That would be Church of Boston back on September 25, when they supported The Humans, not your usual Sunday service – though could you imagine that? I uploaded this recently, but never mentioned it, so as I recover from my band resources and prep my ‘Favorite Shows of 2011’, here’s a little video treat for you.
Take Note! If you’re doing First Night, they’ll be bringing their “posse” once again to the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street, starting at 7:30 and going until 11pm.
Here’s something a little different from me, in amongst all the existential angst and bitter regrets. Well ok, it’s a song about a lost love, but it’s sung in such a sweetly reminiscent way, you almost don’t feel so bad for him.
Randall Kromm, lawyer by day, folk singer by night; it seems like a strange dichotomy, but his songs are about real life experiences and everyday challenges, and what can be more real and challenging than balancing the life of a musician with another life as a lawyer, husband and father of four? He’s performed at coffeehouses, open mikes, and clubs in the Boston area, including a sold-out show at the legendary Club Passim, and released his debut album, Water Wheel, earlier this year. He also has a collection of seasonal songs called Holidays and Homecomings. He counts among his fans seasoned performers Christine Lavin and Don White.
Randall has two shows coming up – a performance of holiday songs with other local musicians at Main Streets Market and Cafe in Concord on December 22 at 7pm, and at an open mic at Emerson Umbrella on January 9, 2012, along with songwriter Laura Gold.
One of my favorite bands, Rademacher, have just released a little taste from their second in a series of BabyHawk EPs, which is due out October 4. It can be pre-ordered here. The track listing is as follows: Orchestra, Magic Words, Honestly, Up In The Air, Success, Orchestra (reprised). This EP trilogy is about the rise and fall of a fictional indie rock band named BabyHawk. The song below is “Magic Words,” and it’s classic Rademacher – smart, sentimental, sweet, and wistfully sad, with acoustic guitar, warm percussion, softly swelling organ lines and just a pinch of electronics. Oh, so good.
“It was a pretty good gig, I guess
for dinner and drinks and tips
sometimes I wanna go back there
I just wish that I could find the address
and sometimes I wish time would move backwards
wish I knew which magic words worked best
I woke up from a dream…” – Magic Words
They’re playing a batch of terribly unhelpful California shows (see below). Well, it’s great if you happen to live there. For the rest of us… we wait.
Sep 23 w/Built Like Alaska @ Black Box Theater – Merced, CA
Sep 30 FUSE Festival – Fresno, CA
Oct 06 w/Light FM @ Fulton 55 – Fresno, CA
Oct 09 w/Matt + Kim @ Festival of Hope – Tulare, CA
Oct 11 w/Manhattan Murder Mystery @ The Satellite – Los Angeles, CA
Oct 14 Luigi’s Funhouse – Sacramento, CA
Oct 15 Sophia’s Thai Kitchen – Davis, CA
Oct 22 The Starry Plough – Berkeley, CA
Here’s some very cool news for music fans in the Boston area. There’s a new club in town, and a new record store as well (yes, a record store), both moving into what’s turning out to be the next Hipster Haven, Union Square in Somerville. Already there’s P.A’s Lounge, Sally O’Brien’s, Precinct and Starlab. Add to that Radio, which has its grand opening October 7. And while you’re waiting for the first band to come on, you can do a little rekkid shopping at Somerville Grooves.
Here’s some seriously great news which I’m finally getting around to posting. For all you Rademacher fans out there (and if not, why not?), the long-awaited follow-up to the 2007 release Stunts is just a few weeks away. Baby Hawk (Park I of III) is available for pre-order on bandcamp and will be released Tuesday, July 5th. The album will be available via itunes and emusic on July 12th. Have a listen to the complete song below, or go to their soundcloud page to listen to each instrument separately. Cool. For those uninitiated: poignant and raw, deceptively simple lyrics that cut to the bone, set against slick, interesting pop music (with more sophistication and sonic magic of late). Dive in.
“All the best songs / are love songs / I don’t think that you can argue / no, I don’t think you can argue that… convenient explanations for the way things are… who really cares? / who really knows? / who’s responsibility is this?”
They’ll also be on the road starting July 1, though for the time being, just in Cali. However… somewhat reliable sources tell me there are plans to come East in the fall. Hopefully this time they’ll make it past Chicago.
First Show ~ TONIGHT ~ with Brian Carpenter & The Confessions and The Slomski Brothers!
Beautiful and entrancing, Bury Me Standing features gypsy Balkan melodies with gorgeously flowing vocals from Bulgarian Vesela Morova, a Berklee student with a background in jazz voice and improvisation, who sings in her native tongue. Vessela Stoyanova (Goli, Fluttr Effect) performs on a very special MIDI marimba; Nate Greenslit (HUMANWINE, What Time Is It Mr. Fox and Molly Zenobia) is on percussion; Tony Leva, upright bass; and Erik James on alto sax. From marimba magic on “Jovano” (perfectly complementing Vesela’s voice), to something darker, denser, and more experimental in “Lordosis”, Bury Me Standing is mysterious and exotic, fusing diverse musical traditions – traditional Balkan, jazz, psychedelic, ambient, pop, and experimental.
Walking Sleep (formerly known as The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra) just released Tarp Sessions, Vol. 1, the first of three FREE EPs they’ll be releasing, leading up to their month-long residency in April at The Satellite (formerly known as Spaceland). The EP is named for their “recording studio” – an old industrial tarp factory in downtown Los Angeles – that lends a lovely spacious ambiance to their expansive 60s sound (hints of The Zombies, Motown soul, Fleetwood Mac) and a bright, vibrant live feel.
old Rademacher press photo. maybe it'll embarrass them into getting a new one. maybe not.
UPDATE:(from press release) “Rademacher, will be playing several dates in Southern and Central California during the month of April and will return to the studio to record the follow up to their full length debut, STUNTS…. The new record, titled BABY HAWK, will be engineered by Josiah Mazzachi (of Los Angeles band Light FM) at his Eagle Rock, CA studio, The Cave. The band will be releasing Baby Hawk on their own label, Hot Mess Magic, in three parts, with material being released digitally in June, August and a final and physical release slated for December of 2011.”
Two yummy treats from College Kids and Rademacher. Finally getting around to posting these. Enjoy.
Northampton-based Darlingside has a sound seeped in tradition, yet with a spritely pop momentum. Cello, violin, acoustic and bass guitar blend together elegantly, with crisp front-and-center percussion driving it forward, and soulful, impassioned vocals that break out into glorious 5-part harmony. Featured at times are are violin and cello duets; mandolin and pennywhistle add to the traditional and timeless feel.
Some of my favorite concert moments - Walter Sickert (& the Army of Broken Toys), Iggy Pop (and The Stooges), Sarah Negahdari (of The Happy Hollows) and Evelyn Evelyn
While I didn’t get out nearly as much as I would have liked in this crazy year, what I did see was pretty wonderful. New Year’s Resolution: See More Live Shows! Here’s my top ten list, in chronological order.
