bradley's almanac - a boston-based music blog

almanac mp3 archives
live show photo archive
'my life or some dream' original mp3 compilation
bands i've been in
the 'nac faq & contact info

the almanac rss feed
follow me on twitter
become a fan on facebook
hype machine 'nac page
the 'nac songkick gig page
almanac events on sponty
the almanac last.fm page

the almanac archives

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

News of the Swirlies' reemergence from a lengthy hibernation for three strictly East Coast (sneaky flute) shows a few weeks back was a more than welcome surprise, and was instantly one of my most anticipated musical happenings of the new year. I'd seen the Boston-based band many times back in the day ("the day" being the early-90s), but somehow not once after the release of what would become my favorite Swirlies album - 1996's brilliant "They Spent their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons". Considering how much I worshipped their earlier work, the fact that they could unexpectedly peak so many years after my first exposure in '92 impressed the hell outta me. Subsequent releases were sporadic and spotty... a remix album, some hard-to-find compilation appearances, a bit of slightly less-focused material under the Yes Girls banner, and eventually 2003's "Cats of the Wild: Volume Two" album on Bubblecore. Live shows followed that release, but since then, nary a word, until... a trio of late-February dates dubbed the "Scituate or Bust" tour.

I had no expectations when I first heard about their return - I figured the lineup would include at least founders Damon Tutunjian and Andy Bernick, but beyond that who knew? They'd been through many personnel changes over the years, losing and gaining some great drummers, replacing the sadly-departed Seana Carmody (who went on to form the excellent Syrup USA, Shenzou 5, and do solo stuff) with the wonderful Christina Files (it was she who helped make "TSTWYDITGWOTS" so stellar), and shuffling through some ace second guitarists. So when I heard exactly who else the reconstituted Swirlies would include, I was pretty psyched: Longtime member (and former Wicked Farleys' guitarist) Rob Laasko, drummer Adam Pierce (from Mice Parade, who joined up post-"TSTWYDITGWOTS"), and the newest Swirlie, Deb Warfield (also ex-Shenzou 5 and current Broken River Prophet) on guitar/keys/and gorgeous vocals. All the pieces would be in place, great players all... but still, any Swirlies show is a gamble: You can witness either unerring precision, or a ramshackle, almost-off-the-rails affair (often both, at once). I'll say this, though - watching them perform, I've never had anything other than fun.

So, despite that lack of expectations, I did hold out hope that finally, 13 years after the fact, I'd get a chance to maybe, just maaaaybe, hear some of the songs from "Wild Youthful Days..." played live on a stage in front of me. When I first mentioned the scheduled Middle East upstairs show on the 'Nac, I even threw my humble request for the song "Sunn" out into the void, certainly not expecting it to be heard, or to my total delight, actually honored. But yes, they re-learned it, and played it, along with an abundance of other tracks off that album. Oh, the joy.

Their 16-song set including many perfect moments, a few shaky bits, some serious rocking, some goofy meanderings, some ultra-tight action, and some wild, youthful transgressions. In other words, it a full-on Swirlies show. And most importantly, it was fun. Powerful classics like "Jeremy Parker" and "Bell" ("Tall Ships" was setlisted but skipped) alongside late-era songs like "Le Bag" and "Rare Moment". Just when you were worried the set was almost too cohesive, then came the encore - a request for a meandering "Jack Buckey's Theme" was granted, into the brief, stripped down oldie "His Life Of Academic Freedom", and finally an enthusiastic cover of Flipper's "Sex Bomb", with Bullpen Catchers/Kudgel singer/guitarist Mark Erdody (and random fans in the front row) on guest vocals.

The full setlist...

Swirlies
Live at the Middle East Upstairs
in Cambridge, MA
on Saturday, February 28th, 2009

01. In Harmony Newfound Freedom
02. Vigilant Always
03. Le Bag
04. One Light Flashing I Love You
05. Jeremy Parker
06. Sounds of Sebring
07. Two Girls Kissing
08. You Can't Be Told It, You Must Behold It
09. Rare Moment
10. Sunn
11. Bell
12. The Vehicle Is Invisible
13. San Cristobal De Las Casas

encore...
14. Jack Buckey's Theme
15. His Life Of Academic Freedom
16. Sex Bomb (Flipper cover)

For those keeping score, songs 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, & 13 were from "Salons"; 2, 5, 11, & 15 were on 1993's "Blonder Tongue Audio Baton"; 3 & 9 can be found on "Cats of the Wild: Volume Two"; and tracks 4 and 14 are Yes Girls numbers.

A few Swirlies links...

Their official site, MySpace page, Wikipedia entry, and old Taang! label page.

Audio: One of the reasons that Damon rules - he shares a butt-load of Swirlies audio for free on his site. You can grab most of the albums I've mentioned in this post over there. Also of note - the band was giving out free (and mysteriously labeled) cds at the show, and it ends up that they were copies of the 2003 "Thirty Minutes On The World Map" compilation, a 38-track hodge-podge of limited-edition randomness on the RCA Archives imprint. Score. I grabbed a couple extras, so keep an eye out for the next Almanac-presented show, where I'll be handing them out with other free stuff.

Additional Audio: Along with Bullpen Catchers (and a surprise mini-set by the reunited Kudgel! Chimp Rock 4EVA!), the other opener was Gregory & the Hawk. I knew nothing of 'them', and 'them' ended up being 'her', namely Meredith Godreau from New York. I mentioned on Friday how much I enjoyed her short, sweet set, and managed to record her last three songs (on which she was joined by Swirlies drummer Adam Pierce on second guitar). With her kind say-so, here they are, including the brand new, and stunningly beautiful, "Red Cross With Silver Shine"...

Mp3s:
Gregory & the Hawk - The People Who Raised Me
Gregory & the Hawk - Red Cross With Silver Shine (new)
Gregory & the Hawk - Grey Weather

Photos: My Flickr-hosted shots are here. Check out a Swirlies Flickr tag search, which includes Landon's shots from the show (fyi, that's him guesting on keys in one of my pics).

Video: Check out a full Swirlies YouTube search.

A total aside, and only a couple of my former bandmates might find this at all interesting (and maybe a Swirlie or two): Many, many years ago, the very first band I was in was lucky enough to open for the Swirlies and Spore at Middlebury College in Vermont. The whole show is a bit hazy -- I recall that my humble, wide-eyed little VT pop band was horribly out-gunned by the aural assault of the Swirlies, and especially Spore (holy loudness!) -- but I remember one thing very specifically: when we broke into a late-set cover of the Go-Go's "Head Over Heels", most of the Swirlies came to their feet and gave us their smiling attention. Cut to last month, 15 years later, I'm reading about the Swirlies' early days in some pre-show press, and I learn this: They started out as a Go-Go's cover band. Ah ha!.

I can only hope these shows are signs of more activity to come, 'cuz I've got a couple more requests to make. Hey, I'm allowed to be a little greedy, aren't I?

posted by brad at 9:03 AM | direct link | rss (1 :2) |