For those who don't know, The Juliana Theory was a Pittsburgh 6-piece act that participated in the huge growth of emo/screamo in the late 90s and early 00s before breaking up in 2006. The frontman went solo, and 3 other members formed a band called Vesta. This year they played 6 shows as a celebration of the 10th anniversary of their influential album Emotion Is Dead.
I was able to catch their show in Philly at The Troc (my favorite venue) with my sister. We have been listening to The Juliana Theory since about 2007, and always regretted not being able to see them live, so this was a phenomenal opportunity.
They took the stage a bit later than expected, but the sold-out crowd was mostly getting drinks in the upstairs bar section, an older demographic than the average show here. Opening with a set of favorites from their other albums, the band gradually overcame an initial awkwardness between frontman Brett Detar and the rest of the members. This discomfort was consistent with the rumors about his ego causing their split, and clearly evidenced by his obvious enjoyment of working the crowd, etc., while the instrumentalists seemed to slog through as one would a desk job. [edit: an insider assures me this is not the case and that the band thoroughly enjoys each others' company both onstage and off]
When they returned to play EID in its entirety, the crowd's excitement and their own love of the songs overcame their differences and led to much more showmanship and interaction from all of the band members. They easily surmounted the challenges of playing songs they'd never done live before, such as "Something Isn't Right Here", much to the crowd's satisfaction. The absolutely epic 'big rock ending' of "Goodnight, Goodnight" had hardly faded when crowd chanting brought them back for a further encore so lengthy as to almost be called a third set.
The band's comfort on stage, once it developed, was obvious, cracking jokes about a fight with security the last time they played The Troc and wondering why Philly always provides a better crowd than their home in Pittsburgh. Their showmanship throughout was phenomenal, with Brett's magnetic personality and elvish Michael Jackson appearance centering it all as the crowd sang along. I only wish I could go see them again like the multiple fans present planning on traveling to all 6 shows.
9/9/10
Free Download: Cuey Sings The Blues
OnCue just released his mixtape Cuey Sings The Blues on Tuesday, which you might remember from my previous post. It features extensive production by my man CJ Luzi, whose official website http://www.cjluzi.com is now up! You can find a download link on that page. Check them both out, give it a listen, and support hip-hop sampling from some different sources. Seems like big names are getting on board with this type of project now that Kanye has Bon Iver singing on his tracks and whatnot. This is the next big thing.If you like what you hear, get at them on Facebook: OnCue & CJ Luzi.
9/3/10
Sassy September
Sunday 9/5
4&3 Music Fest: featuring Corpus Christi, Darry Miller & the Veil and 18 others @ The Champ 2 PM $10 [e-mail df1188@messiah.edu for tickets]
OR
Texas in July @ Hangar 84 $10
OR
Jeff Waters @ Cornerstone Coffee 6:30 PM FREE
OR
(21+) Making Time Labor Day Weekend Freakout: Boys Noize, Erol Alkan, Making Time DJs @ Bamboo Bar 4 PM $15
Wednesday 9/8
OR
Friday 9/10
Flyleaf @ Electric Factory 8:30 PM $28
OR
(18+) Taxlo Dance Party: Goodbye Dave Nada feat DJ Dave Nada, DJ Simon Phoenix, DJ Cullen Stalin @ Talking Head Club 9 PM $8
Saturday 9/11
OR
OR
Kottonmouth Kings @ Rams Head Live 7 PM $20 (or 9/13 @ TLA)
OR
OR
OR
Little Brother, Dice Raw (of The Roots), Truck North, DJ Statik @ TLA 9 PM $20
OR
Hoots & Hellmouth, Eli Charleston @ Appalachian Brewing Company 9 PM $12
OR
Spoon, The Shackeltons @ The Forum (Harrisburg State Capitol) 7:30 PM $35
OR
Hoots & Hellmouth, Eli Charleston @ Appalachian Brewing Company 9 PM $12
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Spoon, The Shackeltons @ The Forum (Harrisburg State Capitol) 7:30 PM $35
Sunday 9/12
OR
Tuesday 9/14
OR
Lady Gaga @ Wells Fargo Center 8 PM $50-175
OR
Wednesday 9/15
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Jose Conde Trio @ B-sides 10 PM FREE
OR
Lady Gaga @ Wells Fargo Center 8 PM $50-175
OR
Thursday 9/16
Friday 9/17
OR
Pavement @ The Mann Center 6 PM $37.50
OR
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Jason DeRulo @ TLA 7:30 PM $25
Saturday 9/18
OR
CI Records Store 15th Anniversary: Darry Miller & the Veil, Mike McMonagle, Oceans in Love, Ben Rothermel, Free the Empire, Hunter Kurtz @ Chameleon 7 PM $10
OR
OR
Monday 9/20
Tuesday 9/21
Wednesday 9/22
Friday 9/24
Making Time Summer of Radness Finale: LCD Soundsystem, Sleigh Bells, Making Time DJs @ Philly Naval Yard 9 PM $25
Saturday 9/25
High School Battle of the Bands featuring House Exit @ The Champ $10
OR
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Virgin Mobile Fest @ Merriweather Post Pavilion $125
Monday 9/27
Tuesday 9/28
Wednesday 9/29
OR
Gold Motel @ B-sides 10 PM FREE
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Dan Deacon, Wolf Eyes, Get 'Em Mamis, DJ Dog Dick, Sewn Leather @ Rams Head Live 7 PM FREE w/ student ID ($10)
Thursday 9/30
Margot & the Nuclear So-and-sos, Lonely Forest, Cameron McGill and What Army @ 1st Unitarian 7:30 PM $13
OR
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6/18/10
Show Review: Letter to the Exiles
When an old friend is a member of a signed band that is touring through the area, go. That underlying principle led me to an awesome metal band: Letter to the Exiles, on Strike First Records (an imprint of Facedown).
Mark Randazzo, who I have known since we were kids, plays guitar for LttE. When they were playing a show in Wilmington, DE, he called some old friends from Sandy Cove since it was nearby and put us on the guestlist. The venue was a sketchy-looking joint in a strip mall called Mojo 13, the facade covered with an enormous evil clown face with light-up red eyes. The guts of this beast were similarly garbed, with bizarre burlesque posters adorning the walls next to virtually infinite band stickers. Split into two portions, the bar and the stage area are 21+ and all ages, respectively (or at least were for this show). Since it was a week before my 21st birthday, I kept to the stage portion. After a high school hardcore band cut their set short due to the lead guitarist's broken string and lack of replacements, a series of 3 local bands played some 80s and Slayer-style metal, pointing out the touring bands and welcoming them to Delaware. Their fans consisted of what seemed to be the bar regulars, all old-school metalheads, and a young mentally challenged man who carried drumsticks with him, playing phenomenal heavy beats on whatever surface came to hand for whoever would watch and/or listen.
To this crowd came a coordinated assault of a more hardcore-oriented variety, with pounding double bass pedals and propulsive riffs dropping into massive breakdowns that made the small crowd painfully aware of its inability to form a decent mosh pit. The obvious distinctions between a national touring act and a local opener were not limited to stylistic choices, however. Letter to the Exiles' well-coordinated headbanging, jumping, and other theatrics made for a fascinating show, even converting my fellow members of the guestlist from their opener-induced anti-screaming prejudice. The late hour and one person's throbbing headache caused a rapid exodus after the show, however, so I was unable to purchase merch or talk to the band as much as I might have otherwise liked. Be sure to catch them next time they come through your town, as this first national tour will by no means be their last.
Mark Randazzo, who I have known since we were kids, plays guitar for LttE. When they were playing a show in Wilmington, DE, he called some old friends from Sandy Cove since it was nearby and put us on the guestlist. The venue was a sketchy-looking joint in a strip mall called Mojo 13, the facade covered with an enormous evil clown face with light-up red eyes. The guts of this beast were similarly garbed, with bizarre burlesque posters adorning the walls next to virtually infinite band stickers. Split into two portions, the bar and the stage area are 21+ and all ages, respectively (or at least were for this show). Since it was a week before my 21st birthday, I kept to the stage portion. After a high school hardcore band cut their set short due to the lead guitarist's broken string and lack of replacements, a series of 3 local bands played some 80s and Slayer-style metal, pointing out the touring bands and welcoming them to Delaware. Their fans consisted of what seemed to be the bar regulars, all old-school metalheads, and a young mentally challenged man who carried drumsticks with him, playing phenomenal heavy beats on whatever surface came to hand for whoever would watch and/or listen.
To this crowd came a coordinated assault of a more hardcore-oriented variety, with pounding double bass pedals and propulsive riffs dropping into massive breakdowns that made the small crowd painfully aware of its inability to form a decent mosh pit. The obvious distinctions between a national touring act and a local opener were not limited to stylistic choices, however. Letter to the Exiles' well-coordinated headbanging, jumping, and other theatrics made for a fascinating show, even converting my fellow members of the guestlist from their opener-induced anti-screaming prejudice. The late hour and one person's throbbing headache caused a rapid exodus after the show, however, so I was unable to purchase merch or talk to the band as much as I might have otherwise liked. Be sure to catch them next time they come through your town, as this first national tour will by no means be their last.
5/25/10
Darry Miller & The Veil CD Release
This Saturday at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, Darry Miller & the Veil will be releasing their EP "Green" on Ripple Creative Records. Supporting acts include Leona Avenue, They Were Only Satellites, Ak-Maurice (also featured on the EP), The Beggar Folk, and Dooligus. Tickets are $10 in advance, and come with a complimentary copy of the EP at the door. Contact the band for ticket availability.
If you can't make it out Saturday, they will also be playing at my birthday show, at which they will be donating a percentage of CD sales to To Write Love On Her Arms. I will be working Saturday, but I'm picking up my copy at my birthday show, and should be posting a review here soon after. Be sure to come out to at least one of these shows and support good local music!
If you can't make it out Saturday, they will also be playing at my birthday show, at which they will be donating a percentage of CD sales to To Write Love On Her Arms. I will be working Saturday, but I'm picking up my copy at my birthday show, and should be posting a review here soon after. Be sure to come out to at least one of these shows and support good local music!
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