Shakey Graves @ Burton Cummings Theatre - Winnipeg
May 9th 2022: Shakey Graves with Begonia @ Burton Cummings Theatre - Winnipeg
Shakey Graves - Photos Courtesy of Jenny Ramone
Shakey Graves’ first appearance in front of a Winnipeg audience was back in 2014 at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. His presence was so beloved, that he was invited back the following year. Clearly making lifelong fans in the prairie city, Shakey Graves returned May 9 to a sold-out crowd at the city’s historic Burton Cumming’s Theatre.
The evening began with Shakey Graves solo on stage with a guitar and suitcase kick drum. He grabbed the audience’s attention immediately and kept the Monday night crowd captivated for the duration of the night. After a stripped-down version of the Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind”, Shakey Graves brought out his 5 piece band and performed songs spanning his entire discography. The band ripped through “Kids These Days”, “Mansion Door” and “Family and Genus” before launching into fan-favorite sing-along “Dearly Departed”. Returning to a solo set up Shakey Graves regaled the crowd with an antidote of his adventure in the Winnipeg Folk Festival campground before playing “If Not For You” and break out hit “Roll The Bones”. The show was wrapped with a duet of Neil Young’s “Unknown Legend” with the opening act Begonia.
Winnipeg’s own Begonia opened the night with a powerful 45 min set. The excitement to see a hometown artist kicking off the night was palpable and the crowd welcomed the band with open arms. Alexa Dirk’s voice was in peak form as she screamed her way through “Fear” and then brought it right back down for fan-favorite “Hot Dog Stand”.
Begonia
Girl Talk @ Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn
April 28th 2022: Girl Talk with Hugh Augustine @ Brooklyn Steel - Brooklyn
Girl Talk in Brooklyn - Photos Courtesy of Edwina Hay
At the end of March, the producer known as Girl Talk (a.k.a. Gregg Gillis) began his first tour in nine years, which is currently wrapping up on the east coast. On Thursday, April 28th, the tour came to Brooklyn Steel for a sold-out show.
The night began at 8:30 PM with a set from Los Angeles rapper, Hugh Augustine. Augustine revealed to the audience it was his first time in New York and was extremely appreciative to finally perform in New York City, where his genre was born in the Bronx nearly fifty years ago. He was a fitting choice to go on before Girl Talk, at one point instructing and leading the audience to dance in a two-step before starting one of his songs.
Girl Talk’s performances have been known to be sweaty, dance-filled affairs and that has not changed in the last ten years. Some audience members were escorted on stage to surround Gillis while he played his music which samples songs from a variety of genres. Throughout the night, we heard the vocals of many contemporary rap acts such as Vince Staples, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, City Girls, Nicki Minaj, Three 6 Mafia, Future, and A$AP Ferg over the music by Elastica, Pixies, Nirvana, Elvis Costello, Green Day, Hole, and others. In addition to dancing, the audience sang along loudly to songs by Kelly Clarkson (“Since You’ve Been Gone”), Gayle (“abcdefu”), and Lit (“My Own Worst Enemy”). Throughout the set, there were balloons, confetti, water, toilet paper, and other items that fell onto people from above.
Hugh Augustine
Mimi Webb @ House of Blues - Chicago
April 9th: Mimi Webb @ House of Blues - Chicago
Mimi Webb in Chicago - Photos Courtesy of Ann Storlie
English pop singer-songwriter Mimi Webb made her way across the pond as opening act for Tate McRae’s North American tour at the House of Blues in Chicago. Her fans showed up in droves, as it was clear from the moment she walked on stage that Mimi Webb’s fans made up a large amount of the audience.
Hailed the “Queen of breakups” due to her mass of heartbreak ballads, Mimi Webb opened her set with “Before I Go” and “Little Bit Louder.” Her mega-watt smile and magnetic personality were on full display as she performed more tracks from her first EP Seven Shades of Heartbreak, including “Halfway,” “24/5,” and “Dumb Love.”
A memorable part of Webb’s set was when she introduced a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You,” telling fan’s that her father encouraged her to sing the song at every family event – and reminded fans to never give up on their dreams.
Webb closed her energetic performance with her newest release “House on Fire” before slowing things down for “Good Without” – lit by the glow of a venue full of flashlights.
The Flaming Lips @ Riviera Theatre - Chicago
The Flaming Lips @ Riviera Theatre - Chicago
The Flaming Lips in Chicago - Photos Courtesy of Amanda Huerta
The Flaming Lips have always held a special place in my heart. I remember seeing them for the first time at Riot Fest in 2014, I was alone and standing in the back of the crowd, and yet watching their set still felt so intimate. The lights, the balloons, the crowd interaction, and the emotion that came through when they finished their set with Race For The Prize (something I still feel to this day) were unforgettable.
Last week The Flaming Lips made their way to Chicago’s Riviera Theatre on their ‘American Head’ tour with a special set. The Heartless Bastards were unable to perform this show due to illness, so The Flaming Lips planned an extended set for the night. Their performance consisted of hits off of American Head, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Embryonic, Soft Bulletin, and more. This concert was an explosion of excitement, they go above and beyond for their fans and it’s easy to see that. From being a die-hard fan or someone who only knows a few songs (or even someone who doesn’t know The Flaming Lips already), it would be impossible to not have the time of your life at one of their shows.
Be sure to catch The Flaming Lips on the rest of their American Head tour!
04-25 Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom
04-28 Boise, ID - Knitting Factory
04-29 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
04-30 Spokane, WA - Knitting Factory
05-02 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
05-03 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
05-04 Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo
05-06 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
05-07 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
05-09 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
05-25 Leeds, England - Stylus
05-26 Liverpool, England - Invisible Wind Factory
05-30 Aylesbury, England - Waterside Theatre
06-01 Bexhill, England - De la Warr Pavilion
06-02 London, England - O2 Forum Kentish Town
07-22 Galway, Ireland - Galway Int’l Arts Fest
Vacations with Discuss @ Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
Vacations with Discuss and Dreamgirl @ Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
Photos and words courtesy of Gerri Fernandez | March 20th, 2022
The night began with Chicago locals Discus opening up the show to a full and excited crowd. The audience swayed to the melodic sounds and gave back the same energy Discus provided while on stage. Dreamgirl came on next with everyone singing along to the angelic voice of lead singer Lacey. There was an extra bounce in the crowd as Dreamgirl performed with screams and delighted fans throughout the set. After leaving the stage soundcheck began for the headliner and the excitement grew as smoke started to fill the air. The lights dimmed and Vacations took the stage to a roaring crowd. From the very first song, you could hear and see the joy from fans. The mood only intensified as the night went on with most people closing their eyes as they danced. Through the smoke and light show, you could feel Vacations energy as if it was the first night they played. Even after the show, you could hear people sighing in elation and commenting "what a great show."
DISCUSS
DREAMGIRL
Bitch @ Rockwood Music Hall - New York City
April 13th 2022: Bitch @ Rockwood Music Hall - New York City
Bitch in NYC - Photos Courtesy of Joseph O'Malley (they/she)
Bitch’s live show at Rockwood Music Hall could have easily come as a surprise to any fans that discovered her solely through playlists and music streaming. The night ran more like a theatrical one-woman-show than a concert, complete with props, monologues, and comedic audience participation. Thankfully, it fit right in with the downtown Manhattan crowd, many of whom were friends, and all of which felt like a warm community.
Fans laughed and sang along as Bitch told a series of autobiographical stories and played through the majority of their most recent release, Bitchcraft. They also were met with cheers for some older tracks like “Pussy Manifesto,” which reaches back to her time producing material with writing partner Animal. The synth-laden pop of Bitchcraft does stand up on its own - some highlights from the record include “You’re the Man” and “Easy Target” - but it’s clear that Bitch’s fans are in it for the long haul, and that her live persona and comedic social commentary are what keep them coming back in the long years between her music releases.
Soccer Mommy with Peel Dream Magazine @ Headliners Music Hall - Louisville, KY
Soccer Mommy with Peel Dream Magazine @ Headliners Music Hall-Louisville, KY
Photos and Words Courtesy of Emily May
Sophie Allison, better know by her stage name Soccer Mommy, brought her current tour to Louisville, KY recently to a packed house! Opening the show this evening was Brooklyn shoe gaze/indie-pop band Peel Dream Magazine, the brainchild of Brooklyn artist Joe Stevens. The band recently released their sophomore LP Agitprop Alterna, that pays homage to bands like My Bloody Valentine and early Stereolab, as well as Yo La Tengo and Rocketship. Performing plenty of earlier material, along with plenty of songs from the new album, the band gave the crowd a well rounded set of songs! From slower, more melodic, to faster, more pop-oriented songs, they gave the crowd a great set and warmed them up for the night ahead! Up next was Soccer Mommy, who will be releasing their new album, Sometimes, Forever, on June 24th. The anticipation and excitement were high as the band took the stage. Bathed in soft lighting, the band started things off with “Bloodstream”, performing a great set of songs that included “Circle The Drain”, “Cool”, “Lucy”, and “Night Swimming”. Early on in the set Sophie asked the crowd “Is there anyone here named Henry?”, surprised when one person raised their hand! Going onto say how she used to get a lot of yes’s, but now she mainly gets silence, she was surprised someone raised their hand. Saying this song’s for you to the Henry in the crowd, she launched into the song “Henry”! Not long after this, the band found out it was a fan’s birthday and led the crowd in a rousing rendition of the “Happy Birthday” song! Performing a few more songs, followed by a two song encore, the band gave their fans a great show and left them hoping Soccer Mommy returns to Louisville soon!
PEEL DREAM MAGAZINE
SOCCER MOMMY
Delta Spirit @ Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto
April 4th 2022 - Delta Spirit, Palm Palm @ Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto
Delta Spirit in Toronto - Photos Courtesy of Jenn Kostesky
Delta Spirit hit the stage at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern on Toronto’s bustling Queen St. West April 4th for a show 2 years in the making. The band was in the midst of a reunion tour in spring of 2020 when, like so many others, they were forced to pump the breaks and return home and wait out the global pandemic. Over the course of the following months the band released their most recent album What is There, and have since announced One is One due out May 20th on New West Records.
A palpable excitement in the air in the room of the only Canadian date on Delta Spirit’s spring tour. The set opened with “From Now On” from 2014’s into the wide and went on to span their entire discography, with every song turning into a sing along with the enthusiastic Monday night crowd. Mindset the sweet smell of incense filled the room making it feel more like watching your buddies jam in their living room rather than a well worn venue in a busy city. Being mid tour, the band was tight and fine tuned, yet loose and relaxed having clearly shaken off any rust that may have settled in during their hiatus and following lockdowns. The evening wrapped up with an extended jammed out version of “Trashcan” with everyone in the house shouting along with the band.
Delta Spirit wraps up the Eastern leg of their spring run in North Charleston before for heading West through Colorado, Washington and California in May.
J. Roddy Walston’s new project Palm Palm brought a 40 (ish) minute set of no bullshit rock and roll to open the night.
Palm Palm
