A lot of news from Spain today. Barcelona based skatepunkers Fastloud have premiered a brand new video for their song ‘Riot Fall’, a single taken from their latest EP ‘Walkman Returns’. Head down below to check out the video for ‘Riot Fall’.
A lot of news from Spain today. Barcelona based skatepunkers Fastloud have premiered a brand new video for their song ‘Riot Fall’, a single taken from their latest EP ‘Walkman Returns’.
Head down below to check out the video for ‘Riot Fall’. [Read more…]
Dutch pop punks Dowzer have premiered a brand new video for their song ‘Broken Record’. The track was taken from the band’s latest LP “So Much For Silver Linings” that came out earlier this year on Umlaut Records (UK), Shield Recordings (EU) Waterslide Records (JP). Head down below to watch the video for ‘Broken Record’.
Dutch pop punks Dowzer have premiered a brand new video for their song ‘Broken Record’. The track was taken from the band’s latest LP “So Much For Silver Linings” that came out earlier this year on Umlaut Records (UK), Shield Recordings (EU) Waterslide Records (JP).
Head down below to watch the video for ‘Broken Record’. [Read more…]
Barcelona (ES) based melodic punks Torches have dropped a brand new album. ‘New Ways, Same Fire’ is out now via Western Valley Records and should be a good listen if you’re into 90’s melodic punk. Check out ‘New Ways, Same Fire’ below now.
Barcelona (ES) based melodic punks Torches have dropped a brand new album. ‘New Ways, Same Fire’ is out now via Western Valley Records and should be a good listen if you’re into 90’s melodic punk.
Check out ‘New Ways, Same Fire’ below now. [Read more…]
First generation-influenced punkers Slow Faction just re-released a couple of their older tracks. The Brits went out and re-recorded some of their singles with their new drummer and bundled them all on a new EP. ‘Alternatives: Volume 1’ is available for pay what you want in digital format now. Head down below and give ‘Alternatives: Volume […]
First generation-influenced punkers Slow Faction just re-released a couple of their older tracks. The Brits went out and re-recorded some of their singles with their new drummer and bundled them all on a new EP. ‘Alternatives: Volume 1’ is available for pay what you want in digital format now.
Head down below and give ‘Alternatives: Volume 1’ a spin. [Read more…]
“Thanksgiving Eve” and the extended holiday weekend in Chicago had the city hopping with terrific shows. I covered a few of them. Thanksgiving Eve at First Ward ChopShop was headlined Pegboy, The Bollweevils pretty much co-headliners; with Airstream Futures out of St. Louis; and Breakmouth Annie also on the bill. It was Pegboy’s first show […]
“Thanksgiving Eve” and the extended holiday weekend in Chicago had the city hopping with terrific shows. I covered a few of them.
Thanksgiving Eve at First Ward ChopShop was headlined Pegboy, The Bollweevils pretty much co-headliners; with Airstream Futures out of St. Louis; and Breakmouth Annie also on the bill.
It was Pegboy’s first show back in their hometown after terrific receptions at two recent festivals, the most recent being in Brazil. This was first international trip for “Skinny” Mike Thompson and he described it to me as “incredible.”
Pegboy, in recent years has rarely left the state of Illinois to perform. To their beloved hometown crowd they brought their classics, including lead singer and guitarist Larry Damore’s classic uniform of white t-shirt and blue jeans. In the crowd, the team #WeAreLarry #CultofDamore, a small group of big Pegboy fan whom also happen to be close friends with the band members, also sported that same uniform.
Damore himself made fun of his usual hitting the floor with exhaustion. However, he impressively lasted nearly an hour before lying down on the job. Damore punching the air throughout the set and leaving the stage as he crowd surfed, caused a frenzy in full measure with Pegboy bandmates, lead guitarist John Haggerty, the gold standard of punk rock guitarists; John’s brother Joe Haggerty powering through on drums, and bass player “Skinny” Mike Thompson roaming the stage and cranking up the intensity. Thompson, appeared not to just playing his bass but the bass seemed to be another of his limbs as he folded himself over time and time again. At times it became difficult to distinguish the instrument from the player of said instrument.
Pegboy started their set with “Not What I Want,” and jammed through 15 songs including classics “Superstar,” “DangerMare,” “Strong Reaction,” “Revolver” (their great cover of Mission of Burma’s “That’s When I Reach for My Revolver” and the song Damore has routinely described as making him financially independent) and “Through My Fingers.”
Their classic and moving “Strong Reaction,” which has been covered live numerous times by well known artists, has been getting renewed attention, in big part due to Chuck Ragan speaking publicly about how Pegboy has inspired him. Ragan and his Hot Water Music bandmates pay homage to the tune in the first line of the song “Never Going Back” from their new album Light It Up— “Had a strong reaction waking up.”
Full Disclosure and personal note: I am friends with the band members, especially Skinny Mike and Larry. Larry and I had actually discussed “Strong Reaction” and what it meant to me less than a week earlier when we hung out a Liar’s Club show. So this show was a first for me: It was the first time I ever joined the lead singer on the mic, informally and spontaneous as it was. Whilst shooting the show, I had to sit partly on the stage to work amidst the chaos and Larry came over and put his arm around me and I helped him sing that tune. This was truly a verklempt-inducing moment for me.
However, I am glad no footage of that has surfaced as of yet, because as a singer, I am a great photographer.
Still, just another example of how punk rock is about more than just getting rowdy, the connections between those who write the songs and those who find meaning in them cannot be underestimated. One just need to listen to few of the lyrics to “Strong reaction” – “ I walk alone through the sleet and snow and pouring rain to…Get my heart broken, forever ever lost inside of…I walk along to slip and fall on strong reactions…Keep my heart broken, never ever amend myself…That’s all right and that’s okay” — whatever Damore’s personal motivation or his own story behind his writing, no doubt many people can take those lyrics and relate to them in some measure.
However, the crowd was not filled with just locals. Karring Moan flew in from his present home in the Twin Cities of for this show. Moan is a long time fan of both bands, “I try to go to most Pegboy shows actually. My first punk show ever was Pegboy at Fireside Bowl in the mid ’90s, and it was just one of those moments that changed my musical taste — or at least what I wanted to experience in music. And the fact the Bollweevils were playing too meant that it was a no brainer of a show. I still have the flyer from that first Pegboy show…”
The Bollweevils were the penultimate set and they too spend some time rocking on the international fest set. This past August, they played Rebellion in Blackpool. Dr. Daryl Wilson, aka the Punk Rock Doc, punctuated the space above the stage with numerous high jumps that makes one wonder if he competed in the track part of the track and field as a high schooler. Surely the combination of his 6’5″ frame and ability to grab massive air would have served him well in several events.
As it was Wilson did not spend his entire time on stage. He often ventured into the crowd where he shared the mic with the enthusiastic crowd and diehard Bollweevils fan. The 14 song set list started off with “Honesty Isn’t so Simple,” and included “Fencesitter,” “Bottomless Pit”, “Peggy Sue”, “Galt’s Gulch”, “John Doe”, “Altered States” “999-Stoney” and of course their call to fun,“Bollweevils Anthem.”
Wilson is one of the subjects in the documentary, “Men: the Series.” The film tells the stories of four African-American men, one of whom is Dr. Daryl Wilson. Wilson is by day is EMS Medical Director at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL.
Remaining on the stage but providing just as much power for the Bollweevils are the two Petes: Peter Mittler on bass, and Pete Mumford on drums. Mumford seems to always have a smile on his face, look of pure joy as he smashes the skins. What is going through his mind as he plays? This is how Mumford described it to me recently: “I normally don’t really think of anything at all when I’m playing. When I’m on stage, I like to look at the people in the crowd acting like idiots and having fun…that always makes me smile. I like to make stupid faces at the people I know too. So yeah, not thinking much…just trying to have as much fun as I can.”
Mittler said this about playing in The Bollweevils: “I love playing in this band with guys I love and have so much in common with. I also think that it’s the heaviest drinking band I’ve ever been in.”
This is a sentiment shared by his bandmate, guitarist Ken Fitzner. Fitzner is arguably the Chicago Public School system’s coolest elementary school principal. Fitzner brings the serious chops, and the communal bottle of Makers Mark. He also seconds Mittler’s description of the allure of playing in The Bollweevils: “yes hardest drinking band.”
As for some of The Bollweevils most diehard and long time fans? Patrick Lancor of Chicago remembers his first show: “I was the kid on Fullerton at the Fireside with a 40oz of Big Bear standing at the corner fucking with the red laces. Then a giant showed up, like 6′ 5″ or some shit. His name was Daryl, and he had a 3-liter of RC Cola in hand.”
As I noted above, for all intents and purposes Pegboy and The Bollweevils were co-headliners, no matter that Pegboy’s name was at the very top of the bill.
Daryl Wilson joined Larry Damore at the mics. Though they joked about Ebony and Ivory,”” the song closing out the night was Pegboy’s “Hardlight.” And they left the crowd smiling…and exhausted. Which is exactly how one should feel at the end of a great night punk rock.
In addition to the veteran groups co-headlining the show, first two bands on the bill, Breakmouth Annie out of St. Louis; and Chicago’s Airstream Futures provided far more than just a warm up. Both groups got the crowd moving and rowdy.
But terrific music this weekend also happened at least twice at Liar’s (likely three times but I was on site twice).
Friday was a night to recover from any family drama and over-eating that might have occurred on Thanksgiving. It was also a night to celebrate the birthday of lifelong skateboarder Abe Linders who turned… well a bit over 21 and let’s leave it at that. While he pulled no tricks on the cozy stage indicating that he was too old for that well we know how the line goes. His band Fastplants, out of Waukegan, needed no tricks to provide fast-moving punk rock. Linders described the origin of the band name, “We’re all skateboarders none pro. A fastplant is a skateboarding trick that none of us are able to do.”
Stomping Grounds is American Oi!/punk band formed a decade ago and members describe the band as product of the tough working class culture found on the streets of Chicago’s south side and Northwest Indiana. Lead singer/guitarist Marcus is a Chicago Fireman, His twin, E.J. commands the drums and is also a writer; Matt on rhythm guitar is a member of the Indiana Teachers Union; Dmitri on bass wears his blue-collar proudly as well.
Paulie Think brought his unique brand of Hip Hop Folk-Punk to Liars. This time on stage fronting Shots Fired Shots Fired, he sounded out on the President Trump and his administration. Needless to say, he is apparently is not a fan of the 45th President of the United States.
Sunday brought the 5th annual Punksgiving Food Drive and Benefit. Among the acts featured this night were the Anti-Trumpz and Squared Off. The Anti-Trumpz may be one of the first punk bands founded and focused completely on protesting President Donald Trump. They classify themselves as protest punk and their mission statement on Facebook is: “Playing loud music, Fighting the powers that be, Corrupting the corrupt system, Speaking the truth, Empowering the people, Sticking up for the downtrodden.” The founding date of the band is listed as November 8, 2016, as in the date of the presidential election. With a set list including: “Trump Nation,” “Thanx for makin’ me a Target”, “China is comin’ fo Texas”, “Uncle Sam’s a Peepin’ Tom”,“Up to Us”, “Do the Pussy Grab”, “Dump Trump,” and they are about neither political subtlety nor apathy. This is their punk rock version of right of the redress of grievances provided in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Chicago blue-collar stalwarts Squared Off are veterans of the stage at Liar’s Club and never fail to stir the crowd to full on chaos. Sunday night was another example of this as they performed a set including, “Haymarket Riots,”“ My World,” “As one”,“Instigator,” “The rail,” “B.C. Boys”; and “Blue Collar Cry.”
The night was a success in raising almost $200 and a many bags full of non-perishable food donations for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. It was also a terrific way to close out his holiday weekend. But hey, in a few weeks, there will be Christmas shows followed in quick succession by New Years’ to keep the holidays rocking.
South Carolina’s Hundredth recently released their full length album Rare on Hopeless Records, and now the band has released two B-side tracks for the album, which you can listen to below. The B-Sides were released on November 28th, whilst the album Rare itself was released on June 16th this year.
South Carolina’s Hundredth recently released their full length album Rare on Hopeless Records, and now the band has released two B-side tracks for the album, which you can listen to below.
The B-Sides were released on November 28th, whilst the album Rare itself was released on June 16th this year.
August Burns Red are currently streaming an instrumental cover of the Christmas classic “Last Christmas.” You can listen to it below. The band’s latest release was album Phantom Anthem, which was released on October 6th, 2017, and serves as a follow up to the band’s 2015 album, Found in Far Away Places.
August Burns Red are currently streaming an instrumental cover of the Christmas classic “Last Christmas.” You can listen to it below.
The band’s latest release was album Phantom Anthem, which was released on October 6th, 2017, and serves as a follow up to the band’s 2015 album, Found in Far Away Places.
Ohio pop punk veterans Hit The Lights have premiered a lyric video for the brand new track titled “Siberian Itch.” You can listen to it below. “Siberian Itch” is the band’s third single this year, and they have stated they will be releasing a new track each month via King Sound Records.
Ohio pop punk veterans Hit The Lights have premiered a lyric video for the brand new track titled “Siberian Itch.” You can listen to it below.
“Siberian Itch” is the band’s third single this year, and they have stated they will be releasing a new track each month via King Sound Records.
Newcastle, Australia based alt-rock/punk-rock band Eat Your Heart Out are currently streaming their newest EP titled “Mind Games.” You can listen to it below. Mind Games, which was released on December 1st via Fearless Records, is the band’s second EP release through Fearless. Their first release was EP Carried Away, which you can listen to […]
Newcastle, Australia based alt-rock/punk-rock band Eat Your Heart Out are currently streaming their newest EP titled “Mind Games.” You can listen to it below.
Mind Games, which was released on December 1st via Fearless Records, is the band’s second EP release through Fearless. Their first release was EP Carried Away, which you can listen to here.
Punk act, Reconstitute, are releasing a self tiled album December 8th via Crass Lips Records, and are streaming “Repeal & Replace. Give it a listen below. The band had this to say about the album: “On November 7th, 2016, the world changed for the worse… This is our response. A percentage of proceeds from the sales […]
Punk act, Reconstitute, are releasing a self tiled album December 8th via Crass Lips Records, and are streaming “Repeal & Replace. Give it a listen below.
The band had this to say about the album: “On November 7th, 2016, the world changed for the worse… This is our response. A percentage of proceeds from the sales of this tape will benefit ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.”