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Art, Local Music, Music, Punk, reviews

Review: SARALEE @ Gay Gardens (3/23/12)

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GG

Artists: SARALEE,  Guerrilla Toss, Happy Jawbone Family Band, Rotten Apples, Jacques Le Coque, GG’s House Band, and possibly others
Date: Friday, March 23, 2012
Venue: Gay Gardens aka “Gary’s Garage” (Allston, MA)
Comments: NOTE! Sadly, we were only able to see SARALEE :( which is a damn shame because I really wanted to see everybody, but we KLYAMERS live in the boonies and had to make the train ride home!


SARALEE– Fortunately, SARALEE is the band we came to see, so I am glad they play first. In the past year, I, well the KLYAM in general have started to branch out more into the local Boston scene(s) and SARALEE is definitely one of the best bands we have come across. I see a fair amount of bands, but few measure up to these two. It is funny how their name is so fitting The band is Sara (vocals and guitar) and Lee (drums), but in a lot of ways I almost do not see them as a duo, but rather like one whole entity. I know it sounds crazy, but the chemistry between the two is so solid I cannot think of anyone else filling their places. The music is fairly simple, but very effective. Lee’s drumming is mellow, never gets too in your face, but creates a wonderful aura. I don’t know, it is hard to describe, but seeing them live (this is the third time I have seen them now) I always feel like I am in some sort of haze, and this also may be chemically induced, but drugs aside, their performances are atmospheric and dreamlike. I cannot say enough how much I love Sarah’s vocals, seriously one of my favorites. It is quite unlike anything I have ever heard and that is certainly something I rarely get a chance to say. I can think of comparisons, but I would rather people listen to it themselves first. “Circle of Hands,” is an incredible song and as always they kill it. I feel like this band would be perfect for 1982 Olympia, WA, K Records. I can picture Calvin Johnson hopping around to SARALEE, baking pies and playing Twister. But, it is not 1982, it’s 2012, thirty years later and if I wasn’t broke, I would put out a record with SARALEE, if they were down with it. Some day soon, KLYAM Records will be up and running, keep your eyes open.
Here’s a link to SARALEE’s demo, it will knock you flat on your ass and if it doesn’t, then I will knock you flat on your ass. XOXO!
http://saralee.bandcamp.com/album/demo

Following the band’s performance, Glen and I hung around with the fellow attendees and discussed various topics ranging from music to anarchy. Some folks commented on our seemingly odd memory, particularly how we can remember every little nuance of each show we see. Of course, comparatively, we do not see that many and that explains a bulk of the reasoning behind this “phenomenon,” but I can say for myself, I do put forth an effort to remember anything and everything I can, unless it sucked, naturally. So, Paul, if you are reading this, what’s up dude?! Remember I gave you a bud light and I told you to check this site out, well if you are in fact reading this, good job. And, if you don’t remember me, no worries.  I also abruptly brought up Judge Judy and it was random as fuck  indeed. And Dave from New Hampshire, how’s the face book going? See, I don’t forget. I wasn’t just bullshitting y’all.

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

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

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Artists: Hunx and His Punx, Heavy Cream, Radio Control
Date: Monday, April 2, 2012
Venue: Great Scott (Allston, MA)
Comments:
Act I: Radio Control– The show begins with Radio Control, a rock duo from Somerville consisting of Matt Studivan on vocals and guitar and Kristina Otero on vocals and drums. Radio Control are excited to play as are their supportive fans in the front row (just a couple folks, but nonetheless ultra supportive of their bros). As the set moves along more and more people show up, which is good because they deserve it. I have never heard of Radio Control before this evening, but now I wish I had at least checked out some of their music before entering the Great Scott. They rock pretty hard and the sound is solid. I admire their musicianship and in fact they are one of the tightest bands I have seen as of late. I do not know if it is just me, but I seem to have a thing for two pieces, maybe because I see them so often. Overall, I can hear a lot hooks in their songs and I am positive that if I knew their material beforehand, then I would be singing along to them. Here’s a link to their glorious band camp page: http://weareradiocontrol.com/

Heavy Cream @ Great Scott (Papa KLYAM Photo)

Act II: Heavy Cream– I have been hearing a lot of good things about this Nashville band recently, so when I saw that they were playing with Hunx and His Punx it gave me all the more reason to be hysterically pumped up for this show. Alas, I have only had a small taste of Heavy Cream, but based on what I have heard I know they will not disappoint me.  And of course, they do not.  Heavy Cream definitely has their shit together, both sonically and visually. Singer, Jessica MacFarland is wearing an eye catching leopard skinned outfit and it is hard not to keep your eyes off her especially with her seemingly endless charisma and occasional spitting to boot.  I honestly only know one song from their repertoire and that is 2010’s classic “Watusi,” which is accompanied by one helluva music video.  The song is quite catchy and sounds terrific live, making the kids move and shake a little. I also see a familar face in bassist Seth Sutton, whom I saw way back in October ’09 when he played side by side with the late, great Jay Reatard in the kickass, guitar driven powerhouse known as Useless Eaters. Mr. Sutton isn’t the only Seth I have not seen live since October ’09, but I will get that later, back to Heavy Cream.  I do not want to pin the group down to one sound or style, but fans of bands such as fellow Nashville rockers, Those Darlins, Nobunny, Bleached, and Mika Miko will probably enjoy Heavy Cream. I also hear a lot Runaways/ Joan Jett in their music and performance as well.  Just like Radio Control, they are pretty damn tight and in terms of overall attitude, I cannot think of too many better bands to play before Hunx; they share the same Rock and Roll aesthetic, that is thee best aesthetic.

Act III: Hunx and His Punx– HUNX AND HIS PUNX!!! HOLY SHIT!!! Yes, they truly deserve all of those exclamation points. I am a humongous fan of Hunx and His Punx, so this show means a lot to me. Unfortunately, I have not seen the band since the Boston Shattered Records Tour show at Harpers Ferry on October 2, 2009. Yes sir, Jay Reatard, Nobunny, Hunx and His Punx, Box Elders, and Useless Eaters. To this day the greatest bill I have ever witnessed. At the time, I did not know who or what Hunx and His Punx was, so it was an exciting and bizarre experience that will stick with me forever. Flash forward a few months and Hunx is on my iPod every single day, and that has continued for the past two years. Due to some poor scheduling, lack of money and transportation I have missed the past two Boston Hunx shows, but today is my day. The Great Scott has never seemed so wonderful, and I have seen my fair share of Great Scott shows: Wavves, Harlem, Handsome Furs, all great, but none of them compare to Hunx at this moment. When the band hits the stage, I am harder and higher than ever and I am about to explode (INSERT DRAMATIC EFFECT). Tonight the band opens with the recent Hunx solo effort, “Hairdresser Blues,” and not being a hairdresser myself, I cannot say I have actually experienced these blues, but Hunx sings with so much passion I can tell he has. Next up is “Private Room,” another hit from the new record, and definitely one of the catchiest.  Too bad there does not appear to be any gay dudes in the audience for Hunx to share a private room with, and in general the crowd is a bit reserved. No need to worry though, the band brings their A game and they truly rock the place. I was discussing watching YouTube videos of live performances versus actually being present for the shows with a fine gentlemen earlier in the evening and we both agreed that sometimes it is just not the same if you were not there.  Tonight is a great example of this. I have seen Hunx vids before, but honestly  they do not do justice to the live act.  The band is extremely tight and every song  just fucking hits you like a hurricane. It brings me back to the old days of Jay Reatard, but with a smiley face.  Hunx is one of the greatest performers I have seen.  He simply has a contagious personality, a persona that rivals the likes of King Khan, Nobunny, and Bradford Cox, all of which I admire greatly. The whole group is fantastic: Shannon Shaw (also of the fabulous Shannon and the Clams) belts out incredible vocals on “If You’re Not Here” and “The Curse of Being Young” amongst others.  Shaw is one of my favorite singers right now, truly only on par with some of today’s greatest such as Mark Sultan. Erin Emslie (also of The Foxx) is a sick drummer, her drumming is simple on the surface, but she has undeniable skill and finesse. She keeps the beat at a fast, steady pace the whole show and there is a lot of physicality and power to her performance.  Then there is that creepy, mystery guitarist to the right of Hunx.  The songs would not be the same without him though, but he surely is one creepy motherfucker. JK! Often you think of “garage” as sloppy, but as far as I am concerned Hunx and His Punx has their shit together, much like the first two bands tonight. Every song hits you hard and the set consists of so many classics from both records, Gay Singles and Too Young To Be In Love. My favorites are “Cruising” and “U Don’t Like Rock and Roll.”  I am just in my own world when they play these songs. I love them to death so much,  when I hear it live I am in near cardiac arrest! The show concludes with “Lovers Lane,” and the band departs the stage for the errr dresser room (or lack thereof), but not for too long. “Good Kisser” is unleashed and all is well. Heavy Cream join the band on stage for the final song, which is a cover of a Pleasure Seekers tune: “What A Way To Die”. All in all, a great time is had by all. Hunx and His Punx is real Rock and Roll and it is KLYAM’s mission to bring Rock and Roll into the high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, and if we have time, the pre schools of America! Instead of an Easter Bunny, kids can come and sit on Nobunny’s lap! I can see the lovely mall riots in my mind. God bless America! I am a patriot, I hide in trees.

Set List:
Hairdresser Blues (from Hairdresser Blues)
Private Room (HB)
Cruising (from Gay Singles)
Bad Boy (from Too Young to Be in Love)
Gimmie Gimmie Back Your Love (GS)
Too Young To Be In Love (TY)
Let Me In (HB)
The Curse of Being Young (TY)
U Don’t Like Rock ‘N’ Roll (GS)
If You’re Not Here (I Don’t Know) (TY)
Do the Make Up (GS)
Lovers Lane (TY)
*ENCORE*
Good Kisser (GS)
What A Way To Die (Pleasure Seekers Cover)

Art, Fat History Month, Local Music, Music, Punk, reviews

Concert Review: Fat History Month@ UML Fox Common (3/8/12)

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Artists: Gypsy Blood, Onslo, Fat History Month, Settler
Date: Thursday, March 8, 2012
Venue: UMass Lowell Fox Common (Lowell,MA)
Comments: NOTE: This is not the full review! A more complete review from our pal Justin Cole will be up before you can say fuck your yankee blues jeans… okay maybe not that fast, but fast. Read it and then send us money, just kidding, but it would be a lot cooler if you did.

Act I: Settler– “Instrumental fun rock from Massachusetts.”- Settler Band Camp page. Check it out! http://settler.bandcamp.com/

Act II: Fat History Month– The one  and only, Fat History Month, New England’s greatest band! For you newcomers, Fat History Month is a Boston based duo consisting of Sean on vocals and guitar and Mark on drums, and together they are two wild and crazy guys, and by wild and crazy I mean kind, courteous, upstanding gentlemen. FHM is easily one of the hardest working, DIY bands right now and for that I have a lot of respect. Though, there are a lot of bands out there that are dedicated to their craft, but few can mesmorize me the way these guys do. This is the fourth time I have seen the band and in my previous three experiences I saw them in basements, so the Fox Common is definitely a change of pace, but I like it.  The two look great on a stage, albeit a very small stage.  The Fox Common is clearly intended for full size bands, so seeing the duo together, almost cramped up in the corner of the stage is a perfect image. Well perhaps not the corner, but they are simply positioned in this classic Fat History set up and as always it is as striking as the music itself. Speaking of which, tonight the duo produce some of their greatest offerings from one of 2011’s finest LPs, Fucking Despair.  One of my favorite moments is when they play “Nature,” and Sean roars, “Your balls are on display!” I love hearing the song on record, but when I hear that line live it just brings home what makes Fat History Month Fat History Month: that fantastic juxtaposition of goofball humor and serious, genuine, emotion. Earlier in the night, Sean himself stated that he “went to clown college,” haha! In fact, the sound check consisted of the words “COCKS! BIG ONES!” Unless, I am losing my mind and it is only me hearing this, which could be true, what with my wacky imagination and all. Two other excellent staples are “No Safe” and the title track itself “Fucking Despair.” If you have not seen Fat History Month yet, you are missing out. They play all the time, go to one (or many) of their shows or else….
http://fathistorymonth.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Onslo–  LOUD, some  loud motherfuckers right here.

Act IV: Gypsyblood– If you like Jesus and Mary Chain, then you will probably love these guys. http://gypsyblood.bandcamp.com/

Art, CD Review, Local Music, Music, Punk, reviews

Album Review: Atlas The Atom Smasher’s “The Snowmiser Suite”

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Artist: Atlas the Atom Smasher
Full Title: The Snowmiser Suite
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Label: Self-Released
Comments: It’s 2012, the apocalypse is almost upon us and the end of the world is nigh. Alright, no, I personally don’t buy into anything relating to the mayan calendar or December 21st of this year. However, if you were to ask Atlas The Atom Smasher, it can be the perfect subject matter to base an album around. “The Snowmiser Suite”, the Punk trio’s newest release, is exactly that: one 12 minute, three part punk rock odyssey about finding oneself and making sense of the world’s problems right in the midst of, you guessed it, the apocalypse. The song’s three movements each call to mind different emotions that might come out of a situation such as this. At some points the lyrics reflect hope for mankind’s future, while in other places there is a sense of anger about the factors that might have led to the world’s destruction. Finally, the boys in Atlas seem to reach a point of understanding and even acceptance with the chaos they’ve depicted here.
The EP begins with ominous guitar chords that build right into the first movement “Snowmiser”; here frontman Aaron Hibbert sings with a kind of pained optimism. The state of the world he depicts is anything but pleasant, but he holds on to a small sense of hope as he proclaims “we’ll be okay someday”, a line that goes on to be a recurring idea later in the song.
The second movement, “Heatmiser”, abruptly transitions from hopeful anthem into furious hardcore driven by the relentless rhythm section of bassist Josh Wilson and Drummer Tyler Bisson. Whatever hope might have existed in the first movement vanishes here; Hibbert and Bisson trade off angry vocals, each railing against humanities’ choices and actions (Killing the mother for fuel to survive/ as if killing each other could keep us alive). To close out the second section, the band features some fine guest appearances, the first by vocalist Chelsea Maida, who brings back the idea that “we’ll be okay”. Guitarist Nicholas Wiedeman (Big Mess) provides a heavily distorted guitar solo over a slow, heavy, blues interlude that marks the end of movement two.
From here, the band progresses into movement three, a quick paced, straightforward punk rock romp that brings back that lighthearted optimism shown at the beginning of the record. Judging from the lyrics, Hibbert appears to have reached a point of peace and acceptance as he sings “I hope that I finally get to see the apocalypse”, as if he knows whats coming, yet has no problem with it. There are even clever jabs at subjects like religion: “raise up your arms as if praising the sun could save us from anything and all that we’ve done to ourselves”. This memorable EP comes to a close with Hibbert and company proudly exclaiming “we’ll be okay”. The difference this time is that they seem confident, as if over the last 12 minutes they were able to reach an understanding of the world’s problems that led to this horrible situation.
Overall, “The Snowmiser Suite” is a very impressive release that approaches the subject of doomsday from many different angles. Hibbert’s lyrics move back and forth between optimism and pessimism, hope and despair, and sometimes pure, unabashed anger. In the process, he brings up subtle political, religious, and even environmental ideas as they could relate to the end of the world. Underneath the vocals, his band moves flawlessly through tempo and meter shifts while effectively interpreting the different moods the lyrics evoke. Each movement captures a different element of modern punk rock. Sometimes it is melodic, other times aggressive, but above all it is quick paced and full of energy while still bringing a complexity not typically seen in punk today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two Years Ago Today…

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

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

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

Review: New Highway Hymnal (Lowell 7″ Release Show)@ Dirty Douglas (2/17/12)

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Travis drums
Photo taken by Paul Gaughran

Artists: New Highway Hymnal, Big Mess, Dirty Virgins, BTSS
Date: Friday, 2/17/12
Venue: Dirty Douglas (Lowell, MA)
Comments:
For starters, I hate the term “concert review,” and I see these write ups more as show documentations, but that just sounds stupid. More importantly, I still use the term “concert review,” because I do not distinguish these shows from any other musical performances I would see, at least in terms of quality. I remember one time at a Douglas show, some kid said he usually just goes to shows because it is something to do, and most bands he sees are not that great. There’s nothing wrong with attending these shows just for the kicks, not at all, but I have to totally disagree when it comes to the quality of the bands, and everything else for that matter. I cannot really think of a time when I walked away from a basement show feeling dissapointed, not to say my mind is always blown. But, for me it is more than just “something to do,” and this night is a great exmple of what I mean. Before the show, as I am taking a quick perusal at the merch table, I overhear Travis, drummer for NHH (and overall awesome dude) telling a friend that there is a pretty cool scene here. He jokingly says, ” It’s better than Allston.” I concur.
“Yeah, it’s better than Allston!”
“We’re from Allston.”
“Ohh. Allston’s cool too.” Haha, I actually have enjoyed the few basement shows I have seen in Allston, but I do find Lowell to be superior. I don’t know if it’s the bands themselves, the sound, the merch table, or the ubiquitous DIRTY DOUGLAS sign hanging behind each band as they play. Whatever it is, there’s more of an energy and character to the place, making it perfect for a New Highway Hymnal 7″ Release Show. Before NHH plays, three unique, entertaing opening acts get the crowd rockin’ and rollin, including one of my favorites, Big Mess.
Act I: Between Tall Saints and Sinners (BTSS)- I’m curious just how tall are these Saints? I’m a short guy, but I think I could take them on, being a sinner myself. BTSS is actually just one man, a very talented young man named Brad from Bennington, VT. Brad opens the show on a very serious note: “I just want to say RIP to Whisty Houston, one of the greatest black comedians of all time.” Of course, we will also miss Whisty’s groundbreaking comedy. Besides being a comedian of sorts himself, Brad plays guitar, keyboards, and makes heavy use of loops. The music isn’t conventional, but it is pretty interesting, sometimes it’s just really solemn and hard for me to get into, and then in a matter of seconds I’ll hear something that really draws me into the song. In a way though it just felt like one big collection of songs instead of one song; one long psychedelic experience, with songs simply seaming into each other. At some points, the crowd didn’t really know whether they should appalud or not. It made the moment somewhat awkward, but it totally fit and almost felt right. BTSS just seems like awkward music to begin with. Overall, I enjoyed the music very much, but I spent most of the set wondering why there was a vhs copy of When Harry Met Sally sitting on his amp. It kept me curious the whole time and then suddenly Brad picked up the video, hucked the cover into the crowd and began to rape both Harry and Sally with his guitar, just playing his gutiar with the damn thing, it was great! I have never seen anyone play the guitar with a vhs tape. I’ve seen guys play the gutiar with their teeth, forks, drum sticks, and yes I’ve even seen some guys play with their penises. But for BTSS, vhs tapes do the trick and after abusing Harry and Sally with his axe, he let the kids dish out the rest of the damage, smashing the tape to smithereens. A fabulous ending indeed, a forecast for the wonderful, chaotic endings that would occur later in the evening. I hope to see Mr. BTSS again. He seems like a nice dude, a real inspiration. If I choose a career as a Trash Humper, I would want this man to be my co-conspirator. We all have dreams.

http://betweentallsaintsandsinners.bandcamp.com/

Act II: Dirty Virgins–  I’m sure they get this all of time, but awesome band name! It goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway. Probably the best oxymoron I’ve ever heard. Is it an oxymoron? I suppose virgins could be dirty, at times they may actually be outright filthy. In any case, these guys are just as fun and odd as their moniker, playing noisy garage punk with definite psychedelic flavor. Fans of garage rock revival bands or those that are labeled such, especially those championed on this site will most likely enjoy Dirty Virgins.  http://dirtyvirgins.bandcamp.com/

Act III: Big Mess– Big Mess is the second best New England based band, or at least my second favorite. Who is number one? That’s a story for another review, right now Big Mess are the stars and as always they destroy it.  “The Hook,” is one of the finest openers I have ever heard and I always look forward to hearing it every time Big Mess hit the stage or floor. Nick Wiedeman and Josh Tracy deliver jostling guitar riffs, whilst Nick Egersheim bashes the drums, each hit is made to kill. When he smacks the drums the sound is nothing short of thrilling.  Big Mess are able to capture rock music at its barest, most stripped down state, cutting out all of the bullshit. Nick and Josh  rapidly swing their guitars around as they bust out driving groove after groove. The band is often loud and I love it, but some of my favorite moments are when the  volume slowly builds up like in Big Mess classics, “No Good Time” and “Gueule de Bois.” This is easily the best set I have seen from them. I can’t wait for the next show.  Check out their music here: http://bigmessma.bandcamp.com/album/big-mess

Act IV: New Highway Hymnal!–  The New Highway Hymnal have played several 7″ Release shows for their latest and greatest effort, “Blackened Hands,” but it is at the Dirty Douglas where the band feels most at home. The place is packed and everyone is ready to rock. I’ve never seen a crowd more engaged and energetic before at the Douglas, there is just an unbelivable feeling of triumphant and joy. NHH are sound performers, but what I find most appealing about their music is the way in which they are able to smoothly mix various genres of music into one form. I hear elements of The Doors (especially in the vocals), the noise experimentation of Sonic Youth, and garage music, where current bands like the Black Lips and Natural Child come to mind. With that being said, the band has definitely found their own style both on record and live; you can tell they play a lot just by their prescence alone. As the band finishes its last tune, the crowd goes wild and pandemonium ensues. Suddenly, the music ends and guitars are flung, mic stands fall down, and there is just one giant pig pile over Travis’s drum kit. One of the coolest endings I have ever seen!
Listen to NHH here: http://thenewhighwayhymnal.bandcamp.com/

Art, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, Video

Concert Review: Empty Phrases@ UML Fox Common (2/9/12)

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Artists: Empty Phrases, Twin Cyclist, Josh Tracy (of Big Mess)
Date: 2/9/12
Location: UMass Lowell Fox Common Room, Lowell, MA

Comments:
Act I: Josh Tracy – Unfortunately, Big Mess can not make it as planned :( , but no need to worry, 1/3 of the band is here, ready to kick off the show. Josh sings and strums away on an acoustic guitar, singing songs about great friends (made at UMass Lowell), relationships, and overweight girls on campus. It is not my cup of tea and in fact it is a style of music I personally dread, but the kid sure can belt out these tunes and honestly I’ve never seen so many enthusiastic fans,  passionately singing along; for a second I think these are covers, since these kids know all of the words, but they are in fact originals. Tastebuds aside, good job dude!

Act II: Twin Cyclist-  Once again Mr. Tracy graces us with his prescence, now in the noisey rock group, Twin Cyclist. Twin Cyclist is pretty loud (or the PA at Fox Common is, I think a little bit of both), and they have a lot of energy in their performance.  They are fun to watch, but I am still trying to get into their songs.  I said this in an earlier review, but I hear a little bit of No Age, like No Age, but a bit more hardcore.  I know I compare bands to No Age WAYYY too much, but for whatever reason, I see elements of them in many bands. Rest assured that is not a bad thing.

Act III: Empty Phrases–  Empty Phrases cap off the evening and in my opinion are the best band on the bill. After seeing them a couple of months back  in an impressive performance, I have been anticipating  my second experience for a while now. Needless to say, I am excited and the group definitely satisfies my expectations. This time around they sound heavier and better; I do not know if it is me, but sonically this performance is superior and the vocals hit me harder. I am able to rock out more to them more than before. Also, for my money, they are better live than in the studio. I am not exactly sure why I feel this way, but I plan on attending as many EP shows as I can.

Art, Local Music, Music, pictures, Punk, reviews, SKIMASK, Video

Concert Review: SKIMASK, Double Nines, Subclinix @ Western Front (1/13/12)

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Artists: SKIMASK, Double Nines, Subclinix
Venue: Western Front, Cambridge, MA
Date: 1/13/12
Comments:
Act I: Subclinix- – A nice journey back to 1979 LA. Though I was never there in the first place! Subclinix definitely had some strong punk, early hardcore elements in their sound with a tinge of Gentlemen Jesse and His Men and The Carbonas, espcially The Carbonas. I swear Jesse was haunting Boston on this evening. He possessed all the musicians at the Western Front and his aura seaped into the audience. Some nice moshing ensued, also helping me get a good old punk feel. I fell on the floor twice, always a good sign that the crowd is moving and shaking, and not stiff. Save that shit for later.

Act II: Double Nines– Not as frisky and relentless as Subclinix, but in many ways they followed a similar trend as Subclinix; they had a fairly loud, rocking approach, more Gentlemen Jesse than Carbonas. So yeah, by now I have bestowed Atlanta great Gentlemen Jesse as my comparsion for the night. And in this case, Double Nines are more akin to Gentlemen Jesse and His Men, whereas Subclinix were more reminiscent of Carbonas and early hardcore. Safe to say? I sure hope so. Double Nines definitely had more of a power pop feel, though they did perform an impressive cover of the Bad Brains’s “Banned in D.C.” Right now, I’m wearing a Bad Brains shirt and I’m thinking more local bands should cover Bad Brains songs. Maybe, maybe not, BUT if you’re going to toss in some cover tunes, go out on a blast and start at the top.

Act III: SKIMASK– We the KLYAM, the proud, the few, rarely venture out to local shows for no reason. It’s not like we sit around with our thumbs up our asses, looking aroud for something cool to do for the weekend. Nah, we don’t have time and money for that. So, it takes a special band to make us journey from the vanilla suburbs of Wakefield out to the city to see some kick ass local music and that is exactly what we experienced. Enter SKIMASK. SKIMASK is the band we came for indeed. A band we have been waiting to see for quite some time now. Just moments before the band is to begin to play, I hit up the bar to grab a tasty budweiser and some decenT looking femme smoothly articulates her distaste for my drink of choice. “Budweiser sucks! Wanna fight over it?” “Alright,” I respond, “but, I’m not a fighter,” so I place my hands behind my head, expecting her to wail away. She then states that she is in fact a boxer, so I invite her once again to slam me between the eyes. She starts fake throwing hits and then in my intoxicated state of mind, I realize this is all a joke. SKIMASK starts to play and now my mind is focused on the music, but the gal winds up again and hits me square on the forehead. “OHH my god!” she cries, kissing me on the head to assure me this wasn’t her intentions. I just laugh and ask her to hit me again and then kiss me AGAIN. Ehh, didn’t work. But, now when I sit here listening to SKIMASK, all I can think of is that incident. Anyway, when I finally left the bar area, I got a spot up close to the band. These three dudes can really fucking kill it. It’s kind of a noisy presentation, but honestly it’s more rock and roll than most bands I come across. For me, it’s really easy to get into and the groove is pretty tight, easy to dance to. Overall, SKIMASK is a fascinating, unique outfit, I want to see again as soon as possible.


NOT FROM THIS SHOW!

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

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

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

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

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