The Dirty Nil w/ Meatwave 10/21/15 Bar

Opener Meatwave was the reason to come out for this free show. The Chicago-based punk trio was all snarl and energy. Standard setup of guitar,bass, and drums reminded me of Husker Du. As with most punk offerings, it was difficult to make out the lyrics. Chatted with drummer Ryan after the set. He said that they had some east coast dates before playing at a Bjork-curated festival in Iceland then off to storm Europe. Meatwave had a good sound and attitude, they will do well.
The Dirty Nil was from Ontario. The band configuration was the same as Meatwave, but the guitar player had a glammy element to him, maybe it was the ill-fitting polyester. The DN bass player displayed the vein-popping bark of metal/punk that is hard to listen to. Earplugs were essential at this show.

Tony Malaby's Tubacello Quartet 10/17/15 Firehouse 12

Sax player Malaby grew up in Tuscon and now resides in Jersey City ( home to WFMU, the best free form radio on the planet. Joined by Bob Stewart on tuba, Christopher Hoffman on cello, and John Hollenbeck drums and percussion. Malaby played tenor, alto, and soprano with the latter moving to pharaoh-sandersesque heights. Stewart's huge hands made the tuba look like a toy, the full brass sound can't help but evoke images of cartoon turtles loping. Hoffman plucked, and bowed the cello when in unison with the tuba fleshed out the low end. Hollenbeck got a wide array of sounds from the kit and various shakers, even doing a sequence with some Tibetan cloud bowls. Hollenbeck's uber-hipster appearance made me want to call him "the syncopated beat-nik ". Malaby's compositions waffled from compact song structures to wide open improv blowouts with Malaby sounding like a goose going through a woodchipper. All players were intensely focused on their instrument, Malaby found time to remove, shave, and shape a reed, Hoffman rosined the bow like an all-star, Stewart drained spit from many intestine-like turns of the tuba, and Hollenbeck kept his many contraptions in neat order like a librarian. As with many shows at the Firehouse, this was a collection of pros showcasing their chops before a European tour.

Gang of Four 10/2/15 Spaceland Ballroom

What to do if your band happens to release a near perfect punk-pop gem in 1979? If you are Andy Gill, the sole remaining member of England's Gang of Four, you ride the songs of Entertainment into retirement with a new cast of young guns. Playing some songs from the new What Happens Next release, Gill was clever to dot the entire show with songs from punk's infancy. Entertainment got a fancy 2 disc reissue a few years back, and is still a go to for punk snarl and expertly controlled feedback. New singer didn't miss on favorites At Home He's a Tourist, Damaged Goods, and the tribal Anthrax. How can you argue with lyrics like " love will get you like a case of anthrax.....and that's one thing I don't want to catch!"

Evan Parker 9/30/15 Cafe 9

British godfather of improv Parker makes his second stop in New Haven in two years. Parker on soprano and tenor, local guitar wizard Joe Morris, downtown reedman Ned Rothenberg, and young standup bass player. Parker, seated, looked like Burl Ives crossed with some atonal snake charmer, his soprano careening. Morris played a large hollow body, his arachno-fretology was fiery but restrained in tone. Rothenberg played tenor which he occasionally muted by blowing into his thigh. Rothenberg also played some bass clarinet  during the two song second set. The young bassist plucked, bowed, and scraped through the set, it's amazing how such a youngster can line up with such a stalwart cast.