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wednesday, march 17th

joanna newsom

@ the sanders theatre, harvard

wednesday, march 17th

henry rollins (spoken word)

@ the somerville theatre

thursday, march 18th

TOURFILTER DJ NIGHT!

when tourfilter's chris +

the almanac's brad (aka, me)

spin songs by bands coming to

the boston area sometime soon

9pm sharp @ river gods

thursday, march 18th

apollo sunshine

drug rug

@ the paradise

friday, march 19th

i, pistol

mascara

planetoid

forgetful jones

@ tt the bears

saturday, march 20th

the whitehaus family blastfest

needy visions, manners,

morgan shaker, avi jacob,

and many more

@ cambridge ymca theatre

saturday, march 20th

air

@ berklee performance center

sunday, march 21st

the clientele

field music

@ great scott

wednesday, march 24th

extraneous noise presents...

golden spurs

spirit kid

some say fire

the novel ideas

@ the middle east upstairs

thursday, march 25th

"thursday night alright!" with

the beatings

aloud

action camp

hello ninja

@ great scott

thursday, march 25th

the donnas

@ the paradise

friday, march 26th

eldridge rodriguez (the beatings)

ryan lee crosby

ted billings (age rings/hot protestants)

@ the somerville armory

friday, march 26th

basia bulat

marissa nadler

lady lamb the beekeeper

@ tt the bears

saturday, march 27th

your say party! we say die!

the new collisions

static of the gods (cd release)

@ tt the bears

saturday, march 27th

the big pink

a place to bury strangers

magic magic

@ the paradise

saturday, march 27th

spoon

deerhunter

@ the house of blues

sunday, march 28th

beach house

bachelorette

@ the paradise

monday, march 29th

the soft pack

nodzzz

beaters

@ great scott

tuesday, march 30th

shearwater

wye oak

hospital ships

@ tt the bears

tuesday, march 30th

manchester orchestra

the features

biffy clyro

o'brother

@ the paradise

wednesday, march 31st

japandroids

love is all

girlfriends

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, march 31st

miike snow

delorean

@ the paradise

wednesday, march 31st

a sunny day in glasgow

pants yell!

bearstronaut

@ great scott

thursday, april 1st

girls

dum dum girls

@ the paradise

friday, april 2nd

the xx

jj (late show only)

two shows @ the paradise

friday, april 2nd

drive-by truckers

lucero

langhorne slim

@ the house of blues

saturday, april 3rd

cassavettes

the grownup noise

kingsley flood (cd release)

spouse

@ the middle east upstairs

saturday, april 3rd

black rebel motorcycle club

alberta cross

@ the house of blues

saturday, april 3rd

nada surf

dawn landes & the hounds

@ the paradise

sunday, april 4th

serena maneesh

depreciation guild

black fortress of opium

@ tt the bears

tuesday, april 6th

wilco

@ the orpheum

tuesday, april 6th

ben folds & a piano

kate miller-heidke

@ the house of blues

wednesday, april 7th

florence & the machine

@ the paradise

wednesday, april 7th

rocky votolato

brooke waggoner

@ great scott

thursday, april 8th

faces on film

hands & knees

st. claire (cd release!)

mr. sister

@ tt the bears

thursday, april 8th

thom yorke + atoms for peace

flying lotus

@ the citi/wang theatre

friday, april 9th

midlake

@ the paradise

saturday, april 10th

xiu xiu

tune-yards

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, april 10th

ted leo & the pharmacists

obits

screaming females

@ the paradise

saturday, april 10th

pissed jeans

confines

sqrm

@ great scott

sunday, april 11th

fanfarlo

lawrence arabia

robert francis

@ the paradise

monday, april 12th

the wedding present

play their 1989 lp 'bizarro'

with openers girl in a coma

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, april 12th

titus andronicus

the babies

@ great scott

thursday, april 15th

jakob dylan with guests

neko case + kelly hogan

@ the wilbur theatre

thursday, april 15th

red sparowes

doomriders

@ the middle east downstairs

friday, april 16th

guillermo sexo

freddie t and the people

(ex-june of 44 / hoover)

travels

ghost box orchestra

@ pa's lounge

friday, april 16th

have nots (vinyl release!)

the appreciation post

razors in the night

wicked whiskey

the swaggerin growlers

@ tt the bears

saturday, april 17th

kaki king

an horse

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, april 17th

the morning benders

miniature tigers

@ tt the bears

sunday, april 18th

heavy trash (w/jon spencer)

the konks

the cobra-matics

@ tt the bears

sunday, april 18th

the thermals

past lives

@ the middle east downstairs

monday, april 19th

trans am

@ the middle east downstairs

tuesday, april 20th

owen pallett (aka final fantasy)

@ the ica boston

tuesday, april 20th

elvis costello & the sugarcanes

@ the orpheum

tuesday, april 20th

the low anthem

timber timbre

@ the paradise

tuesday, april 20th

quasi

let's wrestle

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, april 21st

the church

special 30th anniversary

acoustic career retrospective

@ the somerville armory

wednesday, april 21st through

wednesday, april 28th

the 8th annual independent

film festival of boston

@ various boston area theatres

including the somerville + brattle

thursday, april 22nd

the mary onettes

@ great scott

saturday, april 24th

graham parker with

the figgs

@ johnny d's, somerville

saturday, april 24th

los campesinos!

here we go magic

@ the paradise

sunday, april 25th

harlem

@ great scott

monday, april 26th

echo + the bunneymen

hatcham social

@ the paradise

wednesday, april 28th

gogol bordello

devotchka

jesse malin

st. mark's social

@ the house of blues

thursday, april 29th

frightened rabbit

@ the paradise

friday, april 30th

the everyday visuals

the lights out

the flying machines

aloud

@ tt the bears

friday, april 30th

corinne bailey ray

@ the house of blues

friday, april 30th

the album leaf

sea wolf

@ the paradise

wednesday, april 28th

little boots

dragonette

fan death

@ the middle east downstairs

saturday, may 1st

white rabbits

here we go magic

@ the paradise

monday, may 3rd

yeasayer

sleigh bells

@ the paradise

tuesday, may 4th

gregory & the hawk

lady lamb the beekeeper

@ tt the bears

tuesday & wednesday

may 4th & 5th

public image ltd.

@ the royale (formerly the roxy)

wednesday, may 5th

minus the bear

@ the wilbur theatre

wednesday & thursday

may 5th & 6th

jonsi (from sigur ros)

@ the house of blues

thursday, may 6th

shout out louds

@ the paradise

friday, may 7th

ok go

earl greyhound

robert francis

@ the paradise

saturday, may 8th

local natives

@ great scott

tuesday & wednesday

may 11th & 12th

dr. dog

deer tick

@ the paradise

thursday, may 13th

small brown bike

bridge and tunnel

your skull my closet

wallcreeper

@ great scott

saturday, may 22nd

killing joke

@ the paradise

tuesday, may 18th

spectrum (featuring sonic boom

from spacemen 3 + e.a.r.)

with the broken river prophet

@ the middle east upstairs

tuesday, may 25th

the smittens

allo darlin'

one happy island

hearts!attack

a smile and a ribbon

horowitz

@ the lizard lounge

wednesday, may 26th

reverend horton heat

cracker

miss derringer

@ the house of blues

friday, may 28th

mono

the twilight sad

@ the middle east downstairs

wednesday, june 2nd

kings of convenience

franklin for short

@ the paradise

wednesday, june 2nd

ryan bingham & the dead horses

@ tt the bears

wednesday & thursday

june 2nd & 3rd

the national

@ the house of blues

friday, june 4th

brian jonestown massacre

@ the paradise

friday, june 18th

reigning sound

movers & shakers

triplethick

@ tt the bears

saturday, june 19th

james taylor

carole king

@ the garden

sunday + monday

june 20th + 21st

isis

melvins

totimoshi

@ the paradise

thursday + saturday

august 19th + 21st

tom petty + the heartbreakers

my morning jacket

@ the comcast center

visit tourfilter for more shows

Part two of my audio/visual look back at the Touch & Go Records 25th Anniversary Celebration that took place out in Chicago in September. While the opening Friday night gave us a mere five bands, the second day brought over a dozen: The New Year, Uzeda, Pegboy, Tim & Andy (of Silkworm & Bottomless Pit), the Ex, Killdozer, Jon (Mekons) & Kat (The Ex), Didjits, P.W. Long, Negative Approach, Sally Timms (Mekons), Scratch Acid, Man or Astro-Man?, Big Black, & Shellac.

For words and songs from the first night, look here. The third and final day should be up within the next week or two. Enjoy...

The New Year

Mp3: "Chinese Handcuffs" (live)

Mp3: "Reconstruction" (live)

When I learned that one of my favorite bands, The New Year, would be playing at noon on the second day, my first thought was "they're so not a sunshine band"... but they proved me wrong. Halfway through the set it hit me how their melodic, beautifully hypnotic four-guitar build-ups were an ideal start to a long day ahead. If I ran the world, they could be our stadium rock, sending their perfect chords out through the open air, reverberating into the world. Yeah, those words might look hyperbolic on your computer screen, but standing there listening to them, I sure as hell felt 'em.

(Official site / T&G band page / MySpace)

Uzeda

Mp3: "Gold" (live)

Mp3: "Steel Man" (live)

And if I ran the world, you'd be watching 'Rockstar: Uzeda', and singer Giovanna Cacciola would be just right for their band. Fronted by what could be described as a female David Yow (minus the bare skin), the Italian four-piece put on one seriously powerful performance. If the New Year eased us into the day, Uzeda followed with a swift boot to the head.

(Official site / T&G band page / MySpace)

Pegboy

Mp3: "Superstar" (live)

Mp3: "Dangermare" (live)

I don't think I laughed as much during any other weekend set as I did while Pegboy was on stage. Two o'clock in the afternoon and singer Larry Damore was already rip-roarin' drunk. I don't think I've ever seen anyone flip-off a crowd as affectionately as he did, and he didn't let the photographer's pit prevent him from heading into the crowd for some fan face time. A truly entertaining frontman, I dug watching him as much as he seemed to enjoy performing. Pegboy's been around forever, and the guy still looks like he feels lucky to be up there rocking out.

(T&G band page / Wikipedia page / MySpace)

Andy Cohen, Tim Midgett, & Biznono Kadane
(of Silkworm / Bottomless Pit)

Mp3: "LR72" (live)

One last song, for Michael...

"I've come for good reason, because you and I were friends..."

"...let me drink and weep, and see that a friendship was here"

(Silkworm site / T&G band page / Bottomless Pit site)

The Ex

Mp3: "Sister" (live)

Mp3: "title unknown" (live)

While I can appreciate the creativity and longevity behind these respected Dutch noise-makers, I must admit that sonically they don't do it for me. If any fans out there happen to know the name of song two above, fill me in with a comment below.

(Official site / T&G band page / MySpace)

Killdozer

Mp3: "New Pants & Shirt" (live)

Mp3: "Le Grange (ZZ Top) / Cyst" (live)

Ahhh, Killdozer, how you remind me of my college radio days. Hearing "King of Sex" put me right back at WRUV, circa 1990. A great set, well-loved by the festival crowd, and frontman Michael Gerald is still a cocky wiseass. I do mean that in a good way.

A side note: Near the end of their set, this guy (who may or may not go by the name Timebomb Tom) completely freaked out (video). I mean, a total abandonment of all mental faculties. And distinctively not in a good way. Festival security yanked him for everyone's safety, including his own (trust me, he woulda got punched), and it was no easy task. I saw him literally frothing at the mouth as they dragged him towards the festival exits. I mean, Killdozer is damn good, but they're not "go insane!" good. Word is the guy snuck back in, only to be taken out again in 'cuffs. Timebomb, indeed.

(Wikipedia page / T&G band page / MySpace)

Jon Langford (from The Mekons)
& Kat (from The Ex)

Mp3: "You Must Have Walked Across My Mind Again"
(live George Jones cover)

Mp3: "Last Fair Deal Done Down" (live)

A short, stripped-down four-song interlude from Mr. Langford & Ms. Kat cleansed our musical palate in between the dirty-noize of Killdozer and the impending pop-punk assault that was on deck...

(Mekons site / Jon Langford's site / The Ex site)

Didjits

Mp3: "Plate In My Head" (live)

Mp3: "Who's Ready To Get High" (live)

Wow. Didjits. What can I say? I'd never heard 'em, and was pretty well blown away by the old-skool pop-punk they served up. I wasn't the only one... the cheers and applause were loud and lengthy. Singer/guitarist Rick Sims is a born showman, and any time that goes by without him fronting some loud-ish band playing fast-ish songs is a musical crime. Such a great set.

It was made even better when I glanced over to my right to find Rick and Rose from the Poster Children alongside me, enjoying the sounds from their Champaign-spawned brethren even more than I was. Rose's near-non-stop pogo action was super-infectious. Three cheers for the PKids. (you have heard Radio Zero, Rick and Rose's podcast, have you not? )

(Wikipedia page / T&G band page / MySpace)

P.W. Long

While I saw and dug P.W.'s low-key acoustic songs, a recording glitch means I can't share any of his set here. Hit up his MySpace page for three streaming tracks.

(Wikipedia page / T&G artist page / MySpace)

Negative Approach

Mp3: "Pressure / Fair Warning" (live)

Mp3: "Dead Stop" (live)

Mosh pit!! With the very first note of NegApp's first song, the pit came to life. Like an unforeseen whirlpool, I got sucked right into the middle, and I loved it. For all of about 10 seconds. Then I realized my recording was going to come out sounding totally ass-tastic if I didn't escape, and soon. So I swam to the edge and became one of the border-guards, protecting myself from flailing arms and falling bodies as I pushed people back in. It was the best kind of pit... asshole-free and relatively safe, which I suppose could be attributed to the average age of the guys inside. Let's just say they had obvious pit experience. Good times.

(Wikipedia page / T&G band page / MySpace)

Sally Timms with Jon Lanford
(from the Mekons)

Mp3: "Corporal Chalkie" (live)

Mp3: "God's Eternal Love"
(live Mark Eitzel cover)

I'm not sure what twisted genius put Sally Timms smack dab between the madness of a reunited Negative Approach and Scratch Acid, but somehow it worked. If her songs didn't seem to fit in that spot, her punk rock attitude sure did. She put the crowd in its impatient place, and got us ready for the imminent Yow...

(Official site / T&G band page / Mekons site)

Scratch Acid

Mp3: "Monsters" (live)

Mp3: "El Espectro" (live)

Does my cred take a hit if I admit I've never owned any Scratch Acid records? Ah well. Sure, I'd heard 'em, but even though I'd been a total Jesus Lizard freak, my love never bled over into David Yow and David Sims' previous band. That's not to say I didn't know exactly what the Touch & Go crowd was in for, and that's exactly what we got: unfiltered and indecipherable Yow, all intensity and insanity, but thankfully without the nudity. I've seen enough of his twig & berries to last a lifetime, thank you very much.

(Wikipedia page / T&G band page)

Man or Astro-Man?

Unfortunately, Man or Astro-man? gets the same short end of the stick as P.W. Long but for a different reason: I was stuck on the other side of the festival lot among the masses waiting for Big Black and Shellac to rock us. MoAM?'s set sounded solid from a distance, and if I hadn't seen 'em years ago in a small club, it would have been a far tougher decision to skip their set.

(Official site / T&G band page / MySpace)

Big Black

01: "introduction"
02: "Cables" (live)
03: "Dead Billy" (live)
04: "Pigeon Kill" (live)
05: "Racer X" (live)

As a reunited Big Black assumed their positions, frontman/guitarist Steve Albini kicked off their short four-song set by igniting a pack of firecrackers. No one in the crowd needed that to draw their attention; we'd been waiting for this for a very long time. Actually, that's not quite true... since no one expected this would ever happen, no one was really waiting for anything. Albini was joined by Jeff 'Stretch' Pezzati on bass, Santiago Durango on guitar, and of course Roland on drums, who I'm guessing had to be reprogrammed entirely from scratch. Couldn't resist sharing up all four songs here, along with the crackling intro.

(Wikipedia page / T&G band page)

Shellac

Mp3: "Canada" (live)

Mp3: "Billiard Player Song" (live)

During Shellac's unbelievable set, I truly felt that I was witnessing a band at the absolute top of its game. It seemed that they had the massive crowd completely captivated, totally entranced. I got lost in it, in the tension, the energy, the pure skill coming from the stage. I've never heard them tighter, better mixed, or more powerful... there is no one that can make the sounds they do, simply one of the most unique rock trios off all time.

They played a bunch of the songs that will likely make up their long-awaited next record, "Excellent Italian Greyhound", most of which have been floating around the internet for awhile now... here's hoping the wait for that full-length isn't much longer.

(Wikipedia page / T&G band page)

A few related links...

If you're familiar with torrent-style file sharing, you can grab full festival sets courtesy of some other tapers at DimeADozen: Pegboy / Jon & Kat, Killdozer, Didjits, Sally Timms, and Big Black / Scratch Acid.

Check YouTube for various T&G 25th-related video clips, including one of Tim & Andy's performance of the song above.

Easily listen to all the songs shared here on The Hype Machine

My first Touch & Go Fest post had lots more links, and live songs from Shipping News, Supersystem, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Girls Against Boys, and !!!.

Congrats to Denise in Mississauga, Ontario, who was the winner of my extra limited edition "Claws" single that Shipping News gave out on the festival's opening day. And as I said, the third and final post in this T&G trifecta will be up as soon as I can throw it together...

Labels: livemp3s, touchandgo

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