WOOOOOO! We had the pleasure of catching Cumstain in a slimy basement last August, here’s the band playing in front of a sold out show at the Apollo Theater for Pizza Time’s BUMMEROO Festival. These creampies play Rock N Roll Don’t Pay My Bills, Criminally Horney, Boredumb, and my grandmother’s favorite Dahmer Blues (Gimme Head).
NICE GUYS – LIVE AT THIEVES GROTTO
OHH MY GOD, ARE YOU LISTENING? IT’S AN UNHOLY SNACKRIFICE. It’s unholy for sure, a little unholy Christmas present for you and me, and all other kids on the naughty list. Nice Guys forgive you.
Dude, check it out. 10 bangers from KLYAM Records own Nice Guys including back to back Splifft seven inchers “Jamaican Vacation” and “Medical Envy” for those of you that like their shit heavy. TURN IT UP LOUD AND BREAK YOUR SPEAKERS. This bad boy was recorded by TJ Freda at Thieves Grotto on February 28, 2014, ohh what a night. One of the best shows all year and now you have a sweaty slice of it. HUCK YOUR EMPTIES AT YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY!
LISTEN UP
And hey if you ever want a Nice Guys/Miami Doritos Splifft 7″, you know where to find it: http://klyam.bigcartel.com/product/nice-guys-miami-doritos-splifft-7
Tall Juan Live In Boston
Hot damn! Watch this ill live set of Tall Juan (featuring Juan Wauters on drums and Ben Katzman on bass) at the Whitehaus last week. There’s a nasty mix of OGs and CLASSIC punk. Enjoy. Shot by Zacharie Lanoue.
P.S. pick up your Tall Juan BUFU Records cassingle here: http://bufurecords.storenvy.com/products/11167776-tall-juan-falling-down-cassingle
Wakes, Kal Marks (Solo) @ Thieves Grotto (12/21/14)
First things first – a big thank you to our pal Scott from TeleVibes for giving me a lift to the show and, before that, tipping off that there was a show happening at the bustling Thieves Grotto. Chris has compared this basement gem to a mini Great Scott. I like that description. This particular show – a little less than a week before Christmas – was not the super packed, sweaty, raging teen/young adult festivity of yesteryear BUT it was a fun time.
Wakes is big man on campus, big man in big basement Tim Oxton singing and slinging guitar with Hadden Stemp on guitar, Amelia Gormley on keys and J Cole on drums. Count me in as a supporter of this crew. The reverby guitars are real urban, real existential. Tim’s deep narratives reach massive pinnacles during the choruses of practically every tune here. These are the memories you don’t have. A cool core of the tunes remind me of speedy mid 2000s Walkmen, some of the more underwatery jams go in a Beach Fossils direction. Quite honestly though Wakes’ Feral Youth is a monster recording – the first two tracks ‘specially, “Widows” in my deranged musical comprehension has some parts reminiscent of BLITZKRIEG BOP. Think maybe Tim figured out what I meant. The more you know the less you understand. Some times lil self-descriptors are off but LATE NIGHT MUSIC rocks this crew’s roll. ENJOY ON BC
As you know Kal Marks are typically a sludgy, beastly pop trio but him or it has also been/is a lone dude, Carl, you know the singer the guy with that instantly recognizable voice. Tonight, it is solo Kal Marks and for me anyway the performance is just as fine as the whole schabang. This is a sit down electric affair, pedals and all, the songs arranged/done somewhat differently than the album cuts. Best way I can put watching this set is like a perfect flow from song to song, including some of the Piss of the Century that I positively fanned on about a couple of years ago and ending with Life is Murder from Life is Murder the big boy juggernaut jam that might be five amazing parts or songs in one. The quiet lonely ending from this solo doing turning itself into a whispering or silent sing-a-long for the un-initiated. Happy to see Kal Marks going strong since seeing ’em at the ole Problem House with Peach Kelli Pop. ENJOY ON BC
BUMMEROO: Jacques Le Coque
Check out this rad video of our Stamford,CT buddies Jacques Le Coque tearing shit up at Pizza Time’s BUMMEROO online festival. There’s plenty more where that came from, check out all the sets here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtmzcFGOal4plAB2YgTts_6q7dyYgnNuz
Listen to JLC here: https://jacqueslecoque.bandcamp.com/
The King Khan & BBQ Show Live On KEXP
You can never go wrong with The King Khan & BBQ Show…
Show Review: URSULA, Feral Jenny, Trophy Knife @ Lasthaus (12/13/14)
Bands: LAST FEST featuring: Speedy Ortiz, IAN, Couples Counseling, Dent, The Sulk Scouts, URSULA, Feral Jenny, Trophy Knife, Ellen-Siberian Tiger, Trashbaby
Date: Saturday, December 13, 2014
Venue: Lasthaus (Allston, MA)
There was an all day music festival held on this day known as LAST FEST organized by Casey Herz among others. These are the bands that KLYAM saw at the fest…
Trophy Knife – Trophy Knife is Mona Maruyama on “vocals n floor tom” and H. Rose Parry on “guitar n loops.” Mona wears a ski mask and shrieks and smashes the floor tom while Rose shreds each chord. Together, the sound is harrowing and deranged, appropriately complementing the music’s disturbing subject matter. All or most of the songs seem to be in reference to sexism, rape, and general violence against women.
At one point in the set Mona initiates the whole crowd in chanting the word “YES.” She goes on to say “That is the sound of affirmative consent. This next song is about Bill Cosby.” She often sings and speaks directly to audience members and the set as a whole is equally exciting as it is uncomfortable. The band is locked in the performance and they have the people under emotional arrest. This is also one of their first shows I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) and I look forward to seeing where they go from here. http://ttrophyknife.bandcamp.com/releases
Feral Jenny – I was recently having a conversation with my good buddy Anthony about our favorite current bands and Anthony mentioned Feral Jenny, a band I had never heard before. He saw them play a show at Church with IAN (who is playing their last Boston show later tonight), Flat Swamp, and Gracie a little while back and was apparently blown away. Soon thereafter, co-KLYAMER Glen started listening to Feral Jenny and echoed Anthony’s notions, so I finally said let’s give it a go. Needless to say, I’ve been listening to the Feral Jenny bandcamp ever since, anticipating seeing the band for the very first time tonight.
I’m glad my first time seeing Feral Jenny is at a house space such as one right here at the Lasthaus. Feral Jenny’s set helps give off those warm, fuzzy feelings that I often feel in this kind of atmosphere. The band itself features Jenny on vocals and guitar and she’s backed by two other chums on bass and drums. They have some garage rock leanings with a fair amount of dream pop. It’s like if Elliott Smith, Jay Reatard, and Bradford Cox had a baby. Wow, that would be an interesting night.
I’m still somewhat of a newbie to the Feral Jenny, but I’m really digging “Say The Word” and “Law & Order,” both of which are played tonight. For the last song or second to last song, I can’t remember, the band does a switcheroo and everyone trades instruments, with Jenny on the drums. Check out Feral Jenny here: http://feraljenny.bandcamp.com/
Set-List:
“Do Right By Me”
“Say The Word”
“You Let Me Fall”
“Let It Rot”
“Law & Order”
New Song
“It Makes Me Sick”
URSULA – Glen and I are massive URSULA fangirls. It’s hard to describe our excessive fandom, it sometimes freaks out lame people. URSULA comprises of Sonam on drums and Caity on vocals and guitar. Thus far, we’ve seen them only in Boston basements, such as this place and I’ve seen them here three times now. The pair tear through a sheering, slimy set filled with songs about watching Home Alone and something about your fucking mother. I particularly adore Caity’s ravenous yalps. Always get me.
Sonam gets everyone singing MOTHERFUCKER MOTHERFUCKER MOTHERFUCKER from their monster hit “Cavegrrl.” Motherfucker, that’s a funny word when you think about it. Like goldfish and Milwaukee.
There’s an odd, off kilterish vibe to their music. It’s sort of simple and rough around the edges, but that’s part of the charm. It’s minimal and messy. They’re a young band and you can feel the magic (which I usually can’t) and the ambition you can only find when a project is in its infancy. It’s exciting. http://ripursula.bandcamp.com/
Hey some videos shot by the man himself Ethan LLoonngg:
Show Review: Creaturos, Black Beach, The Fagettes, Magic Shoppe @ Middle East Upstairs (12/11/14)
Review by Joanna Trachtenberg
I guess you could call this Fuzzmas. Illegally Blind mastermind Jason Trefts did it again. 4 of the best bands who all played Fuzzstival in August come together once more for one magical night. First it was Magic Shoppe‘s turn to cast their spell on the awaiting audience. This was their first time ever playing with 4 guitarists. So of course they were louder than usual. I could barely hear the vocals with all of the guitar noise. I don’t necessarily mind that though because I feel like I’m surrounded by both a wave and a wall of psychedelic fury. They played most of their hits. Sadly they ran out of time before they got to Midnight In The Garden Of Evil.
Set-List:
No Place To Go
Dead Poplar
Trip Inside This House
Burn Right Through
Shangri-La In Reverse
All The Way
Haunted HollywoodHere come 1/2 of the Nice Guys to take the stage with Ryan, Melanie, Peachy & the rest of The Fagettes. I am a big fan of their retro inspired fuzzpop. I love their energy live. I noticed that they added a few newer songs to their mix. The swagger came to a climax with the last song about feelin’ good. Ryan and Mel were bouncing around the stage. Throughout the whole show the light shows were going off. Major props to Video Joe and Wax House AV on the amazing visuals. This was one of the best light show performances I have ever seen. I love the combination of the digital projections with the liquid light show.
No Place To Go
Dead Poplar
Trip Inside This House
Burn Right Through
Shangri-La In Reverse
All The Way
Haunted HollywoodHere come 1/2 of the Nice Guys to take the stage with Ryan, Melanie, Peachy & the rest of The Fagettes. I am a big fan of their retro inspired fuzzpop. I love their energy live. I noticed that they added a few newer songs to their mix. The swagger came to a climax with the last song about feelin’ good. Ryan and Mel were bouncing around the stage. Throughout the whole show the light shows were going off. Major props to Video Joe and Wax House AV on the amazing visuals. This was one of the best light show performances I have ever seen. I love the combination of the digital projections with the liquid light show.
Set-List:
Jake
National Geographic
Luv
Bad Catholics
Sleep Talk
Street Queens In Heat
On Drugs
WTA
I Wanna Feel Good
Black Beach got everyone wild. This was not only Fuzzmas but also Black Beach’s record release show for their new EP Play Loud, Die. They did a few stompers from that album. There was a major pit in the middle of the Middle East during their whole set. I think I got punched in the jaw. Even worse though at one point one of the light show projectors got smashed by someone getting powerslammed towards the stage. There was a reason why this was all going down BLACK BEACH ROCKED MAJOR COCKS! They are just loud dirty rock n roll which there needs to be a lot more of.
Set-List:
Rats
Ego Death Ritual
In Circles
Born To Lose
You’re A Ghost
Untitled new song
Kreep
Youth Is Out There
Psych rock heavyweights and Boston Music Awards nominees CreaturoS closed the night. (I know all good things must come to an end). They showered everyone with psychedelic bliss sending everyone home happy. They put on a helluva fun show every time and tonight was no exception. I think I had more fun than usual tonight. I’m hoping for more nights filled with this scuzzy goodness.
Set-List:
James Days’ Milkshake
Last Summers’ #1 Hit Single
Hand In My Pocket
Sunrise Wedding
Weird Queen
Going Out In Style
The Mole
The Master’s Dope
Ruff Puff
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY ALLEN!
HEY! A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KLYAM RECORDS’ OWN CASEY ALLEN OF ORLANDO’S BACK PAGES! HAPPY BDAY DUDE. I ORDER YOU TO PICK UP CASEY’S FINE ASS SINGLES 13 TAPE VIA KLYAM RECORDS RIGHT NOW! http://klyam.bigcartel.com/product/back-pages-singles-13
LISTEN UP: http://thebackpages1.bandcamp.com/
Show Review: The Monsieurs (Record Release!), Free Pizza, Nice Guys @ Club Bohemia (12/5/14)
Bands: The Monsieurs, Free Pizza, Nice Guys
Date: Friday, December 5, 2014
Venue:Club Bohemia (Cantab Lounge basement) in Cambridge, MA
Nice Guys – Sheeet, I’ve never seen Club Bohemia (the Cantab Lounge basement) so packed, it must be sold out. People are using their heads for once in this crazy old world. Coming out to support a killer local rock ‘n’ roll show. This here is easily three of the best rock ‘n’ roll animals in the land of Boston on tap. Kicking it off right is our KLYAM Records bad boiz, Nice Guys, so I guess they actually aren’t bad boiz or maybe they are because everything is backwards in this crazy old world. Good means bad, stop means go, thou shalt not kill… unless you really, really feel like it. But, these guys here, they wouldn’t kill a fly, unless it flew into one of their bongs ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. SHUT UP!
Nice Guys errr ahhh here we go, these cats, these guys rumble. A swift kick in the nads. That’s their music. If you wanted a description, that’s what you’re going to get. That feeling you get when you get kicked square in the nads, it’s like that, but pull back a little. It’s that full on attack, but without the pain and misery. Needless to say Jake, Matt, Alex, and Cam make it personal. They get right in your grill. They get it right.
Lord knows what the fuck I am talking about at this point, but it’s all about the emotion. Stuttering fucking Stanley. The fucking emotion. It’s all there and yet it’s not sappy at all or sensitive in any way. In fact, so much music isn’t the Nice Guys, that it feels great when you hear the Nice Guys, because it’s like a vacation from all the other shit. With Nice Guys, it’s about the rockin’, the sockin’, and maybe a bit of thee olde shockin’. You don’t take a Nice Guys song and win back your girlfriend by plinking it on acoustic guitar. Buttt, there is far more to life than just smoking and fucking and partying. True. Well, actually is there? Yes, there is, I suppose. Christ, I’m so indecisive. Maybe, if we all just got really fucked together, we’d all be okay. It’s a thought.
I have to catch myself before diving too far into a nonsensical rant. Nice Guys is where we left off, those cream muffins. They sing and scream about bad cops. “Fuck the Police, fuck racist cops” says vocalist/guitarist Alex as they rock into “Cop Walk.” True that brother. Alex is a ruffian and he makes his way into the crowd and all around the place, even literally playing “in a hallway in a basement.” Yeah!
The dudes play my favorite Nice Guys song “Jamaican Vacation,” which Glen and I have been waiting to hear for quite some time. Not just because it’s on the piece of wax we put out, but because it’s one of the heaviest and angriest in their set and it lifts right off – it’s a tickling riff. FAST FUN FUCKING NOISE! Thanks for playing it and being Nice Guys, you fucks. Listen to this shit: http://niceguys666.bandcamp.com/album/splifft-7
Free Pizza – Sadly, yes y’all must already know our beloved Free Pizza is leaving us and if you don’t know, then now you do.
Free Pizza, along with Nice Guys and Monsieurs, are top tier Boston rock ‘n’ roll and I want you to know that. If you miss their show before they head back to Miami,FL, then you missed out son.
For their song “Freedom Forty,” they always grab a punk from the crowd to sing guest vocals. This time it’s our bad boi Timothy Manns and he belts out the vocals hardcore style like a pro. That’s Tim and that’s Free Pizza, for the people, we are the people. I hugged Free Pizza Santiago and told him he was my rock ‘n’ roll comrade. It’s true, you all are. Nick and Jesus too. I know I’ll see you guys again, but here’s a shout out: http://freepizzarocks.bandcamp.com/
The Monsieurs – And now the main event. THE MONSIEURS ARE HERE. Yo, and it’s their self-titled record release! Yeah, pick up that puppy from Black Gladiator or Slovenly. I’ve been eagerly waiting to hear this monster, I’m gushing with excitement. This is the cream of the crop as far as Boston rock ‘n’ roll goes. They’ve got the sludge, the slime, and all the hooks to back it up. The band on record is a blast to the balls, for sure, but the live show is a whole new beast. I’ve only seen the band twice for some reason, once at the Brighton Music Hall (opening for King Khan & The Shrines) and another time at Church for Illegally Blind’s Boston En Masse. Both times, they sounded sweet, but the crowd was sparse and mellow. Tonight, it’s a different story.
Andy Macbain (vocals, also of Tunnel Of Love/Marty Kings), Hilken Mancini (guitar, also of Shepherdess/Fuzzy/Marty Kings), an Erin King (drums, also of Where My Beat Be At) all together are a menacing machine of mighty punk slime proportions. It’s a KLYAM man’s kind of band. Erin and Hilken rock out on the tiny Club Bohemia stage, as Andy Macbain (shirtless, reppin’ a black leather jacket though) prowls his way into a sea of bodies. He often does this with the whole mic stand in hand, it’s his weapon, as he takes on the world. Man, never cracks a smile, he’s on business. Like GG says “My mind is a machine gun, my body is the bullets, the audience is the target.” AIM! Andy is like GG, if GG never actually went through with all the messy stuff. If GG just put the vibe out there, but never went through with his antics. He’s a force, the rock ‘n’ roll animal.
Initially the crowd is stiff, but as Andy slithers around, he ignites a mosh pit. He even crowd surfs; it’s probably the most successful crowd surfing I’ve ever seen. Teamwork. Most of the time people fuck up.
Well, well this show really hit the spot and I walk away jovially carrying my new Monsieurs record! If you haven’t heard this thang or seen the band live, you have some serious homework to attend to. Don’t make me tell you twice. http://themonsieurs.bandcamp.com/
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 