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Ratboys (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, November 13, 2024)

November 15, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: November 13, 2024] Ratboys

This was my third time seeing Ratboys in just over a year.  I would have loved to have seen them before this tour (even though I love this album), just to see what they were like before.   But this show was fantastic.  Not quite as long as the first time I saw them (since this was a co-headlining show), but the band were tons of fun and they threw in a few songs that I hadn’t seen them play before.

They announced this show as “one more tour for 2024!”  It was a short tour, and there were three co-headlining tours with Palehound.

They opened as they have each time I’ve seen them.  A great opening couplet of the rocking Making Noise for the Ones You Love and the catchy Morning Zoo.

They mixed things up by throwing in a brand new song.  I guess they have been so inspired by playing these songs that they are writing new ones already.

When I saw them the first time, they’d played the whole of the new album The Window.  This time, they played about half of it and threw in some older favorites. Continue Reading »

Posted in Palehound, Philadelphia, PA, Ratboys, Underground Arts, youbet | Leave a Comment »

Tokyo Police Club / Born Ruffians (Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia, PA, November 15, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

November 15, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 15, 2024] Tokyo Police Club / Born Ruffians

I had wanted to see Tokyo Police Club when they came around back in 2021, but their show was the same night as a show I was taking my son to.  So this show, part of their final tour, I grabbed a ticket for immediately.

And then Destroy Boys announced a show for the same night–and I knew my son and daughter would want to go to it.  As I said three years ago:

I was pretty psyched to see them, but it turned out that this show was scheduled for the same night as a Starset show that I would be taking my son to.  Sometimes schedules just don’t align nicely.

So I’ll never get to see Tokyo Police Club.

I do hope I get to see Born Ruffians though.  I’ve liked them for a pretty long time and could have seen them two years ago on a headlining tour, but I stayed home with my son to watch some anime instead.

I do hope it wasn’t their last tour as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2024 Brooklyn Bowl 2022 The Foundry 2019 Union Transfer
Violin Akai € Intro / Pathos, Pathos ∇ Marigolds Ø
Chiba Funk € Manchester ∇ F Delano Ø
Late Night Comic € Bright Whites ∇ Hey Big Star $
It All Began With a Burst ∇ It All Began With a Burst ∇ Say Yeah $
Can’t Let Go, Juno $ Wonder Woman, Wonder Me ∇ Carry on Phenomenon ∠
Marigolds Ø Atticus, in the Desert ∇ Honeybody $
Colorful State € I Am the Antichrist to You ∇ Honeybody Remix $
solo improv Beat the Bright Out of Me ∇ Can’t Let Go, Juno $
I Am the Antichrist to You (solo) ∇ This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (Talking Heads cover) Theme From Jerome (Forgotten Words) Ø
Summer of ’42 (solo) Ø Q&A ∠ I Am the Antichrist to You (solo) ∇
Violin Tsunami Ø Penny Rabbit and Summer Bear Ø This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (Talking Heads cover) (solo)
This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (Talking Heads cover) (solo) Marigolds Ø Violin/Banjo improv
Escape from Knossos € I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) (Meat Loaf cover) Bright Whites ∇
Icarus IV € The Ballad of Mr. Steak ∠ Q&A ∠
Hahaha Pt. 2 ∠ Honeybody (began with studio arrangement which bled into performing in the style of the Mattsoro remix) $ Penny Rabbit and Summer Bear Ø
Lilliputian Chop € encore Angeline Ø
The Ballad of Mr. Steak ∠ Violin Tsunami Ø Violin Tsunami Ø
Philosophize in It! Chemicalize with It! ∠ Philosophize in It! Chemicalize with It! ∠ Ode to My Next Life $
Honeybody $ Philosophize in It! Chemicalize with It! ∠
encore Atticus, in the Desert ∇
Penny Rabbit and Summer Bear (acoustic, in crowd) Ø (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life (Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes cover)
Manchester (acoustic, in crowd) ∇ The Ballad of Mr. Steak ∠
Ooh La La (Rod Stewart cover) (acoustic, in crowd) It All Began With a Burst ∇
encore
Annie, Heart Thief of the Sea (acoustic, in crowd) Ø
Manchester (acoustic, in crowd) ∇
Summer of ’42 (acoustic, in crowd) Ø

 

 

 

2016 Union Transfer 2015 TLA (opening for Guster) 2014 New Brunswick (opening for Rod y Gab)
Stranger Things Theme [recordong] violin improv violin improv
Statues in a Gallery $ Atticus, in the Desert ∇     It All Began With a Burst ∇
Hey Big Star $ Bright Whites ∇ Bittersweet Genesis for Him AND Her ∠
m’lover $ Bittersweet Genesis for Him AND Her ∠ Atticus, in the Desert ∇ 
Atticus, in the Desert (featuring extended banjo percussion solo) ∇     The Ballad of Mr. Steak ∠ Bright Whites ∇
Bright Whites (with improv interlude featuring flute solo) ∇ Q&A ∠ Philosophize in It! Chemicalize with It! ∠
Carry on Phenomenon ∠ Philosophize in It! Chemicalize with It! ∠ Manchester ∇
Who’d You Kill $ Manchester ∇
Can’t Let Go, Juno $
Say Yeah $
Ode to My Next Life $
I Am the Antichrist to You ∇ (solo)
The Ballad of Mr. Steak (featuring Mr. Steak) ∠
Philosophize in It! Chemicalize with It! ∠
It All Began With a Burst (with “Don’t vote for Trump” vocal loop) ∇
encore
Honeybody $
Q&A ∠
Manchester ∇
€ Kantos (2024)
Ø Omoiyari (2019)
$ Sonderlust (2016)
∠ Lighght (2014)
∇ 151a (2012)

Posted in Born Ruffians, Kishi Bashi, Philadelphia, PA, Tokyo Police Club | Leave a Comment »

Chokecherry (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 15, 2024) [DESTROY BOYS]

November 15, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: November 15, 2024] Chokecherry

When this tour was announced, I thought it would be perfect for myself and my kids.  My daughter loved seeing Crawlers, the original opening act, my son loves Destroy Boys and in addition to liking both bands, I had wanted to see Sasami for quite a while.

But then Crawlers dropped off the tour (I’m not sure why) and they were replaced by Chokecherry who I hadn’t heard of.  I listened to a song or two and liked them.  So I was pleased to arrive early enough to see them.

I’m not really sure what the details are of this band, but I’m guessing that the two women who were up front, Guitarist Izzie A. Clark and bassist E. Scarlett Levinson are the fixtures of the band.  Other articles list two different members in the band. but for this show, Jack Lillian played second guitar and Sean Aaron  was on drums.

Izzie, Scarlett and Jack were dressed in provocative outfits–undergarments and corsets and they played up this flirtatiousness.  But their music totally rocked and their look proved to be an accent to their songs.   I couldn’t really see Sean who was behind the drums, so I’m not sure if he was wearing only boxers or what.

They opened with Lisa 1 and 2.  It starts with Izzie and Scarlett, quietly singing Lisa, I miss you, Lisa I’m sorry.  And then the song takes off.  But it’s in pat 2 that he real blistering punk comes out.  Two minutes of intensity.

Scarlett sang Afterglow, a song that builds with her softish voice into a terrific loud/quiet rocker.  It features one of several songs that have great guttural screams in them.  Around Around Around had a bit of a shoegaze vibe to it

The two singers had great harmonies together and I loved when Izzie left the mic for a few seconds to walk around while soloing.

They ended with Mirror Mirror a kicking rocker with fuzzy guitars and big loud chords.

I enjoyed their set a ton and would happily see them again.

 

2024 Union Transfer
Lisa 1
Lisa 2
Afterglow ∀
Around Around Around §
I Know You ∀
Glass Jaw §
Mirror Mirror ∀

∀ Messy Star (2024)
§ single (2023)

 

Posted in Chokecherry, Destroy Boys, Philadelphia, PA, Sasami, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Palehound (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, November 13, 2024) [RATBOYS]

November 14, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: November 13, 2024] Palehound

I saw Palehound twice in three months as the band opened first for Weaves and then for Courtney Barnett.

And now it’s been six years and I’ve seen them again.

El Kemper is still the main focus of the band, and the rest of the band was great.

This show was cast under the shadow of the election and everyone was righteously pissed.  The show was accepting donations for Trans Lifeline, National Network of Abortion Funds, and Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.

El was blown away by the amount of people in the room and then said that they were getting gender affirming surgery in six days.  Amazing.  I hope they are doing great.

For this show I felt like Kemper’s guitar prowess was less on display than in the past.  Not that they weren’t great, but there were fewer opportunities for bigger than life solos–until the end.

There’s been two albums since I saw them last and I didn’t know this new one all that well. But I had listened to it a few times and El’s voice–whispery and strained-seeming but somehow still powerful is unmistakable.  I love “Eye on the Bat” and was psyched that they played it (although surprised it was so early in the set).

After a half a dozen songs, El played two solo songs, including the powerful Your Boyfriend’s Gun.  El was very appreciative of the audience’s respect for the song, which they said not every audience gives.  I hoped it might sink in for other shows, but I doubt it.

After the solo songs, the band came back and they played mostly older songs.  A few from 2019’s Black Friday and a few from Dry Food (the one I know best).

So I didn’t know a lot of the songs, but Kemper’s delivery and guitar playing (especially in the later songs like Cinnamon and Molly) were fantastic.

2024 Underground Arts 2018 Union Transfer 2018 Johnny Brenda’s
Good Sex © Molly €
Independence Day © Carnations ⊗
Room ⊗ Turning 21 ⊗
Eye on the Bat © Dry Food €
The Clutch © At Night I’m Alright with You ⊗
Route 22 ©   Backseat ⊗
Dry Food € Feeling Fruit ⊗
Company (solo) ♠ YMCA Pool ¥
Your Boyfriend’s Gun (solo) § Cinnamon €
Killer ♠ Room ⊗
Bullshit ♠ Pet Carrot ∏
Mt Evil © If You Met Her ⊗
Aaron ♠
Cinnamon €
Molly €

§ new (2024)
© Eye on the Bat (2023)
♠ Black Friday (2019)
¥ YMCA Pool single (2018)
⊗ A Place I’ll Always Go (2017)
€ Dry Food (2015)
∏ Bent Nail EP (2013)

Posted in Palehound, Philadelphia, PA, Ratboys, Underground Arts, youbet | Leave a Comment »

Illiterate Light / Palmyra (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, November 14, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

November 14, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: November, 14, 2024] Illiterate Light / Palmyra

My wife and I saw Illiterate Light two times within a few months back in 2019.  Since then they’ve played Philly a lot and I haven’t bothered to see them again.  I’m sure they’re still great–we enjoyed both shows–but they have just fallen off my radar.   Interestingly, they played Johnny BRenda’s back in February as well, so clearly they must be popular in Philly without my help.  So, good for them.

Palmyra is a trio from the Shenandoah Valley.  Here’s a fun review from Getalternative.com

Palmyra is a folk trio from the Shenandoah Valley. Teddy, Manoa, and Sasha have personalities that spill out all over the stage and feel like friendly strangers you strike up a conversation with outside a gas station, waiting for the car to fill. Their lyrics ponder an intimate, contemplative side of things. Sasha sings lead vocals and their voice drips with a beautiful desperation, every single word holding an earnestness you don’t find just anywhere anymore. Teddy and Manoa’s harmonies are screw-tight and the collective sound compliments the guitar, mandolin, and upright bass like whipped cream compliments peach cobbler.

I’ve listened to a couple of songs and they vary from rocking to super-folkie.  They’re probably fun live.

Posted in Illiterate Light, Johnny Brenda's, Palmyra, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

youbet (Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA, November 13, 2024) [RATBOYS]

November 13, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: November 13, 2024] youbet

I hadn’t heard of the band youbet who was opening the show.  I listened to a couple of songs before the show, but it turns out that much of the set was from an upcoming album.

Singer/guitarist Nick Llobet has a high and distinctive voice.   Some of their songs (I’m guessing the already released ones) have a kind of low fi vibe, but their newer ones rock harder.

Nirvana is a lazy comparison most of the time, but one of the earlier songs (I think it was quest on the setlist) had a real Nirvana vibe bith in vocal delivery and pounding drums (Jojo Quinn).

I was more or less in front of bassist Micah Prussack and I loved how low and punch their bass sound was (again, if I am getting the songs correct, the bass on mimic is a great, noisy addition).

But a song like (jaw of cain) was this woozy psychedelic verse (with practically spoken lyrics) that turned into a chaotic bridge with a fantastic loud bass line throughout.

I was listening to some of these songs that  recorded during the set, and I think I’m off on which songs are which.  maybe I’ll correct this one the album comes out.  But the final song I recorded (which I assume is boris) has another cool bass line (up and then down the neck, all while gloriously fuzzed).

I’m really looking forward to the album when it comes out.

2024 Underground Arts
Carsick ⇔
quest
mimic
undefined
jaw cain
Nurture ⇔
Peel ⇔
palomita
boris

⇔ Way to Be

Posted in Palehound, Philadelphia, PA, Ratboys, Underground Arts, youbet | Leave a Comment »

Finom / Meg Elsier (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia PA, November 13, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

November 13, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 13, 2024] Finom / Meg Elsier

I saw OHMME open for Jeff Tweedy a few years ago.  Then in August 2022 Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart announced that they had changed their name from OHMME to Finom, for legal reasons.

I really enjoyed them (a lot) when I saw them live, but for one reason or another I haven’t been that interested in seeing them again.  I haven’t really listened to their new music, so it’s not really fair that I haven’t been interested in them, but that’s what happens sometimes.  Although ultimately, the reason I didn’t go is because I had tickets to see Ratboys and Palehound for the same night.

I understand that each of their records is quite different.  The few songs from the album remind me a bit Lucius, but with noise sprinkled into the mix.

Meg Elsier is from Nashville via Boston and plays an indie rock with synthy pop flourishes and noises and other eccentric moments.  The little I heard from her was quite good. She seems like a real character and I’ll bet she’s fun live.

I’ll definitely look for both of them next year.

Posted in Finom, Johnny Brenda's, Meg Elsier, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

Slow Pulp / Free Range (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 13, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

November 13, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: November 13, 2024] Slow Pulp / Free Range

In 2022 Slow Pulp opened for Alvvays and I wrote

Slow Pulp is a funny name.  Especially if (like to me) it sounds like your band is just a slower version of the band Pulp, which they are not.  Rather, they are kind of a slow version of Alvvays.  They are slow and introspective.  Seems like a good (if maybe dull?) fit.

I still don’t like the name (for the same reason), but I’ve become somewhat more interested in them.

Last year, they were playing The Foundry on Halloween on the same night that we were seeing Japanese Breakfast.  I listened to them a bit since them and while I still think they are too slow for me (the name is apt), I liked some of their stuff more than I thought I would.

I was intrigued to see them live, but this show was the same night as Palehound and Ratboys, so, I wasn’t going to miss that one.

I have actually seen Free Range live twice.  Technically I only heard them on one occasion–they were playing when we arrived at All Things Go and we could hear  them through the speakers.  But I also saw them open for, of all bands, Ratboys (so the band they opened for last time prevented me from seeing them this time).

About them I wrote

Sofia Jensen’s voice sounded familiar–maybe a kind of Phoebe Bridgers vibe–a kind of strong whispery style, and her songs had a strong Pinegrove feel to me (turns out that Nick Levin from Pinegrove plays pedal steel on on two of the tracks).  I guess the songs are indie rock with a whiff of country about them.  Although, interestingly, the chill vibe was often smashed by the loud jamming sections of some of the songs, especially the final one “Want to Know” which rocked out more than the others.

I would have enjoyed this show if I was in a mellow mood.

Posted in Free Range, Philadelphia, PA, Slow Pulp, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists / Oceanator (White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ, November 13, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

November 13, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTENDED: November 13, 2024] Ted Leo and the Pharmacists / Oceanator

I saw Ted Leo back in June.  But I missed about half of the set because I was at another show that night.  When he announced that the tour was continuing and he was going to play White Eagle Hall (where I had first seen him five years ago), it seemed like a nice moment of serendipity.  But the show was the same night as Ratboys and Palehound and I knew I was going to go to that show.

So I’m going to have to wait until he comes back around (and for December 6 when I see him play with Aimee Mann).

Oceanator opened for AJJ back in 2023 and I didn’t go to that show either.  But here’s what I said about them then

Oceanator is Elise Okusami a Brooklyn-based guitarist.  I hadn’t heard of her and when I listened to some songs, I loved them. The songs are catchy and fun and sound great.  This would have been a really fun show.

I even hear a little bit of Aimee Mann in her voice.

Posted in Aimee Mann, Jersey City, NJ, Oceanator, Ted Leo, Ted Leo + Pharmacists, White Eagle Hall | Leave a Comment »

Pond (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, November 11, 2024)

November 12, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: November 11, 2024] Pond 

I saw Pond here six years ago and it remains a memorable show for me, primarily because I got a great close up of lead singer Nick Allbrook as he was about to lean into the crowd.

I’m not sure why I didn’t go to see  them in 2019 or 2022, when they played Underground Arts–I assume Allbrook was just wandering around the crowd at that show given how interactive he was with us at Union Transfer.

When they announced this tour, I was interested but also a little unsure (again, I’m not sure why, had I forgotten how much I enjoyed their last show?)

So, when they came on stage, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect.  Allbrook didn’t have make up on like last time, but he was immediately and amazing frontman–dancing, getting close to the edge of the stage, and engaging fully with the audience.

When I saw them last time, all I really knew about them was that they were connected to Tame Impala and the few songs I listened to were really good.  [Allbrook was a touring member with Tam Impala until 2013, but Pond is far beyond any mention of Tame Impala].

They opened with a slow number called Daisy from their 2019 album Tasmania (which I don’t know at all).  The song picks up into a bouncier, synthy number and it was a good opportunity to check out what the band was doing.  Continue Reading »

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

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