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The BGN News Archive
The night began with two sets by solo singers. Jameson Savage played three Lawrence Arms songs. He got some sing-alongs going too. Chandler Cross revealed a clear soaring voice in her set. She also had the crowd singing along. This was another Loser’s Circle set in a long line of sets that we’ve seen. The last time we saw them was at O’Brien’s a month ago, and it was killer. That level of playing was the same at this Hong Kong show. The addition of their original drummer, John, from way back has proved to be the catalyst that got them there.
They already had a strong set of songs. They talked about playing the “hits” on stage. They mean those songs from their first album. They just lined those songs up and when the three up front hit the microphones at the same time the effect was undeniable. Matt, who used to be the drummer, and moved to guitar was pouring out some funny chatter between songs. During the songs he was all intense with his vocal performance and his stage moves. His guitar crapped out, he just put it down and put all effort into the singing. Nothing stops this guy. He's a great focal point up there. There was lots of interaction with the audience. At one point the idea seemed to be how many hats can you put on Mike. It was just one of the fun bits the crowd was doing. It’s been an experience to see this group slowly gain all the things they needed to become a powerhouse band.
Our infatuation with DNZL continues. This set was just a confirmation of what we already knew. DNZL has the concept: all lyrics are about Denzel Washington movies. They take that idea and transform it into a set that is hard punk driven by character emotions. The set was riveting in the music and the performance. The songs went through several sections that were riff based. Those riffs were pounding out in the rhythm and by playing in unison. To add to all of this their drummer, who is relatively new (this is his second time out with the band) was bashing of the drums nonstop keeping up that relentless fast dramatic buildup in the songs. They really gain an overwhelming momentum. When you get three or four songs in a row that hit that serious groove, it was almost too much. But it's also awesome!!
Mel is half singing, half acting the character’s plight in the lyrics. Sometimes as he waits for the verse or chorus to begin it seems as if he can hardly hold it back. When the time comes he lunges forward and pours out the words in screamo mode. He would jump into the audience sometimes and maybe jump on someone (see photo above) as he releases the pent up words. This very active audience was all over the group, running in circles and breaking out in some moshing. In the end we saw too sets by two groups that should be seen by all Boston punkers. What is the next step for groups like this in the current scene? We always think of that. In the old days there would be radio play and record company attention followed by some national attention. But today, we don’t know. One nice note was that Mel told us one of DNZL's songs was played on BBC radio and that's great...more radio coverage for these guys would be well deserved. And in other news....... So many art rock groups in Boston took Andy’s style and created their own thing. Being a creative inspiration is a sort of magical thing and Andy Gill had that and that will live on. Bob Cenci makes local television news…not about music but about MBTA Problems. We're hoping for a new song in the making. But The Grommets already have a song 'cause, you know, the T sucks and there's so much frustration. It's fodder for some good lyrics! Here's The Grommets “MBTA” and their 2015 Snowmageddon video. Oh yeah, that was the year the T annouced they didn't know there was such a thing as snow plow trains.
The Rum Bar juggernaut continues. They are streaming one song called “One Less Step” from a Ken Fox future release. It’s a whipping power pop song with a dirty solo to tie it all up. Ken played bass with the Fleshtones which explains a lot. Another release is the Ratboys. They have an early punk sound like the Vibrators and the Motors. You can hear it strong in “French Girls”.
Jenn Lombari is making music with muscle in her duo Stubborn Hearts. Her latest “Don’t Freak Out” is super punky and has a heart, indeed a stubborn heart, exposed in the lyrics. She has so much talent and she couples that up with the energy she is putting in on performing out.
They were recorded at Wooly Mammoth and have a full in your face immediacy. The quality and consistency of the recordings coming out of Wooly Mammoth are currently unmatched. Huck.com published a very good article: "Why punk keeps connecting people across space and time" in 2018 but we hadn’t seen it. It compares the photos and inspiration by David Godlis and Angela Boatwright. Godlis photographed early NYC punk and Boatwright covers the current LA scene. The text makes some interesting points on it’s own. And for your cupid day pleasure -
Muck and the Mires just released their brand new single and
its another anti-Valentine's theme!! "Cupid's Not A Friend Of Mine"
for airplay, reviews, streams, blogs, screams, and your pure enjoyment of garage
rock n' roll. You can check it out here:
Cupid/Muck.... Mark you calendar for:
February 8 (Saturday) SS*25, The Von Traps, The Lipstick Boys at Sally O'Brien's FB page
It's the first Nervous Eaters show in NYC in 15 years.Well, it's actually in Brooklyn but that's cool these days....Nervous eatyers and The Putz at Sixty Sixth Congress on May 2. Here's the FB page. And TIX. May 8, 9 & 10 - Salem Answers-Night: A three day music fest to celebrate and encourage the arts, magic, equality, and diversity of Salem! (listings below) Here's some good shows coming up this week.....
February 7 (Friday) Lucid Lynx, Above The Din, Luxury Deathrap, Heavy Hands at The Midway February 7 (Friday) Immolators, Labor Hex, Wire Lines, Brain Vacuum at 13th Floor Music Lounge Florence MA. February 8 (Saturday) Modern Day Idols are on Crash Course for the Ravers - WMFO 91.5FM 1-4PM February 8 (Saturday) Murphy & The Mess, The Inebriations, the Deep State, Amoricans at The Midway - this is a 3PM Matinee show February 8 (Saturday) SS*25, The Von Traps, The Lipstick Boys at Sally O'Brien's FB page
February 8 (Saturday) Scuzzy Yeti, IL Mostro, Z/28 and Wrought Iron Hex at The Midway February 8 (Saturday) Nick And The Adversaries (CD Release), Jason Bennett and The Resistance, Triggered at The Middle East Up February 8 (Saturday) Nat Freedberg & No Brainer at the Plough & Stars with special guests John Powhida's JPX to celebrate the release of Record Number Three on Rum Bar Records! February 8 (Saturday) Lux Lives 2020 with The Evil Streaks, The Demon Seeds, Thee Benevolent Tarots and DJ Kogar the Swinging Ape playing Lux and Ivy's Favorites all night long! - at Opus, Salem FB page February 8 (Saturday) Confusatron, Escuela Grind, Willzyx, Lepra, Sores at Geno's Portland, ME February 9 (Sunday) Club Linehan A Go Go, A Bunch of Jerks, The Billy Connors Project, Miranda Rae at Midway - a matinbee show 3-7PM And further out there is.... February 13 (Thursday) Fashion Show Dance Party celebrating the last night of Dark Days Long Nights. Fashions from VQnC Vintage, Leather Pixie, Made In Boston, Painter Productions, Rod Webber, SweeTree Ink/Dave TREE and Music by DJ Won't, DJ Final Object, DJ Grin. at New ALliance Gallery Union Sq Somerville...FB page for info
February 15 (Saturday) A Crash Course for the Ravers featuring Screw Cart WMFO 91.5 - 1-4PM February 15 (Saturday) Martin, Morell, Fredette, Richie Parsons and Randy Black at the Midway Matinee show 3-7PMFebruary 15 (Saturday) The Gala, Hambone Skinny, Zulu Lulu at The Square Root- this is an ALL AGES show February 15 (Saturday) Xander Nelson & TIger Bomb at Big Babe's Portland, ME February 16 (Sunday) Stop Calling Me Frank, State of the Union, The New Frustrations, The Steamies at The Midway - matinee 3-7PM February 16 (Sunday) HardCore Stadium presents Fuming Mouth, High Command, Raw Radar War, Suffer on Acid, Mangled - Middle East Up 7PM February 17 (Monday) Black Beach, Rye Pines, Proper Nouns, Night Beat at Charlie's Kitchen February 19 (Wednesday) Randy Black & The Heathcroppers Plough & Stars Residency February 21 (Friday) Set Fire, The Gala, Motel Black, Gene Dante and The Future Starlets at Koto in Salem February 22 (Saturday) A Crash Course for the Ravers featuring Linea Herzog WMFO 91.5 - 1-4PM February 22 (Saturday) Benefit for Horizons for Homeless Children with Electric Streets Queens, Loretta, Battery March, M.O.T.O., and Sewer Buddies - 3-7PM Matinee show at The Midway
February 22 (Saturday) Rum Bar Records Anniversary Show with The Dogmatics - 11:00 PM, Muck and the Mires - 10:00 PM, The Dirty Truckers - 9:00 PM at The Square Root February 22 (Saturday) blindspot, Baabes, Set Fire, Hands 3 at O'Brien's February 23 (Sunday) The Gobshites - Performing Live on WAAF - Carmelita's Bay State Rock February 23 (Sunday) Sick Minds, Skytigers, Color Killer, Nine Votes Short - 2-6PM matinee and ALL AGES at Thirsty First in Lowell February 24 (Monday) Rebuilder, Dead Bars, Oh the Humanity!, Towanda at Charlie’s Kitchen February 28 (Friday) Scuzzy Yeti, Death Pesos, 3 Parts Dead, Blue Manic at Club Bohemia February 28 (Friday) LUX LIVES East Coast 2020 with The Evil Streaks, The Demon Seeds, Thee Benevolent Tarots and DJ Kogar the Swinging Ape playing Lux and Ivy's Favorites all night long! at Opus Underground Salem. FB page. February 29 (Saturday) DJ Easy Ed presents: Lynnette & the Sundowners, The Barley Hoppers, Easy Ed's Record Hop at The Midway for a 3-7PM matinee show.
March 7 (Saturday) The Gala, Muck and the Mires, Dangereens, The Downhauls at The Midway (night show) March 7 (Saturday) Cortez, Mighty High, Test Meat, Bone Church at OBrien's March 8 (Sunday) Kenne Highland Clan, Mad Painter, The Fools Agenda, Spaces For Two at The Jungle March 9 (Monday) SkyTigers, Brix'n Mortar, Circus Battalio, Rage//Quit at Charlie's Kitchen March 13 (Friday) Murphy's Law at the Middle East Up March 13 (Friday) This is Night 1 of a 2-night Whistle Stop Rock festival in Salem!! Featuring: The Knock Ups, The Cold Expectations, The Chelsea Curve at Koto Salem March 14 (Saturday) A Crash Course for the Ravers featuring Lucretia’s Daggers! WMFO 91.5 - 1-4PM March 14 (Saturday) Dead Kennedys (three originals and NO Jello Biafra) at Big Night Live - here's the FB page- be sure to read everything you CANNOT do there before you go!!! March 14 (Saturday) This is Night 2 of a 2-night Whistle Stop Rock festival in Salem!! Featuring: Kid Gulliver, Heather Rose In Clover, Justine's Black Threads... And special guests: The Dents!! at Koto
March 18 (Wednesday) Randy Black & The Heathcroppers Plough & Stars Residency March 20 (Friday) Wine Lips, Zip-Tie Handcuffs, Baabes at O'Brien's Pub FB page March 21 (Saturday) Brockton Hardcore Punk Shows presents In Cold Blood, Departed, Sick Minds, Divided Life, Eternal Reach at Dylan's in Brockton. FB page. March 21 (Saturday) POST PUNK II with Chuck Ferreira, Duncan w Johnson, Anthony Kaczynski at Sally O'Brien's March 21 (Saturday) The Return of the Bentmen w/ CMB at Once FB page March 21 (Saturday) The Knock Ups, Motel Black, Pigeon Man, The Runouts at The Square Root March 27 (Friday) Hey Zeus, Labor Hex, Razorburn City at O'Brien's March 27 (Friday) Little Caesar, Diablogato, Little Billy Lost, Pink Mahalares at Koto Salem March 28 (Saturday) Bombpops, MakeWar, Pass Away, In the Meantime at The Hong Kong March 28 (Saturday) The Zulus at The Paradise
March 31 (STuesday) Stubborn Hearts, Nowhere Fast, Lotus Kid, The War In Kids at the News Cafe Provi RI April 3 (Friday) Kid Gulliver, The Steamies, The Winter Project, A Bunch of Jerks at The Jungle April 4 (Saturday) Uncomfortables, DNZL, Joe Division, The Damaged at the 13th Floor Music Lounge, Florence MA April 5 (Sunday) The Grommets, The Fatal Flaw, Trusty Sidekick, Kermit's Finger. MC: Poet Jake Tringali 3-7PM matinee show at The Midway April 8 (Wednesday) Mad Painter Live on the Heavy Leather Topless Dance Party April 11 (Saturday) DJ Easy Ed presents the Cranktones with Sax Gordon, the Fathoms, and Easy Ed's Record Hop 3-7matinee show at The midway April 11 (Saturday) Courtney From Work, The Holts, Rawstrum, OTP at The Jungle April 17 (Friday) FU's, End of Hope, Northern Skulls, & More at O'Brien's April 19 (Sunday) The Undertones at The Paradise
May 8 (Friday) Salem Answers-Night 1: This is a music fest to celebrate and encourage the arts, magic, equality, and diversity of Salem! 7-9 at Koto: Accoustic sets with Pink Malahares, Coffin Salesman, Jenn Lombari - 9:30 to close at Koto: Salem Wolves, Oh The Humanity!, Radio Compass, Bad Larry's....9:30 to Close at Opus: Marianne Toilet and the Runs, Losers Circle, Red Ledger, Hyber, Subourban Sunrise FB page May 9 (Saturday) A Crash Course for the Ravers featuring Glider WMFO 91.5 - 1-4PM May 9 (Saturday) Divine Sweater, Eagle Jesus, Louzy, Jailbait matinee show 3-7PM at The Midway May 9 (Saturday) Salem Answers-Night 2: 7-9 at Koto: Acoustic sets with Live Nude Girls, C.Murray, C.Okeeefe - 9:30 to close at Koto: Diablogato, Brix'N Mortar, Hellbound Hitmen, Skytigers, Motel Black...9:30 to Close at Opus: The Gala U.S., Z28, The Von Traps, The Downhauls FB page
May 16 (Saturday) Baabes, The Knock Ups, Mister Vertigo, Motel Black at The Jungle June 13 (Saturday) Lyres and GLiDER at ONCE Lounge early 6:30-9PM show June 14 (Sunday) Fourth Annual Out of the Blue Art Gallery Benefit FB page for more info as it comes. September 17 - 21 The New England Shake-Up! Year Seven! in Framingham FB page CONTACT US AT....misslynbgn@yahoo.com Send us your gig listings, your anything else ya got!! You want your CD reviewed?? Contact us for that too.
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We’ve been looking forward to the Saturday Hong Kong
show with DNZL and Loser’s Circle. There’s
something different about climbing those stairs to get up to the club. You feel
like you left Harvard Square behind and you are in your own private party. And
in fact it was a party tonight - this was Keely's birthday party and part of
this show was about that positively gleeful audience. They were singing, moshing,
talking to the bands and generally having a ball. We’ve gone to many shows
at the Hong Kong that have had an uplifting buzz to them. It’s a nice
space to have a show.
We have to pause this week to acknowledge the passing of Andy
Gill, the guitarist of Gang of Four. We thought
of that Gang of Four show at Once
just 
The Boston Beat podcast continues to add to a large group of interviews with
Boston Rockers new and old. The lastest is a 2 part interview with Ted Dewart
& Billy Corelle from North Shore pop heroes Teddy & The Pandas. It features
songs from their singles and the "Basic Magnetism" LP. That is available
here 
“Suzie Survived Chemotherapy” was one of the first songs by Kid
Gulliver that told us that this was a group to pay attention to. They finally
have a recorded version. It’s a Ramones rocker with a lighter touch. The
rhythm section sets up an irresistible rolling beat and the guitar hooks are
smack on. Simone’s vocals are clean but not antiseptic. In the verses
the melody is done in a monotone until the last word where it drops down. It
begs you sing along. They says the story in the lyrics is true. and that just
makes it all the more wonderful. It was recorded by Brian Charles at his Zippah
Studios.
This week Duck & Cover released three new songs. We see
Duck & Cover a lot and are always wanting more recordings.
They start up with “Two Shots” a punk stomper where you shake your
head to the chord progression. “The Bleeding Edge” has one of those
choruses that the band does so well. The words marry the melody and you can
get hooked. “Unlucky 17” is a just a bit poppier and punctuated
with some extra studio effects. At 1:52 they throw in some twin guitar leads
which is one of their live trademarks. All three songs reward repeated listenings.
Color Killer has another whiz bang pop punk tune called “Not
Your Valentine”, just in time for Valentine Day! WOW, It bounces
along and has those single string Buzzcock like lines and clocks at 1:59. 
Saturday February 8- THIS SATURDAY Feb 8 3-9PM - with works by a large number
of people in the Boston music scene ... 
Live shows in a recording studies are fun. Here’s one on Feb
29 at Q Division Studios with The Gravel Pit
and The Mommyheads. "The two have not played
a show together since the late 90's at T.T. the Bear's Place. Both bands have
been mutual fans of one another since the 90's and somehow are still making
music some 32 years into their respective careers...so why not play a show in
Boston in 2020?" well be there! 
February 6 (Thursday) Zip Tie Handcuffs,
The Bobby Lees, Baabes, Dead Trains at O'Brien's
February 8 (Saturday) Screamin'
Rebel Angels, Trash Pandas, The Wandering Ones and DJ Easy
Ed spinnin' 45s t The Square Root 
February 14 (Friday) The Endorphins,
Moist Boy, the Betties at The Hong Kong 
February 22 (Saturday) Justine's
Black Threads EP Release Party w/Two Fathoms Down
at Atwood's Tavern - this is a 3-6PM show. 
March 28 (Saturday) WhistleStop
Rock Festival Portland with Tiger Bomb, Heather Rose In Clover,
The Knock Ups, PowerSlut, The Chelsea Curve, Kid Gulliver, Justine and the Unclean
at Sun Tiki Studios 6PM start!!! 
April 25 (Saturday) WhistleStop
Rock Festival Western Massachusetts - featuring: Heather Rose
In Clover, Kid Gulliver, The Cold Expectations, OTP and special guests
State Of The Union at HiLO North Adams - 
May 10 (Sunday) SalemAnswers-Night 3: 7-9
at Koto: Accoustic sets with Carissa Angelo, Opus, Vilanvs, -
9:30 to close at Koto: Stiff Propisition (Glamtastic covers
members of Bacterial Husk, Sexcrement, and Brix'N Mortar), Master of
Beers (Metallica), Aces High (Iron Maiden), Warthog
(Ramones ). 
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