On April 22, Cloud Nothings and Amanda X took over Music Hall of Williamsburg for a free show presented by Converse Rubber Tracks. Both groups released albums last year, but have kept busy this year with select tour dates.
I was introduced to Amanda X last year when they opened for Parquet Courts at The Acheron and then I also caught them later in the year at CMJ. The three-piece from Philadelphia seem to get better with every performance, delivering all the songs from their debut album Amnesia in steady fashion. You can find and stream it right now over at bandcamp.
Cloud Nothings always seem to be keeping busy, whether its their constant touring or a collaborative album with Wavves which will be released later this year. I last saw Cloud Nothings play Irving Plaza, and although that was a good fit for them, the tinier Music Hall of Williamsburg was much better. The crowd wasn’t as rowdy aside from a select section during specific songs, but Dylan Baldi, bassist TJ Duke and the ferocious drummer himself, Jayson Gerycz, brought the noise in aggressive fashion. The three-piece have their formula of moody garage rock down pact, full of big builds, angst-ridden vocals, and sharp riffs than come at a hammering speed thanks to the lightning quick sticks of Gerycz. They finished things off with the always welcome mega-finale of “Wasted Days,” which was extended to nearly ten glorious minutes of noisy rage.
We probably won’t see Cloud Nothings perform live for a while (unless they end up touring for their album with Wavves), but if that means we have to wait until we get a new album for new tour dates, then that’s alright too. We can always use new music from Cloud Nothings.
Cloud Nothings Setlist:
1. Pattern Walks
2. Stay Useless
3. Now Hear In
4. Psychic Trauma
5. Fall In
6. Separation
7. Quieter Today
8. Cut You
9. Giving Into Seeing
10. No Future/No Past
11. No Thoughts
12. I’m Not Part of Me
13. Wasted Days
Amanda X:
Cloud Nothings:
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