Film and Music Reviews and Suggestions
Tour: Out of Office
Venue: Roadrunner in Boston
Date: Saturday, August 24th
Set list: – https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/something-corporate/2024/roadrunner-boston-ma-3bab80c8.html
Opener: Hidden in Plain View
Band Members: Andrew McMahon, Kevin Page, Brian Ireland, Josh Partington, and William Tell.
Review:
Upcoming Tour Dates: https://andrewmcmahon.com/pages/something-corporate
Pictures and Videos:
Tour: Catalyst 20 Years Later
Venue: Roadrunner in Boston
Date: Friday, August 23rd
Set list: – https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/new-found-glory/2024/roadrunner-boston-ma-6ba9b23a.html
Opener: Sincere Engineer
Band Members: Jordan Pundik (lead vocals), Ian Grushka (bass guitar), Chad Gilbert (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Cyrus Bolooki (drums).
Note: Dan O’Connor from Four Year Strong and Dave Knox from Real Friends are filling in for Chad on guitar, as he continues his fight with metastatic pheochromocytoma.
Review: I am elder emo enough to have now seen this album played twice in it’s entirety. In 2017, New Found Glory did a tour where they played three nights in each city, playing two albums each night, completing their discography. Ironically, this tour was called, “20 Years of Pop Punk.” I went for night three and saw them play both “Catalyst” and “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/new-found-glory/2017/marquis-theater-denver-co-1be6c1ac.html
This band has been going strong for over two decades and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. They continue to release their movie soundtrack cover albums, release new albums, and tour their previous albums. Seriously, what band does six albums in three nights? Wild.
This was my second time at Roadrunner in Boston. The venue is newer and holds about 3,500 people. I have only had floor seats there and that is the place to be. There is a massive bar along the back wall and bathrooms to your left and right. I went upstairs during the show to wait in the merch line and was very impressed by the upstairs. There is seating up top, a really nice bar, private bathrooms. The works. I told my girlfriend that is where the wealthy people with bad backs go. I only have a bad back.
It sucked not seeing Chad on this tour. He was still at home recovering, but Dan O’Connor and Dave Knox were great on guitar and backup-vocals. When I saw New Found Glory on their last From the Screen to Your Stereo tour, I was able to see William Ryan Key play guitar for them, which was neat.
New Found Glory played this album from start to finish and then played the hits, including their cover of “Let it Go” and their newest cover, “Part of Your World” off of an upcoming Disney pop-punk album.
I really fell in love with Catalyst as I think it was a different sound for the band. It was very well-written, had some really beautiful slow songs, and also had some heavier songs that foreshadowed their side band, International Superheroes of Hardcore.
Check out their upcoming tour dates and see them when they come to your city. You won’t see another band with more energy who are just a bunch of best friends on stage living their dream and having a good time together.
Upcoming Tour Dates: https://www.newfoundglory.com/tour
Pictures and Videos:
Tour: Legend 40th Anniversary 2024 World Summer Tour.
Venue: The Range in Mason, NH
Date: July 11th
Set list: – https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-wailers-band/2024/ocean-city-music-pier-ocean-city-nj-4b54d74a.html A setlist for this show hasn’t been posted yet, but this is very similar.
Opener: Dis-n-dat band & Supernothing
Band Members:
Review: My dad grew up a fan of Bob Marley. He saw him twice back in the day. Once, at Harvard. He loves to tell the story of how high the smoke was in the crowd that day. My dad also went to Jamaica a few times and even saw Peter Tosh play down there. We got tickets last summer to see The Wailers at The Range and were very disappointed when it got rained out.
Since last year, we have been counting down the days until the show and we were not disappointed. We have been going to The Range for decades. The place had always been great for hitting golf balls and enjoying seafood and ice cream. Over the past few yers, the establishment starting putting on concerts. The lineups that have been put on there over the years have really been incredible. Bands I remember were announcing shows at Red Rocks when I lived in Colorado. But this was the first concert I ever attended here.
I went up front for the last few songs by the Dis-n-Dat band. Holy talent. The band is fronted by a brother-sister duo, ‘Sista Dee’ and 4 time grammy nominated ‘Rangotan.’ ‘Sista Dee; is sang lead vocals, played steel drums, eyboard, and drums And her brother played drums and sang backup.
The Wailers came on around sundown. Mitchell Brunnings is a great frontman. He knew how to get the crowd pumped. Including changing the lyrics of “No Woman, No Cry” to ‘Cause, ’cause, ’cause I remember when we used to sit / In the government yard in New Hampshire’. Brunnings was discovered on Holland’s version of The Voice where he auditioned with “Redemption Song.” Aston Francis Barrett is the drummer and leader of the band. He is one of the many children of “Family Man,” the former bassist and bandleader of The Wailers. Wendell “Junior Jazz” Ferraro plays lead for the band and also supplies back-up vocals. During one song, Junior Jazz took on lead vocals and Brunnings moved his microphone stand to the back. I found this super respectable, as he let Junior Jazz have the spotlight, front and center.
The band played everything you would want them to: “Is This Love,” “No Woman, No Cry,” “I Shot the Sherriff,” “Three Little Birds,” “Jamming,” “Get Up, Stand-Up,” with an encore including “Buffalo Soldier” and “Could You Be Loved.” I also loved hearing the beautiful, slower “Exodus” and “Redemption Song.”
The band already announced an upcoming show in Boston at City Winery and I want to see them again.
Upcoming Tour Dates: https://www.thewailers.com/tour/
Pictures and Videos:
This summer, Hootie & the Blowfish has reunited and is touring with Edwin McCain and collective soul on a tour called. When I saw the lineup, I thought it would be a fun throwback show to go to, but didn’t have a ton of interest. Then, Barenaked, ladies who happens to be one of my favorite bands, announced that they would be joining the tour for this one stop at Fenway Park. It would also be there only Boston stop on their own summer tour. I bought tickets almost immediately after this was announced.
I had seen Barenaked Ladies at Red Rocks and the summer before at Leader Bank in Boston. This would be the third time that I would be seeing them and would be the third person I would bring to see them who would tell me that they are now a big fan. it is kind of like the hotdogs at target. Which actually kind of relates to this, as this concert was at Fenway. Some Target locations have a Pizza Hut inside of them with the best hotdogs you will ever have. I know everybody likes Costco hotdogs because they are cheap and the foot-long and they aren’t wrong but the ones from Target are the best ones you will ever have. They taste just like a ballpark Frank. Anytime I am with somebody at Target, I mentioned to them how good the hotdogs are and they tell me that I am disgusting. I told them that I will buy them on and if I am wrong, I will buy something in the store. I have never had to buy anything in the store for anyone. Now I want a hot dog. Even though it is only 10:00 AM.
Anyway. Fenway puts on a lot of concerts throughout the summer. Two of the ones that I wanted to go to this year or Noah Con, and then Green Day with the Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and the Linda Linda. But both shows were just too expensive. But the Hootie show was reasonably priced. I wasn’t on the lawn, but got good seats at $75 each.
My friend and I unfortunately missed Edwin McCain and Collective Soul as the concert started pretty early. It surprisingly didn’t take me long to get into Boston after work, though even though this was the same day as the Celtics parade. I was driving against the traffic the whole time.
When we got to the show, it started to rain. Barenaked ladies were just about to take the stage or delayed for about 30 minutes. my friend and I decided to go grab some food while we waited. Everyone in line watch the rain, as well as the broadcasted Red Sox away game they were showing in the stadium. We waited in line for about 10 minutes just to find out, it was only for alcohol.we then got into one of the two lines. I was presently supplies surprised at how affordable the food was there. I think it came out to around $36 for a Red Sox hat, memorabilia cup filled with french fries, hotdog, a pretzel, and two waters.
While at our seats and waiting in line for food, I struck up a conversation with a few strangers. As I do. I asked who they were here to see and was excited to hear how many people were also there for BNL. That’s what the true Barenaked Ladies heads call them.
The Canadian rockers kicked off their set with “The Old Apartment” For so long now, I thought that was a perfect break up song. But I learned earlier in the day that it is not a breakup song. As usual, Barenaked Ladies did an improvised rap song. When they did this at Red Rocks a few years back, they had bought an expensive drone to fly around and film. Immediately, they broke the drone and made up a whole rap song about it. The band played all of the hits including “Lovin’ Life,” the single off of their latest album, “In Flight.” The Barenaked Ladies were there to get the crowd pumped and they did just that. The last song, or songs, they played was a massive of medley of Vampire / Flowers / As It Was / Take On Me / Climb Ev’ry Mountain / So Long, Farewell / Rock of Ages.
Hootie came on at 9:25 PM and played until 11:00 PM. I wish he played for so much longer. After seeing them, I am a total Hootie head now. They played a bunch of covers including “For What It’s Worth,” “Wagon Wheel” and “Losing My Religion.” They played the hits. They played on Darius Rucker song.
At one point, I looked out at the crowd of people singing along to Hootie and I totally understood the hype around country concerts and festivals. Not saying that this is in my future, but damn, was this a fun time.
Edwin McCain setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/edwin-mccain/2024/fenway-park-boston-ma-6b57cefe.html
Collective Soul setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/collective-soul/2024/fenway-park-boston-ma-6357da2f.html
Barenaked Ladies setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/barenaked-ladies/2024/fenway-park-boston-ma-357d5fb.html
Hootie & the Blowfish setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/hootie-and-the-blowfish/2024/fenway-park-boston-ma-1b57d580.html
I do not like being recommended music. Maybe by friends, but not by a computer or algorithm. It is why I never understood Pandora. But recently, the Instagram algorithm has really recommended some great bands to me and I wanted to showcase some of them.
Genre: Pop Punk, Emo.
About: Good Hangs is a love letter to kids who came up in the local scene and now slog through mid-level management. The raw but earnest vocal harmonies, catchy guitar riffs, and poignant lyrics amp up the nostalgia for life as a millennial before society’s descent into dystopia. Because even when everything else is sh*t, you and your best friends can still crack open some PBRs, crank up the volume, and sing at the top of your lungs.
When there’s nothing to look forward to, look back. There’s no hope, just good hangs.
Members are Michael “Stein” Steinheiser (Singer/Frontman), Anthony Pierri (Guitar), Dominic Pierri (Bass/Backup Singer), Matt Ackman (Guitar), and Jack Mancuso (Drums).
Where are they from: Illinois
Remind me of: Brand New, Blink-182, every band you loved growing up who played at Warped Tour and now plays at When We Were Young.
Website: https://linktr.ee/goodhangsband
Social: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Ze3LAA-uf/?hl=en&img_index=1
https://www.facebook.com/goodhangsfacebook
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodhangsband
Songs to check out:
I Hate You For Making Me Hate You
Local Scene
Intoxicated
Grudge
Late Start
Shoot Your Way Out
Junkie
JPG
Tour dates: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/11247432-good-hangs
New single:
https://open.spotify.com/track/0AG24jY4nSn98voYxLqZna?si=c4d83f32b59e4133
Music video:
I do not like being recommended music. Maybe by friends, but not by a computer or algorithm. It is why I never understood Pandora. But recently, the Instagram algorithm has really recommended some great bands to me and I wanted to showcase some of them.
Genre: Synth, Indie pop, Alternative
About: Moxy the Band is the combined effort of songwriter/diva Amber DeLaRosa (Flourish, Amber DeLaRosa), virtuoso composer Michael Franzino (A Lot Like Birds, Sianvar), and producer/engineer Dryw Owens, with deep roots in the capital city of Sacramento, California. The group’s formation and songwriting finds its inspiration in adversity. Written in the midst of a life-altering epilepsy diagnosis and global pandemic, “Dream Feeling” is a survivor’s reflection on the catastrophic loss of health, childhood, and even a child for whom the project was named. DeLaRosa dances though each pulsating instrumental with her own lyrical stories of perseverance: ”the process proved more difficult than I could imagine… and began to stand for holding onto the dream through the brutal, yet beautifully necessary lessons of life.” Moxy the Band’s debut record is a real-time account of finding creativity in hardship, all while laboring to build a state-of-the-art studio worthy of their first release. “Dream Feeling,” to be released on November 11, 2022, represents a stylistic and creative leap into the unknown for each of its members. The sound moves listeners through the neon atmosphere of discos past, roaring arenas of rock nostalgia, and the computerized eclecticism of future pop.
Where are they from: Sacramento, CA
Remind me of: Paramore, The 1975, if Katy Perry was around in the 80s. They are kind of their own sound.
Website: http://moxytheband.com/
Social: https://www.facebook.com/moxythebandofficial
https://www.instagram.com/moxytheband/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoxyTheBand
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3dBOwPj9GaClkPMJXIruFP?si=50PFuwrfTLyH91Mu3jRChg
Songs to check out: You Feel It Too, The Cost, The Feel of Letting Go.
New single:
Music video:
I do not like being recommended music. Maybe by friends, but not by a computer or algorithm. It is why I never understood Pandora. But recently, the Instagram algorithm has really recommended some great bands to me and I wanted to showcase some of them.
This first one ois one of me and my girlfriend’s favorite bands and we can’t wait to see them again this fall.
Genre: Indie folk
About: Wild Rivers Platinum-selling indie trio Wild Rivers, Khalid Yassein [guitar, vocals, keys], Devan Glover [vocals], and Andrew Oliver [lead guitar, synths], have a gift for penning introspective lyrics and genre-fluid melodies that transmit wisdom beyond their years. Since their 2022 album, Sidelines, which landed at #9 on the U.S. Spotify Debut Album Chart, they have supported The Chicks on their North American tour, seen their 2020 break-out single “Thinking ‘Bout Love” be certified Gold in Australia and Platinum in Canada, sold-out headline North American and European tours, earned over 450 million streams with 4 million monthly listeners, and were nominated for Breakthrough Group of The Year at the 2023 JUNO Awards. Wild Rivers show no signs of slowing down in 2024 as they enter the next chapter of this incredible journey, with new music on the way and a European support tour with Noah Kahan.
To further expand their sonic horizons, Wild Rivers have been co-writing with myriot (Aurora, IDER, Halsey) and tapped Gabe Wax (Soccer Mommy, Kurt Vile, Adrienne Lenker, Jeremy Zucker) to produce their upcoming record. Building an authentic relationship with fans while channeling classic singer-songwriters and contemporary artists like Samia, Holly Humberstone and Noah Kahan has been vital to Wild Rivers’ connection with audiences.
Where are they from: Canada
Remind me of: The Heart and the Heart
Website: https://www.wildriversmusic.com/
Social: https://www.facebook.com/wildriversband
https://www.instagram.com/wildriversmusic
https://twitter.com/wildrivers
https://www.tiktok.com/@wildrivers
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHMv73m6MWxJqgqYoAXRr2A
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/59sBwR0jPSTrbMtuTkRPN5
Songs to check out: Amsterdam, Cave, Everywhere I Go, Don’t, Thining ‘Bout Love, Bedrock, Long Time, Stubborn Heart, Weatherman, Better When We’re Falling Apart
New single: Anyway, I Love You. https://open.spotify.com/track/7lJr8BW2zK9hQph3e0TJ9s?si=7919990950ed4ae5
Upcoming tour: https://www.wildriversmusic.com/tour
Tour: Evening With Colin Hay – 2024 Solo Tour
Venue: Chevalier Theater
Date: March 26th
Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/colin-hay/2024/chevalier-theatre-medford-ma-23ab78d7.html
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/colin-hay/2024/chevalier-theatre-medford-ma-23ab78d7.html
Opener: Chris Trapper
Review: Coming soon
Tour: The Endurance Tour
Venue: Paradise
Date: March 26th
Opener:
Review:
I found Josiah and the Bonnevilles through an Instagram ad. I’ve actually found a few of my recent favorite musicians through an Instagram ad. The algorithm works! Anyway, I messaged him almost instantly, telling him that he is my new Tallest Man on Earth. They have very similar guitar picking styles and folksy roots.
Josiah Leming, the one man act behind Josiah and the Bonnevilles, actually goes back to early American Idol days. The Tennessee native was on the seventh season of the hit Fox reality show. He has come quite a long way since auditioning in front of Simon, Paula, and Randy in 2008. Leming is the only contestant in the history of the show to not make the ‘Top 24’ but still land a major label record deal. Lucky for us, Leming is now an independent artist. During the show, he pointed out that he has a tattoo on his wrist that reads: No More Deals.”
During the pandemic Josiah was working as a bartender, while uploading consistent music and this is what allowed him to quit his job and focus full time on music.
Seeing Josiah on this night was special, as it was his birthday. There were balloons on stage and in between two of his songs, the audience sang him, “Happy Birthday.” That might have been the first time I’ve ever seen an audience sing a full song back to an artist at their own show.
The show started out with a few older love songs, which Josiah told us were written about a previous relationship. He told great stories in between songs, making the show extremely intimate. He also connected with the audience by making sure to play on both sides of the stage and stepping away from the mic to allow the audience to take over vocal duties.
Josiah pulled out his harmonica and the audience post it. It was what I imagine seeing Dylan must be like. The audience must have known that “Anti-Hero” was about to start. Josiah played that, followed by “Jersey Giant” and “Ghost” before returning to his originals.
Next up was “Another Day at the Factory,” which was introduced by a beautiful story about Josiah working at a warehouse, living the same kind of day to day as his stepfather.
Before the encore of “One Last Song,” “Lithuania,” and “Blood Moon,” Josiah ended the first part of the show with one of my favorite songs: “Basic Channels.” This song is about Josiah’s parents enjoying the few television channels that came with the cable that used to run through the wall or floor.
If you get the chance to see this man, make it happen. He is a great storyteller, guitarist, vocalist, singer-songwriter, and you will feel like you are having a privilege show in your living room.
Find up long tour dates here: https://josiahandthe.com/
Venue: Orpheum Theater
Date: March 23rd
Set list: None at this time
Opener: Veers
Review: Blue October put on a hell of a show. The singer, Justin, is so engaged with his audience. He also gives it his all on stage and the whole band is really there to play music and have a good time. And that is what makes me appreciate some bands and artists versus others. The band has fun together, you can tell they are a family, and they even added a few extra songs to the Boston set list.
Ryan Delahoussaye is an incredible multi instrumentalist, playing keyboards, violin, mandolin, guitar, and providing backing vocals. I spent the concert leaning over to my girlfriend saying, “And now he’s playing (insert instrument here)!
The crowd was super engaged and you could tell how many people have connected with Justin’s songwriting and the deepness to his lyrics about love, loss, and addition and recovery. Just look at how much he interacts with his fans: https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/s/ieO1iVVeT8
They played my favorites: “Into the Ocean,” “Don’t Say It Wasn’t Love,” “Moving On (So Long),” and “I Hope You’re Happy.” And, after seeing Turk played live, I have two more favorites: “All That We Are” and “Fear.”
