Pavement! Yes, Pavement. The greatest band ever? Possibly? Well, to me they are. This show was the second one of my recent US trip. And it was perfection. Pavement hot me like a hurricane in the 90s. They basically had everythign I ever wanted from a band. Then it was over. But in 2010 they reformed for a tour and I was lucky enough to see them in Sydney and New York. Now in 2022 they are back. And to see them again was something I will never forget.

This show was the second of three in a run at the beautiful Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles. And for two hours they delighted and confounded us once again. It was a seated gig but as soon as the band started playing everyone was up on their feet. If you have noticed recent set lists the band changes it up every single night. This night was no different with the 'hits' of course but also some very deep cuts from across their catalogue. Songs like 'Pueblo' and 'Fillmore Jive' were played for the first time since the 90s. I loved all of it of course but the triple sledgehammer of 'Unfair', 'Zurich is Stained' and 'Grounded' was hard to beat. The band sounded as good as ever. The sound was great as was the lighting and the visuals. Strangely the only letdown was a strangely subdued crowd. Maybe it was because it was a 'seated gig'. Hard to say. But the band did their part. Magnificently. Long may they reign.

Set List

Frontwards

Transport Is Arranged

Stereo

Harness Your Hopes

Father to a Sister of Thought

Serpentine Pad

Cut Your Hair

The Hexx

Blue Hawaiian

Motion Suggests

Perfume-V

Type Slowly

Kennel District

Unfair

Zurich is Stained

Grounded

Home

Pueblo

Gold Soundz

Here

Two States

Black Out

Embassy Row

Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse)

Range Life

Fillmore Jive

Recently I had the good fortune to be in the US for a couple of weeks. It was my first time overseas in 3 years so I wanted to pack in as much as possible. On my schedule were 3 concerts, the first of which was hugely talented UK band Porridge Radio. I loved their first album and their second album released this year (Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky) is one of my favourites of 2022. So you could say I was very excited to see them. They did not let me down.

The venue was in the very cool area of Highland Park. The Lodge Room is in an historic building and room was just the right size to see a band. The show was just so much fun. Energy, passion and joy excuded from the band. Lead singer Dana Margolin is very energetic on stage with a great energy. They ripped through the set in just over an hour, with most songs coming from their second album. It was all great to be honest, topped off by a cover of a classic Wolf Parade song. I really hope this excellent band find their way to Australia very soon.

Set List

7 Seconds

Give/Take

End of Last Year

Circling

Trying

Good For You

Splintered

Birthday Party

Jealousy

U Can Be Happy If U Want To

The Rip

Long

Sweet 

Back to The Radio

Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky

You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son (Wolf Parade cover)