Show Alert: JEFF The Brotherhood @ Great Scott (Two Nights!)
03/19/2013 Leave a comment
Tuesday – May 21
and
Wednesday – May 22
Show Alert: Juan Wauters Playing @ Great Scott On March 9th
02/26/2013 Leave a comment
Juan Wauters is singer, guitarist, song-maker in one of my favorites, The Beets, from Queens. He is also Juan Wauters solo and that is what I have come to tell you about this time.
He’s opening for Veronica Falls and Cold Showers in just under a couple of weeks on Saturday March 9th at the Great Scott. He’s also playing dates with those folks in NYC, DC, and Philadelphia. Juan has a single coming out in March on Wayward Records – Sanity/Nena. You can listen to it now, though, which I do advise ’cause it is great: http://juanwauters.bandcamp.com/
Concert Review: Bent Shapes, earthquake party!, Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion!, The Fagettes @ Great Scott (1/12/13)
02/01/2013 Leave a comment
Bands: Bent Shapes, earthquake party!, Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion!, The Fagettes
Date: Saturday, January 12, 2013
Venue: Great Scott (Allston, MA)
Act I: The Fagettes - The Fagettes are a KLYAM band. Period. There are many styles/genres I could attribute to this band, and pretty much all of them we dig, hence why they are a KLYAM band. Rock ‘n’ Roll, Garage, Punk, Psychedelic, you name it, they got it. Their sound and aesthetic fits perfectly with the punk slime we proudly promote every day on this site, which I honestly can’t say about most of the local bands we see. That isn’t to say other bands around here suck, not at all. It’s just great to see a Hunxian “garage” band in Boston. We saw them once before performing as Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood for a Halloween cover show, and as much of a blast as that was, we yearned to see them as FAGETTES. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited. As I mentioned earlier, these guys have nailed that fun, fun rock ‘n’ roll sound down pat, but they also have a real cool look to them. Especially Ryan Major (vocals, guitar, harmonica); he is simply one suave motherfucker. He rocks the shades and from a distance he looks like Jared Swilley, but up close he looks more like John Holmes, either way he is the man and he is a great singer. Ryan shares vocal duties with Melanie Bernier (one half of one of the best local bands, The Electric Street Queens – check them out!), who also plays drums. But, Melanie isn’t the only one that sings and plays drums, oh no. A wonderful gentleman by the name of Peaches commands the kit in the back and provides some sick backing vocals. The bass player, who’s name escapes me (sorry dude!) is enthusiastic as he always is, love that guy. But, wait there’s more. Matt “Nice Guy” Garlick is riffing on guitar. In fact, before the band plays their set, I can hear Matt jamming on The King Khan & BBQ Show’s “Waddlin Around,” killer song. I should also mention that Matt is completing the second half of his double header tonight, having just played at the Butcher Shoppe with his other badass punk band, Nice Guys, wowzer! The Fagettes’ set consists of all the fun tunes you’d want to hear, oldies like “Catholic Riff Raff,” “Mystery Pills,” and “Water, Tea, and Alcohol,” as well as their latest offering, “Gonna Die Out Here,” one of their sexiest to date. They also play all three cuts (“If I See Him Again,” “On Drugs,” and “My Girl Looks Like Johnny Thunders”) from last summer’s EP If I See Him Again. With “On Drugs,” they really make it feel like a place you come to visit, where the fun never stops. This song and every song sounds terrific. The Fagettes live is a visual, auditory monster. With all these vocals and percussion jostling me, I feel like I’m being trampled by a lion. The sound is that big, perhaps not that terrifying though, but my ears are equally pleased and damaged. I can’t recommend Fagettes more, going back to what I started saying at the beginning of the review that they are a KLYAM band, meaning they play rock ‘n’ roll the way it ought to be done: short, but simple pop songs, fun, filthy, and catchy. Sweetness meets sickness. Like, Shannon and the Clams, there’s enough loud punk and soft pop for all to enjoy, and usually somewhere in between. I am exhausted, but Fagettes can keep me up all night. Be awesome like me and listen to all their crazy music here: http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/
Act II: Beware the Dangers Of A Ghost Scorpion!- Now, here’s a sweet band. With a name this enormous and eccentric, they ought to send me into an oblivion. And like their name they are both fun and puzzling, but in a pleasant way. ‘Beware’ is a five piece and each member is dressed the same: bandannas covering their noses and mouths, blue jeans, and black shirts bearing a picture of a presumably dangerous, ghost scorpion. The set is entirely instrumental and with the exception of Big Mess, I typically am not fond of this style of music, but these men capture my attention and entertain me for the next half hour. They rock out pretty hard, playing early 60s surf rock with a bit of an extra kick, in fact a lot of emotion and physical energy. This is especially true of the man on tambourine. This dude bashes away at the tambourine, unlike anyone else I’ve seen before, I can’t imagine what his hand looks like after each gig. But, he goes beyond that in his showmanship. He makes the crowd move and shake and he is the leader of all this hype and excitement in the room, as if he is holding the crowd in the palm of his hand, perhaps a cliched comparison, but he just holds this undeniable command over the crowd. What’s even more fascinating and unique about this man and the group as a whole is the lack of vocals. As I mentioned, they are an instrumental band, but they literally never speak throughout the whole performance. No words, just music. Actually, let me rephrase that, words do appear at various moments, as they are scrawled across a sign that the tambourine player triumphantly holds, reading: BEWARE THE DANGERS OF A GHOST SCORPION! This guy gets an A+ for the night. Solid set, sick band, but I don’t know if this is the kind of music I see myself listening to at home alone in my room, with that being said, I hope to see them again in the future and I hope others catch their set too, for this is a live show you won’t want to miss. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EmoBSVPoXs
Set-List:
“Red River Tombstone Hustle”
“Heads Will Roll”
“The Lover’s Curse”
“The Nameless One”
“Caught Dead”
“Cateye Glasses”
“We Welcome The Living, But Only If They Come Here To Die”
“Satan’s Invisible World”
“13 Stabs”
“SOS”
“Denton County Casket Company”
“Haintmaker”
“The Legend of Goatman’s Bridge”
Act III: earthquake party!- Earthquake Party’s a perennial rock force in Boston, and a very talented band at that. Their set is loud and noisy, but with some pop beneath the heavy volume. Their keyboard driven songs mixed with grungey/screaming vocals remind me of the Lost Sounds and Yo La Tengo. There’s a harsh quality to it, but it’s also satisfying and never overstays its welcome. Listening to their bandcamp, I hear the songs more clearly, they have some real great pop numbers here. I’ve seen them a couple times before and each show has been an enjoyable experience. Definitely a KLYAM recommendation: http://earthquakeparty.bandcamp.com/
Set-List:
“Nails + Hammertime”
“One More Night”
“Pretty Lil Hand”
“Fast Girl”
“Escape Artist”
“Daydream Jenny”
“Brains”
“Pretty Trash”
“Tramp”
“Little Pet”
“Hello Weirdo”
Act IV: Bent Shapes - Like earthquake Party! Bent Shapes are familiar faces around the Boston rock scene and they have earned a reputation for creating catchy, mellow, pop songs that rank up there with the finest in music today. So yeah, they’re one of my favorite bands right now and it’s great to see them in front of a packed crowd at the Great Scott. Great Scott is the first place I saw Bent Shapes (well Girlfriends) many, many moons ago, opening for another brilliant, underrated pop band, Harlem. At the time, I didn’t really pay attention to local music, for no particular reason, I just didn’t. Girlfriends stood out to me though, I think the first local band that I really dug. Flash forward to the present. They sound excellent and they play some of their best songs including the sunny “Leave It Till You Need It,” and their recent flexi, “Panel of Experts” and “Bites and Scratches.” They have a somewhat soft pop style to their craft, but they rock just as hard as all the other bands. The set closes with one of my all time favorite songs, “I Was Here, But I Disappear,” which always gets me super ecstatic, there’s just no way of describing my love for this song without sounding over the top. Perhaps, the best performance I’ve seen from Bent Shapes. Check them out, if you haven’t already. http://bentshapes.bandcamp.com/
Set-List
“Big Machines”
“Panel of Experts”
“Boys to Men”
“Spazz”
“Bhead”
“Wut?”
“Space”
“What We Do Is Public”
“Bites and Scratches”
“Leave It ‘Til You Need It”
“Brat Poison”
“I Was Here But I Disappear”
Concert Review: Atlantic Thrills, Ravi Shavi @ Great Scott (12/4/12)
12/04/2012 Leave a comment
Bands: Atlantic Thrills, Ravi Shavi, Yale Massachusetts
Date: Monday, December 4, 2012
Venue: Great Scott (Allston, MA)
Act 1 - Atlantic Thrills – The Atlantic Thrills, damn, yo! I was blessed with the opportunity to see the Thrills for the sixth time last night. I always reflect on the very first time that I saw them, opening for Black Lips. I was blown away by the fact that they were just a local act. They channeled quite nearly the same energies of the headlining Lips. I couldn’t believe what I had witnessed and really hoped that they would open the next night in Boston. It didn’t happen, but I kept up with them and flash forward to now and yes, here we are a handful of shows deep. There are just a few bands out there that I get to stand in front of on a semi-regular basis. Atlantic Thrills are one of them. Tonight was a night of newness for the band. They kicked off the set with two new songs “Come On,” and “Holy Mountain”. Each had its own catchy hook, sometimes sounding surf, other times more of the garage punk fascination. It was awesome. “Beach,” which they’ve been playing for a while now, is becoming a staple, in my opinion. We got a fine taste of the lead vocal abilities from all three guitarists, a load of sweet solos and ‘meat’ playing from Dan Tanner, and the steady percussion/background vocals of drummer Josh Towers. After some fresh middle of the set jams, the Thrills really turned things up with “Shotgun” and frankly never relented. I’ve seen some fine “Acid Rain” performances in the past, but tonight’s included what seemed like a lengthier jam filled with various noises, knob turning, and simply rocking out. A fast “Give It Back” and the perennial dancer “Light Shines” followed THEN ya-ya-ya cover “Salvaje,” Kelly Riley crooning “Foreign Lands,” and a ‘what you should do with your drink right now’ “Drugs In It”. Was that all? Yes, it was. Some funky dancing, too. But yeah if you like rock and roll old-school style (with Peruvian jolt and small state shenanigans), the Thrills are your band. Or if you just like rock ‘n roll any variety. Word around the street is that more Thrills recordings will be making their way to us soon. I’m excited. Here’s their current stuff: http://www.reverbnation.com/atlanticthrills
Set-List:
“Come On”
“Holy Mountain”
“Booze”
“Beach”
“White Blindfold”
“Hold Your Tongue”
“Shotgun”
“Acid Rain”
“Give It Back”
“Light Shines”
“Salvaje”
“Foreign Lands”
“Drugs In It”
Act Two – Ravi Shavi – This was my second time seeing Ravi Shavi. The first time was an ultra energetic set a few weeks ago. They were a three piece, drums-guitar-vocals. This time they had a little bit less restriction with the addition of another guitarist and a duo on violin and cello. One thing that struck me about Ravi Shavi first time around was their familiarly distant sound. I thought Lovely Feathers, King Khan and the Shrines, and Adam Green. Just very eccentric, but like the aforementioned…very pop. Frontman Rafay Rashid played some on guitar and then put it down, dancing always. Part of what is really awesome about them is their random nature, at least to a relatively new fan such as myself. Anything is possible, it seems. Soulful. As one man next to me commented in the audience, “Ravi Shavi needs a Rafay in the audience.” They’re just that kind of band. The greatest moment of the set came in the latter half with the sunny, unpredictable power pop of “Accidental Mental”. The chorus could have went on for 20 more times and nobody would mind at all. I was really impressed by the dynamics of the band as a six piece, it was fun to see how well the string instrument players connected with the other instruments, especially during the faster joints. So yeah, this sounds like something you’d want to see? Many did on this night. Listen: http://ravishavi.bandcamp.com/
Act Three – Yale, MA – Wasn’t able to stay to catch them :(. Check ‘em out: http://yalemassachusetts.bandcamp.com/
Show Alert: ATLANTIC THRILLS @ Great Scott
11/26/2012 Leave a comment
Rock ‘n roll done right will be brought to Great Scott next Monday, December 3 courtesy of Providence’s Atlantic Thrills. We went down to RI a couple weeks back and caught the Thrills playing with opener of this upcoming Great Scott show, Ravi Shavi. READ ABOUT IT.
The Thrills emit some of the finest sounds I’ve heard. You’re in for a great one if the names Dutronc, Black Lips, and Los Saicos conjure up great feelings of joy…and you’re still in for a great one if they don’t! Ravi Shavi is snappy power pop that will get you moving…no doubt! Yale, Massachusetts is also playing on this bill.
Oh yeah and if you’re from the Providence/RI/SE Mass area/wherever, both Atlantic Thrills and Ravi Shavi are playing this Thursday November 29 at The Parlour’s Grand Opening. (FB Event)
Concert Review: Fat Creeps & Creaturos @ Great Scott (11/4/12)
11/08/2012 Leave a comment
I love this flier, for the record, which I’m sure is a surprise to no one.
Bands: Creaturos, Fat Creeps, Grass Widow
Date: Sunday, November 4, 2012
Venue: Great Scott (Allston, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Creaturos- It’s been a while since my last time at the Great Scott, roughly five months to be exact. It feels good to be back and to be seeing some kickass bands to boot. Creaturos are a nasty garage trio I saw about a month ago at the Big Stink. They were the fourth (out of five) bands to play and at that point in the evening I was heavily intoxicated and I don’t remember much of their performance, though I do remember it being fun and everyone was bopping and bashing into each other, good times. Tonight, there isn’t so much of that, but on the bright side I gain a good sense of what Creaturos are all about. They are some loud motherfuckers and they serve their brand of catchy, psych drenched rock ‘n’ roll with fast, heart pounding intensity, guaranteed to wake up the neighbors. Here’s their bandcamp page: http://creaturos.bandcamp.com/ Knock yourself out.
Set List:
Face
Summer
UFO
James Day
Charity
Bead
Go Out
Get Low
Corners
L-R: Gracie Jackson and Mariam Saleh of Fat Creeps
Act II: Fat Creeps- It’s funny to think that it was only seven months ago when I first discovered this band. Discovered haha, makes me sound like I am fucking Christopher Columbus, I could be. Over the course of the past seven months I have seen the Fat Creeps ten (10) times! That’s right, ten. A personal record that no other artist can touch. So, what is it that keeps me consistently fascinated, you may ask (or not give a flying rat’s ass, I don’t care, either way I’m going to tell you). What I find appealing in the Creeps is what I admire and desire in all bands I/we excessively promote on KLYAM, put simply: strong songs and personality. Maybe it’s just me, but only a handful of music makers can fully satisfy these two standards of mine. Each Creeps song is unique and instantaneous; you can pick them out of the batch immediately. Their memorable quality can be attributed to the strength of the hooks, which are present in pretty much all of their songs. So, I get giddy when I hear those first few gorgeous guitar riffs to tonight’s surfy set opener “Fooled,” one of the trio’s catchiest tunes. They go on to perform some of my other favorite hits and also include two new songs that seem pretty rad, one of which is an instrumental that closes the set. Before the closer, however, they play my favorite Creeps song, “700 Parts.” I always thought it was a dark song, and even after listening to the thing a million times and seeing it performed on numerous occasions, I still get shivers from Gracie’s powerful vocals. It’s just another reminder of how badly more people across America and beyond need to hear this band.
You can start here http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/
Jim Leonard of Fat Creeps
Set List:
Fooled
Secrets
Horoscope
Dadweed
Daydreaming
Go to the Party (*WORKING TITLE*)
Nancy Drew
700 Parts
Back to School (*WORKING TITLE*)
Act III: Grass Widow- Unfortunately, we missed these San Franciscans (is that the correct nomenclature?) :( next time!
Concert Review: Natural Child, Liquor Store, SKIMASK @ Great Scott (7/30/12)
08/01/2012 Leave a comment
Bands: Natural Child, Liquor Store, Skimask
Venue: Great Scott
Date: Monday, July 30, 2012
Act One: SKIMASK – SKIMASK is a band that I think everyone should have at least checked out by now and by checked out, I’m talking LIVE. They now have a website (HERE) but you still got to do some digging for recordings so for right now, at this very moment, you need to see them. Upcoming shows (Boston area) are on their website. I find myself gaining more appreciation for SKIMASK each time I see them. On this night, vocalist Prof$t Mohamed isn’t as spontaneous and incendiary as I’ve seen him in the past, but he seems more in-tune with the music. Whatever he is saying is as forceful as the drums and effects behind and to the side of him. The chemistry amongst the trio and the sounds they emit is baffling. It doesn’t take too long to realize how good the drummer is at drumming and how good the effects man is at effects. Stuffing the face with three microphones is not something you see at shows these days. The other thing I’d like to say is that even though SKIMASK is not your typical rock and roll band – stylistically and so forth – they set the tone for a night of balls out RnR. They can fit in on any bill really and just pump up the audience for what’s to come (or finish things off right…if they are headliners).
Act Two: Liquor Store - Liquor Store fit in perfectly as openers to Natural Child. While Natural Child is a bit more stripped down and to the point, Liquor Store is more expansive on this night. They build their tracks up, making grand use of the old guitar. This isn’t always the case (“Manchild In Paradise” is a short, sweet, and twisted take on classic rock), but their performance makes it seem like they’ve been around for longer than they probably have. Judging from their set-list, they’ve been playing some of these songs for a while now and a good chunk is from Yeah Buddy, their 2011 2X LP. I’ve got to listen to that record. From what I’ve read, it’s killer. I guess some cynical person could come along and say they are reinventing the late ’70s punk wheel, but with Liquor Store’s passion and sloppy New Jersey precision…that cynical person would be guilty of oversimplification. I’ve taken note and really wanna hear some Yeah Buddy and drink some Narragansett, a beer previously unheard of to one of the guitarists in Liquor Store. But like that guy, you just gotta try it out even if you can’t pronounce it and you play in none other than a band called Liquor Store. Yeah, buddy.
Set-List:
1. Proud To Be An American Man
2. Kiss
3. Manchild In Paradise
4. Vodka
5. Big Wheels
6. Gas Station
7. Pile of Dirt
8. In The Garden
Act Three: Natural Child – The last time I saw Natural Child (abbreviated Natti Child for whatever reason in a lot of KLYAM postings) was in August 2010 on a packed yacht cruising up Hudson River near the Statue of Liberty. They were opening for Black Lips so needless to say my excitement for the show was through the roof. The members of Natural Child recall that show fondly, describing it as a lot of fun and quite memorable. The other day at Great Scott wasn’t a close replica to that event, we weren’t anywhere near water, there weren’t as many transvestites, and the show wasn’t close to sell-out capacity. Natural Child themselves though – the band, the myth, and the legend – treated the crowd with plenty of spirited numbers, ranging from 1971‘s “White People” to For The Love‘s “8 AM Blues” and “DTV” to 7″ classics “Crack Mountain” and “Dogbite”. It was these last two songs that came toward the end of their set and brought the most willies for me. The crowd was into Natti, but not on the scale as that NY show that finished off with guitarist/vocalist Seth crowd-surfing his way up to the boat’s balcony. There weren’t any moments like that at GS, but I think I was spoiled for that NY gig. Either way, it’s great to see these guys rising through the ranks and chugging out quality records every few months or so. I’ll make every effort to see them next time around and who knows what that show might bring. This was a fun night, but I surmise the most fun is yet to come!
Concert Review: The Coathangers, SKIMASK, Fat Creeps @ Great Scott
06/02/2012 Leave a comment
Bands: Fat Creeps, SKIMASK, The Coathangers, Casanovas In Heat
Date: Thursday, May 31, 2012
Venue: Great Scott (Allston, MA)
Pre-Show: The pre-show was lengthy due to the late arrival of scheduled headliners The Coathangers and openers Casanovas In Heat. Ultimately it was decided that Casanovas would play last instead of first. It’s too bad we couldn’t stay to see Casanovas (unfortunately). Sometime soon.
Fat Creeps: Fat Creeps are quickly becoming a local favorite and actually they’d be right up there in the rankings even if they weren’t from around this way. There’s a lot to like about Fat Creeps: the aesthetic (on this night it was multi-instrumentalist Mariam Saleh dressed in black raiment [first use of that word since 11th grade English] and multi-instrumentalist Gracie Jackson wearing all white. Thematically speaking, I’ve seen/heard Plymouth Plantation and Titantic tossed around from spectators. Either way, it was an interesting sight. Let’s not leave out drummer Jim Leonard. He was in casual attire. They got the show rolling with “Secrets,” a relatively new track that exemplifies the vocal harmony that you might have read about in the Metro. I really dig how they play so casually..just let the music do the talking. I realized very quickly that what I was witnessing was something special and actually was way more satisfying than Best Coast or Vivian Girls. There’s this charm of outward simplicity under the guise of inner complexity. Know what I mean? The rest of the set featured all of the hits, namely “Leave Her Alone” — great solo and bass line, “700 Parts” — the ending “ooo-ooo–aahh-aahh” is superb,” and closer “Horoscope,” which I think Calvin Johnson would enjoy immensely. I’m not sure what Fat Creeps plans are, but I see they are already developing a strong local fan base. Pretty soon they’ll be headlining Great Scott like the Vivs have. I predict. They should.
Setlist:
Secrets
Leave Her Alone
Fooled
“Sex Beat” [Cover]
Kerry
Nancy Drew
700 Parts
Horoscope
SKIMASK:”This is one of the strangest and most entertaining bands I’ve ever seen live.” And YouTube commenter hits the nail on the head! If you haven’t seen SKIMASK, you probably haven’t seen anything like SKIMASK. Fronted by the great social commentator and Swiz Beatnik poet Prof$t Mohamed, SKIMASK is in the red with energy and explosiveness. They activate the inner primal side in people according to one devotee. And it rings true. The crowd doesn’t really know what is going on, yet the pit remains quite active and not one person seems bored. Vocals, drums, and vocal effects. Spontaneous antics by the Prof$t, including but not limited to jumping around [to an elementary phys ed teacher's delight] and sitting down in front of the crowd. What tickles my fancy the most of all is this song: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIaaEmO3hPc&feature=related). SKIMASK — kept alive by the spirit of Cory on drums and Dominic on effects/vocal — were about to conclude with that. But keep playing insisted members of The Coathangers. And they did. And it was wonderful. They are outer-worldly you could say, but it’s them just spinning the rock and roll wheel their own way. Folks in New York and New Jersey, brace yourselves, as the skimask is coming to get u back opening for JEFF The Brotherhood soon. Boston area locals: brace yourselves as well.
The Coathangers: The Coathangers from Atlanta, Georgia! None other. Faced with the burden of no sound check, ahh who needs that?, they blitzkrieged right into their set. And they came hard and displayed no regard for the typical. No need for the typical on a night like tonight. I’m basically talking about their switching of instruments and the infectious bursts of punk rock that came a plenty. The front-woman was a revolving cast of ‘hangers and each brought their own variety to the table. The crowd was loving it and you could tell the band was having just as much fun. Now now now. Here it comes. I’m not extremely knowledgable in the arena of Coathangers material BUT I’ve got their set below. So this means that I will be. I can’t quite describe their set in terms of individual songs; I think I gave a decent gist of the experience. That’s what counts?
Setlist:
Smother
Johnny
Hurricane
Gettin Sick
Call
Arthritis
Jay
Sex
Nestle In My Boobies
Pussy
Cheap
Dims
Concert Review: Hunx and His Punx, Heavy Cream, Radio Control @ Great Scott! (4/2/12)
04/04/2012 2 Comments
Artists: Hunx and His Punx, Heavy Cream, Radio Control
Date: Monday, April 2, 2012
Venue: Great Scott (Allston, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Radio Control- The show begins with Radio Control, a rock duo from Somerville consisting of Matt Studivan on vocals and guitar and Kristina Otero on vocals and drums. Radio Control are excited to play as are their supportive fans in the front row (just a couple folks, but nonetheless ultra supportive of their bros). As the set moves along more and more people show up, which is good because they deserve it. I have never heard of Radio Control before this evening, but now I wish I had at least checked out some of their music before entering the Great Scott. They rock pretty hard and the sound is solid. I admire their musicianship and in fact they are one of the tightest bands I have seen as of late. I do not know if it is just me, but I seem to have a thing for two pieces, maybe because I see them so often. Overall, I can hear a lot hooks in their songs and I am positive that if I knew their material beforehand, then I would be singing along to them. Here’s a link to their glorious band camp page: http://weareradiocontrol.com/
Heavy Cream @ Great Scott (Papa KLYAM Photo)
Act II: Heavy Cream- I have been hearing a lot of good things about this Nashville band recently, so when I saw that they were playing with Hunx and His Punx it gave me all the more reason to be hysterically pumped up for this show. Alas, I have only had a small taste of Heavy Cream, but based on what I have heard I know they will not disappoint me. And of course, they do not. Heavy Cream definitely has their shit together, both sonically and visually. Singer, Jessica MacFarland is wearing an eye catching leopard skinned outfit and it is hard not to keep your eyes off her especially with her seemingly endless charisma and occasional spitting to boot. I honestly only know one song from their repertoire and that is 2010′s classic “Watusi,” which is accompanied by one helluva music video. The song is quite catchy and sounds terrific live, making the kids move and shake a little. I also see a familar face in bassist Seth Sutton, whom I saw way back in October ’09 when he played side by side with the late, great Jay Reatard in the kickass, guitar driven powerhouse known as Useless Eaters. Mr. Sutton isn’t the only Seth I have not seen live since October ’09, but I will get that later, back to Heavy Cream. I do not want to pin the group down to one sound or style, but fans of bands such as fellow Nashville rockers, Those Darlins, Nobunny, Bleached, and Mika Miko will probably enjoy Heavy Cream. I also hear a lot Runaways/ Joan Jett in their music and performance as well. Just like Radio Control, they are pretty damn tight and in terms of overall attitude, I cannot think of too many better bands to play before Hunx; they share the same Rock and Roll aesthetic, that is thee best aesthetic.
Act III: Hunx and His Punx- HUNX AND HIS PUNX!!! HOLY SHIT!!! Yes, they truly deserve all of those exclamation points. I am a humongous fan of Hunx and His Punx, so this show means a lot to me. Unfortunately, I have not seen the band since the Boston Shattered Records Tour show at Harpers Ferry on October 2, 2009. Yes sir, Jay Reatard, Nobunny, Hunx and His Punx, Box Elders, and Useless Eaters. To this day the greatest bill I have ever witnessed. At the time, I did not know who or what Hunx and His Punx was, so it was an exciting and bizarre experience that will stick with me forever. Flash forward a few months and Hunx is on my iPod every single day, and that has continued for the past two years. Due to some poor scheduling, lack of money and transportation I have missed the past two Boston Hunx shows, but today is my day. The Great Scott has never seemed so wonderful, and I have seen my fair share of Great Scott shows: Wavves, Harlem, Handsome Furs, all great, but none of them compare to Hunx at this moment. When the band hits the stage, I am harder and higher than ever and I am about to explode (INSERT DRAMATIC EFFECT). Tonight the band opens with the recent Hunx solo effort, “Hairdresser Blues,” and not being a hairdresser myself, I cannot say I have actually experienced these blues, but Hunx sings with so much passion I can tell he has. Next up is “Private Room,” another hit from the new record, and definitely one of the catchiest. Too bad there does not appear to be any gay dudes in the audience for Hunx to share a private room with, and in general the crowd is a bit reserved. No need to worry though, the band brings their A game and they truly rock the place. I was discussing watching YouTube videos of live performances versus actually being present for the shows with a fine gentlemen earlier in the evening and we both agreed that sometimes it is just not the same if you were not there. Tonight is a great example of this. I have seen Hunx vids before, but honestly they do not do justice to the live act. The band is extremely tight and every song just fucking hits you like a hurricane. It brings me back to the old days of Jay Reatard, but with a smiley face. Hunx is one of the greatest performers I have seen. He simply has a contagious personality, a persona that rivals the likes of King Khan, Nobunny, and Bradford Cox, all of which I admire greatly. The whole group is fantastic: Shannon Shaw (also of the fabulous Shannon and the Clams) belts out incredible vocals on “If You’re Not Here” and “The Curse of Being Young” amongst others. Shaw is one of my favorite singers right now, truly only on par with some of today’s greatest such as Mark Sultan. Erin Emslie (also of The Foxx) is a sick drummer, her drumming is simple on the surface, but she has undeniable skill and finesse. She keeps the beat at a fast, steady pace the whole show and there is a lot of physicality and power to her performance. Then there is that creepy, mystery guitarist to the right of Hunx. The songs would not be the same without him though, but he surely is one creepy motherfucker. JK! Often you think of “garage” as sloppy, but as far as I am concerned Hunx and His Punx has their shit together, much like the first two bands tonight. Every song hits you hard and the set consists of so many classics from both records, Gay Singles and Too Young To Be In Love. My favorites are “Cruising” and “U Don’t Like Rock and Roll.” I am just in my own world when they play these songs. I love them to death so much, when I hear it live I am in near cardiac arrest! The show concludes with “Lovers Lane,” and the band departs the stage for the errr dresser room (or lack thereof), but not for too long. “Good Kisser” is unleashed and all is well. Heavy Cream join the band on stage for the final song, which is a cover of a Pleasure Seekers tune: “What A Way To Die”. All in all, a great time is had by all. Hunx and His Punx is real Rock and Roll and it is KLYAM’s mission to bring Rock and Roll into the high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and if we have time, the pre schools of America! Instead of an Easter Bunny, kids can come and sit on Nobunny’s lap! I can see the lovely mall riots in my mind. God bless America! I am a patriot, I hide in trees.
Set List:
Hairdresser Blues (from Hairdresser Blues)
Private Room (HB)
Cruising (from Gay Singles)
Bad Boy (from Too Young to Be in Love)
Gimmie Gimmie Back Your Love (GS)
Too Young To Be In Love (TY)
Let Me In (HB)
The Curse of Being Young (TY)
U Don’t Like Rock ‘N’ Roll (GS)
If You’re Not Here (I Don’t Know) (TY)
Do the Make Up (GS)
Lovers Lane (TY)
*ENCORE*
Good Kisser (GS)
What A Way To Die (Pleasure Seekers Cover)
Hunx Show Moved To 4/2 @ Great Scott
03/27/2012 Leave a comment
Formerly at Radio on Tuesday April 3, it has been moved back one day to April 2 and will be at Great Scott in Allston. 21+ and Heavy Cream still opens. Cool!
