It’s that time of the YEAR – RAMA LAMA DING DONG 2023 – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11! 8 PM DOORS.
Our annual festival – held at O’BRIENS in Allston for the 3rd year in a row. One of our most beloved fests!
We’ve got a fine lineup – some of our favorites in the weird/egg/synth/chain punk space::
BALACLAVA from NY
NURSE JOY
GOSSIP COLLAR
JOHNNIE & THE FOODMASTERS
ORANGE WHIP – first show! ft. members Funeral Cone/Ancient Filth
Come on thru! Get your advance tix here!
SHOW OF THE YEAR???????????
MAYBE!
8 PM – STATE PARK, CAMBRIDGE – FREE!
NEW BUCK BILOXI FROM NEW ORLEANS. YES, THAT’S RIGHT.
LOTHARIO FROM AUSTRALIA – WHAT A TREAT.
ICU & G GORDON GRITTY – LOCALS!
A LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING OF NOISE & DANCE!
KLYAM’S LAST OUTDOOR SHOW OF THE YEAR!
* SOLO PERCUSSION BY CHRIS STRUNK
* EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRONICS BY DONNA PARKER
* DANCE/ELECTRONICA BY ORANGEPEELMYSTIC
* LIGHTSHOW, REFRESHMENTS, GLITCH BY WEEKEND OBESITY
SATURDAY OCTOBER 15 – 3 to 7 PM
@ LOU ANN DAVID PARK – 1060 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144 (NEAR TEELE/DAVIS SQ)
FREE $ BRING DONATIONS TO PERFORMERS (VENMO @THEKLYAM)
Early heads up everyone. We’ve got THE HUSSY from Madison, Wisconsin. New album out on Dirtnap Records. 4 Piece Line-Up. Just played Gonerfest. On Tour. Checking all of the boxes. One of the most exciting live bands? Check check. Blew minds opening for Thee Oh Sees? Yes.
But this post and our next KLYAM show that we are Pumped for: THE HUSSY live at The Greek (Greek American Social Construction Club) in Union Square, Somerville (9 Bow St, Somerville, MA 02143) on OCTOBER 21, 2019. One week from today. All Ages. 8 PM Doors. $10.
Opening bands: Funeral Cone – G. Gordon Gritty – Kind Budz
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.
Bands: CHARLIE, Future Spa, The TeleVibes, Ben Tan
Date: Friday, January 16, 2015
Venue: Cantab Lounge/Club Bohemia (Cambridge, MA)
KLYAM is back at the old Cantab Lounge, specifically the basement known as Club Bohemia, where all the action and then some happens. It’s dark, it’s dank, and looks like a leftover from the 70s, but that’s just the way we like it. As Carl on The Simpsons says, “The dank Moe, the dank!” You’re never going to get rid of the dank, don’t even think about it. It’s in the basement where all of the best stuff is born and wreaks havoc. Case and point, this evening’s show.
CHARLIE – CHARLIE is a three piece consisting of Dan on vocals and bass, Tim on vocals and guitar, and Steve on drums. I haven’t seen these dudes since last April’s BUFU Fest or possibly at a rambunctious Robot Death Kites basement show last Summer, twas so rambunctious, both beer cans and brain cells have been diminished. Suffice it to say, it’s been too long.
“MAXIMUM VOLUME YIELDS MAXIMUM RESULTS” – CHARLIE’s bandcamp. Very true. CHARLIE lives up to this motif in their music and that is especially true live. I usually like to stand as close to the bands as possible, but I held back a little for this set. I want to preserve whatever is left of my eardrums, I lost my ear plugs to boot. I’m one deaf bastard and these are LOUD MOTHERFUCKERS. I love it. Even though, it’s so heavy, it’s not noise. It’s tough for me to describe these fellas. You can hear the vocals quite well, actually everything, every nuance of each instrument. It’s different.
If I had to compare them to somebody I’d liken them to Shellac, but with some more grooves in there. They’ll throw in those grooves and weird ass soundz to spice it up. My bro compares Dan’s vocals to those of the dude in Dillinger Escape Plan. I haven’t thought about that band since 9th grade or something like that, so maybe. I’m positive I would have dug this band as a ranting, pimply faced, anarchisto angst driven teenager. There’s definitely a healthy amount of aggression in CHARLIE, an undeniable aggression, but it’s also calm and controlled at the same time. And maybe schizo like their potential namesake, Mr. Charlie Kelley. This may be the kind of music people huff glue to, dunno, that was never my thing. They did cover a Flipper song though. I’ll be seeing CHARLIE again very soon.
http://charlieisgnarly.bandcamp.com/
Set-List: Titled “CHARLIE Rok ‘n’ Roll Set” and written in sharpie on the back of the cover of Linda Ronstadt’s Heart Like A Wheel record…
“Peru”
“Recall (Total”
“Mothers”
“Ha Ha Ha” (Flipper cover)
“Daved Linch”
“CHARLIE”
“Hard Carpet”
Future Spa – Oh yeah pal, KLYAM goes way back with Future Spa. We first had the pleasure on a cold evening in the basement of the Starlab. Mark Sultan was in town that night and we were ready to take off into his cursed world. Future Spa played before the BBQ and as I recall I was impressed with their jittery, snotty take on garage punk. It was like a garage band actually in the garage, practicing Black Lips and No Age tunes. I’ve seen them a couple of times subsequently, they’ve grown substantially. It’s still muddy though and that’s the way I like it. In fact, actually the last time they played and the last time I saw them was six months ago at Starlab Fest. Alas, I only caught a couple of songs of that performance, but here we are now and I’m ready to go.
Some of the dudes are decked out in costumes with bandannas and afros and other shit. Contrary to their own claims, Future Spa doesn’t suck and they garner some of the best crowd reception all night. They play a batch of old and new tunes including a haphazard, but lovable cover of Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman.” The newer songs definitely have some psychedelic taste and add a bit more of a pop sense to the loony garage mish mash. And by newer I mean like seven or more months old. I lost all sense of time. I hit my head on the DeLorean and now I don’t know if it’s 2015 or the alternate 1985.
Fortunately, it doesn’t matter what year it is, because the sounds are coming from all over the ages and beyond. Future Spa is certainly an underrated Boston band and one that is keeping the punk slime flowing around these streets. Catch them lurking around Somerville or your town or on here: http://futurespa.bandcamp.com/
The TeleVibes – Yes, definitely one of my favorite bands around town. Here’s a band that just puts you right in the mood to freak up and fuck out. It’s all that time spent on Salisbury Beach or the lean streets of Rowley; we could use some sweet Summer night music in the midst of the icy cold January. Short story: riveting, smooth, yet heavy psychedelic pop cradled with modern day garage punk. If you dig Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, and any surf band, then you need to hear this. Long story: the rest of this “review.”
If the music didn’t speak for itself already, The Lysergic Factory Lightshow amplifies the sensations of enormous 60s psychedelia. As the Tellies play flashes of every purdy color you can think of is projected behind them. You know it. To the right of me, Mr. Charlie Loring is smoking one of those E Cigarettes or Vapes or whatever. Haha, I thought at first they added a smoke machine, until I moved up closer to the front of the room. Indeed, with the light show and smoke and people starting to move and groove a little, the night shifts into a euphoric atmosphere resembling the 60s in some fashion.
But, it is 2015, I think and The TeleVibes are playing. The Tellies. I jolt back and forth between their proper moniker and my vaguely established nicknames. Admittedly, I am not exactly a professional writer, but I am a professional. I just don’t like writers. I wouldn’t even call this a review, except I don’t know what else to call it. A reader, a critic may gripe “don’t you think it is wise for a young man to stick to one topic instead of bouncing from one to another to another?” Perhaps, but the show must go on. I know what I’m doing, I just haven’t steered the boat in it’s direction, let me steer the boat in it’s direction and we’ll arrive safely back to shore, the Northshore, where The TeleVibes await us.
They are an animated bunch, but not in a ridiculous way. I feel you could definitely bring these kids home to mom and dad and they would be cool with it. “Ohh, you play in a band? That’s great.” But, maybeee something else is up. They’re not quite hippies, but they look like they could be on the road (no pun intended) to becoming hippies. Scott’s beard, Charlie’s frosted hair, oh and the music. That’s probably the dead give away.
Whatever it is, this trio, ohh yes they are a trio in case you wanted to know: vocals, guitar, bass, and drums, you gotit – whatever it is, this band generates a feeling of warmth deep down in the bowels of my dirty soul. Splash to and fro in these waves, let them engulf you, you won’t drown here. http://thetelevibesofficial.bandcamp.com/
Ben Tan – My main man, Mr. Billy Joel. OHH GOD NO! Thankfully, Billy Joel couldn’t make it and I’m currently dating Christie Brinkley. More importantly, my buddy Ben Tan is closing this evening’s festivities and he brought along a pal of ours, Brian Hickey on drums. I’ve seen Ben several times now and this is the first time he’s been accompanied by a drummer. Ben is seated, masterfully plucking away at the keyboards like Brian Wilson or any other madman. Brian is a steady drummer, always great, but I feel the drumming doesn’t work as well with some of Ben’s softer pop numbers. This isn’t a knock against Brian as I feel this would be the case with any drummer. But, with some of the speedier tempos (not too speedy though) the drums are fitting. Regardless, it’s still a pleasure to see Brian behind the kit tonight.
As with every Ben Tan show, the gentleman busts out a random hit or two, past or present. I think he mutters “TURN DOWN FOR WHAT!” So, it must be that song. I don’t really know that one, but I’ve heard it in passing. It gets some of the crowd moving though, even a mini break dance competition. We went from Woodstock to 24 Hour Party People, where has the time gone? Huh?
Next time, I’m going to request, NO, DEMAND, Ben plays “You Light Up My Life.” That song gives me shivers and makes me feel sick in a very awesome way. http://bentan.bandcamp.com/
A MASSIVE THANKS TO CHARLIE, FUTURE SPA, THE TELEVIBES AND BEN TAN FOR PLAYING, LYSERGIC FACTORY LIGHT SHOW FOR MELTING OUR MINDS, ALL OF YOU SWEETHEARTS THAT ATTENDED, AND TO THE CANTAB LOUNGE/CLUB BOHEMIA, MICKEY BLISS AND CREW! WE’LL BE SEEING ALL OF Y’ALL VERY SOON…
NEXT KLYAM SHOW IS TONIGHT!!!: https://www.facebook.com/events/813886121991254/?ref=70
Flyer by Cody Pettingil
Hey all you punk slime freaks! It’s Friday night and if you don’t have any plans tonight come out to the Cantab Lounge (Club Bohemia) in Central Square, Cambridge. If you have plans, erase em’. This is much better. We’ve got all the bells and whistles and psych and punk and surf and snot to keep you up all night. The TeleVibes, CHARLIE, Future Spa, and Ben Tan all on one smokin’ hot bill. Oooohhh ahhhhh.
FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/375101495991229/
Show starts at 9! Get there at 8:30. 21+ :( sorry kids. $8.
The TeleVibes
http://thetelevibesofficial.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TeleVibes
CHARLIE
http://charlieisgnarly.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/charlieisgnarly
Future Spa
http://futurespa.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/futurespaboston
Ben Tan
http://bentan.bandcamp.com/
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kids-Like-You-Me-KLYAM/184682771542274
ALL KLYAM RECORDS RELEASES WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THIS SHOW AND ALWAYS!!!
Bands: Gangbang Gordon, Miami Doritos, Ben Tan
Date: Friday, November 28, 2014
Venue: Club Bohemia/Cantab Lounge (Cambridge, MA)
Ben Tan – It’s been exactly a year (well shave off five days) since I’ve seen my homie Bad Boy Tan play a solo set. Welcome back brother. He begins the show with his guitar in arms and tapping away with one foot behind the bass drum. I think it’s a new tune or simply one I’m less familiar with, who knows?
Following the first number, he abandons the drums altogether and comes closer to the crowd; BBT upfront and personal. He strums away on the guitar, singing a song about “Marielle” and life with the “Upper Lower Middle Class Blues.” Classic BBT.
Next up are the keys, the core of BBT’s work. This is where he truly hones in on his Brian Wilson influence. I sound like frigging Patrick Bateman describing his music. The guy from American Psycho. This is where the sweet, softer songs kick in, tunes such as “Come Out” and “Dance The Night Away.”
As in my previous BBT experiences the last few songs are reserved for cover songs and any other special audience requests, within reason. Much to my amusement and pleasure, the bad boy belts out covers of The Carpenters’ “Superstar,” The Beatles’ “Martha My Dear,” and R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix).” With the last song, he even has the lyrics down to a tee, including the opening lines: “Now, um, usually I don’t do this but uh….” Sharp, sharp guy. http://bentan.bandcamp.com/
Miami Doritos – Well, look who it is, couple of doritos on the loose from Miami, eh? Yes, yes sir. Whenever I tell people that I have a band on my label (KLYAM Records, in case you’re a wiener and didn’t know) named Miami Doritos they usually chuckle and say “that’s a good name,” those exact words. They roll over and laugh and nearly die due to the unending hilarity that ensues. One fella even said to me “boy, I’d sign them based on the name alone.” True story.
Alright, now that we all had a laugh or a wince, let’s get down and dirty, if not outright filthy. Kurt (throat & axe) and Alex (skins) are the savage duo behind this mess. Ancient Greek gladiators. These two can cause a real commotion, you’d think there was three, four, or five guys tugging away. A mini mosh pit even erupts, a quick little pick me up, that’s right.
Miami Doriots are a metal machine, it’s as if Metallica and Slayer molested Phil Spector. You see what I did there, haha haha, what a funny guy.
Among the chart topping bangers in the Miami Doreets catalog, I request “Bike Cops,” I in fact scream it at the band as an encore. It’s simply one of those tunes that makes me feel okay with the world, even though it’s a totally shitty world. Yeah. Others request “Price 2 Pay,” a tune that appears on the Miami Doritos Splifft 7″ w/ Nice Guys on KLYAM Records. Hey! check it out here: http://miamidoritos.bandcamp.com/album/splifft-7\
Gangbang Gordon – Is the name Gangbang Gordon inherently offensive? I don’t think so, but that’s not my problem. I mean who is Gordon anyway? That’s part of what makes the name NOT offensive to me. If it was just Gangbang, maybe. Probably not though. Then again, I was under the impression that a gangbang was a bunch of people fucking a lone, but willing participant. I thought when it was rape it was called a Gang Rape. Recently, I looked up the term Gangbang and apparently it could go either way. Regardless, it’s understandable if you feel uncomfortable by the name (feeling uncomfortable is part of the GBG charm), but rest assured no harm was intended. GBG (we’ll just go with that) is so oblivious to everything anyway. That brings me to my main point or at least one of them. I have no interest in actual music reviews.
Oblivious, yeah I like that. Awkward perhaps. Nauseating maybe? Or just plain old fun. GBG is self-described “outsider tard rock ‘n’ roll.” One man’s ambition to make rock ‘n’ roll music within the confines of limited technique, inability to “properly” sing, and somewhat ignorance in terms of the history of the music he is trying to emulate. Picture it on stage (or floor): GBG squeals and huffs and jerks off his gutiar, whilst his co-gangbangers drop loads of magic on “noise guitar,” bass, and drums. Ben Tan returns as Mr. Tambourine Man or better yet Benny the Bunny(he slaps on a pair of bunny ears). Nobenny! Haha!
Ahhhh right, going back to the weirdness, it’s crucial, a GBG set is like no other. Think or say whatever you wish, but you can’t say you’ll see this same performance somewhere else, at least I never have. The typical mantras spouted in the underground (and sometimes aboveground) world is “hey you can do this too!” “anyone can make music!” Whether it’s The Kingsmen, Ramones, Beat Happening, Black Lips – the idea is a few blokes get together, make some noise, bash away till they can adequately play… to be able to play a show and so on and so on. Most of the time, it’s something shitty, but they have their shit together. They really do. They’re adequate as hell, even if it’s incredibly shitty. You’ve seen this band before, you saw them five years ago, you may have seen them five days ago, you’ll see them again, you’ll probably see them five years from now. They never stop. Same band, different name, different faces. NOW, GBG is not this band.
They do not have their shit together. It’s as if every member, every banger, is playing their own individual show. Don’t get me wrong there are songs, this is music. Eschew any nonsense GBG spews about it being non-music, that’s a cop out for the music sounding odd, which it does. Trust me, I’m friends with the guy. The man, the myth, the legend. Well, it could be considered non-music, I suppose, but it’s not some lame, ironic, art house project. Fuck that. It’s entertainment, there’s songs, they are played for your entertainment. GBG flops to and fro in a peculiar fashion in front and frequently within the audience for their enjoyment. He’s well aware that there are people in front of him watching, paid their money, and have other things to do. You often see bands (like the shitty ones I alluded to earlier) that are up their playing and they’re not moving or saying anything or doing much at all. Damn, did I miss something? Do you owe someone money? Is some miscreant sticking a 45 to your head and saying GET UP THERE AND FUCKING PLAY. What a bore. GBG’s music may be comparatively inept, but he sure is an entertainer. He’s quite aware of what he’s going through.
Seemingly, anything can happen during a GBG show. There’s this, dare I say BEAUTIFUL element to a GBG show. It’s a certain atmosphere rarely tapped into by other lads. Everyone stares, perhaps head bobs, Mario Epstein dances his ass off, but legitimately anything could happen and it wouldn’t interrupt the show, the show would keep going on. Someone could waltz over in the middle of the band, drop their trousers and take a steaming dump right in the middle of the set and it wouldn’t stop the show. It may result in some glares and naturally people will pinch and/or cover their noses… but it wouldn’t ruin the moment. It would just be like ohh that’s Bill. Bill comes in around 14:32 and takes a dump. That’s part of the show. Similarly, songs often abruptly end OR they don’t know when to end. Regardless, the crowd typically has no clue when one is beginning and one is finishing.
Let’s hope they never finish. GBG: http://gangbanggordon.com/
So, that’s that. This was a KLYAM Presents show and we are more than grateful for all of you fine individuals that played this show, attended it, or even if you wanted to make it, but couldn’t or didn’t, whatever! WE THANK YOU. And of course a big thanks to Mickey Bliss and the Cantab/Club Bohemia for having us. We’ll be back very soon! Keep your eyes peeled…
Bands: Beware The Dangers Of A Ghost Scorpion!, Sun Lions, Soft Pyramids, Whiskey Warpath
Date: Saturday, March 22, 2014
Venue: Middle East Upstairs (Cambridge, MA)
We missed Whiskey Warpath and Soft Pyramids. Damn, next time!
Sun Lions – I have mixed feelings about this band. They are pleasant in some respects, especially in a live setting, but I’m not going bonkers over them either. It’s just too clean and proper for my savage tastes. I need an extra kick in the gut to loosen me up a little bit. This set feels like it lasts forever too. http://thesunlions.bandcamp.com/
Beware The Dangers Of A Ghost Scorpion! – Now, here is a band more to my liking. BTDOAGS is a trippy, all instrumental surf rock outfit, a surf nut’s wet dream, if you will.
Staying true to their name, the guys bear an air of mystery to them. Dressed in black shirts and blue jeans and wearing bandannas that cover most of their faces, they never verbally interact with their audience, not once. Instead, they communicate with their music.
I am always biased when it comes to surf music. I find it hard not to enjoy it, even if it is extremely generic. Frankly, it actually all sounds the same to me, but that’s just it, it’s a sound and one that I never get tired of hearing. Still, BTDOAGS picks it up a notch with their sinister, horror punk take on the genre. Anyway you look at it, it’s fun.
Overall, a strong set, but I’ve seen better from the band. The venue is mostly filled and the crowd is digging the band, rightfully so, but I’d rather see at least one of the members leap off the stage and dance around with the audience or entice them to move more as I have seen in the past. Regardless, always a pleasure to see these dudes. BTDOAGS in a basement/underground setting, now that is something I need to see next. http://ghostscorpion.bandcamp.com/
I was listening to WZBC a couple of weeks ago and heard this song just as I tuned in. I was like… I’ve heard this dude before. And I did. Dylan Ewen is the man. The Boston underground music scene is filled with a lot of people doing a lot of cool things, but there aren’t an abundance of solo talents of his variety. It’s gritty, lo-fi, essentially pop music. “Korean Girlfriend” (Alt 2013, BUFU) is fulla hooks and that drum machine doesn’t hurt. Stuck in my head for days, here’s to sharing with some like-minded people:
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 