Live Shows: Blvck Hippie, Grocer, and Little Hag, The Lilypad, Cambridge, MA 5/15/26

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Ever since I stumbled on the music of Little Hag back in 2020 or so, I've made it my mission to see the Jersey Shore band any time they roll through New England. Friday night they swung through The Lilypad in Cambridge, which let me see them for the third time, and let me discover two new favorites: Blvck Hippie and Grocer!

Little Hag took the stage a little before the listed 8:00 start time, and started just as I walked in the door. They played a fun and energetic set focusing on their newer music (and leaving off 2020's "Tetris!"), but luckily they keep releasing killer songs. Their sound is a pop-ish blend of indie rock, and they shone with favorites like "Blood" and "The Machine." Avery Mandeville is the perfect frontperson for this style of music, and has an awkward charm that is irresistible and just adds to the fun of their live show. They included the just released this week "Watchlist Rock," which is a companion piece to last year's "Show Me Your Head." Pretty sure everyone who was at the show Friday night is now on a watchlist after seeing those two songs...

Up next was Grocer, a band I was completely unfamiliar with. The Philadelphia band also plays a blend of pop focused indie rock that was immediately gripping and fun. All three members of the band took turns on vocals, and the show was a charming and upbeat thirty-ish minutes. At times Grocer's music was aggressive and loud, other times much more quiet, but they were fun throughout. As someone who came of age with indie rock that was too cool for itself, seeing bands and their fans in this genre actually having fun is refreshing. I'll be keeping my eye out for Grocer from now on.

Closing out the show was Memphis' Blvck Hippie. They're a band I knew by name but don't think I've listened to before. According to their bio, they're a "Black Fronted Sad Boy Indie Rock Band," and that's kind of our jam around here. They also played a fun and energetic version of indie rock (which was the theme of the night) with some post punk injected into the sound. They played much bigger than the tiny Lilypad, and the feeling during their set was that we were all seeing something truly special. I can't imagine a band this great live, with such great songs, and such great stage presence will be playing eighty person venues for much longer.

On Repeat...

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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Yawn Mower - "Rascal"

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Photo by Mary Dorsi Asbury Park's Yawn Mower had two goals for their upcoming album. First, after playing their hometown's Sea.Hear.Now festival, they wanted to write songs that worked on a larger stage. Second, they wanted the album to be their Pinkerton , "A raw, rough around the edges, noisier follow up to [their] debut album." The first song from that album is "Rascal," a song partly about the kids of their friends and family. It's a fun track that includes lines like "Here he comes now what a little asshole." It's a quirky and noisy indie rock track that reminds me of an edgier Fountains of Wayne. As anti-kid as the song may seem, you can tell it's not done seriously and there is a ton of love behind the track. Vocalist/guitarist Mike Chick says of the band's upcoming album: “While Dana Yurcisin (bass), Rudy Meier (guitar),  and Nicole Scorsone (violin) have certainly helped fill out past releases, this was the first time that ...
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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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