Jul 01 : "Guard Stick" - Golden Apples (Philly)

Philly Music!

Friday night I went to Ortlieb's and saw Philly band Golden Apples, playing to a packed house. It was my first time seeing them.

Here's a sample of some of their music. This is "Guard Stick" from their 2023 album "Bananasugarfire" :::

Golden Apples has a couple more shows coming up, on July 10 at White Eagle Hall and on August 14 at PhilaMOCA. In the meantime, here is the click to their Bandcamp page ::: Golden Apples on Bandcamp (CLICK HERE). (pic above is from band's Bandcamp page)

(I was lucky to see any of their show. After some SEPTA bus cancellations, I got to the show just in time for the band's last two songs.)

Jun 17 : "I'm Starting a Podcast" - Tea Eater (Brooklyn)

Is this a band? Or a comedy act? Something else? A few weeks ago I went to Silk City and saw art-punk outfit "Tea Eater". They're a three-piece from Brooklyn.

The band performs a variety of songs with over-the-top lyrics along with some outrageous stage props. Near the beginning of the show they asked us to imagine what it would be like if we were suddenly reincarnated as a "Little White Dog (in a Gated Community)". They sang about waffles, selling cars, "Fuck the DMV", and even wanted to start a podcast. Here is "I'm Starting A Podcast", a single released in July 2022 :::

Many of the songs are personal to lead singer, Tara Thiessen, who says in reference to the band's album, "I Don't Believe in Bad Luck", I Don’t Believe in Bad Luck, is the story of a hotline psychic who’s sick of everyone—including herself. Based on my own personal experiences as an online tarot card reader and exploration in meditation, occult studies, and the Gateway Tapes, the record explores my shadow self and what it means to be the villain in someone else’s story. With some self-aware humor baked into the songs, the record recontextualizes messy experiences, and shows how even the most chaotic holes we fall into can lead to the best possible outcomes.. Here is "The Waffle Song", which is the fourth track on that album :::

The most over-the-top moment at the show was when they started singing about "butter", They moved away from the stage and into the midst of the audience, as they brought out a huge stick-of-butter stage prop which they held like a limbo pole and invited audience members to come dance underneath.

Tea Eater has another show coming up on August 24th at TV Eye. And, in the meantime, to visit the band on Facebook, here is the click ::: Tea Eater on Facebook (CLICK HERE)

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(pic is from artist's Bandcamp page)

Jun 03 : "leave me the fuck alone" - Cowboygirl (Brooklyn)

I saw Brooklyn band "Cowboygirl" on my recent trip to Berlin Under A. They did a great show. Loud and intense, multiple instruments including BRASS.

Here is "leave me the fuck alone", second track on their 2023 album "give the dog a bone" :::

Stylings are a little bumpy in the best way. Here is a short video live excerpt from their Instagram page ::: Cowboygirl video clip. While Cowboygirl doesn't have any other shows coming up soon, you can keep up with what they're doing on their Instagram page (CLICK HERE). ... (Pic at top is from the band's Instagram page).

May 24 : "Unshakeable Things: Gen Z and the New Great Awakening" - James Talarico

Every 70 years or so there’s a major awakening in the country. These often come following a time of upheaval. The last one was in the 60’s, so we’re due for another soon.

That was one of the observations made in an inspiring commencement address given by James Talaraico a couple weeks ago at Paul Quinn College. He talked about our current state of affairs with a hopeful look towards the future.

James Talarico is running for U.S. Senate in Texas. No, I don't live in Texas, but a U.S. senator from another state would still be making decisions affecting life here in PA. I like his moral compass.

May 20 : "Day In Day Out" - Mars Rodriguez (New York)

On my recent trip to Berlin Under A, I saw New York artist Mars Rodriguez do a show. She's a solo performer, all instruments blended into her one performance. A multi-talanted artist, here is the description from her Bandcamp page : MARS RODRIGUEZ is a Nicaraguan - American singer, songwriter, producer and a one person band: vocals, guitar, keyboard and digital drums/ drum machine. Her music incorporates elements from post punk, blues, indie rock. pop and electronic music.

Her instrumentals have very strong bass lines that operate as a foundation for the tension in her vocals. Here is "Day In Day Out", which is the seventh track on her most recent album, "Manana Nobody Knows" :::

The album has eleven tracks altogether, two of which are instrumentals. Here is one of them,"Raw Pwr". No need for vocals here; the instrumentals speak for themselves. We start off with the full raw pwr, putting on an aggressive front, but then the curtains are pulled back a little as the clock hits 2:44. Slightly more relaxed but still an agitated undercurrent. We take a look behind the scenes at some background elements. About 4:00 the song then switches back to its more aggressive mode, but this time including some of the underlying qualities that we heard in the previous segment, that we see are now seeing as components of raw pwr :::

Mars Rodriguez has another show coming up on July 31 at Alphaville. In the meantime here is the click to her Facebook page ::: Mars Rodriguez on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

(pics are from artist's Facebook page