Crazy Spirit (and fan) at 285 Kent (more by Tod Seelie)

If you were anywhere near The Acheron, 285 Kent or Le Poisson Rouge this weekend, you might have notices the masses of leather jackets, studs, spikey hair, and general attitude. For four days (April 18-21) New York's Alright took those venues with sold-out shows at 538 Johnson, Acheron, Saint Vitus & 285 Kent and featuring bands from as far as Japan and Spain. Nihilistic, explosive punk rock shows took place during the day and at night, and included names like Hank Wood & the Hammerheads, Rival Mob, Culo, Hoax, Crazy Spirit, Green Beret, Dawn of Humans, Glam, Stagnation and many many more. Check out some pictures of the insanity at InvisibleOranges.

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Total Control at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2011 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

Yesterday news broke that UV Race were heading out on the road as part of a tour toward Chaos in Tejas. Part of those dates were with the great Total Control, though the band were not involved in the UV Race show scheduled in NYC for that week. (TC is some of UV Race plus Mikey Young of Eddy Current Suppression Ring.) Now comes word that an NYC show has indeed emerged for Total Control, and the bill is a whopper! Look for the band to headline 285 Kent on May 23 with Raspberry Bulbs, Crazy Spirit and Survival. $10 gets you in.

If you haven't checked out Total Control's recent 7"s (compiled into a single digital release) and their incredible 2011 LP Henge Beat you can stream some of those below.

Bill wrote in the post about Mikey Young's other other band, Oooga Boogas, "Trying to keep up with Eddy Current Suppression Ring-related bands can be a fulltime job." Now comes word of yet another related project, Lace Curtain, which is "James, David & Mikey from Total Control, Rat Columns, Rank/Xerox, Eddy Current Suppression Ring et al." Lace Curtain (singular) are not to be confused with Lace Curtains (plural) which is Michael Coomer of Harlem's band. Though it is confusing. Anyway, Lace Curtain have an EP coming out on DFA Records next month and can be pre-ordered here and you can stream samples over at Juno.

Updated UV Race/Total Control dates, plus those TC streams, are below.

Continue reading "Total Control add NYC date as part of an emerging tour; new offshoot band Lace Curtain have EP coming out on DFA"

Hard to believe, but our BrooklynVegan "Blog Radio" show has been airing weekly on satellite radio for over 6.5 years. It started on Sirius which then merged with XM and became SiriusXM. The station, which was originally "Left of Center" on Sirius, is now called SiriusXMU (on SiriusXM). You can currently hear the two hour show on the "indie/college" station every Wednesday at noon EST and again at midnight that night (which is technically Thursday morning in Eastern Standard Time).

At some point years ago I brought on like-minded music lover Dominic (Nick) Masi to be my co-host, and to cover when I couldn't make it. Now, though I still may pop in occasionally (my New Year's resolution!), Nick has taken over completely, hosting the show week to week with a selection of music you'll find on BrooklynVegan.com and on his own iPod. Recently Nick also started hosting a show called "Cover Me" (all cover songs) on Bruce Springsteen's E Street Radio, and other programs on the network too.

In his spare time, Nick now tour manages members of Odd Future - a job which was an offshoot of his huge passion for hip hop (and traveling around the continent in a van).

What were Nick's favorite records and songs in 2012? We asked him and he gave us a list of his top 10 albums and "top 15 hip hop songs of the year that don't feature 2Chainz, Kanye, Drake, Rick Ross or (fill in the blank with your favorite rapper you've seen on every remix this year)."

You can check out both of Nick's lists, along with videos or streams for each song on his hip hop list (Odd Future songs included), below...

Continue reading "BrooklynVegan SiriusXMU host Nick Masi's Top 10 Albums and Top 15 Hip Hop Songs of 2012"

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

One Tail One Head at Inferno Festival, April 2012 (more by Fred Pessaro // BBG)

2012 was a year of considerable personal growth for me, as a person, a photographer and a music fan. As I recounted in my favorite photos of 2012, I got to shoot some of my favorite bands of all time and travel the globe in search of new ones. The beginning of the year was spent dealing with personal drama, and if it werent for key records in my life I shudder to think at where I would be right now. To every band on this list and many who aren't, I cant thank you enough.

First order of business, my musical pallette is much much larger than just a series of metal records. This is NOT a list of my favorite records of the year, because that would surely include other entries from across many different genres. This is, however, a list of some of my favorite heavier records.

To me, the term "heavy" can be defined in many ways, from the elongated riff on a doom record to a noise squall to a particularly punishing punk-rock beatdown. While most of the following records are "heavy" in the traditional "distortion and loud guitars" sense, a few are not. You'll see metal, you'll see deathrock, you'll see raw punk, you'll see hardcore, and many spots in between in the numbered list below. And to answer your question, yes you'll see Swans... right beside D-Clone and Asphyx.

My favorite records of 2012 are below. Hopefully you'll see a connection in favorites or maybe discover something new. Regardless, I hope you found your own favorites of the year whether in this list or outside of it.

Continue reading "The Year in Heavy (Fred Pessaro // BBG's favorite metal, punk & other records of 2012)"

Warthog

Christopher Hansell of Warthog (ex-The Men) has dropped off his top 10 releases of 2012, as well as other thoughts on the passing year. Check out those below.

Warthog (which also features members of Nude Beach) is scheduled to play Worcester, MA at The Beacon on 12/15 with Who Killed Spikey Jacket, in addition to their previously discussed show with Inmates at Acheron on 1/12.

Hansell is also involved in power electronics crew Foreplay who will play the West Coast later this month with the great Pharmakon and Soren (of Rosenkopf). Dates are below. Soren will also play NYC at Saint Vitus on 1/5 as part of the Dysrhythmia/Wreck & Reference show (tickets).

Speaking of The Men, check them out this Friday at Saint Vitus (12/14), part of a Hurricane Sandy benefit (tickets).

Hansell's 2012 Top 10 list is below, along with video and a list of all tour dates.

Continue reading "Christopher Hansell's favorite records of 2012; Pharmakon & Soren (Rosenkopf) add West Coast dates"

Perdition at Acheron, Oct 2012 (more by Sarja Hasan)

Everyone knows that NYC's punk scene is brimming with great bands and hospitable venues. Now all of these will converge for a single weekend of madness in April in NYC.

I'm incredibly excited to make the first announcement for NYC's Spring 2013 International punk and hardcore fest. The dates will be Thursday April 18th to Sunday the 21st. There will be more band confirmations, venue and ticket information, lineups, and plenty more news in the next couple of weeks/months.

Continue reading ""International punk and hardcore fest" announced for NYC"

photos by Sarja Hasan

Boston Strangler @ Acheron, 10/27/2012

Punk, in its many incarnations, ruled supreme at Acheron on 10/27, when Beantown throwback hardcore heroes Boston Strangler played with Burning Spirits-influenced NYC favorites Perdition, crusty-punk from Crazy Spirit, and killer sets from Waste Management and Prisoner Abuse. The show was a celebration of 200 live gigs for NYC insititution Hardcore Gig Volume, who proudly lined the walls of The Acheron with flyers from previous shows.

Prisoner Abuse, which features members of No Tolerance, Waste Management, Think I Care, and others, have welcomed their new self-titled LP via Painkiller Records. The LP release was available for purchase at the show, but you can also order your copy via the label.

Pictures of "da' Stranglah," Perdition and Crazy Spirit are below (sorry, we missed Waste Management and Prisoner Abuse).

Continue reading "Boston Strangler played Acheron with Perdition, Crazy Spirit, Waste Management & Prisoner Abuse (pics)"

Crazy Spirit at Tommy's Tavern, April 2012 (more by Sarah Coulter)

July 4 isn't till Wednesday but you can catch fireworks -- the sonic kind -- at The Acheron in Bushwick, Brooklyn (57 Waterbury St) in the days leading up to and including Independence Day, with three punk shows in a row occupying an otherwise dry spell of NYC hardcore/metal.

It begins tonight (7/2) with a record release show/European tour kickoff for NYC wildmen Crazy Spirit. The band, who will be joined by Smart Cops (from Italy!), Warthog (formerly Chain Wallet, ex-The Men, demo here) and Deformity, is celebrating their new self-titled LP out now via Toxic State. Order yours now, but try before you buy. Video and the flyer are below.

Tomorrow night (7/3) will feature headliners Deadly Reign, which features members of World Burns to Death, Century of War, Scarred for Life, Kegcharge and more. Joining the Austin band will be supporting acts Broken, Trenchgrinder and Zatsuon.

Last but not least, Brown Sugar will head up a five band benefit for Brandworkers on Independence Day (7/4), an organization who's goal is "protecting and advancing the rights of retail and food employees." The great Creem will join said bill, along with Deformity, Death Camp and Altered Boys.

Flyers, videos and streams of some of the bands are below.

Continue reading "Crazy Spirit, Deadly Reign, Brown Sugar, Creem and more punk bands playing at The Acheron this week"

Mouth of The Architect is back from self-imposed exile to record a new LP and do a string of East Coast dates! The shows include stops in the Midwest and the East Coast, including on June 16th at Saint Vitus. Ticketing info is forthcoming.

With the reissue of Warrior Kids's Les Enfant De L'Espoir in the open (download it for free, buy it via Katorga Works), the band will hit the road for a string of US dates leading up to an appearance at Chaos in Tejas. The dates include two NYC stops at Acheron on May 22nd with Crazy Spirit, Creem and Goosebumps and Tommy's Tavern on May 24th with 45 Adapters and Offensive Weapon. Full tour schedule is below.

Fight Amp are currently working on their new LP Birth Control for Translation Loss. Reminder, Fight Amp will appear with Harkonen, The Atlas Moth and Whores for a show at Union Pool on June 16th. Tickets are still available, or get into this BV/Brutal Panda event with your Northside Badge.

Philadelphia punks Leather are working on a new long-player and will play a string of East Coast dates including a stop at Acheron on June 9th with Shoxx (ex-Pollution). Full tour schedule is below.

More suggested NYC shows, video from Autopsy last week (pictures are here), a new Ulver video, and more are below. What did I miss?

Continue reading "Evillive (Mouth of the Architect, Autopsy, Leather, Warrior Kids, Ulver & more)"

by BBG

"Giant squid sound like June of 44, neurosis and system of a down made an awesome three way music baby." [SethCDiamond

"hey LADIES, it's a great weekend to be a WOMAN in PUNK! canadian riot grrrls WHITE LUNG are in town tonite @ 538 johnson + tmw @ the acheron" -Maria Sherman

Giant Squid @ Saint Vitus

Translation Loss celebrated their roster at two shows in the East Coast, including NYC at Saint Vitus on 4/21. The Philadelphia-based record label looped in west-coast cello-centric metal crew Giant Squid for the special occaision, filling out the rest of the bill with appearances from Rosetta (who headlined the evening), Fight Amp and East of the Wall. Pictures and video from Saint Vitus on Saturday are below.

Shortly after the close of the show, I braved the elements to head to the sweltering-hot-and-obscenely-packed Acheron to catch the tail end of Crazy Spirit before White Lung hit the stage for their second of two NYC shows (the first was at 538 Johnson the day before). Thankfully, I missed a fight that broke out at the venue during the show and managed to catch all of the bratty-punk set by White Lung who, despite microphone issues and too much stage volume (which forces the vocals too high in the PA), were totally fun and unique. Video from Acheron is below.

If you missed Fight Amp, the band will be in NYC very soon... look for the Am-Rep-meets-hardcore trio to bless Union Pool on June 14th as the special guest for the previously announced Harkonen/The Atlas Moth/Whores show as part of the BrooklynVegan-BBG/Brutal Panda Northside showcase. Tickets are still on sale OR you can use your Northside badge to get in.

All pictures and video from Acheron and Saint Vitus are below.

Continue reading "Rosetta played w/ Giant Squid; White Lung played w/ Crazy Spirit; Fight Amp added to Northside show (dates/pics/video)"

photos by Sarah Coulter

NYC hardcore favorites Crazy Spirit headlined a show at Tommy's Tavern on 4/13, joined by Cleveland's Bad Noids as well as Goosebumps and Mutant Genes. Here are some pictures from the show (none of Goosebumps or Mutant Genes though).

Next up for Crazy Spirit is an appearance at Acheron on 4/21, where the band will support the great White Lung on one of their two NYC dates on their East Coast tour.

More pictures below...

Continue reading "Crazy Spirit played Tommy's Tavern with Bad Noids, Goosebumps & Mutant Genes (pics)"

by BBG

Vancouver punks White Lung will release Sorry, the band's new LP via Deranged and follow-up to their well-received It's The Evil LP from 2010. Though the record won't see the public eye until May 29th, White Lung is scheduling a few dates on the East Coast in celebration, including a pair of shows in NYC at 538 Johnson on April 20th and Acheron on April 21st. Support at both shows will be stellar, with Brain F≠, Shoxx (mems Pollution, Nomos, Battletorn), Nuclear Spring (mems Natural Law, CREEM, Nomos), and In School heading up the 538 bill while Crazy Spirit, Rational Animals, Deformity, and Putrida join the Acheron bill.

Full tour schedule is below along with a stream of "Take The Mirror", the first song to appear from the new record, and some video....

Continue reading "White Lung coming east, preparing 'Sorry' (dates/song stream)"

by BBG

Saint Vitus @ Irving Plaza in 2011 (more by BBG)

Chaos in Tejas (May 31-June 3 in Austin) have announced ANOTHER batch of bands to add to their ridiculous lineup including Saint Vitus, Church of Misery, No Statik, Toys That Kill, Pegasus, Martial Canterel, Anasazi, Bloodwing (mems of The Spits, who are on tour soon), Harm's Way, Hatred Surge, the Hex Dispensers, John Wesley Coleman, Joyce Manor, and many many others. The current full lineup and flyer is below and tickets are FINALLY going on sale TODAY (1/31).

Doom legends Saint Vitus are currently preparing their new LP Lillie: F-65 for Season of Mist. The record, their eighth and first in seventeen years (!), is tentatively set for release at the end of March. More details are forthcoming.

In related news, members of Mind Eraser also serve as personnel in Magic Circle, another Chaos in Tejas band. Look for Magic Circle to team with Pilgrim (who we recently interviewed), Windhand, and Natur at Public Assembly on March 1st.

The updated Chaos in Tejas lineup is below along with the flyer.

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2012 expands again; tickets on sale today"

by BBG

Dropdead at Europa (more by Keith Marlowe)

Chaos in Tejas have announced another round of bands for their 2012 shindig (first round here), including rare appearances from legendary post-hardcore band Moss Icon (a one-time only reunion), as well as Japan's Reality Crisis and Skizophrenia (their only US dates), and repeat offenders/favorites like Dropdead, Municipal Waste, Midnight, Ares Kingdom, Puerto Rico Flowers, Xeno & Oaklander, Thou, the Rival Mob, Boston Strangler, Crazy Spirit, Brain Killer, Power Trip, Wiccans (who just played one of the final shows at Emo's), and many many others. A full list of additions and the new flyer is below.

Since the original announcement, two previously announced bands have dropped off the original lineup: Mexican black metal band Nyogthaeblisz disappeared from the lineup after their anti-Islamic/Semitic/Abrahamic stance and involvement in known NSBM (National Socialist) label Satanic Skinhead was pointed out by a few blogs. That led to Antisect and The Mob even threatening to not play. Word then spread that Disma's Craig Pillard released nazi-glorifying records under the name Sturmfuhrer. Disma then dropped out as well due to "the drama" that ensued. Craig would not comment on the matter, but other members of Disma say he has changed.

In related news, Thou will hit the road for a string of dates with The Body this week on the West Coast. Both bands will also be at the inaugural Gilead Media festival (chaired by the Gilead Media label) in Oshkosh, Wi on 4/28 and 4/29 which will feature appearances from (in alphabetical order) Arms Aloft, Aseethe, Ash Borer, Baby Boy, Darger + Plague Mother, False, Fell Voices, Get Rad, Hell, Loss, Mutilation Rites, Northless, Protestant, A Scanner Darkly, and Sleepwalker. More details are available at the site.

All tour dates, new additions to Chaos in Tejas, and the show flyer is all below.

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas adds bands & loses some due to controversy; Gilead Media launches festival"

by BBG

DOWNLOAD: Hoax - S/T EP (Mediafire)

Double Negative at Chaos in Tejas (more by Tim Griffin)

Double Negative, who released a pair of killer EPs in Hardcore Confusion Vols I & II this year, will team with a killer lineup from top to bottom on 12/16 at Saint Vitus. Bukkake Boys, the band's touring partners, will be direct support while Crazy Spirit (who released the stellar I'm Dead EP) and Hoax (who's self-titled EP is available above) will head up the rear. Unmissable night of brutal and eclectic hardcore/punk. Tickets are on sale.

Double Negative recently parted ways with their singer Kevin Collins aka KC. No word on a replacement thus far, but the split was reportedly amicable and due to family commitments.

All known tour dates and some some streams are below.

Continue reading "Double Negative parted ways with singer, playing shows w/ Bukkake Boys (in Brooklyn w/ Crazy Spirit & Hoax)"

by BBG

Night Birds at Acheron (more by Keith Marlowe)

Night Birds have returned from their European jaunt with a video documenting the madness. Check that out for the first time below.

The New Brunswick band is scheduled to play a few dates in the coming weeks including TWO NYC shows. Night Birds will play Tommy's Tavern on 12/9 with Manipulation, Sickoids & Crazy Spirit while a little more than a week later (12/17) they'll hop on to the previously mentioned Citizen's Arrest/Mind Eraser show at ABC No Rio (a benefit for the venue).

All tour dates and that EU tour video is below...

Continue reading "Night Birds debut European tour video, add December dates"

photos by Tim Griffin

Iceage @ Emo's

Iceage have added another show following their upcoming dates at Cake Shop and the soon-to-be-closed Secret Project Robot (with Raspberry Bulbs and others). The new date is August 22nd at Mercury Lounge. Tickets just went on sale. No advanced tickets for Cake Shop or Secret Project Robot. Last time Iceage was here they played Public Assembly, Other Music, 285 Kent and 538 Johnson.

The Mercury show will be the final US date of their ongoing tour that kicked off in Texas in middle July. Iceage's second show on said US tour was on July 16th at Emo's with The Creamers, Women In Prison, and Deskonocidos. Pictures from that Austin show are in this post. More of them with all dates, below...

Continue reading "Iceage played Emo's (pics), on tour, add a 3rd NYC show (updated dates)"

photos by Tim Griffin & BBG, words by BBG

Cro-Mags

The Chaos has begun! Chaos in Tejas, which runs through Sunday, kicked off officially yesterday (6/2) with shows featuring headlining sets from Converge, Hooded Menace, The Spits, White Lung, and Cro-Mags.

My journey began with a few minutes of Crazy Spirit from NYC (who were awesome, and sold-out the inside room at Emo's) before heading to catch Trap Them as they kicked off the show at Mohawk. There was some trepidation in the room considering news that a Converge member had a health issue and would cancel the remaining dates of their tour, but Trap Them made sure to reassure the crowd that the band was on hand to play Austin last night. Converge news aside, Trap Them played another excellent set that saw Ryan McKenney open up his face (again) while climbing the PA, walls, and everything in between.

Trap Them

Cult of Youth were already playing at Emo's by the time I reached the venue, and the band's energetic folk peppered with violin was an excellent contrast to the rest of the night's speed demon punishing, but also just plain excellent. Vile Gash followed on the indoor stage shortly thereafter, playing a short set of pissed-off hardcore that got the pit moving. Their material on Youth Attack was represented well in the live setting. I caught the tail-end of Bone Sickness shortly thereafter. Their awesome and brutal death-metal was an another excellent contrast to the rest of the night.

Veins

Veins was next, and this hardcore crew comprised of members of Charles Bronson, Das Oath, Castevet, and more was fantastic. From the opening note of their set (the first song from their self-titled debut), the crowd was unhinged, and only got crazier when the band covered Sick of It All's "Straight Ahead". One of the highlights of my night.

After a set by The Slowmotions on the large stage, Double Negative opened up the pit again with their unique take on punk/hardcore. The North Carolinians had a helluva task to follow Veins, but were completely up to the task. Awesome set by these guys.

D-Clone

The crowd ate up Asta Kask's crusty confections on the main stage, but it was D-Clone (who headlined Emo's indoor) who brought us back down to hell. The Japanese band lives by the mantra "Noise Not Music", and their furious and high-energy hardcore was atonal, screeching and amazing. Sooo loud... their piercing noise lead to, according to an Emo's staffer, "the most earplugs we've ever sold". The last three sets at Emo's indoors (D-Clone, Double Negative, Veins) were total highlights for me.

Cro-mags finished off the crowd with classic NYHC material that included covers by Bad Brains, Leeway and others. The band's energetic set was amazing, and it's hard to argue that Jon Joseph is not one of the most energetic frontmen in hardcore. Bodies flew (see above) (and below).

After Cro-mags, I was still a bit restless so I sauntered on over to Broken Neck to catch Tragedy (again) with Origin of M... but I'll save that story for later (stay tuned).

Read about future CiT happenings in our guide. Our first set of pictures from Chaos in Tejas, all taken on the first day, continues below...

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas 2011 in pics & review (part 1)"