#setlistmemories

Alvvays October 21, 2017 at the Valley Bar, Phoenix AZ [Touring for their Antisocialites album]

I almost didn’t go to this show. I prepared for it well, asking months in advance for the night off from my part time job... but I either forgot to purchase a ticket before it sold out or bought one and misplaced it--either way, a terrible predicament to be in when 1) You love the band, 2) You love the band’s first album and 3) You love the band’s current album. Sophomore albums, when they achieve equal or greater status than the former are rare and far between, but for me, Alvvays accomplished that with ‘Antisocialites.’ I really fell hard when I first heard “In Undertow.” After hearing the chorus... There was no turning back--pun intended.

So how was I able to get a ticket to Alvvays sold out show at Valley Bar? Thanks to my Canadian concert going buddy, Andrew! A Day before the show, he reached out and asked if I still needed a ticket as he had not 1 but 2 tickets to release. I was just getting comfy with the fact that I won’t be going taking small solace in facts like it being a packed like sardines sold out show at Valley Bar--that I’d already seen them... wait what, I can go, yay, packed like sardines is alright by me!

After a lovely opening from fellow Canadian acts, Nap Eyes, it was time for Alvvays. They started with “Saved by a Waif,” and then played the song I was waiting for: “In Undertow.” I was in utter delight!

There are song lyrics that lift higher at times or during performances, that hit me hard and one of them was from “Not My Baby.” In the song, Molly croons:

“And it’s true I’ve been checking out lately...I don’t care/Because I’m really not there/I’m really not there.”

...which reminded me of a poem I wrote in high school called and about ‘Teen Angst’... in which I wrote: 

“I don’t care... care about what they wear, what they share, and oh! who’ve they’ve got next in line. They’re blaming me now, asking: “Why don’t I care?” Sitting there, I can’t look them in the eye, but honestly I can say: “I really don't know.”

Another song that hit me even harder was “Forget about life." It feels forlorn but yet camaraderie abounds in it for a shoot the breeze none special special moment one can have with a friend... a moment that you only notice as special afterwards.

They played so many favorites from the... ”Atop A Cake,” “Party Police,” “Ones who love you,” and “Archie, Marry me,” a song Molly prefaced was dedicated to all the tiny people in the crowd who can’t see the stage, saying they can rise up to great levels--or something to that effect. As a short person myself, I smiled and genuinely loved this moment... but I could see as I had front row views though I sympathized with my fellow short folk.

“Dreams Tonite,” following “Marry Me, Archie” was like watching a double feature of the films ‘Before Sunrise’ and ‘Before Sunset.’

Also, I made note of another great bus song... the other being Jay Som’s... just a note I made while the band played Antisocialite’s second officially released song. One thing’s for sure, songs about Bus’s are trending favorably this year in the Indie music scene... as there’s still time before 2017 runs out, Indie bands write a song about a Bus and you, too, may hit it big... ha. Bad joke or music trend truth?

One downside to the show was this annoying fan that kept on calling out I love you Alvvays, I love this band... I’ll Alvvays love you. It started to get old and then he went too far and yelled “Have my Babies!” Hey, persistently poor concert going fellow, they have a song title answer for that: “Not My Baby.” I also noted a sole security guard flanks right in front between the 21 and under 21′s which was strange but post show found out that recently a fan ran up on stage and attempted to kiss Molly while she performed “Party Police,” maybe he thought her lyrics “you could just stay hear with me...” were meant for him, but what he did was totally uncalled for and disruptive. Though Molly is a tough cookie, still, behavior like that is never appropriate. Though our Phoenix crowd annoyer kept it to words, it was uncalled for behavior. We all love the band and their music. just being in the room is enough proof of that. Also, asking a band to play a song that they already played 6 minutes ago is way lame as guitarist Alec O’Hanley stated matter of fact with a hint of heat in his delivery. 

Despite this, the band came out for a single song encore to give us one last taste of their music.

The last time Alvvays played here, it was a Pub Rock, and what I remember most was Molly’s quips, her positivity--there was a local opener that was hard on themselves on stage and I remember her saying to not be so hard on themselves and that they did a good job in her eyes. I was hoping for more banter like that, more relaxed, but her quips and reponses were the best they could be. I loved when she chatted asking if we have fall here or was it all a lie, we yelled back lie.

I hope the rest of their tour is free from bad concert going behavior and that they roll around these parts again soon.

Special Note: Shout out to my concert going buddy’s Robden and Laura for grabbing and gifting me the setlist even though I know they would love to add it to their own collections. I appreciate that you gave it to me, very very, much!

Cut Copy November 4, 2018 at Crescent Balroom, Phoenix AZ [Touring in support of their Sun Machine Album]

From my instagram that night: " Rubblebucket... such a fun band live... and its only the third song in!” By the end of the night, the band walked off the stage and around and among the audience and we followed as if they were the Pied Piper, and we, the listening children, drawn to their energy and songs...

Black Belt Eagle Scout November 19, 2019 at The Nile Underground, Mesa AZ [Touring for their At the Party with My Brown Friends release]

KP creates and records all her music solo and then a band helps her to showcase it live when touring. this time, the band Hikes was her back up... composed of a Half Filipino by the name of Nay that released the second Tagalog titled album this year--that I know of stateside: Mahal Kita (I Love You). After their set, they returned with KP on drums plus a guitarist, the show starting off soft with At the Party and KP eventually switching to guitars for crowd favorites like Soft Stud and Loss & Relax. I was so glad I decided to attend--discovering the show very last minute when I scoured the venue websites to share my show picks on the Stinkweeds Blog.

The show was a bit strange. The main venue had a much louder act performing and you could hear creaking of the audience above while the softer outputs of Hikes and BBES at times benefited by the strange juxtaposition of music output above and below. 

Got to speak to both bands after the show and couldn’t resist Hikes artful lyric and tour book for their Japan tour and few days prior to release, Mahal Kita. BBES’s latest on cassette for 80s prices... full record for $5... Unheard of!

Crumb September 16, 2019 at Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix AZ [Touring for their Jinx release]

I don’t know how, but this DIY band has made it in a roundabout way... selling out shows without even having a proper record release... and now touring their proper self released record. I remember hearing their frenchy, jazzy and chill vibes not unlike sterolab for the first time a couple years ago and placing them in the pass list in my yearly SXSW research. Songs like Nina, Locket and So Tired got my attention and off their latest, Part III and M.R. continue their aesthetic.

It took me their third--as far as I know, tour to finally see them at Crescent Ballroom this past September. So glad I did.

Jay Som August, 2019 at Rebel Lounge, Phoenix AZ [Touring for their Anak Ko release]

As a Filipino-American, I am so happy to have a fellow Pinay actually in the indie circuit to follow that creates music I love... and that even showcases her Filipino roots, teaching indie kids Filipino. I remember Japanese Breakfast saying she wanted more Asian Americans to create music, and Jay Som, a friend and musician adds to those artists.

This was the very first tour date for her Anak Ko Tour and Melinda brought along two bands... Affectionately and Boy Scouts that have outputs that pair well to Jay Som’s music... I especially liked Boy Scout’s set and later found a former local act, Stephen Steinbrink connection... I believe he produced their album and I love it as much as Anak Ko.

Bird & the Bee August 28, 2019 at Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix AZ [Touring for their Interpreting the Masters, Volume 2: A Tribute to Van Halen release]

A softer jazzier spin to the Raucous Rock of Van Halen delivered by Daimond Dave, Inara George and co. reinterpret it with a soft but with edge output. I was not a fan of the music in the 80s, but I remember having to watch Jump and Hot for Teacher and I do remember chuckling at the latter. Now they are nostalgic and bring me back to my youth weather I like the music or not... the rose colored nostlagic glass come out. But these were fun spins and I absolutely love all the musicians solo work and as the Bird and the Bee. Greg Kurstin, Producer extraordinaire is not one to travel, so Alex Lilly played keys in his absence. Inara brought out a video of him doing piano for a song so it could feel like he was there for at least one song, but the girls... Inara, Alex, Samantha and Barbara all give 100% for a great and fun live show... along with Vikram on horns and other instruments. In a word, the show was Badass. This tour was a team effort, all acts under Inara’s Release Me Label, so they all rotated and offered their distinctive music but then joined altogether for the rock tribute. I got to chat with Barbara, Alex and Inara post show... they were all so humble and sweet.

Blushing July 24, 2019 at Rebel Lounge, Phoenix AZ [Touring for their Self-Titled release]

A wall of shoegaze sound that commands you to listen to it, made by a couple of couples that give a very captivating live set. that night was 4 great bands, Citrus clouds and Dovi for the locals, and the touring Ringo Deathstarr and Blushing, both based in Austin, a town that clearly outputs many great bands of all genres while hosting the entire worlds up and coming musicians. My friend said this band was legit, and I have to say, I concur.

Superorganism April 24, 2019 at Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix AZ [Touring for their Self-Titled release]

I’m so glad I found out about this band before their tour stop in Phoenix. Thy’re  the epitomy of what an artschool band output could be... complete with an artist member designing all of their merch, videos and a collaborative effort in song creation by all members with the lead vocalist responsible for the song content which she delivers with a sarcastic and real output that’s a touch Daria and Gudetama character, off set by the trio of back up singer/dancers that emit a more positive and upbeat vibe. Not tome mention that all but one of the members moved from different parts of the country to London and live and create their strange and quirky brand of music in a shared home.

If I had to compare, I’d say their live show rivals that of Rubblebucket who also give a great live show in which they feel very much like pied pipers leading the audience under a musical enchantment. But with Superorganism... their songs all have an anthem-like quality.

Their music is a juxtaposition of noting life’s cruel realities but also a tincture/balm/musical cure that quells anxiety and depression and anger and melancholy this generation and era have in spades. I relate greatly... despite being in that Xennial/Jared Leto/Oregon trail generation gap...