So Many Concerts to Catch Up On

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing 3 great artists, with my sister, at the upstairs venue at the Middle East in Cambridge. My sister has loved the band, The World is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid to Die for some years now (okay, maybe just like 3-4 years) but we've gone to see them every time they've made an appearance in Boston (the first time being when they opened for Caspian, a band I discovered a couple of years ago). This time around they were headlining a brief winter tour with support from a great Boston band, Animal Flag, and a solo artist named Paige Chaplin, who's slow and steady melodic songs were beautiful.

For The World is a Beautiful Place... set they were missing their guitarist and one of the founding members of the band, who seemingly has parted ways with the band, and so there were far less extravagant guitar solos and feedback endings to their songs, but the band blazed on for a blistering set that still left ears ringing and ears wanting more.



TWIABP setlist:

  1. Walnut Street Is Dead (Long Live Walnut Street)
    Play Video
  2. Eyjafjallajokull Dance
    Play Video
  3. blank #11
    Play Video
  4. January 10th, 2014
    Play Video
  5. Smoke & Felt
    Play Video
  6. Heartbeat in the Brain
    Play Video
  7. Gig Life
    Play Video
  8. The Word Lisa
    Play Video
  9. Haircuts for Everybody
    Play Video
  10. Willie (For Howard)
    Play Video
  11. I Can Be Afraid of Everything
    Play Video
  12. Mount Hum
Animal Flag is a band to watch out for: 


And then, Paige Chaplin: 


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And last weekend, I had the chance to see 3 shows in a row. The first of which was a great Boston/Portland mixed band called the Ballroom Thieves, whom I've seen 3 or 4 times now. Each time they've been great, and this show was exceptional! 
And awesome one-man band called The Suitcase Junket opened for them (I've seen him once before, opening for Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, and he was incredible then, blew my mind with his talent). He was quite impressive this time around as well. 

I think the Ballroom Thieves are still slightly flying under the radar too much, so I don't have a setlist, but they mixed in some old songs with songs from their new album "Deadeye." 


And the Suitcase Junket: 


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The next night, I drove down to Boston to see an amazing "new" artist, Maren Morris, play at the Paradise. This was a must-see show for me, because her debut album "HERO" was one of my favorite albums of last year, she's been nominated for a Grammy, she's an excellent new songwriter in the same vein as Kacey Musgraves, and I know she will eventually explode, so seeing her at such a small, intimate venue for less than $20 was the best part. She put on a great show! 


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And to cap off my weekend of music, I went to see Lady Lamb play an all-acoustic, solo show at a great, small veue 3SArtspace in Portsmouth, NH. I have loved this girl since I was introduced to her music about 8 years ago, when she opened for Dr. Dog at Port City Music Hall here in Portland. She blew me away that night and I think I've seen her about 13 or 14 times over the years, now. She is one of the best, most prolific songwriters I've listened to in recent years. And her musicianship is something incredible to watch and witness. 


Another local-ish solo artist opened for her, Henry Jamison, and he brought a great Dylan-esque sound, which was a great way to set the stage for the Lady Lamb set. 


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