Bands: Nobunny, The Hussy, The Fagettes, Banditas, Gangbang Gordon
Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Venue: Middle East Upstairs (Cambridge, MA)

Gangbang Gordon – “I have two announcements to make. I’d like to wish my father, Papa KLYAM, a happy birthday. He turns fifty-three today. And I want to thank Nobunny, because if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be here today. Literally and figuratively.” That’s it, you heard it right from the bunny’s mouth, I mean horse’s mouth. Gangbang Gordon, a mere seven shows deep, is playing on the same stage (well, he’s on the floor actually) as his two heroes: Nobunny and The Hussy. As a fellow KLYAMER and massive fan, this is a distinguished accomplishment. Let’s just take that in for a moment. You play a few shows and then you open up for two of your favorite singers. Except you don’t, unless you’re Gangbang Gordon.

GBG sings lead vocals and strums on guitar, being accompanied by his WTF (Wakefield Track & Field of course) band which includes Brian Hickey on guitar, Dan Gerry on bass, Justin DeCarlo on drums, and Ben Tan on tambourine. While GBG resides on the floor, the backing band holds the fort on stage. Mr. Tambourine Man, Ben Tan, however, often hops back and forth, “dancing” and intimidating the crowd of puzzled on lookers.

Bewilderment is nothing new at a GBG show. That reputation is solidified here as the would be gangbanger careens around the Middle East venue, bopping into the audience, wrapping himself around poles, and singing directly to individual members of the crowd. It’s odd, but it’s still showmanship and I’ll give him that. It’s better than watching someone perform “for the people” as if they are some demagogue, above everyone else. GBG  plays with the people, he plays with their minds. He gets his hands dirty, filthy.

In terms of the band, you have a variety of players. Some are seasoned pros, others are amateurs. Throw em’ together playing GBG songs and it can get messy. That being said, this is the best GBG has ever sounded and I will give the WTF band the credit they deserve. It’s a lo-fi, ramshackle that doesn’t care if you are a Boston college student or a teenager in an insane asylum. GBG and his manimal barebackers are here for you and they are here to stay.  Catch them before they catch you.

http://gbgordon.bandcamp.com/

Set-List:
“It’s a Damn Shame”
“Lost Touch With the Youths”
“Life At the ABC”
“Warm, Warm, Warm”
“I Can Testify”
“Last Day of Work”
“Orguello De Rappers”
“Slide Paper”

Banditas – Just about anything that follows Gangbang Gordon is going to seem conventional, but I’d say Banditas are a massive transition. The trio consists of two women on vocals and guitars and one man on drums. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this band, but it was so long ago, it’s hard to remember specifically what they were like. We saw them open for Mark Sultan at PA’s Lounge, nearly two years ago. It was fun.

Of all the bands on the bill, Banditas are the easiest on the ears, though they still have some garage grit in them too. “When He Comes Home” has its country twang and stands out the most to me. They also perform a sick cover of The Stooges’ “No Fun.” Check out their music here: http://banditasboston.bandcamp.com/

Set-List:
“Whiskey”
“When He Comes Home”
“So Cool”
“Sing About Me”
“Harmony”
“No Fun” (The Stooges cover)
“Number One”
“Mine to Lose”
“Hang Up”

The Fagettes – Fagettes are always an essential band for Boston punk slime shows. When we heard that the bunnyman and the hussyman were heading our way we knew the Gettes had to be playing alongside em’. If they weren’t, there would be riots in the streets I tells ya!

The dudes and dudette open with a newish cut entitled “Street Queens in Heat.” It’s fine and dandy, and the packed crowd of new and old faces are digging it. The next song is “On Drugs,” one of the quintessential Fagettes numbers. Just makes me feel sick in a very, very satisfying way. Just look at the lyrics. “Take me back to your place girl and I’ll show you the atomic bomb. ON DRUGS.” Love it!

They conclude the set with another vintage tune known as “I Wanna Feel Good.” As do I fellas, as do I. Ryan hops off the stage and walks through the crowd, staring through all of our souls. Eerie. http://thefagettes.bandcamp.com/

Set-List:
“Street Queens in Heat”
“On Drugs”
“Chilly”
“Bad Catholics”
“Tsunami”
“Stems & Seeds”
“Gonna Die Out Here”
“I Wanna Feel Good”

The Hussy – That’s Bobby (vocals/guitar) and Heather (vocals/drums), and don’t forget it. The Hussy are a two beast – a rock ‘n’ roll two piece from Madison, Wisconsin that sends most two pieces crying for their mothers. The Hussy have toured their Mid Western asses right off, releasing a shit ton of records and tapes along the way, but this here tonight is their Boston debut and they destroy! Bobby even burns his guitar apparently. I don’t know how I could have missed this, but according to Glen it happened. Where is my mind?

What I do remember, however, is The Hussy rocking my socks OFF! For the first half of the set, the crowd is a bit stiff, sort of just doing the headbob and perhaps some headbang. Then not too long after “Undefined” the Bostonians start to move and dance and slam and bam about.

Quite the debut from Madison’s finest. I’ll kill to have another Hussy onslaught come my way again in the near future. Let’s do it.

Nobunny – NOBUNNY!!!!! KLYAM are Nobunny freaks  and it looks like we aren’t the only bunny freaks in attendance. Among the sold out crowd, there are somebunnies lurking around wearing their cute, little bunny masks. Yep, everyone loves Nobunny, unless you’re a killjoy. But, fuck those guys.

This is our sixth time seeing ‘that bunny fuck’ as one attendee likes to shout out ha! Yes, the bunny fuck, the bunny man, our masked hero represents the dirty, slimy, balls out fun (quite literally) rock ‘n’ roll that we champion. He is our shining king, an ambassador for love, peace, and non stop horny bunny fucking. Non Stop. Won’t stop, can’t stop. For the love of rock ‘n’ roll. Shock ‘n’ Troll. Twenty – Fourteen. Sweet Sixteen, ain’t so pristine. No Bunny, No Problems.

So yeahhhh, The Hussy come back for more, those crazy fucks. They back up Nobunny alongside another long, blonde haired gent. The quartet kick it all off with Secret Songs (2013) opener “Bye Bye Roxie.” And I’m always getting highhhhhh awww yeahhh!  The set list varies with blasts from the past – Love Visions (“I Am A Girlfriend,” “Chuck Berry Holiday,” “It’s True,” “Mess Me Up,” “Nobunny Loves You,”), First Blood (“Motorhead With Me,” “Gone For Good,” “Live It Up,” “Blow Dumb”), and my favorite, thee olde seedy, slutty, Sneaky Pinks anthem, “I Can’t Wait.”  I don’t think I ever screamed along so hard to the lyrics of a song at a show before. I just feel the pain. I identify with the words the bunny spits when he sings his song. I too cannot wait for forbidden love. Ahhahahahahaa, I swear officer, she told me she was thirty six!

In addition to all of the wacky, wonderful songs Nobunny cums out, he also shoots out a load of theatrics, which are actually just simple off shoots of his personality. He can’t help but pull down his undies and moon all of us. And honestly, why can’t one’s under garments serve as a mic stand? Why not???

BUNNY FREAKS FUCKING FOR LIFE!

EPITAPH:
The world is a fucked up place, I can’t change that. It’s a terrible place really. I don’t blame people that kill themselves or want to kill themselves, I’ve been there. But, maybe we can start by making the world a better place for them to live in first. We can make a better world (laughs from the reader). I’m serious though. Dead serious, so help me God. A great song to me is a perfect place,  a place where I can escape for a little while. These are the only songs I am interested in hearing. Nobunny makes trashy rock ‘n’ roll, but we live in a trashy world. Think about that.

I guess this  is the part of the review where I tell you what I’ve learned so far. I am confident in myself and all I can say is that rock ‘n’ roll should…

This video was shot by our buddy Joanna!