The Damned, The BelRays, Electric Frankenstein
Fillmore at Irving Plaza
May 14, 2009

It’s sad to say, but the number of living legends from the early part of  punk history is dwindling rather quickly. With the death of three quarters of The Ramones, Joe Strummer, Arthur “Killer” Kane, and (most recently) Lux Interior, the need to see bands that are still alive (and killing it on stage) is a must.

Luckily, the dark princes of punk, The Damned, are still vivacious as ever, churning out new records and putting enough emotion in their concerts to show up even the rowdiest new band.

The Damned made good on their cancelled December dates, returning with two pure rock acts in tow—Jersey street rockers Electric Frankenstein and R&B rave up act The BellRays. Read the rest of this entry »

“You can hate a hammer but it’s a good tool,” said Pat Todd, owner of independent label Rankoutsider Records (and front man for Pat Todd and the Rankoutsiders) when asked about the good and bad of South by Southwest. I had no idea what to expect from SXSW – how would it compare to lame-o festivals like Lollapalooza, Warped Tour and CMJ? Why the hell am I, a person who suffers regular, frequently crippling, anxiety attacks willingly surrounding myself by tens of thousands of people?

“Bands of our level spend $1000 to make $100,” continued Todd, matter-of-factly, when asked why independent bands go out of their way to play SXSW. The four-day music festival is undeniably good exposure, not just for bands that are looking for a label or management, but to get their music heard and their name out there. Todd said his label doesn’t pay to bring in its acts, they come in on their own dime and they don’t expect to make any money.

Rankoutsider Records solo artist Patrick “Salt” Ryan drove himself down from New York and seems to be enjoying the party atmosphere (I watched him do three shots of whiskey before his 12:30 p.m. set.) What a way to begin a four-day bender… I thought I should wait a few more hours before I began drinking but that plan lasted about a half hour. Read the rest of this entry »

Taste of Chaos
featuring Thursday, Bring Me the Horizon, Four Years Strong, Pierce the Veil
Nokia Theater
March 4, 2009

Check out the full photolog from the show on Flickr

I’m not the biggest fan of package tours under banner names. Sure, I’ve been to everything from Ozzfest to Sno-core, but I always find myself lost in a sea of mediocre music played by fly-by-night bands. I didn’t know this was the Taste of Chaos tour before heading through the Nokia Theater’s plush vestibule. I just knew New Jersey’s perennial hardcore legends Thursday were making a comeback and I wasn’t about to miss it.

And there’s no denying that Thursday is still on top of their game, pumping out volumes of melodic hardcore that sounds as good today as it did in the ’90s. The band took stage with little lighting and a ton of energy, pumping out tunes from all eras of their career, including tracks from their new Epitaph release “Common Existence.”

“Do you want to hear something old?,” singer Geoff Rickley asked the sweat-soaked crowd three songs in. “We’ve got a long set tonight and we’re going to be here all night.” The band tore into “Understanding in a Car” as rabid fans tackled security to touch Rickly as he pressed against the barrier.

The band’s new material is a bit complicated and you kind of have to work to love it, but live, the songs take on a whole new dimension. The layers of guitars, keyboards, and convulsion-producing strobe lights blend into a mesmerizing wall of beautiful music. Calling the band a hardcore Radiohead would be a generic comparison but it’s one that’s hard to ignore. Read the rest of this entry »