DS Show Review & Gallery: Punk Rock Tacos w/Downhill Runner, The Run Around, Sushi, The Usuals, The Queers! Chicago (12.15.2023)

About 45 years ago, Crass made one of the most iconic and important statements in punk history. In their poignant critique of the commercialization of punk, its rise in popularity, and the state of the scene in the late ’70s, Steve Ignorant boldly declared that Punk is dead. For the following decades, this question remained […]

About 45 years ago, Crass made one of the most iconic and important statements in punk history. In their poignant critique of the commercialization of punk, its rise in popularity, and the state of the scene in the late ’70s, Steve Ignorant boldly declared that Punk is dead.

For the following decades, this question remained a topic of debate, with many individuals eager to contribute their thoughts. From The Exploited responding with their iconic song “Punk’s Not Dead,” to this very publication’s namesake— the question is still out there: Is our scene alive, or is it dying?

Honestly, Crass’ brutal criticism of their more famous peers and the zeitgeist of the punk scene at the time remains as relevant today as it was back then. Now, nearly half a century after the movement began, the generational divide between those who witnessed its inception and those just discovering their first punk record or strumming their initial three fast chords widens. This leaves us in a precarious position, uncertain about the future of the subculture we are a part of. 

But there is a lifeline, though. Amidst big production companies, ticket sellers and their scummy practices, unaffordable music festivals, and multi-million dollar fast fashion companies appropriating and turning punk aesthetic into a product still exist people who do this for the very same reason this scene started. People who are sick and tired of the routine, of music tracks that are too long and slow, who want to be the bridge between those who were there when it all began, and those who will keep it going. Punk Rock Tacos and the folks behind it are a prime example of those that keep this whole damn thing going.

Noah Corona and the Punk Rock Tacos team have consistently organized shows for the past couple of years. These DIY, grassroots events, born from a love for music and the scene, might not appear as such at first glance. Despite that, they exhibit excellent organization, high production quality, and showcase incredible bands. While their professionalism might deceive you into thinking this is their primary occupation, it’s actually a passion project that has steadily grown, establishing itself as a vital part of the Chicago suburban punk scene.

On the evening of Friday, December 15th, our friends from Punk Rock Tacos put together a very memorable all-ages show featuring five bands from all over the Chicagoland area and as headliners, the iconic punk rock trio, The Queers. The venue, a Mexican restaurant serving some tasty tacos, was filled to the brim with punk rockers eager to mosh and slam dancing during the sold-out show.


The show started with Downhill Runner taking the stage. Seeing this band live for the second time remains an absolute treat. They’ve skillfully captured the sound of early-aughts pop-punk and skate punk, refining and reintroducing these sounds, ideal for an evening of partying and drinking. If I was any good at it, these guys would definitely make it to my skating playlist, but since I am not, I will just listen to them as I walk places. 


One of the more exciting characteristics of Downhill Runner is the back and forth between the drummer and the bass player on vocals. It definitely gives the songs an extra layer of vocal complexity which, paired with the slightly grittier vocals that you would expect from a band playing this type of punk, make them stand out. But the vocals are not the only interesting bit about this band, as their songs generally are energetic and fast with some tempo changes to keep the crowd invested, as well as some instrumental breaks changing up the pace of the songs.


Downhill Runner will be taking a short break from live performances, but don’t fret as they’ll be putting out some cool stuff during early next year, stay tuned! In the meantime, check out their new-wave(ish) alternative-punk song La Resistance from their album Rebel Radio.


Next up on the lineup, The Run Around takes the stage by storm. This self-proclaimed ensemble of friendly party hooligans thrilled the audience with their rendition of classic Midwestern punk rock. Their live performances stand out due to their knack for crafting irresistibly catchy tunes that have the potential to become anthems. It’s nearly impossible not to have a fantastic time when they’re in action.


Their song ‘Bombs Away,’ for example has all the ingredients for a punk rock song that could become a classic any moment, and seeing it performed live reinforces that as it made me want to jump and sing along, which I would have had I not been juggling a camera and maybe a can of PBR.


The Run Around put on an excellent show. Their music is solid, and the vibes they create are fantastic. I’ll definitely be humming their songs for the rest of the week and keeping an eye out for their upcoming shows. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend checking out their song ‘Bombs Away‘ from their EP of the same title.


Sushi, the third act of the night among the five bands, marked the halfway point of the event. Hey Fat Mike, wondering when punk rock became safe? Well, Noah Corona challenged that notion—at least for the workplace. Stripping down to his vibrant Keith Haring underwear, flaunting a summer body in the midst of winter, Noah delivered a wild punk rock performance.


It was hectic, violent, erratic as hell, it was awesome. Sushi opened up their set with the song “the Alcoholic,” a self-aware confession about self-destruction screamed over a catchy surf-punk riff and followed up with some intentionally raw hardcore punk akin to that of early Black Flag.


As their set progressed, the energy surged, with Noah engaging the stage, singing with the crowd in the mosh pit, and even rolling on the floor—creating an electrifying atmosphere. What struck me most was their riff-heavy compositions; had Sushi emerged in the early ’80s, they’d undoubtedly have shared stages with Black Flag and Dead Kennedys. Sushi picked a very specific style of punk rock and it was the right one for them as all the musicians in the band were in their element, I would say like fish in water but more like… fish on a plate… raw… like Sushi? Ok, that analogy does not quite work, but the point is that all four members of the band knew what they needed to do and did it well. Check out the live recording of their set that day!


With an imposing presence, The Usuals made it to the stage. Their time to blow us away had come, and that they did. With over twenty years of experience, these dudes have created a pretty wide array of songs that go from melodic to a more classic punk sound, and honestly everything in between.



Playing a tight set, and displaying some great musicianship, what stood out to me the most is that they were having just as much fun on stage as we were in the crowd, well, that and their guitar player was wearing an incredibly funny tropical button up shirt with what I believe was the face of his bandmates surrounded by Monstera leaves. As these guys played their faster and more aggressive songs, the pit just kept on getting more and more active, a sign of a great set.


A few songs into their set, there was an unexpected surprise as Curt Harrison, the lead singer, invited his young son onstage. The budding punk rocker grabbed a guitar and stood beside the microphone, becoming the band’s rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist alongside the seasoned members. As The Usuals neared the end of their set, bass player Justin Schenk decided to share his bass with the crowd, sparking absolute mayhem! The instrument became a tool for the frenzied punters in the pit, doubling as a prop and, at times, a mock weapon. If you enjoy these kinds of shenanigans, I would highly recommend catching this band live, but in the meantime my recommendation would be to listen to their song ‘Cheers to No One’ from their EP From the Valley to the Alley.


And finally the band everyone had been waiting for, the one band of the evening that needed no introduction, The Queers. With an iconic and immediately recognizable melodic and sometimes leaning more towards pop punk, the entire venue erupted into singing and jumping to their more well known songs like ‘Fuck the World’ and ‘See You Later Fuckface.’


Playing their signature songs filled with obscenities, crass lyrics, and eternally youthful angst, us in the crowd were able to enjoy a true classic act of punk rock. Not having had the opportunity to see The Ramones live, I think this is probably as close as I will ever be to listening to that very particular type of what some people refer to endearingly refer to as bubble-gum punk.


Despite Joe Queer’s pleasant and occasionally sweet vocals, in contrast to the raw and abrasive styles of the earlier bands, it did not stop those up front from moshing, slamming and pushing people around in a frenzy fueled by the fast guitar, and driving beat of the drums. Singing about crushes, and the frustrations that come with growing up as an outcast it is easy to see how this band would still be relevant to this day, and how they were able to connect both with the older folk at the show and also with the younger members of the audience. 


With an extensive setlist spanning across The Queers’ active decades, the phenomenal night drew to a close. Standing under what seemed – at least from the perspective of a photographer – the world’s brightest spotlight, it was time to say goodbye. With a prolonged and well-deserved ovation, Joe Queer concluded the set offering an encore with a few additional songs before concluding the night.


Head below to check out the full photo gallery of that great evening!


Downhill Runner


The Run Around


Sushi


The Usuals


The Queers

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DS Record Radar: This Week in Punk Vinyl (NOFX, Mad Caddies, Osker & more)

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is a weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. And it seems like I say this every week, but I think […]

Greetings, and welcome to the Dying Scene Record Radar. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is a weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. And it seems like I say this every week, but I think this is actually the biggest installment of the Record Radar so far. It’s fucking yuuuuugeee!!! 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!

Alright, lots of NOFX shit this week. Too much, honestly. Up first is this new variant of Eating Lamb (otherwise known as Heavy Petting Zoo). They pressed 2,000 copies(!!!) on “Ruby/Baby Blue” colored vinyl. Grab a copy here.

Epitaph also made 2,000 of these “Apple/Baby Blue” colored Pump Up the Valuum LPs, which you can purchase here. Boy oh boy are they milking you NOFX variant collectors, or what?

More NOFX!!! A few months ago, these 3xLP live records for the band’s final shows in Barcelona and Austria were announced. The art and color variants for these have finally been revealed… so I guess if you were on the fence about paying for live albums that haven’t been recorded yet, maybe this will sway you? Yes? No? Maybe so? I don’t know. Buy ’em here (Barcelona record) and here (Austria record).

Alright, from this point forward, no more NOFX. I pinky promise. Hey, look! It’s the Mad Caddies. You guys like the Mad Caddies, right? 2001’s Rock the Plank gets its first-ever colored vinyl release. Fat repressed it on black vinyl, too, if you don’t care about colors but want this record. Get yours here, they’re going fast.

If you haven’t heard of The Mopes, the band was fronted by Dan Vapid and also included his Screeching Weasel / Queers bandmates Jughead, B-Face, and Dan Lumley. Lookout! Records released their debut EP Lowdown, Two-Bit Sidewinder! on CD in 1998. 25 years later, Radiation Records is releasing it on vinyl for the first time. Pre-order here if you’re in Europe / Sounds Rad is distributing the record in the US, you can call “dibs” on it here.

Radiation Records is also releasing a 25th anniversary reissue of Italian pop-punk band Retarded’s debut LP. If you’re into Ramonescore, these guys are pretty fuckin’ tight and they’re still kicking. And just look at that color variant! Get the record here.

There certainly isn’t a shortage of reissues and repressings this week. Osker‘s debut album Treatment 5 gets its first new pressing in over 20 years thanks to our Spanish friends La Agonía de Vivir. Colored vinyl already sold out, but you can still get it on black wax here.

Here’s another one from La Agonía de Vivir: 22 Jacks’ debut album Uncle Bob gets released on vinyl for the first time, 25 years after it was brought into this god forsaken world. Steve Soto and Scott Shiflett played in this band, in case you weren’t aware. Buy the record here!

We covered this earlier in the week, but maybe you missed it so I’ll circle back. ALL’s 1998 classic Mass Nerder is getting a 25th Anniversary reissue. There’s a shitload of retailer-specific color variants, so I’ll just direct you to this post where I’ve aggregated links to all the places you can get all of them.

And since we’re already on the subject, have you pre-ordered the new NOT record? I did! These guys started a band for the sole purpose of writing songs that sound like ALL / Descendents songs that haven’t been written yet. And yes, it is as fun as it sounds. Their debut album Stop the World is out April 14th on Wiretap RecordsBrassneck Records, and Waterslide Records. Check out the awesome new single “Alien” below and pre-order the LP here (US) or here (UK).

The Briefs‘ sophomore album Off the Charts is getting a 20th Anniversary(?) reissue. It’s been remastered and has two bonus tracks tacked on the B-Side. There are three color variants and they’re all pretty limited. You can get your hands on all of them here.

We Are The Union‘s 2018 LP Self Care is back in print thanks to the friendly people at Bad Time Records. There are a few variants of this one – BTR has some on their webstore and there’s another one that’s only available on Bandcamp. There’s also a “Royal Blue” indie variant / band version; not sure where you’re gonna find that one.

And putting a bow on this week’s massive Record Radar is a new pressing of NYC ska legends The Slackers‘ 1998 album The Question from the fine folks at Pirates Press Records. They pressed 1,000 copies on “Electric Blue & Doublemint Galaxy” colored vinyl, and another thousand on black wax. And I gotta say, $25.99 for a double LP in this economy is a pretty fuckin’ good deal, too. Get it here.

RECORD OF THE WEEK!!!

This week’s Record of the Week comes from a newer band that I’ve been really stoked on lately. Winnipeg skate punks One of Us caught me by surprise with their incredible debut album back in January. It seems like a lot of other people like it as much as I do, because the first pressing sold out really fast. The good news for those who slept on this record is that Melodic Punk Style recognized the demand and is issuing a second pressing of this beast. Check it out below and pre-order the LP here.

And 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. 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!

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DS Record Radar: This Week in Punk Vinyl (Circle Jerks, The Movielife, Bridge The Gap & more)

Welcome back to the Dying Scene Record Radar, folks! We’re a day late (two days actually) and a dollar short this week, but hopefully you won’t hold that against us. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is a weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new […]

Welcome back to the Dying Scene Record Radar, folks! We’re a day late (two days actually) and a dollar short this week, but hopefully you won’t hold that against us. If it’s your first time here, thank you for joining us! This is a weekly column where we cover all things punk rock vinyl; new releases, reissues… you name it, we’ve probably got it. There was a lot of cool shit announced this week and this is one of the biggest Record Radars yet! 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!

Kung Fu Records has issued a new pressing of the Circle JerksLive at the House of Blues. They finally got rid of that ghastly cover art and replaced it with this much more basic, yet tasteful image of the band’s classic Skanking Man logo. Grab the 2xLP on yellow vinyl here.

Pretty sure this 20th Anniversary reissue of Blackout by the Dropkick Murphys was already announced months ago… and we covered it… but I guess these are some new color variants or something? The blue one w/ black hazy shit going on is available here. Red looks like it’s the indie exclusive variant, so that will probably start popping up in record stores soon.

Folk punks AJJ have announced their new album Disposable Everything will release on May 26th through Hopeless Records. I’ve only found two color variants for this one, this red and white one and this very pricey Australia Exclusive purple wax.

Bridge The Gap is a new skate punk band releasing their debut album Secret Kombinations this March on People of Punk Rock Records. It was recorded with Bill Stevenson at the Blasting Room, so it should be good! Check out the first single below and pre-order it on red, white, and grey colored wax here.

The recently revived Drive-Thru Records continues to crank out reissues. The Movielife‘s 2001 EP The Movielife Has a Gambling Problem is getting repressed on a few new color variants. If you’re into paying 25 bucks for a 5-song EP, you can grab a copy here.

Our friends at Something To Do Records have an interesting record coming soon. It’s a long-lost LP from a Dallas pop-punk band called Ed Banky’s Car. This was originally supposed to release in 1996 but, due to some very unfortunate circumstances, it hasn’t seen the light of day until now. Check out one of the tracks below and pre-order Meanwhile in Grand Prairie, Texas here.

Radiation Records‘ pop-punk imprint Hey Suburbia has two brand new reissues up on their webstore. The first one’s a 7″ from Wimpy and Medallions, originally released in 2012. This is Wimpy from The Queers with a backing band featuring members of The Nobodys, The Leftovers, and The Connection. Pre-order here.

Hey Suburbia’s other release comes from Spanish pop-punk band Depressing Claim. It’s their 1995 LP Radio Surf, which I guess Ben Weasel gave a good review in Maximum RocknRoll if the hype sticker is to be believed. Pre-order here.

And 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. 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!

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DS Show Review & Gallery: The Queers, Don’t Panic, Capgun Heroes, and Goodbye Sunshine in Chicago (12.07.2022)

The Queers returned to Chicago, headlining at Reggie’s Rock Club on December 7, 2022. Playing in support were Don’t Panic, Capgun Heroes, and Goodbye Sunshine. The midweek show was a high octane show from start to finish. The Queers is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. Joe Queer is the only founding member active in the group, […]

The Queers returned to Chicago, headlining at Reggie’s Rock Club on December 7, 2022. Playing in support were Don’t Panic, Capgun Heroes, and Goodbye Sunshine. The midweek show was a high octane show from start to finish.


The Queers is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. Joe Queer is the only founding member active in the group, but its spirit remains alive. Queer bounded around the stage, matching his younger bandmates’ energy as they zoomed through their set, including Ursula Finally Has Tits,” “Fuck the World,” and “This Place Sucks.” The Queers also performed covers of Screeching Weasel’s “Like a Parasite,” and Ramones‘ “The KKK Took My Baby Away.” The 17+ show crowd tore up the circle pit and one even did literal backflips in tune to the music coming from the stage. The sheer number of The Queers logos on the younger fans’ clothes and even inked in their skin demonstrated that four decades on, the band, and its music, still strike a chord with many fans, old and new.


Don’t Panic, out of Stroudsberg, PA, brought a high level of enthusiasm to its time on stage. Lyrics such as, “Pretending to be someone else or lying to hide the fact she was afraid,” from “Ramona,” and the title/lyrics of their latest single, “Friends Make Better Enemies” delivered in an upbeat manner can be intoxicating. Certainly, sometimes more so than laments and wistful memories encased in equally mournful music. Don’t Panic remained consistent as the band members Ted Felicetti, AJ Larsen, Keith Slader, and Anthony Paesano continued through a setlist that also included “Watership Down,” “Woe I,” and “Fall of ’99.” The band connected with the audience and at one point took a group photo with the crowd. It’s apparently a regular part of its performances. Rather than seeming derivative, there was warmth to it not often enough associated with a punk rock show.


Since its founding in 2018, Chicago’s own Capgun Heroes has steadily been building a devoted fan base. The songs are short bursts of utterly infectious music and lyrics. “Judy” is a call back to the protagonist of the Ramones classic “Judy Is A Punk.” In this case, the assertion being that Judy is no longer a punk, nor does she even like Ramones. Indeed, Capgun Heroes makes no secret of its affection for the legends out of Forest Hills, Queens. Along with the aforementioned tune, Joe Capgun, Matt Cappy, Nick Nativo, Jimmy C, Scotty Lars, and Andy Hero zipped through Back it Up,” “Lobotomy,” “Nuthouse,” “Wanna Go,” and “Operation Chaos,” among others. Name-checking bands and places from its hometown, the band got the heads of those in attendance bopping and their toes tapping. Every once in a while I caught myself joining in, even as I tried to document the set. It made for a few shots a bit too blurry for use, but I had a blast.


Goodbye Sunshine, is newer Chicago band whose debut EP, Keep Failing, You’re Doing Great! was produced and engineered by Joe Queer, who also contributed guest vocals. The band, comprised of August Fllr, Shane Shultz, Ryan Scaccia, and Brad St. Leger, did a fine job of starting out the night with a solid performance. The tight set included, among others, the entire five-song EP. Those five being, “Hide and Seek,” “Plugger,” “She Doesn’t Care Anymore,” “What You Don’t Know,” and “Outlaws In Charleston, Illinois.” If this night is any indication, they won’t start failing anytime soon.


Please see below for more photos from the show!


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Dying Scene Record Radar: New punk vinyl releases & reissues (Descendents, Rancid, Joe Strummer & more)

Hello, loyal readers! Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of the Dying Scene Record Radar, where we cover all things in the world of punk rock vinyl. Kick off your shoes and make yourself at home, because it’s time to run through this week’s releases. I hope you’re feeling spendy, because there’s […]

Hello, loyal readers! Thank you for joining us for this week’s edition of the Dying Scene Record Radar, where we cover all things in the world of punk rock vinyl. Kick off your shoes and make yourself at home, because it’s time to run through this week’s releases. I hope you’re feeling spendy, because there’s a lot of good stuff that might find its way into your record collection. Let’s get into it!

Up first, we’ve got 1-2-3-4 Go! Records with another killer exclusive pressing of a classic record. This time it’s the DescendentsEverything Sucks, limited to 1,000 hand numbered copies on blue vinyl. This will be available on their webstore Friday, August 5th at 8am Pacific (11am Eastern). Join 1-2-3-4 Go!’s mailing list to be among the first to know when it goes up.

Rancid‘s Let’s Go is getting repressed, this time as a red and black splatter LP. It’s limited to 1,000 copies, and is only available from Newbury Comics. Head over here to get your hands on this one.

Brooklyn Vegan has an exclusive green 2xLP pressing of Social Distortion‘s Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes up to pre-order on their webstore. It’s limited to 300 copies and the color is pretty cool. Not a huge Social D fan myself, but this album’s alright. Also, if you join Brooklyn Vegan’s mailing list, you’ll get 10% off your order! Very nice.

Asian Man Records has brand new pressings of two classic Alkaline Trio LPs available right now. These new variants of Goddamnit and Maybe I’ll Catch Fire are limited to 1,000 copies each. Head on over to Asian Man’s webstore to order.

It’s been a long time coming but No Trigger has finally announced a follow-up to their fantastic sophomore album Tycoon. The new record’s called Dr. Album, and it’s being released next month on Red Scare. Check out the first single below, and pre-order the LP here.

Power pop singer/songwriter Geoff Palmer has re-recorded Dee Dee Ramone’s “rap” album Standing In The Spotlight. The first single, his cover of “Emergency” (my favorite song off the record), can be heard below. Stardumb Records is releasing this on vinyl; head over here to pre-order it.

The Mugwumps just released a new live album, recorded at Italy’s premiere punk festival Punk Rock Raduno in 2021. Check it out below – it kicks ass! My fellow Americans can get this here; our European friends can buy it here.

Mom’s Basement Records has announced their upcoming Queers tribute compilation God Save The Queers Vol.2 will be available to pre-order this Friday, July 29th, at Noon Eastern. Head over to their webstore to grab your copy. Canadians can get this one from Insipid Records, and our Bri’ish mates will wanna hit up Council-Pop Records.

Hardcore punk supergroup OFF! has announced a new record! Free LSD is the band’s first new studio album in eight years. They’re describing it as “a heavy punk industrial free jazz soundtrack recording”. Watch the music video for the first single “War Above Los Angeles” below, and pre-order the record here. There’s also an orange variant available from Brooklyn Vegan.

Making their second Record Radar appearance in three weeks, it’s the Dropkick Murphys with a Newbury Comics Exclusive variant of their upcoming album This Machine Still Kills Fascists. This one’s due out on September 30th, it’s limited to 500 copies on red vinyl, and you can pre-order it here.

British punk pioneers The Vibrators have announced their final album Fall Into the Sky will be released on August 12th through Cleopatra Records. Listen to the first single below, and pre-order the record on pink or blue vinyl here.

Santa Cruz pop-punks Too Bad Eugene just announced their first new album in 20 years! Distance is due out September 14th on People of Punk Rock Records. Listen to the title track below, and pre-order the record here.

Italy’s Radiation Records has reissued two LPs from Los Angeles punk veterans The Generators: 2005’s The Winter of Discontent, and 2007’s The Great Divide. Get ’em here. These are available in the US through Merchbar, too, but the price after shipping is basically the same as importing from Italy.

A decade after the downfall of The Clash, frontman Joe Strummer would spend the last three years of his life making new music with his band The Mescaleros. A box set compiling the band’s three albums and a bonus LP of demos, outtakes, rarities, has been announced. This is due out on September 16th, and can be pre-ordered here. These records go for $100+ each on the resale market, so this is actually a pretty great deal.

Reminder! If you are attending SBAM FestBrackrock Festival, or Punk Rock Holiday over the next few weeks, Fat Wreck Chords is going to have exclusive new variants of a shitload of records at their merch booth. Titles include Lagwagon‘s Hoss, Strung Out‘s Suburban Teenage Wasteland Blues, the new Face to Face album, and many others. These European festivals are the only place in the entire world these will be available. Check out Fat’s Instagram for more info.

Canadian friends, check out Forbidden Beat! They’re a punk distro that always has good shit going up on their Instagram page, at very good prices. They also seem to be the only place in North America with copies of the new Screeching Weasel LP in stock, so if you’re looking for that, hit ’em up!

Now that all the new and upcoming releases have been covered, I thought I’d share what I’ve been listening to lately! I saw my favorite band Less Than Jake for the 19th(?) time last week, so I’ve been on a LTJ kick lately. I got Losers, Kings, And Things We Don’t Understand at a show in Orlando back in… 2012? And this red pressing of See The Light was one of two Christmas variants limited to 100 copies. It had been a while since I listened to either of these, so I gave them a few spins.

That’s all, folks! Thanks as always for tuning in to the Dying Scene Record Radar. 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, send us a message on Facebook or Instagram, and we’ll look into it. Enjoy your weekend, don’t blow too much money on spinny discs. See ya next week!

*Wanna catch up on all of our Record Radar posts? Yype “Record Radar” in the search bar at the top of the page!

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Dying Scene Album Review: Florida Men record killer punk album

Florida men are usually in the news for all the wrong reasons. Whether they’re getting high on bath salts and eating a homeless person’s face off, being arrested for drunk driving on a Segway, or stealing a cop car while butt-ass naked, Florida men are always up to something. Their latest venture? Joining forces to […]

Florida men are usually in the news for all the wrong reasons. Whether they’re getting high on bath salts and eating a homeless person’s face off, being arrested for drunk driving on a Segway, or stealing a cop car while butt-ass naked, Florida men are always up to something. Their latest venture? Joining forces to start a band and release a fucking awesome album of loud, fast, snotty, pop-tinged punk rock. One small caveat: these guys aren’t actually from the Sunshine State, they’re Dutchmen. But, as a native Floridian, I accept them as one of my own.

Florida Men (the band) features members of Sun-0-Bathers and Drunktank, among others. Their twelve song debut album clocks in at under 20 minutes, delivering really fun, short bursts of melodic pop-punk, fueled by a barrage of Johnny Ramone style buzzsaw downstrokes. There’s a liberal application of the earwormy “nursery rhyme” style lead guitar parts popularized in the 90’s by The Queers and Screeching Weasel, paired with the frantic pace of bands like DeeCracks, Teenage Bottlerocket, and The Manges.

All of the songs are great, but some of my favorites include “Better Safe than Sober”, “Tiki Bar”, “Greatest of All Time”, and “No Fit”. The subject matter ranges from getting cheated on by your trailer trash girlfriend who has face tattoos and a tramp stamp, to getting drunk at a Tiki bar after nobody came to your band’s show. I must say, for a bunch of Dutchmen, these guys sure know a lot about… Florida stuff.

For old school pop-punk fans, I’d consider this “easy listening”. It’s a quick blast of fun, catchy songs. All the hallmarks of the genre are here, but these guys do “pop-punk by the numbers” way better than a lot of other bands. The singing, playing, and production are all on point. Florida Men made a really, really good album that would serve as the perfect soundtrack to any felonious acts you may want to commit.

It’s a fuckin’ bargain, too! Morning Wood Records is selling the digital version for just two bucks, and the CD can be had for the low price of five freedom dollars. Shipping to the United States (more specifically Florida) is another issue, but it’s still quite reasonable. Buy, buy, buy!!!

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