The Year, in Concerts
Looking back at a year of great shows!
Welcome to yet another year-end roundup on New Dimensions recalling some of the past year’s best concerts (in no particular ranking order). Proud to say that several of these made Shindig! Magazine’s best concert list, rightfully so! Enjoy the photos, all taken by yours truly (unless noted otherwise)
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BRUTE FORCE at TV Eye, Queens - 2/26/23
I kicked off the year with a true highlight: the return of singer-songwriter extraordinaire Brute Force to the concert stage. I’ve known and worked with Brute for ages, and can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve seen him perform - every performance is unique and spontaneous and wonderful. TV Eye is an awesome venue, and I was happy to book Brute in the club, as were the many fans who turned out to witness a legendary 3+ hour set(!) which included lots of Brute Force classics, comedy, improv, audience participation and absurdist humor galore. A fantastic evening for all.
Gilbert O’Sullivan at City Winery, NYC - 3/12/23
A dynamic evening with the legendary Gilbert O’Sullivan in NYC - I’m proud to say I had Gilbert on my radio programme Anything Goes leading up to his US tour, and he was as wonderful to chat with as he was to see in performance, where he regaled the audience with his songs and his warmth.
The Residents at the Sinclair, Boston 3/28/23
Anytime the Residents come to town, you know what you’re doing. Another enjoyably twisted show from the formerly eyeballed wonders. Had a blast meeting up with pals for dinner & drinks at the fantastic Wusong Road then we all went to see the Residents in action (shoutout to Ren, Joe, Tom & Ken!) - check out my New Dimensions post from March with more pics!
Xiu Xiu at Le Poisson Rouge, NYC 4/28/23 + Brooklyn & Hamden CT 10/2023
Had the opportunity to see long-running indie band Xiu Xiu three times this year - partially because my longtime pal David Kendrick is now their drummer/percussionist. And any chance David and I have to get together when he’s touring the East Coast is a guaranteed fun time. Xiu Xiu’s sound has evolved with David’s percussion, and it’s added a more experimental feel to their songs that I quite enjoy. It’s also interesting observing how dedicated Xiu Xiu’s audiences are to their music and the lyrics of frontman Jamie. I enjoy being an observer at concerts, taking notice of audiences and what interests and influences them.
The Fleshtones at Darryl’s House, Pawling NY 5/11/23
The Fleshtones always bring the rock ‘n’ roll party wherever they go, and May’s concert at Darryl’s House was no exception. Nearly fifty years(!) since they debuted at CBGBs, the ‘Tones are still rockin’ as strong as ever, with Keith jumping on tables and Peter giving it all he’s got - just a dynamic night, which may or may not have included Peter leading the entire audience to continue the show outside!
The Feelies & the Willies, Brooklyn Made, Brooklyn 6/17/23
Couldn’t let the year go by without catching the Feelies at Brooklyn Made, where I’ve seen them perform before. This time we were treated to a special opening set by none other than the Willies, performing psychedelic instrumental takes of “Here Come the Warm Jets”, “Flying” and “Third Stone From the Sun”. Just fantastic.
Yung Wu + Speed the Plough, Prototype 237, Paterson NJ 7/8/23
Speaking of the Feelies, I managed to catch a rare double bill of side/related bands Yung Wu (led by the always wonderful Dave Weckerman) and Speed the Plough. Seeing the legendary Yung Wu for the first time was a real treat, as they performed songs off their ‘Shore Leave’ album (including their fantastic takes of the Stones “Child of the Moon” and Neil Young’s “Powderfinger”).
Swamp Dogg, Knockdown Center, 7/28/23
I knew it was gonna be a party when Swamp Dogg invaded New York, and he most certainly didn’t disappoint. With a tight band, the original D-O-double-G was in superb form, performing a soul stirring set of classics from his catalogue, with highlights including a moving rendition of “Synthetic World” and a duet with opener Mayer Hawthorne on “Mama’s Baby, Daddy’s Maybe”.
The Fugs at City Winery, NYC, 8/5/23
It’d been a couple years (and a pandemic) since the Fugs played NYC, so it was a real treat when Ed Sanders and the guys performed a one-night show in August. Brought my pal Mike, whom hadn’t seen the Fugs since the 80s, and we both throughly enjoyed their set - age hasn’t diminished their talents or energy (or humor, for that matter). And speaking of humor, one highlight was when they did their ‘tribute’ to Jann Wenner & the R&R HOF, which had to be heard to be truly appreciated.
Sun Ra Arkestra, Union Pool, Brooklyn 8/27/23
It’s become something of a tradition to see the Sun Ra Arkestra on or near my birthday with my father, so I was thrilled when the Arkestra performed a free show at Union Pool ‘round my birthday - nothing beats being transported on Rocket Number Nine into the cosmos with the music of the Arkestra, led by 99 years young Marshall Allen. (Bonus points to the Arkestra for performing “Nuclear War”!)
Lenny Kaye & the All-Star Nuggets Band, Hoboken Arts Fest, Hoboken NJ 10/1/23
Glad I got to see my pal Lenny Kaye and his all-star Nuggets revue - I’d missed their earlier shows they’d done during the year, and what better way to enjoy them than on a gorgeous Fall afternoon during the Hoboken Arts & Music Fest. And yes, I dug it!
The Bongos, Hoboken Arts Fest, 10/1/23
I’ve long been a huge Bongos fan, so getting to see them was a delight (especially when you consider it was a triple bill of Lenny Kaye/Bongos/Feelies - now that’s a show!) The group performed lots of classics from their “Drums Along The Hudson” album (a fave of mine), as well as other choice selections like “Barbarella” and “Numbers With Wings”.
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That’s just some of the shows I enjoyed this year - wishing all my readers a very happy new year - looking forward to more concerts in the new year!