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The BGN News Archive
Sham 69/ Middle East Up A couple of days before the Sham 69 at the Middle East Up gig Brett Milano let out the news that the touring group only has one guitar player from the group and he left before the band recorded. Tickets were bought so it was off to the gig anyway.
Welch Boys were roaring through a set that had the crowd upfront and moshing. The regulars were singing all the choruses. Several times the singer just gave the crew the mic and let them do it all. Pretty cool. They have one song called Pete Townsend is a Pervert urging people to keep the kids away from him and declaring "Research? Busted!" Dated now but still funny. I liked the set a lot and that alone was worth the night out.
Sham 69 came on with the 'original' guitarist, a woman bassist who turned out to be excellent and a drummer who was a fill in. The drummer they were supposed to have never got into the country. The replacement drummer did the job just fine. The main thing of course was no Jimmy Pursey. The singer they had was full of personality. He was pointing people out and making specific jokes to them. He was pretty funny and it was all with the English accent which I love. I don't know what this full club thought of the groups 'authenticity' but they were just having fun and enjoying the songs. It was a celebration of those songs.
I played that first LP at MIT's WTBS (now WMBR). I loved those family scenes in between some of the cuts. Those songs sounded different than everything else too. Tonight the group slowly adds the better known tunes during a very long set and lines up the real biggies in the final fourth of the show. They get rabid response from Hurry Up, Harry, Borstal Breakout, Questions and Answers, Angels with Dirty Faces and the final If the Kids Are United. There was lots of moshing and singing. Again, you can rightly claim this is not the 'real' group but that would seem churlish with people enjoying it like this. To me the songs carried the day. I had a great time and stayed till the end. Sidewalk Driver / The Lawn on D Thanks to an email by Eric Law, Miss Lyn headed over to that "Lawn on D" on Friday night to check out Sidewalk Driver's show there. It was a warm day, one of the few left of this summer, there was a beautiful breeze and it was pretty nice to hang out in the open air. It's sort of a family affair, with lots of kids around and people playing bocce and other lawn games. But, this place is pretty cool, they have food trucks if you are hungry and they sell beer and wine.
Though there was a huge stage at the end of the lawn Sidewalk Driver was given a smaller stage under a tent in front of a slew of picnic tables. Much more "intimate' I guess. Sidewalk Driver delivered a well played set as usual. Tad Mckitterick has such an amazing voice with so much range and power! Love it! The band is seamless, strong and solid, they always are! Every time I see these guys I can picture them on a huge stage in a huge venue playing in front of a massive paying audience. They are so good!! They are one of a handful of local bands that have been successfully headlining the Sinclair so hopefully they are on their way! Tad and his crazy costumes and sky high platforms are always entertaining as well. Tornado will remain one of my favorite songs ever. It's a sums up everything that is so great about this band. The Lawn on D is a short walk (about 10 minutes) from South Station and there are a couple buses that run down Summer Street if you would rather get there that way. I used to work on D Street about 15 years ago...the only other thing down there was the Design Center. The place where I work is long gone and now there are crazy expensive apartments along with the gigantic convention center and the whole fancy new Seaport District. They have "The Sound of Our Town 2" coming up this Thursday Sept 25, "a Vanyaland curated show with Tribe Society, Ruby Rose Fox, Will Dailey, Bearstronaut, Vundabar, Oh Malô, and Mikey Holland’s American Denim .They'll be performing classic Boston songs, by Mission of Burma, Breeders, Barry and the Remains, and more." Boston Burning /The Midway
Blowfish hit one of the three Mark Lind's Boston Burning shows at the Midway. Warn the Duke started the night. They are generally punk but I found any specific influence hard to nail down. The singer was pouring a lot into the vocals with his raspy voice. The drummer had some moments where he kicked the song into overdrive.
It's been too long since we last heard Duck and Cover, one of our favorites. The no frills punk is characterized the well written songs and Chris Brat's distinctive voice. Everything was in place and the whole set cooked. They played one brand new song and that was the best song of the set too. Daniel Sussman the guitarist was doing outstanding work feeding treble laden fills song after song. I always mention their tandem leads that are short but always a treat. You can hear one example in Gather Your Strength at the .23 second and 2:30 mark. They ended with the much played Stand Corrected off their last release. All in all a great set. In other news:
We were over at the Rathskellar Suite at the Hotel Commonwealth this week. Jim Harold pulled together a slew of bands/musicians to perform in the room for a video DVD to be released in the future. Concept: Bands who played the Rat performing in the Rat Room! He had Willie Alexander, Billy Connors, Emily Grogan, The Dogmatics, John Felice and Billy Cole, Robin Lane & The Chartbusters, Richie Parsons and a band of highschoolers called 20th Century Fugitives who played La Peste's Spy Master (they are related to the Rat coz the bassplayer's mother was a waitress there. They even took the day off from school to perform!) Here's a Fisheye Film from Willie about his being Down in Kenmore Square, he was standin' there, at the Rat (Room) So the plan is The Hotel Commonwealth will release for sale to the public a DVD of the performance viddies and will then make a CD also available to the public. More news when we get it!!
Here are some shows coming up this week....
September 25,26,27 The New England Shake-Up! Is this coming weekend! at their FB page September 25 (Friday) At "The Greek's" (Greek American Social Construction Club) in Union Square Somerville are The Evil Streaks, The Black Souls, Silver Mirrors and The Electrolux Combo. Here's the FB page. September 25 (Friday) Illegally Blind Presents: Boogie Boy Metal Mouth (EP Release), The Televibes, Black Beach, Esh The Monolith, and Midriffs at The Middle East Up. September 25 (Friday) At "The Greek's" (Greek American Social Construction Club) in Union Square Somerville are The Evil Streaks, The Black Souls, Silver Mirrors and The Electrolux Combo. Here's the FB page. September 26 (Saturday) Continental (ft. Rick Barton), The Nervous Eaters, and The Charms are doing a Matinee show (doors at 1) at the Middle East Up.
And into the future we have.... September 30 (Wednesday) Grex, Kenne Highland and Fable Grazer are at The Lily Pad in Inman Square Cambridge. 7-10PM All Ages. FB Event page here. October 1 (Thursday) Trophy Lungs return to Boston after their triumphant tour of the midwest. Check 'em out at OBrien's October 3 (Saturday) Fireking is having a Double Trouble VINYL Record release party at The Midway along with guests The Grip Weeds, Watts and John Powhida October 3 (Saturday) Carissa Johnson, Lucky United , Rockin Bob Punk Band (Bob Cenci) are at Koto in Salem October 4 (Sunday) at the Middle East Down: Chameleons Vox (UK) (The Chameleons from the old days continued) playing ‘Script of the Bridge’, Avoxblue, The Milling Gowns and DJ Matthew Griffin . Doors are a little early - at 7PM. October 4 (Sunday) Television is together again and touring!! They are at The Wilbur Theater. Buy tix here. October 4 (Sunday) it's a very special reunion of The Coachmen featuring Jerry Miller, Roy Sludge, and Johnny Sciascia at The Midway. FB page here
October 10 (Saturday) Patti Smith has a new book out called M Train.She will be reading from the book at the John Hancock Hall in the Back Bay Event Center downtown near Copley Sq. sponsored by the Harvard Bookstore, 7PM (doors at 6). It's $30 but that includes the book as well! For more info and to buy tix go here. Also.... The cable channel Showtime just bought the rights to do a TV series of Patti's book Just Kids!! I can't wait for that one! Read more here. October 10 (Saturday) Roy Sludge is at Johnny D's doing an early 7PM show. October 10 (Saturday) The Real Kids made a smart move to change the date they play at The Midway. Here they are on Oct 10 with Stop Calling Me Frank and The Johns. October 10 (Saturday) Bob Colby Presents, at Store 54 - The Easy Reasons and Happy Little Clouds. October 11(Sunday) at The Midway: A Benefit in memory of Joe Rutledge with Worm, Spectacle, The Swindlers, Charlie Don’t Surf, and Mailman Carl. This is an early show with doors at 4PM October 17 (Saturday) A Crash Course For The Ravers & Brian Young will feature Greg Allen's Fringe Religion! That's WMFO 95.1, 1-4PM
October 25 (Sunday) As part of Crash Safely 2015 A Benefit for the National MS Society the Middle East Up has Township, Watts, Unnatural Axe and Fireking - that's a GREAT show!! October 25 (Sunday) - TRiPLE THiCK, Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders (ex-Lazy Cowgirls), Thee Itchies and Hambone Skinny are at The Midway October 31 (Saturday) a Halloween Show at the Midway with The Satanics, Devil On Horseback, The Drawstring Lamps as Dead Kennedys, Ian Cat & the Crimsons as My Bloody Valentine November 25 (Wednesday) It's Thanksgiving Eve...what better time to head over to the Brighton Music Hall for The Flamin' Groovies along with Muck & The Mires!! Tix here. November 25 (Wednesday) Another Thanksgiving Eve party over at the Sinclair for the The Daykamp Poster and Photo Show featuring The Sheila Divine, Sidewalk Driver and Weakened Friends. December 8 (Tuesday) Oh Oh OH!!! Rocket From the Tombs is at the Brighton Music Hall!
CONTACT US AT……misslynbgn@yahoo.com - Send us your gig listings, your news and anything else ya got!!
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September 23 (Wednesday) We
mentioned earlier that Jittery Jack was putting together a web TV show
called 
September 26 (Saturday) Muck & The
Mires are back from Japan and they party it up Sugar Blood Jinx and
Hambone Skinny at Sally O'Brien's in Union Sq Somerville. F
October 8-11 The Third Annual Rat Beach
Party WILL happen - at the C Note on Nantasket Beach -- October
8th-11th. 
October 17 (Saturday) As
part of Crash Safely
2015 a Benefit for MS at The Midway are The Sprained Ankles,
The Dents, Muck & the Mires, Phil Aiken Army, Gymnasium 
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