Show Review: Reilly

Last night's b-sides featured Reilly, a Christian rock band from Philly with a good sound and a great live show. Dueling violins provide the most immediate standout, but are not over-used or gimmicky. Frontman John Reilly's vocals are augmented by up to 4 part harmonies throughout, resting easily on top of a soulful, pop-rock instrumental that is familiar without being trite. Covers of everything from the "Once" soundtrack to Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth", along with the band's original material, had the audience singing and clapping along, especially during the more interactive portions of the show. Here's a video of them doing their closing instrumental jam:

Show Review: U Rock

ResLife put on a rock-themed barbeque yesterday for North Complex residents, and I provided the music. I DJed from 5-6, spinning everything from Ghoti Hook's cover of "I Love Rock'n'Roll" and Cake's "Rock'n'Roll Lifestyle" to Ozzy's "Crazy Train" and Led Zep's "Immigrant Song". Around 6, Kyle Morgan, Ethan Lichtenberger, and Steve Harpine (of Pompeii & the Ashes) had another jam session (see Spring Arts Day review), ending with their two cover songs. Next up was The Greenwash, minus their drummer, who nonetheless rattled off a short set of their own material with guitar, borrowed keys, and a tambourine. Despite some technical difficulties, it turned out fairly well. Everybody seemed to have a good time making pet rocks, dressing up like rockstars, eating, and hanging out with good music playing, so that's a success in my book.

Lil' Wayne & Old White People

My friend Molly Facebooked me the video of this since I didn't see it live. Apparently Lil' Wayne was on The View talking about drugs, kids, his life, and rock music, and then performed "Prom Queen", one of his travesties that he calls rock songs. Here's the clip, and according to Wikipedia The Rebirth rock album is still in the works for a June release date, so prepare yourselves...

This is almost as good as the Katie Couric interview!

May Mayhem

It's that time, kids. Here's the schedule of shows in the Philly/Messiah area this month... New feature: I'm going to note in parentheses on some bands why I know them/you should go see them.

Friday 5/1
Bat For Lashes (WVMM playlist), Lewis & Clarke @ 1st Unitarian $14
OR
SOLD OUT Lady GaGa, White Tie Affair, Chester French (WVMM playlist), Cinema Bizarre $23
OR
Peter Bjorn and John (WVMM playlist) @ World Cafe Live $18
OR
Parkway Drive, Stick to Your Guns, My Children My Bride @ Croc Rock $14
OR
Fear Before the March of Flames, Every Minute Can Kill, Visions of Another, By Sundown @ Hangar 84 $12
OR
Alex Brubaker (Homeboy Music) @ The Coffee Company FREE
OR
Hoodwink (Bamboozle Covers Show) @ The Meadownlands $27 ($117 for 3 day pass)
OR
The Dead @ Wachovia Spectrum $54-482
OR
Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, Single File @ Sonar $23 (or $22 5/5 @ Chameleon w/ Nightmare of You)

Saturday 5/2
Runner Runner, Liam and Me, Cheezy and the Crackers, Luminous, The Super Guys, Andrew Jude @ Hangar 84 $12
OR
Bamboozle Day 1 @ The Meadowlands $57 (will probably be rained out)
OR
The Dead @ Wachovia Spectrum $54-482
OR
Silverstein, Norma Jean, Blessthefall, Before Their Eyes @ Rams Head Live $20
OR
Sum 41, Inward Eye, American Taxi @ Sonar $15 (or 5/6 @ Chameleon)

Sunday 5/3
Del the Funky Homosapien (Ice Cube's indie conscious cousin), Mike Relm, Bukue One @ 1st Unitarian $14
OR
Adele (Grammy), The Script (WVMM playlist) @ Electric Factory $34.50
OR
Gojira, The Chariot (ex-Norma Jean), Car Bomb @ TLA $20
OR
Bamboozle Day 2 @ The Meadowlands $57
OR
India Arie @ Rams Head Live $32.50

Monday 5/4
There For Tomorrow, Versa Emerge, Conditions, Alert the Media @ Hangar 84 $12
OR
The Used @ Chameleon $19

Wednesday 5/6 (I will be DJing a film festival after party)
Junior Boys, Max Tundra (Buzz Band) @ 1st Unitarian $14
OR
Franz Ferdinand, Born Ruffians @ Electric Factory $28
OR
Fischerspooner, Drop the Lime @ TLA $22 (or $20 5/10 @ 9:30 Club)
OR
Margot & The Nuclear So-and-so's @ B-sides FREE

Thursday 5/7
Lady Sovereign, Chester French (WVMM playlist), Hollywood Holt @ 1st Unitarian $14 (or $20 5/9 @ 9:30 Club or $15 5/11 w/ Ninjasonik & DJ DLake @ Sonar)
OR
Forgive Durden, Anarbor, You Me and Everyone We Know, The Goodnight Anthem @ The Barbary $10

Friday 5/8
Mastodon, Kylesa, Intronaut @ TLA $? (could be sold out, also $20 5/12 @ 9:30 Club)
OR
Forever the Sickest Kids, White Tie Affair, Mercy Mercedes, Tina Parol @ Croc Rock $15
OR
The Bouncing Souls, The Loved Ones, Black President, Detournement @ Chameleon $20

Saturday 5/9
Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Children of Bodom, Municipal Waste, God Forbid @ Electric Factory $40 (or $40 5/11 @ Rams Head Live)
OR
Ben Harper & Relentless7 @ TLA $? (could be sold out)
OR
KRS-One @ Sonar $25

Sunday 5/10
Holiday Parade, Great Wings, Agree to Disagree, Cityscapes, Lisa Cavallaro @ Hangar 84 $12

Monday 5/11
Philadelphia Slick (b-sides last year), Akil the MC (of Jurassic 5) @ World Cafe Live $10
OR
Protest the Hero, Misery Signals, The Number 12 Looks Like You @ TLA $16 (or $14 5/8 @ Sonar w/ Fall From Grace, Arlington Sleeps added)

Tuesday 5/12
SOLD OUT Animal Collective, Grouper @ Electric Factory $23 (also sold out 5/11 @ 9:30 Club)
OR
Watch Out! There's Ghosts & more TBA @ Hangar 84 $12
OR
Leonard Cohen @ Academy of Music $133-850

Wednesday 5/13
Oh Sleeper, Vanna @ Croc Rock $12
OR
B-52s @ Rams Head Live $45

Thursday 5/14
The Ataris, Troubador (Homeboy Music), more TBA @ Hangar 84 $12
OR
Jagermeister Tour: Pennywise, Pepper, Authority Zero, The Supervillains @ Electric Factory $27 (also $25 9/13 @ 9:30 Club)
OR
(21+) E. Ness & a million other people @ The Troc $15

Friday 5/15
Innerpartysystem, Jealousy Curve, DJ Q-ball (of Bloodhound Gang), The Four Year Sin, Always Second Favorite, Above Yesterday, Six O'Clock Saints @ Croc Rock $12
OR
Peaches @ TLA $23
OR
House Exit (Homeboy Music) & Alex Brubaker (Homeboy Music) @ Trez Music FREE

Saturday 5/16
The Shins, Delta Spirit @ Electric Factory $36 (minus opener $35 @ Rams Head 5/15)
OR
(21+) The Features, Dexateens, The Shackeltons (b-sides last year), Ceramic @ Khyber $8
OR
Watch Out! There's Ghosts, And Then There Were None, Sparks the Rescue, The Ready Set @ Croc Rock $10
AND/OR
Straylight Run (ex-Taking Back Sunday), Lovedrug, Good Old War @ Croc Rock $12

Sunday 5/17
Amber Pacific, Houston Calls, Farewell, Fight Fair, Alamance @ Croc Rock $14
OR
The Ting Tings, Static Brigade @ Sonar $23 (main stage)
OR
Lift Me Up Tour: Kate Voegele, Angel Taylor, Brannon Powers @ Sonar $15 (club stage)

Tuesday 5/19
The Secret Handshake, The Morning Of, My Favorite Highway, The Bigger Lights @ The Troc $12
OR
Madina Lake @ Croc Rock $12 (or $14 @ Chameleon w/ The Sleeping, Closure in Moscow)

Wednesday 5/20
Duff McKagan (of Guns'n'Roses & Velvet Revolver) @ Croc Rock $12
OR
Easy Star All-Stars (WVMM playlist), Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad @ World Cafe Live $15
OR
Keane @ Tower Theater $38-160

Friday 5/22
Butterfly Boucher, Lauren Hart @ World Cafe Live $7

Saturday 5/23
mewithoutYou (record release!), Danielson, Urban Sophisticates @ The Troc $14

Monday 5/25
Holy F***, Crocodiles (WVMM playlist), TBA @ Kungfu Necktie $12

Friday 5/29
The National, Colin Stetson @ Electric Factory $24 (also $25 5/24 @ 9:30 Club)

Saturday 5/30
(21+) A Camp (WVMM playlist), Gentleman Reg, Blame the Patient @ Johnny Brenda's $12 (all ages w/ Zee Avi instead of Blame the Patient 5/28 @ 9:30 Club $15)
OR
Gillie Da Kid @ Croc Rock $20
OR
An Early Ending, more TBA @ Champion Ship $tba
OR
House Exit (Homeboy Music), Hello Hawk, Noel McCleary @ Dillsburg Firehall FREE

Sunday 5/31
Santigold, Trouble Andrew, Amanda Blank @ Rams Head Live $25

Enjoy the shows! And whatever you do, don't tell me you were bored...

Show Review: Floor Plan

B-sides this week at Messiah was Floor Plan, a live trip-hop band that provided exactly what one would expect from something described as trip-hop: trippy hip-hop. It was chill, it was synthy and weird, the lyrics were frequently abstract, occasionally hilarious, and delivered in a haze that evoked every drug-addled alternate reality I've ever heard of. The band's fairly unique style and fascinating stage presence-including semichoreographed dance moves and colorful jumpsuits-made for an interesting show. Here's a video of them performing "Lemon" at Indiana Wesleyan to give you a clue:

Buzz Band: Tinted Windows

If this band doesn't blow up, the world is a lot less predictable than it used to be. Tinted Windows, featuring frontman Taylor Hanson (yes, Hanson), guitarist James Iha (of Smashing Pumpkins and A Perfect Circle), bassist Adam Schlesinger (of Fountains of Wayne and Ivy), and drummer Ben Carlos (of Cheap Trick-yeah, he's 57), has just released an album of ridiculously catchy powerpop and will be playing tonight on Jimmy Fallon (Conan's replacement, whose house band is The Roots). Here's a music video for "Kind of a Girl":

and an interview with the band from ShockTV:

Show Review: Spring Arts Day

This one may be a little biased, since I set up and ran sound for this event, along with DJing in between sets. Spring Arts Day is an annual festival put on by Messiah's Student Activities Board featuring live music, food, games, tie-dye, and other activities. This year the music was curated by WVMM, Messiah College radio (thus my involvement as a manager).

First up was a short acoustic set from The Legacy of Joseph-Michel Montgolfier, including singer-songwriters Phil Wilmot and Sincerely, Morgan featuring guitar, mandolin, ukelele, and a miniature banjo along with vocals from all three members present. Next was a jam session by singer-songwriter Kyle Morgan (vocals and guitar), Ethan Lichtenberger (bass), and SAB concert executive Steve Harpine (drummer of Pompeii & the Ashes). They mostly improvised, though they also covered The Beatles' "Come Together" and another song I didn't recognize. Following the jam, my fellow United Voices of Praise tenor Bro Calvin did a short set of gospel music with his brother. After a long break, Cole Cash came on to end the show, playing their brand of progressive rock. Bassist Michael Helms is one of my fellow philosophy students and occasionally joins me in jam sessions at the radio station. Though Cole Cash was not exactly a crowd favorite, probably due to their different sound and lyrical content, their between-song banter, story-telling, and intensity made it an interesting show. Expect upcoming Homeboy Music profiles on several of these.
Here's a video of Bro Calvin performing at Coffeehouse a while back featuring a verse by my man Ben Stolz (aka Prodigy of the Street Disciples):

Show Review: Extra Golden

Kenyan folk rockers Extra Golden brought their unique brand of music to Messiah for b-sides on Wednesday. Attracting an unusual amount of outside fans (most of which were obviously far out of college), they eventually had a small group enthusiastically dancing along to their African rhythms.

Show Review: Acoustic Relay for Life Benefit

Bad Graphics Ghost, a Relay for Life team at my school, put on an acoustic show in the Fishbowl Tuesday night to raise money for cancer research. Featured artists included Justin Arawjo of Raise Up Roof Beams (great local indie/folk) who played originals and a Neautral Milk Hotel cover, Josiah Long and David Rosentrater (all covers with guitar & djembe), a surprise appearance by Kelly Neibert, and Tyler Chick of The Greenwash (ska/rock/insanity [expect an upcoming Homeboy Music profile]) doing originals and covers of Bob Marley, Belle and Sebastian, and a hilarious folk song. Despite the sounds of a movie playing upstairs, the intimate atmosphere (and admittedly small audience) provided a great, interactive experience, with each performer asking the audience what they wanted to hear almost throughout their sets. I was struck with the feeling that this was what college was all about.

Show Review: The Apathy Eulogy CD Release

Saturday night my sister and I drove down to Towson (MD) for The Apathy Eulogy's CD release show at the Recher Theatre. The show had sold out all the venue tickets in advance, so we myspaced (yeah, I just used that as a verb) the band to get some of their tickets, they called us back, and the box player gave them to us in person, which was pretty sweet.

This was the best possible show idea a local band could have-not only was TAE having a CD released, but Dropout Year was releasing a new album, and Oh the Story was releasing an EP. Offering a free copy of each of these new records with every ticket purchased, along with a free CD from Maddison, they easily packed out the Theatre.

The Recher is in a great location in the center of a college town near both Baltimore and DC, within walking distance of food, parking, and shopping-all key parts of pre- and post-show activity.

Openers Victory By Revenge got things started with a cover of Lady GaGa's "Just Dance", building to the climactic "Pillowfight", when they literally threw pillows into the crowd in a great bit of crowd interaction. They put on a pretty good show, obviously enjoying themselves opening for Dropout Year (for whose set they were visible backstage rocking out and singing along).


Maddison was a totally different vibe. The frontman's vocals, though enthusiastic, sung into an old-style microphone, and even decent on record, sound like a third-rate imitation of a cross between The Blood Brothers and Coheed and Cambria live. The bass player's backup vocals and occasional screaming sounded much better. The band's instrumentals were excellent (especially the lead guitar), and they put on an energetic live show, but I just couldn't seem to get past the lead vocal.

Oh the Story's powerpop was a great change of pace, with spot on vocals from a frontman obviously having a ball being a rockstar, claiming he secretly wants to be in a metal band and putting on a show comparable to any screamo or hardcore band, just with a much mellower sound and catchier choruses. I found myself singing and dancing along to music I'd never heard before, drawn in by the band's electric stage presence and the crowd's visible enthusiasm.

Local stalwarts Dropout Year celebrated the release of their new album in style, playing an even mix of old songs and new jams to a crowd filled with old friends that they occasionally shouted out throughout the show. Refreshingly unscene in a lineup of bands that appear and attract the scenest of the scene, their pop-punk anthems had the crowd at their beck and call for most of their lengthy set.

Headlining the evening was the band I came to see-The Apathy Eulogy. Recommended by my friend Reuben (who once did their photography) and Sara (who was my new band news girl throughout high school), I've been a fan since I first saw them at Purple Door a few years ago-a gig they got by winning a contest. Seeing them at a club near their hometown was a great experience. For once I wasn't one of the few singing along with every song, but in a crowd filled with others who loved them just as much as I did. Their tight harmonies (recently augmented by the addition of a bassist who also sings), interplay of acoustic guitars, synth, and the box makes for a standout sound in the world of ridiculously catchy lyrical "emo" and "indie" pop. Performing several of the new songs along with nearly all their most-beloved older ones, they put on a great show. I highly recommend you go see them whenever you get the chance (they're playing in Manassas, VA on Friday and will be back in Bmore on May 2nd).

Show Review: Pistolera

Hey guys! Sorry I've been so behind on posting recently, I've been really busy with DJing Spring Fling and my sister's Sweet 16, catching up on some homework, Easter Break, work, etc.

Last week's b-sides was Pistolera, whose name means "female gunslinger". A Brooklyn band playing what they call "Latin alt-folklorico", which as far as I can tell means folk-flavored banda, rock-tinged cumbia, and Latin-flavored folk. They put on a fairly good show, with many audience members getting up and dancing-no easy feat at b-sides. Here's a "short biopic" video I found:

Show Review: Bishop Allen

Brooklyn indie rockers Bishop Allen paid Messiah College a visit last night at b-sides and put on an amazing show. I've been looking forward to this one since I got their record here at the V a while back. Coincidentally, they shot to #2 on our playlist this week just in time for the show.


Bishop Allen is primarily made up of Justin Rice and Christian Rudder, who started the band recording in a bedroom in Virginia after having a radio show and a hardcore punk band together at Harvard, though on this tour they were joined by 3 other musicians. They've released one self-recorded full length, a 4 song ep for every month of 2006 (except August, which was a live album), and two studio full-lengths including their latest "Grrr..." Their lyrical, catchy pop rock has earned them spots soundtracking everything from Sony ads to the movie Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.

They put on one of the better b-sides this year, playing songs throughout their catalog-even some fan favorites called out from the audience that some band members weren't familiar with. Everyone on stage played multiple instruments and/or provided vocals at some point, making for brilliant harmonies and a diverse sound that had audience members alternately dancing and contemplating life's mysteries.

Show Review: Sweet Brag Tour

The Devil Wears Prada's Sweet Brag Tour has been selling out everywhere (they sold out the Troc in Philly on a Monday night before I could get tickets). I got to hit up the show at Rams Head in Bmore, which was also sold out, with my homeboy Alex Brubaker and some friends.

This was my first time at Rams Head, and I liked it a lot. The lack of a separate bar section makes for a more diverse crowd, and there was a great atmosphere. The show was somewhat oversold, though, so many people were stuck in the not one but two balconies-a bit frustrating for a hardcore show. I, however, was down front, so my problem was more along the lines of being crushed against the barrier.












Opening act Emarosa put on a fairly good show, with excellent vocals that for some reason reminded both me and several people around me of an R&B singer (the clean vocals anyway). This might have been part of the frontman's performance style, since he danced around sort of like an R&B singer would.
Next up was Sky Eats Airplane, who were very impressive live. Great crowd interaction, facilitated by platforms built for the frontman's antics, along with some intense breakdowns and excellent screaming made for a great atmosphere.













A large portion of the crowd was there to see A Day To Remember, even more than TDWP. I've never been able to take them completely seriously, considering I first heard them through their cover of "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson (which they managed to restrain themselves from playing) and always thought they sounded like a pop punk band with some screaming. Their live show changed my mind completely. Though catchy, they are actually very hardcore, with great breakdowns, especially on their newer material-including one song where Mike from TDWP (who was missing a few teeth) joined them on stage. The crowd was all theirs, singing and screaming along to nearly every lyric, even those from the new album, but especially to closer "The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle".
The Devil Wears Prada has been one of my favorite hardcore bands since I first saw them at Purple Door a couple years ago. They put on an insane live show, and this was no exception. From the moment they ran out on stage, the packed house went nuts. Running through a slew of their older material and a few songs off the soon-to-be-released "With Roots Above and Branches Below", along with their amazing cover of the Big Tymers' "Still Fly" from the Punk Goes Crunk compilation, they closed with an epic encore of "Hey John, What's Your Name Again?" My only disappointment was that I had a fractured pinky still in a splint from the Flatfoot 56 show (review here) and couldn't go in the pit. Overall, it was a great night.
[click here for more pictures]

Show Review: Mike-E

So I missed most of Mike-E's show because I was acting in this video.

I got there for the last few songs, which were great. Evidently he is an Ethiopian rapper who also does spoken word poetry and tours with a full band, the keyboardist/bgv of which has his own music and the dj of which tours with Xzibit and other hip-hop heavyweights. The whole show is called AfroFlow.

Show Review: Josh Ritter and John Francis

Last Friday night brilliant songwriter Josh Ritter and Messiah graduate John Francis graced us with their presence, providing a combination of songwriting ability and showmanship unparalleled in my experience. Opener John Francis regaled us with several original songs and a Leonard Cohen, along with one by collaborator Kelley McRae. McRae was a surprise appearance, joining Francis on stage for several songs. They exhibited a shared love for Johnny Cash, whose son Francis has recorded with. He even did a song incorporating Cash's last words to his son as part of the chorus.

Josh Ritter was quite the showman for such a quality songwriter. I have rarely seen such a combination, and it was greatly appreciated since I was unfamiliar with much of his music. Catchy tunes and memorable lyrics are quickly picked up, however, and I was soon singing along with he and most of the crowd filled with diehard fans. His between song banter was hilarious, including constant jokes about one of his band member's waxed mustache. Regular Messiah concert-goers were heard speculating that it was the best show ever in Brubaker Auditorium.

Show Update: The Khyber and World Cafe Live

So Tina reminded me that the Khyber has all ages shows that are sweet from time to time, and Farewell Flight reminded me to check World Cafe Live, so here's some other shows to add to the huge list below...

Colin Hay @ World Cafe 4/6 and 4/7 $30
Reilly (music video release) and Farewell Flight @ World Cafe 4/14 $10
The Pink Spiders, Zolof the Rock'n'Roll Destroyer @ The Khyber 4/3 $10
We Shot the Moon (ex-Waking Ashland), The Scenic (acoustic), The Fold @ The Khyber 4/10 $12
Confide, Therefore I Am, Oceana, To Speak Of Wolves @ The Khyber 4/26 $10

Also, look forward to upcoming show reviews of Josh Ritter and John Francis, Mike-E, TDWP & ADTR's Sweet Brag Tour, and tonight's b-sides. Peace & love!