I caught Waxahatchee (one of my favorite new bands) and Screaming Females at the Middle East Club in Cambridge on Friday night and it was one of the best shows I’ve seen all year. This was the first stop on their U.S. tour. Interestingly the audience was about 60% men and not a sold-out show. The Middle East holds 575. Label mates [Don Giovanni Records], the bands certainly attracted different audiences with some cross-over–Waxahatchee getting alternative and college radio buzz. Screaming Females a power-punk band from New Jersey with more of an underground following.

Waxahatchee plays higher energy and rawer live than on the album. Katie Crutchfield–the force and face of Waxahatchee [lead singer/guitarist/songwriter] has sweet vocals on “Cerulean Salt” that remind me Juliana Hatfield. Screaming Females, led by pint-sized powerhouse Marissa Paternoster on guitar and vocals, tore it up with jarring chords, guttural bass and super energetic songs. Amazing fun.

TOUR DATES:

Monday, Sept 16—The Bowery Ballroom—New York
Tuesday, Sept 17—Black Cat—Washington, D.C.
Thursday, Sept 19—40 Watt Club—Athens, GA
Friday, Sept 20—Bottletree Café—Birmingham, AL
Saturday, Sept 21—Stone Fox—Nashville, Tenn.
Sunday, Sept 22—Russian Recording—Bloomington, Indiana
Monday, Sept 23—The Frequency—Madison, WI
Tuesday, Sept 24—Triple Rock Social Club–Minneapolis
Wednesday, Sept 25—Lincoln Hall—Chicago
Thursday, Sept 26—Ace of Cups–Columbus, Ohio
Friday, Sept 27—Pittsburgh, Penn
Saturday, Sept 28 and Sunday, Sept 29—First Unitarian Church–Philadelphia