I write, I take pictures, I host a podcast, but more than anything….I suck.

I write, I take pictures, I host a podcast, but more than anything….I suck.
From time to time, our intrepid contributors are going to post curated playlists for special occasions/Holidays. For our first ‘Post Resurrection’ installment of this feature, we enlisted our resident Molotov Cocktail Waiter, Anarchopunk to create the perfect tracklist to blast at your 4th of July Cookout! Trust us, your friends and family are gonna dig […]
From time to time, our intrepid contributors are going to post curated playlists for special occasions/Holidays. For our first ‘Post Resurrection’ installment of this feature, we enlisted our resident Molotov Cocktail Waiter, Anarchopunk to create the perfect tracklist to blast at your 4th of July Cookout! Trust us, your friends and family are gonna dig this one, comrades! It’s 55 minutes of pure Anti-American bliss (and when we say ‘American’ we mean the USA, specifically. It’s shorthand. We know, we know. There’s continents, hell whole hemispheres that encapsulate North/South America and the term ‘America’ generalizes all of the many nations and cultures therein….meh….whatever…it makes writing a lil easier. Give us some slack. Now, on with the story…) from lesser known bands from around the world. I mean, sure, anyone can make a playlist like this featuring songs by Propagandhi, Anti-Flag and Good Riddance but that’s low hanging fruit, homie! We hold ourselves to a ‘higher’ standard. Word of caution, if you’re only here for the music and don’t wanna read a buncha lefty, Marxist propaganda, scroll to the bottom for the playlist. We don’t wanna hear you whining in the comments. If you wanna create your own website and feature music that fits your beliefs, go right ahead! With that said let’s get started, shall we?
You know any lesser known punk bands with some radical (read in the voice of Raphael from the early 90’s Teenage mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon) lefty tunes?!? Tell us about ’em and maybe we’ll add them to the list!
It’s that time of year again where we search the recesses of our alcohol/drug addled brains in an effort to remember what albums we jammed out to the most this year. I for one, had a pretty hard time choosing as it seems that the the “Covid Logjam” finally started to break up and a […]
It’s that time of year again where we search the recesses of our alcohol/drug addled brains in an effort to remember what albums we jammed out to the most this year. I for one, had a pretty hard time choosing as it seems that the the “Covid Logjam” finally started to break up and a plethora of great music was released over the last twelve months. Regardless, I consulted with my Magic 8 Ball and whittled the field down to the final ten! I also included my recommended tracks for each album in a handy little playlist for your listening pleasure. So, without further doo-doo, here’s my picks for 2022 (in no particular order, because I don’t believe in order)! Happy 2023, comrades!
Punk Rock Saves Lives has been doing some incredible shit in our beloved community for a few years now and during that time, they’ve come to be one of the largest non-profit scene related charity organizations, focusing on Health Concerns (both physical and mental), Equal Rights, Human Rights, and so much more. If you’re not […]
Punk Rock Saves Lives has been doing some incredible shit in our beloved community for a few years now and during that time, they’ve come to be one of the largest non-profit scene related charity organizations, focusing on Health Concerns (both physical and mental), Equal Rights, Human Rights, and so much more. If you’re not familiar with them, check them out, give them a follow and stop by their tent at pretty much any large punk fest in North America and say ‘Howdy’!
This year the ever growing charity decided to throw their first ever Punk Rock Saves Lives Festival in Denver, CO. The terrific, two day event (not counting the pre-party show at EastFax Tap on Friday night) was held at Ratio Beerworks (Overland) to help raise awareness and funding to allow them to continue providing vital resources to our comrades in punk (anyone really, they just lean towards us filthy lowlifes for some reason 😛). Since The Masked Moron, Anarchopunk lives in the Mile High now, we dispatched him to take some pics, drink some locally brewed beer, eat some great food truck grub (those CFH Sliders from Brutal Poodle truck slapped), party with a whole slew of awesome people…..and get Covid. We hear that he successfully accomplished his mission (especially the getting Covid part), so check out his report below!
Local solo act, Sputnik Slovenia started things off, promising to be the tamest act of the night and even though I think he was right, we were still treated to some pretty raucous tunes including a rousing cover of the theme to “Gilligan’s Island” which scored major fan participation points, because who doesn’t sing along to that one, even if it’s just the “…threeeee hour toooouuuur” part?
Next to hit the stage was Adams County’s premiere appliance repairmen/punk rock band, Dryer Fire. Some bands have political messages, others may speak on cultural/social issues, some just sing about having fun. But for this group, appliance safety is paramount, taking ample time between songs to remind everyone to clean their lint traps and check their dryer exhausts on a regular basis. Sooooo……go clean your lint trap and check your dryer exhaust.
Tacoma, WA based pop punks, Let Me Downs flew in on short notice to cover for a band that had to fall out and I think the crowd appreciated them a little extra for that because the energy level spiked significantly during their thirty minute set, which was supposed to be the last indoor set of the night (that’s called foreshadowing, kids).
Time for some fresh Rocky Mountain air! Local favorites, Discomfort Creature (fresh off of a Euro Tour) kicked things off on the outdoor stage. The extra space on the lawn was quickly filled with a humble yet aggressive circle pit and the band fed off of the power that was generated by the constant swirl of the denim and leather clad cyclone.
Denver based super-group, Record Thieves were up next and the crowd definitely knew it as they started slowly creeping towards the stage area, in small waves prior to the band taking the stage. Musically speaking, these guys probably hit the highest mark on the ‘Talent Meter’ for Day One and always bring a pretty high level of intensity. But the highlight for me was hearing the first live performance of their new single “Fault Lines”. Stellar work as always, comrades!
Thousand Island Records representing hard at PRSL Fest! Chicagoland residents, Counterpunch took the stage next. The Windy City punks played through some songs from their most recent LP (and AoTY Contender?) Rewire. But they also tipped their hat to the local scene by inviting The Gamits‘ ex-frontman Chris Fogal to provide vocals for their cover of the defunct band’s most popular tune, “Dotted Lines”. Side Note: I think I have a new favorite basser. That cat fucking briiiings it!
Yes, everybody enjoyed all of the other bands. Yes, everyone had a fabulous day, all around. But let’s be real, everyone was ultimately here to see Chicago hardcore stalwarts, The Bollweevils. Before the set even started, the pit was starting to form and it got more fervid as the band took the stage. After the first song, the weather started to shift and Dr. Daryl, as expected, took his secondary position down in the middle of the ever swelling pit, thrashing around with the fans. The weather continued to deteriorate and as the winds picked up to 25+ MPH 98Gotta love Denver weather), a large tent that was affixed the pergola caught air and nearly flew away. At that point, it was determined that for eh safety of everyone involved, the show had to move back indoors. The sound crew did an amazing job and had the show back in operation inside in about twenty mins. As the set recommenced, The Good Doctor asked the crowd if they could remember where they had left off before Mother Nature interrupted, to which the reply was a hearty “Start Over!”. The band complied and we were treated to a bonus ‘extended set’! It’s been four years since I’ve been tossed that badly down in the pit. Damn, it felt good!
*Check out the rest of the day’s action in the below slideshow! Keep an eye out for Day Two coverage, coming soon!
Anarchopunk has recovered from the Covid he picked up at this awesome inaugural Fest and finally got around to posting his Day Two coverage, which saw a return to Ratio Beerworks. But, with the prospects of more inclement weather, the show which was previously slated to take place mostly outdoors, moved indoors for everyone’s safety. […]
Anarchopunk has recovered from the Covid he picked up at this awesome inaugural Fest and finally got around to posting his Day Two coverage, which saw a return to Ratio Beerworks. But, with the prospects of more inclement weather, the show which was previously slated to take place mostly outdoors, moved indoors for everyone’s safety.
First up, Jukebox Hardknocks who are a little bit country a little bit….actually…no…these guys are a lot country and not much else and unapologetically so. Their short but entertaining set was filled with covers of country classics from legends like George Jones. Hell, even their TSOL cover had plenty of twang to it!
System Restore ventured all the way down from Wyoming to play a set and they brought their A-game with them! The only thing better than the performance itself was their Merch Game. Top fucking notch. Well done! My bank account is now a bit lighter, gents!
Local lads, The Frickashinas were the third act of the day and were a perfect mid day, pick-me-up! These guys are talented, fun, full of energy and all around, good dudes. It was awesome to see guitarist, Jeramiah’s kids jamming out to the set from up in the balcony. I’ve never seen such cute lil devil horns! 🤘🤘
Egoista has quickly become one of the more ubiquitous punk bands in The Mile High, playing shows almost on a weekly basis, if not more. So, there was no way this terrific trio was gonna pass up an opportunity to play this Fest! No diggity!
By the time Tsunami Bomb hit the stage for their fist live set in about four or five years, the crowd had filled out the room to near capacity and it seemed they were all there to see the pop punks from Petaluma (only the finest things come from Sonoma County). Of all of the sets, this one was definitely the most tangibly intense. You could tell that the band had been chompin’ at the bit for the past few years. It probably felt nice to unload!
Sure, I love all of the bands and I I was so extremely happy to hang out with all of them, but just like our Lord and Savior, Jeebus H. Christ, I have favorites and Makewar is one of them. I’ve been a fan since the old acoustic, Sad & French days and it has been so much fun watching them get more and more recognition. There’s everything to love in this act. The writing is next level, the musicality is near perfection, the guys themselves are genuine, caring individuals and…..they smell nice….wait…that one slipped…If you haven’t seen them live, please do so, STAT!
Here’s where astute readers will realize that there’s no coverage of Rocky Mountain alt-rockers, Inthewhale. That, dear comrades, is because I’m a loser. And even worse, I’m an old loser. Because the weekend was starting to take it’s toll, I split a little early. Luckily, this dynamic duo plays Denver pretty often so I’ll have ample opportunity to make it up to them. The rest of the day’s action however, is captured in the slideshow below!
Be sure to check out the galleries from the Pre-Party Show and Day 1, too!
Welcome to Dying Scene 2.0! Did you miss us? Not as much as we missed you, we can assure you that! If you’re reading this, it means that DyingScene.com officially back in business! As you can see, we’ve updated things a tad, but we’re still the Dying Scene you know and love. We’re 100% fan-driven […]
Welcome to Dying Scene 2.0!
Did you miss us? Not as much as we missed you, we can assure you that!
If you’re reading this, it means that DyingScene.com officially back in business! As you can see, we’ve updated things a tad, but we’re still the Dying Scene you know and love. We’re 100% fan-driven and dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and the DIY ethos that has defined the punk scene since day one. Of course we’re still going to have Band Interviews, Original Content, Exclusive Music Streams, News Stories and all of the other related content you’ve come to expect from us. But, we’re also making a concerted effort to shine a spotlight on the wide array of individuals that make up our unique scene and ensure that everyone can use our platform to amplify their unique stories and interests.
Now that we have the pleasantries outta the way, lt’s time to get familiar with the new site! Up at the top right of the page, you’ll find handy buttons that’ll take you directly to our social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as to our ever expanding Dying Scene Radio podcast network, Dying Scene Records and our future Patreon page…more on that later. Under the old familiar Dying Scene banner you’ll find tabs to our Contributor pages as well as Band and Label databases/searches and our brand merch new store (shoutout to Gaby at Kaos Merch!) and more!
It’ll take us a while to get some of the kinks worked out, but take a look around the new site. Make yourself at home. Kick off your shoes, put your feet up on the coffee table. Can we get you anything? I think there’s some leftover pizza in the fridge from the last owner…
Hugs and kisses,
Anarchopunk, Bob and Jay and the rest of the DS 2.0 Crew!
RENT STRIKE is a call to action! Fiercely independent and pushing up against all bounds, their music is a wild dream, a spreading fire, an explosion in every direction, and a challenge to our notion of our time and of our place.
Folk punk from Pennsylvania (eventually became Mischief Brew)
Laughing in the face of existential horror and spitting in the face of red-blooded American hypocrisy; Total Massacre plays every song with a sense of urgency and dread as if at any second some lunatic in the White House might unleash nuclear annihilation upon us all. Breakneck pace buzzsaw guitars, mixed with lyrics drenched in the disaffected rage of life in the year 2019. Â
Jeremiah
Thanks for hanging out with the Frickashinas. We love you. And the shout out to my kids is awesome. Xoxo