Live Shows: Rilo Kiley and Natalie Bergman, The Pines Theater, Northampton, MA 9/1/25

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Reunion shows can be a dicey proposition. Sure, I want to hear the songs of my youth I never thought I'd be able to see live as much as everyone else, but I've also been to plenty of reunion shows that were obvious cash grabs, with a disinterested band barely acknowledging each other and waiting to get off the stage as soon as possible. However, I adore Rilo Kiley and never got to see them perform live before they disbanded in 2014, so when they announced a date in Boston at MGM Grand at Fenway, I instantly bought a ticket. When they later announced a show a week earlier at Pines Theater in Northampton, I wanted to go to both, but I've been bitten by the two reunion shows bug before and regretted it, not being able to justify the expense. A few days before, I found a reseller ticket for ridiculously cheap, so suddenly I was going to two Rilo Kiley shows in one week!

After seeing Monday night's show at Pines Theater, I can say that Rilo Kiley seem to have reunited for all the right reasons. I mean, I'm sure the money doesn't hurt, but all four members seemed to be having fun on stage. They played a set of seventeen killer songs that made every die hard fan happy. (Although, from my perspective, everyone in attendance seemed to be a die hard fan!) It was a set filled with joy and fun and nostalgia for some of the best songs of the early 00's.

And what amazing songs Rilo Kiley have. Opening with "The Execution of All Things," the band cycled through a set that included favorites like "It's a Hit," "Silver Lining," "A Better Son/Daughter," and more. Even the more emotional songs were a blast live, with Jenny Lewis displaying her acting chops while singing "Does He Love You?" and "With Arms Outstretched." With the collection of songs that Rilo Kiley has, there were simply no misses and no bathroom break songs. 

Of course "Portions for Foxes" was played to a great ovation, which is understandable since, like all of Rilo Kiley's songs, it seems to get better with each and every listen. It was used to close out the main set, which could have given some of the crowd a chance to beat the traffic and head out early, which I don't think anyone did. I didn't think they could follow "Portions for Foxes," but they did with a triple shot of "Always," "More Adventurous," and "Pictures of Success." Even if it ends up being the same set, I can't wait for Sunday night in Boston.

Natalie Bergman had the tough job of opening for Rilo Kiley. Sunday night's crowd was filled with people who were there for the hits they grew up with and weren't looking for anything new. Bergman was up to the task and played a solid set of singer-songwriter tracks that won over more than a few fans. Her secret seemed to be to not pander or try to win over the crowd, but to treat Pines Theater as any other show. It may have taken a few songs, but the audience slowly started to pay more attention with every note, and were invested in Bergman by the end of her set.

On Repeat...

The New Limits - "Normal Day"

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Photo via Facebook According to their Bandcamp profile, The New Limits are a "Boston ska band with a taste for rocksteady, reggae, soul, and rock n roll." They just released a single that shows off their sound perfectly. "Normal Day" is a laid back ska song dripping with soul. You know that joke that goes around every few months saying that ska is the sound that plays in a twelve year old's head when they get an extra mozzarella stick? The New Limits are the grown up version of that sound. This is ska/rocksteady for adults. It's ultra chilled out music with some of the best horns in the city. Even if you haven't listened to ska since your youth, you need to check out "Normal Day." This might help re-open the entire genre to you. The New Limits say of their latest single: " What is normal, anyway? Some of us just want a nine-to-five. Others cry at the thought. 'Normal Day' has nothing to do with quarantine and lots to do with figuri...
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Brennen Leigh - "Dumpster Diving"

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Photo by Lyza Renee Brennen Leigh has quickly become a favorite of ours, with her take on a classic country sound with a slight sense of humor. Her latest single, "Dumpster Diving," which she describes as a "trashy little tune," is everything we love about the musician. It's a vintage style country song that comes in at a punk like one minute, forty-eight seconds. With a chorus of "Dumpster diving, this ain't gonna last / Dumpster diving, 'cause baby you like trash..." how can you possibly resist. Leigh's latest gives us a decades old sound with modern sensibilities and her fantastic voice that's tailor made for this genre of music. It's almost like a collaboration between Loretta Lynn and Shel Silverstein, and who doesn't want to hear that? You can hear "Dumpster Diving" below. Don't You Ever Give Up On Love  is due out October 3 on Signature Sounds, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Brennen Leigh,...
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The Beths - "Mother, Pray for Me"

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Photo by Annabel Kean For their latest single, New Zealand's The Beths have released "Mother, Pray for Me." This is a heartbreaking ballad consisting of Elizabeth Stokes' vocals and guitar with just the slightest hint of organ. It's a deeply personal song for Stokes, made obvious with how intimately the song comes across. It truly feels almost confessional, and it's quite simply beautiful. The Beths are most known for huge little indie rock gems perfect for bopping along to, but "Mother, Pray for Me" is quite the opposite. Stokes' vocals and lyrics are right up front on this one, and I can't imagine it any other way. Elizabeth Stokes says of her latest single: “I cried the whole time writing it. It's not really about my mother, it's about me — what I hope our relationship is, what I think it is, what it maybe actually is, and what I can or can't expect out of it.   “My mother is a first gen Indonesian immigrant, and very Catholic....
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