Savak with Hamish Kilgour 6/25/16 Cafe 9

Moptop Kilgour was in the 80s band The Clean from New Zealand. They had a cult following and some under the radar hits. On this evening, Kilgour sang and strummed fractured folk songs with a Lou Reed delivery, even breaking into a little I'm Waiting for the Man tease. Decent songwriting and ok guitar-work (I think he played drums in The Clean) were augmented by a great kiwi accent.
Savak played intelligent indie rock with some punk drive. Dueling guitar vocals, muscular bass, and frenetic drums were the foursome. I chatted with one of the guitar/vocalists prior to the show. He was wearing a WFMU Tshirt and his name was Sorob and was originally from Iran.

The Whiffenpoofs Rome,Italy 6/18/16

A strange serendipity had our family on holiday in the eternal city of Rome at the time when the legendary Yale Whiffenpoofs performed a short set in front of the ultra-legendary Pantheon. My daughter's boyfriend's brother happens to sing in this globe-trotting acapella group. They sang some pop songs, a jazz standard (I'll Be Seeing You), and a rousing version of House of the Rising Sun. After the show, we dined just off the piazza at Alfredo's, super-ultra-legendary inventor of fettuccine Alfredo.

Low Mentality 6/5/16 Cafe 9

Brooklyn amalgam that includes some members of the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, brought some of their insistent beat to the 9. Playing to a sparse crowd (the band almost outnumbered the audience) , the band soldiered on. The players: lead vocals-guitar-keys, trumpet-keys, guitar, bass, drums, and a mini female conga player who allegedly played with the Easy Allstars (dub collective). The songs were all original and were a mixed bag of jams.

Phil and Friends 5/29/16 Capitol Theater Portchester NY

Third day of the Phil and friends Memorial Day run at the Cap. Phil Lesh on bass, Warren Haynes and Eric Krasno on guitars, Melvin Seals on keys, drums, and percussion. Set one: Midnight Hour, Pride of Cucamonga, Reuben and Cherise, Dear Mr. Fantasy, After Midnight, Cold Rain and Snow. Set two: The Wheel, Help On the Way/ Slipknot, Gotta Serve Somebody, Eyes of the World, A Whiter Shade of Pale, Fire on the Mountain. Encore: Not Fade Away. Phil looked old and they flashed a creepy, trippy Jerry on the wall at one point, but the "friends" can definitely rock. Warren and Eric are serious axe-men, and a 300 lb. Melvin can still handle the organ detail. The Cap is a hippy mecca and it was put to good use on this sold out affair.

Broca's Area 5/27/16 Arch Street Tavern Hartford

Celebrating a friend's birthday at Arch St. and took in some tunes. Broca's Area is regional groove group, female singer, drums, keys, and guitar. Pop and soul stylings were pulled off in a lounge groove. Nice cover of Jill Scott's "Living My Life Like it's Golden".

Electronhic 5/26/16 Best Video Hamden

Surreal to hang out in the video store of my youth and watch Bob Gorry and his band of merry improvisers ply their brand of improv jazz. The New Haven Improv Collective (NHIC) consist of Gorry and Jeff Cedrone on guitar, Chapman stick wielding bassist Brett Bottomley, sax and great bass recorder player Paul, and drummer. The songs start with a basic structure as a backdrop for the solos that telepathically careen off each other. "Scaly When Wet"  showcased Gorry on skronk solo that reminded me of Marc Ribot. In the light of the video store, I was able to get a good view of the Chapman stick. This 10 string bass rests on the sitting player's lap and shoulder, the strings are tapped to make their unique sound. If one brings their great bass recorder to a show, it behooves one to screw it together and play. A four piece wooden instrument that is combined to look like a bassoon, yields a low register sound that is nothing like the screechy plastic items that fourth graders murder Hot Cross Buns with. On this evening, the recorder was used to play an olde English Christmas carol. It was sad to be sitting near the Almadovar and Bogdanovich sections of this iconic video store that I haven't stepped foot in for years. It was like meeting an old friend at the supermarket, but instead of canned muzak, the sounds of Electronhic filled the air.

Kid Congo and the Pink Monkeybirds w/ The Tet Offensive 5/21/16 Cafe 9

Local opener Mr.Airplane Man was a female duo consisting of drums and guitar vocals. Decent songwriting and delivery gave them a Black Keys feel. They hail from RI, which I learned from the drummer at set break. She hesitated when pressed, to which I joked that she might be in a punk rock witness relocation program.
Next up was The Tet Offensive. Regional musicians consisting of a Nick Cave-alike singer who sang and prowled the area in front of the stage. On stage was a drummer (with a keep calm and love Poland shirt on) and an actual string quartet. Two violins, a viola, and a cello were the instruments. There would have been no room on stage for the singer without getting a bow (or elbow) to the face. These guys were great, even doing an Andrew Bird cover.
Kid Congo is a veteran of the LA punk scene of the 70s and 80s. I learn that he has played with the Gun Club, The Cramps, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. With a Latin Waitsian growl, KC was a sight to behold. Dressed in a Russian fur hat and bizarrely striped suit, KC and company plowed through a surf punk barrage. Their recent release La Arana is excellent.