Dying Scene

Dying Scene Exclusive Interview with Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, Thalia Hall, Chicago, Illinois (03/2024).

On 09 March 2024, Otoboke Beaver headlined a sold-out show at Thalia Hall in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, with Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, and Ovef Ow opening the show! Here’s how it looked! Prior to the show, Dying Scene (Fleurette Estes) and Kyle Decker interviewed Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, where they also took some […]

On 09 March 2024, Otoboke Beaver headlined a sold-out show at Thalia Hall in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, with Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, and Ovef Ow opening the show! Here’s how it looked!

Prior to the show, Dying Scene (Fleurette Estes) and Kyle Decker interviewed Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, where they also took some photographs. Check out the interview below and go check them out!!!

Megan, Meena, and MJ at Thalia Hall Lounge Room.

Interview has been shortened for clarity and length.

Dying Scene: Tell me about Drinking Boys and Girls Choir. Introduce yourselves and who you are, where you’re from, and your members.  

Myeong-jin Kim (MJ): Drinking Boys and Girls Choir is from South Korea, and we’re based in Daegu City, South Korea. I’m MJ and I’m from Daegu City. I was born in Pohang but currently live in Daegu City. I play drums and sing. 

Meena Bae (MB): I am Meena, I’m the bassist and I also sing. 

Megan Nisbet (MN): My name’s Megan. I live in South Korea, but I’m from Glasgow, Scotland and I play guitar and sing in the band. 

MB: Yeah, we write our own songs, and every member contributes. 

MJ: Yeah. 

MB: There is no main songwriter. 

DS: So, how did you all meet? And were you friends before joining this band? 

MB: Yes. MJ and I were friends from around 2007. Yeah, she was young, just 20, and she just joined the university. At the time she was in a band named the Odeum Starz and it was a cute pop punk band and they just started making their own songs because they couldn’t play well enough to cover other songs. So, it was really kind of cute, but they ended the group because…  

MJ: Army service in Korea and the job career thing. After that, we started a girl band, Chicken and Mayo ABC. 

MB: Chicken and Mayo ABC. A few years later we decided to do a band again. It is Drinking Boys and Girls Choir.  

MJ: Yes. 

“Daegu City is conservative, and my parents are super conservative. Nowadays, almost all young people really just like K-pop music, the K-pop scene, and K-pop culture. And in Korea, as you know, the mainstream doesn’t play punk music. They just stream the K-pop music, K-pop things. So that’s why young people can’t know about their taste in music”.

– Meena Bae

DS: Do you still play and do things with the other band? 

MB: No.  

DS: Do you ever want to try to relive that one? 

MB: No. We’re done. That’s just our memory. We don’t want to make it again. We want to make new things. 

DS: How would you describe your music? And who are your influences? 

MB: We really like Sum 41, NOFX, Blink-182, The Offspring. We went to the Bouncing Souls show in Chicago last night and it was very beautiful. And yeah, Alice in Chains… So, many American punk bands really inspired us. 

MN: We describe the music as being fast, aggressive guitar sound, intense drumming, and a powerful bass tone but with angelic vocals over the top of everything. Three-part harmonies. 

MB: I really like harmony. I just sing by myself, and they just start to make harmonies every time, every time… 

MN: I go low, you go high. 

Kyle Decker (KD): For the choir part… 

“Earlier in the afternoon, we ate a really good lunch with Kyle at Bang Bang Pie, and I really liked that quiche and chicken pot pie and the other dessert pie. I really liked that. And maybe tomorrow we have lots of time before the show, so I hope to go to some good place and maybe I believe that he will introduce us to so many good things there”.

-Meena Bae

(L-R: Meena, MJ, Megan, and Kyle)

DS: So, you have been on tour with Otoboke Beaver. Did you know them before the tour? How has it been becoming friends with them on the tour? 

MB: Yeah, we are label mates. We are signed to Damnably with them. The Damnably label is based in London. The first time we met them was in 2019 at South by Southwest and then we started doing tours together.  

MN: Yeah. With this lineup, we’ve done two tours with them. We did the UK last year in May and then this year here in the US for the first time. And we get on very well with them. They’re very friendly, lovely people. 

MB: Yes. We really like each other. 

MB: Yeah, we’ve done more shows with them, we even did a show in Korea with them. Before Megan joined, we went to Japan to celebrate their new album. In 2019 and 2020 we toured together in the UK and the Netherlands. So, we really love our songs and our vibe and really respect ourselves and each other. It’s a really good vibe. 

KD: The scene has shifted since I left Daegu City, I know that, but what is it like being the only punk band in a pretty conservative city? How many people come out to shows? 

MB: Yeah, Daegu City is conservative, and my parents are super conservative. Nowadays, almost all young people really just like K-pop music, the K-pop scene, and K-pop culture. And in Korea, as you know, the mainstream doesn’t play punk music. They just stream the K-pop music, K-pop things. So that’s why young people can’t know about their taste in music. Do you know what I mean? 

MN: They don’t have many options for different types of music to listen to because it’s pretty much K-pop or bust. So, they don’t know how to find new artists to listen to and stuff like that. So, at our shows, the audience is, on average, older, late twenties, early thirties. 

DS: So, I heard you guys are paving the way for K-punk.

MB: Yeah, so we use the “K.” Actually, we really hate the “K” things, but we started to use the K-punk because it makes it easier to find our music. And so, we are trying to reach out to younger audiences. So, when we put on our own shows in Korea, we give free tickets to underage youth. But yeah, it’s hard to get a crowd. We never get a crowd of even 100 people in Daegu.

KD: Do you feel like you’re getting more audience response in the United States and Europe than in Korea? 

MJ: So, we’re getting bigger in US, Europe, and the UK but not in Korea. 

MB: So, sometimes we get invited to the (Asia Cultural Center) World Music Festival in Korea and so many members from the audience have told me, “Oh, I didn’t know you are from Daegu. I live in Daegu, but I don’t know you.” So, every crowd has told me that. I don’t know how we can grow our audience in Daegu. Yeah, I don’t know. 

MJ killing it on the drums!!!

DS: I’ve been following you on social media and so many of the shows are sold out. What does that feel like?  

MN: It feels like a huge opportunity really for us. And so far, the audience response has been positive. They come to the merch table, and they tell us how much they enjoyed the show and it’s really encouraging. So, I think we’ve done the right thing coming here.

DS: I absolutely love the fact that every time I look on my Instagram page you’ve had another sold-out show. I just think that’s lovely. 

MJ: Yeah. 

DS: Tours can be busy. Have you had time to do any sightseeing while you’re in any of the cities? 

MJ: Actually, we drive ourselves so we can see a lot. 

DS: At night? 

MN: Actually, during the day. So, when we were driving through Salt Lake City and places like that, we got the full view of everything. Beautiful, snowy mountains and everything like that. So, it’s been lovely. As for sightseeing, we had time in Seattle because we started the tour there and we visited pretty much most of the tourist spots in Seattle, like the Space Needle and MoPOP museum and everything.  

MJ: The Sub Pop store. 

MN: The Sub Pop clothing store. 

MJ: And KEXP. 

MJ: And the market.  

MN: The seafood markets. Pike Place. 

MB: Pike Place Market. Chicago is really the second city we’ve been able to stay in for a few days. Earlier in the afternoon, we ate a really good lunch with Kyle at Bang Bang Pie, and I really liked that quiche and chicken pot pie and the other dessert pie. I really liked that. And maybe tomorrow we have lots of time before the show, so I hope to go to some good place and maybe I believe that he will introduce us to so many good things there. 

DS: There are so many amazing places to eat and to see. Besides playing amazing shows with great crowds, what else do you want to accomplish while you’re in the States? 

MJ: Maybe work on our next tour… 

MN: While we’re here now, I want to have a good bond with the four people in our party…make some close relationships. I want to make some fans in every city and make a good impression on people by being very kind and friendly and open. That’s what I want to do. 

DS: Being from South Korea, do you feel responsible for representing your country?  

MB: Yes. 

DS: What do you want your audience to know about South Korea? 

MB: Yeah, Korea is not just K-pop. Yeah, I hope for them to know about that. We have so many subcultures. And really everything is small because Korea is small, but I hope the audience knows there’s more to Korea than just K-pop. I want the audience to think about Korea a little bit positively. 

MJ: Yeah.

DS: If anyone were to visit your hometown of Daegu City, what are the top three recommendations you have for them to do or see? 

MB: Yeah, like our song that we call the “BIG NINE, Let’s Go,” we introduced three locations. The first one is Daemyeong-dong…it’s really a music neighborhood…in the music scene. There is Club Led Zeppelin. And there is a famous beautiful university there called Keimyung University. Even New Jeans’s music video (for the song “Ditto”) was filmed there. And so many famous Korean dramas were filmed there. So, I want to introduce Club Heavy. They remodeled it and the rooftop is beautiful. Sometimes we have acoustic shows on the roof when the weather is good. Because we have the four seasons and the summer is extremely hot and winter is extremely cold, so we cannot do anything outside in the summer or winter. So, we have just a few days we can do rooftop shows. So, I want to recommend it. And second location is downtown Daegu – Dongseong-ro. And the third one, if you want to go to Suseongmot (Suseong Lake) you can take the monorail. It’s a beautiful lake with many restaurants, but it is a little bit expensive.

Actually, I say in the song (“BIG NINE, Let’s Go”), “makchang, soondae, joonghwa bibimbap.” It is really famous food in Daegu. It’s not vegan but… yeah. And so nowadays I’m trying to say the vegan food in the middle of singing. So sometimes I say different foods. 

MN: Changing the lyrics of the song on the fly.  

DS:  Tell me about your favorite performance as a group so far. 

MN: Why don’t we talk about the performance from this tour that we liked?  

MJ: As for our performance, I choose LA. 

MN: Me too. 

MB: Me too. 

MJ: And for enjoyability, Pioneertown.  

MN: Yeah. 

MB: Yeah. 

MJ: For perfection level, LA. For enjoyment level, Pioneertown. 

MN: We played well in LA. We just were on the same wavelength. 

MB: The zone! 

MN: We were in the zone, and everybody had a really good time. We felt nervous before the show, but as soon as we got up there, we just really locked in.  

MJ: So much fun! So much fun! So much fun!  

MN: Pioneertown was like this little cowboy-themed town in the desert somewhere in California. We liked that show because it was a smaller, more intimate venue, but it was packed. And, we’re used to playing in a smaller club setting, so it was more comfortable for us, and we could let go and just have a good time. 

MB: Yeah! 

DS: What’s next for you? Are you working on new music? Do you have any tours planned? 

MB: Yeah, during this tour we have had a good response from the audience and really every city’s promoter has been really impressed by us. So, they’re really starting to focus on us. So, maybe we could headline our own U.S. tour later this year. And I hope we could also tour the UK and Europe. We are also planning an Asian tour, so maybe we will visit Taiwan and Japan this year. And we really tried to make a new album, our third album, last year. We’ve already recorded eight songs, so we must finish our third album this year. 

MN: We just released a new single and I think that it showcases the new direction of the band, the new influence maybe that I’m bringing to the table, and we are pulling out of each other. So, you can hear that in the new single. Three-part harmonies. Really fast, aggressive but angelic vocals over the top. The song is called History. And then we’re working on the new album, hopefully.  

MJ: Yeah, and we have a live album soon to be released, maybe in the summer. 

MB: We just recorded the live album in January.  

DS: Oh, that would be exciting.

KD: Megan, how did you become involved in the band? Because I’ve known Drinking Boys and Girls Choir for a while, and I’ve known them to have a rotating cast, so to speak. How did you join the band and what new directions and influences are you bringing to it? 

MN: Right. So, I really love indie music and I’m a huge music fan and I’ve always played guitar. But since I was like 14. And, so, I was just watching KEXP at home in South Korea one night by myself with a bottle of wine. And, so, I’m scrolling through, and I saw Drinking Boys and Girls Choir and I look at the band name and the thumbnail and I’m thinking they look Korean. I think maybe they’re Korean, so let’s check it out. So, I clicked it, it was their session that they did in 2021.  

MN: I totally fell in love with the band, their appearance, the energy, and everything. So, okay, I followed them on Instagram and everything like that.  

MB: We put up a notice that we were looking for new guitarist.

MN: I thought I don’t have anything to lose, I might as well. So, I sent them an email and the rest is history. 

“We describe the music as being fast, aggressive guitar sound, intense drumming, and a powerful bass tone but with angelic vocals over the top of everything. Three-part harmonies”.

– Megan Nesbit

DS: So, have you guys toured Scotland, yet? 

MN: Yes, we did. 

MB: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. 

DS: How was that experience? 

MJ: We met Megan’s parents, cousins, aunties, everyone… 

MB: I feel like every town was Megan’s town because people came to see her.  

MN: They were happy to meet the girls. They were kissing and hugging them. I was delighted to introduce them to my family as well. 

MB: Yeah, it was. And because we were born in Daegu and we’ve lived in Daegu our whole lives. So, our parents or family culture is not close to each other in Daegu, and I felt the love from her family. So, I was so happy to be there. 

MN: It was great.  

MJ: Yeah. Maybe more than my parents. 

MB: Yes, exactly. 

MJ: They loved me more than my parents. 

MB: Yes, exactly. Yeah, she calls her father often and every time he asks about how the girls are doing.  

MJ: Yeah, it’s like a family now.  

MB: And he bought lots of beers for us. Yeah, we had a really good time. Maybe if we can arrange our schedule for the next tour, I want to make Glasgow our last city. I want to spend more time in Glasgow after the tour. Yeah, I hope.  

MN: I would love to show them not just Glasgow but other cities and other more rural northern areas in Scotland because it’s a beautiful country. I think they would love it. 

DS: What advice do you have for musicians who are starting out? And those who are touring other countries? 

MJ: Workout.  

MB: Yes. It’s important.  

MJ: Yeah, physical workout is important. It makes you healthier, physically, and mentally. 

MB: Yeah. 

MN: What do you think? 

MB: Don’t think about it, just do it. 

MN: This is where you get the personalities of each of us, right? She says work out is a good and logical answer. Don’t think about it, just do it. Okay. And then for me I would say be personable, be friendly, be honest. Wear your heart on your sleeve and go for it. 

DS: Great. Thank you. What five bands are you guys listening to while on tour? 

MJ: For me, I like Jacob de Haan, a composer from the Netherlands. I love that man. 

MN: In the van, we listen to music mostly in the van because that’s the best time for it. So, I guess I’ve been listening to Bouncing Souls a lot. Hot Water Music… 

MB: On this tour… Smoking Goose. 

MN: Smoking Goose. I love that band. That’s a Korean band. Okay. They’re from a city called Daejeon and they play skate punk music. They’re a three-piece. They also play fast, have catchy hooks, and play three-part harmonies as well. So, I guess I love that band. And we are three girls. They’re three boys and they’re cool.  

MN. Jaurim. Good, classic Korean rock band. They’re still active today. Very kind. Nice people. 

MB: Yeah, they’re super rock stars in Korea. 

MN: Super rock stars. 

MB: We did we say five? Alice in Chains, The Offspring, Bouncing Souls…Tyler Langley. 

MJ: NOFX! 

MB: So, I’d like to introduce some of our friends in Korea. We really like Billy Carter. They are really…blues… 

KD: They’re like psychedelic blues, but they’re rooted in the punk scene, too. 

MN: They have a punk vibe as well. But it is like bluesy. 

MB: Yeah. A really good band. My friends Ohchill and they released a new album last year. And I want to recommend Smoking Goose as well. Who else? 

MJ: We’d like to introduce some other Daegu bands named Sindosi. They’re a post-punk band. There’s a legendary band from Daegu called March Kings. They’re not a punk band but we recommend them. There are female-fronted bands called Igloo and Honz.  

DS: What else would you like to share with Dying Scene’s readers? 

MB: Yeah, just come to our show when we come back here again. And please buy our merch. 

MN: Please check out our music here. Come to the show. And then if you do come to the show, come, and say hi. Because we are selling the merch personally ourselves. We love to talk to people and sign things and take pictures and everything. So, don’t be shy and just come say hello. That’s it.  

MB: Thank you so much.  

DS: Thank you. 

Check out the Otoboke Beaver, Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, and Ovef Ow Photo Galleries below and check out the link for The Korean Times collab with Fleurette Estes and Kyle Decker.

by Staff Writer Fleurette Estes
Tags: 
Alice In Chains Blink182 bouncing souls chicago Music Damnably

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DS Show Review & Gallery: The Bouncing Souls, Blind Adam and the Federal League; and Vic Ruggiero. Chicago (03.09.2024)

The Bouncing Souls returned to Chicago for a three-day stand recently. Night Two had the Garden State legends playing its albums Hopeless Romantic and The Gold Record. Bouncing Souls were joined by Chicago’s own Blind Adam and the Federal League, as well as Bronx, NY’s Vic Ruggiero, of the Slackers, performing a solo set. The […]

The Bouncing Souls returned to Chicago for a three-day stand recently. Night Two had the Garden State legends playing its albums Hopeless Romantic and The Gold Record. Bouncing Souls were joined by Chicago’s own Blind Adam and the Federal League, as well as Bronx, NY’s Vic Ruggiero, of the Slackers, performing a solo set.

The Bouncing Souls, formed in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1989, is hitting four cities this year for 3-night, 5-record celebrations. Brooklyn, NY will welcome the band in April; Denver, CO in August; and Garden Grove, CA, in December. First up was Chicago with the band playing a full band acoustic set at Epiphany Center for the Arts on night one. The next two nights took place at The Bottom Lounge where the band played the records How I Spent My Summer Vacation from 2001 and 2003’s Anchors Aweigh on the final evening.

Night two featured the seminal 1996 album Hopeless Romantic and The Gold Record from 2006. The Bouncing Souls was in fine form, as energetic as ever, as it drove through its signature bursts of up-tempo and buoyant songs. Singer Greg Attonito roaming the stage as he belted out the songs; Pete Steinkopf, dynamic on guitar; Bryan Kienlen’s muscular bass playing; and George Rebelo’s potent work on drums added up to an outstanding set. Highlights for me included “Fight to Live,” Bullying The Jukebox, and “¡Olé!,” all off Hopeless Romantic.

I will add a personal note on that last mentioned song. As a long-time Arsenal FC, I find it to be fantastic pump-up jam play it on repeat when headed to cheer on my favorite football club. It’s also our second song on Dying Scene’s 2022 World Cup Playlist. Steinkopf and Bad Religion’s Brian Baker have been “football teammates” for a while. But I’ll have to wait until there is a Gunners-style kit as the one in the above link is an obvious take-off of Manchester City, FC, and that’s a hard no from me.

The Bouncing Souls (and Bad Religion) however, is always a hard yes.

Blind Adam and the Federal League, out of Chicago, is staunchly anti-fascist. Frontman Adam Gogola, who for a while ran a charitable organization called the People’s Pizza Party, is not shy about expressing his views and putting those words into action. This was made clear by the “Free Palestine” shirt he wore on stage. During the set, he also spoke of Nex Benedict, the 16-year-old Oklahoma transgender student who died a day after they were brutally beaten by three girls at school. Gogola urged the crowd members to do what they can to fight transphobia, homophobia, and other vulnerable communities, as well as to fight back against rights being taken away from women and others.

In addition, it was a family affair for Gogola, with his parents in attendance, and his wife, Jessica Ever, joining him onstage for a song.

Gogola, his bandmates Alex Simotes and Nick Cvijovic, and Sean McGill filling on drums for Athen Erbter, drove through a powerful set. It was heavy with songs from the band’s most recent record, 2023’s The Fields We Know, including “The Sower,” “Before It Gets Better” (with Jessica Ever), “Meet Me at George Floyd Square,” “One for the Bootlickers,” and “Cold Dead Hands.” It is worth noting that Pete Steinkopf of Bouncing Souls produced The Fields We Know.

Members of Blind Adam and the Federal League will be continuing their regular “Pick a Side” DJ night at The Native in Chicago on March 28, 2024. The event takes place every last Thursday of the month.

Vic Ruggiero, best known as a member of NYC’s ska/rock-steady The Slackers, hails from the Bronx. However, as he told me post-set, he hasn’t spent much time there as of late due to extensive touring.

On this night (he also opened up night 3) Ruggiero was a one-man band, holding his guitar; harmonica at mouth level, playing a kick drum with his left foot and a tambourine with his right. Ruggiero, as solo troubadour, looks as if he would fit in perfectly at the Greenwich Village coffee houses of the 1960s. Venues such as The Gaslight where Bob Dylan and others could be found. The casting agents of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel missed the opportunity to cast him in a cameo at The Gaslight Café where the eponymous character started her comedy career.

The charismatic Ruggiero jammed through an entertaining set that included “Vacant Stare,” “Junkie Parents,” and a terrific cover of the Ink Spots’ “I Don’t Want to Set The World on Fire.”

Ruggiero rejoins his Slackers bandmates for numerous upcoming shows across parts of North America. The band will then head to Europe just a few days short of the start of Fall for several weeks of shows.

Cheers!

by Staff Writer MerGold
Tags: 
Blind Adam and the Federal League Bottom Lounge bouncing souls chicago New Jersey

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DS News: Slam Dunk announce full line up for 2024 + we say goodbye to You Me At Six

Let’s go! A New Year means a new round of festivals we plan to attend. First up is Slam Dunk; last week, they announced their last names to their already impressive line-up, but bad news was also shared. So, who are the last names that will be joining Pennywise, Snuff, The Interrupters, Waterparks, The Ghost […]

Let’s go! A New Year means a new round of festivals we plan to attend. First up is Slam Dunk; last week, they announced their last names to their already impressive line-up, but bad news was also shared.

So, who are the last names that will be joining Pennywise, Snuff, The Interrupters, Waterparks, The Ghost Inside, Boys Like Girls, The All-American Rejects, State Champs, Taylor Acorn, L.S. Dunes, Mom Jeans, and our overall favs, The Wonder Years?

Beauty School, Caskets, The Dangerous Summer, Arm’s Length, Everything Unfolds, and Guilt Trip. Also announced was You Me At Six, which will also be their last-ever appearance at Slam Dunk Festival. As they announced, they are going their separate ways after twenty years, after they conclude their last tour next year.
Slam Dunk 2024 will occur in Hatfield on May 25th and Leeds on May 26th.

You can buy tickets here.

by Staff Writer Karina Rae Selvig
Tags: 
bouncing souls boyslikegirls H2O i prevail Mom Jeans

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DS Staff Picks: Nasty Nate’s Top 10 of 2023

Congrats on making it through 2023 and inching one year closer to the grave. 2023 was another year in which the ever-growing and developing genre of punk grew and developed just a little bit more. Several punk rock veterans proved why they’re still more relevant than ever, while a good variety of young bucks helped […]

Congrats on making it through 2023 and inching one year closer to the grave. 2023 was another year in which the ever-growing and developing genre of punk grew and developed just a little bit more. Several punk rock veterans proved why they’re still more relevant than ever, while a good variety of young bucks helped fuel the flame of the greatest fuckin’ music genre this world’s ever seen.

My hope is that this isn’t the thousandth “end of the year Top 10” list that comes across your screen. Try not to get too offended by this either if we’re in disagreement; these are merely my favorites from the whole year. Check them out below and see what you think (or check out the playlist at the bottom for my picks of the best songs from the best records).

No. 10: Borrowed Sparks – Let A Little Light In

Hopefully Borrowed Sparks’ name and likeness have become a bit familiar around here. We were lucky enough to debut both the record’s first single “Run ’til You’re Dust” over the Summer, and the full-length itself before its October release date. All I can say is this thing is fuckin’ immaculate; I love every part of Mike Bay’s songwriting and I’m proud that something this rad is coming from right out of my backyard here in Nashville.

Let A Little Light In is the exact opposite of a sophomore slump. Equal parts Gaslight Anthem, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen, Mike Bay has perfected the Americana-punk sound that many Dying Scene readers and writers have fallen in love with.

No. 9: The Bouncing Souls – Ten Stories High

Being that the Souls very well may be my favorite band of all time, there was no way Ten Stories High was being left off of my top 10 list, even if I don’t rank it up there with How I Spent My Summer Vacation and The Gold Record. This record didn’t stray too far from the signature Souls sound, but just enough to make it unique and fresh. I feared that they may take the same experimental direction as Green Day’s new material, of which I am not fond of in the least.

But my fears were quickly put to rest, the title track opens the record and may be my favorite from the whole thing. Other tracks like “True Believer Radio” and “Vin and Casey” (ft. Kevin Seconds) would have fit in perfectly with their early catalog.

No. 8: Decent Criminal – There’s More To It Than Climbing

Thankfully, I was reacquainted with Decent Criminal’s music as I was preparing for an interview with founding members and brothers Tristan and Hunter Martinez. My last encounter with the band was in 2017 while they were on the road with Dwarves and the Queers in support of their debut record Bloom, an incredible display of Southern California skate punk. But the band’s sound has evolved enormously, a perfect example being There’s More To It Than Climbing.

The record has been described by both brothers as a journey, each track being able to stand alone, but also guiding to the next. “Blind” and “Driving” both stuck out as what I remembered as Decent Criminal. But outside of those two, many other genres and sounds were explored that reminded me of influences such as Bradley Nowell (and even some Long Beach Dub All Stars), making this an extremely intriguing record to keep coming back to.

No. 7: The Gaslight Anthem – History Books

In a scenario much like that with the Bouncing Souls, my second favorite band of all time also happened to release a full-length this year. Although this record came as a reemergence from an extensive hiatus, it has the sound and feel of still being well within their prime.

For me, this record is a return to the “Gaslight Anthem sound”, a quality that seemed a bit lacking with Get Hurt. “Positive Charge” and “History Books” were two brand new tracks that really got me in the mood to catch these guys at the historic Ryman Auditorium back on Mother’s Day. And the fact that The Boss is featured on “History Books” sold me on the record immediately.

No. 6: Daikaiju – Phase 3

I hope I’ve made it blatantly obvious by this point how much I admire, applaud, idolize, adore, fuckin’ cherish these dudes. Daikaiju is a national treasure, comprised of the most masterful performing I’ve ever witnessed. I’m trying to consider live performance more for this year’s list and, in including Phase 3 at the number 6 spot, the record itself only tells half the story…

Secret-man, the band’s fearless leader, is the very definition of a shredder. It’s one thing to play fast and flawlessly, but Secret-man’s soloing has occurred while crowd surfing, on the shoulders of fans, and even while their instruments are set ablaze. I still hold strong in saying these dudes are my favorite live show on Earth, and Phase 3 presented a whole new catalog of tunes for their cult-like following to lose their minds to.

No. 5: Northcote – Wholeheart

This was undoubtedly my most anticipated 2023 full-length. I’ve adored Northcote ever since an intimate Dave Hause performance at the Bluebird Cafe in which Matt Goud was summoned up on stage and proceeded to serenade the fuck out of me with a couple of tracks from Hope is Made of Steel. It was an absolute treat for me to be able to pick Goud’s brain about the meaning and process behind Wholeheart.

Done in true DIY fashion, a quality that made me even more of a fan of this thing, this record is more of a raw, stripped-down release than those previous. Inspired by Indian devotional music and a renewed spirituality through nature, I truly appreciated how meaningful and sincere Goud approached this release.

No. 4: Rancid – Tomorrow Never Comes

Tomorrow Never Comes was the main release I was referencing with the statement “punk rock veterans proving why they’re still more relevant than ever”. This has become my favorite Rancid full-length in recent years, even topping ’09’s Let the Dominoes Fall.

Produced by Brett Gurewitz, I was ecstatic to hear a full-length that was, not mimicking the past, but embracing the developed Rancid sound in a record that’s about as close to perfection as you can get. It’s loud, it’s fast, it’s short and to the point; this record is what punk rock should strive to be.

No. 3: Plasma Canvas – Dusk

Up until just before the release of Dusk, I would have called myself a casual fan of Plasma Canvas. But when I received an early link for the record prior to interviewing Adrienne Rae Ash, man was I blown the fuck away for so many different reasons (my first paragraph of that write-up even featured a spoiler that this would rank well at the end of the year).

Ash’s goal for the release was a cyclical record, one that ends right where it begins. This was very much achieved with “Hymn”, the piano-led banger of a lead track, and “Empyrean”, the closing track to a record I listen to almost daily. The band’s debut release as a four-piece brought about a whole new sound featuring Ash’s unmatched vocals and songwriting, creating what I’ll call a “Plasma Canvas sandwich”: soft and melodic bread on each end with a fusion of punk rock mayhem ingredients in between.

No. 2: Samiam – Stowaway

If it weren’t for Jay Stone, I may have entirely forgotten that this came out in 2023 (it’s been a long year, alright). In all honesty, up until Fest 20, I hadn’t given these dudes a fair shot, and little did I know I was missing out big-fuckin’-time. But luckily I’ve come around just in time for Samiam’s first release in over a decade.

Thanks in large part to the four Samiam live shows I’ve seen dating back to just before this release, I was well-prepared to rank Stowaway in the top spot this year. “Lights Out Little Hustler” and “Crystallized” were two live tracks that left me awestruck and questioning what kind of punk-rock-lowlife I’ve been by not getting on board with these guys sooner. But it took a truly special release, at least in my eyes, to dethrone Stowaway from its rightful place atop my 2023 list…

But first… a few honorable mentions. 2023 had way too many releases (365 days worth to be exact) to not show some love to some of my other favorites from the past year.

An interview with the Brokedowns way back in January presented me the perfect chance to really dive into what Chicago’s funniest band had to offer. Maximum Khaki, the band’s first full-length in 5 years, quickly gave me the dose of fast, humorous, raw punk explosiveness that I was craving. Maximum Khaki is the very epitome of punk rock done the right way.

If we’re going off of technicality here, the much-anticipated Wes Hoffman and Friends debut isn’t “officially” released yet. But my vinyl copy showed up at the door a couple of weeks ago, and since we make the rules around here, this eclectic piece of pop-punk shreddery is getting an honorable mention (until next year when it very well may crack the official top 10 list).

I picked a pretty damn good year to attend my first Lucero live show. Should’ve Learned By Now added another handful of catchy tracks to what I’d call the strongest catalog in the game, with this batch being more rock-forward than what some fans may have expected; and I absolutely loved it.

An intimate live show at Music City’s greatest punk bar earlier this year turned me onto these dudes, and I’ve fallen in love. J. Navarro and the Traitors‘ new record All of Us, or None emerged as my favorite ska record of the year, displaying the very same two-tone ska-punk that drew me as a fan of the Pietasters.

Jason Cruz has proven that he can do no wrong. Jason Cruz and Howl‘s Wolves gave me an entirely new appreciation for the musicianship of Cruz and the rest of Strung Out. I’ll even go out on a limb and say that Cruz’s voice may be the most malleable in all of punk.

Thanks for making it this far. Now, for the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Nasty Nate’s pick for 2023 record of the year is…

No. 1: Codefendants – This is Crime Wave

This is Crime Wave appealed to me for so many special reasons.

It’s equal parts punk rock and hip hop, something that, on paper, seems extremely difficult to execute successfully. All expectations were exceeded, with nothing seeming forced on this record. These songs are about as raw and natural as possible (revealed by both King and Cechi in our interview. My number one New Year’s resolution is to have that posted ASAP).

The emotion is insane. Tracks like “Coda-Fendants” and “Disaster Scenes” gave me chills and nearly brought me to tears. Vulnerability and honesty are at the forefront of every song on this release.

Not only was I opened to an entirely new genre in hip-hop, but my appreciation for the songwriting of Sam King, Ceschi Ramos, Fat Mike, Stacey Dee, and many others grew immensely. Hearing the D.O.C.’s triumphant return after 20 years quiet, paired Onry Ozzborne’s contributions, were far more than I needed to justify dipping my toes into what I’ve been missing in the realm of hip hop.

But most convincing of all was seeing all of these qualities portrayed ten-fold on the live stage by the King-Ceschi duo, backed by Zeta. I can confidently say the Codefendants’ show was the most powerful I’ve seen in the last ten years.

So there you have it, Nasty Nate’s favorite new tunes of 2023. Check out the sick playlist down below with all of my favorite songs of all of my favorite records this year. If we’re in disagreement and you think I’ve got it all wrong, make sure you talk all kinds of shit down in the comments. As always, thanks for checking out the site, Cheers!

by Staff Writer NastyNate
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DS Playlist: Jay Stone’s Favorites of 2023 (Samiam and Bouncing Souls and the Hauses and Sammy Kay and Lucero and Chris Cresswell and more!)

As I was sitting here in my spacious corner office at DS HQ fanning myself with our quarterly profit-sharing checks earlier, it dawned on me that the close of 2023 brings with it the close of the first full calendar year since the resurrection of Dying Scene a couple of summers ago. It’s still a […]

As I was sitting here in my spacious corner office at DS HQ fanning myself with our quarterly profit-sharing checks earlier, it dawned on me that the close of 2023 brings with it the close of the first full calendar year since the resurrection of Dying Scene a couple of summers ago. It’s still a colossal work in progress (seriously – buy some of our merch so we can keep feeding the hamster in the wheel) so whether you’ve been reading us for years or you just checked in for the first time in 2023…thanks! Now let’s get on with the wrap-up!

I know what you’re thinking: “Jay usually does a super long Top 25 or whatever at the end of every year so I can’t wait to see how many he listed this year!” Well the joke is on you! I looked back at a lot of my old year-end lists and realized how many albums I had ranked super highly and then never listened to again, and how many albums I missed or ranked like #22 that became desert island albums over time, so I decided to go a different route. Yes, Samiam is a clear #1 “Best Album Of The Year.” The rest…well…you’ll see! Every release mentioned appears in the handy dandy little Spotify playlist at the bottom, so maybe pull that up while you read, yeah?

#1 HANDS DOWN BEST ALBUM OF THE YEAR

SAMIAM – STOWAWAY

Much like its predecessor, 2011’s Trips, Stowaway had me hooked from the opening alarm bell guitars in the opening track “Lake Speed.” By about the 30-second mark, I had pretty much made up my mind that Stowaway would be my favorite album of the year, and ten months later that’s still the case. That’s not to say there weren’t other killer full-length records this year. You’re probably aware of my love of all things Lucero-related, and Should’ve Learned By Now is another dynamite album in ever-diverse catalog. The Fiddlehead record was excellent as always, and the debut Codefendants record has been in constant rotation since the summer. The new Bollweevils record is a welcome addition to any diehard punk-rock record collection. The Crossed Keys record rips. The new Gaslight Anthem record is not only great, but also great to have because it means they’re back and as good as ever. Northcote‘s new record was a great, stylistic departure that brought him in some new songwriting directions. Both Hause brothers put out home runs. Even the new Rancid record was super enjoyable. But this was Samiam’s year. This album is damn-near perfect in just about every tangible way.

COVER SONG OF THE YEAR

ULTRABOMB – “SONIC REDUCER”

This was a tough one. The national treasure that is Joshua Ray Walker put out a pretty killer album called What Is It Even? that consists of eleven covers of tracks made popular by female pop artists like Lizzo and The Cranberries and Cher and Whitney Houston. The other national treasure that is Austin Lucas also put out an EP called Reinventing Against Me! that is – you guessed it – an album of reworked Against Me! classics. But as a standalone song, I had to go with UltraBomb’s take on the Dead Boys’ classic “Sonic Reducer.” It’s the one song Greg Norton actually sings on the record, and it’s a cover of one of the first punk rock songs I remember ever hearing.

BEST SOLO RECORD BY SOMEONE WHO USUALLY FRONTS A PUNK BAND

CHRIS CRESSWELL – THE STUBBORNNESS OF THE YOUNG

This was another tough one. Jason Cruz put out another Howl record this year, and while I have loved Strung Out for many, many years, I really dig the Howl project and I’m glad he leaned back into it this year. But my goodness, the Chris Cresswell record floored me. Granted, it would probably floor me if Cresswell put out a record of him reading the York, Ontario phone book, but still. His voice is unique and his careful attention to the way he crafts a melody and a song is as tremendous here as it is in his “day jobs” with either The Flatliners or Hot Water Music.

BEST BOSTON AREA RECORD

REBUILDER – LOCAL SUPPORT

This was another tough one, as there are so many cool bands in a scene that is growing ever more musically interesting and diverse. Fiddlehead obviously put out another amazing record this year. We can sorta claim Warn The Duke, and their record was great as well. Jesse Ahern has long been a personal favorite and he put out his best record to date. Cape Crush and Trash Rabbit and One Fall and Trailer Swift were all new on my radar this year. The K.C.U.F. record is super enjoyable in a throwback Lawrence Arms sorta way. Matt Charette‘s “4×4” is one of my favorite individual songs of the year by anyone. But I’ve gotta give the nod to Rebuilder. They capped off their tenth year as a band by releasing their long-long-long-awaited new full-length, Local Support. Their sound has grown – matured? – over the last decade and they’ve damn near perfected their melodic pop-punk thing. Stellar job, fellas.

BEST EP OF THE YEAR

SAMMY KAY – INANNA

Another bang-up year for releases of the sub-full-length variety. Depressors released a few new songs for the first time in way too long and they’re wonderful and Rachel Quarrell is a wildly talented songwriter. The new Proper. EP is wild and aggressive and raw. Grumpster put out a new single that has me eagerly-awaiting their new record, which is exactly the point of releasing a new single, isn’t it? The Space Cadet Suede Originals record is so, so fun. I love those guys. The Drowns continued their flawless run. But the nod hear goes to Sammy Kay. You may have heard some of these songs in other iterations, but the work-ups on Inanna are raw and sparse and allow Kay’s one-of-a-kind voice to add layers of depth and gravity to the material.

BEST GOOD OLD-FASHIONED PUNK ROCK RECORD

TESS & THE DETAILS – RUNAWAY

We should probably talk about the surprisingly solid Rancid record here. We could definitely tip our caps to the new Bollweevils record here. We could definitely give some love to the Grade 2 record here. We could definitely give props to the new Bouncing Souls record here. But holy hell, the debut record from San Francisco’s Tess & The Details rules. I have to admit that I had no real prior knowledge of this band before I heard the record, which landed in my email inbox which is and always shall be embarrassingly full of stuff I haven’t gotten to. I decided one day back in September to start sifting through it and came across a press release that started “Punk Rockers Tess & The Details…” and decided that’s what I’d listen to as the soundtrack for sifting and what a great choice. This album hits like a buzzsaw. The melodies are tight and catchy and the rhythm section keeps the pedal down and Tess’s voice and storytelling are honest and raw and compelling.

BEST RECORD I’M NOT REALLY SURE HOW TO CLASSIFY EXCEPT TO SAY IT’S GREAT

CODEFENDANTS – THIS IS CRIMEWAVE

The Codefendants’ record gets a category of its own because realistically, the Codefendants band exists in a category that’s all their own. Sure they’re probably best known in these parts for being Fat Mike’s latest side project, but the real stars of Codefendants are Get Dead‘s Sam King and New Haven’s own Ceschi Ramos (shout out to the Elm City). King has long brought his hip-hop background and sensibilities to Get Dead’s unique sound, and Ceschi is a compelling storyteller and songwriter in his own right. Plus, the album features cameos from Onry Ozzborn and the incomparable Stacey Dee and the one-and-only D.O.C. (no one can do it better).

BEST COMEBACK ALBUM

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM – HISTORY BOOKS

Is it weird that even though I think the Samiam record is my hands-down favorite record of the year AND that it marked their first record in eleven years, I don’t really consider it a “comeback” record? Samiam didn’t really break up or go on an official hiatus. They still toured periodically – or at least played a handful of shows most years – so they didn’t really “come back.” But Gaslight did. They went on an official hiatus and then kinda got back together for the ’59 Sound anniversary shows, but stayed busy putting out solo records (Brian) or joining new projects like Mercy Union and Dead Swords and Bottomfeeder, and so it seemed like they were really gone. But now they’ve returned older and no doubt wiser and with new sounds and textures and perspectives to refresh their sound. I already reviewed the album earlier this year, but it’s good enough to deserve mention on this list.

BEST ALBUM BY A HAUSE

TIE: DAVE HAUSE – DRIVE IT LIKE IT’S STOLEN & TIM HAUSE – TIM

Okay, yes, I took the easy way out here. Whatever, it’s my website, and if you’ve ever checked in here previously – say, over the course of the last dozen – you’re no doubt aware that Dave Hause is one of my favorite songwriters and performers and, frankly, people in this scene. Drive It Like It’s Stolen is my favorite of his solo records since Devour, and that’s high praise in my book. His personal and songwriting relationships with his younger brother Tim have been nothing short of admirable to watch grow and develop, and Tim has turned into a powerhouse songwriter and melody crafter in his own right. I hope they continue to write and record together for many, many years because it seems to me like they’ve got different enough styles and influences to continue to grow separately as artists while collaborating on their core.

There are definitely a few albums that didn’t fit into one of the above categories but are no-less worthy of mention too. The Nathan Mongol Wells record is super fun. Lydia Loveless’ new record is a grand slam home run. The Le Big Zero album is solid post-punk garage rock goodness. Oh wait, the new Sincere Engineer is awesome too. The Billy Liar album is a great listen, especially that song with Frank Turner. Oh, and let’s not forget the Structure Sounds record. The best thing to come out of Rhode Island since Del’s Lemonade or at least since Dave’s Coffee Syrup. The Inciters are a great DapTone-style soul group. The new Flying Raccoon Suit is probably the best ska record of the year. Wait, why wasn’t that a category? Next year, I guess. Check out all that and more in the playlist below (if you haven’t already)!

by Staff Writer jaystone
Tags: 
best of 2023 bouncing souls chris cresswell codefendants fiddlehead

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DS Record Radar: This Week in Punk Vinyl (Less Than Jake “Hello Rockview” 25th Anniversary, Hickey, McRackins & More)

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. This week’s column is our biggest yet, as we’re highlighting a grand […]

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. This week’s column is our biggest yet, as we’re highlighting a grand total of 20 newly announced records! So kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!

Check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:

If you’re catching a show on Less Than Jake‘s 25th Anniversary Hello Rockview tour, be sure to hit the merch table for this brand new 2xLP reissue of the record. The second LP features demos (including a previously unreleased song called “Honest Answers”), live tracks, and what I think are newly re-recorded takes on “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” and “History of a Boring Town”.

No word from the band (or Smartpunk Records) on whether this is a tour exclusive variant, or how limited it is. I think it’s a safe bet this 25th Anniversary reissue will get wider distribution at some point, and will keep you posted as more details are announced. For now, the only way to grab a copy is at one of Less Than Jake’s upcoming shows.

There are a couple classic splits with new represses on the way, with the first being Ten Foot Pole‘s 1995 split 10″ with the almighty Satanic Surfers. Due out this September on La Agonía de Vivir, it’s limited to 200 copies on transparent red vinyl / 300 black vinyl. Pre-order here.

The other split getting a much needed repress is The Ataris / Useless ID Let It Burn. The LP has been repressed on split blue/red colored vinyl; they don’t specify how many copies, it’s just “limited”. This one’s due out next month; get it here.

Here’s a repress of a more recently-released record. The Flatliners‘ Inviting Light is back in print on two new color variants; the “black inside yellow” variant pictured is limited to 200 copies, while the coral colored wax (not pictured) is limited to 300 copies. You can get both here.

Let’s take a little detour from all the reissues / represses and highlight some of this week’s new releases, shall we? Up first are pop-punk mainstays the McRackins with their fantastic new album Wake the Fun Up!, out now on Mom’s Basement Records! I’m going to give this record 2023’s Most Unique Color Variants Award™ as well. 100 copies on each of the following variants: Watermelon Gushers, Dunkaroos Frosting, Orange Melted Creamsicle & Spitting Blood Gladiator. Get your copy here.

Also available from our friends at Mom’s Basement Records: two new live records from the Huntingtons and the Proton Packs! Both were recorded at Italy’s favorite Ramonescore festival Punk Rock Raduno, and both can be purchased on Mom’s Basement’s webstore. Our European friends can grab these from Punk Rock Raduno’s Bandcamp.

Here’s another new release! It’s a new* three-song* 10″ from everyone’s favorite hip-hop/punk band Codefendants! For $18 you get a song that was already released on the band’s LP, as well as an acoustic version of that song, and one new track called “Cinematic”. You simply cannot beat that value, folks! Fork over your money here.

Alright, back to some more reissues! The Bouncing Souls‘ How I Spent My Summer Vacation is getting repressed on “red with white swirl” colored vinyl, limited to 500 copies. My fellow true believers can get it here.

Dead Broke Rekerds has given Hickey’s highly sought after self-titled LP its first reissue since 1995. They pressed 222 copies on red vinyl, which have already sold out, and 800 copies on black wax (still in stock!). Get yours here. Chocolate pudding filled trumpet not included.

Joyce Manor‘s 2011 self-titled debut LP gets its 14th(!) pressing, with 1,000 copies on pink colored wax. Long live Mike Park and Asian Man Records! Buy it here.

Dutch skate punks Drunktank will be crossing the Atlantic to play some shows in Canada this September. To commemorate the voyage, Thousand Islands Records is repressing the band’s most recent album Return of the Infamous Four with Canadian themed artwork and color variants. Pre-order here.

The Beatnik Termites‘ long out of print sophomore LP Bubblecore gets its first reissue since 1996. 500 copies on pink colored vinyl, get it here.

Late last year, Westbound Train surprised everyone when their first new record in over a decade popped up on Spotify. Now Dedication is getting a physical release! Get it on transparent blue marble colored vinyl here.

Jeff Rosenstock‘s new album Hellmode is due out September 1st. Check out the lead single “Doubt” below. There are a trillion color variants; links to where you can get all of them can be found here.

Ramonescore up-and-comers the Zoanoids and Bad Secret have combined forces for a new Split 7″, out now on Hey Pizza! Records. Available on three color variants here.

Boston’s Rebuilder have announced their new album Local Support will be released on August 11th. Check out the new single “Another Round” below and pre-order the record here. Shoutout to Dying Scene contributing photographer Brittany, who took the picture featured on the album’s cover!

Chicago’s Sincere Engineer will be releasing their new album Cheap Grills on September 22nd through Hopeless Records. Check out the new single “California King” below and pre-order the LP on “steak + sauce” colored wax here.

Last but not least we’ve got some new releases from Rad Girlfriend Records! Tokyo’s What Goes Up gets a running start on their debut LP Laws of Gravity. Killer orgcore / Midwest punk, recommended if you like Banner Pilot, the Dopamines, Rational Anthem, etc. Get it here (US), here (UK), or here (Japan).

Also from Rad Girlfriend: a new Split 7″ from The Raging Nathans and The Story Changes. Check out a few tracks below and pre-order the record here.

Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next week!

Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!

by Staff Writer Screeching Bottlerocket
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DS Show Review & Gallery: Bouncing Souls, Samiam, Swingin’ Utters, and Pet Needs – Chicago (05.11.2023)

Bouncing Souls returned to Chicago’s Metro on Thursday, May 11, 2023, as a part of its Ten Stories High tour. Solid support on this bill was provided by Samiam, Swingin’ Utters, and Pet Needs, adding up to quite an enjoyable evening. As the lights dimmed for the headliners, fans were singing “Ole”  from Bouncing Souls’ […]

Bouncing Souls returned to Chicago’s Metro on Thursday, May 11, 2023, as a part of its Ten Stories High tour. Solid support on this bill was provided by Samiam, Swingin’ Utters, and Pet Needs, adding up to quite an enjoyable evening.

As the lights dimmed for the headliners, fans were singing “Ole”  from Bouncing Souls’ 1999 album Hopeless Romantic. Of course we featured that tune near the top of our Dying Scene’s World Cup Anthems playlist on Spotify. The band hit the stage to the iconic Simple Minds theme “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from The Breakfast Club, the John Hughes film set in a Chicago suburb. The crowd, many of whom were either not yet born when the classic 1985 film was released or were too young to see it at that time, sang enthusiastically along.

The tour derives its name from Bouncing Soul’s new album Ten Stories High, released this past March and the New Jersey crew got right down to business at the Clark Street located venue. Lead singer Greg Attonito bounded across the stage and to the edge of it. Pete Steinkopf, shredded through both the well-known and newer tunes. Bryan Kienlen held court stage right with his powerful bass playing. In the back, Greg Rebelo tore it up behind his drum kit.

As noted above, the setlist was comprised of old and new songs. About midway through the set, Attonito asked for two song suggestions from fans, at first telling them he would pick one.

Of course the band performed both nominees, “Bullying the Jukebox,” also from Hopeless Romantic, and “Quick Chek Girl” from 1995’s Maniacal Laughter. Joyous cheering and crowd surfing ensued. The band also performed its very popular cover of Avoid One Thing’s “Lean on Sheena,” which the Bouncing Souls recorded for The Gold Record from 2006.

And finally, being from the Empire State, born and raised east of the Big Apple and having spent a whole lot of time annually, in the City That Never Sleeps I have a certain affection for “East Coast! Fuck you!”And I was more than happy to whisper-chant along,

“Punkers should be pale and pasty
Pizza here is fierce and tasty
East Coast! Fuck you!
East Coast! Fuck you!“

That second cited line I especially love and will preach its truth to the willfully deaf ears of friends in my adopted city of Chicago. The struggle to live in a place devoid of a truly great New York slice is indeed real (before anyone takes exception, struggle is sarcastically noted).

Samian appeared to have drawn a large portion of the crowd to the show. The Berkeley, CA band released Stowaway, in late March 2023 and played several cuts from it including, “Crystallized,” “Lights Out Little Hustler,” and “Lake Speed.” Samiam also delivered robustly with “Sunshine,” “Wisconsin,” and “Paraffin” from 2000’s Astray, among tunes from other releases. It was an enjoyable set and perfectly placed between Swingin’ Utters and Bouncing Souls.

I first saw Swingin’ Utters in 2009 at the now sadly defunct Frankie’s Inner City in Toledo, OH, days before moving from the Glass City to the Windy City. I wasn’t documenting the show, just enjoying the evening in my going away week with close friends from my work as a housing legal advocate at Legal Aid of Western Ohio. They were playing in the middle of the bill but of course stood out and I am glad my eyes and ears were open to such a great band.

Fourteen years later, I am still immensely impressed by how damn good they are. Lead singer Johnny “Peebucks” Bonnel, at times, whipped the microphone cord so furiously I was worried for his safety and the safety of those around him, Seriously, though, he commanded the stage whilst Darius Koski dominated on lead guitar. At the other end of the stage, Alex, from Toyguitar, contributed on guitar as well. Tony Teixeira, on bass and Luke Ray, added the powerful backline.

The band tore through “As You Start Leaving,” “The Librarians Are Hiding Something,” Windspitting Punk,” “No Eager Men,” “Kick It Over,” and “Deranged.” As the set closed out, Swingin’ Utters ruminated with “Five Lessons Learned,”

“Five lovely lessons learnt today
Coating my throat with the dust of a new day
As the saints pray their lonely way
They’re dead weight lays the passion to waste.”

Pet Needs, from Essex in the United Kingdom, is on only their second tour of the USA. The band’s debut album Fractured Party Music, was produced and mixed by none other than Frank Turner. Turner, both a friend and fan of Pet Needs, also produced its sophomore record Primetime Entertainment.

Crowd members who arrived in time were treated to a killer of a set by musicians whose captivating performance exuded an infectious enthusiasm for their off-stage experiences. Blasting through a set list including “Lost Again,” “Ibiza in Winter,” and “Kayak.” The band also performed “Punk Isn’t Dead, It’s Just Up For Sale.” Whether the band is trying to be ironic or not, I did find it clever that Pet Needs was selling t-shirts with that declaration emblazoned across the front and sported on stage by drummer Jack Lock.

“Doors open
With eyes unfocussed
You coast past the clones of the blokes
You swore you’d never become
And then you catch your reflection.”

Lock and bandmates, the Pet Needs founding brothers Marriott – Johnny and George – and Rich Gutz, made sure to take in take advantage of the close proximity of two Chicago icons. Those being Metro Chicago, and its neighbor a few blocks down, Wrigley Field. The lads took in an afternoon watching the American pastime day earlier, watching the Cubs raise the W against the St. Louis Cardinals, 10-4. Johnny Marriott described his excitement at the prospect of sporting a large foam finger and his surprise that the only ones seemingly sold were to him and two of his three bandmates. But still, the delight in being able to drink beer out of a bat was too good to pass up.

After the set, Jack Lock described how, while taking in a game at the Friendly Confines was wonderful, there was one aspect he found weird. Unlike the football (soccer to those of us in the land of the red, white, and blue) matches in his native land, baseball fans can sit together, no matter what team they follow. Lock, who roots for Ipswich Football Club (congrats on the promotion lads!) was referring to the fact that in football stadiums across the UK, supporters of opposing clubs are prohibited from sitting nearby each other. Or at least, those wearing visiting club kits (jerseys) and those wearing home club kits may be in close proximity to one another during the match. Things tend to get a bit rowdier across the Pond. But in the States, he reported to me, everyone was so welcoming and friendly to each other, no matter which team was preferred. Or even if no preference.

In fact, several English Premier League Kits were spotted in the audience and nary a hint of conflict witnessed.

Hopefully, the next time Pet Needs is visiting these US shores, they will be greeted by larger crowds. The band deserves it and those who missed it, really missed out on something special.

With three highly popular veteran bands and a fourth beginning its breakthrough, I would have predicted a pretty packed venue from the moment of doors opening. Disappointingly, that was not the case. Well, not at the start. Very few people were in the audience by the time the very good opening band, Pet Needs, from the UK, took the stage. This means a whole lot of ticket holders missed out on really fun set with a lot of terrific music performed by charismatic artists. There was also a surprisingly sparse crowd when the legendary Swingin’ Utters kicked off its great set. I know a few who missed it due to reasons beyond their control but surely more could have gotten there in time?

Please see more photos from the show below. Thanks Cheers!

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by Staff Writer MerGold
Tags: 
bouncing souls chicago Metro Chicago pet needs Samian

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DS Record Radar: This Week in Punk Vinyl (The Vandals, Operation Ivy, NOFX, Diesel Boy & more)

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold […]

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly* column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. Kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!

Check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:

The Vandals‘ 1998 classic Hitler Bad, Vandals Good is getting a 25th Anniversary reissue on blue/white splatter colored vinyl. Amazon is the cheapest place to pick this one up, so hit my boy Bezos up and save a few bucks!

Next up in a long line of reissues announced this week, we’ve got some new pressings of Operation Ivy‘s Energy and the Hectic EP. Two sets of variants on this one: ‘Merica gets both records on clear/black splatter wax (1,000 copies each). Our European friends get more limited (500 copies) “black & white galaxy” colored LPs. Links to buy are here.

Look! Another reissue of a Lookout! Records release! The Groovie Ghoulies‘ Travels With My Amp is back in print for the first time since Y2K, remastered by Mass Giorgini with all-new artwork courtesy of Tom Neely. Pirates Press Records is reissuing the album on “neon green & cyan galaxy” colored vinyl (1,000 copies). Get yours here.

Having recently returned from a lengthy hiatus, New Jersey pop-punks Midtown are continuing to repress their back catalog (they’ve also been putting out some new singles lately, so that’s cool, too). Save the World, Lose the Girl and Living Well Is the Best Revenge are back in print once again (both got reissues last year). Head over to the band’s webstore to get these before they’re gone.

Let’s take a lil break from all the reissues and talk about a new release, shall we? Quebec City melodic punks Downstater will be releasing their debut album Cruelest Defeats on June 2nd. Check out the latest single “Call Me When You’re Dead” below and head over to People of Punk Rock Records‘ webstore to pre-order the record on orange or blue colored vinyl (each variant is limited to 100~ copies).

Speaking of our friends at People of Punk Rock Records… they also have an awesome compilation LP out now! The 18 song tracklist is stacked with bangers from 30FootFall, Ten Foot Pole, Colorsfade, Bridge The Gap, and a bunch of other great bands. Grab a copy here.

Diesel Boy just announced their long-awaited comeback album Gets Old will be released on July 28th through SBÄM Records. Check out the first single below and pre-order one of the five(!) color variants (or get multiple if you’re weird like that) here (US) or here (EU).

Aaaaand back to reissues/represses. NOFX‘s The Greatest Songs Ever Written… By Us gets its fifth repress in the past year (no, I’m not exaggerating). 1,000 copies on “spring green with sky blue splatter” colored vinyl. Get it here.

Fat Wreck Chords has repressed two Avail records, One Wrench and Front Porch Stories, for the first time in over 20 years. We’re late to the party on this one, so the limited color variants have already sold out. But both records are still available on black wax and $17 is a lot less than first pressings go for on Discogs. Pick ’em up here.

The Bouncing Souls have a “band variant” of their new album Ten Stories High up on their webstore. Limited to 300 copies on this sweet clear w/ yellow, green & blue splatter color variant. By the way, have you read my review of this album? It’d be cool if you did.

Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next week!

Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!

by Staff Writer Screeching Bottlerocket
Tags: 
bouncing souls Diesel boy downstater Fat Wreck Chords groovie ghoulies

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DS Staff Picks: Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things of March, 2023 (Presented by Punk Rock Radar)

Hello, and welcome to the March, 2023 edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things! This is the column where I, Dylan (otherwise known as Screeching Bottlerocket), tell you what new punk rock albums, EPs, singles, etc. I enjoyed the most this month. March was jam-packed with new releases (especially in the last week), so […]

Hello, and welcome to the March, 2023 edition of Dylan’s Favorite Punk Albums, EPs & Things! This is the column where I, Dylan (otherwise known as Screeching Bottlerocket), tell you what new punk rock albums, EPs, singles, etc. I enjoyed the most this month. March was jam-packed with new releases (especially in the last week), so there’s no doubt some stuff I missed. Maybe we’ll circle back to some of the really good stuff that came out on the 31st in next month’s column.

This is a collaborative effort with our friends at Punk Rock Radar, with whom I’ll be doing a video version of this Best Of wrap-up each month. If you like discovering awesome new punk bands as much as I do, I highly recommend following Punk Rock Radar on Instagram and YouTube, and keeping tabs on their Upcoming Release Calendar.

Here’s our video for March (let us know what your favorite releases of the month were in the YouTube comments):

THOUSAND OAKS
On A Wing And A Prayer

Italian skate punks Thousand Oaks released a new album completely out of the blue and I ain’t complaining. On A Wing And A Prayer is their best album yet. If you like technical melodic skate punk like A Wilhelm Scream, This Is A Standoff, or Jet Market (these guys used to be in that band), this is a must listen. Sidebar: someone really needs to step up and put this shit out on vinyl. Incredible record.

BOUNCING SOULS
Ten Stories High

This new Bouncing Souls record is killer. I’ve probably listened to it 100 times since I got my review copy back in January (Wanna get super early access to bad ass new music? Hit us up and become a contributor!). I already wrote an album review for this and I don’t have much else to say beyond that. “True Believer Radio” is my favorite song on Ten Stories High.

BRIDGE THE GAP
Secret Kombinations

If you’ve even been kinda-sorta paying attention for the last few months, you’ve probably seen me post something about this album. I’ve run out of new things to say, so here’s an excerpt from my album review: “Bridge The Gap’s lineup is comprised of members of long defunct Salt Lake City punk band Unfold, in which they released an album over 20 years ago. When paired with the warchest of knowledge Bill Stevenson brings to the table, that past experience pays dividends on Secret Kombinations. Bridge The Gap put their spin on the skate punk conventions of yesteryear, and the end result is an ultra-polished record with laser focused musical direction.”

BAXTER
Between Punk and Bourgeois

German melodic punks Baxter have been around over 20 years, but I just recently discovered them with their new album Between Punk and Bourgeois. This is a fantastic record. Our friends at Punk Rock Radar are releasing it on cassette – get it here.

WEEKEND CIGARETTES
The Chosen One

Look, it’s another Italian band! Weekend Cigarettes remind me a lil bit of like Sum 41 meets Rise Against. The Chosen One is a really polished, well produced album. Check it out:

HARSH REALMS
CVLT

This one could have been on April’s list, but Shield Recordings put it out early. With their new album CVLT, Dutch punks Harsh Realms deliver 13 powerful, anthemic tracks that will be enjoyed by fans of The Menzingers, The Flatliners, Red City Radio, etc.

MELVIC CENTRE
Self-Titled

One of my favorite discoveries of the month is Newcastle, Australia’s Melvic Centre. This is a one-man punk band started by a kid named Will Mitchell. His self-titled debut album was recorded with Frenzal Rhomb singer Jason Whalley at his recording studio The Pet Food Factory. It’s kinda orgcore-ish, but also kinda skate-punk; there’s even a hardcore song! This dude is a versatile musician. Highly recommended listening.

MELONBALL
Breathe

I’d been looking forward to German melodic punk band Melonball’s debut album Breathe since I heard the first single “Sicker” back in January. So I was super stoked when Thousand Islands Records asked if I wanted to host the album’s exclusive premiere. Are you kidding me? Of course I did! The whole record is as good as that first single. If unrelentingly fast, aggressive skate punk is what you seek, Breathe is the album for you.

FAINTEST IDEA
The Road to Sedition

Seven years after the stellar Increasing the Minimum Rage, UK ska-punks Faintest Idea march on with their new album The Road to Sedition. This record delivers more of the hard and heavy, politically conscious skacore these guys are known for. This thing’s all killer, no filler, but if I had to pick a favorite song it would probably be “False Prophets”.

FAKE NEWS
Take Me Away

Here’s another one for my fellow technical skate punk fans: Australian melodic punks Fake News‘ new EP Take Me Away is a god damn banger. My only complaint is it’s not a full-length album! For more, check out their 2021 debut Everyday Warrior.

PRIMETIME FAILURE
Oxygen

Primetime Failure joins their countrymen Melonball and Harsh Realms as the third German band on this month’s list. Their new EP Oxygen has some their best songs yet. If you’re a fan of 90’s melodic punk and the “Epifat” sound, this shit’s right up your alley.

FLUFFIO
TV Generation

Toronto pop-punk band Fluffio’s debut EP TV Generation is a 4-song ripper with hints of Green Day and Blink 182 influence sprinkled throughout. What their sound reminds me of most is the Suicide Machines‘ poppier output. If that sounds like something you’d be into, check it out:

TOSKA FALL
A Little Advice

I’d never heard of Dutch punks Toska Fall before, but their new EP A Little Advice was a great introduction (especially the title track, that mofo’s a ripper). It’s also available on vinyl with the band’s last EP It Falls Apart on the B-Side; get that here (US), here (EU), or here (UK).

FRENZAL RHOMB
Thought It Was Yoga But It Was Ketamine

This is the second single from Frenzal’s long awaited new album The Cup of Pestilence, due out April 7th on Fat Wreck Chords. Spoiler: the rest of the record is even better than the singles.

FIGHTS
Serenity Now

Oslo, Norway’s Fights popped up on my radar with the release of their new single “Serenity Now”. I was immediately taken aback by their unique “boogiecore” sound, which fuses elements of hardcore punk and boogie rock. Shit’s super unique. Read Dying Scene’s Band Spotlight on them to learn more.

NOT
Alien

I’ve been hyping up Los Angeles pop-punk band NOT for months now. The project ft. members of Sharp/Shock & Mercy Music recorded an album of songs that recreate that distinct ALL / Descendents sound. Stop the World is due out April 7th on Wiretap Records, Brassneck Records, and Waterslide Records. “Alien” is my favorite track released so far from one of my most anticipated albums of 2023.

JUGHEAD’S REVENGE
I’ll Be Seeing You

SoCal punk veterans Jughead’s Revenge are gearing up to release their comeback EP Vultures, and our first taste is the blazing fast skate punk ripper “I’ll Be Seeing You”. Vultures releases May 5th on SBÄM Records. You guys are gonna love it.

PRIME DIRECTIVE
Reaper

Columbus punks Prime Directive‘s new single “Reaper” is a catchy horror punk track with a cool Graves-era Misfits kinda feel. The music video’s pretty fuckin’ sweet, too.

MERCY MUSIC
Love You / Need You

Hey! These guys are in that band NOT that we discussed earlier. Well, Mercy Music is their main band and they have a new record called What You Stand To Lose coming June 30th on SBÄM Records. This first single “Love You / Need You” is excellent and has that newer Flatliners kinda feel. I really like it. I pre-ordered the record, have you? Also worth noting they’re on tour right now with Unwritten Law and Authority Zero.

LONG DISTANCE
What You Want

We talked about these Aussie newcomers last month when they dropped their first single “Left for Dead“. That was a super fast skate punk song, this new one has more of an early 2000’s Blink vibe (just listen to the guitars). Really looking forward to their debut EP.

That concludes the March installment of the column. Thanks for checking it out! Keep your eyes glued to Dying Scene for all things punk rock and follow our friends Punk Rock Radar on Instagram, YouTube, etc. and be sure to join us again for the April edition! Like I said, a lot of good shit snuck in on the last day of March, so we’ll probably circle back to some of that in the next column.

Here’s a Spotify playlist with songs from all the releases featured in Dying Scene & Punk Rock Radar’s Best of 2023 series so far:

by Staff Writer Screeching Bottlerocket
Tags: 
baxter bouncing souls bridge the gap ds staff picks Faintest idea

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DS Record Radar: This Week in Punk Vinyl (NOFX, Mercy Music, New Junk City & more)

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. So kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a […]

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is the weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. So kick off your shoes, pull up a chair, crack open a cold one, and break out those wallets, because it’s go time. Let’s get into it!

If you don’t feel like reading, check out the video edition of this week’s Record Radar, presented by our friends at Punk Rock Radar:

Another week, another NOFX repress. S&M Airlines is back in print on colored vinyl once again. Epitaph pressed 2,000 copies on this slick orange w/ neon green splatter color variant. Available here in the US / here in Australia.

Did you know the new Bouncing Souls record came out this week? Anyway, Pure Noise Records just put this bundle up on their webstore: it includes alternate cover art and a slipmat. Limited to 100 hand numbered copies. Here’s our review of Ten Stories High in case ya missed it!

New Junk City‘s 2022 LP Beg a Promise is getting a second pressing on three new color variants: Clear w/ Pink Splatter (200), Cream (200), and Powder Blue (100). You can get ’em all here.

Chicago punk veterans The Bollweevils have announced their first new album in 14(!) years. Essential is due out May 5th on Red Scare. Check out one of the tracks below and pre-order the record here.

Public Serpents‘ new album is out now on SBÄM Records. If you like crusty ska-core, pick this record up. The band is fronted by former Choking Victim drummer Skwert; this is their first new album in 15 years. The Bully Puppet is available on two color variants, limited to 250 copies each. Get yours here (US) or here (EU).

Another awesome release from our friends at SBÄM is Vegas punks Mercy Music‘s upcoming album What You Stand to Lose. Check out the music video for lead single “Love you/Need you” below and pre-order the record here. Recommended if you like The Flatliners.

I already mentioned this one in a previous Record Radar, but I wanna circle back to it real quick: Bridge The Gap‘s debut LP Secret Kombinations was released this week on People of Punk Rock Records. This is a great record, and they now have copies available on their US webstore! Only like 22 bucks after shipping, pick that shit up. Read my review here.

The first pressing of Santa Cruz hardcore band DRAIN‘s new album Living Proof is moving pretty quick, so Epitaph threw up two more color variants. Each is limited to 700 copies. Buy it here.

Last but not least, we have French melodic punks Burning Heads who are reissuing not one, but two of their records: 1994’s Dive and 1996’s Super Modern World. Our friends at Melodic Punk Style have a limited number of copies on their Bandcamp. Get the bundle with both LPs and save $11! And be sure to check out all the other awesome records while you’re over there.


Well, that’s all, folks. Another Record Radar in the books. As always, thank you for tuning in. If there’s anything we missed (highly likely), or if you want to let everyone know about a new/upcoming vinyl release you’re excited about, leave us a comment below, or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, and don’t blow too much money on spinny discs (or do, I’m not your father). See ya next week!

Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Click here and you’ll be taken to a page with all the past entries in the column. Magic!

by Staff Writer Screeching Bottlerocket
Tags: 
bollweevils bouncing souls bridge the gap burning heads drain

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