The BGN News Archive

Emily Doran and Mark - Hammered Saint Photo: John Keegan

We've got some good stuff from our roving reporters. John Keegan covers the April 5 show at Faces in Malden with three groups. The Shang Hi Los are on the verge of a new album with the first pre released single “Op-Operator” gaining the Coolest Song in the World ring on the Underground Garage. They've added a guitar to better duplicate their recordings. Hammered Saint back up their recorded material with exciting live shows as John’s photos show. Diablogato hooked up with Rum Bar Records are getting more and more attention, their new video (see below) is the best yet.

Captain Easychord is back in action. He saw four bands at The Jungle on March 23. It was noise group Kayden Hazel, then the Daylilies with Ad Frank. Galaxy Cake on the heels of their first recording “Pick Me Up” and Lonely Leesa & the Lost Cowboys who are more than simple country for sure.

Captain Easychord was also at The Cavedogs Burren show that excited longtime fans. Gymnasium opened by playing some of the double album they released a while ago.

There was a nice article by Jay N. Miller on the Nervous Eaters in the Patriot Ledger this week. We learnt that there will be a video soon for “Knockdown Day” their latest recording written by Adam Sherman. The write up was in preparation of the Narrows gig that happened on Saturday.

Just blocks from that Narrows club there was a Cure sighting two weeks earlier!! Simon Gallup the bassist for the Cure visited Fall River on April 3.

He did a very goth thing, he visited the Miss Lizzie’s Coffee shop. The café is next door to the famous Lizzie Borden house. A very goth looking Olivia Pereira who runs the café said Simon was a very down to earth person. He enjoyed the ghost stories with his family. The Lizzie Borden story continues to fascinate. The house is a bed and breakfast and museum. The story in the Herald News

The Rock and Roll Rumble is rolling along. The semi-finals were Friday and Saturday. Here are the results:

Friday, April 19: Other Brother Darryl, Roser, Looking Glass War, The Ghouls
Saturday, April 20: CE Skidmore and the Damn Fine Band, Twig, Wire Lines, Gut Health with Gut Health going to the Finals.

VIDEOS......

Diablogato’s new video/song “Lost Highway” is a must see for David Lynch fans. They stack up the Lynch images and capture that weird off kilter world of Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks.

Diablogato was always halfway there with their regular vibe. They were smart enough to utilize the opportunity here. They do a great job recreating the sets. Kudos to Shawn Reilly who directed the video and did the set designs.

This video/song should be of interest and hang around a long time.

Joanie Lindstrom played Bad Nerves (from London) on the Late Risers Club on Thursday. They're coming to the Armory in Somerville on this Thursday, April 25. Also on the bill is Baabes and Wine Lips.

Joanie linked to this video of the song “USA.”. They're yelling “USA” through the whole thing and it sounds like they like it. Listen to the sound of this recording; it’s the definition of ‘punchy.’ That’s going to be one awesome’ bill!!

Speedfossil have a video of one the songs on their new EP Room with a Vu Vol. 1. It's “irl” which stands for 'In Real Life.' The video has Garret Vandermolen in a small café musing about the relationship that’s all in his head. When the band plays they are bathed in an unreal red whereas the café lighting is natural.

RADIO......

Skybar will have John Powhida this week on his Rising show. John will talk about his latest album on the verge of coming out Jerry’s House and will play a few songs in the studio.

Tune in Tuesday at 8pm on WMFO at 91.5FM. After that go to the WMFO schedule page Hit the Rising show on 8 to 10 pm on Tuesday, then hit the ‘archive’ button.

PODCASTS.........

This week Blowing Smoke interviews Glenn Dudley from the group The Long Wait. They've gained interest from their beginning a year ago because the band members have been in many other groups. There demo recording on Bandcamp sealed the deal with a lot of people.

We loved the point when Glenn talked about hanging on the steps in Kenmore Square. Glenn worked at Ben and Jerry’s in Kenmore Square. Hanging on the steps is where he met other Boston musicians and got into the Boston scene. Those steps had to have been the greatest hang ever! All gone now ... sigh. Glenn gives a good reckoning of how someone got into punk music in those days.

Glenn goes through the beginnings of The Long Wait and how he was invited into the group. He talks about the recording that they have on Bandcamp.

Sethyspice had some technical difficulties last week and we missed our hit of glam with the Elastic Glam Breakfast Show. Everything was back and working this week.

There was some local with Jennifer Tefft & the Strange, Looking Glass War and Arrows of Athena, and they were played right next to the Kinks and the New York Dolls. We liked Maneskin’s “The Driver” and The Black Keys “Live Till I Die”.

That Cocktail Slippers new song “”I Still Dream You” always sounds good in any music mix. We loved hearing Roy Wood’s Wizzard with “See My Baby Jive”. There’s so much going on in his songs.

With the Shang Hi Los’ “Op-Operator” being the Coolest Song in the World the other week, the interview with Coolest Conversations with Mighty Manfred was soon to follow.

This is the third time the Shang Hi Los has had a Coolest Song in the World. For anyone else that would be amazing for the Shang Hi Los you think, hey what about some of their other songs!

Manfred got a good reveal when he asked what the background vocals at the beginning of “Op-Operator” were doing. It turns out Dan was mimicking the ‘ba-ba-badada” on the Rolling Stones “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” Then he cops Beach Boys at the end with the “ooweeoo.”

Dan let out that the Shang Hi Los will have a release this summer, either an EP or full album. The title? Dan says it may be called "Pleasure Buttons" which is a phrase from the BGN review of the “Op-Operator” song! We are honored!

Thalia Zedek has been showing up in interviews here and there. This week we see she was on the Into Music podcast.

We learn more about Thalia’s early formative days. Her early instrument was the clarinet. She was in Washington, DC and saw some shows at the 9:30 club. Urban Verbs was one group.

We found her early punk days very interesting. She saw the XRay Specs at CBGBs. She came to Boston to go to college but music was calling her. Art rock bands were of interest to her, like MOB and Jeff and Jane Hudson. Thalia went from White Women, Dangerous Birds, Uzi to Live Skull.

NEW MUSIC/CDs......

Baabes are back with some of their super trash rock. This isn’t regular low brow trash this is Shakespearean Trash!! They take it to new heights/depths. Nobody but nobody brings the attitude like Baabes. It’s in the instruments and Johnny Brain Box’s free flow of ragtime.

“Heavy Love” and “Set It On Fire” bounce you around so hard you feel like you’ve been mugged.

After teasing us with two singles Taken By Vultures now have a new 9 cut album; Songs About Dudes Vol. 2. The group sound is half metal/half punk. Their subject matter is off the main road. “Dr. Klaw” was about illegal lobster rolls in NYC, “Blood Diamonds” is about stealing gems by swallowing them, “Marsupial Mayhem” is about jumping in the kangaroo cage at the zoo, “Nowhere Else” sounds like their touring situation and “John Larroquette’s Spine” is a robot made from Larroquette’s bones.

Despite the odd subject matter the music and vocals are serious and well done. They have beefy metal type solos tucked in every song.

Taken By Vultures will be doing a FREE show at Thirsty First Lowell on May 4.

Faulty Cognitions are from San Antonio. Their album Somehow, We Are Here is packed with punk songs. No one tune sticks out, it’s the whole thing that gets to us. We’re jealous that San Antonio has these guys as a local band. They use pop punk as a descriptive but they aren’t the usual bouncy pop punk that you might think of. They are a tuneful punk with some of their own style.

We are embedding the song “Sad Sack” below. If you like that go to the Bandcamp page and listen to the album

There is another new song by Buffalo Tom just released a few days ago. They brings so much to what seems like a simple acoustic song.

Here's some good shows coming up .....

April 22, 2024 (Monday) Hopeless Otis, Bad Idea USA, K.C.U.F, Latch at The Silhouette Lounge

April 23, 2024 (Tuesday) Score Cone, Galaxy Cake, Blazers Over Turtlenecks at Notch Brewing Brighton

April 23, 2024 (Tuesday) Blame It on Whitman, In the Meantime, Pissed, Knockover City at O'Briens

April 23, 2024 (Tuesday) Falsely Accused, Signed Rosie, Renegade Cartel at The Jungle

April 24, 2024 (Wednesday) Kids Like You & Me will be spinning records at the coolest bar, State Park in Kendall Square, Cambridge! They'll be playing weird punk and the golden oldies with a frequent lean on Dangerous Doo Wop. If you want to hear Connie Francis and Connie Lingus, cum here! 9 P.M. FREE!

April 25, 2024 (Thursday) Bad Nerves (from London), Baabes and Wine Lips are at the Armory in Somerville

April 26, 2024 (Friday) Lions Law, Nothing But Enemies, Young Ones, Neuroot, Bad Terms, At the Middle east Up All Ages, $20, 7pm doors

April 27, 2024 (Saturday) The Crank-Tones at The Midway for a 3PM Matinee

April 27, 2024 (Saturday) Mad Painter at The Jungle 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Matinee

April 27, 2024 (Saturday) Cran, Battery March, Hammered Saint, Rejekts, The Minor Inconveniences - Cambridge Community Center all ages [6PM]

April 27, 2024 (Saturday) Midway Calling - A whole night of The Clash! Featuring members of Dark Crushes, Richie Parsons, Jason Bennett & more! FB page

April 27, 2024 (Saturday) Stop Calling Me Frank, Diablogato and Dogmatics at The New World Tavern in Plymouth. FB page.

April 28, 2024 (Sunrday) Hassle Flea & Art Market with Minibeast and Goon Platoon and over 100 cool vendors - 12:30 - 3:30 at The Cambridge Commiunity Center, 5 Calendar St...outside of Central Square check out the FB event page for updates. …..

May 1, 2024 (Wednesday) Brontez Purnell, Julia Pearce, Hammered Saint - O'Briens

May 2, 2024 (Thursday) Chastity, Oh the Humanity at O'Briens

May 2, 2024 (Thursday) Circus of Power, Casket Rats, Blood Lightning at Koto (Salem)

May 3, 2024 (Friday) The I Want You, Crow Follow at The Midway 9:30 show

May 4, 2024 (Saturday) The Lights Out, Gretchen Shae & The Middle Eight, Brain K & The Parkway at Faces Malden

May 4, 2024 (Saturday) 1.4.5., Little Billy Lost, Perilous at The Square Root

May 4, 2024 (Saturday) Taken By Vultures (vinyl release celebration), Dead Low, Knife tricks, Super Beef do a FREE show at Thirsty First Lowell

May 5, 2024 (Sunday) The Chisel, Home Front at The Middle East All Ages 7PM doors.

May 9, 2024 (Thursday) Today Junior, Blame Shifters (LP Release!), Cheer Camp - at Deep Cuts, Medford.

May 11, 2024 (Saturday) Somerville Porch Fest!!! PF website Linnea's Garden and Happy Little Clouds are already registerd: 32 Stone Ave Somerville (Union Sq) 4-6 pm

May 11, 2024 (Saturday) Anti-Fascist Vol 2- with Actor|Observer, Jealous Mind, Pretty Ugly, and others at Sammy's Patio - FB page.

May 11, 2024 (Saturday) Johnny Plankton & TSMS, Hands Of Spite, FastTracks, Richard Mirsky & A.M.P at The Midway for a 3PM matinee

May 11, 2024 (Saturday) Alfred Be Loud and Acrylic Killers at Barrel House Z, Weymouth. Advance tickets here

May 14, 2024 (Tuesday) Blame It On Whitman, Jude Ivy, Tatooine Punk Scene at Notch Brewing Brighton- music at 10PM

May 14, 2024 (Tuesday) Swans at The Paradise

May 15, 2024 (Wednesday) Billy Liar, Loser's Circle, Jeff Rowe at Faces in Malden

May 16, 2024 (Thursday) The Dead Boys, Nervous Eaters, The Plimsouls at Sonia this is a 7PM show.

May 16, 2024 (Thursday) Helmet and Cro-Mags at The Middle East All Ages 6PM doors. FB page

May 17, 2024 (Friday) Worshipper, Sundrifter, Earthlore at Koto Salem

May 17, 2024 (Friday) Jon Snodgrass (Armchair Martian/Drag The River) Rad Owl, Matt Charette & the Truer Sound, The Shang Hi-Los at Faces Malden

May 18, 2024 (Saturday) DnA's Evolution, Trading Tombstones. The Spackles, The Mighty Suicide Squirrels at The Midway for a 3 PM matinee

May 18, 2024 (Saturday) Joan Jett covers night with Andrea Gillis & Friends, CE Skidmore & Friends, Brooke Feinberg & Friends At faces malden

May 20, 2024 (Monday) Kali Masi, Latewaves, Michael Kane & The Morning Afters, High & Dry at O'Brien's

May 25, 2024 (Saturday) Mach Bell Experience (MBE), David Hull and the Dirty Angels. Magic Room, Norwood MA

May 28, 2024 (Tuesday) Thrust Club, Phantom Ocean, Honey Cassette at Notch Brewing Brighton

May 29, 2024 (Wednesday) War Machine, Marcy the Baptist, Video Days, Humbug at The Silhouette

May 31, 2024 (Friday) Wreckless Wreck Chords Presents Memorial Day Bash With WORM, Working Poor USA, Kermitsfinger HagglersBoston, Scumbari at The C Note - 7:30PM door- FB event page

June 1, 2024 (Saturday) Plymouth Punk Rock Market - Noon- 5PM - FB page

June 1, 2024 (Saturday) The Wynotts, The Black Cheers, Spillers, Fur Coat Judy at New World Tavern Plymouth.

June 3, 2024 (Saturday) Subhumans, FEA, Drop Dead at Alchemy in Provi RI - FB page.

June 4, 2024 (Tuesday) The Subhumans, FEA at The Middle East Down - 6PM show

June 8, 2024 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb, Galaxy Cake, Clean Girl & The Dirty Dishes at Marshall Wharf Brewing in Belfast, ME - FB page.

June 9, 2024 (Sunday) James Ryan Memorial show at The Magic Room, Norwood CANCELLED

June 14, 2024 (Friday) The Cherry Fog, The Double Takes, Wildfeuer, Force Us To Stop at The Union Tavern Union Sq Somerville

June 14, 2024 (Friday) Linnea's Garden, Ruby Grove, Cindy Lawson, Lovewhip at The Jungle

June 14, 2024 (Friday) Jason Bennett and The Resistance, Als Highway 50, Nick and the Adversaries at The MIddle east Up TIX

June 15, 2024 (Saturday) Good June, Impossible Dog, Tatooine Punk Scene, Professor Caffeine & The Insec at The Jungle

June 15, 2024 (Saturday) Dogmatics, Cindy Lawson, Girl With A Hawk at The Square Root

June 29, 2024 (Saturday) TREE is at the Brighton Music Hall for an all ages early show at 6PM. TIX

June 29, 2024 (Saturday) The Lowell Summer Music Series has Buffalo Tom playing Boarding House Park: 40 French St., on June 29. Tickets

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) The Fleshtones, Cal's Conspiracy, Tiger Bomb at The Magic Room, Norwood FB event page

July 13, 2024 (Saturday) Bim Skala Bim 40th Anniversary Show with Void Union, Duppy Conquerors, Some Ska Band, and Brunt of It -8:00 PM | Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre. Two shows! Special guests, FB page.

August 9, 2024 (Friday) Barrence Whitfield & Sal Baglio’s Giant Rocket Roll Show! at The Bull Run in Shirley - FB page.

September 6, 2024 (Friday) Sharp Class, Muck and the Mires, The Chelsea Curve at The Burren - FB page

September 8, 2024 (Sunday) The Somerville Rock And Roll Yard Sale is in Union Square Somerville https://www.facebook.com/SomervilleRockAndRollYardSale

September 8, 2024 (Sunday) The Lowell Summer Music Series has Belly playing Boarding House Park: 40 French St., Tickets

CONTACT US AT....misslynbgn@yahoo.com Send us your gig listings, your anything else you've got!! You want your CD reviewed?? Contact us for that too.