Bands: Fat Creeps, Miniboone, Bunny’s A Swine, Pile
Date: Thursday, January 24, 2013
Venue: O’Brien’s Pub (Allston, MA)
Act I: Fat Creeps– We the KLYAM first saw Fat Creeps here at O’Brien’s Pub last April, Friday the 13th to be exact. Here we are again, nine months later, a lot has gone down in the time since then: touring, an EP release, many shows (much of them KLYAM attended and reviewed), and loads of rightfully deserved media attention. I recall Fat Creeps as being a memorable band with catchy, weird pop songs that reminded me of The Shaggs, Beat Happening, and Vivian Girls. I wasn’t thinking whoa, this band has totally changed how I look at music! but there was something unique about them. Honestly, I thought they had this sort of outsider thing going on, which is pretty far from their actual “sound.” Overtime, I just developed a greater affinity for their music and it feels like they have grown significantly as musicians and performers in the nine months since my initial live experience. They sound stronger and heavier than ever and yet they still have that odd charm that sparked my interest in the first place. This performance is the longest Creeps set I have ever witnessed, it feels like I am seeing a national, headlining act on tour. My brother Justin, who has never seen the band, is in attendance as well and it’s as if I am seeing the band again for the first time through his eyes. I am glad he is here for this show, because they play a wide variety of tunes. They open with “Horoscope,” a song I haven’t heard live in a couple months, so naturally this is a pleasure. Of course, you have the other essentials like “700 Parts,” “Nancy Drew,” and “Secrets,” but they also play a batch of numbers I’ve never heard before (“Blue,” “I’ve Got”) as well as somewhat new tunes like “He Comes In Loudly,” the instrumental, “Back to School” and “Going to the Party,” which is like Devo meets Dead Kennedys. At least, I hear those dark, punk influenced surf vibes. At this point, most music fans can point to the Fat Creeps and say it sounds like 90s or surf rock or garage or lazy rock (whatever that means), their style has some easily identifiable features, but their actual songs expand far beyond any specific sound. In other words, they have created their own original brand of rock ‘n’ roll, so much so that when people ask me what they sound like, I just want to say they sound like the Fat Creeps, because I could conjure up more obscure references, but I feel like it just trivializes their distinct personality.
Set-List
“Horoscope”
“Blue”
“He Comes In Loudly”
“Nancy Drew”
“700 Parts”
“Fooled”
“Secrets”
“Going To Party”
“Dadweed”
“Daydreaming”
“I’ve Got”
“Back 2 School”
http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/
Act II: Miniboone– This is my first time seeing these New Yorkers, I’ve actually never heard of them, but one of the members of the band Earthquake Party! (a kickass band I recommend y’all check out) informs me right before the band plays that they sound like a mix between Talkng Heads, Queen, and Bruce Springstreen. Sounds wild enough, I’ll take it. I can definitely hear arena rock and fast, power pop influences in their perfomance tonight, physically and musically. They are an entertaining band, but they do not blow me away either. I feel like they have the musical chops and decent songs, but not distinct enough for my ears. Then again, this is the only time I’ve seen them, and I am not too familiar with their music, so who knows? http://miniboone.bandcamp.com/
Act III: Bunny’s A Swine– Western Massachusetts’ Bunny’s A Swine describes themselves as “awk pop slops rock,” not sure what that means, but it sounds better than “indie,” that’s for sure. To me, they sound like Pavement, which I feel like I say a lot, but that’s what I hear. That makes sense, Pavement is kind of awkward, but poppy and a bit sloppy. I don’t necessarily see the sloppiness in this band, they seem to have their shit together. The band speaks of party hardy times with headliners, Pile, maybe that explains why they have songs like “Pour It Out At Parties” and “Nobody Wants You Here (Sober).” Check em’ out at their bandcamp here: http://bunnysaswine.bandcamp.com/
Act IV: Pile– We missed :(
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 