Red Hare, J Robbins, Puff Pieces, The Effects, & more Dischord-related shows
Fugazi/Minor Threat frontman and Dischord Records founder Ian Mackaye recently sat for a long conversation with writer Brandon Stosuy for the new website The Creative Independent. That conversation veered at one point into how Ian runs his venerable indie label Dischord, which continues to foster cool bands young and old:
We own it, we run it, we decide if we put records out, or we don’t. And when. I guess the way I look at it independence is: I put things out or don’t put them out, I play or don’t play. When or how or where or why I want to. There’s nobody really instructing me on what I have to do. So I guess that’s my reason. I know that we own all the records, we have everything in the house, or the office. We’re not beholden to anybody, we don’t owe anybody money. I could stop it right now, we could just shut it down and no one could tell me not to, really. But I actually feel like, with a label, where I’m at now, is that I have a sense of custodial responsibility to the bands who have entrusted me with their music. But really the label decides. But if I didn’t want to do it, I don’t have to do it.
The label’s current bands and many of its alumni are playing shows all the time, and here’s a roundup of a few happening in NYC.
For starters, the Dischord-signed post-hardcore supergroup Red Hare (fronted by original/current Dag Nasty vocalist Shawn Brown) have a matinee show coming up. They’ll be at Saint Vitus on October 22. The 2 PM show also features Second Letter and Your 33 Black Angels. Tickets for that are on sale now.
Soon after, and also at Saint Vitus, you can catch former Jawbox guitarist/singer J. Robbins opening for Pkew Pkew Pkew on October 24. Also on that bill is Robes and Daria. That happens after Pkew Pkew Pkew tour Canada with PUP (with whom they tour a lot). Tickets are on sale now.
Much sooner, you can catch ex-members of Dischord bands Antelope and Faraquet when Puff Pieces and The Effects (respectively) play Shea Stadium on October 6 with the younger Don Giovanni-signed Pinkwash. Tickets are on sale.
Don’t forget you can also catch Girls Against Boys (whose members had roots in the Dischord hardcore scene) and SAVAK (ditto) at their BrooklynVegan-presented show at Saint Vitus on November 3. Tickets are still available (To keep connecting dots, one of SAVAK’s recent NYC shows was with Puff Pieces.)
Dischord vets Scream are also playing shows this month, including NYC, Philly and Virginia.
All Pkew Pkew Pkew dates are listed, with music from Red Hare, Puff Pieces, and The Effects, below.
Pkew Pkew Pkew — 2016 Tour Dates
Oct 13 Peter Clark Hall, University of Guelph Guelph, ON*
Oct 14 The Mansion Kingston, Canada*
Oct 15 Le Cercle Quebec, Canada*
Oct 17 The Capital Complex Fredericton, Canada*
Oct 18 Thunder & Lightning Sackville, Canada*
Oct 19 The Marquee Club (Halifax Pop Explosion) Halifax, Canada*
Oct 24 Saint Vitus Brooklyn, NY w/ J Robbins
* – w/ PUP