Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
Richard Bouchard has been putting together some pretty great shows over at TT’s lately. This particular Thursday night kicked off with Parlour Bells filling the club with charisma, wit and moody pop tunes. Their tactful mix of songs and showmanship never gets old.
Sometimes you do things for yourself. Sometimes you do things for your friends. Sometimes you do things for your city. Last night was one of those rare moments when you could do all three at the same time. There’s no one I’d rather see kick off a night like that than Brendan Boogie. It pains me to say it, but he’s a good dude. Mr. Boogie brought some of his band, The Broken Gates, down to TT’s to open the For Boston benefit.
It can be tough having a late slot on a school night. You have to dig a little deeper to keep yourself going. It ain’t glamorous loading out late and getting up early. Some bands can’t cut it. They pack up and go home. Other bands put on their shiny jackets and step onto that stage like there’s no place else they’d rather be.
Parlour Bells…
You know what I always say: “When it snows, I need to boogie!”* Well, it’s snowing, so I’m off to Radio for Brendan Boogie’s first-Thursday-of-every-month-until-the-end-of-time residency. The band is good great. The puns are bad terrible. It’s exactly what I had hoped for.
* I never have and never will say this. Never ever ever ever ever ever ever. Ever. Never.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Abbie Barrett And The Last Date — too long for a band this good. Their set at TT’s is making me feel like I’ve been missing something.
OldJack was a fine-tuned rock ‘n’ soul machine at The Sinclair. Saint Nicklin & Co. deftly rolled one song into the next, culminating with the pair of holiday numbers they recently made available. Let’s hope the Holiday Homage becomes an annual tradition.
Parlour Bells had a big year in 2012. Their Rumble set was one of the highlights at this year’s event. They opened the first ever show presented by Daykamp Music.* The most dapper band in Boston did the same for the last show presented by WFNX while they were still on terrestrial radio. When fall rolled around, they showed off their versatility with a show-stopping performance at the debut of Lounge Act. Well, add one more biggie to the list. With their opening set at OldJack’s Holiday Homage, Parlour Bells became the first Boston act to grace the stage of the newly-opened Sinclair.
I can’t wait to see what they have in store for 2013.
* I’m sure they will consider this a watershed moment in their rock n’ roll careers.
Brendan Boogie has an ongoing residency at Radio the first Thursday of every month with his latest band, Brendan Boogie & The Broken Gates. It’s a rocking outfit who play well off each other. Most of the material is new, but fear not. Mr Boogie still knows how to write a memorable tune. You’ll have one or two new favorites by the end of the set.
Have you ever wanted to hear the history of Parlour Bells told by a martini-sipping Goddamn Glenn over a stylish rendition of “Pet Names?” Today is your lucky day. Look past the haphazard camera work and marvel at the band’s closing Lounge Act number.
