Tag Archives: Punk

If You Make It, They Will Come

I am not shocked anymore when someone tells me about something I was not aware of.  There is just so much out there on the internets that I really need to rely on other people to point out the awesome to me.  With that said I would like to talk about an amazing website that my pal Josh pointed out to me called If You Make It.  More importantly I really want to talk about The Pink Couch Sessions.

No this is not porno...well not that I know of.

If You Make It is a website started by a music loving guy named Dave Garwacke who used to throw house shows in his basement but never really cataloged it. Realizing that there was no proof ever recorded Garwacke decided he wanted to start recording shows again but this time recording them on site for the world to see.  Seeing how he was surrounded with a circle of musical friends it was not a problem to start over and once he moved to Brooklyn he was able to start where he left off,  but this time with cameras.

After spending time recording shows and festivals Garwacke decided to start “The Pink Couch Sessions”.  These sessions were recorded in his very own home on, you guessed it, a pink couch (as well as a few on the road).  The result is an impressive intimate collection of broken down acoustic performances by many bands, some known and others soon to be known.  Some of the songs are even available for free download too!

Josh recently emailed me a link to a Pink Couch Session featuring a band I really like called Bridge & Tunnel.  I have been a huge fan of Bridge & Tunnel since the day the CD arrived at my front door and sadly missed a chance to see them live when they played a free house show at the Soggy Dog in Lakewood, OH.  Josh was there and from what he told me I missed one hell of a show.  Even if I missed it I am thrilled he sent me this link because now I know of If You Make It and am positive that it will be a weekly if not daily stop on my internet browsing habits.  There is just so much music caught behind the camera for me to even fully discuss.  It would be best if you just checked it out for yourself.

I have spent some time watching performances on the pink couch by many bands I really dig tonight as well as have been introduced to a few I really want to look in to more.  Here are a few I liked including the Bridge & Tunnel session Josh emailed me…thanks Josh.

Bridge and Tunnel – Call to the Comptroller’s Office from If You Make It on Vimeo.

Ninja Gun – Front Yard Screamers (Kitchen Kissers) from If You Make It on Vimeo.

American War – Bricks from If You Make It on Vimeo.

Bomb The Music Industry – Sadder Weirder from If You Make It on Vimeo.

The Measure [SA] – Unwritten from If You Make It on Vimeo.

More Music Videos…

I am just in a punk rock mood tonight it seems…  I guess that means music video time!  Here are some music videos recently I checked out hovering around the punk genre…  Enjoy!

First up is some live footage from a cover band called Filler a Minor Threat cover band that only played once to my knowledge. The band that night  was made up of some pretty heavy hitters in the punk world including Zach Blair (Rise Against, Only Crime), Luke Abbey (Gorilla Biscuits), Mike Herrera (MxPx, Tumbledown), and Rob Marchant (Riverboat Gamblers), and featuring vocals by Frank Carter (Gallows) and Sam Ghanbar (Complete Control).

This video was taken at Red 7 in Austin, TX at SXSW. Reason #78621654 why I wish Austin was the city I lived in…

Dirty Tatics from Philadelphia:

Dirty Tactics – “Highway Robbery” & “Bleeding Gums” from Punknews.org on Vimeo.

I found this Gastlight Anthem take on a Hot Water Music song on PunkNews.Org:

The Gaslight Anthem – “Trusty Chords” (cover) from Punknews.org on Vimeo.

The Real McKenzies – “Maple Trees Forever”

Pop Punkers Settle:

Millencolin – “Detox”

New Bouncing Souls Album In 2010!!!

2009 was the year of the Bouncing Souls.  They took the entire year to celebrate their anniversary as a punk rock band for 20 years by playing tons of live shows and also releasing a song a month available for download on their record label Chunksaah Records.

On January 12th all of those songs will be released on an album titled Ghosts On The Boardwalk for all the fans that never were able to download the tracks or pick up the limited edition 7″ vinyl records that the band pressed quarterly through the year featuring the songs.

I have heard most of the songs already and without going into detail yet I can tell you that they are all amazing.  The band may have two decades behind them now as a band but they have not slowed down one bit.  The tracks on this CD contain catchy anthem tracks that all Bouncing Souls fans can sing along to proudly and loudly.

My friends and I were just talking about the first time we saw the Bounding Souls play in Cleveland.  The foursome played a bill with NOFX and Hi-Standard at the Agora to rowdy crowd.  I believe the year was 1996 and even if the show is still fresh in my memory that was 14 years ago.  Ever since then I became a huge Souls fan and not one of their releases disappointed me.  I am thrilled these guys are still doing what they do.  It makes an aging punk rocker like myself appreciate them even more.

Recently the band played a Daytrotter session (that I was unaware of) and the songs they played are available for free download.  I love the version of Anchors Away” they bust out.  Good stuff.  Click HERE to check out their session on Daytrotter.

Here are a couple tracks that will be appearing on Ghosts On The Boardwalk.  Support this amazing band and buy their CD when it comes out!

“Airport Security”

“Ghosts On The Boardwalk”