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(09/13/14 7:28pm)
With the 10-year anniversary of Riot Fest this year, Riot Fest has definitely pulled out the big guns in bringing some of the best bands from many punk sub-genres that get way too specific.
Since I’m going there this weekend, I thought it’d be fun to make a wish list of the top ten bands I plan on seeing, with some justification behind it.
1. Weezer
Weezer has become a staple in genres ranging from (in the) garage rock, college rock, early emo and that whole “indie” scene. With Riot Fest’s celebration of having bands performing some classic albums in full, Weezer was chosen to perform the entire Blue Album live. If that isn’t enough to make you say “neat” then keep in mind that the band has had quite a lot of secrecy behind their latest album coming out. Everything Will Be Alright In The End reaches stores on September 30th
2. The Descendents
One of the most important bands that came out of the punk/pop-punk big bang, The Descendents will be performing all of Milo Goes to College live. That’s right, all 22 minutes of it. Given their hour-long time slot on Saturday evening, this leaves room for many more classics to be heard. The Descendents have left a lasting impression on music as a whole, and without a consistent schedule of touring, the band leaves us with a handful of festival dates here and there, and Riot Fest is one to be reckoned with.
3. Mineral
Mineral is one of those bands that sometimes gets overlooked in the 90s emo era for miscellaneous reasons* (*excuses). All excuses aside, the band just announced earlier this year that they have reunited and have planned a string of shows with support from more modern acts Into It. Over It. and Foxing. With two very important LPs under their belt, Mineral is what you should be watching on Sunday evening, not Dads.
4. The Get Up Kids
Along with Mineral, The Get Up Kids are another one of those early emo bands that have influenced a generation and a half of sad kids everywhere. Another one of the 10-year anniversary bands, TGUK will be playing the iconic Something to Write Home About in its entirety. Sometimes leaning towards a more pop-punk sound, the band’s presence and five-
LP repertoire is nothing short of a legacy. The Get Up Kids will be playing Saturday, and they’re playing at the same time as Wu-Tang Clan and Dashboard Confessional. Wasn’t an easy decision by any means.
5. Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight has separated themselves from the Victory Records scene that they were tied down by through a risky move of basically breaking up. Not too good for business, but they reassured their devoted fans that they weren’t disappearing, just hiding. The band announced that they would perform festival dates from time to time, and it looks like Chicago got lucky with their presence. I’ve never seen a band live quite like Streetlight Manifesto, with its healthy combination of ska and punk and a much classier songwriting methodology not matched with their neighbors in Reel Big Fish and Big D and the Kids Table. Streetlight’s live show is massive, with a full horn section and musical virtuosity throughout the board. No member lets down and each song is a bit of a wonder.
6. Pussy Riot discussion panel
Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina, two affiliated members of the politically-driven Pussy Riot are doing not a show, but a discussion panel on Friday afternoon with the legendary Henry Rollins as a moderator. As far as music as a form of social movement in recent memory, no act has really stirred as much attention as Pussy Riot, and it truly is a treat to have such a
historical discussion panel held in Humboldt Park. If you’re not too busy being crabcore at the We Came As Romans set, be here.
7. The Hotelier
The Hotelier released 2014’s Home, Like Noplace Is There through label Tiny Engines. Since their name change from The Hotel Year and release of the album, The Hotelier has really blown up in the punk/emo scene. Already being seen in many “Best Albums of 2014 (so far)” lists, the small band from Massachusetts will not be small for too long. I know you all love saying “I saw them before they got huge” because I do too, so definitely check them out before they become all mainstream or whatever.
8. Saosin w/ Anthony Green
The “w/ Anthony Green” part is necessary, because there are a lot of people in this world that never really thought that Anthony Green would be playing with Saosin ever again. With Translating the Name as the Mecca of Anthony Green+Saosin greatness, and with as unstable of a band Saosin is, who knows if a performance like this will ever happen again.
9. Title Fight
Title Fight is basically opening up the festival for me, playing at 3:30 on Friday afternoon. The band has never disappointed with their live show, with a relentless fan base that is not afraid to walk all over your head. The band has recently transitioned from its pop-sound of earlier releases to a more Joyce Manor-y punk sound of 2012’s Floral Green and smaller releases since then. The band is planning a new album to come out soon, so who knows maybe you will hear a new song, along with an absolutely killer live set no matter what they play.
10. Andrew W.K.
It is often an overlooked fact, but Andrew W.K. actually coined the term “party.” If there is anyone whose life should be remembered as one giant party, and also the only person whose
funeral should likewise be a giant party, it would be Andrew W.K. Known for hits such as “Party Hard,” “Long Live The Party,” “It’s Time To Party,” “Party til You Puke,” “Party All Goddamn Night,” among many other party-related songs, it’s evident who likes to party. If you’re ready for a great time, Andrew W.K. will undoubtedly provide it for you.
Miscellaneous bands who kind of made the list but I don’t know if I will actually see them
The Pizza Underground – Macaulay Culkin (yes from Home Alone) and his pizza-themed Velvet Underground band.
GWAR – just because I want to get covered in blood and also see how they’re still a band since their singer died.
Slayer – just the kind of band I feel like everybody should see at some point in life.
(02/19/14 11:11pm)
With the Oct. 22 release of Inside the Sea EP, Buffalo's Pentimento has been touring relentlessly in efforts to raise awareness of their sound and of their words. As one of the most promising up-and-coming bands in the punk scene, the quartet has been turning heads with their relatable lyrics, merciless live shows, and comedic relief of their social media usage.
Here is a music video for "Almost Atlantic," off of their first full-length release, Pentimento:
Mike Hansen, the drummer, lyricist, and background vocalist of the band was able to take some time and answer some of my questions that I asked him about what it is like to be in a nationally touring band, among other things about the band.
TJ - As a band that has been blowing up pretty quickly in your scene, you guys have been on a handful of supporting slots in recent tours (Less Than Jake, Real Friends, Reggie and the Full Effect). Are there any plans for a headlining tour coming up?
Mike - We've definitely talked about it, but we're not sure if the time is right just yet. Truthfully, we're still an extremely small band - and I'm not sure we're at the point where a headliner would make sense yet. We'd like to dedicate our time on the road to as many solid support slots as we can land. But it's not entirely out of the question.
TJ - A very striking feature of the band is the amount of honesty and passion that you put into the lyrics. Who does the majority of the songwriting, and how difficult is it to come up with these lyrics that so many of your listeners connect to?
Mike - Thank you so very much. So far, I've written all the lyrics on our releases. It's something I put a lot of effort into, because I believe that the message of the song is what carries the entire band. The point of putting words on a page (for myself at least) is to try and achieve a moment of clarity, or to be as honest as possible, even if only for a moment, in a way that may not be possible for me otherwise. As far as the difficulty goes, that's hard to say. Some songs take months to feel complete, others are out in 10 minutes, others simply never feel right. It's all about getting to a place where you can be totally transparent with yourself, and that alone will carry over to those who are kind enough to listen. If you're telling the truth, people will pick up on it. Part of the craft that I try to apply to my writing style is saying things in a way that can be applied to any situation, or any person at any given time. It's a line you have to walk between making an actual point and just being vague. It's important to me to try and connect with others and share the thoughts or feelings I have because I believe that's what being human is all about.
TJ - Another question about songwriting, what do the songs do for you as individuals? In other words, how do the words make you feel, and do the songs have an almost healing power for you guys?
Mike - They're all very cathartic for us as individuals. We all have to believe in it in order to put it on a record, or go on stage and play the songs every night for however many weeks at a time on tour. It's very important that we all connect in our own ways personally to these songs just as well.
TJ - For social media, you guys are one of the hardest working bands and most dedicated to your fanbase. You almost always respond to everyone that talks to you guys on Twitter. How difficult has that become to keep up with, and what kind of satisfaction do you guys get out of it?
Mike - As the band grows, it becomes more to keep up with. But by the same time, it literally takes no time in the grand scheme of things to spend a little while responding or joking around to the people who are cool enough to give us the time of day. It's literally the very least we could do. People really appreciate us making the effort, and what we get out of it is the satisfaction of knowing that we have one more avenue to meet and talk to people who care about us. Building those relationships is great because it translates very well organically - which we feel is the best way to push the band forward. Every night, kids come up to us and talk about our interactions with them on social media. It may seem silly, but what it means is that they came to the show. That's why it's so fulfilling. It ends up meaning that one more person shows up in support of Pentimento, and even though it may be because of twitter or tumblr or whatever, the point is that they're there - and now we've made a real human connection that transcends how bullshit social media platforms can be.
TJ - Your most recent EP Inside the Sea contains four of the best songs that you guys have written. Stylistically, though, it wasn't much different from your self-titled release. Are there any plans to record in the near future, and if so, are you guys going to try to evolve and mess around with your sound?
Mike - Glad you think so! That's tough to say. We are still working to find our sound as a band. It's important for us to maintain the things we really enjoy about the band while at the same time improving on the things that we feel we could do better. Hopefully the next batch of songs shows a progression while still staying true to the style we've worked to come up with.
TJ - I promised that I would talk to you guys about Waffle House. There is an evident sense of humor in the band from your Twitter page along with interviews and other videos online. Is that sense of humor something you all share and bond with?
Mike - Of course. None of us take ourselves very seriously at all. Having fun is what this is all about at the end of the day.
TJ - You guys were recently announced to be playing Bled Fest in Howell, MI this summer. After having to drop from the show last summer due to the Less Than Jake tour, how do you plan to make it up to everyone that was hoping to see you last year?
Mike - We actually had to drop because of a short run we got to take with Boysetsfire and No Trigger, which was incredible. Those bands influenced me a ton and still do to this day. It feels so great to get back and play Bled Fest after having to miss it last year. The first year we got to play, the atmosphere was unreal. This year's line up is the coolest that it's ever been - so there's no doubt that it's gonna be amazing.
TJ - The band has had some issues in the past with different record labels fighting over you guys. Despite the romantic triangle that has formed, has everything been resolved, and do you have any future plans with Paper + Plastick, or any other labels?
Mike - All that stuff was just part of the learning process when growing up as a band. It's far behind us now. Right now, we're working with P+P on a repress of our self titled LP, and soon another pressing of Inside The Sea.
TJ - As one of the hardest-working bands in the pop-punk/punk/emo scene right now, do you have any advice to smaller bands that strive to reach the level that you guys have reached?
Mike - All you need is three chords and the truth.
TJ - And beyond that, what do you guys strive for? Either as a whole band, or as individuals, or both.
Mike - We strive to make the human experience something special. Life is a beautiful thing if you let it be. We do our best to never stop working on ourselves and allowing that to translate to how we treat the experience of the band. It affords us the chance to keep it real, appreciate every moment of our opportunity, and do whatever it is we do to the best of our ability. We have no illusions about who we are or the size of our band or anything like that. We're just here to give back to the community or scene and all the people inside of it who have done so much for us over the years by teaching and influencing us on what it means to be a human being.
(02/13/14 4:53am)
For the first time in a couple of months, Charlie Patton’s War, the local blues-rock quartet, is returning to a hometown stage. The show is being called “Charlie Patton’s War and Friends.” The friends being alluded to include Brown County Bible Band, Little Timmy McFarland of Flight 19, and of course all of the blues-lovers making their way out to The Bishop on a Thursday night.
Doors at 8:30 p.m., music starting at 9:30 p.m., and located at The Bishop Bar (123 S Walnut Street), it’s hard to think of a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day a few hours early than going out and dancing to CPW’s unique mixture of heavy blues and classic rock. The show is 18+, and entry is only $5, so for those of us that hate children and spending money, this event is a perfect opportunity.
Charlie Patton’s War consists of members Aaron Frazer, Blake Rhein, Justin Hubler, and Kyle Houpt. Each member a master of their instrument, audiences are consistently mesmerized by the perfect combination of skill and catch that Charlie Patton’s War has developed since their formation in 2010. Over the past few years, the quartet has turned into a local powerhouse writing unimaginably catchy tunes that likewise impress even the oldest blues aficionados.
In April of 2013, the band independently recorded, mixed, mastered, and released their self-titled first full-length album. Charlie Patton’s War is eleven tracks long, and they are eleven good tracks. Each song specializes vocals from Frazer or Rhein, heavy drumming and keys, and technical guitars that don’t run too far from traditional Delta Blues. Some crowd favorites from this album include “Say Ya Mine,” “Git Gone,” and “Friscoe Ride.”
Talking to drummer and vocalist Aaron Frazer, I asked him a few questions about his excitement for the show and the future for Charlie Patton’s War:
TJ - After coming back from quite some time of touring the country with CPW, what are looking forward to most about doing a hometown show?
Aaron - Playing for a hometown crowd is playing for family. So much of what we've achieved is owed to the people here in Bloomington. They're the ones who have supported us from our start in nasty basements and who've helped us hone our sound. Traveling and playing is a really special thing and we're all so grateful to have the opportunity, but it's hard to top home field advantage.
TJ - Likewise, do you have any worries/concerns for this show?
Aaron - No concerns whatsoever. The Bishop has consistently been our favorite venue in town, and when you're playing for friends/hometown fans, the biggest concern is really just putting on the most raucous show you can bring.
TJ - What’s in the future for CPW, as far as new music and/or more touring?
Aaron - The future is more recording and more touring. We're working on preparing material for our sophomore album. It's a challenging process because our last album features material developed over the last 3.5 years. We're aiming to finish this next album by June. We don't try to look too far into the future, but we love touring and look forward to more traveling.
TJ - Can you tell me one of your favorite memories of touring?
Aaron - On this last tour we headed to the southern United States and the highlight for all of us was definitely our 2-day stop in Clarksdale, MS. Clarksdale is the home of the "Hill Country Blues" and musicians like Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside. Their style is a big influence on our sound. So it was really awesome for the audiences in that town to give us such a warm reception. We played at an old cotton gin converted into a hotel called the Shack Up Inn and the owner put us up in a beautiful old house on the edge of the property for a couple days. The house actually wound up being owned by Charlie Musselwhite (the famous harmonica player). So yeah those couple days were really special.
TJ - What kind of advice do you have for local bands that aren’t quite at that regional level that you guys are at, if any?
Aaron – Develop a strong fanbase in your hometown, because you'll have a crowd that always comes out to support you. Other than that, record early and often. The internet is a ridiculously easy way to reach a huge audience fast, so utilize it.
Little Timmy McFarland of Flight 19, the very interesting garage-folk mash project of Daniel Talton, will be taking the stage at the Bishop promptly at 9:30 p.m. Following him will be Brown County Bible Band, a likewise unique mixture of “progressive, psychedelic southern-ambient jams.” And of course, Charlie Patton’s War will be closing the night with a live performance that is definitely one worth seeing, especially for only five dollars.