As previously mentioned, Ted Leo is one of the MANY artists (Allo Darlin included), who have been paying tribute to Esme Barrera this week. And now Austin 360 reports:

Ted Leo will fly in to join the Crack Pipes, the Golden Boys and Grape St. for a benefit show Jan. 28 at Beerland for the fund to defray the costs of services for Esme Barrera, who was killed Jan. 1 while walking home from a show.

No word yet on advance tickets.

Barrera was well-known among her friends as a huge Leo fan. Leo is well-known as a class act. As one friend said on Facebook: "you all should know that Ted Leo actually REQUESTED to play a show for Esme Barrera on the day he found out about the tragedy. Super stand up dude - and I know she would be SO excited." Indeed.

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Ted Leo @ Maxwell's on New Year's Eve (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Ted Leo recently played a New Year's Eve show in NJ, and one in Brooklyn the night before. A benefit show for Esme is also happening in Brooklyn (though not with Ted on the bill).

by BBG

Tragedy fan at Europa (more by Konstantin Sergeyev)

No rest for the wicked. After a grueling weekend of heavy music at Maryland Deathfest (pictures of day 1 HERE, day two HERE, day three HERE, and day four HERE), I am looking forward to a mix of punk, hardcore, metal, crust, d-beat, and indie at Chaos in Tejas in Austin this week! Kicking off on Thursday (June 2nd) the four day festival features appearances from tons notables, day shows, after parties, and in-stores, some for free. Swing down for a blow by blow breakdown of what you should look for every day at the multi-venue music fest.

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Thursday, June 2

Ah the start of the festival.... fresh legs and feet, and a hunger for tons of good bands. Thursday will sate your hunger too, as there are tons of great hardcore/metal shows to choose from. Shows tonight happen on both stages at Emo's, both stages at Red 7, at the Mohawk, Beauty Bar, Beerland and the Broken Neck.

Despite the high profile cancellation of Killing Joke at Emo's outdoor, CIT bounced back and added Cro-Mags to an already awesome lineup of rare appearances from strong>Asta Kask (Swedish d-beat), D-Clone (a rare show from these Japanese hardcore monsters), Veins (featuring Mark McCoy from Charles Bronson/Das Oath as well as Ian from Copremesis/Castevet), Double Negative (North Carolinian hardcore greats who released the awesome Daydreamnation last year), Vile Gash (brutal hardcore on Youth Attack), Japan'sThe Slowmotions, and NYC's Cult of Youth (dark folk with a great new LP on Sacred Bones) and Crazy Spirit (excellent hardcore with members of Perdition).

Thankfully, I can use my wristband from Emo's to hit up Red 7, right around the corner, where an awesome metal show will clash with an awesome garage show on the two stages. Finnish doomers Hooded Menace will headline on stage with Denmark's Undergang, crusty death metallers Acephalix (mems of the amazing Vastum), more death metal from Bone Sickness, and local death and rollers Mammoth Grinder. Meanwhile, the second stage will feature The Spits, the Arrivals, Shellshag, TV Ghost, and others. All of this means that I'll probably miss Converge/Title Fight/Touche Amore/Trap Them/Burning Love/the Menzingers at Mohawk and How I Quit Crack/The Indicator Dogs at Beauty Bar. At least I can end the night right with Tragedy and Origin of M at Broken Neck as part of an after-party. Yikes!

the rest of Thursday's schedule and what to do on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, below...

Continue reading "BBG's Guide to Chaos in Tejas 2011"

words by BBG, photos by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Millenial Reign - Luminous Veil (MP3)

Fucked Up at MWTX, 3/20/10

A389 Records have released their new label sampler, downloadable to one and all, with some fierce and antisocial hardcore, a good portion of which is currently unreleased. The free comp features faves like Integrity, Pulling Teeth (the previously discussed "Grudgeholder") Gehenna, Ringworm, Seraphim (we posted one track, a second appears on the comp), Gluttons (the previously posted "Point Break"), The Love Below, Triac, Hatewaves (we posted one track, includes a second hilarious track "Facebook Abuser"), Oak... the list goes on and on. Download it now with the code "A3892010".

One of the more notable bands (that I didn't just rattle off) from that compilation is the Fucked Up side project known as Millenial Reign:

After five years of promising each other that they would start a "clevo" style band [ED: as in Cleveland hardcore like Integrity, Ringworm, Pale Creation, etc] one day, Jordan (ex No Warning) and Damian (Fucked Up) finally just said fuck it and did it with the help of Jesse (ex No Warning). This band is about old friends getting together and playing heavy music again.

The project is not a new one though. According to A389 label head (and Pulling Teeth guitarist) Dom who said that the recording "was supposed to come out years ago on another label but fell through the cracks." Download the first Millenial Reign track from the forthcoming Bones... Dust... Nothing 7" above.

Fucked Up played a bunch of shows at SXSW including the BrooklynVegan day party at Emo's on 3/17, the previously mentioned surprise show on Beerland's patio on 3/18, and the MWTX Party on the rainy/freezing Saturday (3/20) (with Gwar). Not-yetpublished sets of pictures from the latter two, below...

Continue reading "an MP3 from Damian 'Pink Eyes' Abraham's side project Millenial Reign & 2 sets of Fucked Up pics from Austin"

words & photos by BBG, Off! photos by Brian Reilly

Steve Brooks of Torche is all smiles

OK, guilty as charged. Though there were a zillion other incredible bands all rockin across Austin at that exact same moment, but I chose to see Torche a SECOND time at Beerland on 3/18 (the first was at the BV Day party). The party was called Kill Your Idols and its lineup proved to be much more eclectic, featuring various strains of punk (old school, indie, bratty, garage, post) amongst the lineup with bands like Off! (featuring Keith Morris of Circle Jerks, Mario of Earthless & others), Gun Outfit (80s Sonic Youth-y style post-punk currently on Post Present Medium, owned by Allen Spunt of No Age), Audacity (super bratty punk featuring Damian Edwards of Crystal Antlers), and Charlie & The Moonhearts (garage-y melodic punk).

Off! (by Brian Reilly)

Hey All!

Keith Morris has a new band.......OFF! which is made up of Steve McDonald from REDD KROSS on bass, Dimitri Coats from the BURNING BRIDES on guitar, Mario Rubalcaba formerly of HOT SNAKES,CLIKITAT IKATOWI,ROCKET FROM THE CRYPT and currently in EARTHLESS on drums, & Keith on vocals.

Add OFF! to your friends & check out their upcoming shows @ SXSW in Austin,Texas!

Thanks!
Circle Jerks

I missed Off! at this show (Brian was there though), but caught them later at MWTX (pics for the latter still to come). Their short blasts of riffy 80s punk rock bliss were awesome. Hopefully this band is real, and not just a one off project. I arrived at the show in time to see Gun Outfit who featured some excellent song-writing but lacked in the live show department; I'd be curious to hear their full-length. Audacity were unhinged with energy -almost irritatingly so. Charlie & The Moonhearts struck a balance between the two with both fun stage energy and catchy songs. Torche, well they whipped the crowd into a frenzy.

More pics and some video of Torche performing "Tarpit Carnivore" (my favorite Torche jam) are below...

Continue reading "Keith Morris forms OFF! supergroup, played SXSW w/ Torche, Gun Outfit, Audacity, Charlie & The Moonhearts, others (pics)"