Pure brilliance -five bands of unparralled fun, energy, charisma… no, wait, let me start at the start.
Sometime around the end of December I began to obsess over Screaming Females, the blokes behind the breathtaking Power Move album, and the more I researched em (culminating in an interview with the drummer on this very website) the more I liked em.
Screaming Females are not just a very great punk rock trio with the best vocalist this side of Sleater Kinney, they are also part of a New Brunswick, New Jersey scene so happening, so great, so much fun that they play each others basements.
I wanted to write about it then and I want to write about it now. In a country where you can die for your country but you can’t buy a beer on your way to the big easy if you’re under twenty one it makes perfect sense to me to take the music where the kids (and the fifty-three year old big baby) actually are.
The only other place I’ve heard of a similar scene is North Carolina.
This intro is getting longer: a year ago I went to Bowery Ballroom and got blown away by Titus and Los Camps, a year later I’m sitting at a corner table and getting steadily blown away by one band after another.
Sorry Shell Shacked -I left before they went on stage.
I knew it would be fun from the gitgo -from the Ramones all over the soundsystem at 750p. And…
The Groucho Marxist
Halfway thru Groucho Marxixts first song they were my fave band in the world. “Pleasant Valley Sunday”? How can’t you love a band that starts its night covering Carole King? We have a word for what these cats do: New York Punk: hot, cool, wise ass. And the bassist was really good. And and and… the album is a touch disappointing if you’ve seen em live but just a touch. Plus? If you’re rhyming “weezer” with “geezer” you’re gonna make a LOTTA friends. “Every good relationship ends with a restranining order” lead singer Chris wisecracks. A perfect set and a great rock band.
Black Wine
A chick, a Midlake reject and a Columbia student: This is where metal, prog and punk get together and it is loud and hard and metally. It takes three songs but then the chick drummer nails it big time and the set takes off. I know I’m light on song titles but, er, I dont know em. “Falling Off The Wall” is real good and on the penultimate song all you get is a lick and a singer. Brave shit and they pull it off.
The Measure
These guy would be my fave band on earth if everybody else hadn’t beaten em to it. The chick lead guitarist has a shag haircut to die for the drummer is my new fave bands Groucho Marxist lead singer and sure id use the X comparison but it is feeling a little knee jerk right now. The lead guitarist plays a great jam, the chick can sing even if a little ho hummy when you’re waiting for Screaming Females and that’s as negative as I can go on on the Measure… er, lousy band name. I’m sounding negative but not feeling it at all. They introduce “Far Of Comittment” -a newbie- with”if this doesn’t sell w’re fucked”. But bands this good will always pay the rent
A quick pause: Drew and Diane sit at my table. All I have to say about that is Diane is a little knock out , Drew (yeah a a guy) is shy and they name check Star Fucking Hipsters. I wise crack good luck with radio play but will research later.
Jeff The Brotherhood
Have I mentioned the audience? Because the place is sold out and then some. All college kids and put two and a half ages together and you reach mine but the first time they let loose loose (i mean loosely loose) is for these guys. A two piece, cute blokes who learnt at the feet of Jooey Ramone and sound so good I still don’t know if they were using back up tapes. They are beach Boyey the way the Ramones were beach boyey, the way Jesus And the Mary Chain are Beach Boyey. It’s surf and tough on the Jersey Shore. Sometimes they swamp, sometimes they roar and half the audience is jumping off the stage . Perfect, perfect, perfect.
2nd Break
I wrote a somewhat snotty half of a post with Helen yesterday. I said bands owe us nothing. Fuck that shit. This is the real deal, we work ourselves very hard and I’ve spent three hours guessing song names and worrying I get my review wrong. Fuck you. Get me on the guestlist, show up to the interview, and if you jerk me around I’ll eviserate you.
Nobody gives Helen or me anything: we work for it -we write for our access. We don’t play games, we show up to the concerts, we review them, and we are informed.
Fuck you you fucking fucks.
Fuck Titus playing the Pitchfork blokes birthday. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
Screaming Females
Which leads me directly to the drummer Jarret of Screaming Females who was nice enough to sit for an interview, And I appreciate not least because he is an excellent drummer and an obesseive one. Finally getting to catch Screaming Females live all I can say is the drummer isn’t the only great thing about this band.The band goes from a swampy wail to a hard punk roar. Unfortunately I have deleted my notes so let’s do it this way.
1. “Great “bell”
2. The lead singer is the greatest -she rips her lungs out.
3. The drummer has grown a beard.
4. It sounds less prog more punk live.
5. The audience adores em.
6. Really been waiting for this one for awhile and they repay my concentration. They sound like friends -they kinda emulsify on stage.
And that’s about it. I pass on Shell Shack and I apologize but this was the most FUN i’ve had at a concert in a year. Every band here is recommended.