The Bangles aren’t just a group of cute girls singing “Walk Like An Egyptian;” rather, they’re seasoned pros, demonstrating their accomplished rock veteran status in an easygoing manner. What’s more — the Bangles made it abundantly clear that the they had nothing to prove.
Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs front a dynamite collection of musicians who are crafting slick pop/soul for the masses and performing their hearts out on stage during shows like this, making catching them a must.
In an ingenious marriage of media in the Burlington Performing Arts Center’s cabaret, The Marco Benevento Trio played a set of original music in accompaniment to a screening of cult horror director Roger Corman’s House of Usher.
However, even with the signs of wear, the spirited band and their energetic longtime local fans carried the day. The crowd remained enthusiastic and worked with the band to make the evening worthwhile.
The spirit of this dazzling performance lingered in the air long after Brownstein, Timony, Cole and Weiss exited the stage, leaving a sold-out crowd buzzing with an adrenaline rush that would continue long after they wandered out into the brisk Washington, D.C. evening.
Other cities have big festivals but New Orleans is New Orleans. “I don’t know what you’re stepping in when you’re down there on Bourbon Street,” joked Stone Foxes singer Aaron Mort, “but it’s been a fun time … And then the festival today was awesome."
Akin to Spiritualized filtered through urban Philadelphia, The War on Drugs is often cited as Springsteen influenced. Undoubtedly, a mournful Nebraska-era sensibility drives the melodic reverie but this is only the Boss after a codeine laced blunt. By creating atmospheres within and around their melodies, The War on Drugs expanded the walls of Bunk Bar. It’s easy to feel the rock n roll brawn underneath the smoke but it is these lush textures that guide a head into the cosmos.
Playing on a Thursday night as a make-up date due to the passing of Joe Elliott’s father, the electricity was humming through the crowd when Def Leppard hit the stage. “Mighty big noise you’re making out there,” Elliott said to their very vocal legion of fans. “We like that”.
The show was very faithful to the recorded versions of their songs. Often, that can come across as lacking – if one merely wanted to hear album-perfect versions of songs, one could do so without paying for a $50, in this case) ticket. However, Portishead made those songs come alive through a combination of raw performance (particularly from Ms. Gibbons), as well as a powerful visual presentation.
Playing a short set in front of the sparse audience did not appear to negatively impact his passion, punch or power. Rummaging through both new and old songs Vandervelde and his band reverted back to the chunky hybrid of T Rex and A.M. – era Wilco to produce a potent rock n’ roll.
