Bomb The Music Industry (Live In Philly 11/18/09)

On Wed night, I headed down to South Philly's Ava House to see Bomb The Music Industry on their "Bring Your Own Band" tour. On this tour, Jeff reverted back to BTMI olden days, where he would go on tour with just an MP3 player, and anybody who wanted to play along could bring their instruments. Unfortunately I did not have a kazoo or a triangle to play along.

Curtis Irie

When I walked in, Curtis Irie had already taken the floor, and was playing their slightly psychedelic reggae/dub. The band consisted of only a guitarist and a drummer, but somehow, they made their sound bigger than they actually were. Having a sound and voice that reminded me of Slightly Stoopid or Pepper, they actually played pretty tight, even though the smoke detector was going off for the majority of their set.

Greek Favourites

Punk hardcore in the veins of Outclassed, The Greek Favourites put on a hell of a show. Poppy punk guitar undertones with heavy screaming over it all, The Greek Favourites definitely had a bit of a following, which broke out into a pit throughout their set (hell, I joined). Definitely catch them if they come around your area.

1994

Now I know I've said some mean things about Lancaster in the past, but finally, something decent coming out of that god foresaken town. The band 1994 plays (for lack of a better term) post-punk, sounding a bit like bands such as Transit. Having a very midwestern punk influence to them, 1994 played a solid set with a few dedicated followers. They had to keep taking a break after each song, and at one point, I was semi-worried their drummer was actually going to die (I don't know if he was playing really intensely or just simply out of shape).

Definitely interesting, and not usually my style of music, I actually dug 1994, and plan on checking out some of their recorded work.

Bomb The Music Industry

The reaon I came out in the first place. I wasn't sure how the show was going to pan out with just Jeff, an ipod, and random people who brought their instruments, as I've seen them before with this setup, and while fun, it was a total shitfest. This time however, the one bassist and Jeff played a surprisingly tight set, full with constant pile ons and pits.

Jeff opened the show tuning his guitar to some rap song since he forgot an actual tuner on the tour ("Tuners are for wimps. Actually, Agnostic Front probably uses tuners. If anyone here is in Agnostic Front, I don't mean you, you could probably kick my ass"). Playing a collection of songs from all of his albums, I seriously thought Jeff was going to knock a tooth out with the way the crowd was rushing him and the mic (I am also guilty of this).

I heard a lot of songs that I don't usually hear them do live, including "Syke! Like Is Awesome", and "I'm a Panic Bomb, Baby". It was a fun show, even with me landing head first during crowd surfing (oh the dangers of shows).

Setlist (not complete or in order):
-493 Ruth
-Blow Your Brains Out On Live TV!!!
-It Shits
-Fresh Attitude, Young Body
-Can I Pay My Rent In Fun
-Showerbeers
-25!
-I'm a Panic Bomb, Baby
-Syke! Life Is Awesome!

Mp3:
Bomb The Music Industry- I'm a Panic Bomb, Baby!

Wed. Night Drinkball:
Bomb the Music Industry - Scrambles
Mustard Plug - In Black and White
Mustard Plug Interview

Buy:
Quote Unquote Records

A "Why The Hell Not" Mix

Taken By Dimitri Torterat from this site

Here's a random collection of songs for you to jam out to today, because why not?

Mp3:
Bouncing Souls – Sing Along Forever
Blanks 77 - Long Paper
Bedouin Soundclash - Gunships
Embrace - Money
Anti-Pasti - Six Guns
The Faction - Lets Go Get Cokes
Teenage Bottlerocket – Bottlerocket

More Mixes For The Hell Of It:
Songs to Piss Off The Personal Fitness Trainer Below Me Mix
Drunken Yuppies Breaking Into My House Mix

Buy:
Interpunk

The Toasters, Mustard Plug, Voodoo Glow Skulls (Live In Philly 11/13/09)

On Friday night, I headed out to Philly's Starlight Ballroom in order to catch the Ska Is Dead Tour (a tour that I have caught practically every year it came around since their first one). After getting rained on in line, I got in free because some nice dude had an extra ticket and just gave it to me, makes up for the $20 I lost at that venue!

Most people there seemed to be there for locals Last Martyrs of a Lost Cause, who announced that this would be their final show. They had a fill-in lead singer who seemed to do pretty solid, but I never really liked this band's music, so I can't give a fair recap.

Deals Gone Bad

Chicago ska-reggae. I've never heard DGB before, but I was impressed with their energetic, fun set. They seemed to have some problems during the sound check, but you definitely couldn't tell once they started playing. Their music reminded me of The Slackers or Ruder Than You. Definitely check them out if they come around your area.

Voodoo Glow Skulls

These ska core veterans have been at it for a while, and after seeing their set on Friday night, these So-Cal dudes definitely still have it. The space cleared for a skank pit once the band started, and while it seemed many in the crowd didn't really know their music, the few dedicated who did kept things moving (ok, at times, I was the only one moving... but I was going nuts). The band played a collection of songs, including Fat Randy and Charlie Brown. One of my favorite live bands, Voodoo always is high energy.

Mustard Plug

Christ, I've been listening to these mo-fos for ever now, and was stoked to finally get to see them for the first time since last year's Ska is Dead tour. When they first started, their sound levels seemed to be off, and the band seemed to be lacking their normal energy, but within 3 songs, they were back to their normal high energy show. Playing a solid setlist (although again, they refuse to play anything off of Yellow #5).

Setlist

-You
-Go
-Hit Me Hit Me
-Mendoza
-Waiting Room (Fugazi Cover)
-Skank By Numbers
-Vodka (New Song)
-Lolita
-Rat Bastard
-Mr. Smiley
-Brain On Ska
-On and On
-Beer

The Toasters

The show was running late, and it wasn't until a little after midnight that NYC's The Toasters took the stage. Because of this, a lot of people cleared out of the venue, and only a few handfuls remained. Shame, because the band put on a sweet, energetic ska set. I swore to myself I wouldn't skank anymore after Mustard Plug (because of injuries due to previous sports games) but that was thrown out the window the second they took the stage. A good set, see them if they come around.

MP3:
Mustard Plug - Go!

More Ska:
Mustard Plug - In Black and White
Mustard Plug Interview

Buy:
Interpunk
Ska Is Dead

Dead To Me - African Elephants (For fans of None More Black, Lawrence Arms, Dillinger Four)

What an eccentric collection of songs. Dead To Me's latest album: African Elephants is one hell of a whirlwind. There's been a lot of jib-jab in the bowels of the internet about Dead To Me being stripped down to a three piece, and how it has changed the writing style of the band. Quite honestly, I'm not familiar enough with their old releases to compare, so I'll give an unbiased *cough* ignorant *cough* opinion on the album.

While Dead to Me definitely writes some solid songs, African Elephants lack any sort of flow as an album as a whole. While this doesn't take away from the songs themselves, you can easily throw the "African Elephants" on random and not be able to tell the difference.

I hear traces of Jay Reatard, Bedouin Soundclash, Dillinger Four, and even the Planet Smashers on African Elephants, yet the styles aren't mixed and the influences only stretch as far as the one track. Incredibly hit or miss musically, some songs shred (like reggae opener "X" or Good Riddance inspired "Nuthin Runnin Through My Brain"), some are completely unlistenable, particularly Nirvana wannabe "Blue".

With such a variety of songs, you're guaranteed to find something on here that you really like, along with something that you'll probably hate. Check African Elephants out, but be warned that it definitely is a grower.

Mp3:
Dead To Me - X
Dead To Me - Three Chord Strut

Midwestern Elephants:
Nofx - Coaster
SNFU - In The Meantime And Between Time

Buy:
Fat Wreck

mc chris - Part Six Part Three (for fans of Mc Frontalot, Mc Lars, Totally Michael)

Rapper mc chris is back with his 3rd and final installment of the "mc chris goes to hell" series: "Part Six Part Three". It seems like on every installment the cartoon rapper takes influences from a different source, and this time around he's pulling influences from more modern rap and Atari bleeps.

While I usually hate skits on albums, the ones that have been featured in this series have actually been pretty funny, and his off-colored humor rings through on Part Six Part Three as well. From the harder "Hipster Hunter" that attacks the oh-so-trendy living in Brooklyn to the incredibly nerdy Atari love ballad of "Distant Lands", Part Six Part Three is an enjoyable listen, although I don't think of quite the same caliber as his previous two EPs.

MP3:
mc chris - hipster hunter

mc chris FTW:
mc chris - Part Six Part One
mc chris - Part Six Part Two
mc chris is dead

Buy:
mc chris