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.

2008 reviews

We went to a lot of gigs in 2008, no really, a lot.......
We figure we will have been to 113 or 117 shows by the end of the year depending on whether we call CMJ a festival or not. Yes that's right that outrageous figure doesn't include SXSW!
About one very three days, not bad when you consider we both hold two very time consuming jobs (60 or so hours a week).
So its probably time to review highlights and bands who we saw for the first time or that impressed us and those that didn't.

2008 saw The Spinto band implode, releasing a mediocre second album and losing any energy that they had at the start of the year. We saw them in Philly in January and Boston in May then in October. Not a good situation.

We saw White Williams at The Middle East Upstairs in January, young and green, his album is spotty but has some good tracks, this one may burn out or mature and improve.

We saw Ra Ra Riot many times (6) in 2008, starting in February sometimes as a headliner other times supporting The Cribs, we never were disappointed and I love their album.

On the other hands The Virgins who we saw that night in February plus another support slot just bugged the hell out of me, file this under Vampire Weekend syndrome, over hyped and under talented, I loath this band.

Spear of Destiny, a blast of the past, Kirk Brandon still rocking good style so glad we got to see the show and a side note Kirk was a real nice guy.

Liars & No Age, well sometimes you have got to listen to what is popular locally, even when as in this case it just leaves you lost as to the appeal. Leave it as not for me.
Until later..........

So busy!

Well the Bearsuit gig was excellent, just as good as the venue was dreadful. so enthusiastic, so fun, so talented so under attended. We also got the dirt, why the dreaded deportation, well no work visas - oops - and a suitcase of capes and marching band outfits. three hours of interviews later they confessed and got sent back to the UK- too sad.
Ra Ra Riot came back to Boston and were rapturously received rewarding us with a new song- Yeah!
Frightened Rabbit hit the Middle East, but without their bass pedals and necessary leads for keyboards and laptop - oops. But playing a pared down set they still blew Spinto band off the stage with a rude Boston Audience leaving before Spintos came on stage. Spintos tried their best but just seemed demoralised - too sad.
Frightened Rabbit playing I Feel Better on Saturday night



coming up Yeasayer who always put on a good show, plus a rush trip down to catch the tail end of CMJ.
What are we seeing? or what do we hope to?
Sky Larkin play Friday for free at 3:45 (I SO want to see this band), Johnny Foreigner play either 7 or 8 that night at a free gig, feasibility low. The Insiders gig at Irving Plaza, who knows the schedule for that BUT we do get to see Late Of The Pier and the Whip. will we have time to run and see Scissors for Lefty at midnight - who knows but we can hope.
Saturday has a UNCMJ show that runs for 10 hours and includes Sky Larkin, Johnny Foreigner and cut Off your hands.
Oh and by Thursday we will have reached the 100 show mark for the year WITHOUT SXSW.
Too crazy!
But the absolute WORST news in a long time, it seems Dorian from The Long Blondes had a stroke in Summer - oh dear god!- and the Long Blondes have called it a day, crying all the way to my mp3 player to listen to Singles with tears in my eyes.

Long Blondes at Great Scott this summer

A trip to Philly

December and January are surely the cruelest months. so few bands arrive in Boston I feel like Punxsutawney Phil hibernating and refusing to come out.
In such a mood my RSS feeder told me The Spinto band was playing Philly on a weekend in one of my favorite venues - Johnny Brenda's. My music drought convinced me that it wasn't such a long trip and we booked the tickets and the hotel.
If you go to Philadelphia and want to see a show I heartily recommend Johnny Brenda's, it is much like Great Scott but BETTER as it serves great food, wonderful different micro brews and the sound system has been revamped and is AMAZING, oh and the venue is small and intimate.
Plants and Animals, a threesome from Toronto were a very nice surprise. They started quietly but ended up making a glorious noise. It was strange to see the guitar and bass roles swapping throughout the set.
The Whigs started setting up and a small point I hadn't been aware of started to be rather funny and pointed. I had decided to wear my MGMT t-shirt from last November before th Net buzz makes it just too pathetic. What I didn't realize was the whigs had recently lost their bass player as he went to join MGMT and that the two bands are best buddies! Lets just say each of the three members came up and told me all about this seeing I was wearing the shirt, maybe I am just trivial but I found this amusing!
So they started playing and they made their album Mission Control a lot more fun than i found it on CD. And also after finding the bass guitar swapping so amusing in Plants and animals then The Whigs went and started to do the same. Probably because of their lost bass player. I am not certain I would go out of my way to see them again BUT I would certainly NOT go out of my way NOT to see them which considering some support bands is a very good thing.
So The Spinto Band started to set up, teh good thing about being at the front is the chance to throw questions their way.
The new album is ready and just waiting for some one to release it.
They are going to SXSW.
Very nice set 15 songs including new songs. Two songs for encore including a very tongue in cheek cover of Tiffany's I think we're alone now.
This band sweep in under my defenses, not pretty not trendy but fun, energetic and lacking pretenses. Support real music.