Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
On Friday I told you why Parlour Bells was a great choice to kick off the We Want The Airwaves: A WFNX Tribute event at The Paradise. On Saturday they proved me right. This crowd wasn’t going to settle for melancholy and self-pity. They wanted a reason to be hopeful. They wanted to be delighted. They wanted to be entertained. They wanted all of this. Parlour Bells delivered.
Parlour Bells
“Airwaves”
2012
There’s a big show at The Paradise on Saturday night. Some former WFNX DJs are putting together an event to celebrate the WFNX that was.* Parlour Bells are on the bill for good reason. They are a band that has always championed radio as being essential to the local music scene, even in a time of readily available digital downloads and internet streaming. They are tireless supporters of Boston Emissions, Boston Accents and any other radio program devoting time to playing Boston artists. They even performed on the resurrected WBCN rock bus. I believe Glenn DiBenedetto when he sings “now my radio dial is missing two front teeth.” He means it.
“Airwaves” is a sentimental reflection on the state of Boston radio in June of 2012. It strikes a chord by revealing the emotion of a specific time and place. “Airwaves” is a song about how fans of Boston radio feel right now. It’s immediate. You can’t listen to Nate Leavitt’s delay drenched guitars and not be reminded of the countless U2 radio anthems broadcast by both of our recently departed rock radio stations. It’s a consoling echo. I’d be lying if I said the song wasn’t playing in my head last night as I lay in bed. The sound of the Metropolitan Chorale** was ringing in my ears as prepared for a new day.
Where to get it:
You can also watch a mini-documentary on the making of “Airwaves” right here.
* See what I did with the link there? Garvy J And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance are part of the show, too.
** Kerri-Ann Richard, Richard Bouchard, Anngelle Wood, Michael Marotta, Chris Mulvey, Lisa Libera, Leesa Coyne, Adam Ritchie, Rishava Green, Matt King, Michael J. Epstein, Sophia Cacciola, Jessica Sun Lee, Adam Anderson, Michael Gonzales, Ken Marcou, Tom Roppelt, Joel Edinberg, Rachel Blumenthal, Sarah Rabdau, Peter Moore and Dan Nicklin all lend their voices to the song.
It’s pretty remarkable how effortlessly the guys in Eddie Japan can blend musical styles.* Pop, rock, lounge and spaghetti western motifs are all in play during an Eddie Japan show. Some songs will have you tapping your toes while others will whisk you away to exotic musical locales. What a great way to cap off a heat wave.
* Or at least how effortless they make it seem.
Great songs have always been a trademark of The Rationales. Saturday night these guys added a couple of new gems to their setlist. I immediately fell in love with “Let It Go,” a song that wouldn’t sound out of place on side two of Abbey Road. Keep an ear out for that one.
Here are The Vivs at Precinct. They sport a classic Boston indie sound that they’ve gussied up with some three part harmonies.* Not willing to settle for the embarrassment of riches that is three competent vocalists in one band, The Vivs invited Sophia Cacciola** up on stage for a particularly haunting number.
* In the grand Boston rock tradition, The Vivs even busted out a Kinks cover.
** Recent “Best Female Vocalist” winner in the Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll for her work with Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling.
The Franc Graham Band mixes a low rock aesthetic with traditional songwriting and modern arrangements. Their Precinct set entertained a crowd seeking relief from the last gasps of an early summer heatwave.
Garvy J. And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance
“Celebrate”
2011
Garvy J And The Secret Pockets Of Hope And Resistance were one of the standout bands of the 2012 Rock ‘N’ Roll Rumble. This song was one of the big reasons why. “Celebrate” bristles with life both in a live setting and on this recording. It’s an upbeat Summerteeth-era Wilco tune with an adventurist twist. It’s a kinetic Flaming Lips track with a smooth vocal delivery. It’s vibrant. It’s vivid. It’s vital.
Where to get it:
Tallahassee played TT’s Friday night. It’s hotter than Tallahassee around these parts today. Coincidence? Probably. No matter. This was my first time seeing Tallahassee. It’s indie rock with some twang, stomp and singalongability. I like ’em.
The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library experimented with playing along to a silent movie they made. If this is anything like the way Mr. Epstein “experiments” with new bands, expect to see more of this in the future.
I love Cask Mouse. I love their songs. I love their vocal arrangements. I love their attitude, energy and charisma. Most of all I love their enthusiasm. Their love for what they do makes it easy to get behind them. It doesn’t take long for the TT’s crowd to do just that.
