POP PUNK'S NOT DEAD TOUR - NEW FOUND GLORY, SET YOUR GOALS, THE WONDER YEARS & MAN OVERBOARD - 10.27 @ House of Blues, Boston

Review coming soon via Big Cheese Magazine.

While you wait, check out some photos of the tour that I took here.

RIVAL SCHOOLS with HOSTAGE CALM - 10.24 @ Great Scott, Allston

Sometimes when you go to a show, you don't want to worry about catching every detail and writing every observation to memory. Sometimes, you just want a beer.

So in my buzzed state at the show, here is what I recorded about Rival Schools:

Poor guy [vocalist Walter Schreifels]; He not only leads the way with chord and riff progressions, as well as stage presence and composure, but his bassist [Cache Tolman] couldn't even keep up with his shifts. I mean, how many singers of a four-piece do you know lead in guitar solos? He's carrying the band, and let's give thanks to that.

Side note to bassists: a five-string bass will not conceal your musical inabilities. A five-string bass is essentially a testosterone-steroid-juiced guitar, and it doesn't impress the ladies. So if you can't make use of your instrument (and by instrument, I mean bass) and you're playing two-tone choruses with just a different two-tone backdrop in the verses, you're essentially playing a deeper guitar that adds nothing to the band. Sorry I'm not sorry for that revelation.

[Moving on from the bassist rant:]

In terms of setlist, two biggest singles played smack in the middle of the set takes me back to the London office. Live tuning just before a song is like an orchestra pit's soundcheck -- it always get's me amped for the next song. And by the end of the set the drummer is playing these breakdown on snares so huge that I don't even want to pause to note it on my notepad; it has everybody's eyes glazed over and locked on stage, the chemical reactions in their brain churning in sync because the song has so much force it carries you with it.

So, if that didn't make any sense to you, here's a sober version of that analysis:

The set was long and sweet; major singles were played towards the beginning while the end was saved for the ranting musicianship that Rival Schools can only show off on a live stage. Typical of shows at Great Scott, the band was a bit out-of-sync with each other, and the most red-handed culprit was the bassist. He was two-tone for nearly the entirety of the set, and I may or may not have been seeing double but if he was playing a five-string bass it didn't help his cause. Regardless, Rival Schools pulled through thanks to their frontman, and it's a show worth seeing especially for fans who can fill in the missing musical gaps with their memory of already-familiar songs.

Hostage Calm are always fun to see, as long as you're there for energy and not precision. 'Donna Lee' got everyone to shut up, and Chris did the vocalize-support service in favor of gay rights. It's about marrying who you love, not about marrying who the state tells you you should, as he says.

TRANSIT with I AM THE AVALANCHE, BAYSIDE & SAVES THE DAY - 10.9 @ Royale, Boston

Continuing the concert-buddy trend, Sam and I booked it last minute to Royale to try and catch Transit at the earliest time ever (5:30 p.m.). Obviously they opened with "Long Lost Friends," I track I have listened to about 45-thousand times and still can't get enough of.

I'm not gonna lie: I hear that Transit sucked live, so I was a bit tense when they first came out. Part of what makes their album Listen & Forgive so awesome is its production (who the hell produced it? Someone over at Rise set them up big time -- someone help me out here). A lot of people are crediting Transit's maturity in musicianship to Torre Cioffi, who replaced Joe Lacy on guitar as of this year. But whoever produced this album really embraced touches of guitar distortions that really make the album.

And thank God, Transit pulled it off brilliantly live. Singer Joe Boynton is notorious for sucking live. He definitely has to work on his pitch, but his strength is there. Ever more, his stage presence is unreal. If this kid has never taken theatre before, he better get on that shit. He's intense, he's pissed at the girls he sings about, it's almost as if he's pleading to the gods when he belts out. Yeah, it's a bit melodramatic. But it makes the guy irreplaceable.

We didn't really think we'd stay for everyone else, but why not? I Am the Avalanche are actually hilarious at how pissed off they are, obviously gearing towards the teenage-angst crowd. Having never really listened to the band before, IATA preambled their songs with intros like "This song's called 'Fuck You'" and "This is about my second restraining order!."

Nice.

















Bayside of course take the cake with Anthony Raneri's vocals. He definitely compares to the late Alexisonfire's Dallas Green with strength and boldness (sounds like a coffee). Saves the Day are kind of hilarious in terms of how many late-20-year-old were totally into Chris Conley's elmo vox.

I don't mean to be a hater, but we came for Transit and got what we wanted. Everyone else was just icing on the cake. Not the most delicious icing at times, but icing none the less.

ZLAM DUNK with SUMMER PEOPLE and HOTCHACHA - 10.3 @ O'Brien's Pub

Before I explain anything about this show, I need to explain how we (my friend Sam and I) actually ended up at a dirty pub, the only females at the bar, at one in the morning on a Sunday night.

Because we are typical college students (21, so there is no shame), the two of us raged Saturday night. On our way to get some late-night pizza, we see some dudes hopping out of a creepy-ass child-abductor van with a trailer attached to the back. Naturally, I got excited and called them out for being in a band, which, through further interrogation, they explained was called Zlam Dunk and described it as a "punk dance" ensemble (that's a new one).

Think of the exact midway between CSTVT (formerly Castevet) and D.Z. Deathrays.

Anyway, we told them we'd be at their show the next night. Not surprisingly, they didn't believe us. We show up around 8, as the pub's website said that the show would start at that time. But no, Zlam Dunk don't even go on until 11. In my panic with all of my homework assignments running through my mind, I ask Sam what we should do. We couldn't leave -- the guys in the band had already seen us and were impressed that we actually showed. So Sam's solution?

"I think we're gonna have to rage through this one."

With HotChaCha opening, a bare-all blonde chick from Eastern Europe pounds out a punktastic garage band set. Shortly after, Summer People did basically the same -- though I'll be honest, without nearly as much heart.

Let me tell you. If your audience consists of about 10 people INCLUDING the other bands you're on tour with, you better play your fucking heart out. Because if you can't do it for 10, you won't make it to do it for 10,000. Ever.

Anyway, Zlam Dunk pretty much blew my mind. Maybe it was because I had no expectations about the show. Maybe it was because they literally blew out my ear drums. Or maybe it was just the beer. But there are certain chord progressions that make your heart sink because they're so sad and beautiful, and when they're played on top of the puntastic-garage-band-finesse that I was talking about earlier, the sounds creates a power that takes a hold of you (again, it could have just been the beer).

As the 5 guys crammed on a tiny stage framed by Christmas lights, their bassist strummed chords with a pick, their lead singer had crazylegs as he slammed himself against the stage and pounded a tambourine against the overhead speakers, they screamed over some insane kind of music that might not be considered "dance punk" but I'm at a loss for words of what genre it could have been otherwise.

Fast sets, empty venues, beer and chill bands who find humor in the fact that they're playing to anything but a sold-out show. Without any expectations and without a gameplan, that's all that makes for a kickass night.

I'm Back!

Apologies for not updating: work and school have taken over my life. But this doesn't mean that I've been skimping on the show attendance! Since my last post, I've returned from the United Kingdom and have continued on the music treadmill here in Boston. Here are some of the shows I've seen:

UNDEROATH - @ Koko
THIRD EYE BLIND - @ Hampton Ballroom Casino
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE - @ The Paradise
ALL TIME LOW - @ Hampton Ballroom Casino
BIG TIME RUSH with HOT CHELLE RAE - @ House of Blues
JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD - @ Great Scott
YOUNG THE GIANT - @ Boston University MetCalf Ballroom

And just a preview of what's to come:

MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK - @ The Paradise
NEW FOUND GLORY, MAN OVERBOARD, SET YOUR GOALS, THE WONDER YEARS & THIS TIME NEXT YEAR (POP PUNK'S NOT DEAD TOUR) - @ House of Blues
RIVAL SCHOOLS - @ Great Scott

MATT & KIM with ECHOES and CYMBALS - 3.23 @ Relentless Garage

D.R.U.G.S. - 3.10 @ The Underworld

HOSTAGE CALM, DAYLIGHT & BASEMENT with MAYCOMB and HOPE & STATE - 3.10 @ The Purple Turtle

KOJI - 2.26 @ The Macbeth

Nothing is more awkward an uncomfortable than a diva musician who gets pissed and stops the set during a show when his equipment malfunctions or when the crowd is talking over one of his songs. That’s why this was the perfect show for Koji to play: he’s so positive that if any mishaps were to happen, he’s the only one who could handle them with grace and actually pull something incredible (miraculous, even) out of a shitty show like that.

This place reminded me a lot of Great Scott (Allston, MA), when I saw Owen there a little over a year ago. The people come to the show for the musician, and the people come to the bar for the drinks. So you have this mix of people there for the music and there who don’t give a shit, and the latter are those who hang around the back and drunkenly talk way louder than is necessary to talk over a guy with a guitar. The problem was that the What Ever Happened to P-Rock show was more about the TBS/Brand New/Fireworks crowd (Koji opened for Such Gold and Starters who consequently started a moshpit in the middle of a tiny bar where any crowd surfer could have lept to his fate in a case of beer), so most were ready to thrash out, not mellow out.

In the middle of his second song Koji’s feedback was getting a little out of control so he had to fix that. No worries. But after getting a little frustrated with everyone talking in the back, he said "fuck it" and got off his mic to sing an unplugged set. None of that MTV Unplugged shit, but literally no mic, no feedback, no electricity, just him and a guitar and his voice. This felt more like a street performance, one where a crowd had gathered to watch a guy who actually sounds pretty damn good while the passersby who -- are oblivious to what’s right in front of them -- continue about their day in the background. Besides talent, Koji is just a genuinely nice person. Someone back in the bar yelled “shut up” to everyone talking, an Koji quickly shut him down, because, as he put it, he’s just happy and excited that people have come to the bar with friends and have something to say to them and something to talk about. We all pulled in close to hear, but about 4 songs in he decided to go up to the roof to finish his set.

We all go up in the cold to hear him play, a few covers (including his best, Dylan's "Wagon Wheel") and a song off the Into It/Over It split that he’s only played twice (now thrice) for an audience. He brought the crowd together to sing a few choruses, encouraging even the worst singers who didn’t know the words and had no sense of pitch. “We’re gonna shout it from the rooftops ‘cause holy shit that’s a cool thing to do.” Yes, Koji, yes it was.

DANGEROUS SUMMER with TELL IT TO THE MARINES and FRANCESQUA - 2.24 @ Borderline

Nothing is better than seeing a show and actually enjoying the opening acts. Usually you’re there and youre just thinking, "OK, these guys are alright but I’m here to see so-and-so so hurry up with your set." I came to this show to see Dangerous Summer, who were opening for Francesqua anyway, so I knew I’d like the opener better than the main act. But what I wasn’t expecting was to like the opener for the opener.

Tell It To The Marines were surprisingly way more raw and genuine than these Francesqua guys. If you wanna be a successful indie punk rock band, layer a few guitar riffs and power chords over each other and you’ll probably end up with something listen-able. But Marines have put feeling into the forumla. The boys' accents are on full display, part of what makes this band so genuine. Their EP is available free on Bandcamp (here, if you'd like) and even in the shitty acoustics of Borderline you could tell it was gonna be good. They’re a band worth hearing. Layered, melodic guitars with intense vocals that are sometimes off-key only because the singer is singing with force that pushes your neck veins to the edge. Good stuff.

Don’t get me wrong, Francesqua are good, but you can just TELL that their producers and label have polished their music to the point of it being a catering to the crowd, not exactly what the band has written. The problem with bands like Francesqua is that they sing about love to a crowd of 15-year-old girls who are too young and naïve to realize or experience heartbreak, something that is very real, very inevitable, and so mind-numbingly painful. Love is real, but not always. These girls still think they can be swept away by the lead singer of a band who appears to love the way he sings about love.

That’s why Dangerous Summer are so amazing. Tears would roll at "Northern Lights" when AJ sings “I’m a wreck when I’m alone / I’m the boy who lost his home.” We won’t mention his traumatic and tragic past here, but you can tell that the anguish in his voice isn’t just about loving someone too much, its about trying to get out of your mouth all the things you feel in your brain that are tearing you apart. And that’s why the crowd wasn’t feeling them as much – those girls have no fucking clue what the hell he’s talking about it. Oh, but they will.

SUM 41 - 2.22 @ The Underworld

Review coming soon via Big Cheese Magazine

FENECH-SOLER - 2.8 @ Rough Trade Records

Five pounds for a vinyl single and a wrist band to a free show? Yes, thanks. I went into this show only hearing their latest single "Demons." Thought it was decent, a more simple Passion Pit. Honestly, I was a littel apprehensive because I figured a show at a record store would be an un-plugged, acoustic set -- not exactly the best situation for a techno-snych rock band.

I felt like I was walking into Harpers Ferry when I walked into their show tonight, though. Nothing was stripped about this show. It should have been played at House of Blues, the sound was that profound.

Three songs into their set i realized: holy shit no ones playing an instrument. OK, that's a lie, there was a guy on drums. But their set was composed of synths. How could this be possible without anyone realizing? Of course, as soon as I realized this the two synth-ers jumped on bass and guitar for another poppy dance electronica rock feel-good rock song.

Six songs in: at this point, you could somehow say the band all contributed to percussion in some way. The singer every once in a while turns around to band on a few drums he presumably stole from his drummer's set, and the synth's were so tight they were pretty much percussion for a good portioin of each song. After they killed "Demons," "Lies" made you cry, and that was it. Fenech-Soler are more human than Passion Pit, and that's worth the world.

KITES - 1.5 @ Notting Hill Arts Club

My first introduction to British indie could not have been more cliché. Kites was headed by a Brandon Flowers lookalike with Flock of Seagulls hair and piercing eyes, body movements rigid and spastic, skinny white jeans and European pointy-toed Shoes. They were a Killers-meets-Bloc-Party band, an indie style so mass-produced in the states but possibly even moreso here in London. But Notting Hill Arts Club's Death to Disco Wednesdays had kids lit up by cheap beer and technicolor light shows, so Kites was perfect for the night. Clubbers danced like they were on E infront of the band -- they ate it up. When their set was finished, Kites posed for a few photos, and went about their night never to be seen again as the DJ blasted M.I.A. and Lady Gaga. Most often despised, a generic British underground indie band was the perfect welcome to London gift.

FUN. with STEEL TRAIN and POSTELLES - 12.3 @ Royale

The Fun. show was exactly what you'd expect -- fun. But let's start with Postelles. Typical Hives/Vines/Strokes kind of a band, but great to get the vibe going. The hipster population increased tenfold from what the Theatre District usually sees (apparently I missed the memo on plaid). Moving on. Steel Train's Jack Antonoff (also in Fun.) brought the fun to Royale in a way that was sickenly sweet. At moments it was like eating an entire container of frosting -- seems like a good idea at first, but half way through it's just way too much of a good thing. The band wrote a song for a children's performance entitled "It's Fun to Dance," whose lyrics were literally, "It's fun/to dance/it's really fun to dance." Yes, it was endearing, but until "Road Song," you could not take the band seriously.

And then the band gathered in a semi-circle center stage to sing their ballad about living their lives as traveling musicians, an ode to anyone who's ever fumbled with a steel guitar to himself, traveling alone down a dirt road without a clear destination, just enjoying where he is at that moment.

When Fun. came on, I'm pretty sure half the crowd expected the show to turn into a Format concert, with Nate Ruess staring blankly into space and focusing on singing a song, stuck in his own head rather than connecting with the audience.

But this was the first time I had seen Nate actually smile. This was the first time I had seem him appearing to actually have fun while performing. Hopefully that was the point of making this band. They opened with "Be Calm" and the rest of the night was a good time from then on. And in the ambiance of Royale, with gold plated, royally painted ceilings and red-lit bars, we could have easily been watching the hippest circus performance Boston has ever seen.