Category Archives: concert review

Art, concert review, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Concert Review: New Highway Hymnal, The Migs, Friendship, Empty Phrases @ Wilder Zangcraft (4/20/12)

1 Comment

Artists: New Highway Hymnal, The Migs, Friendship, Empty Phrases
Date: Friday, 4/20/12
Venue: Wilder Zangcraft/ Wilder Woodcraft (Lowell)
Comments: So, I am glancing at my 30 rack of Natti Ice and thinking I should start my Spring Weekend festivities off early this year. I have a lot of work to do this week, but nothing is more important than the music. So, here’s a review, if you want to call it that.

Firstly, 420 was so much apart of this show, I might as well give it its own section. So, I will.

Act I: 420– I myself am never overly enthusiastic about 420, because I don’t smoke “on the reg,” so to speak, but it seems to bring out the party in everyone. And I am glad for that because that always makes a show special. If people are joyous, then the occasion will be spectacular. High spirits (no pun intended) always makes an excellent concert dish. I’ve had some fun 420s in the past, but this one will go down as my favorite thus far. This is the first basement show at the Wilder Zangcraft and I am happy to have been apart of it. I hope they put on many more shows! Before the music begins, I take a gander at the space. Walking down the narrow staircase, using my poorly lit, 2001 model flip phone, I do my best to find my way to the basement and not fall flat on my ass, which has happened before. When I reach the floor, I see an interesting space indeed, which I was promised. The set up is odd in a good way. I suck describing shit like this, but basically the basement is more rectangular shaped. So,  if one was to walk down the steps they would see a group of kids facing the band to the right of them, if that makes any sense. Also, I have to mention there is a nice little “stage,” here, which is in fact just a little step up, but it sure is fun to leap off of when you are rocking out! Tonight, we have Empty Phrases, Friendship, The Migs, and none other than the New Highway Hymnal. I like to write about my life experiences, so here is my reaction to what I saw. Happy 420 kids.

Act II: Empty Phrases– Empty Phrases are a Lowell based quartet and it is always a pleausre of mine to see them do what they love. I have dubbed them “The Empties,” and I am hoping that others will continue this trend, though it seems I am alone in this. Speaking of empties, I need to grab a few more beers. What’s a lowell basement show without a few beers or many beers or my lovely back pack full of beers as singer/guitarist, Ben Raymond points out to me. Yeah, that is right this back pack is locked and loaded, and no studying will be taking place tonight. I left the books behind. As the band is about to go on, I crack open another beer. Everyone is feeling pretty high at this point and Empty Phrases, thee empties themselves, begin their set. A great transition I must say. I have always thought their music had summery vibes to it, even in the dead of winter when I froze my balls off many a night. On those cold evenings I could have made myself a cup of hot cocoa or turned the nozzle up on the thermostat, but instead I turned on Empty Phrases, and a feeling of warmth ran through my soul. On this evening, I am practically sweating, but even in April it feels like Summer and the band’s music becomes a fitting soundtrack. Perhaps that is where the Incubus vibes people (including myself) speak of come from; a mellow, almost psychedelic tone, but with an ability to rock and get you moving at the same time, hopefully get you moving, unless you are a square. Earlier in the evening I discussed Incubus with some fine gentlemen and I believe one of them spoke of Incubus’s albums having this seasonal appeal. Incubus aside, I think the empties have got a great sound and this is my favorite performance by them. They are astounding young musicians, but what is even more astounding is how they got J Cole to this show on such late notice. Haha, I just had to say that! J Cole core is the next big thing.
http://emptyphrases1.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Friendship– Friendship is a local band that I have heard of, but I have not seen yet. They are a three piece and behind their set up they are accompanied by an inverted American flag, which I love by the way. I love America too, but the American flag is a piece of cloth after all and at the end of the day no matter how great America may be it still is totally fucked up, unjust, inequal, and simply upside down. A fitting backdrop.  Friendship is a fun live band and they have a pretty sweet dynamic to them.  I love how they opened the set, playing a clip of Chumbawumba’s “Tubthumping” from a vintage cassette player before rocking right into their set.  Friendship is tight and the jams roll out within a blink of an eye. Anthony’s drumming stands out the most to me, he is defintely a powerhouse with those drum sticks. My favorite moment is definitely when Anthony starts mumbling the lines to Linkin Park’s “In The End” at an extremely rapid rate while Nick Eggs from Big Mess standing in the crowd joins in unison. When they reach the line “in the end” the band starts rocking instantaneously, right where they left off. I walk away impressed, cannot wait to see them again.

Act IV: The Migs– When I hear the word migs I instantly think of the psychopath Migs in The Silence of the Lambs.  You know the one that flung his “babies” at Jodie Foster (Agent Starling). Well, these migs do not toss their semen in my face, which is always a good start, NO bodily fluids in my face, maybe at the end. The Migs are great though, a garage/rock and roll kid’s wet dream. Before each song they start off by stating “We’re the Migs and we love you!” What an introduction! Reminds me of great one liner intros such as “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash” or “We’re the Black Lips from Atlanta, GA.”  More bands should do this or maybe less bands should do this, because they are not cool enough. On this evening,  the crowd is a little mellow, 420 really kicking in at this point, but the Migs do not give a fuck, they just have fun and rock, jumping into the crowd and rolling around on the floor, playing guitar. I appreciate the energy,  it really gets me going. This is why I love this music, it is just all about fun. The band has a nice grip on the garage sound, but they venture off into other territories, dishing out doo wop and R&B numbers as well. Lukas from New Highway Hymnal joins the boys on “stage” for a cover of Them’s “Gloria,” and my balls drop, never to be found again.

Set List:
We Da Migs
What I Want
Follow Me Home
Take Take Take
You & Me
All The Things
Soul Records
Hate You More Than Satan
Gloria*
Achy Breaky*

http://themigs.bandcamp.com/

Act V: New Highway Hymnal: The New Highway Hizzle, always an act I look forward to seeing.  NHH are one of Boston’s finest and I cannot recommend them to you enough. NHH keep the Migs’s spirit alive and provide plenty of vigor and showmanship. Singer/guitarist Hadden Stemp and bassist Amelia Gormely hop into the crowd in classic NHH fashion. Every member is exciting to watch. In particular, I love how drummer Travis Hagan bashes away at his set and often makes use of the wall as a source of percussion. Guitarist/vocalist, Lukas Goudreault, keeps the garage rock flowing and his guitar playing reminds me of Thee Oh Sees; both bands are definitely on the same psych wavelength. Alas, the set has to be curtailed because of some pesky policemen in the surrounding area. Overall, it is a solid show as I expected.

Set List:
Through Stained Glass
Beach Glass
Killing Town
Factory Song
Breath, Bleed, Dream
Whispers
Hey Kid!
Destroy
*Bo Diddley*

http://thenewhighwayhymnal.bandcamp.com/

concert review, Music, The Strange Boys, Ty Segall, Ty Segall Band, White Fence

Concert Review: Ty Segall, White Fence, Strange Boys @ Space Gallery

1 Comment

Date: Monday, May 14, 2012
Venue: Space Gallery, Portland, ME

Pre-Show: “That’s the guy,” I say to a long-ish blonde haired young man who has just emerged from the front door of the Space Gallery. That guy is Ty Segall! I had just spoken to band-mates, Charlie and Emily, who were waiting outside. To myself I thought Ty couldn’t be that far away. And here he is. In person, he is just as you’d imagine — well-spoken, friendly, and highly approachable. The kind of guy whom you can get away with saying “do you think you look like this dude over here???” to. Just like an old pal from high school. Well, that old pal might be in grad school or working a 9 to 5 in the big city. Who knows? Ty is a college grad indeed, but he’s accomplished far more things than most in that category have…at least creatively. And he’s only 24 or 25 (depending on who you ask…I’ve even seen 23, but it’s been 23 for a couple of years now…probably could have gotten away with asking him to clarify that).

Strange Boys: What is a typical fans prep work before a show? Whole days spent lounging by the record player or nothing at all? When I can, I like doing some homework, but this process can be like studying for a final…things could go sour if you wait just days before the big test day, but if you’ve been keeping up all along you most likely will be fine. And ‘being fine’ here just means recognizing and appreciating the set as something familiar. Brand new songs can mess this dynamic up slightly, but you know what I mean! I’ve seen the Strange Boys a couple of times before tonight — the first time at the House of Blues opening for Deerhunter and headliner Spoon and the second time at TT The Bears alongside the honorable Gentleman Jesse and His Men and Those Darlins. Those were enjoyable performances, but tonight the Boys seem to be more at ease than ever. In other words, great shit. They even arrived a bit late, but it’s not like anyone would’ve known that without a brief discourse with the sound guy. Ryan Sambol begins the set on guitar, plucking soulfully, and entertaining requests before taking a seat in front of his keyboard. Instead of a set list, they (or maybe just Ryan) opted to go with what felt right. Brother Phillip wanted some real songs and they came eventually, but not before a 30 second tease of Thee Oh Sees “The Dream” via indirect request (what does Portland like?), a little “Sweet Jane” fudging, and a spawning of Glenn Danzig. A girl in the crowd wanted “Laugh At Sex Not Her” and she sure got it. A faster than ever version. In the Strange Boys mix of original material there seemed to be a focus on Live Music, but older cuts were thrown into the mix. To me, they played with more power and tightness than I can recall. The bass was groovier, the guitar solos hit harder, and the drumming was spot-on. Ryan said he hopes to see the crowd come out again next time. They will.

White Fence: The mastermind behind White Fence is Tim Presley. Tim looks fresh out of work, buttoned down collared shirt, dress slacks, you know business casual. Tim’s line of work is rock and roll and the dress code is there isn’t one. So this is what being a rock and roll warrior is all about? God bless. It’s interesting to see him and his band perform – on record, the experience is mainly psychedelic, melodic, but not real crazy. During their set, however, the band is far heavier and immediate. On constant display is Tim’s guitar playing, which propels the band. Don’t get me wrong the other band members are instrumental, quite literally, but Tim is a machine. With such a shitload of material in the White Fence discography, I don’t recognize many of the songs and that’s a bit of a shame. The great thing is the fact that I was impressed and now want to really buckle down and get going with the band. I’ve got the set-list, and now you do too!

Mr. Adams
Who Feels Right
Swagger Vets and Double Moon
The Pool
Long White Curtain
Baxter Corner
Growing Faith
Enthusiasm
Mioclajs
Be Right Too
A Hermes Blues
Down PNX
Get That Heart
Sticky Fruitman Has Faith
Harness

Ty Segall: If you haven’t already gotten the vibes, Ty is one of my favorite musicians. Before this night, I had never seen him live. He was #1 must-see. In fact, I didn’t plan on going to this show until the last minute. How about that! So before the Ty Segall Band came up on stage, Tim on guitar, Mikal Cronin on bass, Nick Murray on drums, and Ty Segall on guitar graced the stage. These four performed two excellent tracks from Hair — “Time” and “Scissor People”. It was a perfect segue into the Band. They came out firing on all cylinders — the explosive entrance of distorted guitar in “Finger” set the course for the night. Heavy moshing, heavy pogo-ing. Heavy clapping. It was all making sense. Save some brief pauses in between songs, it felt like hit-after-hit. Non-stop crowd participation and loving. The three new songs — “Tell Me,” “Eyes,” and “Wave Goodbye” — that the band played off upcoming Slaughterhouse felt like old-time favorites. It makes the wait for that album all that more exciting. For me, I most enjoyed the ending of “Wave,” “The Floor,” “The Drag,” and “My Sunshine”. Consistently great moments. Some people started leaving after “My Sunshine,” and why would they do this? Did they think the band wouldn’t possibly be playing an encore?! Hope they came back because the Band sure did and played two songs. Which songs? I do not know. Maybe you do. They were fun. Perhaps a little “Caesar” or “Skin” to seal the deal would have been even better, but the Band did what they wanted to do. That’s great. This was a top concert experience for certain — I don’t remember being this excited to see a favorite band since maybe the Lips show back in ’09. They followed through on the excitement and then some. Check out all three bands, KLYAMers. You know that.

Ty Segall & White Fence Set-List:
Time
Scissor People

Ty Segall Set-List:
Finger
Doctor Doctor
Girlfriend
Imaginary Person
Cents
Standing At The Station
You Make The Sun Fry
Tell Me What’s Inside Your Heart
I Bought My Eyes
Wave Goodbye
The Floor
The Drag
My Sunshine
<

Art, Concer t Review, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Hunx and His Punx, Heavy Cream, Radio Control @ Great Scott! (4/2/12)

3 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)

Art, Big Mess, concert review, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Atlas the Atom Smasher (CD Release)@ UML Fox Common

Leave a comment

Artists: Atlas the Atom Smasher, Big Mess, Bella Birds, In the Direction of the Sun, and Crashing Cars
Date: Friday, March 2, 2012
Venue: UMass Lowell Fox Common (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Crashing Cars– Nice alliteration in the title! Crashing Cars is seriously a great way to describe this band, there’s a lot of aggression to their performance and they play driving, loud, fast rock music.  I definitely get a lot of early to mid 90s  grunge vibes and there is a lot of emotion in each of their songs. and the performance itself.  It’s not exactly my cup of tea, but they are undeniably talented musicians and I can imagine there is a decent amount of appeal for their angsty approach to this style of music. Check out their band camp page here: http://crashingcars.bandcamp.com/

Act II: In the Direction of the Sun– Unfortunately, much of the audience that witnessed Crashing Cars vanish in the time between Act I and II. Which is a  damn shame because these guys really rock hard and give it their A game … for just the four or five of us that are left standing there. It is a set full of tesosterone fueled, angry, death metal/hardcore blast after blast. Once again, this isn’t my kind of music, but I commend them for a charismatic and passionate performance, especially considering the sudden decrease in attendance. At times, I feel like it is the death metal version of Atlantic Thrills, which of course is a great “I don’t give a fuck, let’s just have fun and go wild!” attitude. The best attitude to have. If you’re big  into heavier, more diabolical stuff check these guys out here: http://inthedirectionofthesunma.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Bella Birds– Next up is Bella Birds, a charming folk duo with strong hooks and strong harmonies. A bit more people show up and it is cool to see yet another transition in genre/style/approach, which is a characteristic I always note about thse Fox Common shows. Their performance is engaging and they interact well with the audience, often with light humor and positivity. Here’s the link to their site:  http://www.thebellabirds.com/

Act IV: Big Mess– Ahh yes, the mighty Big Mess. Generally speaking, I’m not the biggest fan of instrumental music, but Big Mess is a massive exception. This trio rocks and kills it at each and every show. The bands plays slow, haunting quasi metal/hardcore with an equal proportion of sludge and pop sensibility. The songs aren’t poppy, but all of them have incredible hooks that get stuck in my head on a daily basis. When I wear my badass, redneck esque snowboots “The Hook” instantly pops in my head, for example. If I worked out I’m sure Big Mess would appear on my playlist. During this performance I hear a lot of My War/Slip It In era Black Flag in their music.  The Big Mess on this evening is no different than the Big Mess on any other evening, but I walk away with those early hardcore/crossover metal, mid 80s-SST vibes. I see a lot of similarities in the two bands, though Big Mess is more in control in their musicianship, it’s less chaotic, but just as cathartic. I’ve seen them several times now and the sets are always familiar, but it never gets old, the songs are strong enough that it’s  always refreshing. http://bigmessma.bandcamp.com/album/big-mess

Act V: Atlas the Atom Smasher– Atlas the Atom Smasher is one of the hardest working local bands in Boston and tonight’s show is a celebration for the release of their latest CD, The Snowmiser Suite, a 12 minute punk epic about the impending apocalypse. Despite the dour subject matter behind the muisc, Atlas is infinitely positive and enthusiastic, especially drummer Tyler Bisson, and this is reflected in their music. They play loud, fast punk driven songs, but with a bit more variation and experimentaion than most bands that fall under that category. The sound is incredibly loud and much of that can be attributed to the Fox Common’s permanent ear damaging PA, but it certainly fit really well with the music. Their performance overall is impressive as is The Snowmiser Suite itself. Give it some much earned ear time: http://atlastheatomsmasher.bandcamp.com/album/the-snowmiser-suite

Art, Black Lips, Box Elders, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, Punk, reviews

Two Years Ago Today…

Leave a comment

Two years ago today was one of the greatest experiences in my whole life and possibly the best show I have ever attended. On March 25, 2010 KLYAM and friends and hundreds of others at the Middle East witnessed the greatness of our favorite band The Black Lips as well as the somewhat short lived, but nonetheless phenomenial Box Elders. It was indeed an amazing show, local mainstays, Movers and Shakers opened the show as well. Good times. Great times actually.

Here’s a link to the epic KLYAM  review: https://klyam.com/2010/03/30/concert-review-black-lips/

concert review, Music, No Age

Concert Review: No Age @ Chum’s Coffeehouse (3/10/12)

3 Comments

Bands: No Age, Make It Up
Venue: Cholmondley’s Coffeehouse aka CHUM’s, Brandeis University (Waltham, MA)
Date: Saturday, March 10, 2012

Act One: Make It Up – Starting the evening off right were these guys — a local four piece playing their second show ever (or so I heard right before they began playing). They rocked harder than the human mind might have originally suspected. In some ways similar to their counterparts tonight, there was at first ambiance characterized by lightly strummed guitars and sparse drumming. This didn’t last very long at all. The sound got louder and louder and eventually reminded me of Fugazi. The singer/guitarist seemed most passionate in contrast to the gentle playing of the bassist, lead guitarist, and drummer. He made great use of his lone pedal, which when stepped on produced heavy distortion and (thanks in part to the other dudes) no rhythym was lost. There was one song that I thought was a Fugazi cover, but it could have easily been a New Order or Joy Division song…or simply an original. Either way, this was a highlight. So three or four songs in, a man approaches the stage and tells the singer: “You’ve got 5 minutes left!” Singer is astonished at this situation; the band has seemingly been on stage for a shorter span than their sound check an hour earlier! Well, Daylight Savings came a few hours early for this gentleman as the band ended up playing for another ten minutes, the rough equivalent to two songs. The band, absent a member apparently, put these moments to the best use they could and the result seemed to be an increasingly pumped up crowd.

Act Two: No Age
Glen– Shows like these seem to come once every three years for me. I shouldn’t really say shows, though. These are more like profound experiences. Journeys into the unknown. What am I talking about? Chum’s at Brandeis University is a peculiar place. We KLYAM folk had never ventured into this territory and probably never anticipated doing so. It felt just like April 2009 when we ventured to Wellesley College to see this very band – NO AGE — in a small rec room intended for the head bobbing and jumping around of students and guests of that institution. Being outsiders has its perks…namely unfamiliarity. All pre-show bullshit aside, we were here for one of our favorite bands, No Age. I don’t toss around ‘favorite’ lightly. These guys really are and five No Age shows later this fact is ever so evident to me. Dean and Randy walked onto the raised platform, took their usual spots, and all seemed to be well…except Dean’s voice was not being heard through his microphone! No big deal for the audience as Randy was already strumming and stepping on some pedals to generate atmospheric sounds that resembled the best of Weirdo Rippers in that department. Low and behold, about five minutes later, a switcharoo of microphones took place and the band was about to get into the kind of shit that would activate the audience into a frenzy. And so began the frenzy after eight noisy strums from Randy and Dean’s battering of his drum set. This was “Ripped Knees” folks, a classic from No Age’s 2008 LP Nouns. The moshing was rampant and active. So was the back of the room initiated crowd surfing and failed mini stage dive attempts. Damn, every one was having so much fun! The slower parts of songs meant less intensity from the audience, but damn I tell you nobody was going to let a minute and a half of waves crashing get the best of them on Rippers fave “Every Artist Needs a Tragedy.” The crowd erupted in chaotic joy once the distortion and vocals kicked in. Whether it was bumping into people, falling onto the ground, singing into an unplugged microphone, or doing whatever, the fans of No Age on this night brought their A-game. All thanks to Dean and Randy, of course! There were just so many moments of grandeur throughout the set. The cover homage to somewhat local legend GG Allin (“Don’t Talk To Me”) assisted by Aviram Cohen of Silk Flowers brought back fine memories of when those three did the same thing at the Middle East in November 2008. “Fever Dreaming,” which drew the biggest reaction by far was just incredible. About half way through, I thought Dean shouted to Randy “one more,” but really it was “Boy Void” and what a good thing that was! We also got a taste of some new material. From my standpoint, the awesomeness factor hardly waned with the introduction of these songs. The sole exception was during one of the new ones, which was a far reaching overdrive of noise and drum bashing. I didn’t know whether to blame my shot ears or the speaker system. Either way, no big deal! I’ve got mention as always my absolute favorites that were played: “Teen Creeps,” “Here Should Be My Home,” and “Brain Burner.” Also this time around, I really enjoyed “Chem Trails” from 2010’s Everything in Between. If this doesn’t go down in history as one of my favorite live experiences, I’m not really sure what does. I’m sure a good chunk of the audience would also stack this right on top of the best of ’em. I’ve seen some great ones over the years, but there’s something about a No Age show that continually leaves me amazed (and hard of hearing).

Chris DeCarlo– No Age is one of the originals for us. For the KLYAM, it was not until mid to late ’09 when we started to get into 90% of the stuff we dig now, we simply never came across most of it. But, No Age, on the other hand, has been with us since July ’08  and since then we have held them near and dear. I know for readers who are much older than us (we’re 21) talking about 2008 and 2009 with nostalgia probably sounds stupid, but honestly as Glen expressed, it feels like ages ago. At the time, No Age was unlike anything I had ever experienced before, both live and on record. They were and still are able to communicate with their fans on a level most other artists never reach. As brilliant as No Age is, they almost come off to me as your local punk rock band playing in a basement for their friends. I don’t mean this in a disparaging way at all, in fact, it’s a trait sadly few other bands at No Age’s level possess. There’s this humble quality to them that other artists have seemed to have lost, whether intentionally or not. In a weird way, I have always seen No Age as another version of the Black Lips. Think about it! Both bands at heart play rock and roll with an emphasis on passion over musicianship that is articulated through their unending devotion to fun and positivity. I know what your thinking, “you could say that about a million bands,” and you’re right, but if you feel the way I do, you know you can’t point to any other bands and  feel the same way. And so after journeying through an elaborate looking castle and finally stumbling upon Chum’s, a relatively small space, I knew No Age would kill it as always. That energy I spoke of earlier spread through the room instanteaneously. Sure, the sound wasn’t perfect, but I would rather spend 60 minutes bomping back and forth into bodies and falling on the floor whilst Dean and Randy unleash noisy classic after classic than stand in a stadium and hear a nice clean, clear set; of course I would have to gaze through my binoculars to see the drummer creating those fine drum beats instead of nearly crashing my skull into Dean’s drums! It’s funny, I love watching people react to shit. For example, if I have a crush on a girl in one of my classes, I love to see what makes her laugh or cringe or whatever. During live shows, I often observe the performers to see how they react to the crowd. Alas, most performers don’t seem to show their emotions in this way or at least I don’t see it, but with No Age this is not the case. One of my favorite moments from the evening was during (I believe) “Fever Dreaming,” when everyone was basically going nuts (in a good way) and one girl was having the time of her life crowd surfing to the point that she was hanging on to the bars attached to the ceiling and when I turned my head to the band, I saw Dean smirking and it just made me smile. I could see in his eyes, he was loving the way the crowd was reacting to his music, just a great shared moment. Not to beat a dead horse, but I also notice this with Ian St.  Pe at Black Lips shows. Just an appreciation of joy and music. Moments like these seem to come more often at smaller, more intimate venues and let me just say for a band as visible as No Age, for them to be playing a little venue  nearly four years into their “indie stardom” (I hate those phrases hence the quotation marks) is admirable and rare. Not to say playing a bigger venue is a bad thing, I don’t mean to say that makes any other band of their status lesser for playing bigger and/or more conventional venues, good for them, the more the merrier! But, as a fan, it is incredible to experience these up close and personal shows with one of my favorite mid-level bands, a feat I can’t say about any other artist I know. Five shows deep it has been and will continue to be a great experience with No Age. Regardless of the venue, here should be my home.

Teen Creeps!

Here’s a link to some more exclusive photos from our buddy Kiyal Canareo. Thanks dude! http://www.flickr.com/photos/51832704@N07/7591252034/in/photostream/

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

Concert Review: Frontrunner, Empty Phrases, Exposure @ Ant Cellar (12/16/11)

Leave a comment

Artists: The Exposure, Empty Phrases, and Frontrunner. These are all the bands I saw anyway.
Date: Friday, December 16, 2011
Location: Ant Cellar (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
Act I: The Exposure– Welly welly welly well, let it be known up front, if you cannot or do not see the publication date on this masterpiece that I am horribly overdue in my review of this fine Lowell show. Also, let me apologize for missing the first  (possibly second or third?) band(s), but I had to journey to the local liquor store and throw away what was left in my wallet by making a Christmas donation, and whaddya know in exchange they handed me a twelve pack of keystone. Nice Fellas. Anyway, why am I discussing all of this under The Exposure’s header? Who knows?  The Exposure played one helluva set, that I do know. Seriously, one of the best New England based bands I have seen all year; they hail from the great state of Connecticut. Paris Mygatt rocks out on the guitar and creates some memorable vocals as well. Brian Grochowski is an impressive drummer and complements Paris’s playing  quite well. I was surprised to hear that the pair had only been together since August! I felt like I had seen a band at least a few years into their career. I definitely walked away with No Age vibes; I know I say that often when it comes to two piece bands, but they really did sound like them. I also heard some Page France in the mix. Either way you can tell they are a fairly adventerous, unique group, with a lot of potential. The sound was great too, but what really stood out to me was their ability to communicate with the audience. In an intimate setting like the Ant Cellar (literally a  cellar) everyone is kooked up together and surrounded by the wonderful odor of sweat and steel reserve beer, but during the Exposure’s set, I was briefly taken to another level beyond the basement and it really felt like a show. Their crowd interaction varied from jokes about fucked up films to the relieving announcement that the War in Iraq finally ceased to exist (hopefully). There definitely was a great sense of positivity to them that I would also liken to No Age. You know, as I am writing this now, I’ve realized that this band best resembles No Age in their ability to produce both an atmospheric aura and simultaneously a great rock vibe. Perhaps my favorite moment of the performance, oddly enough, was when the two unleashed some fine theatrics in the form of glow sticks for everyone in the room. The band wore them over their eyes for a song or two and it was pretty funny, but the best was when Paris flung one of the glow sticks into the crowd and it hit me right in the face. Haha, he sincerely apologized, which I thought was hilarious because it was no big deal whatsoever; it was an entertaining moment nonetheless. Following their set, I briefly chatted with the pair, and found them to be upstanding gentlemen, class act all the way. So yeah, if you’re looking for some new music, check out  The Exposure.  http://www.the-exposure.com/ 

Act II: Empty Phrases– The Empties were pretty great. Empties? I know, I created that nickname, and I like it, like the Stones or the Lips; at some point or another a band has to adopt a nickname. I’ve been meaning to see these guys for quite some time now, so it was a real pleasure to finally witness the band in action. I always thought they had Incubus vibes based on their recordings and from what I hear this is a popular interpretation. I don’t know if that was an intention on the part of the band or not, but either way it’s a decent sound and they defintely expand on it. Live however, I felt less of the Incubus feel and more of an experimental-psychedlic side to the band. I noticed a lot of comparisons to bands I love today like Deerhunter and Best Coast, especially in the group’s use of reverb. Perhaps a little bit too much reverb for my tastes, but it was still pretty cool. It was a fun, rocking performance and the highlight for me was definitely “Groundhog Day.” Another excellent moment was when the band brought LeAnne Piepiora up for some guest vocals on the “Void.” I’m seeing them again tonight, so I’m excited. A lot of potential for these fellas. http://emptyphrases1.bandcamp.com/album/empty-phrases

Act III: Frontrunner– Frontrunner closed the show with an impromptu performance that was like one big ode to hardcore punk, which is always fun. I had just been watching American Hardcore (2006) right before I left my dorm to see this show, so I was right in the mood for some good old fashion hardcore. Considering that their performance was off the cuff they did a damn fine job and sounded really tight, a clear indication that the band consists of some talented musicians. It says on their Band Camp page “Flashback to 1984, this ain’t no tough guy bull shit, its yr dad’s hardcore.” Haha, I like it. Check it out. http://frontrunnerhxc.bandcamp.com/

Atlantic Thrills, concert review, Local Music, Music, The Scamps

Show Recap: The Scamps/Atlantic Thrills @ Mid East Upstairs

Leave a comment

Date:February 3, 2012

Act One: The Scamps – The Scamps are an interesting band and certainly one of the finest local bands that I’ve seen to date. Their sound (at least to me) is an immediate mix of pure good time rock and roll and hardcore punk/psychobilly. The guitars are choppy and bompy and the drumming is precise and heavy. Keyboards are nice, too, of course! The most standout Scamps tune is “Stuck On You”. From beginning to end, it’s quite a ride. I can’t wait to see these guys again soon.

Act Two: The Atlantic Thrills – Been supporting the Thrills ever since I heard the first notes of their opening performance for Black Lips in Rhode Island last April. They have a great stage presence and energy that a lot of bands who’ve been playing for a while don’t have. Their set on this night was more relaxed than the two other times that I saw them. There was a lot more slow-grooving rock and roll and ballad-y going on. The result was fantastic. (I’m not sure anyone could’ve joyfully stomached a pounding set.) I got a handful of King Khan & BBQ Show vibes along with the usual odes to the Lips. “Acid Rain” did the trick again. The new one, which you can watch below, “Give It Back,” is a fantastic snapshot of the Thrills catalog as a whole. Dan’s twangy lead guitar, bursts of shouting and howling from Eric, Ref’s down-pat drumming, and Kelly’s unmatched passion and groove (and background vocals). You’ve got to see these dudes. Some of the nicest people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, too.

Unfortunately due to an acute sudden illness, Hallelujah the Hills and Movers & Shakers were not able to come before my eyes.

concert review, Music, Smith Westerns

Concert Review: Smith Westerns @ Paradise (1/29/12)

Leave a comment
Image: Scene In The Dark

Bands: Smith Westerns, Porcelain Raft, Bleached
Venue: Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA
Date: Sunday, January 29

Act One – Bleached – Bleached was one of the better opening bands that I’ve seen in a while. I like noisy and catchy rock and roll so it makes sense. They are definitely more rooted in punk rock than the bands they’re bound to get compared to: Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls. I was most excited for “Electric Chair,” which also happened to draw a nice crowd reaction. It’s too bad I hadn’t discovered that song until a few weeks ago. It’s an instant favorite. For a band that still hasn’t released a full-length, there’s a lot to be excited about. The other song that I want to mention is “Searching Through The Past,” which will get stuck in your head. It’s only a four chord jaunt with a vibrating guitar solo that was performed quite well in the Paradise.

Act Two – Porcelain Raft – Every now and then, I’ve seen shows that feature a Porcelain Raft type of band. It’s a rare thing, but it has happened. It’s the situation where I get this sense that I’m watching a band that belongs on a bigger stage or at least in a headlining capacity. The music was overwhelming in that it was sort of all over the map genre-wise, but just maintained this grandiose presence. I got vibes of recent Kings of Leon and Editors among others. Keep in mind Porcelain Raft is just a two piece, but they make use of pedals, keyboards, and extra drum and bass to give them a fuller sound. Listening to Porcelain after the fact on headphones is no comparison. Last night, I could feel my entire body vibrating from the shaking bass. All this said, Porcelain felt at home during their first performance in Boston and I’m sure the next time they’re around they’ll play somewhere with a nice sound system. That being said, I thought they were an enjoyable band, but I don’t think I’d see them again on their own. Just not really my thing.

Act Three – Smith Westerns – The Smith Westerns are one of those bands that have probably proved themselves more divisive than at all necessary. They got their start as a high school rock and roll band, as I’m sure most know by now. They shortly thereafter opened on a tour for Nobunny, released their debut Smith Westerns on HoZac, and did some more touring. Dye It Blonde, their second album, is remarkably cleaner sounding with extravagant lead guitar playing and the addition of keyboards. So they stepped it up in other words. Live, they seem like they’ve been playing these songs for years. Just an extremely polished band. What stood out to me is just how they were able to transmit their raspy earlier songs like “Tonight” and “Be My Girl” into these powerful live songs that are just as awesome (if not more than) as the newer ones. Speaking of new ones, they played two new ones. One involving the word ‘star’ and the other…well I don’t remember. They were good; they reminded me of a band that I couldn’t help, but think of during the set: Girls. Both bands have similar set ups and that awkward (mostly for audience members) balance of slow songs and medium/fast tempo ones. I believe they played more than three-quarters of the Dye It Blonde during their set and followed up with a new song and “Dye the World.” Biggest crowd reaction: “Weekend”. My favorite was “All Die Young.” I love that keyboard intro. The most fascinating SW to watch was Max Kakacek. He is an outstanding guitar player.

Chris DeCarlo: What the fuck do you expect a KLYAM concert review without the showstopper, the main event? Didn’t think so. Glen summed up most of  my sentiments, but I thought I’d add a few musings that are worth noting. First off, like my co-conspirator, I have been dying to see Smith Westerns for quite some time now and so that made this show doubly special. Few current bands can I say the same thing for.  They more than satisfied all of my Smith Westerns hopes and desires. By the way, why did we stop doing those good ol’ fashion “Hopes and Expectations” pre-show posts? I guess we got lazy.  If I had made one of those, you can bet your sweet ass the hopes would have outweighed the expectations. They played just about all of the classics from both records; in fact I believe “Dance Away,” was the only cut they didn’t perform from Dye It Blonde (2011), correct me if I’m wrong.  The whole set, start to finish was invigorating, another rare feat for me, even amongst top KLYAM greats. The sound was amazing, which is what we have come to expect from the dise and it adds to the flavor of the Smith Westerns too. They have a polished sound and style, and proper sound amplifies that greatness. Lastly, brilliant, bubblegum pop flow aside, these guys are masters in the performance realm, making sure every nuance of each song can be appreciated by the audience, and with very minimal crowd interaction or wishy washy intervals, the songs simply seaped from one into another in a manner I’ve never seen quite matched before. There was no filler, it just hit you. My only gripe? People (self-included) became really content with just standing there, bobbing their heads, or at best awkwardly dancing in their own little way, which is cool, but there isn’t/wasn’t any unified, overly enthusiastic crowd response and that takes things down a few notches… slightly. I mean this isn’t Jay Reatard. As much as I’d love to see people dancing, moshing, babes sweating all over me, the whole nine, the music itself doesn’t really lend itself to such activities. OR maybe crowds are just lame sometimes? I don’t know, but I tend to think it’s more of the former. People want to just react naturally and not force it. With that being said, lack of audience participation should not be any reflection on the prowess of the band members, for they are easily one of the best and most mesmerizing bands I have seen in my life, and they’re my age! Now back to Glen…

Final Comments: This was a really good show. I got to appreciate a variety of musical chops in addition to a band that I’ve been meaning to see live for a while now. I’m interested to see what’s next for the Smith Westerns considering they’ve already opened for Arctic Monkeys, MGMT, and Yeasayer in such a short time frame.

Art, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, King Khan, Mark Sultan, Music, Punk, reviews, The SInbusters, Video

Concert Review: Mark Sultan & Sinbusters @ Magic Room Gallery (12/2/11)

2 Comments

Artists: Mark Sultan, Sinbusters, Squall
Date: Friday, December 2, 2011
Location: Magic Room Gallery (Brighton, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Squall (Unfortunately we missed :( )

Act II: The Sinbusters– The Sinbusters are a kickass garage inspired punk outfit from Lowell, MA. Their sets pretty much consist of balls to the wall, fun, rock and roll. Loud, noisy, but ultimately satisfying. Tonight they are a three piece: vocals/guitar, drums, keyboards. They rock pretty hard and get the stiff crowd moving at times. Nick, the lead singer, hops into the audience for a bit, whilst strumming away on his guitar. I am still getting into the band, but I really like what I hear, and they are definitely amongst the top live bands I have seen in Boston this year. They place artists such as Thee Oh Sees and Thick Shakes amongs their contemporaries, and I think that is pretty accurate. So, definitely check out The Sinbusters if you have not.

Act III: Mark Sultan– Mark Sultan is the real deal. What does that even mean? It means, there is no bullshit, what you get is real rock and roll, at least what I think is real rock and roll, and obviously I am not alone. Mark mixes it up a lot, diving through numerous styles: Doo Wop, Soul, Psychedlic, and Punk, rocking hard through all of them. Tonight he is feeling under the weather or “gonnorrhea in the throat” as he calls it, but when he sings you can hardly notice the difference, it is amazing. The Magic Room Gallery is a nice, little venue, and when he plays he looks right at home, or at least he makes everyone feel involved, often cracking jokes and encouraging the crowd to dance. Indeed, Mark plays several of his classic, danceable, rock and roll songs, many of which I hold near and dear to me. “Beautfiul Girl” from 2007’s Sultanic Verses (2007) is one of the highlights of the set, and perhaps my favorite performed live. The vocals are incredible in the studio version, but they get me pumped even more live. Some other cuts I really enjoy include “I Am the End” from $ (2010). Once again, the vocals are mind blowing, and in general I usually show people either this song or “Ten of Hearts” if I am introducing them to Mark Sultan, mainly because of the vocals. The set also includes a number of King Khan & BBQ Show tunes including everyone’s favorite “Shake Real Low,” a stellar closer for a stellar set.

I did not recognize all of the songs, but here are the ones I did, in order of album:
Tie Your Noose (2005):
“Waddlin’ Around”*
“Shake Real Low”*
“Out of Time” (The Rolling Stones)

* Also can be heard on The King Khan & BBQ Show (2004)

The Sultanic Verses (2007):
“Beautiful Girl”
“Spinning Ceiling”

The King Khan & BBQ Show- Invisible Girl (2009):
“Third Ave”
“I’ll Be Loving You”

$ (2010):
“I Am The End”
“I’ll Be Loving You”
“Nobody But You”

Grade: 8/10

 

Check out Mark Sultan’s two current records, Whatever I Want and Whenever I Want and/or the compilation Whatever/Whenever.

 

Sinbusters– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usIbLYaiMFc&feature=related

Squall- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGXGZcFDeWg&feature=related