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Review: Fat Creeps, Nice Guys, Designer, Guerilla Toss @ Cambridge Elks (10/19/13)

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Halloween 2
Bands: Guerilla Toss, Fat Creeps, Nice Guys, Designer
Date: Saturday, October 19, 2013
Venue: Cambridge Elks Lodge

Designer (as Blink 182) – Up until now, I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Designer live. I can’t even say I have listened to their music before. I know, I know, it’s on my never ending to do list. They appear to be the talk of the town and over the last few months or more I have heard their name pop up several times in many a local band recommendation. So, I still have to see what all the hype is all about, but regarding this cover set as Blink 182  the band is a knock out.

Designer are under dressed – shirtless and down to their skivvies, wearing only black masks. They have Blink 182’s reckless, adolescent abandonment down to a tee. I myself am not a Blink fan, but you really don’t have to be to enjoy this set. The Designer dudes subvert Blink’s pop punk flavor, turning the radio friendly hits into nasty bolts of noise that vaguely resemble the originals. I recognize “What’s My Age Again?” “All the Small Things,” and half of “Mutt.”

Check out Designer’s original tunes here: http://designer1.bandcamp.com/

Nice Guys (as The Mummies) – The Nice Mums – the artists formerly known as Alex, Jake, Matt, and Cam – are covered in toilet paper and dressed in white suits appearing as though they are Mummies, though they look and behave more sinister than that. I’m feeling A Clockwork Orange; they’re up for anything, maybe a bit of the old ultra violence, which they dish out on their instruments and each other but not on the crowd members. After all, these are Nice Guys, excuse me I mean Nice Mums, sorry, Nice Mums.

Alex hollers on lead vocals and torments his keyboards, frequently picking them up and swinging them in the air, sometimes within the middle of the audience. Matt,  Cam, and Jake destroy on guitars and drums – also screaming on backing vocals. The crowd eats it up with some of the best moshing I’ve ever experienced at a Nice Guys show. I mean Nice Mums.

The Elks Lodge is a fantastic place to participate in a sweaty garage punk performance. There’s no stage or other goofy big rock club bullshit, thus lending itself to a more intimate atmosphere typically found in a crowded basement. It’s easy for performers to hop back and forth between the audience and the “stage,” breaking down that demonic divide between performer and spectator. With this band, we’re all one or at the very least there’s a feeling of inclusion that should be a focal part of any great punk/DIY show, and more importantly it’s fucking fun!

The whole set is a blast, an aging garage guru’s wet dream. No, I never saw The Mummies in 92′ old man, but I did catch the Nice Mums in October 2013 in all of their filthy, beer soaked, keyboard demolishing glory.
You Done Mummies well.
http://niceguys666.bandcamp.com/album/mean-songs-demo

Fat Creeps (as The Cramps) – I got a big kick out of last year’s Halloween show when the Creeps played as one of my all time favorite bands, The Ramones! In terms of Fat Creeps Halloween cover sets, I didn’t think that show could be topped… and honestly I don’t think it has, but this one comes close!

The line up includes Mariam aka Lux Interior, Gracie aka Poison Ivy, and special guests Ben Katzman (bass) and Chris Geller (drums). Mariam slithers and slimes her way around the elks lodge floor, singing, shouting and flailing about in her leopard skin suit. She does an impressive Lux Interior and performs well with her co-conspirators.

Gracie (red wig and all) rocks out on guitar and seductively shakes her head and hips to the music. Chris pounds on the drums in the back like a champ, dressed in all black like all bad ass motherfuckers. Ben races around on bass, shirtless, often hopping into the audience, even crowd surfing at one point. Towards the end of the set, he drops his trousers, wearing nothing at all. Haha ohh boy.

Overall, the crowd is really into the Fat Cramps, in particular one Glen Maganzini tries so desperately to get a good mosh pit going, with some attempts better than others.

Definitely a sick set. Check out Fat Creeps’ original material here: http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/

Guerilla Toss (as Meat Loaf) –  His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson. That’s right, that’s Meat Loaf as Robert Paulson aka Bob with the bitch tits in Fight Club. And that’s about it as far as KLYAM knowledge of Meat Loaf goes. Ohh, he was also in South Park once and had a big selling album or something. But, tonight it is Guerilla Toss who is Meat Loaf, and like all G Toss (are we the only ones that refer to them as G Toss? I hope not) shows this one is spooky, alluring, amusing, and altogether head scratching. Alas, the Satanic lords of the underworld have cursed us with a shitty subway system that leaves Boston incredibly early and we missed at least half of the band’s set (not to mention during the first half, I could barely see over everyone’s heads, I’m only 5’3, help a brother out). Apparently, we missed Simon naked, we always do. I have a feeling there will be more of this though…
http://guerillatoss.com/

Enjoy this video from the amazing Avi Paul Weistein below. Avi shot many videos and pictures of this show. You should take a gander at all of them. Here’s the Nice Mums…

Art, Fat Creeps, Free Pizza, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Miami Doritos, Music, Nice Guys, pictures, Punk, Show Alert, The Beets

KLYAM Recommended Shows: 11/4/13 – 11/9/13

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klyamrecommended

Monday, November 4, 2013

FAST APPLE Presents: Guantanamo Baywatch @ Charlie’s Kitchen – 9PM – $5 – Portland’s garage surf punkers, Guantanamo Baywatch are hitting up Boston this Monday and speaking of which – word around the campfire is that they have a split 7″ coming out on Suicide Squeeze on December 3 with Natural Child! Several of Boston’s finest are opening this show: Fellow surf freaks, Beware the Dangers Of A Ghost Scorpion!, psych monsters, CreaturoS, and one of KLYAM’s favorite noisemakers, Miami Doritos.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

pRIMORDIAL sOUNDS Presents: The Middlesex Lounge is hosting its weekly PS nights and this night features the likes of insane doo woppers SKIMASK, anarcho punks Ancient Filth, and Teacher Mother Secret Lover. 10 PM $3

Friday and Saturday, November 8 and 9, 2013

Boston Hassle Fest 5! @ Cambridge Elks Lodge, Cantab Lounge, and Western Front and featuring wayyyy too many rad bands to mention, but if the names Lightning Bolt and The Beets mean anything to you then that alone should make you come out to Hassle Fest. More importantly, over 40 of New England’s greatest bands are playing this fantastic festival. Fat Creeps, SKIMASK, Nice Guys, Guerilla Toss, Free Pizza and so much more! 3PM $15 – $20 Sliding Scale.

For more info: WEBSITE – FB EVENT

Friday, November 8, 2013

Night Beats @ O’Brien’s Pub – 8PM – $10 – Seattle’s experimental garage rockers, Night Beats are returning to O’Brien’s for a fun ass rock ‘n’ roll show. Opening up is one of our local favorites The New Highway Hymnal as well as Thunderbloods and Gymshorts.

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If you think we missed any shows that a tru KLYAM gangsta would vant to see. Hit us up at KLYAMEMAIL@GMAIL.COM

Art, Atlantic Thrills, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews

Review: Atlantic Thrills, Sonic Avenues, Thee Legendary Rockin’ Prophets, The Little Richards @ O’Brien’s Pub (10/17/13)

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Prophets
Bands: Sonic Avenues, Atlantic Thrills, Thee Legendary Rockin’ Prophets, The Little Richards
Date: Thursday, October 17, 2013
Venue: O’Brien’s Pub (Allston, MA)

The Little Richards – While my mind conjures up an image of four mini men dressed up as Little Richard (I know it doesn’t make total sense, just roll with it) instead I see four average sized white dudes from the North Shore. Body sizes aside, The Little Richards are an impressive and lively bunch.

The band’s set consists of speedy pop punk songs with a pile driver edge that is tight and relentless. This is straight up pop punk, but it’s more of the gnarly variety, not that pussy bullshit that was extremely popular back in the early ohhs like Simple Plan – ahh God I’m starting to puke in my mouth just at the thought of that nonsense.  So yeah, The Little Richards pack in a good punch.

I’ve never seen The Little Richards before, but there is a familiar face in guitarist Joey Unis, one of the raddest and most upstanding gents I have had the pleasure of conversing with in my young career as a show goer/documenter guy, uhh yeah.  I’ve also seen Joey perform in The BFs and The Electric Ears and if you dig those bands then you will most likely enjoy The Little Richards.

Two songs that stand out to me are 1) the Ramones possessed (well pretty much all of these tunes are in the musical spirit of the Ramones) “Insanities” with its inclusion of “Pinhead’s” line  “Gabba gabba we accept you, we accept you one of us!” The song also has an image I can’t erase from my mind: someone falling down 40 steps and hitting their head on 39 as a sea of LSD leaks out of them. Ha! 2)  A seasonally apropos cover of The Misfits “Skulls,” showcasing the band’s gang  vocals. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Check out The Little Richards here: http://thelittlerichards.bandcamp.com/

Thee Legendary Rockin’ Prophets – Thee Legendary Rockin’ Prophets are here to praise the Lord and bring forth his holy message of salvation into all of your poor, lethargic lives. Hallelujah!

Dressed in classic mormon attire (plain white shirts with black ties and black pants) the Prophets are a six piece rock ‘n’ roll, garage soul ensemble featuring guitars, drums, keyboards, tambourines, and the limitless energy of the lead singer/preacher.

This show is a real spectacle  and in the traditions of other bands I have experienced such as King Khan & The Shrines and Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion!,  and the lead singer is off the wall, out of control, and downright in your face (not to mention talented). He screams his heart out as he proselytizes to the audience, sometimes screaming right into individual crowd member’s faces.  It’s a perspiring, inspiring performance and I can honestly say that I have rarely seen a performer so committed to rockin’ and preachin’. He paces around the room like the roadrunner, knocking over mic stands and bottles in the process. He spends 90% of the set singing and dancing off stage, even climbing on one of the tables and hopping off it.

The Prophets’ set is surely a fun one, but I feel like the songs all sound the same. Granted, the band does have a great garage soul sound and I am certain that  if the Prophets’ had a wild, packed, beer guzzlin’ crowd in front of them the show would be pandemonium. Either way, check them out here: http://legendaryrockinprophets.bandcamp.com/

Atlantic Thrills – My dudes in Atlantic Thrills are back in Boston again and as always it’s a pleasure to see them. The foursome open with the Yardbirds hit “For Your Love,” kicking it extra slimy for all you garage dweebs out there. I especially dig Josh Towers’ drumming, gets me all pumped up like their epic original “Light Shines,” which they play later in the evening.  Towers also sports a funny ass shirt that proclaims “Fuck art, let’s Fuck.” Reminds me of that scene in Taxi Driver when Betsy tells Travis “Taking me to a place like this is about as exciting as saying to me ‘let’s fuck’.”  Somehow, I feel that some disco square bitch would say the same thing to me if I took her to an Atlantic Thrills show. Indeed, fuck art let’s fuck and dance to the Atlantic Thrills!

There’s plenty of vintage  punk slime for the Thrilz in this set including “A Day At the Beach,” “Drugs In It,” “Boozin,” “Almost Anything, ” and the aforementioned “Light Shines,” but tonight the Providence quartet spend a healthy chunk of their performance introducing a batch of fresh numbers. These include “Bed Bugs,” “Past Life,” and another untitled song.

The band remains a rowdy, rock ‘n’ roll beast, but with several of these new tunes they strengthen much of their tender side. I hear a lot of slower, doo wop fused vocals with all members singing at once. Like The Little Richards, Atlantic Thrills are masters when it comes to the gang vocals.

If you’re living in Providence, then you’re one lucky dog because you have the potential to see Atlantic Thrills more than I do, but I most likely do see Atlantic Thrills more than you do. Point is, they’re the best and they’re always playing. But, Boston stooges don’t worry. Along side Fagettes, Atlantic Thrills are opening for Shannon and The Clams on November 20! https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticThrills

Set – List:
“For Your Love” (The Yardbirds)
“Drugs In It”
“So Long”
“Bed Bugs”
“Past Life”
“Holy Mountain”
“Light Shines”
“Almost Anything”
“A Day At the Beach”
“Boozin'”
New Song

Sonic Avenues – Sonic Avenues continue this evening’s brand of fast, pummeling rock ‘n’ roll. They came here on tour all the way from Canada and they are very grateful to be here. In fact, much of this set’s entertainment stems from one of the guitarist’s drunken rambles about how awesome it is to be here and how everyone should dance. Even though the crowd is small there is some dancing and people seem to genuinely appreciate Sonic Avenues. They sound decent to me, but I’m not huge into it. They have a solid grip on power pop, but overall I’m not a big fan. Still, I think you should check them out and decide for yourself. http://sonicavenues.bandcamp.com/

Art, Atlantic Thrills, Honorary KLAYMERS, Local Music, Music, News, pictures, Punk, Shannon and The Clams, Show Alert, The Fagettes

Fagettes and Atlantic Thrills Opening For Shannon & The Clams!

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So, we already informed you that the amazing Shannon and the Clams are coming back to Great Scott on Wednesday, November 20. Cool. Ohh, but it gets wayyy cooler than that…
Nov2012 032
Our Providence dawgs, Atlantic Thrills are kicking things off with their psychedelic, Peruvian punk slime. https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticThrills

MARCH2013 008
They will be accompanied by Boston’s rowdiest garage/rock ‘n’ roll band, The Fagettes! http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/

Our two favorite New England based rock ‘n’ roll bands opening for one of the best national rock ‘n’ roll bands today – this is the bill we have been dreaming for!

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

Review: Colleen Green, White Fang, The Memories, Ronnie Nordac’s Crying Lessons @ Bathaus (10/8/13)

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Colleen JP
Flyer by Freak Flag
Bands: Smarty, White Fang, Colleen Green, The Memories, Ronnie Nordac’s Crying Lessons
Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Venue: Bathaus (Jamaica Plain, MA)

Ronnie Nordac’s Crying Lessons – Damn son, has it been six months already? April 25th was the first time I saw Ronnie Nordac and the original Crying Lessons and the last time I saw Colleen Green. Six months go by fast, but not as fast as the ultra speedy songs that comprise a Crying Lessons’ set. I guess that’s how they make you cry… they want to keep you crying for more. I’ve been seeing them a lot lately, so it’s working. Doo Wop, bubblegum pop, rock, they got you covered. It’s all heavenly. “Like” them on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CryingLessons

The Memories – Going into this show I had never listened to The Memories and only knew of them through their association with White Fang. I’m kicking myself now for not checking them out before, since they are one of the best live bands I have ever seen. The whole band is awesome, but much of this admiration is directed towards frontman Erik Gage.  Erik’s got that natural pizzaz to him, he’s all over the place and in your face, and best of all he and his bandmates got the music to back it up.

The Memories play slow, jam/psych fused garage pop.  All of the songs are super short, straight to the point and utterly hilarious. The Memories’ personality genuinely shines through in all of these colorful tunes. There are songs about fornicating with significant others while the rents are away, handing femmes your own prized art work only to  have them hand it back to you (what a bitch!), getting high and not going to work tomorrow (wish I could say the same), and a little something something that all of us need from time to time: “You Need a Big Man.” All of these absurd tunes remind me of Frank Zappa (especially in Erik’s vocals) and Ween  – the songs are goofy and not to be taken too seriously, but at the  same time they are well crafted and truly admirable.

Now, The Memories aren’t just a bunch of jokers. They also write important songs with serious subject matters. Erik introduces one of the set’s final numbers as their “most serious song.” This of course is “Go Down On You.” Listen to it here and giggle like the little school girl you are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTaR2Im0OHk
Listen to more here: http://thememories.bandcamp.com/

Colleen Green – Although I really dig White Fang and now The Memories, tonight I am mainly making the trek out to JP to see Colleen Green. I’ve seen Colleen a few times now and each time has been fairly different from the last. I’ve seen her play in bars, art galleries, and now basements. This seems to be a more natural setting for Colleen and her mellow music. It’s just Colleen, her guitar, and her drum machine. In my previous experiences, Colleen was accompanied with a full band (Plateaus) or her friend Marissa on guitar. So, just seeing her all by her lonesome is a departure, yet it feels closer to her recordings.

Colleen opens with “Only One” from her most recent release Sock It to Me (Hardly Art) and the packed basement’s attendees start to move and shake and twist and turn a little bit. She goes on to perform other CG classics such as “Dance the Night Away,” “I Wanna Be Degraded,” and “Worship You.”

As a whole, I wouldn’t say this is the most memorable Colleen Green show under my belt, but it’s still pretty sick and overall I can’t complain. If you haven’t heard Colleen Green yet, I urge you to check her stuff out RIGHT NOW. If you dig Ramones, Blink 182, Descendants, and all that spazz, then you oughta dig Colleen or I oughta knock yer lights out! http://colleengreen.bandcamp.com/

White Fang – I first heard White Fang earlier this June roughly around 11 AM at a bar known as Eugene O’Neil’s in Jamaica Plain. When you’re a KLYAMER no time is too early for a beer; we’re night owls and early risers at the same time. We’re everywhere and we’re growing each day. Beware. But, back to White Fang. A local peep by the name of Jeff Somers was working the bar at the time and he introduced Glen and I to the almighty White Fang. We were vibin’ to their infectious grooves alright, all night. You could say we were late to the White Fang hysteria, given the fact that these dudes have been around for years. Bradford Cox even wrote about them on the Deerhunter blog in 2008; he’s always ahead of the game, gotta love that dude.

So, yeah White Fang rules and most of the band comprises of members of The Memories including singer, Erik Gage. In similar fashion, White Fang is all fuzzed out with their gnar pop and chop. White Fang tends to be heavier though, and they get the crowd all riled up. There’s some quasi moshing during their set and everyone is having a gay olde time. Gay as a fox.

One of White Fang’s most memorable joints is a little ditty known as “Can’t Deal With Being Real” and it’s dedicated to all the (not so) kewl cats that aren’t in attendance tonight.  Here’s to White Fang for keeping it real, hope you last forever. http://whitefang420.bandcamp.com/

Unfortunately, we missed Smarty :(

The masterminds we call Freak Flag put on this holy show and they deserve a big shout and lots of love! Check out their blog here: http://www.freakflagboston.com/ They also host various DJ nights in the Boston area and publish a mind bending newsletter/quarterly that will make your head spin in all its awesomeness.

Art, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, pictures, Punk, Shannon and The Clams, Show Alert, Video

SHOW ALERT! Shannon And The Clams @ Great Scott (11/20/13)

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Hot Dog! We have a weiner! A serious KLYAM fave is in the haus. Shannon and thee Clams aka Shannon And The Clams is back in Boston on Wednesday, November 20 at Great Scott. Dayemmm, it feels like we just saw these guys the other day…. back in June we caught the Clams opening for Mikal Cronin, also at Great Scott. You can read about it here: https://klyam.com/2013/07/09/review-mikal-cronin-shannon-and-the-clams-roomrunner-the-migs-great-scott-61713/. We’re truly blessed to have such a fantastic band back in our city once again!

Art, Honorary KLAYMERS, Music, music video, Nobunny, pictures, Punk, Video

New Music Video: Nobunny – “I Was On (The Bozo Show)”


Check out the new music video from our favorite masked musician, Mr. Nobunny himself! The video is for one of my all time favorite Nobunny cutz, “I Was On (The Bozo Show),” the final track off of thee classic LP First Blood (2010, Goner). It’s a new video, but it was shot in 2011 and directed by Jason Willis. Whachu talkin’ bout Willis? This is what I’m talking about. Enjoy!