Dying Scene went to Indianapolis to catch this absolutely sick line up of bands that span from across the nation. Check out the photos and be sure to follow and support these bands! The Rosies opened up the night with high-octane energy, keeping true to their own artist bio: “Fueled by cheap beer and the […]
Dying Scene went to Indianapolis to catch this absolutely sick line up of bands that span from across the nation. Check out the photos and be sure to follow and support these bands!
The Rosies opened up the night with high-octane energy, keeping true to their own artist bio:
“Fueled by cheap beer and the power of lightning, The Rosies are here to fill your ears with the sound of the truth. From Cleveland, Ohio these Lake Erie Surf Punk rockers are all about high energy, good vibes, and just being yourself. So crack open a cold one and enjoy the ride.“
Local Indianapolis hardcore band Senescence might have stolen the show with their heavy hooks and stage presence alone. They clearly have a dedicated fan-base who sang along to all their songs, thrashing and dancing throughout. Senescence proved themselves to be exemplary examples of Midwestern hardcore punk.
East LA-based post hardcore band Death Lens was another band I was super stoked to see. How a band can be both chill and have in-your-face hype energy is something I am still trying to wrap my brain around. Their Epitaph Records debut album Cold World will be released on May 3rd, but you can listen to some of their singles right now to tide you over until then (“Vacant” really slaps!)
Finally, the two-piece garage punk duo Teen Mortgage took the stage to a now packed venue of fans of all ages. An older gent told me how excited he was to finally see this band live, and I told him the same. The diversity of fans this night was unreal.
In true punk fashion, the songs were short, fast, but packed an intensity that left you begging for more.
Side note: Drummer Ed Barkauskas is a super nice and cool guy (I was not paid to make this statement, I swear).
Teen Mortgage came from the ethos of Washington, D.C. DIY culture, eventually touring with the likes of OFF!, Alkaline Trio and Red Fang. Their self-titled LP is streaming now and also available at King Pizza Records (if you can get your hands on it!)
DS caught a KILLER show showcasing female punk rockers! Otoboke Beaver, Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, and Ovef Ow played an amazing SOLD OUT show at the historic music venue Thalia Hall in Pilsen district. Fans came out and supported this exciting line up. Japan’s punk band Otoboke Beaver headlined a mind blown show in […]
DS caught a KILLER show showcasing female punk rockers! Otoboke Beaver, Drinking Boys and Girls Choir, and Ovef Ow played an amazing SOLD OUT show at the historic music venue Thalia Hall in Pilsen district. Fans came out and supported this exciting line up.
Japan’s punk band Otoboke Beaver headlined a mind blown show in Chicago! This quartet consists of Accorinrin – main vocals, Yoyoyoshie – guitar, Hirochan – bass, and Kahokiss – drums. Fans came out and were not disappointed. Find them here.
South Korea’s skate punk band Drinking Boys and Girls Choir brought their amazing sound and vibrant energy to Thalia Hall. This dynamic trio are Meena – bass, MJ – drums, Megan – guitar and everyone contributes to the vocals. Fans had a great night! Find them here.
Chicago’s art/post punk band Ovef Ow opened the show with some killer riffs and sound. Members are Marites Velasquez -bass, vocals, Nick Barnett – guitar, Sarah Braunstein – drums/vocals, and Kyla Denham-synth. Find them here.
Dying Scene sat down with the great Drinking Boys and Girls choir before their show. Stay tuned for that interview. In the meantime, check out our galleries from each band below!
Holding Absence played Gramercy Theater in New York City on February 14th. Love (and crowd-surfers) were in the air. There was much speculation leading up to the show, if the concert would even happen. Vocalist of the band Lucas Woodland has been battling an illness which left his voice extremely raw. He had to cancel their […]
Holding Absence played Gramercy Theater in New York City on February 14th. Love (and crowd-surfers) were in the air. There was much speculation leading up to the show, if the concert would even happen. Vocalist of the band Lucas Woodland has been battling an illness which left his voice extremely raw. He had to cancel their Baltimore date in order to rest. The day of, there was anticipation and nervousness. Would they even play? If they did, would it sound good? Upon seeing the performance we can confidently state it was one of the most fun shows all year. Lucas himself said during the show, “This morning I woke up and didn’t have my voice. I shouldn’t play a show but it’s fucking Valentine’s Day in New York City!” The band gave it their all and committed to their performance 100% despite the obstacles. Being at this show was the best way to spend the holiday in the tri-state area.
The main aspect we noticed was the overall energy and enthusiasm the band had on stage. They were electric. Lucas was jumping up through the air, kicking his feet, head-banging. If no one told us he was sick, we would not have guessed it on our own. Guitarist Scott Carey was playing complicated riffs while dancing and grooving to the rhythm. Ashley Green was furiously slamming away on the drums and never lost his intensity. Bass-wise, Ben Elliot also created a memorable performance. He had a clear and commanding stage presence. The band didn’t have a weak link. Despite it being a slightly abridged show, they removed any uncertainty we had by the end of the first song.
The band played a career-spanning set. It was fantastic to hear tracks off their first album [self titled 2019] which is now half a decade old. I do wish we got to hear more of the new record. 2023’s The Noble Art of Self Destruction was a defining moment in the emo scene. Not only did it help break the band into the mainstream of rock more but it was also a refreshing genuine record. Through its 42-minute run-time there isn’t a single second that’s wasted. Holding Absence is getting better and honing their craft with each record. The only complaint I have of the set was I would have liked to hear more new material.
It was also very clear the band did not take their success for granted. In the middle of the set Lucas grinned and said, “I didn’t even know if I would ever be in New York on holiday. Now I’m playing a show here!” Seeing the hoards of people at Gramercy all jumping in unison proved to us this band unlike no other. Their music resonates with people in such a profound way. Even though they have 1 million monthly listeners on spotify, it still feels like they’re on the verge of a breakthrough.
It being Valentine’s Day in New York City, everyone was there with their significant other. It was beautiful to see so many happy couples choosing to spend their night embracing emo punk. The band even played a deep cut off their new record, “Honey Moon” in honor of the holiday. Couples were holding each other screaming the lyrics. Even single people all had nothing but euphoric smiles. It didn’t matter where you were in life or who you were with, the night just felt so wholesome.
Overall, it was a fantastic concert. Holding Absence showed perseverance, talent, and a deep respect to their fans. They may have needed to cancel this show, but refused to. This showcases the kind of people they are. It’s not about the money, the fame, or any superficial reasons. They do it for the fans and the music. Another quote from the night is when Lucas asked the audience of people who were seeing Holding Absence for the first time, “I insist you come back when I can actually sing!” The show was 10/10; a truly stellar night.
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.
Located along the banks of the Mystic River, maybe a half-dozen miles north of the ever-increasingly gentrified heart of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the traditionally working-class city of Medford. Once the home of Amelia Earhart and Elizabeth “The Black Dahlia” Short and the guy who wrote “Jingle Bells,” it’s now the home to one of yours […]
Located along the banks of the Mystic River, maybe a half-dozen miles north of the ever-increasingly gentrified heart of Boston, Massachusetts, lies the traditionally working-class city of Medford. Once the home of Amelia Earhart and Elizabeth “The Black Dahlia” Short and the guy who wrote “Jingle Bells,” it’s now the home to one of yours truly’s favorite new venues…Deep Cuts! Once the site of one of the region’s 729,038 Italian restaurants, it’s now an ever-evolving sandwich shop/brewery/record shop/pinball arcade/240-cap music venue, the likes of which the area so desperately needed after the shuttering of so many similarly sized venues in the big city. It was the perfect sort of venue for a high-octane three-band-bill as The Drowns brought their rock-and-roll roadshow through the area last Wednesday night, with regional support from Worcester’s Michael Kane and the Morning Afters and newly-reformed River City Rebels, who I suppose hail from parts all-over at this point given the number of moving parts who have spent time in RCR over the last couple of decades.
I’ve been a fan of the hard-working, blue-collar Drowns since one of those first flexis showed up in a care package from the inimitable Pirates Press probably 4/5 years ago. I think it was “The Sound” maybe, and it was printed on an old shot of Kingdome-era Seattle and it was just another example of one of the endlessly creative things that label spits out. ANYWAY, this somehow marked the first time I’d seen them in this neck of the woods, and let me tell you…I liked them before, but I love them now. The Drowns are solid on record, but Rev and the gang (stalwarts Andy Wylie on bass and Jake Margolis – who I had last seen with the Shell Corporation easily a decade ago – now joined by Josh Dale on 2nd guitar) are at their best on a live stage. They are consummate road dogs, and they are dyed-in-the-Fred-Perry unapologetic anti-fascist, anti-racist punk rock lifers. On this night, they blazed through a set that peppered a healthy dose of tracks from their latest record, Blacked Out, with a bunch of the classics. Personal favorites included “Ketamine & Cola,” “Just The Way She Goes,” and the new album’s title track. Also thrown in for good measure were a rousing cover of The Sweet’s “The Ballroom Blitz” – which is a song I’m old enough to remember, and a pit-inducing cover of Cock Sparrer’s “Riot Squad” that brought festivities to a rousing conclusion.
Michael Kane & The Morning Afters opened about a week’s worth of The Drowns’ northeast dates, including this one (naturally). They might not play 200 dates a year like The Drowns do, but in many ways, the two bands are very much kindred rock-and-roll spirits. Appearing as a keyboardless four-piece on this run, Kane and his longtime wingmen Franklin Siplas (guitar), Timmy Weagle (bass) and Jeff Hoey (drums) have carved out a pretty solid Petty-meets-Replacements niche for themselves, meaning they are right at home on a wide variety of bills. The setlist on this particular night was pretty raw and rocking, including “Carol Kaye” and “Cooking The Books” and personal favorite “Dark Nights,” all from their last full length, Broke But Not Broken. Oh, and of course there was a cover of Petty’s “American Girl” that was pretty true to the original, killer guitar solo included. I just wish Franklin had busted out the Yamaha Revstar!
The opening slot on this night was occupied by none other than the River City Rebels. Originally from Vermont (I think), the band have taken on a few different iterations with more than a handful of different members in between hiatuses over the years; Dying Scene’s own Dan McCool even did a stint back around the turn of the century. There was a sort of ska-punk era and there was a more rockabilly era in there. The current era of River City Rebels consists of Dan O’ Day at the helm with Marc Coutu and Izze De Simone on guitar, Kody Samborn on bass and Adam Allard on drums, and they’ve locked in on a more late-70s, Lower East Side, New York Dolls sort of vibe, only if New York Dolls also grew up on 80s Boston street punk.
All in all, it was the kind of raw and fun and working class rock and roll party that I’ve often lamented doesn’t really exist in this capacity and in this area anymore. And maybe it still doesn’t down the road in the “big city.” But it certainly does in places like Deep Cuts in Medford. Bonus points for me not even having to take the highway. Trying something a little different with the slideshows below, so keep scrolling and check out some more shots of the evening’s festivities!
Dying Scene caught an Unplugged performance at The Solar Roast in Pueblo, Colorado that featured Mineral Palace, Seth Anderson, Charlie and the Shithead, and Bedfires. Friends and family gathered for this intimate acoustic show and were not disappointed. DS even spotted Ellie Blackbird (Diskount Vodka) and Matt “Pickle” Hamilton (Diskount Vodka and the Dead End) […]
Dying Scene caught an Unplugged performance at The Solar Roast in Pueblo, Colorado that featured Mineral Palace, Seth Anderson, Charlie and the Shithead, and Bedfires. Friends and family gathered for this intimate acoustic show and were not disappointed. DS even spotted Ellie Blackbird (Diskount Vodka) and Matt “Pickle” Hamilton (Diskount Vodka and the Dead End) attending the show. Pueblo has a great music scene where the bands support each other.
Mineral Palace is a Pueblo band comprised of Anthony Soto on drums, Kristen Avita on bass and vocals, and Jesse McCoy on guitar and vocals. They put on a great show demonstrating their unique style of alternative music. Find them here.
Canadian’s Indie folk artist Seth Anderson performed a blend of indie-rock and emo-folk with a healthy dose of pop punk angst. Find him here.
Ben Roy is also a stand up comedian. Check him out here.
Pueblo’s own Bedfires set the tone of the night. Bedfires consists of Jesse McCoy of Mineral Palace and David Green. Bedfires just released a new single called “True North” available on Bandcamp. Find them here.
Bad Planning, The Reaganomics, Space Age Zeros, and Burn Rebuild all shared the small stage at Reggie’s Music Joint in Chicago. It was a solid night of spirited performances by bands staffed with veteran musicians. Bad Planning, a pop-punk/melodic hardcore band founded in a couple of Chicago suburbs but now based in Chicago itself, headlined […]
Bad Planning, The Reaganomics, Space Age Zeros, and Burn Rebuild all shared the small stage at Reggie’s Music Joint in Chicago. It was a solid night of spirited performances by bands staffed with veteran musicians.
Bad Planning, a pop-punk/melodic hardcore band founded in a couple of Chicago suburbs but now based in Chicago itself, headlined the more intimate stage at Reggie’s. Whatever planning Alex Crook, Jack Coombs, Kevin Levonyak, and Laurence Bactat, may have put into this show, it was anything but bad. They tore through their set which included, “Full Stomach” “Actors,” “Dead Ends and Amends,” “Midwest Classic,” and “A Year Without Sleep.” The set also featured, at the very start, “FMN,” and “Sad Truth,” both of which are 2024 newly released singles. It was an exhilarating performance.
Up next, per Alex Crook, is a short East Coast tour this spring. One of those stops will be in Queens, NY for the Music Fests Here II. Bad Planning, off of Jump Start Records, will be sharing the bill with, among many others, Warn the Duke, which includes one of Dying Scene’s occasional contributors, Dan McCool.
The Reaganomics, from Joliet, IL, has recently made a few appearances on this site, for good reason. The band – made up of Terry Morrow, Greg Alltop, Nick McLenighan, and Eddie Cantu – continues to deliver entertaining performances since its start a decade and a half ago. This night was no exception. The driving set was drawn from across the band’s discography, and included, “Directive Five (Robocop’s Always Down),” “Don’t Worry, We’ll Play First,” “Grown Ass Man,” “Four Cliches,” “Dear Jaymez,” and “Smug Punx,” among others.
Terry Morrow told me they are writing new music now. I’d hazard a guess there will be more opportunities for you to catch The Reaganomics in the not-too-distant future. Do yourself a favor and make sure you are near the front of the stage when that future becomes the present.
Chicago’s own Space Age Zeros may be on their way to being local pop-punk heroes. The band members, who go by Nathan Zero, Tommy Zero, Steev Zero, Jason Zero, and Brian Zero, made their first live appearances in late 2022 and had a busy 2023. Presently, it is finishing up the recording of its debut album with producer Dan “Dan Precision” Wleklinski at The Bombshelter.
The band’s name was inspired by a carnival kiddie ride known as Space Age Umbrellas, according to Jason Zero. However, he told me,
“We changed it to “Zeros” to sound more punk rock.”
Jason Zero also told me he came up with something else. Short sleeve button-down shirts adorned with the group’s logo, a lightning bolt.
“I had come up with the idea for the matching shirts. All were on board aside from Nathan who does his own thing. But being a frontman I think that works well.“
On this night, Space Age Zeros blasted through a strong set, including, “Merry Go Round,” “Smile,” ” “Wishing Well,” and “On A Date With Suzi Moon.”
You can next check out Space Age Zeros at Beat Kitchen, on February 25, 2024. The band will share the stage with The Winks, and Zoanoids.
Burn Rebuild, from the southside of Chicago, is, in 2024, celebrating its 20th anniversary as a band. It also laid the foundation for this show with a combustible performance. Band members, Frank Tsoukalas, Brian Hampson, Andy Paik, and Kyle Prillaman, ripped through a set, which included “Save The Date,” “Monsters,” “Skin and Blood,” “Ignite,” and “A Decade of Hating Yourself Gets Old.”
Frank Tsoukalas, also of Much the Same [he mentioned he does not like to use the MTS card when it comes to his other projects], told me how Burn Rebuild got its name,
“The name came from Brian and I revamping our lives, attending UIC in our mid-thirties. Both of us were in this creative purgatory while trying to navigate what people have been asking since B.C. times, “What am I doing with my life.” The line, burn and rebuild, worked its way into the first song we wrote and seemed to fit where we were and what we were doing artistically and with our lives.“
Tsoukalas also updated me on what the band is doing now,
“Currently, we are writing and have a few ideas sketched out we’re excited about. We’d like to release new music ASAP. No shows right now; we’ve emailed the Chicago venues a bunch so if you read this, we want to play your place.”
With regards to this show, Tsoukalas described it this way,
“The Music Joint show was so fun and in 20 plus years of playing punk shows, Reggie’s is my favorite place in the city to play and has always been good to us. Bad Planning is a great upcoming band, I’ve known most of The Reaganomics for over a decade, and how fun are they to watch play? This was also my second time playing with Space Age Zeroes who couldn’t be nicer. It was an honor to open the night up with a nice group of people, and thanks to Chris [Tracy] with 630 Productions for calling us in. Being our first show back since the shutdown, it felt really good to be back on stage.“
Please check out more photos from the show! Thanks & Cheers!
Three local Chicago punk rock favorites played on a cold, wintery night at The Cobra Lounge but in true Chicago fashion that did not stop an eager crowd from showing up on a weeknight. Dying Scene note: I am excited to share this collaborative piece by myself (Mary) and Dean. All photography is done by […]
Three local Chicago punk rock favorites played on a cold, wintery night at The Cobra Lounge but in true Chicago fashion that did not stop an eager crowd from showing up on a weeknight.
Dying Scene note:I am excited to share this collaborative piece by myself (Mary) and Dean. All photography is done by Mary and words are by Dean. Enjoy!
Starting it off with The Neighborhood Threat, a 5-piece punk band. They have a nice, classic sort of first-wave sound, a la The Ramones or The Kinks. On stage leading the charge is Kevin Murphy on vocals, screaming his heart out and throwing himself around. Supporting him are Quinn Pokora on lead guitar, Tim Casey on rhythm, Alec Montoya on bass and Dave Catanese on drums. First up is a song called “Escape” and Murphy seems intent on doing just that, falling to his knees and writhing during the breakdown, Casey politely headbanging along, before transitioning into “Nightmares”. “Pretty good for a Thursday night” quips Murphy. Next is “Rose Gallery”, declared favorite of the band. Starting off with a languid bass intro from Montoya, we are soon launched into a wall of rock. Montoya starts bopping around a bit now too, making jokes with Catanese.
The music cuts to just bass and drums, slowly folding in guitar and vocals, before wrapping up with a gnarly breakdown. After is “237”, “The room from The Shining you’re not supposed to go into, there’s like a creepy lady in the bathtub.” Another bass intro, adding in some nice full sounding guitars, layering chords and riffs. Again, we are thrown into a wall of sound, with Montoya lunging forward through the chorus, with Murphy screeching like a stuck cat, Pokora accentuates the vocals with a high lick. It peters out into a false ending, before slamming back with even more chaotic sounding guitars, Murphy leaving us with a refrain of “Don’t go in room 237.”
Now we are shown “Another heavy number, about the nuclear apocalypse.” Pokora gives us some delicious harmonics, backed by ripping chords from Casey. Montoya gives backing vocals through the chorus. The bridge is stripped away to just drums, with Pokora soloing. We come crashing back out for the ending with Murphy clutching the microphone like it is the last clean water he will drink in his life.
After is “Midnight”, during which Murphy stepped on his mic chord, but they manage it well. Then comes “Razorblade”, a song about “Toxic love.” Someone in the crowd yells “I love that song!” to which Murphy replies “Yo me too, cut me baby,” diving in headfirst with a yowl. This number is fast, needy and anxious, that has the rest of the band dancing along like tin men, compelled to move their rusty joints by their trusty magician.
They close out with a high riff from Pokora, with a tight, tapping arpeggio. This next one is a bit different from the rest of the set, called “Violet Marie”, about “Falling in love with a stripper.” Catanese plays with just sticks, cymbals, and rimshots, while Pokora and Casey fill in with some sweet, jazzy, broken chords. Montoya cuts in with a bass riff, which devolves into a more familiar punk sound.
They close out with “Death March”, Casey using an almost country style intro, supporting Pokora as he riffs high up the neck of his guitar, accenting Murphy’s vocals. Everything cuts out and we are left with just Murphy, dancing with his mic stand. With a death scream, he falls to the floor, and we are thrown into the music again, winding up faster and faster, before Murphy sits up again and gives us one final yell.
Next up is Sweetie! Three extremely sweet people, who let me buzz anxiously around them and Mary before the show. Fronted by Birdy V on guitar and vocals, she is supported by Joe Soldati on upright bass and Ryan G on drums. Even just from soundcheck, you can tell all three are just some goofy people, having fun and doing what they love on stage, messing around and joking with each other. Set up and ready to go, Birdy yells to a near empty room “Hey everybody at the bar! If you don’t hurry up and come in here, none of you are invited to my birthday party!” (“Or subsequent orgy!” supplies Joe). Ultimatum set, we run right ahead into “Catholic Boy”, an almost ‘Planet Claire’ style drawling, cheeky, serenade. “We are Sweetie, thank you for the encouragement, it’s a weeknight,” quips Birdy. “Cold beer is good for your voice, right?”
Next up is “Devil Girl”. Digging deep into her chest for her voice, we’re rolled into the next number, something with a jumping, jiving, rockabilly sort of sound, which has Joe grinning like a mad man and taking to his bass like a lover. Now addressing a filled room, (or, as filled as can be for a Thursday night), Birdy chirps “Since you’re all invited to my birthday and surprise orgy, we are selling nipple tassels, and Lollygagger is selling ball gags.”
Faster, almost sleazy, we are brought through “Teeth”, sometimes feeling a bit like something from Heart. Simple but succinct and to the point, Birdy rips through power chords on her sick, two-pronged guitar, while Ryan accentuates his drumming with some nice use of cymbals. Birdy’s eyes are opened wide through the chorus, flashing the whites like a cat.
Everybody cuts out, and Ryan counts us off into “Love Lucy”, a languid, gentle, almost mocking piece. A main refrain of “La la la las,” with Ryan opening his mouth like a snake, in rapture from his bass. They lean towards each other, playing for each other and laughing like a shared secret. Following is “Chum”, with Ryan using mostly cymbals as an intro, softening out into overdriven guitar, before coming back around again with an almost bouncing gait on the toms. With a sarcasm essential to put-upon misfits, Sweetie ambles ahead with the song, like a self-depreciating joke you just-so-happen to be allowed to get in on. Guitar and drums almost having a conversation, before breaking with a phaser-heavy solo. Joe picks up his hands like a dinosaur, before picking up his bass as easy as a briefcase, waddling over to Ryan, and headbanging at him through the outro. Birdy is back, chatting on the mic, saying “Once again! We are Lollygagger, also Birdy is my favorite person in the world and I love her.”
With vocals only in French, Birdy serenades us through “La Vie”, backed by wistful rimshots. With syllables murmuring like the ocean, Birdy rolls her eyes for the octave change in the verse, a lonely thing with just her, pausing, then the rest of the band rushing in to help. Joe solos the intro for “Howl”, the next song, with Birdy winding up with some sick feedback on guitar. With a yowl, we are thrown into the song, Joe leading the charge with his bass. And for a massive instrument, he throws it around like dancing a foxtrot, laying it across his lap and leaning back, lunging towards Birdy, and finally almost sawing it in half through the finish.
Birdy’s on the mic again, asking us to “Go around, and have everybody say one nice thing about yourselves, Mary you go first.” She laughs, apologizes and says, “We lied, we’re not Lollygagger, we’re actually The Neighborhood Threat” (Murphy yelling “Wait!” from the crowd). With that we are lead through “Mama”, with some dirty, slow, sexy guitar, and a drumroll from Ryan shoving us towards something faster. Joe is electrified by his bass again, yelling “Get it!” before leaning forward with backing vocals. Everything cuts out to just guitar, Birdy almost monologuing with it, before jumping into the full song again, ending on a refrain of “Let me be.” Closing out with “Cha Cha Heels”, Joe gives us a quick intro, before launching into the song. Anxious and fast, this one finishes with a call and response chorus.
You can catch Sweetie at their music video release show on March 15th at Gman Tavern in Chicago!
Finally, Lollygagger! A veteran, Chicago, 3-piece punk band. Before I found Mary and Sweetie, I was anxiously huddled at the bar (and getting carded for ordering a ginger ale). A particularly awful Nic Cage movie was playing on the TV, and I managed to calm down a little listening to these three dudes rip poor Nic apart. Lo and behold, they ended up being the headliners! Go figure. On vocals and guitar, we have Matthew Muffin, wearing a mechanics jumpsuit. On bass is Kinsey Ring and drumming is Michael Sunnycide, wearing a vest with patches, gelled hair in a mohawk, and one of the aforementioned ball gags around his neck. Starting off with a song “About a bar, not this bar, but essential to the Liars Club Lollygagger experience” is “Liars Club”. Mr. Muffin, putting most of his effort into screaming, is supported by a sick riff from Ring.
With a held screech followed by a cute solo, we transition to “Bombs Away”, with bass and drums coming back in to transition. Even though the drums are (relatively) calmer in this song, Sunnycide is still bouncing out of his seat. Ring leads, with a nasty riff on bass, while Matthew basically plays rhythm, howling away on the mic. This next song has a name that “Basically means no more tyranny. If you’ve checked the news lately, or talked to anyone, you’ll find it everywhere. Anyways, we’re a band called Sweetie” (with woops from actual Sweetie in the crowd.)
Orating like a politician in the verses, and punctuating the pre-chorus with aggressive eyebrow maneuvering, the Muffin man is in perfect caricature like a sketch artist. Sunnycide looks to Matthew through the pre-chorus with a face like a dog waiting on the word to attack. And attack he does, beating the drums like they owe him money, with Matthew calling for a circle pit to open up (it tragically didn’t happen, but most of the people dancing started dancing harder for him at least).
Birdy chirps “Makeup’s for girls!” to which Muffin replies “Ya bitch, anybody can sparkle. This next one goes out to Sweetie!” This song is “About how controlling religion is while also being so interesting. Like going into church and being like what the fuck, are you tithing me?” With a pick slide, we are thrown into “Found In The Dirt”, Matthew narrating like a children’s author, but with a heavy dose of sardonic chastising. The music swarms together and then falls apart, cutting to just Sunnycide leaning on his toms. Ring builds tension with the bass, before Muffin cuts back in, summoning a holy ghost through his solo. “This song is about rocking through your 20’s, with no regards to your back health.” “Schmorgishbord” opens with a solo from Ring, who looks at his hand with the awe and wonder one would hold over a familiar summoned to shred. With a mild “One two three four!” we’re gently pushed into the song, Sunnycide and Muffin hammering away. Matthew leads us into “Dopamine Cops” with a chant, “When I say, ‘Fuck you’, you say dad! Fuck you, dad! Fuck you, dad!” With a sound markedly toned down compared to the rest of the set, Muffin almost drunkenly slurred his words in the verse, backed by melancholy sound from Ring and Sunnycide. Matthew lunges forward screaming again through the chorus, before cutting to just him again, voice echoing back and forth through some sort of delay effect, backed by a simple guitar riff. Sunnycide tumbles in behind him on the drums, Ring following close behind, Muffin finally calling screeching feedback with his guitar with vocals caught between it like memories.
“So, despite the name, my boss is actually a really nice guy, but I want you to imagine YOUR boss, and punching him right in the face!”, we’re dragged screaming into “My Boss Is a Dick”, with simple chords and just cymbals. Muffin rages through the chorus, laughing maniacally as if at an ironic joke, Sunnycide and Ring nodding along in collusion. Ring solos out of there, hand crawling over his bass like a spider, while Muffin looks on both delighted and impressed. Matthew takes this moment to introduce the band, calling himself “Dingus Khan, with drums from Michael Sunnycide, and Mr. Wizard Fingers himself on bass… Everybody say, ‘I love you Sweetie’ (“I don’t love no man” from Birdy), I love you Neighborhood Threat! This next song is about sausages, cause that’s what my drunk drummer is yelling at me. It’s called ‘Might Methuselah’s Salami’.”
“You know, 8-year-old me would be stoked, yelling about sausages to a room full of people. I’ve always been a fan of tubular meat.” Somewhere within that sausage story, Sunnycide donned a ball gag. They blast through this song, with Sunnycide opening his eyes wide during the chorus, and (trying) to scream along.
Closing out the evening is “Stone”, Muffin dramatically reciting the interludes like a Greek chorus, while Sunnycide stands up and conspiratorially raps on his cymbals. Sitting down again, he damn nearly bites a chunk out that gag while he beats the life out of his drum set. Ring nods his head like a maestro conducting his orchestra, before looking endearingly at Muffin as he beats the life out of his guitar. They leave the stage while tracing a heart in the air, saying “We love you, go home, tip your bartenders, we’re Lollygagger…I mean Sweetie.”
And that is it for 2023. We wrap up the year with one last show put together by the folks behind Punk Rock Tacos. It is time to bring the community together one more time before the end of the year at Cobra Lounge. The lineup for the show was an eclectic mix of very […]
And that is it for 2023. We wrap up the year with one last show put together by the folks behind Punk Rock Tacos. It is time to bring the community together one more time before the end of the year at Cobra Lounge.
The lineup for the show was an eclectic mix of very different bands in terms of genre and sound. Surprisingly that was not an issue whatsoever; once each band got on stage the music spoke for itself, regardless of what kind of sound they were producing.
The first band for the evening was one of Punk Rock Taco’s own x.Oracles.x. If there is one thing to reiterate about this band, it is their consistency to put on a killer show.
Ms. Lynch, the lead singer, likely delivered the strongest vocal performance of the evening. With strong support from the rest of the musicians, her voice is the key that makes their punk rock sound work seamlessly with blues riffs and rhythms. The scratchy guitar riffs add some grunge elements to the music that are supported by the walking bass lines that create an uncompromising mixture of both blues and punk.
Their set consisted of a mix of mostly original songs and an incredibly fun rendition of Talking Heads’ classic track “Psycho Killer.” Their song “Shotgun Blues” from their EP “Gitcha Gitcha” is a certified banger.
Is Party Punk a genre? That is probably the best way to describe The Reaganomics’ sound. Vocal harmonies, some ridiculously catchy riffs, and speed summarize their music. These guys did everything you want a punk band to do, and they did it well.
The self-described “sweaty dads playing punk” truly were, and did just that. Whether the songs were played in between banter or the banter in between songs, it was funny, enjoyable, and showcased solid musicianship from all four band members. The bassist and both guitarists took turns as lead singers throughout the show keeping each song fresh, and worked super well together when doing gang vocals or harmonies. The drummer, sporting the coolest shirt there and a groovy sweatband, did a stellar job as the driving force behind the constant rhythm changes and aggressive sound of the band.
The Reaganomics are definitely worth adding to your playlist. Their music is just so much fun, and a must-see live for sure. Take a listen to their song “Don’t Worry. We’ll Play First” from their album Lower the Bar. This is a great place to start if you are not familiar with this band.
Next on the ticket was Disinfo. The three-piece band took all the harmonies and catchy riffs that the previous bands had played and threw them out the window. There’s no need for vocal harmonies or complicated guitar solos when you’re trying to make a point, and Disinfo did just that, and very effectively.
This band is confrontational as hell, and they are not shy about it. Playing a mix of hardcore, d-beat, with some thrashy sections in some songs. These guys have one mission only and it is to send a message loud and clear – emphasizing the loud part.
For a healthy dose of whiplash, check out Disinfo’s song “Verbal Abuse” from their brutally blunt ep Nothing is True. Pay attention to these guys if politically charged, contentious punk is your thing.
While the lineup seemed eclectic at first, there was some genius behind the order in which these bands were scheduled to take the stage. As the show went on, the bands also got progressively faster, heavier, and more aggressive. So when the next band, The Dennies, got on stage I was caught off guard.
The next thing I see is a small army of teenagers getting on stage setting up their instruments. Not knowing what to expect I do have to admit that I had really low expectations, but then Noah Corona, the mastermind behind Punk Rock Tacos, grabbed a mic and promised us that the next band was going to “rock our socks off,” and oh boy he was right.
Despite their young age, The Dennies put up a performance that was easily on par with their more experienced counterparts on the ticket that evening. Their music sounded like some sort of amalgamation of punk, alternative, grunge with a bit of metal sprinkled all throughout. What an incredible combination. Jumping up and down, their lead singer had everyone up front moshing and slamming, and at one point even joining the moshing themselves.
The crowd requested an encore and The Dennies ended their set with a powerful rendition of “Raining Blood” by Slayer.
Overall, the band put on a great performance. I was honestly somewhat embarrassed at the end for making assumptions based on their age but they really did rock our socks off. It was teenage angst that got us all into this scene in the first place. that some of us somehow forgot along the way, and The Dennies are here to remind us of it. It is angst straight from the source. If you do not believe me, check out their song “Flesh,” Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.
To end the night, the headliners, playing high-quality hardcore punk as Eske (short for Los Eskeletos), granted us the perfect ending to the year. While 2023 is over and 2024 may not be much better, at least we have some awesome music to get us through it all.
Their songs were short – as most Hardcore Punk songs should be, if you ask me – but they made up for the length by playing some of the best hardcore I have seen live in a while. I am pretty sure they played their entire set in 20 minutes, but honestly if they were to play their set from start to finish again, I would not have complained.
While I do have to admit that I have a soft spot for specifically Latinx hardcore punk bands, Los Eskeletos is such a great band that I highly recommend it to anybody that is into that specific subgenre, and if you go to one of their shows I can guarantee their music will make you want to jump into the mosh pit. Their album Sobras is a must-listen.
Head below to check out the full photo gallery of the show!
Like most big cities around the country but certainly in the Northeast Corridor, Boston’s slow creep of gentrification turned to more of a rapid descent in the years that preceded the Covid pandemic, and so the live music shutdown that resulted proved too much for most of the small and medium-sized rooms where local bands […]
Like most big cities around the country but certainly in the Northeast Corridor, Boston’s slow creep of gentrification turned to more of a rapid descent in the years that preceded the Covid pandemic, and so the live music shutdown that resulted proved too much for most of the small and medium-sized rooms where local bands could hone their crafts and workmanlike touring bands could build respectable followings miles from their respective homes. Sure, we have a fancy new 3500 cap venue built in a fancy new neighborhood, and an even fancier new 5000 cap venue shoehorned into an oddly-shaped lot behind Fenway Park and those are fine I guess for what they are. But gone are the overwhelming majority of 900 to 400 cap venues that were the life’s blood of a once vibrant music scene. (At least Great Scott turned into a Taco Bell Cantina, which is less bad than the original plan to turn it into a bank.)
But all is not lost, music fans! The ever-shaping live music landscape has not dried up, but instead shifted from a central Hub to the up-and-coming suburban areas, particularly north of the city. We covered a bunch of shows at the wonderful historic-bank-turned-shiny-new-brewery that is Faces in Malden last year and wound down our 2023 show-going calendar with Samiam at the also wonderful Italian-restaurant-turned-sandwich-place-record-shop-250-cap-venue that is Deep Cuts in Malden. Last Saturday took us further away from the city to the once-thriving mill town that is Lowell. It’s often been said that there’s a lot to like about Lowell and as someone who has lived within 20 miles of it for the entirety of my forty-plus years on this planet, I can say that that has only sometimes been true. The addition of Taffeta and the adjoining Western Avenue Studios artist community certainly move the needle in the right direction.
First out of the gate on this night of mostly locals in the 400-ish cap black box of a venue (it’s tough to gauge true capacity given the floor plan, which contains a seating area that is out of sight of the stage) last Saturday night was Coffin Salesman, the brainchild project of local songwriter Aria Rad. We’ve seen Coffin Salesman in a variety of shapes and sizes over the years, but the “full band” five-piece (guitars, drums, bass and clarinet) might be the sweet spot. The band tore through a blistering, cathartic half-hour set that seemed as much gothic revival as it was folk-punk show at times.
Next up was local rock-and-roll favorites Michael Kane and the Morning Afters. When I say “rock-and-roll,” I mean that in the Tom Petty/Bruce Springsteen/Replacements senses of the word. Their no-frills (well, maybe the Western shirts and bolo ties were a tad frilly) mentality and collective years of being in and around the local punk rock scene mean that Kane and his four horsemen (Franklin Siplas on guitar, Timmy Weagle on bass, Jeff Hoey on drums and Joe Ferraro on keys) can fit in nicely in a variety of lineups. The fun setlist on this night leaned heavy on songs from the band’s most recent album, Broke But Not Broken, with a few fun covers (“Bring It On Home To Me” and “American Girl”) thrown in for good measure.
Batting third in the lineup were Haverhill, Massachusetts’ The Radiator Rattlers. It’s been a while since we’d really heard from the eight-piece cow-punkabilly band from further down the banks of the Merrimack River, but the slightly retooled lineup (keen observers will note the new washboard player) sounded better than ever. Granted I think the last time I saw the Rattlers was on a sidewalk in December for my old hometown of Nashua, New Hampshire’s Holiday Stroll, so while that was a fun occasion, it didn’t exactly lend itself to the modern, amplified acoustics of a warm indoor concert venue. The Rattlers have always been super fun, and it’s good to have them back in the fold. I’m pretty sure Jonee Earthquake (the pirate on pedal steel) is immortal.
Bringing us home on this evening was Lowell’s own Old Rochelle. The quartet features frontman/guitar player Dave Coscia backed by Jared Holaday on bass, Jon McCumber on drums and Tony Cavalieri on accordion and if you’re keeping score at home, yes, that’s our fourth unique band lineup (and like our tenth different instrument) represented on the evening. There’s a quote on their website about being referred to as “Zydeco-washed Americana” and I’d say that’s pretty accurate, which made for a pretty entertaining set particularly when you through a cajun-seasoned cover of the Rancid classic “Olympia, WA” in the mix.
Check out more shots from each band below, and if you’re ever in the Merrimack Valley area, make sure to check out Taffeta in Lowell’s Western Ave district!
