Daikaiju is a kaiju-themed surf rock revival band from Huntsville, Alabama, now based out of Houston, usually consisting of two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. The band formed in the winter of 1999 and first performed in January 2000. The band has played shows across Europe, eastern Asia, and North America. As of 2022, the band is still actively touring.
With the sheer quantity of shows I’m seeing these days, very seldom do I recognize mid-performance, or even after the fact, that what I’m witnessing ranks among the best shows I’ve been to. Sure, somewhat recent examples may include my first experience with Frank Turner, or photographing Daikaiju inducing utter mayhem in a wall-to-wall packed […]
With the sheer quantity of shows I’m seeing these days, very seldom do I recognize mid-performance, or even after the fact, that what I’m witnessing ranks among the best shows I’ve been to. Sure, somewhat recent examples may include my first experience with Frank Turner, or photographing Daikaiju inducing utter mayhem in a wall-to-wall packed club. But this Codefendants show may rank higher than both of those, holding a more significant spot than almost any show of my recent memory, and for a variety of reasons.
I’ll be the first to reveal that, initially, I wasn’t super fond of Codefendants, for no other reason than I didn’t give them the time of day. I’ve mentioned in the past that my musical preferences are extremely closed-minded and, for the most part, I’m very set in my ways. So when I first caught wind of the project featuring the trio of Fat Mike-Sam King-Ceschi Ramos, I didn’t have much interest in exploring the newly termed genre of “crime wave”. It wasn’t until close to three weeks after their full-length, This Is Crime Wave, hit streaming that I gave it a chance. And when I say this record may be a game-changer for me, I’ll be surprised if anything dethrones this thing from the top spot on my ongoing Records of the Year list. Even now, nearly a month after finally giving This Is Crime Wave a fair shot, I find myself listening to it on the daily.
With this record came a newfound respect for all the artists featured on the release. This release, more so than really any others in my recent recollection, showcases an insane amount of songwriting dynamic, displaying a kind of musicianship that appeals to fans of genres that have seemingly no similarities to punk rock. I found myself holding the songwriting of Sam King, Ceschi Ramos, Fat Mike, and even Stacey Dee, to a higher regard, as well as diving into the legendary career of the DOC and digging into what Onry Ozzborn’s extensive catalog has to offer. This is one of those records that I can cite as helping to expand my musical taste a little bit further outside the strict confines of punk, a feat that is becoming more and more difficult to achieve.
After recognizing the grasp that this release took on my airwaves, I was already looking forward to this show. Any chance to hang with the Zeta dudes is time well-spent, especially getting to see them back a band that’s gaining significant momentum. Additionally, this would be my first in-person run-in with both Ceschi and King, two guys whose prior projects I’ve followed pretty closely as well.
This show had it all, blowing every expectation I had out of the water. Codefendants, featuring their mesh of hip-hop, punk, and just straight-up lyrical-badassery, had two openers that fit right in with fans of hip-hop or punk rock.
Rap Ferreira leaned more towards hip-hop, but gave me major Chris Farren vibes with his one-man-band type of performance. Armed with only a microphone and what I can only assume was a small table full of electronics that do tons of cool stuff that I don’t know shit about, Ferreira achieved a stage presence and flair that rivals many full bands I’ve encountered.
I continue to enjoy Zeta‘s live show more each time I come out, even with this being my fifth show of theirs in the last year, with at least one more scheduled for June. They’re a killer bunch of dudes that have poured their life into playing music and I envy the hell out of their dedication and motivation. I was beyond pumped when the announcement came of them playing this tour, and I was even with Juanchi (featured right) when the announcement came through.
Their musical style is hard to pin down, but I’ll settle on the experimental-punk label. I mean it’s hard to pin a band down to one genre when all their shows end with each member playing different percussion within a drum circle. But I hope to not spoil too much as I’ve got an interview with 50% of Zeta due out very soon.
Holy shit were these guys good. Codefendants sounded as professional as anyone I’ve seen and I was in pure awe watching some true professionals go to work.
What stuck with me more was seeing their emotion shine through, reinforcing how much they had previously revealed that these songs meant to them (interview due out very soon as well). I found myself once again realizing that punk’s honesty and genuine nature are what I truly love about the world’s greatest fucking genre.
Having had the pleasure of catching Codefendants first ever tour was one for the books, and I’m still riding a high from this show as I’m doing this write-up. Both Zeta and Codefendants are absolute workhorses, so do yourself a huge favor and catch them live. Codefendants has been on all the Punk in Drublic dates and were recently announced as openers for Avenged Sevenfold as well, so catch a show and have a ball just like I did. Zeta has an upcoming full US tour with recently announced Festers Sparta, so go say what’s up to four of the nicest dudes I’ve ever met.
As always, thanks for checking out the site. Cheers!
Muddy Roots 2023 is officially in the books, and with this being my first trip out to Cookeville, TN for MRMF, man was it a hell of an introduction. If you aren’t familiar with what the Muddy Roots crew has brewing in the middle of rural Tennessee, think of a DIY version of Bonaroo, but […]
Muddy Roots 2023 is officially in the books, and with this being my first trip out to Cookeville, TN for MRMF, man was it a hell of an introduction.
If you aren’t familiar with what the Muddy Roots crew has brewing in the middle of rural Tennessee, think of a DIY version of Bonaroo, but way sicker and way more affordable. Free camping virtually anywhere on the premises and a wide-open BYOB policy have helped build a reputation valuing the music and community over large profits, something I appreciated just as much as the huge headliners they’ve attracted in recent years.
The huge headliners in question for this year’s installment were GWAR, Suicidal Tendencies, and Cro Mags, all of which were live firsts for myself. There wasn’t a drop-off in big names either after the top 3, with Amigo the Devil and DRI also playing. And, with the exception of Daikaiju and Night Talkers, almost all artists were, at least personally, live firsts.
The atmosphere was perfect, the music was perfect, everything was perfect. Whatever they’re doing out in Cookeville surely seems to be working. The shuttles to a nearby private waterfall help folks truly appreciate the gorgeous and unique scenery of Eastern Tennessee, while the music starts early and continues late into the night. From bluegrass to sludge-metal, punk rock to rockabilly, local act to international touring musician, Muddy Roots did as good a job as any in bringing people together from all over to celebrate the music we all love.
With the festival lineup growing larger and more diverse each year, I felt coverage of Muddy Roots would be most productive in highlighting some of the weekend favorites, rather than each individual performer. Below you’ll find the eight artists I most enjoyed seeing.
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Night Talkers a handful of times, most recently opening for The Last Gang at Music City’s best punk bar, the Cobra. And when local ska-punk legends Stuck Lucky were a last minute Covid scratch, onlookers were graced with the Night Talkers signature style of shredding guitar solos and fast, in-your-face rock ‘n’ roll. Although it was a disappointment missing the always entertaining Stuck Lucky, Night Talkers very much filled their shoes, much to the pleasure of the packed-out Wood Stage crowd.
Unless I’m mistaken (which is always a possibility), this was Night Talkers’ Muddy Roots debut. They’ve recently, as of the last year and a half or so, emerged as a local favorite of mine and I’ve been glad to see some local dudes garner interest both around town and out of state.
Hans Gruber and the Die Hards was one of those pesky touring bands that has somehow alluded my radar for several years now. I’ve known who they were for a while, but it wasn’t until the Muddy Roots lineup was announced that I hopped on board with these guys. It sucks to think that I’ve missed out for this long on probably the most entertaining band of the weekend.
Between every song, it seemed someone was switching instruments, whether it was lead-singer Rosey Armstrong switching from saxophone to some sort of handheld percussion instrument, or her husband Kurt dropping the bass and grabbing the traffic cone trombone, these dudes were all over the place, both musically and literally. I couldn’t take my eyes off their set, not only for the fast, hard-hitting punk rock, but for the stage antics that I only managed to capture a fraction of in my shots.
I’ve found the band whose duty it is to fill the Masked Intruder void that was left with the hiatus of everyone’s favorite masked punkers. The Jasons have emerged, assless chaps and all, with their own unique blend of villanous attire and Ramones-core punk rock. Humorous, sexy, terrifying, they’ve got the look figured out, and the music is in no way lacking.
Their closing came in the form of a sort of response to the Menzingers‘ ‘I Don’t Wanna Be an Asshole Anymore’ titled ‘I Wanna Be an Asshole’. And it sent the crowd into nothing short of a frenzy.
Waxed was a band I decided to break my punk-rock-only policy for, and it was probably the best decision I could have made. The experience that’s been gained in their 10+ year history really presented itself with their mastery of stage performance. The crowd was as rowdy as any I’d seen all weekend, even keeping up with the obvious contenders in Suicidal Tendencies and GWAR (although I’ve gotta rank it behind Cro Mags saying as an actual ambulance had to rush to the pit during their set).
Trending more towards modern hardcore than the skatepunk I normally fancy, I did see shades of Turnstile in both sound and performance from these guys. It was obvious from the packed mob of onlookers that a group of fan-favorites was about to take the stage.
Not much else really needs to be said here other than Tim Barry did what Tim Barry does. He put on a hell of a fuckin’ show, split pretty evenly between being up on stage and down on ground level with the rest of the crowd. The sentiment and storytelling were there, giving meaning and insight to the ever-attentive crowd. All the favorites were heard, at least all my favorites, including ‘Fine Foods Market’ much of Rivanna Junction, all culminating with the obvious closer, ‘Avoiding Catatonic Surrender’.
If were going off of technicality here, I guess I had already previously seen Tim Barry’s Fest 20 set last October, but the view sucked and I was rushing off to another set before Barry was halfway through his. This was my first real Tim Barry show and it satisfied every live-show craving I had to see my favorite Americana writer.
I’ve covered multiple Daikaiju attacks, being that they aren’t merely live performances, but attacks. Prior to each show, I seem to forget why they are my favorite band to photograph, and maybe favorite live band overall. Fire always holds a prominent place in performances, almost as prominent as crowd interaction.
Every crowd interaction possibility that I can devise occurred at the Wood Stage, during the late hours of Muddy Roots night one. Lead guitarist Secret Man led the crowd onslaught, riding the shoulders of one crowd member, recruiting others to play instruments, and surfing the remaining spectators, all while playing seemingly neverending surf-punk riffs. The tattered remains of each member’s Hawaiian stage uniform makes a whole lot more sense post-attack. The only antic I had yet to witness (until this performance that is) was their ritualistic tour van arson, which was done almost ceremonially to close their performance.
Having lived in Tennessee for much of my adult life, Suicidal Tendencies and Cro Mags have been bands of legend, with my only hope of seeing live performances being out-of-state travel. So I was beyond stoked seeing the lineup announcement featuring two of the founders of Hardcore. What I was unaware of, however, was the amount of talent and musical experience that would grace the main stage late during the first night.
Beginning with Mike Muir and Dean Pleasants, Muir being the only original member and Pleasants’ now outlasting that of former guitarist Rocky George. The two veterans recruited their asses off, bringing in the next generation of great musicians in Ben Weinman, Tye Trujillo, and Greyson Nekrutman. Weinman, formerly of Dillinger Escape Plan, Trujillo, whose last name may be recognizable as son of RnR Hall of Fame Metallica member Robert Trujillo, and Nekrutman, a worthy replacement for current Offspring drummer Brandon Pertzborn.
During the show, Muir’s years did not show a bit, while Trujillo portrayed a musicianship that didn’t seem to align with the mere 18 years he’s lived. Trujillo boasted some of the fastest, yet cleanest bass playing I’ve witnessed, while Weinman and Nekrutman’s speed was equally impressive. The current Suicidal lineup was, in many ways, the epitome of punk: a group from different backgrounds, genres, and even generations, producing genre-mending music.
While Suicidal Tendencies had gone through an evolution, Cro Mags appeared to be the fast, wreckless, fuckin’ insane punk band that I had pictured from 40 years prior. As was the case with Mike Muir, Harley Flanagan’s age was not a factor in his ability to utilize the entirety of the stage within a matter of seconds.
What was immediately obvious was these guys were veterans, they knew exactly what they were doing up there. The crowd excitement gave this the feel of a small-club East coast show rather than an outdoor festival in rural Tennessee.
There you have it, a pretty good wrap-up of my Muddy Roots experience in a nutshell. However, only so much can be portrayed through word and photograph. The community atmosphere was just as enjoyable as the big headliners, but don’t get me wrong, the music was as rad as ever, making me proud to live so close to something so special.
I feel it to be a punishable offense that the Nashville Dying Scene branch has failed to cover Muddy Roots in the past. I hope to have the privilege to cover MRMF far more frequently in the future because it really is as special as I hope I’ve portrayed. Scroll on down for a bunch of shots from the weekend. As always, thanks for checking out the site. Cheers!
This was hands down the most insane and utterly mind-blowing show I’ve ever witnessed. Killer music, snakes, an ungodly amount of fire, this show had it all. In addition, this redefined my understanding of crowd interaction and having a cult-like following. Daikaiju put on a show unlike one I had ever seen, all without singing […]
This was hands down the most insane and utterly mind-blowing show I’ve ever witnessed. Killer music, snakes, an ungodly amount of fire, this show had it all. In addition, this redefined my understanding of crowd interaction and having a cult-like following. Daikaiju put on a show unlike one I had ever seen, all without singing or speaking one word the entire night.
Guillotine put on an extremely unique performance, one that was only topped by Daikaiju who was to follow. Advertised as ‘The Industrial Metal Sideshow’ on the flier, their fire dancers and serpent antics helped them live up to the title. The set was split up between several covers and originals, so their was ample opportunity for you to sing your heart out to the Misfits and Tool as well as hearing some great local hard rock.
In every Instagram post Daikaiju makes about their next upcoming show, the caption reads ‘DAIKAIJU ATTACKS [insert city here] TONIGHT-GO!!!’. The only fitting way I can think of to recount my first experience at one of their shows is to describe it as an attack.
Their entire set, comprised of fast, catchy surf-rock madness, was done without one single spoken or sung word and was played from literally every possible spot in the bar besides the stage. For about half the show, the crowd was holding the kit while the drummer was on top of the bar, hammering the shit out of his crowd-supported kit. Not only that, throughout the night, unsuspecting fans were handed instruments and told to play while utter mayhem broke out around them.
No show I’ve ever been to ranks even close to this one in terms of craziness. I was caught off-guard with this one; I expected to maybe see some fire and a good performance, but in no way was I prepared for what I saw.
Do yourself a favor and check these guys out. They tour pretty regularly and just announced another 30 date tour, so go see them before their antics get them kicked out of every bar in your state. As always, thanks for the clicks and we hope you keep coming back to the site as posts start becoming more regular. Cheers!
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!
