W♥M

We♥KC! February 15-20, 2023 Upcoming concerts/shows (Kansas City / Lawrence, KS)

Read More Bruce Springsteen More recently, the massive vault of vintage Springsteen recordings was opened, beginning with a 2012 performance at the Apollo in NYC...

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Three magical words- Super! Bowl! Champions!

Ok, the big game’s over and getting back to music, this week is all about The Boss! Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are finally back on the road, though not without some drama, as several members have very recently had to sit out, due to Covid. Let’s hope the outbreak is behind them and all members are back on stage this weekend.

The biggest avant-garde secret is that Laurie Anderson is in town with Filharmonie Brno for a unique tribute to Amelia Earhart, and there are also several good club shows this week.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City/Lawrence KS metro musical happenings from February 15th-20th.

WEDNESDAY FEB 15

Bruce Cockburn's 50th Anniversary Concert, Liberty Hall- Lawrence, $39-$59

Delayed by the pandemic, this special tour is back on tracks and playing to appreciative fans. Cockburn has released 34 albums and his songs have been covered by many artists including Jimmy Buffet, kd Lang, Barenaked Ladies, Jerry Garcia, Anne Murray, Elbow, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins, and more. The 50th Anniversary shows promise songs from each decade that he’s made records in: 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, 2010’s and the 2020’s!

The Dip, Madrid Theatre, $30

The Dip is a pop, rhythm and blues band that was formed in 2013 by jazz music students at the UW-Seattle. The band combines a typical pop instrumentation with a 3-part horn section. They have released three full-length albums as well as two instrumental Eps with latest being last year’s Sticking With it (on Dualtone Records). Live, they’ve recently snuck in their unique version of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”.

Noah Kahan w Jack Van Cleaf, The Truman, SOLD OUT

Newest releases the Cape Elizabeth EP and full-length Stick Season are both so critically acclaimed, many feel the Vermont folk pop singer-songwriter is on the verge of breaking it big(ger) with most shows (including this one) on this run being sold-out. Anyone enamored by the Mumford-like big folk sound will need to somehow find a way into this one.

THURSDAY FEB 16

Brian Posehn, Comedy Club of KC, Feb 16, 17, 18, $20 / $30

The comedian/actor/writer is in town for a multi-night stand, so plenty of chances to catch him live. Known for specials "25x2" and "Criminally Posehn" and his podcast, Nerd Poker, he’s been in numerous films and TV shows including The Five-Year Engagement, Lloyd the Conqueror and The Sarah Silverman Program.

Cody Canada w Rob Leines, Knuckleheads, $20

Expect a heaping helping of Cross Canadian Ragweed songs as well as solo material from their former rock/alt-country Oklahoma-based lead singer. He fronts The Departed and newest release is last year’s Soul Gravy.

FRIDAY FEB 17

Niko Moon w Dylan Schneider, The Truman, $20-$40

Out on his Ain’t No Better Place Tour, the country-pop singer is also currently writing and recording the follow-up to his 2021 debut album Good Time, named after his double Platinum, No. 1 hit single. Also, he recently welcomed a daughter, Lily, with his wife / frequent collaborator, Anna. Together they composed “I Can’t Wait to Love You” in anticipation of Lily’s arrival. Live, he’s been working in Tim McGraw, Zac Brown, and Travis Tritt covers.

Thy Art is Murder, Granada- Lawrence, $25-$30

Australian deathcore band out on their Decade of Hate Tour, it’s a packed evening with the lineup including Kublai Khan TX, Undeath, I AM, and Justice For The Damned, so an early door time.

Rodney Carrington, Feb 17-18 , Ameristar, $65+

Carrington is known for the witty and sarcastic humor that he is able to blend into various mediums of stand-up, music, and short films. He integrates his country roots seamlessly into the essence of his demeanor and writing style, playing around the world as one of the top 10 highest-grossing touring comedians for the past two decades.

SATURDAY FEB 18

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, T-Mobile Center. $63.50-$403.50

Despite high prices and low-ticket availability and a current fight with Covid, Springsteen and his full band have returned to the road for the first time in North America in seven years. Little Steven, Patti Scialfa and Soozie Tyrell have all missed the recent TX dates and the setlist spans decades, but is heavier on material from Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, Born in the USA and the more recent Letter to You albums. Whichever way, expect a marathon and fun evening from a legend and one of the best bands working.

Filharmonie Brno With Dennis Russell Davies, and Laurie Anderson, $43.50-$83.50

Take the ultimate flight of fancy with iconic creative pioneer Laurie Anderson as she channels Atchison, KS’ own Amelia Earhart in an expansive work for Filharmonie Brno under the baton of renowned American conductor Dennis Russell Davies. Earhart’s own radio transmissions, diaries, and news clippings are used in Anderson’s sonic score that show off the technical capabilities of Helzberg Hall.

The roots of the Filharmonie Brno go way back to the 1870s when young Leoš Janáček endeavored to establish a Czech symphony orchestra in Brno and the setlist will consist of work by Antonin Dvořák and Bohuslav Martinů as well as the Laurie Anderson piece.

SUNDAY FEB 19

Winterlude: Trent Austin Quartet, Polsky Theatre. $17-$35

Trumpeter, artist, and educator Trent Austin plays jazz classics with the influences of classical and contemporary music. A prodigy, Austin performed at the opening of Euro-Disney and was a featured performer at the 1992 Montreux Jazz Festival and later played with the likes of Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Joe Williams, Clark Terry, Jack Jones, and numerous others.

He was a trumpet professor at the University of Southern Maine for nine years and now maintains an active teaching studio providing trumpet and jazz improv lessons in Kansas City.

MONDAY FEB 20

john c (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Angel Olsen & the Big Time Band at Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS (2023-01-27)

ANGEL OLSEN Poster ANGEL OLSEN SETLIST Dream Thing (acoustic) Big Time (acoustic) Ghost On Right Now Shut Up Kiss Me Give It Up All Mirrors Lark Go Home This Is How It Works All the Good Times Sister Those Were the Days Chance -- Encore -- Without You (Harry Nilsson / Badfinger cover) ERIN RAE SETLIST Mind / Heart Can’t Cut Loose Love Like Before California Belongs to You Enemy Candy and Curry Modern Woman On Her Side (new song) True Love’s Face Bad Mind Bittersweet, TN (Kevin Morby cover) Cosmic Sigh Lighten Up & Try ANGEL OLSEN Tour Dates JAN 28 THE FACTORY CHESTERFIELD, MO JAN 29 THE BLUEBIRD BLOOMINGTON, IN JAN 31 THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE COLUMBUS, OH FEB 1 THE MAJESTIC THEATRE DETROIT, MI FEB 2 AGORA THEATRE BALLROOM CLEVELAND, OH FEB 3 MR. SMALLS THEATRE MILLVALE, PA FEB 4 ASBURY HALL BUFFALO, NY FEB 6 WHITE EAGLE HALL JERSEY CITY, NJ FEB 7 COLLEGE ST MUSIC HALL NEW HAVEN, CT FEB 8 BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK, NY FEB 9 BALTIMORE SOUNDSTAGE BALTIMORE, MD FEB 10 THE NATIONAL RICHMOND, VA FEB 11 THE CAROLINA THEATRE DURHAM, NC FEB 24 THEATRE ROYAL CASTLEMAINE, AUSTRALIA FEB 25 MONA FOMA HOBART, AUSTRALIA MAR 1 MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE SOUTHBANK MAR 3 MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE SOUTHBANK MAR 4 NINE LIVES FESTIVAL BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA MAR 6 SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE SYDNEY, NSW MAR 7-8 PERTH MUSIC FESTIVAL PERTH, AUSTRALIA MAR 10 BRUNSWICK BALLROOM BRUNSWICK, AUST MAR 11 GOLDEN PLAINS FESTIVAL MEREDITH, AUST MAR 13 WOMADELAIDE ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA APR 15-16 HIGH WATER FEST N CHARLESTON, SC MAY 3 RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE MORRISON, CO MAY 4 RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE MORRISON, CO JUL 7 MAD COOL FESTIVAL MADRID, SPAIN JUL 8 NOS ALIVE FESTIVAL LISBON, PORTUGAL AUG 5 HINTERLAND MUSIC FEST ST. CHARLES, IA AUG 25 ALL POINTS EAST FESTIVAL LONDON, UK Read More Angel Olsen Angel Olsen will be headlining First Avenue on October 2nd. Olsen fans can look forward to Phases, a collection of B-sides, rarities, and demos on November 10th via Jagjaguwar. ...

Confirmed- this angel’s officially hit the Big Time--

Alternative country / folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen and her distinctive voice, played to a loyal and raucous capacity crowd at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS, satisfying her older fans and making plenty of new, on this, her biggest headlining area show to date, in support of newest record, Big Time.

We caught her live, just last August, in an outdoor show on the Wild Hearts Tour alongside Julien Baker and Sharon Van Etten, and were impressed but left wanting more, and we even knew there were bigger things to come from Olsen when we caught her in Minneapolis back in 2017.

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The evening began with a generous fifty-minute set from Nashville singer-songwriter Erin Rae, in support of her newest solo full-length, Lighten Up (the title of which, is a not-so-subtle reminder to herself to not take things too seriously).

“I’ll start with my saddest song” she deadpanned, strumming “Mind / Heart” from the newest record. She described 2018’s “Love Like Before” as her “summer jam, my almost-mid-tempo song” to polite laughter and one of the common threads between she and the headliner, is that both new records were produced by the wunderkind of the modern Laurel Canyon sound, Jonathan Wilson (with several Big Time Band members also guesting on it).

Her delicate song “Enemy” is actually about friendship and jealously, she played a new song for only the second time live, and Rae worked in a cover from “by my friend and your neighbor, Kevin Morby”, also mentioning she’d be touring with him and back in the area soon (KC show instantly sold out, but Apr 6 Bottleneck tix still remain).

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To say that the crowd was anticipating Angel Olsen’s ninety-five-minute headlining set, is a massive understatement; as in addition to the locals and students, many had driven in from Kansas City and much farther parts unknown, to catch the buzzing St. Louis-born / Asheville, NC resident, in support of latest full-length, Big Time (Jagjaguwar Records) released last June.

Olsen and the half-dozen Big Time Band members dressed in smartly segmented solid colors (she in blue, her string section in red, bass player in green, etc.) against a Appalachian Mountain backdrop and began acoustically with the new “Dream Thing” and title track from the record.

Olsen’s songs can inspire and narrate as well as haunt, crossing lines between folk, stripped-down alternative, and alt-country, with a voice that shifts from a traditional country croon, to soaring gospel-level heights, to maybe even the occasional yodel.

Like other recent dates, Olsen teased playing a song she “just wrote the night before” saying it “has serious potential”, before cheekily going into her most-recognizable song, 2016’s “Shut Up Kiss Me” that had the audience singing the chorus back at the band, followed by “another loud one”, “Give it Up” also from her previous My Woman album.

2019’s “All Mirrors” remains lush in concert, with its scene-setting keyboard and string crescendo and hollowed percussion, Olsen pleads “I want to Go Home, go back to small things” on a song from the new album, and she described the newest LP’s lead single, “All the Good Times” as “a mad one, about an ex”.

After asking “What song should we do?” (and receiving the inevitable unintelligible shouts back), 2016’s “Sister” launched by popular demand, with Olsen repeating “All my life, I thought I’d change” as the instrumentation built from a hush to a triumphant end, with the main set ending on 2019’s “Chance”.

The single-song encore was a vintage ‘70’s cover, as she’s been doing in recent sets, this night being the Harry Nilsson version of the Badfinger classic “Without You," which was an ideal showcase for Olsen’s voice to rise up to the rafters (even overcoming some monitor fuzz) to end the night on an inspirational high point.

If there was any previous doubt, it’s more than obvious at this point, that Angel Olsen has indeed hit the Big Time; evidenced by the throng of loyal fans that crowded the front barricades and smilingly sang along to every aching song, to the large handful waiting outside her bus afterward, for a brief hello or selfie. For Olsen, these are All the Good Times.

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

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ERIN RAE

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john c (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Snail Mail w Joy Again at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (2022-04-16)

SNAIL MAIL SETLIST Valentine Ben Franklin Glory Speaking Terms Heat Wave Automate Madonna Golden Dream Thinning Light Blue Full Control Headlock Tonight, Tonight (The Smashing Pumpkins cover) Forever (Sailing) -- Encore -- Mia Pristine Read More Snail Mail Matador’s youngest signing Snail Mail (aka 18-yr-old Lindsey Jordan) will be stopping by the 7th Street Entry in support of her debut album Lush - out now. … Joy Again Philadelphia five-piece Joy Again to open the show. Since forming in 2015, the band established themselves as a “staple of the Philly basement scene.” …

The calendar may have said Easter Weekend, but for everyone inside Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS to see Snail Mail in concert, it seemed much more like Valentine’s –

The indie rock project led by Maryland native/NYC-based singer-songwriter Lindsey Jordan is out in support of her second full-length album. Valentine (on Matador Records), released last November.

The evening began with a forty-three minute opening set from Philadelphia band Joy Again, for their first time playing in the state, and the tour’s support act for just a week before they would venture off on their own headlining club dates.

The musical collective has two singer/guitarists that split lead duties (Sachi DiSerafino and Arthur Shea, alongside keyboardists Blaise O'Brien, and Zachary Tyndall, bassist Kieran Ferris, and drummer Will Butera) and plays slightly more than typical alternative rock – there’s also a dash of Zappa/Flaming Lips eclecticism and weirdness that makes their music both danceable and more existential at the same time.

Their second EP is 2019’s Piano and they’ve since been signed to Arista Records, marking that signing with recent single, “What Lovers Do” and the crowd reserved their most audible response for 2015’s “Looking Out for You”, played towards the end of their fifteen-song set.

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With the band’s logo on a big backdrop and a couple of Cupid statues on pedestals adorning the stage, Snail Mail began their sixty-five minute set with the title track and album opener from the latest record, Valentine and quickly got all of the crowd engaged and on their side.

Following the album’s sequence, “Ben Franklin” next brought things very personal, as Jordan sang about her 2020 stint in rehab.

After pandemic-related delays and an additional late 2021 pause for a necessary vocal chord operation, both the band and the crowd seemed elated to see each other, and there was often singing along and shrieking affection after every song. Jordan confessed that “Automate” was one of her favorites from the new record (and they played all but one song from Valentine), singing “you’ll be sweet if I stay, and it’s not enough, conditional love”.

“Thinning” reached all the way back to 2016, with Jordan singing repeatedly as if to convince herself, “I don’t think there’s anything wrong” then exclaiming, It’s Saturday night!” clearly thrilled by the reception. She also recalled her last time in town, at a smaller venue during mid-July heat and the air conditioning system not working properly, but also remembered she thought it was a good show. Nevertheless.

Jordan’s voice soared during “Light Blue” proving to everyone she’d almost completely recovered from that polyp removal surgery, something she briefly talked about, following the song. Her band: Alex Bass (his real name!) – bass; Ray Brown – drums; Madeline McCormack – guitar, keys; Benjamin Kaunitz – guitar, played solidly all evening without being obtrusive or upstaging, and all came really alive with their authentic cover of The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight”.

“Forever (Sailing)” with Jordan singing, “whatever you decide, I’ll chase you from the city to the sky” took us to the end of the main set, with Jordan soon to re-appear, with only her acoustic guitar and Kaunitz at her side for a delicate “Mia” and again, her vocals reaching heights she likely could not have, just a year prior, pre-surgery.

The rest of the band re-joined on stage for the closing “Pristine” from 2018’s breakout album Lush, a love song of self second-guessing and what could have been, common feelings the mostly college-age crowd could obviously relate to.

As the pandemic winds down and people re-emerge in social gatherings, we find we’re having to re-learn basic interacting skills, most left more vulnerable by twenty months of isolation. Like everyone else, 22 year-old Lindsey Jordan had experienced very similar, but opened herself up and put those lyrics to paper, about love and loss, and learning lessons. Though the album is called Valentine, the live show from Snail Mail may be more “Easter” after all, as it was a mix of songs about realization, catharsis, and eventual rebirth.

JOY AGAIN SETLIST I'm Your Dog Couldn't Mistakes Sungazing Deathwish // Deathbed Woof Woof Kim Rats Who Knows Country Song Abaigh's Song Love Me Like You Used To Lymes Looking Out for You Winter Snakes JOY AGAIN TOUR DATES 4/17 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre 4/20 Oakland, CA Starline Social Club 4/21 Los Angeles, CA 1720 4/22 Garden Grove, CA Locker Room 4/23 San Diego, CA HOB Voodoo Room 4/24 Tucson, AZ Club Congress 4/26 Austin, TX The Far Out Lounge 4/27 Houston, TX RISE Rooftop 4/28 Fort Worth , TX Tulips 4/29 Norman, OK Norman Music Festival 4/30 Springfield, MO Outland Ballroom 5/1 Nashville, TN DRKMTTR 5/3 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade 5/5 Richmond, VA Richmond Music Hall 5/6 Washington, DC DC9

SNAIL MAIL TOUR DATES

APR 19 Capitol Theater Olympia, WA
APR 20 The Moore Theatre Seattle, WA
APR 21 Vogue Theatre Vancouver, BC
APR 22 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
APR 23 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
APR 24 Fox Theater Oakland, CA
APR 27 Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles, CA
APR 28 The Observatory North Park San Diego, CA
APR 29 Nile Theater Mesa, AZ
APR 30 Meow Wolf Santa Fe, NM
MAY 2 The Moody Theater Austin, TX
MAY 3 The Studio at The Factory Dallas, TX
MAY 5 The Masquerade - Heaven Stage Atlanta, GA
MAY 6 The Orange Peel Asheville, NC
MAY 7 Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC
MAY 8 Brooklyn Bowl Nashville Nashville, TN
JUN 6 Gebäude 9 Cologne, NRW
JUN 7 Knust Hamburg, Germany
JUN 9 Oceanen Gothenburg, Västra Götaland County
JUN 11 Slaktkyrkan Stockholm, Stockholm County
JUN 13 Columbia Theater Berlin
JUN 14 Groovestation Dresden, Saxony
JUN 15 Ampere Munich, Germany
JUN 16 Santeria Toscana 31 Milan, Lombardy
JUN 18 Bogen F Zürich, ZH
JUN 19 Le Trabendo Paris, France
JUN 21 Paradiso Noord Amsterdam, NL
JUN 23 O2 Ritz Manchester, UK
JUN 24 Queen Margaret Union Glasgow, Scotland
JUN 28 The Marble Factory Bristol, England
JUN 29 O2 Forum Kentish Town London, United Kingdom
JUN 30 CHALK Brighton, England
JUL 6 L'Epicerie Moderne Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
JUL 30 Fuji Rock Festival Minamiuonuma, Niigata
AUG 12 Fête Music Hall Providence, RI
AUG 14 Beak and Skiff Syracuse, NY
AUG 16 Toad's Place New Haven, CT
AUG 17 The Stone Pony Asbury Park, NJ
AUG 19 The National Richmond, VA
AUG 20 The NorVa Norfolk, VA
AUG 21 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC
AUG 23 The Beacham Orlando, FL
AUG 24 The Ritz Ybor Tampa, FL
AUG 26 Saturn Birmingham, AL
AUG 27 The Mill & Mine Knoxville, TN
AUG 28 Headliners Music Hall Louisville, KY
AUG 30 Castle Theatre Bloomington, IL
AUG 31 Majestic Theatre Madison, WI
SEP 2 Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI
SEP 3 The Pageant St Louis, MO
SEP 4 The Athenaeum Theatre Columbus, OH
SEP 6 The Majestic Theatre Detroit, MI
SEP 7 Mr. Smalls Theatre Millvale, PA
SEP 9 The Fillmore Silver Spring Silver Spring, MD
SEP 24 Frantic City Festival Atlantic City, NJ

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

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Snail Mail Setlist

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Snail Mail at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (2022-04-16)

 

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Lucy Dacus w Indigo De Souza at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (19 Feb 2022) review

Lucy Dacus at Liberty Hall LUCY DACUS SETLIST Triple Dog Dare First Time Addictions Hot & Heavy Christine VBS Cartwheel Time Fighter Yours & Mine Partner in Crime Home Again (Carole King cover) Please Stay Going Going Gone Thumbs Brando I Don't Wanna Be Funny Anymore Kissing Lessons Night Shift LUCY DACUS TOUR DATES 02/20 - OK City, OK @ Tower Theatre * 02/23 - Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre * 02/24 - Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel * 02/25 - C-Ville, VA @ Jefferson * 02/26 - Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony * 03/01 - Toronto, ONT @ Danforth Music Hall * 03/02 - Montreal, QUE @ Corona Theatre * 03/03 - Providence, RI @ The Strand 03/05 - Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head 03/18 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club 03/19 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club 03/20 - Glasgow, UK @ St. Lukes 03/21 - Dublin, IE @ The Button Factory ** 03/23 - Manchester, UK @ Gorilla 03/24 - Bristol, UK @ Trinity 03/25 - London, UK @ Kentish Town Forum 03/29 - Brussels, BL @ Rotonde ** 03/30 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord ** 03/31 - Cologne, DE @ Artheater ** 04/02 - Hamburg, DE @ Molotow ** 04/03 - Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen ** Apr 04 - Aarhus, DK @ Atlas ** 04/06 - Oslo, NO @ Parkteatret ** 04/07 - Stockholm, SE @ Nalen Klubb ** 04/09 - Berlin, DE @ Lido ** 04/10 - Jena, DE @ Trafo ** 04/11 - Vienna, AT @ Chelsea ** 04/13 - Munich, DE @ Milla ** 04/14 - Zürich, SU @ Bogen F ** 04/15 - Paris, FR @ La Maroquinerie ** * = Indigo De Souza supporting **= Fenne Lily supporting INDIGO DE SOUZA TOUR DATES FEB 20 Tower Theatre Oklahoma City, OK * FEB 23 Georgia Theatre Athens, GA * FEB 24 The Orange Peel Asheville, NC * FEB 25 The Jefferson Theater Charlottesville, VA * FEB 26 The Stone Pony Asbury Park, NJ * MAR 3 The Strand Ballroom & Theatre Providence, RI * MAR 5 Rams Head Live! Baltimore, MD * MAR 19 Blueberry Hill St Louis, MO * MAR 21 The Black Sheep Colorado Springs, CO MAR 22 Fox Theatre Boulder, CO MAR 23 - MAR 27 Treefort Festival Boise, ID MAR 26 ALMA Tacoma, WA MAR 28 Neumos Seattle, WA MAR 29 Aladdin Theater Portland, OR MAR 31 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA APR 1 Harlow's Sacramento, CA APR 20 Black Cat Washington, DC APR 21 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY APR 24 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY APR 25 Royale Boston, MA Rescheduled from Jan 27 APR 28 Higher Ground South Burlington, VT APR 29 Space Ballroom Hamden, CT APR 30 Colony Woodstock, NY MAY 2 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA MAY 7 Le Hasard Ludique Paris, France MAY 9 Paradiso Amsterdam, NL MAY 11 Les Nuits Botanique Brussels, Belgium MAY 11 - MAY 14 The Great Escape Festival Brighton, UK MAY 12 Elsewhere Margate, UK MAY 15 SOUP Manchester, UK MAY 16 Rough Trade Bristol Bristol, UK MAY 17 Electrowerkz London, UK MAY 20 Bulls Ball Park Durham, NC MAY 24 Music Hall Richmond, VA MAY 25 Amos' Southend Charlotte, NC MAY 27 - MAY 29 Forecastle Festival Louisville, KY JUN 16 - JUN 19 Bonnaroo Manchester, TN JUN 21 Jacobs Pavilion Cleveland, OH ^ JUN 22 Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA ^ JUN 28 Meadow Brooke Amphitheatre Rochester Hills, MI ^ JUN 29 KEMBA Live! Columbus, OH ^ JUL 1 Breese Stevens Field Madison, WI ^ JUL 2 Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island Chicago, IL ^ AUG 16 -20 Vodafone Paredes de Coura Paredes AUG 18 - AUG 21 Green Man Festival Crickhowell, Wales AUG 19 - AUG 21 MS Dockville Festival Hamburg, Germany AUG 27 - AUG 28 This Ain’t No Picnic Pasadena, CA * = Supporting Lucy Dacus ^ = Supporting My Morning Jacket Read More Lucy Dacus American singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus will be headlining First Avenue’s mainroom on Saturday, October 9th, 2021. Bartees Strange will open. Dacus is touring in support of her new album Home Video, which … Indigo De Souza North Carolina’s Indigo De Souza will head out on tour for her new album Any Shape You Take (Saddle Creek). The tour will stop by the 7th Street Entry on October 1st. …

Couch-bound confessions, revealing home videos, and more--

Two bold female acts took to the (newly refurbished) stage at Liberty Hall in Lawrence as indie singer-songwriters Lucy Dacus and Indigo De Souza played to a loyal and sold-out audience. 

Rising star Indigo De Souza, from Asheville, NC was up first, in support of last August’s Any Shape You Take (on Saddle Creek Records) and proved early on, that she was worthy of the gaining buzz and attention she’s been getting. 

We were fortunate to catch her headlining last fall in Minneapolis, making mention of her burgeoning female fan base and Lawrence was no exception, with devotees perched up front along the railing, some in pastel makeup, glitter and angel wings, singing along to every word. 

The product of a bossa nova guitarist father and primarily raised by her visual artist mother (who paints her album covers), creativity seemed to surround her from an early age, making her own music at age nine, and shyly but confidently making her own blend of grunge pop and emotional 90s-esque indie rock. The setlist built to a crescendo with De Souza’s voice and angst rising to end with repeated verses of “Tell them that I wasn’t having much fun” (though the audience sure seemed to be).

Lucy Dacus sure can persevere--

Despite continued Covid restrictions/mask mandates (and a problematic fifty-minute wait in line outside for entry) and for the last ten days or so, two painful herniated discs in her back, Dacus has bravely carried on with her tour, when many acts under less duress probably would have called it all off and returned home. 

In support of her third studio album, Home Video (on Matador Records) out last summer, the tour (like everything else) had to be postponed, but that also gave the Virginia musician some time to also release two new singles. 

In between acts, the screen at the back of the stage showed a loop of Dacus’ own home movies, VHS-sourced clips of the singer from near-birth to young child, to early teenager, in typical family settings. 

A long leather couch with pillow and short mic stand and nearby guitars were placed at the center of the stage, with her solid four-piece band (bass- Dominic Angelella; drums- Ricardo Lagomasino; guitars- Jacob Blizard; keys- Sarah Goldstone) framed around her on each corner. With Dacus flat on her back, the rest of the band had to, and did rise to the musical occasion, notably guitarist Jacob Blizard. 

We've seen Dacus a handful of times over the last several years, and her musical confidence and audience have both grown exponentially, along with a greater self-assurance in her warts-and-all honest lyrics. 

The ninety-minute set started with the new album’s last track, “Triple Dog Dare” and whose lyric, “you’re yawning on your couch” got an early chuckle from the crowd, who collectively felt for her restricted condition and were hanging on every verse. 

Laying back and strumming guitar with her vulnerable and self-revealing songs, Dacus appeared like she was emoting life experiences on an analyst’s couch, very briefly sitting up here and there for a verse, before the pain forced her back down again. 

The living room-style setting, and relaxed nature seemed to add an additional intimacy, further allowing even the most reserved fans in the crowd, to believe it was all right to sway with eyes closed and sing along to all their favorites. 

2018’s “Addictions” from her first album and “Hot & Heavy” which opens the new record, were especially crowd-pleasing, with Dacus growing a bit restless as she sang as a movie marquee with the song’s title was shown on the screen. 

Religion is still strong in the bible belt Midwest, as evidenced when she asked the crowd how many had gone to Vacation Bible School as children, and so many hands went into the air before the band launched into “VBS” from the new record. 

“Timefighter” from her first record was a rare treat to hear, not having been performed live in over three years with Dacus singing her truth that “I’m just good as anybody, I’m just as bad as anybody". The band would gather around her for a campfire version of “Home Again”, a Carole King cover from her classic 1971 Tapestry album and an obvious influence on Dacus.

Aforementioned new singles, “Thumbs” and “Kissing Lessons” were saved towards the end of the set and embraced as heartily by the fans as older, familiar songs like “Brando” and “I Don’t Want to be Funny Anymore” which were played in-between. 

With obviously no traditional encore (the pain of Dacus having to get up and then re-enter, would have been too much), the evening would end with “Night Shift”-chronicling a somewhat resentful end to a long-term relationship of hers, a needed group catharsis for the crowd as she let the audience take the chorus over, “You got a 9 to 5, so I'll take the night shift, and I'll never see you again if I can help it”.

Wounded, hurt, vulnerable, awkward, revealing, and eventually persevering– this was the running message through the songs of both Lucy Dacus and Indigo De Souza, and from the invested reaction of the sold-out crowd, these were feelings, emotions, and experiences that everyone there could also relate to.

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

Indigo De Souza

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Lucy Dacus Setlist

Lucy Dacus Band

Lucy Dacus Band

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Lucy Dacus

Lucy Dacus at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (19 Feb 2022)

 

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Japanese Breakfast w/ Luna Li at Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS (2021-10-09)

10/09: Japanese Breakfast at Liberty Hall   Setlist Paprika Be Sweet In Heaven The Woman That Loves You Kokomo, IN Ballad O Savage Good Boy Road Head Here You Come Again (Dolly Parton cover) Boyish (Little Big League song) The Body Is a Blade Tactics Glider Posing in Bondage Slide Tackle Everybody Wants to Love You -- Encore -- Posing for Cars Diving Woman Tour Dates 10/10 - St Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall * 10/11 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall * - SOLD OUT 10/12 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall * - SOLD OUT 10/14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel * - SOLD OUT 10/15 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel * - SOLD OUT 10/16 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel * - SOLD OUT 10/17 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel * = 10/30 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall 10/31 - Austin, TX @ Levitation 2021 11/1 - San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger ^ 11/3 - Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress (Outdoor Plaza) ^ 11/4 - Tempe, AZ @ Coca-Cola Sun Deck ^ 11/7 - Berkeley, CA @ UC Theatre ^ 11/9 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades ^ 11/11 - Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery ^ 11/12 - San Luis Obispo, CA @ Madonna Inn ^ 11/13 - Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst ^ 11/14 - Perris, CA @ Desert Daze ^ 11/15 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House ^ 11/16 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House ^ 3/13 - Madrid, ES @ Sala Independence 3/14 - Barcelona, ES @ Sala Apolo 3/16 - Paris, FR @ La Maroquineire 3/17 - Antwerp, BE @ Trix 3/19 - Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso Noord 3/20 - Hamburg, HH @ Molotow Musikclub 3/21 - Copenhagen, DE @ Hotel Cecil 3/22 - Berlin, DE @ Franzz Club 3/23 - Cologne, DE @ Luxor 3/25 - Bristol, UK @ SXW 3/26 - Manchester, UK @ Academy 2 3/27 - Glasgow, UK @ St. Luke's 3/28 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Community Room 3/30 - London, UK @ Kentish Town Forum 6/9 - Porto, PT @ NOS Primavera Sound Festival * w/ Luna Li # w/ Charly Bliss ^ w/ SASAMI Read More Japanese Breakfast Korean musician Japanese Breakfast (stagename for Michelle Zauner) headlined the mainroom at First Avenue, in Minneapolis, on September 19th, 2021, as part of her tour for Jubilee (Dead Oceans Records). ... Luna Li Toronto band Luna Li opened the show. The name is really Hannah Kim’s band, a multi-instrumentalist and producer, and she recruited Charise on keys, Sabrina on bass, and Braden on drums, for her live shows. …

It’s enough to feel a little self-inadequate, in the best possible way--

While most of us have spent these pandemic months hunkered down, navigating online meetings, and putting on those “quarantine fifteen” pounds, Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner) is living a charmed life-

She’s managed to release an upbeat new album, Jubilee (on Dead Oceans), become a best-selling author (and also have that book optioned by MGM/Orion), make the soundtrack to video game Sable, even create an ice-cream flavor of her own, and now she makes her way back out on tour to play live to her biggest audiences to date.  It’s definitely been her year. 

The tour made its way into the heartland, playing a crowded Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS on a breezy but pleasant Saturday night.  Opening the evening was headliner-approved and one of our new favorite bands, Toronto’s Luna Li.  Like the main act, the four-person band started essentially as a solo project from multi-instrumentalist songwriter Hannah Bussiere Kim and grew from there. Though we didn’t see her play all nine instruments she knows in their forty-minute set, she did switch between several and gave the crowd a healthy taste of her sound from recent instrumental EP, jams (on Real Life Music)  with a full debut, due out early next year. 

Dressed in orange ath-leisure wear, she and her band were a welcome and fitting compliment to the headliner, and Kim often beamed with glee to be playing in these parts for the first time.  The music itself  was lush, swooning and often ethereal, unafraid to go into wordless passages as she took parts of genres and re-launched them onto a unique dreamy plain, even inviting the audience to close their eyes to better experience the soundscapes. 

Also of Korean heritage, Kim praised the headliner, saying seeing them live a few years ago was the first time she could directly relate to someone on stage, which in turn gave her added inspiration to further pursue her own musical dreams.

Like a proud parent, we’ve watched Japanese Breakfast grow from the very beginning-- as previously mentioned, we covered her four times in less than two years – from opening slots in 2016(Mitski at 7th Street in July 2016, Porches at 7th Street in Sep 2016, Slowdive at Palace Theatre in May 2017and then finally headlining at Triple Rock in Oct 2017.

The seventy-five minute set literally opened with a gong-banging beginning as the opening track from Jubilee, “Paprika” found Zauner dancing about in a flowing frilly pink dress and goth boots, smashing the small gong near her keyboard with the song’s chorus multiple times. 

“Be Sweet” also from the new record followed, turning the sound more electronic with the most faithful along the front rail singing “I wanna believe”back to, and along with Zauner.  Zauner paused briefly before “Kokomo, IN” to address the crowd on her first time in the area, smiling often and mentioning she was so pleased to hear her own music playing earlier in stores down the street from the theater. 

After some keyboard tuning, Zauner and band played their deepest cut of the evening, “Ballad O” from 2020’s Pop Songs, an EP made in quarantine with Crying’s Ryan Galloway under the name Bumper but this night,it was re-invented as more of murder-ballad with vocal help from drummer Craig Hendrix. 

With Zauner remaining on piano, the laid back vibes continued with their cover of Dolly Parton’s 1977 hit, “Here You Come Again”, a seemingly obscure choice, but one that found Zauner hitting the twang and cadence of the song and high notes with admirable expertise.  “Boyish”, a 2014 song from Zauner’s previous Philadelphia band Little Big League was next, proving further that the setlist could unabashedly look back, as well as forward.  

“It’s rather unfortunate I have to sing a song about someone I don’t like very much… facing someone I like quite a bit!” Zauner said, prefacing the new and very personal “Tactics” inspired by the toxic relationship with her father, as she sat across from husband Peter Bradley on guitar.

The main set would end with an exclamation in the form of 2016’s “Everybody Wants to Love You” and the crowd joining Zauner and band’s infectious effervescence of joyously being able to play live again, visibly feeding from the energy of the shared musical experience. 

The two-song encore began with the new album’s final track, “Posing for Cars”, an introspective relationship song that Zauner began alone, before the rest of the band eventually joined as the overall volume strengthened and reverb and pedal effects enveloped the song’s ending. 

Zauner sang “I want it all” on the evening’s final song, 2017’s “Diving Woman” and based on her many recent accomplishments and the still-rising success of Japanese Breakfast, it’s fair to say she achieved everything she’s wished for.

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Luna Li

Luna Li

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Luna Li

Japanese Breakfast Setlist

Japanese Breakfast

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Japanese Breakfast

Japanese Breakfast

Japanese Breakfast

Japanese Breakfast at Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS (2021-10-09)

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Big Thief w/ Mind Maintenance at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (2021-09-12)

Big Thief at Liberty Hall Poster (2021-09-12)   Big Thief Setlist ingydar (Adrianne Lenker song) Simulation Swarm Shark Smile Black Diamonds Capacity Masterpiece Certainty Two Hands Change Dried Roses Spud Infinity Forgotten Eyes Not Dragon Orange Cattails Mary -- Encore -- Shoulders Terminal Paradise Tour Dates 09/14 Granada Theater Dallas, TX 09/15 ACL Live at The Moody Theater Austin, TX 09/17 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX 09/18 The Civic Theatre New Orleans, LA 09/20 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN 09/21 The Eastern Atlanta, GA 09/22 North Carolina Museum Of Art Raleigh, NC 09/24 The National Richmond, VA 09/25 Governors Ball Music Festival 2021 09/27 Asbury Hall Babeville Buffalo, NY 09/28 Higher Ground South Burlington, VT 09/30 Pines Theatre Northampton, MA 10/01 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA 10/02 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA 01/31/22 L'Aéronef Lille, France 02/01/22 La Cigale Paris, France 02/04/22 Rock School Barbey Bordeaux, France 02/05/22 Sala Apolo Barcelona, Spain 02/07/22 Transbordeur Villeurbanne, France 02/08/22 La Laiterie Artefact Strasbourg, France 02/09/22 Kaufleuten Zurich, Switzerland 02/10/22 Cafe Muffathalle Munich, Germany 02/12/22 MEETFACTORY Prague, Czech Republic 02/13/22 Huxleys Neue Welt Berlin, Germany 02/15/22 Vega København, Denmark 02/16/22 Fabrik Hamburg, Germany 02/18/22 Live Music Hall Cologne, Germany 02/19/22 Cirque Royal Brussels, Belgium 02/21/22 Tivoli Vredenburg Utrecht, NL 02/22/22 Oosterpoort Groningen, NL 02/24/22 Manchester Academy Manchester, UK 02/25/22 Barrowland Ballroom Glasgow, UK 02/26/22 The National Stadium Dublin, Ireland 02/27/22 O2 Academy Bristol, UK 03/02/22 O2 Empire Shepherds Bush London, UK 03/03/22 O2 Empire Shepherds Bush London, UK 03/04/22 O2 Empire Shepherds Bush London, UK 06/09/22 Primavera Sound 2022 Barcelona, Spain Read More Big Thief Brooklyn’s Big Thief to open. The band was previously in Minneapolis with Here We Go Magic last November 2015. Big Thief’s Masterpiece will be out May 27th, 2016, on Saddle Creek. ...

Big Thief just stopped by Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS for a rousing set that showed some actual good has come out of a long pandemic. 

The evening began with a mood-setting opening set from Chicago duo Mind Maintenance, in support of their self-titled album (on Drag City Records) and its lead single “Glow & Glitter”.   Chad Taylor and Joshua Abrams are music veterans and this experimental instrumental music comes from just two instruments, from the opposite sides of Africa.  

Taylor, known mostly as a drummer, plays a mbira: a thumb piano from Zimbabwe held in both hands that consists of a series of metal tines attached to a wooden-sounding board. Abrams, who’s primarily a bassist, plays a guembri: a three-stringed Moroccan lute carved from a log and covered with camel hide. The result is something beyond ambient jazz or world music, and encourages meditation, introspection, and a sense of harmonic convergence.  Aside from a late burst of mystery feedback, seeing these different instruments played together was a unique experience. 

We’ve covered Brooklyn’s Big Thief since their initial humble beginnings in 2015, then on the road for the first time opening (sometimes third on the bill) at some of the smallest venues in town.  Persistence, hard work, and quietly confident music soon paid off, as just over five years later, everyone now seems “in” on the secret, and shows playing to a thousand or more, are quick to sell out. 

The band (Adrianne Lenker-guitar, vocals; Buck Meek -guitar; Max Oleartchik -bass; James Krivchenia- drums) seemed to stay very productive as we all huddled at home, releasing two records in 2019 (U.F.O.F. and Two Hands, on 4AD Records) and has managed to follow that up with a live album, and three new songs including new single “Certainty”. 

Their ninety-minute live set was a slow burning, covertly incendiary performance that longtime fans and newcomers audibly relished. Despite their growing fame, singer Lenker still remains inertly shy and somewhat uncomfortable with all the attention, preferring to play head down to concentrate on her guitar chords, but was visibly loosening up as the set carried on, her twisting ankles carrying her from stage left, to musically interact with the other band members. 

“ingydar”, composed solo (actually named after a horse) began the set quietly, with tempo quickly accelerating on new song, “Simulation Swarm” its content showing their development and added confidence as musical artists. 

The crowd sang along with the chorus on 2017’s “Black Diamonds” and the lyrics of 2016’s “Masterpiece” added some extra resonance over these last eighteen months, being about the passage of time and people’s lives, with the band “ready to walk you through the night” and through the rest of the set. “Thank you for coming” was about the most the shy Lenker could muster before brand new song, “Certainty” with Lenker declaring her own wanderlust is “wild and weaving”. 

The set really seemed to catch fire as it progressed, with some exceptional guitar work by Lenker and Meek on 2019’s “Not” and a killer groove anchoring yet another brand new song (live debuted just the night before at Pitchfork in Chicago), “Dragon” which is, as its lyrics state “a little bit magic” and probably the highlight of the main set. 

After ending with 2017’s “Mary” and its very Midwest-identifiable verses, the band returned to the stage for a two-song encore, starting with “Shoulders” and its violent lyrics punctuated with sharp guitar riffs and then changed gears to end the evening with 2019’s “Terminal Paradise” and Lenker’s ending sentence, “I will blossom in your sail, every dream and waking hour”, sending the loyal crowd back out into the night.

Despite all the negative of a global pandemic and having to hunker down for over a year, Big Thief has shown that some positive results have come out of their collectively focused efforts: namely, a live album, three...make that four new strong songs, and performances that confidently show they deserve all the additional recent attention they’ve been getting.

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Mind Maintenance

Mind Maintenance

Mind Maintenance

Setlist

Big Thief

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Big Thief at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (2021-09-12)

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Poppy at Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS (17 Feb 2020)

Poppy at Liberty Hall Poppy Setlist Concrete BLOODMONEY Scary Mask X Play Destroy Fill the Crown Am I a Girl? Anything Like Me Nothing I Need All the Things She Said (t.A.T.u. cover) Sit / Stay Sick of the Sun Don't Go Outside -- Encore -- Bite Your Teeth I Disagree Poppy Tour Dates Feb 20 The Pressroom Phoenix, AZ Feb 21 The Fonda Theatre Hollywood, CA Mar 12 Manchester Academy 2 Manchester UK Mar 13 Cathouse Glasgow UK Mar 14 O2 Academy Birmingham Birmingham UK Mar 15 Heaven London UK Mar 17 Melkweg Amsterdam, Netherlands Mar 18 Orangery Brussels, Belgium Mar 20 Trabendo Paris, France Mar 21 Zeche Bochum Bochum, Germany Mar 22 Columbia Theater Berlin, Germany Mar 24 Backstage Halle Munich, Germany Mar 25 Santeria Toscana 31 Milano, Italy Mar 26 Flex Vienna, Austria Mar 27 Plaza Zürich, Switzerland Mar 29 Razzmatazz Barcelona, Spain Mar 30 Sala Caracol Madrid, Spain Jun 14 Punchestown Racecourse Naas, Ireland Jul 27 Moda Center Portland, OR Jul 28 WaMu Theater Seattle, WA Jul 30 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium San Francisco, CA Aug 1 Pearl Theater Las Vegas, NV Aug 2 Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA Aug 4 Comerica Theatre Phoenix, AZ Aug 5 Isleta Amphitheater Albuquerque, NM Aug 7 Providence Medical Center Amphitheater Bonner Springs, KS Aug 8 The Rave / Eagles Club Milwaukee, WI Aug 9 The Armory Minneapolis, MN Aug 11 Huntington Bank Pavilion Chicago, IL Aug 12 Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre Sterling Heights, MI Aug 14 Agganis Arena Boston, MA Aug 15 Place Bell Laval, Canada Aug 17 RBC Echo Beach Toronto, Canada Aug 19 Pier 17 New York, NY Aug 20 Stone Pony Asbury Park, NJ Aug 22 The Met Philadelphia, PA Aug 23 The Anthem Washington, DC Aug 24 Harbor Yard Amphitheater Bridgeport, CT Aug 26 Petersen Events Center Pittsburgh, PA Aug 27 White River State Park Indianapolis, IN Aug 29 Cadence Bank Amphitheatre Atlanta, GA Aug 30 Municipal Auditorium Nashville, TN Sep 1 AT&T Center San Antonio, TX Sep 2 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX Sep 3 Irving Music Factory Irving, TX Sep 5 Pepsi Center Denver, CO Read More Poppy If it wasn’t winter, this is the show I would be happy to show up. It’s Poppy. That weird internet girl. The show is sold out. Poppy’s new album I Disagree is out now on Sumerian Records. … VOWWS The evening began in near darkness though, as VOWWS, probably the only Australian/Iranian dark industrial experimental LA-based duo that you’ll ever encounter, opened with a sweeping thirty-minute set, conjuring even more blackness …

Poppy is an alien. I disagree. Poppy is aYouTube AI creation. I disagree. Poppy is just a made-up ASMR internet meme. I disagree. Poppy is a religious cult leader. I disagree. Poppy is nothing, and Poppy is everything. I…

Fresh from a high profile WWE televised appearance, internet sensation Poppy landed in downtown Lawrence for a raucous performance in front of many of her faithful devotees at a crowded Liberty Hall.

Liberty Hall is a staple in downtown Lawrence, dating in history from the 1850’s, also housing a coffee shop and video rental shop (yep, they still exist) in addition to its 1100+ capacity theater space, with a famous brewery right next door. With a general admission floor and reserved balcony, the sound system is crisp and clear with good stage views from almost any vantage point.

Opening the night was Vowws, a Los Angeles-based post-punk duo playing self-described “Australian death pop” who we last saw in 2017. Their newest full-length is 2018’s Under the World (on Anti-Language Records) and the band’s forty-minute set began with a few hiccups (some feedback, and the overhead stage lights all on and not able to be turned off) that took the eventually distracted members Matt and Rizz out of their comfort zone, even forcing keyboard/vocalist Rizz to lay on the floor at one point, to hide from the light. “I’m dying up here”, she remarked to which Matt added “Have you ever seen a concert in a convenience store before?”

Regardless, they professionally carried on and eventually all the issues were resolved, but the mostly younger goth crowd was too taken in by the music to really be bothered by anything ancillary. The duo’s boy/girl vocals juxtapose like a beam of light amongst their throbbing industrial electro dark beats and songs that build like a sonic plague enveloping the wasteland and their sound is recommended to any fans of Vowws’ former label, Cleopatra Records.

With a male backing band dressed casually all in white, a row of vertical pink neon tubes separating the rhythm section to the back, and a tall mirrored, lighted box framing the petite artist with braided ponytail in a one-shouldered dark ruffled dress, Poppy took to the stage to the opening air raid sirens from the first single from her new record, ‘Concrete’ to begin her sixty-minute headlining set.

The tour is called I Disagree, in support of her third full-length of the same name which was released just last month (on Sumerian Records) and which marked the last creative collaboration between the artist and her sort-of Svengali, Titanic Sinclair.

Devout fans (aka Poppy Seeds) ranged from adult women in goth pixie dresses, teen girls with adult chaperones, metalheads, gender fluids, and those simply curious to see and hear what the genre-metamorphosizing artist would show us. After some earlier, minimalist, pop-leaning (and sometimes head-scratching) efforts, her latest sound is an ear-opening blend of sugary JandK-pop innocent pixie vocals against thrash and hard rock riffs (similar to the kawaii metal of Babymetal and Ladybaby).

“Hello, Lawrence” she cooed before the delicate beginnings of ‘Scary Mask’, an on-record collaboration with fellow California hard rock band Fever 333, sounding more ferocious live as Poppy and the crowd shouted the spelling of the song’s title back at each other. “Everything will be okay” a pre-programmed voice reassured us before the industrial stompings of 2018’s ‘X’, one of only a couple tracks that were not from the newest record, which was played in its entirety.

“If you know this one, please sing with me” she sweetly implored over the melodic electro throbs of ‘Am I a Girl?’, a song one could imagine Gwen Stefani with Meshuggah covering. ‘You Shouldn’t be Anything Like Me’ she sang, but it was a moot point, with so many girls in the crowd already dressing like her and responding to the music like they were.

The lone cover of the night, was that of Russian duo t.A.T.u and their 2002 radio hit, ‘All The Things She Said’, an unexpected but entirely appropriate choice and she did the song justice with a high-volume faithful version.

The tender ‘Sick of the Sun’ had fans’ arms swaying back and forth and the main set suitably ended with the new album’s final track ‘Don’t Go Outside’, which reprises lyrics from its beginning song, ‘Concrete’ and again reassures everyone that “everything will be okay”.

No sooner did Poppy and the band exit the stage when the crowd began chanting her name, refusing to stop until their encore request was fulfilled. The lyrics of ‘Bite Your Teeth’ are very positive and life-affirming, about not giving up and to keep trying, set against a blackened doom guitar riff. The set-ending ‘I Disagree’ showed Poppy embracing the Japanese kawaii metal sound, singing first in Japanese, then with an emphatic exclamation that “We'll be safe and sound when it all burns down” as the crowd roared in approval.

Exhilarating to see live in concert (and fans will get another chance this summer as she again tours with Deftones), the always-unpredictable Poppy reminded us several times during the show that “everything will be okay”.

I disagree. For a still-evolving persona, multi-media artist, and online celebrity, everything looks much more than okay, it looks positively brilliant.

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(Photography Notes- due to the venue’s lack of a dedicated photo pit, pro photography was not granted for this show, with previous live images inserted, courtesy of Poppy’s official Facebook page. Low resolution Vowws photos were taken with cellphone.)

 

Vowws

Vowws

Vowws

Poppy Setlist

Poppy at Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS (17 Feb 2020) photo courtesy of Poppy’s Facebook

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic