screams, whispers and songs from planet earth

Tag: The Clean

Seeing Out The Year That Was: My 12 Favorite Shows of 2012

A last minute addition: The Magnetic Fields at Symphony Hall for First Night (last night)

A last minute addition: The Magnetic Fields at Symphony Hall for First Night (last night)

It’s a good thing I held off posting this, because I’ve just made it an even dozen in honor of the year that just flew by, 2012. The last one? A band I had the immense pleasure of seeing for the first time, on First Night just last night at the majestic Symphony Hall. [Why do they call it “First Night”? Shouldn’t it be “Last Night”?]

I saw a total of 24 shows this year. Not a whole lot for a music blogger, but I’ll tell you—nearly all of them were spectacular. That’s damn good odds. I’ve heard some people say that 2012 was an awful year. What I’ll say, from my personal perspective, is this: 2012 was a year of massive challenges and difficulties, but the rewards, if you were prepared to step up, and I mean step up in a major way, were equally impressive. It was most definitely not a year for lightweights. But it’s all moving forward, and it’s moving forward quickly. Hold on to something sturdy, because I have a feeling 2013 is going to be just as intense. Remember, with challenge comes opportunity. Happy New Year, everyone.

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Tally Ho! The Clean Conquer Allston!

Hamish Kilgour of The Clean, at Brighton Music Hall

Hamish and David Kilgour of The Clean, at Brighton Music Hall

It’s easy to be cynical about music these days, with so many bland, mediocre bands that commandeer the increasingly homogeneous radio airwaves and mainstream media. But there are those rare moments when a group of musicians have that special synergy and love of performance, that can transcend everything else and make all those years seem to instantly vanish. We’re all back at the beginning, when everything was fresh and exciting. The joy of discovery, and of rediscovery. All Hail The Clean!

For those who can catch one of their few remaining shows here on the East Coast, they’re also selling a very limited edition 2LP vinyl pressing of “Oddities,” their 1994 Flying Nun release. Rolling Stone talks about it in their article today. The first 200 pressings of the 1000 total are on very pretty yellow vinyl. Really nice.

See my loving appreciation – and the rest of their handful of U.S. tour dates – on Ryan’s Smashing Life.

Robert Scott

Robert Scott

Robert Scott and Hamish Kilgour

Robert Scott and Hamish Kilgour

This is pretty close, though they (sadly) didn't play Beatnik

This is pretty close, though they (sadly) didn't play Beatnik


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