PERHAPS they are more prevalent than I THOUGHT. Truly bizarre groups. I love ’em so much (usually) – those possessing that anything-is-possible vibe. Out there, out here, there’s a whole lot of rock ‘n roll, hey experimental, whatever, where you can just close your eyes and that’s it. You got it.
But no see, a band like Listening Woman who I first caught at Hassle Fest a few weeks ago, there’s a complete package involved. Eyes, ears, sense of space. If you have anxiety of like needing to know what’s happening at any given moment or you want some degree of control in your entertainment experience…this is when you pack your bags, and Netflix and chill. Go back to the Cabin. See, at a Listening Woman performance, and I’m no expert, I’ve seen ’em just once, there’s unpredictability and a spectrum of performance style that purposely teases and messes with the spectator. There are conventional components – not your parent’s conventions, unless they live a No Wave life – musicality I’d call it, and a feeling that this eight member (vocalist, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, percussionist, drummer, saxophonist, and effects?player?) crew got together and previously ran through these numbers more than a time or two.
They keep a straight face too while playing. Being the outsider that I am, I don’t know any of the folks in the band. Probably should , they seem like a nice bunch. The other thing, well actually a few other things. The songs can change in like 5 seconds to something new. This is awesome! Another observation is that watching Listening Woman is watching a film or musical. A moving fantasy world. A world you are trapped in. In this way, I can’t help but think back to Memphis circa 2006 to 2011, with Girls of the Gravitron, The Barbaras (like this), and Magic Kids. Pop Dungeons and shit. Might just be my imagination and I’m missing the point entirely. In that case. GOOD.
Flyer by Christine Moore Bands: Free Pizza, Cumstain, Gangbang Gordon, White Pages Date: Sunday, August 24, 2014
Venue: JP Drive In (Jamaica Plain, MA)
FUCK YESSS! Cumstain in Boston! We’ve been huge Cumstain fans for the last four years, so this is truly a triumphant day in KLYAM history. A dear diary moment indeed. I had visions of seeing the band play in a dank, crowded basement and NOW for once my fantasies have cum true!
White Pages – White Pages kick the show in the balls with a BANG. Not my favorite garage rawk band around these parts, but they fit in well with the crew tonight; fast, sloppy, out of tune punk rock. Songs are over before you even knew they began. I wish they were a little bit more distinctive, but I appreciate the ramshackle. I also get a kick out of the band’s self deprecating attitude. “You couldn’t possibly hate us as much as we hate ourselves.” Haha. http://whitepages.bandcamp.com/
Gangbang Gordon – Shit, if you thought White Pages were nutty then you’re in for a shocker. If the name alone didn’t scare you away (which it shouldn’t), brace yourself for America’s greatest cultural train wreck, GANGBANG GORDON! Culturally Irrevelerent that is. That’s GBG’s tape (out now on BUFU Records) and this is his tape release show. Did you get all that?
Gordon and his fellow gangbangers, which includes a rockin’ Sydney Kinchen on tambourine, are all squeegied together in a tight spot in the basement. This is their first haus show and honestly the best I’ve seen from the group. Not just hoppin’ on the Gangbang train, it’s the best I’ve seen. The sound is smoother, it’s a teeny bit more melodic, and the bangers just feel more at home. For one thing, the vocals are clearer than ever, though I also recognize most of the lyrics, since I’ve watched these little puppies (the songs) grow practically since their inception.
I think they open with “Malt Shop,” a pill poppin’ popper. It’s outsider noise, but there’s also some slamming, traditional punk rock to it. Some of the songs have solid, catchy, head bobbin’ inducing riffs to them (“Life At The ABC,” “I Can Testify,” and “Slide Paper”), but then sometimes those riffs get lost in the madness. I know this is a gangbang, but I’d prefer it if they had more rehearsals. Like they all gang up on a teddy bear or two the night before.
It’s okay though, as I said this is my favorite set from the dudes. When GBG/Gordon/Gangbang/Ted Bundy/ G Spin It/Max Hardcore/GG Gordon Allin/ GG Gordon Liddy/Gangbang Gordon Marshall JK plops into the crowd resting his guitar against his JP Drive By vicdumbs he serenades them with each guitar stroke, giving all their GF’s strokes in the process. They eat up each JP Lick he has to offer.
Cheers buddy, let’s see you and your minions do it again in another rusty basement near you and me and other kids like us in a theater near you and perhaps me, but closer to you. http://gbgordon.bandcamp.com/
Cumstain – WHA WHA WHATTT??? WHAT’S THEIR NAME?!! Chill out bro, it’s cool, EVERYBODY CUMS. In fact, that should be the name of a children’s book: Everybody Cums. From the creators of Everybody Poops…. We’ll teach them while they’re young so we don’t have to deal with all of their PC whining when they grow old. Wipe away all that self-righteous shame in its infancy.
Seriously though, I’m getting the chills. I’ve waited for this for so long. The band opens with White People Problems (2012) classic “I Ain’t Wrong.” Hot dog, we have a weiner. We also hear some newish cuts such as “Dahmer Blues (Gimme Head),” my Grandmother’s favorite Cumstain song. She used to shotgun six busch lights with Jeffrey Dahmer every morning. She’s a trooper.
For the first half of the set, the crowd is kind of swaying about, nodding along, you know politely rockin’ out or whatever that noise is. Erin and Sean then introduce one of Cumstain’s finest tunes “Bachelor’s Life” (from 2010’s Hurry Up and Kill Yourself You Scumbug, Trust Me Your Mother Won’t Miss You) as a song a certain someone (HINT: Expletive Gore Dan) might enjoy… and that sets the crowd off as it oughta. What a banger!
The crowd’s sauced and rowdy, boppin’ and sloppin’ to and fro. The band climaxes with their eponymous #1 hit “Cumstain” (2010) and I hear some folks giggle as Sean sings “I just want to fuck you.” But, that’s not enough. The people want more. They demand sloppy seconds and we get an encore with “Broke My Dick” (2010) and the bodies keep slamming some more, culminating in a 40 shattering to pieces. It’s just another malt liquor stain on your floor.
A HUGE HUGE HUGE HUGE thanks to Cumstain for playing this show on their tour. It was amazing to finally meet Sean and Erin. Boston loves you, pretty please cum back soon!!!
Free Pizza – The moshing continues and barely stops for a breather. The crowd goes particularly apeshit during the local rock anthem “Boston, MA.” Surely, it is one of those songs I wish could go on for two hours, if you’re just feeling it. The lyrics center around the happenings of young musicians and music lovers and pretty much anyone else depending on how you take it “living in Boston, Massachusetts.” My favorite line is “chill with the dead in the cemetery.” The dead. Grateful Dead. Haha, I always picture Jesus, Santiago, and Nick chilling with the Grateful Dead in a cemetery when I hear that line. Perhaps their jamming together. Perhaps.
Go see these guys live. There’s no excuse not to, one of the best around town and they play all the time. http://freepizzarocks.bandcamp.com/
THANKS TO ALL THE BANDS THAT PLAYED, BOSTON HASSLE/BODIES OF WATER SHOWS, BUFU RECORDS, AND EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TO THE SHOW OR WANTED TO!
Don’t leave before checking out this sick vid of Cumstain from the show shot by our dear friend Mr. Melody Matters!
Illegally Blind is at it again, putting on Boston En Masse, four days of live music at Church, which is near Fenway Park. Each night offers something a little different (check out the FB event page for a listing of bands) and it is TOMORROW NIGHT, Thursday September 18, that we are most excited to share with you all!
Presented in association with local underground music advocates BUFU Records, Boston Hassle, Fast Apple, a couple KLYAM splifft singlers – Nice Guys and Miami Doritos – are in on the action along with Ben Katzman’s DeGreaser, Boogie Boy Metal Mouth, and The Monsieurs.
Nice Guys are just about a month fresh off the release of their most recent tape, L.A.P.D. Since forming in 2012, they’ve toured the East Coast a couple of times, played at Hassle, BUFU, and Starlab Fests, shared billings with garage slammers like FIDLAR and Ex-Cult, and released their first 7″, a split with Miami Doritos on our KLYAM Records label, earlier this year. Noisy punk chaos with a tendency for instrumental explosions, break-downs, and the like. We really dig this stuff and enthusiasts all over town and beyond are takin’ note, too!
Miami Doritos are like family with Nice Guys – if you haven’t noticed already – they share a home, a member, a television set, stuff like that. They also have a tape, that before mentioned 7″, a couple tours, and tons of sweet local shows in their name. They just a duo, though, and create quite a racket amongst themselves. Their noise is crunchy, their underbelly is tastily (not tastefully) poppy. Come on down.
Ben Katzman’s Degreaser is the latest and just maybe greatest band from Katzman. Dude’s all about chilling mad hard, rokin out, and Shredding, so let’s see you in action, broooooo!!! The band’s first album Degreaser was released digitally a brief time ago and it is a cok rok love affair. Gritty, positively recalling early rock ‘n roll along the way, charming surely. Right now all I can do is picture their queezy punk pop energy, soon I will see it in the flesh!!
Boogie Boy Metal Mouth‘s hip-hop in the punk spirit holds ya hostage, at least that’s the feeling I’ve gotten from their live performances. I’m not sure what else to feel – they’re the only hip-hop group I have seen or remembered seeing. Lotta movement and interaction at the Wilder Zangcraft that time. It’s still sinking in. What they are doing is not like much I’ve seen in the Boston underground; credit their unique set-up and experimental leanings.
Headlining this En Masse shabang are The Monsieurs, who have roots in the garage underworld that date much further than my time. At any rate and at any inclination, they are maybe the most straight ahead, hook filled, no seaweed, punk trio playing local stages and non-stages. Gather together the funnest rock ‘n roll of the past 60 years or, if you’re more myopic, the gunk punk greats of the past 20, and that’s just about Monsieurs style. Ya heard it before but now it’s right in front you, in fine fashion, uttering shit in one ear, while the other’s being damaged by thick loud amps. In good fun, though.
This past weekend, starting September 4th at Club Bohemia and ending on the 6th at Cuisine En Locale, New England Underground Music Festival 2014 took place with dozens of live performances and tables (with records, tapes, and other physically pleasing artifacts) and the focus was NEW ENGLAND. Yep, lots of interesting happenings regularly evolve the participatory culture in this community – and if you don’t know what that means check out the September issue of the Boston Compass for a worthy explanation written by Sam Potrykus. Speaking of which, Sam and Dan Shea, who has long been a foremost advocate of Boston underground arts, deserve some major props for setting up NEUMF 2014 in conjunction with their nonprofit/volunteer organization, the Boston Hassle.
An event like NEUMF is sundry for us KLYAMers; you can usually find us round town at underground R’n’R events of the garage/punk variety so something like NEUMF is a brilliant step away from business as usual into the… unknown. Right on.
As we walk some paces down Highland Ave in an effort to locate Cuisine En Locale (ya gram that place you used to go for baby showers) we finally arrive, greeted by familiar company: members of Nice Guys, Phaze, The Lentils. Most always a fine salute. Then I see Gracie Jackson, the 7:20 PM performa. Aw shit she just finished playing her set! Course I tell her my disenchantment of barely missing her perform with her solo group. Must have been nice for those who got the privilege.
Walk into the main area, already up and jamming on stage are Soft Eyes. Not like I actually could tell, I mean I did get my eyes checked. Should be wearing those glasses. I step a little closer and recognize hey that’s Luke on guitar. He and crew are serving up some wailing psychedelia, spiraling guitar work with that oh so distinct organ sound. I get more and more into it as the set flows through. The last song is a faster mover in the bunch, bringing me happiness Ty Segall & White Fence style. Luke tells us they got a buncha shows coming, I’m listening!
Next up is Worn Leather who call Connecticut their home. Their three piece punchy punk I hoped would stir up the crowd a bit more, but I enjoyed boppin my head to them, most especially during the guitarist/singer’s axe solos. There are some nice possibilities with solid bass and drum behind ya and he seemed to know that!
Back to that stage that Soft Eyes was on is Lair. I remember Lair markedly well, in fact I could say they were the most memorable group that I saw at NEUMF. A duo – guitar and drums – but that’s simplifying the story. Third member was this looping station thing [i don’t play music I appreciate it it’s probably not called a looping station]. Drummer with headset, guitarist fond of intermittently screaming and talking. Lightning Bolt vibes sometimes, ‘weirder’ but more melodic Guerrilla Toss vibes, and more straight ahead doom and thunder. Lair’s presence did it for me more than the music itself, which I mean ya dawg this is all pretty new to me and maybe hundreds of others. We’ll see!
Next band I peered deep into was Video Nasties. As they’re playing, I’m thinking damn what I am going to say about these guys. I love ’em. Never saw ’em before, never heard of them, but wow I don’t even think I can articulate what I’m hearing! That kinda thing. There was a unique energy to their set – maybe it was the dude who was pacing back and forth dancing. Not just a dude but a singer in the band. I hardly noticed the off-stage microphone until he started speaking into it! Hahaha. No drummer necessary…they got machines for that. Also a dude on synths (who sang, too, I believe) and a tall man guitarist/singer. Their stage presence, clang, and strut like DEVO, maybe a super chilled out Lost Sounds. I was into everything they did. Count me most impressed, keep rockin dudes.
At one time KLYAM delved briefly into the world of Electronic Music courtesy of our Queen’s brother Richard Franke. I am not a rock ‘n roll purist or anti-electronic music… I just happen to really love and prefer raw, fun, exciting, live instrument aided rock ‘n roll music. But I can get down with dance music, finding some sounds pleasing, riveting even, when I hear them. That’s exactly the case with JEROME. I totally dug his mix which I guess some could simply call ‘techno’ but I’ll stick with the term beats. A whole bunch of us were dancing, maybe it looked funny from a far. I dunno, don’t care. Fun times.
The Lentils here we come. Lentil Luke was feeling in a more relaxing mood – he said it himself. And with the aid of Gracie Jackson (guitar) and Ben Katzman (drums) alongside his trusty mate Nehemiah (bass), why not everyone take a seat and bear witness to the mouthy, crisp Velvet autumn reflections of Mister Luke. The way he writes songs, they kinda float along wistfully, and the crew follows along, sprinkling some leads, adding some OoOmph. If Vermont was the United Kingdom, it’s all good! The past couple of inclinations of the band that I saw were harder rockin (they took a seat here too) so a gent like me mighta been surmising something like that but this was a neat surprise and cool to see some familiar faces take part in it.
(New England) Patriots there’s no mistaking them. Leaders of the night pack – they play this late for a reason. Crowd flips a lid like no other band performing this night, moshing, crowd surfing. They’ve seen these guys before. I think. I hadn’t. What? Ya thats crazy. Glad I did. Chaotic, noisy – louder than Bob Kraft’s private jet. They’ve garnered the acclaim of many women and men and in between and I am now involved in their schemes, in the front row, seeing these Pats bounce back and forth. Good exercise doesn’t come without some sweat. Alla Boston’s noise outfits of recent years aren’t just spitting distortion and incoherence, there always be some hooks and candied fun to their game. Pats got that. Special Teams.
Now for the grand finale here. Minibeast featuring Peter Prescott (drummer in Mission of Burma) on guitar/keyboard/effects and a few other musicians on other instruments. Not ya typical rock band – off beam experimentation with some poppier flare now and then. One of those ‘wowza’ live experiences that gets you or me confused in a good kind of way. Throw any and all biases and expectations out the window. Course the night was a little fuzzy at this point!
The Boston Counter Cultural Compass does a whole lotta describing: art, film, and show listings that go above (and definitely BELOW if you know what I mean) and beyond any other local resource. Also, inside the Compass you’ll find some Funnies and album reviews! I am very grateful – as are many that pick up the monthly newspaper – that such a thing exists; credit and appreciation goes to the many volunteers of the Boston Hassle, the organization responsible for producing the Compass and sponsoring and supporting many of the events listed within! Boston is a lively city with much to do, see, and hear every single night. If you are visiting, touring through, or even if you live in the area and somehow haven’t heard of the Compass, pick one up or read it online.
“Lovely chunk of burning slime from one of my Boston area faves Nice Guys and new kids Miami Doritos . The Miami Doritos side chugs like a bit of desert in the basement punk slam, exciting as shit to jump around to. Nice Guys pull out their deceptively tough chops in a multilayered shred on “Jamaican Vacation” and the completely nurts “Medical Envy”. All this good on sexy green or purple vinyl, which I have yet to see cause these stoners haven’t sent me one yet.” – Matt Lee, The Big Takeover
Weirdo Records (Cambridge, MA), Armageddon Records (Cambridge, MA), Deep Thoughts (Jamaica Plain, MA), Goner Records (Memphis, TN), People’s Records (Detroit, MI), Hello Records (Detroit, MI), Bric A Brac Records (Chicago, IL), Apop Records (St. Louis, MO), CD Cellar (Arlington, VA), and Celebrated Summer (Baltimore, MD)
The good people over at Boston Hassle never stop bringing you quality music, shows, and all around spiritually bending joyous happenings throughout the greater Boston area, and this is no exception. On October 4th and 5th, Boston Hassle presents the first ever New England Underground Music Fest!!! featuring the likes of Neptune (MA), Happy Jawbone Family Band (VT), Bromp Treb (W MA), Metal Feathers (ME), Mincemeat or Tenspeed (RI), Downtown Boys (RI), Guerilla Toss (MA), Ryan Power (VT), Sunburned Hand of the Man(MA / W MA), Quilt (MA), Great Valley (VT), Matt Krefting (W MA) + TONS MORE!!! All Ages y’all.
– Boston Phoenix
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 