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Review: Big Mess, Pissbath, Slurred Speech, Haldol, Regret, the Informer, Districts @ Wilder Zangcraft (11/9/12)

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Bands: Big Mess, Pissbath, Slurred Speech, Haldol, Regret, the Informer/Districts (12 inch release)
Date: Friday, November 9, 2012
Venue: Wilder Zangcraft (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Big Mess- I’ve never been huge on strictly instrumental music, but in the past year, my ears have had the pleasure of being jostled by Boston behemoths, Big Mess. As I’ve said before, this here is a band you need to experience live. Sometimes I fall in love with a band’s studio (or bedroom) work,  but when I see them in person, the songs don’t translate as well. This isn’t the case with Big Mess; quite the opposite. Live, they are a sonic beast, a total wall of headbanging inducing noise. Much of their music is heavy, but there’s also a quiet, intimate quality to the band that can be best appreciated at a nice, little basement spot like Wilder Zangcraft. I can honestly say tonight’s show is one of the best I’ve seen, with the band sounding as fierce and intense as ever. In particular, I want to note the drumming of Nick Egersheim, which is one of the first things that struck me about the band. There’s an undeniable frenetic character to his style; he smacks the drums so hard, it’s as if his sticks are his fists and the drums are a body, like a fistfight and each smack is another punch. I don’t know why I always conjure up violent images when I listen to Big Mess, I guess I am just a sick guy. In any case, they’re a badass band and I heavily recommend them to all of y’all. http://bigmessma.bandcamp.com/album/big-mess

Act II: Pissbath– I love this name, especially coming after Big Mess. Well, I can imagine the pissbath would come first and then it would be a big mess, for sure. But, not tonight. This Nashville quartet plays fast, hardore punk inspired jams. In the traditions of  old school hardcore, this group blasts through each cut in a matter of seconds, keeping it short, but sweet. You can listen to their demo tape here: http://funkyfrankenstein.bandcamp.com/album/pissbath-demo-tape

Act III: Haldol– Unfortunately, we missed these fellow Nashville punkers, but you can check out their bandcamp here: http://haldol.bandcamp.com/releases

Act IV: Slurred Speech– Slurred Speech is one man powerhouse Josh Tracy. Tracy’s music  consists of one man, one guitar, and a fine set of pipes. He sings with a lot of emotion and is able to get a crowded, sweaty basement full of drunken students to sing along with him. Slurred Speech may not be my cup of tea, but I genuinely enjoy the intimate, interactive charm of Tracy’s performance/music and overall sense of humor. I especially love when he mentions feeling badass about listening to System Of A Down and how everyone else most likely had the same reaction as a youngster. Well, I felt badass listening to System Of A Down, I still do. Check out Josh’s jams here: http://slurredspeech.bandcamp.com/

Act V: Regret, The Informer– Regret, The Informer has embarked on tour all the way from Missouri and tonight they are here alongside Districts (the band up next) in honor of the release of their split 12″.  Regret shares the same hardcore sound as some of the other bands on the bill tonight, but they seem to  permeate a slower, more melodic sound. If you want hear Regret, The Informer, click here: http://regrettheinformer.bandcamp.com/

Act V: Districts– Lowell’s own, Districts close this fun filled evening of diverse local and national music. Districts play energetic screamo/hardcore and it looks like they have some dedicated fans in attendance singing along to their impassioned vocals. It seems like Districts have made a name for themselves around town and beyond, catch em’ if you can or start by listening to them here: http://districts.bandcamp.com/

Art, concert review, Fat Creeps, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Fat Creeps & Creaturos @ Great Scott (11/4/12)

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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!

Art, Bent Shapes, concert review, Fat Creeps, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, The Migs

Concert Review: Sic Alps, Fat Creeps, Bent Shapes, The Migs @ Radio (10/25/12)

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Bands: Sic Alps, Fat Creeps, Bent Shapes, The Migs
Date: Thursday, October 25, 2012
Venue: Radio (Somerville, MA)

This is a Bodies of Water (B.O.W.) Show- http://bowaac.blogspot.com/
Way to go Dan and Sam, you fine, heavenly gentlemen.


Act I: The Migs– Performance wise, this is easily the best Migs show I have seen and Glen concurs. Five Migs shows deep, you know what to expect, but it never gets old. Migs Keven, Lukas, Craig (and special guest Travis Hagan on drums!) have a real solid presence on (and more appropriately off) stage. It’s nice to watch Keven, Lukas, and Craig playfully fight for control of the stage, practically knocking one another off- they appear to be having more fun than everyone else, which is awesome. Like, I said a real presence every rock ‘n’ roll fan should see; if these guys expand their cross country voyages they could take America by storm! I don’t know, maybe I’m crazy, maybe I’m not.  What I do know is that this band has that classic, soul/blues psych/garage yeah, yeah, yeah (even I get sick of using these words to describe music, seriously if you counted up the amount of times we have said the words “rock ‘n’ roll,” “punk,” “garage,” in this year alone you could fill up a fucking dictionary, but let it be known here, exclusively, for the record that I mean it from the bottom of my heart and I/we don’t use those words lightly) – they got that whole damn sound, we’ve all come to know and love, down pat. They got it. But, what is more significant about The Migs is that they take that lovely, orgasmic sound and turn it up to eleven. Like every great band, The Migs possess an infectious personality- these are dudes you could shotgun a beer or six with and/or take home to mom and dad. I know my dad would love The Migs. Hell, “You and Me,” one of the band’s finest offerings and a personal highlight tonight, is such a sweet ballad that it could make my dad’s limp dick plop right up and pace around the room. YEESH. On that horrifying note, I think the sound system definitely amplifies the group’s rocking performance, fleshing out the tunes even more. All in all, another show for the books. Not as fun as my preferred Migs setting: a dirty, beer reeking basement, but equally impressive.

P.S. Keven remember to wear a shirt (not a sweat shirt) when you play on stage, it gets hot up there. And if it’s chilly, wear a sweater. I don’t want you to catch a cold son. I want my Migs happy and healthy.

The Migs may or may not have played the following songs, well they certainly played some of them, but I’m not sure on a few.

“Cosmonauts 1/2”
“We’re The Migs” written as ” “We Dah Migs” and “We’re The Pigs”
“666’s Request”
“You & Me”
“Rock N Roll Stole”
“When She Says My Name”
“Fuzzy Sun”
“Follow Me Home” also written as “Follow Me Dome”
“Gravestone”
“Take 3”
New Song?!#$

Yo, have you heard this sheeet? http://themigs.bandcamp.com/


Act II: Bent Shapes– If some tourist yahoo asked me to name the best bands around Boston, the three opening acts on this bill (The Migs, Fat Creeps, and Bent Shapes) would definitely appear on that list. In fact, Bent Shapes were probably the first local band I really got into, about a few years back now. It’s not hard to see why this trio sticks out- they are able to blend Weezer/Blink 182 esque pop punk with garage rock. The thinking man’s garage perhaps. Haha, actually that reminds me of something Glen said earlier in the evening, that Bent Shape have this “college” quality to them. I agree with him on this point, and that’s funny because their music to me shares a similarity to another jangely pop, “college” band: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart. Both bands unleash simple, catchy songs with strong pop hooks. Personally, what I love about bands like Bent Shapes is that a lot of the music they seem to reference (pop punk) is not particularly to my liking, yet I seriously dig these guys. I kind of like it that way, I almost have a greater appreciation for them. Regardless of tastes, all three members are exceptional. If you’re reading this and haven’t heard of this band, click the link here, Do iT! http://bentshapes.bandcamp.com/

Set List:
“Boys to Men”
“Public”
“Leave It Till You Need It”
“Bites”
“Brat Poison”
“Wut?”
“Behead”
“Big Machines”


Act III: Fat Creeps– Fat Creeps rock right into “Blitzkrieg Bop,” which I totally don’t expect. The leather jackets should have given it away. A couple of weeks ago, the Creeps delivered a killer set of Ramones covers at a Rosebud Halloween show, here’s a review, if you missed it: https://klyam.com/2012/10/16/concert-review-halloween-show-featuring-fat-creeps-earthquake-party-fedavees-fagettes-rosebud-101312/ and tonight they are reprising their roles again as the seminal punk band aka greatest band of all time.  Admittedly, I am craving some original numbers, but with that being said, the band is still captivating with their Ramones set as they were before. My favorite cover is definitely “I Don’t Want to Walk Around With You,” I especially love Gracie’s vocal parts in this tune. Overall, a fun set per usual.

Set List (not sure of the exact order):
“Blitzkrieg Bop”
“Beat On The Brat”
“Judy Is A Punk”
“I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend”
“Havana Affair”
“Loudmouth”
“I Don’t Want To Walk Around With You”
“53rd and 3rd”
“Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World”

Check out Fat Creep’s music here: http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/


Act IV: Sic Alps– San Francisco’s Sic Alps are garage/psych legends and it is a pleasure to finally get to see them on this wonderful evening. You can tell, these dudes are veterans when they play. Despite the wacked out, chaotic nature of their brand of rock ‘n’ roll, they have an undeniable finesse to their craft that only a seasoned pro could produce. I’m sure this is said all of the time, but it is worthy to note that the Sic Alps have lineage with Mr. Ty Segall or Ty Segall has lineage with Sic Alps. I mention this for two reasons. Firstly, if you regularly visit this site, then you know how much we love Ty Segall, he is one of our top guys. So, seeing his musical kin in a live setting is an extra treat. Secondly, you can see a lot of Ty’s music in the Sic Alps’s performance, leaning more towards the extensive jam quality of his sound and less concerned with pop influence. At times, this is not always my bag, but I can still dig it. Also, I need to be more familiar with their songs, so I can truly appreciate their set in the future. In any case, I recommend you give em’ a listen here: http://www.sicalps.com/

Art, concert review, Fat Creeps, Films, Holiday, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, Ramones, reviews, Video

Concert Review: Fat Creeps, Earthquake Party!, Fedavees, Fagettes Halloween Show @ Rosebud (10/13/12)

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Bands: Fat Creeps, Earthquake Party, Fedavees, Fagettes
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2012
Venue: Rosebud (Somerville, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Fagettes as Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood– The Fagettes are one of the hottest bands in Boston right now, so naturally I am more than excited to see them live for the very first time! Tonight, however, they are not the Fagettes… instead we are taken back a few decades to a simpler or perhaps weirder time when the music you heard on commercial radio didn’t just flat out reek like a steaming pile of feces. Oh no, one could flip the dial to the soulful, sexy voice of Nancy Sinatra and my main man Lee Hazlewood.  Well, those good times haven’t ended and the band recreates at least some of that good old pop magic of yesteryear. Furthermore, I appreciate the way they inject their own modern day aesthetics into the mix, adding some deviant flavor to an otherwise innocent set. By the way, I can’t forget to mention that while the band (and each band this evening) plays a creepy Horror flick is projected in the background complementing their freakiness. For Fagettes, I believe Night of the Living Dead is playing, but I might be wrong on this one? Overall, I dig this performance and I really love their set up too, which includes saxophones and two (standing!) drummers. Yeah, fuck all those lazy drummers that remain seated whilst performing! Dave Goldberg would be proud… Anywho, I’m getting off topic, but I can now testify that The Fagettes are one helluva a live band and I hope to see them playing original material in the near future. http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/ Yo, check out this badass video and all its badass brothers and sisters on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9-Q7g44-fA

Act II: Fedavees as The Wipers- I have to admit I am not too familiar with either Fedavees or The Wipers, but I have known of the latter since I was a young fella, thanks to Mr. Kurt Cobain, whose band will be making an appearance later. My ignorance aside, Fedavees are nasty and deliver a kickass set that evokes passionate singing in at least a few of the Rosebud’s attendees, so they must be doing something right. For their performance, I believe it is Blade that has the honor of being backdrop # 2 tonight. I’d rather not see Blade again, but I would enjoy attending another Fedavees show. Check out their Bandcamp page here: http://thefedavees.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Earthquake Party! as Nirvana– As soon as I see Earthquake Party hit the stage, it brings me back to August 2011, the first and last time I saw Earthquake Party, until now. I remember these dudes and their sheer, abrasive batch of noise pop tunes. To make things even spookier Evil Dead is playing in the background! EP is definitely a solid band to be covering Nirvana, my early teenage wet dream band. And while I don’t climax on this evening, I am truly invested in their performance, particularly enjoying the various heavier, more aggressive Nirvana cuts such as “Scentless Apprentice,” “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter,” and my favorite Nirvana song “Drain You.” Earthquake Party dish out all the screeching vocals, endless feedback, and lack of concern for the well being of one’s own equipment necessary to fulfill a proper Nirvana set. Personally, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the band’s own personality shine through the covers, but nonetheless a fun and riveting performance that thankfully forces the crowd into a frenzy. Just check out this video here, in fact the whole set can be seen on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS18SeNZlA0 Boy, if I just had five minutes alone with that Where’s Waldo motherfucker…. In the meantime, I’ll have to listen to this: http://earthquakeparty.bandcamp.com/

Act IV: Fat Creeps as The Ramones– It’s always beautiful when two great bands come together, like a marriage made in Heaven. Essentially two of my favorite bands have merged on this evening when the Fat Creeps perform as The Ramones! Not to mention one of my all time favorite films, The Shining, is playing in the background. The creepiness begins when the trio blast right into Ramones signature “Blitzkrieg Bop,” and indeed the kids are losing their minds as Joey Mariam gleefully shouts- moshing and bopping and plopping along to the mile a minute classics. “Beat On the Brat”  is next and in fact – with the exception of a few tunes – they play most of the Ramones’ debut album. Arguably, The Ramones are the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band of all time and certainly a long time favorite of mine, so hearing all these songs executed in a nearly flawless fashion hits real close to home. It’s easy to get caught up in Ramones hysteria (and I do), but in many ways this is still a classic Creeps performance; I especially love their harmonies in songs such as “Judy Is A Punk” and “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.” With this in mind and just the overall joyful, positive response from the crowd, I think their set is the finest of all tonight. Admittedly, I am excessively biased in my position, but biases aside I am glad everyone is having fun, cause isn’t that what it’s all about anyway? Ahh, I’m starting to sound like a Little League coach now. Seriously though, sickest Fat Creeps show I have ever experienced!
P.S. I dig Jim Leonard’s exclamation: “God Bless George Bush!” I’m sure Johnny would be proud of ya!
http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/

Art, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Music, New Highway Hymnal, Nice Guys, pictures, Punk, reviews, The Migs

Concert Review: Nice Guys, The Migs, Leamers, Creaturos, New Highway Hymnal @ Big Stink (10/6/12)

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Bands: Nice Guys, The Migs, The Leamers, Creaturos, The New Highway Hymnal
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2012
Venue: Big Stink (Allston, MA)
Comments: Preliminary Activities (For Terri!)- It’s about 8:30 or so when Glen and I reach our desired location. In classic Glen fashion he intentionally adds some wordplay when he inquires, “Is this the Big Pink?” “Big Stink,” replies Mig Keven Lareau. Awesome! Tis our first time entering the Big Stink and I am more than excited to experience an evening filled with five diverse, fun, and entertaining garage bands. The basement here is pretty sick, larger than most I’d say. Per usual, we arrive relatively early, before any of the bands have begun to play. Fortunately, there are plenty of charming characters roaming around this place. The first people we meet are Beef, Sam, and Ethan. Cool dudes! We then run into Matt from the Canadian band Leamers, whom we will witness in action in just  a few short hours! I am glad we have the chance to meet this fine young man, for he stands as a constant reassurance that the music I love is being made for the right reasons- FUN!!! We then have the pleasure of meeting Matt’s co-Canadian conspirators- twins, Rob and Peter of the noise band Shahman (http://shahman.bandcamp.com). Also great, fun loving dudes! As the night grows on we discuss everything from tour experiences to  the astonishingly lower price of liquor in the states to the life and times of G.G. Allin and his mother, and probably a bunch of other stuff I can’t remember.

Act I: Nice Guys– Nice guys finish last… not anymore sucka! These Nice Guys go on first and they are ever so nice. When I hear the first few chords I think of Minor Threat. They certainly have the energy; loud, fast, and straight to the point- don’t give a fuck. It is as if Minor Threat walked in on it’s girlfriend in bed with the first few Black Lips albums. If you are reading this that probably doesn’t make any sense. So, go out and see the band live OR better yet lay back on your worthless, lazy ass and click here on their bandcamp page: http://niceguys666.bandcamp.com/. Do iT! or else.  Why am I so angry?! Fuck if I know.

Act II: The Migs– Been listening to your Summer Tour Tapes kids? Why, I can’t think of anything better to do. Ahh Migs, would have been the perfect band for a high school prom circa 1965. The kids would dance their asses off and then trash the school, burn it to the ground. That’s the music of The Migs. In fact, would love to see The Migs play in front of a bunch of sixteen year olds and see how they react. Like a controlled experiment. Take away all of their little gadgets and just have The Migs play for them. The kids need an alternative or at least have options…  Anyway, at least they are driving (much older) kids crazy tonight and as soon as they play the crowd goes nuts. As with all Migs performances, it is interactive, physical, sweaty, and chock full of early to mid 60s garage/doo wop/soul flavored punk tunes. Tonight Migs members Keven (decked out in the red , white and blue,) Lukas, and Craig scream their hearts out and frolic and fuck about with the help of New Highway Hymnal’s Travis Hagan on drums- always great to see that guy bash away behind the kit!  The Migs are definitely making some of the best music I have heard as of late, but seeing them live is a MUST. These gentlemen truly are classic entertainers, fixated on making sure each and every person in the house is having a gay olde time. Perhaps my favorite moment of bedlam is when one of the basement’s pillars nearly collapses, leaving me with a fresh taste of wood dust in my mouth. Taste the rainbow with The Migs here: http://themigs.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Leamers– Our neighbors to the North, Leamers are up and ready to go, and after chatting with the band members earlier in the evening, I can’t wait to hear them play. Leamers are just as enthusiastic as the first two bands, if not more. The band consists of Matt on vocals and guitar; his singing reminds me of Lou Barlow’s vocals, and in general the band has a terrific knack for producing powerful garage-pop hooks. Oh and I can’t forget mon ami Martin on bass and Emily-Jayne on drums- both are outstanding. The crowd response is positive and I’m having a blast. Matt and crew are quite appreciative, and he thanks the audience for bouncing around and into each other! I’m still bouncing around now, rocking out to Year Of The Rabbit, check it out! http://leamers.bandcamp.com/album/year-of-the-rabbit Hope you guys (and Shahman too!)  continue to have a fun and gratifying tour!

Act IV: Creaturos– Creaturos, Green Churros, ahh why must you confuse me?! I’m already perplexed as is. Ehh well, confusion aside this band shares the same garage sensibilities as the first few acts and they are able to get the crowd moshing and dancing as well. Creaturos is a band I have heard about a number of times over the past few months or so, glad to finally see them in the flesh. Creaturos deliver a harsh brand of psychedelic pop that I’d wager appeals to the punk slimer in me that needs an extra ummph in his daily punk slime intake. Sort of akin to early, off the wall Ty Segall. Part noise, part garage,  semi-hardcore, all fun. At least that’s what I hear. What do you hear? http://creaturos.bandcamp.com/

Act V: The New Highway Hymnal– Damn, it’s been too long since I have seen these cats, what is even sadder is that we are only able to catch a few songs tonight, because we have to make the train home :(. A damn shame indeed. At least what we do see is solid as I expected. Next time, we will experience a full NHH set, until then we will have to rely on this little ditty: http://thenewhighwayhymnal.bandcamp.com/
P.S. GO TO NEW HIGHWAY HYMNAL’S ALBUM RELEASE SHOW FOR  WHISPERS ON OCTOBER 18 WITH EARTHQUAKE PARTY, INFINITY GIRL, AND RIBS!

Art, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, Nobunny, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Nobunny, Bad Sports, Xray Eyeballs, Liquor Store @ Living Bread (9/21/12)

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Artists: Nobunny, Bad Sports, Xray Eyeballs, Liquor Store
Date: Friday, September 21, 2012
Venue: The Living Bread Deli (Brooklyn, NY)
Comments:

Preliminary Activities: We wandered the desert for forty years and somehow we wound up in Brooklyn, destined to see Nobunny. “There it is, the Living Bread Deli!” That’s right Glen my boy, we have arrived and we are hungry for some rock ‘n’ roll, well actually we are just plain hungry. Alas, the Living Bread will not open its doors for another two hours :( As foreigners, we wander some more, careening through the streets of Bushwick with our stomachs rumblin’ and tumblin’,  fortunately stumblin’ upon Darrel the “Tour Guide,” as he is known to no one. “Darrel, my main man, where is a good place to sit down and eat and grab a few drinks?” Darell looks at us as if we have five heads, and proceed to exchange our heads, playing a game of musical decapitation. According to Darrel, you can either eat at one of the delis or drink at the bar, but you can’t do both. You can, however, bring your grub into the bar and chow down while you drink. In fact, Darrel’s next mission in life at this moment was that very act itself. Deeming this as suitable behavior, we follow in Darrel’s footsteps, but the menu is not to our liking. We are nomads once again, starving nomads. Walking down the street, I notice a big ass chicken wearing boxing gloves, and I point this out to Glen and Papa KLYAM. When we reach the chicken, a young woman standing next to him asks us if  we would like to witness a chicken death match. Sure, why not? As long as we can sit down and eat, and we do! More importantly, the man behind the mask is Dylan, bassist for Robot Death Kites- a band I have never heard until now- catch them if you can son- a band that has shared a bill with the likes of Boston behemoths Guerilla Toss. We discuss both the Boston and Brooklyn music scenes and both Glen and I can say it is of great pleasure to have made your acquaintance Dylan. Rock on brother! Alright, let’s get to the show….


Act I: Liquor Store– Since the Living Bread is a deli, it is a small space, and tonight the place is packed. Liquor Store kicks off the show and they do it with incredible finesse. They blast away with loud, roaring guitars. I dig how they epically strum their guitars with almost this windmill like force a la Pete Townshend. Similarly, I find some classic rock elements in their sound, but it does not seem generic in any way. This is my first time seeing these Jersey boys, but Glen saw them a couple of months ago at the Great Scott opening for Natural Child. Lucky bastard. But, now I too have experienced Liquor Store, YEAH BUDDY!!!


Act II: Xray Eyeballs– Last time KLYAM ventured out to New York we caught Xray Eyeballs opening for Black Lips and Davila 666 at last year’s Hell At the Hall Halloween show. Good times! Once again, Xray Eyeballs are one of the more visually memorable bands I have come across. Tonight their stage show features various bright lights, giving their psych garage sound some extra flavor. Alas, I miss some of their set because there is one helluva line for the bathroom! Fortunately, whilst waiting in this monstrosity of a line, I bump into “teacher’s pet” the drummer for Hector’s Pets, a Brooklyn band I saw open for King Khan & The Shrines at the Brighton Music Hall a couple months back. It is awesome to see you again dude! Anyway, check out Xray Eyeballs, if you have not yet. http://xrayeyeballs.bandcamp.com/

Set List:
Dejaw
Die Little Love
My Strange
Sundae
Gator
Derailed
NY Strip
Four
Crystal
Pill Riders


Act III: Bad Sports – Bad Sports is a name I have seen pop up every now and then, but I honestly have never sat down and listened to their music, so I came into this performance with an open mind, curious to see what will happen next. Bad Sports certainly earned their privilege to be on a tour with Nobunny. These guys don’t fuck around, they create chaotic noises in the midst of power pop. The crowd seems to get more pumped up during Bad Sports’ set with few outbursts here and there. Safe to say, Bad Sports will be kicking it for a while as they have for the past few years. http://badsports.bandcamp.com/


Act IV: NOBUNNY!!! -Nobunny=rock’n’roll. It’s as simple as that. Surely, Nobunny is not rock ‘n’ roll unto himself, but he represents what is amazing about all great rock ‘n’ roll: building a connection between the performer and the fan and everyone having fun together. On this tour, Bad Sports serve as Nobunny’s backing band, and I must admit I miss the Nobunny regulars but at the same time, Bad Sports are fantastic, providing the bunnyman with a killer sound. Tonight the name Nobunny is to be taken literally, for our hero in disguise is seriously not wearing his typical bunny mask. Instead, he is decked out in a black tape robber’s mask with some branches at the top. Well this transformation from bunny to branchman must have done the trick because No No is on top of his game more than ever (5th KLYAM show), moving and shaking like a maniac, as if he doesn’t have even two seconds to spare. As soon as the band hits the stage, our hero and gang burst right into “Hippy Witch” and as soon as that ends they immediately thrash right through to “Mess Me Up,” sending all the horny bunnies in the room into a frenzy. This set features so many classics: “I Am A Girlfriend,” “Chuck Berry Holiday,” “Boneyard,” “It’s True,” “Tina Goes To Work,” (which I have never heard live before) “Blow Dumb,” “Live It Up,” “Motorhead With Me,” and there’s even a brief rendition of the Sex Pistols’ “Pretty Vacant,” putting a strong emphasis on the CUNT! My favorite moment is without a doubt “I Can’t Wait” (a Sneaky Pinks cover). Nobunny says “this is an all ages show” before kicking into the classic tune, with everyone screaming “EIGHTEEN YEARS IS A LONG LONG TIME!” That’s the greatest thing about Nobunny, it’s an interactive event, as all great shows should be. But, Nobunny has it down pat, he’s a quality performer, in many ways unlike anyone else in the game today. As I said earlier, the greatest aspect of Nobunny live is how he communicates with his audience. He is just as much apart of this show as you are, a Nobunny show relies heavily on how much energy the audience gives, it’s back and forth. It’s terrific to see kids bashing around and shouting out all the words to their favorite Nobunny tunes, and Nobunny knows this, so he holds out the microphone at the most opportune moments, allowing fans to join in. Naturally, this is commonplace in rock, but with Nobunny it’s a recurrent feature amongst other bunny antics that amount to pure entertainment making everyone feel included in the show. Nobunny is part punk, part bubblegum- sweet, sweet, sugary fucking bubble gum pop, part dirty, grimy garage rock, and simply part circus, pro wrestling actually. The set closes oddly enough with Love Visions opener, “Nobunny Loves You,” which simply makes you want more and more! Final thoughts? Nobunny is one of the best live shows around; him and his band put their balls into it and transcend conventional, boring rock band behavior. If your just sitting at home listening to the records alone, playing with your dong, then you are not getting the full experience! Why would you do such a thing to yourself?! In short, GO SEE NOBUNNY!

concert review, Music, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Ty Segall Band

Concert Review: Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, K-Holes @ The Well (9/22/12)

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Bands: Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, K-Holes
Date: September 22, 2012
Venue: The Well (Brooklyn, New York)

Comments: Heading far away from Beantown to see show isn’t a frequent occurrence for us at KLYAM, but when we do, it always ends up being a fun time. When I first saw in June that Ty and Thee Oh Sees were playing in Brooklyn, but not in Boston (or Portland or Providence), it was a no-brainer to make the voyage. Not to mention that Nobunny shortly thereafter announced a date in Brooklyn for the night before. So yeah, what a nice weekend.



Act I – K-Holes – By the time the K-Holes hit the stage, The Well had filled right up. I could tell the crowd didn’t want to miss any of the action, and why would they? K-Holes are what I call mainstays as openers for some of the rock ‘n roll underground’s bigger bands. I’ve seen them open for Black Lips twice in New York and once for King Khan and the Shrines in Boston. They’ve certainly built up a reputation as a band that brings all they’ve got to the stage. On this night, the stage is quite large for them (“I feel like I’m at the Emmys” singer/guitarist Jack Hines informs us), but this of course doesn’t change their performance. They plow right through several dark, saxophone crazed songs, which to me sound even better than in the past. Also, I’ve never seen a band with their set-up (saxophone, vocalist/tambourine, guitar, bass, a drum kit with three floor toms). They are interesting. I enjoyed closer “Rats,” off their most recent LP Dismania [Hardly Art], the most. It’s a full steam ahead ass-kicker, fitting in perfectly with what’s to come.


Act II – Thee Oh Sees – Finally! It took me three years (approximately) to see these guys and finally I can say it…I saw them. Seeing a lot of live footage on YouTube and hearing people rave incessantly about the live shows – not to mention my very many listens to the records – all of this is awesome, but you’ve got to be there. So I was there along with about a thousand others and we witnessed the same thing. A band that truly has it together and quite easily engages the audience’s attention to something that makes blue shirted security guards want to join in on the fun. Thee Oh Sees got it started with “The Dream,” which is an insane tune, but there’s so much more build-up in the live setting that it is really hard to describe to be honest. After that we were blessed with “Lupine Dominus,” a stand-out off just released Putrifiers II. Then came that song that sounds like “Have Love Will Travel” — oh yes — “Tidal Wave,” which is just as cool as it sounds. They also got in “Carrion Crawler/The Dream,” the wild and quintessential sing-along “I Was Denied,” the superbly lengthy a-a-a-a-a-ah-ah-ha-ha-ha-a-a-a-a of “Contraption/Soul Desert,” and some others which I can’t quite remember right now. Either way, this was one performance that I will surely remember and I can not wait to see them again. It would be cool to catch them in a littler place, but they are at the point where they’ve got a pretty sizable and energetic fan base so I’m not sure what’s to come. No one does.


Act III – Ty Segall – Ty (and band) – if you read this site, you know there is a whole bunch o’ coverage, so disregard the obvious – are near the top of the charts as far as the kind of music I really love. It’s not even one sound – it’s more of the experience and variety of selections that gets me pumped. Whether it is the cuts from Slaughterhouse that they opened with, a throwback classic like “Standing at the Station,” or the many Melted jams “Imaginary Person,” “Finger,” “My Sunshine,” “Caesar,” “Girlfriend,” the current Ty set is all over the place categorically, but it’s all marked by an unbeatable combination of loudness, fuzz, and pop. It is no wonder why more and more people are being turned onto Ty and his band. And they’ll continue to be. The heavy rains that came during “Finger” seemed to coincide with the intensity of the song and they never really stopped. I was pleasantly surprised by “My Head Explodes,” my favorite from Goodbye Bread, which the band hasn’t really played too often. You could say more surprises came with a little “Sweet Home Alabama” and an encore of The Doors “The End”. It should be said that the first couple of rows represented a danger zone for crowd surfers. There was one fan who took a particularly gruesome fall near the stage that drew the concern of Ty, who requested medical attention for the man. We all hope he is okay. Ty shows shouldn’t be dangerous and apart from that incident, everything went pretty smoothly. There were also several photographers and a cameraman on hand – and they were having just as great of a time as the crowd. It was a cool sight!  Back to the songs. Closer “Wave Goodbye” and oldie “Skin” bear mentioning along with the finale of all finales, “The Drag”. Hope to see these guys soon in Boston, but you know, if New York is the only option, New York is the only option. That’s easy.

Art, Boston Counter Cultural Compass, concert review, Fat Creeps, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Fat Creeps, Radio Control, Wet Nurse, Vacation, Ex-Planets @ Starlab (9/14/12)

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Artists: Fat Creeps, Radio Control, Wet Nurse, Vacation, ExPlanets
Date: Friday, September 14, 2012
Venue: Starlab (Somerville, MA)
Comments:
Act I: ExPlanets–  Let me start off by saying, how nice it is to be back in the Starlab! This is KLYAM’s second time here, with our last venture being wayyy back in April 2011- seeing The White Wires from Ottawa, Canada. Great show! I love the look of the Starlab- arcades, couches, and Boston Counter Cultural Compasses hanging around to boot! Check out the KLYAM plug in this month’s compass btw, thanks again guys! http://www.bostoncccompass.com/ The basement itself has to be one of the nicest looking basements I have ever seen. So when the ExPlanets start their set I am feeling pretty good, remembering the fun times I had hear about a year and half ago. For the first few minutes of the band’s set the lights are on, which seems kind of odd, because I have never seen a band perform in a fully lit basement, an intriguing sight, I suppose. The lights begin to dim and everything is back to normal, so to speak. ExPlanets are fun to watch and their sound (at least tonight) reminds me of the aforementioned White Wires as well as the legendary garage rock band The Spaceshits. And no I am not just name dropping Canadian bands I know! They share similar pop sensibilities as these bands, but with a louder, faster delivery. In any case, I plan on further exploring the work of the ExPlanets. http://explanets.bandcamp.com/

Set List:
Can’t Wait (3 Count)
All You Want
Punch Line
Don’t You
Close The Door
Gutter Blind
Not Going Away
Mary
Free To Go
Wrapped Up
Catching Up
Talk About It

Act II: Vacation– Vacation voyaged all the way from Ohio and I am applauding them for making the trek to Boston for this evening’s show. They are a solid band, a lot of fun actually. The spirits amongst the attendees seems to increase during their set as people pogo and chant along to their catchy pop drenched punk tunes. Everyone is having a gay olde time and then suddenly the lights go out and the room is pitch black. I can’t see anything. Next, I hear the words “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!”  The lights flicker on and one of the Vacation’s guitarists is plastered with a nice l’il birthday cake. Happy Birthday! Fun set! http://vacation.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Wet Nurse– Florida’s Wet Nurse is the perfect band to follow Vacation and ExPlanets, for they share their predecessors’ taste for balls out, rock ‘n’ roll fun! Their songs are short and catchy; straight to the point, no filler, the way it should be. They definitely appeal to the garage side of me, which is a large chunk of my musical tastes as if this web site could not be further evidence of that. As I am writing this now I am listening to Wet Nurse’s latest offering, Daily Whatever and I am totally digging it! Check it out here: http://wet-nurse.bandcamp.com/

Set List:
Peace
Cig
Ill
Girl
Sassy
Stranger
Nature
Wasted
Whatevs
Personal
Backwards


Act IV: Fat Creeps– The one and only Fat Creeps, one of my favorite bands. NO WAY REALLY?!! I can only imagine someone that visits this site frequently must be thinking that. SHUTTT UP! Anyway, before I drift, it is cool to see these Creeps in a basement again, since I usually see them perform at clubs/bars, I appreciate the change of setting, it’s good to switch things up. Tonight, the trio opens with “Horoscope,” a fine tune from the Fat Creeps EP released last month and a fan favorite at that. Most of the set contains various Creeps classics like “Secrets,” “Nancy Drew,” and my personal fave “700 Parts.” In addition to these vintage tunes, the band unleashes some fresh material in the form of the relatively new “Dad Weed” and a totally new song I am not familiar with at all. Then, the group starts to play a song that seriously fucking rocks and I think to myself “damn, this new Creeps song sounds like The Stooges.” As soon as I recognize the lyrics I realize it is in fact a cover of The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” Impressive cover to say the least. Speaking of old school punk, my favorite moment in their set is the mini trivia session held in between songs. Vocalist/Bassist Mariam Saleh announces that they are giving away a free beer to anyone that can name Joey Ramone’s real name. Without any hesitation I holler “Jeffery Hyman!” Naturally for providing the correct answer Mariam prestents me with a delicious Narragansett. Thanks again! Moral of the story, go see (and listen) to the Fat Creeps and you can one day be a winner just like me. http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/


Act V: Radio Control–  This fun filled evening of no bullshit punk rock and roll is capped off by one of Somerville’s sweetest bands, Radio Control. Radio Control is Matt (vocals/guitar) and Kristina (vocals/drums) and together the two create a mish mash of garage, post-punk, and undeniable pop hooks. I hear a lot of The Replacements, especially in Matt’s vocals. In many ways their music feels like it’s a full band, at least to my ears. This is the second time I have seen these cats, with the first being an epic show at the Great Scott on April 2 of twenty twelve, opening for Hunx and His Punx and Heavy Cream. Great show! I dug the pair that time, but this show is even better. An excellent way to close tonight’s festivities.

P.S. RC are super cool people and it is a pleasure to have made their acquaintance, hope to see y’all in the near future! Keep on rockin! http://weareradiocontrol.com/

Art, Big Mess, concert review, Fat History Month, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Review: Fat History Month, Big Mess, Masingo @ UML Fox Common (9/13/12)

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Photo not from tonight’s show, taken from http://www.radioutd.com/2012/02/05/reviewinterview-fat-history-month/

Artists: Fat History Month, Big Mess, Masingo
Date: Thursday, September 13, 2012
Venue: UMass Lowell Fox Common (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Big Mess–  Two months is way too long. It has been two long months since I have seen the mighty Big Mess. Their music has always struck me as the perfect soundtrack for  *insert your favorite action here* “Fucking!” Okay sir, fucking sounds good, we’ll go with that. So, it’s no surprise to me that guitarist, Nicholas Wiedeman introduces their perennial set opener, “The Hook,” as a song about making love. Indeed, it is a passionate tune that consistently energizes my spirit at each Big Mess show. The next song “Side A,” from last year’s split with S’eance is equally if not more effective, but perhaps not a number to do the wild thing to, well maybe if your more of the aggressive type, which hopefully you are. This song and the track “Drone Bee” demonstrate the band’s ability to produce powerful, headbanging guitar riffs and sledgehammer drums. In a live setting, truly the best way you can experience this trio, these songs are richer and naturally heavier. In general, Big Mess’s music has always made me conjure up images of classic horror movie madmen such as one, Jack Torrence.The whole set consists of classics and most of the crowd tonight appear to be fans that have experienced Big Mess time and time again; you can see in their eyes a deep admiration for their peers. I share this sense of admiration for the band and hope to see them again sometime soon. http://bigmessma.bandcamp.com/album/big-mess

Act II: Fat History Month– The show begins with Seanhistorymonth standing amongst the kids at The Fox Common, strumming his guitar and with his co-conspirator Markhistorymonth on drums, the duo sink into their weird, little world, taking all the kids aboard. Much like Big Mess, Fat History is a sound band in the studio,  but are perhaps better appreciated in a live setting. On stage,  you truly get to witness the unbeatable chemistry between Sean and Mark that you cannot experience simply from listening to one of their records. As always, the pair dish out some of my favorites, including, but certainly not limited to “Free As A Cat,”  “Old Lady Smokers,  and the Bad History demo “Everyday Is Christmas.” At one point, Sean expresses an appreciation for the decent turn out of bodies in attendance, much greater than he expected. This is no surprise to me however, in fact I would hope more kids got turned on to their music. But, those that show up are immersed in their peformance and when it comes time for requests, someone shouts NATURE! I find this to be hilarious because this is at least the third or fourth time now that I have heard “Nature” requested at a Fat History show. It is a terrific song, so why not?! What is great about this performance is the fact that they follow up “Nature” with the epic track “You Can Pick Your Nose, You Can Pick Your Friend’s Nose, But You Can’t Escape Your Horrible Family.” Up until this point I don’t believe I have ever heard this song live, so that is a definite plus. Not to mention that these two songs are next  to each other on their LP Fucking Despair (pick that thang up btw), thus giving this set a further feeling of completion. I am so glad we have a band like Fat History Month in Boston; it is always a pleasure to see them live and they play a shit TON of shows in this area and beyond, so get yer ass out to any or all of them! Man, I wish I had heard all of this great music when I was a little kid, instead of reading about Fidel Castro, watching old porn movies from the 70s, and getting placed in figure-four locks. Sure, Fat History Month is probably a little bit too bizarre for most children, but in this crazy world we live in they are going to get exposed to some fucked up shit anyway, might as well make sure it’s constructive, beautiful, fucked up shit. Why fill their little heads with hope now? Why not give them a tip before the weight of the the world wipes away all their precious dreams? Jeeze Chris, way to kill the party. Ahh, I’m only teasing, as they say everyday is Christmas, or at least everyday feels like Christmas when you have great bands like Fat History Month around you. Cheers. http://fathistorymonth.bandcamp.com/album/fucking-despair

Act III: Masingo– Masingo, damn Masingo I knew I had seen you before (on a bill with SARALEE @ the Ant Cellar last May), but for the life of me I could not remember them. My bad. Then when Masingo hits the stage, I have some flashbacks, still cannot recall too much, but now I remember these young lads. In particular the vocalist/guitarist has a great attitude and I do remember this quality from before. He is interactive with the audience, inquiring about college and informing the students about endorphins and other matters. He hops around quite a bit, shaking his shaggy hair in the process.  The other two members are equally skilled and their fast, punk delivery is admirable. I am not quite sure if it is my cup of tea, but they are entertaining. My favorite moment is when the vocalist/guitarist flies off the stage, with his guitar in his arms, and falls flat on his back, only to hop right back on stage as if nothing had happened. Check out their bandcamp page: http://masingo.bandcamp.com/

Art, Colleen Green, concert review, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Colleen Green, Plateaus, Empty Phrases @ unchARTed (9/10/12)

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Artists: Colleen Green, Plateaus, Empty Phrases
Date: Monday, September 10, 2012
Venue: unchARTed (Lowell, MA)

Comments: Tonight is my first time stepping foot into the unchARTed gallery in downtown Lowell and I am impressed by its small, but cozy and enticing atmosphere. The walls are covered with various, intriguing portraits, I don’t know much about art, but I can recommend art enthusiasts and purveyors to check this place out! Though, this is my first unchARTed show, I have heard of the place for a while now, so I am glad my introduction is with one of my favorite artists, Colleen Green!

Act I: Empty Phrases– Ahh my boys, the Empty Phrases, a budding four piece fresh out of Lowell and ready to take on the world. Alas, tonight they are missing guitarist Evan Walters :( next time brother! Fortunately, the group manages more than fine as a three piece and I can honestly say this is the finest performance I have experienced from these gentlemen. Tonight, they display a much more aggressive, almost a hardcore/noise rock possessed version of Empty Phrases, giving their summery, dream like sound an oddly  enchanting, sinister touch. All in all, a fun, loud, rocking set from one of Lowell’s most promising bands. http://emptyphrases1.bandcamp.com/album/empty-phrases%20

Act II: Plateaus– Plateaus were sick last night when I saw them at the Middle East Upstairs, but I prefer them even more tonight. The PA at unchARTed is a motherfucker, making all the bands sound quite loud, I love it! This is definitely the case for Plateaus, for their power pop sounds even better with the thunderous volume added to the mix. I don’t know if it’s just me, but their set tonight hit me like a ton of bricks and leaves me with an even greater impression of their music.  Check out this badass band! http://plateausband.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Colleen Green– Wooooooo! Night 2 of my Colleen Green extravaganza. KLYAM has the whole Colleen Green coverage as Empty Phrases vocalist/guitarist Ben Raymond puts it. Indeed, the Massachusetts coverage anyway. It has been a privilege of mine to see one of my favorite singers and her glorious backing band two nights in a row. I say this not to sound like a kiss ass as I am sure it may come off that way haha, but I love her music so as a fan the pleasure is all mine, and who wouldn’t want to experience something they love two nights in a row? Masochists that’s who. Anyway, Colleen and crew delivered a fantastic set last night at the Middle East Upstairs, so going into this performance I was ecstatic, rightfully so. The unchARTEd gallery truly is one of the best venues for a Colleen Green show in all of MASS and definitely the DIY atmosphere of this place feels fitting. Once again, I have to give props to the sound system here, I definitely think this is the best way to experience Colleen. When the bands gets their thing on, Colleen introduces the whole band as “Colleen Green,” which I think is awesome. Just like the previous night they rock into the Descendents tune “Good Good Things,” and transition into the fast, punk, Ramones ode “I Wanna Be Degraded.” The PA is nasty here and from what I am told it often unleashes some unpleasant noises (though tonight everything I have heard has been awesome), but the Colleen Green band is able to make everything sound great; nothing sounds harsh; in fact it’s all very soothing to my ears, which at this point are horribly damaged. Seriously, Colleen is one of my favorite singers, her vocals are so soft,  yet powerful, it’s incredible and I cannot think of anyone else that compares to her. Overall, the Colleen Green band destroys and I am a happy camper. I can’t wait to see her and her band again! KLYAM loves you! http://colleengreen.bandcamp.com/