Search Results for: Cumbia

DS Show Review & Gallery: 6th Annual Slackfest night 2 – The Slackers; Eastern Standard Time; Los Vicios de Papá; and Lady Hatchet. Chicago (11.18.2023)

November 24, 2023 | 10:21 am

Slackfest, the annual event presented by The Slackers hit Reggie’s Rock Club recently. Dying Scene was on the floor at the S. State Street venue. The ska fest was a night of joyful noise featuring plenty of the subgenre’s signature horns. The Slackers, the iconic NYC ska group, once again provided an energetic capper to […]

The Slackers, the iconic NYC ska group, once again provided an energetic capper to the weekend’s festivities. It was a dynamic set with trombonist and singer Glen Pine out front and center with an especially animated performance. The band is playing out west for the next couple of weeks before heading back to its native east coast. Don’t slack on catching a set (yes I know that was lame. But the band is everything opposite of that).

Eastern Standard Time, from Washington DC, led by the smoothly charismatic Unikue Peace on vocals and percussion. It was a lively set and the perfect penultimate one to the headliner.

Los Vicios de Papá, out of Chicago, performs its music in Spanish. I once was more fluent in the language than I am now. No matter, it was a high-powered performance combining Latin ska, reggae, and Cumbia. Los Vicios de Papá had the crowd stomping on the venue’s concrete floor in the very best way.

Lady Hatchet, aka Kristin Forbes, kicked off the night with a fun set. Dunia Best joined her for several songs which upped the already entertaining level a notch. This is the first time I have seen them perform. It was also the first time I have seen performers literally dancing as they set up and take down their gear before and after their set. I look forward to seeing both parts of these musicians’ performances in the future.

Please see more photos from the 6th Annual Slackfest night 2 below. Thanks and Cheers!

The Slackers
The Slackers
The Slackers
The Slackers
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Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time
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Eastern Standard Time
Eastern Standard Time
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Los Vicios de Papá
Los Vicios de Papá
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Los Vicios de Papá
Lady Hatchet
Lady Hatchet
Dunia Best
Dunia Best and Lady Hatchet
Lady Hatchet
Dunia Best
Lady Hatchet

by Staff Writer MerGold

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DS Show Review & Gallery: Me First & The Gimme Gimmes/The Black Tones/Son Rompe Pera (House of Blues – Chicago, IL – 10/1/22)

October 17, 2022 | 2:57 pm

The foremost punk rock supergroup cover band hit the House of Blues in Chicago, IL on the first day of October 2022. The band brought the humor and fun, performing others’ classics but at break-neck speed. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes has a rotating cast of characters. At this House of Blues Chicago, only […]

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes has a rotating cast of characters. At this House of Blues Chicago, only one of the original members, Spike Slawson, was on stage. Joey Cape of Lagwagon and Fat Mike of NOFX were unable to join Slawson due to both bands being on tour. However, Slawson did have a pretty solid set of bandmates: CJ Ramone on bass, Speedo aka John “The Swami” Reis of Rocket From the Crypt on guitar, Jake Kiley from Strung Out, and Andrew “Pinch” Pinching formerly of The Damned, on drums. The entire band was decked out in white denim and glittery pink shirts, accented by white ties Slawson added a white sports jacket and Elton John style specs, as well his Lounge Lizard persona.

The band zoomed through a pair of John Denver tunes, “Leaving on a Jet Plane” and “Take Me Home Country Roads,” as well as Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” “ScienceFiction/Double Feature” by Richard O’Brien

The set also featured Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time)” by Elton John, “Mandy,” by Barry Manilow and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.”

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes serves up a reliably good time, no matter what the lineup at any given time. It’s all in good fun, though there was an early oof moment when Slawson joked about John Denver’s skills as a helicopter pilot (Denver died when the home-made aircraft he was flying crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the crash to pilot errors). Aside from that, the band members play with an earnestness rather than a mocking spirit underneath the levity. They seem to be enjoying this insouciant break from their “day jobs.” The crowd was all for it and left asking for more.

The Black Tones, on its first national tour, got the show started in a big way. The duo, comprised of Eva Walker on vocals and guitar, and her twin brother Cedric Walker on drums and vocals, have built a devoted fan base in the state of Washington. The Seattle duo’s hit song, “The Key Of Black (They Want Us Dead)” speaks to police brutality fueled by racism.The name of the Walkers’ first album, Cobain & Cornbread, is a nod to both their hometown of the Emerald City, and their family’s southern roots in Louisiana.

On stage, joined by family as back-up musicians and singers they soared. Eva Walker is both an indefatigable shredder and a dynamic vocalist. Cedric Walker is a thunderous drummer, every bash complementing his sister’s swaggering stage presence. With songs like “Mr. Pink,” “Ghetto Spaceship,” and “Mama, There’s A Spider In My Room,” this band will continue to knock the socks off of those lucky enough to see them in the future.

In the middle slot of the evening were the rising stars in Son Rompe Pera. The band, like The Black Tones, is led by siblings. The three brothers Gama: The two Marimberos/Vocalists, Mongo and Kacho, and percussionist/vocalist Kilos. The family is from Naucalpan de Juárezon the outskirts of Mexico City. They are joined in Son Rompe Pera by Raul Albarrán on bass and Albarrán’s cousin, Richi López on drums. The band has played nearly every size of music venue, and was interviewed by National Public Radio. They were also featured in a video for NPR’s Tiny Desk Sessions, On this Windy City Saturday night, Son Rompe Pera buoyantly showcased its sound which is traditional marimba music and cumbia fused with garage punk and psychobilly. Marimberos Kacho’s and Mongo’s synchronized rapid fire banging of their mallets across their marimbas, whilst furiously dancing, building momentum, caused them to appear breathless as they hit the crescendos. Those moments elicited gasps from the crowd followed by roaring cheers. Son Rompe Pera did not just warm up the crowd for the headliners, Instead, it was introducing to many of the Me First and the Gimme Gimmes fans a piece of the members’ heritages and family traditions. In the process, they were also garnering new fans of their music and of the marimba and cumbia.

See below for more photos from the show!

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
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Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
Me First and The Gimme Gimmes
The Black Tones
The Black Tones
The Black Tones
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The Black Tones
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Son Rompe Pera
Son Rompe Pera
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Son Rompe Pera

by Staff Writer MerGold

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cover band Cumbia Garage Punk Marimba me first and the gimme gimmes

Dying Scene Photo Gallery: Mustard Plug, The Toasters, Half Past Two, and Malafacha – Reggies, Chicago Illinois (09/07/2023).

October 2, 2023 | 3:00 pm

Mustard Plug’s ‘Where Did All My Friends Go’ Album Release show with special guests The Toasters, Half Past Two, and Malafacha at Reggies! This entire show is a great showcase of talent using a variety of instruments from horns, bass, guitar, trumpets, vocals…everything sounds RAD and you will end up having a blast! Mustard Plug […]

Mustard Plug is a ska punk band from the Midwest specifically Grand Rapids, Michigan. They came to Chicago to promote the release of their new album ‘Where Did All My Friends Go’ (Bad Time Records, 2023). The band consists of vocalist Dave Kirchgessner, trumpeter Brandon Jenison, trombonist Jim Hofer, drummer Nate Cohn, guitarist/vocalist Colin Clive, tenor saxophonist Mark Petz and bassist Greg Witulski. The band have toured all over the world since they formed in 1991from the United States to Europe, Japan, South America and beyond. This ska punk band that will have you “skanking” into the night and having so much fun. Check them out here.

The Toasters are one of the original American second-wave ska bands founded in New York in 1981. The band is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Buck, bassist Tim Karns, keyboardist Dave Barry, drummer Art Zamora, saxophonist Nathan Koch, trumpeter/trombonist Adam Birch, and trombonists Gilbert Covarrubias. They have more than 19 albums behind them and released ‘Live at the Ska Fest 2021’ LP Album (Supernova Records) in 2023. You’re in for a real treat and be sure to check them out here.

Half Past Two is an amazing 7-piece ska band formed in 2006 in Orange County, California. The band consists of vocalist Tara Hahn, guitarist/vocalist Max Beckman, keys/guitarist/ vocalist David Parris, bassist Mark Anderson, trumpeter Max Maynard, trombonist Luis Gracia Alonso, and drummer Savannah Tweedt. The band is full of so much energy and you will not find yourself standing still. Find them here.

Malafacha is a Ska band with Reggae and Latin rhythms that was formed in 2003 in Pilsen’s Hispanic Bohemian neighborhood in Chicago, IL. Malafacha is conformed of 8 members, vocalist Moises Bello, drummer Alejandro Cruz, saxist Ivan Bello, bassist Ezequiel Cruz, trombonist Juan Abad, percussionist Armando Pescador, guitarist Roberto Carlos Tovar, and keyboardist Martin Orosco. With this many band members you are bound to have different personalities and musical tendencies between the band members. This has brought the band together to obtain an original sound with a base of Ska, Reggae and Latin rhythms mixed with Punk, Metal, Cumbia, Rock, Disco and an endless fusion of genres that makes of Malafacha a unique band. Follow them on their social media pages to see where they will be next.

Mustard Plug Photo Gallery