If you need a bit of inspiration (or motivation) to get to a show or three, this photo ought to be worth at least a thousand words of encouragement:
Live music – there ain’t nothin’ else like it. Here are your opportunities for communal energy this week:
Tonight, Bob Mould is going to rattle the rafters of Memorial Hall. Which is great, because I’ll be up in the nosebleeds, along with list member Dan Bockrath. Can’t wait. Also, Ben Levin has an album release party at BrewRiver.
On Saturday, Whitney Rose plays Southgate House. If you’d rather hear “Ramble On Rose” you can head to Stanley’s for U.S. Blues, a Grateful Dead cover band.
Speaking of stoned, Stone Temple Pilots play the Madison Theater on Tuesday. We miss Cap’n Scott Weiland, but Jeff Gutt is at the controls now. Is Herr Gutt any gut? Ich weiss nicht!
I find myself on the horns of a musical dilemma on Wednesday. Chuck Prophet & the Mission Express are playing Southgate, and I really want to go to that gig. But it’s also my wife’s birthday. Not just any birthday either – it’s her Steve McGarrett birthday!
So I might have to miss the Chuck concert in the interest of maintaining harmony at home. Or maybe I can just go to the Chuck Prophet concert and get my wife a personalized BD greeting from 90s indie rock heartthrob Evan Dando of The Lemonheads.
The only problem with that plan is my wife has no idea who Evan Dando is… she’d probably be happier if I gave her a box of Lemonheads.
Also on Wednesday, Memorial Hall is hosting The Musical Box: A Genesis Extravaganza. It’s a re-enactment (don’t call it a tribute) of the band Genesis (circa 1970-1978), not the biblical book. Although that could be cool too, what with all the nakedness.
Weigh station ahead – trucks, please present your fee waybill
Fee Waybill! It’s fun to say. It’s also fun to know that The Tubes still have their wacky lead singer Fee Waybill (along with other original members: drummer Prairie Prince, guitarist Roger Steen and bassist Rick Gator Anderson) in their lineup.
They’ll be playing at the Ludlow Garage on Thursday, and playing their 1981 album The Completion Backward Principle in its entirety.
Also on Thursday, The Steel Woods are playing Madison Theater, and the Southgate House is chock-full of good music: The Wooks are playing the Sanctuary (main room), Joshua Powell, Freedom Nicole Moore, and Hyssop are in the Revival Room (upstairs) and Stephen Babcock and Brad Goodall of the band Ona are playing a free gig in the Lounge (bar).
All of the gigs listed above are merely appetizers… the main course is Cereal Killers at MadTree next Friday, October 29th.
For the uninitiated, Cereal Killers played their first gig at Sudsy Malone’s on Short Vine in 1989, and their current set list consists predominantly of songs from late ’70’s British & American punk, with a dash of the New Wave, a dollop of garage rock, a heaping helping of hijinks, and a side of shenanigans. It’s like 97X is still on the air, but better because it’s live! List members Howard Cohen and Matt Hueneman are in the band (and their new drummer is Chris Glen – he was in local faves Plow on Boy back in the day). The patio show is absolutely free… and yours truly will buy your first round of beverages. You truly can’t afford to miss it!
[List member Dave “The Reuben Kincaid of Modern Rock” Tellmann, co-host of the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast, will also be at MadTree. We’re happy to sign your earbuds…]
While we’re on the subject of podcasts, this Andy Richter interview with John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants was quite entertaining:
For a real newsletter, try this:
List member Cullen “My dad is delusional – he thinks the Reds can win it all next year” Lewis is killin’ it weekly with his Friday Links newsletter on Substack. (Whereas I’m so out of it, I thought “Substack” was a footlong with extra meat at Subway.) If not for Cullen and his cool coverage of music, fashion, art, and culture, I never would’ve heard this tasty new tune from Corridor:
Cullen also featured this new gem from Lightning Bug:
You can (and should) subscribe to Cullen’s Friday Links email via the link above.
A tip o’ the 97XBam cap to list member Joe Sampson for the link to the NYT profile of Adam Granduciel of The War on Drugs. Really looking forward to their new album. Ditto for new music from Charly Bliss, who recently opened for Japanese Breakfast in NYC (a d2 dream gig).
Check out this audio-only live concert recording of Japanese Breakfast from WXPN in Philly (also courtesy of Mighty Joe).
Gig Pics
The photo above of Elvis Costello & the Imposters was taken by list member Todd Butler, who also provided a nice overview of the new Icon venue:
It is like a rectangle box with U shaped balconies (2) although top level was closed. Floor is concrete with connected folding chairs that were cushioned and were impressively quite comfortable. Most seats and sight lines I thought were good. They used modern construction methods to avoid support structures blocking views. Good amount of bathrooms so not much wait there. Beer line was long however.
If you know Todd, you know the beer line (or lack thereof) is crucial to his experience.
Have a great week!
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