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You Down With The EG At The OG In The C(anton)?

22 March, 2010 Brian Mc 1 Comment

Saturday night I conquered new territory, saw a show, and got to hang out with old friends. It was a very quick and triumphant evening full of laughter, new faces, and 80’s/90’s sitcom references sung in the key of The Electric Grandmother (TEG).

Let me explain because I am sure you are scratching your head right now…

TEG, aka my great friends Pete and his awesome wife Mary Alice (MA), decided to grace the city of Canton, OH with their presence and play a show at a place called Old Glory (more on OG in a moment).

So what kind of music do they play? The answer is Sitcom-core. Take one part 80’s & 90’s sitcom love and add it to freaky beats and a roller-coaster of vocals that are pure raunchy yet hilarious. That is Sitcom-core. I should also add TEG has been doing their thing before Nerd-core was even fathomed – so no haters please, they are pros at this and honestly, it is way more entertaining.

The two person team is musically and visually entertaining with Pete belting out the singing and creating the beats while MA takes care of a slide show like no other that coincides with the music. It is like nothing you have ever seen or heard and you need to have an appreciation for cheesy ass television to even remotely have a clue. It’s fun and meant to be fun and they are also my friends so I guess that makes it even more special to me every time I get to see them.

Photo by Allsion Edwards — Photo by Allison Edwards

Aside from them making what TEG is, I have known Pete for half my life now and he along with Mary Alice are two of the most genuine people I know. Sadly I do not get to see them as much as I would like to as they reside in Columbus but we still communicate quite often. Needless to say when they told me they were going to be performing at a venue in Canton I was most than pleased and canceled all zero plans I had that evening to go and see them.

Now I am not familiar with Canton at all but thanks to my trusty GPS I was able to find Old Glory, at least I thought I did. The sign on the building said Old Glory Tattoos and for a quick moment thought I found the wrong place and was about to give the bird to my GPS. You see, I have a bad history of GPS’s taking me through the ghetto of different cities. I have driven through the projects of Baltimore once on account of a GPS thinking it knew the quickest route to a venue so once I learned that Old Glory Tattoos is now Old Glory I just laughed.

Old Glory is basically a DIY house. They are working on getting a liquor license so they can sell beer during shows and turn into a business but until then they open their doors to all who want to attend free of charge. Until that happens the venue is BYOB and smoking is welcomed (not a fan) since technically they are not a business. The owners of the place were super awesome and I wish I was able to remember their names but to make a long story short the place was a tattoo shop in a not-so-good part of town so he decided to close the shop up and open up something fun – a place where bands could play music.

There was no cover for the show as mentioned before but donations to the venue and the bands was accepted. Supposedly there were to be 5 bands all together that were to play that night but only 3 showed up and stayed. I guess one band showed up called Hollywood Lies (no link necessary, I am not going to promote them) and said they would be back but never came back. Apparently they played the Warped Tour and they were too good for OG. Kinda of a douche move if you ask me… It’s ok though because I did not want to see them play if they were going to have that type of mentality.

The neat thing about DIY houses is that there are loyal attendees that will always come out and see what is going on. Rather than have TEG play just to a handful of folk the owner of OG kept asking them to hold off and kept making phone calls. By 10:30pm there was a nice collection of music and beer lovers in the house.

TEG took the stage and immediately wowed everyone in the place with “The Day I Pretended To Watch Airwolf”. Those in the crowd who were there to see TEG knew what to expect but for all of the people that just came in unknowingly they were all very accepting of Sitcom-core to their virgin ears.

I admit I get nervous for my friend’s bands sometimes when they get on stage to a new crowd but I don’t ever need to worry about Pete. He is one of the punkest kids I know in life and he could really care less what you think about his music. He is there to have a good time and just do his thing. The folk in OG Saturday night really did get a kick out of TEG as they played though the night with”England-man American”,”New Coke Rap”, and also fan favorites “Car Phone” as well as a song dedicated to The Golden Girls. Throughout the songs MA kept the projections moving along with hilarious pictures that reminded all how corny yet memorable television and culture was in the 80’s and 90’s.

By set’s end the place was having fun and that is exactly with TEG came there to do. Giving away free CDs and making fun of the bands that did not show up to OG that night TEG was all about having a good time. TEG is not a gimmick by any means and what they do is for the love of performance, gratitude, and plain old generosity.

How generous? Well TEG is offering all of his synth heavy albums for free download. Yes, free. The following are a couple links to download his most recent albums. Check them out and honestly if you don’t like them delete them but I can guarantee that at least a couple of the songs will crack you up and who knows, you might just become a fan of The Electric Grandmother. It’s ok, I won’t tell your friends…but you should because it’s ok to like them.

Download This! – The Electric Grandmother – Listening Party
Download This! – The Electric Grandmother – The Stenographer
Download This! – The Electric Grandmother – Pee Sells But Who’s Buying

For more free downloads visit The Electric Grandmother’s website.

Be their friend on Facebook. TEG writes a pretty funny and to the point blog as well…

Here is a quick documentary done about The Electric Grandmother:

Download This!, Folk, Music, New Release, Punk, Review

Tony Sly – 12 Song Program – CD Review

21 March, 2010 Brian Mc Leave a comment

After 20 years of fronting well known punk rock act No Use For A Name (NUFAN), Tony Sly continues his passion for music with a different approach by releasing his first full-length solo album. Last month 12 Song Program dropped thanks to Fat Wreck Chords who have been associated with Sly for most of his career.

Having teamed up with Joey Cape on the 2004 split release Acoustic this is not a new territory for the seasoned punk rocker but is something that he has wanted to do for a couple of years now. Writing songs in the past that did not fit the NUFAN slot, Sly took recent down time from his band and started recording original material that ranges from folk to pop all with help from his trusty acoustic guitar.

Not going at it all alone on the album Sly received some help from other Fat Wreck musicians/friends including Fat Wreck owner himself Fat Mike as well as Dance Hall Crashers’ Karina Denike who lent her vocals to many of the tracks. The more mature approach was stripped down and not over produced full of many songs that would be perfect for an unplugged show at a local bar. With sing along qualities and in depth lyricism this album has a repeat playability written all over it.

Opening track “Capo, 4^th Fret” brought back memories of my obsession I had when I first heard the split album with Sly on his acoustic guitar. The track emulates that of a NUFAN song but of course slowed down and more personable with Sly almost giving reason why he is doing what he does. “I would live for the sake of others so they could do the same” finished the very lonesome track.

The more upbeat “Via Munich” carried along happy tune about feel good relationship while away. Quick and to the point, the track featured Swingin’ Utters‘ Darius Koski on violin. “The Shortest Pier” jumped back to a miserable feeling of hopelessness. “AM”, featuring Fat Mike, was one of the songs that stuck in my mind after hearing it. The song strayed away from sounding like the other tracks on the album with Sly singing at perhaps his most sincere.

“Expired” was an acoustic plucking jam that easily could aid in a drinking problem. Denike’s beautiful voice matched up with Sly’s towards the end followed by a sample taking from Taking Arizona all surrounded with piano. This was one of those tracks that deserved another listen immediately.

“Keira” was a likable whisper of a lullaby written by Sly for his daughter. “Toaster In The Bathtub” was full of witty comparisons to assist in cheering up a certain someone. This is one of those songs that is best sung with friends loudly whether Sly himself plays it or if it pops up on the jukebox.

“Love, Sick Love” was another choice track of mine on the album even if it was about going different ways. I could not tell if it was a flute or an organ but whatever instrument was used in the background just kept a certain chill throughout the song with Sly and Denike’s singing. The lyric in the song “putting out a fire with a flamethrower is strange” might be one analogy I should reference to more often.

Joey Cape helps Sly with vocals on “Amends” and as good as it sounded I was so disappointed with how quick the track was. At just over 2 minutes I was kind of hoping for a more extended cut of this track as I love hearing the two sing together. Honestly thinking about it, that would be my only complaint with the entire album; it was too short.

Closing song “Fireball” showcased Sly singing his loudest and perhaps most heartfelt over the other tracks. The sad song reflected hardship on someone who clearing was without home and had a void in their heart. The singing matched with the heavy strummed acoustic guitar playing made for one powerful song. If only there were more tracks on the album to keep that momentum going.

If you were a fan of the Sly/Cape split Acoustic, you will be a fan of 12 Song Program but if you are looking for an extension of NUFAN chances are you will not appreciate this album one bit. It is a punk rocker making music but to a different caliber.

Sometimes punk rockers who grow up trade in their beat up electric guitars and mellow out for a good reason. It’s not because they are giving up, it’s because they refuse to quit on all the talent they are capable of even if it means slowing down a bit. Case and point with Tony Sly who dropped a really great release start to finish. One needs to remind themselves that this is a personal Sly project full of his likable melodies and will rub off a little more unique than when he is with his band that finds a name not that important.

Download This! – Tony Sly ‘Via Munich”
Download This! – Tony Sly “The Shortest Pier”

Look for Tony Sly to be touring throughout the spring with other Fat Wreck Chords alumni including Teenage Bottlerocket and NOFX.

03/20/10 Austin, TX – SXSW Music Festival w/ Riverboat Gamblers, Teenage Bottlerocket, Cokie The Clown, Dead To Me, Smoke Or Fire, Banner Pilot, Cobra Skulls
04/21/10 Eugene, OR – McDonald Theater w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
04/22/10 Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
04/23/10 Billings, MT – Shrine Auditorium w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
04/25/10 Saskatoon, SK Canada – Odeon Events Center w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket ****SOLD OUT****
04/26/10 Winnipeg, MB Canada – Burton Cummings Theater w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket ****SOLD OUT****
04/27/10 Fargo, ND – The Venue w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
04/29/10 Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
04/30/10 Covington, KY – Madison Theater w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
05/01/10 Sauget , IL – Pop’s w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
05/02/10 Kansas City, MO – The Beaumont w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
05/04/10 Fort Collins, CO – The Aggie w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
05/05/10 Albuquerque, NM – The Sunshine Theater w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
05/06/10 Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre w/ NOFX, Teenage Bottlerocket
05/07/10 Las Vegas, NV – Sunset Station Amphitheatre – PUNK ROCK BOWLING w/ NOFX Teenage Bottlerocket, Fucked Up, Youth Brigade, Guilty By Association
05/19/10 Perth, Australia – Amplifier w/ Joey Cape
05/20/10 Adelaide, Australia – Fowlers Live w/ Joey Cape
05/21/10 Hobart, Australia – The Brisbane Hotel w/ Joey Cape
05/22/10 Melbourne, Australia – Corner Hotel w/ Joey Cape
05/23/10 Wollongong, Australia – Uni Bar w/ Joey Cape
05/26/10 Sydney, Australia – Annandale Hotel w/ Joey Cape
05/27/10 New Castle, Australia – Cambridge Hotel w/ Joey Cape
05/28/10 Caloundra, Australia – Kings Beach Tavern w/ Joey Cape
05/29/10 Brisbane, Australia – The Zoo w/ Joey Cape
06/02/10 Wellington, New Zealand – Bar Bodega w/ Joey Cape
06/03/10 Auckland, New Zealand – Thirsty Dog w/ Joey Cape

00's, 90's, Cleveland, Folk, Good Times, Live Shows, Music, Photography, Punk, Review, Rock, The Awesome

Concert Review: Frank Turner / Flogging Molly / The Architects – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH – 03/05/2010

6 March, 2010 Brian Mc Leave a comment

It was a sold out kind of night last night in Cleveland thanks to a couple of events that were going on. First there was the sold out Cleveland Cavaliers game going on at the Quicken Loans Arena. It was Sunggie night after all so you know everyone and their mother wanted to get a glorified Cavs robe and cheer on the hometown team. Apparently a new Guinness World Record was set for the most ridiculous looking people all in one place at one time. I’m sorry but being part of “largest gathering of people wearing fleece blankets” is not something that I want to think about in Cleveland on a Friday night.

Luckily for me and many other folk there was something much better going on just around the corner at the House Of Blues sans the Snuggies. UK artist Frank Turner and some Celtic punk rock band called Flogging Molly were playing a sold out show and I was a part of it. There was Guinness there too, the kind that is best served in pint glasses.

With many shows I attend I usually focus on the headlining act. Where I am a fan of Flogging Molly and always will be, this night was all about me seeing Frank Turner live for the first time. I am pretty sure I am the only person who was more excited for the one time punk rocker turned folk rock musician over the Irish punkers.

Opening act The Architects from Kansas City, MO started off the night with a bang. Having never heard of them before they grabbed my attention with their straight forward rock n roll styles. The foursome had great stage presence and the crowd rewarded them with constant approval. I later learned that three of the members of the band used to be in the ska act The Gadjits. featuring the three Phillips brothers. After hearing the Architects’ set I never would have fathomed them being in a ska band prior. Great set by a great band I hope to hear more from in the future.

To say I was excited when Frank Turner and his nameless band took the stage would be an understatement. With smiles on all of the band member’s faces they broke into “The Road” which just sounded amazing live. I am sure it is safe to say not a lot of the people packed into the House Of Blues knew who Turner was but after just a couple songs in the crowd soon learned about the UK sensation who openly admitted that it was his first time in Cleveland as well as offered apologies if the set sucked at he was fighting a nasty cold.

Pointing to the crowd for a volunteer Turner chose a young fan to play harmonica on “Dan’s Song” knowing fully that the kid never played the harp in his life. With a quick lesson Turner played the song alone on acoustic guitar and gave the honorary band member of the night “the look” when it was time for him to play. Sure it did not sound like the recorded version or anything close to it but it was hilarious.

Armed with his acoustic guitar Turner continued the night along with his band playing like it was his most important show of his career. He proudly yelled “Hello, Cleveland” to the crowd and fought his illness through each song. It was apparent how ill he was feeling but he kept trucking along through the set that included “Poetry Of The Deed” as well as “Love, Ire, & Song” as well as “Back In The Day”.

From where I planted my feet the fans around me all seemed to enjoy Turner who let many in on a little secret telling them all that is was not actually a folk artist but a punk rocker who plays folk music. Closing the night out with “Photosynthesis” I could only hope for a headlining show the next time Turner and crew come back to Cleveland. They put on a great show and I am thrilled to be able to say I saw Turner live finally.

Without a doubt everyone was Irish for the night as Flogging Molly is notoriously known for spreading the Irish cheer around with their likable Celtic punk rock sing along jams. Once the seven-piece took the stage it was clear how many people were packed into the venue to see them. Fueled mainly on Jamison and Guinness the crowd showed no sign of calming down throughout the set. Entertaining as always, Dave King pranced around the stage with Nathan Maxwell slapping the bass and the rest of the crew just playing a solid strong set.

I stayed for about the first half of the set and will try and post Flogging Molly’s set list on here the moment I find it. Remember, I was there for Frank Turner, so once things started getting really crazy I packed up and headed towards the exit. I have nothing against Flogging Molly at all but I have seen them multiple times and really am used to the good times they exhume. Being a proud Irishman myself I know all too well what an evening of Irish music and stouts can do to my body so I chose to play it safe. I am pretty sure not many followed my idea and are still battling the Irish flu today.

Speaking of flu it was reported by Frank Turner himself on Twitter that he had to pull from the Detroit show tonight so I am even more pleased I was able to see him last night.

Here is his Tweet he posted:

@fthc – MotherF***ER. Very sad to say I’ve got to pull tonight’s show in Detroit. Sick as a dog, no voice. A thousand apologies.

Get well soon Frank Turner and thank you for fighting through your amazing set last night in Cleveland. It was a highlight to my year.

Frank Turner Set:
The Road
Try This At Home
Dan’s Song
Reasons Not To Be An Idiot
Sons Of Liberty
Poetry Of The Deed
Love, Ire, & Song
Back In The Day
Photosynthesis

(I may have missed a song or entered the wrong one. Corrections always welcomed.)

00's, 90's, Cleveland, Indie, Live Shows, Music, Photography, Punk, Review, Rock, The Awesome

Concert Review: Alkaline Trio / Cursive – House of Blues – Cleveland, OH – 03/04/2010

5 March, 2010 Brian Mc 3 Comments

Pop punk rockers Alkaline Trio paid the House of Blues in Cleveland a visit on Thursday with special guests indie rockers Cursive as well as rock act The Dear & Departed. This was the second stop for Alkaline Trio who just started touring in support of their new release This Addiction. The line-up of the evening was an interesting mix but still it looked to be a great evening of music for all who filled up the venue.

Most commonly known as the guy who tattoos along side Kat Von D on the reality show LA Ink, Dan Under and his band did their best to warm up the crowd with their straight forward rock music. The crowd gave them the respect they deserved but it really did not look as if too many were really getting into them. A couple fans sang along and gave support but the energy level was still rather low.

Nebraska’s Cursive on the other hand played a solid, yet interesting, set that eventually caused a lot of cheer by the set’s end. Hammering through “Some Red Handed Sleight Of Hand” as later playing “Art Is Hard” the band threw on an absolutely amazing show. I especially enjoyed hearing “From The Hips” off their latest release Mama, I’m Swollen. Digging deep into their catalog the band even played “Mothership Mothership, Do You Read Me?” which absolutely floored me. It was clear though that not everyone around me was enjoying the indie, almost experimental, performance with a very vocal Tim Kasher but I will admit that there are some folk out there today looking into who exactly this Cursive band is.

Alkaline Trio took the stage in full force and started the night off with “This Addiction” off their latest release. The band looked so comfortable on stage and Matt Skiba and Dan Andriano shuffled about on stage as Derek Grant beat the hell out of the drums. Skiba announced in the middle of songs that he was at a photo shoot earlier in the day for some magazine called High Times admitting that “if it seems like I’m really stoned, it’s because I am.” Needless to say the crowd went berserk.

Adding to the energy of the night the band carried onward with an amazing set playing old and new songs. Seeing Andriano pick up the horn on “Lead Poisoning” was one of the highlights of my night for some reason. I really enjoyed that track off their new album but seeing it live just made me appreciate it even more. If that was not good enough, once the band finished that more poppy track they jumped back a few years and played “Mr. Chainsaw” only to return to new material again with “Dead On The Floor”.

Throughout the night I was continually impressed to see what song the band would play next. Hearing “Fuck You Aurora” and later the Manson inspired “Sadie” the set list just kept getting better and better and the band just hit every song head-on with almost everyone in the house singing along. Just when I thought think things could not get better the band played “’97”. At that very moment I was completely contempt with Alkaline Trio’s set.

The band exited the stage with fans pleading for one more song. I decided this might be a good time to make way to the back of the venue and to call it a night. As I was walking back the crowd exploded in cheer as the band did a little switch up with Skiba on drums, Andriano on guitar, and Grant on bass and vocals. The band appeased me by playing one of my favorite Misfits songs ever, “Attitude”. All I could say was “are you kidding me” and stopped dead in my tracks and started singing along with everyone else. It was the perfect way to end an amazing performance. I was a happy concert goer.

Alkaline Trio’s Set List
This Addiction
Armageddon
Emma
Dine, Dine My Darling
We’ve Had Enough
Lead Poisoning
Mr. Chainsaw
Dead On The Floor
Fatally Yours
Crawl
Fuck You Aurora
Goodbye Forever
In Vein
Continental
100 Stories
Sadie
Nose Over Tail
’97
Encore:
Attitude

00's, 90's, DIY, Live Shows, Music, Music Video, New Release, Pop, Punk, Review, Rock, Watch This

Alkaline Trio – This Addiction – CD Review

4 March, 2010 Brian Mc Leave a comment

Punk rock threesome Alkaline Trio (AK3) recently released their seventh studio album entitled This Addiction on their newly established independent record label properly called Heart & Skull. The label actually is a joint-venture with help from legendary punk record label Epitaph Records. AK3 stated that they took a step back into their punk roots this time while recording This Addiction and have also taken a lot of their personal ventures and incorporated them into this more DIY sounding solid release.

Starting off the album is the title track “This Addiction”, a pop-punk heavy track talking about love being more like an easily addictive drug such as heroin. The track is super catchy and keeps with the AK3 style that they have held over the years. Following was “Dine, Dine My Darling” a track clearly titled in favor of The Misfits.

Moving along with clearly somber theme was “Lead Poisoning” that featured an almost NOFX horn style solo that made the song stick out over others. “Dead On The Floor” was a dreary track speaking of high hoped love falling apart. Having been in the situation before of a blinded happiness I really took this song in and at the end was actually a little bummed out. Continuing the darker mood was “The American Scream”, a story about sadness and suicide with likable music throughout the track but just chilling to absorb.

Changing things up a tad was “Eating Me Alive” a more upbeat track with interesting synthesizer playing. “Fine” may have been a slower jam on the album but with lyrics like “it’s ironic that I drink to make my insides stop hurting” it was clear how personable the song about shrugging off the pain was. “Those Lungs” was a little heavier at the beginning but mellowed out into a tender track guaranteed to make a special someone swoon.

At just over forty minutes the album is enjoyable throughout but one would always appreciate more AK3 right? Luckily for fans who want more such as myself, the band also released a deluxe edition featuring acoustic tracks of “This Addiction”, “Dine, Dine My Darling”, “Dead On The Floor”, and an awesome version of “Fine” which to me sounds better than the original. A DVD is also included in the deluxe version showcasing a live performance of AK3 at the House of Blues in Las Vegas.

If you are a fan of AK3 and were not feeling with their last release Agony & Irony you might be surprised what the guys have to offer this time around. This Addiction is a worthy AK3 release and can easily be played over and over. With that said I might as well add that the album debuted at #11 on the Billboard Top 200 so obviously I am not the only one who has been digging This Addiction.

AK3 just embarked on a US tour with indie rockers Cursive as well as The Dear & Departed. Be sure to check them out when they hit a town near you. I’ll be there tonight in Cleveland and you can say that I am a little excited about being there!

Alkaline Trio Tour Dates:
03/03/10 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
03/04/10 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
03/05/10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Zoo
03/06/10 – Toronto, CAN – The Phoenix Concert Theater
03/08/10 – Clifton Park, NY – Northern Lights
03/09/10 – Hartford, CT – The Webster Theater
03/11/10 – Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero SOLD OUT
03/12/10 – New York, NY – Nokia Theatre Times Square SOLD OUT
03/13/10 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
03/14/10 – Providence, RI – Lupos Heartbreak Hotel
03/16/10 – Towson, MD – Rocher Theatre
03/17/10 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
03/18/10 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm
03/19/10 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
03/20/10 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Freebird Live
03/22/10 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues
03/23/10 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
03/25/20 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues
03/26/10 – Houston, TX – Warehouse Live
03/27/10 – Dallas, TX – The Palladium Ballroom
03/28/10 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
03/30/10 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee Theater
04/01/10 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
04/02/10 – West Hollywood, CA – House of Blues
04/03/10 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues

Clothing giants Hurley just released some special edition AK3 apparel. Check it out by clicking HERE.

Here are some of my favorite AK3 music videos: