind of slow heavy with lots of screamed vocals (lead and backing).  Lots of guitar riffs and a special Philly edge.

This would have been a great show.  Stupid lameness.

Posted in Gouge Away, Metz, Philadelphia, PA, Rid of Me, Underground Arts | Leave a Comment »

VIAL / Sunday Cruise (Silk City, Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 20, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 2o, 2024] VIAL / Sunday Cruise

I received a free ticket to this show through the Do215 free ticket promotion.  But I was planning to go see METZ, so I didn’t think I’d be going to this, even though I like Vial a lot.

VIAL is a Minneapolis-based indie punk trio of best friends: Drummer Katie Fischer (she/they), bassist Taylor Kraemer (she/they), and guitarist KT Branscom (they/them). The trio joined forces via Tinder in mid-2019 and has been blazing a path for themselves since, curating a unique multi-genre amalgamation. Indie rock meets punk influence in soaring melodic hooks ready to sink teeth into all listeners alike, from lifelong punk rockers to budding indie darlings.

I heard about them when they signed to Get Better Records (who release great music) and I would have happily seen them.

They remind me a little of THICK, but with a bit more metal edge.  But the same spirit of feminist independence is strong with them.

Sunday Cruise has a great website with the following band info:

Zoe – 19 Pronouns: She/They Instrument: Guitar and vocals Started Sunday Cruise at 15yrs old in 2017.
Levi – 17 Pronouns: He/Him Instrument: Drums Joined the band as a fill in drummer in 2018 and has been with them since.
Cam – 19 Pronouns: He/They Instrument: Lead Guitar In 2019, Cam received a text from Levi asking if he wanted to join a band.
Cassidy – 19 Pronouns: She/Her Instrument: Bass Joined in 2019 after meeting Zoe at a show.

They play punk songs that are not quite as heavy, but are still abrasive.  Their age brings in a lot of great angsty lyrics too.  This would have been a terrific show and I love seeing all of these women rocking out.

 

Posted in Philadelphia, PA, Silk City, Sunday Cruise, VIAL | Leave a Comment »

Cave In (acoustic) (Alkemy Coffee Co., Flemington, NJ, April 20, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 20, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 20, 2024] Cave In

I wasn’t aware that there was a coffee shop in Flemington, NJ.  But it doesn’t surprise me.  My wife sent me a link to an article about the new coffee shop that was being opened.  Well, it turns out that I’ve seen the new owner live.

Benjamin Weinman, founder, guitarist and songwriter of metalcore band Dillinger Escape Plan (who also plays with thrash band Suicidal Tendencies), and his fiancée Valentina Killough are opening Alkemy Coffee Co. at the former home of Factory Fuel Co. in Stangl Factory.

Amazing! Continue Reading »

Posted in Alkemy Coffee Co., Cave In, Flemington, NJ, Suicidal Tendencies, The Dillinger Escape Plan | Leave a Comment »

Frank Turner (Crossroads, Garwood, NJ, April 18, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 18, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 18, 2024] Frank Turner (solo)

Frank Turner has to be one of the hardest working guys in music.  This was his second show of the day, the first was on Long Island, so this show had to start at 10:30 PM.

I would have really enjoyed going to it, but by the time I received the announcement about it, it was already waiting list time.

I’ve only seen him solo, and hope to see him with a full band next month.  Continue Reading »

Posted in Crossroads, Frank Turner, Garwood, NJ | Leave a Comment »

Girl in Red / Momma (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA, April 18, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 18, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 18, 2024] Girl in Red / Momma

I had bought a ticket for my daughter and I to see Sir Chloe on this evening.  But when Girl in Red announced her show, I immediately grabbed a pair just in case this was preferred.  I figured they would both be easy to re-sell.

And then Girl in Red announced a second show on the night before this one, so I grabbed those tickets and planned to sell the tickets for this show.

It was kind of fun for her to go to two shows in a row.  Although she enjoyed the Girl in Red show a lot more than the Sir Chloe show.

I assume the show was similar to the show we saw , but I think out show may have been a bit more fun (what with the wedding and all).

Posted in Girl in Red, Momma, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia | Leave a Comment »

Girl in Red (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA, April 17, 2024)

April 18, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: April 17, 2024] Girl in Red / Momma

My daughter and I saw Girl in Red twice in 2022.  Her live show is a ton of fun and I was really impressed with how much she changed it over the few months between our shows.  Her new album is all about how she’s “back.”  This puzzled me a bit as she hadn’t been “gone” for very long.  But if you’re online all the time, two years is an eternity.

As soon as this show was announced I bought us tickets.  This venue was much bigger then the one we saw her in and her stage show expanded to fit it.

There was a giant video screen with cool visuals, there were steps and interestingly designed elements.  There was a gigantic swivel light which actually became a projection screen for a song.  And during one of the songs a part of the stage rose up and she was thirty feet above the stage.

She opened the set with the rocking title track.  She was a ton of fun as she ran back and forth across the stage.  Amazingly she was wearing a button shirt, sweater and suit jacket, and I was hot in shorts.   But her energy was infectious and the crowd was super psyched. Continue Reading »

Posted in Girl in Red, Momma, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia | Leave a Comment »

Mike / 454 / Niontay / El Cousteau (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, April 17, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

April 17, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: April 17, 2024] Mike / 454 / Niontay / El Cousteau 

This one is embarrassing for me because I bought a ticket for this show thinking that Mike was somebody else.

I’ve wanted to try to see a few more rappers live–I really enjoyed Open Mike Eagle there’s a few alt-rappers who I like.  One of them is DAVE, from England.  Dave sold out TLA pretty quickly when he came two years ago.  So when it was announced that MIKE was playing, I bought a ticket thinking that a) the show would sell out and b) that MIKE was DAVE.

I had never heard of Mike and didn’t know there was another rapper with an insanely common first name as his rap name.  Obviously I should have confirmed that I wanted to see Dave not Mike, but I was caught up in the excitement.

Mike’s sound is pretty good although he’s a but of a mumbler.  I still figured that I’d go until Girl in Red announced a show for the same night and there was no way I was missing Girl in Red with my daughter. Continue Reading »

Posted in 454, El Cousteau , Mike, Niontay, Philadelphia, PA, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Momma (The Met Philadelphia, Philadelphia PA, April 17, 2024) [GIRL IN RED]

April 17, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: April 17, 2024] Momma

As soon as Girl in Red announced these shows I grabbed a ticket for my daughter and I.

I was super excited that Momma was the opening band because their song “Speeding 72” is one of my favorite songs of the last couple of years.   I’ve heard it on the radio enough that I checked out their debut album and I love the whole thing.  They’ve got a 90’s alt rock (Veruca Salt) vibe that I’m thrilled to hear again.

I would normally have snuck closer to the stage, but my daughter’s not a close-up fan, so we hung at the back of the pit (which in The Met is not far at all).

I enjoyed Momma’s whole (but rather short) set.  They played four songs from Household Name, including Medicine, the show opener and Speeding 72.

They played two new songs which sounded like they are mixing their sound up a little going forward.   And they played a single from last year, which also sounded really familiar.

Center stage with newly died red hair was Allegra Weingarten, and off to her right was Etta Friedman.  They sang together perfectly in that close harmony, almost whispered vocals that are a little hard to hear (especially in a bigger venue).  But they sounded great.

The band is always described as just the two of them, but thee were two other people on stage too, a drummer and a bassist.  Toward the end of the set, Etta switched instruments with the bassist.

I was pleased that the crowd reacted positively to them (being an opening act can suck) and I’m glad I got to see them before they totally take off.

  1. Medicine
  2. Bang Bang §
  3. Lucky
  4. Ohio 2 [new]
  5. Rodeo [new]
  6. Motorbike
  7. Speeding 72

Posted in Girl in Red, Momma, Philadelphia, PA, The Met Philadelphia | Leave a Comment »

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