James Blake @ House of Blues 5.8.13
James Blake, 24-year-old British singer/songwriter, producer and all-around wunderkind, has just wrapped up a U.S. tour in support of his expansive new record Overgrown. May 8th brought him back to Boston for a headlining show at House of Blues, with an audience more than double the size of his 2011 Paradise gig. The intimacy of that room played especially well to Blake’s downbeat post-dubstep confessionals, but this evening proved that… continue reading
Johnny Marr @ Paradise Rock Club 5.4.13
Influential British guitarist, singer and songwriter Johnny Marr wrapped up a North American tour supporting his first full-fledged solo album in Boston on Saturday night. Marr has spent most of the past several decades working and touring with the likes of Modest Mouse, The Cribs and The The, but his most famous role remains that of guitarist and co-songwriter for the legendary (and very much disbanded) Smiths. Indeed, his career… continue reading
Tame Impala @ House of Blues 3.12.13
Australian psych-rockers Tame Impala wrapped up a triumphant second U.S. tour in support of 2012’s Lonerism with a sold-out show at Boston’s House of Blues in March. Lonerism has proven itself a blockbuster success for the band, topping numerous year-end lists and catapulting them to an unlikely level of mainstream popularity. Back in November, just a month after the album’s release, they sold out the roughly 1,200-capacity Royale. Four months… continue reading
Aaron Carter @ The Stone Pony 3.7.13
The thought of attending an Aaron Carter concert in 2013 is absurd. But how could one resist the chance to see a pop star who peaked at age 14 attempt an unwarranted comeback? As most could have easily guessed, Carter made no strides toward serious stardom at his show at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. With his tour entitled “The After Party Tour,” it is clear that he… continue reading
Mumford and Sons @ TD Garden 2.5.13
Anybody who was on the general admission floor, or even in the nosebleeds, of the TD Garden for Mumford and Sons’ U.S. tour kickoff performance can tell you what it was like to see the second British Invasion. Especially the ones who fainted. Just a week before winning “Album of the Year” at the Grammys, the bluegrass/folk-rock band filled Boston’s biggest venue and tore through their 2012 sophomore album, Babel…. continue reading
Ra Ra Riot @ Paradise 1.26.13
Ra Ra Riot, a little rock band from Syracuse, N.Y., could easily be considered Passion Pit’s underrated, overshadowed brother. Like Passion Pit, they use a lot of electronic elements. But where Passion Pit weaves together synthesizers and keyboards, Ra Ra Riot picks up a violin and a cello. Here’s this upbeat rock band…with a sensual string backup? It’s a very interesting marriage of instruments, and a mesmerizing spectacle to see… continue reading
Joe Pug @ Brighton Music Hall 2.18.13
It’s rare that a musician is just who you imagine them to be. After crying through an album, finding clarity in a song or taking a lyric as personal advice, a musician quickly becomes a close friend, a figure that knows you in your vulnerability and puts words to the emotions that you’ve never been able to articulate. While always a pleasure, seeing a beloved artist often threatens to tarnish… continue reading
The Lumineers @ House of Blues 2.4.13
The Lumineers have made a lot of “hos” and a lot of “heys” since their self-titled debut album hit shelves last April. The folk-rock band out of Denver has experienced a bolt into national success that most artists can only dream of enjoying. Their single “Ho Hey” caught the public’s eye, but their robust catalogue of catchy songs both uplifting and heartbreaking, has kept them there. The Lumineers is an… continue reading
Caspian @ Royale 12.7.12
Photograph by Nick Hugon’s crappy iPhone camera. Triple Crown Records’ year-end show relocated to Boston’s theater district nightclub, Royale, on short notice due to the continually delayed opening of Cambridge’s new venue, the Sinclair. The cross-river move didn’t upset attendance at all, as Royale’s dance floor easily filled in anticipation of Moving Mountains, O’Brother and instrumental post-rock headliners, Caspian. The Triple Crown show marked the closest stop to home for… continue reading
Sky Ferreira @ T.T. the Bear’s 11.27.12
Those at TT the Bear’s Place on the Tuesday night already had their eyes on Little Spoon, aka local Cameron Potter, as I walked in. Wearing a dress and lipstick that reminded me of a Kurt Cobain-esque stage outfit, he describes his sound as “experimental dreamgaze.” That set a relaxed yet eager tone for the small crowd. Sky quietly took the stage, in front of people who have seen her… continue reading
K104.7 Not So Silent Night
When the K104.7 Not So Silent Night concert took over the Mid Hudson Civic Center on December 4th, some of the biggest pop/rock artists of 2012 hit the stage. And what do you get when you put The Wanted, Boys Like Girls, Rita Ora, and Austin Mahone in one room? A lot of screaming girls. Around 3000 to be exact. Up and comers Olly Murs, The Ready Set, and Chris… continue reading