Saturday, April 26, 2008

Paint it Black / Cloak/Dagger / Lighten Up! / Stay Sharp - 4.25.08

Siren Records, Doylestown
8PM

Heather and I made the trek up to Doylestown on Friday night for one of the more solid punk lineups in a bit. I was genuinely excited to see every band on the bill, and I'm not just saying that because I have friends in a few of them. We got there and grabbed some Rita's just in time to get in and see Stay Sharp getting started.

Stay Sharp are a newer punk/hardcore band from Philly, and I'm glad I finally got to see them live. The first thing I noticed was a slick gear set up, and it paid off because they sounded really good. Big and full, which is something you don't always get from an opening band. They had a fairly energetic set, with the singer bouncing all over the stage and everyone else looking excited to be playing such a solid show. They threw in a Warzone cover and closed with "Charge The Mound" (from their Myspace), and although the crowd wasn't losing their minds or anything, they seemed to enjoy Stay Sharp, so hopefully they picked up some new fans from their solid opening set.

It's been a long time since I've seen Lighten Up, which is weird, since they're one of my favorite local bands, and great group of dudes. I tried to remember, and I think the last time I saw them was at This is Hardcore back in April. I know they took a bit of time off, but it still has been way too long. Since then, they've added Colin (None More Black, Paint it Black, others) on second guitar, and it definitely beefed up the sound. Both he and Kev ran through a variety of great sounding amps, and their set sounded great, although a bit too loud. They played a handful of songs from their demo and I'd Rather Be Snoring 7", as well as some newer songs. They're recording soon for a full length on Jumpstart, which should be pretty awesome. Their set was quick and to the point, and I was glad to finally see them again.

Another band that it's been too long since I've seen is Cloak/Dagger. The last time I saw them was Fest, when they turned in one of the best sets I've seen from them. Last night was another good one. They mixed songs from last year's great We Are with some songs from their demo and 7 inch. They really didn't waste much time, and flew through their set, which seemed a bit short. Thankfully, they're playing Monday at Deep Sleep, so I'm hoping they play a bit longer. I also hope they have their new 7", since they didn't have it on their table when I walked by last night. Regardless, it was a fun set, and they sounded good.

Now, a band that I have seen a lot lately is Paint it Black, but they never disappoint. Last night was no exception. They came out with tons of energy on "The Ledge" and within minutes, Dan's mic had been ripped away and he had blood dripping down his chin. As with Cloak/Dagger, their set seemed a bit shorter than usual, but they ripped through it with the usual energy and intensity. Dan's banter and stage presence seemed a bit more aggressive than usual, and the crowd matched it, although the stage dives were some of the worst I've seen in a while. There was a 12 year old there who threw up some of the best of the night. Hilarious and great. They closed with the normal ending lately of "Memorial Day" and "Atticus Finch" but didn't play "Shell Game Redux" to set those up. Bummer. I didn't hear "Goliath" either, which they've been playing lately and I'm really loving. Either way, they played a great set full of energy and a good song choice. With as much as they've been playing the area lately, I assume it will be a while before I see them again. Hopefully that will be soon though.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Interview - Stay Sharp

Here it is: the first Go Sleeveless! interview. I sent out a handful of questions to Philadelphia area bands I'm friends with, or bands I really respect, and Scott, their bassist, was one of the first to respond. Stay Sharp is a fairly new punk band from Philly, and their recent recordings sound decent. On top of that, they have a killer show at Siren Records tomorrow, so consider this my endorsement for that.

1. Ok, you have friends in from out of town. What five places in Philly do you take them?
- Love park. Everybody I know has always asked about the LOVE sign. Invariably, I always will tell them how much Love Park sucks because you can't skateboard there anymore.

- South Street: South Street is always a hit because most of my friends like to poke around the stores there and take in Philly's own little Lower East Side, if you will. Most of them will always want to get a cheesesteak from Jim's. This is where I sigh because I don't eat meat and I have to make myself like their fries and or waiting in line for a thousand years. Always will stop by Repo because this will make my tour de philadelphia semi-interesting for myself since most people that visit me from out of town could give a shit about record diving.

- 6200 block of Osage Avenue. Normally people will say "Why are we driving to the ghetto?" Its a fairly simple answer. To show them the location where the PA State Police were ordered by then-mayor Wilson Goode to drop a bomb on a row home occupied by the MOVE organization (deemed a 'radical and terrorist' organization), which subsequently set an entire city block ablaze. Philadelphia isn't all cheesesteaks and LOVE signs; this usually has a nice jaw-dropping effect.

- Temple University. This was my alma mater. For people who haven't been there, it's great to show them this little part of my collegiate story nestled right in the middle of North Philadelphia. Besides the obvious self-indulgence this affords when friends ask me about my college experience, I also get to exaggerate when I field questions about what it was like going to school in the "hood."

- Fairmount Park. A breath of semi-fresh air in the middle of urban blight. Even though Fairmount park is teeming with violent sex offenders by nightfall, during the day its nice to take out-of-towners to show them the beautiful side of Philadelphia. If the regatta is going on that's a plus because then, again, I can make up answers about Temple's Crew team and pretend that I knew people on it and make up crazy stories involving me and Temple's Crew team members.

2. Favorite venue in Philadelphia to play? Favorite to see a show?
- The best show I've played in Philly was in a basement on 19th and Catherine affectionately dubbed "The Dust Pit." Stay Sharp played here in the beginning of April, and I thought that the 'dust pit' moniker was solely based around the fact that there's an excavation site (a byproduct of leveling a chruch - take that organized religion) across the street from the house.

I later find out that when amps are turned up to 10 and kids are dancing, drinking, and screaming along to songs, tons of (what looked like) asbestos dust mixed with fiber glass rains from the ceiling. It was awesome to play because the place was literally 10 x 20. Kids were smashed together, everybody was wasted...it was awesome.

For the burbs, you can't beat Siren Records really. What they are doing for kids up there, collectively, is amazing because younger kids just starting bands will always get a shot to play with larger bands, so its awesome to see how cohesive the Doylestown scene has become recently because of how great this venue and the kids helping to organize things there have been. Everybody gets a chance to play. It's hardcore/punk rock personified.

As far as seeing shows? I'll usually default to the First Unitarian Church, maybe because that's where I've seen most of the shows I've been to in Philadelphia. I love a good basement show though. Plan B House was an awesome place to see bands too because the house was big enough for everyone to fit comfortably and the kids there were extremely nice and awesome to talk to.

3. Favorite all-time show(s) you've seen in Philly?
- The Explosion's last show at the First Unitarian Church - August 30th, 2007, I believe.
- Paint it Black's show in front of Sailor Jerry's (13th and Sansom Streets)- April 10th, 2008.
- The Dan Stone Benefit Show (Little League, Horrorshow, One Dead Three Wounded, Blacklisted) at the First Unitarian Church - October 22nd, 2006.
- Philadelphia Sound Record Release Party @ the Pontiac Grille w/ Knives Out (last show), Paint it Black, Go! For the Throat, The Curse. October 2002.
- Coalesce HellFest Make Up Date (w/Turmoil, All Else Failed) at the First Unitarian Church - August 2005 sometime.

4. Top current Philadelphia area bands?
Paint It Black, Let Down, War Pigs, Lighten Up, Amateur Party, Towers.

5. Top all-time Philadelphia area bands?
Kid Dynamite, Affirmative Action Jackson, Go! For The Throat, The Curse.

6. What records are you loving right now? (Not just Philly bands)
Cloak/Dagger - We Are
Paint it Black - New Lexicon
Mother of Mercy - No Eden
The Steinways - Unoriginal Recipe
Let Down - We're In This Alone
Title Fight - Kingston
War Pigs - No Hope, No Faith, No Point
Stereolab - Dots and Loops
The Weakerthans - Left and Leaving
Off With Their Heads - Hospitals

7. Best food in Philly. Which is your top spot for each?
Pizza? Well, Andrew, now that Pizzafuse has happened, I think I can say I fully support Lazaros on 18th and South.
Burrito/Mexican? La Cantina on Passyunk, Los Jalapenos on 4th and Moore streets.
Cheesesteak (vegan counts)? Govinda's Vegetarian/Gianna's Grille (Broad and South, or 6th and South respectively).
Chinese? Mai Lai Wah or Jade Harbor in Chinatown.
Other? Go grab a beer at the Pope on 10th-11th and Dickinson if you want a diverse selection of booze and a lower-key atmosphere. Run up somebody's tab at Sugar Mom's in Old City because they will forget to charge you for everything you order.

8. Closing up, what do you guys have planned for the near future? Shows/records/tours/etc?
We're playing with Paint it Black, Cloak/Dagger, and our boys in Lighten Up at Siren Records on April 25th. REALLLLLLY looking forward to that. I think there's talk of recording a couple songs for either our own 7 inch, or a split with somebody else this summer. Whether it will be put out by Monkey Wrench (our guitar player, Bryon, runs this label), or by somebody else is all a tossup. As far as touring, there are a few festivals I'd like to try and get us on in the fall - I don't think I have to really say which ones, but we really want to play a lot this summer. I'm looking forward to everything there is to come.

4/25 - Siren Records
S. Main Street/Doylestown PA 18901
8pm/8bux
Paint it Black
Cloak/Dagger
Lighten Up
Stay Sharp



Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Paint it Black - 4.10.08

Out front of Sailor Jerry's, 13th and Sansom
8PM

Last Thursday night was easily one of the best night's Philadelphia punk/hardcore has seen in a long time. When I read a few months ago that Paint it Black would be playing out front of Sailor Jerry's, I didn't quite know what to expect. Other shows that happened out there had smaller crowds, but the prospect of stage diving out of trees was pretty damn awesome. As the show got closer, news started coming out... the street was being shut down entirely.

When we got to the show after a crucial Lazaro's/Rita's pre-show hang out, I had one of those "holy shit" moments. Hundreds of kids had 13th street completely full, and Paint it Black had their gear set up on the sidewalk, facing out towards the street. After about an hour of bullshitting and running into friends, I made my way towards stage right, almost directly behind a PA speaker.

As PIB came out, people started getting real excited, and climbing trees, street signs, and parking meters. As the first song got started, 13th street exploded. The first outlandish thing was Jeff Ziga hurtling from atop parking meter, leap-frogging the PA speaker, and falling out into the crowd, cracking a clip on the PA stand, and sending the speaker to the ground. From there on, total chaos erupted. Kids were throwing themselves all over the street, flipping out of trees, crashing into the band and their gear, and swallowing Yemin whole. I managed to sneak my way up to end up leaning on Andy's bass amp, and things were completely wild. Halfway through the set, Yemin proclaimed Philadelphia the best city in the country, and Andy and Josh started a "Fuck El Vez" chant, weirding out everyone at the upscale restaurant across the street. Everyone was excited, and the energy didn't really stop.



As far as the actual set was concerned, a solid mix of songs from all three full lengths was played, similar to what they played at the record release shows. I was really glad to hear "Goliath," as the more I listen to it, the more I'm bummed it was left off New Lexicon. About halfway through, Andy's bass input got demolished by something/someone, and the set was almost cut short. Luckily, Mike McKee physically held the chord in until some duct taped was procured, and the input was "fixed." They ended strong as expected, with all the big sing alongs ("Shell Game Redux," "Memorial Day"), and left kids screaming for an encore, which never came.



Overall, this was one of the most surreal sets I've ever seen. It's up there with the Paint it Black house show, and in terms of insanity, probably surpasses it. The set was great, the crowd was out of their mind, and the setting was something that will probably never be seen again by the city of Philadelphia. Hundreds of kids destroying a downtown street, while one of the best bands in hardcore rages, and cops stand by AND SUPPORT IT. Unreal.

Below are some exclusive pics that Robby Redcheeks sent me and some from Paint it Black's Myspace. For more, see his site, linked at the bottom.

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For the completists, here is a link to a .divx file of the entire set!

For other wild pics and videos, check out these links:
Robby Redcheeks
Mike Brennan
Fun Vampires

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Josh Small - Tall













Josh Small - Tall
Suburban Home

A few months ago, my friend Jon said to me, "I'm tired of people who don't listen to folk or punk trying to play folk punk." This is as true a statement regarding the folk punk explosion as you'll ever hear. Luckily, Josh Small listens to lots of folk, and plays it well. This record doesn't fall into the same genre as your typical Against Me! clones. Instead, Josh Small plays bluesy folk music that stands on the strength of its songwriting, rooted deeply in Americana.

For those that don't know, Josh Small is a singer/songwriter from Richmond VA. He's toured with a variety of bands, and recently has been playing in Tim Barry's touring band. Small is a talented musician, who plays guitar, mandolin, and banjo pretty extensively on this record, and plays these, as well as other instruments in a live setting.

Tall, his debut LP, is 12 songs that sound like Richmond. Josh definitely lives slow, and this album sounds like it was written in late nights on a front porch sipping whiskey, or around a campfire with some friends, and I mean that in the best way possible. This slow life is best personified when Small cries "If New York's all you need, you don't need me." Layers of honesty and downright soulfulness weave intricate stories and melodies that get stuck in your head, long after the record is over. At times, and this sounds strange, but I get a very Sufjan Stevens vibe from a lot of the songs. Small has an ability to turn a simple folks/blues song into a memory. Part of this honesty comes from the production of this. The layers of instrumentation is crisp and clear, and the vocals feel like they're in the room with you. The slight breaking and creaking of Josh's voice comes through in every word, and comes through as intimate and personal.

Really, I can't say enough good things about this. If you're into blues or folk, or even the more recent folk-punk boom, I would definitely check this out. My only problems with this album are slight. I think some of the songs run on a bit too long. Few song clocks in under 4 minutes, and while they're good, there are times when I just don't have the attention span. Secondly, I'm having a hard time finding this LP at a decent price. It's actually a double LP, and I'm sure it looks great, but Suburban Home sells it for about $25, which is pretty high, especially since shipping isn't included. However, I'm sure I'll be picking it up soon, and definitely if I find it cheaper.

"Damn, look at that porch!"

Blacklisted - Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God














Blacklisted - Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God
Deathwish Inc.

It can be hard watching a singer air his problems with an openness and I-don't-give-a-shit attitude. In this day and age, there's a good chance that heart-on-the-sleeve feeling is completely fake, produced by someone trying to seem desperate. Or, you have that feeling that sooner or later they're going to go over the top, and singing such absurdities as found on recent Hawthorne Heights singles. Thankfully, George Hirsch, Blacklisted's vocalist, is about as open and honest with his flaws as you can get. And on their newest LP, Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God, George lays his faults out for the world to see. Not only that, he relishes in them. And it couldn't be better.

Blacklisted was never really a band that I was too into. The first EP and full length (Our Youth is Wasted and The Beat Goes On, respectively) have their moments, but never really grabbed me. Last year's Peace on Earth, War on Stage, however, knocked me on my ass. Fresh off an almost breakup, with a revamped lineup, George and the boys dropped a 7" that was one of my favorite hardcore EPs in a long time.

Luckily, the newest LP picks up right where they left off. Only stronger. In the last year, Blacklisted has tightened up and written one of the strongest full lengths hardcore's heard in a long time. They come out punching you in the face on "Stations" and keep blazing through track after track. A dirty bass tone, and heavy guitars keep moving and show hints at old Blacklisted. But like Philly friends Paint it Black, Blacklisted have learned that the most demented and fucked up parts in hardcore aren't the loud ones; they're the quiet moments, when you learn to not play, but knock your listener on his ass. This record is full of moments just like that. Where breakdowns aren't pummeling, but warped all the same (see "Tough Test," "Wish," and "Circuit Breaker" among others).

And leading the charge into the demented is Hirsch. When he screams "Cause all I know is the downside" ("Memory Layne"), you know that he felt that. It's not MTV created anguish; it's legit. When he takes on religion and informs the listener/believer "We don't need Jesus to please us, it's not as comforting as you'd like to guess," it's beyond convincing. Hirsch even takes on marriage in "Matrimony," claiming "Tell me I'm childing all you want, I just want to love myself," and you know he's not selfish. He's truly searching for that spot in his life. And you, listener, have this search on wax.

Truly the most different track for Blacklisted, and the most honest for George is "Wish," the album's closer. The 3 and a half minute dirge wanders almost aimlessly, with no chorus, but the repetition of "wish" keeps it moving. And when the album closes with Hirsch screaming, "Wish the darkness didn't cloud me, wish I wasn't an emotional wreck," you know that you've witnessed a cathartic moment, recorded for the world to hear.