MEST has had a busy year so far touring across Europe before stopping back home to Chicago…and they are not done yet! 115 Bourbon Street is a New Orleans-themed venue packed with multiple stages and on Friday, June 28th hosted MEST and a slew of other bands, including Rematch, NightCap and Highwire. MEST released the […]
MEST has had a busy year so far touring across Europe before stopping back home to Chicago…and they are not done yet!
115 Bourbon Street is a New Orleans-themed venue packed with multiple stages and on Friday, June 28th hosted MEST and a slew of other bands, including Rematch, NightCap and Highwire.
MEST released the new album ‘Youth‘ via SBÄM Records on June 21st. It features guest appearances by Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup and Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills.
Of the new LP, founding member and front man Tony Lovato says, “The drives to the studio were about an hour and 20 minutes long. A lot of my inspiration for this record was found on those drives. I would just listen to all the records that I grew up listening to. Which brought back a ton of memories. It would just put me in another state of mind. The majority of “Youth” was written up in the hills of Los Angeles where I recorded a bunch of our early records. I would get random flashbacks seeing spots I hadn’t seen in years. But as much as I love all the memories and stories of the past, I’m not one to think that the best days are over. I’m creating new core memories and living my life now, so that in 20 years I’ll look back fondly. The same as I do now. These songs are a cheers to the past with a here’s to the future.”
MEST released their seventh album, ‘Masquerade,’ in January 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. They toured extensively in 2019 with Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, and Millencolin. Looking ahead, MEST plans to release three new LPs, starting with ‘Youth,’ and has secured deals with Avex Records in Japan and SBAM Records in Europe.
When asked to sum up 28 years of MEST, Tony replied, “I don’t know, I mean honestly it feels like we’re just getting started…”
Maintaining their blue-collar work ethic, MEST continues to earn fans through their grassroots approach and looks forward to performing their energetic live shows worldwide. The future looks promising as they prepare to release new music and hit the road again.
After cryptically wiping their Instagram while teasing for something coming soon, Destroy Boys just announced that they’ll follow 2021’s Open Mouth, Open Heart with their fourth album, Funeral Soundtrack #4, on August 9th via Hopeless Records (pre-order here!) Violet Mayugba explains the title of the new album, “Looking back, our first three albums marked the deaths of things. They […]
After cryptically wiping their Instagram while teasing for something coming soon, Destroy Boys just announced that they’ll follow 2021’s Open Mouth, Open Heart with their fourth album, Funeral Soundtrack #4, on August 9th via Hopeless Records (pre-order here!)
Violet Mayugba explains the title of the new album, “Looking back, our first three albums marked the deaths of things. They were soundtracks to our funerals, whether they were for our ages or our mental states. We’ve gone through a lot of changes as a band and as people. The first one was our high school album. On the second record, we went to college and were saying goodbye to our childhood. On the third one, we’d just gone through COVID and, speaking for myself, I lost my entire sense of self and gained a new one.”
Destroy Boys have teamed with producer Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, The Linda Lindas) for their upcoming album and includes a collaboration with the bands Mannequin Pussy and Scowl on the song “You Hear Yes.”
Check out the new song, track list, and upcoming Destroy Boys shows below!
Track list for Funeral Soundtrack #4:
Bad Guy Plucked Beg for the Torture Praying Amor divino Shadow (I’m Breaking Down) Shedding Skin Should’ve Been Me You Don’t Know You Hear Yes (feat. Mannequin Pussy and Scowl) Boyfeel
Current 2024 tour dates:
July 27: Milwaukee, WI @ Harley Davidson Homecoming Festival July 28: Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre July 29: Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s July 31: Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Aug 1: St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag Aug 2: Chicago, IL @ Subterranean (Lollapalooza After Show) Aug 3: Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza Aug 14: Paredes De Coura, Portugal @ Paredes De Coura Aug 15: Charleville-mezieres, France @ Cabaret Vert Aug 19: Esch-sur-alzette, Luxembourg @ Rockhal Aug 20: Utrecht, Netherlands @ Tivoli Vredenburg Aug 22: Saint-Cloud, France @ Rock En Seine Aug 23: Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival Aug 24: Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms Aug 25: Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
Need even more? Take a look at some of our past photo galleries featuring Destroy Boys:
Chicago got a double-dose of New York bands Jigsaw Youth and Des Rocs who teamed up for a spring North American tour after the release of Des Rocs’ Dream Machine in August 2023 with Sumerian Records. Jigsaw Youth are no strangers to Dying Scene (check out the photos from when they played with Destroy Boys […]
Chicago got a double-dose of New York bands Jigsaw Youth and Des Rocs who teamed up for a spring North American tour after the release of Des Rocs’ Dream Machine in August 2023 with Sumerian Records.
Jigsaw Youth are no strangers to Dying Scene (check out the photos from when they played with Destroy Boys and Pinkshift!) and manage to kick-ass every time they play in Chicago.
After the release of The War Inside Me EP last year, Jigsaw Youth bestowed upon us two new singles: Sit On It and Love Sick.
As of this writing, Jigsaw Youth is currently scheduled for Elsewhere Fest in Wichita, KS on June 22nd, Louder Than Life in Louisville, KY on September 26th and Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, CA on October 11th.
More dates are coming soon, so you better follow Jigsaw Youth and Dying Scene to hear all about it!
Closing out the night with his new brand of rock n’ roll and edgy punk rock Elvis vibes, Des Rocs, aka Danny Rocco, has quickly climbed the charts and becoming known for his unforgettable electrifying performances.
His shows are literal art, from beginning to end, that will have you sweating and dancing to every beat. The amount of energy he brings to the room is no joke!
Des Rocs’ sophomore album Dream Machine is fierce and emotive and certainly worth the time to listen to. You can pick it up via Sumerian Records here! In addition to a few festival dates, Des Rocs recently announced a EU/UK tour happening this fall. Don’t miss it!
Dying Scene went to Indianapolis to catch this absolutely sick line up of bands that span from across the nation. Check out the photos and be sure to follow and support these bands! The Rosies opened up the night with high-octane energy, keeping true to their own artist bio: “Fueled by cheap beer and the […]
Dying Scene went to Indianapolis to catch this absolutely sick line up of bands that span from across the nation. Check out the photos and be sure to follow and support these bands!
The Rosies opened up the night with high-octane energy, keeping true to their own artist bio:
“Fueled by cheap beer and the power of lightning, The Rosies are here to fill your ears with the sound of the truth. From Cleveland, Ohio these Lake Erie Surf Punk rockers are all about high energy, good vibes, and just being yourself. So crack open a cold one and enjoy the ride.“
Local Indianapolis hardcore band Senescence might have stolen the show with their heavy hooks and stage presence alone. They clearly have a dedicated fan-base who sang along to all their songs, thrashing and dancing throughout. Senescence proved themselves to be exemplary examples of Midwestern hardcore punk.
East LA-based post hardcore band Death Lens was another band I was super stoked to see. How a band can be both chill and have in-your-face hype energy is something I am still trying to wrap my brain around. Their Epitaph Records debut album Cold World will be released on May 3rd, but you can listen to some of their singles right now to tide you over until then (“Vacant” really slaps!)
Finally, the two-piece garage punk duo Teen Mortgage took the stage to a now packed venue of fans of all ages. An older gent told me how excited he was to finally see this band live, and I told him the same. The diversity of fans this night was unreal.
In true punk fashion, the songs were short, fast, but packed an intensity that left you begging for more.
Side note: Drummer Ed Barkauskas is a super nice and cool guy (I was not paid to make this statement, I swear).
Teen Mortgage came from the ethos of Washington, D.C. DIY culture, eventually touring with the likes of OFF!, Alkaline Trio and Red Fang. Their self-titled LP is streaming now and also available at King Pizza Records (if you can get your hands on it!)
Three local Chicago punk rock favorites played on a cold, wintery night at The Cobra Lounge but in true Chicago fashion that did not stop an eager crowd from showing up on a weeknight. Dying Scene note: I am excited to share this collaborative piece by myself (Mary) and Dean. All photography is done by […]
Three local Chicago punk rock favorites played on a cold, wintery night at The Cobra Lounge but in true Chicago fashion that did not stop an eager crowd from showing up on a weeknight.
Dying Scene note:I am excited to share this collaborative piece by myself (Mary) and Dean. All photography is done by Mary and words are by Dean. Enjoy!
Starting it off with The Neighborhood Threat, a 5-piece punk band. They have a nice, classic sort of first-wave sound, a la The Ramones or The Kinks. On stage leading the charge is Kevin Murphy on vocals, screaming his heart out and throwing himself around. Supporting him are Quinn Pokora on lead guitar, Tim Casey on rhythm, Alec Montoya on bass and Dave Catanese on drums. First up is a song called “Escape” and Murphy seems intent on doing just that, falling to his knees and writhing during the breakdown, Casey politely headbanging along, before transitioning into “Nightmares”. “Pretty good for a Thursday night” quips Murphy. Next is “Rose Gallery”, declared favorite of the band. Starting off with a languid bass intro from Montoya, we are soon launched into a wall of rock. Montoya starts bopping around a bit now too, making jokes with Catanese.
The music cuts to just bass and drums, slowly folding in guitar and vocals, before wrapping up with a gnarly breakdown. After is “237”, “The room from The Shining you’re not supposed to go into, there’s like a creepy lady in the bathtub.” Another bass intro, adding in some nice full sounding guitars, layering chords and riffs. Again, we are thrown into a wall of sound, with Montoya lunging forward through the chorus, with Murphy screeching like a stuck cat, Pokora accentuates the vocals with a high lick. It peters out into a false ending, before slamming back with even more chaotic sounding guitars, Murphy leaving us with a refrain of “Don’t go in room 237.”
Now we are shown “Another heavy number, about the nuclear apocalypse.” Pokora gives us some delicious harmonics, backed by ripping chords from Casey. Montoya gives backing vocals through the chorus. The bridge is stripped away to just drums, with Pokora soloing. We come crashing back out for the ending with Murphy clutching the microphone like it is the last clean water he will drink in his life.
After is “Midnight”, during which Murphy stepped on his mic chord, but they manage it well. Then comes “Razorblade”, a song about “Toxic love.” Someone in the crowd yells “I love that song!” to which Murphy replies “Yo me too, cut me baby,” diving in headfirst with a yowl. This number is fast, needy and anxious, that has the rest of the band dancing along like tin men, compelled to move their rusty joints by their trusty magician.
They close out with a high riff from Pokora, with a tight, tapping arpeggio. This next one is a bit different from the rest of the set, called “Violet Marie”, about “Falling in love with a stripper.” Catanese plays with just sticks, cymbals, and rimshots, while Pokora and Casey fill in with some sweet, jazzy, broken chords. Montoya cuts in with a bass riff, which devolves into a more familiar punk sound.
They close out with “Death March”, Casey using an almost country style intro, supporting Pokora as he riffs high up the neck of his guitar, accenting Murphy’s vocals. Everything cuts out and we are left with just Murphy, dancing with his mic stand. With a death scream, he falls to the floor, and we are thrown into the music again, winding up faster and faster, before Murphy sits up again and gives us one final yell.
Next up is Sweetie! Three extremely sweet people, who let me buzz anxiously around them and Mary before the show. Fronted by Birdy V on guitar and vocals, she is supported by Joe Soldati on upright bass and Ryan G on drums. Even just from soundcheck, you can tell all three are just some goofy people, having fun and doing what they love on stage, messing around and joking with each other. Set up and ready to go, Birdy yells to a near empty room “Hey everybody at the bar! If you don’t hurry up and come in here, none of you are invited to my birthday party!” (“Or subsequent orgy!” supplies Joe). Ultimatum set, we run right ahead into “Catholic Boy”, an almost ‘Planet Claire’ style drawling, cheeky, serenade. “We are Sweetie, thank you for the encouragement, it’s a weeknight,” quips Birdy. “Cold beer is good for your voice, right?”
Next up is “Devil Girl”. Digging deep into her chest for her voice, we’re rolled into the next number, something with a jumping, jiving, rockabilly sort of sound, which has Joe grinning like a mad man and taking to his bass like a lover. Now addressing a filled room, (or, as filled as can be for a Thursday night), Birdy chirps “Since you’re all invited to my birthday and surprise orgy, we are selling nipple tassels, and Lollygagger is selling ball gags.”
Faster, almost sleazy, we are brought through “Teeth”, sometimes feeling a bit like something from Heart. Simple but succinct and to the point, Birdy rips through power chords on her sick, two-pronged guitar, while Ryan accentuates his drumming with some nice use of cymbals. Birdy’s eyes are opened wide through the chorus, flashing the whites like a cat.
Everybody cuts out, and Ryan counts us off into “Love Lucy”, a languid, gentle, almost mocking piece. A main refrain of “La la la las,” with Ryan opening his mouth like a snake, in rapture from his bass. They lean towards each other, playing for each other and laughing like a shared secret. Following is “Chum”, with Ryan using mostly cymbals as an intro, softening out into overdriven guitar, before coming back around again with an almost bouncing gait on the toms. With a sarcasm essential to put-upon misfits, Sweetie ambles ahead with the song, like a self-depreciating joke you just-so-happen to be allowed to get in on. Guitar and drums almost having a conversation, before breaking with a phaser-heavy solo. Joe picks up his hands like a dinosaur, before picking up his bass as easy as a briefcase, waddling over to Ryan, and headbanging at him through the outro. Birdy is back, chatting on the mic, saying “Once again! We are Lollygagger, also Birdy is my favorite person in the world and I love her.”
With vocals only in French, Birdy serenades us through “La Vie”, backed by wistful rimshots. With syllables murmuring like the ocean, Birdy rolls her eyes for the octave change in the verse, a lonely thing with just her, pausing, then the rest of the band rushing in to help. Joe solos the intro for “Howl”, the next song, with Birdy winding up with some sick feedback on guitar. With a yowl, we are thrown into the song, Joe leading the charge with his bass. And for a massive instrument, he throws it around like dancing a foxtrot, laying it across his lap and leaning back, lunging towards Birdy, and finally almost sawing it in half through the finish.
Birdy’s on the mic again, asking us to “Go around, and have everybody say one nice thing about yourselves, Mary you go first.” She laughs, apologizes and says, “We lied, we’re not Lollygagger, we’re actually The Neighborhood Threat” (Murphy yelling “Wait!” from the crowd). With that we are lead through “Mama”, with some dirty, slow, sexy guitar, and a drumroll from Ryan shoving us towards something faster. Joe is electrified by his bass again, yelling “Get it!” before leaning forward with backing vocals. Everything cuts out to just guitar, Birdy almost monologuing with it, before jumping into the full song again, ending on a refrain of “Let me be.” Closing out with “Cha Cha Heels”, Joe gives us a quick intro, before launching into the song. Anxious and fast, this one finishes with a call and response chorus.
You can catch Sweetie at their music video release show on March 15th at Gman Tavern in Chicago!
Finally, Lollygagger! A veteran, Chicago, 3-piece punk band. Before I found Mary and Sweetie, I was anxiously huddled at the bar (and getting carded for ordering a ginger ale). A particularly awful Nic Cage movie was playing on the TV, and I managed to calm down a little listening to these three dudes rip poor Nic apart. Lo and behold, they ended up being the headliners! Go figure. On vocals and guitar, we have Matthew Muffin, wearing a mechanics jumpsuit. On bass is Kinsey Ring and drumming is Michael Sunnycide, wearing a vest with patches, gelled hair in a mohawk, and one of the aforementioned ball gags around his neck. Starting off with a song “About a bar, not this bar, but essential to the Liars Club Lollygagger experience” is “Liars Club”. Mr. Muffin, putting most of his effort into screaming, is supported by a sick riff from Ring.
With a held screech followed by a cute solo, we transition to “Bombs Away”, with bass and drums coming back in to transition. Even though the drums are (relatively) calmer in this song, Sunnycide is still bouncing out of his seat. Ring leads, with a nasty riff on bass, while Matthew basically plays rhythm, howling away on the mic. This next song has a name that “Basically means no more tyranny. If you’ve checked the news lately, or talked to anyone, you’ll find it everywhere. Anyways, we’re a band called Sweetie” (with woops from actual Sweetie in the crowd.)
Orating like a politician in the verses, and punctuating the pre-chorus with aggressive eyebrow maneuvering, the Muffin man is in perfect caricature like a sketch artist. Sunnycide looks to Matthew through the pre-chorus with a face like a dog waiting on the word to attack. And attack he does, beating the drums like they owe him money, with Matthew calling for a circle pit to open up (it tragically didn’t happen, but most of the people dancing started dancing harder for him at least).
Birdy chirps “Makeup’s for girls!” to which Muffin replies “Ya bitch, anybody can sparkle. This next one goes out to Sweetie!” This song is “About how controlling religion is while also being so interesting. Like going into church and being like what the fuck, are you tithing me?” With a pick slide, we are thrown into “Found In The Dirt”, Matthew narrating like a children’s author, but with a heavy dose of sardonic chastising. The music swarms together and then falls apart, cutting to just Sunnycide leaning on his toms. Ring builds tension with the bass, before Muffin cuts back in, summoning a holy ghost through his solo. “This song is about rocking through your 20’s, with no regards to your back health.” “Schmorgishbord” opens with a solo from Ring, who looks at his hand with the awe and wonder one would hold over a familiar summoned to shred. With a mild “One two three four!” we’re gently pushed into the song, Sunnycide and Muffin hammering away. Matthew leads us into “Dopamine Cops” with a chant, “When I say, ‘Fuck you’, you say dad! Fuck you, dad! Fuck you, dad!” With a sound markedly toned down compared to the rest of the set, Muffin almost drunkenly slurred his words in the verse, backed by melancholy sound from Ring and Sunnycide. Matthew lunges forward screaming again through the chorus, before cutting to just him again, voice echoing back and forth through some sort of delay effect, backed by a simple guitar riff. Sunnycide tumbles in behind him on the drums, Ring following close behind, Muffin finally calling screeching feedback with his guitar with vocals caught between it like memories.
“So, despite the name, my boss is actually a really nice guy, but I want you to imagine YOUR boss, and punching him right in the face!”, we’re dragged screaming into “My Boss Is a Dick”, with simple chords and just cymbals. Muffin rages through the chorus, laughing maniacally as if at an ironic joke, Sunnycide and Ring nodding along in collusion. Ring solos out of there, hand crawling over his bass like a spider, while Muffin looks on both delighted and impressed. Matthew takes this moment to introduce the band, calling himself “Dingus Khan, with drums from Michael Sunnycide, and Mr. Wizard Fingers himself on bass… Everybody say, ‘I love you Sweetie’ (“I don’t love no man” from Birdy), I love you Neighborhood Threat! This next song is about sausages, cause that’s what my drunk drummer is yelling at me. It’s called ‘Might Methuselah’s Salami’.”
“You know, 8-year-old me would be stoked, yelling about sausages to a room full of people. I’ve always been a fan of tubular meat.” Somewhere within that sausage story, Sunnycide donned a ball gag. They blast through this song, with Sunnycide opening his eyes wide during the chorus, and (trying) to scream along.
Closing out the evening is “Stone”, Muffin dramatically reciting the interludes like a Greek chorus, while Sunnycide stands up and conspiratorially raps on his cymbals. Sitting down again, he damn nearly bites a chunk out that gag while he beats the life out of his drum set. Ring nods his head like a maestro conducting his orchestra, before looking endearingly at Muffin as he beats the life out of his guitar. They leave the stage while tracing a heart in the air, saying “We love you, go home, tip your bartenders, we’re Lollygagger…I mean Sweetie.”
Mustard Plug stopped in Chicago last month for their 21st Annual Holiday Spectacular, featuring some of our favorite ska bands and Celtic punk rockers Flatfoot 56. Check out the full gallery for each band! Bumsy and the Moochers J. Navarro & the Traitors Flatfoot 56 Mustard Plug
Mustard Plug stopped in Chicago last month for their 21st Annual Holiday Spectacular, featuring some of our favorite ska bands and Celtic punk rockers Flatfoot 56.
Sweetie is a Chicago-based lipstick-punk band with a femme fatale ferocity and a French influence. Voted a Top 5 Punk Band in the Chicago Reader two years in a row, Sweetie has found a niche in playing shows in the punk scene and drag shows alike, including venues such as the Metro, Green Mill, The […]
Meet Sweetie.
Joe
Bass
Birdy Vee
Guitar and vocals
Ryan
Drums
Sweetie is a Chicago-based lipstick-punk band with a femme fatale ferocity and a French influence. Voted a Top 5 Punk Band in the Chicago Reader two years in a row, Sweetie has found a niche in playing shows in the punk scene and drag shows alike, including venues such as the Metro, Green Mill, The Egyptian Theatre, Reggie’s, Cobra Lounge, Last Rites and Liar’s Club.
Dying Scene is thrilled to interview this local band and talk about drag queens, the queer community, new music releases and some hard-hitting questions that you do not want to miss.
What do you love most about being in Sweetie?
Joe: Honestly, I enjoy the spectacle of our live show. The band is always pushing ourselves to perform our very best and engage with our audience. So many rock songs are pretty simple 3 or 4-chord progressions, but it’s all about the raw power that you play those chords. And raw power is something that Sweetie brings to the table in spades!
Ryan: All the fantastic folks! Making friends with all these incredible bands, venues, and not to mention Birdy and Joe has been an absolute pleasure.
Birdy: I love the wide variety of opportunities to express myself creatively. Writing music is one of my favorite creative outlets, and it is an even bigger high when you take that song you wrote and perform it with your bandmates for the first time. The feeling of that tiny idea turning into such a big sound gives me goosebumps! Also, I ADORE performing. I really love being on stage and interacting with the crowd.
I also love finding new and creative ways for Sweetie to perform. We often perform in spaces that can be considered atypical for a punk band. We’re the house band for the Rocky Horror Picture Show in Dekalb and have performed at countless drag shows. I really like to find ways to take the idea of the typical punk show and elevate it: collaborating with a different variety of artists and performers and giving it that variety show feel.
I also love the connections I have made with people in the scene! I have made some really wonderful friendships with other musicians and performers in the scene, many of whom have been so supportive in so many ways. Sweetie would not exist today without the care and support of these people. AND I LOVE connecting with new people at our shows. I am a huge people-person and love to meet new folks.
How would you describe the music you typically create?
B: If Edith Piaf was reborn as a punk musician, that would be Sweetie. Our music is hyper-emotive, almost to a fault, and is often about love and longing through a female lens, with nods to subculture, queer culture, and the underworld nightlife. All just completely smeared in red lipstick.
Ryan, you were a music major with a heavy background in jazz music…did you ever picture you’d be playing in a glam lipstick punk band?
R: Well, I knew some type of rock band was inevitable, as that’s what came first in my life. I’ve been a jazz guy since high school, and I think that’s really influenced the way I play all styles of music in terms of style, phrasing, improvisation, etc.; so as far as the punk aspect goes, I see the jazz background as an asset to my playing. As far as the “glam lipstick” aspect goes, that’s a new one for me but I’m diggin’ it!
Birdy, you spearheaded the amazing local music fest Hands Off Our Fest (H.O.O.F.), can you tell me more about it, and will we expect it to come back in 2024?
B: Hands Off Our Fest is a music festival celebrating the women, femmes, and thems of the Chicago punk scene, featuring a drag show consisting of some of the area’s finest drag queens, kings, and things. I created this festival to help the women, femmes, thems, and queer folks in the local punk scene to bond with one another, network, and to create space. I have often felt stifled and uncomfortable as a woman in the punk scene, and the feeling can be very isolating. Also, there are so many local femme and queer acts locally that so often get overlooked and replaced with these cis-male fronted bands. I wanted to create a fest to celebrate these amazing talents and voices, while also just having as much fun as possible. The festival was such a success and every time I bump into a fellow HOOF performer when out and about, it’s always such a treat! I’ve definitely made many new friends as a result, and I ABSOLUTELY want to keep this festival going in the years to come. You can DEFINITELY expect HOOF to return in 2024.
Joe, you use an electric bass for your other bands but an upright bass for Sweetie. Any reason why?
J: One of the most important things that I have learned as a hired-gun/studio musician is that you should always serve the song. While there is definitely a level of flash to showing up to a rock gig with an instrument almost matching the size of the drum set, my intention is not to draw away from the songs and compliment them the best I can. I originally joined the group as a “fill in” for a few gigs for the band. When I was sent over demos and videos to learn the songs for these upcoming shows, Birdy was playing a 335/semi-hollow style guitar. This sound instantly brought me back to the classic rockabilly and Elvis records that I loved as a kid, while still being punk rock!
Of course, I showed up to the first band rehearsal/audition with all the songs learned on the electric bass, but I asked about what Birdy thought about me playing upright the next time we got together. I’m pretty sure that her response was, “I’ve never thought about how that would sound, but sure”. I fully believe that she was thinking that I was planning this only for the upcoming show to make it a large surprise spectacle, not that I was dead serious about taking the bass role on this instrument. I also don’t think this instrumental change took too much convincing after hearing it in application and has absolutely shaped some of our own Sweetie sound (even if Birdy changed over to her Flying V guitar).
At your show at The Metro with The Lawrence Arms, you brought out a drag performer (who was fantastic!) and I’ve noticed Sweetie does a lot of stuff related with drag performers. Any reason why?
B: That was my drag mother, Sindy Vicious! Since really early on, Sweetie has been collaborating with drag performers as often as we can. It all started out when we had a residency at a queer comedy variety show called T-Time at the Comedy Shrine (Rest in Peace Comedy Shrine). This was run by Penelope Torres and was a quarterly variety show that featured queer stand-up comedy, drag performances, and music by Sweetie, the resident band for this event. At our very first show, we met drag performer Sindy Vicious, who later approached me with an idea for a music video for our song ‘Devil Girl’. Her and I immediately began working together and this formed a creative collaboration and friendship that has persisted ever since. I am actually in the Haus of Vicious now (a Haus being a drag family in the community) and Vicious is where the Vee in Birdy Vee originates! She directed and edited the video for Devil Girl, Mamma, as well as the music video for our new single, Showgirl. The video also features drag performer and my dear pal, Kai Valentine. I love performing and collaborating with the drag community and hope to continue to do so in the years to come!
You are about to release a new single! What’s the inspiration behind the song?
B: The new single is called ‘Showgirl’, and there is so much inspiration behind this song. Firstly, the title is a nod to the movie Showgirls (1995) which is one of my favorite cult films of all time (after the Rocky Horror Picture Show, of course). At the time that I wrote the song, I was starting to feel the isolation and frustration that can come with being a performer. You are putting your whole heart and all of your energy into this thing, pouring your guts out on stage, and then when it’s all over, what’s left? The song also parallels a relationship that is in the same vein- something that you are pouring your heart into and from which you are getting very little back. But in the song, there’s also that tone of resilience, with a focus on women in the music industry. The stress that women in the music industry are under, and well as the constant criticism that they face can be shattering. The statement of ‘this will not break me’, which a lot of times is easier said than done, helps the song end on a high note. Ultimately, ‘Showgirl’ makes it through and comes out stronger in the end.
When can we expect the next album?
B: The new album is called La Vie en Rouge (which means Life in Red), which is a reference to Edith Piaf’s ‘La Vie en Rose’. The song La Vie en Rose is about being in love and seeing ‘life in pink’. The idea of La Vie en Rouge takes that idea but intensifies it. When you’re seeing life in red, there is passion, there is rage, there is fire. That is what I’m trying to channel in this album. Also, Sweetie’s most recognizable color is red, so the album title is a nod to that as well. We are so proud of this album and it is projected to come out in June 2024.
Now for the hard-hitting questions…would you rather fight one horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?
J: While I would ideally not like to cause any harm to these proposed majestical creatures. My gut instinct would be to choose the 100 duck-sized horses to see if we may be able to reach some sort of diplomatic resolution without violence. But on the other hand, a horse-sized duck head would look pretty sweet mounted over a fireplace mantle…
R: Horse-sized duck is out of the question. I’m already afraid of geese and they’re not much larger than ducks. On the other hand, what’s a duck-sized horse gonna do? Kick me? Okay.
B: Do I get some sort of weapon? I’m pretty sure I could fight off 100 duck-sized horses with a broom or a hammer or something. But one horse-sized duck? They’ve got all those little teeth and they can fly and hunt you down… But then the 100 duck-horses could kick you to death with their little hooves. If I get a weapon, I’ll choose the little duck-sized horses.
Lastly, if you went on a national tour, how many pairs of pants would you bring with you?
J: My serious answer would probably be 3 to have a solid rotation, but I would be an advocate for shorts (weather dependent) to require less fabric to dirty up and for a higher level of comfort.
R: We don’t believe in that sort of thing.
B: No.
Anything else you want us to know?
B: Women, femmes, thems, and queer folks in the punk and alternative communities need to take up more space in our scene. Keep punk rock queer.
Check out the gallery below for more live photos of Sweetie and be on the look out for their new song release and album!
Peace out, 2023. Whether or not this was your year, we got some pretty sweet punk releases out of it. Here’s a list of some of my favorite singles/songs from albums that dropped this year. Bonus: There’s also my top 20 favorite concert photos I shot in 2023 for Dying Scene (I have way more […]
Peace out, 2023. Whether or not this was your year, we got some pretty sweet punk releases out of it. Here’s a list of some of my favorite singles/songs from albums that dropped this year. Bonus: There’s also my top 20 favorite concert photos I shot in 2023 for Dying Scene (I have way more that I love, so it was hard to narrow it down)! Cheers!
Dynamic power punk bands Heet Deth and Sweetie played together at one of Chicago’s iconic dive bar music venues on November 4th. Locals know Liar’s Club is the best place to go for a punk show and to see what eclectic boots Chicago Reader’s voted best music venue bartender Gary Kessler is sporting for the […]
Dynamic power punk bands Heet Deth and Sweetie played together at one of Chicago’s iconic dive bar music venues on November 4th. Locals know Liar’s Club is the best place to go for a punk show and to see what eclectic boots Chicago Reader’s voted best music venue bartender Gary Kessler is sporting for the night.
Heet Deth is a noisy-fierce post punk duo that is not new to Dying Scene. Their Bandcamp description says it best, “perpetually throwing a heavy apocalyptic party. Blasting bombastic rock n’ roll to quake you to your soul.”
Some of my favorite bands are two-piece duos that are forces not to be reckoned with.
Self-proclaimed lipstick punk band Sweetie has been voted a top five Chicago punk band in the Chicago Reader and holds a residency for the Rocky Horror Picture Show in Dekalb, IL.
Frontwoman Birdy Vee also recently created the Chicago punk music festival Hands Off Our Fest (H.O.O.F). Featuring over a half a dozen bands and live performers, H.O.O.F. is a music fest celebrating the women, femmes, and thems of the Chicago punk scene.
Sweetie currently has shows all over the Chicagoland area, but if you want to go to a SUPER special show you need to check out The 9th Annual War on Xmas show where they will be opening for The Lawrence Arms at the legendary Chicago venue Metro!
The third and final day of Riot Fest had a bit more rain and clouds but that seemed totally fitting for the main headliner of the day, The Cure, and Dying Scene has photos for you in case you missed it. We are also showcasing some other amazing bands, including AFI, Earth Crisis, The Bronx, […]
The third and final day of Riot Fest had a bit more rain and clouds but that seemed totally fitting for the main headliner of the day, The Cure, and Dying Scene has photos for you in case you missed it. We are also showcasing some other amazing bands, including AFI, Earth Crisis, The Bronx, Gorilla Biscuits and Fleshwater!
Fleshwater is an alternative post-hardcore band from Georgetown, Massachusetts. Anthony DiDio and Matt Wood are also members of hardcore group Vein.fm.
Straight-edge hardcore band Earth Crisis brought a blazing and intense performance.
The Bronx! If you are lucky enough to embark on Flogging Molly’s Salty Dog Cruise in November you’ll see them there!
Finishing off his three-peat performance weekend, Walter Schreifels and the Gorilla Biscuits had no shortage of energy!
I first saw AFI at Riot Fest 2013; ten years later they still put on one of the best shows. If you haven’t seen them live yet you are really missing out.
The Cure closed out the night with a mesmerizing concert to an emotional crowd of fans that waited for this moment all day.
Check out the full gallery below and revisit day one and day two!
