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Richard Thompson / Alexa Rose (Musikfest Cafe, Bethlehem, PA, July 26, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 26, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 26, 2024] Richard Thompson / Alexa Rose

I really want to see Richard Thompson one more time, but I really want to see hi with his band rather than solo.

For this tour, he announced it would be a band tour!  I was so excited.  But when he announced this relatively local show, it was solo.

What’s weird about his solo shows is that he had a million songs in his repertoire and he plays all request shows where I’m sure he’s playing all kinds of songs.  But when he plays solo he tends to play the same twenty or so songs.  It’s always amazing, I am just looking for something a little different from him.

I keep hoping he’ll bring the band to McCarter one more time.

Alexa Rose was born in the Alleghany Highlands of western Virginia, raised in the tiny railroad town of Clifton Forge. Though no one in her immediate family played or sang, she inherited a deep musical legacy.

She has a pretty, clean voice with vaguely country leanings.

Posted in Alexa Rose, Bethlehem, PA, Musikfest Cafe, Richard Thompson | Leave a Comment »

Newport Folk Festival (Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI, July 26-July 28, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 26, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 31-August 2, 2020] Newport Folk Festival

We went to Newport Folk Festival in 2019.  We’ve had a kind of understanding that we would try to go again.

I’ve managed  to score tickets for previous years (and then resell them when we couldn’t go).  But this year I was shut out instantly.  Which is fine as the festival often conflicts with our summer schedule.
Continue Reading »

Posted in Black Pumas, De La Soul, Guster, Hozier, Newport Folk Festival, Newport, RI, The War on Drugs, Tinariwen | Leave a Comment »

King’s X / Sound&Shape (Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA, July 25 & 26, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 25, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: August 3, 2023] Kings X / Sound&Shape

I’ve seen King’s X five times.  I’ve enjoyed all of their shows although I started to find them a little samey.

They tend to tour our area every couple of years.  I saw them two years ago and considered going to one of the three area shows this year, but things caught up with me.

The first show at Sellersville we had dinner plans and the second night I had tickets to another show that I wanted to go to more.

Sellersville is kind of a pain for me to get to, so it wasn’t difficult to pass up this show.

I’ve seen the setlist that they played this night and I have to say they really aren’t mixing it up much at all these days.  Which is a shame.  I know that they have some songs that they “have to” play but there’s a bunch in here that they could switch out.  I mean, I would like to see them once more, but I’d hope they’d throw in a few other songs next time.

Sound&Shape is new to me but apparently they have been playing prog metal for a number of  years.  Their sound reminds me of King’s X–heavy but clean.  The vocals are good.  It’s possible that if I had heard these guys before this show, I would have gone to one of the nights.

Posted in King's X, Sellersville Theater, Sellersville, PA, Sound&Shape | Leave a Comment »

Beck with the Philadelphia Orchestra / Molly Lewis (The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA, July 25, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 25, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 25, 2024] Beck with the Philadelphia Orchestra / Molly Lewis

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

I more or less felt like I’d always see him when he came around.  And typically, an orchestral show promises an interesting performance.

But given Beck’s past history with making orchestral music, I wondered if this show would be really mellow and not all that much fun.  I mean, sure, Beck would make it fun, but, well, it just didn’t seem worth the drive to the Mann.

Looking at the setlist, I see that he played six songs from Morning Phase and five from Sea Change.  Just not my type of show, really.  But here’s some excerpts from the WXPN review:

Last night at The Mann Center, Beck took the stage with the 80-piece Philadelphia Orchestra and his Sea Change album band. This allowed him to perform songs that he usually does not get a chance to perform: cuts from Sea Change, Morning Phase and Mutations, as well as sneaking in his big hits such as “Devil’s Haircut” and “Loser,” which got the intently listening crowd to their feet. It was a truly incredible sound. He referred to playing with the orchestra as “$100,000 karaoke.”

With lots of wit and funny commentary, Beck also talked a lot about his influences such as Serge Gainsbourg and Francoise Hardy, whom he dedicated a song to. He played songs that he “selfishly wanted to sing with an orchestra, now that they were on stage” with him, such as “It’s Raining Today” by Scott Walker. He also mentioned that his very first concert was Brazilian musician Antônio Carlos Jobim.

After the 90-minute set with the Philadelphia Orchestra, they left the stage, leaving just Beck and his band on stage. Beck walked and climbed around the seats on stage having the spotlight follow him as he performed the encore, and left everyone wanting the show to go on longer.

Continue Reading »

Posted in Beck, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Molly Lewis, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Tinariwen (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, July 24, 2024)

July 25, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 24, 2024] Tinariwen

Tinariwen is a pretty legendary band.  They play a guitar driven “desert blues” in which the guitar is played pretty much non-stop.   It’s unique and original to American ears but is apparently part of a Mali musical sound that combines traditional Tuareg and African music with Western rock.

I’ve been trying to see them for a number of years and things never seemed to pan out, until this year.

The night was a challenge as parking was limited and I wound up coming in later than I intended.  It was also much more crowded (so early) than I anticipated.  So I had  to stand off to the side.

About half way through the show, I had to get out of the crowd and Underground Arts was super nice in that someone got me a chair (I’m using a cane at the moment).  I actually felt obliged to stay in the chair which meant I was in kind of a crappy location visually for most of the show.   But it was so crowded that I wasn’t going to see much anyhow, so I’m grateful for the seat. Continue Reading »

Posted in Basic, Chris Forsyth, Philadelphia, PA, Tinariwen, Underground Arts | Leave a Comment »

Basic (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, July 24, 2024) [TINARIWEN]

July 24, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: July 24, 2024] Basic

Philadelphia’s own BASIC, Chris Forsyth on guitar, Nick Millevoi on baritone guitar and drum machine, and Patrick Avery on percussion and electronics.  I saw them open for Tortoise back in 2023 and really enjoyed their rocking, possibly improvised set.

The venue was super packed.  I started in the center but couldn’t see anything so I moved to the Nick Millevoi’s side, but was still blocked by a pole.  Eventually I sidled up and managed to see all three of them.

Last time, I felt Christ Forsyth’s guitar was a little quiet, but this time the sound was great.

Like last time, Avery had a tiny bass drum that he hit with a mallet.  On it was a kind of woodblock, which he hit with a plastic mallet.  That’s all he had.  Millevoi often started a drum machine as he started playing so technically Avery didn’t have a lot to do, but seeing and hearing him add bass drum was a nice touch.  Avery also played with some electronics on a table near him–I think he was doing a lot more than I realized (since I couldn’t see him very well, it’s hard to know).

They played for about 40 minutes and it was a great rocking set.  Nick and Chris both played great solos from time to time and Mikel held it all together.

I do hope to see them one more time, hopefully from the front where I can really see what’s going on.

And what was fun was that Chris and his family (I assume) stood next to me at the end of Tinariwen, and then he was super friendly after the show where we chatted about the upcoming Basic album.

Posted in Basic, Chris Forsyth, Philadelphia, PA, Tinariwen, Underground Arts | Leave a Comment »

Kathleen Edwards / Ken Yates (Concerts Under the Stars series Upper Merion Township Building Park, King of Prussia, PA, July 24, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 24, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 24, 2024] Kathleen Edwards / Ken Yates [rescheduled from June 19]

I once thought that I would never get to see Kathleen Edwards.  And then she resurfaced from her coffee shop and I saw her three times in a year.

I would have liked to see her at this show (I saw her at an outdoor show two years ago) but King of Prussia is really far.  And then the whole tour was postponed because she and her band ran into Visa issues (for the first time ever).

She managed to rescheduled the dates (I guess there’s a good reason to do short two week tours, they are much easier to reschedule).  Continue Reading »

Posted in Concerts Under the Stars series, Kathleen Edwards, Ken Yates, King of Prussia PA, Philadelphia, PA, Upper Merion Township Building Park | Leave a Comment »

Spoon Benders / Color Charge / Disaster Artist (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, July 23, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 23, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 23, 2024] Spoon Benders / Color Charge / Disaster Artist / [was] The Lunar Year

Spoon Benders opened for The Psychedelic Porn Crumpets on a night I couldn’t go (still sad about that one).

If they open for PPC, they must be worth checking out so I had considered going to this show.  But I had a couple of other shows this week so this one was pushed aside.

They are a progressive psych-rock powerhouse that has been relentlessly crisscrossing the United States, leaving a trail of newly acquired fans in their wake. Spoon Benders have become synonymous with an electrifying stage presence that can only be described as loud, controlled chaos.

When I first listened to some of their songs I wasn’t that excited, but I feel like I must not have been paying attention because their sound is very cool with lots of echoing guitars and a much-needed female voice on lead and backing vocals.

I would like to see them some day though. Continue Reading »

Posted in Color Charge, Disaster Artist, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Spoon Benders, The Lunar Year | Leave a Comment »

The Family Crest / Koser (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, July 21, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 21, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: July 21, 2024] The Family Crest

I saw The Family Crest back in 2017.  I was really into their album at the time.  Since then I’ve kind of forgotten about them.  I was interested in seeing them again as their new material is still strong. But I wound up not getting a ticket.

Then we made plans to go visit family members, so the point was moot anyhow.

Koser sounds like they want to be the band for everyone

a high-energy 5-piece rock/blues/funk band from Philadelphia. The supergroup meshes the powerful contralto vocals of Kara Koser with a heap of instruments– guitars, bass, saxophone, keyboard, synth, percussion, drums, and more, every show. KOSER pairs well with the soul of Lawrence, Amy Winehouse, and the grit of Nirvana, Paramore.

I listened to their one song on Bandcamp and it was all instrumental and all synths, so I don’t really know what that blurb is talking about.

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Koser, Philadelphia, PA, The Family Crest | Leave a Comment »

Scary Kids Scaring Kids / Oxymorrons (The Foundry, Philadelphia, PA, July 21, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

July 21, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTENDED: July 21, 2024] Scary Kids Scaring Kids / Oxymorrons

I saw an announcement that Oxymorrons were playing The Foundry and I immediately went to get a ticket.  My son and I saw them there about a year and a half ago and it was a ton of fun.

Then I saw that Oxymorrons were OPENING for band that I’d never heard of.

What a bummer.  I certainly wasn’t going to do out of my way for this show.

I’m still not sure what to make of Scary Kids Scaring Kids.   Apparently they put out two albums then broke up.  They put out a new album in 2002 (which was generally regarded as terrible) and now they are playing their self-titled (second) album, which people seem to like.

The descriptions of the album that I’ve read haven’t given me any insight into t he music and I don’t care enough to find out.   But it sounds like their music isn’t scary and maybe they aren’t either.

Posted in Oxymorrons, Philadelphia, PA, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, The Foundry | Leave a Comment »

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