Live: Hard Skin with Murderess @ Acheron 8.13.12

Hard Skin shows on this side of the pond can be pretty scattershot, but the last couple years have been pretty kind to us Americans in that regard. I would expect that the estimable Ian Dickson has something to do with their popping up in Brooklyn of late. You will find no complaints from JS-NYC, as rarely does an old man get the opportunity for laugh his ass off while he's pumping his fist in the air.

Portland's mostly female metal franchise Murderess opened the proceedings and seemed to do pretty well for attracting a lot of hygenically challenged ladies (and dudes). Not the best thing I've ever heard, but better than a lot of other bands on the grind/metal end of things. They have a couple good tunes and the lead guitar can rip off a lead or two when she's called upon, so we'll keep them on the radar.

The poster for the Hard Skin show they did a year or so ago with Forgetters had the gents in caricature as the Three Stooges. There are considerably less apt corollaries. Hard Skin ply their trade in new(ish) songs based in the sing-along anti-fascist Oi! tunes of yore, with Paddy Costello levels of smart-assdom filling in the spots between. You'd be a fool not to like it, and it didn't seem any of same were in attendance at Acheron. Perhaps they got pushed to the back once the kids started getting frisky, but Hard Skin sure brought it in their usual fashion.

Hard Skin has got a new singles comp called We're The Fucking George that features most, if not all, of your favorites covered in their set. Couldn't tell you where to get it outside of their live shows, but I'd step lively and get yourself a copy with the quickness if I were you.

R

Live: Restorations @ Acheron 4.6.12

Regular readers know that JS-NYC loves themselves some Restorations. Man, do I wish they were from Brooklyn. The acoustic show last week was a little lacking for me, so I was pretty eager to catch the full rock band version at Acheron. I was even more pleased that it was going to be an early show. I showed up as the band were wrapping their first track and judging by the turnout, it seems like Restorations are getting themselves a bit of a buzz. There's a new 7" coming down the pike that I'm pretty excited to hear, especially if it spikes the number of shows we get here in NYC.

Restorations bring it live. They've been touring a bit, and judging by the amount of collective grinning and headstock swinging taking place on the crowded Acheron stage, seem to be firing on all cylinders. Most of the new record was covered, with some dips into the back catalog that sadly did not feature personal JS-NYC favorite Linear Notes. Save for that omission, it was a great set, sadly cut short by the second show and mildly curtailed by the archetypically not-especially-capable sound guy who sadly did not receive a Facebook posting on the phone he couldn't put down about the fact that there were no vocals in the PA for most of the set.

Keep track of the release date of the new Restorations 7" and upcoming liveage here via the Restorations web presence.

R

Live: Tenement @ The Acheron 1.4.12

It's damn shame that it's been the better part of three years since we have had Tenement in our fair city. Their last Brooklyn show was one of the better shows I've seen in recent  years, but the time-honored lineup changes have hampered touring. Last year's Napalm Dream was one of the best indie rock records of 2011 and fate has smiled upon us to get them a touring drummer and make it out Brooklyn way. While I was excited as hell at the prospect of seeing Wisconsin's finest, I was somewhat less chuffed at the idea of riding out to nowhere Bushwick in temperatures that finally turned 'seasonal'.

I managed to blunder my way out to The Acheron in fairly short order and was pleased to find it was pretty legit in a Death By Audio sort of way. The room where the bands played is narrow and not especially long, kind of like the Khyber in Philly, begging the question how fucking Youth Of Today played there last Fall. Even with Coke Bust and Tenement on the bill, it made for a room that seemed full with maybe fifty people in it. Opening with a squall of feedback that got the kids shoving, Tenement romped through a half-hour of Dinosaur meets Figgs rock that satisfied pop and drunk punks alike. Mail me if you want a recording of the set.

All in all, the drummer for hire kid could have been more into it, and to that end I'd love to see what kind of damage Mikey Erg could in the Murph slot. I am not sure what the future holds in touring for Team Tenement, but you would be well-served in seeing them if you are able. In the absence of that, if you have not yet heeded the JS-NYC clarion call and purchased Napalm Dream, I suggest you do so with the quickness. Keep track of all things Tenement here.

R