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Live Review: Kristin Hersh, Fred Abong, Philadelphia, June 24, 2019

Kristin Hersh’s off-kilter power pop makes the familiar feel eerily out of place and the confounding comforting, kind of like describing a dream within a dream.

The same could be said of her show at Boot & Saddle by Kristin Hersh’s “electric trio” (not to be confused with Hersh’s electric trio Throwing Muses or her electric trio 50 Foot Wave), which plowed through a half-dozen tunes from last year’s Possible Dust Clouds, plus a smattering of songs from both of her mighty bands and her solo albums.

The best of these were “Halfway Home,” “Mississippi Kite,” an extra noisy and giggly “Your Ghost” and a frenzied encore of “Broke,” which left me hungry for another 50 Foot Wave tour.

In addition to Hersh’s mesmerizing vocals, guitar and screwdriver, this electric trio featured Rob Ahlers (50 Foot Wave) and Fred Abong (of long-ago lineups of Throwing Muses and Belly), who switched off on bass and drums. Abong opened the show with a set of his own.

—M.J. Fine; photos by Chris Sikich

Fred Abong