Live Shows: Little Hag and Condition Baker, The Jungle Community Music Club, Somerville, MA 2/28/25

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I've been a fan of Little Hag's for a number of years now, ever since I stumbled on Avery Mandeville's musical project before it was called Little Hag. I always assumed I'd have to make the trip down to Asbury Park, NJ to see them live (which is a place I adore visiting, so win-win). Luckily, they made the trek up to New England in 2022 so I was able to see them at Wrong Brain in Dover, NH. I was thrilled to see that they had another trip up to New England this past weekend, which included a stop at The Jungle Community Music Club in Somerville. I was also excited to see Condition Baker, who I had only seen once before when they played the Rock and Roll Rumble last year without their singer. (The evening was also half of a drag night, but that doesn't truly fit into a music blog live review, so we'll focus on the bands...)

Condition Baker opened up the show, and I'm beginning to think I might be cursing them. Singer/guitarist Alec Verissimo was there Friday, but they once again a three piece as bassist Nick Carnes was unavailable. Even though they were down a member, Condition Baker put on a fun show with a sound that combined alt-rock and pop punk. I kept trying to place who their sound reminded me of, and then they broke out a pair of Green Day covers ("Brain Stew/Jaded" and "Geek Stink Breath"), and it clicked. Grungy punk is a sound we tend to get into here at If It's Too Loud..., and Condition Baker deliver that. Their set was a lot of fun, but I feel like I still owe them a full band review, and to see if I really am what is cursing this Boston band.

Little Hag are the kind of band that seems to be enjoying themselves so much playing that their shows have a loose feel, kind of like if you're watching a rehearsal. The New Jersey band quickly won over the crowd with songs like "Tetris" (I overheard quite a few people commenting on the line "Everyone wants to fuck me / No one wants to see me cry" that was printed on a sticker before the music started). Their sound crosses the line between indie rock and alt-pop, and their version is one of the most fun ones out there. "Blood," one of my personal favorites of theirs, got scrapped from the setlist due to time constraints, but they closed with "You Blew It!" and "The Machine" from last year's excellent Now That's What I Call Little Hag. This was my first time getting to see these dance party friendly songs, and they more than made up for losing "Blood."

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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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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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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