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"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Japanther - Spread So Thin (MP3)

Mariachi el Bronx @ MWTX (not-SXSW 2010)

[The Bronx] has an alter ego: Mariachi El Bronx, which released an album last year and showed up Wednesday night at Emo's in traditional embroidered mariachi costumes with traditional instruments, from trumpet to guitarron. It performs the Bronx's repertory, but with long-lined melodies and the rhythms of Mexican rancheras and sones. It turns out that Matt Caughtran, the Bronx's lead singer, doesn't have to shout; he can carry a tune. And the Bronx taps a side of Los Angeles that many rock bands ignore. [NY Times]

The pictures here are from Mariachi El Bronx's set at MWTX Fest's first day in Austin, TX on Friday, March 19th.

The Bronx and their alter-egos Mariachi El Bronx start a run of three NYC-area shows with a gig at Maxwell's tonight (4/1). Tickets are still on sale.

They go on to play Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 2nd, then after a pair of out of town shows, Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, April 6th. Tickets are still on sale for those.

Opening the shows will be Dead Country and Violent Soho, but not Japanther as previously reported ("Due to circumstantial differences").

Japanther did play at new show space Party Expo last night (3/31) with Boys Who Say No and Filthy Savage though. How was that?

More Mariachhi el Bronix pics and all Bronx tour dates are below...

Continue reading "The Bronx on tour w/ Mariachi el Bronx, but not Japanther anymore - 3 NYC-area shows starting now + MWTX pics"

photos by Leia Jospe

Preparations for GWAR's CRACK-A-THON continue as another round of celebrity-esque guests have been announced. Sources revealed that host Oderus Urungus will be joined by legendary weirdo, filmmaker, and founder of Troma Films, Lloyd Kaufman, who will of course be accompanied by mutant mop-wielder and star of stage and screen, The Toxic Avenger. Also fresh on the block of unwitting victims/guests is New York artist Joe Simko and cyber-warlord Mecronos of the band Dethrace. These guests will be joining the first confirmed guest Andrew W.K. and the many other yet-to-be-confirmed sort of stars that are rapidly turning the CRACK-A-THON into the most fudge-packed event since the Buddy Ebsen roast!

All the fun starts on April 10th, when the MF Gallery in Brooklyn, N.Y. hosts the CRACK-A-THON kickoff party, which will feature an exhibit of prints of both classic GWAR art and other hideous visions created by some of the artists of Slave Pit Inc, the company responsible for bringing the world GWAR, the X-Cops, and numerous other side projects to ridiculous to mention in this press release. This print series is being created exclusively for MF Gallery and will also be available for purchase online at MFGallery.net. The evening shall be capped off with the music of Mecronos' band, Dethrace, and homeless animal rights activist and avowed organ-grinder Chippy the Chippopotamus!

All of this is just a lead-up to the actual First Annual (even though that is impossible) GWAR CRACK-A-THON, Oderus Urungus' desperate attempt to raise funds to pay off the heaping crack-debt he owes to underground mogul Sleazy P. Martini. Starting at 7:00 pm on April 16th, anyone with internet access will be able to witness all of the shenanigans, via a live broadcast from the MF Gallery in Brooklyn, New York. For those of you in the area, reserve your seats NOW to be in the live studio audience with a ten-dollar pledge!

One of Gwar's announced Crack-a-thon guests, Andrew WK, actually played right before them at MWTX on Saturday, March 20th. For Andrew, that performance was just an hour or two after he played before Voivod at the BrooklynVegan party. Stay tuned for more Crack-a-thon announcements. More pictures from Gwar's Austin show, below...

Continue reading "GWAR announces Crack-A-Thon guests, played MWTX (pics) "

words & photos by Andrew Frisicano

Wednesday - The Middle East @ Club DeVille (more by Tim Griffin)

I started toward MtyMx about 4 hours after my last SXSW show, so I haven't had much time to reflect on what happened in Austin - but before they become too irrelevant, here are some quick pictures and words of my personal highlights at the fest.

The Middle East covered the stage with an arsenal of instruments and percussion, bringing out a flute, a banjo, keys, an accordion, and a rain stick covered in bottle caps. Their set kicked off with a wobbling country-western number. "The Darkest Part" was a solemn, two-member affair, with the others jumping in as it progressed. And the barn-burning jams that built up to their finale, "Blood," brought to mind the more unhinged tunes Mumford & Sons (it clicked a moment later that they're touring together this May). Overall: a tight, short set (with a few nervous slips) in front of Club DeVille's cave-wall backdrop, which hopefully will lead into an engaging debut and tour.

Thursday - Thee Oh Sees @ (Spider House &) Lamar Pedestrian Bridge

I caught Thee Oh Sees twice on Thursday - once on the gorgeously sunny garden stage of the Spider House; once on a footbridge over Austin's Lady Bird Lake at 2am - and they played other shows as well. On the bridge the band traded songs with Home Blitz, who looked not-exactly-pleased to be standing in the freezing wind at 3am. Amps, a PA and a few worklights ran through a generator, and the assembled equipment threatened to topple over from the surging crowd. The band stretched out into extended jams that made the bridge literally shake. After a more than generous set, the crowd still prodded Dwyer and Co. for more, which they gave.

Friday - Billy Bragg @ MWTX Festival

Billy Bragg's set, to the wristbandless masses of MWTX (formerly Mess with Texas) focused nearly as much on politics as it did on music. He buttered up the crowd with "Help Save the Youth of America" and "To Have and Have Not" before speaking about healthcare reform, defeating the BNP and the ubiquity of corporations at SXSW ("This set is brought to you by my sponsor: Woody Guthrie."). His inspiring asides were genuine and welcome, and they lead into the crowd-pleasing closer, "A New England." He played again later on Friday night with a ton of guests.

Friday - Man or Astroman? @ MWTX Festival

On a completely different note, Man or Astroman? (back after a bit of a hiatus) headlined MWTX's south stage in full space regalia, with video flashing in the background and a pre-recorded narrator between songs. Their short burst of mostly instrumental surf-rock was anything but boring, and they closed it out by flicking on a huge Tesla coil.

Saturday - Major Lazer @ Carniville

My expectations were pretty low for Major Lazer, who were playing to an iced-over crowd on the massive, corporated-out stage at the Mexican-American Cultural Center (aka the Mad Decent/Iheartcomix/Jelly-presented Carniville for the fest), but they proved me wrong. The antics of hypeman Skerrit Bwoy and dancer Mimi made the frozen crowd erupt (the free T-shirts and foam guns being thrown off the stage helped too) - they mounted and humped everything in sight including crowdmembers, the rigging for the lights, and a ladder, which they used to dive onto each other for more dryhumping. Diplo got through most of Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do, with a brief assist from Ninjasonik. Did I mention the huge pink, furry monster on stage? He got some too.

Saturday - The Very Best (and then Freddie Gibbs) @ Scoot Inn

At Scoot Inn, the frigid evening grew on and most of the crowd there for the Pitchfork showcase stayed huddled around a campfire or in the bar's sauna-like interior - until The Very Best (who I missed opening for Major Lazer a few hours earlier). Esau, with a huge grin on his face, his co-mic-man (whose name I can't remember), a pair of dancers and DJ Johan Hugo all made good use of the short set. Their energy passed through the mic into crowd members for songs like "Julia" and "Warm Heart of Africa," which finished with plenty of the crowd on stage.

Freddie Gibbs, who I had never really gotten into before, was up next and seemed similarly unfazed by the cold as he rapped confidently about gangsta life. A handful of friends passed around a blunt and ceded the floor to Gibbs, who cooly made converts with his laid-back approach.

Saturday - Sleigh Bells @ Scoot Inn

Sleigh Bells brought the energy back up for the last set of the night (and for some, of SXSW). Despite being a relatively new commodity, both the band's halves, Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller, are assured, polished performers, and they made their appreciation for the crowd clear with their faultless set.

My many other highlights (bands I'll definitely be catching again in the future) included Califone (in NYC 3/30 & 3/31), La Strada, The Sandwitches, Kid Congo Powers, Private Life/Katie Stelmanis, Happy Birthday, Avi Buffalo, Man Man (who I've seen before, but seem to have a new thing going on) and Think About Life.

More pictures from all the sets above (and a ML video), are below...

Continue reading "SXSW 2010 highlights by AF (Thee Oh Sees on a bridge, Man or Astroman?, Major Lazer, Sleigh Bells, Billy Bragg, more) - pics"

photos by Bryan Bruchman

Like Gwar, Mountain Dew billboard stars Neon Indian played the MWTX not-SXSW fest on Saturday (3/20). Two days later they played a set at MtyMx in Mexico. More pictures from the Austin show below....

Continue reading "Neon Indian @ MWTX (Mess With Texas) - pics "