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Gustaf / Jim E. Brown / Rentboy (Ukie Club, Philadelphia, PA, May 22, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 22, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 22, 2024] Gustaf / Jim E. Brown / Rentboy

Two years ago I wrote this:

I saw Gustaf open for Idles and they were weird and wonderful and someone I definitely wanted to see live again–preferably headlining.  They have a very late 1980’s punk aesthetic with spoken words and random sounds.  Plus a lot of humor.  I was really excited for this show.  But by the time it came around, having missed a whole bunch of shows that I was really looking forward to, I wound up blowing off this one as well.

Shame, really.

And I can’t believe the same thing happened this time too.  I had shows lined up from Saturday through Thursday.  I didn’t think I’d make them all, but here’s the fourth night in a row that I couldn’t go to a show.

Tonight’s was because my daughter’s school had an awards night scheduled for tonight.  So obviously I’m going to that instead.  But the timing, ugh.

The two openers are bands/performers I have missed in the past.

Jim E. Brown opened for Wax Jaw.

Poet and Artist/Activist Jim E. Brown was born in Manchester on September 10, 2001, just one day before the 911. He is an alcoholic and has several degenerative conditions.

His YouTube videos say

19 year old British pop sensation Jim E. Brown returns with his latest album, Torture

His music is weird and comically dark.  It makes weird sense that he’d be paired with Gustaf.

Over simple melodies, Brown speak/screams lyrics to songs like “I texted you a photo of the sunset and you never responded” and “I know I’m going to die of a stroke.”  Sounds interminable and wonderful.

Rentboy has been an opener for two different bands that I didn’t see.  They are a Philadelphia based disco collective whose new blurb says

Rentboy is the musical project of Bobby Brown. After three releases of increasingly lush, Americana-influenced dance pop, Rentboy’s next EP, “Get Worse” is a hard left turn. Mashing together the minimalist aggression of 2000s garage rock and the mangled production of hyper pop, the lead single “Aperol Spritz” sounds like a late night walk home from a particularly decadent party you can’t remember but wouldn’t want to forget.

I didn’t think I’d like  them all that much but the one song I listened to is weird and fun.

Posted in Gustaf, Jim E. Brown, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Rentboy | Leave a Comment »

Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 22, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 22, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 22, 2024] Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo

I’ve seen Mannequin Pussy three times.  The first time they were opening for Japandroids and Boot & Saddle.  And now they have three sold out shows at Union Transfer!

I immediately grabbed tickets for the first night–a hometown show would be amazing.

When I saw that Gustaf was playing on Wednesday and they had added a Thursday show, I sold the Wednesday show and grabbed a Thursday one.  I assume they will be in full force on Thursday.

And I was especially excited that Soul Glo was opening for them. Continue Reading »

Posted in Baroness, Coronavirus, Philadelphia, PA, Sheer Mag, Uniform, Union Transfer, Zorn | Leave a Comment »

Skating Polly / Lord Friday the 13th / Froggy (PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia, PA, May 21, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 21, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 21, 2024] Skating Polly / Lord Friday the 13th / Froggy

I was pretty excited when this show was announced.  I thought my daughter would really enjoy this.  She loves PhilaMOCA as a venue and I thought she’d really enjoy this young(ish) punk band.

I saw Skating Polly seven years ago when they opened for X.  Unfortunately, I arrived really late and caught only a couple songs from them.  I’d been intrigued by them for a while–two sisters, both teenagers (technically Kelli was NINE when they formed), started a band as a duo and played some kick ass punk.  Seven years ago primary singer Kelli was only 19, older sister Peyton was 24 and their brother Kurtis (no age given) was playing drums with them.

They have been touring forever and put on a super fun show.  I knew it would be a good time.

Then things got in the way.  She had stuff to do after school and couldn’t go.  I thought about going myself but then had to do some driving duty.  And considering their set is fairly short and would be the same songs as last year, I decided to just chill at home instead.

Lord Friday the 13th is a dollar store trash-glam punk band based in Austin, TX. Fronted by siblings Felix (vocals) and Sloane (guitar) Lenz, their sound has been described as the Velvet Underground meets the New York Dolls, with hints of early Iggy and the Stooges. While honoring the origins of punk and the energy it birthed with it, Lord Friday continues the legacy of change and pushing boundaries on societal norms that true punk is known for. Challenging gender roles and conformity, Lord Friday is here to empower and inspire a new kind of punk for a new world. Continue Reading »

Posted in Froggy, Lord Friday the 13th, Philadelphia, PA, PhilaMOCA, Skating Polly | Leave a Comment »

Zeta / Cold Court / Sweet Pill (Ukie Club, Philadelphia, PA, May 20, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 20, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 20, 2024] Zeta / Cold Court / Sweet Pill  

I was really excited when this show was announced (although not the reason it was an announced).*  But this week appears to be the week that I had many shows lined up and things keep coming up to prevent me from going.

So, as my day unfolded, it was pretty clear that i wouldn’t be able to go to the show.

And with this line up, I’m sure it was intense and amazing.  In fact, it may have been a little too intense for me in that small space.  The last time I went to the Ukie club there was some serious dancing and right now I am not up for the pit.  So maybe it was better for me to not be there. Continue Reading »

Posted in Cold Court, Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Sweet Pill, Zeta | Leave a Comment »

Echo & The Bunnymen: Songs To Learn and Sing – The Very Best of Echo & The Bunnymen (Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, May 19, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 19, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 19, 2024] Echo & The Bunnymen

I’m not a huge fan of Echo & The Bunnymen, but I have (and love) their greatest hits album Songs to Lean and Sing.  So it would seem that this tour was made especially for me.

But I already had tickets to a show I was really looking for to tonight, so I had no intention of actually going.

After the show I looked at the setlist and found that only played six of the eleven songs from that hits package.  AND they did two Velvet Underground/Lou Reed covers, which is odd to me.

So I didn’t go, and that’s fine.

Posted in Echo & the Bunnymen, Echo and the Bunnymen, Franklin Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA | Leave a Comment »

MC Lars / Schaffer The Darklord / Shubzilla + Bill Beats / MC Snax (Silk City, Philadelphia, PA, May 19, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 19, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 19, 2024] MC Lars / Schaffer The Darklord / Shubzilla + Bill Beats / MC Snax

This is now the fourth time that I have not gotten to see MC Lars.  I was really looking forward to this show and then my plans changed and I couldn’t make it (I guess Sunday nights are tough).

I really want to see MC Lars.  I am on the fence about Schaffer, who is a bit more crass, but is undoubtedly very funny live.  I hadn’t heard of the other two performers but their blurbs below make them seem pretty delightful.

The good news is that MC Lars tends to come around every year.  So I can only hope that next year the stars align for me.

MC Lars
For over twenty years, MC Lars has built a fanbase across the US, the UK and the rest of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. In addition to touring, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, South by Southwest, San Diego Comic-Con, Slam Dunk, Truck Festival and as part of the VANS Warped Tour. He has performed on stage with numerous artists, including Bowling for Soup, MC Frontalot, Wheatus, Say Anything, Gym Class Heroes, Simple Plan, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg, Nas, and Koo Koo Kanga Roo. His work includes collabs with a wide range of musicians – among them, “Weird Al” Yankovic, KRS-One, Sage Francis, Watsky, Mega Ran, Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup, Wheatus, the Matches, Kool Keith, Spose, MC Frontalot, YT Cracker, Schäffer the Dark Lord, Beefy and K.Flay. He has been featured on CNN, NPR, and MTV and has been profiled in Rolling Stone, SPIN, and Alternative Press. Continue Reading »

Posted in MC Lars, MC Snax, Milkboy, Philadelphia, PA, Schaffer The Darklord, Shubzilla + Bill Beats, Silk City | Leave a Comment »

Galactic Empire (Artie’s Bar & Grill, Frenchtown, NJ, May 18, 2024)

May 19, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED : May 18, 2024] Galactic Empire

I was intrigued by Galactic Empire even though I was there more for Bit Brigade.  I love the idea that the band played Star Wars music and dressed in costume (I understand that they may have been sued and have had to modify their costumes so as not to completely break copyright?).

I’m not the huge Star Wars dork that many people are, but I do like the music.  And I thought a heavy metal version of some of the songs would be great.  I had watched one video online and I liked it a lot.  And the backstory is pretty fun

Comprised of some of the most infamous and feared villains in the galaxy — lead guitarist Dark Vader, drummer Boba Sett, guitarists Red Guard and Shadow Ranger, and bassist Bass Commander — GALACTIC EMPIRE’s commitment to their mission is unparalleled.

When they came on, all the tall dudes who were hanging in the back came rushing forward so I couldn’t see them all that well (and that was the whole point, right, seeing them).  So that kinda sucked.

But when they came out and played the 20th Century Fox Fanfare, that was pretty cool. Continue Reading »

Posted in Bit Brigade, Frenchtown NJ, Galactic Empire, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, The Avengers | Leave a Comment »

Ringo Deathstarr / The Veldt / SOLD (Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA, May 19, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 19, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 19, 2024] Ringo Deathstarr

I saw Ringo Deathstarr back in 2019 and they were fantastic.  They play heavy shoegaze in all of the best ways.  I really wanted to see them again.

But this show happensto be on the same night as a show that I already had tickets for–MC Lars, who I have tried to see on many many occasions but have never been successful.  So I’m afraid Ringo Deathstarr loses out (and maybe I do too).

I hadn’t heard of The Veldt even though they’ve been around since 1986 (!)

Spotify describes them as a soul-powered rock band on the heavier end of the shoegaze spectrum, the Veldt are dream pop at their core yet just as known for driving riffs and stirring vocals. Led by Daniel and Danny Chavis, the Veldt were misunderstood from their late-’80s beginning.

I like their music but really don’t like the singer’s voice for this style of music.

SOLD is a Philly band that’s been around for a few years.  They descibe themselves as

Philly Post-Punk that’s fast and hard but then soft and lame too. Lot of bass, some spooky organs and a guitar all on top of drums. So yeah.

I listened to a few songs and they rock.  But when the cheesy synths come in, it’s quite a surprise (in a good way).

This would have been a fun show.

Posted in Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia, PA, Ringo Deathstarr, SOLD, The Veldt | Leave a Comment »

Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo (Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA, May 18, 2024) [DID NOT ATTEND]

May 19, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[DID NOT ATTEND: May 19, 2024] Mannequin Pussy / Soul Glo

I’ve seen Mannequin Pussy three times.  The first time they were opening for Japandroids and Boot & Saddle.  And now they have three sold out shows at Union Transfer!

I immediately grabbed tickets for the first night–a hometown show would be amazing.

And I was especially excited that Soul Glo was opening for them. Continue Reading »

Posted in Mannequin Pussy, Philadelphia, PA, Soul Glo, Union Transfer | Leave a Comment »

Bit Brigade (Artie’s Bar & Grill, Frenchtown, NJ, May 18, 2024) [GALACTIC EMPIRE]

May 18, 2024 by Paul Debraski

[ATTENDED: May 18, 2024] Bit Brigade

I had seen Bit Brigade six years ago (can’t believe it has been that long) and assumed my son would love to see them too: a heavy metal band playing the music from video games while a guy in the band plays the game?  Sounds perfect.

They tend to play bars so my (underage) son was shut out.  But when they announced this show at a place in Frenchtown, and it was all ages, we were there!

I actually thought it was going to be outside, but it wasn’t (possible showers, but I don’t know if it was always meant to be inside or not).

When I got the tickets (for him and his friend) I assumed Bit Brigade was headlining as I had not heard of Galactic Empire.  Yup, a Star Wars cover band–two gimmicks in one night, but that’s cool.  And then the night of, my wife decided that she’d like to see the spectacle as well, so she joined us and it was even more fun having her there as the boys immediately left me to hang by themselves.

I was a little surprised that BB went on first, but in retrospect it makes sense.  BB is really fun, but they are kind of static–we all watch the guy play the game(s) and the band totally rocks.  Whereas Galactic Empire is more dynamic–band members running around and a bigger stage presence.  Plus, as it turned out, everyone was there for them and not Bit Brigade.  Except for us. Continue Reading »

Posted in Bit Brigade, Castlevania, Contra, Duck Tales, Frenchtown NJ, Galactic Empire, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, The Avengers | Leave a Comment »

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