Music
▼ Concerts & Festivals
The Soft White Sixties @ Bar Deluxe 05.20 With Breakers,...
Despite a venue mix-up on my part, I still managed to arrive at Bar Deluxe about 45 minutes before the opening band went on. Bar Deluxe’s tattered and torn aesthetic seemed to match perfectly with opening band Breakers’ distorted surf-punk sound. Mastering a sound check would be in their best interest, as it proved difficult to translate most of their songs, except when they were screaming—literally screaming. … read more
Perfect Pussy @ Kilby Court 05.20 With Potty Mouth, Fossil...
“Whoa dude, did you see that?” I hadn’t been to a show at Kilby Court in a while, and this is what I hear from the handful of fashionable high school kids in reaction to local goth cuties Fossil Arms, as if they’ve dropped down secretly from the grey skies of some distant British storm cell. … read more
Cage The Elephant @ The Depot 05.18 with Foals, J....
Rock took an unfortunate turn in the ‘90s. Then, to everyone’s relief, downloading took off and forced bands to go on the road and be entertaining to earn a living. No longer could album sales make up for being hammered during your set. Rock stars had to suddenly earn it like the rest of us. So, if you could not be wasted at your show anymore, what better way to emulate the tradition than faking the best parts of playing inebriated? Allow me to introduce Cage The Elephant. … read more
Morrissey @ Kingsbury Hall 05.16 with Kristeen Young
While I loathe to bring it up, friends, there is a darker side of appreciation and collecting too, one that reared its nasty head when this icon and hero of mine cancelled his 2012 and 2013 tours, that had already been scheduled then cancelled then rescheduled and not once, but twice. Sometimes it takes an absence to be reminded why we love someone so much—clichéd as that sounds, it did make my heart grow fonder for the man. … read more
Old 97’s, Nikki Lane @ Urban Lounge 05.15
Something was in the water on Thursday night at the Urban Lounge, and by water, I mean beer, and by beer, I mean whisky. Promises of fierce hangovers were made throughout that night and I’m sure those promises were made good on when it came to the dawn of many clouded Urban Lounge patrons. Despite the hardcore implications of the rock scene, it is in fact the country scene that dominates the guzzling of booze with its seasoned accomplices. Now the pairing of the Nikki Lane and the Old 97’s isn’t exactly modern country, but they allude to a former country back when Waylon Jennings was getting drug raided onstage and Loretta Lynn was passing out on Johnny Cash’s lap. … read more
Floor, Thrones, Hot Victory @ Bar Deluxe 05.14
Wednesday night brought a small but resilient clutch of metal fans back to Bar Deluxe for one more musical beating. I was surprised at the comparatively small turnout, though it was, after all, a weeknight. I arrived early enough to catch the first band, Portland’s Hot Victory. At a glance, Hot Victory, a drums/electronics duo, confirmed what many may have suspected for some time now … … read more
Danny Brown @ The Complex 05.13 with ZelooperZ, DopeThought
Danny Brown: “So guess who’s a little bitch?”
Crowd: “That’s you!”
Danny Brown: “You must suck a lot of dick.”
Crowd: “That’s true!” … read more
WIlliam Fitzsimmons @ The State Room 05.13 with Ben Sollee
I left feeling relaxed and emotionally renewed. I can’t remember the last time I felt so many different feelings over such a short amount of time, and I can’t think of any other situation where I would actually be happy about experiencing such a vast array of emotions. All I have to say is this: William Fitzsimmons will make you experience complex feelings you didn’t even know existed, and I mean that in the best possible way. … read more
Jonah Matranga @ Urban Arts Gallery 05.12 with The Precinct
There seems to be two types of artists in the world. There are artists who are dedicated to the advancement of their particular craft and spend their time becoming masters in their given field, and then there are those passion-based artists who find all art interesting and treat its pursuits like a series of discoveries. … read more
Mastodon @ The Depot 05.04 with Gojira, Kvelertak
I sure do love hitting up tours with great bands I’ve never seen live before, and such was the case for a rare Sunday night show at The Depot to catch Kvelertak, Gojira, and the mighty Mastodon. A fucking strong tour, excellent sets from all involved—overall a fantastic night of metal. … read more