The BGN News Archive

My Own Worst Enemy with new drummer Joshua Pickering

Blowfish was out and about this week and he writes: I thought I’d get some sounds in before the bad weather on Monday so I went to Great Scott’s on Sunday which had Trophy Lungs, always an attraction for me. The club was half full of people who seemed to be waiting for Scream, one of the original Discord bands. The people never left their seats during the two bands I saw.

Silver Screams

   Silver Screams were a combo of punk and hardcore. They got their name from the lyrics to Alone by The Dammed. They were raw and had a lot of sharp edges to the sound. Where they excel is pumping out the energy and putting emotion into the singing. They started with four songs in a row hitting everything like a jackhammer. They kept at it despite the audience not leaving their seats. I will say the crowd did give them a good response, they were paying attention.
    Silver Screams got a good song out of a bass line on Climbing Mt Rumpke. (Similiar to The Beat Goes On) All their recorded songs are a good representation of what they're doing. Check 'em out on Bandcamp

Trophy Lungs

   Trophy Lungs have been on an upward swing, getting attention for their shows and their new record. I’ve seen them quite a few times and this time they still have all the things I liked from the first time I saw them at O’Brien’s in August of 2013. There is a difference though, now they're more pumped up. The sound, which has always been good, is now tighter and hits harder. Overall the sound seems like it should be coming from a much bigger stage. Watts is like that too. These groups are ready for the next step up if they can get the opportunity to get there.
   Trophy Lungs did material from their latest album Day Jobs and ended with Bathroom Graffiti from that and then their first single Dad's Away On Business . A great set of pop punk that got another good response from the seated fans.
    I didn’t stay from Scream but I assume people got up for them.

   My Own Worst Enemy has had a hiatus because their drummer left. Friday at the Midway they set up a show to mark their reentry into steady gigging.

My Own Worst Enemy

   MOWE took the first set. The great news that was obvious from the first song is that the new drummer,Joshua Pickering, is a perfect fit. He hits heavy and makes the group rock harder than I remember. He plays in a traditional way but when the songwriting gets quirky he goes with it. He’s not afraid to leave spaces for effect. He also has a great personality and makes comments engaging in stage patter; all good.
   It was a pleasure to hear MOWE doing their indie oriented songs. One I loved was called Peter Buck. MOWE often write about rock personalities some of them local and they’re the ones that make you listen closely for the lyrics. The song that sums it all up for me is Paul Revere one of their later songs. It’s Boston centric, arty and alternative in all the best ways. I can imagine a group playing it at The Underground in the early 80’s. They ended by covering Prettiest Girl which was initiated by them seeing the Hoods not playing it at the Hometown Throwdown.
   They do it all without a bass player and seeing how they do that is half the fun.

Overlake

   MOWE brought in out of towners (New Jersey) Overlake. I couldn’t find any music on line from them so I had no idea what they would sound like. Turns out they were a psych band. I’ve seen a lot of them lately and I’m still liking it. Overlake had a few tricks up their sleeve. They could be very delicate but would break out in a fury at any time. The guitarist had a lot of technique. He always played two and three note chord shapes (no six string chords) that he plied with loads of reverb.
   In one extreme example of what they do, which was breathtaking, they played an airy song for a few minutes and without a hint suddenly pummeled their instruments as hard and loud as they could. The initial slam was jolting but then they continued for about two minutes with no diminution. After half a minute you recouped your wits but then looked in wonder as it went on. The drummer was flailing like the Tasmanian Devil. Talk about an attention getter. They got a great response from the audience. I felt there was a Band Crush going on for these guys.

Gene Dante and the Future Starlets

   It’s been a while since we saw Gene Dante and the Future Starlets. We saw them in 2008 a while before they were runners up in the 2009 Rock and Roll Rumble.
   The first song called Love Letters Are Dead (from 2010) had all the characteristics that make the group so appealing, as did every song. The whole set is of a piece. They are a heady mix of glam, Bowie and musical theater. Gene Dante looked striking in a black velour jacket with glitter trimmed eyes. He choreographs his hand gestures and poses to illustrate the lyrics.
   I still recognize some of the same band members who are all superior. The drummer plays crisp and clean with a classic snare sound. She seems formally taught. The guitarist feeds endless Mick Ronson/Ziggy Stardust era licks with ease.

Gene Dante and the Future Starlets

   Between the songs and Gene Dante’s performance you get completely hooked. Hand Me Your Razor has an irresistible chorus. We Are All Whores makes you laugh with its audacious chant of the title. I sort of wanted to leave early but my feet would not move, this was too entertaining. The last song was A Madness to His Method. That's the one with those great lyrics: “I am gorgeous, and free of disease”. The way he sings “gorgeous” (even more dramatic than the recorded version) is full of an overblown theatric in a Bowie style. Dante does more with that one word than other singers can do with a whole set of lyrics. These songs can be found at GeneDante.com - well worth a look folks.

   I left with When Particles Collide still to come. That was one great line up.

And in other news

   We wish a speedy easy recovery to Corin Ashley who had a stroke earlier this week! He is in the hospital recovering. Here's more on Vanyaland

Jan Crocker's vid of the Police at the Rat 1978

   WOW !!! Make sure to tune in to Brian Young's A Crash Course for the Ravers this coming Saturay Jan 16 coz he's gonna have Jeff Connolly of the Lyres on...um, that should be interesting. That's WMFO 91.5 1-4PM.

   From Please Kill Me here's some great vintage (the 70's) viddies of The Ramones, The Dead Boys and Blondie at CBGBs.

   And talk about vintage here's Jan Crocker's viddy of the Police at The Rat. Unnatural Axe opened for them...awesome crowd shots!!

   There's gonna be a Lemmy Tribute or LemmyFest at Once. This Saturday 1-16. Once is continuing to increase it’s presence on the scene and doing it with creativity. They're coming up with clever themes and ideas that make for special nights. They have an art show by musicians coming up in April 1. See listings below, and that's followed up during the rest of April by the Rock and Roll Rumble which they have scooped this year. Also Chetstock 2 is gaining more steam with more groups being added all the time (check listings below). That's at Once as well. And of course there's the every Tuesday Heavy Metal and pizza night.

Here's some good shows coming up this week.....

January 11 (Monday) The Kock Ups, A Bunch of Jerks, Guilloteenagers, Gravel and Carissa Johnson at Opus Underground in Salem.

January 14 (Thursday) There is the unusual show called A Journey Into Bliss: An evening of melodic exploration, feelings detection and psychedelic cinema. It described as “Film, music, and discussion curated by Anna Feder. An evening of melodic exploration, feelings detection and psychedelic cinema.” It’s in the Magnolia Room in JP on Thursday 14.

January 15 (Friday) Thee Sonomatics and The Black Souls are at Beatnik's, Worcester (433 Park Ave)

January 15 (Friday) Hope Anchor, Diablogato, Petty Morals, and Craig Wreck are at Firehouse 13 in Provi RI (FB event page)

January 16 (Saturday) Brian Young's A Crash Course for the Ravers has Jeff Connolly of the Lyres as a guest! That's WMFO 91.5 1-4PM.

January 16 (Saturday) Punk Rock Aerobics at Once Lounge - classes start at Noon.

January 16 (Saturday) The Fathoms, Tsunami of Sound and Richie Parsons at the Midway - this is a 4PM afternoon show

January 16 (Saturday) Roy Sludge is at Sally O'Brien's - this is a 6PM show. Get there early coz these Sludge Shows get packed!!

January 16 (Saturday) at Tavern at the End of the World is Peasants Smatter the Seventies - It’s run by Pete Cassani of the Peasants who knows how to take a concept and rock it. It'll be "A drive thru some choice Peasant songs and Covers with the Sick Street Peasant band of Ernie LaRouche and Dangerous Dave Lieb." Show starts at 10PM...go for dinner, there's excellent food and free parking behind the Tavern! and no cover...really!

January 16 (Saturday) LemmyFest at Once Lounge

January 16 (Saturday) OC45, Point Blank, Meat Depressed, The FUs at Koto in Salem.

January 17 (Sunday) an afternoon show 4- 8 PM at The Midway with Trusty Sidekick, Black Souls, The First Supper and The Jiblantos

January 17 (Sunday) Podactor, Districts, Trophy Lungs and Old Days at O'Brien's

And out in the future we have.....

January 22 (Friday) The Dot Rats are at The Midway along with See This World, Neighborhood Shit and Mongorellis

January 22 (Friday) Goddamn Draculas, Red Sky Mary and Watts are at Johnny D's

January 23 (Saturday) Brian Young's A Crash Course for The Ravers with feature Nancy Neon and Friends. 91.5 1-4PM

January 23 (Saturday) Vapors of Morphine and Mr Airplane Man at Atwoods

January 29 (Friday) Conmen, Shepherdess, Casanovas In Heat and Nomad Stones at O'Brien's

January 29 (Friday) The Dictators - NATUR - Neutral Nation are at The Parlor Newport, Newport RI (FB page for more info)

January 29 (Friday) Phil Collins Beat, Thee Itchies and others are at Dusk in Provi, RI. (FB Event page)

January 30 (Saturday) Punk Rock Aerobics at The Sinclair - classes start at NOON! (FB page)

January 30 (Saturday) The Dictators - Lenny Lashley's Gang of One - Nick and the Adversaries - Neutral Nation are at Great Scotts

January 30 (Saturday) Lyres, The Paul Collins Beat and the modifierS are at The Middle East Up. BUY TIX here

January 30 (Saturday) Reddy Teddy is playing at a 10 Jam for Ink Jam Tattoo in Arlington . 6-10 PM at the Knights of Columbus, Arlington MA. Check out the FB page for more info.

January 30 (Saturday) Angela Sawyer (of Weirdo Records) & Gabe Stoddard present their Open Mic Night

February 4 (Thursday) Highway Chapel is at Hennessey's Hooley House 25 Union St (by Haymarket) Boston.

February 5 (Friday) The Shiny Beasts and The Knock Ups are at Jeanie Johnston Pub in JP. each band is doing two sets, alternating sets.

February 5 (Friday) The Silks, The Dirty Truckers and The Furs are at The Midway

February 6 (Saturday) Roy Sludge with Duke Levine & Johnny Sciascia at Atwoods this is a 4PM show

February 6 (Saturday) Magic Shoppe (celebrating their EP Release) Zip-Tie Handcuffs, Bong Wish and S.S. Cretins at Great Scott

February 6 (Saturday) Koto in Salem goes MOD with The Forz, Tiger Bomb and The Evil Streaks

February 12 (Friday) Chetstock #1 2016 will be at Once Lounge @ Cuisine En Locale!! They will also be filming a documentary with lots of interviews and great Chet's stories. This is a memorial event to support Pine Street Inn in honor of Chet. And check out the killer line-up of bands: Moose and the Mudbugs, Liz Borden Group, Pajama Slave Dancers, Dogmatics, Bim Skala Bim, Dogzilla Reunion (with special appearance by AEF) and Chet's All Stars - more info soon check the FB page for updates.

February 13 (Saturday) The Quiggs will be on Brian Young's A Crash Course for the Ravers on WMFO 95.1, 1-4PM.

February 13 (Saturday) Lux Lives! A celebration of all things Lux and The Cramps is back this year at Dusk in Provi, RI featuring The Buzzards (members of thee Itchies and The Worried), Rumble Party and Thee Icepicks also music by DJs Ty Jesso and Kogar the Swinging Ape -(FB page)

February 17 (Wednesday) Poison Idea, Child Bite, The FUs, LIVVER and Profit Margin at Once Lounge (FB event page)

February 19 (Friday) Taxicab Cowboy , The Galvanics, The Brigands and Phil Yates & The Affiliates at PA's Lounge

February 19 (Friday) wow this should be interesting - Russian Punk bands Naive and Matrixx are at the Middle East down. More info on the FB event page

February 20 (Saturday) The Hummingbiord Syndicate (Jon Macey's band) will be on A Crash Course for the Raves on WMFO 91.5 FM 1-4PM.

February 20 (Saturday) Quiggs, Howie & The Scrapes, Electric Octopus, and The Black Cheers are at The Foundation Room at the House of Blues (FB page for this excellent gig!)

February 20 (Saturday) M.O.T.O. , Stop Calling Me Frank, Sprained Ankles and The Johns are at The Midway

February 26 (Friday) Township is having their Vinyl Release Party, also on the bill When Particles Collide - at Great Scott

February 26 (Friday) Jittery Jack & Miss Amy along with Cactus Attack and The Alrighters are at O'Brien's

March 19 (Saturday) The Devil's Twin and Diablogato are at O'Brien's

March 19 (Saturday) Lux Lives! A celebration of all things Lux and The Cramps is back this year at The Bayside Bowl in Portland, ME featuring
The Gamma Goochies, Thee Ice Picks and Video Nasties - also music by DJs Ty Jesso and Kogar the Swinging Ape -(FB page)

March 25 (Friday) OK whoa....this is gonna be a wild night...go if you dare...S&M punk band GASH is at PA's Lounge...also on the bill is DISIPLINE: Boston queer BDSM Punk.

April 1 (Friday) "Drop Ya Mic and pick up yer paint brush" is a show of Musicians' art work at Once Lounge...check out the FB page..the list is looooonnnnggg. Providing music for the event will be The Old Edison, Tom Baker and the Snakes, Stars Like Ours and Ringtail. $9 cover with free apps, art at 6PM music about 8:30.

April 3- 22 (Friday) Rock n Roll Rumble at Once Lounge

CONTACT US AT....misslynbgn@yahoo.com - Send us your gig listings, your news and anything else ya got!!

Silver Screams

Trophy Lungs

My Own Worst Enemy

Overlake

Gene Dante