Ceremony - Zoo

Ah, Ceremony. Always liked the gents, and sure have seen a lot of them recently. Much like their new label mates Fucked Up, it continues to be a little weird to see them on Matador. I've always admired the Gotham toreadors thinking outside the box (i.e. signing Large Professor), harder for me is wrapping my head around their aesthetic post-Superchunk. The move has certainly precipitated a less hardcore Ceremony record than we had encountered previously on their Bridge 9 tenure. Not shocking, as Ceremony are definitely a weird bunch of dudes (meant in the best possible way). It's not every band that has a jailbird and a make-up artist in the same band, but Rohnert Park's finest are not your average bunch of crucial dudes.

Zoo definitely reps the West Coast, sporting some serious Rollins/Morris vocal action, backed with an interesting Agent Orange meets garage rock vibe. Production is a little spartan and reserved, but the Zoo tracks get a lot more teeth to them live. I get the impression the hardcore kids have their boxer briefs in a bit of a bunch over the direction of this record, but it definitely stands to garner them two fans for every one they have lost. Perhaps not the best first record to get into Ceremony with, but definitely one of the best this year.

R

Live: Ceremony with Violent Bullshit @ Mercury Lounge 4.23.12

As I am, as many of you well know, a fucking idiot, I had Aaron grab me a ticket for this show thinking it was the evening of the 14th and the prospect of a late night hardcore show at Mercury seemed too good of a proposition to pass up for that weekend.  When it actually burned through the post-bday fog in my brain that it was actually a Monday night a week show a week or so later that was both 16+ and sporting a 10:30pm door time, I was a little less excited about the proposition, but dutifully posted up too early and caught all of the Violent Bullshit set.

It being late and them not being Ceremony aside, the Brooklyn fivesome that is Violent Bullshit was actually pretty fun, sporting a smart-ass front-guy (and a guy from Les Savy Fav, for what that is worth) that talked a lot of shit and laughed nervously between each song, most of which were cut from competent old-school hardcore cloth. One of their shirts was a rip-off of the Uniform Choice Straight And Alert t-shirt, if that gives you any indication of what VB are working with. Decent enough, and with enough local buzz to be getting a ton of quality opening slots, I trust I'll be seeing a lot of them at Brooklyn shows this Summer.

This was a headlining set from Ceremony, after their opening slot for The Refused show at Terminal 5. Didn't draw especially well, but did come courtesy of the estimable Ian Dickson and Hardcore Gig Volume, featuring their new lineup that appears to feature Philly scene staple, all-around decent guy Andy Nelson as a recording member. He was certainly holding down the bass slot this evening, adding to the odd Ceremony stage presence that begs the question if any of the members intended to join the same kind of band. Or perhaps if they all were on the same page as to where it is ending up. Our friend in the guitar slot brings an interesting Prince meets Hanoi Rocks vibe to the proceedings, and Ross continues to resemble the illegitimate son of Professor X, but the music is still 21st Century compliant hardcore punk rock that if not all that dissimilar from their new Matador labelmates in Fucked Up! Again, a not especially packed room, but one definitely filled with a gang of kids under legal drinking age that enjoyed frolicking in/around/on and off the Mercury stage for the duration. Not a real long set, and one that seemed to be taking its toll on Ross and his vocal cords, but all in all a pretty fun time. I wouldn't have been pleased if I had ridden out to Brooklyn to see this, but was a good time for a neighborhood show. Ceremony have been playing a fuckload of shows in town of late, and appear to be playing some more in town once they get back from some Australian dates. Keep track of all things Ceremony at their web presence here.

R

Ceremony - 6 Cover Songs EP

Ok: Ceremony covers EP. Makes sense, right? Bands do them all the time and they are almost always well-received, at least from the average choir that is being preached to. Ceremony has choirs all around the world, owning to their relentless tour schedule and flood of releases. They could thank Bridge Nine for that before, but now in investigating this, it appears that the next next Ceremony record will be on Matador?

Seems odd to me, too, but Matador seem to have done well with Fucked Up recently, better than they did with Large Professor certainly, so maybe the gents are getting a better sense of how to expand the Matador focus while still having the engine to market them properly. Here's hoping, as this cover EP with Pixies and Wire tracks Ceremon-ized is pretty aces, if maybe a wee bit unrepresentative of the band's recorded output. Get 6 Cover Songs here from Bridge Nine and keep track of Ceremony here.

R

Live: Ceremony with Rogue State @ ABCnoRIO 8.7.10

It's been a stressful couple weeks with some medical issues and I had been more than a bit antsy. The weather had been so sweltering that it was hard to get out on the bike for any distance with getting heat stroke, so a hardcore show three blocks from the JS-NYC corporate offices seemed more than adequate of an eventuality to both distract me and blow off a little steam.

Popped in early at ABC to get my hand stamped and found that Punch had dropped off the show (and eventually cancelled a bunch of dates) after the singer broke her ankle. When I did cross threshold to get my rock on, Rogue State were tearing thing up. Like Ceremony, Rogue State are from California and make the hardcore. The are a four-piece, although I could have sworn only three guys played, but hey it was crowded. Vocals were kinda non-existent as well, but the band was well-received. If you were there, or the prospect excites you, know that Rogue State have a new record out on Be Happy called emis vs etic that you can get here. You're welcome.

A between set med break had me a little light-headed by the time I made it back to ABC, but the crowd proved frisky enough to keep my senses sharp. The kids were circle-pitting up a storm and the ladies were mixing it up on the floor a fair bit as well. Ceremony kept the pedal to the floor for the duration. Ross was all over the place from the first note: on the floor, in the crowd, on the crowd, sometimes sporting his hoodie pulled over his head. What end said sartorial leaning accomplished, I know not, but it made for a fun Saturday afternoon.

I like the Ceremony records ok recorded, but they are a lot more fun live. The band is a nutty mix of hair farmer with Nikki Sixx model Explorer (set phasers to awesome) and shirtless guy in lace arm garters. I couldn't see the drummer, but I'm sure he was equally bizarre. It's an odd mix, but not an unpleasant one. Ceremony have gotten very much in touch with their inner Black Flag over the last couple years. Ross especially has gotten a lot more Keith Morris, and all of these factors make for a hell of a fun show. Hardcore fans and lovers of rambunctious matinee shows in general would do well to take in a Ceremony show with the quickness before they head overseas for a while. Explore the possibilities here.

R