Live Shows: Jon Spencer and 208, The Iron Horse, Northampton, MA 7/14/25

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I'm a huge fan of all of Jon Spencer's many musical projects, but especially Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. It's been just over ten years since I last saw JSBX, which was at the Iron Horse in Northampton. I've seen Spencer twice solo in recent years, but he's stuck to his newer solo work without delving into the classics. They've been great shows, but I was always hoping he'd squeeze in at least one classic song. As soon as it was announced that Spencer was not only going on tour with Kendall Wind and Macky Spider Bowman of The Bobby Lees as his backing band but would be playing songs from JSBX, Pussy Galore, and Boss Hog as well as his solo songs, I knew I had to go.

One thing I always noticed with a Jon Spencer Blues Explosion show was that the show would be good for the first half, but not great. Then, about halfway through, it was like a switch was flipped and suddenly everything got amped up infinitely, and you were at one of the best shows you've ever attended. That wasn't the case with Monday night's show. Spencer and his band started full blast and never relented. Most bands, especially ones that have been around for decades, tend to give themselves breaks to catch their breath while talking to the audience. Spencer only took one or two second breaks between songs for the first twenty minutes. The crowd barely had time to start clapping when the next song kicked in. He only took a break after twenty minutes to take a sip of his drink, and that was maybe a ten second break. At one point towards the end he did leave the stage, which allowed Wind and Bowman to have an experimental drum and bass jam session for a few minutes, but he came back and everything started back off at the same pace. The show was relentless for over an hour, in the best possible way.

What was great about Monday night's Jon Spencer show was that his current band completely reworked the classics. Songs like "Bellbottoms" and "2 Kindsa Love" were given new life in a faster, more punk way. Everything, including songs from his more mellow project, Heavy Trash, were completely amped up sometimes barely recognizable. It seemed a great way to keep his catalog alive without just retreading everything. If you've ever loved any aspect of Spencer's career, this tour is a must see.

Opening the show was 208, a band that is going to draw comparisons to The White Stripes. Both are duos from Detroit made up of a male singer/guitarist and a raw female drummer that play a hyped up version of garage rock. There was even one point that I thought 208 was about to play The White Stripes' version of "John the Revelator." But 208 are a completely different animal that plays a heavier and noisier version of garage punk. Their set was pure joyful chaos and won over the Jon Spencer crowd easily. If you love the early 00's garage rock revival but wish it was more intense, check 208 out.

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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