I guess blowing minds in NYC a few weeks back with King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard wasn’t enough for Ambrose Kenny-Smith, so he decided to come back to Brooklyn this past week and destroy what was left with The Murlocs. There are plenty of people who pull double duty when it comes to bands, but I’ve never seen such kick ass back-to-back shows for both. I was there to cover KGATLW on October 21st at Forest Hills for FTA (coverage can be found here) and couldn’t wait to see harmonica slayer Kenny-Smith with fellow Lizard Wizard Cook Craig on bass, Cal Shortal (from ORB) on guitar, Tim Karmouche (from Crepes) on keys, and Matt Blach (from Beans) on drums, kick it at MHOW and they did not disappoint.
First thing I noticed before The Murlocs even took the stage was the familiar faces from the Forest Hills gig. And everyone discussing their favorite tracks, or favorite album, comparing setlists or who had a bootleg recording. This is definitely not a casual fan—both bands have developed a strong and dedicated fan base. That fervor carried on throughout the set, from the opening riff of “Subsidiary” from the bands sixth full-length album Rapscallion (ATO) released in September on through the closing riff of “Rolling On.”
The set included a lot of newer songs from the recently released Rapscallion, like “Living Under a Rock,” “Bellarine Ballerina,” “The Royal Vagabond,” and “Compos Mentis” as well as 2021’s Bittersweet Demons tracks “Francesca” and “Bittersweet Demons.” Whether the songs were old or new, these guys rocked like this is their one and only band, delivering a full throttled performance that found Kenny-Smith on the stage floor by the end of the set. I can’t even imagine how he handles a double bill where the Murlocs opens for KGATLW and he does a combined 4-hour performance in one night but somehow, he does it. And he’s clearly having a good time doing it.
The Murlocs
Warming up the crowd was multi-instrumentalist, Canadian native, Paul Jacobs, who also pulls double duty. The first time I caught the Paul Jacobs band and rocked out to their 70’s inspired, melodic rock jams, I didn’t even make the connection between them and Jacobs’ other band, Pottery. While he sports long hair now and fronts his own band on vocals and guitar, it was just a few years ago I was capturing a short haired Jacobs beat the hell out of his drums with the post-punk art rock band. Being someone that listens to and is open to so many genres of music myself, I can really appreciate the two totally distinct sounds of both bands. And just like Dave Grohl stepping out from behind his kit in Nirvana to front the Foo Fighters, Jacobs is a natural front man with a solid band behind him. The mix of songs from previous albums and this year’s 185 on the Corner EP recall a simpler, laid back, lo-fi vibe I could imagine being the playlist to a long summer drive. Especially the beat and percussion on tracks like “Christopher Robbins” from 2021’s Pink Dogs on the Green Grass which gets me in a “Low Rider,” Dazed & Confused soundtrack state of mind.
Try to catch these two great bands on the remainder of the dates which run through December 2nd on the West Coast.
Scroll down for setlist, pics of the show (photos by Kevin McGann)
Setlist:Subsidiary, Living Under a Rock, The Royal Vagabond, Withstand, Russian Roulette, Wickr Man, Eating at You, Bittersweet Demons, Bowlegged Beautiful, Violent Dreams, Comfort Zone, Bobbing and Weaving, Bellarine Ballerina, Farewell to Clemency, What If, Compos Mentis, Growing Pains, Skyrocket, Francesca, Reassurance, Rolling On
This weekend, NYC was treated to the sounds of Silversun Pickups as they hit Webster Hall to promote their 6th album, Physical Thrills (New Machine Recordings). It was my first time seeing them, and after their mind blowing performance, I’m ready to revisit their discography and possibly even rent a car to follow them on tour.
The show opened with the acoustic guitar intro of “Stillness (Way Beyond)” which kicks into a tribal, rhythmic, moody stomper that perfectly set the tone for the evening. From there they launched into the hypnotic syncopated beat of “Sticks and Stones” and at one point I found myself rocking along, camera down, not shooting until I realized I’m in the pit and only get three songs, so I better get to work! It’s easy, though, to get lost in their sound and lead singer Brian Aubert’s beautiful voice.
Along with Aubert, the LA based band includes Nikki Monninger on bass and vocals, Chris Guanlo on drums, and Joe Lester on keys. And each member is a standout, with Guanlo and Monninger laying the foundation with some serious beats and grooves, and Lester adding to their atmospheric sound with strings, synths, or piano. And of course, there’s Aubert who not only soars on the mic but is just a beast on his guitar. At points, he would just lose himself in his guitar as he stepped away from the mic to rock out, the flashing spotlights catching glimpses of him as he thrashed around mid-solo.
Silversun Pickups
While they opened the night with the first two tracks from Physical Thrills, their set covered songs from other parts of their now 20+ year career. Highlights included “Well Thought Out Twinkles” from 2006’s Carnavas, “Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)” from 2012’s Neck of the Woods, and “Kissing Families” from their 2005 debut EP Pikul. Another standout was “It Doesn’t Matter Why” from 2019’s Widow’s Weeds, reminding us to stop worrying about the afterlife and focus on now. I would have loved to hear “Freakazoid” from Weeds but I’ll just have to wait for the next show.
Opening the night was Australia’s Eliza & the Delusionals who have toured with SSPU in the past and clearly won over the hearts of their fans in the process. It was a feel good, more pop based set that had the crowd singing along to singles like the sugary “Nothing Yet,” more contemplative “Just Exit” with its soaring vocals, and 90’s sounding pop nugget “Give You Everything.” I’m not much of a pop person but I can see why fans love their infectious good-time energy and sound, not to mention they put on a great show. Definitely one of those perfect pairings between opener and headliner.
Make sure to catch Silversun Pickups on their current tour which takes them up and down the East Coast for the remainder of November and December.
Scroll down for setlist, vids and pics of the show (photos by Kevin McGann)
Setlist: Stillness (Way Beyond), Sticks and Stones, Well Thought Out Twinkles, It Doesn’t Matter Why, Panic Switch, Scared Together, The Royal We, Alone on a Hill, Kissing Families, Don’t Know Yet, Hereafter (Way After), Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance), Dots and Dashes (Enough Already), Substitution, Nightlight Encore: Dream at Tempo 050, System Error, Empty Nest, Lazy Eye
Last week saw the return of local/FTA faves, Dog Date, after a 3-month hiatus along with Bottled Up and Tunnel for a pre-Halloween bash at Baby’s All Right. It was great to catch up with these guys as well as be introduced to the sounds of DC based Tunnel, which features legendary drummer Brendan Canty (Rites of Spring, Fugazi, The Messthetics), and who released their single and EP Vanilla (House Of Joy) earlier this year, and Bottled Up who recently released their album Grand Bizarre (Misa Records).
Dog Date kicked off the night with a solid set that found the band taking advantage of the season, decked out in their Halloween best. I’ve seen a number of their gigs and the thing I always love is how they rock out like its their last show and always have a great time doing it. Like I mentioned though, this was the first show after taking the summer off after their July tour that took them from Philly to DC, Ohio to Virginia and back. And that was after opening for Surfbort on their tour earlier in this busy year for the NYC based band. And the time off apparently did them good because Dylan, Malcolm, Andy, Leo and Kristian absolutely killed it. And honestly what’s better than watching The Royal Tenenbaum’s Baumer shredding with a belt around his head (Malcolm couldn’t find a tennis headband)?!
Dog Date
Bottled Up took the stage next for a complete 180 in sound—an infectious blend of synth based, art rock stompers that got the place grooving. And while there was certainly a mix of synths and drum machines, it was very organic too with the band laying down some solid guitar and bass work. Like Dog Date, the members of Bottled Up were clearly having a good time as they made their way through tracks from Grand Bizarre which incorporated elements of 80’s New Romantic, funk, R&B, post punk, pop and beyond.
Headlining the night was Tunnel, who like Bottled Up, are DC based by way of LA. But unlike Bottled’s dance infused rock or Dog’s raw punk energy, Tunnel brought a more thoughtful, moody, atmospheric sound that lent a nice balance to the night overall. And that’s not to say they didn’t rock because they did, but singer Natasha Janfaza clearly has been influenced by the likes of Juliana Hatfield or maybe more recently Palehound. I don’t think I’d be wrong in saying she would have fit in nicely with the 90’s Lilith Fair line-up, though more Hatfield, Heather Nova and Holly McNarland than Sarah McLachlan or the Indigo Girls. And helping bring that edge to Tunnel’s sound on Vanilla, especially singles “Lemonhead” and “Vanilla,” was Canty on drums, and D. Saperstein (ex Flasher) and Owen Wuerker on guitar/bass/keys/percussion. The other thing I appreciated about the songwriting was how Janfaza can sound vulnerable one minute and then soaring the next, like on tracks “Heartfaced Scarshape” and “Monday.” I really look forward to what lies ahead for this band.
Read an interview with Natatsha Janfaza talking about the band and the EP here.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kevin McGann)
Last Tuesday night saw the 2nd time in two weeks I’ve been able to catch NY’s Native Sun. And like every show of theirs I’ve attended, they never disappoint. This one was special though as it was to celebrate the release of their EP, Off With Our Heads (Grand Jury Music).
Kicking off the night was Brooklyn’s Dead Tooth who brought their genre mixing brand of post-punk hard rock to Baby’s for what would be the first of three hard charging performances that night. Front man Zach James, often times teetering on the edge of the stage, set the tone with an intense performance that had him sing-scream-chanting at the crowd one minute and down on the floor the next. I’ve read that they don’t want to be narrowly defined by any one genre, as they have many disparate influences among them, and it’s that mix of styles that makes their sound so unique. Like their recent single “Sporty Boy,” which is like an upbeat punk/jazz, sax fueled, vocally distorted jam and carries a positive message getting out there and going something. And having fun while you do it which they clearly did that night.
Next up was Woodstock’s The Bobby Lees who were celebrating the release of their latest full-length album, Bellevue (Ipecac Recordings). The 4-piece rock band consists of Sam Quartin on vocals and guitar, Kendall Wind on bass, Nick Casa on guitar, and Macky Bowman on drums. Formed in 2018 the group released their debut album, Beauty Pageant the following year which landed them the opening slot for acts like Future Islands and The Black Lips. And it’s easy to see why as they clearly leave nothing on the stage, delivering a blistering set that saw all four members attacking their gear. Especially Bowman who may have literally destroyed his kit by set’s end. And of course, there’s Sam Quartin who literally exorcises her demons on stage in a fierce performance—just watch their video for “Bellevue” to get a better understanding.
By the time Native Sun took the stage, the crowd was whipped into a frenzy. And who better than Sun to take that energy and push it over the edge?? From the moment front man Danny Gomez, bassist Justin Barry, guitarist Rob Guariglia, and drummer Nico Espinosa took the stage, the crowd was ready to pounce. They had played last week at Elsewhere on an amazing bill with Frech stoner-rock band Slift (our coverage can be found here) to a much bigger room, but it’s these smaller rooms where you really get the full experience. Where the line between band and audience blurs and you wind up with Danny out on the floor while a crowd surfer passes him on their way to the stage.
Set-wise it was a mix of old favorites “There’s Revolution,” “Big Succ(ess,” “Jesus,” “Off the Dial” and “Juarez” along with new jams “Strawberry Cough,” “When She” and “Called the Doctor” from Off With OurHeads. Speaking of Heads, the EP is now available on Native Sun’s Bandcamp page, from streaming to vinyl to limited edition cassette. And make sure to catch these guys at these small intimate gigs while you still can.
Scroll down for pics of the show (photos by Kevin McGann)
In their relatively short history, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard have built a huge following and a rabid fan base that will follow them from city to city not unlike the Dead. And like the Dead, there is a growing collection of bootleg live albums and people comparing shows as no two shows are alike. They’ve also managed to put out 22 studio albums since 2012, with four of them being released in 2022 alone and another one (or two) due before the year ends. To say they are prolific is the understatement of the year.
This past Friday when KGATLW hit Forest Hills Stadium for what was the FHS’ last show of the season, it was actually my first time seeing them. Announcing that drew a few gasps from fellow photographers who, just like their fans, started naming all the shows they’ve seen. And by night’s end, I could see why. With a music catalog as diverse as any one band could have, the night was a mix of jam, funky, soul, metal mayhem. And with a video screen backdrop that displayed an ever-morphing collage of tie dye visuals it again recalled the peace and love generation but for the digital age.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard at Forest Hills Stadium
Warming up the crowd that night was London’s black midi. They’ve also built a large following in just the past three years since signing to Rough Trade Records and releasing an equal number of studio albums. And while midi’s sound is more akin to Squid than KGATLW, they too have an eclectic style that finds them exploring different avenues of music with each release. The band consists of Cameron Picton on bass, synths and shared vocals along with Georgie Greep on guitar who paced the stage like he was ready to pounce at any moment. And anchoring the band is drummer Morgan Simpson who is just an absolute beast on his kit.
After Friday’s performance I can now join in the chant and tell people to go catch a King Gizz show if they haven’t before. I’m already looking forward to the next one.
Scroll down for setlist, fan shot videos and pics of the show (photos by Kevin McGann)
black midi setlist: Speedway, Welcome to Hell, Chondromalacia Patella, Sugar/Tzu, Eat Men Eat, John L, 953, Slow
King Gizzard setlist: The Dripping Tap, Magma, Lava, The Garden Goblin, Honey, Sleep Drifter, O.N.E., Gaia, Hell, Magenta Mountain, Iron Lung
