The BGN News Archive

First off we have the sad news that Billy Rath , who has recently made Boston his home, has passed away. We had just discussed an interview with Billy before he got sick this time. We didn't know Billy well but certainly appreciated his history and thought him to be a pretty amazing guy. RIP Billy Rath! Lots of people loved you and you will be missed!

   Blowfish did all the carousing at the clubs this weekend: The five band Hardcore line up at TT's last Friday was sparsely attended at first but by the time the fourth band came on a respectable amount of people were there.

   Honest John is from Providence and there's a good hardcore scene there judging from the amount of bands that show up in shows here in Boston. Honest John had a mighty sound with lots of one minute songs in the lineup. The singer was impressive. He was down on the floor rather than the stage. I've seen many core groups do this. it shows that they're connected to their audience in a real way. There was too much down time between songs however and that coupled with the fast then slow tempo changes in most songs stifled any momentum they were getting. I feel if they tighten up the segues and get a good set list they could improve the show right there.

   Neighborhood Shit I saw a few weeks ago and liked. They did a similar set tonight. Their lyrics reflect their life and that investment gives real weight to their impassioned vocals. The drummer does some furious tempos. He moves like The Incredible Flash. In a normal tempo he probably did 10 hours of drumming during that 30 minute set.

   Cheech bumped everything up a few notches. These guys had a better command of their instruments and had military precision in their execution. The lead singer was at top yelling range from the beginning. The drumming was more conventional than, say, Neighborhood Shit's drumming but it was very effective. It was the same with the guitars which had some metal in them. Now these guys showed how good segues could give momentum. They strung 4 and 5 songs together with no break and the excitement built. That unrelenting barrage of sound and fury is what makes a great hardcore show. At the end you feel beat up. These guys have a song called Nerdcrusherand that's just what I'm afraid will happen to me at these shows.

   On Saturday there were tons of shows going on all day. Providence had a festival downtown from 1 till 10pm. The Middle East had a 1 pm show and the Midway had a 4pm start. The Middle East down had a 5 pm show and next door TT's had a 5:30 start to a group of Pop Punk bands. The Middle East even had a 7pm start to a show because they later do a DJ thing there. Then there were the regular night shows. For a while there have been the weekend afternoon shows but now it's all day music everywhere. I'm liking that.

    I did the hardcore thing on Friday so I elected to give the Pop Punk thing a go at TT's. These bands were Emo. There was lots of love and camaraderie on stage. Like the hardcore groups they link close with their fans and have lots of sing-alongs.

   Real Talk started out very shaky. Thankfully after a few songs they got it together and ended up giving a pretty good show. I have to say the drum and bass section were not giving a solid base to the sound and this was the same problem with the next band. Despite that it was a good dose of Emo. The lead singer is young and handsome. I would think that would generate lots of women fans but there were only a handful of people all together for this part of the show. The audience was young and a 50/50 male/female mix.

   By the time Sleep on It from Chicago got on stage the attendance went from 5 to 50. They were greeted with whoops and cheers and that continued through the set. They were more pumped up than Real Talk but had that drum/bass problem and I just never warmed up to them but I was the odd man out. They got a great reception on everything they did. I got what I wanted which was to a to hear some Emo.

   Don't forget to check out Kenne Highland At Large as he talks abut the Grant Town Goon and reading rock bio books and of course...see his new Duck Dynasty shorts and of course there's much much more....

   Who goes to Detroit for vacation? I'm glad you asked, Joanie Lindstrom does. There's only buildings in ruins, you say. She LOVES buildings in ruins. Which is all to say that we have JOANIE'S DETROIT VACATION now posted.

   This week we also are delighted to have a new column by John Keegan!! This one's about The Baseball Project and Split Squad at Great Scott's!!

In other news:

   Ed Moose Savage is back home most importantly - out of the hospital - after back surgery. Get well soon and get up and at 'em Ed!!

   Omnivore Records has put together a recording of previously unreleased Scruffy The Cat recordings. The Good Goodbye: Unreleased Recordings 1984-1990 will be available on September 16th it features "features music from their origin to their final, unissued sessions—recorded at Ardent Studios." You can read more and prepurchase here!!

   We heard from our pal Sonny Vincent and his new record is almost ready!! This is the one is a special get together of a super group, it's called Spiteful. It's Sonny ...on screamin' guitar of course....with Rat Scabies (The Damned) on Drums, Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) on Bass, and Steve Mackay (Stooges) on Sax...wow!! Here's what he has to say about it: "Three years in the making, four RocknRoll bastards get together to fuck shit up. .... The kick ass songs are not playable in police stations, the freedom bell frenzy is banging way too loud. Strap yourself in for a wild ride that takes you from a dark alleyway to a far away planet of Love and mercurial radiance." Can't wait to get our hands on that one!!

   And some information at The Harvard Film Archive about Arthur Freedman and his video collection which is now housed there. Check out the list of videos he's got there. Now if they could be accessed it would be fantastic!! Well it turns out he needs signed releases from the bands before the vids can go public. So let's hope that can happen soon.

   So what's comin' up for gigs?....

   This Tuesday, August 19 at the Midway you can catch The Buckners, Ramona Silver, The Natalie Flanagan Band and Fun Era Fifty which is Mr. Curt's new band.

On Saturday August 23rd start the afternoon off with Brian Young and Crash Course for the Ravers Show with his special guest this day being Willie "Loco" Alexander and Carl Biancucci of The Classic Ruins and other bands.(WMFO 91.5PM 1-4PM)

   There's a 4-9 PM show at The Midway with The Caught Flies, Psychic Dog, The Radiator Rattlers and To The Gallows

   It's Hixxmas in August folks! On August 23rd at Club Bohemia at The Cantab it's Hixx and Psychic Dog and more bands TBA...

   Friday August 29th has a good show at Church with Petty Morals, Tigerman WOAH, When Particles Collide and Miss Geo.

   And at The Tavern at the End of the World on Friday the 29th there's "Detroit Night" with Three Great Bands with Detroit Roots : Tiger Bomb features Lynda Mandolyn of Detroit's "Inside Out" band, and San Francisco's "Fabulous Disaster"... and Chris Horne of The Brood Cindy Allison & Andrea Ellis provide the rock-solid rhythm section for a set of all-original pop songs! for a set of all-original pop songs... , from Detroit, are making their Boston debut here tonight... and the following night they will headline the 2014 Power Popaholic Festival in Brooklyn... See them while you can! Fireking features Detroit natives Anthony Kaczynski & Michael Smith of the Sire Records recording group, "Figures On A Beach"... Andrew Morrison on bass rounds out this fantastic power-pop-rock trio.

   This should be an interesting evening...at The Cantab, Saturday August 30th....The Sound Down Cellar, Nelson Slater (tentative), Annie Activator and the once a year gig by Love & Flame featuring Danny Rybar, Lady Carolyn and Joe Viglione along with Mike Quirk on bass, Kenne Highland on guitar. (they are on at 9:30) and The Guns of Brighton

   OK foks get ready for a crazy, exhausting and exciting couple of months of music in Boston....read on...amazing shows coming up and lots of them.....

   Tuesday Sept 2 there's a punk show at The Middle East UP with Bishops Green, Hammer and the Nails, For the Worse, Yellow Stitches, The Damn Garrison *NOTE: its a slightly earlier than usual show with 7:00 PM Doors

   Please put this on your calendar and go folks- Viva La Eva Dos...another benefit for Eva Lipton you was in a horrible car crash and remains in a rehab facility....Thursday September 4th starting at 7PM at TT The Bear's ...on the bill are Joe Queer & Friends, The Dogmatics, The Downbeat 5, Classic Ruins, Parlour Bells, Moose & The Mudbugs, and Sonomatics ...see you there!!

   Thursday Sept 4 at Tavern at the End of the World is the return of KURT BAKER! This should be a great show - his only 2014 appearance in Boston, it was cancelled and is now back on.....and its a great bill all around with The Kurt Baker Band (11:30) The Connection (10:30)and The Dirty Truckers (9:30). Get there early folks!!

   And you definitely want to hit this show: Richie Parsons performing his Honey & Tears songs along with The Dictators NYC on September 5th at the Middle East down. Kim Ackland posted on Facebook about this "NYC" version: "No Top Ten, it's a new band with Dick, Thunderbolt, Ross, Daniel REY from Shrapnel ROCKS and Dean Rispler, as Ross said "the best bass player on the planet". They're awesome" ...and You can download Honey and Tears from iTunes for one.....or Bandcamp.....where you can download or order the CD or the vinyl! or hunt Richie down and buy one from him. Or you can get one at this gig if you can wait that long.

   Another great all ages 4-9PM show Saturday September 6th at The Midway with The Humanoids, Arctic Horror, In The SHit and a solo Larry Lifeless...the cost?...well priceless as you can imgine but you only have to shell out FIVE dollars for this show folks.

Oh yeah on Tuesday September 9th at the Midway Brian Young hosts a show with Johnny & The Hartebreakers, The Classic Ruins and Tsunami of Sound....so um, this "Johnny and The Hartebreakers" better be good......or Mr. Harte may say "Who needs you" and I hope they make me shake out of control.

   Crash Safely is coming up in September/October - night #1 is at The Midway on Saturday September 27th with Pete Donnelly, Pete Hayes and John Powhida (Aka The Petes), Watts, Gene Dante and The Future Starlets, The I Want You and As The Sparrow

   The Legendary Shake Shakers are coming to the Middle East down September 12th.

   And there's 4 straight nights of awesome shows at the Midway starting with folk/punk show Friday 9/12 with Bryan McPherson, The Old Edison, Marl Lind and Jeff Rowe.

   There is a lot going on Saturday Sept 13....first off there's a early evening matinee with 4PM doors at the Midway, it's all ages and only $7.00...on stage is Risk, Class Struggle, Working Poor USA, Aftermath (from CT) and Traces of Empire

   Then that night, at The Midway on Sept 13. Cal Cali brings us Lyres-Nervous Eaters-Cal Cali Band- The Invaders (Les Envahisseurs-from Quebec) - oh mon dieu!!! What an excellent line up!

   AND Sept 13th the begining of the Pipeline shows with Baby's Arm, Berlin Airlift, The Dogmatics, The Neats' Eric Martin & friends, Stranglehold, The Turbines - at Cuisine en Locale wow!!

   But don't forget Sat. 9/13 is also Matt Burns' 60th Birthday Party! He's celebrating at The Lizard Lounge. So far the bill includes Litehouse, The Handymen, Kenne Highland, and more bands to come.....

   Sunday September 14th --the Midway will bring us the legendary UK band The Members!! also with them are Greg Allen's Fringe Religion and OC45...here's the FB page link

   Then on Monday Sept 15th....not to be missed the band you never heard of but want to see in this setting - The Shakes Outta Control, just click their link and see where it brings you) but also on the bill TRiPLE THiCK, Banditas and Jay Allen & The Archcriminals! This should be a great night!

   50 Years of Boston Rock, WMBR's Pipeline's 25 year Anniversary is coming up!!! It's at various venues in Boston, Cambridge, Brighton, Somerville and Arlington. Specifically it's going to be 13 shows featuring close to 80 reunited Boston-area bands performing at 5 venues over 5 weekends from September 12 to October 12 - at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, The Middle East downstairs in Cambridge, the Brighton Music Hall, the Regent Theatre in Arlington, and Cuisine en Locale in Somerville, a new ballroom-like space with a capacity of 425.!! So get ready now. (There are current plans to add a 14th night to the series) Tickets are now available at all venues!
Click to see the insanely long entire list of line ups HERE. And here's the Facebook page

   And because we love you here's links to all the clubs to purchase tix:
CUISINE EN LOCALE in Somerville (Sep 13, 19, 20, Oct 10, 11)
Sept 13th (these are all links to tix) who's playing on the 13th: Baby's Arm, Berlin Airlift, The Dogmatics, The Neats' Eric Martin & friends, Stranglehold, The Turbines - wow!!
Sept 19
Sept 20
Oct 10
Oct 11

REGENT THEATRE in Arlington (Sep 12, 26, 27)
Sept 12
Sept 26
Sept 27 Who's playing on the 27th: Barry & The Remains, Cardinal, The Downbeat 5

BRIGHTON MUSIC HALL (Sep 28)
Who's playing on Sept 28: Anastasia Screamed, The Flies, The F.U.'s / Straw Dogs, Men & Volts, The Nervous Eaters, + 2 TBA

MIDDLE EAST RESTAURANT DOWNSTAIRS in Cambridge (Oct 3, 4, 12)
10/3: Who's playing on Oct 3: The Blood Oranges, The Bristols, Buttercup, Fuzzy, Lazy Susan, Robin Lane and The Chartbusters, Tacklebox
Oct 4

PARADISE ROCK CLUB in Boston (Oct 5)
Who's playing Oct 5: Big City Rockers (Atlantics), The Charms, The Dents, High Risk Group, Reddy Teddy, Shake the Faith, Willie Alexander & The Boom Boom Band

   Oct 12 Who's playing on the 12th: The Bags, Ed's Redeeming Qualities & The Breeders' Carrie Bradley & friends, The Gizmos (original line up), Kenny Chambers / Electric Ears, The Underachievers, The Voodoo Dolls

   whew!!!!!!!!!! what an amazing event this will be Congratulations and THANK YOU! Bob Dubrow for all your work on this!!

    Saturday, September 20 we get to see James Straight & The Wide Stance again!! They are at Copperfield's along with The People's Party, Green Street Station , and Sunrise Showdown...then.....

    Sunday Sept 21 at TT The Bear's there's is Queerstock 2014 with Gunpowder Gelatine, Thalia Zedek, The Kitchenettes and Fur Purse .......

   And September 22nd at the Middle East up is a great show with Shonen Knife and Petty Morals.

   Also at TT's to finish off the week on a definite , awesome actually, punk note Friday the 26th they have The Angry Samoans, Reagan Youth, Burning Streets and The Welsh Boys opening the night.

   Sept 26, 27 & 28 is The 2nd Annual New England Shake Up it's Three Rockin' days of Bands! Record Hops! Vendors! Car Show! Indoor Pool Party! And More! All taking place at the lovely Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge, Massachusetts....Boston bands Jittery Jack, The Rollin' Pins and Lynnette and The Longshots will be performing.

   The Rat Beach Party set for September 27 & 28 (Sat & Sunday) you get all the info on their Facebook page

   Here's a special show on Monday Sept 29th - at The Midway - with the "Surreal Adults" (so are we sure they aren't SurREAL kids????), Richie Parson, The Swindlers and The Connection.

   And for The Midway early evening show (4PM doors) this Saturday October 4th - Kenne Highland and Eddie Flowers are at it again with The Rockabilly Yobs (mems of The Gizmos/Afrika Korps), Didn't Planet, Wasted Luck (from Germany) and The New Frustrations

   Saturday October 4th O'Brien's has a really good ...and long and early starting show with 3PM doors: DRAGO, The FU's, Black Cheers, Silver Screams, Quiggs and Little Richards

   October 5th - another amazing Sunday show at The Midway will bring us The Vibrators!!! also on the bill MOTO and The Skeleton Beats.

   Friday October 10 is Night 2 for Crash Safely Benefit this one's at the Midway again...and there's a great line up with Petty Morals, Gymnasium, Tsunami of Sound and My Own Worst Enemy.

   The Gizmos are in Brooklyn at Union Pool on Saturday October 11th this line up will be Kenne Highland, Eddie Flowers, & Ted Niemiec bringing the original 1976/77 Gizmos to NYC w/ assistance from Kenny Kaiser (Afrika Korps), MJ Quirk (Kenne Highland Clan), & Matt Burns (KH Clan) also on the bill: Lame Drivers, Milk Dick, & Liquor Store.

   Also on October 11th an all day affair with the 9th Annual Hot Rod Fallout in Glastonbury CT - Bands & Continuous Music All Day
Vendors, Food, Booze, and more.....1963 & Older Traditional Styles Vehicles - Hot Rods, Customs, Stock, Race and Bikes

   Monday October 13th there's a special show at Weirdo Records with Eddie Flowers and Kenne Highland , its the day after their Pipeline show at the Middle East Down. Pre Kenne'Eddie there's CTM opening the night around 8pm and Cryostasium middle things out around 8:30-8:45. If you know the album 'Vernietiging', you'll love the set. Triple guitar attack all coming out of tiny l'il amps. Keep in mind that this is a TINY place so if you want to see the sets best to get there earlier than later.

   Friday October 17th is Night 3 of Crash Safely Benefit...this time its at the Middle East Up and wow, the line up again is killer with Township, White Dynomite, The Field Effect, Triple Thick and Animal Hospital!!

   Also on Oct 17th at The Midway is Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys, Tigerman WOAH, Tail Light Rebellion, and The Radiator Rattlers

   Ocrtober 25th we can see The Cranktones at The Midway again kids...it's WMFO's Easy Ed presents:- The Cranktones, Johnny Carlevale & The Rollin' Pins, plus Easy Ed's Record Hop!!! - great night!!!

   The Damned are touring this Fall with TSOL. They are playing Halloween in NYC but playing Boston on Saturday October 25th at the Royale...tix here....

   CONTACT US AT.......misslynbg@yahoo.com Send us your gig listings, your news and anything else ya got!!

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