Category: Live music

Review: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Live in Adelaide ’19

This is the first of three (so far) live albums released this month from Australian juggernauts King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. All proceeds from the purchase of Live in Adelaide ’19 (and the other live records) go toward wildlife rescue efforts during Australia’s horrible brush fires.

The home crowd set is a great one that mixes tracks from Infest the Rats’ Nest, Fishing for Fishies, I’m in Your Mind Fuzz, Flying Microtonal Banana, Polygondwanaland, and Float Along – Fill Your Lungs.

They come out roaring with “Planet B,” “Mars for the Rich,” and “Venusian 1” – any of which can flatten the uninitiated. “Cyboogie” is a switch to synth-blues and the grooves of “Real’s Not Real,” “Hot Water” (with guest flute from Adam Halliwell of Mildlife) and “Open Water.” “Sleep Drifter” is one of those songs that always delights when you hear it live.

“Billabong Valley” is always a crowd favorite because Ambrose Kenny-Smith takes on lead vocals in the song about an Outback outlaw. “The Bird Song” is another great live treat, as the song is so happy and groovy you can’t help but smile when you hear it. Things get weird on “Inner Cell,” a tune that had a menacing buzz throughout it, and “Loyalty,” which has plenty of odd time signatures to amaze you.

The groove on “Plastic Boogie” makes you think the song should’ve been named “Solid Rock Boogie.” The band then heads back into thrash metal with “Organ Farmer” (which is bonkers) and “Self-Immolate” before learning they still have thirty-five minutes of stage time left. What to do? How about playing a nearly half-hour version of “Head On / Pill” which is nothing short of outstanding?

This is a solid live album by one of the best live bands on the planet right now, and you can’t beat the price and you’re contributing to a great cause when you buy it. It’s a win for everyone.

Keep your mind open.

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Tropical Fuck Storm announces North American tour.

Photo by Steve Gullick

Australian band Tropical Fuck Storm are pleased to announce a North American tour in support of Braindrops, their newest album released last year on Joyful Noise Recordings. The band will bring “their good old-fashioned down-under rock kick to the gut” (Chicago Reader) of a live show across the states, including some cities they have yet to visit. Tickets are on sale now.

Tropical Fuck Storm – comprised of Gareth Liddiard and Fiona Kitschin (The Drones), Erica Dunn, and Lauren Hammel – was formed around 2017 in the city of Melbourne, Victoria along Australia’s south-eastern coast. Following their debut album, 2018’s A Laughing Death in Meatspace, Braindrops overflows with compelling sounds and visions that reflect the often dark and fractured reality of life on planet Earth as we hurtle toward environmental and social decay at a frighteningly rapid clip. Listening to the album is a jarring and exhilarating experience, full of pulsating grooves, black humour, dissonant experimentation, and unsettling dystopian plot-lines.

Braindrops is an unrelenting work, from an unrelenting musical ensemble. “Tropical Fuck Storm is a full on thing,” Liddiard offers. “Everything we do, we do it to the death.”
Purchase Braindrops –
https://bit.ly/2ZPsO2Y

Watch “Braindrops” Video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12eYBC_5FV4

Watch “Who’s My Eugene?” Video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88do5cmxHsI

Tropical Fuck Storm Tour Dates:
Tue. March 31 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater
Thu. April 2 – Iowa City, IA @  Mission Creek Festival
Fri. April 3 – Detroit, MI @  Deluxx Fluxx
Sat. April 4 – Toronto, ON @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
Sun. April 5 – Montreal, QC @  Bar Le Ritz P.D.B.
Mon. April 6 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Wed. April 8 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
Thu. April 9 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sat. April 11 – Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery
Mon. April 13 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Tue. April 14 – Nashville, TN @ The End
Wed. April 15 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
Thu. April 16 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

Keep your mind open.

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Blackwater Holylight announces March U.S. west coast tour.

“This quartet has been burning up stages all around their hometown, fueled by their abrasive blend of doom metal, psych rock, goth and a tangy soupçon of pop music… They landed a spot on the 2018 Best New Band poll in alt-weekly Willamette Week, but could quickly take over the world.” — Paste Magazine
“They mesh elements of doom, Krautrock and atmospheric indie into one bewitching rock whole.” –Classic Rock Magazine
“A greasy, sun-baked rock jam calling back to the genre’s classic days while showcasing a heavy doom edge that gives it a modern spin.” 6 Best New Songs Right Now — Revolver Magazine

Portland, OR quintet Blackwater Holylight announce March 2020 headlining tour dates today, while also releasing a new video. The clip is a dramatic art short film set to the song “Jizz Witch” from the band’s 2018 self-titled debut album. Watch/share the video via YouTube HERE. Please see current tour dates below. 
Blackwater Holylight released their acclaimed sophomore album Veils of Winter (RidingEasy Records) in October 2019. Hear/share Veils of Winter: YouTube, Bandcamp, Spotify. 

Keep your mind open.

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Coachella announces 2020 lineup.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has announced its lineup for the two April weekends (10-12th, 17-19th) this year. As expected, it’s a weird mix that already has some people praising it and others deriding it.

If you ask me, the Friday dates are the best bang for your buck. Rage Against the Machine, Calvin Harris, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, IDLES, Peggy Gou, Amyl and the Sniffers, Sleaford Mods, and Friendly Fires on one bill are worth the price of admission.

As for the Saturday dates, Thom Yorke and Caribou would be great to see, sure, but the announcement that was blowing up Twitter was that Danny Elfman would be playing there. No one yet knows if he’s bringing an orchestra to perform tunes from his many film scores, Oingo Boingo tunes, or a combination of both. Either way, it’s tempting to fly to California just to see his set. Fatboy Slim will put on a fun set on Sunday nights, I’m sure, but the rest of that lineup doesn’t thrill me.

Get your tickets while you can. The first weekend is already sold out.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 30 live shows of 2019: #’s 5 – 1

Here we go. Who were my top five live acts of 2019?

#5 – The Well – Levitation Austin – November 09th

The Well are at the top of their game right now, and this heavy-hitting set of blues-laced doom metal was one of the highlights of Levitation Austin for me. I knew within three songs that it was going to be one of the best sets I saw all weekend if not all year, and I was right.

#4 – A Place to Bury Strangers – Levitation Austin – November 10th

I was talking with a woman after the Levitation Austin set by A Place to Bury Strangers. We’d just been flattened by it. Walls of sound, blazing strobe lights, haunted house fog, and guest spots by members of Ringo Deathstarr, Numb.er, the KVB, Cryogeyeser, and Hoover iii were added treats to the raw force that APTBS unleashed. The woman said, “You wonder, ‘Were they really as good as I remember the last time I saw them?’ and as soon as they start you’re like, ‘Oh yeah. They are.'”

#3 – Thee Oh Sees – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – October 11th

As I like to say, everything you’ve heard about a show by Thee Oh Sees is a hundred percent true. Crazy double drumming, wild guitar work, wall-shaking bass, psychedelic synths, and a crazy crowd mixed to produce a stunning night of music, highlighted by all twenty-one-plus minutes of “Henchlock” from their great new album, Face Stabber.

#2 – Jeff Lynne’s ELO – United Center – Chicago, IL – July 27th

In terms of sheer spectacle and sound quality, this show by Jeff Lynne’s ELO was going to be tough to beat. The light show was, go figure, amazing and was only outmatched by the sound quality. Mr. Lynne still sounds great and his backing band was top-notch. He played all of his hits and even a Traveling Wilburys song with Dhani Harrison singing and playing his father’s parts. This show by a legend could only be outmatched by another legend.

#1 – Paul McCartney – Memorial Coliseum – Ft. Wayne, IN – June 03rd

Seriously, how was anyone going to beat this show? It was practically in my back yard and was a fun show by a legend who has inspired more musicians than we’ll ever know. He played a great mix of Beatles, Wings, and solo tracks, told a lot of fun stories, and delivered a fun show that left you wanting another full set. The expensive tickets were worth every dollar.

There you have it. Another great year for live music. Get out there and see some.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 30 live shows of 2019: #’s 10 – 6

We’ve reached the top 10 concerts I saw this year. Read on!

#10 – Priests – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL – April 22nd

This was my first time seeing Priests in a small venue. The first time I saw them was at the 2017 Pitchfork Music Festival. Priests had just released their great (and, sadly, final for now) album The Seduction of Kansas and all of the songs sounded great live, and downright threatening at some points.

#9 – New Bomb Turks – House of Blues – Chicago, IL – November 28th

I hadn’t seen New Bomb Turks in well over a decade, and they still sounded as raw and feisty as ever. They were a wild punk rock injection to the Reverend Horton Heat’s “Holiday Hayride” show. I was thrown back in time and in the small mosh pit for the entire set, even jumping on stage during “Let’s Dress Up the Naked Truth” and having my mouth violated by lead singer Eric Davidson’s microphone.

#8 – King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL – August 24th

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard never disappoint, and I attended this show after going to a memorial service for a cousin who loved live music. I thought of her multiple times during this show, which featured a wild set that mixed psychedelia, thrash metal, electro, and blues and two mosh pits happening at the same time in different parts of the ballroom.

#7 – Bayonne – 191 Toole – Tucson, AZ – May 10th

For anyone who missed this show, let me express my condolences. It was the last show of Bayonne‘s spring tour. It was in a small Tucson venue and I think fewer than thirty people were there. He could’ve just phoned it in and did the bare minimum to get by and then motor home to Austin, Texas, but he didn’t. He slayed that stage. I knew halfway through his set that it was going to be among my top ten shows of the year.

#6 – The Black Keys – United Center – Chicago, IL – September 27th

Seeing the Black Keys live had been on my bucket list for years, so I jumped at the chance to see them in Chicago. I didn’t know how their raw blues rock would sound in such a big venue, but my apprehension was short-lived. They filled the United Center with powerful sound and clarity, mixing old tracks with new ones and thrilling the crowd.

We’re almost to number one. Who will take the crown? Tune in later today to find out!

Keep your mind open.

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Top 30 live shows of 2019: #’s 15 – 11

We’re halfway to the top. Let’s get to it…

#15 – Alison Krauss – Memorial Coliseum – Ft. Wayne, IN – August 05th

Alison Krauss‘ voice is so heavenly you almost can’t quite believe it’s real even as you’re hearing it. She is a great performer and this show with a full stage set-up and rotating band members was a delight.

#14 – Night Beats – Levitation Austin – November 09th

It had been a couple of years since I saw Night Beats, and this show at Levitation Austin was a great reminder of why you and I need to see them whenever possible. They always kill it live and bring a sense of danger to whatever stage they take.

#13 – Cosmonauts – Levitation Austin – November 09th

I had wanted to see Cosmonauts since I first heard their A-OK! album. They unleashed a wall of shoegaze power like I hadn’t heard all weekend at Levitation Austin, and I was left a bit dumbstruck by the set’s end.

#12 – The Flaming Lips – Levitation Austin – November 08th

“I’m always happy when I see them.” That’s a quote from my wife describing a Flaming Lips show, and their Levitation Austin set continued the trend. It was fun, colorful, playful, and what everyone needed on a cool night to forget the low temperatures and troubles in our lives.

#11 – The Black Angels – Levitation Austin – November 09th

Another set from Levitation Austin. Are you noticing a pattern here? It’s one of the best festivals in the country for music lovers, and the Black Angels help curate it. As an added bonus, they play it every year. This year’s set was another powerhouse one, with Christian Bland particularly playing harder than I’ve heard him play in a while.

Come back tomorrow when we reach the top 10!

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Top 30 live shows of 2019: #’s 20 – 16

We’ve reached the top 20! Here we go…

#20 – Reverend Horton Heat – House of Blues – Chicago, IL – November 28th

I hadn’t seen Reverend Horton Heat in years. He had a new drummer and added a pianist since I’d last seen him. This was a fun “Holiday Hayride” show that included Christmas tunes as well as plenty of his hits and a guest set by Dave Alvin.

#19 – Chromatics – Park West – Chicago, IL – May 31th

I knew this show was going to be a sell-out as soon as it was announced, but I still managed to score tickets. Despite me almost having to drag a drunk jerk out of the crowd after he punched someone, this turned out to be well worth the trip and ticket price because Chromatics delivered a beautiful set of shoegaze and synth wave that had everyone fawning over them.

#18 – Dave Alvin – House of Blues – Chicago, IL – November 28th

A set within a set, Dave Alvin played a half-hour set with the Reverend Horton Heat as his backing band during the “Holiday Hayride” show. Mr. Alvin put on a clinic in outlaw country and country-punk, absolutely shredding multiple guitar solos that even had Jim Heath grinning in amazement.

#17 – Acid King – Levitation Austin – November 09th

Stoner rock veterans / icons Acid King closed the outdoor stage during the RidingEasy Records showcase at Levitation Austin this year. It was a great, heavy set that showed they hadn’t lost anything and could still wallop you like a force of nature.

#16 – Here Lies Man – Levitation Austin – November 09th

Playing that same showcase earlier in the day was Here Lies Man, who brought a solid groove throughout the entire set that was as funky and heavy as I’d hoped it would be.

Who cracks the top 15? Come back later today to find out!

Keep your mind open.

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Top 30 live shows of 2019: #’s 25 – 21

Here we are at the top 25 best live shows I saw this year. Let’s get to it.

#25 Bebel Gilberto – Birchmere – Alexandria, VA – June 22nd

This was a lovely acoustic, intimate set with Bebel Gilberto and her guitarist in a small venue. Her voice was delightful, as always, and there was a funny moment when she had a wardrobe malfunction and her guitarist had to fix her top onstage.

#24 ORB – Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL – August 24th

I hadn’t seen ORB for a couple years, so it was good to catch up with them and see them as a four-piece for the first time. They hadn’t lost any of their heavy power and crushing riffs.

#23 Prettiest Eyes – Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL – October 11th

The energy expelled during a Prettiest Eyes set could power a tank. They’re frantic and manic, but still a tight machine that can stop on a dime. We were eager to see them again after catching them last year at Levitation France, and we were bouncing during the whole set (in each venue).

#22 The KVB – Levitation Austin – November 10th

I was eager to see the KVB at Levitation Austin this year after not being able to catch a show they played in Chicago a month earlier. They put on a good set that was everything I wanted – synth wave, krautrock, and shoegaze. It was also their first time playing in Austin, so that made the show extra special for all involved.

#21 Minami Deutsch – Levitation Austin – November 07th

Speaking of Levitation Austin, another great set we saw there (on the coldest night of the festival, no less) was from Minami Deutsch – a Japanese krautrock band. It was a flow of rock grooves, precise beats, and hypnotic drone. I became an instant fan and later chatted with lead guitarist, Kyo, about chicken shawarma wraps.

Who made the top 20? Come back tomorrow to find out.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 30 live shows of 2019: #’s 30 -26

It’s that time of year again for me to start the countdowns of my favorite live shows, singles, and albums of the year. I’m starting with live shows. I saw close to sixty bands this year (and possibly over sixty if you add in partial sets), so here are the ones that topped the upper half.

#30 – Hoover iii – Levitation Austin – November 07th

Hoover iii were a pleasant surprise as the first band my wife and I saw at Levitation Austin this year. They played a fun set of southern California shoegaze that was a great kick-off for our festival weekend.

#29 – Elephant Stone – Levitation Austin – November 08th

It’s always good to see Elephant Stone live, and their set at the second night of Levitation Austin was one of the heaviest sets I’ve heard them play. They threw in a lot of material from their upcoming album, Hollow, so it was cool to be among the first folks to hear that stuff live.

#28 – Bev Rage and the Drinks – Subterranean – Chicago, IL – October 01st

Queercore punk rock on a small stage with Halloween candy and pumpkin spice Oreos being handed out to the crowd? What’s not to like? I’d heard a lot of good things about Ms. Rage and the Drinks’ live shows, and I wasn’t disappointed. They were also a great opener for…

#27 – Shonen Knife – Subterranean – Chicago, IL – October 01st

You can never go wrong with a Shonen Knife show, and they put on a fun, rocking set of candy-powered rock that had the whole crowd bouncing.

#26 – Willie Nelson – Memorial Coliseum – Ft. Wayne, IN – August 05th

2019 ended up being a “year of legends” for us, as we saw many legendary performers this year. Among them was Willie Nelson, who played a fun set of classic hits and fun covers. His set wasn’t long due to age and what was later revealed to be some breathing issues, but it was still cool to finally see one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

Who makes it into the top 25? Come back tomorrow to find out.

Keep your mind open.

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