photos by Vincent Cornelli

Ska band The Pietasters played a Rocks Off Concert Cruise on July 29th with DJ 100DBs. A set of pictures and videos are in this post.

The Pietasters will return to the area for a weekend of East Coast dates in October. They'll kick off the short run of shows at Maxwell's in Hoboken on Oct 7th. Tickets are on sale. All dates are listed below.

D 100DBs will also be on the 1s & 2s when ska band The Slackers play a Rocks Off Cruise on August 20th. Tickets are still on sale. The Slackers also play a boat show in Boston one day earlier with iLa Mawana.

In somewhat related news, Oi punks The Business will hit Mercury Lounge on September 2nd as part of a larger East Coast/Midwest tour before they loop back for a another leg of dates that will include RiotFest 2011. Tickets for Mercury are on sale. The Business released their last LP Doing The Business last year via Sailor's Grave.

Pics, videos, and all tour dates below...

Continue reading "pics from the Pietasters boat show, more dates & The Business & The Slackers too"

The Slackers

Lots of veteran ska bands hitting the road this spring and summer...

Congratulations to The Slackers, who will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a show in their hometown at Bowery Ballroom on June 17th. Tickets are on sale. The show comes less than two weeks after the band returns from a trip to the EU for a few weeks of dates which are all listed below.

Meanwhile, NYC's The Toasters celebrated their 30th anniversary with a beer (named after them, that is) (video below), and after the band returns from Europe, they'll play a Rocks Off Cruise on June 12th. Tickets for the NYC boat show are on sale. All tour dates are below.

The Pietasters will follow the lead of The Toasters, and play July 29th on a Rocks Off Concert Cruise. Tickets are on sale. The show is one of a few East Coast dates scheduled for the band, all of which are listed below.

Bad Manners returns to the US and to NYC with a pair of local shows: May 5th at Maxwell's with Hub City Stompers (tickets) and June 14th at The Studio at Webster Hall (tickets).

UPDATE: The English Beat have added a NYC show happening July 2nd at Irving Plaza in NYC.

All tour dates and some videos, below...

Continue reading "ska roundup (Slackers, Toasters, Pietasters & Bad Manners) --- upcoming shows & tours"

Since we last spoke, official word came back regarding Ari Up's untimely passing: it was cancer. In her memory and the memory of the tunes she left behind, Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg is hosting a show on January 16th called "Ari Up Punky Reggae Birthday Party" featuring appearances from members of The Slits, The Slackers, PiL, as well as Neneh Cherry and many others. Tickets are on sale.

Being that Ari Up was John Lydon's step-daughter, it's not surprising that her passing had an effect on him:

John Lydon has delayed sessions to record new material with Public Image Ltd following the death of his step-daughter, The Slits singer Ari Up.

"We were going to go into the studio but in light of my step-daughter's death, I really can't be doing that at the moment," Lydon said [around November 22nd].

"I don't want to leave my wife alone for any length of time right now. So the music side has had to be held." -[BBC]

PiL becamse active again recently, and toured through NYC in May.

Another recent tribute to Ari Up happened in the form of Kathleen Hanna and The Raincoats covering a Slits song at MoMA. Video of that, with info on upcoming Kathleen Hanna-related events, can be found HERE.

Members of The Slackers are involved in the Ari Up show at MHoW, and the band has a show of their own in NYC next week. Tickets are still available for The Slackers at Brooklyn Bowl on December 18th. The show is one of two December dates for the NYC ska band. The second is New Years Eve in San Francisco, and the first date on a larger tour for the band who will be pretty busy through June. Openers for the Brooklyn show are Frighteners, the Forthights, and DJ 100dBs with special guest appearances by Greg Lee (Hepcat) & Jesse Wagner (Aggrolites).

All Slackers dates and some videos below.

Continue reading "an Ari-Up birthday party show, Slackers tour dates & more"

by Klaus Kinski

My recent contributions to BV have afforded me the opportunity to wax nostalgic about my checkered past (SKA reference), so why should this article be any different? When I was living in Greenpoint back in 2002, I had two important neighbors in my building; Jeff Mangum and Dave Karcich. And while Mangum had zero impact on my life, Karcich had more of an impact than he would ever know. You see, in high school and college, one of my favorite bands to see was Bim Skala Bim and my favorite venue to see them in was the Paradise. Trombone player Vinny Nobile's phenomenal stage presence made him an icon to my friends and me. Vinny ended up leaving Bim, heading to NYC to form a band called The Pilfers with ex-Toasters vocalist Coolie Ranx. A little ways into their existence, the Pilfers ended up losing their bass player and their drummer. Dave Karcich, former drummer for Connecticut based Ska band Spring Heeled Jack, filled the drumming void. And like zillions of other bands, The Pilfers too saw their eventual dissolution (only to reform just a few years ago).

After the Pilfers, Vinny Nobile and Dave Karcich went on to form a band called Cenzo who, at the time when I met Dave, was kind of on their back burner. As a result of my living down the hall from Dave, and Dave's relationship with Vinny, I eventually got tight with them both, which blew the minds of the folks I stiil kept in touch with from high school/college. Sadly, my relationship with Dave was short lived. After recording my band's demo EP, Dave suffered a massive cerebral aneurysm and passed away on April 5th, 2002. Eventually, Vinny hired me to take Dave's place on drums in Cenzo and for a short while I enjoyed playing sold out shows with Cenzo in support of acts including The Toasters, The Pietasters, Murphy's Law, and The Slackers.

A lot of people give a knee-jerk scoff at SKA because it's apparently unfashionable; admittedly, the thought of skinny ties, checker-accented gear, black and white wing tips, pork pie hats, and massive sideburns makes me feel uneasy. But some of the bands from back in the day, back in my day, continue to bring serious talent and awesome sounds to those of us who are still willing to listen. So I was pretty skankingly excited to see that SKA powerhouses The Toasters and The Pietasters will be sharing a bill with Hub City Stompers and more for an all ages show at BB Kings on 10/29/10. People with even a casual interest cannot pass up the opportunity to see these third wave legends in the same house.

More tour dates below, including Bim Skala Bim, The Slackers, The Pietasters (who also play a boat tonight), and The Toasters.

Continue reading "The Toasters, The Pietasters & other upcoming ska shows "

by Klaus Kinski

As a former Boston skinhead with a former penchant for Ska and hardcore, it's safe to say that The English Beat's music radiated from my car speakers more than a few times as I delivered pizza back in the day. Though they weren't my favorite band of the genre, when they're good, they are freaking amazing. Now as an older skinhead-via-heredity, it's with mixed levels of enthusiasm that I announce that Dave Wakeling and the English Beat are embarking on a pretty serious Summer/Fall North American Tour, eventually skanking their way to Webster Hall on August 21, 2010. Bad Manners is supporting, which is AWESOME. Tickets go on sale July 9, 2010 (Amex presale begins today, July 7th, at noon).

Why the mixed levels of enthusiasm? Well, I am no purist, but I can't really get jazzed about seeing a band, any band, with only one original member. And though it is a scientific fact that David Wakeling (English Beat founding member and currently the only original member) is an EXTREMELY awesome guy, I'm not sure he necessarily deserves his title of "Legendary King of Ska". I can think of about 10 'ska legends' before he would even enter the picture, and ain't one of them a white dude from the UK. Legendary? Maybe. King? Hell no.

That said, between the Bosstones coming to Irving Plaza, The Pietasters playing on a boat (tickets), The Slackers also playing on a boat (tickets), and more Ska shows inevitably popping up, it's gonna be a good season for skankin' in NYC.

All English Beat dates (including a show in the Hamptons this Friday) below...

Continue reading "The English Beat tour dates & other upcoming ska shows"

by BBG

In Boston, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are like a religion. Now select cities in the US will break out the plaid when the reunited ska-core crew heads back on the road for a string of US dates that include Irving Plaza on August 24th with Teenage Bottlerocket and The Flatliners. Tickets are on sale.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones have a new-ish album out, Pin Points and Gin Joints, which surfaced late last year and is their first since 2002's A Jackknife to a Swan. Their full US trek so far, as well as some classic Bosstones vids, are below...

Continue reading "the Mighty Mighty Bosstones - 2010 tour dates (NYC included)"

by Andrew Frisicano

The slackers...

So I got to see the Specials in Leeds this may 24th. It was definitely a trip. I was sitting on a corner of the stage watching the band (minus Jerry Dammers). They came on the stage suddenly. John Bradbury did the opening drum fill of "Do the Dog" and they were off. They were launched into it like it was 1979. They seemed a little bit older but surprising well preserved. They mostly played the first album and the first half of the 2nd album. plus a couple songs off their eps.

I got to say i was impressed. I had seen some of the half reunions in the 90s and been underwhelmed. This time they seemed like they had something to prove. Hearing Terry Hall do "Friday Night Saturday Morning" made me think about being 16 yrs old again. It made me think about nights driving around San Diego looking for booze and a party in the 1980s. Their energy was profound. It was like seeing the dance craze movie unfold in front of you. All those songs. "Too Much Too Young." "It Doesnt Make it allright." "Concrete Jungle." [Dave Hillyard of the Slackers]

The Specials have confirmed their 2010 plans for a North American tour, with stops in L.A., Toronto, NYC and Coachella. In fact, the Terminal 5 show on April 21st is already sold out. Luckily, they've added another show at the same venue one night earlier, on April 20th. Tickets go on AmEx presale Wednesday, February 17th at noon. General sale starts the Friday at noon.They'll also be appearing on April 13th on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. All dates are below.

The Slackers opened for the Specials when they played the UK last spring. While the Specials have a new live DVD on the way, the Slackers are prepping the releasing of their new album, The Great Rocksteady Swindle, set to come out April 20th on Hellcat. It'll be their first album on the label in four years. Recent releases, including 2009's well-done b-sides and versions comp Lost & Found, have been on their own labels - Indication, Special Potato and the online label Whatevski. The latter recently put out an NYC Taper-recorded bootleg of the band's pair of holiday gigs at Knitting Factory last December. When one of the opening bands didn't make it through the blizzard that hit on the second night, the Slackers stretched into two sets with songs from all seven of their studio records. The band's tour plans include shows in Japan, the West Coast and Europe. Those lead up to a hometown record release show on June 4th at Highline Ballroom. Tickets go on sale at noon.

Slackers tenor sax player Dave Hillyard (responsible for the review above) has been playing around NYC with his Rocksteady 7 project, a mostly-instrumental group that plays a mix of early ska, jazz and latin music. He's pared it down to 3 (sax, congas & bass) for his show tonight (2/12) at Sunny's Bar (253 Conover St) in Redhook (the same band played at Spike Hill on Monday). Clips of the Rocksteady 7 in action are below. Slackers' frontman Vic Ruggiero also has solo shows coming up. Those and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Slackers tour dates & new album info, Specials add 2nd show"

by Black Bubblegum

Subhumans

U.K. anarchist punk collective Subhumans formed in the Trowbridge area of Wiltshire in 1980, comprised of vocalist Dick, guitarist Bruce, bassist Phil, and drummer Trotsky. The band enjoyed success as one of the more literate and musically athletic British punk ensembles between 1980 and 1985, occupying the middle ground between the Clash's political songcraft and Crass' experimental warfare. Through five full-length records on their own BLUURG label (The Day the Country Died, From the Cradle to the Grave, Worlds Apart, 29:29 Split Vision, and Rats) and six EPs (not to mention a bevy of D.I.Y. cassettes), the band challenged both the government and its people to not only rage against the world, but to improve it. - [allmusic]

Subhumans have reunited off and on since 2004 and are currently in the midst of a US tour with The A-Heads (their first US tour) which will take the band to the Knitting Factory in NYC on July 11th where they will team up with punks Witch Hunt. Tickets are still available. The next day, The A-Heads will play the same venue, but this time with a different headliner.... sort of.

OKAY, for the uninitiated, beginners, confused or curious, here's a quick explanation:

Citizen Fish = 2 members of Subhumans + Jasper + Silas (as of july 2006)
Subhumans = 2 current members of Citizen Fish + 1 ex member + Bruce
2 members of Citizen Fish were once in Culture Shock (Dick and Jasper)
Culture Shock contained one member of Subhumans + Bill, Nige and Paul (replaced by Jasper)
There yer go, simple innit. Clear as treacle. -[Subhumans bio]

Citizen Fish headlines Knitting Factory on July 12th, joined by The Ray Gradys (and The A-Heads). Tickets are still available for that too.

The Knitting Factory isn't the only NYC show for Citizen Fish either. They are also scheduled to be the secret guest (billed as "UK Punk Ska") with The A-Heads at "Phil & Erika's Wedding Bash" at Trash Bar on July 10th. Flyer for the show is below.

Subhumans are touring in support of the reissue of their entire back catalog via their Bluurg imprint. All remastered LPs are available through the band directly or via your favorite distro.

Full Subhumans and Citizen Fish dates, as well as a live video from earlier this year, are below...

Continue reading "Subhumans/Citizen Fish - 2009 Tour Dates (and secret show) "

by Black Bubblegum

DOWNLOAD: Sick Of It All - "Take The Night Off" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sick Of It All - "Borstal Breakout" (MP3, Sham 69 cover)
DOWNLOAD: Sick Of It All - "Relentless" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Sick Of It All - "Scratch The Surface" LIVE (MP3)

Sammy Siegler of Rival Schools (and CIV) @ at Irving Plaza (more by Tim Griffin)

Legends of NYHC Sick of It All, will headline Gramercy Theater on June 20th with Bane, Inhuman, and Capital. Tickets are on sale. Full SOIA dates are below.

Besides the SOIA show, Bane and Capital will also join forces with Crime In Stereo, Have Heart, The Agent, Backtrack, and Naysayer at Europa in Brooklyn on April 26th. Tickets are on sale.

In other news, Lou Koller (SOIA) collaborated in 1995 on Set Your Goals, the now out-of-print debut by CIV. Back in October 2008, we found out that there was some movement on the CIV front:

CIV [has stayed]... great friends and since we own our masters, we've been kinda stupid in that we haven't made it available. Since we broke up in 1999, our music has been out in any kind of organized way... digitally or anything. So I think we might put together a discography and just package it up really nice... we've got tons of content and photos... b-sides and videos. I think when that comes out, we will probably have an opportunity to do some shows, nothing on the level of a full tour or anything, but it could be fun. -[Sammy Siegler, Oct 2008]

Now comes word that CIV will release Solid Bond: The Complete Discography on May 19, 2009 via Equal Vision Records. According to Spinner, the 43 song 2CD comp will get "the box treatment". As hinted above, and again in the Spinner piece, CIV may do some shows to accompany the release. We'll keep you posted.

In other classic NYHC news, HR will headline day two of the Underground Revolution Fest at Gramercy Theatre in May. Reagan Youth, Kraut, Blanks '77, The Allstonians,Hub City Stompers, and many many others are also on the bill. Details and all dates below...

Continue reading "Sick Of It All dates, CIV discography release & the Underground Revolution Fest 2-day NYC lineup"

by Black Bubblegum

The English Beat

Yesterday we were talking about a reunion of The Specials, as part of their 30th anniversary. The band aren't touring in the US (so far), but another pair of 2 Tone bands are... The English Beat and Bad Manners. Tickets are on sale for a NYC show at Irving Plaza on Feb 6th, 2009... part of a larger late-January/early-February tour that will also take the band to The Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale on Feb 5th. And if you haven't planned your New Years Eve yet, The English Beat are also playing The Klein in Bridgeport, CT, on December 31, 2008 (tickets here).

For those of you who like your ska in heaping doses, The Knitting Factory has your fix with "3 Floors of Ska" on Dec 29th featuring Westbound Train, King Django, Hub City Stompers, Bluebeats, Royal City Riot, Bigger Thomas featuring Roy Radics, Void Union, Allstonians, The Attack & Skanotto. Tickets are also on sale.

All English Beat tour dates below...

Continue reading "The English Beat tour dates & the last 3-floors of ska @ KF"

DOWNLOAD: Team B - On My Mind (MP3)

Team B is the new musical endeavor of Kelly Pratt. While written and recorded primarily on tour with Arcade Fire and Beirut in 2007 and 2008, help was also found with his amazing friends Pat Mahoney on drums (LCD Soundsystem), Jon Natchez and Perrin Cloutier from Beirut, and Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire) on a track or two.

We don't have a label yet, but the cd is available now through this website, and will be available in a couple of weeks through other online outlets. If you want a copy just click on the link below and ye shall receive. Price is only $10 plus $2.50 for shipping (in the U.S). If you live outside the US please include $6.50 for shipping.
[Team B]

Check out the three songs streaming at MySpace. Download one of them above. Check out Team B live, TONIGHT (November 10th) at Union Pool in Brooklyn (11 pm). It's their first show ever, and they're promising it will be their last this year. The full band looks something like this:

Kelly Pratt (Beirut, Arcade Fire)
Tracy Pratt (Beirut)
Ryan Smith (Twin Thousands, Stars Like Fleas)
Jon Natchez (Beirut, Stars Like Fleas)
Jason Poranski (Beirut, FreeTime)
Mike Fadem (The Jealous Girlfriends)

Special guests have also been promised.

Jon Natchez's credits also inlude Shugo Tokumaru's live band, Bishop Allen, The Citizens Band, Escort and.... Skavoovie! Jon and Kelly also sometimes play together at venues like the Stone.

Mike Fadem's band The Jealous Girlfriends are going on tour with Nada Surf and have a NYC show coming up (Dec 10) at The Studio at Webster Hall where they also played during CMJ.

Stars Like Fleas have a track on Habitat, "a two disc set including 29 artists, covering the various manifestations of 'electronic music,' and produced as a benefit for Habitat for Humanity." You can get that at Asthmatic Kitty.

A video of Kelly, Tracy and Jon playing with Herman Dune at Union Hall below...

Continue reading "Team B (Kelly Pratt + Jon Natchez & other Beirut members) - an MP3, a Brooklyn show Monday"