LIVE REVIEW: Belly, Parkington Sisters in Lowell, MA (09.15.24)
It was a magical late summer night at the historic Boarding House Park in Lowell on Sunday. The 90s alt-rock stalwarts, Belly, set the stage on fire with their fierce opening song, ‘Dusted,’ an iconic tune that had been echoing in my mind all day. They seamlessly transitioned into ‘Gepetto,’ with that unforgettable bass riff. The outdoor setting, under a nearly full moon, was a perfect match for Belly’s music, which often draws inspiration from nature. Guitarist Tom Gorman’s observation, ‘It’s not red, it’s not full, but there’s a nice moon out there,’ added a touch of whimsy to the evening.
I’ve been to several shows in the past few years as part of the Lowell Summer Music Series, but they’ve been rained out, so I was pleased to finally have clear weather. Being an elder member of Generation X, I also appreciated being able to sit for the show. It’s an intimate outdoor area with a beautiful stage, where attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs (though some are available at extra cost) and can bring their own food. The only drawback for some is that it’s an alcohol free, all-ages, family-friendly venue.
The set included many favorites, newer songs, and plenty of good vibes. After playing “King,” which they’d not performed live since the 90s, bassist Gail Greenwood, the most talkative of the band, lamented: “I’m singing ‘I’d like to see you naked’ to an eight-year-old child. It’s hard not to say the F word. It’s our first time playing a family show and sit-down venue.”
Despite those challenges, Belly performed a vigorous set. It was impossible not to dance in your seat. It can be challenging to play off a seated crowd yet they maintained a high energy level as they’re known to do. They sounded loud and strong with clear vocals. Singer Tanya Donelly has a recognizable voice with raspy, potent, grounding, and sometimes dreamy vocal stylings.
Donelly formed Belly in Rhode Island in 1992 with high school classmates Chris and Tom Gorman. They released Star in 1993, and Greenwood joined the band shortly after. Belly was nominated for a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1994. They released King in 1995 and broke up a year later. Tanya Donelly went on to a successful solo career. Belly reunited in 2016 and released the album Dove in 2018.
“Feed the Tree” had a slower chorus, which I really liked. Belly played the song “Remember” from their upcoming new album–a slower, nostalgic song with a swaying beat. For the second half of the set, the opening act, the Parkington Sisters, joined Belly onstage. “Playing with the Parkington Sisters sparks as much joy as the Harris-Walz ticket,” Greenwood gushed. The dual strings and keyboards amplified songs such as “Slow Dog.”
‘Low Red Moon’ began with whispery vocals and built up to a crescendo of cool guitar riffs, with Greenwood’s long blonde hair swaying as she played. At the end of their hour-long set, Greenwood expressed their gratitude, ‘Thank you, Lowell and Boarding House Park. What a beautiful venue you have here. We hope we didn’t stink up the joint.’ They closed with ‘Suffer the Fools’ for an encore and a beautiful new song, ‘Answer Love.‘
Openers the Parkington Sisters, a folk/Americana trio from the Cape Cod area, won the crowd with double strings and harmonies. I’d seen them a few times before. They opened with the pretty and fitting “September.” They played a song I loved with darker undertones–”Loneliness Has No Home”–which gave me PJ Harvey vibes. Tanya Donelly came out for their last song– an acapella Mary Margaret O’ Hara song, “You Will Be Loved Again,” on the album Donelly and the Parkington Sisters released in 2020. I heard some bro dude say, “What is this, High School Musical?” Total eye roll on that comment. I think he was with one of the sponsor groups for the series.
As a fun, memorable aside, I grabbed food at Life Alive earlier and ran into Tom Gorman. I wondered if he was a fellow vegan but didn’t ask. Later, I learned that bassist Gail Greenwood is vegan, an exciting new tidbit of information. Although she’s so fit that she probably wouldn’t eat the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I make.
