Monday, March 24, 2008

Jena Berlin / Young Livers - 3.22.08

Washington College, Chestertown, MD
8PM

Our trip to Marlyand started in Philadelphia around 2, and involved many pit stops before we actually made it to the show. The first, and probably most entertaining was a trip to Christiana Mall to grab a computer at the Apple store. There was also a good deal of shenanigans, as well as a meeting with Miss Delaware, who should have her crown revoked for poor grammar during autograph signings, as well as mis-use of the word "chong." Pretty poor pageant winner if you ask me.














After leaving the mall, Heather, Mike, Kev and Rhiannon and I all piled into Rhiannon's car and headed to our second destination - Capriottis. For those not in the know, this sandwich shop has outrageously great turkey sandwiches (both of real meat or vegan - sweet!) that are huge. We all grabbed something to eat and relaxed before the boring stretch of road into Washington College.















Washington College sits in a pretty bare stretch of nothing in Maryland, but let me say that Chestertown has a few things going for it. One, the porches there are unfuckwithable. Seriously, the best. There are also lax as hell liquor stores and pizza places with top notch mozz sticks. All in all, awesome!

We get to the show and hang around for a while, while various members of our entourage and Jena Berlin down whiskey and beers. A college that sells beer on campus! Wild. Eventually, Young Livers get started. I've written a bit about them on here before, and I really like their debut EP. I'm actually in the process of waiting for No Idea to mail it to me. So far, no luck. Hopefully it comes soon! They started with the first two songs from that record, "The Small Hours" and "Non Monumental," and played a good chunk of The New Drop Era. They also played a new song that was great, if not a bit more relaxed seeming. The energy was high, and they sounded tight and pretty huge. A little heckling went down, with my personal favorite being Kev's "You guys are from Florida? Where are your beards at?" They played a pretty short set, only about 6 or 7 songs, but they were really impressive, and nice guys on top of it.















Jena Berlin started next, and were the only other band of the night. As I said above, I love these dudes, and this set was no exception (even if it was a bit long for me). They started with a new song ("this is a song that Small Brown Bike probably would have written") and played a few more new ones than they did a few days earlier at the M Room. They also played a good deal of songs from Quo Vadimus and more from Passion Waits... than I've heard in a while. Most of my favorites were played, and I was glad they ended with "Truth About Liars," since I was bummed when they didn't play it on Tuesday. Jon was as energetic as usual, and they handled the good natured, but relentless heckling fairly well. There were a few too many "we don't have a setlist" breaks, but still a solid sets from one of my favorite locals.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Jena Berlin - 3.18.08

M-Room
8PM

This entire show was based off the bait and switch. It was originally said that this show was $8, or $13 if you wanted the AKAs record, which I didn't. We were also told that there would be free rum and vegan treats. When Heather and I got there, w found Kev wandering Girard Ave with a rum and coke. At least the rum was provided. We did find out that the show was $13 no matter what, and there were no vegan treats. Total bait and switch. Either way, we got there and lots of free rum was consumed by all of my friends. I was still bummed at the lack of vegan treats, but it was a great time for the first hour or so. Around 9, Jena Berlin headed over to the side room to start playing.

I'm going to preface my brief review by saying how much this band bums me out. I love Jena Berlin. As far as Philly bands go, they're easily one of my favorites, and their live shows are some of the best I've seen. Quo Vadimus, their full length from last year, was in my top three records of the year. However, this band is sadly underrated and not given the respect they deserve, even in their hometown.

They opened up with a song from Quo Vadimus, and played about 8 songs. Most of the set was from Quo Vadimus, but they also threw in one from the first record and two new ones. The new songs were great and good to hear, despite the fact that I probably won't hear them recorded for a while. There were lots of tempo changes and dynamic shifts in them. They kept the same sound as the previous songs, but with the evolution that they've come to show over the past few years. I hear they're going on break for a bit, but hopefully they get these songs recorded and put out in the near future.

Aside from the songs played, they sounded really tight, even as a four piece. Their lineup has been changing a lot of late, but they still sound great. Jon's voice sounded really strong and he was all over the place. He was diving all over the crowd and really energetic. Dave's backups were on point, and Jeff was spot on drums. Jesse was playing bass and did a good job, despite I guess being a fill in (maybe? who knows?).

The highlight (or lowlight, depending on how you look at it) came at the end when a ton of diving went on. Unfortunately, a girl in a wheelchair got dove on, and when messing around, another girl got shoved into a wall. This pissed her off enough that she punched Mike in the face, and a small scuffle broke out. Free rum and a wild band will make that happen! All in all, a fun night, and I can't wait to see them with Young Livers this weekend in Maryland.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Pink Razors / Amateur Party / Erin Tobey / Kick Rocks - 3.14.08

Circle of Hope (Back room)
7:30PM

I'd never been to a show in the back room at Circle of Hope. It's a ton smaller than the first room, but definitely a good space for a smaller show. The lights were out, and the only thing illuminating the room for most of the show was a few strands of white Christmas lights. It sounded decent, and despite my original thoughts that the "stage" set up was awkward, it actually allowed for a good semi circle to form around the band and everyone was packed in nicely.

Kick Rocks played first. They're the new pop punk band from Peter (Algernon, Peter & Craig, Velouria, P4, etc) and Craig (Elder, Towers, every band ever). They sounded pretty decent, although some of the lead lines sounded a bit off. They had three different vocalists, with good harmonies and slightly out of key pop punk vocals. The songs were short, but they strung them together well, and it was a solid set, which I think may have been their first. Since it's Peter and Craig, expect multiple split 7"s and cassettes and shows in weird places often. I'd check em out again.

Erin Tobey played a solo set next. She's the girl who joined Pink Razors last year (or before? I forget), and the set was just her singing and playing guitar, and the other guitarist from the Razors playing bass. Really, this wasn't my thing, and I just headed outside after a few songs to hang out with some people.

I'm thinking about changing this to zigaband.blogspot.com, because I feel like I write an entry about a Jeff Ziga band at least every other entry. This was another Amateur Party set, and much better than the last one. They opened with "Public Utility Complaint" and ended with "Sounds and Halls to House Them" and "Gun Fever," and filled the rest of the set with new songs. I'm getting bummed that they're not recorded yet, and it will be a while since Steve is going on tour with Off Minor for a few months. Anyway, other than a bit of good natured heckling from Mike and Kev, some of which threw McKee of his banter game, this was a really good set and I was happy to hear it. It seems like they'll be inactive for about three months, so hopefully my next Ziga entry will be Armalite (!) or AAJ (!!).

Pink Razors set up quickly and started with "Disapproval Rating" and immediately I could tell that they sounded better than the last time I saw them (at the Fest). Ever since their lineup shakeup, I've been hit or miss on these guys. I miss the gruffness of the singer that left, but sets like this one really turned it around for me. They played a handful of songs off of the LP and their EPs, but they also tested out a bunch of new songs, which they'll be recording with Steve Roche as I type this. Definitely sweet! They played "Sew it Seems" which is still a great song, no matter how many times I hear it. Hopefully they'll resume the "playing Philly every 6 weeks schedule" that they were on for a while, and I'll see them turn in more quality sets like this one.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

The Danger O's - Nineteen Ninety Four

The Danger O's - Nineteen Ninety Four
Creep Records











Nineteen Ninety Four is the second release from The Danger O's, and the first featuring one of my best friends from high school, Nick, on drums. Since the recording of this record, another old friend, Abe, has joined on guitar. I'm very happy that they're both playing music and doing something that they love so much. They seem really happy with the new band, and the new record, and I'm proud of them both.

Now, setting personal connections aside, and on to the actual record. The Danger O's play poppy, sometimes dance-inspired indie pop. There are moments that have the heavy bass and drums of more modern bands like Bloc Party, as well as classics like The Police. Lots of spacey, open guitar arpeggios and delayed Edge-inspired lines weave in and out of the complex drum parts. The vocals are hit or miss with me, but when he either really subdues his voices, or pushes it to the higher register, I really like it.

In addition to the standard three piece arrangement, lots of tasteful pianos, synthesizers, hand claps, and various percussion instruments add a lot to the mix, without overdoing it. None of the extra instrumentation is overwhelming, but they all supplement the songs perfectly. You can tell that this is a very well thought out record, and attention was paid to every detail, from instrumentation to vocal effects and harmonies.

There's a certain beauty to the two and a half minute long pop song. The perfect pop song is difficult to achieve, but when you do, there's a reason it's perfect. This is by far the most poppy project that Nick and Abe have been involved in, and they're striving for that perfect pop song. And on this record, there are a number of moments that come close. "Canada" is a song that should wouldn't sound out of place in a WB teen drama or one a romantic comedy movie while the date montage plays. "MFW" bounces along and feels like something The Beatles would write if they were just starting out in 2008. "Doomsday" alternates between a verse that sounds like Quicksand, and a much poppier chorus, and gives a more aggressive edge to the record and provides much needed tension.

The biggest problem the Danger O's have with crafting the perfect 2:30 pop song is that almost every songs pushes 3:30 or 4 minutes. Looking at the tracks, there isn't one shorter than 3 minutes on the entire record. Part of what makes a perfect pop song is the desire for it to keep going - wanting to hear it, even after it's finished. Unfortunately, one thing that I've noticed about a lot of these structures is the repetition of a chorus four or five times, which pushes it a little longer than I would like, and almost seems as if it makes the parts less memorable instead of strengthening the songs. While the songs and parts are generally impressive and solid, a little bit of economy with the choruses may help. Of course, that's just the opinion of a guy who listens to predominantly 2 minute punk rock songs.

All in all, I'm impressed with this record, having never really heard much of the first Danger O's release. I'm happy that my friends are playing such solid music, and enjoying doing it. Aside from the length of the songs (and the lack of lyric insert in the LP!), I have no major complaints about this record. Hopefully big things happen for these guys!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Strike Anywhere / Paint it Black / Riverboat Gamblers / Higher Giant - 3.5.08

First Unitarian Church
7:30PM

After yet another crucial pre-show food outing in Chinatown, a bunch of us made it to the Church right in time to see Higher Giant. This was their third show, but you'd never know it from the tightness of their performance, and how well written the songs were. Of course, this is to be expected when Ernie Parada (Black Train Jack, Grey Area) and Dave Wagenshutz (Kid Dynamite, Paint it Black, etc) are in the band. Basically, they sounded like a third Grey Area record, which is awesome. They played six or seven songs, and despite a few technical problems, sounded really good. Nice, tight song structures, great drum parts (duh!), and Ernie's high pitched vocals. They were a nice start to the night, and I really hope that they stay together. Something tells me that this will be a short lived project, but I'm reallllly hoping I'm wrong on that.

After a trip to Wawa, I caught a bit of the Riverboat Gamblers. I know a lot of people really didn't like them, but there was a small pocket of kids up front who seemed pretty excited. They were snotty, rock and roll-ish punk, but their singer kinda seemed like a total goober. Lots of mic tossing, and Mick Jagger strutting around. He also liked to climb on speakers and amps and whatnot, but then just kind of casually hop off. Lame. They had their moments, but overall I was pretty unimpressed.

The lights went down, and a dark, hip hop beat started over the PA, and Philly's favorites stormed the stage. Paint it Black ripped straight into "The Ledge" from their new record, and kids lost their minds from minute one. Their set had a handful of songs from the new record (mostly ones played at the release shows), and a lot of old favorites like "Nicaragua," "Cannibal", "Womb Envy" and "CVA." "Shell Game Redux" sounded great towards the end of the set (with Mike McKee doing back ups), and "Atticus Finch" seemed like a strange closer after the penultimate excitement, but as usual, kids went nuts and gave them a great response. As usual, Dan spoke a lot about political issues such as the upcoming election, Central American politics, and gentrification of urban areas, and Andy mentioned Ardmore. There's no reason that New Lexicon shouldn't be the best record of the year, and Paint it Black should really start garnering even more attention as one of the best bands playing punk/hardcore.

"We're just the Paint it Black afterparty," were the words of Strike Anywhere frontman Thomas when they started their set. It's been a while since they've been in Philly, and they had some huge shoes (Chucks?) to fill after the Paint it Black set. Unfortunately, I don't think they achieved it. The first sign of this came when they started with "Prisoner Echoes" from Dead FM. Don't get me wrong, I like the album, and it's well written, but it definitely lacks a lot of the energy of early Strike Anywhere. The group of kids piled up front were obviously into the newer stuff, but this didn't really incite much energy. As a whole, the set was a little heavy on songs from Dead FM and Exit English. The first four songs from Exit English were played, but so was "Til Days Shall Be No More" which I've never actually seen them play. There were a few old songs scattered throughout, and I couldn't help but make my way up to the front for "Timebomb Generation" and "Chorus of One." Closing with "Sunset on 32nd" was also a nice touch. While I would've liked a few more older songs, I can't entirely complain about the set.

On large problem with the set was Thomas' voice. It pains me to say this, but it sounded pretty damn bad. He's still an energetic frontman, and one of the most passionate players in the game, but he was shrieky and his voice kept cracking from the get-go. I've heard that he sounded stronger at other spots along the tour, but it was really tough at times. There would be moments or lines where it sounded good, and then it would kind of fall apart. It was kind of sad to watch a band that meant so much to you over the years turn in such an average set, but that's how I felt watching them. I traveled all over PA watching for the last few years, and last night was definitely the weakest set I've seen from them.

The show was a good time, and seeing so many great friends was awesome. I have high expectations for Higher Giant, and hope to see Strike Anywhere put on a better set next time I see them. Paint it Black killed it, as expected, and if I never see Riverboat Gamblers again, I'll probably live.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Petition / My Turn to Win - 2.29.08

Lunt Hall, Haverford College
9PM

I was glad to see that there was a show going on at Haverford. Even if these bands aren't really my particular style of hardcore/punk, it's nice to have a show within walking distance of my house. I didn't get to walk to this since I was coming after the show in West Chester, but hopefully more of these happen.

I got to this pretty late, and actually expected it to be almost over, but at about 10:30 I figured I could catch the end. Turns out that neither MTTW or Petition had played, so I was in luck. Two shows in one night and getting to see another set of friends play...awesome.

This was my first time seeing MTTW with the new lineup, and it was definitely the best yet. I've told Dave this before, but I've seen them play some pretty sketchy shows, and I was always trying to figure out who the weak link was. But seeing them with two guitarists, and a tighter rhythm section was good. Dave's voice sounded strong, although the PA was pretty low in the mix, and two guitars really makes them sound a ton fuller. I hadn't heard much of the new demo, but I assume that's what they played a lot of, or songs from the upcoming full length. I didn't notice much from the earlier demos, aside from a song or two. They also did their cover of "Ready to Fight," which freaked out a lot of the Haverford kids who wandered down and weren't really sure what was going on. Plus, Jess bled. A lot.

After a delay that was way too long, Petition got started. Straight edge. Sweet. This was especially awesome, considering the amount of drunk Haverford goobers, and "pigs" smoking inside. While I'm not too into this style of hardcore, as I said above, they sounded good and were definitely energetic. Highlights of their set include Josh giving a fuck you to the aforementioned pigs, Josh falling down while trying to jump, Dan Yost casually sipping on a straw in his milkshake with an absurd mustache, and closing with a Texas is the Reason cover ("Back and to the Left").

Not my particular style of punk/hardcore, but it was definitely fun to see some friends play in a new venue, which was pretty sweet and close to home. Good times.

The Danger O's / The Scenic - 2.29.08

Union Ramp Park
6PM

I got to this show pretty late, but ran into Nick outside, so it was good to catch up. We also had a nice awkward conversation with a handful of my students. Abe showed up shortly thereafter, and we headed inside. Even more students in there. Upwards of 20. Outrageous.

Anyway, I watched a few songs from The Scenic, who were good at what they do, but not really my thing. If it was about 7-8 years ago, I'd probably like them a lot more. They had a poppy, indie emo-ish pop punk thing going on, but really slick sounding (think Copeland or Mae). A little toooo clean for my tastes. But, they did have some outrageous gear, so they sounded really good, and nice and tight. They're not bad at all, just not really something I'm interested in listening to when I could just put on Clarity.

After they played, I grabbed my copy of Nineteen Ninety-Four, the free LP that the Danger O's were giving out to celebrate the release. Of course, taking it out to my car led to making my way through the gauntlet of students, but overall it was funny and pretty entertaining. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions to answer on Monday.

When I came back in, my brother, Todd and I grabbed a spot just to the left of the stage area, and the Danger O's got started. I was glad to catch a full set, since I'd either seen partial sets, or missed them completely multiple times. So, it was good to be able to watch some of my old friends in a new band, and have a blast doing it. Since obviously most of the songs were from the new release, I didn't know too many of the songs. Also, the PA was pretty shitty, which made hearing or understanding vocals pretty tough. The only one I outright recognized was the closer, "Dance, Dance Revolution Part 2." But, they were real energetic, watching Nick drum is always a blast, and kids seemed into them. They sounded tight, which with that style of music is important. Nick is a great drummer, and the rhythm section sounded good, which gives a nice base for the leads and open style of playing that Abe does in this band. So, being tight is pretty necessary, and they managed to nail that. Overall, it was good to see them play well and have people really enjoy it. You can check out songs from the new record, or order the LP here.