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The BGN News Archive
We were going to see Labor Hex at O’Brien’s on Saturday but they backed out for some reason. So, we headed to the Midway for a lineup of punk bands set up by the State Line Record label.
Michael Kane (of Michael Kane and the Morning Afters) did a solo set. It was some originals with new and old covers. He went way back for “Bring It On Home To Me” that we know via the Animals. He ended with “What’s So Wrong About Peace, Love and Understanding”. He has that gruff voice that helps to deliver all the songs with some gravity. People were familiar with his material and were singing along at some points.
The first band up was Doc Rotten from Trenton NJ. They were all revved up and ready to party even before they hit the stage. This was a fun loving band that wanted audience participation. They sounded like they took the Clash as their baseline. The first song even mentioned Joe Strummer. They mention Bouncing Souls as a big influence. The words and the vocals were upfront. They get anthemic here and there. The pace of everything was fast and that held up through the set and actually continued through the next two bands. It was that sort of night. The songs were short and snappy. Of the ten songs on their website only one breaks the three minute mark. Listen to a few songs there and you will get the idea of the set we heard. They had the knack that some bands have of making the whole set seem super exciting from beginning to end.
Stolen Wheelchairs from Philadelphia continued the frenzy with their set. They started with their song Vandalism and it wasn’t hard to imagine the wild set that would follow. Right off, the song was catchy and had the shout out of “vandalism” that made you want to join in. Live it was even better than the recorded version, which is here. The singer who was already an attention getter with his red Mohawk was off the stage and into the audience in short order. He was slamming into people, running through the crowd or singing into their faces. You had to be aware because chances were that he would careen into you sooner or later. The music was fast with busy drums and a drilling guitar. It was hard to take it all in. They covered Black Flag’s “Rise Above”.
We just saw Secret Spirit last week. This night they had two exciting bands before them to live up to. They managed to up the ante by being a tighter unit. They didn’t have the fun edge the previous bands had, these guys were serious. They sing about meaningful personal issues and the intense vocals go deep into the emotions. They did that thing where they trade vocalists for a few songs and even though we knew it was coming it still had its effect. It was an injection of power mid set that is not the norm. That was three punk/hardcore sets in a row. We left Stray Bullets for another day. That late night Midway closing time is hard to make sometimes. We went to see Boston Cream at the Middle East Up on Saturday. With the current booking there it’s rare we get to the Middle East these days.
We first saw Boston Cream in September of 2017. They opened for the Lyres in January of 2018. They've had other shows but not a lot. That’s a shame because we thought from the beginning that they had music that would be popular with the right exposure. At the Middle East they were doing the same hypnotic tribal chant music. Now, they are more polished. The music had an easy flow and the stage moves, which are a big part of the show, were more elaborate and coordinated. How they got to this style of playing and the stage show would be something to know. It’s totally unique.
The music is a slow repetitive grove and the flowing and often synchronized hand movements are mesmerizing. The lyrics are sparse and also repetitive. Front person Melanie Bernier has developed her natural stage movements into what is now like modern dance moves. A lot of the high leg steps looks like African dance. Near the end of the set they pulled off a show stopping moment when one singer lifted Melanie upside down in the air as both continued to sing. We have a photo below the show listings. They got a big cheer for that. Now, to get those high profile shows that will get them some attention.
The name Future Punx made up curious. Turned out they were an arty electronic band that harkened back the 80s. It seemed a bit sterile at the beginning but they built up some steam during the set. One song that sounded a bit like the Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House” with a bass line that dug in was our favorite of the set.
The Mystery Lights were a garage psych band. The're from NYC but you swear they must be from Austin from their 13th Floor Elevator sound. They had the perfect guitar tones. All they had to do was chunk out some bar chords and have the bass sit on the root note and they were THERE. They did have some synth sounds that colored all of it. They got lively but like the other two groups on the bill this night they were not going to rock hard. They make their mark with the sounds and psych mood. The club was full all night and people were into The Mystery Lights as well as Future Punx. And in other news.....
Cook Bag released a neat poppy rocker called “Never See You Again”. In the movie Boys From Nowhere there is a section where the show the Real Kids doing a concert on a boat. That was a wild time. This summer there the Three Hour Boat Party with Stop Calling Me Frank, Muck and the Mires, and the Dirty Truckers August 17 Mass Bay Lines at the Rowes Wharf...link below in the gig listings. Here's a link for the FB page and tickets!! And the Fleshtones are coming back to Boston on October 26th at Once Ballroom. Here's some good shows coming up this week.....
July 5 (Friday) Chet's Last Call: A Story of Rock and Redemption - Documentary is at the Somerville Theater. It starts at 9:30. TIX HERE 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 And further out there is......
July 11 (Thursday) The Thigh Scrapers, Baabes, State of the Union and The Laces at The Jungle 5 Sanborn Court Union Square Somerville. 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 Dong 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 13 (Saturday) Fable Grazer, Karen Zanes, Joe Perry (SOTU) solo at The Hearing Room in Lowell FB Page 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 15 (Monday) Black Kat Boppers from the UK at Askew in Providence RI. FB page.
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) 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 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 20 (Saturday) Watts, Little Billy Lost, Tiger Bomb, Kid Gulliver at Once Music starts at 9PM July 20 (Saturday) Thalia Zedek, GLiDER, Sara &the Scaliwags at The Square Root in Roslindale
July 24 (Wednesday) Brockton Hardcore Shows presents Hoods, Rhythm of fear, Trust in Few, Section H8, Fixation, Instigate at the Middle East Up. 7PM doors. 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) The Knock Ups, Motel Black, Bad at Sex 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 27 (Saturday) The Hi-End, Classic Ruins, The Stigmatics at The Square Root in Roslindale 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 July 31 (Wednesday) Heavy Hands, Voting Yes, The Lightweight Champs, TIFFY at The Midway
August 1 (Thursday) Chet's Last Call After Party at Once Lounge - 9:40 The Classic Ruins, 10:10 The Hopelessly Obscure with Cal Cali, 10:50 Randy Black and friends, 11:40 Esther Rose and friends...PLUS Lots of special guests - the 10 singers who are in the film will perform and Kenne Higland is the Host for the NIght. -- at Once Lounge August 3 (Saturday) Rawstrum with Tensor at Sally O'Brien's August 2 (Friday) 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 at The Midway August 3 (Saturday) Oppositional Defiance, Red Mantis, Death Pesos, Wrought Iron Hex at The Midway August 3 (Saturday) Rawstrum and Temple at Sally O'Brien's August 4 (Sunday) Mid Summer Night's dream: Chris Brokaw & Margaret Airplanemanat Atwoord's 10PM show August 7 (Wednesday) The Muckers, The Gobshites, Dori Cameron at the Midway 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) No Small Children, PowerSlut, and The Knock Ups, at Once August 10 (Saturday) Muck And The Mires, Watts, The Electric Mess, and A Bunch of Jerks at Sally O'Brien's 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 16 (Friday) Cocked N' Loaded, Hey Zeus, Scissorfight at Great Scott 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) Waiver Wire, Bernie's Garage, Happy Just To See You, Extract 3-7 matinee show at the Midway
August 31 (Saturday) A Crash Course For The Ravers LIVE Saturdays 1pm to 4pm at WMFO and transmits on 91.5FM Medford. This week we have RICHARD MIRSKY! August 31 (Saturday) Time & Place, PowerSlut, The Daylilies, Lonely Leesa & The Lost Cowboys at The Jungle - Music starts at 8PM September 1 (Sunday) A Bunch of Jerks, CRUNCHTIME, Zulu Lulu, The Black Souls - 3-7PM matinee at the Midway 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) PRIORS, Black Beach, Far Corners, and Andy California 8PM show at The Midway September 21 (Saturday) Lyres and Glider at Once (TIX) September 26 (Thursday) Baabes, GLiDER, Sara & the Scaliwags, Lily Black at O'Brien's October 1 (Tuesday) Agnostic Front w/Prong at Brighton Music Hall October 5 (Saturday) Mudhoney, Pissed Jeans at Brighton Music Hall 6PM doors. October 6 (Sunday) The Sinister Six, Martin / Morell / Fredette and TRiPLE THiCK - 3-7PM show at The Midway 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 23 (Wednesday) 999, The Clap, Vixen 77 at The Fire Philly PA FB Page October 25 (Friday) 999, The Clap,the Parasitix, The Transmission Now at the Catasauqua American Legion 215 PA FB page October 26 (Saturday) The Fleshtones, GLiDER, Muck & the Mires at Once Ballroom 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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August 1 in Lynn at the Lynn Memorial Auditorium they are having a show they
are calling the “
July 3 (Wednesday) Primitive Sounds July
3 Dance Party! Guest DJs Ty Jesso and Todd Purple
join Easy Ed on the decks at Brass Union in Somerville, MA.
All vinyl 45s. Vintage R&B, Soul, Rock 'n' Roll, and more. From 8:00 until
late. No cover...start the holiday early!! 
July 9 (Tuesday) Some Kind Of Nightmare,
Losers Circle, Nick Barbarian, And Live Nude Girls
at Thirsty First Tavern Lowell. 
July 18 (Thursday) Cruel Miracle,
Blindspot, Justine & the Unclean at The Jungle Union Sq Somerville
August 1 (Thursday) Special Movie Night
at the Brattle with Chet's Last Call: A Story of Rock and Redemption
-showing at 7PM (in betwen showing of Rock'n' Roll Highschool) The Brattle Theater.
August 10 (Saturday) Billy Connors
Project, 61 Ghosts, Little Billy Lost at The Square Root in Roslindale
October 19 (Saturday) A Crasah Coure for the Ravers has Richard Mirsky - 1-4PM WMFO 91.5 FM 
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