UK Recon

I'm keeping a running tally of bands I want to catch on my next trip to the UK...  I find it's far more exhilirating to see bands on their turf, especially when you hear potential in their songs for them to become global:

1. Lightfire

http://open.spotify.com/album/2lpr6fYneIM3GouhsikOh2

2. The Ratells

http://open.spotify.com/track/0tn3gV1FahmpZfDrvzQMqB

Keep 'em coming, boys!

Introducing... Douchecore

I stole the word Douchecore from a friend, but I found it to be a perfect description.

http://m.vice.com/read/ronnie-radke-falling-in-reverse-worst-song-ever

By Far, the Best Album to Set on Repeat on a Shitty Monday Morning

http://open.spotify.com/album/5lyjD4tHx0lghW1KeK41T6

Frightened Rabbit 4/6/2013 Union Transfer

I haven't had time to write, but I have plenty of shows to review for you.  One of the most recent?  Frightened Rabbit at Union Transfer.  Check out the sick playlist.

Brits: 1, Yanks: 0

I’m all for hometown pride, which is why, short of a complete douchebag-esque meltdown on Anthony Raneri’s part, I will always listen to Bayside.  I may be born and bred in New York, and struggled a bit to adopt Philadelphia as my new home, but I am proud to say I live in the same town as the Menzingers, the Wonder Years, The Dead Milkmen, & The Loved Ones, just to name a few. 

I finally stopped ignoring all of the Midwest and Pacific Coast, and in doing so, found bands that I would have completely overlooked in the past.  Case & point:  This Wild Life.  If they had never followed me on Twitter, I probably wouldn’t know who they were.  I used to find most of my new bands by actually listening to the openers when attending shows, and snatching up flyers from the local venues I frequented.  To be honest, it was a decent amount of work, and I still experience it from time to time (ie:  Frank Turner opening for Social Distortion almost 3 years ago).

But, I have to say, the Brits are really stepping up their game.  The first band that has really caught my attention is a far cry from Manhattan or even the continenal US.  They're called Lightfire, and are based out of the West Midlands, UK.  I'm not going to pretend I know, geographically, where that is.  As I am sure they have no idea how to locate Philadelphia on a map either...    It's only February (of course I didn't publish this until May...  the statement still stands), but this is the first band that's really knocked my socks off in 2013. They can be followed on Twitter @lightfireuk .

Give them a listen. You won't be disappointed.
http://open.spotify.com/album/2lpr6fYneIM3GouhsikOh2

Ben Howard- Union Transfer, Philadelphia 9/21/12

I’m not a professional writer, and I don’t pretend to be one. As such, I try not to write anything negative about my musical experiences, which accounts for the giant hole in 2012’s timeline.  For example, out of an entire Folk Music Festival, City & Colour was the only experience I thoroughly enjoyed.  I don’t know much about Dallas Green except that I really like a few of his songs and that, when he played live in Newport, I was utterly exhausted and completely relieved to hear a singer that wasn’t whining about politics or global warming.

Keeping that in mind, I think I could write all day about the Ben Howard show I experienced this weekend.  Having only heard a few seconds of a live Ben Howard recording I caught on BBC Radio weeks ago, I purchased tickets and crossed my fingers.  It was a Friday night at my favorite venue in Philadelphia, so, how bad could it be? 

Gill Landry, of Old Crow Medicine Show, opened the evening.  From what I could tell, he is not the lead singer of OCMS, but just the bass of his speaking voice made your chest vibrate.  Of course, the boyfriend was in heaven, he loves folk-y music, and my sneaking suspicion is that the driving force for him to first listen to OCMS was that the name of the band includes a reference to his “favorite $6-a-bottle bourbon.”  I was surprised too.  Apparently there are multiple options for 6-dollar bourbon available in your neighborhood liquor store.  Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed him.

I could have done without the artificial smoke filling the staging area before Ben Howard took his place on stage.  Once he started playing, I understood the fake smoke.  The percussion filled the room before Ben’s voice broke through…  And what a voice!  None of his studio albums prepare you for the raw talent Ben Howard exhibited on Union Transfer’s stage that night.  Let’s just combine the percussion experience of Frightened Rabbit and a voice that may have actually blown Ray LaMontagne out of the water. 

The crowd was hushed during every song, and, from what I could tell, just as blown away as I was.  Based on the incredibly messy notes I took during the show, this is the portion of the set list I can decipher: 

Depth Over Distance

Only Love

Old Pine

Esmeralda

It’s Everything

Black Flies

Keep Your Head Up

Fear

Apparently the set list was slightly modified shortly before the start of the show due to a broken amplifier.  All in all, great show, really, really great show.  Sometimes brevity is your best option, instead of dissecting and harping on every detail of a show…

As of the end of September, this ranks as my favorite show of 2012.  I sincerely doubt anyone will even come close to rivaling the live performance of Ben Howard.

The Terrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day

The Menzingers-  June 29, 2012; The Barbary/Gunner’s Run, Philadelphia

The Menzingers are basically the adopted sons of Philadelphia.  Originally from Scranton, PA, they have found a niche in the punk scene of Southeastern Pennsylvania.  I love them.  They’re different.  I don’t listen to them as I would most bands.  I have never sat down to figure out where their influences came from.  I just enjoy what they produce. 

No matter how much I love the Menzingers, this night was doomed from its inception. 

On June 29^th, the temperature in Philly was approximately three bazillion degrees.  The poorly-planned outfit I had packed to change into at work before heading to the show was quite seriously the worst idea ever.  It was just jeans, Chucks and a black three-quarters t-shirt.  I should have just packed a down winter coat, because I was immediately regretting the choice upon walking out of the office.  The thought of climbing into my car to sit in Philly traffic while perched a black leather seat made me whimper a bit, but the Menzingers were waiting!

This was not working out well thus far, but I wanted to check these guys off my list.  I was already irritated with myself for putting off the Wonder Years.  I couldn’t let the Menzingers down too! 

I spent the equivalent of three minutes in the second floor bar of the Barbary, attempting to drink enough to make the stifling heat more bearable.  Not a chance.  That’s when I realized I could hear the Menzingers already playing downstairs.  It was only 7:30!  Oh, well.  They were amazing… for the five songs we heard.  We hid in a nook by the merch tables to avoid body heat when it was announced that the Menzingers would be doing an acoustic set at Gunner’s Run after the show.  That was all we needed to hear.  We were out the door before the announcement was even complete to secure a good seat and grab food like old people flocking the early bird special. 

Mistake number two of the night was assuming that the acoustic set would be relaxing.  A group of approximately 25 people, instead of finding a good vantage point in the rather nice restaurant, crowded around the corner set up for live music, completely blocking the view for the rest of the establishment. 

Gunner’s Run has great food, by the way.  And if you check in on Foursquare, you get a free Pabst pounder.  Unfortunately, if you know me at all, I refuse to drink Pabst.  I’m convinced it has a secret ingredient that will automatically turn me into a brainwashed hipster who no longer has any drive to contribute the Gross National Product. 

Did I mention that I was already miserable?

There were two women who were considered the Menzinger’s surprise guests.  I didn’t know who they were, and, quite honestly, was perturbed by their music.  I pretended to be listening until my companion shot a pleading look my way. 

Essentially giving up, we got back in the car and were home just in time for an absolutely torrential thunderstorm that lasted for HOURS.  I guess the night could have been worse.

All in all, the major positives at the end of the night were 1. We thoroughly enjoyed Gunner’s Run’s food and atmosphere and 2. I will be attempting to see the Menzingers again when I am no longer suffering from heat stroke.