6.22.2009

another catching up/recap post aka yup, i'm still here!

columbus DIY is raging hard into the summertime now. the basements are steamy and the shows are many. every band is on tour this summer and columbus happens to be one of the treasured staples of tour. (let's try not to mention how spoiled our scene is currently.) lots of new bands bubbling up, and things are surprisingly staying fresh and interesting. here's some of my recent flicks from a couple of shows, please follow the links to see more!!

painkiller 2200
painkiller @ crackhouse 05.12.09


defiance, ohio 2120
defiance, ohio @ skylab 05.04.09
http://defianceohio.terrorware.com/


the effort 2323
the effort @ LOD 05.20.09
http://xeffortx.blogspot.com/


heath deadger 2429
heath deadger @ monster house 05.23.09
http://myspace.com/heathdeadger


nukkehammer 2566
nukkehammer @ 15th house 06.05.09


able danger 2634



mr. meowgi 2484


4.30.2009

screaming females, seizure fist, best friends @ legion of doom 04.29.09

some flicks from the show:

SCREAMING FEMALES
screaming females 2087
http://myspace.com/screamingfemales

SEIZURE FIST
seizure fist 2078

BEST FRIENDS
best friends 2063
http://myspace.com/bestfriendswiththedevil

check out the rest of the photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmybuttons/

i've not forgotten about this blog.  bear with me, hopefully i can update this thing more often.


2.15.2009

photos: some DIY hc/punk shows jan/feb '09


drought, the radiant hour, kurt russell @ legion of doom 02.12.09
kurt russell 10483
pictured here: kurt russell. the singer on the top right was bleeding all over the place.
click here for slideshow.

wildcat revival, kurt russell, reverse the curse, red sun @ legion of doom 02.03.09
wildcat revival 10439
pictured here: wildcat revival. the singer caught a cymbal to his nose at the end of the set and was pretty bloody.
click here for slideshow.

born bad, vile gash @ 15th house 12.28.08
born bad 10290
pictured here: born bad. pretty sure the singer was bleeding from somewhere by the end of the set.
click here for slideshow.

ADD/C, landlord, peccadillos (aka panty hearst), welcome to concrete @ 15th house 01.01.09
welcome to concrete 10305
pictured here: welcome to concrete. no known bleeding at this show.
click here for slideshow.

little lungs, ps eliot, the read, saintseneca @ legion of doom 01.04.09
little lungs + me 10367
pictured here: myself steppin' it up with the little lungs crew. bloody nice lads, they.
click here for slideshow.

we were skeletons, half gorilla, bubonic bear, daisycutter @ legion of doom 01.05.09
half gorilla 10388
pictured here: half gorilla. even if there wasn't blood, there should have been.
click here for slideshow.

mountain asleep, heath deadger @ monster house 01.06.09
mountain asleep 10405
pictured here: mountain asleep. no blood, but there was a super soaker filled with root beer.
click here for slideshow.

bonus set from scanned negatives: fun people @ robot house 10.27.00
fun people 27
pictured here: fun people. blood oranges?
click here for slideshow.


1.28.2009

cave 9 - birmingham, AL DIY space documentary

part 1 of 2


part 2 of 2


one can never stress enough how important it is to support your local/independent DIY communities. especially these spaces that struggle to provide a safe place for people to come together on the common ground of art, music, and even just plain old togetherness. talk to someone new, start a band, start a zine, make a blog. do it yourself.

12.25.2008

bedford - crappy xmas tape

bedford tour 14

happy holidays!

here we have a rare treat from northeast PA's most favourite pop-punk band during the mid to late 90s, bedford. i'm not sure exactly what year this came out, but i'm thinking 1998 or 1999, and as far as i know, the songs were recorded for a tape to be given away at one show around the holidays. despite this ultra-limited cassette release, a year or so later, there was an even shorter run of the same songs on CD-R format.

bedford pull out all the stops on this lo-fi stocking stuffer.  if you're not familiar with bedford's brand of punky rock, imagine taking that old record reviewer's blender and inserting equal parts elvis (fat AND skinny, but mostly skinny), elvis (costello, this time), buddy holly, husker du, action patrol, and doc hopper, blend until smooth, and there you've got a close approximation to the bedfords, as they were sometimes affectionately known.

bedford - crappy xmas tape
http://lix.in/-3e3aa7
mp3 320kbps VBR [14.67 MB]

01 silver bells
02 hurry xmas
03 (night before xmas) sleepwalk
04 hawaiian xmas
05 santa claus is coming to town

members of bedford went on to form an albatross, a highly progressive grindpunk mindfuck synthrash ensemble, as well as the swims, and maybe some other bands you should find out your own damn self!  ha!

ps. the songs are labeled and tagged incorrectly, so FUCK YOU! ;D
MERRY PUNXMAS EVERYONE!!

12.11.2008

skate witches: a short film from 1986

i figured i might as well post this one too, while i was at it. old school nostalgia at it's finest!

pretty in punk: 1985 boise, idaho punk documentary


part one of three


part two of three


part three of three


it's been a while since i've posted some found video here, and this one fits the bill quite well. i find it odd there's no mention of septic death, or had they moved west by this point?

enjoy, and as always UP THE PUNX!

12.02.2008

the internet rules: three shades of dirty and higher giant myspaces, nuisance demo



long time coming, there is now an official unofficial three shades of dirty myspace page.  this short-lived band from MD rose from the ashes of emo-punk pioneers the hated, and produced one of the most rocking/melodic/beautiful demo tapes i have ever heard!  you may remember, i shared the "paper roses" EP/demo with you a while back on my blog here.



might be a little behind on this news, but i just found out ernie from token entry, in your face, black train jack, grey area, etc. is in a new band called higher giant.  check out their myspace page.  melodic hardcore in the vein of, well, everything you thought it'd be!  great stuff!



our good friend justin over at mustard relics posted nuisance's "attractive nuisance" EP tape.  i first checked out nuisance when their "confusion hill" LP was released on lookout records.  the lookout! roster at the time was damn near solid and i was pretty rabid for new music so i picked up the LP as soon as i could.  unfortunately, i wasn't entirely impressed with it for some reason and it was quickly shelved after a few listens.  i didn't "get it."  something always drew me back, though.  there were a few undeniable hooks buried within the plodding, stoney rock storm.  it took years, but when i finally caught on, it was like i discovered a brand new record.  one that sounded great after repeated listens, on roadtrips, and in the kitchen.  riffs that slayed nirvana, and hooks that only jawbreaker can better.  "confusion hill" was now a completely different monster to me.  one that i was now proud of to have somehow cracked the code, which in turn, led directly to my new pursuit of all things nuisance.  over the years, i have picked up most of the vinyl for a song, while traveling around the states (save for the sunny-side down lp, if you have a copy to spare, holla!). 
this demo is bonafide nuisance in infancy.  great to hear this band in early stages!

11.27.2008

visions of change - my minds eye LP

visions of change are not a band you hear about very often, which is a terrible shame.  i discovered this band partly by accident, partly by intuition.  you know the kind of game you play when browsing for records: filter through all the common crap, all the uncommon crap that you know isn't interesting.  then something catches your eye, perhaps it's the name of a band that you read about years before in the puszone, or MRR, or some other review.  maybe it's the artwork that sticks out, or a band name that piques your interest.  in this case it was a combination of the artwork on their first album along with the name of the band that struck a chord somewhere inside of me.  it also helped that the band were british.  luckily, i was shopping at jerry's records in squirrel hill, pittsburgh, where they have a few turntable listening stations set up to try before you buy.  the insert had a few good visual cues, too, but it was when the needle dropped that i was quickly sold.

visions of change played (active throughout the late 80s, as far as i know) a solid mix of melodic hardcore with a bit of a paisley bent (perhaps it's the hammond organ!).  i was going to write that they are maybe comparable to snuff, or later-era government issue and seven seconds, but this band really had their own sound going on drawing equal influence from the hardcore of the time, punk, and the soul/garage sounds of the 60s.  the band actually released a few records under the name "the depraved" before deciding to propel out of a stagnant HC scene, changing the name and taking the music in a little different direction.  the depraved albums are also brilliant and are worth tracking down if you like this.  my mind's eye is their second of two albums, i do believe.  not sure of any other records that may have released.



visions of change - my minds eye [vinyl rip]


mp3 320kbps VBR [57.58 MB]
http://lix.in/-3871ab
01 endless
02 still tomorrow
03 witness
04 i see in you
05 what i want
06 when i talk to you
07 intention
08 an accountant like miranda

vocalist ian murphy can now be heard in the absolutely fantastic UK hardcore punk outfit, section 13.

you can read an interview with visions of change from flipside magazine in the operation phoenix records internet punk zine archive here.

11.22.2008

AG Aloe - self-titled EP - hyper-frenzied japanese punk rock

AGaloe_front


AG Aloe are another one of those bands that the internet provides nothing but a black hole inside of another black hole when digging around for information.  i've had this intense little platter since it came out in '96 or '97, purchased from the all-mighty vacuum mailorder (RIP).  if you're not familiar, vacuum was probably the best mailorder for hardcore/punk back in the mid-to-late 90s.  not only did they have a large selection finely tuned to my very tastes, but they also were very VERY timely with shipment.  sometimes you wondered how it was possible to have received your order so quickly.  i could place an order (this is snail mail, mind you) on a monday, and have goods in hand, along with an updated catalogue, by thursday!!  i'm sure you could understand the addiction this quickly caused.



i first heard this wild EP when i was DJing at KDVS in davis, ca.  DJ rick had a show which showcased tons of amazing punk and hardcore, new and old, from all over the world.  i became a devoted listener.  i would often make entire orders of records i'd heard on his show, many of which he announced getting from said mailorder.  the day i heard the needle drop on this, i knew i had to have a copy.  the band played with the speed and ferocity of fingerprint, yet had the pop sensibilities and wackiness of say, action patrol.  the description in the nat records ad included inside the 7 inch says "funny & melodic HC a la flag of democracy from osaka."  nat records, out of osaka was the label that put it out. 

i do not have any further information about this band, other than this EP exists, and it rules.  if anyone has any further infos, i would love to hear about it!  enjoy!

AG Aloe - AG Aloe EP [vinyl rip]
http://lix.in/-380405
mp3 320kbps VBR [31 MB]

01 newcomer is my boom
02 i run viewtto
03 saifu de knife
04 ni gi mi
05 sunday morning (early?)

11.20.2008

THE FEST 7: total recap

A few weeks ago, i hopped in the van with local pop-punk stalwarts, delay, for a short tour down to the fest 7, something i'd been looking forward to since last year's fest.  Not only did we have three shows booked on our way down:  cincinnati, lexington, and birmingham, but we also had to scrap the old delay van in kentucky, which broke down there the week before and was parked on the front lawn of a friend's house.  Since we didn't have delay's van anymore, our mode of transportation was provided by two young members of a new cleveland band called reverse the curse, who were driving down to the fest in their conversion van anyhow.  the three shows on the way down were fun, and we ended up staying with some of the nicest people imaginable.  it's always nice and reassuring to travel and experience other like-minded DIY communities many miles away from the microcosmic one in which you actively participate.  so glad i never got jaded, which is almost the norm these days to be jaded and/or burnt out by 23.  i mean today, in the advent of the internet, even being a jaded TEEN isn't all too uncommon.



we drove through the night after our birmingham show and arrived ass-early to gainesville.  much too early to call my buddies matt or chris, from young livers, with whom i made arrangements to stay.  since everyone else i was with were staying with chris from plan-it-x, i copped a slice of floor on the old schoolbus stationed on the side of their house and had some strange dreams for a few hours before waking up to excited conversations and a buzz of activity just outside the bus in the backyard.  some people were just crawling out of tents, and others were sitting around the yard discussing their plan of attack for the day.  i wasn't hearing any of it because i was about to make a bee line for some coffee before meeting up with the delay boys for check-in, acquiring the all-mighty WRISTBAND!!  you know, the sort of all-access pass necessary for the weekend's festivities.  it wasn't long before i was running into friends left and right, and things would heat up faster than you could say, "GAME ON!"


here's the roster of bands i caught during the next three days:

day 1 - oct. 31:

virgins, ringers, good luck, serious geniuses, cheeky, screaming females, bouncing souls, paint it black

there was absolutely no easing into it.  when i said, "GAME ON!" i meant it!!  the fest was well underway with virgins sweating it out at common grounds.  i had heard great things about this band, which led me to believe they were right up my alley, as far as pop bands go, and my hunch was pretty spot on.  they were described to me as sounding a lot like ALL, which they kind of did, newer ALL, that is.  screaming females KILLED IT!  bouncing souls were old friends from back in the day, i roadied two US tours for them in the early 90s, so it was awesome to catch up with them briefly and watch them play from backstage.  they played only songs from the first two records, and it brought back so many great memories.  after the souls finished, they announced that immediately across the street from the venue, paint it black were going to play a renegade show in the parking lot.  i raced over there to a large group of kids surrounding a uhaul truck in which paint it black were playing inside.  people were stage diving off the top of the uhaul.  police arrived in no time at all shutting down the guerrilla punx show, and the air smelled thick of riot, but for the life of me i couldn't get my camera to switch on.  it's six years old now, has over 10,000 photos taken with it, and gives me errors most of the time.


day 2 - nov. 1:

the measure [sa], new bruises, north lincoln, armalite, too many daves, bridge and tunnel, fiya, new mexican disaster squad, young livers, the emotron

spent most of the day watching bands at common grounds and helping out with the new bruises/kiss of death merch table.  funny how i can't escape it, huh?  haha!!  i absolutely love watching the measure, especially now that fid moved from drums to guitar.  he's such a wild axeman!!  new bruises were awesome/hilarious.  bryon shaved his beard into a biker/thrash stache and verbally accosted all the political punks in the crowd.  how come i was the last person on this punk planet to find out about armalite??  atom from fracture (yeah, and that package thing too, i guess), mike mckee of kill the man who questions fame, dan yemen of lifetime, and a drummer who was probably in another band before this too, all playing no idea-style punk.  it wasn't disappointing, yet it wasn't so much the sum of it's parts, either.  bridge and tunnel FLOORED ME!  never heard them before this, and apparently they'd played columbus a few times recently.  completely off my radar.  90s-styled emo-core played with the rawest, most sincere energy and passion i've seen in a while.  definitely a fest highlight for me!  young livers packed the place out, and rightfully so.  they capped the night off with a powerful set of their own brand of tuneful/gruff punk.  after the show ended, the house parties began and rumours spread of which bands were playing where.  i followed the directions to the place where a supposed replacements cover band was to play a living room.  after somehow ending up at wrong house parties twice, i had found the one for which i was looking.  i think i was there for five minutes when i witnessed a guy fall to the ground, rub dirt all over his face, and start slithering through the crowd on his stomach like a snake.  soon after, i squeezed into the living room and the music started.  it was not replacements covers.  it was alright though, so i stuck around.  the replacements cover band were to play next, and the house was no longer letting anyone else in!  i lucked out, and waited.  the band set up, anticipation was thick in the air.  sam from bitchin' was on lead guitar and vocals and started off with a solo rendition of "if only you were lonely" to which everyone swayed and sang along to, while the rest of the band dealt with equipment.  during this time, the police arrived and stopped the show.  the only way it could continue, it seemed, was if it were played acoustically, which they refused to do.  some people made phonecalls to see if it could be moved elsewhere, but to no avail.  they actually played the next night at wayward, but the place was already past capacity when i arrived.  total bummer!! 


day 3 - nov. 2:

the shaking hands, off with their heads, toys that kill, the ergs, the ergs, leatherface

the shaking hands were the first band chris and matt joined before starting young livers, when they moved to gainesville a few years back, and were initially called the horror.  it had been a few years since i'd seen them play, and they sounded really good.  hope they make their way back to columbus sometime for a show, all great guys.  a blast to hang out with.  the ergs dropped two sets, playing everything including a descendents cover.  leatherface took the stage and what a great time it was!  frankie stubbs is my daddy!!  they played all of the classics including "peasant in paradise," "springtime," and "i want the moon," along with all the best of the newer material.  i was stoked beyond belief!!  an incredible set to close out fest 7.


fest:  it's more like punk rock family reunion than anything.  i could go down there without any intentions of seeing any bands at all and still have a blast just hanging out.  it ruled completely! 

some other things that ruled:  rites of spring and gray matter t-shirts from the distro @ wayward council, jamaican tempeh e'ryday from reggae shack, espresso from volta too many times, vegan brunch from the top (though they had a fest crisis and we waited TWO HOURS for our food), that cuban joint on the corner i had lentils and rice and root beer.

thanx to all friends old and new who made my trip so awesome!! delay for taking me and letting be be their roadie for wristband, reverse the curse for being cool dudes and letting me ride with, chris (plan-it-x) for letting us crash there and being a great host to many, many folks, matt and chris (young livers) for letting me sleep on their floor, bryon (new bruises/kiss of death records) for hanging out all weekend in between juggling gear and merch AND for the ride to tampa (holy shit, the TACO BUS RULED!!), and especially to Cat for taking the time and road tripping with me back to ohio in her vehicle.

see you all at FEST 8!!

10.26.2008

cola freaks, forever, shannon and the clams, cars can be blue, jelly hearts, ignorant motherfucker @ monster house 10.18.08

cola freaks 10124
click here to view the slidehshow on flickr.

after a bit of musical chairs for a last-minute space for cola freaks to play, we ended up adding them to a monster house show after broke as a joke canceled an hour before the show was to begin at the legion of doom.  even already with five bands, the monster house show actually worked out really well.  each of the other bands were really good and the entire evening kept with an extremely positive vibe.  cola freaks capped off the evening and melted minds.  my favourite of the other bands were called forever, and sort of had a tilt meets x kind of sound. plus, they ended their set with a cover of academy fight song by mission of burma, which was really nice to hear. 

click some links below to discover some sweet sounds of the bands that played that night.
shannon and the clams | ignorant motherfucker | the jellyhearts | forever | cars can be blue | cola freaks

10.15.2008

pierced arrows @ beachland tavern, cleveland oh 10.13.08

pierced arrows 10107
click here for the slideshow on flickr.

took a short roadtrip to cleveland this week to see pierced arrows play at the beachland tavern.  the more than two hour ride wasn't nearly as annoying as it usually could be, although i didn't have to drive so that part was really awesome.  upon arriving, we were met with two unexpected carloads of friends from pittsburgh, and shortly thereafter, another carload from columbus.  the sad part was, that together, our formed voltron of rock-hungry punks outnumbered the locals present for the show.  it didn't matter though, after anxiously waiting through two opening bands, pierced arrows still played with the ferocity and fervor of a packed ampitheater.  i was seriously floored by the performance.  i couldn't help but even be somewhat intimidated knowing the long rock legacy of toody and fred cole, despite how amazingly humble and personable these souls completely are.  for more info on said legacy, check out the unknown passage: the dead moon story DVD.  i picked one up after the show, and can't wait to crack into it.