photos by Rachel Carr

The sold-out event, concisely named "No Cancer!" hoped to raise money for Irene Garcia, the mother of a prominent L.A. scenester who was recently diagnosed with what an event volunteer would only call "an extremely rare form of cancer." All proceeds from the daylong festival -- including ticket revenues and merchandise sales -- went directly to the cause.

Organized by local indie promoting giant Sean Carlson and his team at FYF Fest [I HATE ROCK N ROLL RECORDS and VIDEOTHING.COM], "No Cancer!" brought together an eclectic group of well-known and under-the-radar bands from Los Angeles and across the country, with acts hailing from New York and Texas performing over the course of the afternoon. [Daily Trojan]

Continue reading "No Age, Vivian Girls, Abe Vigoda, Best Coast & others played a benefit for Irene Garcia in LA - pics"

This Saturday (11/21) will be exactly two weeks since I saw Negative Approach at Red 7 in Austin. It will also be the day NA returns to Southpaw in Brooklyn. Tickets are still on sale (for the early show).

Austin & Brooklyn are two of seven cities NA announced shows in. There's also Sunday (11/22) in Long Branch, NJ.

The Austin show was one of a few official Fun Fun Fun Fest afterparties (another I went to was Forgetters at the same venue one day later). That dude in the cart above was one of many going crazy in the pit. Trash Talk was one of the openers and you can see their singer stagediving in the pictures that are continued below...

Continue reading "Negative Approach approach ++ pics from Red 7 in Austin"

I'll be heading to Austin for Fun Fun Fun Fest this weekend, and I only just realized that my late-night show options while I'm there include Voxtrot, Forgetters, and a Negative Approach show on Saturday night with Christ on Parade and Trash Talk. The NA show is the first of a handful of shows the hardcore pioneers will be playing between now and December 6th. Another date they have scheduled is November 21st at Southpaw in Brooklyn. It's listed as a 4PM Matinee. All dates below...

Continue reading "Negative Approach - 2009 Tour Dates (Fun Fun Fun Fest afterparty, a matinee in Brooklyn & more) "

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Justina Villanueva

The Casualties

If it wasn't for Trash Talk, July 3rd's bill of The Casualties and Leftover Crack would have felt more at home at ABC No Rio or C-Squat - if they could contain it. But alas, Gramercy Theater (instead of Irving Plaza) held down the fort as the trio of bands bid adieu to a larger tour, saving the fireworks for NYC - literally and figuratively.

Trash Talk, who spent their July 4th at Woodsist Fest, is seemingly forever on the road and has scheduled an appearance at Sound & Fury. The band recently self-released their East of Eden 7" featuring Circle Jerk and punk legend, Keith Morris.

Next up for The Casualties, a tour with Krum Bums and Mouth Sewn Shut that kicks off in August followed by another quick jaunt with Off With Their Heads and Youth Brigade that includes a NYC date at Europa on Sept 29th. Tickets are on sale.

After Youth Brigade and Off With Their Heads play Europa, the bands have a Canadian Tour lined up with The Bouncing Souls (who are on their way to NYC with 7 Seconds). Youth Brigade is also scheduled to play the kick-ass Riot Fest.

Full Casualties and Youth Brigade tour dates, and more pictures from Gramercy Theatre, are below...

Continue reading "The Casualties, Trash Talk & Leftover Crack - Gramercy pics, 2009 tour dates (shows w/ Youth Brigade)"

photos by Tim Griffin, words by Andrew Frisicano

The Woodsist/Captured Tracks Festival's Day One (7/3) was moved inside the Market Hotel. Thankfully, the weather held out for its second, 4th of July lineup, which went off as planned in the grassy, rock-filled lot of 979 Broadway Backyard.

I arrived just as Real Estate was going on, and the New Jersey band nearly stole the show with dreamy rock that seemed to be made for a sunny afternoon. The Beets held down their set with a casualness befitting a park lodge show (kind of what the fest was on a slightly bigger scale). The guys gave new meaning to the word "ramshackle" as things seemed to be toppling over continually onstage.

German Measles played a set before I got there. Bill caught them and said they "aren't actually that bad... But they're also not very good. And that kind of seems to be the point. Shambolic is an understatement, like 'why rehearse when we can just play shows?"

The Great Excape did a set of Jersey-style pop-punk that included their own theme song, several politically-themed tunes (a nice touch) and a cover of "Summertime Blues." Ganglians brought one of the day's only keyboards, and burst with a flurry of reverb and overdrive.

Brilliant Colors started out with straight-ahead noise punk, with a bit of a melody void left by their super-reverbed vocals (maybe a theme of the night) and washed-out guitar. When the bass stepped up its riffs a few songs in, the band immediately sounded twice as catchy. The Fresh and Onlys took that bass-forward momentum and went with it. Their bassist pounded the notes in between and then some. As a result, the group had one of the most complete sounds of the night (with a tambourine and three-part harmonies rounding it out). They dedicated their last song to the member of Tyvek in the hospital (the reason for that band's cancellation). Hopefully their situation turns out better.

Dum Dum Girls had to be one of the night's cleanest sounding groups. The band relied heavily on singer Dee Dee's vocals, which harmonized with drummer Frankie Rose on their songs' many hooks.

The atmospheric rock of Woods definitely got jammier as it progressed. As Bill Pearis pointed out, the group's fourth member, who sat on the floor twiddling effects and singing into a microphone strapped to his face, was a bit strange considering the rest of the guys were dressed proper enough for church. Whatever you have to do to make it sound good I suppose.

Kurt Vile & the Violators roared into the night as the sun finally went down. Vile and Vivian Girls (who, as one commenter pointed out, "played with a great intensity") more than warmed up the crowd for Thee Oh Sees, who capped the night (for some) with an unstoppable set. Frontman John Dwyer was literally foaming at the mouth as a streak of white drool smeared across his face for part of the set. Thee Oh Sees' strange, repetition-laced anthems are amazing for shaking and rattling, as the crowd proved. The band even got talked into playing an encore before sending everyone into the night.

The rest of the pictures from Day Two, with a bunch of videos, below...

Continue reading "Woodsist/CT Fest Day Two in pics & video (Thee Oh Sees, Real Estate, Ganglians, Fresh & Onlys, Woods & more)"

the price of crack

Friday night's Leftover Crack gig at Irving Plaza has been moved to the smaller Gramercy Theatre and tickets are still on sale. Trash Talk is also on the bill.

Willamette Week's Musicfest NW announces this year's festival line-up which will be held at various venues around the Portland, OR metropolitan area on September 16, 17, 18 & 19. On the heels of the most successful MFNW to date, MFNW 2009 launches with nothing but the hope of a bigger and better festival. MFNW's ultimate aim is to provide Portland with a unique and special musical experience that features all types of acts including nationally renowned artists while still honoring and supporting the special musical scene of the Northwest.

The lineup so far, including the newly-reunited Sunny Day Real Estate, is below...

Continue reading "Musicfest NW in Portland, OR (Sept 16-19) - lineup"

Leftover Crack fan in Texas (more)

Leftover Crack, Star Fucking Hipsters, Trash Talk, and The Casualties are playing Irving Plaza on July 3rd. Assuming Irving Plaza doesn't get shut down (unlikely) (or even if it does), this punk show is sure to be a good time. Tickets are on sale.

Less of a good time will probably be had at the punk show happening at Madison Square Garden on July 27th. Tickets for Green Day's big NYC show are on sale (@ 10am). They are also playing a few shows at much smaller venues, and Saturday Night Live this weekend.

The opposite of a good time will probably be had at the same big venue on October 5th. The Ting Tings are playing MSG with Pink. Tickets are on presale (@ 10am). PASSWORD = LEAPFROG

Probably fun, but still kind of lame? Aerosmith and ZZ Top play MSG on September 14th. Tickets are on AmEx and Internet presale now, and go on general sale Monday, May 18th, at 10am. It's the same day Kings of Leon play Nassau Coliseum.

Back to good times... Ween are playing the Stone Pony's Summerstage in Asbury Park on July 18th. Tickets go on sale Saturday at noon. Gene Ween is playing Brooklyn on May 21st.

Same venue, same summer (move over Blondie, Pat Benatar and The Donnas): The Pretenders, Cat Power and Juliette (and the Licks) Lewis are playing the Stone Pony's Summerstage on August 9th. Tickets are currently on Ticket Rush presale (password = live), and they go on general sale Saturday at noon. The same three ladies (bands) have an August 22nd Colorado show scheduled, so let's home for a full tour with NYC date too.

Peter Frampton plays Stone Pony Summerstage on August 30th. Tickets are currently on Ticket Rush presale (password = live), and go on general sale Saturday at noon.

And don't forget Kylie Minogue tickets go on sale Saturday at 10am.

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Justina Villanueva

The Bronx @ Maxwell's

The Bronx was in Hoboken. No, not in some prehistoric-pangea-way - LA punks The Bronx (and Trash Talk) descended upon Maxwell's on April 22nd, one of two shows for the crew in the NYC area. Our esteemed photographer Justina was able to catch The Bronx, but missed Trash Talk. Fortunately, she caught up with the trio outside the venue, who at the time of their meeting, were not huffing paint, vandalizing buildings, or involved in hooliganism of any kind. We can't confirm their later activities.

Trash Talk outside Maxwell's

The Bronx recently dropped two new videos: "Past Lives" (viewable here) and "Knifeman" (viewable here).

Trash Talk's new 7" featuring Keith Morris of Circle Jerks, East of Eden, is currently on pre-order here.

More Bronx pictures below...

Continue reading "The Bronx & Trash Talk @ Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ - pics"

by Black Bubblegum

The Bronx are on tour with Trash Talk. You may have caught them at Bowery Ballroom on Monday (April 20), or the next day (last night) in Philly. If not, you have another NYC-area chance to see the LA crew at Maxwell's tonight (4/22, tickets here).

In celebration of their area appearance, the band hooked us up with their new video. It's for the song "Past Lives" from their latest LP. Directed by Johnny Bekevac, it may be the greatest video ever made that merges breakdancing and punk rock. Check it out, along with more pictures taken during their set at the BrooklynVegan party they played at SXSW, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "The Bronx - new 'Past Lives' video, Maxwell's show tonight"

words & photos by Black Bubblegum

Ancestors @ Room 710 in Austin - March 19, 2009

My SXSW adventure began Wednesday morning at the airport. Talk about starting things off on the wrong foot! A woman fell into a diabetic coma (she was ok later that morning) on my 6:30AM flight. That led to an unplanned stop in NOLA which was followed by a layover in a fogged up Houston Airport... to say I was a little late to our own day show at Emo's was an understatement. Unfortunately, Trash Talk were wheeling their amps out the door when I got there (which meant I also missed Garotas Suecas and Psychedelic Horseshit), but I managed to catch Trash Talk vocalist Lee cruising around, with a microphone grill imprinted on his forehead. His pain, our pleasure...

Continue reading "Black Bubblegum's SXSW-metal recap - part 1 "

photos by Jacob Blickenstaff

Those Darlins & Deer Tick @ the BV SXSW showcase - Mar 18, 2009

"In a world of emo-boys and reluctant band leaders, Those Darlins, country-punk pals from Murfreesboro, Tenn., had a comically leering sexuality and the kind of abandon that seems scarce these days. Their punk hootenanny sensibility reminds us that you don't have to act serious to be taken seriously. South by Southwest, with its quick set ups and tear downs, is always technically challenged, but when these girls blew an amp, they vamped with the kind of jokes and entreaties that can't be rendered here..... After they borrowed an amp from their friends and tour mates in Deer Tick, they borrowed the whole band as well, with the boys serving as accessories as the girls sang a kind of homage to a bird..."
[NY Times]

Continue reading "SXSW 2009 - Day 1 in photos by Jacob"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: HOWL - "Oma" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Trash Talk - "Well of Souls" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: It's Casual - "The Pantry" (MP3)

Dillinger Escape Plan (more by Justina Villanueva)

SXSW is a massive undertaking, no matter what you're into. But if what you're into is the HEAVY, you came to the right place! All week, I'll be twittering my way through Austin, trying to take as much in as possible, including these key younger bands that are probably worth a look. Show info and a ton more MP3's, below...

Continue reading "the 2009 guide to Metal @ SXSW (with lots of MP3's)"

by Black Bubblegum

Amebix, in a rare moment of calm? (more by Justina Villanueva)

Chaos in Tejas 2009 is on and poppin', having laid out May 21st-24th in Austin for a crust/punk/hardcore field day(s)... dig on the sick FINALIZED lineup that includes punk favorites like Amebix, Cock Sparrer, and Cro-Mags, as well as Eyehategod, The Thermals, Harvey Milk, Annihilation Time, Outlaw Order, Crude, Severed Head of State, Warcry, Ponytail, Trash Talk... the killer list goes on:

Continue reading "Chaos in Tejas is coming to Austin (no, not SXSW) ++++++++++ Mind Eraser & Sex Vid coming to NYC"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Young Widows - "Old Skin" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Young Widows - "The Heat Is Here" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Young Widows - "The Charmers" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Annihilation Time - "Splashback" (MP3)

The Bronx

What are you up to Wednesday, March 18th? If you're in the greater Austin region, it might be a good idea to slide on down to Emo's for a day of killer bands, suds, and full on badass-ed-ness. To get all official and shit, we'd like to announce the FREE BROOKLYN VEGAN/SOLID PR DAY PARTY featuring

• 5:45pm: The Bronx
• 5:00pm: Young Widows
• 4:15pm: Annihilation Time
• 3:30pm: Trash Talk
• 2:45pm: Psychedelic Horseshit
• 2:00pm: Garotas Suecas

This all goes down inside Emo's on the 2nd stage on the afternoon of the first day of SXSW Music. Happening at the same time on the main stage of the same venue is the also-killer, also-free Fat Possum Records day party with King Kahn & BBQ, Wavves, Thomas Function, Strange Boys, Crocodiles, Thomas Function and more.

Later that same night is the official BrooklynVegan SXSW showcase at Club De Ville, about a block away. We're (BrooklynVegan) also doing sorta-TBA, free day parties on the Thursday and Friday of SXSW (full details coming shortly).

---

Young Widows recently dropped the video for "Old Skin" from Old Wounds, a song that premiered right here on BrooklynVegan. The band is logging some miles in the coming months (dates below), linking up with Australian band My Disco for the trek and playing Europa in Brooklyn with The Austerity Program & Tournament on April 1st in the process (tickets here). The pair will also drop a split 7", one of a series with the likes of Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Pelican, and Melt-Banana.

The Bronx are touring the US like mad dogs including playing a show at Bowery Ballroom with Trash Talk on April 20th (tickets here), and a show at Maxwell's on April 22nd (tickets here).

NYCers will have FOUR chances to check out Garotas Suecas in the coming month, three in person and one on the Pat Duncan Show on WFMU on March 26th. The band has lined up live appearances at Mercury Lounge on March 24th (tickets here), Death By Audio on April 5, and Zebulon on April 6th.

Psychedelic Horseshit have a "a self released LP collecting our very first and oldest 4 track recordings" due in "March or April" entitled Golden Oldies as well as a TON of new material including Shitgaze Anthems 12" EP on Woodsist (spring 09), Acid Test 12" EP on Troubleman Unltd. (late spring/early sum 09), Beached Wails 7" with a "surprise release date", and their second LP, Too Many Hits, on Slitbreeze (late summer 09). The Columbus, Ohio crew have a few dates on the calendar as well, check THOSE out, along with everyone's tour dates, below...

Continue reading "a BrooklynVegan/SolidPR day party @ Emo's and other YOUNG WIDOWS & THE BRONX & TRASH TALK tour dates"

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Steven Brown & Anthony Childs

DOWNLOAD: Rwake - Leviticus (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Kylesa - Said And Done (MP3)

"How about this fuckin' lineup man? Whoever put this thing together, I'd like to shake their hand" - CT of Rwake

Boris (Steven Brown)


I'd like to think it was the jawdropping lineup decreed by the gods upon Mt Scion that brought people out in droves to The Masquerade in Atlanta on February 28th, but I would imagine that some of it was also due to "free show" factor. Either way, there is something ridiculawesome about bands as great as Harvey Milk, Wolves In The Throne Room, and Coalesce having to turn people away due to reaching capacity. That is my idea of sweet metal justice... some of my current favorite bands in front of the audiences they deserve.

The Masquerade is a 2+ level club. The biggest stage, dubbed "Heaven", is located on the second floor and houses somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 people. Two adjacent clubs on the main level, "Hell" & "Purgatory", house considerably less: "Hell" is primarily a dance floor, so there were some obstructed sightlines. "Purgatory" had multiple tiers, no elevated stage and very little room in front of the band. Behind the venue in a grassy area which was muddy due to the prior night's rain, a 4,000 person capacity tent was constructed for the main stage.

continued below...

Continue reading "Scion Rock Fest in review & pictures (Boris, Neurosis, Kylesa, Salome, Withered, Krallice, 1349 & more)"

by Black Bubblegum

The Bronx

The Bronx have announced a pair of NYC area shows including The Bowery Ballroom on 4/20 with Trash Talk and Maxwell's on 4/22. Tickets for Maxwell's go on sale on 2/11 at noon while Bowery goes on sale 2/13 at noon.

The Bronx are currently touring around Europe, ultimately linking up with Fucked Up and Rolo Tomassi for a brief tour of the UK and then their US tour. One of those US dates, April 5th, is part of the Bamboozle Left Festival in Irvine, CA... an otherwise lackluster festival of mallcore, deathcore, and psuedo-emo feturing headling sets by a reuniting Get Up Kids, (gulp) Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday, and (lord help us) 50 Cent. Full lineup below.

Why even mention Bamboozle Left? Well, besides The Bronx, Kevin Seconds (who has some NYC shows, and a few others... Deftones will make their return to the stage at this show, but with a new bassist...

Continue reading "The Bronx announce tour dates, Deftones' have new bassist"

Photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

If not obvious by the 2008 Fun Fun Fun Fest coverage so far, I was having the most fun (fun fun) over the weekend with all the punk, metal and hardcore on stages 3a and 3b (two connected stages to avoid long times between sets). Highlights and pictures from day one are HERE. Highlights of day two (9/9) were DOA, Frightened Rabbit, the ska punk, politics and crowd of Leftover Crack, Cro-Mags (jam) (John Joseph w/ one of Cro-Mags' past drummers, AJ from Leeway on guitar and Craig Setari of Sick of it All on bass), what I saw of St. Vincent and Black Angels, the vegan sausage pizza, and Bad Brains. I managed to catch a few songs of Islands who sounded great, but totally missed Spinto Band and Annuals. Also saw pieces of Kevin Seconds, Chuck Ragan, and Ben Nichols's solo-frontmen sets. Saw Black Joe Lewis and most of Trash Talk, but neither lived up to my expectations in the daytime festival setting. I went back and forth between the pre-headliner sets of Minus the Bear and Bouncing Souls, and ran over to watch one song of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah during a Bad Brains reggae segment. Despite the competition, CYHSY still pulled in a respectable sized crowd. The stages were far enough away in general, but I could also still hear Alec Ounsworth's unmistakable voice at times between Bad Brains songs depending on where I was standing (I watched Bad Brains from various areas throughout their set). Clipse were headlining on the stage farthest away from Bad Brains so I totally missed them, and Kool Keith, who played that same stage earlier. Bad Brains ended earlier than curfew which meant I got to run over and catch about 20 minutes of Tim and Eric which was a great way (laughing) to end the hectic two day fest.

One unfortunate aspect of the weekend was the dust. It was a problem at ACL this year too. Dry dirt and wind meant you were constantly breathing it in. A signifigant portion of the crowd was wearing bandanas or other gas mask-like things on their faces. I didn't, but I should have because I think it made me a little sick. More pictures from day two below...

Continue reading "Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008 - (some of) day two in photos "

words by Black Bubblegum, photos by Tim Griffin

Akimbo unfortunately did not make it to the stage of the Brooklyn Vegan day party on Oct 25th due to some equipment issues, but damn if they didn't burn the house down with Trash Talk and The Bronx at Fontana's on Oct 21st (our CMJ night-one 'heavy' pick). Akimbo's new record Jersey Shores dropped on October 28th. Stream the whole thing here.

Meanwhile, Trash Talk and Bison BC are proclaimed post-CMJ buzz bands by.... Rolling Stone?

Bison BC's great new record Quiet Earth was released on September 30th. Tim took some pictures of the band at the post-CMJ Beasts of the East Fest at Europa on Sunday (11/2). That's what you see in this post. More of them below...

Continue reading "Akimbo didn't play Knitting Factory (BV CMJ), Bison B.C. did play Europa (pics), Trash Talk"

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Wetnurse - Not Your Choice (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Made Out Of Babies - cooker (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Akimbo - Great White Bull (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Night Horse - The Dark can't Hide You (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Krallice - Wretched Wisdon (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Trash Talk - Dig (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Black Anvil - Ten Talons Deep (MP3)

Trash Talk

It's here. I hope you got your sleep this past weekend.... you're gonna need it with all the riffage going around. May we present... the day to day guide to heavy at CMJ 2008, below....

Continue reading "the 2008 guide to Heavy Music shows & panels @ CMJ"

The Bronx

A list of shows happening at the Lower East Side venue....

Continue reading "CMJ shows @ Fontana's, The Bronx, Trash Talk, Akimbo"