I'd Love to But I Have a Show: Week Six

Saturday August 27

Hollywood Tans @ Backspace

Celebrating the release of their debut EP Stolen Stereo, Hollywood Tans had a room full of hopping fans singing along tonight to the group's record, which is a catchy and enjoyable collection of ebullient pop rock gems. If you compared a few notes on record collections with the quintet, here's what you might find: some Cars, Elvis Costello, some Thin Lizzy for sure and some Superchunk and Weezer too for good measure. Count me in.

Tuesday August 30

Library Voices @ Rotture

When was the last time you felt compelled to buy a touring group's brand-new vinyl album? It happened to me tonight. Opening their set with "If Raymond Carver Was Born In The '90s," the first track from their new record Summer Of Lust, Library Voices had my attention from the moment they started till the end of the night. The octet hail from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada's equivalent of fly-over country, and they write twee, often-literary lyrics and sing them over a rock and roll exorcism—like if Belle & Sebastian made more music influenced by Bruce Springsteen.

Wednesday August 31

LAKE, Tropical Ooze, R. Stevie Moore @ Holocene

59-year-old R. Stevie Moore tried to stay incognito early in the night, but it was easy to spot him. With a hoody pulled over his head, wearing sunglasses indoors and beige cargo shorts, the fully bearded Moore looked like Santa Claus on a Hawaiian vacation. Shuffling on stage to join LAKE on their final song of the night, Moore growled his way through a duet with LAKE's Ashley Eriksson that felt a bit uneven and worrisome. You could easily forgive him as this was after all the final stop on Moore's first ever world tour. Moore's eventual set was worth the waiting around for, proving that venerable and influential lo-fi pop recording artists are more than just a curiosity. And, there's more good news: Moore announced he and his spiritual heir Ariel Pink will tour together next year. Of course, that makes sense.

Thursday September 1

Freddie Gibbs, Young Jeezy @ Roseland Theater

52 minutes past his scheduled appearance time of 10 pm, Young Jeezy and a swelling number of hypemen stormed the stage of the Roseland to deliver an invigorating set of hard rap, with some motivational speaking here and there. Ran into Tope at the Fix later, and he called it "inspirational." The truth hits everybody, it would seem.

J. Boogie at the Fix @ Someday Lounge

"I love a really good DJ," sound engineer Abe Ray declared emphatically. "They make it look so easy!" Indeed, San Francisco's J. Boogie really did make it look easy tonight with a dance floor full of sweaty bodies throbbing to his seamless mix of melodies and beats. He even mixing in Adele at one point, proving the British chanteuse really is everywhere this summer. "It's not fair!" said Ray. If he were profiled in the New York Times, would they call him Mr. Boogie?

WWeek 2015