Live Shows: Haasan Barclay, Tysk Tysk Task, and Regals, BareWolf Brewing, Amesbury, MA 8/31/24

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As much as I love curated shows, I also love shows that ignore all genres and throw three completely unrelated bands on a bill together. An all ska band show can get boring, same as four or more punk bands. Saturday night was one of the most wildly diverse three band shows I've ever seen, featuring Haasan Barclay, Tysk Tysk Task, and Regals. 

According to their Facebook profile, Regals are "New England's finest Country Rock band." Even if they are not the very finest, they are certainly up there. They land smack dab right in the middle of country and rock, which makes them one of the better examples of alt-country in the region. Their sound is between The Deslondes and early Deer Tick. They seem to specialize in mid-tempo ballads that are just a showcase for their sound. It's a great combination of gruff vocals, pedal steel guitar, and rock guitar solos. Seriously, check out their song "Fresh Pack," and you won't be disappointed.

Coming up next was the indie grunge of Lowell's Tysk Tysk Task. A strong contender for band I've seen the most, their live shows just never seem to get old. It's probably because they always seem to let their songs grow and evolve. I've been watching them play a song like "Colors" for over two years now, and it's gone from a heavier, more bombastic song, to a more quiet, almost introspective version. The band also played two new songs I had yet to hear. The first was "Toadstool," which was the most punk and garage rock song of theirs to date. It featured slick guitars, but still kept Tysk Tysk Task's edge. The second was "Harmless," which kept the punk theme going, but with a much darker vibe. That one reminded me a lot of Vancouver's lié. 

Closing out the evening was Haasan Barclay, who himself is a wild mix of genres. Taking the stage with a laptop and microphone, Barclay occasionally added live guitar to his prerecorded tracks. He's a mixture of soul, R&B, and hip hop, but also played a fairly faithful cover of Nine Inch Nail's "March of the Pigs." He's an engaging live performer that can't be simply pigeonholed into one genre... or two... or even three. A personal highlight was a song Barclay performed that was inspired by seeing the film Furiosa: A Mad Max Story. I didn't catch the name, but it had a much harder edge while keeping Barclay's laid back vibe intact.

On Repeat...

Liam Kazar - "Shoes Too Tight"

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Photo by Alexa Viscius This may be Liam Kazar's debut single, but the Chicago based musician already has an impressive resume, having worked with Jeff Tweedy, Chance the Rapper, Steve Gunn, Daniel Johnston, and others. "Shoes Too Tight" features childhood friend Spencer Tweedy on drums, Lane Beckstrom on bass, and Ohmme on vocals. It's an absurdly fun and groovy little song that is a party waiting to happen. What he gives us here is a timeless song that could truly have been released any time since the 1960's (ok... maybe not the 80's...) There are elements of classic rock, 60's crooners and R&B, indie rock, modern Americana... it's really just packed with everything in a cohesive song that maintains the vibe the entire way through. You can watch the video for "Shoes Too Tight" below. For more on Liam Kazar, check him out on Instagram and Twitter . He's also raising money on his Bandcamp for Constellation and The Hungry Brain. ...
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Dutch ReBelle - "GOONIEZ"

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How is Dutch ReBelle not a national superstar at this point? The Boston MC just released "GOONIEZ," and I know I'm a bit out of touch with current mainstream hip hop, but this song is absolutely killer. It's a stripped down hip hop song that has this futuristic space age sound to it. Plus, ReBelle's flow is unsurpassed. You can't listen to her and not be completely sucked in. The song has a feel reminiscent of classic Missy Elliott. As much as I love that we can still see Dutch ReBelle in smaller Boston venues, "GOONIEZ" proves she should be playing much larger venues nationwide very, very soon. You can watch the video for "GOONIEZ" below. For more on Dutch ReBelle, check out the artist's website . 
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The Freqs - "Witch"

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Photo via Facebook When you're a rock band from Salem, MA, you have to have at least one song about witchcraft. The Freqs have fulfilled their obligation with a banger of a song. "Witch" is this giant monster of a song, filled with fuzz and strained, screaming vocals. This is the type of song that doesn't usually exist in this century. It's giving me some serious 90's flashbacks, like if Hum got aggressive or Alice in Chains decided to do some damage on the college charts. As great as the vocals are in "Witch," what's really drawing me in is the instrumental break down that takes over about halfway through. This is the kind of song to make the hipsters and the headbangers equally excited. You can listen to "Witch" below. For more on The Freqs, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . The Freqs · Witch
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