Good Time Folk Rock Show at Tin Angel Friday Dec 30

December 12, 2011 by · Comments Off on Good Time Folk Rock Show at Tin Angel Friday Dec 30
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Sorry the blogging has been a bit on the lean side lately but pretty much all the free time has been occupied playing bass in the bands I’m in. My friend Chris Nickey and I played over 50 shows throughout this past year year with our band Chris And Tommy’s Good Time Folk Rock Show and now we’re closing out 2011 in a big way with our first show at Philadelphia’s renowned Tin Angel.
Come on out and help us celebrate on Friday December 30th. Grab a nice dinner downstairs at Serrano restaurant then pop upstairs and enjoy a great night of music.

As our way of saying thanks for coming out we’ll have free T-Shirts,CDs,stickers for everyone as well few show posters to giveaway.

Chris and Tommy’s Good Time Folk Rock Show (@GoodTimeShow)
with
Irene Molloy
Ami Verrill
Elizabeth Pugh

Friday December 30 7:30 pm $10 21+UP
Tin Angel

20 S 2nd Street Philadelphia PA
215-928-0770

Advance tickets for Tin Angel shows are available from their box office:
Over the phone at (215) 928-0978, noon–10 pm, 7 days a week
In person at 20 South 2nd Street, after 4 pm downstairs at Serrano
or online at Comcast tix here

Chris and I would also like to send out a big THANK YOU to anyone who has come to the shows and to all of the venues we’ve played this past year. It’s been a great time !

The Alchemist & Barrister, Bogart’s Bookstore, Bus Stop Music Cafe, Café Improv-Princeton Community TV
Fuel House Coffee Co., Green Planet Coffee Co., John & Peters, Katmandu, Langhorne Coffee House, MOJO 13, Penn Tap Room, Puck, Small World Coffee, The Garden/R.A.T Gallery, The Grape Room, The Legendary Dobbs, The Mill Hill Basement, The Raven Lounge, The Sand Witch, Tin Angel, Tritone, Tulip Hookah Cafe, Virago Baking Company, Whole Foods Plymouth Meeting

Live This Week : Good Time Folk Rock Show

May 1, 2011 by · Comments Off on Live This Week : Good Time Folk Rock Show
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An update on a couple of upcoming shows this week from Chris & Tommy’s Goodtime Folk Rock Show. First up, a Cinco De Mayo blowout this Thursday at The Alchemist & Barrister in Princeton New Jersey and then a full band appearance/Spare Tire Band reunion with special guests Scott Matlack and Brett Neilsen at Puck in Doylestown PA. Come on out and have a good time !

Chris And Tommy’s Good Time Folk Rock Show
Cinco De Mayo Party
Thursday May 5th 10pm FREE
The Alchemist And Barrister
28 Witherspoon Street, Princeton NJ

Chris And Tommy’s Good Time Folk Rock Show
with Ryan Tennis & Superfive
Saturday May 7th 7pm $8
Puck
Printers Alley Doylestown PA

LIVE: 09.18.10 Tommy Keene’s Songs From The Film

October 22, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Some special live music today to soundtrack your weekend. Back in 1986 Washington DC’s Tommy Keene released his second album, the instant power pop classic, Songs From The Film. Now nearly 25 years later he’s out on tour doing a special series of shows where he is playing that album in it’s entirety. He recently played an intimate in store performance with the full band in Bordentown, New Jersey at The Record Collector. I was unable to attend myself but BIG thanks go out to my friend Chris for recording this incredible show so that I can bring it to you. Enjoy.

09.18.10 Tommy Keene
The Record Collector, Bordentown, NJ

Tommy Keene – vocals, guitar
Billy Connelly – guitar, vocals
Michael Alban – bass
Mike Leach – drums

Late Bright
A Secret Life of Stories

Places That Are Gone
In Our Lives
Listen To Me
Paper Words and Lies
Gold Town
Kill Your Sons [Lou Reed]
Call On Me
As Life Goes By
Chat
My Mother Looked Like Marilyn Monroe
Underworld
Chat
Astronomy
The Story Ends

Chat
Turning On Blue
Highwire Days
Band Intros
Black & White New York
Applause

Encore
Back To Zero Now
Love is a Dangerous Thing
It’s Not True

[Tommy Keene Website]
[The Record Collector Store & Concert Series]
[Buy Songs From the Film]

The Feelies at World Cafe Live 04.17.10

May 1, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Due to the day job becoming a black hole that sucks in all my free time the past couple months, the posting here has been rather sparse, my apologies to all of the loyal followers out there. In the meantime the music has still been happening fast and furious and if can manage to squeeze a couple of free hours out of each day hopefully I can get the posting can get back on track here.  With that being said I promised a lot of cool people that I chatted with at this show that I would get it online for you all to enjoy. It’s a fantastic set from a couple weeks ago at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia by the legendary Feelies, a setlist filled with classics, a sprinkling of new songs, and chock full of the covers they famously put their spin on.  I think it may have even surpassed the brilliant set I saw them play at Johnny Brendas just about a year ago (you can still listen to that set here). Big thanks to my friend Chris for once again getting it all on tape.

Have a great weekend.  Rock On.  -tom

A Night With The Feelies
04.17.10 at World Cafe Live, Philadelphia PA

Set 1
When Company Comes
Sunday Morning [Velvet Underground]
Egyptian Reggae [Jonathan Richman]
The Undertow
Bluer Skies
Invitation
Nobody Knows
The High Road
On the Roof
Let’s Go
For Now
Barstool Blues [Neil Young]

Set 2
Deep Fascination
Higher Ground
Waiting
The Final Word
Away
Doin’ it Again
Original Love
Slipping (Into Something)
Time is Right
Too Far Gone
Raised Eyebrows
Crazy Rhythms

Encores

Boxcars(Carnival Of Sorts) [REM]
Take It As It Comes [The Doors]
Everybody’s Got Something To Hide(Except For Me And My Monkey)[Beatles]
Moscow Nights
Fa Ce La
Outdoor Miner [Wire]
She Said She Said [Beatles]
I Wanna Sleep In Your Arms [Modern Lovers]
What Goes On [Velvet Underground]

[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE] [ALBUM REISSUES ON BAR-NONE]

Best Shows I Saw In 2009

December 27, 2009 by · 2 Comments
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2009 was another great year for live music , slightly edging out last year for me with a grand total of 97 shows, in 26 different venues for 251 sets of music by 215 different bands, with 26 bands logging in 2 or more. Continuing to be one of the best live music venues anywhere, Johnny Brenda’s topped the list with 25 visits. The other places where you could have found me hanging out this past year being World Cafe Live(15),The M Room(11),Kung Fu Necktie(7) and The Khyber, The Fire and The Spectrum at 4 trips each. Enough with the numbers for now, here’s the best shows I saw this past year.

Want to throw in a very special thank you Joe @ Village Green Productions for letting me put Bag Of Songs Presents nights together and especially to all of the bands that played them this past year : Pow  Wow!, DeJesus, The Skyler King, Bridges And Powerlines, Curious Buddies, Bojibian, The Shots, Sugar Canyon, Canadian Invasion, Golden Bloom, Sudden Ensemble, In Grenada, Lima Research Society, Meyerman, Halloween, Alaska, Missing Palmer West, Scott McClatchy, Dinosaur Feathers, Joe Michelini of River City Extension, Creatures Of The Golden Dawn, North Lawrence Midnight Singers, High Hearts, Matt Kresge, Acres Of Diamonds, Tall Tall Trees, Eat Your Birthday Cake, Cailin Callahan

05.12.09 Leonard Cohen @ Academy Of Music
10.22.09 Leonard Cohen @ Tower Theater
Leonard Cohen came to Philadelphia twice this past year, after having not been here since 1993. While both shows were outstanding, the May show at the Academy Of Music was hands down the best show I saw this past year and also secures a place on the list of all time greatest shows I have ever witnessed. His stage presence and connection to the audience is amazing and at 74 years old he is still performing three hour plus shows. A friend at the same show called it “a gift from god”, it really was that good.

02.13.09 In Grenada @ Johnny Brendas
In Grenada plays a percussive, guitar driven brand of indie rock, that’s often compared to Arcade Fire or The National, this show complete with double drummers was as amazing as either of those bands. A Philly band you’ll want to keep to keep an eye on.

02.14.09 Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright @ The Kimmel Center
Rufus Wainwright never fails to put on a highly entertaining show and really knows how to interact with the audience. Solo inside the confines of the beautiful Kimmel Center was a perfect show for Valentines Day. Martha’s opening set was impressive as well.

03.13.09 The Feelies @ Johnny Brendas [Listen]
The Feelies hadn’t played in Philadelphia in just over 18 years but this show proved they hadn’t lost the magic in the interim. Easily as good or better than the shows I saw them play twenty years ago and still sounding relevant, a testament to the legacy of their influence.

06.08.09 Pink Mountaintops @ Johnny Brendas
Black Mountain made my best shows list two years in a row, I wasn’t lucky enough to see them again this past but leader Stephen McBean’s other project Pink Mountaintops is equally as brilliant trading in the heavy stoner rock of Black Mountain for more of a garage rock psychedelia.

07.19.09 Dinosaur Feathers, Joe Michelini of River City Extension @ M Room
09.07.09 River City Extension @ The Fire

Two of the bands that will be making serious waves in 2010 playing absoultely stellar sets on a Sunday night. If you witnessed this one you know how great it was. If you didn’t you’re you going to wish you had. Thanks to Emma at The World In A Paper Cup for turning me on to Brooklyn’s Dinosaur Feathers whose debut disc Fanstasy Memorial is going to make some serious waves when it drops in early 2010. New Jersey’s River City Extension’s live show is nothing short of amazing and this solo set by leader Joe Michelini was absolutely spellbinding. They also have a new disc coming in 2010 to be on the watch for.
River City Extension’s full band show is non stop energy and fun. Get out and see them as soon as you can.

09.09.09 Sleepy Sun @ Johnny Brendas
This San Francisco Band had the considerable luck to have long time Bag Of Songs favorite Rachel Williams(birds.fled.from.me) join the fold. Their live show is stunning blend of trippy psychedelia.

09.23.09 Missing Palmer West @ Bruce Springsteen Birthday Tribute at World Cafe Live
In a night that was filled with top notch performances by Philadelphia musicians playing the music of Bruce Springsteen, including the Born To Run album in it’s entirety, Missing Palmer West’s breathtaking stellar performance of the epic Jungleland was the crown jewel of the evening for me.

10.14.09 Bruce Springsteen @ The Spectrum
After seeing Bruce play a phoned in sloppy mess of a show back in April, where he even botched the lyrics to Promised Land while reading from the teleprompter, I almost didn’t bother to go again on the fall dates. The lure of seeing Darkness On The Edge Of Town played all the way through was too great to resist however. It was totally worth it. While the portions of the show before and after were good, the album in it’s entirety was outstanding,with Bruce turning off his work the crowd schtick for 45 minutes or so and just playing the music with the intensity it deserves. It was like being time warped back to 1978 when he still felt like he had something to prove.

10.17.09 Acres Of Diamonds,Tall Tall Trees,Eat Your Birthday Cake,Cailin Callahan @ JDMcGillicuddys
Sometimes when you put a show together it all just falls into place like magic, this was one of those times. This was the Bag Of Songs Third Anniversary Party and I can’t thank the bands enough for delivering a night of incredible music and fun all around.

10.23.09 Andrew Bird @ World Cafe Live Upstairs XPN Free At Noon
To see Andrew Bird recreate the sounds on his album in a live setting all by himself using loops and samples and multiple instruments was a truly memorable experience, and left me with a much higher regard for him as a super talented musician.

10.31.09 Pearl Jam @ The Spectrum
For the final show at the Philadelphia Spectrum Pearl Jam delivered a forty one song,three and a half hour juggernaut of that included plenty of hits,many rarities and even a special Halloween encore with the band dressed as vintage DEVO in yellow jumpsuits and red flowerpot hats
performing the song Whip It. A fitting send off to a great music venue.

11.06.09 The Swimmers @ Kung Fu Necktie CD Release Party
The Swimmers holed up for the last year or so and reinvented their sound and themselves as a band while working on their latest record People Are Soft. Their set at the CD Release Party for the disc showcased their new sound, playing one of the best and tightest sets I think I have seen them play, including a smoking cover of New Order’s Age Of Consent.

07.25.09 The Hold Steady @ XPoNential Music Festival @ Wiggins Park
In a weekend filled with some great performances form the likes of Yeasayer,Steve Wynn,Illinois,Low Anthem,They Might Be Giants,Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby and John Wesley Harding,The Hold Steady delivered a brilliant but slightly shortened set as a late evening rainstorm blazed through. The site of Craig Finn arms outstretched, singing in the pouring rain is forever etched in my mind.

I usually don’t list my worst shows of the year but this one was so exceptionally bad I thought it warranted a special mention:

10.23.09 Todd Rundgren @ The Spectrum
In what was billed as Philly sendoff for the final days of the Spectrum, Todd Rundgren shared a bill with The Hooters and Hall And Oates. After an amazing sounding and extremely tight set by The Hooters, Todd Rundgren took the stage and played an obnoxiously loud,self indulgent set of mostly obscurities that sounded like Spinal Tap gone wrong. More like a F— off than a send off tribute, maybe he intended it as a joke, I don’t know, but it cleared out most of the arena while he played,leaving everyone wondering just what the hell he was doing.

Everyone out and playing music deserves a mention so here’s the full list:
100 Monkeys,A Distant Second,Absolute Zeroes ,AC Newman,Acres Of Diamonds,Adam & Daves Bloodline,Adam Arcuragi,Aimee Mann ,Amy ,An American Chinese ,Andrew Bird,As Tall As Lions,Asteroid #4,Audible,Autolux,Bad Flirt,Bad Religion ,BC Camplight,Ben Arnold   Band,Beretta76,Bishop Allen,Black Landlord,Bojibian,Bottle Rockets,Bridges And Powerlines,Brother JT,Brown Recluse Sings ,Bruce Springsteen,By Surprise ,Cailin Callahan ,Cale Parks ,Canadian Invasion,Chairlift,Cheers Elephant,Chris Huff,Chris Kasper,Coltrane Motion,Cordero,Creatures Of The Golden Dawn,Curious Buddies ,Custom D 3,Cynthia Mason,Dan May,Danielson,Darwin Deez ,Dead Meadow,Deadstring Brothers ,DeJesus ,Dex Robweber,Dinosaur Feathers,Donna the Buffalo,Doomed To Obscurity,Drummer,Early Day Miners ,East Hundred,Eat Your Birthday Cake,Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeroes ,Fanfarlo,Fang Fang,Faux Slang ,Felice Brothers,Folklore,Frankie V & Kitchen Sync,Free Energy,Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus Of Dreams,Golden Bloom ,Goldspot,Grammar Debate,Grant Hart,Ha Ha Tonka,Hall & Oates,Halloween Alaska,Heirloom,Hesta Prynn,High Hearts ,Hoots And Hellmouth,Hop Along Queen Ancelais ,Horses Mouth,Ice Palace,Illinois,In Grenada ,Instamatic,James Maddock,Jeff Kessler ,Jeff The
Brotherhood,Joe Michelini of River City Extension ,John Gorka,John Train featuring Mike Brenner,John Wesley Harding ,John Wesley Harding and the English UK,Jotto ,JP05,Justin Townes Earle,Katie Herzig,Kitten Disaster ,Lambchop,Leonard Cohen,Lima Research Society,Longwave ,Lopez,Low Anthem,Lucero,Lucky Day ,M Ward,Marianne Faithfull ,Martha Wainwright ,Matt Gauss,Matt Krefting ,Matt Kresge ,Matt Santry,Matt Spitko,Meyerman ,Mini Mansions ,Minus 5,Missing Palmer West,Monsters Of Folk,Mount St Helens Vietnam Band,Nervous Rex,New Model Army,New Motels,Nicole Atkins,North Lawrence Midnight Singers ,Nothingberry Plasma,Oasis,OK Go,One Eskimo,Papertrigger,Pearl Jam,Persona ,Pete Yorn,Phil Roy,Phill-E Street Band ,Pink Mountaintops,Post Post ,Pow Wow!,Qatsi ,Quest For Fire ,Ray Morin,River City Extension,Robbie Fulks,Robes,Robes ,Rosewood Thieves,Royal Bangs,Rufus WainWright,Ryan Adams ,Scott McClatchy,Scott McMicken of Dr Dog,Serena Ryder,Sharon Little,Shonen Knife ,Shrinking Islands,ShyDog,Sisters 3,Sleepy Sun ,Spinto Band,Static Jacks ,Steve Forbert and the Windfall Prophets,Steve Wynn,Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra,Sudden Ensemble ,Sunset ,Superdrag,Tall Tall Trees,Team B,Ted Leo,The Armchairs,The Bacon Brothers,The Baseball Project,The Big Jangle,The Black Fortys ,The Broken West ,The Bye Byes ,The Bynars,The Capitol Years,The Depreciation Guild,The Doughboys,The Feelies,The Friggs,The Great Unknown,The Hold Steady ,The Hooters ,The Lampshades ,The Lemon Treasures,The New Time,The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart,The Popo,The Rigbees,The Shots,The Skyler King,The Subjects,The Swimmers,The Tough Shits,Them Vultures,Theotis Joe,They Might Be Giants,Those Darlins,Throw Me The Statue,Todash,Todd Rundgren,Tom Hamilton’s American Babies,Tommy Keene,Tommy Womack,Trained Attack Dogs ,Univox ,Upsincefriday,Victor Victor Band,Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby,Yeasayer,Youth Group

The Feelies Live At Johnny Brenda’s 03.13.09

March 15, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
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The Feelies, Then(1991) and Now (2009)

The Feelies, Then(1991) and Now (2009)

It’s been a little over 18 years since The Feelies last graced a stage in Philadelphia but Friday night’s show at Johnny Brenda’s showed that in the intervening time, they haven’t lost any of the power earned them their influential underground legend status. The band Qatsi kicked off the festivities with an enjoyable opening set of jangle pop. Then, touching on songs from all of their records plus a couple new songs, The Feelies played a finely tuned set that gradually built in intensity and culminated with the frenetic one two punch of Raised Eyebrows and Crazy Rhythms that left the crowd in a frenzy for more. They then upped the energy level a notch by kicking off each of their three encores with blistering covers of the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Neil Young respectively and ending the night with The Modern Lovers’ I Want To Sleep In Your Arms.
But don’t just take my word for it, here’s a nice recording of the whole show for you to enjoy as well.

The Feelies 03.13.09 @ Johnny Brenda's

The Feelies 03.13.09 @ Johnny Brenda

The Feelies
03.13.09 Johnny Brenda’s Philadelphia PA

01 On The Roof
02 High Road
03 Nobody Knows (new)
04 Let’s Go
05 Invitation
06 Deep Fascination
07 Higher Ground
08 The Final Word
09 Time Is Right (new)
10 Away
11 Slipping Into Something
12 Doin’ It Again
13 Too Far Gone
14 Raised Eyebrow
15 Crazy Rhythms

Encore 1
16 She Said, She Said (Beatles)
17 Sooner Or Later

Encore 2
18 Paint It Black (Rolling Stones)
19 Fa Ce La

Encore 3
20 Barstool Blues (Neil Young)
21 I Want To Sleep In Your Arms (Modern Lovers)

Best Live Shows Of 2008

December 7, 2008 by · 2 Comments
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Black Mountain at Johnny Brenda's 2.20.08

Black Mountain at Johnny Brenda's

Some of the numbers from a busy concert year here at Bag Of Songs, in the ensuing months since last year’s best shows of the year recap I’ve been to 90 shows in 21 different venues adding up to 240 sets of music by 195 bands.  Johnny Brenda’s once again topped the venue list with 24 shows followed closely by The M Room(16),The Khyber(13) and World Cafe Live(10). 25 bands logged more than one appearance, with the always amazing Cheers Elephant topping the list at 9 times, followed closely by Creeping Weeds and The Swimmers at 5 each. So without further ado and in chronological order here’s the best shows I saw in 2008.

DEC Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings @ TLA WXPN Free At Noon
In a year that saw funk and soul continuing to make a strong resurgence, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings were at the forefront. Coming onstage to a packed TLA in the middle of the day, they packed the energy of a full set into a condensed 45 minute sweat soaked funk workout.

JAN Drink Up Buttercup,Cheers Elephant,The New Motels @ The Khyber
Three of Philly’s finest on the same night, part of a Drink Up Buttercup / Cheers Elephant residency that was a precursor to the serious momentum both bands would build up during 2008.

FEB Black Mountain,Bon Iver @ Johnny Brendas
A study in brilliant contrasts, Bon Iver’s live show far exceeds their recorded work and is a study in the power of silence and hushed intensity while Black Mountain is the total opposite psychedelic thunderous and rhythmic.

MAR Roky Erickson @ Maxwells
In a special small venue appearance, Roky Erickson, well back on the path to some sense of normalcy, aided by his scorching backup band The Explosions, blazed through a set of his classics that showed why he is the legend he is.

MAR Holy Fuck,A Place To Bury Strangers @ Johnny Brenda’s
My original review of this show described A Place To Bury Strangers like this:
Taking the stage in total darkness, coming on like the bastard children of Jesus And Mary Chain and Sonic Youth, they proceeded to tear into a mind numbing aural assault of what can best be described as melodic white noise. Fueled by powerhouse drumming with guitar and bass turned up well past the distortion point, it was as mesmerizing as it was loud. Holy Fuck then came on and pushed it all a notch even higher and turned the place into a dancing frenzy. Incredible.

JUN James Hunter @ World Cafe Live Free At Noon
James Hunter also did his part to help give a kick to the old soul revival. James is the ultimate showman and pured 110% onto his stage show. A must see if you haven’t had a chance to catch him yet

JUN REM,The National @ Mann Music Center
I’d seen REM a number of times early on, and they were always a good but not great live band. They obviously had worked at it in the near twenty years since I’d seen them last as they tore it up in a way I’d never seen them do before. Bonus points for having Eddie Vedder come out and join them for a song during the encore. I was not really a big National fan going onto this show but their live set was impressive.

JUN The Ting Tings Dan Deacon @ Popped Festival Drexel
When the Ting Tings were booked to open this show a few months before it happened, they were still relatively unknown, by the time June rolled around the buzz behind them could have fueled a headlining slot. They kicked it all off with one of the best sets of the 2 day festival and set the bar high. In a set I can only describe as mix of Romper Room and a Rave, Dan Deacon set up in the middle of crowd and pushed the energy level through the roof as they obeyed his every command. One of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.

JUN Gildon Works @ Popped World Cafe
Gildon Works played the main stage of World Cafe and deliverd set of shoegazey pop that sounded massive enough to fill a stadium. The undisputed best set I saw on day two of the Popped Festival.

JUN Mission Of Burma @ First Unitarian Church
Playing Signals,Calls and Marches in it’s entirety as well as many other songs from that era, Loud, fast and furious,Mission OF Burma made it undeniably clear why they are legends.

AUG Creeping Weeds,BOAT,Drink Up Buttercup,Greyhounds @ Johnny Brenda’s
Creeping Weeds are one of Philadelphia’s best bands and their show with BOAT’s at Johnny Brendas to kick off their summer tour together was outstanding. All four bands delivered top notch sets that night, and made me realize that I need to see Greyhounds more often.

AUG Sonic Youth,The Hold Steady @ TLA
The Hold Steady are easily one of the best American bands going today and their opening set for this show was a bit short, but never let off the pedal for a second, Sonic Youth has obvious ly sold their soul to the devil because I don’t think any of them have aged in the past twenty years. They played a set heavy on Daydrem Nation songs that made even the most skeptical in the audience believers.

SEP The Major Labels,Hypernova @ M Room
The Major Labels Aquavia is one fo the best power pop records of the year and the live show matched or exceeded it every aspect.
Hypernova is a rock band from Iran the comes on like a hyped up version of Franz Ferdinand, watch for them in 2009.

SEP Robert Pollard’s Boston Spaceships,The High Strung @ Johnny Brenda’s A three hour marathon of non stop excellent songs and excessive drinking, This show also contained some of the scariest moments I saw all year when near the end of the set people started throwing pint beer glasses around like they were plastic cups. I saw a more than a few shatter on the balcony and spray broken glass into the crowd below.

OCT Swift Technique @ World Cafe Live Upstairs
NOV Swift Technique @ M Room BOS Night
My biggest holy shit live moment of the year when I just happened to be at World Cafe Live where Swift Technique was playing a showcase set. Absolutely amazing, They blew me away with what’s best described as a horn infused blend of funk and hip hop. One of the tightest bands I have ever seen. Their set at the November Bag Of Songs night was equally as impressive and left quite a few more believers in it’s wake. Watch for these guys to explode in 2009 as the word spreads.

NOV King Khan BBQ Show,Vivian Girls,Jacuzzi Boys,Love City @ Johnny Brendas
A excellent garage rock blowout all around, see my recent recap here.

Those are some of the highlights but so as not to leave anyone out here’s the whole list in alphabetical order:
A Place To Bury Strangers, Action Set, Adam & Daves Bloodline, Aderbat, After Dark Band, An American Chinese, Anthony Lattanze Band, Apples In Stereo, Ar Duvall, Arc In Round, Aspiga, Bc Camplight, Beach House, Bears, Beaten By Them, Ben Purcell, Bitter Bitter Weeks, Black Angels, Black Joe Lewis, Black Mountain, Blitzen Trapper, BOAT, Bon Iver, Bright Lights, Broken Trees, Brother JT, Brothers And Sisters, Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears, Canadian Invasion, Carbon/Silicon, Cary Ann Hearst, Cass Mccombs, Cassavettes, Caterpillar, Cedarwell, Chairlift, Cheers Elephant, Colour Reporter, Creaky Boards, Creeping Weeds, Dan Deacon, Dan Malloy, David Copa, Dear Althea, DeJesus, Devon Williams, Drink Up Buttercup, Duke Spirit, East Hundred, Eastern Conference Champions, Elf Power, Eli Paperboy Reed and The True Loves, Except After Sea, Extra Golden, Fang Island, Fleet Foxes, Future Tips, Ghosty, Gildon Works, Gogol Bordello, Grammar Debate, Greyhounds, Ham 1, Holy Fuck, Hoots and Hellmouth, Hymns, East Hundred, Hypernova, I Am The Heat, Illinois, Impossible Hair, Intergalactic Incense Burners, It’s A King Thing, Jacuzzi Boys, James Hunter, Jealous Girlfriends, Jen, Johnny Action Figure, Jonah Delso, Jotto, JP05, Jukebox The Ghost, Jukebox Zeroes, Kate Nash, Kevin Devine, Kimya Dawson, King of Siam, Langhorne Slim, Levee Drivers, Los Campesinos, Love City, Mahogany, Map Of The World At Night, Matt Pond PA, Minor White, Missing Palmer West, Mission Of Burma, Mitch Hood, Modest Mouse, Mr Lif, Mural And The Mint, Murder Mystery, National Eye, Nervous Rex, New Motels, No Hate Train, Panda Riot, Papertrees, Pattern Is Movement, Peasant, Pete Best Band, Phonograph, Photon Band, Pico Vs Island Trees, Poison Control Center, Ports Of Call, Public Record, PWRFL Power, Randall Of Nazareth, Rarebirds, Ravens and Vultures, REM, Rick DiFonzo, Rio Vouga, Robert Pollard’s Boston Spaceships, Rogue Thief, Roky Erickson, Roomtone, Rosewood Thieves, Ruder Than You, Run Runner, Scary Monster, Sea Wolf, Secret Life Of Sofia, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, Shawn Fogel, Six Organs Of Admittance, Sky Drops, Slot Cars, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Sonic Liberation Front, Sonic Youth, Sparky’s Flaw, Squaaks, Stone Thrown, Successful Failures All Star Cover Band, Superdrag, Surefire Broadcast, Swift Technique, Takka Takka, The 500s, The Annuals, The Brakes, The Bye Byes, The Capitol Years, The Chimeras, The Colorfield Theory, The Donkeys, The Figgs, The Friggs, The High Strung, The Hold Steady, The King Khan & BBQ Show, The Major Labels, The National, The New Motels, The Novenas, The Percocettes, The Ribeye Brothers, The Shaky HAnds, The Shots, The Smithereens, The Sparklers, The Spinto Band, The Squaaks, The Swimmers, The Thirteen, The Ting Tings, The Vandelles, Thee Minks, Thinking Machines, Throw Me the Statue, Tickley Feather, Tullycraft, Upsincefriday, Versus, Via Audio, Vivian Girls, Warlocks, XYZ Affair, Yeasayer, You, You, Me And T Rex, Young Knives, Zolof The Rock And Roll Destroyer

LIVE: 05.25.08 Hymns,Pico Vs Island Trees & Shawn Fogel @ M Room

May 27, 2008 by · 1 Comment
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Shawn Fogel

Pico Vs Island Trees

Hymns

A few photos from last night’s Bag Of Songs Night at The M Room with Hymns, Pico Vs Island Trees and Shawn Fogel.
Shawn Fogel kicked the evening off with a solo set alternating on electric and acoustic guitar and comprised of songs from his latest EP,One Day In The Desert as well as a bunch of excellent new songs and a few choice covers including Matthew Sweet’s Holy War and the obscure John Strohm/Velo Deluxe gem Angel. Pico Vs Island Trees were up next, lead singer Bryan Carter reminding somewhat of a young David Johannsen with the stage presence to go along with it. They delivered a rocking high energy set, personal highlights for me were their new single Open Doors and a blistering version of McCartney’s Jet joined by Jason of Hymns on backing vocals and tambourine. Hymns were up next and continued the McCartney theme by opening their set with a killer version of Band On The Run. Big, big thanks to all of the bands for a fantastic night of music all around.

If you missed it, Hymns will be back in Philly on June 2Oth with The Annuals at The Mill Creek Tavern. Pico Vs Island Trees will be delivering the goods next to their hometown crowd at Nashville’s Mercy Lounge on June 7th. Shawn Fogel plays next with his full band May 28 at Piano’s in New York City.

Be sure to check out Jessica’s excellent review of Shawn Fogel’s set over at pop wreck(oning)

Hymns [WEBSITE] [ MYSPACE]
Pico Vs Island Trees [MYSPACE]
Shawn Fogel [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

Monday Morning Blues : Live Southern Culture On The Skids

March 24, 2008 by · 1 Comment
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Tapping the Live Music Archive today for a smoking hot down and dirty set from Southern Culture On The Skids to start your post Easter work week off with a kick.

Southern Culture On The Skids
11.18.06 Tractor Tavern Ballard, WA


Skullbucket
Mojo Box
Voodoo Cadillac Blues
Nitty Gritty
Doublewide
White Trash
Corn Liquor
King of the Mountain
The Wetspot
House of Bamboo
Liquored Up and Lacquered Down
Cheap Motels
Biscuit Eater
Greenback Fly
Banana Pudding
Dirt Track Date
MexiMelt
Shotgun
Daddy Was A Preacher But Momma Was A Go-Go Girl
Eight Piece Box
Camel Walk
feedback/crowd
Fight Fire
Soul City
???
The Great Atomic Power


the whole show as a zip

LIVE: Roky Erickson 03.02.08 at Maxwells

March 5, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
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A couple photos from Sunday night’s Roky Erickson show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken NJ. Roky and his band The Explosions blistered through a set of songs that made him the legend he is today. Opening with A Cold Night For Alligators and tearing through a set of his classics like You’re Gonna Miss Me, Bermuda,Two Headed Dog , Starry Eyes and more.


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