This is a time we all dread. Two weeks from now we all stuff ourselves with beige looking food, feign interest in our little sister’s “exploration” of herself and listen to Uncle Whoever explain that the country is (again) going down the tubes. I haven’t found any tubes, but I did find some bands designed to get your attitude correct before the passive aggressive argument you have with your grandmother over her lack of great-grandchildren hits you in the face like the cranberry sauce you want to throw in hers.
On Saturday the 23rd of November, Geno’s will play host to three dynamic bands at a 21+ show. The Wee Lollies have recently gotten a bump from the Press Herald and their shows are garnering more and more attention. This band is everywhere on the music map. Their slowed acoustic ballads and deconstructed anthems of love lost and found are what you’ll find. Next are The Narps, whose sound would remind you of that weird British Punk phase in your life when you didn’t wash your hair and listened to Libertines B-Sides, which is definitely not a bad thing. They are my band to watch. Come Back Pluto is reinvigorating the post New York punk of the early 2000’s and doing so loud and proud. Geno’s Rock Club is way up at 625 Congress and the cover charge is minimal. The show starts at 9 p.m.
Portland’s oldest continuously running Pub is Matthew’s located on 133 Free St. It seems fitting for them to play host to the annual Maine Facial Hair Club Mo’vember Bash. Imagine a bunch of dudes with handlebars, van dykes, sideburns, and epically long Gandalf-like beards. This is an appreciation of manhood and should reinforce the responsibility of all men to shun normal dudes who can’t grow beards. A 21+ show with a minimal 3 dollar cover. A bargain considering they’re having five different bands in one night. Beard convention is November 16 at 9 p.m.
What could possibly be better than shoe-gazing metal to work those anger knots out of your mind? Xanax? Good answer, but no. At Asylum this Friday, November 15th at an 18+ show is the classic 80’s metal band Queensryche. With hits dating back to ’82 most of their songs are older than you, but maybe it will feel familiar. You might have heard “Silent Lucidity” more recently.