by Fred Pessaro // BBG

In the wake of tickets disappearing at the speed of light from their Bowery Ballroom show, Quicksand will reportedly add another NYC date before they split to the West Coast to play FYF. Details on said show are on the way, but I wouldn't be shocked at a show at Music Hall of Williamsburg or another date with Bowery.

by Fred Pessaro // BBG

Agnostic Front at CBGBs in 2006 (more here)

East Coast Tsunami is returning to Reading, PA, this time shifting from June to September and adding names like Sick of It All, Biohazard, Cro-mags, D.R.I., H20, Agnostic Front (who play a special set at Power of The Riff East), Vision of Disorder, and twenty-three others to their ranks. It all goes down on 9/29 and 9/30 at Reverb and tickets are on sale in 2-day and single day increments. Full lineup is below, as well as a listing of all VIsion of Disorder tour dates, including Music Hall of Williamsburg on November 24th.

In other festival news, the 11th edition of Gainesville, FL's The Fest has expanded with some notable additions including Propagandhi, reunions of Latterman and Grade, Mean Jeans, Ceremony, Such Gold, DNF, Fight Amp, Hull, Mountain Man, Wild Tribe, and much much more. The current lineup is below.

Two bands slated for The Fest, Hull and Fight Amp, will play Saint Vitus on Sunday (8/5) as part of a show that will also feature Ladder Devils. Tickets are still available.

All tour dates and lineups are listed below.

Continue reading "hardcore fest East Coast Tsunami announces lineup; The Fest in Gainesville expands theirs"

Propagandhi are preparing their sixth LP Failed States for release via new home Epitaph on September 4. The Canadian punk crew have released the album's title track whichyou can stream it below.

Propagandhi will take their show on the road this fall with fellow Canucks Comeback Kid, playing their homeland as well as select East Coast and Midwest dates through mid-October. Those dates include two NYC shows: Highline Ballroom on October 3rd and Le Poisson Rouge on October 4th. Tickets for the Highline show go on sale today (7/20) at noon and tickets for the LPR show are on sale now.

All list of all tour dates and that stream are below.

Continue reading "Propagandhi sign to Epitaph for their sixth LP, hitting the road this fall, playing 2 NYC shows (dates)"

If Nu Sensae is the offspring of bands like Hole or L7, then consider them to be the mohawked and neglected step-child. The Canadian crew's Sundowning is punk rock through and through, as exhibited by the new song "Spit Gifting," the stream of which we're premiering below, where you can also stream the previously-released "Swim."

Look for Sundowning via Suicide Squeeze Records on August 7th. Preorders are currently available, or... you can try and win one! We have one preorder package with LP, shirt and more for giveaway! Details are at the bottom of this post.

Nu Sensae's tour schedule has expanded since we last talked, including two shows Death By Audio on 8/20 and Tommy's Tavern on 8/21, both with Psychic Blood. Check out all streams, videos, contest details and updated tour dates below.

Continue reading "Nu Sensae ready 'Sundowning' (stream a new song), expand tour (dates), playing two NYC shows"

Mike Watt at LPR (more by BBG)

people, I wanna bring my third opera "hyphenated-man" around the u.s. again cuz there's some towns I missed last time. fuck, we're a big land and of course I'm gonna still miss some towns but that don't mean me, my bass and my missingmen (tom watson on guitar and raul morales on drums) ain't gonna try to do what we can... yeah, doin' it.

Still no word on an East Coast stint for fIREHOSE (who toured the West Coast earlier this year), but you can still check out the Pedro, CA legend at the dates listed below.

Continue reading "Mike Watt & The Missingmen going on tour this fall, playing The Bell House (dates) "

Cheetah Chrome w/ RFTT at Maxwell's in 2011 (more by Greg Cristman)

The CBGB Festival kicks off on Thursday (7/5) and continues through Sunday (7/8). We've mentioned a bunch of the festival's shows like the free Central Park show with Guided by Voices, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Cloud Nothings, and the War on Drugs, the Webster Hall show with Agnostic Front, Madball, and Murphy's Law (who also play a Rocks Off Cruise), Fishbone at Brooklyn Bowl, the Webster Hall show with Cro-Mags and Sick of it All, and many others. However, if you're looking for others artists that helped define punk and/or make CBGB the legendary venue it is, there are plenty of options for that too.

On Thursday (7/5), The Bowery Electric is hosting a huge show with Tommy Ramone (who drummed on and co-produced the first three Ramones albums), Cheetah Chrome (of Dead Boys/Rocket from the Tombs), The Waldos (ft. Walter Lure of Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers), Bear 54 (ft. Ernie Brooks of The Modern Lovers), Andy Shernoff (of The Dictators), Richard Lloyd (of Television), The Miamis, The Sic Fucks, and many more. Tickets for that show are available.

That same day (7/5), David Johansen (of New York Dolls) will be playing Sullivan Hall with Daddy Long Legs, Liza Colby & The Sound Machine, Andy & the Rattles, and a late night set by Strawberry Jam. Tickets for that show are available.

Also on Thursday (7/5), you can catch Glen Matlock (of The Sex Pistols) at, wait for it... singer-songwrter mainstay The Living Room with California, Jaymay, Lou-is, and Aurical.

Check the CBGB Festival site for more.

Hilly Kristal entering CBGB on its final night (more)

The CBGB Festival isn't the only place to catch CBGB legends though. Like they've done in the past, Bowery Electric (a venue very close to where CBGB was) will host Johnny Thunders Birthday Bash, a celebration of the late musician, on July 15, when he would have turned 60 (he passed away in 1991). That show features Walter Lure, Alison Gordy, Andy Shernoff, and many more. Tickets are on sale.

Patti Smith will be touring with Neil Young later this year, which hits NYC for two shows (MSG on 11/27 and Barclays Center on 12/3). Patti also plays a sold out show at the Met, on September 28 (a tribute to Andy Warhol).

Blondie will be touring with Devo later this year. Unfortunately, that tour does not come to NYC.

But enough about NYC punks -- California's late 70s/early 80s hardcore scene is getting some pretty solid representation in NYC this summer too. The current version of Dead Kennedys (who no longer count frontman Jello Biafra as a member) will be playing a show at Santos Party House on July 31 with Cerebral Ballzy. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

Cali punks Agent Orange will be heading out on an east coast tour with The Queers, which comes to NYC for a Rocks Off Cruise on August 18. Tickets for that show are available. All dates on this tour are listed below.

Greg Ginn at Issue Project Room in 2010 (more by Lori Bally)

Black Flag founder/guitarist and SST Records founder Greg Ginn will be in NYC for two shows (early and late) with his new project Greg Ginn and the Royal We at The Iridium on July 29, and two more shows at the venue the next night (7/30) with the Les Paul Trio. Tickets for all four Iridium shows are on sale now.

Long-running Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins is heading out on a spoken word tour which hits the capitals of all 50 states. That means the NY show is in Albany and not too close to NYC, but you might have better luck checking out the Trenton, NJ show. The Trenton show is at the Jersey State Museum Auditorium and unfortunately not City Gardens, which is now closed, but during its existence had seen tons of great tours come through including multiple Henry Rollins appearances. A City Gardens documentary is in the works and due in 2013. The other tri-state area date on Henry's tour is Hartford, CT's Webster Theater.

Meanwhile, Keith Morris, who was a Black Flag frontman before Rollins joined, will be in NYC with his band OFF!, when their tour with Refused comes to Williamsburg Park on July 18. Tickets for that show are still available.

While we're on the topic of punk shows in Williamsburg Park, as mentioned, Riot Fest Brooklyn goes down at the outdoor venue on September 8 with Descendents, Hot Water Music, Gogol Bordello, The Bronx, Screaming Females, The Menzingers, and Larry and His Flask. Tickets for Riot Fest Brooklyn are still available.

Speaking of The Menzingers, they have a new live acoustic video for "Ava House" off their 2012 LP, On the Impossible Past, which you can check out below. You can catch them on their tour with The Bouncing Souls, which hits NYC for a show at Brooklyn Bowl on August 5. Tickets for that show are still available.

In other punk news, as mentioned, H2O, 7 Seconds, and Tournament play House of Vans on July 12. 7 Seconds frontman Kevin Seconds is working on a new album which is due out this year. You can check out the album's closing track, "Oh, Rhonda," at the bottom of this post. The entire 2012 House of Vans schedule was also just announced, Turbonegro included. UPDATE: you can also now RSVP for the 7 Seconds show.

Street Dogs will be in NYC for a show at Highline Ballroom on September 15 with Koffin Kats and special guests. Tickets for that show are on sale now.

As mentioned, the Fat Wreck/Rocks Off CMJ showcase happens on October 19 at Music Hall of Williamsburg with Lagwagon, Dead To Me, Flatliners, and Useless ID. Tickets for that show are still available. That same lineup also plays a Rocks Off Cruise the next day (10/20). Tickets for the boat show are available. And Lagwagon are also one of the bands currently announced for this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest.

As mentioned, Leftover Crack plays Warsaw on Sunday (7/8) with Crackbox and more TBA. That show appears to now be sold out (though we are waiting on confirmation of that). UPDATE: this is CANCELLED.

Another anarcho-punk option for Williamsburg this weekend is NYHC band Reagan Youth who are playing The Grand Victory (245 Grand St.) on Friday (7/6) with Dust Angel (ft. Reagan Youth guitarist Paul Cripple), Geek Skull, Lords of Death, and Empty Vessel.

As mentioned, crossover thrashers D.R.I. and Mucky Pup are teaming up for a tour which hits NYC on December 8 at The Studio at Webster Hall with support from No Redeeming Social Value, Undivided, and Blackout Shoppers. TIckets for that show are still available.

There's also a number of punk shows at Acheron this week.

Before we wrap this up, a bit more about classic UK punk making its way to NYC this summer/early fall. In addition to Sex Pistol Glen Matlock, who's here this week for CBGB Fest, The Vibrators will be in NYC for a show at The Bowery Electric on September 29. Tickets for that are on sale now.

Wreckless Eric, who veers a bit more on the new wave/power pop side of punk, will play Bowery Electric on September 7 as part of a duo with his wife Amy Rigby. They also play September 13 at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ. If the name doesn't ring a bell, his song "(I'd Go) The Whole Wide World" probably does. It's seen some revived popularity in recent years due to Will Ferrell singing it in Stranger than Fiction. Tickets for both NYC area shows are on sale now.

Did we miss anything good?

Videos and lists of tour dates below...

Continue reading "punk roundup: CBGB Fest, Greg Ginn, Rollins, Off!, Dead Kennedys, Menzingers, Vibrators, Wreckless Eric & more"

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"

Hard Skin during CMJ 2010 (more by Konstantin Sergeyev)

Hard Skin will bring their UK oi comedy show back to US shores this summer when they kick off a round of dates with their previously discussed appearance at This is Hardcore. From there, the band will play one more East Coast show (in Brooklyn at Acheron on August 13th with Murderess, Sad Boys & Coffin Fit) before skipping around the country to play shows on the West Coast and in Texas. Full tour schedule and some audio below...

Continue reading "Hard Skin add US dates surrounding This is Hardcore"

photos by Fred Pessaro // BBG

White Lung at Tommy's Tavern, 6/29/2012

Vancouver's White Lung, who were here back in April, passed through NYC again last night for a show at Tommy's Tavern (6/28), snagging support from local power-pop favorites Nude Beach, plus California X, Casanovas in Heat, The Narcs and Utah Jazz. Nude Beach play again tonight, supporting The Young and Census at 285 Kent with Zach Cale & The Rain Band for what will surely be an extremely sweaty show. More pictures from Tommy's Tavern are below.

I've had a few encounters White Lung and Nude Beach recently (great and great), so the big stand out to me was California X. The Massachusetts band worships at the altar of Dinosaur Jr and Husker Du (which I wish more bands did, truthfully), creating some sugar-y pop melodies buried beneath layers and layers of crunch. This is definitely a heavy band live too; one hell of a first showing in NYC. Stream their killer new 7" below.

Continue reading "White Lung played Tommys Tavern w/ Nude Beach, California X and more (pics)"

We mentioned it in our Bouncing Souls post but, as a bigger reminder, tickets are now on presale for the previously discussed Riot Fest show featuring Descendents, Hot Water Music, Gogol Bordello, The Bronx, Screaming Females, The Menzingers, and Larry and His Flask at Williamsburg Park on September 8th. The password is "RIOT".

Continue reading "Riot Fest tickets on presale (password)"

Porcell of Bold on stage with Youth of Today (more by Jason House)

Black & Blue Bowl is almost here, and in addition to the previously discussed Rancid, Warzone Tribute, Sheer Terror, Youth of Today and-many-others-show at Webster Hall on Saturday (5/19) -- advance tickets sold-out, a few available at the door -- here are a few related shows set for Sunday (5/20) to help round out the weekend.

The first is a good old fashioned matinee and goes down at 3PM at Bowery Electric on 5/20. Bold (with original lineup in tow like they were at Lit Lounge) will join Skarhead and Provider along with a spoken word performance from John Joseph (of Cro-Mags, who play NYC soon with Sick of it All). Ten bucks or your Black & Blue Bowl ticket stub gets you in. Those 21+ and over with $20 can also stick around afterwards for a secret show.

Later that night in Greenpoint, Danny Diablo will team with Subzero, Ill-Roc Soldiers, Jaysaun, Lifestyle (with Skam Dust), DGAF, Iron Bar Collective and Matt Maddox for a second show on Sunday (5/20) at Red Star (at 30 Greenpoint Ave). $10 gets you into that 9PM show (not free to B&B ticketholders).

In hardcore-but-not-B&B Bowl-news, Urban Waste will hit Studio at Webster Hall on June 16th with support from Dead City Riot, Crushed, and Scrapers. Tickets are on sale.

Zounds at Punk Island 2011 (more by Sarah Coulter)

ABC No Rio's HC/Punk Collective has brought back the 2012 edition of Punk Island, a day-long punk festival happening on Governors Island on June 24th (three days after Make Music New York this year). As always, Punk Island is entirely free but they rely on donations and volunteers to make it happen. Make your contribution to the cause (the fest costs $15k to produce) by buying merch or contributing via WePay.

Initial Punk Island lineup, including the reunited crust band Thulsa Doom who recently got back together to open for Crass at Santos, is below.

Continue reading "initial Punk Island 2012 lineup & date announced"

Leftover Crack at Gramercy in 2009 (more by Justina Villanueva)

Ska punks Leftover Crack will ring in the new year at Music Hall of Williamsburg on New Year's Day (1/1/12). Tickets for the Brooklyn show, their only one scheduled at the moment, go on sale Friday (11/11) at noon.

Stza Crack recently discussed plans for a new Leftover Crack album in an interview with Tao Lin. They talked about the Star Fucking Hipsters record release show at Europa in October and the future plans of both bands:

TC: Is October 11 the last SFH show ever? After this SFH album are you going to focus on another Leftover Crack album?

SC: SFH will play again, we just don't have anything booked at the moment. Things are hectic for several members of the band at the moment, so, we'll figure it out & should have news about touring soon. I have a few things to focus on beyond SFH in the upcoming months & next year & working on another Leftover Crack record is one of the higher priorities. We will start production in 2012 for sure...

Some videos of Stza's acoustic set at Punk Island over the summer are below...

Continue reading "Leftover Crack working on new album, schedule a show"

by BBG

Yes, that is Rancid's Lars Fredriksen

Rancid's Tim Armstrong is putting on a musical theatre series, complete with dance numbers, singing and more costumes than a Lady Gaga concert... Tim Timebomb's RockNRoll Theater rivals anything currently showing on Broadway. Paying homage to classic American musicals, the series finds Rancid's main man leading a variety of actors and musicians through a string of suspenseful story lines. Each segment features extensive song and dance numbers, with frenzied tunes and rousing moves that are wrapped in a dark, sexy edge. Armstrong acts as host, guiding the audience through the shows; yes, Twilight Zone fans, our hero has been deemed a "punk rock Rod Serling"...

"Dante," the first episode of Tim Timebomb's RockNRoll Theater, brings the 14th Century epic poem Dante's Inferno up to 21st Century speed with a new take on greed and corporate corruption. Starring AFI frontman Davey Havok, Rancid guitarist and vocalist Lars Frederiksen and CSI star Robert David Hall, this one provides a glimpse at just how fun this series is going to get. -[VEVO]

Continue reading "Rancid frontman made a series "centered on musical theatre" that will air on Vevo..."

by BBG

Beer & Cable at Acheron (more by BBG)

The Meatmen are going on tour in October, and it will be a full night of snotty punk in Brooklyn right after CMJ, at Europa on October 23rd. The NYC show features support from the one and only Black Fag (the absolutely fabulous tribute to Black Flag in their first NYC appearance!), Runny, and the always obnoxious Beer & Cable (thats a compliment). Tickets for the show are on sale. All daes are listed below.

Beer & Cable will also play a beer-soaked Acheron benefit show TONIGHT (9/16) for a mere $5 (or more if you want). Help keep this important metal/punk space alive.

Meatmen dates and a whole bunch of videos so attendees know what they're getting into, below...

Continue reading "The Meatmen playing shows (dates), 1 in Brooklyn w/ Beer & Cable (who play Acheron tonight)"

photos by Jason House

Oi! is a melodic type of punk-rock which originated in Britain around 1980 and has since spread throughout the world. The forefathers of Oi! (Sham 69, Menace, The Lurkers, Slaughter And The Dogs, Cockney Rejects, Cock Sparrer, Angelic Upstarts, etc.) played what some of the smarter press of the time dubbed, "real-punk" (i.e. punk-rock with a message/theme of "social realism"). A lot of the press who courted the original wave of punk-rock, wholly ignored or wrote-off what was soon to be called Oi! as "thug-rock," and thus insured unfair treatment of the genre right from the get-go.

Around 1980, bands like the 4-Skins (East London), Infa Riot (North London), The Last Resort (Herne Bay), Red Alert (Sunderland), The Business (South London) and Blitz (Manchester) began to pop-up all across Great Britain. This phenomenon of strikingly similar-minded, yet unrelated bands was quickly clumped together as "Oi!" by Sounds journalist Gary Bushell, taking the name from the classic Cockney Rejects song, "Oi! Oi! Oi!" Bushell not only gave Oi! its name, he compiled and gave the world the first Oi! compilation, "Oi! The Album" (released by EMI injunction with Sounds magazine). "Oi! The Album" -- though not a truly stellar record or even completely representative of the Oi! genre of the time -- set the precedent for the compilation as an important part of the Oi! movement, as witnessed by the release of countless Oi!-focused compilations world-wide ever since its release. Musically, Oi! is generally distinguished by anthemic melodies, terrace-style backing vocals and a pace/tempo more suitable for pogoing and singing along, than slam-dancing and stage-diving. Together with ska and reggae, Oi! forms the musical focus of the traditional skinhead subculture, and together with hardcore and classic punk-rock, it forms the musical focus of the punk subculture. [FAQ for skinheads]

Continue reading "The Business brought the skinheads to Mercury Lounge (pics)"

words & photos by BBG

Krum Bums @ Europa

A blackened crust band. An updated NWOBHM band. A poppy street-punk band. A blackened thrash band. A slow crusty doom band, and a traditional doom band with female vocals. Outside of a grind band and a hardcore band, I'd say that almost all heavy bases were covered on Friday night at Europa and Acheron. My night started with the Toxic Holocaust / Holy Grail / Krum Bums tour which hit Europa with support from Salo. Though the crowd was insanely into both Toxic Holocaust and Holy Grail (I preferred the former way more than the latter), Krum Bums were my favorite band at Europa that night. Their high-energy street punk awoke the quiet crowd, who were circle-pitting by their set's end. Toxic Holocaust had the audience eating out of their hand too, with the much larger circle-pit giving way to on-stage sing-alongs for favorites like "Wild Dogs" and "War is Hell".

side note: Toxic Holocaust's fans at Europa need to take a cue from the book of hardcore when it comes to stage-diving; thirty seconds of hesitation and searching for the right spot to dive isn't just embarassing, its just plain pointless.

After Europa, I headed over to the free after-party at Acheron featuring Windhand with local Belus. NYC's Belus is only on their second show, but the band shows maturity and songwriting way beyond their years. Make sure and catch them whenever you get the chance. Windhand was all the makings of an amazing traditional doom band: great vocals, memorable riffs, and bombastic sound. Can't wait to see them again.

All pictures and some recent video (including some from Europa) is below.

Continue reading "Toxic Holocaust, Holy Grail, Krum Bums, Salo, Belus & Windhand played Brooklyn Friday (pics & video)"

by BBG

photo by Autumn Spadaro

Austin punks Krum Bums are known for their high-voltage live shows, a fact that they will further demonstrate on the unknowing masses heading out to see the NHOBM-y Holy Grail and the crusty-thrashy Toxic Holocaust as part of their tour together. The trio of bands will hit NYC with a right-then-left hook at Europa on August 19th. Tickets are on sale.

The dates are not only in celebration of Toxic Holocaust's new LP, but also Krum Bums' newest release Cut The Noose. Due on August 23rd via People Like You Records, the LP sees the band touching on thrash and metal in their grimy street punk as seen in the title track which makes its debut here. Listen to another track at Metalsucks. Cut The Noose is melodic with out compromising ferocity.

All tour dates, that song stream and some video of a full set from Gilman is below.

Continue reading "Krum Bums 'Cut the Noose' (song premiere w/ updated dates)"

Punk Island returns to Governors Island on June 19 as part of the annual city-wide Make Music New York fest (which actually occurs two days later). The main stage will be headlined by UK anarcho-punk pioneers Zounds. The festival is FREE and also features performances by A.P.P.L.E., Stza Crack (of Leftover Crack/Choking Victim/Star Fucking Hipsters) who is playing a solo set, White Collar Crime (reunion show, after 8 year hiatus), and tons more over multiple stages from 11AM to 5PM. The full lineup is below.

Zounds, who are led by Steve Lake (only remaining original member), got their start touring with fellow UK anarcho-punks Crass and releasing an EP on their label, Crass Records. Zounds followed that EP with a full length and 3 singles on Rough Trade before breaking up in 1982. The band's entire history since 1982 is unclear, but you can watch videos of a 1996 performance below, and they reportedly reformed in 2001, though these June performances are also being billed as the band's first-ever US shows. Before Punk Island, Zounds will play a NYC show at ABC No Rio on June 18 with Neon Bitches (feat. Brian of Dropdead) and Zero Content, both of whom also play Punk Island.

Zounds, whose current lineup is pictured above, are set to release The Redemption of Zounds, their first album of new material since reforming. Their 1981 Rough Trade album was titled The Curse of Zounds (also pictured above). According to Steve Lake, "It is as bewildering, absurd, tragic and joyful as it ever was." The album comes out on July 12 via Overground/Plastic Head. Tracklist and album art are below. Check them out along with the full Punk Island lineup, the flyer and some videos, below...

Continue reading "Punk Island happens Sunday (final lineup), Zounds are playing there & ABC No Rio & releasing an LP too"

Much like the Damned (who will perform Damned Damned Damned and The Black Album on their upcoming tour), legendary punk band X will perform all of Los Angeles at some upcoming shows. They'll also host a screening of the classic documentary The Unheard Music when they hit Irving Plaza in NYC on September 30th and October 1st. Tickets for both shows, also available as a 2-day pass, went on Live Nation / Mobile App / Music Geeks presale today (6/14). General sale begins Friday.

Speaking of Los Angeles, the LA band is currently on tour in California where they're playing with the entire original lineup. That includes Exene who announced she was suffering from MS in 2009. That may be partly be because....

Nearly two years later, she reports that she may have been misdiagnosed.

"My doctor doesn't think I have MS anymore. He thought I had a virus, like a killer virus, then he decided I don't have that either. All I do is get tested - blood tests all the time. I go to a different doctor and they tell you something different, go to another one and they'll tell you something different. I've had so many doctors tell me I have MS, then some say I don't ... I don't even care anymore."

Yet she believes her diagnosis was a godsend: "I learned so much about people that are sick, people that are generous, people that share, people that give you advice, people that care about you and love you. It changed my life completely," she says.

"It made me a better person, made me take care of myself, whether I'm sick or I'm not. I've learned that everyone is sick with something. Our immune systems are failing, especially women. I know so many women with fibromyalgia, lupus, MS, cancer -- breast cancer, primarily -- chronic fatigue syndrome, depression ... we're falling apart. We can't do the work of five people."

Cervenka takes vitamins every day, exercises, keeps busy and spends time with her companion Minnie, a four-year-old miniature pincher. She's known she's been sick for a long time, she admits, but given the runaround so many receive from the medical community, she simply tries to tend to herself and not think about it.

"I've taken care of myself my whole life or I wouldn't be alive now. Look at the people who were in the early punk scene or the L.A. scene -- so many have passed away. A lot of that was misfortune and accidents, and some of it was just youth, suicide and drugs. The people that are around now that I've grown up with, we take pretty good care of ourselves. I mean we'll go out and have a drink or smoke a cigarette, but we take our vitamins." [OC Register]

John Doe also has some upcoming solo dates, many of which are with Jill Sobule who he's been recording with.

"A Day at the Pass finally captures an ongoing collaboration between Jill Sobule & John Doe. It was funded entirely by their fans & w/ an all-star band, recorded live at The Pass studio on one fine day in Los Angeles.

It's available now as a digital download while a CD version, featuring 2 extra tracks, will be sold exclusively as part of Record Store Day beginning April 16th.

Included in both releases, for the hell of it, is a new garagey rockin' version of the "original" I Kissed a Girl."

Continue reading "X on tour & playing Los Angeles in NY (dates), Exene doesn't have MS!!, John Doe did release a CD with Jill Sobule"

The Damned 2011

UK punk legends The Damned will return to the US on their 35th anniversary to play nine dates including Irving Plaza on October 22nd. What's more, the band will play all of their classic Damned Damned Damned as well as The Black Album on all dates! Tickets for the NYC show are on sale.

The Damned currently includes founding members Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible, as well as Monty Oxy Moron, Pinch, and Stu West. All dates and some videos below...

Continue reading "The Damned will play full albums on anniversary tour (dates)"

TSOL show in LA

After going through many lineup changes and even replacing their singer, legendary punk band TSOL reformed with their original lineup in 2007 (except for drummer Todd Barnes who passed away in 1999). They've since released Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Free Downloads for free download (naturally) on Hurley's website, though the link is no longer active. They continue to tour.

The band recently kicked off a tour with Shot Baker. The tour comes through NYC this Sunday (6/12) at Santos Party House. Tickets are still on sale.

Hopefully no riots break out... Laist reported back in January:

"The great TSOL played the Key Club tonight... and in true punk rock fashion... caused a riot and shut down Sunset Blvd. Reminds me of 1982," Tweeted brooklyndom last night.

There were many reports in the media and in social media of helicopters, closed roads, bottles thrown at authorities, and what many consider good old fashioned punk rock pandemonium last night, when a fight escalated into what is being called a riot at the Key Club in West Hollywood. Six people were arrested, and one person was reported injured, according to KTLA, though their identity and condition were not immediately clear.

"The initial fight may have been between a patron and club security," and broke out around 10:30 p.m. said Weho Daily, "but the large crowd turned on deputies and began throwing rocks and bottles." A security guard working for the Sunset Strip Business District "took a bottle to the head," and could be the one injury reported.

Watch videos of the cops beating concert-goers, along with some other recent live videos of the band and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "TSOL touring w/ Shot Baker, caused a riot in LA (dates, pics)"

photos by Konstantin Sergeyev

Stiff Little Fingers @ Gramercy

Stiff Little Fingers played two NYC shows last week, tagging Europa on June 2nd and Gramercy Theater on June 3rd as part of their tour surrounding their appearance at Punk Rock Bowling:

How do I even begin to describe the degree of epic-ness for an event like the 13th Annual Punk Rock Bowling Tournament and Music Festival in Downtown Las Vegas? A lineup of rare punk bands from around the world? Sure! It takes place during a three-day weekend? Yes'm! A party venue? You bet your ass!

More than 24 bands performed at the yearly festival put together by BYO Records over the course of this past Memorial Day weekend. Bands included local greats such as the Descendents, as well as the forefathers of punk, Cock Sparrer...

The official first event of the festival didn't kick off until Saturday night, instead of Friday like last year's, but most attendees had rolled in Friday night, as several club shows with bonus bands were going on throughout the weekend. Saturday's diverse lineup included the '80s hardcore sounds of the Grim, the vintage tones of Stiff Little Fingers, and the comrade-like beats of Dropkick Murphys.

Stiff Little Fingers played most of their classics--"Wasted Life," "Barbwire Love," "Suspect Device," even their highly gratifying cover of the Specials "It Doesn't Make it Alright."-[OC Weekly]

Descendents, who returned at Fun Fun Fun Fest in 2010, have since also played some Australia, European and California shows in addition to Punk Rock Bowling. Their upcoming reunion shows include NXNE (with Fucked Up and Off!) in Toronto, D-Tox Rock Fest (also in Canada), and Riot Fest in Chicago.

More pictures of the Stiff Little Fingers Gramercy show, video of one awkward moment, and videos of Descendents in Las Vegas too, below...

Continue reading "Stiff Little Fingers played Punk Rock Bowling (with Descendents), Europa & Gramercy Theater (pics & video)"

Christie Front Drive was an American Emo/Indie band formed in Denver in 1993. Citing influences such as Superchunk, Jawbox, Buffalo Tom and Drive Like Jehu, the lineup consisted of Ron Marschall (drums), Jason Begin (guitar), Kerry McDonald (bass) and Eric Richter (guitar and vocals)...

Despite their short tenure [1993-1997], Christie Front Drive became a major influence on emo music in the 90's. Richter resurfaced in the bands Antarctica, The 101, and Golden City, and both Marschall and Begin went on to form The Blue Ontario. Marschall was also credited as an engineer on the The Apples in Stereo's album, The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone. Jason Begin is currently performing under the name This Body as well as the Portland based band Pireate Radio Deluxe and the random appearance with Modernstate. Bassist Kerry McDonald would go on to form The Mighty Rime, who released a self-titled record on Caulfield Records in 2002. -[Wiki]

Continue reading "Christie Front Drive reuniting, reissuing stuff (tickets on presale now for a Brooklyn show)"

by BBG

The Dwarves at Fun Fun Fun Fest (more by Tim Griffin)

"THE DWARVES were kicked off tour with Motorhead for sleeping with the girls the aging metalheads had hired to hang out backstage. They were banned from venerable punk dive CBGBs for breaking a table and bleeding on the floor, making the venue cleaner and improving its décor." [25 THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE DWARVES]

That's right folks, the Dwarves magnum opus is done and set to drop May 10, 2011 on vinyl and cd, both including a free dvd! 25 years in the making the Dwarves Are Born Again features heroes from throughout the Dwarves saga. Blag the Ripper, HeWhoCanNotBeNamed, Rex Everything, the Fresh Prince of Darkness and a cast of thousands including Vadge Moore and Sgt. Saltpeter from the notorious Blood, Guts and Pussy record return to crush the ears of a desperate public.

The Dwarves have a few dates on the way including an appearance at Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas and two NYC dates: July 15th at Knitting Factory and July 16th at The Studio at Webster Hall. Tickets for both the Knitting Factory date and the Studio date go on sale Friday at 10AM. All other Dwarves dates are below.

--
Steve Ignorant rehearsing earlier this month

In other news, after a stutter a few weeks ago, TONIGHT (4/20) marks the return of Steve Ignorant to the U.S. to play Crass songs at Europa. Dog That Bites Everyone Thulsa Doom,A.P.P.L.E., and Goldblade open the Brooklyn show... though there is a rumor that Goldblade, who are supporting on the whole tour, may not get here in time for tonight's show due to visa issues (update: rumour confirmed as true) (maybe you caught them at Southpaw in 2003). if not, they will hopefully make it soon though, and definitely in time for the sold-out Santos Party House 'Crass songs' show on 5/8. Tickets for tonight's Europa show are still available, and a full list of Steve Ignorant tour openers is below (Santos has Goldblade, Cult Of Youth and Primitive Weapons).

Also tonight (4/20), strangely, ex-Black Flag/current-Misfits-er Dez Cadena will hit Park Slope venue Union Hall with his band Dez Cadena & The Broken Down Bitches, as well as The Slants and Lunic. Tickets are still available.

Speaking Black Flag, two Black Flag vocalists (Henry Rollins & Keith Morris with his band Off!) will share one stage (Terminal 5) as part of a show/tour with Dinosaur Jr. Since that show was announced, Off! also announced even more tour dates which are listed below.

And while we're on the subject, former Misfits vocalist Glenn Danzig heads out on a tour that hits Starland Ballroom in his birth state next month. The current version of the Misfits play Festival For Humanity in Vernon, NJ on May 27th.

In more modern punk news (and other "Off" news), Off With Their Heads will team with Dead To Me for a string of US dates surrounding their appearance at Best Friends Day, including Knitting Factory on August 4th with The Holy Mess and Brian Bruner. Tickets are on sale.

And last and probably least, CJ Ramone will play The Studio at Webster Hall on July 9th, performing "an all Ramones set with Ramones producer Daniel Rey on guitar". Tickets are on sale. Joey Ramone died a little more than 10 years ago, and his birthday will again be celebrated at Irving Plaza in May.

All tour dates and that Dwarves stream is below.

Continue reading "new Dwarves LP & dates, Steve Ignorant is here, Dez Cadena too ++ CJ Ramone, updated Off! dates, Off With Their Heads"