Curious what notable personalities in the scene think was great this year? So is TGEFM! So we reached out to some of our favorite luminaries ranging from musicians, label personnel, and more for their “Best of 2023” lists. Now, listen: TGEFM is not a taskmistress. Contributors can write these out however they want. So if it doesn’t actually look or read like a list… and sometimes it really is just a list with no other observations! Who cares?
Consisting of members of Kid Dynamite, Zoloff The Rock and Roll Destroyer, The Curse, and Step Ahead, Philly punks Crossed Keys have set themselves apart from their peers with flawless melodic punk tunes. Releasing Believes In You, earlier this year (here), Crossed Keys continues to evolve and show that their veteran status doesn’t mean they allowed their creative juices to stagnate. Frontman Joshua Alvarez was sweet enough to share some of his favorite things from 2023.
For better or for worse, 2023 has been a year.
Here are 10 of my favorite things from this year:
1. Asteroid City
Wes Anderson’s 11th movie came out this year to a cavalcade of hip critics trying to convince me of why they’re over Wes Anderson. I get it, if his current output no longer moves you like The Royal Tenenbaums did, then enjoy your freedom to find the next cinematic thing that twists your melon. As for me, and anyone with a curiosity about the inspirado behind some of the cinematic referencing of the Crossed Keys oeuvre, the films of Wes Anderson play a huge part in the emotional mosaic that I draw from when conjuring the stories and lyrics for our songs. The latest of his movies shows a star studded cast and aesthetic that would give any graphic designer a jealousy migraine, but also it takes a step back from the chaos of his previous movie, The French Dispatch, with a more simple and direct story, despite being a narrative encapsulated in the artifice of a stage production. By movie 11, you’re either in or out with good ol’ Wes and it’s one of the highlights, cinematic or otherwise, for my 2023.
2. The Orville Peck Rodeo
In celebration of our 10 year wedding anniversary, Meilani and I headed west to lovely old Pioneertown in California for the 3 day Orville Peck Rodeo. Orville Peck played three sets stretched over three nights, each night complete with a seperate full line up of country, folk and blues acts from all walks of life. The first night for Orville was a set of cover songs, the second night was his normal set and the third night was a set of acoustic songs. There were a bunch of surprises along the way; we got to hear Orville and famous drag queen icon Trixie Mattel perform their cover of Jackson, originally by June Carter and Johnny Cash, we were treated to a drag brunch at Pappy & Harriets featuring drag queens Meatball and Pinche, icon Brittany Broski entertained us with not only her brand of boisterous comedy, but also with her vocal talents, performing a Carrie Underwood song with Orville & company, there was a Q&A session with Orville as moderated by his 7 year old niece, and so much more. Despite my fandom of Orville Peck’s music, I didn’t have a three day gender non-conforming California desert rodeo on my dance card for 2023, but I’m quite pleased that it worked out that way.
3. Games Of Power by Home Front is my favorite new band and my favorite record of 2023. If you’re not yet acquainted with Home Front, imagine what New Order would have sounded like if they had an Oi! singer. Or what Cock Sparrer would have sounded like if they had a keyboard player. This band encapsulates a lot of things that I am perpetually inspired by, from synthesizers to an aggressive stage show and everything in between. I managed to see them 3 times in 2023 and I have tickets for their show at the First Unitarian Church this January.
4. Getting to play so many iconic shows with all of my musical projects this year has been charmed and lovely. Though 2023 might have been a year rife with struggle, hardships and emotional traumas of all varieties, I would be remiss not to cite the fact that it was also an explosive year for all of my musical endeavors. Would you believe that my hardcore band, Hard Turf, got to play with Gorilla Biscuits at the First Unitarian Church this past February? Or that Crossed Keys got to play not one but two shows with legendary Berkley band Samiam? Or how about the fact that Crossed Keys played our first legitimate festival this year? Or that I got to play a solo set opening for Popeye Vogelsang of Farside fame? All of this happened in 2023, but there was also so much more. 2023 saw me get dragged through the filth of these coptic times, but it also saw me on the biggest stages that I’ve ever played on in front of a few well packed crowds. I’m still not sure if this is all a dream or not, but it’s been a brilliant time.
5. I got a learners permit for a drivers license at 46 years old in the year of our lord, 2023. I had a drivers license literally 21 years ago and I let it lapse when I moved to the bubbling metropolis that is Philadelphia. Consider it a mistake that I made along the way, one of so many that I can’t even count. So, after riding around my fair city on a bicycle for two decades, I’ve decided to rejoin adult society with another licensure. There’s a lot of anxiety tied to this act for me; for the record, I was an Asian driver from New Jersey and all of the negative stereotypes applied. For better of worse, I’m going for it. All I can say is that I’m tired of getting hit by cars when I’m on my bike.
6. Yet another cinematic high point of my year was getting to go to the Nitrate Picture Show at the George Eastman Museum in beautiful Rochester, New York. Now, on its face, I get that a weekend of movies that were struck before 1951 presents what could be perceived as tedious to the non-cinephile. For my money, this is one of the best kept movie secrets in the festival circuit. Every year we are treated to screenings on actual 35mm nitrate prints of iconic and foundational films, and this year was absolutely no exception. I get that this is a very erudite and specific niche for a certain type of movie appreciator, but if seeing The Wizard of Oz in its original nitrate presentation from a print that was struck in 1936 gets your fancy, then this. festival is for you. We got that this year, along with original prints of Black Narcissus, The Third Man, The Blue Angel, and so many more. Can’t wait to see what they have for us next year!
7. Meilani and I managed to catch Quicksand on their 30th anniversary of Slip tour at Underground Arts this year. They were flawless and ferocious, featuring Steven Brodsky on second guitar and back up vocals. We were witness to the first Quicksand full length from front to back and it legitimately brought me back to the first time I saw them at Warped Tour the summer before I left home for college (this was the summer of 1995 because I am old). There were more songs after that from Manic Compression, but hearing that first full length from front to back was glorious.
8. I have seen a great many things in my time. I saw KISS perform in full make up. I saw Motley Crüe live and they did the thing where Tommy Lee rolls out into the crowd in a suspended drum cage. I saw Iron Maiden when the plane came out of the ceiling when they played 2 Minutes to Midnight. None of this compares to the greatest show I’ve ever seen in my life, a show I saw this year. Meilani & I went to North Jersey and saw Beyoncé. We got the tickets in the parking lot of the MetLife arena on a third party ticket platform 2 hours before showtime. It was everything that you’ve heard it was. Grandiose, festively costumed, loud as fuck and three hours of nonstop and powerful entertainment. Now, neither Meilani or I got the memo about how one dresses for such an occasion; I ended up attending in all black (as is my standard wardrobing) including an Elliot Smith tshirt and Meilani was looking adorable in her regular street clothes, but literally everyone else was dressed like a gender-fluid cowboy (cowperson) from outer space, sparkly and shiny, akin to the display at the Orville Peck Rodeo (see item #2 on this list), and apparently that’s a thing that I had no idea about. Wardrobe malfunction notwithstanding, it was the greatest live performance i’ve ever witnessed and will likely hold that distinction for the rest of my long & storied life.
9. Of all of the sundry and illustrious places that my music has taken me, none have been so wild and joyful to me as the gig that we played this year aboard a boat with our longtime friend, Dave Hause and his band, The Mermaid. To say that I took the news that we were to play a Rocks Off Cruise with Hause gracefully is a gross denial of the truth that I flipped out, screamed until my throat was hoarse and immediately started shopping for anti-nausea medication. The honest to goodness truth is that playing on a boat with all of your friends as you circle (nay…sail) around the Statue of Liberty is something that you’ll likely never forget and I’m pretty sure that I won’t be forgetting the sensation of a boat rocking while I was rocking with my best friends for the rest of my life.
10. Of all of the things that I’ve been through this year, I’m the most proud of the fact that I’ve managed to stay married to Meilani for ten solid years this year. I know it’s lame to put such emotional things on a list like this, but it’s the honest truth. The good Lord knows that I am a horribly imperfect human; I mess things up constantly, I forget all of the important things, I have poor time management skills and I’m always just a step behind where I’m supposed to be at any given moment. Despite all of this, Meilani has stood by my side for ten long (I’m sure VERY long) years, steadfast and true. There are moments when I’m not quite sure that I deserve such a caring and loving partner in my life, but for whatever reason, I’ve managed keep her love and will remain devoted to her for hopefully many more years to come. That’s the best part of 2023 for me.
