The weather was essentially perfect as thousands made their way to Randall’s Island Park just off the coast of Manhattan Island June 2-4 for the seventh annual Governors Ball Music Festival.

Headlining acts Chance the Rapper, Phoenix and Childish Gambino put on tremendous performances as other acts also left festival-goers in awe.

While last year’s Governors Ball was marred by thunderstorms that resulted in the third day’s festivities getting completely scrubbed, this year the sun was shining down on the gathered masses.

The demographic skewed a lot younger than I remembered from past years. At 23 years of age, I felt a bit old, more often than not. Hundreds if not thousands of teens wandered around, getting jeered by locals on the streets and then harassed by security personnel on the island. Those kids are resourceful, let me tell you — sneaking in all sorts of marijuana and alcohol. The pinnacle had to be the youngsters taking shots from a sunscreen container; with that kind of resourcefulness they have to be Columbia-bound.

The festival kicked off with a bang June 2. The Bacardi Tent played host to the stirring comeback of soul singer Charles Bradley with his backing band The Extraordinaires. After being away eight months for stomach cancer treatment, Bradley made a dramatic return in front of a sea of adoring fans. It was a delight to see as Bradley and company put on a terrific performance.

Later in the day, British singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka played a sweet set that included “Cold Little Heart,” the groovy theme song from HBO’s hit show “Big Little Lies.” But for my money, it was Beach House that won the day.

Fighting through what looked to be some technical difficulties, singer and keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally knocked the socks off the folks gathered at the Big Apple Stage. “Elegy to the Void” and “Sparks” were the perfect pair of songs to play right as the sun began to set, a great way to end the day before Chance the Rapper closed the night officially on the main stage.

Saturday was where festival-goers got the most bang for their buck. Car Seat Headrest kicked ass in the early afternoon with tracks from their latest album “Teens of Denial” including “Vincent” and “Unforgiving Girl (She’s Not An).”

After this, people got the rap out of their system with sets by YG and A$AP Ferg, indie darlings Local Natives played to a jam-packed crowd at the Big Apple Stage. Though songs from their most recent release were fine, for me it was the older songs “You & I,” “Who Knows Who Cares” and “Sun Hands” that brought the house down. The legendary Wu-Tang Clan delighted fans, both young and old, on the main stage before the double closing bill of Childish Gambino and Phoenix ended the day with a bang.

The Gov Ball NYC stage was the place to be early Sunday as indie rockers The Orwells and Parquet Courts delivered two great sets back to back. Then thousands assembled to see the hipster king Mac DeMarco play songs from his new album “This Old Dog” at the Honda Stage.

I was wary that the acoustic nature of most of the album wouldn’t translate well live but “One More Love Song” and “On the Level” sounded fantastic live. Next up The Avalanches, fresh off their second album in a decade, played an interesting set at the Bacardi Tent. The group took some interesting decisions in translating their albums to the live performance, including live vocalists performing the samples used on the record.

All in all, it was another solid Governors Ball. No major storms derailed the festivities as instead the great amenities and bands were able to shine as bright as the sun that accompanied the three-day festival. Head out to Randall’s Island Park next year if you get the chance!

Photograph courtesy of Shane O’Connor for The Triangle

Baltimore-based synthpop band Future Islands came to Philly to play to a jam-packed Fillmore. Touring in support of their latest album “The Far Field,” Future Islands put on an energetic performance that had die-hard fans loving each and every minute of it.

After an opening set by Zack Mexico, Sam Herring (vocals), Will Cashion (bass), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards) and Michael Lowry (drums) took to the stage. Future Islands didn’t get onto my radar until their (now legendary) performance on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” I imagine that this was the case for many current fans of the band. The “Singles” album really connected with me, much more than “The Far Field,” but I thought it silly to miss an opportunity to see Herring in action. He may just be the most captivating front man in music today.

Over the course of Future Islands 20 or so songs, Herring put on an incredible performance. As far as I’m concerned, he is the beating heart of Future Islands. During each and every song it is damn near impossible to take your eyes off of the man.

Herring dances across the stage, crouching down low before standing up, hand outstretched, singing lyrics like he is delivering a soliloquy in a Shakespeare play. One look into his eyes and you can see how much he cares about his every utterance. It’s nice to see that sort of gravitas when a lot of singers phone it in during a long tour. There’s a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde nature to Herring’s vocal style. He’ll be crooning through a song and then suddenly deliver a few words in some demonic tongue before slipping right back into croon mode. It’s almost like seeing flashes of a heavy metal concert or something. Each mid-song dance break rouses the crowd to applause, rightfully so. It’s a much better response than when I break out similar moves in da club. Herring sweat through his shirt before the concert was 15 minutes old. The man is out there putting in work.

Outside of “Seasons (Waiting on You)” a couple of tracks really stood out. There was the great synth line of “A Dream of You and Me.” “North Star” is probably my favorite track from “The Far Field” and it did not disappoint live. “Spirit” brought the house down as the last song before the encore. I was surprised how much moshing ensued as the concert came to a close. Herring and company were whipping the folks into a frenzy before closing with the softer track “Little Dreamer.”

Future Islands puts on a heck of show, mainly due to the human dynamo that is Sam Herring. While blocks of their songs can meld together in concert, when the hits come Future Islands is hard to beat. Don’t miss an opportunity to see them in action.

It’s time to kick off the summer concert festival series with the seventh annual Governors Ball music festival in the Big Apple, New York City.

This year holds yet another stellar lineup as well as all the other attractions and experiences that make the Governors Ball one of the premiere music festivals on the East Coast. Thousands will flock to Randall’s Island June 2 to 4 to see the likes of Chance the Rapper, Phoenix, Childish Gambino and many others.

This year’s lineup is stacked.

Let’s take a quick run through some of the highlights from each day. On Friday, June 2, Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires are a can’t miss performance under the Bacardi tent. Then later in the evening, LCD Soundsystem’s Nancy Whang will be performing a DJ set before Lorde takes to the Gov Ball NYC stage. If Lorde is not your thing, indie powerhouse Beach House will be on the Big Apple stage. Both acts wrap up before Chance the Rapper’s headlining set to close the day so you can’t go wrong!

Early-ish on Saturday, June 3, two indie studs, Car Seat Headrest and Local Natives will be bringing it on the Big Apple stage. Then at the end of the day, festival-goers will be faced with one of the toughest decisions ever: Phoenix or Childish Gambino. The french band is working up to the release of their new album “Ti Amo,” their latest album since “Bankrupt!” was released back in 2013.

On the other hand, Gambino struck gold with his album “Awaken, My Love!” a throwback R&B album that is a major departure from his previous rap albums. With a scarce number of tour dates on the horizon, Gambino might be the prudent choice but Phoenix playing hits from “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix”? It’s a real tricky decision!

Sunday, June 4, closes out Governors Ball strong. Ron Gallo, The Orwells and Parquet Courts are all performing on the Gov Ball NYC stage. The stage might not be well suited to these smaller indie acts but hey, we shall see. Then later Mac DeMarco will be playing some tunes from his great new album “This Old Dog” on the Honda Stage. Oldies but goodies Franz Ferdinand and the Avalanches will be playing at the same time in the early evening. Choosing between the “Take Me Out” boys and the cherished DJ act will be difficult, maybe flip a coin?

Outside of the music there is plenty to keep you occupied. Artists will be signing autographs, Vitamin Water will be giving out drinks and mini-golf will be played. Hopefully the weather will comply and everybody will have a grand ol’ time! Some tickets are still available for Sunday as of May 25.

Hope to see you there!

LCD Soundsystem are on the brink of releasing a new full-length album. That is a sentence that high school me could never dream of reading, let alone writing.

I remember being a dejected 17-year old, sulking through the halls after my friend saw fit to regale me of tales of their last sShow, LCD’s three hour long farewell performance at a sold-out Madison Square Garden. Arcade Fire dropped by, they played most all of “45:33,” there were balloons and crying. I was distraught. My favorite band was calling it quits and there was nothing I could do.

I’m almost ashamed to admit how my infatuation with LCD began. I first heard of them thanks to an Aziz Ansari recommendation of their third album, “This Is Happening”, in “Entertainment Weekly.”

I googled the band to take a listen and the first video that popped up was a music video for the song “All My Friends.”

I was hooked.

I watched that video so many times Murphy’s Bowie-esque face paint is burned into my brain. It remains solely entrenched in my top ten songs of all time.

When proffered a hypothetical time machine, most opt to embark on a noble mission to kill an unsuspecting Austrian baby. I try to suggest that seeing a defunct or long-gone band would be a more useful endeavor. Go see Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix at their peak, Kurt Cobain-led Nirvana if you want to waste a perfectly good hypothetical time machine. For years, I’ve stood pat, even when pressured by both the haters and the losers, saying that LCD’s “The LongLast Goodbye” in 2011 would be the destination for my time travels. Really any LCD show would have done, I was that desperate in my longing to see the storied, James Murphy-helmed band.

Two years ago, there was a glimpse of hope, a new song out of nowhere, a Christmas song of all things. “Christmas Will Break Your Heart” sounds as somber as the title suggests, carrying with it a little extra melancholy as it seemed like a one-off track by a group of artists who left at their peak.

Then suddenly last year, the band was back together again. Festival headlining spots were announced, a show in New York City on Easter rightfully signified that LCD Soundsystem was indeed, back from the dead. Now in the last few months things have gotten serious. A five-night, sold-out residency that christened the brand new venue Brooklyn Steel provided an opportunity for the band to showcase new material in front of their eager fans.

Two of the songs debuted during that residency, “Call the Police” and “American Dream” were just released ahead of LCD’s performance of the songs on Saturday Night Live. The pair of tracks are just a taste of the upcoming album, which Murphy says is “seriously almost done.”

“Call the Police” features a New Order-esque guitar riff and the ever steady drumming of Pat Mahoney. The music’s ebullient nature counters the sad subject matter of the lyrics. On the other hand, “American Dream” is a reserved ballad, and in a way, much more typical of an LCD song. Three synth lines crest over the opening of the song, before Murphy begins crooning about acid trips, mental health and true love. Both songs stand well on their own and seeing them performed on SNL was a real treat. The eight-piece band is as tight as ever and more importantly, seemed like they were having a good ol’ time playing the new material.

LCD Soundsystem is back baby, time to buckle up and enjoy the ride. Who knows how long they’ll stick around this time.

Photo courtesy: Nonesuch Records

“STELLLLLLAAAAA!” was the name on everyone’s mind March 15 as the winter storm bore down on the east coast, even resulting in a rare blizzard warning for Philadelphia.

But at the end of the day it ended up being nothing too serious. Surely Devendra Banhart fans were thrilled to find out that his show for March 15 at Union Transfer wouldn’t be canceled. A solid crowd of fans braved the cold, ice and wind to see a great, intimate set by Banhart and his band.

After a very unique, part-improvisational opening set by members of Banhart’s band, the whole gang plus Banhart himself took the stage to a warm round of applause. Banhart is a Venezuelan singer-songwriter who plays Americana, folksy songs often with free associative, poetic lyrics. It’s hard to explain!

But he has definitely found his audience, Banhart released his ninth studio album “Ape in Pink Marble” on Nonesuch Records in 2016. He is a real quirky fellow in person. Donning a nice green sweater, he interacted with the crowd after nearly every song. Taught everyone how to say “thank you” in an Eritrean language at one point.

With a calming, vintage looking curtain backdropping a low-lit stage, Banhart and his band were in full control. The drummer, who was a TJ Miller doppleganger, really put in work behind the kit with mallets, brushes, sticks, everything! On “Long Haired Child” the keyboard and guitar guy had a sweet, sweet solo.

Banhart and company worked the setlist to masterfully work the momentum of the show. Atmospheric songs with ethereal vocals would be followed up by louder, more uptempo tracks like “Baby.” Almost all of Banhart’s songs seem to deal about love in one form of another. Though it can be shown in happier, upbeat songs and then some somber sounding tracks that you could listen to while having a good cry in the bath.

During a portion of the show, Banhart’s bandmates absconded from the stage, leaving Banhart alone to take and play requests from the crowd. A knot of fans right in front of Banhart’s mic fed him some quality requests and even helped him with the words when he blanked during “Won’t You Come Over.”

A Grateful Dead cover, “Fire on the Mountain,” made it’s way into the set shortly before the band closed with the classic tune “Foolin.’” The crowd really had to sweat out the encore, one of the longest waits in recent concert memory for me. But eventually Banhart returned sans sweater and played two dance-y tunes including the great “Carmensita.”

It took a few years for Banhart to return to Philly but it was well worth the wait.

Photo: Cirque du Soleil

A story told through vibrant colors, incredible acrobatics and puppetry and breathtaking cinematics — this is how I would summarize my first experience with Cirque du Soleil, and even that seems to be an understatement.

As I walked into Wells Fargo Center March 8, all I knew was that I was awaiting a production by a company that I’ve heard is stunning. Before the show even began, it was evident how vast the appreciation for this production was as the audience ranged from young children to older couples.

This particular tour is called “Toruk: The First Flight” which is inspired by James Cameron’s “Avatar.” The directors, Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon, intended for this show to present events that take place thousands of years before what the movie depicts. The world of Pandora is meant to be reimagined in a live setting as the adventure unfolds right in front of your eyes. These innovators have put together a new world of coexistence and imagination unlike any other.

From the moment the lights dimmed and the world of Pandora and the Na’vi enveloped the arena, the set, the effects and the dialogue tapped into a rich culture filled with beautiful landscapes and mythical legends. A Na’vi storyteller’s voice reverberated throughout, catching everyone’s attention immediately. The effects of the catastrophe that hit this world were felt by the audience through various movements and visual features. The Tree of Souls was on the verge of destruction due to this disaster.

The main characters within this production, Ralu, Entu and Tsyal, illustrate their odyssey to save this tree through choreography and acrobatics, along with numerous other actors. They learn that Toruk, a giant flying creature controlled through master puppetry to bring it to life, can aid them. The journey within the Floating Mountains begins in search of this predator soaring within the sky. The quest held all the components that the audience desired — heroism, arising complications, friendship, discovery and a fulfilled prophecy. One individual from the group rises to ride Toruk and save the Tree of Souls and the Na’vi.

Transporting the audience to Pandora and placing them amidst this adventure seems seamless as an audience member but the true depths of the work put into this production is absolutely incredible. Even as a new culture emerges on stage, the style of Cirque du Soleil is not lost, but rather they meld to form something so creative, straight out of someone’s imagination.

Nature is a large component in this show, as each set is a different landscape of flora, rapid flowing waters and mountains. The Floating Mountains, animal sanctuary, jungle and more are all created visually using multimedia projections. They are nothing short of visually stunning and, as they combine with even larger effects such as earthquakes and flowing rivers, the environment is breathtaking.

The synchronization with the performers’ choreographed movements simply added to enhance the events before your eyes. Their movements and gymnastics evoked an emotion that made me feel as if I was on this journey with them. Each performer was so coordinated and accurate within their steps that it perfectly lined up with the live atmosphere.

What I felt was so awe-inspiring about the entire show was the fact that it literally places you within the setting without making you feel like a spectator. This was done through more creative projections such as portraying a starry night sky along the entire arena.

Another way was through the app that was created for this event. It incorporates the audience within every facet of the show and takes audience participation to a new level. As you open the app, you type in your seat so the program detects exactly where you are in the arena and what your view is.

At different times during the show, you are told to hold your phone up to add to the lighting details on the stage. Toruk immerses you within the production in more ways than one — the set comes to life and you become a part of the tale.

Within such a nature-based world, the sets and props took the environment to a new level. Not only were they visually accurate, but they were also incredibly appealing and stimulating. The makeup and costumes were exceptional, as they heightened the illusion of the performance’s reality.

Everything was so precise and detailed and luminescent that the fact that this was occurring in front of your eyes seemed impossible. The colors within each set and prop used by the performers were full of color and illuminated the stage. It was like a festival for the eyes that seemed to only get better with each change that happened on stage. It left the audience anticipating what came next in this quest.

Never having had any experience with Cirque du Soleil before, all I had to go off of was everyone else’s impressions. “Stunning” was the word that kept arising and I can say now myself that I agree with that wholeheartedly. The carnival of lights, color and performance that is illustrated in front of the audience is unlike any other and definitely worth the watch.

“Toruk” was my first experience with this company and it was absolutely incredible. To be a part of that audience is to literally be brought to another world and it is worth it, without a doubt. Next time Cirque du Soleil visits Philadelphia, be sure to go and watch reality being transformed in front of your very eyes.

Following a band on tour is an activity that rarely makes it off the bucket list.

There are tons of reasons to avoid trekking from city to city to see one of your favorite acts. Finding a car! Paying for gas to put in said car! Finding somewhere to sleep! Buying tickets before all the shows sell out! It’s a somewhat weird dream to indulge in, but that journey is just what I and an old high school pal embarked on to follow the British indie rockers Los Campesinos, March 6-10.

Los Campesinos was the perfect band to follow around on the road. The band’s latest album “Sick Scenes” almost did not come to fruition as LC had parted ways with their label and the members had largely moved on to day jobs, relegating the group to near dormancy. But thanks to funds raised from selling limited-edition soccer jerseys, the band was able to record and release their stellar new album “Sick Scenes” and embark on their first major U.S. tour in five years.

Seeing a run of shows in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington. was too tantalizing to pass up, especially when it was hard to predict when the band would ever be able to come back stateside.

Thankfully, my buddy’s spring break lined right up with string of shows, so we packed up my Prius and headed to Pittsburgh. The four-hour-plus drive through the truly featureless Pennsylvania landscape was a good time to discuss favorite tracks from LC’s six album discography.

I had to do some major stumping to defend my love for the band’s 2008 debut album “Hold On Now, Youngster …” to my buddy. “Knee Deep at ATP” and “We Are All Accelerated Readers” are two LC tracks that I hold near and dear for one reason or another. For my friend, 2010’s “Romance is Boring” and 2013’s “No Blues” are tops. The former is a bit on the noisy side but has some of the best LC lyrics, while the latter suffered from little formal promotion and touring, leading some to ignore just how great and cohesive the record is.

Finally, we pulled into the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Southside and scouted out the Rex Theatre, a quaint little venue situated across the street from another venue, Diesel. Quite the gang of folks was already queued up in the rain to see some metal band called Attila.

Shoutout to the guy wearing the “Satan is my homeboy” t-shirt! There was much better apparel on display amongst the LC fans once the Rex’s doors opened at 7 p.m. Plenty of fans wearing “Doomed” football shirts and sweatshirts, “Sick Scenes” t-shirts and other shirts from years past.

There was something very cathartic about finally seeing Los Campesinos live after so many years of fandom. As soon as all seven members hit the stage and the opening notes of “Lucerne/The Low” rang out, I went into full, unabashed fan-boy mode and remained there for the rest of the week.

At this point in the tour the band had played six shows in six days which is tough on anyone, let alone a band that hasn’t had a proper tour in a few years. Nonetheless, LC powered through a few songs from each of their albums, much to the delight of the small but ardent crowd. A blown amp for lead-guitarist Tom Bromley put a stop to proceedings for a bit, allowing multi-instrumentalist Rob Taylor to riff a bit with the crowd. Thanks to a true hero who had a spare in his trunk, the show could go on and end strongly with the standout track “Miserabilia” from “We Are Beautiful We Are Doomed.”

It hit me while driving back to Philly just how much driving bands have to do. I was sick of two days in the car and here some bands spend months at a time crisscrossing the country to play show after show.

After a day off, it was off to South Street’s TLA for the March 8 show. Seeing “Los Campesinos” on the marquee after all these years was something else, let me tell you. Lead singer Gareth David complimented Philadelphia as being a great “PokeCity” which got a loud whoop from a fan behind me.

The songs from “Sick Scenes” sounded even better than they had in Pittsburgh. Plus, the band debuted “Renato Dall’Ara (2008)” for the first time on the entire tour and it kicked ass. Closing with “Heart Swells/100-1/ I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know” was incredible. Check out the version of that song on LC’s live album “A Good Night for a Fistfight”; it will knock your socks off.

The best part of the night came when members of band came out to the merch table to chat with fans. People lined up to talk to Gareth like he was the Godfather, and how could you not? For most, the man has penned lyrics that have both gotten them through hard times and also taught them so many soccer references through the years. I’d love to see more bands come out for a li’l’ meeting and greeting.

The next day I prepared to say “hello sadness” as my friend and I journeyed to our nation’s capital for our last show of the week. The famous 9:30 Club is a very unassuming, unmarked building that lies on the edge of some major gentrification. Inside, it’s a lovely space complete with columns and balconies and everything! The crowd was pretty full but, outside of some folks in the front, a bit on the low energy side. Gareth revealed a fun fact to the audience: the opening lines of “Baby I Got the Death Rattle” happened right there in Washington! Neat!

I’d be remiss in not mentioning the LC opening act Crying. I had listened to their debut album “Beyond the Fleeting Gales” a bit but Crying live is a whole different animal. The guitars and drums are mixed right to the forefront, reminding me quite a bit of Rush. The lead guitarist Ryan Galloway really worked some magic on his sparkly green guitar, even working in a few mini Townsend-esque windmills now and then. Singer Elaiza Santos showed off her hip hop skills on “There Was a Door” and the drummer (whose name I didn’t catch) was a real pro behind the drums, daftly flicking a wrist to hit a crash cymbal without even looking. Crying, y’all, check ‘em out!

When you see a band three times in four days, it’s the little things that you begin to notice. How the roadie carefully arranges the mic cord into a figure eight before each show. How Gareth will go right up against guitarist Neil Turner and scream the lyrics of “Knee Deep in ATP” along with him. How drummer Jason Adelinia goes for a big, theatrical drumstick toss during the intro to “You! Me! Dancing!” How Gareth and sister Kim David go totally bonkers during the last chorus of “For Flotsam.” How Taylor dutifully plays the cowbells during “Avocado Baby” and the lullaby-sounding synthesizer during “The Fall of Home.” How the crowd joins in on the call and response lyrics and big ol’ whole band choruses to great effect. All these little things add up to create a one-of-a-kind concert experience.

If you couldn’t tell by the word count, I feel very strongly about the music of Los Campesinos It’s a feeling shared by the majority of their fan base, especially those who have been there since the beginning. But it’s even better to see how many people were seeing the band for the very first time on this tour. Thanks to “Sick Scenes” and the success of this tour, hopefully we won’t have to wait another five years to see LC again.

The 89th Academy Awards premieres Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. and I’m here to give you a handy-dandy preview of Hollywood’s biggest night of the year.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is hosting this year and it will be good to see some of the celebs read mean tweets about themselves live on camera. Hopefully, he will even show some videos of parents taking away Oscars from their children. What fun that would be! In all seriousness, kudos to Kimmel. I’m glad that a straight, white man has found his way into hosting an awards show. It has been far too long.

I think it best to start off with some of the less flashy categories then work our way up to the big ones. Together we can become “woke” for the Oscars! I predict that the sound mixing and sound editing categories will be swept by “Arrival.” Although I have a sneaking suspicion that “La La Land” will win these two as well as every other award, “Arrival” does a tremendous job with the humpback whale-sounding speech of the Heptapods. I’d like to see Justin Hurwitz compose a Heptapod musical, good luck pal! On second thought, that too might win every major award.

Next up are the documentary categories. For documentary (short subject) I think that “4.1 Miles” will win as its title coincides with the distance I can jog in about three hours. For documentary (feature) how can “O.J.: Made in America” not win? It’s the longest film in the category at 467 minutes and longer is always better, or so I’ve been told. This documentary shines a light on an event that did not receive nearly enough coverage during its time. Will “O.J.: Made in America” win the award for documentary feature? If it’s anything like O.J. himself, the film will definitely do it.

Let’s get onto the writing categories as they hold a place near and dear to my heart. First up are the screenplays, a strong category this year with “Hell or High Water,” “The Lobster,” “Manchester by the Sea,” “La La Land” and some other film that no one cares about (“20th Century Women”). If someone would help a guy out with a Netflix login I could check out “Hell or High Water” but until then I think “The Lobster” will win! Thank you for being available on Amazon Prime Video, “The Lobster”!

Adapted screenplay is always a crapshoot. Remember when “The Imitation Game,” one of the most historically inaccurate films of the past decade, stole the award away from more deserving films like “Whiplash?” I do. I’ll never forget it as long as I live. It’s from past experiences like that which lead me to believe that “Fences” will come away with the adapted screenplay award this year. Sorry “Moonlight” and “Arrival.” Better luck next year!

“Enough with these stupid baby awards no one cares about,” you’re probably saying to yourself. I hear you, the reader, and will now preview the acting awards accordingly.

Ladies first! I think that Viola Davis should win best supporting actress for “Fences” because in the bottom of my heart I think that “Fences” should win every award one way or the other (I have yet to see “Fences”). That category feels weak, unlike its cool big sister category, best actress. This field is stacked with Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep and Emma Stone. Give it to Stone, the Academy. She is delightful in what is the best movie of the year (spoiler alert). As far as the gentlemen’s acting categories are concerned, give it to the dudes who put acting on the map in the first place. I’m talkin’ ‘bout Denzel Washington! I’m talkin’ ‘bout Jeff Bridges! Sure, why not! Though Mahershala Ali, I did love your performance in “House of Cards!”

Finally, we come to the biggest awards of them all, best director and best picture. Everyone has been saying that Damien Chazelle and “La La Land” will take home both of those awards and they are so right. Have you seen “La La Land” yet?

If you haven’t, stop reading this and go watch “La La Land.” Type “watch ‘La La Land” into your Google search bar and get to work. It is the best film by a country mile and it is also about Hollywood, show biz, what have you. The Academy goes gaga for those movies! It’s almost unfair how much the Hollywood folks like giving awards to Hollywood folks who make movies about Hollywood folks.

Lucy Dacus provided a solid open for Hamilton Leithauser at Johnny Brenda’s Feb. 9. (Photo: Shane O’Connor, The Triangle)

Girard Avenue’s storied Johnny Brenda’s hosted Lucy Dacus and Hamilton Leithauser Feb. 9 for a night of fun rock ’n’ roll.

Dacus and Leithauser are two great musicians who are in two very different times in their careers. After releasing the great “No Burden” on Matador Records this past fall, Dacus and her band are already working on their next album. Their star in the indie rock scene is surely on the rise.

On the other end is Leithauser. Back in 2013, the rock group he fronted, the Walkmen, went on an indefinite hiatus and their members scattered to the four winds to work on their own. Leithauser soon released his debut solo album “Black Hours,” eschewing the harder rock of his earlier days for a lighter fare that allowed him to showcase his great vocal talent. Now, after releasing an album with Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, who collaborated on the “Black Hours” track “I Retired,” Leithauser has embarked to tour the critically acclaimed “I Had a Dream That You Were Mine.”

Dacus and her band came out on stage just past 9 p.m. to a crowd that slowly but surely filled up over the course of their set. “No Burden” is an excellent record that happens to make great bike-riding music if you are a fan of that transportation method. Dacus’ soft, almost sultry voice, cruises steadily throughout each song, providing a comforting presence while the lead guitar lines cut through like a hot knife through butter. Songs like “Maps on a Wall” and “Strange Torpedo” really stood out, as well as the song that put Dacus on the map, “I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore.”

Dacus and company also debuted two new songs that will be on their next record. The first one had a bit of an angry vibe to it, something not present on “No Burden.” The second, which I have a hunch may end up being called “Pillar of Truth,” had a much more hopeful and uplifting vibe to it. The song was a bit more of a jam than the tracks on “No Burden,” really allowing the lead guitarist in particular to cut loose and shred a little. Keep your eyes on Lucy Dacus; she’ll surely be coming back to Philly to headline soon.

Leithauser is on this tour without Batmanglij which was fine by me, Southeastern Pennsylvania’s foremost Vampire Weekend hater. After seeing Leithauser three or four times solo before, with crowds much more sparse, it was good to see him sell out Johnny Brenda’s on the strength of his new record. And with years of showmanship under his belt, Leithauser did not disappoint.

“Sick as a Dog” and “The Morning Stars” at the top of the set really set the tone for the evening. A solid backing band would churn in the background while Leithauser, on lead guitar and vocals, shined in the spotlight. With his twelve-string acoustic or other guitar in hand for every song except one, Leithauser has had to adjust the physical performance style that he has crafted over the years. Craning to reach the upper levels of his vocal register while also playing the main guitar line is a real sight to see, let me tell you.

Songs from “Black Hours” seemed to kick more ass than I remembered from previous times seeing Leithauser. Though just three in number, “I Retired,” “Alexandra” and “11 O’Clock Friday Night” were true standouts in Leithauser’s too brief set.

“A 1000 Times,” the lead single from “I Had a Dream,” was one of the best live songs I’ve heard this year and one of my favorite songs of 2016. The dark horse for Song of the Night had to go to the encore track “1959.”

Sans guitar, Leithauser was free to roam the stage a bit and really cut loose on vocals. This was the Leithauser who was one of the foremost indie frontmen of the early aughts. Hearing Leithauser sing lyrics on the record performed by a lady with a very beautiful voice was neat and gave the tune a new spin that was very enjoyable. It was a great way to close the night.

Dacus and Leithauser were a great double-bill for a cold, post-snowstorm night at Johnny Brenda’s. One act on the rise and the other enjoying a renaissance after a lengthy career. I recommend seeing either of these two great acts when they swing back through Philly.

Hamilton Leithauser came to Philly Feb. 9 in support of his 2016 release “I Had a Dream That You Were Mine.” (Photo: Shane O’Connor, The Triangle)

Luke Wade, a contestant on season 7 of NBC’s “The Voice,” made a tour stop in Philadelphia to perform at World Cafe Live Jan. 19. Alongside Wade on the tour was a fellow “The Voice” alum and Philly native, Matt McAndrew.

Wade and McAndrew played to a full crowd upstairs at World Cafe Live. All the tables were reserved, the bar was full and there were even people (including myself) sitting on the floor in front of the stage.

McAndrew’s music is a mix of alternative rock and pop, featuring soaring vocals that earned him second place on “The Voice.” He came out just a few minutes after 8 p.m. to begin his opening acoustic set. His performance was very personable, like he was playing to a room of old friends — which I suppose he was, since many of his friends and family members were in attendance.

McAndrew started his set with a warning that he had not quite mastered his new loop machine, but after a few tries he got it to work and began playing. His acknowledged his jumbled-up setlist: “I write a setlist down before the show, then I get up here and do what I want.”

He performed all the tracks from his most recent EP, “Rush in Slowly,” including fan-favorites “Wasted Love,” “Bones” and “Carried Away.” He even took requests from the audience members and performed some of the most popular songs that he did on “The Voice.” Some of these covers included his audition song, Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” and Damien Rice’s “The Blower’s Daughter.”

After his set, McAndrew met with some of his fans before catching up with his friends and family. Shortly after that, Wade came out with the three other members of his band.

Wade, a Texas native, has a style that’s a mixture of soul, Americana and singer-songwriter. Wade just released his album, “Only Ghosts” Jan. 13, and it has been climbing on the singer-songwriter charts.

Wade’s performance was very soulful. He performed all the songs on his new album including the new single, “Three Days,” and a song that he co-wrote with McAndrew called “Passenger Side.” Before each song, he gave the audience a brief story about what inspired him to write the song which allowed the audience to get a clearer view into his world.

During his set, the audience sitting on the floor got up and started to dance. After his set was finished, the audience begged for an encore. Wade came onstage for the encore and played a solo song, and then his band joined him for one last song.

After Wade’s set, he walked out to his merch table and made himself available to any fan that wanted to say hello, take a picture or get an autograph. A long line of fans formed in the front of the building as he made it a point to meet with every fan. Both Wade’s and McAndrew’s performances were solid and it was a treat to see them live.