KOJI - 2.26 @ The Macbeth

Nothing is more awkward an uncomfortable than a diva musician who gets pissed and stops the set during a show when his equipment malfunctions or when the crowd is talking over one of his songs. That’s why this was the perfect show for Koji to play: he’s so positive that if any mishaps were to happen, he’s the only one who could handle them with grace and actually pull something incredible (miraculous, even) out of a shitty show like that.

This place reminded me a lot of Great Scott (Allston, MA), when I saw Owen there a little over a year ago. The people come to the show for the musician, and the people come to the bar for the drinks. So you have this mix of people there for the music and there who don’t give a shit, and the latter are those who hang around the back and drunkenly talk way louder than is necessary to talk over a guy with a guitar. The problem was that the What Ever Happened to P-Rock show was more about the TBS/Brand New/Fireworks crowd (Koji opened for Such Gold and Starters who consequently started a moshpit in the middle of a tiny bar where any crowd surfer could have lept to his fate in a case of beer), so most were ready to thrash out, not mellow out.

In the middle of his second song Koji’s feedback was getting a little out of control so he had to fix that. No worries. But after getting a little frustrated with everyone talking in the back, he said "fuck it" and got off his mic to sing an unplugged set. None of that MTV Unplugged shit, but literally no mic, no feedback, no electricity, just him and a guitar and his voice. This felt more like a street performance, one where a crowd had gathered to watch a guy who actually sounds pretty damn good while the passersby who -- are oblivious to what’s right in front of them -- continue about their day in the background. Besides talent, Koji is just a genuinely nice person. Someone back in the bar yelled “shut up” to everyone talking, an Koji quickly shut him down, because, as he put it, he’s just happy and excited that people have come to the bar with friends and have something to say to them and something to talk about. We all pulled in close to hear, but about 4 songs in he decided to go up to the roof to finish his set.

We all go up in the cold to hear him play, a few covers (including his best, Dylan's "Wagon Wheel") and a song off the Into It/Over It split that he’s only played twice (now thrice) for an audience. He brought the crowd together to sing a few choruses, encouraging even the worst singers who didn’t know the words and had no sense of pitch. “We’re gonna shout it from the rooftops ‘cause holy shit that’s a cool thing to do.” Yes, Koji, yes it was.

DANGEROUS SUMMER with TELL IT TO THE MARINES and FRANCESQUA - 2.24 @ Borderline

Nothing is better than seeing a show and actually enjoying the opening acts. Usually you’re there and youre just thinking, "OK, these guys are alright but I’m here to see so-and-so so hurry up with your set." I came to this show to see Dangerous Summer, who were opening for Francesqua anyway, so I knew I’d like the opener better than the main act. But what I wasn’t expecting was to like the opener for the opener.

Tell It To The Marines were surprisingly way more raw and genuine than these Francesqua guys. If you wanna be a successful indie punk rock band, layer a few guitar riffs and power chords over each other and you’ll probably end up with something listen-able. But Marines have put feeling into the forumla. The boys' accents are on full display, part of what makes this band so genuine. Their EP is available free on Bandcamp (here, if you'd like) and even in the shitty acoustics of Borderline you could tell it was gonna be good. They’re a band worth hearing. Layered, melodic guitars with intense vocals that are sometimes off-key only because the singer is singing with force that pushes your neck veins to the edge. Good stuff.

Don’t get me wrong, Francesqua are good, but you can just TELL that their producers and label have polished their music to the point of it being a catering to the crowd, not exactly what the band has written. The problem with bands like Francesqua is that they sing about love to a crowd of 15-year-old girls who are too young and naïve to realize or experience heartbreak, something that is very real, very inevitable, and so mind-numbingly painful. Love is real, but not always. These girls still think they can be swept away by the lead singer of a band who appears to love the way he sings about love.

That’s why Dangerous Summer are so amazing. Tears would roll at "Northern Lights" when AJ sings “I’m a wreck when I’m alone / I’m the boy who lost his home.” We won’t mention his traumatic and tragic past here, but you can tell that the anguish in his voice isn’t just about loving someone too much, its about trying to get out of your mouth all the things you feel in your brain that are tearing you apart. And that’s why the crowd wasn’t feeling them as much – those girls have no fucking clue what the hell he’s talking about it. Oh, but they will.

SUM 41 - 2.22 @ The Underworld

Review coming soon via Big Cheese Magazine

FENECH-SOLER - 2.8 @ Rough Trade Records

Five pounds for a vinyl single and a wrist band to a free show? Yes, thanks. I went into this show only hearing their latest single "Demons." Thought it was decent, a more simple Passion Pit. Honestly, I was a littel apprehensive because I figured a show at a record store would be an un-plugged, acoustic set -- not exactly the best situation for a techno-snych rock band.

I felt like I was walking into Harpers Ferry when I walked into their show tonight, though. Nothing was stripped about this show. It should have been played at House of Blues, the sound was that profound.

Three songs into their set i realized: holy shit no ones playing an instrument. OK, that's a lie, there was a guy on drums. But their set was composed of synths. How could this be possible without anyone realizing? Of course, as soon as I realized this the two synth-ers jumped on bass and guitar for another poppy dance electronica rock feel-good rock song.

Six songs in: at this point, you could somehow say the band all contributed to percussion in some way. The singer every once in a while turns around to band on a few drums he presumably stole from his drummer's set, and the synth's were so tight they were pretty much percussion for a good portioin of each song. After they killed "Demons," "Lies" made you cry, and that was it. Fenech-Soler are more human than Passion Pit, and that's worth the world.