Live Shows: Wyn & The White Light and Liz Bills, Warehouse XI, Somerville, MA 10/27/24

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I first discovered Wyn Doran as a solo artist at a Sofar show in February 2020. Since then, things have changed significantly in just about every way, but I hadn't had a chance to see her play live again. Her releases (particularly her new album Luck recorded with her band The White Light) have gotten better and better, but the stars had not aligned to be able to see her again. Luckily, Sunday night it worked out and I headed to Warehouse XI in Somerville to see Wyn & The White Light's "Ghosts of the Past" show.

On the surface, Sunday night's show was Halloween themed, with free tarot readings, ghost decorations throughout the venue, and Wyn & The White Light donning death related costumes for their set. However, the "Ghosts of the Past" theme was more about releasing the ghosts of your past than anything spoopy. For Doran, the evening was about releasing past traumas depicted in the album Luck, such as a stroke and a near death experience from blood clots in her lungs. The audience was also encouraged to participate by writing their own past ghosts on ghost shaped paper for a ceremony later in the set. There was also an extremely cathartic screaming session towards the end of the set, as well as a "scream pod" for anyone who needed a little extra for themselves.

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from Wyn & The White Light's set. As great as Luck is, emotionally it can be a tough listen. As with most of Doran's music, it explores very dark themes which aren't always great for an evening out. But, the live show had the exact opposite effect. Maybe it was just the releasing ghosts of the past theme, but the songs ended up being more uplifting than depressing. "Can the World Change" in particular was extremely affecting, and Wyn & The White Light turned a near death song into an anthem of rebirth and second chances. I'm not typically one for tarot readings or cleansing water stations, but my experience Sunday night was much deeper than I was expecting for a live musical performance.

Liz Bills opened the show solo, and it was also my first time seeing her perform live. Typically she performs as Liz Bills & the Change, and her live shows are regarded as parties and celebrations. Turns out she has a new album coming out next year inspired by death and loss, and the new songs she performed are much darker than I anticipated. They were fantastically written and performed, but I was expecting a little joy before the darkness. Instead, each artist flipped my expectations completely. But definitely plan on us bringing you Liz Bills' new music as it starts coming out.

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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