photos by Ryan Muir, words by Black Bubblegum

More than ten years later, The Van Pelt returned to NYC, playing Brooklyn for the first time ever on June 13th as part of a show at Coco66 that the band curated for the Northside Fest.

There were a lot of people in Greenpoint feeling all '90s Saturday night when The Van Pelt reunited as part of the Northside Festival.

The strangest moment of the night happened during the anthemic closer "The Speeding Train" when a drunken Van Pelt enthusiast-turned-awkward dancer/mosher acted aggressively enough to start a fight in the crowd. All this while we were hearing about the beauty of the puppy's chin. Singer and occasional Take the Handle contributor Chris Leo quipped that the moshers had missed the Agnostic Front show. It made it feel even more '90s that there was some sort of debate going on about the ethics of moshing.

Regardless, the show was about as incredible as anyone who followed the band way back when could have asked for. It seemed like the band stuck more often to songs from Sultans of Sentiment, but this song, which served as the encore, comes from their first record Stealing From Our Favorite Thieves. It is called "Magic Fantasy (We Are Provincial)." -[Take The Handle]

The Van Pelt aren't done with touring yet either. They've scheduled a pair of shows along the east coast - June 21st in Philly at Kung Fu Necktie with Blacklist and This Frontier Needs Heroes, and the previously mentioned show with Frodus at The Black Cat in DC on June 20th. The Phlly show will be taped to broadcast by WPRB.

You can also catch Van Pelt front-man Chris Leo (brother of Ted who was in the crowd at Coco 66 on Saturday) at a reading this Friday night, June 19th at Bar Matchless in Brooklyn. Check out an interview with Chris Leo at the site Vol.1 Brooklyn.

Catch Ted Leo at one of his two upcoming NJ shows, or at the free one he's playing on a pier in NYC this summer.

The Van Pelt's first show back was at SXSW, and also with Frodus. Frodus played two shows down in Austin, and recently played Brooklyn too.

More pictures and video from the Brooklyn reunion show, below...

Continue reading "The Van Pelt played Coco66 (pics) ++ more shows & a reading "

by Black Bubblegum

"I would imagine the RORSCHACH reunion shows also deserve a mention" - [BV commenter frosty]

Charles Maggio of Rorschach circa early 1990s

Rorschach was a New Jersey-based band that existed from 1989 to 1993. The group often blended hardcore punk and dissonant elements of metal providing the inspiration to a number of hardcore and post hardcore bands thereafter.

The first release by the band, Remain Sedate, shows the band's sound at a stage when they played fast, heavy hardcore with a metal slant and raspy hardcore vocals. At this time they also drew heavy comparisons to Die Kreuzen for their bizarre chord progressions and Charles Maggio's unearthly howl. However, as the band progressed, they developed a slower, more sinister, sludge sound that was influenced by fellow New York band the Swans. Additionally, the vocals developed into high-pitched, tortured screaming rather than shouting, due in part to voice problems Maggio was experiencing at the time. This change in sound can be heard primarily on their second full-length release, Protestant. Shortly after issuing this album, the group disbanded, some members eventually joining Deadguy. - [Wiki]

As rumored and discussed, Rorschach WILL reunite. According to the frosty-linked post in the livewire message board, the shows will take place September 23 - 27 in "Boston, NY, NJ, D.C. and Philly". Guitarist Nick Forte confirms to Lambgoat that "all original members will be involved". The message board also says "all original roadies". Stay tuned for more details.

Also of note, Charles Maggio went on to found Gern Blandsten Records, one time home to Chisel, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, The Van Pelt, Dalek, Garden Variety, Radio 4, and many others.

The Van Pelt reunited for a show at SXSW, AND for one happening this Saturday in Brooklyn as part of the Northside Festival. The Brooklyn show, that the band curated, is at Coco66 and also includes Ghost Gamblers, The Holy Childhood, and Beats Antique on the bill. The entire Northside Fest kicks off today (6/11).

Other recently announced reunions: 1.6 Band and Errortype:11.

Rorschach videos below...

Continue reading "Rorschach playing reunion shows soon ++ Van Pelt Saturday"

by Black Bubblegum

The Van Pelt @ SXSW 2009 (more here)

After posting The Van Pelt review from SXSW, someone wrote, "more shows now please!" In the immortal words of Mary Kate / Ashley Olsen circa Full House... "You got it dude!"

The Van Pelt will curate and play their first-ever Brooklyn show at Coco 66 on June 13th as part of the Northside Festival. The Holy Childhood and Ghost Gamblers are along for the ride. Doors are at 8PM, $10 or your Northside badge gets you in.

The Van Pelt also has at least one other show on their calendar... The Black Cat in Washington DC with Frodus on June 20th, one of three dates left for Frodus.

A video of the Van Pelt playing a show in Germany in 1997, below...

Continue reading "the Van Pelt playing NYC (Northside Festival) & DC (Frodus)"

words & photos by Black Bubblegum

The Van Pelt played their first show in 10+ years at the Radio Room in Austin on March 21st as part of the Slip/Lovitt Day Party which also included sets by Young Widows (who are playing Brooklyn on April 1st), Pygmy Lush, Cursive (who played a BV party at the same venue two days earlier), and Frodus.

The Van Pelt occupied the slot before Frodus (which was before Cursive) on the main stage, and I was glad that I was able to catch all of their set before the rambunctiousness of Frodus. Talent obviously oozes out of the Leo clan (guitarist/vocalist Chris Leo is Ted's younger bro), as I found The Van Pelt's live show to be heartfelt, melodic, and just plain gorgeous. Here's to hoping that NYC gets a shot to see them again. For those unfamiliar with the band, there's a little history below the rest of the pictures, below...

Continue reading "The Van Pelt reunited @ the Radio Room (SXSW) - pics "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Frodus - "Bull of Juarez" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Frodus - "Invisible Time Lines" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Van Pelt - "The Speeding Train" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Edie Sedgwick - "Edie Sedgwick II" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Des Ark - "Jesus Loves You (But Yr Still Coming_Home With Me Tonight)" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Poison Arrows - "Casual Wave" (MP3)

2009 has seen the world economy crumble due to the unethical practices of businessmen and corporate oligarchy. The current administration with the assistance of Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve, has reached out to the Frodus Conglomerate International for aid. Calls were made, doors were closed and numbers adjusted. After weeks of vicious negotiation both parties agreed on a proper course of action.

The Frodus Conglomerate International will address the public for the first time in 10 years on Saturday March 21st, 2009 at 4:35 pm in Austin, Texas. Austin will be the first of several public forums to address current global conditions forewarned by the FCI in years past. The Conglomerate has employed Liam Wilson of the Dillinger Escape Plan to supply bass guitar for this address while Nathan Burke organizes his North-West Contingency. We are the economic police.

I couldn't resist... I had to rock that whole quote. That's right... Frodus is BACK and playing SXSW as part of Slip Productions and Lovitt Records day party at The Radio Room on March 21st with Cursive, Young Widows, The Van Pelt (who are reuniting), Des Ark, Milemarker, Pygmy Lush, and a boatload of others. Full details are below and MP3s of some of the participants are above.

Frodus recently reissued their 1998 album Conglomerate International on 2LP mastered at 45RPM. Limited to 600. Um, get on that.

Shelby Cinca of Frodus was recently interviewed on Dissonance Radio. Download that podcast here.

Videos and SXSW party details below...

Continue reading "Frodus is back, playing the Slip + Lovitt = love party @ SXSW"