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The BGN News Archive

September 18, 2017

Roky Alien
Roky Erickson
Photo: Blowfish

Last Sunday we hit O’Brien’s for Boston Cream who are new but have been getting attention from the get go. They have members of the defunct Barbazons and Halleluiah the Hills.

Boston cream
Boston Cream
Photo: Blowfish

You can hear the Barbazons style in the music but Boston Cream is more single-minded and cohesive in their playing. We knew that Melanie Bernier had the talent to be a front person and she proves it with this band. She’s the dynamo in the center as all revolves around her. Melanie's strong voice is joined by the other members as they get into their groove chants. Lyrics are sparse and repeated as the rhythm stays steady; that's their main thing. It has a 60s feel to it. It’s a psychedelic tribal chant at times.

A good example of all this is Satan Is On The Way on their Bandcamp page . The entire lyrics are: “Oh! /Satan is on the way./ Ooo, It's hot.”
Everything they are doing is working. We expect to see them getting lots more attention.

We'd just seen Mike Holland of the Dazies at the Starlabfest the day before backing Paul Collins. Mike was responsible for bringing Paul to the festival and we love him for that. We also saw Mike do a solo set at O’Brien’s a while back and in that format could see and appreciate his songwriting. That helped us get into this Dazies set.

Dazies
Dazies
Photo: Blowfish

They started with the punk dance craze song Do The Snake which would make you think of them as punky garage. The later songs however were more detailed with interesting guitar work that elevated the garage aspect without denying it. It’s intelligent garage which is a nice place to park your musical car. It was an fun set, the kind that makes you want to hear it again.
What we heard far outstrips their few recorded songs. Time for them to get some recordings that are the same quality as their current material.

Giant Dog
Giant Dog
Photo: Blowfish

The headliners were A Giant Dog from Austin, TX. We saw them at O'Brien's a year ago. The club at this point was full of fans and they were up front and taking in the wild show that Giant Dog is known for.

The next night, for our fifth night of music in a row, it was the Brighton Music Hall for the legendary Roky Erickson.

Salem Wolves
Salem Wolves
Photo: Blowfish

We just saw a few songs by The Salem Wolves. They usually play smaller clubs but their sound and presence filled up the BMH easily. They looked like real pros in the elaborate light and fog effects that all the bands had this night.

Death Valley Girls
Death Valley Girls
Photo: Blowfish

The Death Valley Girls say a lot of things like this in their Facebook page: “Think of Death Valley Girls as an acid-tripping science experiment that’s been buried alive, and resurrected as a sexually liberated dystopian chain-gang.” They're trying to be eerie and mysterious but dressed in a purple Peter Pan-like frock doesn’t get you there, for us anyway. It all seems contrived but they could play well enough. The bass player climbed over the metal barrier which was hard and getting back harder. The singer started to do the same and somehow ended up being carried by Brian Young of WMFO. It was fun. And the girls were outside later lifting their skirts and comparing leg bruises with each other - yeah, right there on Brighton Ave.

We had heard that Roky does his shows sitting down and playing minimal guitar. It turned out that it was true but the show was very good. The saving graces were the songs, the band and most of all, Roky’s voice. That voice has influenced so many people through the decades. During the whole set we could hear its echo in the voices of Kenne Highland and Jeff Connolly from the Lyres.

Roky
Roky Erickson
Photo: Blowfish

When Roky is singing about Vampires and Demons he doesn’t need any gimmicks like Death Valley Girls. It’s all in his voice.

He wasn't just sitting...he was hardly moving....and not saying anything between songs except ‘thank you’....but when he sang he brought the goods and the band was spot on. You can hear for yourself in the video clips below.

Roky Erickson
Roky Erickson
Photo: Blowfish

They also had the required electric jug player. The show was sold out proving Roky still is a force, five decades after he started. The fans that were there were dedicated fans who not only knew the music but Roky’s story and appreciate what he’s gone through. The videos below are of “I Think of Demons” and “Night of the Vampire”.

There was a LOT going on for the weekend. On Friday Keegan covered the Tavern at the End of the World. He took in the funky duo of Ten Dollar Mistake, new punk faves Justine and the Unclean and folk plus Cold Expectations. Click for review below.

John Keegan reivew

We got enticed by a bill that looked like fun: the Boston vs. Tokyo Showdown at O’Brien’s on Friday. It was Jittery Jack and Muck & The Mires for the USA and The Melvins and The Fadeaways from Tokyo.

Jettery Jack
Jittery Jack
Photo: Blowfish

We caught most of the night starting with Jittery Jack. To us Jittery Jack is an indication of the quality Rockabilly we have around Boston now. It’s Judd Williams on drums, Amy on guitar, Johnny Sciascia on stand-up bass with Jack himself (Kevin Patey) as front man pumping out the personality. They play originals and covers but it doesn’t matter what they play... it’s how they play it. We could listen to Amy riff on for hours. She also has a few solo records out. Jittery Jack always makes us feel good.

Fadeaways
Melvins
Photo: Blowfish

The Melvins are garage pop/j-pop. The music was loose with the exception of the bass player who was holding firm with simple figured-bass lines played with a warm tone. It’s not often that a bass line sticks in your head but she did that to us. It came over as light and fun the way it was meant to be.

Muck and the Mires
Muck and the Mires
Photo: Blowfish

Then there was the runaway train that is a Muck and the Mires set. It seems like there’s no start and no finish. It’s just a blur. The playing and the songs are so good it always seems like the set you're seeing is the best set they ever did but in reality they are all great. Every song you hear you think is your favorite until they play the next one and you think THAT is the best, etc.
The group just came back from a European tour. Evan said there were seven shows that were big and amazing. They opened up for the Flamin’ Groovies along the way too.

Fadeaways
The Fadeaways
Photo: Blowfish


The Fadeaways have been to Boston before, as one of them said on stage. They are a well-oiled machine and have energy to burn. They were all over the stage and on the amplifiers. The drummer put his hands on the drums and hopped up and down in between songs to loosen up or burn even more energy. That was funny.
The music was garage-y and tight.
The audience was jammed up front. They had a fanatic edge to them. Not unlike the Roky fans.


The club was three-fourths full. That show should have been sold out but it was a busy club night all over town.

Greg allen
Greg Allen's Fringe Religion
Photo: Blowfish

We only heard a few songs by Greg Allen and the Fringe Religion at the Spotlight last June. We regretted that because the new line up and new songs peaked our interest. Finally on Saturday at the Midway afternoon show we heard a whole set.

The new group line up is a trio. That pushes Greg’s guitar playing to the forefront. Curt Florzcak was such a stunner in the original group that it was hard to listen beyond him. Greg’s playing has a thick raspy tone. He chunked out the chords and even better did slow arpeggios for variety.

It was hard to not notice the drummer who reacted to every twist of the songs. Sometimes he just hit all the drums at the same time to pound out the emphasis, other times it was rolls and riffs. He has great style in his drumming and in his silver satin suit!

The new songs seem simpler and grittier somehow. I could hear some 70's pop styles in there at places, along with so much else. That’s the thing with Greg, he has a long and interesting rock history that comes through to the music all the time.

He has stories of his NYC days that he’s told on Crash Course for the Ravers that are book-worthy. Some of his songs contain scenes from those days too. His song Elevator Girl which is on their EP goes over even better with this new group. Greg says he’s got more songs ready to put in the set, but nothing wrong with hearing that set again as far as we go. Greg played on the last recordings of Jerry Nolan.

Here's a clip of an interview with Jerry where he mentions Greg. And in a great turn of events Greg Allen's Fringe Religion WILL be playing at the Out of the Blue show and book reading of Stranded in the Jungle: Jerry Nolan's Wild Ride the new book by Curt Weiss on Nov. 12. They'll be playing a song Greg wrote when he was playing with Nolan.

Arthur Freedman was at the Middle East Down for the Cameleons Vox show on Saturday. Also on the bill was the Way Out and The Milling Gowns. Photos below.
Arthur Freedman's photo page - click here.

Middle East Down 9/16/17 Lounge
Photos: Arthur Freedman
Freedman
Cameleons Vox
Cameleon Vox
Cameleons Vox
Way outs
The Way Out
Way Outs
The Way Out
Miling gowns
Milling Gowns
   
milling Gowns
Allen Esser - Milling Gowns
WZBC DJ Pulsebeat


And in other news ....

Pixies Vaughan Oliver, the artist who did album covers for the Pixes, Throwing Muses, Breeders, and the Cocteau Twins is having a show at the Lunder Art Center at Lesley College, 1801 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02140.More info here. It runs through October 22.

For those who've been around the scene for a long time, the Love and Flame show at the C Note on Sept 30 will be interesting. Fred Pineau, T.B. Player and Gary Soprano will be playing in the group. One perk is that they will be playing Rondy Rush the song they did in 1977 when they were in Third Rail. Then it’s regular Love and Flame members, the Count and Lady Caroline. We hear that Smitt E. Smitty who is now ex of Fireking will be drumming.

Hey band members- looking for a gig?? Keynote Company posted this comment “Who wants to play Boston in September & October? We have many slots available at Out Of The Blue & Middle East.” So if you're in a band - INFO FB here

Band? Here's an interesting new book: Do You Have a Band? Poetry and Punk Rock in New York City By Daniel Kane.…"(it) illuminates the connections of Richard Hell, Tom Verlaine, Patti Smith to Ted Berrigan, Anne Waldman, Bernadette Maye, and beyond.” It’s about the punkers at CBGB’s mixing it up with the poets at the Poetry Project. Check it out here.

The nominees for the Boston Music Awards 2017 are coming up and here's a list of the nominees: AWARDS

Big news on the pop front: Bruce Brodeen is giving up his Pop Geek Heaven operations. Bruce founded Not Lame records and released many pop albums when the music world was not in the mood for such. He’s been a continuing source of pop with his Pop Geek Heaven efforts. It’s all over now. Sob.

Hey also, don't forget the Fluff Festival in Union Square on Saturday 9/23 celebrating 100 years of Marshmallow Fluff which was created in Somerville, MA!! I want a Fluffernutter sandwich...it's only been about 40 years since I had one. Check out the FB page. Miss Lyn went a couple years ago and had an amazing Fluff creation in the cooking contest - Tuna Fish and Fluff on crackers...the flavors cancelled each other out- it was wild!!


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

Dead boys September 18 (Monday) Duck & Cover and the Quiggs are at Once with a fake version of The Dead Boys...no Stiv no Jimmy Zero -how can you call that the Dead Boys?? sad.

September 18 (Monday) The Martians, The Runouts, Gant and Port City Saints are at Koto

September 20 (Wednesday) X doing their 40th Anniversary Tour- at the Brighton Music Hall

September 20 (Wednesday) Kris Rodgers and Soraia are At O’Briens

September 20 (Wednesday) a super-special Rockabilly edition of Primitive Sounds with host DJ Easy Ed will be spinning with three top DJs from out of town: James (Los Angeles), El Dedo (Phoenix) and Skeets (Montreal)....All 45s... All Killer, no Filler!- its at Brass Union in Union Square Somerville. Starts at 8PM

September 21 (Thursday) Mailman Carl, Dead Trains, Hambone Skinny, Natty D's, The Appleyards at Club Bohemia

September 22 (Friday) The Go Set, Beantown Boozehounds, The Pint Killers, The Disquiets at O'Brien's

September 22 (Friday) The Ataris and The Queers at The Middle East - this is an early show- 6PM -10Pm

Woogles September 22 (Friday) The Hi-End, Corin Ashley, Modern Day Idols, The Curtis Mayflower at the Midway

September 22 (Friday) The Bushwick Hotel, Petty Morals, The Fellowship of Feeding Wolves are at The Middle East Up

September 22 (Friday) it's Joan Jett Cover Night & Joan's birthday, at the GREEK - celebrating will be Cadillac Foxes (featuring andrea gillis, alex necochea, john sheeran, marc pinansky), The Black Pleather Daddies (gene dante, scott patalano, jim collins, chuck ferreira & on guest vocals: erica mantone, melissa gibbs, carissa johnson) and The Carissa Johnson Band Here's the FB page for info

September 23 (Saturday) Mother! A benefit for Harvey Relief with A Bunch of Jerks, Lost Cosmonauts, Nice Boots, Standup comedy from Jessie Baade and more!! at The Midway. This is a 4PM show Here's the FB page.

September 22, 23 & 24 (Friday-Sunday) The 5th Annual Rat Beach Party is at The C Note in Hull. FB page here. Lotta bands!! The Black Souls, Hummingbird Syndicate, Greg Allen & The Fringe Religion, Highway Chapel etc.

koto show September 24 (Sunday) The Grommets, Uncle Spudd, Kermit's Finger, The New Frustrations, Sewer Buddies at The Midway - 4PM Matinee show

And further out we have...

September 25 (Monday) Loser's Circle, Mongorellis, the Scutches, and Blame It On Whitman @ PA's FB page

September 28 (Thursday) Name That Punk Tune!! Hilken Mancini is playing DJ and Queen of Punk Gilmore "GtotheT" Tammy, Your Game Show Hostess with Most Mostest for a night of fun, prizes, bitchin' sounds, drinks etc...starts at 7:30 at Once Tix etc here.

September 28 (Thursday) Patti Smith discusses her newest book Devotion (Why I Write) Info and tix here

September 28 (Thursday) Boston Fuzzstival Day 1 is at The Elks Lodge in Central Sq , Bishop Allen Drive. PLaying: Dent, Birthing Hips, Kal Marks, halfsour, Gravel, La Neve, Rick Rude - Ensemble, Blau Blau, Dazey and the Scouts Starts at 6PM (FB page)

September 28 (Thursday) Stiff Little Fingers are doing their 40th Anniversary tour they have Death by Unga Bunga opening for them - at the Brighton Music Hall

September 29 (Friday) Boston Fuzzstival Day 2 is at Once - playing: Ava Luna, Ovlov, Horse, Jumper of Love, Bat House, A Band Called E, Lisa/Liza, Laika's Orbit, WEay Out, earthquake party!, Mint Green - starts at 6PM (FB page)

Rocking Bob September 29 (Friday) Il Mostro, Silver Screams, BDSX and The Von Traps at O'Brien's

September 29 (Friday) Jay Allen and The Archcriminals, The Black Souls, Roy Sludge at The Midway (9PM show)

September 30 (Saturday) Brian Young's ACCFTR A Crash Course for the Ravers featuring A Tribute to Thunders with Simon Ritt! 1-4PM WMFO 91.5

September 30 (Saturday) Boston Fuzzstival Day 3 is at Somerville ARTFarm(just outside Union Sq.) Playing: Dirty Dishes, MV & EE, Loone, The Kominas, Sammus, Mini Dresses, Gymshorts, Honduras, Steep Leans, Olden Yolk, Peach Ring, Boston Cream Starts at 1PM (FB page)

September 30 (Saturday) Love and Flame show at the C Note in Hull Fred Pineau, T.B. Player and Gary Soprano will be playing in the group. One perk is that they will be playing Rondy Rush the song they did in 1977 when they were in Third Rail.

September 30 (Saturday) Tiger Bomb w/ Watts & The Connection live at Bayside Bowl in Portland, ME

October 2 (Monday) Cryostasium, Rawstrum, Petridisch, Hannah Judson at PA's Lounge

October 7 (Saturday) A Boston Punk Rock Benefit for Rosie's Place featuring The Welch Boys, Jason Bennett & The Resistance, Pint Killers, and Guns of Brighton 9PM show at The Midway FB page

Kane October 8 (Sunday) Petty Morals are having a Ballroom Blitz at Once Ballroom with a Flea Market and Art Show -also on the bill Muck & The Mires, The Dazies and Lady Pill (set times and more are on the FB page) It's 2PM- 8PM

October 8 (Sunday) The Crank-Tones are at Atwoods. This is a 4PM show. Atwoods is a great place for dinner too!!

October 13 (Friday) Silver Screams, Idle Pilot, Black Cheers and Psychic Dog at Koto/Salem

October 14 (Saturday) Rumbar Records presents- The Dirty Truckers celebrate Jamie's Dirty 50th BDay! Also on the bill- Watts, Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems and AM Stereo at The Midway (9pm)

October 14 (Saturday) The Worried, Greg Allen's Fringe Religion, Classic Ruins are at The Parlor, Providence, RI

October 15 (Sunday) Refuse Resist 10th Anniversary Show! with special guests Disaster Strikes, All Torn Up, Neighborhood Shit, and Cry Havoc This is a 3PM start matinee show at The Midway.

October 18 (Wednesday) The Nekromantix and The Brains at The MIddle East Down 7PM- Midnight show Tix etc here

October 28 (Saturday) Tube Fest,New England's all day instrumental celebration, is coming to the Midway Cafe - on the bill: The Fathoms, Tsunami of Sound, SPF4, Matt Heaton and The Electric Heaters, 9th Wave, The Derangers, The Spytones, The Beachcombovers

Lyres November 3 (Friday) Indonesian Junk, Justine and the Unclean & Gymnasium at Tavern at the End of the World.

November 3 (Friday) The Woggles, Muck and the Mires, Stupidity, Andrea Gillis Band at The Middle East Up

November 4 (Saturday) Fireking, The Billy Connors Project, Hummingbird Syndicate, Tracy Chevrolet doing a 4PM Matineee show at The Midway

November 4 (Saturday) Loser's Circle w/ Rebuilder, Dead Bars, and Settlers at OBriens

November 4 (Saturday) Human Sexual Response at HOB

November 9 (Thursday) The Proletariat at ONCE Ballroom w/ Siege and Black Beach

November 9 (Thursday) If you are in NYC or can get to NYC Celebrate Stranded in the Jungle: Jerry Nolan's Wild Ride the new book by Curt Weiss that covers 40 years of L.A.M.F. and is A Tale of Drugs, Fashion, the New York Dolls, and Punk Rock. Also there'll be music by with Greg Allen's Fringe Religion, and ...book reading, panels, Q&A, guests, book signing. It's at The Delancey in the Lower East Side 7-10PM FB Page for directions and more info He's at Out of the Blue/Cambridge ont he 12! see below.

November 10 (Friday) CH3 (Channel 3), The FUs, Silver Screams, Fast Times Punk at The Middle East Up - 8-Midnight show tix here Read about CH3 here. there's links for tix etc too

Opus show November 10 (Friday) The Proletariat are at Narrows Center for the Arts w/ Black Beach in Fall River, MA (FB page for info)

November 11 (Saturday) Hasselfest #9 this year has Pere Ubu and a ton of other bands at Once- get the info on the FB page here.

November 10 (Friday) Curt Weiss covers 40 years of L.A.M.F. and is A Tale of Drugs, Fashion, the New York Dolls, and Punk Rock in his new book Stranded in the Jungle: Jerry Nolan's Wild Ride Also, rock and roll with the Thigh Scrapers, Tiger Bomb, Moto, Glider, and the Lyres starts at 2:15. Here's the FB page Also added to this show Greg Allen & The Fringe Religion who go on right after the reading.

December 2 (Saturday) DJ Easy Ed presents: The Cranktones plus Easy Ed's Record Hop! 4-8PM matinee at The Midway...followed by......

December 2 (Saturday) Watts (45 Release), Diablogato, Duck & Cover, A Bunch of Jerks at The Midway

December 8 (Friday) Rumbar records is throwing a HUGE record release party of the new Justine and the Unclean record Get Unclean....It's at Once and there will be bands in the ballroom and in the Lounge. Check out this list!: In the Ballroom- The Upper Crust, Hey Zeus, Tom Baker and the Snakes, Justine and the Unclean ....In the Lounge - Cold Expectations, Roy Sludge Trio, Pinecone Teeth and Jay Allen - doors at 7:30 show starts at 8:15.

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.

Boston Cream

Boston Cream
Photo: Blowfish
Dazies
Dazies
Photo: Blowfish
Salem Wolves
Salem Wolves
Photo: Blowfish
Death Valley Girls
Death Valley Girls
Photo: Blowfish
Roky Erickson
Roky Erickson
Photo: Blowfish
Roky Erickson
Roky Erickson
Photo: Blowfish
Greg Allen
Greg Allen's Fringe Religion
Photo: Blowfish
Miss Amy
Miss Amy
Photo: Blowfish
muck and the Mires
Muck and the Mires
Photo: Blowfish
fadeaways
Fadeaways
Photo: Blowfish
Crash Course for the Ravers on Saturday WMFO

 


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