OFF! - OFF!

New year, new OFF! record, same eponymous title. Not a lot different on the musical end of things either, but I don't believe anyone coming to touch the hem of this garment arrived expecting to hear dubstep incorporated into the mix. None will be found either, just old school Flag-ged up punk rock with the guitars and vocals way up front. It's good. So good, really, that you almost forget that it comes courtesy of Vice. Sixteen songs romp by in just under the same number of minutes, so listen close or prepare for multiple replays.

R

Live: Superchunk with OFF! & Lemuria @ House Of Vans 7.14.11

I never skated, not have I had any inclination to, but it is hard to ignore the Vans presence, what with the Warped Tour and all. I've not been to one of those in the better part of a decade and looking at the lineup, I've barely heard (I'm sure blessedly) of any of the bands and the ones I have heard of I feel pretty sorry for. That said, Vans are certainly atoning for their sins with the House Of Vans out there in Brooklyn.

I poo-pooed the whole thing above and beyond the free Superchunk factor, but that alone was enough to get me to take the day off and get there at 5 to ensure entry. Dave and Eric showed up for the last hour or so and we were in fairly quickly, entering a good sized warehouse space with a decent PA and a huge backyard with free beer and pizza. WTF! While I was (and am) fairly incredulous about the whole thing, I got over it once the free beer started flowing.

We posted up out back for Lemuria, who sounded decent from outside, although I've heard varying opinions of the sound inside. I've seen enough Lemuria shows to know that there is a lot of relative pitch exercised in the franchise, so I'll reserve judgement as when I did make it in for OFF! it sounded pretty decent. Of course that's a relative thing, as the grinding Black Flag-gery that is OFF! is a special kind of ear candy. Morris is charismatic as hell for the little bedreaded old man that he is, taking neither shit not shorts over their short set. It's always over way too soon, but I really think that's a good thing.

The wealth of free beer meant there was ample for giving to cute girls up front and for throwing on pesty Superchunk uber-nerds from NJ who don't know how to pogo in one place. Superchunk on nine cups of Heineken Light is a special kind of experience, but one I recommend. Jim the drummer showed up and it was on. Opening with Slack Motherfucker, the kids romped through a set heavy on the Strings reissue before getting Morris out for a romp through Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Where Eagles Dare. Good times, maybe the best time I've had all year. I sure needed it and the company was damn good. As was the price. I think I'm going to buy me a pair of those Vans.

Kudos to House Of Vans for a great time in a well-run space that got me home by 11:15. You can damn well guarantee I'll be there next week for Fucked Up and Cro-mags. Wonder if the beer will be free at that one.

R

Live: OFF! with Trash Talk @ Santos Party House 3.26.11

Eric had been after me to see this show, and as I enjoy taking in all things rock and brewed with him, I picked up a ticket even though OFF! would probably play 20 minutes tops. Brevity is the soul of punk and while I'm wholly in favor of bands not overstaying their welcome, the cranky old man in me hates dropping $15 for the privilege. My issues aside, Trash Talk had also come highly recommended, so it seemed worth ponying up.

I rolled in just as Trash Talk were going on. In my favorite turn of events, there was an unannounced lineup switch and they were in the midcard slot. Once I ascertained I hadn't missed OFF! in that switch, I settled in for the fracas. The party line on TT was that they 'fucked shit up'. I'm not particularly of a mind to act as such in my old age and don't mind that the young people choose to (most of the time) unless I unwillingly have to be in the thick of it. Santos is awesome for a lot of reasons, but its layout is not conducive to being out of the fray if the kids start to get frisky. While kids of all ages went apeshit from the jump for Trash Talk, the band was as active as the crowd. At not one, but two occasions at this show I took my eye off the singer (on stage) for maybe a second and he was literally on my head. Were I to have been up front, that wouldn't be so shocking, but I am 6'3" and was probably 20 feet from the stage for the duration. Trust me: Trash Talk give new meaning to working a room. And they fucking kill it, so buy all their records and go out of your way to see them if ever you get the chance.

OFF! rolled up right after, owing to the dance party that curfews a lot of Santos shows ala Europa. Their Brooklyn show was purported to be pretty bad-ass and the crowd was pretty antsy for being as old as it was in anticipation. Morris and Co. didn't disappoint, romping through their entire canon in about a half hour, even with Keith shooting off his mouth. In a bad ass encore turn, they returned and announced that they were just going to start the set over and play until they got cut off, garnering all who stuck around a good part of the set a second time. Props are due to the loveliest slash best-smelling woman I've ever encountered at a punk show, who tarried in our little enclave for a good part of the set before disappearing. It seems like some slumming was in effect, and I'm as shocked as you are that I don't have anything negative about her attendance. Statistics say it could happen. Either way, the frosting on the beater from one hell of a great show. Go out of your way to see either, but if you enjoy your hardcore with a healthy dose of power violence, step lively here and get yourself some Trash Talk.

R

OFF! - The First Four EPs

There had been quite a little buzz around the old guy nerd underground about the new band Keith Morris was doing in LA. The Morris factor was intriguing, but the ante-upper of Dimitri from Burning Brides, Steven McDonald from Redd Kross and Mario from Earthless/Hot Snakes and Rocket comprising the other 3/4 of OFF! set the stats-pro tongues salivating. Lucky for these bitter old ears, First Four EPs is good. As you might surmise, this four 7" box compiles the four EPs with companion Pettibon artwork and a swanky book(let). It's sixteen blasts of Flag-ged up aggro rock, normally taking only a little over a minute to fuck your shit up. I like it more with every listen, although I bet the neighbors may feel a tad differently. Pick it up here.

R