Live Shows: Hallelujah the Hills, USS Constitution, Boston, MA 7/24/21

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Photo by Ken Sears

Hallelujah the Hills are a Boston institution at this point, so when they play their first show back, it has to be big, right? Somehow they booked a show this past Saturday to play in front of the USS Constitution, aka Old Ironsides, the oldest ship of any kind still afloat. It was kind of a big deal, and one of the coolest places I may have ever seen a show.

Although this was my third show back to live music, this is the one that got me emotional. Maybe it was seeing a band I've seen fairly regularly for the first time, or maybe it was just seeing so many familiar faces at this one. Or maybe just seeing a show in Boston for the first time in what felt like forever. But, yeah... this one was special.

For a band that hasn't played a live show in eighteen or so months, Hallelujah the Hills rocked it. They may not have been as tight as they were two years back, but that just added to the special and laid back feel. Plus, their blend of indie rock meets folk sounds better a little ramshackle, so it worked. Once they started playing their self-titled song ("Hallelujah the Hills"), it just felt like home. Hallelujah the Hills have always been a fun band live, and this felt like a celebration. It was also most of the audience's first show back, so the joy was felt all around. The band stayed wonderfully chatty throughout, talking about how releasing a song called "People Keep Dying (And No One Can Stop It)" a year before a pandemic is more than a little eerie. They pulled a few from 2019's fantastic I'm You including "Folk Music is Insane," and played what seemed to be the extremely rare unplanned encore.

I should also mention what seeing a concert at the USS Constitution is like since this was the first in a planned series of live musical performances. The ship and the immediate area is owned by the US Navy, so besides park rangers there was a military presence. In fact, you were required to have your bags checked, get wanded, and show your ID for admission. But, I've had that all done at normal venues, and all the sailors I interacted with were perfectly polite and couldn't have made it any more comfortable. It was incredibly family friendly, allowed for BYOB and wine, and they had a barbeque going with $3.00 burgers and $2.00 hot dogs. Seeing a live music in such an iconic setting as the sun sets over the Bunker Hill Monument behind you was truly a special night.

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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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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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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