Live Shows: Davila 666, Las Nubes, Ladrones, and Gossip Collar, Deep Cuts, Medford, MA 10/10/24

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I have been absolutely loving Tormentas Malsanas since it was released back in June. The latest from Las Nubes is a strong contender to make my Top 10 albums of 2024. When I saw they were playing Deep Cuts (which is quickly becoming a favorite place to see a show) with Ladrones, I knew I needed to be there. Ladrones are a band I'm somewhat familiar with, but their live show comes highly recommended. I wasn't as familiar with Davila 666 or Gossip Collar, but I'm always up for seeing new bands.

Gossip Collar opened the show. The Boston band have flown under my radar, but we're now going to be fully on #TeamGossipCollar. Musically, they're a unique mix of darkwave, post-punk, and late 70's/early 80's punk. I personally thought of Mission of Burma, The Cramps, and Joy Division during their set. And it was an amazing set. The band played with an unmatched intensity, and brought a light show with them not typically seen from a Boston band. The swirling and manic lights matched the swirling and manic energy from the band, and singer/guitarist Victoria is the type of frontperson you simply can't look away from. 

Atlanta's Ladrones played next, and I had high hopes for their set. All hopes were far exceeded by the intensity they brought to the stage. Valeria Sanchez might be the most underrated performer in music today, and is the perfect person to front a garage punk band. She spent a good chunk of the set in the crowd, basically demanding the crowd to match their energy. Ladrones are loud and a little messy, but in the best way. They played incredibly tightly, but there was a sense that anything could happen during their set.

One thing that was great about Thursday night is that all four bands have completely different sounds and vibes, but all four worked perfectly together. Miami's Las Nubes were the most unlike the other three, but they fit in with the rest. Their sound is much more laid back and alt-rock based than the other three, but they still kept the energy of the crowd high. Their dream pop based sound had a very strong comparison to bands like Veruca Salt and The Breeders live, particularly when Ale Campos and Cuci Amador harmonized. Their music sounded even more lovely live, and definitely elevated the artsy level of the evening. They mentioned that this was their first time playing in the Boston area, so let's hope the chilly October night doesn't deter them from returning.

Coming from Puerto Rico, Davila 666 came from the furthest away of all four bands. Their version of garage rock was completely different from Ladrones. While still being garage punk, Davila 666 leaned into a more classic version of garage punk. There was a strong sense of chaos during their set, particularly since Davila 666 seemed barely in control of the music bursting from them. Some of the best garage rock has a certain sloppy feel to it, and that fits Davila 666 Thursday night. For the genre, that is a positive and part of the charm. After seeing three great bands play earlier, Davila 666 had a lot to live up to, and they were still able to blow everyone at Deep Cuts away.

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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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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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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