Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Anthony Raneri and A Walk to Remember
Anthony Raneri (Bayside), The Note, West Chester, PA
The Note is a fairly unique venue, more of a bar that happens to have a huge back room, as if they could just close some curtains and nobody would even know there was a stage. The Note only takes cash, so if you’re showing up for tickets at the door, make sure you have the money readily available, as the closest functional ATM is somewhat elusive to those unfamiliar with the area. I’m speaking from experience, as I was pulling leaves out of my hair when I walked in to purchase my ticket.
Bayside has been a band that I can say has been ingrained in my life for most of my growing pain years, ie: after college, during my first job, first real heartbreak, loss of friends, relocation, and they are still, if not more, influential in my life now that I’m entering the I-now-have-a-401k years. I’m can safely say that they are in the running to be one of the bands I’m still listening to at 80.
Raneri spent most of the solo show opening at his merchandise table, miraculously without attendees realizing the man they came to see was the same person sitting in the dimly-lit corner. This is what I like about Bayside. The guys are down-to-earth (disregard the “Raneri for President” t-shirt) and real, which is extremely rare in my experience.
I make it sound like it didn’t take me a full 40 minutes (or more) to realize I was standing ten feet away from him. Of course, once aware, I bumbled over to the table and clumsily bought the first shirt I saw, formed what could possibly be classified as a sentence and then meandered back to my place at the bar.
Raneri was welcomed to the stage with a roar of applause and immediately launched into self-deprecating anecdotes and snippets before his first few songs. He stands possibly 5’9” and modestly referred to himself as “ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound bag.”
Raneri’s voice has become more and more impressive over the years, clearly indicated with Sirens and Condolences, juxtaposed to the powerhouse of a voice exhibited on Bayside’s most recent release, Killing Time. Try it for yourself: listen to Just Enough to Love You, immediately followed by Already Gone. You can almost feel the growing pains that he must have endured in the process.
Most of the set consisted of Bayside songs, old and new. Personally, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when the venue went completely quiet for his rendition of On Love, On Life. He officially won my boyfriend over when he announced he would be covering a song from a movie he had recently watched. Within the first few chords, it was revealed that he was playing a song from Mandy Moore’s A Walk to Remember. I have never seen more tattooed men sing along, and proudly admit, not only that they have seen it, but that they “loved Mandy in that movie…”
Truly an experience.
The Note is a fairly unique venue, more of a bar that happens to have a huge back room, as if they could just close some curtains and nobody would even know there was a stage. The Note only takes cash, so if you’re showing up for tickets at the door, make sure you have the money readily available, as the closest functional ATM is somewhat elusive to those unfamiliar with the area. I’m speaking from experience, as I was pulling leaves out of my hair when I walked in to purchase my ticket.
Bayside has been a band that I can say has been ingrained in my life for most of my growing pain years, ie: after college, during my first job, first real heartbreak, loss of friends, relocation, and they are still, if not more, influential in my life now that I’m entering the I-now-have-a-401k years. I’m can safely say that they are in the running to be one of the bands I’m still listening to at 80.
Raneri spent most of the solo show opening at his merchandise table, miraculously without attendees realizing the man they came to see was the same person sitting in the dimly-lit corner. This is what I like about Bayside. The guys are down-to-earth (disregard the “Raneri for President” t-shirt) and real, which is extremely rare in my experience.
I make it sound like it didn’t take me a full 40 minutes (or more) to realize I was standing ten feet away from him. Of course, once aware, I bumbled over to the table and clumsily bought the first shirt I saw, formed what could possibly be classified as a sentence and then meandered back to my place at the bar.
Raneri was welcomed to the stage with a roar of applause and immediately launched into self-deprecating anecdotes and snippets before his first few songs. He stands possibly 5’9” and modestly referred to himself as “ten pounds of potatoes in a five pound bag.”
Raneri’s voice has become more and more impressive over the years, clearly indicated with Sirens and Condolences, juxtaposed to the powerhouse of a voice exhibited on Bayside’s most recent release, Killing Time. Try it for yourself: listen to Just Enough to Love You, immediately followed by Already Gone. You can almost feel the growing pains that he must have endured in the process.
Most of the set consisted of Bayside songs, old and new. Personally, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when the venue went completely quiet for his rendition of On Love, On Life. He officially won my boyfriend over when he announced he would be covering a song from a movie he had recently watched. Within the first few chords, it was revealed that he was playing a song from Mandy Moore’s A Walk to Remember. I have never seen more tattooed men sing along, and proudly admit, not only that they have seen it, but that they “loved Mandy in that movie…”
Truly an experience.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Guitars, Drums and Desperate Poetry
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls- The Theater of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Frank Tuner never fails to live up to his title as the “King of Punk Poetry.” He opened his set with Eulogy, which is the short opener to his latest album, England Keep My Bones. At the apex of the ditty, Frank belts out, "and on the day I die, I'll say 'At least I f***ing tried!" which shifted the crowd into high gear almost instantaneously. Frank Turner's energy forced me and the only other female in our party from the balcony to the floor, and ultimately, directly in front of the stage left speakers.
The first time I witnessed the greatness that is Frank Turner, he was opening for Social Distortion. I came early to see Lucero… Well, let’s be honest, I wanted to get a good parking spot where I wouldn’t have to worry about walking seven blocks to find that my car had been stolen/broken into.
As luck would have it, Frank sincerely knocked my socks off. He played with the energy that begged the assumption that it was last stop on the tour. During his rendition of I Still Believe, he coached the crowd to echo him and the song more or less blew my mind.
Blew. My. Mind…. to the point where if, in that instant, you had asked me who Mike Ness was, I probably would have stared at you blankly for a solid ten seconds. Let me enforce that I was thoroughly convinced in high school that Mike Ness and I were destined to be together (regardless of the fact that he’s my father’s age).
The instant his set was over, I ran to purchase any of his CD’s I could get my hands on, convinced that my purchase would ensure his return to the U.S…. "To single-handedly revitalize rock music!" I had indulged in a few drinks at this point.
Needless to say, hungover and driving to work the next morning, I listened to my new CD’s, and was far from disappointed at my semi-inebriated purchases.
Back to the present:
I couldn’t tell you the set list, as I was in no position to confer with my notepad that close to the stage, but I can tell you that at some point during Peggy Sang the Blues & I Am Disappeared, my voice gave out. And then, the unthinkable: Dave Hause makes a surprise appearance to sing along to Glory Halleluiah. Sensory aneurysm ensued, and when I came to, Mr. Turner was covering Queen. That was it, I couldn't take it any more. This man is clearly too talented for his own good, of course, as is only my opinion, and I am someone who possesses no musical gifts whatsoever.
Frank Turner has a voice that was clearly strengthened through years of singing in hardcore bands, and he utilizes it at every turn. The endurance he exhibits while playing every show like it’s his last resonates in my heart and forces me to fall head over heels for every sound snippet that makes its way to my grasp.
If you’re looking for an experience rather than a “show,” Frank Turner is your man… Just keep in mind, when he is finally recognized as the second coming of Rock/Punk, it may be hard to get tickets.
Frank Tuner never fails to live up to his title as the “King of Punk Poetry.” He opened his set with Eulogy, which is the short opener to his latest album, England Keep My Bones. At the apex of the ditty, Frank belts out, "and on the day I die, I'll say 'At least I f***ing tried!" which shifted the crowd into high gear almost instantaneously. Frank Turner's energy forced me and the only other female in our party from the balcony to the floor, and ultimately, directly in front of the stage left speakers.
The first time I witnessed the greatness that is Frank Turner, he was opening for Social Distortion. I came early to see Lucero… Well, let’s be honest, I wanted to get a good parking spot where I wouldn’t have to worry about walking seven blocks to find that my car had been stolen/broken into.
As luck would have it, Frank sincerely knocked my socks off. He played with the energy that begged the assumption that it was last stop on the tour. During his rendition of I Still Believe, he coached the crowd to echo him and the song more or less blew my mind.
Blew. My. Mind…. to the point where if, in that instant, you had asked me who Mike Ness was, I probably would have stared at you blankly for a solid ten seconds. Let me enforce that I was thoroughly convinced in high school that Mike Ness and I were destined to be together (regardless of the fact that he’s my father’s age).
The instant his set was over, I ran to purchase any of his CD’s I could get my hands on, convinced that my purchase would ensure his return to the U.S…. "To single-handedly revitalize rock music!" I had indulged in a few drinks at this point.
Needless to say, hungover and driving to work the next morning, I listened to my new CD’s, and was far from disappointed at my semi-inebriated purchases.
Back to the present:
I couldn’t tell you the set list, as I was in no position to confer with my notepad that close to the stage, but I can tell you that at some point during Peggy Sang the Blues & I Am Disappeared, my voice gave out. And then, the unthinkable: Dave Hause makes a surprise appearance to sing along to Glory Halleluiah. Sensory aneurysm ensued, and when I came to, Mr. Turner was covering Queen. That was it, I couldn't take it any more. This man is clearly too talented for his own good, of course, as is only my opinion, and I am someone who possesses no musical gifts whatsoever.
Frank Turner has a voice that was clearly strengthened through years of singing in hardcore bands, and he utilizes it at every turn. The endurance he exhibits while playing every show like it’s his last resonates in my heart and forces me to fall head over heels for every sound snippet that makes its way to my grasp.
If you’re looking for an experience rather than a “show,” Frank Turner is your man… Just keep in mind, when he is finally recognized as the second coming of Rock/Punk, it may be hard to get tickets.
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