The BGN News Archive

    It was great night of music at Great Scott's this past Saturday night : The newly renewed Ducky Boys set up two days of shows for their CD release. "Chasing the Ghost" opens up new spaces for the Ducky Boys to grow in with a wider range of songwriting.
Maybe Mark Lind should also think about booking clubs because this was one of the best line ups of groups I've heard in a long time.

   The first group was new to me. I wouldn't pay that much attention to Energy if I just listened to their CD, "Invasions of the Mind", but live they had attractive qualities. The singer sang in a throaty growl when he wanted but also in a clear tone which helped to vary the songs. They did some simple and effective harmonies. One song (not on the CD) that hit was a playful one called "I Want to Kill Your Boyfriend". It's early still for Energy and they are worth checking out.

    Tijuana Sweetheart is not new. I've seen them a few times going back to when they were called Vagiant. They are at least five times better since I've seen them last. They just have it all together. You could tell they are well rehearsed; they went from zero to sixty in a split second. No warm up needed. They are a joy to see and hear; they're full of fun and personality, as are their songs. There is lots of detail in the songwriting. They threw in Stiff Little Fingers' Barbed Wire Love and nailed it pretty good. This was a CD release party for them too.

    As I see the Hudson Falcons set up they look like an unlikely group of rockers but you don't judge a book by its cover and sure enough they come out with a roar and are off. Each group so far has got louder and the Falcons' volume makes earplugs ineffectual. The bass drum alone forcibly hits the chest with each boom. The lead singer moves with gangly jerks that evoke a puppet but this belies the force of his voice, guitar and lyrics. This is no bull music. The Falcons have strong issues in the lyrics - one of them a strident pro-union message. They bill themselves as playing "Working Class Rock 'n' Roll" and for that I like them even more.
    Suddenly I get banged and sprayed with beer - it's a mosh pit. Then another two bangs before I can get clear. I'm too old for this. (Revamped Quincy episode: Quincy : "These kids are killing themselves with this slam dancing." Policeman: "This victim is 60 years old." Quincy : "60? He deserves it!").
    Having survived that I get to see the Ducky Boys come on to finish the night; they start off real punky not at all like the new CD but they have a lot to show. They line up three in a row at the front of the stage and become a juggernaut pounding it out. It was a lot of music for one night. Good for the soul in mid winter.

    And some sad news....one of the powerhouses of rock - MC5 Bass Player Mike Davis died this past Friday of liver failure. He was 68! The loss of a great rocker!! AND he also started an awesome org called Music Is Revolution which supports music education in high schools!
Here's a live viddy of the MC5 doing Kick Out The Jams...RIP Mark Davis!!

    On a happier note: We heard from our pal Sonny Vincent....and wow does he have a killer record being whipped up in the studio over in Belgium- its an awesome all star line up with Sonny Vincent, Rat Scabies, Glen Matlock and Steve Mackay- of Stooges - I mean that is one of the best line ups ever!!! Can't wait to hear it and we really hope he gets to the US soon to do a gig ...in the meantime you can check him out on Facebook And here's a page we did on Sonny back in 2003

    Oh and ya gotta go to Tommy White's Facebook page for a walk down memory lane folks: he just posted a bunch of still from the making of Billy Goon Party Rap - which I might add was a BGN Flexi Disk in the early 80's!!

    Up Your Bucket is at Precinct this Wednesday the 22nd!!
    And the Del Fuegos are back with a show at the Paradise on Wednesday as well!!
    The Roy Sludge Trio is at The Plough this Friday Feb 24th - that would be a great venue to catch this band! But one of my new fave venues is Radio and they doing an early 4PM show next Sunday the 26th are at Radio ... And there's a good show at Precinct on Saturday the 25th with The Gentlemen, Watts and The Rationales...and as Bob Colby said Watts are a ROCK band!! YEAH!
   

    Tony Savarino is celebrating his new CD with his Stratospherical Album Premiere and Release Show on Saturday, March 3 at The Magic Room

    And March 10th there's a killer show at Church with Lyres, Nervous Eaters, Satin Kittens and Port Charles Quintet with Boston's best drummer Dennis McCarthy coming up from Pittsburgh for the show!!- and that's Kim Ackland's birthday weekend so wish her an excellent one!!

    And off into April- James Straight and the Wide Stance with Cadillac Heart at The Magic Room - oh yeah!

    HEY!! Email us with your latest news, I'm feelin' lonely here!!....misslynbgn@yahoo.com