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Arts & Entertainment

Philly Invades North Baltimore: Conversations With Enemies, Band Name Play at Golden West

Winter weather couldn't break Philadelphia-based bands Conversations With Enemies and Band Name's date at Golden West Cafe Monday.

By the time the show was supposed to start the snow had devolved into a wintry mix, so everyone was nervously peeking outside to see if any of it had frozen, and if so, how much.

Conversations With Enemies opened with a set of bouncy, summery surf pop, much of which was drawn from their debut concept album, “Nowhere, OK.” According to singer and guitarist Josh Craft, this was their third show in Baltimore. “We love it, it's awesome,” he told the small but appreciative crowd. “Our friendly neighbor to the south, some might say.” Craft said during a break that they'd played the Sidebar last time, but they preferred Golden West because Hampden “is nicer to walk around in.”

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Band Name played second, and brought a much rowdier, punkier sound. Their introduction claimed that their music “might make you want to dance and get pregnant.” The test I bought on the way home came up negative (can't be too careful), but the stuff about dancing was certainly true. Band Name has a lot of the same contagious energy that early Bay Area punk bands had, and that bands like Chicago's Daylight Robbery have now. They also hacked around a lot, threatening to not begin a song until someone in the crowd guessed how many snowflakes had fallen since they'd started playing.

Local band Let's, who share members with Pansori and Army of Kashyyyk, closed out the evening with a short, heavy set that reminded me of a sloppier Cap'n Jazz. That's not intended as an insult; I saw Let's open for Big Kids and 1994! last July, and they've definitely improved since then. They also, if their post-show conversation with Band Name's Greg Labold was any indication, seem to know a lot of Philadelphia punk bands.

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The next Golden West Cafe show is on Friday, Jan. 21. Holy Fingers, Bridget and the Squares, and Golden Gurls will be playing.

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