Boston Rock Photos And Stuff
We here at Daykamp Music recently got to present our first show. We did so with the fine folks at Boston Band Crush. How spoiled are we? Quite. The very first band to play at one of our shows was Parlour Bells. That’s just crazy. The ‘Bells got things steamy right from the start. These debonair popsters have a dark spark that lights up whatever stage they grace. Their passionate set was a sign of good things to come.
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.
There has been a lot of Parlour Bells coverage up on the site this week. We had a live video from their recent Precinct show of their noir-pop gem, “You Don’t Wear That Dress, The Dress Wears You.” We also had photos from the show. Now it’s Parlour Bells Bonus Time.* Here’s a video of their set closer, “O Holiday.” The sound is a little crispy at times on this one, but it’s such a vibrant performance it deserves to be shared.
*Patent Pending
Parlour Bells’ first show since their fantastic Rumble appearance did not disappoint. The band brought the same spark that impressed so many people during last month’s main event into Precinct last Friday night. A couple of quick notes before we get to the pics…
* The band posted their “Bachelor Hours” performance to YouTube so you can hear for yourself.
Here are Parlour Bells melting the walls at Precinct with a smoldering rendition of “You Don’t Wear That Dress, The Dress Wears You.”*
*It’s almost as if Parlour Bells and Eddie Japan were having a longest song title contest at this show.
Last night’s Parlour Bells set at TT’s was intoxicating. The band was well prepared for their showdown in the Rumble prelims. Parlour Bells drew the crowd in with their glamourous, sultry pop. The performance was dynamic and engaging. Their songs are superb. They are one of the finest bands in town, yet somehow get better with every show. They may not have won the night, but don’t count them out yet.
Preliminary Night #4 Winner: Cask Mouse
Hey, look! Corsets aren’t just for Jane’s Addiction tribute nights anymore! Glenn DiBenedetto dusted his off for the Parlour Bells set at TT’s.* Was this a Rumble preview set? Maybe. It was certainly Rumble-worthy. Parlour Bells return to TT’s for their preliminary night on April 5th.
* Do corsets get dusty?
It’s Groundhog Day and I feel like I’ve written this post before. You know, the one where I tell you I that think Parlour Bells are pretty great.
Somehow my previous posts singing the band’s praises don’t adequately describe just how good this outfit is getting. Their set at Radio for the Winter Rock Formal was incredible. It was at times dramatic, joyous, haunting and seductive. I wouldn’t mind reliving this one over and over again.
Sometimes the obvious choice is the right choice. The Blizzard Of 78 played at MixTape 1978.
