Cycles w/ The Alpaca Gnomes 7/29/19 Cafe 9

Local gnome-hatted groovers AG are ever present in jam oriented shows. Whether I'm standing with them in the crowd, or they are on stage plying the jams, AG implies a hippie presence that I usually felt at the Vibes festivals. While I missed most of their set, there was enough pixie dust in the air to welcome Cycles. A true power trio, Cycles consisted of guitar/ loop pedals, furious slap bass, and multi-genre frenetic drumming. Like many in this genre, their woeful singing/ songwriting capabilities took a way back seat to their instrumental prowess. The guitar player was stellar and could easily switch from Jeff Beck to Eddie Van Halen to Jimmy Herring. At times, the loop pedal sound distortions detracted from his game. The bass player loped and slapped his way through songs reminding me of Rob Derhak from jam originalists moe. The bass also had some Claypoolian thumpery that could give tunes a sinister edge. The drummer kept pace with it all, shading funk and hiphop where necessary. The big question is what to do when you know you can't sing, Cycles took the approach of sampling people who can sing and blending them through the loop effect. One rap tune that audience members under 30 seemed to know was chopped and screwed to sound like a fourth member. Show highlight was Madonna's "Ray Of Light" put through the sequencer. Spotify this tune from 2001 GHV2 Madonna release and imagine an ecstasy-fueled jam blowout of the tune. Maybe Cycles should get Madonna to guest vocal.

Martin Courtney w/ Ryley Walker 7/23/19 Spaceland Ballroom

It is rare to go to a show and be very interested in the opener and have no knowledge of the headliner. On this evening, I made it to the Ballroom early to catch the force of nature known as Ryley Walker. Spotify Ryley and you get a mash of Brit-folk, raga-space, and guitar histrionics that are difficult to discern from your streambox. Catch him live and you see a self deprecating guitar wizard dotted with hysterical inter song banter. The last time I saw Ryley, a native Chicagoan, was the marathon final game of the World Series in which the Cubs won. The game lasted so long, with a rain delay, we were the last two in the bar. Good set this evening pulling from his several releases: Roundabout from The Halfwit In Me, and a stellar Primrose Green ( check that album cover for a cheeky homage to Van Morrison's Veedon Fleece). The highlight was an extended raga infused If I Were A Carpenter, the Tim Hardin one, not the sucky imitators. I urge readers to deeply listen to this artist, gems abound.
Martin Courtney is the front man for the indie band Real Estate. He has a solo record and was praised by Ryley as a "great songwriter". I didn't get that sense, he seemed like a lo-fi Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie. The songs were stripped down and Martin seemed uncomfortable sans the clubby millennial mope-core that usually occupies his audience. Martin would do well to imitate Ryley and drink a big glass of Idon'tgiveaFuck before the show. Maybe I should follow my own advice and give Martin a deep listen.

Ali McGuirk w/ Dharmasoul 7/11/19 Wellfleet Preservation Hall

Countless summer walks had me go by this venue located in the town center of our favorite Cape Cod destination. So nice serendipity to see some live music in its basement concert space. Dharmasoul is a duo of guitar/ vocals and drums. Caught the last few tunes of their set, bluesy and soulful, not what you might expect from these decidedly nerdy white guys. The singing was capable but the guitar licks were large.
Ali McGuirk is a young singer songwriter who played electric guitar. Her choppy playing style was excellently off set by her monstrous vocal delivery. Many songs from the 2017 offering Slow Burn. The mournful heft off her singing style belied her age. Wonderfully screwed down deconstruction of the Dionne Warwick/ Burt Bacharach concoction I Say A Little Prayer. AM pulled the Dharmasoul crew on stage for her second set. At first, her solo-oriented guitar style clashed with the DS axe man. After a tune or two, she deferred the guitar shading and focused on her strong suit, singing. Closed with an obscure Bill Withers tune that I could not place.