On Saturday night a decently packed room full of troublemakers (old and young) gathered for a retrospective look at DC Punk as Cynthia Connolly and James June Schneider hosted a Banned in DC/Punk the Capital event at New Spire Arts.
I cannot express how special it is to have something like this happen in Frederick. With New Spire Arts and the soon to be completed New Spire Stages, this could really be the beginning of some pretty cool happenings in the area. The last extraordinary occasion in which our city was graced by DC Punk was 5 years ago when Fugazi and Minor Threat’s Ian Mackaye and his wife Amy Farina (the Warmers, Ted Leo) played as The Evens for an impromptu show at the Bike Doctor. Who remembers that? (Probably not as many as you’d think, the show seemed to fly under most peoples’ radar.) HOW AWESOME. IN FREDERICK? YES! Anyway, back to the present...
Connolly shows a photo she took of the Weinberg marquee in Frederick
when Fugazi played there many moons ago.
The evening began with a heartfelt statement from Frederick's own Andy Stout (Miss Lonelyheart) on how the event was made possible and his own relations and experiences to the DC punk scene over the years, including opening for some of the bands mentioned later on. Afterwards, Schneider discussing details about the upcoming film Punk the Capital before screening some outtakes from the project. It first included a legendary radio benefit fundraiser which The Cramps, Urban Verbs and The Chumps played that really got a lot of younger minds to embrace punk in the nation’s capital. Next was a bit on the rebellious and uncontrollable SNL performance in which Fear took the stage and incited a riot-like scene and destroyed a lot of expensive equipment, and for this we have John Belushi to thank as he recruited the band for the show (Connolly and other DC punks were in the audience. She recalled a funny tidbit where a pumpkin was smashed on stage right before the camera was cut off). One of the last segments that was especially relevant to Frederick was the zine section that went through many independent DIY publications discussing music, art and politics which is what Subversive Zine (who sponsored the event) has been able to do for some time now. All in all, I’m looking forward to when the full film comes out in the Spring of 2019.
Andy Stout opens the night and thanks those who made it possible.
Photo by: Tom Berard
Next, Cynthia Connolly presented two different slideshows based on the book she helped create and publish: Banned in DC. Her first slideshow consisted of her recent art and how the DC punk scene really influenced her current work and the DIY ethos that can inspire many to get out and do something, a recurring message throughout the night.
The second slideshow comprised of many photos from concerts as well as vintage show flyers and other saved music relics. Connolly discussed her experience in putting together the book and the trials and tribulations that nearly stopped the book from coming out - many publishers refused to put the book out because of its punk contents and mild nudity.
The coolest part of the event had to be the attendance of many locals who were involved in the punk scene in the time period the book details. Slickee Boy Marshall Keith, Marginal Man’s Mike Manos and prominent Cramps Bad Music For Bad People cover artist Stephen Blickenstaff.
All in all, Connolly and Schneider expressed the desire for everyone in the audience to continue making music/art and to support the local scene. It only takes a few people to impact the lives of so many.
Double Motorcycle - Fierce indie rock from a driven two piece. Singer and guitarist Joe Jalette’s whacky personality and quirky individuality in what he says makes the act so much fun live. He often cites what seems like the most random things he could possibly think of and takes the crowd into another stratosphere. Having also acted in a recent MET production, he truly is his own character. His voice is a unique spectacle that's often out of control and nonsensically fierce. Joe’s guitar playing rips and is full of raw energy. Colin McGuire smacks the drums with meaning and often sprints off stage to interact with the crowd (even standing on bar stools) to get them to clap along. This duo needs no help in additional members as they’re able to include every sensible indie element and run in their own direction with it all.
The Meer - Self described as psychedelic, alternative, indie and a number of other genres,The Meer has been around for a while now. I even interviewed them on this very blog a few years ago: I was so excited to finally catch the band live. Cool breakdowns and syncopated riffs rock their sound along with frustrated lyrics shaped by politics and a post-apocalyptic world. They switch the vocal duties and guitar/bass playing between Wanda Perkins and Jeff Orrence. Wanda presents that Breeders type vibe as many female fronted indie bands do, though she can easily channel any 90s Kim Deal singalike. Jeff's songs bring that Pixies uniqueness to the mix and his dissonant guitar playing create a musical melting pot. Paris Boyd's booming beats finalize the band’s impact. Yelly vocals are often reminiscent of Ian Mackaye if he was in a psychedelic jam band. The band draws influence from a diverse crowd of acts. They're experimental, arty, dark and fully their own version of who they want to be.
Miss Lonelyheart - I've had the privilege of catching Miss Lonelyheart on many occasions. You can find a write-up about them under my article for The Thing. This band is a tight knit group and it shows. Each member is clearly experienced in alternative rock and they sound straight out of the 80s new wave scene. Each vibration is concise and drives the band. They seamlessly transition between songs and are right on time, almost like a click track but more organic. They compare to a group like The Clash so much in that they can switch vocal duties and the upbeat punky feel is so tight and together that it doesn't miss a beat. The group is putting out new material produced by J Robbins (Jawbox) soon, so that’s certainly something to look forward to.
Bleach Bandit (Frederick, MD) - Straightforward ferocious female-fronted rock and a punky foundation with growly vocals. Their emo influence from their past project is evident and the angst dominates. Distorted guitar leads with simplistic bass lines and unique sparse drum parts. They really show the possibility of their diversity on a country influenced number I think they called "Trailer Park Blues", while the rest of the set is emopunky. The band's surprisingly skilled area seems to be slower finger picked guitar riffs with drawn out vocals full of passion.
Foxy Dads Foxy Dads (NY) - Dancey drum backing tracks and indie guitar meshes with energetic poppy vocals and downer lyrics. Pre-looped and live harmonies create dreamy depth. The songs are short and sweet as their set rolls through as such a fun live act with a lot of quirky dialogue. Catchy hooks make the band irresistibly fun and the keyboard sounds add a magical vibe to it all.
The Weak Days (VA) - Sporadic drumming results in smashing pumpkins type jams. Spacey guitar and rocking bass riffs complete the picture. Tense vocals are delivered from all members and single hammered guitar note solos wreck the soundscapes. The band delivers a real punch when it dives into the more math-rocky instrumentals; they’re loud and unforgiving. They ended on a heavy song about being emotional and seeking therapy, including an in depth discussion on how therapy really works vs how people perceive it. The moral of the story was to just to write a song and express your feelings - The song was their strongest by far.
Middle Kid (Frederick, MD) - Alternative/indie rock at its core. Middle Kid (electric) always comes through with the utmost musical strength. This time guitarist/vocalist Zack Willis is backed by two Silent Old Mtns. members: Pat Acuna on drums (solid backbeats and pure unleashed fury) and Andrew Bromhal on bass in his hot dog costume (dynamic and adaptable) . Willis always seemingly finds members that can fit into his sound and you never realize it isn't the permanent lineup. Some light hints of grunge/early 90s rock make themselves clear only in Willis' voice and the raging power. Entertaining banter from Zack Willis is a given when it comes to a electric middle kid show. He jokingly stated that the band was from Milwaukee, Dayton, Ohio, etc. after someone in the crowd shouted, “Where are you from?” and then exclaimed before a song, "I ripped off Roy Orbison for this baby". The second to last number featured a sit in guest of Sam Whalen (Silent Old Mtns, The Fun Boys) who added his signature on stage persona and incredibly rowdy voice.
Robert E Parilla Performing Arts Center (Rockville, MD) - Seats 509 in total. The lobby space is comfortable and quaint. Many benches are inside as you wait (tables outside too). It's a nice campus area with many places to walk around before a show. The theatre has a very homey atmosphere like you get from many art centered venues. It's in a great location with ample parking and is easy to get to, unlike some more clustered venue areas closer to DC. The more vintage architecture and lighting only add to the experience of seeing a band full of nostalgia. I had an amazing overall experience and would definitely recommend seeing a show here.
Two small setups of refreshments include a number of tasty choices including a decent selection of beers and some small snacks. When it's described as intimate, they mean it. Any seat in the house is ridiculously close (think small high school auditorium - and seats happen to be surprisingly comfortable. Someone before the show said, "It feels like we're at a talent show".
The Psychedelic Furs seemed to have a small merch setup for a band of their stature, I feel they could make even more money if they introduced pins, sweatshirts or other items, but the table did have some exclusives like a signed drum head. The t-shirt selection was surprisingly limited.
Liz Brasher (Memphis, Tennesee) - Soulful singing on top of bluesy jams that also lay down a funk groove. An exact example of following genres of days old and putting a new spin on them that helps the trio fit into a more indie based music world.
The vintage country influence is evident in slower tunes as the depth of each individual vocal note is full of emotional power.
I can envision Liz Brasher becoming a name in the realm of artists like Margo Price or Alabama Shakes if she can continue to embrace the nostalgic voice she has while also creating a sound that breaks down certain barriers.
She's reminiscent of many 1960's singers and clearly out of our time. Gifted as a multi-instrumentalist, she has great chops on guitar and piano (playing the Fender Rhodes beautifully and delivering that classic sound that's on so many famous recordings).
A great pick as opener for The Psychedelic Furs as too often you see an act that too closely resembles the headliner.
Psychedelic Furs - Lately, I have cut out a lot of suspense before I see bands as I obsess over setlists on setlist.fm, but this time I restrained and decided to allow myself the surprise. Some may think that ruins the experience but for me, it created an allure to the experience.
When The Psychedelic Furs come to the area, it's typically a place like The State Theatre, a standing room general admission venue with 850 capacity and a few balcony seats. A seated theater of 509 capacity is quite an up close opportunity to see them without getting sore feet from waiting at the rail. You'll pay double the price but the smaller, seated venue makes for a more relaxed, intimate show.
Before the show, one could hear many conversations of past encounters with the band, including someone trying to describe their sound to another. "It's like post-punk mixed with new wave but it's really just alternative rock". That didn't seem to clear things up much for that guy, but it shows how diverse and truly skilled The Psychedelic Furs are at their craft.
Dimmed hazy lights cover the stage as the legends appear. Opening with the energetic hit "Heartbeat" it gets the crowd going and their hearts pumping as most seem to remember when they first heard the song on the radio in the 80s. (OK, I'm pretty much the youngest person in attendance but I'm used to it by now).
The current lineup of the band, Richard Butler (Vocals), Tim Butler (Bass), Paul Garisto (Drums), Mars Williams (Saxophone), Amanda Kramer (Keyboards) and Rich Good (Guitar) is tight and together, really giving the songs life now more than ever.
A clear highlight over many other of their contemporaries is saxophonist Mars Williams who adds another dimension to the mystical songs like "Sister Europe".
Richard Butler's unique low and crackly baritone voice has held up and still sounds clear as it cuts through the mix.
It's hard to believe you are seeing a band of this importance when it's at a venue that makes you feel like it's an up and coming mid-level act.
"The Ghost In You" is as enchanting of a crowd pleaser as ever. The magic in the room for that song can't be overstated. The energy in the room was electric.
"Into You Like A Train" is the ultimate dance number and Richard, Rich, and Mars entice the crowd as they often close in on the edge of the stage to interact with fan and bring the experience closer.
The older crowd dies down and sits in their seats by the fifth or six song before rising for the anthem "Heartbreak Beat" which contains the first audible crowd singalong. This is my favorite Psychedelic Furs song and the 45 sleeve graced my Mom's bedroom door in her teens, making it a very sentimental song for both of us.
"Love My Way" stuns as Amanda Kramer hammers out the classic marimba notes (played by Todd Rundgren on the original track) on keyboard. Richard Butler still hits the signature high ahh-oos in the bridge.
Riveting bass lines and punchy drums drive many of the songs as the rhythm section of Tim Butler and Paul Garisto is truly a dynamic duo.
The stage was consistently illuminated with very fitting dark colors to set the tone of the songs and not much light was needed in such a small area.
Giving a slight giggle and seeming very humble every song was Richard Butler. Not much other crowd interaction nonsense was required, just pure rock.
"Heaven" delivered a euphoric chorus that had a few hugging their lovers and feeling really sentimental toward a band that may have shaped their youth in more ways than one. The gaze in they eyes of many of the crowd were fixated on the alternative rock legends.
The Psychedelic Furs ripped through all of their hits in a set of classic songs that please all the first time concertgoers and longtime fans. One song led right into another with a very straightforward direction and no time-killing banter.
"Pretty In Pink" is played as the first encore song but doesn't end their performance. Instead they end on "India" which seemed to throw some of the crowd for a loop, some just exited the theatre and headed home after hearing the gigantic 80s film theme song.
This was a very special concert for me as The Psychedelic Furs shape much of the music I listen to that my peers have never heard of. My mom shaped much of my musical taste and truly set me on the path for music that I'm now so dedicated and grateful for. A performance like this is truly inspiring and one I'll never forget... despite how jealous my mom was. Don't worry, Mom, I'll take you to see The Psychedelic Furs next time they're around. :)
Garbage is in my top five favorite bands and they have always been on my list to see live. This time around they played two nights (October 21st and 22nd) at the historic Lincoln Theatre in DC playing their critically acclaimed second album Version 2.0 in its entirety plus B-sides for the 20th anniversary. They did the same tour setup three years ago for their debut album.
Version 2.0 isn't my standout favorite Garbage album, but as I listened to it to prepare for the show in the months before I quickly fell in love with the songs and B-sides.
This show was general admission seating so getting there early was a priority for me. As I waited in line I heard one of the VIP concertgoers speak about the numerous times he had seen Garbage over the years. "This has to be the weirdest tour just in the sense that the songs are so slow and the set feels like it drags on a bit". Frankly I found the album did take a little while to grow on me as a whole, though I've always liked it since first listen. Upon entrance to the venue the layout, lighting and decor took me by storm. The venue lived up to the regal pictures I saw online while purchasing tickets. Front row seats were easily secured and now all that was left was waiting.
Garbage came out and started the night off with the B-side "Afterglow", a slow and dreary tune that set up the perfect emo/goth tone the album often embraces. Most of the crowd lived the first few songs through their phones.
The first feeling of crowd energy and excitement came at the third song played, the opener to Version 2.0 "Temptation Waits". One of the strongest songs on the album, the crowd singalongs to the chorus of "You come on like a drug - I just can't get enough - I'm like an addict coming at you for a little more - but there's so much at stake - I can't afford to wait - I've never needed anybody like this before". A brilliant display is painted in the song and the enthusiasm seemed to kick in.
The set list didn't follow the traditional album order. The band pieced the songs together in such a way that you never knew what emotions would be felt next.
"13x Forever and "Get Busy With the Fizzy" were a great pair of back to back B-sides played next. Butch Vig's dominating drums and the ever adaptable guitar duo of Steve Marker and Duke Erikson were on top of the songs the whole night.
Songs were often proceeded by prerecorded audio and quotes from various sources. This heightened the impact of a gut-wrenching ballad like "Medication". The theme of depression and getting through hard times is one repeated on the album, so you can only imagine what Shirley must feel singing some of the songs, she often looked as if certain songs really hit her.
"I Think I'm Paranoid", "Push It" and "When I Grow Up" were dispersed toward the end of the pre-encore set. The crowd erupted when each hit was played and the band owned the stage as you could feel the experience in these songs as they are typically played on other tours whereas most of Version 2.0 doesn't see the light of day. Getting the opportunity to hear the lesser played songs was amazing for any super fan.
"Soldier Through This" and "You Look So Fine" were standout songs diving deep into the potential of Garbage as a band. They often create so much sonic depth and transcend into something so surreal.
An interesting part of the show was the covers played. Some were originally B-sides while others were played in the middle of other album tracks. An enchanting and heartfelt version of Big Star's "Thirteen" was my favorite. Garbage's version was even praised by songwriter Alex Chilton himself, who wasn't please by most covers of the song. Another brilliant cover was the fuzzy and spacey rendition of The Seeds' "Can't Seem to Make You Mine". Others that were played included Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus", The Kinks' "Tired of Waiting", Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Happy House and Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams".
A reoccurring issue throughout the show was Shirley Manson's frustration at the sound mix she was getting in her in-ear monitors. She often took one out and plugged her ear to sing and shrugged and grunted at the sound man. From what I've heard this has happened at other shows on this tour as well. Personally most artist I have seen use in-ear monitors always end up taking them out anyway, when they could easily use earplugs and on stage monitors instead.
"The Trick is to Keep Breathing" started the encore as the band returned to the stage. Manson explained she had gotten the song title from a novel and dedicated the song to anyone going through a tough time and reminded everyone that you have to remember the special things in life.
Aside from Version 2.0 and its B-sides, Garbage did grace the near sold out crowd with three other songs. The James Bond theme "The World is Not Enough" being played early on and they would end with the other two during the encore.
"#1 Crush" was played as an "audible from the printed set list and was a pleasant surprise.
"Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)" was played last and Manson expressed her distaste with the current happenings in the fight for gender fluidity and equality. An uplifting message that had the crowd applauding loudly and it was quite the way to end the night.
If you ever have a chance to check out a show at the Lincoln Theatre, you should definitely shell out the money. A great venue experience.
Nowns - One man project (guitar and vocals). Backing tracks with heavy hitting drums and dominating bass/synth parts keep everything pounding and on track as the rest is disjointed in a magical mangled noise fest. These backing tracks are clearly a painstaking programming process as they are every bit complex.
Straight up rock with a twist on unconventional guitar parts (think jangly indie pop). Dazed with lots of spacey sounds and high frequency guitar. A slightly whiny voice somehow stays in the constraints enough to sound like some sort of acid dream. The set ended on the coolest and absolute crazy version of "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star. At least that's what I think I heard... even with earplugs the buzzing becomes instilled in your ears.
Evil Sword - The band was dressed in grey robes beforehand to disguise what was to come. An ominous backdrop with the silhouette of leafless trees and pointy prop fences set the mood. The show opened with a siren-like high pitch frequency to build suspense.
The members lurched down the guido's hallway dressed in costumes: one featuring a giant monster head mask. The show began with a slam poetry like intro with creepy dialogue. Pots, pains and even a metal chain were thrown at the ground and slammed against each other in the most nonrhythmic fashion.
Demonic chants lock in to the most disjointed yet calculated drumbeat. Drums, trumpet and bass all played into the sound along with many unconventional percussion instruments (bells and more). The band mended punk with more complex math rocky basslines and drumbeats. Other instruments like whistles were used, seemingly anything was a perfect fit for their sound (even a small recorder or piccolo flute).
Everyone was covered in some sort of creepy makeup (black and ashy, apocalyptic). This is a pure stage show and far from a gimmick. Dropping drumsticks purposefully and many other stage antics made for the most exciting live experience. Evil Sword was chaotic and wild fun. They are a must see.
Slow Groan - Throat singing that elaborated on the classic sound you usually hear with lyrics full of comedy and introspective hilarity. Played an interesting two string electric instrument by sliding a bow like some sort of psychotic violin with more mid range. Every possible sound and genre that the normal person would find to be intolerable is simply an interesting and engaging mix as the act switches each song/dialogue bit.
On Saturday night a decently packed room full of troublemakers (old and young) gathered for a retrospective look at DC Punk as Cynthia Connolly and James June Schneider hosted a Banned in DC/Punk the Capital event at New Spire Arts.
