Martin Rev w/ Suicide at Moogfest 2011 (more by Diana Wong)

You may remember that NYC synthpunk legends Sucide were supposed to play a hometown show last year but cancelled due to illness, which means it's still been some time since we've had a chance to see them locally (though they have been somewhat active). Still no word on a NYC show from the duo, but one half of the group, keyboardist Martin Rev, will play his first solo show in NYC in five years on June 21 at The Bowery Electric. Support at the show comes from You. and Eraas who definitely owe more than a little of their sound to the groundwork Suicide helped pave. Tickets for the Bowery Electric show are on sale now. A full stream of Suicide's 1977 self titled debut and a couple Martin Rev videos below.

That same support lineup, You. and Eraas, also support ADULT. at their previously discussed NYC show on June 8 at 285 Kent. Black Marble is on that bill too. Tickets are still available. Eraas also have an upcoming Glasslands (6/29) show with Soon-To-Be Innocent Fun and Ritual Howls (tickets).

If '70s NYC punk is your thing, you may also consider heading to Bowery Electric TONIGHT (5/30), where The Dictators NYC (aka the new name of Dick Manitoba's band, which also features former Dictators Ross "The Boss" Friedman and JP "Thunderbolt" Patterson) are playing with Radio Birdman guitarist Deniz Tek, long-running Queens garage rockers The Fleshtones, and Brooklyn punks Livids (the new project of New Bomb Turks frontman Eric Davidson). Advance tickets for tonight's show are sold out, but the venue will have some tickets at the door. First come, first serve so get there early!

Videos and song streams below...

Continue reading "Martin Rev (Suicide) playing first NYC show in 5 years at Bowery Electric (where Dictators & Deniz Tek play tonight)"

by Andrew Sacher

Jayne County and the Electric Chairs (not a recent pic)

Looks like CBGB isn't the only legendary NYC punk venue celebrating a "reunion" this year. Max's Kansas City will be throwing an alumni reunion for four days in June at The Bowery Electric from June 7-10. Max's existed just above Union Square on Park Ave. South from 1965-1974 and again from 1975-1981. It was during its second run as a venue that it became known, along with CBGB, as one of the birthplaces of punk in NYC, having played host to Ramones, Blondie, Television, Talking Heads, New York Dolls, Patti Smith, Suicide, and many others.

The alumni reunion at Bowery Electric will include proto-punk legends Jayne County and the Electric Chairs (formerly Wayne County and the Electric Chairs, Jayne changed her name after the band's breakup and began identifying as a woman), who are best known for their single, "Fuck Off," and their excellent cover of the Electric Prunes' "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night." They play on June 7 with The Rattlers, Sea Monster, Ruby & the Rednecks, and NY Junk. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

On June 8, we'll get Billy Rath's Street Pirates (Billy played bass with Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers), The Sic F*cks, Avant Duel, power pop greats The Shirts (who have been reunited since 2003 with founding members Robert Racioppo and Artie Lamonica, but without lead singer Annie Golden), and The Brats. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

On June 9, it's The Nihilistics, The Waldos (featuring Walter Lure of Johnny Thunders' band), The Planets, and Stumblebunny (tickets) and finally on June 10, it's King Bee & the Stingers, The Rousers, The Deer France & Dee Pop Experience, The Bowerytones, Four on the Floor, Street Corner Review, Hudson Dusters, and Honey Davis (tickets). A four day pass, which gains you access to all four shows, is also available.

Speaking of proto-punk shows at the Bowery Electric, Deniz Tek (of Australia's Radio Birdman) is currently on a tour of the US and Europe which brings him to Bowery Electric TONIGHT (5/18), Maxwell's on Saturday (5/19) in Hoboken, NJ and a Philly show on Sunday (5/20). The Master Plan open all three of those shows and Daddy Long Legs are on the Bowery Electric and Philly show. Tickets for tonight's Bowery Electric show and Saturday's Maxwell's show are available. All Deniz Tez dates are listed below.

Now that we're talking about Maxwell's, it's worth mentioning that another NYC punk legend will be there this month when Manitoba plays on May 25. In addition to being the reason that Dan Snaith started using the Caribou moniker, Manitoba is also the current project of Handsome Dick Manitoba, lead singer of The Dictators (who recorded a punk cover of "California Sun" two years before the Ramones did, and had a handful of solid originals as well). Manitoba also includes fellow Dictators Ross the Boss and JP Patternson, Daniel Rey (who's produced records for late-period Ramones, Richard Hell, Misfits), and Dean Rispler. Tickets for the Maxwell's show are on sale now. Manitoba also opens for Dick Dale on a Rocks Off Concert Cruise on 7/22 with The Detroit Cobras (tickets).

Lastly, speaking of CBGB, in addition to this summer's CBGB festival, The Telegraph points out that a CBGB biopic is also in the works which will profile the history of the club and how it became a breeding ground for the thriving late '70s punk scene. The film will star Alan Rickman (aka Severus Snape aka Hans Gruber) as CBGB founder Hilly Kristal, directed by Randall Miller (who worked with Rickman on Bottle Shock) and co-produced by Hilly's daughter, Lisa.

A list of all Deniz Tek dates and some videos are below...

Continue reading "Max's Kansas City alumni reunion, Deniz Tek on tour (dates), Manitoba playing Maxwell's, & other proto-punk news"

Andy Shernoff, founder and songwriter of NYC punk/hard rock legends The Dictators, is currently in residency at Lakeside Lounge in NYC. His Wednesday night residency (next show is October 5) may continue through December, though the Lakeside Lounge calendar currently only lists October. Each show will be played with a backing band that includes different special guests.

The Dictators are responsible for 1975's proto-punk clasic Go Girl Crazy!, which included the punk-infused cover of "California Sun," two years before the Ramones recorded their version. Andy is about to release a 7" single with the tracks "Are You Ready To Rapture?" (video below) and "Tremble," which features the late Joey Ramone.

Andy is also playing an acoustic early show on November 12 at The Bell House as part of the Norton Records 25th Anniversary shows. His show takes place in the front room before Question Mark and the Mysterians, Randy Fuller Four, and others take over the venue later that night.

Residency flyer and video below...

Continue reading "Andy Shernoff in residency at Lakeside Lounge"

"We make to-do lists, shopping lists, wish lists...but somehow our lists just don't ROCK. The ones in this new book do....The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists is the handiwork of Handsome Dick Manitoba of the Dictators and Amy Wallace of the original Book of Lists. They're billing this book as "Essential bathroom reading!!!! " but we like it at the breakfast table, actually. We loved learning how about The Pogues got their name and what Mario Batali's favorite pizzas in the world are. (What does that have to do with punk rock? According to this tome, pizza is the MOST punk rock food of all.)" [beatrice]

I have two copies of "The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists" to give away. E-mail BVCONTESTS@HOTMAIL.COM (subject: punk) if you want to win one. Two winners will be picked and contacted. What else?