Here are some picks for this Bandcamp Friday! Bandcamp is one of the better way to support artists online. On Bandcamp Fridays, even more of the money you spend goes to the musicians.
Gushing by Crayola Eyes
Crayola Eyes – Gushing (2023) Psychedelic shoe-gaze from Jakarta, Indonesia. Props to my friend, Phillip, for introducing them to me.
Hot Pink Sauce – “Feel” (2024) Emma Anderson of Lush/Sing-Sing brought this dreamy single to my attention. Looking forward to hearing more from this British duo.
Girl Ray – Prestige (2023) British band’s ode to the TV show Pose. Fun dance pop. Apple Music describes it as “disco escapism.” I get the ear worm bop “Everybody’s Saying That” stuck in my head constantly.
Black Cross Hotel – Hex(2022) Darkwave industrial from Chicago.
The Morelings – Same Century (2017) Ethereal pop. Recommended if you like Cocteau Twins or Siddal.
Lovina Falls – Calculating the Angle of Our Descent (2023) This debut ranked as one of my top albums of 2023. Glistening dream-pop from Boston’s Valerie Forgione (formerly of Mistle Thrush).
Sprints – Letter to Self (2024) I already know that this Irish band’s debut is gonna be one of my faves of 2024. It has the energy of a Sleater-Kinney album. Frenetic, guitar-driven, and a pinch of pop.
Sadly, I didn’t get out to movie theaters as much as I used to. When you’re dynamically disabled, you have to conserve your energy. Going to the movies might not seem like it takes that much effort, but when the disabled toilet is broken and the only functioning one is on the other side of the theater and you’re using a wheelchair … you can guess why I haven’t seen Killers of the Flower Moon yet. I did manage to see Barbenheimer on different weekends though!
Here’s the list of my favorite films of 2023. This list is dynamic (like me!) so follow me on Letterboxd for updates. Parentheses show how I watched the film.
15. Talk to Me Creepy Australian horror flick with a diverse young cast. (Borrowed from library)
14. Red, White & Royal Blue This was fun. Of course the book is better, but I love seeing queer lit being adapted. (Prime)
13. Nimona A sweet adaptation of N.D. Stevenson’s graphic novel. (Netflix)
12. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour I missed out on tickets for the real thing, so seeing Eras in the theater was second best. Being in a theater filled with women and girls was refreshing. There was dancing, clapping, and of course, singing. (In theater)
11. Renfield Nic Cage as Dracula. Nicholas Hoult as Renfield. Plus Awkwafina! Need I say more? (Borrowed from library)
10. The Killer Michael Fassbender stars as a serial killer who constantly listens to The Smiths. My social media handle is an ode to The Smiths, soooo yes, this movie was made for me. (Netflix)
9. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse A great sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Stunning animation. (In theater)
I don’t care what anyone says, I love flerkittens
8. The Marvels More of a sequel to the excellent Ms. Marvel TV series than Captain Marvel, I found this movie to be a delight. Who doesn’t love a superhero who has a flerken as a sidekick? (In theater)
7. Infinity Pool Doppelgängers and Alexander Skarsgård. Yes, please. (Borrowed from library)
6. Saltburn Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi smolder in the sophomore film from director Emerald Fennel (Promising Young Woman). (Prime)
5. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar This short film clocks in at 39 minutes and is everything you’d want from Wes Anderson and Benedict Cumberbatch. Henry Sugar was my favorite of Anderson’s Roald Dahl adaptations. (Netflix)
4. Oppenheimer Am I the only one who gets “Oppenheimer,” by the Old 97’s stuck in their head at the mere mention of Christopher Nolan’s epic opus? (In theater)
3. Beau Is Afraid I’m probably an outlier, but I adored this bizarre film. (Borrowed from library)
2. Asteroid City I even like The Darjeeling Limited. That’s how much I like Wes Anderson, so of course I loved his latest outing. Blink and you’ll miss Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker as a cowboy singer. (Borrowed from library)
1. Barbie Much like seeing Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in theaters, it was a joy to be in a theater filled with women (though I attended with two men). Yes, I cried. (In theater/MAX)
Letters to Cleo’s single “Bad Man” b/w “It’s Sunny Outside” was released on vinyl in November
In addition to all of the smashing albums that came out in 2023, there was also a smorgasbord of delectable singles, EPs, and soundtracks. Check out my 2023 playlist for a mix of tracks from all of the above. Included is the new single, “Bad Man” by Letters to Cleo. It sounds bubbly and upbeat, but the lyrics tell a dark tale. Conan Gray, Discothèque, Lola Young and many more can be found on the playlist. It’s over three hours long!
Is it too late to still be looking back on 2022 on January 12? I rung in the new year with my second case of Shingles, so I’m going to just go ahead with this listing of my favorite concerts of 2022!
5. Metric and Secret Machines at the House of Blues in Boston on October 25. I know my ears and soul were deprived most egregiously during Covid, but I’ve seen Metric several times since 2005 and I think they’ve never sounded better. Opener Secret Machines were a shoegaze/space rock treat! I hadn’t seen them in ages.
Pet Shop Boys at the Leader Bank Pavilion on September 19/Photo by Amy Lordan
4. Pet Shop Boys, New Order, and Paul Oakenfold at the Leader Bank Pavilion on September 19. This show was originally scheduled for 2020, then 2021, then (third time’s the charm!) 2022. This was an outrageously good performance by the always amazing Pet Shop Boys. We did get a little wet while we sheltered in place under the tent during a strong thunderstorm after the legendary New Order. And when I say “we,” I mean my husband and … my brother! My brother rarely goes to shows anymore, but he’s the best big brother ever because he took me to see New Order in 1993. That was when Peter Hook was still on bass, and quite honestly, best part of New Order live. Don’t get me wrong: I looooove New Order, but they’ve never been the best live band and they end up paling in comparison to the theatrical PSB.
The National at Roadrunner on September 22/Photo by Amy Lordan
3. The National at Roadrunner on September 22. I have a huge crush on The National. Singer Matt Berninger’s melancholy and wit suits me perfectly. My first time seeing The National was at Mass MoCA with my bookseller dream girl Lisa (AKA Tigger Girl). I’m guessing that show will always hold a special place in my heart. But this was my first show at the new Roadrunner and I was impressed. The venue is pretty decent from a disabled person’s point of view. I did have issues getting into the bathroom after the show because the line went down the stairs and I needed to use the ramp. Miracle of Boston/The National fans/gender neutral bathrooms: people at the top of the stairs let me in line! Of course I still had to wait for someone without visible impairments use the handicapped stall while I braced myself with my rollator (Hey! Maybe they have invisible disabilities. I do!). The ADA section is down front, stage right. I couldn’t see the excellent brass section from our angle, but the view of the rest of the band was incomparable. Heads up: email Roadrunner to request ADA seating in advance.
2. Itzy at MGM Music Hall in Boston on November 10. This was so close to being my number one show of 2022! See that “YouTube Story” above that I made? It has over 120K views and 19.2K likes on Instagram. Itzy is so fun and popular! Right, Midzi? (That’s what Itzy fans are called). I loved this night of K-Pop confection because it was my nephew’s first concert! I’m such a cool aunt. We even went to El Jefe’s for tacos after.
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis at the Wang Theatre at the Boch Center on March 22/Photo by Amy Lordan
1. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis at the Wang Theatre at the Boch Center on March 22. This was my return show. I hadn’t been to a concert since Local H and Soul Asylum in February of 2020. Nick Cave is one of my top five favorite artists and possibly my most beloved lyricist (I do still have a soft spot for that Morrissey fella, plus Jarvis Cocker, Stephin Merritt, Emma Anderson/Miki Berenyi of Lush, Robert Smith, … wait this is getting too long!) Anyhow, I wept and tried to not steam up my glasses with my N95 mask while Cave and Ellis broke my heart wide open. Here’s the thing: being disabled can suck, but music is transcendant.
I only went to eleven shows total last year. I missed Blood Red Shoes, The Darkness, and Suede/Manic Street Preachers because I was too sick to leave the house. I won’t be going to another show until after flu season because I’m immunocompromised. At every show I attended, I wore an N95 mask. I use various mobility aides because of the degenerative illness that I have (Ehlers Danlos syndrome. I’ve been vaccinated five times against Covid. I got my flu shot as I do every year. I’m due for my pneumonia vaccine in the fall. Because my immune system is so crappy, I have to really measure how important a concert is. When I recently got bronchial RSV with asthma flare, I was out of work for four weeks. I love to live vicariously through others’ concert photos (I’m looking at you jtourtellot, djangiec, eep_97, and Matt Lambert! Keep up the good work!)
Pop Culture Omnivore 