They travel far and wide to see him play and when he does, it is a show experience they do not forget. True T-shirts and postcards in his back pocket I can only assume – Noah Britton is back with a new album (which follows, as order has it, his really spectacular release Love and Famethat I wrote about last year) entitled yes I know you know FINALLY! because these songs finally sound great. Those aren’t my words; I’ve had my way with Benefit’s Bandcamp and I recognize some of FINALLY! from his recorded live sets. Check those out if you have not. The souls of sing-a-long staples “Love of my Life,” “Riding” and “Love Your Family” are kept in tact and beaming. The arrangements and production are courtesy of Dane Filipczak. Such dynamics push these songs further into beautiful abyss – pianos, toy instruments, percussion, extra voices. Noah is quite the minimalist, a master funny man, funny by way of bona fide lyrics. “Let’s sing to chickens, They like cock rock!” on new-to-me you say “You give me hope,” I sing these funny lines. Humor is not the case on “We Forgive You” well I mean it could be but I’m going to go with no. Flinty and affectionate. The cowshed burner, the closer, is that which I mentioned earlier: “Love Your Family”. If I knew anything about ’50s musicality, I would go on about that, but here we have a dreamy oldie with a striking sense of modernity. It is perfect for feeling bad about missing an ACLU Benefit set in the name of leaving early to attend to family functions and longing for the next. Well well this six songer impresses me further. Noah’s been going at it for decades, knows his capabilities, and rolls the dice – in this case working with an arranger who by the end of it seemed to have just as much fun. Cease and resist.
Bands: Gymshorts, The Ar-Kaics, Atlantic Thrills Date: Saturday, May 3, 2014 Location: Providence, RI
We always love making the trip down to Providence to see our favorite rock ‘n’ roll bands and say hello to some friends, and who knows maybe make some new ones. Last year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll BBQ was one of my favorite shows ever and certainly the best from last Summer. Ahh the mammaries, I mean the memories. There’s always love and strangeness in the Providence air, isn’t that right Mr. DJ Studs Jerkel? Ahh my main man Studs!
Atlantic Thrills – If you were to make a movie about my youth Atlantic Thrills would have a sure spot on the soundtrack. Hell, they could even have a cameo. Needless to say, we’ve seen these guys a gazillion times and it’s always worth it. It may not be the most original music in the world, but that’s garage rock for you. I’ve come to recognize which bands recreate the sounds of the 60s well and which ones make a mockery of it. The Thrillz are definitely part of the former. Those sweet surf sounds, doo wop slop gang vocals, and catchy guitar licks rest easy on my wounded ears on this breezy Spring night. Outdoors shows are the best, we need more of these.
It’s an awesome set, but something is missing or I should say someone. Much to my shock, guitarist/vocalist Kelly Riley is no longer in the band. It just isn’t the same without Kelly’s evil glares, hootin’ and hollerin’, and just overall enthusiasm. Definitely a focal part of the music. In his place tonight is Rafay Rashid of fellow Providence rock ‘n’ roll group Ravi Shavi. Rafay does a fine job with the tunes and it feels natural, still you can’t replace Kelly.
The foursome mix Thrillz standards such as “Acid Rain,” “Problems,” “Light Shines,” and more with somewhat newer tunes like “Bed Bugs” and “Almost Anything.” They conclude with an entirely new song (at least to my ears) about waiting for the weekend or something like that. I’ll have to hear it again sometime hopefully sooner than later. https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticThrills
The Ar-Kaics – Keeping the fierce rock ‘n’ roll spirit alive is Richmond, VA’s Ar-Kaics. I’ve never heard of them until now, but they are more than up our back alley as far as rock ‘n” roll slime goes. They have a similar aesthetic as Atlantic Thrills, but with more of a mellow attitude. With that being said, they have an even greater grip on the 60s sound. I mean this is Back From The Grave shit right down to the bare bone. I also hear Seeds, Sonics, and 13th Floor Elevators. All that good stuff.
Before and after the set we have the pleasure of meeting and chatting with this charming bunch. Johnny gives us a nice little lecture on the history of garage rock and the various garage comps over the years that have helped shaped their style.
Impressed with their music, both Glen and I snag a copy of their “Make It Mine” 7″. It’s a keeper. Hope to see you old souls back in Boston/New England in the near future! CHECK IT OUT: http://thearkaics.bandcamp.com/
Gymshorts – Gymshorts, another local band, carry the garage punk torch and finish up this evening’s trilogy of badass music. These shorts have a like minded sense of loose garage noise, but they pack in a few more punches, a solid kick in the nads. It’s more of the punk in garage punk, if you will. After a while, these terms can get annoying and overused, but I’ll continue to employ them as a point of reference. Or maybe I should play with your head and tell you it’s late 90s swing revival. It could be, it’s just as fun.
I’ve seen the Shorts in Boston and Lowell several times now, but it’s sick to see the band again in their home turf. By the time they hit stage, errr I mean ground I’m feeling A OKAY, all slop bop, and no pop. Their greasy grimy, feverish gunk only makes me want to flop and plunge to the pavement. In the process, I lose the top button to my shorts – they’re not my pair of gymshorts however, thank God. That would have been just too damn ironic. So, essentially I spend the whole set, rocking out whilst keeping a grip on my shorts to make sure they don’t fall down on me. What a sticky situation. I’m telling you guys, weird shit always happens to me in Providence. Oh Brother.
Date: Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26, 2014 Venue: Cambridge Elks Lodge
Yeah, I know this shit was like over a month ago. Get over it. The following is a recollection of April’s first annual BUFU Records Festival. Here are the bands that made me chill the hardest…
Night One:
Nice Guys – OOOHHHHH Nice Guys! Boston’s Nicest Guyzzzz. As soon as I enter the Elks these guys are getting ready to play. They blast through a fast, frenzied set that affirms my belief that I am one deaf bastard.
With this set there’s a solid chunk of new material or at the very least songs I’ve never heard before: “Whale,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Freedom,” “Pegger,” and “Stinker.” All bone crushing in their own eloquent way. Still, I get the biggest kicks from the regular chart toppers such as “Boxfort,” “Medical Envy,” and “Cop Walk.” During “Cop Walk” Alex rummages his way through the crowd in classic Alex fashion. A valiant way to wake up the stiff crowd and kick off BUFU Fest.
Yo, have you been staying up all night alone in your bed thinking “damn, I love those Nice Guys live if only I could own a piece of that magic on wax. Sigh.” Well partner, you’re in luck. Such a gem exists. Nice Guys have a splifft 7″ with fellow stasement boners Miami Doritos via KLYAM Records. Pick it up from here: http://klyam.bigcartel.com/product/nice-guys-miami-doritos-splifft-7 and then tell all of your friends about it. We’ll all laugh at your enemies together.
Set-List:
“Gary”
“Whale”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll”
“Freedom”
“Box Fort”
“Pegger”
“Medical Envy”
“Stinker”
“Cop Walk”
I collect Nice Guys set lists like a yuppie collects his Bill Joel ticket stubs. Dorks!
ACLU Benefit – This is my first ACLU Benefit. This isn’t the first time I’ve met Noah (the man behind ACLU Benefit) however. When I first met him he was dressed up as a juggalo at a Halloween show this past fall featuring Fat Creeps, Nice Guys, Guerilla Toss, and Designer. Actually, no wait we met on the train later that evening. Long story short, I had already heard the name ACLU Benefit tossed around these parts like the town whore, but at the time I didn’t realize I was speaking to the benefit himself. The low voice should have given it away. So, that night I looked up his bandcamp and I was correct. I went on to discover one of Boston’s most original voices.
Fast forward to tonight and I am delighted to finally be standing in front of Noah/ACLU Benefit in a musical setting for the very first time. It’s hard to write about his music because it evokes so many different emotions in me. That sounds like an excuse and it is, but I’ll do my best.
Noah stands alone with a guitar and that baritone voice you can hear from a 100 feet away. The crowd is building up, starting to get packed; it’s still pretty early in the fest. Noah introduces himself and begins to play. The performance is chilling, humorous, and all around entertaining in its own little way. Certainly one of the more engaging, inclusive performers I have come across over the last decade.
He has two distinct anthems in which he instructs the audience to sing along with him. In the aptly titled “Beer,” he informs us to sing “BEEEEEER!” after he sings “I’ve got a friend and his name is Beer.” So it goes like this…
Noah: I’ve got a friend and his name is Beer.
Crowd: BEEEEEEEER!
Noah: He loves me cause you’re not here.
Crowd: BEEEEEER!
It’s fun and interactive. There’s another song Noah plays entitled “Love Of My Life” and the performance operates in similar sing along fashion. This time as Noah sings “love of my life” the crowd sings “I’ll never get over you.” It’s one of those you had to be there kind of moments. You reading my description of it obviously doesn’t have the same effect. Case and point, go see ACLU Benefit. You’ll ponder life and wonder what went wrong. Don’t die wondering. http://aclubenefit.bandcamp.com/
Following the set, Glen, Ben, and I shake hands with Noah, complimenting him on a job well done. It’s worth missing the next band.
Funeral Cone – The lodge is rockin’ and the party is off the hook by the time Funeral Cone gets rollin. I saw these peeps at this exact spot here back in September and it left me bleeding. A nice little scar on my arm. A Funeral Cone memento if you will. This set is pretty much the same thing, minus the blood. Constant moshing from the punks, indeed, it’s a punker’s wet dream. Ramonesian tune (they may even cover some Ramones tunes? I’m fuzzy) with flashes of early hardcore punk a la Circle Jerks. With a diabolical keyboard in tow, it makes for a hardcore Okmoniks. Surely, the garage rawk klowns will foam at the mouth over this gunk. Slimy seconds err thirds, I’ll take em’.
P.S. Cory from SKIMASK, Ancient Filth, and Concrete Facelift also plays drums in Funeral Cone!
Gymshorts – This band’s music is as satisfying as their moniker. As I type this I’m comfortably sitting back in my own pair of gymshorts listening to Gymshorts. You know, I’m not really sure where I’m going with this, but trust me you want to hear this band. If you’ve ever trusted me before (I don’t know what you were thinking), trust me on this one. Loads of killer slop rock songs that stick to you for dayssss kidddddd. My new favorite band or at least the best band I’ve heard all year.
I just got into Gymshorts a few months back and from the looks of it most in attendance are unfamiliar with their music. They eagerly stare at the band, bopppin their heads and possibly other things… not really moving too much though, which is a damn shame. That’s ok, it almost makes it that much more hilarious when Sarah (vocals, guitar) bursts into the crowd barreling through a sea of stiffs. They never expect it haha. Regardless, after their set I overheard some kids praising their performance, so Providence’s best shorts have converted some Bostonian heads in the process. Listen to dis shit for weeks: http://gymshorts.bandcamp.com/
Free Pizza – Before Free Pizza begin their set, BUFU Records founder and BUFU Fest organizer, Ben Katzman announces that BUFU Records will be reissuing Free Pizza’s Boston, MA (previously released as a tape on BUFU) on vinyl alongside Feeding Tube Records. When I hear this, I can barely see Katzman’s face because I’m way in the back of the room, though I know it’s him up there because of his distinct voice and tone. The place is packed to the gills, but I have to get up front for this. The band launches into their set and Jesus Vio starts singing “I’m going forwardddd” (“Forward”) as I am literally moving forward to make my way to the front. The crowd eats it up and dances their asses off and it only gets better.
The next song is “Net Babes,” one of my favorites from the group and I’m not alone in this. I start singing along “We have no beaches, but baby we can surf …” and before I can even finish the line I notice Ben Katzman looks back at me, smiles and sings along with me, “but baby we can surf the internet!” Katzman’s enthusiasm is contagious and as I said the crowd is going bananas.
They continue to play some songs off their debut, such as “Freedom Pizza,” “Ducks,” “Porty,” and “Baby Girl” as well as some fresh cuts (I think) like “Keep on Moving,” and “2 Broke.”
The best part of not just Free Pizza’s set, but the pinnacle moment of all of BUFU Fest comes when the band closes with “Boston, MA” the final track off the album of the same name. The song alone encapsulates the feeling of inclusion, unity, rejection of the mainstream, and above all good old fashion fun aka “chilling mad hard” that BUFU Records, BUFU Fest, Free Pizza, and the Boston underground as a whole represent on a daily basis; here is just the perfect microcosm and it hits like an explosion. The band encourages everyone to sing along if they know the words and even if you don’t, it’s all good. A shirtless, sweaty Jesus triumphantly flings himself into the crowd as they dance along and sing into the mic with him “Living in Boston, Massachusetts, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTSSSS!!!”
Definitely one of the greatest live experiences in my life. The whole set, but in particular “Boston, MA.” A rare feeling I struggle to put into words. If I could bottle it up and ingest it every morning I totally would. For what it’s worth, I’ve never been one for civic pride. It’s just not my style. I’m not ashamed of my town/city/state, but I’ve never felt any direct connection with Boston and it’s surrounding area. With that being said, Free Pizza’s “Boston, MA” is finally a New England anthem I can actually identify with and one that makes me happy and proud to live here. http://freepizzarocks.bandcamp.com/Can’t recommend this album enough.
Juan Wauters – With all of the excitement following Free Pizza’s set I almost forgot I’m seeing one of my favorite artists for the first time, well you could say that. Juan is the lead singer for Jackson Heights, Queens, New York’s The Beets, a band that co-KLYAMER Glen and myself have been fascinated with the past 4-5 years. We’ve seen The Beets a number of times now, but we’ve never seen Juan solo. In fact, before Juan even makes it to the stage/floor, we’re praising the man, shaking his hand, giving him big hugs, offering him beers. He’s overwhelmed by the love and support, I can tell he appreciates it or he’s a bit freaked out haha. Matter of fact, Juan actually interviewed Glen or I should say Gangbang Gordon for Allston Pudding. True story.
It’s all dark and quiet and the Juan begins (following another arousing introduction from Mr. Katzman). I can’t remember what the order is, but Juan and his acoustic guitar bust out some recent fan favorites form his debut solo effort N.A.P. North American Poetry. These include, but aren’t limited to “Water,” “Sanity,” “Continue To Be You,” and “Let Me Hip You To Something.” There are a lot of Juan fans in attendance, all sitting and standing, huddled around the Uruguayan singer. BUFU Records/Fest co-head honcho Chris Collins especially is digging the Juan, he always does. We all do. I’m confident Juan hipped many kids on to something haha, something special.
The Founding Fathers – Now, here’s a fine group of young, upstanding gentlemen that look awfully familiar. Call me crazy, call me wild, but they bear a striking resemblance to another local band you may remember as SKIMASK. Ehh whatever, must be me losing my mind.
Speaking of which, the lead vocalist seems to be off his rocker as well. He shrieks and flails about, barging through the moshers on a warpath, both physical and vocal. He’s an orator. An enigmatic performer of epic proportions. He crashes into the drum kit, he rolls on the floor, tossing his body to and fro in a possessed state of mind. Not wasting a second to rant and rave and proselytize the elks lodge inhabitants, when he’s not tearing the place to shreds. He spares no one, the audience is the target. He runs through the crowd as if he is engulfed in flames and burning to death. He stares into their eyes helplessly like he’s Carrie White covered in period blood, fiercely moving forward amid a chaotic atmosphere. It could all end at any second.
Electronic, spastic alien noise and fast, deafening drums provide the backbone to all of this pandemonium. It’s noise, it’s odd rock ‘n’ roll, and definitely one of the highlights of BUFU Fest.
Guerilla Toss – If any band could keep up with the the frenzy of the previous set then it’s Guerilla Toss. This is also one of my top sets from the entire fest. It’s always a trip, a party, a filthy mess when it comes to Gtoss and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Hundreds of kids are up front, slamming into each other, if you can even move. It’s body to body, no open space. I’m hot as a motherfucker, perspiring all over the place. The crowd is one giant body, a sweatball that bounces back and forth to the band’s self-proclaimed fucked up dance music. It’s fun as always, though I would prefer some room for more hippie dancing/moshing, then again I love when it’s just a crazy mess too. One downside is that I can’t see everything and I can’t even hear everything. Kassie’s vocals seem a bit lower or it’s just me. I’m gone. My eardrums took a serious pounding tonight.
As the set wraps up, Simon Hanes bangs his two fists against his head several times like he’s Jake LaMotta or Andre the Giant or some other human animal. Gtoss is a bestial powerhouse, let em’ bring out the beast in you!
Night Two:
Gangbang Gordon – My homeboy Gangbang Gordon kicks BUFU Fest night two off with a BANG! As GBG and his Northshore barebackers crack into their set the crowd is slowly building up and taking notice.
GBG opens with “Life At The ABC” and “The Breeze” two tunes that will be featured on his upcoming cassette Culturally Irrevelerent coming out this Summer on none other than BUFU Records!
Among other rocking standards such as “Lost Touch With The Youths,” “I Can Testify,” and “Warm Warm Warm” that get some folks headbanging, there’s also a new cut known as “Not Your Average Professor Liberal Arts.” A tune only GBG could imagine.
The sound is a bit all over the place and not everyone sounds in sync with one another, which can be expected at a GBG show, but at least they’re having fun and that’s not always the case with a lot of ‘rock’ bands.
For some of the tunes including the Spanish rap number “Orguello De Rappers” there’s a blinding, seizure inducing disco ball light. They close the set with “Slide Paper,” which sounds like a teenager’s attempt at recreating a Van Halen song. It’s a good riff. http://gbgordon.bandcamp.com/
Set-List:
“Life At The ABC”
“The Breeze”
“Lost Touch With The Youths”
“I can Testify”
“Warm Warm Warm”
“Not Ya Average Professor Of Liberal Arts”
“Orguello De Rappers”
“Slide Paper”
Frank Hurricane – Damn, it’s been years since I’ve seen the one and only Frank Hurricane. Frank can captivate an entire room of gangstas with a few words. Frank aka Hurricanes Of Love will always hold a warm place in my heart, for the first basement/house show Glen and I ever attended was at the Dirty Douglas in Lowell and Frank opened the show. His kind, gentle, and humorous demeanor was the perfect introduction to underground music and the local music scene. That was a little over three years ago. Frank was on tour from Atlanta. He is a constant traveler and tonight he speaks of his various travels.
Frank sits back, plays some acoustic guitar, and rattles off hypnotic tale after tale of one amusing (or sometimes disturbing) anecdote to the next. He is a true raconteur, a rarity. http://frankhurricane.com/
Littlefoot – Littlefoot is a band from Providence that I’m starting to really get into a lot. I first saw them opening for Atlantic Thrills at their album release party at Dusk in Providence. This set had similar, dream pop vibes. Very relaxed, comforting, and insanely catchy. Almost too many people for me to truly enjoy it. I look forward to seeing them more in the future, especially in more intimate settings. http://littlefootlittlefoot.bandcamp.com/
Dylan Ewen & The Sulk Scouts – Ahh one of my favorite local bands. It’s always a fun time when these kids play. They wear sunglasses, Hawaiian shirts, and just let off a breezy, chill attitude. That isn’t to say they can’t rock out, because they most certainly do. Kooky klassics like “Us Girls Got It Tuff,” “Handcuffs,” and D.Ewen OG “Korean Girlfriend” are all on display.
The band also performs Madonna’s “Like A Virgin,” a fitting cover that complements their mixture of coyness and semi-deviance. It’s all for fun.
Set-List:
“*noise intro*
“Us Girls Got It Tough”
“Handcuffs”
“Cool Party”
“Like A Virgin” (Madonna Cover)
“Stoked To Be Sad”
“Korean Girlfriend”
“Fkuu Me”
Fat Creeps – This is the longest I’ve gone without seeing the Fat Creeps since… ever. Last time I saw them was on New Year’s Eve! Crazy, whack, son. Things have changed. They have a new drummer. Mr. Travis Hagan. My dude! You may have seen him in such local rock ‘n’ roll juggernauts as The New Highway Hymnal, Chill City Icon, Wakes, Radskull, and you may recall Travis’ brief stint as the drummer for The Migs. RIP Migs :(. Anywho, he’s behind the kit and he kills it.
If my memory serves me correctly they open with “Secrets” and it’s great to finally hear the song live again after all this time. Most of the set, however, features newer songs These tunes will appear on their upcoming full-length Must Be Nice on Gnar Tapes and Sophomore Lounge Records. I’m looking forward to it to say the very least.
All in all, as I said before great to see the Creeps again and it’s awesome to see a big crowd of kids devouring the various Creeps numbers, both old and new. http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/
Unstoppable Death Machines – This is the last band I remember truly hitting me over the head with their music. Or that may have been their fans haha. It’s a rowdy set for this NYC noise duo, think Lightning Bolt. I’m sure they get that comparison a lot, but that’s what comes to mind for me. There’s still a lot of people in the room, but it seems like less than before. Still a decent chunk, going apeshit to the ravenous sounds of Unstoppable Death Machines. My buddy Brian Hickey and myself are at the front of the pit, smashing into each other and everyone else. It’s lunacy! http://unstoppabledeathmachines.com/
So that’s that. BUFU Fest was an extraordinary experience. One of my top shows ever and definitely the best I’ve seen this year thus far. I can’t wait for next year. I hope you chilled as mad hard as I did. Peace.
Dayemmm! Fat Creeps are heading on tour this Summer with Brattleboro, VT’s The Lentils in support of their upcoming full length debut on Gnar Tapes and Sophomore Lounge, available at all of the shows!
Tour Dates:
Monday, July 14 in Brattleboro, VT at THE FUTURE
Tuesday, July 15 in Buffalo, NY at SPIRAL SCRATCH RECORDS w/ JOHNS and SPACE WOLVES
Wednesday, July 16 in Columbus, OH at ACE OF CUPS
Thursday, July 17 in Chicago, IL at AUXILIARY ARTS w/ JIMMY WHISPERS and THE SUEVES
Friday, July 18 in Chicago, IL at THE OBSERVATORY w/ THE HECKS and WUME
Saturday, July 19 in Louisville, KY at ASTRO BLACK
Sunday, July 20 Nashville, TN at PUSSY PALACE w/ IDLE BLOOM
Tuesday, July 22 in Atlanta, GA at GOAT FARM ARTS CENTER
Wednesday, July 23 in Athens, GA at SECRET SQUIRREL
Thursday, July 24 in Charlotte, NC at RECESS FEST
Friday, July 25 in Boone, NC at BLACK CAT
Saturday, July 26 in Washington D.C. for FRINGE FEST w/ CHAIN AND THE GANG
Sunday, July 27 in Philly, PA w/ BUGS AND RATS at HAZZARD HALL Monday, July 28 in Boston, MA at MIDDLESEX w/ BUGS AND RATS
FB Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/592681867496760/?notif_t=plan_user_invited
Go see them live! Buy the record! Buy the tape! And I know I’ve said this a million trillion fucking times I must sound like a broken record ;) okay bad joke… pick up the Fat Creeps 10″ EP from KLYAM Records! http://klyam.bigcartel.com/product/fat-creeps-10-ep-coke-bottle-clear
Ben Katzman’s Degreaser is cummin’ 7/4/14 but I think we all know BK’s Degreaser is already here. BUFU Records royalty’s solo album drops on that date and yeah yeah what a fine Fourth is in store. I didn’t really know what to expect from Ben – the dude has some deep-rooted metallic tendencies, although anything is seemingly possible with him. “Dance With A Hopeless Romantic” is a possible preview of what’s to come here and it sure is slick. Like THE LOCOMOTION subverted, powered into a spunky anthem. True fun and that’s what Degreaser is all about.
SICK! KLYAM Records dudes Nice Guys are playing and slaying among several other local noise makers. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again pick up the Nice Guys/Miami Doritos Splifft 7″ before they sell out and you’re crying yourself to sleep every night wondering what could have been. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU. http://klyam.bigcartel.com/product/nice-guys-miami-doritos-splifft-7
It was a pleasure as always to come through the Drive-In to see some bands. This particular spot is a bit more out of the way for KLYAM so unfortunately there’s the usual leaving early and missing out on some groups we would really love to stay and watch. But I got to make the most of a live rock ‘n roll experience and I loved every second.
Free Pizza is an institution around here. They were up first. The threesome powered through a pretty new set – I think they only played one tune from BOSTON, MA. I witnessed these newbies fitting nicely alongside what they’ve done in the past. Jesus has a particular pop inclination present on particularly every FP song, but hell I feel this inclination broadening and really opening things up. I’d probably be scared if anyone other than FP was venturing here; it’s just that the Pizza does things right. Nice and snug.
Next on the agenda was Acidosis. I should not neglect to mention that Free Pizza and Acidosis spent some significant time on the road together in the month of May, which included a couple more stops after this show. So Acidosis is BUFU Records honcho Ben on bass and vocals, Diego on guitar, and Will on drums. They’ve got that metal, that hard rock – stuff not all too often bandied about and extolled on this very site. That said, I greatly respect the punk attitude, the shred, the fun that is these guys live. I’m sure there are bands out there doing something like this around here, but it seems to me like they just don’t matter when you’ve got Acidosis. I was frankly worried about my right ear as I was positioned smack dab in front of Diego’s amp. Lucky for right ear, he turned up just right. So everyone’s wailing, everyone’s pounding, Ben is shouting God knows what while making faces and stances that spew intimidation. These are friendly guys. Birthday man Rory from Designer joins the crew on the mic for the first song.
The last band that my right and left ear and eye could percept was Animal Lover. Now in my younger years I would go see shows and frankly a lot of the openers at these above ground spots were not my cup of tea. At a house show, though, I find a lot more exciting bands on the bill. This makes sense, pal. Alrighty so Animal Lover – a noisy racket from Minnesota. They’ve got the speed and tenacity a la Guerilla Toss, a la Designer. Indulge if you dig on those groups. The packed Boston basement crew was real receptive to these folks and yeah of course I wish I was up front for the action. I saw it go down from the boiler section. I still had loads of fun.
Hot damn, look at this line up! So many KLYAM faves!
LINEUP (SET TIMES TBA): 28 Degrees Taurus, Abadabad, Atlantic Thrills, Beware The Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion!, Black Beach, Creaturos, Dinoczar, Doug Tuttle, The Fagettes, Fat Creeps, Ghost Box Orchestra, Gymshorts, Magic Shoppe, The New Highway Hymnal, and The TeleVibes. In bold are my personal favorites. Purple bolded are KLYAM Records bands.
The show is being presented by Illegally Blind, the work of one Jason Trefts, and Trefts is also the man behind a sea of shows in the Boston area including last year’s first annual Fuzzstival, which was a hoot. This year will be even greater.
The whole shabang takes place on Saturday, August 2 at KLYAM’s favorite aboveground venue The Middle East in Cambridge. Upstairs from 1PM-5PM. Downstairs from 5PM- 1:30AM.
For more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1501237970104061/
In the meantime, while you’re twiddling your thumbs in anticipation, you can read our review of last year’s festival, written just minutes after the festival itself in a shamelessly drunken state of mind: https://klyam.com/2013/08/11/review-boston-fuzzstival-81013/
Or better yet watch this live video shot by fellow KLYAMER Joanna
Tour Dates:
06/13 Somerville, MA @ Cuisine en Locale*
06/14 Brooklyn, NY @ Death By Audio*
06/15 Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s Alright
06/16 Burlington, VT @ Monkey House^
06/17 Montreal, QC @ TRH Bar^
06/18 Toronto, ON @ Geary Lane^
06/19 Toronto, ON @ Adelaide Hall^
06/20 Toronto, ON @ Kapisanan Arts & Culture Center^
06/21 Chicago, IL @ Situations^
06/22 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
06/23 Nashville, TN @ The Stone Fox
06/24 Pittsburgh, PA @ Howlers Coyote Cafe #
06/25 Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
06/26 Baltimore, MD @ The Metro Gallery ^
06/27 Boston, MA @ Great Scott #
* With Doomsday Student & Microwaves
^ With Horse Lords
# With Lovely Little Girls
Bands: Couches, Sneeze, Gymshorts, Durt Dog the Band Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 Venue: Wilder Zangcraft (Lowell, MA)
Durt Dog the Band – Ahh back in Lowell, my old stomping grounds. It’s nice to be back here and with Durt Dog the Band, a Lowell based trio (at least tonight) fronted by Brian Donovan. Brian’s got his durt dog on, he’s durt doggin’ it like it’s nobody else’s business. He’s a folk hero.
I’ve been a Durt Dog fan for a year now, but I’ve never actually had the pleasure until tonight. The set’s sloppy and garagey and that’s alright with me. Guitar feedback, mumbly vocals, and Brian’s ubiquitous grin. I feel it.
“Ashes” and “Things I Do Care About” are just a couple of personal favorites and they play them on this holy evening. The songs come to life more in a live setting and the band sounds thicker, muddier, like a garage punk version of Pavement. Either that or I’ve lost my mind.
Before the final song, Brian quips “We still have to kill your dog,” blasting into a rocker that buries us all. Keep Durt Doggin it until the day you die. http://durtdogtheband.bandcamp.com/
Gymshorts – I promised you in my last post that there would be a butt fuck load of Gymshorts coverage on here and I am a man of my word. For Durt Dog , the crowd is still building up, though let’s face it if you have even five people it feels crowded at the Wilder Zangcraft. Toss a gazillion bodies in the place and it’s stuffed. That’s part of the fun! And for the Gymshorts the bodies are a plenty. More importantly, people are washing down their first forties, cracking open their second, starting to possess a one eyed sailor squint. Hey, Gymshorts are the perfect soundtrack to twisted, drunken youth debauchery. College kids start moshing and hurling each other to and fro.
The shorts shred through a series of gut busting numbers that we KLYAMERS have grown to love in the past few months. I too want to get high and get stoned! I wish every day could be daylight savings, and you bet your fucking ass my favorite republic is banana! Let me tell you about it. That’s how my parents talk. Not the banana thing, but they begin every sentence with “And let me tell you about…” instead of just telling me about whatever topic. “And let me tell you about pre-ejaculatory fluids leading to pregnancy.” I imagine I’ve lost everyone at this point. I lost myself around banana. I am not a journalist, I don’t trust journalists. Music journalism sucks.
Sneeze – First and last time I saw these dudes was here at the Wilder Zangcraft nearly two years ago. They aren’t exactly what I’m into, but I don’t hate them either. Of all the bands, they are definitely the heaviest and during the set the crowd is rowdier than ever. It’s hard to stay in one spot. One girl even plummets straight to the floor. SHE’S OKAY, THOUGH! I especially dig the Deftones White Pony tattoo on the drummer’s leg. Nice undies by the way. http://sneezeus.bandcamp.com/
Couches – This band is on tour from California. They are a long, long way from home. Let’s make it feel like home for them. Still some moshing, but it’s a bit more mellow man. Couches definitely have that laid back, West Coast vibe to them. I spoke to one of the Couches after the show and he said I talk really fast. Couches always tell me I talk too fast. http://couchessf.bandcamp.com/
Heavens to Betsy! The boys in blue had nothing else better to do and this little festivity had to come to a close. No New Highway Hymnal :( .
