Show Reviews
Charli XCX @ In The Venue 05.13 with Marina and...
Marina Diamandis and Charli XCX look and sound similar enough to successfully pull off a Parent Trap-style swap—beyond being British teen idols (well, Marina is Welsh, actually) they’ve recorded together, they have the same bratty ’90s pop aesthetic and yes, they really do look alike, especially when you’re drunk and bouncing up and down in a packed venue. … read more
Baby Gurl, Aan @ Kilby 05.13
Holy shit it was hot Monday night. The fact that anyone showed up anywhere in the city is something short of a miracle. Originally, this was going to be a review of the Black Pus show scheduled for the night, but the band’s mastermind Brian Chippendale was pulled over for being too cool and as a result, couldn’t make the show. Here’s to hoping he comes back as soon as possible and that his insurance rates stay low. … read more
Black Angels with Hanni El-Khatib, Wall of Dead @ The...
I’m going to come out here at the front and say that Saturday’s show was amazing and you are less of a person for missing it. Sorry kids, but the Black Angels have yet to disappoint me, and you’re letting yourself down by missing any opportunity to see them. Now, let’s go on to why this was such a good show, starting with beginning. … read more
The Thermals @ Kilby Court 05.10 with Baby Ghosts
A little faster than the record and just as rehearsed, The Thermals took to their simple, loud chord progressions and lead singer Hutch Harris was drenched in sweat by the end of their first and new song, “You Will Be Free.” … read more
NOVA Chamber Series @ Libby Gardner Hall 04.21
Nova’s final concert for the year was also its most exhilarating, featuring music from the French composer Maurice Ravel, and contemporary American composer C. Curtis-Smith. … read more
Big Boi and Killer Mike @ The Depot 05.09
Big Boi stands as a legend in the rap game, primarily because of his time spent as part of Southern rap superstars Outkast, and Killer Mike has had his share of success, though he seems primarily prominent in the underground these days. I was excited to see Killer Mike perform, and to see how Big Boi stacked up to one of my current favorite rappers. … read more
RAC with Alastair, Typefunk @ Urban Lounge 05.08
The last four weeks had given me the opportunity to see the best and worst of DJing. I saw C2C perform at the Depot about a month ago, who are true turntabilists and know how to entertain their fans. I also saw Faulty Dl, a New York–based DJ/producer, open for James Blake, and he gave a poor performance, displaying how little DJs can do live, onstage. So, I was excited to see Andre Anjos and Karl Kling of RAC live, mixing some of the most feel-good dance music out there. You have The Hood Internet and Girl Talk, who do superb remixes and mashups, but I don’t believe anyone does as clean of a job remixing songs as RAC. … read more
Science Friday Live @ The Grand Theatre 04.19
The greatness of Science Friday is that it makes science accessible to the masses, and since the show started with a topic that interests virtually everybody, the audience’s attention was ensured throughout. … read more
Rodriguez @ The Complex 04.29
As the weeks went by, I had the chance to see Searching for Sugar Man a second time, renewing my excitement to see him live. News of a sold-out show spread through the streets of the Internet and status updates of those in need of tickets filled my feed in the days leading up to the concert. … read more
Senses Fail @ In the Venue 04.27
After an already kick-ass night, Senses Fail took the stage and punched everyone in the audience in the face. “Renacer,” the title track of their new release, is the hardest song that they’ve ever written and it’s exactly as amazing live as I was hoping it would be. It’s so good it hurts, and it hurts so good. … read more