Live: Iron Chic with Dead Dog @ Lulu's 4.14.11

This ended up being quite the evening. Ran into Col on the ride home and ended up meeting her at an opening on Bond St, then rode out to Brooklyn for a couple hours at Eric's birthday get-together before this show.

Was pretty full when I rolled. I caught all of the Dead Dog set, who had some sound issues and were all and all pretty meh when you get right down to it. There was a decent crowd, and as you couldn't beat the price, I guess it makes sense. Pretty decent set from the Chic ones. Lots of beer being thrown and a fair amount of stupid poseur stage diving/crowd riding. Iron Chic have songs, and good ones at that. It's great that they are getting bigger, but the douche factor does seem to be rising amongst the crowds. Either that or I'm too old. One or the other. While I'm being cranky, headliners going on past midnight on a school night seems a little silly. I guess it was free, and it's not like it wasn't packed, so maybe I should just clam up. And use the bathroom before I leave, as the awesome ticket I got was not really what I was dying to get for my birthday. Kudos to Iron Chic for being pretty great. It's nice that its getting warm just as NYC is finally getting some good local bands. May looks like it is going to be merry, indeed. Stay tuned to JS-NYC for details.

R

Live DBT @ Skyscraper

All:

My review of the record release show at Bowery for the latest Drive By Truckers record Go-Go Boots is up currently at Skyscraper.

Here's a link.

Thanks to Traci Thomas at Thirty Tigers for the guest list, ATO for the spot and Andrew at Skyscraper.

R

Samiam at Skyscraper

JS-NYC Massive:

My review of the new Samiam singles comp Orphan Works is up at Skyscraper.

Here's a link.

R

New Punch Line up at Skyscraper

Chuckle Aficionados:

The second installment of my comedy column The Punch Line is currently available for your collective perusal at the Skyscraper Magazine web presence.

Here's a link.

R

Live: P.S. Eliot with Dead Mechanical and Vacation @ Cedar Mansion 4.8.11

This show popped up on the Pop Punk Bored and bode well for a good evening. JS-NYC likes themselves a whole lot of Dead Mechanical and P.S. Eliot, and as both parties play pretty infrequently in town, much less together, it seemed prudent to make it out to Cedar Mansion for this.

Cedar Mansion is a pretty nice layout, with a basement that is pretty well-suited for seeing shows. The stairs are somewhat of a sketchy proposition, but CM keeps the numbers down and everything ship-shape. Vacation were rolling when I made it downstairs, sounding a lot like Tin Armor. Believe they are from Ohio. Seemed like good dudes.

Dead Mechanical played to a smaller crowd than I would have expected. They always bring it live, and I would have figured the Jawbreaker in them would have filled the room up more, but they blazed through seven or eight corkers over their short set. I'd like to see them and Deep Sleep down Charm City way.

This show was the release show for Sadie, the new P.S. Eliot record and boy did the room fill up accordingly. Even Katie seemed surprised at the draw. They knocked out most of the (good) new record and a couple older tracks to a more than stoked crowd. Champagne was decanted, good times were had. Get the new record in tangible form from Salinas and/or snag it gratis from your buddies over at the venerable If You Make It.

R

Live: Mike Watt and the Missingmen @ Mercury Lounge 4.4.11

I had missed out on the last Watt show at Mercury, and as I'm not the hugest Stooge-ophile and the improv stuff doesn't often make it to this side of the country I went out of my way to get a ticket in advance. It was sold out, as it should be and packed in pretty good by the time I arrived.

Watt's new opera is called Hyphenated Man and it's out courtesy of your friends at Clenched Wrench. This set was the new record in its entirety, along with some choice Pop Group and Minutemen covers on the back end. Set list is here. Hip room, with Nels and Yuko in attendance, as well as the usual old school NY suspects. Raul and Tom are the best guys he's had behind him since Nels was in the band and they certainly seemed tight, despite Watt claiming that he blew clams for most of the set.

Tour is on til 4/30. Get dates and all things Watt at the hootpage here.

R

History Lesson at Skyscraper

Ladies, Gents, L.A. Punk cognoscenti:

Review of A History Lesson: Punk Rock In LA In 1984 is now up at the Skyscraper. Here's a link.

Thanks to Andrew and Diana at Skyscraper.

D. Boon!

R