Glen and I had the utmost pleasure of seeing the Ausmuteants this past October at the Whitehaus in the midst of their gigantic U.S. tour. You can catch some cool, funny moments including some shots of the dudes playing Goner Fest, chilling with The King Khan & BBQ Show, firing off some guns (and farts) and more!
More importantly listen to theses Aussies here: http://ausmuteants.bandcamp.com/
Bands: Fat Creeps, The Memories, The Lemons, Street Gnar, Miami Doritos
Date: Saturday, May 31, 2014
Venue: Whitehaus (Jamaica Plain, MA)
Miami Doritos – It feels like déjà vu seeing Miami Doritos slaying at thee olde vanillahouse. I saw them two weeks ago on a bill with Fat Creeps, Crosss, and Loose Tooth. This set is pretty much similar to that one and that’s fine by me. There’s a mixture of new songs, newish songs, and some vintage Doreets. I tells ya, for my money it doesn’t get much better than Kurt and Alex slamming into “Bike Cops” when you’re feeling rather toasted. It’s always a highlight of mine, just makes my spidey sense tingle. It’s like discovering you still have twenty more minutes to sleep in before getting up for work. I’ll take a spiritually arousing Miami Doritos set to kick off a show anytime.
Catch the band live before they catch you. It will be fun, it will be educational, it will make you laugh, it may even make you cry. One thing is certain, you will need to bring an extra pair of pants because you will finish before they finish. Get started here: http://miamidoritos.bandcamp.com/
And why not strap on your Compton hat and grab this smelly 7″ Splifft from the Big KLYAM Cartel: http://klyam.bigcartel.com/product/nice-guys-miami-doritos-splifft-7
Street Gnar – I only catch a few moments of this and it sounds like a combination of dream pop and experimental noise. Reminds me of Lowell’s Chill City Icon. http://streetgnar.bandcamp.com/
The Lemons – Damn, I missed these guys :(. http://thelemons.bandcamp.com/ They are coming back on August 12 at Great Scott!
The Memories – Few bands can make my eyes light up like these Memories. Ahh yes the memories come back to me literally. Memories of the time I saw the band at a haus in JP last October with Colleen Green, White Fang, Ronnie Nordac’s Crying Lessons, and Smarty. This set tonight is like a time machine back to that breezy, beautiful autumn night.
Front dude Rikky is an all star performer. A true entertainer. With just a few words, moves, and mannerisms he can captivate an audience. He’s Dude Love if Dude Love had a rad band that journeyed across the country and beyond nearly all year long. For my non pro wrestling enthusiasts Dude Love was Mick Foley’s hippie alter ego. And if you don’t know who Mick Foley is then I just can’t help you. Matt Altieri would be disappointed in you.
Speaking of love, it’s the theme of the evening. It’s the theme of The Memories. It’s everywhere, it’s in their hearts and souls, and it’s in the air. The smell of love in the air… or marijuana smoke. These cats can’t go more than a couple songs without firing up another joint. And their songs aren’t long either!
Love and weed. Those are the themes of The Memories and this show. As I’m writing this though, I just remembered my English teachers telling me that themes are not just one, but an entire statement. Damn and I was an English Major. I’ve failed. But Hey! it’s all good. I’m with The Memories.
Jumping back to the joints for a second, besides this act complementing the music and vibe itself, it also establishes the point that house shows are always superior in nature to any other show. That goes for pretty much most bands, but with The Memories it is especially true. I really can’t picture seeing these dudes anywhere other than a tight, tiny spot. Haha that sounded far more licentious (I love this word) than I intended it to be.
As I mentioned earlier Rikky can work a crowd and half of the pleasure of taking in a Memories show is his/the band’s light hearted sense of humor. This comes through in most of their songs on tape/record, but it’s far more animated when you see it live.
Once again, it’s like a trip back to my first Memories experience. All of the songs are performed to a tee. Such playful classics as “Dad’s Not Home,” “Higher,” “You Need A Big Man,” “Go Down On You,” and many others. Those last two are essential. Big Man Rikky is able to take a typically disgusting sentiment and make it palatable in a pop song, because it’s funny in a coy sort of way. Wink wink, nudge nudge.
If Ice Cube, Steve Albini, or myself said YOU NEED A BIG MAN to a woman then we’d probably get clocked in the head. “You awful, awful man!” But, it works here. It’s simultaneously mocking and celebrating males’ obsession with their own anatomy. It’s funny, Rikky even flexes his arms as he says “A big man tough and a big man strong, you need a big man thick and a big man long.” ExtenZe needs to get on this. I smell a theme song.
The show closes with Rikky spreading a few words of wisdom. He enlightens us about the meaning of this evening’s final tune. (I’m paraphrasing) Sometimes in life you find something you’re good at and very passionate about, so you want to pursue it full time. Then he pauses…. “nah, I’m fucking with you, this song is about eating pussy,” and with that they kick into what is arguably the finest Memories tune “Go Down On You.” The song is a great example of how the band mashes their sweet, 60s AM pop sound with sexy/stoner themed lyrics.
Definitely one of the best live bands around right now. Seeing them up front and personal brings a new life to these already exquisite tunes. http://burgerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/love-is-the-law
Fat Creeps – A running theme tonight is the actual basement setting itself. A lot of music freaks (including myself) attribute their most memorable show experiences to seeing shows in basements/houses. It’s an entirely different environment from your typical aboveground, legitimate establishment – even if it’s a swell venue, the swells aren’t as tasty as a place like the Whitehaus.
Besides seeing the Creeps at BUFU Fest I haven’t seen them in months. New Year’s Eve was the last time actually. So, hey man it’s great to actually see the band with a proper set. It’s been ohh so long. Their music is perfect for a a basement show too. It hits on all the emotions. It can be fun and happy, solemn and murky, upbeat and sexy. You name it. I’ve felt it. Whatever.
If you haven’t felt it you should spend the rest of your worthless life figuring out what went wrong at the following tour dates with The Lentils:
Monday, July 14 in Brattleboro, VT at THE FUTURE
Tuesday, July 15 in Buffalo, NY at SPIRAL SCRATCH RECORDS w/ JOHNS and SPACE WOLVES
Wednesday, July 16 in Columbus, OH at ACE OF CUPS
Thursday, July 17 in Chicago, IL at AUXILIARY ARTS w/ JIMMY WHISPERS and THE SUEVES
Friday, July 18 in Chicago, IL at THE OBSERVATORY w/ THE HECKS and WUME
Saturday, July 19 in Louisville, KY at Astro Black
Sunday, July 20 Nashville, TN at PUSSY PALACE w/ IDLE BLOOM
Tuesday, July 22 in Atlanta, GA at GOAT FARM ARTS CENTER
Wednesday, July 23 in Athens, GA at SECRET SQUIRREL
Thursday, July 24 in Charlotte, NC at RECESS FEST
Friday, July 25 in Boone, NC at BLACK CAT
Saturday, July 26 in Washington D.C. for Fringe Fest w/ CHAIN AND THE GANG
Sunday, July 27 in Philly, PA w/ BUGS AND RATS at HAZZARD HALL
Monday, July 28 in Boston, MA at MIDDLESEX w/ BUGS AND RATS
http://fatcreeps.bandcamp.com/ Get their latest LP Must Be Nice out now!
Bands: Saralee, Flag Day, Sean Nicholas Savage, Free Pizza
Date: Saturday, March 1, 2014
Venue: Whitehaus (Jamaica Plain, MA)
Saralee – Last time (which was actually the first time) we were here, it all happened in a flash. We came, we saw [Jackson Heights Queens, NY’s holiest The Beets], we came again, and then we had to abruptly leave to make the train home. Fortunately, this time we arrive early to sit back and relax within the haus, and chat with some colorful characters, both old and new, pounding down Rolling Rocks aka “dad’s beer” according to one, Ben Katzman. Shine on you crazy diamond!
Saralee has been a KLYAM favorite since 2011. In many ways they were our introduction to the Boston underground music scene. Some of our first basement shows were Saralee shows. I associate their music with dank, steel reserved beer reeking basement spaces, such as this one tonight, and a stoned, serene state of mind doesn’t hurt either. It’s hard not to have this image in mind, because I’ve only seen the band in basements. Problem House. Gay Gardens. Ant Cellar (Lowell). JP Drizzle. And now Whitehaus. You could say they are the quintessential Boston basement band, like it’s an essential ingredient in the Saralee sound. A sound that is somewhat hard to describe. I’ve been asked before what does Saralee sound like? And I honestly have trouble defining it. It’s more of a mood if anything. They are soft, but also intense at the same time. Heavy need not be a volume. There’s a dreamlike quality to them too. All things considered, Whitehaus is a perfect venue for Saralee; for whatever reason I have never seen the band at an above ground establishment and I’m a completely okay with that.
If you haven’t heard this machine, then you have some serious HWs to attend to: http://saralee.bandcamp.com/
Flag Day – Flag Day sort of throws me off guard, which is always a plus. In other words, I won’t forget this performance because it is akin to a radical, industrial pop DJ set. It’s a combo of what I believe is original material as well as a series of contemporary and classic hits for the crowd to dance their asses off to and they do. Everything from the Bee Gees’ ” Stayin’ Alive” to The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” to some Blink -182 song to Wavves’ “King of the Beach.” This onslaught of bratty, manic dance inducing pop reminded me of why these songs are memorable in the first place and made me reflect on when I first heard them at various points in my life. Deep Thoughts. Ok, it’s time to take it easy for a second. http://everydayisflagday.bandcamp.com/
Sean Nicholas Savage – Straight up, I am not present for most of his set (for the second half, physically, for the first half mentally), but I can see a lot of folks going bonkers to this gentle Canadian’s impassioned music. WORD. Check it out here: http://arbutusrecords.com/?page_id=30
Free Pizza – We missed Free Pizza :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( , hey it’s okay buddy we’ll see em’ again soon! :). One of the best in Boston and one of my faves all around. Listen to their epic debut here: http://freepizzarocks.bandcamp.com/
Bands: Ronnie Nordac, Dylan Ewen & The Sulk Scouts, The Beets
Date: November 26, 2013
Venue: The Whitehaus
THE BEETS of QUEENS performing in Boston, two times in about a three week span. I’ll take it. You’ll take it. Let’s make this a regular occurrence – why not? Thanks to Dylan and Ben (of BUFU Records, pictured above) and B.O.W. Shows, The Beets came through, full band/full visuals, to play the illustrious Whitehaus. Opening for the trio was the man himself Ronnie Nordac as well as Dylan and the Sulk Scouts. Now, a legitimate show reviewer might just omit the following, but I won’t: train delays and bus shuttles and all of that kinda crazy shit meant that we KLYAM were running a bit behind. We missed Ronnie and Dylan. And I’m still pretty pissed. But we ran as fast as we could, got pointed in the right direction by Naked Man Simon, and descended into a dark, crowded underground. The Beets were all set up, flash forward exactly one minute. They start playing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE BEETS – guitar/vocals Juan Wauters, bass/vocals Tall Juan Zaballa, and Chie Mori drums/vocals – are without any second guessing, simply one of my favorite bands to listen to – live, recorded, on YouTube, whatever. It was back in April 2009 that this band came into my life. Wellesley College opening for No Age. There weren’t many of us there, but you can ask Nick and he’ll tell ya all about it. I remember thinking Beets’ sound was a bit like Black Lips, like Beat Happening, two juggernauts themselves right there. Well whatever the case maybe, a couple years passed by, and we heard they were playing the Problem House. That was something else. I remember Chris begging for some “Broken English” and he did indeed get his wish. Then there was Hassle Fest, still very fresh in my mind. Their set was a highlight, a passionate affair. Ben Katz and Chris Collins going ape shit, singing along.
I will say…………..last night was maybe even more special! People were itching for more Beets, perhaps feeling like they’ve been missing something from their life these past 17 days. It was awesome to be surrounded by several people that may have been turned onto this show from Hassle Fest. Well anyway, with flags draped behind them, lights attached to microphones, The Beets went along. Jumping up and down at the hit of a drum, the pluck of the guitars, head bobbing. Most of the dozen or so songs that THE BEETS played are characteristically short, but characteristically oh so memorable for those of us obsessed. “Happy But On My Way,” “Why Should I Live If I Don’t Fit,” my top dawg “What Did I Do?, and the ultimate lil teaser, shout-along “The Devil” from Spit On The Face; 90 second clanger “Cold Lips,” “Watching T.V,” “Knock On Wood,” and “Flight 14” which they did as an encore (yo if they played more after this, don’t even tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!) from Stay Home; and from their most recent LP Let The Poison Out, we got “Let Clock Work”, “Doing As I Do,” “I Think I Might Have Built A Horse,” “Friends of Friends”; a pair of covers — Beatles “Day Tripper” and Howard Sterns “Silver Nickles and Golden Dimes”; and a really really really cool song sung by Chie. Am I forgetting some???? Maybe.
The bottom line right here is that The Beets are a must-see/must-hear group. Their minimalist rock ‘n roll ways go deep in that the experience is always like very few I’ve encountered in the many shows I go to. If the Beets were from around here, you’d be reading review after review, and honestly we’d never tire of writing about them. No exaggeration.
CHECK OUT THE BEETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hello everyone, check out SARALEE our latest Band of the Week, truly a unique group that deserves a lot of praise. We have seen and reviewed SARALEE a few times now and they get better each time. Definitely one of the best bands in Boston right now. The first time I saw them they opened for Peach Kelli Pop (PKP’s very first show in America!) at the now defunct Problem House in Allston, MA. Allie Hanlon from PKP wrote about SARALEE in her tour diary: “Saralee was a girl Sara, who has the cutest / best voice, and Lee a great drummer, who lives at the Problem House and was a gracious host to us! I was happy to see them play.”- http://peachkelli.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-06-29T15:52:00-07:00&max-results=7
I couldn’t say it better myself! Here’s their Band Camp page: http://saralee.bandcamp.com/
Hooking Up is a band from Virginia. To describe them, I would say thick and exciting. From the sounds of their 7″ Groin Pains (Evil Weevil Records, 2012), the band is pretty straight-laced, just a real distinct rolling bass, drums, and vocals. The bass and singing style really stick out. The tunes flow so nicely. From the 7″, I love it all, but in particular the opener and closer, “Heavy” and “Sell Yourself.” The former reminds me of The Orwells in its solid production and groove. “I liked it when you were hot shit!” Nice screams and noises in the background at the end there. “Sell Yourself” starts out sparse and melodic before cranking it up several notches. ‘Course the melody never fades and we are left with something the Lovely Feathers might have done if they decided to be less weird, crunchier, and ballsier. The hooks are everywhere.
Well, for starters, check out that 7″ at their bandcamp or from Evil Weevil. And I’m in luck…they are playing at the Whitehaus on Friday March 9.
Band: Gangsta Love
Release: 11/2011
Comments: Sometimes it is pretty damn easy to decipher album/song meaning like with Cum Stain’s Cum Stain. Spiritual Thangz is the same way. Frank Hurricane spits about the heavenly herb, the spiritual herb, the WEED. Holy vibes. What is a “Primordial PYMP”? Frank doesn’t keep you waiting for long: “It’s a true gangsta that’s deep spiritual shrimp. Always rolling with a pound of weed.” Frank makes a strong case to create the first weed-ucational Reading Rainbow show. This EP would be the music. The beats are effective — minimal and basic — and they make you really heed the words of the Hurricayne. This is prime music for the pound-a-day types. “It’s a holy thang. It’s a spiritual thang.” In other words, Frank makes devout Rastafarians look like devout Mormons. Boston, Allston, JP, all be chilling with ease. Tossing and burning big trees! Back on point though, these songs are very sticky like Molasses like sticky schweed. Songs that you start and end your day off with. Dangerous, though, mid-day. Look, I was doing some homework popped on some Shrimps Don’t Go To School. Shrimps don’t, but Klyams do. “Don’t waste your time with school and class. Make spiritual love and puff spiritual grass.” Fairly convincing though. Ok Ok Ok, so this EP is more than deserving of some Gangsta LOVE, so get highdrayted.
Link To Listen/Buy: http://hurricanesoflove.bandcamp.com/album/spiritual-thangz-ep
Hurricanes of Love is a heavenly musical experience and its gentle spirit will appear at the Whitehaus (Jamaica Plain) tonight (July 8), July 14, and July 22.
http://www.myspace.com/hurricanesoflove
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 