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The BGN News Archive
After our initial posting of last week's news we posted our page on the Asa Brebner's Memorial and Celebration.
If you missed that we now have the Asa Brebner page posted. Monday’s at Charlie’s Kitchen is a long standing punk night. We hit it this last week because Voice of Addiction from Chicago sounded interesting and Dave Tree’s See This World was on the bill. The club was full. That means it was difficult at times to see the groups because the band plays at one end of the long but narrow room. There are about six people who see the group unobstructed, everyone else is behind them. There’s nothing new in that though, that’s just the way it is.
Back in April we missed See This World because they were first on the bill and we got there after and damn, it happened again. There was no set times listed or we would have left earlier. We were there for a newish band called Local Cult. They were very rough but that’s where the punk attitude does wonders. Even though the music was punky the lyrics were confessional and displayed vulnerability. At one point the drummer changed with the singer/guitarist for a few songs but we preferred the main singer. In the end it was the constant exposure of feelings in the lyrics that we loved. This comes over in their Bandcamp material. “Will” is a song we like . We also like “Put On”.
Then it was Voice of Addiction. They've been together since 2004. They have seven CD’s and they tour a lot...and you could tell when they played. They have a energetic stage presence and have a lot to say in their songs...and between their songs. Their tune “Rustbelt” is an indication of what they identify as – working class. We loved the strong punk sound. We can take that for hours. The chatty between song patter made you feel like you were friends with the group by the time they ended. Their music is on their website… For those who care, this is a way to avoid Bandcamp or other corporate platforms.
We are still mystified how Grade 2, a punk/oi band from England (Isle of Wight) came to play Maggie’s Lounge in Quincy on a Wednesday. We liked that it gave the South Shore a good show. We’ve been to Maggie’s before to see Kid Gulliver and Screw Cart. It’s a nice, clean club with the smell of pizza now and then.
The Bruins were on the TV with the sound muted as Riki Rocksteady played reggae music solo on stage. He kept it super simple. He just chunked out the chords on the beat and sang. He had a torn up ragged voice that he phrased perfectly for reggae. We know just a little reggae. We recognized “Sweet and Dandy” by Toots & the Maytals from the Harder They Come soundtrack. It was out of the norm for us but we like it. He got a good response from the small audience. The night drew around 20 people.
Lenny Lashley did a very short set because his voice was shot. The first song seemed alright the second not bad but his voice was failing on the third. We give him credit for trying. Despite the small audience Grade 2 came on strong. We got the feeling we were getting the same show they would give to a stadium. They are a combo of punk and oi but mostly punk.
They had wireless connections on their guitars so they could move about the stage without worry of chords tangling. There was no slow, quiet songs just blasting of the punk the whole way. The drummer was playing very hard and played lots of fast rolls. The guitarist played some distinctive single line leads that he branded with his own brittle sound. We feel like if we hear their songs from now on we could recognize his playing. We loved the accents when they talked between songs.
Maggie’s has a small smoke machine and strobe lights, and some small laser lights and were cranking them up during the show. It was incongruous for a punk band but we guess if you have a fog machine you use a fog machine. But it was a solid punk set that we don’t get often on the South Shore, never mind on a Wednesday. Joanie Lindstrom was there and she had the group on her show the next day (Thursday). You can hear it on the WMBR archives. They mentioned the smoke and light show and how Lenny Lashley brought them out for a lobster diner! Saturday there was a ton of shows to go to but we ended up going just down the street from Maggie’s in Quincy to Pete’s Grill where the Nervous Eaters had a gig. The Eaters played there over a year ago. The club is right across the street from the entrance to the USS Salem.
We missed the openers Tsunami of Sound but were in time for The Stigmatics. We just missed the Stigmatics set last week at the Out of the Blue Gallery so were happy to make up for that. John Keegan has seen them a few times and he has described them well. They have a garage rock style with some early Stones and more. And it’s the idea of the ‘more’ that we liked. At any time you can think of some sixties or seventies group or sound that they incorporate into their songs. The first song we heard was “Perfect World” and we thought, “gee, that’s good. We’ll have to remember that” . The next song was “I Need More” and we thought the same thing…and it kept on going. This band had a set full of solid tunes. They played a dozen songs and there was no misstep at all. We were in garage heaven with the way they chunk out those bar chords. Bob Roos on guitar writes most of the songs and supplies the coolest riffs. He doesn’t do flash. The riffs just sit in the right place and resemble the hooks in classic sixties and seventies rock. He has a few pedals that he uses to dial in thick overdriven tones. In one song he sounded like Paul Kossoff of Free in “It’s Alright Now”. Another song had a riff like the Car’s “Best Friends’ Girl” - that’s at the beginning and then at 55 sec, 1:57, and 3:30 marks in the video above. It was a most enjoyable set. Check out their Bandcamp page.
That set us up nicely for the Nervous Eaters. The set list was one third from the new CD Record 10, one third from Hot, Steel and Acid and one third of classics. Right off hey did “5-2-8”, the song about the Rat and the old gang. That always hits us close to the heart. Alan got two good vocals. The first was “Now You Want Me Back Again” form Hot Steel and Acid. The other was with "Kelly’s Sixteen" which is a Record 10 highlight and has become a live favorite. Video of this song is below. The song kicks in hard and has distinctive high background vocals in the chorus. It’s the proof, as if there’s any doubt, that the Eaters do not rely on past success. They are always writing, recording and looking forward. Some of the songs they played were “I’m A Degenerate”,“After the Good Times Are Gone” , “No More Idols” , “Just Head”, and they ended with “Talk to Loretta” The set built up as it went along and when it ended people wanted more. They came back and did three more songs. By audience request it was “Shit For Brains”, “Last Chance” and “Girl Next Door”. A video of all three songs is the last video above.
At the show was Richie Parsons, again looking healthy and full of energy after recent back surgery. Quincy is his home turf. Paul Armstrong of 1.4.5. had come straight from The Specials show at the House of Blues. The Lemonheads were at the Paradise too. It was a big rock night. Rick Harte was there even though he had two fractured ribs from a fall. He was talking about some mixing of two new Lyres songs. He also may be recording some new songs with the Eaters. The Nervous Eaters are one of our most enduring groups. Their lon0gevity has been coupled with creativity. Their current line up with David McLean and Nick Hebditch is proving to be one of the best. Their management has helped them to get some high profile shows in the last few years. Things are only looking up. And in other news.....
The Boston Beat podcast has two more interviews posted. Jon Macey & Fox Pass gets in there as well as Nick Carstoiu, from The Freeborne, a Boston Sound band. They have posted 26 interviews in a very short time period. Hear them at…..https://anchor.fm/thebostonbeat July 6 at Great Scott’s is the Zip-Tie Handcuffs album release show. Also on the bill is CreaturoS, Daddies, and Banana. Tickets….. Too late for Father’s Day but here’s a gift for the guitar player in your family, a guitar table lamp. Here's some good shows coming up this week.....
June 20 (Thursday) Punk/Ska night at O'Brien's with Thirteen Towers, Jerry's Got Jokes, Sweet Babylon, Don't Blow It. June 20 (Thursday) Sky Tigers, Secret Spirit, The Lipstick Boys at The Jungle June 21 (Friday) Kid Gulliver, Stars Like Ours, The Rationales at Sally O'Brien's June 21 (Friday) Rawstrum, Horse Hands, the Freqs, the Lebarones At Magnolia pub Lexington Ave Gloucester MA FREE!! June 22 (Saturday) It's Quincy Porchfest!!! At 62 Prospect Ave Quincy you can find - Order of appearance starting at 1pm and every hour on the hour- The Fringe, Thee Fightin' Fish, The Stigmatics, Baabes, Glider, The Thigh Scrapers, Charlie Don't Surf a tribute to The Clash FB page for directions etc.
June 22 (Saturday) writer Joe Milliken is having a book event to promote his Ben Orr bio Benjamin Orr and The Cars at 9 Wallis 8-10:30PM FB page June 22 (Saturday) Stars Like Ours, Little Billy Lost, Thinner, and The Stigmatics at Ralph's Rock Diner Worcester. June 23 (Sunday) Teenage Bottlerocket with Ramona, The Young Rochelles at Once June 23 (Sunday) The Ones You Forgot, The Burning Lights, Stubborn Hearts, Waiver Wire at O'Brien's And further out there is...... June 27 (Thursday) Let's Go! Author Event & Cars Tribute Concert at 9 Wallis in Beverly FB page June 27 (Thursday) Powerslut, Thrust Club, Radium Girls at The Jungle
June 28 (Friday) State Line Records Night at the Midway Round 1: Stray Bullets, Secret Spirit (NH), Stolen Wheelchairs (PA), Doc Rotten (NJ) at The Midway June 28 (Friday) State of the Union, Kid Gulliver, TBA at Thirsty First Tavern Lowell June 29 (Saturday) The Old Edison, Coffin Salesman, Time & Place, Loser's Circle at The Midway June 29 (Saturday) The Mystery Lights, Future Punx, Boston Cream at Thew Middle East Up July 5 (Friday) Cal Cali Band, GLiDER, The Kenne Highland Clan doing Gemini On A Full Moon at KOTO Salem July 6 (Saturday)A Crash Course For The Ravers LIVE Saturdays 1pm to 4pm at WMFO and transmits on 91.5FM Medford. This week has Kid Gulliver July 6 (Saturday) Zip-Tie Handcuffs album release show. Also on the bill is CreaturoS, Daddies, and Banana at Great Scott July 6 (Saturday) The Hi-End, Nat Freedberg, The Worried at Sally O'Brien's July 9 (Tuesday) Some Kind Of Nightmare, Losers Circle, Nick Barbarian, And Live Nude Girls at Thirsty First Tavern Lowell.
July 11 (Thursday) 61 Ghosts, Thee Fightin' Fish, Pop Gun at Opus in Salem July 12 (Friday) Freeloader is haviing a CD release party at The Plough and Stars. Who is Freeloader? Freeloader is: Nat Freedberg, Jim Haggerty, Charles Hansen, Jim Janota. Also on the bill the Savtones. July 13 (Saturday) Day Three of the Rama Lama Diong DSong thing: Unnatural Axe, Nice Guys, Atlantic Thrills, Andy California, Johnnie and the Foodmasters at Cambridge Elks Lodge $12 6:30 PM TIX: https://bit.ly/2QoVVVV July 13 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb, The Gala, Lockette, Gene Dante & The Future Starlets at Koto Salem July 14 (Sunday) State of the Union, The Only Things, The Tsunamibots, Pop Gun matinee at The Midway 3-7PM July 14 (Sunday) The Messthetics, Trinary System (Roger Miller) at Great Scott July 18 (Thursday) Cruel Miracle, Blindspot, Justine & the Unclean at The Jungle Union Sq Somerville July 18 (Thursday) The Chats, Louzy at the Middle East Down July 20 (Saturday) Thee Fightin Fish, Warthog (Ramones tribute), Charlie Don't Surf (Clash tribute), and Meat Depressed at The Midway for a 3-7PM show
July 20 (Saturday) Spring Heeled Jack, Party Bois, Diablogato, Catbite at The MIddle East Down - all ages!! July 20 (Saturday) Dogmatics, Jittery Jack & Amy Griffin, Stop Calling Me Frank at the Back Room at The Burren Davis Sq Somerville 6-9PM folks!!! July 21 (Sunday) A Bunch of Jerks, The Stigmatics, 1.4.5, TRiPLE THiCK at The Midway matinee 3-7PM July 26 (Friday) Oxblood Forge, IL Mostro and Wrought Iron Hex at Koto Salem July 26 (Friday) Diablogato & The Gala at Askew in Providence RI July 27 (Saturday) M.O.T.O., Jerry's Got Jokes, Cook Bag, The Trades, The Runouts at The Midway matinee 3-7PM July 27 (Saturday) Les Sans Culottes, Muck & the Mires, Fireking, Hambone Skinny at The Midway - night time show July 27 (Saturday) Bad at Sex, The Knock Ups, Motel Black at The Jungle Union Sq Somerville July 27 (Saturday) The New England Ska Summit; Bim Skala Bim, Copacetics, Hempsteadys, El Grande at Once Ballroom
July 28 (Sunday) Joe Harvard Memorial - 5-10PM Middle East Up. Keep checking the FB page for updates and info July 31 (Wednesday) Black Leather Lagoon, Poison Boys, Thee Fightin' Fish at The Jungle Union Sq Somerville August 3 (Saturday) Rawstrum with Tensor at Sally O'Brien's August 3 (Saturday) Cleaver/Walker/Messerly (Of Wussy) with special guests Thalia Zedek and Chris Brokaw of Come at The Midway August 3 (Saturday) Townies, Bystander, Louzy, Rusty Mullet this is a 3-7PM matinee show August 4 (Sunday) Mid Summer Night's dream: Chris Brokaw & Margaret Airplanemanat Atwoord's 10PM show August 8 (Thursday) Green Piece, Sorry w/ slo-anne & The Callouts at The Hong Kong August 8 (Thursday) Otto Records present 145 & The Thigh Scrapers at The Plough & Stars August 10 (Saturday) Billy Connors Project, 61 Ghosts, Little Billy Lost at The Square Root in Roslindale
August 14 (Wednesday) GLiDER live on Heavy Leather Topless Dance Party ! scat-tv FB page for links August 14 (Wednesday) Deke Dickerson, Bloodshot Bill, Jittery Jack, DJ Easy Ed at Once FB Page August 15 (Thursday) 1.4.5., Crunchtime and Glider at The Jungle Union Sq Somerville. August 15 (Thursday) The Queers, Stubborn Hearts, Meat Depressed, The Parkwoods at Alchemy in Provi RI August 17 (Saturday) Stop Calling Me Frank, Muck and the Mires, The Dirty Truckers Boat Party! 3:30- 7PM FB page for info and tix August 18 (Sunday) Possum, Martin/Morell/Fredette, The Chelsea Curve, Tsunami of Sound matinee 3-7 show at the Midway August 24 (Saturday) The Humanoids, Bossnova, Oxblood Forge, Renegade Cartel night show at The MIdway
August 31 (Saturday) Time & Place, PowerSlut, The Daylilies, Lonely Leesa & The Lost Cowboys at The Jungle - Music starts at 8PM September 8 (Sunday) Somerville Rock And Roll Yard Sale - Union Square - 11 AM – 5 PM FB page for more info September 19 (Thursday) THE ZULUS at The Paradise FB page for tix etc September 21 (Saturday) Lyres and Glider at Once (TIX) October 5 (Saturday) Mudhoney, Pissed Jeans at Brighton Music Hall 6PM doors. October 12 (Saturday) Lyres, Tiger Bomb, Glider at Sun Tiki Studios 375 Forest Avenue, Portland, Maine 04101 FB page October 20 (Sunday) Stiff Little Fingers, The Avengers at Brighton Music Hall doors 7PM October 23 (Wednesday) Flipper with David Yow (Jesus Lizard) "40th Anniversary Show" at The MIddle East Down
October 25 (Friday) 999, The Clap,the Parasitix, The Transmission Now at the Catasauqua American Legion 215 PA FB page October 26 (Saturday) 999, The Clap, The Bobby Lees, Blank Spots at Coney Island Baby in NYC FB page October 29 (Tuesday) 999 & The Clap at Randy Now's Man Cave 134 Farnsworth Ave, Bordentown, New Jersey 08505 FB page CONTACT US AT....misslynbgn@yahoo.com Send us your gig listings, your news and anything else ya got!! You want your CD reviewed?? Contact us for that too.
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Skybar of 
June 18 (Tuesday) Deaf Poets, Black
Beach, Friendly Psychic Strangers at O'Brien's 
June 22 (Saturday) The Gala, The
Dazies, Haunted Horses NYC, Lockette at The Midway
June 28 (Friday)
Labor Hex, Ultra Major, The Endorphins at
O'Brien's 
July 20 (Saturday) State Line Records night
at the Midway Round 2: Hudson Falcons, The Sprained Ankles, Michael
Kane & the Morning Afters, Dressed for the Occasion, Coffin Salesman
July 27 (Saturday) The Hi-End,
Classic Ruins, The Stigmatics at The Square Root in Roslindale
August 10 (Saturday) No Small
Children, PowerSlut, and The Knock Ups, at Once 
August 31 (Saturday) A Crash
Course For The Ravers LIVE Saturdays 1pm to 4pm at 
October 23 (Wednesday) 999, The
Clap, Vixen 77 at The Fire Philly PA 
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