Fri Jul 3 (Doors open at 9pm; $4) Teenage Cool Kids (LP release party) Angry Businessmen (reunion show) Fungi Girls Hot Times Teenage Cool Kids
Teenage Cool Kids are a band from Denton, TX, specifically the thriving beatnik vicinity of Panhandle Heights. The quartet blends nihilistic lyrics about the detachment of college town life with catchy hooks and triumphant choruses. Rumor has it that their latest album, Queer Salutations, was written to sync up with an episode of My So Called Life.
In 1997, former Blanks member Pat Lillard ("Spider Stewart") (Bass), formed The Riverboat Gamblers with Fadi el-Assad ("Freddy Castro") (Lead Guitar), and Mike Wiebe ("Rookie Sensation") (vocals). Lillard's original intention was to emulate Virginia rockers The Candy Snatchers. In direct contrast to the popular emo music at the time, The Riverboat Gamblers' premiere show featured over-the-top songs relating to drinking and of course, gambling. Tongue planted firmly in cheek, The Riverboat Gamblers continued to play house parties and shows throughout Denton and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The Gamblers burst out of the Denton college scene in September of 2001 on the back of their self-released 7" single "Jenna Is A No Show." Both 2001's self-titled release and 2003's Something to Crow About were produced by Texas punk rocker Tim Kerr (Big Boys, Lord High Fixers).
After the warm reception of Something to Crow About, the band soon relocated from Denton, Texas to Austin, Texas. The band first received attention from major record labels after their energetic and rowdy showcase at the 2003 South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, but the band ultimately signed with indie label Gearhead Records. In 2005 they were signed to Volcom Entertainment and performed a stint on the 2005 Warped Tour, where the band was often noticed for its deranged live shows. The silliness of some of the earlier material has given way to a more complex breadth of material about America's maligned. They will be opening for Rancid and Rise Against in the summer of 2009.
They have also appeared on the soundtracks to the videogames Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, Madden 07 and Skate 2.
Tue Jul 7 (Doors open at 9pm; $5) Golden Animals Violent Squid Golden Animals
The stage was set like a gypsy’s den, plates with incense, flasks of water, amps with patterns embroidered on the front, a few guitars, some drums, and a man and woman dressed up like they just got off the time machine…, although it was unclear if they were coming from the past or the future. Linda, a tall lanky girl, sat down at the drums, sporting an outfit out of the 18th century, something sort of early American-French, ready to fight for independence. Tommy was on guitar, looking like a hippie rock and roll cowboy. Both had gold streaks across their cheeks, a reference to their band name, Golden Animals.
Throughout the show they rode a psychedelic groove from one song to the next. Linda pounded out rhythms and beats like her life depended on it, while at the same time providing back-up vocals and harmonies. She used every single piece of percussion on her set, from tom to cymbal, as the song dictated. She seemed lost inside the music, with eyes closed, feeling her way through it all. Tommy switched from one guitar to another during the set, not much of a talker, more of a rocker. He played and sang with vigor and soul, giving the audience his version of the blues. The songs jangled and crashed with ear-splitting volume, from verse to chorus to total rock frenzy and back down again to quieter waters.
Golden Animals were an experience. The smell of incense, the sheer wall of sound that attacked the senses, and these two rockers going at it really took the audience to a place out of time.
Brooke Opie has been writing and performing songs since she was born (perhaps before, but evidence is hard to come by). A lifelong singer, she began to teach herself how to play the guitar while in high school and developed a songwriting style that echoes the likes of Elliott Smith, The Magnetic Fields and Michael Nesmith.
While performing numerous solo sets in north Texas music clubs and coffee shops, she began recording her songs on analog four tracks and her laptop computer. These recordings revealed an artistic vision that simply could not be translated when performing alone, so she began to assemble a band to flesh out her compositions. Her band mates—Cliff Caster, Faye Caster, Justin Lloyd, Scott Lorenz, and Dan Ragusa—were already fans of her music; it didn’t take much to convince them to join. They decided to name their band Little Birds and began playing shows under the new moniker.
Little Birds is currently writing new songs and perfecting old ones. They are currently working on their new record.
Thu Jul 9 (Doors open at 10pm; free) Fur & Ops present ATMOSPHERE
Fri Jul 10 (Doors open at 9pm; $5) YeahDef Concert Series!!!
Sat Jul 11 (Doors open at 9pm; $5) Trebuchet The Daily Beat Curvette Steam Engine
Tue Jul 14 (Doors open at 10pm; free) Big A$$ Beer (open mic, cheap drinks, free!) Big A$$ Beer
- open mic! - cheap drinks! - no cover!
Wed Jul 15 (Doors open at 9pm; $6) Dreaming Dead Wrought of Obsidian Lizard Professor Dreaming Dead
Los Angeles' Dreaming Dead are a quickly rising force in extreme metal, garnering significant national and international attention over the short two years the band has been together. Fronted and founded by Elizabeth Schall, Dreaming Dead released their first recording in the summer of 2006: a four-song demo entitled "Through the Eyes of Insanity" under the previous band name of Manslaughter. The reviews for that release were stellar, leaving listeners aching for more of the blackened, death-thrash attack that they find to be reminiscent of Death, Slayer, Cryptopsy, and Opeth. "Impressive", "devastating", "technically precise", and "great debut" are not terms to be thrown around lightly. Fresh off the recording of their debut album "Within One"— due out on Ibex Moon Records January 20th 2009— Elizabeth Schall and Mike Caffell have recruited Juan Ramirez on bass & Samantha Perez on guitars. Expect a busy year for Dreaming Dead and keep your eyes out for them in your city. Necks and ears will never be the same.
Don't let their name fool you, Now, Now Every Children might be kind of short, and kind of adorable, but their music larger-than-life.
Back before Now, Now Every Children was just a name, then-children Cacie Dalager (vocals, guitar) and Brad Hale (drums) started writing songs together after marching band practice in Blaine, Minn. Their first work of art well-wished a graduating friend from high school, but their musical queues were much more than greeting card salutations. Dalager and Hale began recording demos in their suburban basements, posting them on MySpace and gaining fans before they even played a show.
After signing to Afternoon Records in 2007, Now, Now Every Children released two EPs to critical acclaim: "Not One, But Two" and "In the City." Their lo-fi recordings in combination with Dalager's heartbreaking voice championed the attention of some of the harshest critics of all, their peers, earning a spot as a featured artist on MySpace, indie spotlight on iTunes, "Band of the Month" on Paramorfans.com, as well as features on NPR, Music For Robots, Said the Gramophone, and Absolute Punk.
"Cars," Now, Now Every Children's first full-length album was recorded and produced by the duo along with Afternoon Records founder Ian Anderson in a small Minneapolis studio in the summer of 2008. “Cars” is a series of poignant moments written by Dalager and Hale . Since then, they’ve toured extensively in the United States and Europe and have shared the stage with Mates of State, the Rosebuds, Say Hi, Cloud Cult, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.
Fri Jul 17 (Doors open at 9pm; $5) Beard Contest!!! On After Dark Adam Berhfoldi (from the Gazzeles) Ian Bangs Cash Prizes!!!
Matthew Gray began his young career as a solo performer playing locally while fine-tuning his craft for songwriting. Before long it became apparent that his musical vision called for more orchestration and hands; enter The Arrogant Sea. Matthew and The Arrogant Sea is four parts family and two parts friends, making the six piece a true ‘friends and family’ outfit. Watching them play together is a magical experience filled with dreamy omnichord pop and hints of folk psychedelia. On the strength of their live show and past EP, the band has created a strong following locally and generated great anticipation for their forthcoming album, ‘Family Family Family Meets The Magic Christian’. Slated for release October 28th of 2008 on Nova Posta Vinyl, (Formed by fellow Dentonites Robert Gomez and Eric Pulido of Midlake) the 14-song odyssey is filled with melodious gems that evoke the experimental natures of The Flaming Lips and Animal Collective perched upon harmonies reminiscent of The Beach Boys and The Mamas and The Papas. Matthew and the Arrogant Sea’s ‘Family Family Family Meets The Magic Christian’ is sure to make great waves this year and for many to come.
Sarah Jaffe
Every once in a while someone comes along who is different, set apart, changing the rules. Sarah Jaffe is a 20- year old phenomenon. She’s not to be considered a marvel just because she sings and plays her own songs; it’s because of the way she does it. Sarah’s haunting, passionate vocals sit juxtaposed to her incorrupt and unadultered honesty within her lyrics. The songs are the type that tend to affect the listener deeply; the kind of melodies that swirl around in the head long after they’re finished playing. She’s unique in the fact that she, like most young people who are drawn to so many different genres of music, still finds herself wholly original and unprocessed. Contrary to her years, she expresses herself masterfully with the apprehendable intensity and stories that a 40-year-old banker or a 16-year-old homecoming contestant could relate to. When asked of her inspiration, Sarah smiles and shrugs, ” I write about my life. What else should I write about? We’re all going about trying to love and be loved. At least I know that I can relate to that.” Sarah was born in Texas and raised in numerous small towns across the state. She grew up on every type of music available to the middle class American family. One can pick up traces of U2, Billy Joel, Sarah McLachlan, Ryan Adams, and Jeff Buckley. She graduated from high school a year early in order to move to Los Angeles and pursue her dreams in music. It’s that way with everything she does, and you’ll agree when you’re sitting down, listening to her for the first time. And trust me, if you happen to be standing when she hits you, you’ll be sitting by the end of the song.
Tue Jul 21 (Doors open at 9pm; $10) Skeletonwitch Saviours Trap Them Skeletonwitch
Although they only came together as a band in 2003, the members of Athens, Ohio's Skeletonwitch draw the bulk of their inspiration from artists and musical styles born all of two decades earlier -- namely the undying flame of classic, Bay Area thrash, its creative bedrock in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and, to a lesser degree, death, black, and Viking metal. First introduced via 2004's independently released At One with the Shadows album, and 2006's Worship the Witch EP, Skeletonwitch's retro-fitted, yet modernly executed creative vision arguably reached a new level of maturity with 2007's Beyond the Permafrost full-length, their first for Prosthetic Records. In any case, Skeletonwitch members Chance Garnett (vocals), Nate Garnett (guitar), Scott Hedrick (guitar), Eric Harris (bass) and Derrick Nau (drums) then set out to prove their metal mettle on tour, Flying V's cocked and loaded. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide
The saying goes, "Go pollute yourself and the air", soon after the aimed party excuses themselves, and continues to smoke a cigarette, or an overseas "fag".
In this case, Yourself and The Air is current title for the brother- hood of 5 friends whom set their sights on a musical quest. The union is made of of Erick Crosby, James David, Nicholas David, Jeff Papendorf, and Drew Rasmussen.
Forever, the bands home base is in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. Although this may hold true, YATA is eager to claim territories of the United States of America, and all of our world, as home. Be sure to check our schedule, for we will be coming to you shortly.
"Friend of All Breeds" is Yourself and The Air's latest release which is available on this website.There are two prior, named "Hola mi Cielo" (2006), and "Cold Outside Brings Heavy Thoughts to Think" (2007) are also available on this website and elsewhere on the internet.
About halfway through Magnolia Electric Co.'s latest long player, Josephine, there is a noticeable shift in weight. It's a release of some sort -- the kind that comes when you give up holding back the tears. It's a heavy kind of freedom coming to the forefront, an empowering sadness. And when chief Electrician Jason Molina delivers the line "an hour glass... filled with tears and twilight from a friend's dying day," the mood becomes clear. The band is back on its heels, yes, but they are going to fight back in the only way they know how.
Molina's concept album is an honest-to-God effort on the part of Magnolia Electric Co. to pay tribute to the life and spirit of fallen bassist Evan Farrell (R.I.P. December 2007), as the ideas for Josephine were being pieced together. Molina said each tune is a good faith attempt to make real Evan's hopes for the record. And in doing so, Evan's spirit becomes part of the concept. The loss of Josephine becomes the loss of Evan. Molina's familiar lyrical allegories are still in tact. But here, in what is no doubt the strongest set of songs Molina has written since the inception of Magnolia Electric Co., those classic themes take on new meanings. Molina has approached the universal loneliness before, but never in such a focused, directed manner as found on Josephine.
Molina, Magnolia Electric Co. and legendary recording engineer Steve Albini have put it all to heart.
The album is also an experiment in Molina's songcraft, introducing some real lessons in brevity as he whittles a handful of tracks into well-under three minutes. There are cues taken from great songwriters like Willie Nelson and Warren Zevon, ie the horn section throughout the record and the especially the sax solo on the Zevon-esque lead track "O! Grace," or the doo-wop leanings found in "Rock of Ages." The album closer, "An Arrow in the Gale," acknowledges that Magnolia Electric Co.. as the road warriors they have truly become, are still blazing the trail with the line "Lightning on our tail, we better go, Jo."
Evan Farrell, Jason Molina and the band are on different journeys now -- but maybe somehow, somewhere parallel. This is heartbreak at ten paces, to be sure.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT WWW.FRONTGATETICKETS.COM
Sat Jul 25 (Doors open at 9pm; $5) The Polycorns Airline Baruch the Scribe
Branden Daniel & Everybody Gets Laid is bringing you into the happening with Psych'd out, Garage tone Rock n' Roll. After garnering much buzz and attention as one of the “bands to see” in the NW Independent music scene this body rockin', roots-inspired front man has ,,nally delivered a recording that is as sonically powerful as his live shows. "Instead of sitar-worshipping, hookah-hu,,ng side of the Stones, Daniel looks to the Mason-Dixon, blues-loving, pelvic-thrusting side and dials it up 24 notches." * Ari Spool, the Stranger Seattle For his newest EP Release “Self Titled” on Flotation Records Junaury 13th 2009 Branden Daniel and his latest band members of Everybody Gets Laid (Kyle Lawrence on Bass, and Holly Gits on Drums) recorded with Producer John Goodmanson. Known for his ability to capture the loudest, raw intensity (with such groups as the Gossip, Sleater-Kinney and most recently the Schoolyard Heroes), John’s work with Branden seems to accentuate the bombastic and explosive energy, known well to those who attend their live shows. Great examples of this strength in sonic power can be found on tracks like “Come On”, “Love button” and “Luau”. Still all the crunch and fuzz doesn’t over shadow the soulful blues and song crafting abilities that are revealed in the EP’s songs like the 12string Guitar bomp “Work Like Your Man” and the quieter and more vulnerable “Lonely, Low down”. Best put by Goodmanson, “[this EP] sounds like early 70’s Blue Cheer had a Love child with Iggy and the Stooges.” This newest recording marks as EP number three for Branden Daniel. The First EP 2005’s Love It which was self released, self produced and recorded at Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR gained Branden a spot in the Portland Indie band hype as well as an opportunity to start touring the West Coast. The second EP 2006’s Back Down was also recorded in Portland at Revolver studios with Producer and Brian Jonestown Massacre Bassist Collin Hegna. The EP Back Down was again a self released record but produced Branden’s ,,rst single “All or Nothing: Back Down” and was responsible for getting Branden Daniel played on many NW Radio stations, Blogs/Podcasts, KEXP, even the BBC. Local Papers such as Portland’s the Mercury and Seattle’s the Stranger also took notice with high praise. Planning to aggressively tour the states throughout most of 2009, Branden Daniel continues to deliver stunning live shows and even more exciting music working harder and harder to not let any reputation precede him. Hell bent on evolving and known by those close to him as an artist that constantly creates, Branden Daniel currently has two more EP’s of innovative, mold-breaking songs all ready to record. An artist of the people that lives to create and share Branden Daniel it seems will never run out of words and music to gift to us. As he sings in Self Titled’s second song Work like your man “like no other that’s been, Babe, you know what I’m sayin’, I wouldn’t work like your man”
Growing up is never easy, but when you're in a band it often seems impossible. Make the same record twice and you're chastised for being repetitive, but if you make too large of a sonic shift your fan base will desert you. Luckily Naples, Florida's Fake Problems have never had to deal with this dilemma because with each release they've not only organically reinvented their sound, they've also successfully redefined who they are as musicians and human beings in the process. The culmination of this is the band's SideOneDummy debut It's Great To Be Alive, which shows Fake Problems' unique brand of indie rock finally shaking off the insecurity and soul-searching of adolescence and sees the band embracing a sense of perspective that can only be gained by spending countless months on the road touring, laughing and writing music they believe in. "There was no desire to make another How Far Our Bodies Go," explains the band's frontman Chris Farren explains, referencing the band's 2007 breakthrough release. "We don't just want ourselves as a band to grow musically, but for the listener to grow and search out new music, too." That's exactly what the group-which also includes bassist Derek Perry, guitarist Casey Lee and drummer Sean Stevenson-aimed to accomplish with It's Great To Be Alive... and it seems to be working. "It's amazing to see the encouragement and response we get; we're playing songs from our hearts and when someone you've never met can relate to those feelings, it's an incredible experience," Farren continues. "I know when I write lyrics, I'm trying to explain a feeling I want someone else to understand."
In order to capture their creative vision for It's Great To Be Alive the band packed up their van and headed to the cornfields of Omaha, Nebraska, where they spent two weeks tracking the album at ARC Studios with producer A.J. Mogis (Cursive, Rilo Kiley, The Faint). Although this might seem like an unconventional choice for a band who have toured with decidedly more aggressive peers such as Against Me! and the Riverboat Gamblers, Fake Problems were so prepared going into the studio they didn't have to worry about getting bogged down with technicalities. "We knew exactly what order we wanted the record to be in and what auxiliary instruments we wanted to use on the songs," Farren explains adding that Perry arranged the strings, Look Mexico's Matt Agrella arranged the horns-and at one point the band even enlisted the help of a seven-piece horn section comprised of University of Nebraska students and teachers.
The result is an album that combines the band's punk rock roots with elements of folk and indie rock to create a unique amalgam of music that's as distinctive as Farren's soulful tenor. "I'm definitely influenced by my musical surroundings, so there was never any decision to make 'this' or 'that' kind of song," the band's frontman explains, listing everyone from alt-country crooners like Ryan Adams to troubadours like Bob Dylan and rock revivalists such as the Hold Steady as influences this time around. "We write songs that we would want to hear from other artists," he elaborates. "We make music that we want to listen to, so it just wouldn't make sense to keep doing the same thing over and over again.
From the sinister shuffle of "You're A Serpent, You're a She-Snake" to orchestral ballads like "Tabernacle Song" and intricately layered anthems like "There Are Times," It's Great To Be Alive is less of a traditional album and more of a sonic journey that refuses to be limited by genre constraints. "We're making plans to start playing shows with a horn section and a touring cellist," Farren explains when asked how the band plans on recreating these songs live. "I love the dynamic and differences between a simple rock and roll set as well as a full orchestral production." Lyrically, It's Great To Be Alive's parallels the musical progression the band have achieved with this collection of songs as well. "The last record was about being afraid to die, so this one deals with appreciating life and examining who you are and who you want to become," Farren explains.
However despite the positive nature of the album, songs like "Level With The Devil" and "The Heaven & Hell Cotillion" have a sinister edge to them. "You can't make a decision without exploring all of the goods and all of the evils; I'd say a lot of the lyrics deal with exploring the evils in my life and facing them," Farren continues. "I don't believe you can really appreciate life until you are the person you want to be, doing what you want to do with confidence." Ultimately, with It's Great To Be Alive Fake Problems themselves don't know quite where they fit in, but they're confident enough in themselves to know that's a blessing rather than a curse. "It's art, it shouldn't be about what cool club you fit in with," Farren summarizes. "If our music is going to be appreciated, I'd like it to be because of our songs."
The Denton Humane Society is a private, not-for-profit organization chartered in 1972 for the purpose of assisting animals. In addition, DHS seeks to foster a sense of empathy and compassion among the general population toward the role and place of animals in an enlightened society.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -- Mahatma Gandhi
featuring:
Sarah Jaffe Shiny Around The Edges Brent Best Tre Orsi
The Denton Humane Society is a private, not-for-profit organization chartered in 1972 for the purpose of assisting animals. In addition, DHS seeks to foster a sense of empathy and compassion among the general population toward the role and place of animals in an enlightened society.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” -- Mahatma Gandhi
featuring:
Record Hop CS Flemmons Fishboy The Slowburners
In Loving Memory of Kohl
Thu Aug 6 (Doors open at 9pm; $6) The Destro Kaliya The Day God Died Silver Tounged Devil The Destro In the endless wake of faceless "whatever you want to call it" core bands, The Destro plows through stereo types and labels with a sound they can call their own. Singer, Eric describes, "We just take all our influences which are everything from classic rock and blues to grind core.........it's a mixture of what we grew up with, here in Texas." -Guitarist Nick continues-"No fashion, no gimmicks, no fancy haircuts.....just honest music. We cut out all the bulls**t. This band plays music with soul and we are not here to try and fit into a mold."
After releasing two e.ps, as well as being featured on National Noise Magazine's " Bring the Rock" compilations 1 and 2, The Destro's hard work led to opening 2003's Summer Sanitarium show outside of Texas Stadium and official radio-sponsored after shows for Slayer, Hatebreed, Rob Zombie, Korn, System of a Down, and Disturbed. The band has also shared the stage with acts such as UNEARTH, BLEEDING THROUGH, STAIND, TRIVIUM, THREE DAYS GRACE, HURT, RINGWORM, GOD FORBID, ARCH ENEMY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER , NILE, BEHEMOTH, DARKEST HOUR, ALL THAT REMAINS, THROUGH THE EYES OF THE DEAD, ANIMOSITY, CALIBAN, FULL BLOWN CHAOS, THINE EYES BLEED, CANDIRIA, HATE ETERNAL, THE CROWN, NUCLEAR ASSAULT, VEHEMENCE, HOPESFALL, THE ESOTERIC, MY RUIN, BLEED THE SKY, 40 GRIT, IT DIES TODAY, TAPPING THE VEIN, LOSA, HEMLOCK AND DOPE.
Now with hundreds of shows under their belt, they have released of their first proper full length cd, "As the Coil Unwinds," a disc that contains music that defies any clichés or limitations left by predecessors.
Fri Aug 21 (Doors open at 9pm; $10) Brightblack Morning Light Shiny Around The Edges Brightblack Morning Light
Brightblack Morning Light were started by Nathan "Nabob" Shineywater (guitars, vocals) and Rachael "Rabob" or "Rabinyah" Hughes (Fender Rhodes, vocals), two childhood friends from Alabama who played one of their earliest shows (under the name Rainywood) for 15 people at a benefit for the Alabama Green Party in 2001. Fortunately, their fan base included the influential Will Oldham (aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy), who invited the duo to accompany him on his tour. Eventually, Shineywater and Hughes (both of whom claim to have American Indian blood in them "somewhere") decided to reject city life completely and settled in rural northern California, living in tents during the warmer months and a small cabin in the winter. With percussionist Noah Wilson, they recorded Ala.cali.tucky under the name Brightblack in 2004. That same year the band started the Quiet Quiet festival, which showcased some of the acts in the freak folk scene (Devendra Banhardt, Joanna Newsom) and was held in a small bar in Bolinas, CA. In April 2005 Brightblack Morning Light, whose cast of characters (besides the two founders) consisted of Elian Reitz (percussion), Andy MacLeod (trap kit), and Mariee Sioux (vocals), among others, were signed to Matador Records, which then released their self-titled album of slow and soft music in June 2006. The follow-up, Motion to Rejoin, appeared in fall 2008. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
Wed Aug 26 (Doors open at 9pm; $5) The Weight The Weight
The Weight’s 2008 release Are Men marks an interesting evolution of the group’s sound. What was once a singer-songwriter-with- backingband is now simply a band. Of men. Perhaps it was one too many shows with sensitive, weekend-warrior singer-songwriters armed with acoustic guitars (and songs fit only for girlfriends), or frustration with an interchangeable backing band, but upon relocating to New York, Joseph Plunket set out to form a proper band. He found a rhythm section with ease: Will Nolan on bass (Joseph’s uncle, strangely only five years his senior), and J. Ellis (friend via Atlanta, GA punk-rock formative years) on drums. A few short-lived characters later, The Weight arrived at a solid lineup with the addition of Fletcher C. Johnson on lead guitar and Johnny Carpenter on pedal steel, with both contributing vocals. The result is something quite different from previous lineups. Fletcher brings his all-around wild style; Johnny, his multi-instrumentalism and name-matching personality; Will and Jay, a newfound consistency and craftsmen sensibility; and Joseph, far more songs than any band could ever hope to learn (an unusual problem.) Are Men reveals a sound and feel very much different from 2004’s 10 Mile Grace, which found the group working within the framework of earnest alt-country executed by post-punk kids. In contrast, Are Men brings a sense of light-hearted fun-timin’ to the songwriting and execution (more country-rock block party, less alt.) It’s the sound of a band enjoying the process. Sing-along choruses, three-part harmonies, psych guitar freak-outs, rowdy gang vocals – all things people love… so The Weight have discovered. For the similarly post- jaded kids, and honest fans of Americana, Are Men sounds like the record you actually enjoy listening to.
Hellbastard are a thrash metal/crust punk band, formed in 1986 in the United Kingdom. Members met at a Subhumans gig and soon after formed Hellbastard, which was to be a combination of Crass-like politics and the music of Slayer. In 1990, after several EPs and full-lengths, the group appeared on the Combat-Earache compilation album, Grindcrusher, with the song "Justly Executed", from the Natural Order LP.
They are considered to be an influential band in the crust punk genre. The genre subsequently adopted its name from the band's demo, Ripper Crust. Members of Hellbastard later went on to form Hellkrusher.
The band reformed in late 2007 and is currently writing material for a 2009 release.
Thu Sep 24 (Doors open at 9pm; $14) Monotonix Monotonix
"If there was a spectrum on which every shade of chaos was ranked hierarchically, you would have to peg a Monotonix show somewhere to the left of total, complete and utter mayhem. Maybe you could call it demented pandemonium. Supposedly they are banned from half the live venues in Israel, at one place because a couple became so aroused that the man started to give his girlfriend oral sex. At a Tennessee show on their current tour, a man is said to have purposely set himself on fire. I saw them first in an enclosed-on-three-sides backyard at a funky east Austin venue called the Austin Typewriter Museum. You could smell the band before you could see ‘em – as soon as their van doors opened a wave of body odor permeated the entire yard. The drummer, a dead ringer for Borat with a gold dookie chain around his neck, proceeded to set up his badly battered, minimal kit in the dusty ground in front of the stage. Yonatan Gat, the guitarist, looks like Bob Dylan circa the Newport Folk Festival, plugged in his Fender (literally held together with electrical tape) to an amp, which was also on the ground in front of the stage. And that was it for set-up. And then it gets weird. There are absolutely no barriers between crowd and band. Singer Ami Shalev climbs whatever structures or other high vantage points are in the vicinity – could be a building or a tree, whatever – and hollers words in either English or Hebrew or maybe just primal screams. Or maybe he’s rolling around in the dirt, keeping time on the bass drum with his forehead. Or maybe he’s flying around in the crowd, knocking beers over or head-butting more garbage cans or blowing snot out of his nose. And the thing about it is, the pandemonium never ceases, never so much as lets up for a second, throughout. Often the show closes with the crowd spontaneously picking up the bass drum, with the drummer perched on top of it, still banging away on his remaining kit, and carrying him over their heads to the van. These guys did six of these shows in one day on Saturday. They have to be simultaneously the most physically fit and mentally deranged band I have ever seen, and already I have seen them three times. these shows are something beyond chaos. In fact, they are the perfect band for our time, the soundtrack and visual representation of a world that seems to be slipping out of control." - John Lomax, Houston Press
Tickets on sale saturday July 10 through frontgatetickets.com
