I’ve been uninspired by many of the books I’ve read lately, although the non-fiction choices have been top notch. While I’m getting around to posting on those books…

Since I posted on live music I attended in 2024, I had planned to write a recap of my favorite 2025 shows. Since most of the shows I went to in the first five months were so good, I thought I better post on them now, especially since in looking at them now I’m asking myself, “I saw them earlier this year? It seems so long ago.” The shows I’m planning to go to for the second half of the year promise to be just as good as well. In chronological order and with total stream of consciousness:

Bad Bad Hats: A fun show that displayed a harder edge to their songs than their recorded versions. Kerry Alexander was animated in performance and in her interaction with the crowd. That’s not to diminish Chris Hoge and the other members of the band, who were also fun to watch. A non-stop display of great songwriting and performance. One of the highlights included the addition of opening act Party Nails (Elena Carroll) in a combo they called Megasound 3000 (a nice hat tip to the Josie and the Pussycats movie, although I wasn’t aware of any subliminal messages. Oh wait…that’s how it works, isn’t it?) BBH proves to be a criminally underpublicized group. 

Illuminati Hotties: This was just a few months after an intimate show where they headlined, although this time they were the opening act. They are one of my wife’s favorite bands and since she wasn’t able to see them last year, I reserved a table on the balcony overlooking the stage so she could sit back and enjoy them without fighting the crowd. It turns out we had an additional show observing the charming and polite high school couple sharing the table with us. It ended up being a great Valentine’s Day outing. While the mostly teen throng was there for the headliner, Illumnati Hotties seemed to be a hit with them, in large part from Sarah Tudzin’s interaction with the crowd. 

MJ Lenderman, Wild Pink opening: Nominated for the laid-back show of the year. Maybe the decade. Don’t let the slack feeling fool you, though. Both groups were full of restrained fire, fun word play, and a celebration of the mundane. I was able to talk with John Ross and band members from Wild Pink after the show, all of whom were extremely gracious and fun to be around. Something seems to have come together for them with the release of Dulling the Horns. MJ Lenderman and group were outstanding. Loose when it was OK to be, tight when needed, and consistently intense.

Soccer Mommy, Hana Vu opening: Another inspired tour grouping. Hana Vu was extremely upbeat, in contrast to her sometimes lament-laden lyrics. Many of her songs have been on my playlist this past year and she added nuance and depth to them in person. Evergreen, the latest release from Soccer Mommy (Sophie Allison), is an album that highlights loneliness and loss somewhat offset by the ‘lightness’ or ethereal nature of the music. This pairing had the potential to be sponsored by Prozac if you focused solely on the lyrics. Instead, there was a joy in the music and in their involvement with the crowd. 

PONY: One of my favorite bands of the past few years. I always try to temper expectations when seeing a group I really like—you never know if they’re going to have an off night or they’re just not going to connect with the audience. I shouldn’t have worried. Sam Bielanski was a dynamo on stage and the group’s sound was phenomenal. It helped that they were in my favorite small bar setting so you couldn’t help but be up-close and personal with them during their performance. I remember reading a couple of interviews with them and questions on the autobiographical nature of their songs. Guitarist Matty Morand endeared himself to me with a quote along the lines of “You’re don’t read Blood Meridian and think, ‘Cormac McCarthy sure had a wild life.’” The first of my favorite shows so far in 2025.

Bob Mould: The second of my faves so far this year. The greatest live show I’ve ever seen was Hüsker Dü. And the worst show I’ve ever seen was a Bob Mould solo performance—I remember apologizing profusely to my date (now wife) for taking her to that show at The Filmore in San Francisco. The swings in enjoyment seem to mimic my assessment of his work. While Hüsker Dü and Sugar are two of my favorite groups, I’ve found his solo work uneven but with some great highs. Fortunately, his latest solo release shows more consistency at a high level. The lineup with Jon Wurster and Jason Narducy were in complete synch and it was fun to see them playing off each other. Mould apologized for having a head cold, but you never would have imagined there was anything holding him back this evening. 
The opening act was Craig Finn (of the Hold Steady), and his acoustic story-songs with a compassion for lost souls were an enjoyable change of sonic pace from what would follow.

Hotline TNT: I fell in love with this group with their sophomore album Cartwheel and its massive wall of sound (ala Bob Mould, not Phil Spector), so I was wondering how it would translate into a live performance. While not quite the blunt force of that album, we’re still talking about a setting of 9.5 instead of 11. Which is quite fitting with their recent singles (Raspberry Moon wasn’t released at the time of this show) and remixes of previous work being dialed back a little as well. While lacking the overdubs and reducing the distortion, they provided an upbeat, raucous show. 
Quite the pleasure in chatting with Will Anderson after the show. I am probably the shyest of attendees at these shows, so it’s great when performers like him (and Sam Bielanski, or Kerry Alexander, or John Ross) show a willingness to stay and talk with the crowd after a show.