Live Shows: Something in the Way Day 2, Roadrunner, Boston, MA 2/1/26

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Once again, Something in the Way took over Roadrunner in Boston for two days of killer live music. Twelve bands took over two stages on Sunday, with a surprisingly diverse line up of shoegaze, alt-country, hardcore, emo, slowcore, and more. For all the people that complain about people being on their phones for entire shows, they need to check out Something in the Way, which saw an audience mostly made up of teens and twentysomethings moshing, stage diving, and crowd surfing for hours. It's a much needed relief from the tail end of winter, and the freezing cold. Here were our highlights of Sunday.

Glixen

Phoenix's Glixen opened up the show and were the perfect way to ease the crowd into a day of mostly heavy music. Taking the stage at 1:30 pm, their version of heavy shoegaze got the crowd ready without being too heavy as we got prepared for nine hours of music. I've been praising Glixen for a while now, and their live show simply can't be beat. Drummer Keire Johnson still hasn't been told he's in a shoegaze band and attacks his kit like he's in a hardcore band, and vocalist Aislinn Ritchie is simply mesmerizing. If you're a shoegaze fan, especially a fan of the heavier side of the genre, you truly need to get out to see Glixen. (They'll be playing The Sinclair with trauma ray on April 22!)

First Day Back

First Day Back were the biggest discovery of Something in the Way for everyone who showed up early enough for their set. The Santa Cruz emo band was making their Boston debut, and we need them back. ASAP. They had one of the most unique takes on the genre, and included a violin and harmonica at different points in their set. They inspired the first mosh pit and crowdsurfing of the day, and quickly won over the entire crowd. In thirty minutes, they went from basically being completely unknown to ending their set with "First Day Back" chants from the crowd. 

Pelican

Pelican tore up the main stage Sunday with their riff heavy version of instrumental metal. They played loud, fast, and endlessly engaging. There definitely wasn't enough headbanging in the crowd, but for those that were, Pelican were a delight. It might seem strange to call a band this heavy and dark a delight, but if you're into that sort of thing, they certainly are. Not every band could keep going this strong for twenty-five years without lyrics, but luckily for us all, Pelican are.

Glitterer

Glitterer are a tough band to define. Wikipedia lists their genres as indie rock, synth-pop, emo, soft grunge, shoegaze, power pop, and post-punk. That's an awful lot, and Glitterer packed it all into their set Sunday afternoon. It was loud, it was noisy, and it was messy at times. But it was also great. They're one of those bands that doesn't have casual fans. You're either all in with them or you're not. Most of the crowd at Something in the Way was fully invested in their set, and were rewarded with one of the craziest of the day.

Sheer Mag

Sheer Mag had an uphill battle in the form of bass amp issues to start off their set, but once those cleared up, they rocked the second stage. They were a bit of an anomaly at Something in the Way. Although they combine punk with 70's hard rock, they're not quite a moshing band. They have more of a groove than pure aggression, and are best to dance to. I don't mean slam dance, but actual, non-aggressive dancing. They might have had the most fun set of the weekend, once people realized how to enjoy them. They're a band I've been dying to see live for almost a decade, and the wait was completely worth it.

Sunny Day Real Estate

Jeremy Enigk opened his band's set solo, with a rendition of his song "Asleep Under Last Week's News," which was unfortunately timely, with lyrics like "Brought down by a society ruled by white politicians." After he was joined by the rest of Sunny Day Real Estate, the nostalgia fest truly began. Seeing songs from our youth like "Seven" and "In Circles" performed live is always a thrill, especially when a band still has it like Sunny Day do. They even dusted off "Snibe" for its first performance in twenty-six years. The Seattle emo vets rocked the crowd, which at this point was made up of about half OG fans and kids seeing the living legends for the first time. It was a perfect end to a great day, and they still got the tired crowd fully energized to close out the night.

On Repeat...

Sean Thomas Gerard - "Bright Side"

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Photo by Heather DeFoggi Gerard For his upcoming album, Sean Thomas Gerard recorded in the corner of his garage which is also a playroom for his two daughters. Somehow, you can hear that vibe in his latest single, "Bright Side." The song just feels like home. It's a laid back indie folk/singer-songwriter track that is overflowing with warmth. The sing is on the mainstream side of its genres, but when you nail a sound like Gerard has, there's certainly nothing wrong with that. This is the type of song that is pleasant and enjoyable when you first start it, and then you end up liking it more and more as it goes. By the time it's over, you're going to want to listen again. By the third or fourth listen, "Bright Side" is going to end up one of your favorite songs of this young year. Sean Thomas Gerard says of his music: “I think about some day when I'm gone, my kids will be able to put on my records and feel like they can spend time with me again....
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The Cairo Gang - "Be What You Are"

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Photo by Rachel Cassels The Cairo Gang is mostly Emmett Kelly, who recorded most of their upcoming album, Goes Missing,  on his own while travelling. "Be What You Are" is pure pop gold, reminiscent of British invasion bands like The Kinks and The Zombies. It features jangly guitars and some of the most infectious layered vocals you've heard in years. Luckily the beauty of this style of music is that it never quite sounds dated. It might sound like it's from a certain era that happened 50 years ago, but everything you've ever listened to since then borrows so heavily from it that it always sounds current. It's the kind of music you wish you hadn't missed, only now you haven't. Goes Missing  is due out June 23rd on God? Records. You can pre-order the album now, and be sure to check out The Cairo Gang's Facebook . Listen to "Be What You Are" below, and below that are tour dates, many opening for Mikal Cronin. Sat. Sept. 5 - Portlan...
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DJ Haram featuring Bbymutha, SHA RAY, & August Fanon - "Fishnets"

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Photo by Sultana Garritano Brooklyn's DJ Haram has a new single out that shows off her trademark boom bap sprinkled with Middle Eastern instrumentation sound. "Fishnets" features verses from Bbymutha, SHA RAY, and August Fanon, and has an intense and almost menacing vibe, despite being an absolute banger of a track. It's hypnotic and immediately grabs your attention, and if you're unfamiliar with the trio of rappers on the song, you're sure to start pulling up their bodies of work. "Fishnets" is one of those songs that just feels cool and makes you need to hear more from all of the artists involved.  DJ Haram says of her latest single: "‘Fishnets’ is for the eclectic bad bitches. The people united will never be defeated." You can listen to "Fishnets" below. Beside Myself is due out July 18 on Hyperdub, and is available for pre-order here . For more on DJ Haram, check out the artist on Instagram and Twitter . Upcoming tour dates a...
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