Live Shows: Tigers Jaw, Hot Flash Heat Wave, and Creeks, The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA 3/30/26

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My expectations for Monday night's Tigers Jaw show were fairly high, possibly too high. I missed Something in the Way Festival on Saturday, but their set that day was the talk of Sunday. All day I kept hearing people talk about how great they were, so I instantly wanted to check them out next time they came through the area. Luckily I didn't have to wait that long since they played The Sinclair on Monday night.

Tigers Jaw's set started off good. Really good, but not quite the level of great I was expecting. I was enjoying it, but thought they might have been more than a little overhyped. And then the third song, "Head is Like a Sinking Stone," kicked in, and suddenly I fully understood the hype. From there my casual fandom multiplied, and I was completely invested in the show. The crowd erupted for virtually every song, and after they played "Never Saw It Coming," it was an all out frenzy for the band. As a (formerly) non-diehard fan, I was surprised by how many songs I instantly recognized and are now favorites after seeing them live. Truly, if you get the chance, make sure you see them live, even if you only kinda sorta like their music. Their live set will change your mind.

I'm always curious how the crowd will be for anything in the realm of pop punk and/or emo, and Tigers Jaw might have had one of the better crowds I've seen in recent memory. Appropriate moshing and crowd surfing, virtually no phones during the show, and pogoing in unison made me nostalgic for my 90's heyday, and once again... the kids are truly alright. 

Hot Flash Heat Wave played before Tigers Jaw, and played a solid set of alt-rock meets pop punk. They certainly had many diehard fans in attendance and won many over by the end of the show.

Creeks opened the night with a solo acoustic set of emo-esque songs. He was well beloved by many in the crowd, and impressed with his short set.

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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J Mascis - "See You At the Movies"

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Photo via Instagram Any time J Mascis releases new music will always be a big deal at If It's Too Loud... November will see the release of Elastic Days , his new solo album. Judging by the first single, "See You At the Movies," Elastic Days  will be exactly what we expect and want in a Mascis solo album. The first single is much prettier than Dinosaur Jr is. Mascis's solo work tends to be calmer and almost folky. "See You At the Movies" is exactly that, and is even almost orchestral in some places. You add in some of Mascis's guitar solos (a more tame version than Dino Jr's thunderous ones), and you've got a classic Mascis solo track. It's a typically great song, but at this point I'd like to see Mascis mix things up a bit. You can listen to "See You At the Movies" below. Elastic Days will be out November 9 on Sub Pop Records. There are some pretty reasonable pre-order bundles available, including a CD and t-shirt for $24....
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Izzy Heltai - "Father"

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Photo by Joanna Chattman I've been referring to Northampton, MA based Izzy Heltai's music as mainstream modern folk with just enough of a unique spin to keep it appealing to music snobs, too. His latest single, "Father," might be the perfect example of that. It's a quiet, deeply personal song that starts off painfully sparse but ever so slowly builds and builds as it goes on. It walks that line between accessible/mainstream and indie expertly.  You can watch the video for "Father" below. Father , the upcoming debut album from Izzy Heltai, will be out October 9. You can pre-order a copy here . For more on Izzy Heltai, check out the artist's website .
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