W♥M

The Velveteers at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-04-18)

The Velveteers at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS 2024-03-13 THE VELVETEERS SETLIST Motel #27 All these Little Things When I See Your Face On and On In My Head Bad Seed Father of Lies Beauty Queens Moonchild The Top Charmer and the Snake Bless Your Little Heart Choking CITY HALL SETLIST Radio Mono Strip Mall Lady Run it Down TIWYW Monster Say THE BLACK MARIAH THEATER SETLIST Don't Hang on to Me Gin & Attention Say a Prayer Old Flame Mean to be Mean Waste My Time Got No Luck Shakedown Spare Me Your Curse THE VELVETEERS TOUR DATES APR 19 Slowdown Omaha, NE APR 20 Frog Wizard Festival Manhattan, KS MAY 30 Temblor Brewing Bakersfield, CA MAY 31 Pappy + Harriet's Pioneertown, CA The Velveteers To start things off, Boulder CO band The Velveteers were determined to make the large outdoor venue feel more like a small club with a primal indie ....

With their first show of 2024, Boulder, CO trio The Velveteers picked up where they left off last year – as one of the most exciting live bands currently touring.

The band still only has one full-length under their belt, 2021’s “Nightmare Daydream” (via Easy Eye Sound) but the strength of that, and a growing buzz about their amazing live shows, has been enough to sustain the fan base, until new music can be hear.d They were openers in Kansas City when we caught them last fall and they returned as headliners six months later to thrill the downtown Lawrence crowd at The Bottleneck.

The three-band evening began with a familiar duo, Kansas City sister duo The Black Mariah Theater, who we’ve seen as frequent openers over the last couple years. Prolific twin sisters Analiese and Sophia Motta, self- describe their sound as “sparkly witch-rock” (usually wearing glittery wardrobe to match), and mix some garage with voodoo blues, slight jazz, and more to their musical gumbo. Last year’s “Mean to Be Mean” full-length is only available on streaming and cassette but the pair is already playing newer songs to add to their repertoire.

Next up was a relatively new and young band, local upstarts City Hall consisting of Zack Black on drums, Brogan Scott on bass, Chris Tran and Daniel Zoller on guitars, and Ben Erickson on vocals. The band’s history is expected short, jamming together informally in a basement (aka The Tollbooth) before formally coming together and releasing initial single, “Say” at the beginning of this year.

The band’s set came off as casually as if they were still in their basement and local word has gotten around, as they seemed to have pockets of loyal fans in the crowd, and the good news is they don’t suck and have a lot of room to grow musically, so are ones to watch. “Lady” was written for singer Erickson’s girlfriend, and newest songs, “Run it Down” and “Monster” show some promise of good things to come.

Though their set lasted only an hour, The Velveteers barreled through like a locomotive, the primal rock trio of singer/guitarist Demi Demitro and drummers that play from a conjoined set, Baby Pottersmith and Jonny Fig, came roaring out of the gate with “Motel #27” after a bedroom lullaby-like intro was the complete opposite of what was to come.

It wasn’t long before the audience became part of the show, with Demitro taking a stage dive into the crowd early-on, and then those near the front holding Demitro’s guitar aloft as she proceeded to solo on it. The whole time, dual drummers Pottersmith and Fig play like possessed slaves of some rhythm god, with Fig alternating between percussion and keys, and even picking up a guitar to play up front for a few numbers.

The music is undoubtedly hard and mostly crunchy, but interweaves more textural chords, some blues such as in “Charmer and the Snake” and has elements of grunge, but it’s clear that the band are mostly there to rawk.

Towards the end of an exhilarating set, it was Pottersmith’s time to finally come out from behind the drum kit, taking a floor tom with. Holding it above on one end of the stage, Pottersmith chose audience members to hold the drum upright, banging on it without abandon, then moving to the other end of the stage and doing similar.

Demitro stood on the bass drum as the last punching notes of “Choking” wrapped up the evening, with both exhausted drummers stumbling off stage, kicking and tossing instruments as they left, in vintage Keith Moon-style. The audience, as worn down as the band from the collective jumping and moving still wanted more, but there was none left to give.

The Velveteers proved themselves again as a “must-see live act”, whether in support slot (where they’ll likely over-shadow the headliners, <cough> Glorious Sons, Black Keys, <ahem>) or headlining in their element; in a smaller club like The Bottleneck, so they should be on your bucket list to catch live, if you’re keeping up with modern music.

 (Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)      

THE VELVETEERS at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-04-18)
THE VELVETEERS at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-04-18)
CITY HALL at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-04-18)

JohnC ♥ johnc@weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears w / Shane Guerrette at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-03-13)

Black Joe Lewis at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS 2024-03-13 SHANE GUERRETTE SETLIST Well Now...For the Blues How Was I To Know Now Gone Here's Hoping At All Only One Ripples Are We? Give Me a Sign Something to Hold Whole Thing's Gonna Blow Goodbye Lost Without Had I Known BLACK JOE LEWIS TOUR DATES MAR 16 The Funk Factory at SXSW Austin, TX APR 18 Main Street Crossing Tomball, TX APR 19 Tipitina's Uptown New Orleans, LA APR 20 Baton Rouge Blues Festival Baton Rouge, LA APR 26 La Semana Alegra Hemisfair San Antonio, TX MAY 15 Aisle 5 Atlanta, GA MAY 16 Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL MAY 17 High Dive Gainesville, FL MAY 18 Hurricane Party Music Festival 2024 Sanford, FL MAY 19 New World Brewery Tampa, FL Black Joe Lewis Austin TX-based Black Joe Lewis has just released a new album, Electric Slave (Vagrant Records), and is back on the road with a full tour to support, including an October 1st date in the Mainroom...

Blues and barbecue are often paired together, as both seem to go mix well and both are unique American-born art forms, that help to define a culture. Additionally, both seem heavily influenced by their region, which can determine a very different variant, of the same basic product.

The BBQ may have been missing, but downtown Lawrence certainly had the weeknight Blues, as Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, supported by newcomer Shane Guerrette, made a tour stop at The Bottleneck.

The evening began with a generous opening set of almost an hour, from upstate New York relative newcomer Shane Guerrette, who is still in his early 20’s, but has been prolific and playing for nearly half his lifetime.

As one does, he began posting covers of his blues favorite songs on YouTube and then TikTok, eventually releasing his first self-titled EP in 2018; with two albums, more EPs and singles since. His tight-knit four-piece band is composed of his brother on drums, childhood friend on guitar, and a New Hampshire friend on bass.

Guerrette gushed with excitement to be on the road with his full band, following a prior solo acoustic run supporting Lewis, and their blend of Blues, which melds hook-laden roots rock with some smooth soul, simmers with a satisfying finish. Latest release is the stomping single, “Are We?”, played mid-set and which gives them momentum heading down to Austin for SXSW and playing multiple shows per day, to help broaden their audience even wider.

For Austin, TX’s own Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, they really need no introduction, already known for playing their own blue-collar, maverick style of Texas Blues since 2007, with a cache of eight albums and EPs and a handful of singles already under their belt.

The band seemed everywhere a decade ago, as we saw them headline the 2014 Tour de Fat Festival in Minneapolis, after seeing them the previous Fall at First Avenue but the band had stepped out of the spotlight the last several years, as a result of behind the scenes controversies, litigation, and label issues.

Lewis has thankfully returned to post-pandemic live touring (despite their latest single being 2020’ “Five Dollars”) with original and longtime bassist Bill Stevenson in tow, who is interesting to watch play, on his own. He and the drummer mostly stood back from Lewis during their 82-min set, giving Lewis all the room he needed to shred, and even though Lewis mostly kept to his stage left front corner.

Lewis has always sung and played with a raw gritty, street-level sound, tinged with Texas mesquite and as a soloist, is like a pitmaster firmly in charge of his instrument and surroundings.

Now, when he sings songs like 2008’s “I’m Broke” and 2018’s exploitation-themed “Suit or Soul” with an additional fierceness, we believe it even more, knowing even a little of the trials and tribulations they recently endured, to be able to keep playing live.

Through it all, there’s still a certain relaxed contentment when seeing him play, on this night wearing a vintage Springsteen t-shirt and ballcap from a local Austin venue – written setlists seem to be gone in favor of what feels best next to play, there’s a wry smile from Lewis after a satisfying solo, or a favored crowd response, and he still clearly has fun playing the highly danceable James Brown-inspired “Sugarfoot” or the rough but compelling early hit, “Bitch, I Love You”.

We’re grateful that Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears are still out playing and singing their blend of uniquely blended Texas Blues (and bringing along new talent like Shane Guerrette to showcase) and through all of his music business issues, is playing like an act re-born and eager to again prove their own place, much like they did over a decade ago.

 (Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)     

BLACK JOE LEWIS AND THE HONEYBEARS at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-03-13)

BLACK JOE LEWIS AND THE HONEYBEARS at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-03-13)

SHANE GUERRETTE at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2024-03-13)

JohnC ♥ johnc@weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

New Years Eve Happenings- Kansas City / Lawrence / Topeka KS (2023-12-31)

So, it’s the tail end of the holiday season and the finish of another year– WHM covered just over 250 shows, which returns us to almost our pre-pandemic numbers, and we hope to bring you even more, in 2024.

As for New Years Eve in the Kansas City area, no national touring artists are playing (in fact, things don’t get going again at most venues until mid-January), so here are a few of the parties and gatherings going on in the area.

Not something we usually spotlight (and we’ll likely be laying low that night), but here are a few ideas if going out (ticket links are in the venue names). Stay safe!

===

The Bottleneck (Lawrence)

Deadman Flats NYE Party
Support from The Tonganoxie Split, Cat Rodeo
Doors: 8PM Advance: $10 | Day of Show: $15

===

 recordBar

The Freedom Affair is a nine-piece soul band formed in 2017 with a vision to write original soul music inspired by the traditions of the genre’s past, with a universal message looking toward the future.  8:00 PM, $48.14

===

The Ship

Last Dance NYE Blowout ft. Sheppa & Friends + The Phantastics, Itzel, Zimmerman, Haier, & More!

The Phantastics were born of a collaborative effort between the band, KC’s R&B rap talent Kemet the Phantom, and the soulful voice of Leigh Gibbs. The full funk arsenal includes members of the band JJ Cantrell rocking the lead guitar/vocals, Danny Florez on electric bass/vocals/kill streak, Ashley Thompson master of drums/Twizzlers, DJ Mitchell keeping it sexy on Sax/Karate Chops, and Austin Quick classing it up on the keyboard

Two Rooms: Get dressed up and dance the night away!
Open Bar- including beer, wine, call liquor, and craft cocktails all night + champagne toast

9:00 pm $80/$95

===

Uptown Theater

New Year’s Eve at The Uptown Theater is packed with local talent including main stage DJ’s provided by Levity Events, yacht rock cover band Summer Breeze in the main Theater, Molytn Decadence drag show in the Valentine and DJ Boss Hooligan and DJ Mike Scott spinning records in the Encore!

Three open bars, all drinks are included in the ticket. The mainstage features a music-influenced video wall, with an interactive light show to set the mood.

At midnight, count down to the New Year with a laser light show! Take advantage of free photo booths to capture your NYE memories. The Valentine Room will feature a craft beer lounge with a drag show, while the Mezzanine will transform into a Margarita Cantina.

Doors 8:00, 21+, $60adv / $75

===

The Temple

New Year’s Eve at The Temple XIV
Unlimited Drinks Included - 3 Floors with 8 Party Areas
Largest Balloon Drop in the Midwest with DJ's - Top 40 / House / Electronic / Hip Hop

Lasers + a Huge LED Screen; Table/Bottle Service hosted in the newly renovated 'Gold Ballroom'. Food options available starting at 10:30pm- cash only. Open bar continues until 1:30am
$54+ (and Flash sale ending 12/27)

===

The Truman

Black Party XIX
Black Tie optional, 5 or 4 Hour All-Inclusive Premium Beverage Package Upscale
Midnight Balloon Drop with DJ's / Dancing / Party Favors
$76+; $69/4pk (ends 12/27)

===

KC Live! Power and Light District

Access to up to 10+ bars and nightclubs, all-inclusive food and drink packages, DJs, party favors, champagne toasts, confetti cannons, and countdown to midnight – complete with a Times Square ball drop!

$70+

===

The Beacon (Topeka)

Join us at a tropical-themed New Year’s Eve party, featuring Top City Entertainment Co., dancing, drinks, snacks, a photo booth and a champagne toast.

Enjoy cocktails then dinner with our VIP island-themed buffet experience by Bobby’s Food Co. and then party late into the night. GA patrons entrance begins at 8:30p with champagne toast for all at midnight. Tropical attire highly encouraged, 6:30 VIP doors.

$50-$150

 

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Quarters of Change at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2023-09-24)

 

QUARTERS OF CHANGE SETLIST Look Alive What I Wanted Higher Blue Copper Do or Die Ms. Dramatic Dead Kiwi T Love Encore: Sofia QUARTERS OF CHANGE TOUR DATES SEP 26 Dada Dallas, TX SEP 27 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX SEP 28 Antone's Austin, TX SEP 30 The Social Orlando, FL OCT 01 Crowbar Tampa, FL OCT 03 New Brookland Tavern West Columbia, SC OCT 04 Georgia Theatre Athens, GA OCT 06 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC OCT 08 Ottobar Baltimore, MD OCT 13 House Of Independents Asbury Park, NJ OCT 14 Space Ballroom Hamden, CT DEC 09 Webster Hall New York City, NY

As the internet broke in half due to a celebrity sighting 45 minutes west at Arrowhead Stadium with additional (unfounded) rumors spreading, that the athlete and the singer were headed in to spend time in downtown Lawrence (causing fans to line up on sidewalks), longtime club The Bottleneck ignored all the gossip and did what it does best- rock with live music.

NYC’s alt-indie rock group Quarters of Change played a headlining set and previewed songs from their upcoming album Portraits, already announced but not to be released until Jan 26, 2024 (via 300 Entertainment).

===

The three-band bill got off to a raucous start with the “Pride of Tongie”-The Blast Monkeys, a local duo of high school best friends, Scott Vick and Kyle Chambers from nearby Tonganoxie, KS, who have been playing since 2017. Their unabashed excitement opening this night was infectious and they started their short set by shouting out the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift, referencing the game and events from earlier in the day, adding, "If you like Taylor Swift you will like our music, … don't expect any Taylor Swift covers though."

Playing a Spongebob Squarepants Theme song riff at the beginning immediately invested the mostly college-age crowd, and the pair is keeping busy most of October, playing the nearby Replay Lounge a couple times, Farewell Coffee and Raytown Records in the Kansas City metro, and more.

===

Next up was Maryland alt-rock band The Never Ending Fall (NEF), who have already established a healthy-sized local following, having packed the house at a previous KC appearance at recordBar. The five-piece (singer / guitarist Jack Miller, drummer Tommy St. Clair, guitarist / keyboardist Conrad Boyd, guitarist Pearce Eisenhardt, and bassist Johnny Hohman) have the previous act beat, first forming not in high school, but all the way back in 4^th grade.

They have a generally positive sound, working in elements of funk, jazz, soul, and alternative, on songs like latest singles, 'Happy Goodbye' and 'Wasn't So Bad' as follow-ups to their 2020 full-length, Space City but are maybe best known for their TikTok series and jingle, ‘Can it Kirkland’ (even spelled out on one member’s glasses).

Energy was at a high for most of the set, especially from one of their guitarists (who sported a unique “flame head” haircut) and was all over the stage and into the crowd along with vocalist Miller, with the band even managing to work in their cover of Childish Gambino’s 2016 radio hit, “Redbone” on this, their last show of the tour.

===

Presumably to show their appreciation to their tour openers (and maybe an inside joke we didn’t all get) Quarters of Change emerged for their main set, all wearing “I Heart NEF” white t-shirts, and they would bring the opener back on stage to help with the set-closing, “T Love” (an ode to the very relatable idea of ‘tough love’) so we think it was a genuine friendship formed between the two acts.

In addition to the upcoming album, the Lower-East-Side quartet recently released a deluxe version of their last full-length, Into the Rift and they consist of Ben Acker, Attila Anrather, Jasper Harris, and Ben Roter, whose sound is influenced by classic bands like The Beatles and The Who, as well as more recent alternative acts, RHCP and their own NYC cohorts, The Strokes.

Names as well-known as Joe Jonas and Lewis Capaldi have sung their praises and having a well-known veteran producer like Tom Lord-Alge (U2, The Rolling Stones, Blink 182) put the finishing touches on Into the Rift, helps speak to the strength of those songs.

The set list covered all facets of their brief career, opening with “Look Alive” from their 2021 New Hour EP followed by “What I Wanted”, the opening track of the forthcoming album, to all the way back to 2018’s “Kiwi”, an early song that explores our collective need for companionship... and the frustrations that sometimes come with that.

From the printed setlist, the encore seemed in question and an on-the-spot decision, with only lead singer Miller initially coming back downstairs for the final song. He explained he just couldn’t sing 2022’s heartsick “Chloe” (off Into the Rift), revealing the “real Chloe” is actually from nearby Kansas City. So, he decided instead on a lyrically descriptive song about another female, 2020’s “Sofia”, with the rest of the band eventually joining in, to help end the evening.

The rest of the world may have still been keeping track of every single movement in Kansas City from the latest possible celebrity couple (Swift / Kelce), but the crowd at The Bottleneck could have cared less- instead taking in an entertaining triple-bill of three young, rising, and energetic bands led by Quarters of Change that seemed like a much more satisfying evening.

 (Coverage and photos by BRANDON CLASEN; click on any image to enlarge and see in full)    

QUARTERS OF CHANGE QUARTERS OF CHANGE QUARTERS OF CHANGE QUARTERS OF CHANGE QUARTERS OF CHANGE

QUARTERS OF CHANGE

QUARTERS OF CHANGE

QUARTERS OF CHANGE

NEVER ENDING FALL

NEVER ENDING FALL

NEVER ENDING FALL

NEVER ENDING FALL

THE BLAST MONKEYS

THE BLAST MONKEYS

THE BLAST MONKEYS

THE BLAST MONKEYS

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / Twitter.com

shame at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (27 May 2023)

shame SETLIST   Fingers of Steel Alibis Alphabet Concrete Six-Pack Tasteless Burning by Design 6/1 Born in Luton The Fall of Paul Adderall Orchid Water in the Well One Rizla Snow Day Gold Hole   Been Stellar SETLIST   Start Again My Honesty Passing Valentine Shimmer Manhattan Youth Sweet Kids 1995 Ohm shame Tour Dates MAY 28 George's Majestic Lounge Fayetteville, AR MAY 30 Granada Theater Dallas, TX JUN 02 Scoot Inn Austin, TX JUN 03 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX JUN 04 Toulouse Theatre New Orleans, LA JUN 15 Bergenfest 2023 Bergen, Norway JUL 04 Giardini Ducali Modena, Italy JUL 20 Bukta Tromsø Open Air Festival Tromsø, Norway Jul 27-29 Tsunami Xixón Festival Gijón, Spain JUL 27 CASTELLO VOLANTE DI CORIGLIANO D’OTRANTO Corigliano D'otranto, Italy AUG 04 Espace Maurice Melois / Plein Air Malestroit, France SEP 28 Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown, CA SEP 29 The Regent Theater Los Angeles, CA OCT 04 Revolution Hall Portland, OR OCT 06 The Crocodile Seattle, WA OCT 07 Hollywood Theatre Vancouver, BC Read More shame It’s a shame, but London’s Shame had to cancel their appearance. They were replaced by U.S. Girls, who said, “We’re the best replacement...

What a way to kick off Memorial weekend in Kansas!

London post-punk band shame turned The Bottleneck in Lawrence into their own room of controlled mayhem and activity center as lead singer Charlie Steen directed the crowd all night into clapping along on cue, forming and surging the mosh pit, catching him as he stage dove, and holding him up to end the sweaty ninety-minute set, standing on the crowd's hands.  

Bassist Josh Finerty was constantly running and jumping from one end of the stage to the other, and is maybe the only bass player we've ever seen, doing somersaults as he continued to play.

NY indie band Been Stellar impressed as well, in support of their EP, with a Pearl Jam meets Strokes hard-edged street approach to their style of indie-rock.  

=====

The rising London post-punk band has returned with their third full-length, Food for Worms, which just came out at the end of last month. Three buzzing singles were released beforehand, doing exceptionally well on the other side of the pond, “Fingers of Steel", "Six-Pack" and "Adderall".

After they missed Rock the Garden in 2018, we finally caught the band live, last summer headlining in Minneapolis. They've been busy touring the UK and Europe, so are ready to hit our shores with a bang.

(Update: NYC indie five-piece Been Stellar will provide support, in support of last August's self-titled EP.) 

 (Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

shame

shame

shame

shame

shame

shame

shame

shame

shame

BEEN STELLAR

BEEN STELLAR

BEEN STELLAR

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Fenne Lily and Christian Lee Hutson at Bottleneck (05/22) and Fine Line (05/23)

Christian Lee Hutson Setlist Strawberry Lemonade State Bird Twin Soul with Fenne Lily Single for the Summer Atheist Get the Old Band Back Together Lose This Number Endangered Birds Northsiders Rubberneckers Fenne Lily Setlist Map of Japan Dawncolored Horse 2+2 Lights Light Up Berlin Elliott Pick In My Own Time Henry Red Deer Day Half Finished Work Wife Setlist Too Young to Understand Coeur D'Alene Strangers Something's Up Creases Soft Lie Brian Eno Ride, Ride Tour Dates 05/24- Milwaukee, WI @ Back Room 05/25 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall 05/26 - Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe 05/27 - Toronto, ON @ Legendary Horseshoe Tavern 05/30 - Portsmouth, NH @ 3S Artspace 05/31 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair 06/02 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 06/03 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer 06/04 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat 06/05 - Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall 06/06 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West 06/07 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East 06/09 - Fayetteville, AR @ George’s Majestic Lounge 06/10 - Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips 06/11 - Austin, TX @ The Parish 06/13 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf 06/15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge 06/16 - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour Read More Fenne Lily So this may explain why Bristol, UK-based Fenne Lily was so tired due to lack of sleep. She said to keep herself awake, she’s been drinking hard liquor. Her humor is really dry, and you’re not quite sure … Christian Lee Hutson The first act of three to take the stage was singer/songwriter Christian Lee Hutson. Hutson is a Los Angeles-based musician, just releasing a new single, ‘Northsiders’ (which Bridgers produced) from his .…

The indie folk live pairing of Bristol, UK native (and a Brooklyn resident since the Fall) Fenne Lily and Americana singer-songwriter Christian Lee Hutson has been on the road for a short while, but this tour leg (which began at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS) has added Brooklyn up-and-comers Work Wife (Meredith Lampe, Cody Edgerly and Kenny Monroe) to the bill, complete with their brand-new banjo player.

The two headliners would trade off which band closes out the show. For the first night of the tour, Fenne Lily closed out Lawrence. For the second night, Christian Lee Hutson closed out the Fine Line.

>>>

The Bottleneck, Lawrence (05/22)

The Bottleneck, Lawrence (05/22)

Work Wife just released their Quitting Season EP in December (on Born Losers Records), but are already looking forward playing several new tracks (expected on their sophomore EP later this year) debuted live for the first time. We liked what we heard and expect them back soon, most likely headlining.

Christian Lee Hutson is out in support of last Spring’s (similarly-named) Quitters full-length (produced by Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst and on ANTI- Records) and we saw all three play live in Minneapolis in 2019. Hutson continued a story between the songs of his hour-long set, about his father getting in some scuffle at Kid Rock’s Nashville restaurant, which inspired Hutson to dream of opening his own establishment, eliciting crowd suggestions of what might be on the menu.

Fenne Lily would describe Hutson’s music as “excellently ambiguous”, while her own music, in support of Big Picture (out just last month via Dead Oceans) has a claustrophobic intimacy about it, recorded through the pandemic-era shut-in period and of a relationship from its beginnings to end, though the songs teeter to easily morph into something of a bigger sound.

All three acts seemed like a comfortable fit in touring together (and Work Wife and Fenne Lily each sitting in to help play a track on another’s set), all had a collectively symbiotic, indie folk sound, and the trio of rising acts made for a laid back and enjoyable weeknight evening.

>>>

Fine Line, Minneapolis (05/23)

Fine Line, Minneapolis (05/23)

“Spending ten hours in the car can put a strain on the bum.” Or something to that effect, said Fenne Lily in a lovely Bristol accent and a voice that Pitchfork Magazine has described as “… a warmth and a quaver that can wring pathos from the most conversational lines.”

I imagine there are not many opportunities in England where you spend most of the day traveling in the car, but when you just played in Laurence, Kansas with the next show in Minneapolis, the “bum” is going to take a hit.

Work Wife opened the evening with a seven song set, a highlight being “Brian Eno”, a song that started off with the bands reserved tone but moved into a free-wheeling cosmic jam lead by Cody Edgerly on drums.

“One the road for one day,” said lead singer, Meredith Lampe, “And already forgot the day of the week.” Then she went on to describe the journey of getting there: Flying into Texas to pick up her friend Rachel who wanted to join the band in order to take them to the CC Club after the show. But only after they picked up Isaac (on steel guitar and banjo) in Oklahoma and performed a show in Kansas.

Fenne Lily took the stage next, starting off with “Map of Japan”, maybe the best song on her new album, Big Picture, an album that she wrote during the pandemic.

Lily was quite funny in between songs, maybe sharing more information than what the audience wanted to hear or maybe not. She talked about her upcoming period and wisdom teeth finally coming in. She went on about her grandfather being a real piece of work aka alcoholic and how he could inhale one cigarette in one breath. Then onto the pandemic and how it turned the whole world upside down, especially on her block where single vegan neighbors eventually turned into child-bearing steak eaters.

In between musings she sang songs as Paste Magazine described as “… successful meditation(s) on tension, an act of sitting in discomfort.” For example, “Berlin” is a song about living by herself and eating black licorice and “Pick” is about people who need help but don’t ask for it. (Not her granddad)

Lily ended the set with “Birthday” a song about being cheated on by a musician with another musician. All parties were to be unnamed, but she was interested in any guesses at the merch table.

Christian Lee Hutson finished the evening, starting off with “Strawberry Lemonade”, the first song on his latest album Quitters.

Like Lily, Hutson was also pretty funny in between songs, complaining to the crowd that on his tenth birthday his dad took him to get chicken wings. He said he started touring at age seventeen and for seven years it was mostly playing in spaghetti restaurants.

Lily joined him on stage for “Twin Soul”. And after he sang “Get the Old Band Back Together”, he said it was the dumbest song he ever wrote. He wrote it as a joke, but the producer, a one Phoebe Bridges, liked it so much she put it on the new album.

And while Hutson tuned his guitar between songs, he wanted to know if the audience had any questions. Someone asked if he ever played at Buca di Beppo (spaghetti restaurant). Not yet. Someone then asked about Taylor Swift. No opinion. Then another wondered if would be at the CC Club later.

“Will see,” he grinned.

Christian Lee Hutson (05/22) Work Wife (05/22) Work Wife (05/22) Christian Lee Hutson (05/22) Christian Lee Hutson (05/22)

Fenne Lily (05/22)

Fenne Lily (05/22)

Fenne Lily (05/22)

Fenne Lily at Lawrence, Kansas (22 May 2023)

Fenne Lily (05/23) Work Wife (05/23) Work Wife (05/23) Fenne Lily (05/23) Christian Lee Hutson (05/23)

Christian Lee Hutson at Fine Line, Minneapolis (23 May 2023)

dave + john ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Katy Guillen and The Drive at The Bottleneck- Lawrence, KS (2022-12-17)

Katy Guillen and the Drive at The Bottleneck Katy Guillen and The Drive Setlist  Photo of Setlist Reacting to You Willingly Another One Gained Because It’s Blue Discoloration Harsh Realization Set in Stone Bottom of your Belly How to Live I Hate the Night Nothing Comes Close Battles Simple Feeling (Heartless Bastards cover) No Control Katy Guillen and The Drive Tour Dates December 18 Wave Wichita, KS January 28 Belle Isle Rest & Brewery Oklahoma City, OK March 04 Knuckleheads Kansas City, MO The Black Mariah Theater Setlist Don't Hang on to Me Patron Saint Emerald Cut Did I Love You Say a Prayer Shakedown (new unreleased song) Got No Luck Break My Heart (Dua Lipa cover) Spare Me Your Curse These Hands are Clean (Peculiar Pretzelmen cover) Mean to Be Me Read More Katy Guillen KC’s own Katy Guillen & The Drive is founded on the creative spark and chemistry between Katy Guillen and Stephanie Williams, with Guillen on guitar / vocals and Williams on drums. After collaborating together in former …

More than just Another One Gained,

By the end, the entire room had undoubtedly become fans (if they weren’t already) of Kansas City’s Katy Guillen and The Drive, who headed West to The Bottleneck in Lawrence, for their penultimate show of 2022.

The evening began with a generous opening set from The Black Mariah Theater, aka twin sisters Analiese and Sophia Motta, who we caught earlier in the year at this same venue, opening for Low Cut Connie. Their sound is self-described as “sparkly witch-rock” (with a sequined wardrobe to match) and mixes some garage with voodoo blues, slight jazz, and more.

Newest single is “Broken Bone”, released in October, which wasn’t played, but we did get a helping of songs from last year’s full-length, Patron Saint, a revved-up Dua Lipa cover, another cover from one of their current favorites The Peculiar Pretzelmen, and even a brand-new song, “Shakedown” which is yet to be recorded / released.

===

The last couple of years have proven to be a rebirth for Kansas City guitarist Katy Guillen, who’s been recording and posting tracks for over a decade. Her previous band, Katy Guillen & The Girls toured and recorded for six years, before she and drummer Stephanie Williams made the decision to evolve anew and turn the page with Katy Guillen and The Drive.

Their initial EP, Dream Girl came out just before the worldwide lockdown and they spent much of that time, honing their sound and songs (recording w acclaimed producer Kevin Ratterman), to forge their debut full-length, Another One Gained, (self-released this summer) and hit the road, both headlining and also supporting Robin Trower.

Their sixty-five-minute set of indie roots rock found the duo expanded into a quartet- accompanied by Kat King (herself a musical Swiss Army knife of sorts that plays numerous instruments and fronts her own band) and Michelle Bacon who more than ably helped hold down the rhythm on bass. Smiles on each member as they created their bigger sound, made their collective exuberance contagious. 

“Reacting To You” with its spinning dizzy guitar riff from their Battles EP opened the evening, followed by “Willingly” dedicated to the lovers in the crowd and was from the Dream Girl EP. The title track of the new LP would follow, slowly simmering to crescendo, with a bluesy edge.

Guillen’s guitar solos are exceptional, the results of being influenced not only by the classic rock usuals (Hendrix, etc) but add in some older blues influences (like Muddy Waters, sure, but also many of the older KC-based acts), Bonnie Raitt and related, and newer flamenco guitarists like Tomatito, to all make for a very unique and compelling musical gumbo.

Somewhat ironically, the new “Harsh Realization” was written in their now “dead van”, the result of recently being stalled near Indianapolis while on tour. The rarely played “How to Live” from the new record and featuring another spanning solo, was another welcome addition to the setlist.

“Nothing Comes Close” a slow and sweet number, was written in memory of her late uncle, with Guillen emoting on the song’s bridge, “We’ll always hold you and remember” and their Heartless Bastards cover pays tribute to one of their favorite current bands, with the common thread being producer Ratterman, who has worked with both acts.

The evening would end on an exclamation, with 2020’s “No Control” which found all four musically cutting loose with little abandon- King’s keyboard sounding like a Wurlitzer-style organ and Guillen keeping things grounded with a fifth gear churning rhythm riff.

The old saying goes “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” and after rolling their musical dice and coming out stronger on the other end, Katy Guillen and The Drive not only gained fans, but proved they have a lot more to say in their musical future.

 All Photos by Brandon Clasen (click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

KATY GUILLEN AND THE DRIVE

THE BLACK MARIAH THEATER

THE BLACK MARIAH THEATER

THE BLACK MARIAH THEATER

THE BLACK MARIAH THEATER

John C ♥ johnc@weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

We♥KC-December 12-18, 2022- Upcoming Shows (Kansas City / Lawrence / Topeka, KS)

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

In between all that holiday shopping, there’s still time to work in some live music, before the winter slowdown kicks in and weather worsens.

There’s still national acts touring, many holiday-themed shows, and a good amount of local tribute shows as well out there. 2023 concert tix can always make for a fine gift as well!

Here’s what’s happening in the Kansas City metro December 12th-18th.

(Several artists are still requiring precautions for entry, so check with the venue and/or assume vaccination proof, might still be required)

MONDAY DEC 12

CONTINUING: Kansas City Ballet Presents The Nutcracker December 7-24, Kauffman Center, $64.50-$258.50

An annual holiday tradition! The classic, Victorian-era story by E.T.A. Hoffman features Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, Dr. Drosselmeier and the Sugar Plum Fairy and is a magical theatrical experience wrapped with memorable costumes, grand sets, and captivating choreography. Thru Xmas Eve.

TUESDAY DEC 13

Rainbow Kitten Surprise w Twen, The Midland, $39.50-$69.50

The NC alternative indie rock band has quietly built an audience with Seven + Mary [2013] and RKS [2015] before serving up their 2018 full-length debut for Elektra. Three consecutive gigs were chronicled on last year’s Live From Athens Georgia, and the group released “Work Out” this summer, the lead single from an upcoming full length.

On tour, they’ve partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will go to local food banks working to fight hunger and food insecurity in their communities.

Chely Wright, Dec 13, Jayhawk Theater- Topeka, $100

The Wellsville, KS native is returning to her home state to support local youth. Longtime Country star Chely Wright will perform at a benefit for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka. The performance will headline the organization’s Youth of the Year recognition.

The event begins with a 6 p.m. cocktail hour, followed by the concert and program at 7 p.m. It will be held at the Historic Jayhawk Theatre, where we caught Billy Bob Thornton and The Boxmasters rocking last year.

WEDNESDAY DEC 14

THURSDAY DEC 15

Kody West, Dec 15, Knuckleheads,$12

A year after his first EP Higher Ground, the Denton TX alt-country artist released his debut album Green in April of 2017 and found themselves quickly gaining a large following of loyal fans. Sophomore record Overgrown that was recorded in West’s hometown and live, they even been working in an Incubus cover.

FRIDAY DEC 16

David Koechner, Dec 16-17, Improv KC, $30/$32

The longtime comedian has local roots, so expect a good turnout for his multi-show run, which even includes a matinee Office Trivia session. Despite some recent legal troubles, the actor/funnyman (known for his Todd Packer role in The Office, the Anchorman movies, and more), he remains popular.

SATURDAY DEC 17

Kelly Hunt, The Folly, $25

The Kansas City / Lawrence – based Blues/Roots/Americana singer songwriter keyboardist guitarist Kelley Hunt had been thinking about a holiday album for awhile. Winter Soulstice is ten tracks dripping with soul, gospel vocals, KC-horns-with-an-attitude, and holiday fun.

This album release concert features an expanded ensemble on stage with copies of the new album available at the show.

Martina McBride, The Midland, $49.50-$99.50

The KS-born Country music icon celebrates the season on her 12th annual The Joy of Christmas Tour. “This is the 12th year of doing the Joy Of Christmas Tour and I truly believe our 2022 version of the show is the best yet,” says McBride. “It is truly a night for the whole family to celebrate all the joyful things about the holiday season. We look forward to it every year and are honored that our show has become a tradition for us and the fans. We cannot wait to take it back on the road!”

Katy Guillen and The Drive, The Bottleneck-Lawrence, $15

KC’s own Katy Guillen & The Drive is founded on the creative spark and chemistry between Katy Guillen and Stephanie Williams, with Guillen on guitar / vocals and Williams on drums. After collaborating together in former band Katy Guillen & The Girls, the pair forged ahead in crafting a new catalog. Into this next chapter, they push ahead with a melodic, heavy, and soulful sound while maintaining their rock ‘n' roll / blues roots on the new album called Another One Gained.

Support is from The Black Mariah Theater who we caught live back in February in Lawrence. a duo comprised of twin sisters Analiese and Sophia Motta, who describe their jazzy sound as “sparkly witch-rock”.The pair released a four-song covers EP last year, and their newest single is “Broken Bone”, released in October. Official afterparty is at Henry's Upstairs following the show!

SUNDAY DEC 18

Ramirez w/ Germ, Haarper, Bottleneck- Lawrence, SOLD OUT

The rising Hispanic rapper from San Francisco is out on his The Tragedy of a Clown Tour.

Stylized as RVMIRXZ), he’s a rapper on record label Grey 59 with Ruby da Cherry and $crim drawing influences from UGK, Outkast, DJ Screw, KeKe, and Andre Nickatina. Just 20 years old, he gained underground fame from making two collaboration mixtapes with the $uicideboy$.

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Cannons w Windser at The Bottleneck, Lawrence, KS (2022-06-16) review

CANNONS SETLIST Shadows Ruthless Baby Bad Dream Talk Talk Love on the Ground Tunnel Of You Hurricane Spells Love Chained Golden (Harry Styles cover) Purple Sun Down on Love Strangers Up All Night Fire for You -- Encore -- Evening Star WINDSER SETLIST Friends I Barely Know Trouble in Paradise Real Life Peach Fuzz Paris July Capsize Drift Away Memory Read More Cannons We’re loving everything we’ve heard from Cannons, whose hit single, “Bad Dream”, has been followed by by a digital-only cover album earlier this year. … CANNONS Tour Dates JUN 17 Wooly's Des Moines, IA JUN 18 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL JUN 21 The Burl Lexington, KY JUN 24 Delmar Hall St. Louis, MO JUN 25 Route 66 Road Fest 2022 Tulsa, OK JUN 26 Beer City Music Hall Oklahoma City, OK JUL 23 Capitol Hill Block Party 2022 Seattle, WA AUG 26 CAS Columbus, OH SEP 10 Mission Ballroom Denver, CO SEP 27 The Van Buren Phoenix, AZ SEP 29 Emos Austin Austin, TX SEP 30 House of Blues Dallas, TX OCT 1 House of Blues Houston, TX OCT 3 The Beacham Orlando, FL OCT 4 Culture Room Fort Lauderdale, FL OCT 5 The Ritz Ybor Tampa, FL OCT 7 Blackbox Theater Charlotte, NC OCT 8 Charleston Music Hall Charleston, SC OCT 9 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA OCT 11 9:30 Club Washington, DC OCT 13 Avant Gardner Brooklyn, NY OCT 14 UNION TRANSFER South Philadelphia, PA OCT 15 Big Night Live Boston, MA OCT 17 Majestic Theatre Detroit, MI OCT 18 Headliners Music Hall Louisville, KY OCT 20 Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, TN OCT 21 Concord Music Hall Chicago, IL OCT 22 THE SLYVEE Madison, WI OCT 23 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN OCT 26 ROCKWELL AT THE COMPLEX Salt Lake City, UT OCT 28 Vogue Theatre Vancouver, Canada OCT 29 Roseland Theater Portland, OR OCT 31 The Showbox Seattle, WA

For those lucky enough to get a ticket to a sold-out Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS, the night was like a blissful fever dream as Cannons returned to the region for a highly anticipated headlining show.

The night began with an impressive opening set from young Santa Cruz, CA singing-songwriting newcomer Windser (aka Jordan Topf and band) in support of a handful of released singles, including their newest “Memory”, and more new music on the horizon.

Topf was especially happy playing this first time in town, with a cousin sitting on the grandstand cheering him on, while the opening up-tempo of “Friends I Barely Know” set the table for a fun and melodic indie-pop forty minutes.

Girls up front swooned as Topf sang, “I wanna warm you like the sun does, stick to your body like peach fuzz”, his song “July” was an early 2020 release that first started people taking notice of, and “Drift Away” was written with his father as inspiration. The set ended with the newest single, and we have the strong feeling we’ll be hearing from Windser again soon, with bigger things to come.

Speaking of bigger things, we knew LA-based alternative/electro-pop band Cannons (stylized as CANNONS) would soon be headlining major venues of their own, after we were knocked out watching them open in Kansas City back in Nov 2021. The band signed with Sony Music/Columbia and released full-length Fever Dream in late March, and have been rapidly growing their fan base ever since, selling this and many other venues, out on this tour.

The dream pop trio (Michelle Joy- vocals; Ryan Clapham- guitar; Paul Davis-keys/guitar, w/Ben on drums) have been together since 2013 with a few prior EPs and albums, but it was the inclusion of their 2019 song “Fire for You” in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Never Have I Ever, that was the linchpin to break them through to mainstream success.

The band was dressed in various shades of red for their seventy-minute set, with singer Joy in a crushed velvet sleeveless jumpsuit, highlighted with matching boots and a single right-handed red glove. The band opened with “Shadows” from their 2019 album of the same name, and it was immediately clear that though most of their output on record is of the chill and laid-back variety, the songs became more energetic and impactful in concert, perfect in their slightly transformed format for an anticipating capacity crowd.

“We’re so excited to be here...thank you for filling up this room!” Joy exuded, living up to her name, constantly jumping about the stage, reaching out to audience members, and encouraging dancing and singing along to the band’s self-described “future boogie”.

Fans clapped along to radio hit, “Bad Dream”, Joy admitted that “Tunnel of Love” was one of her favorites from the new record inspired by black holes where time stands still, and on the whistling “Hurricane”, Joy sang, “I'm coming back like a hurricane, I'm gonna take you higher”.

While the band worked on Fever Dream, they also wanted to keep releasing new music, so issued a 2021 Covers EP that included Harry Styles’ “Golden”, making it their own by slowing the beat and with more ethereal vocals; in other words, it fit seamlessly into their live set.

“This song is a really special song to us, it changed our lives” Joy remarked before the main set’s final song, “Fire for You”, their biggest success to date which topped the Billboard Alternative Airplay charts and found the crowd chanting the chorus back in unison.

For the single-song encore, the band reached back all the way to their beginnings for 2015’s “Evening Star” with Joy singing, “I wanna take you high into the night, like the stars in the sky we could live out our lives” and that was exactly the feeling for the sold-out Bottleneck crowd as they filed out into the warm night after witnessing Cannons, in a deliriously happy fever dream.

(click any image to enlarge and see in full)

Windser

Windser

Windser

Cannons Setlist

Cannons

Cannons

Cannons

Cannons

Cannons

Cannons

Cannons at The Bottleneck, Lawrence, KS (2022-06-16)

john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Destroyer w ROSALI at The Bottleneck, Lawrence KS (2022-05-14) review

Destroyer, Bottleneck- Lawrence DESTROYER SETLIST It's in Your Heart Now June The Raven Times Square Tinseltown Swimming in Blood Tintoretto, It’s for You Kinda Dark It Just Doesn’t Happen Cue Synthesizer The River It Takes a Thief Kaputt European Oils foolssong Looters’ Follies -- Encore -- Chinatown Streethawk I DESTROYER TOUR DATES May 15 Beer City Music Hall Oklahoma City, OK May 16 Tulips Fort Worth, TX May 17 The Mohawk Austin, TX May 19 Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ May 20 The Belasco Los Angeles, CA May 21 The UC Theatre Berkeley, CA May 22 Revolution Hall Portland, OR Jun 24 Kino Šiška (Centre for Urban Culture) Ljubljana, Slovenia Jun 30 Open'er Festival 2022 Gdynia, Poland Jul 2 Vida Festival 2022 Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain Jul 5 MUSICBOX LISBOA Lisbon, Portugal Sep 21 Paradiso Amsterdam, NL Sep 21-24 Reeperbahn Festival 2022 Hamburg, Germany Sep 23 Mejeriet Lund, Sweden Sep 24 Slaktkyrkan Johanneshov, Sweden Sep 25 Parkteatret Scene Oslo, Norway Sep 26 VEGA Copenhagen, Denmark Sep 29 Lido Berlin, Germany Sep 30 Gebäude 9 Cologne, Germany Oct 1 Rote Fabrik Zürich, Switzerland Oct 2 Südpol Luzern, Switzerland Oct 4 UT Connewitz Leipzig, Germany Oct 5 Club Manufaktur Schorndorf, Germany Oct 6 La Chapelle, Les Trinitaires Metz, France Oct 7 Petit Bain Paris, France Oct 8 C-mine Genk, Belgium Oct 9 TRIX Borgerhout, Belgium Oct 11 The Button Factory Dublin, Ireland Oct 12 Drygate Glasgow, UK Oct 13 Brudenell Social Club Leeds, UK Oct 14 EartH London, UK Read More Destroyer Vancouver’s Destroyer (led by singer-songwriter Dan Bejar) is touring in support of their latest album Have We Met (Merge Records). Minneapolis’ local station The Current … online: Destroyer - Merge Records ROSALI (rosalimusic.com)

A day of ceremony, a night of musical immersion-

As The University of Kansas ends its current year, recent graduates prepped gowns and mortar board caps for their rite of passage walk down The Hill at Mount Oread to receive their diplomas, but inside the downtown walls of The Bottleneck, Vancouver band Destroyer returned to town to amaze, vex, and celebrate for the graduates, and everyone else present.

The evening began with a well received forty-five minute from Philadelphia’s Rosali (stylized as ROSALI) in support of third album, last year’s No Medium.  The singer-songwriter is aka Rosali Middleman and the guitarist for The Long Hots and was backed by members of acclaimed Nebraska band the David Nance Group for their first Lawrence appearance.

Their music has been previously described as “Chrissie Hynde fronting Crazy Horse” but the vocals often have more of an Aimee Mann lightness about them, though it can also quickly move from electric folk to a more meaty, dense and louder blend. 

The newest album was supposedly written on a two-week sabbatical on a South Carolina farm and influenced by harmonographs– swinging pendulums that create geometric illustrations of music, and the concepts of balance and originating from a fixed point, do show some reflection in the songs. 

“Mouth”, the new album’s opening track finds Rosali not afraid to emotionally open and visualize, singing, “East of the river I was traveling on, watch me lie, undone, rest me in a forest, overgrown”. Destroyer keyboardist Ted Bois assisted on a dreamy mid-set song and the final number was precluded by a cacophony of reverb, feedback, and electronic howls. 

===

As for the headliner, this was a bit full circle to have Destroyer return to Lawrence and play an eighty-five minute set, as they were one of the last bands we witnessed live in late February 2020, before the global lockdown. 

The new album is called Labyrinthitis (stylized in all caps, on Merge Records) which medically refers to an inner ear infection, often resulting in vertigo and immersive dizziness, and something band leader Dan Bejar was convinced he had, after a period of self-diagnosis (though never confirmed). 

Though still often thought of as a solo project, Bejar’s bandmates have all been with him over a decade and the key missing piece that we didn’t see the last time in town, trumpeter JP Carter, had returned with great effect and impact – adding a further cosmopolitan elegance to songs, self-sampling and with pedal effects to make his sonic presence even more prominent. 

After beginning with the new album’s opener, Bejar and band moved next into the spanning “June” a seven-minute tempo-changer with Bejar even referring to its spoken-word fragments on paper as he sang, determined to get them all letter-perfect. 

“I’ve got a good feeling about this set” Bejar remarked slyly, he not one to say much at all between songs, preferring instead to crouch and have a swig of beer as the band ends the songs with exclamations, but he did also commend all the recent graduates in the crowd as well. 

Lead single from the new record, “Tintoretto, It’s For You” came across even more twisted live, its haphazard synth-metal tones and manic drums over Bejar singing, “the ceiling’s on fire and the contract is binding”, the grim reaper calling to take the famed Italian painter. 

A couple of tracks from 2020’s Have We Met- “It Just Doesn’t Happen” and “Cue Synthesizer” still hold up strongly and the slow croon of 2015’s “The River” built into a peak with Bejar’s character admitting, “I’m over, before I begin to go”.

Cowbell powered the new swirling, “It Takes a Thief” and longtime fans roared at the first electro notes of 2011’s breakthrough, “Kaputt”. 2020’s “foolssong” cinematically swelled, from its beginning homage lines from Spearhead’s “Hole in the Bucket” to it’s “da,da,da” ending and the main set concluded with 2006’s elongated “Looters’ Follies”.

The encore began with 2011’s “Chinatown” filled in with vivid musical bursts from Carter’s trumpet and Bejar admitting “I can’t walk away” and would end by going back more than two decades with “Streethawk I”. 

“Yes, you are renewed” Bejar sings in the Destroyer song, “June”- immersion complete.

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

ROSALI

ROSALI

ROSALI

Destroyer

Destroyer

Destroyer

Destroyer

Destroyer

Destroyer

Destroyer at The Bottleneck, Lawrence (2022-05-14)

 

john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com