concert review, Goner, Gonerfest, Music, Uncategorized

GONERFEST 14 HIGHLIGHTS PT.1 (L.A. & NOLA)

10/03/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

Everyone’s Gonerfest is a personal Gonerfest. Everyone’s Memphis is a personal Memphis. Folks travel far and wide, or in some cases – not at all – to get to Gonerfest to see the best bands in the land. For us, this was our third trip down there. Veteran status? King Louie might beg to differ. At any case, if it was not for the precise organization of the heads at Goner and the cooperation of the city, venues, groups, and fans, this might be a different animal. Instead, it’s for the most part a meeting of minds, a reunion for many, or for the uninitiated – the first annual.

I will call it an international summit, with some representation of the past, present, and future. Where bands unite, where bands stop on tour, where bands play their first (and maybe last?) show. Is there a Goner sound? If anything I learned this weekend, it’s that no, no there is not. Maybe in 2009, but not in 2017. And the record label/store is better off for it. There are some sounds and scenes that curry a bit more favor across the board. Los Angeles and New Orleans have some wild bands, shoving that straight-ahead, raw, fast sound into our welcoming ears. Die Group (Los Angeles) are mainstays and were a definite highlight for me on Thursday night at the Hi-Tone. Almost from the second they begin to play, I’m into it and there is no resting after that. Sex Tape Records – Die Group’s record label – put on a Friday early morning afterparty at Bar DKDC and this was a choice shindig with the Sex Tape’s very own Brain Bagz (Salt Lake City) and Tenement Rats. Now, it being a long drunken night, I thought Tenement Rats’ Jonny Watkins was Pitbull. A garage punk Pitbull. Yes, that Pitbull. It took some clarification. Count me in as a big fan of both groups, both with the noisy, catchy immediacy we need in these modern times.

New Orleans deserves a paragraph of its own. From my very first Gonerfest (12), I gathered some intel that this is a very incestuous group of music playing individuals. Playing in each others bands, supporting each other. From the start we had NOLA king King Louie (weirdly called King Louis on a Memphis news website?) playing opening ceremonies in a new band with Abe White, formerly of The Manatees (Memphis). A few hours later BENNI started Night One at the Hi-Tone. With an album recently released on Goner, the mysterious BENNI might just be the weirdest project of the bunch. Armed with a few synthesizers and a talk box, he eased us into what would be a night of heavy rock ‘n roll. Kind of like Couteau Latex did last year. It would be more than 24 hours until we got another dose of freewheeling New Orleans punk – this time at the legendary Murphy’s for the Night Two afterparty. Gonerfest alum Die Rötzz, and Dummy Dumpster (both been around for more than a decade) along with newer crew Enoch Ramone got the booze spent revelers moshing around into each other. Maybe it was the peck on the cheek from Don Perry (eternal gratitude for the rides to the afterparties and the laughs), or maybe it wasn’t, but the Enoch frontman was in a frenzy start to finish, save for the “Gates of Steel” DEVO cover, which was sung by Sam from Trampoline Team. Maybe Murphy’s is the true second home of these NOLA characters as this year’s Saturday afternoon Blowout brought us three performances: GUSHERS, IS IS, and HEAVY LIDS. While the first and last just mentioned groups are more in line with the above mentioned quick zip, speedfire r’n’r and absolutely rocked it, it’s that middle group that put on arguably the most subdued, but interesting performance. Masterminded by Giorgio Murderer and featuring members of Trampoline Team and Black Abba. This was the closest thing we got to that unmistakable Giorgio/Buck Biloxi sound. Click the link and go be offended.

Pt. Two coming soon…………………….

KLYAM Presents, KLYAM Recommended Shows, Local Music, Music, Uncategorized

FALL FESTIVALS/SHOWS (9/28 to 10/7)

09/24/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

SEPTEMBER 28 to OCTOBER 1 – GONERFEST 14 – Memphis, Tennessee – Simply stated the best rock ‘n roll festival in existence. Line-ups featuring some of the more exciting groups from all over the world. Headlining this year (Thursday night) is our Boston brethren, late ’70s punk heros and one of papagiorgio’s favorites – Unnatural Axe. Friday night headliners are some Aussies called feedtime and Saturday night we’ve got Derv Gordon (of the Equals). But those night time Hi-Tone shows are like dessert during this bender with weekend afternoon shows at Memphis Made and Murphy’s. And there is nothing like strolling into the famed After Parties at 2 AM. In between all the music there is so much to do and so little time. This is Memphis and there is still time for you to hitch a flight and check out what we rant and rave about every year.

SEPTEMBER 28 to SEPTEMBER 30 – Boston Fuzzstival 2017 – Boston, Massachusetts – One of our favorite local festivals for a few years now, this three day event is in its 5th year, and is curated by the trustworthy Jason of Illegally Blind. Bummer it has to be the same time as Gonerfest, but what can you do. Expanding beyond the primarily garage/psych niche of the initial runs, these gigs are jam packed with local up-and-comers alongside mainstays.

OCTOBER 6 – Johnnie & The Foodmasters/Dylan and the Ded Beets/_HighlightReel/Picnic Lunch – Cambridge, Massachusetts @ Club Bohemia – As you know, every now and then, or maybe “most of the time,” we KLYAM like to throw some weird shows. This is one of them – almost like a mini/smelly club version of our Mouth is a Mouth Noise fest. New Bedford’s PICNICLUNCH is an offkilter outfit, ramshackle, maybe but maybe not put-together post punk cubed. Happy to have them up for this one! Going further down the odd rabbit hole is _HighlightReel. We know jackshit about experimental (dance?) music, perhaps our most deviant foray since Field of Sheep graced Club Bohemia’s presence at one of our shows a couple summers ago. Dylan and the Ded Beets might be playing their first show? It might just be a one man band? Sounds like a deranged early Ty Segall or the reincarnation of the Maine Coons. Yup. The mystery can’t wait much longer. And the “two year anniversary” of Johnnie & The Foodmasters. You’ve seen the name, maybe you’ve seen them. There is the intersection of the musical and the nonmusical, bla bla bla but for the less descript – there is the proliferation of oldies, good time tunes. Love us, hate us, bye!

OCTOBER 7 – Crocodiles/St. Pe/Boston Cream/Second Becky – Cambridge, Massachusetts @ First Parish Church. Former lead guitarist of Black Lips stepped away from our favorite group a couple years back and turned his focus to his own music, which he had called The Fixed Focus, but is now known as St. Pe. He kept Fixed Focus for the name of his first album which dropped earlier this year. Now Ian is on the road, touring with poppy noise advocates Crocodiles. We’ve been tracking St. Pe ever since he casually released a music video for a song called “Movin On Up” in 2011. He was like a recklessly wild step-brother in the Black Lips with primetime quotes and a ubiquitous friendly spirit. His new stuff seems to be dialed back a bit, but rest assured this Ian guy is one helluva performer that we’re pumped to see play once again. And we’re pumped to see Boston Cream, a bonafide local music supergroup, as well as Second Becky, who we last saw play at Night 1 of the first Rama Lama Ding Dong.

American Whip Appeal, Uncategorized

Band Recommendation: American Whip Appeal

08/17/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

It’s been a quick minute since we have continued the tradition of band recommendations and actually, it’s been a quick minute since we have written anything of any kind on this very site. Just honesty right there. And a perfect segue for a talk on American Whip Appeal.

There’s a lot that can be said about this group from Boston. A lot of history. But for most of you folks out there in the world, this might be your first taste of the American Whip Appeal crew. The band is relatively new or old, whatever. All I know is I first saw em play a circa Thanksgiving rip roaring, Nattie Ice drinking, house show set. Gee whiz almost one year ago. That was Dylany, loose and probably more country.

Recordings have emerged. In fact, Stop & Freak is the group’s first full length effort, available right now digitally through Bandcamp. It’s been over a month and dare I might suggest I accumulate multiple daily listens? I will. I am a full on, out in the open, appreciator of these cool, boppin tunes. Listening I get this feeling of camaraderie among the group and an intimacy (not sure if they are the same thing). This is what it is like for me to listen to my favorite groups. From the performance – just last week opening a show at Deep Thoughts – to the ragged sound of the recordings, this is “what’s up”.

I was almost going to name this article, respectfully, Anti Country. American Whip Appeal and I hadn’t one drink in my system that night. I’m not talking out of my ass here. James Coarse (vocals/guitar), Hannah Barbarian (bass), and Buck Palace (drums/guitar) are doing their own realest rock, bizarre in content and presentation, and groovy and fun. That’s where the anti-comes in; Coarse is ,probably unknowingly, flashing some Adam Green showmanship and comedy. He’s been in the game probably just as long – approximately since the infant years. But at the same time THIS IS SOME SERIOUS STUFF. BUT IT’S NOT. Ah I don’t care, I like singing along and not knowing what I’m saying because that experience, or hyperbolic version of a semblance of some actual-ish events. Story telling and totally pleasant, awesome, etc – musical accompaniment from all directions. This is what I want out of it all. Thanks American Whip Appeal.

And that brings up a good point – we put together a show that is happening real soon in fact – THIS UPCOMING MONDAY AUGUST 21 at ZuZu in Cambridge. 10 PM. featuring American Whip Appeal, The Maje, a gentleman whose music I have positively diatribed in a similar fashion as above for a half decade or so – his band Love Strangers, and of course, the royalty of noise pop immediacy, Earthquake Party. Great starting point for all!

Music, Uncategorized

Check Out Cody P’s new “Hapless Podcast”

05/24/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

Our bud Cody – who you may know from the excellent local rock ‘n roll groups Future Spa and Tiki Twins or maybe from those funky, memorable flyers he has kindly designed over the years – has started his own podcast up and IT IS ACE. It is called The Hapless Podcast , currently streaming on Soundcloud.

For one, I love learning about new music, old music, any kind of rock ‘n roll that twists and turns, is noisy and harsh, etc, etc. I can’t say I ever had heard of the first two bands that he played on the show, but this is the thrill of having an awesome curator. Showing the appreciators some things. That’s right!

Black Lips, Uncategorized

BLACK LIPS – Still The Greatest Band

05/09/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

Black Lips – the mere mention of those two words has gotten KIDS LIKE YOU AND ME excited, stoked, etc. Whatever you wanna call it – our fandom has been anything but passive. We created this very website dedicated to passionate rock ‘n roll music because of BLACK LIPS. We are the dudes that have Google’d and YouTube’d the shit out of the band over the past 9 years (which is really only about half of their existence [formed in 1999]), traveled a handful of times to New York to catch them, and played Mr. Driver on the jukebox at an Irish dive downtown.

Now we can go on and on about why Ain’t Comin’ Back should be as regular a staple in the set as O Katrina, why we obsess about the Gaye Blades and why no one is going to touch the Old King Cole Younger solo album with a ten foot pole.

Plain and simple we are the Black Lips ultimate fans. Now, that’s not to say we take everything they have ever done and just gush and bow down to it. Underneath the Rainbow is pretty much just an average album and hey, I heard they’ve got a new one out. Their discography from the very first cuts through Arabia Mountain stands on its own for pushing ‘garage’ into noisier and more experimental directions. Where other bands play it safe or just plain fuzzy, the Lips always seem to have a genuine sense of humor and an amateur vibe of not caring. This is the kind of stuff that got me to pick up the guitar, drums, and sing, and not worry about doing it ‘right’.

My 13th time seeing the Lips last night at Brighton Music Hall reminded just how giddy I am thinking about and living the experience. This is just FUN. For most bands a short set is decent, but with the Lips I just want it to never end. And life goes on, too. The members have changed so probably certain songs will never be played again and what not. But at the heart of it is a band that still has heart and puts on the best time for those that care.

G. Gordon Gritty, KLYAM Presents, KLYAM Recommended Shows, Local Music, Music, Peach Ring, Uncategorized

NEXT KLYAM SHOW: Proud Parents – MAY 22nd @ ZUZU (W/ Peach Ring, G. Gordon Gritty)

04/25/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

We are very excited to announce our next show! It is May 22nd (10 PM), another fantastic Rad Castle Monday night event at ZuZu in Central Square, Cambridge. Proud Parents from Madison, Wisconsin, and on tour!, are making a stop here and we are lucky to hear them perform! I am sure many of you remember a couple of years ago, The Hussy (also from Madison) played an unforgettable set at ZuZu. Our pals Heather from The Hussy plays drums/sings in Proud Parents and Tyler from Fire Heads – who were all set to play ZuZu until a bad snow storm hit – plays guitar/sings in the band. Please head over to their bandcamp and enjoy their infectious pop rock ‘n roll. I insist!

Also playing are firebrands and frankly one of the most exciting groups to emerge out of Boston in the past six months or so — PEACH RING. I would head on over to YouTube where the micro-legend Front Row Person has filmed them on a few occasions, including our Feb 4th gig at Club Bohemia.

Lastly – G. Gordon Gritty – hasn’t shown its (my?) sloppy head(s) in these parts since September. Grab your musical handbook, a pair of scissors, and a lighter.

Ryan Major and the Love Strangers, Uncategorized

Ryan Major and the Love Strangers

01/22/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

It has a nice ring to it. One of our favorite local musicians – Ryan Major (you may have seen him singing and slinging guitar for our beloved Barbazons (RIP)) is fronting his own group these days and they are called the Love Strangers. Dude knows his history of rock ‘n roll and pens catchy numbers. The Love Strangers feature familiar players such as Travis Hagan (drums), Rob Sutherland (bass/vocals, and Scott Jones (guitar). They recorded with Caufield Schnug (Minidresses) and the result is this fun AF debut Strange Lovers. Mister Major, who I often visually liken to Lee Hazelwood and Jared Swilley, has taken a deeper dive into the world of country, more so than ever before. There were hints like ‘Two Whiskeys’ from the last Barbs album, but this EP goes further into that realm. What a realm.

I plug the cellie into some nice speakers, blast this, pick up an instrument or go behind the kit, and I’m off. Possibly the hallmark of a pop song is being able to joyfully anticipate what is to come. I feel that listening to this and for that, let me reiterate these are all remarkably well written and performed. There is plenty of grit and for lack of a better word, sleaze. Boozy, sing-a-long, is this Boston or North Carolina? Johnny Thunders. Speaking of which, there are plenty of clippityclank solos and reverby axe hijinx, in case you are wondering.

If I can choose anyone to deliver mythical rock ‘n roll odes to the road, women, and beer, I am choosin Ryan Major and the Love Strangers. Cheers.

KLYAM Presents, KLYAM Recommended Shows, Local Music, Music, Uncategorized

Announcement: NEXT KLYAM SHOW – Feb 4th @ Club Bohemia

01/02/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

FACEBOOK EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/1195706223816172/

We are kicking off our 2017 show series in what can only be described as TYPICAL KLYAM FASHION. We let you off the hook in January, but look at this one. Saturday February 4th at Club Bohemia. Yup, the downstairs of the Cantab Lounge on the edges of Central Square in Cambridge. We’ve thrown several shows at the palace of Mickey Bliss.

You read that right, too. It’s the return of Johnnie and the Foodmasters. Who? The KLYAM House Band. The wildest, noisiest devotees of the golden oldies era of rock and pop music. There is the Yin and Yang dynamic of the clean and professional and the raw and amateur. It is a sight to see and with tremendous bias, I can say that.

We’ve curated an all-star lineup in support of the Foodmasters return: JIM LEONARD. Rock and roll juggernaut, back from Scotland. He’s been doing his thing for years, in a variety of iterations. Top notch on record, top notch live. THEE CAVEMYN – back to the basics rock and roll. Primitivalia as I have termed it. Boom doom BOOM. That riff. The line-up has seen many varieties, fuck I even used to react in it, but this latest one is a contemporary Boston underground supergroup featuring members of Nice Guys, Big Buck Hunter, Birthing Hips, and a newer group that is playing this show – PEACH RING, another contemporary Boston underground supergroup. We’ve never seen them, but oh we’ve heard them and we are excited for the noiseeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

KLYAM will be spinning records and I might introduce the bands in some MC capacity. 21+. $8.

See you there!!!!!!!!

Band of the Week, Band Recommendation, The Submissives, Uncategorized

Band of the Week: The Submissives

01/02/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

This recommendation of Montreal’s The Submissives comes through via our pal Hugo of Time Warp Week Ends. Hugo’s taste in music is top notch (after all, we met at Gonerfest while waiting for Nots to kick off opening ceremonies). I asked him what’s the good stuff up in Montreal? He pointed us in the direction of The Submissives. And what a recommendation. Hugo used my initial reaction – dying guitars and stoned vocals – in his year ender, and I like what he had to say in one of his write-ups so here:

“Dolly Parton on sizzurp, the Shangri-La’s on methadone. This is drug-related, in a cool creative way. And the disheveled retro visual aesthetic is effortless and strong.”

Much has been written about The Submissives, which started as a solo recording project and has blossomed into a live band consisting of some seasoned and some amateur musicians. Amazing.

Books

Book Write-Up: The Autograph of Steve Industry (By: Ben Hersey)

01/01/2017 G. Gordon Gritty Leave a comment

Release: 2016
Publisher: Magic Helicopter Press

I like textbooks. I don’t like fiction. I like deep shit. When I looked at the back of this book, which – let me stop right there. Holding onto this book feels so nice. The cover is something to be grasped. The back cover says it is FICTION. And as I said, I don’t do well with fiction. I would like to ask that the publishers revise that. I did a full reading of The Autograph and it felt more like almost non-fiction. Comedy, too. Before even digging in: “Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons – living or dead – is entirely coincidental.” I’m from the North Shore, kid. Kowloon is real as fuck. Bennigans in Wakefield. That’s not a thing. Anyway, I really loved reading this book. I found myself reading it in a forced Boston accent. Enjoying the references to actual places and people. If you grew up in Eastern Mass, or even if you’ve familiarized yourself with the area, you know these places and these people. These are our family members, our friends, yada yada. I could be Steve Industry. It is good stuff. So Steve Industry is a writer, foremost. He also has a bunch of other jobs, but his writing and his music – very intertwined, we learn – takes precedent in his life. Boom, there’s a song right there. I like that mentality. An everyday kind of guy, but he is on another level. Moonstruck. I am going to give this a second read, because the first time through I would like to think I was following along. Lots of laughs. But I was page flipping. I was suckered in. I had a feeling this would be like the book version of a mumblecore film. Excellent character “studies,” no plot. And that is what I am looking for, if it is going to be fiction. I’ve never read a North-Shore-Core book, or any writing that is explicitly Boston. It could have turned ugly, but the writing is so all over the place that only a funny person, whose life went through the ringer that is Route One, could shine through as a genuine scribe of the Keno zeitgeist circa 2009? The one-liners, the deep shit. Some of it complete nonsense, meant to throw you off guard. Each chapter starts with a question. That is irrelevant. It is all about the way Steve rants and raves and communicates with his family, his bandmates, and his own mind. I think it said he hates Good Will Hunting, but maybe ’cause he is that dude. Guy. This is hopefully the first of many novels of this style. Naked confessional, transparency. Populist. A super fun read. Round two – I will be taking notes.

Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM)