#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 wasHere 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!
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.
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 Austinthis 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.
Apparently not needing sleep like other human beings, Australian psychedelic juggernauts King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have announced spring 2020 tour dates through the U.S. and Canada. Tickets are already on sale. As you can see from the poster, these shows include three three-hour marathon sets – two in Colorado (one of which is already sold out) and one in California. Don’t miss your chance to see them live. KGATLW never disappoint.
“If you’ve never been to Burger Boogaloo, you’re missing out on what it means to truly revel in the glory of music.” – SF Weekly
“Burger Boogaloo is the perfect cult gathering of young and old music rebels who hate everybody in the world except each other.” – John Waters
It’s a holiday miracle! Oakland’sBurger Boogaloo is announcing the first round of artists on its 2020 lineup with a ticket special that’s perfect for everyone on your naughty list! This year’s fest features Bikini Kill (1st Bay Area show in 25 years), Circle Jerks (1st Bay Area show in 10 years), Plastic Bertrand (1st Bay Area show ever), Carbonas (1st Bay Area show in 10 years), Bleached, and more, with additional acts being announced in early 2020. Of course, the Boogaloo wouldn’t be complete without its lawless leader, John Waters, who will return to host for the 6th year in a row! Burger Boogaloo will be back in Oakland’s Mosswood Park on Saturday, July 11th and Sunday, July 12th.
The Boogaloo’s Holiday Ticket Special is going on now, with GA Weekend Passes for $109 and VIP Weekend Passes for $159. But don’t go waiting ‘til the last minute to grab your passes; discounted tickets are only available while supplies last!
Ring in the new year with some Boogaloo holiday magic via the ticket link below:
BURGER BOOGALOO 2020 INITIAL LINEUP HOSTED BY JOHN WATERS BIKINI KILL (1st Bay Area show in 25 years) CIRCLE JERKS (1st Bay Area show in 10 years) PLASTIC BERTRAND (1st Bay Area show ever) CARBONAS (1st Bay Area show in 10 years) BLEACHED ALICE BAG (of the Bags) FLIPPER THE FEVERS PANSY DIVISION THE YOUNGER LOVERS PANTY RAID MIDNITE SNAXXX
HOLIDAY SPECIAL TICKET PRICES Day 1 – $79 (Full Price: $99) Day 2 – $59 (Full Price: $69) Weekend Pass – $109 (Full Price: $129) VIP Day 1 – $129 (Full Price: $149) VIP Day 2 – $99 (Full Price: $109) VIP Weekend Pass – $159 (Full Price: $199)
Austin trioThe Well announce yet another round of North American, EU and UK tour dates in support of their critically acclaimed new album Death and Consolation (RidingEasy Records.) The band has spent much of the year on tour, and now continue the trek into 2020, sharing some US dates with label mates Zig-Zags and R.I.P. These will be The Well’s first ever tour in the UK, having only played London’s DesertFest in 2019, and fans’ first opportunity to see the band performing songs from the new album. Please see all dates below. The band also recently shared a new video via Brooklyn Vegan. Watch & share the 4K UHD video for album track “Raven” which was directed, shot and edited by William Orendorff HERE. (YouTube.) Death and Consolation is without a doubt a weighty album title. And, The Well is among the heaviest heavy psych bands in existence. So when we say that there’s even more darkness and intensity to the band’s third album than previous efforts, take heed. It’s a deep sea diving bell of enveloping heaviness and longing.
“This one is a little more personal,” says guitarist/vocalist Ian Graham. “2018 was a strange, dark year. A lot of change going on in my life, there was a lot of depression and coming out of it over the last year. I wanted to call this Death and Consolation, because in life that’s a constant.” While The Well continue to walk an intriguing line between authentic early 70s doom/heavy psych and frayed weirdness of dark folk – especially with their haunting unison male/female vocals – the new album also adds the stark vibe of post-punk acts like Joy Division and early The Cure. “I feel like this album is almost more gothic. We’re big fans of post-punk,” Graham says. There’s also much less jamming, the songs are tight and concise. And, did we mention, heavy? The band tuned down a full step to C-standard tuning for this album, which gives the proceedings its monstrous sound.
Sonically, Death and Consolation picks up where The Well — Graham, bassist/vocalist Lisa Alley and drummer Jason Sullivan — left off with their widely heralded 2016 RidingEasy album Pagan Science. The band once again recorded with longtime producer/engineer Chico Jones at Estuary Studio in 2018, who has turned the knobs for all three of their albums (Jones engineered the band’s debut album Samsara with producer Mark Deutrom [Melvins, Sunn0)))] in 2013.) Samsara, released late September 2014 was ranked the #1 debut album of 2014 by The Obelisk and Pagan Science among the Best of 2016 from the Doom Charts collective. Likewise, the band’s intense — some even say “possessed” — live performances have earned them featured slots at Austin’s Levitation Fest, as well as tours with Kadavar, All Them Witches, Black Tusk and more.
“This album might be a little less produced, because I didn’t want to push technical stuff as much,” Graham says. “I’m so scared of getting too complicated when getting better at guitar. This is still kind of punk rock.”
Death and Consolation is available on LP, CD and download via RidingEasy Records. Orders are available HERE.
THE WELL TOUR 2020: 01/22 – Milan, IT @ Ligera 01/23 – Bologna, IT @ Freakout 01/24 – Turin, IT @ Ziggy 01/26 – Lille, FR @ La Bulle Cafe 01/27 – Tours, FR @ Le Canadian Cafe 01/28 – Nantes, FR @ La Scene Michelet 01/29 – Bordeaux, FR @ Les Voutes 01/30 – Dijon, FR @ Peniche Cancale 01/31 – Rennes, FR @ Le Melies 02/01 – Paris, FR @ Espace B 02/03 – Brighton, UK @ Hope & Ruin 02/04 – Milton Keyes, UK @ The Craufurd Arms 02/05 – Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast 02/07 – London, UK @ Black Heart 02/08 – Bree, BE @ Ragnarok 02/09 – Berlin, DE @ Zukunft am Ostkreuz 02/10 – Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse 02/19 – El Paso, TX @ Monarch 02/20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Yucca Tap Room 02/21 – San Diego, CA @ Til Two Club *02/22 – Oceanside, CA @ The Pourhouse *02/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Permanent Records Roadhouse *02/25 – San Francisco, CA @ The Knockout 02/26 – Nevada City, CA @ The Brick 02/27 – Portland, OR @ High Water Mark +02/28 – Seattle, WA @ Substation +02/29 – Vancouver, BC @ TBA +03/02 – Kalispell, MT @ Old School Records 03/03 – Missoula, MT @ TBA 03/04 – Boise, ID @ The Shredder 03/05 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court 03/06 – Denver, CO @ Streets of London 03/07 – Albuquerque, NM @ The Launchpad * w/ Zig-Zags+ w/ R.I.P.
It had been well over a decade since I’d seen Reverend Horton Heat, New Bomb Turks, or Voodoo Glow Skulls live, so buying a ticket to their show at Chicago’s House of Blues was a no-brainer. New Bomb Turks are one of my favorite punk bands of all time, and Reverend Horton Heat is an unstoppable touring machine. VGS are bonkers ska punks whose blood is probably the formula for Red Bull. The icing on the cake was learning that punk / psychobilly legend Dave Alvin was going to be playing a half-hour set with Reverend Horton Heat during the show (which was called the “Holiday Hayride”).
Voodoo Glow Skulls opened the show, getting the crowd jumping and moshing and bouncing. They played new and older tracks, including a fun cover of “Charlie Brown” and their blistering new song, “Generation Genocide.”
New Bomb Turks were up next and threw down a fiery, raucous set that left a lot of people dumbfounded. Lead singer Eric Davidson did his best to keep the crowd fired up, including trying to pull people onstage. Only four people, me included, took him up on the offer (Me during their classic “Dress Up the Naked Truth,” which resulted in Mr. Davidson violating my mouth with his microphone while I knelt before him). The set was so quick and furious that the crowd seemed stunned into silence by the time they were done.
Reverend Horton Heat opened with an instrumental version of “We Three Kings” and then switched back and forth between fan-favorites like “400 Bucks” and “Bales of Cocaine” and Christmas tunes like “Silver and Gold” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The whole band are top-notch musicians. A nice addition for the home crowd was the pianist, a Texan by birth, but a Chicago theatre veteran who played Jerry Lee Lewis in the local production of Million Dollar Quartet.
The whipped cream on the holiday pumpkin pie was a half-hour set by Dave Alvin (singer-songwriter, founding member of The Blasters and The Flesh Eaters) with the Reverend Horton Heat band backing him. Alvin commanded the stage as soon as he set foot on it and put on a guitar clinic, often leaving Jim Heath (AKA Rev. Heat) grinning and saying, “Well, I guess we have to follow that.” after Alvin exited stage left.
Dave Alvin takes center stage.
It’s a fun tour and was a jolly way to start the holiday season. It might be the last show I see in 2019, and it’s a good way to end my year of live music if that’s the case.
The Beths will tour the U.S. in Spring 2020 to preview new music from their forthcoming album out next year on Carpark Records. After selling out shows at Brooklyn’s Music Hall of Williamsburg, Washington, DC’s Union Stage and Chicago’s Lincoln Hall on previous tours, the band will play more intimate venues on this run. They recently sat down with Paste while in the studio to discuss the forthcoming album and tour. Read the feature here.
The Beths earned praise from critics and fans alike for their debut full length, Future Me Hates Me. In addition to being ranked #42 in Paste’s “50 Best Indie Rock Albums of the 2010s,” the album received glowing reviews from NPR Music, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The A.V. Club, Stereogum, and more. The band recently won Best Alternative Artist and Best Group at the 2019 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards while also being nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Single of the Year.
Tickets for the band’s Spring 2020 U.S. tour are on salenow. The Beths Tour Dates: Sat. March 7 – Auckland, NZ @ Villa Maria* Thu. March 12 – Marlborough, NZ @ Framingham Harvest Concert Wed. April 15 – Seattle, WA @ Laserdome Thu. April 16 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (tickets) Fri. April 17 – Bend, OR @ Volcanic Theatre Pub (tickets) Sat. April 18 – Oakland, CA @ The New Parish (tickets) Sun. April 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon (tickets) Mon. April 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar (tickets) Wed. April 22 – Austin, TX @ The Parish (tickets) Thu. April 23 – Dallas, TX @ Three Links (tickets) Fri. April 24 – Houston, TX @ Satellite Bar (tickets) Sat. April 25 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa (tickets) Sun. April 26 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement (tickets) Tue. April 28 – Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse (tickets) Wed. April 29 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie (tickets) Thu. April 30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade NYC (tickets) Fri. May 1 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Smiling Moose (tickets) Tue. May 2 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop (tickets) Wed. May 3 – Chicago, IL @ Cobra Lounge (tickets)
We began our fourth and final day of Levitation Austin 2019 by attending the downtown record show at the Palmer Event Center. The show was a gold mine for vinyl record collectors. I managed to score three CD’s there – a live Goblin bootleg of a show from 1975, a copy of Husker Du‘s Zen Arcade, and a copy of Duran Duran‘s Arena (the cassette of which I wore out years ago).
We had a nice dinner at one of our yearly stops – Daruma Ramen – and then headed back to Barracuda for the Death by Audio showcase. This was one of the first tickets I bought for the festival when I saw one of my favorite bands, A Place to Bury Strangers, was playing along with The KVB, who I’ve wanted to see live for a while now. APTBS were selling earplugs at their merchandise table for $2.00 a pair. I had brought my own, but in case you’ve never seen them before, this is $2.00 well spent. Trust me on this. First up for us at the DBA showcase was Numb.er, who put on a cool set of shoegaze noise.
Up next, and outside were The KVB, who were excited to finally be playing in Austin and to a welcoming crowd. They sounded great and showed how much evocative music two people can make with the right chemistry, guitar pedals, and synth / drum machine set-up.
We went back inside to catch most of the set by Austin’s own Ringo Deathstarr. They played a mix of new (some played for the first time that night) and older material and filled the inside stage area with fuzzy rock.
I then went back outside for APTBS’ set. My wife stayed inside to wait for Christian Bland and the Revelators and to avoid the sonic assault provided by an APTBS show. This isn’t a crack on my wife. Not everyone can handle their shows. I’ve seen metal heads, screamo fanatics, and hardcore goths wither under their power. Sure enough, they unleashed fury on the outdoor stage, with Oliver Ackermann’s guitar and Dion Lunadon’s bass both being hammered onto the stage within two songs (and multiple times thereafter).
APTBS with members of Ringo Deathstarr and Cryogeyser
Every band from the Death By Audio showcase came out to play with them during the set, which included members of Cryogeyser, the KVB, Numb.er, and Ringo Deathstarr. Their was so much fog machine fog rolling off the stage at one point that the band, bathed in strobe lights as well, took on the appearance of ghosts. I was near the front of the stage and facing Dion Lunadon for most of the set and he went through two bass guitars, and all of the strings on the second were broken by the end. In other words, it was another great APTBS show and a great finish to the festival.
Christian Bland and the Revelators, meanwhile, were putting on a cool show of early Pink Floyd-influenced blues-psych inside Barracuda, and it was a nice way to send our latest Levitation Austin Festival out on a groovy note with one of its curators.
Christian Bland (left) and the Revelators
Levitation weekend is one of my favorite weekends of the year. It’s always a good time, the crowds are always cool (I’ve yet to have run-ins with jerks at the festival.), and the music (and food) is always great. Thanks again to the Reverb Appreciation Society for making it happen. See you next year, Austin.
We would spend about twelve hours in downtown Austin on the third day of Levitation Austin 2019. We had tickets to see a lot of bands, and it was the busiest day of the festival for everyone involved.
We began at, once again, Barracuda, where the RidingEasy Records showcase started off the afternoon. We missed the opening of Warish‘s set due to having to eat lunch beforehand at a nearby Thai restaurant. We knew we’d need fuel for the day. Warish was blaring on the inside stage, making my wife say, “There’s nothing ‘ish’ about it!” Their cover of Nirvana‘s “Negative Creep” was solid and much-appreciated.
Next up, and outside, were Here Lies Man, whose last two albums have been in the top ten of their respective years for me. They put on a groovy set to a crowd that was loving their heavy “Black Sabbath plays Afrobeat” sound and the warmer weather.
My wife became a fan of Blackwater Holylight after we went back inside to see their set. It was a cool, trippy, and sexy mix of psychedelia.
She also appreciated the killer set by The Well, who were among the band’s I was most excited to see at the festival. They threw down one of the best sets I’ve seen all year. It was hard-hitting, solid groove stoner-doom metal and a great mid-day lift.
We kept that theme going with Acid King, who flattened what little was left of the outside stage by now. It was great to see and hear these legends live. They still shred.
It was a quick walk to Stubb’s BBQ to see the Black Angels and John Cale. The Black Angels put on another fine set. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen them live now, and they never put on a bad show.
“I think we’re more excited than you are,” said the Black Angels’ lead singer, Alex Maas, before John Cale took the stage to play tracks that ranged from fun to creepy and covered his solo work and Velvet Underground cuts. The Black Angels joined him and his band onstage for an encore performance of “Sister Ray” that was a thrill for everyone on stage and in front of it.
The Black Angels (left) and John Cale and his band perform “Sister Ray.”
As cool as that was to see and hear, we still had more sets to catch. We zipped back to Barracuda to see Night Beats and Cosmonauts. Night Beats were first, with Danny Blackwell rocking his awesome hat as usual, and they put on a great show on the outdoor stage. Blackwell is a gunslinger with his guitar. I’d almost forgotten how much he shreds.
I’d heard good things about Cosmonauts’ live sets, mostly that they were guitar onslaughts. That description wasn’t far off, because they shook the walls of the building and were a great end cap to a long, wild day.
We were exhausted by the time we got back to the garage apartment we were renting in Austin, but it was a fun day. The next would bring death by audio.
