Category Archives: Hunx and His Punx

Art, Ben Tan, Bent Shapes, BUFU Records, Burger Records, Colleen Green, Dylan Ewen, Fat Creeps, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Idiot Genes, Jay Reatard, Kal Marks, King Khan, King Khan and the Shrines, KLYAM Records, Lists, Music, Nobunny, Peach Kelli Pop, pictures, Punk, Record Labels, reviews, SARALEE, Shannon and The Clams, The Fagettes, The Gabba Ghouls, The Monsieurs, Video

My Top Ten LPs of Twenty-Thirteen

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I know I’m a little late on this and I already ran my mouth off in my last post regarding my top shows of 2013, so I’ll do my best to keep this one short and sweet. Here we go…


10) Dylan Ewen & The Southern Gospel Gangbusters – Country Fried, Southern Pride (BUFU Records) – Gangbusters? More like Gangbangers! I really got into a lot of Dylan Ewen this year in his various projects and out of all of them this was my favorite. For my money, this has Dylan’s rawest, most in your face lyrics with a nasty, bad ass gangsta edge that puts him up there with Cube, Dre, and Mr. Big. So wild.  AND it’s all set to a full backing band (drums, guitar, bass, viola, banjo, mandalin, harmonica, you name it) busting out southern gospel, bluegrass, and country. I had the pleasure of catching the band live in the heart of JP last month and I errr uhh nearly wet myself. TOP SONG: “500 Days of Bummer”
http://dylanewen.bandcamp.com/album/country-fried-southern-pride


9) Bent Shapes – Feels Weird (Father/Daughter Records) – I just received this record as a Christmas gift and I’m loving it. As a long time fan of Bent Shapes/Girlfirends this is a terrific mix of classics and some solid new jams. Every track is strong. On one hand, it feels like a greatest hits compilation and then on the other it comes across as a completely new entity. It works both ways. TOP SONG: : “I Was Here, But I Disappear”


8) Shannon And The Clams – Dreams In The Rat House (Hardly Art) – Shannon and The Clams  is a big favorite of mine, so this album was a serious treat this year. This one falls in line with all of their previous work: rock ‘n’ roll at its purest. 50’s doo wop, garage rock, Ramones styled punk rock, and some of the best voices you will ever hear. It may not be the most original music, but it’s rock ‘n’ roll. This is the plateau, this is the ideal, this is the benchmark. TOP SONG: “If I Could Count”
idiot genes pic
7) Idiot Genes – S/T (Self-Released) – The third (but not final!) Boston band on this list, Idiot Genes are one of the most recent bands I have listened to in 2013. I first caught them at a show at O’Brien’s Pub last August and I was enamored with their oddball sense of humor and surly, apathetic punk attitude. Subsequently, I hopped on their bandcamp and I was blown away by what I heard. I related to the band’s sloppy, lethargic, wasted narrative. The feeling of being fucked and fagged and shagged. I was frustrated and hearing the Idiot Genes reminded me why I hold rock ‘n’ roll so near and dear to me in the first place. It is my elixir, the temporary cure to all of life’s problems. They are almost like a different kind of party band, an after party band, a hangover band. This all sounds like one miserable hangover, and by miserable I mean extraordinary. Makes me want to drink too much and then regret some of it the next day, especially when the hangover doesn’t go away by 5 /6 PM like it usually does, so then you just drink more, until the next day after that when you’re even more hungover AND still a little drunk. So, what do you do? you crack open a beer and drink some more and then you listen to Idiot Genes, one of my new favorite rock ‘n’ roll elixirs for that temporary cure. Drunk Consistently. Listen here and join me in a nightcap. Cheers. TOP SONG: “The Charles Mansion” http://stupidpants.bandcamp.com/album/idiot-genes


6) Colleen Green – Sock It To Me (Hardly Art) – Sock it to me? Ok. Ms. Green is one cool cucumber with all her Richard Nixon and True Romance references on her latest album Sock  It To Me. Much like Shannon and the Clams, with this album Colleen maintains the same rock ‘n’ roll flavor she’s always had, it’s just stronger than ever. Just a great example of how pop music doesn’t have to be a big mass machine product, instead it can be as simple as a guitar, a drum machine, and passionate vocals. TOP SONG: “Number One” (The Queers cover)

The Monsieurs 2
5) The Monsieurs – Rock The Night (Self-Released) – Damn son, this past October I had the enormous fortune of cumming across my legs when I came across The Monsieurs at the Brighton Music Y’all opening up for the holy King Khan & The Shrines. I’ve heard plenty of great garage spunk this year, but this new release from The Monsieurs was/is a real dessert, a dish best served cold. A cold, sudden punch right in the nads that is. Seriously though, these dudettes and dude really fucking rock and pack in the punches. This band has all the bells and whistles and bubblegum and grit that you and your buddies get off on every time you listen to Hunx  and Nobunny and hopefully Fagettes at home on your dad’s worn out stereo, BUTT Monsieurs turn it up to 11. From the first few seconds of “Shadow” to the last gasping breaths of “At the Hop,” this record is garage pop on steroids. Lead singer Andy Macbain is a beast, a force to be reckoned with, and his vocals are out of control, off the wall. It’s all sludgey and thuddy and LOUD. If you like rock ‘n’ roll with a rambunctious ummphhh up your ass then here ya go – yet, it’s still as sweet as a little old lady taking 20 hours to cross the street with her little old cane? So sweet it helps that sludge go down smoother… I see big things for The Monsiuers in Twenty Fourteen. In 2014, let their album Rock the Night become your musical lubricant! TOP SONG: “Kari Ann” http://themonsieurs.bandcamp.com/album/rock-the-night-8-song-digital-album


4) King Khan & The Shrines – Idle No More (Merge) – It’s always a great year whenever one of our Honorary KLYAMERS releases an album and King Khan is among our top OG’s. You could say he helped make us who we are today to paraphrase a line in the tune “So Wild,” a song dedicated to the late, great Jay Reatard. RIP Jay forever and ever.  For once your wild spirit may rest in peace… the chaos of the world so foreign, yet so familiar, you feel this tone on King Khan & The Shrines’ Idle No More, their first album since 2007. It’s a very personal album, the most mature to date. Highly spiritual as ever, yet it still maintains that fantastic Khan spirit of ubiquitous joy. Love. And coming back to the KLYAM, that’s one thing I love about rock ‘n’ roll (as we see it),  all the bands we rep, and this record. No matter how torturous the world can be, there’s still a light. Khan and his crew take the misery, the darkness, and they turn it on its ugly head, ultimately receiving a boisterous, fun filled album as ever been conceived by the Shrines.  TOP SONG: “Bite My Tongue”


3) Nobunny – Secret Songs (Goner) –  Nobunny continues the trend on this list of artists releasing albums that preserve their raw, rock ‘n’ roll character and yet augment their craft at the same time.  Secrets Songs is stacked with smash hit after smash hit haha; every tune is a blast, no filler. Love Visions will probably always be my favorite, but I have to send my accolades to Mr. Bunny here. This LP has the most variety ever on a Nobunny record lyrically, musically, and aesthetically. There’s several fast poppers, screeching hardcore punks odes, and a batch of soft gentle numbers for the ladies and in particular for the Birthday Girl. NO NO 4 LYFE! TOP SONG:  This is a toughie, but for now I’m going to go with “Bye Bye Roxie”


2) Peach Kelli Pop – Peach Kelli Pop II (Burger) – I know this came out in 2012, but I heard it in its entirety in 2013 and I loved it so damn much that I just couldn’t leave it off the list! This is one of the greatest pop records I have ever heard. Like I said earlier regarding Colleen Green, pop music  doesn’t have to be mass produced and this certainly applies here. I was in love with PKP’s first album and I didn’t think it could be topped at the time. What was I thinking?! As awesome as her debut is, it doesn’t have anything on its sequel. Holy shit, this thing is incredible. PKP II is like Terminator 2, if it was a movie. A full blast of immediate, catchy pop songs from start to finish is what we have here. Peach Kelli Pop – Allie Hanlon channels bubblegum, garage, and 60’s Girl Groups in all of these short, but ever so sweet songs. It’s like injecting yourself with bubblegum pop music and feeling that instantaneous sugary high! This record always puts me in the best mood. Cheers. TOP SONG: “Red Leather”http://peachkellipop.bandcamp.com/

And the weiner is…


1) Hunx and His Punx – Street Punk (Hardly Art) – I know, I know I’m a Hardly Art whore. Haha, that should be a marketing trend. Labels should pick up on this. I can picture it now “I’m a Burger Whore!” or “Be a Burger Whore!” Shirts, pins, posters, let’s do it! I say this all with love. Anywhooo, since the dawn of KLYAM five years ago, Hunx and His Punx is one of the only, if only (possibly?) band that has consistently put out new, exceptional releases each year. With this album, Hunx and his cronies have snarled their way into the bowels of the rock ‘n’ roll/garage/punk landscape. I just adore and admire the way the band mixes up early hardcore punk (Germs, Misfits, Black Flag) with their classic garage rock style. Half of me says it’s an affectionate satire and the other says this is the real deal, this is the music itself. It feels like Circle Jerks or whoever comes to mind. When Hunx says he wants to beat you with a baseball bat, his screams are terrific and serve as a true homage to the aforementioned punk legends, but let’s not forget he’s saying this all because of his BAD SKIN! That’s part of the fun. I’m glad someone finally made (I could be wrong here and I very well may be missing out on loads of great, similarly styled albums) a piece of work that connects the dots in these various styles of pure rock ‘n’ roll music, which is not very pure to begin with. It’s so satisfying. I’ve always felt like that early wave of hardcore punk was like garage rock’s weird, fucked up cousin. It’s all coming from the same place essentially. It’s all about total and agonizing frustration and partying your ass off to cure that frustration. Hunx and His Punx get it. By the way, some of Shannon Shaw’s finest vocals! TOP SONG: “Mud In Your Eyes”

So, that’s it. That’s my list, but before I depart I have to give some mo’ shout outs. Here are some honorable mentions.  Ben Tan – Inside Out, The Memories – Love Is The Law, Kal Marks – Life Is Murder, Saralee –  S/T, The Gabba Ghouls – S/T, Kaviar Special – S/T, and last but certainly not least Lust Cats Of The Gutters – S/T , an album that was released in 2012, but nonetheless one of the best albums I heard all year.

2013 was also the first year of our record label KLYAM Records. We were/are extremely proud that our first release was one of our favorite records from 2012: Fat Creeps S/T EP


I chose not to include it on this list, because A) It was one of our own releases, B) It was originally released in 2012 and that’s when we heard it and loved it, and so forth, and C) It’s an EP and this is a list of my top LPs. Still, I couldn’t go without repping this record in a year end list of top records. Furthermore, if you haven’t picked up this album yet, then do yourself a favor and grab one now before it’s too late You can order it from KLYAM Records here: http://klyam.bigcartel.com/ The record is also available at Weirdo Records and Armageddon Records, both in Cambridge, MA.

We look forward to 2014 as we have more records and shows and reviews then can be imagined! Stay tuned, then turn on, and then drop out, and we’ll meet up and listen to records or something.

Peace 2013!

Arctic Monkeys, Art, Atlantic Thrills, Best of 2013, concert review, Fat Creeps, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Jacuzzi Boys, Kids Like You and Me, Local Music, Music, New Highway Hymnal, Nice Guys, pictures, Punk, Ravi Shavi, reviews, Ronnie Nordac, Shannon and The Clams, The Cretin Stompers, The Fagettes, The Orwells, The Strokes, Ty Segall, Wavves

My Top Ten Shows of Twenty-Thirteen

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So, here we are again. 2013 feels like a blur, a fun blur though. It just seemed to truck on by so damn fast. It didn’t feel like it was all that long ago when I was making my year end lists for 2012. I must say, every year gets better around here and 2013 was definitely our best year. We met tons of people and went to more shows than ever before (significantly more). With that in mind, I will leap off into my top ten favorite shows from the greatest year KLYAM has experienced thus far…

Storm or Howl
Storm or Howl

10) TIE!: Boston Underground Summit VI @ Cambridge Elks Lodge (9/15/) & The Beets @ The Whitehaus (11/26) – I would start a top ten list with a tie. I simply could not leave out either of these shows from my top ten, so fuck it here’s both. Firstly, this was my first Boston Underground Summit and it was a totally unique live experience for me. The show was set up as a round robin in which a band would play one song and then as soon as they were done another band would play a song and so forth until about 9 different bands had played a song, and then it went back to the first band. My head’s getting dizzy just writing this – it was indeed a dizzying experiment; constantly walking back and forth between all 3 spots in the Elks Lodge (where 3 separate bands were each set up). I compare it to an aggressive wine tasting meets a live, physical playlist/mix. In any situation, it was refreshing and broke down any hint of monotony that may have been creeping in on my fairly consistent show going consumption. My favorite bands/performances included Storm or Howl, Funeral Cone (this one left me bleeding!), Dylan Ewen, and R. Nordac’s Crying Lessons.

Holy shit, the mighty Beets. It took us two hours to get to the holy Whitehaus, but we made it just in the nick of time to catch Los Beets who came all the way from Jackson Heights, Queens, New York!! As you may or may not know, The Beets are one of our beloved KLYAM bands and this year we caught them in the flesh twice within two weeks! This was a strange show for several reasons. We were running late and I feared that we would miss The Beets, having journeyed so long for nuffin. When we arrived at the Whitehaus (for our very first time, by the way) there were few if any hellos and it was near darkness – plus we’re half blind anyway. Seconds pass and those smooth, transcendent Uruguayan voices rang through my ears and down into the depths of my bloody soul. All the blood I have puked since I found out I have gas in my veins. When the set finished, we had to flee once again to catch that dirty old train. It all happened so quickly, like a drug, The Beets drug. I know y’all would like a piece of that! REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/11/27/review-the-beets-the-whitehaus/

Nice Sinclair
Nice Guys

9) FIDLAR, The Orwells, Nice Guys @ The Sinclair (10/23) – This was a nice slammer.  It’s always fun to see a local favorite (Nice Guys) dazzle an audience of newcomers and it’s all the more exceptional when they are sixteen and rambunctious! The Orwells make my liver shiver and quiver OR that’s all the alcohol? Anyway, we’ve loved these dudes for years and they put on an excellent show. They have this real clean cut exterior to them kind of like The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys, real polished rock ‘n’ roll, but beneath there’s a slimy underbelly that represents some of the bands (Black Lips, Jay Reatard) we grew up and threw up on ourselves. And FIDLAR, I’m just happy you and your fans didn’t break my nose. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/11/15/review-fidlar-the-orwells-nice-guys-the-sinclair/

Clams Great
Shannon and the Clams

8) Shannon and The Clams, The Fagettes, Atlantic Thrills @ Great Scott (11/20) – This list is a testament that we’ve been blessed with a plethora of excellent shows this year, but I can honestly say only a select few are what I would dub a “stacked line-up” and this here is one of them. Our two favorite New England based rock ‘n’ roll bands (The Fagettes and Atlantic Thrills) on the same stage as one of the best in the whole land, the fabulous Shannon and The Clams. I saw the Clams earlier this year and, while that was a great performance, this time around the crowd went a lot crazier and that always makes the difference. The band’s cover of Del Shannon’s “Runaway” alone made my night :). REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/12/29/review-shannon-and-the-clams-fagettes-atlantic-thrills-great-scott-112013/

7) Guerilla Toss, Fat Creeps, Nice Guys, Designer Halloween Show @ Cambridge Elks Lodge (10/19) – Halloween is usually a good excuse for everyone to let loose, get wasted, and eat a shit ton of candy. Oh yeah, and to dress up like their favorite bands and play a set full of bizarre covers. That’s my favorite part. G Toss took to the role of one Meatloaf, Designer dropped down to their skivvies and cranked out a noisy set of Blink – 182 numbers, and Fat Creeps destroyed as the legendary Cramps. My favorite performance by far was the Nice Guys as The Mummies. Being somewhat of a garage junkie, I’d kill to see The Mummies and I felt like this came inches away from the real thang. Alex Mum demolishing his keyboards was priceless. Poor keyboards, they never had a chance. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/11/08/review-fat-creeps-nice-guys-designer-guerilla-toss-cambridge-elks-101913/

Wavves

6) Wavves, King Tuff, Jacuzzi Boys @ The Sinclair (10/1) – Wavves is one of those bands I’ve cherished over the years. One of the few bigger bands I still enjoy. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic with their latest record, Afraid of Heights, but it has grown on me. Studio work aside, this band still kills me live. It’s as if these songs were made to be heard exclusively live. From Wavves’ inception, there’s been a great anthemic feel to their music and this show at Sinclair is enough evidence for me that they can still kick out the jams like the best of them. It was also a pleasure to finally see King Tuff and Jacuzzi Boys, bands we’ve been aching to see for a few years now. And on a personal note, I was happy to chat with Wavves’ members Stephen Pope and Alex Gates about their past (and future) in the magnificent Memphis bands The Barbaras, Girls of the Gravitron, and Cretin Stompers. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/10/04/review-wavves-king-tuff-jacuzzi-boys-sinclair-10113/

Ty Bowery
A photo of three sexy men

5) Ty Segall @ The Bowery Ballroom (8/30) – What up New York City? We voyage to NYC once or twice a year to see some of our favorite bands. This time it was the man, Ty Segall, the global ambassador for rock ‘n’ roll. If rock ‘n’ roll had a representative at the UN it would be this man. For this show/tour Ty and his bodacious band played an all acoustic set, performing the album Sleeper in its entirety as well as some old classics such as “Girlfriend.” I’ve never seen kids (including myself) mosh and stage dive to acoustic music before and I may never again. Only you Ty, only you. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/10/08/review-ty-segall-bowery-ballroom-83013/

Hunxxx
Hunx and His Punx

4) Hunx and His Punx, Hunters, The Fagettes @ Brighton Music Hall (8/23) – Let’s face it we’re fairly predictable around here –  but that’s NOT a bad thing! because we are consistently enthralled with gorgeous music, at least I think so. It’s true! Hunx is a long time KLYAM favorite and a must see live band (seriously do it!). Just writing about Hunx gets me all revved up and ready to go. This year the band morphed into ultra punx with the release of their epic, early hardcore punk ode Street Punk, and they brought all the piss and vinegar with them when they destroyed our fair city last August.  The set’s most memorable moment actually came from a couple of kinky crowd members, when a young man was accosted by a topless middle aged woman and the two proceeded to slobber over one another for the remainder of the show. I will never be able to listen to “Lover’s Lane” the same way ever again. “Just gotta touch you and squeeze you, and make you mine/I want to hold you til the end of time.” Yeesh, did they have to take it so literally?! Stellar set from Fagettes as always. Hunters were cool too. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/09/09/review-hunx-and-his-punx-hunters-fagettes-brighton-music-hall-82313/

atlantic thrills bbq

3) Ravi Shavi, The New Highway Hymnal, Atlantic Thrills “Rock ‘n’ Roll BBQ With Psychedelic Sauce” – We saw quite a bit of shows in Providence, RI this year and every single time we came to see our chief punk slime animals in Atlantic Thrills. Mix them up with fellow Providence soul machines Ravi Shavi and our Boston psych creatures The New Highawy Hymnal and I’m one happy camper. All of this madness was set to the background of the TRIPPY Lysergic Factory Light Show! I don’t think I’ve ever “danced” more in my life,  charming some attendees, perhaps frightening most. Those were fucked times, fun times. I woke up the next morning covered in dirt and blood and my dick hurt a little bit (only a little bit).  In hindsight, it was the perfect summer night. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/07/27/review-ravi-shavi-the-new-highway-hymnal-atlantic-thrills-in-providence-71313/

2) The New Highway Hymnal, Atlantic Thrills, Polaroids, The Real Tom Hanks @ Wilder Zangcraft (2/23) – Once again, The New Highway Hymnal and Atlantic Thrills throwing straight up wild shows! This show took place at one of my favorite DIY spaces, a tiny basement in Lowell that was overwhelmingly consumed by 50 or more plastered college kids all accompanied by the perpetual, visual mindfuck that is the Lysergic Factory Light Show. NHH demolished my skin and bones as can be expected at Lowell basements shows. But, on this night my sweet, sozzled eyes have never seen such a fantastic, frenetic show from Providence’s finest, Atlantic Thrills. It was great to sing/scream along to all the songs, slam back pbr after pbr, and smash into my peers for a couple hours. In my primitive state of mind, I think I screamed “Lies” and “Demolicion” at the band about two hundred times. Lunacy at its most depraved. The Real Tom Hanks and Polaroids were both exciting and ethereal in their own rights. A memorable night in my life to say the very least. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/03/08/concert-review-the-new-highway-hymnal-atlantic-thrills-polaroids-the-real-tom-hanks-wilder-zangcraft-22313/

1) Hassle Fest 5 @ Cambridge Elks Lodge (11/7-11/8) – How could this not be number 1? This was/is the pinnacle of local underground music. A two day festival showcasing some of the best, most groundbreaking, and above all invigorating bands both at home and across the nation. So, as I’ve said before, it’s pretty much a microcosm for everything the Boston Hassle promotes all year long. Every single day. And we couldn’t salute y’all enough. I’ve found that several local music fans (some of which played the festival themselves) walked away with similar feelings as my own. I know we KLYAMERS have never seen anything else like it, just a constant barrage of band after band after band. It felt intimate and gigantic all at once. Unforgettable. My favorite sets included Fat Creeps, Guerilla Toss, Lightning Bolt, The Beets, and Kal Marks. REVIEW: https://klyam.com/2013/12/13/hassle-fest-recap-118-913/

So, that’s that. Top albums of the year coming up next.

Art, Atlantic Thrills, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Local Music, Music, music video, pictures, Punk, reviews, Shannon and The Clams, The Fagettes, Video

Review: Shannon and The Clams, The Fagettes, Atlantic Thrills @ Great Scott (11/20/13)

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Clams Great
Picture from Treat Yo Self

Bands: Shannon and the Clams, Fagettes, Atlantic Thrills
Date: Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Venue: Great Scott (Allston, MA)

Atlantic Thrills – It’s kind of crazy how life works sometimes. Take for instance these rock ‘n’ roll shows we go to. When we discover that a fantastic national band such as Shannon and the Clams is coming to town, we say to ourselves “gee whiz, wouldn’t it be swell if Atlantic Thrills and Fagettes opened?! What a fine bill that would be.” Fortunately, the stars have aligned for us, and here we are with the perfect bill! A casual reader might come across these words and say “wow, this dude’s reallyyy sucking these band’s dicks.” But, anyone that reads this site on the reg knows that Fagettes and Atlantic Thrills are two of our favorite bands, bands that we have repped hard for the last couple years. SO HATERS FUCK OFF!

Anyway, it’s awesome to see Atlantic Thrills on ye olde Great Scott stage. I’ve seen the band a gazillion times, but this is the first time I’ve seen them here at Great Scott, and it is ever so great. Old Glen caught the dudes here about a year ago with fellow Providence kingpins Ravi Shavi – yeah check out those dudes too! The sound is amazing and this is one of the best sets I’ve seen from the foursome. The sound definitely amplifies the Thrillz’  typically passionate, heartfelt, and above all beer  chuggin’, beer spittin’, balls out fun set. The group’s, gang styled doo wop vocals come through clearer and more powerful than ever. And they’re starting to really bring out a lot more doo wop in these newer tunes.

The band also unleash a steady batch of cuts from their classic catalog – many songs we’ve come to practically memorize over the years. All fast, psychedelic garage punk songs with memorable choruses and admirable musicianship. To quote a sagacious young man I know, it’s better to play music drunk, loose, and sloppy – as long as you know what you’re doing. This quasi paradox could certainly apply here.

Now, The Thrillz have played many a Boston show, but with this show they surely charmed some fresh faces on to their punk slime cult. I saw some of you new kids buying seven inches and tee shirts, that’s right!  And if you haven’t done so. Pick up Atlantic Thrills’ “A Day At the Beach” 7″ from Almost Ready Records: http://www.almostreadyrecords.com/arr.htm

Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming full length also to be released on Almost Ready Records on February 4th! Lastly, Atlantic Thrills will be playing at the Middle East Upstairs for The Televibes’ tape release show on January 22 w/ The Guru and Vundabar. Do it up.

Set – List:
“Almost Anything”
“Bed Bugs”
“So Long”
“Drugs In It”
“Bone Rattle”
“Light Shines”
“Foreign Lands”
“A Day At the Beach”
“Boozin'”
“Mind’s Eye”
“Acid Rain”
“Salvaje” (Los Saicos cover)

Fagettes – The Fagettes are up there with Atlantic Thrills when it comes to the cream of the crop of New England rock ‘n’ roll. They hold a special place in our slimy hearts.

This Fagettes set is a lot of fun and people are dancing more than usual, which is always a good thing. The place is packed as fuck, making it difficult to get to the front of the stage, but I do my best. After all, I need to clutch my set lists, being a rampant set list devourer.

As of late, Fagettes have been playing a steady slew of old and new tunes. They play one song called “Stems and Seeds,” which they have only performed three times in the past: in Philly, in Ohio, and in Cambridge (I believe this was at the May 16, 2013 Middle East Upstairs Fagettes show, yeah I know I’m solidifying my status as the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll nerd with these obscure facts…).

My favorite song from tonight is “The AA Took My Baby Away,” a sad jam that always puts a smirk on my face, go figure. By the way, I never knew that the AA had the authority to take away babies!

Now go forth and listen to Fagettes my pretty child, my sweet one: http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/

P.S. Did I see Matt wearing a Black Lips shirt? Looking sharp nice guy! Hahaha.

Set – List:
“Street Queens”
“On Drugs”
“Gonna Die Out Here”
“Mystery Pills”
“The AA Took My Baby Away”
“Chilly”
“Bad Catholic”
“Sleeptalking”
“Stems and Seeds”

Shannon and the Clams – What kind of music do you like? “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Punk Rock,” “Pop.” Those are my top three answers to that dreadful question. But, as you all know those words mean different things to different people. For some clowns, 12 hour guitar solos = rock ‘n’ roll, this is time that would have been better spent shaking hands with the unemployed. When I mean rock ‘n’ roll, punk rock, and pop you damn well know I mean bands like Shannon and the Clams. I don’t own the definition of rock ‘n’ roll et al, but in my heart of hearts this is it. A buffet of distinctive, varied, and utterly sincere art and entertainment that stretches far and wide through the rock ‘n’ roll gamut. To get a better taste of the Shannon and The Clams dish, think Rosie and the Originals, Roy Orbison, Ramones, The Cramps, Circle Jerks, and the best of the best of both old and new garage spunk. FOR FANS OF HUNX AND HIS PUNX AND NOBUNNY FO SHO.

Our proud rock ‘n’ rollers roll out the soft and ever so sweet “Done With You” as tonight’s opener. A sweetie from the group’s 2011 mind mutilating LP Sleep Talk. The sound of Shannon and the Clams is bone crushing, shivers down my spine, slithering all the way down to my testes, so slimy it makes my balls drop. It’s an intimidating, gargantuan sound and presence. The vocals are easily some of the greatest in modern rock ‘n’ roll. Shannon’s and Dan’s voices are lunatic, we’re talking crazy good. The judges on Idol and Voice would wet their panties and spill out their guts if they were ever in its vicinity, except they won’t because those shows suck  ass. It’s still worth noting, since most rebel rousers in this line of work scream and shout their little hearts out, true, but few actually have professional pop singer voices (and that’s usually a good thing). In this instance, it works. Shannon and Dan are up there with the all time greats: Ms. Kline, Mr. Cooke, Mr. Orbison, and that charming Canadian fellow, Mr. Sultan.

Thee Clamers (not KLYAMERS ha!) rip through a searing batch of tunes from Sleep Talk (2011), Dreams In The Rat House (2013), and beyond. One of my favorite moments is when the trio performs a cover of the Del Shannon classic “Runaway.” I told you these punks have a soft spot. Speaking of punks, there is plenty of feisty enthusiasm on display from both the  band and the audience. Patrons dance and mosh and slam all around. It’s a solid time had by all. One of the best shows I’ve seen all year. Read the set – list below and then cry like a stupid, weak, little baby if you were one of the sad saps that missed out on it. Look at the weak little baby! You’re stupid! You stupid, weak baby!

Set – List:
“Done With You”
“Hey Willy”
“You Will Always Bring Me Flowers”
“Warlock In The Woods”
“Oh Louie”
“King Of The Sea”
“Rip Van Winkle”
“Into A Dream”
“Woodsman”
“Runaway” (Del Shannon cover)
“You Can Come Over”
“Tired Of Being Bad”
“Ozma”
“The Cult Song”
“Troublemaker”
“Rat House”

Art, concert review, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, The Fagettes, Video

Review: Hunx and His Punx, Hunters, Fagettes @ Brighton Music Hall (8/23/13)

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Bands: Hunx and His Punx, Hunters, Fagettes
Date: Friday, August 23, 2013
Venue: Brighton Music Hall (Allston, MA)

Fagettes – Fagettes be slaying the stadium settings, first with Middle East Down and now Brighton Music Hall, before you know it they’ll be playing the Garden, and when I go to snag a set list at the end of the show some big ass body guard douches will kick the shit out of me. Until then! I will live to steal more and more Fagettes set lists. I have so many band set lists now, it’s becoming a problem. I have a folder at home and it’s overflowing. You’d think tons of set lists = tons of women by my side. “He likes Fagettes, he likes hip thinking man music, I’m going to sleep with him.”  Some day soon.

Besides the luring of potential babes, there is a far more superior reason for my Fagettes set – list ingest; this quintet fucking rocks! Seriously, one of my favorite bands right now. If you haven’t seen/heard Fagettes, then you’re missing out. Much like the headliner tonight, Fagettes are a fun rock ‘n’ roll band with a fantastic 60’s spirit that is simultaneously 2013 ready. In  other words, they play garage psychish pop, but are still appealing to those that aren’t too familiar with those gritty stylings.

This evening’s set is an adequate mish mash of old and new jams with “Gonna Die Out Here,” being my overall favorite. This song exemplifies what I love about this band: simple, but pummeling drums, groovin’ guitars, slick basslines, and the dual vocals of Ryan and Melanie. The whole band rocks out and the crowd is generally receptive, albeit a little stiff, almost as stiff as my limp dick after too much Johnny Walker, which doesn’t really make any sense. I promised myself I would cut back on phallic (or lack thereof) imagery in my my reviews, ahh well maybe next year.

Anywho, The set reaches its finale with Fagettes classic “I Wanna Feel Good,” in which vocalist/guitarist Ryan Major leaps on a stage monitor with mic in hand, shouting the titular lyrics at the Brighton Music Hall attendees in front row; he’s a suave motherfucker, that’s for sure.

Set – List:
“Sleeptalking”
“Bad Catholic”?
“The AA Took My Baby Away”
“Chilly”
“On Drugs”
“My Girl Looks Like Johnny Thunders”
“Street Queens”
“Gonna Die Out Here”
“I Wanna Feel Good”

Do yourself a favor, quit the bullshit and listen to Fagettes RIGHT NOW. Drop everything else and just listen. http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/

Hunters – Not too familiar with dem Hunters, but from what I can gather aha no pun intended, they are a favorite among many a indie rock enthusiast or so. I’ll be square, I didn’t do my research on this one, but I have heard their name pop up a few times. I am not overly immersed in this performance, but generally entertained. It’s noisy and loud and fun, I can definitely see the attraction. The lead singer keeps her hair below her eyes and appears to be in some sort of trance, that’s pretty cool. The  whole show kind of reminds me of early Deerhunter like Turn It Up Faggot (2005), perhaps a little Cryptograms (2007), if you feel me. Yeah, I think you do.

Set – List:
“Noisey”
“It’s True”
“Thin Twinzzz”
“She’s So”
“Narcissist”
“Undone”
“Deadbeat”
“Nosebleed”

Hunx and His Punx – HUNX AND HIS PIZZZZUNNNXXXXXXX!!!!! Yes, few bands bring out that exaggerated reaction in me, but Hunx is one of them. When Hunx and His Punx are up on stage, I just want to destroy everyone in front of me, everyone’s a pussy, ya know? I just want to mosh and dance and break stuff aka spill pbr all over my shirt and down my legs and crash into the person in front of me. The crowd is a little stiff, Boston crowds tend to be as I noted earlier,  but Hunx is so entertaining that it’s hard not to get excited. After a few songs, the crowd starts to get moving. Ohh shit, I meant to give a little history before I dove into the present. If you don’t give a fuck about my/KLYAM’s history with Hunx, then by all means skip the next paragraph and don’t fucking call me fabulous, bitch.

KLYAM began four years ago, a time when Jay Reatard was at the top of his game, sadly dying shortly thereafter. We were lucky enough to catch Jay three times before he passed away, and one of those shows was particularly special because it featured at least three future KLYAM stars: Nobunny, Box Elders, and none other than Hunx and His Punx! Like the other two, Hunx was unique and in your face, not something you could easily dismiss. I had never heard of the band before, so when I suddenly saw a dude waving his junk in front of my face and pouring beer down his chest, singing songs about his boyfriend not coming back, it left a a lasting impression on me. This same show took place at Harper’s Ferry, which later became and to this day remains Brighton Music Hall.  Four years and three records later, Hunx and His Punx is back and better than ever.

Last year we did have the pleasure of experiencing a Hunx show at Great Scott and that was terrific, you can read about it here: https://klyam.com/2012/04/04/concert-review-hunx-and-his-punx-great-scott-4212/ but this performance packs in a few more punches. Much of this greater exuberance can be attributed to the new sound/style the band has adorned in their current release Street Punk (Hardly Art), an album that is fixing to be KLYAM #1 Album of the Year, but we’ll see about that. Nonetheless, with this new album the band mixes early 80s hardcore (Germs, Misfits, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Jabbers) with their vintage take on 60s pop (doo wop, girl group, garage, bubblegum). Hunx and His Punx are not however a mere retro band, and tonight’s set is further confirmation that they are one of the most dynamic and fine tuned bands in all of rock ‘n’ roll.

Some of my favorite moments tonight is when the bands blasts through the ultra fast new cuts like “Bad Skin,” “Everyone’s A Pussy (Fuck You Dude),” “You Think You’re Tough,” (which feature some of Shannon Shaw’s greatest vocals!), and “Don’t Call Me Fabulous.” Hunx aka Seth Bogart (funny, I haven’t called him by his real name till now) is typically a fiery front man, but he and the band as a whole really take it up a few notches;  his vigorous screaming and body motion reminds me of some of the punk greats like Iggy, Darby, and my favorite Nobunny!  A Nobunny/Hunx tour would be fabulous, oops poor choice of words!

The band is touring behind the aforementioned Street Punk, but they also dish out a fair amount of older material.  Gay Singles classics like my favorite “Cruising” and “Gimmie Gimmie Back Your Love” are some highlights from the set. “Bad Boy,” “The Curse of Being Young,” and “Too Young to Be in Love” are also on dis play, all of which appeared on their 60s girl group themed sophomore effort, Too Young to Be In Love. Hunx busts out the guitar to perform one of my favorite tunes from last year, “Private Room” off his solo record Hairdresser Blues.

Hunx and His Punx’s music speaks for itself, but with a group this glamorous and flashy, there’s bound to be extraneous forms of entertainment at one of their shows. Besides the humorous in between song banter coming from Hunx, some of the venue’s wackier attendees get a little rowdy toward the end of set. At one point two women suck on Hunx’s feet, while another woman drops her top, exposing her bare breasts as she makes her way to the front of the stage, where she proceeds to make out with my partner in crime, KLYAM’s own Glen aka Gangbang Gordon. Naked women are making a come back at KLYAM attended shows I’ve found as of late! To place a perfect image over all this slimy love, Hunx drops his pants and writhes around the stage in his thong and bashes out a stellar version of the slow dance number “Lovers Lane” (Too Young to Be in Love).

Until next time, I’m going to keep on rocking out to Street Punk and I highly recommend you do the same. This is the best song off the new record or at least my favorite.

Art, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, Show Alert, The Fagettes, Uncategorized

Fagettes added to Hunx show @ Brighton Music Hall (8/23/13)

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One of our favorite Boston bands The Fagettes are opening up that awesome upcoming Hunx and His Punx show we’ve been raving about for months now. The show is at Brighton Music Hall on Friday, August 23. Hunters and 2pretty are also playing.

Oh yeah and listen to Hunx’ latest LP Street Punk (Hardly Art). It’s the punkest album of 2013!

Listen to Fagettes here: http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/

Art, Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Music, pictures, Punk

Hunx and His Punx – “You Think You’re Tough”

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Hunx Street Punk
You think you’re tough with your Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God and whatever else is considered cool in contemporary metalcore. But, that shit is lame next to the new Hunx and His Punx track, you guessed it, “You Think You’re Tough” from their upcoming LP Street Punk (Hardly Art) out on July 23 bitches!

LISTEN:

“HUNX AND HIS PUNX have returned with Street Punk—a new album filled with the catchiest and most hateful punk songs heard in eons. Street Punk is an unrelenting tour de force, echoing early 80s hardcore, 90s grrl sounds, Darby Crash on helium, and the female answer to The Misfits.” – Hardly Art

OHHHH and Bostonians don’t forget to catch the band at Brighton Music Hall on Friday, August 23!

Honorary KLAYMERS, Hunx and His Punx, Music, News, pictures, Punk

NEW HUNX AND HIS PUNX LP – “STREET PUNK” (7/23)/ SHOW @ BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL (8/23)!

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Street Punk
We were excited to inform you yesterday that one of our Honorary KLYAMERS (King Khan & The Shrines) is coming to town in October, but today is even better because Honorary KLYAMERS Hunx and His Punx are releasing a brand new LP Street Punk (July 23 on Hardly Art) and touring in support of it, hitting up Boston’s Brighton Music Hall on Friday, August 23! Here are the rest of the tour dates:

08.08.13 – Brooklyn, NY – 285 Kent %
08.09.13 – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMoca % #
08.10.13 – Washington, DC – Comet Ping Pong % #
08.11.13 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar % #
08.12.13 – Belmont, NC – Haunted Mill + Mini Golf %
08.13.13 – Jacksonville, FL – Jack Rabbits #
08.14.13 – Orlando, FL – The Social #
08.15.13 – Birmingham, AL – The Bottletree #
08.16.13 – Atlanta, GA – Drunken Unicorn #
08.17.13 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In # ^
08.19.13 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club #
08.20.13 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean #
08.21.12 – Detroit, MI – Magic Stick Lounge #
08.22.13 – Toronto, ON – Hard Luck Bar #
08.23.13 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall #

% – w/ Chain & The Gang
# – w/ Hunters
^ – w/ Diarrhea Planet and The So So Glos

You can get a brief taste of the new album by listening to “Bad Skin,” a notable, quasi hardcore/GG Allin esque departure from the group’s familiar, girl group, garage pop style. I’m intrigued to say the least.