Bands: Guerrilla Toss, Fat Creeps, ZEBU! Omnivore, Don Gero
Venue: Discovery Zone (Allston, MA)
Date: Friday, April 5, 2013

It is like running through a maze to get to this place, but thanks to some friendly Allstonites, we finally land on our desired location.  Making our way into the space, I start to hear blistering, ear splitting noise.  This assault on my deafened ears is brought to you by one man powerhouse, Don Gero. Dude smashes the drums with lightning fast precision and has some sort of electronic set up as well.  We come into the set mid way, so I hope we didn’t miss much, but from what we see it is pretty nuts.  He has this siren sounding thing, which adds to the sheer noise that’s still ringing in my eardrums. Towards the end of the set, he provides vocals on one of the songs. Meanwhile, random movies are being projected behind Don Gero (this occurs during each of the band’s sets). I recognize a young Sly Stallone and some actors I’ve seen in John Waters films, but I don’t know what the actual movie is. Looks kooky and campy and most likely the product of vast amounts of cocaine use. In any case, Don Gero is a sweet soundtrack to the images being projected on the screen. I’ve never seen him before or listened to any of his music, but I am going to give it a listen right now. Oh, and I should probably inform you that Don Gero is Zack D’Agostino (of Arvid Noe). Here, read this exciting review from Boston Hassle, they always know what’s up: http://www.bostonhassle.com/tag/don-gero-review/  http://dongero1.bandcamp.com/

Omnivore plays next and it is a bit of a departure from Don Gero and most performers I see live. It’s a quiet, calm experience and nearly everyone is sitting on the floor, gazing up at the woman behind the music, Glenna Van Nostrand. I don’t know too much about this kind of music, but it is heavy in loops and experimental pop, if you dig that sort of thing. In the background, there are shots of nature, animals, waterfalls, and more that appropriately complement Omnivore’s music. Check out her bandcamp here: http://omnivoresounds.bandcamp.com/

ZEBU! is Ted Lee (vocals/drums) and Steve D’Agostino (guitar) and they are the dudes behind Northampton’s Feeding Tube Records, responsible for a vast amount of weird noise rock over the years including their latest release a split with Fat Creeps!  I’ve never listened to ZEBU!, so this is my introduction to them.  I can’t say I’m instantly hooked, but they are intriguing, no doubt. They remind me a lot of fellow two piece, experimental noise poppers and Feeding Tube boys, Great Valley, who I saw for the first time a few weeks back opening for Peach Kelli Pop. This duo shares similar eccentric tendencies and they lean toward the messy side of pop and that’s what I like. But, a lot of the time I feel like the songs get lost in the chaos, which may be appealing to some, but I’d like to hear them pursued. This is still just my first experience though and I don’t know much about the group, so I am curious what I will think after hearing this split record and perhaps other releases. In terms of the performance itself, it was pretty rad, rather physical and entertaining. Ted, I believe, leaps into the audience and tears off his shirt. He also jams the mic in his mouth like a teenage Jay Reatard, ha what a character. Check em’ out they’ve been around for ten years now, that’s quite a feat. http://zebu.bandcamp.com/

At this point, does the world need another Chris DeCarlo Fat Creeps review? *Insert bitch slap from another struggling, young band that wants, perhaps deserves, more attention.* Well, you’re gonna get one! Anywho, it’s cool to see Fat Creeps tonight in a different setting than usual.  This crowded living room is smokey and sweaty, balls sweaty. In the midst of this hot mess, the Creeps blast through a sick set of signature originals and two gut busting covers. In fact, they open with a cover of X’s “Nausea,” which they played at their New Year’s Eve show at Great Scott, if any of y’all recall.  X is a legendary LA punk band for those that are illiterate in nasty rock ‘n’ roll music from the 80’s. It’s a groovy, heavy song that sets the tone for this performance: heavy, sludgy, sweaty. They also perform another vintage 80’s hit with Devo’s “Gates of Steel,” a notable cover in past Fat Creeps sets.  But, enough of those old dudes, to the originals! Like I said, it’s a louder set and keeping in that style they play some of their faster, slimier songs such as “Secrets,” “Fooled,” “Going to the Party,” and “Daydreaming,” which appears on the split with ZEBU! which everyone should pick up; I’m enjoying it very much. http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/

Guerrilla Toss closes the show and they destroy like they always do. Well, actually I have only seen them once before, but it was one of the more memorable show experiences in my young life. It was nearly a year ago when I saw Guerrilla Toss at the Ant Cellar in Lowell, it was unforgettable, just read the review: https://klyam.com/2012/06/08/concert-review-onbroadway-fest-2008-5512/. Guerrilla Toss is one of the most notable and original bands in the current Boston scene, but more importantly they put on a kick ass, crazy, amped up show that gets people moving instantly.  Some nice moshing ensues and barely stops. All of the members of G Toss frenetically rock out, but vocalist Kassie Carlson is the best. She stands in the middle of all the bedlam, jumping up and down and passionately screaming as she puts her entire body and being into her performance- unlike anyone else I have ever seen.  Her brutal enthusiasm is exhilarating and just gets me more pumped as a member of the audience. I should mention that G Toss’s music can also be genuinely light and danceable (in a slightly more conventional sense) despite its overall brute character and delivery. For the most part,  it’s just  good old fashion FUN!  Listen to their music now or better yet go see them live, so you don’t look like an idiot to the other kids at recess. http://guerillatoss.com/

Seemingly never ending perspiration and a few bruises here and there are always solid indicators that it was a good show. Great to see drummer Pete from Guerrilla Toss again. With all the shows you guys and gal play I can’t believe you remembered the KLYAM. Though we are such sweethearts, it is hard not to. But, Pete, you the man. That was fun in Lowell, walking down Broadway Street to TLC Liquors, offering us love/girl advice. Good times and good times at this show. Speaking of Pete, motherfucker has just co-opened a record store in Jamaica Plain, known as Deep Thoughts:  http://www.deepthoughtsjp.com/ pay a visit when you’re in town. Speaking of good heads, always a pleasure to turn around and see some dudes you know, specifically, Moontowers Taylor and Tim. Last, but certainly not least, a shout out to my boy Jeff from Yankee Power!!! Totally deserves all of those exclamation points.