The BGN News Archive

Another week of Blowfish going out and about....read on....
   The Real Kids are doing warm up shows under different band names in late August through September. These shows are under the radar but if you read, gee.....say the BGN, you can figure out what's going on. So, there I was at the Midway on Tuesday. There was a respectable amount of people there and they were there for all the bands not just The Real Kids.

   Night Slice, a trio, were on stage and people were enjoying them. They had a B-52's vibe to me, which is to say a cheesy keyboard sound, a big hairdo and wacky lyrics. They are all about fun and did a good job that way. They had no drummer just a drum machine. The guitarist was a good player.
   My mind however is only on one group tonight they are called The Uber Girls. Rick Harte was around making sure things were going smoothly. The Midway sound is always loud and balanced every time I go and tonight was the same. The regular guy had it all down. Outside John, Billy, Randall and Dickie are looking good and in good sprits. A few fans are there but not many; Arthur Freedman was there. This really does feels like a small secret gig.

   As they set up I see Billy Cole has a choice Rickenbacker 12 string. He uses it in the first four songs and it sounds rich and sharp, just gorgeous. They begin with an old Beau Brummels' song Don't Talk to Strangers. The 12 string along with John's Telecaster sound create the perfect canvas for this tune. Both Billy and John are singing and this goes on all night. The two voices are making a thick vocal sound. This is one of the strategies they are working out.
   They play Tell Me, She Don't Take It and All Night Boppin' which are all rockers from the new CD Shake Outta Control. (Review) What a dream group of songs. I'm in seventh heaven now. Next is Baby Blue a cover from Badfinger which I've heard them do before. They double up on that odd awkwardly graceful riff that connects the chords. They make the song their own. They know how to choose the songs that have a unique character to them that they can exploit.
   They play some more songs off the CD and then Just like Darts. Drumming, Randall Gibson was zoned in on the two four beat. When he plays a fill or roll it's because the song wants it and it pays off every time because he's not playing anything unnecessary. I love playing like that.

   The smaller club allowed me to focus more on Dickie Oakes on bass which like the drumming always gave the song what it needed. The miracle tonight was his small cabinet Ampeg. It was the size of a small guitar amp but had a warm and punchy tone. He says it's the one he used in the studio for the CD. That's a gem. Equipment wise John had his Telecaster and Fender tweed amp. Billy had the Rickenbacker and a Les Paul going out of a small Vox. Both had a pedal or two but basically what you get is the sound of the instrument and amp. That's a different paradigm than what the pedal board army of guitarists are doing.

   The next band Looker took the stage but again I was just too involved with the Real Kids to give them attention. Sorry about that.
   It was a dream gig on a perfect summer night. The Real Kids mean a lot to us and I think it's obvious that they will be musical legends beyond our time. People will imagine being at gigs like this just like they imagine seeing groups at the Rat. It's not too late, there will be more of these warm ups. Read the news below.
   And, oh ya, the door? Five dollars.

   It's been a long time since we've heard from The Outlets (a reunion in 2009 at Church ... at Carmelita's Baystate Rock 20th Anniversary party ) and we're not hearing them now but we do have a bead on Dave Barton. He has started a group called Black Cat Bone. The name reflects the blues oriented material the group is doing. I checked some online tunes and especially loved that they cover the Sonics' Have Love Will Travel. There's still a little garage punk in the mix evidently.

   I checked the group out at Club Bohemia this Thursday. At 11pm there was almost no one there but the group played with full energy. There was no sense of holding back at all as Dave sang with energy and passion like he has every gig in the past. It was great to hear his voice again.
   Dave doesn't do anything halfhearted so this group has some quality players. The drummer was in Booker T and the MG's territory and the guitarist had endless blues and country licks down. Although mainly blues there is a little country influence; one country style song called Silver Moon was an attention getter. I figured it was a cover because other songs were, but no, it was a Dave Barton original. Dave had a few other originals in there and they were all quality songs.

 At one point Tammy Moschella, a tall attractive woman, sang a few songs and she had a full bodied voice and belted out the songs. One an old rock rave up and one a blues and she handled each like nobody's business.

   They are playing around if you look at the listings. Dave is back.

   I find myself back at the Club Bohemia/Cantab on Saturday. This night we have the Count Viglione with his band Love and Flame with the addition of Kenne Highland.

   The first band tonight was Annie Activator. They are an older band that is doing a reunion sort of thing. (That's what Arthur Freedman thought; second time I've seen him this week!) The songs are all power chords moving around with plenty of rhythmic variation and fills to make them interesting. Then there's the singer who is a carnival for the eyes. A slim woman bouncing around pierced, tatted up and topped with bright pink hair. She and the band are entertaining.

    At the Rat Beach Party last year Kenne Highland joined the Count and they did some jams on the Velvet Underground material that were very fruitful so they decided to link up again tonight.
   The Count comes gliding out in his cape and the game is on. The group is ragged but that doesn't prevent them from having some fun. They play Born on the Bayou that morphs into Sister Ray and then to Smoke on the Water...say what! Lady Caroline perks things up with the Pretenders' song Mystery Achievment.. Her strong voice was always a highlight of the Count's gigs and still is. The Count gets winded these days so he slows things down with some tales of his long music career. This is part gig part fireside chat.

   One big surprise of the evening was Nelson Slater. He had a LP in 1974 produced by Lou Reed. The story here is that the cover was outrageous. It had a woman bound with a chain in her mouth that raised the ire of women's groups. I have it on my ALBUM ART page on the Blowfish site if you want to check it out. Nelson had no idea or say on the album art but it sunk the LP anyway.

   The music on the album is nothing like the cover. It's a well done singer songwriter effort and has earmarks of Lou Reed's work. Lou used to play one of the songs in concert. Nelson was saying that Lou helped him write the material although Lou gets no song writing credits on the LP. For this show it's just Nelson on keyboards and a guitarist. I missed the full arrangements on the LP but there are flashes of the good material that come through. I felt like it was a little catch up on a rock and roll career that could have been. Nelson who played NYC before here is not giving up though and has a new LP out called Steam Age Time Giant.

   The Cantab has been having some interesting shows and bills. Now they say on their site that they are planning a LIVE CD and LIVE DVD of Club Bohemia material. If you have high quality material from a Club Bohemia show contact them at demodeal @ yahoo.com or go to the website http://clubbohemianews.blogspot.com/

   Another reminder to check out Chris Atwood and his The Alternative show on WATD 95.9 FM especially for South Shore people. Last Friday he played Mass Ave by Willie into Loretta by the Eaters and then Knock Me Down by the Outlets. That's pumping out the Boston punk old school style.

   The website Brooklyn Vegan did a story on The Pipeline Anniversary celebration extravaganza spectacular coming up....check it out here

   So what's comin' up for gigs?....

   And OK reallly??? According to the Boston Globe the Rat Room for $600 to $900 a night. And there's a special The Backstage Pass package starting at $1,095 a night. Also Jim Harold is writing a foreword for a photo coffee table book for the room with photos by Phil N Phlash and Richie Parsons. ...hopefully that'll be available to everyone at some point.

   And also OK Really??? At the Cantab on Poetry Slam night SEPT 10 will be the great John Cooper Clarke. That seems unbelievable to long time Clarke fans but true. You can read it here. And its three bucks to get in!!! He's visiting in the area so he's doing this and another gig on Sept 22 on Church's Punk Rock Monday...the cover this time? $5!!!

   OK folks get ready for a crazy, exhausting and exciting couple of months of music in Boston....read on...amazing shows coming up and lots of them.....

   This week there's Tuesday Sept 2 - a punk show at The Middle East UP with Bishops Green, Hammer and the Nails, For the Worse, Yellow Stitches, The Damn Garrison *NOTE: its a slightly earlier than usual show with 7:00 PM Doors

   Viva La Eva Dos...another benefit for Eva Lipton is this ....Thursday September 4th starting at 7PM at TT The Bear's ...on the bill are Joe Queer & Friends, The Dogmatics, The Downbeat 5, Classic Ruins, Parlour Bells, Moose & The Mudbugs, and Sonomatics ...see you there!!

   Also this Thursday 9/4 at Tavern at the End of the World is the return of KURT BAKER! This should be a great show - his only 2014 appearance in Boston, it was cancelled and is now back on.....and its a great bill all around with The Kurt Baker Band (11:30) The Connection (10:30) and The Dirty Truckers (9:30) . Get there early folks!!

    This FRIDAY September 5th!! Richie Parsons performing his Honey & Tears songs along with The Dictators NYC at the Middle East down. Added to the bill are Muck & The Mires and The Humanoids...wow- it was already a killer show but now....!!!

   You can download Honey and Tears from iTunes for one.....or Bandcamp.....where you can download or order the CD or the vinyl! or hunt Richie down and buy one from him. Or you can get one at this gig if you can wait that long.

   Another great all ages 4-9PM show this Saturday September 6th at The Midway with The Humanoids, Arctic Horror, In The Shit and a solo Larry Lifeless...the cost?...well priceless as you can imgine but you only have to shell out FIVE dollars for this show folks.

   The annual Rock 'n' Roll Yard Sale is happening in Union Square Somerville on Sunday September 7th!!! For the extensive list of vendors and for other info check out their website. There'll be all sorts of Vinyl Records and other Music Memorabilia and Equipment + Vintage and DIY Handmade Goods and there'll also be Live Music all afternoon by Michael Tarbox, Reindeer (ex Swilies / Scarce), the Chris Monti Band, Keith McCurdy of Vudu Sister...always a great event!!

   Oh yeah on Tuesday September 9th at the Midway Brian Young hosts a show with Johnny & The Hartebreakers, The Classic Ruins and Tsunami of Sound....so um, this "Johnny and The Hartebreakers" better be good......or Mr. Harte may say "Who needs you" and I hope they make me shake out of control.

   Wednesday SEPT 10 At the Cantab on Poetry Slam night will be the great John Cooper Clarke.

   Tony Savarino is having a Record Release Party on Thurs/Sept 11 at The Lizard Lounge to celebrate his Guitararino cd.

   The Legendary Shake Shakers are coming to the Middle East down September 12th.

   And there's 4 straight nights of awesome shows at the Midway starting with folk/punk show Friday 9/12 with Bryan McPherson, The Old Edison, Marl Lind and Jeff Rowe.

   Also on Friday the 12th there's a good show at The Beachcomber in Quincy with Screw Cart (Former members of Kilslug & Upside Down Cross, Toecutter, Ointment, and Noble Rot.) , Deklaration, Truman Highaway and Black Friday...

   And Bob Colby's back in business with his shows at Store 54 on Friday the 12th he's got Count Zero, The Vivs and Uranium Daughters

   There is a lot going on Saturday Sept 13....first off there's a early evening matinee with 4PM doors at the Midway, it's all ages and only $7.00...on stage is Risk, Class Struggle, Working Poor USA, Aftermath (from CT) and Traces of Empire

   Then that night, at The Midway on Sept 13. Cal Cali brings us Lyres-Nervous Eaters-Cal Cali Band- The Invaders (Les Envahisseurs-from Quebec) - oh mon dieu!!! What an excellent line up!

   AND Sept 13th the beginning of the Pipeline shows with Baby's Arm, Berlin Airlift, The Dogmatics, The Neats' Eric Martin & friends, Stranglehold, The Turbines - at Cuisine en Locale wow!!

   But don't forget Sat. 9/13 is also Matt Burns' 60th Birthday Party! He's celebrating at The Lizard Lounge. So far the bill includes Litehouse, The Handymen, Kenne Highland, and more bands to come.....

   Sunday September 14th --the Midway will bring us the legendary UK band The Members!! also with them are Greg Allen's Fringe Religion and OC45...here's the FB page link

   Then on Monday Sept 15th....not to be missed the band you never heard of but want to see in this setting - The Shakes Outta Control, just click their link and see where it brings you) but also on the bill TRiPLE THiCK, Banditas and Jay Allen & The Archcriminals! This should be a great night!

   50 Years of Boston Rock, WMBR's Pipeline's 25 year Anniversary is coming up!!! It's at various venues in Boston, Cambridge, Brighton, Somerville and Arlington. Specifically it's going to be 13 shows featuring close to 80 reunited Boston-area bands performing at 5 venues over 5 weekends from September 12 to October 12 - at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, The Middle East downstairs in Cambridge, the Brighton Music Hall, the Regent Theatre in Arlington, and Cuisine en Locale in Somerville, a new ballroom-like space with a capacity of 425.!! So get ready now. (There are current plans to add a 14th night to the series) Tickets are now available at all venues!
Click to see the insanely long entire list of line ups on the Facebook page

   The first show has O Positive!!! it's Fri. Sept. 12 at Regent Theatre, Arlington: The Freeborne, O Positive, Cordelia's Dad, We Saw the Wolf, String Builder TICKETS can be had here

   CUISINE EN LOCALE Sept 13th (link to tix) 156 Highland Avenue, Somerville is a amazing Pipeline Show (it's #2) with: Baby's Arm, Berlin Airlift, The Dogmatics, The Neats' Eric Martin & friends, Stranglehold, The Turbines - wow!!

   Thursday September 18th head over to Church for The Monsieurs, Nice Guys, Boogie Boy Metal Mouth, Ben Katzman's Degreaser

    Saturday, September 20 we get to see James Straight & The Wide Stance again!! They are at Copperfield's along with The People's Party, Green Street Station , and Sunrise Showdown...then.....

    Sunday Sept 21 at TT The Bear's there's is Queerstock 2014 with Gunpowder Gelatine, Thalia Zedek, The Kitchenettes and Fur Purse .......

   And September 22nd at the Middle East up is a great show with Shonen Knife and Petty Morals.

   Monday Sept 22 is also on Church's Punk Rock Monday with John Cooper Clarke!!!

   This is one of those insane weekends with loads of great stuff going on- but its the norm for Sept/Oct in Boston!! :

   at TT's on a definite, awesome actually, punk note Friday the 26th they have The Angry Samoans, Reagan Youth, Burning Streets and The Welsh Boys opening the night.

   REGENT THEATRE in Arlington Sept 27 is yet another amazing Pipeline Show with: Barry & The Remains, Cardinal, The Downbeat 5

   Sept 26, 27 & 28 is The 2nd Annual New England Shake Up it's Three Rockin' days of Bands! Record Hops! Vendors! Car Show! Indoor Pool Party! And More! All taking place at the lovely Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge, Massachusetts....Boston bands Jittery Jack, The Rollin' Pins and Lynnette and The Longshots will be performing.

   The Rat Beach Party set for September 27 & 28 (Sat & Sunday) you get all the info on their Facebook page new bands are being added.

   Crash Safely is coming up in September/October - night #1 is at The Midway on Saturday September 27th with Pete Donnelly, Pete Hayes and John Powhida (Aka The Petes), Watts, Gene Dante and The Future Starlets, The I Want You and As The Sparrow

   And Terry Brenner has a Garage Rock Extravaganza on the North Shore! on Saturday the 27th with The Connection (at 11), The Charms (at 10) and Corolla DeVille ( at 9) and its all happening at The Spotlight Tavern...for only $5!!

   And the Gizmos are playing in Memphis at The Gonerfest on September 27th

   At BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL on Sunday Sep 28 is Pipeline super show Anastasia Screamed, The Flies, The F.U.'s / Straw Dogs, Men & Volts, The Nervous Eaters,

   on Friday Oct 3rd at MIDDLE EAST RESTAURANT DOWNSTAIRS we got another amazing Pipeline Show with : The Blood Oranges, The Bristols, Buttercup, Fuzzy, Lazy Susan, Robin Lane and The Chartbusters, Tacklebox

   And for The Midway early evening show (4PM doors) this Saturday October 4th - Kenne Highland and Eddie Flowers are at it again with The Rockabilly Yobs (mems of The Gizmos/Afrika Korps), Didn't Planet, Wasted Luck (from Germany) and The New Frustrations

   Saturday October 4th O'Brien's has a really good ...and long and early starting show with 3PM doors: DRAGO, The FU's, Black Cheers, Silver Screams, Quiggs and Little Richards ...you can read our write up on the Quiggs and The Black Cheers here from when we saw them at The Midway in March.

   Next night Sunday Oct 5th Pipeline has something at The PARADISE with Big City Rockers (Atlantics), The Charms, The Dents, High Risk Group, Reddy Teddy, Shake the Faith, Willie Alexander & The Boom Boom Band.

   October 5th - another amazing Sunday show at The Midway will bring us The Vibrators!!! also on the bill MOTO and The Skeleton Beats. And the Vibrators have a new record coming out September 16th on Cleopatra Records it's Punk Mania - Back To The Roots: "14 killer reminders (plus 3 more on the CD) as to why Knox, Eddie & Co. have built a long, successful career on their razor sharp riffs and rousing hooks!"....check it out here.

   Friday October 10 is Night 2 for Crash Safely Benefit this one's at the Midway again...and there's a great line up with Petty Morals, Gymnasium, Tsunami of Sound and My Own Worst Enemy.

   And O'Brien's got an awesome extended show (with 3PM doors) on October 4th with DRAGO, The FU's, Black Cheers, Silver Screams, Quiggs and Little Richards. THIS is one great bill!! You can read about the Quiggs and Black Cheers here, when we saw them at the Midway a while back.

   Pipeline Show #12 - Sat. Oct. 11 at Cuisine en Locale, Somerville: The Cavedogs, Gigolo Aunts, Flying Nuns, The Rising Storm, Drumming on Glass, The Natives, The Dambuilders' Dave Derby & friends You can get TICKETS here.

   over at Store 54 Bob Colby Presents The Beachcombovers and Mars on Saturday October 11th

   The Gizmos are in Brooklyn at Union Pool on Saturday October 11th this line up will be Kenne Highland, Eddie Flowers, & Ted Niemiec bringing the original 1976/77 Gizmos to NYC w/ assistance from Kenny Kaiser (Afrika Korps), MJ Quirk (Kenne Highland Clan), & Matt Burns (KH Clan) also on the bill: Lame Drivers, Milk Dick, & Liquor Store.

   Also on October 11th an all day affair with the 9th Annual Hot Rod Fallout in Glastonbury CT - Bands & Continuous Music All Day
Vendors, Food, Booze, and more.....1963 & Older Traditional Styles Vehicles - Hot Rods, Customs, Stock, Race and Bikes

   Pipeline Show #13 - Sun. Oct. 12 at The Middle East Downstairs, with The Gizmos (orioginal line up of Highland, Flowers, Neimec), The Bags, The Voodoo Dolls, Kenny Chambers / Electric Ears (Moving Targets), The Underachievers, Carrie Bradley (of Ed's Redeeming Qualities, The Breeders, The Buckets) TICKETS can be bought here

   Monday October 13th there's a special show at Weirdo Records with Eddie Flowers and Kenne Highland , its the day after their Pipeline show at the Middle East Down. Pre Kenne'Eddie there's CTM opening the night around 8pm and Cryostasium middle things out around 8:30-8:45. If you know the album 'Vernietiging', you'll love the set. Triple guitar attack all coming out of tiny l'il amps. Keep in mind that this is a TINY place so if you want to see the sets best to get there earlier than later.

   Friday October 17th is Night 3 of Crash Safely Benefit...this time its at the Middle East Up and wow, the line up again is killer with Township, White Dynomite, The Field Effect, Triple Thick and Animal Hospital!!

   Also on Oct 17th at The Midway is Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys, Tigerman WOAH, Tail Light Rebellion, and The Radiator Rattlers

   Saturday October 18th there's a insane bill at The Cantab with Kilslug, Hirudinea, Witch King and David Carradine

   Ocrtober 25th we can see The Cranktones at The Midway again kids...it's WMFO's Easy Ed presents:- The Cranktones, Johnny Carlevale & The Rollin' Pins, plus Easy Ed's Record Hop!!! - great night!!!

   The Damned are touring this Fall with TSOL. They are playing Halloween in NYC but playing Boston on Saturday October 25th at the Royale...tix here....

   In November Bob Colby has his Store 54 show with When Particles Collide and Powerslut on Saturday November 8th

   And WHEW!! WHAT AN AWESOME show this'll be - (thanks Perry Adler for emailing this on Amy Prohaska's list!!) Cavestomp ! & King Yum Records Present: Lyres with Special Guests Wicked Cool Recording Artists Cocktail Slippers, The Connection, TRiPLE THiCK on Friday, Nov 14, 2014 at The Middle East - Up. (Tickets here) The Cocktail Slippers, great Norwegian female band: “The band's main musical influences are Blondie, The Shangri-Las, Joan Jett, Foo Fighters, The Ramones, and The Beachboys”. Their real good version of the Connie Francis/Ellie Greenwich song “Don’t Ever Leave Me”:

   CONTACT US AT.......misslynbg@yahoo.com Send us your gig listings, your news and anything else ya got!!

Mr Curt and his new band FUN ERA 50 at the Midway.8/19/14 Photo: Arthur Freedman

Natalie Flanagan at the Midway 8/19/14 Photo: Arthur Freedman