The Apache Relay at Great Scott April 7th

During SXSW I was held captive in Boston and spent a large part of that week picking up on patterns in tweets. I realize this sounds really pathetic but at least half of the people I was following were in Austin and dropping names of bands I had never heard all over the place, so I collected those names into a nice little pile. One that was mentioned more than a few times, and by people whose opinions and taste in music I respect, was The Apache Relay. When I saw they were coming to Boston I knew I had to see them.

The Apache Relay opened for Tristen and Ezra Furman & The Harpoons last night and it felt like the headlining act was going first. They had so much energy, enthusiasm, and amazing dance moves (that I am totally stealing) that their stage presence trumped the following acts. The five of them crammed on stage looked like they were about to knock each other out with every twist and leg kick. Sometimes the fiddle looks ridiculously small and delicate in the midst of a roots-rock band, but the way Kellen Wenrich played it, it fit right in like it was incredibly natural to be jumping around and foot stomping with a traditional instrument in hand. 

They moved around far too much to get a good picture...but that's a good thing.

Halfway through their set they broke out the song "Home is Not Places", a song about that homesickness a band can experience during the long weeks on the road. This song kicked their performance up another notch as they played with a fervor usually not seen until the closing song for most bands. They started visibly sweating and their faces turned bright red while belting out the song.  From there on out, it was action packed songs and the crowd continually crept closer and closer. The Apache Relay's songs showcase a tremendous amount of talent from the well crafted lyrics, to the perfect blending of fiddle, guitars, and keyboard. Their sound can go from delicate quiet verses, to crashing drums, and seriously shredding their guitars in an instant. It really gets your blood pumping. They closed with even more energy than they started with, playing "Can't Wake Up", a song off their new record, American Nomad, out next week.

Most of the time I leave shows thinking one of two things; either "that was good" or "I can't wait to see them again", and this was very much the latter. I might just end up in Philly on Saturday night to see them again. They really are that fantastic and I highly recommend going to see them.

The Apache Relay - Home is Not Places

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Visible Voice recorded the show and I'm sure the audio files will be up soon.

Johnny Flynn @ T.T. The Bear's [Concert Review]

Who: Johnny Flynn

Where/When: November 15th, T.T. The Bear's Place, Cambridge, MA

Expectations: I expect a sweet faced english boy to sing me some songs, that is all. 

Concert: A sold out crowd came to see Johnny Flynn, a solo man with his guitar, stand on stage and sing some songs during his very last show on this particular tour. An absurdly simple set up, it provided a nice contrast from his recorded sound, and gave us something entirely different to listen to, which felt like a special treat. It was wonderful at first, he was completely endearing, and the crowd was swooning. By swooning I mean no less than five "I love you"s were shouted out from the crowd at various times--not to mention many giggles, oohs and collective awwws. But as he went from one song to the next, his eagerness to be done with the tour was palpable, and though he told the audience he was sad for the tour to end, there was no reveling in the moment, no one song that felt like he was really giving it his all. 

I can hardly blame him for wanting to get on a plane and be finished (he did have a late night bus to New York to catch after all), but you know when you are at a bar and someone buys you a drink and they chat you up, and they are charming and they give you a sweet smile, but then you catch them looking around at the crowd and you realize that "charming" is just a thing they do? Well, the "charming" act is what musicians have to put on every night and it has to be believable, but I feel like I caught Johnny Flynn in that looking for an escape moment. 

I am probably one of the few that feels that way because for the most part the show was fantastic. Flynn made it a pleasure to watch him play effortlessly, especially when the entire sold out room was focused directly on him. It was impressive to think that everything we were hearing was coming from the man and his steel guitar. The crowd sang along in a restrained and respectful manner that had an almost angelic effect. At times the choir of the crowd was unbelievably gorgeous and the absolute perfect accompaniment to the singular man on stage, the kind of sound that you can never quite capture on a record. The closing song, "Tickle Me Pink" was a great upbeat moment to finish the tour with as the crowd clapped and sang along. 

Concert Afterglow: Like Johnny, I was rather looking forward to heading home myself. Despite the fact that some of the concert felt routine, slightly rushed, and tired, there were plenty of uplifting moments that balanced it all out. But there was none of that after concert elation for me. 

Recommendation: Catch him if you can, he is on the rise, and next time he comes back stateside he might even bring a full band. He is more than capable of drawing the crowds. 

Song: Kentucky Pill
This is his big promo song and the teaser song for his new album, he did not play it last night. He may not have enjoyed playing it by the end of the tour, but I still enjoy listening to it. 

(Photo by me)

Laura Stevenson, The Cults, Maps & Atlases Concert Review

It seems like every concert I have been to this summer, the opening acts have been especially talented and enjoyable, Laura Stevenson and the Cans was no exception. Brooklyn based Laura Stevenson, the front woman, has a perfectly charming voice that captivated the audience of almost 200 almost instantly. The sound is a melodic warmth verging on pop but with bursts of noise in all the right places that keeps you on your toes. I loved watching the trumpet/accordion/glockenspiel player if he also plays the banjo, I'd probably propose to him. You can download their CD for free here, but a donation is encouraged. I also really liked their song Mouth breather on their Holy Ghost! EP. Based on what I have listened to, I think their live show is much more exciting than the digital version, with a lot more energy and intense sounds, but I am sure that given some time that will all balance out.

Laura Stevenson & The Cans - Beets Untitled 
Laura Stevenson & The Cans - Holy Ghost!

The Cults suffered from serious sound issues, hecklers, people in the front row chit chatting, so it I feel bad making any assumptions based on their performance. As expected they played their hit that made the blogosphere rounds, and started the tremendous buzz that surrounds them, "Go Outside", as their closing song, and it was definitely their best. For the rest of the performance there was a lot of feedback and volume issues that made it difficult to judge the quiet vocals that were obstructed by a too loud bass. But the band played on despite the issues and at the very least I would have to say the entire crowd was enthralled by the lead singer, Madeline Follin, in her flowing short white dress, long wavy locks, who nonchalantly sipped her tall boy bud throughout the show. It felt like the entire band could be cast in a Midsummer Night's Dream and they would fit in perfectly as forest pixies. Hopefully when they release their album they will have a longer more substantial set. I will be perfectly content listening to "Oh My God" and "Go Outside" until they do make that album. For a band that accidentally stumbled onto the scene, they did alright, but a lot of people were expecting more from them.

The Cults - Go Outside 

This was a sold out show, and it was easy to tell that the band was very happy with this. Maps & Atlases stood outside the venue as all of us without tickets mulled around waiting. As people approached the band they were nothing but cordial and extraordinarily kind to their waiting fans. I love seeing a band take the time to thank their fans for being there and talking with them pre-show, makes me so happy.


Maps & Atlases were so much fun. I am not a huge fan, but listened to enough of their songs over the past few months to know what they were about, but not enough to know what to expect at their live show.  After the mediocre Cults performance, this is exactly what everyone needed. They have been described as Math-Rock, a genre I have no understanding of. But I think they are more one of those little bit of everything type bands that has no need for a genre, they just are what they are, and that is wonderful. I wish I could tell you more about their set list but I was having too much fun to pay attention to it. They are one of those bands where actually watching them play, watching their nimble fingers and faces, is really exciting. The bass player was super into it, dancing around in the tiny space and getting the crowd to clap, the drummer was a hot sweaty mess and doing an incredible job with the constantly changing tempos. When the lead singer looks like he just wandered out of the woods after three years (long hair and impressively long beard with glasses) you kind of don't expect him to be rocking out like he did. And his voice is just so unique it really sets the band apart from the norm. They played a high energy set straight through for an hour and the small Middle East Upstairs was hot and sweaty, and starting to get pretty smelly. After profusely thanking the crowd and the venue and closing with "Solid Ground" the band announced they were going to take the encore to the streets. What a fantastic thing. The crowd gathered around, half the people were taking videos, and they played a few more songs in the refreshing cool air. They finished up with "Perch Patchwork" and "Pigeons" and the crowd timidly sang along, so as not to drown out the soft acoustic set, while police officers waited on the corner.

Maps & Atlases is one of those bands that you don't have to know very well to enjoy, whether it is listening to their album or watching them live. They have obvious talent and they keep it interesting. Their songs are intricate, soft and slow and hard and fast all with just the right touch of emotion all at once. They certainly have a sound that is all their own and it works so seamlessly well. It was a fantastic and memorable show. I recommend seeing them if you can, and don't be scared to strike up a conversation, they are wonderful people.

Maps & Atlases - Solid Ground

*Pictures are on their way, just looking for the cord. Also I would like to mention how much I enjoy the Middle East. I have had a few ticket snafus in the past and other various concert issues and they have been over the top accommodating and helpful. If you are in the Boston area and considering seeing some live music, try and see it here.