A plethora of gigs

So I have been remiss, or perhaps saving everyone from me crowing in glee about the wonderful concerts you may have missed.
The Autumn Owl concert atThe Bell In Hand concert was a disorganized mess, but that was the organizers. Not the bands. We bumped into the band beforehand and had a nice chat. They are very down to earth grounded and friendly guys.
When the music eventually started the first band was pretty ok in your local guy having fun kind of way but as support bands go it was definitively unoffensive. Surprisingly the sound was fine, not your world class sound but not distorted, unbalanced or feeding back oh well minimally feeding back.
Autumn Owls came on and despite having the normal UK scramble to deal withe the US situation took not so long to set up. When the band started I immediately remembered why this band impressed me at SXSW. The sound has depth and the lyrics while not clear come over as meaningful. Slightly moody intricate and some decent guitar and drum rhythm. We took a couple of videos of the truncated set and definitely thought this was a impressive and worthwhile night. But the Bruins and the Garden suck. By the way this was $5 a person.



So next night was Alt-J,to say this band has risen quickly is an understatement. Getting into the Paradise it became clear this crowd left a little to be desired when three peoples squeezed into the two person space next to me and all around people started posturing about being there early and being super fans -yuck.
The support band Hundred Waters were ok, but nothing too great, however they did not deserve the disrespectful talking through their quieter songs. When Alt-j came on by now either side of us people were crowding in, I mean if you want to be so physically close tome for so long at least buy me dinner, lol. But seriously it's physics only one person can exist in a physical space at one time. As to the music, the sound was ok if a little spotty at the start, but the band seemed aloof without the warmth of the concert last October and then there was the talking through quiet songs and singing along at full voice, for goodness sake I paid to hear the band sing not you. A decent concert but not one I left feeling huge love for.



Tuesday was Citizens! at Brighton Music Hall, the support was Grayshot a band I hadn't heard of and even more amazingly had no profile on last.fm so I was left fearing the worst that this was a no name local band. But very thankfully not Grayshot turned out to be a decent band , some guitar songs some with keyboards. I did shoot one video as I wanted some memory of their act.

Now Citizens! a band who embrace pop, produced by Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand and with links to the now defunct UK indie band Official Secrets Act. This was fun, unashamed pop fun, listen to their songs and you just want to dance. Along with their rant before True Romance where they let us now YouTube has placed the video under age restriction because of gay couples kissing - what is going on.
Very low attendance but huge love for this band, no pretension but total desire to have fun. Total win for this gig, such fun- why weren't you there?


Wednesday and another change of pace at Great Scott. first band female vocalist playing with loops, not bad would not go out to see her but I wouldn't run shrieking either.
The second band was night beds and a swarm of people were there fortnight beds. Warming up singing Oliver James by fleet foxes will say everything about this band. Decent guitar tracks with a interesting falsetto vocal. We liked this and have a couple of videos.


Indians came on, the eponymous Indians and the two extra women helping him out.this has wonderful vocal skills and a warming charm, we recorded I am haunted which is breathtaking.

Great gig two bands worth seeing for $10 you have to love supporting up and coming bands.
Thursday night and braving the snow we went to Church to see Kodaline a band you keep hearing about from everyone who wants to say who is up and coming.
Kodaline are indie folk with yet another male reaching for and hitting high notes to evoke emotion. Oh and asI previously said Fromm Dublin Ireland, you have got to love the wealth of Irish bands around currently. That being said I like Kodaline, their songs have substance and you definitely get the idea that they can play their instruments. The two hits were impressive but their accapella Sam cook cover was well done and well received.
The wonder is that this must see show was free, can you say bargain.



And we aren't even close to being done

The Irish are coming

say Yeah!
there are four extremely interesting and musically excellent bands playing Boston in the near future all with cheap and in one case free tickets.
So go get them now!
Who?
First autumn Owls play The Bell In Hand Tavern in Faneuil Hall area on Thursday the 28th - $5 its a bargain



Then Kodaline play Church in a Radio BDC +1 gig on March 7th, interesting young band and the concert is free, why would you not go?

Get tickets here



then Little Green Cars play The Sinclair March 23rd, slightly folk centred this is another band to listen to.



Funeral Suits who are weird and wonderful play Cafe 369 on March 25th. We wanted to go to Canada to see them we liked them so much but Cafe 369 is so much closer.



So much Irish, so much good music. I will be at all four concerts - will you?

Gig review - just last week

So time to post again. We just saw three bands from Thursday through Sunday, again all vastly different

First The spinto Band, this band is personable and put on a nice show in a great venue on thursday. but it is just so sad to see such a meager turn out and muted response. I seriously wonder if they should just call it a day and start day jobs much as they charmed. Unfortunately the two local support bands Nassy and yale, massachusetts were neither talented or charming oh and their fans were pretty foul to watch as well.

Next Benjamin Francis Leftwich played a free show for Radio BDC in the back room of Moksa on Friday 22nd. He is a wonderful charming act - though he should realise he supported The Jezebels when last he played not Imagine Dragons who were the support. But why would you come to see this singer song writer if you want to talk through his show? STFU - really when a quiet act is playing have the decency to just SHUT UP.
Benjamin Francis Leftwich Snowship Naga Cambridge Boston 22nd February 2013

Benjamin Francis Leftwich Pictures Naga Cambridge Boston 22nd February 2013


Next Beach Fossils played a sold out show at TTs on Sunday the 24th. Support bands Orca Orca and burgularly years both put on a decent show. The Last two times Beach fossils played Boston they played Great Scott with Warpaint and Javelin and craft Spells.
Now it seems the crowd is very different, it used to be people danced and had a good time, last night it was a mosh pit of fury, a bit disconcerting when you consider the music they play is laid back danceable music.
It would be nice if some of those folks had tried moving back as well as forward, as moving through the speakers as they shoved really was a physical impossibility and it is pretty freaky to relaise there is someone standing under your feet, when you are right against teh stage and cant move forward an inch.
But still a nice show, wild energetic and very well played.

Hopefully I will grab a few moments next to write about the next shows worth seeing.

Palma Violets don't suck!

So first gig of the year was Palma Violets at The Middle East Upstairs. After suffering through Boston's own New Highway Hymnal Palma Violets weeon stage about 10:20. The vibe is punk rock but there are two tour guys keeping everything running plus a merch guy so someone is putting every effort into this trip going well.

This band can play live though, being good on stage isn't just technical excellence, which can come over as cold and boring but an intangible energy and chemistry.
The energy which Chilli exuded was tangible and energising, I couldn't stop smiling and moving.
The band is so new that apart from the single hardly any songs are available to listen to but despite the fact that no-one knew the tracks that did not stop everyone really getting into the music.
When they played "best of Friends" the audience responded well. The whole vibe was energised and enthused.
I just want to see this band play more and I can't wait for the album to come out.
We are hoping the offer from Will to get us onto the guest list for Sunday when they support Titus Andronicus will come through and we get another chance to see them play.

So just to elaborate from the title Palma Violets not only do not suck like some of the well documented bands other feeble bloggers promote this band are really great live and I know that their time in small clubs is going to be so fleeting. What a great band.

Time for 2013 gigs to start

Well its cold and nasty but its time for some relief.
This is where I differ from nearly every blog in Boston.
Next week an extremely exciting new band, Palma Violets are playing The Middle East Upstairs, January 22nd.
The BBC have touted Palma Violets as one of the Sounds of 2013. So is the band all hype? I have only one question for anyone, the tickets for Tuesday night are $10, for $10 why would you NOT go and see who this band is. The information available is minimal but the number of people that have raved about the power and energy of this young band are mounting up. Some of the sound reminds me of The Vaccines but I do not mean to demean this band. The Vaccines give a lackluster live performance which left me cold to the bone so I hope this band will instead make me energized.
Then on Saturday 26th January we get Ra Ra Riot playing their new album. I am not sure I follow the band on their new path but they have always given a good live show and in Hartford CT in December that still held true so it should be a good concert.

now for a quick run down of what we are looking for in 2013 so far.

15th March at long last The Maccabees play Boston and as a headliner. You have to love the Maccabees and this is an excellent opportunity to see them.

21st February has The Spinto Band at Great Scott, great venue - so so band - we want to show some support.

24th February Beach Fossils at TT's, I loved seeing this band when they played Great Scott with Warpaint and the new album is good so this is a must see.

We go to the 2nd March Alt-J show, why some people call them a new band astounds me but the sound at the Paradise is great and even despite the hipsters this is a good band.
5th March a british band called Citizens! play Brighton Music Hall, this band are intersting and its time to see them at a small venue while you can.
9th march the scottish band Veronica Falls play Great Scott. as a band Veronica Falls are pretty interesting BUT the real interest here is Cheatahs, recently signed to Wichita and much talked about.

March 11th the cruelest trick ever played on scottish music fans happens when Django Django play the Paradise and PAWS play Great Scott (wehavepaws.com, @wehavepaws) who are pretty ungoogleable. Go see one, whichever you choose you will see a great band and miss a great band. Damn that sucks.

March 23rd Little Green Cars from Dublin, Ireland play The Sinclair, I am hearing only great things about this band.

April 3rd we go down to Rhode Island to see frightened Rabbit play Fete because I hate House of Blues with a passion, new album is out soon thank goodness, FR are nearly as good as The Twilight Sad while not being on the same playing field.

Daughter play the Sinclair on May 4th , another interesting British band to watch for while they are small.

Telekinesis play Brighton Music Hall on May 10th, BMH sucks but telekinesis knock your socks off.

thats all for now.........

2012 in review

I am very late in this post.

As someone who blogs about music it seems obligatory to post what albums I loved in 2012. I would say this to anyone who releases an album in teh first few months of teh year most people lose track of albums released early in teh year. I personally try to keep track of what is released and I listen to to give myself a fighting chnce. That said
in 2012 some of my favorite albums included:

The Twilight Sad No one can Ever Know
Alt- J - an Awesome Wave
Blood Red Shoes - In Time to voices
Club Smith - appetite for Chivalry
Call the Doctor -
Dog Is Dead - All Our Favourite Stories
delerentos-Little Sparks
General Fiasco- Unfaithfully Yours
Egyptian Hip Hop-Good Don't Sleep
The Futureheads - Rant
Green Day's Trilogy was suprisingly fun uno , Dos, Tre!
mystery jets - Radlands
Maximo Park - the national Health

need I say that seeing Alt-J, The Twilight Sad at Great Scott were both amazing. seeing The Wombats again and catching up was fun too, then throw in the small road trip to see Bombay Bicycle Club there were some good points of this year. Not to forget when Johnny Foreigner eventually managed to make it to Boston about 5 years after we wanted them too.
Lets hope 2013 is better and does not live up to being a year of 13.