NFV Song Spotlight: Scout LaRue Willis' Mysterious Ways

I wrote the following back during the summer on Instagram, "This is my third time catching Scout LaRue Willis. The first two times were in 2016 at the Bootleg Theater. It only took 8 years to catch another set. I did try to catch a set in 2023. I was at an early show at the Moroccan Lounge and decided to make a dash to Zebulon. I got to the Zebulon and the set times had been moved up by 30 minutes. Usually Zebulon has a 15 minute buffer going in the other direction. Oh well, I waited a few months and got to finally catch a set at Zebulon."

Scout LaRue Willis at Zebulon

NFV Songs Spotlight: Austin Stambaugh's Nightwalk (Less or More) and Ain't That Like It Is

Nashville based musician Austin Stambaugh dropped on by Club Tee Gee for a Back in the Garage night. He was at the end of a tour that took him from Texas to New Mexico to Arizona with two stops in California via San Diego and Los Angeles. The tour was to promoted his just released  Speechmythology: The Musical Short Stories of Austin Stambaugh album. I will admit that my going out to Club Tee Gee was not due to knowing anything about Stambaugh. I noticed that Rosy Nolan was on the bill and the last time I saw a full set was back in September 2023. It sounded like a good time to head out and catch another set. 

Austin Stambaugh at Club Tee Gee

NFV Song Spotlight: Liza Light's To the Dream

While hanging out at WFNM, I've seen Liza Light playing back-up for Megan Winsor and perhaps another singer or two. What I've noticed is the enthusiasm and joy that she has playing in a band. Looking at the WFNM schedule recently, I saw that she was playing a set as the front woman. I decided I had to circle the date. I was curious about what her sound was when she was in front of the microphone.

Liza Light at Bar Lubitsch

Notes from Vivace Show Alerts: Dec 8th - Dec 14th

A Handful of Show Alerts

Monday Dec 9th: Alexandra John at 7 p.m. at Hotel Cafe

Wednesday Dec 11th: Lovecolor at 9:30 p.m. at Hotel Cafe

Wednesday Dec 11th: Circle The Earth at Hotel Ziggy 

(You can read and listen to my song spotlight of their song "Sweetest Pain" here.)

Thursday Dec 12th: ELKE at El Cid. Doors at 6 p.m.

Thursday Dec 12th: Hooveriii at Zebulon. Doors at 8 p.m.

(I previously covered the side project Primitive Ring.) 

NFV Song Spotlight: Night Party's All That Fades

It is probably due to my desire to catch local bands before they gain a following that explains why I like to catch opening bands. I've occasionally shown up at venues an hour early (because I simply can't judge when the first band hits the stage) just so that I can catch the opener. And by desire to catch local bands, I mean being one of the first photographers to snap some concert photos.

Side note: that theory of being one of the first photographers to snap photos could also apply to the last band of the night, but depending on when that band hits the stage, there is something called needing to wake up the next morning to go to work. Trade-offs in life.   

Night Party at Zebulon

NFV Song Spotlight: Autogramm's Born Losers

Zebulon more often than not introduces me to bands that are new to me, but maybe not to others. This was the case on a recent Saturday night when Autogramm hit the stage just before 8:30 p.m. The band joked that there was a large contingent of Canadians in the audience. The band comes from Vancouver, British Columbia though their Instagram account also mentions Chicago and Seattle. I'm not sure if they all currently live in Vancouver or if they all grew up in Vancouver and now some of them live in the United States. Whatever to that wondering on my part, the band had their Canadian support crew in the audience. 

Autogramm at Zebulon

NFV Song Spotlight: Bruvvy's Concealer

I first crossed paths with Bruvvy at a WFNM night at Bar Lubitsch. At the time, they were recent arrivals from Miami. One of their Miami photographers was joining in on the fun. I saw them again a month later at another WFNM night, this one at Hotel Ziggy. In between those two dates, lead singer and guitarist Liz Varum broke her foot. She had to spend that second set sitting on a barstool, but the band still had their classic set. After only seeing the band twice, what would I call a classic set? A blow away set filled with head bangs, jumps, back to back stances, guitar and bass swung in wild fashion, and basically non-stop energy. Does this band even have any slow songs? Maybe they do, but I'm so into the set that I don't even notice that they've slowed it down. Their music is an electronic amalgamation of pop-rock intensity and attitude. 

Bruvvy at Harvard & Stone