Come Check Out Jo Passed, the “fucked-up Beatles,” Tonight at B&S

So, although most of the major problems with Ticketfly and the ability to actually use the tickets that you paid for have been resolved, I realize that most venue’s...

So, although most of the major problems with Ticketfly and the ability to actually use the tickets that you paid for have been resolved, I realize that most venue’s still have websites that are pretty fucked up and not particularly welcoming or likely-to-be-good-at convincing to get you out to see anyone smaller than Belle & Sebastian, the Eeels, or that guy from The Strokes… However, tonight, June 7th, Boot & Saddle will be hosting Sub Pop artist Jo Passed, and I would highly recommend to coming out to the show.  If the lack of artist info on B&S’s website is the issue, here’s the extensive and official press release, courtesy of Sub Pop.  And if that looks like too much reading, here’s my summary…

Jo Passed all started with Jo Hirabayashi, the band’s frontman, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Brian Molko as Beat novelist… Jo is a Vancouver-based musician who has been part of Canada’s DIY music scene for over a decade now.  However, Jo Passed’s debut LP, Their Prime, hit shelves less than two weeks ago.  When Jo’s previous band, Sprïng, ended, Jo was pretty convinced that he didn’t want to go the whole “solo” route.  Jo first recruited friend Mac Lawrie as Jo Passed’s drummer, before being joined by multi-instrumentalist Bella Bébé at the start of 2016, and eventually multimedia artist Megan-Magdalena Bourne, who would go on to be the band’s bassist.  Jo Passed released two EPs, prior to Their Prime, but their current tour is officially their first as a quartet.

Jo Hirabayashi claims that the nicest feedback he’s ever received about anything in his life is when someone told him that Their Prime sounds like, “fucked-up Beatles.”  Well… That is quite a sweet compliment, but while listening to the 12 tracks of the album, the characterization certainly resonates.  While the core of their sound would seem to be the most credible brand of 4-piece ‘60s pop, they also seem to be inspired by healthy doses of ‘70s art rock, ‘80s post-punk and new wave, and ‘90s alternative (not that they’re entirely, or even at all, unrelated).  Thematically, Jo claims that the album is very inspired by the philosophy of the counterculture of the ‘60s and how those sentiments can be a fitting mirror to the ways in which so many people are contemplating and responding to the current status quo.  The result is a fuzzy and elegantly sloppy dance-party push toward revolution… something you should definitely check out…

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During the day Izzy Cihak teaches transgression, subversion, and revolution at Temple University. At night he haunts Philthy's best venues to cover worthwhile acts for Philthy Mag. Morrissey is everything to him and, in their own heads, all of his friends see themselves as Zooey Deschanel.

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