Live Shows: Belly, Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA 10/23/25

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This might be an unpopular opinion, but King is my favorite album from Belly. "Seal My Fate," "Red," and "Now They'll Sleep" are all underappreciated classics, and "Super-Connected" might be my favorite Belly song. They're one of those bands I want to see every time they come around, and once I heard they were performing King in its entirety at the Paradise, it became a must see show for me.

Much like when they played Royale in 2018, Thursday night was "An Evening with Belly," which saw them play a set of King, then taking a brief break and coming back with a second set. The first set was obviously surprise free, with the eleven songs comprising King played in order. It's easy to forget just how great the album is since it doesn't have the big MTV hit of "Feed the Tree," but it's beloved by diehard Belly fans. Songs like "Silverfish" and "Untitled and Unsung" were delights live, and "Seal My Fate" provided the most memorable moment of the night when Tanya Donelly lost her place with looking into the crowd. The song was restarted, and it was a fun moment.

After a break, Belly returned with a set of classics and newer songs. "Gepetto" and "Feed the Tree" were obviously played, along with "Spaceman," and "Slow Dog," which the crowd erupted for. They also broke out their cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Are You Experienced?," which was surprising since the entire Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix was so reviled when it came out. I always enjoyed it, so it was an extra treat for me. A good chunk of the crowd left before the encore, which was their loss since they missed out on a striking version of "Full Moon, Empty Heart" which was truly their loss.

On Repeat...

The New Limits - "Normal Day"

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Photo via Facebook According to their Bandcamp profile, The New Limits are a "Boston ska band with a taste for rocksteady, reggae, soul, and rock n roll." They just released a single that shows off their sound perfectly. "Normal Day" is a laid back ska song dripping with soul. You know that joke that goes around every few months saying that ska is the sound that plays in a twelve year old's head when they get an extra mozzarella stick? The New Limits are the grown up version of that sound. This is ska/rocksteady for adults. It's ultra chilled out music with some of the best horns in the city. Even if you haven't listened to ska since your youth, you need to check out "Normal Day." This might help re-open the entire genre to you. The New Limits say of their latest single: " What is normal, anyway? Some of us just want a nine-to-five. Others cry at the thought. 'Normal Day' has nothing to do with quarantine and lots to do with figuri...
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The Beths - "Mother, Pray for Me"

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Photo by Annabel Kean For their latest single, New Zealand's The Beths have released "Mother, Pray for Me." This is a heartbreaking ballad consisting of Elizabeth Stokes' vocals and guitar with just the slightest hint of organ. It's a deeply personal song for Stokes, made obvious with how intimately the song comes across. It truly feels almost confessional, and it's quite simply beautiful. The Beths are most known for huge little indie rock gems perfect for bopping along to, but "Mother, Pray for Me" is quite the opposite. Stokes' vocals and lyrics are right up front on this one, and I can't imagine it any other way. Elizabeth Stokes says of her latest single: “I cried the whole time writing it. It's not really about my mother, it's about me — what I hope our relationship is, what I think it is, what it maybe actually is, and what I can or can't expect out of it.   “My mother is a first gen Indonesian immigrant, and very Catholic....
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Brennen Leigh - "Dumpster Diving"

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Photo by Lyza Renee Brennen Leigh has quickly become a favorite of ours, with her take on a classic country sound with a slight sense of humor. Her latest single, "Dumpster Diving," which she describes as a "trashy little tune," is everything we love about the musician. It's a vintage style country song that comes in at a punk like one minute, forty-eight seconds. With a chorus of "Dumpster diving, this ain't gonna last / Dumpster diving, 'cause baby you like trash..." how can you possibly resist. Leigh's latest gives us a decades old sound with modern sensibilities and her fantastic voice that's tailor made for this genre of music. It's almost like a collaboration between Loretta Lynn and Shel Silverstein, and who doesn't want to hear that? You can hear "Dumpster Diving" below. Don't You Ever Give Up On Love  is due out October 3 on Signature Sounds, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Brennen Leigh,...
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