Category: Blog

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Cask Mouse – “Vultures Live @ Tupelo Music Hall in White River Junction, VT” (2012)


Cask Mouse
“Vultures Live @ Tupelo Music Hall in White River Junction, VT”
2012

As much as I love Cambridge Sessions, Cask Mouse will always be a live band to me. Every time I see them I walk away impressed. They have the enthusiasm of a young band and the ability to play off of each other like seasoned veterans. Now they’ve got a live track to prove it. “Vultures” was recorded during one of their performances in Vermont. The track is a barn burner. The performance is exhilarating. It makes me wish I was there. That’s the true test of a live recording.

Where to get it:

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Black Thai @ Radio 8.24.2012

I’m feeling a little disoriented. Black Thai are up on the Radio stage blasting through a new number. It’s a dizzying barrage of devastating riffs and manic drumming. It’s all fingers and limbs flailing about in a fret and foot-pedal frenzy. Black Thai have just raised the bar.

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The Acro-brats @ Radio 8.24.2012

The Acro-brats are going to rock until there’s no one left standing in the crowd. What’s that? There’s another band coming up after them? OK, The Acro-brats are going to rock until there’s no one left standing in the band. Good times.

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Lonesome Red @ Moe’s Lounge 8.24.2012

In contrast to the adrenalin rush of a show Radio has going on upstairs, Moe’s Lounge is featuring some engaging, stripped-down performances. Earlier in the night I caught Ryan Lee Crosby bleeding blue. Now, Lonesome Red are delivering some stark Americana. Sometimes all you need are a guitar, a couple of drums and some voices to carry a tune.

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Cocked N’ Loaded @ Radio 8.24.2012

I’m not going to beat around the bush. I’ve never seen a more accurate description of a Cocked N’ Loaded show than what Richard Bouchard wrote on Boston Band Crush when previewing this show:

Cocked N’ Loaded play some of the best drunken, we-can’t-believe-this-hasn’t-gone-flying-off-the-rails-yet rock anywhere; frontman Kyle Neeson is as depraved on stage as any Florida bath salts addict, and at least twice as cunning, so watch out.

The band lived up to every word.

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Ryan Lee Crosby @ Moe’s Lounge 8.24.2012

After a youthful burst of punk rock from Problem Child, I head on down to Moe’s Lounge to see what’s going on. Ryan Lee Crosby’s tortured Telecaster is reverberating off of the wood paneling. They say guitar playing is all in the fingers. Ryan’s fingers sound like they’ve experienced one hundred years of sorrow. They leave quite an impression.

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Problem Child @ Radio 8.24.2012

Teenagers have been starting punk bands for over 35 years now. While I wish more kids were doing it, I wouldn’t exactly call it uncommon. You know, pick up a guitar. Learn a couple of chords. Convince your buddies to start up on bass and drums. Play a bunch of basements and parties for your friends, maybe a couple of all ages shows. Drive 207 miles to another state to open a crazy-over-the-top-rock-n-roll show at Radio.

Wait, what was that last part?

The last part is exactly* what Problem Child did. This trio of teens made the trek from Williston, VT to play at Radio the other night with Cocked N’ Loaded, The Acro-Brats and Black Thai. This makes me happy.

* Maybe not exactly. I estimated using Google Maps.

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The Rationales @ Radio 8.19.2012

Talk about a night of great songs. First we had Airport. Now, The Rationales.* On a Sunday. I’m alive and well at Radio, but I feel like I’ve died and gone to well-crafted-pop-n-roll heaven. We’re spoiled, folks.

* The Wooden Sky from Toronto topped the bill for a perfect songsmith trifecta.

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Airport @ Radio 8.19.2012

Ever since I heard Go Up, Airport’s glorious take on the sounds of ’70s radio, I’ve been meaning go to one of the band’s shows. I won’t say who’s fault it is,* but I hadn’t been able to make it happen. That all changed Sunday night at Radio. I finally got to catch a set from the sonic sons of Jackson Browne, Tom Petty and Joe Jackson. It was worth the wait.

* Clearly mine. I’d be quick to point out if someone else was at fault.